Evason Hua Hin

Want to hear about a place where the word ‘vegan’ is familiar and you won’t feel like the odd one out? Want to discover a beachside resort where you feel a million miles away from it all, even though you’re under 4 hours travel from Bangkok? Welcome to Evason Hua Hin.

There is a sense of space here, walk around the resort and you feel it from the long shaded corridors between breezy open buildings to the vast gardens which are well established and beautiful. There’s no escaping the fact that you’re in paradise here with plants and palm trees, lily ponds and sunshine at every turn. The pool is huge; a free-form expanse of water surrounded by decking and ample places to laze in the shade. The view looks out to sea, there is a road in between but this doesn’t detract from the vast blue and the ability to sit back and relax.

You can play tennis, rent bikes, do yoga or go on one of the various excursions offered. The excursions have been checked out for their ethical credentials too so no need to worry that your enjoyment will be at the cost of others. Evason’s commitment to more sustainable tourism runs throughout the resort in line with the ethos of the company.

Our ‘pool villa’ was a spacious, light and luxurious place to rest and soak it all in, with a generously sized private pool, sun loungers, outdoor sunken bath and comfy shaded seating area. There was a proper coffee making machine, tea making facilities, unlimited water and the chance to personalise extra amenities. Want a yoga mat, more slippers, robes or towels? Just ask.

But it’s the way that Evason Hua Hin embraces the vegan lifestyle that really impressed us; open the menu for dinner and you’ll see a whole vegan section on offer, go to breakfast in the morning to find a whole area dedicated to vegan food. A vegan offering is not just a special dietary requirement that can be accommodated here, it’s a celebration of an alternative option, offered to all and enjoyed by many vegan and non-vegan guests alike.

Not only that, but they are home to Blue Lotus Hua Hin which is the #1 plant base learing centre (formerly Matthew Kenney Culinary Academy), where both professionals and non-professionals can come and learn the magic behind creating raw, plant-based cuisine. Here you can read about our Blue Lotus Vegan Cooking School experience at Blue Lotus. Sign up to learn things that will blow your mind, change your perception of eating and make your taste buds dance with excitement?

Evason Hua Hin may well be one the best luxury resorts for the vegan traveller out there

The Vegan Food

Lets’s start the day with breakfast shall we? Help yourself to fresh fruit (the fruit in Thailand is nothing short of awesome) and juices, scoop heaps of veggies onto your plate at the DIY salad bar, try traditional favourites like Chinese donuts in warm soy milk topped with sesame, red beans and millet.

We also loved that they make their own jams from local ingredients at Evason and were excited to try new flavours like ‘panadus’ (from the ubiquitous pandan leaf) and lemongrass, along with ‘banana jam’. There were of course the usual jam suspects but the opportunity to try something new if it’s vegan is never to be missed when you’re searching for the best vegan food in the world. The textures were smooth, the flavours worked well and there was a perfect amount of sweetness to be a treat but not overwhelming.

Then make your way over to the ‘Vegan Food’ section and choose from a range of Thai dishes, or like us choose to try all of them. We ate ‘Okra Red Curry’, ‘Mushrooms with Gingko Nuts’, ‘Pineapple Fried Rice’ and ‘Flat Noodles with Vegetables’, “Vegetable Massaman Curry’, ‘Green Curry with Young Coconut Shoot’. There’s no shortage of exotic flavours and ingredients to keep you interested in the vegan food section.

For lunch and dinner we had the option to eat traditional Thai food that had been skilfully veganised so as not to lose key flavours. The ‘Laab’ salad was made with tofu and dressed with traditional roasted rice, fresh coriander and a spicy lime, chilli and crushed garlic dressing. Fresh, shredded, green papaya formed the centrepiece of our ‘Som Tam’ with roasted peanuts, fresh spicy chilli and the perfect balance of salt, sweet and sour in the dressing. Our sweet tooth was indulged with ‘Mango Sticky Rice’, a dish that is famous throughout Thailand and showcases how delicious Thai mangoes and why they should be eaten at every opportunity.

For moments when a different cuisine might be desired, there is an entire vegan section in the menu that gives the choice of dishes like ‘Polenta with Grilled Vegetables and Avocado Salsa’, ‘Tomato Consommé with Roasted Soy Bean Rissole’ or ‘Spicy Kelp Noodle Salad with Chick Pea’. It’s just so refreshing to have an entire section in the menu dedicated to the vegan food offering.

The Vegan Essentials

There were already non-feather pillows and duvet in our room, scented at night with our own choice of fragrance as per the Evason tradition (we picked lemongrass). The in room amenities are from Six Senses Spa, dispensed in planet friendly ceramic containers to reduce plastic waste (we like this very much). Vegans can feel confident to use the plant based shampoo, conditioner, shower gel, insect repellent and body lotion provided, safe in the knowledge that there are no animal ingredients and have not been tested on animals either (Six Senses Spas have confirmed this for us).

The on site spa is run by wellness experts Six Senses Spa. You can get a range of vegan treatments, massages and health boosting programmes during your stay including everything from a Himalayan Singing Bowl Massage to Thai Herbal Compresses.

The Vegan Food Quest Verdict

Check in to Evason Hua Hin for a luxury stay where it’s easy to be a vegan. Enjoy days of fuss free vegan service, excellent plant-based food at every mealtime and an environment that overflows with nature. Be reassured by the commitment to sustainable tourism from the team running the resort Book onto one of the Blue Lotus Hua Hin courses to master new ways of preparing plants that will indulge your inner gourmet and give your body a healthy boost all at the same time!

We were guests of Evason Hua Hin but please rest assured that their generosity in hosting us didn’t influence our views

Evason Hua Hin
9 Moo 5 Paknampran Beach
Pranburi
Prachuap Khirikhan 77220
Thailand

Telephone: +66 3263 2111
Email: reservations-huahin@evasonresorts.com
Cost From: £100 / $150 (January 2016)