Destination wellness resort Chiva-Som will open its first location outside Thailand, in Bintan, Indonesia. The development will include its first permanent residences.

Chiva-Som Bintan will be located within the wider Treasure Bay Bintan development on the Indonesian island and will be about 25 hectares when completed.

It will house a 70-bedroom wellness hotel, a wellness centre and 34 luxury villas ranging in size from one to five bedrooms. The project is still in the design stage, and an opening date has not yet been set.

Built amid natural mangroves and overlooking white sandy beaches, the residences will include access to the resort’s spa facility, and owners will have the ability to work with Chiva-Som’s staff to create longevity programmes and customised wellness packages.

An on-site organic farm will be part of the project, and visitors can learn and participate in organic farming, as well as enjoy farm-to-table dining.

A 1.5 hectare marine park will house more than 70 species of marine life, and will provide additional activities and entertainment, as well as an outreach programme for educational, conservation and research activities.

Chiva-Som’s original location in Hua Hin, Thailand, first opened in 1995. The destination health and wellness resort is dedicated to revitalising the mind, body and spirit, and brings Western practices together with Eastern philosophies. It features personalised services, including wellness cuisine, consultation, one-stop health and wellness facilities, and a menu of 200 fitness, physiotherapy, holistic, aesthetic beauty and spa therapies.

"The project will be similar to Chiva-Som Hua Hin in terms of the approach and range of services offered," said Kewalin Sukumjittanon, head of public relations for Chiva-Som. "It will be different in that it will also have residences, in addition to the resort and wellness facilities."