EDITOR'S LETTER:

Before going on my first African safari I’d heard of the coveted “Big Five” – a range of incredible specimens to admire from afar. When it comes to luxury travel in the Indian Ocean, it’s all about the “Big Four”, a quartet of iconic destinations that every holidaymaker should experience at least once in their lives. This month’s cover story (page 56) covers some of the top resorts in all four countries, ranging from isolated private islands to a luxury tented camp in Sri Lanka – neatly tipping the hat to our tenuous safari analogy. Our other features are a tad less island-focused, with regular contributor Sarah Freeman taking a look at some of the artsy goings on in Zurich (page 40), one of our most beloved European destinations. Elsewhere in Europe, Sweden actually does boast a dizzying range of archipelago with a total of 221,831 islands – yes it’s true, Wikipedia tells me so – but our focus is on Stockholm (page 48), where writer Joe Lipscombe experiences a midsummer monsoon and quips on the quirkier elements of the Scandinavian capital. Safe travels, and when in doubt, book the ticket.