The new year has begun, and those just coming home from a December trip are probably still reeling from post-holiday blues — or plain fatigue if you’re returning from a particularly exhausting sojourn. “I need a break after this break” might sound ironic, but it’s a refrain that’s become so commonplace we’ve heard it thrice from different people in the past month alone.
Chalk it up to any number of factors: the stress of planning and executing an itinerary, dealing with conflicting interests (even those of the self-invited, painfully shameless plus-one) or even just the drain of being in a new environment.
More often than not, however, it’s a mix of everything that really bogs one down. Worrying about the tiny details — and worrying about whether everyone will enjoy every moment — on top of having to navigate an unfamiliar territory, often with little more than a digital map, can easily make a holiday feel more like an endless chore run.
We’re no strangers to this experience, so when we step on board a plane to Thailand, we naturally feel a mild sense of dread creep in. Thankfully, though, our trip to Koh Samui ends up being a stress-free time that actually rejuvenates us.
A flight by Bangkok Airways gets us to the regional airline’s private airport in Koh Samui in just under two hours. There’s a hot meal on board, and service is smooth, but that’s perhaps not unexpected from the carrier that’s been named the world’s best regional airline at the Skytrax World Airline Awards for eight consecutive years.
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Touching down at Samui Airport, we’re greeted by a unique open-air layout that looks especially pretty against the just-setting sun. This is Thailand’s first privately owned airport, and a few minutes on the road gets us to our home for the next few nights.
In the villas
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Koh Samui poses no shortage of options for luxury accommodations, but Samujana Villas has carved out a niche for itself with its meticulous approach to hospitality, coupled with unbeatable sea views in a stunning compound designed by architect Gary Fell of award-winning studio GAFB Architects.
Fans of the hit show The White Lotus might already know that one of the villas here was the site of a shoot for the third season, which is set to premiere next month. The Emmy-winning show will see K-pop group Blackpink’s Lisa joining the cast; filming took place in iconic destinations around Koh Samui, Bangkok and Phuket.
All but four of the 27 villas in Samujana are available for booking, each with between three and eight bedrooms. We find ourselves at Villa 12, which comes with seven ensuite bedrooms and an infinity pool that overlooks the Gulf of Thailand. Here, we’re introduced to Khun Ball, the affable villa manager with a possibly unbeatable attention to detail. He brings us through a quick tour of the bedrooms, as well as the common spaces, which include a private cinema, game room, gym and basketball court.
There’s an emphasis on open spaces, clean lines, and natural materials throughout the villa, which lends an understated elegance and seamless integration with nature. At every turn, we’re faced with the ocean breeze, which keeps us cool even in the tropical heat.
By this time, we’re ready for dinner. Samujana offers multiple food and drink options, with private chefs on site and an extensive menu of cuisine from around the world. One can even opt for a barbecue, expertly prepared by the team. Tonight, we’re served an array of locally inspired dishes, which we eagerly scarf down before settling down for the night.
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Our bedroom — along with several others in the villa — has a private jacuzzi located right outside. A sliding glass door reveals an elegantly furnished yet cosy bedroom. The bathroom is large, with a skylight that illuminates the entire space when the sun is out; a bathtub, as well as his-and-hers areas, complete the space. After a soak and a little unpacking, we’re ready to turn in.
The following days pass almost too quickly. There’s a choose-your-own-adventure vibe to staying at Samujana, with a suite of activities and amenities to ensure you’ll never get bored, even if you stay in all day. Whether it’s a Muay Thai class in our gym with a renowned fighter or Thai massages in our private cinema, Khun Ball and his team make each request a reality in record time, so we never feel like we’re waiting for the next thing to arrive.
Exploring Koh Samui
And while we would love to sit and luxuriate in our villa for the entirety of this trip, we’d be remiss if we didn’t head out to explore at least a little of what Koh Samui has to offer.
Our first stop is the Honey Rose Herb Garden, where a variety of herbs are transformed into essential oils and other products on-site. We sit for a quick workshop to make our own herbal compresses, filled with herbs gathered from around the garden, and try to contain our embarrassment as the owner, Khun Manee, and her interns from a local university cheerily help us redo our sloppily tied compresses.
We also head to Chao Mui Coffee Farm, where we meet the owner, Khun Sut. Driving up a hill to get to the farm, we come across a multitude of fruit trees, from mangosteens to bananas. Once we get to the top, we’re surprised to find not only coffee trees but durian trees — lots of them.
Khun Sut explains that this was originally a durian farm, which he started planting coffee on during the pandemic years. The trees have now begun to bear fruit, with the ripe red coffee cherries almost resembling jewels in the sea of green around us. We pick a few, and Khun Sut even invites us to try a couple; they’re lightly sweet with a floral, almost jasmine-like fragrance.
Back down the hill is a cafe, also run by Khun Sut and his family. Each day, the farm produces just 3kg of roasted beans, which are available only here and at the Bangkok Airways Blue Ribbon Lounge in Samui Airport (more on that later). We try an espresso, which is sweet like the cherries, though the roasting imparts a chocolatey character.
Taking advantage of this late afternoon pick-me-up, we decide to explore the nightlife in Koh Samui. Over in the busy hub of Chaweng is a stretch of bars and restaurants promising everything you might possibly want from a fun night out. We stop by cocktail bar Suvarn, which serves up great classics, as well as unique twists like Muay Thai, a complex, highly satisfying blend of Mekhong (a locally produced liquor similar to rum) and rye, among others.
Of course, no trip to Koh Samui would be complete without a visit to one of the island’s famed beaches. We don’t have to travel far, though; Samujana has its own private beach, and on our second-to-last day in Koh Samui, we head here for a little fun under the sun, along with lunch prepared by the Samujana team.
Heading home
And just like that, our time in Koh Samui has come to an end. We approach Samui Airport with a tinge of sadness in our hearts, but that feeling is quickly allayed when we realise there’s still time to check out what the airport has to offer.
Besides a variety of shops selling local wares and the Bangkok Airways Blue Ribbon Lounge, available to business-class passengers and FlyerBonus Premier members, there’s also the Boutique Lounge for all passengers. We take one last opportunity to soak in the vibes while sipping coffee from Khun Sut’s farm.
Stepping aboard our plane homebound, we feel — quite possibly for the first time — that we’re just coming off a truly restful trip.
The writer was a guest of Samujana Villas and Bangkok Airways
