Under-the-radar hotspots and far-out newcomers with unrivalled privacy and seclusion
Six Senses Zil Pasyon, Seychelles
This honeymoon hotspot on the island of Félicité opened with great applause at the end of 2016. It has a sensational setting tucked between giant granite boulders overlooking the ocean, and only a third of the island is inhabited, leaving the rest of it an untamed tropical wilderness.
This year sees Zil Pasyon’s spa opening with five treatment rooms jutting out across the vivid blues of the Indian Ocean. Choose a hammock on Grand Anse beach and you’re unlikely to encounter another soul.
Honeymoon high: Hiking to the highest point on Félicité and watching the sun set over neighbouring islands La Digue and Praslin. Crackling bonfire. Champagne and creole nibbles optional.
Room key: Villa 30 is closest to Grand Anse beach. You can practically roll out of bed onto the white sand.
Zawadi, Zanzibar
Occupying a sleepy corner of southeastern Zanzibar, this brand-new property cast open its doors last summer. Rustic thatched roofs top sandblasted White Company-style interiors for a fresh, natural feel, and each of the nine oceanfront villas is neatly concealed by clouds of bougainvillea and palm fronds.
Snorkel straight from the beach or head down to the dive centre for a recce ot the Oba-Oba lagoon, a subterranean expanse teeming with snappers, rays, turtles and coral wonders.
Honeymoon high: Trekking through the Jozani Forest, home of the endangered Zanzibar red colobus monkey.
Room key: Room 1.
Calabash, Grenada
It’s a hushed, in-the-know crowd who flock to this chic Caribbean lodge – often returning several years in a row. All of Calabash’s suites have recently been updated with an understated natural look (rock walls, coral motifs and wicker armchairs), and at the pool, modern ledge-style loungers lend themselves perfectly to stretching out cocktail-in-hand.
Down at the beach, there’s a breezy blue-and-white beach club where you can feast on shrimp bisque, breaded butterfish and burritos with your feet in the sand. The best part? Breakfast cooked in the privacy of your room and served on the veranda.
Honeymoon high: Sailing to Hog Island for a lavish lobster lunch.
Room key: The Penthouse Suite.
