Wa Ale Island Resort

With enriching simplicity and an ethical dimension underscoring its creation, Wa Ale Island Resort brings barefoot luxury chic to a remote island in Myanmar, turning it into an enchanting new destination.

These days, it is difficult to find a corner of our planet relatively untouched by civilization, and one that also allows a discerning traveler to unwind and relax in comfort.

Until recently, the Mergui Archipelago had not seen many foreign visitors. After all, it is quite far away from the main attractions of Myanmar, and the tourist infrastructure in the region is basic. But now Wa Ale is putting it on the map, and on new itineraries, opening it up to the luxury travel niche.

A different kind of luxury

From the moment we boarded the luxury boat in Kawthaung, Myanmar, we knew this is a special kind of hotel arrival. First off, just as we got to the boat, there was a massive torrential outpour, and stepping into the cabin felt like reaching a welcoming shelter — padded with leather seating, no less. The ride to the island took almost three hours, but we had snacks, drinks, and passed the time in a conversation with two other couples, who were, like us, the new arrivals to Wa Ale.

We were warmly welcomed in the main pavilion of the resort, but then we drove over the hills and through the dense forest to the beach. With every minute, it felt like going deeper and deeper into the wild interior of the island — until we emerged onto the clearing and walked to the beach villas.

Perched between lush tropical jungle and the vast, empty beach, our tented villa felt like the perfect place to disconnect from civilization. The simplicity and the aesthetics of the accommodation fit that idea. The villas have no private swimming pool, no air-conditioning, not even phones. And the room service is limited, again, due to the distance from the rest of the resort.

But the amazing four-poster bed, the outdoor bathroom-under-the-stars, and the direct link to the deserted beach were the essential things that mattered.

Boho in the wilderness

The design of Wa Ale is clearly inspired by some of the most beautiful safari lodges of Africa, with hints of a boho style woven into its earthy style. This aesthetic is also apparent in the main pavilion of the resort, a lofty thatched building with an open-air space furnished with handmade rugs, rattan armchairs, huge wicker lamps, and reclaimed wood furniture.

This is where all meals are served, sometimes on a communal table, safari lodge style. The ever-changing menu, prepared by the award-winning chef Ray, fits the style of the resort perfectly: the dishes are simple and healthy, and always delicious.

The style of Wa Ale matches its location. Surrounded by a lush rainforest island, with a beautiful beach on one side and a dark mangrove forest on the other, from which emerges the arrival jetty, the place evokes the sense of a carefree vacation.

An uninhabited island like Wa Ale calls for a luxury experience that goes in a direction opposite to gold door handles, butlers, and evening dress codes. Instead, the resort focuses on essential experiences that enrich and help to disengage from the stress of everyday life. And based on our few days’ stay here, we can attest that the Wa Ale Island Resort delivers on that promise.

The creators of this beautiful property turned a forgotten spot in the Andaman Sea coastline into a new, unique destination for a discerning traveler.

in our opinion

Located three hours by boat from the nearest port and comprising only ten beachfront villas (plus two unique treehouses), the Wa Ale Island Resort answers the need for getting away from it all.

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What we love

• Serene and cut off from the rest of the world, this place offers the ultimate island escape. The vibe is laid-back and unpretentious.
• The Wa Ale Island Resort is among the best-designed resorts we visited in Myanmar. We love how its style mixes the African Safari Lodge vibe with a casual boho chic. Our beach villa evoked the romance of the wilderness without compromising on comfort and luxury.
• The island itself: it is wild, beautiful, and diverse. The wildlife includes gibbons and macaques (we saw a large troop of monkeys approach the resort from time to time), the sea teems with fish, and whale sharks, dolphins, and manta rays also live in the surrounding waters.
• There are several beaches here (some inaccessible from land), and the biggest one is capped from both sides by the black rock shards, which turn the place into a Martian landscape. (Did you see how we captured it on Instagram?)
• Speaking of which, the sunsets on the beach were absolutely amazing every evening of our stay.
• At the far end of the beach, there is a cool pop-up bar (River Café & Bar), open on certain days of the week and offering light lunches and barbecue dinners. It has beachfront seating as well as a platform overhanging a river, which flows into the sea just a few meters from here.
• Most of the guest villas sit just off the main beach. Given a low number of them (only ten), we had the beach all to ourselves most of the time.
• The food deserves a separate mention — we loved the natural simplicity of the dishes of mostly Asian and Mediterranean pedigree. Breakfast, other than eggs with bacon, would comprise chia bowls and granola, yogurt, and fresh fruit juices.
• Low environmental impact and ethical commitments. The resort is constructed mostly from reclaimed materials, and its creators put a lot of effort into preserving the ecology of the island. Part of the income is put into adult training of the local population and into the educational eco-programs.
• We transferred to the island on board a luxury yacht, and its comforts made the somewhat long journey to the island very pleasant. The vessel has air-conditioning, a kitchen, a living area, a sun deck, and cabins below deck (we even caught up on some sleep here)

What you should know

• The managers, Alyssa and Ray, used to run the amazing Ol Donyo Lodge in Africa. Explains a lot!
• Wa Ale isn’t easy to reach. We flew from Yangon to Kawthaung (though it is also possible to reach the resort via Bangkok and the Ranong airport on the Thai side of the border — check AirAsia flights — www.airasia.com) and then boarded the luxury boat, which took three hours to get to the island. We were thereafter dark and the tide was low — and transferring to a shallow-draft boat in the middle of the ocean was an adventure in itself.
• During our stay, a species of cicada was active on the trees around the island. The damn creatures are the loudest things in the known universe.
• It has to be said, the lack of phones in the guest rooms got a bit tiresome when we needed something urgently and when the English-speaking staff was not available nearby.
• Walking to the main resort from the beach tents is a pleasant few-minute walk at low tide, but it is impossible at other times, and it takes as many as 10 minutes by the club car on the winding jungle road. The island requires some agility from time to time as well. We were departing at low tide, and to get to the departure jetty, we had to wade in shallow water a little bit and then walk on a slippery stone path that traced the exposed rocky shore. This is not a place for guests with limited mobility.
• Wa Ale is an all-inclusive resort, and most activities, house wine, and beer are included. Wi-Fi is free and fast, though a little spotty at times. The resort is open seasonally, from October to June.