Nishaville Resort, Thailand

This may be Thailand’s best-kept secret: absolute beachfront cottages at Huay Yang, ideal for snorkelling and hiking through a national park.

Overlooking the ocean at Huay Yang and about a five hour’s drive south of Bangkok lies Nishaville Resort. This could be Thailand’s best-kept secret. With 36 comfy candy-coloured cottages flanking miles of snow-white beach.

Well-kept lawns lead to shuttered cottages decked with breezy wraparound porches and wooden swings.

Spend your days watching the locals dig for periwinkles, snorkelling the crystal clear waters or hitting the trails in nearby Hat Wanakorn National Park, abundant in waterfalls and Asian Elephants.

The resort

Located within a private area on the Gulf of Thailand, Nishavile Resort is the place you want to head to when you want some peace and quiet. This 4-star resort is revered by locals and frequented by return guests. Each apartment or villa is self-contained and the resort has a green concept set in place for a more environmentally friendly stay. The electricity and water usage will add to your total bill but don’t worry, it’s won’t be a staggering amount. This will just remind you to switch off the lights when you leave your villa.

There are six accommodation styles available for you to choose from. Coconut Villas, Lakeview Villas, Beachfront Cottage, Beachfront Pool Villas, Pool Access Suites and Seaview Suites. No matter which type of place you choose to book, you’ll be getting free WiFi, LCD flat-screen TV’s, air conditioning (because Thailand is hot as heck sometimes) and a European-style kitchen.

Nishaville Resort — The Beachfront Pool Villa.

However, we think that if you want to splurge and you need room for a group of six, the Beachfront Pool Villa is the way to go. With a private swimming pool, sunbeds, full kitchen, living and dining rooms and this palace is a total for 210 square metres (and that’s only indoors).

Every guest of the resort has access to the communal infinity pool and fitness centre. If you’re wanting to get some intense relaxation on the board, book yourself into the Nishaville spa for a calming facial and massage. Breakfast is complimentary and served each morning in buffet style, with a huge line-up of international dishes.

The Nishaville Resort is truly one of a kind.

What to do around the area

Hat Wanakon National Park

This National Park covers almost 40 square kilometres of the Prachuap Khiri Khan Province and is empty most of the time. The beach, Wanakon Beach, is laid with white delicate sand and sea pine trees. If you walk through the woods of the park, you’ll come across various species of birdlife.

And if you’re keen on pulling out your snorkel gear, the Koh Jan is located off of Wanakorn and is one of the prime snorkelling areas of Thailand. Just make sure to watch out for the sea urchins and rock corals.

Prachuap Khiri Khan Night Market

These markets are relatively small but can go late into the night, grilling and frying up some local treasures. Known for their vast varieties of seafood on offer (and for unbelievable prices), you’ll get the absolute freshest on the Island. Just prepare yourself for the possibility of a thirty-minute wait for food, you can’t rush perfection and this place is absolutely bonkers on most nights.

The Walking Street

Walking Street pattaya thailand — Walking Street in Pattaya.

Known as the red-light district in the city of Pattaya, The Walking Street is a huge tourist attraction that you have to visit at least once. Located along the coast of the Gulf of Siam, you won’t be able to miss it, because the street is strewed with massive neon signs on each corner. Filled with discotheques, go-go-bars, nightclubs, live music venues and sports bars, this place is a haven of fun. And if you have time and don’t mind being confronted with some weird stuff, check out one of the ‘special’ shows (you know what we mean).

Huai Yang Waterfall

This small park is filled with six different waterfalls for you to hike and find. But if you want a real challenge, tie up your hiking boots and try to conquer the Khao Luang Mountain. It takes almost five hours to reach the summit and it’s recommended that you stay overnight up there. You’ll get the chance to witness some exotic wildlife that you wouldn’t necessarily find in the visitor area.

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Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park

Known as the first coastal national park of Thailand, the Khao Sam Roi Yot park contains Thailand’s largest freshwater marsh (Thung Sam Roi Yot). Hike through the park to see the Phraya Nakhon Cave and the Kaeo Cave for large chambers with an incredible history. Khao Sam Roi Yot is also home to over 350 different species of exotic birds, fishing cats, dusky leaf monkeys, crab-eating macaques, Malayan porcupines and barking deers.

phraya nakhon cave — The Phraya Nakhon Cave.

The details

Nishaville Resort, Thailand

Address: Huai Yang, Thap Sakae District, Prachuap Khiri Khan 77130, Thailand

Contact number: +66 32 616 333

When to go

The optimal time to book a trip to Nishaville Resort would be from November to March. During this time you can expect drier and cooler weather for a more comfortable stay.

Planning a trip to Thailand? Head here to learn everything you need to know about this exotic destination.

Wellbeing means different things to different travellers. Here’s how to pick a hotel that gets it right for you.

The best wellness holidays aren’t necessarily spent wrapped in a spa robe. Sometimes they’re found around a dinner table in Cambodia, on a hiking trail in New Zealand or after finally beating jet lag on the other side of the world. The hotel you choose is what makes them happen.

