10 BEAUTIFUL EXTREME RESORTS TO PUSH YOUR EDGES NOW

If you’re ready for something more than a regular luxury resort, we’ve curated a collection of 10 resorts that are seriously extreme -- and seriously beautiful. Check them out below.

1. THE MANTA RESORT -- PEMBA ISLAND, ZANZIBAR

Sleeping underwater might seem extreme, but you can do so in extreme five-star luxury at The Manta Resort, in Zanzibar. Get a first hand view of the Manta house reef from the comfort of your bed.

Then get out and dive Pemba Island, among the untouched coral reefs. It is considered to be one of the top dive sites in the world, with one of the healthiest coral reefs in the Indian Ocean and an average daily visibility of 30-40 meters!

2. NORDEN CAMP -- LABRANG, CHINA

Located at an altitude of 10,000’, Norden Camp, near the monastic village of Labrang, China, introduces its guests to the nomadic way of life.

Experience Tibetan culture in style and comfort, while you experience Tibetan culture and outdoors in style and comfort. while you stay in a traditional yak hair tent or a log cabin, both furnished with local antiques.

Nomads graze their animals in the surrounding rugged countryside. Wild hares, marmots, foxes, gazelles, and a wide variety of birds share this unique ecosystem. In spring and summer, the ground is carpeted in flowering plants and bushes that bloom in a succession of colors: pink, then yellow, then multi-colored flowers that continue to bloom into October.

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3. ICEHOTEL -- SWEDEN

Does extreme freeze sound inviting? Before you decline, check out the ICEHOTEL, in Jukkasjärvi, Sweden. While the original ICEHOTEL was founded in 1989, it melts every spring and built anew every winter.

It was conceived as an art exhibition and hotel made of natural ice and snow from one of Europe’s last wild rivers, 200 km north of the Arctic Circle.

Each year, the walls, floors, and ceilings of the hotel are designed and created by a fresh crop of artists, using 4,000 tons of ice and enough snow for 700 million snowballs. The chandeliers are made from 1,000 hand cut ice crystals.

This winter marks the ICEHOTEL’s 26th edition. Enjoy the beautifully designed 3 meter tall African elephant carved out of snow, a 70’s inspired ice Love Capsule, and an imperial Russian-inspired ice theatre.

While you’re there, enjoy some of the world’s best skiing, ice sculpting classes, and dine with Michelin trained head chef Alexander Meiermore.

Read more about the Art in ICEHOTEL 26.

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4. FREE SPIRIT SPHERES -- VANCOUVER, CANADA

A hotel room suspended in the air, hanging from a tree is a bit of an extreme notion. More radical than staying in a treehouse, Free Spirit Spheres offers a fabulous forest experience.

Borrowing heavily from sailboat construction and rigging practice, these extreme spherical wooden pods are uniquely designed. They hang anywhere 5’-100’ off the ground from the center of a triangular rope, strung around 3 trees, within a sacred grove in the druid tradition.

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5. LONGITUDE 131 -- AUSTRALIA

Glamp out in the extreme Outback at Longitude 131. This awesome collection of huts offer a spectacular view of Uluru, aka Ayers Rock, within the World Heritage listed wilderness of Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park.

Spend your time exploring the desert , enjoying the extraordinary landscapes and learning about the native Anangu culture.

6. WHITEPOD -- SWITZERLAND

Fancy extreme skiing? Check out Whitepod, a high-tech eco-camp resort situated 1,700 meters high in the Swiss Alps.

After a day of adventure, on private ski runs, with 7km of pistes, or snowshoeing through pristine forests, you’ll hang out in one of 15 geodesic dome pods, where you can recharge to get ready for another extreme day.

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7. ATTRAP ‘RÊVES -- FRANCE

Get an extreme dose of nature while living in the middle of it surrounded by a crystal clear bubble. Check out Attrap’ Rêves bubble camps, located in some of the most beautiful wilderness areas in France.

Nights under the stars are even more amazing in these ingenious cocoons. Uniquely designed to eliminate humidity and keep out insects, while offering you fresh air and a fresh view, these see-through habitats are made with 100% recyclable materials.

Attrap'Rêves bubbles offer a 360° view and they provide you with a telescope and a star chart to get you perfectly connected with the Milky Way.

Choose from 4 locations, Allaugh, in the middle of a Provençal pine forest; Fourcalquier, in a prairie landscape at the Haras of Cassandre within Park of Luberon; Bouilladisse, a micro-climate between the hills of Ste Victoire and Ste Beaume; Montagnac-Montpezat, in the Park Verdon; and Puget Ville, in the heart of the Var region.

