Starlight, Starbright: Y Travel’s Ultimate ‘Night Sky’ Travel Guide
Y FACTORS:
Adventure
Nature & Sustainability
The Unexpected
The symphony of stars that dance across our darkened skies has captivated humans since the dawn of time, but today's travellers are seeking more than just a casual glance upward. While the mesmerising Northern Lights may top many bucket lists (and rightfully so!), astro-tourism is opening up a whole new frontier of celestial adventures for those who dream of touching the stars. From remote dark sky sanctuaries where the Milky Way stretches like a river of light across the heavens, to immersive astronomy experiences that let you peer through professional-grade telescopes, there are countless ways to feel connected to the cosmos above. And for those really wanting to reach for the stars? Well, you can always join the growing waitlist for Virgin Galactic's space flights – though we've found plenty of earthbound alternatives that are just as magical and a bit more budget-friendly. Whether you're a seasoned stargazer or simply someone who's ever looked up in wonder, the world of night sky travel is ready to show you just how extraordinary our universe can be.
Mt Mulligan Lodge
Outback Australia
Nestled in the heart of Queensland's rugged outback, Mount Mulligan Lodge offers a celestial spectacle that will leave you spellbound. As twilight fades and the vast Australian sky transforms into a glittering canvas, guests are treated to the lodge's signature Celestial Dreams experience – a mesmerising journey through the southern hemisphere's astronomical treasures. Here, far from the artificial glow of city lights, the stars seem close enough to touch, their stories brought to life through both Indigenous dreamtime tales and ancient Greek mythology. With an expert guide, a sophisticated telescope, and perhaps a carefully crafted nightcap in hand, you'll discover the intimate connection between Earth and the cosmos that can only be truly appreciated in such pristine dark sky country.
Levin Iglut
Finland
Imagine drifting off to sleep beneath a crystal-clear glass dome, whilst nature's most spectacular light show dances overhead. At Levin Iglut - Golden Crown Igloo hotel in Finnish Lapland, this dream becomes reality, where the ethereal Northern Lights transform the sky into a canvas of shimmering greens, purples, and golds. Nestled in one of the world's prime aurora-viewing locations, your luxurious glass igloo offers front-row seats to this celestial ballet that even locals still pause to admire in wonder. From September through April, when darkness blankets the Arctic sky, you can witness this magnificent phenomenon from the cosy comfort of your bed – though the most magical displays often occur between 10 pm and 2 am, when the stars twinkle their brightest and the aurora is at its most dramatic. It's a place where every other night might bring a new light show, each one as unique and mesmerising as the last.
Anantara Kihavah
Maldives
At Anantara Kihavah's SKY observatory, the magic of the Maldivian night unfolds in spectacular fashion above the gentle Indian Ocean waves. This extraordinary over-water observatory – the first of its kind in the Maldives – invites guests to embark on a celestial journey unlike any other. As the sun dips below the horizon in a blaze of tropical colour, the evening begins with sophisticated cocktails at the SKY Bar, before the real show starts: an intimate exploration of the cosmos through the archipelago's most powerful telescope. Here, guided by the resort's passionate SKY Guru, you'll discover the universe's most magnificent treasures – from Saturn's ethereal rings to Jupiter's ever-changing storm bands, and from the glittering expanse of the Milky Way to the ancient stellar cities of globular clusters. Reclined on circular daybeds, with the warm ocean breeze as your companion, you'll find yourself lost in both the wonders above and the captivating stories that have connected humans to these celestial marvels for millennia.
COMO Parrot Cay
Turks & Caicos
In the azure waters of Turks & Caicos, COMO Parrot Cay is preparing for a celestial adventure unlike any other seaside holiday. From 10-18 April 2025, this luxury island retreat transforms into a young space explorer's paradise, as NASA astronaut Nicole Stott – who spent 104 days in space, completed a historic spacewalk, and lived underwater for 18 days – touches down to lead an extraordinary Island Astronauts Camp. Explorers aged four to sixteen will embark on a cosmic journey where the boundaries between science and wonder dissolve completely. Working together as "crewmates" (just as Nicole did aboard the International Space Station), children will craft postcards destined for space, design colourful astronaut suits, sample authentic space food, and even construct and launch their own rockets that soar metres into the Caribbean sky. Beyond the laughter and excitement, a profound message takes root: that by working together, we all have the power to create a future for Earth that's as beautiful as it appears from the stars.
