There is so much to do on Phuket Island. But if you want a relaxing holiday, you don't even have to step out of the luxurious hilltop resort, which offers more than what five-star resorts often have. One example is Ayurveda consultation and treatment as well as yoga sessions.

If you are in the mood to venture out of the resort, you can check out the cultural center in Phuket Town, where there is great Malay, Chinese and Portuguese history and architecture.

Or take a boat trip to Phi Phi Islands, where you can snorkel, enjoy the balmy waters and relax on the powder sands. And don't forget to feast on some of the freshest seafood available there. Avista also provides shuttle and limousine services to Patong Beach or Jung Ceylon, the largest shopping mall on the island.

Phuket is Thailand's biggest island, about the size of Singapore. It is located on the Andaman Sea in southern Thailand. Its name is derived from the word bukit in Malay, which means hill because of its hilly terrain and how it appears from a distance. Phuket is also the twin town of Yantai in Shandong province.

The island formerly derived its wealth from tin and rubber. It was on one of the major trading routes between India and China, and was frequently mentioned in foreign ship logs of Portuguese, French, Dutch and English traders. The region now gets much of its income from tourism.

On Dec 26, 2004, Phuket and nearby areas on Thailand's western coast suffered extensive damage when they were struck by the Boxing Day tsunami.

Almost all the major beaches, resorts and villages on the west coast sustained major damage. Phuket has been undergoing intensive leisure urbanization with many new hotels, apartments and houses under construction.

There are actually six islands in the group known as Phi Phi Islands. They lie 50 km southeast of Phuket and are home to an abundance of coral and marine life. Limestone mountains with cliffs and caves tower above long white sandy beaches. If you stay at Avista Hideaway Spa and Resort, you can request for a glorious island-hopping trip to Phi Phi by helicopter.

(China Daily 05/01/2013 page10)