With its world-class golf, Phuket, known for its stunning beaches and lively nightlife, offers more than just a tropical retreat.

Phuket is Thailand’s best-known holiday island and is highly regarded by golfers residing on the island, as well as from around the region. With some half a dozen golf courses to enjoy, long sandy beaches, delicious Thai food, and plenty of lively nightlife, it’s no wonder that Phuket is one of the hottest holiday islands in the world.

On my most recent visit, I decided to seek out good, comfortable accommodation at the Hilton Garden Inn Phuket Bang Tao located at the entrance to Laguna Phuket, enjoy a round of golf at Laguna Golf Phuket, and take in the lively Friday night markets at Boat Avenue. My trip reaffirmed that Laguna Golf Phuket is one of the island’s best courses, one which provides a perfect one-stop holiday venue for Malaysian golfers.

Laguna Golf Phuket is one of Phuket’s most accessible golf courses, and the holiday precinct in which it is located keeps Phuket well in the sights of Malaysian golfers. The course is a feature of the integrated tourism area, a resort precinct that includes hotels, gated communities, and numerous recreational and lifestyle possibilities.

Laguna Phuket has been developed on former tin mining land on the island’s west coast. Tin mining was very important for Phuket, right up until the early 1980s. However, it had a detrimental effect on the environment to say the least, as vast areas of land were devastated by the mining process. Tin aficionados and budding geologists can learn more about tin mining at the Phuket Mining Museum, located in the centre of the island at Kathu, near Loch Palm and Red Mountains Golf Clubs.

Rejuvenating the former mining land wasn’t easy, but the expansive Laguna Phuket is one of the island’s success stories in turning barren sand dunes and tailing ponds into a vibrant holiday destination that now appeals to global travellers.

Laguna Phuket is a three-kilometre beachfront that includes resort properties like SAii, Banyan Tree, Angsana, and Dusit Thani. Most face, or have views of, the Andaman Sea and its dramatic sunsets.

GOLFING AT LAGUNA

Laguna Golf Phuket, one of the island’s oldest courses, is an integral part of the expansive Laguna tourism precinct that encompasses resorts and numerous recreational opportunities. This integrated resort complex features numerous hotels that range from luxurious to value-for-money hotels.

The original course was designed by Max Wexler and David Abell, but was rejuvenated in 2014 by Canadian-based golf course designer Paul Jensen. It is a popular course that continues to appeal to local golfers and visitors to the island. During the make-over, the two nines were reversed.

Jensen accentuated several water features, reworked some contours, and rebuilt others to make the resort course more challenging and visually appealing. It is a fast-paced layout that features undulating fairways that meander through the stunning lagoons and former coconut estates of Bang Tao.

This gently undulating course features expansive greens, numerous picturesque lagoons, and fairways surrounded by lush tropical landscaping. From the back tees, the course measures 6,778 yards, with one of its holes, once rated as one of Southeast Asia’s longest.

Director of Golf Darren Robson suggests that visiting golfers should aim for three rounds of golf while in Phuket; two at Laguna and the third at any one of the other courses like Blue Canyon. He claims Laguna’s five par three holes make it a convenient course and one that can be walked or played using a buggy.

Being mostly flat, it’s a relatively easy course to navigate, and there are rest facilities every three holes. Golfers can also admire the variety of birds along the course, as well as the occasional monitor lizard ambling across the fairways. Some 60 species of wetland birds such as egrets, herons, kingfishers, swamp hens, and bitterns have been identified by professional ornithologists, while the occasional bee-eaters can be seen nesting in the bunker walls.

Guests staying in a Laguna hotel receive preferential course fees, so it makes good sense to stay and play at Laguna. Reservations are essential during the high season (November to March) and at the weekends.

The clubhouse showcases Thai architecture and has excellent facilities, including a restaurant (indoor and outdoor), a popular sports bar, terrace, locker rooms, and a well-stocked pro shop with equipment for hire. Locker rooms and the pro shop have also been recently renovated, and the practice area was enhanced with a full-length driving range that is professionally staffed.

