Luxury and the Caribbean are a perfect fit. No matter which Caribbean island is visited, vacationers are sure to find world-class service and amenities; everything needed to live in ultimate comfort and serenity. Below are the best of the best when it comes to ultimate luxury in the Caribbean:

The Atlantis Resort, Bahamas

This Caribbean luxury resort resting on the island of Bahamas is based on the mythical city of Atlantis that sunk in the bottom of the sea, and the mythology is incorporated in the making of the resort. The Atlantis comes equipped with fantasy underwater attractions; 15 underwater chambers, an aquarium where guests can view sharks, jellyfish and an array of aquatic and marine life.

The Atlantic Resort boasts 2300 rooms each with a view of the ocean. Many guests flock here every year to experience service like no other. Suites feature the latest in technology and opulence and the spacious layout of each suite makes the cost well worth it. Rooms at The Atlantis range between US$420 to US$2,693 per night.

Dining at the Atlantis Resort offers everything to tantalize your taste buds. Guests can choose from a selection of food that ranges from gourmet delights offered by Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill or the best eatery from renowned restaurant, Nobu, to an express food service. The Caribbean luxury resort has 22 restaurants, 20 bars and lounges and serves casual food as well as buffet style food.

For a little fun in the sun, this Caribbean luxury resort has two white sand beaches: Paradise Beach and Paradise Lagoon beach. Guests can also enjoy swimming, parasailing, snorkeling, gambling or hitting the Mandara spa for a little relaxation on their Caribbean luxury vacation.

Four Seasons, Nevis

The accolade of a five diamond rating doesn't come easy. The highest rating the AAA gives for resorts has been achieved by The Four Seasons on the beautiful island of Nevis. Guests to this Caribbean luxury resort are personally greeted by staff and escorted to their rooms upon arriving. Once in their rooms a spacious paradise greets them. Equipped with high tech gadgets and a decor that reflects European charm with flair of Caribbean elegance, each room comes with a view of the ocean or the mountains and starts at US$695 per night.

There is an award-winning spa, white sand beaches, and many water activities. This 196 room Caribbean luxury retreat boasts an 18-hole golf course, horseback riding on the beach, and succulent Caribbean dishes to die for.

Parrot Cay Resort and Spa, Turks and Caicos

This little slice of heaven is a sanctuary for vacationers who value their privacy. Known for its seclusion, this Caribbean luxury resort has played host to many VIPs and celebrities such as Demi Moore, Bruce Willis and Paul McCartney, and even to pirates who once used its seclusion as a hideout in the 17th century.

With three miles of white sand beach, Parrot Cay is perfect for basking in the sun, swimming and doing whatever you want. Everything you need to make your Caribbean luxury vacation a treasured experience.

There are 38 places of accommodation at Parrot Cay, from one to three bedrooms villas that can go to as much as US$10,000 per night, rooms starting at US$315 per night, beach house properties (US$1,800) or one bedroom suites starting at US$900 per night.

Enjoy fine dining at the Como Shambhala retreat where guests can also participate in yoga and other therapeutic treatments.

Winner of 2007's Ultimate Butler Award, Parrot Cay is as much as Caribbean luxury vacation spot as it is a real tourist magnet. With the various activities and resort facilities available, guests never want to leave this secluded beauty. Mark the Parrot Cay Resort on your map whenever you feel like taking a luxury vacation in the Caribbean.

Half Moon Golf, Tennis and Beach Resort, Jamaica

Sitting on 400 acres of perfectly manicured grounds, Half Moon in tourist hotspot Montego Bay is the ideal Caribbean luxury vacation spot. Half Moon boasts 51 swimming pools, an 18-hole golf course, a spa, six gourmet restaurants, shops, spacious accommodations and the best of Montego Bay's white sand beaches, so you can rest assured that there will be no shortness of luxury in this Caribbean resort.

