Dream by Luxury Escapes | Issue 3

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From tusk til dawn Thailand’s jungle bubbles offer an experience you’ll never forget

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ISSUE 03

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A B E T T E R W AY T O T R A V E L

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JANUARY – MARCH 2024

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EXPLORA JOURNEYS The newest and most stylish European lifestyle brand that is redefining ocean travel for the ultimate ocean experience.

Relax in spacious ocean-front suites, penthouses, and residences designed to create a home away from home, and delight in diverse global flavours at one of our fine dining restaurants, poolside, or on your private terrace.

The Explora Journeys team looks forward to welcoming you on EXPLORA I – now sailing!

E X P LO RA J O U R N E YS .C O M

DR EAM BY L U X U RY E S CA P ES

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Dine and dash in Ho Chi Minh City A Vespa tour provides unique culinary insights into the Vietnamese metropolis.

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Grape escapes: follow the wine, find the fun A feted sommelier explains how a passion for wine leads to great travel experiences.

38

“Forest bathing” in the Kumano Mountains, part of a longstanding local pilgrimage.

THE LUX FILES 20

46 The mother of all Balinese resorts

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DRE A M BY L U X U RY ES CA P ES

Josh Niland: hook, line and Singapore The award-winning seafood chef on his travels and opening his first international restaurant.

Page 9

The Mulia in Nusa Dua is a huge resort with an even bigger commitment to hospitality.

Cover image Anantara Golden Triangle’s jungle bubbles.

Photo: David Terrazas.

Rise and shrine: a walking tour of Japan

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Splended isolation in Greenland Cruising the shores of Scoresby Sound, the longest fjord system on the planet.

Contents

JAN UARY – M ARC H 2 0 24

63

The Luxury Escapes insider guide to Phuket

72

Everything you need to know for a perfect getaway to the southern Thailand playground.

Walking with giants in northern Thailand

84

Hand-in-trunk with rescued elephants at the Anantara Golden Triangle Resort.

79

The simple solitude of the Cook Islands

European hotels playing the frame game How high-end stays are using well-known artists to attract artsavvy travellers.

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A Pacific paradise that can make you feel as if you have the islands all to yourself.

Canada’s Thousand Island blessings Exploring this little-known and less-visited island chain by foot, helicopter and kayak.

HERE & FAR Editorial Head of Content Penny Cordner-Maas

Managing Editor Paul Chai

Creative Lead Natalie Meneghetti

Editorial Coordinator Felicia Arhontissas

For all editorial enquiries, contact editorial@luxuryescapes.com

Advertising Tourism Boards Partnerships Manager Jodie Collins

Head of Strategic Partnerships Darran Keil Partnerships Manager Michael Grenenger

For all advertising enquiries, contact mediasales@luxuryescapes.com

Luxury Escapes CEO and Co-founder Adam Schwab

Chief Marketing Officer Ben Connell

Dream by Luxury Escapes is published by Luxury Escapes (ACN 150 650 927), Level 4, 68 Clarke Street, Southbank, VIC 3006. Ph: 1300 88 99 00. Printed in partnership with Invicium print management company.

DESTINATION DEEP DIVES

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From the Luxury Escapes CEO

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moment

Welcome to the new issue of Dream by Luxury Escapes and to an exciting new year ahead for travel.

Late last year we released our Travel Trends 2024, and we discovered that the pandemic rebound of travel in Australia remains incredibly strong with nine out of 10 Australians planning to go on holiday this year; with 88% of them heading overseas and 82% planning an Australian getaway.

The top three reasons for travel included experiencing new things, relaxing and unwinding, and exploring new cultures.

In this issue of Dream, we reflect on many of our travel-trend findings. In the report we found that Australians voted Bali their number one international destination and our “Mother of all resorts” feature (page 20) highlights The Mulia, one of the best and most popular places to stay on the Indonesian island.

Our customers told us that food tourism is the number one trend (equal with experiential travel) with 58% of travellers making sure

that food is a big part of any itinerary. We celebrate this with our “Dine and dash” story on page 28 where our writer jumps on a Vespa to explore the street food of Ho Chi Minh City.

We also uncovered that a huge 73% of Luxury Escapes members said they were open to the idea of cruising, a theme we explore with a writer who sets sail for the icy coast of Greenland (“Splendid isolation” page 58).

Last year was a big year for Luxury Escapes, too, as we continue to find new ways to inspire our customers, including launching our very first podcast: Travel in 20.

It is full of travel tips from the best insiders, covering topics from honeymooning abroad to planning a hassle-free trip to the Maldives.

At Luxury Escapes we are excited by Australians’ continued love of travelling, both here and abroad, and we continue our mission to provide the best-value escapes for all types of travellers.

Adam Schwab CEO and Co-founder Luxury Escapes

THE LUX FILES

A modern oasis set in an ancient landscape, the Banyan Tree AlUla is simply stunning

28 / On your bike for a foodie tour of Ho Chi Minh City

38 / In the footsteps of pilgrims exploring Japan

46 / Chef Josh Niland talks travel and new ventures

52 / Would you dive cage-free with sharks in Hawaii?

THE LU X FI LES G R AN D O P E NING S

The latest and hottest hotel and resort openings to get on your radar Danang Marriott Resort & Spa, Non Nuoc Beach Villas

Renaissance Hoi An Resort & Spa

Part of a big Marriott push into Vietnam, this all-villa stay is ideal for family retreats.

This resort is a design-led property that marks Marriott’s entry into Hoi An.

Situated on Vietnam’s central coast, just steps from the golden sands of Non Nuoc Beach, this new resort is Marriott’s first all-villa resort in Vietnam offering a collection of spacious two-, three- and four-bedroom villas, each with private plunge pools and sun decks. Speaking to the recent trend of multi-generational getaways, the resort offers experiences like in-villa picnics, beach activities and explorations of the Marble Mountains.

Hospitality offerings include five dining and social venues, plus a wide range of leisure facilities, including an outdoor pool, fitness centre, spa, kids’ club and two tennis courts.

This resort helps connect travellers with the charming UNESCO World Heritage town famous for its classical shophouses and cobbled streets. Located at Cua Dai Beach, which is considered one of the most beautiful stretches of sand in Vietnam, this 218-key property blends the style of a beachfront resort with the bold, theatrical elements of a Renaissance hotel.

Says Marriott International’s Jakob Helgen: “It marks a milestone for the company’s expansion in Vietnam, providing domestic and international travellers unrivalled choices of high-quality service and immersive experiences across this captivating country.”

Mandarin Oriental Savoy, Zurich The renovated classic in the heart of Zurich blends modern luxury with historic charm.

Coming this European winter, Mandarin Oriental Savoy will open in the home of Zurich’s first grand hotel. Founded by Johannes Baur in 1838, this iconic building is located on the famous Paradeplatz on Bahnhofstrasse in downtown Zurich, just metres from high-end fashion houses, the historic old town and the promenade leading to Lake Zurich.

Food offerings include ORSINI, a finedining Italian restaurant led by Consultant Chef Antonio Guida, from the two-Michelinstarred Seta restaurant at Mandarin Oriental, Milan. The French-inspired Savoy Brasserie & Bar offers all-day dining and signature cocktails. Guests can also unwind in the refined Mandarin Lounge, or enjoy panoramic views from the new 1838 rooftop bar.

MA NDA R IN OR IEN TAL SAVOY

H OTE L N E W S

Anantara Santorini Abu Dhabi Retreat, UAE

Singapore swings

Minor Hotels new ultra-private luxury resort in the United Arab Emirates will provide a unique boutique escape.

A N A N TA R A S A N TO R I N I

With a fantastic location equidistant between Abu Dhabi and Dubai, this ultra-private property has been designed to reflect the iconic buildings of its namesake Greek island.

The low-lying white buildings of Anantara Santorini offer spacious interiors with sundrenched terraces and sea views.

The culinary experiences on offer at Anantara Santorini will include an elegant restaurant dedicated to the heritage of the region and an ocean-side restaurant will serve delicacies from Greece.

“This will be an exciting new addition to our luxury portfolio of properties across the United Arab Emirates,” says Dillip Rajakarier, Group CEO Minor International and CEO Minor Hotels.

Pullman Singapore Hill Street This latest Art Nouveau-inspired property in the Accor group’s designforward Pullman portfolio is located right in the heart of Singapore’s historic, downtown civic district and is built on the heritage site of the former Hill Street Telephone House.

The Pullman brand originated as an up-market train service, its first ever coach entering service in 1874 and setting the standard for luxury train travel in America. Fittingly, nods to the brand’s rich and storied rail history are woven throughout Singapore Hill Street.

The Singapore EDITION

Visit Pan Pacific

PA N PACIFIC ORCHA R D

Le Méridien Phuket Mai Khao, Phuket New Phuket resort makes the most of its beachfront location.

Le Méridien Hotels & Resorts recently opened Le Méridien Phuket Mai Khao Beach Resort, located right on the coast at Mai Khao Beach and surrounded by the natural beauty of Sirinat National Park.

“With its stunning seafront location and outstanding facilities for couples, families and out-of-town events, this sophisticated resort is set to become

a popular choice for domestic and international travellers who want to discover a different side of this popular island,” said Jakob Helgen, area vice president – Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Myanmar, Marriott International.

Following a refurbishment and a rebranding the resort features 244 bright and inviting rooms and suites.

Masterminded and conceived by Ian Schrager, in collaboration with interior design firm Cap Atelier, the 204-room hotel is located just off the west end of Singapore’s iconic upper Orchard Road. Unfolding like a theatrical play, every level of The Singapore EDITION takes on a different personality, offering unique guest experiences. Flanking the lobby and reception is a high vaultedceilinged, timber-lined restaurant spearheaded by Josh Niland, aptly named FYSH at EDITION (see page 46).

Pan Pacific Orchard Discover Pan Pacific Orchard, a sanctuary filled with lush flora across four uniquely designed layers on Singapore’s iconic Orchard Road.

Brought to life by esteemed designers WOHA, the sustainability-focused foliage-filled innovation has already claimed World Travel Awards Asia’s Leading New Hotel 2023 less than a year after its official unveiling.

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THE LU X FI LES THE HE IG H T O F L U X U RY

S O S S U SV L E I D E S E RT, NAM I BI A

The ever-changing dunes of this desertscape are a must-visit spot in Africa. Photo: Overview

N AM I BI A

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THE LU X FI LES T W I N TOW NS

Tokyo and Seoul are similar in their balancing act of ultra-modern and ancient traditions colliding, but both have their own unique personalities. We take a closer look at these two cities to see how they really measure up to each other.

Tokyo

Stay at Shangri-La

HAV E A DRI N K

G R AB A B I T E

WHER E TO STAY

Tir Na Nog

Seizan

Shangri-La Tokyo

Enter a fairy realm at this hidden watering hole in Ginza. The first thing you’ll notice when you arrive at Tir Na Nog are the hundreds of butterflies and fairies. Every nook and cranny is stacked with glass vials of “fairy dust” and fairy figurines; try the Pink Tako, it’s dark and fruity and garnished with squid tentacles (which sounds unusual but is a crowd favourite).

Seasonality and innovation – in addition to seriously good knife skills – take centre stage at Seizan, the two-Michelin-starred restaurant in an unassuming basement-style location.

Sit at the counter to watch the chef work his magic, or secure a table, sit back and enjoy dishes like inaniwa udon noodles tossed with clams and abalone, poppy seed mochi rice cakes, and bamboo shoots wrapped in beef.

Stay within walking distance of the Imperial Palace at the five-star Shangri-La Tokyo, ideally located in the heart of Marunouchi.

While you’re perfectly primed to comb the streets of Tokyo with ease thanks to this convenient location, cap off busy days exploring at the calming CHI, The Spa offering decadent treatments from deep tissue massage to crystal-infused facials.

GO TO MARKE T

N E I G HB O U R HO O D

United Nations University Farmers Market

Shimokitazawa

A weekly feature, you’ll find this buzzing farmers’ market in the city’s Aoyama/ Omotesando high-end fashion district. There are 40 stalls to peruse, selling everything from fresh fruit and vegetables to plants, rice and flowers. Hungry? Never fear, food trucks ensure a quick but tasty bite to eat.

The locals call it Shimokita – one of Tokyo’s coolest neighbourhoods. Here you’ll find vintage stores, music shops, bookstores and an eclectic collection of cafes. Most excitingly, discover a buzzing restaurant complex located under a set of train tracks – Mikan Shimokita, the neighbourhood’s hottest new hangout.

IMAGES: POP_GINO/STOCK.ADOBE.COM, ATAKORN VIA GETTY IMAGES, SUDONG KIM/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM. WORDS FELICIA ARHONTISSAS.

Tokyo is a head-spinning contrast of old-world temples and vending machines, ancient traditions and cutting-edge fashion.

H N D/I C N

NEI G HB O U R HO OD

Seoul Seoul is no stranger to innovation: from technology to travel, food to fashion, but it is a city that also celebrates its centuries-old traditions and history.

Seongsu-dong Seongsu-dong has come a long way from its humble industrial beginnings. Now the playground of Seoul’s fashionable crowd, the streets are splashed with street art, pop-up shops, shipping container malls and craftbeer brewery bars. Follow the locals to Cafe Onion, a former metal factory turned cafe where you can choose from a huge range of unique pastries.

HAV E A DRI N K

Alice Follow the white rabbit down a flight of stairs to a flower shop and through a secret door to this hidden speakeasy lounge in Gangnamgu. Equal parts whimsical and trendy, Alice is an invitation into a cocktail wonderland complete with a rich wood-panelled ceiling that resembles a block of chocolate, curtained-off VIP areas and plush armchairs to sink into as you sip your Unbirthday Tea Party cocktail (whiskey, oloroso sherry, black tea and coconut).

GR A B A B I TE

WHER E TO STAY

La Yeon

The Shilla Seoul

Set sky high on the 23rd floor of The Shilla Seoul, La Yeon soars in the culinary world with two Michelin stars to its name. The menu honours Korean traditions and haute cuisine; order char-grilled Korean beef ribeye steak with fresh vegetables, steamed abalone with chilled spicy broth, or opt for the Royal Hot Pot with pan-fried fish, delicate slices of beef and seasonal vegetables.

Setting the standard for five-star luxury in Seoul, the award-winning hotel’s world-class facilities have tempted the well-heeled traveller for over 40 years. Ascend to Urban Island on the third floor, where you’ll find a rooftop garden, heated pools, Jacuzzis, cabanas and heated sunbeds. When hunger strikes, there are five restaurants to be wined and dined at, including La Yeon.

GO TO MARKE T

Gwangjang Market There’s no better place to try Korean street food than at Gwangjang Market, Korea’s oldest and largest traditional market.

Soondae blood sausages, mayak gimbap (rice rolls), bindaetteok (mung bean pancakes) – you’ll be eating like a local in no time.

Stay at The Shilla

OPPOSITE PAGE: Tokyo street life. ABOVE: Seoul street food at Gwangjang Market.

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THE LU X FI LES B ARTE ND E R ’S H A NDS H A KE

Q U E E N STOW N

Hot Mez The bartender’s handshake is a traditional greeting between hospitality workers; it might take the form of a signature cocktail or a simple shot. We shake hands with Ellie Cameron, site manager of Little Mez in Queenstown.

If you find yourself in Queenstown in search of a smoky mezcal or agave-based spirit, heed the call of speakeasy-style basement bar Little Mez. This dim-lit 42-seater is located directly below Margo’s, a popular Mexican joint. “It’s a perfect little date night spot or somewhere to catch up with friends over great drinks,” says Ellie. “As our bar is cosy, it allows us to chat to customers and help steer them towards drinks we know they will enjoy.”

For Ellie, the key to a great neighbourhood bar is excellent service. “People come back for your service and value the overall experience they have with you. Your locals become your friends, so the product, even though outstanding, is often secondary.”

Speaking of outstanding product, when it comes to bartending, Ellie has some pointers.

“Once you’ve nailed some staples like an old fashioned, a sour, or smashes, these lend you the ability to take out elements of classic

drinks, put a twist on them and make them your own.”

When asked about her ultimate bartender’s handshake, Ellie says “historically a bartender’s handshake is a shot of FernetBranca, while a favourite for some, it’s not for everyone. I think my go-to now for an allround favourite is an Oaxacan Old Fashioned.

Each element of the drink will speak for itself and it’s not over complicated. It’s a smoky, slightly sweet and herbaceous drink, that can be altered to suit your preferences.”

EL L IE ’S FAVOURITE QUEEN STOW N BA RS

Q UEENSTOWN

Little Blackwood “Little Blackwood needs no introduction as it won New Zealand’s best bar in 2022,” Ellie says. “Their selection of cocktails is a collaboration with their incredible staff, bringing a variety of flavours, techniques and experience to a thoughtfully curated and seasonally updated menu. Combined with some flawless classics, sitting lakefront on Steamers Wharf, watching the world go by is a must.”

Pog Mahone’s “Pog Mahone’s is a classic Irish bar, it skips the tacky conventional Irish-bar stereotype and goes straight to a great pint of Guinness. And as stereotypical as it sounds, a Guinness on a small stool in front of a fire is something that will never get old.”

Ferg’s Bar “A branch of the Fergburger family, this is a small yet spectacular display of completely unique drinks.

Sit at the bar and watch Rob and his team make some fantastic drinks (the Bloody Mary is a must have) or else sit in the window and people watch.”

Bardeaux

Little Mez’s Oaxacan Old Fashioned 45ml Blanco tequila 15ml Del Maguey Vida Mezcal 7.5ml agave Optional dash of angostura and orange bitters for added flavour Add all ingredients to a shaker, stir down and pour over a big rock with an expressed orange peel. It’s both sippable and smashable.

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D R E A M BY L U X U RY ES CA P ES

This upscale wine and whisky bar is inviting with a large open fireplace making it ideal for cosy pre-dinner drinks or even après ski. “Bardeaux is a stylish little cocktail and whisky bar. And going back to my Irish roots, need I say more?” says Ellie.

