Glamping doesn’t get much more glamorous than sinking into a four-poster bed and listening to the waves of the South Pacific. Set just metres from the ocean, the two canvas abodes at Hidden Cove Eco Retreat make opulence eco-friendly on Vanuatu’s largest island. Timber floors, French doors and a tub for two add an eau de Europe in the Tented Pool Villa, while the second tent sits pretty on a platform in the treetops. The dining pavilion is well-stocked with staples and a barbecue to help make self-catering a breeze, although the option of a candle-lit, in-room, degustation dinner may prove too tempting to forego.
By day, pass your plunge pool and scurry down the ladder into tropical water where coral grows a short paddle away, or kayak the coast and spot turtles and dugongs gliding through the water. The more adventurous can jump on an electric bike and explore the local surrounds, or make like a rom-com protagonist with a sunset horse ride on the beach, while lazy days call for a massage on the deck. By night, hunker down in a kava bar in Luganville or wander the empty beaches and admire the stars.
Picture this: 16 spacious wilderness tents just metres from white, sugar-soft sands, spectacular coral and rugged limestone ranges. Hidden in the sand dunes of WA’s Cape Range National Park, at a rather enviable spot where bush and sea brush shoulders, Sal Salis offers all the creature comforts of a five-star stay. There’s a springy bed, 100% organic cotton linen, fluffy bath towels, an ensuite bathroom, a bar and top-notch grub – but at minimal impact to the environment. Almost 100 per cent of the camp’s power comes from solar energy, the toiletries provided are all eco-friendly and the toilets are waterless and composting.
This exclusive camp invites total back to basics relaxation, though the surrounds yell “come explore”. From slipping into the cerulean waters to stare wide-eyed at pods of humpbacks and whale sharks, to scrambling across the red earth and scrubland of the vast Mandu Mandu Gorge, Mother Nature has produced some sterling work in this corner of the world.
“Now! Now! Now!” yells Nat, her voice an excited, high-pitched squeal. “Here he comes!” We’re sitting on the back of our boat, Wave Rider, fins on but struggling to get our masks over our faces. “Go,” yells Murray, the captain, from the boat’s fly bridge as he points to a spot in the distance. Nat is in before all of us and wildly waving and pointing to where she wants us to go. There is a frenzy of flailing arms and fins as five of us swim toward her. “Heads in,” she implores, and I’m under, staring into the blue. The water is crystal clear, but the depth makes it almost inky. Then a shape appears ahead of us, gliding gracefully towards our group.
He comes so close I can see the barnacles on his chin and, I’m sure, a glint in his eye as he rolls to flash his massive, white-ribbed belly. Time stands still as he disappears into the distance, and it is almost silent but for the faint songs of his migrating mates. There is a sense of peace I cannot describe. But it is the sheer size of him – he’s like a submarine and so, so close – that makes the moment seem unreal. I feel so insignificant and, in a way, I am.
A day earlier I am sitting on the sun deck at Sal Salis, a remote safari camp that is part of the Luxury Lodges of Australia group. This low-key, environmentally friendly glamping site is the epitome of barefoot luxury, pitched perfectly among the sand dunes protecting an endless shimmering beach. With just 16 tents, all spaced to allow maximum privacy, it is a place that allows you to do as much or as little as you choose. A group of guests has headed to a lagoon within Ningaloo Reef to hopefully snorkel with manta rays. A Swiss traveller has paddled out on a kayak and I watch with amusement then some alarm as the tide takes him out of my sight. Another group has hiked into Mandu Mandu Gorge in the surrounding Cape Range National Park. Recent rains have produced vivid greens among the rocky ochre range.
I have chosen a more sedentary option. Candace, our host, has offered me a cold craft beer and a pair of binoculars and I spend most of the afternoon glued to the waters beyond Ningaloo Reef. Humpback whales are spouting at regular intervals and I see three breach before I’ve finished my first Little Creatures. It is nature putting on its best show and I can’t help but look forward to the following day when I will be one of the first to swim with the beautiful creatures in this part of the world.
Previously an endangered species, the end of commercial whaling in the sixties has thankfully meant humpback numbers are now more than healthy. With more than 30,000 migrating through West Australia’s Ningaloo Reef every June to November, it is a little surprising interactions have only just been permitted. With the area already renowned for swimming with whale sharks, the existing infrastructure and the seasons crossing over slightly (the whale shark season is from April to July) Ningaloo Reef will no doubt become one of the world’s hot spots for marine encounters.
Regulations are strict however, and the following day, after boarding the luxurious Wave Rider, we are introduced to Nat, our onboard marine biologist. She takes us through what to expect and explains that, unlike other countries, we are not allowed in with a mother and calf – interactions are also not guaranteed. Only five of us are allowed in the water at any time and we are split into two groups. Nat has a nervous excitement about her as she explains how new this all is and how important it is that, once in the water, we watch her and swim exactly where she tells us.
As she’s talking, Murray yells from the bridge: “Over there!” We abort the briefing session to watch a whale seemingly wave at us only 20 metres from the boat. He’s a male and he’s surfaced on his side. His huge pectoral fin breaks the ocean’s surface then slaps down hard on the water. It is almost as if he is beckoning us to join him.
In between more sightings, Nat manages to finish her briefing and goes on to point out a spotter plane circling high in the sky ahead. “He’s trying to spot a lone male,” she explains. “When he does he’ll radio down to Murray which way the whale is heading and we all have to be ready to go.” It isn’t long before we’re madly suiting up and making our way to the back of the boat.
