CULTURE
276
Day 1
When we arrived at Vijitt Hotel, the friendly staff knew our time of arrival and had a welcome drink ready. With jet lag, it was a nice to have a cold drink and take in the new surroundings. The Vijitt Hotel is a massive resort on a mountain that you need a golf cart to get from one end to the other easily. Surrounded by a tropical paradise and overlooking the ocean, this place is a slice of heaven on the mountain. This beautiful beachfront hotel has an array of private villas on the hill with an ocean view. The hotel has a uniquely local feel, and the architecture is very native to the landscape with traditional tree leaf roofs, Thai art is carved into the wood of the doors, and everything is made out of local wood and coconut shells. It was very natural. I was thrilled when I got my private villa and immediately began to tackle everything Phuket had to offer. This meant jumping into the ocean for a swim, followed by relaxing by the pool and enjoying the food and drinks in the sun. Day 2
My second day consisted of truly relaxing. The pool at the hotel was spectacular with the ocean view and surrounded by palm trees; it made for a very relaxing day. The perfect cure for jet lag was to sip on local tropical cocktails and float in the pool. After a long day of chilling and tanning, I set out to watch the tranquil sunset from my villa. It was the perfect ending to a wonderful day as it was one of the most amazing sunsets I’ve seen. It was special because you could distinctively see the clouds, as the sky was lite up with pink and orange as we watched the moon rise. Day 3
After spoiling myself with cocktails, sun and swimming, I decided I needed to head out to the Ton Ao Yon waterfall hike. After hiking amongst the Thai forest and tropical plants for one and a half hours, we arrive at the waterfall. I've always wanted to swim in a waterfall, and after the long hike, it was refreshing to jump into the fresh, clean water. I felt part of nature, and it was very relaxing and grounding to spend some time appreciating the beauty of this location. The fresh water also felt rejuvenating after the hike. I love hiking and back home in Harz, Germany, we have some of the most wonderful hiking trails, but I must say the Ton Ao Yon waterfall is a must see in Phuket.
