february 2010

Save!Best Asian

travel deals

DiscoverParadiseJoin us as we peek inside Malaysia’s spectacular new spa

Plus: Must-keep airlines guide

Why go now: your 16 essential addresses

New Zealand

CAMBODIAKOREATHAILANDAUSTRALIA

MANILA FREESTYLE

DELVE INTO A BRAND-NEW

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SINGAPORE SG$7.90 ● HONG KONG HK$43THAILAND THB175 ● INDONESIA IDR50,000

MALAYSIA MYR17● VIETNAM VND85,000MACAU MOP44 ● PHILIPPINES PHP240

BURMA MMK35 ● CAMBODIA KHR22,000 BRUNEI BND7.90 ● LAOS LAK52,000

SOUTHEAST ASIA FEBRUARY 2010

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30*

REVEALED: ASIA’S TOP SPAS, RETREATS, MORE!

EXCLUSIVE

GOA HIPPIE HANGOUTTURNS STYLE HOTSPOT

Romanticdream trips

Trave l a n d Le i s u re A s i a .co m

Privilege knows no boundaries.

Carried by the Global Elite,the world over.

By invitation only.For expression of interest, please call

Singapore: + (65) 6295 6293Hong Kong: + (852) 2277 2233

Thailand: + (66) 2273 5445

TheTheTheeTheTheTheThTheThTheThTheTheThhTTTT ehe SuSuSSSuSuSuSuSuSu SuSuSSSuSukhokhokhokhokhooothathathathahaathathahthai Bi Bi Bi Bi Bii BBi Bi Bi BBangangangangangangana kkkkk kkokkkkkokkokkokkkkkkkokkokokkok

Amam nusa Balalii

EXCLUSIVELY FOR AMERICAN EXPRESS®PLATINUM CARDMEMBERS

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE ABOVE EXCLUSIVE OFFERS OR TO MAKE A BOOKING, CALL THE PLATINUM CARD® SERVICE:

SINGAPORE: +(65) 6392 1177 (option 1) HONG KONG: +(852) 2277 2233 THAILAND: +(66) 2 273 5599

Terms and conditions apply. In order to receive Fine Hotels & Resorts program amenities and rates, reservations must be made through The Platinum Card® Service and payment must be made using The Platinum Card® in the Platinum Cardmember’s name. Room upgrade at check-in is based on availability. One special program amenity per room, per stay. Not combinable with corporate or group contracted rates. Participating partners and program benefi ts are subject to change without notice. Program valid for stay by December 31, 2010.

The 2010 annual FINE HOTELS & RESORTS PROGRAM showcases properties that extend EXCLUSIVE benefi ts for American Express Platinum Cardmembers.

With some 600 extraordinary properties around the world – like Amanresorts, Mandarin Oriental, Orient-Express Hotels, Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, Raffl es Hotels & Resorts, The Peninsula, Ritz-Carlton, Four Seasons and Park Hyatt – the FINE HOTELS & RESORTS PROGRAM offers Cardmembers a variety of memorable experiences and a suite of benefi ts worth over US$550* for a two-night stay.

EXCLUSIVE benefi ts include:• Room upgrade upon check-in (subject to availability)• Daily continental breakfast for two• 4pm late check-out• An ADDITIONAL PRIVILEGE unique to each property, such as a DINNER FOR TWO, SIGNATURE MASSAGE, and more!

And from now until March 31, 2010, enjoy a complimentary THIRD NIGHT accommodation offered by selected properties such as The Ritz-Carlton Krabi, Napasai Samui, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, The Gramercy Park New York and more.For details, please visit americanexpress.com.sg/platinumfhr or contact The Platinum Card® Service.

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*Based on double occupancy. The actual value might be lower than stated, depending on the property, room category, availability of benefits, the length and date of stay.

ENJOY BENEFITS WORTH OVER US$550* AT THE WORLD’S FINEST HOTELS

Issue IndexSOUTHEAST ASIABali 116

Bangkok 40

Hong Kong 32, 40

Jakarta 40

Kuala Lumpur 44

Macau 40

Malaysia 40, 56

Manila 48

Phnom Penh 42

Phuket 40

Singapore 32, 33, 40

Thailand 34, 40, 86

ASIAGoa 106

India 34, 40, 50, 116

Kyoto 116

Maldives 40

Nepal 35

Shanghai 40

South Korea 69

AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALANDNew Zealand 96

Tasmania 116

AFRICANamibia 78

EUROPEProvence 130

THE AMERICASHawaii 74

New York City 34

(Destinations)02.10

World Weather This Month

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F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 0 | T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A . C O M4

(SGD) (HKD) (BT) (RP) (RM) (VND) (MOP) (P) (MMK) (KHR) (BND) (LAK)Singapore Hong Kong Thailand Indonesia Malaysia Vietnam Macau Philippines Burma Cambodia Brunei Laos

US ($1) 1.40 7.75 33.2 9,230 3.38 18,470 7.99 45.8 6.41 4,153 1.40 8,480

Source: www.xe.com (exchange rates at press time).

Currency Converter

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-40oC -25oC -10oC 0oC 5oC 10oC 15oC 20oC 30oC 40o+C

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Provence 130

Hawaii 74

Thailand 34, 40, 86

New Zealand 96

India 34, 40, 50, 116

Namibia 78

T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A . C O M | V O L 0 4 | I S S U E 0 2


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(Contents)02.10

86 Reset Your LifeLose weight, reduce stress, improve

your diet or just bliss out for a

few days: here are four exclusive

destination spas in Thailand

that can help you get your life

back on track, writes CHAMI

JOTISALIKORN. Photographed

by BRENT T. MADISON.

GUIDE 94

96 Welcome to New Zealand Sand dunes, surf towns and a

growing circle of friends, ADAM

SACHS tours New Zealand, where

the oysters are plentiful, the road is

wide open, and everyone you’ll meet

has a story to share. Photographed

by MARK ROPER.

GUIDE AND MAP 105

106 GoaIn the glamorous part of India’s

west coast, ALEXANDRA

MARSHALL discovers rugged

86-116Features

beaches, Portuguese-inspired

architecture and impeccable

hideaways. Photographed by

ANDERS OVERGAARD.

GUIDE AND MAP 114

116 30 Romantic Dream TripsFrom a beach resort in Zanzibar

and a Costa Rican tree house to

your own apartment in Rome, T+L

scanned the globe for experiences

that will put you in the mood.

Edited by JENNIFER FLOWERS

and CLARK MITCHELL

>106 India’s western coastline near Goa.

Rates are valid per room/per night, based on single or double occupancy, exclusive of taxes, gratuities, fees and other charges; do not apply to groups; cannot be combined with any other offer. Advanced reser-vations are required. Offer valid through April 30, 2010, subject to availability. Some hotels may require a weekend stay and/or a minimum length of stay. Credit may not be applied toward room rate, has no cash value and must be used during the dates of the reservation. ©2010 The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C.

FUNNY HOW THE GREATEST MEMORIES ARE OFTEN BUILT ON THE SIMPLEST MOMENTS.

The gasp of a turquoise wave on a warm, sunny day. A moonlit dinner in

the mountains. A museum itinerary prepared specially for you. No one

knows how to turn a moment into a memory better than The Ritz-Carlton.

And whether you are exploring a new city or enjoying our resort desti-

nations around the world, our Reconnect® packages will enhance your

stay with hotel and resort credits that you can use for a host of activities,

such as spa, dining and shopping. Even if you’re here for only a few

days, you’ll find your vacation with us will last a lifetime. For reserva-

tions or more information, please contact your travel

professional, call The Ritz-Carlton or visit us at

ritzcarlton.com/reconnect.

ENJOY A

HOTEL OR RESORT CREDIT

Call The Ritz-Carlton tol l-free from: Indonesia 011 803 657 794 • Malaysia 00 800 241 33333• Singapore 011 800 241 33333 • Hong Kong 001 800 241 33333 • Nor thern China 10 800 650 0229• Southern China 10 800 265 0229 • Austral ia 0011 800 241 33333 • New Zealand 00 800 241 33333.

31-50Insider

69-78T+L Journal

10 Editor’s Note14 Contributors 16 Letters18 Best Deals21 Strategies130 My Favorite Place

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DepartmentsCover

55 IconBrooks Brothers’ wrinkle-free classic.

PHOTOGRAPHED BY NIGEL COX

56 FashionSultry styles at the Banjaran Hotsprings

Retreat in Malaysia’s pristine rain forest.

32 NewsflashSingapore’s latest happening ‘hood,

luxury trains in India, two new

retreats in Thailand and more.

36 SpasT+L’s annual poll of the world’s best

spas, plus exclusive packages.

40 TrendsFrom tea rituals to sleep analysis,

T+L brings you the latest trends in

Asian spas.

42 Address BookA new breed of luxury spas is popping

up in Phnom Penh. BY NAOMI LINDT

44 ClassicsA tour of Kuala Lumpur’s old-time

and unforgettable Chinese eateries.

BY ROBYN ECKHARDT

55-56Stylish Traveler

The Banjaran Hotsprings Retreat, Malaysia. Photographed by Nat Prakobsantisuk. Model: Pamela Lima/Mode. Styling by Weechee. Make-up by Geraldine Loy. Hairby David Shaw. Assistant: Ekarat Ubonsri. Bikini by Rosa Cha.

(Contents)02.10

48 EatChefs in Manila are playing fast and

loose with the rules. BY LARA DAY

50 City SceneIn India, one man is creating the green

city of the future. BY KARRIE JACOBS

>48

69 PreservationTraditional Korean homes are

being resurrected as comfortable

restaurants, relaxing teahouses

and intimate inns, reports

NICOLAI HARTVIG

74 HotelsTwo historic Hawaiian hotels

are fresh from renovations

that have restored them to

their former glory. BY MARIA

SHOLLENBARGER

78 AdventureNamibia’s desert is the backdrop

for a growing number of stylish

hideaways, all in unforgettable

southern African locales. BY

RICHARD ALLEMAN

>74

>55

>56

C

Save!Best Asian

travel deals




New Zealand


MANILA FREESTYLE


WAY TO DINE

+

SINGAPORE SG$7.90 � HONG KONG HK$43THAILAND THB175 ��INDONESIA IDR50,000

MALAYSIA MYR17� VIETNAM VND85,000MACAU MOP44 � PHILIPPINES PHP240

BURMA MMK35 � CAMBODIA KHR22,000 BRUNEI BND7.90 � LAOS LAK52,000

FEBRUARY 2010

30


EXCLUSIVE


Romanticdream trips


10

TRAVEL + LEISURE EDITORS, WRITERS AND PHOTOGRAPHERS ARE THE INDUSTRY’S MOST RELIABLE SOURCES. WHILE ON ASSIGNMENT, THEY TRAVEL INCOGNITO WHENEVER

POSSIBLE AND DO NOT TAKE PRESS TRIPS OR ACCEPT FREE TRAVEL OF ANY KIND.

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F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 0 | T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A . C O M

(Editor’s Note)02.10

T WAS LAST AUGUST THAT I FIRST SAW A FEW, EARLY PHOTOGRAPHS

of the Banjaran Hotsprings Retreat in Malaysia. I felt privy to something very rare:

a resort that really does effortlessly blend into, and more importantly utilize, its rich

natural resources to complement its range of wellness programs. At that early stage,

I immediately saw a Travel + Leisure Southeast Asia cover and fashion shoot, and

I’m absolutely stunned by the results (“Natural Wonder,” page 56). Full credit goes

to our regular cover photographer Nat Prakobsantisuk and his team for bringing

the vivid landscape to life, catching the early-morning mist from the natural hot

springs, and other visual treats. This is one of my favorite T+L SEA covers; I do

hope you agree, but as always, please do let me know via e-mail if you don’t.

Actually, this whole issue has a spa and wellness thread running through it, led by

T+L’s annual World’s Best Spas reader poll (page 36), as well as a glimpse at Asia’s

spa trends (“Trend Watch,” page 40). I certainly fancy the idea of racing across

India on a luxury train in a customized wellness carriage. The last word on our spa

content this issue—and our last spa story—is a look at the wellness industry in

Thailand (“Reset Your Life,” page 86), which is still vigorous, healthy and in great

shape. Maybe the industry collectively went to a nice spa...

Elsewhere in the magazine, we open up New Zealand (“Welcome to New

Zealand,” page 96) as a feature for the fi rst time in T+L SEA. This beautiful

country, with its own range of natural wonders, may be overlooked due to its

relatively remote location and temperate climate, but is defi nitely worth

considering for a special vacation experience. Last but not least, voting for the 2010

World’s Best Awards is now offi cially under way. See page 20 for details of how to

enter, or simply visit www.travelandleisure.com/intl. As with previous years, all our

readers can enter, so let us (and the world!) know your favorites.—MATT LEPPARD

CHAIRMAN

PRESIDENT

PUBLISHING DIRECTOR

TRAVEL+LEISURE SOUTHEAST ASIAVOL. 4, ISSUE 2

Travel + Leisure Southeast Asia is published monthly by Media Transasia Limited, Room 1205-06, 12/F, Hollywood Centre, 233 Hollywood Road, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong. Tel: +852 2851-6963; Fax: +852 2851-1933; under license

from American Express Publishing Corporation, 1120 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10036, United States of America. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any information storage or retrieval systems, without permission in

writing from the Publisher. Produced and distributed by Media Transasia Thailand Ltd., 14th Floor, Ocean Tower II, 75/8 Soi Sukhumvit 19, Sukhumvit Road, Klongtoeynue, Wattana, Bangkok 10110, Thailand. Tel: +66 2 204-2370. Printed by Comform Co., Ltd. (+66 2 368-2942–7). Color separation by Classic Scan Co., Ltd. (+66 2 291-7575). While the editors

do their utmost to verify information published, they do not accept responsibility for its absolute accuracy.

J.S. Uberoi

Egasith Chotpakditrakul

Rasina Uberoi-Bajaj

AMERICAN EXPRESS PUBLISHING CORPORATION

This edition is published by permission of

AMERICAN EXPRESS PUBLISHING CORPORATION

1120 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10036, United States of America.

Reproduction in whole or in part without the consent of the copyright owner is prohibited.

© Media Transasia Thailand Ltd. in respect of the published edition.

SUBSCRIPTIONSSubscription enquiries: www.travelandleisuresea.com/subscribe

ADVERTISINGAdvertising enquiries: e-mail [email protected]

Matt Leppard

Fah Sakharet

Jennifer Chen

Chris Kucway

Wannapha Nawayon

Sirirat Prajakthip

Wasinee Chantakorn

Monsicha Hoonsuwan

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

CREATIVE CONSULTANT

FEATURES EDITORS

SENIOR DESIGNER

DESIGNER

EDITORIAL ASSISTANT

INTERN

PRESIDENT/CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT/CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT/CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT/EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

VICE PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, STRATEGIC INSIGHTS,

MARKETING & SALES

EXECUTIVE EDITOR, INTERNATIONAL

PUBLISHING DIRECTOR, INTERNATIONAL

DIRECTOR OF INTERNATIONAL ADVERTISING

DIGITAL ASSET MANAGER

Paul Ehrlich (editor-at-large), Brent Madison, Adam Skolnick, Robyn Eckhardt,

Sonia Kolesnikov-Jessop, Lara Day, Naomi Lindt, Cedric Arnold, Steve McCurry, Peter Steinhauer,

Nat Prakobsantisuk, Graham Uden, Darren Soh

REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS / PHOTOGRAPHERS

Robert Fernhout

Lucas W. Krump

Pichayanee Kitsanayothin

Michael K. Hirsch

Kin Kamarulzaman

Shea Stanley

Gaurav Kumar

Kanda Thanakornwongskul

Supalak Krewsasaen

Porames Chinwongs

PUBLISHER

DIRECTOR SINGAPORE / ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER

DIGITAL MEDIA MANAGER

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT MANAGERS

CONSULTANT, HONG KONG/MACAU

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

PRODUCTION MANAGER

PRODUCTION

GROUP CIRCULATION MANAGER

Ed Kelly

Mark V. Stanich

Paul B. Francis

Nancy Novogrod

Jean-Paul Kyrillos

Cara S. David

Mark Orwoll

Thomas D. Storms

Madelyn A. Roberts

Marc Abdeldaim

PROMOTIONSpecial Promotion

CENTRAL MEXICOCentral México is one of the country’s richest regions in culture and natural beauty. The central region offers beautiful colonial cities with gorgeous buildings, and numerous forest, waterfalls, lakes, springs and caverns which are ideal for ecotourism activities.

In the Mexican heartland, you can visit México City, the nation’s capital and many other colonial cities famous for their architecture, fairs, history and culture. Examples of these cities are: Puebla, the City of Angels. The historic downtown area of the city is home to 2,169 historic monuments and was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In Aguascalientes, you can experience traditional fairs such as the Festival of Skulls or the San Marcos National Fair, one of the best and oldest showcases of regional cultural and folklore. Queretaro’s monumental aqueduct located in the State of Queretaro and Morelia’s baroque cathedral, located in the State of Michoacán, are both impressive constructions and were declared UNESCO World Heritage sites.

LOVELY MORELOS. The State of Morelos is also located in the central region of México, and is blessed with warm tropical climate and nice weather all year round.

ATTRACTIONS IN THE STATE OF MORELOS: ◗ Ajusco-Chichinautzin Biological Corredor is an ideal spot for ecotourism outings◗ Swimming resort Las Estacas, with crystalline springs, is surrounded by nature.◗ The Zempoala Natural Park consists of seven beautiful lagoons of volcanic origin.◗ Visit the charming city of Tepoztlán where you can climb the Tepozteco mountain.

On the top stands a white washed pyramid, an emblematic indigenous place of worship.

◗ The Xochicalco archaeological zone, is a UNESCO declared World Heritage Site.

CUERNAVACA, THE CITY OF ETERNAL SPRING: Cuernavaca, the city of eternal spring and the state capital, offers excellent hotels, crystalline springs surrounded by some of the state’s most beautiful natural scenery and marvelous historic buildings. Cuernavaca is located near México City, 89 kilometers (55 miles). The city has a pleasant climate, with an average year-round temperature of 23° Celsius (73° Fahrenheit). Cuernavaca is an excellent place to relax, enjoy nature and be impressed by beautiful buildings.

ACTIVITIES TO DO IN CUERNAVACA:◗ Visit its luxurious spas, which offer all kinds of massages and relaxation therapies. ◗ Take a stroll through the city and marvel at the magnificent historic buildings:

the Convento del la Asuncion (Convent of The Assumption), la Capilla de San Jose (San Jose Chapel), the Palacio de Cortes (Palace of Cortez), the oldest viceregal civic construction, which houses Diego Rivera murals, or the Jardin Borda (Borda Garden), an important city symbol due to its rich history and natural beauty.

MORELOS, MEXICO

Special Promotion

THE MAGICAL STATE OF

Chinelo Dancer, Tepoztlán Carnival

The Nativity Temple, Tepoztlán

Xochicalco Archeological Site

Tepoznieves/Traditional ice cream shop Aquatic Park, Ex Hacienda de Temixco

02MEXICO-SEA.indd 2 1/11/10 2:27:29 PM

(Contributors)02.10 CHAMI JOTISALIKORN | WRITERTHE ASSIGNMENT Checked into Thailand’s new generation of wellness

resorts (“Reset Your Life,” page 86). TREATMENT NOT TO BE MISSED Hot

stone massage—a full body oil massage using heated stones to knead tense

muscles. You won’t want to wake up. MOST RELAXING SPOT IN

THAILAND The stillness within yourself, no matter where you are. Inner

peace, baby, inner peace! YOGA OR PILATES? Yoga. If you can do yoga,

you can do anything. WEIRDEST TREATMENT A Brie cheese body wrap in

Bangkok. The aroma made me ravenous and want to bite myself.

ROBYN ECKHART | WRITERTHE ASSIGNMENT Covered Kuala Lumpur’s classic Chinese kitchens

(“The Real Thing, page 44). TASTES BETTER THAN IT LOOKS Stuffed

pork trotter at Sek Yuen—unmistakably an appendage, but the fi rst taste

banishes any doubts. FAVORITE RESTAURANT IN KL Honestly and truly,

Sek Yuen. It’s like a second home—I’m there at least once a week. NEXT

GREAT EATING CITY Taipei. As China-focused foodies fuss over Shanghai,

this city has been kicking out delicious eats. FUTURE TRIP PLANS Luang

Prabang, Taipei (to eat, of course) and Turkey—a road trip to the Black Sea.

ALEXANDRA MARSHALL | T+L CONTRIBUTING EDITORTHE ASSIGNMENT Wrote about one of India’s most glamorous coastlines

(“Goa,” page 106). EXPLORE The region’s rivers. FOOD YOU’D FLY BACK

FOR Fish curry rice is the standard plate, which every chef cooks differently.

At Elsewhere hotel, it was exceptional. UNPREDICTABLE INDIA Goa is very

Christian. It’s remarkable to see so many roadside shrines dedicated to Jesus

instead of Sai Baba. GOAN GOODS A bottle of well-aged feni, or cashew

brandy. TRAVEL TIP Be patient. Nothing moves quickly here. NEXT GREAT

PLACE Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The vibe of Tangier is also changing a lot.

NICOLAI HARTVIG | WRITERTHE ASSIGNMENT Reported on the revival of traditional Korean houses,

hanoks (“Heritage Homes,” page 69). GET INTO THE HANOK SPIRIT Take

off your shoes, drink omija tea and listen to the wind. WE � SEOUL That this

erstwhile “ugly duckling” city is beginning to grow more than a few swan

feathers. DISHES TO TRY Samgyetang chicken soup with ginger at Tosokchon,

soy-marinated crab in Insadong and hanwoo beef barbecue. DON’T MISS

Buckhon’s main street, nighttime lanterns at Jogyesa temple and the 11 A.M.

bell-ringing parade at Jonggak for the changing of the palace guards.

ANDERS OVERGAARD | PHOTOGRAPHERTHE ASSIGNMENT Photographed “Goa” in India’s smallest state. ONLY IN

GOA... Greater India is crowded and overwhelming, but here there’s an

emphasis on what’s small and intimate, from 12-seater restaurants to

boutique hotels. TUNE IN The musicians who play during the evening

markets are excellent and have a forward-thinking take on traditional Indian

sounds. DON’T LEAVE WITHOUT Renting a motorbike and riding through

the coastal mountains. GET READY TO... Relax. You won’t have a choice.

NEXT GREAT PLACE Croatia. It’s accessible but still off the general radar. LE

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✉E-MAIL T+L SEND YOUR LETTERS TO [email protected] AND LET US KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS ON RECENT STORIES OR NEW PLACES TO VISIT.

LETTERS CHOSEN MAY BE EDITED FOR CLARITY AND SPACE. THE LETTER OF THE MONTH RECEIVES A FREE ONE-YEAR SUBSCRIPTION TO TRAVEL + LEISURE (SOUTHEAST ASIA ONLY). READER OPINIONS EXPRESSED IN LETTERS DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THOSE OF TRAVEL + LEISURE SOUTHEAST ASIA, MEDIA TRANSASIA LTD., OR AMERICAN EXPRESS PUBLISHING.

that roll out the same tired clichés when

writing about Pattaya. I have been a

regular visitor for more than 30 years

and the city has changed tremendously

in that time. The “old” tacky version

has been pushed aside and a

sophisticated destination is taking

shape. It’s also a favored family holiday

place for my Thai friends and those

from abroad. I urge all readers to take

a look at the new Pattaya.

—MARUT NUICHAN, BANGKOK

Laos UncoveredThanks for running Andrew Burke’s

fascinating story on Laos [“Off the

Map,” December 2009]. It seems we

live in a smaller and smaller world

where once off-the-beaten track

destinations turn into Khao San Road

overnight. How refreshing it was to

learn of a corner in Southeast Asia

that’s truly untouched by tourism, and

how inspiring, too. My worry, though,

is that by writing about it, you might

open the fl oodgates. Whatever ethical

confl icts there might be, I enjoy reading

these sorts of adventure stories.

—RALPH SMITS, HONG KONG

Continental DriftJanuary’s issue seemed to be focused on

Europe: British pubs, Italian food and

Provence. While I don’t object to the

occasional piece about destinations in

the West, I personally buy T+L

Southeast Asia to fi nd out about what’s

going on in this region and greater Asia

as well. Going forward, can you please

be less Euro-centric?

—CEDRIC SO, SINGAPORE

LETTER OF THE MONTH

In Sharp FocusI loved your November 2009 issue. Not only were there cool travel updates and the latest on hotels, dining and the hippest shopping, but it also had one of my favorite topics: travel photography [“Point and Click”]. I’ve had a passion for photography since I was a teenager. I love to explore places by photographing them. Your article gave me lots of helpful tips, as well as comparisons between the latest and coolest shooting gadgets.

Beyond ClichésI must congratulate you on the Pattaya

article in your most recent issue [“City

of Extremes,” November 2009], which

underlines what the resort town has to

offer. Again, Travel + Leisure Southeast

Asia is ahead of other travel magazines

—CAROLINE L. AQUINO, TACLOBAN

CITY, PHILIPPINES

(Letters)02.10

(Strategies) 11.09

T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E S E A . C O M | N O V E M B E R 2 0 0 9 27

Point and Click. There’s no better way to remember a trip than through pictures. Here, Travel +Leisure (U.S.) photo editors offer six easy tips to better travel photos. PLUS We test-drive the latest digital cameras for different skill levels and preview four hands-on photography tours around the globe. Happy shooting!

TIP 1 TRY A DAYTIME FLASH If you’re taking portraits in the sun, turn the flash on. Not only will this brighten any shadowy areas, but it will also make the subject pop in the frame. Professional photographers often use this trick at the beach.

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Life Culinary Package

at AKA Resorts Hua

Hin (66-32/618-900;

akaresorts.com).

What’s Included A

one-night stay in a

one-bedroom deluxe

pool villa; a visit to

an organic farm; a

degustation dinner for

two with wine; a visit

to the Cha-Am Seafood

market; and a Thai

cooking workshop.

Cost Bt14,000,

through March 31.

Savings 66 percent.

Celebrate Valentine’s Day with these romantic getaways■ CHINAMr. & Mrs. G Package at Hotel G Beijing (86-10/6552-3600; hotel-g.com). What’s Included A one-night stay in a Great Room; a

one-hour massage for two; sparkling wine and

chocolate-covered strawberries upon arrival;

breakfast; complimentary soft drinks from the

mini-bar; and free Wi-Fi. Cost RMB1,288,

through March 31. Savings 40 percent.

■ INDONESIAExclusive to T+L Southeast Asia readers a free

upgrade at the Alila Jakarta (62-21/231-

6008; alilahotels.com/jakarta). What’s Included A two-night stay in an executive room;

breakfast; free Wi-Fi; access to the executive

lounge; and free evening cocktails. Cost

US$105 per night, through March 31; cite T+L

Southeast Asia. Savings 40 percent.

■ MALAYSIAA Taste of Nostalgia package at The Majestic Malacca (60-3/2783-1000; majesticmalacca.com).

What’s Included Accommodation in a deluxe

room; a complimentary Peranakan high tea for

two; and a walk with the hotel’s resident

historian. Cost RM500 per night, through

March 31. Savings 42 percent. FR

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■ SINGAPOREExclusive to T+L Southeast Asia readers the

Ritz-Carlton Getaway at the Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore (65/6337-8888;

ritzcarlton.com). What’s Included A one-night

stay in a Deluxe Marina Bay View room;

breakfast; S$50 dining credit for a one-night

stay and S$75 dining credit for a two-night

stay; and a bubble bath. Cost S$498 per night,

reserve from now until March 31 for stays

through May 31. Savings Up to 48 percent.

■ THAILANDClassy Creature Comforts package at the

Pathumwan Princess (66-2/216-3700; dusit.

com) in Bangkok. What’s Included

Accommodation in a superior room; breakfast;

a dinner; 15 percent off F&B; 15 percent off

at the spa; and use of the Club Lounge. Cost

Bt4,800 per night, two-night minimum,


Sneak Away package at the Sheraton Hua Hin Resort & Spa (66-32/708-000; sheraton.

com). What’s included A two-night stay in a

Garden View Room; breakfast; and late check-

out at 3 P.M. (upon availability). Cost Bt8,400,


DEAL OF THE MONTH

A pool villa at AKA Resorts Hua Hin.

A room at The Majestic Malacca.

(Best Deals) 02.10

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T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E . C O M | M O N T H 2 0 0 7 00

Dear Travel + Leisure Southeast Asia readers,

We trust you. We trust your judgment. That’s why we want you to rate your global travel experiences for us, in the 2010 Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards. These awards are recognized as travel’s highest honor, so it’s time to give back to those hotels, spas, airlines, cruise lines, travel companies and destinations you loved in 2009. And this year is a very special year, with readers of all eight global editions of Travel + Leisure now able to participate in the awards.

So visit www.travelandleisure.com/intl and tell us exactlywhat you think. The full global results will be published in our August edition.

Matt LeppardEditor-in-ChiefTravel + Leisure Southeast Asia

2010 World’s Best Awards

HOW TO ENTER: Log onto www.travelandleisure.com/intl and fi ll in a few simple details, then vote! No purchase is necessary. Closing date: March 31, 2010.

For your favorite hotels, spas, airlines, cruise lines, travel companies and the destinations you love—in the only truly

GLOBAL travel survey that matters!

VOTE NOW ATwww.travelandleisure.com/intl

(Strategies) 02.10

T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A . C O M | F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 0 21

The Future of Air Travel in AsiaWith low-cost carriers expanding across the region and airlines upping their games,

savvy travelers only stand to gain, reports NAOMI LINDT. PLUS: An in-depth guide on how to score the best fares, budget airlines, new routes and perks, and moreIL

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Dispatch: What to Expect in 2010 While airlines’ annus horriblis may well be over, they still have a long way to go towards recovery. For passengers, the good times should continue to roll

T HE GLOBAL RECESSION, RISING OIL PRICES, SWINE

fl u, climate change—all told, 2009 was not a good

year for the airline industry. As passenger traffi c

declined, routes were eliminated while business

and fi rst-class seats—traditional cash cows—sat empty,

infl icting a huge impact on the bottom line. The

International Air Transport Association, or IATA, has

predicted that the region’s major airlines last year lost

US$3.4 billion, accounting for more than a quarter of the

forecast US$11 billion in global losses.

Bad times for airlines, however, have been a boon for

travelers with an eye for bargains. “Currently, and generally,

consumers are benefi ting from lower

fares as airlines compete for

customers in the prevailing economic

climate,” says Kris Lim, associate

director of the Pacifi c Asia Travel

Association’s Strategic Intelligence

Centre. Recent data released by

travel website Expedia.com shows a

25 percent decline in ticket prices

within Asia, while premium seats are

being discounted more than ever

before, sometimes by as much as 17

percent, according to 2009

IATA fi gures.

