october 2012

Cocktails at Ku Dé Ta overlooking the heart of Singapore, page 90.

Cocktails at Ku Dé Ta overlooking the heart of Singapore, page 90.

October 2012Volume 06 / Issue 10

A lookout over Cook’s Bayon Moorea, French

Polynesia, page 118.

Features

90 The Spice of LifeNutmegtreesandcoralreefsaboundintheBandaIslands.Onthetrailofcolonialinvaders—andwilddolphins—a da m skol n ick discovershowtheseIndonesianislandshelpedbirththemodernworld.pho t ogr a ph ed by f ou ed k a ddach i. gu ide 94

96 The Sustainable SevenLuxuryandecotourismcancoexist. naom i l i n d tchecksoutsomeoptions.

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104 Global Vision AwardsThisyear’sstandard-bearersforresponsibletourism—fromaprivateislandinCambodiatoaPeruvianvillageonthevergeofatravelboom.

112 A Different NatureForcenturies,thegardensofKyotohavedefinedaunique,subtleaesthetic—

anotherworldlyfusionoflandscapeanddesign. by rox a na robi nson. pho t ogr a ph ed by t e tsu ya m i u r a. gu ide 116

118 Escape to the South SeasA thatched-roofhut.Abluelagoon.Andnotasoulinsight:Insearchoftheultimateget-away-from-it-allfantasy,a n dr e w mcca rt h yexplorestheatollsofFrenchPolynesia,eachmoreremotethanthelast.pho t ogr a ph ed by j essica sa m pl e . gu ide 126

tr avel andleisureasia .com october 2012 9

Contents

Radar

26 Boom to BlingAfashioncompanyisbuyingbackundetonatedexplosivesandtransformingthemetalintostylishjewelry.

by m er r it t gu r l e y

40 Walking the Long White CloudTeAraroa,inNewZealand,isoneofthelongestwalksintheworld.k a r ry n m il l eroffersanadventurer’sguidetothisseven-cityjourneybyfoot.

52 Combusting in CamiguinAnislandinthePhilippineshasalushnaturalbeautythatcouldbegoneinamoltenminute.by ga br iel l e ja f f e

63 Singing with Gibbonsn ick y su l l i va nventuresintotherainforestofCambodiatoexplorea

The bathroom of a tented villa at

Banyan Tree Madivaru, page 23.

on the cover

Departmentsd e s t i n a t i o n s 12 … e d i t o r ’s n o t e 14

c o n t r i b u t o r s 16 … i n b o x 18

The Naka Island, A Luxury Collection Resort & Spa Phuket. Photographed by Brent Madison. Model: Daojai Tanommuang. Styling by Tawn C. Make-up & Hair by Albert Schipps. Assistant: Stacy Nicole Thomas.

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habitatthat’shometoanewspeciesofgibbon.

PlusExperimentalfashiondesignerAmyWinters;Asia’smostamazingraces;Ferragamothroughtheyears;andmore.

Trip Doctor

69 How Low Can You Go? Low-costcarriersare

leavingtheirmarkaroundSoutheastAsia.naom i l i n d t readsthefineprint.

74 Gorilla SafariHowtoexploremountaingorillas’lastremaininghabitats.

76 It Ain’t Easy Being Greenj e n n if er ch e nexaminesgreenwashinginthetravelindustry.

78 Finding Lost GadgetsTrackingservicestohelpyourecoverlostdevices.

80 T+L’s Top 40 Adventure OutfittersChoosingthatnextgreattripintotheoutdoorsmeansknowingwhatkindofadventureyou’reafter.Ourdirectoryofstandoutspecialistsforseventypesofgetaways,rangingfromsafaristobikingtours.

86 Best DealsThebrand-newBanyanTreeLăngCôinVietnam,aspabreakinSingapore,getromanticintheMaldives.PlusExploreBrunei’srichheritagewithapackageholiday.

Decoder

128 Los AngelesFromVenicetoDowntown,L.A.hasevolvedintoastylishcollectionofurbanenclaves—fullofto-die-forshopping,art,eatingand,

10 october 2012 tr avel andleisureasia .com

yes,stargazing. by dav id a. k eeps. pho t ogr a ph ed by a m a n da f r iedm a n

Last Look

134 Chiang Rai, ThailandAttheGoldenTriangleAsianElephantFoundation.pho t ogr a ph ed by m a r isa m a rchit el l i

DESTINATION

Banda islands

camiguin

Kyoto

laos

los angeles

new Zealand

106

123


Destinations

october 2012

Long Weekend Beach Active Food+Drink Shopping Arts+Culture

WHEN TO GO

january through march are the driest months, with temperatures ranging between 21 and 33 degrees celsius. avoid june, when it’s certain you’ll see rain.

expect fine weather between april and june, with november to january being the coolest time of year on these tropical islands.

spring and autumn are the best times, so that means in march, april, october and november. summers can be sticky, winters too cold.

the coolest and driest season for the country extends from november to february. once april rolls around, the temperature soars.

october through December are cooler in the city, with the lows dropping into the teens around christmas.

spring time, october and november, is a great period to go trekking, though you might need rain gear in your pack.

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52

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WHAT US$5 BUYS

a good breakfast complete with nutmeg jam.

the price of admission to the ardent Hot springs for you and four friends.

anything made from Kurodani japanese paper since Kyoto is one of the few places where the genuine paper is still made.

a cappuccino made with locally grown coffee beans and a baguette sandwich.

In-n-out burger’s trademark Double Double cheeseburger and regular fries.

a tasting flight of five wines at cloudy bay vineyard, in marlborough on the south Island.

WHO TO FOLLOW

@indotourism

@tourismpinas

@VisitKyoto

@laosnews

@downtownartwalk

@HikingnZ

40new Zealand

90Banda islands

laos

26

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52

Kyoto

112

los angeles

128

camboDIa, 23, 63

lonDon, 50

florence, 47

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Anairportisthelastplaceyouexpectoutdoorgardensworthvisiting,butthat’swhereIfindmyselfaswe’reputtingtogetherthis,ourannualgreenissue.Justthinkalongthelinesofsunflowers,cacti,orchidsanddepartureboards.It’sallapartofSingapore’srevampedChangiAirportand,foronce,Iamnotrushingtocatchaflight—insteadI’mcheckingoutabutterflygarden.Thisisanairportwherepassengerscanswimin

anoutdoorpool,indulgeinamassageatanyoneoffourspasorsimplybemesmerizedbythepublicartondisplay.(Hint:headtoTerminal1foraglimpseofKinetic Rain,asculptureofmorethan1,200bronzeraindropsthatperforma15-minutewell-choreographeddance,stoppingmostintheirtracks.)Changi,myguidestellmeoveragreatbowloflaksa,ismeanttobemorethansimplyanairport,whichmeansconstantlytweakingtheexistingfacilitiesandaddingmoretocopewithdemand—andthat’swhereitssuccesslies.So,takesometimetowanderaroundnexttimeyou’repassingthroughSingaporeanddon’tbesurprisedtoseemorechangesinthenearfuture. Thatabilitytoadaptisacommonthreadthroughoutourgreenissue.NowhereisthepowerofinnovationmoreapparentthaninoursecondannualGlobalVisionAwards(page104),whereAsiacontinuestohaveastrongpresence,whetherit’satalargehotelchainsuchasShangri-LaorTaj,infar-flungregionssuchasLadakhorPingyao,orprogramswhereyoucanparticipateinacommunity-buildingprojectorpreservationwork.Theresultsarethoughtprovokingtosaytheleastandarelikelytospuryouintoplanningyournextvacationwithaneyetowardsmakingadifference.Theawards,andthismonth’sothergreenstories,underscorethefactthatbeinggreendoesnotnecessarilymeangivinguponluxuryorcomfort.You’llseethiswoventhroughoutourlookateco-resorts(“TheSustainableSeven,”page96). ThemoreadventurousamongyouwillwanttolookintotrekkinginNewZealand(“WalkingtheLongWhiteCloud,”page40),wherewriterKarrynMilleroffersthelowdownontraversingthecountrybyfoot,whichyouhavetoadmitisonegreenwaytotravel.—christopher k ucway

Editor’s Note where to find [email protected]

@CKucway on Twitter

adapt and makea Difference

our next stops

Paris

Phuket

Japanese ski holidays

Ever-changing George Town

The T+L CodeTravel + Leisureeditors,writersandphotographersaretheindustry’smostreliablesources.Whileonassignment,theytravelincognitowheneverpossibleanddonottakepresstripsoracceptfreetravelofanykind.

Next to the Kinetic Rain sculpture in Changi Airport.


Tetsuya MiuraPhotographer“a Different nature” (page 112).

quintessential kyoto WalkingMiyagawa-cho’salleys,withtheirrowsofteahousesandstrollinggeishas,letsmeslipbackintime.best time to visitThebeginningofApril,whenthecherrytreesareofteninfullbloom.TheendofNovemberisalsobeautifulinKyoto,whentheleavesareaflamewithautumncolor.what’s in your own garden?IdreamofonedayhavingarealgardenatmyhomeinTokyo;untilthen,Ifillmybalconywithgeraniums,gumtreesandlavender.favorite photo subject Frozenlakes.I’mmostinspiredbylandscapescoveredwithsnow.if you weren’t a photographer, you’d be...Achef.

Karryn MillerWriter“walking the long white cloud” (page 40).

hiking makes you feel...Energizedandhealthy.MybodycravedfreshairwhileIwaslivinginHanoi,anditdoesn’tgetanyfresherthaninthewoodsinNewZealand.reinvigorating old traditions There’smorefocusonpreservingMaoriculturethanwhenIwasyounger.Thisyear,Auckland’sMaoriStatutoryBoardrecommendedtothecitycouncilthatlearningMaorilanguageatschoolbecompulsory.best new zealand viewLookingoutovertheSouthIsland’sMilfordSoundfromapropplaneat2,100meters.favorite wildlifeThekiwi,ournativeflightlessbird.Itmaynotbethemostcolorfulorhavethemostbeautifulsong,butitisuniqueandasymbolofthecountry.where’s your trail leading you next? Mumbai,India,fortwoyears.

Andrew McCarthyWriter“escape to the south seas” (page 118).

how to truly let go Leavethedevicesathome(gulp!)andthengivetimetime.food to fly back for Poisson cru—rawtunasoakedinlimejuiceandthendousedincoconutmilk.ItshouldbeFrenchPolynesia’snationaldish.Ihaditeverywhere.you’re stuck on a desert island. what will get you through? ThenovelStonerbyJohnWilliamsandBruceSpringsteen’salbumBorn to Run.first-time visitors to tahiti should... Watchoutforfallingcoconuts! read all about it Mytravelmemoir,The Longest Way Home (FreePress),waspublishedlastmonth.Follow him on Twitter @AndrewTMcCarthy.

‘leave the devices athome (gulp!) and then

give time time.’ —andrew mccarthy

Contributors

contact info

Got something to say? Tell us at [email protected], travelandleisureasia.com, f facebook.com/TravelLeisureAsia,

or @TravLeisureAsia. Comments may be edited for clarity and space.

Inbox

tweet for your travels

Is it just me or should we be amazedthattravelagentsevenstillexist?Unlessyou’replanningaspecializedtripwhereyouneedsomeonewithaveryspecificunderstandingofaplaceortypeofjourney,withthegrowthofonlineplanning,Ican’tseemuchuseforagentsanymore.Idoallmybookingsmyselfandfindthatairlinesandhotelsoftenofferspecialdiscountstothoseofuswhodo.I’vebecomemyownbesttravelagent.It’sreallyjustacaseofknowingwherebesttolookwhenyou’replanningyourtrip.

Lucinda Chingsingapore

Oolong Pairing?I’vetriedoolongmacaronsatPaulLafayetinHongKong[“MadaboutMacarons;”September2012].Wonderiftheygowellwithoolongtea.

@wik_kyDishing BaliWhenIfirstsawyourSeptemberissue,Ithought,notanotherBalistory.ThenIreadaboutcookingschoolsthere[“Bite-SizeBali”].NowI’mconvincedthatsigningupforaclassortwoisagreatwaytolearnabouttheislandandpickupafewculinaryskillsontheway.

Sandy Ohhong kong

Sounding off

A Street StapleEveryonehasanopinionoflocaldiningaroundAsia,so“StreetFood101:AGlobalGuide”[September]hitanerve,especiallyinSingapore.It’sa city that knows its street foodandafewreaderspointedoutthatitwasanoversighttoexcludetheseafoodrestaurantsalongtheEastCoastParkway.Meanwhile,theT+LTipSheetstruckapositivechordamongreaders,offeringadviceondiningalfresco.What to order?Therearemoredishesworthtryingthandaysinyourvacation.

Thanku,page91inT+L’sAugustissue[“Howsocialmediawillchangethewayyoutravel”]isperfect.JustwhatIneeded!Congratsonanotheroutstandingissue.

@danelleruth

travel+leisure southeast asia vol. 6, issue 10

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.

chairman president

publishing director

J.S. Uberoi

Egasith Chotpakditrakul

Rasina Uberoi-Bajaj

This edition is published by permission of

american eXpress publishing corporation1120 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10036 United States of America

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

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Christopher Kucway

James Nvathorn Unkong

Merritt Gurley

Wannapha Nawayon

Chotika Sopitarchasak

Wasinee Chantakorn

Diana Hubbell

editor-in-chief

art directorfeatures editorsenior designer

designerassistant editor—digital

assistant editor

Cedric Arnold, Jennifer Chen, Robyn Eckhardt, Tom Hoops, Philipp Engelhorn,

David Hagerman, Lauryn Ishak, Naomi Lindt, Jen Lin-Liu, Brent Madison,

Nat Prakobsantisuk, Aaron Joel Santos, Adam Skolnick, Darren Soh, Daven Wu

regular contributors / photographers

Robert Fernhout

Pichayanee Kitsanayothin

Joey Kukielka

Michael K. Hirsch

Louisa Daly

Shea Stanley

Gaurav Kumar

Kanda Thanakornwongskul

Supalak Krewsasaen

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eXecutive editor, internationalpublishing director, international

Ed Kelly

Mark V. Stanich

Paul B. Francis

Nancy Novogrod

Jean-Paul Kyrillos

Mark Orwoll

Thomas D. Storms


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Radarnews. finds. opinions. obsessions.

on our

going glamping looking for the rustic charm of camping paired with the glamour and comforts of a five-star resort?

you are not alone—this winning combination is growing in popularity throughout southeast asia and has earned itself the portmanteau “glamping.” Here are a few glamp sites in the region worth checking out. ● Thailand Hintok river camp is set on the river Kwai, amid the lush jungle and rolling hills of Kanchanaburi.

hintokrivercamp.com; doubles from Bt6,000 per night. ● Cambodia 4 rivers floating lodge is a nature-lover’s nirvana,with 12 luxury yurts surrounded by mangroves on the mekong. ecolodges.asia; doubles from US$152 per night.

● Maldives ever fantasized about being shipwrecked on a private island? banyan tree madivaru is that dream realized, but with lavish tent-villas and personal butlers. banyantree.com/en/maldives_madivaru; doubles from US$2,255 per night.

● Indonesia amawana is the only resort on the island of moyo, and this protected marine park has some of the best scuba diving and snorkeling in the world. amanresorts.com; doubles from US$135 per night plus US$800 initial board charge.

● India oberoi Vanyavilas, on the outskirts of the ranthambhore tiger reserve, is a hedonistic hideawaythat proves that sometimes more is more. oberoihotels.com; doubles from Rs39,000 per night.—merritt gurley

trends

One of the tent-villas at Banyan Tree Madivaru.


Radar

SarahRutson,thefashiondirectorofluxuryAsianretailpowerhouse Lane Crawford,isacelebratedfixtureatLondon,Paris,MilanandNewYorkfashionweeks.Herscene-stealinglooksattheseeventsarethestuffofblogospherelegend,buttheLondon-born,HongKong-basedRutsonismostsoughtafterforhervisionaryseasonaleditofclothesthatsetsthetoneforthecompany’scollectionoffivestoresinHongKongandoneinBeijing.“Weincludekeyandpivotalitemsaswellas‘wow’piecesweknowcustomerswillgravitatetowards,”shesays.“Designisallaboutcreativityandstory-tellingsoweneedtoensureabalanceofbothhighfashionandcommercialpiecestocontinuethedesigner’sstoryandtellittoourcustomers.”+ Packingstrategies:Rutsonapproachespackingwithaneyeforpracticality.“Itravelverylightlyonbusinesstrips.TwosuitcasesareallIcantakesomywardrobemustbeflexible,interchangeableand,mostofall,chameleon-like.”Andforvacations,theless-is-morephilosophystillapplies.“Itakemanybikinisandstraplesssundresses,twopairsofflatthongsandals—andthatisit.Itypicallyonlyhavecarry-onluggageforbeachvacations.”+Favoritedestinations:“IloveItaly—Taormina,PanareaandmostoftheAeolianIslandsaredivine.”Forshortweekendtrips,Thailandtopsthelist.+Rutson’spreferredtraveluniform:“IalwayswearapairofcargopantsfromJ brandor Junya Watanabe,apairofsneakersfromGolden Goose,aVinceT-shirtandasweatshirtfromAmerican Apparel.”+Must-haveinflightaccessory:“Itravelwithmygoosedownpillow.Ifallasleeponeveryflight,fromtheshortesttothelongest.Thereissomethingaboutairplanes—Idon’twanttobeawakeforevenasecondwhilewe’reintheair!”—mark lean

travel un iform

Sarah Rutsonthe style-setter offers tips on packing creatively, and lightly.

“I love topshop and eres bikinis as my vacations are always somewhere warm by the sea. and of course a straw hat is a must for sun protection.”

“I only wear flat thong sandals on vacation—my prada and sam edelman versions go with everything from a bikini to a dress and are always appropriate.”

“I am constantly on the lookout for strapless cotton sundresses, especially when I’m in bangkok or India. I find these will go from the beach to an evening out, and always be the right look no matter where you are.”

what’s in Her Bag

opshop and res bikinis as

my vacations are always somewhere warm by the

nd of course a straw hat is a must for sun protection.”

1 Hold unfolded sarong behind your back, leaving excess fabric on left side. fold right side to

middle of waist.

2 wrap left side across your waist, pulling up the right edge.

continue wrapping around the torso.

3 switch grips, and tie ends together in a simple double

knot at the right hip.

4 tuck knot and ends into waist and smooth out. sarong should

hang flat and reach below ankles. —marguerite a. suozzi

Does your beach cover-up never seem to stay on? Designer Milo

Migliavacca—whose batik-print silk wraps are sold at the four

seasons resort bali at jimbaran bay—shows how to do it right.

How to tie a sarong

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jewelry

Boom to Bling

a fashion company is buying back

undetonated explosives from the world’s most

heavily bombed nation and transforming the

metal into stylish jewelry. by merritt gurley


locals.HetaughttheBouchonfamilyhowtoreplicatehisworkand,afterheleftthevillage,thefather-and-sonteamtookover.Theynowoversee10familieswhosupplementtheirincomebyrepurposingscrapmetal.Butthemarketforsimplespoonswaslocal,andtherewasn’tafarther-reachingvisionuntil2009whenElizabethSudaarrivedonthescene.

SudamadeherfirsttriptoLaosonaresearchassignmentwithaSwissNGOtogeneratesustainableelectricitythroughhydropower.InNaphiashewasinspiredbythelocalcraftbutsawitslimitations.“Aspoon,”Sudasays,“wasn’tgoingtodoit,butabraceletthatwouldtelltheirstorybackhomeintheU.S.andtheworldover,thatcouldreallyhaveanimpact.”

SoshelaunchedArticle22,(namedafteranentryintheUnitedNationsDeclarationofHumanRights)afashioncompany,andPeacebomb—theprojecttotransformpiecesofoldartillery,likethestabilizationfinsofcluster➔

Peacebomb “story bangles.”Top: Molding the metal.

Below: A bangle in its new home.

ThiswindingstorystartswiththewarinVietnamandendswithabangleinLaos.Here’sthebackground:Duringthe60’sand70’s,whentheUnitedStateswasmiredinconflictwithVietnam,neighboringLaosbecameensnaredinwhatlaterwasknownastheSecretWar.Overnineyears,theU.S.droppedmorethan1.5milliontonnesofexplosivesonLaos,makingitthemosthighlybombedcountrypercapitainhistory.Afterthewarcametoanend,thelandscapewasstillcoveredinartillery,mortarshells,mines,rocketsandgrenades.Around75millionunexplodedbombsremaintoday.

Intheaftermath,amysteriousmanfromHouaphanjourneyedwest,collectingscrapmetalsfromthewardebrisalongtheway.Seeinganopportunityintheordnance,hemeltedthealuminumandpouredthemoltenmetalintomoldsthathe’dcarvedoutofwood,creatinglittlespoons.WhenhesettledatNaphiaVillagein1975,histradeintriguedthe

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bombcasings,intowearablejewelry.Sudabeganbytrainingthelocalvillagers,whoalreadyhadexperienceandasupplychaininplaceforworkingwithbombmetal,onhowtomakebraceletsinsteadofspoons.

Thereareanumberofproblemswithhavingunexplodedbombslitteredacrossacountry.Whowantstobuildschools,laynewroadsortillfarmlandinthemiddleofaminefield?Thedangerofdeathormaimingisveryreal.Theunexplodedordnances(UXOs)makeitextremelydifficultforthecountrytodevelopandforsubsistencefarmerstoriseabovethepovertyline.Fortheeconomyandsafetyofthecountrytoreallyimprove,thebombshavetogo.

ThePeacebombjewelrylineisdesignedtocreateasustainablebusinessmodelthatwillbringnewsourcesofincometoLaoswhilehelpingridthecountryofbombs.“It’strade,notaid,”Sudasays.Foreverybraceletsold,Article22donatesenoughmoneytosweepthreesquaremetersofbomb-scatteredterritory.In2011,thatmeantclearingtheequivalentof10,000squaremetersofland.AccordingtoSuda,Article22expectstodoublethatcontributionthisyear.Inadditiontoremovingbombs,thereareotherbenefitsofthearrangement:“We’reabletopaythevillagerswhocraftthebraceletsfourtimeswhatthey’dmakeonthelocalmarket,”saysSuda,“andwedonate10percentofearningstoafundthatgoestoprovidingthevillagewithelectricityandschools.”

Nowthatthere’sbeenameasureofsuccessforthesimplealuminumbangles,Article22isexpandingthe

Peacebombline.“Afterinitialskepticismabouttheirabilitytomakethebracelets,artisansarenowstretchingtheirtechnicalskillsandcreativitytoshowthattheycanmakeevenmorethanbanglesandspoons,”Sudasays.Thejewelryrangehasgrowntoincludeawiderselectionofdesigns,includingcufflinksandnecklaces,withtwonewitems—atalismanbraceletanda“jewelagram”necklace—scheduledtolaunchthismonth.

Demandfortheseitemsisontherise.“Generally,consumersacrosstheworldarebecomingmoreinterestedinproductsthathavecomplementaryaestheticandsocialvalues,”Sudasays.“Theyrealizethattheirdollarscanmakeadifference—thatwhattheywearcannotonlylookgoodbutalsorepresentthatdifference.”peace-bomb.com; bracelets starting at US$16. ✚

Where to Shoppeace-bomb.comshoplatitude.comahalife.comamnestyshop.org.uk

From top: Three Peacebomb bracelets; the coin-wrap bracelet and tribal necklace; spoons crafted from melted war metal.


Radar

The86-roomHotelFortCanningprovidesanunexpectedsanctuaryinthemiddleofSingapore’sbustlingdowntown.FormerlyanadministrationbuildingforBritishcolonialtroops,thisclassilyrestored1926buildingisnestledamidtherichfoliageofFortCanning

Hill,Singapore’sfirstbotanicalgardenandformerresidenceofancientMalaykings.11 Canning Walk; 65/6559-6770; hfcsingapore.com; doubles from S$298.—mel a nie lee

hotel

Natural Touches

earth-toned silk linens from jim thompson,

inspired by the bucolic environs of this boutique

hotel, drape each of the beds.

to preserve the hotel’s historical legacy and charm,

the building retains its original colonial façade

with antique french doors.

a stand-alone bathtub greets guests at the

room’s entrance. this feature is a tribute to majapahit royalty who used to have hot baths

at fort canning’s natural spring.

In the Deluxe garden room, guests can enjoy their own private outdoor patio. the

Andalay daybed is the perfect spot to lounge and admire the

surrounding greenery.

