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Daily Lunch 11am-2pm
Dinner 6-11pm

Regular visitors to Thailand know it to be a devoutly Buddhist nation - the glittering temples and colourful festivals are testament to this. But scratch beneath the surface and you'll find traditions and beliefs that pre-date even Buddhism customs that still play their part in the everyday lives of people around the country.

One of the most distinctive of these ancient traditions is the festival of Phi Ta Khon, which takes place every year between March and July in the Dan Sai district of Loei. Sometimes called 'The Ghost Festival', the event is known for its cavalcade of locals dressed in distinctive and wildly colourful masks and headgear.

Revellers head for the local Wat Pho Chai Temple, accompanied by bells, music and laughter. Along the route, the masked and merry pranksters dash into the crowd, teasing blushing maidens and frightening and thrilling the children. It's all great fun and one of Loei's biggest draws for visitors seeking a little taste of 'Thainess' off the kingdom's better-known travel paths.

It has been a long journey since Khun Pramookpisitt first arrived in Phuket 36 years ago. A native of Nakhon Si Thammarat, he came to Phuket after working for a bank in Bangkok. With two university degrees and a keen commercial eye, he quickly sensed the touristic potential of the island’s golden beaches, and – armed with a bank loan – created Ka-Kata Inn, at the southern end of Kata Beach. A bold move, it was an aspirational moment in the success story both of Pramookpisitt, and of Phuket’s tourist industry. His flagship resort has gone from strength to strength.

Kata Beach Resort and Spa (its subsequent title) has long been associated with the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta. After Pramookpisitt rescued it from possible oblivion in the 1990s, his resort became the focal point for the regatta’s activities. The opening night party was, and still is, held there. Maybe Kata Beach Resort’s iconic sculptured elephants are emblems of their owner’s wisdom and enterprise

Khun Pramookpisitt’s empire has since grown apace. His Kata Group owns and operates six other resorts in southern Thailand. In 2012, it launched the Beyond Resorts. Now established at Khao Lak, Krabi and Karon, the innovative brand caters particularly to the high-end couples’ market. Kandaburi Resort and Spa in Koh Samui was also added to the portfolio.

As president of the company, he was awarded, in 2015, the prestigious ‘Tourism and Sports Industry Quality Person of the Year Award’. In conversation, he modestly bypasses the topic, but it is given to those who “lead by example and make a major contribution to Thai society”. As he observed: “The company is in many ways an extension of my own family who I would like to thank for their great support and encouragement”.

The notion of family, both immediate and extended, is of central importance to Khun Pramookpisitt’s philosophy. Involved familial members include his wife, Kee and his son and heir, Pariyawit, who recently completed an MBA in Hotel Management at the Glion Institute in Montreux. Naturally, he hopes his son will devote his future energies to the family business. But as he remarks, the younger generation sometimes cherishes different aspirations and values.

Khun Pramokpisitt has always been devoted to the island community. President of the Chamber of Commerce and of the Tourist Association of Phuket, both positions demanded much in terms of his time and energy. He took on the ‘poisoned chalice’ of heading Phuket Town Football Club, an onerous position which became “a headache”. It’s no coincidence that since his departure, the club has been relegated to the fourth division.

An introduction to the Phuket Elephant Sanctuary
The Phuket Elephant Sanctuary is a wonderful initiative brought to Phuket in partnership with Elephant Nature Park, an elephant rescue and rehabilitation centre in the northern province of Chiang Mai. The Phuket Elephant Sanctuary is pioneering ethical elephant tourism on the island by offering retired elephants the chance to live out the rest of their days being well looked after and roaming free.

Essentially, the sanctuary is a retirement home for sick, injured, tired or old elephants who've spent their lives working long, exhausting hours in the tourism or logging industry. Although not uncommon in Southeast Asia, this type of work is not only difficult but often conducted under abusive and cruel conditions. The combination of these factors makes the life of an elephant quite unbearable, and more times than not, unbelievably sad.

Constructing the Phuket Elephant Sanctuary
In the north of Phuket, in the Cherng Talay neighbourhood, the Phuket Elephant Sanctuary is located on an undeveloped land parcel that stretches far and wide. Lush, tropical trees line the open grassy fields that now comprise the natural habitat for the elephants at the sanctuary.

The grounds of the sanctuary feature a charming treetop reception area and observation platform as well as constructed night shelters for the elephants. A dam has been built, and there are shallow lagoons for the elephants to swim and play in.

As the sanctuary continues to expand, more construction will take place in order to accommodate more elephants.

Daily 11am-midnight

A trendy market for teens and hipsters, this market features painted containers for decoration that visitors can use as background to take photos. Chillva has a mix of shops, market stalls, bars, restaurants, food stalls and often has live music too! Container part: daily from 4pm - 10pm. Full market: Thursday to Saturday from 4pm to 11pm. Located Between Tesco Lotus and Phuket Town.

The highest viewpoint in Phuket. The panorama from the ‘Radar Hill’ is simply breathtaking. The views feature Phuket's Bang Wad Reservoir and Chalong Bay with surrounding islands. On the other side of the hill is Patong with the Andaman Sea receding off into the distance. The road ends at the military owned weather station which you can’t enter. Radar Hill Viewpoint is on Chao Fa West Road; take the small road up to Villa Zolitude. The viewpoint is located about two kilometres past the hotel.

Sunday from 4pm.-11pm. Thalang Road becomes a pedestrian zone where numerous shops selling local products – such as food, souvenirs, jewelries and clothes – at affordable and negotiable prices, line both sides of the sidewalk.