phuket

Golf in a Kingdom: Exploring the Game in Thailand

We all know Tiger Woods is part-Thai. But what's the golf scene like in Thailand, the lush and beguiling land where his mother, Kultida, was born? To promote the country's finest courses, a group of premier golf properties and hotels has partnered with a tour operator and the Tourist Authority of Thailand. The consortium, called Golf in a Kingdom: The Thai Golf Experience, can help you map out an itinerary stretching from Chiang Mai, in the cool, mountainous region of the north, to the seascapes of Phuket and Koh Samui in the south. And by "experience," they mean not just golf but also cultural immersions like visits to Buddhist temples, ethnic villages and the teeming city of Bangkok.

Long a popular destination for Asian golfers, Thailand has more than 250 courses. Some of them, alas, are "American-style" layouts that could be in Florida or humdrum spots in the Caribbean. But others, such as Santiburi Samui Country Club (above), set into coconut groves at the foot of a mountain, offer a distinctly Thai adventure. The many charms of Thai golf will be on full display when Bill Clinton arrives this week--with clubs in tow, it's expected--to accompany Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton at the ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting on the island of Phuket. For a deeper sense of golf in Thailand, check out this story (which I played a hand in) from Travel + Leisure Golf.

Gallery: The Thai Golf Experience

Tags: Chiang Mai, ChiangMai, golf, Koh Samui, KohSamui, Phuket, Thailand

Cape Yamu, Another Ambitious Project In Thailand

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates, Journeys

Another luxury project that bears the unique stamp of Philippe Starck is Cape Yamu on Phuket's East Coast in Thailand. The project includes both villa residences and a five-star boutique hotel, the Yamu. The project has some serious design clout, both Adrian Zecha of GHM Hotels and Aman Resorts and architect Jean-Michel Gathy are also involved. The Yamu will have 63 hotel rooms as well as a large swimming pool, spa and restaurants. There are also twelve villa estates and 15 club villas for sale. Just two estate lots are left for purchase. The style is Thai-modern, clean, spare and yet tropical. Starck adds his own touch of whimsy but seems to have gone for elegant over wacky in this particular design using a more muted color scheme. The Yuma complex includes a restaurant and five other "glass cubes" around the hotel grounds that are host to a wine room with a wine cave, a cigar lounge, a private kitchen, a chocolate room and a private boutique. There is also a play area with chess, a lounge and a bar. The Yamu is set to open in 2008.

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Tags: cape yamu, CapeYamu, development, phuket, resort, thailand, villas

Serenity Terraces

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

Serenity Terraces, a new beach-front real estate project in Phuket has a new tactic to seduce condo hunters. Every buyer in the project will also get fractional ownership rights on the 89 foot yacht, the Lady Anita.. The Lady Anita will be owned collectively by the unit owners and during the construction phase of the project buyers may start utilizing their yearly rights to use the Lady Anita.

Serenity Terraces faces Chalong Bay and is located near the Six Senses Evason Hotel and the site of the future Four Seasons Hotel. There are 63 units ranging from one bedroom apartments to beach-front duplexes and lofts with their own private swimming pools. Prices start around $205,000. Other amenities will include a beach-front infinity pool, restaurant and sports gym and the units can be part of a managed holiday rental program.

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Tags: phuket, thailand, travel, yachts

Take Your Kids On A Circus Vacation in Thailand

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

The JW Marriott Phuket Resort and Spa in Thailand has a unique way to keep your children entertained. They now have a KidzSole Circus Training program for children. The daily program is three hours of training in the morning and is available for kids from four to 12 years old. The children can learn trapeze, trampoline, juggling, tumbling, clowning and other circus acts. There is also a two to three hour specialty act rehearsal in the afternoon for some of the children. A five-day training period costs $100. A small price to pay for kid-free hours to soak up the sun, sleep or play in the pool.

[via Asia Travel Tips]

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Tags: children, kids, phuket, thailand, travel, vacation

Best Celeb-Spotting Spas

by Nicole Weston (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Journeys, Spas

At CondeNaste Traveler, they have compiled a list of the best celebrity spotting spas - places that offer not only stunning views, but guarantee star treatment to everyone who visits. The full list has the world's top ten star spangled spots and tips on how to dodge the paparazzi who might be lurking near by. Here are a few of the highlights:

The Bathhouse at Calistoga Ranch in Northern California offers complete relaxation in a rustic, romantic setting with natural springs. Keep your eyes peeled for kissing couples like Will and Jada Pinkett Smith. Rooms start a $475 per night.

The Spa at Las Ventanas al Paraíso in Baja California is the perfect tropical getaway - at least, everyone on Hollywood's hot list from Jessica Simpson to Charlize Theron seems to think so. Rooms start at 450 per night.

The Spa at Amanpuri in Phuket, Thailand provides much needed relaxation for celebs who have been on the go for years, like Mick Jagger and Harrison Ford. Pavilions (not rooms) start at $680.

The Rock Spa on Frégate Island, the Seychelles, is as far removed from civilization as you can get; it's on a private island in the Indian Ocean. It's a getaway for the likes of Pierce Brosnan and Paul McCartney. Rooms from $2,300 per night.

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Tags: amanpuri, baja, california, calistoga ranch, celeb, celebrity, las vantanas, phuket, resort, rock spa, seychelles, spa, travel

Barama Bay Island

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates, Journeys, Water

The next exclusive place to play may be Barama Bay Island. The tropical paradise is located off the east coast of Phuket, Thailand and will become a new resort that will include a six-star hotel, yacht club and private estates. The island can be reached by water taxi or helicopter. The island has a no-car policy (electric carts only) and will have a deep water marina for mooring larger yachts. The hotel will include multiple pools and a large spa. The entire project is set to be completed in early 2009 and prices start at $3 million for an 8,000 square foot villa set on a one acre plot.

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Tags: barama bay, BaramaBay, developments, hotel, marina, phuket, thailand, yachts

Phuket's Marina Boom

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Water

The International Herald Tribune has a piece on the Royal Phuket Marina in Phuket, Thailand. The marina is a booming development that offers homes with their own yacht berths. The marina covers nearly 75 acres and the first phase of the development has all but sold out. Despite the tsunami, interest in the area is still strong. The Royal Phuket Marina is just one of three marinas in the area. Boat Lagoon was the first and Yacht Haven is located on the north end of the area where a deeper channel makes for larger yachts. According to the article, the Thai government is doing their best to help growth in this sector along. Thailand used to charge imported yachts a heavy fee if they stayed in Thai waters longer than six months and laws regarding boat ownership and a requirement that any boat must have a Thai captain are under review. Other developments with a marine focus are also planned for the Phuket area including the Paradise Bay Marina Resort at Cape Yamu which will have mooring for 500 yachts. There is some concern that all this building could lead to an oversupply of berths in the area in a few years but if the yacht business in that part of the world continues its rapid growth it shouldn't be a problem.

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Tags: boats, marina, phuket, thailand, yacht berth, yachts

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