bliss by the beach
If Heaven is a place on earth, as 80s superstar Belinda Carlisle once posited, then its exact location on our planet is possibly 8.0360°N, 98.2760°E. Which is a bluff just north of Phuket’s Bang Thao Beach, where a cluster of villas hug a cliffside that races down to a soft white beach bookended by dramatic, weather-worn boulders. This is Trisara, a resort that defined luxury in Phuket when it first opened in 2004. Many other have attempted to scale the same peak trail-blazed by Trisara, but an extensive renovation (and re-opening in late 2016) proved that Trisara is still in a blue ribbon class of its own.
Cossetted by a ‘managed jungle’ that still managed to retain a sense of wild, the villas at Trisara remain bright, airy and understated, with rooms facing the expanse of the Andaman Sea and the breeze that it brings. The year-long renovation added new villa categories – the Ocean View Pool Junior Suites and Ocean View Pool Suites – perched on the highest vantage point of the resort. Blessed with expansive infinity pools, it provides immediate aquatic inspiration when one is too lethargic to stroll down to the resort’s private beach.
The renovation also bestowed the resort’s spa with a new name. Based on a holistic five pillar philosophy inspired by the century-old Ficus tree that envelopes Jara Spa, treatments here aim to provide rejuvenation, renewal, anti-aging, mindfulness and pleasure. Focus on one, or focus on all; Jara Spa’s ‘Discoveries’ packages offer a multitude of healing options that can address its wellness pillars individually or as a whole.
For sustenance, the new PRU – which stands for Plant, Raise and Understand – brings sustainability to the kitchen. Focusing on a farm-to-table menu that celebrates the bounty of the Andaman, ingredients here at either sourced from local farmers and fishermen, or grown on the resort’s very own Pru Jumpa farm. The resort’s previous stalwart, Seafood at Trisara, is still here, serving up an ocean-focused menu that cherry-picks the best ‘mama’ recipes – Thai dishes that were created and existed only in the heads of Thai mothers, until now.
Between turquoise waters and lush jungle, Trisara is the setting for some life-defining memories. Local food foraging? A land-and-sea tour of the island? A trip to dive into the colourful history of Phuket? Or just a girls-only weekend? What you can imagine, Trisara has the capability to provide. The new lick of paint impresses, but what truly sets Trisara apart is its dedication to your experience. That has not changed at all.
