July 2011

BEACHES & ISLANDS SPECIAL ISSUE

SOUTHEAST ASIA

FAB FIJI FINDS

15 NEW WAYS TO EXPLORE, ENJOY

JULY 2011

25

ISLANDS

WE UNEARTH SECLUDED SECRET SPOTS

DIVE NOW!

Indonesia Jakarta quick getaway guide

PLEASURES OF PENANG T+L’s ultimate trip to George Town

HAINAN ITALY VIETNAM BANGKOK

MUST-READ BASICS FOR BEGINNERS

SENTOSA

Five hot, new culinary classics

SINGAPORE SG$7.90 ● HONG KONG HK$43 THAILAND THB175 ● INDONESIA IDR50,000 MALAYSIA MYR17 ● VIETNAM VND85,000 MACAU MOP44 ● PHILIPPINES PHP240 BURMA MMK35 ● CAMBODIA KHR22,000 BRUNEI BND7.90 ● LAOS LAK52,000

Tra ve l a n d L e i s u re A s i a . c o m

contents

july 2011 volume 05 : issue 07

features 110 25 Secret Island Escapes White-sand beaches, salty breezes, freshly caught seafood—who doesn’t love an island getaway? From a remote retreat in Vietnam to a throwback Indonesian getaway, T+L rounds up 25 under-the-radar spots where you can truly unwind.

110 6 july 2011 | travelandleisureasia.com

Away from it all in Sipadan.

130 Among the Volcanoes Off the map and out of mind, East Java is often overlooked in favor of its more famous neighbors. Yet, as adam skolnick discovers, climb beyond the clouds, meet the natives and you’ll uncover a land teeming with history. map and guide 136

jas o n wo lcot t

120 Penang Pleasures This tiny island is a repository of authentic local character, with its very own World Heritage Site, stylish new hotels and some of the best street food you’ll ever eat. guy trebay reports from George Town. photographed by mikkel vang. map 122, guide 128

contents

july 2011 volume 05 : issue 07 T+L SOUTHEAST ASIA

BEACHES & ISLANDS SPECIAL ISSUE

BEACHES & ISLANDS ISSUE / 25 SECRET ISLANDS / FIJI / EAST JAVA / DIVING TIPS / PENANG / BANGKOK

SOUTHEAST ASIA

JULY 2011

25

FAB FIJI FINDS

ISLANDS

15 NEW WAYS TO EXPLORE, ENJOY

WE UNEARTH SECLUDED SECRET SPOTS

DIVE NOW!

Indonesia Jakarta quick getaway guide

MUST-READ BASICS FOR BEGINNERS

PLEASURES OF PENANG

SENTOSA

T+L’s ultimate trip to George Town

J U LY 2 011

HAINAN ITALY VIETNAM BANGKOK

Five hot, new culinary classics

SINGAPORE SG$7.90 ● HONG KONG HK$43 THAILAND THB175 ● INDONESIA IDR50,000 MALAYSIA MYR17 ● VIETNAM VND85,000 MACAU MOP44 ● PHILIPPINES PHP240 BURMA MMK35 ● CAMBODIA KHR22,000 BRUNEI BND7.90 ● LAOS LAK52,000

07COVER BEACHES+ISL.indd 1

Tra ve l a n d L e i s u re A s i a . c o m

10/06/2011 11:01

On the cover

At YL Residence No. 17, Koh Samui, Thailand. Photographed by Nat Prakobsantisuk. Model: Tayna Fernandes Noroes. Styled by Kontee Pamaranond.

Hair by Pongsiri Pornpijaipark. Make-up

by Kamol Chatrasen. Sunglasses and leather skirt by Chanel; bag by Fendi.

33 T+L’s Scuba Starter Kit. A handy

guide to learning how to dive and

three can’t-miss underwater spots

around the region.

newsflash

54 60

44 The Maldives’ latest luxury stay,

Jamaican culture gets it groove on, new Amsterdam hotels and more.

insider 53 Book John Stanmeyer’s

photographs capture a hidden

side of Bali. by lara day

54 24 hours A day in Hainan’s

capital, complete with must-eat

chicken rice. by helen dalley 58 Quick Getaway Close to

Jakarta, Pulau Macan is an idyllic

escape. by steve mollman 60 drink Modern spins on a

traditional Philippine coconut

liquor. by ben keene

62 8 july 2011 | travelandleisureasia.com

62 Eat Singapore’s Sentosa

grows up, with a new wave

of restaurants and star chefs.

by daven wu

f r o m to p : c o u r t e s y o f m i s s i o n h i l l s h a i k o u ; c o u r t e s y o f c h e f ' s ta b l e ; c o u r t e s y o f d i n i n g r o o m

strategies

contents

july 2011 volume 05 : issue 07

106 99

66 Navigator Bangkok’s top

new restaurants, hotels and shops.

by jennifer chen

stylish 73 Shopping Malaysia’s leading

fashion blog gives the inside scoop

on KL’s top designers, trends and

boutiques. by naomi lindt

92 Dispatch With so many

journalists now reporting from

the front lines, veteran war

correspondent janine di

giovanni recalls the hotels—from

Sarajevo to Iraq—that once were

her havens, clubhouses and

second homes.

99 Outdoors Off the coast of central Vietnam is a small group

78 Beauty A globe-trotting French

podiatrist puts the “B” in barefoot

luxury. by daisy finer

106 Food From Piedmont to

Campania and many places in

between, anya von bremzen

discovers six affordable agriturismi

where the food comes straight

from the land and Italian

traditions live on.

12 In this issue 14 Editor’s note 18 Contributors 20 Mail

journals

10 july 2011 | travelandleisureasia.com

of islands that seems entirely forgotten by the modern world, writes duncan forgan—and that’s just fine by him and many of the locals he meets. photographed by aaron joel santos

departments

80 uniform What to wear when

you’re on the fly like fashion

designer Anna Trzebinski.

by shane mitchell

85 Adventure A dream

destination comes alive for

jeremy tredinnick—both above

sea level and below the surface—

around the remote islands that

make up Fiji.

22 Best Deals 24 Ask T+L 28 Smart Traveler

73

30 Digital Traveler 138 Last Look

c l o c k w i s e f r o m t o p l e f t : S i m o n Wat s o n ; a a r o n j o e l s a n t o s ; d av i d h a g e r m a n

64 Resorts Four new island bolt holes, four ways, all in Southeast

Asia. by liang xinyi

in this issue

Cham, Vietnam 99 Kuala Lumpur 73

Bangkok 66

Penang 120

Australia and The Pacific Cocos Islands 33 Fiji 85 Pohnpei 33

Active and Adventure

85, 130

Arts+Culture

46

Beaches + Islands

28, 44, 53, 54, 58, 62, 64, 99, 110

Beauty

78

City

66, 120

Fashion

80

Europe Amsterdam 49 France 47 Italy 106

Food + Drink

47, 60, 106

Hotels + Resorts

44, 49, 92, 138

Shopping

73

The Americas Jamaica 48

Travel Tips

22, 24

Featured Destination

Penang

All during July, Penang celebrates its unesco World Heritage status, proving there’s more to this island getaway than tropical beaches and not-to-be-missed street food. July 7 is even an official holiday dedicated to the event. Cultural shows and traditional craft demonstrations fill the calendar throughout the rest of the month. (See page 120 for more on Penang.)

12 july 2011 | travelandleisureasia.com

m i k k e l va n g ( 3 )

travel tip

Asia Haikou 54 Maldives 44 Osaka 24

Fiji 85

trip ideas

DESTINATIONS Southeast Asia Bali 33, 46, 53 Bangkok 66 Bohol 33 Boracay 33, 138 Cham, Vietnam 99 Indonesia 64 Java 130 Khao Lak, Thailand 64 Koh Lanta 33 Koh Tao 33 Kuala Lumpur 73 Laos 24 Perhentian, Malaysia 33 Penang 120 Puerto Galera 33 The Philippines 60 Pulau Macan 58 Singapore 62, 64 Vietnam 64

Java 130

editor’s note where to find me )) matt@mediatransasia.com )) matt leppard tlsea on Facebook

PICKS OF THE MONTH T+L-quality island stays that are worth checking out.

Phuket Renaissance Phuket Resort & Spa This flagship resort property leading the stylish Renaissance pack. Stunning property and great location—a must-visit.

555, Moo 3, Mai Khao, Talang; marriott.com.

Charles Darwin’s visit to the Galapagos Islands were groups of birds with beaks that differed from island to island based upon their habitat. Hence, each group had evolved to maximize its survival potential (or had been intelligently designed, created and so on). My point here—other than to bring a little tidbit of knowledge into readers’ lives— is that islands don’t just have the allure of sanctuary through separation from mainlandrelated woes. They also have the power, over time, to cause certain changes; in the case of humans, changes in subcultures. True, we all visit islands to get away from it all and to feel some sense of pampered seclusion or to seek out beach-based hedonism (one tends to move from the latter to the former at age 40, I discovered). But we also visit to experience the charm and sense of “otherness” that can only be experienced in such oases. Take Bali— my current home from home. In our review of the book Island of the Spirits (page 53), we

glimpse the Hindu culture that dominates Bali. But as any visitor to the Island of the Gods will testify, Balinese culture is so much more, ranging from Brahmist to Buddhist to Christian, with the whole thing wrapped up in a semi-pagan earth-worship package.

