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You may need directions to find it as it looks like any other house on the street, But step in through the Gate of the walled garden and its like entering a secret garden full of artistic magic (hence the name), because everywhere you look (and I mean everywhere) there is something to make you say "look at that", and almost everything is for sale, from paintings and drawings to sculptures. It's not just thrown around like an old brick-a-brack shop but placed to make you look and look around some more, around every corner and in every alcove there is something to see. You can watch Jan D'esopo (the owner) and her team create right in front of you and you're welcome to get involved, even if its only as an artists model! A truly relaxing place to just sit around and look at things, you could almost be in any colonial house in any part of the world. Or you could take a dip in the unique pool, which is tucked away in the garden. In the evening you can join Jan and guests for a drinks reception or even go to the music room to listen to some live music! there are five different types of room (22 in all) all individually named and decorated, no two the same. I didn't see a single TV and there is an honour bar which was nice. It's the perfect stopover for somewhere different, or to start/finish a cruise. I don't think it would appeal to everyone, however, give it a go you maybe surprised. There is one thing: PLEASE, don't tell anyone as it's a secret!
www.thegalleryinn.com
204-206 Norzagary, Old San Juan, Puerto Rico
+1 787 722 1808
Google map: bit.ly/wn5L97
About one hour outside Rome, near the lovely lake and town of Bracciano is the Grand Hotel delle Terme di Stigliano. The hotel is beautiful and the setting in the hills of Lazio very peaceful. You can relax by the huge hotel pool or choose one of the various thermal pools. Spa treatments are available in the hotel, but also in the thermal centre nearby which is open to the public. There have been thermal springs here since Roman times: one of the treatments is in an original Roman Grotto!
www.termedistigliano.it/
Via Bagni di Stigliano, 00060 Canale Monterano (RM)
+39 06 99805977
Google map: bit.ly/zhCBk5
No roads, no cars, no cash machines, no hordes of tourists. Perhentian Kecil, little brother to Perhentian Besar could just be utopia. Flanked by a sprawling jungle, pristine white beaches are lapped away by sparkling clear azure waters, the temperature of the most perfectly drawn bath in the world. A water taxi to one of the many secluded coves and beaches fringing the island meant an entire day with the stunning 'Shark Bay' to myself - a once in a lifetime experience. The locals couldn't be friendlier, and during Hari Raya the beachfront restaurants cooked and provided entertainment completely for free, with an open invitation to all on the island. Whether you are a backpacker or on the search for the ultimate paradise island getaway, Perhentian Kecil cannot come more highly recommended.
Speed boat crossings from Kuala Besut leave frequently, charging 70RM pp. The nearest airport if flying from Kuala Lumpur is Khota Baru - one hour's drive by minibus from Kuala Besut.
Google map: bit.ly/z8mNeZ
Antigua has a number of uninhabited islands accessible by boat. Green Island is the classic desert island, with turquoise waters, smooth sandy beaches and a forest of palms and tropical flora.
You can only get there by boat, so choose a slow journey by sail and anchor overnight with the super yachts, or charter a motorboat for a day and have a picnic.
Alternatively enjoy the heavenly view from Harmony Hill Hotel and Yacht Club, an old converted sugar plantation, and maybe cadge a lift across from one of the yachts.
www.harmonyhallantigua.com
Brown's Bay, Nr. Freetown, Antigua, West Indies
+1 (268) 460-4120
Well known to fishing enthusiasts, the Hallaniyat Island group lies just off the magnificent Dhofar coast. The water is transparent, the pristine white beach is scattered with delicate pastel shells, and the hills look like chocolate layer cake. It was an idyllic place to drop the hook and catch our breath before the impending 1000 mile passage across the Arabian Sea.
Illustrating its draw for anglers, we caught a metre long dorado on the day we left.
Best time:
Early Late autumn to early spring when vis in the Red Sea is at its best.
North of Salalah on the Dohfar coast.
How to get there:
Hire a local boat from the mainland, or beg, borrow or buy your own.
Lon: 056° 01.0E Lat: 17° 30.0N
Surrounded by the Indian Ocean, there are worst places to find yourself stranded than on the coral-ringed Chumbe Island, located off the coast of Zanzibar. Chumbe combines sustainable ecological living with luxury; an affordable, private haven with a conscience. As a guest on this island paradise (and there are never more than 14 people at any one time), you have your very own beach, steps away from the front door of your beautiful palm thatched eco-bungalow. The beaches surround a marine protected coral park with world-class snorkelling, as well as being home to a historic lighthouse and the protected (and nocturnal) coconut crabs. The beaches are perfect for relaxation, nature spotting and romance, far removed from those of a typical holiday resort. On our first night, we were the only guests on the island. On our final night, the staff (always attentive without being intrusive) arranged a private, secluded candlelit dinner for two on the beach as a surprise. Bliss.
www.chumbeisland.com/
+255 (0) 242 231 040
Google map: bit.ly/yGhRM5
Who needs Bora-Bora when you have Brittany? I'll wager that when you arrive on the Îles de Glénan, an archipelago off the southern coast of Finistère, you'll consider these desert isles as good as any that you might find in more exotic places. If you're not here for the sailing school, there is little to do except bury your feet in the white sand, kayak across a clear lagoon, or watch the black headed gulls, weave and dip, on their flight out to sea.
