Bold Issue #39 Spotlight Asia

ASIA MAJOR 7 Spa Getaways Insider’s Guide to

MELBOURNE

Japan Zen & Now Vietnam’s Foodie Moment

Hong Kong’s Artsy Hideaway

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ISSUE #39

CONTENTS JUNE 2017

F E AT U R E S

32

THE ART OF ZEN Getting around on Japan’s bullet trains, Muriel Paras discovers the peace that can be in speed

38 PEDAL POWER While Taipei is certainly a city full of motorized conveyances, Mark Stachiew reports that a bicycle will get you to all the city’s key attractions – and much more

42

BEYOND PHO On the Vietnam’s food trail, Vawn Himmelsbach discovers the flavours and the people behind the famous (and not so famous) dishes

Kanazawa Castle in Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan.

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ISSUE #39

CONTENTS JUNE 2017

AG E N DA 15 18

STAY: Art is at the heart of Hong Kong’s Cordis Hotel NEW & NOTEWORTHY:

Charlotte’s new Ivey’s; Peninsula expansion; Bangkok markets

20

GLOBETROTTER: UK architect

22

FOOD DIARIES: The life of Chef James Walt and Whistler’s Araxi restaurant in photos

Will Alsop

THE GUIDE 25

SEVEN SPA BREAKS: Our editors pick seven essential spa experiences

31

T R AV E L N AV I GATO R

22

46

TRAVEL INTEL: The phones that could replace your beloved camera on trips

49

UPGRADES: BOLD and Exodus Travels

52

BOLD TRAVELLER: Our Insider’s Guide

58 15

present the best of Japan to Melbourne

WORTH TRAVELLING FOR:

Taipei Regent 56

8

EDITOR’S NOTE

10

CONTRIBUTORS

boldmagazine.ca

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E D I TO R ’ S N OT E

BEYOND BACKPACKING

The Lobby at Cordis Hotel, Hong Kong, features two sculptures from the Taichi series by artist Ju Ming.

The first time I visited Asia I was a 20-something backpacker trying to see substantial swaths of India and Nepal over a nine-month journey, desperately avoiding any hotel room priced more than CAD$4. On subsequent visits, my budget has, thankfully, greatly improved, as has the allure of the attractions and comforts on offer. These days there are few corners of the world that offer so much luxury and style as Asia.

Street food, as you’ll read in Vawn Himmelsbach’s feature on the Vietnam food scene (page 42), has always been one of the strengths of the largest continent. But the culinary delights have also become increasingly refined and daring. Getting around, which can be a tricky prospect anywhere in the world, has also become a much smoother endeavour, particularly in infrastructure-obsessed cities like Taipei, which Mark Stachiew toured by bicycle (page 38).

In Japan, Muriel Paras chose a faster, more modern way to get to Kanazawa and, in doing so, found more harmony and nature than she could have ever expected (page 32).

Though I know a few Canadians who think nothing of spending a long weekend in Hong Kong, most of us prefer to plan a longer Asian excursion, an experience that’s worth the long flights. An extended stay can mean covering more ground, but it can also provide opportunities to go deeper and explore nuances of destinations that reside not in monuments and malls, but in residential neighbourhoods, local events and time spent meeting the people.

Urban Canadians have easy access to excellent Chinese dumplings, pho and sushi. But only a trip across the Pacific can truly connect these tastes to the cultures that produce them.

Safe Travels,

Paul Gallant Executive Editor

PROUD PARTNERS OF BOLD MAGAZINE 8 boldmagazine.ca

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4/4/17 10:29 AM

ISSUE #39

CONTRIBUTORS JUNE 2017

ON THE COVER

Maidens walking outside the Meiji Shrine.

Photo by Albert Campra

Marlon J. Moreno Publisher + Editorial Director Paul Gallant Executive Editor Magda de la Torre Americas Editor CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Andrew Brudz • Vawn Himmelsbach David Locke • Muriel Paras • Michael Smith Mark Stachiew • Doug Wallace

42

52

MARK STACHIEW Writer

VAWN HIMMELSBACH Writer

DOUG WALLACE Writer

Vawn Himmelsbach is a Toronto-based journalist and travel writer who has spent more than three years travelling abroad, including a one-year stint as an English-language editor in China. Her travels have taken her from the cobblestone streets of old Tbilisi in Georgia to the Guge Kingdom in western Tibet.

Doug Wallace is a Toronto-based writer, editor and media advisor, principal of Wallace Media and editor/ publisher of TravelRight.

Today. Doug and his satellite army of talented solopreneurs tackle jobs big and small in Toronto and all over the world.

PEDAL POWER

Mark Stachiew has loved to travel ever since his parents took him on epic cross-country road trips as a child. He believes travel can be a force for good in the world and hopes his stories inspire others to encounter different cultures in order to gain a greater understanding of how we are all connected.

BEYOND PHO

INSIDER’S GUIDE TO MELBOURNE

ART DIRECTION AND DESIGN Laura García PHOTOGRAPHY Carlos Bolivar • Tishan Baldeo WEB DEVELOPER Rahul Nair ADVERTISING For Advertising, Promotion, Reprints and Sponsorships inquiries: marketing@boldmagazine.ca BRAND AMBASSADOR AND PR Marlon Moreno Garnica mgarnica@boldmagazine.ca PUBLIC RELATIONS AGENCY Jesson + Company jessonco.com info@jessonco.com 77 Bloor St. West, Suite 1200 Toronto, ON. M5S 1M2 CORRESPONDENCE The Hudson Bay Centre 20 Bloor St. East P.O. Box 75075 Toronto, ON. M4W 3T3 BOLD® is published bimonthly by Pulso Media Group Inc. Opinions expressed in BOLD are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of the publisher or advertisers. BOLD does not assume liability for content.

www.boldmagazine.ca

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Doug Wallace photo: Luis Mora

38

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SPECIAL FEATURE

SOMETHING NEW Choose Mexico for your honeymoon and discover something new about the country you thought you knew.

W

hen it comes to picking a destination for your honeymoon, Mexico’s pristine beaches and lively culture make it an obvious choice. But if you think you’ve seen all there is to see in this wondrously diverse country, think again. From the Atlantic coast to the Pacific, the Mexican landscape offers charming colonial towns, cosmopolitan cities, awe-inspiring nature, and utopian beaches.

Here are some of the country’s most iconic locations that will make your honeymoon a time to remember.

SOMETHING WONDROUS

When you visit Mexico, you will have the chance to get up close and personal with the stunning landscapes of the Mexican countryside. But there is nothing like seeing it from the quiet tranquility of a hot air balloon. With the gentle wind guiding your path, hot air balloon tours offer an unforgettable experience that is simultaneously peaceful, romantic, and exhilarating.

Choose from several equally breathtaking areas. In Huasca de Ocampo, Hidalgo, see the Basaltic Prisms and the Mountain Corridor; the turquoise bays of Acapulco; the sprawling greenery of Tequisquiapan, Querétaro; and in Teotihuacán, the Sun and Moon Pyramids, which are more than 500 metres high.

And every year in León, the International Balloon Festival is held in mid-November, gathering more than 200 hot-air balloons that dot the sky with amazing shapes and colours.

SPECIAL FEATURE

SOMETHING MAGNIFICENT

When winter arrives in the west coast’s Baja California Sur and Nayarit, it brings with it an astonishing natural wonder to behold. Hundreds of gray whales migrate over 10,000 miles from their summer home in the Arctic to coastal lagoons on the Baja peninsula.

During their months-long stay, they will use the warm, shallow waters to birth calves, while giving you a one-of-a-kind opportunity to experience them.

Some of the best places to see these magnificent creatures are in Reserva de la Biósfera del Vizcaíno, Los Cabos, and La Paz in Baja California Norte, in addition to Sayulita and Rincon de Guayabitos in Nayarit, with ideal idyllic beaches to enjoy whale watching and practice deep diving.

SOMETHING SUNNY

You can’t visit Mexico without spending time on some of the world’s most beautiful beaches.

Feel enriched and relaxed while swimming and lying on the sun all day.

Watching the sunset over the ocean is the quintessential honeymoon experience for every couple, and there is no shortage of options here.

Oaxaca has beaches surrounded only by calm lagoons inhabited by ducks and birds. Mazunte, one of the most unspoiled and popular beaches, offers convenient guesthouses. Chacala is located in Nayarit, a perfect place to stroll in the jungle and surf. The renowned Todos Santos is located to the south of the Baja California peninsula and is one of the best surfing beaches in Mexico.

For some of the most romantic beach experiences check out: the Michigan beach, in Guerrero, offering amazing starry evenings; El Madresal, in Chiapas, one of the best beaches along the Pacific Ocean to watch sunsets; Peña Hermosa Beach, in Veracruz, with long horseback rides, and Celestún in Yucatán, famous for the huge colonies of pink flamingoes that call the fivekilometre long beach home.

However you choose to celebrate this new chapter in your lives together, there is always something new to experience in Mexico!

© 2017 PULSO MEDIA GROUP INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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AGENDA W H E R E O U R WA N D E R LU S T I S TA K I N G U S N E X T

VISUAL FEAST

“Red Guards – Going Forward! Making Money!” sculptures by Jiang Shuo watch over the Cordis. boldmagazine.ca

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AGENDA

[ STAY ]

In Kowloon’s Mong Kok neighbourhood, MURIEL PARAS finds a hotel straddling luxury and street cred.

P

ower to the people. I’m standing on the glassenclosed footbridge that links the Cordis Hong Kong hotel entrance to Langham Place, a buzzing luxury shopping centre, and the path to the MRT transit system. The reason the phrase comes to mind at this very moment: A larger-than-life sculpture guards the entrance to the hotel. He’s a worker, maybe a farmer or a soldier, part of “The Materialist” series of 12 sculptures by the artist Wang Guangyi, taken from propaganda images. Guangyi’s worker is concrete-coloured, thickly built and sporting overalls and newscap, legs spread in mid-stride, one hand curled into a fist, while the other is brandishing a weapon. A paint brush.

