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ultratravel 13

A World of Sophisticated Beauty Armani Hotel Dubai brings to life the “Stay with Armani� philosophy delivering a genuine home approach and a unique lifestyle experience where every need and desire is fulflled for each guest individually. www.armanihotels.com

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ultratravel 15

the next BIG THING

John O’Ceallaigh reports on the future of superyachts, from iridescent hulls to jet-pads and on-board waterfalls

nEW WAVE Plans for Moonstone, its hull lit with changeable LEDs (main picture) and (clockwise from top left) Monaco 2050 with a launchpad for a private jet, the floating deck on Symmetry, the improbably shaped Star, and CF8 with a waterfall

O

nce, billionaires were content with

Conventions surrounding superyacht design

basketball courts, 3-D cinemas and

are challenged, too, by Sinot Exclusive Yacht

helipads on their superyachts. But

Design, whose plans for the layout of Symmetry reveal

today, their desire to be noticed has

a boat that expands symmetrically from its centre,

given yacht designers licence to create spectacles

enabling this mirror-image vessel to change

that will not just make an impact as the vessels

direction efficiently or, as the designers put it,

come in to port, but to dazzle from afar.

to take a “bi-directional course”. When

A boat that will undoubtedly do that, if it is built, is Moonstone, conceived by the shipbuilders

the yacht is stationary, passengers can relax on a deck that extends directly into the sea.

Oceanco with Van Geest Design. Their plans

Functional features are of secondary concern

for the 295ft yacht include a faceted hull that

for anyone commissioning Sea Level Engineering’s

sparkles as it captures the reflection of the sun

proposed superyacht, CF8. As well as a capacious

shimmering on the sea. At night, it will shine, too:

garage for the owner’s cars, the proposed yacht

numerous solar-powered LEDs are embedded in

would have a waterfall flowing from its top deck

the body of the ship, whose glittering light display

into a swimming pool below.

can be manipulated by an app. Although infinite

Although the superyacht silhouette would be

permutations of light are possible, some of the

even more radically redefined by Igor Lobanov’s

most intriguing draw on nature: the colours of

Star, an iceberg-shaped creation with a 197ft

a surrounding Caribbean sunset, for instance,

pinnacle, perhaps the most fanciful design of

can be captured by cameras and displayed

all comes from Vasily Klyukin. His Monaco 2050

on the hull to create an entirely distinct form of

would feature a launchpad for a private jet that

camouflage (while, conversely, ensuring

would be able to take off vertically. The vessel is

Moonstone still remains the centre of attention).

so called because he expects the feature to be

With two buyers already expressing interest in the

a superyacht standard by 2050.

concept, and Oceanco anticipating a three-year

Far-fetched that may seem, but in this

build time after the first order is placed, Moonstone

money-no-object world, surprising developments

could sail before the decade is out.

are a certainty.

CAYMAN BRAC LITTLE CAYMAN GRAND CAYMAN

3 of life’s little luxuries

ca ymanislands.co.uk

In the Cayman Islands, drinks really do grow on trees.

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SOMMEtOutE - fusiodesign.com

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tEL.+212 (0) 529 80 80 80

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ultratravel 23

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ultratravel 25

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6

hat President Roosevelt would now make of the 23 acres he once owned on the Californian coast is anyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s guess. He was a nature-lover who enjoyed hikes â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and, according to biographers, the occasional bout of skinny-dipping in the Potomac. But Aja Malibu, the new Garden of Eden-style retreat on his former estate, is probably not somewhere he would now recognise, a place designed not so much for the health-conscious novice as for the wellness radical: people for whom clean eating and mindful living arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t passing fads but full-time occupations to be ratcheted up into bouts of spiritual fervour several times a year.

Created over seven years by Australian artist and mystic Inannya Magick (yes, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s her real name), Aja has hundreds of fruit trees, secret pathways, rose-quartz-embedded walls and gardens that lead to themed residences with names such as â&#x20AC;&#x153;Dharma Caveâ&#x20AC;?, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Dreamweaver Southâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;Poetâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cornerâ&#x20AC;?. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what might be called a boutique haven: too small to qualify as a hotel â&#x20AC;&#x201C; there are only seven guest rooms â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and too centred on pleasure to be seen as any kind of penance.

Admittedly, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a particular kind of pleasure. Had anyone told me that exploring a biodynamic vegetable garden, for example, or learning to make flower tea and being â&#x20AC;&#x153;healedâ&#x20AC;? by gongs (sound, vibration and light therapies are big here) would be as enjoyable as bingewatching Scandinavian box sets while eating industrial-size packs of cheese

26 ultratravel

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puffs, I would never have believed them.

Then again, I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have a problem with going cold-tech, and a key part of Ajaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ethos is â&#x20AC;&#x153;discouragingâ&#x20AC;? phones and laptops. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Even if guests did bring their devices,â&#x20AC;? Magick tells me wryly, â&#x20AC;&#x153;there is no internet and limited phone reception.â&#x20AC;?

In my experience, the hyper-connected Californian masses will pay a great deal of money to have someone provide the willpower they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t possess. Which is why Ajaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s prices (ÂŁ7,000 a week) wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t deter members of the flourishing West Coast â&#x20AC;&#x153;digital detoxâ&#x20AC;? movement.

More to the point, Aja is a kinder, more sensual place than other draconian retreats that are cropping up: places where youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re made to unplug, tune in or get out. Unlike Via Yoga in Mexico, for instance, therapists at Aja donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t offer a discount to anyone willing to give up their iPhone. Nor do they banish electronic devices, as they do at the Ranch at Live Oak in Malibu, where sugar, caffeine and clocks are also forbidden, nor confine you to a punitive bootcamp-style programme in the manner of Cindy Crawfordâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s favourite retreat, The Ashram in Calabasas, or replace Twitter access with bread-baking, as they do at the hideously named Camp Grounded.

Health bullies are a vile breed, but Magick is not one of them. Her mantra â&#x20AC;&#x201C; â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Guru is Youâ&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201C; means that all the power is handed to her guests the moment they arrive. Of course, you have to go along with her low-fat, wheat-, dairyand gluten-free diet, but as a typical lunch is a delicious tomato tartare, layered with seeds, nettle pesto and beet olive oil, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no real hardship.

Similarly, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re never forced to endure one of those gruelling â&#x20AC;&#x153;wellbeing schedulesâ&#x20AC;? that have always put me off this sort of retreat. If you find something you particularly enjoy â&#x20AC;&#x201C; like making your own DIY beauty products from her apothecary of roots, fruits and flower essences, or meditating in one of the seven chakra-themed gardens â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and by doing it you manage to lose yourself, then the guru actually is you.

That said, focusing so intently on your own wellness can feel nauseatingly selfindulgent â&#x20AC;&#x201C; at least to me, if not to many Angelenos for whom it can be a raison dâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ĂŞtre. Particularly when thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nothing wrong with me to begin with (although you can always find things if you start looking). So if Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m going to leave home for a week I need to know that the experience really will be (cue boho nasal drone) â&#x20AC;&#x153;transcendentalâ&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and, for those who havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t been at the Magick flower water, this means: make my normal life, once resumed, better.

Luckily, this is very much the retreatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s aim. And although Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m unlikely in London to find edible flowers or treatments like those at Aja â&#x20AC;&#x201C; think â&#x20AC;&#x153;John of God crystalhealing light treatmentsâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;Chakra tune-up massagesâ&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201C; thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a lot to be said for turning off technology and â&#x20AC;&#x153;reconnecting to the world like a childâ&#x20AC;?.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s something I make the mistake of telling my husband, who responds that if I ever say â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Guru is Youâ&#x20AC;? to him again, heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll â&#x20AC;&#x153;have a lawyer on the phone so fast, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll make your head spinâ&#x20AC;?. Now thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a man whose chakras are in serious need of realignment. ajamalibu.com

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t was so cold I almost decided to stay in bed. But my mattress was as hard as a mountain path, and I knew I wouldn’t be able to sleep any more. I crept out of bed, put on my clothes over my pyjamas, wrestled with the antique door and went downstairs.

This was the first time I’d ever stayed in a traditional Chinese inn; if you don’t mind not sleeping much, it’s a great experience.

OK, I know Xi’an is right on the tourist trail. I’m sorry not to write about somewhere a bit more offbeat: the city of Kashgar in Xinjiang, for instance. But when I was last there I was a bit preoccupied: my cameraman and producer and I were arrested as we got off the plane and held prisoner in our hotel. (The secret-police chief relented after a while, gave us a tour and took us for a slap-up dinner of horsemeat – but that’s another story.)

