Our busy lives make it hard to switch off. When you’re overwhelmed with work, chores, and trying to eat healthy (ugh), there’s not much time left to chillax. Lucky some clever person invented holidays, where we can lay on a sun-kissed beach and leave all that other stuff behind. One of my favourite places to rewind and recharge is Phuket. Here are my top five tips for perfect Phuket relaxation.
1. Travel buddies
Who you travel with can make or break your experience. And, to be honest, that’s a fact that’s often overlooked. Family are always a winner, but for my trip I was lucky to have two of my closest friends join me. After a week of shopping, eating, and enjoying the Ultra Festival in Bali, we went to Bangkok for four intense days of exploring the culture and markets. Feeling like we needed a holiday from our holiday, the three of us then agreed to some down time in one of our favourite spots – Phuket.
2. Location, location, location
Phuket has a wide variety of amazing destinations. Patong, Karon, Chalong, and Kata are all beautiful places to escape. For me, the choice came down to price and what activities were available in the area. While switching off from the hustle and bustle of everyday life at home was the main reason for my four-day trip, I still wanted to stay in easy reach of all the nightlife and activities the island had to offer. After a little bit of research, I decided to stay at Kalim Beach, just north of Patong Beach. It’s a quick five-minute tuktuk to the main strip, but just far enough away to seriously relax.
3. Hotel – your home away from home
Your hotel is your home base and your recovery spot, so picking the right one is key. After I’d decided on my location, price was the next most important criteria. Luckily Kalim Bay has plenty of options, ranging from super-luxe $400 per night properties to bargain stays for $40-$50 per night. After looking at reviews and plenty of pics, I landed on Sunset Beach Resort for a great Mates Rates price of $55 per night. Although another deciding factor may have been the swim-up pool bar…
4. Phone? What phone?
The squad and I decided early on that we would take a team approach to switching off. One person a day was assigned as our official “photographer”, which gave them access to their phone. The others… would be locked in the safe! I know, drastic. In an age where we are all constantly checking emails (guilty), Instagram (double guilty), the ever-intrusive Facebook (triple guilty), and the latest dating app (let’s not go there)… Well, desperate times call for desperate measures.
5. Activities or pool?
With all that time freed up by not having to check our phones, we all had a chance to really disconnect from our lives and enjoy our time together. That meant lots of time to lounge by the pool and check out some local must-dos. I highly recommend snorkelling around Phi Phi Island. Pro tip – splash out for a Premium Class ticket to enjoy air-conditioning, food, and drinks. Trust me, it’s worth the extra cash.