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design

Lights, Sound, Sundress Does your top match the view? experimental designer amy winters creates clothing that alters in appearance depending on where you wear it. by merritt gurley


SinceAmyWintersunveiledherlabel,RainbowWinters,justovertwoyearsago,she’sbeenlightingupthefashionscene—oftenliterally—withhermesmerizingblendoftechnologyandstylishsilhouettesthatrangefromwearabletodownrightwild.TheLondon-basedmultimediaartisttrainedasacostumedesigneratCentralSaintMartin’s,wheresheexperimentedwithfusinglightsandoperacostumesforsomeprettyfunkyfrocks.Aftershegraduatedin2006,Wintersworkedonaresearchanddevelopmentprojecttogenerateanewkindoffabric:holographicleather.ThisnovelcompositionwasshowcasedintheelectroluminescentThunderstormDress,whichdebutedattheMadeinFutureexhibitioninMilan.Afterthesuccessofhermoresurrealensembles,Winterslaunchedaready-to-wearcollectionontherunwaysofthe2010LondonFashionWeek.SincethenWintershasexperimentedwithavarietyofultramodernmaterialsandprofilesthatpushtheboundariesofscienceandfashion.Hereweexplorehowtechnology,natureandtravelhavebeenconstantsourcesofinspirationforthecolor-andpattern-changingcollections.

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TechnologyWintersreliesonalotmorethansilkorcottontocrafthersignaturepieces.“Iworkdirectlywithscientistsandtechnologycompaniesindevelopingthelatestfabricsinsmarttextiles,”sheexplains.Herarsenalofmaterialsincludessunlightandwaterreactiveinks;electroluminescentpanels;LEDs;digitalbioluminescentprints;holographicleather;andpolymeropallycra,tonameafew.Winterssaysthesecuttingedgetextileselevatethedesigns,lendingthatinscrutableoomph.“Thetechnologiesareanextraspecialingredient,”sheadds.“Firstofall,itisimportanttheclothesareaestheticallybeautiful,butaddinganextralayercanturnagarmentintoamagicalandinteractiveexperienceforthewearer.”

NatureFromheravant-gardeThunderstormDress(shownhere)thatflashesboltsoflightinginresponsetosound,totheRainforestDressthatchangescolorswhenitisexposedtowateranddirectsunlight,Winterscreatesclothingthathaseye-wideningreactionstotheexternalenvironment.“Especiallyformyconceptualpieces,Iimaginetheclotheshaveacharacterandwilltakeonthepersonalityofanelement,”Winterssays.Thelatestcollection,AutumnWinter2012,highlightsanewfabricdubbedpolymeropallycra.Thisshimmeringmaterialmimicsthestructuralpropertiesfoundinnature—thecolorsdiffractratherthanabsorblight—likeabeetle’swings.Andthefabricchangeshuesinresponsetostretch,reflectingdifferentshadesasyoumove.

WithbiologicalelementsactingasapivotalsourceofinspirationforWinters’swork,itisnosurprisethatthemultimediadesignertakesaneco-friendlyapproachtomanufacturingtheclothing.Theclothesareallhand-printedinherhometownofLondon

withwater-basedinks,whichshesaysshechoosesbecauseoftheirlowimpacton

theenvironment.

TravelFromswimsuitstosundresses,

Winters’swearableconceptsaredesignedforallherfellowadventurers.Thechameleonicclothes

weredevelopedaspartofacapsulecollectionforthe

“partylifestylewhentraveling,”shesays.“Ontrips,youneverknow

whereyou’llendupbytheevening,andwhenyoubreakawayfromroutine,multi-adaptableclothesbecomeevenmoreessential.”


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AndwhileWintersmakesclothingthatisgreatforpacking—onedresscanbeworntwiceandlookentirelydifferenteachtime—travelhasanevendeeperimpactonhercreations.HercollectionThe IslandwasdrivenbyshapesandcolorsshesawduringhervisitstotheGreekislandofMykonos.“Inoticedtheprettywhitewashedbuildings,thegreatblendofcoralandturquoise,andweavedthosethroughthecollection,”shesays.“Thesilhouettesreferencevintageholidays,whileprintssuchasthetoiledeJouy

sea-flowerandtheclassicstripeweregivenamodernoverhaul.”

Wintershasanewcollectioncurrentlyindevelopmentthatintendstoexploretheemotiveandexperimentalcapabilitiesoftechnologythroughtheuseofsensors.ThedetailsareunderwrapsforthetimebeingbutWinters’srecentmusingsmayhintatwhat’sinstoreforhercustomers:“Imagineawhite‘postcard’T-shirtthatwouldactasablankcanvas,whichcouldabsorbthesoundsandcolorsofthe

wearer’sholiday,servingasavisualandaudiosouveniroftheirtravels,”shetellsme.“Thefinalproductwouldofferasnapshotmemoryoftheholidayexperience.”

Where to Shoprainbowwinters.com; The Autumn Winter 2012 collection is available for purchase worldwide online at silkfred.com, and in Hong Kong at zeuz.com; Thunderstorm Dress: £3,000; Autumn Winter 2012 collection pieces range from £139-£750.

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t r av e l e s e Duty-freeze (v) To spend so much money at airportduty-free that your bank puts a hold on your credit card.

HigH and migHty

Hotels

face-off

dream suitesat sea

which is the most over-the-top new cruise cabin? you be the judge. by jane wooldridge

reported by nate storey

the jw marriott marquis Dubai opens its doors this month, claiming the title of world’s tallest stand-alone hotel. the former record holders—all left in the dust:

221 meters 226 meters

321 meters

current record

355 meters

1977Detroit Plaza

HotelUSA

1986Swissôtel

The StamfordSingapore

1999Burj Al Arab

Dubai

2009Rose Rayhaan

by RotanaDubai

2012JW Marriott

Marquis Dubai

reported by kelsi maree borland. note that hotels in mixed-use buildings were excluded.

Reflection Suite

Celebrity Reflection

Owner’s Suite

oceana Riviera

october 2012 may 2012

two bedrooms, two baths, 500 square meters

(including veranda)

one bedroom, two baths, 610 square meters

(including veranda)

rinsing off in the glass shower

cantilevered over the ocean

basking in all that space—including

his and hers walk-in closets

customizable mattress with a

zero-gravity effect

3-D tV in the living room

(glasses provided)

two crystal chandeliers, a wendell castle

coffee table, hot tub on the balcony

Hasley cashmere-covered armchairs, a deep soaking tub, a baby grand piano

...transport your bags from ship to limo

to hotel

...bring up a tray of manhattans and

canapés at 2 a.m.

from us$11,999 per person, double, for

seven nights celebritycruises.com.

from us$12,000 per person, double,

for seven nightsoceaniacruises.com.

launch

VS.

the stats

wow moment

geek factor

details for the 1%

let the butler...

the tab

Asia’s Best Hotels for Families

family

1. Discovery Shores Boracay,Philippines97.02. discoveryshoresboracay.com.

2. Oberoi Udaivilas Udaipur,India96.92.oberoihotels.com.

3. CapellaSingapore94.25.capellahotels.com.

4. The PeninsulaShanghai92.80. peninsula.com.

5. Umaid Bhawan PalaceJodhpur,India92.63. tajhotels.com.

6. Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Golf & Spa Resort SiemReap,Cambodia92.50. sofitel.com.

7. Oberoi RajvilasJaipur,India92.22. oberoihotels.com.

8. Ayana Resort & SpaBali,Indonesia92.00.ayanaresort.com.

9. Oberoi AmarvilasAgra,India92.00.oberoihotels.com.

10. Mandarin OrientalBangkok89.83.mandarinoriental.com.

scores shown have been rounded to the nearest hundredth of a point; in the event of a true tie, properties or companies share the same ranking.

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sate your appetite for adrenaline on some of the most stunning racecourses in the world. Here are our top destinations for pairing physical prowess with geographic majesty.

t+l p icks

amaZing races

chinaGreat Wall Marathonget ready to feel the burn. this race requires participants to run up and down 5,164 stone steps along the great wall of china and, if you can make it past all the stairs, the course weaves through villages and picturesque rice fields, for a unique, if calf-agonizing, experience. May 18, 2013; great-wall-marathon.com.

nepalEverest Marathonstow your vertigo for this test of physical endurance. the highest marathon in the world, the race starts from the everest base camp, at an altitude of 5,364 meters, and finishes nearly 2,000 meters lower at namche bazaar. the 42 kilometers over rough mountain trails are all worth it for the snow-capped views. May 29, 2013; everestmarathon.com.

indonesiaBintan Triathlononly a 55-minute ferry ride from singapore, getting to bintan is a breeze, yet the island has the charm of a far-away escape. Quiet sandy shores, a mangrove lagoon and turquoise waters add the element of exoticism to this coastal triathlon. May 18, 2013;bintantriathlon.com.

mongoliaSunrise to Sunset on the northern border of mongolia, this long-distance run winds through Hovsgol national park and around its alpine lake. the rolling hills are grazed by herds of horses, camels, yaks, reindeer and ibex. the race across this pastoral paradise can span either a 42-kilometer or a 100-kilometer course, depending on the stamina of the contender. Aug. 7, 2013; ultramongolia.com.

thailandLaguna Phuket Triathlonthis tropical trail is set on the popular island of phuket. competitors swim in the andaman sea and a fresh water lagoon, sprint barefoot on the beach, cycle the challenging naithon Hills and run through the surrounding luxury resorts for an action-packed day. Nov. 29, 2012; lagunaphukettriathlon.com.—merritt gurley

Runners braving the Great Wall Marathon.


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one of the longest walking trails in the world, te araroa winds from cape reinga in the north of new Zealand to bluff in the south. Karryn miller offers an adventurer’s guide to this seven-city journey by foot.

Walking the Long White Cloud

hik ing

Emerald Lakes in Tongariro National Park.


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In the 1970’s there were murmurs throughout the Land of theLongWhiteCloud(atranslationoftheMaorinameforNewZealand)ofcarvingatrailthatspannedthelengthofthetwoislands.ThepathwaywouldstartatCapeReinga,NewZealand’swindynortherntip,wheretheTasmanSeaandPacificOceancollide.Fromthelonesomelighthouseuptop,itwouldwinddownpastblacksandbeachesandthroughcolossalkauritreeforests;itwouldtakeinthecountry’srichdiversityfromgrassyplateaustorockydormantvolcanoes.

Butsuchagrandioseconceptseemedtoofaroutofreachandsothechatterfadedfor20yearsuntilKiwijournalistGeoffreyChappleresurrectedtheidea.In1998hesetoutonayearlongjourneyprovingthatthewalkcouldbedone.Thankstohisdreamandtheworkofateamofvolunteersoverthecourseofmorethanadecade,TeAraroa(teararoa.org.nz)openedtothepublicinDecember2011.

The3,000-kilometertrackisacombinationofexistingtrailsandnewpathways.ThefulltrektakesaboutfourmonthsandisbeststartedinNovemberorDecember.Smallersections,liketheoneslistedbelow,canbetackledinamatterofhoursordays.

waitangi forest track, Bay of islandsTheNorthIsland’sWaitangiForestTrackisaculturallysignificantsectionofthepathway.The14-kilometerstretchbeginsatthecoastaltownofKerikeri,whereindigenousMaoriwelcomedmissionariesbackin1819.IttakesinpineforestsalongwithnativebushandgiveswalkersscenicviewsoftheturquoiseBayofIslands.

Theeasytwo-and-a-half-hourwalkendsattheWaitangiTreatyGrounds,wherein1840BritishsettlersandMaorichiefssignedthecountry’sfoundingdocument.Today,thehumblewoodenpaneledhomeofthefirstBritishresidentstandsinamanicuredlawnnearbyTeWhareRunanga,aMaorimeetinghousedecoratedwithwoodencarvingsofancestorsandpanelsheavywithtribaldesigns.stay: The family-run Wharepuke Subtropical Gardens (190 Kerikeri Rd., Kerikeri; 64-9/407-8933; sub-tropicals.co.nz; cottages from NZ$150 per night)hasfiveself-containedcottagessetamidtwohectaresofverdantgarden.In1938anorganicorchardwasplantedthere;74yearslatertheplacecontinuesinthesamevein.Theowner,RobinBooth,isakeenlandscapegardenerwhohasworkedinternationallyasaconsultantforsustainablelivingthroughfruitgrowing.

Cape Reinga’s lighthouse.

Overlooking Waitangi Bridge and the Bay of Islands.

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tongariro alpine crossing, ruapehuNear the North Island’s center, at theTongariroAlpineCrossing,thebeautyofthecountry’sunstablevolcanicterrainismostevident.AlthoughthemajorityofTeAraroahasbeendesignedforthoseofanaveragefitnesslevel,thissix-toeight-hourtrekcovering19.4kilometersisnostroll.Thelandscapeissteepatpartsandtheweathercanquicklychange.ButthosewhowalkthescoriapathtowardsTongariro’speakandnearbyMountNgauruhoewillpassbymountainspringsandemerald-coloredpools.Theywillseesteamvents,anactivecraterandoldlavaflows.stay: TheBayviewChateauTongariro(State Highway 48, Mt Ruapehu; 64-7/892-3809; chateau.co.nz; rooms from NZ$195)hasstoodregallyatthebaseofMountRuapehuinTongariroNationalParksince1929.The106-roomlodgeisathrowbacktotheeraofitsopeningwithgrandchandeliers,ArtDecopaintingsandVictorianfurniture.ThehotelsupportsseveralenvironmentalendeavorsintheparkincludingTheMistletoeProject,whichprotectsnativespeciesoftheplant.

Queen charlotte track, marlboroughTheQueenCharlottetrackstartsnearthetopoftheSouthIslandatShipCoveandmakesitswaysouthwesttothecoastaltownofAnakiwa.The71-kilometerfour-dayhikefollowsthecraggylandscapeoftheQueenCharlotteSoundpassingbyisolatedsandybaysandthroughlushnativeforests.Fromtheridgeline,walkerslookoutoverundulatinghillsandcalmcoves.stay: Lochmara Lodge (Lochmara Bay, Queen Charlotte Sound, Marlborough; 64-3/573-4554; ochmaralodge.co.nz; units from NZ$90)hasaselectionof14chaletsandunitsandrunsawildliferecoverycenterthatbreedsnativeendangeredspecies,rehabilitatesinjuredanimalsandeducatesguestsonthe

surrounding flora and fauna. The lodge’s Sculpture TrailfeaturesdistinctlylocalartlikePungaPeople—statuescarvedintothedeadpartsofthetrunksofthepungatreefern.

glendhu Bay track, wanakaOtago’sLakeWanakahasanumberoftrailsthatfollowthejaggedshorelineofthis192-square-kilometerpristinepool.SurroundedbythetoweringSouthernAlpsandgrassymeadows,thepostcard-worthyscenerymakesforanenjoyablewalk.TheLakeWanakasectiontreksrangefromtwotofourhours.Onestintisthe15-kilometerGlendhuBayTrackthatstartsatthesmalllakesidetownshipofWanakaandfollowstheshorewesttoGlendhuBay.stay:TheEdgewaterresort(Sargood Drive, Lake Wanaka; 64-3/443-0011; edgewater.co.nz; rooms from NZ$190),with104rooms,suitesandapartments,islocatedalongtheGlendhuBayTrack.Thefour-hectarelakefrontpropertywasthefirsthotelwithinWanakatobeawardedQualmarkEnviroGold,whichatthetimewasthehighestlevelofgreenratingavailableinNewZealand.

Hiking the volcanic terrain of Tongariro Alpine Crossing.

Along the Queen Charlotte Track.

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The Hotels ↓salvatore ferragamo’s son leonardo runs the lungarno collection, including Hotel lungarno in florence (below); another son, massimo, opened tuscany’s castiglion del bosco.

The Clothes →salvatore’s daughter giovanna introduced ready-to-wear in 1965. this look from ferragamo’s fall 2012 collection is by current creative director massimiliano giornetti.

The Innovations ↑among ferragamo’s more than 350 patents? the cork- soled wedge. this version was designed for judy garland in 1938.

a passion for shoemaking has turned this Italian brand into a lifestyle powerhouse that defines la dolce vita. by mimi lombardo

Bravo, Ferragamo!

icon

←The Luggage a new addition to the brand’s repertoire: rolling bags, shown here in aluminum and leather.

↑ The Stars after opening a Hollywood shop in 1923, salvatore ferragamo became an a-list favorite. Here, he fits sophia loren, circa 1955.

↑ The Museum rotating exhibitions at the company’s florence headquarters showcase famous ferragamo pieces, including the stiletto heels marilyn monroe wore in 1959’s Some Like It Hot.

↑ The Shoes men’s loafers were launched in the 1970’s—instant classics. these crocodile drivers have gold detailing.


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reboot

the 84-year-old grande dame just unveiled the next-generation rooms of its modern tower, part of a HK$450 million, 15-month renovation. (the original building will reopen in april 2013.) t+l got an advance look at the 21st-century makeover, complete with cutting-edge technology hatched in the hotel’s own r&D lab and a sleek new design that maximizes space and functionality. Salisbury Rd., Kowloon; peninsula.com; doubles from HK$5,880. —jennifer chen

tHe peninsula Hong Kong 2.0

the custom-

made sofa by Italy’s cassina has a

built-in magazine rack and mini pullout shelves

complete with drink coasters.

the design

incorporates subtle Asian-inspired

accents, such as a brushed-metal peach blossom wall appliqué

and lacquered burl wood.

guests can make free

international calls on the wireless

phones with VoIp (voice over Internet

protocol).

the 10 multi-language

touch-screen panels placed around the room

control the lights, curtains, thermostat, television and

Internet radio (all 3,000 stations).

the vanity has a

fully lit, retractable mirror, while at the work desk (left), a

universal adapter pops up with a single

touch.

connect your laptop, smart phone

or memory card to watch movies or slideshows on the

117-centimeter flat-screen television. free HD and 3-D movies are

also available.

Samsung Galaxy tablets

(three per room) can be used to order room

service, turn on the Do not Disturb sign, make

housekeeping requests and more.

can make free

Samsung

control the lights, curtains, thermostat, television and

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Ifyou’vestayedataFirmdaleHotel,suchasLondon’srecentlyreopenedDorset Square(firmdale.com),youknowthatthegroup’sdesigndirectorandco-ownerhasanaffinityforpatternsandembroidery.KitKemp—whojustcompletedanewcollectionforChelseaTextilesandabook,A Living Space(Rizzoli)—revealsherinspirationsontheroad.

Biarritz, France“TheshopMimi’s Corner(33-6/19-13-31-31)isownedbyaneccentricOutsiderartistwhovandalizespictures;IboughtfourofQueenElizabethIIfortheCrosbyStreetHotel.StayingatHotel du Palais(hotel-du-palais.com)islikebeingonthebridgeoftheTitanic,withsweepingviewsoftheAtlantic.”

spotl ight

Kit Kemp

From left: London’s Dorset Square; Kemp’s new book.

Udaipur, India“TheroomsattheOberoi Udaivilas(oberoihotels.com)havebeautifuldetails.Therearemanyshopshiddeninthewallsofthecitypalace,includingGanesh Emporium,whichsellsfabricsandsaris.”

Vienna“IlovethewaytheViennesewraptheirrosebushesinmuslinandragsforwinter—likeChristosculptures.GustavKlimtandtheViennaSecessionmovementalsoappealtome,soIalwaysvisittheMuseum of Applied Arts/Contemporary Art(5 Stubenring; mak.at).”—shane mitchell

Here at t+l we’re increasingly concerned about the judgment of certain tour operators.

ever in search of novelty, they’ve lately stumbled

upon some questionable gimmicks. we’ve seen a spike in sight-jogging

tours (“okay, we have four minutes to see the entire

left bank—now go!”) along with the deeply embarrassing trend of guided segway rides. some jokers are even offering motorcycle-

sidecar tours of beijing. terrific! let’s go out in a

tiny, exposed vehicle where we can get a front-row view of exhaust pipes

while chain-smoking drivers ash on us out their windows. sorry, but we’ll

take the sidewalk.—peter jon lindberg

ser iously?

tours gone wild

obsession

mini mealspenny-size pancakes, teensy rice cookers, itty-bitty sushi. Re-ment (re-ment.co.jp)—hyper-perfect plastic miniatures of foods and kitchen gadgets that I discovered in tokyo’s legendary Kiddy land toy store—embodies what I admire most about japanese culture: a laser-like focus on detail, devoted to even the most mundane parts of life, and a near-religious obsession with cuteness. re-ment is a spin on cracker jack: a toy comes in a small box with a token piece of candy, and you never know what you’re going to get (please, let it be the vintage toaster!). some surprises even grown-ups can’t resist. —jennifer flowers

Kit Kemp at New York’s Crosby Street Hotel.


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an island in the philippines has a lush natural beauty that could be gone in a molten minute. gabrielle jaffe explores the precarious wonders.

Combusting in Camiguin getaway

“Oursmallislandhassevenmajorvolcanoes.Oneisstillactive.Ifitblowsup,it’sbye-byeCamiguin.”OurguideBebok’swords,aswestandatopMountHibok-Hibokat1,332meters,donotexactlyfilluswithconfidence.Perhapsremainingstoicinthefaceofthispossibilityisthepriceyoumustpayforvisitingthisparadisiacalisland.

MosttravelersinthePhilippinesheadstraighttoBoracay’smegaresortsintheVisayasregion.It’shardertogetto,butifyouheadalittlefurthersouth,Camiguinoffersunspoiledbeaches(nohawkerspushingsunglasseshere)anda

wildinterior.Thoughsmallenoughtocircumnavigateinaday—theislandisonly23kilometerslongand14.5kilometerswide—ithasenoughnaturalbeautytokeepyouexploringforweeks.Yetit’sabeautythatcoulddisappearatanymoment.Asweclamberupapathofbouldersthatwereonceamoltenlavaflow,BebokrecountsHibok-Hibok’slasteruptionin1951:“Myfatherreachedaboatintimeandgotouttosea.Hewatchedthelavacoverhistown.”Today,thankfully,theisland’svolcanologyobservatorypromisesmorewarningforresidentsandvisitorsalike.

Theviewfromthesummit—notjusttoCamiguin’sownshorebutalsotheislandsbeyond—isexpansiveandmemorable.Whenwereachthebottomthreehourslater,IamgratefulfortheArdentHotSpringsthatlieatthefootofHibok-HibokandprovideanaturalJacuzzi.Nearby,(everythingisnearbyinCamiguin)isKatibawasanFalls,whichappearsliftedstraightoutofaGauguinpainting:waterplummets76metersthroughimpossiblygreenfoliageasoversizedbutterfliesloopby.

Camiguin’slandscapeisequallyrichoffshore.Oneday,werideout10

A beachside view of the volcanic Mount Hibok-Hibok.

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minutesonafisherman’shoppertoWhiteIsland.Littlemorethanasandbar,itisagreatbaseforsnorkeling.Theseabediscrowdedwithperfectlyshapedstarfish,color-camouflagedbottom-dwellersandclownfishhidinginpurpleanemone.Anhourisquicklylostbeneaththewaves.Onourreturn,thetideshavetransformedthesandbank.“Sometimesit’sshapedlikeaU,sometimesanS,sometimesanE,”laughsoneofthefishermen,ashehandsusopenedurchins,pulledfromtheseajustminutesagoandseasonedwithcalamansilime.Elsewhereontheisland,asanctuaryrunbylocalvolunteersprovidesahavenforsixclamspecies,includingtheone-meter-widegiantclamsthathavebeenharvestedalmosttoextinction.

Thoughsmall,Camiguinhasanimportanthistory.TheexplorerMagellanissaidtohavelandedhereintheearly16thcentury.In1901,duringthePhilippine-Americanwar,CamiguinonsledaspearedrebellionagainsttheoccupyingAmericansoldiers,andlatergenerationsfoughttheinvadingJapaneseduringWorldWarII.ThemostvisibletracesofitspastareitsSpanishcolonial-erachurches,themostatmosphericofwhichisfoundatBonbon.Withitsthickstonewallsandcliff-topposition,theruinshavetheimposingimpactofafortress.ButitcouldnotwithstandMotherNature:anearthquakein1871toppledthechurch’sroofandtodayitstandsovergrownwithmoss.Nearby,asunkencemetery,whichslippedintotheseaduringthesameearthquake,ismarkedwithagiantcross,whichmakesforabeautiful,ifeerie,sunsetvistaonourlastnight.

WhenwediscoverthattheferryservicefromCamiguintoBoholissuspended,Iamalmostglad—Icouldeasilyspendanotherweekhere.ButIhaveplanetocatch,soIaskMicheleHess,themanageratActionGeckosResort,toorganizeacharterplane.Shesmilesandsays,“Transportcanbetricky,whichiswhynottoomanytouristsmakeithere.Butwelikeitthatway.”AsIflyoutthatafternoon,lookingforonelasttimeatCamiguin’sdramaticpeaks,Ican’thelpbutagree.

