Luxurious isolation at Peter Island

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Four miles south of Tortola in the British Virgin Islands and accessible only by boat or helicopter, Peter Island is occupied exclusively by the Peter Island Resort. Consisting of only 52 rooms and three villas-along with 1,800 acres containing five private beaches-you’ll have no trouble finding a genuine retreat from the frenetic pace back home.

Guests at this exclusive resort can revel in treatments at the 10,000 sqft Spa at Peter Island, including signature services such as the Thermal Sand Bundle Massage, West Indian Honey and Sesame Seed Glow and Thalasso Mud Bowls Alfresco. When such pampering becomes tiresome, dinner at Tradewinds can distract, with cuisine reflecting West Indian influences. In the restaurant’s wine room, up to 300 bottles are displayed in a climate-controlled cabinet, and you can gaze upon $60,000 in consumable inventory.

The most exciting offer on Peter Island consists of three villa estates: Hawk’s Nest, Crow’s Nest and Falcon’s Nest. Redefining super-luxe, these three properties are self-contained without feeling confining. Starting at 3,000 sqft (Crow’s Nest) and exceeding 21,000 sqft (Falcon’s Nest, the newest villa), they offer housekeepers, groundskeepers, valets and chefs, as well as in-villa spas, pools and astounding ocean views. Space and comfort represent the twofold focus of the villa properties, and they do not disappoint.

The magnificence of the Falcon’s Nest villa comes as much from a commitment to style as a dedication to luxury. The work of interior designer Cooper Carry sets the tone, and features such as a rain shower with 150 jets make it tangible. A cascading waterfall, grotto and Jacuzzi are within striking distance of a zero-entry, two-tiered pool. And, yes, there is a swim-up bar. Sitting 350 feet above the Caribbean Sea, this particular villa is positioned to make the most of the water’s available views.

Of course, this level of luxury doesn’t come cheap. A night at the Hawk’s nest starts at $3,400, and if you want to stay at the Falcon’s Next sometime between January 4 and March 31, a night of heaven will set you back $15,000. These are 2008 rates; 2009 hasn’t been published yet. Nonetheless, you can see where this is headed. A shower with 150 jets, unsurprisingly, will cost you a fortune.

The fact that Peter Island is remote-despite being only four miles from its neighbor-is supported more by the exclusivity of the resort than its proximity to its nearest neighbor. Often overlooked but never forgotten, the Peter Island Resort starts at luxury, with the villas offering a class of service that is only too rare. Hiking, biking or sitting by the beach, this destination is sure to relax-and send you home refreshed.

Sounds of Travel 12: I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)

by Jamie Rhein on

Here at Gadling we’ll be highlighting some of our favorite sounds from the road and giving you a sample of each — maybe you’ll find the same inspiration that we did, but at the very least, hopefully you’ll think that they’re good songs.

Got a favorite of your own? Leave it in the Comments and we’ll post it at the end of the series.

“King of the Road,” my first Sounds of Travel pick, evokes the spirit of independence. It’s an ode to the traveler who strikes out alone without a care in the world.

“500 Miles” by the Proclaimers, however, is a tribute to traveling with another. In my case, this travel often has been on foot– literally.

My husband is a walker. He has great big feet–size 14. When I met him when we lived in Albuquerque, New Mexico, one of the first things I noticed is his need to walk. He has a way of striking out into the world in great big strides wearing boots that could double as door stops. Not long after I met him, I was hoofing it to keep up.

One of our first forays into mega walk travel was on a camping trip into the Gila Wilderness in southern New Mexico.

“How far are we going, exactly?” I wanted to know when he suggested such a venture. It’s not the walking I mind– it’s the carrying stuff. “It won’t be that far,” he said. “By the way, there are a couple places we’ll have to cross a stream.”

“Okay, sure,” I said, not mentioning my phobia about wading through water–or rather, I did have a phobia about wading through water. After crossing the stream at least 14 times, I was cured.

That walk was just the beginning.

“How about a trek in Nepal?” he suggested as our first Christmas vacation while we were living in Singapore. “We’ll hire porters to carry our stuff.”

That trip took us from Jomsom to Pokhara. Two other couples went with us. It’s not the going up a mountain that hurts all that much if you go slowly. It’s the going down that is hell on knees.

Then it was the 9-day trek in Ladakh, India through the Markha Valley.

“There are pack-mules AND porters to carry stuff,” my husband said to entice me. The only time I whined a bit was when I noticed how dry my skin was becoming in the thin mountain air. “I don’t know if my skin can take much more of this,” I said, thinking that in another week I’d look one hundred.

“Why don’t you ask the women here what they do?” my husband said, casting his gaze towards a group of women in the distance who were wrestling with rubble and dirt while hoeing a field. He’s sympathetic that way.

Still, whenever he slips on those massive Red Wing boots of his to head out the door, calling for me to come with him, I know it will be an adventure–one that I wouldn’t be taking if I wasn’t willing to share the road.

