Southeast Asia's best villa resorts for families

Asia Family Traveller
Jan 27
6 min read

Updated: 1 day ago

A villa makes a lot of sense for families - and a villa within a resort is even better. These properties come tried and tested by the Asia Family Traveller team

The Westin Resort & Spa Cam Ranh - Vietnam

Southeast Asia's best villa resorts for families - opt for one, two or three-bed pool villas under the coconut trees

This relative newcomer to Cam Ranh offers rooms, suites and immaculate pool villas. The stunning one, two and three-bedroom villas (ideal for multi-generational groups), feature spacious living-dining areas, kitchenettes, marble bathrooms with soaking tubs - and Westin’s next-generation Heavenly Beds with temperature regulation, sumptuous Frette linen and calming lavender balm (there's nothing like.a good night's sleep to help you relax into your holiday, after all). Children can enjoy the Westin Family programme and the resort’s kids’ club offers a range of free and paid activities to keep little guests busy. There are loads of outdoor activities on offer, too, from children’s yoga, family cooking classes and sand dune camping along the coast, to karting, pickleball, beach volleyball, cycling and traditional Vietnamese basket boat rides.  

The Anam Cam Ranhm - Vietnam

Southeast Asia's best villa resorts for families - pool villas, kids' club and a cinema make this resort a top pick

The Anam Cam Ranh opened in 2017 and is a delightful addition to the area. This low-rise property is indolently spread over 12 lazy hectares, with 77 villas dotted about the immaculately kept grassy lawns (as well as guest rooms and suites in the main hotel building). The stunning resort embraces a colonial Indochine theme (‘Anam’ is a reference to ‘An Nam’, the name of Central Vietnam during the French Indochina era), with sustainable local hardwood furnishings, decorative Vietnamese floor tiles and canvases and photography commissioned from local artists. As well as single room villa options, there are two and three-bedroom hilltop pool villas; families with a single small child might also want to take a look at the premium villas with a sitting room and pull-out sofa that can be converted into a bed. Baby cots can be provided free of charge. The resort is well-equipped for active youngsters of all ages, with floodlit tennis courts, 18-hole mini golf, outdoor and indoor 3D cinemas and three swimming pools (including an adults-only option). Under 12s can head to the kids’ club, although under fours will require parental supervision.

Avani+ Mai Khao Phuket - Thailand

Southeast Asia's best villa resorts for families - easy villa living in Phuket

Located in the northwest of Phuket, Avani+ Mai Khao Phuket is just 15 minutes from the international airport and steps away from stunning Mai Khao Beach. The generously-sized, family-friendly, one-, two- and three-bedroom villas are close to the resort’s main amenities. Relax in the landscaped outdoor living space (some villas come with a private pool) and stretch out inside with a separate living area plus kitchen and laundry. Children are well-catered for at AvaniKids, a club for four to 12 year olds, with activities such as pizza making, tree planting, visits to a turtle sanctuary, climbing wall, kids’ yoga and junior Muay Thai classes. There’s also a resort pool and outdoor play area. Easy dining options include casual seafood shack Claws & Co, Talad Restaurant serving regional street food, and Chop Chop, an Asian-style beer garden. Also worth noting is the well-positioned boutique supermarket opposite the resort, ideal for stocking the villas’ fridge freezers with ice creams and snacks. The resort is a stroll to the beach, but if you’re toting toddlers and beach gear, a resort buggy is a quick call away. 

Danang Marriott Resort & Spa Non Nuoc Beach Villas - Vietnam

Southeast Asia's best villa resorts for families - opt for one-level or duplex villas at this super resort in Danang

This all-villa resort in one of Southeast Asia’s most popular holiday destinations ticks all the boxes. The resort is a 20-minute drive from Danang Airport and is situated on beautiful Non Nuoc Beach. The laid-back property features 122 villas, with three-bed villas spread over one level and two and four-bedroom duplex villas. The villas are all huge and come with separate living and dining areas, kitchen, pool and sundeck. Kids’ set-ups can be arranged, with a tent in the sitting room and welcome snacks. Fun resort facilities include an infinity and a dedicated family pool, watersports on the private beach and a kids’ club with supervised activities. Under Marriott’s M Passport programme, kids can take advantage of a wide range of activities like beach dancing, coconut leaf art, flower making, painting and Vietnamese folk games; for each activity, children collect a stamp and earn fun treats along the way. Five dining spots include a daily buffet breakfast with a vast array of international and local dishes and a relaxed Beach Lounge for light bites and cocktails. The Beach Lounge also hosts movie nights with complimentary popcorn. In-villa barbecues are available, with private chefs on hand.

Samujana, Koh Samui - Thailand

Southeast Asia's best villa resorts for families - next-level luxury at Samujana with five-double bed villas

This spectacular 23-villa resort is perched on a scenic area in the Cheong Mon area of Koh Samui. The accommodation is next-level luxurious, so much so it appeared in the White Lotus Series 3. The villas are lavishly outfitted with infinity pools, fully equipped kitchens, private cinemas and sweeping views over the Gulf of Thailand. The largest villas offer a generous five double bedrooms and seven bathrooms; all villas have a minimum of three bedrooms, king size beds, both tubs and rain showers and access to a private chef (golden for effortless mealtimes with menus to suit the pickiest of little eaters). Baby cots and highchairs can be whisked up and villa staff can arrange everything from snorkelling adventures to Thai cooking classes. Pro tip: Villa 12 features a 25m infinity pool, kids pool table, recreation room with foosball and table tennis, a fully equipped gym and jacuzzis in five of the bedrooms. Outside there’s a basketball court and trampoline.

Anantara Desaru Coast Resort & Villas - Malaysia

Southeast Asia's best villa resorts for families - enjoy sundown on the Desaru Coast from a lagoon pool villa

Desaru Coast, with its 17kms of sweeping sandy beach, has long been a favourite sandy hang-out for local Malays, and even the odd Singaporean looking to relax and recharge. The surrounding 3,700-acre coastal area was launched in 2017 as the country’s first, ‘premium integrated destination’, with two championship golf courses, a retail village and a waterpark. The resort has two pools. If we could sum the resort up in a word, it would be generous. Generous gardens, generous pools, generous rooms, generous beach - everything is comfortably scaled. Along with a selection of rooms and suites in the main building, the resort also offers standalone one and two-bedroom pool villas which have been designed in the style of traditional ‘kampong’ (village) houses. As well there's a collection of seriously schmick three and four-bedroom residences with private pool, direct beach access, full kitchen and chef and butler service. Layang Layang kids’ club provides fun activities for four to 12 year olds and there’s also a teen hangout area with a cinema.

InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula - Vietnam

Southeast Asia's best villa resorts for families - the villas are perfectly perched overlooking the bay

InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula is one of Southeast Asia’s premier resorts and ranks amongst the best we have experienced in the region. Its isolated position means it is a good hour from the cultural attractions and restaurants of Hoi An and if this is your reason for visiting Danang, we would probably recommend staying a little closer. Having said that, the hotel can arrange transport into Hoi An and even has a digital tour for guests to enjoy. But for a decadent beach break, this resort should be firmly on your bucket list. InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula is perhaps the jewel in Danang’s accommodation crown; the luxury resort sits in its own private bay around an hour north of the international airport, sprawled across a mountainside and with killer ocean views. As well as the gorgeous rooms and suites that spill down the mountainside, the resort also offers luxurious residences and villas with private pools and direct beach access. At the top of the scale, the four-bedroom pool villa has no fewer than three pools, an expansive terrace and a dedicated villa host.