I was fortunate enough to spend a few days in paradise last month, on a private island in the Caribbean.

The island, Little Eden Cay, is a luxury rental property located on the Caribbean coast of Nicaragua, a two-hour boat ride or a short helicopter flight from the town of Bluefields. The owners, Martin and Jenifer Thomas, are fellow New Zealanders who lived on the island while they transformed it into the exclusive retreat it is today.

At 26 acres (10 hectares), Little Eden Cay really isn’t so little. It has hundreds of yards of beautiful white beaches, and a gorgeous villa that faces west for truly spectacular sunsets.

I witnessed several of these sunsets during my stay, and they were breath-taking.

The villa is spacious and airy, with the master suite in a pavilion of its own. There is a wonderful blend between the island setting, and the luxurious fitout of the house - enormous chandeliers, gorgeous furniture, and a food-lover’s dream kitchen. That’s not to mention the gorgeous green pool that sits in the deck, lit from below for exotic evening swimming.

For me, a longtime lover of islands, Little Eden Cay one of the closest things to heaven that I’ve ever experienced. The service was wonderful - Cristian, the island manager, is a superb host - and the setting was perfect. I spent a fabulous few days snorkeling, swimming, lying in hammocks, reading and relaxing, and returned to ‘civilization’ rejuvenated but not a little sad to be back.

The island is available for rent, and bookings may be made through the website www.little-eden-cay.com . The Thomases also have the island on the market - enquiries may be may through the website also.

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