Accommodations at Half Moon include 47 guest rooms, 174 suites and 32 villas, each decorated to reflect the architectural history of the island, blending old-world European charm with the bold prints and colors of modern Caribbean decorating. These luxurious accommodations come complete with a view of the garden or ocean and many other luxurious features. Rooms start at US$205 per night and villas start at US$1,175 per night depending on the season and the type of villa in which you choose to vacation.

Ritz Carlton, US Virgin Island

This Caribbean luxury resort found on the island of St. Thomas is east of Puerto Rico and rests on 15 acres of beautifully landscapes lawns. Accommodations at the 180-room Caribbean luxury resort start at US$1800 per night and may come complete with the latest technology, a king- sized or double bed, marble bathroom and even a telescope for stargazing, depending on the type of room you book.

The Caribbean luxury resort features haute cuisine, tennis, golf, sailing, scuba diving and an amazing spa service among countless others. This is definitely a place to visit on your luxury trip to the Caribbean.

Sandy Lane, Barbados

Sandy Lane is the ultimate Caribbean luxury resort found in St. James, Barbados. Resting on 800 acres of a former plantation, the driveway to this Caribbean treasure is often lined with the finest chauffeured cars. Sandy Lane features a state-of-the-art spa that offers hydrotherapy, meditation and yoga.

A non-stop amusement spot, Sandy Lane has myriad activities for adults and children that range from sailing to golfing

There are 112 luxury rooms and suites at the resort, averaging a spacious 900 square feet and boasting a plasma flat screen. A stay at this Caribbean luxury resort is least expensive in the summer with an average of US$1500 per night, but it increases to US$1800 and US$2000 in the fall and winter respectively.

So whenever you want to be treated like royalty in a setting that is a real class act to say the least, the luxury resorts of the Caribbean is where you need to be.

“Not even the jet-liners of today can meet the rigorous luxury standards set forth by the "Clipper." Fashionable staterooms, and an air of opulence to the interior, which included a de-luxe suite and dining saloon.” Sleeping accommodation was available, although on most services passengers slept ashore during the overnight stops.

Gone for Good?

In spite of the enormous area the sea offers for aircraft to alight on, the days of large flying boats appear to be over forever. They've been elbowed out of the sky by jets that touch down alongside comfortable airport terminals with shelter and shops.

Large flying boats may be gone, but tiny ones are thriving. It's as if the flying boat, which began as a small craft (often with no more than a pilot and a passenger) and then evolved into a monster, has finally found its rightful place in the world.

A Little Bit of History

The idea of the flying-boat has never left the imagination of inventors and builders. Even before men could conceive how to fly, the thought of boats that could both sail and fly were dwelt upon. Back in 1670, a Jesuit priest, Francesco de Lana Terzi, drew a model of an aerial ship. Though his model would not have worked in practice it actually laid the ground for the development of hot-air balloons and airships. In the late 19th century, a magazine produced by novelist Frank Reade frequently presented illustrations of imaginatively drawn flying boats on its covers.

But the first flying boat to be worthy of the name was built by Frenchman Henri Fabre. On the 28th of March 1910, he successfully took off from the water and safely "landed" again. The machine's official name was Hydravion, (a combination of the words relating to water and air or flying) but it was nicknamed, Le Canard, the “Duck.” Amazingly, Fabre, who became better know for his work on the floats used on later seaplanes, had never flown before - even as a passenger.

The next pioneer of note in this arena was the American, Glenn Curtiss. Curtiss was to spend a lifetime experimenting with flying boats, and made constant improvements to his inventions. His original hydro aeroplane took off less than a year after Fabre's, on the 26th January, 1911, but not content with that success, he made improvements and flew his hydro aeroplane out to the cruiser USS Pennsylvania where it was moored on the San Diego harbour, alighted beside her, paid the crew a courtesy visit, and flew home again. The Navy was so impressed they placed an order for their first floatplane soon after. By 1912, Curtiss had so improved his plane that wealthy sportsmen, as well as the US Army and Navy all purchased versions of it.

