by Roberta Murphy
I may dream of disconnecting from all things electronic, but fly into a panic when wifi goes down or more frequently, can’t find my phone. And I know I’m not alone.
But there’s a persistent fantasy that I will one day deliberately land in some remote (and beautiful) location where there is no wifi, no television, no internet–and no clocks. I would be with my soulmate and days could be spent exploring terrain, foods, customs, each other, and a different rhythm of life. We would have no problem disconnecting from the noise of modern existence.
Imagine falling to sleep at night under all the stars that are lost to city lights and pollution. That is disconnecting of a different kind.
This idea came up last week as I was pondering remote possibilities for an off-the-grid vacation–where only light bulbs and fans would be acceptable. Theoretically speaking. I imagined that a remote oil rig somewhere might be interesting (for one night), but knew there had to be more suitable destinations.
But the idea did get me to thinking about off-the-electronic-grid vacations, where one (or two) might unplug, rewind and reset. Listed below are just a few of the possibilities I found:
Punta Placer, Oaxaca, Mexico
Forget about cell phones ringing at Punta Placer. Stay in a beachfront and palm covered bungalow just outside the tiny seaside fishing village of San Agustinillo on the southern Pacific coast. You’ll find no television and the luxury of air conditioning comes from ocean breezes. No boredom here, though. You can swim with protected sea turtles, hike through the Oaxaca rain forest and even melt under skilled hands with an aromatherapy massage. While not a 5-star resort, you will enjoy home-cooked Mexican food, rustling coconut trees, a margarita or two, deck chairs, and some spectacular sunsets. Clocks and watches optional.
Amankora, Bhutan
Imagine, by whatever means necessary, you land in remote Bhutan between India and the remote Tibetan Plateau. You might not expect to find a luxury resort, where you can totally unplug and get away from all of life’s noise. Imagine meditating in a 7th century Buddhist monastery or climbing, even part way, up Himalayan mountains that peak at 22,000 feet. You might also want to try archery or white water rafting through deep river valleys surrounded by blue pines and ending the day relaxing in the hotel spa’s steam room
There are several fine resorts and hotels in this last remaining Buddhist kingdom of Bhutan. Unplugging should be easy. Watches and clocks are irrelevant.
Ultima Thule Lodge, Chitina, Alaska
Want to get really serious about disconnecting from the world as we know it? If so, you will need to hop on a bush plane to get to Ultima Thule Lodge in remote Alaska, because the nearest road is 100 miles away.
The beautiful log-sided lodge sits next to the 13 million-acre Wrangell-St. Elias National Park–the largest protected land mass on earth– and is completely out of cell phone range. There is, however, a single computer in the lodge with a dial up modem that we might want to try just for nostalgia’s sake. Remember the sound?
Reviews for this surprisingly luxurious lodge are amazing. “The most amazing place you will
ever visit,” says TripAdvisor. One of “the Best Wilderness lodges,” says Mens Journal and a “once in a lifetime” adventure according to Travel & Leisure Magazine. The hiking description from Ultima Thule Lodge website is pretty exciting:
Glacial runoff thunders down from the mountain in a massive waterfall. Vast clouds of vapor glitter in the sunlight. You watch as the glacier calves a huge, jagged shard of ice, and it drops down into the valley below, crashing into the Chitina river.
Behind you, the two-seater Piper Super Cub waits silently, it’s steel propeller glinting in the sun, it’s massive, rubbery bush-wheels perfectly suited for a landing at the top of the world.
Oh, and did I mention Northern Lights? They see them here. And given the very remote location, a watch might come in handy.
Little Palm Island Resort & Spa, Key West, Florida
This is another resort that will require boat, helicopter or sea plane for arrival. A perfect setting for Gilligan’s Island, this remote key has white sandy beaches, lots of iguanas and a multitude of colorful fish species that might be seen while snorkeling while snorkeling at nearby Dive Looe Key National Marine Sanctuary.
The thatched bungalow rooms at this treasured resort have no telephones, televisions or alarm clocks (and no guests under the age of 16). They do, however, have chilled champagne awaiting your arrival. I explored booking a room for most any period this summer and found no vacancy. And given that Little Palm Island Resort and Spa has long been a favorite getaway for high profile celebrities, presidents and savvy travelers. The wise traveler, however, would be smart to book well in advance–and the unwise one during hurricane season.
The resort offers gourmet dining (both in room and in restaurant), a world class spa and guest lodging that entices one to stay more than a single night. From their website:
Our thirty Florida Keys suites, nestled two apiece in thatched-roof bungalows, are so silent and peaceful, it’s like you’re living alone in the lap of luxury. Island Escape Suite, Island Elegance Suite, Island Romance Suite and Island Grand Suite guest quarters are housed in thatched roof bungalows, with custom-made king-sized beds with romantic butterfly netting, so plush some guests never want to leave.
I confess to never having visited the Florida Keys, but a reservation and disconnecting at this resort could lure me there from San Diego!
In conclusion….
This is a topic I will likely keep exploring. There is a secret terror lurking inside me that fears being unconnected. There is also part of my soul, though, that wants nothing more than to bury the phone, ipad, and laptop for a week to test my survival skills. And that is challenge enough!
Do you have any off-the-grid vacation suggestions?