Elsewhere in Indonesia, we look towards East Java (“Among the Volcanoes,” page 130), where these ideas are expanded on in much more detail in a fascinating account of cultural history and evolution. At the other end of the spectrum, the oft-maligned Sentosa island has, in the words of our writer, “graduated from... resort center to culinary hot spot” (“Serving Up Sentosa,” page 62), so check it out. Lastly, no T+L SEA special issue would be complete without a list of the newest secret spots, so do enjoy our roundup of “25 Secret Island Escapes” (page 110). As for me, my next significant island visit should be to the Maldives next year. Plans are already afoot, as they say.— m at t l e p pa r d

Bali Conrad Bali Resort & Spa Absolutely sensational rooms, indulgent afternoon teas and one of the most inviting pools on the island. You might even walk away with a cute toy monkey—a little in-room gift.

Jalan Pratama, Bali; conradbali.com.

Maldives Shangri-La’s Villingili Resort & Spa Visit the website, drool over the pics, then book your beachside break. The perfect place for honeymooning romantics. Villingili Island, Addu Atoll; shangri-la.com.

travel + leisure editors , writers and photographers are the industry ’s most reliable sources . while on assignment, they travel incognito whenever possible and do not take press trips or accept free travel of any kind.

14 july 2011 | travelandleisureasia.com

tom ho ops

I f yo u ’ v e e v e r s t u d i e d ev o lu t i o n, yo u ’ l l k n ow a l l a b o u t f i n c h e s. A n d i f n o t, h e r e ’s t h e l ow d ow n. A m o n g o t h e r f i n d s d u r i n g

Koh Samui W Retreat Koh Samui Stylish, trendy, hip and most definitely the place to see and be seen, the W Samui, as we affectionately know it, is one of the most outstanding representations of this über-chic brand.

4/1 Moo 1 Tambol Maenam, Surat Thani; starwood.com.

editor-in-chief art director deputy editor features editor senior DEsigner DEsigner ASSISTANT editor/Illustrator Assistant Editor

Matt Leppard James Nvathorn Unkong Christopher Kucway Lara Day Wannapha Nawayon Sirirat Prajakthip Wasinee Chantakorn Liang Xinyi

Regular contributors / photographers Cedric Arnold, Jennifer Chen, Robyn Eckhardt, Philipp Engelhorn, David Hagerman, Lauryn Ishak, Naomi Lindt, Jen Lin-Liu, Nat Prakobsantisuk, Adam Skolnick, Darren Soh, Daven Wu

chairman president publishing director

Current Issue

now on

iPad avaliable at www.zinio.com

publishER director singapore / associate publisher DIGITAL MEDIA MANAGER business development managers CONSULTANT, HONG KONG/MACAU chief financial officer production manager production group circulation MANAGER circulation assistant

J.S. Uberoi Egasith Chotpakditrakul Rasina Uberoi-Bajaj

Robert Fernhout Lucas W. Krump Pichayanee Kitsanayothin Michael K. Hirsch Joey Kukielka Shea Stanley Gaurav Kumar Kanda Thanakornwongskul Supalak Krewsasaen Porames Chinwongs Yupadee Saebea

american express publishing corporation President/Chief Executive Officer Senior Vice President/Chief Marketing Officer Senior Vice President/Chief Financial Officer Senior Vice President/Editorial Director Vice President/Publisher, Travel + Leisure U.S. Executive Editor, International Publishing Director, International

Ed Kelly Mark V. Stanich Paul B. Francis Nancy Novogrod Jean-Paul Kyrillos Mark Orwoll Thomas D. Storms

travel+leisure southeast asia Vol. 5, Issue 7 Travel + Leisure Southeast Asia is published monthly by Media Transasia Limited, Room 1205-06, 12/F, Hollywood Centre, 233 Hollywood Road, Sheung Wan, Hong Kong. Tel: +852 2851-6963; Fax: +852 2851-1933; under license from American Express Publishing Corporation, 1120 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10036, United States of America. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any information storage or retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the Publisher.

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adam skolnick writer

jeremy tredinnick writer

Assignment Wrote our East Java feature (“Among the Volcanoes,” page 130).

Favorite thing about traveling in Indonesia No other destination combines the cultural diversity, natural beauty and personal warmth. East Java in three words Funky, deep, beautiful.

Best souvenir from East Java Losing a flipflop in a massive waterfall.

(See: surviving flip-flop as souvenir.) How many of Indonesia’s islands have you set foot on?

Thirty-four and counting.

Favorite Bahasa expression Tidak masala (no problem).

Assignment Wrote our look at Fiji (“Pacific Bounty,” page 85). Fijian surprise The highlands—amazing jungle, big rivers with lovely gorges and waterfalls, a great counterpoint to the islands and diving. Big sharks... Are not scary.

I love them. Sharks are graceful perfection, and virtually harmless to recreational divers. Trip of a lifetime I still haven’t dived the Galapagos. I have to get there one day.

Favorite Fiji keepsake A war club carved from a local hardwood, with decorative carvings of sharks, turtles and nautilus shells. Next assignment To Xinjiang to finish a guidebook I’m writing/photographing/ editing. A bit of a change from diving, a landlocked desert where water is prized for very different reasons.

naomi lindt writer Assignment Wrote “Kuala Lumpur Chic” (page 73).

Standout KL shopping No matter how much I try to resist, I always end up walking out with something from Peter Hoe Beyond— recent buys include a batik wall hanging and an orange leather bag. Two hours to spare, shop or eat If I’m with my husband, we’ll spend two hours looking for a hole-in-the-wall street-food joint. With girlfriends, there’s really never enough time to shop. KL in three words Most underrated capital.

Best city for shopping I love all the creative, independent boutiques in Phnom Penh, where I live.

Next big assignment Surviving a five-week trip to see family and friends from Maine to Arizona.

TOP ROW , FROM LEFT : c o u r t e s y o f a d a m s k o l n i c k ; c o u r t e s y o f n a o m i l i n d t ; C o u r t e s y o f j e r e m y t r e d i n n i c k .

BOTTOM ROW , FROM LEFT : j a s o n w o l c o t t ; d a v i d h a g e r m a n ; J e r e m y T r e d i n n i c k

contributors

mail

Letter of the month Burmese Ways

While it was good to read of a remote corner of Southeast Asia [“Road to the Past,” June 2011], I was left wondering how the people mentioned in the story were after the earthquake in Burma this past March. You did mention how Kengtung fared and the difficulty of

Dishing up Beijing

It’s good to see what used to be a staid capital city adapt to the modern world [“The New Sanlitun,” May 2011]. I was afraid that, after the Olympics, Beijing would lose its open arms approach to foreigners and the positive ways they can influence a city. This obviously isn’t the case when it comes to new restaurants and outside chefs. I just might have to pay the Chinese capital another visit.

—mary richardson, bangkok Hotel Updates

Really enjoyed the inside scoop on hotels, particularly how to save money

obtaining reliable information from outside the country, but I’m still left hanging. I guess we can only hope the details we do get are reliable. That and the beautiful architecture and scenery, captured in your photographs, have also survived for others to see.

—steven kho, kuala lumpur

when booking [“2011 Hotel Files,” June 2011]. As much as I don’t want to sound like some lame marketing tagline, I do think it pays to join loyalty programs even if your vacations are few and far between. I’m often allowed to bypass long lines at check-in, am forever receiving updates about special deals via the Internet and am always checking to see what new perks are introduced in each program. So it was good to read of independent hotel plans as well as the growing list of spin offs the major chains are involved in.

Keep us in the loop on all of these in the future.

—mary cheng, singapore

e-mail t+l Send your letters to editor@travelandleisuresea.com and let us know your thoughts on recent stories or new places to visit.

Letters chosen may be edited for clarity and space. The letter of the month receives a free one-year subscription to Travel + Leisure (Southeast Asia only). Reader opinions expressed in letters do not necessarily reflect those of Travel + Leisure Southeast Asia, Media Transasia Ltd., or American Express Publishing.

bestdeals

budget-friendly tips for your travel planning

AFFORDABLE BEACH TRIPS

deal of the month s n a p

Centara Grand Island Resort & Spa, Maldives.

Angsana Bintan, Indonesia.

INDONESIA Angsana Unveiled package at Angsana Bintan (62-770/693-111; angsana.

com), on Bintan Island, near Singapore.

What’s Included A stay in a Superior room; daily breakfast; round-trip coach transfers to and from Bintan Ferry Terminal; US$50 credit for dining or resort activities; and late check-out until 3 p.m.

Cost From US$185 per night, double, through September 15. Savings 50 percent.

PHILIPPINES Great Luxurious Getaway package at Discovery Shores Boracay (63-2/ 270-8888; discoveryshoresboracay.com).

