Where do you go if you want a true escape from the world? One of the globe’s least populated countries has to be a good choice — one reason, perhaps, why Namibia, is apparently top choice as a honeymoon destination for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
Along with the highest sand dunes on the planet, the dramatic skeleton coast and Africa’s deepest canyon, there are also plenty of luxury lodges and camps to stay in, even when you’re not royalty, including three new lodges this year.
Opening in June, Shipwreck Lodge is the first to be built in the Skeleton Coast Central Concession Area, with both the desert and coastal safaris within reach. Or meet local communities as well as spotting giraffe, desert elephant and rhino from the new Hoanib Valley Camp.
For a more adventurous trip, you can also check in to Sossus Under Canvas in the Namib Desert, eight tents set in a natural granite amphitheatre, open from April.
Or design your own trip online with Timbuktu Travel which has more than 2,800 African lodges and boutique hotels, including these three, across 14 countries in Africa.
Estonia's spa celebrations
As Estonia celebrates its 100th anniversary this year, Visit Estonia has launched a spa trail map to encourage visitors to the country to discover some of the best wellness options.
The new collection includes city spas, such as the luxury 19th century Telegraaf Hotel’s Elemis spa in Tallinn, as well as saunas, eco spas and wellness spas set throughout the country.
And along with more standard luxury pampering, travellers can discover Estonian traditions such as juniper body peels, rituals using warm sand, or home-brewed beer treatments at The Organic Spa Harmoonikum plus smoke saunas, which Unesco has added to its Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list.
Download the map and more details from visitestonia.com
New adults-only cruise
Marella Cruises is adding a new adults-only ship to its fleet from 2019, with Marella Explorer 2 designed with additional sunbathing space and balconies on nearly 40 per cent of its 907 cabins.
Sailing out of Naples, it’s due to visit European cities including Venice, Rome and Dubrovnik, plus there will be a Champneys Spa on board.
And the cruise line, formerly Thomson cruises, is also making its fleet all-inclusive as standard, including Marella Dream and Marella Celebration from May 2019.
The summer 2019 programme, which also includes four new itineraries, is now on sale. tui.co.uk/cruise
Go glamping
If you love the idea of getting outdoors, but don’t fancy canvas with no mod cons, there’s a new website dedicated to glamping stays across Europe and the UK.
Glampingly, the sister website to Cool Camping, has over 800 different options including fairy-tale treehouses, converted jet planes, floating cabins and luxury horseboxes with hotel facilities, plus yurts, shepherd huts and geodomes.
The collection features around 120 choices in Spain and France, such as the treetop cabins at Domaine D’Escapa near the Pyrenees, with Jacuzzi cabins on stilts among the woodland, a heated swimming pool and private lake to explore by canoe.
