The Datai Langkawi
Langkawi, Malaysia
A ten-million-year-old rainforest, a private beach, and villas hidden in the canopy.
The Datai's setting is genuinely rare: a resort built inside a rainforest thought to be around ten million years old, on a beach regularly rated among the best in the world. A major rebuild finished in 2018 modernised everything while keeping the trees, quite literally, growing through the architecture.
It's a place for slow mornings, nature walks with the in-house naturalists, and long afternoons between the jungle pool and the Andaman Sea. Hornbills, monitor lizards and cheeky langurs are your neighbours.
The Verdict
One of Asia's great beach-and-jungle resorts, and a genuine haven for anyone who loves the natural world. The wildlife here is part of the luxury.
A resident naturalist pointing out a great hornbill in the canopy on the walk to breakfast, then that first sight of the empty, jungle-fringed beach.
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