The Modern Pursuit of Extraordinary Travel

Rainforest trails at Elements of Byron

From a private yacht exploring the remote reaches of the Maldives to a moonless boat ride through water glowing with phosphorescent plankton, dinner in the treetops reached by zipline and a 1,700sqm villa standing alone in the Indian Ocean, these are the experiences pushing travel into new territory. Resorts are putting as much thought into what guests do as where they sleep, drawing on location, landscape and imagination to create experiences that are genuinely out of the ordinary.

Song Saa Private Island, Cambodia: An Underwater Galaxy

On moonless nights, a short boat or Zodiac ride takes guests into the dark, quiet coves surrounding Song Saa Private Island in the Koh Rong Archipelago off Cambodia’s coastline, where the sea becomes the spectacle. Once in the water, every movement disturbs the bioluminescent plankton, sending trails of light through the darkness and creating the sensation of swimming through a galaxy of stardust. The phenomenon can be experienced year-round, making Song Saa one of the few places where guests can regularly witness bioluminescent plankton after dark.

The experience forms part of the regenerative resort’s wider approach to wild wellness, combining meditation with the natural world in a setting where the Milky Way seems to continue beneath the surface of the sea.

Bioluminescent shores at Song Saa Private Island

Daios Cove, Crete: The Mansion

Tucked into the hillside above Daios Cove on the rugged northeast coast of Crete, The Mansion has sweeping views across the private bay and the Aegean beyond. The setting gives families and groups the rare combination of a secluded private residence and access to one of the island’s most coveted coastal resorts, with the sea, beach and resort facilities just moments away.

Across three levels, the 600sqm residence has three bedrooms, a private heated indoor pool, sauna and spa, a 250sqm terrace and outdoor infinity pool. A dedicated villa team can arrange private dining, in-suite spa treatments, fitness sessions and tailored experiences, while the residence itself provides ample space to retreat, gather and unwind.

Guests also have access to Daios Cove’s luxury all-inclusive Residents’ Club offering, alongside its restaurants, private beach, spa and activities. It’s a rare combination of the independence of a private retreat and the first-class service and facilities of a five-star resort, making The Mansion an exceptional choice for families and groups travelling together.

The Mansion at Daios Cove

Zannier Bãi San Hô, Vietnam: Padel with a View

On Vietnam’s remote central coast, Zannier Bãi San Hô unfolds across a 98-hectare peninsula of tropical landscape, with traditional villas scattered among rice fields, lush hills and the coastline of Bãi San Hô Bay. It is a setting defined by space, nature and seclusion, where the resort’s architecture and experiences are closely tied to the surrounding landscape.

Then there is the padel court. Framed by tropical vegetation with the Vietnamese coastline stretching beyond, it is an unlikely addition to such a remote setting and one that makes an extraordinary visual statement. This is a padel court that coffee-table books want on the cover, bringing together sport, landscape and architecture in a setting a world away from the urban clubs where the game is usually played.

Padel in paradise at Zannier Bai San Ho

Soneva, Maldives: Beyond the Barefoot

For more than three decades, Soneva has pioneered barefoot luxury, continually finding new ways to turn the extraordinary into part of the stay. At Soneva Fushi, even dinner comes with a sense of adventure: guests zipline 12 metres above the jungle canopy to Flying Sauces, an elevated dining experience suspended among the treetops.

At Soneva Secret, the adventure begins at the villa, where guests can paddleboard straight into the lagoon, with the chance to encounter manta rays and dolphins in the surrounding waters. For those wanting to venture further, Soneva in Aqua is a private yacht designed for exploring the Maldivian atolls by sea, taking guests into some of the archipelago’s more remote reaches.

Zipline at Flying Sauces, Soneva Fushi

Gili Lankanfushi, The Maldives: The Private Reserve

Gili Lankanfushi’s Private Reserve spans 1,700sqm above the Indian Ocean and is described by the resort as the world’s largest standalone overwater villa. Reached only by boat and set apart from the main island, it has four bedrooms, a private spa, gym, cinema, bar, infinity pool and waterslide into the lagoon, alongside dedicated Mr./Ms. Friday service and a private yacht.

An entire private residence suspended above the lagoon; it takes the Maldives’ signature overwater villa concept to an entirely different scale.

The Private Reserve at Gili Lankanfushi