Add to this the steady growth of

low-cost carriers in the region and

there are some great deals out there

for the taking—a trend analysts say

will continue this year. “While

many network carriers struggled

with declining traffi c and losses, a

number of established LCC’s [low-

cost carriers], particularly in Southeast Asia, continued to

record strong traffi c, add capacity [and] frequency, launch

new routes and at the same time remained profi table,” Lim

comments. The proof is in the profi ts: Malaysia’s AirAsia

witnessed an 18 percent rise in its group revenues in 2009,

with an expected 25 million passengers—an enviable jump

of 21 percent. Filipino carrier Cebu Pacifi c saw traffi c

volume in the fi rst half of 2009 soar by 38 percent, resulting

in revenue growth of 21 percent, while Jetstar, which

operates hubs in Australia and Singapore, posted a before-

tax profi t of A$137 million in the 2008–2009 fi scal year.

Budget carriers are also moving aggressively into medium-

and long-haul routes, markets long dominated by the major

airlines. Last year saw AirAsia and its cohorts fl ying to

London, Chengdu and Guilin in China, and destinations in

India and Sri Lanka—with further incursions within Asia

and to the Middle East, Australia and, possibly, the United

States, to come.

There’s defi nitely room for them to grow. Currently,

discount carriers account for roughly 12 percent of the Asian

market—compared to 37 percent in Europe and 30 percent

in the United States—and, by most accounts, they’re eager

for a bigger piece of the pie. “The low-cost carriers are

plundering the low-end of the

market despite extensive

protectionism,” says Peter Harbison,

executive chairman of the Centre

for Asia Pacifi c Aviation. “And once

credit starts to ease, there will be

more [low-cost] entrants.”

For travelers, the continual rise of

low-cost carriers in Asia is helping to

offset an expected rise in airfares.

Globally speaking, IATA doesn’t

expect the industry as a whole to

return to profi tability until 2011,

but because Asia’s private sector is

less hampered by debt and bad

assets than European and North

American companies, most experts

are predicting a quicker and

stronger recovery here. And that

translates into good news for Asian

airlines; indeed, recent numbers

show them already outperforming

their counterparts in other regions. IATA is forecasting that

Asia’s carriers will see losses of only US$700 million in

2010—compared to the US$2 billion in losses expected

among North American airlines or US$2.5 billion in Europe.

A recovery, however, means higher prices: fares within Asia

will likely increase by 3 to 8 percent (and 1 to 6 percent for

international business travel), depending on oil prices. But

with the expansion of budget networks and new ways to

score deals through social networking sites like Twitter and

Facebook, the bargains are still out there. You just need to

know where to look. »

Bad times for airlines, however

have been a boon for travelers with an eye

for BARGAINS.


A BETTER WAY TO FLY


How to Score Deals. From social networking and websites to travel agents, here are fi ve essential tips on how to save money the next time you fl y

1 CHECK YOUR SOURCES

To get an idea of fares, start with a

search engine like zuji.com or kayak.

com, which list various fares by carrier.

Before snapping up a ticket on a

particular fl ight, always check the ticket

price on the airline’s own site, making

sure to compare totals (including any

taxes or service fees). You’ll sometimes

fi nd the same—if not better—fares

through the airline itself along with

more choices in departure times. Cathay

Pacifi c, Singapore Airlines and Korean

Air regularly list deals on their websites

that you won’t fi nd elsewhere.

2 GET SOCIAL

Airlines—from the region’s

traditional heavyweights to its

youngest entrants—and travel sites are

latching onto the social networking

movement to spread the word about

news and special deals. By following

them on Facebook and Twitter, you’ll be

the fi rst to know about special

promotions and discounted fares. Cathay

Pacifi c, Thai Airways, Malaysia Airlines,

Cebu Pacifi c, AirAsia and zuji.com are

just a few of the companies that tweet or

post bargains.

3 BE YOUR OWN ADVOCATE

You might be inclined to tick “no,

thanks” on e-mail alerts or

newsletters, but you’ll be missing out on

having deals land right in your inbox.

E-alerts sent out by carriers like Malaysia

Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Cathay

Pacifi c and Jetstar are a sure way to snap

up the latest promotions.

4 KNOW THE SCHEDULE

Note the days and times of the

week when the best deals are

launched: Jetstar, for example, holds a

Fare Frenzy every Friday between 2 P.M.

and 4 P.M. Singapore time, when you’ll

fi nd tickets going for as little as S$15

each way. Travelzoo.com, meanwhile,

which runs individual sites in several

Asian countries, releases its “Top 20”

airfare deals of the week every Tuesday.

5 GO OLD SCHOOL

In countries with less saturated

and less Internet-savvy markets

like Laos and Cambodia, check in with a

travel agent. They’ll often have access to

better deals than you’ll fi nd on your own.

6 START WITH THE END

Some regional airports are getting

in on the action of selling airfares,

sometimes promoting deals directly on

their websites. Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi

Airport (airportsuvarnabhumi.com) hosts a

search engine that checks sites like

mobissimotravel.com and asiatravel.com,

while Singapore’s Changi (changiairport.

com) links to deals from viasingapore.

com. Through Ho Chi Minh City’s Tan

Son Nhat Airport site (hochiminhcityairport.

com), you can search for fares on several

budget airlines.

Plan on doing some regional city-hopping? Consider an air pass, a system of pre-paid, one-way coupons on major carriers that can take the pressure off your wallet. Each pass has its own restrictions, so make sure to check the fi ne print carefully when trip planning.

Malaysia Airlines’ Asean Pass Introduced last year, this pass offers travelers a set of four pre-paid, one-way tickets for travel within Malaysia or from Kuala Lumpur to destinations in Brunei, Thailand, Indonesia, Philippines, Cambodia, Vietnam and Burma, and Singapore at a cost of US$229 for economy class and US$729 for business. Tickets are valid for six months.

Discovery Airpass Minimum of three and maximum of six one-way routes on Bangkok Airways, Vietnam Airlines and Lao Airlines, whose combined networks span Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Hong Kong and Burma, including smaller destinations like Pakse in Laos and Thailand’s Sukhothai. Most domestic fl ights cost US$60; international routes, US$100. Tickets are valid for two months, dates can be selected while on the road and no route may be repeated in the same direction. Not available for purchase in Thailand.

Cathay Pacifi c’s All-Asia PassCathay Pacifi c offers its popular air pass to residents of Southeast Asia, with a minimum of four routes and a maximum of eight. Destinations include cities in Japan, China, Sri Lanka and Pakistan. You can’t travel via your country of origin, though stopovers, except Hong Kong, are permitted (only one is allowed on the fi nal return journey). Tickets are valid for one month. Prices depend on which country you’re fl ying out of: from Singapore, a seven-city pass costs S$1,268, while the same pass costs US$788 out of Jakarta.

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>>CATHAY PACIFIC AIRWAYS (cathaypacifi c.com) is

redesigning all classes, with 82 aircraft to feature the new

look by 2012. First-class suites offer one of the largest beds

on any commercial airline at 80 inches long by 35.4 inches

wide, while business class travel sees the arrival of fl at

ergonomic beds. Economy seats maximize knee and shin

clearance and allow passengers to recline without affecting

those behind them. Power supplies will be installed in every

seat, while some 100 movies, 350 TV shows and 70 video

games will be available on-demand. Cathay has already

rolled-out an application for iPhones, BlackBerries and

Windows Mobile devices.

>>KOREAN AIR (koreanair.com) is investing US$200 million

in installing its new premium seats on 96 planes over the

next few years, which include fl at beds in both fi rst and

Prestige classes and ergonomically designed seats in

economy. All classes will be equipped with larger individual

screens to try out the faster, higher resolution entertainment

system. Organic food has also been added to menus.

>>JAPAN AIRLINES (jal.com) has introduced new suites

and seats in fi rst and business on its Tokyo to New York, San

Francisco, Chicago and Los Angeles routes. First-class

leather-upholstered suites boast 20 percent more room,

while the business seats recline further and incorporate a

15-inch personal TV. The airline has also expanded its

popular premium economy sections, which feature 20

percent legroom and a shell-shaped frame that limits

disturbance to passengers behind you.

>>SINGAPORE AIRLINES (singaporeair.com) is refurbishing

its B777’s with upgraded seats and entertainment systems,

which service cities including Sydney, Dubai and Shanghai.

The new package will see the sky’s largest beds in fi rst class

and leather fl at seats in business. The airline has also

released applications for mobile phones that include

check- in and seat selection options and an SMS system that

allows customers anywhere in the world to text message a

representative and receive a call-back within 30 minutes.

>>MALAYSIA AIRLINES (malaysiaairlines.com) is the fi rst

regional carrier to offer in-fl ight mobile connectivity that

allows customers to use mobile devices, PDA’s and mobile

phones throughout the fl ight, while passengers on its B747’s

and B777’s can get online anytime during the fl ight.

>>THAI AIRWAYS (thaiairways.com) expects this year to

receive fi ve new A330-300’s, which will feature eight more

inches of leg room for Royal Silk passengers. Economy

passengers can enjoy improved in-fl ight entertainment. »

The Friendly Skies. Already legendary for their in-fl ight service, Asian airlines are adding perks to make fl ying even more enjoyable

Frills Included Clockwise from right: Korean Air jets; on-board Cathay Pacifi c; Malaysia Airlines; crew members at JAL; business class on Singapore Airlines.

T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A . C O M | F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 0

26


Kuala Lumpur

Penang

Phuket

Singapore

Jakarta

Bali

Chengdu Shanghai

Hanoi

Bangkok

Ho Chi Minh CityPhnom Penh

Sihanoukville

Siem Reap

Kota Kinabalu

Guangzhou

Hong Kong

Haiku

Beijiing

Seoul

Taipei

Cebu

TokyoNagoya

Osaka

Flight Paths. Getting from one destination to another is easier than ever now as Asian airlines expand their networks. Here, a look at new, notable routes

*

Siargao

*

AIRLINE ROUTES

AIR ASIA (airasia.com)Not on map: To and from Kuala Lumpur: Kolkata, Kochi, Trivandrum, Abu Dhabi, London and Colombo. Ones to watch in 2010: Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Delhi, Mumbai, Yangon, Sydney, Seoul and Paris.

CEBU PACIFIC

GARUDA INDONESIA (garuda-indonesia.com) Not on map: To and from Jakarta: Sydney, Melbourne and Amsterdam (starting June 1).

SHANGHAI AIRLINES (shanghai-air.com)

THAI AIRWAYS

Flights from Bangkok to Johannesburg to start in mid-2010.

CAMBODIA ANGKOR AIR Flights from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville start in summer 2010.

JAL

DRAGONAIR (dragonair.com)

TIGER AIRWAYS (tigerairways.com)Not on map: To and from Singapore: Krabi, Hat Yai and Langkawi.

SILKAIR (silkair.com)Not on map: To and from Singapore: Hyderabad.

SINGAPORE AIRLINES

VIETNAM AIRLINES (vietnamairlines.com

JETSTAR (jetstar.com)

CATHAY PACIFICFlights from Hong Kong to Milan start on March 28.


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AIRLINE

ON-BOARD AMENITIES

AIR ASIA JETSTAR (Asia and Australia)

TIGER AIRWAYS CEBU PACIFIC

• 86 A320’s with 29-inch pitch

• Nine A330’s with 31-inch pitch

• Two A340’s with 32.5-inch pitch



• Five A321’s with 30-inch pitch

• Seven A330’s with 30-inch pitch



• 11 A320’s

• 10 A319’s

• Iced tea, US$1.50

• Snickers bar, US$1.50

• Chicken satay, US$4 (pre-booking food saves 20 percent)

• Blanket, pillow and eye mask, US$10

• Beer, US$5.50

• Byron Bay cookie,

US$3

• Sandwich, US$5.50

• Apple juice, S$3

• Mixed nuts, S$3

• Tom Yam Cup of Noodles, S$5

• Blanket, S$12

• Water, US$1

• Chips, US$1

• Ham-and-cheese croissant, US$2

• Sleep kit, US$4

• Standard seat selection, free

• Extra leg room, S$20 for short haul, S$30 for long haul

• US$20–US$40 per bag, up to 20 kg

• Standard seat selection, S$3

• Extra leg room, S$10

• Bags up to:15 kg, S$12.50; up to 20 kg, S$15;up to 25 kg, S$35

• Standard seat selection, US$2

• Extra leg room, US$4

• Free up to 15 kg; longer-haul free up to 30kg (until June)

Passengers traveling in Singapore can purchase tickets at island-wide 24-hour AXS Stations

After booking, passengers can offset their carbon emissions with a donation to a WWF climate program

• Standard seat selection, US$1.50

• Extra leg room, US$7

• Bags up to:15 kg, US$3;up to 20 kg, US$15; up to 25kg, US$25

Freshly baked Krispy Kreme doughnuts are now served on-board

The website’s Low Fares Finder allows travelers to search for the best tickets over 30 days

THE FLEET

COOL PERK

EXTRA FEES FOR PRE BOOKING

Low-Cost Carrier Lowdown. With the budget airline boom, T+L takes a closer look at what you get on Asia’s biggest no-frills airlines

No-Frills on LandCo-founded by AirAsia CEO Tony Fernandes, no-frills hotel chain Tune Hotels.com

(60-3/7962-5888; tunehotels.com) wants to revolutionize budget stays in Southeast Asia.

The Malaysia-based company, which now runs seven properties in Bali and across

Malaysia, models itself after low-cost carriers by doing away with amenities like pools,

mini-bars and business centers. Thankfully, they haven’t sacrifi ced comforts like queen-

sized beds topped with 250 thread-count cotton duvets and en-suite power showers.

Guests, meanwhile, pay RM5 to rent towels and RM12 for 24 hours of Wi-Fi access,

while the air-conditioning operates on a pay-as-you-go system—measures that adhere

to the chain’s pledge to be green by minimizing water and electricity use. Modeled on

budget airlines’ demand-based pricing booking system—whereby the earlier you book,

the better the deal, rooms at Tune Hotels start at RM9.99; recent promotions have seen

rooms go for as little at 10 sen. Look out for more locations, including India and Phuket;

future plans include additional properties in Thailand, Bangladesh, the Philippines,

Indonesia, and possibly London and Melbourne.

Check-in at a Tune Hotel in KL.

One of the guest rooms at Tune.

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Brave Green World.Reinventing cities in India<(page 50)

Indulge Yourself.Our annual poll of the world’s best spas<(page 36)

Classic Chinese.The best old-fashioned fare in Kuala Lumpur<(page 44)

(Insider)

Divine Dishes.Chefs in

Manila concoct creative menus

(page 48)>

+ • Luxury train travel in India

• News and trends from Asia’s spa scene

• Two new retreats in Khao Yai

Where to GoWhat to EatWhere to StayWhat to Buy

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Literary FeastMark your calendars: next month, Hong Kong will host the 10th

Man Hong Kong International Literary Festival (various venues; festival.org.hk; March 11–19; tickets from HK$120). Luminaries at

this year’s event include international heavyweights such as Alexander McCall Smith of the Number 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency

series and Junot Díaz, author of The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, while Asian talents such as Tash Aw, Janice Lee and

Ouyang Yu join discussions tackling everything from poetry to time travel. China hand Peter Hessler will weigh in on the world’s most

populous nation. Don’t fret if you miss a gathering: many of the same names are also taking part in the Shanghai Literary

Festival, hosted by M on the Bund, which runs until March 21.


insider | newsfl ash

Crown Jewels

Experience, in a BoxWhat do you give to someone who has it

all? Hong Kong-based VIPbox (vipbox.

com.hk; from HK$400–HK$28,000) has the

answer. Standing for “very individual

present,” the recently launched company

offers a range of 120 pre-paid gift

experiences culled from the best the city

has to offer. Grouped in four

collections—Thrill, Discover, Pamper

and Escape—the experiences range from

a two-hour surf lesson to a three-hour

jam session in a professional recording

studio to belly dance classes. As

inveterate travelers who’ve always

wondered what life is like in the cockpit,

we’re secretly angling for the 60-minute

session in a 737-800 fl ight simulator.

—H U I FA N G

The Mughals weren’t known for moderation. During their

three-century rule, India’s Muslim emperors reveled in opulent

baubles, some of which are on rich display at “Treasury of the

World: Jewelled Arts of India in the Age of the Mughals,” on

view from February 12 to June 27 at Singapore’s Asian Civilisations Museum (1 Empress Place; 65/6332-7798; acm.org.

sg; admission S$8). The dazzling show provides a glimpse into the

Mughal empire’s penchant for excess; among the more than 400

objects on display are armbands, necklaces, cameos and turban

ornaments, and more practical objects like furniture, drinking

vessels and armor—but all dazzlingly bejewelled. One golden

dagger and its accompanying scabbard are encrusted with no

fewer than 1,685 rubies, in addition to a panoply of diamonds,

emeralds and agate. Not to be missed.—L A R A DAY

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Clockwise from left: Junot Díaz; Louis de Bernières; André Brink.

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2 CHIHARUHotelier–restaurateur Loh Lik Peng ventures into Japanese dining with this atmospheric restaurant kitted up with wooden tables and a petite sake bar. Try authentic offerings such as yaki hamaguri (grilled giant clam), or simply order the omakase and place yourself in the hands of master chef Patrick Tan. 779 Bukit Timah Rd; 65/6769-1929; chiharu.com.sg; dinner for two S$150.00.

3 TRATTORIA L’ANCORAFor a rustic Italian meal that’s also easy on the wallet, consider this trattoria. Here, the focus is centered on southern Italian comfort food. Standouts include homemade pappardelle paired with braised wild boar, red wine and taleggio cheese; and the rocket-crowned L’Ancora pizza with beef carpaccio. 789 Bukit Timah Rd.; 65/6467-3778; dinner for two S$100.00.

4 YE SHANGHAI CUISINE RESTAURANTBelonging to the category of chic Chinese eateries, this dark wood–swathed restaurant draws a crowd with its affordably priced Shanghainese fare. Order the pan-fried dumplings and sautéed crabs coated with salted eggs and butter. #01-01, 791 Bukit Timah Rd.; 65/6463-2989; dinner for two S$60.00.

Bukit Timah, Singapore

1 GELATERIA VENEZIAThis shop right off the main drag could well be the neighborhood’s best-kept secret. If you’re looking for something substantial, there’s a menu of light meals, including smoked ham and melted cheese on multigrain toast. Or head straight to one of the 24 gelati, including gianduia, dark chocolateand even durian. #01-01 Guthrie House, 1 Fifth Ave.; 65/6468-3656; gelati for two S$6.60.

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This posh residential enclave is turning into one of the city’s premier culinary haunts.By EVELYN CHEN

The Mighty Hermès

Fans of the venerable Hermès label have reason to celebrate:

this month, the 173-year-old brand

opens its fi rst boutique exclusively for men in

New York (691 Madison Ave.;

1-212/308-3585; hermes.com). The

four-story space will sell everything for the style-savvy traveler: custom-made suits,

shirts, sweaters, and, of course, the classic

neckerchief. Also look out for new boutiques

in Hong Kong’s Elements mall and Macau’s new One Central.—M I M I

L O M B A R D O


insider | newsfl ash

The cool, mountainous area around Khao Yai National Park has become the weekend destination for Bangkokians in the know, with small, character-rich stays springing up in recent months. Just a 1-1/2 hours’ drive from Bangkok, the recently opened Ndol Villas (191 Moo 1, Muaklek Rd., Muaklek; 66/818-998-780, 66/846-584-447 or 66-36/344-892; ndolvillas.com; doubles from Bt5,000) feels light years away from the capital’s mayhem. This century-old

complex of three traditional villas features 15 spacious, antique-fi lled rooms, many with their own balcony overlooking an idyllic stream. The seven-room, safari-chic Sala Khao Yai (99 Moo 11, Wangkatha, Pakchong; 66-44/760-500 or 66/898-460-500; salaresorts.com; doubles from Bt5,000) boasts sweeping views of the countryside from its hillside perch. Book one of the pool villa suites, equipped with two fi replaces and a rooftop deck to better survey the land.

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BACK TO NATUREBACK TO NATURE

R E T R E AT S

India on Track

Luxury train travel is booming worldwide, and two of the most exciting debuts are in

India. Rolling out last month, the Maharajas’ Express (91-22/6690-4747; rirtl.com; six

nights from US$11,200 for two, all-inclusive; September–April) travels four cross-country routes

in an early 20th-century train that mixes timeless details such as wood-paneled dining

cars and 24-hour butler service with modern technology. On the Royal Rajasthan on

Wheels (royal-rajasthan-on-wheels.com; seven nights from US$8,260 for two, all-inclusive;

September–April), you’ll journey through the northwestern state aboard a 38-cabin train

with large panoramic windows, perfect for viewing the Thar Desert.—JAIME GROSS

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T+L catches up with the Texas-born host of Discovery Travel & Living’s travel show, Fun Taiwan

Janet Hsieh

■ Favorite spots in Asia“For mountains and landscape, I’ll choose Taiwan

and Nepal; some of the most beautiful mountains

I’ve ever seen are there, as well as some of the best

hiking and biking. For nights, lights and landscape

I’ll have to choose Hong Kong. I think Hong Kong

has some of the most amazing and awe-inspiring

lights that I’ve ever seen. For culture and food I’ll

probably say India and Taiwan, that’s just because

in such a small area you can have so many different

types of foods.”

■ Favorite eats in Asia“It’s impossible to choose one. For example in India,

I love masala dosa. I also like butter chicken and

palak paneer. … In Taiwan I like spicy hotpot, stinky

tofu and oyster pancakes. Right now in Mazu, I like

the old wine thin noodles.”

■ Taiwan today“For me coming to Taiwan was a big culture shock

because I always assumed that I spoke Taiwanese

growing up and everybody would just automatically

assume that I was Taiwanese. But arriving in

Taiwan, having only heard my parents’ stories of

what Taiwan was like 50 years ago, I was really

surprised to fi nd that Taiwanese was spoken mostly

by people down south and not really our generation

… And just what Taipei and Taiwan are like, with

all the big buildings.”—K E I T I N G

Q+A

BACK TO NATURE

TV host Janet Hsieh shows her climbing mettle.


insider | spas

WORLD’S BESTSPAS

When it comes to a great spa experience, attentive service, inventive treatments and, of course, value are top priorities.

Here, the winning retreats in Travel + Leisure’s annual readers’ poll, plus wellness news, trends and deals. It’s time to relax.

Edited by CHRISTINE AJUDUA and SARAH KANTROWITZ BL

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Stress ManagementFour new programs designed to help you unwind

An alfresco massageat Florida’s Hawks Cay Resort & Marina, voted

the No. 1 hotel spa inthe U.S. and Canada by

T+L readers.


1 . HAWKS CAY RESORT & MARINA

Duck Key, Florida 95.00

2. SOLAGE CALISTOGA California 92.55

3. FAIRMONT SCOTTSDALE Arizona 91.41

4. RITZ-CARLTON, BACHELOR GULCH

Avon, Colorado 91.04

5. THE GREENBRIER

White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia 90.73

6. AMERICAN CLUB Kohler, Wisconsin 89.35

7. RITZ-CARLTON, NAPLES Florida 88.83

8. MOHONK MOUNTAIN HOUSE

New Paltz, New York 88.66

9. RITZ-CARLTON, LAGUNA NIGUEL

California 87.96

10. TOPNOTCH RESORT & SPA Stowe, Vermont 87.89

11. CALISTOGA RANCH California 87.87

12. MONTAGE LAGUNA BEACH California 87.67

13. THE PHOENICIAN Scottsdale, Arizona 87.65

14. THE FAIRMONT SONOMA

MISSION INN & SPA California 87.50

15. CAMELBACK INN, A JW MARRIOTT

RESORT & SPA Scottsdale, Arizona 87.06

16. AUBERGE DU SOLEIL

Rutherford, California 86.85

17. THE GROVE PARK INN RESORT & SPA

Asheville, North Carolina 86.54

18. THE BREAKERS PALM BEACH

Florida 86.52

19. WYNN LAS VEGAS 86.40

20. ST. REGIS MONARCH BEACH

Dana Point, California 85.80

21. JW MARRIOTT DESERT RIDGE

RESORT & SPA Phoenix 85.78

22. RITZ-CARLTON, HALF MOON BAY California 85.52

23. RITZ-CARLTON, AMELIA ISLAND

Florida 84.56

24. FOUR SEASONS RESORT SCOTTSDALE

AT TROON NORTH Arizona 84.49

25. THE HOTEL HERSHEY

Pennsylvania 84.47

■ At Parrot Cay’s Como Shambhala

Retreat ( parrotcay.como.bz; from

US$2,232 for three nights), in the Turks

and Caicos, Dr. Swati—resident

ayurvedic doctor and Reiki master—

focuses on “releasing negative

emotions.” That could mean a

change of diet , beachside yoga or

a daily deep-tissue massage.

■ After an initial consultation,

an on-staff physician prescribes

everything from mental coaching

to muscle-soothing techniques

for the eight-day Burnout

Prevention package at Design

Hotels’ new Life Medicine Resort

( lifemedicineresort.com; from US$3,860),

in Bad Gleichenberg, Austria.

■ For the program at One & Only

Palmilla ( Mexico; oneandonlyresorts.com;

US$3,503 for three nights), therapists

counteract anxiety with special

vitamin regimens, palapa-shaded

yoga and obsidian-rock massages . ■

The De-Stress and Energize

Life Passage at Six Senses Phuket ( Thailand; sixsenses.com; from

US$2,433 for three nights) can involve

unique meditation techniques

(practiced, say, on a raft in the

Andaman Sea) to restore mind-

body balance. — R I M A S U Q I

Stress ManagementStress ManagementDISPATCH

Top 25 Hotel Spas

Continental U.S. and Canada

Top Hotel Spas by Region

�Denotes Great Value (a 60-minute massage for US$100 or less).

Four new programs designed to Four new programs designed to help you unwindhelp you unwind

UNITED STATES AND CANADA HAWKS CAY RESORT & MARINA Duck Key, Florida 95.00 HAWAII FOUR SEASONS RESORT HUALALAI Hawaii 90.43 THE CARIBBEAN, BERMUDA AND THE BAHAMAS COUPLES SANS SOUCI Ocho Rios, Jamaica 94.54MEXICO AND CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA ESPERANZA, AN AUBERGE RESORT Los Cabos, Mexico 95.80 EUROPE FOUR SEASONS HOTEL GEORGE V Paris 88.35AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND AND THE SOUTH PACIFIC THE LANGHAM Melbourne, Australia 85.00ASIA ANANTARA KOH SAMUI RESORT & SPA Thailand 95.07 AFRICA AND THE MIDDLE EAST TWELVE APOSTLES HOTEL & SPA Cape Town 95.40

Serenity Now From left: The geothermal pool at Solage Calistoga, the No. 2 hotel spa in the continental U.S. and Canada; a ritual foot bath at Hawks Cay Resort & Marina in Duck Key, Florida, the top hotel spa in the region; the Fairmont Scottsdale, ranked No. 3 in the U.S. and Canada.

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insider | spas

Top 5 Hotel Spas

Hawaii 1. FOUR SEASONS RESORT HUALALAI 90.43

2. GRAND WAILEA, THE WALDORF ASTORIA COLLECTION 87.92

3. FOUR SEASONS RESORT MAUI AT WAILEA 85.94

4. GRAND HYATT KAUAI RESORT & SPA 83.26

5. WESTIN MAUI RESORT & SPA 83.20

Top 10 Hotel Spas

Mexico and Central and South America 1. ESPERANZA, AN AUBERGE RESORT Los Cabos, Mexico 95.80

2. PUEBLO BONITO SUNSET BEACH RESORT & SPA Los Cabos, Mexico 88.09

3. RITZ-CARLTON Cancún, Mexico 85.69

4. JW MARRIOTT CANCÚN RESORT & SPA Mexico 85.47

5. FOUR SEASONS RESORT COSTA RICA AT PENINSULA PAPAGAYO 85.34

6. TABACÓN GRAND SPA THERMAL RESORT Costa Rica 84.04

7. ONE & ONLY PALMILLA Los Cabos, Mexico 83.98

8. LAS VENTANAS AL PARAÍSO Los Cabos, Mexico 83.78

9. ALVEAR PALACE HOTEL Buenos Aires 82.59

10. DREAMS CANCUN RESORT & SPA Mexico 82.43

Top 10 Hotel Spas

Asia 1. ANANTARA KOH SAMUI RESORT & SPA Thailand 95.07

2. FOUR SEASONS RESORT Chiang Mai, Thailand 94.96

3. THE PENINSULA Hong Kong 94.69

4. MANDARIN ORIENTAL Bangkok 94.61

5. ANANTARA HUA HIN RESORT & SPA Thailand 94.21 6. MANDARIN ORIENTAL DHARA DHEVI, CHIANG MAI Thailand 92.19

7. SHANGRI-LA HOTEL Bangkok 91.80 8. SHANGRI-LA’S RASA SAYANG RESORT & SPA Penang, Malaysia 91.52 9. SHANGRI-LA’S TANJUNG ARU RESORT & SPA Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia 91.15 10. THE PENINSULA Bangkok 90.63

Top 10 Hotel Spas

The Caribbean, Bermuda and the Bahamas 1. COUPLES SANS SOUCI Ocho Rios, Jamaica 94.54

2. COUPLES NEGRIL Jamaica 93.15

3. COUPLES SWEPT AWAY Negril, Jamaica 92.23

4. JADE MOUNTAIN St. Lucia 91.32

5. PETER ISLAND RESORT British Virgin Islands 90.18

6. ROSEWOOD LITTLE DIX BAY Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands 90.03

7. ANSE CHASTANET RESORT St. Lucia 89.67

8. REGENT PALMS Turks and Caicos 88.28

9. HALF MOON Rose Hall, Jamaica 87.50

10. ROYAL PLANTATION Ocho Rios, Jamaica 86.61

�Denotes Great Value.

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Custom TreatmentsThese personalized services allow you to extend your spa experience

SPA SPECIAL: Exclusive Deals for T+L Southeast Asia Readers

Anantara Koh Samui Resort & Spa, in Thailand, The No. 1 Top 10 Hotel Spas in Asia. Right: A Swedish massage at the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai, the top hotel spa in Hawaii. Below: Four Seasons Resort Hualalai.


Top 10 Destination Spas 1. MII AMO, A DESTINATION SPA AT ENCHANTMENT Sedona, Arizona 89.59

2. MAYA TULUM WELLNESS RETREAT & SPA Mexico 88.16

3. MIRAVAL, ARIZONA RESORT & SPA Tucson 87.73

4. CANYON RANCH IN LENOX Massachusetts 83.93

5. LAKE AUSTIN SPA RESORT Austin, Texas 83.28

6. RANCHO LA PUERTA Tecate, Mexico 83.21

7. CANYON RANCH IN TUCSON Arizona 82.59

8. GOLDEN DOOR Escondido, California 82.43

9. THE OAKS AT OJAI California 82.34

10. THE LODGE AT WOODLOCH Hawley, Pennsylvania 78.55

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BEAUTY NEWS

Custom TreatmentsCustom TreatmentsThese personalized services allow you to extend your These personalized services allow you to extend your spa experiencespa experience

■ Stella Gray, “spa elder” at Half Moon resort’s Fern Tree ( halfmoon.com ), in Jamaica, picks the herbs for your

bath soak (US$55), scrub (US$130), or massage oil

(US$115) from her garden; you’ll walk away with a

sample—and the recipe. ■ At the apothecary in Hawaii’s

Four Seasons Resort Hualalai Spa ( fourseasons.com ), a spa

concierge mixes indigenous ingredients (sea salts; volcanic

clay) to personalize your scrub or wrap (from US$170 ) .

