25Jul 2018 by Peter Bates
Discover the Unfamiliar Australian Coast of Margaret River

Discover the Unfamiliar Australian Coast of Margaret River

Luxury Beat
I rarely write about my own travel experiences in this space, preferring to discuss a topic of interest to all of us in the industry, to help set the agenda and stimulate conversation. But once in a while I visit a place so extraordinary that I want to share with as many colleagues as I can. So please indulge me as I recount a recent trip to an area that’s unfamiliar to most luxury travelers but deserves greater attention: the Margaret River region of Western Australia. I found its combination of scenery, surfing, and wine unique, and its unhurried yet sophisticated vibe utterly captivating.   I’ve been to Perth several times and have even made it up to Broome, the remote beach…
Read More
23Jul 2014 by Peter Bates

Luxury Travel Summer Report: Nihiwatu, Sumba, Indonesia

Luxury Beat
On The Edge of Wildness I rarely write about a specific property or experience, trying to focus my thoughts on the business aspects of hospitality and tourism. From time to time, however, I come across an experience that I believe is worth bringing to your attention. Recently I have visited the Island of Sumba – which lies about 400 KM southeast of Bali. For the past 26 years and perhaps longer, surfing aficionados from all over the world have been making the journey to the Indonesian Island of Sumba to experience the left hand wave at Nihiwatu, a magnificent surfing paradise. It was in 1988 that Claude and Petra Graves first arrived and painstakingly set about building a small resort with eleven keys. They continued to attract surfers limiting the…
Read More