1. Easy access to good food

meals from Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20 — Taste delicious meals at Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20.

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In Sihanoukville, Cambodia, Korkor soup – often dubbed ‘Cambodian ratatouille’ – sits alongside raw blue crab dressed with lime and chilli, best enjoyed with views across the Gulf of Thailand.

In the lovingly chaotic city of Bangkok, the presence of food cranks up the sociability. At Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20, you can settle in with mango sticky rice and stranger-turned-friends beside the pool at Sky on 20 rooftop bar, or bring them along to tackle river prawns and stir-fried crab with holy basil at the buzzing Crab Paradise Dinner Buffet.

Then Novotel Dubai Al Barsha welcomes you with a laidback twist on the level of indulgence the Middle Eastern city is best known for up on Deck Se7en. Looking towards Burj Al Arab, the rooftop lounge has everything from Mediterranean-style dishes like seabass ceviche to Italian prosecco sundowners.

At the other end of the scale, in the hills that surround the Novotel Bali Ubud Resort, calm comes from nature. At Siralada restaurant, Balinese traditions shape the menu while thunder rumbles over the surrounding jungle – proving the setting is as nourishing as the food itself.

While at Novotel Nha Trang, chef Kieu Thi My Hanh and her team showcase Vietnam’s knack for balancing freshness, texture and fragrant herbs. Pho remains a favourite, while seafood salad with pomelo and mango brings those flavours together in one bright dish.

It’s all an approach backed by partnerships with expert food creators such as Alfie Steiner, whose plant-forward recipes prove healthy food should never taste plain.

2. Better sleep options

Novotel Bali Ubud Resort room — Sleep deeply with Novotel.

There are few travel experiences more disappointing than arriving in a new country, determined to seize the day, only to fall asleep fully clothed by 3pm.

For Australian travellers, jet lag is often an unavoidable part of the journey. That’s one reason Novotel runs sleep-focused initiatives that help guests adjust quickly without compromising on health. We’re talking partnerships with Sydney-based sleep specialist Olivia Arezzolo, known for her advice on everything from better sleep habits to beating jet lag, alongside features like pillow menus, in-room yoga content and tailored sleep guidance.

The sooner you’re operating on local time, the sooner you can get back to more pressing matters – like deciding which spa treatment to book.

3. More ways to move

woman hiking around queenstown new zealand — Stay at Novotel Queenstown Lakeside and explore local hiking trails. (Credit: GettyI mages/ naruedom)

Every place in the world has its own way of getting you moving: whether that’s hiking up ice-bitten mountains before a sauna or gentle stretching by the pool before a facial. From fitness centres to spas, Novotel recognises that wellbeing rarely looks the same.

At Novotel Queenstown Lakeside, activity is inescapable. Here, hiking trails, ski fields, bungee jumps, and white-water rafting have made the region famous. The hotel’s location on the shores of Lake Wakatipu means less time spent organising yourself and more time out there experiencing them. To top it all off, you can book a private hot tub for the evening before heading back into the wilderness tomorrow.

Bali, of course, takes a softer approach. At Novotel Bali Ubud Resort or Novotel Bali Nusa Dua, movement is less about conquering a mountain and more about a dance class between the tropical gardens and lagoon pools. Afterwards, the spa takes over, with traditional treatments like a Lulur body scrub: a combination of rice, turmeric, sandalwood, ginger and jasmine that’ll soothe muscles already relaxed by the Balinese heat.

4. Better connections

Kids will love a stay at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh.

One of the best things about travel is that it gives your family stories you’ll be telling for years. Novotel helps create them with activities that bring everyone together, whether that’s trying something new, learning a local skill, or simply spending more time together.

Go for a distinctly Thai twist at Novotel Phuket Vintage Park, where many of the family activities draw on local culture. Kids can try everything from beginner Thai boxing and language lessons to umbrella painting and – a pastime beloved by children the world over – pool foam parties. Everyone is welcome to join in, whether that’s getting splashed, covered in paint, or simply watching their children discover a new side of Thailand during the dedicated Family & Kids Day.

A different adventure awaits at Novotel Sharm El Sheikh. Kids could be perfectly content with discos, drawing classes and new holiday friends, but the Red Sea has other ideas. Sitting on the edge of Naama Bay, days here might involve snorkelling colourful reefs, taking a boat trip to Ras Mohammed National Park or heading into the desert by quad bike or camel for a Bedouin-style dinner beneath the stars.

5. Location is everything

Surin Beach, Choeng Thale, Thalang District, Phuket, Thaiföld — Explore Phuket’s gorgeous beaches. (Credit: Bence Biczo)

Everyone’s idea of wellness looks a little different. With more than 600 hotels across 65 countries, Novotel gives guests the freedom to choose the destination that suits them best. Whether that’s a beachside escape in Phuket, an alpine expedition in Queenstown or a city break in Bangkok, there’s a good chance a Novotel isn’t far away.

All that’s left? Choosing your version of wellbeing.

Discover stays to inspire your everyday at novotel.accor.com.