ExplorerJune2015issue

JUNE 2015

WHERE DO YOU WANT TO GO NEXT?

MAGAZINE FA N TA S Y I S L A N D O F T H E PA C I F I C

INTO THE DEEP Asia’s Best Diving

ROTORUA

New Zealand’s Volcanic Capital

MELBOURNE

Of Legends & Laneways

DREAM TEAM

London’s Hospitality Visionaries

p u b l i s h e r ’s l e t t e r

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elcome to another issue of Explorer Magazine,

the

eco-friendly

digital travel magazine for true world-wanderers. In this issue we dash across the globe looking for fun and unique travel experiences, from the adventure capital of New Zealand, Rotorua, a city defined by its volcanic temperament, to the South Pacific paradise of Fiji, a series of islands that have long seduced travellers looking for sun, sand and smiles in equal measure. We check out Kenya Airways in our regular airline review, and find having state-of-the-art aircraft might not be enough for the carrier to lead the African market, and take to the depths with the best dive spots in Asia.

We chat with acclaimed London hoteliers Des Gunewardena and David Loewi about their boutique havens and hotel philiophies, and we get the low down on Melbourne’s laneways from former resident Gayatri Bhaumik. Wherever you’re travelling this month, we hope Explorer is a constant source of inspiration and enlightenment on life’s long road.

Safe travels.

David Leung Publisher

World in Pics

The Aurora Borealis over the frozen landscape of Canada.

Credit: Canada Tourism Commission

Dawn at the ancient temple of Borobudur in Central Java.

Credit: MesaStila.

Water & Light Norway’s Hurtigruten line will operate two new ships in Antarctica this season.

Credit: Hurtigruten

New Stockyard adventure from the City of Cowboys & Culture in Texas.

Credit: Fort Worth Conventions & Visitors Bureau 4 www.explorer-magazine.com

World in Pics Action across Sydney’s acclaimed harbor.

Credit: Accor

Sub Six, the underwater nightclub and music venue at Per Aquum Niyama Maldives reopens.

Credit: Per Aqqum

From grooves under the sea to ancient temples at first light, these travel pictures are bound to inspire this season.

Whale season starts on Australia’s West Coast.

Credit: Tourism West Australia Vivid Path to the Future exhibition, Sydney.

Credit: Destination NSW

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W H AT’S H A P PE N I N G

AUDREY HEPBURN: PORTRAITS OF AN ICON National Portrait Gallery, London, UK July 2- October 18, 2015

SOLO FOR TWO New York City, USA August 7-8, 2015

This summer, London’s National Portrait Gallery will present an exclusive exhibition celebrating one of the world’s most beloved actresses, Audrey Hepburn. Called Audrey Hepburn: Portraits of an Icon, the exhibition features items drawn from the personal collections of the actress’ sons, Sean Hepburn Ferrer and Luca Dotti, and include vintage magazine covers and rarely seen prints. The fascinating exhibition will take you through Hepburn’s life, from her early years in Belgium and England through to her later work with the UN, uncovering an intimate portrait of a well-known personality. www.npg.org.uk

Two of the most popular contemporary dancers of their generation, Natalia Osipova and Ivan Vasiliev will bring their new Solo for Two act to New York City this summer, challenging themselves with a showcase of three contemporary dance pieces at the New York City Theatre. Mercy, by Sidi Larbi Sherkaoui, follows a passionate affair set to music by Heinrich Schütz and Johann Hermann Schein; Passo is a creative mix of folk and electronic; the last piece is an adaptation of Facada by Arthur Pita, and features live music by Frank Moon. www.newyorkcitytheatre.com

WILDERNESS

CALIFORNIA WINE FESTIVAL

Cornbury Park, Oxfordshire, UK August 6-9, 2015 A unique festival set in the scenic English countryside, Wilderness combines music, art, food and education in one captivating event.

Participants can book accommodation at boutique camping sites, indulge in fine wines and gourmet food at long table banquets, and enjoy the musical stylings of performers like Ben Howard and Nick Mulvey. Visitors can also enjoy bucolic activities like horse-riding, diving and boating, and intellectual innovation through talks, debates and inspiring speeches. www.wildernessfestival.com 6 www.explorer-magazine.com

California, USA July 16-18, 2015

Celebrating its 12th year, the California Wine Festival is a three-day outdoor event on Santa Barbara’s iconic beach, where thousands of wine lovers from all over the world gather to indulge in unique wine experiences. The festival offers vintage red and white wines produced by some of the best wineries in California, and when not sampling the tipples on offer, visitors can enjoy live music, gourmet food, and stunning ocean panoramas. www.californiawinefestival.com

WHAT’S HAP P E NING

JANE AUSTEN FESTIVAL

GRANT PARK MUSIC FESTIVAL

Bath, UK September 11-20, 2015

Millennium Park, Chicago, USA June 17- August 22, 2015

The very first Jane Austen Festival in Bath was held in September 2001, and has now become a tradition for ‘Janeites,’ as they celebrate all things Austen in the gorgeous Georgian city of Bath.

Each year, the festival includes a theatrical production celebrating the art of one of Austen’s novels. Visitors enter into the spirit by dressing in Regency-era costumes, and attend a range of events including workshops and performances. The festival culminates with a spectacular ball that’s a tribute to all things Regency and Austen. www.janeaustenfestivalbath.co.uk

A free, outdoor classical music series presented over ten weeks, the Grant Park Music Festival will come back to the Jay Pritzker Pavilion this summer. The festival gathers some of the world’s leading musicians in Chicago, and this year, Russian pianist Yevgeny Sudbin will make his festival debut on opening night. Other highlights this year include performances by Grammy Award-winning jazz vocalist Kurt Elling, who joins the Grand Park Orchestra, and a showcase of Elgar’s epic oratoria, The Kingdom, featuring the Grand Park Chorus. www.grantparkmusicfestival.com

LOLLAPALOOZA BERLIN 2015

FASHION ON THE RATION: 1940S STREET STYLE

The first European edition of Lollapalooza will bring the festival’s storied musical history to Berlin’s Tempelhof Airport this summer, the fourth international location for this iconic music festival. Festivalgoers can expect to see a heavy-hitting list of headliners, including Sam Smith, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, Fatboy Slim, The Libertines, Belle & Sebastian, Stereophonic, and Bastille. The musical acts will be complemented by the Lollapalooza traditions of food, art and social responsibility. www.lollapaloozade.com

The austerity that World War II visited on Britain could not only be measured by its effects on the dinner table, by also by the effects on fashion. In a new exhibition at London’s Imperial War Museum, visitors can explore how wartime austerity influenced the way people dressed in displays of accessories, photographs, interactive showcases, clothes, and wartime staples such as gas mask handbags and blackout buttons. www.iwm.org.uk