What’s Included A two-night stay in a Junior suite; round-trip airfare between Manila and Caticlan by SEAIR; round-trip airport transfers; welcome drink; daily buffet breakfast; one Chef’s dinner at Sands Restaurant; one 50-minute massage at Terra Wellness Spa; and shuttle service along Long Beach. Cost From P18,888 per person, double, through October 15.

Savings 30 percent.

THAILAND Zpeedy Zeavola package at Zeavola Resort (66-75/627-000; zeavola. com) on Koh Phi Phi, near Phuket. What’s Included A stay in a Village Suite; round-

trip airport and jetty transfers by shuttle van and speed boat; daily breakfast at Braxil restaurant; and free Wi-Fi access.

Cost From Bt8,000 per night, double, 22 july 2011 | travelandleisureasia.com

Zeavola Resort, Koh Phi Phi, Thailand.

four-night minimum, through October 31.

Savings 25 percent.

VIETNAM Stay 3 Nights, Pay Only 2 Nights offer at Chen Sea Resort & Spa (84773/995-895; centarahotelsresorts.com/cpv), on Phu Quoc. What’s Included A threenight stay in Seaview villa; round-trip airport transfers; and daily breakfast. Cost From US$185 per night, double, through September 30. Saving 45 percent.

CHINA Introductory package at the Renaissance Sanya Resort & Spa (86-898/

3885-8888; renaissancesanya.com), on Hainan Island. What’s Included A threenight stay in a Deluxe room. Cost From RMB1,400 per night, double, through September 30. Savings 33 percent.

MALDIVES All Inclusive package at the Centara Grand Island Resort & Spa Maldives

(960/668-8000; centarahotelsresorts.com/ cirm), in Alifu Atoll. What’s Included A stay in a Beach Suite; daily buffet breakfast, lunch and dinner; afternoon tea and children’s ice cream station; pre-dinner snack; selected drinks at Aqua and Coral bars; all-day mineral water and soft drinks; and use of non-motorized watersports equipment. Cost US$620 per night, double, three-night minimum, through October 31. Savings 38 percent.

10th Year Anniversary package at Pimalai Resort & Spa (66-2/320-5500; pimalai.com), on Koh Lanta, Thailand. What’s Included A two-night stay in a Deluxe room, upgrade if available; round-trip airport transfers; early check-in and late checkout; daily breakfast; a daily one-hour spa treatment; 10 percent off dining; and 20 percent off island excursions. Cost From Bt18,650 (Bt9,325 per night), double, through October 31.

Savings 45 percent.

Pimalai Resort & Spa, Koh Lanta, Thailand.

c l o c kw i s e f r o m t o p l e f t : c o u r t e s y o f C e n t a r a G r a n d I s l a n d R e s o r t & Sp a M a l d i v e s ; c o u r t e s y o f a n g s a n a b i n ta n ; c o u r t e s y o f Z e av o l a r e s o r t ; c o u r t e s y o f p i m a l a i r e s o r t & s pa

i t

askt+l A tented room at Shangri Lao.

Credit card transaction fees can hurt when abroad.

Osaka Castle.

—Paweena Heng, Bangkok Obviously, the situation in Japan following the March earthquake, tsunami and nuclear-plant travails is in constant flux. Yet compared to the east coast, Osaka has come off rather unscathed and, though it did receive a good chunk of Tokyo’s diverted flights, is functioning as it normally would. “We in Osaka are hardly affected by the recent incidents,” says Mutsuko Akesaka, the director of public relations at the Ritz-Carlton Osaka. “In short, our life goes on as it used to. We hope that more overseas customers will feel comfortable about visiting the city.”

So it’s best to keep abreast of events on the ground prior to any visit.

Escape to serenity...

For just the two of you, the peace in a lush setting is pure romance.

SALA Samui. The rest is up to you.

SALA Samui Resort and Spa

Choengmon Beach, Koh Samui.

Telephone: +66 (0) 77 245 888 info@salasamui.com - www.salasamui.com

Q: Why is it that green luxury and Laos don’t mix?

—Cynthia Jung, Singapore a: Not so fast. Just 15 kilometers

outside of Luang Prabang, the country is set to open a tented camp that will offer guided treks into the Huay Sae River Valley. Shangri Lao (85671/252-417; shangri-lao.com; doubles from US$380) is scheduled to open in October, designed as a 19th-century camp, one with luxury tents complete with period furniture, hardwood floors and bathtubs, all overlooking the Khan River. The resort has access to more than 300 hectares of forest and employs local villagers to maintain the trails and preserve the land. For each guest booking an elephant tour of the area, another square meter of forest will be preserved. A small spa with a pool and jacuzzi, as well as a restaurant serving both Lao and Western food round out the facilities.

Q: How can I reduce foreign transaction fees on my credit cards when i travel?

—Robert Watson, Hong Kong a: There’s no shortcut to cut your

credit-card fees away from home, the best bet simply being to shop around financial institutions. The Card Hub website does just that, and though it’s largely U.S.-centric, it does give you a glimpse of what to expect with card fees and what questions you should be asking. It’s also worth remembering that charge cards are often a better route to savings, given their global nature, despite the annual fees. what’s your travel question?

» E-mail us at

editor@travelandleisuresea.com

» Post queries at

Facebook.com/TravelandLeisureAsia

» Follow us on Twitter at

@TravLeisureAsia (Questions may be edited for clarity and space.)

c l o c k w i s e FROM t o p LEFT : © M a u i n s o n s / D r e a m s t i m e . c o m ; s h a n g r i - l a o . c o m ; © P r e s s m a s t e r / D r e a m s t i m e . c o m

Is it safe to travel to Japan these days? I was thinking of visiting Osaka.

travelandleisure.com month 2010 00

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smarttraveler the ins and outs of modern travel

Get the guide for more smart safety tips for traveling in southeast asia, go to travelandleisureasia.com

Beach Safety Basics Southeast Asia is rightly famed for its stunning beaches, but deadly dangers lurk. Here, some tips on making sure your holiday doesn’t end in tragedy. By JENNIFER CHEN 28 july 2011 | travelandleisureasia.com

Think holiday in Southeast Asia and most people conjure up images of palm-fringed beaches and azure water. Millions hit the road in pursuit of that dream: last year, more than 3 million traveled to Phuket, while Bali expected around 2.5 million visitors—a record number.

Most beach vacations don’t go awry, but dangers do lurk and when they strike, the consequences can be fatal.

Take chironex fleckeri—a deadly species of box jellyfish whose venom causes extreme pain, cardiac arrest and if untreated, death within five minutes of being stung.

Chironex fleckeri and its kin chiropsoides buitendijki and Irukandji—a tiny bell-shaped jellyfish whose sting can lead to severe abdominal, muscular and chest pain, vomiting and anxiety—are found in Southeast Asian waters. Last year, at least two tourists died from jellyfish stings in the waters of Thailand and Malaysia.

Many more swimmers experience non-fatal stings and overall cases might be underreported, says Peter Fenner, an associate professor at the School of Public Health, Tropical Medicine and Rehabilitation Sciences at James Cook University in Australia. That’s because “authorities and travel operators are afraid of bad publicity affecting tourism.” Remember, though, that as with shark attacks, it’s statistically rare to suffer a fatal jellyfish sting—you’re more likely to die in a road accident.

You’re also more likely to drown. Every year, hundreds of swimmers drown in Southeast Asia because of powerful rip currents, estimates Rob Brander, a professor at the University of New South Wales and ripcurrent expert. Rip currents are fast, outgoing streams of water, and they occur when waves hit a part of the beach that deflects the water into a trough between shallower sandbars. (Unlike riptides or undertows, they’re not related to the tides and they don’t pull you under.)

The danger of rip currents is their speed. An outgoing current can move at more than eight kilometers per hour—that’s faster than even Olympic champion Michael Phelps. They also dissipate hundreds of meters offshore, by which time a swimmer might have panicked or may be too exhausted to swim back to shore.

Any beach exposed to the open seas and breaking waves is vulnerable to rip currents, says Brander, who Illustrated by Wasinee Chantakorn

runs an educational program on beach safety under the moniker “Dr. Rip.” Indonesia’s southern coastlines are particularly prone to them, but even placid waters are susceptible. “Seasonal rip currents are very common on the west coast of Thailand along the Andaman Sea and on the east coast of Vietnam, particularly in the Danang region,” Brander says. “Even some of the islands in the Gulf of Thailand, like Koh Samui and Koh Phangan, can experience rip currents during storms.”

But don’t let these threats ruin your next beach holiday. Awareness, as they say, is half the battle. The following tips can also help you stay in the clear.

1 Learn to recognize the signs of a rip current. Typical indications include: a channel of

choppy water; an area of water that’s a different color; a line of foam or seaweed that’s moving quickly out to sea; and fewer waves hitting the shore.

2 If you’re caught in a rip, don’t panic. “Panic is what drowns people, not the rip,” says Brander. If you’re a strong swimmer, try and escape the current by swimming parallel to the beach. Swim towards whitewater, or where waves are breaking, which indicates a shallower area. If you’re not a strong swimmer, stay afloat, save your energy and signal for help.

