Thanks to its pristine beaches, verdant hills, rich culture and mouthwatering cuisine, Thailand has been hailed as the perfect tourist destination for several decades now. Imagine, though, if instead of popping into this tropical paradise for a mini-break, you could set down long-term residential roots. That, in a nutshell, is the proposition being put forward by Sunplay Asia, a Bangkok-based property developer, which is currently singing the praises of its latest residential offering – Sunplay Bangsaray.
Located in Bang Saray, a sleepy little hamlet just two hours’ drive from Bangkok, this stunning site is nestled between gently-rolling mountains on one side and the open sea on the other. A collection of 70 luxurious condominiums and 75 private pool villas, it’s a residential resort that’s said to boast every facility, including a private clubhouse, golf courses, a range of bike trails, numerous walkways, fine tropical gardens and lovingly-landscaped water features.
Geared towards purchasers seeking an extravagant vacation option or a sumptuous spot to retire to, the development made headlines last year when it won the Best Condo Architectural Design at the prestigious PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards. Overnight, this catapulted it into the big league.
Even a brief perusal of the three discrete divisions – the Heights Condominiums, the Pool Villas and the Villa Collection – of the 28-hectare Sunplay Bangsaray reveals why the plaudits seem so well-deserved.
For its part, the Heights Condominiums brings together the finest amenities of a luxury five-star hotel and the relaxed comfort of a bespoke home. Available in one-, two- and three-bedroom options, as well as boasting a limited number of penthouses, these residential units are uniformly sleek and elegant. They are also delightfully capacious and come with generous balconies. The sense of space is only amplified by the floor-to-ceiling windows, which bathe the thoughtfully done-up interiors in natural light, while creating an almost organic attachment with the wider landscape.
Those in search of a more secluded ambience, however, might do better to opt for one of the two villa options, a number of which even boast their own pools. Throughout, the emphasis is again on natural ventilation – to the extent that the central living space opens up on either side, bestowing a beguiling blur as to just where exterior becomes interior. All the while, a dense array of tropical foliage forms a natural screen between each villa, an unobtrusive barrier that secures your personal space.
This explicit surrender to the natural world, however, does not oblige residents to compromise when it comes to ready access to contemporary comfort and convenience. This is best exemplified by the Sunplay Bangsaray Club, a 5,000 sq.m residents-only facility overlooking the estate, which offers everything from multi-cuisine restaurants and fitness/recreation centres to art classes, a kids’ club and even a state-of-the-art 24-hour medical support facility. All in all, it’s the ideal getaway, with everything you might need to ensure you can stay away just as long as your heart desires.
Text: Suchetana Mukhopadhyay