Monthly Archives: April 2017

WITH AMENITIES RANGING FROMsecluded beaches and personal chefs to sailboats and submarines, renting an island can be a great option for travelers who want the comforts of a luxury resort, minus the crowds.

Islands that typically accommodate a dozen to 30 or more people are popular for family reunions, weddings, and milestone birthdays. Smaller islands make for intimate honeymoon and anniversary destinations.

Renting an island takes the idea of getting away from it all to a whole new level, says Melanie Fish, a travel expert at the vacation site HomeAway.com. When you know youre surrounded by water, it makes disconnecting all that much easier.

The disconnection comes at a cost. Fees range widely, from $1,000 per night for basic accommodations on a private island in Belize to a whopping $170,000 a night for a luxuriously equipped island in Fiji. The sticker price typically includes food, a chef, housekeeping, and all the islands amenities. Many groups opt to split the fee among several couples or families. This can sometimes bring the cost more in line with that of a high-end resort.

If you dont like the price, moreover, you can try asking for a discount. Theres significant room for negotiation, says Eric Grayson, founder and CEO of Discover 7 Travel, a luxury travel concierge company in New York City. He says he has seen prices drop as much as 15 to 20 percent during negotiations.

Many travelers think tropical when contemplating an island rental, envisioning secluded coves in the Caribbean Sea or Indian Ocean, but you can find plenty of private islands in other locales. Fish says she has seen rentals just off the U.S. coastline and on domestic lakes and rivers. You can even rent a private island in Connecticut, she adds.

BEFORE YOU COMMIT to a major rental, make sure youll like island life as much as you think you will. The idea of being separated from the rest of the world may sound appealing, but when some people realize just how separate they are, they go a little stir crazy, says Melissa Biggs Bradley, CEO and founder of Indagare Travel. She recommends doing a dry run at a private island resort, booking just a villa or room, instead of the whole island, for a weekend to see whether you enjoy being that removed from society.

If you do, its time to start shopping for an island. The best way to avoid disappointment is to work with someone who is familiar with the available properties, says Grayson. Engaging a booking agent lets someone else ensure that the rental contract, which is often extensive, details everything from how the island deals with power outages to how food is prepared. It may also open up new options, since some island owners opt to work only with certain companies and agents.

The key to getting what you want is clearly communicating all your expectations.

Were all about getting to know clients needs, says Lindsey Epperly, a luxury travel consultant and owner of Epperly Travel. Her process involves asking people about past experiences: Wheres the nicest place theyve stayed and what did they like and dislike about it? This helps her find properties that will fit their needs.

It also gives her information that the islands staff can use to pamper guests with personal touches. Dont be surprised if you find pictures of your dog in your room or if music by your favorite musician is playing in the main cabana when you arrive. The staff on a private island, Epperly says, is always five or six steps ahead.

EVEN WITH GREAT STAFF, though, a property may not suit your needs. We scout out each island, and we are upfront about what we think the pros and cons are, says Bradley. Everyone is going to show you the photo of a palm tree and a white sand beach. But whether that beach is in the British Virgin Islands, the Maldives, or the Bahamas makes a big difference. Transportation issues, local culture and customs, and seasonal weather changes cant be communicated in a photograph, she adds.

Working with an island advisor isnt the only way you can do your due diligence, says Jon Santangelo, founder of Chariot, a company that assists with arrangements for tropical destination weddings. Websites like TripAdvisor.com may contain feedback from travelers who rented all or part of an island. An online search can reveal whether an island has received any negative press. Santangelos favorite trick: entering the islands name into Facebooks search bar to see what other visitors have publicly posted.

You can also ask to speak to former renters, he says. You might not be able to, but theres no harm in trying.

If you opt to find island listings without the help of an agency on sites like HomeAway.com and Airbnb.com, do so carefully. If someones listing a private island for rent on Craigslist, I would proceed with caution, says Fish.

Its particularly important to clearly communicate your needs if you work directly with a private owner, she adds. Many offer a chef, staff, and other amenities, including transportation to and from the island and a fully stocked refrigerator, but sometimes only if you ask. You dont want to wake up the first morning and realize you have to fly back to the mainland for coffee, Fish says.