■ For the aromatherapy massage (from US$135) at the

sleek new Sè Spa, in the Sè San Diego Hotel ( sesandiego.

com ), therapists blend a range of essential oils to relieve

tension and give you a 88-milliliter bottle to take with you.

■ Before he became creative director at Shibui Spa, in

New York’s Greenwich Hotel ( thegreenwichhotel.com ), Thuyen

Nguyen developed a following for his custom-made beauty

products; you can leave with the mask he creates for your

facial (US$325). —R.S.

SPA SPECIAL: Exclusive Deals for T+L Southeast AsiaSPA SPECIAL: Exclusive Deals for T+L Southeast Asia ReadersReaders

The indoor pool at Mii Amo, a Destination Spa at Enchantment, in Sedona, Arizona, the No. 1 destination spa. Right: Mii Amo’s adobe spa treatment rooms and individual wood massage wickiups.

�Denotes Great Value.

■ SONEVA KIRI Ko Kood, Thailand REJUVENATE IN THAILAND’S

LAST FRONTIER PACKAGE

What’s Included A three-night

stay at the best available rate in

the villa of your choice; breakfast;

a Jungle Escape Spa Journey for

two, including: a herbal scrub and

massage; a 60-minute facial for

two; and a daily group activity at

the spa. Savings 28 percent.

sixsenses.com; from US$3,576, double,

April 1–December 19.

■ SHANGRI-LA’S TANJUNG ARU RESORT AND SPA Kota Kinabalu, MalaysiaBORNEO PARADISE PACKAGE

What’s Included Three nights in

a Tanjung Seaview room;

breakfast; a dinner at Coco-Joe’s;

a 60-minute massage for two; free

mini-bar; and complimentary

broadband. Savings 30 percent.

shangri-la.com; RM3,500, double,

February 1–December 31.

■ SHANGRI-LA’S RASA SAYANG RESORT AND SPA Penang, MalaysiaSPA SENSATION PACKAGE

What’s Included Accommodation

in a deluxe sea-view room in the

garden wing; breakfast; a

signature therapy and a head and

shoulder massage for one; 10

percent off additional spa

treatments; and free broadband.

Savings 23 percent. shangri-la.com;

RM739 per night, double, minimum

four-night stay, February 1–June 22.

■ GRAND HYATT SingaporeBALANCE PACKAGE

What’s Included Breakfast; S$100

credit at Damai spa; exclusive to

T+L SEA readers, a 30-minute

refl exology treatment; and late

check-out at 2 P.M. from Sunday–

Thursday and 4 P.M. Friday–

Saturday. Savings Up to 49

percent. hyatt.com; price changes, rates

in February start at S$500 per night,

double, minimum two-night stay;

February 1–May 30; cite T+L SEA.


Saving Face From top right: An outdoor bath at The Regent Maldives;

the Crystal Energizing Facial atthe Pudong Shangri-La; pampering

at Devarana Spa; a sunken bathat the Banyan Tree Phuket.

insider | trends

■ SLEEPA solid night’s sleep is key to good

health—a fact that spas are latching

onto. If you’re suffering from ailments

such as insomnia or sleep apnea,

consider a sleep counseling session at

Singapore’s Medical Sleep Spa (Level

20, Paragon, 290 Orchard Rd.;

65/6887-1299; medicalsleepspa.com;

sessions from S$68), where Dr. Kenny

Pang will do a nasal endoscopy and a

detailed sleep assessment. Depending

on your diagnosis, the medical

treatment may involve minimally

invasive tonsil removal, palate

expansion or tongue suture operations

using surgery techniques pioneered by

Pang himself. Afterwards, patients are

then prescribed a holistic regimen of

massages, facial treatments, and yoga

and Pilates classes. Need a quick

recharge? Try the three-hour Power

Nap Program offered by Devarana Spa

in Bangkok’s Dusit Thani hotel (946

Rama IV Rd.; 66-2/636-3596;

devaranaspa.com; Bt4,900 per treatment).

Clients are lulled with a lavender body

scrub, a hot milk bath and a Swedish

massage before 30 minutes of sweet

slumber. There’s even a lullaby CD for

you to bring home.—M E L A N I E L E E

■ TEATea’s medicinal qualities are

well-known, but imbibing isn’t the only

way to reap its benefi ts. Soak in a tub

Beyond Backrubs. From sleep analysisto serious workouts, spas in Asia are nowoffering much more than rubdowns.Here, fi ve emerging trends in the region

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of this soothing, anti-aging brew before

your spa treatment at the Spa Village

in Cameron Highlands Resort (Tanah

Rata, Cameron Highlands, Pahang Darul

Makmur; 60-5/491-1100;

cameronhighlandsresort.com; treatments from

RM200)—a ritual that pays tribute to

the property’s tea plantation past. In

Jakarta, Q Day Spa (No. 9 Jln.

Gunawarman; 62-21/725-0114; treatments

from Rp650,000) takes the antioxidant-

packed leaves further by offering a wide

range of tea-based treatments such as a

herbal tea body scrub, a hot stone

massage using tea essential oils, and a

green tea scalp treatment and hair spa.

With purported hydrating properties,

white tea is also gaining popularity: in

Singapore, Body Contours’ White Tea

Spa Ritual treatment (#01-03, 30 Hill

St.; 65/6334-6198; bodycontours.com.sg;

S$200 per treatment) starts with a full

body cleansing with tea, followed by a

white tea–and-honey polish and a

white tea wrap with lemongrass and

grapefruit extracts.—M.L.

■ TRAINSPampering goes on the move as new

luxury trains in Asia debut with spa

cars. India’s Golden Chariot

(91-11/4686-8686; goldenchariottrain.com;

US$2,450 per person for a seven-night

journey) offers Ayurvedic massages in

their massage rooms—a restorative

accompaniment to the passing scenery

of charming Karnataka. Next year, the

long-awaited Tangula Luxury Trains

(86-10/5809-5333; tangulaluxurytrains.

com; US$3,300 per person for a three-night

journey) will provide customized

treatments using organic Ila products

as you traverse across the remote

Western regions of China.—M.L.

■ PRECIOUS GEMSDiamonds are a spa-goer’s best friend:

hotel spas are utilizing gemstones in

treatments. During the two-hour

Diamond Magnetic Jewel ritual at the

Four Seasons Macau (Estrada da Baía de

N. Senhora da Esperança; 853/2881-8888;

fourseasons.com; treatment MOP1,700),

Banyan Tree PhuketUntil the end of March, the resort is offering four personalized programs called Retreat for the Senses. The three-day exclusives combine indulgence with a range of activities, including Aerobox Thai Boxing, ATV Quad Biking and Nordic Walking. The Sense of Bliss program includes a snorkeling trip to the Khai Islands; according to the spa experts, underwater time helps relieve muscle tension, increase circulation and clear up acne. 33, 33/27 Moo 4, Srisoonthorn Rd.; Cherngtalay, Amphur Talang; 66-76/324-374;

banyantree.com; programs from US$1,830 per couple.

Anantara Si Kao Resort& Spa, TrangFrom half-day workshops to three-day journeys, Anantara’s new rock climbing courses give participants an opportunity to experience Sikao’s majestic limestone cliffs. Beginners and advanced climbers benefi t from improved strength, stamina and willpower. Afterwards, venture into the area’s virgin rainforests and mangrove reserves — the humid environment keeps skin moist and young. 198–199 Moo 5 Had Pak Meng,

Changlang Rd., Maifad; 66-75/205-888; sikao.anantara.com; courses from Bt14,000.

SNEAK PEAK The Regent MaldivesOpening this spring, Thaa Atoll’s highly anticipated resort will boast a spa that brings together health, beauty and fi tness. Morning swims in the ocean-view Vitality Pool and private tai chi, yoga or Pilates instruction in a pavilion overlooking a lagoon are followed by a massage and organic cuisine. 960/678 0088; regenthotels.com; prices unavailable as of press time.—LILI TAN

therapists apply semi-precious stones

such as jade and lapis lazuli onto your

chakra points and then buff your skin

with a body polish made with diamond

dust and micronized iron. In Shanghai,

the Chi spa at the Pudong Shangri-La

hotel (33 Fu Cheng Lu, Pudong;

86-21/6882-8888; shangri-la.com;

treatment RMB1,280) deploys Biodroga’s

Royal Aquamarine products,

containing powdered aquamarine, in

its Crystal Energizing Facial. The Pearl

of the Orient package at the

InterContinental Hong Kong (18

Salisbury Rd., Kowloon; 852/2721-1211;

hongkong-ic.intercontinental.com; treatment

HK$2,500) uses a nourishing emulsion

blended with pearl powder to give your

body a luminous glow.—S O N I A

KO L E S N I KOV - J E S S O P ✚

GET FIT. PAMPERING IS FOR LIGHTWEIGHTS—THESE HOTEL SPAS COMBINE INDULGENCE WITH FITNESS FOR TOTAL WELL-BEING

The tea bag eye treatment at the SpaVillage in Cameron Highlands Resort,left. Rock climbing near the AnantaraSi Kao Resort & Spa, right.

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The reception at Naga World, one of Phnom

Penh’s new generation

of spas, left. Aromatic oils at

the readyat Naga

World, above.

insider | address book

NAGA WORLDThough most visitors come for the baccarat,

this newly opened casino-hotel also boasts

one of the city’s prettiest spas. Modeled on

the temples of Angkor, the sprawling space

features pillared doorways and giant Buddha

images; the sound of running water puts

guests in the right state of repose. Foot rubs

(US$25) take place on soft leather chaises

hidden behind a bubbling fountain, while

traditional Khmer massages and body scrubs

are executed in huge private rooms equipped

with a steam room, sauna, Jacuzzi and

queen-sized bed for post rub-down

relaxation. Many of the treatments, like the

90-minute herbal hot compress massage

(US$25), incorporate indigenous natural

ingredients like cinnamon, clove, and coffee

from Ratanakiri province. Hun Sen Park;

855-23/228-822; nagaworld.com.

AMARA SPAThe fi rst high-end day spa to open up along

Phnom Penh’s riverfront, Amara offers a full

menu of relaxation in simple, elegant

surroundings. Malaysian owner Patricia Tan

chose subdued black, white, gray and

metallic hues for the dimly lit, three-story

space, creating a welcome respite from the

bustle outside. Inside the 20 treatment

rooms, connected by stone pathways

illuminated by fl oor-to-ceiling silk lamps,

guests can choose treatments ranging from

an anti-aging facial (US$58) to Amara’s

signature hot-stone, four-hand massage

(US$55). Traveling with friends? Then book

one of the rooftop rooms, which each boast

a Jacuzzi with views of the Tonle Sap River.

Corner of Sisowath Quay and Street 110;

855-23/998-730; amaraspa.hotelcara.com.

DE GRANEarly last year, Japanese businessman Jun

Kikuchi opened the fi rst foreign outpost of

his minimalist, Tokyo-based line of salons in

Phnom Penh. After constructing a strikingly

Modernist building fl anked by refl ective

pools in the expat area of Boeung Keng

Kang, Kukichi brought over stylists, beauty

Pampering in Phnom Penh. New openings have ramped up the Cambodian capital’s spa scene. By NAOMI LINDT

CAMBODIA

Photographed by NICOLAS AXELROD

Spa Scene From top: Inside

Amara Spa; the Modernist-

inspired building that houses De

Gran; a treatment room at Amara Spa; happy feetat Derma-Care

Skin Clinic.


products and even furniture, like the elegant

white leather swivel chairs used in the hair

salon. The city’s fashionable set line up for

expert facials (US$20), make-up applications

(US$7) and manicures (US$7) as well as

basic cuts (US$15). The attentive,

black-and-white clad staff includes

translators fl uent in English, Japanese and

Khmer. 19 Street 352; 855-23/999-707;

de-gran.co.jp.

DERMA-CARE SKIN CLINICIn search of a perfect complexion? This

brightly lit, white-and–baby-blue clinic

focuses on all things dermatological. After

being greeted by the white lab coat–wearing

staff, visitors are ushered into the offi ce of

Bangkok-trained dermatologist Dr. Em

Samok, who peers through a large

magnifying glass to identify and suggest

solutions for fl aws in one’s visage. Using

Derma-Rx products, concentrated natural

vitamin extracts and rejuvenating masks, the

clinic promises to hydrate, purify and soothe

your skin, whatever its needs may be (facials

from US$35). Intensive procedures like

Botox injections (US$12) and chemical peels

(US$50) are available for those wanting to

get serious; pedicures (US$10) and waxes

(from US$10) are on offer, too. 161B Norodom

Blvd.; 855-23/217-092; dermacareskinclinic.info.

ROYAL RUBDOWNS IN SIEM REAPAcclaimed resort La Résidence d’Angkor is

buffi ng its image with a recently completed

US$3 million upgrade that includes new

suites and an exclusive day spa, called Kong

Kea. The spa’s six treatment rooms are

spread over a verdant 475-square-meter area

themed on water (kong kea means “water for

the king” in Khmer), with illuminated water

walls, an aquarium and an indoor dipping

pool. Treatments like body scrubs, facials

and massage (from US$35) incorporate

handmade, organic products that can also be

purchased in the spa’s boutique, along with

an exclusive line of naturally dyed dresses

and scarves designed by Wanderlust’s

Elizabeth Kiester. River Rd.; 55-63/

963-390; residencedangkor.com. ✚

COMING SOONSiem Reap’s trendy

Bodia Spa is coming to Phnom Penh this

spring. Using the acclaimed Caudalíe skincare line from

France as well as its own range of

handmade organic products, Bodia will

offer a full spa menu, including traditional

Khmer rubdowns and aromatherapy

treatments, brown sugar body scrubs

and free-radical fi ghting facials.

Corner of Sothearos and Street 178; no phone as of press

time; bodia-spa.com.

insider | classics

Perennial Favorites Clockwise from below: Fried noodles at Yut Kee, a popular kopitiam; sweet buns from Setapak Teochew

Restaurant, Kuala Lumpur; one of the seasoned chefs at Sek Yuen.

Photographed by DAVID HAGERMAN

■ SEK YUENBack in the day, Sek Yuen’s gramophone-serenaded

dining room was the setting for KL’s swankiest

wedding banquets. These days, its kitchen—staffed

by a coterie of cooks with more than 250 collective

years of experience and fueled entirely by wood—

draws boisterous multi-generational families and

hipsters rediscovering the charms of the city’s

old-fashioned joints. The menu, dominated by

Cantonese classics, exists only in the heads of its

owners, but you can’t go wrong with anything

porcine: tender trotters stuffed with gingko nuts,

lotus seeds and black mushrooms or slices of belly

layered with yam, seasoned with fermented bean

MALAYSIA

The Real Thing. They’re not fancy or fusion, but these old-time Chinese eateries in Kuala Lumpur dish up reliably tasty eats. Catch them before they disappear. By ROBYN ECKHARDT



displaying an attention to detail that’s as evident at

the table as it is at the front of the house. 50 Jln.

Tun H.S. Lee; 60-3/2078-7852; lunch for two RM45.

■ YUT KEEOccupying the same corner in downtown KL since

the 1920’s, this kopitiam is legendary for its coffee,

charcoal-grilled toast and kaya. Tables watched

over by a wall-mounted portrait of its Hainanese

founder (whose son and grandson now run the

place) sport bottles of Lee & Perrins and soy sauce.

The former are meant to season chops (lamb, pork

or chicken, served with roast potatoes, peas and »

curd and then steamed. Another must is the

“shark’s fi n” (rest easy: it’s actually squid) stir-fried

with egg and crab meat and eaten wrapped in

lettuce with a drizzle of black vinegar. The whole

sweet-and-sour fi sh, encased in barely there batter

and resting in a pool of tart, lustrous crimson sauce,

does justice to a hackneyed standard; roast duck,

bronzed and imbued with wood smoke, is simply

awe-inspiring. In the hands of Sek Yuen, even a

dish as simple as baby gailan—singed in spots,

napped in a light garlicky glaze—rises to dizzying

heights. 313 Jln. Pudu; 60-3/9222-9457; lunch or

dinner for two RM60.

■ HONG NGEKIn a neighbourhood of Indian and Malay eateries

that change hands almost yearly, Hong Ngek stands

out for its Chinese menu and its staying power.

Opened in the 1940’s by an immigrant from

Fujian, this casual joint still packs in lunchtime

crowds with show-off specialties such as “two-way”

pomfret—a whole fi sh shorn of one fi llet, then

steamed and served with its missing half, stir-fried

with sweet peppers, celery and black pepper—and

simpler bites like niangao, chewy rice cakes with

pork, shrimp and cabbage. This is the spot for the

city’s most deliciously wok hei–infused Hokkien mee

(stir-fried thick noodles and pork seasoned with

black soy sauce) and a blast from the culinary past

in the form “salad chicken”—half a bird boned,

pressed, stuffed with ham, deep-fried, and served

alongside chunks of fresh pineapple dressed with

salad cream. Eat here once and owner Liew Hing

Ling will recognize you next time, even if it’s three

years later. “I don’t forget faces,” she smiles,

Keeping It Real Clockwise from far left: The dining room at Sek Yuen; deep-fried crab balls at Hong Ngek; deep-fried tofu with chicken feet at Sek Yuen; Yut Kee’s owner Jack Lee and his son Mervyn.


carrots) and roti babi, deep-fried toast fi lled with

melting pulled pork and onions; the latter to spike

solidly Chinese dishes like congee, fried rice and

beef noodles. If you can be here on Friday or

Sunday at noon, do: Yut Kee recently debuted a

wonderous pistachio and sage-fi lled rolled pork

roast that invabiably sells out within thirty minutes

of being pulled from the oven. 35 Jln. Dang Wangi;

60-3/2698-8108; lunch for two RM25.

■ SETAPAK TEOCHEW RESTAURANTIt’s worth braving the occasionally crusty service at Setapak Teochew Restaurant for its fi sh balls. More

often than not, fi sh balls have the taste and

consistency of a squash ball, but here, they’re

ethereally light, tender and redolent of the ocean.

They’re not the only piscine draw at this

97-year-old eatery. Look out for crackly skinned,

deep-fried fi sh cake served with piquant housemade

chili sauce and silver pomfret steamed with

preserved mustard, ginger, tomatoes and sour

plums. Beehoon is another specialty, wok-charred

with sliced fi sh cake, cabbage, minced pork and

cracklings or fried crisp as a bed for squid, petite

prawns and choy sum in a gingery gravy shot

through with egg threads. And leave room for

sweets: the restaurant began as a bakery and its

fl aky mooncakes (available year-round—choose

from red bean, mung bean, or bean-and-preserved

vegetable) are justifi ably popular. 283–5 Jln. Pahang;

60-3/4023-8706; lunch for two RM30. ✚

insider | classics

No Frills From top: A bowl of beef noodle soup at Yut Kee; sweet-and-sour fi sh at Sek Yuen; Yut Kee is often packed.


Different Dishes Clockwise from left: A private function room at 21; sitting down to a meal at Purple Feet; chef Marco Legasto serves up a dish from his open kitchen at Purple Feet; chef Ed Quimson with Katrina Ponce Enrile in the dining room of 21.

insider | eat

I T’S A CROSS BETWEEN A CHEF’S

table and an episode of Top Chef.

In Manila, a handful of high-end

establishments are offering gourmands

“freestyle” dining, an interactive,

gastronomic free-for-all where diners

say what they’re in the mood for, and

chefs rustle up a meal from whatever

ingredients are on hand.

An ideal antidote to jaded palates,

this adventurous way of dining also

gives chefs a chance to show off. Don’t

expect any PR on these eateries, which

rely purely on word-of-mouth, and

don’t be afraid of getting creative. Of

course, if you’d like something that’s

wildly off-carte, be sure to make that

clear when booking (reservations are

essential). Here are T+L’s top picks.

■ 21Chef Ed Quimson made his name

with Filipino-crossover dishes such as

beef-caldereta paella and blue-cheese

wonton soup. These days, he’s the

executive chef of upscale carinderia

Petra & Pilar and the gastronomic

muscle behind its reservations-only

private dining room 21.

Seating up to 21 people (hence its

name), this private function room—

complete with bar and butler—is

available for everything from family

repasts to romantic dinners for two

(though the smaller the headcount, the

higher the price). “This room gives

diners complete freedom,” explains

proprietor Katrina Ponce Enrile.

Under Quimson’s supervision, we

supped on fl at rice noodles with

black-bean sauce, enlivened with garlic,

parmesan and tomatoes served three

ways (chopped, whole and pureed) in a

kind of fusion tagliatelle. We also

enjoyed his white wine–poached

garoupa, emerging atop potatoes

layered in a creamy soup and

accompanied with a zingy, basil-infused

tomato sofrito. Quimson is happy to

take directions, or alternatively, to let

his creative juices’ fl ow. Whatever you

choose, remember not to skip dessert—

Quimson’s sticky toffee pudding, also

served in Petra & Pilar, is ambrosial.

Petra & Pilar, ground fl oor, JAKA Center

Building, Export Ave. (corner of 2111 Chino

Roces Ave.), Makati; 63-2/887-5168;

dinner for 21, 400 pesos per person; dinner for

two, P3,000 per person.

■ PURPLE FEETConcealed within a wine store and

deliberately lacking any signage, this

whimsically named spot—a nod to its

grape-steeped location—feels like a

modern-day speakeasy for foodies.

“Anything goes, so long as it’s legal,”

bon-vivant chef–proprietor Marco

Legasto says half-jokingly as he sips one

of the venue’s house pours.

Blackboards list the seafood, meat

and poultry du jour; resist the à la carte

Menu on Demand. Maverick chefs in Manila are puting a brand new spin on eating out. Story and photographs by LARA DAY

PHILIPPINES

Tailored Tastes Clockwise from left: Chef Bruce Lim’s blue-crab and pomelo salad at Chef’s Table; tiramisu at Purple Feet; a busy Lim in the kitchen.


dishes—they exist for the uninspired.

Better yet, when one of the chefs

comes out to greet you, ask what’s fresh

from the market, and talk you through

the possibilities. Make sure you’re

hungry: Legasto deploys generous

lashings of butter and cream, the

dishes are often large enough to share.

During our visit, we gave the

kitchen free rein, and were rewarded

with pan-fried duck breast with a

shoyu–tamari jus, served with

baby-spinach salad dressed with

raspberry-and-macadamia-nut-oil

vinaigrette. We found the duck was a

tad dry but tasty, while the salad had a

satisfying depth. Another diner

demanded nouvelle Filipino—a request

that produced a traditional tamarind-

based sinigang stew enlivened with

lemon zest and truffl e oil. Desserts

were more conventional, with classic

rib-sticking dishes like tiramisu and

bread-and-butter pudding.

Wine pairings are easy: all bottles

from the shop are available, without a

corkage charge. Cheers to that. 217

Nicanor Garcia St. (formerly Reposo St.),

Bel-Air, Makati; 63-2/897-3220; dinner

for two P5,000.

■ CHEF’S TABLE Cordon Bleu–trained TV chef Bruce

Lim prides himself on never making

the same dish twice—that is, unless

someone asks for it specifi cally. A

passionate advocate of Filipino cuisine,

he creates bespoke menus at his private

studio–kitchen, a setting familiar to

those who’ve seen his popular

Tablescapes program on the Asian Food

Channel. Don’t be dazzled by his TV

credentials. Lim, who is Filipino-

Chinese but grew up in San Francisco,

is a warmly welcoming host as well as a

remarkable talent in the kitchen. “I love

twisting a dish inside out to make

something completely new,” he says.

Phoning well in advance, we asked

for a meal that was “fresh, fun and

zesty.” Lim didn’t disappoint, regaling

us with a dazzling array of courses. All

the dishes, made using ingredients

hand-picked by Lim at his local market,

were prepared and served in ingenious

combinations: chilled carrot soup

spiked with ginger and a scallop

ceviche; rocket salad with pomelo,

cashews and crabmeat drizzled with

Ilocos vinaigrette; glass noodles topped

with soy-marinated short ribs,

garnished with apple, grapes,

cucumber, radish, coriander and black

sesame; cinnamon-infl ected mango

strudel encased in light, delicately crisp

phyllo. In fact, next time we visit, we’re

tempted to ask for the whole thing all

over again—but then, as Lim might say

himself, where’s the fun in that? 1238

Emilio Jacinto St. (corner of Kalayaan Ave.),

Guadalupe Nuevo, Makati; 63/918-887-

1277; dinner for two P4,000. ✚


A view of Warasgaon Lake, in Lavasa,

India, 210 kilometers southeast of Mumbai,

above. Opposite: Waterfront apartments in the newly built town.

insider | city scene

INDIAN INDUSTRIALIST AJIT GULABCHAND

has spent the past eight years developing

a hill station, a leafy mountain retreat of

the sort that India hasn’t built since the

British departed in 1947. An imposing man

with a full head of gray hair, Gulabchand—

whose Hindustan Construction Company is

best known for the Bandra-Worli Sea Link, a

5.6-kilometer-long bridge joining Mumbai

to its western suburbs—habitually talks

about the fl edgling city, Lavasa, in the jargon

of New Urbanism, a planning movement

that has its roots in 1980’s Florida. “The

idea is a Transect model, where it’s very high

density,” he explains, using a term coined by

Miami-based architect (and New Urbanist

icon) Andrés Duany. “Seventy percent of

our population would be in walking distance

from one another.”

Strange that a developer from India would

look to the United States to achieve

population density, something you’d think his

own country had pretty much invented. But

Gulabchand points out that the new sections

of Indian cities such as Delhi tend to sprawl.

And while travelers go to India to immerse

themselves in a culture that’s thousands of

years old, India’s increasingly educated,

prosperous young people—Gulabchand’s

target audience—tend to want livability and

comfort. “So the question becomes, How do

we innovate, so that prosperity can come

with much less carbon?” Gulabchand is

creating India’s city of the future.

INDIA

Urban Utopias. In Lavasa, India—not too far from Mumbai—one man is creating what may be the green city of the future. By KARRIE JACOBS

CO

UR

TE

SY

OF

LA

VA

SA

51

He’s turned to HOK, a U.S.-based

architecture fi rm, and a string of American

consultants to conjure up a city of 200,000

near Pune, in the state of Maharashtra,

that will embody pretty much every au

courant strategy intended to undo the bad

habits of the late 20th century. Lavasa’s

design will be based not just on the

principles of New Urbanism but also on

biomimicry, in which man-made things are

shaped using nature’s methods.

Lavasa’s site, largely deforested, has been

replanted with nearly a million trees, meant

to naturally replenish and maintain the

area’s water table and create the kind of

shady outpost the British once cherished. It

will be built with low energy consumption

and water conservation in mind. The

architecture will be of mixed provenance:

the breezy vernacular of India’s Malabar

Coast, Mumbai’s social housing, and even

Mediterranean style. “Nothing will be a

copy,” Gulabchand stresses. “It has to be an

inspiration. Copies can look like Disneyland.”

To lure the permanent residents necessary

for a real city, Lavasa has made room for

educational institutions, including an outpost

of the Swiss hospitality school École

Hôtelière de Lausanne and Saïd Business

School, a branch of the University of

Oxford. Among other things, Gulabchand

wants Lavasa to be an educational hive like

Cambridge, Massachusetts.

But he’d also like to draw some 2 million

tourists a year, primarily from nearby

Mumbai and Pune. By the end of 2010 the

development will feature a variety of hotels,

including a Novotel and a Mercure, both

owned by the French hotel group Accor. A

60-room branch of the Indian Fortune Park

Hotels chain has opened its doors, and the

fi rst of Lavasa’s four enclaves—Dasve, a

multicolored string of Portofi no-infl uenced

apartments and cafés along a lakefront

promenade—nears completion.

The Ekaant, a rustic 20-room lodge

located in the hills above the town center,

is now accepting guests; the town also has

a NASA-themed space camp, academy,

and mall in the works, as well as a branch

of the MGM Studios theme park with

both Hollywood- and Bollywood-related

attractions. “Without Bollywood it would

not work,” Gulabchand notes. A watersports

center will be on the banks of Lavasa’s

Warasgaon Lake, with a Nick Faldo–

branded golf course nearby. Apollo, an

Asian hospital chain, is opening a

200-bed facility to serve the needs of

residents, plus a special clinic designed to

cater to medical tourists.

What will likely be a popular weekend

escape for upscale Mumbai residents may

also turn out to be a draw for those of us

who live much farther away. Gulabchand

suggests that Lavasa’s location makes it an

attractive jumping-off point into the

ecologically signifi cant Western Ghats

mountain range. Perhaps even more

important, Lavasa stands as a model for a

new kind of international city, rooted in

place and local culture, but at the same time

plugged into global currents of green design

and upward mobility. ✚

Karrie Jacobs is a T+L (U.S.) contributing editor.

FOUR MORE NEW ECO-CITIES

MASDAR CITY ABU DHABI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATESMASTER PLAN: FOSTER & PARTNERS | A US$22 billion, 6-square-kilometer, car-free, carbon-neutral city and a test of whether alternative energy sources like solar and wind power — and lots of shade — can keep a desert city cool. masdarcity.ae. Scheduled completion date of phase one: 2013.

SONGDO INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS DISTRICT SOUTH KOREA MASTER PLAN: KOHN PEDERSEN FOX | This 607-hectare, energy-effi cient waterfront business and residential district will eliminate the need for garbage trucks with a pneumatic waste-transfer system and feature a Paris-inspired bike-lending system. songdo.com. Scheduled completion date: 2017.

TREASURE ISLAND SAN FRANCISCOMASTER PLAN: SKIDMORE, OWINGS & MERRILL | The mixed-use plan for an island in San Francisco Bay includes futuristic high-rise towers, low-rise residential districts, solar and wind power, and a 8-hectare organic farm. som.com. Scheduled completion date: within 20 years.

CHANGXINDIAN LOW CARBON COMMUNITY CHINAMASTER PLAN: ARUP AND THE BEIJING URBAN PLANNING & DESIGN INSTITUTE | Arup, the global engineering fi rm, has mapped out several Chinese eco-cities, including the 500-hectare project in Fengtai, near Beijing, where an eco-industrial park is part of the mix. arup.com. Scheduled completion date: unknown, pending approval.


Men’s non-iron cotton shirts by Brooks Brothers.

StylishTraveler F A S H I O N . . . 5 6

WHEN IT COMES TO

defi ning the

quintessential

travel staple,

nothing beats a crisp oxford shirt.

Enter 192-year-old Brooks Brothers,

no stranger to men and women on

the go, having outfi tted everyone

from Presidents Lincoln, Kennedy

and Obama to the cast of Mad Men .

