Escapism comes in all shapes and sizes.
For some, it’s the wilderness featured in the books of Henry Thoreau and Richard Proenneke, for others it’s the French chateaux and Italian villas lived in and documented by Peter Mayle and Frances Mayes.
But perhaps the dictionary definition of escapism has to be the one portrayed by James Hilton in Lost Horizon.
The book follows a group of political and social refugees whose airplane is mysteriously hijacked and taken to Shangri-La.
There they discover a civilisation where nobody ever gets tired, nobody ever grows old, there’s gold in every stream and peacefulness is in complete abundance.
For travellers looking for that kind of escapism options are usually few and far between, but you can find them.
One resort that boats Shangri-La-esque qualities is The Nautilus, an ultra-luxury bohemian hideaway located on the Baa Atoll in the heart of the UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve in the Maldives.
Surrounded by the natural beauty and sealife of the Hanifaru Bay, guests can experience a highly personalised, immensely private island resort with only 26 beach and ocean houses and residences, where every experience is tailored to you.
The private island resort features three restaurants and two bars, as well as Solasta Spa which provides bespoke wellness programmes, a range of treatments, as well as yoga, fitness and meditation classes.
Outside the wellness offering, there is a variety of activities catering to each guest’s individual needs to create a programme of unique experiences, from bespoke culinary adventures to underwater experiences and private yacht cruises.
The Nautilus Maldives are committed to conservation of the marine environment and offers a range of experiences such as guided scuba dives, coral rehabilitation, educational talks and more for guests to explore the surroundings.
It was named ‘Best Resort in the Indian Ocean’ in Condé Nast Traveller’s Readers’ Choice Awards 2020 and amongst the top three Best Resorts in the World. It was also listed in Condé Nast Traveller’s highly prestigious The Gold List 2021 and Condé Nast Traveller Middle East’s The Gold List 2021 and recognised as ‘Best Private Island Retreat’ in Tatler Travel Awards 2021.
Most recently, The Nautilus Maldives was named by Condé Nast Traveller’s 2022 Readers’ Choice Awards as one of the top resorts in the Indian Ocean.
Find out more about the resort here.
