Luxury travel is increasingly being defined by what a destination leaves out: crowds, artificial light, packed itineraries and the constant glow of digital screens.
At four remote retreats in Canada, Indonesia, Botswana and England, darkness is becoming part of the experience. Instead of treating stargazing as another scheduled activity, these properties allow guests to slow down and appreciate the night sky from a tent, yacht deck, wilderness camp or lakeside hideaway.
From a Canadian forest recovering after wildfire to the reef-fringed islands of Raja Ampat, these escapes demonstrate how silence, darkness and a clear view overhead can feel like the ultimate modern luxury.
Siwash Lake, British Columbia: Stargazing Above a Regenerating Forest
In British Columbia’s Cariboo region, Siwash Lake Wilderness Resort & Ranch offers a deeply immersive encounter with the surrounding landscape.
Its Star Camp features custom-built glamping tents positioned beneath some of the region’s clearest skies. Guests can roll back a blind above the king-size bed to look directly at the stars, while a wood-fired cedar hot tub provides another place to linger outdoors after dark.
The camp sits within an area affected by the major wildfire that swept through the surrounding forest in August 2017. Although the fire caused extensive damage, the loss of part of the tree canopy opened wider views of the sky above the ridge.
Nature has been steadily reclaiming the landscape ever since. Fireweed was among the first plants to return, while naturally seeded young fir trees have become an increasingly visible part of the recovering forest.
As the trees continue growing, the broad views created by the wildfire will gradually change. The experience now provides an unusual opportunity to observe both a dark sky and the long process of ecological renewal unfolding beneath it.
Travellers looking for additional celestial escapes in the province can explore DRIFT Travel’s guide to star bathing locations in British Columbia, which also features Siwash Lake.
For more information, visit Siwash Lake Wilderness Resort.
Raja Ampat, Indonesia: Nights on the Deck of Rogue
Rascal Voyages is preparing to introduce Rogue, a new private yacht scheduled to begin sailing in spring 2027.
The yacht will explore Raja Ampat, an Indonesian archipelago known for its limestone islands, secluded lagoons and remarkable marine biodiversity. Days can be spent diving, snorkelling, kayaking and travelling between islands, but the experience takes on a different character after sunset.
Far from the light generated by large towns and cities, guests will be able to settle onto the yacht’s deck and watch the stars emerge above the sea. There is no need for a formal observatory or programmed astronomy session. The setting itself — quiet water, dark island silhouettes and an open sky — provides the experience.
Raja Ampat’s remote geography makes travelling by yacht particularly appealing. A vessel can move between different reefs, anchorages and island groups while providing a consistent base for exploring the region.
Additional destination information is available from Rascal Voyages.
Botswana: Sleeping Under Canvas in the Okavango Delta
In Botswana, Okavango Horse Safaris has reworked its remote fly-camp experience, combining traditional mobile safari travel with a comfortable place to sleep beneath the Delta sky.
Guests typically arrive after riding across open grasslands, floodplains and palm-dotted islands. Non-riders may be able to join the camp by safari vehicle, depending on the itinerary.
Although the camp remains deliberately simple, it includes proper beds and linens, hot en-suite showers, flushing toilets and a central mess tent for meals. The horses rest in a nearby boma under the supervision of their grooms and a night watchman.
Once dinner is finished and the camp becomes quiet, little separates guests from the sounds of the surrounding wilderness. With only canvas between the bed and the bush, the nighttime experience might include distant animal calls, rustling vegetation and an expansive view of the stars.
The fly camp provides a reminder that safari does not always have to revolve around a vehicle or a checklist of wildlife sightings. Sometimes the most memorable moments come after the day’s activities have ended, when the landscape can be experienced in darkness and near silence.
Because horseback safaris travel through areas inhabited by large wildlife, riding experiences may require participants to meet specific age, fitness and equestrian ability requirements. Travellers should discuss their experience level with the operator before booking.
More information is available from Okavango Horse Safaris.
Somerset, England: A Lakeside Retreat Shaped by Beavers
Experiencing a peaceful night sky does not always require a long journey into a distant wilderness.
Near Frome in Somerset, 42 Acres has transformed a former family estate into a 173-acre regenerative farm, nature reserve and wellbeing retreat. Its landscape includes meadows, woodlands and a seven-acre lake that is home to beavers, otters and birdlife.
Beavers are gradually changing the environment by constructing dams and channels, creating new wetland habitats around the water.
Guests can stay aboard Tiny Boat, an intimate accommodation moored in a secluded position on the lake. The bedroom looks directly across the water, allowing visitors to watch changing light, passing wildlife and reflections on the lake without leaving the bed.
After sunset, guests can step onto the deck or sit beside the water as the stars appear above the Somerset countryside. There is no observatory and no formal stargazing program. The experience is defined by the absence of noise, bright lighting and a demanding schedule.
During the day, visitors can walk through the estate’s rewilded landscapes, explore the lake or simply remain at the boat and observe the surrounding wildlife.
For accommodation details, visit 42 Acres.
Why Darkness Is Becoming a Luxury
Astrotourism often brings to mind telescopes, astronomy guides and trips timed around meteor showers or eclipses. These four retreats offer something slightly different.
The night sky is not presented as a performance or an attraction to be completed. Instead, darkness is treated as part of the destination — something guests can experience naturally once the day’s activities are over.
That simplicity is increasingly rare. Artificial lighting means many travellers seldom see the Milky Way, while smartphones and other devices ensure that even quiet evenings remain filled with distractions.
A remote tent, yacht deck or lakeside cabin creates space to disconnect from those demands. The appeal is not necessarily seeing a particular constellation or celestial event. It is having enough darkness, time and silence to remember to look up.