How to get thereOceanjet(oceanjet.net)runsdailytwo-hourferriesbetweenCamiguin’sBenoniporttoJagnainBoholfromP600one-way.Forastunningaerialviewoftheisland,considercharteringaplanewithAviatours(aviatoursflyinc.com)fromP41,400foratwo-seaterfromCamiguintoBohol.CebuPacific(cebupacificair.com)fliesfromManilatoTagbilaraninBoholfromP10,000return(includingtaxesandbaggagefees).

when to goCamiguin lies just outside thePhilippines’styphoonbeltandhasitsownuniquemicroclimatewithsteadytemperaturesthroughouttheyear

(inthehigh20’sCelsiusinthedaytime;inthehighteensatnight).Withnomonsoonseason,rainfallisprettyconstantwithanaverageofaroundonetotwohoursdaily(mostlyinthemountainswhilethebeachesstaydry)butFebruarytoMayisthedriestperiod.

where to stayCamiguin Action Geckos Dive & Adventure Resort Agoho; 63-88/387-9146; camiguin.ph; private bungalows from P1,800.Bahay BakasyunanMambajao; 63-88/387-0131; bahaybakasyunan.com; doubles from P3,300.Enigmata TreehouseMaubog; 63-88/387-0273; camiguinecolodge.org; doubles from P800.

Natural wonderson Camiguin.

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Thelatestgo-toproductforjet-setters:beautybalm.AnAsianskin-caresecretforyears,thecombinationanti-agingconcealer,moisturizerandsunscreenadaptstoalmostanyskintype.Andit’sfinallygoingglobal,

thankstoSouthKorea’sDr. Jart,whosePremiumvariety(sephora.com)issaidtopromotecollagenproduction.DiorgotintothegamewithHydra

LifeBBCrème (dior.com),whichblendsamattifyingpowderwithhydratingplantextracts.Lab Seriesevencreatedoneformen (labseries.com).They

don’tcallittheSwissArmyknifeofskincarefornothing.Clinique’soil-absorbingAgeDefenseformula(clinique.com)useslight-reflecting

pigmentsforahealthyglow.—christine ajudua

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Chinatown, Canadian Style

with galleries and boutiques leading the way, a historic downtown Vancouver neighborhood is coming into its own. Here, where to see and be

seen. by Karen burshtein

1 Rennie Collectionat Wing Sang culture mavens seek out works by risk- taking artists such as mona Hatoum and richard jackson at this opium factory turned gallery. 51 E. Pender St.; renniecollection.org.

2 Peking Lounge the museum-like showroom peddles a carefully curated mix of contemporary furniture and chinese antiques (vintage armoires and chairs; tang dynasty clay figurines). 83 E. Pender St.; pekinglounge.com.

3 Keefer Bar In-the-know tipplers are buzzing about mixologist Danielle tatarin’s apothecary cocktails, inspired by traditional chinese medicine. try the Dragonfly, made with gin, pearl sake, lemon, ginger syrup and a magnolia-bark tincture. 135 Keefer St.; thekeeferbar.com.

4 Bao Bei Chinese Brasserieat the always-packed restaurant—whose walls are adorned with kitchen knives and silver-plated trays—diners sit at wood tables to share truffled pork dumplings and stir-fried sticky-rice cakes. 163 Keefer St.; bao-bei.ca.

5 Charlie & Leethe owners of this cozy boutique scour the globe for up-and-coming indie labels. favorites include shanghai-print tunic dresses from australia’s style stalker and natural-dye ankle boots by copenhagen’s Dico. 223 Union St.; charlieandlee.com.

Clockwise from the top: A recent Martin Creed exhibit at Vancouver’s Rennie Collection at Wing Sang; Peking Lounge’s Tang dynasty figurines; family-style dining at Bao Bei Chinese Brasserie; a welcome sign at Charlie & Lee boutique.


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nicky sullivan ventures into the rainforest of cambodia to explorea wildlife habitat that’s home to a new species of gibbon.

Singing with Gibbonsconservat ion

TherichforestsofRatanakiriprovinceinnorthwestCambodiaarehometoarecentlydiscoveredspeciesofgibbon.Thisremotehabitat,calledtheVeunSai-SiemPangConservationArea,isasafehaveninwhichthepopulationhopefullywillthrive.Anewlydevelopedconservationinitiativeaimstoprotecttheforestandthisspeciesthroughfundinggeneratedbyecotourism.

Thereareonly15gibbonspeciesintheworld,sothediscoveryofanewonethreeyearsagowasbignews.Thenorthernyellow-cheekedgibbonisfoundacrossnortheastCambodia,LaosandVietnam,butthesmallpopulationfacesgrowingthreats:poaching,illegal

loggingandagriculturaldevelopmentcoulddestroytheenvironmentthatsustainsthem.HabitatdestructionhasalreadydecimatedgibbonpopulationsinVietnam,andconservationistshopethattheinfluxofrevenuefromtouristswillhelpthesmallpopulationof500familygroupsinnortheastCambodiaavoidasimilarfate.

Isetoutonajourneythroughthejungleinhopesofspottingtheamberapeswithmyowneyes.Onlymatedgibbonpairssingandaswestoodinthegraypre-dawnontheedgeofthickwoods,weheardthefirsteerienotes,likethemournfulsongofalostandlonelywhale.Afterashortwhile,thefemale

chimedinwitharisingcall,andsoonthepairlaunchedintoadeliriouswhooping,whirlingduetthatcouldbehearduptothreekilometersaway.Thesong,whichmarksthefamilygroupterritory,lastsforupto10minutes—abriefwindowoftimefortheguidestofindthesingers.Sotheyleaptintotheforestand,withouthesitation,weplungedinafterthem.

Weracedon,barelyabletoseethepersonaheadthroughthedimlightanddensefoliage,untilourguidesbroughtustoastop.Theyhadfoundthefamilycasuallygoingabouttheirmorningrituals.Wewatchedinbreathlessfascinationastheymovedacrossthecanopy,30metersupinthetreetops,ina

An adult male gibbon moves effortlessly in the treetops.

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languidflowthatwasembarrassinglyatoddswithourownstumbling,puffingprogressbelow.Inthejungle,itdefinitelymakesmoresensetobeagibbon.

Thefamilywasentirelyunperturbedbyourpresence—iftheytooknoteofourclumsymaneuversatall,Iimagineditwouldhavebeentolaugh.Buttheyhavebecomeusedtohumans,mostoftenintheformofresearcherswithpotsrunningaroundtryingtocatchtheirfallingdroppings,whichmustseemanoddpastimetothegibbons.Thescientistsarestudyingthegibbons’roleinseeddispersal,anessentialpartoftheforest’sregenerationandsurvival.

WewereontheinauguraltourhereinapartnershipprogramofConservationInternational,twoCambodia-basedtourcompaniesandtheKavet,thelocalhilltribe,whosharetheterritorywiththegibbons.TheKavetliveinharmonywiththeapes,whichtheybelievetobeancestralhumans,forcedintothetreesafteranancientflood.Othercommunitiesinthisarea,whereinternationalbordersmeanlittle,haveotherideashowever,andthegibbonsarehuntedforthepettrade,meatandtheirsupposedlymedicinalbodyparts.Endingthepoachingofgibbonshasbeenanon-goingstruggle.

Inthelastthreeyears,newspeciesofskinkandbathavealsobeendiscoveredinthis“biologicalhotspot,”andprotectionofthesite’sbiodiversityistheprimaryfocusoftheproject.

“Theideaoftheecotourismprojectistomakealinkbetweenconservation,usinggibbonsasthecentralfocus,andlivelihoodsecurityforthelocalcommunity,”saysBenRawson,theregionalprimateexpertforConservationInternationalThegoalistoconvincelocalcommunitiesthatpreservingtheenvironmentismorelucrativethandestroyingit.Itisamethodthathas

workedatsomeothersitesacrossCambodia,forexampleatTmatboey,inPreahVihearProvince,whereconservationistswereabletoprotectthewildgiantibispopulation.

Onthetour,wespenttwoheart-poundinghourstrackingthegibbons,whiletheairhummedwiththemusicofbugsandbirds.Ourguides,whoseemedtobeabletoseethroughtrees,pointedoutdaintytreefrogs;electricbluelizards;owls;squirrels;anddozensofothermysteriouscreaturesthatpopulatetheenigmaticjungle.Thecampissetinthemiddleofthiswildernessandisfittinglyrudimentary.Itwouldn’tbeanadventureotherwise.Andthefocusis,ofcourse,notonourcreaturecomforts,butonthecomfortofthecreatures.gibbonspottingcambodia.com; US$400 per person for two people; US$300 per person for three to six people.✚

Climbing through the foliage. A common scops owl out on the prowl.

At home in Ratanakiri.

your travel dilemmas solved ➔ s m a r t t r av e l e r 76 … t e c h 78 … a d v e n t u r e 80 … d e a l s 86

Trip Doctor

Illustrated by Wasinee Chantakorn tr avel andleisureasia .com october 2012 69

How low can you go?

As low-cost carriers leave their mark around Southeast Asia, ticket prices keep dropping.

naomi lindt pores through the fine print so you can get even more out of your inexpensive flights.


Strategies

a irtravelersinEuropeandtheUnitedStatesjustcan’tseemtogetabreakthesedays.They’reforcedtoreachdeeperintotheirpocketsto

coversteeperfeesandtaxeswhilewatchingservicesandamenitiesdisappear.Anditlookslikethingscouldgetworsebeforetheyimprove,withgrimforecastsfor2012profitsandoilpricesrising.ButhereinAsia,notonlydowehavesomeoftheworld’sbestairportsandairlines,butwe’realsointhemidstofalow-costcarrier(LCC)boomthat’schangingthefaceofregionalairtravel.

RecentmonthshaveseenindustryleadersbulkingupwithnewbrandslikeAirAsiaPhilippines,AirAsiaJapanandJetstarJapan,whilemajorcarriers,onthehuntforabiggerchunkoftheaction,arelaunchingbudget-friendlysubsidiarieslikeSingaporeAirlines’sScootandThaiAirways’sThaiSmile.There’sevenmovementinplaceslikeVietnam,wherethelong-dominant,state-runnationalcarrierisnowcompetingwithlow-costVietJetAir.

TheAsia-PacificairlinemarketisthefastestexpandingintheworldaccordingtoPhoCusWright,anauthorityontravelindustryresearch.AndLCCsareplayingastarringrole.ThereportfoundthatthefourlargestLCCsintheregion—Jetstar,AirAsia,Indonesia’sLionAirandJapan’sSkymarkAirlines—havemaintainedconsistentlyhigherprofitabilitythanthe10largestnetworkcarriersoverthepastthreeyears.What’smore,LCCswilltriplethegrowthoftraditionalcarriersin2012.

DespiteconcernsabouttherippleeffectofaneconomicslowdowninIndiaandChina,theaviationmarketcontinuestogrowata“torridpace,”saystheseniordirectorofresearchatPhoCusWright,DouglasQuinby,whonotesthatordersforplanesfromthosetwocountriesarebeingplacedinrecordnumbers.Acrossthewholeregion,passengerrevenuesgrewby19percentin2011andareprojectedtoincreaseanother10percentin2012.

That’spartlythankstothenewspendingpoweroftheemergingconsumerclasses.“TheAsia-PacificregionisfertilegroundforLCCsbecause,withgrowingmiddle-classpopulations,thereisacontinued,enormousinfluxofnewtravelersintotheregionalmarket,withaninsatiabledemandforlowfares,”Quinbyexplains.“Thefirstplacesthesetravelersaregoingtoarelocal,affordabledestinationsthatcatertotheirtravelinterestsandbudgets.”

Thenumbersspeakforthemselves:InIndonesia,forinstance,travelerstakingtotheskyaresupposedtodoubleinthenextfiveyears.Threeoftheworld’sfivefastest-growingairports(bypassengertraffic)areinSoutheastAsia—Jakarta,BangkokandSingapore—whileBeijingisthreateningtoknockAtlanta’sHartsfieldoutofthetopspotforpassengervolumeinthenextfewyears.

TheCentreforAviation(CAPA)estimatesthatAsia-Pacific’s50-someLCCsaccountforaboutone-fifthofglobalseats.That’supfromroughly12percentfiveyearsago.Expertspredictthisfiguretoclimbto30percent—oravalueofUS$23billion—by2014.InSoutheastAsia,abouthalfoftheregion’strafficisnowdrivenbybudgetcarriers.

Sincelaunchingin2001,AirAsiahascometodefinetheAsianLCC.Thecompanyhasballoonedtoincludefive

scoot Website: flyscoot.comHub: singaporeDestinations: bangkok; sydney; the gold coast; tianjin; taipei; tokyoSample one-way fare: singapore to taipei; s$188 Cool perk: rentable ipads preloaded with a selection of films, television, music and games

peacH Website: flypeach.comHub: osakaDestinations: sapporo; fukuoka; nagasaki; Kagoshima; okinawa; seoul; Hong Kong; taipeiSample one-way fare: osaka to Hong Kong; ¥10,380Cool perk: free 10 kilograms of carry-on baggage—that’s three more than the usual seven

tHai smile Website: thaismileair.comHub: bangkokDestinations: chiang mai; Krabi; macau; phuket; surat thaniSample one-way fare: bangkok to macau; bt3,275Cool perk: members of thai airways’s frequent-flier program, royal orchid plus, earn 100 percent mileage on smile flights

asia’s newest lccs

Here in Asia,not only are we blessed with some of the world’sbest airports and airlines, but we’re also in the midst of a low-cost carrier boom

regionalsubsidiaries—Malaysia,Indonesia,Thailand,thePhilippinesandJapan—inadditiontolong-haulinternationalcarrier,AirAsiaX.Ithasflownmorethan150millionpassengersto85destinationsincludingSriLanka,AustraliaandBurma.Amongthe40-plusrouteslaunchedoverthepasttwoyearsareKualaLumpurtoLombok,Sydney,andSeoul;PenangtoHongKong;PhukettoBali;BangkoktoDelhi;andChiangMaitoMacau.ServiceswillalsobeexpandedtoChina,Korea,Taiwan,JapanandAustralia.

Indonesia’sGarudaAirlineslaunchedlow-costsubsidiaryCitilinkin2001;thisyear,thecarrierbecameaseparatebusinessentity,underwentamajorrebrandingandwillseeitsnetworkexpandtoMalaysia,thePhilippines,Thailand,SingaporeandAustralia.Citilinkhassetitssightsonbecomingamajorregionalbudgetcarrierandhopes

tocarry8.3millionpassengersby2013(upfrom2millionlastyear),withthegoalofcontributing30percentofGaruda’srevenueby2015.

ThePhilippines’sCebuPacifichasalsobolstereditscoverage,introducingManilatoSiemReap,HanoiandXiamen,alongwithHongKongtoKalibo(Boracay).TheairlineintendstoaddfourAirbusA330stoitsfleetinthenexttwoyears,whichCebusayswillallowittodrivelong-haulfares35percentlowerthanthosecurrentlyofferedbyothercarriersonthesameroutes,andasmuchas80percentlessduringfaresales.Thecarrierisalsoexploringoptionstoprovidenon-stopservicetodestinationslikeEuropeandtheUnitedStatestotargetFilipinopopulationsoverseas.

Jetstar,thelargestLCCinAsiaPacificbyrevenue,nowmakesmorethan3,000flightsaweektosome60destinationsand16countriesacrosstheregion,

• Tokeepupwiththelatestfaresales,makesureto“like”airlines’FacebookpagesandfollowthemonTwitter.

• LCCsaregettingintheloyaltygamewithprogramslikeTigerAirways’sStripes,whichgivesmembersfirstshotatdeals,andAirAsia’sBig,whichoffersfreeflightsforpoints,whileJetstartravelersearnQantasfrequent-flierpoints.➔


Which airport does it fly into? In Kuala lumpur, buses to the low cost carrier terminal take twice as long as the train to the International terminal. In the thai capital, the fast train to suvarnabhumi takes the stress out of sitting in bangkok traffic. but lccs—including airasia as of this month—usually fly into the city's farther-afield old airport, Don muang.

What are the costs for food and baggage? If you’re flying long haul or spending several days away from home, you likely will need to check bags and eat something along the way—both of which you’ll pay extra for on an lcc.

How are the connections? lccs generally sell point-to-point tickets only, meaning you’ll have to go through immigration (if flying internationally), pick up your bags and check in again if you’re connecting to another flight. If you miss your connection, it’s your own fault and you might have to buy a brand-new ticket.

Are you physically fit? If you’re pregnant, nursing a broken limb or in a wheelchair, think twice about a budget carrier. they often depart from the most remote gates and require passengers to take buses, climb stairs and walk considerable distances to board the aircraft.

• to see which budget carriers serve your airport or destination, start by checking sites like flybudget.com and whichbudget.com that’ll tell you who flies where.

• founded by two melbournians, adioso.com unearths the cheapest fares between two places on any given date, while also providing a monthly overview of prices. unconventional search options like “bangkok to International” or “Hong Kong to phuket early December” set this site apart from others.

• europe’s bravofly.com hunts for the lowest fares around the world on more than 400 airlines, including 100 budget carriers. the site’s easy-to-read results chart highlights the best deals within a seven-day range and can be filtered by number of stops and price.

• singapore- and edinburgh-based skyscanner.net compares fares on more than a 1,000 carriers. travelers can browse prices across an entire month or over the next year (choose between a handy chart or calendar view) to get the best possible ticket.

• Momondo.com scours more than 500 travel sites, including major booking engines, national carriers and lccs to track down the top deals. the colorful site goes one step further with city guides and user-written blogs packed with travel advice.

• for an easy, one-step search for the best flights over the next 15 days on airasia, jetstar, tiger airways and cebu pacific, check these no-nonsense sites: airasiaplus.com tigerairwaysplus.com cebupacificairplus.com jetstarsearch.com

cHeaper is not always Better—maKe sure to consider tHese variaBles Before you BooK a ticKet witH a Budget carrier.

fare factors

includingAustralia,NewZealand,Singapore,Vietnamand,mostrecently,Japan.TheairlinehasbeenactivelyexpandinginSoutheastAsiaandisincreasingroutestoIndonesia,Burma,ThailandandChina.Long-hauloptionsconnectcitieslikeSingaporeandMelbourne;BeijingandAuckland.BeatingAirAsiaJapanbyamonth,JetstarJapanlaunchedinJulyandaHongKongbrandisslatedtobeginoperationsstartingin2013.

JoiningthebudgetairlineboominJapanisathirdcompetitor,PeachAviation,whichlaunchedflightsfromKansaiearlierthisyear.AndallthreeLCCsarebackedbynationalcarriers—AirAsiaandPeachbyAllNipponAirlines;JetstarbyJapanAirlines.

“Full-servicecarriershavelaunchedtheirownLCCsinordertocapturethegrowthinthebudgetendofthemarket,”saysBrendanSobie,achiefanalystat

CAPA.“AsLCCsexpandintomoremarkets,theystimulatedemandbyloweringfares.Consumersandtheoveralleconomystandtobenefit.”

WiththelaunchofThaiSmileinJuly,ThaiAirwaysiselbowingitswayintotheLCCmarkettoregainsomeofthebusinessitlosttoThaiAirAsiaanddomesticbudgetairline,NokAir.ThaiSmile,alight-premiumcarrier,offersfaresroughly10to15percentlowerthanitsparentcompany’stoplaceslikePhuketandMacau.AndSingaporeAirlines’sScoot,whichbeganflightstoSydneyinJune,willaddBangkokandTianjintoitsrosterincomingmonths.

Alltold,it’saprettypicturefortravelersintheSoutheastAsia,whetherthey’relookingtoexploretheirowncountryorheadbeyondbordersandcheckouttheregionalatlarge.SaysSobie:“Overall,theoutlookforAsia’saviationsectorisrosy.✚

lcc search engines

Strategies


tHe destinationTheidealoptionforvalueandalmostguaranteedsightingsisUganda,whereyou’llfindthemist-cappedBwindi Impenetrable National Park,whileVolcanoes National Park,inRwanda,istraditionallyknownasthebestplacetotrack.

tHe climateInbothcountries,rainsareheaviestfromMarchtoMay,withalighterrainyseasonfromOctobertomid-December.RwandaisatahigheraltitudethanUganda,makingtemperaturesslightlycooler.

pacKing essentialsHikingbootswithanklesupport;adrypackforcameragear;waterproofpantsandjacket;gaiters;gloves;binoculars.

safety tipBothcountrieswerefreeofU.S.StateDepartmenttravelwarningsatthiswriting,thoughcautionisrecommendedneartheCongoleseborderbecauseofcivilunrest.Visittravel.state.gov forthelatestinformation.

outfittersPassage to Africa (passagetoafrica.com; four nights from US$3,695 per person, all-inclusive)leadscustomizedtripswiththebestguidestoBwindiandVolcanoesparks;Explore

Trip Challenge


a gorilla safari? what to Know Before you go

fast facts

Michael Lorentz, owner of the custom-safari operator passageto africa and cofounder of safarious.com, a social-media platform for wilderness enthusiasts, shares what he’s learned from his 30 gorilla treks.

1tHe Best approacH the point of your trip is to view

gorillas, but bwindi is rich with other flora and fauna. between tracking days, look for white-bearded l’Hoest’s monkeys, hike to waterfalls or visit a local village.

2 BooK parK permits first only 64 permits are

granted per day in bwindi. plus, it can take a day to travel from the lodges to one of the three entry points. make sure your outfitter books the lodge closest to the entry point noted on your permit.

3Hire your own porter though they are typically not

included in your permit or guide price, hire one at the park gate. for just us$20 a day, he can assist you with your backpack and your water, or help give you that extra push up a hill. (a us$15 tip at the end is customary.)

4one to watcH: democratic repuBlic

of tHe congo the 12-bungalow mikeno lodge just opened in Virunga national park in the D.r.c. while political instability currently impedes travel to the country, Virunga has the highest biodiversity of any park in the world.

5 put tHe camera down take all the photos you want,

but remember you’ll only have about an hour with these amazing creatures, and this will probably be your one chance to see them in the wild. m

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there are fewer than 800 mountain gorillas left on the planet. Here’s how to explore their last remaining habitats:

so How do i plan…

GETTING THEREoutfitters take you from rwanda’s Kigali airport to Volcanoes park; reach bwindi by chartered plane from uganda’s entebbe airport.

VISASrequired for uganda (available upon arrival).

VACCINES/MEDICINE yellow fever required; hepatitis a, typhoid, meningitis, rabies and antimalarials recommended.

WHEN TO GOfebjan marmayapr junaugjul sepnovoct Dec

Inc.(exploreafrica.net; three nights from US$3,290 per person, all-inclusive)offersitinerariesthroughBwindiwithseasonedlocaltrackers.✚

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Smart Traveler


By Jennifer Chen

Eco-friendly.Low-impact.Sustainable.SincethereleasesixyearsagoofAn Inconvenient Truth,thedocumentaryonformerU.S.Vice-PresidentAlGore’squesttoraiseawarenessofglobalwarming,environmentalcatchphrasesareregularlybandiedaboutbyhotelchainsandtouroperatorseagertoprovetheirdo-goodcredentials.

Perhapstotheirdetriment.Sure,thereareplentyofgreeninitiativesfromthetravelindustrythatdeservepraise—thedecisionbyhotelchainsShangri-La,PeninsulaandFairmonttotakesharkfinofftheirmenus,forinstance.Likesustainableseafoodmenus,communityprogramsandbuildingschools,too,areeffortsthatshouldbeapplauded.

Butit’shardtofendoffcynicismwhenan“environmentallyplanned”resortislanddevelopmentincludesanairport,casinoandgolfcourse.Orwhena

hotelpointstoatinygardenandthose“reuseyourtowel”cardsasproofoftheireco-conscience.

Sohowdowedoourpartastravelerstosupporttherightcompanies?Forstarters,weshouldn’tignorethefactthattravelhasanimpactontheenvironment.Airtravelisaculprit,butitdoesn’tstopthere.Everyhotelguestgeneratesanaverageofonekilogramoftrashperday.Hotelsalsouseimmenseamountsofwater—thinkofallthelaundryandcleaningthatgoesonataproperty,thentackonthenumberoftoiletsbeingflushed,bathsbeingdrawnandinfinityswimmingpoolsthatneedtobefilledandthat’salotofH2Odownthedrain.Estimatesrangefrom750to900litersofwaterperguestpernight.Inareportlastyear,U.K.-basednonprofitTourismConcerncitestourismasthemaincauseofanimpendingwatercrisisinBali.And

thentherearethehard-to-measureeffects,suchasthewaythecultureofacommunitycanbechangedwhenitbecomesatourismhotspot.

Soinsteadofshruggingoffgreenefforts,herearesomekeywaystoevaluatewhetherahotelortouroperatorismakingadifference:

Look beyond the hype.Wouldyousimplybelieveahotelthatclaimedtohavethecheapestratesorthemostluxuriousrooms?Thesameholdstrueforethical,environmentallysensitivetravel.“IgetsuspiciousifIseethewords‘eco-friendly’inthehotelortheactivity’sname,”saysJohnRoberts,founderoftheGoldenTriangleAsianElephantFoundation,whichhasprogramsinnorthernThailand.“Generallythosethatunderstandthetermsdon’tfeeltheneedtousethem.”

It ain’t easy being greenmore hotels tout their eco-friendly programs, while tour operators claim to follow “sustainable” practices. but should you take their word for it? jennifer chen examines greenwashing in travel.

