Desert Rose

Visitors to Australia are often struck by the scarcity of opportunities to encounter Aboriginal culture. With indigenous people forming less than 3% of the population, there aren't many to be seen walking about on the streets; and the closest most tourists get to Aboriginal life is at a museum, or a didgeridoo purchased at a souvenir shop. That's why Gunya Titjikala ( gunya.com.au ) is such a welcome initiative. The country's first Aboriginal resort enables guests to live in a real desert community, absorbing local traditions firsthand.

The hosts are the 300 Aborigines of Titjikala, a far-flung settlement...