Nestled at the northern corner of tranquil TubKaek Beach in Krabi Province, southern Thailand, Banyan Tree’s beachfront cantina, the Kredkaew Bar, has this month unveiled a fresh array of cocktails for connoisseurs to savour at this idyllic sundowner venue.
The new menu was unveiled last week, following the news that Kredkaew’s resident bartender, Dawadee Songprasert, affectionately known as “Dao,” recently won the Makro Thailand Creative Drink Challenge 2024, beating a host of mixologists from the southern Thai region.
Dao’s winning cocktail, or more correctly “mocktail”, was the Sang Aroon — her creation — a stirred blend of homemade palm sugar, coconut sugar, lemongrass, ginger syrup, pandanus juice and ginger ale. She has now added the magic ingredient of Thai rum, resulting in a sweet, lip-smacking finish.
Like the Sang Aroon, all the new cocktails are infused with local fruits and herbs. Many of the new concoctions take their names from Thai literature or, more broadly, ancient Sanskrit, where Hindi epics such as the Ramayana have passed down into Siamese folklore over hundreds of years.
The Suwanna Hong, meaning “Golden Swan”, is a more dense but sweet mix of Jim Beam, Amaretto, homemade cinnamon syrup and orange juice.
Served in a stemmed martini glass, the new Tiger’s Eye cocktail is a favourite with the ladies. It is a delectable composition of Vodka, Triple Sec, lime juice, fresh passionfruit, jasmine syrup, and Prosecco.
Khao Niao Mamuang cocktail
Of course, all travellers to Thailand recall the ever-popular dessert Sticky Rice & Mango. The mixers and shakers at Kredkaew Bar have redefined this flavour in cocktail style — the Khao Niao Mamuang, a creamy combination of Thai sugarcane rum, coconut cream and mango, truly a Thai sensation if ever there was one.
These cocktails and more can be sipped, savoured, and celebrated at Kredkaew Bar, Banyan Tree Krabi, which is open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily.
The Resort
Tiered into a lush hillside facing westward towards the Andaman Sea, Banyan Tree Krabi offers 72 pool suites and villas: seven two-bedroom options, one three-bedroom villa, and a majestic seven-bedroom beachfront Presidential Villa.
Facilities include two restaurants, a beach club, a kids’ club, a fitness centre, meeting rooms, and — in keeping with Banyan Tree’s wellness branding — a rainforest-themed spa.
Banyan Tree Krabi was recently recognised in the prestigious Conde Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards, where it was voted the fourth-best resort in Thailand.