Illustration by Wasinee Chantakorn

Are they comfortable with questions? If a little digging doesn’t turnupanswers,youshouldbeabletoposequeriesdirectlytoatourproviderorhotel.Herearesomequestionstoaskatour operator, along with the eco-friendlyanswerstolookfor:Q: Doyouemploylocalguidesandpurchaselocallysourcedsuppliesforyour trips? A: Yes.Q:Howbigareyourgroups?A: Small.Q:Doyouhavearevenue-sharingschemewiththelocalcommunity?A: Yes. Be aware that communities don’tbenefitmuchfromall-inclusivepackages.Q:Whatkindofaccommodationsareontheitinerary?A: Family-runorcertifiedby a green hotel program.For hotels:Q: Doyouhaveawastewatersystemandotherenergy-efficientplans?A: Yes,andwe use water-saving shower heads andtoilets,energy-efficientlightbulbsand

asystemthatautomaticallyshutsoffelectricitywhenaroomisn’toccupied.Q: Doyourecycle?A: Yes.Attheleast,ahotelshouldsortitstrashandhavein-roomrecyclingbins.Q:Howdoyoudisposeofgarbage?A:Minimizingpollutionandlandfill-creationarekey.TrashisamajorprobleminplaceslikeBali,wherelandfillsareoverflowing.Somehotels,liketheAlilagroup,workwithlocalNGOBaliFokustocompostandproperlydisposeoftheirwaste.Anypropertypoweredallorinpartbybiomassisdoingreallywell.Q:Doyouemploylocalsandrunoutreachprogramsforthecommunity?A:Yes.Providingjobsisthemostdirectwayofensuringthatneighboringcommunitiesbenefitfromtourism.Q:Doyouservelocallysourcedfood?A: Yes.Bysourcingingredientsfromnearbyfarms,notonlydoweensurefresherfood,butwealsoplowmoney

backintotheeconomy.Organiccanbeabonus,butitdoesn’tmakesensetobeimportingorganicstrawberriesfromCaliforniatoaresortontheothersideoftheworldinThailand.Are they certified?CertificationbyagloballyrecognizedprogramsuchasGreenGlobeorEarthCheckisarduous,time-consumingandexpensive.Auditorsdemandreamsofhardempiricaldata,and,tomaintaintheircertification,businessesarerecheckedeveryyear.Soit’ssafetoassumethatanyhotelortouroperatorwillingtoundergotherigorsofcertificationisearnestaboutbeinggreen.Travelocity,whichworksdirectlywithcertificationprograms,currentlyhasthelargestdirectoryofgreenhotels.Youcanrestassuredthoselistedaren’tgreenwashing:onlyhotelsthathaveundergonetoughsecond-orthird-partycertificationmakethecut.✚

Tech


By Tom Samiljan

Ifyou’veeverreachedintoyourcarry-ononlytofindanemptyspacewhereyourphone,computerorcamerausedtobe,youknowhowthoroughlyalostorstolengadgetcanruinyourtrip.Fortunately,thereareservicestohelptrackdownyourmissinggearandprotectyouagainstidentitytheft.GadgetTrak Mobile Security(gadgettrak.com) bringsthefeaturesbuiltintoWindowsPhoneandiOStoAndroidandBlackBerryusers:itwilllocateyourphoneusingGPSandWi-Fiandcanalsolockthedeviceorwipeyourdata—evenifsomeoneinsertsanotherSIMcard.CameraTrace(cameratrace.com)tracksaregisteredcamerausingmetadataembeddedindigitalphotos,soitcanfindanypicturestakenwithyourcamerathathavebeenuploadedtooneofmanypopularimage-sharingsites.

Knowingthelocationofyourdeviceisusefulifyou’vesimplymisplacedit,butinthecaseoftheft,itwon’tdoyoumuchgoodwithoutthehelpofthelaw.Unfortunately,limitedresourcesmeanfewpolicedepartmentswillbotherpursuingstolentechgear.ButwhenalaptopenabledwithLoJack for Laptops(lojack forlaptops.com)isreportedstolen,theprogram’sforensictoolsautomaticallycontactLoJackforLaptops’scentralcommandevery15minutes,makingiteasytocollectevidencethatpolicecanusefor,say,asearchwarrant.LoJackforLaptopsalsoemploysateamofrecoveryspecialists.“Wehaveabout60ex-policeofficersworkingforus,”saysMarkGraceofAbsoluteSoftware,thecompanybehindthisproduct,“andtheyknowhowtoworkwithlawenforcementauthoritiesacrosstheglobetogetthesecasessolved.”✚

finding lost gadgets

t+l tech picks

never again fear a dead battery: the pocket-size Verbatim Dual USB Power Pack (verbatim.com) is powerful enough to charge your phone and tablet simultaneously.

rest easy knowing your home is safe with Dropcam HD (dropcam.com), a personal HD surveillance camera. monitor online or via smart-phone app.

tired of all those cords? the sleek Duracell Powermat (iPhone 4/4S; duracell powermat.us) wirelessly charges your device using a custom phone case. c

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Illustrated by Wasinee Chantakorn

start here

t+l’s top 40 adventure outfittersChoosing that next great trip into the outdoors means knowing what kind of adventure you’re after—and finding the right outfitter to match. We’ve created a directory of standout specialists for seven types of getaways, ranging from safaris to biking tours. But first, what traveler type are you? Answer the questions below and follow your path to a T+L exclusive trip.

discover your adventure personality.

...braving the wind and cold.

...dog-sledding

lessons with an Alaskan

musher.

...emperor penguins.

...army-crawling through the bush with

biologists to track and tag

them.

...while......in the company of lions...

...paddling through Class Five rapids.

Yes, but I’m looking to keep my heart rate low (doctor’s

orders).

Can we break for Camembert and Bordeaux along the way? Count

me in.

Sounds great—

especially if there are

yurts.

How about

cycling?

How do you feel about traditional

homestays?

the culture Buffpage 82

the weekend Zoologistpage 83

the glam-trotterpage 81

the thrill seekerpage 84

...that you

get...

So you’re up for an

adventure?

...sipping a freshly made

G&T from the guarded

veranda of my luxury tent.

...landing my 360 in half a

meter of fresh powder.

Errr...even lower

than that.

C’mon, this is a vacation!

I’ll need turndown

service...and a spa.

Definitely! It’s all about the

adrenaline rush...

by bree sposato, with additional reporting by nikki ekstein and nina fedrizzi

Adventure

Which can only be improved

by...


Trekking, Walkingand Biking

Alpine Ascents Adrenaline-inducingmountaineeringtripsthattackletheworld’stallestpeaks,includinglessextremeitinerariessuchasaseven-dayhikeupTanzania’sMountKilimanjaro.1-206/378-1927; alpineascents.com.

t+l trip pick Volcanoes of Iceland beginner and intermediate climbers conquer Hvannadalshnúkur, the country’s highest summit. July–Sept. departures; nine days from $5,000.

Austin-Lehman AdventuresOutstandingguidesleadmultisportexcursionsthroughtheAmericanWest,CentralandSouthAmerica,andbeyond.austinlehman.com.

t+l trip pick California Wine Country go sea kayaking in tomales bay to spot seals, cycle through napa Valley and hike the redwood forests. June–Oct. departures; six days from $2,898.

Butterfield & Robinson SpecializesineasyguidedbikingtoursinculturallyrichregionsfromEuropetoAsia.New,moreaffordablypricedBistrotripsinEuropeadoptacan’t-missformula:alaid-backpace,staysatfamily-runinnsandgoodfood.1-416/864-1354; butterfield.com.

t+l trip pick Tuscany Bistro Biking pedal through the tuscan hills, stopping to sample pecorino and taste wine in chianti, cortona and pienza. June–Oct. departures; six days from $3,995.

Country Walkers Moderateandchallengingwalks

Ryder-Walker Alpine Adventures SerioustreksthroughWesternEurope(theMontBlanc region;theItalianDolomites),theHimalayasandsoutheasternUtah.Accommodationsvarybyregion,fromluxurytentstointimatechalets.1-802/244-1387; ryderwalker.com.

t+l trip pick Italian Dolomites Trek Hike through quaint villages, magestic peaks and flowering alpine meadows on this trip through Italy’s famed mountain range. June 30, 2013 departure; seven days from $3,580.

VBT Bicycling & Walking VacationsThis40-year-oldVermont-basedoperatorleadsrelaxedbiketoursinNorthAmericaandEuropewithanemphasisonfoodandhistory.vbt.com.

t+l trip pick Maryland: Cycling the Chesapeake Bay

(andafewsmall-shipcruises)in80destinationsaroundtheworldwitharosterofinsiderguides,suchasMorocconativeSaidaEzzahoui,anexpertonnativefloraandfauna.1-802/244-1387; countrywalkers.com.

t+l trip pick Turkey: Turquoise Coast sail from antalya’s old town to Istanbul, with visits to little-known roman ruins and secluded coves. Year-round departures; eight days from $4,298.

Gray & Co. FounderCariGrayoffersbehind-the-scenesexperiences—suchasbarreltastingsinBurgundy’sBichotcaves—onherfinelytunedwalkingandbikingitinerariesinEurope,SouthAmericaandmore.1-416/998-4082; grayandco.ca.

t+l trip pickFor a T+L reader exclusive hiking trip in Italy, see “The Glam-Trotter,” above.

ride over gently sloping hills, feast on crab and stay at historic inns. Aug.–Oct. departures; six days from $1,795.

Local Culture

Adventures by Disney Family-focused,immersivetripsrangefromspottingscarlet-throatedfrigatebirdsintheGalápagostolessonsinkitemakinginChina.Newtripsfor2013gotoCambodia,LaosandVietnam.1-754/520-5100; adventuresbydisney.com.t+l trip pick Jewels of Southeast Asia explore cambodia’s angkor wat, visit a working rice farm and take a cruise down the mekong river. Year-round departures; 12 days from $4,849.

tr avel andleisureasia .com october 2012 81Prices throughout the Adventure Outfitters guide are listed in US$

➔

traveler type

the glam-trotterAnavidtravelerwho’snotafraidtogethisorherhandsdirty(solongasthere’sasinkandtop-qualitysoapnearby).TheonlythingbetterthanseeingMachuPicchulastmonth?Thebazillion-thread-countlinensattheSanctuaryLodge.

Role Model meryl streep in Out of Africa (before she sold her good china).

Gear the Handpresso portable espresso maker, since there’s no trek that can’t be improved by a great Italian dark roast (handpresso.com).

Accessory moncler roxane jacket (moncler.com).

T+L Exclusive Trip Hiking the amalfi coast with gray & co. trek in style on this Italian jaunt along ancient roman coastal paths, which includes a private tour of the blue grotto, a cave on capri, hilltop stargazing (with a cold glass of limoncello) and overnights at le sirenuse, in positano. Year-round departures through 2012; seven days from $7,000.

Backroads Activetravel(cycling;walking;seakayaking;rockclimbing)pairedwithunexpectedculturalexperiences(storytellinginIreland;agameofboulesinProvence;visitingmaskmakersinBali).Multiplerouteoptionsappealtoallskilllevels.1-510/527-1555; backroads.com.

t+l trip pick Holland and Belgium: From the Dutch Countryside to Beautiful Bruges pedal past flower fields, canals and pitched-roof farmhouses, with stops to learn how to make gouda cheese and to visit the unesco world Heritage site of Kinderdijk (known for its 19 preserved windmills). July–Aug. departures; six days from $4,198.

Boundless Journeys CulturallyimmersiveitinerariesinAfrica,AsiaandEurope,amongotherplaces,areinfusedwith

theexpertiseoflocalstaffsuchasSangayWangchuk,whohaswrittenamemoiraboutgrowingupinruralBhutan.1-802/253-1840; boundlessjourneys.com.

t+l trip pick Bhutan: Across the Kingdom explore temples, hike to tiger’s nest monastery and learn about shamanism on visits to traditional villages. Sept.–Nov. departures; 18 days from $6,795.

Brown & Hudson Thisoutfitter,foundedbyPhilippeBrown,a16-yearluxurytravelcompanyveteran,createsbespokeprivatetripsthatexploretheworld—fromCostaRicatoCambodia—throughthelensesoffood,wellnessandwine,tonameafew.44-20/3358-0110; brownandhudson.com.

t+l trip pick Burma study enlightenment with an abbot at a monastery, charter a plane into the heart

of the rainforest, snorkel in the mergui archipelago and recharge at a traditional teak house. Year-round departures; seven days from $20,000.

Classic Journeys Unbeatableaccesstoexperiencesaroundtheglobe—learningfirsthandaboutafamily-runorganiccoffeeplantationintheGalápagos;dininginaprivatehomeinDelhi—arewovenintoeverywalking-basedexcursion,fromIrelandtoBhutan.1-858/ 454-5004; classicjourneys.com.

t+l trip pick For a T+L reader-exclusive trip in Turkey, see “The Culture Buff,” below.

G Adventures Smallgroups,theuseoflocaltransportationandguides,andone-on-oneconnectionsarethecornerstonesofthecompanyformerlyknownas

GapAdventures.Hundredsoftripsareonofferworldwide,butthisyearmarksthecompany’sfirstforayintoNorthAmerica.1-416/260-0999; gadventures.com.

t+l trip pick Guatemala Local Living learn how to make tortillas and weave colorful textiles during a homestay in a village on lake atitlán, in the central highlands. Nov.–Dec. departures; eight days from $499.

Geographic Expeditions Thistrailblazerexplorestheremotecornersofeverycontinentusingguideswithextensiveon-the-groundnetworks,suchasSanFrancisco–basedVassiKoutsaftis,whohasbeenleadingtripsintoBurma,TibetandNepalfor25years.Newlyadded:asmallselectionoffamilytrips.1-415/922-0448; geoex.com.

t+l trip pick Shikoku and the Naoshima Islands of Japan take a soba-making class, trace the old shingon buddhist pilgrimage route and sleep at a traditional ryokan. May–Oct. departures; seven days from $5,665.

Kensington Tours Avastrangeofpersonalizeditineraries,includingworkingonarchaeologicaldigsinIsraelandtrekkingthroughthejungletoseegorillasinRwanda.kensingtontours.com.

t+l trip pickBali Orangutans and Dragons explore bali, fly to Indonesian borneo to observe orangutans and sail to rinca and Komodo islands to get up close to Komodo dragons. Apr.–Nov. departures; 10 days from $3,950.

Red Savannah Alltripsaretailor-madeatthisoutfitter,openedlastyearbyGeorgeMorgan-Grenville,a24-yearluxurytravelveteran,andshareanemphasisonmeaningfulinteractionswith

Adventure


traveler type

the culture BuffSpeaksfourlanguages,twoofwhichareextinct.OwnsacollectionofEtruscanpotteryfragmentsthat’stheenvyoftheanthropologyclub.RecentlyacquiredarareshrunkenheadfromtheShuartribeofPeru.

Role Model Indiana jones.

Gear pantech element, at&t’s waterproof tablet, is ideal for research on the road—or at the excavation site (wireless.att.com).

Accessory steamline stylist series luggage (steamline.com).

T+L Exclusive Trip turquoise coast & cappadocia with classic journeys. start in Istanbul, then board a 21-meter gulet (teak yacht) to explore the coast. along the way, see cappadocia from a hot-air balloon and snorkel to ancient underwater ruins. Sept.–Oct. departures; nine days from $4,795.

a golf course and a white-sand beach. Oct.–June departures; four days from $3,532.

Mountain Travel Sobek Morethan40yearsofexperiencearranginghiking,trekking,raftingandkayakingexcursions,withgrouporprivateitineraries.mtsobek.com. t+l trip pick Alaska: Rafting the Tatshenshini River brave class two and three rapids through the world’s largest contiguous wilderness area, passing icebergs and stopping to walk among mountain goats and spot bald eagles. June–Sept. departures; nine days from $3,195.

Rod & Gun ResourcesFishingtripstoAlaska,theAmazon,Argentinaandbeyond,

withstaysincomfortablejunglelodges,cabinbargesandtentedcamps.rodgunresources.com.

t+l trip pick Bolivian Adventure the company’s first venture in bolivia goes to the remote caño negro river, home to the exotic peacock bass. July–Dec. departures; four days from $3,895.

Row Adventures Thisoutfitternowrunsland-basedtrips,butitsmainfocusremainswhite-waterraftinginIdaho,Montana,Oregon,EcuadorandtheGalápagos.EnvironmentalscientistPeterMetcalfshareshisin-depthknowledgeontripsdowntheMiddleForkoftheSalmonRiver,inIdaho.1-208/765-0841; rowadventures.com.

t+l trip pick Antarctica: The Ultimate Polar Wildlife Adventure sail aboard the 16-meter Northanger, disembarking to explore mountains and fjords, and to camp atop the ice. Dec. 4 departure; 28 days from $16,900.

Frontiers International Travel Foundedmorethanfourdecadesago,thisfishingoutfitterhasahugeglobalpresence,withaccesstopristinespotsfromCanadatoMongolia. 44-85/4299-6212; frontierstravel.com.

t+l trip pick Bahamas: Delphi Club on Abaco Island excellent bonefish trolling for serious anglers; the intimate eight-room Delphi club serves as a base, with access to

localsinAfrica,Asia,EuropeandtheMiddleEast.44-12/4278-7800; redsavannah.com.

t+l trip pick Machu Picchu, Trek in Style meet indigenous Quechua people before taking a guided tour of machu picchu. April–Oct. departures; eight days from $4,320.

Tauck ThisConnecticut-basedcompanyofferscloseto100trips,includingrivercruisesinEuropeandvolunteerconservationprogramsinGrandTetonNationalPark.tauck.com.

t+l trip pick Culturious Costa Rica Visit small villages and coffee plantations before taking a horseback ride through a private hacienda and kayaking through a mangrove forest. Year-round departures; eight days from $2,770.

Travcoa Small-groupjourneyswithluxuryaccomodationsandlocalexpertsareTravcoa’sspecialty.1-310/649-7104; travcoa.com.

t+l trip pick Splendors of India with Sri Lanka and the Maldives set sail from mumbai on the 110-passenger Clipper Odyssey, stop for a cooking class in a goan home and snorkel among coral at uligamu, a northern island of the maldives. Nov. departures; 18 days from $11,480.

River and Ocean

Explorers’ Corner FounderOlafMalveroftenservesasaguideonhiscompany’slegendaryexpeditionsintothepolarregions;lessintrepid,warm-waterkayakingtripsarealsoavailable.1-510/559-8099; explorerscorner.com.


➔

traveler type

the weekend ZoologistAskedforabutterflynetforfifthbirthday;at10itwasamicroscope.SpottedrarebirdsonfourcontinentsandiscurrentlyrankedNo.48ontheAmericanBirdingAssociation’scompetitiveinternationallist.Afterthatblack-grousesightingatLochLomond,hopestomakeittoNo.47byyear’send.

Role Model jack Hanna.

Gear sony cyber-shot Digital camera (Dsc-tx200V). It’s waterproof and dust-proof, and with its high-speed auto-focus, you’ll capture that hairy-nosed wombat every time (store.sony.com).

Accessory Dpc outdoors cotton/canvas mesh safari hat (dorfman-pacific.com).

T+L Exclusive Trip rare shoebill safari with journeys by Design. channel your inner ornithologist on this Zambian safari, which has some of the best bird-viewing on the continent (rare shoebill storks; wattled cranes). Nov.–March and May departures; seven days from $3,955.

t+l trip pick Middle Fork of the Salmon Rafting Descend 914 meters aboard a raft along the 160-kilometer-long river, pausing to view hot springs and to visit historic pioneer homesteads. June–Sept. departures; five days from $1,625.

Off the GridEpicQuestThebrainchildofseriousathletes,EpicQuestleadsactivetripsfromskiinguntouchedterraininAlaskatofishingofftheKenyancoast.1-907/783-4330; epicquest.com.

t+l trip pick South American Ski Adventure Head to the chilean andes to tackle some of the world’s longest heli-skiing runs. July–Sept. departures; eight days from $12,500.

Epic TomatoThisadventure-mindedoffshootoftouroperatorBlackTomatocreatesextremecustomjourneyssuchas10-daytreksintheBorneojungleinsearchofthePenantribeandhorsebackcrossingsoftheBoliviansaltflats.ManyguideshavemilitaryandSpecialForcesbackgrounds.44-20/7426-9899; epictomato.com.

t+l trip pick For a readers-only jungle expedition in Malaysia, see “The Thrill Seeker,” right.

Lindblad Expeditions Itssmall-group,nature-basedtripsaboardexpeditionshipsequippedwithkayaksandZodiacsgotosuchfar-flungdestinationsasAlaska,AntarcticaandtheupperAmazon.1-212/765-7740; expeditions.com.

t+l trip pick Impressions of Northern Norway the 148-passenger National Geographic Explorer

travels from the polar-bear-filled arctic svalbard south to nordland, where reindeer roam along fjords. July 13, 2013, departure; 13 days from $9,999.

Momentum Adventure Createdin2008bymountainclimberMatthewRobertson,theU.K.-basedgroupleadsdaringmultisportforays(cappedatsixtravelerseach),includingpioneeringskitripsinLebanonandKashmirandcanoetripsintheYukon.44-18/9278-4646; momentumadventure.com.t+l trip pick The Last Degree a combination of flights and serious trekking from chile to the south pole. Nov.–Jan. departures; 21 days from $80,000.

Quark Expeditions Quark’sice-classvessels—equippedwithnotonlyhelicoptersbutalsobiologists,historiansandornithologists—

plyremotepolarwatersincomfort.Thisyear,Quarklaunchedhot-airballoonsonselectNorthPoletrips.1-802/735-1536; quarkexpeditions.com.

t+l trip pick Antarctic Express fly over the Drake passage, on the southern tip of south america, then board the 61-cabin Clipper Adventurer to spot glaciers, penguins and whales (polar camping is optional). Feb. 2013 departures; eight days from $7,995.

Wild Frontiers BritishjournalistJonnyBealbyfoundedtheLondon-basedWildFrontiers,whichhasmultisporttrips(rafting;trekking;horsebackriding)in40countries.44-20/7736-3968; wildfrontiers.co.uk.

t+l trip pick Wild Walk in the Hindu Kush cross glaciers, rivers and pastures as you journey from the yarkhun river region to the

glacier- and river-filled Ishkoman Valley in northern pakistan. June 28, 2013, departure; 17 days from $3,817.

Safari

Abercrombie & Kent Tripsinmorethan100countrieswithanemphasisonAfrica,wherewell-appointedmobiletentedcampsensurethattravelersviewwildlifeincomfort,whetherthey’retrackingtheGreatMigrationinEastAfricaorglidingthroughBotswana’sOkavangoDeltaindugoutcanoes.1-630/725-3400; abercrombiekent.com.t+l trip pickWings Over the Migration follow the great migration, view a private masai dance performance and camp near the ngorongoro crater. Sept.–Dec. departures; 15 days from $13,470.

Adventure


traveler type

the thrill seekerKeepshissouvenirswherehecanseethem.Thatscaronhisforehead?Fromahang-glidingmishapinRio.Themarkonhisknee?CavedivinginBorneo.Likestostartthedaywithanicebowloffear.That’sright:heeatsfearforbreakfast.

Role Model bear grylls.

Gear north face’s powder guide abs vest: inflatable nitrogen airbag pouches protect the wearer in the event of an avalanche or rock and tree collisions. (northface.com).

Accessory revo’s waterway titanium sunglasses (revo.com).

T+L Exclusive Trip t+l borneo trip with epic tomato. fly a twin otter aircraft into borneo’s interior, where you’ll drive an atV along the selungo river and visit gunung mulu national park, which has the world’s largest cave chambers. March–Oct. departures; 15 days from $10,275.

Cox & Kings Foundedin1758,Cox&Kingsisoneoftheworld’slongest-runningtravelcompaniesandhasaglobalportfoliowithjungleexcursions,culinarilyfocusedtours,seavoyagesandextraordinarysafaris.1-323/655-1758; coxandkingsusa.com.

t+l trip pick Portrait of Kenya spot somali ostriches and reticulated giraffes in samburu national reserve, balloon over the masai mara savanna and adopt an elephant at the Daphne sheldrick elephant orphanage. July–Oct. departures; 12 days from $9,835.

Journeys by Design FounderandenvironmentalscientistWillJonesdesignstripstoeasternandsouthernAfrica,wherehespent25years.1-315/955-6842; journeysbydesign.com.

t+l trip pick see “the weekend Zoologist,” page 85, for a reader-exclusive Zambia trip for bird lovers.

Ker & Downey Thiscommunity-andconservation-mindedoutfitterhasledtoursthroughAfrica,IndiaandSouthAmericaformorethan50years.1-281/371-2500; kerdowney.com.

t+l trip pickPrimates of Africa come within two meters of habituated gorillas in the republic of the congo and rwanda. May–Dec. departures; 17 days from $13,195.

