Cousine Island, Seychelles
Part luxury resort, part nature reserve, Cousine Island is one of the
most visually stunning remote islands in the world, and it’s just 62
acres in size. One of the 115 islands that make up the Seychelles, this
tropical isle is like something out of
Robinson Crusoe and can
only be reached by helicopter. The five-star Cousine Island Resort and
Spa is the perfect place to stay on the island for travelers looking for
high-end creature comforts, while the stillness and natural beauty that
surrounds it affords all-important peace and quiet so desperately
sought by city slickers. Brimming with lush vegetation and all kinds of
birds and turtles, Cousine Island is like the Garden of Eden of the
modern-day world.
Necker Island, British Virgin Islands
Second home to Sir Richard Branson, Necker Island is the Virgin
entrepreneur’s very own private island in the heart of the British
Virgin Islands. Spread across 74 glorious acres of tropical forest and
fine sand beaches, this luxury island was snapped up by Branson in the
late ’70s and transformed into a glamorous, first-class island retreat
for no less than $10 million. For $47,000 a day, well-heeled guests can
have free reign of the island, which includes a Balinese-style villa
with 10 bedrooms, two private beaches, a number of swimming pools,
tennis courts, a personal chef, water sports, and amenities galore.
Decked out with luxurious Brazilian hardwoods, antiques and authentic
Balinese furniture and fabrics, it’s no wonder the likes of the late
Princess Diana, Mariah Carey and Oprah Winfrey have stayed here.
Fortunately for us, Branson is a man who likes to share — and who can
blame him?
Mnemba Island, Indian Ocean
Although it’s a mere 2.8 miles off the eastern tip of Zanzibar, Mnemba
Island is about as far from civilization as you’re ever likely to feel.
Every vista here looks like a shot from a honeymoon brochure, with 10
romantic beachside lodges each with their own verandas overlooking the
sea, untouched white beaches, shimmering blue waters, and the type of
glowing sunsets only ever seen in the movies. The island is just one
mile in circumference, with a conservation barrier that protects the
coral reefs, giant turtles, ghost crabs, and tropical fish that surround
it. It’s no wonder it was voted one of the top three most romantic
islands in the world by trusty
Condé Nast. Walk barefoot along
the shore in your linen trousers, indulge in fresh fruit for breakfast
and fresh lobster for dinner, enjoy a spot of windsurfing, deep-sea
fishing or kayaking, and sink into crisp linen sheets all in one day at
Mnemba Island.
Cocoa Island, Maldives
The perfectly named Cocoa Island has it all: silky white sand underfoot,
a lagoon that couldn’t be bluer if it tried, and a specifically built
five-star resort that, for once, matches the pictures in the travel
brochure. Set over water, 33 villas are available for guests to check
into, while facilities include beautifully manicured gardens, shimmering
swimming pools, an on-site spa, yoga pavilion, water-sport center, and
an elegant restaurant offering lip-smackingly good Thai food. The actual
island itself is about as eco-friendly as it gets, with a strict green
policy that ensures its pristine natural environment remains pristine.
Think
Castaway, but with romantic teak decking.
Barbados, Caribbean
While it may be one of the most prominent luxury islands out there,
Barbados still hasn’t lost its exclusive appeal. Hundreds of celebrities
still flock there each and every January, hoping to catch a ray or two
of glorious winter sunshine. The 166-square-mile island is completely
flat, meaning luxury hotels and fine-dining restaurants are aplenty
along its stunning, white-sand coastline. Highly recommended is the
Sandy Lane – Luxury Golf & Spa Resort at St James, the island’s most
prestigious place to stay and much-publicized wedding venue to Tiger
Woods a few years back.
Anguilla, Leeward Islands, Caribbean
Anguilla is a relative newcomer on the luxury islands circuit, but its
long been a low-key home to movers and shakers (Denzel Washington is a
longtime visitor here, as is Jay-Z). With developments like the Viceroy
Hotel, St. Regis Temenos and the Cap Juluca, it’s absolutely on par with
other international five-star destinations. The Viceroy gets our top
rating for decor, service and amenities, and the beaches are exactly
what your dream of a Caribbean beach looks like.
Palm Island, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Made up of 32 jaw-droppingly beautiful islands, it would be easy to miss
Palm Island in the cluttered archipelago that makes up Saint Vincent
and the Grenadines. Nevertheless, once you’ve found it and taken the
mile-long boat trip from Union Island, you’ll never want to leave; 135
acres of tropical paradise await you, with a private resort catering to
your every whim no matter how frivolous. Casuarina Beach runs along the
entire length of the western coastline, and is quite a sight to behold.
Crystal clear waters swoosh against its sand beaches, coconut trees
shimmy on its coast and general gorgeousness abound. The resort itself
is small but perfectly formed, with just 40 guest rooms to maintain
exclusivity, a Michelin-star restaurant serving up the best
international fare, and a bar in which you and your loved one can grab
an umbrella-free sun-downer at dusk. Wish you were here? We certainly
do.
Turtle Island, Fiji
Although
Lost is actually filmed in Hawaii, it’s supposed to be
set in Fiji — meaning that a real Fijian island is going to be even more
beautiful than the sets on the TV show. Turtle Island lives up to that
promise, with more than 500,000 trees planted over 30 years by its
entrepreneurial owner, Richard Evanson, dozens of private beaches and a
stunning resort comprising 14 eco-friendly villas — it’s no wonder
The Blue Lagoon,
the 1970s film starring Brooke Shields, was filmed here. If this place
doesn’t take your breath away, then we’re afraid nothing will. And this
is
the place to honeymoon if you’re serious about your marriage.
Mustique, West Indies
There’s a very good reason rock stars and royal family members jet
across the globe to vacation on the private island of Mustique.
Spreading across 1,400 acres of tropical paradise, Mustique is located
in the southern Caribbean and is owned and operated by the Mustique
Company (made up of the island’s privileged homeowners). Upholding its
exclusivity and protecting its natural beauty, the firm allows only a
select group of people to stay on the island, with visitors ranging from
Prince William to Mick Jagger. While there, designer-clad guests can
frolic in the aquamarine surf, sprawl on its pristine white beaches or
party the night away at Basil’s Bar, a favorite haunt of the jet-set
vacationers.
Musha Cay, Exuma Cays
You’ll have to be friendly with famous magician and ownerDavid
Copperfield to pay a visit, but once you’ve touched down in Musha Cay
with your Louis Vuitton bags in tow you’ll never want to leave.
Comprising four private islands, 85 miles southeast of Nassau in the
Bahamas, the mini-archipelago offers some of the best diving on the
planet, with transparent waters and miles of jaw-dropping coral reef.
There are five houses in which to hunker down for the night, with every
conceivable luxury found inside, and more than 30 staff members to cater
to your every whim. Copperfield also claims to have found the Fountain
of Youth on the island, but even if you don’t find it while you’re here,
you’ll still return home looking 20 years younger.
