Set up shop in the wilds of the southern Thai jungle as you visit Elephant Hills. Start at the main camp, staying in one of 30 luxury tents boasting bathrooms, electricity (renewable, of course) and ceiling fans. Here, guests feed elephants, watch them bathe and learn about conservation and why rides are a no-go.
Once you’re ready to say goodbye to wi-fi, board a long-tail boat and sail deep into the tropical forest. Disembark at the Rainforest Camp where 10 tents bob over Cheow Larn Lake. From your terrace, slide into the water for a swim or lounge back and scour the canopy for snakes and gibbons.
During the day, learn to cook traditional Thai cuisine, meet elephants, go canoeing and spot wildlife on a jungle trek.
The north of Tanzania is famous. This is the land of the Serengeti, the Maasai Mara word for ‘endless plains,’ and home to one of the densest concentrations of wildlife in Africa. Next door is the lesser-visited and equally spectacular Tarangire National Park, where you’ll find this safari camp.
Just six tents, set in a grove of acacia trees, offer guests a touch of luxury – think huge beds, ensuite bathrooms and uninterrupted views of the wilderness. The day starts with a dawn chorus of birds and, before it ends at dinnertime in the open-sided thatched dining hut, you’ll marvel at the huge herds of elephants and buffalo and spy countless giraffe and zebra grazing nearby. Prides of lions are also common, but the park’s leopards are a little more covert.
During the day in the cool morning air, walk along the riverbed to discover elephant footprints and search for evidence of nocturnal wanderings by other wildlife. Later, get an animal fix in an open-car safari – either over the plains or towards the Silale Swamp. There’s even the option to take after-dark game drives.
Hop on a wooden dhow (traditional sailboat) and cruise to a secluded camp that’s worlds away from dusty safaris, shops or even a road. You’ll find Greystoke Mahale nestled between verdant mountains and the clear waters of Lake Tanganyika, the second-largest lake in the world. Built from old boats gathered from the shore, with thatched roofs woven from palms, the six bandas (traditional huts) open into the forest.
Spot chimpanzees creeping down the mountain, and trek high into the hills after a storm washes away the summer haze. Kayak, snorkel and fish in the lake, or laze in the dhow at sunset and enjoy sashimi and a sundowner as hippos lope by.
It may not be Narnia, but this Swedish camp is every bit as enchanting. And you don’t need a magic wardrobe to get there, just access to a snowmobile.
Constructed in the forest by Lapland’s Råne River and far from light pollution, the camp is the ideal base for admiring the Milky Way and, if you’re lucky, the northern lights. Capture the phenomenon on camera under the guidance of owner and photographer Fredrik Broman, and when the cold gets too much, sink into an armchair by the fire in your teepee-like lavvu tent and defrost your fingers and toes.
During the day in the winter, snowshoe trekking is a mandatory pastime. Otherwise, you can book a husky expedition, go snowmobiling or try your hand at ice fishing. In summer, there’s canoeing, kayaking and nature treks, but best of all are the photography courses run by Broman. The camp is well off the grid and surrounded by the best of Nordic nature. You may not meet Mr Tumnus the faun, but plenty of moose, fox and reindeer hide in the woods, leaving trails for you to follow.
It may look like a typical Swedish house from afar, but the shimmer around Utter Inn ain’t no mirage. Floating on Lake Mälaren, this miniature underwater cottage enables guests to sleep with the fishes, literally. Slip through a hatch in the floor and descend into a watertight bedroom, where your bed wallows three metres below the surface, and wake to the puckered kiss of a pike sucking on the glass by your head at sunrise.
Despite its tiny 25-square-metre size, the cottage squeezes in a fridge, stove and loo. If you suffer cabin fever, make your escape by rowboat and explore the Västerås archipelago, or fish for perch from the shade of the verandah. Happy floating!
Scandinavian architecture meets the great outdoors in the futuristic treehouses at Treehotel. These five unique dwellings feature sleek design suspended among the native pines, blending with the environment so you feel part of the forest itself.
