When Daniel Defoe first published Robinson Crusoe in 1719, the idea of spending an extended period on a distant island, without any outside contact, sparked shock, dismay and centuries of book sales.
Almost 300 years later, the idea of an island getaway has taken on a completely different mystique.
Now thousands of people around the world dream and plan for that luxury island holiday as the ultimate fantasy, living beneath swaying palms and looking out onto a distance horizon with little care in the world.
Crusoe’s primitive hut is replaced by extravagant abodes and bungalows, many positioned to take in picture perfect beaches and endless ocean views.
Eating goats and barley sustained Mr Crusoe, but the menu for today is lavish and topped off with sumptuous desserts, the finest of wines or a myriad of other beverages.
Today, you are not Robinson Crusoe if you’re dreaming of days of relaxation on an island far away. Here’s just five of the very best in island getaways from around the world today.
The Maldives
A chain of 26 atolls, each unique and idyllic, offer some of the finest water views, coral diving, and dazzling sandy locations in the world.
If turquoise is your preferred colour, stretching out to the horizon, then this world-renowned destination, offers serenity and seclusion second-to-none. Several unique resorts are dotted amongst the 1192 coral islands that make up the Maldives, with the largest island no longer than eight km.
Probably best known for the “water villas” of the One&Only Reethi Rah, luxury bungalows with thatched roofs completely surrounded by a brilliant blue, the Maldives offers white sand beaches stretching for kilometres, and spectacular resorts designed with elegance and relaxation in mind.
The preferred mode of transport for hopping between the multiple equatorial islands of the Maldives is a slow yacht floating on the crystal sea. With around 1100 species of fish, 21 species of whales and dolphins and 187 species of corals in the area, there’s no rush to go anywhere, and plenty of time to explore and discover.
Bermuda
Disappearance and Bermuda have a long association. The myth of the Bermuda triangle has long since been debunked, but holiday makers from around the globe still choose the archipelago to vanish for a well-deserved break.
As a British Colony with a distinguished maritime history, Bermuda presents a different atmosphere to the rest of the calypso-flavoured islands in the West Indies.
A pretty island with charming cottages, complete with carefully trimmed gardens and lawns, rocky coves, Bermuda is considered one of the world’s top diving sites, with a number of beautiful reefs and over 450 shipwrecks off the coast.
Book in to one of the many luxury resorts on the island, emerge with beach towel in hand, and the first thing you will notice is pink sand, caused by millions of the remnants of microscopic coral sea creatures known as red foam.
Your biggest challenge is now to choose on which of the 24 beaches to relax.
Mykonos, Greece
Whether you’re apt to party or looking for a time of relaxation and recovery, the most popular of the Greek Islands in the Aegean Sea, Mykonos, has the perfect space awaiting.
On the southern beaches – party, party – on the beaches during the day and in the nightclubs after sunset. The northern beaches enjoy a little more seclusion and relaxation.
Regarded as one of Greece’s most glamorous destinations, and attracting a never-ending queue of the rich and famous, Mykonos is replete with a skyline dominated by whitewashed windmills topped with cone-shaped thatched roofs.
With over 24 named beaches to choose from, and plenty of activities on hand – from windsurfing to horseback riding, from parasailing to jet-skiing – come ready for action, day night and every time in between.
Song Saa, Cambodia
Private. Virgin rainforests. Cambodia’s first private island resort is a truly private tropical island experience, where the natural assets of an untouched paradise kiss resort luxury and superb customer service.
To the east of Cambodia, in the Gulf of Thailand, the island is accessible by helicopter or launch, and is surrounded by tropical reefs, deserted stretches of beach and lush rainforests.
The resort spans two of the islands, connected by a footbridge over a protected marine reserve, populated by a dazzling array of reef fish.
The staff, mostly drawn from the local village, operate within the philosophy of the Buddhist tradition of “metta bhavana” or loving kindness, inspired by the principle of reverence for all beings and aim to follow the tradition of offering blessings to others.
The resort features idyllic snorkelling amongst vibrant coral, sea kayaking in beautiful unspoiled coves and bays, sunrise yoga and island safaris.
The Brando, French Polynesia
While the stars guided explorers to the French Polynesian atoll of Tetiaroa for hundreds of years, it was a Hollywood star who would eventually give it his name and leave its pristine natural beauty as his legacy.
Marlon Brando first visited the Pacific Island when filming Mutiny on the Bounty in the early 1960. The beauty of the island and encouraged by his Polynesian leading lady Tarita, Brando knew that he needed to own this piece of paradise.
The exquisite resort is set within the natural surrounds. Twelve white-sanded islets circle an eight km lagoon, so pure that its silvery blue can be seen from outer space, and coral gardens stretch for kilometres around.
Brando owned the island privately from 1963, and 10 years after his death, the island’s resort opened in 2014 with two quiet restaurants offering Polynesian-inspired dishes, an immaculate spa and 35 glass and ironwood villas set back from the blinding beach amid thick trees.
Each village has a bicycle for each guest, who can also choose to snorkel or dive with tropical fish, sail in the lagoon, paddle board to a neighbouring island, take a kayak to observe coral gardens, or stroll the long stretches of shimmering beaches.
Booking that next getaway today? Or how about something more permanent in Indonesia or Thailand?