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Your private villa awaits at the Four Seasons. Koh Samui island is known for its tranquil beaches. board a quick flight to the gulf island of Koh Samui to experience another side of Thailand. Samui has two sides, and we choose the quieter west coast for our lodgings, checking into the luxurious Four Seasons. Located on a steep, verdant hillside covered in hundreds of palm trees, the hotel's 58 individual villas are spread over 42 acres, each villa featuring private deck, dipping pool and comfy lounging furniture. The villas overlook the coral beach below and the open 88 The Tower at Lebua offers bird's-eye views of Bangkok. ocean dotted with neighbouring islands. Given the sharp incline of the hillside, guests move around the sprawling resort in golf carts that are available around the clock, delivering them to the beach, the restaurants, health club and spa at a moment's notice. Our villa is a sanctuary that raises the bar for all the hotels we've stayed in to this point. A large king bed is the centrepoint of the main room, its soft linens shrouded by a decorative canopy. A white, turquoise and brown colour scheme is reminiscent of a cool tropical beach, while our private splash pool is a welcome reprieve, given that the mercury hovers between 29 and 35 degrees Celsius, even at night. It's a hot, sticky heat that leaves no hesitation about the timeliness of a quick, rejuvenating swim at any hour of the day. Breakfast at the resort's Lan Tania is a meal to be savoured as much for the magnificent view of the ocean from the restaurant's breezy location at the top of the hill, as for the spectacular spread of tropical fruit, pastries, meat and fish. Later, with full bellies, we saunter down to the beach to lounge in hammocks, watching as locals fish for squid in the shallow water, the low tide revealing the coral reef below. We appreciate the tranquility of the Four Seasons Resort even more when we rent a car and venture to the island's east side, particularly the long strip known as Chaweng, where restaurants, markets, bars and nightclubs sit shoulder to »»»»»If You Go ⊲ or general travel information on F Thailand, visit the website of the Tourism Authority of Thailand at tourismthailand.org ⊲ or rates and details at Four F Seasons Resort Koh Samui, visit fourseasons.com/kohsamui ⊲ or reservations, rates and F information on Bangkok's Tower Club at Lebua, visit lebua.com/en/tower-club/ shoulder. This is the playground of many a tourist, and the place for those who want to shop for a fake Rolex, take in a cabaret starring men dressed convincingly as women, or people-watch with a cold drink in hand. Between its food, sights and strong sense of culture, Thailand feeds our sense of adventure and challenges our western perceptions, inspiring us to try things we wouldn't do back home. That includes sampling food strongly flavoured with the ubiquitous chili, also known as "Thai candy," and exfoliations that involves dipping our feet into a fish tank and having our dead skin cells nibbled on by hungry garra rufa fish. Chased by a deep massage that cost a mere $8, we can't help but smile at the affordability and unique pleasure of a honeymoon in Thailand. rw PHOTOS COURTESY FOUR SEASONS RESORT KOH SAMUI AND THE TOWER CLUB AT LEBUA real weddings fall/winter 2013 p86-89_Thailand.indd 88 13-09-23 11:47 AM