His feet are lost in the stone base, as if quicksand has swallowed them, slowly holding back his forward progress.

Or maybe he’s just standing his ground. Either way, you gotta love a grand entrance.

Formerly a Langham Place hotel – it was relaunched as a Cordis, the company’s contemporary brand, in August 2015 – its new moniker is derived from the latin word for heart. At the heart of this hotel is the art; a collection that spans more than 1,500 pieces. And, with an estimated value of more than $4.5 million, it would not be far from the truth to describe a stay

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here as one of living in a gallery devoted to precious finds.

Of course, there are many hotels around the world that feature outstanding public art collections; the Wynn in Las Vegas, the Hamilton Princess in Bermuda and London’s 45 Park Lane all come to mind. But what makes this hotel so unique is its singular focus on Chinese contemporary art.

Yue Minjun, whose works have sold at Sothby’s for more than any other Chinese contemporary artist, takes his own image, and makes us laugh. Actually, his image is laughing, too. Known for his grinning faces, Minjun mixes self-mockery with a wee bit of thumbing-his-nose at the community at large in his work. In Vancouver, you can catch him smiling many times over with his group of sculptures, “A-maze-ing Laughter.” Set in an unruly, almost maze-like circle in the city’s Morton Park, their laughing faces definitely invite inspection. At the Cordis, we get the fullon colourful side of Minjun, with his painting, “As Graceful as a Crane.” Here the artist strikes a laughable attempt at the crane pose, holding his leg up, all fuchsia pink-hued skin against a bright, blue-sky background, sporting nothing but his shorts and toothy grin. I can’t help but laugh, too, as I think about those ill-managed yoga poses I’ve attempted in the past. It’s giggleinducing therapy.

Perhaps that’s the point. A holiday, or a break from the business bustle, surrounded by whimsy and beauty. At the end of the day, you get to sleep in a bed that’s been made up for you, then wake up to a view of the Hong Kong harbour, or the skyscrapers of the busy Mong Kok neighbourhood on the Kowloon side of the city. The Ladies’ Market, the Goldfish Market and the Flower Market are all just strolls away. Keep it real at the hotel’s Garage Bar, an outdoor terrace and ode to the food-truck movement with its two vintage trucks, and take in the sounds of the city while sipping on a craft beer.

Or go upmarket: Dim sum at the Cantonese restaurant Ming Court is an artform in itself, with two Michelin stars keeping score on the dumplings. It doesn’t hurt, either, that en route to the restaurant, is the glass-walled, well-stocked Ming Cellar, where wine tastings are held and a few Champagne corks have been known to be popped.

More power to that, I say, and to the people of Hong Kong.

Rooms from CAD $210/night. cordishotels.com/en/hong-kong

OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Art installation at the street level of Cordis Hong Kong; the Chairman Suite living room; dim sum at The Place - Ming Court; sculpture

by Peng Di; the Club Lounge living room; studio bedroom.

WHEN YOU GO Ask the concierge for a deck of “Art Cards,” which you can keep as a souvenir, and use them to take a self-guided tour of some of the property’s best works.

boldmagazine.ca

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AGENDA

[ NEW & NOTEWORTHY ]

Ivey League I

vey’s department store was a beacon of sophisticated elegance in the uptown business district of Charlotte, North Carolina, when it opened in 1926. The restaurant even had an assistant responsible for “white gloves and party manners” who would help young people figure out which utensils to use at which moment during a meal.

Now MRK Property Development – the company behind the redevelopment of The Marlin in Miami’s South Beach, and the Windsor Boutique Hotel in Asheville, North Carolina – has breathed new life into the six-storey building, turning the first two floors of the building into Ivey’s Hotel, a distinctive five-star luxury property. The US$25-million transformation capitalizes on the history and Parisinspired glamour of the building’s early 1900s style. The distinctive décor in each of the 42 rooms combines crystal accents, vintage pieces and contemporary comforts, complete with 400-year-old French oak floors and exposed brick walls. theiveyshotel.com —Paul Gallant

To Market, To Market

Expanding Luxury

W

ith the CAD$166-million renovation of its Peninsula Beijing hotel almost complete, the luxury hotel company is focusing on adding three new properties to their global portfolio. Peninsula already has 10 landmarks in cities like Hong Kong, Paris and Chicago. Now the small but ambitious brand will open the doors of its Peninsula Istanbul in 2019. Just two years later, Peninsula will open hotels in Yangon, Myanmar, and London, England.

The Peninsula Yangon will be perhaps the most historic new property, located in the former headquarters of the Burma Railway Company. The top-to-bottom Peninsula Beijing renovation reduced the number of rooms in the hotel to 230 from 525; the smallest room is now 650 square feet. beijing.peninsula.com —PG

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T

here’s no question the capital of Thailand is 24/7.

Bangkok is a paradoxical mix of Buddhist tradition and busting-out-of-our-daily-box hedonism. Shopping, of course, matches the fervour. Two new night markets are ripe for the picking: the first, Siam Gypsy Junction, which is a bit of the way out of the downtown bustle, sits near the newly opened MRT underground purple train line. Locals head straight here for vintage finds and oddly, Wild West memorabilia, avoiding the tourists and honing their bartering skills. Closer to the core is Asiatique Riverfront, with a more refined vibe. Along the Chao Phraya riverfront, this open-air market shopping centre-meetsentertainment hub feels more like an easy stroll than a hard sell. Converted warehouses give a nod to its port past, while fashion, crafts and live cultural performances are curated for those whose tastes run toward luxury rather than bargain-hunting. —MP

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AGENDA

[ GLOBETROTTER ]

Around the world with world renowned architect (and kid at heart)

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Will Alsop

W

ith projects all over Europe, Asia and North America, British architect Will Alsop covers a lot of ground in the run of a year. Known for his playful and sometimes controversial designs, he’s probably best known in Canada for his elevated-tabletop-oncoloured-sticks addition to the Sharp Centre of Design, which opened in 2006 at Toronto’s OCAD University. Canadians will get to know his work better when they see his weathered-steel design for the Toronto Transit Commission’s Pioneer Village station on the new Toronto-York Spadina subway extension, expected to open later this year, as well as his Alaska condo, a 10-storey tower to be built on Yonge Street between Eglinton and Lawrence avenues. With a satellite studio in Chongqing, Alsop’s adventurousness has been especially welcome in China. In Chongqing, he’s building an entire cultural quarter, while in nearby Yubei, he’s working on a huge park that will include tree-houses, a hotel and a lake.

Where have you just come back from?

Vienna, where I go to often. It is beautiful, relaxed and full of gossip.

Where in the world have you felt happiest?

My house in North Norfolk, in my painting studio.

It is near the sea and is a different pace of life.

To get away from it all, I go to: Menorca, which hasn’t suffered the speculation of developments and hotels; also because it is a relatively small island we can explore, go to the beach and see good friends.

Which is your favourite hotel and why?

I have three favourite hotels; the Hilton airport hotel, Beijing, for the longest bar in Asia, where I can smoke; the New York Hotel in Rotterdam because its rooms are quirky and were not overly converted from their original use as offices; and the San Domenico Palace hotel, Taormina, Sicily, for its garden and sheer comfort.

Which is your road most travelled?

My route from my house in Kensington to the studio in Vyner Street, E2, which is 10 miles.

I enjoy observing how the city is changing as well as the changing seasons.

Who is your favourite travelling companion?

I like travelling alone with my thoughts and dreams.

Who is the most interesting person you’ve met on your travels?

Dave, the manager of the Ponderosa fast-food restaurant in Muncie, Indiana.

He brought light relief to my days at the university by playing pinball with me at the Red Caboose, by the railtrack.

Confession time: name one thing you’ve taken from a hotel.

An angle-poise lamp because I hadn’t seen one as beautiful before, or indeed since.

What inspires you to keep exploring?

Curiosity.

What’s the one thing you pack for every trip?

My big, fat Montblanc pen, with which I can write and draw in my other companion, a sketchbook.

What would be your trip of a lifetime? ​ To explore openly, if possible, Burma (Myanmar). I have never been, though I have invested much of my imaginings into what it would be like.

What’s your essential item for making travel more comfortable?

A nicely organized and typed itinerary with useful telephone numbers. Without it I’d feel lost.

“I like travelling alone with my thoughts and dreams.”

What’s your guilty pleasure while travelling?

A G&T at every occasion, starting on the plane.

I lost my heart in….

Soho Square, where I met my wife – in an exceptionally boring office.

Which travel experience most changed your worldview and why?

My first trip to Berlin, before the wall came down, it was very atmospheric, very cold and felt slightly dangerous.

Alsop’s tabletop floats above OCAD University’s Sharp Centre of Design in downtown Toronto. boldmagazine.ca

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AGENDA

[ FOOD DIARIES ]

1

5

Culinary Heights JAMES WALT, the executive chef of

Whistler’s Araxi restaurant, has been a champion of the locavore movement.

O

One of Canada’s pioneer farm-to-table chefs, James Walt has been at Whistler’s legendary Araxi restaurant since 1997, with breaks for cooking for the Canadian ambassador in Rome and launching Vancouver’s Blue Water Cafe. A graduate of the Stratford Chefs School (where he returned for a residency earlier this year), Walt has won many awards for his innovative cooking style and won over the hearts of many producers for his sustainable approach to ingredients. He’s also known for his calm demeanour in the kitchen; up in British Columbia’s Coast Mountains, Walt is about altitude, not attitude. BOLD asked him to share some of the stories behind favourite photos in his social media streams. – PAUL GALLANT

22 boldmagazine.ca

1. I have a really good friend in San Diego, who has a friend who’s a personal chef there, who said you’ve got to go to Catalina Offshore Products.

