Baan Sangpathum Villa

Sea views open from most of the villas, and one has a garden view. Every villa has a private bathroom with a shower, bathrobes, a hair dryer and towels, plus wireless internet access in the room. Some villas also have a DVD/CD player, an iPod docking station or a TV in the bathroom.

Each villa sleeps between two and five guests, and most have a bathtub. The property has a garden, and the villas are furnished with queen, king and single beds in various set-ups. Rooms can also have air conditioning, an in-room safe box, a seating area, a sofa and a separate living room.

The property has an outdoor and an indoor swimming pool, a fitness centre, a library and a private beach. Massage treatments, diving, snorkelling and a golf course on site are also available, and a garden and a shared lounge/TV area sit within the grounds.

Restaurants, a poolside bar, a coffee shop, room service, barbecue facilities and a kitchen cover the food and drink side, with a continental breakfast also available. Free WiFi is available in all rooms, and on-site parking is free. Tours, car hire, bicycle rental, a shuttle service and an airport transfer are also available.

Daily housekeeping, laundry service, dry cleaning and luggage storage are available, and satellite or cable channels are offered in the property.

Rawai is a fishing village in the south of Phuket, and Baan Sangpathum Villa sits there with a much quieter feel than busy Patong, which is 10.9 km away. The area has the easy rhythm of a community that lives from the sea, with seafood, boats moored along the shore and small local shops. It works well for travellers who want the island's sights without the bustle of the resort strips.

Wat Chalong, the Buddhist temple also known as Chaithararam, is one of the best-known temples on the island and stands 5.3 km away. The Big Buddha, a large white statue on a hill, is 4.1 km from the villa. Nai Harn Beach, a sheltered bay with a lagoon, is 4.2 km away, and Kata Beach, a lively stretch of sand, lies 4.5 km away. The piers at Rawai and Chalong serve boats to nearby islands, so a day out on the water is simple to plan.

A good day can start at Wat Chalong, continue to the Big Buddha and end with a seafood dinner near the fish market in Rawai, where the fishing boats come in. Phuket International Airport is the nearest airport, and a car or scooter is the easiest way to reach the sights, since the island is connected to the mainland by road. Boat trips can be cancelled when the sea is rough in the monsoon months, so it helps to plan around the weather.