The Best Resorts in Asia: 2018 Readers' Choice Awards
"The party-happy sands of Chaweng are just over the ridgeline to the north of Banyan Tree’s private, palm-lined bay, part of a hidden valley on the eastern shore of Koh Samui. In a feat of engineering and architecture, the villas dramatically ascend the hillsides on stilts, clinging to the slopes. The golf cart–driving chauffeurs mean it when they tell you to hold on. Each of the 88 villas has a sizable swimming pool outside and earth tones inside. No razzle-dazzle here. The real magic is in thoughtful details—a built-in head cushion in the bathtub, perfectly focused reading lights, and a rain-style showerhead. Best of all, the resort delivers a real sense of place, particularly in the restaurants’ authentic Thai dishes, the confident masseurs in the spa, and, of course, this being Thailand, a genuinely hospitable staff." - CNT Editors, Betsy Blumenthal
