Wow! I just spent 5 GREAT days at The Kalima Resort & Spa in Phuket, Thailand. Normally I choose something in Bangtao Beach or the JW Marriott Phuket Resort & Spa, but this was a last minute trip, during high season and it was difficult to find something suitable. I used Booking.com and was lucky enough to find The Kalima Resort & Spa.
Opened only in October it was an excellent surprise. Perched on a steep hillside overlooking Patong Bay and only an easy 2 km walk to Patong Beach, it’s both conveniently located to all the sights and sounds of Patong, while still being far enough away to be quite enough for total relaxation.
Now I’m not one for all the noise and craziness of Patong Beach with it’s street hawkers and lady-boy bars, but it’s fun to go see it if you’ve never had the opportunity. Like any tourist location you’ve got street vendors selling everything from fake watches and purses, to tailor shops that make less than perfect clothing for ‘a special price for you my friend’, but you also have countless restaurants and massage studios. Personally I would rather relax in my private infinity pool or take a day trip to one of the many attractions Thailand has to offer. There’s elephant rides, zip lining, sea kayaking, white water rafting, scuba diving and the list goes on. My personal favorite is zip lining, sea kayaking, white water rafting and of course eating all that delicious fresh seafood. Don’t forget the Tom Yum Soup! Just remember ‘Spicy’ in Thailand is way spicier than what you may be used to.
Let’s get back to The Kalima Beach Resort & Spa.
All in all the hotel staff was great. The food and service in their Thai restaurant ‘Thai Taste’ was excellent, but the food and service in their ‘Malika Terrace’ left alot to be desired. Now I’m not one for breakfast usually, but after one visit I decided it wasn’t worth waking up for. Unless you asked, the server wouldn’t come to see what you wanted to drink. The food was nothing remarkable and usually cold. The omelette wasn’t even cooked thoroughly so it was not eaten. I would have expected more from this restaurant, given that the rest of the hotel was so good. Anyway, don’t let the poor breakfast deter you from staying at The Kalima Beach Resort & Spa.
I also endulged myself with a 90 minute Balinese massage at their Busaba Spa. It was devine! Upon entering the reception area, I was offered a light fruit juice. Once escorted into the massage room I was treated like a VIP with a foot wash, followed by 90 minutes of pure ecstacy! I think I even fell asleep a couple times. 😉 After my massage, I was treated to a wonderful Ginger Tea with Honey. Boy that was delicious and refreshing!
Well all good things must come to an end, just like my short but blissful trip to Phuket, so I’ll close by saying, go to Thailand. I would suggest that you try several cities like Bangkok, Chang Mai and of course Phuket. All of them have something to offer. Emirates Airlines has daily non-stop service from Dubai to both Bangkok and Phuket. Safe travels!
