Embraced by lush vegetation and guarded by limestone mountains, Four Seasons newest resort is on the island's best beach, a 1.5-kilometre stretch of silver sand bathed by the emerald waters of the Andaman Sea.

Langkawi's cultural melange has inspired the Resort's architecture--reflecting pools, timber pavilions, open-air verandas--as well as its cuisine and the heavenly spa, a quiet temple of serenity.

The design of this resort has a very Malaysian sense of place and incorporates elements from the country's Muslim heritage. Arabic tiling turns the large bathrooms into approximations of Turkish hammams. The resort has gorgeous views of the Andaman Sea, and all its airy rooms open on to covered balconies.

The main restaurant, Ikan Ikan, is housed in a recreation of a limas, or traditional Malay home, and serves fresh seafood alongside Mediterranean pastas, bouillabaisse and linguine.

Serai (meaning lemongrass) is the hotel's other dining option and works rather better, with a repertoire of Indian, Chinese and Malay dishes. If you overindulge, the spa offers body wraps, steam rooms and herbal baths.

The urut melayu--a traditional Malay massage--is a specialty, as is the Earthlight Ritual, which features a ginger scrub and a massage with heated jade, obsidian and other stones.