There is something magical about Phuket’s sunsets.

That fleeting moment when the sun descends into the horizon and the blue skies evolve into orangey-purplish earthy tones; every second is a wonder and we wish we could freeze time just to admire these natural phenomena for just a little longer.

Phuket clearly has no lack of bars, but the question is – which places boast the best vantage points? Here are 9 Bars in Phuket To Watch The Most Stunning Sunsets.

#1 BABA NEST

Baba Nest is our ultimate favourite place in Phuket to catch the sunset. It sits within luxury Sri panwa Resort & Villa Phuket, and it boasts an unrivalled panoramic view of the ocean. Watch the majestic sun set against the boundless horizons of Phuket over a cocktail or two; it is one unforgettable experience.

88 Moo 8 Sakdidej Road
Tambon Vichit A. Muang
Panwa Cape, Phuket, Thailand 83000
Tel: +66 7637 1008

Source: Boathouse Phuket

#2 BOATHOUSE WINE & GRILL

Boathouse Wine & Grill has been around for more than two decades and it is the it watering hole among celebrities and socialites alike. The dining area is especially spacious and boasts fantabulous views of Kata Beach. If you are after the opportunity to rub shoulders with celebs and whatnot, you must just be lucky at Boathouse!

182 Koktanode Road
Kata Beach, 83100, Thailand
Tel: +66 (0)76 330 015-7

Source: Catch Beach Club

#3 CATCH BEACH CLUB

Located on the west coast of Phuket and opened in 2006, Catch Beach Club is the very first nightclub to open on Surin Beach. The reputable establishment has also set the standards high for beach dining by transforming it into a glitzy experience.

Catch Beach Club, Surin Beach Road
Cherng Talay, Phuket 83110, Thailand
Tel: 66 (0) 76 316567

Source: Think Phuket

#4 DIAVOLO RESTAURANT

Situated within Luxury Kamala Resort Phuket, Diavolo Restaurant is famous for their tantalizing Italian cuisine and jaw-dropping tranquil views of the deep blue sea. We reckon it fits the bill for both romantic nights out and even family-friendly meals.

49 Moo 6 Layi – Nakalay Road
Tel: +66 76 302 000

Source: Joe’s Downstairs

#5 JOE’S DOWNSTAIRS

Joe’s Downstairs is one of Phuket’s leading restaurants with the young, rich and famous frequenting this gorgeous destination for their premium cocktails. It is also loved for its vantage point to catch the daily sunsets.

223/3 Prabaramee Road
83150, Thailand
Tel: +66 76 618 245

Source: Asia Web Direct

#6 LE VERSACE

We don’t know about you, but we actually find Le Versace’s over-the-top ambience, decors and views extremely captivating. Le Versace is also the tallest alfresco restaurant in Patong. If you are looking to impress your date, this is it.

206/5-6 Prabaramee Road
Beach Patong, Phuket 83150, Thailand
Tel: +66 82 448 4887

Source: Asia Web Direct

#7 SALA PHUKET RESTAURANT & BEACH BAR

Sala Phuket Restaurant and Beach Bar is located in Mai Khao Beach and they are known for their tapas meal. Choose to dine at either the rooftop, beside the pool or at the open-air restaurant area.

Sala Phuket Resort & Spa
333 Moo 3 Mai Khao Beach, Thalang District,
Phuket, Thailand 83110
Tel: +66 76 338 888

Source: La Flora

#8 THE SURFACE BAR & RESTAURANT

Situated in the heart of Patong, The Surface Bar and Restaurant’s strategic location makes it an ideal hangout spot for tourists and local Thais alike. Its alluring sunset draws a diverse crowd consisting of old retired couples and young partygoers.

Thaweewong Road. Thaweewong Road
83150, Thailand
Tel: 076 344 241

Source: Phuket

#9 360 DEGREES RESTAURANT

As its name suggests, the super chic 360 Degrees Restaurant features a bedazzling panoramic view of its surroundings; get ready to be blown away by stunning views of the nearby lush greenery and inviting Andaman Sea.

The Pavilions, Phuket
31/1 Moo6, Cherngtalay
Thalang, Phuket, 83110

Karon Beach is not the top-of-mind destination for travellers to Phuket. Which is a shame, because the beach is so much cleaner and prettier as compared to your usual Patong Beach and Kata Beach.

