The Naka Island, a Luxury Collection Resort & Spa, Phuket

A ten-minute speedboat ride from Phuket drops you on a small private island where you strike a bronze gong twice on arrival, once to wake the dragon the island supposedly resembles, once to make a wish. This Michelin Key resort spreads more than 70 pool villas through the palms, with curved walls and open-air bathrooms that catch the sea breeze. Three restaurants, a spring-water spa, and most guests who quietly abandon all plans to leave.