After introducing a cotton-blend

version more than half a century

ago, the venerable American

institution went one better in 1997

by pioneering the wrinkle-resistant

button-down. There’s the classic

men’s Ainsley, with its two-ply

cotton, pucker-free seams, and

single-needle tailoring and an

equally versatile slim-fi t women’s

style with added stretch. Wear it

with a smart blazer or untucked

over your favorite pair of jeans;

either way, you’ll look as chic at

takeoff as you will having a nightcap

in the hotel bar. —J A M E S J U N G

THE WRINKLE-FREE SHIRTNo matter how many time zones you’ve crossed, this Brooks Brothers classic goes the distance. Photographed by NIGEL COX

The Banjaran Hotsprings Retreat in Malaysia provides a pristine backdrop

for this stunning fashion shoot. Photographed by NAT PRAKOBSANTISUK.

Styled by WEECHEE

Naturalj H i R iWONDER

stylish traveler | fashion

pas and wellness centers

often offer nurturing

treatments in natural

settings, but few are as

stunning as the Banjaran

Hostprings Retreat. This

fi ve-star resort, with a

wide variety of treatments from Thailand,

Malaysia and India, is located in a 7-hect-

are valley surrounded by limestone karsts,

geothermal hot springs and natural caves,

all of which are used in harmony with the

retreat’s philosophy of natural healing.

Short- and long-term treatment programs

are offered, and the resort boasts 16 Garden

Villas set in their own tropical gardens and

nine Water Villas resting on the banks of

the hot springs, with balconies overlooking

the water. No. 1 Persiaran Lagun Sunway 3,

Ipoh; 60-5/210-7777; thebanjaran.com;

three-day packages from US$900.

Silk crêpe halter dress, Miu Miu.

Spas and wellness centers pas and wellness centers

often offer nurturing often offer nurturing

treatments in natural treatments in natural

settings, but few are as settings, but few are as

stunning as the Banjaran stunning as the Banjaran

Hostprings Retreat. This Hostprings Retreat. This

fi ve-star resort, with a fi ve-star resort, with a

wide variety of treatments from Thailand, wide variety of treatments from Thailand,

Malaysia and India, is located in a 7-hect-Malaysia and India, is located in a 7-hect-

are valley surrounded by limestone karsts, are valley surrounded by limestone karsts,

geothermal hot springs and natural caves, geothermal hot springs and natural caves,

all of which are used in harmony with the all of which are used in harmony with the

retreat’s philosophy of natural healing. retreat’s philosophy of natural healing.

Short- and long-term treatment programs Short- and long-term treatment programs

are offered, and the resort boasts 16 Garden are offered, and the resort boasts 16 Garden

Villas set in their own tropical gardens and Villas set in their own tropical gardens and

nine Water Villas resting on the banks of nine Water Villas resting on the banks of

the hot springs, with balconies overlooking the hot springs, with balconies overlooking

the water. the water. No. 1 Persiaran Lagun Sunway 3, No. 1 Persiaran Lagun Sunway 3,

Ipoh; 60-5/210-7777; thebanjaran.com; Ipoh; 60-5/210-7777; thebanjaran.com;

three-day packages from US$900three-day packages from US$900.

Cotton anorak, Mike & Chris; bikini, Rosa Cha; fi sherman’s

hat, stylist’s own.

Opposite: Halter maillot and organdie cotton coat, Hermès.

Crêpe jumpsuit, Paul & Joe; pony-skin sandals, Jimmy Choo.

Opposite: Pleated dress and cloth garland necklace, T-bags; pony-skin sandals, Jimmy Choo.

Bikini, Rosa Cha.

Opposite: Sculpted crêpe dress, RM by

Roland Mouret.

64

Halter maillot, Hèrmes; bangles, Janna Conner.

Opposite:Silk safari shirt dress and

studded belt, Gap; maillot, American Apparel; bracelets, CC Skye; sunglasses, Prada.

65

Halter Maillot, Hermes (hermes.com); bangles,

Janna Conner (jannerconner.com).

STOCKISTSAmerican Apparel americanapparel.net

CC Skye ccskye.comGap gap.com

Hermès hermes.comJanna Conner jannerconner.com

Jimmy Choo jimmychoo.comMike & Chris mikeandchris.com

Miu Miu miumiu.comPaul & Joe paulandjoe.com

Prada prada.comRosa Cha rosacha.com

T-bags tbagslosangeles.com

Model: Pamela Lima / Mode Make-up: Geraldine Loy

Hair: David ShawAssistant: Ekkarat Ubonsri

A MEDIA TRANSASIA PUBLICATION UNDER LICENSE FROM AMERICAN EXPRESS PUBLISHING CORPORATION.

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HOTELS 74 ADVENTURE 78

Heritage HomesIn and around Seoul, traditional Korean homes, hanoks, have been resurrected as restaurants, teahouses and intimate inns, a move that has preserved a bit of the Korean past in the process. By NICOLAI HARTVIG. Photographed by VINCENT SUNG

KOREA

Rakkojae, a guest house inSeoul that’s located in a

traditional building. Inset:Rakkojae’s entrance.

70

t+l journal | preservation


W ALK THE WINDING ALLEYS OF SEOUL’S

Bukchon area and you follow in the

footsteps of the Chosun dynasty’s elite.

Today, hundreds of years later, their

hanoks—traditional Korean homes—still defi ne this north

village on the slopes of Mount Baegak, nestled between the

imposing Gyeongbok and Changdeok palaces. Their tiled

roofs, with striking, curling eaves, roll downhill in a

residential wave.

More than ever, the historical sites of spiritual alignment

and natural harmony have become a symbol of the clash

between South Korea’s values of the present and the past.

After decades of neglect, hanoks are being rediscovered as

havens where time has slowed. Restaurants, teahouses, even

a dental clinic and a barbershop have set up in Bukchon’s

hanoks. But the driving force has been guesthouses and hotels,

preserving a heritage that has often slipped away in 50 years

of breakneck progress.

R AKKOJAE IS A BOUTIQUE HOTEL SET IN 130-YEAR-OLD

structures that were formerly Korea’s fi rst history

academy. That was before it was closed by the Japanese

occupation forces in the mid-1930’s and split into four

separate family homes for the next half century.

Owner Ahn Young-hwan snatched the hanoks away from

developers in the late 1990’s and spent three years

disassembling them, salvaging what he could and enlisting

master hanok carpenter Young Jin-chung to rebuild them.

After years of organizing hanok stays in Andong and

Gyeongju, south of Seoul, Ahn now plans to play a more

direct role when helping others experience Korean heritage.

Within its gates, Rakkojae immediately shuts out the

cacophony of modern Seoul. Only the wind whistling

through the courtyard’s bamboo and the soothing music of

traditional Buddhist strings and drums breaks the silence.

Sometimes that wind carries the faint laughter of children

playing at the local elementary school or the ringing of a

lone bell—a garlic seller announcing his trade as he pushes

his wooden cart through the alleys.

At night, guests gather for traditional musical

performances and tea ceremonies, sitting cross-legged at low

hardwood tables on porches or around a solid stone wheel

used to mash beans. Flames lick the sides of the ondol, the

ancient Korean system that transfers heat from a central

wood-fi red oven through underground tunnels into the

Inside the central courtyard of Rakkojae. Right: Traditional pots used to store kimchi.


Within its gates, Rakkojae manages to immediately shut out the cacophony of modern SEOUL

Rakkojae’s six rooms. The scent of therapeutic herbs seeps

out from a cave-like sauna and its heated clay.

Guests sleep the old-fashioned way: on the fl oor. “When

you slept in the traditional ondol room in winter, you almost

got burns on your body but you had ice on your nose,” says

Ahn, laughing. He has coupled his ondol with wall heaters for

the chilly months and an air conditioner for the sweltering

summer. Each room also has its own en-suite bathroom.

Bukchon’s revival has sent house prices skyrocketing in

tandem with increased government subsidies for preserving

the traditional houses. The neighborhood was decreed out

of bounds for developers in the 1970’s, but with little support

for the costly maintenance of its historic hanoks, the area

deteriorated into slums. When development was allowed in

the 1980’s, thousands of homes were demolished as South

Korean authorities trumpeted construction to boost the

country’s economy.

“The Korean people were so poor, we had nothing,” Ahn

says. “After Japanese colonial times came the Korean War

and everything was destroyed. For forty or fi fty years, all

Koreans thought about was how to get away from poverty

and feed their family. There was no room to think about

culture or design, but now it’s much better than before. Now

people realize that our traditional buildings are important.”

By the time Seoul launched support programs for those

remodeling or rebuilding hanoks in the 1990’s, modern »

72

t+l journal | preservation


apartment living had become a

symbol of modern prosperity. Even

today, South Koreans will proudly

drop the brand of their

apartment—typically Samsung,

Hyundai or Doosan—into conversation. The rudimentary

hanoks, usually with separate outdoor bathrooms, were seen

as humiliating relics. Hanoks were traditionally custom-built

by highly skilled carpenters who inherited the craft from

their fathers or apprenticeships with masters, but along with

the fading image of the hanok, their numbers have dwindled.

“No one was building traditional houses, so the only way

carpenters could survive was to build a temple. There

weren’t many carpenters around and the labor cost was very

high,” Ahn says as the sound of a drill pierces the quiet from

the property next door, a reminder that outside Rakkojae’s

walls, South Korea is still largely under construction.

Nowadays, there are several private schools teaching hanok-

building. Modern materials have extended the hanok lifespan

beyond its typical 100 years, with better roof tiles protecting

against summer monsoon rains and the winter freeze. At

Rakkojae, the old tiles now sit decoratively on the wall

surrounding the garden, beside large clay pots traditionally

used to store kimchi.

Ahn says he’d like to start a hanok school himself and if the

students produce materials that are 95 percent fi nished, he

can hire a master carpenter for the fi nal touches and reduce

overall costs by about a third. Ahn argues that the lower cost

would encourage more people to build in the old style.

Keeping Traditions Alive Clockwise from left: Seoul’s Bukchon neighborhood, where you’ll fi nd many hanoks; a well-preserved hanok in Bukchon; a street in Bukchon.

‘We try not toovercome NATURE, wejust borrow from it’


T HE KTX, A HIGH-SPEED TRAIN, ROARS THROUGH A

landscape of verdant rolling hills and bright yellow

cornfi elds on its way from Seoul to the southeastern historic

city of Gyeongju, the seat of the Shilla dynasty for more

than a thousand years. It’s now a vast open-air collection of

Buddhist temples and royal burial mounds. Elderly men and

women work the fi elds or tend to small cabbage patches

outside their hanoks—some dilapidated, some liberally

modernized with bricks and blue and orange-tiled roofs.

Many hanoks appear to be abandoned cattle farms, torn

asunder by time and the elements. In the distance, the

ubiquitous concrete apartment blocks spring out of nowhere.

South Korea’s only fi ve-star hanok retreat, Ragung, sits at

the edge of a purpose-built resort valley at the Bomun Lake

outside Gyeongju, where the preservation of Korean

heritage has openly met the profi t margins of the modern

corporation. The construction and development of its 16

expansive rooms in 2007 brought together 80 carpenters and

other professionals for the largest hanok project since the

restoration of Gyeongbok Palace in Seoul.

The Ragung developers were also, arguably, the fi rst to do

what Rakkojae’s owner Ahn is also contemplating—using

generic, instead of custom-made, wood beams and other

materials to cut costs and construction time, to the disdain of

hanok purists. It made for a hotel that’s more consistently

aesthetic, but also unabashedly modern, with large glass

windows stretching from the fl oor to it’s 10-meter high

ceilings. Its hot spring spa is clad in luxurious marble.

Unlike most traditional guesthouses, Ragung’s rooms are

furnished with ornate beds. Most are in a L-shaped building

that overlooks a valley and opens onto a pond, which is fed

by a vanishing horizon stream that trickles from Ragung.

Three brown-and-white hanoks are set nearby on the slope of

Mount Unjesan, against a concert of crickets and streams

fl owing through mountainside reeds.

NEAR THE OUTER EDGE OF MODERN-DAY GYEONGJU,

roses crown a green gate that’s always open to visitors

to Sundosanbang. Artist Park Seo-jin waters the plants on

the porch of the hanok guesthouse while his wife, Lee Ryong,

ensures that all the rice-paper windows are open, as is

customary during the day, through all four seasons.

The 100-year-old Sundosanbang has been the home of

Lee’s family for the past 50 years in the ragtag residential

neighborhood of old two-story prefab buildings and red-

bricks. Ryong’s grown daughter practices Buddhist art and

her intricate paintings—along with the thick, black strokes of

Seo-jin’s calligraphy—adorn the walls of the three guest

rooms. A folk painting in one room depicts turtles and deer

serene on a mountain, a wish for long life that Ryong painted

for her 90-year-old mother, who also shares the home.

Ryong is a woman with soft features, a calm voice and

dignifi ed gray hair. Among seven siblings who went to study

WHERE TO STAYRakkojae Book the Master Bedroom 1, which boasts a natural jade fl oor. 98 Gye-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul; 82-10/7387-4004; rkj.co.kr; doubles from KRW250,000.

Ragung Book a Royal Suite. 719-70 Shinpyeong-dong, Gyeongju City, Gyeongsangbuk-do; 82-54/778-2000; smpark.co.kr; doubles from KRW300,000.

Sundosanbang Book the An-bang room. 193

GUIDE TO KOREA’S HANOKS

in Seoul, only she returned to live with her parents at

Sundosanbang, caring for them to fulfi ll a traditional family

obligation in Korean society.

The guesthouse allows Ryong to get a taste of the world,

mainly Europe, from which most of her guests hail. Her

13-year-old son dreams of studying in the United States and

her daughter has just traveled the Silk Road, across India

and Tibet, to broaden her understanding of Buddhist

painting. It has been more diffi cult for 60-year-old Ryong,

who grew up in South Korea’s post-war poverty. “Our

generation was not free to go out into the world,” she says.

“It’s still not easy. But I keep this home and everyone instead

comes to me.”

Outside, a path winds past a koi pond, a little pagoda and

dozens of plants and fl owers that draw butterfl ies and bees in

the afternoon sun. The garden was imagined by Ryong’s late

father and designed by her eldest brother, an architect.

“We try not to overcome nature, we just borrow from it,”

explains Ahn, Rakkojae’s owner, in Seoul. “The Chinese will

put a big mountain or a big pond in the garden. The

Japanese will use miniatures. We still have a way of doing it,

it’s not just wild, but we don’t do too much. We don’t want to

fi ght with nature. Lower the walls so you can see the

mountains and the river, that’s our gardening.”

Ryong’s father and brother were stern traditionalists so

Sundosanbang has been preserved, with some diffi culty,

using only traditional materials. A certain familiar rustic

odor of old, dark wood pervades each room. Bathrooms are

separate from the house, with modern tiling and showers—

and the few meters’ walk becomes diffi cult on cold winter

nights, Ryong says. Her family split the guesthouse from a

neighboring property, where another hanok in disrepair is

beyond the garden wall.

“We have to recognize that we have something good and

then keep it,” Ryong says of the dwindling number of hanoks

in South Korea and the heritage lost. “I know that through

my father and mother.” ✚

Seonggeon-dong, Gyeongju City, Gyeongsangbuk-do; 82-54/772-3123; sundosanbang.com; doubles from KRW40,000.

A guest room in Rakkojae.

t+l journal | hotels


Two historic hotels—the Big Island’s Mauna Kea Beach Hotel and the Royal Hawaiian, on Waikiki Beach—are fresh from extensive, yet subtle renovations that promise to return them to their former glory and attract a new generation of high fl yers. By MARIA SHOLLENBARGER. Photographed by JESSICA SCHWARTZBERG

Hawaii, Revisited

The Royal Hawaiian hotel,

on Waikiki Beach, below.

Inset: A vintage postcard of the

“Pink Palace.”

U.S.A.

75

MAUNA KEA BEACH HOTEL | Kohala Coast, Big Island

When I was growing up in Los Angeles, my parents would

regularly decamp, sans kids, to the Mauna Kea. It was the

fi rst place they’d saved pennies to stay at as newlyweds, and it

hosted them for much-needed escapes in the following

decades. They’d come back sun-burnished, rejuvenated and

bearing the hotel’s signature navy-and-white yukata for my

brother and me to wear as bathrobes. By the time I was 13, I

had ascribed to the place an enormous mystique: What was

this magical hotel that returned my mom and dad to me

looking, without fail, just a little bit like movie stars?

They weren’t the only people in the 1970’s on whom the

magic rubbed off; the Mauna Kea was then the ne plus ultra

of Hawaiian glamour and one of the top hotels in the world.

Laurance Rockefeller, the founder of RockResorts,

handpicked the site, overlooking the ivory crescent of

Kaunaoa Beach on the then-pristine Kohala Coast; and he

handpicked the architect—one Edward Charles Bassett of

Skidmore, Owings & Merrill—who erected in 1965 a series

of dynamic horizontal spaces, stacked one atop the other,

almost entirely unencumbered by walls to fully exploit views

of the opalescent Pacifi c. To this buzz-generating building

Rockefeller bequeathed a museum-quality collection of

Oceanic and Asian art, ranging from wooden Melanesian

sculptures to life-size gilded images of Buddha, which were

scattered about in the open-air, tiled corridors.

Cut to 2005: the Mauna Kea had lost much of its

cachet—aged to a comfortable, but not chic, family resort.

Prince Resorts, which acquired the hotel in the 80’s, wasn’t

oblivious to the hotel’s faded interiors, and when an

earthquake damaged the property in October 2006,

management took advantage of the closure to stage a

15-month, US$150 million renovation.

The results are subtle, and near pitch-perfect. The original

310 rooms and suites in the main building have been

reduced to 258, layouts revised and enlarged. »

T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A . C O M | F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 0

Big Island Revival Clockwise from top left: The Skidmore, Owings, & Merrill–designed Mauna Kea Beach Hotel; misoyaki butterfish with gobo, bok choy and beurre fondu at the hotel’s Manta restaurant; inside the property; the pool; a Mauna Kea guest room; Lee Updike, a hotel lifeguard.

Understatement prevails—there are white-tile fl oors, white

ceramic lamps and light fi xtures, abstract and ethnic fabrics

that reference Rockefeller’s collections, and teak headboards.

The rooms also have ingenious compartmentalized teak wall

units that slide closed to conceal 42-inch fl at-screen TV’s (a

concession to old-timers scandalized by the addition of

televisions after all these years; the slick iPod alarm clocks

and digital phones can’t have pleased them much, either).

Ocean-facing doubles acquired extra lanais, which are

allocated to their bathrooms—white-on-white havens with

deep soaking tubs and open rain showers. What could read

as generic décor on fi rst viewing soon reveals itself to be of

exceptional quality (materials are all top-of-the-line and

formidably expensive)—and, in its aggregate aesthetic, to

make subtle nods to both the building’s Midcentury heritage

and the hotel’s Asian-infl uenced ethos.

A small but lovely spa, managed by Bali-based Mandara,

has been built in the former members’ club room. The

restaurant, Manta, has a new display kitchen and a refi ned,

locally infl uenced menu that’s heavy on excellent raw-bar

offerings (with attendant prices); but its outdoor tables are

positioned, as ever, for prime viewing of the mantas that feed

at night below the terrace. And the beachside Hau Tree bar

still serves the Ovaltine Froth milk shake—the singular

deliciousness of which merits 45 years on a menu. Mauna Kea

Beach Hotel, Kohala Coast; 1-808/882-7222; maunakeabeachhotel.

com; doubles from US$450.

ROYAL HAWAIIAN | Waikiki Beach, Oahu

“It’s little,” says the girl playing in the sand next to me,

studying the rosy dimensions of the six-story Royal

Hawaiian. Well, not really—it has 529 rooms, two

restaurants, a spa and a lobby shopping arcade that could

accommodate a soccer match—but I see what she means:

viewed from the beach, the Pink Palace, as it’s also called, is

so dwarfed by the towering forest of glass and steel bristling

up around it as to evoke a generalized nostalgia for some

Gilded Era of Waikiki Beach Past.


Waikiki Legend Clockwise from top left: A view of Waikiki Beach from the Royal Hawaiian hotel; cocktail hour at the hotel’s Mai Tai Bar; the restored Coconut Lanai; a guest room; looking onto the pool; veal cheek ravioli with foie gras and quail egg from Azure restaurant.

t+l journal | hotels

The Royal Hawaiian was constructed in 1927, 32 years

before Hawaii achieved statehood, and has a guest roster

that reads like a roll call of America’s rich, famous, and

Pennsylvania Avenue–dwelling. It’s the home of the mai tai

(fi rst perfected at the hotel bar of the same name) and sits on

the prime stretch of America’s most famous beach: wide,

quiet, perfect for outrigger and longboard approaches.

But Honolulu has grown up, and as the Kahala and the

Halekulani and even the sleek new Trump International

Hotel Beach Walk arrived, it became increasingly clear that

the green shag in the guest rooms wasn’t cutting it. So

Starwood hotels (whose Luxury Collection division refl agged

the Royal Hawaiian in January) set itself the task of recasting

all that venerable history in a vibrant 21st-century light.

The shag has disappeared; the sleeked-up Mai Tai Bar now

serves a killer ahi sashimi salad. The building’s

Spanish-Moorish good looks (that hibiscus-pink paint job says

aloha, but the vernacular is pure Rodeo Drive) have been

exploited to their best effect. The wide lanai facing the storied

Coconut Grove, sectioned off from the main lobby decades

ago, has been refurbished and reopened to the building. Now,

guests are welcomed with an unbroken view from the hotel’s

porte cochère entrance past massive pink columns all the way

to those sun-dappled coconut palms, which you can see from

the polished koa check-in desks. Around the corner from the

grove, billowing white cabanas set among gardens house the

new Abhasa Spa’s alfresco massage suites.

The rooms strike a balance of traditional island-ethnic

and modern references without sliding into either kitsch or

blandness. The regular appearance of a metallic pineapple

print on a poppy-pink background (on the walls and as

upholstery), admittedly dubious-sounding on paper, is in the

event a quite charming, David Hicks–ian conceit. Some

junior suites are hampered by small bathrooms, a holdover

from original construction—how did Henry Ford/Douglas

Fairbanks/the Shah of Iran countenance such cramped

quarters?—though the designers have done an admirable job

of dressing them up with modern marble touches and

state-of-the-art fi xtures.

Then there’s the knockout restaurant, Azure, which merits

a visit regardless of where in town you stay—preferably after

dark, when the enormous suspended Moroccan lanterns are

lit, their light fl ickering off the coffered white ceilings. The

room is well and truly chic (not just chic “for Hawaii”), and

chef Jon Matsubara has a masterful hand with the seafood,

which comes straight from the fi sh auction building at Pier

38. If your tastes hew more toward pig, order the sublime

baby back ribs in a Kona coffee marinade. They’re the

familiar, made sophisticated and satisfying with a studied twist

of good taste. The new Hawaii, really. Royal Hawaiian, a

Luxury Collection Resort; 2259 Kalakaua Ave.; 1-808/923-7311;

royal-hawaiian.com; doubles from US$560.

Maria Shollenbarger is the T+L (U.S.) Europe and U.K. editor. ✚


Lush Life Grilled chicken salad with a Fredrico’s cocktail — which consists of rum, Jack Daniel’s and fruit juice — from Mauna Kea’s Hau Tree restaurant, above left. Right: An outrigger canoe awaits the adventurous and physically fit on Waikiki Beach near the Royal Hawaiian hotel.

t+l journal | adventure


N AMIBIA OFFICIALLY CAME ON THE RADAR A

few years ago, when Angelina Jolie and

Brad Pitt stayed at a beach resort here

while awaiting the birth of their third

child. But this southern African country

has been quietly coming into its own for more than a decade

now. In addition to spectacular landscapes—vast deserts with

300-meter sand dunes and a coastline strewn with bleached

whale bones and ancient shipwrecks—Namibia has some of

the biggest yet least known game parks in Africa. It also has

one of the continent’s smallest populations, highest literacy

rates and most stable democracies. Tourism here is low-key:

the emphasis is on small, well-designed, environmentally

sensitive lodges in remote areas of the country. From a

tented resort in the desert to a casbah-style fort on a

zebra-fi lled reserve, these seven places are worth the trek.

NAMIB DESERT The Namib runs for 1,900 kilometers

along the entire Atlantic coast of the country. A decade ago,

adventure-travel company Wilderness Safaris acquired a

36,000-hectare spread adjacent to the colossal Sossusvlei

sand dunes to create the Kulala Wilderness Reserve. Today,

this private park contains three small lodges. The newest is

the Little Kulala (wilderness-safaris.com; doubles from US$900,

all-inclusive), with 11 distinctive cement, wood and glass

thatched-roof villas. Each has a grand deck with a plunge

pool; a rooftop terrace with “sky beds” for stargazing; and a

minimalist studio with a platform bed, bleached plank fl oors,

and leather shag throw rugs.

Bouncing across the sand on one of the guided desert

drives, you’ll encounter giant dragonfl ies, springbok, spotted

hyena, gemsbok with long elegant horns and camel thorn

trees hung with the monster nests of the sociable weaver

(these avian apartment buildings can hold several hundred

birds and last for up to a hundred years). Equally intriguing

are the mysterious circles of grass, some as large as 10 meters

in diameter; there are many theories as to their origins, from

termites to static electricity. »

NAMIBIA

The lodge and cottages at Little Kulala, a retreat in

the Namib Desert.

Desert LodgesNamibia’s wilderness—a land of volcanic mountains and epic dunes—it’s also the backdrop for a growing number of stylish hideaways. By RICHARD ALLEMAN

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Desert Style From top: A private plunge pool at Little Ongava, a luxurious lodge in northern Namibia’s 23,300-square-kilometer Etosha National Park that’s home to zebras and rhinos; a table is set for dinner at Little Ongava, which is decorated with art and artifacts from across Africa.

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Out of Africa From above: A view from Serra Cafema Camp of the Kunene River, which divides Namibia and Angola — the region is home to the nomadic Himba people; inside one of the 11 villas at Little Kulala, each of which has a plunge pool and rooftop terrace for the sweeping views.

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The main attractions, however, are the great Sossusvlei

dunes, with their distinctive salmon color and sharp

edges; they resemble colossal pyramids. Of the hundreds

of dunes, a few are standouts, like Big Daddy, which

measures almost 300 meters, and Number 45, where

climbing up (and body-sliding down) are permitted.

KAOKOLAND Greener than the Namib, Kaokoland, in

Namibia’s northwest corner, is a tableau of dales framed

by volcanic mountains. The region is home to many

Himba, a nomadic people numbering 12,000 who are

scattered throughout northwestern Namibia and

southern Angola. The women are especially striking, with

elaborately braided dreadlocks and glistening red skin (a

special paste protects them from the sun). At the Serra

Cafema Camp (wilderness-safaris.com; doubles from US$813,

all-inclusive), the main lodge sits on stilts in an oasis of

green albida trees above the Kunene River, which

separates Namibia and Angola. The eight loft-like chalets

are fi lled with carved Nguni furniture, and in the

bathrooms, copper basins are mounted on log pedestals.

The food is sophisticated—especially the candlelit

dinners, which might include fi sh en papillote followed by a

decadently rich chocolate mousse. Take a hike with

Franco Morao, who will point out goliath herons and

fresh sets of long, smooth crocodile tracks. He’s also good

at spotting small creatures, such as pairs of toktokkie

beetles, the males piggybacking on the females to shade

them while they forage for food.

NAMIBRAND NATURE RESERVE About a

half-hour’s fl ight south of the Sossusvlei dunes is the

180,000-hectare NamibRand Nature Reserve, another

private conservation project, begun in the 1980’s by

Namibian environmentalist Albi Bruckner, who

transformed this area of low rolling dunes and tall

grass from sheep farms into a group of small lodges »

One of the private decks in a chalet at Serra Cafema.

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GETTING THEREAll of the lodges mentionedin the story will help you arrange air transfers from Windhoek’s Hosea Kutako International Airport. Alternatively, book your trip through a seasoned travel agent. Trusted outfi tters such as U.S.–based Uncharted Outposts (unchartedoutposts.com), South Africa–based Rhino Africa Safaris (rhinoafrica.com) and Abercrombie & Kent (abercrombiekent.com) can also help arrange your itinerary.

known as the Wolwedans Collection. The Dunes Lodge

(264-61/230-616; wolwedans-namibia.com; doubles from US$750,

all-inclusive) is a string of 10 wood-and-canvas cottages linked

by walkways; the pool is shaded by a sailcloth awning. For

minimal impact on the environment, the entire camp was

designed using only wood and canvas. Wolwedans is known

for the quality of its restaurants: the chefs are locals who

have been trained at the company’s culinary school in the

capital, Windhoek. The biggest news in this part of the

desert is Wolwedans’s Boulders Safari Camp (wolwedans-

namibia.com; doubles from US$950, all-inclusive), a remote

compound of four luxury tents set between gigantic granite

boulders. Days here are spent hiking or on scenic drives; at

sunset, cocktails are served atop the highest ridge.

ONGAVA GAME RESERVE This 30,000-hectare private

enclave comprises the south-central edge of northern

Namibia’s 23,300-square-kilometer Etosha National Park.

Here, one of the country’s most luxurious compounds, the

three-cottage Little Ongava (wilderness-safaris.com; doubles from

US$1,996, all-inclusive), sits on a hillside of pockmarked

boulders and giant cacti. The infi nity pools almost make the

property seem too glamorous for its setting. The interior

design has made extensive use of African artists’ work: masks

from Burkina Faso; wooden bowls from Zambia; Ethiopian

trays; Congolese wall hangings; and Namibian paintings.

The ultimate prize of Little Ongava, however, lies out in

the bush, where you are likely to see herds of zebra grazing

peacefully and packs of surprisingly shy 3,600-kilogram

white rhinos. If you’re lucky, your guide will be Rosie, a

jocular Namibian who’s the country’s fi rst female big-game

guide. Little Ongava’s sister property, the nearby 14-room

Ongava Lodge (wilderness-safaris.com; doubles from US$1,022,

all-inclusive), is a less expensive alternative.

ONGUMA RESERVE In 2007, The Fort at Fisher’s Pan

(264-61/232-009; onguma.com; doubles from US$780, all-

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241 km0

Windhoek

BOTSWANA

SOUTHAFRICA

ANGOLA

NAMIBIA

Onguma Game Reserve

Ongava Game Reserve

Etosha NationalPark

So

uth

At lantic Ocean

NamibRandNatureReserve

KAOKOLAND

Kulala WildernessReserve

Nam

ib Deser t

inclusive) opened on the southern edge of Etosha National

Park. This exotic structure—tall, thick walls; massive

studded doors; multiple patios; secret staircases—sits on the

edge of a large watering hole. The Fort is the latest addition

to the Onguma Safari Camps, a collection of lodges in the

private 20,000-hectare slice of Etosha known as the

Onguma Game Reserve.