Afterwards we are all beaming – none more so than Nat. To see someone so elated, especially someone who has spent the past few seasons swimming daily with whale sharks, only highlights the enormity of what we have just done. It is a matter of minutes before the second group is summoned and among a flurry of fins and masks they dive into the sea. In the distance we see another whale diving towards them and I’m sure I hear a scream through someone’s snorkel as he passes underneath.
Once back on Wave Rider we share the excitement before Murray again tells us to get back in the water. There is a whale shark heading our way. “We’re here,” Murray explains. “Might as well check him out.” Nat again leads the way and I hear a commotion from the first few swimmers. An unexpected humpback and her calf swim past the first group. I curse myself for not listening to Murray and hurrying. A lucky few watch the humpbacks as the lumbering whale shark cruises through our group. Unlike a humpback, whale sharks are slow and, with a little effort while you’re wearing fins, you can swim alongside them. At almost six metres long and with the look of a man-eater, they can be confronting. Thankfully they are toothless krill feeders and pose no threat. We swim with it for a few minutes – just long enough for Jana, the onboard photographer, to snap some images more than suitable for bragging on social media.
We celebrate that evening back at Sal Salis. As the sun sinks Candace and her crew have set up drinks and nibbles – a selection of the best West Australian wines, craft beers and canapés, including crocodile and emu – on the beach. Candace mentions she has come across a new boutique gin and after hearing my self-professed martini-making skills I’m assigned the task. It sums up Sal Salis; bare feet in the sand sipping a martini at sunset with a group of new friends still beaming about the day’s events. It is a sort of casual style of luxury more about the experience than anything else. And what an experience it was.
If you’re heading to the South Pacific and are looking for a point of difference from the obligatory beach view paradise, why not stay on a volcano? The island of Tanna, a 50-minute flight south of the capital Port Vila, is home to one of the world’s most accessible active volcanos, Yasur.
White Grass Ocean Resort is located on the coastline of Tanna island and features villa style luxury in classic Pacific Island style with private balconies, natural thatching, and local timbers positioned amidst stunning tropical gardens. It is also home to one to the most accessible volcanos in the world, Mt Yasur and you can get up close and personal by walking up to the crater of the rim.
Take a 4wd out to the volcano, snorkel around the pristine reefs and blue holes or chill at the resort with a professional trained masseuse using Tanna’s own virgin coconut oil and volcanic products.
There’s nothing like stretching out beneath canvas to evoke a sense of being close to nature. Here are 11 of our favourite glamping destinations
that let you do just that while never forgoing creature comforts.
Set up shop on the east Coast of Upolu, Samoa’s main island, and spot tropical fish from your beach hut. Spend your days cooling off in the shallows or kayaking around uninhabited Nu’utele Island, rising dramatically from the water just a kilometre off shore. Lonely Planet lists Lalomanu among its top 10 Paradises on Earth and not without reason – the powdery sand remains deserted, save some simple fales (huts) for hire, a couple of restaurants selling fresh fish, coconuts and cocktails, and the verdant tendrils of vines creeping towards the lagoon.
Hide away in your own slice of heaven. There are two PurePods about 20 minutes from Kaikoura (a third is located an hour from Christchurch), but each is located in a different spot to ensure complete privacy. And you need it, since the walls here are all made of glass. On a warm day, throw them open to completely surround yourself in fresh air and birdsong. In winter, you can lie in bed and stare out over snow-capped peaks. The pods are off-grid, but have everything you could need, as well as excellent extras like binoculars, reference books and board games. Bring food with you or have breakfast and dinner hampers delivered.
It’s that time of year when southern hemisphere snow-heads turn their thoughts to powder on New Zealand’s peaks. After a big day barreling down Treble Cone there’s nothing to be done apart from get a good stiff, warming drink. LaLaLand has got you covered. Arrive before the sun goes down and rug up for a seat on the deck overlooking the lake – really the only place to be as the day’s last rays disappear. Then scoot inside where the vibe is cosy, with velvet lounges, antique lamps and books on the shelves. The surroundings are slightly misleading though – these guys do a mean cocktail. Don’t miss the Te Anaka, a salty, citrusy surprise that took its maker James Crinson to the top three in the worldwide Bacardi Legacy Competition.
As far as having fun in the dark goes, it doesn’t get much crazier than this. Pull on a wetsuit and for the next three hours climb, clamber and coast through Ruakuri Cave on the North Island. For part of the journey with the Legendary Black Water Rafting Co you’ll be taking the plunge over underground waterfalls, but there’s also the chance to kick back on your inner tube and float through limestone galleries lit by glow-worms. Each tour, with a maximum of 12 adventurers, is led by a guide who’ll make sure you emerge safe and sound into the sunlight.
It’s one of the greatest drives in the world, but luxury accommodation along the Great Ocean Road is rare. Thankfully, we’ve discovered Alkina Lodge, a trio of four-bedroom villas designed by Glenn Murcutt and Wendy Lewin. Positioned in a clearing above the Southern Ocean, they offer every facility you could need plus luxuries like a fireplace, Bose sound system and a huge, freestanding bathtub.
The lodges are positioned to offer the utmost privacy while allowing guests to wake to the sight of kangaroos grazing on the lawn. Sky windows in the bathrooms and living spaces encourage lying back and enjoying a view of wafting clouds or twinkling stars. Best of all, this is a prime jumping-off point for the region’s attractions, from the 12 Apostles to the koala-rich area around Cape Otway.
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