· · · ·

New to southern Thailand: Casas del Sol in Koh Tao

With a desire to offer a refreshing new definition of the luxury beach bungalow experience, Casas del Sol has officially opened on the island of Koh Tao, Thailand. Created by Australian Interior Designer, Christina Saenz de Santamaria, Casas del Sol are five individually designed beach villas that offer self-catered accommodation in an ideal location of the island that is both central and convenient yet private and tranquil. Each two-bedroom villa offers views of the open ocean, island and sunsets, and four of the five villas have a private swimming pool on the terrace. The fundamental design of the villas was inspired by the tropical climate of Thailand that blends both the indoor and outdoor environments together with the use of an outdoor terrace and open-plan living. Natural ventilation was an important element for cooling in the tropical heat with high ceilings, windows and large terrace doors. A major style influence to the villas was the Mediterranean culture due to villa ownership from Spain. The crisp white walls and use of polished concrete is a direct echo of the modernised fincas of the Spanish Balearic Islands. However care was taken to incorporate local Thai elements such as native timber details and products. The destination of Koh Tao itself is for the indulgent and adventurous traveler, with the small island offering a myriad of activities ranging from diving to yoga, rock climbing to water sports, Thai boxing and Thai cooking classes, as well as relaxation at the beach and massage parlors. Koh Tao is accessible by a one-hour flight from Bangkok to Koh Samui, followed by a two hour high-speed ferry from Koh Samui to Koh Tao. Being an island that is accessible only by water means that Koh Tao has preserved a natural and refreshing charm unrivalled by other islands in the Gulf of Thailand. With regard to the unusual weather pattern recently in southern Thailand, the untimely storm did bring torrential rain and floods but the weather pattern has greatly improved with flat seas and sunshine, and tourism has resumed on the island of Koh Tao.

Paul Johnson

Paul Johnson is Editor of A Luxury Travel Blog and has worked in the travel industry for more than 30 years. He is Winner of the Innovations in Travel ‘Best Travel Influencer’ Award from WIRED magazine. In addition to other awards, the blog has also been voted “one of the world’s best travel blogs” and “best for luxury” by The Telegraph.

Did you enjoy this article?

Receive similar content direct to your inbox.