Private Phuket

One of the world’s most highly-prized tropical destinations, this island in Thailand offers superb tourist facilities which are ever more luxurious. Spotlight on Pool Villas with 5-star appointments. By Radia Amar

We begin this secret itinerary with Bang Toa Bay on the north-west side of the island, just a 20-minute drive from Phuket Airport. Here, the Banyan Tree Hotel unfurls 170 luxury villas in a lush tropical setting with several pools scattered around the estate. Of traditional Thai architecture but luxuriously appointed in contemporary style, the villas stand at the edge of the lagoon and propose one or two pools, a spa and majordomo service. The spa consists of 12 pavilions reproducing royal salons dispensing treatments based on ancestral rituals. This hedonistic experience is designed for gourmets who savour the cuisine offered by the various restaurants. The 18-hole course at the Laguna Phuket Golf Club completes an extremely luxurious array of amenities.