Mala McAlpin Santiburi, a luxurious retreat on Koh Samui’s stunning north shore, is currently celebrating being officially certified as a carbon-neutral resort. Recognised by the Thailand Greenhouse Gas Management Organization, the certification confirms that the resort operates in a completely efficient manner, slashing the amount of carbon it emits and successfully offsetting the rest.
The tropical paradise is nestled among 23 acres of landscaped gardens and coconut groves, and boasts a 300-metre-long stretch of private sandy beach. The resort operates a comprehensive environmental programme, comprising waste water treatment, energy saving, waste management, organic gardening, recycling, and replacing any chemicals, plastics and other harmful products with green alternatives, including a natural salt cleaning system for its private pool villas. The resort also trains its team in all areas of eco-friendly operations and works with responsible local suppliers that share its values.
Guests are even encouraged to participate in the program, with the choice to decide how often their towels and bed linen are changed, and are urged to take part in community activities like beach cleaning. The resort supports many important local community initiatives, including a conscientious elephant sanctuary.
“We are thrilled to have been certified as a carbon-neutral resort. The entire team at Santiburi has been working towards this status for many years by undertaking a series of important initiatives to reduce our carbon footprint, lower our energy usage and preserve our ecosystem. This award is a recognition of their efforts. I am confident that our guests will be delighted to know that their stay is in perfect harmony with Koh Samui’s fragile island ecosystem,” said Sabine Lamberts, General Manager.
We asked Santiburi how the resort’s day spa, Lén Spa, participates in the resort’s sustainability efforts and, according to a resort spokesperson, the spa plays a vital role.
“Our Spa has contributed to Santiburi Koh Samui’s effort to become carbon neutral in many ways. Treatments are derived from natural therapies and employ natural, organic, locally available ingredients that are accredited vegan or cruelty and chemical-free such as coconuts, rice, jasmine, herbal compresses, betel leaves and locally produced Thai silk. Those interested in the Spa can also download the Santiburi Mobile Concierge app which provides all the information needed without the need for paper brochures or other advertisements.”
“Staff are informed and trained in energy saving awareness practices, cloth towels are used in place of paper napkins or towels, and pandan leaves, in lieu of an energy-consuming burner, are used to provide the sweet and sublime, aromatic ambiance of the spa. We are making progress, but always pursuing new and different ways to reduce our carbon footprint so that if you come to visit, the only footprints you will leave are ‘footprints in the sand’.”
If you’d like to reduce your footprint and work towards more sustainable practices within your spa or clinic, you could start as small as swapping to eco-friendly cleaning products, all the way up to enlisting a recycling program like Sustainable Salons or upgrading to more eco-friendly uniform options. Or better yet, make sure you’re subscribed to SPA+CLINIC’s quarterly print mag to catch our upcoming November sustainability feature.
