We’d seen the photos on the website but nothing prepares you for the sight that greets you on arrival at this lovely villa. The view is breathtaking, the sea is just so blue, and the islands of Koh Phangan and Angthong seem to hover on the horizon like some mystical mirage.

And then there’s the fine white sandy beach and coconut palms, hundreds of them, and gardens filled with fragrant frangipani and exotic plants, it's quite simply a slice of paradise.

It's hard to tear yourself away from the view but the villa itself is modern, stylish and inviting, and the staff welcoming. Once we were comfortably settled into our rooms, it was time to explore all that was on offer.

We loved lounging in the living area, with its glass walls and sea views. Breakfast was always a pleasure, served on the black stone breakfast bar, definitely a great spot to kick off the day or fix yourself a sunset cocktail before you head for the beachside terrace.

Which leads me to the beachfront terrace. What an absolute delight. Strewn with outdoor woven sofas and a matching dining table, sun loungers and a covered massage sala - this is where we spent most of our time. When the beach got hot, a dip in our personal pool or jacuzzi would cool us off.

The great thing about this villa is that it's almost all on one level. Glass doors and windows can be opened up to create one expansive living space which seems to catch the cool sea breeze and is perfect for parties.

And yes, let me confess that we were spoilt rotten by the in-villa chef. Thai masterpieces were served to us, one after the other, and left us never wanting to leave the villa. This is an idyllic spot to completely kick back, relax and recharge with family or friends.

A picture-postcard beach view is lovely, but sometimes a busy beach scene, viewed from on high is far more interesting. Trying to read a book on one of Baan Bua Sawan’s sun-loungers was difficult – not for any lack of comfort, but because the view was just too interesting to concentrate. Watching the fishermen go about their business and the luxury sailboats anchored in the bay was a very pleasant distraction though. And the villa’s elevated position means that although you’re in a development of several villas, the pool terrace is absolutely private.

The villa’s furnishings are comfortable and homely and it’s well equipped when it comes to audio-visual gadgetary – each bedroom has a TV/DVD, and the master suite and living room also offer satellite channels. There’s an iPod dock too should you wish to bring your own music. We stayed by the pool well into the evening, enjoying a glass of wine as the sun set over the bay. Only the delicious aroma of our dinner wafting from the kitchen drew us inside to the air-conditioned dining room. We took advantage of the option of a private chef (extra charge), as a day in the sun made us too lazy to venture out. The chef is skilled in both Thai and Western cuisine, and in the open-plan kitchen we enjoyed watching the preparation of our favourite local dishes. If you need to work off the meal, there’s the option of laps in the 10m pool, and of course the stairs do the job too. Reading a book in the raised bath of the master suite was an indulgence that those in the other rooms were envious of – but they had large rain showers to enjoy.

As the villa is set back from the main road, we heard no traffic noise, other that the occasional ‘put-put’ from long-tail boat engines. From the security guard who saluted us every time we passed, to the bubbly villa manager, and even the unobtrusive housekeeper, we found all staff to be not only professional, but also pleasant and friendly.

A picture-postcard beach view is lovely, but sometimes a busy beach scene, viewed from on high is far more interesting. Trying to read a book on one of Baan Bua Sawan’s sun-loungers was difficult – not for any lack of comfort, but because the view was just too interesting to concentrate. Watching the fishermen go about their business and the luxury sailboats anchored in the bay was a very pleasant distraction though. And the villa’s elevated position means that although you’re in a development of several villas, the pool terrace is absolutely private.

The villa’s furnishings are comfortable and homely and it’s well equipped when it comes to audio-visual gadgetary – each bedroom has a TV/DVD, and the master suite and living room also offer satellite channels. There’s an iPod dock too should you wish to bring your own music. We stayed by the pool well into the evening, enjoying a glass of wine as the sun set over the bay. Only the delicious aroma of our dinner wafting from the kitchen drew us inside to the air-conditioned dining room. We took advantage of the option of a private chef (extra charge), as a day in the sun made us too lazy to venture out. The chef is skilled in both Thai and Western cuisine, and in the open-plan kitchen we enjoyed watching the preparation of our favourite local dishes. If you need to work off the meal, there’s the option of laps in the 10m pool, and of course the stairs do the job too. Reading a book in the raised bath of the master suite was an indulgence that those in the other rooms were envious of – but they had large rain showers to enjoy.

As the villa is set back from the main road, we heard no traffic noise, other that the occasional ‘put-put’ from long-tail boat engines. From the security guard who saluted us every time we passed, to the bubbly villa manager, and even the unobtrusive housekeeper, we found all staff to be not only professional, but also pleasant and friendly.