Meanwhile in Britain, a Mr Wakefield of Blackpool, concerned for some time that planes landing on the ground were often damaged, reasoned that planes landing on water would be less liable to injury. He was scoffed at, but pursued his theory when he heard of Curtiss' work, and in 1912 he produced the Water Hen, which flew daily throughout that year without mishap.

For the next few decades, until the 1950s, flying boats were as common as planes that landed on the earth. They were used extensively in the First World War, having the advantage of being able to use a convenient piece of water as a "landing strip." This meant that flying boats could depart off the coast of England, for instance, rather than from an inland airfield, thus saving fuel.

In the 1930s, the flying boat became the luxury passenger craft. (In fact the world's first passenger service used a Benoist flying boat, carrying one passenger between St Petersburg and Tampa in the USA, over a period of several months, at the rate of $5 a trip.) Flying boats became bigger and bigger: people could walk round comfortably on them, sleep on them, and generally behave as if they were at some classy hotel.

Furthermore, in the Second World War, they also played a significant part. The largest plane ever built, Howard Hughes' HK-1 (or "Spruce Goose") was produced as a war machine. Unfortunately, in spite of the enormous expense of building her, she flew no more than a mile in her lifetime. She lifted 70 feet off the water, at a top speed of 80 miles per hour, and then made a perfect landing. Now she resides in the Michael King Smith Evergreen Aviation Educational Center in Oregon.

The End of One Era, The Beginning of Another

Soon after the Second World War, the age of large flying boats was superseded by the age of ground-landing planes. The number of operational flying boats dwindled over the next several decades until they became a thing that the current generation knows nothing about.

Nevertheless small flying boats carrying no more than three people are once again becoming the norm. They're still expensive to buy, but they're a great vehicle for people for whom landing strips aren't a viable option because the places they want to go are rivers, or lakes amongst forests.

Let's take a look at some of the craft that are now available. The difference between the original models and the modern ones is that many of the modern craft are kitsets, or models that can be "wrapped up." (The only time the original flying boats were wrapped up was if Nature or a false landing did the job for them.)

Take the Catalina range, for instance. The Catalina can carry two people up front and a third behind, with plenty of room for baggage. Furthermore with full tank capacity added, this little plane can fly for up to ten hours.

The floats on modern planes are called sponsors. In the Catalina's case they are made of foam-filled fibreglass attached to the lift struts and can be used as entry or docking steps as well. But flying boats also need landing gear, which has to work both on sea and land. Thus as well as sponsors and the retraction mechanism needed for water landing, the Catalinas have hydraulic brakes and tyres.

A particular advantage of modern flying boats is their ability to be folded up -the Catalina, for instance, takes about ten minutes to fold the flaperons back without any need to disconnect them, and then the whole craft can be put on a trailer and driven home!

A different kind of seaplane is the Flying Inflatable Boat. This is one of the class of ultralights, and these models have been used widely by luxury hotels and naval special missions and Greenpeace. The FIB's ability to take off and land on all water surfaces is one of its great advantages. Unlike the Catalina, the passengers are not enclosed in a cabin.

However, the pontoon or sponson system, popular in the ultralight field, was not found safe and seaworthy for a weight shifting machine - for the same reason that single hull craft perform better in rough seas than catamarans. (The Catalina has a single hull.)

The FIB is of the Rigid Inflatable Boat type, which means it permits safe take-offs and landings in fairly rough seas, as the boat can jump from one wave to another until it reaches its take-off speed. The boat's design also protects the whole machine (including the propeller) from big waves, leaving the pilot, passenger, and engine dry. And even in bad landings, the boat slips around to avoid capsizing and damage.

There are great advantages in this type of craft: it can take off in 150ft and six inches of water depth. It can be assembled in 15 minutes, and stores easily in a garage. You don't even need a pilot's license to fly the FIB (though as with most ultralights you'll be expected to take at least a ten-hour instruction course.) It can fly as high as 10,000ft, and you can even shut the engine off and glide back down to the water, landing without power.

