Wa Ale Island Resort

This gem is special beyond belief - I travel all around the world for work and Wa Ale is so unique that you must book it asap! Absolute barefoot luxury - 5* food, drinks and service, incredible beds, nature to die for and best pristine snorkeling! I can’t wait to come back! 10 out of 10 on everything. 👏🏻🥰

We have been to a fair share of luxury resorts in the past twenty years and I can safely say that Wa Ale has earned a special place in our heart.||What can best describe Wa Ale are the words: Barefoot, Small Footprint, Unique, and Loving.||Barefoot because I literally spent 99% of my time barefoot, which was great for my feet. It is a place of nature and beauty, the point is really no shoes no news. Sure, there is no AC, though we had very pleasant, cool temperatures during the night in our tented villa so we felt find all the time. And living in Bangkok, it was great not to have AC for a while.||Small footprint as Chris (the owner) explained to us how it was built with recycled wood from fishing boats, Burmese houses, how more than 80% of the electricity comes from solar, how the water (that you can drink from the tap), comes from the local Wa Ale island source. And how the resort was built to accommodate how the fauna and flora was when they started construction.||Unique as it is truly rare to come to a small luxury resort, in the middle of 800 islands of the Myeik Archipelago, and with just a few fishing villages here and there, endless beaches with no one and no construction.||Loving as the care provided to us was deep and customised. We were asked what food preferences and allergies we had, our food was adapted to vegetarian and no FODMAP. Activities (snorkelling, kayaking, bat watching, bird watching, diving, hiking) were also customised to our leve of adventure. A touch of luxury in every part of the stay.||The staff was welcoming, friendly, and attentive to our every need (Chris, Holly, Aung. Wintu, Wawa, Mon, and many more). Even getting me some flip flops for the 1% of the time I ended up needing them.||A note about safety as some might be worried about the situation in Myanmar. We have not had any problem as Wa Ale is at the Southern point of Myanmar and close to Thailand. Our travel insurance was Allianz and they covered Myanmar. Global Rescue is also a possible alternative.||Be careful about sand flies at dusk and dawn, as they are active at that time. I attract them a lot so my solution is a good insect repellent to use at those times.

This is really a special and beautiful place and suited us looking to celebrate a special anniversary and liking to be active most days. It takes a little time to arrive however the border process was seamless (evisa secured ahead of travel) and speedboat is super comfortable. The island is far away from troubles and living in Bangkok we were still able to get an insurance that covered our travel just in case. Now getting to the stay- the staff and team are super welcoming and it’s like a family for the time you are there. Food is excellent and varied and very plentiful and dietary requirements were accommodated. Great Yoga every day adapted to our needs and activities to help us recover. We enjoyed snorkelling, diving, kayaking, hiking, mangroves, relaxing, yoga and spa. This area is so undeveloped aside from troubles and it is an amazing opportunity not to be with crowds. |We stayed in beach tent 5 and our days became aligned to the moon and tides again (as to when we could make it walking to breakfast and how the high tides would impact activities). Coming out of air-con life in Bangkok, the idea to live without air con was very appealing and certainly in January it was a very pleasant temperature at night with the tents staying cool under the trees. Overall this is a bit of an adventure - life is governed by the tides and the weather and you are surrounded by forest and beach however it is an amazing reconnection to nature (and can be a disconnect if you wish it to be) - all in extremely comfortable surroundings.

Greetings, friends! My name is Lilia, and today I want to share my experience of vacationing in this unforgettable corner of our planet. Everything here is perfect: the nature, the weather, the beaches, the food, and the entertainment. Every day feels like a little adventure! Whether it’s exciting snorkeling, thrilling diving, or swimming through mangrove forests, there’s something for everyone. I was lucky enough to witness rare flora and fauna that left a lasting impression on me. A special thank you goes to Chris, the founder of this incredible project. Every detail here is thoughtfully crafted, making the stay truly unique and comfortable. I’ve visited more than 60 countries, and I can confidently say that this hotel deserves to be a leader! Highly recommended for everyone ♥️

