By Anya Cooklin-Lofting
The very idea of getting away from it all, feeling soft white sand between your toes and the sound of wind amongst rustling palm leaves, is enough to ease anyone through a slow Wednesday at their desk. If you do find yourself planning a break, there is no better place to aim for than some of the most remote locations in Oceania for a complete disconnect from work and the more tedious elements of everyday life. It is this sense of remoteness that seems the most precious, revered and sought-after element of the typical Oceanian holiday. But the remoteness is purely a condition of geography, so what is it exactly that this remotely offers on an existentially alluring level? From where I’m standing, it’s privacy, and the 8,525,989 square kilometers of the countries that make up the region has a lot to offer in that department.
Privacy is one of life’s greatest luxuries, and booking a holiday somewhere that can offer this luxury is a balm to the incredibly public lives we lead. Be it on social media, in busy offices or with hectic social lives, life can start to feel like everyone wants a piece of you. So, if you’re burning the candle at both ends and would relish the opportunity to find a hit of delicious privacy, here is a round-up of some of the best, most private holiday spots in Oceania.
Australia
An untouched paradise of white sands and gently lapping blue waters of the Indian Ocean, the Cocos Keeling Islands, comprise 27 coral islands, of which only two are inhabited. Sadly, the islands declared a State of Emergency in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, extending its travel restrictions until 30th September this year. However, of course, the Cocos Keeling Islands should remain on your radar, especially for winter sun. They are about as far away as you can get from mainland Australia within Australia itself and retain a rich cultural Malay-Muslim heritage. The islands are also brilliant for exploring weird and wonderful wildlife; the remoteness of the islands has preserved a uniquely biodiverse environment and they hold international significance for zoologists, especially when it comes to bird and marine life. Manta rays, dolphins, turtles and drongo cuckoos can be spotted by eagle-eyed visitors.
Fiji
Surely one of the most commonly cited dream holiday destinations, the Fiji archipelago is made up of 300 islands and 540 islets, each with their own distinct natural beauty. However, the Yasawa islands provide the ultimate opportunity to discover some of Fiji’s most unspoiled beaches, dramatic landscapes and beautiful coral gardens. The constellation of the six Yasawa islands offer visitors a glimpse of the platonic ideal of South Pacific perfection, so it’s unsurprising that their name is taken from one of the 15 words in Fijian meaning ‘heaven.’
One of the primary attractions of the Yasawa islands is the Blue Lagoon (or Sawa-i-Lau) caves. The somehow ecclesiastical rock formations channel light into the turquoise waters from above, inspiring absolute awe in all those lucky enough to visit. However, for the ultimate in remote holiday-making, the furthest-flung island in the Yasawa archipelago is Nalova Bay, which is said to have the very best of the Fijian beaches.
French Polynesia
The French Polynesian island of Nuku Hiva is one of the world’s most remote locations, giving visitors the very best shot at avoiding any crowds at all. It is the capital of the Marquesas Islands, which remains one of the most untouched archipelagos in the world. There is just one hotel on the island, Le Nuku Hiva by Pearl Resorts, giving guests the rare opportunity to bask in the unabated, volcanic natural beauty of the island, characterised by its dramatic valleys and scenic bays. And this natural beauty is not taken lightly by the local communities. The island is also home to the Tohua Koueva Archaeological Site, a stretch of land that has been restored to its native appearance before the arrival of Europeans.
Both an alluring and perhaps hindering travel factor to bear in mind is the journey time required to get to Nuku Hiva. It can take up to 30 hours to get from London to Tahiti Faa’a Airport, and another four hours to connect to fly to Nuku Hiva airport itself. This doesn’t take into account the hour-or-so drive from the airport into the main town, Taiohae. Although the effort to visit may be offputting to some, Nuku Hiva will certainly deliver on all other fronts.
New Zealand
Finally, it would be impossible to omit the enchanting islands of New Zealand from this list. As one of the world’s least populated countries, it earns its spot in the mix of places to escape to. The diverse landscape offers tropical scenes in the north and rugged, rolling terrain in the south. It has become known, especially in the UK, as a site of special interest for those looking for a quiet, jaw-droppingly beautiful break from the hubbub of metropolitan life, and it’s absolutely jam-packed with secluded spots. Central Otago on the South Island is home to some of the most exquisite mountainscapes in the world, which are doubly as beautiful when reflected in the clear waters of the many lakes. To the west is Fiordland, a national park inhabited by just a few dozen people who live off the grid. Places to stay are few and far between (unless you’re happy to carry a tent…), but day trips to this corner of the country from some of the small towns further inland like Manapouri are perfectly doable.
Work Flow…With Kip Hideaways
By Amira Hashish
Liz Simpson and Sarah de Vere-Drummond, co-founders of Kip Hideaways, are champions of the UK staycation. The dynamic double act set up their business after working in the boutique travel industry for years and realising that there was a gap in the market for the kind of adventures they had in mind. From beautifully designed tree houses to hidden group getaways, they pride themselves on unearthing those hidden gems.
