POV: you’re getting married to the love of your life and want everything to be perfect, just like you dreamed. “Sawadee kha (meaning hello),” says Thailand! When a Big Fat Indian Wedding party goes to ‘the land of smiles’, all-time feels short. But this 4-day itinerary across two spectacular properties will leave you and your guests ecstatic and entertained to no bounds. From your bachelorette bash to your romantic honeymoon, scroll down and let me help bring your destination wedding dreams to life!
Perfect Destination Wedding Itinerary
First stop, the newly opened Avani Chaweng Samui Hotel & Beach Club brings the glamorous, freewheeling spirit of 1950s Palm Beach via its retro neon signs, phone booths, and Coco-Cola vending machines (I’m hearing photo-op bells). Not to mention, the “I’m in Miami b*tch” vibes to Koh Samui’s powdery-white sand. A quirky hideaway that blends socialising with serenity-inducing pursuits, book this property for two nights to swan dive into the sights, bites, and sounds of the island.
Day 1: Bachelorette
Check-in and, of course, we start with the bachelorette sailing into the sunset on a magnificent catamaran for an afternoon of sun-kissed fun on the water with your girlfriends. As you head back to SEEN Beach Club Samui, Chaweng’s hottest party circuit nestled at your very own Avani Chaweng, it’s time for a sundowner with the fam in glam. Call it a night (or dawn) at one of their 80 chic rooms and suites for the best good night’s sleep you’ve had in a while.
Day 2: Mehendi
Picture-perfect views from spacious balconies sound like the perfect location for the Mehendi morning. At 61 sqm and 90 sqm, Groovy Sea View Suite and Double Groovy Sea View Suite would be the ultimate options for the intimate ceremony. And did you know? At Avani Chaweng, suite guests can even call on their private DJ to spin the decks and a paparazzi-for-hire to ensure no moment of revelry goes undocumented!
Day 2: Cocktail/Sangeet
Enters evening and it’s time for everyone’s favourite wedding fiesta – Cocktail/Sangeet – at the hard-hitting party central next door. SEEN Beach Club Samui throws epic pool parties with top DJs and world-class entertainment like fire shows on tap. The social swimming pool feels like a hopping bar with snug cabanas and a mixology station. From dusk till dawn and all night long, it offers tasty tipples of Mediterranean, Asian and American flavours. What’s not to rave about?
As you check out of Avani Chaweng after two days of leisure (and liquor), this 40-minute drive to the second property will come in handy to decamp the hangover and nap on the go. You’re welcome!
Price of Avani Chaweng Samui Hotel & Beach Club: Rs 9,045 upwards; book here
Checking in to Avani+ Samui Resort is a swing, literally. With 58 rooms including Deluxe Rooms, Family Rooms, Pool Villas, and Beachfront Villas that are designed to perfectly frame Samui’s fabled sunsets, Avani+ Samui is tucked away on the quieter southern side making it ideal for destination weddings. Offering an occupancy of up to 186 guests, choose from carefully crafted packages to have the wedding of your dreams, dear bride-to-be.
Here, the Essence Restaurant has fresh local flavours and a selection of vegan and vegetarian options across Thai as well as International cuisines for you to sip, snack, sample and savour. The Beverage Pool Truck offers cocktails fresh from the tropics while the Rooftop Louge redefines food with a sea-nic view. Now that the caring-for-all catering is discussed, let’s get on with the rest of the festivities at our property number two.
Day 3: Haldi
There’s no time for Haldi then now! Choose from the two Beachfront Pool Villas (105 sqm) or the four Two Bedroom Beachfront Pool Villas (227 sqm) for your and your husband-to-be’s Haldi each. P.S. your festive yellows will perfectly complement the spacious white interiors, vibrant blues of the pool and lush greens of the garden. Can’t you just imagine the photographs already?
Day 3: Wedding & Reception
Have you seen a shaadi setting atop a glass stage floating over an infinity pool with the ocean as a backdrop? Imagine how it’d feel to walk this aisle as a bride…taking everyone’s breath away…with each step towards your groom for the Jaimala… I’ll wait. Paradise, isn’t it?
And after the wedding ceremony, transport yourselves and your guests for an after-party or wedding reception to the private beach with the sunset sky and fairy lights setting the mood. Don’t forget to ask Avani+ Samui for a dedicated wedding planner to take care of all the details, from the flowers and the cake to the music and the menus, while you truly enjoy the best day of your life.
Day 4: Honeymoon
Speaking of romance, what screams a blissful honeymoon louder than a floating breakfast in the private pool and a couples’ cannabis massage? Start your first day as a newlywed in calm, private surroundings as far from reality as you care to imagine.
The resort offers plentiful opportunities for romance, relaxation, and adventure. From movie screenings to local excursions to mangrove vistas to jungle trekking to island hopping, the list of things to do at Avani+ Samui goes on and on. The resort also delivers kayaks, paddleboards, snorkelling gear, and mountain bikes complimentary!
Price of Avani+ Samui Resort: Rs 6,053 upwards; book here
How To Reach Koh Samui
The ease of travel, let alone international travel, especially in a pandemic is what decisions are based on for most. And getting to Koh Samui is as easy as the following three options:
1. From Samui International Airport
After landing at the Samui International Airport via a connecting flight from Bangkok, Avani Chaweng Samui Hotel & Beach Club is just a 10-minute drive away while Avani+ Samui Resort is a scenic 40-minute drive away. You can book private transfers to and from the airport.
2. From Surat Thani Airport
Post arrival at Bangkok’s Surat Thani Airport, head to Donsak Pier via a 90-minute road trip. From there, take the Seatran Ferry to Nathon Pier in Samui – which takes another 90 minutes. From Nathon Pier, you can book transfers to the hotel (30 minutes) or the resort (20 minutes).
3. The Blue Dolphin Ferry
‘The Blue Dolphin’ is approx. a 13-hour long cruise from Pattaya to Koh Samui recommended for those who have time on their hands and party on their mind. Started with an aim to stimulate tourism in Thailand, the ferry can accommodate 200 cars and 586 passengers with a total of 15 rooms categorised into Capsule, Comfort, First Class, Suite and Premier. After a successful test run, the cruise is expected to be fully effective from the end of September. Bookings, once the website is live, can be done via SPcruise.com.
Images: Avani
