You've heard of those places-
idyllic resorts where your feet sink deep into the
fine, powdery sand, where the other visitors are
visibly happier by the day, where the corals are
unbleached and there's great freshly-caught sashimi
to be had on the boat as you're lulled both by the
heat of the afternoon sun and the soothing movements
caused by the gentle waves on the stationary vessel.
Just- you're skeptical if these places actually
exist.
At Urbane Nomads, our
barefoot luxury holidays go beyond a luxury
beach retreat. We'd sussed out interesting
destinations- a remote Indonesian island
with great surf that, with its focus on
preserving the integrity of the local
culture and aversion to mass tourism, stands
as the antithesis of Bali, an island in an
archipelago of Mozambique accessible by
private charter (bypassing Maputo,
passengers' point of entry is a disused
military airport) or swimming with an
elephant* in Cousteau's 'invisible islands'.
*There's no guarantee
of guests being able to swim with the
elephant.
Photos: Courtesy of & beyond, Four
Seasons, Aman Resorts and Misool.
On a luxury cruise through the Andaman Islands, recently propelled into the
mainstream consciousness, post-tsunami, through video footage of tribes shooting
at rescue boats with bows and arrows. Whilst this indirectly introduces the
debate on the ethics of tourism into the area, this cruise itinerary combines
visits to some of the islands in an area associated with pristine beaches,
gin-clear waters and lush inland forests- the epitomy of the modern day
paradise, with excellent diving opportunities. The areas visited (or rather, not
visited) are in line with efforts to protect the lifestyles of the indigenous
people of the area.
The Raja Ampat, an area
with stunning
eco-diversity and where
a scientist once
discovered 283 new
species in a single
dive, is one of the
least explored areas on
earth, offering stunning
diving opportunities. A
leisurely diving
itinerary whilst based
on a private island,
non-divers will enjoy
the barefoot luxury
ethos of the island.
Visit fascinating
ancient petroglyphs and
dive into a lake of
jellyfish- forming a
surreal, pulsating
penumbra around you as
the sunlight filters
through their
translucence.
