Sustainable Stays & Nature Escapes in Koh Samui, Chiang Mai & Chiang Rai
A journey through Thailand’s most memorable stays — from the eco-conscious Tongsai Bay in Koh Samui to Anantara resorts in the north — just before my health journey began.
Thailand has a special place in my heart. I spent part of my childhood living in Chiang Mai, where my father was a hotel manager. I learned to speak Thai and spent three years at the International School there.
As an adult, I have been to many parts of the country, but I keep coming back to this special place — the Tongsai Bay.
This was the last trip before everything changed, before my diagnosis, and before the pause that followed. Even then, I was already drawn to places that felt connected to nature. I didn’t consciously seek out eco hotels yet, but something in me already knew what felt right.
🌴 Koh Samui
The Tongsai Bay Resort (now Garrya Tongsai Bay)
The Tongsai Bay Resort — now known as Garrya Tongsai Bay — is a hotel with a long-standing focus on sustainability. It has received recognitions such as the Green Hotel Award and the ASEAN Green Hotel Standard.
They use non-toxic cleaners, many of which they make themselves using natural ingredients like lemongrass grown in their own herb and vegetable garden. The garden is located off-site but can be visited as part of a two-hour guided tour.
Tongsai Bay was one of the pioneers of eco-conscious hospitality in Thailand. The cottages were built around existing trees and nature, not the other way around.
You can truly feel this connection to nature while staying there — the sounds of birds, the dense greenery, and the occasional appearance of wildlife such as slow loris or water monitor lizards make the place feel magical.
The property has a private beach and three on-site restaurants. Once a week, they host a movie night on the beach, where you can lounge on beanbags and watch a film under the stars. Morning yoga classes are offered, and the spa provides a wide range of treatments. One of the highlights is the breakfast buffet. Every morning, we walked through the lush scenery from our cottage (Nr. 209 — the only freestanding beachfront cottage, as the others are in pairs) to the main building. The buffet offers both European and Thai dishes, as well as a “fruit lady” preparing fresh juices and smoothies.
We especially loved the eggs benedict with a Thai twist — a hint of red curry — and the Asian noodle corner where you can create your own soup.
For activities, you can try Hobie Cat sailing, canoeing, paddle boarding, or simply relax at the beach, pool, or on your private terrace, which comes with an outdoor bathtub.
While there are also pool villas and grand pool villas set higher on the hill with beautiful views, we were perfectly happy with our seafront cottage.
If you want to explore beyond the resort, you can walk to Choeng Mon Beach (about 20 minutes) or rent a motorbike — although traffic can be a bit chaotic. Shuttle services are available to Chaweng Beach, which is busier, with shops, restaurants, and bars.
We usually spent around 10 days at Tongsai, enjoying the resort, taking walks to Choeng Mon Beach, and occasionally visiting Fisherman’s Village — a lively night market right by the beach with food stalls, shops, restaurants, and bars.
Other stays in Koh Samui
We also spent two nights at the Bandara Resort at Bophut Beach on Koh Samui. We were upgraded to a pool villa, which was wonderful during the May heat. We often jumped straight into the pool after returning from the beach or a walk.
A nice touch was the little homemade surprise placed on your pillow each evening — a different one every night — and the scent of lemongrass greeting us after dinner from the water candle diffusers lit during the nightly turndown service.
Bophut Beach is lined with resorts and restaurants but is quieter than Chaweng. The beach is narrower and falls more steeply, but there are plenty of restaurants within walking distance.
West Coast Recommendation – Taling Ngam
On the quieter west coast of Samui, around Taling Ngam Beach, you’ll find a more rugged, less crowded part of the island with narrower beaches and stunning sunsets. Hotels here are often perched on the hills, giving breathtaking views over the Gulf of Thailand. One well-known resort in this area is the InterContinental Koh Samui Resort which sits above the bay and makes the most of the natural beauty. Even if you don’t stay there, visiting this side of the island for a sunset or a scenic drive is highly recommended.
🌴 Koh Phangan
Panmivan Resort
We also visited the neighbouring island of Koh Phangan, about an hour away by ferry, where we stayed at the Panviman Hotel. Our seafront pool villa was a highlight — even if a tropical storm meant we only got to enjoy it once. While the resort is beautifully set in nature, it’s not particularly eco-focused.
🌿 Northern Thailand – Chiang Mai & Chiang Rai
After Koh Samui, we continued to Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai in the north.
Chiang Mai is where I spent part of my childhood, so returning always brings back memories, even though the city has changed. There are many things to see and do depending on your interests, and the night market is always enjoyable in the evening.
We celebrated New Year’s Eve in Chiang Mai by releasing lanterns around Thapae Gate in the old city, where hundreds of glowing lanterns drifted into the sky at midnight. The sight was magical, and you make a wish as you send your lantern off into the night sky — I wished for Spence, the English bulldog I was godmother to, to have a long, happy life (he was 10 at the time and went on to make it to 13 ½!). In hindsight, it’s probably not the most eco-friendly way to celebrate, since everything that goes up eventually comes back down, but it remains one of the most breathtaking experiences of our trip.