While there may be a perception among some golfers that, as a resort course, Laguna Phuket isn’t as challenging as most of the other courses on the island, it was sufficiently demanding for the Thai Open to have been played here in recent years.

ISLAND ALLURE

Beyond golf, of course Phuket offers an array of leisure pursuits that cater to every traveler’s desires. Whether you’re seeking a tranquil escape or an adventure-packed vacation, the island offers a multitude of experiences.

No trip to Phuket is complete without indulging in its world-class beaches. Patong Beach, with its vibrant nightlife and water sports, is ideal for the spirited traveler. If solitude is your desire, Freedom Beach and Paradise Beach, accessible only by boat, offer secluded stretches of powdery sand and clear waters. Kata Beach is perfect for families, with its gentle waves and ample beachfront activities. Meanwhile, Karon Beach’s long shoreline is a haven for sunset strolls, while Nai Harn Beach, embraced by a lush park, provides an unspoiled retreat.

You might not think of Phuket for cultural pursuits, but the island does hold some surprises! For a slice of local culture, the Old Town of Phuket showcases Sino-Portuguese architecture that whispers tales of the island’s history. Explore colourful streets, visit the Thai Hua Museum, and naturally indulge plentifully in Thailand’s traditional street food. The splendid Big Buddha, perched atop Nakkerd Hill, offers panoramic views and spiritual insight. Wat Chalong, the island’s largest Buddhist temple, beckons with intricate architecture and a serene ambiance. Don’t forget to experience Phuket’s fascinating street markets like the Chillva Market and Phuket Weekend Market, where you can shop for souvenirs and sample local delicacies.

STAY AND PLAY

Many of Phuket’s most alluring resort precincts are located along its beautiful beaches, principally on the island’s western coastline.

The Hilton Garden Inn Phuket Bang Tao is positioned near the Boat Avenue entrance to Laguna Phuket and just a short transfer away from the golf course. It is a new property offering very comfortable rooms and facilities that include an inviting rooftop pool and bar for enjoying the fresh Andaman Sea air and sunsets. This is an excellent venue for a post-game discussion especially as happy hour prices apply in the late afternoon.

The Hilton Garden Inn Phuket Bang Tao also offers golf packages that include room, breakfast buffet for two, and round-trip golf transfers to one of several island courses. Golfers can opt to play 18 holes at Laguna Golf, Blue Canyon, or Aquella Golf and Country Club, an oceanfront course on the mainland just north of Phuket.

NIGHT MARKET

There are many other dining options in Laguna Phuket and at Boat Avenue near the entrance to the tourism complex. The markets are set up in the late afternoon on Friday and extend into the later evening. Roadside stalls serve tantalizing local cuisine while the shops, restaurants and bars beside the lake at Boat Avenue join in the fun with promotions to entice thirsty and hungry diners into their outlet.

Over the past few years of visiting Phuket, I’ve always enjoyed the tempting Mexican delights served at The Mexican. One of the great joys of exploring the Boat Avenue night market is to slip into The Mexican before 6pm and savour their classic Margaritas and Mojitos for just 150 baht.

One of Phuket’s big attractions for golfers is that the island is just a short flight away, and many courses/resorts offer golf and accommodation packages. But if you’re content to trade the links for the leisure of a beach and a cold tropical beverage, Phuket definitely has you covered!

TRAVEL TIPS

Fly

Several daily flights are offered on various airlines from Kuala Lumpur to Phuket, with the flight taking less than 90 minutes. 

Stay

Hilton Garden Inn Phuket Bang Tao (hilton.com).

Visit

Monsoon winds blow strongest from May to October, but showers tend to be short, with life returning to normal soon after. Peak accommodation rates are in place from November to March, when tourism visitation is highest.

Contacts

Tourism Authority of Thailand (T: +603 2162-3480, tourismthailand.org) and Laguna Phuket Golf Club (lagunagolfphuket.com).