I was lucky growing up to go on an international holiday with my family. At just 12-years-old, Thailand was the first “other” country I ever visited. As a rule, I generally don’t like to holiday somewhere I’ve already been. I guess that’s why it’s been 15-years since I visited Thailand, regardless of the fact that it’s one of Australia’s closer neighbours. I do however like to live life spontaneously, and in Thailand’s case, all it took was a flight sale ad to pop-up in my Facebook feed and I was 3 clicks away from Phuket. After nostalgically reflecting on my 12-year-old-self experiencing a new culture for the first time, I was so excited to go back with my galpal, Jacinta, and live-it-up all over again.
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After a full day of non-stop flying from Sydney to Phuket we finally arrived exhausted at the beautiful Twinpalms Resort at Surin Beach. There is something so magical about arriving at night, checking-in in the dark and dreaming of the paradise you’ll wake up to… And thanks to the awkward 3 hour time difference, I awoke bright-(red)-eyed at sunrise ready for a full day of serious relaxation by the pool.
After the much needed vitamin-D session we discovered our Hotel, as part of Twinpalms Group, partnered with a number of neighbouring seaside restaurants. Ready for a late lunch, we jumped in the hotel’s free shuttle bus and ventured off to Palm Seaside for a feast.
The stylish restaurant/ lounge bar overlooks The Strait of Malacca and is definitely a place to see and be seen. We spent the afternoon listening to chilled beats played by live DJ, sipping cocktails as the sun went down and indulging on some of the finest, freshest seafood I think I’ve ever sampled. If you’re heading to Phuket, make an afternoon of Palm Seaside and you won’t be disappointed. If you like cheese, try the burrata #yum as well as the pacific oysters.
While we’re talking fine dining, I was pleased to discover that Phuket has a serious foodie scene. During our 4-day stay in Phuket, and in-between cultural sight-seeing excursions, we found ourselves wining and dining at Phuket’s many beach clubs which have you feeling like you’re at Blue Marlin, Ibiza. Expect family friendly by day with tanning and swimming, and by night the music turns up a notch, guests shift from the pool-side to the bar-side and party mode kicks in.
If beach clubs are your thing, here are your options:
Catch Beach Club
The original beach club and the best place to “catch” the sunset. This chic restaurant/bar/club is split into several sections. Choose to hang out in the formal dining area or by the bar, pool or beach. the menu features Mediterranean dishes and Asian favourites. Do yourself a favour and try their the Tom Yum!
HQ Beach Lounge
Another fabulous beach club owned and operated by the gang at Twinpalms with much the same vibe as ‘Catch’, minus the pool. HQ Beach Lounge is luxuriously cool, secluded and in a very laid-back setting. We enjoyed the international menu which features a selection of fresh salads, seafood and pasta. If you like raw fish, try the sashimi salad. Seafood doesn’t get much fresher than that!
If beach clubs aren’t your thing, or you’re looking for some late night fun and games then head to Bangla Road at Patong where pretty much anything goes. The 400m road, closed to traffic, comes alive after dark with bars, clubs, shops and thousands of tourists spilling onto it’s streets. The best club by far (and we tried them all) is Illuzion.
At 49km-long, Phuket is so huge it’s easy to forget you’re on an island. This is why we choose to stay 2 nights in the north-west of Phuket followed by a further 2 nights on the south-east coast. We packed our bags for the relatively short journey (1hr 30minute by taxi) from Twinpalms to our next Luxury Hotel, Sri Panwa.
The hotel and it’s villas are perched high atop Cape Panwa with breathtaking views of the Andaman Ocean. We booked a west facing Pool Suite with private infinity pool. It overlooked one of the hotels two main pools, the ocean and the several small islands dotting on the horizon. As soon as we checked-in we understood why celebrities like Snoop Dogg, Rita Ora, Flo Rida and Chef Gordon Ramsay have all chosen to holiday at Sri Panwa.
Sri Panwa features 2 swimming pools, 5 restaurants, a ‘Cool Spa’ and a fitness centre with steam rooms and tennis courts. If that’s not enough to keep you entertained, other activities such as cooking classes, private Thai-boxing and yoga lessons, as well as a number of water sports can all be organised at your request. If you’re keen to get out and explore the surrounding islands you can hire Sri Panwa’s private yacht to take you out to Racha, Maiton and Phi Phi Islands. They are between 15-40 minutes.
Every now and then you visit a hotel and you say to yourself, “I could live here”. Sri Panwa felt like home and I can wait to return again one day. Until then, this little piece of paradise will be in my dreams…
A special thanks to @TheAsiaCollective for organising my stay!
Until next time,
Lana x