Soft greens and blues describe the gentle charm of Phuket Fairytale magic for me.
I find the softness extending as part of the DNA of the destination… be it the voice and modulation of the Thai people, the gentle nature of the local people, the lilting ocean breeze or even the sloping roofs and carved wooden architecture of traditional Thai homes blending with modern structures.
At home with nature
Hospitality in Phuket comprises rooms, villas, apartments, residences and pools, peeping from flowering shrubbery or vast ocean views, each place opening up to nature in a close embrace.
All around I can see flowering pink, purple, yellow and white bougainvillaea dominating between sea and sky. There are wooded thickets of rubber trees, ancient oaks with roots hanging from branches, interspersing with arched bamboo trees extending a shady welcome to several pathways.
Part of Phuket‘s charm is this undulating topography…small hills, gentle mountains and valleys ….a green countryside with small roads winding around hillsides and waterways with tall reeds crisscrossing each other in abandon. Tall palm trees look into the sky even as small Buddhist temples spring a surprise in front of homes, beach shores and shopping places.
As I look around, I see Prayer flags flap in the breeze around lagoons, lakes and waterways which wind all through the island, each glittering ripple sparkling across vivid green fields, trees, winding roads and never-ending lagoons, inland canals, ocean and beachside landscapes.
A sense of being invited to a Thai home
The agrarian roots are predominant as I take in a visit to the villages around the Phuket countryside where families continue a self-sufficient livelihood, with fish, chicken, cattle stock and farm fresh vegetables and grain being put on the family table and sold in local markets.
What drives travel and tourism in large numbers is exactly this pristine nature-a green bounty with blue lagoons and oceanfront offering a more unhurried, peaceful, and ultimately joyful way of life.
The ambience is one of stepping into a country’s traditional regional lifestyle. I feel like I am being invited into Thailand’s home with traditional warmth, softness and respect.
As I travel down the roads, I see little houses converted into small shops and shacks with painted walls and green shrubbery lining the roads. The shops multiply and become a kaleidoscope of local offerings – batik cloth, cotton bags, wooden artefacts, pottery, paper mache curios, food stalls with local fish, chicken, rice, noodles, and neat food sit outs in a patch of garden.
In between the shops lining the roads, I find sophisticated neat eateries serving lobster and seafood, bars with chilled local Singha beer and a plethora of bread and coffee bistros, fruit and juice shops as well as French, Italian, Russian, German and Indian speciality restaurants.
The comfort with which small pineapple or rubber farms, stand cheek by jowl with high-end luxury accommodation that blends into mountainsides, opens out into backwater canals and disappears into the natural surroundings is astonishing and a real-life tapestry of unexpected homogeneity.
Development and sustainability
Phuket has also developed into a high-end second residence island, complete with Marinas, yachting clubs, golf courses, waterfront homes, luxury food and shopping stores and extravagant condominiums that invite overseas visitors to bring in valuable foreign exchange.
I find that most menus in restaurants, even signboards on shops sport English, Thai and Russian language. Of late the Malaysian, Chinese and Singaporeans are being displaced by the Russians as the highest visitor source market in Phuket. English is understood generally although not always as Thai is the main language and everyone from storekeepers to taxi drivers to guards and hospitality staff are more comfortable in Thai and struggle to understand you.
A way of life
Sustainability is a way of life in Phuket. Everywhere I went I saw small billboards saying Donate 4 k baht and leave a turtle in the ocean waters. Turtle conservation is just a pointer to a substantial movement towards conservation and sustainability. After all who would come to Phuket or any destination if it were not for nature’s pristine magnificence?
The never-stop-the-party island
The sun-soaked, blue beaches and soft breezy island have a flip side every visitor enjoys. It’s the famous coconut-infused, never-stop-the-party island of Thailand nom de plume, where the only thing brighter than the turquoise waters are the neon lights of its nightclubs. A place where you can savour fiery Tom Yum soup in the morning, negotiate waves on the azure beaches by noon, and get lost in the pulsating nightlife until, well, the sun’s up again!
Of course, it’s not all about holiday fun that never stops. You’ve got serious work to do – like lying flat on a beach under a palm tree, sipping on mango shakes, contemplating life’s pressing matters like, ‘To tan or not to tan?’ or ‘How many Pad Thais are too many Pad Thais?’
Once the sun goes down, it’s time to join the night owls. You’ll discover a whole new world teeming with exuberant music, neon lights, and the best of beach parties. You might even try the infamous ‘Thai bucket’ if you’re brave enough – remember, what happens in Phuket, stays in Phuket! Prepare for a healthy dose of Thai spice because Phuket is ready to show you the time of your life – laughter, adventure, and the best coconut curry you’ve ever tasted!
