It’s hard to improve on perfection, but Sri Panwa Phuket is having a go.
This December, the iconic Thai resort celebrates its 20th anniversary with what promises to be the island’s most lavish festive season yet, a month of sunset dinners, rooftop soirées, fine wines and Andaman fireworks, all unfolding atop its 40-acre crown on Cape Panwa.
Perched regally on Phuket’s southern tip, Sri Panwa remains one of Thailand’s few resorts with sunrise and sunset views, a trick of geography that feels almost self-congratulatory. For two decades, it’s drawn A-listers, honeymooners and the quietly well-heeled, all seeking a corner of Thai coastal heaven that still feels exclusive, personal, and ever so slightly cinematic.
A December to Remember
The celebrations begin as December’s warm trade winds sweep through the palms. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day dinners at the Baba Poolclub will set the tone for a parade of festive indulgence, including Roast Beef, Foie Gras and Vegetarian Wellington, each dish matched with fine wines and house cocktails that would make even Santa consider a detour via Phuket.
Across the estate, the indulgence continues. Baba Soul Food will present an all-you-can-eat Southern Thai menu, a nod to the island’s fiery culinary roots. At the same time, Baba IKI, the resort’s elegant Japanese outpost, tempts with a five-course tasting menu worthy of Tokyo’s Ginza. Sri Panwa offers both in measured, Michelin-worthy abundance for those who believe the festive season is as much about flavour as fanfare.
A Countdown Above the Clouds
New Year’s Eve is, of course, the showstopper.
On 31 December, the resort will host its signature Gala Dinner and Countdown Party, a marathon of glamour stretching from the last sunset of 2025 to the first dawn of 2026. The evening begins with cocktails on the rooftop at Baba Nest, the famed infinity deck often dubbed the most Instagrammable bar in Asia.
Guests will dine on a global buffet that’s as international as the guest list, fresh seafood, imported cheeses and charcuterie, handmade pasta, and regional Thai dishes all served with ocean views that would make even the Andaman blush.
Then comes the countdown. As the clock nears midnight, live bands and guest DJs whip the atmosphere into a crescendo, the fireworks bloom over the sea, and champagne flutes meet in a chorus of celebration. It’s a sight to rival Sydney’s Harbour or London’s Thames — only here, you’re barefoot on the rooftop, and the air smells faintly of jasmine and salt.
“The festive season at Sri panwa is designed to feel cinematic and complete – and for the 20-year anniversary we’re going bigger than ever before,” says Suki Yu, General Manager of Sri panwa Phuket.
“It’s about creating moments that stay with our guests – dining under open skies, live music above the water, the iconic New Year countdown reflected in the bay. Every detail is considered to make guests feel part of something rare and beautifully put together.”
Wellness and Wonder Beyond the Champagne
Of course, even the most seasoned reveller needs a moment of reprieve, and Sri Panwa manages tranquillity as deftly as it manages celebration.
Mornings can begin with yoga sessions overlooking the ocean, followed by therapies at Cool Spa or personalised health programs at the BDMS Wellness Clinic. This collaboration brings world-class medical expertise into a tropical sanctuary.
Active travellers can use the fitness centre and tennis courts, or charter a private yacht to explore nearby islands such as Racha, Coral and Lone — each a short sail away yet seemingly untouched by time. Families aren’t forgotten either: creative workshops and children’s activities ensure that younger guests are as delightfully occupied as their parents, perhaps giving the latter an extra hour or two of spa serenity.
Evenings, meanwhile, unfold across the resort’s constellation of restaurants and bars, where jazz softly competes with the sound of waves and the mood drifts somewhere between Old Phuket and new-world glamour.
A 20-Year Legacy of Elegance
For Sri Panwa, this milestone is more than just a reason to pop the cork. It’s a celebration of the endurance of a resort that has evolved while holding fast to its Thai soul. Founded when Phuket’s luxury scene was still finding its rhythm, Sri Panwa set the standard for villa privacy, culinary innovation, and architectural restraint long before the island’s boutique boom.
Its design remains a masterclass in understatement, clean lines, dark timber, and perfect balance between water and horizon, proof that true luxury is more about atmosphere than excess. The family-owned estate has grown but never lost sight of what matters: discretion, detail, and the rare ability to make every guest feel like they’re in on a secret.
Festive Prices & Packages
Naturally, luxury comes with its price tag, but at Sri Panwa, it’s a cost many find worth every baht.
-
Christmas Dinner (24 & 25 December 2025): from £90 / USD 115 per person
-
New Year’s Eve Gala Dinner:
-
Sunset Cocktail & Gala Dinner: from £380 / USD 480 per person
-
Gala Dinner Only: from £290 / USD 365 per person
-
Afterparty: from £180 / USD 230 per couple
-
Early booking offer (until 30 November 2025):
-
Complimentary bottle of Louis Roederer Champagne per couple for Sunset Cocktail & Dinner bookings
-
Children under six dine free; ages 6–12 dine at £155 / USD 195
Accommodation:
-
Yaya Pool Suites from £590 / USD 745 per night (couples)
-
Three-Bedroom Residence Villas from £2,820 / USD 3,565 per night, each with a private infinity pool and sweeping Andaman views
For the full program, visit sripanwa.com/festive-season-2025.
A Season, and a Statement
At 20, Sri Panwa isn’t merely throwing a party; it’s reasserting its position as Phuket’s original luxury resort, the place that set the tone for every rooftop bar, sunset cocktail, and wellness spa that followed.
This Christmas and New Year, it’s not about doing something new but something beautifully, confidently familiar, as only a Thai icon of two decades’ standing can.
As the Andaman glows and the final countdown echoes over Cape Panwa, Sri Panwa’s message is clear: elegance never ages, it simply learns new ways to shine.
By Yves Thomas
About the Author
Something quietly magnetic about Yves Thomas is the poised calm of someone who’s seen the world from both sides of the reception desk. A graduate of Bangkok University International, Yves earned her Bachelor of Arts in International Tourism and Hospitality Management and stepped straight into the beating heart of Thailand’s travel industry.
She worked with some of the country’s finest destination management companies, mastering the art of making other people’s holidays unforgettable.
In time, the call of the open road grew louder than boardroom meetings. Yves packed her bags, swapped conference calls for compass points, and set off to rediscover the joy of travel on her own terms. Somewhere between Chiang Mai and Copenhagen, she began to write small reflections that soon became her travel blog, a journal full of warmth and insight.
Now calling Hua Hin home, Yves has joined Global Travel Media to share those reflections with a broader audience not as a publicist, but as a storyteller with a traveller’s soul and a professional’s eye for detail.
