Phuket’s most obvious points of reference are its beaches. Each one seems to specialise for a particular market segment; families flock to Kamala for a sedate day by the sea, party animals let their hair down in Patong, and nature lovers head for the undeveloped beauty of Layan.But there is one area that everyone is raving about in modern Phuket, which isn’t on a beach at all.
It’s called Choeng Thale, and socialising is its speciality!
Sometimes spelt ‘Cherngtalay’, Choeng Thale is an area of about 30 square kilometres, located in central-west Phuket; it is actually a district consisting of about 30 villages.With a flat topography, Choeng Thale rose to prominence in the 19th century as one of the island’s most prolific tin mining areas, evidenced by the many small lakes you can see today which are actually old flooded mine shafts.
SPOILT FOR BEACHES
Having said that Choeng Thale doesn’t boast a beach that bears its name, the district does rub shoulders with three of Phuket’s finest beaches.The southernmost, and considered by many as the most up-market of Phuket’s beaches is Surin Beach. Some of the island’s most prestigious resort hotels can be found in this neighbourhood, the Amanpuri, The Surin and TwinPalms to name but three.Bang Tao beach, Phuket’s largest, starts its southernmost sweep just north of the Pansea peninsula (home to Amanpuri), and gently arches for six kilometres all the way up to the Sirinat National Park. The central focal point of Bang Tao Beach is Laguna, a large manicured area of resort hotels, residences, and an 18-hole golf course.In complete contrast to the developed shoreline of Bang Tao Beach, you’ll eventually come across Layan Beach. In truth, it is on the same stretch of sand as Bang Tao Beach (there is no separating headland), but atmospherically it couldn’t be more different. In 2019 the local government took it upon themselves to clear every local restaurant and bar from Layan Beach, leaving absolutely nothing! I find it quite remarkable that on one of Asia’s busiest tourist destinations, there exists two kilometres of pristine sand with no human commercial activity on it at all.
RETAIL THERAPY
Moving inland from the Andaman Sea, and back into Choeng Thale proper you’ll reach two brand-new shopping areas: Porto de Phuket & Boat Avenue. Basically adjacent to each other the most recent of these is Porto de Phuket. This open-plan shopping mall was completed in 2020 and is operated by the Central Group. It is a gorgeous collection of boutiques, restaurants, vanity outlets and a quality Tops supermarket. During holiday periods they have open-air family stuff going on, such as a pop-up farm,kid’s games, and competitions on stageBoat Avenue is right next door, and offers a more eclectic choice of smaller eateries and boutique stores in a village atmosphere, whether its Mexican, Italian, Spanish, Thai, Korean, French or Japanese it’s all here!
DINING TO DIE FORWith so much to choose from in Choeng Thale, how on earth do you decide where to eat? Follow our Exotiq recommendations, that’s how!
Mrs B Bar & Table
Coolness personified Mrs B offers a relaxed experience where western food is conjured up using the best local produce, around an iconic raw fire hearth. Sophisticated and imaginative, yet affordable Mrs. B’s head chef Alex, AKA DJ Jazzy Chef, cooks much of the menu on the restaurant’s open wood fire grill. Favourites such as ‘bangers and mash’ take on a new dimension when cooked over this fire. There is a selection of hot and raw starters, the smoked beetroot tartare was divine. If vegan cuisine is your thing Mrs. B has some suitable options, the Vegetable Tagine and the Italian Bean Stew are amazingly tasteful and filling, even for a carnivore like me!
El Gaucho Argentinian Steakhouse
From humble beginnings in Vietnam back in 2011, El Gaucho has grown into a major restaurant chain with 26 locations opened or scheduled to open soon. Finding a top-quality steak in Asia is often hit and miss because local beef tends not to be well cured and is often palmed off as being an imported product. At El Gaucho you cannot go wrong. You are paying premium prices but you do get to consume the very best prepared cuts of meat. I opted for the Mixed Platter, which really must be shared as there is so much of it: 250 gms of Filet, Rib Eye, and New York Striploin, with 300 gms of Lamb Chops thrown in for good measure.
The Black Cat
By complete contrast, and just across the street from El Gaucho you come across a Phuket original, The Black Cat. Operating now for nearly 30 years, the Black Cat has stood the test of time. It’s actually a match made in heaven: atmospherically it’s like an English style pub, but when it comes to dining you are not going to have to suffer with British food, because the chef is French. The large menu has something affordable for everyone. Thai staples such as Prawn Tom Yum, wood-fired pizzas (my kid’s favourites) and some French sophistication in a delightful Chicken Normandy. As you would expect from a French-managed eatery, a nicely balanced wine list is available. If after all this, you’ve got room for the Creme Brulle, don’t miss it, it’s the best on the island.
Paed Sen
Noodle shops are plentiful in Thailand, and often the best value meal you can find will be an artfully crafted street-side vendor who’ll knock you up a piping hot noodle soup for under 100 Thai Baht. But if you know where to look, and are prepared to spend a little more, you’ll find places where the humble noodle gets the star treatment. A five-minute walk from the Black Cat and you are in Boat Avenue, where you’ll find tucked away near the lake a little restaurant called Paed Sen. The creation of Chef Gor, who honed her skills at the swanky TwinPalms Resort, Paed Sen takes you on a noodle odyssey around Asia. Of course, you can enjoy the local staple, Phad Thai, or northern favourite, Chicken Khao Soi, but you’ll also find other regional fayre, such as a Vietnamese Pho Beef Soup, and from Malaysia, the bountiful seafood Laksa. With all this spicy food, what better way to round off the meal than with a refreshing young coconut and mango ice cream.
Bocconcino
We talked earlier about the watery lagoon nature of Cherngtalay, with hundreds of small lakes dotting the landscape. For sheer sunset beauty, book a table, lakeside, at Bocconcino in Boat Avenue. Under the expert hands of Chef Massimo, Bocconcino offers an Italian masterpiece dining experience, and just in case you’re not sure what kind of restaurant you are dining at, it has a gondola tied up at the jetty for good measure. There is an amazing array of Italian food items ranging from top-quality olive oils, balsamic vinegars, homemade pastas, cold cuts, cheeses, wines and Champagne, imported meats to sweets and Italian fruit juices… it is 100% authentic. I opted for the Octopus Salad, followed by a dish you don’t often see outside of Italy, Fegato di Vitello alla Griglia con Purea di Patate, which of course you know as grilled calf liver and spinach.