Ten spectacular remote escapes worth the effort to reach

Spare yourself the 10-hour drive from Riyadh and fly to Al-Ula instead; after all, you still face a 50-minute drive to the hotel once you’ve landed. The 96 villas are scattered the length of a magnificent desert canyon; use an e-bike to get around or call for an electric buggy.

This is a great base for exploring the sights of Al-Ula, including ancient Nabataean tombs and the astonishing mirrored Maraya concert hall, which seems to disappear into the desert. See ourhabitas.com

Pemako Punakha, Bhutan

Crossing the 3100-metre Dochula Pass, with its views of Mount Everest, is one of the highlights on the three-hour drive from Bhutan’s international airport to the Punakha Valley. Another is your arrival at Pemako Punakha.

One of the few locally owned luxury hotels in Bhutan, guests staying at this stylish tented-suite resort first cross the river via a footbridge covered in prayer flags before arriving at the property, where they are blessed by the resident lama. See pemakohotels.com

Four Seasons Explorer, Palau

It doesn’t get much more remote than the island nation of Palau, sitting between Papua New Guinea and the Philippines. Even here, however, you will find a touch of luxury in the form of the Four Seasons Explorer.

Dubbed a “floating resort”, this catamaran has 12 spacious cabins, its own PADI dive centre and a flexible approach that lets you check in and check out on whichever day you choose. Sleeping on a floating resort gives you great access to Palau’s amazing reefs and marine life. See fourseasons.com

Serra Cafema, Namibia

Nowhere in Namibia is that easy to get to, but Serra Cafema, in the north-west of the country, has to be among the most far-flung destinations. After a three-hour flight from the capital, Windhoek, it’s another 60-minute drive to the camp – but once you are here, you won’t want to leave.

Eight riverside villas offer a serene place to retire to after a day spent wildlife spotting or meeting with one of Africa’s last nomadic tribes, the Himba. See wildernessdestinations.com

Bawah Reserve, Indonesia

There are no TVs but there is an open-air cinema, which tells you something about how they roll at the eco-luxe retreat of Bawah Reserve. Located between the west coast of Borneo and the Malaysian peninsula, this private island is best accessed from Singapore through a combination of driving (30 minutes), ferry trip (30 minutes) and seaplane flight (80 minutes).

Once you are at this sustainably focused resort – built with sustainable materials and powered by renewable energy – relax and enjoy the 13 beaches and three lagoons. See bawahreserve.com

Arctic Bath, Sweden

The building’s design is extraordinary – inspired by the timber piles that would build up in the river back in the logging days – and the chance to explore the best of Swedish Lapland, from snowshoeing to tracking fox and deer, moose and bear, is hard to resist.

No wonder so many luxury travellers make their way to Arctic Bath, even though it involves a 75-minute flight from Stockholm followed by a 75-minute drive. See arcticbath.se

Ultima Thule, Alaska

If you feel stressed when you are too far from civilisation, Ultima Thule is not for you. One hundred and sixty kilometres from the nearest road, getting to this Alaskan lodge is an adventure – a two-hour charter flight from Anchorage to McCarthy, then another half-hour flight to the lodge itself.

The lodgings are simple, but the activities are epic. Most days, you will hop in a bush plane to explore the area further – anything from photographing bears to hiking on a glacier. See ultimathulelodge.com

Lost Lindenberg, Bali

You might think there’s nowhere left in Bali that remains off the beaten track, but Lost Lindenberg pulls it off. Sitting by a black-sand beach on the island’s west coast, swathed in forest, this boutique retreat has a communal vibe, with meals served at one long table.

Sitting high in the canopy atop stilted towers, the accommodation is breathtaking, and the spectacular ocean sunsets alone are worth the two-and-a-half-hour drive from Denpasar. See thelindenberg.com