Sponsored by Kata Rocks Phuket.
On the west coast of Phuket overlooking the sparkling Andaman Sea, lies a boutique resort that looks like it’s been plucked off a Greek Island in the Mediterranean and dropped down on one of the most enviable positions on the island.
Welcome to Kata Rocks – an ultra-luxe five-star resort and residence where no expense has been spared. Since opening in 2014, Kata Rocks has been topping best hotel lists worldwide. Each of the 34 private pool villas and residences have been designed to look feel like you’re on board a super yacht. Minimalist in style, the villas have epic views with floor to ceiling glass windows to maximise its idyllic island location. The residences are holiday homes of the rich and famous, including millionaire celebrity adventurer Bear Grylls who owns a penthouse.
THE VILLAS
The villas aren’t just luxurious, they are also totally teched-out. Each villa comes with an iPad that controls state-of-the-art technology where at a single touch you can control the lighting, temperature, music, television, blinds and the all-important room service.
THE FITNESS CENTRE
If you’re the type who likes to workout on vacay, Kata Rocks has one of the most impressive hotel fitness centres I have ever seen with free weights, every kind of machine you could need and yoga classes – they even have a reformer Pilates machine and a Power Plate. Guests can also visit the resort’s award winning ‘Infinite Luxury Spa’ where there are some crazy impressive treatments on the menu. In addition to all the regular beauty and relaxation treatments, there’s a chromotherapy room for coloured light therapy, a waterbed room equipped with Italian-made Iso-Benessere bed, a water massage bed for aiding spinal integration, and a sleeping pod room with a Metronap rest pod.
THE INFINITY POOLS
While staying at the incredible Kata Rocks, we split our time between our villa and the oceanfront infinity pool and restaurant. When you’re staying in a villa with its own pool, it’s easy to stay in your own little villa bubble and take advantage of the in-villa dining. But with a candlelit table waiting for us by the pool with views out over the Andaman Sea, we ventured out for a romantic meal at their restaurant.
THE RESTAURANT
The good thing about Kata Rocks is that you don’t need to be a guest to dine at the restaurant or have cocktails by the pool. Although having a villa a short walk or golf buggy ride away makes it that little bit sweeter. After sunset cocktails, we feasted on delicious Mediterranean inspired dishes that included fresh grilled squid and seared chilli prawns, washed down with a Californian Pinot Noir.
We stayed in a beautiful one-bedroom spa villa – prices start at around AUD$1,030. There are a range of one, two and three-bedroom villas to choose from including the pièce de résistance – the four-bedroom penthouses that come with 14-metre pools complete with swim-up bars. Details here.
HOW TO GET TO PHUKET:
With Phuket International Airport being Thailand’s third busiest airport, you can have your pick of airlines. Details here.
Thailand camera kit courtesy of Canon Australia, GoPro Australia and KNEKT Australia:
- Cameras: Canon EOS 5D Mark III and Canon EOS 70D.
- Lenses: Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM and Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM and Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM.
- Underwater housing: GoPro HERO4 Silver with KNEKT Dome Port and Trigger Pole.
