Night-time on a river in the north of the island of Borneo; fireflies sparkle all along the banks. The memory is carved indelibly in Mary Masterson’s mind: “Sitting in a lovely little canoe with my children, the guide caught a firefly and gave it to my daughter; it was like she was holding Tinkerbell. I’ll never forget that.”
As a senior travel specialist with bespoke luxury firm Oroko Travel, Masterson has poured her passion for extraordinary experiences into her work, ensuring that her clients can make the same lasting, magical memories with their families.
Managing director Brendan Breen says, “We try to get to the ‘what’ with the client rather than the ‘where’.” He and his team does this by drilling down to find out what a family wants to get from a holiday by asking pertinent questions; what sort of experience they want, what they enjoy doing together, and then present the perfect solution for them. Oroko Travel’s insider knowledge and relentless dedication to the art of the perfect holiday makes it a seamless experience.
Whether it’s a gourmet foodie tour, making magical memories or sating a thirst for adventure, the team at Oroko Travel are experts in presenting the perfect mix of adventure, culture and luxury to delight every generation in the family and create extraordinary experiences that will be retold for decades to come.
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Wildlife watching
Sales manager Aisling O’Carroll is the safari expert. She has journeyed through Botswana, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Tanzania, tracking the big five and the little five at sunrise and sundown, giraffes lolling through the bush, lions sated after feasting on antelope, hippos taking a soak, herds of buffalo quenching their thirst, elephants charging, and the odd leopard in the long grass. She thought she’d seen it all, until she saw a clumsy young lion fall out of a tree. “It never gets old no matter how many safaris you go on,” she promises.
For avid wildlife fans there’s a whole world under the water as well, she notes. “Zanzibar is an accessible destination for seeing a spectacular array of marine life even with a simple snorkel mask, no diving skills required.”
O’Carroll advises a combination of a safari trip in Tanzania followed by a week on the beach on the spice island of Zanzibar. “You can pair that with really beautiful sunset boat trips and snorkelling, or even do your entire PADI course at a super dive centre at Nungwi Beach. The white sands that seem to stretch on forever are pure paradise; its reputation as the best beach on the island is beyond dispute.”
O’Carroll also recommends whale watching. When it comes to southern right whale watching, Breen’s number one vote goes to South Africa every time. “You don’t even have to get on a boat, you can just sit on the Hermanus Cliff Path and the southern right whales are directly below you,” O’Carroll explains.
But her preferred location is the North Pacific, where she took a cruise from Vancouver to Alaska: “You’re looking out at whales galore, and on land, you’re watching out for grizzly bears. I’ve never seen so many salmon in my life – which is a big statement for someone from Kerry.”
Costa Rica is a trending destination and for good reason. “It’s got that combination of wildlife, culture and adventure,” says Breen. The dense forests of Costa Rica are home to two species of sloths, incredible bird life and even some big cats, including jaguar and puma. There’s also turtle nesting season which runs from March through to October.
“It’s also known for ziplining, which keeps the teenagers happy,” Masterson adds, “and chocolate tours which everyone likes!” She recommends you include a stay at one of the National Geographic eco lodges, which sets the tone for adventure with a memorable arrival by raft.
Gourmet getaways
“Food and drink – they bind people together,” says Breen, musing on the popularity of gourmet holiday experiences. Vietnam is a perennial favourite with Oroko Travel’s foodie clients. You can sample delicious, comforting bowls of pho soup, try out the famous banh mi sandwiches, influenced by both Vietnamese and French culture or brave a Vietnamese blood sausage – no bother to Irish palates reared on black pudding.
For a gastronomic tour O’Carroll recommends hitting Hanoi, Hoi An and Hoh Chi Minh in Vietnam. “Each one of these cities will offer a completely different experience: in Hanoi, you’re meeting your guide for a street food tour in the city’s Old Quarter, and then in Hoi An, you’re hopping on a vintage Vespa to explore the city’s favourite eats before sitting down to a barbecue in the paddy fields. They all bring something different.”
South African wine tours are another firm favourite, close enough to Ireland’s time zone to make it a jet lag-free trip. It is Breen’s favourite food destination. “The food and wine scene in Cape Town and the Winelands, I find it’s hard to top. The seafood is incredible, as is the wine, and the value – the way the rand is at the moment you can get Michelin star dining for a fraction of what you pay here.”
Further afield, Breen recommends Kerala, in southern India. “A number of the hotels that we work with do excellent on-site cooking classes and demonstrations. The food standards in the luxury hotels that we work with in the region are incredibly high.”
Peru is another destination that may surprise some for a foodie holiday, but Breen points out that a number of the world’s top restaurants are in Lima and the fusion of Japanese and South American foods is exciting for the discerning palate.
The Oroko Travel operations team runs a concierge service, contacting clients before their trip with the latest, up-to-date restaurant recommendations drawn from their partners on the ground, and can book times and tables their customers want. They also know the peak times and the special restaurants that need to be booked further in advance, ensuring a seamless experience.
Extraordinary experiences
When it comes to the most magical and mind-blowing destinations, who better to recommend than this cosmopolitan team of luxury explorers.
“The most beautiful place I’ve ever stayed is the Alila Villas Uluwatu,” says Breen. Perched on the cliffs in Bali it boasts incredible architecture and extraordinary sunsets. Think chic sustainable design, private villas and infinity pools on a clifftop that feels like the edge of the world. The nearby temple is one of the island’s top tourist attractions. Steeped in history, it offers nightly traditional dance performances at sunset and a local monkey population that will likely make it into your social feed.
Another Bali property, the Capella, which opened in 2018, is truly unique. Architect Bill Bensley convinced the hotel developer to nix their original plan for a 100-room hotel, and take the path of minimal intervention. Not a single tree was cut down in the construction of the tented masterpiece; inspired by the history of shipwrecked Dutch settlers, each of the 22 tents tells a story of an imagined personality from a cartographer to a puppeteer.
In Costa Rica, Nayara, a tented camp set in the Arenal National Park, is another top tip from the travel experts, for those looking for something truly extraordinary. It combines stunning luxury accommodation with rainforest adventures and wildlife spotting with the naturalist guides. “You’re close to the wildlife but staying in fabulous luxury where they really go to the end to look after you there,” says Masterson. The luxury tents, set on stilts above the treetops, are like no canvas you’ve ever seen before. With a hammock swinging on the balcony, and a private pool fed by hot mineral springs; they typify exactly what the Oroko experience is all about.
For more information see www.orokotravel.ie