Croatia is home to one of Europe’s last unspoilt coastal destinations. There are 1,185 islands sprinkled along over a thousand miles of coastline (mostly uninhabited) with hidden coves, ancient forests, Roman ruins, medieval villages and National Parks….

We think that the best way to explore the area is by boat, and we have a superb selection of gulets, yachts and motor cruisers available for charter.  ‘Our man in Croatia’ knows all the boats and, perhaps even more importantly, all the best skippers and crews.  Wherever you choose to sail (and we can advise on all possible itineraries), you will not be disappointed.  And snorkelling in Croatia is fabulous fun for all the family too.  Find out more about sailing in Croatia.

For those that would prefer to spend their holiday on dry land, we have a small collection of hand-picked hotels and a couple of delightful private cottages too.  These charming private residences (3 bedroom cottage vis and 4 bedroom house vis), are both on the pretty island of Vis, whilst our featured hotels are sprinkled along the coastline.  For Dubrovnik, we recommend the aptly named Hotel Bellevue for wonderful views and a lovely little spa, plus the advantage of being easy walking distance from Dubrovnik Old Town.  For Hvar, stay at Adriana Hvar Spa Hotel, a funky harbourside hotel with a wonderful contemporary spa.  Further north, and ideal for families with older children who like to be active, stay at the excellent Monte Mulini in Rovinj.  The hotel sits on a quiet, scenic bay and is perfectly positioned for numerous activities and excursions.

Find out more about all our luxury holidays in Croatia

We are very pleased to have recently added cruising aboard the ultra-luxurious Silolona to our healthy holiday options.  This truly is a luxury sailing opportunity.

Cruise the warm, clear waters of South East Asia on this fabulous 5 bedroom suite yacht, brimming with understated Indonesian style and staffed by a crew of 17 to look after your every requirement.  There’s an on board Dive Master so this is a boat that’s ideal for scuba divers.  Included within the charter are 2 dives per person per day on board for licensed divers and all other water activities on offer. Padi Dive Courses are extra.

Silolona comes with three Zodiac tenders to whisk you off on excursions or to the beach for a picnic. On board, there’s also kayaks, water skis, windsurfer, wake board and plenty of fishing gear.

In addition to the 5 air-conditioned ensuite bedroom cabins, there’s a spacious teak lounge and dining area with large windows, as well as an on-deck dining and relaxation area where you can enjoy the chef’s international cuisine with an Asian flair.

Many of the islands you may visit have bays of turquoise water and coral reefs – perfect for diving or snorkelling from the boat, or you may wish to simply enjoy dreamy walks along the beach. And, at the end of a busy day diving or exploring, rejuvenating on board spa treatments are a blissful indulgence.

Depending on when you wish to travel, and where the boat is positioned – Silolona is positioned in Indonesia from April to November; and Malaysia, Thailand and Burma from December to March – you can choose to explore remote beaches and dive in the Andaman Sea, visit the tribes of Irian Jaya (Papua) or discover east Bali’s Komodo Dragons.

For further details and to view our picture gallery, please see Silolona

For other ideas and destinations, including Croatia and the Caribbean, please see luxury sailing holidays

South Africa boasts a superb climate that allows you to play golf in the sunshine all year round.  If you want to play during the European summer time, then it’s best to head to the east coast (near Durban) or to the Kruger National Park (fly in to Jo’burg) for perfect weather; if you’re preference is to fly to SA during the European winter, then we would recommend flying further south to Cape Town.

As regards the quality and diversity of the golf courses, it makes little difference.  All regions offer a fantastic selection of courses and our golf aficionado, Oliver, has played almost all of them and can therefore advise the best options for you and your party.  We can, of course, also advise and book you in to all necessary accommodation and, if you wish, work some safari adventures in to your itinerary too.  One of the benefits of choosing South Africa, apart from its fabulous climate, superb golf courses and gorgeous places to stay, is the fact that there’s no jet lag as it is only a one hour difference from the UK.

We have created a handful of sample itineraries for this summer on the east and south east coasts for your consideration (as well in the magnificent Kruger National Park) in order to stimulate your imagination about a great golfing holiday this summer.  Please see golf in South Africa.  These can all be amended to suit you or we can create a completely new itinerary, from scratch, to suit your preferences.

Aava Resort & Spa is located in one of Thailand’s last pristine beach destinations, near the little fishing village of Khanom, and an hour from the airport at Surat Thani.

It opened in 2010 and was recently nominated as one of the 101 Best Hotels in the World in the Tatler Travel Awards.  It’s owned by a Scandinavian and combines Thai and Scandinavian sensibilities.  Namely, it’s stylish, contemporary, slick and uncluttered.