Xi’an, which hasn’t been as mangled by jerry-builders as most Chinese cities, is at the heart of one of the most affecting stories I know. In Tang Dynasty times, when Chinese culture was at its zenith, it was the imperial capital. The Emperor Xuanzong, whose intelligence and refined sensibilities ensured the dynasty’s superiority, provoked a catastrophic upheaval, the An Lushan rebellion.

Xuanzong’s consort, Yang Guifei, fabulously beautiful if a tad overweight by present-day standards (she is usually known, brutally, as “the fat lady”), used her influence over him to promote a whole bunch of her proverbially corrupt relatives.

An Lushan, an unpleasant imperial general, staged a rebellion in AD755,

28 ultratravel

which killed an estimated 13 million people. To escape him and his rebels, Xuanzong and Yang Guifei fled on the road to Chengdu. When they reached the village of Mawei, the soldiers escorting them got nasty when they discovered there wasn’t any food going (a bit like Jeremy Clarkson after a day’s filming).

When they turned on the gorgeous Yang Guifei, accusing her of being responsible for the rebellion, Xuanzong realised that the only way he could save his own life was to sacrifice the woman he loved. She was taken by the soldiers to a nearby Buddhist shrine and strangled.

The best Xuanzong could do was to insist, weeping, that they use a silken cord.

He never forgave himself, and after being deposed as emperor he took to writing distinctly gloomy poetry. When, the following year, one of his allies took over as emperor, Xuanzong was invited back to Xi’an and passed through Mawei on his journey.

He wanted to ask the soldiers to dig up Lady Yang’s body, which had been buried without a coffin, but his officials thought the soldiers might object. Instead, he got his eunuchs to do it later. When they returned, they brought back the perfumed cloths that had been buried with her, which the weeping Xuanzong then displayed in his new palace.

Thirteen centuries later, outside my hotel in the grey light of morning, I met up with my driver. It was 6am: four hours before I had to be back to work. “Mawei,” I told him, “kuài” – fast. I prayed I’d got the tones right, and suppose I must have,

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as he shot off in the direction of the Chengdu road like Xuanzong with the hordes of An Lushan behind him.

I wish I could tell you things haven’t changed much, but the road is modern and unremarkable, and the stretch where Xuanzong’s escort turned nasty looks much like anywhere else in modern China: interesting but faceless. Still, directly you spot the path to the Buddhist shrine where poor Lady Yang was topped it seems to lead you back into a very different time.

The fantastical shapes of the towers in grey volcanic stone, the steps shining with the early-morning dew, the bare willow trees, the mist that shrouded everything: it seemed timeless, magical. Inside, someone, maybe a winter bride, had left a bunch of flowers that were now brown and lifeless but gave a sense of reality.

The path wound between boulders shaped by the action of water and placed as carefully as in a quiet, thoughtful painting.

Even that early, devotees wandered around. And afterwards, at the roadside, despite the cars racing past and the nearby garage forecourt, it wasn’t hard to imagine poor old Xuanzong standing there, tears streaming down his face but unable to stop himself glancing back to check that the rebels weren’t catching up with him.

When you know the story of what happened here, the dullness of the present peels away to reveal a surprising amount of the past. So if you find yourself in Xi’an some time, break off and take the Chengdu road. In a couple of hours you could be a dozen centuries back. @JohnSimpsonNews

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an you smell it?” the cabbie asks, weaving us through the streets of Rio de Janeiro. I sniff the air, wondering to what he’s referring: the purple flowers on the verge? The hint of trash? Then I catch something else, something rich, an aroma that’s indefinably of the earth. “That’s it,” he says in triumphant recognition. “That’s the smell of Brazil.”

How do you distil the essence of such a vast and colourful country? When I think of Brazil I think of the film City of God, of the dark, dripping Amazon and the soundless crash of trees. I think of economic meltdown, systemic corruption, the joy and frenzy of carnival.

Then I think of gold.

Gold has no smell. A tasteless, inert metal used primarily for decoration, its obsessive pursuit has always consumed man. Now, with this year’s Summer Olympics in Rio, the race is on again. Gold is long gone from the ground, but what legacy has it left, this hard-fought-for and most coveted of prizes?

Brazil’s first gold rush began in the last gasp of the 17th century when a group of bandeirantes (fortune hunters of mixed race) led private expeditions deep into the state of Minas Gerais and tapped into alluvial deposits so rich in gold that, within 20 years, nearly half of Brazil’s population had amassed there.

Ouro Preto, embroidered into the hilly contours of the landscape, was their city. It was here that slaves, torn in their thousands from Africa, were brutalised in mines; here that the first rumblings of Brazilian independence were heard; here, too, where the grandiosity of the Portuguese court was replicated in all its overblown, opulent glory. Ouro Preto was a gilded temple to the savagery of colonialism. Today, it is an architectural masterpiece.

It’s early as we drive in and the town has yet to wake. A stray white horse clatters down the perilous, cobblestoned street. A couple of partied-out university students are leaning against each other in the doorway of a gem shop. With the striking exception of Oscar Niemeyer’s Grande Hotel, whose lean modernist curves hug the hill, Ouro Preto’s vernacular is one of mottled red roofs and whitewashed mansions, many of which are now operating as pousadas – and none more eclectic than Solar do Carmo, just off the main square.

Art, music and literature are the new wealth of this town and to stay in Solar do Carmo is to open every door courtesy of its glamorous owner, Marcia O Litchfield, a former editor for Portuguese Vogue.

Even before the sun has burnt through the morning

(*-5 4&$3&54 *NSIDE THE BAROQUE SPLENDOUR OF 0URO 1RETO S 0UR -ADY OF 1ILAR CHURCH

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mist, Marcia has handed over the keys of the opera house, toured us around the Shaker-esque lodgings of the Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Elizabeth Bishop, cooked a breakfast of pão de queijo – warm crescent-shaped breads served with canestra, triangles of cheese melted and browned on a grill – all the while cajoling her friend, Bernardo Paz, founder of Inhotim, an extraordinary mix of botanical gardens and contemporary art museum, into granting us a private tour later that week. “Darling,” she drawls to Paz, eyeing my army jacket with a shudder, “I know it’s closed on Mondays, but you’ll adore her favela chic.”

This hospitality is much how it rolls for the next three days. When Marcia insists on a pharmacist’s appointment for my barely discernible blister, the doctor solemnly bandages my entire foot and sends me away with six fresh-laid eggs. My attempt to buy a glazed jug from master potter Paulo Rogério Ayres, of ceramic gallery Espaço Saramenha, leads to an inspection of his vintage record collection and a plate of sausage in red wine stewed on his wood-burning stove. Guides waive fees, my hand is never without a coffee or a cachaça and everyone I meet tells a story of the town’s dark history: ultratravel 33

of Tiradentes, the revolutionary dentist martyr whose visceral end is chronicled in the InconfidĂŞncia Museum; of Chico Rei, the enslaved king of a Congolese tribe who secreted away enough gold to buy the freedom of his people; of Francisco Lisboa, the leprotic architect behind the townâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s extraordinary collection of churches.

These glorious baroque edifices, 13 of them, are centred in every hilltop view, their heavy, sombre doors opening almost guiltily on to burnished, glittering altars within. Easily the most lavish, Our Lady of Pilar, was built by gold barons in lieu of the governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 20 per cent tax on gold.

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fair to say they didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stint. That this church â&#x20AC;&#x201C; one of the most decadent in Brazil â&#x20AC;&#x201C; represented a tax saving reflects the staggering riches that were clawed from the soil. Those barons must have thought it would last for ever.

Any gold surplus to Ouro Pretoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s use was melted into bars and shipped from Rio back to the coffers in Lisbon. When pirates became bothersome, the Portuguese paved a trail originally used by the Guianas Indians to replenish their supplies of salt and fish. This came to be known as the Estrada Real, the official gold trail, which led 300 miles down to the tiny coastal village of Paraty. Hidden behind the curtain of the jungle, this little port swiftly became the second biggest in Brazil. The gold, though, did not last for ever. Slavery was eventually abolished, the Portuguese sailed home with their precious

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haul and Paraty, like Ouro Preto, slipped into a time warp.