Tempelhof Airport, Berlin, Germany September 12-13, 2015

Imperial War Museum, London, UK Until August 32, 2015

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Family Fun in Florida Orlando, Florida is set to draw even more visitors with the opening of three new attractions at I-Drive 360, a new dining and entertainment destination on International Drive. Like the world-famous London landmark, The Orlando Eye provides a unique perspective on Orlando from air-conditioned glass capsules that travel up to 400 feet in the air, and guests can choose regular flights, Champagne flights or private capsules. Madame Tussauds Orlando brings another famous London attraction to the Floridian city, and visitors can guest up close and personal to the brand’s famously life like wax effigies of influential celebrities and historical figures. The Orlando outpost includes models of Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon, Big Bang Theory actor Jim Parsons, pop princesses Taylor Swift and Selena Gomez, and international icon Ricky Martin. Finally, Sea Life Orlando takes visitors under Florida’s oceans, lakes and Everglades with displays of more than 5,000 colourful fish, shark, jellies, seahorses, sting rays, sea turtles, and other marine life. The innovative aquarium features winding tunnels, floor-to-ceiling bubble aquariums and coldwater rock pools, and also host interactive educational activities for young marine life enthusiasts. www.i-drive360.com

Journey to the Red Centre Australia’s Central region is home to some of the country’s most breathtaking outback landscapes, and nature lovers and photographic enthusiasts can now indulge in a just-launched walking and photographic journey by Park Trek Walking Holidays. Over seven days between August 31 and September 6, the Red Centre Walking and Photographic Journey gives guests the chance to explore the Red Centre’s stunning natural environment and capture its awe-inspiring magnificence with the experience and knowledge of photographer Grenville Turner and specialist outback guide Carl Burden. Highlights of the trip include a nighttime ascent of Mount Sonder to shoot the surrounding area at sunrise; a walk along the iconic Larapinta Trail; exploring picturesque Namatijra country; travelling through the Eastern Macs; time at the Ormiston Gorge; and a visit to the ancient landscape of Palm Valley. Travellers will also enjoy getting around in a four-wheel drive coach; photography workshops with Turner; six nights’ accommodation, including one night camping at Palm Valley; and meals and snacks. The Red Centre Walking and Photographic Journey is priced from AU$2,695. www.parktrek.com.au 8 www.explorer-magazine.com

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The Wild Plains of Mongolia Explore western Mongolia’s untamed wilds this summer with Hong Kong-based adventure specialists Whistling Arrow. In August, the company will lead a small group trekking expedition into the last frontier borderlands of Mongolia and China, where they’ll explore the region’s snowy peaks and glacial valleys. Intrepid adventurers will walk through two ‘hidden valleys,’ cross the Altai mountains, hike the largest glacier in the area, and scale the 4,000-metre Malchin Peak to bask in stunning panoramas over China, Russia and Kazakhstan. The highlight of the trip is an overnight stay with a renowned Kazakh eagle hunter and his family, who set up their summer gers next to a picturesque lake each year. The Altai Adventure Trek begins and ends in the Mongolian capital of Ulaanbataar, and will cater to only eight guests. The 14-day trip, which runs August 17 to 30, is priced at US$3,900 per person, including domestic flights, transfers, guides, accommodation, food and equipment. www.whistlingarrow.com

Singapore Celebrations A new exhibition at Singapore’s Art Science Museum, located at Marina Bay Sands, is celebrating the 170th anniversary of The Straits Times, Singapore’s oldest English-language daily newspaper, as well as SG50, the island nation’s official 50th year of independence. The exhibition chronicles the nation’s development through a carefully curated display drawn from the archives of The Straits Times. Called Singapore Stories: Then, Now, Tomorrow, the exhibition features hundreds of front-page stories, headlines and photographs that capture pivotal moments in the nation’s history, dating back to July 15, 1845, when the newspaper was first published. Displayed over six galleries, the showcase mirrors core sections of the newspaper – Business, World, Home, Sport, Life and Forum.

Visitors will explore the histories of Singapore and The Straits Times, ranging from the country’s robust trade in the mid-1800s, to Singapore’s independence in the mid-1900s, and the push towards a sustainable future in the 21st century. Pieces from the newspaper’s archives will be supplemented by public-generated content in the #BuildSG2065 showcase, which will highlight 50 ideas from the public about future developments, homes and green spaces. Singapore Stories: Then, Now, Tomorrow is a free exhibition and will run from July 17 through October 4, 2015. www.marinabaysands.com www.explorer-magazine.com 9

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Phuket for Kids Laguna Phuket, a destination resort located on the popular Thai island, has launched a family-friendly initiative called Kids Stay, Play, and Eat Free, just in time for the summer holidays. A six-month promotion running until October 31, 2015, the new promotion is offered throughout all of Laguna Phuket’s properties, including its hotels, golf clubs and tour operations. With the promotion, kids can stay and dine for free at any of the resort's hotels, play golf for free at the Laguna Phuket Golf Club when accompanied by a paying adult, and enjoy free excursions on select Laguna Tour outings, amongst other benefits. The centrepiece of the promotion is the newly opened Quest Club. During weekdays, kids – and parents – can hang out and play indoor games, while on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, kids can get outdoors with a range of exciting activities, including Lagoon Adventure, Laguna Explorer, Jungle Trekking, Wet ‘n’ Wild, Little Master Chef and Fit ‘n’ Fun. Another highlight is the Quest Camp, which is making its comeback with a two-day, one-night camp in July and a three-day, two-night camp in August.

At the camps, kids can learn about Thai culture and the natural world around them. www.lagunaphuket.com

Whistler’s Summer Adventures

Credit: Justa Jeskova

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Proving it’s not just a winter destination, Canada’s Whistler Blackcomb resort is offering two summer programs for kids, allowing them to experience the area’s stunning natural attractions away from the snow. Aimed at engaging kids with their surrounds, the Kids Adventure Day Camps are a series of one or multi-day camps that takes kids out to explore Lost Lake, the Lil’wat Cultural Centre, Whistler’s Outdoor Water Park, and the Blackcomb Family Adventure Zone. Camps are divided based on age into Minis (three to four years); Juniors (five to seven years); and Youths (eight to 12 years); and run Mondays to Fridays from June 29 through August 28, 2015.

The second programme, Kids Bike Lessons, lets kids experience all of Whistler Mountain Bike Park on two wheels. Designed for kids aged between six and 12, the program can be booked as a one day, two-day, or three-for-two-day package and is appropriate for any level of mountain biking experience. Daily sessions run between 930am and 330pm each day, and the summer season runs from June 27 through September 6, 2015. Prices for the Kids Bike Lessons include a Bike Park Lift Ticket, a lunch voucher, and bike rental with required safety equipment. www.whistlerblackcomb.com

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Lego Comes to Life Legoland Florida Resort has become a fully immersive, multi-day experience for families with the opening of the Legoland Hotel.

Located at the entrance to the park, the new hotel features 152 guest rooms and suites across four themes, Pirate, Kingdom, Adventure and Lego Friends; each room sleeps up to a family of five, and features a kind-sized bed for adults, and a separate sleeping area for kids containing bunk beds and trundle beds. The unique Lego Friends guest rooms are the only ones in the US, while the Lego Friends suite is the only one in the world. Based on the brand’s popular Lego Friends product line, these rooms are modelled after the five Lego friends. Hotel guests will also get exclusive access to a Master Model Building Workshop, with the Model Shop conveniently located inside the hotel, as well as early access to the Legoland Florida Resort; complimentary daily breakfast buffets at the Bricks Family Restaurant; interactive play areas; treasure hunts in each room; nightly entertainment, including Lego building competitions; a disco elevator; and the resort’s heated pool. www.florida.legoland.com

Family Getaways with Embassy Suites Families travelling in the United States over the summer can enjoy a series of perks when staying at Embassy Suites Hotels throughout the country with the brand's 300% MORE Pledge, which guarantees that families will get three times more enjoyment with an Embassy Suites stay. Benefits include the brand’s three signature offerings of free cooked-to-order breakfasts, two-room suites, and nightly complimentary evening receptions. On select MORE days, families at top vacation destinations – Chicago, Orlando, San Diego, San Antonio, Denver, New Orleans, Atlanta, St. Louis, Philadelphia and Washington DC – will also experience a host of extra offerings and activities on property which will allow them to do, see and experience more. the MORE days this summer are June 21, the summer solstice; July 8, offering an extra day for the July 4th Independence Day weekend; and August 1. This summer, Embassy Suite Hotels is working with TV personality and mum of two Samantha Brown to offer recommendations of family activities and hot spots to make summer trips that much easier. Using the tips, families can create their own itineraries so that they can explore the best their destination has to offer at their own pace and within their own interests. www.embassysuites.com

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SCENE TEAM IN THE CITY

Des Gunewardena and David Loewi made their name crafting London’s dining renaissance. With South Place Hotel, they are forging a new revival and following a lifelong calling.

