OFF THE GRID & LOVING IT

Unplug in some of the world’s most beautiful places

DANIELLE BRAFF

My family and I are phone addicts, so we’ve never purposely searched out vacation destinations with restricted Wi-fi access. Then, a few months ago, we took off on a small ship for a cruise through the Bahamas. We were promised we’d be connected at all times, but it was not to be. Within hours of leaving the port, the connection slowed — and then we were cut off completely.

Panic ensued. I begged the captain to unplug, to restart, to call someone, to do something. But no flipping of the switch was going to connect us for the next week. It was just my family of four alone on a boat with no entertainment except one another. There were no televisions, no phone connection, nothing electronic whatsoever.

At first, it was miserable. I fretted about work, about real emergencies, about all the updates I was missing. But I didn’t have a choice. So I read a book from cover to cover. I played Uno with my children. I learned the ins and outs of the fifth-grade drama in my daughter’s school. It was, surprisingly, the best holiday ever. As soon as we returned, we started researching our next Wi-fi-free vacation.

Granted, it can be tricky to find off-the-grid spots, because if they’re truly off the grid, they’re not usually on the internet. But if you, too, are dreaming of phonefree travel, the majority of the accommodations on this list are in Wi-fi dead zones, and they’re also in some of the most beautiful places in the world. While some properties advertised as phone-free do have designated spots where you can log on if necessary, they’ll nevertheless get you closer to having a family vacation sans screen time. MOUNTAINSIDE POD IN PERU

This isn’t for anyone afraid of heights. Skylodge Adventure Suites, 90 minutes from Cusco and 13 kilometres from Machu Picchu in Sacred Valley, consists of three transparent pods attached to a mountain by cable. Reaching your four-person room, crafted of polycarbonate and airplane aluminum, requires a 90-minute climb via metal steps and wires. Leaving involves a zip line. Don’t worry — there’s a toilet in the pod. Entertainment is limited to stargazing, eating and sleeping. SKYLODGE ADVENTURE SUITES

Pista 224 km, Urubamba-ollantaytambo,

■ Cusco, Peru naturavive.com/web/

■ Rooms starting at US$409 per night

■ PRIVATE SHEEP FARM IN ARGENTINA

Bahia Bustamante Lodge is a 210,000-acre sheep farm in Patagonia with 11 cabins that can accommodate 39 guests total. The cabins are steps from the South Atlantic,

and visitors include egrets, horses, dogs, ostriches, guanacos and the sheep. Electricity is supplied by a generator in the lodge — and cabins are only lit by solar energy and battery lights. Your hosts will take you to visit penguins, to ride horses and to learn more about sheep farming. Wi-fi is incredibly spotty, and there’s no phone service. BAHIA BUSTAMANTE LODGE

U9111 Comodoro Rivadavia,

■ Chubut, Argentina bahiabustamante.com

■ Rooms starting at US$135 per night

■ SAFARI LODGE IN AFRICA

This property is as much bucket-list as off-the-beaten-path experience. The newly renovated, eco-friendly Belmond Savute Elephant Lodge overlooks a watering hole that attracts elephants, cheetahs and hyenas. You won’t exactly be roughing it here: The lodge looks like an incredibly luxurious glamping experience, with air conditioners and en suite bathrooms in the 12 tented rooms, complete with a luxury spa. Get up close to the elephants on a safari before unwinding by the lodge’s pool. BELMOND SAVUTE ELEPHANT LODGE

Chobe National Park, Botswana

■ belmond.com

■ Rooms starting at US$2,300 per

■ night MOUNTAIN OPEN-AIR RESORT IN ST. LUCIA

Jade Mountain Resort sits on the southwestern Caribbean coastline above a volcano sand beach. There are 24 private suites, each with its own infinity pool with views of the Caribbean and the Pitons. Because every part of the resort is open air, there are no windows. Scuba diving, cycling, kayaking and other water sports are popular activities — and the rainforest, botanical gardens, a semi-active volcano and some sulphur springs are nearby. There are no TVS, radios or air conditioners, and you’re not allowed to use your phone in any public areas.

