Normally after the rush of high season, few would dare go out and brave the rain. But it can be a good time to make a journey to the southwest. Despite thick cloud and patchy drizzle, I found peace at a remote seaside resort. Only a 40-minute drive from the airport, Banyan Tree Krabi offers soul-searching experience unlike any other.

Located on 26 rai, the hotel sits at the foot of the Naga Crest Hill. With a background of dense vegetation, the oasis offers a panorama of the Andaman Sea with sapphire blue water, white sand and swaying trees. A cluster of islands -- Koh Hong, Koh Lao Lading and Koh Pak Bia -- appear on the horizon for adventurers, but the resort itself is also a sanctuary for body and mind.