Three of a Kind
Boutique stays
TAWALI DIVE RESORT, MILNE BAY, PNG
Set on a limestone headland 25 metres above the ocean, surrounded by fishing villages and backed by lush jungle in a secluded area of Milne Bay, Tawali is accessible only by boat. The resort was built by local craftsmen, with carved totem poles and woodwork featuring throughout, and guest bungalows are connected by covered walkways, making it feel like a true jungle retreat.
SOMETHING SPECIAL
The focus here is scuba diving, being on the doorstep of some of Papua New Guinea’s best dive sites. Explore the well-known muck diving sites at Lawadi and Observation Point, the many nearby World War 2 wreck dive sites and Giants@Home, one of the most reliable places in PNG to see and interact with manta rays near Samarai Island. Visibility is optimal during the wet season, from June through to August.
DON’T MISS
A trip to the Milne Bay skull cave, an underground cavern filled with the skulls of ancestors. A powerful experience.
DETAILS
From PGK385 a night; see tawali.com.
HOSHINOYA RYOKAN, TOKYO, JAPAN
Sliding paper screens, tatami mat floors, futon beds, hot spring bathing, kimonos and no shoes: Hoshinoya is Tokyo’s first luxury traditional ryokan inn, housed in an 18-storey skyscraper and giving guests a real taste of Japanese culture in an urban environment. The 84 rooms are split into groups of six, with each of the hotel’s 14 floors mimicking a selfcontained ryokan inn with its own traditional ochanoma lounge, where sake, tea and cakes are served.
SOMETHING SPECIAL
The water in the 17th-floor onsen baths flows from 1500 metres beneath the hotel, making it the place to head immediately after a long flight. Baths are segregated by gender, open all night, and set beneath skylights so you can stargaze while soaking. There’s also a day spa offering massage, beauty treatments and more.
DON’T MISS
Dining at the restaurant, with only 10 exclusive tables, where rising star chef Noriyuki Hamada adapts traditional Japanese dishes and ingredients with classic French preparations. Make sure to book in advance.
DETAILS
Rooms from PGK455 a night; see hoshinoya.com.
PAPERBARK CAMP, JERVIS BAY, AUSTRALIA
This luxury tented camp brings the Africanstyle safari experience to Australia, just two hours’ drive south of Sydney. The 12 canvas tents are surrounded by towering paperbark and eucalyptus trees and kitted out with comfortable beds, ensuite showers (deluxe rooms also have freestanding tubs) and wraparound verandahs that are perfect for kangaroo spotting. This is glamping at its best, where you can watch the sunrise from bed while wrapped in crisp linen sheets, swim in the nearby pristine beaches of Jervis Bay and hike in the surrounding national parks, or grab one of Paperbark’s bikes or canoes and have an adventure. Once the sun goes down, it’ll be time for a locally sourced meal at their airy treetop restaurant, Gunyah, before stargazing on your deck.
SOMETHING SPECIAL
Paperbark Camp is an eco-friendly outfit, using solar power and natural ventilation in the tents, keeping the impact on the surrounding environment to a minimum and using recycled paper and natural products as much as possible.
DON’T MISS
The bonfire that Paperbark creates each evening, for guests to gather around and sip wine, stargaze and chat.
DETAILS
From about PGK979 a night, two-night minimum stay; see paperbarkcamp.com.au.