3 Pay attention to warnings. Double red flags mean the beach is closed; a single red flag signals strong surf and currents. Jet-ski vendors in Phuket reportedly pull up red flags, fearing bad business. In any event, if the sea looks rough, think twice before getting in.

4 Educate yourself about the weather and climate of the country you’re visiting. Know

when the monsoon is. Also, Brander notes, “if a beach has good surfing, there will be rip currents as well.”

5 Don’t swim alone. Many beaches in Southeast Asia don’t have lifeguards, so it’s best to go out in a group in case you get into any danger.

6 Prevention is key when it comes to jellyfish stings. Wear protective clothing in waters

where box jellyfish have been sighted. Sure, a longsleeved lycra stinger suit isn’t going to give you a killer tan, but it could save your life.

7 Keep vinegar handy. If you do get stung, pour vinegar on the wounds for at least 30 seconds. Vinegar prevents the remaining stinging cells from releasing venom. Then get medical help as soon as possible. ✚

traveler

websites, apps, tech gear, e-advice and more

innovator

Elizabeth Minchilli

Trend of the Month

deals on meals

Dinners at top restaurants around the region no longer have to be such a costly part of your trip, thanks to an influx of restaurant deals found both online and via mobile apps. Daily deal sites such as Groupon and Ensogo offer some excellent discounts, such as 62 percent off a six-course Cantonese dinner at Zing, in the Grand Millennium Kuala Lumpur.

T+L Picks: resources for the road

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30 july 2011 | travelandleisureasia.com

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who she is Though she’s been known for years as a writer of books about Italian interiors, Minchilli’s greatest passion is food—an interest that blossomed after her family moved from St. Louis to Rome when she was 12. “By the time I was 14, I was cooking for the whole family,” recalls the writer, who, in addition to writing for Food & Wine, posts daily about Italian cuisine and travel on her blog, elizabeth minchilliinrome.com. her big idea “I’ve always had my own list of restaurants to recommend to friends when they come to town,” Minchilli explains.

“People kept saying, ‘You should do an app.’ ” Earlier this year, she did just that, with the launch of Eat Rome and Eat Florence (US$2.99 each; iTunes). Both are searchable, GPS-enabled apps with Minchilli’s picks and reviews for the best places to eat, drink and shop for food in each city, complete with downloadable maps for offline viewing.

Illustrated by Leif Parsons

f r o m l e f t : COURTESY OF BULLGUARD ; COURTESY OF BALAN Z Z A ; COURTESY OF MOBIATA ; COURTESY OF ELI Z ABETH MINCHILLI

Riding on the group-buying wave are aggregator sites like AllDealsAsia, which compiles Internet deals in Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines in one place. There are also plenty of niche offshoots for dining and wining—good news for chowhounds who aren’t interested in, say, car-waxing offers.

Many Asian cities have their own foodcentered spin-offs, including Foodpon and HungryDeals in Singapore; EatsOkay in the Philippines; and OpenRice in Hong Kong. Savings are significant at these popular sales services, but the venues they choose can be random.

Some of these sites also have mobile apps for iPhone and Android, but the one that makes the best use of your smart phone’s GPS is the location-based check-in service Foursquare, which offers pop-up deals like a free sundae for the first 10 people who check in to Bangkok dessert café After You. Granted while it may not make a huge dent in your overall bill, it can save you money at the café while you wait—because one thing none of these sites does is actually score you a table. But hey, there are apps for that, too.— t om s a m i l ja n a n d l i a ng x i n y i

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Strategies travel smarter

T+L’s Scuba Starter Kit The underwater world still a mystery? Don’t fret.

From tried-and-tested Thai islands to remote reaches OF INDONESIA, we offer a handy guide to LEARNING HOW TO scuba dive in Southeast Asia. BY HANA R. ALBERTS

Illustrated by Wasinee Chantakorn

travelandleisureasia.com | july 2011 33

strategies diving itineraries

TAKING THE PLUNGE

ONLINE SCUBA RESOURCES

Below, six essential websites for first-time divers  ScubaBoard scubaboard.com Come here for straightforward message boards chock-full of technical info, dive-school reviews and recommendations for places to go and to avoid.  Lonely Planet’s Thorn Tree lonelyplanet.com/thorntree Forum posts are sorted by geographic location, but a quick search for “scuba” brings up thousands of helpful posts.  Travelfish travelfish.com Launched in 2004, the site focuses on the best places to eat, see and stay in Southeast Asia, including advice from users on where to get certified.  Dive Happy divehappy.com Bangkok-based scuba-diving journalist Chris Mitchell keeps a personal log of his trips: think detailed descriptions (and photos) of marine creatures and flora, as well as reviews of scuba boats and instructors.

W

hen it comes to learning how to scuba dive, experts say that trust is everything.

“It’s 10 percent about the diving, and 90 percent about the way they teach you,” says Chris Mitchell, a Bangkok-based scuba-diving journalist. “People want to become Jacques Cousteau in three days, and it’s never going to happen….

It comes down to who teaches you. If the equipment goes wrong, they can fix it. If the boat goes wonky, they can fix it.”

With that in mind, I chose the Perhentian Islands in northeast peninsular Malaysia as the place to get my PADI Open Water Diver certification.

Trawling websites on scuba diving (see sidebar, right), I came across Turtle Bay

34 july 2011 | travelandleisureasia.com

Divers (turtlebaydivers.com), which had been praised by several reviewers. Once I had arrived on Perhentians’ Pulau Kecil, I headed to the beach to have an informal talk with Tim Ho, the tanned Kuala Lumpur native who would become my instructor. I immediately felt at ease.

There are also ways to gauge the quality of a dive shop or resort before leaving home. First, make sure the instructor speaks your language and that the instructor-to-student ratio is low. (1:6 is acceptable; 1:4 is preferable; I was Ho’s only student that week and it was ideal.) You also know a dive school is legitimate if it requires that you fill out medical forms and answers e-mails quickly. “If they are prompt in replying, »

 Scubadviser scubadviser.com Jackie Hutchings and Rick Taylor, both U.K.-based divers, once had a dangerous diving experience, and created this website to offer reliable info on dive operators. Divers review their experiences and give one- to five-star ratings.

Over 12,000 diving outlets worldwide are listed.  PADI padi.com Founded in 1966, the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) not only provides courses and materials for diver education at levels from beginner to advanced, but also rates more than 6,000 dive shops and resorts worldwide for safety standards. They recently launched PADI eLearning (padi.com/elearning).

strategies diving itineraries then you know they’re organized and have a relatively responsive attitude toward the business,” says Ho, who gave out 160 PADI licenses during a six-month stint in the Perhentians last year. “Some instructors are in it for the beach bum life.... It may take them weeks to reply to your e-mail. They’ll also teach you like a beach bum.”

PADI (padi.com) lists accredited dive shops, awarding the best of the bunch five-star ratings. Ho also suggests looking carefully at the location of the school or resort, as some may require long journeys from the classroom to the water. Avoid areas with strong currents. Even at the beach, start learning in a pool or along a shore with soft sand that gradually slopes— less daunting for first-timers than jumping off a boat from the get-go.

There are other considerations, too. A first-time diver should figure out which certifying agency to follow:

PADI is the most popular, but SDI (Scuba Diving International) and SSI (Scuba Schools International) are also common. If you don’t want to commit to a three-day Open Water diving course, try Discover Scuba Diving, a half-day PADI course with one shallow dive that, should you choose to continue, will count toward the next level of certification. Most dive shops provide all the equipment you need, from a wetsuit to fins, but some experts advise arriving armed with your own mask to avoid the risk that water could creep into an ill-fitting one.

Then there’s the pesky question of cost: for the Open Water certification, about US$300 is the norm—but courses can cost as little as US$99 and can also have much higher price tags, according to Scubadviser.com’s Rick Taylor. Keep in mind that it might be silly to blow your bank account on an exotic diving holiday if you’re still a

where to get started

THAILANd

MALAYSIA

PHILIPPINES

INDONESIA

Koh Tao Commonly referred to as a dive factory—schools and resorts are chockablock—this island is one of the cheapest places to get certified. A short ferry ride from heavily touristed Koh Samui, it’s a staple of budgetconscious beginners along with Nha Trang in Vietnam and Sihanoukville in Cambodia.

Perhentian Islands A little farther afield, the Perhentians are made up of neighboring Pulau Besut (big island) and Pulau Kecil (small island). Families and honeymooners favor the former, while backpackers favor the latter with the sole exception of the upscale Bubu Long Beach Resort. Expect to see all manner of colorful fish—bulbous pufferfish; schools of barracuda—as well as sharks and turtles.

Boracay The Philippines’ most visited island is (relatively) easy to access, and it boasts other things to do if you’re not interested in spending all your time underwater: pristine beaches, happening nightlife and other sports like banana boating and jet-skiing.

Bali Experts agree that Indonesia has more to offer experienced divers, but that Bali’s reputation as a can’t-miss vacation spot has also cemented its place in the annals of learning-todive destinations. Pick a dive shop that caters to beginners, and bear in mind that most of the key dive sites aren’t near Kuta, where many visitors stay.

