Amazed by Amiya Resort in Davao City

It was obviously love at first sight the moment I caught a glimpse of Bangkok’s sweeping expanse from the plane’s window seat several hundreds of feet up in the air. At that instant, I knew I was going to like my trip there. Staying in Thailand’s capital for almost a week, I fell in love with everything Thai—its smiling people, its positive vibes, its rich cultural heritage, and of course, its spicy yet savory food!

Before going there, I hardly knew the Land of Smiles and its capital. Much of my first impressions about Thailand were based on the sights, smells and sounds that greeted me all throughout my stay in her premier city—a bewildering maze of towering skyscrapers, awesome temples, extensive highways, old houses, low-rise apartments, street-side grills, and much, much more.

Days after my return from that trip, I couldn’t help but feel nostalgic about Thailand. It seemed like I left home but forgot to bring my heart with me. Home, after all, isn’t where you live but where you feel alive and well.  And if there’s anything I terribly miss about the place, it’s the chow. So intense was my craving for Thai food that I scoured the food streets of Davao to find a diner or resto where I can re-experience that distinctive taste of Thailand.

Imagine my delight when I stumbled upon some restos offering authentic Thai cuisine! Though most of the dishes were tempered to suit local taste buds (the spices, that is), still I relished the chance to feast on them. Geez, the foodie in me was so ecstatic savoring anew some Thai favorites: kai med ma muang (chicken with cashew nuts), gaeng daeng (red curry), tom yum (hot and sour soup), pad thai (fried noodles), khao pad (fried rice), and a whole lot more! Too bad, some of those restos have already folded up.

It’s been a decade since I went to one of Southeast Asia’s tourist magnets but even to this day I still haven’t gotten over my infatuation for it. To my delight, there is in Davao City a relatively new haven whose architecture and ambience are so distinctively Thai that those yearning to visit the country can gravitate there if only to satisfy their longing. Mind you, it’s so spic and span, so clean and green, it leaves you nothing to say but sawat dee krap! The place? Amiya. 

Located in Puan, a suburban part of Davao City, Amiya is a Thai-themed community that took inspiration from the best resorts in Thailand. A few years ago, I thought the gated community was merely a residential subdivision that caters to the whims and caprices of the moneyed who have multi-million properties there. And I was so amazed to discover there’s more to it than meets the eye!

At Amiya, you’ll get the feeling of being transported to Thailand and living in the lap of luxury just like some of its well-to-do citizens. Living up to its name that means “bountiful” or “delightful” in Thai, the resort boasts of several amenities that would surely pamper the senses of its clientele, homeowner or not. These include the following: swimming pool, sports gym, spa, as well as accommodations, café and restaurant, lagoon with boating facilities, and a whole lot more.

Fun-loving souls can luxuriate to their hearts’ content at Amiya’s salt-chlorinated infinity pool that is designed to spoil families with amenities that they deserve and modern conveniences they need. Visitors can take a dip, do a few laps or just take selfies, duofies and groupfies with the picture-perfect pool at the backdrop. Fee is only PhP300/person (day tour), except for kids four years old and below who can enjoy the pool free of charge.

What's more, Amiya has casitas (good for two persons at Php4,500 per night) and villas (good for families and groups at Php7,000 per night), all of which include access to the swimming pool and free breakfast. Amiya’s elegant accommodations are situated within lush surroundings, providing visitors that sought-after breath of fresh air as they bask in the beauty of the dense foliage and well-manicured gardens.

All the accommodations have elegant interiors that perfectly blend with nature—glass doors and windows, decorative wood wall panels, stoneworks and the like—all evoking a relaxing Thai ambience. Amiya’s casitas and villas are the ideal dens to be for those seeking the ultimate comfort, peace and isolation from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Clubhouse Resto


 

Fitness buffs, on the other hand, can opt to stay fit by spending their time at Amiya’s state-of-the-art gym. Or they can go walking, jogging and biking along the well-paved roads to achieve their health and fitness goals. They can also opt to sweat it out at the covered basketball court, badminton, lawn tennis and table tennis courts. Those who prefer to find inner peace can do so at the spa and meditation gardens as well as the other quiet spaces scattered across the Thai-inspired grounds.

Cafe Lagoon

Foodies will be delighted to discover the wide array of dishes that can be had at the clubhouse restaurant or at the café and bar which is near a man-made lagoon with boating and fishing area. There’s a downside though: You need to order your meals in advance (at least an hour) because service isn’t that prompt—it takes a long time before the staff can cater to your needs. All things considered, however, I’d still come back there if only to taste its delectable yet affordable meals.  

I’m not squeamish about how my accommodation looks like just as long as it is safe and secure. After all, I only stay in my room to catch some snooze after a tiresome day. A staycation in Amiya, however, turned out to be an entirely different experience for me. Why, the resort is a unique destination in itself—with a touch of Thailand to boot! While spending a day at the pool would already be so much fun, nothing beats staying overnight in one of the casitas or villas to complete that Thai-inspired vacay.

If you have plans of going to the Land of Smiles but have little resources to pull it off, fret no more. You need not go very far to experience something close to the Thai way of life. This I realized during the three (or four?) occasions I was in Amiya (including an overnight stay). So, whatever your reasons for going there may be—a staycation, a reunion, a birthday, a wedding, a baptismal, a training, a teambuilding activity, or a simple get-together—the amazing resort can help bring to life your dream of being in Thailand, albeit vicariously.