Cape Fahn Hotel, located on the private island of Koh Fahn just off Samui, offers a unique blend of splendour, seclusion, serenity and sustainability.

As a Green Hotel Award recipient and participant in the UNESCO Sustainable Travel Pledge, the hotel is dedicated to eco-friendly initiatives to reduce its carbon footprint. These include a vibrant herb garden, sustainable packaging, minimising food waste, energy-saving keycards, rigorous recycling, harnessing rainwater, and technology to purify wastewater for the gardens.

Cape Fahn Hotel provides nesting materials to ensure native birds have sustainable habitats and only serves line- caught fish for sustainable fishing. They also prioritise local employment to help the local economy. www.capefahnhotel.com

More than just a fleeting trend, sustainability is ingrained in the way of life at Garrya Tongsai Bay Samui. The resort was built to minimise disruption to nature, all under the watchful eye of its founder, Akorn Hoontrakul. Today, his son and daughter-in-law, Thanakorn and Saisiri Hoontrakul, keep that mission thriving through their green projects.

These cover plant protection, tree planting, reduced chemical usage, a ban on single-use plastics, zero-waste kitchen, organic garden, responsible water management, and the specialised role of Sustainability Manager. The resort now boasts over 170 varieties of trees and over 80 species of birds.

The restaurant, EVOL, champions sustainable dining, with 40% of produce sourced from local farmers and 20% grown on the premises. Garrya also supports the Dog and Cat Rescue Samui Foundation – a “paw”fect sustainability leader! www.garrya.com/en

Silavadee Pool Spa Resort is marking its 15th anniversary with “New Chapters of Luxury – S.E.A”, representing sustainability, experience and activity.

Eco-luxury for this resort is not just a dream, but a reality it is committed to achieving. The venue’s three new core values act as a guiding compass, both for the guests and dedicated staff, in fostering responsible travel. Their operational efforts include implementing a keycard-controlled system to minimise energy consumption in the rooms, prioritising water conservation, rigorous waste recycling and reduction practices, and embracing green chemistry products to eliminate toxic cleaning agents.

On a boozier note, Silavadee invites guests to savour the experience of their Signature Sustainable Cocktails, which take a farm-to-glass approach and minimise waste. Just like the cooking, the bar highlights the use of locally sourced, sustainable, and seasonally grown herbs and fruits from Samui, ensuring that your enjoyment aligns with their commitment to a greener future. www.silavadeeresort.com

Green vacations become a reality at Six Senses Samui, thanks to sustainability initiatives including plastic-reduction campaigns, waste-management endeavours, sustainable farming practices and precision air conditioning (PAC) systems.

The 67 elegant villas of this seafront tropical paradise are kept cool and comfortable with energy-efficient PAC systems, which adjust cooling according to the surrounding temperature, resulting in big energy savings.

The “Farm on the Hill” boasts an edible garden, chicken coops, and goat shelters to sustain the venue with fresh produce but also minimise its carbon footprint. Six Senses Samui’s plastic- reduction policy extends to staff, suppliers and guests. Plastic straws are replaced with lemongrass straws handcrafted in-house. While glass water bottles are served in all guestrooms, stainless steel water bottles are on hand for staff to quench their thirst stylishly and sustainably, refilling them with still or sparking mineral water from the on-site reverse osmosis plant. Suppliers of Six Senses Samui are also joining in the mission to reduce the use of single-use plastics to make the island a more eco-conscious and responsible destination. www.sixsenses.com/en/resorts/samui

The Baan Chaweng Beach Resort & Spa offers breath-taking views and serene ambience, all the while championing eco-friendly practices.

Recognising the impact of plastic pollution on the island’s seas and ecosystems, the resort’s plastic- combating campaign raises awareness among staff, promotes eco-friendly alternatives, supports recycling initiatives, and participates in clean-up efforts.

Sustainability extends to culinary offerings, with Baan Chaweng proudly showcasing authentic flavours of Koh

Samui. They prioritise ingredients sourced from local farmers and fishermen who follow sustainable practices. The resort also features artisanal products crafted by island communities to strengthen the local economy.

With the well-being of Samui people a key concern, Baan Chaweng commits to providing local employment opportunities. This way, they not only ensure stable incomes but also contribute to the island’s economic growth. www.baanchawengbeachresort.com

In the true spirit of the hotel brand, Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui maintains sustainability with elegance and charm via its unique eco-initiatives. These include the “Coconut Journey that Contributes to the Community”, ecoSPIRITS, Coral Conservation, and more.

Samui generates huge amounts of coconut waste, most of which ends up in landfills. However, in a move to transform waste into a valuable resource, the resort partners with Samui Municipality’s Public Health and Environment Division and local communities to collect discarded coconut shells. These shells are then shredded and blended with food waste and kitchen scraps to make compost. This natural fertiliser is then used on the resort’s farm and gardens and by local farmers to boost their harvests.

The resort also gives new meaning to responsible drinking by partnering with ecoSPIRITS, whose SmartPour system for refilling premium spirits reduces single-use packaging.

Through its Coral Conservation Project, the Four Seasons team and Department of Marine and Coastal Resources have led to the successful reintroduction of more than 16,000 coral fragments into the Gulf of Thailand and remains dedicated to educating guests about coral reef restoration through engaging sessions led by an in-house marine biologist. www.fourseasons.com/kohsamui

Phensiri, a beloved Southern Thai restaurant on Samui, is dedicated to embracing a truly local ethos in its operations. Led by Chef Santi “Aor” Wongsawat, Phensiri not only celebrates the rich tapestry of traditional Southern cuisine but also weaves sustainability into the island’s culinary heritage.

The menu blends time-honoured classics and lesser-known gems, all expertly crafted from hyperlocal and seasonal ingredients. Their commitment to sourcing fresh produce exclusively from Samui and seafood only from small-scale fisheries both reduces their carbon footprint and safeguards marine ecosystems.

The kitchen follows a nose-to-tail philosophy to minimise waste. This practice is evident in their signature fish dishes, which are often served whole, and their dedication to preservation methods such as sun-drying and lacto-fermentation. Even the food scraps are donated to local pig farms or turned into organic fertiliser.

The restaurant’s commitment to supporting the island’s farmers and fishermen as well as employing locals contributes to the island’s economy and creates a sustainable dining experience. And with energy conservation in mind, their dining room is powered by solar energy, while the restaurant offers both air-conditioned rooms and alfresco dining. www.phensiri.com/en/home