Barely a kilometre off the coast of Sihanoukville, a forested granite outcrop rises from the Gulf of Thailand's turquoise shallows — and it is the decision to leave that island almost entirely intact that defines Six Senses Krabey Island. Opened in 2018, the property's 40 pool villas and pavilions are pressed into a single densely vegetated headland, their low-slung timber and concrete forms visible from the air only because the canopy relents just enough to reveal a solar-panelled roofline and an infinity pool edged in hardwood decking. Timber boardwalks thread along the rocky shoreline rather than cutting through it, a gesture of restraint that recurs throughout the design. The interiors carry the warm, craft-forward material language that Six Senses has refined across its Southeast Asian properties — wide-plank timber floors, teak-panelled headboards, gauze mosquito canopies suspended from simple horizontal poles rather than ornate four-poster frames. Rattan-wrapped coffee tables and open-weave lounge chairs sit beside floor-to-ceiling sliding glass panels that dissolve the boundary between room and jungle. The restaurant draws on the same teak lattice vocabulary: a deep wall of geometric fretwork runs the full length of the dining room, hand-sewn canvas lanterns hang overhead, and the entire glazed facade frames an unobstructed horizon. Hand-painted textile panels depicting deer among flowering branches appear in the villas, grounding the contemporary tropical palette in traditional Cambodian craft.

10min drive followed by short jetty ride from Sihanoukville airport (KOS); 2hr drive from Phnom Penh

Six Senses Krabey Island blends into the lush canopy of trees and tropical landscape. The 12-hectare private resort features 40 free-standing pool villas, an extensive Six Senses Spa, a sunset bar, two unique restaurants, an ice cream parlor, horizon lap pool, outdoor fitness circuit, oceanfront boardwalk, beachfront sundeck, open-air cinema and sky observatory. The island is a 15-minute cruise from the resort's mainland jetty and provides a tranquil setting in which to reconnect and relax. Experiences range from water activities, island hopping and boat trips to the Six Senses Spa and fitness center, personal wellness programs and treatments.