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ith such iconic London restaurants as Quaglino's, Le Pont de la Tour and Coq d’Argent in their portfolio, Des Gunewardena and David Loewi are old hands at the game-changing art of transformation, and specialise in converting run-down buildings into world-class eateries. Gunewardena and Loewi have since turned their Midaslike attentions to the hotel world, opening their first, South Place, the City of London in 2012.

Situated between Moorgate and Liverpool Street, its location a final white-collar frontier before the hipper shores of Old Street and Hoxton beyond, the hotel is in an exciting part of town. On the site of what was once an unremarkable office building, South Place reflects the city's streetscape with its glass and metal columns; its glazed frontage at street level— like the glimpse of a stocking—suggests the building’s true, more playful function. Eighty bedrooms, a bustling diner, and an elegant rooftop restaurant are all decked out in classic-cool furniture and contemporary art. Envision mid-century Scandinavian armchairs given a true Brit makeover in classic tweeds, huge deconstructed mannequins dressed in bowler hats and suspenders, and model Spitfire planes hanging from the chandeliers—and you start to get the picture. www.explorer-magazine.com 13

Hote l i e r “It’s a very indulgent hotel,” says Gunewardena, “for us as much as for our guests. There is more of David and me in this hotel than anything we’ve done before. We have an in-house DJ and a ‘spy’ theme—all of the meeting rooms are named after secret agents, and our members’ club is called Le Chiffre, after the James Bond bad guy. We’ve been a bit like boys let loose in a sweet shop!”

It is unfortunate for posterity that the Des Gunewardena and David Loewi collaboration didn’t come into being during a legendary dinner, the deal sealed in the small hours of the morning on the back of a coaster. Instead, like all the best relationships, the partnership crept up on them, an obvious and practical pairing born out of years working together and a mutual respect for one another’s talents.

“David has always had great personal skills,” says Gunewardena, “and the importance of being good with people grows as a business gets larger. We needed someone who could manage other senior people, and David was always the obvious choice for that. He also has more patience than me—I love giving attention to the details, but not if it slows me down. I’m the entrepreneur, always looking for the next opportunity.”

The pair came to the hospitality industry with very different backgrounds. As a young financier striking global property deals in the 1980s, Sri Lankan–born Des Gunewardena had a flat full of Habitat furniture and a keen sense of style. Still, it wasn’t until 1989 that he met Sir Terence Conran (who founded homeware store Habitat in 1964), when he joined the then Conran Holdings as CEO and began the epic journey that would see him take a starring role in the transformation of London’s restaurant scene during the 1990s.

Hotels were an integral part of David Loewi’s world even as a child: his father was a scientist who traveled the world, and his mother was a culinary star of the Lausanne Hotel School in

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Switzerland. “It was wonderful to travel abroad back then; the food was so much better than in the UK in those days.” He recalls the joy of eating lemon cake with his father in Swiss bakeries, and the immaculate service ethic of the great Swiss ski hotels. “It seemed like a fabulous sort of life,” he says. And one he was quick to sign up for when it came to choosing a career path.

A thoroughbred training followed: his education completed in Switzerland, followed by time at Claridge's in London and Hong Kong, the Savoy, the Wolseley, and even cruise liners. “It was a lot of fun for a year,” he says. “People were fed incredibly well in huge numbers—witnessing the organisation that that took was quite something.”

In 1995, Loewi was recruited by Sir Terence Conran to open the groundbreaking Mezzo, on Wardour Street, where he met Gunewardena and their partnership was conceived. They worked together for ten years on and off before eventually buying out Conran’s restaurant concerns and setting up D&D London.

“We come from very different places,” says Gunewardena.

“David’s from the shop floor, if you like, and I’m the financier, but there is this constant, very detailed dialogue between us, to the point now that our roles have really blended and it is hard to know where one of us stops and the other starts.”

This story originally ran in Design Hotels’ Made by Originals book. www.designhotels.com www.explorer-magazine.com 15

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MEMBERS O N L Y

With their recently opened first hotel, The

Beaumont, London restaurateurs

Corbin & King have created an Art Deco beauty that takes guests back to a time of exclusivity, sophistication and sterling service. By Gayatri

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f it weren’t for the smiling, liveried doorman and lone, wellpresented staffer manning the discrete reception desk, you’d be forgiven for thinking you might be accosted by a superior butler-type asking – condescendingly – if he might help you. Entering The Beaumont is like stepping back in time and into one of those membersonly gentlemen’s clubs that were so popular in the 1920s. The wood panelling, plush armchairs and black-and-white tiled floor of the lobby perfectly bring to life what one imagines those clubs to have been like. It’s almost surprising that you aren’t greeted by a thick fog of cigar smoke and the sharp smell of whiskey and brandy.

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Located in Mayfair, The Beaumont is tucked into a quiet enclave just behind Oxford Street, and is housed in a heritage-listed building that began life in 1926 as the Selfridge’s VIP parking garage. The 73room property is the brainchild of renowned restaurateurs Chris Corbin and Jeremy King – the duo behind famed eateries like The Wolseley. – and it’s clear that the team has brought their finely-tuned attention to detail to London’s hospitality scene. The feeling of a members-only club and the 1920s Art Deco aesthetic are pervasive, yet restrained enough that it never feels gimmicky, possibly because the hotel also offers the high standard of service of the era it emulates.

Bhaumik

My first encounter with The Beaumont’s nothing-is-too-much service ethos is a prearrival email confirming that an early checkin has been arranged. At 8am, fresh off a 13-hour flight, the Superior Studio room I’m shown to is a lavish, elegant haven, and there’s no mistaking what time period the room’s designers, Richmond International, were inspired by.

The clean lines and muted tones of a contemporary design palette are accented by glossy dark wood, black and white vintage images, and of-the-era oil paintings.

The two chests which bookend the writing desk look like steamer trunks and pop open to reveal the complimentary minibar and

Hotel Re vie w space to yourself, leaving you to sink into one of the cozy armchairs and nurse a heady dirty martini in solitude as you ponder the events of the day while gazing into the flames of a working fireplace.

fully-stocked tea and coffee service; on the desk and nightstands is a carefully chosen selection of easy-read books – handpicked

by Jeremy King and his wife, Lauren - with titles like Bohemians, Bootleggers, Flappers and Swells. Off the room’s spacious entry foyer, which doubles as a dressing area – is the Carrera marble bathroom, fitted with a well-stocked double vanity, deep-soak tub and separate shower, as well as a heated floor rendered in an Art Deco-inspired pattern of black and white tiles, custom robes by Robeworks, and amenities by the iconic, Royal Warrant-holding St. James Street chemist, Dr Harris.

