“Nobody around here is in a rush,” says our driver Haze, as he steers the buggy skilfully around the corner and up the winding hill to the hotel lobby. The evening air is warm on our faces; the sound of chirping crickets filling the air as the lights of the fishing boats bob on the bay below. “We’re all just taking it as easy as we can,” he says. “Life is short, you know?”
Boarding the plane to COMO Point Yamu, a resort located on Phuket’s quiet east coast, that’s exactly what I was so desperately seeking: to take it easy. In fact, I couldn’t really remember the last time I wasn’t in a rush to do something: to get somewhere on time; to meet that deadline; to get this bloody meeting/ social obligation/ workout/ tedious life-admin task out of the way. Okay, I’ll admit, I sound a little cranky – but that’s because I was. I was burnt out and running on empty. I was wound up so tight I thought steam might shoot out of my ears at any moment like an angry cartoon. That was, until I checked into COMO Point Yamu.
Perched high above Phang Nga Bay and the Andaman Sea, COMO’s Thai property has near-panoramic views of the tropical headland and glistening water below. The décor is modern and minimalist, with plenty of crisp white, open spaces, dotted with bright blue furnishings.
But the real beauty of staying at Point Yamu is that there isn’t much to do beyond, well, just taking it easy. The property prides itself on its peaceful remote location, with Phuket Town a 20-minute drive away in the hotel’s shuttle (£25) and no nearby restaurants, bars or shops. We spent a rather unreasonable amount of time simply enjoying our suite, which was undoubtedly the highlight of our stay. A cloud-like king-size bed, enormous free-standing bathtub, and the jewel in Point Yamu’s crown: the large, pebbled terrace with a wide infinity pool, offering breath-taking views over the turquoise ocean and stretching all the way to the island-lined horizon. For all the hours I spent in quiet contemplation on the edge of the pool, flitting between reading and watching the fishing boats come and go from Phang Nga Bay, I could have spent countless more. If you can’t book a suite, don’t worry. The property has 79 rooms all offering floor-to-ceiling windows with postcard-pretty views.
Point Yamu also has its own huge 100-metre pool on a wide terrace offering beautiful ocean views (of course), which is also where you’ll find the hotel’s food and drink offerings. For poolside dinners, Nahmyaa serves up southern Thai cuisine (a creamy yellow curry with chunks of juicy pineapple and succulent prawns was a definite highlight), while the Aqua Bar is ideal for grabbing a juice to sip in the sunshine or a pre-dinner cocktail as the sun dips behind the bay. La Sirena is the hotel’s main restaurant serving delicious Italian fare, and is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. There’s plenty of tasty wood-fired options for lunch, but you can’t leave without trying the delicious fresh seafood, particularly the seabass.
But breakfast is La Sirena’s raison d'etre. Taking in the morning views of Phang Nga Bay, choose from a sprawling buffet breakfast or a la carte options like coconut waffles with vanilla mascarpone, fresh mango, blueberries, lime and palm sugar sauce; or Thai-style bacon and eggs with sweetcorn, sticky rice and chilli jam.
Elsewhere in our quest to ‘take it easy’: the spa. Oh boy, that spa. COMO Shambhala Retreat, complete with a sauna and hydro pool, offers a range of Asian-inspired massages as well as cleansing and rejuvenating beauty treatments. If you only get one treatment, make it the COMO Shambhala Massage, the hotel’s signature massage which left our minds and muscles feeling lighter and more at ease (approx. £85 for 60 minutes).
Should you need a break from snoozing on a sunlounger and dipping in the infinity pool (it’s a tough life etc), there are fun activities to keep you entertained. We tried kayaking and paddle-boarding with Point Yamu’s friendly instructor, on a secluded patch of beach a short buggy ride from the lobby, and the staff are knowledgeable and helpful about other excursions like diving, snorkelling, sailing and hiking. Then, naturally, back to the pool it is for a sunset cocktail (or three).
When I close my eyes now and picture somewhere serene, I am immediately back at COMO Point Yamu, gazing out over Phang Nga Bay, watching the fishing boats come and go. I remind myself, as Haze would say: Just take it as easy as you can. Life is far too short.
Bay Rooms at COMO Point Yamu start from £230, including breakfast.
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