Issue 3 | Feature brought to you by Samujana
Years ago, a man ventured to the exotic and colourful lands of Morocco. During his travels he experienced breathtaking sights, unfamiliar sounds and interesting flavours. He felt different textures with his hands and beneath his feet, all the while breathing in new scents and fresh air. He learned words of a foreign language, one of which he found to be particularly beautiful. The word was “jana,” meaning “coral.”
At the time of his travels, he was in the process of having a new home built on the Thai island of Koh Samui. The home would be the first in a new development of private elegant seaside houses built into a lush hill-side. While they were poised to be the most spectacular properties on the island, the development had not yet been named. It wasn’t until the man returned from his travels and visited the construction site with fresh eyes that inspiration struck him. As he stood enjoying the stunning vista before him, the sea breeze and salt air, sounds of waves and wildlife, his five senses once again began to enliven. And just as coral, or jana grows, his current project grew into the inspired Samujana development.
From abstract to physical, the concept of Samujana has grown to be what is now officially recognized as Koh Samui’s most exclusive luxury development as well as one of the finest in South East Asia. Today, Samujana’s twenty-seven private pool villas, each thoughtfully designed and built around the unique topography of the land have become a place for elite travelers and homeowners to effortlessly tune into all of their five senses.
Sight – The standout feature of the entire estate, Samujana’s elevated vantage point allows for views over the bay that are as stunning at midday as they are at sunrise and sunset. The expansive view of the island and the sea is nature’s art, but the architecture of the estate itself is nearly equally as striking. As each flat roof of the estate is covered with one of the island’s natural elements, such as grass, rock or even shallow pools of water, even the highest villa can offer unadulterated views of the landscape below. From within each white-washed villa, the contemporary design incorporates a melody of clean lines, almost appearing to be an extension of the horizon.
Sound – While peaceful sounds from the private beach below do naturally float up along the hill-side, each villa also contains a state-of-the-art surround-sound system, allowing guests to hear their favorite music in the highest quality. Even a quiet dip in the infinity pool offers the relaxing but powerful sound of water spilling over the edge and onto on the smooth rocks surrounding it.
Touch – Materials for construction and furniture were chosen not only for their beauty and durability, but also for their textures. On the expansive terraces bare feet can sense the subtlety of the white sandstone tiles, or enjoy the saunafinish teak wood surrounding the pool area before dipping toes into the temperate, glass tiled waters. Hand-selected furnishings were chosen to maximize comfort in each room, from the padded dining chairs to the plush lounges within each private cinema.
Taste – A welcoming staff offering fresh lemon water when you arrive immediately ignites a refreshing sense of taste. Similarly, waking up to a resident chef cooking breakfast or brewing fresh coffee, and later preparing five star meals from both Thai and Western cuisines can satisfy the pallet. Between meals, a dip in the saltwater pool is like savoring just a pinch of sea below.
Smell – Perhaps the least obvious of the five, the sense of smell was not forgotten when creating Samujana. Fresh flowers embedded into the landscape around each villa greet guests with natural fragrance. Taking inspiration from aroma-therapy spas, indoor spaces are complete with the subtle scent of lemongrass from vaporizing essential oils.
And the Sixth Sense– Above and beyond the concept of stimulating all five senses, Samujana has a way of provoking mindfulness. As its first owner learned words in Moroccan, the resident staff can similarly educate on the local language. Otherwise, it may simply be the fresh air or the divine-like elevation, the ability to watch the tides change or a storm roll in that gives Samujana the ability to inspire.
