This is a bucket list of mind-blowing destinations for the big spenders who like to unreservedly spoil themselves with places that only a lucky few ever experience. It's where you can live in the moment and savor what the world has to offer, and quite often, getting there is more than half the fun. Apparently, indulging in yourself will enhance emotional well-being, which may save you money—you won't need to have that weekly session with a psychiatrist.
Snorkeling/diving
Perched in the southeastern region of Sulawesi, Indonesia, Wakatobi is the height of indulgence when searching for a diving resort that gives unpretentious luxury to the flipper brigade who wish for bubbles to go up their nose at the end of a dive. Located in the heart of the designated UNESCO Marine Biosphere Reserve, it's only a step out of your door in the mornings to snorkel the house reef with its abundant marine life or to jump on a boat to go further afield for a diving experience, unlike anywhere else in the world. A private charter flight from Bali, mouthwatering cuisine, decadent wines, and staff that make you and your enjoyment the focus of their attention equals time-out on a remote sun-soaked island where a private picnic on the beach is the ultimate dining experience.
African Safari Camp
Africa has so many amazing lodges and camps that it's hard to pick one gem out of many. It's a question of what creatures you wish to see and where you may have already been in Africa. Wilderness Jao in the Okavango Delta of Botswana is a safari camp with a difference as its unique landscape of meandering waterways smothered in floating gardens of lilies is a hot spot for wildlife, and the floodplains are home to elephants, hippos, and practically every African beast you may wish to spy on. Wilderness Jao is an architectural treat that has morphed from natural and recycled materials into a wonderful creation of bush luxury where two of its villas have their own swimming pools, butlers, guides, chefs, and vehicles for that added touch of being spoiled and indulged. With only five other safari suites, your stay is private and catered to you individually without compromise. There is a wine list to make your eyes pop in appreciation, sleepouts under the stars, and convivial conversation around a campfire at night; Wilderness Jao is full of African bush surprises.
Wilderness Lodge
The ultimate remote getaway; arrive by seaplane, gorge on fine cuisine where local ingredients shine (think seared albacore tuna or slow-cooked Canadian Rangeland bison shoulder) washed down, or should I say sipped delicately, with top-notch wines recommended by the in-house sommelier, Clayoquot Wilderness Lodge will seduce you into a heightened sense of extraordinary and pristine wild luxury. With only 25 sophisticated and elegantly fitted out canvas tents squatting along the banks of the Clayoquot Sound, its far-away from ordinary-life feeling is heightened only by the creatures you may encounter; otters, whales, black bears while eagles soar above the grand temperate rainforests reaching for the sky. Hike untamed trails, take a helicopter for unrivaled views over uninhabited landscapes, fish for salmon, horse ride through the wilderness where you will believe that you are the only person on earth, learn how good you are at archery, or go for an arctic plunge, preferably not when you are kayaking the silent waters of the sound. This lodge is for the wild-at-heart soul wishing to escape from the mad human race.
After chasing bears in the woods, diving to the depths in Sulawesi, or hanging out waiting to see the wild critters in Africa, it would be time for a bit of body pampering and rejuvenation, especially of the skin.
Wellness and Spa
With eye-watering prices, Clinique La Prairie in Montreux, Switzerland, is on my bucket list for when I win the lotto—some uber-wealthy souls do not have to wait! World famous since its inception 90 years ago, this medical spa is the epitome of the fountain-of-youth treatments with its four stalwart beliefs of medical insight, movement, well-being, and nutrition. The clientele does not shirk at paying around US$45,000 for its signature Revitalization Premium Program or up to six figures for other personalized programs, giving clients unique treatments tailored to their wishes. Specializing in prevention and healing, state-of-the-art facilities include a cryotherapy chamber, sleep lab, and hydrotherapy circuit with science-backed and holistic solutions for your mind, body, and skin dramas. This is no ordinary spa!
Gail Palethorpe, a self proclaimed Australian gypsy, is a freelance writer, photographer and eternal traveller. Check out her website Gail Palethorpe Photography and her Shutterstock profile.