ONCE YOU'VE PICKED your perfect island, suggests Santangelo, reserve it at least a year before you plan to go, to ensure availability. Then start planning the logistics, or let someone else do so. Because the location may be remote and importing wine and foods may involve complications, you might need to allow considerable time for customs approvals and transporting specialty items by boat, says Bradley.

You do have to plan differently, she adds. You cant be spontaneous.

Thats certainly true when it comes to arranging for your arrival. Some islands have private airstrips but most require you to land at a nearby airport and take a boat, seaplane, or helicopter. Experts recommend ensuring you understand the transportation process and how long it will take to get from the airport to the island. Hopping in a puddle jumper and then a ferry after a two-hour flight is one thing. Doing so after a 12-hour, multistop journey is another.

When you arrive, you can typically expect to find an around-the-clock crew of housekeepers, butlers, and kitchen staff, with employees living in separate quarters or on nearby islands. Understanding whether you want to feel completely secluded or want to always know someones nearby is part of the booking consultants job.

There are ways [staff] can appear and disappear, says Epperly.

A Sampling of Island Rentals

Laucala Island, Fiji. Prices start at $170,000 per night with a five-night minimum. This 3,500-acre private island features 25 villas, complete with pools and indoor and outdoor showers. The property also features a hilltop spa offering Fijian treatments, five dining locations, an equestrian center, a boat fleet, and an 18-hole golf course. You can fly your private jet directly to the islands airport or land at Fijis Nadi International Airport and be transferred to the island via the resorts airplane.

Little Palm Island, Florida. Prices start at $175,000 for a three-night stay. The island has 30 one-bedroom suites. The fee includes transfers from and to the mainland; breakfast, lunch, and dinner for up to 60 people; non-alcoholic beverages; and amenities that include paddleboards, kayaks, motorboats, and fishing and snorkel gear. To reach the island, you fly to Key West International Airport and then transfer via seaplane or by car and then boat.

Turtle Island, Fiji. Prices start at $325,000 per week. The island has 14 bures, or Fijian villas. Each comes with an assigned Bure Mama, also known as your personal concierge. The island is designed to be self-sustaining and harvests all its power from its solar farm. As the name suggests, Turtle Island has its own sea turtle preserve. The closest airport that accepts private jets is Nadi International. The rental fee includes transfers to the island.

The Brando, French Polynesia. Prices start at $130,000 per night. Located on the Tetiaroa atoll 30 miles north of Tahiti, the island features 35 villas, a spa, and watersports that include snorkeling, paddleboarding, Polynesian canoeing, and scuba diving. Guests enjoy cuisine from Guy Martin of the Michelin two-star restaurant Le Grand Vfour in Paris, as well as guided island explorations led by local naturalists. Guests land on the main island of Tahiti at Faaa International Airport, where they are transferred by the islands private airplane and/or helicopter to the Brando.

Deep Water Cay, Bahamas. Prices start at $75,000 per night at this island, which can accommodate 50 guests in cottages and oceanfront homes. The cost covers lodging, meals, and daily boat-guided activities such as scuba diving, flats fishing, reef fishing, and snorkeling. You can fly privately directly to the islands airport, or you can land at Grand Bahama International Airport and then take a boat to Deep Water Cay.

Musha Cay, Bahamas. Prices start at $57,000 per night for up to 24 guests at this island, which magician David Copperfield owns. Rental includes access to a gym, tennis and volleyball courts, and a pool. To reach the island, you fly into Exuma International Airport; from there youre transported to Musha Cay by private air or boat charter.

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Paradise by the week - Business Jet Traveler

ALISON STEWART

Last updated07:44, April 27 2017

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Never thought I'd be a little out of my comfort zone on a South Sea island so enchanting its palm-fringed shores, tropical forests and sapphire lagoons have featured in Hollywood productions and stars of screen, sport and politics have flocked to its luxurious resort.

It soon passes, this discomfort. I remind myself that, as the eminent British literary editor DianaAthillwrote of Florence: "Its great charm lay in its unlikeness to home in it being so enchantingly 'elsewhere' ".

Turtle Island, an all-inclusive, indulgent, private island resort in Fiji's Yasawa island chain, is like that.