The rustic cottages at The Fort exude casbah-cool: North

African chandeliers, tadlakt fl oors and brass-tray bedside

tables. The bathrooms are housed in octagonal towers with

high ceilings, Philippe Starck and Oxo fi xtures, and tall

freestanding mirrors in distressed frames.

In addition to game drives in the private reserve, the Fort

takes guests to the main Etosha game park. The toll-plaza

entrance and private cars are a bit of a disappointment, but

the game is another story. On a four-hour excursion, you can

expect to see giraffes, elephants, wildebeests, steenbok,

leopard tortoises, monitor lizards and the occasional lion.

Evenings back at The Fort are magical, with the deck lit by

Moroccan lanterns and sconces. Out at the fl oodlit watering

hole, you can watch zebra assemble at sunset. Onguma, it

turns out, means “the place you don’t want to leave.” ✚

A pool and cabana with a spectacular view at Little Ongava, left. A glimpse inside one of Little Ongava’s well-appointed cottages, right.

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86 Four THAI spas to revive your life 96 TAKE the open road to New Zealand 106 Going for the GLAM on a visit to Goa 116 30 dream trips to rekindle ROMANCE

UNCOVERING THE ROMANTIC SIDE TO SOHO. PHOTOGRAPHED BY PAUL COSTELLO

If you’ve heard any of these remote Thai islands, you’re one step ahead of the sun-seeking crowd, writes STUART MCDONALD. Better still, there’s likely a secluded spot for you on the beach

Inside Chiva-Som, a famed health resort in Hua Hin. Opposite: The sun sets along the pier at Six Senses Destination Spa Phuket.

“UNPLUG NOW. UNPLUG FROM THE OUTSIDE.”So comes the murmur from massage therapist Victor

Quemuel as he drops a heated towel on my forehead.

Victor exudes the comforting air of a father crooning his

baby to sleep. Eyes closed, cocooned under a fluffy layer of

thick white toweling, all I can sense is the lilting melody of

Indian flute music in the cool, darkened room that shuts

out the blazing island sun. I’m having the Maharlika treat-

ment, a therapy unique to the Six Senses Destination Spa

Phuket on Naka Island. Victor is unplugging my pores with

a piece of string using a special technique that derives from

ancient Filipino helot healing traditions. On a deeper level,

his instruction to unplug myself is a guidance to detach my

mind from the worries, thoughts and emotional tensions

that normally occupy a person’s head. A vigorous reflexol-

ogy massage on neck, shoulders, arms and hands relieves

knotted muscles tense from long hours—no, make that

years—hunched over a computer.

Six Senses Destination Spa Phuket is the latest offering

in a spate of award-winning destination healing resorts that

are putting Thailand on the map as the place for wellness

seekers in search of a health holiday. Already known as a

medical tourism hub where travelers can easily combine

surgery, check-ups or dental work during their holiday,

Thailand is drawing a new type of wellness traveler looking

for more alternative and preventative holidays.

While the word “spa” evokes flowery images of massages

and facials, a destination spa goes far beyond body pam-

pering; massages are only one aspect of the total holistic

overhaul that one undergoes in the course of a wellness

retreat. Call them destination spas, wellness sanctuaries,

health resorts or holistic retreats, these establishments aim

specifically to provide a totally integrated holistic experi-

ence designed to achieve rejuvenation of the mind and

body. The core of a destination wellness experience is the

holistic health program that is custom-tailored for each »

88

Healthy Living Clockwise from top left: A guest room at Six

Senses; bicycles are available for guests at Six Senses; healthy

fare at Kamalaya resort, on Samui; a pool at Kamalaya;

Chiva-Som’s spa rooms; Chiva-Som’s restaurant.

WHILE THE WORD ‘SPA’ EVOKES FLOWERY IMAGES OF MASSAGES ANDFACIALS, A DESTINATION SPA GOES FAR BEYOND BODY PAMPERING

guest based on their individual needs, with the on-site well-

ness center being the nucleus of operations. Each stay starts

with a detailed health and lifestyle questionnaire that’s sev-

eral pages long, which is then used to design an individually

tailored program consisting of health consultations, daily

massages, nutritional counseling, detox cuisine, exercise,

personal trainers, physiotherapists, naturopathy, ayurvedic

doctors, traditional Chinese medicine doctors, acupuncture,

energy healing, and spiritual and emotional counseling—all

set on a beautiful beach or in a lush garden. The objective

is to heal the whole being from the inside out, not through

medical treatment or body pampering.

“In this age, more than ever, people have access to more

money, more toys, gadgets, entertainment, movies, every-

thing all at once,” says Marc-Antoine Cornaz, managing

director of Kamalaya Koh Samui, an acclaimed wellness

resort. “Everything is so easily and instantly accessible now,

especially material goods. More people have all these things,

then wonder why they still aren’t happy.” Cornaz goes on to

say that most of the guests who stay at Kamalaya are looking

for something more meaningful. “They just want to de-stress

or get healthy—but in the process they stumble across some-

thing deeper.”

That “something deeper” often

marks the initial baby steps that

lead people on a longer journey

of self-awareness. “In daily life

what people miss these days is the

human connection,” says Cornaz.

“Often successful people lose the connection to other humans

because everyone is their subordinate. At Kamalaya we

sometimes have celebrity guests, but here everyone can be

their normal human self. People can connect to each other as

humans without the façade, so they relax and can reconnect

to others as well as themselves as individuals.”

A relaxed camaraderie is evident among the guests, staff

and spa therapists. A sense of common goals creates a power-

ful community spirit that doesn’t exist on a normal resort hol-

iday. Seventy percent of Kamalaya’s guests come alone, away

from distracting partners and family members, choosing one

of the many one- to three-week wellness programs on offer,

but find themselves bonding easily over shared experiences

and common goals. At the cliff-top plunge pool overlooking

the sea, a couple of bond traders from London exchange tales

of career burnout with an exhausted airline pilot. They’re

clearly at the start of their stay. At the other end of the spec-

trum, I am enjoying my delicious dinner of baked snow fish

and watercress while listening to two ladies share their expe-

riences of meditation and past-life regression over herbal tea

sweetened with stevia, a herbal sugar substitute. Clad in float-

ing white tunics, the kind worn in ashrams, these are clearly

retreat veterans. The next day I’m bemused to discover that

both ladies are international investment bankers, one from

Hong Kong, the other from Sydney, who are much happier

here under the coconut trees than in their black power suits

conducting conference calls. One of them keeps extending

her stay and is even considering a career move from finance

to the wellness industry. »

Good Vibes From left: The beach at Six Senses; a hearty salad at Kamalaya; the pagodas at the Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi, in Chiang Mai. Opposite: A path through the rice fields at the Mandarin Oriental.

90

The ornate décor at the Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi. Clockwise from right: Good-for-you offerings at the Mandarin Oriental; outside Chiva-Som; a staff member at Six Senses; a sauna room at Chiva-Som; soothing sounds at Chiva-Som.

IN THE SERENE HILLS OF NORTHERN THAILAND, THE

Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi, though not an

actual destination spa, features magnificent spa

facilities including an ayurvedic wing, a temple-

like watsu pavilion, Turkish hammam and rassoul steam

rooms, and a building housing luxury spa suite accommo-

dations, all contained within a majestic complex modeled

after the royal palace of Mandalay. To make the most of

its stunning facilities, the resort offers a series of intensive

week-long wellness programs, with varying themes such as

yoga, life coaching and holistic workshops.

While yoga and health food are to be expected, what is

surprising is the level of emotional healing that can result

from these retreats. Among the Mandarin Oriental Chiang

Mai’s spa offerings is the award-winning Inner Flow

Therapy, a gentle water treatment created by resident spe-

cialist Raphael Sadowski that is practiced in warm water

using the combined techniques of watsu, water dance, heal-

ing dance and yoga. My own experience with this resulted

in a burst of uncontrollable sobbing, which Raphael

explained were repressed emotions being released due to a

state of complete relaxation; often, back pain is the physical

manifestation of feelings of fear and sadness that we hold

in by tensing the lower back. By relaxing the spine, this

treatment allows the body’s energy to flow naturally, thus

releasing trapped emotions. Other guests have experienced

tears or states of extreme euphoria after this treatment. The

program includes spiritual exercises in the resort’s temple,

and basic reflexology classes teaching simple techniques

guests can practice at home.

At world-renowned Chiva-Som International Health

Resort, located at the beach resort of Hua Hin, “the most

popular programs here are weight loss and detox,” says

wellness director Jeff Nieuwenhuizen, “because they offer

the most immediate and practical goal. Our most popular

activities are sessions with personal trainers and aqua aero-

bics class.” The longer guests stay, sometimes for months,

the more they explore other holistic classes. “This leads to

changes in both their habits and attitudes about how they

approach wellness.”

With its fame as a world-class resort and celebrity health

center—Elle McPherson, Elizabeth Hurley, David and

Victoria Beckham are some of the famous who come

here—occupancy is always high but you would never

know it from the hushed stillness of its deserted grounds.

Even on the sunniest days the swimming pool is deserted.

Everybody is sequestered inside the spa, a labyrinth of »

93

air-conditioned treatment rooms stretching underground.

It’s only at mealtimes that you come face-to-face with other

guests at the buffet serving fat-free, oil-free, butterless, sug-

arless salads and soups. Portions are miniscule, intended to

make you lose weight, whether you want to or not.

Most guests want to. I’m enjoying Hua Hin’s pinky-

blue sunset on Chiva-Som’s beach terrace while chugging

lattes with Abdul Aziz Al Zabin, a cheerful businessman

from Kuwait who combines his latte with inhalations of

Marlboro Reds. He enjoys life too much, which is why he’s

here to work it off. He’s already lost 12 kilos in three weeks

and has another month and many more kilos to go. “I’ve

been taking photos of myself every week,” he says, patting

his ample tummy. “I’m thinking of starting a website show-

ing my progress for my family and friends, what do you

think?” He’s also trying hypnotherapy to stop smoking.

Another guest from Italy is staying three months, on his

second stay here. On his first stay of two months he shed 24

kilos but gained 27 kilos after returning home. This time

he’s brought his personal chef and masseuse and sent them

to learn low-fat cooking and massage at the Chiva-Som

Academy in Bangkok while he’s working the weight off

again. Guests often find they struggle to keep their weight

down once they return home. It’s also worth noting that

many doctors advise against rapid weight loss, which can

lead to a host of medical problems.

S IX SENSES DESTINATION SPA PHUKET ENCOURAGES

guests to take a self-empowering approach to

health. “Our key focus is that we get people to take

responsibility for their own well-being,” says Bryan

Hoare, the spa’s director of wellness. “When guests arrive

we ask them to define their wellness goals and sign a con-

tract with themselves, so that they are actually making a

commitment to themselves, rather than making their well-

ness someone else’s responsibility.” A typical contract might

outline a desire to lose weight or stop smoking or exercise

daily. “At the same time,” says Hoare, “guests aren’t forced

to do anything they don’t want to do. They can just have a

relaxing beach holiday. But there is an entire support sys-

tem here to encourage them.”

Launched just a year ago, Six Senses Destination

Spa’s holistic offerings have yet to reach the range and

depth available at older establishments like Chiva-Som

or Kamalaya. But the foundation is well in place, with

a creative approach to wellness adding a quirky charm.

Personal training sessions take place at the Jurassic-style

AT SIX SENSES, A HILLTOP RESTAURANT SERVES NUTRITIOUS, HIGH-ENERGY RAW FOOD ALONG WITH THE RESORT'S SEA VIEW

94

Chiva-Som International Health Resort 73/4 Petchkasem Rd., Hua Hin; 66-32/536-536; chivasom.com; doubles from Bt17,000 per person per night for a minimum three-night stay.

Kamalaya Koh Samui 102/9 Moo 3, Laem Set Rd., Ko Samui; 66-77/429-800; kamalaya.com; doubles from Bt7,900.

Mandarin Oriental DharaDhevi 51/4 Chiang Mai-Sankampaeng Rd., Chiang Mai; 66-53/888-888; manda-rinoriental.com; doubles from Bt15,499.

Six Senses DestinationSpa Phuket 32 Moo 5, Tambol Paklok, Naka Island, Phuket; 66-76/371-400; sixsenses.com; doubles from Bt37,800.

GUIDE TO WELLNESS IN THAILAND

Jungle Gym, set in a beachside banana grove using rocks

and tree trunks for strength training. The sprawling spa

complex is cleverly divided into Thai, Chinese, Indian and

Indonesian sections spread across a garden traversed by

picturesque stepping stones, wooden walkways, lotus ponds

and bamboo groves. A hilltop restaurant serves nutritious,

high-energy raw food along with the sea view, while the

beachside restaurant serves crystal-infused healing water.

Menus outline calorie counts while signs around the prop-

erty indicate the calories used to walk from one point to

another. Every guest is supplied with a bicycle for both

transportation and exercise.

Judging from a scan of the pool, many of the Six Senses

guests seem rather healthy regardless of their age. I’m

examining a large wooden sign displaying a coconut bra

forbidding topless sunbathing when an English lady in her

late 50’s walks by in a pink bikini. She looks amazingly fit

for someone who’s no stranger to childbirth—she’s travel-

ing with her 34-year-old daughter. Clearly destination spas

aren’t just for those in a crisis.

At their best, wellness retreats can trigger a whole new

approach to life. “I came to Kamalaya for three nights

expecting a hotel with some massages and yoga,” says Bob

Peters, a party-loving London executive whose typical

holiday involves extreme adventure, like the jungle survival

course he’s doing in South America the following month.

“But I’m completely amazed by the personalized health

assessments and the level of counseling I’m getting here.

It’s not just technical fitness and exercise. They give you

the freedom to open up about your emotions too. It’s about

total well-being.”

Would he come back again?

“Definitely! I wish I were staying longer.” ✚

Getting a traditional Thai

massage at Kamalaya.

Getting a traditional Thai

massage at Kamalaya.

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Sand dunes, surf towns and an ever-expanding circle of fast friends: oysters are plentiful, the road is wide open and everyone has a story

WELCOME TO

NEWZE

97

ADAM SACHS tours the far reaches of New Zealand, where the to share. Photographed by MARK ROPER

From far left: Rue Lavaud, in the town of Akaroa; Te Matuku oysters at Martin Bosley’s Restaurant, in Wellington; a view of the harbor on the way to Akaroa, a former French settlement on New Zealand’s South Island.

ALAND

98

“You can get tuatuas here,” Anne Moore says, brightly.

“A tuatua,” she adds by way of explanation, “is like a pipi

but not as big as a toheroa.”

I have no idea what she’s talking about but the sound of the

words makes me happy. Tuatuas and pipis and toheroas, Anne

explains, are types of mollusks.

You dig them up at the beach as snacks.

Anne points out a sign by the road that says HOT HANGI.

That’s a Maori stew, she says, cooked in the ground.

“Have you ever seen a kumara?” Anne asks. It’s a purplish

sweet potato grown around here. And where is here? I’m

trying to remember.

Anne is a new friend. We met the week before, at another

pal’s wedding on the island of Waiheke, near Auckland. Now

she’s our guide on a road trip somewhere far north of there,

driving with the sunroof open across the very top of New

Zealand. From the backseat of her silver-blue BMW jalopy,

I watch the dreamy place-names pass by. Opononi. Kerikeri.

Pakaraka. Kawakawa. I repeat these words to myself and

lose track of where we are on the map. Outside, it’s all lush

greens and sparkling blues. There is a warmth, a pacific—

lower- and uppercase—quality to the light in the north of the

North Island.

At Russell, on the Bay of Islands, a little seagull follows us

around. He waddles behind the car as we drive out of town

with a look that seems to say, “What’s your rush?” Sorry,

little bird. Nothing personal. Except that in New Zealand,

everything has a way of feeling personal, intimate, connect-

ed. The country’s image handlers have done a great job

positioning the place as a kind of holy land for extreme-

sports seekers, as well as for those who seek extreme

pamperedness at grand pleasure palaces known as super

lodges. But what pulls me back is something more essential,

a feeling I get from the people here. They’re friendly and

open, but more than that there is this sense of an entire

country where everyone seems to know one another, a sense

of community you don’t get in bigger countries. Aotearoa—

the country’s Maori name, meaning Land of the Long

White Cloud—has an area slightly larger than the United

Kingdom but one-fifteenth the population. Nearly a third of

the 4.2 million Kiwis live in Auckland. Outside the city it’s a

big-sky, small-world place.

Looking to explore these connections, I devised a kind of

travel challenge for myself, an experiment in serendipitous

social networking. What would become of me if I arrived in

Auckland knowing nobody and let myself be guided only by

the introductions of people I met along the way? There

would be rules: I couldn’t just ask someone to recommend a

place they’d heard or read about.

They had to hand me off to friends or colleagues, people

they actually knew. And I would keep moving. Landing in

Auckland, I’d head roughly south with every suggestion to

see how far down the length of the country I could get.

To hedge my bets, I needed a traveling companion and a

starter pool of Kiwis. My first bit of good luck arrived in the

form of my girlfriend, Evyn, whose best friend happened to

be getting married on Waiheke. The bride, Anna Weinberg,

grew up on the island, a wind-slapped half-hour’s ferry ride

from Auckland. She now lives in San Francisco, where she

runs South, an antipodean-themed wine bar and restaurant.

One of her partners is the Australian celebrity chef Luke

Mangan. Anna’s parents make wine in Hawke’s Bay. There

would be guests from the New Zealand food, wine and fash-

ion industries. If any place was going to give us a shot at

meeting people who could set us off on an interesting jour-

ney, Anna and James’s wedding promised to be it.

So after a series of f lights we landed in Auckland and

made our way by ferry across the emerald Hauraki Gulf to

Waiheke. There we fell into the rhythm of things with the

aid of great quantities of the local rosé. The island has a

Nantucket-ish vibe by way of California surf-town cool. A

place, as one resident put it, where “billionaires cohabit with

hippies and a few of us in between.”

We sailed a catamaran around the coves. We played

cricket (badly) in the surf at Oneroa Beach. By the day of the

wedding ceremony at Mudbrick Vineyard, we’d acclimated

to island life. Finally, it was time to go off on our own.

Anne Moore, an old friend of Evyn’s, wanted us to see

Hokianga, where she’d grown up. Anne is a quarter Maori,

tall and striking, with big, dark eyes that suggest she is going

to do what she wants to do. This is our first lesson in social

traveling: Some people aren’t willing to just point you in the

right direction; they want to take you there themselves. »

Island Country Clockwise from top left: A drawing of a New Zealand pigeon at Otahuna Lodge, near Christchurch; the tranquil Clyde Quay Marina, in Wellington’s harbor ; owners Bruce and Carol Hyland at Maison de la Mer, their inn in Akaroa; an antler chandelier at Black Barn Vineyards, in Hawke’s Bay; a guest room at Maison de la Mer; finding local crustaceans on Stone Beach, in Akaroa.

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The veranda at Otahuna Lodge.

101

Which is how we end up in Anne’s car driving 4½ hours

north of Auckland through rolling dairy farms and kumara

country, cowboy towns and Maori land.

Arriving at Hokianga, you climb a steep hill and come to

a remarkable vista: on the left is the Tasman Sea, to the right

a river winding inland, and, in front of you, rising from the

mouth of the harbor, a giant golden sand dune.

Anne’s friend who runs the boat-tour concession takes us

across to the dunes. The full poetic name, he says, is Te

Hokianga-nui-a-Kupe. “The returning place of Kupe, the

Polynesian explorer who discovered New Zealand.”

This is Anne’s returning place, too, and it pleases her to

share it. Growing up here, she’d somehow never gotten

around to hiking the dune. Over the top we find a scene new

to all of us, invisible from shore and boat: rocky red canyons,

hidden forests and undisturbed white beaches far below.

This feels and looks like what it is—the start of a country at

the end of the world.

We are again on the road, heading from Hokianga back

to Auckland to meet friends who will steer us to our next

destination. At Orongo Bay we pull off the road at a big blue

sign that reads oysters open and find Clive, a giant with a

yellow beard like the back of an unshorn sheep. He shucks us

two dozen wild-spatch oysters pulled straight from the bay,

and we eat them on the hood of the car with a bottle of the

local hot sauce, Kaitaia Fire.

Somewhere near Elliots Bay a rainbow reveals itself over

the ocean, so we stop again for a quick look. The hills are

lime green and velvety soft. Surfers are in the water. Pipis

and tuatuas are there for the digging. Behind us, on a little

rise above the road, a cow is chewing grass and taking in the

same view, looking as amazed as we are. The whole thing is

so ridiculously pretty that we all just sort of shake our heads

in the warm breeze and whistle, glad we ended up here,

wherever here is.

“We reckon we’ve got one degree of separation in New Zealand,” Simon Woolley says.

Short-cropped gray hair, 53, fitted T-shirt, kind eyes

behind artsy spectacles, Simon is an old friend of the bride’s.

He’s a cofounder of one of the country’s big mineral-water

brands, Antipodes. We’re back in Auckland to see off the

wedding party and receive our marching orders.

One of Simon’s partners in the Antipodes water venture is

his old mate, Kim Thorp, an advertising man who started a

winery and villa rental complex in the Hawke’s Bay wine

region called Black Barn Vineyards.

Simon finds Kim on his mobile to make the introduction.

We’re in luck: there’s one house available for the night.

“Rush Cottage, my favorite,” says Simon. “You’re going to

love it.”

And so we do. We fall rather helplessly and immediately in

love with the very English-feeling two-bedroom shepherd’s

cottage beside a towering fan palm. And we fall for Kim and

his wife, Bronwynne, who is making a fragrant pot of fig

chutney from Digby Law’s Pickle & Chutney Cookbook: A New

Zealand Classic when we arrive at their contemporary art–

and sculpture-filled house for a visit. And all this love brings

us to the second tricky issue with this exercise in constant

motion: the stubborn desire to never leave a place.

Black Barn is many things: winery, summer concert

venue, modern Kiwi art gallery, restaurant, local farmers’

market and lodging. What makes it all work is that it feels

like a personal project, a kind of curated lifestyle, tastefully

conceived and stylishly executed by Kim and Bronwynne

and their partners. “We honestly just based things on what

we like,” Kim says. The people are the brand—a slogan you

might apply, without too much of a stretch, to New Zealand

as a whole.

Leaving Hawke’s Bay and heading south through the

North Island to Wellington, we stop for lunch at Elephant

Hill Estate & Winery on the coast. “It’s the newest thing on

the horizon,” Kim tells us. “It’s sort of outrageous: a bright

blue-green copper shoe box owned by a German couple who

have no history of wine.” The view alone is worth the detour:

outdoor tables overlook a glassy pool, down past the rows of

grapevines, and out to a thin ribbon of blue sea. It feels like

a hybrid of Thailand and Provence. Fearing we’d be left

without anyone to recommend a place to stay, in the rush to

make Wellington by dark, we had taken Kim’s suggestion

and booked a room online at Ohtel, a self-consciously designy

boutique around the corner from Martin Bosley’s Restaurant.

“Go see Martin,” Kim directed us. “his food’s exquisite. Be

sure to say you’re a vegetarian and don’t like fish.”

“Did Kim tell you to say that?” Martin asks when we deliver the fake news about our eating habits. “Well,

the answer to your next question—‘What do you do for peo-

ple like us?’—is, ‘Drown you to put you out of your misery.’”

Martin has a goatee and a winking, genial gruffness. His

restaurant occupies the glass-walled dining room of a

126-year-old yacht club. The room is tidy but unpretentious,

dominated by views of swaying sailboats and old sheds once

used by the American navy. The focus, however, is on what’s

on the plate, which mostly comes out of the waters around

New Zealand.

“So personal recommendations—just don’t screw it up?”

Martin says to clarify.

Amazing how pawning off decision-making responsibili-

ties on someone else can reduce your stress. I switch from

Antipodes water to a Seresin Sauvignon Blanc from

Marlborough and look out at the clear sky.

“OK, I’ll go make some calls and see if we can get something

happening. In the meantime, you guys need some oysters.”

Bluff oysters are not like other oysters. Available only for a

brief season and only from the wild, cold, violent »

102

Kiwi Nation Clockwise from top left: St. Patrick’s Catholic church, in Akaroa; the delectable goat-cheese ravioli with pancetta and asparagus at Otahuna Lodge; the streamlined dining room at the Elephant Hill Estate & Winery, in Hawke’s Bay; boxus, viburnum and Chilean cranberry plants at Otahuna Lodge; the entrance at Black Barn Retreat; cows grazing near Hawke’s Bay.

New Zealand is big and varied, in its way. Sandy beaches in the subtropical north, glaciers and alpine skiing in the south

103

waters around Bluff, at the very bottom of the South Island,

they are gritless, pure-tasting, intensely briny. The shells

look like ragged fossils, with orange and pink and gray

deposits. There is, it seems, something alive on one of my

shells. I poke it with my finger. The something bites back.

“Hey, you’ve got clams living on your oyster!” Martin says,

walking by to observe the action.

It’s hard to feel any stress in sunny wine country, but in

Marlborough I manage it. This is where things fall apart a

little and then come back together. Some of Martin’s sugges-

tions don’t work out, places are booked on short notice, calls

go unanswered. One of the reasons we wander is for the

artificial highs and lows we feel along the way. Like Finns

jumping from freezing pool to steaming sauna, we hop head-

long into the good and bad, dull and delightful parts of a

journey, and it makes our heart race.

From Wellington we take a ferry across to Picton, at the

top of the South Island. Martin had directed us to a B&B

run by a very friendly couple who give us wine when we

arrive and a lovely home-cooked breakfast in the morning.

There is nothing wrong with the place at all, but we have the

sinking feeling we’ve landed in a kind of pretty nowhere, a

scrubbed suburb near beautiful wine country.

Here is another lesson: Live by the recommendation, die

by it, too.

After some fumbling calls and scratched ideas, the nice

couple mention that they are friendly with Therese Herzog

of the Herzog Estate in Blenheim, not far away. Driving

through sunny Marlborough wine country, we’ve got a good

feeling about Therese, who doesn’t even know we’re headed

to find her but who we hope will save our trip. And she does.

A handsome Swiss import, Therese doesn’t have time for

the halting, ginger politesse of her Anglo neighbors. I start

my rehearsed speech about what we’re looking for: not just a

guidebook listing, somewhere you yourself would go…

“Okay, hold on,” Therese says, leaving me mid-spiel. She

returns with a postcard she appears to have been keeping for

just this purpose, ready to present like a prebaked cake on a

TV cooking show.

“This is the secret sight to see,” she says, musically. “This

is the golden bay, the million-dollar view. This is where we

go to escape.”

Sold. Check, please. We call the number on Therese’s

postcard and, against the odds, the cottage at Clifftops

Retreat is available.

So we are back on course. Over the mountain passes to

Nelson, through the city and out to the seaside hamlets and

hill towns that line the road up and around to Ruby Bay vil-

lage. After a few wrong turns, we find the tree-lined path to

Clifftops cottage and a sign on the gate: “Welcome Evyn

and Adam. Please turn the key on your left and zoom up to

the house. Looking forward to meeting you. Pebbles and

Frankie might also appear to say hello—woof woof.”

Pebbles and Frankie and their caretakers, Bob

and Anne, lead Evyn and me to a pair of Adirondack chairs

at the edge of the lawn. Below us is Tasman Bay and the

curving coast of the South Island. We take a bottle from the

well-stocked kitchen and watch the sky as it turns from pink-

streaked blue to quavering purple to starry black.

The dogs are back to say hello in the morning. Stay, they

say, f lopping around on the lawn. Stay and pat our bellies

and enjoy this place you’ve come so far to see. Bob is more

direct. “This is craziness!” he advises us when we say we

really do need to get moving. The dogs were right, of course.

It was a shame to go before we took Bob’s advice about the

hiking trails in Abel Tasman National Park and before we

could finish all the cookies Anne had stashed in the kitchen

cupboard. But rules are rules, even self-imposed ones, so

we’re off, cutting southeast down the middle of the island.

New Zealand is big and varied, in its way. Sandy beaches

in the subtropical north, glaciers and alpine skiing in the

south. We didn’t know what we’d see of it until we met the

people who would send us there. We pass through rolling

farmland, and in the endless interior, ominous-looking

craggy ranges. The radio cuts out for kilometers at a stretch.

Nearing Canterbury, the rocky terrain gives way to a

sweeter, softer-again English country landscape. Nearing

Christchurch we turn to Tai Taupo, and just as the light is

faltering find our way to Otahuna Lodge.

Full disclosure—I cheated a bit here. I wanted to spend at

least a night at one of the great lodges. I could see from the

map that the recently refurbished Otahuna was a day’s drive

south of Ruby Bay. So I dropped a hint: Did Bob and Anne

by any chance know anybody at Otahuna? Wouldn’t that be

a fine recommendation—for variety’s sake? They admitted

they knew some folks there but not the owners. From

Clifftops I called Otahuna preemptively and talked to Miles

Refo and Hall Cannon, the American gentlemen who own

and run the stately home. They agreed to let us come on

shorter notice than is generally required. Rules are rules, but

sometimes it’s okay to bend them, especially when it means

a visit to a Queen Anne mansion with a tennis court.

The lodge was built in 1895, and has since served as a

monastery, commune and hotel. We change and are served

dinner in a private room off the drawing room. Prawn cevi-

che with a soup of green, yellow and red tomatoes. Locally

raised duck, served rare. There is an almost comic formality

to it, following yesterday’s dinner at an outdoor fish shack

and our manic all-day road trip. But the food is good and

we’re happy to take our glasses of port to our plush room just

up the stairs.

After a morning of misty tennis we join Hall for breakfast in the airy kitchen. “I’ve traveled the way

you’re traveling,” Hall says. “This is an easy country to do it

in.” When he and Miles, formerly New York City real »

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Black Angus sirloin on rosemary mashed potatoes at Elephant Hill Estate & Winery.

105

WHEN TO GOThe climate is generally mild, but you’ll find some variation between the subtropical north and the glacier-dotted south. The warmest months are between January and March, and it’s cool-est in July.

GETTING THERE AND AROUNDQantas (qantas.com) and Air New Zealand (airnewzealand.com) are the main carriers serv-ing New Zealand, though Cathay Pacific (cathaypacific.com), Singapore Airlines (singaporeair.com) and Thai Airways (thaiair-

GUIDE TO NEW ZEALAND

ways.com) also fly there. With scenic shoreline drives and mountain passes , the country is a road-tripper’s dream. Highways are well marked, and getting around is easy. There are short flights across the Cook Strait between the North and South Islands, and ferries operate regu-larly between Wellington and Picton. Keep in mind that you will have to switch rental cars when you cross the strait.

WHERE TO STAYBlack Barn Vineyards Black Barn Rd., Havelock

North; 64-6/877-7985; blackbarn.com; cottages from NZ$350.

Clifftops Retreat 1452 State Hwy. 60, Ruby Bay; 64-3/540-2767; clifftops-retreat.co.nz; cot-tage from NZ$550, all-inclusive.

Eagles Nest Five modern villas —most with private pools. 60 Tapeka Rd., Russell; 64-9/403-8333; eaglesnest.co.nz; villas from NZ$1,595.

