TANZANIA
1 Deep dive
Lay in bed and watch as shoals of kaleidoscopic fish glide around you. The Manta Resort’s ‘underwater room’ is, as its name suggests, a suite that sits 12 metres deep off the coast of Pemba Island in Tanzania's Zanzibar archipelago. The three-level structure has a ladder leading to the roof where you can bask in the sun, and by night watch a starlit sky. Spend days exploring the forests, swamps, mangroves, hidden beaches and lagoons scattered among the ruins of mosques and tombs, and dine at the resort’s seafood restaurant watching the sun go down overlooking a sparkling ocean. Then head down to your room for a 360-degree view of the otherworldly underwater world. themantaresort.com
SOUTH AUSTRALIA
2 SOUTHERN BEAUTY
On a rugged clifftop of Kangaroo Island, blending seamlessly with its wild surrounds is the reimagined Southern Ocean Lodge. The property has 25 suites, strung like an elegant necklace along the cliff edge. Spend days exploring, and nights dining on local Kangaroo Island produce paired with South Australian wines. The much-anticipated reopening is in early December.
SWEDEN
3 The coolest hotel in the world - literally
You’ll need to be comfortable with the cold if you’re planning a stay here. Two hundred kilometres north of the Arctic Circle in the Swedish village of Jukkasjärvi, is Icehotel, a hotel made entirely out of ice from the neighbouring Torne River. Rebuilt every winter, more than 500 artists have contributed to the various incarnations of the hotel – chiselling, scraping and shaping the ice into accommodation that melts every year. While you’re here, roam amongst the ice sculptures or go dog sledding, skiing or snowmobiling, but the real experience is sleeping among what is as much ice art gallery as it is hotel. icehotel.com
CANADA
4 Coastal stay
On an island off an island in Newfoundland, perched on stilts and hugging the North Atlantic coastline, is the striking Fogo Island Inn. A modern architectural take on the fishing shacks that dot the island, each of the 29 rooms has ocean views. There’s also a contemporary art gallery, library, cinema, and reading room. In winter go snowmobiling, skating, snowshoeing, and tobogganing, and come summer, hike, cycle or amble along the island’s many trails and paths. Then dine on dishes created using local berries, edible plants and vegetables from the garden and seafood fished from local waters. fogoislandinn.ca
5 Beyond Bali
Venture beyond Bali and you will discover a world of wonder just waiting to be explored.
Australians love Bali, but few have discovered the treasure trove of islands beyond its shores. Flores in Indonesia’s Lesser Sunda Island archipelago has long been overlooked, and yet this gateway to the Komodo National Park, just a one-hour flight from Bali, is a place where nature is writ large. Think pristine lakes, cascading waterfalls, 50 dive and snorkel sites, and there’s no need to sacrifice luxury with the region’s only five-star resort, AYANA Komodo Waecicu Beach calling this pristine island home.
Days here will be spent diving or snorkelling among pretty coral reefs with kaleidoscopic marine life, seeking out the world’s largest living lizard, the Komodo dragon, enjoying panoramic views from Padar Island, or strolling the otherworldly Pink Beach. Then return to your luxe sanctuary for a dip in one of two pools, a spa treatment, or simply sit back with a cocktail at the rooftop bar, UNIQUE. Afterwards, savour fresh local food at one of the seven
