Top 5 Bucket List Paradisal Island Destinations
Paradise.
That word. And all the different things it could mean to different people. For me, like so many, I’m seeing beautiful crystal-clear turquoise water, with colourful swimming fish. White untouched sand. Palm trees full of coconuts bending over the shore. Luscious rainforests in the distance filled with exotic flora and animals thriving in their natural habitat. Turtles, dolphins. Warm sun on my skin. I feel so tranquil. So content. My heart full. So grateful, appreciative. In awe of natures beauty. This environment does this. This is why it’s paradise.
There’s something about the vision of the ‘tropical island’ that just does something to you. The sheer exoticness of it all. The anticipation of the unspoilt natural beauty to be beheld, the feeling of being at peace. The reconnection with earth, with yourself. And in special cases, the people on the island who spread pure joy and offer a different view of life.
Without further ado, (and in no particular order) here are my personal Top 5 Paradisal Island Destinations on my bucket list to stay at, which evoke all of these aforementioned feelings. Which each tug on the heart strings for their own special reasons…
The Sanubari
Sumba Island, Indonesia
The Sanubari opened only last July, however I’ve been following their journey to opening since January 2020 and am in admiration of their approach to creating this utterly picturesque, truly serene paradise, which fully respects the land it sits on and totally embraces the people who call this island home. The owners worked with local builders and craftsmen to create a destination which aims to be sustainable and celebrate Sumbanese craftmanship, in total harmony with the surroundings. Imagine, soothingly neutral villas, with only natural materials within, traditional alang-alang thatched roofs and locally made Ikat weavings decorating the walls. Then your own private pool, horses wading through the sea, buffalo’s and their farmers passing by for walks, miles of uninterrupted sandy beach, mesmerisingly verdant greenery behind, untouched white shoreline and turquoise waters…
At The Sanubari you can literally step out of your villa and walk to the ocean. It’s all about reconnection; with the fascinating plants and animals influenced by both Asian and Australian origin, as well to connect with the people. Locals and kids come daily to the beaches to collect seaweed, the staff are generally all local and full of smiles. There’s the opportunity to learn about a totally different culture - such as their Marapu religion - with The Sanubari you could potentially be blessed enough to be allowed to witness a sacred practise or ceremony within the ancient megalithic village. Then there’s reconnection with yourself, through memory-making activities like surfing those untouched waves, swimming with Sumbanese horses, paddleboarding the freshwater rivers, sunset horse rides, day treks through the Wanukaka Valley and it’s waterfalls.
I look forward to soul enriching days, paired with meals in their beautiful beach restaurant by the sea (which follows the motto of living off the land) before taking in the clear starry night sky…
Pure, dense, vivaciously green, mountainous ancient rainforest. Turquoise waters lapping against soft sand. And a small circle of civilisation in the heart of it, The Datai Langkawi. This mystical island is the kind of place you see only in your dreams.
What an overwhelming sense of how small we each are compared to Mother Earth this environment gives, a powerful reminder of who’s in charge. And the designers of The Datai Langkawi understood immediately that it would be almost sacrilegious to move a single stone to build the resort. The designers honoured the natural setting and made sure to replace every tree sparingly felled and the fallen wood used sustainably in it’s 1993 construction. The final feeling is that the resort belongs to the jungle.
Now one of Malaysia’s most sought after - and beautifully luxurious - destination resorts, The Datai Langkawi promises to reconnect you with nature and uplift your soul. Langkawi is the secret, with it’s waterfalls, labyrinth of precious waterways, it’s mangroves and paddyfields. The resort’s encompassing jungle is host to a wealth of wildlife, some of which is endemic to the area. The Datai’s guided walks offer the chance to witness these creatures in their natural habitat such as the adorable Dusky langur monkey to the colourful great hornbill, as well as deeply delving into the varied four canopies of the rainforest. This appreciation for the surrounding environment expands to the Spa, situated by a winding stream, where the rainforest’s healing qualities and philosophies of the Ramuan take precedence. There is just so much of this utterly fascinating secret world waiting to be learnt and experienced here at The Datai Langkawi that it brings goosebumps to my skin just thinking about it!
