Warm hospitality. Great food. Exceptionally smooth holiday. Best value for money. Booking and pre-arrival: Excellent attention to ensure we had all the information necessary to prepare for our trip. Very attentive and quick response to all my queries. To help budget our trip, Nadia provided me with what to expect for dining and additional expenses while on the island. A week before our arrival, I unexpectedly received a message from her informing us about the inclement weather during our planned visit. Thankfully, our dates were flexible and we could move our arrival a day later and our departure a day later as well. Bespoke advice from Nadia allowed us to enjoy our beach holiday to the fullest despite the monsoon weather. Boat service was promptly arranged and waited for us at the jetty to arrive in the resort just in time for lunch. The resort is on the southwestern side of the island, perfectly secluded and accessible by a steep flight of stairs. Please take note of this in case anyone in your party has mobility issues. Accommodation: We opted for a chalet with connecting rooms of a double bed and twin beds, respectively. Optimal location with en suite toilets and shower. We had everything we needed and more. We enjoyed the balcony. Since the chalet is on stilts above the foot path, there was sufficient privacy. Sarongs, towels, toiletries, mozzie sprays, ceiling fan, umbrella in case it rained, mosquito coil, and even warm shower - which I consider as a treat on a rustic holiday in an idyllic island like Kapas. Take note, however, that the furnishings in the chalet are dated and can do with an upgrade. Sound travels through the walls and for light sleepers, ear plugs or noise cancelling ear buds are recommended. The thundering waves were a sound to enjoy but can be a challenge for uninterrupted sleep. The resort owners and staff are good at reminding guests of eco-friendly and sustainable practices that guests could help with. Water for showers/washing in the resort comes from the island underground water source. No toilet paper and any other sanitary products should be flushed down in the toilet. Dining options: Undoubtedly, Kapas Turtle Valley serves the best quality food in the island (and perhaps even in its vicinity on the mainland). Breakfast is sumptuous and is included in the booked holiday price. However, lunch and dinner are add-ons allowing guests to try other dining options in the island. We planned our activities to always make it back in time for our lunch and dinner in KTV for no fuss, delicious meals. Bottled water (1.5 L) can be purchased at the restaurant. Both Nadia and Nicholas are excellent in preparing anything on the menu and we are always raving about the dishes we ordered (beef fillet and mashed potatoes, prawn tempura on a bed of mango-cucumber salad, linefish en papillote, roasted duck breast and mash, and a couple of pasta dishes). Choyin, the resort staff, accommodated our fresh fruit juice requests willingly. Dessert options of fondant au chocolat, apple crumble, and coconut panna cotta provided a perfect finish for our dinners. Activities: As we came at a time when there was ‘bad’ weather, the sea was most of the time rough in front of the resort. As expected, visibility wasn’t great for snorkelling but my family nevertheless tested our gear here. Based on the resort owners’ advice, we ventured over the hill in search of calmer portions for swimming. Thankfully, Kapas is a small island and getting to the northern part of the island for swimming and snorkelling is a nice, leisure walk even with overcast skies. The resort owners’ daughter showed how well she knew the island when she accompanied us twice in our attempt to reach the long beach facing Gem Island passing over rock formations and occasionally, a tunnel carved by the waves. Access is dependent on the tide levels and after four days in the island, we learned so much more of how well the islanders adapted to the elements. Nicholas provided us with very helpful advice on our jungle trek. From the brow of the hill near KTV, we could access one of the jungle trek routes to Berakit. There are rope guide lines on the side of the path which helped when strong winds may have fell tree branches on the path. Verdict: We didn’t feel like we missed out on anything at all. Everyone had a great time. Perfect getaway for family with teenagers. Ours enjoyed exploring the beaches and other establishments on their own (with a bit of pocket money!) and we as parents did not worry about their safety. We loved the seclusion of just being over the hill. We definitely will come back and look forward to discovering the reefs next once. This place is not for #FOMOs but definitely for #YOLOs :0).…