Phuket on the Andaman Sea has a healing power that cannot be ignored. Boutique hotels and private beaches here attract groups of travelers, tidally back and forth.
The island in winter has a healing function that cannot be ignored. Travelers everywhere are like migratory birds, always flying to the island in the ice and snow, seeking warm comfort from the sea. Phuket on the Andaman Sea is such a habitat, with boutique hotels and private beaches attracting waves of travelers.
The houseboat is connected to the romance of the sea
The direct flight arrived in Phuket in the early hours of the morning, and the female tourists from the northeast seat next door were fully prepared, taking off their thick coats, lifting their sweaters, revealing short sleeves, and changing into a pair of flip-flops. The island in winter is like a placebo, telling people that a simple, warm life is always beckoning to you. Every year from December to April, Phuket is the peak tourist season, and travelers from all over the world fly from the cold winter land like migratory birds, rest for a week or two, and then fly elsewhere.
Unsurprisingly, there was a long queue at the visa on arrival at the airport, but the hotel we were staying at arranged a fast-track clearance service, and with the help of a staff member, we handed in our passports, materials and visa fees, and within ten minutes, we officially set foot on phuket land.
Even in the deepest part of the night, the air in Phuket is still warm as a pebble. The first stop on the trip is The Boathouse by Montara at Kata Beach and the second stop is the Trisara Resort on the northwest coast, where there are many private beaches. Compared to the lively Patong Beach and Karon Beaches, Kata Beach in southwestErn Phuket is much quieter, with few all-night bars and restaurants, but gradually entering the land of black and sweet as the night progresses. When we arrived at the Houseboat Hotel, the quiet streets and rustic hotel gates didn't give us much reverie, but the spacious rooms and Jacuzzi pool outside the private balcony were relaxing.
The surprise started with breakfast. Yawning to the open-air restaurant, thinking about what to eat, a large open blue-green coast suddenly appeared in front of me. Warm nights, dark coconut trees, honey-like air... The prelude of the sea was slow, soft, and unexpectedly unfolded the whole picture before me. It is said that Kata Beach has one of the clean water quality and soft sand in Phuket, but I didn't expect the sea to appear in such a simple and straightforward way - the restaurant of the houseboat hotel is directly connected to the beach, and you can even eat in a swimsuit and take a swimshow.
Sitting in the restaurant adjacent to the beach, looking back at this 38-room boutique hotel, the large deck-like terrace and the triangular floor-to-ceiling balconies that connect it do look like a ship about to set sail. According to reports, the houseboat hotel, which has been open for twenty-five years, was founded in 2012 by legendary Thai architect M.L. Tridhosyuth Devakul has been redesigned in the style of a tropical garden with a Thai atmosphere nestled in the seaside forest.
Houseboat hotel
• Facilities & Classes: Private Balcony with Sea View, Beauty Spa, Free WIFI, Restaurant Entertainment, Surf School, Thai Cooking, etc.
• Address: 182 Koktanode Road, Kata Beach, Phuket 83100
• Tel: +66 76 330 015-7, +66 333 463-7, [email protected], www.boathousephuket.com
It is said that Kata Beach has one of the clean water quality and soft sand in Phuket, but I didn't expect the sea to appear in such a simple and straightforward way - the restaurant of the Houseboat Hotel is directly connected to the beach, and you can even eat in a swimsuit and take a swim in the sea.
Hearing that the Trisara Hotel we were staying next had a beauty far from the world, we had to spend two days at the Houseboat Hotel to get up close and personal with the streets, visitors and entertainment projects of Kata Beach. Phuket's Flying Hanuman Forest Zipline is a more exciting project, in the deep phuket jungle trees, twenty-eight wooden platforms and fourteen ropeways connected into a huge net, the longest ropeway is 400 meters long, you can see the whole town of Phuket, you must try to shrink your body into a ball to slide to the other side. Flying between the towering trees, the screams of female tourists "flying" are heard from time to time. "You fly like mosquitoes." The coach said that this metaphor is really a bit tropical. Looking at our boldness, a smiling coach deliberately shook the steel cable vigorously as we slid, and several ladies couldn't help but laugh and scream, sliding all the way, and had long forgotten the fatigue of the red-eye flight. After sliding the zipline and visiting Phuket Town, there are many cafes on the old street, and the price is quite fair. Passing by a dim sum shop opened by Chinese, a large bag of frying pans only sells fifteen baht, about three yuan. The boss took my 1,000 baht note and worried, fortunately the girl who was traveling with me had a small denomination note, which was the end of the siege.
Back at the houseboat, take a stroll around the street, it's time for dinner. The Houseboat Hotel has two restaurants, the Houseboat Restaurant and the RE KA TA Beachfront Restaurant. Houseboat Restaurant won thailand's first "Wine Spectator" wine connoisseur 'Best of Excellence' for its delicious cuisine and up to 800 types of authentic wines. Re KA TA Beachfront Restaurant received the same accolade in July 2012. Grilled meats, seafood and wine, dim lighting and jazz, the French dinner at the Houseboat Restaurant is mesmerizing. Before the main course, there was a sudden lightning bolt outside the house, heavy rain came unexpectedly, and the restaurant manager told us that there were often showers in the last two days, and it often fell at sunset. At the next table, a couple in love was not affected by the sound of rain, talking about love, the woman was wearing a white suspender tight dress, the figure was beautiful, the man wore a white linen shirt and a light brown suit, even if the vacation was also dressed elegantly. It is said that on the fourth floor of the houseboat hotel, in addition to the invincible sea view family suite of more than 130 square meters, there is also a set of 90 square meters of private sea view suite, and the bathroom with sea view and the large Jacuzzi are especially suitable for couples. During the day, when introducing the room, the hotel manager regretted that there were already guests staying and could not visit. Come to think of it, it is probably this pair of wonderful people.