Micato Safaris BespokesafarisineasternandsouthernAfricaandIndiawithon-the-groundexperts.1-212/545-7111; micato.com.

t+l trip pick Discover Africa’s Heritage Visit unesco-protected areas such as Kenya’s lake nakuru and Zanzibar’s stone town. Year-round departures; 12 days from $11,525.

route to machu picchu and stay in luxury lodges. March–Dec. departures; 10 days from $3,130.

Asia Transpacific JourneysWith25yearsofexperienceintheregion,AsiaTranspacificJourneysoperatesbothgroupandprivatetripsthroughAsiaandthePacific.1-303/443-6789; asiatranspacific.com.

t+l trip pick Sacred Mountain Kingdoms—Tibet, Nepal and Bhutan meet monks in remote monasteries, observe a riverside Hindu ceremony and explore ancient temples. April 11, 2013, departure; 20 days from $10,495.

MatuetéThisSão Paulo,Brazil–basedcompanyofferscustomizedyachtcruisesontheAmazonandwildlifetoursinthewetlandregionsofthePantanal.55-11/3071-4515; matuete.com.

t+l trip pick Lençóis Maranhenses go by foot, land and air from são paulo to rio de janeiro, stopping to explore lençóis maranhenses national park—a sandy landscape with thousands of freshwater lagoons. Year-round departures; 15 days from $7,500.

Off the Beaten Path CofoundersBillandPamBryandeliver theultimateAmericanWestexperience.VeteranguideDarrellNorman,amemberoftheBlackfeettribe,arrangestraditionaldinnerswithtribemembersinhisMontanaresidence.offthebeatenpath.com.

t+l trip pick Alaska’s Winter Magic spend time with a family of husky trainers, then strap on snowshoes and peer up at the northern lights. March–April 2013 departures; six days from $3,795.

emerging destinationswestern chinaWhy Now the culturally rich region of Diqing provides a glimpse of tibetan culture without the red tape, and now it’s easier to reach, thanks to a new road that connects the area to major cities.Don’t Miss the scenic and remote tibetan village of benzilan, located in northwestern yunnan province. How to Visit along the tea and Horse caravan trail with abercrombie & Kent. 15 days from $12,400.

BurmaWhy Now after decades of isolation, burma is an untouched portrait of buddhist traditions and culture.Don’t Miss the shwedagon pagoda—whose dome is covered with 54 tonnes of gold.How to Visit Dream trip–myanmar: Into the Heart of burma with cox & Kings. 11 days from $7,665.

mozambiqueWhy Now the country is rehabilitating the wildlife-rich gorongosa national park and niassa national reserve.Don’t Miss Dhow sailing and wild camping around the Quirimbas archipelago.How to Visit private Dhow sailing adventure with journeys by Design. 12 days from $5,995.

patagoniaWhy Now luxe new lodgings, easier road access and more flights are making this remote area more accessible.Don’t Miss Horseback riding with gauchos in chile’s torres del paine national park.How to Visit bespoke patagonia with gray & co. Eight days from $12,000.✚


Voluntourism

Biosphere Expeditions Thisnonprofitrunswildlifevolunteerexpeditionsthatconnecttravelerswithconservationresearchersinthefield.44-87/0446-0801; biosphere-expeditions.org.

t+l trip pick Namibia Help wildlife ranchers collar and monitor leopards and collect demographic data on african cat populations in central namibia. July-Nov. departures; 12 days from $2,423.

Elevate Destinations AllofElevate’stripsfocusoncommunitydevelopment;manyarecreatedtodealwithcurrentevents.Thisyear,guideAndrewMersmann,authorofFrommer’s500 Places Where You Can Make a Difference, isleadingservicetripstoHaiti.1-617/661-0203; elevatedestinations.com.

t+l trip pick South Africa Fair-Trade Safari a rhino safari is followed by volunteer work at the Dyer Island conservation trust, which protects endangered species, including the african penguin. Year-round departures; 10 days from $5,650.

Regional Specialists

Aracari ThisPeruvian-ownedcompanyorganizeslow-altitudehikesandextremetreksinPeru,BoliviaandtheGalápagos.Ithasstrongrelationshipswithlocalcommunities.1-312/239-8726; aracari.com.

t+l trip pick Lodge to Lodge Salkantay Trek to Machu Picchu follow the picturesque salkantay

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Hong Kong What sweet Deal for two at jw marriott Hong Kong (jwmarriotthongkong.com). Details a stay in a Deluxe room. Highlights complimentary bottle of moët & chandon, one nine-piece chocolate box and daily breakfast for two. Cost from HK$4,700 per night, double, through December 31. Savings 10 percent.

maldives What Honeymoon or just pure romance at naladhu (naladhu-anantara.com) Details three nights in an ocean house. Highlights champagne and chocolates on arrival, romantic dinner with wine, daily breakfast in bed and 10 percent discount on spa treatments. Cost from us$8,100 (us$2,700 per night), double, through january 9, 2013. Savings 20 percent.

tHailand What fun fall at phi phi Island Village beach resort and spa (ppisland.com). Details a stay in a superior bungalow. Highlights Daily breakfast for two and 10 percent discount on spa treatments. Cost bt3,167 per night, double, through october 31. Savings 76 percent.

indonesia What Island getaway at nusa Dua beach Hotel & spa (nusaduahotel.com). Details three nights in an agung suite or a nusa Dua suite. Highlights us$1,000 food-and-beverage credit, roundtrip airport transfers by limousine, 10-hour car usage and access to palace club lounge including breakfast, afternoon tea and evening cocktails. Cost from us$3,000 (us$1,000 per night), double, ongoing. Savings 33 percent.

vietnam What must stay at banyan tree lăng cô (banyantree.com/en/lang_co). Details two nights in a lagoon pool villa. Highlights us$735 in hotel credits redeemable at the hotel’s restaurants, spa and gallery Cost us$1,470 (us$735 per night), double, from november 1, 2012, to march 30, 2013. Savings 50 percent.

tHailand What summer Indulgence at Indigo pearl phuket (indigo-pearl.com). Details two nights in a one-bedroom Designer pearl shell suite. Highlights 20 percent discount on all treatments at coqoon spa and complimentary breakfast- in-bed for two. Cost bt22,500 (bt11,250 per night), double, through october 31. Savings 25 percent.

romance island Beach

Best Deals

At the Nusa DuaBeach Hotel.

Indonesia

us$1,000per night

macau What the macau premier experience at mandarin oriental macau (mandarinoriental.com). Details a one-night stay in Deluxe corner View room. Highlights complimentary breakfast at Vida rica restaurant and roundtrip turbojet premier ferry tickets between Hong Kong and macau for two with access to the turbojet premier lounge. Cost from HK$3,888, double, through December 31. Savings 58 percent.

indonesia What summer special at centra taum seminyak bali (centarahotelsandresorts.com). Details a stay in a centra studio room. Highlights complimentary daily breakfast and wi-fi access. Cost from us$68 per night, double, through october 31. Savings 20 percent.

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tHailandWhat serenity Hideaway spa at the Intercontinental samui baan taling ngam resort (samui.intercontinental.com). Details two nights in an ocean View room. Highlight one signature two-hour baan thai spa treatment of your choice, daily in-room or buffet breakfast, private yoga session for two and a 20 percent discount on any additional spa treatments during your stay. Cost bt19,800 (bt9,900 per night), double, through December 22. Savings 35 percent.

singapore What simply spa at the sentosa (thesentosa.com). Details a stay in a Deluxe room. Highlight one two-hour spa treatment per

spa

bruneI trip of tHe montH

the operator royal brunei airlines (royalskies.bruneiair.com), brunei’s official carrier, also offers package tours to help you explore the country’s rich natural and cultural heritage.

highlights➔ explore ulu temburong

national park with an experienced guide

➔ watch the sunrise during your morning stroll through the picturesque jungle

➔ cruise the temburong river by long boat

person with use of spa gardens before and after treatment. Cost from s$685 per night, double, ongoing. Savings 48 percent.

➔ trek to a local waterfall ➔ Kayak or raft down the river,

surrounded by trees➔ embark on a night tour and

see a different side of the rainforest

➔ Visit one of the local markets in bangar town

cost the three-day, two-night ulu-ulu national park resort overnight tour starts at b$936 for two and includes accommodation, guided trips, transportation to and from the park and some meals. this offer is valid through march 31, 2013.

From

B$312per day

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October 2012

in this issue

90 Banda islands 96 eco resorts 104 global vision awards 112 Kyoto 118 south seas

At Nihiwatu Resort in Sumba, Indonesia.

In the aftermath of a 1988 volcanic eruption, coral formations have flourished

on the underwater lava flows off Gunung Api. Opposite: Nutmeg trees populate a tiny islet in the Bandas, an archipelago that was once the spice’s only source.

The Spice of Life

Nutmeg trees and coral reefs abound in the Banda Islands. On the trail of colonial invaders—and wild dolphins—adam skolnick discovers how these

Indonesian islands helped birth the modern world. photographed by foued kaddachi



bbawashummingagain.Itwashishappyaffliction.Iheardit

whenhewasasleepinoursharedsecond-classcabinonboardthePelni shipfromAmbon,oncemorewhenweenduredanear-lethaldisembarkationscrum,andagainwhenAbba,a37-year-oldBandanative,hoteloperatorandtourguide,ledmeandfourothersintoBentengBelgica,ahulkingfortbuiltin1611byDutchcolonistsgreedyfornutmeg.Wefollowedhimpastmossyironcannonsstrewninthecourtyardandintothedankprison,wherehistunepingedoffthickstonewallsandwashedoveratinyclutchoffruitbatsnappingontheceiling.

“ThisiswheretheDutchputtheBandanesewhentheytradedtheirnutmegwiththeEnglish,”hesaidbetweenmelodies.“Backthennutmegwasworthmorethangold.”

Backthen,theBandaislandsweretheonlysourceofnutmegintheworld.Prizedby16th-and17th-centuryEuropeansforitsnaturalhealingproperties,anddeclaredacureforeverythingfromthecommoncoldtoflatulencetotheplague,thespicepropelledthisbabyarchipelago,inpresent-dayeasternIndonesia,fromanonymitytosupremacyontheworkingmapsofWesternkings.Thehuntfornutmegandcloves,whichthenonlygrewhereandinTernateandTidore,inpresent-dayMaluku,luredColumbusonhisaccidentaljourney

totheWestIndiesin1492.ThoughthePortuguesewerethefirstEuropeanstoreachthisremotesprinklingofrock,lavaandsand,itwastheDutchwhoconqueredtheBandas,andbattledforhalfacenturywiththeBritishforthenutmegtrademonopoly—untilAprilof1667whentheEnglishcrowngaveup,tradingtheirtiny,windsweptislandofRuntotheDutchinexchangeforNewAmsterdam(thatis,Manhattan).

TheBandashelpedshapethemodernworld;theirDutchcolonizersreshapedthelocalpopulation,killingorexilingthevastmajorityoftheBandanese.Sailingintothearchipelagoin2012,it’shardtobelievesuchasmalltropicalclustercouldhaveheldthatmuchsway.AnditseemsincongruoustowitnessaBandanativelikeAbbahumhiswaythroughanaccountofthatbrutalhistory.Butnomatterwhereyouwanderhere,you’llbegreetedbywarmheartedlocalswhostillrelyprimarilyonspicesandfishforsubsistence;you’llfindfascinatingrelicsoftheregion’spastflakinginthetropicalsun;and,ifyoudon’tdive,you’llwanttogetyourcertificationassoonasyouseethepowderywhite-sandbeachesandaquamarineseasfullofsunkenshipwrecksandrichcoralreefs.Theseremoteislandsoverflowwithnaturalandhistoricalglories.

Bandaneiraistheislands’accesspoint,andit’salsothebestplacetoexploreBandanesehistory,withcountlessoldcolonial

A

Clockwise from far left: A smiling local; the village on Run island—which, in 1667, equaled Manhattan in value; a diver is dwarfed by giant table coral.

structuresinvariousstatesofrestoration(read:disrepair).Alightrainbegantofallasweexitedtheprisonandscaledarustedladderwithrazor-thinrungstooneofthefort’sfiveturrets.Herewasa270-degreeviewofBandaneira’sglassynaturalharborshelteredbytheisland’sjungledhills,andofnearbyPulauGunungApi,dominatedbyitsperfectlyformedvolcano.Thesightlineswereequallyimpressive.Contemptiblethoughtheywerewithlocallabor,theDutchknewwhattheyweredoingwhentheybuiltthisplace.Theirenemiescouldn’tsneakuponthem,noteventhosepesky,well-armedEnglish.

Asthesunset,abronzeskyrefractedontheblackchannelbetweenBandaneiraandthenearbyalmond-andnutmeg-tree-wrappedisleofBandaBesar,whereahandfulofsmallvillagesclingtoarockyshore.Thecriesofchickensandchildren,theput-putofoutboardmotors,andthecompetingcallstoprayerallmingledtogetherinthegloaming.Allthatwasmissingwasthecannonsoundingtoannounceanapproachingfleet.

Butmaybethespicehunterswerealreadyashore.“ThebignutmegharvestisinAugust,”saidPaulman,thegiddy27-year-oldIndonesiantraderwhowasalsoonhisfirsttriphere.He’drecentlybeenhiredbyDKSH,theDutchconglomeratethatownsL’OrealandisexpandinginAsia.Hisnewgigwasanold

one:“I’llcomeagainnextmonthandbuyallthenutmegIcanandsendittotheNetherlands.”

WevisitedRumahBudaya,thearchipelago’smainmuseum,withAbbaonoursecondmorningintown.OnceownedbyaBandanesenobleman,this200-year-oldhousewithitsoriginalmarblefloorswaspiledwith16th-and17th-centuryDutchandPortuguesecoins,muskets,swordsandatablecannon;massivemeter-highclaypotsinwhichEuropeansailorskeptdrinkingwaterontheiroldwoodenships;anutmeg-plantationbell;andbasketsusedbythepickers.

“Theywerelikeslaves.Theygotpaidverylittleandlivedinonehousetogether,”Abbasaidasweenteredtheparlor.Hestoppedcoldinfrontofavintagegramophone.Astherainstartedupagain,hesmiled,crankeduptheoldmachineandneedledthegroove,andearly-daysswingwarbledoutoftheturquoisetarnished-brasshorn.Hehadtohumalongwithit.Couldn’tbehelped.

Ofcourse,thedrawherehasasmuchtodowithitsidyllicoutlyingislandsasitscolonialheart.PulauHatta—namedforIndonesia’sfoundingfather—isastunningsaucerofjungle-swathedlimestonetrimmedwithlusciouswhitesand.OffshoreissomeofthebestsnorkelingintheentireIndonesianarchipelago,withvastschoolsoftropicalfish,anunderwater

Clockwise from top left: In nutmeg fruit, red mace encapsules the spice’s seed; an old entrance to Run’s walled village; walking home from school on Bandaneira; a bell recovered from a Dutch shipwreck.


t+l guideGetting There you don’t want to take the pelni ship, trust us on that. book one of three daily flights to pulau ambon from jakarta, surabaya or makassar, via Garuda (garuda-indonesia.com), Batavia Air (batavia-air.com) or Lion Air (www2.lionair.co.id). then, connect to Nusantara Buana Air (62-21/835-3783; nba.co.id), the only carrier that links ambon and bandaneira, with three weekly flights—one each on wednesday, thursday and friday. since it’s not a major carrier and flight schedules vary, it’s best if someone local books for you.

nutmeg-fruit slices, delicious halua kenari (almond brittle) and, in December, anggur, which look like black olives but taste like mildly astringent grapes.

tour the beauty of staying with Abba at Mutiara Guesthouse is that he can and will book all your flights, handle your layover in ambon and organize any manner of excursions for you once on bandaneira, including tours to the spice plantations of banda besar.

see and do● stroll the ramparts of benteng belgica and benteng nassau, then wander among Bandaneira’s many colonials and peer into the island’s conflict-riddled past. we especially like the Hatta House and the schelling House. ● Visit Rumah Budaya museum for a dose of Indonesian history. exhibits include english-captioned antique maps and photographs. Jln. Gereja Tua, Bandaneira.● Snorkel off of Pulau Hatta then laze on the deserted, powdery beaches. a chartered trip to Pulau Run will put you on one of the world’s most historic islands. Hike to the remains of the british fort, stroll empty beaches and snorkel or dive along her coral-draped drop-off. Chartered runs from Bandaneira to Pulau Hatta or Pulau Run start from Rp500,000.● Dive, matey, dive! there’s only one (seasonal) land-based dive operator in the bandas: german-owned Blue Motion Dive Center knows the dive sites intimately, has new gear and a solid speedboat. fuel surcharge for distant reefs (like run and Hatta). 62-812/4714-3922; dive-bluemotion.com; two tanks from Rp300,000.


coralarchandstatelytablecorals,whereIspottedthreeturtlesandablacktipreefshark.Afterward,Iloungedonavirginbeach,thenwanderedintoKampung Lama(“oldvillage”),oneoftheisland’stwosettlementswhereconcretepathsbranchedtowardcinder-blockhomesbrushedinsun-fadedpastels.

Itwasharvesttimeandthewholetownwassuffusedwiththesweetsmoked-cherryscentofcloves.PakSardinandhisthreebrothers,twooftheirwives,andsixchildrensortedagargantuanpileofjust-pluckedcloveflowersthatlookedlikecandelabras,andsetthemoutonsheetstodryinthesun.IjoinedinandbeganseparatingflowersfromstemsasSardinspokeofsellinghisbountytooneof70buyersinBandaneira.

“Lifeisbetterforusnow,sincethereisfreetrade,”hesaid,referringtothemore-recentdarkdaysofthespicetrade,whenTommySuharto,thedictator’snotoriousson,wasgrantedaclovemonopolythatlastedthroughoutthe1970’sand1980’s.FirstthereweretheDutchandEnglish…thenSuharto,whosoldallofhisclovestothecigarettemanufacturers.Butthatwasinthepast,andwhilecashcouldbescarceandPakSardinstillcomplainedaboutweightyschoolfees,therewasplentyofjoy,togethernessandabundanceheretoo.Thecloveseasonislong.Blossomslingerontreesforuptosevenmonths,andwhenthewavesandwindaretoostrongtofish,themencanalwaysclimbtheirtreesandpluckthem.

Asimilarrustic,laid-backvibeispalpableontheisleofRun,thatonce-astronomicallyvaluabletradingchip.Therearestunningcream-coloredbeachesandchunksoflimestoneswathedinspicetrees,withspectacularcoral-crustedwalls,idealfordiving,thatsheerintotheswirlingcobaltdepths.

LedoriginallybyNathanielCourthope,theBritishclaimedRunin1616andheldontoitsunparallelednutmeggrovesonandofffornearly50years.ButthankstotheDutchabilitytoexecuteblockadesandatleastonebrutalmassacreoftheBandanese,theBritishnevermanagedtogettheirspicestomarket.AtonepointDutchtradersconvincedRunvillagersthatthenutmegbarkwasalsovaluable,sotheybeganstripping—andkilling—theirowntrees.Thiswasjustanotherdirtytrickemployedduringthespicewars:theDutchhadsourcednutmegonBandaBesarandwantedtopreventanycompetition.Beforelong,theentireRungrovewasruined.“Allexceptforonetree,”saidAbba,headingfortheruinsoftheoldEnglishfortontheisland’swesternedge.Accordingtolocallore,thatplantweatheredthewarandsproutednewlife.ThesedaystherearecountlessnutmegtreesgrowingonRun.

Afteradiveandawalkthroughtown,welunchedonPulauNailaka,anobscenelysweet,petite,sandycrescentsproutingwithscrubandribbonedwithazureshallows.Ilaidback,listeningandcontemplatingtheegosanddramaofcenturiespastandhownoneofthatcacophonyenduredatthesourceofitall.IguessallthatnoisewasexportedtoManhattan.

Heretherewouldalwaysbebluesea,whitesandandspicetrees.Heretherewouldalwaysbespaceforsilence.OnthewaybacktoBandaneira,weencounteredapodofabout50dolphins.Icouldn’thelpmyself.Ihadtofree-divedown,eavesdropontheirhigh-pitchedchatterandspytheirsmilesastheywiggledthroughtheinfiniteblue.Oncetheyweregone,Isurfaced,climbedbackintotheboat,watchedthesundropandlistenedtoAbbahumallthewayhome.✚

stayMutiara Guesthouse is like a boutique hotel meets a homestay. the hospitable owners throw a nightly seafood buffet that attracts visitors from all over the area. Jln. Kebun Siri, Bandaneira; [email protected]; 62-813/3034-3377; doubles from Rp150,000.Delfika has colonial, old-world charm and an atmospheric garden, while the brand-new rooms at harbor-side Delfika 2 may be the best on the island, with their bay and volcano views. In both, rooms are basic but super-clean and comfortable. Delfika, Jln. Geraja; Delfika 2, Jln. Gateway; 62-819/4508-1239; air-conditioned doubles from Rp150,000 including breakfast.

eat the guesthouses above have the best kitchens on the island. but you should also try the day market for smoked marlin and sticky rice, dried

Bandas

The Sustainable Sevenis there room for luxury in ecotourism? NAOMI LINDT checks out a few of the region’s greenest resorts—trailblazers that focus on both pampering and preservation.

Low-impact activities in the Big Lagoon, near El Nido Resorts in the Philippines.

From top: A long stretch of private beach; the Boat House Bar; the Sumba Foundation supports local causes, including 15 schools.

NIhIwatu REsORtSUMBA, INDONESIA

eco cred Oneofthefewhotelsintheworldtobe100percentpoweredbybiofuel;comprehensiverecycling;wideuseofsustainableconstructionmaterials(includingintheongoingrenovationbeingconductedbyateamoftopeco-designersand-architects);turtleandbirdrescueprojects;local,organicfood;andacarbon-offsetprogramthatsofarincludes64,000treesplanted—Nihiwatutakesitseco-stanceseriously.Itisalsoagoodneighbortothemorethan20,000Sumbanesepeople:Aportionofprofitsbenefitstheresort’sSumbaFoundation,whichrunswater,healthandcommunitydevelopmentprogramstobetterthelivesofislanders,fromwhoseranksnearlyallofNihiwatu’sstaffisdrawn.(Formoreinformationonthesegoodworks,pleaseseepage109,andthesumbafoundation.org.)

the specsNihiwatuisthekindofplacewhereyoustartplanningyourreturnthemomentyouleave;don’tbesurprisedifyoufindyourselfgushingthewords“magical”and“paradise.”AnhourbycharterflightfromBali’scrowds,it’sworldsawayintermsofpeaceandsolitude.Spendyourdayssurfingandswimming,practicingyogainanopen-airspirithouseorindulginginmassagesandcocktailsasthesettingsunblazes.Builton162hectaresoftropicalforest,riceterracesandgrasslandshuggingalongprivatebeach,Nihiwatuhasashoes-off,RobinsonCrusoeatmospherecoupledwithallthefive-starservicesandamenities,aswellasastrongdedicationtoboththecommunityandnaturalenvironment.the roomsThevillasandbungalowscontainingtheresort’s12bedroomswerebuiltbylocalcraftsmen,withstone,woodandpalms.Four-posterbamboobedsarecoveredingauzycotton,withintricateweavingsbySumba’sfamedartisanshangingonthewhitewalls.Privatepoolsabound.can’t-miss experienceCheckouttheSumbaFoundation’saward-winningworkwithatouroftheclinics,schools,wellsandfarmsthatitsupports—betterstill,jumpinandvolunteeryourself.detailsnihiwatu.com; doubles from US$695 per night, seven-night minimum.


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hERItaNCE KaNDalamaDAMBULLA, SRI LANKA

eco cred Hailed as Sri Lanka’s most eco-friendly resort, thisbiomass-fuelledfive-starwasthefirsthotelinAsiatoreceiveGreenGlobecertification—aworldwideprogramrecognizinghighstandardsofsustainability—andrecentlywontheGreenAppleGoldAwardforBuiltEnvironment,aprestigioushonorforsoundenvironmentalstructures.TheKandalama’sextensivelistofsociallyandenvironmentallyconsciousactivitiesincludessupportingthelocalcommunity,recycling100percentofitswasteandharvestingrainwater(itswastewaterrecyclingplantisSriLanka’smostsophisticated).Theresort’slandscapersusedonlyindigenousplantsonthegroundsofthepropertyandhavecreatedan81-hectareforest.

the specsTuckedawaydeepinthejungledownanunpavedroadoverlookingalake,theHeritanceKandalamawasdesignedbythecountry’sforemostarchitect,thelateGeoffreyBawa.Shapedliketheoutspreadwingsofabird,the“tropicalmodernist”designeffortlesslyblendsintotheflora-andfauna-richsurroundings.TheKandalamaisaboutfivehoursbycarfromColombo,andclosetofiveUNESCOWorldHeritagesites,includingtherockfortressofSigiriyaandtheancientsacredcitiesofPolonnaruwaandAnuradhapura.the roomsThe152roomshavelargewindowsandbalconieswithgorgeousviewsofthelakeandforest.Designiscontemporaryeco-chic,withpolishedwoodfloorsandfurnishingsoffsetbyamasculinepaletteofcerise,charcoal,blackandbrown.Whilesoakinginthefoliage-facing,glass-frontedbaths,you’relikelytoseewildmonkeysandbirds.can’t-miss experience Bookamelodic,naturalist-ledearlymorningtrektoobservesomeofthearea’smorethan230birdspecies,includingegrets,ibisesandtherarewhite-rumpedcharmer. detailsheritancehotels.com/kamdalama; doubles from US$144 per night. f

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From top: The hotel blends into the area; greeting deer on a nature trek; ancient city Polonnaruwa, near the resort.


