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THE ULTIMATE GUILT-FREE GETAWAY
Enjoy a luxury holiday at a new eco-resort on a tiny island:
There are some things you definitely dont need on holiday; an email from the office asking you to return urgently, a tummy bug or bad weather, particularly if you have children.
But one peculiarly modern ailment is increasingly difficult to dodge - eco guilt, as in, Am I wrecking the place for the locals who actually live here?
Our preoccupation with the planet and all things green means that if youre aware of conservation at home you can ruin your eco street cred by leaving a huge carbon footprint in your holiday wake.
Thankfully, theres no need to restrict yourself and your family to a self-catering tent or caravan holiday on windswept UK beaches. A green wind of change is blowing through the world of luxury travel.
Its now possible to find resorts which are an innovative fusion of eco-sensitivity and spectacular comfort, where you can relax, confident your impact on the environment is minimal.
Plenty awaits travellers to Thailand, now fully recovered from the 2004 tsunami and boasting new environmentally friendly destinations.
One new eco-resort is on a tiny, unspoilt west coast island called Yao Noi - its English name means little island.
At its heart, the new Six Senses Hideaway (formerly Evason Hideaway & Spa) harmonises so well with its tropical surroundings that it is barely visible from the private helicopter whisking you in over the Andaman Sea, and away from the bustling backpackers of Phuket.
This beautiful development has been painstakingly put together. Only wooden nails were used in its construction, villas are made from sustainable local timbers, and all furnishing fabrics are either organic cotton or linens.
There are 56 spacious retreats - each with sun terrace and infinity pool - set in 24 acres of lush hillside, and the breathtaking views are balm to the soul.
Tension mysteriously melts away as you gaze, perhaps while lounging in the master suite or soaking in a sunken bath, at Phang Nga Bays sparkling waters, which lap at the white sands of private beaches.
Further out from the shore, this areas famous towering limestone pinnacles stand proud of the sea in an awesome display, resembling the discarded teeth of some gigantic prehistoric monster. The bay featured in the Bond film, The Man With The Golden Gun.
You can enjoy total seclusion and never leave your villa if you so choose, which as well as being built to the most stringent environmental standards, also offers every contemporary luxury and state-of-the-art media entertainment, as well as air conditioning.
You can pump up the adrenaline, with water sports, golf, or rock climbing, or follow quieter pursuits like painting, yoga, and cookery classes.
With some reluctance, I sailed away from my island hideaway, but my next stop, the Rayavadee, fulfilled all my green expectations too.
This renowned and established resort also prides itself on its harmony with the environment and has won awards for its sensitive eco-conscious development. It works with the community to minimise the effect of tourism on the landscape and wildlife.
A short boat ride from Krabi, in Thailands southern province, the first sight of Rayavadee at the end of the forested, mountainous peninsula is spectacular.
It is fringed by three National Park beaches, and the accommodation - double storey rondavels (circular colonial style villas with a sitting room below, bedroom above) - is artfully tucked away amid this former coconut plantation.
The resort is reminiscent of a Thai village, with meandering paths bordered by streams and swaying palms, and abundant flora and fauna nurtured by its own organically produced fertiliser. Recycled water keeps the surroundings lush during the dry season.
Days passed swiftly in sunbathing, and sampling four restaurants which included my favourite, the Krua Phranang, serving Thai food and overlooking the ocean.
There are plenty of excursions available, an evening cruise by ancient Siamese junk to see more of the coastline, or a visit to a rainforest, river kayaking, white water rafting or an elephant safari.
I spent time on the tennis court (theres also squash), and visiting the spa - soaking in a scented bath scattered with pink petals.
In the evening, a cocktail in the Grotto, which nestles under an ancient limestone cliff on the edge of the beach, is enchanting, especially at dusk watching a glorious sunset.
In Thailand I enjoyed privacy, peace and an escape from the world, but best of all, with a clear eco-conscience I could claim that the only footprint I left behind was on the white sand of the beaches.
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