It totally blew me away. I thought we’d just put on some rubber boots and walk around a fish place. I wasn’t expecting the quality of what they had and the level of commitment to sustainability. They’re about fin to tail, so we had the abductor muscle, which is beneath the largest fin, from the opah, and the cheeks from the opah. They did a pastrami treatment on some of the meat where they sliced it and smoked it, made little sandwiches for us.

2. That’s the pier at Pacific Beach in San Diego, the first time we went with the kids. The waves in San Diego are pretty serious surf. Each morning we went down there, grabbed our coffee and we’d go

sit at the end of the pier watching the waves. It’s a pretty good way to start the day.

3. I lived in Rome for a year and a half on a working sabbatical at the Canadian embassy. The thing I picked up the most in Italy, which changed my whole style, was the simplicity of things.

Sometimes you’d think, “That looks kinda boring,” but I never had a bad tomato, I never had lousy cheese. It was always done really well. The embassy was only a 10-minute walk from Piazza Navona, so when I had breaks at work I’d walk down past the Forum and go sit there.

This is Piazza Navona when we went back with the kids last year.

4. In Canada we make a big deal about authentic wood-fired pizzas, and then you see this, at the Mercato Centrale in Florence. You look in the oven and it’s

2

3

4 so we made it an annual thing, starting in 2006. We feed everyone family style with a makeshift kitchen.

Last year we had torrential rain, so 400 people had to hunker down in the trees while the weather blew over.

It was an adventure.

7. We were doing a shoot

6

7 really small pieces of wood that burn quickly and go to coals.

5. We were doing Cornucopia, the big wine festival in Whistler. I had my team with me and I wanted to have a photo with all of them together.

[From the left] there’s executive sous chef Mark McLoughlin, who has been with me for five years, my pastry chef Aaron Heath, sous chef Brad Masciotra, Yoann Therer, who I hired when he was 21, and Jorge Muñoz Santos, my chef at Bar Oso. They don’t get the credit they’re due. It’s always a collaboration. I’m not a dictator.

for Tourism Whistler going to the places I like to go. We went to the Whistler Brewery Company, to the farmers’ market. Astrid Cameron Kent, who’s in the photo with me, is a long-time Whistlerite.

We were down on the river by her place sampling some cheeses.

8. The wild scallop brochette is from the book Araxi: Roots to Shoots, Farm Fresh Recipes. The first book was more restaurant style, but this one is designed for the home cook. That was one of the first days we were doing the photos. I cooked food in the field and we plated it in the field to shoot it.

For more information, visit araxi.com; for more pictures and visual stories, explore

instagram.com/araxirestaurant and instagram.com/ chefjameswalt.

6. A group from the US

8

called Outstanding in the Field [which hosts open-air feasts in celebration of local farms] contacted me to see if we wanted to do an outdoor event. We did a couple with them and they were blown away by the setting with the mountains, boldmagazine.ca

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A World of Possibilities

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THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN Getaways that are good for you, mind, body and soul

RBC AVION PRESENTS: 7 BLISSFUL SPAS AROUND THE WORLD ®

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THAILAND

KAMALAYA, KOH SAMUI The jungle setting of Kamalaya, perched high up a steep hillside within the island’s rainforest, encourages a quieter meditation, but also a sort of natural networking with other guests that only a remote locale can inspire. If yoga and Eastern leaning wellness is your thing, this is the place. Its founders are a husband and wife team, mixing his yogi training with her Chinese medicine practice. But this doesn’t mean the spa’s gone soft. Intensive fitness classes in the top-notch gym, including posture-inducing pilates, hikes around the nine-acre property and mentoring sessions all provide balance to an otherwise otherworldly experience.

WHAT TO TRY: A meditation session. Former Buddhist monks are among the teachers.

kamalaya.com

MEXICO

RANCHO LA PUERTA, TECATE The approach to health and wellness is quite serious here – this isn’t your average day spa. Known for a holistic approach, the renowned spa is more retreat than treatment. The experts recommend a week here in the mountains of Baja California, where fitness and wellbeing programs are guided, and therapies and treatments – along with much of the mainly vegetarian culinary experience – are made in the kitchens from medicinal herbs and vegetables grown in the property’s organic gardens.

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WHAT TO TRY: Something you definitely can’t do at home: a guided hike up into the foothills of Mt. Kuchumaa.

rancholapuerta.com

BALI

FOUR SEASONS AT SAYAN, UBUD Inland from the beaches – and the beach bums – is a paradise that belies all the touristy notions. Still-untouched swaths of rainforest jungles, rushing rivers and a rich traditional in mindfulness and wellness all give Ubud a vibe unlike any other. Four Seasons at Sayan Sacred River Spa has elevated it even more, for mind, body and spirit. The spa’s soundtrack is a calming combination of the gentle breeze breaching the open window and the babbling of the Ayung River that runs through the property. So relaxing is this music of nature, when we visited we fell into a light slumber.

WHAT TO TRY: Aerial/anti-gravity yoga for a lightness of being and a healthy stretching of the limbs and the head. fourseasons.

com/sayan/spa/

HUNGARY MAGNOLIA DAY SPA

If you were to ask someone where the ancient therapeutic concept of taking the waters still exists, some would say Hungary. And, although it is true that the country is still a destination for hydrotherapy, sometimes a bath house is a little in-your-face for more genteel Western tastes. Széchenyi Thermal Baths in Budapest is the country’s largest and worth a visit, but for a more personal experience, Magnolia offers almost a dozen bath-themed treatments, as well as more familiar peels, massages and facials using French skin-care line Sothys.

WHAT TO TRY: The couples treatments and experiences.

magnoliadayspa.hu

AUSTRALIA GWINGANNA LIFESTYLE RETREAT, GOLD COAST The brains behind Gwinganna (including Australian actor and wellness enthusiast Hugh Jackman) take the word “retreat” as gospel. Ranging from two-night wellness weekends to as long as seven days (exclusively for the Gwinganna Detox), programs promise to reset your health span, with special events over the calendar year that include Women’s Discovery, Nourishing You and weekends devoted to “heart, brain, health.” In the Hinterland of Queensland’s Gold Coast, Gwinganna is ecotourism certified and, although fairly restrictive (no booze, smokes or junk food allowed), it promises a lifestyle reset for our everyday hustle and bustle.

WHAT TO TRY: Regain a healthy balance through Gwinganna’s four-day Triple “S” – sleep, sugar, stress. ’Nuff said.

gwinganna.com

GERMANY LANSERHOF, TEGERNSEE If you’re looking for a combination of medical spa and old-school retreat, this is it. The medi-clinic follows the FX Mayr method, a medispa approach to digestive wellness first developed in Austria more than 40 years ago. And going with the gut here is what it’s all about.

Detoxing to help cleanse your insides, learning better nutrition habits and, yes, the odd facial thrown in, naturally, all contribute to resetting your digestive health. Balancing bad bacteria with good isn’t the only game here: harmony for the mind, exercise for the body and (spa) food for the soul – with Traditional Chinese Medicine, Naturopathy and Western medical methods – gives Lanserhof an all-inclusive feel for your health.

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WHAT TO TRY: Choose something for your outsides, too: The Lans Derma Regeneration facial, meant to help boost the skin’s immune function.

lanserhof.com

SWITZERLAND CLINIQUE LA PRAIRIE, LAKE GENEVA, MONTREUX

Since 1932, this spot has been on the cutting edge of medical-spa retreats, grounded in science, yet elevated with Swiss hospitality. Health and wellness, longevity boosting and, of course, aesthetic treatments feature in a program that has been created by more than 50 wellness experts. You can quit smoking, lose weight and detox your liver while striving for better mobility (a key function as we age) and have a physical check-up; medical staff include radiologists, cardiologists, dermatologists and more. And it’s in the Swiss Alps with a view of Lake Geneva. Naturally, nutritionists have built a menu that helps guests take the healthy principles home with them.

WHAT TO TRY: The six-night Rebalancing program, which utilizes a holistic approach with both traditional and Ayurvedic techniques.

laprairie.ch

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S P E C I A L F E AT U R E

PAUSE À DEUX: Spa Getaways for Two

T

hailand is known for its long history with spirituality, wellness and, of course, massage therapy. Its kings have been patrons and proponents of the ancient practice of Thai massage for centuries, and it shows.

Thailand is also known as one of the most romantic places in the world. The adoration of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej displayed for his Queen Sirikit is one of the great love stories of recent times. It’s no wonder romantics and wellness-seekers alike flock to the country for this full-body experience and come away with relaxed muscles, elevated spirits and open minds.

Add the element of experiencing this body, mind and spirit approach together – rest, relax, treatment, repeat – to heighten the romance factor. Whether couples consider themselves urban warriors, path-lesstravelled explorers or ocean-side seekers, there are wellness options that inspire togetherness and, ultimately, a healthy attitude sparks a passion for a healthy relationship. Here, we go beyond just romancing (the hot) stone, and share a few of our favourites.

