V Villas Phuket MGallery Hotel Collection - Luxury hotel - Pearl of Phuket

V Villas Phuket brings the beauty and wisdom of naturally-farmed pearls to it’s luxury resort and spa experience, earning the moniker “Pearl of Phuket”

No doubt Phuket attractions are plentiful.  The island is renowned for its pristine beaches, exciting water adventures and gorgeous island culture. Just when we thought this well-heeled island had been completely discovered, Phuket travel continues to surprise. A new Phuket attraction is on the horizon. V Villas Phuket is the only place to discover it!

We are speaking about pearls: specifically, Phuket pearls! Naturally farmed by local fishermen, Phuket pearls have a long and rich cultural tradition on the island. Iridescent and pure, Phuket pearls are used by jewelry designers locally and around the world. Phuket pearls are created by oysters – or clam shell bivalves. In addition to producing pearls, these bivalves act as a filtration system for the sea water. In other words, they keep the sea waters looking clear, clean and fabulously blue. Moreover – and this is one of the least known fact about Phuket pearls — pearl powders are exceptionally purifying and beautifying agents. V Villas Phuket’s spa is among the first luxury spas in Phuket to bring you the beauty, healing and purifying elements of Phuket pearls.

One of the most picturesque pearl farms in Phuket is situated in Ao Yon Bay, a quiet, peaceful bay on the southwestern coast of Phuket. Beyond the bay, the gorgeous Andaman Sea stretches all the way to the horizon.  Ao Yon Bay is off the tourist-track, and is considered one of the last hidden beaches on the island. If your Phuket travel plans include a stop at a secluded beach, this is it!

Predominantly local, the beach at Ao Yon Bay is home to local fisherman and a handful of residents. Moreover, the bay water’s are a stunning sparkling turquoise blue. The reason — Phuket pearls!

So, why should your Phuket travel plans make time for beautiful Phuket pearls? Pearls are among the most enigmatic and manficient jewels. Pearls are created by particular types of oysters, mussels and clams. Often called ‘bivalves’, these organisms are made up of two hinged shells.

A pearl is created when a parasite or foreign particle enters the shell. In order to protect itself, the oyster secretes a liquid made from aragonite and conchiolin, materials that also make up its shell. The liquid secretion is called nacre, or mother-of-pearl. The nacre surrounds the foreign object and the process keeps repeating. In the end, what started out as a parasite or foreign particle is encased in multiple layers of nacre, and a pearl is formed.

In commercial pearl farming, the parasite or irritant is inserted into the oyster by hand. Oysters are raised on racks that are inserted into the water. The process is completely natural!

Pearls can be created naturally or commercially. There are numerous commercial pearl oyster farms around in Phuket. In fact, Phuket pearls are sought by jewelers who use the pearl in their collections. Phuket pearls are also exported worldwide.

The pearl farm in Ao Yon Bay is among the island’s smallest, most charming natural pearl farms. Run by a local fisherman and his family, the pearl farm has been active for nearly 40 years. The owner carefully looks after his oysters and inserts the parasites by hand. Once the pearls are ready, he harvests them by hand. The pearls are designed into subtle earrings, bracelets, necklaces and more by his wife. Their home and studio is located right along Ao Yon Bay. It’s easy to visit and learn all about natural pearl farming, particularly if you are staying at V Villas Phuket.

V Villas Phuket, Inspired by Phuket Pearls

V Villas Phuket is an exclusive private pool villa resort that sits on a private hilltop 39m above Ao Yon Bay. Floating above the treeline, the luxury resort offers an intimate collection of 1, 3 and 4-bedroom private pool villas with panoramic ocean views and indulgent 24-hour butler service. Each villa is thoughtfully positioned to take advantage of the hillside elevation and features private infinity pools, spacious indoor and outdoor living areas and unparalleled hillside and ocean views.

Yon|Ocean House, the resort’s dining hub, offers European and coastal cuisine gastronomy, while AKOYA Star Lounge, an iconic rooftop bar, boasts creative mixology and 360° ocean and night sky views. Immersed in nature, V Spa Phuket is a  world-class European spa offering bespoke, Mother of Pearl-inspired beauty and wellness programs.

Each venue’s design and service philosophy is entirely inspired by the colours, beauty and elegance of pearls. Muted, iridescent colours of natural pearls, from pearly whites to sunlit creams and soft, sublime greys—colours found in the most prized pearls—also recall the colours of earliest hours of dawn and the final moments of sunsets. The pearl-inspired colours inform the resort’s architectural and interior design. Whether you are lounging in the villas’ private deck or enjoying sunset drinks at Akoya Star Lounge, the resort’s luxury rooftop bar hovering 55m above sea level, the exquisite beauty of pearls is always part of the experience.

 V Villas Spa—a renowned luxury spa in Phuket—takes it a step further. V Villas Spa offers transformative wellness experiences that blend European and traditional therapies with natural, organic, vegan-friendly and science-conscious  formulas. Moreover, it is the only luxury spa in Phuket that offers beauty and wellness regimens featuring exclusive mother-of-pearl powders. V Villas Spa’s facial and beauty rituals use exclusive pearl-powder therapies by prestigious French beauty brand Anne Semonin. Endowed with purifying and age-defying properties, pearl powders are known to boost skin elasticity and luminosity.

The elegance of pearls is matched by V Villas Phuket’s unrivalled and indulgent 24-hour butler service. Discreet, professional and tailored to anticipate guest needs, butlers can also organise and escort guests to visit the local pearl farm in Ao Yon Bay. Discover how pearls are cultivated and how they are designed into exquisite jewels.

Both pearls and Thai culture and hospitality are world renowned for their gracious, sublime beauty. Phuket travel that includes a stay at V Villas Phuket combines these two distinct Phuket attractions!