On the way back out, a quick stop at the

concierge desk proves that the hotel is managed by knowledgeable, quick-to-act staff. In a matter of minutes, the concierge on duty organises a last-minute breakfast reservation at the always-packed Wolsley, and suggests and books dinner that night – which happens to be Valentine’s Day – at the chic North Audley Catine nearby.

The sense of The Beaumont being a private members’ club is even clearer that night, during a visit to the Cub Room, a residentsonly lounge inspired by the VIP section of New York’s infamous Stork Club, which was established by ex-bootlegger Sherman Billingsley in 1929. Drop in for a nightcap, and you’ll probably have the dark, intimate

Driving home the hotel’s membersonly feeling is a collection of bespoke features that come together to make a big impression, such as the tiny, old-fashioned barbershop and salon in the sanctuary-like spa; the chauffeured Daimler on hand to ferry guests around town; and the Beaumont Breakfast at the Colony Grill dining room, an indulgent start to the day featuring freshlysqueezed orange juice, supersized coffee, and two warm, fluffy biscuit scones sinfully slathered in whipped butter and preserves.

So many things could have gone wrong in executing a hotel styled like an Art Decoera private members’ club, but by paying attention to detail and really thinking about the guest experience, Corbin & King have created a luxurious property that gives guests a taste of the 1920s without being ‘too much’.

The Beaumont Brown Hart Gardens Mayfair, London W1K 6TF

+ 44 20 7499 1001 www.thebeaumont.com

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OF LEGENDS & LANEWAYS Mention Australia and most people think of the hustle and bustle of Sydney, but it’s the Victorian city of Melbourne that’s known as the country’s cultural capital. With a fantastic foodie scene, a plethora of hidden cocktail lounges, and a fervent dedication to both the arts and sports, it’s little wonder many travellers make Melbourne part of their Australian itinerary. Former Melbournian

Gayatri Bhaumik travels south to fall under the city’s spell all over again

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EAT Melbourne is known for its incredible foodie culture, so it should come as no surprise that there is a plethora of award-winning restaurants in the city. Attica (www.attica.com.au, +613 9530 0111), in the leafy Edwardian suburb of Ripponlea, took the city by storm when it was awarded the 21st spot on the 2013 World’s 50 Best Restaurants list

by San Pellegrino, the only Melbourne restaurant on the list. Under the meticulous direction of New Zealand-born chef Ben Shewry, Attica produces imaginative dishes using the freshest local ingredients. Visit on Tuesday night, when new dishes are tested at the Chef’s Table, or choose from five or eight-course tasting menus, which boast dishes like King George whiting in paperbark, and the Cecil spud, a standout plate described as ‘a simple dish of potato cooked in the earth it was grown’ [sic].

Feasting on Italian food on Lygon Street is a quintessential Melbourne experience, and since opening in 1979, Donnini’s (www.donninis.com. au, +613 9347 3128) has established itself as a go-to for fresh Italian fare in the historic city-fringe

suburb of Carlton. Featuring simple furniture and a welcoming family-style atmosphere, the restaurant specialises in hand-made pasta and uses only the best seasonal ingredients to produce sumptuous dishes like tagliatelle with pork sausage ragu, and veal cotolette with pancetta and peas. Make sure to check out the wine list, which boasts a great range of Italian and Australian labels.

The coveted tables at Chin Chin (www. chinchinrestaurant.com.au, +613 8663 2000) are nearly impossible to get, thanks to its raging popularity and no reservations policy. The trick: get here early, get on the waiting list, and enjoy a delicious cocktail in the dark, sexy Go Go Bar downstairs while you wait. Once seated, bask in the loud, energetic ambiance as you devour inspired takes on Thai street food, including massaman curry of coconut braised beef, and kingfisher sashimi. If you’re really hungry, say ‘feed me’ and you’ll be served up a selection of the restaurant’s favourite dishes. Don’t miss the Chin Chin Coconut Ice, a frozen coconut cocktail with fruit of the day, which can be spiced up with a shot of 42 Below vodka.

With sturdy wooden tables and exposed steel beams, the Little Creatures Dining Hall (www.littlecreatures.com.au, +613 9417 5500) resembles a converted warehouse and occupies prime position in eclectic Fitzroy, Melbourne’s first suburb. The food here functions as a delightful accompaniment to the range of Little Creatures beer that is served on tap, and much like the suburb, it’s quirky, interesting, and in no way traditional. Sharing is the way to go here: start with the sinful cheese and bacon croquettes; split a chorizo, sweet corn and feta pizza or charred lamb ribs, then tuck into the daily homemade pie. Wash it all down with a pint of the namesake pale ale.

No Melbourne foodie experience is complete without a visit to a “local” – a neighbourhood watering hole serving up hearty pub grub and local brews – and The Leveson (www.theleveson.com, +613 9328 1109), tucked into the non-descript suburb of North Melbourne, is a surprisingly gentrified iteration of the Melbourne saloon. The slick white banquettes and modern furnishings speak to a mid-scale restaurant, but the kitchen serves pub classics like chicken parmigiana, and

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fish and chips. Do justice to the utterly satisfying food with a draft from the bar – try Fat Yak or James Squire.

SLEEP

A rich sense of history and past grandeur pervades much of Melbourne, and this can even be seen in its houses of slumber. Dubbed the ‘Duchess of Spring Street’, The Hotel Windsor (www.thehotelwindsor.com.au, +613 9633 6000) is an exquisite reminder of the grace and elegance of the Victorian era. Australia’s only surviving 19th century city hotel, the Windsor retains Victorian charm in every detail, from the nostalgic furnishings of its rooms to the sumptuous afternoon tea, which has been a Melbourne institution since 1883. With its distinguished pedigree and attention to detail, the hotel has captivated the many luminaries that have stayed here, including Katherine Hepburn, Meryl Streep, Sir Laurence Olivier, Richard Branson, Muhammad Ali and former Prime Ministers John Howard and Gough Whitlam.

An icon of popular Fitzroy Street in the seaside suburb of St Kilda, the Tolarno Hotel (www.tolarnohotel.com.au, +613 9547 0200) is a small art hotel with a colourful history. Run by local artist Mirka Mora and her husband in the 1960s, the hotel still has a close association with the Melbourne art scene; it sponsors art prizes at three local art schools, and often buys the winning paintings which are then displayed throughout the hotel. The building dates back to the 1880s and houses 37 rooms, and while it has thoroughly modern facilities, it retains much of its original structure and charm.

Boasting 40 well-appointed suites featuring a contemporary oriental aesthetic, the Lyall Hotel & Spa (www.thelyall.com, +613 9868 8222) is a chic, cosmopolitan hideaway in South Yarra. Hidden in a small cross-street, you’ll be forgiven for forgetting you’re just a short stroll from the lively shopping boulevards of Toorak Road and Chapel Street and an easy 10 minutes from the city. Choose the Platinum Suite, which features two fireplaces and a huge outdoor terrace, perfect for enjoying the fresh air with your morning coffee.

