Review of Evason Phuket & Bon Island, by The TI Review Team

By TI reviewer Phil Fielding

I was snorkelling in the shallows off Evason Phuket's private island beach when a shoal of tiny, cartoonish yellow-and-black fish circled me, eyeing me curiously. It was the kind of heart-warming moment I'd hoped to experience in Thailand, and a stay at Evason fills you with them.
 
The resort really makes the most of its lush 64 acres on the southern tip of Phuket island and, after a friendly reception, this began to unfold. We were led along a boardwalk through tropical vegetation and passed a tinkling waterfall to our duplex pool suite, which had a spiral staircase that lead down to the lounge. From the bedroom we were struck by breathtaking views of islands out to sea and wanted only to lie on the huge white bed, drinking it all in.
 
Behind us, open shutters revealed the giant bathroom, with its shell-shaped sinks and huge whirlpool bath. I loved the shower cubicle: through the glass door and you're actually outside, kept private by a bamboo roof.
 
Downstairs there's shower room, a big TV and corner suite. This changes into beds if you take the kids (they would love the resort's children's centre and family pool), but for us this was no time for watching telly, we just had to cool off in our private plunge pool.
 
Evason Phuket has 123 studios, 91 deluxe rooms and 52 suites, all speckled with hints of Thailand. The curtains rise rather than open, messages are delivered in bamboo tubes and the soap packets are cute little recycled paper envelopes fastened with twine. There are three restaurants, Into The View, Into The Med, and Into Thai - at the latter we enjoyed a fabulous dinner and spectacular views across the Andaman Sea.

The next day it was off to the Six Senses spa for a Thai massage. After an hour of pulling, pummelling and rubbing I emerged so relaxed I had to lie down by Evason's infinity pool with a Mojito. I wonder that if I hadn't had the invigorating massage, I might have gone scuba diving or to the private island, Bon Island, to try some watersports. We did, in fact, take the resort's Thai long-tailed boat over there – it's just a ten minute ride and it's also home to the top-end suites – but we just went to tan and float around in the bluest of blue seas. And that's how I met my new brightly-coloured Finding Nemo friends.