International Asteroid Day: Luxury Holidays with a Cosmic Twist

The cosmos has become the latest obsession for globetrotters with taste. Not content with five-star hotels and curated itineraries, a growing number of jet-setters are timing their holidays to celestial events: full moons, meteor showers, even Mercury retrogrades. Astro-tourism isn’t niche anymore; it’s surging.

With a projected global market value of $400 million by 2030 and a steady 10 per cent annual growth rate, this isn’t a passing trend: it’s the beginning of a new kind of wanderlust. In India, it’s particularly potent. Google searches for “stargazing” and “dark sky tourism” have spiked by 70 per cent in just six months. According to Skyscanner, 76 per cent of Indian travellers say that planetary phenomena directly influence how, when, and where they travel.

This International Asteroid Day serves as a fitting moment to explore this starstruck movement. Luxury properties around the world are now courting travellers with telescope-led skywalks, astrophotography workshops, and fine dining under moonlight. Here are four standout destinations redefining what it means to travel on cosmic time:

Anantara Qasr Al Sarab, Abu Dhabi

If the desert had a theatre, it would be the night sky above the Rub' al Khali. At Anantara Qasr Al Sarab, the Arabian sands stretch to the horizon and light pollution is practically nil. This makes it prime territory for stargazers.

Guests can scan the heavens with high-powered telescopes, enjoy meteor lore over Bedouin-style dinners, and watch constellations wheel across the sky like ancient compasses. Indian actress Samantha Ruth Prabhu recently joined the ranks of astro-tourists here, underscoring its status as a luxury celestial outpost.

Alila Jabal Akhdar, Oman

Perched atop the Al Hajar Mountains, this resort sits at an altitude where the sky feels within arm’s reach. Alila Jabal Akhdar is a sanctuary for travellers who want more than scenery; they want starlight.

Here, the evenings come with a front-row view of the universe. From astro-guided sessions to photography tutorials, guests are invited to slow down and look up. And when night falls, private terraces become observatories. For those chasing the perfect cosmic photo op, this is it.

The Kumaon, Uttarakhand

Hidden high in the hills, The Kumaon in Uttarakhand offers a quiet refuge where the sky is king. With minimal light pollution and a deep connection to the natural rhythms of the mountains, it’s a spot that invites introspection as much as inspiration.

Guests can wrap themselves in shawls, step onto private balconies, and stare into the kind of sky that mountain dwellers have navigated for centuries. It’s not just about seeing stars; it’s about feeling small in the best way. No wonder Richa Moorjani, the Hollywood actor, recently checked in.

Brij Lakshman Sagar, Rajasthan

Far from the city’s glare, this retreat in Rajasthan turns the night into a sensory celebration. Guests sprawl on charpoys with telescopes in hand, while naturalists tell stories of the stars. The soundtrack? Local folk music. The menu? Earthy Rajasthani dishes lit by candlelight.

It’s stargazing, yes, but it’s also soulful, grounded, and warm. A reminder that the cosmos doesn’t just belong to scientists. It belongs to storytellers, romantics, and children looking up for the first time.