Villa Malouna

Villa Malouna stretches along forty-five metres of private beachfront at Bang Po, on Koh Samui’s tranquil north coast, looking across calm, clear water towards Koh Phangan. Its architecture blends the restraint of Japanese Zen design with warm Thai craftsmanship: low pavilions of glass, dark stone and honey-toned timber, arranged around a central garden of mature trees. With six bedrooms and a playful children’s dormitory, it is one of the island’s great homes for extended families and groups of friends.

At its heart lies a twenty-seven-metre infinity pool, lined in emerald-green stone, that runs towards the beach with a shallow section for children. A sunken lounge set into the water under a timber pergola is the place for evening drinks, and a wide timber deck holds long outdoor dining tables facing the sea. Beyond the lawn, the beach is set with umbrellas and floor cushions, kayaks wait on the sand, and a coral reef just offshore makes for easy snorkelling.

The living spaces sit in two seafront pavilions that open completely to the pool, with low white sofas and handsome built-in shelving. A dramatic black kitchen flows into a dining room that seats twelve. Two bedrooms open onto the pool, two look over the garden, and two sit above the children’s dormitory with views of the ocean; every one has its own bathroom, several with freestanding tubs. The dormitory itself has built-in bunks, a chalkboard wall and indoor swings. A villa manager, chef and housekeeping team look after everything, and breakfast is included.