Although I have been to Thailand many times, this was my first trip to Phuket. During previous visits, I have always preferred to stay away from islands with large resorts and too many tourists -- opting instead for smaller more intimate settings, bungalows and backpackers. My initial reaction was how amazingly the Thai people have rebuilt everything -- bigger and better than before the tsunami. Sure it has been almost two years -- but you only have to look at New Orleans to realize that sometimes recovery doesn't come so quickly.
I stayed in a private villa in the quieter south west coast of Phuket in an area near Rawai, an hour's drive from the airport located in the north east. I was happy with my decision to steer away from the large resort area of Patong with its throng of tourists, girly bars, prostitution and street stalls. Instead I chose a picturesque village with a local beach (Nai Harn) than was both secluded and stunning. A day here consisted of arriving at the beach by private car (the car and driver courtesy of the villa) but you could just as easily reach it by tuk tuk -- the local form of transport -- for around $3 to $10 depending on where you were coming from. I spent most of my time lounging on beach chairs under an umbrella ($3 a day), swimming in warm turquoise waters, being chased by friendly fish, being served morsels of fresh fruit ($1 for pineapple, melon or pomelo) by a gorgeous young Thai girl, dining at one of the beach-side outdoor restaurants (an average meal with fresh fruit juice and a dish or noodles or curry would generally cost about $2 to $3 per person) and no more than 50 people sharing my piece of paradise. I wouldn't trade that for the noisy jet ski and parasail infested strip at Patong for anything.
After a week in accommodation nirvana, I moved to the slightly more populated Kata Beach area and Club Med (tel. +66/2253-0108; www.clubmed.co.th) for my last three days. I have to be up front and say that as a rule, I hate large resorts and hate all-inclusives even more, but it had been more than fifteen years since I had stayed at a Club Med and that was back in the days when it was still known as the place to "pick up" rather than the family resort image it now boasts -- so I was willing to give it a try. The location was great and the resort itself was situated on a beautiful stretch of pristine Andaman Sea coastline. The food was quite good and certainly bountiful -- but I'm just not that excited about being told what time I have to eat (I have the same aversion on structured meal cruises) and having to walk back and forth from the buffet to my table.
The resort professed to be "baby friendly" and as I was traveling with am almost two-year-old, this was a selling point. Indeed, there was a baby welcome center which was accessible 24 hours a day but when I did try to use it, I found that there was no fresh milk (only long life containers). The least baby friendly feature was that there was no ramp access and despite requesting a ground floor room (and receiving one) I still had to go up and down staircases several times a day to reach the restaurant and pool areas. And last but not least, and this probably shaped my ultimate impression of the Club, was that my check out was an absolute disaster with nobody to collect my luggage at the appointed time, which meant that I had to wait some 45 minutes to get my suitcases. Then I almost missed my flight because the taxi ordered for me was so small that it wouldn't fit half my family's bags so I was forced to pay triple the taxi rate to get a Club Med van -- even though I was running late because of their mistakes. Oh yes, the sweetener was that a $50 bill was stolen out of my wallet in my room -- but I will plead a mea culpa on that one and say that the wallet was in a handbag on a shelf, and not in the safe -- but still it makes you think twice about revisiting a resort if you can't trust the staff.
Karon Beach, an area in between Patong and Kata is good option if you are after a combination of nightlife, restaurants and some tranquility. The coastline here is equally inviting and there are numerous smaller boutique hotels and resorts lining the main street and adjoining inland areas.
High season in Phuket begins in mid December and lasts until February. Traveling in November gave me the opportunity to experience Phuket during perfect weather (it usually rains most days -- but only in the evening -- so plenty of sun-filled days) and at a lower cost. Rainy season is generally considered May to October so it would be best to schedule your trip around these dates, unless you are happy to endure some steamy, sultry and wet conditions.
There are numerous world class spa resorts dotted throughout the islands for those seeking the indulgence of therapeutic services alongside the natural beauty of the island. The Village Resort and Spa (www.thevillageresortandspa.com) is Karon Beach's latest offering and although it is not beach front, it is only a very short stroll across a road and a pond to reach one of Phuket's premier stretches of white sand. Owned and run by local Thai people, this resort offers a very personal touch with 34 individual villas and impeccable service. A villa here will set you back under $400 a night for two people with spa services in an intimate setting (the spa only accommodated up to six people) starting at around $30.
Sawasdee Village (www.phuketsawasdee.com), which features the Baray Spa, is a romantic property located in Kata offering 46 guest rooms designed using traditional Thai design aesthetics. The spa offers an exotic and tantalizing array of therapeutic options including Kesa Release massage, Sesame Body Scrub, Baray "Made in Heaven" and detoxifying treatments. This is definitely the perfect retreat for travelers on a budget who don't want to forgo the luxuries of a Thai spa experience. Deluxe room rates start at under $80 per night for two people during low season and that price includes discounts on spa packages, beach transfers, late check out and daily American breakfast.
The Mangosteen Resort and Spa (www.themangosteen.com) is a boutique five-star property located in a secluded hillside location offering breathtaking views over four bays, mountains and surrounding islands. Featuring 40 individual villas, the resort boasts garden bathrooms with outdoor rain showers, private Jacuzzis and terraces with hammocks. The exclusive Spa pampers guests with rejuvenating treatments and massage therapies combining Asian with Western techniques. Villa rates start from $184 per night for two people during most times of the year (except the Christmas -- New Year peak season and February 15 to 27, 2007, when rates start at $231 per night).
Of course, for the ultimate indulgence and true luxury, gather up all your friends and relatives and rent a private villa. The one I chose, Villa Salika (www.villasalika.com), is a six-bedroom piece of heaven (for up to 12 people) priced from $800 per night. A full review of the villa and its services will follow in my next article.
Getting to Phuket is a relatively simple exercise from Bangkok or Singapore with numerous daily flights. Thai Airways International (www.thaiair.com) has round-trip fares from Bangkok to Phuket starting from under $150. Airfares from Singapore on Silk Air (www.silkair.com) travelling outbound by January 31, 2007 and returning by February 14, 2007 start from as low as $70 round-trip.
Talk with fellow Frommer's readers on our Thailand Message Boards today.