Villa Haineu

Arrival at Villa Haineu is a little piece of theatre. An elevated entrance passes a calm water feature and opens into a breezy, high-ceilinged dining hall with a table for twelve, its soaring gables recalling the palaces of old Ayutthaya. From there the eye is pulled straight through to the pool and the white sand of Lipa Noi beyond.

At nineteen metres, the pool is the longest on the Dhevatara Cove estate, finished with a waterfall feature, a built-in jacuzzi and a shallow end for children, with eleven sunbeds and a daybed along its edge. The living pavilion looks over the water through large glass doors, with oversized sofas and natural timber, and the kitchen has a glossy counter and bar stools for drinks while dinner is prepared. For sunset, the beach sala sets a table for eight right above the sand. Bedrooms are dressed in warm wood and artwork, two upstairs with private balconies, and several bathrooms have freestanding tubs beside small inner gardens with outdoor showers.

The villa shares its sheltered cove at the southern end of Lipa Noi with two sister villas, on the sunset side of Samui facing the Ang Thong islands. Days drift between the pool, a kayak on the bay and the estate’s shared gym and sauna, with the island’s beach clubs and the ferry pier at Nathon an easy drive away when you want them.