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From the moment guests are carried off the seaplane by grass-skirted Fijian "warriors", they are "welcomed home" by Fijian staff.

The fact is I'm overwhelmed by the love of strangers. Not false affection, as it becomes apparent, but the kind of genuine warmth you might feel from family a desire to please, to make good any hurts, to surround one with happiness.

READ MORE: *Fear and floating in Tahiti *Beauty and fear under the sea *A to Z of Yasawa Islands

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Once the "cityness" has drained away, and shoes permanently shed, time slides easily into serenity.

For a person whose learned response to city-street advances is to brace for a sales pitch, it takes some adjusting to being folded so comprehensively into the arms of the "Turtle family".

Anonymity is not a word that exists in the Turtle Island lexicon. From the moment guests are carried off the seaplane by grass-skirted Fijian "warriors", they are "welcomed home" by Fijian staff singing beautiful songs, who clasp you to their hearts, kiss you repeatedly, bring little drinks and food treats, wanting to entertain and enlighten you, to initiate you into their culture, customs and families, sometimes joining you for meals, taking you around the island to introduce you to its workings.

Good luck trying to walk down the beach without a happy "bula bula, Alison!" or three echoing across the sand, followed by the arrival of a cocktail or an impromptu serenade.

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Turtle Island is exquisite a powdery crescent of sand frames a traditionally built, low-rise, eco-friendly resort.

And your exclusive "Bure Mama" is exactly that the Fijian mama you never had. Her heart's desire is to spoil you with champagne, homemade biscuits soft drinks, platters of fruit, leaving anything from little gifts and notes to aloe vera stalks for sunburn to daily activity plans and freshly washed laundry thank you, Mama Adi, our very own new mum.

Once the "cityness" has drained away, and shoes permanently shed, time slides easily into serenity. The South Sea breezes blow, the rains flow across the islands, then back out to sea, the trees wave their arms about, coconuts fall (preferably not on my head), the tide climbs and retreats and the days pass benevolently.

No wonder children adore Turtle Island visiting during dedicated family weeks in April, June-July and December-January this year and many have returned into adulthood. Five-year-olds and under have their own nanny and from six, a "Bula Buddy" is companion and playmate.

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Turtle Island, Fiji - only 14 huge, well-spaced bures hanging their toes into crystal waters.

We arrive from Nadi in the Turtle Island-owned Turtle Airways seaplane 30 interesting minutes as tropical storms sweep the Yasawas. Chief pilot Ontario-born Jamie Vanlenthe puts us down in the famous Blue Lagoon in practically zero visibility. We silently thank his Canadian blizzard experience.

Even in the rain, Turtle Island is exquisite a powdery crescent of sand frames a traditionally built, low-rise, eco-friendly resort with only 14 huge, well-spaced bures hanging their toes into crystal waters. They're set on the island's sheltered western side in tropical landscaped gardens of hibiscus, bougainvillea, fragrant white ginger, frangipani and strelitzia. Above the bures rise hills thick with mahogany, casuarina, Fiji Christmas trees, rain trees, papaya, coconut and pandanus.

To a bula chorus, Mama Adi and Turtle Island general managerRob Burnsescort us to our grand bure. Rob, or his wife and co-managerLandi, meet and farewell all guests, part of the total staff immersion guests experience.

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You can go snorkelling the reefs, or paddleboard, or kayak.

This includes being invited as guests of honour to the staff meeting on our final day where we are presented with our photo album and asked to address the staff.

The fact that I'm able to name and thank many staff members is testament to relationships formed. There's Adi, and Semi and Phillip who feed us amazing cocktails. Beni who trained with Turtle Island's food consultant, the much-awarded Jacques Reymond of Melbourne's former Jacques Reymond Restaurant and Tima indulge us with food. Senior staffAto and Billhost us. Ere, Ray and others take us for tours and snorkelling. Sali wrangles the horses. Mere charms us with her dancing and singing. Wainese is the friendly island seamstress. Mr Lui explains the incredible solar installation,for the island is 100 per cent energy sufficient with the biggest panel array in the Yasawas. And, apologies, that's just naming a few.

And by this stage, public speaking is second nature, expected the night before at the formal kava ceremony, lovo and meke (dancing and storytelling through song), as well as at pre-dinner cocktails when "the talking stick" may appear. Brush up your Toastmaster skills.

