2017 04 Aug Sept

winning white rum of incredible character using 100% natural Thai
sugarcane. Some varieties are flavoured with local ingredients like
kaffir lime, lemongrass, cinnamon and Thai sweet basil. Small
tours are offered throughout the day, or just sample their rum in
affordable cocktails or delicious homemade rum raisin ice cream in
their breezy outdoor bar.
DO
The Phuket Elephant Sanctuary bordering the Khao Phra Thaeo
National Park is pioneering ethical elephant tourism by offering
a retirement home for sick, injured, and old elephants who have
worked an exhausting life in the logging and tourism industries. You
can feed, walk with, and observe these beautiful mammals as they
roam freely, socialise and bathe naturally in fresh water lagoons
— a great way to entertain kids while also educating them about
ethical tourism and animal cruelty issues. Open less than a year, the
sanctuary has already hosted celebrities like Coldplay, Leonardo
DiCaprio and Britney Spears. Afterwards, be sure to check out the
The Phuket Gibbon Rehabilitation Project just five kilometres up
the road, which rescues local gibbons that were caged as pets or
sold to touts who parade them around tourist areas.
Need a bit of rehab for yourself? Benjamin Carter, Aman Resort’s
former spa director, has set up Health & Wellbeing Asia in Phuket,
offering bespoke lifestyle programs that integrate spa treatments,
personalised exercise classes, nutrition, naturopathic medicine,
and advanced specialist bodywork. He works alongside the chef
at top hotels like Trisara, Amanpuri and J.W. Marriott to prepare
healthy meals and detox juices delivered to your door. Prices start at
US$1,000 per day.
If that sounds too ambitious, Phuket now offers a range of yoga
studios like Yoga Republic near Bangtao which offers packages
ranging from 260 to 460 baht per class, depending on how long
you’re staying.
STAY
The Nai Harn, one of Phuket’s finest luxury hotels, opened last
year following an extensive 18-month renovation. Dating back
to 1986, the property was first as a Mandarin Oriental, then a Le
Royal Méridien and finally, the Royal Phuket Yacht Club. The
Nai Harn sets a new bar for luxury, proven by its status as the only
hotel on the island accepted as a member of The Leading Hotels of
the World. All rooms and suites offer private balconies and views
overlooking stunning Nai Harn beach and bay.
If you seek serenity more than sea views, another newcomer
worth trying is Keemala, a five-star eco-friendly resort nestled
in the mountains behind Kamala beach. Forgoing the anonymous
nature of major hotel chains, Keemala embraces Thai culture,
philosophy and materials, all richly brought to life through
distinctive design and customized experiences. Keemala’s pool
villas are decorated using recycled and sustainable materials, for
instance, the restaurant’s ingredients are sourced from the hotel’s
organic garden and the hotel has a strict no-plastics policy for the
hotel and spa. Clever landscaping assistance is provided by rescued
buffalos which graze around the premises.
SHOP
World-famous Thai silk brand Jim Thompson offers stylish bags
at stores around the island including two in the Laguna Phuket
resort complex’s Canal Village. There are a few high-end boutiques
and art galleries worth checking out at Allan Zeman’s tiny mall in
Surin, The Plaza. Antique & art gallery hopping across the island
has its charms as well, with quirky finds and discovering abstract
and mainstream paintings a satisfying pursuit. The mass market
shopping malls like Jungceylon and Central pull the crowds in
during peak afternoon head.
The newcomer to Phuket’s shopping scene is Boat Avenue
Street Mall, an upscale outdoor mall near entrance of the Laguna.
Boutiques such as Zen Sisters, Dalaya, La Lita and Marie France
Van Damme showcase local and international designers offering
evening gowns, Italian shoes, jewellery and swimsuits.
The mall also has several high-end home decoration stores,
notably Quattro Design’s 900-square meter flagship store, as well as
shops selling food and wine, spa services and small cafes and food
trucks. The mall is anchored at the lake end by The Cut, Phuket’s
newest grillhouse with its own pool to keep the kids entertained
while parents enjoy great steaks and cocktails.
This Page, from left, Catch Beach Club by Twinpalms on Bangtao beach; Lemongrass House selling a variety of organic spa products made
by hand in Phuket Opposite, clockwise from top, Benedikt De Bellis, founder of Benny’s American Bar & Grill; Learn about rum production
and try great cocktails at Chalong Bay Rum Distillery; Rescued buffalos assist with the landscaping as as part of Keemala’s sustainability
program Previous Page, Keemala is a five-star eco-friendly resort and spa nestled in the mountains behind Kamala beach.
World Travel 95