What a daunting task! I engaged the help of my secretary and we started searching through travel guides and trawling Internet sites. My idea was to find a remote resort on the coast of Vietnam, my secretary had decided that the coast of Malaysia or the island of Langkawi would be the best bet. We found a number of hotels and boutique resorts that looked promising, but travel logistics and bookings were proving to be a stumbling block. In desperation, I rang up an architect friend of mine who had recently married an interior decorator. "Help" was my plea. "I'll get back to you tonight," he promised.

I was sceptical when he came up with his recommendation - a resort on the island of Phuket in Thailand. "Won't there be hordes of package tourists there - and isn't the island a little overdeveloped now?" I queried. He assured me that his wife had recently worked on a new villa development on the island and had "discovered" a quiet corner which would suit us. "Believe me, she should know. She's worked on hundreds of resorts."

That is how we ended up at the Andaman White Beach resort. My wife's flight had arrived earlier, so I met her at the hotel, only a 15-minute drive away. The resort is built on a steep slope along its own powder-white beach, with interesting walkways through tropical gardens. Our room was a beautiful beachfront villa, with its own stone walkway onto the sand. Even though it was late afternoon, Linda was still lying curled up in a hammock strung between two palm trees overlooking the sea. "This is heaven," she purred. Our villa had a deep patio, with a tempting daybed and armchairs facing the sea. With big glass doors, you could even look out at the beach from the massive double bed.

After freshening up in the outdoor shower, we walked across the wooden deck to the Coconut Bar for a cocktail. We sat at a table on a raised deck and watched the sun setting over the sea. A couple walked hand-in-hand on the beach, while two children played on the rocks at the one end of the beach. After three weeks apart, Linda and I had much to talk about, but we sat quietly for the next hour, just enjoying the quiet atmosphere.

When a waiter handed us a menu and asked us if we would like to dine at the table, we were delighted. I ordered a chicken massaman curry and Linda had prawns. We finished off with bowls of ice cream and a crepe suzette. Later that night we lay on the bed on our patio and chatted. By 10pm we were in bed asleep.

The next morning we returned to “our” table on the terrace for breakfast. I watched a worker laying out a single row of beach recliners along the beach. They were in pairs, each with an umbrella and a table. “That looks good,” said Linda. An hour later, we lay on our recliners. As Linda paged through the latest Vanity Fair, I read a guidebook on Phuket. From what I had seen on my way from the airport, the island looked seemingly undeveloped, with only a few settlements dotted in amidst the coconut groves and plantations.

However, I learnt that the southern part of the island – around Phuket City – had a sophisticated tourist infrastructure, with shopping malls and dozens of luxury hotels. The nightlife capital, Patong Beach , boasted hundreds of bars and clubs. It seemed almost unbelievable as I scanned the scenery around me; clean, pristine beach with jungle forests as far as the eye could see.

In the afternoon, we rented a car with driver from the hotel and went to check out Naithon Beach and neighbouring resorts. The village of Naithon is really just a string of small bungalow resorts and restaurants along a great beach – great for those who want a relaxing, low-cost holiday. However, it won't be like this for too long – a large hotel is being built just behind this road. It is not surprising that development is coming to the area – it just seems incredible that it has taken so long.

As beautiful as the Andaman White Beach is, two other new resorts in the area can certainly match it. In the north, closer to the airport is the Arahmas Resort and Spa. Also with its own beach, this five-star resort has 16 pool villas, 13 suites and 88 rooms. Rooms are stylish and the pool villas are clustered around a magnificent pool overlooking the ocean.

To the south of our hotel, sculpted into the wooded hillside, is Trisara. This super-luxury resort aims to become the island's premier hideaway for the rich and famous in direct competition with the famous Amanpuri Resort further down the coast. They are similar, but Trisara holds the edge when it comes to breathtaking views. All the villas overlook the ocean. It is very upmarket and not for those on a strict budget.

When we returned to our hotel (in time for cocktails, of course) our driver suggested that we might like to go to Patong Beach or the island's new entertainment and shopping complex, Central Festival. We declined politely as we eyed the terrace overlooking the sea. The hotel staff then recommended that we should try to see the famous Fantasea extravaganza at nearby Kamala Beach, only about 20 minutes drive away. However, they seem charmed when we insisted that we wanted nothing more than to relax on the terrace and then head for bed in our lovely villa.

As we left for the airport the next afternoon, Linda admitted that I could not have made a finer choice of hotel. Earlier, she had spent two hours in the hotel spa receiving a massage and facial. “Incredible, I feel more rested than I have in years,” she had declared. While those who seek more entertainment and shopping options will find the Andaman White Beach a little remote and will be happier closer to Patong or the magnificent Laguna complex, it is perfect for those who want privacy and solitude.