The global travel industry has taken a significant hit due to the Covid-19 pandemic that is sweeping across the globe now. Though it is definitely not advisable to travel now, we can’t help but lose our selves in these exotic destinations. These are very much travel-worthy places that are worth considering when the pandemic is over.
THE HIGH LIFE
Pioneering experiential travel company andBeyond literally upped the ante recently with its luxurious Ngala Treehouse in South Africa. The four-storey structure, which features two sleeping areas including a sleepout platform under a retractable awning on the top level, stands in splendid isolation within the 14,700ha Ngala Private Game Reserve, which shares unfenced borders with the Kruger National Park.
The remote overnight retreat in the middle of the reserve is completely off the grid, far from Wi-Fi and artificial light, but still complete with all the luxurious amenities and exclusive wilderness experience that andBeyond is known for. With the nearest camp – the Ngala Tented Camp – 5km away, you’re also assured total privacy as you relive the adventure and magic of the wild bush.
VILLA RETREAT
Standing atop the majestic cliff of Nusa Dua, with breathtaking views of the Indian Ocean and a tropical garden, The Apurva Kempinski Bali recently launched a collection of 43 beautifully appointed private villas that evoke the tropical characteristics of southern Bali, offering complete privacy and spacious indoor-outdoor living. Wood and stone-clad interiors are meticulously finished with rattan bamboo furniture, woven Sumba textiles and handmade woodcarvings from Bali and Java, giving guests a flavour of Bali’s rich history of design and creativity.
Our favourite is the three-bedroom Nusantara Presidential Villa: its 1,379 sq m of space is spread over two spectacular levels, with a master suite, living area and 18m swimming pool on the ground floor, and two additional bedrooms and an 8m infinity pool on the upper level. With its self-contained facilities and magnificent ocean views, Nusantara Presidential Villa is the ultimate spot for a wedding reception, private event or just as a private retreat for you and your family.
CAST AWAY
If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to have your own private island, Raffles Maldives Meradhoo on the pristine Gaafu Alifu Atoll has just the experience waiting for you. For a limited time, the resort is offering an exceptional USD1 million all-inclusive island buyout, allowing you a rare opportunity to experience this remarkable resort on your own terms.
Situated in one of the most remote and unblemished corners of the Maldives, You Run Raffles Maldives is available for four-night, five-day stays, and gives up to 70 of your very lucky loved ones, friends or close associates to a white-sand idyll where 21 vast villas reside among palm trees as well as an overwater retreat where residences stand over gently lapping waters.
TATOOINE JOURNEY
Intrepid Star Wars fans will do well to make a hyperspace jump for the Anantara Tozeur Resort. Located in the historic corner of south-east Tunisia, the resort is a luxurious gateway to the mystical Sahara Desert as well as filming locations from initial two original Star Wars trilogies. The Tunisian town of Tatooine, for example, is an abandoned Berber town from which the planet in the movie took its name and is just a two-hour drive from the resort.
Much closer is the site for one of Tatooine’s spaceport settlements, Mos Espa, and, on route, you’ll drive through the spectacular landscapes of Ong Jemel, or ‘the neck of the camel’ in Tunisian, which were the backdrops of more scenes from Episode One. You’ll also have the opportunity to visit the stunning Mides Canyon, seen in the original trilogy, before venturing into the Chott el Djerid, the largest salt lake in the Sahara Desert, its vast endless panoramas also recognisable from the original trilogy.
