Viking Nature Resort

Come here for the beach, not the bungalow. The rooms are simple, wood-built and deliberately rough around the edges, which is either the whole charm or a dealbreaker depending on how you feel about sleeping close to the outdoors. What you're really paying for is a private stretch of sand on an island where most of the shoreline is shared with day boats and bar crawls.

It suits couples and anyone who wants to read a book for three days. There's a restaurant on site, which matters more than it sounds, because getting to the main strip and back at night takes effort from a place like this. If your plan is late drinks in Tonsai every evening, stay in Tonsai. If your plan is swimming before breakfast and an early night, this makes sense.

Time it right and the payoff is big. November to April brings calm seas and reliable sun, and a beachfront room is worth having. May to October the weather turns and the crossing can get rough.