An oasis of refined luxury, Crown Towers (www.crownhotels.com.au, +613 9292 6868), set in the heart of the Southbank entertainment district, offers guests easy access to the best of Melbourne. One of three hotels at the Crown complex, Crown Towers boasts 481 elegant and spacious rooms, each of which offers spectacular views of Southbank or Port Philip Bay through floorto-ceiling windows. The hotel is well-known for providing refuge to visiting celebrities like Tom Cruise, Kim Kardashian, Nicole Kidman and tennis stars Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, so settle in for a pre-dinner drink at The Waiting Room in the lobby and see who you can spot sneaking in.

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A slick, modern structure, The Olsen (www.artserieshotesl.com.au/olsen, +613 9040 1222) is a 229-room boutique art hotel, one of three managed by the Art Series hotel group. The hotel takes its name from Australian landscape artist Dr John Olsen, whose murals and sculptures take pride of place in the lobby, and whose prints adorn the walls of the hotel’s hallways and suites.

Located at the northern end of Chapel Street in South Yarra, the hotel offers comfortable accommodation and friendly, efficient service in a great location.

It’s no wonder celebrities like Justin Beiber and Venus and Serena Williams choose to call this their Melbourne home.

PLAY

Melbourne has bars aplenty, but you know you’re onto a winner when you get lost looking for the newest watering hole everyone’s talking about, because Melbourne is all about hidden gems. The unmarked wood-panel doors of Eau de Vie (www.eaudevie.com.au/Melbourne, +61 412 825 441), secluded at the end of a dark CBD laneway that could star in a B-grade horror film, are difficult to find, but walk through and you’ll find a sexy, sophisticated space in the style of a prohibition era speakeasy, complete with jazz tunes and debonair waistcoated waiters. Find a seat – if you can – and let your waiter guide you through the cocktail list, but insist on trying the decadent Espresso Zabione and the refreshing Kensington #3 group cocktail.

Hidden behind a small wooden door on an unlikely corner in the CBD,

I nside r

Whisky + Alement (www.whiskyandale.com. au, +613 9654 1284) is one of those Melbourne gems frequented only by those who know it exists.

Whisky is the specialty of the house with some 480 labels from all four corners of the globe, but the small, dark space isn’t just ideal for whiling a few hours away nursing a snifter. The bar also offers a range of whisky-themed classes and events, and has attained enough of a status in the whisky world to have partnered with the Scotch Malt Whisky Society, which makes its tipples available here.

A marvellous drinking parlour best described as Alice in Wonderland meets a garden party, Madame Brussels (www.madamebrussels.com, +613 9662 2775) is not a place you just stumble across. You either know it exists on the 3rd floor of a non-descript building in the CBD, or are sadly uninitiated. Borrowing its name from a notorious madame who ran a string of brothels in Melbourne towards the end of the 1800s, the bar takes a firmly tongue-in-cheek approach to everything, from the whimsical décor to the gorgeous staff costumed in tennis whites. Grab a seat on the garden terrace, order a jug of the Pimm’s cocktail and some of the creamy cupcakes – a house specialty –and slip blissfully down the rabbit hole.

Hiking up seven floors on a night out might be a big ask, but those who make it to the Rooftop Bar (www.facebook.com/rooftopbarmelbourne, +613 9654 5394) atop the city’s Curtin House building are in for a treat. The casual, open-air watering hole attracts all sorts and offers gorgeous views of the city, best enjoyed with a chilled draft – or the house mulled wine in winter. During the summer, between December and March, the bar turns into an open-air cinema after 8pm, where patrons can enjoy drinks and nibbles while watching eclectic films from the comfort of beachy deckchairs.

Bringing feisty Latin flair to the heart of Melbourne, Los Barbudos (www.losbarbudos.com.au, +613 9416 0079) takes its name from Fidel Castro’s bearded guerilla army turned baseball team. The vintage-style rum bar, located on hipster Smith Street in Fitzroy, is a dimly-lit hideaway featuring wooden furniture, black and white prints, and CRT televisions playing vintage baseball games.

Sip on Cuban classics like mojitos, cuba libres or Hemingway daiquiris, try obscure rums such

as Con Cubay and Ron Varadero, and if you must have beer, order Cristal or Bucanero Fuerte, two popular Cuban brews. When you’re hungry, grab some empanandas and other Cuban snacks from El Paladar, the street food truck out the back.

E XPERIENCE

The best way to understand Melbourne is to try some of the many unique experiences the city has to offer. Melbourne has a notorious history of crime and underworld goings-on, and Melbourne Crime Tours (www.melbournecrimetours.com.au, 1300 736 551) is the best introduction to the city’s seedy past. See where Melbourne’s first strip club was located; check out Acland Street, where cake shops hid illegal gambling joints in the 1920s; go through Fitzroy, the suburb inexorably linked with 1920s mobster ‘Squizzy’ Taylor, and visit filming locations for the popular crime show Underbelly before finishing your tour at the old Melbourne Gaol. Along the way, you’ll also visit Melbourne landmarks like Flinders Street Station and Luna Park.

Markets are a weekend tradition for many Melbournians, and while the Queen Victoria Market might be better known, many locals prefer the bustling South Melbourne Market (www. southmelbournemarket.com.au, +613 9209 6295).

The city’s oldest market – in operation since 1867 – boasts over 133 stalls selling a huge range of products and services. Spend a morning browsing secondhand books and antiques, choosing handmade jewellery, and checking out the organic fresh fruit and meat stalls – don’t forget to pick up some souvenirs to take home. When you need to refuel, stop in at Simply Spanish for an authentic paella and sangria.

cricketers, or the coveted Ashes trophy.

Coffee is practically a religion in Melbourne, and Degraves Street, a small, frenetic laneway hidden in the south end of the city, is one of the best places in which to worship. Wander along the lane soaking in the cacophony of sights and sounds, then park yourself in the outdoor section of a likely café and order a flat white – only appropriate, since the Antipodeans invented this coffee style – and spend a few hours watching the world go by. While you’re here, pop into nearby Hosier Lane, famous for its gorgeous array of graffiti art.

Trams have been an iconic feature of Melbourne since 1884, and there is no better way to try one of the city’s most popular public transport systems than with an evening aboard The Colonial Tramcar Restaurant (www.tramrestaurant.com. au, +613 9695 4000). You’ll enjoy multi-course meals featuring mouth-watering dishes like chicken liver and cognac pâté, grilled barramundi, and sticky date pudding in a refined setting while being whisked through the city and surrounding Albert Park, St Kilda and South Melbourne.

Choose from lunch, early dinner or late dinner services, or for a really memorable experience, book a private charter.

Melbourne is Australia’s sporting capital,and the Melbourne Cricket Ground (www.mcg.org.au, +613 9657 8888) – affectionately known as ‘the G’ –is the ultimate destination for any sports fan. For a true Melbourne experience, try and catch a game of cricket or ‘footy’ – Australian Rules Footbal - and marvel at the feverish passion of the city’s sports fanatics. While you’re there, check out the National Sports Museum, which pays tribute to Australia’s sporting greats in the worlds of AFL, cricket, horse racing, and the Olympics. Don’t miss the collection of ‘Baggy Green’ caps worn by the country’s test

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Ai r l i n e s

PRIDEBEFORE THE FALL KQ860 NAIROBI-HONG KONG Nick Walton finds Kenya Airways needs more than state-of-the-art aircraft to compete with the world’s leading airlines.

