Kupu Kupu Phangan

Built up along the coast of Koh Phangan, Kupu Kupu Phangan now counts 37 private villas and suites, some set into the shoreline, others raised into the jungle behind it. The layout was clearly planned around water: nearly every villa carries its own plunge pool, and the resort centres on a 33-metre infinity pool that runs toward the sea. Rooms range from a beachfront pool villa opening straight onto sand to a rooftop suite with a two-storey view over the Gulf of Thailand and the islands of Angthong Marine Park. A separate cluster, the Chaloklum Residences, sits apart on the island's northern bay, with two- and three-bedroom villas built around private pools and direct beach access. Two restaurants anchor the food side: La Plage for all-day dining facing the water, and Indian Tandoor for naan and tandoor cooking through the evening. A private terrace above the restaurant, called La Vie en Rose, is set aside for dinners for two. You can also order a floating breakfast to your villa pool at sunrise. The Lilawadee spa runs face and body treatments drawing on local ingredients. It is a resort built for privacy rather than crowds, with each villa largely self-contained.