Hotel d’Urville A good base for wine-country

explorations. 52 Queen St., Blenheim; 64-3/577-9945; dur-ville.com; doubles from NZ$335.

Maison de la Mer 1 Rue Benoit, Akaroa;

64-3/304-8907; maisondelamer.co.nz; doubles from NZ$325, including breakfast.

Mollies A 13-suite hotel in a Victorian house not far from Ponsonby. 6 Tweed St., Auckland; 64-9/376-3489; mol-lies.co.nz; doubles from NZ$545.

Ohtel 66 Oriental Parade, Wellington; 64-4/803-0600; ohtel.com; doubles from NZ$495.

Otahuna Lodge 224 Rhodes Rd., Tai Tapu; 64-3/329-6333; otahu-na.co.nz; doubles from NZ$1,500, all inclusive, except lunch.

Westin Auckland Lighter Quay The hotel

seems to float over the water like one of the yachts in the har-bor. 21 Viaduct Harbour Ave., Auckland; 800/228-3000; wes-tin.com; doubles from NZ$300.

WHERE TO EAT & DRINKBlack Barn Bistro Black Barn Rd., Havelock North; 64-6/877-7985; lunch for two NZ$120.

Cable Bay Vineyards A modern restaurant with sweeping vistas. 12 Nick Johnstone Dr., Waiheke

Island; 64-9/372-5889; dinner for two NZ$140.

Elephant Hill Estate & Winery 86 Clifton Rd., Te Awanga;64-6/873-0400; lunch for two NZ$105.

Herzog Estate 81 Jeffries Rd., Blenheim; 64-3/572-8770; lunch for two NZ$112; dinner for two NZ$195.

Martin Bosley’s Restaurant 103 Oriental Parade, Wellington; 64-4/920-8302; dinner for two NZ$205.

Mudbrick Vineyard & Restaurant Vegetables grown on-site, and a great view of the Hauraki Gulf. 126 Church Bay Rd., Waiheke Island; 64-9/372-9050; dinner for two NZ$170.

Pegasus Bay Fine Pinot Noir wine and super-fresh, locally sourced food in an idyllic garden setting. 263 Stockgrove Rd., Waipara; 64-3/314-6869; lunch for two NZ$140.

Terrôir Craggy Range Winery’s restaurant has a wood-fired oven turning out great roasted meats. 253 Waimarama Rd., Havelock North; 64-6/873-0143; lunch for two NZ$112.

GREATVALUE

GREATVALUE

GREATVALUE

GREATVALUE

estate and marketing types, were looking to change their

lives and find a grand project in

New Zealand, they drove around the country for three

months, taking advice and direction from those they met

along the way.

“A lot of folks come here with intricate itineraries, with

multiple flights, helicopters and dolphin watches. The irony

is that traveling on your own in New Zealand is about the

safest, easiest thing you can do. I’m probably shooting myself

in the foot here, but if you’re coming here and you’re staying

only in the so-called super lodges, you might be doing your-

self a bit of a disservice.”

The pair have mastered the handle-anything calm of sea-

soned hoteliers. Hall and Miles are accustomed to complex

guest needs, so my request barely registers as a challenge.

We’re in your hands for a night, I explain. Send us some-

where nice to stay with people you like.

“Akaroa,” Hall says, not missing a beat. “It’s the only French

settlement in New Zealand. The street names are in French,

little cafés, a charming bay, an amazingly scenic drive.”

After an hour of hairpin turns we descend to the harbor

from which the French planned to secure a colony in

Australasia. The British beat them to it, leaving Akaroa as a

museum relic of what a Gallic New Zealand might have

looked like. Apparently it would have been unspeakably

cute. Imagine if the French took over Devon and trans-

planted it to the Pacific. Again, we find ourselves somewhere

we’d never heard of the day before, buoyed along by good

advice, unburdened by advance planning, never sure which

New Zealand we’d see today. We’re only halfway down the

South Island, but we’ve come a long way from Anne Moore’s

Maori returning place at the top of the country.

From his office at Otahuna, Hall had called Carol Hyland

and told her he had some friends he wanted to send over to

Maison de la Mer, the bed-and-breakfast she runs with her

husband, Bruce. Our room has a nautical theme. There are

cookies in the cupboard and a large round window looking

out over the boats in the bay. That evening, the Hylands ply

us and their other guests with wine and tell stories about

decades spent raising their children on a sailboat traveling

the world. We excuse ourselves after a couple of glasses, as

we’ve got one final recommendation to pursue. Akaroa is

said to have one of the best fish-and-chip shops in New

Zealand. You can find it if you go. Just ask around. �

Adam Sachs is a T+L (U.S.) contributing editor.

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Waiter Broncy Barreto at South Goa’s renovated Vivenda dos Palhaços hotel. Opposite page: Vagator

Beach, in North Goa, as seen from Thalassa restaurant.

00

On India’s west coast, travelers can fi nd rugged beaches, Portuguese-inspired architecture and a handful of impeccable hideaways. Alexandra Marshall uncovers Goa’s glamorous side. Photographed by Anders Overgaard

108

Feast for the Senses From left: Loulou Van Damme, the owner of Panchavatti, a hotel on the Goan island of Corjuem ; spices from the Anjuna Flea Market, in North Goa; Panjim’s Fontainhas neighborhood.

Van Damme, a spry, sixty-something hotelier and interior de-

signer of Belgian descent, done up like Auntie Mame-Sahib

in a fl owing kurta and knuckle-dusting rings. We were enrap-

tured by a beige, golf ball–size frog poised regally on the

showerhead in one of the vast en suite bathrooms at Pancha-

vatti, Van Damme’s guesthouse on North Goa’s Mapusa

River. Though not even a ribbit was forthcoming, the frog’s

demeanor fi t in nicely with the black-and-white maharajah

portraits that decorated the room. Uninvited wildlife would

send most proprietors into an embarrassed pique, but on this

night in late October, the atmosphere at the four-suite inn was

like a swinging slumber party. Van Damme is particular about

her guests, as socializing is the thing here: the common areas

include a soaring open kitchen; a broad living room fi lled with

teakwood Indian antiques, groupings of club chairs, and

stacks of art books; an infi nity pool ringed with shaggy green-

ery; and a wide veranda, where we were sitting after dinner,

drinking enthusiastic amounts of Grover Vineyards La

Réserve Cabernet-Shiraz (bottled outside Bangalore). In ad-

dition to the other guests—a graphic designer, an editor from

Vogue India and a couple in the foreign service—joining

Danelle, my high school friend, and me were Van Damme’s

four rangy dogs, hundreds of crickets and clusters of enor-

mous striped moths, like one big interspecies family. Van

Damme’s approach to hospitality isn’t radically juxtaposed

with Goa’s let-it-all-hang-out reputation—one that has at-

tracted Indian and foreign tourists alike, especially since the

1970’s and 80’s. But there is a crucial difference: all else »

109

M O N T H 2 0 0 8 | T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E . C O M00214

The Macassar room at Casa Palacio Siolim House, a boutique hotel on the left bank of the Chapora River, in Goa.

111

around us that night—the 10 hectares of Panchavatti’s

grounds, the jungly river and the Western Ghat mountain

chain—was at perfect, pitch-black repose. Even in India,

whose countryside is some of the most densely populated on

the planet, we felt as if we were the only people around.

Could such luxurious stillness really be Goa? Most of what

I knew about India’s smallest state before I got there was that

it was the unruliest vacation spot this side of Amsterdam,

overrun with raver dreadlocks and aggressively drugged-out

mountainside trance parties. It turns out that picture is almost

as aged as Van Damme’s maharajah portraits. Indian and

English tabloids still love to treat the state like a patchouli-

scented den of iniquity, and you can certainly still fi nd a trance

party if you’d like, but Goa has become the place to be for

young Indian urbanites looking to escape the rest of the coun-

try’s social conservatism, for glamorous Indian designers (Ma-

lini Ramani and Wendell Rodricks), Hollywood stars chilling

out with their families (Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie), arty am-

ateurs of the good life (Jay McInerney) and royalty (the U.K.’s

Princess Eugenie on her gap year); and for not-so-famous

Europeans in search of a profoundly slow-paced taste of In-

dia, a country that can overwhelm the uninitiated with noise

and pollution.

For two solid years, friends—from an Indian-American ac-

cessories designer and a Texan socialite to the Indian wife of

a real estate mogul and several girlfriends working in the

French fashion industry—had encouraged me to go. The Goa

they knew and loved was all about seclusion, gentility and

grown-up relaxation, and that’s exactly what I found at Pan-

chavatti and a handful of other tranquil boutique manor

houses on inland rivers away from the beach, mostly in the

northern part of the state, and at one low-key shoreline villa.

The important thing about planning a trip here is to pick

wisely where you go, and when.

As to the where, my friend Binith Shah, of the boutique

accessory company Rickard Shah, instructed, “The best stuff

is all up on the rivers.” But it’s the 105-kilometer beach run-

ning the length of Goa’s western shore that’s most famous,

and where Goa most closely conforms to its unsavory reputa-

tion, especially during its high season in December and Janu-

ary, when charter fl ights deposit hordes of package tourists

from Sweden and Russia. The main road that connects the

better-known northern towns of Candolim, Calangute and

Baga is lined with cheap mini mall–style architecture, thanks

to the local government’s policy in the early 1990’s to open the

coastline to whomever wanted to develop it. That and the

uptick in the Indian economy has made Goa a hot spot for

speculators. Anjuna, once a hippie HQ just north of Cando-

lim, is now as built-up as its neighbors.

Granted, the coastal area isn’t all sad. I got over my crowd

aversion at the Anjuna Flea Market—a riot of jewelry, spices,

wandering cows, Gujarati tribeswomen and, yes, tourists—

because the shopping was so good. And one brilliant excep-

tion to the beachside-hotel rule is Elsewhere, a protected is-

land owned by Goan fashion photographer Denzil Sequeira,

in still-quiet Asvem at the northern edge of the state. But its

13 rooms (including three tents) are booked months in ad-

vance. And not everyone who can get a room can fi nd it. The

hotel obliges by sending an envoy to meet you at the airport.

Meanwhile, down in the south, below the Zuari River, the

prettier white-sand beaches have been almost entirely colo-

nized by luxury mega-resorts.

There is hope for change. Overdevelopment has caused

controversy and a push for preservation from environmental

groups with campaigns such as Save Goa. Last year the local

government began to institute environmental measures to

slow down the development of the interior as well. And the

Indian government, aided by the Asian Development Bank, is

now spearheading a reef-and dune-building initiative to be

implemented up and down the state’s beaches by 2010.

Staying off the beach is, in fact, a far better way to get a

taste of traditional Goan hospitality—albeit of an upscale

kind. Casa Palacio Siolim House, which Kate Moss, Sadie

Frost and their entourage took over for two weeks a few years

ago, is on an outlet of the Chapora about 10 minutes inland.

One of the original indie establishments that have set a mi-

crotrend for heritage hotels, it’s a study in lazy manor living.

The hotel was recognized by UNESCO in 2001 for owner Varun

Sood’s letter-perfect restoration of the 17th-century gover-

nor’s mansion. With old Portuguese tiles, formal sitting rooms

and an enormous pool, it feels more like a villa than a hotel.

For someone like me, used to European luxuries, the thin mat-

tresses and towels were a little jarring surrounded by all that

stately grandeur. But within a day of fl oating in the sunlit

pool, drinking fresh lime and soda, and eating a home-cooked

fi sh thali, we gave ourselves over to it. The lack of a television

was just what we needed, with the music of the frogs to keep

us entertained at night. The vibe was similar at Casa Britona,

an old riverside warehouse in the inland village of Britona

that in 2003 turned into a 10-room property with brightly

painted walls and lovely antiques. We were the only guests,

owing to our arrival early in the season, and we were doted on

with warm familiarity by the staff. Some of these historic ho-

tels (also Panjim Inn, in the capital Panjim, also known as »

Goa has become the place to be foryoung Indian urbanites looking to escape

Tropical Colors From left: The entrance to one of the houses at the 13-room Elsewhere, near Asvem; a shopper as colorful as her surroundings at the Anjuna market; Thalassa restaurant’s mixed grill, featuring both beef kebabs and chicken; the 17th-century Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, in the center of Panjim; the lived-in feel of Panchavatti’s drawing room, which opens onto the hotel’s garden and pool.

Panaji, and the lovely Vivenda dos Palhaços, in the south)

would have made great Merchant Ivory fi lm sets. “Goa re-

tains a great simplicity,” said interior designer Jivi Sethi, a

Delhi native whose house in the mountain village of Assagao

has graced the pages of Vogue India.

Inland is where Goa relaxes best and most alluringly. When

Vasco da Gama fi rst arrived just to the south of the state in

1498 “seeking Christians and spices,” there was already a

bustling trade in livestock (and, yes, spices) in the Muslim-

controlled city of Gove, on the Mandovi River. Further Por-

tuguese conquest established the towns of Panjim and Old

Goa, a few kilometers in from the coast, as administrative and

religious capitals, and the Portuguese infl uence is everywhere

in the architecture and the religion. (Da Gama didn’t fi nd any

Christians, but he and his compatriots made plenty—Goa is

30 percent Catholic.) All of Goa’s churches, most built be-

tween the 16th and 17th centuries, are now UNESCO World

Heritage sites. And along any winding back road, hidden be-

hind the banana and coconut trees, are colonial mansions

and villas, painted in vivid primary colors, with bright-red

tiled roofs and lacy wooden trim. The designer Jean-Paul

Gaultier has found inspiration for whole collections in that

latticework, unique to this part of the country. Portuguese in-

fl uence in the area lasted until 1961, when the Goans achieved

independence 14 years after the rest of India. Goa didn’t be-

come an offi cial Indian state until 1987, almost 40 years after

greater India coalesced, which helps to explain Goan cultural

exceptionalism. Most locals refer to themselves and their tra-

ditions as “Goan,” and people from the rest of the country as

“Indian.” Perhaps most tellingly, only in Goa do teenagers

shun cricket, the national Indian pastime, in favor of football.

WE HAD TIMED OUR VISIT FOR THE TAIL END OF MONSOON

season, in mid to late October, which brings with it dramatic

rainstorms and a sultry landscape, so as to avoid the tourist

onslaught of high season. It so happened that our visit coin-

cided with Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, which takes

place during the new moon that falls between late October

and early November. A celebration of the evil demon Rava-

na’s defeat at the hands of the heroic Lord Rama, with its

tales of hand-to-hand combat between shirtless heroes and

damsel-snatching villains, Diwali is a macho holiday and a

teenage pyromaniac’s dream. Villages erect elaborate papier-

mâché demons (some equipped with moving heads and tape-

looped guttural roars), parade them through town and light

them on fi re. (“Oooh, that’s a good one!” Danelle and I would

shout as we meandered along back road after back road, ad-

miring the handiwork of neighborhood kids.) During Diwali,

112

Colonial mansions and villas are painted in

113

doorways are strung with even more Christmas-tree lights and

marigold garlands than usual, and fi recrackers go off every-

where after dark.

We decided to spend Diwali night inland at Mapusa, the

biggest modern city in Goa, where we had heard the best effi -

gy-burnings would be. There we checked out an endless array

of local boys, each commandeering a demon more aggressive

than the last. (One was done up in a black vest and a giant belt

buckle that said ROCK ON!) A talent show taking place in a vast

parking lot by the bus depot featured 10-year-old girls lip-syn-

ching and gyrating to Hindi pop like cast members of Grade

School Musical. Families were everywhere, with their babies out

way past their bedtime, and they were as enchanted by the

lights and the noise as we were. The fi recrackers and singing

and parading and torching went on till dawn.

ONE OF THE MOST VISUALLY STRIKING AREAS IN GOA, WHERE THE

local and colonial aesthetics are most keenly felt, is in Panjim.

Anyone who has spent time in conquest towns in Brazil or

Mexico will fi nd the winding, narrow lanes of the old Fon-

tainhas neighborhood, which is Panjim’s atmospheric draw,

deeply familiar. Wood-framed row houses in saturated hues

and neat little shops predominate, but the 17th-century

Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception is the

jewel in the neighborhood’s Latin-style crown, planted atop a

hill where the sun kicks off its blinding whitewashed exterior

like a faithful torch. Panjim is tidy and sedate compared with

other Indian cities, and spending a few afternoons there was

like a vacation-within-a-vacation. Panjim is where Danelle

and I shopped for elaborate Indian gold jewelry, where we

meandered aimlessly without interference or questions, and

where we ate one of our best Goan meals, at Mum’s Kitchen.

As much an archive of home recipes as a popular spot serv-

ing up crab fritters and prawns caldin (a green-chile-and-co-

conut stew), Mum’s is another proud preserver of Goan tradi-

tion that takes a stand against the encroachment of fusionism

that is seen at so many other restaurants in the state. Where

Western taste is indulged in loungey cocktail bars and Euro-

fl avored beach restaurants like La Plage and Sublime, the

food at Mum’s, Siolim House, Elsewhere and chef Urbano de

Rego’s Beach House restaurant at the Taj Holiday Village is

much more authentic. Goan food is southern Indian (think

coconut milk, fi sh, fresh herbs, and tamarind), but it’s unique-

ly Portuguese-infl uenced, as Chef Rego, as he is called, ex-

plained during a discussion of piri-piri, a base for many Goan

sauces made of toddy vinegar and chile peppers. Chef Rego

was the fi rst to bring Goan food to the world’s attention, hav-

ing cooked for the elder President Bush and at the World »

vivid primary colors, with red-tiled roofs

Economic Forum. “Our food takes time,” he said. “Time to

marinate, time to simmer.” We tasted his pork piri-piri at the

Taj, and then four other varieties at O’Papagaio. (Be sure to

have your hotel call ahead, give thorough directions to a driv-

er, and bring along the restaurant’s phone number, just in

case.) On the menu that night were porcupine, venison, wild

boar and frog’s legs, and all were boiled, then curried, to sur-

prisingly subtle effect. Since we were the only guests in what is

basically the large front room of a house, we popped back into

the kitchen, watched the owner add endless pinches of dozens

of spice powders, tasted some of the venison before he cur-

ried it. It was a fi tting tribute. The porcupine was delicious,

like unusually delicate lamb fed on lavender fl owers. As devel-

opment eats away at the remaining stretches of forest, hunt-

ing is becoming more challenging, so the porcupine’s days as

a blue plate special could be numbered. At least we knew the

same would never be true for plentiful frog, which translates

from the local Konkani language as “jumping chicken.”

Despite Goa’s pride in its cultural identity, there’s worry

about cultural dilution. (The tagline at Mum’s Kitchen is “A

Move to Save Goan Cuisine.”) The state’s Hindu and Muslim

populations are growing, and native Goans often leave to seek

their fortunes in the Gulf states or Canada. There are strong

non-Goan elements in the evolving cultural mix: the frenetic

hustler’s pace of the Delhi and Mumbai natives who have set

up shop here; the squajillionaires like Kingfi sher chairman

Vijay Mallya, who throws the party of the year in his enor-

mous Sinquerim beach house each December; the Europeans

in their Speedos, in search of a tan; the just-furloughed Is-

raeli soldiers looking for the party. The Indian government is

enthusiastically bureaucratic, and protecting one of the coun-

try’s most distinct regional cultures is not its highest priority.

For the moment, that’s left up to the Goans themselves, whose

live-and-let-live shrug is not the best weapon with which to

battle the onslaught. Pitted against the forces of rampant cap-

italism, it’s not clear who will come out ahead. �

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T+L TIP Prebooking hotels with a credit card can sometimes be a problem in India, and local airlines don’t always accept foreign charges, so using a travel agent can be a huge help.

SAFETYRoads in Goa are unmarked and traffi c is kamikaze-style. As taxis are surprisingly expensive, the best option is to book a driver through your hotel. Avoid beaches after nightfall, when the crowds can get a little unsavory.

WHERE TO STAYCasa Britona Near Charmanos Badem,

Salvador-do-Mundo, Bardez; 91-832/241-6737; casaboutiquehotels.com; doubles from R6,955.

Casa Palacio Siolim House The road leading

here is a bit scrubby, but a treat

GUIDE TO GOA

awaits inside. Wadi, Siolim; 91-832/227-2138; siolimhouse.com; doubles from R5,500.

Elsewhere Near Asvem; 91-982/003-7387;

aseascape.com; doubles from R56,000 per week.

Lazy Days in Goa A British-run rental agency with numerous houses in North Goa. Ask for a condo at Coco Shambhala, decorated by Panchavatti’s Loulou Van Damme; the author Frank Simoes’s quirky former home Rockheart; or Kiranpani, in Mandrem, a fashion-shoot fave. 44-1202/484-257; lazydays.co.uk; rentals from R97,500 per week.

Panchavatti Island of Corjuem, Aldona; 91-832/325-2946; islaingoa.com; doubles from R9,990.

Panjim Inn 212 31 January Rd., Fontainhas,

Panjim; 91-832/222-8136; panjiminn.com; doubles from R2,000.

Vivenda dos Palhaços An oasis of eccentric

refi nement in the charm-starved south. Costa Vaddo, Majorda; 91-832/322-1119; vivendagoa.com; doubles from R5,200.

WHERE TO EAT & DRINKBeach House at Taj Holiday Village The open-air, waterside

setting at chef Urbano de Rego’s traditional Goan restaurant isnot to be missed. Sinquerim; 91-832/664-5858; dinner fortwo R2,800.

La Plage This beach-shack restaurant is perfect for sunset drinks. On the beach just south of Asvem; 91-982/212-1712; drinks for two R460.

Lila Café The place for brunch or coffee. Near the Baga River, Arpora-Baga; 91-832/227-9843; brunch for two R460.

Mum’s Kitchen Martins Building, DB Marg, Panjim; 91/982-217-5559; dinner for two R1,170.

O’Papagaio Across from St. Anthony’s Church, Siodem, Siolim; 91-832/227-2310; dinner for two R1,400.

Thalassa Ordering lettuce is not always advisable in India, but it’s safe to try Greek salads and juicy souvlaki here. On the cliff above Little Vagator Beach, down the road from Nine Bar; 91-985/003-3537; lunch for two R900.

Zeebop Opposite Kenilworth Beach Resort, Utorda Beach, just north of Majorda; 91-832/275-5333; dinner for two R1,800.

WHERE TO SHOPAnjuna Flea Market Anjuna Beach; open Wednesdays,9 A.M. to sundown, fromOctober to April.

Barefoot Sophisticated housewares and clothing. 1/2631 January Rd., Panjim; 91-832/243-6815.

Bombay Bazar A swap-meet-style market for spices and people-watching. 18 June Rd., Panjim; 91-832/223-2044.

Fabindia Traditional clothing and linens in block-printed cottons. Opposite Canara Bank, Murrod Vaddo, Candolim; 91-832/248-9143; fabindia.com.

Sainath Jewellers Filigreed Indian gold and gemstones at great prices. No haggling required. Shop 2, Rizvi Chamber, Panjim; 91-832/242-2293.

WHAT TO DOCalizz A heritage-house museum with a lovely restaurant. Bammon Vaddo, Candolim; 91-832/325-0000; calizz.com.

Nine Bar If you want to check out the Goa music scene, this dusty, open-air disco is a reliable spot. The cliffs above Little Vagator Beach.

Shiro Beach The posh dance club of the moment for Indian urbanites. Marquis Beach Resort, Candolim; 91-832/665-3366; drinks for two R460.

Utorda Beach A white-sand beach with clear, warm water that hasn’t been overrun. North of Majorda.

GREATVALUE

GREATVALUE

GREATVALUE

GREATVALUE

GREATVALUE

T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E . C O M | M O N T H 2 0 0 8 00

The riverside hotel Casa Britona, 20 minutes from the beaches of North Goa.

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DREAM TRIPS

From a beach resort in Zanzibar to a Costa Rican tree house to your own apartment in the heart of Rome, T+L scanned the globe for a range of experiences that will put you in the mood. Read on for 30 great ideas

ROMANTIC

Outside the Crosby Street Hotel in New York City. Opposite: A view from the Indian Ocean of Kilindi, in Zanzibar, Tanzania.

U.S. A MANHATTAN MOMENT

New York City

London’s Firmdale Group brings the

spirit of Soho to a cobblestoned lane in

the other SoHo. The new 86-room

Crosby Street Hotel feels very much a

part of its vibrant, intimately scaled

neighborhood: the restaurant-bar has

become a local favorite, and the salon-

like lobby is fi lled from morn ing to

midnight. Kit Kemp’s bold interiors

manage to challenge and soothe the

eye all at once: austere charcoal-gray

wall coverings set off pastel head-

boards; soft silk curtains frame steel

warehouse windows; gritty brick

façades background a lush rooftop

garden . 79 Crosby St.; 1-212/226-6400;

crosbystreethotel.com ; doubles from US$495 .

BAREFOOT LUXURY

Islamorada, Florida

Even after serving as the backdrop for

countless fashion-magazine photo

shoots, the Moorings Village & Spa—18

brightly accented cottages connected to

the beach by wooden walkways on a

former coconut plantation in the

Florida Keys—still seems like your own

secret discovery. Lush, almost jungle-like

landscaping gives way to a private

white-sand beach with swaying ham-

mocks and a thatched-roof dock . Book

a snorkeling trip à deux with Bay and

Reef Co. (1-305/393-0994; bayandreef.

com; tours from US$250) to view a multi-

colored swirl of marine life and the

136-year-old lighthouse; then return to

your porch to feast on succulent stone

crab. 123 Beach Rd.; 1-305/664-4708;

themooringsvillage.com; cottages from US$275.

A LOW-COUNTRY DRIVE

South Carolina

There’s something particularly roman-

tic about South Carolina’s low country:

roads lined with moss-draped trees lead

to tiny coastal towns, where there are

plenty of places to try the region’s

famed oysters. From Charleston, head

north for 64 kilometers on Highway 17

to the fi shing village of McClellanville,

stopping at T.W. Graham & Co. Seafood

Restaurant (810 Pinckney St.;

1-843/887-4342; lunch for two US$35)

for a lunch of fried oysters. And in

Georgetown, the Rice Paddy Restau-

rant (732 Front St.; 1-843/546-2021; din-

ner for two US$92) is known for its oyster

pies. Thirty-two kilometers north is

Murrells Inlet, where bivalves come

steamed or on the half shell at the Inlet

Crab House Restaurant & Raw Bar

(3572 Business 17; 843/651-8452; dinner

for two US$61).

SKI IN, SKI OUT

Taos, New Mexico

In winter, this snug town appeals for its

art galleries, tequila cantinas, challeng-

ing black diamond trails at Kachina

Peak and sunny climate. At the base of

Lift 4, halfway up the mountain, »

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A guest room at the Crosby Street Hotel. Opposite, from left: A sitting room at the hotel; the Crosby Bar, on the ground fl oor.

The Hoshinoya Kyoto ryokan, on the Hozu River in Kyoto, Japan. Opposite, from left: A view from Heidelberg Suites; a

cabana at the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort & Spa.

schuss into the Bavarian Lodge & Res-

taurant to warm up by a traditional

Kachelofen tile stove. The four Alpine-chic

chalets—designed by Alexandra Cham-

palimaud—are done up with organic

linens, stainless-steel fi replaces, and re-

productions of 1950’s ski posters on the

walls . 100 Kachina Rd.; 1-575/776-8020;

thebavarian.net; doubles from US$335, chalets

from US$750.

STARGAZING

Maui, Hawaii

Thanks to its latitude, Hawaii is a celes-

tial mecca (it’s one of the only states

with views of both the North Star and

the Southern Cross). At the Hyatt

Regency Maui Resort & Spa, director

of astronomy Eddie Mahoney ushers

couples to the rooftop, where a 16-inch

refl ector telescope is set up next to

strawberries and champagne . Ask Ma-

honey to point out your astrological

constellations, then head downstairs to

Kaanapali Beach to watch biolumines-

cent creatures light up the waves. 200

Nohea Kai Dr., Lahaina; 1-808/661-1234;

hyatt.com; doubles from US$311; Romance

Tour of the Stars package US$70 for two.

ARTISTS’ RETREAT

Marfa, Texas

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Liz Lambert has created the ultimate

retreat for couples looking to get away

from it all—El Cosmico, a collection of

fi ve expertly restored vintage travel trail-

ers (including two Spartans and a

Vagabond). Each has a mini-kitchen,

glossy birch-veneer walls and beds

topped with Bolivian wool blankets. For

a dose of culture, visit the neighboring

Chinati Foundation (artist Donald

Judd’s military fort turned 137-hectare

art museum). 802 S. Highland Ave.;

1-432/729-1950 ; elcosmico.com; doubles

from US$75.

EUROPE A SCANDINAVIAN CABIN

Furillen, Sweden

The pleasures are simple on the tiny

islet of Furillen, off Sweden’s Gotland

Island: clear blue skies, deserted beaches

and fresh seafood. Here you’ll fi nd Fab-

riken Furillen, a former limestone quar-

ry transformed into Sweden’s

farthest-fl ung design hotel. Locally

sourced sheepskin rugs and handcrafted

Midcentury furniture give the seeming-

ly spare six cabins an alluring warmth,

while Bang & Olufsen stereos and fl at-

screen TV’s lend the 15 rooms in the

main house a modern edge. Lärbro ; 46-

498/223-040; furillen.nu; doubles from

SEK1,950, including breakfast.

STORYBOOK TOWN

Heidelberg, Germany

The pedestrian Hauptstrasse in Heidel-

berg, is lined with classic cafés—Schaf-

heutle, Rossi and Knoesel—that

overlook the Neckar River, serve up

fi rst-rate Milchkaffee and luscious choco-

late tortes and offer the best vantage

point for people-watching. Stay at the Heidelberg Suites, a converted 19th-

century villa across the Karl Theodor

bridge, where 26 rooms are done up

with heroic busts, deer antlers and

etched mirrors; most have views of the

city’s medieval castle. 12 Neuenheimer

Landstrasse; 49-622/165-5650; heidelberg-

suites.com; doubles from €255. »

121

COOKING IN FRANCE

Paris

Amateur cooks now have access to the

culinary secrets of Paris’s top chefs at

the nine-month-old École de Cuisine

Alain Ducasse. On a quiet residential

block in the 16th Arrondissement,

Romain Corbière, former head chef at

Ducasse’s Le Relais du Parc, leads small

classes with the help of such topfl ight

toques as Christophe Moret, from Alain

Ducasse au Plaza Athénée . A day might

start with a trip to a farmers’ market to

pick up ingredients for a soupe au pistou,

followed by a hands-on demonstration

of dishes like blanquette de veau. 64 Rue du

Ranelagh; 33-1/44-90-91-00;

ecolecuisine-alainducasse.com; classes from

€280 per day.

