Phuket.com Magazine Newsletter - May 2007

Phuket for Families

When it comes to making family memories, there’s nothing like travel. A trip to an exotic location is an adventure; moreover, it’s an eternal gift that kids will cherish long after they’ve made you grandparents. And Phuket, with a string of perfect beaches and locals that turn giddy at the sight of children, is especially well-suited for strengthening the bonds within your tribe.

This month, Phuket.com Magazine brings you the island’s top kiddie-approved picks. We start with a look at hotels that specialize in making your little tyke smile with themed rooms (think pirates and fairy tales), activity centres, and beachside encounters with baby elephants. Then we get wild – literally – with wide-eyed wonderment at Phuket FantaSea, underwater wonders at the Phuket Aquarium, and the wonderful wackiness of a monkey show.

New and expectant mothers will appreciate our tips on how to get here safely (and without losing your sanity), and how to keep your brood healthy in paradise. And for an afternoon where everyone gets what they want – kids swim, parents eat – Phuket’s famous Sunday brunches deliver.

Come to Phuket. Your children will love it now, and appreciate it in twenty years.

From providing money for school expenses to building day care centres to arranging educational outings, Cindy Ratcliffe, President of the Phuket International Women’s Club, and Dr Supaluck Kanchanamethakul, President of Child Watch Phuket, are providing hope to the island’s residents who need it most.
Read more...

Reading a book on the beach while working on a great tan is the perfect holiday activity – for adults. But if you’re a child it spells B-O-R-I-N-G. However, help is at hand for families holidaying in Phuket. Many hotels have excellent facilities for keepin kids occupied and safe.
Read more...

Paris has a tower, London has an eye, and Thailand has Phuket FantaSea. It’s packed with tourists, cameras are a required accessory, there are an untold number of souvenir shops to spend money in, and it has all the subtlety of Thai chillies. But everyone should go once. Read more...

Setting out on an exciting island holiday with small children or while pregnant is like any other project: it requires careful thought, planning and attention to detail. But it can be done. A growing belly or a bouncing baby is no longer an excuse - you can still have a great holiday in Phuket. Read more...

A group of friends were walking through the forest in the Nakkerd Hills between Chalong and Kata when they stumbled upon a place with stunning vistas of both sides of the island. The place would be perfect not just as a viewpoint, but as the site for something much more ambitious and much more significant: a giant image of the Lord Buddha. Read more...

If you're searching for a fully-contained resort that you don't need to leave – for anything – the 254-room Laguna Beach Resort is worth a look. And if you have kids and you want them to be amused for your whole holiday, look no further. Read more... Read the interview of Mr Stephen Maggor, GM of Laguna Beach Resort

Laguna Beach Resort
Bangtao Beach

Laguna Beach Resort, nestled between a tropical lagoon and the sparkling Andaman Sea, features a stunning array of sports & leisure facilities including a Waterpark.

Family Programme
US$ 170* (THB 5,500)+++ per night
Valid till 30 Oct ’07

Ramada Karon Beach Resort

Fantastic outlying islands, lush tropical foliage, comfortable contemporary rooms and villas, sumptuous dining choices, rejuvenating spa treatments and more...

Family Fun in the sun
US$ 103* (THB 3,550) per night
Valid till 31 Oct '07

Holiday Inn Phuket Resort - Patong

The Holiday Inn Resort Phuket lies in a superb location in popular Patong Beach. Standing in its own secluded grounds, just steps away from the beach.

SuperSaver
US$ 114* (THB 3,690) per night
Valid till 31 Oct '07

JW Marriott Resort & Spa - Maikhao

Phuket’s newest resort is a sanctuary for the senses. Enjoy seclusion and tranquility in this vast paradise which overlooks the Andaman Sea.

Advance Purchase Rates
US$ 127* (THB 4,125)+++ per night
Valid till 30 Jun '07

Families, welcome to your perfect hotel. With a selection of rooms suitable for more than two, an expansive children’s area, plenty of activities and kid-friendly food (hot dogs and chicken nuggets from room service), the five-star Mövenpick Resort & Spa caters to travellers with little ones in ways that few others hotels can match. And with a location that’s convenient and quiet, the best of everything is easily within your grasp.
Read more...

Tension is mounting as the 2007 Tasar World Champion -ships draw near. This fast paced event will this year be held in Phuket, taking place at Cape Panwa from July 2nd – 11th, bringing prestige and excitement to our Andaman isle. Competing crews will include Olympic sailor Jonathan McKee (Bronze, Sydney 2000), who's currently sailing in the America's Cup on BMW Oracle (currently 1st place), and 2005 Tasar World Champions, father and daughter Rob and Nicole Douglass.
Read more...

Fish and monkeys go to together like, well, they don’t. But they are two great options for family fun. At the Phuket Aquarium, the names tell the story: Blanc’s Striped Featherback. Fan-bellied Leatherjacket. Powder-blue Surgeonfish. Not only is the experience educational, but the trip allows you to see a beautiful location that few tourists visit. As for Phuket Monkey School, you can’t help but laugh.
Read more...

One of the world’s fastest growing resort property ownership segments is the timeshare and vacation ownership industry. Over the years – and despite growing pains – it has developed into a sophisticated and sound lifestyle investment vehicle. Sparked by properties managed by such high profile international brands as Marriott, Hilton, Disney, Starwood and Four Seasons, the concept is rapidly evolving into new and exciting products. Read more...

and In a place like Phuket, where tourism is a way of life, resorts are often the best location for fine dining that lives up to expectations. This month, we sample the fare at Mali Seafood in Kata Beach’s Sugar Palm Resort. Then it’s time for a staple of the Phuket social and dining scenes: Sunday brunch. As if deciding which buffet table to start at wasn’t difficult enough, now there are five resorts serving indulgent end-of-the-weekend feasts. Read more...

There have always been certification programs for children, but in recent years they have become more available and easier to participate in. Kids under eight cannot learn to dive, but an active parent can get the kids interested in the ocean by learning to dive themselves first, and then take the child snorkelling. Once she has turned eight years kids can try scuba diving in the pool or the shallow ocean, begin to learn skills and become comfortable with the equipment. Read more...

* prices are nett and subject to exchange rate fluctuations

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