It is relatively untouched by tourism – as compared to Patong Beach - and perhaps this is why food recommendations for the area is scarce too. Our first time to Karon beach had us struggling to find good eats, and most places look like tourists’ traps – which we loathe and always avoid. We’ve had several horrible meals at Karon Beach, got ripped off, and we were always grumpy after meal times.

But this was not until we found Mama Jin – an unassuming eatery that sits on the beachfront at the north of Karon Beach near to the lake. Yes, it looks like any other tourists’ trap along that stretch, but trust us on this: Mama Jin is your best bet at Karon Beach. We had an unforgettable Thai meal that was authentic, inexpensive and very satisfying.

The menu is pretty huge. We’d say skip the American-style food entirely, and head straight for the Thai options. Spicy Thai soups, chilli salads, noodles and fried rice… you will be spoilt for choice.

We had the Shrimp Toast (THB95) and hey, what do you know? It was the best version we’ve ever had! The squares of crispy goodness sure took us by surprise – generous chunks of shrimps atop white bread, topped with lots of white sesame and deep fried to a beautiful golden brown. Oh, what we’d pay to have it again now.

Need your tomyum? Tomyum Koong (prawns) or Tomyum Talay (seafood) are both THB120 each. More spiciness in the form of a salad calls for the classic Spicy Papaya Chilli Salad (THB80), or otherwise known as somtam.

We also had a serving of pad Thai (THB95), but if you need your grains, there are many fried rice options to pick from too – nothing above THB100. You have to order the Thai-style omelette too. Fluffy, oily, sweet; so sinful, but so very awesome, especially if you dip it in to the Thai sweet chilli sauce. The Green Curry Chicken (THB120) was pretty decent, and there are other curry choices like red and yellow ones.

Honestly, this is a no-frills place. But that is precisely what we appreciate about an authentic Thai joint; just delicious home-style cooking that is prepared upon order. And the cherry on top for diners of Mama Jin? You get to enjoy a complimentary fruit platter at the end of the meal!

If you cannot find Mama Jin on the map, search for Karon Park. It is tucked along a stretch of beachfront eateries near to the lake.

Mama Jin
381/14 Karon Beach, Phuket
Tel: 0818939043

I have been to many hotels and resorts around the world, but a trip to Sri Panwa Villa at Phuket and it has immediately rocketed to my all-time favourite list – I am head over heels in love with this gem of Phuket.

Here are 9 reasons why I love Sri Panwa Resort in Phuket.

Best Sunset Spot at Baba Nest

Boasting an unrivalled panoramic view of the ocean, Baba Nest – the rooftop bar at Sri Panwa – is one of the best spots to watch sun set against the boundless horizons of Phuket.

Day trips to Coral Island or Phi Phi Island

Sri Panwa is located at Cape Panwa – the southern tip of Phuket – making it the perfect base to visit nearby islands in the Phuket archipelago like Coral and the highly popular Phi Phi Island which are both an hour away by boat. The resort offers a private day tour (cap to 2-3 couples per trip) for its in-house guests, which includes beach hopping, snorkelling and scuba diving.

Private Beach

One of our favourite spots in Sri Panwa is the private beach. What’s there not to like about the idea of having a quiet beach all to yourself? Lay a mat and read your magazines in an undisturbed territory, or go canoeing in the area.

Snorkelling at the pier

From the private beach, there is an extended pier where you can do some fishing, or go snorkelling. The water may not be the clearest, but we were still able to see a lot of fishes – it was quite an experience, and the plus point of the exclusivity was one that left us going to bed happy and extremely contented.

Spend an afternoon at the reception lounge

The reception lounge is quiet and very cosy; it feels almost like home. Keep yourself occupied with the wide selection of books and magazines, or you can simply listen to your music and daydream the afternoon away. Or, just snuggle up at the comfy couches with your loved one and enjoy a cuppa together. The best thing about staying at Sri Panwa is that you can cut off from the world and do the things that you like.

Go for a spa treatment at Cool Spa

Pamper yourself with a much-needed spa treatment at Cool Spa, which is located at a secluded spot within the rainforest overlooking Phuket’s Archipelago. There are six waterfall treatment rooms, and you can also use the spa facilities including the plunge pools and steam room.

Authentic Thai food at Baba Soul Food

Soul Food, the resort’s Thai Restaurant, serves a selection of Southern home-cooked Thai cuisine. They offer the dishes in two portions: half portion for sharing so that you can order a variety to share, and full portion if you are dining in a big group. While we really enjoyed the Steamed Garoupa with Lime, Chili and Garlic and the Red Curry with Pork and Pineapple, the clear winner was the Stir Fried Anadaman Crab Meat with a very addictive lime sauce.

