Luxury Honeymoons - a Luxury Explorer guide

Amanjena, which translated means peaceful paradise, is like a dream or hazy mirage; pinch yourself while you're there though and then you'll discover it's for real. A realisation dawns on you about staying in a 'peaceful paradise' such as this; "there is no disguise which can hide love for long where it exists, or simulate it where it does not." La Rochefoucauld. This is the perfect retreat for those seeking to enjoy time away together, away from their normal existence; but it is not for those who need something or someone else alone to provide the stimulation in order to enjoy themselves...

If unwinding usually takes you a day or two, then at Amanpuri it will take only seconds. A Sanskrit word meaning 'place of peace', Amanpuri lives up to its name with ease. Located on the west coast of Phuket, Thailand's largest Island, the resort is nestled in a mature coconut plantation at the end of a perfect, private, soft cream beach. The sun sets dramatically over the ocean and most evenings you can admire nature's 'dusk delight' with an ornate cocktail and some delicate Thai nibbles from your private terrace, at the bar, or sun-kissed on a lounger at the beach.

To have it all in paradise you really need mountains, intense green vegetation, lakes, and unspoilt long white beaches with nearby live coral reefs crawling with spectacular sea-life; the final ingredient comes from the most important planet in our universe, the Sun. From Her you need year-round shine creating spectacular sunsets that streak the sky with rich warm mesmerizing reds. This untainted, and for many undiscovered, paradise is Lombok but the place to live out your wildest paradisiacal dreams in true style, is The Oberoi Lombok.

More than 250 years ago, an Indian playboy prince of the royal Mewar dynasty - whose blue blood lineage was traceable back to the Sun God - scandalised his parents by taking moonlight picnics with young women within earshot of members of the court. He responded by commissioning construction, in 1746, of his own unique hideaway, whose true purpose was kept a secret. Dubbed the 'Pleasure Palace' by his architects, it was placed on an island in the middle of a lake - far away from prying eyes - and little known to his parents, the partying continued...

We have just had the undeniable pleasure, the outrageous good fortune, to stay, yet again, in the cool and 'breezy-white' Junior Suite at Casa Angelina in Praiano on the Amalfi Coast. The intoxicating views from here seem to increase in intensity each time we return, perhaps because it was raining last time, but this was a noteworthy stay in a warm, relaxed and genuinely hospitable environment. Spumante is now replaced by house champagne and, as a small team, embarking on our Amalfi update, we stood mesmerised, bubbles in hand, excited by the prospects of our forthcoming jaunts...

The Oberoi Bali sits peacefully, and discreetly, in the southern triangle of Bali's flat land on the much sought after Seminyak beach. The beach is perhaps the most beautiful in Bali, gently curving and meandering its soft silky bulk for about 8km and bathers can surf all year round. The much-lauded sunsets, from blood-orange to streaky pink, are also on offer. The Oberoi Bali is distinctively and sympathetically Balinese benefiting from 15 acres of tropical garden with the pungent smell of frangipani permeating the sea breeze. In the nearby villages there is still a refreshing Balinese flavour with buildings no taller than the tallest coconut tree.