In the highest sand dunes of Oman’s Wahabi desert lies Desert Nights Camp, the ultimate Arabian glamping experience. Marvel at the majesty and isolation of the desert landscape as you take part in some of the activities, including sunset camel rides, dune boarding and visits to local souqs and ancient forts.
In the evening take your place on a pillow around the campfire, listen to traditional Omani music and delight in dates and local coffee.
Sleep under the desert stars in tents woven from Omani goat hair and forget about the worries of the modern world. This camp is not without its luxuries, as each of the deluxe tents has an ensuite bathroom, living room and outdoor sitting area. Dinner of authentic Omani cuisine is served beneath the sails in the restaurant.
This sand sojourn will leave you entranced by the wonders of the Arabian Desert and reluctant to get back to reality.
Join the Red Army for a day at the Pilsen air base and test your nerve in the cockpit of a Czech Aero L-39 Albatros with MiGFlug. This is not a simulated flight for wimpy air-force wannabes and you better have a stomach of steel. You take the controls as an instructor leads you through terrifying dogfight manoeuvres, including rolls, dives, loops and extremely low passes just a few metres from the ground.
No nature experience is more primal and stirring that staring into the eyes of a gorilla and seeing your soul reflected back in the gaze of your ancient, primate ancestors.
Hidden deep within the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest of southern Uganda, the Sanctuary Gorilla Forest Camp is a pure jungle awakening. Get back to nature among the mountainous terrain of volcanoes and waterfalls, while residing within a natural, yet luxurious retreat.
Take a trek to seek out the marvellous mountain mammals; if you’re lucky, curious gorillas may even venture into the campgrounds for an up close and personal visit.
After a day of trekking, private bathtubs in the campsite overlooking the jungle canopy are perfect for soaking and wildlife spotting as you wind down for the night. The onsite spa uses natural South African indigenous plants and local produce, including avocadoes and bananas, for organic wellness in the wild.
If you fancy yourself as some kind of international man/ma’am of mystery, this could be your dream celebration. Venice’s famous Carnival, like Carnival all around the world, involves an orgy of decadence before the self-denial of Lent. At least, that’s what Carnival is meant to celebrate, even if its origins have been long forgotten by many. Of course, Venice’s 12-day extravaganza is renowned for its masks that not only add an extra dash of colour to proceedings, but also encourage behaviour that may not come quite so naturally should the perpetrator be more easily identified.
Naturally, there are parades and drinking and dancing and debauchery, but also look out for other entertaining options: jousting tournaments, walking theatre performers leading tours of the city and its secrets, and games of calcio storico, an ancient sport that resembles football but also involves competitors knocking two shades of shit from one another.
If you fancy yourself as a bit of an artisan, get out the glue gun and BeDazzler, whip up a mask and enter it in the competition at Gran Teatro di Piazza San Marco. The overall winner receives a holiday in Venice and VIP tickets to Carnival events.
Get ready to redefine the phrase ‘experience your food’ at Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum, a noodle-based theme park. Honouring one of Japan’s national dishes – it was, in fact, appropriated from a Chinese meal – this museum boasts rides, shops, tastings and historical information completely devoted to the soupy goodness that is ramen.
Take a stroll through the refashioned dagashi-ya (old-fashioned sweet shops) or challenge a friend on the 30-metre slot-car racetrack. While you’re there, be sure to get slurping, since a whole swathe of varieties is being dished up.
It is well worth the early pre dawn start to drift above the Masai; the only sound being the rushes of flame as the balloon pilot occasionally heats the air that keeps you afloat. It is certainly a whole new perspective to watch a lone elephant leaving a winding grass wake as the sunlight spills over the Mara or to look down on a giraffe nibbling an Acacia tree.
Outside of the game viewing the views from a hot air balloon highlights the beauty and vastness of the Masai Mara in a way that is impossible in a traditional open top vehicle.
It’s one of the most thigh-burning climbs to a temple you will ever endure, but Bhutan’s Tiger’s Nest Monastery (Paro Taktsang) is worth the effort. Perched on a cliff face 600 metres above the valley floor, the Tiger’s Nest is the kind of traveller’s eye-candy your body will forgive you for. After you’ve finished the trek, follow in the footsteps of Guru Padmasambhava (the founder of Tibetan Buddhism) and meditate. Legend has it he meditated for three years, three months, three weeks, three days and three hours, but he also purportedly reached the monastery by catching a tigeress there.
The Spanish island of Mallorca derives its name from the Latin word maiorica, meaning the larger one. What better motivation is there for shedding those extra kilos at the Ashram?
The island may be famous as a destination for the rich and beautiful, but there’s more to experience here than lazing by the sea.
Tackle nature’s very own stairmaster climbing 900-metre mountains each day and be rewarded with stunning views of the Mediterranean Sea, not to mention a bootilicious butt.
The week-long programs are aimed at fat-busting and muscle building and include daily 5.30am wake-up calls, kayaking, circuit training, pilates and yoga, topped off with a nutrient-rich vegetarian menu. Become ‘the smaller one’ you’ve always wanted to be.
Think you’ve got the downward dog, cobra and child’s pose down pat? Try doing them on a board in the water, smartypants. Introducing YOGAqua, a stand-up-paddle-boarding-meets-asana caper for yogis who like to multitask. In 90 minutes of bodily bliss, learn how to limber up on a paddle board and sprout new muscles as you test your balance on a moving surface.
If it all becomes too much, you can always ditch the board and trade downward dog for dog paddle. After all, you’ll need to know how to swim if you want to make it back to shore.
The owners of Papatura Island Retreat fell in love with the Solomons on a trip one year and then took 20 years to find the perfect location for their retreat. There are four types of rustic bungalows, including ones perfect for families and even honeymooners.
There’s great fishing and snorkelling, but the surfers really love it here. There are more than 10 reef breaks – the furthest is just a 20-minute boat ride away – and none of them is ever crowded. The resort has plenty of boards, including SUPs, available for use by guests. The locals also benefit from your stay, as the resort pays for the privilege of using the local waterways.
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