Soneva Kiri

At Soneva Kiri, we discovered somewhere that we wanted to stay forever. Somewhere so special that all of our cares drifted away once we had checked-in. This was a luxury resort where we were inspired, nurtured and revitalised during our stay. This was a luxury resort where every detail was perfect, from the sustainable natural design, the unparalleled luxury and the impeccable personalised service to the awesome location on one of Thailand’s most picture postcard, idyllic islands. It may be hard to believe for some, but heaven on earth really does exist and can be found safe and well on Koh Kood in Thailand at the truly unique barefoot ‘Intelligent Luxury’ resort, Soneva Kiri. We explored every inch of the resort in our very own electric buggy and we enjoyed every moment. Whether it was star gazing from the ‘So Celestial’ observatory, or wandering barefoot alongside the crystal clear waters of South Beach, we were always connected with nature and at peace.

11777_Soneva Kiri - Aerial View of the Resort
11812_Soneva Kiri - Beach
17548_Soneva Kiri South Beach
35600_South Beach at Soneva Kiri

We stayed in one of the Beach Pool Villa Suites and oh boy was it impressive, the epitome of secluded luxury in the jungle, constructed from sustainable timber for that extra feel good factor. Our multilevel, multiroom playground was paradise, the only dilemma being where to spend our time as everywhere was inviting and supremely comfortable. So when not relaxing on one of the many sofas or day beds, we would spend our time staring out to sea in disbelief at the sheer beauty of our surroundings. And when we got bored of the sea vistas from our huge wraparound infinity pool, we’d make the few short steps down to our very own private beach. Yes, we had our own beach and it was awesome. Now you’re starting to understand why we didn’t want to leave?

2634_Soneva Kiri - 1 Bedroom Beach Pool Villa Suite
11897_Soneva Kiri - 1 Bedroom Beach Pool Villa Suite
12336_Soneva Kiri - 1 Bedroom Beach Pool Villa Suite
12337_Soneva Kiri - 1 Bedroom Beach Pool Villa Suite

The Vegan Food

We’ve stayed at Soneva Kiri before, back in 2015. During our previous stay the vegan food was good, in fact it was very good. However, it often involved the ever helpful chefs adapting existing menu dishes to ensure they were vegan, or preparing ‘off-menu’ creations for us to savour. Skip forward to our return in 2023 and it’s clear that Soneva Kiri have continued to innovate and develop their vegan and plant based offerings. From clearly labelled menus, 100% vegan restaurants, homemade vegan butter and vegan meatballs, to the most extensive selection of vegan chocolates and ice creams you’re ever likely to find, Soneva Kiri is now one seriously vegan friendly luxury resort.

Vegan Breakfast at The Dining Room

We worked our way through the extensive drinks menu of detoxifying and cleansing immune boosting juices, including enzyme packed wheatgrass shots. We sampled many kinds of coffees both iced and hot, all served with choices of oat, coconut or almond milk. We loved the delicious cocoa mint iced latte and the golden milk packed with turmeric, ginger and cinnamon offered the perfect start to the day. This warm and spicy creation has the power to be both calming, soothing and energising all at the same time and was entirely irresistible.

There were also live cooking stations where we indulged in Sri Lankan red rice hoppers with dahl, fresh coconut chutney and a spicy red chilli sambal, as well as a vegan noodle soup packed with veggies and rice noodles. A favourite was ‘Sonu’s Salad’ made with creamy avocado, sweet fresh papaya and dried fig, dressed with fresh lime, coconut oil, mint leaves and cinnamon. It’s a delicious combination of sweet and savoury with warming cinnamon notes adding something a little different. For sweet treats, there were vegan cakes and vegan muffins made with banana or chocolate. Breakfast at Soneva Kiri was both health giving and deliciously indulgent.

Soneva Kiri wheatgrass shots
Soneva Kiri hopper
Soneva Kiri vegan noodle soup
11873_Soneva Kiri - Sonu Salad

Vegan Lunch at So Spirited

So Spirited AKA So Many Plant Based Options was our ‘go to’ spot for lunch. We enjoyed flavoursome mushroom stuffed potato cakes served with a spicy Cajun sauce, and caesar salads with crisp lettuce covered in a creamy dressing with baby tomatoes, salty capers, crispy fried tofu triangles and rye bread croutons. The salad was the perfect pairing with our spaghetti and meatballs, a rich tomato sauce pasta topped with a mushroom based take on the classic meatball. These were soft and moist and most importantly full of rich mushroom flavours. And of course we had tofu satay at every opportunity. The spicy and crunchy peanut sauce and traditional ‘ajar’ chilli cucumber salad accompanied the marinated tofu cubes which together made for a delightful eat. Tofu satay is a favourite of ours and the Soneva Kiri version proved to be an excellent example of this regional dish.

