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25/11/11
18:51
Page 46
Asia
p43-46 islands feature winter11
Ariara
thE philippinEs
This stunning new private island in the undiscovered
Calamian Islands has been a labour of love and a
private family idyll for British owners Charles and
Carrie McCulloch for the past six years. It’s incredibly
remote and best reached via Ariara’s own 100ft
traditional tri-maran, the Karen Joy, after flying from
Manila to Busuanga. A place for people who don’t do
hotels, the ethos is one of coming to your own
castaway home where 30 staff and every toy you can
imagine from jet skis to speedboats are at your beck
and call. Perfect for house parties, it offers genuine
value for money as everything from island-hopping
adventures to diving and spa treatments are included
from $295pp per night based on a party of 15-17
guests. It’s also 50 miles from Amanpulo if you want
to combine, and they’ll even drop you off by Karen Joy
(ariaraisland.com).
HOW TO BOOK IT
Ariara Island costs from
£3,150 per night based on
15 people staying, including
exclusive use of the island,
full-board, international
and domestic flights and
transfers with Dive In Style.
Tel: 020 7978 0505,
diveinstyle.com
also try
australia, new zealAnd
& south pacific
Song Saa Private Island
Cambodia
Song Saa Private Island opens on
Cambodia’s untouched Koh Rong
Archipelago in February. Two
pristine islands lying side by side
are a magnet for honeymooners.
There will be just 27 villas
with private pools including
one two-bedroom Royal
Villa, a restaurant, spa and
yoga and meditation centre
(songsaa.com).
46
feature islands
winter 2011 ttgluxury.com
Naka Island
Thailand
Nestled on the private island of
Koh Naka Yai off the shores of the
eastern coast of Phuket, The Naka
Island Luxury Collection Resort
& Spa opened in November 2011.
This one-resort island has 67
villas with private pools and alfresco
bathrooms, Spa Naka, two
restaurants and excursions to nearby
Phi Phi islands and Phang Nga Bay
(nakaislandphuket.com).
Amanpulo
Cuyo Islands
Aman Resorts makes the art
of private island resorts look
effortless and Amanpulo is
no exception with exquisite
attention to detail despite its
remote Cuyo Islands location.
Casitas are located on the beach,
amongst the treetops or on the
hillside, each with its own buggy
so guests can cruise around the
island (amanresorts.com).
15-person hot tub and outdoor
cinema (makepeaceisland.com).
Wilson Island
Queensland, Australia
With just six luxurious tents
on a tiny tropical coral cay within
the Great Barrier Reef, Wilson
Island is arguably the most
romantic campsite on earth.
Private island glamping here
means gourmet picnics on the
beach, sipping champagne at
sunset and watching the
loggerhead turtles swimming
around (wilsonisland.com).
Dolphin Island
Fiji
Huka Retreats’ 13-acre Dolphin Island
(right) has just reopened after an extensive
year-long refurbishment. With rooms for a
maximum of eight guests, Dolphin Island
is available on an exclusive-use basis only.
The resort has four bures (traditional Fijian
thatched house) in laid-back, lux-style
with lots of white, Fijian carved wood
furniture, driftwood and shell mirrors care
of interiors guru Virginia Fisher. There’s a
team of private chefs on hand, spa
treatments, world-class diving and fishing.
For total seclusion, bag the Hilltop Sleepout
Bure, a thatched open-air, hilltop house lit
by hurricane lanterns and candles
(dolphinislandfiji.com).
HOW TO BOOK IT
Abercrombie & Kent offers a week at Dolphin
Island from £55,880 based on eight adults
sharing the four guest bures on the island
(works out at £6,985 each for the week)
and includes transfers from Nadi airport
by private boat, all food and drinks, use
of a catamaran and all other facilities.
Not including international flights from UK.
Tel: 0845 618 2200, abercrombiekent.co.uk
also try
Makepeace Island
Queensland, Australia
Sir Richard Branson makes
another appearance in the private
island stakes as the co-founder of
Makepeace Island along with Brett
Godfrey who he founded Virgin
Australia with. Located on the
Sunshine Coast, this heart-shaped
island is authentically Balinese in
design and accommodates up to
22 guests on an exclusive-use
basis. Highlights include a
Aitutaki Lagoon Resort & Spa
Cook islands
Aitutaki Lagoon Resort is located
on its own secluded island of Motu
Akitua and claims to be the only
private island in the Cook Islands
offering overwater bungalows.
What the resort lacks in style
is made up for in setting
(aitutakilagoonresort.com).