Joining Amira Hashish in conversation for the latest Work Flow, Liz offers an insight into what it takes to set up a thriving business, how to juggle work and family life and the future of travel in Britain…
What inspired you to set up Kip Hideaways?
My co-founder Sarah and I had noticed a real gap in the market for a website that only featured small places (two to six people) that were super stylish and great value. They were the sort of places we spent ages looking for when we were going on our own holidays, as they tend to be hidden in a sea of bigger or more inferior properties on giant sites, or were tiny places that didn’t have a web presence. We loved sharing them with our friends and families, and setting it up as a business felt like a natural progression of this.
What do you think people are seeking from UK staycations?
Ease. Whether that’s being able to jump on a train after work on Friday and get to a property in time for dinner, or being able to fill the car with paraphernalia if you’re travelling with kids, or taking your dog, travelling within the UK is much simpler than travelling abroad.
Also, style. In recent years the UK staycation market has seriously upped its game. Our rentals are as stylish as boutique hotels, which means you get all of the luxe and joy of staying in gorgeous properties, plus the independence of self catering.
How do you manage your time?
It’s a constant juggle, as we both have young kids. We work in very different ways. I tend to start at 6am and finish around 3pm, weekdays only; my husband takes our daughter to school and I do school pick up and onwards. Sarah is less rigid, working flexibly during the week, and often working in the evenings when her kids are asleep, and also at weekends. We love that we can both work exactly when we like, around our families. It’s a huge bonus of running your own business.
Do you have any advice for those keen to follow in your footsteps and set up their own business?
- You’ll probably need to chip away at it at the start. We did bits as and when we could to create and run Kip around freelancing to pay the bills. Initially we worked on Kip for free, and gradually the balance shifted and we were able to start paying ourselves. First one day a week, then two…and so on. Now we’re both full-time on Kip. You have to be determined and ‘make’ that hour or two a day in the early days or it will never get off the ground.
- You don’t need to have savings / backers to start your own business, so don’t let that put you off. We started on a real shoestring, creating a really lean business model by necessity, and actually long-term this really helped us grow quickly as we didn’t have overheads.
- Be prepared to work hard. We work longer hours than when we were employed, and of course carry all the stress of running a business. You never really switch off, and the buck always stops with you. But the benefits are enormous; flexible hours, being able to work at home, choosing who we work with, constantly meeting new inspirational people, and of course having enormous pride in what we’ve created, and being able to stay in our properties. We genuinely love being ‘at work’.
What’s the biggest lesson you have learned along the way?
To constantly adapt. The market shifts thanks to the pandemic have been insane. One minute, things have been quiet, the next absolutely manic, then quiet, then manic again. We’ve had to scale our own time and freelancers’ time up and down accordingly. We’re also constantly looking to improve Kip for our owners and users, and grow it in different ways to keep users engaged and attract new audiences. You can’t sit back on your laurels otherwise you run the risk of flatlining.
Who has been the most influential person as part of your career journey?
Jessy Harrison. We loved the PR work she did for the Artist Residence properties, so brought her on board just to help us launch. She did such an incredible job that we’ve kept her with us ever since! She is full of energy, ideas and enthusiasm, and she, and her team (big nod to Aimee), are an integral part of Kip.
Tell us about how you source the special places that are part of the collection…
We spend a lot of time researching, on the web, through magazines and newspapers, and via recommendations from people we really trust. We also get a lot of people approaching us asking to come on Kip nowadays, which, if they fit our strict criteria, is a real bonus!
Which areas have proved the most popular?
Suffolk, Sussex and the Kent Coast are huge. Our users are also loving Wales.
How has the travel landscape changed post-pandemic?
I think the pandemic has made people realise that the UK holidays can be amazing – and completely different from those you perhaps remember as a child. The UK offers incredible landscapes, really stylish properties, great value, great food, and an ease of travel. Yes, you can never guarantee the weather, but if the property you’re staying in is gorgeous, you don’t mind spending more time indoors. And on a sunny day, the UK is pure joy.
What does the future of travel in the UK look like?
We’re predicting really buoyant. Although there is currently a bulge in people going abroad as they’ve been unable to do so for a couple of years, I think this will settle, as people have realised you don’t need to jump on a plane to go somewhere special. Whereas once people might have gone abroad two or three times a year in the past, I think the future will be perhaps one holiday abroad and one in the UK, or more minibreaks in the UK. Especially as everyone now has a dog.
Visit kiphideaways.com.
10 Project Management Apps That Will Change The Way You Work
By Amira Hashish
Keeping on track of projects whilst communicating ideas or workflows with your collaborators is easier said than done. However, managing everything on a platform that feels intuitive and cohesive can be a real game-changer. Thankfully there are some nifty apps out there that will enable you to get projects off the ground and then manage them efficiently.
From virtual lists that can help achieve that work/life balance to smart apps that bring all your most-used tools into one perfectly organised space (ah, the satisfaction), these project management tools will change the way you work…
Basecamp: The one that does it all
How it works: This is a great platform for dropping everything into one place and clearly following trails as opposed to checking emails separately from schedules or documents. Work is broken up into separate projects. Each project contains everything related to the work involved including the people, discussions, documents, files, tasks and dates.