Wa Ale is a member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World and it more than lives up to that echelon of small boutique hotels. It is far more than just another luxury hotel though, as it is set in a completely unique and beautiful setting, the likes of which we have not found anywhere else in the world. The beaches are long, wide, incredibly golden white sand in pristine condition. Sunsets against the waves on the beach have incredible hues of red, peach, orange, gold and everything in between! The snorkeling was amazing and made us feel that we were in an aquarium, with many different kinds of tropical fish, and coral that was thriving and undamaged. We did not dive but we heard great things about the diving as well. The local small Burmese fishing boats can be seen out among the islands, and at night with their green light arrays attract the squid. Wa Ale is an eco-conscious small resort that is spread out in the trees along the beach that allows a real sense of privacy. The permanent luxury tents with attached bathrooms, and the treehouse bungalows are beautifully presented in a way that reflects the owners design background. This was a very special remote setting away from the crowds in nearby Thailand, but still very easy to access. The Wa Ale staff are able to pick up guests at the Ranong, Thailand airport and assist with the transfer through the Ranong port immigration, the short boat ride across to Kawthaung, Myanmar, and through Myanmar port immigration before heading out to Wa Ale island. Their help in transferring guests was greatly appreciated. The food at Wa Ale was gourmet in quality and presentation. Meal times were a real treat, each day discovering what the next delight would be prepared by Chef Don and his kitchen staff ! The fresh tropical fruit including mango, papaya, dragonfruit, pineapple were wonderful. Every day there was a different all inclusive activity that was planned out with each guest the evening before with Aung, the resort manager. Activities included snorkeling trips, kayaking up island rivers through mangroves forests and through island caves, a private picnic and relaxing day after hiking to Honeymoon beach, wonderful daily yoga sessions with instructor Kumar, a totally relaxing spa afternoon with therapist Mone (separate charge), and finally the Big Day! The Big Day started with a visit to a Burmese/Moken fishing village and local school, kayaking up an island river through the mangroves, stopping by a clam divers boat to watch the way they go after offshore clams, and then an afternoon lunch, relaxing, and yoga session on the private beach at Sixty island. As evening approached we headed off in the boat and positioned ourselves between two islands and watched flocks of hornbills come home to roost for the night, followed by the incredible sight of thousands of flying foxes (giant fruit bats) rising into the air out of the jungle on cue at the dot of 6:00pm. There are more than enough activities to keep a person occupied for a week or longer and still have relaxation time and time for long walks on the beaches. Lastly, the other thing that sets Wa Ale apart from any other place we have stayed is the level of service and the personal attention given to us by each and every one of the staff. Holly is the onsite reservations coordinator and communications person who was always available, warm, and helpful in every way. Aung manages the resort but also interacts with each guest, plans and guides many of the activities, and is a wonderful resource for all kinds of information about the island. The housekeeping staff keep the luxury tents and treehouse bungalows immaculate and grounds keepers unobtrusively keep everything clean. Lin and Wintu served meals and drinks, and were both very attentive and caring. The young lady at the bar was gracious and always helpful. The boat staff were very safety conscious and always made us comfortable. The activities crew including One-one, Pai-Pai, Lin, and others worked very hard to make the activities fun and comfortable. Lastly Christopher Kingsley, the owner was present on the island during our time here and is the best host ever! He is outgoing, engaged, and loves to share his experience in putting together the treasure that is known as Wa Ale. Thank you Chris and to each and everyone of your staff, both named and unnamed above, for all your efforts in making this such a special time for us this week!

We had originally planned to visit Wa Ale in April 2020, but didn't make it due to the pandemic, so we were excited to finally make the trip and are so very glad we did.||For anyone considering Wa Ale, the short version of this review is go now before everyone else discovers it :) ||Firstly, getting there takes a few transfers, but it is 100% worthwhile. This was the process:|We flew from Bangkok to Ranong and were met by a Wa Ale representative. We were then in a taxi for about 40mins to get to the Grand Andaman Pier, where we were guided to a boat after clearing Thailand immigration, and made a short trip over to the Burmese mainland. |We then clear immigration at Kawthaung (took a max of 15 mins clearing immigration once in Myanmar). Finally, we are transferred onto a bigger speedboat (with a toilet!) for the 2 hour journey to Wa Ale.|The whole process was guided by the Wa Ale team and it was very efficient. ||The food was fantastic, especially given the remoteness of the island and the yoga every morning was a highlight. ||We were lucky enough to see turtles hatching on the beach and enjoyed the trekking, paddle boarding and snorkelling around the island. |We would also recommend taking a trip to see the other islands and local villages, and taking time to spot some of the amazing wildlife (we saw turtles, hornbills, flying foxes, kingfishers, dusky leaf monkeys).||We stayed in a treetop villa and we loved the view and being up in the trees with the monkeys (who are quite timid so no issues from them approaching the balcony as we have had in some places).||One thing really stood out for us - all of the staff. Hands down, the best staff we have ever encountered and we've been to a fair few places. Their attention to detail and appreciation for the island was clear. ||Thank you to the whole Wa Ale team for a unique experience that we will treasure. ||Few tips:|- Wa Ale is a wild and unspoilt island, so you should bring bug repellant and clothing to cover arms/legs if you want to do the trekking (also some sturdy shoes, it is quite steep).

Have a great fun with Mr . Midun.. good comedian and a good dancer😍😍😍 Especially hoster Midun is such a amazing person to engage all the one. 🥳🥳🥳 We are enjoyed lot😍😍😍 we visit again and again for the comfortable hospitallity.. The surrounding area near and clean , atmosphere was super and natural scenery was amazing 😍😍😍 i

Our honeymoon at Wa Ale was a dream. ||The dishes prepared by Chef Alan and served by his team were utterly exquisite. Our dietary preferences and suggestions were always welcomed and catered to. Highlights included champagne sorbet as well as elevated dishes from Burma and the Mediterranean. ||The range of activities, including yoga classes, added a perfect blend of relaxation and adventure to our days. This was only made better by the knowledge and passion the team had for the area. ||The island's beauty, coupled with the thoughtfully designed rooms and communal areas, created a paradise-like atmosphere - all with sustainability in mind. ||We hold such gratitude to the entire team who made our stay unforgettable – their warmth and attention to detail were truly remarkable. From arranging a special bottle of wine at the end of a sunset hike, a special goodbye from a pet that liked to hide, the personalized coffee orders and surprise cookies. It was the most exceptional 9 nights we could have hoped for. ||Honestly, there's nothing we would change about our perfect stay and we’re so very sad to leave. Thank you deeply, Wa Ale.