Overall Rating: GOOD

Reviewed March 28, 2016
Visited July 2015

It is the mecca of water sports if you visit Phuket. If you look for calm and romantic beach go to Panwa beach instead. But if you are looking for adrenaline activities and do water sports you come to the right place. You can play many kinds of water sports in this beach while enjoying the sun warm you up. Don't forget your sun screen since you could easily get burnt by the hot Thailand sun.

Overall Rating: AVERAGE

Reviewed March 28, 2016
Visited July 2015

I rent a car traveling to several places in Phuket Island, and one of them was Kamala Beach. This beach was destroyed by Tsunami at the end of 2006. It was already almost 10 years, but you still can see in some spots around the area what tsunami could do to the beautiful beach. It is not as good as Panwa and Phatong beach, but it was OK. Nature somewhat shaped new lines after the tsunami to make Kamala beach is still one of the place you should go while you are in Phuket.

Overall Rating: GOOD

Reviewed March 28, 2016
Visited July 2015

It was under construction when I and my family went there, so it was a bit messy. But I think they have finish the work by now. It is located in the top of the hill where you can see the beautiful beach from uphill, just like the pictures in postcards. It is actually a temple, but though you are not Buddhist, you most welcome to visit here, taking pictures, and enjoying the view. Just remember to always be nice and respect those who come here to pray.

Overall Rating: AVERAGE

Reviewed March 28, 2016
Visited July 2015

I think it is nice of Thai government to set an aquarium in the farthest-end of Phuket Island, because it just sum up to what already interesting island to visit. This aquarium has collection mostly the sea animals and creatures. My children enjoyed it very much, especially when they were on the travellator under the tunnel like alley where the giant aquarium with sting ray and sharks were above them. Though it is much smaller than what we used to visit in Jakarta, Indonesia, still it is nice to enjoy the educational attraction inside the air conditioned room, since it was 31 degree Celsius outside.

In one side of this aquarium they put the fact, figures, and pictures telling about Tsunami when it hit the area the end of 2006, killing hundreds of thousands of people in Thailand, Indonesia and neighboring area.

If you visit Phuket, don't miss this aquarium. It's cheap, it's nice, and it's entertaining.

Overall Rating: EXCELLENT

Reviewed September 21, 2015
Stayed July 2015
Traveled with family

It is very rare for me to give the rating 'excellent', so when I did... I meant it! :)

My family and I stayed in this hotel (or should I say resort) for 4 nights, and I really wished that we stayed a bit longer. Either for honeymoon, or vacation like I did, this hotel offers everything that you expect from 4-star hotel, or even beyond your expectation. Though it has the very luxurious resort next door, but you have to compare it apple-to-apple. This hotel is the best 4-star hotel in Cape Panwa! I can assure you that one :)

Sorry if this review is long, since I really want to share my experience... Here we go...

To get here from the Phuket Intl. airport is very easy. But if you travel with children like I did, you better choose the meter taxi. Just ignore everyone who offers you transportation on the way out of the terminal. When you already out of the terminal, just turn right, and go to furthest wing (about 50 meters) where you find the stand for the meter taxi. They will choose the kind of the car (sedan or minibus) for you depends on how many people traveling with your and how many your bags are... with the same fare. Though you have to add additional fee from the meter, but it will only cost you around THB800 from the airport to Cape Panwa. The travel time took me about 65 minutes. People in Phuket are very polite since majority of the natives are Muslim. It's the only part in Thailand, were majority of its people are Muslim. The only view that bothers you is the crowded cable (electrical and telephone) from pole to pole, and I guess it’s not very much different as in Bangkok.

The road to the Cape Panwa hotel is small. When you already get on the road by the beach, you have to turn left exactly before the Kantary Bay Hotel (its sister hotel). Do your homework by printing the direction or saved it in your phone to show it to the taxi driver. Not all of them familiar with this farthest-end of Phuket island hotel.