Zephyr “What feels like a home-awayfrom home is the late-night dive bar called Zephyr. Bottles of beer, a game of pool and some lively loud music is all you need to wind down. There’s no faff to it, you’ll be bopping your head and singing along until the lights come on!”

THE LU X FI LES CH EF ’S TA B L E

W E STE RN AU STR AL I A

W E STE R N AU STR A L I A

Ramblin’ man The pop-up restaurant Fervor roams Western Australia, dishing out degustation dining with a spotlight on native Australian ingredients. A culinary experience unlike any other, we catch up with travelling chef Paul Iskov to discover the whys (and wheres) of his pop-up philosophy. them, and ourselves, an opportunity to really experience the region,” Paul says. “We get to travel to some beautiful parts of this country and learn not only about the ingredients, but also the stories of the country we stand on.”

When harvesting native ingredients, it’s a legal requirement to apply for a permit before collecting the wild food. Above everything, Paul and the Fervor team hold the highest respect for the Traditional Custodians

of this land. “We have a big focus on local, and specifically native Australian ingredients,” says Paul. “We work with and learn from the Traditional Custodians of the land, to create seasonal dishes focused on the region we are in. Using ingredients found in the region really helps to tell the story of the country we are on, and listening to the Traditional Custodians is how we learn more about this beautiful country and how to care for it.”

PAUL’S FAVO URI TE WE ST E RN AUSTRA L I A R E STAURAN TS

Liberté “Imaginative dishes that are super delicious, great cocktails and drinks list plus friendly service. Boozy brunch is a must when visiting Albany,” says Paul about this Parisian-inspired bar with a Vietnamese-influenced menu.

Alberta’s Discover this kitchen in sunny Busselton. “Alberta’s is such a great local restaurant that is so welcoming and has such a nice, homely feel,” says Paul. “It’s great for breakfast with friends thanks to its delicious, fresh local produce that’s cooked to perfection.”

Miki’s Open Kitchen If you find yourself in Margaret River, make sure to pop into this top-rated Japanese restaurant.

“Miki’s is fun, unique and never disappoints. A great location for dinner with friends or even date night.”

Burger Bones This casual burger joint on the main street of Busselton is on a quest for burger perfection. “Best burgers in the west! Perfect for a Sunday arvo burger with the family.”

Beerfarm “Solid brewery food,” says Paul about this eatery in Metricup.

“Burnt Ends Smoking Co smash it out of the park with a mix of BBQ smoked meats and high-end technical dishes. You always walk away very satisfied. Great food across the board.”

Regional flavours At Paul’s table, native ingredients like bush bananas and green tree ants steal the show. “We focus on the ingredients found in the region we are visiting,” says Paul. “For example, if we are on Menang country in Albany, we might use bloodroot, kangaroo, Youlk, emu, quandong and wattle seed.”

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D R E A M BY L U X U RY ES CA P ES

A LBERTA’S

IMAGE: (ALBERTA’S) JOSH BALL

The Pinnacles desert one day, Fremantle the next – Fervor is a tough venue to pin down.

But that’s the beauty of it: it’s fleeting, it’s exciting and there’s a constant newness about it. When asked about the appeal of pop-up dining, Paul reveals his love for the Western Australian landscape. “We get to connect with different people, showcase and learn about different ingredients, and give guests not only a food experience, but give

2023 WINNER QUALITY SERVICE Readers Digest Awards

ADVENTURES IN THE FAR EAST

Tokyo, Japan

Vitality Spa

Phuket, Thailand

Spectra’s Cabaret, Two70

Singapore

THE LU X FI LES WAY FI N D E R

BA L I

Mother of all resorts

The Mulia, one of Bali’s premier resorts, manages to be both ostentatious and peaceful, grand in size and warmly welcoming.

As Georgia Pearce discovers, the resort’s chameleon nature owes a lot to the maternal symbols that serve as its inspiration.

BAL I

Two imposing rows of maternal figures, five metres high, stand either side of the Oasis Pool and stretch onto the sand beyond. These statues are all women with impeccable posture, each one balancing a huge plate on their head, holding a bundle of rice across their collective hearts. Elsewhere, still more giant women cradle a blossoming lotus flower.

I am being taken on a buggy tour of The Mulia on the shores of Nusa Dua in Bali. My driver, and the resort’s supervising butler, Debi Saputra, speeds beneath the tropical canopy past the wedding chapel in the centre of a blue reflecting pool, to the alluring day spa,

and through the perfectly manicured gardens. And, finally, to the main pool lined with these striking women, so I ask Debi who they are.

It’s a straightforward answer: they epitomise the very essence of traditional Balinese values – dedication, warm hospitality and self-sacrifice.

This representation goes beyond the physical and enters the realm of symbolism. “The flower symbolises the daily offerings made to the gods, the bowl of water signifies purification and cleansing deeply rooted in our tradition, and the bundle of rice represents the blessings of prosperity,” a profound reflection of Balinese culture.

OPPOSITE: wherever you look at The Mulia Bali you will see the lady statues, the resort’s modern take on the traditional life values. THIS PAGE FROM TOP: the statues guarding the aptly named Ladies Courtyard pool; the striking rooms of The Mulia Bali in their calming colours.

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THE LU X FI LES WAY FI N D E R

Heartfelt hospitality The thing you notice on a tropical buggy ride is the sheer size of the resort – 745 rooms, suites, and villas spread across 30 sprawling hectares of tropical gardens. The Mulia Spa has 20 treatment rooms, Finnish saunas, meditative steam rooms and hydrotherapy pools. For little ones, there’s a kids’ club, tennis academy, swimming lessons, yoga and a splash pool with slides.

Packing this much in the resort should feel overwhelming but it has a personal touch that makes it feel closer in spirit to a boutique hotel. From the moment I set foot in the resort, each staff member refers to

me by name without me having introduced myself, making me feel like the centre of their universe.

Entering my stay, the Earl Suite, it is an oasis of calm browns and oranges, with framed sketches of Balinese women in traditional dress. I also have a view over the matronly statues of the Oasis Pool, where staff in sedge hats are working on the garden.

On this beautiful day in Bali, I decide to take a refreshing dip at The Mulia, a stunning beachfront infinity pool — one of Bali’s longest — that offers an enhanced sense of privacy thanks to its cabanas and sun lounges.

Stay at The Mulia

Dine on the divine

FROM TOP: the Oasis Pool guardians reach right out on to the pristine sands of the beach; the treatment rooms at The Mulia Spa; room with a view OPPOSITE: The Mulia has six restaurants and four bars to choose from with offerings like cocktails and tapas.

For a resort that takes its cues from warm Balinese hospitality, the food at The Mulia is of the utmost importance. There are six restaurants and four bars to choose from.

Starting with the Sky Bar’s stellar collection of cocktails and Spanish tapas. Here, I enjoy an espresso martini while feeling the salty breeze off the Indian Ocean, before heading downstairs to Soleil restaurant.

Soleil sits on the water’s edge and is run by a team of brilliant chefs, who are experts in the art of Mediterranean and Pan-Asian fusion. Locally caught seafood is transformed into a degustation menu of handcrafted pastas, delicate wontons, and flavoursome pipis, followed by a perfectly bitter-sweet tiramisu.

At The Café, decked out with plush couches on the terrace overlooking the gardens, they serve a buffet breakfast that may well qualify as the eighth wonder of the world. Sushi shines on ice in one corner, French desserts are displayed in their own room around a central gelato station, fluffy omelettes are cooked to order and traditional Indonesian noodles catch your eye.

BAL I

Local culture is celebrated across the resort including an authentic Indonesian banquet dinner spread across the lawns of the Eden Garden, hosted once a week.

The lawns of the garden are lit by lanterns and there is an array of wooden market-style buffet stalls lining the perimeter. Each stall allows its chosen meal or ingredient to shine in the traditional street-food style,

immersing me in Balinese heritage.

I move from the rich broth of chicken and seafood soups to spiced chicken breast, skewers, and through to chargrilled barbecue prawns. As I dine, a spectacular display of Balinese dancing begins on stage with bright colours, traditional makeup and delicately pointed fingers – a skill the performers practice for many hours each day, and one

that I did not master in the brief time I was invited to join them on stage.

By the end of my stay, I realise that these values do not just reside in the statues; they are present in every aspect of The Mulia.

They are in each heartfelt smile from the staff, in the chef’s passion for food, and the spirit of hospitality is what I will take home with me after my stay at The Mulia.

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Discover WA your way If your spirit craves adventure, natural wonders and great food and wine, venture west to dreamlike Western Australia.

IN PARTN ERSH IP WITH

Whatever type of traveller you are; a gourmand, nature lover, cultural explorer or a wannabe marine biologist, Western Australia’s dreamy landscapes and epic experiences are bound to impress. From wine tasting in the Margaret River region to swimming with whale sharks along Ningaloo Reef (Nyinggulu), discover the magic and vastness of Western Australia your way.

For the foodies Perth (Boorloo) is packed to the brim with top-notch restaurants and bars. If you’re craving a classic pad Thai, don’t pass up Baan Baan.

For gastro-pub meals with a side of history, sink your teeth into juicy burgers at The Royal in the heart of the city, which first opened as a hotel in 1882. Sip Margaret River pinot noir along with a charcuterie board at Pep’s wine bar in Peppermint Grove. And this is just a taster of what you can expect.

Take a three-hour drive south of Perth and arrive in the Margaret River Region, Western Australia’s food bowl, home to some of Australia’s best winemakers and boasting more than 100 cellar doors.

Spend a day popping into some of your favourites and enjoy a tasting of top-notch cabernet sauvignon. Some must visit wineries include Cullen Wines, Leeuwin Estate and Vasse Felix.

For the nature enthusiast Western Australia is no stranger to natural beauty. In a six-month window between June and October, more than 12,000 species of wildflowers create spectacular contrasts of colour across the dream state. Stretching from the Pilbara region down to Margaret River, you can time your visit to see the wildflower hotspots. If you’re keeping close to the city, just 45 minutes east of Perth you’ll find the Perth Hills, where a variety of walking tracks lead hikers through stunning bushland and past wildflowers and waterfalls.

For a splash of coastal appreciation, visit Rottnest Island (Wadjemup), Perth’s relaxed island playground located just a short journey from the mainland by ferry or scenic flight. The best way to experience this car-free paradise is by hiring a bicycle and pedalling across to perfect beach nooks through serene bushland and to panoramic lookouts (check out Vlamingh Lookout for 360-degree views). Along the way, spot resident quokkas, who are more than happy to pose for a cheeky selfie.

An easy day trip from Perth will take you into the mysterious moonscape of the Pinnacles in Nambung National Park. Here you’ll walk among a collection of natural limestone structures that formed over 25,000 years ago, which have since been eroded by coastal winds and sands.

For the culturally curious There’s over 60,000 years of history shared by the oldest living culture on Earth right here on the west coast, across all corners of the state.

Discover ancient traditions and gain a newfound respect for the land when you are guided by a Traditional Custodian through sacred sites.

Listen to the soul-stirring sounds of a digeridoo being played in Ngilgi Cave in the Margaret River Region on a cave tour with Koomal Dreaming. Taste a variety of bush tucker, from quandong to native limes and honey ants, and learn about their medicinal properties on a bush tucker tasting experience.

Connect with culture on the doorstep of Perth city too, as you traverse Kings Park and Botanic Garden (Kaarta Koomba) – one of the largest inner-city parks on Earth – with an Aboriginal guide. For those journeying to the Kimberley, marvel at chasms, gorges and beehivelike dome formations in Purnululu National Park to the sound of ancient stories told by your experienced guide.

For surfers, swimmers and sunseekers

Discover more WA

With the Indian Ocean lapping at its heels, Western Australia’s oceanbound adventures are in abundance. Ningaloo Reef, a UNESCO World Heritage-listed site, is located 1,200km north of Perth, off the red shores of Cape Range National Park. It’s here you can swim alongside the world’s largest fish – the majestic whale shark – as they make their annual migration through the reef (between March and September). The rest of the year, be dazzled by a rainbow of tropical fish, manta rays, turtles, dugongs and bottlenose dolphins. If you find yourself further up the coast in Broome (Ruibi), settle in at Cable Beach (Walmanyjun) and watch the sun melt into the Indian Ocean from the back of an unhurried camel.

Further inland (just under an hour’s drive from Kununurra (Goonoonoorrang)), discover the southern hemisphere’s largest manmade lake, Lake Argyle. The lake is classified as an inland sea and at its peak holds a colossal 10.7 billion cubic metres of water.

Take a boat tour, or if you’re feeling active hire a stand-up paddleboard, kayak or canoe and explore the lake at your own pace, looking out for rock wallabies.

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THE LU X FI LES O N E N IG H T IN

O NE NI G HT I N. . .

Gold Coast

It’s hard to know what shines brighter on the Gold Coast, the sundrenched seaside, the concrete-and-glass skyscrapers, the burgeoning food scene or the skill of some of Surfers’ best bartenders.

Once the preserve of schoolies week mayhem, Surfers is now seeing an influx of luxury hotels and high-end dining.

Here is your planner for a perfect night out in the Gold Coast.

Book your stay at The Langham

5pm Breezing on in

6pm Time and tide

Beachfront in Surfers Paradise, The Langham Gold Coast is the hottest, new luxury address with its neon-flecked high-rises providing a seagull’s-eye view of the sparkling seas and sands. The rooms are decorated in the greys and blues of an early morning beach sky and a cocktail shaker, premixed martini and jar of olives take pride of place on a sideboard.

But the Lobby Bar is the place to start a night.

The space’s neutral colour palette is also inspired by the coast and the bar stocks a huge range of rare spirits and craft brews to sip as a beach breeze blows through the bar; try a naval-strength Four Pillars gin and tonic.

A sunset session with Sailing in Paradise sees you cruising the Coral Sea protected by Southport Spit (home to Sea World) and South Stradbroke Island. It’s a smooth voyage on the Oceans, a 11.6-metre-long vessel, which offers an overflowing cheese platter and local rosé from Sarabah Estate Vineyard. Head skipper Steve Buckley has a tale to go with every inch of coastline such as the Cambus Wallace, a 19th-century Scottish ship that ran aground on what was then Stradbroke Island, its cargo of salt, whisky and dynamite eventually leading to an almighty explosion that carved the island in two.

GO L D C OAST

7.30pm Art of the cocktail

8.30pm Dinner and a DJ

Home of the Arts (HOTA) is the Gold Coast’s arts precinct and its multi-coloured gallery has The Exhibitionist, a rooftop cocktail bar where you might be serenaded by a magpie as you sip on a “liquid portrait”. These are cocktails that showcase a particular local producer like Stanthorpe Apples (the Stanthorpe Pink Lady) or Cape Byron Distillery (a whisky-based Rainforest Brook).

Downstairs it is art on a plate at Palette where your cuttlefish might be sliced thin like tagliatelle and cooked in fish stock with chawanmushi (savoury egg custard) and yuzu pearls. But we have other dinner plans.

Down a fairy-light strung laneway in Broadbeach, the creams and caramels of the décor at KOST make you feel like you are dining inside a Surfers sandcastle, one with twisted bistro food and a resident DJ with his own corner booth. To a Balearic beat, waiters deliver kingfish ceviche with a tart citrus dressing, a market fish fillet with shaved fennel, pine nut salsa in a rich fish sauce – and cocktails like the Holy Agave, with tequila, grapefruit liqueur, burnt honey, grapefruit sherbet, rosemary and lemon.

11pm Broadbeach and beyond Broadbeach is constantly packed with afterdinner wanderers heading to cocktail bars like the Roosevelt Lounge or the late-night cabaret spot Pink Flamingo. On the beach the sandy daytrippers have gone and you can hear the crash of the waves, shared only with a few night owls who are up for some ocean fishing. The walkway in front of The Langham has been recently added as part of the Gold Coast Oceanway, which runs 36 kilometres beachside from the Gold Coast Seaway all the way to the NSW border, and it is an easy way to get up to Broadbeach from the hotel.

WORDS PAUL CHAI. IMAGE: (LEFT) BEBOY – STOCK.ADOBE.COM.

1am Shining star

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Dinner and tunes at KOST where your bistro dishes come with a Balearic beat; the bar at Nineteen at the Star; the outside pool area at Nineteen.

The Star complex resides on its own little party island just off Broadbeach and, come the witching hour, you will find it packed with late-night revellers pinging around inside the neon-soaked interior like human pinballs looking for the next drink, snack or diversion. Get a stamp and head straight up to Nineteen at The Star, a rooftop bar whose interior has a retro-futuristic vibe with smooth lines and circular marble booths surrounded by water. It is bold and brash and so are the cocktails, order a coconut and chilli martini and head out to the balcony to watch the goings on below.

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THE LU X FI LES WAY FI N D E R

VI E TNA M

Dine & dash

It’s been less than a day in Ho Chi Minh City, and I’m about to break my mother’s golden rule: don’t hop on a motorbike abroad.

I’d explored a little of Vietnam’s freewheeling capital previously – seeing sights and taking bites – but Ho Chi Minh City’s mysteries still taunted me. On my daytrip I had already seen glimpses of the city’s celebrated spirit but I was hungry for more.

My mission: tuck into Ho Chi Minh City’s legendary nightlife.

My ride: an original 1964 Vespa scooter, a holdover from when the city was named Saigon, the bike painted as grey as the monsoon sky and almost as thunderous.

“It’s the fastest,” says my guide, proudly patting the machine.

I didn’t tell him I’d never ridden before.

IMAGE: KHOA NGUYEN VIA GETTY IMAGES; OPPOSITE: NATE ROBINSON, FOTOTRAV VIA GETTY IMAGES.

On a motorbike street food tour in the Vietnamese capital, Nate Robinson joins the river of bike commuters that flow along Saigon’s streets in search of spicy seafood, killer crepes and sky-high cocktails.

HO CHI MINH CITY

Spice drunk on Seafood Street Southern Vietnam’s notorious heat drops away as we hurtle down French boulevards lined by mighty emerald dipterocarps, tropical trees planted by the European colonialists.

We zip through side streets filled with flower sellers, past twilight markets and textile workers, bakeries and soup hawkers, beggars, businessmen, baristas and Catholic churches frocked in blazing neon.

