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The scene in Phuket caters to all tastes and has a little something for everyone. A recent wander through the city showcased the wide variety of options on offer for those looking for a bit of fun once the sun goes down. Narrowing down the various options can prove to be challenging, but on the next few pages are some of the best, to help you reach a decision.

Craft Beer Bars
Trendy beer bars serving the latest flavours and brews of craft beers continue to pop up all over Phuket Town, and they’re a welcome addition to the Phuket nightlife scene.

Phuketique 
A charming downtown corner café that serves awesome coffee drinks and cocktails. Two well-stocked refrigerators at Phuketique showcase hard-to-find bottled craft beers from around the world. Perhaps the first bar in Phuket to serve craft beer, Phuketique is a great place to relax and ‘people watch’. The café menu has good food at affordable prices as well.

[streetsofphuket] 81 C5

The Barrel Wine Beer & Bistro Bar
A new restaurant that serves a wide variety of Thai and Japanese dishes, as well as a few western favourites. An expansive wine list, and a generous craft beer list, accompany the food. Seating is comfortable and ample at The Barrel and the restaurant features live acoustic music in the evenings as well as great nightly specials on drinks and food.

[streetsofphuket] 82 E6

Crafts & Co
Located on Yaowarat Road in the heart of Phuket Old Town. The bar itself is small and cozy which makes it perfect for an evening with friends. Crafts & Co. has a wide variety of craft beers on tap and in bottles, and offers a small menu of simple snacks and Thai food.

[streetsofphuket] 81 C4

Comics Café & Bar
Feels like walking straight into a comic book. Drawings cover the walls, and the overall decoration theme is black and white. Comics Café & Bar serves many imported beers and craft beers, as well as rather large cocktails. Most nights, there’s live acoustic music or a DJ.

[streetsofphuket] 81 C5

Mixology & Flair
A few really interesting mixology & flair bars have opened up in Phuket Town, and these establishments take cocktails to the next level. Creative and skilled, the ‘mixology & flair’ bars are gaining quite a reputation in Phuket.

Club No. 43
An upscale cocktail bar located on Yaowarat Road, staff members are highly skilled in the arts of mixology & flair. Watching the cocktails being made is half the fun of this place. The cocktail menu is extensive, and it should be noted that Club No. 43 makes a good mocktail, too. Events surrounding cocktails and food pairings are regular occurrences at Club No. 43.

[streetsofphuket] 81 C5

Cariocas Bistro & Lounge
The new kid on the block in Phuket City. This South American themed bistro serves Mexican favourites and Thai food, while the cocktail menu is as thick as a schoolbook. Cariocas hosts events nearly every night of the week, including salsa dance classes, live music and some of Phuket’s finest DJs.

[streetsofphuket] 68 G6

ZIMPLEX
A mixology laboratory that is the brainchild of a very hip and artsy Thai couple. Drinks here are carefully constructed and pack a punch. ZIMPLEX’s drinks are art in a glass featuring neon-coloured liqueurs that blend into interesting designs. ZIMPLEX features DJs most nights of the week.

[streetsofphuket] 81 E5

Ingredients

• 1 kg boneless beef cut in small squares 
• 1 large roughly chopped onion 
• 1 carrot chopped coarsely 
• 3 potatoes, each cut into 6 pieces 
• 2 garlic cloves 
• 2 tbsp of tomato paste 
• 1 cup of beer broth 
• 1 cup of Guinness 
• 1 tbsp of Worcestershire sauce 
• 3 thyme sprigs
• flour for dusting
• salt and pepper

Method
Pat beef dry and season with salt and pepper. Dust with flour and fry in a heavy ovenproof pot in batches. Transfer beef to a bowl and fry onion and garlic till softened. Add tomato paste and cook an additional 2 minutes. Add broth, Guinness, potatoes, carrots and thyme. Bring to gentle boil. Cover and transfer to 175°C preheated oven, until beef is tender (about 90 minutes). Cool and remove the thyme. Once cooled, transfer into bowls and top with puff pastry (store-bought is fine).

Brush the pastry with egg wash and bake for 20 minutes.

PHUKET, 15 December, 2016 – The first Kata Rocks Superyacht Rendezvous (KRSR) is being hailed by leading industry players as Asia’s top superyacht event, placing Phuket firmly on the global yachting map.

The KRSR raised Phuket to a new level, joining Monaco, St Tropez, Cannes and the Caribbean as one of the world’s most preeminent superyacht destinations.

Mr Bas Nederpelt Commercial Director Feadship said: “The organisers of the 2016 Kata Rocks Superyacht Rendezvous have exceeded all our expectations. Kata Rocks hosted very energetic parties attracting the right crowd and organised a memorable owner’s dinner. The 2017 cruising season could not have had a better kick-off. With KRSR Phuket truly is now well and truly Asia’s top yachting destination.”

