We did actually check out the Banyan Tree’s main pool whilst we were there. It was completely devoid of guests, just staff looking after various stations around the place. So basically, it became our massive private pool as well 😛 There wasn’t a soul in sight!! Just fantastic, because we liked the privacy.
The main pool is built for optimal privacy as well. It’s a large and VERY long pool, snaking all around the middle area of the resort. There are many smooth curves in the pool, and all shrouded by a lot of foliage and pretty flowers, so it probably can accommodate many many people in there whilst still feeling really private.
They’ve also got 8 jacuzzis in a grotto, each in it’s own little section, so you don’t get into the strange situation of canoodling in a jacuzzi and having a stranger sitting opposite you staring 😉
There’s something to be said about Sanya’s perfect weather. I certainly wouldn’t mind living there, or the Maldives. I’m a true summer/tropical girl at heart.. I much prefer lounging around in swimmers than huddling and shivering in 5 layers of thick clothes. Plus, it means there’s way less laundry to do every week 😉
What’s your favourite season, and why?
Mine’s summer, hands down!
Me getting into the main pool, which is a HUGE winding pool snaking around.
The little grotto in the main pool, with 8 jacuzzis (4 pictured here)
No one was ever swimming in the main pool, so we had the jacuzzis all to ourselves 😛
Floating around, trying to get a tan
Zonked out in one of the canopy beds. Hey, eating and lazing about is hard work!
Went back to our villa for some snacks on our day bed by the pool
Grilled chicken satay with condiments and curry satay sauce
Potato wedges (weird cos they weren’t deep-fried like we like) with
sour cream and chilli sauces.
Coming from Malaysia and having experienced the cool spring weather of Lyon and Perth…….SPRING and I don’t mind AUTUMN too!!!!
Ooo Australia’s springtime is lovely, I agree. I loved it in Sydney!
Looks fun and relaxing.
It was one of the most relaxing holidays we’ve had.. much needed too!
Coming from Malaysia and having experienced the cool spring weather of Lyon and Perth…….SPRING and I don’t mind AUTUMN too!!!!
Ooo Australia’s springtime is lovely, I agree. I loved it in Sydney!
Looks fun and relaxing.
It was one of the most relaxing holidays we’ve had.. much needed too!
I know you don’t like to mention prices, but for reference, what things are included in the price you mentioned before? Do you have to pay extra for food/drinks, any spa-like things, etc?
And Maldives vs. Sanya, which one do you think is better and why? (I know, sounds like an essay question! But I am genuinely curious)
Sadly, the price is JUST for the villa 🙁 Food/drinks are really expensive to be honest, cos they have monopoly (unless you go out of the resort to eat cheaper street food).
Maldives is of course better, it’s in a different league.. but the price was also 3x more than our villa in Sanya, OUCH!!!! :X
I’ve been enjoying these pics – Sanya seems surreal to me – so incredibly beautiful and warm. I’d love to visit sometime.
It suddenly struck me how much your children will enjoy your blog one day! They’ll get to see mom and dad young and having fun. Man, I would love to read my parent’s LJ when they were first married (had the Internet existed, of course)! ;p
It’s SO weird you said that… cos whilst we were in Sanya at breakfast, we were talking about the SAME thing! Thinking how fun it’d be that our kids will track our whole liking -> dating -> engagement -> wedding -> kids journey.. and also saying how cool it’d be if we could read our parents’ blogs (if they existed). Heh!
Winter FTW! Though I do love my beach holidays. :p
I know your weird affiniation for winter, lol! UGHHH I hate all the laundry I have to do every week, so it is a no-go for me 😉
I prefer winter personally; it’s a time for a lot of wraps, scarves, classic pieces…really my kinda style 🙂
Btw, aren’t most Singaporeans Chinese anyway (ethnic wise)? haha
Heh we’re opposites, winter is such a paaaain to me, having to run up!
