Nakamanda Resort and Spa is a small luxury hotel located on a beautiful private cove in the unspoilt Klong Muang area in Krabi, Thailand. This was our “home away from home” for 4 nights of our 8 days Krabi vacation.
Getting to Klong Muang and the Nakamanda Resort and Spa.
We hired a taxi for 500 THB from the taxi stand conveniently located just outside our previous hotel, Pakasai Resort and Spa, to take us from Ao Nang Beach to Klong Muang Beach.
For those travelling to Klong Muang Beach from the airport: A airport taxi from the Krabi International Airport to a hotel along Klong Muang Beach would cost 700 THB/car (pre-paid, fixed rate fares). Klong Muang Beach is about 32 km from Krabi airport and the journey would take about 40 to 50 minutes. Alternately, pre-book the hotel’s own transfer service. We travelled to the airport in a clean, spacious and safe SUV provided by Nakamanda for 800 THB/car on our last day.
Our accomodation at Nakamanda
There are less than 40 rooms in this resort, making it very tranquil, private and somewhat exclusive. Ideal for couples or honeymooners or those who are looking for a few days away from the hustle and bustle of the outside world.
All accommodations at Nakamanda Resort & Spa are one or two-bedroom villas with tropical garden views or sea views. These individual villas, set upon a green hillside, are connected by walkways and stairs.
Frangipanis, palms, tropical flowering shrubs, pots of water lilies and lotuses lined the walkways connecting the villas to the resort’s amenities.
Most common are the 56 square meter, one-bedroom Sala Villa, which are remarkably luxurious, even though these were the most basic or entry level villa. For a even more luxurious stay or for family groups, there are villas with a Jacuzzi or a private swimming pool.
Our Sala Villa is on the upper floor of a two storey unit located on higher ground, hence offering us partial sea view. The lower floor units would enjoy tropical garden views.
A lady staff escorted us to our villa after the paperwork of check-in was done. A flight of stairs led to a private semi-outdoor patio with daybed, ceiling fan, coffee table and day curtains.
A Sala Villa, located on the second storey, with private semi-outdoor sala terrace with sea view.
The private semi-outdoor sala terrace or balcony with daybed, ceiling fan, coffee table and day curtains.
From there, a pair of wood-framed glass doors slides open to reveal a spacious bedroom with a king-sized bed, writing table, mini-bar with complimentary tea, coffee, hot water air-pot, fresh tropical fruit on arrival and a daybed to enjoy the in-room entertainment system.
Elegant yet warm ambience of the one-bedroom Sala Villa.
The teak floors, cool grey sandstone and cream marble and sculptures give an elegant yet warm ambience. Therapeutic aromatherapy oils in a clay burner, warmed by small candles that were already lit, gave an extra relax feel.
The bath area is behind the bedroom, with separate “His” and “Hers” individual wardrobes and wash basins with toiletries for the gent and lady. There are separate shower and toilet cubicles and a large bathtub, flanked by pots of orchids, with a large skylight over it. The skylight provides natural lighting to the bath area and a chance to see the sky and stars while enjoying a soak.
The daily turndown service would replenish the supplies of bottled water, tea and coffee bags in the mini-bar and fresh towels. Sweet good night notes with a orchid or a towel origami rabbit wearing one of our sun-glasses would be left on our beds.
The turndown service also includes making sure the aromatherapy oils in the room are heated up with new candles.
Breakfast at the Nakamanda
Our stay included daily buffet breakfast, served in the naturally ventilated Kitchen Restaurant located next to the hotel pool and beach. The breakfast spread was what you would expect in a good hotel but nothing spectacular. The food was good enough to fill us out till lunch. One thing I like about having breakfast at Nakamanda is the location where the breakfast is served. By the beach!
Kitchen Restaurant located next to the hotel pool and beach.
View of the swimming pool while having breakfast.
Activities while staying at Nakamanda
Guests at the Nakamanda could potentially spend the entire day within the villa. We spent some time on the porch in front of our room. This is a perfect place to read a book, take a nap under the ceiling fan and/or listen to the chirping birds in the trees surrounding villas.
As the day gets warmer in the afternoon, we watched TV inside the room in cool air-conditioning comfort. There are plenty of cable channels to choose from.
However, there are also plenty of activities in and around the resort to occupy us during our 4 days stay. The following are some of the things we did:
Enjoy Klong Muang Beach
Nakamanda Resort and Spa is located by Klong Muang Beach. Swimming is possible in the sea at high tide but we prefer to swim in the hotel pool.
We did an early morning walk along the long stretch of Klong Muang beach on one of the days.