Chiang Mai Night Bazaar: In the evenings, the night bazaar is a must-visit. Don’t miss trying khao soi, the rich northern curry noodle dish, or the sweet roti filled with condensed milk. And of course, a refreshing Thai iced tea is the perfect way to round off your snack tour.
A visit to the Elephant Nature Park is highly recommended. They rescue elephants and focus on ethical tourism — no riding allowed. You can even stay overnight. It’s one of the few elephant rescue centers in Thailand where “ethical” truly means ethical, not just a tourist-friendly label. Another excellent sanctuary is Boon Lott’s Elephant, a small family run elephant rescue center and sanctuary located near Sukhothai in central Thailand. As you can probably tell by now, I’m an animal advocate and always do my research before engaging in any animal-related activity. That being said, skip the picture with the monkey or other wild animals at the night market, and avoid the tour in Southern Thailand on Koh Mudsum (Pig Island) where you can swim with pigs. These pigs are domestic animals that were introduced to the island and are not naturally adapted to the tropical sun or to relying on visitors for food and water. While travel guides often describe them as friendly and used to wading in the water, pigs can have very sensitive skin and are not suited to prolonged sun exposure. For me, that makes swimming with them an ethically questionable activity.
With that in mind, when we traveled to Northern Thailand, we stayed at the Anantara Resorts in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai — both beautiful properties. The Anantara Golden Triangle in Chiang Rai is set in a remote jungle next to the Mekong River. Staying there feels special, as the resort is connected to an elephant sanctuary.
They offer experiences such as walking with the elephants, picnics, or even staying in jungle bubbles surrounded by nature and the elephants right next to you.
We also did a Mekong longtail boat tour, which I wouldn’t recommend. While the boat ride itself was fine, the stop at a small village across the river felt uncomfortable, as animals were kept in small cages at a market there.
The spa at the Anantara Chiang Rai was exceptional — the best massage I’ve ever had. I chose the “Anantara Signature Massage.” Packages often include full board, so you can eat and drink as much as you like.
Bangkok
After 3 eventfull weeks it was time to head home via Bankgok where we also stayed – at the time – at the Anantara Sathorn Bangkok. You have to check out the Rooftop terrace on the 38th floor while you are there, it feels like something out of this world. Sitting up there looking down on the lights and the town.
Not long after this trip, everything changed. Travel paused for most people for 1–2 years due to COVID, and for me personally, I wouldn’t be traveling for four years.
Looking back now, I can see that even then, I was already drawn to places that felt more natural, intentional, and connected. I just wasn’t yet aware of how important those choices would become — for my health, my wellbeing, and the way I travel today.
🌿 The last trip before everything changed..
This trip now feels like both an ending and a beginning — the last one before the pause, and the first quiet step toward a more conscious way of traveling. If I had known what was to come, I would have savoured every minute even more!
🌱 Eco Travel Hotel Recommendations
Here are some more eco-concious hotel options in Thailand,:
Chiang Mai:
- The Earth Hotel – Stylish budget stay in central Chiang Mai, casual design and convenient location.
- Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai – Luxury escape in Mae Rim with sustainability initiatives and vegan-friendly dining, 20–30 minutes from town.
- Away Chiang Mai Thapae Resort – A Vegan Retreat – Mid-range, plant-based retreat near Tha Phae Gate with wellness-focused amenities.
- Green Tiger House – Budget-friendly, fully vegan hotel in the Old City with eco-minded features and vegan breakfasts.
Koh Phangan:
- Santhiya Koh Phangan Resort & Spa – A highly rated luxury resort on the island, known for its stunning beachfront location, traditional Thai architecture, and spa facilities. The resort incorporates eco-conscious initiatives such as organic gardens, farm-to-table dining, and support for local community projects, emphasizing sustainibility through solar energy and water conservation practices making it a stylish and mindful choice for a sustainable luxury stay.
Samui:
Because the most authentic eco-conscious hotels on Koh Samui tend to be luxury properties, these selections focus on high-end stays that combine comfort with meaningful sustainability initiatives:
- Six Senses Samui – Luxury resort on the northern tip of the island with regenerative gardens, local plastic reduction, and community support programs.
- Santiburi Koh Samui – Long-established resort on Maenam Beach with Green Globe certification, energy and water-saving practices, recycling systems, and biodiversity projects.
- Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui – High-end retreat featuring sustainable operations, energy and water reduction programs, organic gardens, and vegan/vegetarian menu options.
Bangkok:
- Anantara Siam Bangkok Hotel stands out as a green choice. The resort implements energy and water-saving initiatives and sources ingredients locally for its restaurants, combining sustainability with comfort in a riverside setting.
