Phuket - Part 3 - Horse Riding & Capes

A week in the Amanpuri Phuket does sound like heaven. Sure, you can laze around in your massive villa, enjoy skinny dipping regardless of the time of day in your private pool or get a tan on a private beach shared with one other ultra-luxury resort. Yet there are times when you just need to get out and explore.

Andaman Sea from the Amanpuri facing Bangtao Beach

Which is exactly what I did on occasion during my stay, as I tend to get cabin fever being cooped up too long regardless of the luxurious surroundings. I may enjoy my creature comforts, but I still have to explore a bit.

So, being in close proximity to the resort enclave of Laguna, on Bang Tao Beach, surely there must be a few activities geared towards their target clientele. A friend told me to sample horse riding on the beach, and one of two facilities is located right at the entrance to the Laguna enclave: the Phuket International Horse Club.

Prices were fair for one hour, one and a half hours and two hour rides, with the one hour ride at THB 900, one and a half hour ride at THB 1,500 and two hours at THB 1,800. My first ride was the one hour option, as I wanted to reacquaint myself with riding.

This was in the late afternoon, just before the rainclouds were rolling in and the midday sun all but absent. Usually, a booking is required but considering this was the beginning of the monsoon season, ergo the low season, I just went in and it was only me and a couple on this fine morning.

Trooper and his sense of humour

My horse, Trooper, is a beautiful young chestnut steed, with an occasionally lazy trot until he reaches the beach, then he gets excited. With my trainer-cum-assistant, we went on a slow, leisurely stroll from the stables along the pavement along Lagoon Road, past green spaces, an elephant riding facility and a gated residential community before passing through the Dusit Thani Laguna Resort side road that led straight to the beach.

View from Trooper and another set of hooves on sand

And then the fun started. We trotted up and down the beach, occasionally going on a full gallop as a light drizzle came down. My white linen shirt was already wet from sweat so the small bits of accumulated rainfall did not make too much of a difference. I got my balance on, foothold proper and thigh ‘grip’ right while brushing up on my one-two-one riding technique.

Sadly, I could not use my wide-brim hat as, for insurance purposes I had to use a riding helmet. For my ride the next day in the late afternoon for the sunset ride, I also learnt my lesson not to use hiking shoes and should have asked for proper riding boots.

The sunset ride the next day was fun. I set off at 1630 for a one-half hour ride, with riding boots on and opted against riding pants despite the slight saddle burn from using shorts the day before. I noticed two couples this time, an elegant middle aged couple finishing their ride as I went to the beach looking at one with the horse, and another couple on the beach: the guy looked like a proper polo player, comfortable on his ride with quintessential polo shirt with collar upturned as his partner was walking next to her horse, perhaps not used to having her legs so wide astride the saddle.

Against the setting sun, a rider rides along

Trotting along the beach, we encountered young girls who were mesmerized by the horse as I casually rode past them, curious beach bar goers taking pictures of a rider against the sunset and managed to maintain my balance and keep the horse calm as an overly excited dog almost spooked Trooper.

Considering I was a returning client, the manager gave me a 10% discount on the ride and naturally I went for a two hour ride the next day, just to get my fill.

Promthep Cape, southern tip, Phuket

Formations and 'sculpture,' tip of Promthep Cape

But in between the rides, which SSM did not participate in considering he is not a fan of horse riding, we did explore the island a bit. We drove down the coast from Surin down to Promthep Cape, were I rediscovered the beauty of the cape, and discovered a little known path which led straight to the southern tip of Phuket, with sacred trees and rock formations that look like fairy castles, and a few altars to the local deities.

Pomegranate Martini & Apple-Lemongrass Martini, Zazada Bar

And of course this being an island, we had to enjoy at least a drink or two at a beach bar, though we restricted this to establishments with close proximity to the Amanpuri. Surin Beach has a nice selection of beach bars, with Catch Beach Club and Zazada Beach Club being my two favourites, Zazada especially with their happy hour. Surin also happens to be a favourite with weddings, with 3 wedding ceremonies during our week long stay.

Sunset from Catch Beach Club, Surin Beach, Phuket

My first trip to Phuket without diving didn’t feel that odd. It also did not feel like too much of a waste by staying within close proximity to the resort and doing stuff other that lounging, tanning and just lazing at the villa.

Phuket International Riding Club, Lagoon Rd, Laguna Phuket, Bangtao Beach, Phuket; +66 81 968 3187, last ride at 1730 for sunset ride. Look for the two horse statues on the left before the Laguna ‘gate.’

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