Check-in We flew into Nairobi on Precision Air after Kenya Airways cancelled our in-bound flight without notice, leaving us stranded in Kilimanjaro Airport for several hours. At the dedicated business class counter we watched a young crew member named Mitchell argue with the passengers before us, before coolly processing us, all the while gossipping with her colleagues at the next counter. The next guest in line finally lost his cool at her attitude and lack of interest and started yelling.

The Lounge The Pride Lounge at Nairobi is an intimate and well-appointed space located on a mezzanine level. Once you get past more surly and disinterested desk staff, you’ll find a well-lit space with lounge suites for approximately 50 guests, a well-structured buffet with hot and cold 22 www.explorer-magazine.com

dishes, a full bar, a dedicated smoking room, international papers, and well-maintained bathrooms.

Inflight Kenya Airways operate a new Boeing 787-800 to Bangkok and Hong Kong, a beautiful and cutting-edge aircraft with 30 lie-flat business class seats, each with a 79-inch pitch in a 2-2-2 configuration in two cabins. Seats are very comfortable, even when fully reclined, and feature plenty of storage space, large

Ai r line s

potatoes; grilled chicken breast with coconut cream sauce and saffron rice; tagliatelle arrabiata with courgettes and red pepper; and a vegetable curry with jerra rice. This was followed by strawberry mousse and chocolate ganache. The meal was well-cooked and served efficiently but without flare.

monitors, in-seat AC and USB connectivity but lack privacy. Fortunately, business class was almost empty.

Staff welcomed guests on board with glasses of Elexium Champagne and stylish amenity kits. Our cabin attendant, Pitchaya, used the 70-minute delay (passengers on another cancelled KQ flight to China were loaded onto our aircraft, which then required additional fuel) to take orders from a menu that included braised leg of lamb with Lyonnaise

On the west-bound flights passengers are not required to disembark in Bangkok, and when we arrived going east, Hong Kong-bound passengers were told to stay put. After 15 minutes at the gate we were suddenly told to collect all belongings and leave the aircraft because the replacement crew were yet to arrive. There was a lot of confusion and mixed messages among staff, who clearly couldn’t wait to leave the airport. We were directed to wait in a remote Air France lounge, meaning all duty free brought onboard was confiscated by security because the complacent crew hadn’t packaged liquids in security sealed bags, causing real frustration among passengers returning home with expensive gifts. In the quiet and well-appointed lounge, the first we knew of our re-boarding was a “last call” announcement; we ran to the gate only to find boarding had not yet commenced, causing even more frustration among panting passengers.

The last leg of the flight was uneventful; the new crew was much more charming but the damage had been done and many passengers left frustrated when we finally arrived in Hong Kong, proving that Kenya Airways will need more than just fancy aircraft and sleek livery if it really wants to endear itself to premium travellers. www.kenya-airways.com www.explorer-magazine.com 23

Fi ji

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A FIJI

Fiji

F O R E VE R Y O N E This South Pacific locale might be the world’s most versatile destination, says Nick Walton

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Fi ji

F

ew people smile like the Fijians, and it's something that needs to be seen to be believed. Of course, they have a lot to smile about.

Fijians live in a tropical paradise few of us can conjure up in our mind's eye without the help of glossy travel brochures. Safe, warm and sunny almost all year round, the result is a population that's always got a grin on its face, from waving bus drivers and beaming hotel porters, to air crew, store clerks and the school kids one spies early each morning, dressed in immaculately white shirts and traditional lava lava sarongs.

It makes Fiji a great destination for anyone looking to smile in return.

Located in the heart of the South Pacific, Fiji really has it all. There are deserted beaches with talcum powder sand, tiny islands wreathed by coral reefs, bustling market places, and a rich local culture. There are mountains to climb, rivers to raft, cliffs to abseil and afterwards, plenty of bar stools from which to share a story – and a smile – with the locals.

Adventure lovers should head south from the international airport at Nadi, bound for the Coral Coast, a strip of paradise that hugs the lagoons at the base of the main island of Vitu Levu. Pacific Harbour is the home to Fiji's many adventure activities, including

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snorkelling and diving in the Bega Lagoon, described by Jacque Cousteau as the 'soft coral capital of the world', white water rafting, tubing down jungle rivers, kite boarding and deep sea fishing.

Adventures in Paradise (www. adventuresinparadisefiji.com) is a wholly Fijian owned adventure company which offers excursions up to a hidden waterfall in the heart of the jungle. You'll meet a

traditional Fijian village chief, share kava (ceremonial root drink) with him, and listen to stories of forest mystics and ancient voodoo, before hiking through the jungle and learning about traditional plant use. Few venture into the interior and the reward is a stunning 120ft high waterfall with a tranquil swimming pool at its base.

Alternatively, adrenalin junkies might prefer to hit the seas on a jetski with Jetski Safaris

Fiji (www.jetski-safari.com). These family-friendly safaris allow you to travel at your own pace, circumnavigating Bega Island as a group and stopping in at an uninhabited atoll for a spot of lunch and a chance for some world-class snorkelling.

If you prefer your holiday to take a more sedate pace, then beach bunnies will love nearby Natadola Beach, a strip of sand regularly listed among the world's best. Here you can swim, snorkel, or even take a horse ride along the beach before finishing off at the beachfront bar at the InterContinental Fiji Golf Resort & Spa. If you're an avid golfer, the resort is home to a Vijay Singh-designed par 72 championship course that comes with stunning views down the Coral Coast.

There is also great golf at Denarau, a man-made island and home to a series of luxury resorts, including the Sofitel,

Hilton and the Westin. The Denarau Golf & Tennis Club (www.denaraugolf.com.fj) is adjacent to the Sheraton and offers tropical golfing at Pacific prices, as well as a chance to enjoy a drink in the sun at the 19th hole.

Denarau is also home to the main marina on Vitu Levu, where ferries leave for the outlying islands.

South Sea Cruises (www.ssc.com.fj) offers speedy ferry transfers out to the likes of Plantation, Bounty, Treasure and Castaway islands, home to several family-friendly resorts which capitalise on stunning lagoons and untouched reefs. There is a resort for every price bracket, from Likuliku's (www. likulikulagoon.com) overwater bungalows, the only ones in Fiji, to Castaway's (www.castawayfiji.com) rustic beach bures (Fijian hut) and deserted beaches.

If you're looking to really escape, you can't go past a Blue Lagoon Cruise (www.bluelagooncruises.com).

The oldest boutique cruise line in the islands, Blue Lagoon specialise in travelling to the remote Yasawa Islands, a chain of untouched isles to the north of Vitu Levu. Here you'll spend your days sailing between snorkelling sessions, and tying up to coconut palms in tranquil lagoons each night for traditional lovo dinners on shore. You'll visit villages where electricity is still a luxury and where family, culture and identity is everything.

Fiji is a destination that's only just opening up to Asia, but whether you're looking for adventure, luxury, or culture, you're bound to find it amongst the smiling islands of the South Pacific.

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D i vi n g

I n to t h e DEEP

Ask any diver and they'll always debate the best dive spots, but one thing they'll agree on is that Asia is spoilt for choice.

