Escape the hustle and bustle of the hectic city life and retreat into a sea of peace and tranquility with these holiday destinations that include Cape Panwa in Phuket, Capella in Singapore and Gaya Island Resort in Sabah.

One of the many perks of staying in a warm climate continent is having an abundance of tropical beaches at your disposal. Although one could travel overseas to visit the beaches there, it is a known fact that Asia has some of the best tropical beaches ever to be seen.

Stay on a man-made island at one of South East Asia’s colonial-style hotels, visit a beach resort in your own backyard or even head up north where the people are all smiles everyday.


Cape Panwa, PhuketKnown as one of the first luxury establishments in the area upon its completion in 1980, the tropical paradise called Cape Panwa Hotel located in Phuket has lodged travellers, royals and celebrities alike for over three decades.

Surrounded by the natural beauty of lush greenery and panoramic vistas of the ocean, Cape Panwa not only provides views of grandeur but also backs it up with nine different types of accommodations, a host of dining options as well as an exclusive beach reserved for its guests.

Located on the most Southeast side of Phuket, this resplendent luxury hotel is famous for its idiosyncratic charm that includes the vintage hotel tram as well as a sunken labyrinthine bridge, which projects out into the corral reef.


Nihiwatu Resort, Sumba IslandNihiwatu Resort is known as Sumba Island's most famous resort hotel, and for a very good reason. Being ranked as one of the top five best eco-hotels in the world, Nihiwatu Resort has a reputation to uphold and it does so proudly.

Housing 10 different villa estates for one to choose from, each villa estate was meticulously designed to have an even dosage of luxury, elegance and comfort. With each villa having its own private pool, guests can expect to be treated like kings and queens the moment their boats docks at Sumba Island.

A surfer's paradise unlike any other, Nihiwatu Resort is also famous for many other outdoor excursions which includes spearfishing and snorkeling. Due to its pristine, clear-blue waters, Nihiwatu Resort is a goldmine for people who love spending their days by the beach or by the sea.


Capella, SingaporeDating back to the 1880s, Capella Hotel is a place where old meets new while still harmonising together in luxury. It sits on Sentosa Island in Singapore with a vibrant rainforest spread across 30 acres of land with the South China Sea as its backdrop. 

Its fusion of old British colonial buildings intermingled with its modern architecture paved way to a creation like no other; housing only 112 rooms, suites, villas and manors in total, each room is elegantly designed in a contemporary manner with Asian influences to create an unforgettable experience. What makes the manors and villas worthwhile are the private plunge pools, outdoor showers and bathtubs that come with it.

Well-renowned for its Auriga Spa, Capella Hotel boasts an exceptional spa treatment centre using only the most organic and natural ingredients available.


Gaya Island Resort, SabahSituated on the island within the protected Tunku Abdul Rahman marine park sits Gaya Island Resort, a beachfront resort with a myriad of hillside villas boasting a stunning view, ranging from mangrove forests to the outline of Mt. Kinabalu.

Each villa is contemporarily designed to feature a blend of new meets old; although modern, the design of these eco-luxury hillside villas still maintain a level of respect to the local Sabahan elements, ensuring each unit has a good mixture of both.

Famous for it's outdoor excursions, Gaya Island Resort provides various activities ranging from padi snorkelling and diving programmes to deep-sea diving, just to name a few. You can also pay a visit to the Gaya Island Resort Marine Centre to learn more about the marine life surrounding the island and the effort it takes to protect it from harm.


Evason Ana Mandara, Nha TrangSince its commencement in 1995, Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas along with its Evason brand, has become one of the most well-known brands when it comes to unique and beautiful places around the world. Take Evason Ana Mandara in the coastal resort city of Nha Trang, south of Vietnam for example.

Evason Ana Mandara offers four different types of rooms as well as a specialty suite; a total of 74 different semi-detached garden villas offers classic Vietnamese influences blended with modern and contemporary designs. The astonishing view across the bay that comes with the rooms comes second to none.

This beachfront resort also doles out various types of activities and excursions that range from snorkeling and diving to biking safaris and a visit to Khanh Vinh White Water Safari. There are also activities which allow you to be one with the locals and discover from first-hand experience the way the locals live in the countryside.


For more ideas on where to travel to, have you visited some of these colonial sites turned into 5-star hotels?