For the sleepy Caribbean: Bequia, the Grenadines
Often overlooked in favour of its better-known neighbours like St Vincent and Mustique, there is a rare unspoilt charm about Bequia, the second largest island in the Grenadines but still just seven square miles in size. In bustling Port Elizabeth on the east coast, you will find a thriving yacht scene. Head south along the coast for lovely beaches and fantastic swimming, or into the island’s lush, hilly interior, where coconut groves give way to wilder, less explored terrain. Moonrise ( moonhole.com ), a unique property that sleeps six on the island’s most southern tip, is built into the hillside of local volcanic rock and wood and has a distinctly Flintstones feel. Located right on a promontory within the exclusive community of Moonhole, it is just two minutes from a private coral beach. Cost: from £710 per week for two.
For Nordic cabin cool: Kirjais, Finland
Calling all woodland nymphs! For a taste of rustic Nordic forest living, base yourself at one of four spacious and fully-equipped log cabins, each with its own sauna, on the picturesque and uncomplicated Finnish island of Kirjais within the southern Turku Archipelago. The cosy cabins are situated within the grounds of Kirjais Kursgård ( kirjaiskursgard.com ), a 1920s schoolhouse in a forest outside the village of Kirjais, now used as a nature camp for children during summer. Three of the cabins sleep eight people while the fourth accommodates 12. Go for seal-watching safaris, rowing round the island in search of the perfect picnic spot or roaming the forest among deer and moose. In winter, get someone to keep the fire stoked while you pirouette across the frozen sea on ice skates. Cost: from £184 per cabin per night.
For fishing fanatics: Langara Island, British Columbia
Whether you’re fanatical about salmon fishing or just a sucker for the pure sweet air of northwest Canada’s great outdoors, Langara, part of the Queen Charlotte Island group, sits within one of the world’s most diverse marine eco-systems. It may be on the edge of the tempestuous Pacific Ocean but Langara has plenty of protected coves and inlets ideal for sheltered fishing. The season runs from early May to late September, when you can expect to see humpback whales and orcas, dolphins, porpoises and sea lions frolicking in the foam, while bald eagles and falcons swoop overhead. The backdrop is no less dramatic: moss-shrouded rainforest and long-deserted beaches that are speckled with the ruins of the ancient villages of the indigenous Haida people. For the perfect marriage of luxury and adventure, book into Langara Island Lodge ( langara.com ), for an all-inclusive four-day trip for two (from £5,500 including flights and helicopter transfer), where you can head out into the wilderness to fish and forage during the day, but be back by the roaring fire in time for a dinner of flame-grilled fresh BC salmon.
For Asian pampering : Koh Yao Noi, Thailand
In the middle of other-wordly Phang Nga Bay, not far from Phuket lies Koh Yao Noi, one of the last bastions of unspoilt wilderness in the area. It has long prided itself on being a simple refuge from the bigger islands. Yao Noi received the World Legacy Award in 2002 for its eco-friendly home-stay programme. Explore its villages, many of which remain just as they have been for centuries and dive in the pristine reefs, which offer some of the world’s finest diving. This year, the island’s first luxury resort, Six Senses Hideaway at Yao Noi ( sixsenses.com ) opened, but the company promises it is ‘committed to creating enriching experiences in a sustainable environment’. The resort’s villas spill down a thickly forested hillside overlooking the ocean while the spa has been styled on a traditional Asian long house. Pool villas cost from £394.
