Kacha Resort Koh Chang

This one's for couples and anyone who wants the beach a few steps from the room without giving up a pool, a spa and somewhere decent to eat on site. The dining is open-air, so you get sea views and a breeze with breakfast, which is most of the point of paying for beachfront in the first place. Rooms are on the compact, comfortable side rather than sprawling. If you want space to spread out with kids and a kitchen, look elsewhere on the island.

My advice on timing matters more than my advice on the room. High season here runs November to April, when the rain stays away and the sea is flat enough to actually swim and take boats out. Come outside those months and you're gambling on tropical storms, choppy water and gray days spent looking at a pool you don't feel like getting into. Some places on Koh Chang scale back or close entirely in low season, so confirm before you commit to non-refundable flights.