Chill out at Sri Panwa’s Pool Club

After having a hearty breakfast at Baba – the resort’s all day dining restaurant – chill out at the pool club for the rest of your morning. The big space provides yet another patch of heaven within the magnificent resort – to relax, rejuvenate and recharge.

Stunning villa with ocean view

Soothing lounge music greeted us when we stepped into the stunning, modern and very well-designed villa. Each villa comes with a big private pool that lines the unit, and an immeasurably terrific view of the ocean. Words cannot describe how in awe we were, and the photos cannot do enough justice to how beautifully divine Sri Panwa is.

The villa was our secret spot away from the world, and it was so comfortable that we spent most of the time in the villa. We were truly spoilt silly by the luxurious space and amenities; even getting out of bed was almost mission impossible, because we spent so much time just lying in bed with the perfect view of how the skies and ocean merged.

If you are planning to celebrate a special occasion with your partner, or simply want a place to go for a weekend, Sri Panwa is really the perfect getaway spot from Singapore.

Full Disclosure & Fine Print: I travelled to Phuket as a guest of Sri Panwa Resort. No monetary benefits were received, only air tickets and hotel accommodation were sponsored.

There are many reasons why so many people fall in love with Phuket – white sand with turquoise waters and blue sunny skies; luxurious beach villas that will make you feel like royalty; cheap and delicious Thai street food; and wonder spa treatments for your tense shoulders after your flight.

Granted, Phuket has become very touristy in recent years as travellers escape there for a getaway, but there are still many beautiful beaches that are waiting to be explored. We spent a weekend in Kata Beach and had a memorable experience.

We preferred Kata Beach as it is a quieter area as compared to the extremely popular (and commercialised) Patong Beach. Our home for the weekend was a 1 bedroom grand seaview suite at The Aspasia Hotel Phuket (1/ 3 Laem Sai Road, Kata, Phuket, Thailand).

What I like most about the hotel is its location – a short 5 minutes walk to Kata Beach. Plus, it has a clean and spacious room with a terrific ocean view.

The first two days were spent hanging out by the pool, reading a book on the couch, and taking nice long strolls along Kata Beach.

There are also plenty of restaurants in the area. If you are planning a trip to Phuket Kata Beach, the following are just a few recommendations that you can try.

Our favourite place during this trip was Home’s Food Thai Food (87/2 Tayna Road Kata Beach, near Easy Rider Pub) a small eatery that serves cheap, honest and delicious Thai food. It was so good that we went back a few times.

Perched on the rocks overlooking Kata Noi Beach, Mom Tri’s Kitchen (12 Kata Noi Road, Kata No, Kata, Phuket Tel: +66 76 333 569) is an award-winning restaurant which food lovers must check out. For a spot to watch the sunset, go Re Ka Ta (3rd Street Cafe & Guest House 92/15 92/15 Khoktanod Road, Kata Beach Tel: +66 76 330 015), one of the most hottest beach clubs in Kata Beach, if not Phuket.

We also spent a day exploring Phuket Town, the largest town in Phuket. Most people go to Phuket for the beaches and hardly venture to Phuket Town. But our recent trip showed us a different side of the place. There, we discovered many nice cafes, eateries and boutiques.

Coffee lovers must check out Mac-chiato House & Cake Box (48 Thalang Road, Muang Phuket), a trendy cafe which serves a range of speciality coffee and desserts such as honey toast (B85), brownies (B55) and chocolate lava cake (B75).

You should also drop by Pirrera Cafe Bar (39/1 Dibuk Road, Phuket, Thailand Tel: +66 08 5782 4406). Housed in a beautiful old building, the cafe offers coffee, cakes and light snacks – a nice place to watch the World go by.

Another place that you should go is Kopitiam by Wilai (18 Thalang Road Tel: +66 83 606 9776), an old-school coffee shop that has affordable Thai food. On the menu, you can find local eats such as Cha Koay Teow (B70), Pad Thai (B70) and Tom Yum Koong (B100).

Getting to Phuket from Singapore is easy. Silkair, Jetstar, Tiger and AirAsia have direct flights (1 hour 46 minute) and the tickets are usually very affordable if you book in advance. Everyone needs a beach holiday, and if you have not been to Phuket, maybe it is time to book your tickets and pamper yourself with a weekend getaway.