Pimalai Resort & Spa, the luxury resort surrounded by nature on Koh Lanta, is inviting guests to combine their desire for fresh seafood with their passion for sustainability at Rak Talay, the stunning seafront restaurant. Nestled on the pristine shores of the Andaman Sea, Rak Talay (which appropriately means “Love the Sea”) is the resort’s signature Thai restaurant, where highly skilled chefs maximise their flavours whilst minimising their impact on the environment. With indoor and beachfront seating, this is an exquisite setting for couples, families and friends to enjoy memorable meals together.
There is no better time to experience this delightful dining destination than on a Saturday night, when Rak Talay hosts its famous Surf & Turf Barbecue Buffet. Held every weekend in August and then from October onwards, this unforgettable evening let guests savour sumptuous seafood and prime meats, all chargrilled to perfection and accompanied by a wide range of side dishes, delectable desserts, live music and a fire show. Private candlelit tables can be set up on the beach, providing an enchanting setting for romantic couples’ dinners, and Christmas and New Year’s Eve dinners are also hosted on the powder-soft sands in front of Rak Talay.
Pimalai hs a focus on sourcing the freshest and most sustainable seafood. The resort’s chefs purchase delicacies such as prawns, crab, grouper, snapper and sea bass from fishermen in Koh Lanta and southern Thailand. This not only ensures the highest quality ingredients, it also creates benefits for local communities and reduces transport-related CO2 emissions.
To further enhance the flavour, chefs use aromatic herbs grown onsite in Pimalai’s own organic garden, including kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass, hot basil and sweet basil. Other herbs, vegetables and fruits are sourced directly from a farm run by Anurat Tiyaphorn, the owner of Pimalai, who believes passionately in organic production.
“At Pimalai, we fully understand that we have a responsibility to protect our environment, and we are deeply committed to operating in an eco-sensitive manner. We also believe that this can be achieved while enhancing our guest experiences. At Rak Talay, we offer the most sublime locally-sourced seafood as part of our weekly seafront surf & turf barbecue. In doing so, we are helping to preserve seafood stocks, benefiting the community and enhancing the flavour of our cuisine – it is win-win-win situation,” said Franck de Lestapis, Pimalai’s long-serving general manager.
“At Pimalai, we fully understand that we have a responsibility to protect our environment, and we are deeply committed to operating in an eco-sensitive manner. We also believe that this can be achieved while enhancing our guest experiences. At Rak Talay, we offer the most sublime locally-sourced seafood as part of our weekly seafront surf & turf barbecue. In doing so, we are helping to preserve seafood stocks, benefiting the community and enhancing the flavour of our cuisine – it is win-win-win situation,” said Franck de Lestapis, Pimalai’s long-serving general manager.
The resort’s sustainable seafood programme forms part of a wider commitment to responsible operations. Pimalai has set itself a series of ambitious five-year environmental targets, including reducing its electricity consumption by 15 percent, daily water use by 10 percent, carbon footprint by 10 percent, and waste by 5 percent. It also works with leading marine biologists on clownfish release and coral propagation programmes, to help conserve marine ecosystems.
