The Brando

04 French Polynesia

Developed with a focus on sustainability, The Brando is one of the world’s ultimate destinations. Showered with accolades since opening in 2014, the remote, uber-luxury island hideaway is located on the Onetahi motu in the middle of the Tetiaroa atoll, 30 miles north of Tahiti. The stunning atoll of Tetiaroa has long attracted an illustrious crowd to its shores, including the King of Tahiti’s family and Hollywood royalty, Marlon Brando himself, who made the island his personal retreat for many years. Today the private island resort is a cutting-edge example of sustainable luxury. In fact, it was the first resort in the world to obtain LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Platinum certification, the organization’s highest accolade, using airstrip solar panels for energy and hot water heating. The resort comprises 36 stand-alone villas - each with its own private beach area and plunge pool - that are cooled using a Sea Water Air Conditioning (SWAC) system, slashing energy use by up to 70 percent, while hot water is created by photovoltaic solar panels that line the island’s airstrip. Cuisine on the island is very much a farm-to-table affair, with the majority of produce coming either from the island’s own farm or locally sourced from the surrounding waters. The spa adds yet another wow factor, offering a fusion of Polynesian tradition and modern techniques.

A stop-off at The Brando is the perfect complement to a superyacht cruise, whether exploring the South Pacific or en route to New Zealand. However, to conserve the teeming coral reefs that surround the atoll, no boats are permitted to approach Tetiaroa. Instead, guests can take a short flight from Papeete Tahiti Faa’a International Airport on Tahiti on The Brando’s private aircraft.

Usp

The island’s non-profit, the Tetiaroa Society, was set up by the resort to ensure island and coastal communities have a future as rich as their past. Funded by guests’ stay, the Society guides various research programs, including coral reef ecology, and provides naturalist-led tours for guests to really comprehend the importance of the atoll and stay entertained during their stay. thebrando.com

Soneva Fushi

05 Maldives

Set on a large island in the beautiful Baa Atoll in the Maldives, Soneva Fushi is widely considered to be the original eco-chic hideaway. Offering a deserted island experience Robinson Crusoe-style, this tropical oasis was created by pioneering hoteliers Sonu and Eva Shivdasani. Designed with the most discerning traveler in mind while having minimal impact on the environment, the entire resort is built using natural materials to blend seamlessly into its jungle surroundings. The resort features 64 thatched-roof villas decked out with driftwood furniture and alfresco bathrooms featuring their own gardens. Leading the way for zero waste in the Maldives, Soneva Fushi features its own vegetable garden, a recycling center, a solar power plant and a zero-plastic policy. There is even a glass-blowing studio where discarded glass bottles are turned into works of art. Aside from the art of blowing glass, guests can enjoy a wealth of activities, including stargazing in the huge observatory, epic diving in the protected coral reef and watersports galore (non-motorized, of course). Added to this is the Six Senses spa – the height of eco-friendly luxury.

USP

Working with the NGO Common Seas, Soneva Fushi has evolved its zero-waste policy into a wider strategy to change how waste is handled Maldives-wide. soneva.com