Island Apothecary
What began as one woman’s quest to heal herself has blossomed into a movement that redefine wellness: authentic, sustainable, and deeply Thai.
Words & Photography: Sky Fitzgerald
Before I even looked up, it was the air that drew me in-rich with the grounding aroma of plai (cassumunar ginger), kamin chan (turmeric), pandan leaves, and herb-infused cocontu oil-notes so gentle and grounding that my entire body seemed to exhale. I said out loud “This is the most relaxing interview I’d ever conducted.” The conversation felt less like work and more like a therapeutic session, the fragrance of Thailand’s herbal heritage wrapping itself around me like a warm embrace. Across from me sat Manee U-prasert, founder of Honey Rose—a Samui- based brand dedicated to reawakening the wisdom of traditional Thai medicine for a contemporary world. Her work, much like her presence, is a delicate balance of memory, healing, and intention.
“For me, plants and trees have always been my companions,” Manee said.
Growing up in Samui, she spent her childhood collecting herbs and spices the way other children collected toys. Her grandparents, like many islanders before hospitals arrived, relied almost entirely on the land’s natural pharmacy. This early intimacy with plants deepened years later when her father was diagnosed with cancer. Long days spent at Chulalongkorn Hospital in Bangkok gave Manee both worry and time, so she enrolled in a course in traditional Thai medicine at the Development of Traditional Thai Medicine Foundation at the Public Health Ministry.
“I told myself, if I ever get sick, I want to know how to heal myself. Since I’m allergic to conventional antihistamines, I figured that nature had to be my first line of defence.”
From this philosophy, Honey Rose was born. At first, Manee dreamed of creating an herbal garden destination in the hills above Samui, where visitors could wander through lush terraces and learn about medicinal plants in situ. The land was abundant, but the remoteness proved a hurdle. “It was difficult for travellers to reach. It just didn’t work.” she explained.
The COVID-19 pandemic forced her to adapt. She moved her base into town, closer to both locals and tourists which turned out to be a serendipitous shift. Accessibility brought new energy, and Honey Rose began producing a line of sustainable, coconut-based products—cold-pressed virgin coconut oil, liquid soaps, shower gels, massage oils, even mosquito repellents—all infused with Thai herbs and spices, all free from chemicals and synthetic fragrances.
“I wanted something that reflected Samui’s spirit,” Manee said. “Everyone sells coconuts here, but I combine them with herbal knowledge to make cosmetics and remedies that heal.”
It’s also important for Manee to create wellness that doesn’t just go on the skin or into the body—but also touches the earth. Honey Rose runs refill stations to encourage customers to reuse containers. She works with an environmental protection group, collecting trash and sending it to a “trash bank,” on the island where it’s recycled into construction bricks strong enough to build football pitches and sports arenas.
And yet, she’s frank about the island’s ongoing challenge with waste. Samui produces around 200 tonnes of garbage daily. “The real issue is separation. Some hotels and communities are doing it, but without wider urgency, we still see piles of trash by the roads. It’s embarrassing for us when travellers see this.”
Perhaps the most captivating part of our conversation was her explanation of how Thai traditional medicine categorises food and herbs by taste—and how each flavour heals.
Her project Mieng Maitree (“Let Food Heal You”) invites visitors to sample bite- sized snacks infused with Thai herbs, each with a purpose: sour to relieve constipation, sweet to restore energy, and creamy to nourish the nerves. It’s an education in flavour as therapy, one that reframes eating not as indulgence but as self-care.
During the pandemic, she reminded me, fa talai jone (Andrographis paniculata) was widely hailed as Thailand’s “green chiretta.” For Manee, the key was using it fresh. “When the juices from the leaves touch the throat, that’s when it disinfects. But it can make the body cold, so I balance it with ginger, which is warming.”
Other remedies she prepares include smelling salts—without the harmful chemicals often used in mass-market varieties—and traditional herbal balls used in Thai massage. What struck me most was not the variety of her products or even the science behind them, but the simple truth she kept returning to:
“Our ancestors understood how to live with herbs and spices as a preventative measure as well as for healing. If we learned to appreciate them the way they did, maybe we wouldn’t need to visit the hospital so often.”
Indeed, Thai herbs are often relegated to the kitchen, dismissed as mere flavouring rather than curative. But in Manee’s view, kamin chan, plai, or pandan are as vital to daily health as they are to Thai curries or desserts. Today, Honey Rose’s products are not only used by local families but have found their way into spas, a local hospital, and luxury hotels on the island. Tourists adore her rose oil and rose soap, crafted with authentic beeswax instead of paraffin. Students and visitors from around the world come to her learning centre to learn more about traditional medicine, joining workshops on herbal compresses or sampling herbal snacks.
And perhaps this is where her work becomes most meaningful for travellers: it offers a connection to the island beyond white sand and infinity pools. A massage oil infused with coconut, or a bit of a pandan-based snack, becomes a story that ties wellness, sustainability, and culture into a single, fragrant thread.
