Laem Singh – The coolest beach on Phuket
With HK gazillionaire Alan Zerman's private village (far left) looking down like a billion-baht bishop blessing his bacchanalian flock, Laem Singh is the place to be seen on Sundays - until the end of April, anyway..
It used to be the “best-kept secret on Phuket”, a place where the glitterati used to go to take their tops off without being recognised. Laem Singh Beach is no longer exactly a secret, but it has developed into arguably the most chic beach on the island, and probably in the region.
Much of that is thanks to Od, whose bar started out years ago as a place to chill with a cocktail while waiting for the sun to set. Reggae vibes enhanced the mood.
It’s also thanks to Jenny, who runs Soundwave Sundays, based at the bar, throughout the high season, from November to the end of April. Each Sunday the south end of the beach turns into a party, with cool Ibiza-style vibes, live deejays and cocktails served in buckets, delivered to your lounger by waitresses in smart uniforms.
Yesterday (April 11), another element was added to the party with the first Soundwave bikini contest, preceded by a “supermodel” show. Considering that the place was overflowing with bucket-guzzling lovelies, and there were cash prizes totaling B15,000 up for grabs, the turnout for the competition was modest – just four girls and a person of mixed gender.
The organisers had decided that competitors must not only look good in bikinis but also show off their dexterity with the gluteus maximus – the largest muscle in the human frame – by competing in a race, in teams of two, to carry balloons back to the stage using only their buttocks.
The crowd hooted, the girls giggled and someone won, not sure who.
The competitors were then sent out to canvass for votes among the crowd. Someone won and Sally, the mixed-gender person, came second. It was all a bit of a blur, really. But it was fun, and added extra buzz to a regular Sunday event that’s already legendary among the island’s beautiful people.
The only downside of an afternoon/evening at Leam Singh is the climb back to the road. Concrete steps have now been made up the steep hill, but with a bellyful of bucket cocktails and gravity working against you, it’s a tough climb, especially after dark when you’re negotiating by the light of a mobile phone.
But as the Italian proverb has it, “Per belli apparire bisogna soffrire” – One must suffer to be beautiful. So now you know how to be one of the beautiful people.
