Be honest: when you picture Thailand, you probably imagine backpackers and buzzing night markets. But the tides are turning. Virtuoso recently ranked it among its top 10 on-the-rise destinations for luxury travellers, too. After all, it’s home to more than 10% of the world’s species, over 35,000 temples, and 1,430 islands scattered across turquoise seas. Which brings us to Thailand’s largest – and most laid-back – island of all, Phuket. Here’s a luxury itinerary for a peaceful day in pineapple plant-peppered paradise.
MORNING
Wake up to a chorus of cicadas at Trisara
Yesterday, you whizzed past roadside stalls selling bananas en route to the resort, receiving a chilled jasmine-scented towel, traditional flower garland, and a glass of just-squeezed torch ginger juice for confidence. Today, you peel back the curtains of one of the world's most luxury private villas to spot jet skis skimming across the Andaman Sea. Shortly after, you potter down to breakfast for coconut water straight from the husk or a green ‘golden glow’ smoothie, designed to support the immune system and keep illness at bay.
Switch off with a sound healing therapy session
In the jungle, the Muay Thai jungle, a path leads to a clearing a pebble’s throw away from waves that swoosh against the shore. It is here that Maya, one of the wellness specialists, lightly taps her Tibetan singing bowls in trios, guiding you into a meditative state. She invites you to focus on the top of your head, the tip of your nose, and the soles of your toes. All of this is accompanied by a crescendo of cicadas, which, thanks to the area’s biodiversity, can reach the same decibel as a chainsaw. True fact.
AFTERNOON
Settle in for a beachfront Sunday brunch
“It's a big thing in Phuket,” Sylvain, the resort’s F&B Director, tells me as Champagne jeroboams circulate and the woman queueing behind me at the gelato counter reveals she’s trekked from another hotel 10 miles south just for the occasion. Understandably so: this four-hour, all-singing, all-dancing, all-drinking, all-dining affair serves waves of seafood like freshly shucked oysters and copious amounts of caviar. Arrive promptly at 12pm to claim an oceanfront table (trust us, the breeze makes all the difference in high season) – and first dibs on the food.
Spend the remainder of the afternoon relaxing
After a boozy brunch like this, you have two options: call a buggy to your villa to chill out or stay down at the beach for a frozen daiquiri topped with a floating flower. If you opt for the former, your only worry will be which bikini to throw on – and which angle of your sea-facing infinity pool comes out best on camera. And if you go for the latter, your task is to track down one of the resort’s resident hermit crabs. Hint: even the tiniest shells are hiding these timid crustaceans.
EVENING
Unwind with an aromatherapy massage
A dose of vitamin D later, your next stop is the spa. What follows is a thorough MOT from one of the therapists, who checks how strong you'd like the pressure – medium is more than enough. Top to toe, tension is worked out of your muscles, ironing out the knots in your feet with their fingertips and easing tightness in your shoulders with their elbows. On your return, housekeeping have left a banana leaf inscribed with a handwritten note and an animal made from bamboo on your bed. It’s time to get dressed up for dins.
Tuck into traditional southern cuisine at Thai Library
Trisara has six restaurants under its belt, but you might have to undo yours after Thai Library’s seven-course tasting menu. Start with the yam tri narong: a citrusy salad scattered with ribbons of cuttlefish, clams, pineapple, pomegranates, all doused in a budu dressing. There’s also durian dessert on the cards, but be warned: many Western diners are unaccustomed to this Asian delicacy due to its pungent flavour. And if you want to push the boat out, PRU – Phuket’s first and only Michelin-starred restaurant – is only a short shuttle away.
We’ve got you up to speed with how to spend a slow-paced perfect day in Phuket. But if you’re in the market for something a little buzzier, why not pair it with a layover in Thailand’s capital? Here’s our luxury 48 hours in Bangkok itinerary.
