Who said heaven is just up there? From the South Pacific to the Florida Keys, discover paradise at the best and most beautiful private-island resorts, where natural beauty abounds—and doing nothing is simply everything.
Check out some mesmerising private-island resorts for your dream holiday.
Laucala Island, Fiji
Pristine blue lagoons; lush coconut groves and volcanic mountains; endless beaches; 25 over-the-top, design-driven Fijian Bures (pronounced boo-rays), each with private swimming pools—Laucala Island is the ultimate fantasy come to life. What’s more? The island flaunts the highest guest-to-staff ratio of any resort in the world (currently 16 staff to each villa), so expect the best-of-the-best in private-island pampering.
Mnemba Island, Tanzania
The sparkling white sands and turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean surround the 10 rustic-chic villas of this petite island resort off the northern coast of Zanzibar. Thanks to a distinctive open-air design with limited wall space and glassless ‘windows’, the sights and sounds of the beach are always present. Take one (or all) of the three daily snorkelling trips for a chance to swim with the wild dolphins that inhabit this dreamscape.
Lizard Island Resort, Australia
A day of snorkeling or diving Queensland, Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, is a bucket-list item for most tourists, but there’s something far better for savvy travellers: try Lizard Island, a Great Barrier Reef outpost whose sole inhabitants are the guests of an eponymous 40-unit upscale resort and the vast marine life that surrounds it. Strap on a snorkel or don some dive gear and revel in unlimited, direct access to the reef from the island’s 24 untouched white-sand beaches.
The Brando, French Polynesia
We’re usually all about the overwater bungalows in French Polynesia, but this ultra-luxurious, eco-conscious retreat—Marlon Brando’s former private getaway—is equally dreamy. Live the modern Robinson Crusoe fantasy in haute style based at one the 35 stylish, palm-thatched villas, where in-room dining comes from chef Guy Martin (of Michelin two-star,Le Grand Véfour fame), nature tours are lead by Brando’s granddaughter, Tumi, and the surrounding beaches and reef match the beauty Brando discovered when he purchased the island in 1960 while searching for locations to film Mutiny on the Bounty.
Fregate Island Private, Seychelles
Nature rules on this conservation-focused island in the Seychelles, a ‘Garden of Eden’ that’s home to hundreds of Aldabra tortoises, 101 species of seabirds, and numerous rare and endemic creatures. While you’ll quickly fall in love with Fregate Island’s curious, wild residents, you’ll hardly see another human, thanks to the island’s vast acreage and plentiful white-sand beaches.
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