Singaporean Chinese look/act/speak/think differently from China Chinese. Hard to explain, but chris swears there is a huge difference 😉
From a fellow sun worshipper
Looks like a great time. I visited Sanya a few years back and even though it was in Feb it was still sunny and balmy. I live in Xiamen so I can easily get my beach and sunshine fix though finding a quiet and clean place to swim is almost impossible 😛 I actually met my wife at the beach, and I’m sure your husband can attest that a cute Chinese girl in a bikini is hard to resist :-P. It would be nice to put a beach villa in your pocket and be able to pull it out whenever you wanted. Oh well, that’s what photos and memories are for. Keep the faith!
Re: From a fellow sun worshipper
Oh nice, I’ve never been to Xiamen! You’re lucky though, we are so far from clean air and gorgeous beaches… I really miss Australia 🙁
Hehe Chris prefers Japanese and Singaporeans, not so much Chinese girls. I’m mainly amazed he can tell the difference, pretty impressive 😉
I know you don’t like to mention prices, but for reference, what things are included in the price you mentioned before? Do you have to pay extra for food/drinks, any spa-like things, etc?
And Maldives vs. Sanya, which one do you think is better and why? (I know, sounds like an essay question! But I am genuinely curious)
Sadly, the price is JUST for the villa 🙁 Food/drinks are really expensive to be honest, cos they have monopoly (unless you go out of the resort to eat cheaper street food).
Maldives is of course better, it’s in a different league.. but the price was also 3x more than our villa in Sanya, OUCH!!!! :X
I’ve been enjoying these pics – Sanya seems surreal to me – so incredibly beautiful and warm. I’d love to visit sometime.
It suddenly struck me how much your children will enjoy your blog one day! They’ll get to see mom and dad young and having fun. Man, I would love to read my parent’s LJ when they were first married (had the Internet existed, of course)! ;p
It’s SO weird you said that… cos whilst we were in Sanya at breakfast, we were talking about the SAME thing! Thinking how fun it’d be that our kids will track our whole liking -> dating -> engagement -> wedding -> kids journey.. and also saying how cool it’d be if we could read our parents’ blogs (if they existed). Heh!
im love spring!! 🙂 a little cooler than summer and heaps of pretty flowers!! 🙂 loving your bathers again!! 🙂
I used to like Spring but living in Shanghai kinda took that away from me 😛 Cos the spring here is MENTAL – freezing cold one day and hot the next.. with lots of rain. Arghhh
Winter FTW! Though I do love my beach holidays. :p
I know your weird affiniation for winter, lol! UGHHH I hate all the laundry I have to do every week, so it is a no-go for me 😉
I prefer winter personally; it’s a time for a lot of wraps, scarves, classic pieces…really my kinda style 🙂
Btw, aren’t most Singaporeans Chinese anyway (ethnic wise)? haha
Heh we’re opposites, winter is such a paaaain to me, having to run up!
Singaporean Chinese look/act/speak/think differently from China Chinese. Hard to explain, but chris swears there is a huge difference 😉
ken
how much per night
and what airline did you use ?
Re: ken
I normally don’t talk about prices, but I noted it in a previous post..
We flew with Shanghai airlines
From a fellow sun worshipper
Looks like a great time. I visited Sanya a few years back and even though it was in Feb it was still sunny and balmy. I live in Xiamen so I can easily get my beach and sunshine fix though finding a quiet and clean place to swim is almost impossible 😛 I actually met my wife at the beach, and I’m sure your husband can attest that a cute Chinese girl in a bikini is hard to resist :-P. It would be nice to put a beach villa in your pocket and be able to pull it out whenever you wanted. Oh well, that’s what photos and memories are for. Keep the faith!
Re: From a fellow sun worshipper
Oh nice, I’ve never been to Xiamen! You’re lucky though, we are so far from clean air and gorgeous beaches… I really miss Australia 🙁
Hehe Chris prefers Japanese and Singaporeans, not so much Chinese girls. I’m mainly amazed he can tell the difference, pretty impressive 😉
im love spring!! 🙂 a little cooler than summer and heaps of pretty flowers!! 🙂 loving your bathers again!! 🙂
I used to like Spring but living in Shanghai kinda took that away from me 😛 Cos the spring here is MENTAL – freezing cold one day and hot the next.. with lots of rain. Arghhh
ken
how much per night
and what airline did you use ?
Re: ken
I normally don’t talk about prices, but I noted it in a previous post..
We flew with Shanghai airlines