There's still a place for flying boats in the search and rescue arena, and in aerial and maritime surveillance. One craft, Seawolf, is specially designed for such work and can be equipped with stabilised FLIR (Forward Looking Infrared) with video camera and Digital Multi-Spectral Imaging System for the most sophisticated of such roles. The Seawolf can even collect oil and water samples. It has a 14 hours flight endurance, excellent visibility, radar and navigation capability. It's also available with rescue pods for land or sea and for different climates from the Arctic to tropical areas.

It's unlikely any of us will ever take a trip on a luxury flying boat, more's the pity, but at least the excellent concept of a plane that can land on water has never been entirely dismissed.

Golf just doesn't get any better than in Tucson, where golfers have a wide array of courses to choose from which present a myriad of challenges for all handicaps. Some of Tucson's courses are rated among the top 75 Resort Courses by Golf Digest magazine and ranked in the Top 10 of International Golf Resorts by Conde Nast Traveler magazine.

Where To Tee Off

In Southern Tucson, the Arizona National Golf Club, Forty Niner Golf Club and The Lodge at Ventana Canyon are excellent choices for an enjoyable golf vacation.

The Arizona National Golf Club, rated one of the Top 100 Courses in the US by Golf Magazine, is an 18-hole, par-71 course situated along the northeast foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains.

In addition to the Golf Magazine designation, the Arizona Republic has recognized Arizona National Golf Club, which is home to the Arizona Wildcats, as the Top Golf Course in Tucson. Panoramic views of mountain vistas, giant saguaros and nine natural springs provide the backdrop for this Robert Trent Jones, Jr. designed course. The 6,785-yard course meanders among the foothills of the mountains, across shady mesquite lined arroyos and craggy rock outcroppings to provide classic desert-style golf challenges.

The golf club provides practice facilities and a state-of-the-art teaching and instruction facility where golfers can warm-up or improve their skills. The double-ended, full length driving range offers turf hitting surfaces and bunkered target greens. Bermuda grass putting and chipping greens are also available.

The Forty Niner Country Club, a semi-private course that has hosted both PGA and LPGA tour events, is an 18-hole, par-72 course nestled between the Catalina and Rincon Mountains.

Mesquite, giant cottonwoods, eucalyptus and weeping willow trees provide a serene and peaceful setting for this traditional William Frances Bell designed course. The 6,641-yard course stretches out along a wooded riverbed. Its rolling fairways, lined with an assortment of desert shrubbery, provide serious and casual golfers a myriad of challenges. Practice facilities, a full-length driving range, putting and chipping areas, are available for pre-game warm ups to members and non-members, there is a daily fee for non-members. Private, semi-private and group instructions are available upon request.

The Lodge at Ventana Canyon, featuring two 18-hole, par-72 championship Tom Fazio designed courses sculpted into the Santa Catalina foothills. Listed at number three on the Top Ten List of Golf Courses in the Southwest, The Lodge at Ventana Canyon has received numerous accolades including Arizona's Best Resort Course (1995) from Golf Digest, Top 50 Golf Courses (1997, 1995) from Links Magazine, One of America's Best Golf Courses (Mountain Course 1996, 1994-1992; Canyon Course 1996, 1994, 1993) from Golfweek and Top 25 Best Golf Resorts (June 1997) from Condé Nast Traveler.

Winding through the canyons and arroyos of this fabulous 600-acre high Sonoran Desert preserve are the Mountain Course, a classic desert style course with many changes in elevation and several elevated tees, and the Canyon Course, which winds through Esperro Canyon. The lush Sonoran desert foliage and roaming wildlife such as deer, roadrunners, rabbits and bobcats provide an unforgettable golfing experience from the first through 18th hole. Its practice facilities include a full swing area, short game range, sand bunker and two full size putting greens.

Where To Stay

Both on and off the golf course, Tucson caters to all your vacation needs.In addition to Hotel, Bed and Breakfast and Golf Resort accommodations, luxurious condominiums and executive estates are available for leasing on a weekly or monthly basis throughout the area. Many of these homes, come with internet access; cable television; fireplace; outdoor swimming pool and patio; Jacuzzi; and preferred rates and tee times to nearby golf courses. Others, like The Casitas at Sabino Springs Luxury Golf Condos, which is situated 150 yards away from the Clubhouse at Arizona National, are either a short five or ten minutes drive away or within walking distance of one or more of Tucson's golf courses.

