With a climate that almost never drops below 25 degrees Celsius, Phuket is the kind of beachside paradise that feels as though it was created especially for outdoor pursuits.
And when you bring the excellent pastime of dining to the fore, what better outdoor pursuit than to enjoy a decadent meal in this tropical climate where you can feel the warmth on your skin and the sand beneath your toes?
Here are three of the city's best spots for an outdoor meal.
Khantoke Restaurant
Of all the meals in your life, make one of them a dinner at the Khantoke Restaurant, part of the Avista Phuket Resort and Spa. Just minutes from Phuket's stunning Kata Beach, this eatery offers sumptuous Thai fare in an intimate, serenely beautiful environment.
You'll dine on low teakwood tables that can be set as a romantic two or for up to eight. Get comfortable with the floor cushions, soak up the ambiance of the traditional lighting and breathe in the warm night air from your spot on the rooftop of this lush resort. The meals are traditional northern Thai dishes, the drinks are fresh and delicious and the wait staff are dressed in period Thai costume, making for an evening out to dine for.
Bang Gaan Seafood
A great dining experience will have you floating away with happiness – an excellent one will have you floating from the Laem Hin Pier in Phuket to enjoy your meal aboard a long-tail boat.
You can find an armada of four floating restaurants (krachang) along the east coast, serving primarily seafood caught from the waters around you and offering a once-in-a-lifetime to enjoy a meal in such style. Bang Gaan has a reputation as one of the best, but you can also check out Bang Mud Laem Hin, the Black Crab Restaurant and Kru Suwit.
Your menu options will include both the tantalising – fresh fish, succulent shrimp and tender crab – and the adventurous – eel grouper and Leopard shark if you're bold.
Trisara
Usually when a hotel or resort houses its own restaurant, it's only the guests who frequent the dining areas. Not so for Trisara restaurants, the spectacular outdoor areas of the Trisara luxury resort.
The Deck is where you want to be, with its massive teak deck jutting across the resort's private beach, surrounded by coconut trees and well within earshot of the beach lapping longingly on the shore. Spoil yourself with their tapas dishes, fresh seafood, petite fours and other mixtures of Thai and Western meals, lovingly created with local and imported ingredients.
Sunday Brunch is frequented by travellers and locals alike for the food, the views and the live jazz music that's the cherry on top of this flawless dining experience.
