You’ll feel like you’re part of the family of chattering monkeys that live in the surrounding trees in this beautiful home perched over the jungle and facing the Pacific Ocean. Shortlisted for House of the Year by World Architecture News, the residence designed by local architect Benjamin Garcia Saxe is constructed in three individual sections, each linked by walkways. It’s made from teak and bamboo and utilises solar panelling and UV water systems to minimise the environmental impact. Three bedrooms sleep up to seven people, plus there’s a pool positioned below the house for soaking while the sun sets. There are some spectacular surf beaches just down the road too, and the town of Santa Teresa is a 10-minute drive away for when you need to restock your supplies.
All year round the Cuevas de Nerja are a popular Málagan tourist attraction. Remains found in them suggest they’ve been inhabited since about 25,000BC and have, in the years since, been used for everything from farming to pottery production. But once a year they take on a much grander role, hosting the Festival Internacional de Música y Danza de Granada.
The festival is held in June and July each year, and 2017 will be its fifty-eighth iteration. Internationally renowned performers including Yehudi Menuhin, José Carreras and Dame Kiri Te Kanawa have all filled the caves with their soulful songs, while dancers from the Ballet Nacional de España and La Lupi Flamenco have soared across the stage.
Chase the northern lights while exploring the natural wonders of Iceland. Begin your adventure with a stroll through Reykjavík’s old town then, as night falls, set sail along Faxaflói Bay in search of the aurora.
By day, you’ll journey to some of Iceland’s most incredible wonders. Experience the powerful geothermal fields, marvel at thundering waterfalls, and sink your toes into black volcanic sand on a stunning beach. Delve into the history of Icelandic life in Skogar Folk Museum, and, at Eyjafjallajökull Volcano Visitor Centre, discover how the locals coped after the mountain’s 2010 eruption. Watch giant blocks of ice bob in the Jökulsárlón glacial lagoon, then swap chills for thrills and plunge into the steaming Blue Lagoon. As the sun sinks below the horizon once more, rug up and set out to bask in the otherworldly glow of the northern lights.
This small, trendy bar gives a nod to the king of pop art, Andy Warhol. In the evening, the courtyard is lit by candles giving it a romantic atmosphere. Inside, just collapse on the Moroccan sofas to sip inventive cocktails – during happy hour (6pm to 8pm) they’re €5. Stop by before dinner.
Snag a front-row seat to watch the sun set and stars sparkle over the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Dolomite Mountains without ever leaving your bed. Dropped into the snow at an altitude of 2055 metres above sea level, this sled-turned-glass cube bedroom (don’t worry, the skis are just for show) naed the Starlight Room immerses guests in the snowy peaks of northern Italy. Col Gallina ski resort is a few kilometres away and the room is accessible via snowmobile or by strapping on a pair of snowshoes and traipsing there. The angle of the double bed is adjustable, so you can get the best view of the constellations while you’re toasty under the covers.
Let the rooftop of North Africa take your breath away as you bed down in the shadows of the region’s highest peak, Jbel Toubkal. At Kasbah du Toubkal you’ll wake to echoes of morning prayer as the sun filters through the peaks of the Atlas Mountains. Located at Imlil in Morocco, the hotel is the quintessential mountain retreat, complete with donkeys to carry your bags.
The idea of a cruise is enough to make us want to jump overboard, but we’d make an exception for this beauty. Once this pinisi (a traditional Indonesian sailing boat) named Al likai carted backpackers around the Indonesian islands, but with a change of owner – Amanda Zsebik used to run private villas and a restaurant in Bali – came a complete refit. Now there are just five king-size bedrooms, all with an en suite, plus one family bunk room, to accommodate a maximum of 16 people. But it’s the places you’ll see – itineraries include a cruise to West Nusa Tengarra, Komodo or around the uninhabited islands near Lombok and Gili – that will take your breath away. There’s plenty of time for snorkelling, lying on deserted beaches or visiting far-flung attractions like pearl farms.
It speaks volumes that on its FAQ website page the number one suggestion for what to bring to this resort is a good book. With private terraces perched over the water at each of Punta Caracol’s bungalows – there are just nine in all, each spread across two levels – there’s plenty of temptation to just sit and stare at the Caribbean Sea’s frolicking dolphins. You’re in one of the most environmentally pristine parts of Central America though, so grab a mask and flop off the balcony onto the reef. There is superb snorkelling all around here, as well as the chance to go on boat expeditions to local Indian communities, hikes in the rainforest and tours by motorised canoe to spot sloths and white-face monkeys.
Botswana is so well known for the Okavango Delta that its other astonishing landscapes are often overlooked. See another side of the country on a trip to the otherworldly Makgadikgadi Salt Pan. Start your expedition in ultra luxury at Jack’s Camp, then don your desert boots, swing onto the seat of a quad bike and zoom off towards Kubu Island, 120 kilometres away.
Discover a unique landscape of dry granite rock, visit the end of the Great Rift Valley, a 120-metre escarpment formed by parting tectonic plates, and find semi-precious stones hiding among water-worn pebbles at the extinct mouth of the Zambezi River. At night you’ll sleep under a star-studded sky but that’s not to say you’ll bid opulence goodbye. A roaming drinks cabinet comes with you too, and meals are served atop damask table linen with bone-handled silver and fancy glassware.
Wellness and nature come together at Playa Viva. Set on 80 hectares of beachfront land, the resort has 12 beachfront eco-luxury rooms, from casitas to suites, but the Treehouse is our kind of adventure. This tubular bamboo structure, surrounded by palm trees, features a king bed, private bathroom and lounge area, and stares directly at the Pacific Ocean.
Salute the sun at a morning yoga class, devour organic meals, go horse riding along the beach, take a snorkelling or surfing excursion or get up close to nesting turtles at La Tortuga Viva, a protective sanctuary. There’s so much to explore, you might never want to leave.
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