URBAN RETREAT THE ORIENT SPA MANDARIN ORIENTAL, BANGKOK One thing we love about Thailand is the rich history and the pride in which the people share it – especially massage therapy. To wit, the Orient Spa sits in a restored century-old teak house on the banks of Bangkok’s Chao Phraya River, where the bright lights of the big city seem just a bit tempered by the serenity of this oasis. Instantly, you are enveloped in Thai tradition and architecture. Another thing we love is the couples spa programmes available here. The Splendid Moments

treatment includes a 30-minute Thai Herbal Compresses, employed in traditional Thai medicine. The hot herb-packed compresses are pressed into the muscles to help invigorate and soothe. Another favourite is the aptly named Endless Love. An upgrade to a Spa Deluxe Suite is only the beginning of this treatment built for two. The fourhour wellness journey includes a skinpurifying Rose Indulgence Facial, a Stress Release Back and Shoulder massage and Keraleeya Abyangam, an ayurvedic massage treatment using aromatherapeutic oils that work to help bring balance to the body from your forehead to your feet. Finish with a romantic soak in a customized bath that will melt the stress away. www.mandarinoriental.com/bangkok HONOURABLE MENTION: The Peninsula Spa, The Peninsula Bangkok, for the Precious Time Together treatment, as well as its diverse offerings specifically for men. www.bangkok.peninsula.com/en/default

ISLAND TIME ABSOLUTE SANCTUARY, KOH SAMUI

GOLDEN GETAWAY FOUR SEASONS TENTED CAMP, GOLDEN TRIANGLE, CHIANG RAI This less-travelled area of Northern Thailand borders on Laos and Myanmar and was once known for its opium trade.

Now the golden rule is health, wellness, spirituality and a communing with nature and animals. Elephant trekking covers the ground through verdant jungle here like nowhere else, but it’s the after-trekking that makes the day whole – or holistic. At the Four Seasons’ spa, you are completely immersed in nature, with open-air salas that serve as treatment rooms. No spa soundtrack required. There’s also that Four Seasons trademark hospitality and friendliness – the hotel company was born

in Canada, after all – so the staff is equal parts charming graciousness and a font of wellness knowledge. Pump up the romance: The go-to for couples is the Long Rak Chiang Rai – couples connect treatment. The blossoms of flowers Jasmine and ylang ylang, considered symbols of love and connection, are mixed with sandalwood for an aromatic journey. Exfoliation starts with body scrubs, then relax on a special water mattress while massage is performed while lying face up. A tuberose-infused bath soothes and completes the journey. www.fourseasons.com/goldentriangle

If we didn’t know better, we’d think we were in a Moroccan riad somewhere in the centre of sultry Marrakesh. But we’re not.

We’re on Koh Samui, also known as the island of healing. Perched on a hillside on the northeastern tip on the island just far enough from the beaches gives it a secret hideaway appeal, while the complimentary shuttle still manages to get you beachside in a flash, this retreat goes beyond Thai massage (although the massage therapists really know their stuff, so don’t miss having one – or two – while here). Lush, colourful carpets and silk pillows set a romantic scene, and invite lounging à deux. Yet, the onus here is on action and movement. If the idea of fitness and working out – and working up a healthy sweat together turns you on, then this is your sanctuary, so to speak, and reconnection through getting physical adds to the frisson. The programs are yoga-intensive – yoga-teacher-training courses are also available if you’ve got a month to learn – and mastering yoga moves where a couple works together as one can be a stimulating experience. Flexibility and posture are very sexy, after all. www.absolutesanctuary.com

HONOURABLE MENTION: Anantara Spa, Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort, for the

HONOURABLE MENTION: Six Senses Samui, for its

elephant mahout training mornings where you

intimate feel, and which features 66 private villas

learn to care for these amazing animals and even

and a sweeping view of the Gulf of Thailand from

better, the special treatments for honeymooners.

its location on a headland at the northern tip of the

www.goldentriangle.anantara.com/spas.aspx

island. www.sixsenses.com

Fall in love with Thailand and book your romantic escape at bookthailandnow.com

The Art of

Z E N

Surrounded by the high speed society of Japan, MURIEL PARAS searches for serenity.

Photos by Albert Campra

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Kotoji-tĹ?rĹ?, a stone lantern, in Kenroku-en (Six Attributes Garden).

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OPPOSITE TOP: Entrance to the Kanazawa Station.

BOTTOM: Gion’s District Shrine.

T

hings move fast here. Time, sound, people. Forward, with a precise gait that belies such a deeply traditional society. But in Japan, the Chinese philosophy of yin and yang seem to be in balance, sometimes precariously so, but, nevertheless, the scales never seem to tip too far off centre.

Speed, and its need for it, keeps this place humming.

Trains are consistently on time, and woe the traveller who arrives even seconds after the posted departure. You will just have to wait for the next one which, naturally, will pull up exactly when it is supposed to.

It’s on one of these shinkansen trains (nicknamed “bullet trains” in English), for which Japan is known so well, that I find myself, not to go faster, but to slow down. The Hokuriku Shinkansen to Kanazawa from Tokyo launched in 2015 with one of its fastest services, the Kagayaki. This speed demon takes me from Tokyo to Kanazawa in about two and a half hours, travelling northeast over a distance of approximately 300 kilometres.

It is smooth, seamless, accurately on time. It is almost meditative, my breathing already setting a new pace, after the bright-lights big-city energy of Tokyo. Kanazawa is home to two of my favourite things: gardens and contemporary art. They may not seem to meet, but, here, they do.

On a hilltop in the city, and once the green space for the Kaga clan rulers, the feudal lord residents of the neighbouring Kanazawa Castle, Kenroku-en Garden is one of the three great gardens of Japan (the others are Kairaku-en in Mito and Kōraku-en in Okayama). In 1874, it became public domain. It is the entire Japanese aesthetic folded into one: Mother Nature gently coaxed into shape and form that flow as if it was meant to be that way, everything beautiful to the eye. Topiaries resemble temples, trees resemble pagodas, pathways are raked free of distraction and obstacle. The eye follows these pathways, from fountains to ponds to stone lanterns. “Kenroku-en means having six factors,” my guide explains. “Because of the six elements that create the landscape here: spaciousness, tranquility, artifice, antiquity, water sources and a magnificent view from the garden.” Anywhere else, I may think he’d rehearsed that speech, but here, amidst it, I could see he and the minds behind this place, had a point.

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THIS PAGE CLOCKWISE: The central pond of Kenroku-en; Karasaki pine trees; young men walking across a pond.

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paciousness is a luxury in Japan, in the big cities anyway. Here, you could spread out your arms and not touch anyone, but you could touch leaves and lawns. Tranquility, another sought-after commodity. People walk more slowly here, speak in hushed tones. Artifice. Well, the Japanese are among the best in the world at this. Ancient pine trees, some as old as 800 years, are held up by thick ropes called yukitsuri to shore them up against the heavy snow that falls here in winter. But these are no mere ropes.

It’s the art of artifice, the ropes appearing as pyramid-like trees in their own right, a seemingly airborne geometry that is at once useful and beautiful.

The largest pond, Kasumiga-ike, is artificial, with a man-made island to boot.

Antiquity lies in the stone lanterns, one of which was wrought in the image of a Japanese harp, and has become a symbol of the garden. Another antique is the finely constructed Yugao-tei cottage, a traditional tea house that dates back to the late 1700s. The central pond, a water source, provides the circular framework for the paths visitors tread, and is the common element of the three great gardens, all built during the Edo period. And it is here that it is believed the oldest fountain in Japan exists. Using the water from Kasumigaike, the fountain, built in 1871, spouts straight up. It may not compare to the fountains at the Bellagio, mind you, but the engineering of the 19th century is still impressive.

What is most moving, from my perspective, is exactly that. The perspective. The view. Of the garden, from the garden to the castle, and of its surroundings. The hillside perch allows visitors to see beyond the garden, but within it, the seasons play a visual game: cherry blossoms in the spring; blooming flowers in the summer, a riot of fiery reds; oranges and golds in the autumn; and in winter, the snowfalls, blankets of white. The trees stand tall against the seasons. Against time.

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It is, however, time for me to go. To get back to the here and now. A visit to the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art is in order.

Based on a similar principle to that of the garden design, the museum is a circular structure that encourages a directional flow. Most of the exterior walls are glass, giving this low-slung building a light, airy feel. That feeling permeates the gallery spaces toward the centre of the structure, and the permanent exhibits, made of contemporary materials including concrete, stainless steel and acrylic paints, benefit from all that light. The curators have ignored structural constraints by dotting the museum with conceptual pieces in, on top of, below and around the building.

Installations such as Anish Kapoor’s “L’Origine du Monde” and James Turrell’s “Blue Planet Sky” feel indoors-out, while Patrick Blanc’s “Green Bridge” actually is, where museum-goers can feel as if they’re in manmade and natural surroundings without feeling the confines of the structure.

Outside in the museum’s courtyards, there is plenty of room for play – play is a recurring theme in many exhibits here – with sculptures and installations encouraging engagement and having a hands-on experience. The stainless steel pavilion, “Wrapping” by Fernando Romero, invites children to experience like a jungle gym, to enter it and play among its metal tubes and mesh. I couldn’t help notice that there a few kids-at-heart among the wee ones inside.

But this is what well-thought-out art does. It makes us all want to play.

THIS PAGE CLOCKWISE: View of the Kanazawa Castle; exterior playground of the 21st Century Museum of Contemporary Art; the swimming pool artwork at the museum.

WHEN YOU GO EXPLORE Kaga-Onsen is an area south of Kanazawa known for four hot spring towns. The hot springs were discovered over 1,300 years ago by monks visiting Hakusan, and have been popular, highly-rated onsen destinations ever since.

STAY A ryokan , such as Hanamurasaki, lets you experience the therapeutic hot-spring baths on property, as well as traditional Japanese hospitality.

Yes, you will sleep on a tatami mat, wearing a traditional yukata.

hanamura.com

WORTH THE STOP OVER Tokyo’s Golden Gai neighbourhood offers an otherworldly Blade Runnerlike experience with narrow back alleys, smoke-filled saloons – some as small as a bar and four stools – and after-dark activities that draw out those looking for the edgier side of the city.

Check out Kyoto’s Kinkaku-ji Temple, also known as the Golden Temple, followed by Arashiyama, the city’s ancient Bamboo forest, so thick with mature bamboo trees, the light of day barely penetrates. In the evening, head to the Gion district, where you will find geisha and maiko still performing their art.

