COMO Point Yamu, Phuket

COMO Hotels and Resorts brings its holistic wellness philosophy to Phuket's quieter east coast, where the rhythm slows and the Andaman's limestone karsts rise in silhouette across Phang Nga Bay. This is not the developed west-facing beaches of Patong or Kata, but a contemplative slice of coastline where the property faces mainland cliffs and the water takes on pewter and jade depending on the light. The island itself grew prosperous from tin and rubber before tourism arrived, and traces of that mercantile history remain in Old Phuket Town's Sino-Portuguese shophouses, a 35-minute drive south.

Cape Yamu juts into the bay with an unobstructed view east, a landscape of mangroves and tidal flats where longtail boats cut across the water at dawn. The Sarasin Bridge connects Phuket to Phang Nga province to the north, and the island's interior rises to forested hills that catch afternoon cloud cover.

Phuket International Airport sits 18 kilometres northwest, a straightforward transfer that avoids the congestion of the west coast resorts. The nearest town is a local affair: roadside noodle stalls, markets selling galangal and morning glory, no international chains.

The property's COMO Shambhala wellness programme anchors the day here, with yoga pavilions and therapists trained in Asian healing traditions. The kitchen follows COMO's clean-cuisine ethos, emphasizing raw and lightly prepared dishes that draw from Southern Thai ingredients without the usual palm sugar excess. On-site dining focuses on Andaman seafood and produce from regional growers, served overlooking the bay.

For Michelin-starred meals, PRU (one star, 17 kilometres south) delivers a solar-powered, hyper-seasonal tasting menu that embodies its Plant, Raise, Understand philosophy with ingredients from its own farm and nearby waters. Simon Rogan's Aulis (one star, 37 kilometres away) offers a chef's table format with multi-course tasting menus built around Thai ingredients and collaborations with local growers. Book well ahead for either. Phang Nga Bay's limestone formations are accessible by longtail or kayak from nearby piers, the water shallow and green-lit, the cliffs draped in jungle. Start early to avoid the tour groups heading to James Bond Island.

January through March offers the driest, clearest months, with temperatures in the high twenties and mornings that feel almost crisp by Thai standards. The light is sharp, the bay glassy before midday winds pick up. This is peak season, when Europeans and Chinese visitors fill the island's west coast, but the east remains comparatively tranquil.

April turns hotter and still, the prelude to monsoon. From May through October, the southwest monsoon brings heavy afternoon downpours and seas too rough for most boat trips, though mornings often break clear and the island greens intensely. The rain is warm, dramatic, and short-lived.

November and December see the monsoon's retreat, occasional showers lingering but the humidity lifting. The bay calms, the sunsets deepen to rose and charcoal, and the island exhales before the next wave of visitors arrives.