LUXE TRAVEL

Outbound Adventures

by Amanda Denz

The world of luxury travel is filled with soft pillows, hot stone massages, fine foods and unforgettable experiences. Given the time and the bank account, anything is possible — from sailing the seas on a graceful, full-sailed replica clipper, to spending a week on a private tropical island. Here are a few itineraries created by local travel consultants that promise a one-of-a-kind blend of relaxation, pampering and exhilarating adventure.

Bliss By Private Island
The Wakaya Club, located on a 2,200-acre private island in the Fijian chain, is the definition of paradise. “This really is a place where you leave things behind,” says Christian Spirandelli, director of Leisure Travel at Frosch Travel.

Spirandelli recently created a 10-day itinerary for a San Francisco couple that included a visit to Wakaya. “They were looking to do something different — something relaxing and adventurous,” says Spirandelli. “I started them off with five days in Sydney, Australia, to give them a chance to get acclimated.”

Spirandelli arranged several adventures for the couple in Sydney. “They spent an afternoon having lunch on a private yacht that cruised around Sydney Bay. They took a two-hour plane ride over the city. They spent another day touring the wine country outside of Sydney. And one truly unique activity I arranged was, with a guide, climbing the cables on the bridge in Sydney Bay.

“The bridge is similar to the Golden Gate Bridge, however, the cables are larger, so people can climb and walk on them. When you get up on the cables you really have a bird’s eye view of the entire city.”

On the fifth day, the couple took a short flight to Nandi International Airport in Fiji where a small private plane transported them to Wakaya.

“Wakaya is a beautiful tropical island,” says Spirandelli, “where you stay at one of the 14 Bures (pronounced boo-rays). A bure is a thatched-roof hut, reflecting the local architecture, but this accommodation is a lot more than a hut. It has a king-size bed, air conditioning, a stereo and a private bar that’s stocked with whatever the guests request — it’s got the works.”

As there are only 14 bures on the island, and, therefore, a maximum of 28 visitors at a time, the staff usually outnumbers the guests two-to-one. “The service really is amazing,” says Spirandelli.

Activities include snorkeling, scuba diving and deep sea fishing. There are a number of small private beaches around the island, there’s a first-rate spa and an excellent chef. Spirandelli concludes: “This truly is paradise.”

Around The World Adventure
“I recently created a trip around the world for two guys based out of L.A.,” says Josh Freidman, A Luxury Travel consultant with Casto Travel in San Francisco. They started by flying to Bangkok, Thailand, their jumping-off point to explore Southeast Asia. Along the way they stayed at a string of over-the-top luxury hotels.

“Luxury hotels in Southeast Asia come at a much lower cost than, say, Europe” says Freidman. “For $400 a night you can be in a modern, chic hotel where they pamper you while you stay in a lavishly decorated suite.”

From Bangkok, the pair went to Phuket, Thailand, and then Krabi, Thailand — two beach paradises. Once they were sufficiently unwound, their adventure took them inland to Siem Reap, Cambodia, home to the famed world heritage site, Angkor Wat — the ancient ruins of the Kmer civilization.

After a few days of exploration, it was back to Thailand to split time between the Four Seasons Chang Mai — a hidden paradise nestled away in a valley of rice fields — and the Chang Rai Location — A luxury riverside tented hotel accessible only by boat. “In Chang Rai you spend the morning trekking through the jungle on an elephant and the afternoon at the spa,” says Freidman.

Using their first-class, round-the-world ticket, the two men then went to Cape Town, South Africa. “They started out by touring wine country,” says Freidman, “and stayed in a town called Franschhoek,” a place commonly referred to as the food-and-wine capital of South Africa. “A few months before the men left on this trip, one of them had run into Elton John at a party. When they told him they were going to South Africa, he insisted they check out The Royal Malewane where he spent his honeymoon, so that’s where they went next.”

The Royal Malewane is a luxury safari hotel located on the edge of Kruger State Park. Activities include helicopter and hot-air balloon rides, horseback riding, and safaris. “A day at the Royal Malewane usually consist of an early morning safari, the interim spent lounging around the grounds or spa, followed by another afternoon safari — all while being fed amazing food paired with fantastic South African wines,” says Freidman.

The pair then headed to Venice, Italy, to attend a party being thrown by a friend. In Venice they stayed at the San Clemente Hotel. “This hotel is on an island with some of the best city views to be had,” says Freidman. After one last stop in London, it was back to L.A.

“If you have the time, a trip like this is a once in a lifetime experience,” says Freidman.

Sail Away On A Tall Ship
For those looking for a shorter, but equally exciting adventure, Robert Roy, president of Siemer & Hand Travel, is currently arranging a holiday family cruise on a “tall ship” (a large, traditionally rigged sailing vessel), The Stad Amsterdam.

“This ship,” says Roy, “is an authentic replica of a 19-C. clipper ship. It’s a modern ship with modern navigation, but built along the blueprints of the original ships. And we’ve chartered it exclusively for this trip.”

The vessel will start in St. Maarten this December and travel around the lesser-known locations in the Caribbean. The trip, however, is also a learning experience.

“Participants are encouraged to take an active role on the vessel,” says Roy. “They’ll learn about sailing and will be able to take the helm and climb the rigging.”

Along for the voyage will be Professor Jane Murphy, who teaches a popular course at Princeton: The History of the Pirates of the Caribbean.

“Traveling with Professor Murphy will be an exceptional experience,” says Roy. The ship is equipped with a lecture room with modern presentation equipment and she will give lectures throughout the voyage.”

In addition to actively participating in sailing, there will be activities on each island — visits to historical sites, water sports and, of course, visits to the pristine beaches.

Aboard the ship the travelers stay in one of 12 state rooms. “The rooms, while not large, have magnificent details, such as nicely appointed woodwork and marble,” says Roy. On the ship, which is over 200 feet long, the staff will outnumber the guests.

“This is an extremely exclusive, once in a lifetime experience,” Says Roy. “When guests step onto this ship their first thought will be, ‘Oh, wow, this is for real!’ This is a real, authentic experience.”

Amanda Denz is a freelance writer, editor, and graphic designer based out of San Francisco.

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