If you enjoy gazing across the horizon, then Casitas at Sabino Springs is just the place for you according to homeowner, Bill Anderson. “Our guests can enjoy spectacular views of the lush fairways and majestic mountains while sitting on their private patio.” Each luxury condo includes two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a full kitchen, a dining area and a great room, washer/dryer, 3 flat screen televisions.” For those wanting a daily workout, the Casitas' exercise facility features a pool; hot tub; and spacious air conditioned workout room inclusive of 3 different types of stair steppers, 2 treadmills, 2 stationary bikes, a sit-up bench, a back and abdominal machine, and a Paramount Fit 3000 fitness center machine with 4 weight stations.

Whether you are an avid golfer or simply want to enjoy a well-deserved vacation in the beautiful, sunny Tucson foothills, luxury condos and executive estates offer a luxurious alternative for the comfort of one's own home.

Top Restaurants for Great Meals

Tucson's nightlife offers the perfect setting for a memorable dining experience at the end of the day. For fine dining in Southern Tucson, Anthony's in The Catalina's; Café Terra Cotta; Mama Louisa's; Saguaro Corners Restaurant and Texas T-Bone Steak are popular choices with locals and tourists.

Anthony's in the Catalina's 6440 North Campbell Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85718,

520-299-1771; Anthony's, which has been rated one of the Top Ten Restaurants in the Tucson area by Restaurant Row, offers a traditional Continental cuisine in an romantic setting. Situated on a hill above the city, guests can enjoy the spectacular view of the city's lights on a clear night or nature's heavenly beauty as bursts of lightening light up the skies on a stormy night. Reservations are recommended.

Café Terra Cotta 3500 East Sunrise Drive, Tucson, AZ 85718, 520-577-8100; A Tucson tradition for 15 years, Café Terra Cotta, which has been rated one of the Top Ten Restaurants in the Tucson area by Restaurant Row, offers a Southwestern-style cuisine. Terra Cotta's menu changes weekly to coincide with what foods are available in local markets. Some of the featured entrees are mesquite-smoked lamb chops served with a mint and papaya salsa, pork adobado in a dry spice marinade garnished with black beans and a hot-sweet apricot-chili conserve or grilled swordfish.

Mama Louisa's Italian Restaurant 2041 S Craycroft Road Tucson, AZ 85711 520-790-4702; Mama Louisa's Italian Restaurant features Italian and seafood cuisines in a casual yet romantic atmosphere. This award-winning restaurant has a full-service bar, off-premise catering, and is wheelchair accessible.

Saguaro Corners Restaurant 3750 South Old Spanish Trail, Tucson, AZ 85730, 520-886-5424; Saguaro Corners Restaurant, which has been rated one of the Top Ten Restaurants in the Tucson area by Restaurant Row, provides dinner guests with a spectacular view of desert vegetation and natural wildlife through its floor to ceiling picture windows. Saguaro Corners' diverse menu includes hamburgers, seafood, steaks and vegetarian dishes. Reservations are recommended.

Texas T-bone Steakhouse 8981 E Tanque Verde Rd Tucson, AZ 85749 520-760-8599; The Texas T-bone Steakhouse is a popular choice for families. In addition to its signature T-bone steak, the country-style steakhouse rounds out its menu with chicken and fish entrees for those wanting an alternative to beef.

In the mid to late thirties the pinnacle of gracious travel was to take a trip in one of the brand new luxury flying-boats. Air travel was only just beginning to grow up, and with the lack of proper airfields and tarmac surfaces to land on, the flying-boat was a very popular form of air transport, able to land almost anywhere and allowing large, heavily-laden aircraft to use as much take-off space as they needed.

