Travel News: Price you pay for seclusion

YOU know you're staying somewhere special when Joan Collins has just checked out of the villa you're checking into. In fact, only a few minutes have passed between her departure and my arrival, and a faint trace of Chanel No. 5 still hangs in the air.

The legendary Hollywood actress chose one of the eight super-luxury Pangkor Laut Estates, hidden away on a tiny island off Malaysia's west coast, for her latest honeymoon (her fifth at the last count).

And who can blame her?

These jaw-dropping private estates – each with its own stretch of tropical beach, aqua-blue swimming pool, breezy lounge and dining pavilions, butler and chef – are the essence of a new, and rapidly growing, trend at the very top end of the international travel market.

It's also one that redefines the meaning of paradise islands.

Some are so new, you may not have heard of them; others are so exclusive – and expensive – that only a privileged few can afford to stay there.

All, however, provide the sort of fantasy island escape that dreams are made of, and only money can buy.

Likuliku Lagoon Resort, Fiji
IT'S so new it hasn't even opened yet, but from February 1 next year, the couples-only Likuliku Lagoon Resort will have Fiji's first over-water bures.

Located in the Mamanuca islands, 10 minutes by helicopter or seaplane or 30 minutes by speedboat from Nadi, Likuliku will offer five-star luxury in a magical setting.

With only 46 bures, 10 of them suspended over a coral-reef lagoon and the remainder set along a stretch of pristine beach, Likuliku promises to be a tranquil oasis where guests can relax and pamper themselves in privacy and luxury.

Fregate Private Island, Seychelles
FOUR degrees south of the Equator, this spectacular island is home to some of the rarest flora and fauna on the planet, one of the world's most beautiful beaches, and a resort for just 40 guests that's so beautiful it almost defies description.

With only 16 super-luxury villas, each with a large terrace, a day bed and a jacuzzi positioned to take in the breathtaking Indian Ocean views, the reality of Fregate Private Island far outshines any images in a glossy holiday brochure.

Pangkor Laut Estates, Malaysia
HIDDEN from view on Marina Bay, a short drive from the 148-villa resort of the same name, Pangkor Laut Estates are the haven of choice for captains of industry, movie stars and the seriously wealthy.

Set alongside a crescent-shaped beach and shrouded in rainforest, the eight residences are the last word in luxury, recapturing the lifestyle and atmosphere of old Asia.

With infinity-edge swimming pools and landscaped gardens

Four Seasons Resort Estates, Bali
THIS iconic resort, on a hillside overlooking Jimbaran Bay, has a swag of international travel awards to its credit, but few guests realise an even more private, exclusive and luxurious retreat lies just next door.

The Four Seasons Resort Estates, only metres from the waves lapping gently on Jimbaran Beach, offer families or a group of friends the opportunity to relax and unwind in a residential setting complete with swimming pools, tropical gardens, massage pavilions, audio-visual systems and a small army of staff.

[Source from http://www.news.com.au/travel]