We pull in front of our first stop, SUNLAND Hotel, where we’re shown an elevator to D CHILL, a bustling rooftop beer garden. I nurse a G&T and stare in wonder at what lies below.

After a quick drink we set out to explore District 4, Ho Chi Minh City’s smallest neighbourhood where the city’s luxury outlets and French colonial sights disappear, replaced with coffee carts, plantain sundae sellers and plastic chairs on every street corner. It’s a poorer part of town, and tourists rarely visit. What was once infamous for being a den of iniquity is now renowned for its seafood; at District’s 4 culinary heart is Vinh Khanh (Seafood Street), a sprawling food precinct that’s packed with local delicacies.

The staff at a local seafood stall know I’m here to eat: they bring out a bigger chair. “A king’s chair,” says my guide. First up: con ngheu hap, baby clams cooked in a light, lemongrass broth. I’m seduced by aromas of holy basil and ginger and little fireworks of birdseye chilli lighting up my palate.

The shop’s filling up: locals play drinking games and smash cans of Saigon-brand beer. Next up is a heaped plate of hard-shell blue crab, deep-fried and tossed with scallions and chilli. I’m spice-drunk – the beer’s not helping, and as we dine, a busker breathes a mighty gust of flame into the night sky.

I can relate.

Stir-fried glass noodles, topped with a handful of coriander, perilla and sliced omelette is sensational.

Of course, they’ve saved the best for last. “It’s jumping chicken,” says my guide. I don’t believe him, each piece is far too small to be from poultry.

It’s frog legs, a French haute cuisine classic reclaimed by Vietnam, the delicate, milk-white meat doused in the house-made fish sauce, it’s dynamite.

Hotel des Arts Saigon Hotel des Arts Saigon is spun from the Saigon of your dreams; timeless 1930s French Indochina décor, backed by an omnipresent, yet nearinvisible, staff. It’s a joy to explore even the lobby, with each corner revealing striking Art Deco delights. The lobby’s massive teak doors open as if by magic, letting in only a hint of Ho Chi Minh City’s raucousness. Then they close with a sigh and gentle quiet reigns again.

In the Deluxe Room every feature, from the marble bathroom with polished brass handles to the views over the old district, stirs melancholy for an age that once was.

OPPOSITE: Going with the flow in the famously chaotic traffic of Ho Chi Minh City. ABOVE: Seafood Street has delicacies like con ngheu hap, baby clams cooked in a lemongrass broth. RIGHT: the city is teeming with two-wheeled transport and some delicious street eats.

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WAY FI N D E R

HO CHI MINH CITY

Hello Vietnam

Former Masterchef contestant Khanh Ong talks all things street food on our podcast, Travel in 20.

Positioned on the Hotel des Arts Saigon’s sky-high 24th floor, Social Club Rooftop Bar seems the perfect place to end my evening.

I’m back late, but the bartenders are still shaking up a frenzy and the DJ is remixing Aqua hits. Ho Chi Minh City lays beneath us like a field of stars. I order a cocktail – the Set the New Year on Fire, an eclectic blend of Chivas 12, Campari, mint and lemon. It’s so good I order another and spend the night dancing until they turn the lights on.

ABOVE: Mixing it up at Social Club Rooftop Bar in the Hotel des Arts in Saigon. BELOW: Ho Chi Minh City is a city of bikes, making it easier to move around for the population of around 9.3 million.

Fly with VietJet Vietnam continues to become more accessible to Australian travellers, as airlines increase capacity and add new routes to their networks. Vietjet currently has daily return flights to Sydney and Melbourne from Ho Chi Minh City.

It also has five return flights per week to Adelaide, Brisbane, and Perth from Ho Chi Minh City.

Nathaniel Robinson visited Ho Chi Minh City as a guest of VietJet.

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D R E A M BY L U X U RY ES CA P ES

IMAGE, LEFT: NIKADA – STOCK.ADOBE.COM.

Ho Chi Minh City has a fluctuating population of around 9.3 million people spread over 2000 square kilometres. It’s a city that needs bikes – and it has more two-wheeled transport than I have seen in my life. As we weave through traffic, my apprehension becomes admiration, then awe.

This is how the city moves, how it does business, how it shakes off the day.

Our next stop is District 3, the all-night commercial and religious heart of the city, and the Cooku’s Nest, a café with a peculiar rule – there’s no conversation allowed.

Instead, I’m offered another can of beer and a front-row seat to a young Vietnamese tenor who belts out a French version of the song Hello Vietnam that’s so heartful I gasp.

Then, back in historic District 1, where Banh Xeo 46A has been serving crispy turmeric crepes – cooked over the blistering heat of a traditional charcoal grill – stuffed with pork and prawn since 1945. ‘Xeo’ is onomatopoeic, the name meant to mimic the sound of the batter hitting a white-hot wok – it doesn’t whisper but roar. The result is smoky, fluffy, packed with umami – rolled in perilla and dipped in fish sauce, it’s extraordinary.

Expat. Roasters, founded by award-winning Australian barista, Shae Macnamara, is a leading specialty Indonesian coffee roaster and café chain dedicated to sourcing and roasting the finest coffee beans from around the world. With a passion for craftsmanship and a commitment to delivering outstanding coffee experiences, Expat. Roasters has established itself as a prominent player in Indonesia’s thriving coffee industry.

Discover their passion for coffee.

Expat. Roasters wholesales across Australia and Indonesia and operates four stores in Seminyak, Kuta, Jakarta and Surabaya.

THE LU X FI LES L U X U R IAT E

TR AV E L E S S AY

Grape escapes A love of wine can lead you to far more exciting places than just a cellar door.

Sommelier Liinaa Berry, recent winner of Australia’s Best New Wine List 2023, sings the praises of wine festivals, producer visits and vigneron trails.

ILLUSTR ATIONS BY K ATIE FORD

As a sommelier, I regularly travel the world to meet the incredible producers behind the great wines. If you have an interest in wine, following it can lead you to a deeper understanding of a country and exciting travel experiences you might otherwise have not discovered, or even thought of.

Make a wine festival part of your travels Travelling to visit wineries is a well-known form of wine tourism but in-the-know oenophiles will tell you that it is the wine festivals that really bring the fun.

Attending a festival enables you to meet 20 or more producers and experts all at once.

Raw Wine is a festival held annually in major cities like Paris and New York. Founded

by Isabelle Legeron, who is a Master of Wine, this festival is a community-based gathering designed to help people understand more closely the environmental impacts of drinking wine and how important ethical practices in viticulture are for the longevity of our planet.

For a more classic wine fair in May, you can attend the VieVinum in Austria. With over 400 exhibitors, it is a unique opportunity to meet winegrowers and connoisseurs from all over the world where geology, viticulture, art and history intermingle.

Visit some of the steep vineyards along the Danube River in the Wachau and taste wines grown on different aspects and soils and appreciate how geology affects the taste of wine.

Last year I went to Styria, a region in Austria close to the border of Slovenia and discovered lesser-known wine varieties like morillon, welshriesling and traminer, as well as some of the most delicious expressions of sauvignon blancs. The hospitality of Austria can be enjoyed via Kulinarium Steiermark, a regional food festival with more

than 150 partners from finedining restaurants and inns to traditional mountain huts, who use local ingredients to expertly curate Styrian delicacies, all paired with fabulous wines.

Follow the produce, find the flavour Where great produce grows, great wines are born. So, if you follow the producers you will discover incredible food and wine partners wherever you travel.

We all know that white truffles grow in Piedmont in Italy, which also produces some of the finest most age-worthy reds on the planet: nebbiolo. Here you can have truffle dishes like the traditional tajarin pasta with rich mountain butter, strong cheeses and a runny egg yolk – shaved liberally with decadent Alba White Truffle, which you can enjoy with a barbaresc, on a terrace overlooking the rolling hills of the Langhe.

One of the most memorable pork dishes I have ever had was in Austria on the eastern shore of Lake Neusiedl. It was a roast Mangalitsa (a rare Hungarian pig breed) served with an aged glass of grüner veltliner. Mangalitsa is a stout woolly pig that generations have raised for its creamy lard. The meat is considered among the tastiest pork in the world and dishes like this form part of the heurigan tradition where country inns tie bundles of twigs to their front door to herald the arrival of the new year’s wine. Similarly in France, the Beaujolais Nouveau season is a great time to visit, as many wine bars have celebratory feasts to welcome the new year’s vintage.

If you are serious about cheese and wine, visit the Jura region of France at least once in your life. Off the tourist path not far from Burgundy lies the smallest wine district of France where you will find a favourite wine pairing of mine: comté cheese. A slice of 36-month-aged comté

W I N E AN D TR AV E L

with a glass of an older vin jaune (“yellow wine” specific to the region) is a must-try food and wine pairing. Vin jaune is obtained after ageing a dry white made from savagnin, the native grape of the region, in barrels for more than six years without topping up the barrel. With the evaporated wine not replaced, the remaining wine is then exposed to oxygen and develops a flor (a film of yeast) on the surface. After 75 months, this concentrated mosaic of nuanced flavours is then bottled in uniquely shaped vessels called clavelins. The locals also make the famous coq au vin jaune – using vin jaune to make the sauce. Add to that some seasonal morels and you have one of the most indulgent dishes imaginable.

Explore the network of wine trails Whether you choose to walk, hike or cycle, there is plenty to see in Germany’s riesling trail. Why not climb above the Rhine to the Middle Rhine Rheinsteig, one of the more arduous of the German wine trails? Over a total length of 320 kilometres, it leads from Wies-

baden through the valley of the Middle Rhine to Bonn. You will be rewarded with stunning views along the route.

The Chestnut Trail in Pfalz, Germany, is a path that travels past castles and vineyards with a view of the Rhine plain and the Pfalz Forest. It will lead you to the picturesque town of Rhodt where houses are surrounded by vine leaves and the route reminds you of the long winemaking traditions in this country. Old wineries steeped in history, with some dating back to 1750, will provide somewhere to rest from the hike, whilst the region’s culinary delights may tempt you to stay overnight. After all, this “secret wine capital of Germany” is located in a region with a Mediterranean flair and not far from the Alsatian border with France.

Over in France, you can enjoy some of the most stunning views of the Savoie Mont Blanc wine route on the Swiss border. Coined by the locals as “mountain wines”, native grapes like jacquère and roussanne have a particular minerality to them – an alpine freshness – perfect for quenching your thirst after a hike whilst you settle for a tartiflette (a potato dish with onion and lardons) for lunch. I was in Savoie

last June and found these mountain wines are now reaching new heights thanks to producers like Domaine des Ardoisières and Prieure Saint Christophe.

In South Australia, head to the Clare Valley, rent a bicycle and enjoy the riesling route – one of the first rail-trails to be developed in SA – an easy cycle path that winds 35 kilometres through the countryside. If you prefer a proper work out, gear up in your cyclist outfit and head to the Adelaide Hills and ride along the Tour Down Under trail where you can stop by several gastronomic pubs like The Uraidla, The Scenic Hotel and The Crafers Hotel – the latter had me write a 2000-label strong wine list that won Best Winelist in SA in 2018. Adelaide Hills is my favourite wine region in the country.

Finally, I recommend every avid wine traveller to use Star Wine List (SWL), which is a search engine and guide to the best places to drink wine in the major cities of the world.

SWL is a guide written by sommeliers and in Australia, I write the SWL guide for Melbourne.

Great wine lists often lead you to great food and top venues, so why not use this approach next time you seek your next grape escape?

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THE LU X FI LES O N E OF A K IND

S AU D I A R A B I A

Desert rose Secreted away on the fringe of the AlUla oasis, Banyan Tree’s luxury desert resort is set in a remote canyon, with a worldclass spa and infinity pool, a true architectural triumph, that’s suspended between two sandstone cliffs.

The details Banyan Tree AlUla Ashar Valley, AlUla, Saudi Arabia

SAU DI AR ABI A

The lowdown

The locale

You’ll find the resort sprawled across 10,000 square metres of the Ashar Valley amid the moonlike sandstone pinnacles, with the UNESCO World Heritage-listed ruins of the ancient Nabataean city of Hegra a mere 20 minutes away. Just 47 low-slung, stylised tents are generously spaced apart across the valley to ensure total privacy, with a restaurant at each end and wellness centre in the centre. Cycle or take a silent, electric tuk-tuk around the resort to slow down and listen to the sounds of the desert.

The first of the country’s large-scale tourism projects, the cultural hub of AlUla is 20 minutes’ drive from the oasis’ township.

The hotel’s nearest neighbour is the startling, mirage-like Maraya, the world’s largest mirrored building; visit for world-class performances inside, then dine beneath the stars at the rooftop Maraya Social restaurant,

by Michelin-starred chef Jason Atherton.

The highlight The hero of the spa centre is the dramatic infinity pool, a naturally treated rock pool that’s squeezed between two towering sandstone rocks at the highest point of the property, recalling the sight of water running down a wadi (valley). Make the climb to the pool in the cool of first light to watch the hot, Arabian sun rise over the mountain range on the horizon.

The abode The 126 sand-coloured tented villas blend into the desert landscape – step inside for a cool, minimalist layout, brightened with designs from the Nabataean people who once called the oasis home. Outdoor lounges and firepits set you up for sublime star gazing and, aside from the dune villas, each tent has its own generously sized pool.

The menu

The verdict

Dates and kawa (Arabian coffee) on arrival kickstart an exploration of Saudi cuisine.

At Harrat restaurant, the breakfast standouts include the aubergine fattah and date pain perdu, while chef Ralph Mrad’s salt-baked fish is worth the journey alone; for a private experience, order an in-villa barbecue.

Banyan’s signature Thai restaurant, Saffron, recalls the group’s roots.

The resort is integrated into the landscape and the culture of this extraordinary locale – visit for exceptional Arabian cuisine, Saudi design and an early morning tour of an ancient city. Add the signature spa, horse riding, ballooning, yoga and simply walking amidst the stark natural beauty for a stay that shoots for the stars and exceeds your every expectation.

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Ship shape Cruising is back with a vengeance in 2024 and there is no better place to start and end your Asian voyage than Hong Kong.

IN PARTN ERSH IP WITH

Hong Kong is a culturally rich island, a foodie island, an island of brand-new fashion and age-old traditions. Standing on the coastline at Tsim Sha Tsui at night, watching the rainbow-coloured skyscrapers reflected in Victoria Harbour is something visitors never forget – and it is doubly special as you set sail on a cruise.

Hong Kong’s cruising season for 2024/25 is packed full of amazing sailings.

Royal Caribbean will be deploying its popular Spectrum of the Seas to Hong Kong in 2024, fresh from its cruising season South-East Asia out of the port of Singapore. Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Solstice will be a regular visitor to Hong Kong as well.

Travellers will be able to take HapagLloyd’s MS Europe though the World Heritage-listed sights of South-East Asia and travel on the Viking Orion to the skyscrapers of Tokyo. You can even set sail on the 21-day Jewels of the China sea excursion aboard the Seabourn Odyssey to Taiwan, Japan and Tianjin (Beijing).

What’s better? Hong Kong offers a huge range of options when it comes to pre-and post-cruise experiences, ensuring your adventure starts before you even set sail.

PR E - CRUI S E : TH I NG S TO D O B E F OR E YOU S AI L

Get your fill of this foodie city eatery that was founded in 1957 and became famous for its roast goose, which uses a secret recipe and is served with noodles, clear broth and an extra drizzle of goose fat.

Push the boat out with a three-star Michelin experience at Forum where the signature dish is abalone cooked slowly in a gourmet broth for days for maximum flavour. It is a dish that people travel to Hong Kong just to sample.

And for something simple yet iconic, pick up an egg tart from Tai Cheong Bakery, which has been perfecting these flaky favourites since 1954.

Take the Peak Tram to the island high point, Victoria Peak, 552 metres above sea level where you can get a commanding view of the city.

Alternatively, with a little extra time, pay a visit to the Big Buddha, one of the largest seated Buddha statues in the world, at over 34 metres high.

IMAGES, LEFT TO RIGHT: WILLIAM FURNISS, TUGO CHENG.

Sitting down for a dim sum in Hong Kong is one of the most memorable meals you will ever eat. But Hong Kong is also full of Michelin-starred artistry, street eats and everything in between.

Duddell’s is stylish and relaxed, but it takes its dim sum so seriously it has been awarded a Michelin star. This dining institution has long played host to Hong Kong’s in-the-know crowd who come for the deep-fried pork and shrimp wontons, the shrimp spring rolls or the famous Peking duck with all the trimmings.

Another Michelin star can be found at the very affordable Yat Lok, a family-run

Must-do experiences before you board

PO ST- C RUI S E : KEE P T H E F U N G OI N G BAC K O N DRY L AND WI T H AN E XPLO RATI O N O F H ON G KON G C U LT U R E

Dive into the vibrant arts and culture of Hong Kong West Kowloon Cultural District is the new arts hub that stretches across 40 hectares of reclaimed land and blends together art, education, retail, dining and entertainment into a must-visit destination.

At the M+, the one of the largest museums of modern and contemporary visual culture in the world, you can see a celebration of Hong Kong’s visual arts from movies to art installations. Then pay a visit to the Hong Kong Palace Museum, home to 1000 priceless historic treasures.

Visit the Xiqu Centre to see performances of jazz, traditional Cantonese opera or dance or head to the Art Park for free events and festivities by the foreshore.

For a more traditional culture hit try the Hong Kong Heritage Museum; 11 different galleries celebrating the different dynasties in China’s history. Or take the kids to the Hong Kong Science Museum with over 500 science-based exhibits and a roster of temporary displays from dinosaurs to how energy works.

Must-do experiences after your cruise Buy yourself a memento at the Ladies’ Market in Mongkok. You can get everything from tiny boutiques offering one-off fashions to luggage and souvenirs – you won’t leave empty handed.

You can also celebrate the end of your voyage with a memorable Hong Kong night out. Head to Lan Kwai Fong, or LKF, packed full of buzzing bars and street food or sip sky high at rooftop bars like the new Cardinal Point and the experience space Forty-Five, or SKYE sitting atop the Park Lane Hotel in Causeway Bay.