The popularity of the newships in the sky, and the resultant shrinking of the world gave birth to a variety of new airlines with such diverse names as Servico Aereo Condor, Pacific Marine Airways, Kohler Aviation's Milwaukee Detroit Airline, and of course Pan American Airways.

In England Imperial Airways launched their fleet of Empire Line Flying-boats boasting the very last word in elegant and modern travel. These innovative aircraft from Short Brothers of Rochester, the world's first ever aircraft manufacturing company and builders of the Wright Flyer in England, were the first aircraft built with two decks. They offered spacious accommodation for their twenty-four passengers, and a gross five ton payload of passengers, freight and mail, although their eighteen ton fully loaded un-braced monoplane hulls would need all the space of an open sea-way to operate from. Passenger comfort was so important on board the big boats that Imperial Airways even researched and patented their own passenger seat which they named the Imperial Airways Adjustable Chair, manufactured by Accles and Pollock and weighing in at only 18 lbs (just over 8 kilos).

The whole trip with Imperial Airways had the air of the de-luxe, with the passengers being taken in comfort from Waterloo station in a special pullman parlour car right to the docks at Southampton, where they were conveyed by motor launch to the Empire Line Flying-boat gently riding the waves in Southampton Water. The ground-breaking design of the Short Brothers' Empire Boat was born out of plans to launch a flat-rate air mail service throughout the Empire, and the new plane was so good that twenty-eight were ordered straight from the drawing-board.

By the end of 1937 all twenty-eight of the big Boats with their 800 mile range, powered by four Bristol Pegasus 920hp engines, were in service and several of them regularly ran on the England-Australia route in a series of easy stages, flying by day and covering the journey in a little over a week. This was fast travel indeed in those days, with the planes sometimes achieving 200mph, but the air of luxurious relaxation was still maintained, with passenger comfort, quality of cuisine and level of steward service still of paramount importance; Imperial Airways regularly served six and seven course dinners in the air!

There was a midships cabin for six passengers behind the kitchen, and a promenade cabin housed a further eight passengers below a loft for bedding stowage. Cocktails were always available and the well-heeled passengers could expect personal service from their cabin stewards. No detail was overlooked in providing the very best for the new air travellers, whether on board the aircraft in the form of food and comfort, or in the special support services used to ensure the smooth running of the whole experience. Imperial Airways even provided a fleet of 60 sea-going motor launches powered by twin 100 hp engines with a respectable 35 knots top speed as mobile control vessels.

In America Pan American Airways launched their famous Clipper service using the huge Boeing 314 flying boats, but to the American speed of travel was of prime importance, and Pan American never quite matched Imperial Airways for luxury and opulence. There was no telling how far the Empire service might have gone or how big the Flying-boats would become, there were already plans for bigger and faster Flying-boats projected for 1940, when the Second World War intervened.

Suddenly the world was a different place. Imperial Airways' demise in 1940 and its replacement by BOAC saw the end of the special Empire Style of luxury air travel. Seventeen of the S23 Empire flying-boats were used by BOAC on the East Africa - Australia route with all their luxury fittings removed for extra seating, while the rest of the Empire flying-boats were used as troop carriers and formed the nucleus of the Royal Australian Air Force. A mere thirteen of the entire Imperial fleet of S.23, S.30 & S.33 flying-boats survived the war, only to be sent straight to the breakers yard, although when BOAC later replaced their remaining converted military Sunderlands they sold them to Aquila Airways for regular services to the Mediterranean.

The last ever flying-boat operated out of Britain in 1958, for the rapid advances in facilities for land-based aircraft necessitated by the war; the building of proper long tarmac runways for the heavy bombers, coupled with the high running costs of operating a sea-based service which had a relatively low return per operating mile, meant that the days of the big flying-boats were numbered. The necessary speed of evolution of technology demanded by the war, and the changed world in which Britons found themselves in those post war years - the years of austerity and the continuation of rationing - all meant that the rich leisured sky traveller had become a thing of the past and the big luxury flying-boat had become redundant.

