This isn’t any ordinary resort. Actually, it’s not a resort at all. This is your own private guesthouse run by Laurel and James Samuela on Moorea Island. You’ll still get all the little mod cons – a barbecue, fully equipped kitchen, iPod dock and the internet – but in a truly local environment. Te Nunoa is Tahitian for ‘red sky’ and that’s exactly what you’ll see every evening from your bungalow, which sleeps up to three adults and two children.
The bungalow is surrounded by a lush garden and just across the road from a gorgeous beach. There are bikes to go exploring, and that’s completely possible on Moorea, one of the bigger islands in French Polynesia. The Samuelas also run a tour company so can organise excursions, including ATV tours, 4WD safaris to the island’s volcanic crater or a snorkel trip where you get to interact with Moorea’s friendly stingrays.
The curse of the pharaohs – the belief that anyone who disturbs the tomb of an ancient mummy will be cursed with bad luck, illness or death – is legendary in Egypt.
The ancient royal tombs pockmarking Luxor, including that of King Tutankhamun, are famous for their foreboding and mystique. But there’s another ghostly force at play that’s an even greater enigma.
At midnight, an Egyptian pharaoh can reportedly be seen blazing through the Valley of the Kings on a chariot led by black phantom horses. According to witnesses, the ghostly figure is an eerie sight as he gallops past wearing a golden collar and headdress. If you see him, best to get out of the way.
To get a full experience of the ancient structures of Luxor, stay a few nights and head out during the day with a guide.
Some sports are best enjoyed from the sidelines, and Haka Pei is one of them. Unless of course you’re not averse to the odd broken bone, cuts, bruises and an excruciating case of gravel rash. Every year, during Easter Island’s Tapati Rapa Nui festival, young men (and some women) hurtle down the slopes of a 300-metre-high volcano called Maunga Pu on a sled made of two banana tree trunks, wearing little more than a loin cloth.
They reach speeds of up to 80 kilometres an hour, rocketing towards crowds of wincing spectators to rapturous applause. The festival, held during the first two weeks of February, is a cultural celebration of music, dance and sport.
A quiet night out is just about the only thing not on the menu at this legendary steak and seafood grill. A Colombian institution, Andrés Carne de Res is a hedonistic powerhouse of eating, drinking, dancing and pure fun located in Chía, about 40 minutes’ drive from the centre of Bogotá (trust us, it’s worth the trip).
Come here if you’re after a festive, high-energy atmosphere to accompany your ceviche and Argentine steaks, and stick around to groove along with a live band or seasoned DJ until the wee hours. Just don’t forget to book – this popular eatery can pack out with more than 1000 people at any one time, almost every night.
While it will never compare to experiencing the Great Barrier Reef under the water, a helicopter trip well above offers an amazing perspective. When you’re travelling at more than 100 kilometres an hour the blues and greens below are chameleon like in their changes. The helicopter allows you to follow schools of mantas and the odd stray dugong then take off for another reef with more sea life lurking.
Your best bet is to book the transfer from Cairns to picturesque Port Douglas and not only save yourself a drive but enjoy the incredible view at the same time. You might just have to catch the bus back.
Get back to nature on Gatokae Island in the Solomons’ Western Province. The wonderful Wilderness Lodge, parked on the edge of Marovo Lagoon, has just two private oceanfront bungalows, housing up to four people each, and lodge accommodation for a paltry six more. Each of the bungalows has traditional palm leaf roofs, stunning timber finishings and outdoor stonework showers heated by a wood fire, while the lodge is popular with research groups and families.
Not only will you enjoy real Melanesian hospitality with your host Waelinah, but you’ll also have access to a number of wild, uninhabited islands and the jungle-clad peak of Mt Mariu. There’s snorkelling off the island, or get one of the guides to take you on a tour of epic local spots where you’ll see coral gardens, turtles and fish of all persuasions. For divers, there’s the chance to dive at night on a thousand-foot drop-off and swim with pelagic and sharks. On land, go bird watching, hang out in a hammock by the water, take a tour of the local village or go on a hike through the interior of Gatokae Island.
Oyster Island Resort offers a genuine and warm Vanuatu experience. It’s located in a superb spot, only a short boat ride from Espiritu Santo and a kayak away from the Blue Hole. Choose from a simple Frangipani Bungalow or a bamboo bungalow with hammock – both styles are right on the water, so you can sit in the breeze and just stare out (occasionally a dugong swims by, so it’s not a bad pastime). You can also snorkel straight off the beach, where you can see about 50 different species of fish.
There’s plenty to do around Espiritu Santo. Local tour companies can organise horse riding, trips to the Blue Hole and Champagne Beach, and scuba diving at some of the island’s famous sites like Million Dollar Point and SS President Coolidge.
‘It’s not about the experience of luxury but rather, the luxury of the experience’ states the website of this eco-sensitive, family-run retreat located in New Ireland near Kavieng. Set on a beautiful sandy point and surrounded by spectacular swimming and surfing beaches, and some excellent dive sites, you can do as much or as little as you like here.
It offers several simple, high-quality overwater and beach bungalows that sleep up to six people. For larger groups there’s also a large two-storey house.
When you hit Upolu, one of Samoa’s main islands, and see Lalomanu Beach you’ll understand why it’s been voted one of the best beaches on the planet. The bright white sand seems to stretch forever, and the reef is only a few metres off shore in places, so don’t forget your snorkel.
This little getaway offers enclosed and open-sided beach bungalows for travellers who love life’s simplicities (there are also a couple of rooms away from the beach with ensuite and air-con if you need the little luxuries). It’s small and lively, with an excellent bar and tasty grub. On Wednesdays and Saturdays, check out the after-dinner fiafia action, showcasing Polynesian and Samoan music and dancing. If your idea of a good time is a back-to-basics beach shack then Taufua is for you.
If Chucky had an evil playground, it’d be Isla de las Munecas (Island of the Dolls) in Mexico City. Haunted by the body of a girl he found floating in the canals, the island’s only inhabitant – Don Julian Santana – spent 50 years collecting and hanging dolls from trees to ward off evil spirits.
Unfortunately, it didn’t all go to plan and the dolls became possessed with the spirits of deceased girls instead. Rumour has it if you spend enough time on the island you’ll catch a doll’s arm twitching or sets of eyes following you as you walk.
In 2001, Santana mysteriously suffered a similar fate and was found drowned in a canal. Whether or not you believe the decayed dolls or the island itself are haunted, peering into the vacant eyes of a soulless dolly, riddled with mould and insects, will leave you feeling terrified.
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