Studio Apartment in the Bamboo Forest Development near Layan Beach

Bamboo Forest is a three-building condominium development near Layan Beach on Phuket's west coast, and this 37 sqm studio on the third floor is one of its most compact units.

Residents share a cascading central pool with a shallow children's section, a gym, landscaped courtyards and walking paths, a coworking zone and an on-site bar and restaurant. The project is also pet-friendly, which remains uncommon among Phuket condominiums, and the beach and local amenities are a short distance away.

The unit can be bought foreign freehold or leasehold. A compact studio at this end of the market is most obviously a rental investment, though it also works as a simple base for one person's longer stays.