Dial up the heat on your next romantic escape with these suggestions from supermodel Selita Ebanks
t’s hard to imagine a better (or curvier) island-escape expert than Selita Ebanks. The 27-year-old Victoria’s Secret model has frolicked half-naked everywhere from the powdery beaches of Los Roques to the sugary sands of Virgin Gorda. In fact, she’s from the Caribbean. Ebanks was born on Grand Cayman and still calls it home. Her advice for men is simple: wherever you’re going and whatever you’re doing, focus on her comfort. That means bringing her breakfast in bed, finding that beach where you have total skinny-dipping privacy and, if you’re snorkelling, not letting a stingray give her a hickey. “Comfort is a feeling,” says Ebanks. “The right man can make you feel comfortable wherever you are – and that’s sexy.” Turn the page to learn how.
1 Bring protectionBe prepared for the tropical sun and insects. “I love Clarins sunscreen (R140 Edgars) – it smells great,” says Ebanks. She warns that bugs can ruin not only the mood, but the whole holiday. “There’ll be no romance if she’s being bitten all the time.” Pack proven long-lasting repellant (try Badger Anti-bug Balm R60 Edgars). And ask your hotel to put up a mosquito net in your room, she recommends, for added protection – and ambience.
2 Sleep near the fishes“Ask her where she’d like to go,” Ebanks says. “If you plan together, you’re more likely to have a trip you’ll both enjoy.” She is partial to the following romantic criteria for a destination: you can see and hear the ocean from your room, it feels secluded and it serves fresh local food. “Also, go somewhere where children are not allowed. You can hug or kiss without any inhibitions.”
3 Be adventurous“The hardest places to reach are often the most beautiful,” she says. Like Little Dix Bay, in the British Virgin Islands. “You take two planes and then a boat. Can’t afford the plane fare? Then try skinny-dipping.” Ebanks has never hooked up on a beach, but if your passions overflow, a better option would be to move foreplay to the waves: “No sand, no bugs, greater privacy.”
4 Unplug everythingYou’ve heard it before, but it’s worth repeating: “A BlackBerry can be the death of a trip, and I know this from experience,” says Ebanks. “Your thumbs are supposed to be on her back giving her a massage, not tapping out messages.” You should make a pact to forgo any mention of work or business. That means treating your smartphones and laptops as if they were weapons. Ask the hotel staff to lock them up.
5 Cover her upSmall gestures go a long way. Pop champagne, rub her down and run her a bath, recommends Ebanks. Or surprise your partner by giving her a new beach cover-up. “Accessorize always has a great selection in summer colours,” says Women’s Health’s fashion sylist Mari Groenwald. Or find a locally-made sarong – it would be a souvenir. Makes sense: if you give, you can remove.