Some may require advanced certification; Tulamben Bay and Menjangan Island, both off Bali’s quieter northern coast, are suitable for beginners.

Koh Lanta Located on the other side of the Thai peninsula, this island offers beginner dives in a more laid-back setting than Koh Tao or the nearby party zones of Phuket and Koh Phi Phi. The well-frequented site of Hin Daeng and Hin Muang, known for manta rays, is an easy day trip away.

36 july 2011 | travelandleisureasia.com

Bohol Famed for its limestone Chocolate Hills, Bohol is an island in the Visayas that also includes dozens of smaller islands off its shore.

Conditions are more pristine in the dive sites around those—Cabilao island is especially stunning, with softwater coral reefs, turtles and barracudas.

f r o m f a r l e f t : © B a k s / D r e a m s t i m e . c o m ; © Th o r o n / D r e a m s t i m e . c o m

Below, six dive spots in the region that are ideal for scuba beginners

beginner. “How much are you actually going to see when you’re learning to dive?” says Mitchell. “It’s better to get certified, then head out for a nice trip when you can enjoy and appreciate what you are seeing.” Scubadviser.com co-founder Jackie Hutchings also suggests getting travel insurance that covers scuba diving—just in case.

If vacation time is what’s in short supply, PADI recently introduced an online classroom, so you can watch instructional videos, read the textbook and take quizzes over the Internet before boarding the plane. “It means you’re not spending your precious holiday inside,” says Mike Holmes, a 31-year diving veteran who is director of training and quality management at PADI Asia-Pacific.

A high-quality instructor is paramount when choosing where to scuba dive, but keep in mind that your non-diving travel companions

NE X T

might have other requirements. “If you do want somewhere that’s got some nightlife and a bit of action, then you would go to Koh Tao or Phuket,” Holmes says. “On the other hand, if you want somewhere a bit more secluded, you would go to the Perhentians or the Philippines.”

For all the destination checklists, scuba diving for me was about embracing a sense of adventure and exploring the unknown. Ho’s love for underwater life also stood out when I chose him as an instructor. His passion for underwater photography and the deep knowledge apparent from his personal website (scubatim.com) made me confident in his ability to care for me should anything go awry on the sea floor. “It’s a different world. It’s like the jungle and the mountains, but it’s not the same because you’re underwater,” Ho says. “You’re Superman. You can lift people with one hand.”

STEP S

What to do once you’re certified Now that you’re ready to try more challenging dive sites, hurry up and plan your next trip: a shockingly large percentage of qualified first-time divers never go again.

You now have the luxury of going eye to eye with more delicate marine life and can explore shipwrecks.

Also investigate liveaboards, boat trips where you’re out at sea for days at a time and can access more of the ocean floor.

Some sites require further instruction; for example, PADI offers an Advanced Open Water course (one step

above Open Water), an Enriched Air course for those who want to tackle deeper depths, and a Rescue Diver course. Divemaster and instructor training are the final steps. PADI’s digital-underwaterphotography course is perfect if you want to capture professionalquality images of what you see underwater.

Next, stock up on your own equipment, starting with perfectly fitting fins and a rashguard (a longsleeved top made of nylon or spandex that prevents chafing and protects skin from sun or jellyfish stings).

A dive computer is another asset for the intermediate diver. A watch-like gadget, it measures the time and depth of a dive to allow for a well-paced ascent, which helps prevent decompression sickness. You can even sign up for a year’s worth of the magazine Scuba Diving (scubadiving.com) for US$15, or immerse yourself in locationspecific coverage with publications like Asian Diver (asiandiver. com) and Scuba Diver AustralAsia (scubadiveraa.com), published by PADI.

strategies diving itineraries

3

TRIPS, SEASONS

Where to go for your next diving TRIP? Here, We pick three stunning spots for year-round underwater ADVENTURES. By Nick Goodyer

pohnpei

this far-flung island offers big fish, an ancient city and plenty of marine action

P Beachside in Pohnpei.

Accommodation at The Village.

Kayaking at Nan Madol.

38 july 2011 | travelandleisureasia.com

ohnpei, an island some 1,500 kilometers southeast of Guam, is nothing if not remote. It’s this very remoteness that makes it such a compelling dive destination. This is where to go for big critters and pelagic species—gray reef sharks; mantas—and a vast array of other fish, including jacks, trevallies, wrasse, fusiliers, schools of barracuda and even the occasional increasingly endangered blue-fin tuna.

Though waters around this seamount frequently reach a visibility of 45 meters–plus, currents tend to be strong so this is no place for novice divers. For those who do make it, however, the few entrances to the fringing reef bring nutrients from the island to the ocean, making Pohnpei an oasis of marine life in a vast expanse of empty ocean.

Palikir Pass on the northern part of the fringing reef is a perfect example of this, while the aptly named Manta Road is the best place to see the giant rays. The dive highlight, though, has to be Ant Atoll. Lying 10 kilometers southwest of the island, the low-lying sandbar encompasses a breathtakingly beautiful coral-filled lagoon. There is just one pass to the atoll, and when the tide is on the turn, large parties of gray reef sharks (schools of 100 are a common sight) hang at the entrance, apparently getting a buzz from the oxygenation of the strong current. But it’s not all adrenalin-fueled adventure; the coral gardens can also be explored by snorkeling.

DON’T MISS  Nan Madol

On Pohnpei’s eastern shore, Nan Madol is yet another location that has been coined a “Venice”—this one of the Pacific. The ruined city dates to the 12th century and has a remarkable structure: coral blocks are interweaved

with huge hexagonal basalt columns, brought in from an as yet unknown part of the Pacific. The whole complex is a labyrinth of 92 canals between artificial islands, much of it choked by mangrove swamp. Certain sections can be dived, and some navigated by kayak.

WHERE TO STAY

Accommodation on Pohnpei is limited, but by far the best is The Village ecoresort (thevillagehotel.com), which has bungalows and thatched treetop villas naturally cooled by the island’s breezes. Many people come here to dive, and accommodation–dive packages start at US$599 per person, on a room-share basis, for two day’s diving and a trip to Nan Madol.

Given the distance, you’ll want to stay for at least a week. It’s best to bring your own dive gear.

WHEN TO GO Year round.

GETTING THERE Continental Airlines flies in from Guam and Hawaii seven times a week.

»

c l o c kw i s e f r o m t o p : D a n N o r t o n ( 2 ) ; c o u r t e s y o f Th e V i l l a g e ( 2 )

Federated States of Micronesia

strategies diving itineraries

M

icronesia too tough to get to? On the north coast of Mindoro, Puerto Galera is within easy reach of Manila and is ideal for a short diving break. The area takes its name from the Spanish galleons that once plied the surrounding waters, and has an astonishing variety of dive sites for its size, and dives to suits all levels of ability. Sabang and White Beach are the main dive and accommodation centers, with access to a range of options including wrecks, swim-throughs, drift dives and drop-offs. It’s a great place to get qualified, with

site for novices as currents are often strong and the best diving is down deep.

Gregorian fans and prolific corals set the backdrop for snappers, sweetlips, groupers and, of course, the occasional white-tip shark.

WHERE TO STAY Most accommodation is linked with dive packages, and most dive shops offer rooms. Sabang has a busy nightlife that won’t suit everyone, and some will prefer quieter locales such as Palangan Beach—try

Blue Crystal Beach Resort

(bluecrystalbeachresort.com; doubles from P2,600).

the philippines

puerto galera many dive shops favoring training on house reefs rather than a dip in the hotel pool, giving novice divers the chance to see what the activity is all about.

DON’T MISS  The Canyons

Soft corals abound in Puerto Galera.

40 july 2011 | travelandleisureasia.com

Underwater sightings include scorpionfish.

It’s a measure of the popularity of Puerto Galera that the Canyons have become so famous. Within easy reach of either Sabang or White Beach, this is not a

WHEN TO GO

The dry season runs from November to June.

GETTING THERE

Hire a car and driver from Manila to Batangas—a twoand-a-half-hour journey— then take a 75-minute ferry ride from there to Puerto Galera; destinations include Sabang and White Beach.

Ferry company Si-Kat (632/521-3344) has offices on the quay.

M a r k Cox ( 4 )

compact AND packed with dive sites, THe coastal town IS ideal FOR A QUICK BREAK

Testing the waters at Puerto Galera

australia

cocos islands suitable for all levels, the spectacular diving in this former private kingdom is worth the trip

N

c l o c kw i s e f r o m t o p : J u l e s B u s h ; K a r e n W i l l s h a w ; J u l e s B u s h ; K a r e n W i l l s h a w ( 2 )

A sea anemone provides a haven for marine life.

Cottages at Cocos Castaway.

ow part of Australia, the Cocos (Keeling) Islands, in the Indian Ocean, were once a private kingdom, ruled for two centuries by the Clunies-Ross family.

Like Pohnpei, it is the islands’ remoteness that marks them out as an A-list dive destination—they’re approximately halfway between their mother country and Sri Lanka, and about 1,000 kilometers south of Sumatra. Some 30 islands form two atolls, with many of the fringing islands densely carpeted by coconut trees—hence the name.

