Located along the hushed, secluded curve on Hainan’s southern coastline, Capella Tufu Bay unfolds like a private gallery. This traveller’s recent sojourn was a time-frozen walk through a picture painted by two legendary design auteurs.
Jean-Michel Gathy delivers quiet, architectural poetry, bringing his signature elegance and symmetry to the resort’s expansive suites and open-air walkways. In contrast, Bill Bensley conveys theatrical storytelling by infusing the tropical gardens with mythological creatures and abstractions—a stark distinction from his other properties and a clear homage to local sensibilities. The result is a gallery of the natural and the fantastical on a backdrop of clean geometry, where art and architecture blend seamlessly. Every archway, lush garden, and room is a brushstroke in the uncanny collaborative masterpiece crafted by these two titans in hotel design.
For the discerning Malaysian traveller, this spatial narrative takes inspiration from the ancient Maritime Silk Road. From the mosaic-tiled pools to the nautically curved wooden terraces and golden-lit interiors, this unique Capella experience is well-versed in the art of slow luxury and fluent in the language of finesse.
The view is best enjoyed from the balcony of the Oceanfront Rooms—think villa courtyards, immaculate water features, and contemporary lines that blend the modern with Oriental accents. From the golden-hour glow that falls on teakwood decks to antiques that nod to Persian caravans and Chinese dynasties, design here is not static: it converses, challenges, and definitely inspires.
A Bespoke Gateway to Culture and Discovery
The resort invites guests into the soul of Hainan through its Capella Curates programme—stories, traditions, and local secrets few get to see. For this traveller, it was a passport to immersion, a series of handpicked, impeccably tailored encounters designed for the deeply curious. On our first day, the resort’s culturists warmly led my partner and me on a cycling tour that took us through Hainanese rice fields, witnessing picture-perfect harvesters bent over paddy fields against a sunset.
On our second day, sailing in the bay was a reverent glide through Hainan’s coastal lore. Aboard a sleek Hobie catamaran, we were guided beyond the surf and then given a chance to pilot. One cannot help but parallel how Moana must have felt as sea breezes carry whispers of ancient maritime routes. Yet, it’s the cocktails that might leave the most lasting impression. In the Zodiac Room, mixologists craft personalised cocktails based on your Chinese zodiac sign. Infused with herbs, teas, and spices from the ancient Maritime Silk Road, each drink becomes both a liquid memory and a keepsake—bottled in artisanal vessels to take home.
Getting into a wellness rhythm also means starting and ending the day right. Daybreak rituals begin with a Tai Chi master imitating the waters of the Dream Odyssey Pool, bringing the main lobby feature to life. Come evening, the lights dim in the Living Room & The Bar, where guests sip from spice-infused cocktails, inspired by the flavours of the Maritime Silk Road. These resort-included rituals bookend how one should start and end every day at this destination.
Where Spice Routes and Gourmet Passion Collide
The best meals are not just about taste—they’re about terroir, tradition, and the thrill of discovery. Begin with Lan Ting, a sanctuary of elevated Cantonese fare, where award-winning chefs resurrect age-old recipes with seasonal flair. We particularly enjoyed the Baked Codfish with Yellow Lantern Chilli Sauce, made with local chillis of the region.
For the wanderlust palate, Silk Road offers a bustling marketplace vibe and dishes that span from Hainan and Singapore to Mumbai and the Mediterranean. It’s interactive, vibrant, and sensorial—a tasting journey of spice routes and cultural connections. Designed like an ancient market hall, even breakfasts are a culinary tapestry that interweaves the best of Hainanese Bao Luo Fen noodles, lemongrass-laced curries, and truffled scrambled eggs.
Looking for something relaxed and more familiar? Sabai Sabai, a Thai-inspired sanctuary, embodies its namesake with ease and flavour-packed authenticity. Savour a green papaya salad poolside or sip a lemongrass mojito with views of the sea—it’s your passport to tropical paradise.
Intuition Meets Precision
What elevated the experience is the staff’s intuitive understanding of guests’ needs before they are even expressed. From the moment we arrived, personal concierges began crafting experiences. And in this quiet cove of Hainan, that kind of excellence is a treat. Leaving Capella Tufu Bay felt like waking from a dream you weren’t ready to end yet.
With an early morning flight out, we were resort-chauffeured in a BMW 5 Series for the journey to the airport. Waiting in the back seat was a breakfast box of pastries alongside chilled towels and quiet efficiency. Even in departure, Capella Tufu Bay made luxury feel effortless. And as the sea gave way to silence and the road turned inland, I left a piece of myself in the salt and light of Tufu Bay.
