The scent of spice and lemongrass wafts through our tropical-like setting.
The sun’s heat only magnifies this delicious aroma, while our teacher Kwan continues to bash garlic into her mortar with her worn, stone pestle.
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She tears off a handful of the leaves that have sprouted in the garden at the Nai Mueang Restaurant, and gestures for us to consume them.
This is the brilliant thing about Kwan’s cooking school, tucked away in a local village in southern Thailand — everything that goes into the traditional Thai dishes served here is grown right on site and you’ll get to try them all fresh before you cook them.
Within two hours, my friend Rowan and I had whipped up a spicy panaeng curry and a noodle prawn starter that looked far fancier than anything I’d eaten in a Thai restaurant back home.
The delicacies were even more delicious knowing we would be greeted by an ice-cold drink and a sunbed with shade at Avani+ Khao Lak.
Thailand’s all-inclusive resorts, like those we offer, are a major selling point.
With white sand beaches, swaying palm trees and everything you need at the click of a finger, staying here feels as if you’ve stepped straight on to a movie set, even more so, now that TV hit The White Lotus is heading to Thailand for its third series.
Avani+ Khao Lak has a wide range of activities to choose from, and a cooking lesson is one.
If you want to experience pure luxury, this is where to go.
Beach holiday reading list
There’s a laid-back outdoor bar with multi-coloured bean bags backing on to a beach littered with hammocks from which you can sip on wine while watching the waves crash on to the shore.
The room is a villa technically, but it’s a similar luxury, complete with two luxurious bedrooms, an indoor/outdoor dining area and deluxe lounge.
You will not find any cooking facilities, but you can choose from a wide range of restaurants, which include a breakfast buffet and a lunch bar. There is also an Italian restaurant by the pool and another beachside eatery that has a Western/Thai cuisine, with such dishes as spaghetti tom-yum.
The White Lotus staff goes above and beyond to accommodate your every need. Golf buggies are available at any time for you to use anywhere on the property.
When you visit this part of the world that is exotic, it’s a given to do some exploration.
At the nearby Wang Kiang Ku river, you can book in for a bamboo rafting experience (£12 for two people) that will get you up close with nature.
Each raft, cleverly crafted by locals, will transport you through winding waters where wildlife flourishes — we spotted snakes hiding in trees and a baby turtle perched on a rock.
There’s plenty more wildlife to see too, but make sure you do your research as there are still lots of unethical companies offering pictures with baby apes and elephant rides.
If you want to do your bit to help, while also getting up close to some wild animals, Phuket’s only remaining rainforest, in Khao Phra Thaeo national park, is home to The Gibbon Rehabilitation Project (gibbonproject.org(), founded in 1992, is a charitable organization that saves gibbons from poachers who have stolen them away from their home.
The majority of rescue workers are volunteers, and the entry fee goes directly back to further missions.
Sunrise yoga
You’ll get to observe the apes in their natural habitat, swinging from ropes.
As we watched the female Tam with two left fingers on one hand, and only one leg happily devour her mangoes, she seemed as fascinated as us by our presence.
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When you’re done, take the short rainforest walk from here to Bang Pae waterfall or hire a driver to take you on a tour of the top spots of the island.
Popular attractions such as Wat Chalong temple and Big Buddha are further south (you’ll need to wear modest clothes), or pay a visit to the Old Town, crammed with traditional cafes selling bargain dumplings and boutique shops packed with hand-made garments and handbags.
Avani+ Mai Khao, the sister resort, is located in an ideal location, just a few minutes from the Old Town, and only a 10-minute walk to the beach.
The sunrise yoga is a great way to start the day, and kids will love the giant inflatable film screen with its swim up bar.
Here, you will find a wide variety of quality restaurants.
Sea.Fire.Salt is the best restaurant to order the Phuket Lobster. It’s available in most restaurants, but they serve it on a hot brick with garlic butter and a spicy Thai sweet sauce.
If you fancy trying a bit of everything, then Claws & Co, within the resort, does seafood buckets (literally) of sweet lobster, juicy prawns, sticky calamari, flaky sea bass and crab smothered in sauces and delivered to your table with a shell-smashing hammer, aprons and disposable gloves — trust me, you’ll need them.
There are many activities on site that you can do during mealtimes.
Just make sure you leave enough time between lunch and tackling the resort’s climbing wall or, better still, channel your inner Jennifer Coolidge and order another poolside rosé instead.
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The best way to see PHUKET
Get There: Emirates flies from London to Phuket from £359.50 each way. The cost of a flight from London to Bangkok is as low as £359.50. emirates.com.
Staying there: Rooms at Avani+ Khao Lak cost from £93 per night, while one-bedroom suites at Avani+ Mai Khao Phuket cost from £136 per night. You can see. avanihotels.com.
OUT & ABOUT: Cooking classes with Kwan at Nai Mueang Restaurant cost £48pp (THB2,000), based on four people joining. Entry to the Gibbons Project costs £60 (THB2,500) for groups of three. You can book all excursions, drivers included, at the hotel’s reception.