Koh Samui is sometimes held up as an example of all that's gone wrong with tourism in Thailand - with its overdevelopment, environmental problems and general tackiness - but there remain havens on the island where you can find shelter from the sarong vendors and thumping dance music.
The Akaryn Resort & Spa, in Bophut, on the north of the island, is such a place. One of only about half a dozen resorts with a private beach, the Akaryn is a seven-minute drive from the airport and five minutes from the tourist centre Chaweng, but it's a world away - at night, all you hear are the sounds of nature.
It's located on serene Hanuman Bay, named after the Hindu monkey god. Although we didn't see any of his simian cousins, we thought we heard some in the forests - but this was during one of the downpours that hit most afternoons, so we speculated that they just as likely could have been frogs.
The frog could be said to be the unofficial symbol of the Akaryn - apart from the amphibians you'll probably see hopping about there's also the so-called "Akaryn frog" in each room. The carved wooden creature is used to communicate with staff: leave it outside your door to request privacy, or on the bed to request a change of sheets.
The Akaryn's 34 polygonal suites and 18 1,076-square-foot villas are spread over a gentle slope that climbs up from the private beach. They resemble a stylised, utopian Thai village, and navigating the paths that wind through the leafy resort feels like you're on a little adventure every time.
We stay in one of the seven-sided pool suites, which have been designed with couples in mind: the bathroom's open rain shower, for example, would make it unsuitable for bunking with your mum. The decor is all understated luxury with an emphasis on Asian chic: chunky Thai wooden furniture, a four-poster bed, mood lighting, iPod dock and a flat-screen television.
During the day, light floods into our suite through the floor-to-ceiling windows, which slide open to allow immediate access to our little plunge pool. Each suite and villa comes with a private pool - the versions at the suites would be better described as jacuzzis, however. Once the fan palms, frangipani and bougainvillea are better established, guests will be able to enjoy their own private oasis while taking a dip