A picture-postcard beach view is lovely, but sometimes a busy beach scene, viewed from on high is far more interesting. Trying to read a book on one of Baan Bua Sawan’s sun-loungers was difficult – not for any lack of comfort, but because the view was just too interesting to concentrate. Watching the fishermen go about their business and the luxury sailboats anchored in the bay was a very pleasant distraction though. And the villa’s elevated position means that although you’re in a development of several villas, the pool terrace is absolutely private.

The villa’s furnishings are comfortable and homely and it’s well equipped when it comes to audio-visual gadgetary – each bedroom has a TV/DVD, and the master suite and living room also offer satellite channels. There’s an iPod dock too should you wish to bring your own music. We stayed by the pool well into the evening, enjoying a glass of wine as the sun set over the bay. Only the delicious aroma of our dinner wafting from the kitchen drew us inside to the air-conditioned dining room. We took advantage of the option of a private chef (extra charge), as a day in the sun made us too lazy to venture out. The chef is skilled in both Thai and Western cuisine, and in the open-plan kitchen we enjoyed watching the preparation of our favourite local dishes. If you need to work off the meal, there’s the option of laps in the 10m pool, and of course the stairs do the job too. Reading a book in the raised bath of the master suite was an indulgence that those in the other rooms were envious of – but they had large rain showers to enjoy.

As the villa is set back from the main road, we heard no traffic noise, other that the occasional ‘put-put’ from long-tail boat engines. From the security guard who saluted us every time we passed, to the bubbly villa manager, and even the unobtrusive housekeeper, we found all staff to be not only professional, but also pleasant and friendly.

Lying on a comfortable poolside sun lounger just above the beach at Baan Leelawadee, watching the fishermen go about their business and the luxury boats sail in and out of the bay provided a very pleasant distraction - even if it did mean that not much of my book got read!  And the villa’s slightly elevated position means that, although we could spy on them, the fishermen and anyone strolling on the beach couldn't easily see us.

We stayed poolside well into the evening, enjoying a glass of wine as the sun set over the bay, and chatting to some locals grilling shellfish they’d just caught, right there on the beach. Only the delicious aroma of our dinner wafting from the kitchen drew us inside to the air-conditioned dining room. Having a chef on hand was a treat, as a day in the sun made us too lazy to venture out. The chef is skilled in both Thai and Western cuisine, and in the open-plan kitchen we enjoyed watching the preparation of some favourite local dishes. The villa’s simple furnishings are comfortable and homely and we slept well in the master suite’s pretty four-poster bed after relaxing in a bubble bath. 

As the villa is set back from the main road, we heard no traffic noise other than the occasional ‘put-put’ from long-tail boat engines. From the security guard who saluted us every time we passed, to the bubbly chef who prepared out dinner and breakfast, and even the unobtrusive housekeeper, we found all staff to be not only professional, but also pleasant and friendly.

Lying on a comfortable poolside sun lounger just above the beach at Baan Leelawadee, watching the fishermen go about their business and the luxury boats sail in and out of the bay provided a very pleasant distraction - even if it did mean that not much of my book got read!  And the villa’s slightly elevated position means that, although we could spy on them, the fishermen and anyone strolling on the beach couldn't easily see us.

We stayed poolside well into the evening, enjoying a glass of wine as the sun set over the bay, and chatting to some locals grilling shellfish they’d just caught, right there on the beach. Only the delicious aroma of our dinner wafting from the kitchen drew us inside to the air-conditioned dining room. Having a chef on hand was a treat, as a day in the sun made us too lazy to venture out. The chef is skilled in both Thai and Western cuisine, and in the open-plan kitchen we enjoyed watching the preparation of some favourite local dishes. The villa’s simple furnishings are comfortable and homely and we slept well in the master suite’s pretty four-poster bed after relaxing in a bubble bath. 

As the villa is set back from the main road, we heard no traffic noise other than the occasional ‘put-put’ from long-tail boat engines. From the security guard who saluted us every time we passed, to the bubbly chef who prepared out dinner and breakfast, and even the unobtrusive housekeeper, we found all staff to be not only professional, but also pleasant and friendly.

Lying on a comfortable poolside sun lounger just above the beach at Baan Leelawadee, watching the fishermen go about their business and the luxury boats sail in and out of the bay provided a very pleasant distraction - even if it did mean that not much of my book got read!  And the villa’s slightly elevated position means that, although we could spy on them, the fishermen and anyone strolling on the beach couldn't easily see us.

We stayed poolside well into the evening, enjoying a glass of wine as the sun set over the bay, and chatting to some locals grilling shellfish they’d just caught, right there on the beach. Only the delicious aroma of our dinner wafting from the kitchen drew us inside to the air-conditioned dining room. Having a chef on hand was a treat, as a day in the sun made us too lazy to venture out. The chef is skilled in both Thai and Western cuisine, and in the open-plan kitchen we enjoyed watching the preparation of some favourite local dishes. The villa’s simple furnishings are comfortable and homely and we slept well in the master suite’s pretty four-poster bed after relaxing in a bubble bath. 

