It is 7.30 am, and I am walking barefoot along a bush-lined pathway. The gentle morning sun shines warmly, casting mottled shadows. The scent of fresh grass and mud lingers in the air. Morning dew moistens my bare feet, and early birds are singing. Everything is fresh and lively.
I am attending a guided well-being session called “Conscious Grounding” at Banyan Tree’s new wellness-oriented resort in Phuket. Practitioner Henba Laishram is leading us, a group of six, to walk with feet bared to the elements. We are first guided to feel our centre of gravity by leaning in different directions, and then we slowly start taking steps with our eyes open while perceiving the changing imaginary balance point in our bodies. Finally, we try it with eyes shut. I try to leverage my other senses. Maybe it’s because I am a brisk walker in life, but I begin to walk faster and faster. Not surprisingly, I lose my direction. Right before I bump against the bushes, Laishram comes to the rescue and guides me back in the right direction.
I am not a fan of walking without shoes on; as a typical Virgo, I was born with a dislike of getting dirty. But as Laishram puts it, a barefoot walk not only gives us a chance to connect with nature, but also reorganises our posture and improves our body’s flexibility and balance. Walking barefoot allows our human body, which is positively charged, to absorb negative electrons from the Earth so that our internal bioelectrical environment will be able to reach a state of equilibrium.
This philosophy of balance permeates my stay at Banyan Tree Veya Phuket, a 23-villa resort that serves as the inaugural property of the luxury hotel group’s latest wellness-centred concept. Launched in March 2022, Veya is nestled within the larger Banyan Tree Phuket resort along the pristine six-kilometre Bangtao Beach. Both resorts are located within the 1,000-acre Laguna Phuket, which was once a tin mine but has now become a large integrated destination, home to eight resorts connected by different-sized lagoons.
Believing that well-being is a lifelong journey and each path is different, Veya is dedicated to curating bespoke experiences for each guest around its eight pillars, while encouraging them to weave the practices learnt here into their daily lives after they leave. The second Veya resort is set to open in Valle de Guadalupe in Mexico at the end of this year, while a new property in Mozambique is also in the pipeline.
My wellness journey at Veya starts with an online well-being assessment form sent to me before my trip. It’s a long questionnaire set around sleep and rest, physical vitality, dietary awareness, cultivation of the mind, bonding and connection, learning and development, harmony with nature, and sustained practice. My answers help the wellness professionals at Veya curate a bespoke activity plan aligned with my needs.
In the morning of the first day, I have a one-on-one well-being consultation with Laishram, who is also my designated consultant. My assessment results are presented in the form of an octagonal radar chart with percentages indicating how well (or how poorly) I have been doing in each of the eight wellness aspects. Seeing my lowest score in the chart—a pitiful 30 percent in physical vitality—I am immediately reminded of an exam I took in senior high school where I scored 37 marks (out of 100, of course).
As a couch potato, I am not surprised to score low in some of the pillars. But Laishram reassures me right away that it’s not about getting good or bad scores, but about balance—that is, even if you get 40 percent across all eight aspects, it is still considered a balanced case overall. I come to realise that well-being can be achieved when everything is in a state of equilibrium.
Of the wellness consultation itself, it’s a holistic and insightful one-hour talk from which I learn ideas that are fresh to me. You don’t have to calculate and track your daily calorie intake strictly when your hand can already give you a rough measurement of how much nutrition you need per day—a palm of protein or a cupped hand of carbohydrates. I have been eager to change my current lifestyle but always assumed it would be difficult. But what Laishram says does not seem so hard to begin with and gives me confidence.
My assessment results point out that physical vitality as well as sleep and rest are the two aspects that require my top attention at the moment. Laishram gives me some simple tips that are suitable for a wellness beginner like me. 10- to 15-minute stretching session per day, cycling, and brisk walking is enough movement, and practising balanced breathing will help me calm down.
This leads to our discussion about the wellness programmes I can attend for the next two days. Laishram presents a weekly activity calendar with an extensive line-up ranging from meditation sessions and workshops to physical exercises like yoga, Pilates, and hydro movement. Veya takes advantage of its location inside a large lagoon area and its proximity to one of Phuket’s longest beaches to curate activities that are less likely to be found in other wellness resorts, such as beachfront meditation, seaside trekking, and kayaking. A minimum stay of two to three days is recommended, while a seven-day stay will allow you to make the most of over 50 weekly activities. All the sessions are beginner-friendly so that all of the participants can start off easy.
Most of the activities are held at the Wellbeing Centre. I am recommended to take “Yoga Basics” because Laishram says some stretching exercise will help improve my physical activities and sleep. Most body workout classes take place inside the Studio Room, an airy space with a mirror wall on one side and floor-to-ceiling windows on the other with translucent shades for some natural light.
The space has been set up with around 15 yoga mats spread on the floor. We start with a breathing exercise where I practise inhaling and exhaling with alternate nostrils before learning some basic yoga poses, which we work through as a sequence for five times nonstop. After huffing and puffing my way through this intense exercise, I am happy to hear Laishram say that I did well after the class.
Like “Yoga Basics,” the activities at Veya are generally conducted in groups. The average session usually accommodates up to 16 people, while some are limited to a much smaller group of no more than four. If a group session is not your cup of tea, or if you are already practising on a more advanced level, you can also request private sessions at an additional charge.
