Tassana Pra Villa

Tassana Pra Villa is a traditional Thai house built almost entirely of teak, set high on the green hillside above Bangrak on Koh Samui’s northern coast. Steep, tiered roofs, carved doorways and polished timber floors give it the feel of a heritage residence, while the view does the rest: from the terraces you look across the bay to the golden Big Buddha, the offshore islands and Koh Phangan on the horizon. Around a thousand square metres of tended garden, lily ponds and a carp pond with serpent fountains wrap around the house, so it feels secluded and calm.

The infinity pool, fifteen metres long, curves along the edge of the lawn as if it spills into the sea, with a shallow dip that younger children love and loungers under big white umbrellas. Breakfast is served on the shaded terraces with the whole coast laid out below, and in the evening the light turns the water pink and gold behind the islands. Inside, a high-ceilinged living room with deep sofas opens to the view, a formal dining room seats eight, and the kitchen is fully equipped with a window onto the treetops and the sea.

Four air-conditioned bedrooms are panelled in warm wood and dressed with Thai paintings, silk cushions and crisp white linen, each with tall glass doors onto the greenery. Three have king beds and one has twin beds, ideal for children, and every room has its own partly open-air bathroom with a deep stone bathtub. A long-serving, warm-hearted villa team looks after the house and will happily cook Thai lunches and dinners with produce from the local market, and Big Buddha Beach, Bangrak’s restaurants and the airport are all close by.