JADE MOUNTAIN RESORT

100 Anse Chastanet Rd., Soufriere, ■ St. Lucia jademountain.com ■

Rooms starting at US$1,225 per ■ night without meals NOMADIC LIFESTYLE IN MONGOLIA

Three Camel Lodge in the Gobi Desert aims to combine Mongolia’s nomadic culture with the feel of a luxury retreat. Stay in one of 40 fancy all-inclusive gers, as yurts are known in Mongolia, which are made of wood and covered in felt and canvas. You’ll have unobstructed views of the desert and the Gobi-altai Mountains. The focus here is on sustainability, so the amenities are eco-friendly, the lighting is solar-powered and the water is limited. There’s no TV or Wi-fi. Activities include horseback and camel riding, and exploring the desert. THREE CAMEL LODGE

Gobi Gurvansaikhan National Park, ■ Mongolia threecamellodge.com ■

Rooms starting at US$320 per night ■ THE ‘REAL ALASKA’

At the Ultima Thule Alaska Lodge, you’ll be 160 km from the closest paved road, and only up to 14 guests within individual groups will be accommodated weekly.

To get here, you’ll need to take a bush plane (fly into Anchorage, and the lodge will help arrange a seat on a charter flight).

Advertised as the “real Alaska,” Ultima Thule is located within the largest national park in North America: the mountainous Wrangell-st. Elias National Park and Preserve.

Since it is truly in the middle of nowhere, you can only visit between May and September, and all meals and experiences are provided. It’s all about the wilderness, though the lodge is designed with plush couches, sheepskin rugs and a wood-fired hot tub.

While you’re there, you can hike, take a private safari by plane, explore a gold mine and more. ULTIMA THULE ALASKA LODGE

18714 Mink Creek Dr., Chugiak,

■ Alaska ultimathulelodge.com

■ Rooms starting at US$8,550 per

■ person for the five-day trip ECO LODGE IN COSTA RICA

Lapa Rios Ecolodge, a 1,000-acre private reserve in southwestern Costa Rica that has 17 bungalows in the Osa Peninsula rainforest, is intentionally low-tech. You’ll have a hard time finding any internet or phone service.

Instead, tune in to the sounds of the rainforest, swim in the pool or take the short walk to the ocean and watch the monkeys swing through the trees.

Screens are the only divider separating you from the forest; you’ll be woken by howler monkeys rather than an alarm clock, and entertained by the parrots, monkeys and toucans that like to hang out in the trees by the pool. Take a wilderness tour to see waterfalls, the forest and the wildlife. LAPA RIOS ECOLODGE

Puntarenas Province, Puerto

■ Jimenez laparios.com

■ Rooms starting at US$887

■ per night GLAMPING IN BIG SUR

The Treebones Resort campground overlooks the Pacific and feels like a playground in a rustic setting. It’s a bit like camp, as everyone is glamping or camping and it’s a short walk to the shared bathroom.

There are various choices for sleeping arrangements: a yurt, which is sparse but comes with beds, lights and chairs; a fancy tent, with 500 square feet of space including an en suite bathroom and a claw-foot shower; a BYO tent option (US$95 per day with a twonight minimum); or the Human Nest, a handwoven hut that looks like a human-size bird’s nest. It comes with a futon pad and a warning that raccoons, bats and mice sometimes visit.

There are two restaurants serving local organic food, plus a hot tub and yoga classes. Most people spend their days hiking and relaxing.

While there’s internet in the main lodge, it’s not strong enough to support much more than email — and there’s no cellphone service. TREEBONES RESORT

71895 Hwy. 1, South Big Sur, Calif.

■ treebonesresort.com

■ Rooms starting at US$215

■ per night ITALIAN MONASTERY RETREAT

For those who want to go off the grid alone — there’s no double occupancy, and it’s not family friendly — Eremito, 90 minutes north of Rome, is the place to be.

It’s a half-hour from the closest road and is only accessible via all-terrain vehicle. Stay in a small, restored 14th-century monastery that was created specifically to drag people away from their grind.

While you can speak with other guests during breakfast and lunch — silence is demanded part of the day — the vibe is always peaceful, with the occasional Gregorian chanting.

There’s farm-fresh homemade vegetarian food, a steam bath dug out of a rock and a yoga room. Rooms come sans mini-bar, sans TV, sans internet, and dinner is silent. Fill your day with yoga, meditation, hiking and relaxing in the outdoor hot tub. EREMITO

Localita’ Tarina 2, 05010 Parrano

■ TR, Italy eremito.com/en/

■ Rooms starting at US$180 per

■ night For The Washington Post

NATURA VIVE Skylodge Adventure Suites features clear pods hanging above the Sacred Valley in Cusco, Peru. Brave guests must be prepared to zip line to leave their rooms.

LAPA RIOS Lapa Rios Ecolodge is nestled in the lush rainforest of Costa Rica. Wake up to the sounds of monkeys rather than an alarm clock (although the monkeys are just as noisy).

ST. LUCIA Jade Mountain Resort does not have radios or televisions, and phones are banned in public areas. But it has some stunning views of the southwestern Caribbean coastline.