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THE LU X FI LES WAY FI N D E R

JA PA N

Rise and shrine

JAPAN

A walking tour through Japan’s sacred Kumano Mountains – one of only two UNESCO World Heritage-listed pilgrimage routes – is one of cultural highlights, towering temples and “forest bathing”.

Ricky French follows in the footsteps of pilgrims.

Rain is falling in the inland mountains of the Kii Peninsula, fat drops dripping from mosscovered Jizo statues and forming puddles between gnarled, leathery tree roots that cross-hatch the forest trail.

For some reason I’m the only member of our walking party who hasn’t brought an umbrella, perhaps placing too much faith in the stone Jizos – Buddhist guardians of travellers – to protect me from the rain.

The puddles become rivulets as we follow our guide Ayuki Shio downhill through a dark green corridor of ferns, until we arrive, damp but undefeated at the gates of Kumano Hongu Taisha, the most sacred of the grand shrines of Kumano Kodo.

MAIN: Kumano Hongu Taisha and other grand shrines make up the Kumano Kodo walking trail. FROM TOP: walking in the footsteps of pilgrims; the misty mountains; the dark green of the forest on the trek.

Right on cue, the clouds part and the sun comes out.

For over a thousand years, pilgrims have made the arduous journey to the Kumano mountains in Wakayama Prefecture, southeast of Osaka, to seek spiritual salvation along a series of pilgrimage routes that converge on the three grand shrines, known as Kumano Sanzan. This is one of only two UNESCO World Heritage-listed pilgrimage routes (the other being Spain’s Camino de Santiago), and in recent years it has enjoyed a resurgence among international travellers keen to combine cultural enrichment with fitness, and a good measure of shinrin-yoku, or “forest bathing”.

Tour Japan with LE

If you’re keen too for some regular hot onsen bathing, you’ve come to the right place. In the town of Yunomine Onsen, steam from underground thermal springs seeps from the streets and rises in cottony tuffs to dissipate into the low-hanging clouds.

People take turns bathing their weary pilgrim bodies in a wooden bathhouse, the site of traditional hot water purification rites and rumoured to be Japan’s oldest hot spring.

Another tradition is to boil an egg in the hot water creek that feeds the bathhouse.

Personally, I’m happy lowering myself into the outdoor onsen at our comfortable traditional Japanese inn, Yunominesou, before donning my robe (yukata) and heading to the dining room with the rest of the group to feast like an emperor on river fish tempura, Mikumano beef, taro and potato soup, pickled scallions, sea bream and tuna sashimi, washed down with hot sake to match the hot onsen.

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WAY FI N D E R

JAPAN

Kirinosato Lodge A stay at Kirinosato Lodge in the mountain village of Takahara is a must for anyone walking Kumano Kodo. Warm, welcoming and eclectically decorated by flamenco guitar-playing inn keeper Jian Shino, the lodge is perched on a hillside overlooking a beautiful valley that fills with mist each morning.

Picture perfect I’m constantly blown away by the beauty of both the physical and cultural landscape throughout our nine-day journey. One of the joys of travelling is arriving in a place to find it looks nothing like you imagined, scuppering your preconceived notions. But this is rural, timeless Japan straight out of the catalogue, full of mist-filled valleys split by white water rivers, shadowy glades of spindly cedar trees, subsistence villages etched into hillsides, rice paddies, vegetable plots and the sweet scent of cypress. Every scene feels like a photo lifted from a 1970s National Geographic magazine.

I’m constantly reminded of the rich and often fractious history of Kumano Kodo.

During the trail’s heyday in the Edo period the route was lined with guesthouses (or hatago), offering food and shelter to the thousands of pilgrims who passed by each year. But the trail nearly disappeared following the Meiji Restoration in 1868, when Japan was modernised and forcibly opened up to the West. Around the same time the government banned the syncretism of the Shinto and Buddhist religions – a harmonious merging that had always been a feature of Kumano Kodo. Many of the Buddhist statues were destroyed, and the guesthouses fell into disrepair. We pass many ruins of these buildings, stone foundations marking their footprints, and cherry blossom trees growing

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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: the Kumano Kodo is peppered with shrines to visit; the cherry blossoms; workers in the fields surrounding the trail; a sign showing pilgrims the way to go.

inside, filling the outlines with a carpet of bright pink flowers.

I find myself constantly trying to interpret and process the complex mythology of intertwined religions that shaped Kumano Kodo. These mountains were considered a realm of the gods – gods who worshipped at the Kumano Sanzan Shrines and were themselves incarnations of Buddha. Pilgrims who followed in their footsteps believed they’d be reborn into paradise after their death. We pass a Jizo statue erected to console the souls of pilgrims who perished during the journey, a reminder of the dangers endured for the promise for salvation.

For me, revelation comes through the joy of companionship. The walking tour draws

travellers from all over the world, and it’s enriching to mingle with different cultures as we together move through this fascinating cultural landscape, powered only by our own two feet.

Our walk ends at the grand shrine Kumano Nachi Taisha, at the edge of the Pacific Ocean. We’ve walked from the mountains to the sea.

Behind the layered, orange roofs of the temple pagoda a huge waterfall pours out of the forest, as though the hillside has sprung a leak. Early worshippers believed that the waterfall connected our world with the spiritual cosmos, and for a brief moment I almost believe it, too. Such is the power of Kumano Kodo.

THE LU X FI LES I N SP I R ATI O N

Do more dreaming online

Be inspired by wanderlust-worthy destinations, traveller’s tales and the latest travel trends online at Dream by Luxury Escapes. luxuryescapes.com/inspiration

Tick, tick: top bucket-list destinations for 2024

IMAGES: (TOP) HIEN PHUNG THU/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM, (BOTTOM MIDDLE) SEAN PAVONE/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM.

From shrines and shinkansen in Japan to Sri Lankan safaris, these are the top bucket-list tour destinations of 2024 as selected by the well-travelled team at Luxury Escapes.

The next wave: Fiji’s most luxurious beachfront resorts

Private sail: 10 secret cruise destinations

To Infinity and beyond: the most phenomenal pools in Bali

There’s no doubt about it, Fiji resorts are on another level when it comes to private island paradises, all-inclusive dining and traditionalmeets-decadent accommodation.

Embark on an adventure to explore the world’s most captivating cruise ports. From the wild beauty of Alaska to the Greek islands these are the cruising hot spots for 2024.

With its swim-up bars and gravity-defying infinity pools, Bali is the perfect destination to enjoy the tropical climate by floating your troubles away.

Also catch us at:

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THE LU X FI LES TAK E M E O U T

NEW ORLE AN S

All that jazz From sunrise over the Mississippi to sundowners in a jazz club (with a lot of gumbo, po’ boys and voodoo daiquiris in-between), New Orleans is truly a city for the five senses.

Local singer and tour guide Margie Perez plans the perfect day out in the American city that sings to her the loudest.

When Washington DC singer Margie Perez first visited New Orleans in 1994 for the annual Jazz and Heritage Festival, it was love at first sight. The southern city of music, Creole culture and colonial architecture became her home in 2004, and still has her smitten.

“The creativity, the food, the live music scene and the diversity of this city blows my mind every day,” says Margie, who fronts her namesake band, as well as Latin band Muévelo (and an Afrobeat band for good measure). She’s also a tour guide with NOLA Historic Tours, and loves showing people a side of the city they’ve never seen before.

6am Set your alarm for sunrise New Orleans might be is known as a party town, but there’s a good reason to get an early start. “Watching sunrise over the Mississippi River is magical,” says Margie. “The city is so peaceful, just starting to wake up. Head to the Moonwalk, a riverside promenade at the end of Jackson Square. The sunrise colours bleed into the water and boats drift by in the fog. Because of the way the river bends the sun rises over the west bank, even though you’re looking east. A classic quirk of New Orleans.”

7.30am Binge on a beignet for breakfast “A beignet is a heavenly fried donut dunked in an insane amount of powdered sugar,” says Margie. “So don’t breathe in when you’re taking a bite!” Café Du Monde on Jackson Square was established in 1862 and is a city icon. But Margie has a tip to beat the crowds. “Rather than stand in line for a table, head round the back to the take-out window, then take your beignet and coffee back to the river.”

9am Hit the museums

OPPOSITE: Margie Perez; a streetcar. ABOVE: beignets. TOP: the French Quarter

“St. Louis Cathedral in Jackson Square is flanked by two amazing museums. The Presbytère Museum has two permanent exhibitions: one on Hurricane Katrina (which devastated the city in 2005) and one of the history of the Mardi Gras. So, you get the serious and the celebratory sides to the city under one roof. The Cabildo is a history museum full of fascinating American artifacts.”

N E W O RL E AN S

11am Explore the French Quarter “The French Quarter is the oldest part of the city, and the place to check out the French and Spanish architecture. A great example is Napoleon House, where you can stop for a snack and a Pimm’s Cup (a gin-based cocktail, it’s 12 o’clock somewhere right?). Pop into Lafitte’s Blacksmith Shop Bar on Bourbon Street for a Voodoo Daiquiri if you dare. I don’t know what’s in it but, it turns your tongue purple. Only have one or you’ll end up on the pavement.” The area is packed with vibrant nightlife, jazz clubs and colourful buildings.

12.30pm Visit an important gathering spot “Congo Square at Louis Armstrong Park is a significant and sacred place everyone should see. During the days of slavery, Sunday was the slaves’ designated day off, so they’d gather here to play music, dance and reconnect with their families. Slaves could also buy their own freedom, so a lot of them were freed right here. There are still Sunday afternoon drum circles, so the connection continues.”

1pm Have lunch in the Tremé neighbourhood “Vaucresson’s Creole Café & Deli is famous for its sausages, which the Vaucresson family has been making since 1899. Their hot sausage po’ boy (a Louisiana-style sandwich) is legendary. While you’re in the Tremé neighbourhood take a peep inside Treme’s Petit Jazz Museum. The owner, Al Jackson, is so enthusiastic about New Orleans jazz and gives a tour that leaves you mesmerised.”

3pm Go where your heart desires on a streetcar “You can’t come to New Orleans and not take a ride on a streetcar. The most famous route is along St Charles Ave, lined with beautiful oak trees and mansions. Catch it to Audubon Park and sit for a while at the Tree of Life, a massive oak strung with Spanish moss, with gnarled branches growing into the ground and out again. Walk down to Commander’s Palace on Washington Ave for 25 cent martinis – they cut you off at three – then get the bus back into town along Magazine Street. A Jazzy Pass gets you unlimited public transport.”

6pm Lakeside sunset “Take a ride share out to Lake Pontchartrain and grab a seat on the balcony at The Blue Crab. Order a cocktail and chargrilled oysters, then wander down to Breakwater Park for sunset. The causeway is the longest continuous bridge across water in the world, and the sun sets behind it. You can’t see the other side of the lake, the horizon is just water, it’s incredible.”

WORDS RICKY FRENCH. IMAGES: F11PHOTO, JENNIFER – STOCK.ADOBE.COM.

7.30pm Dinner back in the French Quarter “There are some things in New Orleans you must try, and gumbo is one of them. Gumbo is basically a stew made with a roux base and okra, a seed pod. The okra is the important part. Mr. B’s Bistro on Royal Street in the French Quarter does two types of gumbo: a seafood gumbo, a gumbo ya ya (chicken and Andouille sausage) plus a soup of the day. They also serve the most amazing barbequed shrimp.”

9pm Have a boogie on Frenchmen Street in the Seventh Ward “Frenchmen Street used to be the best kept secret, but word is out. You’ll find street musicians on every block, and I’ve lost count of how many clubs there are. The atmosphere is friendly and the streets are full of colour. My band plays at a cool little place called 30°/90°, so come on in and have a dance with us. And don’t forget to tip the musicians.”

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THE LU X FI LES L U X T R IO

Coral capital of the world So named by underwater explorer Jacques Cousteau, Fiji is as versatile as it is beautiful. It can mean a romantic trip away, a funfilled family holiday or an ultra-luxurious, out-of-this-world escape.

We highlight three luxury stays for a variety of different travellers.

Travellers flock to Fiji for many reasons: to meet the locals through village visits, for enchanting snorkelling excursions through neon-bright coral forests, and to stay in five-star resorts for endless pampering. The bula warmth is an irresistible pull, so no matter what type of holiday you seek, give in and secure a stay at some of Fiji’s best resorts.

F O R TH E LOV E R S

Tokoriki Island Resort With just 36 traditional bures and villas, this adults-only resort offers serenity and privacy. An ideal honeymoon destination, the bures are enveloped by lush gardens, furthering the illusion that you and your partner are the only two people on the island. Step straight from your private deck onto silky sand, with unobstructed ocean views. For a romantic dinner, secure a seat at Oishii Teppanyaki, an intimate four-couples venue with a menu featuring spiny lobster with mirin sauce, fish of the day and sashimi.

Stay at Tokoriki

FIJI

C OASTAL CAL M

Six Senses Fiji Seemingly worlds away from everything (but in reality just a short boat ride from Fiji’s capital), this ultra-luxurious resort promises seclusion on the shores of Malolo Island in the Mamanuca archipelago, the setting of Castaway starring Tom Hanks. The design echoes that of a traditional village, all thatched roofs, woven lanterns and natural materials.

The Six Senses Spa is an almost hallowed space, with pampering treatments like 24-karat gold leaf facials, heated lava shell massage and tropical hibiscus coconut body scrub. While Six Senses is heavy on luxury, it’s light on its environment footprint; it creates its own renewable energy, grows its organic produce onsite and has invested in a Fijian crested iguana breeding program.

B R I NG T HE K I D S

Radisson Blu Resort, Fiji Denarau Island

Stay at Six Senses

Wake up to the sounds of the ocean crashing onto a private beach at this family-friendly resort. Located on 10 acres of lush tropical gardens, it’s easy to forget you’re only five minutes from Port Denarau’s shops, spas and restaurants.

If you have family in tow, cool off in any of the four lagoon pools (one featuring a whitewater tunnel slide), or drop the little ones off at Blu Banana Kids’ Club for games and activities while you enjoy a couples’ massage at Harmony Retreat Day Spa. Family dinners come with a choice of six restaurants: Blu Bar & Grill offers classic surf and turf meals alongside a kids’ buffet, Basilico serves up family-style Italian dishes, and Teppanyaki promises a memorable meal with a side of food-flipping entertainment.

Stay at Radisson

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S I NG A P O R E

Hook, line and Singapore

PHOTO GR APHY BY JULIANA TAN

SI N G AP O RE

OPPOSITE: chef Josh Niland with FYSH’s signature seafood tart. LEFT: the lush green interior of FYSH. BELOW: the seafood steakhouse also mixes a mean martini.

Fresh off opening his first international restaurant, FYSH, at The Singapore EDITION, Good Food Guide 2024 Chef of the Year Josh Niland shares with Stephanie Mikkelsen why he values personal connections when travelling and why being flexible while away often leads to the best experiences.

“I want to do something a little bit different,” I say, hoisting myself onto one of the cushy bar stools at Sydney’s two-hatted Saint Peter restaurant, “We won’t be talking about cooking, or fish”. I’m mildly surprised when my interview subject doesn’t bat an eye: he is Josh Niland, after all, the chef who has collected award (James Beards) after accolade (the only Australian to feature in the Top 100 in The Best Chef Awards 2022) after gong (Good Food Guide 2024 Chef of the Year) for his zero-waste approach to seafood.

No, I’m here to find out what kind of traveller Josh Niland is. Is he as meticulous with planning his holiday itineraries as he is with his fish butchery? Would he baulk when I ask, not about how home cooks can replicate his dry-aging techniques, but rather where to find his favourite food in Singapore?

He does not.

“I would love to romanticise this, a lot, but I can’t,” he apologises. “My travels are specifically enrolled to whatever the work is that I’m doing. And I know that sounds really lame.” It’s certainly not surprising given the

phenomenal success Josh found, so young and so quickly. For the Chef of the Year, it’s been his work, not wandering, that has come first.

At just 19 years old, Josh was heading off for a three-month stint at Heston Blumenthal’s The Fat Duck in Berkshire in the United Kingdom but met his wife, and now Saint Peter group CEO, Julie, just two days before. He cancelled that initial trip, only to return to the famous restaurant, 18 months later, newly married.

“It was nice to share that travel with her, and the work as well, but right from the beginning it was built all around food,” he says. Surprisingly, for a chef with such an attention to detail, it is Julie that led the charge on their travel logistics – confirming trains, researching bus connections – leaving Josh to look after only one thing. “I was just making sure that I made all the restaurant bookings, so I managed what was critical,” he laughs. Soon after this trip, Josh was catapulted to celebrity chef stardom back home in Australia, and work took over. It was

not until almost 14 years later, for the launch of his The Whole Fish Cookbook in 2019, that Josh headed back to London.

What is clear is that Josh values the shared experiences his travels afford, like that time the Roca brothers – three-Michelinstarred Spanish chefs and sommelier Joan, Josep and Jordi – held a surprise dinner, cooked in their backyard. Josh was hosted at their family home in Girona following a conference of the Basque Culinary Council.

“I can’t express how special it was, looking at a table of people that I’ve admired since I was 12,” he says. Then there was the time he dined with Grégoire Berger (the French chef responsible for Ossiano in Atlantis, The Palm) in Dubai and was taken out to the suburbs to experience local Persian cuisine.

One restaurant was Shaun the Sheep. No claymation in sight, just one man, two large pots and the whole head-to-hoof cooking of a sheep (lamb brain soup I’m assured is delicious). Josh acknowledges that because he is a chef, people tend to go out of their way to show him hospitality.

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Josh Niland’s Singapore Favourite hawker hall: Maxwell Food Centre

Favourite kaya toast: The Singapore EDITION

Favourite restaurants: Burnt Ends & Burnt Ends Bakery; Claudine; JAAN By Kirk Westaway; Nouri; Appetite

Be a curious traveller It was this idea of the above-and-beyond hospitality that Josh leaned into when planning his newest venture, FYSH inside The Singapore EDITION hotel.

