Baan Leelawadee

From the air, Baan Leelawadee is a cluster of dark-tiled roofs set right against the sand, its pool a strip of blue between the garden and the shore. Named after the frangipani, and refurbished in 2018, it is the Dhevatara Residence villa angled for sunrise: the first light comes up across the bay, and by evening the sky over the water turns to apricot and the fishing boats sit still at anchor.

The living and dining pavilions have warm timber ceilings and fold-away glass walls, so the beachfront lounge with its plush sofas opens straight to the pool deck. A long wooden dining table faces an open kitchen with a breakfast bar and a Nespresso machine, and the open-sided sala by the water suits slow lunches and dinners at the edge of the sea. There is a garden outdoor shower for rinsing off after a swim, and a lawn wide enough for morning yoga.

Three bedrooms sit on the ground floor, including the master with its four-poster bed and bathtub, while the fourth has the upper floor to itself with a private balcony looking out over the garden. A villa manager and private chef look after the stay, breakfast is included, and Fisherman’s Village is about six minutes away by car. Neighbouring Dhevatara Residence villas can be booked alongside for bigger groups.