BORA BORA, TAHITI
BORA BORA PEARL BEACH RESORT
Email: sales@spmhotels.pf
www.pearlresorts.com/bora/main.php
WHERE IS IT?
Set in a lush, verdant garden, the Bora Bora Pearl Beach Resort & Spa was recently renovated after its 1998 opening, and remains an oasis of tranquillity. This traditional Polynesian-style hotel is 10 minutes by private boat from the airport and 15 minutes from Vaitape, the main village in Bora Bora, which lies 240km northwest of Tahiti in the Leeward Society Islands. A 50-minute domestic flight on Air Tahiti from Tahiti to Bora Bora and you’ve found paradise.
WHY IS IT SPECIAL?
There are over 50 water bungalows featuring glass coffee tables through which you can view the aquatic life in the lagoon below, 10 beach suites have a private enclosed garden with Jacuzzi, and 20 garden pool suites are well-appointed havens of luxury with absolutely every detail attended to. From the resort, you have unsurpassed views of Mount Otemanu. Xavier Bessou, general manager of Bora Bora Pearl Beach Resort & Spa says: “The resort is the perfect combination of convenience and seclusion. Because we are set away from the main island and other resorts, one can relax on our sandy white beaches and in the impossible blues of our warm and tranquil lagoon without intrusion.”
WHAT CAN YOU DO THERE?
Snorkel in the resort’s coral nursery where more than 70 species of fish reside in a colony of over 4,000 corals. Treat yourself to a relaxing massage at the Manea Spa before heading for the outrigger canoe breakfast. The Blue Nui Dive Centre offers a wide variety of water sports, beach activities and excursions to other islands in and around Bora Bora. And don’t forget to take some time to sit on your balcony and lose yourself in the moment.
RECENT EVENTS
Del Monte Foods company event
Infor Global Solutions company retreat
FRÉGATE ISLAND, SEYCHELLES
FRÉGATE ISLAND PRIVATE
Email: reservations@fregate.com
WHERE IS IT?
Frégate Island Private is the ultimate ecological, nature-friendly experience. This Seychellois paradise was named after the large population of native frigatebirds, by French explorer Lazare Picault, who discovered the island in 1744. To get to Frégate, one of the most secluded of the Seychelles’ granite islands, take a 20-minute flight by seaplane from Mahé, the capital of Seychelles. The island has a landing strip for light aircraft and helicopters.
WHY IS IT SPECIAL?
“Exclusivity is the maxim at Frégate Island Private and guests enjoy complete privacy and really feel like the island belongs to them,” says its chairman, Marc Aeberhard. Frégate is also home to more than 400 Aldabra Giant Tortoises. Come during the full moon and you may just witness up to 60 newly hatched baby turtles heading for the Indian Ocean.
WHAT CAN YOU DO THERE?
The island has its own alluring, natural charms. You can dine on traditional Creole dishes on the beach or enjoy a relaxing spa treatment under the canopy of a banyan tree. The Rock Spa is perched on a cliff-top plateau and faces the sea; guests enter the spa through a granite canyon, flanked by freshwater pools and cascading waterfalls. The Fregate’s Yacht Club, Marina and PADI Dive Centre are situated on the lower plateau of the island where the motorboats can take guests to any number of spectacular dive sites around the island. Game fishing and snorkelling are also popular activities. And, if you are feeling particularly adventurous, you and your group can climb Mount Signal, standing at 125 m, and be treated to a bird’s eye view of the island, perfect for sunrise, sunset, or any time in between.
NORTH MALE’ ATOLL, MALDIVES
ONE&ONLY RESORT AT REETHI RAH
Email: info@oneandonlyresorts.com.mv
WHERE IS IT?
This all-villa retreat is set amidst 44ha of beautifully landscaped, but still natural and sprawling grounds in the North Male’ Atoll, only 75 minutes by luxury yacht from Malé International Airport.
WHY IS IT SPECIAL?