Take a road trip through the towns and villages along the Estrada Real and they look much as they did 200 years ago. The exquisite Paraty is no different. The rough, tide-washed streets of its historic centre â&#x20AC;&#x201C; where hermit crabs wave gaily at pedestrians as they pass â&#x20AC;&#x201C; are constructed from the uneven stones that once served as ballast on Portuguese ships.

Here, though, the wealth is back in the form of elegant boltholes owned by billionaire Paulistas, but their preference for seclusion and security has left the town free of gratuitous bling. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Paraty was saved by one thing,â&#x20AC;? locals say, wryly. â&#x20AC;&#x153;No beaches.â&#x20AC;?

Actually, Paraty does have beaches, hundreds of them: huge, pale half-moons of sand edging the spill of sea. But, like the private islands and villas, these are accessible only by boat. In Paratyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pink and red harbour we step on to the deck of a beautiful old wooden dhow and sail the deep green waters. Along the coast, dolphins cavort and needlefish perform frenzied synchronisations.

A rare cinnamon-coloured tamarin monkey rustles down through giant fronds to watch.

Behind him is the rainforest, the Mata Atlântica, an impenetrable miracle of intertwined lush forest â&#x20AC;&#x201C; mangroves, palms and flowers woozy with the hum of insects, thick with the smell of earth, the smell of Brazil. On and on the forest stretches, vast and ancient. The timber barons â&#x20AC;&#x201C; they, too, must have thought it would last for ever.

34 ultratravel

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;If only Brazil had been discovered by Captain Cook,â&#x20AC;? says Renato Machado, idly watching his pets, a toucan and a small bat-eared dog, quarrel over his shoelaces. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve now reached Reserva do Ibitipoca, 250 miles northeast of Paraty, where rainforest meets the largest area of quartzite in the world.

Boom to bust cycled through even faster here in rural Brazil, but the fortunes of this isolated community have been turned around by Machado, whose family made its money selling drill parts to the mining industry. Over the past eight years heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s acquired almost 10,000 acres of land circling the Reserva to implement a long-term replanting and regeneration of the area. Green is the new gold here and his beautifully restored fazenda, set in a rolling valley of lakes, represents only the beginning of his far-reaching ambition. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gold for?â&#x20AC;? says Machado. â&#x20AC;&#x153;A piece of jewellery? Whereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the value in that?â&#x20AC;? For him, wealth equals a happier alliance between the human and the natural world, and our dayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hike up the mountain illustrates the sheer scope of his imagination. In the forest, he has landscaped a powerful natural waterfall into the Reservaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s swimming pool.

Higher up the trail we come across bamboo structures through which fresh water is channelled into tin drinking cups. Crowning a hilltop is a surreal vision of monkeys overrunning an installation of 30ft-high recycled-metal humanoids by artist Karen Cusolito and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m reminded of our earlier visit to Inhotim, another mining magnateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s art-landscape utopia where one installation by Giuseppe Penone left an indelible impression.

The immense trunk of a mature chestnut tree, cast in bronze, had been suspended beneath the leafy canopy of living trees. A burial? A resurrection?

A question still unanswered but one that perhaps drives eco-entrepreneurs like Machado.

1

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eserva do Ibitipoca has its own airstrip, a fleet of horses and a rarefied clientele.

But the simplicity of the place transcends luxury. Machado has gifted the hotel to his staff, adding heart to the already exemplary service. Design details feel equally generous: wide polished floorboards, antique furniture assembled with an aestheteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s eye. In a stroke of endearing genius, the huge coppery kitchen was modelled on the animated film Ratatouille, but despite this French influence it is chef Marlyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s traditional Minas Gerais cuisine that wows. Everything is delicious about this place. Delicious and a little magical, too.

Finally, reluctantly, the gold trail circles back to Rio. Will they be ready for the Olympics? Locals shrug. Brazil already holds a clutch of records: chief producer of gemstones; longest continuous coastline in the world. Like its smell, however, the real treasure of Brazil is not easily definable.

Despite grave problems, Brazil feels contemporary, integrated, hopeful, joyful. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s still the prospectorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s optimism that anyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fortune can change overnight and the excitement is infectious.

Walking down Ipanema beach the morning of my flight, I pause to watch an old man clad in shorts and a garbage bag netting the shallows of the incoming tide. Panning the sea. â&#x20AC;&#x153;For what?â&#x20AC;? I ask. He doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t speak much English but he gets the gist. Fumbling through the shells and wet sand of his net, he drops a small bright coin in my hand. â&#x20AC;&#x153;For luck,â&#x20AC;? he says.

Cazenove+Loyd (020 7384 2332; cazloyd.com) can arrange a bespoke 10-night trip to Brazil, visiting Minas Gerais, Paraty and Rio, from ÂŁ5,000 per person, based on two sharing, including flights, private transfers, car hire and guide. ultratravel 35

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36 ultratravel

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Viking Cruises made for you

Viking Longship, River Rhine

Take advantage of our 2017 offers and sail from just £895pp plus £100pp to spend on board Only Viking gives you the most inspiring choice of itineraries, the biggest fleet of innovative river ships, the greatest value inclusions AND the very best rewards for booking in advance.

With more experience than any other river cruise line, Viking promises you a journey like no other at a price you can’t afford to miss.

So much included:

Choose your cruise for 2017

Return flights from London

Portugal’s River of Gold, 10 days from £1,145pp

Deluxe river-view stateroom Choice of delicious on board meals Complimentary wine, beer and soft drinks with lunch and dinner on board Free Wi-Fi* and tea and coffee on board Complimentary guided tours On board talks and entertainment Plus Free regional flights from up to 14 UK airports

To book now or request our new brochure, call 020 8780 7990 or visit vikingcruises.co.uk Prices and availability are correct at the time of going to print but are subject to change. From prices are per person based on two people sharing the lowest available stateroom grade on selected 2017 departure dates. From prices shown include £1,000pp early booking discount. Prices are valid until 30 June 2016. Single supplements apply. *Restrictions apply. £100pp on board spend offer applies to new 2017 river cruise bookings only made before 30 June 2016. If it is not possible to facilitate on board credit on any particular ship then an additional £100pp discount will be offered instead. This will be confirmed at the time of booking. For full terms and conditions visit vikingcruises.co.uk/terms-conditions or call us.

Rhine Getaway, 8 days from £995pp Romantic Danube, 8 days from £895pp Lyon & Provence, 8 days from £1,395pp Elegant Elbe, 10 days from £2,095pp Châteaux, Rivers & Wine, 8 days from £1,095pp Waterways of the Tsars, 13 days from £2,595pp Imperial Jewels of China, 15 days from £2,395pp

5)& 3&*(/ 0' .+#_2/ (/O MODERN DAY HOTEL CAPTURES THE SPIRIT OF 4PAIN LIKE A FORMER ROYAL PALACE ANCIENT MONASTERY OR ARISTOCRATIC HOUSE SAYS (ABRIELLE 3OSE WHO INTRODUCES SEVEN OF THE COUNTRY S FINEST

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38 ultratravel

3

HE TRAVELLER SLIPPING SOUTHWARD IN 4PAIN CAN FEEL AS IF THEY HAVE LANDED INSIDE A JEWEL BOX OF ELEGANTLY SHABBY CITIES AND TOWNS GRAND BUILDINGS NOW OVERGROWN WITH FIG TREES AND BROOM LANES LINED WITH

