You, your mate, a desert island and a gourmet picnic — let these resorts whisk you away.
By: Sunshine FlintHotel Kia Ora Resort & Spa
Maroon yourself on Rangiroa in Tahiti and you may never want to leave this French Polynesian paradise with 60 overwater bungalows and beach villas set on a crystal blue lagoon. Take a boat to a pristine pink sand beach on the south side of the atoll, swim in the buoyant waters and feast on a meal made of local, fresh ingredients. On the way back, you might see dolphins frolicking in the waters of Tiputa Pass as you sail by. Excursion rate $140 per person.
Photo Credit: Hotel Kia Ora Resort & Spa, Rangiroa
Jumby Bay, A Rosewood Resort
Another private island resort, but this one is on the other side of the world in the West Indies, set in the bluest Caribbean seas and fringed with powder-white sand. Sail away on the 40-room resort’s private yacht Yennecot and you’ll experience a three-hour tour of solitude on the nearby, uninhabited Maiden Island. It’s a little taste of heaven for just the two of you. A delicious custom-packed picnic is followed by a side-by-side massage on the beach and a champagne toast. Excursion rate $800.
Photo Credit: Rosewood Hotels and Resorts
Conrad Maldives Rangali Island
Adrift in the Indian Ocean, the Conrad Maldives has three resorts on two islands — a tropical oasis with plenty of places to hide away. On the Dream Island experience, you’ll be taken by boat to a private island and lagoon where the two of you can snorkel on the pristine reef and catch sight of manta rays and whale sharks, then dine on a picnic of salads, sandwiches, sushi, fruit, and dessert. When you’re finally ready to leave, simply call the crew to pick you up in the speedboat. Excursion rate $650.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Conrad Maldives Rangali Island
One & Only Hayman Island
This 160-room private island resort is already so remote it’s in the heart of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, the world’s largest reef system. For couples who want to get even further away, a seaplane will fly you to nearby Langford Island, a tidal sandbar surrounded by the clear turquoise waters of the Coral Sea, for a very private picnic. The menu includes fresh prawns and oysters, duck confit, rosemary lamb cutlets, plus champagne of course, all packed in a bento box-style case. Excursion rate $340.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of One & Only Hayman Island
White Elephant
All 67 rooms and cottages of this low-rise, grey shingle inn have views of Nantucket Sound and the green lawns leading down to the harbor — you’re never far from the sea here. Sign up for a mariner’s getaway and a Hinckley yacht will motor you across to Tuckerneck, a private island, or Great Point, the northernmost point of Nantucket Island, for four hours in splendid isolation. Plus, a New England-style picnic provided by the inn’s Brant Point Grill. Excursion rate $1850.
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Barton & Gray Mariners Club
