It's slated as Australia's Galapagos. Indeed, a third of this tiny island dripping off the coast south near Adelaide has been declared a national conservation park inhabited by a diverse congregation of furry and feathered beings including New Zealand fur seals, Australian sea lions, koalas, kangaroos, osprey and echidnas. Upright beings of the two-legged variety will probably find their own daily circuit shifting between the sugar white sands of Hanson Bay and the white cushioned comfort of the suites and pavilions. With 21 luxury suites to choose from, the creators of Southern Ocean Lodge have courageously merged a contemporary take into this ancient setting and pulled it off with remarkable ease. Slip into plunge pools set into balconies and soak in one of nature's most majestic theatres.

 

We cannot single out just one favourite about the Lodge but The Luxury Travel Bible really does find it hard to say no to the penultimate Osprey Pavilion with its birds-eye views.