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Find your own deserted beach.

The two-roomed thatch bures, which have been built using island materials of hardwoods and stone in the traditional manner, are undergoing a "soft upgrade".

The brown-painted wood is being stripped to its natural state; the heavy drapes repurposed into screenprinted upholstery and delicate white drapes will lift the interiors. The lightening of the furnishings will enhance the charm of the bures with their coconut-leaf ceilings and traditionally woven bindings telling island stories. There is no television and onlyWi-Fi in the gift shop.

Bures have huge, petal-strewn, netted beds, indoor spas, double showers and basins with Pure Fiji coconut lotion and soaps and lemongrass insect repellent body spray, two toilets, a kitchen area, water cooler, sitting area, verandah with daybed, beach hammock and chairs to watch the setting sun make its red path across the water to neighbouring Nanuya Lei Lei or Little Turtle Island.

Nothing is compulsory and if guests choose, they can retreat to their villas for total solitude, but this is what you would miss:

A sunrise canter along Long Beach's white sands on Nemo and Deepak, followed by a beach breakfast of Moet, freshly baked muffins and fruit. Or deep-sea fishing to try and catch your lunch the tuna weren't running, but barracuda and trevally jumped onto the hook not mine, I was fast asleep. I ate them later, though. Or scuba diving one daily tank a guest provided, or stand-up paddling, or sailing.

Or perhaps a champagne beach picnic at one of the 14 private beaches, with names like Honeymoon, Devil's, Shell, Racheli's. Guests are taken there with hampers. The "vacant" sign is turned to "occupied", and we're free to do as we please snorkel, scoff, drink, snooze in the hammock, or whatever.

Or a private dine-out at one of many locations perhaps a pontoon in the lagoon with the constellations twinkling and the mullet jumping while you savour a Beni creation. Or dining at Cliff Point with its private swimming pool and 180-degree views, or on the mountaintop, or the jetty.

Or snorkelling the reefs to marvel at the cushions, flutes, curls, prongs and Christmas-tree forests of peach-coloured, pale blue, yellow and purple coral with garish little fish turning sideways to ogle you. And the occasional reef shark, which still give me the willies possibly the least friendly Fijians we will meet.

Or an excellent, Asian-inspired meal with produce from the huge gardens, cooked on the spot at the cyclone-proof Teppanyaki Grill, or sharing stories at the long dining table with your toes in the sand.

Or planting your own little papaya tree and naming it, in our case, after our first child, Georgia, so that a little part of us will remain on the island.

Or maybe, if you're a masochist, a screening with popcorn of the 1980 version of the movieBlue Lagoon, starring Brooke Shields and Christopher Atkins, that was filmed on Turtle Island and is a fixture for post-dinner Sundays.

Some tuneful snoring joins the lagoon's lapping lullaby after an hour or so of Brooke's wooden acting she won an award for it.

Or the communal breakfast where hospitality staff go through the "Bula Board", which lists arrivals and departures, your private beach or dine-out options, activities, ending with a reminder that rule number one is "keep smiling," while rule number two is: "Refer to rule number one".

But most of all you would miss the chance to build relationships with lovely people the guests often honeymooners or special-occasion couples who come mainly from the US and Australia, and the handpicked staff, many related to one another or to owner Richard Evansonsnr he has had six wives or partners, five of them Fijian, and has nine children.

Turtle Island is Evanson's creation. An American who grew up with a desire to own a tropical island, he bought the 202-hectare island in 1974. Evanson went about building one of Fiji's first luxury resorts. It has won many awards since it opened in 1980.A son, Richard Evansonjnr,now runs it.

At week's end, staff sing their lovely Fijian farewell,Ise Lei.Mama Adi fastens a hibiscus lei around my neck. Mere gives us a memory stick of photos with a shell tag she has made. Then, the charming Mintesh Prasad, Fiji's first Fijian-born seaplane pilot carries us back to Nadi, entertaining us with tales of movie stars.

We leave with the knowledge that Turtle Island is a place not just for those in search of luxury, or for lost souls whose spirits will be soothed, but for anyone willing to accept its uncomplicated kindness. Once you visit Turtle Island it's doubtful you will forget it.

