Romantic Holidays For Two

A Love Letter to French Polynesia

Cinematic vistas meet Hollywood legend at The Brando

The Brando is so unimaginably pretty. It sits on its own atoll, to which you’ll arrive by private plane, giving stirring first glimpses from the air. When gazing down, your eyes meet a pale topaz lagoon encircled by lush emerald islands, each brushed with white sand and thriving coral reefs. One of those islands, Tetiaroa, enveloped by the sumptuous blue South Pacific, is home to The Brando. It’s located 20 minutes north of Tahiti, yet remains exquisitely remote, impeccably maintained, uncluttered in design, and unmatched for privacy. The villas are contemporary, with glass facades and charming thatched roofs hidden among the palms. In the one-bedroom villa, you get direct access to a sultry lick of sand, an outdoor bath enveloped by nature, a private pool, and a mosaic of lavish spaces designed for relaxation.

There are various dining options at The Brando, each distinctive, with Japanese dishes at Nami, a fusion of Polynesian cooking and classical French technique at Les Mutinés, and light bites and decades-refined cocktails at Bob’s Bar — the original socialising spot on the island and a favourite of Marlon Brando. The spa is equally eclectic, the highlight of which is Fre Manu, an elevated ‘bird house’, for couples, with a bath in the trees and a treatment room for two, for Tahitian tamanu oil scrubs and coconut oil massages.

Modern history at the Brando begins with Marlon Brando, who bought the atoll after scouting for filming locations, but it was hotelier Richard Bailey, who brought the resort to life, based on Brando’s vision for a resort with minimal environmental impact. As such, sustainability practices are a key part of the experience, with buildings cooled by seawater, solar energy captured for evening illuminations, and numerous conservation efforts, including a turtle rehabilitation programme.

Maldives Castaways

Exceptional Overwater Villas at the Gili Lankanfushi

There are very few corners of the Maldives that don’t lend themselves well to romance, yet fewer still that capture and distil the amour as perfectly as Gili Lankanfushi. The setting feels purpose-designed for romantic rendezvous, with shallow turquoise lagoons shifting in the light, soft white sands underfoot lit by lanterns at dusk, and a horizon that dissolves in fiery gold sunsets into an indigo sea. Days are slow and intentional, marked by dawn swims direct from your overwater villa fuelled by fresh fruit, long walks along pristine beaches in the company of local wildlife, and evenings lingering over romantic dinners lit by full moons and torchlight.

Gili Lankanfushi is a deeply intimate venue for a couple’s holiday or a honeymoon, with spaces perfectly tuned for connection. Villas are crafted from sustainable materials, with open-air living spaces, rooftop terraces with beds for sleeping under the stars, and direct access to the sparkling lagoon waters. Each villa feels purposely secluded, positioned far enough apart that the island seems yours alone. Days can be crafted as you please, with as little or as much to do as you want, with highlights, like world-class dinners from restaurants serving everything from Japanese-Peruvian fare to handmade chocolates paired with wine, spa rituals timed to languorous sunsets, and a personal butler ensuring your every need is met.

Unbridled African Adventures

A Twin Centre Escape for Two: between Savannah & Island

This journey through Tanzania offers romance through contrast, unfolding in two beautifully calibrated acts. First, the vast, untamed Serengeti at Sabora Tented Camp, followed by the secluded ease of Mnemba Island in the Indian Ocean.

We’ll begin at the Serengeti, where vast plains stretch out to a hazy horizon, with early-morning game drives to see the wildlife: elephants at watering holes and lions resting beneath acacia trees. You’ll find an inherent intimacy to the scale of the landscapes, a sense of sharing something profound with Africa’s untamed wildlife and each other. You’ll stay at the Sabora Tented Camp, a Singita camp embodying the essence of classic safaris, with canvas tents, fusing period charm and comfort with contemporary luxuries, a smattering of African arts, and uninterrupted access to the plains. If seeing the Great Migration is important, then go between May and July when it’s typically more visible at Grumeti crossing.

From the savannah, we journey east to the Indian Ocean and the champagne white sands of Mnemba Island. Days here are spent luxuriating in your villa, swimming in translucent waters, snorkelling the reefs, and walking sandy curves to the soundtrack of birdsong in the trees. You’ll stay in the spectacular &Beyond Mnemba Island Lodge in one of its nautilus shell-shaped banda villas perched on your own stretch of sand. Casuarina trees provide shade on your terrace, and an outdoor footbath encourages guests to traverse the island barefoot, for a restorative and wholly primal connection to the land.

Wanderlust: Indonesia

The edge of wilderness at NIHI Sumba

Follow the string of islands from Bali eastward, and you’ll eventually reach the paradisiacal Sumba Island, twice the size of Bali, with a small fraction of the tourists. Indeed, travellers who reach this all but untouched Indonesian haven find a vast green island fringed by raw white shores and waters that look like uncut aquamarine with the shimmer of a diamond at Nihiwatu Beach, often named one of the world’s best. Highlights here include trails through ancient hill villages to scenic, terraced waterfalls home to lizards and butterflies, exclusive surf access to one of the world’s most renowned breaks (Occy’s Left), horses cooling themselves in the ocean, and the fascinating animist (Marapu) culture.

Our preferred villa at NIHI Sumba for couples is the enchanting Villa Rahasia (meaning ‘secret’). Villa Rahasia is NIHI Sumba’s most private residence, surrounded as it is by undulating rice fields and sweeping clifftop views. It’s particularly well-suited for a short wellness break away from the main resort, as it features a private treatment room and is situated within NIHI Sumba’s renowned spa safari, a holistic experience that encompasses open-air treks through local valleys and an itinerary of tailored treatments and meals. Ask your 360 Private Travel Designer about pairing a night or two in Villa Rahasia with another of our favourite villas, such as Putri Wamoro Beach Villa, with its impressive view-laden infinity pool, set within a lush tapestry of jungle flora.