The Datai Langkawi

Few resorts anywhere are as defined by their setting as The Datai. Kerry Hill and Didier Lefort's 1993 design threads pavilions and villas through primary rainforest on Langkawi's north-western tip, a forest so ancient it predates the Himalayas, descending to the white curve of Datai Bay—routinely ranked among the world's most beautiful beaches. The architecture defers to the trees at every turn: walkways bridge ravines, roofs sit below the canopy, and dusky leaf monkeys and hornbills treat the grounds as their own.

A comprehensive renovation completed in 2018 renewed the resort without disturbing its character. Canopy rooms in the main building float at treetop height, rainforest villas burrow deeper into the green, and beach villas open steps from the sand. Everywhere, the palette of timber and stone keeps attention on the jungle soundtrack.

The resident naturalists' walks and the Els Club golf course carved through the forest are signature experiences, while the spa practises Ramuan therapies drawn from Malay herbal tradition beside a rainforest stream. Dining moves from Malay-Indonesian cooking at The Gulai House, reached by a jungle path, to beach club grills. Langkawi's duty-free town is a distant drive, which is precisely the point: this is Asia's great rainforest immersion with five-star manners.