PERFUME MIXING

Montpellier, France

Lavender, geranium and mint are some

of the scents that may inspire you dur-

ing GoLearnTo.com’s weekend perfum-

ery course in France’s verdant

Languedoc region. In a sprawling 18th-

century farmhouse near Montpellier,

study base and top notes and concoct

your own signature scent. In the eve-

ning, meals—spit-roasted pork paired

with wine from nearby vineyards—are

served before guests retreat to the an-

tique-fi lled rooms. You get to take your

bespoke creation home in a carry-on

container that meets airlines’ requisite

88-milliliter limit. Domaine de Alabrena,

Laval de Nize , Lunas; 44-845/625-0445;

golearnto.com; four-day courses from £379,

including lodging and meals .

YOUR OWN ROMAN HOLIDAY

Rome

The olive-oil maker Armando Manni’s

one-bedroom Casa Manni Roma is an

Adam Tihany–designed space over-

looking the Piazza Colonna. The real

draw here is access to Manni’s black

book: request a private agnolotti-making

class with Oretta Zanini de Vita, Italy’s

mistress of handmade pasta, or a deca-

dent four-handed Thai couples’ mas-

sage at Acanto, a spa favored by AN

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well-heeled locals. Manni can also ar-

range a Roman Holiday–esque tour by

vintage Piaggio. 70 Via di Pietra; 39-

06/9727-4787; casamanni.com; daily

rentals from €530, two-night minimum.

A VENETIAN PALAZZO

Venice

Beyond the crowded Rialto, this city is

more than gondolas and Gorgonzola.

In the serene Accademia neighbor-

hood, just beyond the Campo San Ste-

fano, the 22-room Palazzina Grassi has

a superb collection of Modernist glass

from Murano masters in a sparkling

space designed by Philippe Starck. The

bar is molto romantico for Prosecco cock-

tails and the canal-side restaurant turns

out a perfect raviolo. San Marco 3247;

39-041/528-4644; designhotels.com; dou-

bles from €290.

SKIING BY MOONLIGHT

St. Moritz, Switzerland

For a truly otherworldly trip down the

slopes, nothing beats full-moon skiing

at Diavolezza, the most spectacular of

St. Moritz’s fi ve ski areas. Once a

month, a tram drops night-owl skiers

off at the craggy peak’s nearly

3,048-meter summit, which affords

jaw-dropping views of the glacial Ber-

nina Range. The 914-meter vertical

trail is blanketed in soft blue light. Af-

ter a few runs, take the lift back to the

top for a traditional Swiss dinner of

Bündnerfl eisch, Rösti potatoes and

cheese fondue at the Berghaus Dia-

volezza restaurant. 30 Via San Gian; 41-

81/830-0001; engadin.stmoritz.ch; lift

tickets from 50 Swiss francs.

A DAY OF PAMPERING

London

Decadence abounds inside London’s

new Dorchester Spa, an ivory-and-cor-

al-colored subterranean paradise with

cream chiffon curtains and a chandelier

made from 72,000 South Pacifi c pearls.

Seasoned aesthetician Vaishaly has de-

veloped a menu of facials, administered

in enormous, mood-lit double treat-

ment suites. Afterward, wrap yourselves

in oversize robes and slip past the glass

doors to the relaxation room, where

you’ll fi nd lychee juice , the latest glossies

and plenty of champagne. Park Lane ;

44-207/319-7109; treatments from £55.

A LIGHTHOUSE HOTEL

Devon, England

Set high on a 2-kilometer-long head-

land with sweeping views of the

Channel, the 1863 Start Point

Lighthouse is fl anked by keepers’ quar-

ters, which were recently transformed

into two charming cottages. Inside

you’ll fi nd modern kitchens, fi replaces

and a basket fi lled with tea and freshly

baked bread . Don’t miss the spectacular

walk along a stretch of the adjacent

South West Coast Path trail. Start Point,

near Hallsands Kingsbridge; 44-1386/701-

177; ruralretreats.co.uk; doubles from £377,

two-night minimum.

THE CARIBBEAN, BERMUDA AND THE BAHAMASPURE PRIVACY

Antigua

Jumby Bay, A Rosewood Resort, situ-

ated on a private 121-hectare island 10

minutes by boat from Antigua, is still

the standard-bearer of Caribbean lux-

ury. Following a US$28 million recon-

struction, 28 new suites have ocean

views and outdoor bathtubs in lush pri-

vate courtyards. But the most exciting

addition is the property’s fi rst-ever spa,

Sense, an open-air facility with a gar-

den just 15 meters from the beach;

book the Sense Hammock Massage

treatment for two . St. John’s; 268/462-

6000; jumbybayresort.com; doubles from

US$1,350, all-inclusive.

ISLAND-HOPPING MADE EASY

Eastern Caribbean

Regent Seven Seas Cruises has

perfected the island escape with a new

eastern Caribbean itinerary on the Seven

Seas Navigator. The cruise begins in Fort

Lauderdale and continues on to classic

ports of call on St. Bart’s, St. Maarten

and Virgin Gorda. On a special stop »

The Adam Tihany–designed living room at Casa Manni Roma, in Rome. Clockwise from above: A Harley-Davidson motorcycle

on Rome’s Via di Pietra; a view of the centro storico from the terrace at Casa Manni Roma; the apartment’s dining area.

123

The Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay. Opposite, from left: One of the suite terraces at Tucker’s Point Hotel & Spa in Bermuda; the resort’s palm court.

in Princess Cays, a private island in the

Bahamas, you’ll be treated to beach

barbecues and Jet Skiing; in the

Dominican Republic, guided excur-

sions lead you through mangrove

swamps in Los Haitises National Park.

But why leave the ship at all? Thanks to

a recent renovation, all 245 cabins now

have ocean views, and many have pri-

vate decks—an ideal vantage point

when you’re arriving in Puerto Rico

and San Juan’s imposing fortress

emerges on the horizon. 1-877/505-

5370; rssc.com; 10-night Eastern Caribbean

Cruise from US$5,065 per person round trip,

including airfare from select cities .

NEW OLD-WORLD CHARM

Bermuda

Inspired by an era of horse-drawn car-

riages and cricket matches, Tucker’s

Point Hotel & Spa is the fi rst luxury re-

sort to open on Bermuda in almost four

decades. Situated on 81 hectares over-

looking Castle Harbour, the hotel’s 88

guest rooms come with everything you

could hope for in an old-world Carib-

bean retreat: mahog any beds, deep

soaking tubs and balconies. The white-

tablecloth Point Restaurant & Terrace

showcases local ingredients and is

adorned with large murals depicting

19th-century clipper ships. 60 Tucker’s

Point Dr.; 1-866/604-3764; tuckerspoint.

com; doubles from US$340.

MEXICO AND CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICAAN ARGENTINEAN MANOR

Buenos Aires

The rooftop of the six-story Algodon

Mansion, overlooking the posh Recole-

ta neighborhood’s French-colonial

buildings, is the perfect spot for a sun-

set tango (arrange a lesson through the

hotel). This Belle Époque gem has just

10 suites, each with cavernous

limestone-and-marble bathrooms and

ebony fl oors; most have views of the

hotel’s central atrium and its two-story

waterfall. The spa offers organic, wine-

inspired treatments, a rewarding end

to a day spent exploring the colorful

cityscape. 1647 Montevideo St.; 54-11/

3530-7777; algodonmansion.com; doubles

from US$400.

A TREE-HOUSE ESCAPE

Punta Uva, Costa Rica

Adventurous couples can live out their

Tarzan-and-Jane fantasies at Tree

House Lodge, a secluded spot in the

rain forest on Costa Rica’s southern

Caribbean shore. The four individual

bungalows, with wide-open canopy

views, are made from fallen tropical

hardwoods. The most dramatic of

these—the eponymous Tree House—is

a bi-level cottage built around the trunk

of a rare sangrillo tree. Inside, a whimsi-

cal bamboo-walled shower and an ele-

vated master bedroom (reached via »

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palm-thatched suspension bridge) are

perfect for watching howler monkeys

rustle in the treetops. 506/2750-0706;

costaricatreehouse.com; doubles from US$200.

DINING IN THE DESERT

San José del Cabo, Mexico

At One&Only Palmilla, on Mexico’s

Baja Peninsula, splurge on dinner in a

hidden Sonoran canyon. You’ll be

chauffeured in the resort’s own-

Hummer to this high-desert feast,

where a table for two is illuminated by

a bonfi re and fl ickering candles. Share

chilled champagne and dine on grilled

meats and fresh salads, then take turns

at the telescope set up to spot celestial

bodies above the Pacifi c. Km 7.5, Crta.

Transpeninsular; 1-954/809-2726;

oneandonlyresorts.com; doubles from

US$675; dinner for two US$1,210.

GARDENER’S PARADISE

Salcedo, Ecuador

Between the central Cotopaxi and

Tungurahua volcanoes 200 kilometers

south of Quito lies Nevado Roses—the

antithesis of your grandmother’s fl ower

garden. More than 3 million rosebush-

es bloom in tidy rows, wafting their

heady fragrance into the air. Roberto

Nevado, who has co-owned this

36-hectare plot since 1996 with his son

John, will walk you through the har-

vest, pointing out varieties that grow

improbably tall at this altitude (2,743

meters) . Handpick your favorites—a fi -

ery Lina or an organic Flaming Pale

Pink—and the bouquet will be waiting

for you when you return home. Km 3,

Crta. Mulalillo; 59-3/3227-6100;

nevadoecuador.com; tours from US$25.

ASIAA GLAMOROUS BEACH SCENE

Bali, Indonesia

The just-renovated Four Seasons

Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay sits on a

crescent of soft sand that’s alluring

enough by day—and now even lovelier

after dark, thanks to the resort’s new

Beds on the Beach nights. Every

Tuesday and Saturday evening, dozens

of votives are set alight in the sand, sur-

rounding 20 canopied lounge beds

swathed in colorful silk. Barefoot wait-

staff bring cocktails and Asian-

inspired tapas, while jazz music plays

and the sunset blazes across the Indian

Ocean. Fortunately, lingering is

strongly encouraged. Jimbaran, Denpas-

ar; 62-361/701-010; fourseasons.com; dou-

bles from US$680; dinner for two US$250.

HORSEBACK RIDING IN RAJASTHAN

India

On the wild plains of Rajasthan—just

an hour south of Jodhpur—the Mihir

Garh is a palatial fortress hotel with an

impressive stable of indigenous

Marwari steeds. Take one on a

maharajah-worthy journey through

the desert or on a staff-guided picnic

safari to a picturesque Bishnoi tribal

village. Then come home to one of the

nine enormous guest suites (each is

over 158 square meters), which are

done up in colorful Rajasthani textiles

and rich fabrics that will put the fi nal

touches on your storybook adventure.

Knandi, Rohet, Pali; 91-9/636-169-665;

mihirgarh.com; doubles from R14,500,

including meals. TH

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A hammock awaits at Jumby Bay in Antigua. Opposite, from left: In Rajasthan, the palatial Mihir Garh; at the Four Seasons Resort Bali.

Tasmania’s Quamby Estate, a serene setting. Opposite page: In Tanzania, Kilindi is within earshot of the surf.

129

A MODERN RYOKAN

Kyoto, Japan

The Arashiyama neighborhood of

Kyoto, full of bamboo groves and Zen

temples, is the site of the city’s new-

est—and most exquisite—ryokan, or

traditional inn. Hoshinoya Kyoto has

25 guest rooms along the banks of the

Hozu River , each with Japanese fu-

tons, yellow cedar bathtubs and deli-

cate rice-paper screens. In the

morning, you can have a Japanese

breakfast delivered to your room—nabe

hot pot served with tofu and local vege-

tables—and sit by the window, against

a backdrop of maple and cherry trees.

11-2 Genrokuzan-cho, Arashiyama, Nishi-

kyo-ku ; 81-75/871-0001 ; kyoto.hoshinoya.

com; doubles from Y59,000.

AUSTRALIA AND THE SOUTH PACIFICNAPA DOWN UNDER

Tasmania, Australia

This region’s highlight is the winery -

fi lled Tamar Valley. At the Ninth Island

Vineyard , reserve a table at Daniel Alps

at Strathlynn (95 Rosevears Dr., Rose-

vears; 61-3/6330-2388; lunch for two

A$148), for fresh regional dishes such as

Spring Bay scallops in a leek-and-

thyme butter sauce. The restored Quamby Estate—a 28-kilometer drive

from the city of Launceston—was once

the centerpiece of an 1820’s ranch.

Now set within serene English gardens,

the sprawling, contemporary -style

homestead has been renovated into 10

spacious suites with colonial antiques

and views of the surrounding farmland .

1145 Westwood Rd., Hagley; 61-3/6392-

2211; quambyestate.com; doubles from A$300.

A NEW BLUE LAGOON

Cook Islands

In the South Pacifi c, 644 kilometers

southwest of Tahiti, you’ll fi nd the less-

er-known Cook Islands, an ideal play-

ground for snorkeling, kayaking and

motu walking (the local pastime of wad-

ing in the shallow waters between islets).

Rising from one of these white-sand

motu is Aitutaki Lagoon Resort &

Spa—which has the island chain’s only

overwater bungalows as well as the new

Villa Te Arau, a mod-Maori haven with

black-pearl-shell inlays , woven-panda-

nus walls and a private pool. This is the

place to spend days learning to pluck a

ukulele or dozing in the double-wide

hammock. Akitua Island; 682/31203;

aitutakilagoonresort.com; doubles from

NZ$395, villas from NZ$1,875.

AFRICATHE BEST OF WINE COUNTRY

South Africa

Few views are as stage-set for romance

as the one over Stellen bosch Valley and

the Western Cape Winelands, with

hectares of vineyards, white Cape

Dutch houses and dramatic moun-

tains. Now there’s a prime spot from

which to take it all in: the newly reno-

vated Delaire Graff Estate. The prop-

erty’s contemporary-art collection is a

carefully edited selection of some of

South Africa’s fi nest working artists.

Take an extravagant wine tutorial in

the state-of-the-art tasting lounge, with

fl ights of Delaire reds and whites and

organic food pairings. R310, Helschoog-

te, Banhock Valley, Stellenbosch; 27-

21/885-8160; delaire.co.za; lunch for two

594 South African rand (US$80).CO

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AN AFRICAN BEACH GETAWAY

Zanzibar, Tanzania

This island is famous for its aromatic

spices, Swahili culture, and most of all,

its isolated beaches. At Kilindi, on a

sun-bleached crescent opposite Tum-

batu Island, 15 domed limestone pavil-

ions are tucked along a tidal bay where

wooden dhows still ply the aquamarine

waters. Here, luxury comes with a light

footprint—rainwater collected on the

roofs of the cottages is used to water the

lush gardens . The white-on-white

rooms are within earshot of the surf.

255-24/223-1954; kilindi.com; doubles

from US$900, including all meals.

ANTARCTICATHE ENDS OF THE EARTH

Argentina, Falkland Islands, Antarctica

Following in the footsteps of explorers

Captain James Cook and Ernest

Shackleton, Silversea Cruises’

17-day Explorer’s Antarctica has all the

adventure of an expedition with a mini-

mal amount of roughing it. The

132-passenger Prince Albert II embarks

from Ushuaia, Argentina, and heads to-

ward the Falkland Islands. You’ll get

360-degree views of hulking glaciers,

blue icebergs and snowcapped peaks

from the two top-deck, glass-enclosed

whirlpools. For up-close encounters

with wildlife (southern fur seals; alba-

tross; chinstrap penguins), book a natu-

ralist-guided tour on one of eight

Zodiacs. This takes the phrase “getting

away from it all” to a new level.

1-877/215-9986; silversea.com; 17-day

itinerary from US$7,926 per person. �

EDITED BY Jennifer Flowers AND Clark

Mitchell. REPORTED BY Tom Austin,

Lisa Cheng, Christine Ciarmello,

Anthony Dennis, Claire Downey, Irene

Edwards, Rachel Felder, Jaime Gross,

Catesby Holmes, James Jung, Sandy

Lang, Peter Jon Lindberg, Carolina A.

Miranda, Shane Mitchell, Kathryn

O’Shea-Evans, Maria Shollenbarger

AND Amy Traverso.

(My Favorite Place)

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All the world’s a stage—you just need to get out and discover it for yourself, famed French thespian Jean Reno tells LARA DAY

F IRST, I SHOULD SAY IT’S DIFFICULT FOR ME TO

name my favorite place. I was born in Casablanca,

when Morocco was under the French

administration. My parents are from Andalusia, in

the south of Spain. I went to do my military service in

Germany, to become a French citizen, and then I went to the

States for my career. So you see, the world is mine—the

world belongs to everyone. You just need to have the courage

to get out and do something.

Honestly, my ideal vacation is on a boat. There are no

paparazzi, and you can take your whole family along. The

sea is perfect because it’s open. I especially love the

Mediterranean, where you have everything: Corsica, Greece,

Italy, Spain, France. I have a holiday house in Provence,

surrounded by olive trees—it’s close to Avignon, where

there’s a theater festival, and Arles, where there are

bullfi ghts. I’m looking for something else now, a bit bigger,

still in southern Europe, maybe in the south of Spain.

I fi nd Asia very appealing for its diversity, and the kindness

of the people. You learn a lot just from people in the street.

The biggest surprise to me here has been China. At the

beginning I thought it was closed, but in fact it’s open. Look

at the youth in Hong Kong. The kids here are just like in

America, full of colors, wearing different clothes.

When you travel for cinema, everything is taken care of

for you. You don’t have to remember anything—it’s both

good and bad at the same time. Take Beijing. I was there for

the fi lm festival, and it was great. But I didn’t have time to

visit the Great Wall of China. I want to go back and take

black-and-white photographs. I want to go back to

Shanghai, too. I was there for the fi lm festival, and the Park

Hyatt is really extraordinary, especially the breakfast. It has

everything: fantastic pastries, a beautiful buffet … every day

I woke up and ran straight to breakfast. Just ask my wife.

When you’re young, you can never imagine what

will happen to you: the places you’ll go, the people you’ll

meet. Your life is the biggest adventure, the biggest

journey. It’s like a card game—every person has a card for

you. That’s my philosophy in life. My goal isn’t to be on

some beach by myself, but to be among people. Wherever

you go, if you know how to look at people, the travel will

be fantastic. ✚

Avignon in Provence, France. Inset: Actor Jean Reno.

FRANCE

IN ASSOCIATION WITH

Plus: Win a trip to Australia!

• Drift off over the Great Barrier Reef• Climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge• Dine under the stars at Ayers Rock• Go city ballooning in Canberra and much, much more!

+

SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL FEATURE

Only in Oz! 60 UNIQUELY AUSSIE EXPERIENCES

2

ONLY IN OZ... THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE

Australia is a destination with strong ties to Southeast Asia; many of my Thai friends have family

“down under,” or have studied there, and they retain a strong bond with this amazing antipodean

country. No wonder: there are numerous attractions in Australia, or “Oz” as it’s fondly known, not

least the warm, welcoming people, the star-studded Outback night sky, and the most popular

beaches in the world. It’s also a cosmopolitan country, oozing style and sophistication.

But there’s much more to Australia than the TV clichés — which is where we come in. When

Tourism Australia approached Travel + Leisure Southeast Asia about doing an

extended promotional section, I had some trepidation, as these can sometimes veer quite far away

from readers’ interests and needs. But I’m proud to say that this is a true

collaboration for this special section; both T+L SEA and Tourism Australia selected 60 experiences

you can have in Australia — and only in Australia! — with a strong idea of what we wanted to achieve,

which is also to show a different side to Australia: that there are exciting and memorable adventures

all around the country.

I do hope you enjoy it as much as we did preparing it and that it inspires you to look southwards

and plan your next trip!

For more information, as well as contacts and booking details, about all the activities and experiences listed, visit www.australia.com/onlyinoz.

Matt Leppard, Editor-in-Chief

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TWildlife

Adventure

Educational

Romantic

Lifestyle

Food & Wine

City

Nature

Arts

KEY

Tell us what you think of this feature in our survey at www.travelandleisuresea.com/australia and stand to win a trip for two to Australia! See full details plus terms and conditions online.

WIN A TRIP TO OZ!

While the editors, publisher and commercial partner believe all information to be correct at time of publication, they cannot guarantee its absolute accuracy.

INTRODUCTION

<$100

$100–500

$500–1,000

>$1,000

Price range in AUD

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3

This state—population nearly 7 million—boasts a wealth of world-famous attractions suitable for all travelers. From the Sydney Harbour Bridge to the Opera House, iconic images known worldwide are found here. Elsewhere, you can adopt a koala, ride the world’s steepest railway and more! This highly cosmo-politan city is also famous for its welcoming multiculturalattitude towards life.

NEW SOUTH WALES

1. CLASSIC CLIMB

Climb the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge

Where: Sydney

When: All year round, except

Christmas and Easter

For: Adults and children aged

10 years and above

How much: $$

Why: Sydney’s famous Harbour

Bridge is, next to the Sydney

Opera House (also visible from

the bridge), arguably the most

iconic and well-known symbol

of this quintessentially

Australian melting pot of a

city. It opened in 1932 and

measures more than 100

meters from water

to top, affording spectacular

views of the city and the

harbor. And at almost 1,150

meters long, it’s the fi fth longest

such bridge in the world. A

must for any visit to New

South Wales and Sydney.

2. STAR PERFORMANCE

Experience the famous Sydney Opera House

NEW SOUTH WALES

For: All ages

How much: It’s free to walk

on the beach, but specialist

tours, such as whale-watching,

may cost

Why The Guinness Book of

Records states that Hyams

Beach at Jervis Bay on

the south coast of New

South Wales has the whitest

sand in the world—although

there are, of course, many

other beaches close by that are

almost as good. There are

usually no crowds so you

may well fi nd that you have

this beautiful beach all to

yourself ! Jervis Bay is also

where you can enjoy whale-

and dolphin-watch cruises.

Where: Sydney

When: All year round, except

Christmas and Easter

For: All ages

How much: $$

Why: If you’re heading to

Sydney, then a visit to the

Opera House is a must. Not

only is this fabulous structure

visually sumptuous, it is also

the world’s busiest performing

arts complex. Theater, ballet,

pop music, symphonies,

comedies and loads of

activities for the kids put it

high on any list of things to do

in Australia. And if you’re

there mid-May to mid-June,

don’t miss out on “Luminous,”

an event that has the Opera

House bathed in dramatic

lighting. To see the House in a

different light, why not take an

“Experience Package” tour?

3. WHITEST SHADE OF PALE

Glide barefoot over the whitest sand in the world

Where: Jervis Bay, South Coast,

3 hours’ drive from Sydney

The Sydney Opera House

Jervis Bay

The Sydney Opera House’s distinctive design is not based on shells, but on sections of a hemisphere.For more information on all the activities listed and details of how to book, visit www.australia.com/onlyinoz.?DID

YOU KNOW

y y

4

4. OWN A FURRY FRIEND Adopt your very own cute and cuddly koala

Where: Port Macquarie, 4

hours’ drive from Sydney

When: All year round

For: All ages

How much: $

Why: Koalas are cute, cuddly

and unarguably one of

Australia’s most-loved natural

treasures. More to the point,

they are listed as a

“vulnerable” species. So why

not adopt a wild koala at The

Koala Hospital—the world’s

only hospital dedicated to the

care of koalas—and help the

animals out? Adoptions help to

Woolloomoolo Wharf

rescue and treat sick and

injured koalas, as well as

preserve their natural

habitat. An ideal gift for

any animal-lover!

5. SWINGERS ONLY

Engineering in actionat Darling Harbour

Where: Darling Harbour,

Sydney

When: All year round; the

bridge opens at 10:30am, 12

noon, 1pm, 2pm and 3pm

For: All ages

How much: Free

Why: Having lunch at one

of Darling Harbour’s many

top restaurants? There’s a

good chance you might

catch an example of great

Australian engineering in

action. Pyrmont Bridge in

Darling Harbour is an

opening swing bridge

(which means it allows tall

vessels to pass underneath)

and the world’s oldest

surviving electrical span

bridge, built when most swing

bridges were operated simply

with basic mechanics. It was

powered by the then Ultimo

Power House, now converted

to the Powerhouse Museum.

Koala cuddling.Koala cuddling

ELSEWHERE IN AUSTRALIA 8. SUITED AND BOOTED

Shop for Aussie designer fashions

Where: Various locations

in major cities

For: Adults


How much: From $

Why: Australian cities are

well-known as shop-till-

you-drop destinations,

and there are many

world-renowned

Australian designer labels

such as Collette Dinnigan,

Akira Isogawa, Lisa Ho

and Sass & Bide to put on

your shopping list.

Australian bush and

outback clothing (e.g.,

RM Williams) also has

a reputation for excellent

quality, while street- and

beach-wear designed for

the relaxed Aussie

lifestyle is famous

around the world.

g

6. INCLINED TOWARDS

INCLINES? ...then ride the world’s steepest railway!

Where: Katoomba, Blue

Mountains, 1.5 hour’s drive

from Sydney


For: All ages

How much: $

Why: It’s the steepest railway

in the world! If you need more

reasons, the Katoomba Scenic

Railway boasts a maximum

gradient of 52 degrees and

goes through a tunnel before

descending into an ancient

rain forest. The perfect scenic

trip—with a dash of roller-

coaster thrill—for nature-

lovers, couples and families.

7. WOOD WALK

Spot stars on the world’s largest wooden structure

Where: Woolloomooloo,

East Sydney

For: All ages

How much: Free

Why: Another Australian

superlative, Woolloomooloo

Wharf is a Guinnes s record-

holder as the largest wooden

structure in the world. While

most of it is under water, it’s

one of the few places in

Australia where you can

regularly see A-list celebs like

Nicole Kidman and Russell

Crowe. It’s also a great spot to

stop at Harry’s Cafe de Wheels

for a “pie fl oater,” another

Australian legend: a traditional

Australian meat pie tipped

upside down in a plate of

thick pea soup and covered

with tomato sauce (costs

around A$5). Delicious!

p

Wh K

NEW SOUTH WALES

5VICTORIA

In 1956, Melbourne became the fi rst city in Oz to host the Olympic Games — the fi rst time that athletes entered the closing ceremony en masse. For full details of all listings, visit www.australia.com/onlyinoz.

9. A NEW DAWN

Witness the birthplaceof authentic Australian multiculturalism

Where: Ballarat, 1.5 hours’

drive from Melbourne

For: All ages


How much: $

Why: On November 30, 1854,

a historic event, the Eureka

Stockade, saw immigrants

from 16 nations come

together under a non-British

fl ag—the Southern Cross—

heralding the start of

democracy and the notion of

a “fair go” that underpins the

nation today. Learn about the

event at the Eureka Centre.

Nearby—down the road, in

fact—is Sovereign Hill, an

open-air museum that is a

replica of a real 1850’s

goldfi elds town where you

can really pan for gold!

The Eureka Centre will be

?DID YOU KNOW

stop, revelers swap carriages

to listen to a new band.

This award-winning

experience is so frequently

sold out, that for all potential

passengers, it is advisable to

book as early as you can to

secure a seat or two!

11. FUR IS FOR SEALS

Up-close encounter with Australian fur seals

Where: Cowes, Phillip Island, 2

hours’ drive from Melbourne

For: All ages

Victoria is Australia’s second-most populatedstate, with the majority of its citizens living in Melbourne, which is set around the shores of Port Phillip Bay. It also has a thriving bohemian culture, heavily inclined towards the arts, and, as such, isone of the events capitals of the country.

VICTORIA

closed from Easter 2010 till

late 2011 for redevelopment,

during which the Southern

Cross fl ag will be exhibited at

the Art Gallery of Ballarat.

10. BAND ON BOARD

Shake, rattle and roll on a one-of-a-kind train

Where: Queenscliff, 1.5 hours’


For: Ages 18 and above only

When: August to May,

Saturday nights only

How much: $

Why: The world’s one and

only Blues Train leaves the

historic bayside town of

Queenscliff and runs along

the old Geelong train line

offering a highly unique

musical meal and show.

Guests can buy their

drinks before boarding

and enjoy a hearty meal,

while they listen to the

bands on board. At each


How much: $

Why: Phillip Island is one of

the only nine islands in

Australia where you can

encounter a breeding colony

of Australian fur seals.

Experience this spectacular

2-hour cruise while witnessing

one of Australia’s largest wild

fur-seal colonies situated on

Seal Rocks, lying 2 kilometers

off the rugged, impressive

south-west coast of Phillip

Island. The boat drifts

within meters of thousands

of seals, enabling you to

witness their natural

environment fi rst-hand.

12. BABY WADDLERS

Parade with Little Penguins

Where: Phillip Island, 2 hours’


For: All ages


How much: $

Why: At sunset each day,

groups of Little Penguins

—the world’s smallest

penguins, native to

Australia—emerge from the

sea after a day’s fi shing and

waddle ashore to their

sand-dune burrows.

Elevated boardwalks and

viewing stands allow you to

enjoy all the penguin action.

Penguin-watching

6 VICTORIA

ELSEWHEREIN AUSTRALIA18. TUCK IN TO

TRADITION Sample real Aussie “bush tucker”

Where: Various locations

in the outback and in

major cities

For: All ages


How much: From $

Why: “Bush tucker”

—the traditional diet of

Australian Aborigines—

is made up of native

ingredients that can

all be found in the

wild. Sample it at

numerous restaurants

in any of the major

cities in the country—

from kangaroo steak

and “yabbies” (lake

prawns) to regular food

fl avored with lemon

myrtle, wattleseed and

quandong (wild peach)

—or join bush food

tours at the Sydney

and Adelaide botanic

gardens.

The Great Ocean Road and Twelve Apostles

A Melbourne tram

13. SLOPE STYLE

Ski among snow gums

Where: Mount Buller,

3 hours’ drive from

Melbourne

For: All ages

When: June–September

How much: From $$

with accommodation

Why: Where else in the

world can you ski or

snowboard down a run

called the Wombat? Mt.

Buller offers a variety of

slopes to entice beginners

and challenge more advanced

skiers. Even non-skiers can

enjoy a bit of fun in the snow

with the sensational snow

tubing and tobogganing

facilities that are available here.

And you know you are

in Australia when the

indigenous snow gum

trees—or Eucalyptus

paucifl ora—appear simply

everywhere you look. Snowy

Mountains, 5 hours’ drive

from Sydney in New South

Wales, is another location

to enjoy the Aussie

alpine experience.

14. STATION TO STATION

Ride on the world’s biggest tram network

Where: Melbourne

For: All ages


How much: $

Why: Linking Melbourne’s

wonderful and storied past

with its unarguably vibrant

future, trams were fi rst

introduced to the city in

1865. Today, Melbourne

has the biggest tram network

in the world with

approximately 250 kilometers

of double track. There area,

a staggering 1,770 tram stops

across the network. Getting

on the City Circle Tram is a

great way for a quick and

easy (and free) city tour.

15. A ROAD TO REMEMBER

Drive (or even walk) the Great Ocean Road

Where: Apollo Bay, 3 hours’


For: Adults


How much: From $$ with

accommodation

Why: Join guided walking

tours or drive at your own

leisure down the Great

Ocean Road, which stretches

approximately 260 kilometers

from Allansford, Victoria to

Belmont, Geelong. Soldiers

returning from battle in

World War I were

commissioned to build the

road as a tribute to their fallen

comrades. The project gave

the soldiers much-needed

jobs during the Great

Depression and created a

tourist route came to be known

for its views of the iconic

Twelve Apostles rock

formations.