Opened in November 2023 in The Singapore EDITION, in the upper Orchard Road district, FYSH is Niland’s international restaurant debut. It has the essence of his Paddington flagship, Saint Peter, just on a larger scale. The 154-seater showcases singular seafood product in an austere fashion, with the steakhouse concept taking diners on an underwater odyssey with dry-aged tuna ribeye, swordfish schnitzel and turbot chop. The space is just as striking as its seafood, and there is a conservatory and outdoor pergola as well as the main dining room.

From his first-ever trip to Singapore in January 2023, to the restaurant opening in November that year, Josh relied on his

relationships and connections to get the vision off the ground. “I didn’t have the romantic adventures on boats around different parts of Malaysia and Southeast Asia,” he says. “Given the schedule and time frame for opening, and also having the businesses to run here in Australia as well, a lot of it was done on the phone.”

And while we can’t all share a table with the great chefs of the world, Josh’s advice to travellers is to be curious. Don’t be afraid to ask a restaurant for local recommendations like where to find the best bakeries and which cafes have the best coffee. Saint Peter will often provide a list to curious diners.

“Everybody has a sense of pride around where they are in the world, and they want to show people from another country how good their town or their city is,” Josh says. “The more questions you can ask the better.” Be as articulate as possible with your questions.

The more niche, the better the outcome. Ask for exactly what you want to taste, learn or find, he says – whether it’s rice paper rolls in Vietnam or Guinness and oysters in Dublin.

Josh admits travel is never perfect, and he made a mistake when it came to seeking out the latter, ending up in a pub and presented with oysters that he thought “could kill me”.

True to his own advice, he reached out to famous Galway chef JP McMahon (Patron, Aniar, Cava Spanish), told him exactly what he wanted and was pointed in the right direction.

So, where is Josh headed next? Back to San Sebastian, then Malaysia and Singapore.

The seaside Basque city for some culinary inspiration and Malaysia to visit suppliers and hone his laser focus on localising the FYSH offering and bringing a sense of place to the restaurant Then the Lion City for the restaurant, naturally, but also, time permitting, a trip to the zoo with his kids.

SI N G AP O RE

OPPOSITE: FYSH is a fish steakhouse concept in the Singapore EDITION hotel. CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: the conservatory at FYSH; fish steaks; Josh Niland at FYSH.

The Singapore EDITION

Only steps from the north end of Orchard Road, the Singapore outpost of EDITION hotels is its first in Southeast Asia.

Offering 204 rooms including five suite types, the hotel also has an outdoor swimming pool, fitness centre, garden, and terrace. FYSH is Josh Niland’s first international venture and is his interpretation of a “fish steakhouse”. Reservations recommended.

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THE LU X FI LES L U X U RY8

Taste of Tasmania 1

Summertime in Tasmania means picking ripe berries, drizzling Leatherwood honey over a creamy wedge of local blue cheese and sipping crisp Tasmanian sparkling wine in the sunshine. With a strong paddock-to-plate culture, Tasmania – while small – is a culinary giant.

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Gone shuckin’

Hyper-local love

A perfect blend

Hoist up your waders and head out to the crisp waters of Oyster Bay at Freycinet Marine Farm, a go-to for fans of this moreish mollusc. On a tour, you’ll be privy to the inner workings of the farm from an oyster farmer, learn how to shuck an oyster, and sample one fresh from the sea as well as paired with a local riesling.

At the Agrarian Kitchen in New Norfolk (30 minutes from Hobart), you can create flavour-packed dishes using hyper-local ingredients at a cooking class. Taste the land and the seasons with produce harvested the same day from the kitchen’s own garden, humanely raised meat, and sustainably fished Tasmanian seafood. You’ll come away having learnt how to make your own cheese, bread or charcuterie.

In the heart of Hobart discover herbaceous heaven at Gin(bar), a great spot for a gin-blending experience.

Immerse yourself in the world of botanicals as you create (under the watchful eye of a Forty Spotted Gin Professor) your perfect gin blend.

The best part is you can take home your own personalised bottle to enjoy on summer afternoons.

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A tasty treasure hunt Dig for mushrooms, comb the earth for wild asparagus and pluck salt bush straight from the source with head forager Mic Guiliani on a foraging tour with Sirocco South. Afterwards, you’ll enjoy your efforts over a six-course lunch using your scavenged goods with wine pairings from multi-award-winning Bream Creek Vineyard.

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A self-drive tasting trail Artisan chocolates, black truffles, raspberries and gin. The Tasting Trail along the north-western border offers a smorgasbord of culinary curiosities to sample. You’ll find some of Tassie’s most renowned winemakers, cheesemakers, craft brewers and chocolatiers here. Just hop in your car and go at your own pace.

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A moment for salt You’ve heard of wine sommeliers, but salt sommeliers? Yes, it’s a thing, and you can learn to appreciate the nuances of this humble mineral with a tour of Tasman Sea Salt’s clean energy saltworks in Little Swanport. Follow this with a tasting of Tasmanian sea salts paired with local produce like cherry tomatoes, wakame seaweed and roasted butternut pumpkin.

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Art of sparkling

Wild and hungry

Warm summer days and coupes of bubbly go hand in hand. At Josef Chromy, the Art of Sparkling experience gives you the chance to craft sparkling wine to your exact taste by adjusting the liqueur d’expedition (liquid used to determine the sparkling wine style). While you’re here, taste some Josef Chromy wines over a two-course lunch. What’s more, you’ll take home your personalised bottle of sparkling to enjoy at home.

Beyond the beaches, cliffs and wildlife of Bruny Island is a food lover’s paradise.

Freshly baked sourdough served roadside, Tasmanian Leatherwood honey tastings, freshly shucked oysters with local wine and some of Australia’s finest artisan cheeses – the mere mention is enough to get bellies rumbling. Pick up some treats and enjoy a gourmet picnic on the beach.

IMAGES: (1, 2, 6) TOURISM AUSTRALIA, (3) FRED + HANNAH, (5) JASPER DA SEYMOUR, (7) OSBORNE IMAGES, (8) JAMES VODICKA. WORDS FELICIA ARHONTISSAS.

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HAWAI I

Open water Swimming cage-free with tiger sharks off the coast of Oahu, Katie Dundas overcomes her Jaws fears and finds a new-found appreciation for one of the ocean’s most misunderstood residents.

I ease into the sea with intent, rather than a sudden jump, so as not to agitate the water’s inhabitants. That was the advice from my guides, Bri and Gina, but I am still sliding off the boat’s ladder with trepidation. I adjust my mask and snorkel and hope for the best – the deep blue of the Pacific Ocean awaits.

My eyes adjust to my new environment and, seemingly out of the abyss, I spot an ominous figure slowly swimming into my field of vision; its distinctive grey vertical stripes clearly visible.

Just as my heart starts to race and panic sets in, the majestic and imposing animal turns away just as calmly as it arrived, wanting nothing to do with the sudden entrance of eight snorkellers into its ocean home.

H AWAI I

We’re lucky enough to be graced by the presence of a tiger shark, known to frequent Hawaiian waters in the summer and autumn months. There’s nothing between me and this apex predator; I’m freediving with sharks off Oahu’s North Shore with One Ocean Diving, based in Haleiwa. While this might sound crazy to some, I wanted to push myself to try something out of my comfort zone – and not only did I achieve that, but I now look at sharks in a completely different way.

One Ocean is committed to shark conservation, educating us not just on how to safely enter the open water with sharks, but also on the real dangers that they face as a species. Overfishing, irresponsible fishing techniques and pollution are just a few reasons why over 30 per cent of the world’s shark species are at risk of extinction. One Ocean is committed to changing public opinion of sharks, one snorkeller at a time, teaching guests about shark behaviour and safety, and challenging the perceptions created by films like Jaws. And with a 100 per cent safety record, I’m confident, albeit nervous, to join One Ocean on a swim with sharks in their natural habitat.

Taking the plunge I’m staying just down the road at Turtle Bay Resort, so I take advantage of their hourly Tesla rental, the island’s first sustainable carshare service, and head out before dawn (early morning trips offer the calmest ocean conditions) to meet my boat at Haleiwa Harbor.

I’ve also taken advantage of Turtle Bay’s free GoPro rentals for guests, eager to capture some video of this morning’s heart-racing adventure.

While many operators offer caged shark diving, often accompanied by unethical practices like chumming, we’re swimming alongside sharks out in the open ocean with only our snorkels and fins. Our small boat is just three miles off the Hawaiian coast, anchored near a pelagic zone where currents converge to create a natural habitat for many types of shark and fish species, drawn to the area for easy access to food.

OPPOSITE AND TOP: free diving with tiger sharks off the coast of Oahu is an education.

ABOVE: the pool area at Turtle Bay Resort offers a more relaxed aquatic experience.

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WAY FI N D E R

After I summon up the courage to enter the water, my initial trepidation soon floats away, replaced by excitement and childlike wonder.

The sparkling blue water, seabed nowhere in sight, offers crystal clear visibility to the fascinating Hawaiian seascape all around me.

The movement of sharks through the water is comparable to a ballet – like dancers, each species knows its exact place on the ocean stage. The most dominant, like the tiger, swim high in the water column, near the surface, while the dozens of Galapagos and blacktipped reef sharks, more submissive to the tigers, swim nonstop below me, lower down into the deep. The occasional free dive is the best way to get a good look at their natural behaviour as they swim past in large groups.

H AWAI I

Our shark biologists and expert guides keep us together, each with one hand on a rope that spans the length of the boat, guiding us one by one to dive down below the surface. There are so many sharks, not only out in front but to my left, right, and directly under our boat. It’s almost hard to know where to look, but the exhilaration never stops. My nerves never fully go away, which isn’t abnormal, considering the environment I find myself in, but the anticipation of what we’ll see next is addictive. It’s an honour to get a glimpse into this extraordinary underwater world, seen by so few.

While each two-hour long excursion with One Ocean can bring unique wildlife viewing, guests are likely to see a range of shark

species, including tiger, Galapagos, sandbar, or scalloped hammerheads, sometimes alongside whales, dolphins, sea turtles or monk seals. Would I do it again? As I drove back to Turtle Bay, I told myself once was enough. But now, back at home, the allure of returning to Hawaii and coming face to face with one of nature’s most misunderstood creatures is calling my name again.

TOP LEFT: One Ocean has a 100 per cent safety record.

TOP RIGHT: evening drinks at Turtle Bay Resort.

Turtle Bay Resort A luxury resort on Oahu’s North Shore, Turtle Bay underwent a multi-million-dollar renovation in 2021 featuring a spectacular open, sun-drenched lobby that has an innate ability to make you feel instantly relaxed. Set on over 1,300 acres, this beachfront oasis stuns with seven beaches, an adults-only infinity pool, and plenty of unique experiences, including kayaking with sea turtles, sunset horseback rides, and openair spa treatment bungalows, all accompanied by Hawaiian hospitality at its best.

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Stay at Turtle Bay

THE LU X FI LES SN AP D E C IS IO NS

w A P H OTO G R AP HI C JO U R NEY T HRO UG H

The Maldives Sarah Royall, aka Salty Luxe, is a Byron Bay-based traveller and content creator. She captures the magic on a trip to COMO Cocoa Island in the Maldives.

M AL DI V E S

Stay at COMO

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Snorkelling the reef; boating next to COMO’s incredible sand bank; the villas; COMO has sustainable garden-to-table dining; exploring the resort. OPPOSITE: COMO Cocoa island has limited villas for an intimate stay.

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G R EENL AN D

Splendid isolation

GRE E N L AN D

The longest fjord system on the planet, Scoresby Sound, is just one highlight of a Greenland cruise with HX (previously Hurtigruten).

Lori Rackl explains why now it’s more important than ever to explore this isolated frontier of icebergs and glaciers. experiencing on the eastern edges of this giant isle might not exist much longer – kind of like the iceberg that practically fell into my lap.

“Paddle straight into the waves!” shouts one of the guides, while we scramble to steady our tandem kayak in the churning water.

We steer our vessel back to the mothership: the 250-passenger MS Fram. Built for the rigours of polar exploration, the sturdy ship underwent a full refurbishment in 2022, giving it a fresh, modern Nordic vibe.

“Without this ship’s maneuverability, some of this ice wouldn’t be passable,” says Captain Sverre Rud, as he leans against a panel of switches, controls and blinking monitors in Fram’s bridge.

The 46-year-old Norwegian captain has plenty of experience sailing the more popular western and southern coasts of Greenland, an autonomous country within the Kingdom of Denmark. This trip marks his first time captaining a voyage along the less explored eastern side.

“A lot of this area is uncharted, and you have quite heavy glacial ice,” he said. “It’s very challenging to sail here. That’s why few ships do it.”

Our journey takes us into the planet’s longest fjord system, Scoresby Sound, where the Greenland Sea’s fingers reach far into the land. Snowcapped peaks and blankets of treeless tundra add to the stark beauty of the inlet, whose waters brim with icebergs of all shapes and sizes.

IMAGES: ADWO – STOCK.ADOBE.COM.

Our kayak guide warned us to keep a healthy distance from icebergs that poked through the placid water of Greenland’s Scoresby Sound.

I am about to find out why.

An ominous rumble, followed by a snap, crackle and pop rings from a hulking rectangle of frozen freshwater. The chalk-white monolith collapses like an imploding building into the fjord, sending a parade of formidable-looking waves our way.

We hear a lot that the Arctic is warming but here on the ocean it feels like our small contingent of kayakers is bearing witness to it from our wobbly boats. This singular destination feels especially important right now. I can’t shake the notion that what I am seeing and

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World’s largest national park Under the tireless Arctic summer sun, I spend hours sitting on the balcony of my suite at the back of the ship, admiring Mother Nature’s sculpture garden as we slowly thread our way through what one passenger aptly dubs Iceberg Alley.

Another perk of having a suite: you get to dine on reindeer carpaccio and other elevated dishes in Restaurant Lindstrøm, a more intimate venue than the main eatery,

HX Hurtigruten Expeditions rebranded in December 2023 with a new name, HX. The London-based cruise company has a fleet of six vessels and offers several Greenland cruises in 2024. The 13-day Ultimate Fjord Expedition in East Greenland departs Iceland on 11 August 2024 aboard MS Fram.

Restaurant Aune. (Passengers in non-suite cabins can reserve a table at Lindstrøm for an extra charge.)

The ship boasts a spacious observation lounge with panoramic views, as well as a small gym, saunas and a pair of outdoor hot tubs. The Science Center is stocked with microscopes, animal skeletons and expedition leaders eager to answer naturerelated questions about everything from sea creatures to clouds.

Most days involve a morning and afternoon excursion away from our floating hotel. We file into Zodiacs for a closer look at calving glaciers and photogenic icebergs. Wearing ship-issued muck boots, we head ashore for hikes on spongey terrain sprinkled with delicate wildflowers.

We explore a tiny fraction of the Northeast Greenland National Park, the world’s largest national park, an undulating expanse of mountains and ice more than three times the size of New Zealand.

Explore cruises

Along the way, we see almost no other humans – the happy exception being an afternoon port call at Ittoqqortoormiit. Billed as the most isolated town in Greenland, this Inuit settlement clinging to the rocky landscape can only be reached by cruise ship for a short time in summer.

Our visit coincides with the twice-yearly arrival of a cargo vessel delivering boxcars full of tinned fish, clothing, Carlsberg lager and other supplies. Children cluster around the sole grocery store, their hands buried deep in fresh-off-the-boat bags of chips.

As I walk Ittoqqortoormiit’s gravel roads that lead to nowhere, I relish the unfamiliar scenery of brightly coloured houses with

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the hides of polar bears and musk oxen draped outside. A curious kid rides his bicycle alongside me, eager to practice his English.

Ittoqqortoormiit’s population hovers around 300 people – less than half of what it used to be.

“We’re like the polar bears; our numbers are going down,” said Niels Sanimuinaq Rasmussen, an Ittoqqortoormiit native and HX Expeditions team member who shows passengers around his hometown.

The best chance to see a polar bear is along the east coast, according to Greenland tourism authorities. Every time we go ashore, we hope for a sighting but the bears, whose population has decreased along with the sea

ice that’s vital to their survival, remain elusive.

Until our penultimate day at sea. That’s when a sharp-eyed passenger spots white fur in the distance. Word gets back to the captain.

He promptly turns the ship around for a closer look. Passengers grab their binoculars and telephoto lenses and flock to the bow.

Expedition team member Jenna Silk, a marine biologist, sets up a spotting scope so we can get a better view of the mother polar bear and her two cubs roaming near the shore.

“Polar bears may very well be extinct in the wild in 30 years,” Silk said, making this rare sighting seem even more special.

IMAGES: YURI CHOUFOUR, ESTHER KOKMEIJER.

ABOVE, FROM LEFT: The Greenland township of Ittoqqortoormiit is the most isolated in the country; kayaking amongst the volatile ice of the Arctic; spotting local wildlife is one of the thrills of a HX cruise.

Katathani Phuket Beach Resort

Welcome to Paradise

KATATHANI COLLECTION PHUKET • PHANG NGA • CHIANG RAI

Katathani Collection is an award-winning Thai-based hospitality group with over 30 years of experience.

We hold 8 superb properties offering a range from luxury to comfort class accommodation.

Our resorts are situated in prime locations in Phuket, Khao Lak and Chiang Rai in the stunningly beautiful south and north of Thailand.

The Sands Khao Lak

The Shore at Katathani

WWW.KATAT H AN IC O L L EC T I O N . C O M

INSIDER: PHUKET

WORDS: RUBY STALEY. IMAGE: TRAVEL WILD – STOCK.ADOBE.COM.

Centuries ago, people flocked to Phuket to secure their wealth in tin. Now, Thailand’s largest island attracts travellers to its mountainous jungles, stunning seafronts, and vivid SinoPortuguese buildings in search of thrilling adventure and good times.

Considered the jewel of the Andaman Sea, visitors can dive the mineral-infused waters of Phang Nga Bay and Phi Phi Islands, stroll through the ornate Old Town and sail through the fresh jungle on high-strung ziplines.