For more travel ideas, visit the Japanese Tourism Office www.jnto. go.jp/eng/

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Pedal Power

In the bustle of Taipei, MARK STACHIEW discovers that two wheels will get you wherever you need to go. PHOTOS BY RYAN HUNG

A

fter several hours of cycling the hot streets of Taipei, I needed to step into a 7-Eleven to quench my thirst.

Inside, I saw the hot dog station we’re familiar with in North America, but the drinks in the refrigerator reminded me I was in Taiwan.

There were cans of grass jelly, asparagus juice, watermelon milk and a colourful display of other bottles, cans and cartons containing all sorts of mysterious beverages. I played it safe and, with a bottle of water, sat down at one of the convenience store’s tables, where a young man struck up a conversation with me, excited to meet a foreign visitor exploring his city by bicycle.

Decked out in full cycling regalia with a jersey, padded pants and biking shoes, he offered me advice on what to visit in Taipei, a city on the northern tip of the island of Taiwan. It was the first of many such encounters I would have in other Taiwanese 7-Elevens, which are ubiquitous and act as unofficial hangouts for the country’s many avid cyclists during their travels. Despite its many elevated highways and the constant rush of cars and scooters, cycling has caught on big in this metropolitan area of more than seven million people.

Founded in the early 18th century by Chinese immigrants from Fujian province, Taipei doesn’t have the history of Beijing, the futuristic architecture of Shanghai nor the buzz of Hong Kong. The Portuguese, Dutch, Spanish and Japanese, who ruled Taiwan from 1894 until 1945, have had their influences, which can sometimes be spotted in the architecture. Under Japanese authority, the city was subjected to more rigorous urban planning, giving it a more robust infrastructure than Asian cities which grew more organically.

Spending a few hours touring its streets on a bicycle revealed the city’s own special character. It’s only recently that the city’s taken cycling more seriously and has promised to triple the length of its network of segregated city centre bike lanes to 120 miles by 2019. I got around using the city’s extensive U-Bike bicycle-sharing network that consists of 5,000 shared orange-and-yellow bicycles parked at more than 150 locations.

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In many ways, Taipei resembles any big, modern city with its glass skyscrapers and expressways. But turn the corner and you might find yourself riding down a narrow alley where you’ll encounter a colourful Taoist shrine or a bustling outdoor market. Designated designated bicycle paths made it easy to get around, but sometimes I had to merge into the street to mingle with cars and trucks. Nervously expecting the kind of traffic bedlam common in other Asian cities, I found myself on wide boulevards among drivers used to cyclists.

When I did get lost, I oriented myself with landmarks like TAIPEI 101, a colossal skyscraper shaped like a stalk of bamboo. When I couldn’t spot those landmarks, I’d ask for directions. Everyone who helped me seemed genuinely delighted to see me enjoying myself in their home town. Of the many fantastic attractions I saw on my twowheeled tour, the biggest attraction of all was the people.

Here are just a few of the wonderful things you can visit while pedalling around Taipei.

TAIPEI 101 Until Dubai’s Burj Khalifa came along, Taipei 101 was the world’s tallest building. This half-kilometre-tall tower is the city’s most prominent landmark and attracts tourists by the busload. Ride up to the 91st floor on a super-fast elevator where the outdoor observatory rewards you with stunning panoramic views.

Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall This sprawling complex commemorates Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek, the former president of the Republic of China and founder of modern Taiwan. Inside the main hall is a massive statue of Chiang reminiscent of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.

TAIPEI 101 is a landmark skyscraper in Taipei’s Xinyi District.

It was the tallest building in the world from 2004 to 2009.

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Ximending Entertainment District Sometimes referred to as the Harajuku of Taipei, in reference to the Tokyo shopping district of that name, this bustling neighbourhood actually dates back to the 50-year period when Taiwan was controlled by Japan. Today, it is primarily a pedestrian area filled with shops, restaurants and performance venues.

Shilin Night Market Every Taiwanese city boasts a night market and Taipei has several of them, with Shilin being the biggest and most famous.

When the sun goes down, the neon lights go on and the market comes to life. It is a dizzying warren of stalls selling electronics, fashion, food and just about anything you can imagine.

Xia Hai Temple Ornate and colourful Taoist temples are abundant in Taipei.

Festooned with intricate carvings, these red and gold buildings range from gargantuan structures to tiny outposts hidden away in alleys and side streets. Singles should seek out the Xia Hai Temple, where it is said that prayers to the house deity will help you find the perfect romantic partner.

Longshan Riverside Park The recreational paths that follow the city’s many parks meandering along the Tamsui River are a pleasant way to discover Taipei’s quieter side.

Cycling beyond Taipei Cycling is something of a national obsession in Taiwan, so much so that Giant, the world’s largest bicycle manufacturer, is headquartered there. Dedicated bicycle paths are plentiful throughout the country and for many Taiwanese, cycling all 968 kilometres around the entire island along Cycling Route No. 1 is on top of their bucket lists. Many foreign visitors tackle that route, which can be usually completed in two weeks or less.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: The Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall at night; a statue of the patron saint of happy families at Xia Hai Temple; fried crabs at Shilin Night Market.

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NOT JUST SMELLY TOFU In Taiwan, food and history are closely entwined. Before the Chinese arrived, the island once known as Formosa was inhabited by several indigenous tribes. Descendants of these Austronesian people still live on the island as a tiny minority struggling to protect their culture and a big part of that effort is keeping the traditions of the foods they eat.

Many of the indigenous inhabitants live in Taiwan’s rugged mountainous areas, but a sizable portion have migrated to the cities, including Taipei. Some of them operate restaurants that serve indigenous food that feature dishes that are typically cooked by steaming, roasting or grilling, which is different from the more common Chinese cooking styles of stir-frying or stewing. Typical dishes are rice steamed in bamboo, meat dumplings packed in banana leaves and grilled meats.

For 50 years, Taiwan was also a Japanese territory after it was ceded to them by the Chinese at the end of the Sino-Japanese War in 1895. That occupation lasted until the end of the Second World War, but it was enough time for the local population to acquire some of the tastes and cooking styles of Japan with things like tempura and sushi remaining popular today.

Considering Taiwan is an island, seafood is plentiful and the sushi is top-notch.

After the Second World War, China descended into a civil war of its own with the communists and nationalists vying for control of the country. In the end, the communists won and more than two million nationalists fled to Taiwan. The newcomers mostly came from southern provinces like Fujian, but there were refugees from every corner of China who brought their cooking traditions with them.

Visitors who love food will get delirious sampling the many dishes that are served on Taiwanese tables like bubble tea, a Taiwanese invention of milk tea with tapioca pearls, spicy hotpot or the night-market staple of stinky tofu.

WHEN YOU GO This spring Air Canada relaunched direct air service between Vancouver and Taipei. EVA Air has added two additional weekly flights to its TorontoTaipei route and launches daily service out of Vancouver in June.

STAY Centrally located, the magnificent, five-star hotel Grand Hyatt Taipei is the perfect place for business and leisure travellers. The rooms are spacious, the amenities are luxurious and the service is perfect. There are also several U-Bike stations nearby.

Rooms from CAD$310/night.

taipei.grand.hyatt.com EAT Famous for its soup dumplings, local legend Din Tai Fung has opened outposts around the world. Its Hong Kong restaurant was even awarded one Michelin star. They have three locations in Taipei, including the original on Xinyi Road, but the one most popular with tourists is in the basement of TAIPEI 101. While the soup dumplings, each with precisely 18 folds and stuffed with pork, chicken or seafood, are the star of the menu, there is no shortage of steamed goodness to enjoy here.

www.dintaifung.com.tw DO Exploring the city by bike in the evening is an entirely different experience than doing it in the daylight. A private, two-hour night tour with an experienced guide will take you to some of the city’s most interesting sights and teach you about its history and culture as you peddle.

From CAD$34/person. boldmagazine.ca

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BEYOND

Following theVietnamese

food trail,

VAWN HIMMELSBACH finds flavours that reflect the country’s history and geography

I

had only meant to spend the night – a stopover on a road trip up the coast of Vietnam along the country’s main highway, from Ho Chi Minh City to Hanoi. But somehow a week had slipped by, and I still found myself in the historic port city of Hoi An in Central Vietnam. It’s the kind of place you can get stuck, with its pretty French colonial architecture, cobblestones and canals – and arguably the country’s best food scene.

During the day, I’d rent a bicycle and meander out of town, past rice paddies and water buffalo, to China Beach on the South China Sea, where I’d have a stretch of white sand pretty much to myself, aside from a few fishermen.

And the nights – well, it was always about the food. And, as I discovered, there’s a lot more to Vietnamese food than pho.

Wandering the narrow cobblestone streets, silk lanterns lighting up the shadows, you’ll find ancient Chinese temples and tea warehouses alongside trendy lounges and tailor shops. This is where people come to have clothes literally tailor-made, for a steal. It’s easy to get swept up in it. (And make some questionable decisions, like Burmese silk fisherman’s pants, the kind that wrap around your legs like a diaper, which seemed like a good idea at the time.)

While it’s still known for its skilled tailors, Hoi An is also emerging as a culinary hot spot. Thanks to its history as a former Southeast Asian trading post, it offers a global twist on Vietnamese cuisine you won’t find anywhere else.

And there’s a lot you can learn about a place from its food.

“Food is inextricably linked to the Vietnamese culture, both materially and culturally,” says Neville Dean, founder of The Original Taste of Hoi An, a hosted food tour. “Throughout the country there are some 7,000 to 8,000 local cultural festivals each year – all involving food.” And this food is a gateway into the etiquettes and customs of a people.

