Fact File

• To get to Ani Villas, catch a flight to either Phuket or Krabi. The land transfer and speedboat ride to the resort take slightly over an hour. • Ani Villas also has properties in Anguilla, the Dominican Republic and Sri Lanka. Each resort contributes to

Going local

On our second day, we set off on an island tour to explore local life and culture. After visiting a Batik painting shop in a quiet village, we sampled rotee (Thai pancake) from a roadside stall. At a coconut plantation in the midst of rice paddies in Baan Nam Jeud, we had the chance to pluck our own coconuts using a harvesting pole – after we’d picked them, plantation owner Auntie Chanya skilfully chopped them for us to eat.

We then headed into town to visit a row of small shops and food stalls, where we picked up some sweet-potato fries and banana fritters. Keep an eye out for Coffee Break, a bright orange kiosk that sells espressos, lattes and cold sodas; it has free Wi-fi!

That evening, we headed across the road from Ani Villas to the local Para Bar for a drink. Perched on a hill, it’s built to look like a ship and is decorated with knickknacks, including a disco ball. The bar serves a variety of drinks – whiskeys, wines and classic cocktails, from piña coladas to mojitos – and with its cool sea breezes it’s a great place to end the day.