Phuket has long been at the top of my never ending travel bucket list. Thailand is home to many amazing cities with beautiful culture, landscapes, and resorts. There are a lot of options when booking a luxury vacation and Sri Panwa was a resort that stood out as a must visit property.
LOCATION OF SRI PANWA
Sri Panwa is located on the Southern Tip of Phuket in the Cape Panwa region. The resort is about a 1 hour car ride from Phuket International Airport HKT. This area of Phuket is much quieter than the party hub of Patong Beach making it a great choice for those looking to enjoy a quieter and more relaxing getaway.
The location of this property is ideal as it is only a short 20 minute taxi ride to the famous Old Town Phuket. Additionally, if you are looking to Island Hop or take boat excursions then you will find yourself much closer to all the ferry points and marinas. This will save you a lot of time compared to the resorts on the West Side of Phuket.
THE SRI PANWA RESORT
Sri Panwa is a massive resort sitting on 40 acres of lush tropical surroundings with beautiful views of the sea and neighboring islands. The property has a large footprint but provides maximum privacy with a wide range of secluded individual villas in addition to two buildings with a small amount of pool suites.
You can certainly walk but everyone seems to enjoy the private Tuk Tuk cars that can pick you up and drive you anywhere on the resort.
The resort has a small private beach area in addition to multiple large pool areas with plenty of seating and servers for food and drinks. Because all of the villas have private pools, many of these common and shared areas will feel very quiet and unused making for a more enjoyable experience.
ACCOMODATIONS AT SRI PANWA
There are tons of different types of accommodations to choose from on property.
The pool suites are the base level room category and are by no means standard. These rooms are spacious and comfortable and have a private balcony with your very own pool.
The Penthouse is a larger room that doubles in size and provides an additional kitchen with a daily stocked mini bar, a dining table, and a large living area with an oversized couch. The private pools in these rooms are double the size as the Pool Suites. Outside your room is a large patio with a couch that is covered to enjoy shade and an infinity pool that is open to the sky above.
For even more privacy and luxury, book a 1 or 2 bedroom villa which are even bigger rooms with large private outdoor spaces including seating areas and large pool footprints. These layouts are so beautiful that these guests will find themselves not needing to leave the villa.
DINING OPTIONS AT SRI PANWA
There are no shortages of dining options available to guests. Start your day with an included breakfast where you will enjoy a la carte options as well as a wide range of buffet options serving multiple cuisines (Asian, Indian, etc). I enjoyed the fresh juices (the watermelon juice was my favorite) to start my morning as well as a Thai Coffee. Indulge in post breakfast pastries with a wide range of selections that are different each day.
For lunch and dinner there are multiple dining options for any cuisine you might be craving.
Baba Iki was a favorite with some of the best sushi I have ever had. Enjoy a private table or sit at the sushi bar. There is also a teppanyaki bar where you can enjoy a show as the chef prepares your food. The Udon soups and sushi were so delicious that we ate here for two of our dinners.
Baba Nest is a must book during your stay. This rooftop lounge serves tapas and cocktails with unparalleled views of Phuket and the neighboring islands. This is a perfect way to start your evening.
Baba Soul serves authentic Thai Cuisines, Baba Chino serves great Chinese cuisines and Baba Hot Box serves top quality meats and seafood. Be sure to stop by the Soul Cafe and enjoy a fresh smoothie, coffee, or pastry during the day as well.
You can also enjoy on demand catering to your room which is perfect for the larger Penthouse and Villas.
HEALTH AND WELLNESS AT SRI PANWA
The gym here is beautiful and features a separate stretching and pilates area as well as a large selection of weight lifting equipment including a squat rack, machines, and dumbbells.
Additionally you will find a Thai Boxing Ring which is not something you will find in many hotels! Right next to the gym are two tennis courts as well.
You can’t go to Thailand and not book a spa treatment! From the moment you arrive you are immediately relaxed as you are welcomed to an open air environment with beautiful views, lush landscapes, and water features. You will enjoy a cold towel and refreshing Tea upon arrival (a much appreciated gift as it is usually very hot in Thailand) while you select and finalize your treatment plan.
We booked a signature massage which started with a foot massage in a warm bath before going over to the massage beds. The treatment was nothing short of perfect and very reasonably priced compared to costs at most other high end resorts.
ACTIVITIES OUTSIDE OF THE RESORT
The resort has their own private boat which we rented for the day to take us on an excursion to the nearby Phi Phi Islands. You could book a shared tour but the resort private excursion was easily worth the extra money for the convenience and space. The staff was great from the moment they picked us up in a luxury van. The two captains were super friendly and fun and tailored the trip to what we wanted to see as well. We got to see monkeys, tons of sea life, and amazing rock formations.
If we stayed longer in Phuket we would have also wanted to visit Phang Nga Bay, home to famous Hong Island, James Bond Beach, and other beautiful areas. We ultimately chose Phi Phi Islands as the water is clearer and there is an abundance of fish to snorkel with.
OVERALL REVIEW OF SRI PANWATh
The resort did not disappoint and was everything I had hoped for when planning this bucket list trip. The resort felt very quiet which was perfect to enjoy a relaxing vacation. The pools and restaurants were never crowded making the service impeccable throughout the entire stay. If you are planning a trip to Phuket then I definitely would recommend a stay at Sri Panwa.
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