I fell asleep slightly drunk and slept very sweetly. The next day, go visit Phuket Big Buddha and Sea Dragon Temple. Because it is the Christmas holiday, almost all of the two attractions are white tourists from Northern Europe and Russia, and many people are very religious, burning incense, kneeling, and paying for incense, one is not bad. During the Spring Festival, more Chinese tourists should be seen here. Speaking of which, there is another story between Hailong Temple and the Chinese. In 1876, Chinese laborers mining tin mines in Phuket rioted over internal disputes, and locals had to gather at Hailong Temple for refuge, where monks encouraged locals to fight the mob and quell the dispute.
Trisara has a unique side of tranquility
After the tour, we were taken to Trisara Resort. "Trisara" means "the third garden of heaven" in Sanskrit. This private haven on Phuket's northwest coast is known for its privacy, with a five- to ten-minute drive into the less conspicuous hotel gates and a five- to ten-minute drive to the lobby. It is said to be a favorite of politicians and celebrities, and the most recent celebrity is the tennis beauty Sharapova.
The tranquil Trisara greeted us with a glass of lemongrass water and a bracelet of flowers, and an electric car transported us to our accommodation one by one, each of which was originally a detached villa with a private pool. Trisara is the only resort in Southeast Asia with a private pool all villas, with 48 pool villas and 20 private residential villas available for rent, each facing the sea with its own sea views.
Details are the soul of the hotel, Trisara's pool villas, suites and private residences boast minimalist yet exquisite design, all with views of the Andaman Sea, infinity pool made of natural grey marble, which quietly overflows into the sea and merges with the sea and sky in the distance.
Here, you can also enjoy the most spectacular sunsets by the sea all year round. The gently inclined architecture also allows all villas to enjoy wider sea views, sunsets and good ventilation, allowing you to feel the cool sea breeze even when you are indoors.
Privacy is characteristic of Trisara, each room is highly private, elegant rooms with modern décor, separate living area and outdoor deck, and guests are carefully equipped with Chef and Staff with Thai service. Each villa is flanked by thick and tall trees, which not only feel natural and harmonious, but also guarantee the absolute privacy of guests. The pool deck is fully fitted with warm wooden flooring, which is large enough to host a grand pool party. You can even stay here for a week and don't have to leave the pool except for sleeping. Meals can be served by the waiter and massages can be requested. In Trisara, there are an average of four waiters per guest, don't look at the place you live in such privacy, when you have dinner, when you relax on the beach, there are waiters in the eyes, so when we return to the room, we will always find that the sheets have been laid, the curtains have been pulled up or lowered, and the fallen leaves and flying insects in the pool have been fished out. All the time, there are people quietly serving us.
The detached villa is extremely spacious, with a pool villa measuring 230m2 and a living room that can be converted into a second bedroom, also suitable for families with children. Private villas are even more spacious, with an average of two to six bedrooms and oversized swimming pools with dedicated service staff.
Trisara's three restaurants: Trisara Seafood Restaurant, Deck Restaurant and Bar offer both Thai and French cuisine. The hotel's wine cellar also houses more than 400 wine labels for guests to enjoy a drunken break. Even more so than the Houseboat Hotel, Trisara's seafood restaurant put the table directly on the beach, and on the night of check-in, we dined between the stars and the waves, and lit candles on the table, only hating that the family members who were missing from the companions this time were missing. During the day, Trisara is hard to describe as bustling, with guests in pairs, either basking in the sun or walking across the hotel's dedicated pier to snorkel in the sea. Here, the only thing you have to do is enjoy, food, wine, sunsets, schools of fish, and the rare silence. If you really want to do something, you can learn yoga at the yoga studio, learn Muay Thai from a dedicated instructor, or even book a speedboat through the hotel to go snorkeling.
In addition, Trisara's spa is worth trying, which is known as The Highest Standard of Treatment and The Most Charming Spa in Phuket. The 1,500-square-meter spa has six private wellness suites, each over 100 square meters, consisting of a double silent air-conditioned treatment room, steam room, changing room, two separate showers, a seating area and a large open-air deck. The deck is set in tropical gardens overlooking the entire Andaman Sea. The spa's treatments include body wraps, scrubs, facials and massages, with a wide range of options to choose from, including the hotel's most famous 'Royal Six Hands Massage', a one-of-a-kind blend of traditional Thai and Swedish massage experiences operated by six hands of three masseurs, offering light to heavy massages.
Don't look at Trisara quietly and privately, its location is very convenient for tourists, only fifteen to twenty minutes drive from the airport. On the day of departure, it was another red-eye flight, and the waiter helped us calculate the time in the morning and take us to the airport two hours in advance. Putting on our winter coats in the departure hall, we reluctantly left the sea, the sunset, and a perch that would eventually be repeated.
Trisara Resort
• Facilities and services: oversized bathtub, silent air conditioning, outdoor shower, plasma TV, stereo surround sound, free WIFI. All Trisara prices include round-trip private limousine transfers from Phuket airport, breakfast for two.
• Classes: Private Yoga, Muay Thai, Thai Cooking, Detox, etc.
• Entertainment: Helicopter ride through Cliff Bay, snorkeling, elephant trekking through the rainforest, private villa barbecue, etc.
• Phone: +66 76 310 100,[email protected], www.trisara.com