Travel
Just another day in Pa r a d is e by Nancy Brown O
nce dubbed the pearl of the Andaman Sea, the Thai island of Phuket is a holidaymakers’ dream. Its palm-fringed, white sandy
beaches make the island popular with sunbathers and diving enthusiasts, while the year-round sunshine (even during the rainy season) offers a welcome respite from the dipping temperatures over here. I holidayed in style at the Indigo Pearl, on the north west of the island. My two-storey suite boasted a massive lounge, a hot tub on the balcony, a steam room and two massage tables just in case you’re too lazy to make it down to the spa! If you can drag yourself away from the three pools and the private beach, there are plenty of activities on offer – turn yourself into a domestic goddess with a cookery class at Moo’s Kitchen or unleash your inner Fat Boy Slim by learning to DJ at Rebar.
Princess Eugenie, Cheryl Cole, Kate Moss and Gordon Ramsay are all recent visitors to Phuket. Celebrity chef Gordon, his wife Tana and their children enjoyed a two-week stay over Christmas 2007 in a fi ve-bedroom villa at Sri Panwa, costing £40,000! And, despite having a huge kitchen, fully stocked pantry and the biggest barbecue we’ve ever seen, Gordon apparently ordered room service from the resort’s Baba Dining Lounge every night! During my stay, I stuffed myself silly at Floyd’s Brasserie in Patong. The restaurant is set in tranquil gardens lit by twinkling fairy lights and the food prepared in the huge open kitchen is out of this world. I recommend washing it all down with a few banana daiquiris – it’s the best cocktail I’ve ever had, and I’ve
sampled a few! Jazz fans should head to Ratri Jazztaurant, overlooking Kata Beach, where you can enjoy dinner accompanied by the sounds of a jazz band in high season. For a selection of Italian and Thai, visit La Sala at Anantara then let your dinner go down at the hotel’s Tree House bar. A spiral staircase winds round an old Banyan tree, leading to a chill-out lounge with cool music and oversized daybeds. Heaven! If you want to party in Phuket,
there’s only one place to head and that’s Patong. I did a mini pub crawl, taking in quite a few bars and avoiding
the sex shops that offered us all manner of ‘shows’! The Crocodile Bar draws quite a crowd thanks to the ladyboys dancing on the street outside – they’re happy to pose for picture with you, but be prepared to pay for the privilege.
While in Thailand, you have to try one of the traditional Thai massages. Unlike the relaxing oil massages we’re used to at home, a Thai massage is a series of stretching exercises in which the therapist climbs on top of you and uses his or her body weight to increase the stretch. It was an unusual experience to say the least, occasionally bordering on the painful - instead of a soundtrack of soothing whale music, the only sound that could be heard was the clicking of my joints as the therapist pulled them out of their sockets. Think of it as a cross between yoga and GBH! But I did
Princess Eugenie, Cheryl Cole, Kate Moss and Gordon Ramsay are all recent visitors to Phuket
feel relaxed afterwards - and a good few inches taller! For more on Thailand, visit
www.tourismthaild.
co.uk. Virgin Holidays and Hip Hotels (0844 573 2451;
www.vhiphotels.co.uk) offer a seven-night package, including fl ights and private transfers, staying at the Indigo Pearl from £1,185.
www.meridian-magazine.co.uk l 37
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