AID-BACK and eco-friendly, the newly upgraded Tongsai Bay has re-emerged with a fresh lobby, breezy restaurants, and some stylish Pool Villas and Grand Villas. Suites have spacious balconies, featuring tubs for lazy soaks overlooking the bay. Tongsai Bay is among the best Samui resorts and its spa is top class.

The resort’s generous, verdant surroundings are home to more than 40 kinds of birds, and the emphasis is on open space. All the suites have been built to fit into the existing landscape, with trees and rocks carefully preserved during the building process. All 83 rooms, on 25 acres of land, have sea views. Mellow out next to one of the two large swimming pools, one with a Jacuzzi, or head to the 200-metre private beach – there’s sailing, windsurfing, snorkelling, and canoeing, if you're feeling energetic. If you prefer not to get wet, there's tennis, working out in the gym and a range of beach activities to keep you usefully busy.

No stay at Tongsai Bay is complete without a visit to the holistic Prana Spa, with treatments including anything from aromatherapy to traditional Thai massage, body masks and Dead Sea mud therapies. Gastronomic options are varied: Chef Chom’s Thai Restaurant offers authentic Royal Thai cuisine, as well as local southern Thai food.

The intimate The Butler’s Restaurant serves sumptious European fare at dinnertime (only for those over 11 years old). Floyd’s Beach Bistro, named after British TV chef Keith Floyd, who helped plan the concept, is conveniently located on the beachfront next to the pool, serving international food with a contemporary and varied touch.

Night owls can party the night away at the Beach Bar, which is open until 2am. The glass-fronted, airconditioned Sip Internet Café, offering a range of coffee blends and treats, is both convenient and attractive, with views straight onto the beach and over the bay. Just kick back and relax.