Sunshine Beach Villa Mai Khao

Sunshine Beach Villa Mai Khao is a bright, modern single-storey home tucked into a quiet residential lane on Phuket’s far north-west coast, a few minutes’ stroll from the long, uncrowded sands of Mai Khao Beach. Clean white lines, walls of glass and soft muslin curtains give it a calm, airy feel, and the garden wraps around the house so almost every room looks out onto green lawn and trees. It suits a couple travelling with friends, or a small family, who want peace and the beach on foot rather than the bustle further south.

The private pool is the centrepiece: eleven metres long, with a dark overflow edge and shallow entry steps, set in a sunny courtyard between the wings of the house. A shaded pavilion beside the water, with its own table and chairs, is the natural spot for a long lunch or a book in the afternoon heat, and loungers line the deck. Indoors, the open-plan living room is lined with floor-to-ceiling windows, with deep sofas and a smart TV for rainy evenings, flowing into a glass-topped dining table and a sleek white kitchen with a full set of modern appliances.

The two bedrooms sit apart from each other for privacy. The main bedroom has a king bed, warm timber floors, a dressing area and a large bathroom with a deep bathtub, while the second bedroom has two single beds that suit children or friends, with its own bathroom and bathtub. Mai Khao is Phuket’s quietest beach, backed by the Sirinat National Park, and the airport is only a short drive away, so there is little travel time eaten out of a holiday.