Every aspect of the resort is aesthetically-pleasing as style is an important factor here. Anya Hindmarch was commissioned to design a beach bag as a thank-you gift for guests to take home. The fashion-conscious can lounge in Liz Hurley Beach Swimwear, a collection launched at the resort. Come to this island for shopping as there are also Romy bikinis from Brazil, and resort wear from Mathew Williamson, Antik Batik, Pucci and Missoni. You’ve plenty of chances to show them off lying in the ocean hammocks suspended from the decks of the 30 water villas. If you prefer total privacy, go for the beach villas, set 20m apart from one another, each featuring a private swimming pool. Visit the two temperature-controlled, walk-in wine cellars boasting a collection of more than 450 wine labels with over 9,000 bottles. Tapasake restaurant is a not-to-be-missed, gastronomic attraction, with its saxophone-playing Japanese chef.
WHAT CAN YOU DO THERE?
The 9,500sqm ESPA spa offers treatments inspired by Eastern philosophies. Unwind in the swirling vitality pools and crystal steam rooms. Guests have complimentary use of hotel’s canoes, kayaks and pedaloes. Snorkel among sea turtles, white-tip sharks, butterfly fish and tuna. Sports like windsurfing, paragliding, knee-boarding and deep-sea fishing are available. Learn a thing or two from the PADI-certified Dive Centre or Peter Burwash Tennis Academy. The resort is a seductive and irresistible place to do everything, or nothing at all.
EAST BALI, INDONESIA
ALILA MANGGIS
Email: sena@alilahotels.com
WHERE IS IT?
Alila Manggis is two hours by car from Ngurah Rai International Airport in Denpasar. The resort is located between Padang Bai Harbor and Candidasa, on the east side of Bali. Situated on a coconut plantation, nestled between the sea and majestic Mount Agung, the resort is stunning.
WHY IS IT SPECIAL?
Alila Manggis is remote, peaceful and quite simply, one of a kind in Bali. The rooms and suites, all of which boast sea views, are stylish examples of modern, Balinese architecture. There is an on-site cooking school specialising in East Balinese cuisine, as well as an expert Leisure Concierge to take care of all your activities.
WHAT CAN YOU DO THERE?
Head straight for Spa Alila and indulge in traditional Indonesian and Balinese treatments: from facials to aromatherapy massages. Hop on the resort’s outrigger and sail to the Blue Lagoon, a colourful reef teeming with marine life. Spectacular dive sites can be found just off the island, and they are easily accessible from the resort. Hiking and trekking trips are excellent ways to see the lush rice terraces and Mount Agung. These walks take you through small farms, Balinese temples and the Bali Aga village of Tenganan, famous for its double ikat weaving and special basket-making techniques. If you prefer, rent mountain bikes available from the hotel, along with maps of suggested routes through the stunning scenery and villages.
PAMALICAN, PHILIPPINES
AMANPULO
Email: amanpulo@amanresorts.com
WHERE IS IT?
Amanpulo is located on the private island?of Pamalican, 360km southwest of Manila, accessible via an hour’s chartered flight from Manila International Airport.
WHY IS IT SPECIAL?
Escape to Amanpulo or “peaceful island” for the ultimate private island retreat. The 40 Casitas are modelled on authentic Bahay Kubo dwellings with steep pitched roofs on timber frames. The five Hillside Casitas offer unrivalled sea views, the four Treetop Casitas are surrounded by greenery, and the 29 Beach Casitas have private beach pathways. All rooms come with a golf cart for island exploration. Every year, from March through October, the endangered female green and hawksbill turtles come up onto the beach at night to lay their eggs. Amanpulo staff are trained by World Wildlife Fund to tag the turtles and monitor the process. Hotel guests are invited to watch the release of the baby turtles into the sea after they hatch.
WHAT CAN YOU DO THERE?
A stroll around the island on the beach will take only 90 minutes. Look out for baby sharks chasing baitfish at the island’s southern end during the high tide. There are also a number of bushpaths and two modest hills to explore. See if you can spot white-breasted wood-swallows, kingfishers, black-naped orioles, sea eagles, egrets and two-dozen other species of birds. Go on an island cruise or take up a water sport. You can also relax at the open-air garden and beach salas, and pamper yourself with the holistic spa treatments.
NINH VAN BAY, CENTRAL VIETNAM
EVASON HIDEAWAY & SIX SENSES SPA AT ANA MANDARA
Email: dothu@sixsenses.com
www.sixsenses.com/hideaway-anamandara/index.php
WHERE IS IT?