The diving is out of this world, with a variety of wall dives, drop-offs and shallow lagoons replete with reef sharks (and the occasional tiger shark), turtles, mantas, dolphins and a friendly

dugong named Kat, not to mention corals in staggering proliferation. Parts of the sandy floor of the lagoon are littered with refuse, such as old signaling equipment, cannons and a safe, from the days when the islands were an important station on the telegraph network linking Australia with London.

Meanwhile, patches of seagrass draw hawksbill and green turtles. The diving here suits all levels, ranging from gentle wallowing in the shallows to some seriously challenging adventures on the outer walls of the reef.

There is just one dive outfit, Cocos Dive (cocosdive.com).

Rates start at A$200 per person for two dives and lunch, with some packages including accommodation.

WHERE TO STAY

All accommodation is on West Island, and ranges from dormitory-style to the more deluxe Cocos Homestead and My Island Home. The self-contained units of Cocos Castaway are a favorite among divers. Book through Cocos Accommodation (cocosaccommodation.com; doubles from A$210), or through Cocos Dive.

WHEN TO GO

Year round, though the driest months are from August to December.

DON’T MISS  Reef Walking

Taking to the air.

Not as environmentally destructive as it sounds, walking the atoll is possible at low tide and with a local guide, with an overnight stay in a pondok, or fishing shack. You’ll need to wear reef boots, and expect to see juvenile black-tip reef sharks darting across the shallows. At night, hermit crabs in their thousands swarm over fallen coconuts.

Corals in the Cocos.

GETTING THERE

Virgin Australia flies to the Cocos Islands from Perth three times a week, stopping on the way there or back at Christmas Island, which can also be reached from Kuala Lumpur by Malaysian Airlines. ✚

travelandleisureasia.com | july 2011 41

newsflash your global guide to what’s happening right now...

check-in

Known for its celebrity-attracting resorts in Miami, Anguilla, Santa Monica and other parts of the Americas, Viceroy Hotels & Resorts kicks off a global expansion this summer on Vagaru, a crescent-shaped Maldivian island. Vagaru is tiny—only about 7 hectares—but the Viceroy Maldives’ (1-323/930-3700; viceroyhotels andresorts.com/maldives; doubles from US$1,080) 16 villas boast a generous 125 to 307 square meters of indoor space. Their wide-open, sand-toned interiors, from noted design firm Yabu Pushelberg, face directly out to the water and to each villa’s big wooden deck, complete with recliners and private plunge pools; plenty of space between each villa ensures seclusion. Dining options range from casual (poolside grills) to refined (a private chef’s table in the wine cellar—go with the fresh seafood) and blend European, Mediterranean, African and Asian flavors. To help guests recover from the stress of all the snorkeling, world-class diving and deep-sea fishing, the resort offers spa treatments—reiki; ayurvedic—in huts hovering over the crystalline waters of the Indian Ocean. Our advice? Get there before everyone else does.— s t e v e mol l m a n

44 july 2011 | travelandleisureasia.com

co u r t e sy o f t h e V i c e r oy M a l d i v e s

indian ocean gem

Photography

SOUL WITNESS

Paging serious photography buffs. If you’ve ever wanted to shoot for National Geographic, here’s a rare chance to learn how: acclaimed U.S. photographer John Stanmeyer will be leading an intensive nine-day Bali Master Class (August 10–19; stanmeyerworkshops.com; US$3,800) for just 10 people next month in lush Ubud. The hands-on workshop will challenge already-proficient photographers to explore local culture through creative storytelling techniques. Stanmeyer will also reveal insights on the making of Island of the Spirits (see page 53), his recently published book on Bali.

c o u r t e s y o f j o h n s ta n m e y e r ( 2 )

newsflash

Three and five night summer family packages available Valid June – 31st August 2011, inclusive Vietnam’s newest island destination, Con Dao, is just a 40 minute flight from Ho Chi Minh City. Six Senses Con Dao is a unique eco-friendly luxury resort with 35 hotel villas and 15 three to four bedroom residential villas, each featuring private infinity pools and panoramic ocean views.

Villas are now available for sale, with a custom tailored rental program and guaranteed returns.

Awards & Accolades: International Property Awards 2010, “ The Best Small Hotel Contruction and Design in the World” Travel & Leisure USA, Cover Feature May 2011, “25 Secret Island Escapes”

For villa sales: T: +84 83 910 4855 E: condaosales@sothebysrealty.com.vn www.condaoresidence.com

For hotel bookings: T: +84 64 3831 222 E: reservations-condao@sixsenses.com www.sixsenses.com

detour

ripe for discovery There’s much more to Champagne, France, than sparkling wine.

Just an hour-long TGV ride from Paris, the region is now bubbling over with new spots to sip, eat and stay.—a n n a w a t s o n

CLOC K W ISE F ROM TOp : A G E F OTOSTOC K / SU P ERSTOC K ; c o u r t e s y o f o e n o v a s i o n ; c o u r t e s y o f c COMME ; C o u r t e s y o f L e s C r a y è r e s ( 2 ) ; F . SC H E P LIT Z ; C o u r t e s y o f H ô t e l J e a n M o ë t ( 2 )

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1 An 18th-century mansion turned 12room eco-retreat, the charming Hôtel Jean Moët opened last summer in the heart of Épernay, just off Avenue de Champagne. Its lovely wrought-iron-and-glass atrium doubles as a tea salon that serves (yes) champagne cocktails. 7 Rue Jean Moët; 33-3/26-32-1922; hoteljeanmoet.com; doubles from €117.

2 For classical French fare with a playful twist (a mille-feuille of Bresse pullet with foie gras butter; coquilles St.-Jacques in a puff pastry), head to Le Parc. Located within the historic, 20-room Les Crayères hotel, in Reims, the restaurant—with its collection of more than 300 rare vintages— has already earned a Michelin star under chef Philippe Mille, who

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was recently stolen from the kitchen at Le Meurice. 64 Blvd. Henry Vasnier; 33-3/26-2490-00; lescrayeres.com; doubles from €309; dinner for two €197.

3 Accessible only by footbridge in the forest of Verzy, Perchingbar is the region’s most original tasting room. Inside the solar-powered, Germain Morisseau–­ designed tree house you’ll find sleek wooden interiors and white leather furnishings, plus a selection of sparkling wines from both les grands maisons (G.H. Mumm) and small, lesser-known producers (Louis de Sacy). Of note: two

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super-mod, bungalowstyle “perchingpads” will be unveiled next year, so you can sleep in the surrounding oak and beech trees.

Arboxygène park; 33-6/07-67-94-42;

perchingbar.eu; drinks for two €27.

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4 Feeling adventurous?

Take an “off-road” tasting tour via Land Rover into the vineyards around Verzy with just-launched outfitter Oenovasion. Regional expert Nicolas Rainon will teach you all about the terroir, and can even steer you to a few secret champagne houses along the way. 33-6/​3883-52-57; oenovasion. com; tours from €72 per person.

5 The weeklychanging menu at C Comme, Épernay’s most stylish new bubbly 5 bar, offers flights from independent names such as Hervé Dubois and Marcel Vézien, along with locally made pâtés and charcuterie.

Buy your favorite bottle—at a very reasonable price—in the underground wine cave. 8 Rue Gambetta; 33-3/26-32-09-55; c-comme.fr; drinks for two €10.

newsflash

Culture

JAMAICA’S LATEST EXPORTS Thanks in large part to the reopening of Goldeneye (goldeneye.com; doubles from US$672), this Caribbean isle has been making waves, but you can experience its rich flavor without hopping on a plane. Now on iPods everywhere: The Jolly Boys, whose shuffling mento rhythm and twangy banjo evoke Jamaica’s moviestar days—after all, the band did entertain Errol Flynn there in the 1950’s. The septuagenarians are back this month with Great Expectation

(Geejam Recordings), an album of covers (Amy Winehouse’s “Rehab”; Johnny Cash’s “Ring of Fire”) recorded at the Geejam Hotel, near Port Antonio. Listen to their tracks over slow-grilled jerk chicken and ginger beer at Miss Lily’s (132 W. Houston St.; 1-646/588-5375; dinner for two US$76), in New York City; the restaurant was recently opened

by Paul Salmon, co-owner of Negril’s Rockhouse hotel.

— p e te r j . f ra n k

f r o m l e f t : ANOUS H A H UTTON ; W H ITNEY LA W SON ( 2 )

LOCAL HIGHLIGHTS From far left: The Jolly Boys; plantain chips with an ackee dip at Miss Lily’s; Miss Lily’s, a Jamaican restaurant in New York City.

courtesy of hotel de l’europe (2)

hotel news

what’s up in amsterdam

All eyes are on the Dutch capital, thanks to its booming hotel scene. Spread across three 17th-century merchant’s residences on the Keizersgracht, Canal House (canalhouse.nl; doubles from €239) made its debut in April, with modern Dutch paintings in its 23 monochromatic rooms. Sofitel’s The Grand (sofitel.com; doubles from €239) just did a refit, adding a bi-level So Spa as well as a seafood-centric restaurant. Not to be outdone, Hotel de L’Europe (leurope.nl; doubles from €338) has reemerged from a two-year renovation with 23 new suites featuring Rijksmuseum replicas. Next month, a century-old music conservatory will relaunch as the Conservatorium (conservatoriumhotel. com; doubles from €398), housing 128 Zen-like suites and a holistic spa. And in September, the owners of the city’s edgy Lloyd A new suite at Hotel are slated to unveil the Exchange Hotel de L’Europe, (exchangeamsterdam.com; doubles from €199), in Amsterdam.