As the villa is set back from the main road, we heard no traffic noise other than the occasional ‘put-put’ from long-tail boat engines. From the security guard who saluted us every time we passed, to the bubbly chef who prepared out dinner and breakfast, and even the unobtrusive housekeeper, we found all staff to be not only professional, but also pleasant and friendly.

Trying to read a book on one of Baan Ratree’s sun-loungers was difficult – not for any lack of comfort, but because the busy beach-scene view was just too interesting for me to concentrate. Watching the fishermen go about their business and the luxury sailboats anchored in the bay was a very pleasant distraction though. And the villa’s elevated position means that although you’re in a development of several villas, the pool terrace is absolutely private.
 

The villa’s furnishings are comfortable and homely and it’s well equipped when it comes to audio-visual gadgetary – each bedroom has a TV/DVD, and the master suite and living room also offer satellite channels. There’s an iPod dock too should you wish to bring your own music. We stayed by the pool well into the evening, enjoying a glass of wine as the sun set over the bay. Only the delicious aroma of our dinner wafting from the kitchen drew us inside to the air-conditioned dining room. We took advantage of the option of a private chef (extra charge), as a day in the sun made us too lazy to venture out. The chef is skilled in both Thai and Western cuisine, and in the open-plan kitchen we enjoyed watching the preparation of our favourite local dishes. To work off our over-indulgence, we appreciated the private, well-kitted-out gym.

As the villa is set back from the main road, we heard no traffic noise, other that the occasional ‘put-put’ from long-tail boat engines. From the security guard who saluted us every time we passed, to the bubbly villa manager, and even the unobtrusive housekeeper, we found all staff to be not only professional, but also pleasant and friendly.

Trying to read a book on one of Baan Ratree’s sun-loungers was difficult – not for any lack of comfort, but because the busy beach-scene view was just too interesting for me to concentrate. Watching the fishermen go about their business and the luxury sailboats anchored in the bay was a very pleasant distraction though. And the villa’s elevated position means that although you’re in a development of several villas, the pool terrace is absolutely private.
 

The villa’s furnishings are comfortable and homely and it’s well equipped when it comes to audio-visual gadgetary – each bedroom has a TV/DVD, and the master suite and living room also offer satellite channels. There’s an iPod dock too should you wish to bring your own music. We stayed by the pool well into the evening, enjoying a glass of wine as the sun set over the bay. Only the delicious aroma of our dinner wafting from the kitchen drew us inside to the air-conditioned dining room. We took advantage of the option of a private chef (extra charge), as a day in the sun made us too lazy to venture out. The chef is skilled in both Thai and Western cuisine, and in the open-plan kitchen we enjoyed watching the preparation of our favourite local dishes. To work off our over-indulgence, we appreciated the private, well-kitted-out gym.

As the villa is set back from the main road, we heard no traffic noise, other that the occasional ‘put-put’ from long-tail boat engines. From the security guard who saluted us every time we passed, to the bubbly villa manager, and even the unobtrusive housekeeper, we found all staff to be not only professional, but also pleasant and friendly.

Trying to read a book on one of Baan Ratree’s sun-loungers was difficult – not for any lack of comfort, but because the busy beach-scene view was just too interesting for me to concentrate. Watching the fishermen go about their business and the luxury sailboats anchored in the bay was a very pleasant distraction though. And the villa’s elevated position means that although you’re in a development of several villas, the pool terrace is absolutely private.
 

The villa’s furnishings are comfortable and homely and it’s well equipped when it comes to audio-visual gadgetary – each bedroom has a TV/DVD, and the master suite and living room also offer satellite channels. There’s an iPod dock too should you wish to bring your own music. We stayed by the pool well into the evening, enjoying a glass of wine as the sun set over the bay. Only the delicious aroma of our dinner wafting from the kitchen drew us inside to the air-conditioned dining room. We took advantage of the option of a private chef (extra charge), as a day in the sun made us too lazy to venture out. The chef is skilled in both Thai and Western cuisine, and in the open-plan kitchen we enjoyed watching the preparation of our favourite local dishes. To work off our over-indulgence, we appreciated the private, well-kitted-out gym.

As the villa is set back from the main road, we heard no traffic noise, other that the occasional ‘put-put’ from long-tail boat engines. From the security guard who saluted us every time we passed, to the bubbly villa manager, and even the unobtrusive housekeeper, we found all staff to be not only professional, but also pleasant and friendly.