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Win A luxury trip for two to New york ANd los ANgeles

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25 Glamping

getaways from Bali to Botswana

float your boat Canal cruising in France

PaPua NEW GuINEa

Escape to the Conflict Islands

INdIa uNtamEd

Monsoon rafting in Kerala

ChIllIN’ IN ChIlE

ISSN 1449-3543

Santiago’s bohemian barrio

| fiji | greece | fiji||mexico | usA AustrAliA || colombiA AustrAliA cANAdA | colombiA greece| |south mexico | NepAlAfricA

spSEeCciTaIOlN

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NATURAL SELECTION 25 ‘glampsites’, where nature and luxury combine.

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FRANCE Don your skipper’s cap and take the slow boat through Burgundy.

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CoNFlICT ISlANDS Take to the depths of Papua New Guinea’s remote paradise.

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INDIA Battle a monsoonal river, armed only with a bamboo raft, in kerala.

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AUSTRAlIA Throw in a line at a wilderness lodge on Bremer Island. #10 get lost ISSUE #42

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MExICo The magnificent men – and devoted fans – of lucha libre. get in the know Regardless of a destination’s name, Canada’s airport codes all begin with a Y.

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contents

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News & Views The globe uncovered Events What’s going down?

Get Social Send in and win Places to Stay The weird and wonderful

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Top Trips The best we can find Top 10 Brewery Tours Retro Travel All-American road trip You Wish Mojitos in Medellín

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Get Packing An instant itinerary for Fiji After Dark Vancouver by night Festival A Nepali kind of New Year

110 lIkE A loCAl

122 ToP BARS

114 FooD

124 MUSIC

The hungry traveller in Greece

Gram Parsons and the body snatchers

116 PHoToGRAPHY

126 REVIEWS

Digital tricks

Gadgets and other goodies

120 TRAVEl JoB

128 CoNFESSIoNS

Santiago’s coolest ’hood

Sound check

The world’s best watering holes

Getting your gear off globally

get in the know In the first four months of this year, more than 29 million transited through Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport, making it the world’s busiest.

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en coat theMselves in saltand mineral-rich black mud on the shore of lake Urmia, a salt lake in the iranian province of West azerbaijan. this is the largest lake in the Middle east, but has been shrinking over the past three decades, and the country’s environmental scientists report it now holds only five per cent of the water it did 20 years ago. although designated a Unesco Biosphere Reserve in 1976, drought and increased water usage by local agriculture have contributed to the lake’s diminishing water level, causing the salt level of the water to rise so that it is now eight times the level of regular seawater.

• Canon EOS-1D Mark II N • Canon EF 16–35mm f/2.8L USM lens • ISO 100, f/11, 1/320 sec Photography by Hossein Fatemi/ Panos Pictures

The subterranean narrow Lounge is one of vancouver’s most intimate bars. #36 get lost ISSUE #42

get in the know Prohibition only lasted four years in British Columbia – nine years less than the USA.

vancouver There’s always the temptation to follow the crowds in a faraway city, but luckily we have Vancouver local John Lee to lead us past the painfully obvious in British Columbia.

Photography by Dominic Schafer

get in the know Errol Flynn died in Vancouver in 1959, allegedly after enjoying a week-long drinking binge in the city.

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It’s all about joy during Sindoor Jatra in the town of Thimi. #42 get lost ISSUE #42

get in the know Nepal is only the 93rd largest country by square kilometres, but if you squished its mountains flat it would be as large as a continent.

NEPAL

In Nepal’s ancient Tantric city, Cam Cope celebrates the New Year.

Photography by Cam Cope

get in the know Locals say there are six directions of travel in Nepal: north, south, east, west, up and down.

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anej guideS me through a paCked medieval square and down a steep, deserted alley. the excitement of the crowd fades behind a row of temples and with each step away my paranoia grows: am i about to miss the action? “do not worry, mr Cameron,” Sanej says, trying to appear confident. “the best place i know it very well.” it’s day four of Bisket jatra, a raucous nine-day festival for nepali new Year celebrated with unmatched intensity in the uneSCo World heritage city of Bhaktapur.

According to the Newar ethnic group who predominate here, the Sky is about to make love to the Earth in a ceremony that honours the special Tantric power of a fabled prince.

I begin to think Sanej’s promise of the best view in town is an equally unlikely fable until he leads me through a nondescript doorway to a rickety staircase. Each floor we ascend lets in more noise from the streets, and on the fifth we can barely hear ourselves say “Namaste” to a huddle of bewildered, giggling grandmothers.

Above them we hoist ourselves through a hatch and climb onto the roof just in time.

