How can your next open-air massage on a tropical island in Thailand help save the world? Look no further than Evason Phuket & Six Senses Spa. On the surface, the resort seems dedicated solely to luxury: Its 260 Asian-chic rooms overlook the Andaman Sea and sit amid 64 green acres of tropical gardens, palm trees, lotus ponds and open-air massage salons. But follow a staff environmentalist on a behind-the-scenes tour along the resort's Eco Trail, and you'll learn of Evason Phuket's other devotion -- sustainability. This Green Globe-certified resort has its own biodiesel plant, composting facility, recycling center and waste-water treatment plant. Hundreds of local school children have also walked the Eco Trail, learning along the way how to be environmentally responsible at home. After the tour, taste sweet basil, Kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass and chilli from its herb and vegetable garden in spicy Thai dishes at the resort's restaurants and cooking classes. Evason Phuket's on-site practices and other community projects -- from mangrove planting to reef clean-ups, a tsunami-relief program and ongoing support for local schools -- show how social responsibility can coexist with world-class luxury. sixsenses.com/evason-phuket
Rate Information
- Evason Phuket & Six Senses Spa rooms start at $159.
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This article first appeared in Twenty of the World's Greatest Escapes, in the January/February 2012 issues of ISLANDS.
