By The UNCHARTED® editors · 6 min readYou don’t have to bid farewell to sand and sunshine quite yet.
As summer wraps up in the northern hemisphere, we’ve already started to think about where to spend the upcoming winter months: from relaxing post-safari beach days on the African coast to cruising the Peruvian Amazon or hopping the Fiji islands by catamaran, here are some recommended getaways.
Manda Bay
Lamu Archipelago, Kenya
While most who travel to Kenya picture game drives, lion sightings, and dramatic savannah sunrises, the Kenyan coast often goes overlooked. Lamu Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is one of the original Swahili settlements that formed as part of the spice trade along coastal East Africa. Believed to have been built in 1370, it draws in Persian, Arab, and Indian flair from yesteryear. Just offshore from Lamu lies UNCHARTED Outpost Manda Bay, a boutique beach safari lodge that is the perfect place to unwind after a couple of weeks out in the bush.
Cape buffalo stroll up and down the beach, and acacias, baobabs, and mangroves extend far out towards the shore, meeting the sand and waves. While driving around the Manda conservancy, travelers can spot Galago bushbabies, white-tailed and dwarf mongeese, dik-diks and bushbucks, civet and genet cats, baboons, vervet monkeys, and occasionally even leopards. In its own way, Manda Bay still makes you feel like you’re on safari!
For coastal activities, travelers can paddle board through the serene and tranquil mangrove channel, watching surfacing turtles and Sykes. After, you can rest your arms and float back to camp with the tide. Moreover dhow boats—which used to bring ivory, cowrie shells, fabrics, and much more to the region—sail past the updated thatched cottages. All the rooms have verandahs with swing beds, and are made with locally sourced materials, including palm-woven matted floors.
In short, Manda Bay is an unspoiled, secluded location where you can switch off from the rest of the world, take your shoes off, and enjoy miles of soft white sand on a private beach speckled with coconut and doum palms.
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AMAZON RIVER, PERU
Venturing into the Amazon is possibly one of the most rewarding nature trips in the world—and a voyage into the
selva
(“jungle”), as the locals call it, is only possible by boat up the mythical Rio Amazonas. This great waterway originates from the foothills of the Andes in Peru and flows east on a 4,000 mile course toward the Atlantic Ocean. UNCHARTED Outpost boats the
Aria
Nera
both offer small ship expeditions into the unspoiled sanctuaries of the rainforest.
and
Aria
The
was designed by Peruvian architect and interior designer Jordi Puig, and was custom-built to explore the biodiverse Pacaya Samiria National Reserve with minimal impact to the delicate Amazonian environment. On board, 16 suites with floor-to-ceiling windows reveal majestic river and jungle views. The top deck features social spaces including a jacuzzi, hybrid indoor-outdoor lounges, and a bar. Savor rainforest-inspired food created by Pedro Miguel Schiaffino, one of Peru’s most accomplished chefs, who is known for creating refined cuisine from native Amazonian produce. Dishes include
aji negro
hot sauce with indigenous paiche fish. Sister boat
Nera
draws inspiration from the Peruvian Amazon’s mystical black water lagoons. The design conveys a sense of tranquility accompanied by refined elegance with a touch of drama—think sustainably-sourced natural woods, design accents from the rubber boom era, and pieces from Peru, Portugal, and Spain.
In the upriver launch port of Iquitos, the water is low in sediment and rich in aquatic life: excursions are conducted in small groups by highly experienced crew and naturalist guides, assuring guests of rewarding wildlife encounters. After all, the Amazon houses the world’s largest and most diverse collection of plant and animal life, and has more than a third of all recorded species in the world. After a day of riverside biking, market shopping, kayaking, and spotting armored catfish, red-bellied piranhas, black howler monkeys, and caimans, enjoy serene sundowners while watching Amazonian pink dolphins frolic through the tributaries.
