As Thai borders reopen to the world, Veena Babulal rediscovers the joy of an all-inclusive holiday at Club Med Phuket
AFTER closing its doors for two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Club Med Phuket wastes no time in rolling out the red carpet for holiday-makers with redesigned spaces and upgraded facilities.
Dubbed as TripAdvisor's Travellers Choice for 2021, the beachfront resort is nestled within a 16ha green compound that is hugged by 1,200 sq m of pristine jungles, overlooking the Andaman Sea. It is only 45 minutes from the Phuket International Airport on the picturesque Kata Beach in the laidback town of Karon.
But the swanky locale is just the tip of the iceberg, as the resort offers everything under one roof, including those not offered by other Club Med resorts.
UNIQUELY THAILAND
Two activities that guests, especially foreign tourists, should not miss are Thai boxing lessons and Thai cooking classes.
The 60-minute daily boxing class is conducted by San, the resort's in-house master boxer, a household name in Muay Thai who has 245 match wins to his name.
If jumping into the boxing ring is not your kind of fun, try the cooking class and unleash the masterchef in you.
Held at The Sanook bar, the hands-on cooking class not only teaches guests how to prepare signature Thai dishes like Som Tam (Thai Papaya Salad) and Tom Yum soup but also shares tips and tricks of authentic Thai flavours.
Club Med Phuket also hosts Thai Day every week that showcase the kingdom's rich cultural heritage all day long.
The Thai Day event starts with a typical Thai street market where local artisans, street vendors and artists are invited to sell their food and craft by the pool.
At night, the resort gets local artistes to perform classical Thai dances.
Besides the in-house activities, the resort has a long list of excursions in and around Phuket. The excursions come with additional charges.
Guests can visit Phuket's famous islands like Phi Phi, Racha Yai, Coral, Maiton and Koh Tapu (where a James Bond movie was filmed) islands as well as the Phang Nga and Chalong bays. Alternatively, guests can hop onto a catamaran for a sunset cruise.
Those who prefer to stay on the mainland can flag a tuk-tuk or arrange a car for hire with the hotel to get to any of the 30 beaches surrounding Phuket, including Rawai, Patong, Kamala and Mai Khao beach. The duration of travel to these beaches ranges from 15 minutes to an hour.
There are city tours that cover Phuket's main attractions like the Big Buddha statue, temples and other historical sites in Phuket.
Those who want to venture off the beaten track can book a customised tour with the resort.
ON THE HOUSE
It's a known fact that a holiday in any Club Med resort is an all-inclusive package, which has accommodation, childcare for children aged 4 to 17, all-day dining and a host of activities that are unique to Club Med, such as archery, aqua fitness sessions and a flying trapeze challenge.
The aqua fitness session is conducted daily at the main pool, which involves water aerobic exercises for the young and old.
Its pool is a delight on its own. Split into the adult and kids' zones, the pool has new sun loungers and low tables so that those relaxing in the pool can enjoy a panoramic view of the beach and the sea.
Other activities include badminton, basketball, football, golf, squash, table tennis, tennis, volleyball and water polo.
There are a host of fun-filled sports, water and indoor activities for children up to 11 years old. For those aged 2 to 3, a "petite" Club Med offers a playful and comfortable space that balances their activities (sports, crafts, expression, games) and moments of rest. There is also a mini Club Med for those aged 4 to 11.
Entrance into the petite and baby clubs for infants and toddlers aged between 4 and 23 months is at an added cost.
The baby club offers childcare services like personalised babysitting, feeding and activities like storytelling, supervised naps and playtime. Kids under the age of 4 stay for free at the facility all year round.
At Club Med Phuket, there is an Amazing Family corner that offers activities for the whole family to partake in and enjoy.
For something educational, the Bamboo Shark Nursery lets children and teens be exposed to the critical function the shark species plays in keeping the ocean's ecosystem in check and reefs' health.
LET YOUR HAIR DOWN
Dining and entertainment are big in Club Med. Guests have several F&B outlets to choose from.
Its all-day dining outlet, The Mamuang, has buffet spreads of local and international dishes that make choosing a tough task.
The best part about this restaurant is that a large expanse of it is air-conditioned. The sweltering heat of Phuket would make anyone glad for the air-conditioned space. However, the option to eat in the open-air dining area remains.
Over at the Zen Pool, The Chu-da offers dinners with a breathtaking view of Kata Beach. The fusion restaurant is perfect for couples who wish to watch the sun set into the bay in privacy.
A distance away from the main village, the restaurant appears secluded at first but becomes warm and inviting upon entry with its regal decor that weaves together opulent local elements in a chic and contemporary fashion.
Guests can find drinks of all shapes, sizes, flavours and ingredients at their main bar, The Sanook. The pool bar by day transforms into a reverberating dance floor at night. It is also the ultimate port of call for all the village's planned and unplanned parties.
The resort has updated its theatre space with new furniture, lighting and an LED screen for immersive live experiences. This sets the stage for digital shows it is planning to roll out.
DIGITAL NOMADS
Club Med Phuket is ideal for those seeking a digital work escape in a tropical setting.
WiFi is everywhere, so guests can recharge themselves by going to the beach early and tucking into a hearty breakfast before filing a report or getting to a remote work meeting.
Or they can sit back in their rooms by the beach and watch the waves while meeting deadlines.
There are air-conditioned meeting rooms, including one overlooking the beach, where one can lounge with their laptops or conduct Zoom sessions while sipping drinks from The Sanook.
The resort plans to set up its new meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions centre for work and play by August.
This remodelling, embarked under the resort's spirit of embracing a tropical nomad lifestyle, adds accessibility for events and provides more meeting rooms and a new conference area on the ground floor.
The resort has pretty much maintained the landscape's integrity by keeping the area as green and as close to what it was when it was acquired by the group four decades ago.
This principle has guided its building, expansions and renovations over the years.
It has also given back part of its land on the beach strip, which has been converted into a public park.
As part of its commitment to reducing our environmental impact, Club Med Phuket, as well as other Club Med resorts, are progressively removing single-use plastic products from bars, restaurants and rooms under its "Bye-Bye Plastics" programme. Two-thirds of the food served at the resort are also produced locally.
CLUB MED PHUKET
A, 3 Kata Road Karon S-DMueang Phuket District, Phuket 83100 Thailand
WEBSITE https://www.clubmed.com.my/r/phuket/y
STAY Their rooms include superior rooms, deluxe rooms (with a terrace or balcony) and suites. All accommodation offers interconnecting room options. Each room is equipped with a mini fridge, flat screen TV and kettle. Suites have separate living spaces, kids' rooms, bathtubs and separate showers. Guests can borrow GoPro cameras. Daily passes are also available.
EAT There are two restaurants: The Mamuang for all-day dining and the fusion Thai modern restaurant The Chu-da. There are also two bars — Zen Bar and The Sanook.
DO Activities are abundant at the resort. A handful of them comes with a fee, but the rest are included in the room package.
GO As one of the kingdom's crown jewels in tourism, Phuket is a superb tourist destination. There is plenty to see and do, from leisurely city tours to fun island-hopping excursions.
HIGHS It's Club Med.
LOWS Can't find any.
HEALTH AND SAFETY
Club Med Phuket has instituted safety measures that work alongside government agencies, advisers and a committee of doctors and professors within the scientific community. The resort is rigorously sanitised daily, and makes wearing mask compulsory both indoors and outdoors. Club Med has updated its medical assistance cover in its all-inclusive holiday packages. All overseas stay in its resorts from now until December will include a complimentary Covid-19 medical cover.
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