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ultratravel 39

5)& 1"-"5*"- 1"3"%03 1" 3" %0 3 %& 4" /5 * "( 0 %& $0. 1 045&-" " SENSE OF OLD SCHOOL LUXURY HITS YOU AS SOON AS YOU STEP THROUGH THE GRAND DOORWAY OF THIS PARADOR 0NE OF THE OLDEST LODGINGS IN THE WORLD IT WAS FOUNDED AT THE END OF THE TH CENTURY BY 'ERDINAND AND *SABELLA AS A REFUGE WHERE PILGRIMS COULD REST THEIR FEET AFTER WALKING ACROSS 4PAIN TO PAY HOMAGE TO 4AINT +AMES WHO IS BURIED IN THE ADJACENT CATHEDRAL ON 0BRADOIRO 4QUARE IN THE HEART OF THE CITY 5HE MOST IMPRESSIVE ROOMS OVERLOOK THE SQUARE AND FEATURE GRANDIOSE FOUR POSTER BEDS AND ANTIQUE $ASTILIAN FURNITURE :OU FEEL AS IF YOU ARE TAKING PART IN A HISTORICAL DRAMA BUT FORTUNATELY GIN AND TONICS j PERFECTLY MIXED BY A BARMAN WITH A LIFETIME S EXPERIENCE j AND EXQUISITE (ALICIAN CUISINE ALSO FORM PART OF THE SUMPTUOUS CONTEMPORARY SCENARIO 1ILGRIMS ARE STILL WELCOME AT THE PARADOR TOO A LUCKY FEW BEING GIFTED A MEAL EVERY DAY 5HE MASSIVE GRANITE BUILDING IN (OTHIC 3ENAISSANCE AND #AROQUE STYLES IS SET AROUND FOUR CLOISTERS WITH A MAJESTIC FAÃADE FORMING ONE SIDE OF THE SQUARE &VERYWHERE THERE ARE TAPESTRIES SCULPTURES COATS OF ARMS AND PAINTINGS WITH THRONE LIKE ARMCHAIRS IN ALL CORNERS WHERE YOU CAN SIT AND TAKE IN THE SHEER MEDIEVAL GRANDEUR OF IT ALL 5HE CHAPEL AT THE HEART OF THE PROPERTY PROVIDES AN EVOCATIVE SETTING FOR OCCASIONAL BUT MEMORABLE CONCERTS PARADOR ES EN PARADORES PARADOR DE SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA DOUBLES FROM ` "# 'ULL REVIEW TELEGRAPH CO UK PARADORDECOMPOSTELA

40 ultratravel

5)& (3"/%& %".& )05&- " -'0/ 40 9*** &VEN THE WALK UP TO THE FRONT DOOR CREATES A FRISSON OF EXCITEMENT AND YOU CAN T SAY THAT ABOUT MANY HOTELS 5HE "LFONSO 9*** IS A 4EVILLE INSTITUTION UP THERE WITH THE BULLRING AND THE CATHEDRAL AND A BYWORD FOR HIGH LIVING IN THE 4PANISH STYLE 0PENED FOR THE 4EVILLE &XPO OF THE "LFONSO IS STEEPED IN HISTORY THOUGH AN EXEMPLARY OVERHAUL IN BROUGHT OUT THE BEST OF THE PAST WHILE REMOVING THE FUSTINESS OF WALL TO WALL CARPETS AND REPRO FURNITURE /OTHING HAS CHANGED SUBSTANTIALLY THE ARCHES AND COLUMNS THE CORRIDORS GLEAMING WITH IRIDESCENT TILES IN .OORISH TONES THE FLUTED CEILING MOULDINGS THE GOLD TRIMMED LIFTS ARE ALL STILL THERE AND YOU CAN STILL SIP A FINO ON THE PATIO j BUT THERE S A SPRIGHTLY LIGHTNESS ABOUT THE NEW LOOK /OVELTIES INCLUDE THE "MERICAN #AR A BRILLIANT TAKE ON A CLASSIC IN A ST CENTURY ART DECO IDIOM AND A RESTAURANT &NA WHERE $ATALAN CHEF $ARLES "BELLAN OFFERS SUCH DIVERTING MODERN CUISINE AS THE f.C'OIEr GREAT CROQUETTES AS A KIND OF CULINARY GIFT FROM #ARCELONA TO 4EVILLE 5HERE IS STILL NO SPA j NONE OF THAT NEWFANGLED NONSENSE j BUT THE POOL IN THE GARDEN MAY WELL SAVE YOUR LIFE ON A BROILING "NDALUSIAN AFTERNOON *N SHORT THIS IS WHAT A GRAND HOTEL OUGHT TO BE GRACIOUS YET COMFORTING OPULENT YET ELEGANT BUT ALSO JUST THE TINIEST BIT AWE INSPIRING "S BEFITS ITS REGAL NAME THE "LFONSO 9*** COMMANDS RESPECT HOTEL ALFONSOXIII SEVILLA COM DOUBLES FROM ` 13 'ULL REVIEW TELEGRAPH CO UK ALFONSO

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5)& 26*3,: 1"-"$& $05 50/ )06 4& ) 05& - 0RIGINALLY BUILT IN AS A PRIVATE PALACE FOR A WELL TO DO FAMILY THIS LARGE HOUSE ON THE (RAN 7Ã&#x2C6;A HAS THE (OTHIC TINGED GRANDEUR BELOVED OF #ARCELONA S TH CENTURY BOURGEOISIE *N THE BUILDING BECAME A SOCIAL CLUB FOR COTTON INDUSTRY MAGNATES HENCE THE NAME BUT ITS WOOD PANELLING STONE STAIRCASES AND CREAKING MARQUETRY FLOORS SURVIVED INTACT 5ODAY IT IS A HOTEL THAT BRIMS WITH PERSONALITY 5HE HEADY MIXTURE OF FIN DE SIÃ&#x2021;CLE INTERIORS FUNKY FURNITURE AND ARRESTING MODERN ART COURTESY OF 4PANISH DESIGN DOYEN -½ZARO 3OSA 7IOL½N MAKES YOU GASP 5HE COTTON THEME IS EVER PRESENT ARMFULS OF COTTON FLOWERS STAND IN MASSIVE VASES COTTON SWATCHES ARE DISPLAYED IN VITRINES AND YOU CAN EVEN HAVE A SHIRT MADE UP BY THE CHIC #ARCELONA FASHION STORE 4ANTA &ULALIA )ANDS DOWN WINNER AMONG THE ROOMS IS THE %AMASCO %AMASK 4UITE ONCE THE MANSION S MASTER BEDROOM WITH SOARING CEILINGS A FOUR POSTER SWATHED WITH WHITE FABRIC AND CEILING FRESCOES WITH A PAIR OF CHERUBS WISHING YOU #ON %IA AND #ONA /IT 5HE HOTEL S RICH ARCHITECTURAL DETAILS REPAY SCRUTINY NONE MORE SO THAN THE ORIGINAL SPIRAL STAIRCASE WHOSE IRON SUPERSTRUCTURE IS SUSPENDED FROM THE ROOF WITH NO OTHER MEANS OF SUPPORT j LIKE THE HOUSE ITSELF IT S A QUIRKY MASTERPIECE OF $ATALAN INTERIOR DESIGN HOTELCOTTONHOUSE COM DOUBLES FROM ` 13 'ULL REVIEW TELEGRAPH CO UK COTTONHOUSE

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/"*." #"3$&-0/"

'ULL REVIEW TELEGRAPH CO UK CASALASIESTA

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46 ultratravel

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ultratravel 49

50 ultratravel

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Serenity The Team Members of LUX* help people to celebrate life with the most simple, fresh and sensory hospitality in the world.

M AU R I T I U S R E U N I O N M A L D I V E S C H I N A U . A . E T U R K E Y | L U X R E S O R T S. C O M

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ijiangâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s celebrated â&#x20AC;&#x153;Big Stoneâ&#x20AC;? Bridge must be the selfie-stick capital of the world. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a pretty spot in a picturesque town. As crowds jostle to strike a pose among the flowers and cobbles, few notice a nearby sign: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget to keep civilised behaviour during outing and also shopping should be rational.â&#x20AC;?

Bordered by Vietnam, Laos, Burma and Tibet, southwest Chinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Yunnan province has become a must-see destination for domestic Chinese visitors. Beautiful scenery, colourful peoples of dozens of different ethnic minorities, and extraordinary biodiversity make it as exotic for residents of Shanghai and Beijing as for westerners.

Geographically, culturally and ethnically close to Tibet, Lijiang has a distinct edge, not merely as a popular destination in itself but as a soft springboard for the wilder and higher country beyond.

As the one-time capital of the Naxi â&#x20AC;&#x201C; an ethnic group descended from nomads who migrated from northern China â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the town prospered for centuries as a result of its position on the Tea Horse Road, an ancient network of trails on which hardy caravans transported goods, and tea in particular, to Tibet, returning with horses. The trade died out in the 1940s, and Lijiang faded into obscurity until the early 1980s when China began to welcome foreign tourists. On my first visit in 1989, a handful of simple hotels and creaky guesthouses catered to backpackers lured by tantalising reviews in guidebooks.