The Vedettes de l"Odet, based in Bènodet will get you there.
+33 (0) 2 98 57 00 58
www.vedettes-odet.com/
Google map: bit.ly/wtpoEz
They are a group of just less than 400 islands in the Caribbean of which only about 50 are inhabited by the Kuna people. For the most spectacular deserted island scenery, I couldn't recommend it more. Catch a boat for a few days and relax on your own paradise while local fisherman sail up next to you to offer their catch of the day. These islands are so unspoiled and beautiful, you'll never want to leave.
Google map: bit.ly/Anxjww
Pure, unspoiled paradise.
Fringed with pristine deserted beaches of pure white sand and surrounded by the sparkling Indian Ocean, Quilalea Island is a hidden gem. This 35 hectare island is set within a national park and offers seclusion and privacy.
From the magnificent beaches you can reach some of the best coral reefs in the world that provide a habitat for an abundance of marine life. Feeding and nesting grounds for the population of sea turtles, dugong, dolphins, sharks and whales can be found here.
It is the undiscovered nature of this island’s beaches that make it so special. Snorkel the island’s shores, kayak the mangroves or relax in a hammock beneath the giant baobabs on the island beaches. Quilalea is a tiny untouched paradise. Difficult to reach, this is the ultimate African beach retreat for an offbeat getaway.
There are few places to stay on the island - the newly refurbished lodges at ‘Azura’, a luxury ‘eco’ boutique retreat which has all the facilities you need, while being a perfect beach hideaway, is worth a visit.
The quaint city of Pemba has an international airport, for the Quirimbas Archipelago in Cabo Delgado Province, Northern Mozambique. From here you travel by light aircraft, helicopter or speedboat to the island.
www.azura-retreats.com
+27 (0)767 050599
A paradise island combining postcard-perfect beaches, rustic luxury and a walk into real Malawian village life.
Sip a Malawi gin and tonic watching the sunset over Lake Malawi, have a candlelit dinner on the beach, snorkel through the fresh water of the lake admiring the most diverse collection of fish in any body of freshwater in the world. Venture into the island to meet the friendly villagers, visit their textile and furniture workshops or take in the largest cathedral in central Africa. All on a tiny island in the middle of one of Africa's great lakes.
www.kayamawa.com/
+265 9993 18359
Google map: bit.ly/xvvGIH
Perfectly situated at the intersection of local and tourist, Cafe van Zuylen is quintessentially Amsterdam. It’s located on a corner overlooking a canal in the city’s Jordaan area.
If you want to get away from the cringe-inducing ugliness of Rokin, the main tourist drag that leads straight to and from Amsterdam’s Central Station, this is the perfect spot. It’s only five minutes away by foot from Rokin and the almost equally garish Dam Square, but it’s as authentic and charming a place as you’ll find in the city.
Full of natural light, natural wood furniture, and naturally a fat house cat, van Zuylen is a great spot to fire up the laptop (free Wi-Fi) and waste away the afternoon with cheap beer and friendly service (a rarity in the city). Not to mention the decent Dutch snacks and pub-ish fare and a very decent cappucino and apple tart (There’s also a restaurant attached - haven’t eaten there yet - for a more intimate setting). And on a nice day, the seating spills over to a bench outside and a sizable collection of tables overlooking a canal.
Better yet, open up your map on the table and plot your next stop, or open the travel journal and watch the people going by - your first entry will likely start with “Maybe I should just move here...” It’s like a movie about Amsterdam, with more than enough interesting faces going by to offset the occasional hipster twirling his sad mustache while looking for jobs online.
How else to put it? It’s a cosy, unassuming, cool place. And it's one of those unique spots that is always busy, but somehow there’s always a spot for you.
www.cafevanzuylen.nl/
Torensteeg 4-8, 1012 TH Amsterdam
+31(0)20 639 10 55
Google map: bit.ly/xCUXte
Family run cottages with marine biologist owner and qualified dive master. There are communal dinners from freshly caught fish and home grown veg which allow you to chat to other guests and compare marine life you've spotted. They can organise trips to nearby reefs (all four types of reefs are found in these islands) and deserted islands allowing you to explore the region and visit the bajo sea gypsy's. Fantastic snorkelling off the jetty. The family were lovely and friendly, taking us to see the local village and school and on nature walks to see hornbills and monkeys on the island. They also have a few homemade canoes you can borrow to paddle around the island. It cost around £10 per night per person for three meals a day and accommodation in May 2011. As there are only 10 cottages, it's never busy and we could often have the whole beach to ourselves. We planned to say four days and ended up staying two weeks!
