Bali resists simplification. Sarah Morgan spends a month moving from the clifftop villas of Raffles Bali to the rice terraces of Sidemen, a Day of Silence on Nusa Lembongan and the car-free calm of Gili Air, and finds four very different answers to what luxury means when it is rooted in place.
With so many extraordinary places still on the bucket list, my general rule is never to return to a destination. But for every rule, there’s always an exception. And for me, the exception is Mauritius. As Mark Twain said, “Mauritius was made first, and then heaven was copied after Mauritius.” 20 years on, and I thought it my duty to check that heaven is still in great shape. Situated in the Indian Ocean and part of the Mascarene islands, Mauritius (once a haunt for pirates) is a magnet for the world’s most luxurious hotel brands and experiences. A manageable 12-hour flight and a wonderful year round temperate climate, it’s an…