Now creaky has been replaced by comfort and high-end visitors have joined the backpackers. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The 1996 earthquake changed everything,â&#x20AC;? explains Jonathan Liu of Aman Resortsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; new Amandayan property, overlooking Dayan, Lijiangâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s historic old town. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s my first (and last) stop on a 10-day, chauffeur-driven loop through some of Chinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most spectacular landscapes on the edge of the Tibetan plateau. The quake destroyed a significant portion of Dayan and the government imposed strict regulations on its restoration. Today, says Liu, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hard to distinguish between the townâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;old-oldâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;new-oldâ&#x20AC;? courtyard houses, with their grey tiled roofs, upturned eaves and carved window frames.

Collectively, they form a charming enclave of lanes ribbed with willow-hung streams and quaint bridges.

Framed by Lion Hill, the impeccably rebuilt Mu Mansion â&#x20AC;&#x201C; erstwhile palace of Lijiangâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ruling chieftains â&#x20AC;&#x201C; still dominates Dayan. Lion Hill, and Lijiang in turn, are dominated by the 18,360ft-high Mount Yulong, or Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, a glorious peak that helps create one of the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most sublime settings.

Unsurprisingly, this idealised vision of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Old Chinaâ&#x20AC;? now draws countless visitors â&#x20AC;&#x201C; in part because elsewhere so much of Chinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s venerable architecture has been torn down â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and is avowedly commercial. Virtually every former house is a neat 1&3'&$5 )"3.0/: 5HE MUCH PHOTOGRAPHED LAKE IN -IJIANG TOP HISTORIC PRINT OF MEN CARRYING TEA ON THE 5EA )ORSE 3OAD

ultratravel 53

boutique, stylish cafĂŠ or restaurant, most of them rented from their Naxi owners by entrepreneurial Han Chinese.

But one can still find areas less touched by commercialism.

At Black Dragon Pool, outside Lijiang, the shimmering waters act as a mirror for a dainty pagoda, an arched bridge and the snow-capped Mount Yulong; most afternoons, the views can be admired while listening to a small, all-male Naxi â&#x20AC;&#x153;orchestraâ&#x20AC;? rehearsing oncebanned folk music. The townâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s main market, too, offers great opportunities for people watching. Yunnan is home to almost half of the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 56 recognised ethnic minority groups, some of whom come to the market to trade and parade. You might see Naxi matriarchs in traditional sheepskin capes embellished with symbolic designs, or Bai women in distinctive multi-layered bonnets, or Yi women in dazzling embroidered skirts and curtain-like turbans.

In Yuhu village, just beyond Lijiang, one gets an earthier glimpse of local life in the dusty lanes, lined with distinctive stone houses and tethered packhorses. The main attraction here is the former home of Joseph Rock, an Austrian-American botanist-explorer who was resident here on and off for almost 30 years until 1949.

Rock studied Naxi culture and its matriarchal society in forensic detail and documented his expeditions in nearly a dozen features

2001 as part of a deliberate ploy to link them with Shangri-La, the fictional mountain utopia of James Hiltonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 1933 novel Lost Horizon.

Located at about 10,500ft, this area marks the start of the Tibetan world and culture that stretches west to Lhasa and beyond.

Covered market and enormous hilltop prayer wheel aside, you can safely skip Shangri-Laâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bland modern district. The real attraction here lies on the edge of town, cradled among hills beside a shallow lake and the first of six Songtsam lodges that allow visitors to make a glorious circuit of this region. Ganden Sumtseling is Yunnanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest and most important Tibetan monastery; a confection of outbuildings and monksâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; quarters set around goldenroofed prayer halls decked with banners and Buddhist symbols.

Established by the fifth Dalai Lama in 1679, and once home to 2,000 monks, today it houses around 600 men, part of a deliberate policy on the part of the authorities to restrict the size of religious communities and thus their potential for â&#x20AC;&#x153;subversionâ&#x20AC;?. Much of the monastery has been rebuilt, and some western visitors seem almost disappointed by the relative lack of grime, as though its heritage has been compromised. Yet, as one local explained, for Tibetans this doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t matter: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Fifth chose this spot for a reason, not just at random, so it remains a sacred place.â&#x20AC;?

I was free to stroll through the complex and visit its main prayer halls, their interiors rich with swirling murals depicting the Buddhaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life, cabinets groaning with weighty tomes, huge Buddha statues and flickering butter lamps. The spell was broken only by several closed-circuit cameras, reminders of Chinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s prickly hold on nearby Tibet and the murky frontier between security and sedition.

Edged by grasslands dotted with hamlets, wooden hay-drying racks and grazing ponies, the road climbed from nearby Napa Lake to a forested pass before winding into a spectacular barren gorge to rejoin the Yangtze. Here, in a tranquil side valley just above Benzilan town, lies another of Songtsamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lodges, a cosy base from which to hike the surrounding hills. Walking up a track alongside a gurgling stream, I spied small hamlets, a Buddhist temple, then terraced fields in which cheery locals waved, seemingly astonished to see a stranger. Passing one woman, spinning wool beside a prayer wheel, it struck me how austere yet contented the localsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; lives appeared, surrounded by scenery straight from Hiltonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mythical idyll.

The next day, as we drove north of Benzilan, the scenery stepped up a gear with an extraordinary eagleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s-eye view of the Yangtze snaking through a deep valley. Finally, at the 14,000ft Baima Snow Mountain Pass, we had sight of our first in-your-face Himalayan

84-- -_(2_'.,$_3._ +,.23_' +%_.%_3'$_".4-318`2_ _$3'-(" ,(-.1(38_&1.4/2 _6'.2$_"+.3'$2_ 1$_1("'+8_$,!1.(#$1$#_ for National Geographic magazine. His modest home is now a tiny museum housing both his possessions and his beautiful photographic vignettes of Naxi rituals and rural life.

Back in 1924, Rock ventured north of Lijiang and hiked part of what is called Tiger Leaping Gorge (folklore claims that the desperate animal leapt across at its narrowest point to escape a hunter), which he described as Yunnanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s finest natural feature. Here, the youthful Yangtze cuts a dramatic canyon â&#x20AC;&#x201C; in some parts nine miles long by two miles deep â&#x20AC;&#x201C; that has become a major attraction.

Below the road, I descended a modern stairway to a series of platforms, one of them glass-floored, that afforded terrific views of the wild river below.

Driving on through a forested valley and winding up on to a lofty plateau, I passed the first Tibetan farmsteads â&#x20AC;&#x201C; huge trapezial houses with fat timber pillars and recessed verandas â&#x20AC;&#x201C; that heralded Shangri-La city. Originally called Gyalthang by Tibetans and Zhongdian by the Chinese, the city and region were rebranded in

&/-*()5&/&% 1"5) " VIVID MIX OF PEOPLE LIVE IN :UNNAN FROM ETHNIC MINORITY YAK HERDERS TO RED ROBED #UDDHIST MONKS

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Yangtze

For around 180 miles, the Yangtze, Mekong and Salween flow south in snug parallel between these great Sa lwe mountains, their waters chiselling en immense cliffs and barren slopes into Tea Horse Road steep valleys and broad alluvial plains Mount Khawa Karpo dotted with pretty green fields.

As we navigated the Mekongâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cizong Catholic church spectacular course, the landscape INDIA softened at Cizong, which, at first BURMA glance, looked much like any other village, other than one building: a European-looking church with Chinese-style roof and vineyard. In the RUSSIA mid-19th century, French and Swiss MO N G O L I A Catholic missionaries came here, planted Rose Honey vines (now extinct CHINA in France) to produce wine for their services, and converted small numbers IN DI A of Tibetans. A handful of churches were built, Cizongâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the largest, and despite communism and the Cultural Revolution, Christianity endured.

Which is how, for one surreal hour, I came to attend Mass. Father Yao led the small Tibetan congregation in Mandarin and although the prayers had the cadence of a Buddhist chant, they were peppered with â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hallelujahsâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;Amensâ&#x20AC;?. For the Eucharist, there was wine â&#x20AC;&#x201C; downed only, I noticed, by Father Yao. Almost every family in Cizong still makes â&#x20AC;&#x153;wineâ&#x20AC;? and offers tastings to visitors, although Alexis de Guillebon, a French expat in the verdant hills, explained it wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really wine. This was an observation rather than a criticism: the original vines are tired and techniques amiss. But tapping this curious heritage, de Guillebonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fledging winery aims to produce fine wine from recently planted vines to sell to increasingly discerning Chinese consumers.