GayaNa ECO REsORtSABAH, MALAYSIA

eco cred TheMarineEcologyResearchCentreistheheartandsoulofGayanaEcoResort.TheMERC,asit’sknown,isaconservationandeducationfacilitythatrunstherobustSavetheGiantClamscampaign,whichoverfouryearshasnurtured3,000oftheseendangeredmollusksthatarevitaltothelocalecology.There’salsoareefprogramthatregeneratescoralandplantsartificialstructures.

the specsHeadoffofMalaysianBorneointotheSouthChinaSeaforcloseencounterswithacornucopiaofplantandanimallife:monkeys,wildboarsandhornbillsinthemangrovesandrainforest;hundredsofspeciesoffishintheaquamarinewaters.MuchofGayanaisonstilts,gettingyouascloseaspossibletothewater,whilealsominimizingtheplace’simpact

ontheenvironment.ThelocalchefconcoctsfantasticChineseandWesternfareusingorganicallyfarmedseafoodandveggies.Sabah,hometoMt.Kinabaluandarichculturalhistory,isjustashortboatrideaway.the roomsThe52thatched-roof,stiltedvillas—madeoflocal,durablehardwood—offerjungle,mangrove,lagoonandseaviewsfromtheirprivatedecks.Butifyourfocusisontheworldbelow,bookoneofthenewglass-flooredpalmvillas.can’t-miss experienceParticipatefirst-handintheMERC’swork,bybecomingareef“fosterparent”andplantingyourowncoralframe,whichwilleventuallygetanewhomeinthesea,orbyspendingadayasamarinebiologist,researchingandlearningabouttheecosystem.detailsgayana-eco-resort.com; doubles from RM904 per night.

Clockwise from far right: Stilted Alu Alu Seafood restaurant;

aerial view of the resort and its reefs; a giant clam; young coral the MERC will plant in the ocean.

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thaNyamuNDRa ORGaNIC REsORtSURAT THANI, THAILAND

eco credThanyamundra’sown6.4-hectareorganicfarmprovidestheresortwithhomemadedriedfruit,jamsandsorbets,andsuppliesproducetoseveralofPhuket’smostprestigioushotelsandresorts.Plasticuseislimitedtorecycledwaterbottles,anddriedleavesareturnedintostationery.Theresortworkstoteachareavillagersabouttheperilsofpoaching,whileofferingthemalternativecareerpaths,suchastourguiding.Eventheresortitselfisrecycled:itoriginallywasbuiltasthedreamhomeofawealthyGermanentrepreneur.

the specsPerchedonthefringesofarainforestinKhaoSokNationalPark,Thanyamundraoverlooksmistymountains,limestonekarstsandtherollingterracesofitsfamedfarm.Thefocushereisonwellness,notonlyfortheenvironmentbutalsoforguests,whocantakelongwalksinthejungle,swiminthe

lappool,workoutintheathlete-standardgym,sampleorganicgourmetcuisineandpartakeinotherworldlymassages.Butlersareon-handtomeetanyrequestshouldthebeautyoftheplacenotspoilyouenough.the roomsIntwogoldenteakvillas,theninehigh-ceilingedsuitesrangefrom40to130squaremeters,boastspaciousverandaswithdramaticvistasandarefilledwithregionalantiquesfromtheowner’sprivatecollection,likehigh-backedmahoganychairsandTibetanwallhangings.Feel-goodproductsprevail,fromthetarowoodusedasanairfreshenertotheall-naturaltoiletriesproducedbyThaiaromatherapymanufacturer,LemongrassHouse.can’t- miss experienceBookoneofthecustomtreksdesignedbyThomHenley,anauthorandexpertonKhaoSok.Luckyguestshaveencounteredwildelephants,tigersandleopards.detailsthanyamundra.com; doubles from Bt10,500 per night.

Clockwise from far left: Antiques fill a guestroom; lunch by the farm; the misty mountains of Khao Sok park.

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waKatObI DIvE REsORtSULAWESI, INDONESIA

eco cred Theresort’sWakatobiCollaborativeReefConservationProgramhascreatedoneoftheworld’slargestprivatelyfundedmarineprotectedareas.Theresortholdsitsdivemastersanddiverstothehigheststandards,implementingstrictrulestominimizeenvironmentalimpact,andconductsregularreefmonitoringandcleaning.Ittreatswastewatertopreventitfrompollutingtheocean,recyclesasmuchaspossible,providesfull-timeemploymenttoroughly100islandersandactivelysupportsthecommunitythroughschoolsandeducationprograms.

the specsWorld-classluxuryuniteswithwhatmanyconsidertheworld’sbestdivingatthe26-roomWakatobionTolandanoIsland,atwo-and-a-half-hourcharterflightnorthwestofBali.TheturquoisewatersandhundredsofkilometersofreefthatcomprisetheWakatobiNationalMarineParkarebrimmingwithpsychedelic-huedsealifeandwhales,dolphins,sharks,rays,tunasandmarlin.Onceyouresurfacefromadayofastoundingsub-marineexploration,thefull-servicespaandtop-flightdiningprovidethepleasuresoflifeonland.the roomsComfortablewoodandsandstonebungalowsandvillasaretoppedwithsoaring,exposedthatchedroofs.Chilloutonyourprivatebalconyorinahammockstrungbetweentwotreestoadmirethebestfeatures:gorgeousgreeneryandlappingwavesatyourdoorstep.can’t-miss experienceExperienceddiversshouldbookaprivateFluo-Dive,apioneeringnocturnalexcursionthatusesfluorescentlighttocastreeflifeinneoncolorsandjustmightrevealnever-before-seenanimalsandanimalbehavior.detailswakatobi.com; rates start at US$365 per person per night, and include room, board and three boat dives per day. Given Wakatobi’s remote location, stays are pre-set for specific dates and there is a minimum of five nights.

Clockwise from top: Tolandano Island, the resort’s home; Wakatobi’s waters offer great diving experiences; villas on the beach; a pigmy seahorse.

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El NIDO REsORtsPALAWAN, THE PHILIPPINES

eco credAmarinebiologist-ledenvironmentalteamensuresthefourElNidoresortsadheretothehigheststandardsofecologicalconservationandthatallactivities—diving,snorkeling,kayaking,trekking—arelowimpact.Therearecomprehensivewastewatertreatmentanddesalinationplants,andarainwaterharvestingsystem.Solarpanelsareinstalledatseveralsitestooffsettheresorts’carbonfootprint,andrestaurantsservevegetablesgrownatElNido’sorganicfarm.

the specsEveryElNidointhePalawanarchipelagoseemstoogoodtobetrue:notonlyiseachonsomeoftheclearestwatersintheworld,buttheyalsoallarecommittedtosustainable,conservation-mindedtourismthatprotectsthearea’srichbiodiversity.Nature-loverschoosetheyouthful,rusticMinilocproperty,inacovesurroundedbylimestonecliffs.LagenIslandisallaboutsophisticateddesignandprivacy.RemoteApulitspeakstothoseseekingagorgeousstretchofisolatedbeachalongwithadoseofadventure,whilethemostdiscerningtravelersheadtoPangulasiananditsdeluxevillas.Nomatterwhereyoustay,expectsomeofthemostjaw-droppingland-andseascapesyou’veeverseen.the roomsThe10DeluxeSeaviewroomsatthe50-roomMinilocarewhollysolar-powered.LagenIsland’s50rooms,suitesandcottageswerebuiltfromtimbersourcedfromoldFilipinohomes.AtApulit,50stiltedcottagescommandunobstructedviewsoftheazureTaytayBayanditsimposingcliffs,whilePangulasian’s42contemporaryvillas—severalofwhichhavetheirownplungepools—areaspacious65squaremeters.can’t-miss experienceHireakayakfromyourresorttodiscoversecretbeaches,magicallagoonsandcaveshidingamongthelimestonecliffs.detailselnidoresorts.com; doubles from P14,500.

From top: Palawan by Hobie Cat; newly hatched sea turtles;

The bungalows at Miniloc.

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eco credTheDaintreevoluntarilymeetsandinsomecasesexceedssustainabilitystandardssetbytheUnitedNations,theWTO,theInternationalEcotourismAssociationandtheAustraliangovernment’sGreenhouseOffice.Theavidreduce-reuse-recycleapproachincludesaself-sufficientnaturalwatersupplyandawastewatertreatmentsystem.Itsbuildingswereconstructedtominimizetheimpactonthefragileenvirons—partofapreservationphilosophytheresortshareswithitslocalaboriginalcommunitypartners.

the specsHavingnotchedmorethan40awardsforitsarchitecture,service,spaandsustainabletourismefforts,thisfamily-runlodgeiswidelyrecognizedasoneoftheworld’sbesteco-retreats.InfarnorthQueensland,a90-minutedrivenorthofCairnsandlessthananhourfromtheGreatBarrierReef,the

propertynestlesintheGreaterDaintreeRainforest,theworld’soldestlivingecosystemofitskind,encompassingforests,rivers,mangrovesandbeaches.Theresort’sacclaimed,birdsong-filledspaofferstreatmentsthatintegrateancientAboriginalwisdomandmedicines,whichyoucanlearnmoreaboutthroughculturalexperienceswiththeKukuYalanhipeople.the roomsCoolmarblefloorsandbamboofurnitureoffsetthehumidenvironsinthe15rusticstiltedcottages.FiveroomshaveJacuzzisontheirscreened-inbalconies,fromwhichyou’relikelytospotbutterfliesandcuriouspossums.WithnoTVsorradios,you’llleavetherealworldwaybehind.can’t-miss experienceHeadtowaterfallsorculturalsiteswithanaboriginalguide,who’llofferinsightintothelocalKukuYalanhi’swayoflifeintherainforest.detailsdaintree-ecolodge.com.au; doubles from A$550 per night.✚

DaINtREE ECO lODGE & spaDAINTREE, AUSTRALIA

Clockwise from top: Touring with a local guide; the Butterfly spa service; a salad of local produce; the restaurant.

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TRAVEL + LEISURE

edited by nikki ekstein, amy farley and nina fedrizzi illustrated by labourreported by lisa cheng, darrell hartman and stirling kelso. additional reporting by kelsi maree borland, jenneke oostman and corinne white.

To determine this year’s standard-bearers for responsible tourism, we scoured the globe—from a private island in Cambodia

to a Peruvian village on the verge of a travel boom. Here, all the winners, plus 20 trip ideas so you can experience their

efforts firsthand, five of our favorite innovators and the results of our Facebook poll on going green.


the winners

preservation page 11017 Belcampo Belize toledo, belize 18 Namgyal Institute for

Research on Ladakhi Art & Culture

ladakh, India 19 Pingyao Cultural

Village pingyao, china 20 Grupo Patrimonio

Cultural andahuaylillas, peru

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sustainability page 106

1 ITC Hotels India 2 Volcanoes Safaris

uganda and rwanda 3 Alaska Airlines seattle 4 Song Saa Private

Island Koh rong, cambodia

Conservation page 107

5 Cristalino Jungle Lodge

alta floresta, brazil 6 Rosalie Bay Resort

rosalie, Dominica 7 Four Seasons

Maldives male atoll and baa

atoll, maldives 8 Biosphere

Expeditions norwich, england

Community building page 10913 Nihiwatu sumba, Indonesia 14 Rockhouse Hotel negril, jamaica 15 Huna Totem

Corporation juneau, alaska 16 Tongabezi Lodge Victoria falls, Zambia

leadership page 108

9 Wilderness Safaris johannesburg, south

africa 10 Shangri-La Hotel

Group Hong Kong 11 Taj Hotels India 12 Vail Resorts broomfield, colorado

the Jury

John wood founder and co-chair of room to read,which promotesliteracy and genderequality in education

Bonnie Burnham president and ceo of the world monuments fund, which protects endangered sites

yves Béhar Industrial designer and founder of award-winning design firm fuseproject

david gensler leeD-accredited consultant and an executive director of global design firm gensler

Zainab salbi founder of women for women Inter- national, providing practical and moral support to female survivors of war

gregory carrconservationist and philanthropist, who is helping restore gorongosa national park in mozambique

Ho Kwon pingexecutive chairman of banyan tree Hotels & resorts, a past global Vision awards winner

behind the scenes

t+l’s 2012 global Vision awards jury weighed in on dozens of projects—including hotel and school programs, voluntourism initiatives, eco-lodges and an energy-efficient airline—to select 20 winners in five categories. our panel of experts ranked their short lists of nominees, and all the scores were averaged to determine the top contenders.

Joseph stiglitz and anya schiffrin nobel prize–winning economist and director of columbia university’s media and advocacy program


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T+L Global Vision Awards

“people want to create spaces that tell their story,” global Vision awards jury member David gensler says. “they want to be direct and inspiring in a complicated world.” these four winners embrace the idea that building and operating sustainably is not just about the latest green amenities but a commitment to a long-term mission.

volcanoes safarisuganda and rwanda

What It Is AnAfricantouroperatorthatishelpingtosavegorillasandchimpanzeeswhileintroducingsustainabletourismtopost-conflictcountries.How It Works Foursolar-poweredeco-lodgesserveasabaseforconservationandcommunityprograms:landaroundthecampsispurchasedtocreateabufferzonebetweenwildlifeandnearbyvillages,whilefundingisprovidedforchimpresearch,localschoolsandresource-managementtrainingforfarmers.Take the Trip SpotchimpsatUganda’sKyamburaGorgeLodge,nearQueenElizabethNationalPark. volcanoessafaris.com; six-day Uganda safari for two from US$5,598.

alaska airlinesseattle

What It Is America’smostfuel-efficientlargeairline.How It Works Inthe1990’s,AlaskaAirlinespioneeredsatellitenavigationtechnologythatmapstheshortestpossibleflightpath,reducingitscarbon

footprintby30percentsince2004.It’salsothefirstU.S.airlinetocommitmultiplecommercialflightstobiofueland,in2011alone,in-flightrecyclingdiverted450metrictonnesoftrashfromlandfills.Take the TripCatchoneof25dailyflightstoHawaii,withnewdirectroutesthisfall.alaskaair.com.

song saa private Islandkoh rong, cambodia

What It Is Anultra-luxeresortthat’sprovidingatemplateforresponsibledevelopmentinCambodia.How It Works Constructedusingregionalbamboo,vinesandrecycledmaterials,andlocatedinsideamarinereserve,theresortisworkingwiththenationalgovernmenttoexpanditsprotectedarea.Ithasevenopenedthecountry’sfirstocean-discoverycenter(forguestsandlocals).Take the Trip TournearbyPrekSvayfishingvillagetoreceiveablessingfromlocalmonksandvisitsustainablefruitorchards.songsaa.com; doubles from US$336.

ItC hotels india/global

What It Is A South Asian hospitality brand with 10propertiesinninedestinationsthathavebeencertifiedLEEDPlatinumbytheU.S.GreenBuildingCouncil.How It WorksITChasprioritizedsustainabilityfor15years,butitsluxurypropertiesraisethebar:usingalmost30percentlessenergythantheU.S.EPA’sbenchmarkforcomparablehotels(halfoftheenergytheyuseisgeneratedbywindfarms);reusing85percentofwastewaterforcleaningandlandscaping;andrecycling99percentofsolidwaste,suchasplasticandscrapmetal.Take the Trip ThenewLEEDPlatinumITCGrandChola,inChennai,spansmorethanthreehectares,withthreerooftoppoolsand522rooms.itchotels.in; doubles from Rs8,999.

the standout

Cité de l’Ocean et du surf this site-sensitive oceanic museum in biarritz, france—designed by steven Holl architects—unites high-end design with an earth-friendly mission: raising awareness about marine ecosystems. stevenholl.com.

t+l editors’ pick design

of t+l facebook fans will spend an extra us$25 a night to stay at a green hotel.

you said...

58%Data collected from a Facebook poll conducted by T+L U.S. in July 2012.

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“natural ecosystems will not survive unless humans are motivated to conserve them,” philanthropist, and t+l juror, gregory carr says. the winners in this category understand this concept, whether they’re securing a threatened forest or coastline, or offering hands-on opportunities for travelers and locals to help protect endangered species such as snow leopards and sea turtles.

Cristalino Jungle lodgealta floresta, brazil

What It IsThecompanybehindthisprivatelyownedeco-friendlylodgeisprotectingBrazil’ssouthernAmazonbasinagainstextremedeforestation.How It Works Cristalinohaspurchasedvastswathsoflandandisworkingtoconvertroughly8,000hectares(twicethesizeoftheislandofManhattan)toreservestatus,safeguardingsome2,000butterflyand595birdspecies.Thelodgeisexpandingitseffortsthroughpartnershipsthatsupportresearchontheregion’smanyunstudiedplantsandanimals—allowingCristalinotolobbytheBraziliangovernmentforadditionalprotectedland.Take the Trip Stargazefromthelodge’sexpansivefloatingriverdeck—warmedbyanopenfirepit.cristalinolodge.com.br; doubles from US$315.

Rosalie bay Resortrosalie, dominica

What It Is A28-roomhotelthathasrestoredendangeredsea-turtlepopulationsontheislandofDominica.How It WorksThepropertyengagescommunityvolunteerstopatrolandcleanupnestingbeaches,educateslocalschoolgroupsandcollectsdata.In2003,RosalieBayhadsevenleatherbackturtlenests.By2010,therewere69—and,overthepastfournestingseasons,therecordedsurvivalratefornewhatchlingshasbeen100percent.Take the TripVisitbetweenMarchandOctobertowatchbabyseaturtlesmaketheirwaytotheocean.rosaliebay.com; doubles from US$210.

Four seasons maldives male atoll and baa atoll, maldives

What It Is FourSeasonsatKudaHuraaandLandaaGiraavaruareworkingtoprotectthearchipelago’smarinelife.How It Works Inareef-regenerationproject,hundredsofartificialframes(partlysponsoredbyguestdonations)providesupportformorethan40speciesofcoraltogrow,breathingnewlifeintoformerly

bleachedandemptyareas.What’smore,theresorts’MantaTrustresearchprojectbroughtinternationalattentiontolocalmantaraypopulations,resultinginMarineProtectedAreastatusfortwostudysites.Take the Trip SnorkelthereefsatLandaaGiraavaru,guidedbyastaffmarinebiologist.fourseasons.com; doubles from US$900.

biosphere Expeditionsnorwich, england

What It Is Anonprofitwhosepartnershipswithtopresearchinstitutionsarebringingseriousresultsfor11conservationprogramsaroundtheworld.How It WorksVolunteertravelersselecttheirprojectandaretrainedon-siteintelemetrystudies,animaltrackingandmore.(Biospherechannelstwo-thirdsoftripcoststotheeffort.)PastsuccessesincludethecreationoftwoprotectedareasformigratorybirdsandsnowleopardsinEuropeandAsia.Take the Trip TagandreleasethreatenedmarsupialsonanewexcursioninwesternAustralia.biosphere-expeditions.org; nine days from US$2,030 per person.

model s tesla this new model s sedan, released recently by electric-car pioneer tesla, has sleek, aerodynamic lines and seats up to seven without compromising on speed. teslamotors.com.

t+l editors’ pick car

of t+l facebook fans think that eco-friendly vacations are less luxurious.

you said...

6%f

the standout


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what makes a good leader? for these companies, it’s about giving back—in dollars and in deeds—to the places where they operate while creating tools and infrastructure for self-improvement. “philanthropy should be a two-way exercise,” says t+l jury member Ho Kwon ping of banyan tree.


wilderness safarisjohannesburg, south africa

What It IsAsafarioperatorwith70campsinninecountries,WildernesshasbeenachampionofresponsibletravelinAfricafornearly30years.How It WorksOverseeingaportfolioofroughly3millionhectaresofprotectedland,Wildernesssupports40projectsthatbenefit1,250endangeredspecies.Inaddition,manyoftheoperator’ssustainablecamps(whichutilizesolarpanelsandrainwater-harvestingtechniques)arecreatedasjointventureswiththelocalcommunities,whoshareprofitswhilereceivingtrainingandemployment.Take the TripRideaboardamemberofAbuCamp’sresidentherdonanelephant-backsafariinBotswana.wilderness-safaris.com; all-inclusive; safari for two from US$3,878 per night.

shangri-la hotel Grouphong kong/global

What It Is Afive-starhotelcompanythat’saidingdisadvantagedcommunities ateachofits72properties.How It Works Individualhotelsadoptalocalhealthoreducationprogramfor10to15years,spendingatleastUS$50,000onitannually.Theseprograms—whichincludeahomeforchildrenofprisonersinFuzhouandatrainingprogramforthedeafinNewDelhi—helpedmorethan2,000adultsand9,500childrenlastyear.Take the Trip StaffmembersatShangri-LaWuhan,inChina,volunteeratthehotel’sLoveKitchenproject,whichprovideshealthymealsforchildrenatalocalrehabilitationcenter.shangri-la.com; doubles from RMB704.

taj hotelsindia/global

What It Is ThisbrandistacklingpovertyandinequalityinIndia.How It Works Tajtrainsmorethan2,000underprivilegedyouthsinhospitalitysectorssuchashousekeepingandrestaurantservice.IthasalsospentUS$2.3millionongoodsproduced

bylocalNGOs,women’scollectivesandsmall-scaleentrepreneurs.Theseeffortsoftenbenefitdisenfranchisedgroups,includingpeoplewithdisabilitiesandvictimsofsexualexploitation.Take the Trip ScoutforIndianbisonattheMahuaKothisafarilodgeinMadhyaPradesh,India,whereTajreintroducedaherdin2011.tajhotels.com; doubles from Rs35,000.

vail Resortsbroomfield, colorado

What It Is Amountain-resortcompanythat’sraisingthebarforsustainabilityandphilanthropyintheRockies.How It Works Attentivemonitoringandgreenretrofitshavereducedthebrand’senergyusageby10percentsince2008,andwaterconsumptioneffortssavemorethan3millionlitersayear.VailResortsalsocontributesUS$6millionannuallyto150Coloradononprofits,aidingindisasterrelief,conservationandmore.Take the Trip GameCreekChalet,inVail,isofferinga50percentski-seasondiscountforthebrand’s50thanniversary.vailresorts.com; discounted rate US$1,000 per night.

t+l editors’ pick food

of t+l facebook fans consider themselves sustainable travelers.

you said...

88%John besh Foundation chef john besh set a new benchmark for new orleans restaurants. now his chefs move initiative is doing the same for public service: providing scholarships to help enterprising residents rise from, say, dishwasher to executive chef, while offering micro-loans and marketing advice to local start-up farmers. johnbeshfoundation.org.

the standout

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Nihiwatusumba, indonesia

What It Is ByraisingmorethanUS$4millionindonations,thisjungleresorthasimprovedthelivesof20,000SumbaneseononeofIndonesia’smostimpoverishedislands.How It Works Villagershadtowalkahalf-day’sdistancetoseeadoctoruntilNihiwatubuiltandstaffedfivestrategicallylocatedhealthclinics.Malariahassincebeenreducedby85percent—andtheclinicssupplycleanwaterto15,000people.Thepropertyalsoprovidesjobsforislandresidents(95percentofitsemployeeslivenearby),whotakepartintrainingprogramsinsuchskillsascookingandtraditionalJavaneseconstruction.Take the Trip Participateincommunityprojects,fromhelpingoutataclinictoplayingsoccerwithlocalkids.nihiwatu.com; doubles from US$695, seven-night minimum.

by bringing health care, literacy and funding to those in need, these winners prove that empowerment is the backbone of progress. says juror Zainab salbi, “self-sufficiency is not only defined by income. It brings joy, peace of mind and stability to whole communities.”