After the sun sets and the humidity dips, the island comes alive with bright lights, spicy aromas, and melodic sounds. Tropical cocktails flow at live cabaret bars, night

vendors kick into gear selling their artisan wares before hordes of people, and piping hot Chinese-Malay-influenced Thai cuisine is served up. Traverse limestone cliffs to private beaches, conquer mountains, and stumble upon flowing waterfalls – say sawasdee to the tropical trip of your dreams.

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Drinking and dining

Jampa

PRU As Phuket’s only Michelin-starred restaurant, PRU’s recently updated venue now features an interactive theatre kitchen. An ethos of “plant, raise and understand” is carried through amuse-bouches to after-dinner treats from the market seafood to the hand-picked botanicals. Helmed by Jimmy Ophorst, PRU’s “nine-plus-some” course journey takes you through Thailand’s forgotten native ingredients, shining a spotlight on traditional produce such as sweet and sour Ceylon oak and fermented tea leaves.

See your dinner before it’s picked at Jampa’s chemical-free farm before sitting down to experience an evening of innovative zerowaste cuisine. Each course incorporates live fire cooking and changes daily based on the sea and land harvest. The hyper-seasonal menu features exclusively home-grown and locally sourced produce, from fresh eggs and edible flowers to the Phang Nga seafood and the Chiang Mai tea.

TA MBU PHU KET

Tambu Phuket

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Overlooking the coastline from the rooftop of Avista Hideaway Phuket Patong, Tambu Phuket offers signature start: a chickpeabased canape inspired by the setting sun that readies you for the Indian feast ahead.

The restaurant takes its cues from the tented palaces of India, as passionate staff perform liquid nitrogen-fuelled, table-side magic and deliver rich curries, traditional tandoor, and hand-cooked naan as part of the progressive charcoal-focussed menu.

R I C K D I N G E N / @ JAMPAR ESTAU R ANT

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On Phuket’s new farm-to-table dining trend: “There is something special about serving a beet when people have seen it grow. This is the most satisfying place to be a chef.”

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Chalong Bay Rum Distillery In this breezy bar, surrounded by large palms and manicured grass, learn to harness the flavours of Chalong Bay Rum, named after a local coastal spot and produced exclusively from Thai sugarcane. Shake and stir your way through a cocktail-making class led by an expert mixologist. Savour gingery mules and lilac-hued sours championing not only the rum but also local ingredients like lemongrass, galangal and Thai basil.

C HALONG BAY RU M D IST ILLERY

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Roti Taew Nam Take a break from wandering colourful Thalang Road for the Michelin Guide-backed local spot in Old Town that’s worth sitting streetside for. Specialising in freshly cooked fluffy roti, served with your choice of toppings or beside a rich curry, expect handmade creations focused on Thai ingredients – all for a couple of dollars.

ROTI TA E W N AM

Cielo

C IE LO

Tucked away in Trisara’s heavenly resort, Cielo, serves up curated Mediterranean-inspired, Thai-fuelled specialities. Taste local Phuket lobster, tart Phang Nga kefir, and Andaman whole sea bream with zings of Thai peppercorn and finger lime. Watch the chefs fire pizzas to crisp perfection as you twirl silky pasta and savour fruit sorbet and creamy pannacotta.

Phuket by season Phuket is the island of three seasons: the hot, the wet, and the dry.

March – May: the hot To combat the highest temperatures of the year, throwing water and spraying hoses is commonplace for cooling down, especially during the famous Songkran festival. If you’re travelling in mid-April during the height of this celebration, it may be difficult to stay dry.

Although humidity is low during the hot season, temperatures can reach up to 35°C and the sun is out for an average of eight hours a day. You’ll want to wear sun protection, stay hydrated and keep outdoor adventures to a slow pace.

May – November: the wet Expect heavy rainfall, high humidity, and the occasional thunderstorm during Phuket’s monsoon season. Visit the island for fewer crowds, lower prices, flourishing vegetation, and flowing waterfalls during this time.

Although some beaches may be closed late wet season, earlier on in June, you can watch pro surfers catch some of the country’s best waves at the Phuket Beach Festival. Herbivores rejoice during September and October for the annual Phuket Vegetarian Festival. Previously known as the Nine Emperor Gods Festival, this Taoist celebration is one of the island’s biggest and best, incorporating fireworks, cheek-piercing rituals and plenty of meat-free cuisine.

Join the Loy Krathong festivities that land on the 12th month in the traditional Thia lunar calendar each year in November. Release krathongs – small, lotus-shaped baskets with flowers, candles, and fragrance sticks – into lakes, rivers and seas as a dedication to Buddha and the Goddess of Water, in hopes for a bright future.

December – February: the dry The dry season is the most popular time to visit Phuket. Loved for warm temperatures, fewer showers and lower humidity.

In January, Phuket’s famous Wat Chalong Buddhist temple comes alive with its annual fair.

Jump on spinning carnival rides, watch cultural stage shows and wander through the festival’s bright market.

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B E ST KN OWN F OR :

Waterfronts and waterways Phuket is home to some of Southeast Asia’s mostloved beaches. Everything from scuba diving and SUPing to water skiing are found along most stretches of coast. For a beautiful beach with all the buzz of a city, Freedom Beach is Patong’s gem. Tucked between Karon and Patong beaches, Karon Noi beach is another Phuket standout with soft, white sands and virtually no one else around. Spot planes at Mai Khao, dive from stunning cliffs at Ya Nui Beach, or experience a local favourite at Banana Beach, accessible by a long-tail boat ride.

Up the adventure, while staying cool, with a waterfall adventure. Phuket is known worldwide for its waterways from the picturesque surroundings of Kathu Waterfall and Ton Ao Yon Waterfall to Bang Pae Waterfall which make for a perfect hiking day out.

Sleeping and relaxing Katathani Phuket Beach Resort Lauded for its impressive beachfront location, the award-winning Katathani is one of the island’s best-loved destinations. This resort is perched along 850 metres of Kata Noi’s soft white sands where you can enjoy a cocktail at Coconut Bar, savour fresh seafood at Fisherman’s Wharf, or splash in the lagoon-style pool – all while overlooking the Andaman Sea.

Muay Thai There’s a variety of ways you can get involved with the art of muay Thai while adventuring through Phuket.

The sport is widely known as Thailand’s boxing style, using stand-up striking, sweeping and clinching techniques. Taking the island by storm, there’s a muay Thai fight every night in Phuket. Catch a regular fight night at Rawai Boxing Stadium or spend an evening at Patong Stadium or Bangla Boxing Stadium where the biggest matches in the province are held.

Step into the ring yourself and join a muay Thai class at your resort, hotel or a nearby gym.

Nightlife Once the sun sets, another side of Phuket comes to life. Don’t let the relaxed tropical feel of the island fool you, the city also boasts pumping nightlife.

Whether you’re looking to sit back with a cocktail in hand or take part in the bartering culture at a bustling local market – the night-time possibilities are endless on the island. Dance into the early morning hours at a pumping club along Bangla Road, watch glittering live cabaret extravaganzas or move to the sounds of your favourite songs sung by the island’s best cover bands.

Stay at Katathani

Pullman Phuket Panwa Beach Resort Just a short drive to Phuket Old Town, the Pullman Panwa is a luxury resort with a contemporary Thai feel right on the shores of Makham Bay. Resort amenities include two outdoor swimming pools, two spa tubs, fine diner Aqua and an attached winery – or just laze the afternoon away with a bespoke cocktail at Edge Beach Club.

P H U KE T

Explore The Shore

The Shore at Katathani Kata Rocks

Romance is in the air at this adults-only paradise. The intimate collection of luxury pool villas hides within Phuket’s lush cliffside, overlooking the breathtaking Kata Noi Beach.

Stroll hand-in-hand at sunset with your love, indulge in a couple’s massage at Serenity Spa, or share bubbly cheers at The Nest Beach Club.

Book one of Kata Rocks’ lauded Pool Villas at this five-star coastal paradise for the private infinity pool treatment. The Dining on the Rocks experience sees guests shown to a private table on the rocky shoreline to enjoy seafood and rich carpaccio as the sun sets over the Andaman Sea. After a massage at the award-winning spa, get comfortable in the unique energy pod to achieve total relaxation.

Stay at The Nai Harn

Diamond Cliff Resort and Spa

The Nai Harn

High up in the hills of Patong, this resort offers tranquillity just minutes from the buzzing streets below. Take advantage of one of Phuket’s most famous beaches, filled with markets, bars, and entertainment, and return to utter peace in a luxurious villa with a private pool, Thai architecture, and sparkling Andaman Sea views.

On the shores of pristine Nai Harn Beach, cosy up on a cabana, cocktail in hand, as you watch the shore lap the soft sand. This award-winning location is surrounded by lush rainforest and crystal waters. Watch the tide come in from the chic rooftop lounge, or get amongst the waves with a snorkelling, swimming, or sailing adventure.

JI M M Y N I C H OLS ON / @J I MMY NI C HO LS O N

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“My hot tip: take a day trip to Surin beach for a dip and an affordable, delicious beachside lunch at one of the restaurants on the sand. After lunch, walk the secret track to Laem Sing beach (only accessible by boat or foot), a beautiful, peaceful cove that to me, epitomises the true Phuket.”

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Out and about Visit Old Town Roam Thalang Road’s endless stream of brilliantly coloured Sino-Portuguese buildings, Thai-dye boutiques, whimsical cafes covered in faux flowers, fabric vendors and futuristic machines vending specialty iced coffees.

Walk under strings of Chinese lanterns, over gold flecked pavements and between cultural gems like Phuket Museum and Thai Hua Museum into Old Town gems filled with handcrafted ceramics and local art.

Phang Nga Bay sail day out

Ride ATVs to see Big Buddha

Spend a day sailing Phang Nga Bay over to Koh Phi Phi. Canoe through stalactite-filled caves, take a dip at secluded beaches, try fried shrimp at a magical floating village, look up at Honeymoon Lagoon’s heart-shaped canopy, and even float around the worldfamous James Bond Island.

If a visit to the gleaming Big Buddha isn’t enticing enough, add a healthy dose of adrenaline with an ATV adventure to the famous site. Climb aboard your four-wheeled iron steed and follow a local guide up winding hills, rugged roads and rocky cliffs to the tranquil top, and, subsequently, all the way back down.

T HE S URPRI S I N G T H I N G :

Before settling as Phuket, the island famously tried on a few names for size first.

The west of the island was initially charted on European maps as Jungceylon, or more informally as Junk Ceylon, largely because it was populated by sea nomads. On the flip side, the northern district was named Thalang, derived from the Malay word “tanjung” defined as a geological cape – a name that dates back centuries to the island’s tin mining industrial hey-day.

Although these names are no longer used for Phuket as a whole, they both remain prominent around the island. Now, locals associate Jungceylon with the Jungceylon Shopping Centre, a famous lifestyle destination in Patong home to more than 300

stores, and Thalang with the Thalang District which is home to incredible natural sites like Sirinat National Park and Bang Pae Waterfall.

The word Phuket itself came about as another mispronunciation of a Malay word. Early sailors from Malaysia are said to have colloquially referred to the island as “bukit” which translates to hill because of the many hills and valleys that can be seen on its surface from surrounding waters. Bukit was phonetically adopted in the Thai language with slightly different spelling and inflection, giving the island the name it has today – Phuket (“poo-ket”).

IMAGES: EPASQUALLI, PIERRICK LEMARET VIA GETTY IMAGES.

Phuket wasn’t always called Phuket

P H U KE T

FA M I LY A F FA I R :

For the young adventurers A hot spot for affordable beachside holidays, Phuket continues to attract young families and multi-generational group visits.

Keep your young adventure lovers entertained with Phuket’s variety of theme and water parks. Kids can slip down water slides and splash in the artificial wave zone at Andamanda Phuket, float on buoys along the flowing rivers of Splash Jungle Phuket and enjoy Vegas-level theatrics at Phuket FantaSea’s family shows.

Perfect for a range of fitness levels, nature explorations are

plentiful on the island. Hire a snorkel, wakeboard or jet ski for the day along Patong’s shores.

Animal enthusiasts can enjoy a wide range of creature attractions and sightings in and around Phuket. Discover rare native species in their natural habitats from blue-winged pittas in the tops of the Banyan trees to the land hermit crabs scuttling along the sand at sunset. Get up-close with gentle giants at the Green Elephant Sanctuary Park and brush shoulders with small fluttering beauties at Phuket Butterfly Garden & Insect World.

Peruse the bustling markets Everything from local durian to the latest sneakers can be sourced at Phuket’s markets. As the sun sets make your way down the picturesque Phuket-Lard Yai Walking Street or feel the sea breeze as you barter for interesting wares at Patong Walking Street. Experience peak Phuket salesmanship at the always-bustling Chillva Market or Phuket Weekend Market – attracting both locals and first-timers for their sheer variety.

Zipline through the jungle at Hanuman World

Traditional Thai cooking class with a market visit

Experience the lush Phuket jungle from a height at Hanuman World. Abseil from on high, hang on to the handheld treetop coaster or zoom along ziplines through rows of Banyan trees – some of which are over 200 years old. When you’re done flinging yourself through the foliage, cool off with a speciality Three Monkeys coffee and stunning views of Phuket town poking through mountain ranges.

Enjoy a hands-on culinary adventure at the palatial Blue Elephant creating iconic Thai dishes from scratch. Follow your foodie guide through Downtown Market and taste native foods such as durian, mangosteen, saw coriander, purple eggplants, and dried shrimp. Return to the kitchen to dish up mouth-watering local curries, soups and salads. Finish by enjoying the fruits of your labour in the magnificent restaurant.

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PHOTOGRAPHY DAVID TERRAZAS

HERE & FAR

Walking with giants at the Anantara Golden Triangle Resort in northern Thailand

72 / A night in Thailand’s jungle bubbles

79 / Paradise all to yourself in the Cook Islands

84 / A private viewing of Europe’s grand art hotels

90 / Canada’s Thousand Island blessings

H E R E A N D FA R

Golden treasure ROBINSON.

TH AI L AN D

PHOTOGRAPHY DAVID TERRAZAS.

On a northern Thailand road trip, Paul Chai spends a memorable night in a “jungle bubble” in the Golden Triangle surrounded by elephants, gets blessed by a monk in Chiang Mai and visits a quirky modern temple with more bling than Vegas-era Elvis.

Resting on a fallen log in the Thai jungle, the air hefty with humidity, I feel Chok Petch, a four-year-old baby Asian elephant gently entwine his trunk around my forearm and tug me towards him.

Arm-in-trunk with the national animal of Thailand feels a bit like my Dian Fossey/Gorillas in the Mist moment, before the resident vet, Nissa Mututanont, brings me jolting back to the sodden tropical earth.

I am about to become a man-sized pacifier.

“You might want to watch him, anything in his trunk tends to end up in his mouth,” Nissa says. I quickly unwind myself and the youngster returns to his previous preoccupation, poking and prodding me with this most versatile of appendages.

I am on a morning walk with Chok Petch, his aunt Beau and friend Boonma at the Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort.

The camp was set up with the Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation (GTAEF) and it allows around 20 rescued elephants, mostly female, to roam free on 65 hectares of lush jungle along the Mekong and Ruak rivers that wind themselves around the borders of three countries – Thailand, Laos and Myanmar – all of which you can see from the resort.

Chok Petch has been the highlight of our sunrise stroll, trying to loot a motorbike for snacks, slapping us with his trunk and wandering off the path to amused shouts from his mahout (handler), who seems used to his shenanigans. When it comes time for a river bath, Boonma goes for a full-body mud mask, Beau flatly refuses to enter the water and Chok Petch dives in headfirst disappearing completely, his trunk surfacing like a fleshy periscope, before being startled by a motorboat and nearly starting a three-elephant stampede.

Nissa says that one of the most rewarding things about working with the elephants, many of whom worked in the logging or tourism industries, is that they are all very different. “Beau is not the only elephant who does not like being told when to take a bath, each elephant is unique, with different personalities and differences in how they behave toward different people,” Nissa says. “It is enjoyable to watch them be the elephants that they are meant to be. Some are open-minded, some prefer their independence.”

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TH AI L AN D

PHOTOGRAPHY DAVID TERRAZAS

These fascinating animals are at the heart of a visit to the Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort.

Checking in to the Three Country View Suite, the outlook across the three South-east Asian countries is peppered with elephants languidly collecting some of the 200kg of greenery needed to sustain them each day.

Inside the suite – a calming collection of polished teak, wooden sculptures and handwoven hill tribe textiles – there are elephant-shaped biscuits, books on the beasts and pachyderm silhouettes hewn from banana leaf decorating the crisp white bedspread.

But this palatial room is just a place to drop bags on the first night because I am off to spend a very special evening sleeping even closer to the jungle flora and fauna.

Anantara’s Jungle Bubble is a nocturnal experience that sees guests transported deep into the rich green foliage to an incongruous, Jetsons-meets-Tarzan abode.

The two-bedroom “bubble lodge” is made up of a series of five clear globes: two bedrooms, a central sitting room and two ensuites cloaked for privacy, all made from high-tech polyester. The lodge sits on an elevated wooden deck with a Jacuzzi, day beds and a long, wooden dinner table.

Greeting you as you arrive are your fellow guests for the evening; 31-year-old Jathong and 52-year-old Kummool, two more of the resort’s rescued elephants.

If you have never had elephants around for dinner, it is not for the misophonic (those people who hate eating sounds). In addition to the chirping of crickets and the wild whooping of the tokay gecko a pachyderm picnic sees you privy to the shattering snaps and long-suffering huffs of Jathong and Kummool as they devour sweet stems of fresh cane sugar.

Dinner for me consists of a private chef delivering an eight-course extravaganza.

Seared tuna with roasted chilli paste and sour mango, sea bass in a tamarind and ginger broth and kao soi, a northern Thai favourite featuring crisp egg noodles in a yellow curry with chicken that can be eaten for dinner or breakfast – all with an ice-cold bottle of local white wine.

This is not my first pachyderm rodeo.