In total over 15 world-class superyachts assembled for this exclusive rendezvous, making it the most successful event of its kind on the Asian superyacht calendar. The KRSR offered a series of bespoke activities, glamorous parties and social events that effortlessly mixed networking and socialising in a relaxed and luxurious environment.

Private, extravagant and commercially significant, KRSR welcomed Phuket to the ‘superyacht society’ in grand style. With many luxury destinations now competing specifically for yachts, its fast becoming the best way to visit Phuket and its archipelago, the true sign of wealth, style and status has arrived.

Located along a ‘rustic’ road which gives no hint of the exciting surprises in store for guests, The Mangosteen (named after the delicious purple Thai fruit) is a lush oasis of tranquility in Rawai. Graciously welcomed by Rose von Keller, co-owner with her husband Hajo, we’re soon appreciating the delights of this boutique resort. Our villa is perfection: a high-ceilinged, spacious suite with soft lighting. Orchid blossoms welcome us into an opulent living space with an enormous four-poster bed and luxurious sofa. Thoughtful details include a well-stocked bar, a bowl of fresh fruit and superfine bathrobes and towels. On the balcony – surprise, surprise – an alfresco Jacuzzi.

Established 14 years ago, The Mangosteen enjoys an undulating hilltop setting, with an abundance of palms, leafy trees and colourful shrubs. In this tropical garden setting, Hajo has wisely retained existing trees, as well as adding colourful plumerias, bougainvilleas, tabernaemontanas and adeniums. Reaching the restaurant and adjacent swimming pool involves a walk along glazed terracotta brick paths – an impressive design feature – flanked by lush greenery, a pleasant stroll which discreetly links all 42 of the individual villas.

The Mangosteen’s buildings, created by Hajo in consultation with celebrated designer John Underwood, share a stunning and unique structural feature: an octagonal motif which ensures all-round views. The figure is present everywhere: in poolside parasols and thatched salas, in the villas and reception area (itself surrounded by an octagonal fish pond with koi carp), in the centrally sited restaurant, even in the spa. Hajo’s preference for natural materials is evident everywhere: wooden doors, internal floors and beams, earth tones of orange, green and cream, the use of natural brick outdoors, and polished granite in bathrooms.

Pause for a moment as you meander, and you can enjoy panoramic views of ultramarine seas, Lone, Bon, Racha and Coral islands and of yachts moored at Chalong Bay. At night, the whole resort, with its undulating pathways, twinkling lights and lanterns, assumes an almost magical aura.

Ingredients 

• 400g Carnaroli rice
• 200g unsalted butter
• 120ml Prosecco sparkling wine
• 60g chopped white onion
• 100g diced strawberries
• 150g Parmigiano reggiano cheese
• 4 large slices of Prosciutto di Parma
• 1.2 litres vegetable stock
• aged balsamic vinegar

Preparation
Dry the ham in an oven at 65ºC until crispy. Warm half of the butter in a pot and add half of the strawberries and all the onion. Stir slowly until the onion becomes translucent. Pour in the rice, heating it well. Pour in the wine and stir with wooden spatula, let it evaporate completely. Add boiling vegetable stock, lower the heat to a slow simmer and let it cook without stirring anymore for circa 13 minutes. Check if more stock is needed. Turn off the heat; add the rest of strawberries, the rest of the butter in small pieces and the grated Parmigiano cheese. Blend ingredients with a wooden spatula, then cover the pot and leave for fi ve minutes. Distribute the risotto in four plates, decorate with a slice of ham and serve accompanied by balsamic vinegar.

Roland Bleszynski is an unusual man: a mould-breaker who has maintained his core principles while establishing a successful career. He may move in the rarefied air of high-end business contracts, but unlike so many CEOs who have forged stellar careers after taking an MBA, Roland came into property development via a different route – civil engineering. He could have chosen to follow a more lucrative career in a big city atmosphere, but decided 16 years ago to work in the natural surroundings of Phuket.

He loves life here and has no intention of leaving a climate which has, “365 days of summer and an uninterrupted growing season”. Above all, he hopes to assist Phuket to evolve and mature in the right way, without an overdose of “cheap and (not so) cheerful” apartment blocks.

Managing Director of MontAzure, an award-winning resort and residential development at the north end of Kamala Beach, Roland has also long been MD of Abode Developments, a development management consultancy involved in real estate projects for foreign investors and property funds.

But the MontAzure project is massive in scope. In combination with Narai Property, ARCH Capital management of Hong Kong and Philean Capital of Singapore, it aims to develop 454 rai of prime beachfront, valley and hillside land. The integrated scheme will include a hotel, Café Del Mar and five beach clubs, including the HQ Beach Lounge – in which we enjoyed lunch.

