A Holiday in Phuket, Thailand: Impiana Resort in Pataong Beach

A few weeks ago I entered a photo contest in Bangkok and…I won! The grand prize: a stay at the seaside Impiana Resort on Patong Beach in Phuket, an island I have been wanting to visit for the longest time.

Since Sam and I had plans to fly down to Penang, Malaysia for a visa run at the start of July, we decided to make a little stopover in Phuket and turn the trip into a little holiday.

Now, I would normally show you the sights and all the fun things you can do around the island, however, this weekend was about pure relaxation and I hardly ended up leaving the hotel grounds. There was no sightseeing, no island hopping, and there was certainly no Patong nightlife, so instead I’ll be giving you a tour of my little oasis for two days.

The Room

We got a spacious cabana located not far from the swimming pool. The bedroom had a large king sized bed as well as a day bed which acted as a nice little reading nook. Every morning we were greeted with a bowl of fresh tropical fruits in addition to the breakfast buffet.

Breakfast

Breakfast was served every morning at the hotel’s Sala Bua Restaurant right by the sea.

The open buffet had an assortment of fresh baked breads and pastries with a variety of spreads – including nutella! Tropical fruits and cereals abounded, as did an array of cheeses and deli meats. Some stations specialized in Thai food, while others served up Western favourites like omelettes (made to order), waffles, pancakes and bacon.

Don’t let my small portions fool you; I went back for seconds and thirds.

The Pool

Of course the highlight of my stay was this beautiful pool which overlooked the Andaman Sea. Suffice it to say that I spent most of my time either lounging on a chair with a Kindle in hand, or swimming the length of the pool.

The Beach

The highlight of any visit to Phuket is beach time and many travellers choose to take tours to the famed shores of Maya Beach in Ko Phi Phi Leh (which was the set for the film The Beach) or to Ko Khao Phing Kan (which was the set for the James Bond film The Man with the Golden Gun). I went to neither of those.

The thing about a place like Phuket is that it is very crowded, and since I only had a few days on the island I wanted to have a relaxed stay and make the most of my time at the resort. Rather than taking the big tours to nearby islands, I chose to hang out on this quieter stretch of beach, which in my opinion was quite scenic. I may have missed out on some really popular beaches, but at the end of the day, I enjoyed having a low-key holiday without a busy agenda.

Slow‑Travel Phuket: Turning a Two‑Night Resort Stay into a Complete Mini‑Retreat

So you’ve checked into Impiana and flopped onto that cloud‑soft king bed. You’ve already planned tomorrow’s pancake‑plus‑Nutella strategy at the buffet. Excellent start. But a true “do‑nothing” holiday in Phuket isn’t just about avoiding checklist sightseeing. It’s about layering small, sensory pleasures that let the island work its quiet magic between naps. Below you’ll find a slow‑travel playbook designed for a 48‑to‑72‑hour stay on Patong Bay. It’s built entirely around Impiana’s front gate. In other words…zero scooters, zero tour buses, maximum serotonin.

Claim a Rhythm: The 3‑Block Day

Think of each vacation day as three gentle blocks rather than a rigid itinerary:

Design everything—breakfast timing, spa bookings, sunset cocktails—around these moods and you’ll avoid that nagging feeling that you “should be out exploring.” (Spoiler: you absolutely should not.)

Sunrise Drift: Five Micro‑Experiences Before 9 a.m.

1. Barefoot beach‑combing (06:10)

   • Step straight from your cabana onto Patong’s still‑cool sand. Collect one shell, toss one worry.

2. Thai monk almsgiving (06:30 outside Impiana’s main gate)

   • Keep a 20‑baht note handy. Offer it into the monk’s bowl, receive a brief Pali blessing—inner reset achieved.

3. DIY beachfront coffee crawl (07:00)

   • Walk north 300 m to The Coffee Club. Order a flat white to‑go, stroll back sipping as the fishing boats motor out.

4. Mindful pool laps (07:45)

   • Impiana’s infinity edge acts like a natural horizon line. Swim five slow laps, exhale on every third stroke, watch the sun climb.

5. Buffet round 1 (The Tropical Plate) (08:15)

   • Watermelon, dragon fruit, papaya, a squeeze of lime. The hydration hit you didn’t realise you needed after that salt‑air stroll.

Midday Float: Crafting the Perfect Pool‑to‑Spa Continuum

Claim the Shade Sweet‑Spot

By 10:45 a.m. most sunbeds are taken. Head to the south‑east corner of the pool deck—last to lose shade, first to regain it mid‑afternoon.

Curate Your Lounger Survival Kit

90‑Minute “Herbal Compress Renewal” at Swasana Spa (13:00)

• What it is: Warm muslin pouches packed with lemongrass, kaffir lime, turmeric pressed along energy lines.

• Sensory highlight: The audible sizzle when compress meets massage oil.

• Pro tip: Book the couple’s suite and ask staff to time the treatment so the final scalp massage syncs with monsoon‑season rain on the skylight—10/10 auditory bliss.

Buffet Round 2 = Made‑to‑Order Pad Thai (14:45)

For late lunch, wander 50 m south on Thawewong Rd. to No. 6 Restaurant (hole‑in‑the‑wall institution). Order “Pad Thai gung sai kai, mai pet” (shrimp pad Thai with egg, not spicy). ฿90 and worth every baht.

Return to pool. Repeat Float Sequence until you can’t remember which chapter you’re on.

Golden‑Hour Glow: Sunset Rituals Without Leaving Patong

1. Roof‑top Mocktail at 3 Mermaids (17:15)

   • Five‑minute tuk‑tuk ride south brings you to a cliff‑perched bar. Order the Butterfly‑Pea Mojito (colour‑shifting magic when lime is added).

2. Sunset Soundtrack (17:45)

   • Spotify: “Thai Luk Krueng Classics.” Sip, sway, recall zero emails.

3. Feet‑in‑the‑Sand Seafood BBQ (19:00)

   • Back on Patong, look for Impiana’s beach grill cart (operates Fri‑Sun). Grab a plate of grilled squid + tamarind sauce (฿250) and sink toes into the sand.

4. Night‑cap Gelato (20:00)

   • Two blocks inland: Samero’s Icecream Paradise—get the coconut sorbet in a fresh coconut shell. Return to cabana under fairy‑lit frangipanis.

Mini‑Excursions That Still Feel Lazy

If two full days of pool‑lounging sparks a tinge of cabin fever, choose one of the following half‑day jaunts. They’re hour‑glass‑shaped: narrow in transport time, wide in payoff.

Return to Impiana, congratulate yourself for “exploring Phuket,” resume float‑position.

Packing List for a Carry‑On‑Only Chill Trip

Bonus: leave the bulky snorkel set at home—Patong’s near‑shore visibility is meh; you’ll rent if you join a longer island trip next visit.

Budget Snapshot: Two Days of Decadence Without Melting the Card

*Splurge = full tourist pricing, service charge included.
†Frugal‑Chic = same joy, fewer zeros.

A lot of travellers treat Phuket like a base camp. Sleep here, jet out daily to James Bond Island, Phi Phi, Similan, repeat. But there’s a sly wisdom in doing the opposite at least once.

And really, isn’t that what a holiday is for?

Have you ever spent a holiday just lounging rather than sightseeing?