Suggestions for Your Stay

The Boathouse, (0)76 330 015 Kata Beach (182 Koktanode Rd, Tambon Karon, Kata, Phuket 83100, Thailand) has a great happy hour 5pm-7pm – good for sundowners (say you are from Katamanda to get 20% discount). Great goong sarong – prawns in crispy noodles. Does a good cooking school too. The Boathouse is also great for a buffet breakfast as right on the beach. Good coffee.

Kata Rocks (0)76 370 777 (186/22 Kok Tanode Road, Kata Rd, Mueng, Phuket 83100, Thailand) – incredible resort - great to watch the sunset. Beautiful infinity pool.

Good expat bar over at Rawai (not such a nice beach but good places to buy prawns etc) – Nikitas –095 827 5608 their broccoli dish is amazing, as is the chicken Penang curry. 44/1 Viset Road Rawai Beach. Good Restaurant and location.

Silk - (0) 76 338 777 (15 Moo 6, layi naka lay road, kamala sub-district, Kathu, Phuket83150, Thailand) by Kamala Beach (I think on Sunday they have a special tapas deal). Ring first as things change a lot.

Mom Tris –(0)76 333 568 a must! – (R75W+XVH, Karon, Mueang, Mueang Phuket District, Phuket 83100,Thailand) top of Kata Noi beach with cliff views (probably one of the nicest beaches) – if you call them they may come and collect you. Fabulous setting! The staff all so lovely (they have happy hour 6-7pm too – great mocktails, half price cocktails, and the piano man). Divine fresh seafood and Thai food. (Always best to book).

Issara Restaurant and Bar –99 304 3636 1/34 Katanoi Road – just down the road. Very impressive restaurant run by two brothers – one won Croatia Master chef. The wagyu cheeseburger is incredible as are the crab cakes. This is a must!

Sabaijai Café – 80 519 6665 very good reasonable Thai food - 5/3 Patak Soi 24, Karon – great food but off street café (no ambience). Fresca kitchen and deli – (0) 7636 3270 - 66/80 Moo 4 Suksan 2, Wiset Road, Rawai. Rosmarino – 76 396 133 great Italian 240 Patak Road Karon – amazing Italian – great air con if feeling hot. A must! Kata Sun Beach Hotel - Really good for a Club Sandwich and fries or tuna sandwich – down the bottom of the hill in row of shops by the Minimart, next to the deli – very cheap but tasty.

Italian opposite the Red Chair, good for a cheap meal. Baan Rim Pa –092-2749095 amazing location on the rocks – just past Patong beach – great red duck curry and mixed appetizers. If craving a steak – Buffalo Steak House - 76 333 176 (imported beef). For cheap/great Western and Thai food go to Red Chair - 89 874 4395 in the Kata hinterland – great chicken laarb, papaya salad, red prawn curry, broccoli and prawn dish.

For a very fancy brunch (Sundays) – Oriental Spoon 76 316 500 at Twin Palms, Surin – expensive (just overseas prices really) but amazing seafood and other buffet – all the posh hotel chefs go there on their day off. Have to book but it is fun – bloody marys, port and wine (not unlimited) included in the price. Trisara 76 310 100 (หมทู่ ี่ 6 60/1 ถนน ศรสี นทร ุ Choeng Thale, Thalang District, Phuket 83110, Thailand), great for buffet lunch on Sunday – to get there - 800 baht with Khun Mam’s brother. Must book.

Most places you can take your own wine for a 500 - 800 B corkage – wine very expensive in Thailand.

Pick up a yellow bag at the airport – it has a great map, guide etc – all the tel. nos for restaurants. The Gazette is a great ex pat book with good info and tel. nos. Luxe Guides are also great as is Trip Advisor (all online now).

Our local local manager Khun Mam can pick you up from the airport, it’s usually B1,500 – 1,600 depending on the number of people. I usually give 100-200 B tip depending on what service etc. Her brother is available for any day trips. Khun Mam also offers an in house chef service and is very helpful for general enquiries, day trips, in-house dining and massage/spa options. Khun Mam can also help with hiring a car/jeep to explore the island is a great idea – you can see all the different beaches.

Our favourite beach is probably Kata Noi. You can hire a motorbike from Hoi at Tum Rub massage at the bottom of the hill Whatsapp: +66 80 524 2879. The supermarket at the bottom of the hill is great and does a good laundry service – wash and iron for 80 B a kilo.

For repairs – small shop next to Wynn House – Karon – 227/4 Patak Road – incredibly cheap clothes’ repairs/sewing, take up trousers etc.

Patong is fun for a night out and better shopping. Totally safe for kids but you see some sights in the girlie bars – lady boys etc. Beware of the wild animals on some guy’s shoulder – a hawk, snake, sloth, monkey. Don’t exceed 200THB T Shirt; 100-150TBH for Sunglasses; 800-1000 TBH shoes.

Simon Cabaret is quite good for a cabaret type extravaganza and Fantasea is a great elephant show – go by yourself rather than having the group dinner/tour there (both may be a bit dated).

Central is a great department store at Patong (parking underneath). It has as food/bars and good supermarket. You must do the fish tanks (little piranha type fish chew off your dead skin – feels amazing once you stop squealing from it being so ticklish!). Not sure how good this is for you though? Otherwise there is a great supermarket (Market Place) and department store at the main Central – on the way to the airport – you can basically buy everything there (except wine is expensive! Good to pack a few in the suitcase and pay corkage if you want to enjoy wine). Jim Thompson (great for silks/cool fabric) is in Central.

Some great resorts up by the airport – BanYan Tree etc. Also, a great Waterworld, aslo the The Phuket Aquarium.

There are tours to bathe with the elephants – the preference over trekking these days. There are elephants on the way to Nai Harn beach – great for feeding bananas and trekking.

Massage – Tum Rub around Karon/Kata beach – the one we go to is at the end of Kata beach before you go up the big hill to Katamanda, Nai Harn beach (Yacht Club). Oil massage 400 B. Manicure/pedicure is also very good/cheap.

Most places have Wifi. Across the road from the Boathouse is Hot Yoga which is great if into it (and not hot enough!).

There is a good market in the kata hinterland for fruit/vege etc. Great to buy the banana pancakes off the little bikes that cruise around. Sweetcorn and chicken on a stick yummy too. Club Med (Kata Beach) has a great Kids Club – age appropriate. Do some good activities with them – snorkeling, air acrobatics etc.

Surin beach has a good vibe. Going to the beach clubs is fun too.

Between Kata and Karon is a good local Doctor – Dr Chusack – Kata Village. There is another one in Kata village too – by the optometrist. Phuket International Hospital is awesome and you have no worries if you had to go there (hopefully not). Good dentist in the hospital too.

If you get a car there are some fab resorts to go check out – Amanpuri (where Kate Moss stayed), Trisara (Robyn Williams and Federer). We always hire a motorbike too as fun to explore/easy to get around (must wear a helmet – you get fined otherwise).

Excursions – a trip to Phi Phi Island (speed boat) is great as are Nui and Friendship/Freedom beach (hire a long tail boat). I would do the latter as Phi Phi has become very busy/touristy. Bike company doing tours – Bike Tours Thailand – no. 1 in Luxe Guide. There is also a great sea kayaking/canoe tour which you can do – lots of tour shops around. I really enjoyed the sea canoe tour. Awesome snorkeling around Kata/Karon rocks.