Escape to Kapuhala for a Life-Enhancing Experience

If you want to improve your diet or learn more about plant-based food, there’s no better place. The vegan restaurant takes you on a gastronomic journey and defies your expectations, while the rooftop mixology lounge helps you celebrate every day with farm-to-table and nootropic cocktails.

The resort is also an amazing place to meet new, like-minded people. If you’ve just made a major change in your life, like if you’ve decided to get sober, you might be experiencing people you used to know as friends drifting away from you. Kapuhala, located on Koh Samui Island, Thailand, is filled with business entrepreneurs, fitness enthusiasts and wellness lovers who you’ll have great fun getting to know.

The Accommodation

I can guarantee you that you’ll never sleep anywhere as outstanding as Kapuhala. The resort gives you a unique opportunity to lay your head down while the ambient sounds of the jungle lull you to sleep. Despite the remote jungle location, all the rooms still come with the comforts and amenities you’d expect to find at any top-quality hotel.

Kapuhala invites you to experience a different way of living with a fresh perspective. The place encourages you to be one with your surroundings, to really connect with the natural world around you and find joy in the simple things in life, like simply waking up or taking a shower.

There are two types of rooms at Kapuhala: tented villas and farm houses. I stayed in a tented villa and I absolutely loved it.

Tented Villas

Each tented villa is a totally individual structure with a beautiful ensuite bathroom and private terrace where the sunrise greets you every morning at breakfast. It’s made from removable panels, so you can enjoy the spectacular nature around you from all angles. But be warned, they’re a little tricky to get used to. So don’t feel bad if you have to ask the staff to help you: they’re definitely used to it!

The natural wooden fixtures, crisp white bed linen, lush tropical plants, and cool ocean breeze made my villa a wonderful place to relax and rest. I slept very peacefully every night, with birdsong, scuttling geckos, and gentle raindrops as my lullabies.

Farm Houses

The fully-detached farm houses are built into the natural rock face, so you can wake up to a sprawling sea view and witness incredible sunrises from your private balcony every morning. A modern architectural gem, the farm house is the perfect accommodation choice for a couple looking for a romantic escape in an idyllic paradise.

If you’re visiting Koh Samui on business, the farm house is just as excellent an accommodation choice. Conveniently located close to the main building and with fantastic WiFi signal, you can get everything done you need to without ever having to leave your room. If you prefer to work with others, you’ll be glad to know Kapuhala is currently creating a co-working space nearby which will be completed shortly.

The Food

One of the best things about visiting Kapuhala is the food. The onsite restaurant Halapua serves wholesome, nourishing plant-based cuisine Tuesday-Sunday. The international fusion dishes are made with seasonal locally-sourced ingredients, many of which come from the onsite garden.

Y’all, don’t be put off by Halapua just because it serves up plant-based food. I’m not a vegan — I eat meat. But every single thing I ordered was filling and flavorful, so much so that I didn’t even miss meat once during my visit.

Breakfast

The fantastic breakfast spread includes plenty of coffee, including espresso, Americano, latte + decaf. There are also homemade and freshly-pressed juices available. If you’re in need of an immunity boost, I definitely recommend the Immunoxi. It’s an anti-inflammatory juice high in antioxidants from carrots, turmeric powder, ginger, and orange.

Two things that really stick in my mind are the quiche and the blueberry muffins. The quiche was made from a delicious crust filled with tofu, tomatoes, kale, mushrooms, and turmeric — delish! The muffin was fresh from the oven, light and fluffy with just the right amount of cinnamon.

 Halapua is open for breakfast 9am-11am. If you’re an early riser and love eating your breakfast first thing in the morning, the staff will deliver a breakfast box to your door the night before. Filled with granola, fruit, a muffin, and coffee, it’s the perfect way to start your day.

Lunch + Dinner

La quesadilla (My favorite! This is the best quesadilla I’ve ever had in my life and it’s entirely vegan.)
A large flour tortilla filled with plant-based OmniPork meat, bell peppers, onions, vegan garlic butter, green chili sauce, cheddar cheese, chipotle salsa guacamole, and coriander.

Cuban tacos (Another favorite of mine that you’ll never believe is vegan.)
Two corn tortillas filled with spiced black beans, jasmine rice, pickled red onions, and guacamole.

Mediterranean wrap (Perfect if you’re in the mood for something light.)
A homemade sundried tomato wrap filled with garlic hummus, cucumber, tomatoes, kale, red onion, bell peppers, kalamata olives, and tzatziki sauce served with sweet potato chips.

Sweet potato nachos. (The best snack by the pool.)
Sweet potato fries topped with black beans, corn salsa salad, queso cheese, guacamole, sour cream, and chipotle salsa.

All the drool-worthy menus have been put together by the talented Chef Gregory. You can genuinely tell how passionate this man is about changing people’s perceptions of vegan food by making it exciting, delicious and so moreish.

Rooftop Mixology Lounge

There’s a rooftop bar above the restaurant that’s the ideal spot to relax and really soak up the incredible views. From here you can see all the way from the shimmering pool right out into the glistening ocean.

I don’t drink, so I can’t tell you much about the cocktails first hand, but they looked amazing. They’re made using homemade bitters and infusions along with fresh fruit and herbs picked from Kapuhala’s gardens. As well as plenty of creative cocktails, the bar also serves fabulous mocktails and heavenly fresh juices, so there’s something for everyone.

The Gym + Pool

Travel and fitness are two of the most important things in my life. And finding a boutique hotel that had enough fitness options to satisfy me was like a dream come true. Don’t let the resort’s clandestine location fool you. This place really is state-of-the-art, especially when it comes to training equipment. 

The 25m infinity pool is not only stunning to behold, but it’s a great place to put in a real workout, too. After doing your lengths, you can treat yourself to a rest surrounded by views the likes of which you’ve probably never seen before in your life. Not many resorts have real training pools — most have odd-shaped pools meant for playing or relaxing, not swimming lengths. But the pool at Kapuhala certainly doesn’t disappoint.

If swimming isn’t your sport, leave the pool and head on over to the spacious fitness and yoga studio. Here you can choose to workout indoors or outside as the mood takes you, but wherever you choose, know that you’ll be treated to blissful ocean views.

The gym has all the equipment you could ever want to do any kind of training: TRX, climbing ropes, monkey bars, free weights, yoga equipment, spin bikes, battle ropes, kettlebells...the list goes on and on! The classes are just as comprehensive, with guided bootcamps, yoga classes and island running.

If you’re visiting Kapuhala soon, note that there might be a change in the classes due to COVID-19. Please check with the resort first.

All in All

Kapuhala is a must-visit for anyone in need of a getaway in Thailand. It doesn’t matter whether you’re traveling as a couple for a romantic escape, in a group for business, or on your own as a digital nomad, you’ll fall in love with this place and never want to leave it, I guarantee you.

If you’re planning on paying Kapuhala a visit (you absolutely should!) I recommend you stay in a tented villa. It is a great value for the price. It will certainly be my accommodation choice on my next visit.

 An extra tip: The hotel kindly ask that you pay for your bill each day. If you would like arrangements can be made to pay at the end of your stay.

I had an amazing experience at Kapuhala and I know you will, too. I had a wonderful time meeting other travelers, indulging in unparalleled vegan food and taking advantage of all the fitness options available. I was truly able to find balance in both my mind and body during my visit. A long-term stay in a tent villa is definitely on the horizon for me.

Kapuhala
Address: Chaweng Noi 104/86 Moo 3, Boput, Koh Samui, Suratthani 84320, Thailand
Website: https://www.kapuhala.com/
Click HERE to visit Kapuhala’s website