Main photo: The designed by Amsterdam Fashion Institute hotel’s façade. students. —farhad heydari

W foi n u an r u S ex ea nf pe So or r n ge ie S n re tt c S a e o bl rt e

12 unforgettable four seasons resort experiences.

12 lucky winners.

four seasons 12 lives contest join a n d w i n

From seaside retreats to hillside hideaways to a desert oasis,

every Four Seasons resort is an experience unto itself. And now, you can be 1 of 12 lucky winners of a 4-day, 3-night stay at one of our 12 participating properties. To join the contest, visit TravelandLeisureAsia.com.

insider

destinations trends restaurants + more

A woman in a trance during a Melasti ceremony in Bali, as pictured in Island of the Spirits.

SIGHTS UNSEEN. John Stanmeyer’s dreamlike photographs of Bali’s

c o u r t e s y o f j o h n s ta n m e y e r

spiritual traditions are a window into another realm. BY LARA DAY For five years, National Geographic photographer John Stanmeyer lived in Bali, delving deep into the island’s culture and documenting its sacred traditions. With five Holga cameras loaded with 120 film, he made thousands of images—darkly luminous black-and-white frames that reveal a side of Bali that few travelers see. The 56 photographs that appear in his book Island of the Spirits (islandofthespirits.com) may give only a glimpse of these

explorations, but they’re enough to intrigue: a young man in full regalia, dramatically flanked by shadows, just before a teeth-filing ritual; a cremation tower, pictured off-kilter, half-consumed in flames. For those who want to know the stories behind the photographs, they can turn to two essays: one by anthropologist Wade Davis; the other by Anastasia Stanmeyer, the photographer’s wife. But ultimately, the images stand on their own, like a vision, or a dream. ✚ travelandleisureasia.com | july 2011 53

insider 24 hours

HAIKOU IN A DAY. in southern China, THE

VOLCANIC ISLAND OF HAINAN offers palm-fringed beaches, bubbling hot springs, and, yes, a certain FAMED CHICKEN-AND-rice dish. Here, how to spend a day in its laid-back capital. By Helen Dalley

DO Hainan’s sleepy capital, on the island’s northeastern tip, is slowly

Mission Hills Haikou’s golf courses are built on a bed of lava rock.

54 july 2011 | travelandleisureasia.com

coming to life—but you’ll still want to take advantage of its natural attractions. Make like a celebrity A-lister and perfect your swing at Mission Hills Haikou (1 Mission Hills Blvd.; 86-898/6868-3888; missionhillschina.com; doubles from RMB1,976; 18 holes from RMB1,980), whose two championship-level golf courses are built on a bed of lava rock; last year, the resort hosted the likes of Hugh Grant, Matthew McConaughey and Catherine Zeta-Jones at the aptly named Star Trophy, an international tournament with US$1.28 million in prize money. Once you’ve finished your round of 18, wind down at the recently renovated Crown Spa Resort Hainan (1 Qiongshan Ave.; 86-898/6596-6888; csrhn.com/ crown; doubles from RMB780), where you’ll find the 6,200-square-meter Crown Lotus Spa, listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s largest indoor hot-spring hydrotherapy center. Spa offerings range from the traditional (acupuncture; cupping) to the relaxing (aromatherapy massages) and even the daunting (full-body “fish therapy,” where piscine critters nibble at your dead skin in a natural hot spring—strictly for the intrepid). Finished your treatment? Take a stroll down the resort’s kilometer-long private beach, edged by fountain-filled gardens in a mishmash of Thai, Balinese and Caribbean styles.

c lo c kw i s e f r o m to p : © Z h a n g B i n / F l i c k r .co m ; co u rt e sy o f m i ss i o n h i l l s h a i ko u

china chillout Haikou has ai laid-back resort town vibe. Left:i The spa at Mission Hills Haikou.i

insider 24 hours At Impression Hainan.

Below: Zhang Yimou.

EAT Don’t leave without sampling Wenchang

chicken, the original Hainan chicken rice. Made with free-range birds from Wenchang, 80 kilometers outside Haikou, it’s a specialty at the modest Haikou Yanjiang Chicken Rice Shop (198 Longkun Bei Rd.; 86-898/6679-1203; lunch for two RMB90), where the succulent meat comes with fragrant rice, fresh ginger and salt. For a more upscale setting—high ceilings, antique Chinese chairs—Chatterbox (Meritus Mandarin Haikou, 18 Wenhua Rd.; 86-898/6854-8888; meritushotels.com; dinner for two RMB340) serves a tender rendition with cucumber, chili and soy.

SEE Dip into Hainan’s past at Impression Hainan (Impression Theater, Binhai Ave.; 86-898/6089-8888; hainan.yin365.com; tickets from RMB238; performances 8.30 p.m. nightly), an outdoor folk-musical extravaganza created by famed director Zhang Yimou, the man behind Beijing’s Olympic Games opening ceremony as well as movies such as Raise the Red Lantern and House of Flying Daggers. With a 250-strong cast, the hour-long production flits between history—it recounts the island’s burgeoning feminist movement in the 1930’s—and whimsy. Props include umbrellas, deckchairs and windsurfers. The show also makes the most of Haikou’s balmy subtropical setting: the stage transforms into a pool and later spills over to the nearby beach.

SHOP Hainan is renowned for its seawater

DRINK In a park south of Haikou’s old quarter, the Forever Café (4 Jichang Dong Rd.; drinks for two RMB80) doubles as an

pearls, though be warned that tourists can end up overpaying for substandard bling. Jingrun Pearl (Facing Wanghai Tower, Haikou E. Rd.; 86-898/66750129) offers quality bracelets and necklaces made from black, white and pink specimens. ✚

after-hours watering hole, serving up everything from mochas to martinis until midnight. Later, prop up the long black counter at No 18 Bar (2nd Time Bar St., Building A, 96 Guanhai Rd.; 86-898/6626-7888; drinks for two RMB85) and order a cold Anchor beer; produced locally by the Hainan Asia Pacific Brewery, the smooth lager is a favorite on the island.

Hainan’s famed seawater pearls.

Crowds at No 18 Bar.

RAIL-LINK UPDATE

With speeds reaching up to 250 kilometers per hour, Hainan’s new high-speed rail link, opened last December, halves the journey from Sanya to 90 minutes. The new service makes Haikou an easy day trip from the popular southern resort town, and vice versa.

c l o c k w i s e f r o m t o p l e f t : © G u y u e / AFP , G e t t y. c o m ; c o u r t e s y o f c h a t t e r b o x ; © S i n i s a B o t a s / D r e a m s t i m e . c o m © d r s 2 b i z / F l i c k r . c o m ; B e j j i n g N e w P i c t u r e F i l m C o , T h e K o b a l C o l l e c t i o n , AFP , G e t t y. c o m

Hainan chicken rice at Chatterbox.

insider Quick Getaway

INDONESIAn idyll. Less

than two hours from Jakarta, Pulau Macan is a true escape.

BY STEVE MOLLMAN

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back-to-basics bliss From top: Tiger Island has plenty of spots for relaxing; a hut overlooking the water; corals just off the beach; the resort’s uninhabited second island.

Far left: Arriving at Pulau Macan.

f r o m to p : r o d e r i c k d e f to m b e / T i g e r I s l a n ds V i l l ag e & Eco Resort (4); © Rynold Sarmond

I

t may be hard to believe, but when you’re in Jakarta, beach nirvana is never far away. Just 85 kilometers north of the traffic-smothered capital lies Tiger Islands Village & Eco Resort (62-21/765-8010; pulaumacan.com; doubles from Rp800,000), less than two hours by speedboat on the Java Sea. Your beach nirvana awaits not on Pulau Macan, the resort’s main island, but on its uninhabited second one, about 10 minutes by paddleboat. Once your toes squish into its soft white sand, you know you’ve arrived.

The secluded beaches here don’t stretch out in a straight line, but rather are nestled between mangroves growing out to sea; the only thing around that is manmade is a jug of drinking water left by the resort staff. Gazing at the horizon, letting the waves and the gently scrubbing sand wash over you, it’s almost inconceivable that, technically at least, you’re still in the administrative region of Jakarta.

After you’ve dozed, cooled off in the crystalline waters and snorkeled around the corals off the beach, it’s back to the “big” island; a 10-minute stroll will take you around its perimeter. If you must, you can whip out the gadgets: your mobile phone attracts a signal; your iPod will plug into the resort’s speakers. how to get But why? The theme here is backthere to-nature relaxation, whether you’re Take a 90-minute speedboat ride snoozing in a hammock or relaxing (Rp700,000 return) on a white-cushioned bamboo sofa from Ancol Marina, with a cocktail. All told, there are five in north Jakarta.

