Thailand

New day club concept Nora Beach Club: Set against the buzzing backdrop Bangtao in Phuket, a new beach club is creating an experiential cul-de-sac at Amora Beach Resort Phuket for those looking to chill and unwind in a vibrant environment. More about social drinking and beach chilling with an energetic ambience, Nora fills the gap for vacationers and locals looking to appreciate Phuket’s beaches away from the usual party scene and rustic laid-back settings.

Helming the club is Asia’s entertainment veteran Mark Brimblecombe, co-founder of Le Noir Entertainment renowned for its popular bars with live music performances. He was also the founder of the popular Attica entertainment venues in Singapore and China. Mark’s ventures bring together the magic formula of music, good food and drinks and scenic location to set the ambience for social bonding. The club’s tagline “High Tides, Good Vibes” invites guests to create meaningful experiences that emphasise quality relationships – right on the beach.

“We are a modern lifestyle destination – social, inclusive, energetic and engaging – where dining and drinks lead, where couples congregate, families relax and friends gather against a backdrop of good vibes, entertainment and endless sunsets on Bangtao Beach,” says Amora Group’s owner and director Earp Siriphatrawan. “Our objective is to provide a fully integrated experience for guests throughout the resort and I believe we are on the right track to doing that with the opening of Nora, a key component in the overall experience, which is quickly becoming a hot spot on the island.”

Managed by Amora Beach Resort Phuket, Nora Beach Club elevates the lifestyle destination positioning of the resort, and creates an inclusive environment in which international guests and local residents alike may come together on Bangtao Beach to appreciate the island’s irresistible allure.

The fun begins when the sun rises, not just at sunset, as Nora offers different zones that take guests from lunchtime indulgence to mid-day fun to sunset entertainment. Says Mark, “Guests can choose to lounge on our daybeds and cabanas; indulge in culinary cravings in our restaurant; savour premium wines in our wine cellar; chill at our beach-fronting bar; enjoy live music at the stage zone; or have private conversations in our outdoor sunken VIP seats. It’s great to be involved here. There’s a big gap in the market here for day clubs, something less party-centric, and that’s what we’re here to fill.”

The club’s beach day-beds and four family cabanas have been well-received by Amora’s vacation guests as well as with island locals and residents from the surrounding condominiums and villas. Available daily from 11am to 7pm. For a more private setting, five VIP sunken booths surrounded by an undulating pool provide tranquil garden views.

Located front and centre of the club is the beach-facing bar and DJ console with 25 outdoor tables and a stage area for live music performances. The bar serves up signature Thai-inspired cocktails such as Mango Sticky Rice and Tom Yam, and concoctions with local herb infusions as well as spirits and mixers crafted by the resident mixologist.

Accompanying guests through the different moods of the evening is resident DJ Jon Sa Trinxa who spins the likes of jazz, soul and afro house to balearic beats. Guests smoothly segue from cocktails to a sunset fire show held every Thursday to Saturday before moving on to dinner. “The programming is dynamic, with guest DJs and musicians as well as spontaneous events such as theatre nights keeping the ambience lively and engaging,” shares Mark. DJ music plays from 5pm to 8pm , while live acoustic bands entertain guests from 8pm to 11pm.

Nora Beach Club’s restaurant with 29 indoor tables, an open kitchen and a Japanese-style chef’s table is slated to open in March. It comes with a private dining space in The Wine Cellar, offering an exclusive experience for eight diners, who may choose from a well-curated selection of international wines and enjoy wine tasting sessions. Before heading in for dinner, guests may choose to have their pre-dinner cocktails and canapes at outdoor high tables with a beachfront view.

Sustainable and healthy Mediterranean food is the highlight of the menu, created by group executive chef Hemant Dadlani, who heads Amora Group’s culinary department in Australia and Thailand. Supported by Phuket’s executive chef Pui, Nora serves up healthy yet sumptuous dishes with moreish flavours, using only fresh, premium ingredients from local producers and international suppliers with world-class ethics and execution.

Nora’s culinary approach is also aligned with that of other F&B offerings at the resort. The new-concept all-day dining restaurant ISLA, which is named to reference “the island of liberation”, caters to culinary freedom. It offers a range of gluten-free and vegetarian dishes, with ingredients that are responsibly sourced from the sea and the land. Offering international and traditional Thai dishes, diners enjoy their meals while ensconced in a cosy interior overlooking the pools.