Beyond the Guidebook: Remote Destinations

From Rails to Waves:

Corsica & Liguria by Orient Express Sailing Yachts

More than a century after the launch of the Orient Express, arguably the most iconic rail brand of all time, the Orient Express name now adorns two of the world’s most impressive sailing yachts: Orient Express Corinthian and Orient Express Olympian, promising a new era of luxury sailing. For this voyage, departing in 2026, you’ll board the former: the world’s largest sailing yacht: Orient Express Corinthian. Imagine the plush interiors of an Orient Express train carriage but amplified in scale, elegance, innovation and freedom. Much of the yacht is reserved for personal space, with just 54 suites, each beautifully finished, with exquisite materials and a timeless luxury design. The 6 individually styled penthouse suites are divine, with everything from terraces with jacuzzis hovering over the sea, to Orient Express Heritage cabins that pay homage to the legendary train’s aesthetics.

The Corsica & Liguria journey is a 7-night exploration of the dreamy coastlines of Corsica and Liguria, embarking from Marseille, tracing the western Corsica coastline, the Sanguinaires Islands, and the imposing Piana calanques. Anchorages include Calvi, Propriano and Saint-Florent on Corsica, Italy’s vibrant Lerici, and the belle-epoque beauty of Beaulieu-sur-Mer, before you disembark in Monte Carlo. Between ports expect gourmet cuisine by multi-Michelin-starred chef Yannick Alléno, sunset dinner at a secluded Corsican estate, scenic hikes in hidden forests, visits to the otherworldly Carrara marble mines, and all the oceanic indulgences that yachting has to offer.

Extend your trip with a stay in one of the French Riviera’s most iconic luxury hotels.

Edge-of-the-Earth Luxury (and sustainability):

Fogo Island Inn

The Fogo Island Inn rises on stilts above crashing North Atlantic waves as a jagged, minimalist structure of white-clad timber set against the wind-sculpted rock and sea of Newfoundland’s rugged Fogo Island. There are just 29 suites, each with captivating views of the wilderness, while wood-burning stoves, binoculars, and quilts made by local artisans lend each room a sense of warmth and connection. The Inn operates as a social enterprise with its operating surpluses reinvested into the local community, directly supporting small businesses. Locals craft much of the furniture, many of the kitchen ingredients are island-sourced, and a “Community Host” programme pairs guests with lifelong islanders who share local tales from their unique home. This hyper locality and sustainable mindset is infused into every part of the hotel: dining explores the island’s narrative with wild foraged berries and salt cod, and even the toiletries are made from local raw berries, seaweed and iceberg water.

A typical day at the Fogo Island Inn could see mornings punctuated by chats with local artists and iceberg or whale watching, afternoons spent in the rooftop hot tubs overlooking the Atlantic, and evenings under an unending blanket of stars (and the aurora, if serendipity intervenes).

Canada is an incredibly diverse destination, and your Travel Designer can add extras to your itinerary to really get to know it, such as visits to other remote Canadian destinations: the Haida Gwaii archipelago or Aurora watching excursions in Yukon with indigenous guides.

A Private Aquarium:

The Muraka at Conrad Maldives Rangali Island

Featuring perhaps one of the most serene (and jaw-dropping) bedrooms on earth, the Muraka is a spectacular family residence set on its own jetty off Rangali Island. Essentially a two-level villa and a bit of an architectural marvel, the Muraka offers overwater living with a beneath-the-sea twist. On the upper deck, the large, open living spaces have expansive terraces and a private infinity pool hovering over the water. But five metres under the waves (reached by spiral staircase or elevator), a master bedroom sits beneath curved ceilings offering immersive panoramas of the stunning reef life through floor-to-ceiling glass. When you enter, it feels like stepping into a real-life episode of Blue Planet, only it’s not 4K, it’s an undersea theatre. A private aquarium with a bed and stunning en suite, in one of the Indian Ocean’s most heavenly destinations.

Your arrival at Conrad Maldives Rangali Island is equally enchanting: a private seaplane or speedboat brings you to your isolated jetty, where a 24-hour butler and chef await, and your stay can include themed experiences and packages, with things like evening explorations of phosphorescent plankton, guided meditations in the superb spa, and underwater adventures accompanied by a film crew to create a bespoke documentary. Indeed, the options here are almost limitless, and your Travel Designer, your personal travel expert, will ensure your stay is designed entirely around you.

Consider indulging in an atoll-hopping holiday with some of our (other) favourite overwater villa options in the Maldives.

Off-Grid Expeditions in Turkana, Kenya

Kenya’s northern frontier, Turkana, is a land of remote mountain ranges and glittering lakes, tribesmen in colourful garb, keeping alive ancient traditions, and phenomenal wildlife like Kudu, Nile crocodiles and Beisa Oryx. This is a journey for travellers who seek out truly remote travel experiences, those places entirely untouched by mass tourism, and in a state unchanged by modernity.

To really get to know Turkana, you’ll travel by helicopter, skimming over the volcanic ridges at Lake Turkana, over fossil beds in the Rift Valley, and the lake’s creamy jade-green waters before landing on the remote South Island at the southern end of the lake. Here, you’ll sleep amongst a scattering of canvas tents and firelight on an island so remote it hums with the sound of nature absolute. Nights are spent beneath twinkling galaxies unspoiled by light pollution, in a world reduced to wind, fire, and starlight. By day, you’ll explore lava fields, see petrified forests in the Sibiloi National Park, and meet the Turkana people, pastoralist tribes whose fascinating stories stretch back millennia.