I barely have a moment to take in the panorama of hordes of people erecting a 50-metre wooden ‘pole of love’ called a Yoshin before a human surge flows downhill from the centre of the old town. Sanej’s local knowledge has seriously paid off. We’re in the box seat as a fierce tug of war ensues via a tangle of hundred-metre-long ropes between rival sections of the crowd. It’s called the Grounding of the Yoshin and the movement of the pole in a large stone mortar none too subtly symbolises a divine bump and grind as the sun casts its last rays. Such is the power of each thrust that scores of men on the losing side are left dangling from ropes metres above the brick pavers.

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Pretty as a postcard: Auxerre at dawn. #52 get lost ISSUE #42

get in the know According to the city’s archives, Saint Patrick studied in Auxerre for two years in the fifth century.

france

Captaining a canal boat through Burgundy in France, Pat Kinsella has nothing to lose bar his head.

Photography by Pat Kinsella

get in the know The Canal du Nivernais was originally built to float lumber from the Morvan and Bazois forests to Paris.

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Tiny Itamarina is the jewel in the crown of the Conflict Islands. #60 get lost ISSUE #42

get in the know The Conflict Islands are located in the Coral Sea, due east of the northernmost tip of Australia.

papua new guinea

At the edge of Papua New Guinea is a group of far-flung isles that, until now, has flown under the travel radar. Karen Halabi leaves the modern world behind in the Conflict Islands.

Photography by Karen Halabi, Anthony Horth and Takuyu Nakamura

get in the know About 850 different languages are spoken in Papua New Guinea, although some by as few as 300 people.

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A man from the nearby Trobriand Islands performs a welcome dance. #62 get lost ISSUE #42

get in the know Alotau is home to the annual Canoe & Kundu Festival, highlighting local culture, each November.

papua new guinea

T

he design has barely changed in a millennium, but when it works as well as this one, why would you bother? We’re perched in a sailau, a type of wind-powered wooden canoe, about 12 metres long, constructed from timber gathered from nearby Panaeati Island. The crew stands to one side on the bamboo outrigger – at least they do when they’re not swinging out over the water on the boom to change direction or bailing water from the bilge.

Sailaus are not tourist crafts; rather, they’re the main form of transport for locals to get around in this part of the world. They are the truck, car, school bus and telegraph for these island communities, racing along at speeds of 12 to 15 knots, delivering people, goods and news to wherever it is they need to be. They’re unique because they’re shallow enough to skim over reefs and land on islands inaccessible to Western-style yachts.

We’re sailing in the Conflict Islands, the most far-flung atoll in Papua New Guinea’s south-east Milne Bay Province. They’re part of the Louisiades group of about 600 islands. With only about 160 of them inhabited, this is one of the world’s final frontiers.

Twenty-one pristine islands, encircling a central lagoon formed from the rim of a sunken extinct volcano, make up the Conflicts. In the past there was 24 of them, but the others have since disappeared underwater. These days, the whole lot is owned by Australian-born entrepreneur turned ecowarrior Ian Gowrie-Smith.

The islands are deserted, except for a tiny resort on the 64-hectare Panasesa Island. Here, you’ll find six beach bungalows, created by craftsmen from nearby islands with rosewood for the floors and carved timber columns, in an idyllic setting that includes little else other than a dive shack, clubhouse with dining area and bar, and a couple of vegetable gardens. Previously this tiny patch of paradise was off limits to the public – a private hideaway for Gowrie-Smith and his close friends and family when they could make the long journey. Even now, when the resort is at capacity, the island’s population peaks at 12.

A reef 300 metres off shore fringes Panasesa Island, creating a spectacular iridescent blue lagoon. There’s just one way in for arriving boats – a small break in the coral wall that must be navigated with care.

The colours are spectacular and, even from the boat, the life beneath the water is clearly visible. Parrot fish are busy, scraping the algae from coral that, eventually, becomes the finer-than-caster-sugar sand forming the white island beaches.

Back during World War II, US troops cut a swathe through Panasesa’s coconut palms to create a grass strip capable of landing small planes.

These days, coconut shells line each side of the runway, which ends at the ‘international’ terminal: a small thatched hut with a sign.

A sand path leads from the accommodation to the far side of the island. It’s possible, on reaching the beach, to wade into the water and snorkel to the fringing reef. Here, the coral wall drops 40 metres into the deep, its vertical mass alive with fish and coral.

And while the marine life is spectacular, it’s not confined to the ocean’s depths. One night I watch as, just metres from the bungalows, a hawksbill get in the know There is a thriving black market in sea cucumbers, which, once harvested, are commonly referred to as trepang and bêche-de-mer.

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GO

with the

In the spice-fragrant hinterland of Kerala’s Malabar Coast, David Stott encounters an endangered river culture and finds deliverance aboard a bamboo raft.