Evason Hideaway at Ana Mandara is tucked away in Ninh Van Bay, miles away from the hustle and bustle of Nha Trang. It is accessible only by a 20-minute boat ride from Evason Hideaway Lounge in Nha Trang, which is an hour by car from the airport. Nha Trang is situated 1,350 km from Hanoi and 450km from Ho Chi Minh City. A 50-minute domestic flight from these cities to Cam Ranh Airport is recommended.
WHY IS IT SPECIAL?
The majestic rock formations, the extensive banks of coral reefs, white sand beach, and mountainous backdrop make it the picture of an unparallelled island retreat. Godfrey Vas, Evason’s general manager said: “The accommodations provide generous personal space and present an uncompromised standard of luxury. From the moment you arrived at the resort to the moment you leave, you are treated like royalty. Every villa has its own private pool and a private butler who is there to help when needed, and not around when you want to be alone.”
WHAT CAN YOU DO THERE?
After partaking of water, beach and island activities like sailing, canoeing, snorkelling, diving, trekking and cycling, a trip to the Six Senses Spa will relax you immediately. Calm your mind through meditation, or in a Tai Chi or yoga class.
RECENT EVENTS
Annual Conference for Creative Holidays Australia for 40 delegates
PULAU LANGKAWI, MALAYSIA
THE DATAI LANGKAWI
Email: sales@ghmhotels.com.my
WHERE IS IT?
Situated at the northwestern tip of Langkawi and settled unobtrusively into the island’s natural landscape, the Datai is a 30-minute drive from the Langkawi Airport. Langkawi Island is made up of about 100 outlying islets off the coast of Malaysia, near the Thai border.
WHY IS IT SPECIAL?
Guests can bask in the sun or cool off in the shade.. The hotel was built with the aim of allowing guests to enjoy and appreciate the lush, verdant rainforests of Langkawi. Says Jamie Case, the Datai’s general manager, “I think the strength of Langkawi lies in the fact that it is a stunningly beautiful island that is not over-developed”.
WHAT CAN YOU DO THERE?
The resort has arranged a variety of activities for corporate groups big and small. One option is a guided jungle trek. There are several two to four hour jungle trails around the hotel where you’ll spot civet cats, mouse deer and wild boar along your way to a secluded vantage point atop a hill. Alternatively, drive to Gunung Raya, Langkawi’s highest peak, and be awed by the island’s 5,000ha of rainforest. A bike ride is a great way to see the local village life at Kampong Kubang Badak as well as the island’s countryside. Don’t miss the Kanangra cruises or the opportunity to hop among the various islands of Langkawi.
HAYMAN, GREAT BARRIER REEF, QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA
THE HAYMAN
Email: event@hayman.com.au
WHERE IS IT?
A dream vacation awaits you on this private island situated in the Great Barrier Reef, where corporate groups can revel in its exclusivity and seclusion. The most convenient way to access The Hayman is via Great Barrier Reef Airport on Hamilton Island. From the airport, guests can take a seaplane, helicopter or an hour-long luxury cruise to Hayman.
WHY IS IT SPECIAL?
Experience and explore the famous Great Barrier Reef from a stunning, remote island where you feel removed from the world, but where you’ll still have all the modern amenities you’d expect of a five-star resort. The Great Barrier Reef is made up of about 2900 separate reefs stretching as far north as Cape York, and south to Bundaberg along the Queensland Coast. Come during November, stay up late one night, and you might just witness the mass spawning of the innumerable species of fish.
WHAT CAN YOU DO THERE?
Helicopter and seaplane rides are a great way to see the island and the reef from above. On the water, take a tour of the reef, go whale watching, catamaran sailing, paddle-skiing, windsurfing, sea kayaking, waterskiing, PADI diving, snorkelling and fishing. The hotel also offers sports facilities for tennis, squash and golf. Spa Chakra Hayman, a Guerlain Spa member, is a must-do, as is dining in one of the resort’s fabulous restaurants, or at a Chef’s Table dinner hosted by Hayman’s executive chef.
RECENT EVENTS
Australian Leadership Retreat
