I started this blog because as I was looking around for our next SL vacation spot, I realized I was always starting from zero each time I did this. I had a handful of LMs, but three quarters of the places I'd stayed before had disappeared off the grid. So as I was googling variations on "Second Life vacation resort," slogging through SL search, and sloshing hip-deep through the miasma of real estate listings on SL marketplace, I thought, "What if I kept a good, updated list of the places I like best on a blog-type thingy?" ... both for myself and for anyone else who might be looking for a holiday within Second Life.
The timing couldn't have been more right, because what I ultimately found in this latest search sets the standard by which I will judge all future SL getaways. Yes, it's that good; everything I would want in a Second Life vacation, with a few little surprises that made it very close to perfect.
Aerial view of the main house of the Kidaka Resort & Lodges.
Kidaka Resort & Lodges gives visitors the virtual experience. of staying at a resort on an African savanna. The landscape is just as gorgeous as any SL landscape can be, filled with plants and animals - so many different animals! Meerkats! Ostriches! Crocodiles! Vultures! Gazelle!s I'm not entirely sure how accurate to African savannas all the flora and fauna is, especially as the lions and zebras are really close to each other without the excuse of a temporary-truce-inducing watering hole, but shhhhh just enjoy the spirit of the thing! It's like going on safari without the heat and the the fear of being eaten by leopards or trampled by rhinos. I recommend staying with the region's windlight, since the day-to-night cycle is stunning and the related lighting throughout the sim well-planned.
I'm a sucker for animals
When you TP to Kidaka, there is a main house with a lobby, bar, restaurant, spa, pool, and just a few more NPCs that I like to see around a place. Yay for de-rendering! There is a desk bot and also a kiosk that when clicked sends you to the web site for information on available rentals. While you see what's open on the website, you actually tp to the site where you want to rent and pay at a panel inside. From there you can join the group and add guests. We had a little trouble with the rental panel in our cabin, but one of the managers, Beric, quickly got it all worked out and was very helpful and accommodating.
Checking in ... can you spot the bot?
Vlad and I took a cabin at the southern edge of the sim. The structure is actually a Scarlet Creative house that was part of the only subscription box I ever took a chance on, and I could never figure out how to decorate it. But the designer for the sim has a clear, consistent, and balanced vision for every guest accommodation and public space. With a sitting room, bedroom, and spacious bathroom, the decor in the cabin is modern and "hotel-y" without being kitschy. There is also a small private beach out back with chairs and a fire pit.
Lodge #4 - NB: I added the awning over the chaise because omg sun
There is a lot to discover as you wander around the sim: the aforementioned animal tableaus, a hidden waterfall, public beaches (one of which is nude! \o/), and a small cabin with information on the endangerment of cheetahs in the real world (hence their absence on this sim) with a link to a site where you can learn more and possibly help, if so inclined.
Something to be aware of: there is no parcel privacy. You can cam in on anyone, anywhere. It's up to you whether this is a shocking dealbreaker or an exhibitionist/voyeuristic feature - I don't mind much, myself, but some people might clutch their pearls at the thought of anyone camming in on them. Vlad was wandering around the sim on his own, and a guy standing out in front of his tent wearing nothing but a condom called Vlad a "PEEPING TOM." Yeah, all caps. Anyone could have seen you at any given time, my mostly naked friend! Privacy in SL is an illusion.
The resort offers RP experiences at the spa, restaurant, and bar, and it looks like they may do safari RP in the future? This kind of RP is very much Not My Thing, but I guess it's nice to have available for people who might want it. Vlad and I did take advantage of the bar and the restaurant as settings for conversation rather than any kind of deep eating and drinking RP (though he does like to call out, "and a gin and tonic for the lady, with the garden in it" because he knows it's my favorite).
If I'm going to RP eating, make it foie.
One of the cute details at Kidaka is the "guest gift": a hotel-logo'd bathrobe and slippers. I thought the robe would be kind of a one-size deal where you'd have to alpha-out everything to wear it, but I was pleasantly surprised to find the package includes robes to fit 10 mesh bodies for women, and 9 bodies for men, including "fitmesh classic," aw bless. This is just one of the many simple but "extra" things at Kidaka that make it a special place to spend a holiday in SL.
"slurrrrrrrp"
Would I return? Absolutely! In fact, we planned to stay two days, but we ended up staying for five. Next time, I want to try one of the tents! I do wish there was a way to reserve spots in advance, because I think Kidaka will become a very popular destination. There seems to be space along one edge of the sim for more tents and cabins, so hopefully there will be an expansion someday.
relaxed bliss