The first time we heard “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” we were on a date seeing the movie “Bennie and Joon.” The song was the movie’s theme song and Johnny Depp was one of the stars.

When we got married, three weeks before we moved to Singapore, this song was the recessional at our wedding. For a traveling pair who walks, it seemed to fit. Whenever I hear the Proclaimers belt out this song in their jaunty, Scottish Irish fashion, I see images of all the places my husband and I have passed by from the simple walk in the neighborhood to the expanse of a spectacular vista.

One of my two most favorite images of the miles we’ve traveled is of my husband winding through the streets of the Old Quarter in Hanoi with our daughter perched on his shoulders high above the crowd when she was three. My other favorite image is of him strolling through the streets of Bangkok swinging our then 3 month-old son in his Graco car seat carrier like our son was a purse.

Yep, he’d walk 500 miles–and 500 more. Honestly, I would too.

Click here for previous Sounds of Travel.

In Patagonia: Chile’s awe-inspiring Torres del Paine National Park

by Aaron Hotfelder on

Widely heralded as South America’s most beautiful national park, Torres del Paine in Southern Chile offers outdoor-lovers everything they could want: rugged landscapes, snow-capped peaks, massive glaciers, and abundant wildlife.

Named for the towering granite columns (torres) that dominate the park’s gorgeous skyline, the park also contains dozens of crystal-blue lakes, including Lago Pehoe, Lago Nordenskjold, and Lago Grey, the latter of which contains scores of breathtaking blue glaciers. (see the accompanying slideshow, complete with hilarious captions).

Located at the southern tip of South America– the region popularly known as Patagonia– Torres del Paine is not just one of the southernmost parks in the world, it is also one of the windiest, with steady winds averaging 50 to 75 miles per hour. In fact, this park probably wins the award for worst place in the world to have a comb-over.

%Gallery-37520% You want animals? The park can do that too. How about flamingos, condors, llama-like guanacos, ostrich-like ñandúes, and, oh yeah, pumas. At the Seno Otway Penguin Colony just a few hours away, animal lovers will be able to get up close and personal with scores of penguins making their way from the Pacific beach to their nearby nests. So, so much better than the zoo.

If you decide to go, here’s a little practical info that might help:

Where to stay:

On a recent trip, some friends and I stayed at Hosteria Las Torres, which was clean and in a great location, but was also wildly overpriced, with double rooms fetching more than $350 a night. Ouch. For cheaper options, try Hosteria Tyndall or the Mountain Lodge Paine Grande. If you’re really on a budget or love the outdoors, you can’t go wrong camping at one of the refugios for a meager $6. Tents and sleeping bags are available to rent for modest fees.

When to come:

The summer months from January to April are, by far, the best times to visit Patagonia, but even then the weather can be unpredictable. Think long and hard before trying to visit in the winter, as many roads will be unpassable. The nearby town of Punta Arenas has the closest decent-sized airport, and there are regular flights to and from Santiago for a few hundred dollars. Go already!

The slideshow above not enough for you? You’ll want to watch this. And definitely this too.

How do you poop on Mt. Everest?

by Jerry Guo on

The days of poop-behind-a-rock be gone – a Nepali climber has recently started promoting the use of a packable toilet for hikers up the world’s tallest mountain. Tired of the 965 kilos of waste he picked up during an expedition in May (including a corpse dating back to 1972! wtf!), Dawa Steven Sherpa is determined to make Mt. Everest a cleaner place.

His solution is the Luggable Loo – a portable bucket-cum-toilet that stores waste in a gas-impervious bag. This way, hikers will have a potty to sit on (plus!) but poop to haul out (not so much plus). The bags do their job to keep unwanted aromas from reaching expeditionists while they hike.

Still, if hauling your own waste out seems like too much trouble, what the hell are you doing climbing Mt. Everest anyway? Any good hiker knows that the first rule of messing with Mother Nature is to leave her exactly as you found her. That includes poop, too.

The loo retails from Cabela’s Outfitters for $15 – not too shabby – and 6 of the “Doodie Bags” (as they are so named) will cost you $12.99. If I were Mr. Sherpa, I’d be handing these things out at the base camp. Who wants to clean up someone else’s 20-year-old, iced-over poo anyway?

Echoes from across the world

by Annie Scott on

Know what’s weird? Woices.com.

Woices.com is a website where you can upload echoes you’ve recorded anywhere in the world. That includes the parking ramp.

Echoes have been recorded in cathedrals, canyons, and everywhere you can imagine. These 48 echoes were all recorded at Cerdanyola del Vallès in Spain alone!

What’s the point? We’re not sure. But the idea is pretty neat. It’s certainly a new kind of information you’re not used to getting without visiting a place!

Woices is still small now and needs your help. What a good excuse to call out the names of your loved ones or curse your ex-girlfriend over a cliff! Shout something somewhere and record it. Why not?