Whether you enjoyed flying Clipper Cruises as advertised by Pan American Airways or flew in perfect comfort as an Imperial Airways brochure of the period promised, you were certainly experiencing a very special type of travel, very much of its own time. A world encapsulated in that particular between-the-wars era that would never be seen again, where the romance of travelling by luxury flying-boat would be looked back on with nostalgia even by those too young to have known them. The world of Jeeves and Wooster, bright young things and the Orient Express.

Special features:

• Private Jacuzzi
• Internet Wifi connection
• Mini bar
• Plasma Tv
• Soundproof

The Penthouse suite at Hotel Martinez is located in Cannes, France. For $37,200 per night, guests can have a luxurious stay at Hotel Martinez. The penthouse suite has very beautiful views of the Mediterranean. Famous celebrities who have stayed in this suite were Elton John and Elizabeth Taylor.

PRESIDENT WILSON HOTEL: Royal Penthouse Suite for $35,000/night

Special features:

• Private Elevator
• Bulletproof doors and windows
• Mini bar
• Internet Wifi service

The Royal Penthouse suite at President Wilson Hotel is located in Geneva, Switzerland. It has spectacular views of Lake Geneva and the alps. Not every one can stay in this royal floor because it is only reserved for Head of states and celebrities. For $35,000 a night, they will enjoy a contemporary style hotel suite and full security. The famous politician who stayed here is former U.S President Woodrow Wilson.

GRAND RESORT LAGONISSI: Royal Villa for $34,088/night

Special features:

• Private Coastline
• Indoor Pool
• Outdoor heated pool
• Billiard table
• Private Gym
• Equipped Kitchen

The Royal Villa at Grand Resort Lagonissi is located in Athens, Greece. The picture says it all. It has spectacular views of the mountains and sea. The resort villa is definitely exclusive for the rich and famous with a whopping rate of $34,088 per night.

BURJ AL ARAB: Royal Suite for $ 28,000/night

Special features:

• Private Cinema
• Private Elevator
• Marble and Gold Staircase
• Rolls Royce BMW or helicopter as transport

Burj Al Arab is located in United Arab Emirates. There are no rooms in this hotel, just suites. It is the world's tallest hotel and is already an international landmark. For as little as $2,274.05, one can already stay for a night in one of their suites. The most expensive suite is the Royal Suite with a rate of $28,000 per night / 4 adults and 2 kids only. Former U.S President Bill Clinton has stayed here.

THE ATLANTIS: The Atlantis Bridge Suite for $25,000/night

Special features:

• Kitchen
• Lots of gold decors
• Bar lounge
• Entertainment center

The Atlantis Bridge Suite at The Atlantis is located on top of a bridge that connects the two Royal Towers buildings at Paradise Island, Bahamas. It overlooks the entire marina and resort. It is definitely a one of a kind hotel suite experience. Some famous guests in the suite included Oprah Winfrey, Bill Gates, Donald Trump and Michael Jordan.

The island of the Bahamas was first inhabited around 600 and 800 ad by the Lucayans which arrived from Cuba and Hispaniola. These Indians called this area Baja Mar which means shallow seas in Spanish.

The Lucayans met with Columbus on his first voyage in 1492, on the island of San Salvador. This is where Columbus traded foods and native spices.

After Columbus's landfall in the New World, slave traders captured the Lucayans to work at gold mines in Hispaniola. The other Lucayans died from disease by the European's measles and influenza, and by 1515 the entire population of the Lucayans had deceases.

The islands where then uninhabited until 1647, when Englishmen from Bermuda settled on Eleuthera.

The Bahamas were eventually crowned by Brittan in 1718 and where inhabited by loyalists from New York, Florida, and the Carolinas.

The country of the Bahamas is an independent country that is part of The Commonwealth of the Nations.

The commonwealth of the nation is an organization that shares economic background and has equal interaction with each other. The president of this organization is The Queen of the United Kingdom.