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Quixotic
Catamaran
South Pacific Ocean, Fiji
For a completely different experience—chartering a catamaran to take you island hopping—we recommend the
Quixotic
, a South African-built boat that sails out of Fiji. This is for the adventurous traveler who is truly looking to be on their own time, completely free from land-based obligations. The catamaran has four queen-sized staterooms, three en-suite private heads complete with hot water showers, and a capacity of six (with room for 14 for day trips). Kayaks and windsurfing gear fit onboard, and the deck, large swimming platform and ladder allows for easy in-and-out of water access. A private chef prepares all meals, and state of the art coolers and filtration systems provide chilled produce and drinking water. One particular highlight is the coconut-crusted shrimp bruschetta and a papaya mint salad.
Quixotic
While
sails to several islands around Fiji, one of our favorite experiences is the Vanau Balavu trip. While the Bay of Islands often steals the spotlight, the northern side is equally mesmerizing, teeming with hidden coves, inlets and azure waters. If you have a bit more time, longer charters can explore uninhabited Navadra en route to the Yasawa Islands, or embark on a trip to Taveuni, known as the "Garden Isle." Besides its epic waterfalls, Taveuni is also a bucket list destination for scuba divers looking to check out the world-famous Rainbow Reef and Great White Wall. Whatever direction you choose, the end of your days are guaranteed to have you falling asleep to the sound of waves lapping against the bow.
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Santorini Mozambique
Kingfisher Bay, Mozambique
Nestled above the red cliffs of Kingfisher Bay in Vilanculos, UNCHARTED Outpost Santorini offers panoramic views of a raw African coastline. The Mozambique coast has long been a popular destination for South Africans and Zimbabweans, but in recent years has garnered further international interest as it has become known for marine conservation efforts after Cyclone Idai hit in 2019.
Vilanculos is the gateway to the Bazaruto Archipelago, a reserve that lies parallel to the historical Mozambican channel. The archipelago consists of five islands: Bazaruto, Benguerra, Magaruque, Banque, and Santa Carolina. Guests can enjoy private, full-day boat trips to any of these atolls, and dolphins often swim alongside the boats, breaking the water so close that you can feel the salty spray. If you choose to scuba, especially at dive sites 2-Mile Reef and Saint Sebastian, expect to see copious amounts of rays and invertebrates—and you may even get lucky enough to encounter a highly endangered gentle giant, the dugong. For the even more adventurous, this area is known for its perfect wind conditions for kitesurfing. Back on shore, travelers can relax on day beds under late afternoon sun before enjoying freshly caught crayfish and prawns served with a chilled glass of bubbly. There are also daily morning Hatha yoga and seaweed treatments at the spa for those who want true relaxation.
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Great Barrier Reef, Australia
Set in a national park, UNCHARTED Outpost Lizard Island is the only luxury lodge that lies directly in the Great Barrier Reef region. That means once you arrive at their landing strip, there are no long boat rides necessary to explore some of the world’s most impeccable and pristine marine areas. The waters surrounding the island contain about 400 species of hard corals, and 1,600 species of fish—not to mention turtles, octopuses, and whales.
Perched along the natural arc of Anchor Bay, all the secluded villas have easy beach access via a network of sandy paths. Every suite was designed to be in harmony with the sea, surrounding jungle, and rocky bush terrain. Lush tropical flora hugs many of the rooms, where sliding glass doors open to breezy decks, plunge pools, and stunning ocean vistas.
There are daily opportunities to snorkel, dive, and go deep-sea fishing on the outer ribbon reefs, all on privately chartered boats. A trip to the world famous dive site known as the Cod Hole offers a unique experience where guests can swim with giant potato cod. It is only a short walk from the property to the Clam Gardens of Watson’s Bay—just step off the shoreline and you are surrounded by giant clams, each shell unique in pattern and color. Those wanting a more relaxed summer experience can take their own motorized dinghy to one of many secluded beaches—from Mermaid to Trawlers, where an old shipwreck lies—and enjoy a personalized picnic and wine pairing under palm trees.
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