Just Back From Thailand

We thought we’d step into Thailand in style so spent the first four nights in the luxurious 5 star Evason Sixth Senses Resort and Spa on the south-eastern side of Phuket . Our accommodation was in a private Evason pool villa suite, a spacious two-story, one-bedroom pavilion, its own infinity pool, outdoor shower and open-air bath – nothing short of magnificent!

We were looking for seclusion, pampering and a chance to relax in style and that’s what we got at the Evason. Situated a good half hour from the tourist-filled Patong Beach, there wasn’t much to distract us from the superb in-room dining and panoramic ocean views from our modern, air conditioned suite.

After a couple of days of being pampered by an on-call butler bringing taste sensations to us by the pool, we stepped out of our room to explore the resort a little more. With the choice of four restaurants, two beautifully landscaped pools, a sensational day spa and a plethora of beach activities at our fingertips, we were content. If in doubt, we’d head to the sand for a hammock and a cocktail.

A quick boat trip to the resort’s private island ( Bon Island) where we hired our own Day Sala on the beach complete with private outdoor shower and stocked mini bar certainly satisfied.

After four days of full-swing relaxation, we took a day trip to Pnang Bay where some of the most sensational lagoon canoeing can be enjoyed. Friendly (and cheeky!) Thai’s paddled our canoe for us leaving us no choice but to lie back in the sun, enjoy the scenery and relax….again.

Elephant trekking, Gibbon spotting, plenty of cocktails by the pool and cold beers in the sun saw our Phuket leg come to an end and we were off to Phi Phi Island for ten days – where we soon discovered we hadn’t even experienced the true sense of the word relaxation yet.

Phi Phi Island has some of the most pristine landscapes and clear aqua waters I’ve ever seen - beautiful limestone cliffs with an array of interesting wildlife. This is one place where reality is better than the brochure. We made the most of it by taking a few half-day boat trips around the islands to explore and snorkel.

Deciding whether to spend the day by the pool or the beach were the toughest decisions we had to make each day! Endless afternoon kips and sensational sunsets were bliss.

The Holiday Inn, comprised of basic bungalows on the beach, is one of about three resorts at the South end of the island. The lack of restaurants and bars made us take long-tail boats up to Tonsai Bay where the action is on quite a few nights. Restaurants, bars and shops are plenty here. As a result of the Tsunami however, there’s much construction, dirt and noise and is less peaceful than the Holiday Inn end of Phi Phi Island.

Four novels later, a great tan and constant smiles on our faces, we were off to Bangkok for four nights to undo all that relaxation with lots of retail therapy! We stayed at the four star Pathumwan Princess Hotel, attached to the BMK shopping complex (one of the biggest in Bangkok) where I spent many hours bagging a bargain just a few steps from our room.

And a trip to Bangkok isn’t complete without a visit to a tailor - just be sure to find a reputable one with a money-back guarantee. We were happy when we left with our dresses and suits at a fraction of retail prices, all superbly made.

Be sure to visit the Chatuchak markets while in Bangkok – the biggest and the best where you can buy everything from an antique Thai sword to a miniature turtle to a rip-off designer handbag.

If you want a bit of everything then Thailand’s the place to go.