The cuisine of central Vietnam is strongly linked to the emperors of the Nguyen Dynasty, says Dean, and is often complex and luxurious in taste, texture and appearance. From the 7th to 10th centuries, Hoi An was at the centre of the Cham Dynasty’s spice trading route. Later, from the 15th to 19th centuries, it became a trading port for the Chinese, Japanese, Indian and Dutch. It seems some of these traders got stuck here, too, many of them settling in Hoi An and influencing its cuisine.

“This multicultural population and access to food and ingredients from around the world helped develop foods unique to Hoi An,” says Elizabeth Rudd, founder of Compass & Fork and author of Asian Cooking Essentials. “Many of the dishes we had in Hoi An we found only in Hoi An.” Some of the dishes to try here, according to Rudd, include xi ma (a sweet pudding made from ginger and black sesame seeds); cao lau (thick noodles with sliced roast pork and herbs); banh vac, or white rose dumplings (steamed prawns in rice dumplings with garlic, fried onion and chili); mi quang (turmeric noodles, only made in Hoi An); and moneybags (“think wontons, but better,” says Rudd). Several street food vendors hawk banh mi, the iconic Vietnamese sandwich made with pork, pate, pickled carrot and lettuce, offering a true blend of French and Vietnamese cuisine.

While Hoi An is a gem, there are other foodie havens in Vietnam, most notably Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) and Hanoi.

HCMC, with its French colonial architecture and ancient temples alongside modern-day skyscrapers and neon lights, has plenty of high-end dining, but the best place to experience Vietnamese cuisine is on the streets.

For street eats, head to the Ben Thanh Market, which turns into a night market full of food stalls, or Binh Tay Market in Chinatown. “Tran Khac Chan Street in District 1 – where most first-time visitors will spend their time – is also full of street food stalls,” says Rudd.

She recommends the crispy rice pancakes, banh xeo (seafood crêpes) and grilled meat in betel leaves (a highlight). “Vietnamese eat fried spring rolls with fresh herbs, wrapped in lettuce leaves and dipped in sauce,” says Rudd. “Grilled meat is served on skewers, making it easy to eat on the street.”

OPPOSITE PAGE: Spicy stir fry is a classic Vietnamese street food.

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F

or a sundowner, head to one of the city’s elegant hotels, where war correspondents hung out during the Vietnam War. The overpriced cocktails are worth it, just for the experience. “If you want a place for drinks with loads of history, try Jerome’s Bar [now called Saigon Saigon] at the rooftop of the Caravelle Hotel,” says Rudd. “Offering fantastic views of the French District from the terrace, the hotel and this bar were the central meeting spot for the foreign press correspondents and visiting dignitaries during the Vietnam War.” Hanoi, in the north close to the Chinese border, has a completely different vibe; this ancient city is more than 1,000 years old, occupied at points in history by the Chinese and French. It can be overwhelming, with its chaotic traffic and non-stop blaring horns (it took me about 10 minutes to cross the street when I first arrived, trying to avoid cars and motorcycles). But its unique history also offers up a unique food scene.

Wandering through the chaotic Old Quarter, or Hoan Kiem District, you’ll discover centuries-old architecture along narrow streets, where you can buy (and barter for) just about anything.

It’s also the best place to pull up a plastic chair and sample a few local dishes, or get a caffeine rush with Vietnamese-style coffee.

It’s made with a French drip filter, called a phin, that sits on top of your cup, served with sweetened condensed milk. Hanoi is also known for its egg coffee – Vietnamese-style coffee with egg (sort of resembling scrambled egg in your coffee). Not for everyone.

Bun bo nam bo (a classic noodle dish) and pho (traditionally eaten for breakfast) are both must-try items in Hanoi. Bahn mi is popular and plentiful (and usually costs under CAD$3).

“Food is slightly sweeter in the south and generally less spicy,” says Rudd. “There are more fresh herbs and cold dishes in the south due to its proximity to the Mekong Delta, Vietnam’s food basket. It is not unusual in the south to see motorcycles piled high with green vegetables or herbs. In the north where the weather is bit cooler, there is more influence from Laos and Cambodia, with curries and noodle dishes more common.”

Many restaurants specialize in one dish, such as pho or bahn mi. “The little place we went to try bun bo nam bo was packed – we were one of the few Westerners there,” says Rudd. “Finding these places is one of the joys of travelling.”

These are the kinds of places that don’t have a website; you can’t make a reservation, and you probably can’t describe its location to friends. It may even look rather sketchy – but it could be the best bun bo nam bo you’ve ever experienced.

WHEN YOU GO STAY Four Seasons Resort The Nam Hai, Hoi An is located in a former fishing village with daily shuttle service to Hoi An and easy access to the temple sanctuary of My Son and the imperial city of Hue. Rooms from CAD$760/ night. fourseasons.com/hoian Located a 25-minute drive from Hoi An, the Fusion Maia is a destination unto itself with private pool villas and spa treatments included in the nightly rate.

Rooms from CAD$630/night.

maiadanang.fusion-resorts.com EAT

French-era police station, where you can watch the sunset from a garden terrace overlooking the Thu Bon River.

brothercafehoian.com.vn The Original Taste of Hoi An’s Neville Dean recommends the muc thon , a stuffed calamari dish, at The End Of The World Restaurant in nearby Phuc Hai fishing village.

DO The Original Taste of Hoi An tour includes a stop at the market and several local restaurants, as well as a sampling of street food. Book well in advance.

tasteofhoian.com

ON THIS PAGE TOP TO BOTTOM: A delicious banh xeo (Vietnamese crepe cake); a banh mi sandwich from a street vendor. OPPOSITE: A conical hat and basket vendor walks his bike.

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In the historic town centre of Hoi An, head to Miss Ly Cafeteria 22 for home-cooked fare such as cao lau and white rose dumplings in a cozy setting.

facebook.com/pages/MissLy/192372640863621 For pre-dinner drinks, head to Brother’s Café in a former

At the Red Bridge Cooking School, bring a taste of Hoi An home by learning how to make your favourite dishes. This school offers half-day and full-day cooking classes, along with a night class at sister restaurant Hai Café. visithoian.com

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TRAVEL NAVIGATOR O U R T I P S A N D T R I C KS TO N AV I GAT I N G T H E WO R L D

THE BEST PHONES FOR CAPTURING YOUR TRAVEL MOMENTS Phones these days are more about capturing images than talk time.

MICHAEL SMITH has researched the best to tuck into your carry-on.

ILLUSTRATION BY LAURA GARCÍA

I

t’s been several years since I actually used my real camera during a holiday; its home is at the bottom of my drawer among old phones and spare cables. These days my trusty phone is there to capture my vacation snaps. Though the camera is now the most important feature on most phones, specs themselves don’t always tell the whole story. So here’s how to narrow the field for your next phone upgrade.

THE SHINY NEW TOY The Google Pixel met with rave reviews when it was unveiled last fall, with the camera taking centrestage. It has wider-angle lens than most phones, which means you will get more in your pics. The downside is that it will look like you took the photo from further away. This would be a virtue if you take a lot of landscape photos. The other big strength of the Pixel is its performance in dark places, at night or for your cave trip in Vietnam.

Google Pixel.

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DUMMY PROOF The Apple iPhone and Samsung Galaxy are the kings of making amateur photographers look like they know what they are doing. With automated features to make sure you don’t make a misstep, these two powerhouses are a safe bet.

Samsung Galaxy A7.

Apple iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus.

360 KILLED THE INSTAGRAM STAR

THE PROFESSIONAL

Photos and videos are so yesterday.

Virtual Reality and 360 photos are the new way to show off your vacation shots.

Often unfairly left out of the conversation, LG’s G series tends to be the preferred brand among photographers. Many features usually found on dedicated cameras can be found on this phone, putting more control in your hands. So if you’re serious about composition and light saturation, look for the LG G6 out this spring.

LG G6.

SELFIE LOVERS The HTC Desire Eye is nicknamed the “selfie phone” due to its impressive 13MP front camera. It also has a dual LED flash for the front camera, meaning you will have no issues at the moonlight party on Thailand’s Koh Phangan. They have also eliminated the need to awkwardly press the capture button because the camera will take the shot when you smile, stand still or say “cheese.” You can also cheat by taking a photo of the surroundings with your back camera and a photo of yourself with the front camera and easily merge the two together.

Phones with the latest versions of Android are able to take 360-degree pics using the Google Camera App. The Sphere option guides you in taking a pic of your surroundings and stitches together the images, similar to the way a panoramic-photo function would. Upload these images to Facebook and your friends will be able to see what is going on in front of you, behind you, above you and below you.

To take it a step further: Kodak has their PIXPRO line for 360-degree video.

The cameras are very straightforward, very small and lightweight. One issue is that you need to plant the camera down and be willing to walk away from it, making it a test of trust every time.

Virtual Reality can also help you select your new travel destination. XplrVR.com launched last year and can give you a preview of your next destination. The website allows you to drag your mouse to look around, or you can download the app on your phone to use with a VR headset.

HTC Desire Eye.

BEST OF THE REST Wouldn’t be caught dead taking a selfie? Well, here are two phones that might meet your other needs.

FOR ADVENTURERS

LONGEST BATTERY LIFE

You know the brand CAT that makes mining equipment like Excavators and Bulldozers? They also make phones that are built like a brick. The CAT S60 is waterproof to five metres for 60 minutes, giving you time to take that perfect underwater shot. It can also be dropped from 1.8 metres because it’s reinforced with a die-cast frame that “exceeds even military specifications.” It also has thermal imaging capabilities, which could give you some unique vacation shots.

It’s easy to take charging stations for granted until you get an airport that doesn’t have any, or find yourself in a plane seat lacking a USB slot. A recent test by Tomsguide.com suggests Motorola’s Z Play. The phone came in at number one with 13:46 hours of continuous web surfing. That gets your from here to Hong Kong with some battery life to spare.