The resort, which sits on a stunning 9km beach, comprises just 28 modern style bungalows and villas, of varying sizes and configurations.  There are also a couple of two bedroom family villas.  Unlike many Thai beach resorts, Aava is exceptionally good value, with a week here (including flights and transfers) costing as little as £1,000.  We think that’s an amazing price.

Apart from the sensational beach and the fabulous snorkeling (particularly around nearby Tan and Raab Islands), guests can enjoy relaxing by the pool, exploring the local countryside, be pampered in the spa and take part in a daily programme of yoga, tai chi and pilates.   For the adventurous, we highly recommend the guided 4km trek to the largest waterfall in southern Thailand, Krung Ching, and the chance to experience the astonishing flora and fauna of the Khao Luang National Park. On another day, we would urge you to embark on a guided kayaking expedition down the river and enjoy the many sights and sounds of the majestic mangrove forest.

For further information and lots of fabulous pictures, please see Aava Resort & Spa

Tailor-made villa holidays are a fabulous way of ensuring that everyone enjoys their perfect holiday, even if everyone in the family or group of friends has different interests.

We have a carefully chosen collection of ‘healthy villas‘ – from 2 to 20 bedrooms – that we can staff for you with our hand-picked team of local or international experts, from chefs and nutritionists, to personal trainers and yoga teachers, to swimming or surfing instructors, nannies and baby sitters, cultural guides, or hiking and biking experts. You can choose to have some or all of them every day or just on the days you wish.

So, where would you like to go?  We have villas in:

Corfu

Andalusia

Ibiza

Sicily

Majorca

Cape Town

Côte d’Azur

Italian Dolomites

Marrakech

We want your holiday to start the moment you get in touch with us and have nearly as much fun planning it as you do experiencing it.  Why not give us a call on 020 8968 0501 (+44 20 8968 0501) to discuss your ideas and requirements…

Even though we already have a superb selection of gulets, yachts and motor cruisers available for charter in Croatia (and Montenegro) we are always on the look out for more great boats and, importantly, great skippers and crews.  For that reason, Michael, our Croatia expert, flew to Split this morning to check out a few new boats that have recently anchored in the region.  He’s already sent word that he’s just inspected a particularly fine Jeanneau 57 (built in 2012) that we can offer for 7 day charters (including a skipper and a hostess, and return transfers to / from Split)) for £7,790 and a smaller Jeanneau 53 for £6,570 on the same terms.  Both have 5 cabins. We will be adding details to our website upon his return.

In the meantime, if you are interested in sailing around Croatia or Montenegro, please take a moment to look at the boats we currently have on our books, together with some ideas for private villas on the delightful island of Hvar, and a selection of the best hotels we recommend for those that would like to spend a few nights on dry land.  See all boats and places to stay in Croatia

You need special license to sail from Croatia to Montenegro and not all Croatian flagged boats carry that license. We will, of course, advise on this and everything else required for an unforgettable holiday if you would prefer to sail in Montenegro rather than Croatia.  It’s a tough choice!

If you would like to sail in the Caribbean or Indonesia instead, please see sailing

Gaenor, in our Cape Town office, has just returned from a recce to nearby Franschhoek.  Our website already features two stunning cottages here, but felt we ought to have a choice of boutique hotels to recommend too.  Gaenor has picked three superb options for anyone lucky enough to be visiting the region and looking for somewhere luxurious, with outstanding service.  They are all small, ranging from 6 to 24 bedrooms, and we are delighted to be recommending them.

Pick Mont Rochelle (24 bedrooms) for the best views of the magnificent Franschhoek valley or, for easy walking distance to Franschhoek village and its numerous world-class restaurants, cafes and galleries, stay at either Akademie Street (arguably the pick of the bunch) or The Last Word.  Both have just 6 bedrooms.

Franschhoek justifiably lays claim to being the foodie capital of South Africa, so we would recommend combining the epicurean delights on offer with some hiking, horse riding, mountain or road biking during your stay. We have a team of hand-picked experts based in the Cape who will look after you every step of the way.  If you’re a golfer, don’t miss out on playing a round or two at Arabella Golf Club or Pearl Valley Golf Club

To view all our recommended accommodation options in Franschhoek, please see ‘all places to stay in Franschhoek‘

Kathryn Brierley, a director of The Healthy Holiday Company, experiences a restorative 4 night break at SHA Wellness Clinic on Spain’s Costa Blanca.

I’m just back from my first SHA experience. SHA is more beautiful than even the gorgeous press shots convey. The vast terrace with pool, white double day beds and wafting white linen has an incredible panoramic view of Albir beach and harbour and the National Park. The bedrooms are sleek and chic – predominantly white with tasteful taupes and greys – each with generous sun-trap balconies and fabulous views. You feel you’re in a serene white cocoon, away from temptation and in the hands of wonderfully caring, smiley staff who love the job of looking after you. I was booked in for a 4 night ‘SHA Discovery programme’ – a short-stay taster of what the clinic offers.

