Time for a Break - Como at Point Yamu, Phuket

     This year I decided not to go for the company incentive trip to Athens; instead I'll be putting time aside to spend with the family. The wifey and I decided that it'd be an opportunity to really relax. Hence we chose the Como property at Point Yamu, Phuket. Many would think us nuts for spending a week here, but that's how we roll.
      The resort is a half hour drive from Phuket International Airport. The squalor that one passes along the way, almost makes one feel guilty that you're heading into the lap of luxury - almost. We soon arrived at Como. The resort overlooks the ocean and several smaller islands in the distance. What greeted us was an instagram-worthy scene.

View from our room - island paradise

     Today we take it real slow...

Learning origami at the Kid's Club.
Enjoying a chrysanthemum- flavoured popsicle.
Taking a dip in the infinity pool.

     Then it's back to the room for an afternoon nap. We had to force ourselves to get up for dinner, because a surprise awaited the little one.

Yummy Thai food. It wasn't the
least bit spicy (even the adult portions)

Special post-birthday birthday
surprise for the little munchkin. 

Sunset - an apt way to end a
tiring but fulfilling day.

Time for a Break - Como at Point Yamu, Phuket: Day 2

     After a leisurely breakfast, we gathered at the resort lobby. It was to be a 25min shuttle ride to the marina. On arrival, we were told that the usual speedboat had engine troubles and we had to use motorized sampans. Unexpected adventure that it was, I was pleasantly surprised that the sampans glided very smoothly across the seemingly choppy water. Nevertheless, the Lil Muchkin was apprehensive and held on to us for the entire ride.

     We soon reached Como's private beach. Deck chairs and parasols lined the relatively short and narrow beachfront. We promptly chose our spot and our chairs were prepred with towels by the ever-attentive staff. Besides the beach, one may enjoy the use of a swimming pool and a bar/restaurant. Use of the kayaks and surfboards, as well as sunscreen are complimentary. 

     While frolicking in the water, I felt as if something cut my left arm. At first I thought that it was just the saltwater acting on my sunburn. However the sensation started getting more intense. It soon felt like chilli padi was rubbed into my skin. I examined my arm and pulled off a translucent tentacle. That's when I realized that this was no sunburn. I never knew that you could treat jellyfish stings with vinegar, but apparently that's how it's done. The medic poured white vinegar over my arm, and that was it. One of the staff informed us that I was quite fortunate that it was a translucent jellyfish instead of a coloured one.

It probably wasn't this guy but here's
a pic for keepsake.

     The Lil Muchkin was tired out after out beach outings. She promptly fell asleep after we arrived back at the hotel. The wifey took the chance to visit the spa while I kept an eye on the little one. 

     We ended our day with in-room dining. The soft-shell crab burger and grilled filet were really not bad. I wouldn't hesitate to go for a second helping if I could. Thus concluded an eventful day.

Time for a Break - Como at Point Yamu, Phuket: Day 3 & 4

     Day 3 and 4 are officially designated "free and easy" days. Breakfast is usually a repetitive affair. However, here we've not had to repeat the main dish so far. That says a lot when we're dining in a single restaurant for almost a week. After breakfast it was bubble time!

     Then we went for a swim. Followed by a poolside lunch of pizza and Phad Thai. The highlight of the day was kite-making for the Lil Muchkin. It was also my chance to get some me-time at the Como Shambhala spa. That's our arrangement - the wifey and I took turns to be with the little one while the other hit the spa or gym.

     The Muchkin was so tired out that she fell asleep mid-way through dinner.

Octopus... tenderly grilled, pun intended

Scallops and onions 

     It never ceases to amaze me how God answers our prayer for favour on the Little One. Wherever she goes, the wait staff would be so taken by her that we would get extra service or complimentary stuff. Here's no exception...