Togian Islands are off North Sulawesi. An overnight ferry ride (best to upgrade to get reclining chairs) from Gorontalo. Most resorts meet the ferry and take you back to the island you're staying on for free. Fadilla Cottages (fadhilacottages.free.fr/)and www.sulawesi-info.com/togianislands.html
Google map: bit.ly/A0v4Vr
It takes a bumpy ride and a speedboat to get there, but Paradise Island is a little piece of heaven in the middle of the ocean. Go with as small a group of people as possible and snorkel - the reef is beautiful, fish pretty and the waters clear.
Google map: bit.ly/xZnPLV
A boat ride through the bright blue Caribbean Sea, dolphins playing in the water beside you, snorkelling the reef and finally, paradise.
From Bocas del Toro in Panama you can take a tour with a number of companies to Cayos Zapatillas, a small group of uninhabited desert islands. The boat moors and you hop out into the warm sea to splash your way to the shore. The islands consist of a patch of jungle surrounded by a border of white sand and clear water and the afternoon is just spent relaxing in and out of the water (or, in the case of some lads on our tour, dashing in and out of the jungle, trying to knock a coconut out of a tree). It literally looks like the scene in Pirates of the Caribbean when Jack and Elizabeth are stranded on a Caribbean island. Except the whole British army aren't looking for you. Thank God, beacause we didn't want to leave!
www.bocas-del-toro.org/zapatillas/index.htm
Google map: bit.ly/yZMHZA
After a hard days shopping or sight-seeing in London, there is nothing better than a time-out in a floatation tank. While the whole city is buzzing around you, you can let every single muscle in your body relax to the max as you float effortlessly in a warm relaxing salt bath. The feeling is magical, akin to floating in mid-air, with the effects of gravity being removed from your body as you drift in to a dream-filled sleep. The Epsom-Salt solution in the baths also has numerous health benefits, so you also get a bit of a detox! After a floatation session, I can't even explain how revitalized I felt. It's something that you REALLY have to experience if you are in London!
www.floatworks.com
1 Thrale Street, London SE1 9HW
+44 (0) 20 7357 0111
Google map: bit.ly/zu5Was
Found near St Pauls, Postman's Park is a quiet retreat that will keep you captivated for hours. A former burial ground, it has since 1900 served as a Memorial to Heroic Self Sacrifice. Dozens of memorial tablets line the walls in poignant memorial of ordinary and otherwise forgotten people, who died saving the lives of others.
King Edward Street, London EC1
Google map: bit.ly/ykjudK
While travelling in Thailand, my wife and I cajoled each other into embarking on a retreat in a Buddhist monastery. The overnight train from Bangkok took us Suan Mokkh Hermitage where, after registration of £30, we entered into ten days of practising yoga (never done before); meditation (never attempted); receiving instructions in Buddhist philosophy (never chased spiritual guidance) and in mindfulness (ask my wife!) All in total silence. It was truly the most challenging, thought-provoking, difficult, weird and ultimately rewarding experience I've had and I came out the most balanced, relaxed and healthy-looking I can recall - but nonetheless dying for a beer. A very small step on the road to enlightenment. Two years on and I'm still carrying a large chunk of that time around with me.
www.suanmokkh-idh.org
Suan Mokkh International Dhamma Hermitage, Chaiya, near Surat Thani, Thailand. Retreats commence the first Sunday of every month.
Google map: bit.ly/yiGZTi
When all that you want in life is a tasty paratha and a strong sweet chai to propel you along on your rented bicycle, you realise you must be on the right track. Once a capital city of ancient kings, Orchha is now a tiny village bursting with architectural gems of palaces and temples. Take time out to explore the quietly magnificent sights, breath in the pure rural air, and just let your mind wander with you. We only have so much time to stop and stare, so make sure you take some time out for yourself in such a mesmerising place. Who knows where your thoughts could take you.
Google map: bit.ly/wGiSar
Pitsidia, Crete. A village to open you up and re-affirm what you have always believed life should be like. Chancing upon a Cretan means, at the least, a friendly ‘Cala Mera’ and a wave, sometimes an invitation to come in and drink tea. Bars and Cretans really move the welcoming spirit another notch; if the owner is not around then customers are trusted to simply help themselves and pay their bill later that day or even the next. The most seductive Cretan music just helps to confirm what you have always wanted to believe – that life and people are beautiful.
Google map: bit.ly/xP652a
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