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Garrya Tongsai Bay Samui
Koh Samui, Thailand · Garrya · High Luxury
Koh Samui's first five-star resort opened in July 1987 after Akorn Hoontrakul spotted Tongsai Bay from the sea, bought the land in a week, and slept on the beach for three months while he laid out the site. Construction left every mature tree standing. In December 2022 the 28-acre private bay became Garrya Tongsai Bay Samui, Banyan Group's wellbeing brand, still run by the founder's family with an 8,000-square-meter organic garden started in 2003.
- 81 rooms
- Opened 1987
- Neighborhood: Bophut
- Rooms from 680 sq ft (63 m²)
About Garrya Tongsai Bay Samui
- Akorn Hoontrakul, then chairman of the Imperial Hotel Group, bought Tongsai Bay seven days after seeing it from the sea in 1985 and slept on the beach for three months to plan the layout.
- Opened in July 1987 as Koh Samui's first five-star resort; he sold Imperial in 1993 but kept Tongsai Bay.
- Builders did not cut down a single mature tree when the resort went up.
- Rebranded Garrya Tongsai Bay Samui on 15 December 2022, the first Garrya in Thailand under Banyan Group; the Hoontrakul family still operates it.
- An 8,000-square-meter organic garden, part of the Green Project since 2003, supplies vegetables, herbs, citronella, and composted restaurant leftovers.
The setting
3 km from Wat Phra Yai temple. 5 km from Samui Airport.
Amenities
- Spa
- Pool
- Private pool
- Hot tub
- Fitness center
- Kids' club
- Tennis
- Water sports
Awards
- MICHELIN One Key (2026)
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