Arriving on a small plane into Savu Savu on the island of Vanua Levu , we had already left the comparative civilization of Viti Levu , the more populated island. A short drive, bouncing over a metal road, bought us to Namale.

Bures

Rooms in resorts in Fiji are given the name of the local houses, ‘bures'. Here there were only 16 spacious, secluded rooms, set apart from each other amongst swaying coconut palms. The floors are polished local wood and wooden shutters surround the rounded bure. Everything is luxurious, from the beautiful bathroom to the canopied bed that is embellished with a tropical flower each night.

Guests can dine romantically in pairs, there are no children here. If it is dry weather, the tables are set up outside for meals during the day and at night, there is the option of dining in groups. By the time a guest has enjoyed some of the activities with others staying at the resort, they become good friends.

While we were there, we had such a great group of people with us that we were like old friends within a short time. The atmosphere was so relaxed, that one of our group who was a chef, convinced the kitchen that he could cook us a meal one evening, and he did.

Activities

The more active tossed about on a ‘banana' raft in the day or went scuba diving. I at least tried the horse ride. My husband remarked with amusement, that I reminded him of Billy Crystal in the movie, ‘City Slickers' since I nervously talked to the horse until it finally ended up going around in circles in confusion. I managed to compose myself and the horse long enough to ride to the top of a hill, through a local village, to admire the view across the turquoise sea.

Another day, we joined some of the others and took a guided trek to a waterfall. We passed some young New Zealanders training with the Fijian army. One told me of his horrendous night on this dreadful, sticky hot island as he had been nearly devoured alive by mosquitoes as he lay in his dirt trench. Somehow, his experience of Vanua Levu and mine were worlds apart.

The trek was fun and informative. Our guide pointed out local flora and how each had healing properties. When we reached the waterfall it was fresh and cool and inviting.

Simply wandering the gardens or dipping in the ocean, either at low tide or high was exhilarating. At low tide, it meant a walk out to the end of the reef, to plunge down into clear warm water to see deeper water coral and sea life. At high tide, the reef was covered and was deep enough for a snorkel to see the tiny forming fish, bright and colourful, that darted in and out of the rocks around the sandy bottomed pools.

The resort has acres of beautiful gardens and is set inside a coconut plantation. It is fascinating to wander to the working part to see how coconuts are processed and the myriad of uses the coconut can be put to. Someone will always be happy to oblige with a demonstration of cutting a coconut to give you a taste of the fresh young milk and white flesh inside. They may even climb the tree with incredible skill to show how these fruit are collected.

Rates

The rate was not cheap, and maybe if I had been able to compare with other resorts of similar price, I might change my mind about Namale taking the prize. But I doubt it. At around US$1000 per night, this is not a budget holiday. But the rate does include all food from morning to night and nearly all activities. For a top rate holiday that can't disappoint, I would highly recommend Namale Plantation.

How To Get There

Fly to Nadi on the island of Viti Levu and take a small plane from here to Savu Savu, or take the hydrofoil. It is best to spend a night in Nadi and if you have longer, there are many day trips and experiences to be enjoyed on this main island. Your travel agent will know the best way for you to get here and the rest is a true rest!

This man-made island structure will cover 14 kilometers (8.7 miles) in length and 8.5 kilometers (5.3 miles) in width and will have an area of 80 square kilometers (861 million square feet.) This island structure is being built from 80 million cubic meters (2.8 million cubic feet) of land dredged from the channel just outside the Emirate’s Jebel Ali Port, which is now being deepened to 17 meters (56 feet). So much land has been dredged up from the water’s bottom that the sand activity can be seen from the space photo of the bay.

The Palm Diera is one of several enormous projects in Dubai that is directed towards the expansion of the tourist industry in the area. Dubai’s government predicts that European tourism, through these palm island projects, will increase to about 15 million visitors annually by 2010. When completed, this incredible resort will include approximately 1200 single-family private beachfront homes, 600 multi-family residences, and aquatic theme park, shopping malls, cinemas, sports facilities, marinas, and clubs. For more information just google Palm Islands and you can check it out for yourself.