In keeping with Roland’s environmental concerns, none of the properties will exceed 16 metres in height, so the tree line will not be compromised. He intends to retain the existing mature woodland and, since the surrounding hills form a natural watershed, to install a system of rainwater harvesting. Planned in three phases, the first two will be Twinpalms Residences and The Estates at MontAzure. The area extends from the shoreline to deeply wooded hillsides – today wreathed in mist

Hua Hin – Thailand’s original seaside resort – provides an ideal escape from the hectic pace of life in Bangkok. Incurable romantic Mike Moore took a train journey to this tranquil and laidback beach town to discover a touch of history, considerable charm and a host of fascinating all-Thai adventures.

I'm a hopeless romantic and like to stay in a hotel that some folks consider passé because it hasn’t changed since Queen Victoria bunked in the place. It’s often difficult, in Thailand, to fill my need for the quaint and romantic, but Hua Hin is close to perfect. Originally a sleepy fishing village, Hua Hin awakened from its slumber in the 1920s with the addition of a railway from Bangkok. Although no longer ‘sleepy’, Hua Hin attracts me when I feel a need to escape the fast and furious pace of Bangkok and indulge in a bit of relaxation by the seaside.

The journey
Since I’m into history, charming little train stations and stuff like that, I take the railway to Hua Hin on the Bangkok – Singapore line. Built in 1911, Hua Hin’s wooden train station has been beautifully preserved and has a fascinating adjacent station reserved solely for the Royal Family. The trains don’t quite match the station for quaintness, but the journey is exciting.

The arrival in Hua Hin will transport any self-respecting romantic into another world. All trains going south stop at Hua Hin, but the most convenient and comfortable is the all second-class Special Express Diesel Railcar leaving Bangkok’s Hua Lampong Station at 8.05am and arriving in Hua Hin at 11.26am. When you leave the station, be sure to take a bicycle samlor to your hotel. It’s the way they did it in the 1920s.

Flights, buses and taxi will also get you from Bangkok to your Hua Hin hotel in just a few hours.

Eating out
Once an active fishing port, Hua Hin still has enough fisherfolk around to ensure a steady supply of fresh seafood for its restaurants. Most of the seafood eateries are found along the beach on Naresdamri Road, but the best places are away from the centre of town. There are also loads of places serving western, Indian and Japanese food, including Italian places with pizza and pasta. In the evening, the adventurous head for the food stalls at the Night Market on Dechanuchit Road where, in addition to traditional Thai specialities, several vendors serve fresh seafood.

You'll get a good night’s sleep in Hua Hin. At most places the lights go out and shutters close by 10pm.

The 15th edition of the Royal Langkawi International Regatta (RLIR) will take place from 9 to 14 January 2017 in and around the mystical islands of Langkawi, Malaysia. Organised by the Royal Langkawi Yacht Club (RLYC), this annual event attracts sailors from the world over vying for the coveted trophies as well as the Tunku Abdullah Sportsmanship Award, presented in memory of the regatta’s founder, the late Prince Abdullah, to the best team voted by the participants for its competitiveness, fair racing and comradeship on land and at sea.

Yachts competing in RLIR2017 will race in eight different classes; Racing, IRC 1, IRC 2, Sports Boat, Multihull, White Sail, Ocean Rover and Club Cruising Classes and entries before 30 November 2016 will offer participants special early-bird rates. The races are held in a combination of harbour and open sea courses, with one day set aside for the round-the-island race.

Teams participating in the RLIR 2017 will be competing for the Prime Minister’s Challenge Trophy (Racing Class), the RLYC Commodore’s Cup (Club Class Cruisers), the LADA-IRC Challenge Trophy (IRC 1 Class), the RLIR-IRC 2 Challenge Trophy (IRC 2 Class), the Malaysian Multihull Challenge Cup (Multihull Class) and Langkawi Sports Trophy (Sports Boat Class).

In 2016, Alive’s debut RLIR was rewarded with the Prime Minister’s Challenge Trophy for the Racing Class. Fujin stole the show to take the LADA-IRC Challenge Trophy while Mata Hari claimed the RLIR IRC-2 Challenge Trophy. SMU took home the Langkawi Sports Trophy for the Sports Boats Class and WOW won six of the seven Multihull races to take the Malaysian Multihull Challenge Cup.

EDITOR: Since the beautiful renovation has been successfully completed at RLYC, how do you differentiate the disciplines of running three distinctive departments, yacht club and marina, hospitality and hotel and, last but not least, the new retail outlets?

TK: The disciplines are not really that much apart from each other they all aim to give our patrons maximum statisfaction and make them happy. The Yacht club and marina are well established and, with the addition of the Langkawi Yacht Club Hotel and Fisherman’s Wharf Langkawi, we have elevated our operations to a new level. Often the different disciplines are overlapping a yacht owner may stay in our hotel for a few days and also enjoy the new facilities on Fisherman’s Wharf.

EDITOR: Is managing the yacht club easier because it has been operating for several years – or more challenging because of the massive expansion?