I have bathed elephants in Thailand, fed them handmade banana tacos in Laos and spotted them at a national park in Sri Lanka. Now, sitting under the stars in my luxurious jungle bubble, this feels like a natural evolution of hands-off elephant tourism in Asia. I am there to be viewed by the elephants as they munch on dinner, and they remain unphased as I take a latenight plunge in the Jacuzzi or join them for breakfast with a hot coffee in hand.

The elephants have all been born into captivity and they lack the skills to thrive in the wild so they have a mahout to look after them, but they no longer perform tricks for tourists or carry heavy logs.

Their days are their own.

“The GTAEF was established to make sure that the mahouts and their elephants are given the opportunity to better their way of life,” says Nissa.

OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: private-chef dinner at the Anantara Golden Triangle Jungle Bubbles; the resort suites; the author enjoys a sundowner with Jathong and Kummool. ABOVE LEFT: The pool area overlooking Thailand, Laos and Myanmar. ABOVE RIGHT: breakfast at the Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort.

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Travelling north My journey to the Golden Triangle began at Anantara’s sister property in Chiang Mai. Like the northern resort, the Anantara Chiang Mai sits on a bend of the river but you swap the stillness of the jungle for the clatter and clamber of city life.

Chiang Mai is the second-largest city in Thailand, a sprawling, low-rise metropolis whose heart is the 13th-century-old city that is still protected by a moat, though the walls that kept out invaders have mostly been tumbled by time.

Water is a great way to see the city and on my first morning at the resort, after breakfast at the Bodhi Terrace under the imposing, fairy-light-strung namesake tree, I am taken upriver on the resort’s houseboat. Our destination is the 15th-century Wat Ket Karam, a colourful riverside temple with sparkling nagas (snake-like guardians), a brilliant white stupa and, inexplicably, a series of golden

dog statues wearing natty matching capes.

We are here for a blessing from the resident monk and bow before him offering our gift (soap and sundries organised by the resort); on our knees we are told to think of something positive we would like to manifest and the monk then performs a solemn chant to help carry our wish to the relevant deity’s ears.

If your wish is a Michelin-starred meal for under $2, it is granted at a small stall right next to Wat Ket Karam. The Michelin Guide only arrived in regional Thailand in 2023 and it quickly bestowed an award on the khao kriab pak moh made at the Lung Khajohn Wat Ket stall.

Barely-there batter is quickly steamed on a flat surface, then dollops of minced pork, coriander, peanuts, palm sugar and spices are added and folded into dumplings. The result is a sweet-cum-savoury snack eaten with coconut milk and lettuce, feather light and worth the Michelin attention.

Back on the boat we sail past regal portraits of Thai King Vajiralongkorn, riverside dining decks and locals trying their luck by throwing in a fishing line while sitting on overturned plastic buckets.

The Anantara Chiang Mai Resort is built around a 100-year-old heritage house, the top floor of which has been turned into the Service 1921 restaurant decked out with vintage watches, magnifying glasses and black-and-white portraits of military intelligence officers. The walls are lined with bookcases, one of which is a secret door that leads you to the Pirate Room, dominated by a huge map with string marking the historic sea routes of these terrors of the high sea. The lunch is opulent and Western with swimmer crab bisque and a grill menu with the odd local touch like Surat Thani tiger prawns in a piquant nam jim butter; a signature Fleming No. 7 (vodka, chamomile gin, Martini blanco and a lemon twist) caps off the On Her Majesty’s Secret Service vibes.

Come evening the night market is just across the road from the resort where you can stroll the stalls for pungent trays of durian, find centipede and scorpion on a stick or barter for a colourful stuffed elephant.

The yin and yang of the Chiang Mai and Golden Triangle resorts makes for a well-rounded northern Thai trip. After a busy city break climbing into the mountainous Golden Triangle region, the roadside jungle is verdant and seemingly impenetrable; at several points the thick canopy hangs over the traffic like a giant green wave threatening to crash down on the road below.

The trip is peppered with four-storey high golden Buddha statues, an even bigger depiction of Chinese deity Quan Yin and even colourful sculptures of Transformers and The Hulk guarding roadside stalls.

The two essential stops on the journey north are the White Temple and the Blue Temple.

OPPOSITE: making the Michelin-recommended pork dumplings at Wat Ket Karam (top); a Blue Temple guardian at Wat Rong Khun (below).

TOP: the rooms at the Anantara Chiang Mai Resort. ABOVE: the old-world surrounds of the Brit Bar at Anantara Chiang Mai Resort.

TH AI L AN D

Anantara Chiang Mai and Golden Triangle

My farewell cocktail is an AI-YA-RA (King of Thai Elephants) that features ya-dong as its base, a local spirit infused with jungle herbs.

Add in some sous-vide betel leaves, fresh pineapple, lime juice and citrus oil and you have a concoction worthy of the lofty title.

While the elephants may have loomed large over my northern Thai sojourn, so too has the feisty local food, the spirituality woven into all aspects of daily life and the wild setting where the jungle looks ready to claw back and envelop any manmade structure with the help of the next monsoon.

It is a landscape perfectly suited to Chok Petch and his elephant family and thanks to the resort and the foundation he can grow and play here not work and toil. They say that elephants never forget, but holding hands with Chok Petch in the Thai jungle – even under threat of getting chomped – ranks as a travel experience I will remember for a very long time.

IMAGES COURTESY ANANTARA CHIANG MAI; PAUL CHAI

Exploring Thailand’s magnetic north, Anantara Chiang Mai offers a city escape where you can feed temple carp in the old city, shop the Chinatown food market Book your or indulge in one of the stay now most epic breakfast buffets around (hit the kao soi cart, every day).

Then retreat to the peace and quiet of Anantara Golden Triangle, a jungle haven of tranquility.

At Wat Rong Khun, or the White Temple, Thai artist Ajarn Chalermchai Kositpipat noticed that his local place of worship was rundown and lacking in visitors. His answer was to dress the temple up like Elvis in his Vegas years, bright white and bedazzled from head to toe. In the tropical midday sun, the temple is almost blinding as you walk past a sea of ceramic hands reaching up for you and pass an amazing array of mythical beasts.

Things get weirder still at the attached Cave of Art where you negotiate a cement corridor full of carvings from Pirates of the Caribbean to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles that eventually leads you to a Buddha then back out into the unforgiving sunlight.

The Blue Temple in Chiang Rai, or Wat Rong Suea Ten, was designed by Putha Kabkaew who was a student of the White Temple creator. It has similarly anarchic design choices like walls of skulls, roaring tigers and winged men with insane abs, and both make a big change from Chiang Mai’s more traditional places of worship.

Arriving at the Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort, you are met by lurid greens, misty mountains and Tuek, the resident water buffalo who roams the grounds and occasionally meets guests outside reception. Unashamedly opulent, this resort also feels like it has settled into its jungle surrounds with mossy roof tiles, mercurial jungle pathways and dark-wood balconies where you can settle in for the tri-country view.

When my busy day with elephants and jungle bubbles comes to an end, I wind up in the Elephant Bar and Opium Terrace, a nod to the region’s rogue history.

The wide couches covered in hill tribe fabrics and carved oak tables are scattered with binoculars for spotting the local wildlife.

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Hotels no taller than a coconut tree

There’s a local Cook Islands law that states no building can be taller than the coconut trees around it. You also won’t find traffic lights or stop signs in this South Pacific paradise. It’s like going back to simpler times yet still being able to enjoy today’s modern conveniences. Book your Cook Islands getaway now and have the ultimate South Pacific holiday you’ve always dreamed of.

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In the Cook Islands, beaches are never crowded, traffic jams are virtually non-existent and there is not a skyscraper in sight. Sarah Sekula visits the South Pacific archipelago that flies under the radar and inspires passion in those who visit.

IMAGE: ZEMINA ZAFERAKIS.

Islands to oneself I’ve finally met the king of the coral reefs and he’s quite the looker. With thick lips, a protruding forehead and distinctive black lines that look like eyelashes, the Napoleon wrasse is instantly recognisable.

With swirling patterns of green and purplish blue, it’s a thing of beauty. Because it’s one of the largest reef species around – sometimes weighing up to 180 kilograms – it’s also very hard to miss. Despite being nearly as long as me, and much heftier, it’s surprisingly friendly to snorkellers and divers.

Flipper kicking my way through an outrageously beautiful scene, I come across giant silvery trevallies darting along; a pufferfish stares back at me with big buggy eyes and the purple coral gardens look like something out of a Dr. Seuss book.

As with any good island trip, today’s itinerary is simple: wake up and explore.

For me that means a daytrip boating between islands starting with the calm waters of Aitutaki Lagoon, one of the Cook’s outer islands known for its reef and large lagoon.

What is so special about this South Pacific nation, just next to New Zealand, is that you often feel like you have the place all to yourself.

There are just 18,000 residents of the Cook Islands, 86 per cent of whom are Cook Island Maoris, spread across 15 inhabited islands. Sailing from island to island is the perfect way to explore. My next stop is Tapuaetai, aka One Foot Island, where residents include hermit crabs and red-tailed tropicbirds.

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Underwater, blue starfish abound and giant clams slam shut as snorkellers investigate them. The water is so clear, if you forget your snorkel, no worries: you can see everything without ever dipping your face in the ocean.

Surrounded by a dreamscape of turquoises and teals, the uninhabited motu – shaped like a foot – is exactly where you want to float the day away. The biggest attraction here is a simple picnic table serving as “the world’s smallest post office”. Travellers giddily come to get their passports stamped with an adorable outline of a foot.

It’s no surprise that One Foot Island has been featured in Sports Illustrated, CBS’s Survivor reality show and is often ranked as one of the world’s best beaches. It is the quintessential island paradise.

So too is Honeymoon Island, located in the southwestern corner of the lagoon, which is where we next drop anchor. It’s easy to find, thanks to the long, white coral sandbar. Home to red-footed boobies and great frigate birds, the only noise you’ll hear, besides the birds, is the swaying of the palm trees and the crunch of shells beneath your feet.

Mother nature In Māori culture, the ocean is imbued with a maternal personality. But while she nurtures you, you must also nurture her in return. It is no surprise that in 2017, Marae Moana, which means sacred ocean, was established by the Cook Islands government, making industrial fishing illegal within 50 nautical miles of each of the Cook Islands.

Marae Moana is one of the world’s largest marine parks home to an abundance of creatures. Humpback whales return here each year from July through October as they migrate from Australia, New Zealand and Antarctica to breed and give birth. They swim so close to shore all you have to do is stand on the beach to see them. But if you want to get an even closer look – and hear them serenading each other – there are tours where you can swim with the massive mammals.

The Cook Islands is so paradisical that it tends to inspire great passion in those who visit. New Zealander Tom Neale purposely marooned himself on the small atoll of Anchorage in the Suwarrow atolls in 1945 and instantly fell in love with its impossibly blue waters, soft sand and swaying palm trees.

He was determined to find a way to live here.

And so, he did. In Rarotonga, the largest and most visited of the Cook Islands, he gathered supplies of seeds, canned food, chickens, paperback books and purchased two cats to keep him company.

He then returned to his private island home where he lived on and off for 16 years alone, and eventually wrote about it in his memoir An Island to Oneself. People often asked the self-made castaway if he felt lonely on the island. To which he replied, “not because I wanted company but just because all this beauty seemed too perfect to keep to myself.”

That’s the allure of the Cook Islands. Once you have laid eyes on this special place, you immediately start planning your return. It has consistently balmy temps, fluted volcanic mountains, lush jungles, waterfalls and protected reefs.

Despite this beauty, it has not been overcommercialised. Most hotels are owned by locals. There are no stoplights, no tour buses and just one main road that circles the whole of Rarotonga.

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Hit the road to Rarotonga

IMAGES: ZEMINA ZAFERAKIS, SARAH SEKULA.

Beyond its chiselled good looks and laidback vibe, it’s the people that make this archipelago extra special and that is best experienced on the main island of Rarotonga.

OPPOSITE: the exotic underwater world of the Cook Islands, which has the Marae Moana as one of the world’s largest marine parks. THIS PAGE: exploring the island interior and paddling the lagoons in paradise.

Always quick with the sing-song kia orana greeting – which means “I hope you live a long and fulfilling life” – the locals are always happy to chat and welcome you into all aspects of island life.

For many that means heading to church on any given Sunday morning. On Raro, as the locals call it, the white-painted churches, made from coral and limestone, are everywhere. And you’ll notice, too, that many

businesses are closed for the day.

In 1821, missionaries brought Christianity to the Cook Islands, and it is now deeply rooted in daily life. At Ngatangiia Cook Islands Christian Church, the gospel singing gave me goosebumps and brought tears to my eyes.

Local church-goers dress to impress and were decked out in white suits, floral tops and skirts and elaborate straw hats festooned with fresh flowers.

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Pacific Resort Rarotonga and Aitutaki

Life here is slow and simple. Want to score yourself a scooter license? All you have to do is demonstrate that you can drive up and down the main street, and you’re granted permission to drive. On Saturdays, the Punanga Nui Market, in the capital of Avarua, is the place to be. Fresh-caught tuna, coconut buns, locally made chutneys and ika mata (marinated raw fish with lime and coconut sauce) are crowd pleasers. You can also watch island dancers perform to live music as you dine.

As I wrap up my time in the Cooks, I’m already plotting my return. On the list for next time: the cross-island trek to see Te Rua Manga, an iconic needlelike rock from which you can see all of Rarotonga, swim with humpback whales and spend more time exploring the outer islands. I might even take a leaf out of Tom Neale’s book and maroon myself here for a while.

This boutique hotel has Muri Lagoon as its backdrop. With plenty to do, you could easily spend days on end here.

All 64 rooms, suites and villas, which were renovated during the pandemic, have views of the tropical gardens or the ocean. Kids will appreciate the Pacific Kids Club where they can learn traditional dancing, coconut husking, basket weaving and generally run amok. Adults love the spa, the gardens and the Barefoot Bar, where ordering a mai tai is a no brainer.

The sister resort in Aitutaki is an upscale beach hotel with 29 beach bungalows each with a large veranda, ocean view and air conditioning.

R&R here amounts to swimming in the infinity pool, deep-tissue massages at the spa and kayaking around the lagoon. Take cooking lessons, hop on the complimentary bikes – it’s what every island vacation should be.

Stay at Rarotonga

Stay at Aitutaki

FROM TOP: the beautiful beaches on the Cook Islands can make you feel like you are the only visitor to the archipelago; the author stands on a rocky outcrop on a Cook Islands beach.

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IMAGES: ZEMINA ZAFERAKIS, SARAH SEKULA, DAVID KIRKLAND PHOTOGRAPHY.

Afterwards, I drove the 20-mile road that circles the island. It only takes about 45 minutes to cover the whole of Rarotonga without stopping. But you will want to stop.

Raro is full of locals waving hello, goats wandering under banana trees, lush jungle views on one side and the wide ocean expanse on the other.

You will pass breadfruit orchards, Black Rock beach (a popular cliff-jumping spot) and see seawall murals full of brightly colored endemic fish species. Driving with the windows down you will be overwhelmed with the smell of salty air, the cool breeze and the glorious scent of jasmine and gardenia.

Along the way, keep an eye out for vendors selling nu (young, freshly picked coconut) on the side of the road, it’s nature’s own electrolyte. If no one is at the stall just leave some small change in the honesty jars provided.

Close to home, a world

away

A holiday to the Cook Islands is as easy as a 5 ½ hour direct flight from Sydney to Rarotonga on Jetstar several times a week. You’ll be so close to home yet feel a world away with Rarotonga and Aitutaki’s breathtaking turquoise lagoons begging to be explored, vibrant Polynesian culture found with every ‘Kia Orana’, and an overall sense of freedom everywhere you go.

Rarotonga

No two days will be the same in Rarotonga – unless you like it that way. With endless beaches, multiple kinds of accommodation, exciting activities and a huge variety of cafes, restaurants and bars to choose from, the island is a playground for couples, families and anyone else looking for a serene slice of paradise they can enjoy in their very own way.

Aitutaki

Basking in a turquoise coral reef lagoon teeming with colourful tropical marine life, the small island of Aitutaki is a short 50-minute flight north of Rarotonga. This secluded natural utopia made up of 15 motus (small islands) is often thought of as one of the South Pacific’s most stunning and unspoiled destinations making it ideal for honeymoons and private romantic escapes.

For more information visit www.cookislands.travel

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The frame

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A new collection of European hotels are putting well-known art and celebrated artists at the core of what they offer guests. Michelle Tchea checks in and gets up close and personal with world-class works that would normally be found only in galleries.

Gone are the days when hotel rooms were just a place to rest your head. Now, where you stay may be regarded as a Michelinstarred home of gastronomy, a temple of wellness and self-improvement and, increasingly, destinations for art appreciation.

Particularly in Europe, where art and culture are a key part of museum-dense cities like Rome, Paris and London, privately owned hotels are asking guests to linger a little longer in the lobby and even put on a set of headphones for a self-guided tour to view their significant art collections.

The joys of hotels boasting impressive art collections are myriad. Where else can you have a private viewing of a Cézanne far from other art tourists? How much would it cost for you to book out a museum so that you can

admire a painting by Italian painter and sculptor Sandro Chia after hours?

And can you name any museum or art gallery that would allow visitors to stand less than an inch away from a Dalí without the wailing of an alarm?

In Europe’s grand art hotels you can do all these things and more. At The Dolder Grand in Switzerland, Finnish artist Jani Leinonen has had his provocative artwork displayed in the hotel since 2009 with the owner being a long-time collector of his works. Famous pieces like his Chapel of Remorse – stained glass windows designed like a centuriesold medieval Swiss chapel window – sit in the Dolder Grand’s lower floor. Leinonen uses the luxury hotel as an avenue to reach larger audiences who may not be traditional

art lovers. “I don’t think art belongs only to spaces reserved for art,” says Jani. “Art belongs to the world, the more surprising the location the better. In museums and galleries people look at art very differently, they are more open-minded and more willing to be educated and learn something new.

“In hotels people are more surprised and their reactions are sometimes more dramatic, like in the case of my Anything Helps (real-life signs by the underprivileged who Jani met on his travels, which hang in the Dolder’s Bar).