Three lifestyle hotels that take you into different worlds
I had the good fortune of experiencing three different lifestyle hotels. I am sharing it in the hope it is helpful while selecting your own stay.
The Andara Resort and Villas is a stunning luxury hillside resort with brilliant views of the ocean from each exclusive large villa and private residence. You never feel away from the sea as each large balcony or expansive sit out or restaurant or horizon swimming pool commands blue ocean vistas.
This exclusive luxury resort, a Preferred hotel, has 70 villas and residences offering 100 beds and is immersed in colourful bougainvillaea and lush green fronds, shrubbery and trees. You can spend an entire day looking around the flowering blooms, the forested hillside, and the vast ocean views.
A thicket of green palms and tall bamboo line the meandering pathways up the hills or down. Buggies are a call away in case you don’t feel like walking. Lotus ponds line wooden pathways with open lounge seating in the lobby bringing in the ocean breeze as a welcome. The food menu encompasses Thai and Western cuisine and every speciality dish is totally flavoursome and freshly prepared by the Chef.
Daniel J. Meury, General Manager, Andara Resorts & Villas is totally at home in the lush tropical surroundings with an attentive eye for detail. He is a perfect host, wishing each guest by name and a personal hello. Luxury at the most exclusive level whispers in every experience be it the luxury spa, the heated open-air jacuzzi or the large eternity pool overlooking an incredible ocean view.
The 200-key Banyan Tree Laguna Phuket is a luxury villa and pool resort with waterways meandering through the resort. This remarkable resort has a great story. This place was a swamp that took 10 years to rehabilitate and rebuild and today every villa and open-air lobby is shrouded in lush palm trees, waterways and shrubbery.
I had the good fortune of staying at the first originally constructed Banyan tree villa with an open view from the raised sit-out of the villa pool onto the flowing waters of the canal and a green bank on the opposite side. A private villa on the edge of an open blue-green canal! What a perfect retreat with its contemporary take on traditional Thai design. Large windows allow me to enjoy natural light and take in the ambience outside my private villa space throughout the day.
Absolutely out-of-this-world is The Watercourt which offers a sumptuous breakfast overlooking the Lagoon. You can sit for hours post breakfast looking at the lagoon waters or the fountains or simply walk along its embankments enjoying the fresh breeze, and the canopy of ancient trees lining old wooden bridges.
Later, I had an unforgettable Phuketian seafood dinner there. The location was gorgeous, flanked by calm waters and twinkling evening lights, making this international restaurant perfect for a private romantic dinner.
Sittichai Jitnatham, General Manager, Banyan Tree Phuket has a deep understanding of guest needs and expectations since this luxury private villa resort also doubles as a convention centre with a reputation for holding large weddings. The MICE head Sar Arab told me there were two big Indian destination weddings recently that took place here and North India is a big corporate MICE Market.
Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket Beach Resort
The 210-room Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket Beach Resort is exactly what it says it is…a large ocean-fronted beach resort with virtually every single room opening onto the beach which is just a few steps away. The sea breeze is constant and you can hear the roar of breaking waves from the sit-outs of each room. The loungers and beach umbrellas, under tall trees not to mention the open-air lobby, thatched open restaurants, and even the charming open breakfast space invite you to simply chill, relax and be yourself without a worry in the world.
The Thai restaurant here is Michelin star and has both a fantastic setting onto the canal waters as well as an excellent menu. Prachoom Tantiprasertsuk, General Manager, Dusit Thani Hotels, who is also the Vice President – Operations (Southern Thailand) of Dusit Thani Hotels is charming and a thorough professional. She wears many hats…each of which she does proud. She is the Chairperson of Marketing of the Thai Hotel Association as well as the Vice President of the Thai Incentive and Convention Association TICA. Her commitment level is understated but understood…she was attending to hotel guests and supervising the resort on a Sunday in her charming gentle fashion.
As my journey through Phuket wraps up, I can’t help but smile at the delightful chaos and charm of this island paradise. From lounging in luxurious pool villas to tackling a fiery plate of local cuisine, every moment remains an adventure. The serene beaches and lively markets have given me more than a few stories to tell, and the sunsets—well, they’re basically nature showing off
. Phuket is a whirlwind of fun, relaxation, and a few sunburns I won’t forget. I’m leaving with a full heart, a few extra pounds (thanks, seafood dinners), and a promise to return for another round of this wonderful adventure.
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