Soneva Kiri vega potato cakes
Soneva Kiri vegan caesar salad
Soneva Kiri vegan meatballs
Soneva Kiri Tofu Satay

Vegan Dinner at Colours of the Garden

Colours of the Garden is a plant based dining adventure in the organic gardens of Soneva Kiri and our evening here was quite simply one of the highlights of our stay. Our dinner experience started with a foraging tour of the lush vegetable gardens, with tasty morsels like fresh spring rolls with sweet chilli sauce to enjoy en route. The herbs, salad and veggies we picked were used throughout our evening meal, epitomising the farm to table experience. We enjoyed a cocktail making masterclass where seasonal rose apples were muddled into a refreshing blend flavoured with garden herbs including a fresh sweet peppermint. Our meal was enjoyed in a number of unique locations within the garden, culminating with us sitting around the fire pit, watching the next course sizzle on the grill before it headed straight to our plates. Warm flatbreads with a selection of pesto and crudités, spicy pomelo salad with coconut cream and edible flowers, pulled mushrooms in banana leaf and eggplant scallops were just some of the delightful plant based food that we enjoyed. Our evening in Colours of the Garden was remarkable and refreshing and reminded us how awesome it is to be vegan. Outstanding.

17370_Soneva Kiri - Colours of the Garden
Soneva Kiri chefs garden

Destination Dining at Soneva Kiri

There are multiple unique destination dining experiences at Soneva Kiri, with ‘Treepod Dining’ being about as unique as they come. This really is the chance to take good food to new heights, literally. Enjoy an exquisite afternoon tea in a bespoke bamboo pod which is raised into the jungle canopy offering jaw dropping views of the ocean. Your waiter will zip line through the trees to deliver your food and drink, whilst you enjoy the peace and tranquility of your unique location.  Or head into the mangroves to dine at ‘Kruua Mae Tuk’ (Tuk’s Kitchen) where Chef Tuk and her team will take you on an authentic culinary journey at this ‘no menu’ restaurant. We enjoyed multiple courses of Thai plant based delights. Our meal commenced with a Northern Thailand favourite ‘Mieng Kham’, which is the signature starter at Tuk’s Kitchen and omnipresent each and every evening, making it the only dish that is served to all diners. Comprising a bamboo platter of toasted peanuts, diced ginger, red onion, spicy red chillies, lime, toasted shredded coconut, a spiced sweet plum sauce and a supply of vibrant green betel leaves, it was a fun and delicious way to start our meal. We wrapped up our ingredients in the leaves like wonderful gift parcels, then ate them whole getting the different explosions of flavour as we chewed.

Soneva Kiri Treepod Dining
10985_Soneva Kiri - Kruua Mae Tuk _Tuk_s Kitchen_

So Chilled and So Guilty

As if the vegan options at Soneva Kiri aren’t already amazing enough, there is also a room full of chocolate named So Guilty and an ice cream parlour called So Chilled where vegan options are abundant, and everything is complimentary. It was like a childhood fantasy come true, you could eat vegan ice cream, vegan sorbet and vegan chocolates until your heart was content. Despite our best efforts, it was impossible to sample everything on offer as the choices were seemingly never ending. We did try though.

2103_Soneva Kiri - So Chilled Ice Cream Parlour
10326_Soneva Kiri - So Guilty Chocolate Room

The Vegan Essentials

Normally this part of our review might just contain a small celebration for a feather free sleep but you might have guessed by now that Soneva Kiri is not a normal kind of place. We had a choice of buckwheat, isotonic, Tempur, viscoelastic or butterfly pillows (not real butterflies, honest). We could also choose from a selection of scented mini pillows to be scattered around our bed with the choice of bergamot, lemongrass, orange, peppermint fragrances. And the duvet? An anti allergenic duvet with microfibre filling and 100% cotton sheets, a truly luxurious vegan sleep. In keeping with Soneva’s commitment to sustainability, the bathroom amenities were 100% natural and contained organically grown plant extracts and pure essential oils. There were no parabens, no synthetic fragrance or colours, and products are not tested on animals. They were supplied in refillable ceramic containers of course (you won’t find any single use plastic at Soneva). Bamboo toothbrushes and reusable bamboo razors were on offer too. And of course, the filtered water was plentiful and in planet friendly glass bottles.

Soneva Kiri amenities
Soneva Kiri water bottles

The Vegan Food Quest Verdict

Make a reservation at Soneva Kiri for a luxury stay that is like no other. Enjoy the laid back luxury, embrace as many playful, magical experiences as you can and be seriously impressed by the vegan food. Don’t forget to check out The Treepod because let’s face it, how often do you get the chance to dine in a giant woven basket suspended high up in the trees of an ancient rainforest? And of course, for all of you vegans out there, a farm to table plant based meal at Dining in the Garden is a must. With an award winning and sector leading approach to sustainability, this is one of those luxury resorts where the feel good factor is off the charts.

And when the time comes to leave, which will be a sad time for sure, your departure will be just as luxurious as your stay. Hop on the speedboat and speed across the bay to the nearby island airstrip, where your private plane awaits. The only downside is that it removes you from your dreams and delivers you safely back to reality.

12324_Soneva Kiri - Airport Island
30150_Soneva Kiri - Airport Sign
Vegan Food Quest small banner logo

We were guests of Soneva Kiri but please rest assured that their generosity in hosting us didn’t influence our views

Soneva Kiri
Koh Kood
Thailand

Telephone: +66 (0) 82 208 8888
Email: reservations-kiri@soneva.com
Cost From: £850 / $1000 per night (March 2023)

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