I find hotels more interesting and more ‘real’ as places to show art because the audience is more diverse.”

From curated lobbies to whole floors as exhibition spaces, here are some of the best European art hotels:

OPPOSITE: the grand Steinhalle at The Dolder Grand in Switzerland that champions upcoming talents like Finnish artist Jani Leionen. ABOVE: art fills the rooms of the overthe-top Byblos Art Hotel Villa Amista in Verona (left); the grand dining salle at Le Meurice Dorchester Paris that has housed many artists as well as their art.

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From curated lobbies to whole floors as exhibition spaces, here are some of the best European art hotels: The Dolder Grand, Zurich Perched high above Zurich, the Swiss grand dame is unapologetically an art hotel. There are many hotels who disguise themselves as art centric but The Dolder Grand, with more than 100 works of art, rightfully deserves its title. Founded in 1899, the hotel was completely renovated in the early 2000s with the main building completely restored with the original facade still in place. The million-dollar revival encouraged entrepreneur Urs E. Schwarzenbach to not only add a new wing but his own personal art collection to the hotel.

With more than 90 artists on show and a permanent collection including Femmes metamorphosis – Les sept arts by Salvador Dalí (at the entrance of the two-Michelin-starred restaurant) and Le Monde by Niki de Saint Phalle (in the garden), guests can go on a self-guided tour of the hotel. With an iPad in hand, they can enjoy award-winning art by others including Keith Haring, Takashi Murakami and even Sylvester Stallone. Seasonal shows with artists like Jani Leinonen pop-up during the festive season and are worth checking out when in Zurich.

Le Meurice Dorchester Paris, Paris

Byblos Art Hotel Villa Amistà, Verona

Sharing the same street as the world-famous Louvre, Le Meurice is an 18th-century property redesigned by Philippe Starck.

A self-guided art tour of the property invites guests to share Le Meurice’s history, which includes nods to Pablo Picasso and surrealist Salvador Dalí who were both regular guests (Dalí once requested that a horse be brought up to his room and Picasso hosted his wedding banquet here). Around the property are some of Dalí’s most interesting art pieces like the Louis XVI-inspired chair and a frosted mirror where guests are encouraged to interact with the art – a far cry from the guarded-off and roped art pieces in the Louvre. You won’t find a fireplace in Le Meurice, but instead a centrepiece made up of candles and hand mirrors symbolising Dalí’s The Madonna of Port Lligat, a famous pair of paintings created in 1949.

Byblos Art Hotel Villa Amistà sits in the UNESCO World Heritage-listed site of Verona and is as bold, brash and dramatic as the eponymous fashion brand – known for its loud, quirky and contemporary readyto-wear outfits. Owner Dino Facchini, an avid contemporary art collector, designed his hotel with public spaces packed with contrasting shapes and colours to evoke both awe and admiration from passerbys. Dino has kept the original frescos of the 15th-century renaissance villa, however he has included contemporary artworks by big-hitting modern artists like Damien Hirst, Anish Kapoor and Marina Abramović. These works sit beside classic Venetian paintings in the hallways and lobby of the hotel. No room or suite looks the same and combine both periods in a fun and playful manner, a design feat by fellow Italian and architect, Alessandro Mendini.

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OPPOSITE, FROM TOP: The curves of the spa wing at The Dolder Grand in Switzerland; the ornate bathrooms at Le Meurice Dorchester Paris whose regular guests included Salvador Dali and Pablo Picasso. ABOVE: The pool area at Byblos Art Hotel Villa Amista in Italy in the UNESCO World-Heritage-listed area of Verona.

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Guarda Golf Hôtel & Résidences, Crans-Montana Owners Nati and Giancarlo Felli bring a touch of class and a lot of culture to the foothills of the Crans-Montana mountains in the Valais region of the Swiss Alps. The hotel has an ongoing art program that presents FrenchCzech painters Tylek & Tylecek to a wider audience. Throughout the hotel, in the rooms, restaurant and spa, paintings hang on the walls as the hotel’s permanent collection.

New artworks by the artists is showcased as a pop-up exhibition each summer at the hotel. For the recent Biennale Crans-Montana celebration guests can find two sculptures by Swiss and Belgium artist John Armleder and Wim Delvoye. For a break from the artwork, guests are invited to tee off on the property’s private golf course.

Lausanne Palace, Lausanne

Kristiania Lech, Lech

The Lausanne Palace not only has a rich history dating back to the early 1900s with noted guests like Whitney Houston and Coco Chanel, but it’s also full of original, gallery-worthy art. When general manager Isabelle von Burg took over the hotel during the pandemic, she filled the hotel with art in collaboration with a nearby gallery where the pieces change every six months. Past works include Love by Patrick Rubinstein, the three-dimensional piece that changes as you move from the lobby to the Michelinstarred restaurant, La Table, plus a series of contemporary photographs by artist Max Steven Grossman. These modern touches provide striking contrasts to the Belle Époque property and its old-world charm, including the 1915 brasserie that’s complete with marble pillars and green-leather banquettes.

Luxury Austrian resort Kristiania Lech has always been known as a place for arts and culture. It is already home to British sculptor Antony Gormley’s Horizon Field – where 100 life-sized iron figures are spread over 150 square kilometres – so it was a no brainer for owner Gertrud Schneider to contribute to the region’s fine reputation by hosting Salon Talks, a series that shines a spotlight on local artists through discussions about music, art and design. To complement her winter and summer art series, Gertrud continues her mother’s tradition of adorning her parents’ hotel with antiques, art pieces and sculptures.

Under Gertrud’s creative eye, Kristiania is so much more than a hotel. Its charming, sophisticated and sometimes quirky interiors serve as a private residence to host guests during the quieter winter period.

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45 Park Lane, London

Villa Dagmar, Stockholm

This Mayfair landmark has proudly announced that art is a crucial part of its DNA. The hotel is a “living canvas” that focuses on the works of contemporary British artists with collabs and pop-up exhibitions.

Last year, guests were invited to enjoy photographer and filmmaker David Bailey’s Bailey: Vision and Sound, consisting of candid shots of some of the great musicians of our time: David Bowie, the Rolling Stones and the Beatles. The hotel kicks off 2024 with Art Deco – Age of Style and Glamour, a collection of vintage posters in partnership with renowned gallery AntikBar. The hotel also offers bespoke tours inspired by British artists like radical sculptor Barbara Hepworth with a chauffer-driven tour and tickets to the Tate Britain.

Villa Dagmar, the newest five-star luxury boutique hotel in Sweden’s capital, is just a short walk from the Museum of Photography and the National Museum, where you can find the country’s proudest art collection of 16th- to 20th-century drawings, sculptures and artwork. Yet, as a guest of Villa Dagmar, you can easily linger within the confines of the hotel and still enjoy a collection of contemporary photography without having to change out of your plush robe and slippers. In the past the hotel has held exhibitions by Australian contemporary photographer Vee Speers and American snapper Jeff Cowen, and there is a permanent exhibition by Swedish freelance photographer Martin Sundström in Villa Dagmar’s restaurant.

Villa La Coste, Provence If you seek a change in scenery from the lavender fields and olive groves of Provence, check yourself in to Villa La Coste, one of France’s premier hotel and luxury spas.

Located between the historical town of Aix-en-Provence (home of Cézanne) and the Luberon National Park, the Chateau La Coste is a prime destination for wellnessseekers, gastronomes and art lovers.

The hotel resides on 180-hectares of land and it offers guests a two-hour guided art and architectural tour of the grounds, which takes you to the sculptures and installations handpicked by the hotel owners.

Andrew Goldsworthy, Ai Weiwei and Louise Bourgeois are just some of the artists whose work you can enjoy amid the backdrop of Provence with new exhibitions on show throughout the year.

OPPOSITE: the art-packed restaurant at Kristiana Lech in the luxury resort town of Lech (left); the Austrian countryside. LEFT: surround yourself with art and books in the library of 45 Park Lane in London.

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Thousand Island

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IMAGE: GEORGE FISCHER – SOUTH EASTERN ONTARIO TOURISM.

blessings

This Canadian archipelago may be more famous for lending its name to salad dressing but, as Jocelyn Pride discovers, it offers bespoke culinary tours, quirky history and hidden shipwrecks in crystalclear waters.

Climbing skyward over the last set of powerlines an otherworldly scene unfolds. Shades of blue speckled with smudges of green and hints of autumnal colour surround the helicopter. It’s like hovering over an artist’s palette.

“Welcome to the Thousand Islands,” says local pilot Brianna Blight, pleased that her grand entrance evokes audible gasps from her two passengers.

Stretching along approximately 80 kilometres of the St Lawrence River, straddling the Canadian and US border between Ontario and New York State, the islands vary in size from Wolfe Island at 124 square kilometres to the suitably named Just Room Enough where a picture-book cottage sits on a 310-square-metre island.

“There are 1,864 of them,” Brianna explains.

“To be in the count, there has to be at least one tree and the island needs to be above the waterline year-round.”

During the next 20 minutes of flightseeing, we ogle at mansions along Millionaire Row, spot two shipwrecks lying at the bottom of the river in crystal-clear water, watch luxury launches motoring between islands, and cross an international border before pausing over a fairytale castle, home to a bittersweet love story and the origin of Thousand Island salad dressing.

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Brianna explains how Boldt Castle was the dream of millionaire George C. Boldt, proprietor of the Waldorf-Astoria hotel, who like many of his contemporaries was attracted to the idyllic lifestyle of these islands.

Late in the 19th century, he reportedly paid US$10,000 for the two-hectare Hart Island, changing the name to Heart, to make it even more romantic. He then set about building an opulent, Rhineland-style castle as a gift to his beloved wife, Louise.

“Sadly, she never saw it finished and neither did he,” Brianna says. “Louise died suddenly in 1904 and Boldt instructed all construction to stop and he never set foot on Heart Island again.”

After 70-plus years of emptiness, in 1977 the build recommenced and Boldt’s vision was finally realised.

And as for that salad dressing connection?

In happier times when the Boldts were sailing through the islands on their steamer yacht Louise, George asked his steward, Oscar Tschirky, to create something special to reflect the beauty of the islands. Not only was the experimental salad dressing a hit on the day, Boldt decided to serve it at his hotel, Oscar was promoted and became the famous maitre d’hotel of the Waldorf, and the dressing became a household name, with the original recipe remaining a secret.

When we land, I’m gifted a bottle of Legendary Thousand Island dressing to take home, displaying a picture of Boldt Castle and the words “born in the Thousand Islands”.

A private helicopter flight is the perfect introduction to this under-the-tourist-radar gem full of myths and legends.

IMAGES, LEFT: GEORGE FISCHER – SOUTH EASTERN ONTARIO TOURISM.

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Over the next few days, we base ourselves in Kingston, the gateway to the Thousand Islands. It was Canada’s first capital from 1841 to 1843, and its picturesque tree-lined streets and grand limestone 19th-century buildings are a three-and-a-half-hour drive from Toronto. Checking into the Frontenac Club we’re greeted by Arthur Milnes, the inhouse historian.

Given the grandeur of the building, his quick wit and velvet voice, the informal tour is an instant highlight. As we wander, Arthur describes how the handsome corner property was originally three separate buildings – a private mansion, a bank and the Frontenac Club for gentlemen. For around 30 years in the early 20th century the Frontenac Club was the place for politicians, artists, inventors and socialites to meet, chat and dine over a game of cards or billiards.

“You can now say you’ve been in the same club as Sir Winston Churchill,” says Arthur.

“Just not at the same time.”

Every suite is decorated with its own theme. We stay in the Backstage Room, a nod to Kingston’s musicians and thriving music scene. Photos of live concerts and music memorabilia hang on the walls; a turntable is at the ready to play the collection of vinyl, and the king bed with fluffy soft pillows is highlighted by an old, exposed brick wall. The bathroom has an

oversized shower, bathtub and deliciously thick towels and bathrobes. Other suites pay homage to people or places linked to the region like the 1000 Island Suite with views to the St Lawrence River from the bed, and the Churchill Suite that’s fit for visiting heads of state.

With a population of around 150,000, Kingston is small, yet punches way above its weight when it comes to things to do. Sitting at the junction where the St Lawrence River meets Lake Ontario – with the Thousand Islands scattered on the doorstep – there’s a natural focus on water-based activities.

Sightseeing cruises range from a sunset jaunt around the islands, to exploring the waterfront’s UNESCO World Heritage-listed fortifications.

The town is known as Canada’s museum capital, with 20 museums and national historic sites. Built to house the needs of a capital city, but never actually used for purpose, the City Hall is considered one the finest 19th-century buildings in Canada. Founded in 1841, the marketplace is the oldest in the country and Queen’s University has an array of majestic buildings in a dreamy setting.

OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: going flightseeing above the Thousand Islands in Canada; boats at the marina; Boldt Castle, home to a tragic love story and a delicious salad dressing recipe that is internationally famous. ABOVE: cheers to the idyllic island chain that sits on the Canada-US border.

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Salad days Kingston was also recently crowned as the city with the highest number of restaurants per capita in Ontario, and the fifth highest in the whole of Canada. We join a tour with Kingston Food Tours for an insider’s guide to the extraordinary culinary scene.

“Each place we’re going to is locally owned,” says guide, Jessica Lowry. “Where possible local produce is used and sustainably sourced. And I hope you’re hungry.”

Over the next two hours we wind through the streets and laneways of Kingston grazing on delicacies like Alaskan fish beer-battered tacos at Dianne’s Fish Shack & Smokehouse; beef ragu ravioli at Olivea where the owners take the staff to Italy each year to immerse them in the culture, and Atomica’s handmade pizza with a maple syrup drizzle.

It’s hard to pick a favourite sweet treat at Pan Chancho, the type of artisan bakery everyone wishes they had on their street corner; and the queue outside Mio Gelato says it all.

And this is only lunch.

A half-hour drive away, Gananoque (pronounced gan-an-ock-way) village is Kingston’s youngest sibling.

The pretty streets have colourful hanging baskets tumbling from the verandas of the brightly painted Victorian houses. Set on the waterfront with easy boat access to the islands, it’s a gathering spot for people who have summer houses or are permanent Thousand Island residents.

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It’s here Ray Stedman, owner of Laverne’s, a buzzy, retro-style eatery that offers updated diner classics, makes me his scratchmade version of Thousand Island dressing. After being surprised, and a little disappointed the famed dressing isn’t a feature of the region’s foodie scene, I savour every delicious mouthful. “Everyone has their own secret recipe – I like to add thinly sliced white onion,” he says.

On our last day, we head off for a full day kayaking around the the magical collection of islands. After seeing the Thousand Islands from the air, and on a sightseeing cruise, paddling at water level adds a new perspective to the visit.

Launching from the Gananoque breakwater, the kayaks move easily through the glassy water. “September is probably the best time to visit the islands,” says Andrew Moizer a guide with 1000 Islands Kayaking

Co. “The weather is stable and it’s not as crowded as summer.”

It doesn’t take long before we’re amongst our first cluster of islands, passing rustic cabins, chocolate box houses, boathouses and glades of old growth trees, their roots seemingly floating in the water.

After rounding McDonald Island, Andrew pulls the small group tightly together to cross Wanderer’s Channel where we find ourselves floating in a surreal setting in the shallows of Mudlunta Island. A shipwreck is right beneath us. Gazing into the clearest water imaginable we glide down the entire length of the wreck of The Briton.

“Shipwrecks are common here,” says Andrew. “Lots of piracy and bootlegging went on, especially during Prohibition.”

Although the ship below us wasn’t a victim of skulduggery, years later it was set alight as a result of a wild shore party.

We enter a cave where the granite walls narrow and the water stills. Half Moon Bay is a place of worship with an outdoor pulpit hidden amongst the trees on a raised rocky platform with flower boxes draped with greenery and splashes of red, yellow and purple. Services have taken place every Sunday for the last 135 years.

As we peer at a photo Andrew shows us of the cove in the 1880s, jam-packed with boats used as pews, a woman in a canoe pulls beside and tells us her great grandfather was one of the first pastors of this nondenominational church. This is the spirit of the Thousand Islands; generations of rich history that is also friendly and accessible with a surprise around every corner.

I am thrilled to have found the Thousand Islands but, like the famous salad dressing recipe, I wonder if it might be best to keep it a secret.

Frontenac Club – Kingston

IMAGE: GEORGE FISCHER – SOUTH EASTERN ONTARIO TOURISM.

Luxury meets innovation in this elegant independently owned boutique hotel. The meticulously restored historic building with aspects dating back to 1826 offers 20 exquisite suites, each based on a different theme. Book a private dinner inside the original bank vault, sip a fancy cocktail at the classy bar, or simply relax in the stunning courtyard garden.

OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: houses in the city of Kingston; kayaking between the islands; a Kingston market. ABOVE: the best time to visit is September with good weather and fewer crowds.

DREAM BY L U XU RY E S CAP E S

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Alex Lahey

“This camera was gifted to me by my partner by way of Samy’s Camera in Los Angeles. It is a Pentax K1000 – a mechanical 35mm SLR, initially released in the mid 1970s as a camera for high school students to learn on but has found a cult following in the film world today.

I’ve been taking photos on film for almost a decade. It may be my only hobby outside of making music and a good one to have as someone who spends a lot of time on the road. As a musician, there’s something special about a creative outlet that has nothing to do with sound.

This camera comes everywhere with me and has seen so much of the world in our

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time together – it already has trips to Egypt and Alaska slated for the coming year. Who knows where it travelled before it came into my possession. The unknowns of who has looked through this almost 50-yearold camera, and what they were looking at, strike me as very poetic. I love to experiment with different types of film and settings, and always enjoy a chat with the good folk over the counter at Hillvale in Brunswick, Melbourne and Gold Photo in LA when I drop off rolls for development and pick up the negatives on the other end.”

Alex Lahey’s praised third record The Answer Is Always Yes is out now on Liberation Records.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY SAMARA CLIFFORD.

LO S ANG E L E S, CA L I F O R NI A

Pentax K1000 camera from Samy’s Camera

S I NG ER-S O NGWR I T ER

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