Best for lovebirds
KEEMALA
Situated in the hills above Kamala Beach
on Phuket’s glorious northwest coast, some
might describe Keemala’s aesthetic as ‘hobbit
chic’. Guests are greeted inside giant rattan
baubles perched on soaring stilts, waterfalls
spill over massive boulders into a swimming
pool and wooden decks are cantilevered
over the jungle canopy. Villas come in four
categories: clay cottages, with romantic
netted beds; luxed-up zip-up tents; double-
decker treehouses; and rambling bird’s nest
villas. All villas are memorably decorated
— expect oversized mosaic floors and
wooden furniture — with black-stone
bathtubs and swimming pools. Don’t miss
the spa, which only uses organic products.
ROOMS: Villas from £405, B&B. keemala.comBest for naturalists
SIX SENSES YAO NOI
There’s no better place to see the blazing
sunrise over Phang Nga Bay than this
eco-luxe retreat on the island of Yao Noi,
a 45-minute speedboat ride from Phuket.
Thatched-roof villas bring the outside in,
with banyan trees popping up through
wooden decks, swimming pools that
overlook the ocean and oriental pied
hornbills providing early morning wake-up
calls. Wander through the gardens with a
free scoop of ice cream, try your hand at one
of the more adventurous activities — SUP,
rock climbing and cycling, for instance — or
indulge in a relaxing treatment at the spa.
ROOMS: From £395, B&B. sixsenses.com78 nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel
SLEEP