19EXPLORETHEPHUKETNEWS.COM FRIDAY, JULY 15, 2016

@thephuketnews

Jason Beavengm@classactmedia.co.th

On the second day we had our Asian cooking class, hosted by visiting Chef Ken, who took us on a step-by-step journey into the making of sushi and the techniques of two types – tradi-tional Japanese-style and the popular California roll. Can you pick which one was my attempt?

Wouldn’t it be great to have a whole luxury resort to ourselves? Right on the beach, on a tropical island with stunning views? We have all dreamed about it, recently it has become a reality and right at our

doorstep! By doorstep, I mean on nearby Koh

Yao Noi Island, a pleasant 30-minute speed boat trip away from Bang Rong Pier in Phuket. Koh Yao Noi feels like Phuket of years ago, just a few bikes and even fewer cars, a true tropical island paradise, the perfect home to Ani Villas.

Opened in December 2015, Ani Villas offers their 10-suite resort on an exclu-sive basis. That’s right, it’s all yours.

A perfect venue for friends and family who want to spend quality time together or for a special celebration, wedding or corporate retreat. Everything is inclu-sive, from the full gourmet breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus, premier top-shelf drinks and mixes, and juices, to all-day snacks, Asian cooking classes with the executive chef, children’s activities, laundry, international phone calls, the list just goes on and on… Does it get any

Dreams become a realitybetter than this?

“Suites” just barely manages to de-scribe the accommodation at Ani Villas. Inspired by the temples of Northern Thailand, they range from Ocean Front Master Suites, directly facing the beach, to the ocean view Master Pool Suites with a private pool in the middle of the suite, to the two-bedroom Family Suites, separated by a private living room.

You almost feel like you can stay in-doors the whole time, especially when you have complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi and unlimited movie streaming via Apple TV and Netflix, but one look at the 42-metre beachfront swimming pool overlooking Phang Nga Bay, that all changes in a heartbeat.

Need some pampering? Then head to the Spa, which hosts a luxurious couple’s treatment room, steam room and relax-ing double Spa Tub with amazing sea views. Two dedicated therapists are on standby full-time to ease all your tension and stress away and again, all treat-ments are complimentary.

Ani Villas’ first “Villa Resort” opened on the idyllic Caribbean Island of An-guilla in 2010. Last year, the estates in Thailand and Sri Lanka were added to the collection, with a fourth in the Do-minican Republic to be launched early next year. The first South American

property is slated for Pana-ma in 2018.

When we stayed, we were treated to a meal from their visiting Execu-tive Chef from the Anguil-la property, Chef Sweets, who prepared a Caribbean-style menu on the first night, using local ingredi-ents. The sea bass was a hit with everyone – even the kids – as was the pork rib. The big winner was the Prawn and Crab ball – an explosion of flavours.

Not to be out done, resi-dent Executive Chef Yao whipped up a seemingly endless dinner of freshly caught seafood, barbecued to perfection. Lobsters, crab, fish, prawns... the food seemed to never stop coming out of the kitchen. And that was only to start! Followed was a just as im-pressive selection of beef, pork and chicken. We were

so full we didn’t think we had room for breakfast or even lunch the next day.

Of course we did find our appetites again, and Chef Yao showed the skill of his team by impressing even our Thai friends with the selection of traditional Thai dishes at lunch, even changing the menu for some special requests.

Ani Villas Thailand are setting the bar when it comes to the new class of travel, the private luxury travel experi-ence. As they say on the website – Ani Villas Thailand: it’s all yours.

Ani Villas Thailand, Koh Yao Noi Island, Phang Nga. www.anivillas.com + 66 (0) 96 973 7621 anivillas.com/destinations/thailand

Executive Chef Yao hard at work.

Chef Sweets’ pork rib.

Caribbean-style sea bass.

Extravagance reaches new heights at Ani Villas with exclusive privacy