Drawing it’s name from the Sanskrit derived word for ‘peace’, it wouldn’t be a complete paradise list without an Aman property. The serene architectural and interior designs are purposefully designed to blend into and complement the surrounding nature. At Amanpulo, they present the totally secluded, peaceful refuge of Pamalican Island. A back to nature experience, where you can fully switch off and simply let the island be your home, safe also in the knowledge that Amanpulo is doing it’s part to ensure the protection of it’s land and waters.
Amanpulo is what daydreams are made of. Sandy pathways through the trees leading to pristine white beach, cushy sun loungers and the clearest sparkly waters. My personal happy place, is snorkelling with my loved one, hanging out with the fish and being under the spell of the oceans beauty. Sounds soppy, I know! But here one can live out that simple dream, snorkelling and scuba diving exploring the coral reefs to your hearts content, stretching 7 kilometres. There’s also kite surfing, starlight private cruises and an expedition to learn about the national gem of the Philippines, the golden South Sea pearl, The island is also a nesting site for Green and Hawksbill turtles, where one can witness the magical moment of the hatchlings making their way to the ocean!
At the highest point of the island, the Aman Spa offers a Healing Garden, traditional Filipino healing treatments, soothing therapies, yoga and more. As well as doing good for you, through their the Pag-asa treatment, proceeds go towards education, healthcare and financial sustainability on nearby Manamoc Island. There is so much to keep your soul and body fulfilled here. And talking of being full, imagine Filipino, Mediterranean and Japanese dishes made with island grown fruit and veggies, before sinking into a pile of cushions, to watch the sun go down with a chilled wine in hand! Yes. Please.
Opened only in 2021 by two Zimbabwean born owners, Sussurro feels like a soft in tone, yet powerfully mighty, proud ode to sharing with passion, considerate, meaningful, immersive, sustainable travel. Where celebration of local craftsmanship, the mesmerising raw natural beauty of their local environment, and it’s produce, is highly revered. It’s a place for heartfelt appreciation, for tranquility and connection to a different way of conscious living.
I’ve heard rumours of ice cold, home-made ginger beer greeting guests upon arrival, as you take your shoes off to soothe into island life, here on the white-sand, palm tree dotted shores of a turquoise lagoon in this remote peninsula known as Nhamabue. An open plan kitchen awaits, where chatting is encouraged with your hosts as they prepare utterly divine, plant-rich meals heavily East African inspired. Ingredients are sourced from the community’s local fishermen, organic farmer’s markets and sustainable traders. I’m already salivating at the thought of aubergine ravioli in rocket cashew pesto, followed by a Qumbe (East African coconut doughnut) and a soul hugging cup of Sussurro garden rosella tea with wildflower local honey.
Serene neutral palettes within Sussurro’s design set the scene to perfectly champion the 100% African made and often locally sourced furniture, textiles and decor throughout. Mozambican vernacular architecture, built by the team who still serve you, is to be utterly admired. And not to mention the fact the property is powered by renewable energy. I’m bowing down!
Finally, no paradise island experience would be complete without a Dhow experience. Whether venturing into the nearby mangrove forests, passing by river villages and marine and bird life, or a sunset sail into the golden lit bay to fully grasp Sussurro’s atmosphere, before returning to a lantern lit residence.
The Maldives…these mirage like, divinely heavenly islands, of soft white sands, diverse marine life and turquoise lagoons, dotted around in their atolls in the shimmering azure Indian Ocean under cotton like skies, are precious beyond words.
A jewel encircled by vibrant coral atolls, fringed with towering coconut palms and dazzling white sandy beaches, is the breathtaking beyond words, beautifully looked after eden of One&Only Reethi Rah.
There’s a special something about One&Only Reethi Rah which I can’t quite put into words. It’s calm, thoughtfully designed, pure barefoot luxury, where the resorts serene feng-shui design lulls away the essence of time and the islands’ mesmerising vegetation takes precedence. Their spa sanctuary promises rekindled vitality in swirling pools and crystal steam rooms, alongside journeys to natures rhythm through yoga and Tai Chi.
Famous for it’s amiable sharks, the Maldives has almost 600 whale sharks in it’s waters. These gentle giants abide amongst rays, harmless reef sharks, turtles, sea-stars, and butterfly fish to name a few. And rightfully so, One&Only Reethi Rah is devoted to keeping all these majestic creatures’ habitats safe, through on site marine biologists, an Olive Ridley Project turtle rehabilitation sanctuary, and diving programmes which make a difference to local marine conservation.
Heaven on earth, with a caring heart…