16. STUMPED FOR IDEAS?

See how cricket bats are actually made

Where: Shepherds Flat, 1.5

hours’ drive from Melbourne

For: All ages


How much: $

Why: Aussies love cricket,

and nowhere else in the

world (even England) but at

Cricket Willow can you see the

entire process of making a

cricket bat, from planting to

harvesting to shaping and

processing, in one place—and

even have your own cricket bat

made. Twenty-seven of the top

40 batsmen around the world

use these bats, all made in

the sleepy hollow of

Shepherds Flat.

17. GET LOST!

Explore the chic laneways of Melbourne

Where: Melbourne

For: Adults


How much: Free (exclusive

of the cost of your designer

shopping, of course!)

Why: The twisting

inner-city laneways of

Australia’s second-largest

city are a treasure chest of

unique shops, cosmopolitan

open-air cafés and chic

fashion catering for all tastes

and budgets. The best way

to explore them is to get

lost in the maze—you’ll

always fi nd your way out again.

For authentic insider tips,

Hidden Secrets Tours offers a

2- to 3-hour intimate walking

tour —with a guide to show you

the best places to shop—for

A$115 per person including

morning tea, lunch and a

special goodie bag!

How much: $$

Why: Wave Rock is a huge,

stunning 2,500-year-old

granite cliff shaped exactly like

a wave. Stand under it, and

you can almost feel the years

pressing down on you! This

natural wonder has to be

experienced fi rst-hand and in

the bowl of the “wave.” This

natural wonder has to be

experienced fi rst-hand and in

the bowl of the “wave” to fully

comprehend its magnifi cence.

21. GOLDEN WONDER

See the world’s largest gold bar exhibition

Where: Perth


For: All ages

How much: $

Why: Gold has been a

common currency since

the beginning of historical

records; it is perhaps the most

alluring commodity, full of

romance and mystery. In

Perth itself, you can visit one

of the world’s oldest currency

mints—the Perth Mint—and

fi nd out your weight in gold,

plus engrave your own

personal medallion—as well

as see a gold bar worth

$225,000 being poured!

Elsewhere in Western

Australia, the famous

Kalgoorlie Goldfi elds is the

richest gold mining area in

the world.

7WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Western Australia occupiesthe entire western side ofthe country, facing the Indian Ocean. With a pleasant cli-mate that could be compared with the Mediterranean, WA’s southern coast is among the world’s top nine habitats forterrestrial biodiversity, as well as one of the top six regions for marine biodiversity.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

19. FLOWER POWER

Take in the world’s largest wildfl ower collection

Where: Throughout Western

Australia, including

Pemberton, Albany,

Margaret River and Kings

Park in Perth, among others

When: June–November

For: All ages

How much: Prices vary by

location and tour, or do it

at your own leisure for free

Why: Banksias, grevilleas,

kangaroo paws, milkmaids,

honeypots, mountain bells...

Witness rugged landscapes

or lush green fi elds come

alive with a blaze of brilliant

colors and fresh scents in

Western Australia—home to

more than 12,000 species of

wildfl owers, the largest

collection of wild blooms in

the world. More than 60% of

these species can be found only

in WA, and you can enjoy

different ones at various

times and locations

throughout the state.

20. ROCK AND ROLL!

Surf a granite wave

Where: Wave Rock, Hyden,

less than 4 hours’ drive

from Perth


For: All ages

Wave Rock

8 WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Western Australia’s capital, Perth, is almost as close to Singapore and KL than it is to the country’s capital, Canberra. For more details on this and other activities listed, visit www.australia.com/onlyinoz.?DID

YOU KNOW

22. BIG FISH

Swim with whale sharks at the world’s most accessible reef

Where: Ningaloo Reef,

offshore from Exmouth

and Coral Bay, about 14

hours’ drive from Perth, or

under 3 hours’ fl ight


For: Adults

How much: $$

Why: Ningaloo Reef in

Western Australia, one of

the most biodiverse reefs in

the world, is the only large

coral reef in the world found

so close to land, making it

easily accessible from the

shore. It’s home to a myriad

of marine life, so slip on your

snorkel or diving gear and

swim with graceful manta

rays, sea turtles and schools of

brightly colored fi sh in the

clearest turquoise water

imaginable. You can also swim

with the majestic whale

shark—the largest fi sh in the

sea—which grows up to 16

meters long.

23. SPREAD YOUR

MAT HERE

Picnic in the world’s largest inner-citygreen space

Where: Perth


For: All ages

How much: Free

Why: If a picnic in the park

is your thing, you might as

well choose one where

there’s lots and lots of space.

Not only is it located

slap-bang in the middle of

a city, the Kings Park and

Botanic Garden is more

than 4 square kilometers

in size and boasts amazing

views over the Swan River,

as well as the spectacular

Perth city skyline. A

dramatic experience that

beats New York’s Central

ELSEWHEREIN AUSTRALIA25. VINTAGE VINO

Drink great wine harvested from the world’s oldest vines

Where: Hunter Valley,

New South Wales;

Barossa and McLaren

Vale, South Australia;

Yarra Valley, Victoria;

Margaret River,

Western Australia

For: Adults


How much: $–$$

Why: Grapevines arrived

in Australia from Europe

with the early settlers and

the fi rst plantings were

made in the fertile fl ood

plains of the Hunter

Valley around 1830.

Victoria, South Australia

and Western Australia

followed not long after.

Contrary to belief,

Australia and not Europe

lays claim to the world’s

oldest vines (believed to

produce better-quality

yields), because from

the 1860’s, the grape

root louse Phylloxera

wiped out European

vineyards. Australia

wasn’t entirely immune

but the Hunter, South

Australia and Western

Australia were spared.

Park in size by almost 1 square

kilometer.

24. JEWEL IN THE CROWN

See the largest “calcite straw” stalactite opento the public

Where: Jewel Cave,

Margaret River, 3 hours’

drive from Perth


For: All ages

How much: $

Why: Deep inside the dazzling

Jewel Cave hangs the largest

straw stalactite of any cave

open to the public, measuring

a staggering 5.4 meters long.

The cave complex itself

descends to 42 meters and is

1.9 kilometers long in total,

with the main chamber

measuring in at 90 meters long

and 30 meters high. But these

are just numbers and words—

this is something you need to

see up close and to explore, for

a mind-blowing experience.

wo d

Snorkeling with whale sharks at Ningaloo Reef

9QUEENSLAND

botanicals, such as

eucalyptus and lemon

myrtle at Mt. Tamborine

Distillery. One of very few

such distilleries in Australia,

this small, independently

run distillery has won nearly

a hundred prestigious

international awards for its

very high-quality liqueurs,

schnapps, vodkas, absinthe

and bitters.

29. GET (OUT)BACK

Enjoy an urbanoutback experience

Where: Gold Coast

For: All ages

When: All year round,

except Christmas Day

How much: $

Why: The vast Australian

outback is famous for its

wilderness beauty. But you

can skip the wilderness

and still enjoy a piece of the

outback in the city with

Australian Outback

Not only is QueenslandAustralia’s second-biggest state, it is also home to some of the country’s—and the world’s—most impressive naturalwonders, like the Great Barrier Reef and the contrasting,challenging outback. Boast-ing world-class beaches and with 7,400 kilometers of coast-line, including the Gold Coast, Queensland is a must-visit for all outdoors fans! The climate is warm but not hot (summersaverage at about 25 degrees),and the state basks in morewinter sunshine than manyother states.

QUEENSLAND

26. TOWERING VIEWS

Enjoy the scenery from the world’s tallest residential tower

Where: Surfers Paradise,

Gold Coast

For: All ages


How much: $

Why: Savor the opportunity

to enjoy spectacular

360-degree views from QDeck,

the observation deck of

Q1, the world’s

tallest residential tower

at 322.5 meters high,

where the view stretches

from coast to hinterland.

It also has the world’s

fastest elevator, from ground

to Level 77 in 42.7 seconds.

That’s the equivalent of

1,331 steps from ground

level, hence the need for a

thousand kilometers of

lift cabling!

28. SIP NATURE, DISTILLED

Sample native Australian botanical liqueurs

Where: Mount Tamborine,

45 minutes’ drive from the

Gold Coast

For: Adults


How much: Free

Why: Taste the unique fl avors

of liqueurs and vodkas that

use native Australian

ELSEWHERE IN OZ27. HAVE A WHALE OF A TIME

Wave at the world’s onlytruly white whale

Where: Byron Bay, New South Wales;

Hervey Bay, Queensland; and Sydney

beachside suburbs

For: All ages

When: May–October

How much: $–$$

Why: Every year since 1991 Migaloo the giant

white humpback whale has headed for

warmer waters with thousands of fellow

humpbacks as they take a break from

Antarctica and travel the east coast of

Australia. Migaloo’s claim to fame is that he is

the world’s only known white whale, and if

you are lucky you might spot him as he heads

north in Autumn each year, and back home

again in Spring. Even if you don’t spot

Migaloo, Australia is one of the best places in

the world to go whale spotting. Hervey Bay is

known as the whale-watching capital of

Australia, and you may spot dolphins too!

y

10 QUEENSLAND

Spectacular, an action-packed,

feast-for-the-senses

performance capturing the

grandeur of life in the

Australian outback, complete

with stampeding horses and a

talented cast of Jackaroos and

Jillaroos (stockmen and

women)! Complete your

experience with a proper

Aussie Outback dinner of

steak, Australian Damper

(outback-baked bread) and

Bush Billy Tea.

30. REEF SLEEPOVER

Drift off over the world’s largest coral reef

Where: Great Barrier Reef,

about 2 hours’ boat ride from

Cairns

For: Adults

ELSEWHEREIN AUSTRALIA31. DRIVE OF YOUR LIFE

Travel around an entire continent

Where: All of Australia

For: Adults


How much: Cost varies

Why: As the largest island

and smallest continent on

the planet, Australia is

the only continent that

you can circumnavigate

completely on one

continuous highway.

Highway 1 is the world’s

longest at more than

20,000 kilometers.

Certain indigenous-

owned parts of Arnhem

Land require special

permission, and you’ll

need to put the car onto

the Spirit of Tasmania ferry

to complete the most

southerly part of your

trip. For something less

ambitious, you can

choose to drive any of

Tourism Australia’s 17

recommended routes.

When: April–January are

the best times

How much: From $$

Why: After a day snorkeling

in the pristine waters,

you can spend the night

on a fl oating pontoon

50 nautical miles from

the mainland on the edge

of the Great Barrier Reef.

This is just one of the

many experiences offered

by numerous operators

promoting the Great

Barrier Reef, one of the

seven wonders of the

natural world, spanning

more than 2,000 kilometers

in length along the

Queensland coastline.

32. NATURAL REJUVENATION

Relax in one of the world’s oldest rain forests

Where: Daintree National

Park, 1.5 hours from Cairns

For: Adults


How much: $$

Why: At the award-winning

Daintree Eco Lodge and

Spa you can indulge in a

treatment that uses Aboriginal

massage techniques and

indigenous products, while

relaxing in the heart of the

rain forest. Try the special

Walbul-Walbul body

treatment, designed in

consultation with the local

KuKu Yalanji people.

Southwards, the Healing

Waters Spa at Silky Oaks

Lodge offers treatments using

mineral-laden waters of the

nearby Mossman River, and

fl oral essences from the

Daintree rain forest.

33. FEEDING TIME!

Feed wild dolphins

Where: Moreton Island, 75

minutes by catamaran from

Brisbane (also possible at

Tin Can Bay, Fraser Coast

in Queensland; Monkey

Mia, Shark Bay in

Western Australia)

Great Barrier Reef

Daintree Eco Lodge and Spa

gg

Wh

11QUEENSLAND

The Great Barrier Reef is the only living thing that can be seen from space. Yet despite its size, it’s “only” half a million years old. For more information on this and other activities, visit www.australia.com/onlyinoz.?DID

YOU KNOW

ELSEWHERE IN AUSTRALIA36. STAGGERING

SCULPTURES

Admire unique installations at the world’s largest outdoor art show

Where: Bondi Beach,

Sydney; Cottesloe

Beach, Perth

For: All ages

When: October/

November in Sydney;

March in Perth

How much: Free

Why: The “Sculpture by

the Sea” exhibitions in

Sydney and Perth are the

world’s largest free

outdoor art exhibitions.

Initiated in 1996 at

Bondi Beach, featuring

sculptures made by

both Australian and

overseas artists, it has

become an annual event

and has expanded to

Cottesloe Beach in

Western Australia since

2005. In June 2009,

Aarhus in Denmark

hosted the fi rst

“Sculpture by the Sea”

exhibition outside of

Australia. But why not

take the chance to see it

where it fi rst started?

drive from Brisbane

For: All ages


How much: $$

Why: Freshwater lakes,

colored sand cliffs,

rain forests growing in sand,

crystal-clear creeks and

long white beaches—the

World Heritage–listed

Fraser Island, stretching

over 123 kilometers in

length and 22 kilometers

at its widest point—has

them all. With an area of

184,000 hectares, it is also

the world’s largest sand island,

and the only place in the

world where you can see

dingoes (native dogs)

frolicking on the beach.

For: All ages


How much: $–$$

Why: There are very few

places in the world where

wild dolphins choose to

regularly swim to shore to

truly interact with people.

Australia boasts three

places where you can

witness this, and even

get the unique chance to

legally hand-feed these

dolphins, with expert

supervision, so as not to

endanger these delightful

mammals. At the

Tangalooma Wild Dolphin

Resort on Moreton Island,

you get to hand-feed wild

bottlenose dolphins that

come at dusk.

34. SUN, SEA AND BIG SAND

Walk on the largest sand island in the world

Where: Fraser Island, 4 hours’

Four-wheel-drive tour buses

travel the island, while the

Fraser Island Great Walk

allows you to explore the

island on foot.

35. GINGER, MAN!

Try 65 different ginger ice-cream fl avors

Where: Yandina, Sunshine

Coast, 2 hours’ drive from

Brisbane

For: All ages



How much: $

Treat yourself to this delicious

experience at The Ginger

Factory—the world’s largest

—where you can fi nd ginger

food and products of every

kind, including no less than 65

different fl avors of ginger ice

cream. Of course, no visit

would be complete without

eating at least one gingerbread

man in the ginger café.Wh

Fraser Island

Dolphin feeding

FA

R R

IGH

T:

GO

RD

AN

A K

EZ

I

12 SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Located in—as the name suggests—the southern central part of Australia, SouthAustralia borders all the other Australian states except the Australian Capital Territoryand Tasmania. Because ofits location, the more southyou go in the state, the more temperate the climate becomes, reaching about 29 degrees,while the north can bake in temperatures that have been known to reach 50!

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

37. GOING UNDERGROUND

Walk into the world beneath your feet at Coober Pedy

Where: Coober Pedy, 2 hours’

fl ight from Adelaide

For: All ages

When: April–October

How much: Prices vary

between tours and activities

Why: Apart from being the

place where almost all of the

world’s precious opals are

mined and where movies like

Mad Max, starring Mel

Gibson and Tina Turner,

were fi lmed, Coober Pedy is

most famous for its unique

style of cool underground

living. You can stay in four-star

comfort at the Desert Cave

Hotel, the world’s only

underground hotel, drink at

an underground bar, visit an

underground art gallery and

check out the underground

homes of the locals (if you

make friends with them!).

38. THE BIG BLUE

Swim with Australia’s famous blue fi n tuna

Where: Port Lincoln, Eyre

Peninsula, a 50-minute fl ight

or 7 hours’ drive from Adelaide

For: All ages



How much: $

Why: This world-fi rst

experience promises to excite,

thrill and entertain all

adventure lovers! The Swim

with the Tuna tour has been

described as “the most exciting

and unexpected underwater

experience anywhere.” Here in

Port Lincoln, you can enjoy

hand-feeding the fi sh from the

platform, seeing the fi sh from

the underwater glass viewing

area or even swimming with

one of Australia’s most

valuable and famous fi sh, the

mighty blue fi n tuna.

39. BLEND FINE WINE

Bottle your own Australian vino

Where: Barossa, 1.5 hours’

drive from Adelaide

For: Adults



How much: $

Why: The Barossa is home to

Australia’s most famous wine

labels, including the world-

renowned Penfolds. At the

Penfolds Winery cellar door,

you can blend your own

delicious drop of Aussie wine

to take home. Stop at nearby

Maggie Beer’s Farm Shop—

Maggie Beer is one of

Australia’s favorite cooks—for

some fi ne local produce to go

with your wine.

40. BITE A FROG’S HEAD

Sample the famous Balfours Frog Cakes

Where: Adelaide

For: All ages


Coober Pedy

is the only place in the world

where you can walk among a

colony of Australian sea lions

as they doze in the sun after

fi shing in the Southern Ocean.

Various tours are available at

the hugely popular Seal Bay

Conservation Park.

43. REAL HORSEPOWER

Ride a horse-drawntram across waters

Where: Victor Harbour,

Fleurieu Peninsula

For: All ages


How much: $

Why: From Victor Harbor, take

the historic double-decker

horse-drawn tram over to the

nearby Granite Island via a

630-meter wooden causeway.

It is one of the very few

horse-drawn tram routes

remaining in public transit

service anywhere in the world,

and provides service every day

throughout the year. It is

the only horse-drawn tram

route in the world that

brings you across waters to

a separate island.

13SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Of Coober Pedy’s approximately 4,000 residents, about half live underground, a necessity given the area’s scorching climate. For more information on all the activities listed, visit www.australia.com/onlyinoz.?DID

YOU KNOW

How much: $

Why: Frog Cakes are one of

South Australia’s most quirky

food icons. The famous

confectionery comes in the

shape of a frog’s head,

composed of sponge cake and

cream, covered with fondant.

It was created by the Adelaide-

based Balfours bakery in 1922,

and soon became a popular

treat in South Australia.

Originally, Frog Cakes were

available exclusively in green,

but later brown and pink were

added to the range. The Frog

Cake has been called

“uniquely South Australian”

and has been employed in

promoting the state.

41. FLIGHT OF FANTASY

Fly over one of Australia’s magical natural wonders

Where: Wilpena Pound,

Flinders Ranges, 5 hours’

drive from Adelaide

For: All ages


How much: $$

Why: Amid the vibrant colors

of the 800-million-year-old

quartzite and limestone

outcrop that is the Flinders

Ranges lies Wilpena Pound.

Wilpena Pound is a

magnifi cent natural

amphitheater 17 kilometers

long and 7 kilometers wide,

and is the centerpiece of the

Flinders Ranges National Park.

Shaped like a giant cupped

hand by the weathering and

uplifting of land over time, it is

ringed by saw-tooth peaks

visible from 30 kilometers away

and holds strong signifi cance to

the indigenous

Adnyamathanha people.

The best way to appreciate its

magnifi cence is to take a scenic

fl ight over it.

42. SLEEPY SEA LIONS

Walk among these aquatic furry giants

Where: Kangaroo Island, a

30-minute fl ight or 2.5 hours’

drive plus a ferry ride from

Adelaide

For: All ages



How much: $

Why: World-famous Kangaroo

Island is a microcosm of

different landscapes and

environments: stunning

beaches, forests, desert dunes

and farmland. As one of

Australia’s National

Landscapes, it is the place to

go see amazing native wildlife

in its natural habitat. In fact, it

Wilpena Pound

Kangaroo Island

Wil

NORTHERN TERRITORY14

The least-populated state in Australia, the NorthernTerritory extends deep into the center of the country.With Darwin as its capital,the state boasts one of the most famous sights in the world: Uluru. Surprisingly, most of the population does not live close to the coastal boundary, but further inland, including in Alice Springs—famous for its immortal-ization in A Town Like Alice.

NORTHERN TERRITORY

Uluru, also known as Ayers Rock, actually changes color throughout the day, as the minerals in the rock refl ect the changing sunlight. For more information on the activities listed, visit www.australia.com/onlyinoz.?DID

YOU KNOW

ELSEWHEREIN AUSTRALIA45. SURF’S UP!

Cheer on an Aussie surf lifesaver

Where: All major beaches

around the country

For: All ages

When: November–March

How much: Free

Why: Australia has more

than 10,000 beaches. In fact,

it is home to some of the

world’s best beaches and, in

summer, all around the

coastline you will see

Australia’s iconic volunteer

surf lifesavers on patrol,

wearing their signature

red-and-yellow caps. If you

have the chance to catch an

ocean sport competition

between the various

life-saving clubs, you would

have experienced a part of

true Australia.

Uluru, or Ayers Rock

44. WORLD OF ROCK

See the world’s biggest and most famous rock

Where: Uluru-Kata Tjuta

National Park, Uluru,

4.5 hours’ drive from

Alice Springs

For: All ages


How much: $

Why: It’s the quintessentially

Oz experience! Nothing

prepares you for the fi rst time

you see Uluru. The

overwhelming enormity of the

monolith, coupled with a

strong sense of spirituality,

ensures that a visit to Uluru

will stay with you long after

you’ve left it. Australia’s most

recognizable natural icon

stands 348 meters high and,

like an iceberg, has most of its

bulk below the surface. World

Heritage–listed Uluru-Kata

Tjuta National Park is a

world-class visitor destination

and a key part of Australia’s

iconic Red Centre.

46. A FISHY TALE

Hook yourself a barramundi

Where: Darwin

For: Adults


How much: $$

Why: The barramundi is

widely regarded as Australia’s

premier native sport fi sh, and

the magnifi cent Top End

waters, rivers and estuaries are

the perfect place to hook your

own “barra.” Take a fi shing

charter from Darwin and live

on board the Reefmaster.

15NORTHERN TERRITORY

Experienced guides in

big-game fi shing will take you

along the river system fi shing

for barramundi and thread fi n

salmon. Fish the reefs of the

Perron Islands for black

jewfi sh, coral trout, golden

snapper, cod, Spanish

mackerel, red emperor,

Robinsons deep sea bream and

other mixed-reef species.

47. RIVERS RUN DRY

Join a dry river regatta

Where: Alice Springs

For: All ages

When: Around late August/

early September

How much: Free

Why: Todd River is dry almost

365 days a year, making this a

boat race with a real

difference—it’s done on the

dry sands of the Todd River.

The Henley-on-Todd Regatta

is a day of fun where teams

and individuals race “boats,” in

the dry bed of the Todd River

in outback Alice Springs. Have

fun and enjoy the hilarity as

you watch seemingly sane

people race in bottomless

“eights,” “oxford tubs,” “bath

tubs” and “yachts” through the

deep, coarse sand.

48. MONSTER CROC

Get up close to the world’s largest reptile

Where: Darwin

For: All ages


How much: $

Why: Ever wanted to get up

close and personal with the

largest reptile in the world?

Crocosaurus Cove offers you

this chance with clear

underwater viewing of these

enormous “salties,” or

saltwater crocodiles. There is

also a “World of Crocodiles”

exhibit and turtle sanctuary,

plus a “touch and feel” reptile

activities center. A two-story,

200,000-liter freshwater

aquarium displays North

Australian fi sh species such as

barramundi, saratoga and

stingrays, plus freshwater

crocodiles and turtles.

49. LIVING HISTORY

See the oldest living culture and artworks on the planet

Where: Kakadu National Park,

3 hours’ drive from Darwin

For: All ages


How much: $

Why: Beyond its majestic

beauty, Kakadu National Park

is teeming with wildlife and

bursting with Aboriginal

culture and art. Visit a place

where time stands still and an

ancient culture lives on. For

ELSEWHEREIN AUSTRALIA51. FORE IN FOUR DAYS

Tee off on the world’s longestgolf course

Where: Ceduna, South

Australia to Kalgoorlie,

Western Australia

For: Adults

When: September–

February (best times)

How much: $$$$

Why: This is defi nitely

something you can

brag to your friends

about having done.

Covering a staggering

total distance of 1,365

kilometers, the Nullarbor

Links is an 18-hole

cross-country golf course

that spans two states,

with holes at remote

golf courses, towns,

sheep stations, wheat

farms, goldmines and

roadhouses along

the way. The entire

course takes four days

to play and the best way

to do it is to join a

hassle-free golf tour—

nice tourist distractions

included!

more than 50,000 years, the

Aboriginal people of Kakadu

and Arnhem Land have lived

in harmony with nature. Their

history is intrinsically linked

with the land, and their

stories, told on rock canvasses,

endure. Kakadu is home to

one of the oldest and largest

collections of Aboriginal rock

art in the world.

50. SIPPING UNDER

STELLAR SKIES

‘Table under the stars, sir’? Of course!

Where: Uluru-Kata Tjuta

National Park, Uluru, 4.5

hours’ drive from Alice Springs

For: Adults and children aged

10 years and above


How much: $-$$

Why: At the Sounds of Silence

experience, you can dine under

the canopy of the desert night,

while your very own story-

teller—armed with a giant

telescope—shares tales as told

by the stars. Entered into the

Australian Tourism Hall of

Fame, Sounds of Silence offers

the best of the Red Centre

distilled into four hours of good

food, fi ne wine and magical

stories in an evening of dining

under the outback sky.

Kakadu National Park

Henley-on-Todd Regatta

p

K k

AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY16

While tiny by comparison to other states, the Australian Capital Territory, which lies southwest of Sydney and northeast of Melbourne, contains the country’s capital, Canberra, famous for its leafy lanes and relaxed pace of life. Canberra also houses a host of historical and contemporary attractions.

Where: Canberra



For: All ages

How much: Free

Why: Nowhere else tells the

fascinating stories of

Australia’s land, nation,

people and cultures better

than the National Museum

of Australia. With more than

200,000 objects, the museum

profi les 50,000 years of

indigenous heritage,

settlement since 1788 and

key events.

54. MOON IN A DISH

See the satellite dish that relayed Neil Armstrong’s famous moon walk

Where: Tidbinbilla, a

45-minute drive from

Canberra

52. BALLOONS OVER

BUILDINGS

Experience ballooning in the heart of the capital city

Where: Canberra


For: All ages

How much: $$

Why: A rare opportunity to

ride a hot-air balloon in a city,

and not in any ordinary city:

this is Australia’s storied capital

city, Canberra, historically

famous for its town planning

and pleasant, green spaces.

And the views are well worth

it: see the historical Parliament

House and other city icons.

There’s also a balloon festival

where you can see many

colored balloons in the air,

while enjoying great music,

food and entertainment on

the ground.

53. KNOWLEDGE IS POWER

Find out all there is to know about Australia


For: All ages

How much: Free

Why: As part of NASA’s

Deep Space Network,

the Canberra Deep Space

Communication Complex is

one of only three facilities in

the world responsible for

AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY

Hot-air ballooning over Canberra

National Museum

actually tracking spacecraft.

As well as checking out the

facilities, including the dish

that captured Neil Armstrong’s

fi rst moon walk, visitors can

also see a piece of moon rock

that is more than 3 million

years old—ideal for families

with curious kids!.

cicityy

ELSEWHEREIN AUSTRALIA55. CATTLE PROD

Learn to be a Jackaroo (or Jillaroo)

Where: Various locations in

the outback

For: Adults


How much: $$$

Why: Made famous in

Australia (the Baz

Luhrmann) movie starring

Hugh Jackman and

Nicole Kidman), a

Jackaroo is the name for

an Australian cattle drover.

Some cattle stations in

Australia offer holiday-

makers courses that will

teach you how to ride

and show a horse; muster

cattle; crack a whip and

throw a lasso while

spending the nights under

the “big sky.”

( J

Canberra replaced Melbourne as the capital of Australia in 1908, ending the debate on whether Sydney or Mel-bourne should be the capital. For more information on the activities listed, visit www.australia.com/onlyinoz.?DID

YOU KNOW

TASMANIA 17

The Tasmanian devil, inspiration for the cartoon character Taz, is only found in Tasmania, and is the world’s only carnivorous marsupial. For more information on the activities listed, visit www.australia.com/onlyinoz.?DID

YOU KNOW

Uniquely in Australia, Tasmania is an island—the 26th largest in the world. Tasmania is knownas the “island of inspiration,” due to its outstanding natural beauty: Some 37 percent of the island’s nature is protected.

TASMANIA

56. WHERE THE WILD THINGS

REALLY ARE!

Spot Australian wildlife in its natural habitat

Where: Cradle Mountain,

Cradle Mountain-Lake St

Clair National Park, 2.5 hours’

drive from Launceston

For: All ages


How much: $

Why: It isn’t always easy to see

Australian wildlife in its natural

habitat because most of the

animals are nocturnal. Better

your chances by joining a

wildlife tour that takes you

slowly into the Cradle

Mountain-Lake St Clair

national park in a four-

wheel-drive bus. This is

your chance to see wombats,

eastern quolls, possums,

wallabies and Tasmanian

devils face-to-face.

57. FROM WINEGLASS TO

WINE GLASS

Enjoy great views and fi ne wines

Where: Freycinet National

Park, Coles Bay, 2.5 hours’


or Hobart

For: Adults

When: September–June (best

times), Wednesday-Sunday

(weather permitting)

How much: $$

Why: Where else in the world

can you sample the fi nest local

produce and cool-climate

wines in a location that looks

like a wineglass? The

spectacular Wineglass Bay—so

named for its shape—is

Tasmania’s most famous

beach, voted among the top 10

beaches of the world, and

renowned for its pure, clear

turquoise waters. The

Wineglass to Wine Glass tour

offers great views, insights into

the local fl ora, fauna and

heritage, rounded off with a

meal of fresh local produce

and fi ne wines.

58. SWEET TEMPTATION

Taste Tasmania’s unique leatherwood honey

Where: Chudleigh, 1 hour’s


For: All ages


How much: Free

Why: Bees love the fl owers of

leatherwood trees, which are

endemic to Tasmania, and it is

only here that leatherwood

honey is made. For a taste or to

see how it is farmed, or

to buy food and beauty

products made from it, head

to The Honey Farm in

Chudleigh. To see the trees,

visit Tahune Forest Reserve,

south of Hobart.

59. WRITING ON THE WALL

Vote for your favorite mural at Australia’s Town of Murals

Where: Sheffi eld, 1 hour’s drive

from Launceston

For: All ages


How much: Free

Why: Stroll through Sheffi eld

—Australia’s Town of Murals

—and admire the 40+ murals

painted on beautiful old

buildings throughout the town,

telling the region’s history.

Sheffi eld also hosts the unique

International Mural Fest,

whereby the public gets to pick

the winning mural artists in a

live poem-inspired “paint-off.”

60. GORGE YOURSELF!

Ride the world’s longest single-span chairlift

Where: Cataract Gorge, a

15-minute walk from

Launceston

For: All ages


How much: $

Why: This 456-meter chairlift is

located at Launceston’s

magnifi cent Cataract Gorge,

just 15 minutes by foot from

the city center. The central

span of 308 meters is believed

to be the longest single chairlift

span in the world. Take the

chairlift to appreciate the

beautiful scenery and the

gorge across the basin.

Wineglass Bay

g

Sheffi eld

february 2010

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