Rockhouse hotelnegril, jamaica

What It Is Onanislandwhereresortsoftenfeeldetachedfromthepeoplelivingaroundthem,theRockhousehasbroughtmuch-neededattentiontoeducationinNegril.How It Works Since2004,theRockhouseFoundationhasinvestedmorethanUS$1.5milliontorenovatethecity’sschools,installwater-filtrationsystems,buildsafeplayspacesandsupplycomputerlabs.Itdoesn’tstopthere:RockhousequadrupledthesizeofNegril’slibraryandsubsidizestheschools’waterandelectricitybills,studentmealprogramsandteachersalaries.Take the Trip TheRockhouseFoundationoffersweeklytourstotheschoolsitsupports;guestscanalsovolunteertoreadtotheyoungeststudents.rockhousehotel.com; doubles from US$125.

huna totem Corporationjuneau, alaska

What It Is ItsprivatelyownedseaporthasreinvigoratedthetraditionsoftheHunaTlingitNativeAmericansinHoonah,insoutheasternAlaska.How It Works Cruisersgetanoncommercializedlook

atalittle-knownculture,withlessonsintotem-polecarvingandHunadancing,plusvisitstoahistoricsalmoncannery.Thecommunityusestourismdollarstorepairthetown’seconomy—boostingconservationprojectsandcreatingjobsthathavegiventheareaarenewedsenseofculturalpride.Take the Trip SailtoHoonahononeofRoyalCaribbean’svoyages.royalcaribbean.com; eight-day cruises from US$499 per person.

tongabezi lodgevictoria falls, zambia

What It Is Thesafarioutpost’sTujataneschoolhassingle-handedlydevelopedalocalacademicsystem.How It Works Tujatanebeganasapreschoolforthestaff’schildren;itnowenrolls198studentsfromthearea—andhasproducednationalchampionsinpoetryanddance.Thankstogenerousguestsponsorships,studentscanattendhighschoolinnearbyLivingstone;somegoontoearndegreesinZambiaorintheU.S.Take the Trip VisitduringthesummermonthsforyourbestchanceatseeingalunarrainbowoverVictoriaFalls.tongabezi.com; meals and activities included; doubles from US$970.

t+l editors’ pick fashion

maiyet this south african fashion collective, created by a human-rights activist, partners with artisans from emerging economies—think silk blouses embroidered in India and maxidresses made with javanese batik—to create an exclusive line for barneys new york. maiyet.com.

the standout


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belcampo belizetoledo, belize

What It Is This eco-lodgeisdevotedtosavingBelize’sindigenouscuisineandtheheirloomcropsthatdefineit.How It Works Theproperty’s1,200-hectareorganicfarmisfilledwithnativecropsfromchaya(similartospinach)toculantro(coriander).Guestscanlearntomakelocaldisheswiththeingredientsonatraditionalcomalhearth.PartnershipswithSanFrancisco–basedBlueBottleCoffeeandChicago’sVosgesChocolatearehelpingthelodgebuildaglobalmarketplaceforMayanproducts.Take the Trip Cocoaloverscanpickandtastefreshcacaofruit,learnaboutchocolatemakingandevenproducetheirownbarsonsite.belcampoinc.com; doubles from US$330.

“Heritage is both an economic asset and a source of pride,” juror bonnie burnham says. by preserving what makes each community special—from culinary traditions to sacred sites— these organizations are championing some of the world’s lesser-known cultural destinations.

Namgyal Institute for Research on ladakhi art & Culture (NIRlaC) ladakh, india

What It Is ThetrustisrestoringtheSumdaChunGonpatemplecomplex,arareexampleof12th-centuryTibetanmonasticarchitecturelocated4,000metersabovesealevel.How It Works Aftermappingthestructuralelementsandintricateinteriorpaintings,nirlacstabilizedthebuilding,cleanedtheoriginalartworksandcreatedguidelinesforfuturework.Theprojecthasdrawnvisitorswhoprovidefinancialsupporttotheresidentmonks,anddoublesasamodelforotherreligioussitesinneedofrepair.Take the Trip BespokeitinerariestoLadakh,LehandPangaongareavailableeachsummerwithWildFrontiers.wildfrontiers.co.uk; 13 days from US$2,340 per person.

pingyao Cultural villagepingyao, china

What It Is China’slastremainingwalledancientcitywasawealthybankingcenterandculturalhubforfivecenturies.Withtheriseofindustrialization,itfellintodisrepair—untilnow.

How It Works unescostatushasbroughttravelersbacktothecity.AndthankstotheU.S.-basedGlobalHeritageFundFoundation,Pingyaohasrestoredseveralofitshistoricbuildings,whichnowhouseartisancomplexeswherelocaltraditionscanthrive.Take the Trip WalkalongthetopofPingyao’sancientcitywallwithits3,000crenelsrepresentingeachofConfucius’sdisciples.globalheritagefund.org.

Grupo patrimonio Culturalandahuaylillas, peru

What It Is AyouthgrouptaskedwithsavingthehistoricChurchofSanPedroandtheirtown’sentireculturalfabric.How It Works TheyoungmenandwomenbehindGrupoPatrimoniocataloguedeverybuildinginthisAndeantown,archivingnotjustarchitecturalfeaturesbutalsomultigenerationalaccounts,documentedwithvideoclips,drawingsandphotos.Theresult?Andahuaylillasnowhasthetoolstosustainablymanageimpendinggrowth.Take the Trip PlanastoponadrivefromCuzcotoPuno.The386-kilometerrouteisfilledwithIncanruinsandjaggedmountainvistas.grupopatrimonio.com.br.

pack for a purpose carting just two extra kilograms of supplies—from blood-pressure cuffs to deflated soccer balls—can make a huge difference to a disadvantaged community. pack for a purpose posts supply lists online for travelers visiting affiliated properties in developing nations, then arranges for donated items to be picked up from the hotel. packforapurpose.org.

t+l editors’ pick digital initiative

of t+l facebook fans think making a donation is the best way to give back while traveling.

you said...

64%

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Photographed by Tetsuya Miura

a DifferentNatureFor centuries, the gardens of Kyoto have defined a unique and subtle aesthetic—an otherworldly fusion of landscape and design. by roxana robinson

I washavingbreakfastonthe17thflooroftheHotelOkura.Onelongwalloftherestaurantiswindow,soIwasoverlookinghalfofKyoto.BelowwastheKamoRiver,flowingbetweenoldstoneterracedbanks.Beyondthiswasapatchworkofsingle-storybuildings,interspersedwithafewswoopingorangetempleroofs.ThecityspreadsontoclimbthelowerslopesofMountDaimonji,thenstopsabruptly,givingwaytoforest.Thisrisestoanelegantskyline:along,woodedmountainridge,lightlybrushed

withsoftclouds,driftingsilvermist.IwasinKyototolookatgardens.I’minterestedinthe

waydifferentculturesrespondtolandscape,andinthefundamentalquestionofwhatagardenis.InJapan,adeepconnectiontolandscapeispartoftheculture.Shinto,Japan’soldestreligion,considerscertainnaturalforms—rocks,trees,grovesormountains—tobesacred,representingthekami,ancestralspiritsordeities,whoinhabitthem.Shintoisstillwidelypracticed,coexistingpeacefullywithBuddhism;aprofoundengagementwithnatureiscentraltobothreligions.Mountainsaresacredspaces,andbuildingonthemwaslongprohibited,exceptforshrinesortemples.That’swhythisbeautifulforestedmountain,scarvedwithclouds,wasstilluntouched,dreamingsilentlyabovethecity.


Clockwise from top left: A forest pond at Saiho-ji, Kyoto’s “moss temple”; the ceremonial main gate at Ryoan-ji temple; asters at Shisen-do; the Zen garden at Ryoan-ji; the veranda off the main room at Shisen-do; moss-covered rocks at Saiho-ji; stone steps from the lower garden at Shisen-do; a cluster of stones at Ryoan-ji. Center: A hillside pathway at Saiho-ji.

InAmerica,theloveofnatureisindividualistic.Itisn’tuniversallyshared,norincorporatedintoourmainstreamreligions.Asnewcomers,weviewedourlandassomethingtobeconquered.TheJapaneseneverhadtoconquertheirs.Theyareapartofit,andtheirloveforitisdeep,ancientandcommunal,aswellasspiritual.

KyotowasthecapitalofJapanformorethanathousandyears,from794to1868.Emperorsandshogunsbuiltpalacesthere;ShintoandBuddhistpriestsbuilttemples;allofthemplantedgardens.Manyhavebeenpreserved—though“preserved”soundsbloodless.Thesegardenshavebeenclipped,watered,weeded,pruned,swept,walkedin,gazedat,prayedin,honoredandcherishedforhundredsofyears.Ifyou’reinterestedingardens,Kyotoistheplace.MyfriendPatrickChassé,alandscapearchitect,toldmewheretogo.

OnthegroundsofKatsuraImperialVillaandSentoGosho aretwogreat“strollgardens.”ThisisaformthatfloweredduringtheEdoperiod(1603–1867).Before,aristocraticgardensweredesignedprimarilyforastationaryviewer,butthestrollgardeninvitedtheemperorandhispartytoamblealongapath,offeringaslowlychangingviewpoint.Thesearesupremelysophisticatedlandscapesthatemployallsortsofdesignelementsthatwereunfamiliartome:useofthediagonal;“hideandreveal”;shakkei,or“borrowedlandscape”;theincorporationofminiatureandmetaphor.

IntheWest,traditionallywehaveusedstraightlines,frontalityandsymmetry.Weadmireadirectapproach,adoorwaycenteredonawall.ButtheJapanesefavortheoblique,andtheirdoorwaysareononeside.Theyadmiresubtletyandindirection.ThegreatimperialvillaatKatsuraisdesignedonthediagonal:thefrontdoorisoff-center,andsoisthewalkwayleadingtoit.Itissurprisinglyunsettling.Westerndesignsays,“Centerandsymmetrymean‘important.’”Japanesedesignsays,“Don’tmakeassumptions.”Japanesedesignsays,“Payattention.”Ilikethis.

“Hideandreveal”isasubtlewaytomanipulatetheviewer’sexperience.Comingaroundacorneryoufindyourviewblockedbyatreeoraberm,andaflickeroffrustrationheightensyour

delightwhen,amomentlater,avistasuddenlyappears:awaterfallwithanexquisitepatternofripples,orateahouseframedbycherrytrees.“Borrowedlandscape”istheuseofadistantview—ahillside,oramountain—seamlesslyintegratedintothegarden,sothatthelargervistareadsaspartofthegardencomposition.Tuckingamountainintoyourgardenisquiteanambitiousendeavor,requiringpatience,visionand—let’sfaceit—affluence.

KatsuraandSentoGoshoareawriter’sdream.They’renarrativegardens,filledwithsequentialdelights:exquisitestepping-stones;charmingarchedbridges;dark,limpidpools.Theslopeofthehill,theshapeofthestonesliningtheshore,theplacementoftheteahouseagainstthetrees,thecarefullypluckedpines—thisfeelslikeapinnacleofbeautyandrefinement.Japanesegardendesignismorethanathousandyearsold,andithasperfectedthingswe’veneverdreamed

emperors and shoguns built palaces in Kyoto; shinto and Buddhist priests built temples; all planted gardens. many have been clipped, watered, pruned, swept, walked in, gazed at, prayed in and cherished


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of. On a pathway, you walk without looking along broad singlestones.Atapairofstonesyoulookdowntofindyourfooting.Thisisintended:asyoulookup,somethingspecialliesbeforeyou.Thesubtletyofapproach,theperfectionofthepresentationandtheextraordinarysophisticationmakethesegardensaseriesofunfoldingsurprises.

ThereligiousgardensdrawonbothShintoandBuddhism.ThelattercamefromChina,ahugelypowerfulculturalinfluence,andthesourceofthosegorgeous,swooping,scarlet-trimmedtiledtempleroofs,aswellastea.BuddhismbecametheofficialJapanesereligionin594;severalcenturieslater,thesectofZenBuddhismarose,asaprotestagainstworldliness.Zentaughtausterity,simplicityandmeditation,andcreatedanewgardenform.

Zengardens,whichare“drygardens,”wereintendedasanaidtomeditation.Theyaremodestinsize,andenclosed.

Ononeside,woodenstepsmayrisetotheverandaofatemple.Theotherthreesidesmayberammed-earthwalls.Thegardenconsistsofanexpanseofsandwithafewcarefullysetstones.Mossmaypoolaroundthestones.Thesandisrakedintopatterns.That’sallthereis.Thegardenisabsentoflife.Nobirds,nocreatures.Noflowers,fewplants.Nothingstirs,eveninthewind.It’ssilentandmotionless.Youcan’tgointoit.Isitstillagarden?

Yes.Sittingsilentlyonthestepsaboveit,yourealizethatthedrygardenperformsasortofmagicaltransformation.Thesparecompositionbecomestheworld,boththeoutsideworldofthephysical,andtheinteriorworldofyourconsciousness.FromthestepsabovethefamousRyoan-ji,builtaround1450,youbecomeawarethataroughuprightstonecanbeamountain;therakedsand,thesea.Orperhapstheroughstonerepresentsenlightenment,therakedlines,theworld.They


Clockwise from top left: Overlooking Ryoan-ji’s Zen garden; a pond at the Katsura Imperial Villa; Shisen-do’s raked sand; the lower garden pavilion at Shisen-do; one of Saiho-ji’s mossy pathways; a bridge at the Sento Gosho stroll garden.

suggestsomeunanswerableriddle,somemysteriouspermanentflux:youreyekeepsmoving,fromstone,tosand,tostone.Somethingabouttheseshapes,andtherelationshipsbetweenthem,bothquietsandengagestheviewer.Aroundyou,silentpeoplemuseonametaphoricallandscapethat’sfivecenturiesold.Thedrygardensexpandedthepossibilitiesoftheform,offeringagardenthatwoulddomorethanmerelydelightthesenses:itcouldengagethesoul.

Themeditationgardentookotherforms.Shisen-do,theScholar’sGarden,wascompletedin1641byIshikawaJozan,asamuraiwholeftthemartialworldtobecomeanintellectual.Shisen-doisontheflanksofMountDaimonji,abovethecity,inaquietresidentialneighborhood.Iarrivedthereearlyoneautumnmorning,beforethegardenopened.Theairwascleanandfresh,andthestonewalkwayhadjustbeenwashed.WhenthegateopenedIclimbedthestepsalone,betweentalltrees.Thesunilluminatedthelanding,revealingtheentrancetothetemple.It’salow,modestbuilding,intimateandpersonal:itwasIshikawa’shouse.Itookoffmyshoesandwalkedthroughthesilentrooms.Theopenverandabeyondgaveontoawidestretchofrakedwhitesand,radiantintheearlylight.Beyondthiswasabankofdensegreenazaleas,shearedintolong,smooth,roundedforms,mysteriousagainsttheshiningwhitesand.Abovethemroseluminouscloudsofmorningmist.Itwasaplaceyoufeltlikestayinginforever.

ButperhapsthegreatestJapanesetemplegardenisSaiho-ji,theMossTemple.Itwasdesignedin1339bytheBuddhistmonkMusoKokushi.Musobelievedthatthenaturalworlditselfenhancedmeditation,andhesawthegardenasameansofattainingenlightenment.Saiho-jiisatonceaBuddhisttemplegarden,aShintositeandanearlystrollgarden.It’salsooneofthemostbeautifulgardensintheworld.

ToenterSaiho-jiIhadtoapplyinwriting,fromwithinJapan,aweekbeforehand.Ireceivedpermission,andIarrivedatthedesignatedtime.Insidethetemple,Iwasshownintoalargeroom.Whileblack-robedmonkschantedprayers,Isatcross-leggedatalowdeskamongothervisitors.Usinganinkstoneandcalligraphybrush,ItracedapageofBuddhistsutras.ThenIcarriedmysheettothealtar,bowedandoffereditonthepile.OnlythenmightIenterthisgardenofparadise.

Saiho-ji’sthreehectaresofserenewoodlandcontainaseriesofsmalllinkedpondsthatformtheJapanesecharactersfor“heart”—asin“courage.”Thewaterisdarkandgleaming,fleckedwithafewtinyislands.Inonepool,twosetsofripplesexpandoutward,meetingendlesslyonthequiet,shimmeringsurface.Apathfollowstheshoreline.Thewoodsareopen,cleanandentirelycarpetedbymoss,whichisdeepandlush,denseandmiraculouslyluxuriant.Itformsatapestryoftextures—silky,fine,plush,coarse,loose—andofshades:silvery,iridescent,brown.Mosshasatransformativepresence;visitorsspeakonlyinhushed,respectfulwhispers.Moss-toppedwoodenbridgeslinktheshoreandislands.Afewnarrowrillsrunthroughthedeepbedsofmoss,makingamutedliquidnoise.Thequietsoundofbirdsongiscontinuous.Twohuge,ancienttreesarehungwithShintorice-strawgarlands,declaringthepresenceofkami.Thesenseofcalmisdeepandabsolute:thiswholespaceissacred.✚

t+l guideGetting There fly in to osaka’s Kansai International airport (KIx), 100 kilometers from central Kyoto and served by most major international airlines. or take the shinkansen train from tokyo, a 2¾-hour trip.

Getting Around buses, trains and high-speed rail provide moderately priced, reliable transportation throughout the city. (most public transit lines make announcements in english.) Visit city.kyoto.jp for information.

stayHotel Monterey centrally located 327-room hotel near sanjo-dori. 604 Manjuya-cho, Nakagyo-ku; hotelmonterey.co.jp; doubles from ¥25,000.Hotel Okura sleek, understated property with a traditional tea-ceremony room. 537-4 Kawaramachi-oike, Nakagyo-ku; okura.kyotohotel.co.jp; doubles from ¥18,000.

doKatsura Imperial Villa Katsura Misono, Nishikyo-ku; 81-75/211-1215; reservation required.Ryoan-ji Ryoan-ji Goryono-Shita cho, Ukyo-ku; ryoanji.jp.Saiho-ji 56 Matsuo Jingatani-cho; Nishikyo-ku; 81-75/391-3631; reservation required. Sento Gosho (Sento Imperial Palace) Kyoto-Gyoen, Kamigyo-ku; 81-75/211-1215; reservation required.Shisen-do 27 Kadoguchi-cho; kyoto-shisendo.com.

Visiting the Gardenswith 35 years of experience, Emerald Global (etours-japan.co.uk) can arrange guided visits to saiho-ji temple, while travelers interested in seeing the Imperial gardens at Katsura and sento gosho can apply separately at sankan.kunaicho.go.jp. apply at least four days before you plan to visit.

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Katsura imperial villa


a tHatcHeD-roof beacH Hut. a blue lagoon. anD not a soul In sIgHt: In searcH of tHe ultImate get-away-from-It-all IslanD fantasy, ANDREW MCCARTHY explores tHe atolls of frencH polynesIa, eacH more remote tHan tHe last. PHOTOGRAPHED BY JESSICA SAMPLE

South Seas

Escape to the

A lookout over Cook’s Bayon Moorea, with Mount

Rotui in the distance.

naked—and alone—walkingoveranexposedbedofcoralunderscorchingsun.TheopenPacificslamsintothereefaameterorsotomyright.

Thewindripspastmyears.Iturninlandand(gingerly)thrashbarefootthroughdenseunderbrush,beneathpalmandtiaretrees.AhundredmeterslaterIbreakoutandtheturquoiselagooniswaiting.Istepintotheplacidwateruptomyknees.Thereisnowindonthissideoftheatoll.WhenItakeanotherstep,ablacktipreefshark,justoverameterlong,dartsfrombehindacoraloutcroptomyleft;it’scloseenoughthatIfeelthewaterdisplaceonmylegsasitswimsoff.ThatIdon’tjumpoutofmyskin—ordoanythingexceptlaughandsay“Cool”—coupledwiththefactthatI’mnakedandtrompingaroundlikenatureboy,letsmeknowthatmytimeinFrenchPolynesiaishavingthedesiredeffect.

IhadcometotheSouthPacifictoescape.FormostofmylifeI’dharboredthisfantasy—disappearingtoaremoteisland,vanishingwithoutatrace.WhenIsawthemovieCast Away(filmedinFiji),theonlythingIcouldn’tunderstandwaswhyTomHankswantedtogetoffthedesertedisland.AndI’mnottheonlyone:inthisageofthe“black-holeresort,”wherehighpricesarepaidfortheprivilegeofnoInternet,phoneorTV,there’sagrowingawarenessthatthemorehyper-connectedweare,themorewehavetofightforanytrueconnection.Personally,Ifinditincreasinglydifficulttohearmyselfthink,oreventoslowdownenoughtotry—andthemoreIconsultmyiPhone,themoredifficultthatbecomes.SoIdecidedtocheckout.

StrungoutnearlyhalfwaybetweenSouthAmericaandAustralia,coveringanarearoughlythesizeofWesternEurope,the118islandsandatollsofFrenchPolynesiahavebeenthestuffofdreamssinceexplorerLouis-AntoinedeBougainvillewrotein1771thatthelocalwomenpossessedthe“celestialformofthatgoddessVenus.”WhenPaulGauguinarrivedalmostacenturyandaquarterlatertopaintthescantilycladnatives,thedealwassealed.

ButwhenIarrivedinPapeete,thecapitalofFrenchPolynesia,locatedontheislandofTahiti,itwasanythingbuttheparadiseIhadimagined.Molderingbuildings,exhaust-chokedstreetsandhungry-lookingnativesgreetthevisitor.Seedyshopssellingblackpearls—FrenchPolynesia’snumberoneexport—clusterbesidetattooparlors.Clotheshangfromdroopinglinesinahalfheartedattempttodryintheheavyair.OfFrenchPolynesia’s270,000residents,nearlytwo-thirdsliveonTahiti,mostofthemcrowdedintoandaroundPapeete.Thefirstimpressionisjarring.

i’m



Clockwise from left: Overwater guest bungalows at Hotel Kia Ora Resort & Spa, on Rangiroa; Papeete’s Marché Municipal; a vendor at the market; on an open-hulled boatbetween islands.

OneblockinfromtheseaattheMarchéMunicipal,lazychaosreigns.Themorning’scatchisondisplaybesidegiantpapayasandredtaroroot.Oldwomenwithflowersintheirhairsellpain au chocolat;Chinesemenhackupgrilledporkforalonglineofcustomers.Amanwithtattooscoveringeveryvisibleportionofhisbody,includinghisface,swipesthetopoffacoconutwithalongmacheteandhandsittomeandIdrinkitssweetwater.

Oncenightfalls,thehipcrowdcongregatesattheChoccoLatteLounge,intheHotelTahitiNui,onAvenuedePrinceHinoi.Youngladieswearauniformofextremelyshort,clingingblackdresses;stumblinginimpossiblyhighheels,theyhuddleandtalkonlywithoneanother,whileyoungmenslouchincorners.Technomusicblares.Afewblocksaway,downbythedock,adozenroulottes,whiteminivansmodifiedintorollingkitchens,havesetoutplasticchairsandtablesandtheairisthickwithsmokefromtheiroverworkedgrills.Underfluorescentlightsarelaxedandmangycrowdmingles.Iwolfdowngreasypommes fritesatmidnight.

There’sadecrepitcharmtothecity,andIfindmyselflingeringlongerthanexpected.ButperhapsthebestthingthatcanbesaidaboutPapeeteisthatit’swhereyoucatchtheferrytoMoorea,18kilometersacrosstheSeaoftheMoon.Theremnantofvolcanicmayhem,wherejaggedpeaksandspiresplungeintodenselyfoliatedandimpenetrablevalleys,heart-shapedMooreaiswherePolynesiandreamsbegintocometrue.

T heideaoftime,itisveryforeignhere,”PhilippeGuérytellsmeunderpassion-fruitandmangotreesontheedgeofOpunohuBay,oneofthetwodeepandshockinglylushinletsthatdominatetheisland’snortherncoast.Theage-oldlamentof“islandtime”holdstrueinFrenchPolynesia,butwithadistinctlyFrenchexistentialshrugofthe

shoulder.“Theconceptoftomorrow,inaway,itdoesnotexist,”Guérysays.Heandhiswife,Corinne,cametoMooreafromtheBasqueregionofFrancesixyearsagoandhavenointentionofgoingback.“Why?”hespreadshisarmswidebywayofexplanation.It’salittlefartheralongOpunohuBaythatIseethreeyoungandimprobablybeautifulwomenwithduskyskinandlong,looseblackhairwadeintothewaterunderastar-fruittree,theirbrightlycoloredsarongsrisingaroundthemandfloatingtotheripplingsurfaceastheylaughandgentlysplashoneanother.AroundthebendinPaopao,atSt.Joseph’sCatholicChurch,thecommunitygathersandfillsthepews.WomeninhatsandmeninfloralshirtssingandprayandthenloiteroutsideforaSundaychat.Bythewater,besidethelongcanoes,Iwatchandameventuallypulledintoagameofpétanque.MendrinkHinano(thelocalbeer),fishsmokesontheopengrillandamotherdanceswithhersmalldaughtertoFrenchpopmusicplayingfromsomeone’sboombox.

FartherroundCook’sBay,IfindRonHall,anativeofsouthernCaliforniawhocametoFrenchPolynesiabackinthe1970’stocrewonactorPeterFonda’syacht.Fondawentback,Halldidn’t.“Nowondertherewasamutiny,”hesays,referringthefamousuprisingthatoccurredontheHMS Bountyin1789

From top: A boat at the Tetamanu Village dock, on Fakarava; Eric Lussiez (center), proprietor of

the atoll’s Raimiti guesthouse, and his family. Opposite: A palm-frond cottage at Raimiti.