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8. KAKSLAUTTANEN ARCTIC RESORT -- SAVONLINNA, FINLAND

Extreme North is full of extreme beauty. From pristine white wilderness to psychedelic Northern Lights, you’ll get a jaw-dropping view everywhere you turn.

One of the best places to experience it all is at the Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort. Set up home base in an awesome glass igloos so all you have to do is look up from your bed to see the Aurora dance.

Venture out on a reindeer safari in winter or kayak in summer. Hunt for gold or mushrooms and berries. Extreme ski, hike, bike… the possibility for amazing adventures are endless...

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9. IGLU - DORF -- ZERMATT, SWITZERLAND

For a different taste of extreme North, check out Iglu-Dorf, situated a mile high, up in the Swiss Alps, near Zermatt. Made entirely out of freezing snow and ice, this place is constructed every December for the most daring skiers and snowboarders.

With no electricity, running water, or heat, visitors here are really roughing it. Though the menu is limited, you can enjoy cheese fondue and mulled wine after a long and tiring day of adventure.

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10. HOTEL MARQUÊS -- ELCIEGO, SPAIN

When architect Frank Gehry originally designed the Guggenheim Bilbao, with its alien curves and undulating metal skin, it was considered extreme. And although he has since designed many buildings along these lines, they are still in extreme contrast to their surroundings.

Situated in the renowned Vinos de los Herederos del Marques de Riscal’s vineyard in the medieval village of Elciego, the five-star luxury Hotel Marqués de Riscal is no exception.

Enjoy extreme luxury in one of 43 rooms, each unique in shape and view. Enjoy exceptional Basque-Riojan cuisine, courtesy of Michelin-starred chef Francis Paniego,  and amazing wine from a 10,000-bottle cellar.

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Read more about Beautiful Extremes, as it relates to Arts/Design, Nature/Science, Food/Drink, Place/Time, Mind/Body, and Soul/Impact including Extreme Surf is Beautiful Now, Extreme Peaks are Beautiful Now, The Beautiful Extreme Art of Plating Now, Extreme Color is Beautiful Now and 10 of the Most Extreme, Most Beautiful Places on Earth Now.

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IMAGE CREDITS:

1. Image: Courtesy of The Manta Resort. Underwater Hotel Room. Pemba Island. Zanzibar,Tanzania.
2. Image: Courtesy of The Manta Resort. Underwater Hotel Room. Pemba Island. Zanzibar,Tanzania.
3. Image: Courtesy of The Manta Resort. Underwater Hotel Room. Pemba Island. Zanzibar,Tanzania.
4. Image: Courtesy of Norden Travel. Norden Camp. Labrang, China.
5. Image: Courtesy of Norden Travel. Norden Camp. Labrang, China.
6. Image: Courtesy of Ice Hotel. Jukkasjärvi, Sweden.
7. Image: by Paulina Holmgren. Courtesy of Ice Hotel. Jukkasjärvi, Sweden.
8. Image by Asaf Kliger. Courtesy of Ice Hotel. Jukkasjärvi, Sweden.
9. Image: Courtesy of Ice Hotel. Jukkasjärvi, Sweden.
10. Image by Asaf Kliger. Courtesy of Ice Hotel. Jukkasjärvi, Sweden.
11. Image: Courtesy of Free Spirit Spheres. Vancouver Island, Canada.
12. Image: Courtesy of Free Spirit Spheres. Vancouver Island, Canada.
13. Image: Courtesy of Longitude 131. Uluru-Kata Tjuta, Australia.
14. Image: Courtesy of Whitepod. Monthey, Switzerland.
15. Image: Courtesy of Attrap’ Rêves. France.
16. Image: Courtesy of Attrap’ Rêves. France.
17. Image: Courtesy of Attrap’ Rêves. France.
18. Image: Courtesy of Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort. Savonlinna, Finland.
19. Image: Courtesy of Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort. Reindeer Safaris. Savonlinna, Finland.
20. Image: Courtesy of Iglu-Dorf. The Igloo Village. Zermatt, Switzerland.
21. Image: Courtesy of Starwood Hotels. The Hotel Marqués de Riscal. Elciego, Spain.
22. Image: Courtesy of Starwood Hotels. The Hotel Marqués de Riscal. Elciego, Spain.
23. Image: Courtesy of Whitepod. Monthey, Switzerland.
24. Image: Courtesy of Iglu-Dorf. Zermatt, Switzerland.
25. Image: by BN App - Download now!
26. Image: Courtesy of Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort. Savonlinna, Finland.