I can think of a lot worse things than a private villa overlooking a crescent moon stretch of sand and a small bay opening up into the sea with a sunset view—in fact, add some Thai food and I think I’m in heaven. If that sounds lovely to you, then take a look at The Racha. I love Thailand for its islands, and I had the opportunity to visit one of them earlier in 2021 for an unforgettable escape. Phuket (pronounced “poo-KET”) is typically the star of Thailand island tourism, a 209-square-mile island connected to the nation’s southerly reaches by a short bridge. It’s well known for its beaches and high-end resorts. The landscape is lined with karst, towering limestone rock formations that rise straight up from the earth, verdant with plant life or multicolored with minerals and erosion-sculpted rock—like wedding cakes melting in the sun. Those formations also rise …