(twofilmversionsofthemutinywereshotontheseislands).“WouldyouhavegonebacktoManchester?”

There’saneasywelcomeonMoorea,andriotousbeauty,buttherearefencesandlockedgatesaswellasseverallargeresortswiththeobligatoryoverwaterbungalows,andwhenIgetcaughtinatrafficjambehindagarbagetruck,it’stimetomoveon.“Themodernworldhasarrivedhere.They’vegottentous,”Halltellsmewithashrug.“YouneedtoheadouttotheTuamotus.You’reatnature’smercyoutthere,ontheedgeoftheworld.”

Soundsperfect.

Risingbarelythreemetersabovesealevelattheirhighestpoint,the78atollsthatmakeupFrenchPolynesia’sTuamotuArchipelagoarepalmtrees,sandandthat’saboutit.Smallcoralislets—motus—stringthemselvesoutlikebeadsonanecklaceandencirclevastandtranquillagoons,whiletheopenPacificpoundstheouterreefs.It’sinthelagoonsof

thesetentativeclaimsatlandthatmostoftheworld’sblackpearlsarefarmed;intheiroceanpassesthatsomeofthesea’sbestscubadivingisdone;andintheircoral-richsoilthatthereisexactlyonewinery.

SébastienThepenier,fromBurgundy,inFrance,arrivedonRangiroa—354kilometersnortheastofTahitiandthelargestatollintheTuamotus—tobecometheheadwinemakerforVindeTahitiin2002.“Itiscrazy,completely,”heconfessesimmediately.“WhenIarrived,Ididnotknowifwecoulddoit.Thatfirstyearweproduced500liters.Butthisyear,30,000.”Thepenier,withhisthickglassesandseriousmanner,seemsmorelikeacollegeprofessorthanawinemaker.Hetakesmebyboatouttothemotu wherehis24,000vinesgrowoversevenhectares.It’sanincongruoussight—rowsofneatlyorderedvinesabutaforestofshaggypalmtreesbesidethelappinglagoonunderablisteringsun.“Itisnotaneasychoice,butitisabeautifullife,”hesays.

TheotheroasisofsophisticationonscruffyRangiroasitsonthebankoftheTiputaPass,oneoftwodeepwaterchannelsthatfunnellifeinandoutofthemassivelagoon.DeniseCaroggio,anelegantgrandedameinpearlsandfullmakeup,arrivedin

PapeetefromParisin1979andfoundherwayherenearly15yearsago.“WhenIfirstarrived,”Caroggioleansclose,herblueeyeshadowperfectlyapplied,“therewasoneplaneaweek.AftertwodaysIcalledAirTahitiandsaidtherewasanemergencyandthatIneededtogetoff.”Shelaughsandlooksoutacrossthechurningpassfromthedeckofherchic,seven-suitepensione,LesRelaisdeJoséphine.“ThenIfellinlovewiththisspot,thispass.Alllifehastogorightpastmybackyard.”

ThemajorityofRangiroa’s3,000residentsliveinthevillageofAvatoru—themainmetropolisoftheTuamotus,withitstwobanks,postofficeandhandfulofstores.Thereisonepavedroad,andintheeveningsIridemybicycleunderthefewdimstreetlamps,pastsimplehomes,somewithsatellitedishesaffixedtocorrugated-metalroofs,whilebluelightflickersoutfromotherwiseunlitwindows.Theairispungentwiththesmelloftiare,thewhite,star-shapedflowerthatkeepsFrenchPolynesiasmellinglikeperfume.Insideoneoftheisland’sfivechurches,achoirpractices,voicescarryacrosstheopenwaterofthelagoon.

BackatLesRelaisdeJoséphine,mysimple,elegant,thatched-roofbungalowfurnishedwithreproductionsofFrench-colonialantiquesisstepsfromthepass.Ilieinmyfour-posterbed,theslidingdoorsopenwide,andwatchdolphinsleapfromthewateraheadoftheincomingtideasitracestofillthelagoonatdawn.

AsidefromthecharmsofCaroggio’ssalon,andtheoverwaterbungalowsattheglamorousHotelKiaOraResort&Spa,Rangiroa’sappealisarawone.“It’swhatBora-Borawas20yearsago,”KiaOramanagerGerardGarciatellsme.“It’sstillpristinehere,stillremote.”ButwhenIseeacruiseshipsailingthroughTiputaPass,IknowRangiroaisnotisolatedenoughforme.

About240kilometerstothesoutheast,Ifindthespotthatis:Fakarava,population700.Dogssleepintheshadeofironwoodtrees;snailstwicethesizeofmyfistinchacrossthecrushed-coralroad;thesunburnsdown.“There’salotofquiethere,”MargarethBurnsassuresmefrombehindtheregisteroftheisland’sbakery,BoulangerieHavaiki(whereIgetthesinglebestcroissantI’veevertastedoutsideofParis—16,000kilometersaway).Theisland’ssleepyTetamanuVillageguesthousealsorunsadivecenter.

Kosrae Micronesia often overlooked for more popular islands such as bora-bora, 109-square-kilometer Kosrae is ideal for those who prefer adventure to sunbathing. search for ruins or dive to see reefs and a pirate shipwreck. the rooms at Kosrae Village (kosraevillage.com; doubles from €111) are rustic but comfortable.

laucala island Fiji set on an exclusive private island, laucala resort (laucala.com; doubles from €3,035) is located on a 1,214-hectare former coconut plantation with an 18-hole golf course, equestrian center and spa. the 25 villas are outfitted with plunge pools; the resort’s four restaurants source ingredients from local farms.

palau Micronesia the 586 mushroom-shaped atolls of this island republic are famous for their marine life: the coral reef, with its 1,450 fish species, is one of the most biodiverse places on earth. at the palau pacific resort (palauppr.com; doubles from €271), on Koror, guests can snorkel right off the beach.

pitcairn islandsHalfway between new Zealand and peru, the four volcanic and coral specks that make up this british overseas territory include the pristine, uninhabited Henderson, a unesco world Heritage site. on pitcairn Island, the pitcairn museum has surprisingly impressive exhibits on ancient polynesian and naval history (visitpitcairn.pn).

vanua levu Fiji Hike to waterfalls or picnic on one of the beaches that ring fiji’s second-largest island. High-profile guests such as edward norton and Donna Karan stay at namale (namale fiji.com; doubles from €1,523) on the Koro sea, with 19 villas and bures, or traditional fijian houses.—stirling kelso

Also in the South Seas


The paradoxical sensation of so much peace and feeling so alive is impossible to ignore

The restaurant at Tetamanu Village, a guesthouse on Fakarava.

Asmallboy,justleavingtheisland’sloneschoolonhisbicycle,overtakesmeontheroadandtheraceison.Laughing,wepedalharduntilheleavesmeinthedustnexttoalagoon-sideoutdoorrestaurantwithhangingshells.CecileCasserville,aformerskiinstructorfromtheAlps,openedTeanaunua10yearsagowithherMooreanpartner,asarong-cladAdonisnamedEnohaPater.“WehavebeenallovertheTuamotus,andthereissomethingspecialhere.Youfeelitrightaway,no?”

Inod,savoringfreshlygrilledtunaCasservillehasjustpreparedforme.“Wedon’tlikecities,cars,noise.Thisiswhatwewant.”Nearby,anursesharkcircles,waitingforscraps—Patersauntersoverandobliges.“Butifyouwantrealpeace,gosouth.Itisveryremote.Youwillbehappythere.”

AndthenI’minafive-meter,open-hulledboat,racingoverstillwatertowardanisolatedmotuinthesouthernpartofthelagoon.Alreadyawildandinsubstantialspot,Fakaravabeginstobreakapart.Themotusbecomemorespreadout,moreinhospitable.Signsoflifearefew,thennonexistent.Afternearlytwohours,Ispyasmalldockjuttingoutintothewaterfromalushmotu.Astheboattiesup,Icanseeafewsimplebuildingshidingamongthepalms,setjustbackfromthecoral-boundcoast.Adeeplyweatheredmanwithwhitehairwalksouttogreetme.

EricLussiez,fromtheRepublicoftheCongo,isamanofartistictemperamentwithasurvivor’sdemeanor,andhe’screatedaSouthSeasparadiseofsimplicitywithRaimiti.Onasmallandnarrowmotuhehasbuilt10cottages,fiveonthelagoon,andfive—90metersaway—ontheocean.ThefirstthingLussiezshowsmeishowtooperatemykerosenelamp.Mysmallcottage,madeofpalmfronds,hashotrunningwater,awidebedandnoelectricity.

“Youaretheonlyguest.Youwillhavequiet,”Lussieztellsme,andwalksaway.

Istandinfrontofmycottageandlookoutoverthelagoon.Theairispalpablystill.Nothingishappening.ThenthelongerI’mstill,themoremysurroundingscometolife.Thearomaofthetiareflowerisstrong.Frigatebirdsswoopanddiveintotheturquoisewater.Hundreds,perhapsthousands,ofsilver,nearlytranslucentfishleapoutofthelagooninunison,andthenleapagain.Asnailinchesalongbesidemytoe.ThisiswhereI’vewantedtobe—evenbeforeIknewofitsexistence.Thisplaceisdeeplyfamiliar,inthewayonlysomewhereyou’veneverbeentobeforecanbe.

Atdawn,I’montheoceansideoftheatoll,atopawidebedofcoral.Therearenearlyahundredprimitivetowersofstackedcoral—cairns—liningthecoast.ThesilhouettedstatuesareaneeriesightbeforethesuncomesupoverthePacific.

“Ibuiltthefirstone,”LussiezsayswhenIseehimlater,“andthenguestscontinued.Ihopeyouwilladdtothegarden.”LussiezsettledinFrenchPolynesia34yearsago.“IhadarestaurantonMooreafor30years,andwouldcomehere,justformyself.Butthen.…”Heshrugs.

Andinhisshrug,Iunderstand.Perhapsit’saresultofbeingsoclosetotheedgeoftheworld,buttheparadoxicalsensationofsomuchpeaceandfeelingsoaliveisimpossibletoignore.

LateinthedayI’mbackinthecoralgarden,stackingatowerhigh,layingsmallclaimonthismomentinthisplace.Thesunhangs.SweatrollsdownmybackasIliftchunksofcoralandadd

t+l guideGetting Therea few major airlines (air france, air new Zealand, air tahiti nui and Hawaiian airlines) fly into papeete, tahiti’s faa’a International airport; direct flights from asia-pacific are available from auckland and tokyo.

Getting Aroundair tahiti offers extensive service throughout french polynesia, including to the tuamotu atolls. traveling by boat between tahiti and moorea is easy, a 30- to 60-minute ferry or catamaran trip. or reserve a spot aboard one of Paul Gauguin Cruises’ small-ship tours (pgcruises.com; 10 nights from US$4,747 per person).

eatBoulangerie Havaiki Rotoava, Fakarava.Chocco Latte Lounge Hotel Tahiti Nui, Ave. du Prince Hinoi, Papeete; hoteltahitinui.com. Teanaunua Rotoava, Fakarava; cocktails for two €32.

doMarché Municipal François Cardella and Colette Sts.; tahiti-tourisme.com.Tetamanu Diving Center gear up here to explore the reefs and underwater caves. Fakarava; tetamanu village.pf.Vin de Tahiti Rangiroa; vindetahiti.com.

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A dive instructor on Fakarava.

tomycreation.Withoutreallynoticing,Islipoutofmybathingsuit.It’swhenmyworkisdonethatIturninland,thrashthroughtheundergrowthandemergebesidethelagoon,whereIstepintothewaterandtheblacktipreefsharkzipspastme.Ilaugh.ForaninstantIwishIhadmycamera,anditoccurstomeIhavenoideawheremyiPhoneis—andthenIrealize,Idon’tcarewhereitis.

It’sgoingtobeverydifficulttoputmyclothesbackon.✚


stayHotel Kia Ora Resort & Spa Rangiroa; hotelkiaora.com; doubles from €937.Les Relais de Joséphine Rangiroa; relais-josephine-rangiroa.com; doubles from €254. Raimiti Fakarava; raimiti.com; doubles from €415.Tetamanu Village Fakarava; tetamanuvillage.pf; doubles from €293.

From Venice to Downtown, L.A. has evolved into a stylish collection of urban enclaves, each with its own personality—not to mention to-die-for shopping, art, eating and, yes, stargazing. By David A. Keeps. Photographed by Amanda Friedman

our definitive guide to


Urban Light, a permanent installation

by Chris Burden at the Los Angeles County

Museum of Art (lacma), in Mid-City.


Seeking a beach escape? Or a Beverly Hills hideaway? L.A. has a hotel for every type of traveler.

BuZZ factorfashion photographer matthew rolston curated the design of Hollywood’s The Redbury, with english upholstery and suzani bedspreads. theredbury.com; from $272.

you’ll find shiny white minimalism in a steel-and-glass space at the W Hollywood.starwoodhotels.com; from $359.

the philippe starck–designed SLS Hotel at Beverly Hills houses chef josé andrés’s equally imaginative bazaar. slsbeverlyhills.com; from $399.

steps from rodeo Drive, the Montage Beverly Hills’s courtyard setting pays homage to mediterranean mood and architecture.

montage beverlyhills.com; from $421.

on tHe BeacH built of only sustainable materials, the Shore Hotel’s glass showers look out over the ocean. shorehotel.com; from $325.

the cape cod-style Shutters on the Beach has interiors by the obamas’ decorator, michael s. smith. shuttersonthe beach.com; from $525.

movie-star romancea-listers love the art Deco Sunset Tower Hotel and its killer city views. sunset towerhotel.com; from $295.

a hideaway for l.a.’s hip set, Chateau Marmont evokes the noir glamour of Sunset Boulevard.

chateau marmont.com; from $435.

from the pink exterior to the bungalows, the Beverly Hills Hotel is a celebrity favorite. beverlyhills hotel.com; from $495.

urBan contemporaryIron Chef contestant eric greenspan has a sceney restaurant at the stylish new Hotel Wilshire. hotelwilshire.com; from $225.

In a glass building by l.a. live, you’ll find the modern JW Marriott (jwmarriott.com; from $299) and, above it, a Ritz-Carlton (ritzcarlton.com; from $309), offering jaw-dropping views.

L’Ermitage Beverly Hills is a beige-hued,

five-star addition to the Viceroy Hotels group. viceroyhotels andresorts.com; from $465.

grandes damesbuilt in 1946, Hotel Bel-Air was recently revamped by alexandra champalimaud and the rockwell group. hotelbel air.com; from $515.

renovated rooms at the Four Seasons at Beverly Hills have marble baths, private terraces and french doors. fourseasons.com; from $475.

unsurpassed elegance in a white washed mansion awaits at the Peninsula Beverly Hills. peninsula.com; from $495. Hotel prices are in US$ for double occupancy.

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los angeles

Lay of the LandBeverly Hills, Santa Monica and West Hollywood still draw shoppers and sightseers, but a new generation of talented young transplants has helped transform Hollywood and Downtown into exciting and navigable playgrounds.

tHe BeacH Venice has the canals. santa monica, the shopping (we’re partial to montana avenue). malibu, the legendary beaches with low-key fish-fry shacks. Beverly Hills the 90210 area has more luxury emporiums than any other u.s. zip code. culver city this once industrial neighborhood is now a thriving design district.

mid-city come here for the shopping meccas of melrose and la brea, the farmers’ market and the museums on wilshire boulevard. Hollywood tacky-touristy by day, the formerly seedy neighborhood blossoms after dark thanks to high-design hotels and nightclubs. silver laKe and ecHo parK Head to this area for local fashion, vintage shops and the best music venue, the echoplex. downtown a loft boom and new hotels (the ace Downtown is expected in fall 2013) have fueled a sophisticated foodie scene.

Lounging in the lobby of the

Shore Hotel, in Santa Monica.

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shopA neighborhood guide to shopping—don’t forget your wallet.

Brentwood minnie mortimer gives east coast prep a kicked-back california breeziness with shirtwaist dresses and beachy striped tops at the Mini Shop (11973 San Vicente Blvd.; minnie mortimer.com). nearby is Brentwood Country Mart (225 26th St.; brentwood countrymart.com), a warren of food stalls and shops by stylish clothiers including dressmaker jenni Kayne, designer james perse and queen of Indian prints roberta freymann.

aBBot Kinney trend-setting jewelry, custom fragrances, international housewares—there’s always something intriguing on Venice’s abbot Kinney boulevard. we love the luxe leather bags at Kendall Conrad (No. 1121), the Danish and swedish furniture at Huset (No. 1316 ½), Linus Bikes’s (No. 1413 ½) french-style city cruisers and ChocoVivo (No. 1504) for stone-ground dark chocolate.

la BreaKnown for surf/skate brands, the stretch of la brea

avenue between first and second streets has the latest arrivals: Kelly Cole (175 S. La Brea Ave.; kellycoleusa.com) sells classic rock t-shirts and unique collectors’ items, and housewares shop A+R (171 S. La Brea Ave.; aplusrstore.com) is a great source for modern lighting and furniture. the main attraction is Shelter Half (161 S. La Brea Ave.; shelterhalf.com), where you’ll find only u.s.-made goods, from save Khaki men’s apparel to olmay Home accessories.

downtownsome of the world’s most coveted premium jeans are produced in industrial neighborhoods just outside los angeles. now, downtown l.a.’s Den.m Bar (111 W. Seventh St., suite R3; denmbar.com) lets men and women customize their own. the bespoke pants are so popular that clients are encouraged to book an appointment. while in the building, check out Buttons & Bows (suite R11; buttonsandbowsla.com), a vintage shop opened by bob marley’s daughter Karen.

see+doFour simple—and classic—pursuits in the City of Angels.

1 watch a film in style at

Grauman’s Chinese Theatre (chinesetheatres.com), in chinatown, or Hollywood’s Cinerama Dome (arclightcinemas.com).

2go for a nighttime

top-down drive on winding Mulholland Drive, from Interstate 405 to laurel canyon boulevard. take in the magical lights of the city and the san fernando Valley.

3Hike through Griffith Park.

start at the los angeles Zoo and head to griffith observatory, made famous by Rebel Without a Cause. stop at Trails Café (thetrails losfeliz.com; US$14 for two) for

lunch.

4see gustavo Dudamel conduct

the los angeles philharmonic at frank gehry’s Walt Disney Concert Hall (laphil.com) or catch a concert at the Hollywood Bowl (hollywoodbowl.com).

Clockwise from left: Mini Shop’s resort casual line, in Brentwood; the boutique Shelter Half, on La Brea Avenue; a selection of Big Spoon nut butters at Shelter Half; Den.m Bar’s chalkboard jeans display, in Downtown.

Nightfall at Griffith

Observatory.


The hottest new tables in L.A. dish up a meaty selection of fusion cuisines.

EatEatStar SearchWant to spot a celebrity? Nightlife impresario and VIP events producer Bryan Rabin tells T+L where to find them.

Have breakfast at the beverly Hills Hotel’s Fountain Coffee Room or lunch at the hotel’s Polo Lounge.

pretend not to notice regular jon Hamm at Little Dom’s, in los feliz. other star supper haunts: Il Covo, Bouchon in Beverly Hills and Tower Bar at sunset tower Hotel.

sip late-night drinks in the living room at Chateau Marmont.

mingle with the fashion crowd on the rooftop of the Thompson Hotel, in beverly Hills.

shop at Fred Segal on melrose or Kitson and Chanel on robertson boulevard, and search for vintage finds at the weekend Malibu Country Mart.

a-frameIn a former IHop, roy choi of Kogi food-truck fame recently opened this lively ski-chalet-style restaurant, serving up such inventive dishes as beer-marinated crispy chicken with kimchi and two salsas. 12565 Washington Blvd.; aframela.com; $80.

Bottega louieyou’ll swear that the parisian patisserie ladurée had launched in l.a. when you walk into bottega louie. It is a morning pastry shop and market, lunchtime café and all-day dining room decked out in white marble and gilded french antiques. go

for the perfect pizzas, mâche with chicken—and macarons. 700 S. Grand Ave.; bottegalouie.com; $150.

inKTop Chef winner michael Voltaggio takes an arty approach, piling sugar snap peas up like a jenga puzzle surrounded by nitrogen-cooled coconut. a penchant for molecular gastronomy doesn’t distract from triumphs such as egg-yolk gnocchi, but makes Ink as serious as its sexy, all-gray space.8360 Melrose Ave.; mvink.com; $170.

umamicatessen l.a.’s craze for gourmet

ground beef has pushed umami to the forefront with 12 socal locations. Its latest success offers 11 types of burgers, classic deli sandwiches, pork treats and fried-to-order german chocolate doughnuts. 852 S. Broadway; umami.com; $60.

sotto and piccastacked atop each other in a new york–style town house, these two restaurants couldn’t be more different. sotto (sottorestaurant.com; $120) specializes in Italian-accented cocktails and neapolitan pizzas. upstairs, picca (piccaperu.com; $100) is

run by ricardo Zarate, a trained sushi chef who incorporates his peruvian roots and the region’s tangy ají amarillo pepper into small plates that are even more delicious than they are gorgeous.9575 W. Pico Blvd.

tar & roses this boisterous gastropub in santa monica focuses on farm-to-table vegetable dishes such as wood-roasted peas with mint, plus charcuterie and plates of rib-sticking braised lamb belly. 602 Santa Monica Blvd.; tarandroses.com; $100.

Restaurant prices are in US$ for dinner for two. t

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los angeles

From left: A-Frame, in Culver City; an artichoke pizza and salads at Bottega Louie, in Downtown.

Kris morningstarExecutive chef, Ray’s & Stark Bar

Three Angelenos share their favorite places in the city.

Local TakeLocal Take

Where I go for...a QuicK BiteIheadtotheoriginal Farmers’ Market (6333 W. Third St.).Trythemole poblanoat Lotería Grill (Stall 322; loteriagrill.com; $21)orgetaburgeratShort Order (Stall 110; shortorderla.com; $12).a drinKLa Descarga (1159 N. Western Ave.; ladescargala.com; cocktails for two $26)isabarwithanOldHavanavibeandafocusonagaveandtequila.inspiring arcHitecturelacma (5905 Wilshire Blvd.; lacma.org)isoneofmygo-tospots.

rasHida JonesActress, producer, star and co-writer of Celeste and Jesse Forever

Where I go for...a ligHt luncHTheVietnamesedishesatthelow-keyGingergrass (2396 Glendale Blvd.; gingergrass.com; $60),inSilverLake,arealwaysdelicious.tHe Basics Broome Street General Store(2912 Rowena Ave.; broomestgeneral.com)sellsthebestofeverything—artisanalcoffee;toothpaste;organicbeautyproducts.a relaxing afternoonRaven Spa (2910 Rowena Ave.; theravenspa.com)giveswonderfultraditionalThaimassages.

Where I go for...great artIloveMatthew Marks Gallery (1062 N. Orange Grove; matthew marks.com),inWestHollywood,andGagosian Gallery (456 N. Camden Dr.; gagosian.com),inBeverlyHills.a good readSantaMonica’sDiesel, a Bookstore (225 26th St.; diesel bookstore.com)hasawell-curatedselection.exerciseIbikethePacific Coast Highway.Thelightandviewsarerestorative.

Culver Citymore than three dozen contemporary art galleries (ccgalleryguide.com) are packed into an easy-to-stroll triangle.

Art Crawl Downtown Art WalkDon’t miss this monthly event (downtownartwalk.org) that showcases new painting and photography by emerging artists.

Along with the Getty, MoCA and lacma, check out these venues.

James cunoPresident & CEO, J. Paul Getty Trust

Bergamot StationIn a three-hectare industrial tract (bergamotstation.com), 40-plus galleries and shops display anime, sculpture and more.


From left: Levitated Mass, a sculpture by

Michael Heizer at lacma; inside

Brentwood Country Mart’s Diesel, a

Bookstore; summer rolls and a papaya

salad at Gingergrass, in Silver Lake.


Don’t you forget about me

their trunks are nimble, their minds just as dexterous. according to research by think elephants International, pachyderms cooperate, understand rewards, problem-solve and, yes, have stellar memories.

since logging was banned in thailand, many elephant trainers have followed their gentle giants to sanctuaries like the golden triangle asian elephant foundation.mahouts are more than pachyderm caregivers; they often bond for life—which, in the case of elephants, is about 70 years.

Family portrait

Chiang Rai,Thailand

the new elephant researcher program uses scientific games to study intellectual development theories, with the goal of improving our ability to communicate with elephants (Four Seasons Tented Camp Golden Triangle; fourseasons.com/golden triangle; 66-53/910-200).

Wisdom and beauty

last look Photographed by Marisa Marchitelli

That smile of self-recognition

elephants know their own reflections—a trait they share only with great apes, dolphins, orcas, one bird species and, of course, humans. this means that, besides being delighted by her own good looks, tang mo here sees herself as a separate being and so can form deeper social bonds.

october 2012

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