The Ritz-Carlton, Okinawa

For too many visitors, Japan means Tokyo: packed trains, the neon lights at Shibuya crossing, and a hotel in the top of some skyscraper. But if you want to properly experience Japan, you’ve got to get out to the country. Take Okinawa for example — this is wild, wide-open country, and in the island’s north, surrounded by ancient forests and overlooking the waters of Nago Bay, sits the Ritz-Carlton, Okinawa.

Expect to unplug in a big way — life is simple here, and the Ritz-Carlton keeps things just about as tranquil as it gets. Some resorts aim to keep guests stimulated round the clock. Not here; you’re on your own, left to relax in your lavishly equipped bedroom, soak in the tub with a view of the countryside, or to dine on traditional (and incidentally quite healthy) Okinawan cuisine in the resort’s two restaurants.

There’s an Italian option as well, and if you feel like breaking your diet, this place is home to the finest Wagyu beef. The golfing is excellent, but it’s probably the highlight in terms of activity, and that’s saying something. Then again nobody comes to Okinawa to live the wild life — the spa, in its own freestanding building, operates at a more nurturing speed.

How to get there: The resort is located approximately 75 minutes north of Naha via route 58.