Cape Panwa Hotel is the sunrise hotel, so if you want to see the sunset, you have to walk or use the free hotel shuttle to Kantary Bay Hotel on the west side of the cape. But I can assure you that this hotel gives the magnificent sunrise view every morning that you can forget the sunsets! And if you like the tropical beach view, you will even love to stay here since coconut trees are the view you can get anywhere in the hotel ground. The topography of this hotel is on the hill, so you have to take stairway to get to the beach. But don't worry, it has the tram operational every day free of charge.
Like almost every resort hotel, the lobby is not equipped with air conditioner. So don't expect you will feel nice and cool until you get in to your room. But I want to give the two thumbs up for the decoration of the lobby. It didn't lose the touch of modernity, yet it still strongly showing the Thai sense of surrounding (see the picture on their website). May be the only setback for this hotel is the children play room since the temperature in this room could reach up to 33 degree Celsius in the day time because it doesn't have the AC. Ask your children to play outdoor instead, then they will not need this play room anymore.

Now let’s discuss about the room. Chose L-413, it’s a must! It has the best view since it is located in the highest floor of L wing, while L wing is the best wing for this hotel as far as the view is concerned. The L-413 (where I stayed), is big room with two queen size beds, one sofa bed, one kitchenette, big space in the room, one wash room, one bath room with shower and bath tub, and has balcony with sofa for morning sunbathing and a Jacuzzi! What else could you ask for? From the balcony looking down, you have the view of volley ball field surrounded by tall coconut trees and of course, the beach! Morning sun rise will enter your room freely and wake you up to remind you not to stay only inside. This hotel offers the pillow menu if you want to change the pillow setting for your bed, neat huh?

The beach! Cape Panwa offers the clear white sandy beach. The beach is suitable for children since the depth of the water is shallow and the wave is not high. Snorkeling, playing sand, running around its private beach, or just lying down on the sand for sunbathing; you chose the activity! The average number of person on the beach even on the peak season, is not more than 50 people. With this long shore line, you feel like you’re having your own beach! Even the so called 7-star resort close by, it doesn’t have the long shore line and has to take hundreds of steps to get to their beach. This make Cape Panwa Hotel is the best hotel in Cape Panwa as far is the beach is concerned.

This hotel has two swimming pools. One pool is located near the restaurant by the lobby. The pool is huge but everyone in the restaurant can see you. So I suggest you to use the one which is located the far South, closer to the beach. The pool is not that big, but you can cooling down yourself in it after playing on the beach or swim in the sea. My children also preferred this pool because it has gazebo with whirl pool connected to the main pool.

Breakfast was awesome! Every morning you will get different main course and menu, but the fresh cut fruits are always available. You will have birds eating with you in this open wall restaurant. So if you want to get something more and left your table for a while, make sure no left overs on the table of there is someone else keep an eye on the food on the table. Because otherwise the birds will steal any food from the table, especially the one which located on the side. But I suggest you pick these tables instead since you will get the view of Andaman sea from above while you’re enjoying your breakfast.

Though you can spend all of your time in the hotel ground, in the room, in the pool and on the beach; but if you want to go to enjoy Phuket island, you can go to Phuket Aquarium. It’s not that big but it was quite entertaining and cheap. All you have to do is take the free shuttle from the hotel to Kantary Bay Hotel and walk about 100 meters to the aquarium entrance. Just make sure you bring umbrella or your hat with you. Or you can go to Phuket Festival mall to buy your stuffs and to enjoy the different meal from what you have in the hotel. I suggest you use hotel’s minibus or van and it only cost you THB200 for round trip. It is close by, so it will only take you about 20 minutes to get to the mall.

If you want to go further, I suggest you take taxi. But it is hard to get meter taxi in this area. Instead I ask the cell phone number of the taxi driver who drove us to the hotel from the airport. I texted him and asked whether he wanted to take us around the Phuket island with the fixed price. He agreed to take us around for 6 hours and it only cost me THB1,600. Me and my family had the chance to visit:
1. Big Budha,
2. Pearl Farm,
3. Patong Beach, and
4. Kamala Beach.

To get to the airport on the way home, I asked the same taxi driver to pick us up and drove us back to the airport. It cost me THB800 flat. Even early in the morning, he was so punctual and ready on the hour as we agreed. Since we had to leave early in the morning, I asked the hotel for the breakfast to go. They prepared more than enough food consist of bread, jam, yogurt, fruits and mineral drink… perfecto!

If you are Muslim, you can enjoy eating on the restaurant across the area of Phuket, since almost every restaurant by the street serve halal food. Even the street vendor by the beach at Sun set beach side of the Cape serve nothing but halal food, since all of then are Muslim food vendors.

Room Tip: Ask for L-413, it's the best room and you will not regret it! :)