Luxury and privacy on the island of Phuket

Nestling in the midst of lush vegetation and overlooking the Andaman Sea, luxury villas offer intimate hideaways with private pools, azure-blue views and services worthy of 5-star hotels.

A true tropical paradise, Phuket is known as the “exotic pearl” of the Andaman Sea. Its sunny coasts edged by beaches of white sand and wide bays are lapped by emerald waters, with lush hills as a backloth. Known worldwide for its beautiful beaches, Phuket offers a magnificent wintertime spectacle of giant sea turtles that come here each year to lay their eggs, especially on the Hat Mai Khao beach, the largest on the island. Fans of sailing are very fond of the bay of Phang Nga, undoubtedly the most enchanting spot on the island with its unique rock formations. This bay is in fact listed as part of UNESCO’s World Heritage. As for the town, founded in the early 19th century by Chinese and Malaysian merchants who came to exploit the tin mines, it has retained the charm of its Chinese/Portuguese architecture. It revolves around its colourful markets, temples and many pretty houses in colonial style. A paradise for golfers, Phuket boasts 7 golf-clubs with a dozen courses, including the prestigious Mission Hills, designed by golfing legend Jack Nicklaus.

Beach Clubs

Café del Mar

Set on a promontory between the Kata and Kata Noi beaches, the sumptuous 5-star Kata Rocks complex is comprised of villas of Californian inspiration with private pools, restaurants including a gourmet address, a spa, a large infinity pool and a fitness centre. www.katarocks.com

On the Kata Noi beach, The Shore at Katathani benefits from a privileged location hosting intimate villas with one or two bedrooms, all with terraces and private pools, overlooking either the emerald-coloured sea or luxuriant vegetation. The services proposed are ideal for a romantic stay. www.theshore.katathani.com

The 48 Trisara Phuket villas are laid out so that it is impossible to even get a glimpse of one’s neighbour. Ranging from 117 to 530 sq.m, they offer 3 to 6 bedrooms and are set on a private bay a 30-minute drive from the Kamala beach and 45 minutes from the town centre of Phuket. Decorated in pure, contemporary style, they are all proposed with a conciergerie service with an excellent reputation. www.trisara.com

Classé parmi

An outpost of the famous club

in Ibiza, the Café del Mar Phuket recently opened on the northern tip of Kamala Beach. In an atmosphere both casual and sophisticated,

the jet-set relaxes here to music with a wide choice of cocktails

and international dishes, daily

from 10 a.m. to 2 in the morning. cafedelmarphuket.com

Catch Beach Club

This spot highly-prized by an esthetic clientele proposes lots

of seaside activities in a chic,

family ambiance. Its strong points include excellent cuisine, a wide array of creative cocktails and

a mindblowing wine-list. catchbeachclub.com

Dream Beach Club

Joyous and stylish, this club laid

out around four bars and two turquoise pools on the seafront

is the ideal address for clubbers

in search of a festive ambiance throughout the day. dreambeachclub.com