Skyline Brunch

Skyline Brunch

After months apart, Jason and I joined our wonderful friends Brad and Diana to celebrate their return to Dubai. Alongside Carol and Wathik, Karen and Jess, and Emily, we gathered high above Downtown Dubai for Skyline Brunch at Address Sky View – an afternoon that reminds me why Dubai does brunch better than anywhere else.… Read the rest

Brunch in Bloom

Brunch In Bloom

Birthday celebrations in Dubai often come with lofty expectations. There are rooftop venues, extravagant buffets and brunches where the spectacle occasionally overshadows the food. For Jason’s birthday this year, however, we find Brunch in Bloom refreshingly different.

Tucked within the DoubleTree by Hilton at Jumeirah Beach Residence, Gastro Kitchen’s Brunch in Bloom reimagines the beloved Dubai brunch with a gentler touch.… Read the rest

Sushisamba

Sushisamba

There is something quietly restorative about coming home. After an overseas interlude where copious amounts of Pad Thai and Singha were consumed barefoot on the beach, nothing says ’home’ quite like a Dubai brunch and Sushisamba delivers on every level.… Read the rest

Phuket’s Beaches – 7 of the Best

A perfect arc of pristine sand and crystal water

Finding your perfect stretch of sand among Phuket’s beaches may be harder than you think.

Thailand’s largest island is blessed with an extraordinary coastline. Along its shores, jungle-clad headlands tumble into the Andaman Sea, framing everything from hidden coves and undeveloped bays to bustling beach towns lined with restaurants, massage huts and colourful longtail boats.… Read the rest

Nai Thon Beach

Nai Thon Beach

Some places are memorable because of what you do there. Others stay with you because of how they make you feel. Nai Thon Beach is firmly in the latter category.

Nai Thon Beach remains one of Phuket’s most underrated coastal gems, a place where natural beauty takes precedence over development.… Read the rest

Kamala Beach

Kamala Beach

Kamala Beach never really asked to be the highlight of our time in Phuket. That became part of its appeal.

We spend two weeks based here. First, we settle into a backstreet villa at Nathon House, located along the suburban Hua Khuan Nuea Road.… Read the rest

Racha Yai Diving

Racha Yai Diving (photo credit Roberta Martinotta)

Today starts with a crackle of anticipation as the alarm sounds in the early morning. We’re all excited about our our family scuba diving tour to Racha Noi and Racha Yai Islands. We have been promised coral gardens, curious marine life and just enough unpredictability to keep things interesting.… Read the rest

Rush Coffee

Rush Coffee

Tucked into the pastel-hued streets of Phuket Old Town, where Sino-Portuguese façades lean gently into one another and the tropical air hangs thick with incense and street food, I stumble upon something I hadn’t realised I was missing quite so desperately – proper coffee.… Read the rest

Shrine of the Serene Light

Shrine of the Serene Light

Tucked discreetly behind a narrow passageway off bustling Phang Nga Road, the Shrine of the Serene Light feels like a secret waiting to be discovered. While many visitors wander through Phuket Old Town admiring its colourful Sino-Portuguese façades, few realise that one of the area’s most atmospheric and historically rich sites lies just out of sight.… Read the rest

Tri Trang Beach

Tri Trang Beach

Just a few minutes south of Patong Beach, one of Thailand’s most famous strips, Tri Trang Beach feels like a different world altogether.

While Patong, Phuket’s most famous beach, buzzes with jet skis, beach clubs and a constant stream of visitors, Tri Trang occupies a quieter corner of the coastline.… Read the rest