To say we were lucky to stumble across the Anana Ecological Resort in Thailand is an understatement. This beautiful hotel, which is situated just a 5 minute drive from Ao Nang, prides itself on being as eco-friendly as possible.
We spent our five day visit in one of the Thai studio rooms which came with a king-sized bed as well as a Thai day bed to relax on. Our balcony overlooked the famous limestone cliffs and greenery which provided a beautiful view as well as a soundtrack from the local wildlife each night.
So how green is the hotel? Well to start with it’s earnest its green stripes by being awarded a Green Globe sustainable tourism certification. The hotel has a rooftop garden to offset half of its carbon footprint and prides itself on being plastic free.
The water in the room comes in glass bottles which are refilled each morning (the hotel even has its own water source) and there’s no plastic in the bathroom. Instead the miniature plastic toiletries you so often find in hotels have been replaced by refillable ceramic containers and there’s complementary bamboo toothbrushes for guests, not plastic ones.
Finding vegan food while away is not always easy. I got given a croissant as part of my in-flight breakfast which I was excited about until the ingredients listed both egg and milk, and later I had an air hostess quickly return to remove a chocolate pudding from my dinner tray after realising it wasn’t vegan either. Luckily when we actually arrived in Thailand, the happy cow app helped us discover some incredible restaurants but having good vegan options at Anana also made such a difference.
The breakfast buffet (which was included in the price) had lots of vegan options. I usually opted for fruit juice, cereal with almond milk and fruit, and then vegan bread and jam. The only thing missing would have been some vegan butter, but the rest was delicious. In the evening, the Streats restaurant offered to make anything on the menu vegan or vegetarian swapping meat for tofu and removing any dairy from the dishes I picked.
Although the star of the Anana food show was Cooper’s, the most fresh and delicious menu which included pizza, burgers, crepes, raw cheesecake, smoothies and salad. The best bit was the cafe overlooked the permaculture farm which Cooper himself would head off into to pick some fresh organic ingredients for the food you had ordered.
I loved the fact that Cooper grew fresh ingredients for the food here and being able to walk through the farm and see it for yourself was pretty special, especially seeing pineapples growing for the first time.
If you’re looking for a hotel that is doing its bit to help the planet then look no further than Anana. It’s the perfect place for someone who wants to relax in plastic free and vegan friendly environment while exploring Thailand.
Simply Sustainable Sarah 