Villa No. 30

Villa No. 30 sits directly above the water and, unusually for a residence this size, within an easy walk of the main resort. The entrance opens into a living and dining pavilion, and from there a teak bridge crosses to an open-air dining pavilion and a separate lounge of deep sofas — the two dining rooms, one enclosed and one not, being the choice Trisara built the villa around.

A few steps down are two freestanding guest bedrooms, each with its own 3.2-metre infinity pool, which is the detail that makes this house work for two couples travelling together. Below them, the main teak deck holds a 7.8-metre infinity pool, the two master bedrooms and a formal air-conditioned living and dining pavilion, with two smaller guest suites behind. A dedicated cook and two housekeepers look after it, sleeping 12 adults with 6 extra beds.