Go incognito in the Mirrorcube, which could easily be mistaken for a Bond villain’s lair, or disappear into the Bird’s Nest, an oversized construction of twigs and branches that manages to pull off looking bizarre and seriously cool at the same time. The Treesauna is the perfect refuge to unwind in. More treerooms are planned for the future, and we can’t wait to see what those look like.
Better known for its wildlife encounters than sandy shores, the teardrop-shaped island of Sri Lanka possesses some of the world’s most beautiful beaches. Tucked between jungle and a gorgeous beach on the southeast coast of the island, this ‘glampsite’ showcases the best of both attractions with plenty of luxurious trimmings to keep campers happy.
Hang around home base with your own Belvedere answering your every demand, or lie back in a private beach hut and take in sweeping views of the Indian Ocean. If booking a personal butler feels a little too posh, pull on your khakis, grab your binoculars (they’re supplied in each tent) and hit the jungle with the on-call zoologist.
During the day spot elephants, leopards and crocs on a safari through Yala National Park or go bird-watching at the Bundala Bird Sanctuary. For spiritual exploration, soak up heady incense at the Kataragama Temple and nearby shrines, or get a taste of local life in Kirinda, a fishing village.
Unveiled in 2006, the Hotel Marqués de Riscal was an opportunity for Frank Gehry to showcase his signature style against an exquisite backdrop – the rolling hills of the Rioja wine region. Looking at the result, you can see why Vanity Fair described Gehry as “the most important architect of our age.”
Gleaming ribbons of titanium almost mimic the undulating surrounds, while the tilted walls and cathedral ceilings contrast with the warmth of wood and canny homely touches found in the 43 rooms and suites. We imagine that sipping tempranillo on the angled terrace while gazing across to the medieval town of Elciego would keep most lovers of wine and design satisfied for quite some time.
If you were worth a reported US$4.8 billion, with a string of luxurious private digs scattered across almost every exotic pocket of the globe, where would you park your well-heeled hide for a South African sojourn? You wouldn’t bed down on the savannah camping with the riffraff, that’s for sure. No sir, if you were high-flying charisma-connoisseur Richard Branson you’d find the highest point on the highest hill to lord it over your own private kingdom. Welcome to Ulusaba Safari Lodge, Sir Richard’s private game reserve where the travel-preneur takes a break from counting his coin in absolute unmitigated luxury. A stay here is enviable by anyone’s standards but the Rock Lodge, with its sweeping views and opulent surrounds, is the pinnacle of decadence.
Each unique suite melds traditional African art with the finest in modern luxury, ranging from private plunge pools to hot tubs and feasts from a personal chef. The staff aches to satisfy, so relish a massage on the outdoor deck and smooth out the bumps from the road. Or, if your idea of bliss involves downward dogs, just ask for a yoga instructor and they’ll fly one in. Stop by the well-stocked cellar flowing with South African wine and finish your evening at the bush observatory under a canopy of stars.
If you’ve ever dreamed of disappearing to your own Pacific island with just the sound of lapping waves accompanying you, then Oravae Cottage could be for you. Perched on the edge of a tiny island about 20 minutes by boat from Gizo, these three gorgeous cottages offer the chance to really get away from it all.
The main cottage has a double bedroom and up to five single beds, while a small kitchenette allows for coffee-making and snacks. The main living area spills onto an overwater deck with perfect views of the lagoon and the setting sun.
Spend the days as you please. Whether it be plunging off the overwater veranda into the vodka-clear lagoon, or simply sitting back sipping a lagoon-clear vodka, the choice is yours. You can arrange fishing, diving, surfing and trekking all from the comfort of your hammock, or simply jump off the deck and snorkel the day away.
The local owners live on the opposite side of the island and spoil you with three delicious meals a day. Pick up a freshly caught tuna at Gizo market and dine on ceviche or tuna steaks that evening. Oh, ask for the coconut crab curry; it’s simply stunning.
Whatever you decide to do, you’ll be stunned that for as little as US$150 per person you can have your own island in paradise to yourself. This becomes clear as the sun goes down and the rest of the world seems non-existent.
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