Villa Akuvara

Villa Akuvara sits right on Lipa Noi Beach, on Koh Samui’s quiet west coast, where near-white sand is edged with coconut palms and casuarina trees and the water stays calm and shallow. Its name comes from the Sanskrit for “the sea”, and it is well chosen: the villa looks west across the gulf towards the Five Islands, and every evening the sun sets straight ahead. Modern and uncluttered, with walls of glass, it is designed to keep that view in sight from almost every room.

The thirteen-metre infinity pool runs along the front of the house, seeming to spill into the sea, with loungers, blue parasols and a pretty sala right on the beach for long, lazy afternoons. Kayaks sit on the sand, and an outdoor dining table is set beside the pool for meals with the sound of the waves. Inside, the living room opens fully to the terrace through wide sliding doors, there is a separate dining room and a sleek, fully equipped kitchen, and upstairs a second lounge and a sea-view balcony make a quiet retreat for reading or an evening drink.

Four bedrooms each have their own bathroom, and the villa can also be booked with three bedrooms for smaller groups. The master suite has its own pavilion beside the pool, with a king bed, sea views and an open-air stone bathtub. Two more king rooms sit in the main house, one with a balcony over the garden, and a twin room suits children or friends. Breakfast is included, and a villa manager, daily housekeeping and security take care of everything.