Anantara Rasananda, Koh Phangan

Arrival is via a 40 minute speedboat dash from Koh Samui and your boat arrives on the beach, so be prepared to ditch the shoes and dabble your toes – this is definitely barefoot territory. A stunning, white sand beach fringed by the turquoise waters of the Gulf of Thailand greets your arrival, Koh Phangan remains that unspoilt, rustic and untouched island from your travelling days; this is the real Thailand, how Thailand used to be. Contemporary style pool villas blend into the landscape with Pool Suites located on the second floor, offering huge terraces and outdoor plunge pools. Garden Pool Suites are on the ground floor with tropical gardens hidden behind high walls accessed by an ancient wooden gate. Ocean Pool Suites are on the upper level with superb views of the beach and an endless horizon (these are satisfyingly private), but the Ocean Garden Pool Villas up the ante even further with a beachside pool, sala with daybed and private tropical garden. All are exceptionally stylish, successfully mixing Thai authenticity with modern design and state-of-the-art-high-tech amenities.

This is definitely a place where you can wander barefoot all day and all night if you desire, even when it comes to dining. Bistro@The Beach overlooks the infinity pool and offers a ‘suits all’ menu that takes you from breakfast through to dinner. Dine barefoot and chilled on the beach or under the romantic cane lanterns inside. Dining by design is a clever idea that we applaud – choose from a selection of starry-eyed locations around the resort and the staff do the rest. For those who wince a little at the idea of only dining in-house, don’t worry, there are some great local restaurants strung along the beach.