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Images by Michel Bonato

ADVERTISEMENT

THOSE WHO CAN’T DO, BEACH

EVERYWHERE

Experience Quebec’s Les Îles de la Madeleine with all things on, in, and under the blue waters of the St. Lawrence.

G

et away from it all, without going very far away. When it comes to diving, beaches, and surfing, la belle province probably doesn’t immediately come to mind. But Quebec’s idyllic string of islands, Les Îles de la Madeleine, forming an archipelago in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, offers an endless array of water sports and lazy beaches to waste the day away. Unlike anywhere else in Canada, the unique landscapes and unparalleled beauty, with temperate climates, rolling hills, lighthouses, charming fishing villages, forests perfect for hiking, and rare birds, make for a can’t-miss nautical experience.

PADDLE UP Les Îles boast some of the most unique and unusual landscapes in Canada, as well as rare wildlife and plants. There is no better way to explore them close up than by kayak. In fact, the rocky terrain can make some of the areas inaccessible any other way.

The area’s striking red-stone cliffs have been formed by wind, water, and time, over thousands of years. They create a fascinating backdrop for exploring. Along the way, you will find inlets, fishing harbours, lagoons, and beaches.

There is no shortage of local tour companies offering local guides and interpreters. They can ensure your visit is both informative and safe. And The Water Trail makes it easy to get the most from your excursion. There are 30 launch points and eight itineraries, from easy to demanding.

CAN’T-MISS TRAIL Explore natural and man-made wonders.

At Old Harry, get up close to the natural caves, paddle along Île Boudreau in Bassinaux-Huîtres, and end at the area’s largest commercial fishing port.

BEST BEACH: Every August, Havre-Aubert Beach hosts a weekendlong sand castle contest, with categories for the whole family!

WHEN YOU GO Air Canada Express offers daily flights to Les Îles de la Madeleine from Toronto and Montreal with connections for all Air Canada and Star Alliance destinations. 1-888-247-2262 www.aircanada.com

PLAN YOUR TRIP THIS SUMMER Tourisme Îles de la Madeleine tourismeilesdelamadeleine.com 1-877-624-4437 info@tourismeilesdelamadeleine.com

© 2017 PULSO MEDIA GROUP INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Water, Water,

Feel like experiencing the water, while simply relaxing? There is no shortage of picturesque beaches to chill out on at Les Îles. Bring a book and your sunblock, then hit the 300 kilometres of white sand stretching alone the shores of the St. Lawrence.

Perfect for families, friends, and couples, the beaches are perfect for playing on the sand, romantic beachfront walks, or just laying back and soaking up the sun.

And with clear water that reaches up to 20°C, they make for a refreshing swim in the summer heat.

Think you need to head to the Caribbean for white sand beaches? Think again.

The beaches here are loaded with the soughtafter white sand. But it actually started off red. Erosion from the red stone cliffs ends up in the salt water, where its film of iron oxide is worn away. Currents then carry it from island to island where it washes up on the shores, forming the islands’ signature dunes.

PARTNER CONTENT

U PGRADES E D I TO R ’ S I T I N E R A RY

JAPAN, OLD & NEW Ancient temples meet anime fashion in timeless Japan.

Kinkakuji or Golden Pavilion is a Zen temple in northern Kyoto whose top two floors are completely covered in gold leaf. Formally known as Rokuonji, the temple was the retirement villa of the shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu.

PRESENTED BY

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HI, HIROSHIMA! Admittedly, Hiroshima represents a tragic part of Japan’s (and the world’s) history. Its name instantly triggers thoughts of the tragic loss of life and destruction of the city by atomic bomb in 1945. But its dark past is no reason to avoid the charming city today. Its attraction will be obvious for history buffs but, some 70 years later, it’s a beautiful and important point of interest for all visitors to Japan.

The A-Bomb Dome and Memorial Peace Park are at the centre of the city, along the Motoyasu River. Fittingly serene and teeming with cherry blossoms, the location represents the hopes of the city’s residents for long-lasting peace.

When you get hungry, sit down for okonomiyaki, Hiroshima’s most famous soul food. The filling, crêpe-like concoction, popular for nearly a century, combines cabbage, bean sprouts, pork, egg and soba or udon noodles.

Near Hiroshima, explore the pretty island of Miyajima, reachable via a short ferry ride. Once there, witness one of Japan’s most stunning scenes: the floating torii of the Itsukushima Shrine. The vibrant organ torii, set against a backdrop of Mount Misen, is as tranquil as it is wondrous… and a can’t-be-missed Instagram op.

J

apan can deliver a very special kind of epiphany. Imagine travelling across the country, visiting ancient temples, medieval castles and some of the country’s oldest remnants, all aboard the Shinkansen, a futuristic, highspeed bullet train.

And it’s this fusion of the old and the new that makes the country so endlessly fascinating. There are few countries in the world whose ancient artifacts are as iconic as their modern ones. One of those places is undeniably Japan, where ancient wooden temples, rakedpebble Zen gardens and chanting Buddhist monks are juxtaposed with space-age towers.

Experience Tokyo’s futuristic cityscape and anime-inspired fashion, along with Kyoto’s ancient mountain-top temples, Hiroshima’s tragic wartime destruction and Yudanaka’s steamy, snow-covered onsen – all in two unforgettable weeks.

TO KYOTO! Kyoto makes a thrilling first impression when arriving in Japan. Unlike other Japanese cities, it managed to escape much of the devastation of the Second World War. That means it’s a treasure trove of cultural heritage, with literally thousands of monuments, temples and shrines that have been preserved over hundreds of years.

Set amidst beautiful hills, it’s easily – and perhaps best – explored by bicycle. It will allow you to make frequent stops for tasty street food whenever you want, and quickly and affordably trek from site to site.

Some must-see sites during your visit range from golden to geishas.

Start early with Fushimi Inari Shrine, the city’s most important Shinto shrine. It’s famous for its thousands of vermilion torii gates, lining the forest trails leading to the main buildings. Get there before sunrise for an especially magical experience.

The 17 th-century Nijō Castle, once a residence for the Tokugawa shoguns, also houses the famous Golden Temple of Kinkaku-ji. It was first built in 1397 and rebuilt multiple times after its destruction.

Covered in gold leaf and resting in the middle of a pond, it’s one of Japan’s most popular sites.

And in the evening head to stunning Kiyomizu-dera Temple and then Gion, Kyoto’s famous historic geisha district. Under lit lanterns hanging in front of bars and restaurants, watch geishas adorned in traditional garb heading to their appointments.

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YO, TOKYO! Little can prepare you for the sensory experience that is Tokyo. The world’s most populous metropolis, it’s home to nearly 40 million denizens. It combines all the best that Japan has to offer: nearby Mount Fuji, ancient shrines, one-of-akind style, timeless works of art and the storeys-high display of neon lights.

While the seemingly boundless city can feel intimidating, there is one destination that is easily first on the list: the famous, sprawling Tsukiji Market. With more than 400 types of seafood, it’s the biggest wholesale fish market in the world. Arriving at dawn offers the delight of seeing the early morning preparations, from the boats arriving with the catch of the day and the raucous tuna auctions to the elaborate displays of fish being perfected before the rush of customers arrive.

Visiting Tokyo in spring offers one of the most spectacular views – the delicate pink cherry blossoms blooming across the city. The natural wonder, popular with locals and visitors alike, manages to heighten the beauty of both Tokyo’s ancient monuments, like Meiji Shrine and Sensō-ji Temple, and sleek modern structures.

After some eye-popping retail therapy in uber-stylish Harajuku and Shinjuku, you’ll need refreshments. And there is nowhere more kawaii than a cat café, literally a coffee shop filled with friendly felines. You’ll need the caffeine to sustain you for Tokyo’s iconic, non-stop nightlife.

W

hen you’re ready to escape Tokyo’s hustle and bustle, take a quick trip just outside the city to the small spa-town of Yudanaka and its popular Jigokudani Onsen or “Snow Monkey Park.” An experience you will find nowhere else on Earth, watch the local macaque monkeys descend from the mountains for a dip in the hot springs.

Then head back to the city to take in all the sprawling, twinkling majesty of Tokyo. There is no better view than from the neo-futuristic Skytree Tower. At 634 metres, it is the tallest building in Japan and is the second tallest structure in the world. It offers an endless view of both the old and the new Japan laid out before you.

PARTNER CONTENT

Experience the past, present and future, all in one trip. Get the most out of your visit to Japan with tours from EXODUS TRAVELS

CALL 1-800-267-3347 VISIT WWW.EXODUSTRAVELS.COM

OPPOSITE PAGE: Geishas wearing traditional garb. CLOCKWISE ON THIS PAGE: Floating torii gates in Hiroshima; a view of Mount Fuji from the Chureito Pagoda; giant origami models at Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park; Sensōji Buddhist temple in Asakusa, Tokyo.

© 2017 PULSO MEDIA GROUP INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED boldmagazine.ca

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BOLD TRAVELLER MELBOURNE

Our Insider’s Guide to

MELBOURNE

STAY EAT DRINK SEE & DO SPAS

From the eclectic northeast and thriving central business district to the riverside parks and chic bayside south, Melbourne hums with variety, sporting covert boutiques and bars, mind-blowing cuisine, unrestrained architecture and an all-around, great attitude. DOUG WALLACE reports.

Artwork in the lobby of the Adelphi Hotel.

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BOLD TRAVELLER MELBOURNE

THIS PAGE CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: The exterior of the Notel; an executive king room at the QT hotel; the artistic bathroom at the Adelphi Hotel.

Plan Ahead BEST TIME TO GO Melbourne is a year-round destination. The climate is temperate. Plus, travellers coming from the Northern Hemisphere can escape their own winter for an Australian summer, and vice versa.