In this astonishing and increasingly worldly part of China, the spirit of Shangri-La might yet be bottled.

ng ko Me

panorama. A new double-tunnel and viaduct â&#x20AC;&#x201C; part of Chinaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ambitious plans to improve the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s infrastructure â&#x20AC;&#x201C; will eventually make this phenomenal pass optional, if not obsolete.

By mid-afternoon I had reached the Songstam Meili Lodge in Gujinong village, famed for its views across the yawning Mekong valley to Meili Xue Shan. This spectacular massif of 13 major peaks is crowned by 22,000ft Khawa Karpo, one of Tibetan Buddhismâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most sacred mountains. In clear weather, dawnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s amber glow creeping across these permanently snow-clad peaks was unforgettable; from my front-facing room, I viewed the unfolding spectacle from my bed.

Driving north, we passed the modern â&#x20AC;&#x153;neo-Tibetanâ&#x20AC;? government buildings of Deqen town, then the dinky 17th-century Feilai Temple where Tibetan travellers â&#x20AC;&#x201C; several on mud-splattered motorbikes with sheepskin saddles â&#x20AC;&#x201C; paused to throw clumps of aromatic juniper into bulbous clay burners before praying inside. The people here, I noticed, look very different from those in the valleys below: more ruddy and weather-beaten from herding dzos, the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ubiquitous crossbreed of cattle and yak. At a celebrated viewpoint of Mount Meili, I joined pilgrims clutching prayer beads and chanting mantras, circling a row of whitewashed chorens or stupas, many repeating the circuit an auspicious three, six and even nine times.

Across the precipitous Mekong valley, Meiliâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s muscular flanks offer days of exploration and hiking but, with little time to spare, I opted to visit Yunnanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest glacier, Mingyong. A century ago, its lip licked the subtropical forest on the edge of Mingyong village; today it has retreated almost a mile and a half. From the village, electric carts whisk visitors about halfway, from where itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a steady slog up a trail festooned with prayer flags. Hardy Tibetans, young and old, sang and whistled rapturously as they reached the Prince Temple, behind which the glacier uncoiled beneath Khawa Karpoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s icy gaze. For many pilgrims, this was an easy stage one in an arduous two-week circuit of the entire massif.

Back at the lodge that evening, I was grateful for the homely warmth of its fire as I feasted on delicious local food: battered fish, sliced pork, greens sautĂŠed in garlic, aromatic mushrooms and strips of yak. Never has Chinese beer tasted so good. Founded by a Swissbased Tibetan ĂŠmigrĂŠ, the new Shangri-La Highland Craft Breweryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Tibetan Pale Ale and Black Yak proved as heady as they were hearty.

The next dayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s drive was even more spectacular than the last, as we plunged into the Mekong valley through the heart of the Three Parallel Rivers of Yunnan Protected Areas, a Unesco World Heritage site. Here, outstanding biodiversity meets freakish topography.

150 miles Chengdu

Mingyong Glacier

CHINA Benzilan Shangri-La Mount Yulong Lijiang

Y U N N A N

Kunming

VIETNAM LAOS

Cox & Kings (020 3642 0861; coxandkings.co.uk) offers a tailor-made 13-day trip to Yunnan from ÂŁ3,995 per person, twin share, taking in Chengdu, Lijiang and the Songtsam trail. This includes flights, transfers, guides, most meals and accommodation (see details below).

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56 ultratravel

IS SITUATED IN THE UPPER :ANGTZE AND

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The Best Hotel in Europe as voted by Ultra Travel readers

THANK YOU!

A warm Ritz welcome awaits your arrival.

www.theritzlondon.com

THE

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A

5-Star Luxury Included® holiday at Sandals Resorts is as close to perfect as you’ll find. Pristine beaches. Exotic islands. Decadently romantic suites, many with private pools and butlers. Endless land and water sports, including unlimited scuba diving* and golf. Gourmet Discovery Dining at up to 16 outstanding restaurants. Unlimited premium spirits and Robert Mondavi Twin Oaks wine served 24/7. Plus beach parties and authentic “island” entertainment. It’s all included, all unlimited, all the time. So take a closer look at Sandals and discover the perfect holiday for two people in love.

COME INTO OUR LONDON STORE TO SEE A SANDALS SPECIALIST MAKE AN APPOINTMENT AT SANDALS.CO.UK/STORE

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*Scuba diving included for certified divers ^A Beautiful Beginnings wedding is free with stays of 3 paid nights or more in all room categories.

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.",*/( 8"7&4 #URJ "L "RAB +UMEIRAH S AMBITIOUS FLOATING %ECK WHICH OPENS NEXT MONTH WITH TWO POOLS A RESTAURANT AND A BAR

60 ultratravel

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ultratravel 61

thank you for your trust Voted the Best Hotel in the Middle East and the Best Hotel in the World by Ultratravel readers.

For inquiries and reservations please contact: Tel: +971 4 301 7400 Email: BAAreservations@jumeirah.com burjalarab.com

5)& 6-53"4

(R`Q

late April and another predictably hot day in Dubai, but unlike every other visitor to the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Burj Al Arab Jumeirah hotel, the sunburned Scandinavians standing next to me are disinclined to take things easy. Employees from Admares, a Finnish company that specialises in the construction of floating buildings, they are staying at the hotel to oversee the installation of The Deck, a 108,000sq ft outdoor space that will spread fan-like over the Persian Gulf.

Shipped in six prefabricated units from Finland, assembled on site and opening in June, the North Deck will radically expand the outdoor space and amenities available to the hotelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s guests. Under the palms I saw being hoisted into place will lie 32 discreet cabanas, a new restaurant and bar, a freshwater pool and a curved saltwater infinity pool perched on the lip of the structure. Just as significantly, it will dramatically alter the silhouette of the Burj Al Arab, an enduringly striking landmark that has again this year been voted by Ultratravel readers as the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best hotel, and which has served as a symbol of Dubaiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ambition and architectural audacity since its opening in 1999.

Though change is constant in Dubai â&#x20AC;&#x201C; which last year was the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fourth most visited city â&#x20AC;&#x201C; this reconfiguration of its most recognisable building comes at a time when concerted efforts are being made to ensure that peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s perceptions of the destination go beyond the obvious superlatives â&#x20AC;&#x201C; the tallest building, biggest mall, worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most expensive cupcake.

Chief among them is Dubai Design District, or d3 (dubaidesigndistrict. com). Proposed in 2013 as a â&#x20AC;&#x153;creative ecosystemâ&#x20AC;? for the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hitherto itinerant designers and artists, and now slowly coming to life, it is a purpose-built spiderâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s web of galleries, design and artistsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; studios, one-off restaurants and affordable office space for the creative industries. As we examined her geometric handbags made with iridescent mother-of-pearl, Lebanese designer Nathalie Trad told

a recently opened Alserkal outpost of New Yorkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s long-established Leila Heller Gallery already enjoys a greater footfall than the original.

Jasper Hope, the British chief executive of Dubai Opera, which is set to open in autumn, says that the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ambition, drive â&#x20AC;&#x153;and inherent pride in what can still be achieved â&#x20AC;&#x201C; along with a determination and a vision to make it happenâ&#x20AC;? are key reasons for the emirateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rapid growth.

Next year will also see the opening of the ÂŁ187-million, book-shaped Mohammed bin Rashid Library. The following year sees the arrival of the technological Museum of the Future and, in 2020, the World Expo, on a 494-acre site. Imminent, too, are attractions such as the Dubai Eye, the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest Ferris wheel; a skyscraper that will be the emirateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tallest; The Heart of Europe, six artificial islands based on different European destinations (with more than 100 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Floating Seahorseâ&#x20AC;? villas, hotels, restaurants and boutiques); and Mohammed Bin Rashid City, whose 40-acre pool will be the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest.

Dubaiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s position as a major global aviation hub â&#x20AC;&#x201C; passenger numbers recently overtook those passing through Heathrow â&#x20AC;&#x201C; has benefited its tourism sector, too. Last year, more than 78 million passengers passed through Dubai International Airport (65 per cent flying with Emirates, voted the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best airline by Ultratravel readers), with 14.2 million staying overnight. This will soon increase substantially; Dubaiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s secondary Al Maktoum International airport will be able to accommodate more than 200 million passengers annually after a ÂŁ22.1-billion expansion programme is complete in the mid-2020s.