Our original plan for the day was to go hike up and down the steep Dragon Crest or Tab Kak Hang Nak Hill Nature Trail located at Tubkaek Beach, which was a short distance away from Nakamanda by tuk tuk or taxi. We changed our mind due to the extra hot and humid weather that hit Krabi and did an easy morning walk on the beach instead.
Morning walk along Klong Muang Beach. Nakamanda is on the right of the picture.
Klong Muang Beach is clean, more secluded and quieter compared to Ao Nang. And fewer boat traffic.
Couple of friendly local kids enjoying a swim.
We saw the tracks of a snake on the soft white sand of Klong Muang beach. Must have be made during the night.
The low tide occurs twice a day and reveals a sand bank which stretches all the way to the small uninhabited island next to the resort. The adventurous folks could explore this island at low tide but should return before the next high tide.
Many visitors were also seen jogging on the firm wet sand at low tide.
The beach just next to the hotel is a bit rocky. The small uninhabited island off Klong Muang Beach could be explored at low tide.
Long-tail boat parked at the beach next to the hotel.
The beach was even nicer during the cooler evening times. One of the highlights of our stay was evenings spent on the beach where we watched the sun goes down as we strolled down the sandy beach, or on the lounge chair by the hotel’s pool or over a cold drink in one of the beach bars along Klong Muang Beach.
As a photo enthusiast, I enjoyed the opportunity to shoot photos of beach scenes during sunset and twilight.
Once darkness sets in, we went for dinners at the excellent Thai and seafood restaurants that are within or just outside the resort. We enjoyed our dinners at the Bai Tong and Baan Thai restaurants, located just across the main road from the entrance to the resort.
Chill by the pool
The hotel’s swimming pool is located right by the beach. Attentive pool staff will ensure we had the right amount of shade or sun as we lazed on the many loungers facing the pool or beach.
The Kitchen Restaurant provides food and beverages to guest at the pool and beach.
The design of the pool is almost Greek or Roman like, with stone sculptures on the fringes of the pool and water flowing out of aqueducts from the stone walls.
Since the pool is by the beach, we could laze on the loungers and watch the sun set from the pool area.
Morning yoga
Morning yoga sessions were available on some days. We signed up for the morning yoga on one of the days.
The yoga is at Beginner’s level only. Although my wife had prior experience with yoga, this was my first experience. It was tough and strenuous for me even though what we did was quite basic and suitable for novice. Nevertheless, it was a good workout in the morning prior to breakfast.
Naga Spa
One must not miss experiencing the massage services when visiting Thailand. Massage services in Thailand are incredibly cheap and good. The most popular form of massage available is the Thai-style massage but I prefer the softer and gentler body massages with oil.
Although there are cheaper massage services available from shops outside the resort, we chose to do our massages at the in-house Naga Spa. The Naga Spa offers excellent spa packages for both in-house guests and visitors. We made use of the vouchers given to us at check-in and enjoyed the 2 hours Nakara Massage and Foot Massage.
We could select which aroma oils to use for our body massage using warm herbal oils. We were then given a quick foot bath and foot scrub and asked to change into bathrobes. Our massage was done in the cool comfort of a private treatment room with soothing soft music.
Post massage, we were served a pot of hot herbal tea made from lemon grass, ginger, galangal and pandan leaves.
After the massage, we went back to lie on the daybed in the private balcony of our villa, feeling far far away from the stresses we faced back home.
Listening to the chirping birds on the terrace of our villa and feeling relaxed.
Visit the beautiful Pakbia, Lading and Hong Islands by long-tail boat
The Hong Islands are just off the coast of Klong Muang Beach. Although many tour operators offer trips to Hongs Islands from Ao Nang, it was faster and cheaper to visit these islands by private long-tail boat from Klong Muang Beach than from Ao Nang.
Long tail boats at Klong Muang Beach with the Hong Islands in the background
We hired one of the many long-tail boats at the beach in front of Nakamanda to take us to Pakbia, La Ding and Hong islands on one of the days. A day trip to visit these beautiful islands with white sand beaches and crystal clear emerald green waters off the coast of Krabi for swimming, kayaking, snorkelling, picnic or just lazing on the white sand beach is a must.
Planning a day trip to the Hong Islands? Read our Trip Report here.
Overall, we had an relaxing and enjoyable stay at the Nakamanda Resort and Spa. This resort is ideal for those who prefers a quiet and romantic stay in a small luxury hotel by a beach.
The Nakamanda Resort has special rates for different times of the year. We stayed in late March and the resort delivers excellent value for the price we paid. I booked my stay two months before my trip and this popular hotel was almost fully booked.
Pool of the Nakamanda Resort in the evening.
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