Feature: Top island picks... Luxury beach breaks

Thursday, 20 January 2011 7:25 AM

If one of your New Year resolutions is to experience ‘that desert island’ feeling in exotic and luxurious surroundings, you have come to the right place for inspiration. This week, we have searched for the best exotic islands that offer exclusive resorts and stunning beaches. And don’t worry, there are plenty of them out there. If you have a clear idea of what the perfect paradise looks like, you may actually find it here. We’re not exaggerating when we say that we’ve found ‘paradise on earth’ – well, six of them actually!

Exotic island beach holidays are the perfect tonic for relaxation. Stay on a romantic private island being waited on by your own butler or visit an exclusive boutique hotel on a little-known tropical island. Imagine warm, white sand between toes, palm trees swaying in the breeze and the gentle sound of the waves breaking over an offshore beach. This is the ultimate in dream holiday for many travellers...your own private island in the sun; surrounded by crystal clear lagoons, lush green foliage and colourful tropical reefs. This week we invite you to kick off your shoes and forget the rest of the world.

Curacao, Caribbean
If you’ve already been to the Caribbean, and want something more authentic, a bit more cultural, and more upscale, this is the hidden treasure you’ve been looking for. Located less than 50 miles off the coast of South America, Curacao, a Dutch commonwealth, is a true hidden gem. With year-round warm weather, divers, snorkellers, sailors, kayakers, windsurfers, swimmers and sunbathers will be glad to call this exotic paradise home for a week or two. For an awe-inspiring scene, visit Klein Curacao, an uninhabited desert island off the southern coast, which is perfect for divers, snorkellers and sun-lovers. One of the most luxurious resorts in this divine destination is the Kura Hulanda Resort and Beach Club with oceanfront suites just steps from a small beach.

Mauritius, Mascarene Islands
A tropical wonderland, Mauritius combines pristine white beaches and crystal clear seas with a spectacular mountainous interior. The mouth-watering local cuisine – a fusion of European, Asian and Creole – is in keeping with the island’s status as a melting pot of cultures. If you’re a golf or activity enthusiast you will find everything you need on this paradise island and if you’re looking for wellbeing and relaxation you’ll find it here too. Mauritius reveals an unspoiled coastline offering world-class diving, unique submarine excursions and fantastic lagoons where children can swim in safety. As Mark Twain once noted: ‘you gather the idea that Mauritius was made first, and that heaven was copied after Mauritius’. We wouldn’t argue with him. Would you?! For a true luxury island holiday, you can stay at the One&Only Le Saint Geran, which is set on a private peninsula fringed by palms and white sandy beaches.

Langkawi, Malaysia
Located off the northwest coast of Malaysia, Langkawi is a spectacular archipelago of 99 islands in the Andaman Sea. Secluded and remote, Langkawai reveals impeccable white sand beaches, rugged mountain peaks and lush green foliage. There is superb diving and snorkelling around Pulau Payar Marine Park as well as watersports and kayaking through mangrove forests. This is also the perfect destination for jungle treks and wildlife trails. For pure luxury accommodation, the Andaman is an acclaimed rainforest hotel located at Datai Bay amidst Langkawi’s natural tropical paradise of forested mountains, limestone caves, cascading waterfalls and pristine beaches. Tucked behind the beachfront, where the turquoise Andaman Sea laps against the powder-white sands, extremely spacious luxury rooms and suites are sumptuously decorated in traditional Malaysian style.

Mustique, Grenadines
If you have always dreamed about spending your holiday on a private island, Mustique could be your ideal holiday choice. This is a 1,400-acre private island managed by Mustique Company. If you step onto the island and feel that you have entered a parallel world you’re not alone. To arrive here is to step into a perfect world, where the beaches are whiter and the ocean more turquoise than a dream, road signs are hand-painted and even the grass is cut with exceptional care. So, if you didn’t know that you had just stepped off a boat to enter this paradise, you would probably think that you were dreaming – and no-one would blame you! Above all, the big deal about this spectacular island is its sense of space and exclusive isolation. Mustique is a slow-paced, laid-back island. It is also a place to play some tennis, go horse-riding, snorkel, rent a yacht and muck about in a speedboat. For a luxurious place to stay, the coral stone boutique hotel, Cotton House sits on 13 acres of meticulously manicured beach-side gardens. A beautiful hotel in a beautiful setting!

Denis, Seychelles
One of the planet’s most magical retreats, Denis Private Island is situated amidst the azure waters of the western Indian Ocean. A favourite haunt of pirates of old, the island still holds a desert island romance all of its own. Just 25 elegant thatched cottages and villas provide exclusive guest accommodation, each nestled amongst lush tropical gardens near the ocean shore and boasting its own sea-facing terrace and courtyard. You can find utter tranquillity and absolute peace here – there are no televisions or radios in the cottages and the island is wonderfully out of range for mobile phones, providing guests with a delightful castaway island experience. Of course, Robinson Crusoe never had air-conditioning, twin jet showers and a wine cellar!

Kanuhura, Maldives
Imagine waking up in your private designer villa, surrounded by nothing but gently lapping waves, a warm sea breeze and palm trees swaying overhead. Surrounded by a vast expanse of brilliant blue sky, ocean and coral sands, there’s no doubt that the islands and atolls that make up the Maldives are among the world’s most stunning. And you can experience all this beauty while staying in luxury on the tropical island of Kanuhura. This is a remote, exotic, tropical island reached by seaplane. Surrounded by crystal clear waters, the resort is known for its stunning underwater marine life. This is an enchanting private hideaway offering the highest standards of exclusive accommodation, blending contemporary amenities with authentic Maldivian charm.

Kick off your shoes...
Our job is done. If you haven’t already started planning your ultimate exotic island hideaway –well, why haven’t you?! – you can find even more inspiration in many of the luxury holiday brochures featuring a range of island retreats.