Alongside this expansion of culture and infrastructure, of course, will be new places to stay. Some 62,000 additional hotel bedrooms will be added to the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s inventory by 2020, including developments by Viceroy Hotels, Langham Hotels and Jumeirah Al Naseem, the last a future new neighbour for the Burj Al Arab. Recent additions have included the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first St Regis, the Palazzo Versace (whose Enigma restaurant hosts Michelin-starred chefs from â&#x20AC;&#x153;the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 50 finestâ&#x20AC;?), and the Four Seasons Hotel DIFC. The latter is undoubtedly one of the most sophisticated places to stay, with just 106 pale-gold bedrooms â&#x20AC;&#x201C; making it almost a boutique hotel in comparison with the hulking properties that predominate â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a seventh-floor spa and glass-walled rooftop pool.

For those keen to venture beyond their hotels, Frying Pan Adventures (fryingpanadventures.com) organises food tours in Old Dubaiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most impressive Middle Eastern eateries, stopping to sample traditional food as well as specialities from the various diasporas that have made Dubai their home. Barefoot and seated on the floor, sampling goat and salted tuna with my hands, I was reminded how rapidly things can change in Dubai.

#4! (_./$1 _./$-2_(-_3'$_ 434,- _ _d ,(++(.+(!1 18_(-_ _ -#_3'$_6.1+#_$7/._(-_ me about the proliferation of collaborative opportunities that now surrounds her. With everyone working in complementary industries, she said, networking possibilities abound, even when picking up a lavender lemonade from d3â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s popular Craft CafĂŠ.

A similar energy pervades Alserkal Avenue (alserkalavenue.ae), located in the outlying Al Quoz neighbourhood and surrounded by supermarket warehouses. This cultural quarterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s collection of independent galleries is interspersed with redundant storage units and dingy-looking auto-repair shops (though here they have Rolls-Royces parked outside). A ÂŁ9.3-million expansion announced last year will see the area extended by some 250,000sq ft, with new tenants including Dubaiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first black-box theatre, The Junction. While the more provocative works that one might encounter in Europe are unlikely to be shown in the district, art has become key in attracting visitors to Dubai; indeed,

John Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Ceallaigh flew with Qantas (0845 774 7767; qantas.com) and stayed at the Burj Al Arab Jumeirah (00971 4301 7777; jumeirah.com; doubles from ÂŁ1,010, b&b) and the Four Seasons Hotel DIFC (00971 4506 0000; fourseasons.com/dubaidifc; doubles from ÂŁ417, b&b), and dined at Enigma (enigmadxb.com). Qantas economy fares from Heathrow to Dubai cost from ÂŁ347 and business-class fares from ÂŁ1,792.

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ultratravel 63

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64 ultratravel

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ultratravel 65

his special journey to Asia is the ultimate in cultural immersion. Your eight-day trip includes stays at two of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most sophisticated resorts: Amansara in Siem Reap, close to Angkor Wat and designed as a Royal guesthouse, and Amantaka in Laos, a beautiful garden resort in Luang Prabangâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Unesco-protected old town and a place of superlative elegance. You will experience the special touches that only Aman destinations can bring: being met by a vintage Mercedes, a helicopter ride to Angkorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more remote temples and a meeting with Prince Tiao Nith of Laos. With special access and attention to detail, this tour offers the very best in luxury travel.

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)*()-*()54 z 5RANSFER BY VINTAGE .ERCEDES z "NGKOR 8AT BY MOONLIGHT z 3EMOTE TEMPLES BY HELICOPTER z $RUISE ON "MAN S CHIC RIVERBOAT z -UNCH IN PRIVATE HOME ON .EKONG z 3OYAL COCKTAIL RECEPTION z *NSIGHTFUL LECTURES FROM EXPERTS

WILL SHOW YOU HIS WORK DETAILED PAINTINGS OF -AOS SCENERY AND FINE GOLD THREAD EMBROIDERY

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8)"5 4 */$-6%&% "CCOMMODATION AT "MANSARA AND "MANTAKA LECTURES AND PRIVATE ACCESS HELICOPTER FLIGHTS PRIVATE GUIDING AND EXCURSIONS AIRPORT TRANSFERS MEALS AND INTERNAL FLIGHTS

"#065 063 1"35/&3 1ASSIONATE ABOUT THE PLACES IT SPECIALISES IN CAZENOVE LOYD ENSURES EVERY DETAIL OF YOUR JOURNEY IS AS EXTRAORDINARY AS IT IS LUXURIOUS

%"5&4 %FDFNCFS z %PMK_d _DMP_CGEFR_B?WQ z #00, /08 RCJCEP?NF AM SI RR ?K?L ultratravel 69

ULTRA DELUXE CRUISING Cruise Direct’s Favourite 2018 World Voyages

Princess Grill

Princess Grill Suite

Defining sophisticated ocean travel for over a century and a half, Cunard World Voyages are filled with a sense of adventure and the thrill of exploring the unknown – from bustling markets in world famous cities to local delights of the beaten track.

Lasting between 89 to 120 nights, a World Voyage represents one of life’s great travel adventures. The magic of travelling between the world’s iconic destinations onboard some of the world’s most luxurious ships simply cannot be matched.

Beautiful islands, stunning scenery, and famous cities – a World Voyage promises an unforgettable journey in a setting of total comfort when you book with Cruise Direct.

Queens Grill Butler Service

Whether you want a sumptuous suite or a room with a view, there is every type of accommodation to make your voyage as comfortable as possible.

Balcony Accommodation

Princess Grill Accommodation

Queens Grill Accommodation

At any time of day, your luxury stateroom provides a welcome setting of comfort and good taste.

A relaxing oasis of calm, finished to the highest quality and with exclusive amenities.

A personal enclave of luxury ofering space and comfort to relax completely.

• 24-hour room service in a comfortable and relaxed atmosphere • Dine in the classic Britannia restaurant • Enjoy the view as you watch the world go by from your own private balcony • Complimentary wine, Daily shipboard newspaper and fruit basket (on request)

• Spacious and comfortably furnished • Exclusive access to the Grills Lounge and Terrace • Exceptional cuisine in the Princess Grill restaurant • Complimentary fresh flowers and fruit bowl replenished daily

• A Personal butler will take care of every need • Exclusive access to the Grills lounge • Enjoy a sublime menu in the Queens Grill restaurant, or your suite. Should you not see what you want, the chefs will do their utmost to create whatever you fancy • Complimentary bar • Marble bathrooms featuring a shower, whirlpool and exclusive Penhaligons toiletries

Western Circumnavigation via the Panama Canal, Asia & South Africa

Balcony ........................................................................£18,999pp Complimentary $1600 onboard spend per stateroom

Queen Elizabeth • 7 January 2018 • 122 Nights

Princess Grill ......................................................... £40,299pp

Southampton • Hamilton • New York (overnight) • Fort Lauderdale • Ocho Rios • Oranjestad • Panama Canal • Puerto Quetzal Cabo San Lucas • San Francisco (overnight) • Honolulu • Bora Bora • Papeete • Moorea • Cross International Dateline Auckland • Sydney (overnight) • Newcastle • Brisbane • Rabaul • Okinawa • Osaka (overnight) • Inland Sea • Hiroshima (overnight) • Busan • Kochi • Osaka • Kagoshima • Shanghai • Keelung • Hong Kong (overnight) • Singapore • Penang Colombo Port Victoria • Port Louis • Reunion • Port Elizabeth • Cape Town (overnight) • Walvis Bay • Tenerife • Madeira • Southampton

Complimentary $2600 onboard spend per stateroom

Queens Grill .......................................................... £50,499pp Complimentary $3800 onboard spend per stateroom

South America Circumnavigation including the Caribbean, Central America & the Panama Canal

Balcony ........................................................................£11,499pp

Queen Victoria • 7 January 2018 • 75 Nights

Princess Grill ......................................................... £23,899pp

Southampton • Hamilton • Fort Lauderdale (overnight) • St. Maarten • Dominica • Barbados • Fortaleza • Salvador • Buzios Rio de Janeiro (overnight) • Montevideo • Buenos Aires (overnight) • Puerto Madryn • Beagle Channel cruising (overnight) Ushuaia • Cape Horn • Magellan Straits • Punta Arenas • Amalia Glacier • Pio X Glacier • Puerto Montt • Santiago • La Serena Arica • Lima • Manta • Panama Canal • Montego Bay • Belize • Majahual • Fort Lauderdale • Port Canaveral • Charleston (overnight) • Praia da Vitoria • Southampton

Complimentary $1600 onboard spend per stateroom

Call Us Today On

Complimentary $900 onboard spend per stateroom

Queens Grill .......................................................... £31,799pp Complimentary $2300 onboard spend per stateroom

0800 484 0369 cruisedirect.co.uk

Brought to you by

Ofers are subject to availability and may be withdrawn at any time. All cruises are subject to Cruise Direct & featured cruise supplier booking conditions. Further terms and conditions apply to selected fares and ofers and are available on request. Credit/debit card transactions are subject to charge, 2.5% credit card charge and £1 debit card charge. Further terms & conditions apply. Prices correct as of 15/04/16.

