Escape Winter & Indulge: 8 Private Island Getaways

Accessible by such transportation as seaplane or speedboat, private island getaways provide the perfect escape for a romantic honeymoon, anniversary or rendezvous, where days are spent spa-ing, dining underneath the starry skies and splashing in the crystal-clear surf.

Take the plunge and plan on these isle resort spas selected by our Spafinder Wellness 365™ editors for your next destination, or simply read through and dream about your own private island getaway…

Parrot Cay – Providenciales, Turks & Caicos

I once wrote, “If you must escape somewhere, escape to Parrot Cay.” The paradise of pristine, isolated anonymity is a 1,000-acre private island, one of the 40 Turks and Caicos Islands that make up this British colony south of the Bahamas. You’re whisked from airplane to marina to boat for a 35-minute ferry ride; upon arrival, indulge in Eastern-inspired treatments at the hilltop COMO Shambhala Spa (Sanskrit for “center of peace and harmony”), gourmet spa fare and yoga and Pilates classes (Parrot Cay is also known for its extensive retreats)—all in a setting lush with tropical vegetation, sugary beaches and marine life.

Read about our visit to Parrot Cay.

One&Only Reethi Rah, Maldives – North Malé Atoll, Republic of Maldives

Seventy-five minutes by luxury yacht from Male International Airport, the private island One&Only Reethi Rah in the Maldives, an archipelago in the Indian Ocean and about 400 miles southwest of India, is home to the One&Only Spa, in collaboration with ESPA. The spa is exquisitely designed with bamboo, thatch, Batu Chandi stone and Burmese teak and showcases crystal steam rooms, vitality pools, open-air relaxation pavilions and a watsu pool. Luxury exudes beyond the spa, with over-water and beach villa accommodations and an open-air chi pavilion that sits lagoonside.

One&Only Hayman Island, Great Barrier Reef – Queensland, Australia

Set within a private island resort not far from Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, this property is on my spa wish list. The vibrantly blue Coral Sea sweeps up along pristine beaches, and One&Only Hayman Spa, a wellness-oriented oasis, sits cozily among verdant vegetation and water features. Designed in a nature-inspired esthetic evocative of its Whitsunday Islands surroundings—colored flora, exotic animals and translucent sea waters—the resort also boasts four world-class restaurants. Romantic touches include firepits on the beach and couple’s spa treatments.

Shangri-La’s Le Touessrok Resort & Spa – Trou D’Eau Douce, Flacq, Mauritius

While the beachfront Shangri-La’s Le Touessrok Resort & Spa, along the shores of Mauritius’ eastern coast, is not a secluded isle per se, guests of the five-star resort can island hop with exclusive access to Ilot Mangénie, a private island a short boat ride away, home to a beach club, on-island butlers and, in the center of the island, freshwater springs. On its “big sister” island of Ile aux Cerfs, you’ll find the 18-hole Bernhard Langer-designed championship golf course; back on the mainland, you’ll feel pampered with treatments at Chi, The Spa.