Do you ever feel like you can’t seem to tear yourself away from your phone or laptop, no matter how hard you try? Perhaps the ever-growing demands at work have left you frazzled, your phone won’t stop ringing and you’re refreshing Twitter more than you’re seeing your friends and family: in which case, it’s time for a digital detox.
Here are some of our favourite places in the world to go off-grid, switch off and enjoy a tech-free retreat:
Explore the USA’s National Parks – for free
There is perhaps no better place to take a digital detox than the great outdoors; reconnecting with wilderness, seeing sights found nowhere else in the world and enjoying the total freedom of Mother Nature. That’s why the USA’s National Parks are the perfect spot to switch off. To celebrate the National Park Service’s 100th birthday, you can explore some of the world’s most famous parks for free in 2017. From the Grand Canyon National Park, home to vast deserts and white-water rivers, to The Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee, you’re spoilt for choice.
We recommend staying at Volcano House, close to Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, or the Miraval Resort & Spa in Arizona for hideaway tranquillity.
Tuck yourself away in Thailand
Forget Facebook updates and unread emails and retreat to Thailand, the ultimate hideaway. Blissful beaches; delectable dining and idyllic islands: we feel more relaxed just thinking about it.
To truly get away from it all, we recommend staying at the Paradise Koh Yao Noi Beach Resort & Spa where the landscapes are tropical and serenity is guaranteed. Take a scenic speedboat ride from Phuket, leaving Thailand’s hustle and bustle behind, and settle in to castaway life at this beautiful haven that’s surrounded by towering limestone cliffs and glittering ocean. Pop your phone away, put your out-of-office on and head to the beach, or visit the spa or book a yoga class to truly unwind and reconnect with yourself. This is utter bliss.
Unplug in the Seychelles
For a true digital detox, you need somewhere with no phone signal, no WiFi, no television and no distractions. Introducing Denis Private Island: the Seychelles’ very own sanctuary.
With virtually no contact with the outside world, this is remote paradise at its best. Touch down on Denis Private Island and immediately be swept away by its natural beauty, all 375 hectares of it. Check in to your secluded cottage, throw on your swimwear and head straight out to the beach to catch a glimpse of the beautiful sunset. Throughout your stay, you’ll get to enjoy complimentary snorkelling, kayaking, nature tours and more, and feast on farm-to-table food of excellent quality. There’s even a turtle sanctuary on the island for you to visit; making Denis Island a fantastic spot for the whole family.
Five star detoxing in the Seychelles
If total relaxation is on the cards for your digital detox, be sure to book a stay at the stunning Four Seasons Resort Seychelles at Desroches Island.
Five-star and fabulous, this resort boasts 14 km of white sand beach, lush green jungles home to giant tortoises, a coral reef perfect for avid snorkellers, sustainable and environmentally-friendly accommodation, and a world class oceanside spa. You can’t check your social media when exploring the amazing underwater world of the island; nor can you sneak a peek at your work phone while you’re enjoying a foot massage or relaxing facial in the spa. Recharge your batteries in your private pool, hearing nothing but the lapping waves and the pop of that champagne cork. What unread emails?
Desert island retreats in Africa
The ingredients for a perfect digital detox include peace and quiet, remote shores and intimate resorts; that’s where Africa comes in. From sanctuaries in Zanzibar, like the Fundu Lagoon, to complete off-the-radar bliss at Saruni Ocean in Mombasa, escape normality with an African trip like no other.
It’s what dreams are made of: powder-soft sands, crystalline waters, kaleidoscopic sunsets and hideaway lodges. Whether you want to sleep close to the beach in a luxury villa or under the stars in an elegant, tented camp, phone signal is unheard of and WiFi unnecessary as you reacquaint yourself with Mother Nature. We recommend visiting the Sarunity Wellbeing Space at Saruni Ocean; a natural retreat dedicated to melting everyday stresses and worries away with both ancient and contemporary treatments, from sublime massages to mindfulness lessons.
Where in the world would you most like to take a digital detox? For more luxury holiday inspiration, speak to our Travel Consultants or visit our luxury page.
Africa inspiration
For more exciting destination ideas, browse these Africa pages and start planning your next adventure.
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