Holidays in the sun and trips to exotic faraway places may seem like distant memories at the moment but the day will come when once again we can pack our bags and spread our wings.
By then, will our attitude to travel have changed?
Crowded beaches, packed bars and long queues at tourist attractions may seem alien. We have grown accustomed to keeping our distance and respecting personal space, enjoying walks in local parks and simple home pleasures. In London we have relished the clear skies and birdsong in a flight free world. So will the post COVID traveller be more respectful and more appreciative of the world’s natural beauty?
Appreciating nature whether it is in the jungle or under the ocean and experiencing conscious luxury in eco-hotels both at home and overseas are experiences available to careful travellers who don’t want to compromise on style.
BACK TO NATURE IN DOMINICA
The Caribbean may be synonymous with hedonistic glamorous resorts but Dominica has always been known as the ‘nature island’ of the region with wild hiking trails and dense rainforest instead of all-inclusive resorts and reggae rhythms.
Now the lovely eco resort Jungle Bay Dominica has reopened following a relocation and expansion after Hurricane Maria destroyed the original property in September 2017.
Jungle Bay Eco Villas is an adventure and wellness retreat with cultural experiences, local organic cuisine and spa pampering. An ideal antidote to lockdown, visitors are immersed in nature with a jungle spa bathroom, lounge and patio to enjoy the spectacular scenery and sleep under bedding hand-painted by local artisans. Each villa is accessed via a private walkway through tropical trees, banana plants and flowers. With wellness being the focal point, daily yoga classes are available, and Bamboo Spa offers an eclectic range of treatments massages and therapy.
SLEEP UNDER THE SEA IN THE MALDIVES
The Maldives is one of the world’s most threatened destinations, suffering from the effects of climate change as
So this was always going to be a good time to visit before the islands disappear. And, since the coronavirus crisis,PullmanMaldives Maamtuaa Resorts’ onsite Marine Biologist has noticed larger pods of dolphins swimming around which coincides with the lack of visitors recently and reduced levels of pollution! Maamutaa Resort was Pullmanmaldivesmaamutaa.com
only open a few months before the COVID crisis with 122 opulentvillas, including two new, exclusiveAquaVillas featuring bedrooms submerged beneath the turquoise waters. These are the first of their kind to be introduced in The Maldives.
In 18 hectares of lush tropical flora and fauna on the Gaafu Alifu Atoll, one of the deepest atolls of the archipelago, this is the only place where divers can spot up to 13 species of shark in the water, making it a paradise for avid divers and snorkellers. .
There is guided snorkelling around the thriving house reef, as well as dolphin cruises at sunset. Pullman’s naturalist can take families on informative walks along the beaches, through the vegetation and around the natural lagoon. With sustainability at their heart, the hotel’s Marine Biologist offers educational talks to children of all ages