FIVE MORE THINGS TO DO

A low-flying, 10-minute scenic flight will take you to dive and snorkel at the limestone Sawa-I-Lau Caves, home of Yasawa islands' deity, Ulutini. The adventurous are guided through an underwater passage between the two caves. Turtle Island will book this two to four-hour excursion. US$300 a person (NZ$435).

During their May to October Yasawa season, you can swim with manta rays at one of the nearby resorts. A Turtle Airways seaplane will deliver you to a manta site. Seeturtleairways.com/swimming-manta-rays-fiji/

Visit a local village to experience the warmth of Fijian life. Turtle Island can organise a visit as many of the staff live across the channel.

Dive cage-free with sharks at Vertical Blue Diving at nearby Blue Lagoon Resort on Nacula Island. You will need certification. Speak to the Turtle Island dock man.

In Nadi, there is a half-day tour of the Sabeto Mud Baths and Garden of the Sleeping Giant. Experience lush tropical gardens with lily ponds and orchids, then soak in traditional mud baths in the Sabeto Valley. Seeviator.com/

FLY

Manyairlines including Fiji Airways and Air New Zealand flyfrom New Zealand to Fiji, and Turtle Airways connects you to the island.

STAY

Turtle Island costs from US$2499 a night, a couple, all-inclusive. Seeturtlefiji.com

Alison Stewart was a guest of Turtle Island.

- traveller.com.au

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Turtle Island, Fiji: Unforgettable island offers more than just luxury - Stuff.co.nz

Since last fall, all eyes have been on Cumberland Island, where private landowners within Cumberland Island National Seashore were granted a variance to subdivide 87 acres into ten lots. This action spurred a furious debate about the remaining roughly 1,000 acres of privately-held land on the island and how much, if any, development should be permitted. In response, Camden County officials recently announced they are entertaining proposals for a new zoning code for the island.

Now is the time for all who love Cumberland Island to advocate for the adoption of a low-density, residential zoning solution for the islands remaining private property.

Georgias entire 100-mile coast is a globally-significant model for conservation. Private and public partnerships have resulted in the protection of 10 of our 14 barrier islands, which serve as critical habitat for our most beloved wildlife while also preserving our cultural and historical heritage. Conservation of these islands, including Cumberland, would not have been possible without private landowners.

When Lumar, LLC, was granted a variance for 10 lots on 87 acres, it was apparent that Camden Countys Conservation-Preservation zoning category was not working for private property owners. The fact is that the zoning is not ideal for the park, either. Under the current zoning, one could lawfully build a marina, bait shop, or even a hotel; yet this same policy does not allow a private landowner to build even one single family home. Additionally, the Lumar tract variance was required not because the subdivision would have violated the zoning code, but because it normally requires a paved road.

For Cumberland, a responsible zoning solution is one that prevents high-rise hotels, marinas, and high-density residential development while preserving private property rights in a way that doesnt interfere with the publics use of the park.

This conversation signifies a turning point for Cumberland Island and we all have a role to play.

To the islands private landowners, who have helped to steward this great place: Deepen your legacy by working together to determine the realistic needs of future generations. For those thinking about long-term land conservation, now is the time to talk to a land trust. For others not yet ready for a commitment, I hope you will make low-density zoning recommendations to conservatively meet your needs.

To Camden County officials: You will make the biggest impact on the future of Cumberland Island. I recommend adopting zoning regulations that allow for an average density of one residential unit per 25 acres, with an incentive to cluster homes to reduce fragmentation of habitat, lessen the impact of impervious surfaces, and ensure safe management of the islands fire-dependent ecosystem.

To all lovers of Cumberland: We must offer constructive suggestions that will allow responsible land use without compromising the ecological and cultural significance of the park. With continued responsible use, private landowners will add to Cumberlands value far into the future.

It is possible to support both conservation and private property rights through responsible zoning. Now is the time for all of us to celebrate the value Cumberland adds to our coast and advocate for sound policies that preserve the islands past, present, and future for generations to come.

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Megan Desrosiers is the President and CEO of One Hundred Miles, a coastal conservation organization.

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Keeping Cumberland pristine and honoring private rights - Savannah Morning News