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D iving

Mactan Island, Cebu,

Philippines

Located just across the Mactan Channel from Cebu City and home to the international airport, Mactan Island's great infrastructure means divers can be off the plane and in the water within an hour of touch down. While it doesn't boast the very best dive sites in the Visayas region, a landscape of idyllic tropical islands and azure seas, Mactan Island does offer the most diversity, with dive sites suitable for all skill levels easily accessible from the resorts that run along the island's east coast. There are almost as many dive operators as there are dive sites and diving can be very affordable.

Off Mactan you'll find everything from easy shallow reef dives to wrecks, superb corals and an awesome array of marine life. Almost all of the island's dive sites can be found a short distance from the coast, in between Macatan and neighbouring Otango Island, making diving an ideal day trip as part of a longer visit. Here, the Hilutangan Channel offers great depths and plenty of opportunities to see bigger fish like thresher sharks, sturgeon, and even hammerheads. Water depth at most sites is between 20-60m with an average visibility of 20m, making it an ideal destination for novice and advanced divers.

The most popular dive sites, best visited between July and September,

include the Kontiki House Reef, an easily accessed spot that's great for divers and snorkellers alike; Tambuli, an easy dive in good conditions located just a 15-minute cruise from Tambuli Beach Resort; and Mabini Point, which, due to strong currents is more suited for experienced divers but which boasts visibility that reach 30 metres. There are also two wreck dives for more experienced scuba tourists, one of an aircraft fuselage that was placed there to create an artificial reef, and the other of the MV San Juan, a ferry which sunk in bad weather (no one was hurt).

Lombok,

Indonesia The island of Lombok, located east of Bali, is the gateway to the awesome diving of the Gili Islands, an emerging diving destination with massive potential. The three islands that makes up the Gilis (which translates simply as 'little islands') offer a laidback ambiance, untouched beaches and some of the region's best marine life, giving rise to the title 'turtle capital of the world'. With year-round water temperatures around 28 degrees celsius, the Gili islands are a fantastic dive destination for frogmen and women of all levels. There are approximately 25 dive sites surrounding the three tiny islands, with amazing diversity and great marine life, from black and white tipped reef sharks to hawksbill and olive ridley turtles, lion fish, moray eels, and even sea snakes. Whale www.explorer-magazine.com 29

D i vi n g sharks are also increasingly common in the right season.

Head to Gili Trawangan; a mecca for Asian divers for the past decade, divers can access great coral gardens in just 20 minutes. Key dive sites here include Shark Point, an easy dive that is home to reef sharks, cuttlefish, stingrays, and plenty of turtles; Manta Point, another easy diver on Trawangan's north coast that's also popular with inquisitive turtles, octopus and, in season, manta rays; and Halik, an all-levels dive on site with a fine selection of soft coral. For more experienced divers, Deep Turbo is a 30-metre dive to a coral garden populated by leopard sharks and giant rays.

Lombok proper also boasts some significant dive sites of its own, including The Magnet, a sea pinnacle that's popular with schools of hammerhead sharks, tuna and baracuda, while several operators offer dive liveaboards that cover the whole region.

Kota Kinabalu,

Malaysia

Affectionately known locally as 'KK', Kota Kinabalu is a popular diving destination on Malaysian Sabah, and the gateway to the nation's largest marine reserve, the Tunku Abdul Rahman Park or TARP. Home to more than 25 dive sites catering to divers of all skill levels, the park was named for Malaysia's first Prime Minister and includes five islands offering pristine beaches and colourful coral formations that are easily accessible, making the park a popular diving and snorkelling destination. The reefs are ideal for divers in training, with little to no current, sheltered bays, and dive sites rarely deeper than 25 meters. It's the perfect spot for newbies to prepare for even better diving in other Sabah hotspots like Sipadan and Layang Layang, which require a little more experience.

Head for Mid Reef, a popular training dive spot that's home to healthy coral species, as well as a few underwater exotics, including lion and scorpion fish, clown fish, and even stingrays napping in the sandy bottom. Another popular site is off Pulau Gaya, the largest island in the park and home to a handful of eco-retreats that offer great diving excursions. Here you might spy olive ridley and hawksbill turtles nibbling at coral, leopard sharks, and the odd scurrying blue spotted octopus. Clements 30 www.explorer-magazine.com

Reef near Sapi and the Soft Coral Garden near Gaya are also popular dive spots within the TARP. Each boasts a riot of hard and soft coral and an abundance of marine life that's as curious as the divers which descend on them.

More advanced divers might want to dive the WW2-era Rice Bowl Wreck, so named because of its cargo of rice bowls. The wreck lies in between 26-40-metres of water and offers chance glimpses of yellow snapper, barracuda and nurse sharks. There are plenty of dive operators in KK catering to both beginners, students and experienced divers, with daily boat excursions reach out to the top dive spots throughout the park.

Similan Islands,

Thailand

Acclaimed as not only one of the best dive spots in Asia, but in the world, the tiny Similan Islands, off the western coast of Phuket, are

on National Geographic's world's top 10 list.

Established as a national marine park in 1982, the islands are still off the beaten path for almost anyone but sailors and die-hard divers, and the coral plumes and rock formations of the more than 20 dive sites off its nine islands are well worth the trip.

The Similans offer two diving experiences. On the island's eastern side, facing the mainland, the dive sites, including East of Eden, are gently sloping, with sandy bottoms that are popular with reef sharks bedding down for the day. The west side by contrast is home to giant boulders and rock swim throughs better suited to advanced license divers who are comfortable under the water. The Elephant Head Rock, famed for its swirling currents, is a suitable challenge. Other interesting spots include Richelieu Rock, famed for its abundance of marine life, including whale sharks, and Fantasy Reef, which is currently

D iving

closed to divers, much to the disdain of local operators.

Because of a lack of infrastructure, many divers choose liveaboards which depart from Phuket or Khao Lak. The liveaboard excursions typically last four days and afford divers the chance to dive several times a day on a wide range of site. There is a huge variety of diving liveaboards that meet every budget and for the time poor, overnight dive cruises are also on offer so you can enjoy some of the best diving in the world, and then sleep during the cruise home.

Danang,

Vietnam Once famed for its powder white sand beaches – including Bac My An or 'China Beach' as the American soldiers called it – Danang is now becoming Vietnam's scuba diving hotspot, thanks to its close proximity to the coral gardens and turquoise lagoons of Phu Quoc Island and the Cu Lao Cham Marine Park near Hoi An, home to rare Harlequin Shrimp and ribbon eels.

Local hotels like the Furama Resort have realised the potential and set up modern dive operations that allow guests the opportunity to explore a wide range of easily-accessible dive sites. The local dive season is typically limited to February through September due to weather conditions and water clarity, but

that's plenty of time to get up there before the crowds.

The best diving can be found in the Cu Lao Cham Marine Park, also known as the Cham Islands Biosphere Reserve, a series of eight Unesco-recognised islets located in the South China Sea. The reserve covers an area of 5,000 hectares, including a staggering 165 hectares of coral reefs and 947 aquatic species. Many operators in Danang and

nearby Hoi An conduct day trips to the Cham Islands, offering diving experiences for novice and advanced divers. At some of the curiously named dive sites of the Cham Islands, which include Smurf Village, the Crazy Pineapple, Rainbow Reef and Captain Snorkel, you're likely to see an abundance of marine life that are not at all wary of divers, including clown fish, sea bass, scorpion and lion fish, parrot fish, sleek moray eels and inquisitive barracuda. www.explorer-magazine.com 31

R e a de r s Re p o rt

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Read er s Re port

S T E A M T OW N Explorer reader Uma Paro talks about her favourite New Zealand city, Rotorua, a destination with a little something for everyone.