Free off-menu mangoes -
the favourite of both my gals

     Today it rained unceasingly. Thank God we've already been to the Beach Club. The Little Muchkin was kept occupied at the Kid's Club decorating a cupcake. This gave me the opportunity to hit the gym.

It was also kid's Thai kickboxing day at the Club. The Lil Muchkin didn't really take to it. She lost intetedt after a few punches. But here's one for the record...

     To end the day, we had dinner at the Thai restaurant.

600g steamed sea bass. The chilli sauce was gorgeous 

Como's version of Mango Sticky Rice,
with a tinge of jasmine

Time for a Break - Como at Point Yamu, Phuket: Day 5

     The day started with the rain not letting up. The Lil Muchkin was sorely disappointed when they called off the trip. Thank God the sun came up some time later, allowing us to head to the Gibbon Rehabilitation Project. 

     Baby gibbons are kidnapped and their mothers killed, just so money can be made from tourists taking pictures. So never pay to take pictures with "cute" gibbons. The GRP rescues these gibbons, in an attempt to reintroduce them into the wild. 

Abundant wildlife in these woods.
These tiny red crabs were all over, and
there's not a beach in sight.

     Part of the excursion was a climb to the nearby waterfall. The rain made the stony path very slippery. The Lil Muchkin did well while trekking up to the waterfall. 

     But descending, I had to carry this 15kg load and make sure that I didn't slip at the same time. Thankfully nobody was hurt (although the wifey did land on her butt once) on this family adventure.

Time for a Break - Como at Point Yamu, Phuket: Last Days

     The rain kept on coming. Our plans to spend  another day at the Beach Club was foiled. In return, the resort offered to take us to town. We spent half the day in Phuket Central - a modern shopping mall akin to the likes of Singapore's Takashimaya or Vivocity. We could be wrong, but this place seemed more for tourists, as we couldn't imagine how the locals, whose squalid residences we passed on the way, could afford the big name brands and prices.

     Inevitably, we arrived at the final day of our retreat. We purposely booked a late flight so the muchkin could take part in the pizza-making activity in the afternoon...

In front of the kiln-like oven. 

     To sum up, our Lil Muchkin really enjoyed her stay here at Como Phuket. Usually, she'd ask to go home after a few days. This is one of the rare places that she didn't want to go home. There's tonnes of activities for kids at the Como Kid's Club. For adults, we could've gone kayaking and paddle-boarding at the Beach Club. These were all complimentary. The pool at the Beach Club is also available for resort guests. We didn't regret the least bit that we chose a hotel room instead of a villa. All the activities were in the main hotel building anyway.

     The spa was of top-notch quality. The skilled massuers pressed and prodded every knot from my stressed shoulders. It was pretty painful while it was going on but the pain went away the next day - a mark of a good massage.

     The food here deserves a paragraph of its own. The Lil Muchkin, usually a fussy eater, had no trouble here at all. She had the same kid's noodle soup and hard boiled eggs every morning, with a plate of mangoes (by special request). The attentive and friendly staff willingly accommodated my daily request of two eggs on the side (poached or fried depending on my mood). The wifey had her two full servings of young coconut juice every morning as well. What stood out was the thought that went into the cuisine. The children's menu was of equal quality to the adult's, not simply an afterthought like many  other places. Both the Italian and Thai restaurants had a variety on the menu, which we gladly sampled. The food was prepared in the healthiest way possible (the Thai restaurant served black rice and the La Serina had gluten-free options on request). Even the wok-fried food didn't taste oily. In fact we got used to visiting the loo several times a day to "detox".

Duck and lychee on coconut wafers 

Blue swimmer crab curry.
It really came with chunks of crab meat

Salted egg yoke squid. Not too salty, with
just a hint of the egg. I finished up the gravy.

     In conclusion, despite the rain, we had a wonderful time. I think we mastered the art of taking turns to enjoy "me time" while on a family vacation. It really helped that the Kid's Club was fun. The staff made us feel like family, and the food was superb. Como Phuket, we will be back.