Private classes can be conducted in each of the 23 one-bedroom villas at Veya. My villa is only steps away from the Wellbeing Centre so it’s convenient walking back and forth. Like other villas, mine also boasts expansive indoor space, an outdoor practice deck, and a private pool. Amenities such as yoga mats, meditation singing bowl, and exercise stretch bands make in-room workout and contemplations easily accessible. The outdoor jet pool fairly compensates for the lack of a bathtub—nothing beats soaking in the hot tub while looking up at the starry night sky in Phuket.
I attend the “Sleep Meditation” and “Sound Bath” classes, both run in the White Room. As its name implies, the room features an all-white design for a soothing and calming effect with retractable white partitions to block the light. For both rest-oriented sessions, lights are turned off to create a darkened environment. In “Sleep Meditation,” practitioner Rajesh Thazhe Thatathil (Raj) guides us to lay flat on the yoga mat with our eyes closed and practice balanced breathing under his instructions, while he creates ethereal sounds and sound waves using different singing bowls and mallets in the “Sound Bath” session to help us relax. I nearly pass out in both classes.
The sleep and rest issue is further addressed with the daily ritual as part of the turndown service. Every evening when I return to my villa, a set of ingredients is placed on the bathroom vanity for me to make a body scrub.
The first night, I receive tamarind, turmeric, honey, milk powder, and tanaka powder for a “relaxing scrub” that is said to help moisturise and soften my skin. The second night, I get golden powder, aloe gel, coconut milk, brown sugar, and pink Utaitip water—a Thai herbal concoction widely used in traditional Thai medicine with refreshing properties, which helps to alleviate pain and fatigue and can be used as an instant pick-me-up—for a “romance scrub” that improves blood circulation. DIY is easy and what I need to do is simply mix the ingredients together. The final product, which doesn’t look good due to my poor technique, nonetheless exudes a pleasant aroma. I feel my skin soften after applying the scrubs on my body. The third night, I get agarwood, jasmine, and sandalwood essential oil, and I am told to soak them all in hot water and then inhale the relaxing and calming fragrance. I sleep well and wake up feeling refreshed the next day during my stay.
The concept of balance is also interpreted at the eponymous poolside Veya restaurant in a semi alfresco setting. The menu of this Mediterranean-Asian eatery is based on a balanced nutrition formula—50 percent vegetables and fruits, 30 percent protein, and 20 percent carbohydrates. A direct embodiment of this concept is the signature three-tiered omakase breakfast stand, featuring a mix of the above with a selection of baked goods, quiches, cold cuts, fruits, and seasonal greens. I made a dairy-free dietary requirement before my arrival, so a thoughtful staff member offers me two dairy-free mango avocado toasts instead.
Not only does the Veya restaurant serve breakfast, but it also offers an all-day food menu with a rich selection of starters, mains, and drinks. Sharing is encouraged, so you can find plates of starters and mains for two as well. Don’t hesitate to order liquor just because you are staying at a wellness resort—Veya does have some signature cocktails for you to indulge in. Of course, feel free to drop by other dining outlets at Banyan Tree Phuket, including the hotel group’s signature Thai destination Saffron, lagoon-side international restaurant Watercourt, and casual eatery Banyan Café. There are also daily refreshments delivered to my villa every afternoon—“power balls” made of peanut butter oatmeal on the first day and key lime pie on the second.
Benefiting from Veya’s proximity to Banyan Tree Phuket, guests can enjoy access to the facilities at the large resort, including the aforementioned eateries and the renowned Banyan Tree Spa. I make use of my free time to cycle around the resort, as this is recommended by Laishram to increase cardio exercise. Veya has a bike rental station—the process is swift and only requires my signature. I pedal around the whole Banyan Tree Phuket resort and find my way to Bangtao Beach. I hear the waves patting the long coastline and watch the sun go down on the Andaman Sea.
Time permitting, you can walk outside the resort to explore the neighbourhood. Besides the shuttle bus, a boat can take you to any of the other resorts connected through the lagoons. In the first evening, we are invited to embark on the new Mekhala boat for a private seafood dinner while cruising around. There’s nothing better than enjoying a feast prepared onboard with the boat moving slowly, while refreshing night breezes caress my face.
Laguna Phuket has also seen the addition of the “gourmet park” Ori9in Phuket. A short five-minute drive from Veya, it is a new farm-to-table dining concept boasting a café, picnic restaurant, a one-kilometre lotus lake loop trail, a fenced dog park, and a farm. This family- and dog-friendly venue can be a further extension of the wellness experience at Veya.
Recent years have witnessed a boom of wellness-centred resorts like Veya. The new brand extension of Banyan Tree came at a time when people are attaching more importance to their health. A stay at Veya allowed me to gain a clearer understanding of my well-being and made me more determined than ever to lead a healthier lifestyle.
Veya is friendly to wellness beginners like myself. I feel welcomed into a world I am unfamiliar with. I also feel encouraged that well-being is an attainable target. Shortly after my departure, Laishram sends me a guide made up of several videos that help me tackle my weak points. This epitomises Veya’s essence—weaving the wellness knowledge, tools, and practices we learn at the resort into our daily lives.
But what I like most about Veya is that nothing is restricted here. You never feel obliged to do anything, so there is no need to feel guilty if you decide to skip a class or opt for a drink or a dessert when the mood strikes. Here, the choice is yours, and your joyous indulgences are not compromised.
Reservations can be made on Banyan Tree Veya Phuket’s official website.
Images courtesy of Banyan Tree Veya Phuket and Jackie Chen.