Photography by David Stott

Hand-carved boats ferry coconut plantation workers across the Tirur River, a tributary of the Nila. #68 get lost ISSUE #42

get in the know Kerala’s monsoon is one of the world’s most predictable climate events, arriving on or around 9 June every year.

IndIa

get in the know The mosque at Ponnani was built by a Hindu architect, who reputedly died falling off the roof after looking towards Mecca.

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NATURAL SELECTION There’s nothing like stretching out beneath canvas to evoke a sense of being close to nature. Here, we explore 25 glamping destinations that let you do just that while never forgoing creature comforts.

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get in the know Canvas Hotel boasts Norway’s largest raclette grill for its dining table.

Canvas Hotel Nissedal,Norway

Inspired by his work on the TV show 71° Nord, Norway’s answer to Survivor, owner Jan Fasting cobbled together nine yurts by one of the country’s lakes. Hire a bike and spend your days throttling the 100 kilometres of granite tracks twisting through the bush. At the end of the day return for refreshments from the beer tap on wheels and a feast cooked on a raclette tabletop grill. Soak your aching muscles in a vintage bathtub by the lake then simmer in the sauna and, if you’re game, do as the locals do and dive into the ice-cold water. Once you’re ready for bed, bunk down in your yurt where carpet, a layer of wool insulation and a log fire keep things comfy.

During the Day… Head into the forest with a guide or rent a bike and hit the trails. Back at camp book a lakeside concert with Keith Austin, a former rocker with Dr. Hook who lives in a nearby village, and relax with a massage. For the ultimate showstopper, explore the countryside by helicopter. neeD to know The yurts are available during the warmer months of May through October from AU$210 per night, including breakfast. canvashotel.no

get in the know The temperature in Nissedal dips to as low as -10oC in winter.

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sang giri mountain tent resort Bali, Indonesia

The heritage-protected rice paddies of Jatiluwih are virtually as far removed from Kuta and its bogans as is possible on one small island. Pitching its eight luxury tents with these fields and lush rainforest as a backdrop, Sang Giri Resort takes full advantage of the mountain air and panoramic views from the hills. The shelters boast queen-size beds and a couple of torches, but don’t be concerned – they are for evening exploring. Your tent has all the mod cons you could possibly wish for, including electricity, bathrooms with rain showers and eco-friendly products. Welcome the day with a few sun salutations on the yoga platform and thank Mother Earth for her work… and the camp’s access to free wi-fi.

During the Day… Grab a bike and cycle to villages, hike through rainforest and rice fields, visit nearby waterfalls or soak in natural hot springs. neeD to know The camp is two-and-a-half hours’ drive from Ngurah Rai International Airport. From about AU$170 a night, including breakfast. sanggiri.com

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get in the know The Subak irrigation system in Jatiluwih is on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

tanja lagoon Camp Tathra, Australia

Set on the edge of a coastal lagoon on the doorstep of Mimosa Rocks National Park, just north of Tathra on the New South Wales coast, Tanja Lagoon Camp is a destination that offers little separation from nature. Formerly a dairy farm and saw mill, the property is undergoing a transformation as the owners return the land to its original state. The three safari tents have private bathrooms, queen-size beds, writing desks and timber decks built with locally milled wood. Kangaroos graze on the grass, spoonbills lurk about the dam and there is plenty of other wildlife to keep guests entertained.

During the Day… Relax and watch the rosellas from your deck or take a canoe out across the water. More active vistors can hike along the edge of the lagoon to Middle Beach’s surf breaks to spot migrating whales. neeD to know From AU$215 a night, including a light breakfast and use of the canoes. tanjalagooncamp.com.au

tHe seCret Yala

Yala National Park, Sri Lanka

Better known for its wildlife encounters than sandy shores, the teardrop-shaped island of Sri Lanka possesses some of the world’s most beautiful beaches. Tucked between jungle and a gorgeous beach on the south-east coast of the island, this ‘glampsite’ showcases the best of both attractions with plenty of luxurious trimmings to keep campers happy. Hang around home base with your own Belvedere answering your every demand or lie back in a private beach hut and take in sweeping views of the Indian Ocean. If booking a personal butler feels a little too posh, pull on your khakis, grab your binoculars (they’re supplied in each tent) and hit the jungle with the on-call zoologist.

During the Day… Spot elephants, leopards and crocs on a safari through Yala National Park or go birdwatching at the Bundala Bird Santuary. For spiritual exploration, soak up heady incense at the Kataragama Temple and nearby shrines, or get a taste of local life in Kirinda, a fishing village. neeD to know Avoid booking during the north-east monsoon season from about November to February. From about AU$185 per night, including breakfast. thesecrethotels.com

get in the know Each year from June to November the headlands at Mimosa Rocks National Park are excellent vantage points for whale watching.

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