Errors and omissions excluded.

GLRCJJGECLAC

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406 7&/*3 4&"3$)

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5 3"7& - #: / 6 . # & 34

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THEM RATHER THAN THE OBLIGATORY AM POPPING BACK FOR A SWIM A GAME OF TENNIS ARCHERY LESSONS A SNOOZE BY THE POOL 'OR ADULTS THERE IS A SMALL SPA AND A GYM TO WORK OFF THE SENSATIONAL FOOD INVENTIVE SALADS STILL WARM CAKE ON SILVER PLATTERS SLOW ROASTED LOCAL BEEF CHEEK AND FINE 4OUTH "FRICAN WINES AND STAFF TO DELIVER LONG MOCKTAILS SET OUT LUNCHTIME PICNICS TEACH CHILDREN NATURE CRAFT FROM TRACKING SPOOR TO BAKING BREAD ON FIRES 5HE INTERIORS IN THE SIX COTTAGE HOMESTEAD BY TOP DESIGNERS $ÄCILE #OYD ARE ELEGANT AND MODERN MIXING COLONIAL STYLE WITH CONTEMPORARY COMFORTS ROARING FIRES AND BOTANICAL PRINTS AS WELL AS RAINSHOWERS AND 8I'I SINGITA COM FROM ` A NIGHT SLEEPING EIGHT INCLUDING FULL BOARD AND ACTIVITIES

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AVING TIME IS ONE OF THE MAIN REASONS FOR FLYING BY PRIVATE JET #UT ALTHOUGH THE TRIP ITSELF IS HASSLE FREE BOOKING ONE IS NOT 5HE NEW -ONDON BASED COMPANY 4TRATAJET STRATAJET COM HAS LAUNCHED A DOWNLOADABLE APP WHICH SLASHES BOOKING TIMES 6NLIKE MOST COMPANIES SUCH AS PRIVATEFLY COM j ON WHICH YOU CAN GET A ROUGH ESTIMATE IN MINUTES BUT HAVE TO WAIT FOR A BROKER TO CONTACT THE JET OPERATORS FOR A FINAL PRICE j 4TRATAJET CAN GET THE INFORMATION IMMEDIATELY USING TECHNOLOGY THAT TOOK FIVE YEARS TO DEVELOP 5O TEST IT * TRIED TO ARRANGE A TRIP FOR FROM -UTON TO ,NOCK IN *RELAND 1RIVATEFLY IMMEDIATELY ESTIMATED ` BUT IT WAS HOURS BEFORE IT GAVE ITS FINAL QUOTE ` 4TRATAJET ALSO QUOTED ` WITHIN SECONDS BUT * COULD BOOK AT THAT PRICE IMMEDIATELY 4TRATAJET S $&0 +ONNY /ICOL BELIEVES REAL TIME BOOKINGS WILL APPEAL TO REGULAR PRIVATE JET USERS AND NEW ONES TEMPTED BY FLYING TO SMALLER AIRSTRIPS AT FLEXIBLE TIMES AS WELL AS COMFORTS SUCH AS BETTER LOUNGES AND SPACIOUS HIGH TECH CABINS 5HE COSTS NEED NOT BE PROHIBITIVE 4TRATAJET FLEW A PARTY OF SEVEN FROM #IRMINGHAM TO %UBLIN FOR ` EACH 5HE NEW SERVICE ADDS ANOTHER LAYER OF SOPHISTICATION AND SHOULD HELP DRIVE DOWN PRICES #ESIDES SOME PER CENT OF PRIVATE JET FLIGHTS CARRY NO PASSENGERS BY USING 4TRATAJET YOU D PREVENT ANOTHER EMPTY PLANE FLITTING THROUGH OUR SKIES .AX %AVIDSON

72 ultratravel

ELASTICATED ONES CUT INTO YOUR FOREHEAD AND RIBBONED ONES SLIP OFF

5HE NEW 0CCLES EYESHADES ARE THEREFORE A WELCOME INNOVATION 4OFT BLACK RUBBER fCUPSr SIT OVER THE EYES TO CREATE TOTAL DARKNESS AN EXTENDABLE FRAME CURVES BENEATH THE CROWN SO IT DOESN T DIG INTO THE SKIN AND BECAUSE THERE IS NO BRIDGE OVER THE NOSE NO WHITE STRIPE IS LEFT WHEN SUNTANNING %EVISED BY TWO 4COTTISH ENTREPRENEURS WHILE ON HOLIDAY THE PLASTIC DEVICE CAN ALSO BE EASILY RINSED HANDY ON THE BEACH ` OCCLES CO

3

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#&/ 3044&3 #'" $0.

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.OST GORGEOUS HOTEL

'AVOURITE PLACE FOR A DRINK

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#UT IT S FUN A PLACE WHERE AFTER A HARD DAY S

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COMMUTING FOR A FEW YEARS BETWEEN THERE AND

HOUR SERVICE * FELT AS IF * D LANDED IN AN IDYLLIC

5HE AIRLINE YOU MOST ENJOY FLYING ON

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%EFINITELY 4INGAPORE "IRLINES WHOSE FIRST CLASS

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#EST PIECE OF TRAVEL ADVICE

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* M ABOUT TO GO AND CAN T WAIT * M A REAL NATURE

TRADITION "ND AS IN *TALY THE FOOD IS AMAZING

GET LOTS OF SLEEP AND EAT FRUIT BARS AND ALMONDS

TABLES SET FOR FEASTS AND HORSES RACING BY

BABY * D ALWAYS TAKE A CANOPY OF TREES OVER A

.OST MEMORABLE MEAL ABROAD

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#EST HOLIDAY EVER

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$APRI WITH FRIENDS ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO WHERE

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ALSO TAKE A CASHMERE BLANKET A JUMP SUIT SOCKS

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FUSSY j AND THE TRUFFLE PASTA WAS OUT OF THIS

AND #IRKENSTOCKS :OU DON T WANT TO DEAL WITH

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WORLD &VEN THOUGH IT WAS LATE IT WAS FULL 5HAT S

LACES ON A FLIGHT

*NTERVIEW BY -ISA (RAINGER

CLUBS LIKE -A 'ONTELINA FONTELINA CAPRI COM AND

A GREAT THING ABOUT *TALY DINNER IS ALWAYS SLOW

%O YOU EVER ROUGH IT

BECAUSE IT S SO CAREFREE AND WALKABLE ALL YOU

AND APPRECIATED AND THERE ARE PEOPLE LAUGHING

* LOVE CAMPING WHETHER IT S 3ALPH -AUREN STYLE

4HINOLA 'OUBERT S 1LACE -ONDON

NEED TO WEAR IS A LOVELY DRESS AND SANDALS

AND DANCING AND LIVING LIFE TO THE FULL

GLAMPING OR ROUGHING IT IN THE 3EDWOODS WITH

SHINOLA CO UK

74 ultratravel

SAVE UP TO

ONE CALL. ALL THE ANSWERS Let the beaches of Barbados soothe you into relaxation with a stay at one of six sensational properties by award winning Elegant Hotels on the Platinum West Coast and vibrant South Coast of the island.

Enjoy an authentically Bajan experience relaxing on endless stretches of white sand next to glistening azure seas as well as complimentary watersports, a ‘Dine Around’ programme, FREE kids clubs*, FREE wifi and more... *selected properties only

40% AT 5 STAR COLONY CLUB BARBADOS

. Colony Club . The House . Crystal Cove . Tamarind . Turtle Beach . Waves Resorts & Spa (July 2016)

S AV E 4 0 % AT C O L O N Y C L U B Enjoy 7 nights of beach bliss staying at 5 star Colony Club on the Platinum West Coast of Barbados on a BB basis, flying direct with British Airways.

Ask about great deals on room and cabin upgrades.

7 nights fr

1199pp

£

Valid: 23 Aug - 23 Sep 2016

www.dialaflight.com ABTA & ATOL protected

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