TRANSPORTATION The city’s tram system is the biggest in the world, so no car is needed here. You will require a myki card (used on all trams, trains—including regional ones— and buses). Purchase a myki Visitor Value Pack to get started.

For those not venturing out of the Central Business District, there’s a free tram zone enabling easy access from one end of town to the other.

STAY

Melbourne has no shortage of sophisticated hotels. Here, four we love THE QT With sophisticated, high-design, gel-topped beds and a beautiful rooftop lounge, this chain is one of the most popular high-end hotels trending at the moment. From $330.

qthotelsandresorts.com/melbourne

WEATHER January is the hottest month with average temperatures of 21ºC; June and July are the coolest months at 10ºC. November and December are the wettest.

NOTEL Six luxury airstream campers imported from the US sit atop a car park on Flinders Lane – futuristic and fun, but also beautifully designed, quiet and comfortable. Find gourmet chocolate, private decks and free mini bars. From $400.

notelmelbourne.com.au

THE ADELPHI HOTEL Renowned for its cantilevered rooftop pool (about to undergo a reno), this arty, 34-room boutique spot looks like a box of licorice allsorts. Om Nom Kitchen & Dessert Bar and the basement-level Ezard restaurant both hit the spot. From $375. adelphi.com.au

THE CULLEN Inspired by and dedicated to Australian contemporary artists, each property within the Art Series hotel group features the work of a particular artist, with Adam Cullen being the focus of this one. Two restaurants, hip neighbourhood, you’re all set. From $210.

artserieshotels.com.au/cullen

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EAT

The hottest table in town for foodies (or the see-and-be-seen set) EMBLA Casual but dramatic, this Russell Street wine bar highlights unique wines to wash down inventive wood-fired oven dishes. Capital C cool. embla.com.au

SAN TELMO Old-world char-grilled goodness on Meyers Place parades the very essence of Argentine culture and cuisine. Warm and welcoming.

santelmo.com.au

MARION Gertrude Street nightspot blends small plates with small-batch wines in a rustic setting.

One of top chef Andrew McConnell’s nine Melbourne restaurants.

marionwine.com.au

BECCO Hallowed, 20-year-old Crossley Street staple does authentic Italian up perfectly, right down to the terrazzo floors and starched whites.

Simple and superb.

becco.com.au

DEGRAVES STREET AND CENTRE PLACE Drop into either of these tiny, busy laneways in the city’s pedestrian precinct for breakfast or lunch. Street art and art deco architecture set a bohemian scene for enjoying delicious dumplings, soup-to-go, Spanish tapas, gourmet doughnuts, French crêpes and more.

DRINK

Three places to go after dark

HEARTBREAKER Dark and sexy, L.A.-like Russell Street juke joint shakes the meanest cocktails under a neon glow. Pick up a gift box of their bottled bestsellers to-go. heartbreaker.com.

MELBOURNE SUPPER CLUB Up-market, late-night wine bar features an incredible cellar, sumptuous leather couches – and it’s open til 6am. theeuropean.com.au

EAU DE VIE MELBOURNE Noted cocktail bar off Flinders Lane is sexy and fun, with a 16-page whiskey list and a private whiskey room to peruse it in.

eaudevie.com.au/melbourne

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BOLD TRAVELLER MELBOURNE

SEE & DO Six places worth the detour WANDER THE LANEWAYS

SOAK UP THE ART

The secret passageways that wind through Melbourne’s central district are full of surprises.

Many connect two major streets while others hit a dead-end. What looks like a nothing alleyway can yield a cool bar, top restaurant or fab hair salon. Many of them began life as market lanes, with stalls congregated near pedestrian thoroughfares. Today, they’re home to gift shops, food pit stops, arts and crafts, vintage goodies and more. Five lanes earmarked for graffiti artists make for great photo ops. Top fashion laneways include Howey Place and Scott Alley.

The National Gallery of Victoria has not one but two locations: one for international exhibits, opposite Queen Victoria Gardens, and one focusing on Australian art, a.k.a. the Ian Potter Centre at Federation Square. Both are free.

TAKE A WINE TOUR Plan ahead to get out of town to the Yarra Valley to devour some of the region’s best wines. Add in the rolling countryside, terrific views and kangaroo-spotting, and you’ve got a brag-worthy day trip. The Australian Wine Tour Company is the pick of the pack for getting you there and back with maximum winery coverage. austwinetourco.com.au

ngv.vic.gov.au

GO FOR A WALK There are 50 walking tours in the city, but the one you want is Walk Melbourne, a culinary romp through the Melbourne side streets. Monique Bayer and her team can take you on one of eight different tours built around dumplings, coffee shops, rooftop bars or a combination thereof (The Melbourne Experience). Entertaining and educational, this is the real inside scoop.

walkmelbourne.com.au

GO TO JAIL Unlock the past with a day or nighttime tour of the Old Melbourne Gaol, so old they spell it with a “g.” Discover what life behind bars was like in the 19th century via dramatic performances, trials-inaction and hangman’s tales of the criminal world’s dastardly deeds. oldmelbournegaol.com.au

TROLL THE ARCADES Get lost in the three square blocks of shopping malls clustered around the Bourke Street Mall at Bourke and Elizabeth streets. Mega retailers sit side-by-side with the beautifully preserved Block Arcade and Royal Arcade, which exude Victorian glamour.

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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: The Block Arcade; graffiti in the laneways; the National Gallery of Victoria; frolicking kangaroos in Yarra Valley; hot air ballooning over the Yarra Valley Vineyards.

SPAS

When it comes to a relaxing massage, Melbourne definitely has your back. A little pampering here can often go a very long way MISS FOX MELBOURNE (pictured here) Across-the-board day spa treatments, medispa skin services, and full salon hair and aesthetics.

Champagne by the bottle only! missfox.com.au

ONSEN MA JAPANESE BATHHOUSE Traditional public or private bathing and sauna, plus massage packages soothe body and soul.

onsenma.com.au

AURORA SPA RETREAT With 22 treatment rooms, the flagship of this spa chain in the Prince Hotel highlights water and steam therapies. auroraspa.com.au

BODY FREEDOM DAY SPA Enjoy massage, customized body treatments and a range of facials in a four-storey heritage building. bodyfreedomdayspa.com.au

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WORTH TRAVELLING FOR

FIT FOR A ROYAL, THE REGENT TAIPEI TA I P E I , TA I WA N

The Regent Taipei. Rooms from $511/night.

regenthotels.com/regent-taipei

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S

ituated in Formosa’s capital Taipei and the city’s most vibrant cultural, entertainment and shopping district, the Regent Taipei offers the best luxury five-star hotel experience fit for a royal. With 60 luxurious suites and more than 470 elegantly appointed rooms, the hotel showcases a modern classic style with large ceiling-height windows, creating beautiful environments and providing spectacular views over the city and its parks. WHAT WE LOVE Escaping the frenzy of Taipei, with a dip in the fully heated year-round rooftop swimming pool, with sweeping city views. IF YOU ONLY HAD ONE NIGHT Ask the concierge to book you a special evening and dine at the Silks Palace, located on the grounds of the National Palace Museum, amid lush green surroundings. Silks Palace fuses the art of traditional Chinese cuisine with a modern touch, where each dish is a work of art crafted to resemble the museum’s imperial treasures. SPLURGE The hotel’s Wellspring Spa is one of the best in the city, and features eight single and two double treatment rooms, all with steam showers. Ask for the Papaya Mint Body Wrap to refresh the skin, clear up blemishes and improve circulation. –MARLON MORENO

HI

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2018 CRUISES AT 2017 PRICES + SAVE $1000 PER COUPLE ON 15+ DAY CRUISES OR $500 PER COUPLE ON 8-14 DAY CRUISES Book by May 15, 2017

✓ Boutique hotel style accommodations with spacious cabins and our refreshing open air balcony system in all our suites ✓ All onboard meals and gourmet dining at Reflections Restaurant ✓ A refined selection of wine, beer, and soft drinks included with lunch and dinner ✓ Biking and hiking guided tours with EmeraldACTIVE ✓ Enjoy in depth cultural experiences with our EmeraldPLUS excursions. ✓ Daily excursions

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Call 1 855 444 0161, visit emeraldwaterways.ca or contact your travel professional *Terms & conditions: Offer applies to new 2018 bookings and non-transferable. Offer ends May 15, 2017 unless sold our prior and is not combinable with any other offer. 2018 cruises at 2017 prices based on the same cruise departing at a similar time of year and is valid until May 15, 2017. $1000 per couple and $500 per couple savings based on the full brochure price. A non-refundable initial deposit of $500 per person is required at the time of booking, with full payment required 90 days prior to departure. Taxes & port charges are included in the price. Prices based on following 2017 departures: EWNB010718.1, EWCR28042018.1, EFRC28042018.1. Offer may be extended, cancelled or withdrawn at any time without notice. 2018 itineraries, hotels and inclusions are subject to availability and may change. For full terms and conditions please visit www.emeraldwaterways.ca. Emerald Waterways, 401 West Georgia St., Suite 1025, Vancouver, BC, V6B 5A1. © EMERALD WATERWAYS 2015 | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | BC CONSUMER PROTECTION #40178. ECAMA016 boldmagazine.ca

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GO OFF THE GRID,

ON POINTS.

ANY AIRLINE, ANY FLIGHT, ANY TIME. AVIONERS CAN DO THAT. ®

Mount Irvine, Australia

Subject to availability. Some restrictions may apply. For complete terms, visit rbc.com/travelredemption. ®/™ Trademark(s) of Royal Bank of Canada. RBC and Royal Bank are registered trademarks of Royal Bank of Canada. ‡ All other trademarks are the property of their respective owner(s).