&Beyond Sossusvlei Desert Lodge
Namibia
Deep in the Namibian desert, where the darkness wraps around you like velvet, &Beyond Sossusvlei Desert Lodge offers one of Africa's most extraordinary astronomical experiences. Bordering the continent's only International Dark Sky Reserve, this remarkable lodge sits beneath some of the darkest, most pristine night skies ever measured – a staggering 140 kilometres from the nearest town's artificial glow. Here, the universe reveals itself in all its glory through the lodge's sophisticated observatory, where a resident astronomer guides guests through the cosmos using their state-of-the-art Celestron telescope. But the celestial magic doesn't end at the observatory; each suite features expansive skylights above sumptuous beds, transforming your night's sleep into a personal stargazing adventure. As the southern constellations wheel overhead and the Milky Way stretches across the desert sky like scattered diamonds, you'll understand why this remote corner of Namibia has become a pilgrimage site for those seeking to truly connect with the universe above.
Tierra Atacama
Chile
At Tierra Atacama, the night sky tells stories that span millennia, from ancient Atacameño legends to cutting-edge astronomical discoveries. Here, in the world's driest non-polar desert, where scientists have chosen to build some of Earth's most sophisticated telescopes, the stars shine with an intensity that feels almost supernatural. Each evening, as darkness descends over the crystalline desert air, guests embark on a three-part celestial journey that begins with the fundamentals of astronomy before venturing into both the cultural and scientific wonders above. First beneath the vast open sky, where the Milky Way stretches overhead like a river of light, then through increasingly powerful telescopes, you'll discover why this remote Chilean paradise has drawn both ancient stargazers and modern astronomers. The same conditions that allow today's scientists to peer deeper into space than ever before also allowed the indigenous Atacameños to develop their profound connection with the cosmos – a connection you'll feel deeply as you stand beneath one of the clearest night skies on Earth.
Jasper Dark Sky Festival
Canada
In the heart of the Canadian Rockies, where mountains pierce the sky and stars seem to shine their brightest, the Jasper Dark Sky Festival celebrates its 15th anniversary in spectacular fashion. This two-week celestial celebration, running from October 17th to November 2nd, 2025, transforms one of the world's largest Dark Sky Preserves into a stargazer's paradise, where the festival's motto "Power Down, Look Up" perfectly captures the essence of this extraordinary event. The festival's crown jewel is the enchanting Symphony Under the Stars, where the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra Strings perform beneath a canopy of stars at the iconic Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge, their music soaring through the crisp mountain air as the Milky Way gleams overhead. But the festivities don't stop there – from the cleverly cosmic "Starry Night Improv Show" to expert-led stargazing sessions with the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada, and even space-themed trivia nights, the festival offers something for every celestial enthusiast. Since earning its Dark Sky Preserve status in 2011, Jasper has become a sanctuary for those seeking to experience the true magnificence of the night sky, free from artificial light pollution and set against the dramatic backdrop of the Rocky Mountains.
Seabourn Solar Eclipse Cruises
While not technically a night sky experience, witnessing a total solar eclipse is perhaps one of our planet's most awe-inspiring celestial performances – and Seabourn's 2026 eclipse cruises promise to deliver this rare astronomical theatre in extraordinary style. Guests can choose between two spectacular viewing opportunities: aboard Seabourn Ovation off the Irish coast during its 14-day journey from Dover to Reykjavik, or on Seabourn Sojourn in the Balearic Sea during a 10-day Mediterranean voyage from Barcelona. Each vessel will be perfectly positioned in the path of totality as the Moon orchestrates its dramatic crossing of the Sun on August 12, 2026. Whether you're watching the ethereal spectacle with Royal Astronomical Society Fellow Jane A Green in the North Atlantic, or experiencing the eclipse's grand finale near sunset with science presenter Dallas Campbell in the Mediterranean warmth, these carefully planned voyages combine this cosmic event with explorations of stunning coastal destinations. From the rugged charm of Western Ireland to the sun-drenched shores of St. Tropez and Spanish Morocco, these journeys promise an adventure that's truly out of this world.