The most stunning resorts in Asia

Surrounded by working rice paddies and swaying palms, this resort is an hour and a half outside Phnom Penh. Its 24 rustic rooms and ten mod suites are built inside traditional Khmer stilted bungalows. But besides the shocking levels of tranquillity, a stay here does some serious good for the local community. The Farmhouse resort works in conjunction with the non-profit Smiling Gecko, a training resort where Cambodian children learn various skills, including farming, cooking and English.

There’s a lot of monkeying around at this resort—literally. Situated on Monkey Mountain, you’ll likely get a few curious primates testing out your private pool, plus fun monkey motifs decorating your glammed-out villa. A Central Vietnam stalwart since it opened in 2012, it arguably has the country’s best design (courtesy of the famous Bill Bensley) along with a pristine bay beach. One of the many fun, kitschy touches here is the resort’s funicular, taking you from the clifftop “Heaven” level down to “Sea.”

Taking up residence on stylish Sentosa, the Capella Singapore feels lightyears away from the city’s buzzing CBD. Made from two colonial bungalows dating back to the 1880s, its 112 contemporary rooms, villas and suites sit on 30 acres of seaside bliss. Voted the #33 hotel in the world by the World’s 50 Best, Capella’s Cantonese restaurant Cassia no doubt contributed to the ranking. Designed by the legendary André Fu, a dim sum lunch here is worth the stay alone.

You’ve probably never heard of the Anambas Islands, but that’s by design. This super remote cluster of lush islands is home to the ultra-luxe Bawah Reserve. Indonesia’s answer to the Maldives, this hideaway has 36 villas, split between overwater and beach. Arguably one of Asia’s most sustainable resorts, it has its own recycling, bottling and desalination plant, as well as a massive floating solar farm that powers 50 per cent of the resort. The cherry on top? The stay here is all-inclusive; yep, that means laundry and a daily spa treatment too.

If you’re looking for a once-in-a-lifetime vacation—the kind you fantasise about at work—book a villa at Soneva Fushi. The OG barefoot luxury brand, this private island paradise is a playground for adults and kids. Soneva Fushi’s myriad dining options are truly out of this world, including a zip-line dining experience, a breakfast buffet with multiple rooms (think separate chocolate, ice cream and cheese rooms) and an overwater sushi extravaganza. It’s home to one of the continent’s biggest kid’s clubs, with a pirate ship and waterslide you’ll have to drag the little ones away from. And while the kids run wild, butlers can arrange everything from a private movie screening under the stars to snorkelling with manta rays.

Combining the best of both, The Datai is sandwiched between an ancient tropical rainforest and a postcard-perfect bay on the Andaman Sea. Its 121 luxe rooms, suites, and villas have thatched roofs, teak flooring, soaking tubs and ethereal canopy beds. Spend days here swimming in the bay’s gentle waves, taking nature walks through the flora, or enjoying a muscle-melting massage in the streamside spa. Creatures and critters are no strangers to The Datai, so keep your eyes peeled for the Dusky langur, a local monkey that is equal parts cute and cheeky.

Let’s admit it, Thailand is Asia’s resort hub. There are seemingly endless options among the nation’s islands and shores, but the Four Seasons Koh Samui is stunning enough to make you do a double-take. It’s so pretty that its sugar-white private beach fringed by palm trees is the setting for the upcoming season of The White Lotus. Book an Oceanfront Pool Villa with a private infinity pool and views over the sparkling emerald bay. Its signature Thai restaurant, Koh Thai, is an open-air dream. Gorge yourself on fresh tuna larb, tom yum goong and blue crab curry. Pst, don’t forget the mango sticky rice!