SHA’s activity schedule is a blend of fitness and relaxation activities with talks and cooking demonstrations – usually 4 activities every day. We enjoyed some steep uphill Nordic walking (pictured), jogging by the beach and a meditation lecture. Other sessions included options such as pilates, acqua fitness, yoga and tai chi. Regio, one of the trainers delivered a great mix of cardio, TRX and resistance training in my personal training session and fitter guests might want to add more PT into their stay. The gym is really well equipped with the latest cardio and strength equipment and the gym team is on hand to offer support and encouragement.

Food follows the macrobiotic principle – i.e. steer clear of meat and other extreme ‘yang’ foods as well as alcohol and caffeine (too ‘yin’) – it’s the swing from extreme to extreme, they say, that destroys good health. The food served (choice of 3 menus depending on the purpose of your stay) was beautifully presented and very tasty and the staff impressively informed about each guest. Portions were small but perfectly formed and correctly balanced energetically for optimal health according to macrobiotic rules. And we didn’t go hungry. We had some delicious soups, loved the ‘asparagus tempura’, ‘tuna tataki’ with a highlight being the ‘chocolate fondant,ice cream and truffles’. Yes macrobiotic principles allow the odd dessert, though don’t expect chocolate on your menu if you’re on a strict weight loss programme.

The spa experience was pure bliss. My SHA massage by Nicole with ylang ylang and orange essential oil was gentle and relaxing – I drifted off. The deep tissue massage by Arelis was excellent. I’m a lover of firm massages and it was as strong as I could take. Shiatsu with Jorge was powerful and I’m now a convert. The indoor pool and hydrotherapy circuit visit is a treatment in itself . You can be pummelled by warm jets while horizontal on your marble bed, indulge in the sauna or herbal steam, and even cover your body in slush puppy white ice.

Overall I was extremely impressed with the quality of the hotel, the staff and the treatments. What comes across is that they all genuinely care about your health. A guest I met was back at SHA for her 4^th visit – it’s her haven and escape and her opportunity through the intensive detox programme to readdress bad habits that have crept in, with the added bonus of an impressive 10kg weight loss each time she comes. Even after my short visit now I’m back at my desk, a more balanced and more chilled version of myself  – with diary out, planning my next restorative visit.

The Healthy Holiday Company offers a wide variety of wellness programmes at SHA.  Please see all SHA programmes for further info.

Last night, some of the team from The Healthy Holiday Company were at the Four Seasons Hotel in London’s Park Lane for the prestigious Conde Nast Traveller awards ceremony.  We were delighted when Como Shambhala – our favourite spa resort in Bali – won the award for Best Destination Spa 2013 from CNT readers.

Como Shambhala is a sophisticated health retreat in a simply spectacular wilderness setting with access to talented health consultants and genuinely holistic health programmes.   It’s set above the Ayung gorge, surrounded by an awe-inspiring jungle peppered with bright red African tulip trees, and you can hear the rush of the river from all over the estate. Immaculate, uber cool wood and glass suites are set within five different ‘residences’ that share a pool and communal lounging areas, and one of the charming Balinese butlers will take care of all your needs.

Soak in the steam room and hot tub set outside the main spa, where you’ll also find the main swimming pool, good for laps, and smoothe-sheeted day beds with inspiring views. There’s a separate yoga pavilion and a pilates studio, and you can opt to have your massage in the Kedara (water garden).

The daily programme of talks, classes and activities includes estate walks, circuit training, tai chi, dance, pilates and yoga. Specialist yoga and pilates retreats run throughout the year, and you can choose to dedicate your stay to stress management, getting fit, detoxing or just relaxing. Treatments range from facials and massages to hydrotherapy, acupuncture and shiatsu, private counselling with a resident psychologist is available, and you can even experience traditional Balinese healing with a local healer.

For further information, photographs and prices, please see Como Shambhala

Or call our experts on 020 8968 0501

To make life as easy as possible for busy parents looking for that perfect family holiday or half term break, we’ve compiled our top recommendations for best family resorts, ideas for family multi-activity adventures and a selection of fun and healthy family villa holidays.  Whatever the ages of the children and whatever activities and adventures you, and they, may be interested in, we’re sure to have an option that suits you perfectly.  Choose from short or long haul options.  If you haven’t got the time to view the options on our website, please don’t hesitate to give our experts a call on 020 8968 0501 (or simply send us an email with an outline of your requirements) and we’ll gladly put together some specific ideas and itineraries for you.  There’s something to suit every budget and, whatever time of year you wish to travel, we can recommend the best destination for perfect weather – be it Europe, North or South Africa, the Caribbean, the Indian Ocean, the Arabian Gulf or some other gorgeous corner of the world.  After all, we want it to feel like your holiday starts the moment you get in touch with us.

For a summary of our family holiday options, please see family holidays