It is then easy to monitor it through message boards, to-dos, schedules, file storage, real-time group chat, and automatic check-in questions. If that sounds too distracting, not to worry. You can pause notifications or set your work hours so you are only contacted within this time frame.
Why we love it: Because it avoids having to sign up to too many programs and have countless tabs open.
Cost: Free for personal use; £82 for business use. Details here.
Trello: The one for list lovers
How it works: Trello can be used for teams or solo project managers and is a clear way of illustrating workflows and tracking progress in a visual and productive way. It is ideal for managing milestones and the day-to-day tasks of working together in list form.
Boards, lists and cards can be customised and expanded with extra detail as the team or workflow increases.
Why we love it: It is essentially a virtual list tracker…and we can’t resist a list.
Cost: Free, with pricing plans for extra features as outlined here. More here.
Monday.com: The one for team building
How it works: This one is a little more complicated but works well if you are managing a big team. Everything starts with a visual board that you tailor to manage anything from projects to departments.
It consists of modular building blocks from which software applications and work management tools can be created. These blocks include items, columns, views, automations, integrations and widgets. There are templates available to get you off the ground as well as a helpline.
Why we love it: It’s comprehensive and can feel super bespoke but is more tailored towards organisations than solo workers.
Cost: Free for individuals. From £21 per month for teams of three or more. More here.
Casual: The one for number crunching
How it works: Think of Casual as the cool younger sibling of Excel. It is essentially a spreadsheet designed for working with numbers and data. You can use it for performing calculations such as modelling, forecasting, scenario planning or visualising data including charts, tables and freeform texts. Then you can present these in interactive dashboards. You can also connect Causal to your data sources (accounting systems, ERPs, databases) to incorporate live historical data in your work.
Causal can be used for anything from simple calculations to fully-fledged financial models with millions of calculations.
Why we love it: It brings numbers to life in an engaging way.
Cost: Free for personal use. £207 per month for teams of 10-25. More here.
ClickUp: The one for goal-setting and monitoring
How it works: Another great option for doing it all in one place. ClickUp allows you to plan, track and time manage any type of work.
You can tag individuals or groups, assign comments for action items, and link tasks to get more done together. Then monitor progress by connecting tasks to goals and keeping your objectives organised with Goal Folders. If you can’t quite bear the thought of replacing all your tools – from Slack to Google Docs – ClickUp can integrate them. Sync your team calendars, messaging apps, cloud storage, and more to keep everything in one place. Extra helpful features include real-time team chat and 24/7 support.
Why we love it: It lets us bring all the work tools we know and love into one platform.
Cost: Free for personal use. From £4 per member per month for small teams. More here.
Asana: The one for doing it your way
How it works: Similarly to Clickup, this app helps you stay organised by bringing all your tools together. It has more than 200 integrations, so it can act as a base for everything you need to communicate and coordinate work, from emails to files.
We also like that you can choose the project view that works best for you including List Views, Timelines and Boards. We all like to do things our way after all.
Why we love it: It feels intuitive and adapts to the way you like to work.
Cost: Free for basic, £9.49 per month for Premium and £20 per month for Business. More here.
Todoist: The one for managing business and pleasure
How it works: The ‘to do list’ that you can actually keep track of. Super simple to use this is a smart app for bringing your work and personal worlds together so that you manage your time effectively. Adding tasks and reminders is very easy. Your to-do lists are automatically sorted into Today, Upcoming and custom filter views so you can focus on your most important things. There are also some great templates ready to download, from content calendars to business travel packing.
Why we love it: This one keeps it real and couldn’t be easier to get to grips with.
Cost: Free for starters, £3.30 per month for pro and £5 per month for business. More here.
OneNote: The one to replace your sticky notes
How it works: This is Microsoft’s solution for avid note-takers. Tasks are split into notebooks which you can divide into sections and pages. It is easy to navigate and search. You can share notebooks with coworkers, friends and family but this one works better if you are doing things on a solo basis.
Why we love it: Because those sticky notes always go astray.
Cost: From £59.99 per year. More here.
Airtable: The one that feels advanced
How it works: This is a good option if you are keen to build a custom app without having to splash out on a software guru or worry about code. Do everything from tracking job interviews to managing large-scale video production by creating a database that holds the information that matters for your work. It is pretty intuitive and there are lots of tools to help along the way but if you are willing to invest the initial time it could result in a much more streamlined workflow in the long run.
Why we love it: It feels tailor-made for your project or business.
Cost: Free for individuals with packages starting from £8.30 per month for businesses. More here.
Slack: The one for messaging
How it works: This is rather like the WhatsApp of the working world. First and foremost a messaging tool, it also has channels that can help with the organisational side of things. Open a different channel for everything that you’re working on and bring in the relevant people for discussion.
Why we love it: It is useful if you need to do a lot of back and forth with team members.
Cost: Free for the basic package with tiers the more pro you get. More here.