Phuket, Thailand

Honeymoon luxury at Indigo Pearl in Nai Yang

A secret honeymoon, beginning in Phuket

After an overnight stay at the Heathrow IBIS, a bus to the terminal, check-in and an EAT steak sandwich, we were on our Thai Airways flight to Bangkok.

The location of our honeymoon was kept a tight lipped secret until the last moments; Sam believed we were headed for Japan.

Reading our Thailand guide, on the outbound flight
Reading our Thailand guide, on the outbound flight

The 10 hour flight passed smoothly, and I wrote up our wedding day, much like this. Connect 4, some films and food passed the time.

At Bangkok we waited four hours for our connecting flight to Phuket. 12:30am our time, we were exhausted. Whilst queueing for immigration, the slowest moving queue ever, we spoke with a Korean man about life and travelling.

The Indigo Pearl

The 1h30 Phuket flight felt instant, asleep on take off, awake on landing (with a bump). Enter the searing 38C tropical heat. Almost there, just one taxi ride and we were at our destination, the Indigo Pearl, Nai Yang.

Greeted with an iced tea, complete with star of anise and cooling face flannel, we checked in. The Pearl’s decoration and theme was a seamless fusion of metal sculpture, tin mining, wood, tools and luxury, all with an obsessive attention to detail.

Indigo Pearl reception
Indigo Pearl reception
Luxurious Indigo Pearl
Luxurious Indigo Pearl

After a shower at the fitness centre (and a bug the size of my hand), our room was ready. WOW, the room was incredible. Lotus flowers sat on the super king sized bed, and the hotel’s theme continued; toilet roll holders were shaped like giant bolts, huge wooden sliding doors separated the bed and bathrooms, a large window into the bathroom from the bedroom was intriguing and there was a delicious yet subtle oriental smell of Jasmine and Champaka.

Our room at Indigo Pearl
Our room at Indigo Pearl

Sleeping from 3pm until 5pm, we awoke starving. Too sleepy to venture out, we ordered room service. A serving of chicken satay, prawns in coconut, deep fried soft shelled crab and some quesadillas shortly arrived, it all looked and tasted gorgeous. The ever smiling and helpful Indigo Pearl staff had a surprise for us; complimentary exotic fruit platter, heart shaped chocolate desserts and a bottle of Champagne. Our jaws almost hit the floor.

The best soft shelled crab we’ll ever eat
The best soft shelled crab we’ll ever eat
Complimentary dessert and champagne for our honeymoon
Complimentary dessert and champagne for our honeymoon

Perfectly sated and in paradise, we fell asleep to the thundering down pour of a tropical storm, and an air conditioner turned up full.

Relaxing at Indigo Pearl, dinner at Black Ginger →