Dreaming and Planning Far + Wide
A treasure trove of fresh getaways — a solo surf retreat, worth-it splurges, immersive nature stays, and more.
Today’s bonus post — free for all Way to Go subscribers — highlights the places around the world we’ve been lately:
a biodynamic ranch in Sonoma (pure eco joy)
a solo surf retreat in Costa Rica (beginners welcome)
the OG Aman in Thailand (still awesome)
a swanky tent in Moab (desert vision)
the revamped Belmond Maroma on the Riviera Maya (wow)
72 hours in Peru (whew)
tropical seclusion in the Seychelles (whoa)
You’ll get the gist below, and you can read the full stories on the Fathom website.
A Sonoma Farm Stay That's Regenerative in More Ways Than One
NewTree Ranch’s biodynamic roots are defined by the property’s lush gardens, organic orchards, and an abundance of wildlife, all seamlessly integrated into the surrounding environment, creating a haven for both guests and the local ecosystem. One of NewTree’s most impressive features is hidden away: the majority of the ranch’s energy is supplied by more than 200 solar panels concealed throughout the property, while one hundred percent of its water needs are met by on-site wells.
Break for Pura Vida: A Solo Surf Retreat in Nosara
Step one in a solo surf retreat: Book a lesson. Whenever I surf a new break, I always schedule a session with a local instructor to learn waves and gain confidence in the water. I tried several different schools, but I only fell in love with Agua Tibia, a family-owned, locally staffed school near the entrance of Playa Guiones. They offer board rentals, private and group lessons, and day trips to breathtaking breaks in the area. The best part? After every session, instructors prepare an ice-cold coconut for post-surf hydration. I booked a lesson at 6 a.m. every day for the rest of my trip.
The Original Aman Is Still a Discreet Treat After All These Years
There are no private beaches in Thailand unless, well, you’re at Amanpuri. Geography has blessed this hush-hush haven (the first in Aman's pioneering brand history, circa 1988) with a cove filled with white sand and capped on either side by steep rock formations — rendering it nearly inaccessible to outsiders. Indeed, outsiders is exactly what they call your guests, should they come in for a meal or join you for tennis. “Just to confirm, that’s four of you from rooms 908 and 909, plus two outsiders?” When you’re at an Aman, the outside world tends to fade away.
Got a burning travel dilemma? Send it to the Fathom Travel Shrink.
Your New POV: From a Tented Camp in the Utah Desert
Ulum is an upscale offshoot of Under Canvas, the hospitality company pitching tents at nearly a dozen prime locations near America's popular National Parks. I cannot underscore the beauty of the location they landed in Moab: The camp is in a rock cove on 200 acres of desert overlooking a natural sandstone formation and focal point in the area. Fifty canvas tents on raised platforms are outfitted with big showers, wood-burning stoves, plush beds, and foldout couches. A modern glass building serves as a small restaurant with terraced fire pits, a yoga deck, and a pair of dipping pools.
All Hail the New Maroma in Riviera Maya
The lush, low-lying jungle ends when it hits the expansive white sand beach and turquoise waters. Pretty simple, pretty perfect. What makes Maroma, a Belmond Hotel extra special is how close to the beach everything is. The structures were originally built in the 1970s by a Mexican architect, who started with a beachside restaurant and added palapas over time as friends started asking for a place to spend the night, lending a small village feel to the 200-acre resort. The rooms are all hacienda-style. Our suite had a well stocked mini bar, a hammock on the patio, and — Virgo bliss! — an outdoor shower. The higher the room category, the more opulent the perks, like a dedicated butler, private yoga classes, a chef cooking your meals in your kitchen, your own pool.
72 Hours in Peru? Sí, It Can Be Done
From the minute we arrived at Country Club Lima Hotel, we were greeted with not only the most genuine smiles but also a beautiful (and large!) room with a fabulous patio, raspberry macaroons, and fragrant toiletries (that I shoved into my suitcase to take home). A total added bonus was the pisco sour-making class we took that allowed me to live out my bartender dreams for a minute. After a demonstration and explanation about different piscos, our fabulous bartender handed me the shaker and let me take over.
Embracing Wild Calm in the Seychelles
Nine hundred miles off the coast of East Africa, the Four Seasons Seychelles on Desroches Island is the only property on a three-mile-wide white-sand coral island in the middle of the Indian Ocean. The 20-year-old hotel’s one neighbor, Island Conservation Society, tends to the tortoises in the area, including George, a 120-year old giant Aldabra giant. He's Desroches Island's oldest inhabitant and roams the island freely like he owns the place, because he basically does.