Cattie Coyle

The South Pacific is truly the stuff dreams are made of. It is what we all wish for when we're sitting in our fluorescent-lit offices on a dull, grey March day, looking out on the piles of dirty snow on the sidewalk, longing to be somewhere else. Palm-fringed beaches with soft white sand, azure, incredibly clear water, tranquil aquamarine lagoons with fish in amazing colors, volcanic islands with flower-scented breezes and overwater bungalows - simply paradise on earth.

The French island of Corsica, 110 miles south of the Riviera and just north of Sardinia is an exceptional choice for a luxury yacht charter vacation. With a mountainous, dramatic landscape featuring rivers, gorges, waterfalls, lush valleys, rocky cliffs,
vineyards, picturesque towns, 16 ports, and 620 miles of coastline surrounded by clear water in all shades of blue, the surprisingly uncrowded Corsica has it all.

It's difficult to find areas not overly developed for tourists these days. As soon as one is discovered, the world finds out about it and before long, it has lost its charm.

Fortunately, there are still a few places that are untouched by mass tourism, where you have a chance to experience local life to the fullest. The Lakshadweep islands, off the Malabar Coast in Kerala, India, is one of those places.

Gotland, the largest island in the Baltic, lies almost equidistant from the Swedish east coast and the Baltic state of Latvia. This beautiful island, surprisingly unknown to foreigners, is a favorite vacation destination among Swedes. First-time Swedish visitors often comment that it feels like being abroad, perhaps somewhere in the Mediterranean. Having grown up on Gotland, I am perhaps biased, but from the medieval, walled-in cobble-stoned city of Visby to the stark, windblown, sheep-studded landscape of Faro, Gotland truly is a spectacular and fascinating place.

The Baltic might not be the first place that comes to mind when considering a luxury yacht charter vacation, but during the short Scandinavian summer, it's a magical place with warm breezes and almost 24 hours of daylight. Even as far south as Stockholm, summer nights never get completely dark, the sky just takes on a deep blue tint for a few hours before the sun comes back up again.

Hotel rooms are all well and good, but are they fun? Not really. How about vacationing in a tree house, underwater or perhaps in a giant shoe? Here are some of the unusual accommodation choices available:

High Above
Who says tree houses are just for kids? Adults can get their tree house fix at resorts such as Secrets on the Lake in Queensland, Australia, where the tree houses are built far enough apart that you have total privacy, and come with such amenities as private balconies, huge showers, fireplaces and sunken spa tubs overlooking the lake.

Renting a private home for your vacation is a great way to stretch your budget. And in my opinion, it's much more fun than staying in a hotel. You get the chance to experience local life on a whole different level, and really get the feel for what living in that part of the world is all about. Regardless of where you are traveling, there are a few things to consider before settling on a house and area.

Renting a home is a great, affordable option for a vacation, especially if you have a large family, or are traveling with a big group of friends. Just check online and you will see that you can rent a beautiful apartment or townhouse in the nicest parts of Manhattan for a week for $500/person (or less). Try finding a hotel room for that price! And staying in someone's home means you have the added advantage of more space (living room, kitchen, sometimes a garden, balcony or patio), something you pay dearly for at hotels in major cities.

For those of us who love spending time on the water, houseboats really are the perfect solution, not only for living, but for vacationing as well. All over the world, you can find houseboats to rent that offer every comfort of a hotel, with the added bonus of ever changing scenery and your choice of where to go next.

Perhaps the most well-known option is renting a barge in France, slowly meandering your way along the Canal du Midi while getting off the boat every now and then to do some shopping, sightseeing and sampling the local cuisine.

Nobody likes to leave their dog behind when the family goes on vacation, and the mental image of those sad, disappointed eyes looking at you in disbelief at being left behind does take a bit of the fun out of the trip. My heart aches just thinking about it! Thankfully, there are other dog lovers out there who are willing to let you bring your pet into their home.