A

s a child I was always skeptical of Rotorua.

Late on Friday evenings, when the summer shadows were long and lean and the Auckland sun, like the children which played beneath it, refused to go to bed, my brother and I would be carted off to that volcanic, bubbling, steaming, squirting and thoroughly smelly locale, supposedly on vacation. Our noses would gauge our progress as we drew closer to the central North Island city famed for its bubbling mineral pools and sulfur plumes, and while my father would spend the weekend attending medical conferences, my mother would march us off to marvel at the geological wonders, smell or no smell.

Of course, as you grow older, your perceptions, and your tolerances, change, and while I'm a more recent convert, the city of Rotorua and its scenic surrounds continue to

draw tourists from across the globe, as it has done for generations.

Because the truth is there is so much to do here, and it's not all about boiling eggs in mineral pools or holding your nose. The region is a wonderland for anyone with a taste for hiking, fly fishing, mountain biking, kayaking, white water rafting, and even a spot of spa pampering. You can be as adventurous or as somnolent as you like – no one will judge you – and if you want to go gaga about the steaming geysers, and bubbling mud pools, there are still plenty of those on show too.

In fact, the city's geological credentials continue to be a major draw card for travellers from the world's four corners.

Geysers that spew super heated water into the air, crater lakes, brightly coloured silica terraces, and thermal springs

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R e a de r s Re p o rt with health giving properties have seduced weary travellers since the 1800s. Hell's Gate (www.hellsgate.co.nz) is Rotorua's most fierce thermal spectacle, and boasts New Zealand's largest boiling whirlpool, the hemisphere's largest hot waterfall, and plenty of cooler ponds for visitors to soak in. Travellers will especially love the soft mineral waters of the medical sulfur lake, while the silky smooth geothermal mud once used to sooth the wounds of Maori warriors - is now prized in spas across the world, including Hell's Gate's Wai Ora Spa. Just outside Rotorua is another popular geothermal site, Wai-O-Tapu Thermal Wonderland, (www.waiotapu.co.nz) famed for its massive Champagne Pool, bush walks, and the daily eruption of the Lady Knox Geyser, which sings like a kettle at 10.15am each morning.

If you're more into soaking and less into spectacle, head to the Waikite Valley Thermal Pool (www.hotpools.co.nz), which has 10 pools to choose from ranging from 35-40-degrees Celsius. Here you can book a private spa and unwind under a covered pergola or stroll the eco trail to the ancient Te Manaroa Springs, and steam away under a canopy of stars.

Rotorua has also become well known

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as an adventure travel playground. It's national parks are filled with hiking and mountain biking paths, the rivers populated by speed boats, the sky filled with people putting their faith in parachutes and hand gliders. Taking its lead from the Shotover River in Queenstown, New Zealand Riverjet offers a peaceful day on the river with a distinct difference. Race down the Waikato River, New Zealand's longest, and through the narrow Tutukau Gorge – with a few 360-degree spins thrown in for good measure - before arriving at the thermal plumes of Orakei Korako, a pre-European battle site.

Skydiving is also a popular activity in Rotorua, with parachutists taking advantage of clean air and stunning scenery. NZONE Skydive have been operating since 1990 and have over 70 trained staff to take you on 45 seconds to remember, as you plummet at terminal velocity – 200km/hr – before sailing for five to seven minutes under parachute.

With the mighty Waikato River and its many tributaries so close, rafting and kayaking have long been favoured activities in Rotorua and River Rats have been offering water-borne excursions for over 25 years, covering the whole rafting spectrum from scenic grade 2 cruises to full-on grade

5 rapids, including the world's highest commercially rafted fall. Guided kayak tours are also available that end with hot water swims to ease those weary arms.

But it's mountain biking that has proven to be the most popular adrenalin-pumping sport in Rotorua, with the region boasting regular national and international events and a vast array of brilliant riding tracks.

Widely regarded as the best mountain biking area in a country that's high on the list for international riders, most of Rotorua's riding is based around the Whakarewarewa Forest, where a network of 70km of tracks offer something for riders of all skill levels.

Trails pass through beautiful old growth forest and under a canopy of Redwood, Radiata, Douglas Fir, Eucalyptus and Larch trees.

“Rotorua has some of the best mountain biking in the world, and it is extra special to me because it’s home,” says 2004 elite women's downhill world champ Vanessa Quinn. “I dream about those cross country trails in the Redwoods when I’m away, stuck in an airport for hours or driving across country to the next race. We are so lucky to have them in our backyard.”

With its national parks, lakeside paths and stunning natural scenery, the Rotorua

Read er s Re port

region has long been favoured by people looking for contrast from the rat race and walking remains popular during the warmer summer months. To get a better scope on the city, the Rotorua City Walk is a 26km route broken into eight sections. It covers points of cultural, political and scientific importance as it winds through the likes of Kuirau Park, Motutara and Te Arikiroa. There are also other paths through Hamurana Springs, around Tikitapu, the Blue Lake, the Rainbow Mountain and the Okere Falls.

For something a little more serious, tackle the series of new tracks on the slopes of Mt Ngongotaha, developed to create a 500-hectare sanctuary for native species.

The Jubilee track winds up the slope from the Violet Bonnington Reserve to the summit, where you're almost guaranteed stunning vistas.

Walkers looking for something a little more sedate can try the many colour-coded tracks through the Whakarewarewa Forest, while amblers looking for a challenge can tackle Whirinaki Forest Park and the Te Urewera National Park, both of which are to the southeast of the city. Whirinaki is sometimes refereed to as the 'dinosaur forest' because of its virgin rainforest, and both parks can be tackled as part of a guided group.

Finally, one of the most acclaimed walks in the North Island is the Lake Waikaremoana Great Walk around the edge of stunning Lake Waikaremoana. The 46km, 3-4 day tramp is a moderate challenge and is maintained

by the Department of Conservation with companies like Walking Legends Guided Walks offering great walking excursions through the region.

Of course a unique spa industry has sprouted from the health and beauty attributes of the region's volcanic water and clay, and the spot to head for to ease aches and pains from an active day on the lakes or walking tracks is the famed Polynesian Spas. These iconic baths offer 26 hot mineral pools as well as an enticing array of spa therapies.

There's the deluxe Lake Spa pools, four rock pools of varying temperatures, an adults-only alkaline mineral bathing pool, three cascading pools, and even a Priest Spa acidic pool set at 39 degrees Celsius, guaranteed to calm the nerves, sooth the muscles and change even the oldest misconceptions of this fantastic Kiwi town.

Travel Facts Getting there Air New Zealand flies direct to Rotorua from Sydney, or via Auckland from Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth on a daily basis. 13 24 76; www.airnewzealand.com.au Where to stay Solitaire Lodge is one of New Zealand's best kept secrets. With its stunning lakeside location and luxurious ambiance, it's a great base from which to explore the region. +64 7 3628208, www.solitairelodge.co.nz Where to eat Triple 1 Five cafe: 1115 Tutanekai Street: +64 7 347 1115; http://1115.co.nz When to go May-June for cooler, crisp weather and November-March for warmer weather.

Further Information Rotorua Tourism, +64 7 348 5179, www. rotoruanz.com www.explorer-magazine.com 35