Tropical Houses: Living in Nature in Jamaica, Sri Lanka, Java, Bali, and the Coasts of Mexico and Belize
Before openingTropical Houses, hide your passport. As soon as you get a glimpse of these incredible houses nestled among lush tropical landscapes, you'll want to head straight to the airport. Author Tim Street-Porter spent more than 10 years traveling through Jamaica, Sri Lanka, Bali, Java, Mexico, and Belize, meeting the owners of these Shangri-las and taking interior and exterior photos.Tropical Housesoffers intelligent, dreamy commentary and over 272 breathtaking full-color photos.Visit the House of Iseh in Bali and sit in the verdant shadow of the sacred volcano Gunung Agung. Said writer Anna Mathews of the view from the terrace: "Once you have lived in this place you can never be the same again. You are driven mad by beauty." In Jamaica, imagine you're a guest at Good Hope. Originally a plantation, Good Hope is now a 10-room villa that  overlooks the Queen of Spain valley and the Cockpit Mountains. To look at these provocative photos is to imagine yourself in another life--one where you lounge on the veranda while white-jacketed waiters quietly replace your empty rum-and-pineapple drink. The owners of these estates have taken great care (at great expense) to create private, tropical paradises. One of the most stunning is Taprobane, an incredible retreat dominating the tiny island of the same name. Built by Count de Mauny-Talvande, the house is "an octagonal villa that allowed for verandahs in every direction; a 1930s folly, which, with small gardens extending through the foliage to the overhanging edges, fully occupied the crest of his island."The careful architecture and landscaping of these estates "opens a world of sensual experiences." When the sky is gray and you don't have time for a vacation,Tropical Houseswill lift your spirits and quiet your wanderlust.--Dana Van Nest