The Racha

    Not so very long ago Phuket was an undiscovered paradise, an Eden on the Andaman Sea. Today it’s one of the world’s most popular destinations, and while there are some remarkable resorts, that sense of Phuket as a remote escape is a thing of the past.

You don’t have to go far to get that feeling back, though. Half an hour south from Phuket by speedboat is Racha Yai island, home to The Racha, a complex of seventy gleaming white modernist villas on a hillside above a soft sandy beach on a secluded cove.

There’s little in the way of jungle island kitsch here — the interiors are as urbane as any city hotel, polished white surfaces positively sparkling, with crisp contemporary furnishings and dark wood accents. Each comes with a private terrace to enjoy the view of the bay (best seen at sunset) and an indoor-outdoor bathroom complete with open-air shower. The low-lying villas are a stone’s throw from the pristine white sand beach, while those higher up the hill boast superior views and private plunge pools.

A palatial spa complex offers a bewildering array of treatments, and the dive center outfits and instructs guests in preparation for exploring the island’s coral-reef fringe. Out here on Racha Yai there’s no town center to explore — surely a selling point rather than a limitation — but the hotel’s bar and two restaurants are more than up to the task, serving Thai and Italian cuisine in a stylish setting against the backdrop of the waters of Batok Bay.