The boat usually tents and 11 accommodations on the departs at 8 a.m. island, including a red-brick cabin, on Saturday and returns to Jakarta a two-room bungalow on stilts, and by 4 p.m. the next curtained open-air huts facing the sea. day. Weekday schedules vary. See They may lack air-conditioning, but it pulaumacan.com. hardly matters: the night sea breezes, it turns out, work even better. ✚

insider drink

ISLAND FLAVOR.

manila’s mixologists are putting a modern spin on lambanog, or coconut vodka, the quintessential philippine spirit.

BY BEN KEENE

M

ove over Singapore Sling, you’ve got company. It’s called the Halo Halo, and it’s available at the Peninsula Manila’s glamorous Salon de Ning (Corner of Ayala and Makati Ave., Makati; 63-2/8872888; peninsula.com; drinks for two P560).

But the word is out on this new concoction, and it could well put Manila on Southeast Asia’s cocktail map. Styled after the Filipino dessert of the same name, the Halo Halo combines jackfruit, evaporated milk, purple yam, beans and jelly candies with a key ingredient: lambanog, a uniquely Philippine spirit distilled from toddy, or coconut sap.

Long popular among farmers in the provinces of Laguna and Quezon, the potent (80–90 proof ), crystal-clear liquor is traditionally a drink of the people; it’s still made much the way it has been by

60 july 2011 | travelandleisureasia.com

generations of home brewers and familyrun businesses, with harvesters moving from treetop to treetop, pruning coconut flowers and retrieving the toddy that has collected overnight. The sap is then fermented, filtered and distilled; occasionally it’s also aged with anise, vanilla or dried fruit such as raisins, mango or pineapple.

Only recently has the smooth, slightly sweet spirit started to appear on bar menus in the capital. At Chef’s Table (The Infinity Tower, Unit 106, 26th St., Fort Bonifacio Global City, Taguig; 63-2/399-1888; chefstablemanila. com; drinks for two P300), San Francisco– born Phil-Am chef Bruce Lim puts a spin on the classic mojito with his Minty Lambanog, heady with roasted garlic, fresh calamansi lime juice and mint leaves. Lim also serves 10 other lambanog-based cocktails, including the lip-tingling Spicy Bayabas, with chili extract and guava juice. Over at Chef Laudico Bistro Filipino (Net 2 Bldg., ground floor, 3rd Ave., Fort Bonifacio Global City, Taguig; 63-2/856-0634; cheflaudico.com.ph; drinks for two P300), Roland Laudico uses the liquor to spike his refreshing watermelon-and-ginger Sapak Punch.

Sapak, of course, means hit—the lambanog might just knock your socks off. ✚

c lo c kw i s e f r m to p l e f t: co u rt e sy o f T h e P e n i n s u l a M a n i l a ; A r n o l d C a m a c h o ; c o u r t e s y o f C h e f ' s ta b l e ; c o u r t e s e y o f T h e P e n i n s u l a M a n i l a

coconut cocktails Below: Manila’s Salon de Ning.

Right: Chef's Table creates lambanog-based drinks.

Inset: The restaurant’s Minty Lambanog. Bottom: Salon de Ning’s Halo Halo is spiked with coconut liquor.

insider eat

SERVING UP SENTOSA.

singapore’s getaway has graduated from laid-back resort center to culinary hot spot. Below, T+L picks five new restaurants for first-class eats. BY DAVEN WU BARNACLES  Fresh from a S$80 million facelift, the Shangri-La’s Rasa Sentosa Resort now boasts an enviable selection of family-friendly restaurants, but for more grown-up fare, the water-fronting Barnacles is a bucolic treat. Framed by the South China Sea and towering palm trees, the restaurant is set on the edge of the hotel and takes full advantage of the cool sea breeze. The democratic menu offers a choice of Western and Chinese dishes such as Cajun-rubbed tuna loin, grilled Kurobuta pork chop and wok-fried king prawns. Nab a beach bench for your postprandial cocktail. Shangri-La’s Rasa Sentosa Resort, 101 Siloso Rd.; 65/6275-0100; lunch for two S$90.

Barnacles overlooks the South China Sea. d. oR

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 WAVE HOUSE Leave it to Singapore—an island with no natural surf to speak of—to manufacture, thanks to FlowBarrel technology, its own artificial three-meter waves.

Wave House is the fourth global outpost of the stationary Pan-fried scallops, water wave at Wave House. phenomenon and, après-surf, the California dreamin’ continues at its alfresco bar and restaurant where the Pan-Asian West Coast menu includes seafood pasta tossed with cashew-and-cilantro pesto, pan-grilled scallops with asparagus, linguine aglio olio with Chinese sausages, pan-seared honey cod and even a Hoisin sauce roastduck pizza. 36 Siloso Beach Walk; 65/6377-3113; lunch for two S$50.

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Dining Room serves up serious seafood.

 DINING ROOM Until recently, the Tanjong Beach Club was better known for its louche bar and poolside scene, festooned by hipsters alternately checking their BlackBerries and then the action in the water. These days, its Dining Room is commanding more serious attention for its artful take on seafood standards. Chef Craig Schantz parlays his stint in New York City’s Momofuku into light clam stews, roasted red snapper with coconut rice and Maine lobster pot pies with cognac cream. The weekend brunches are popular with the smart set. 120 Tanjong Beach Walk; 65/6270-1355; dinner for Lobster pot pie, by New two S$160.

York chef Craig Schantz.

c lo c kw i s e f r m to p : co u rt e sy o f S h a n g r i - L a ' s R asa S e n to sa ( 2 ) ; c o u r t e s y o f d i n i n g r o o m ( 2 ) ; c o u r t e s y o f wav e h o u s e

1

Kushikatsu at Si Bon.

 SI BON Don’t let the French name mislead you; Si Bon is Japanese The restaurant is set to its core. Set in a tiny in a converted chapel. converted early 20thcentury chapel that seats only 23, Si Bon’s MO is exquisite kushikatsu—skewers of finely breaded vegetables and seafood deepfried to a golden crisp. The combinations are as imaginative as they are delicious; think cuttlefish and sea urchin. The chefs’ finely tuned choreography means that each skewer arrives just as you’ve finished the last. Amara Sanctuary Resort Sentosa, 1 Larkhill Rd.; 65/6276-9896; dinner for two S$236.

f r o m to p : co u rt e sy o f S i b o n ( 2 ) ; co u rt e sy o f t h e c l i f f ( 2 ) ; Courtesy of Joel Robuchon

THE CLIFF  Interior designer Yasuhiro Koichi makes the most of The Cliff’s hilltop location, setting the restaurant against lush greenery and a view of the sea.

The result is a slick, restrained space with tumbling waterworks, brushed steel, glass Dining at The Cliff. and timber, and the most flattering lighting in town.

Arrive at dusk for Chef Yew Eng Tong’s inventive seafood menu: scallop ravioli with wild mushrooms and truffle polenta; tuna marinated in a hot lemon– miso vinaigrette. The Sentosa Resort & Spa, 2 Bukit Manis Rd.; 65/6371-1425; four-course set dinner for two S$296.

The Cliff’s gourmet take on tuna.

UPDATE: STAR CHEFS Though Marina Bay Sands is known for attracting celebrity chefs (Wolfgang Puck; Daniel Boulud), Singapore’s other casino resort, Resorts World Sentosa is also flexing its gourmet muscles.

After a decade-long absence, ChineseCanadian chef Susur Lee is back in town—his Chinois by Susur Lee is a Joël Robuchon. tasty master-class in modern Chinese classics. French legend Joël Robuchon has opened an ambitious fine-dining restaurant and a more casual eatery, with a pastry shop in the works, at the Hotel Michael. And next month Kunio Tokuoka will reopen his renovated restaurant with his trademark haute kaiseki menus. rwsentosa.com.

A DIFFERENT KIND OF LUXURY

Winding through the jungle-covered hills, breathtaking rainforests and delightful villages of South-East Asia, the Eastern & Oriental Express is a luxury train experience unlike any other in the world.

Lavishly appointed cabins, with impeccable detailing, have been designed to meet the highly individual tastes of the most discerning traveller; while refined touches, such as personal 24-hour steward service and dramatic open-air observation deck, all add to the feeling of glamour and style. Your romantic adventure continues with fine dining in our restaurant car, before you retire to the legendary piano bar to share enchanting tales of trishaw riding in Penang and cruising the Kwai Yai River – all unique memories to last a lifetime.

Experience the golden age of travel aboard one of our Classic Journeys. Our opulent 2 and 3 night excursions between Singapore and Bangkok offer unforgettable adventures that will sustain a lifetime’s conversation For more information or to make a booking please contact our reservations centre directly on +65 6395 0678, or email us at oereservations.singapore@orient-express.com quoting code ‘TL’.

Singapore – Malaysia – Thailand – Laos orient-express.com/e&o ‘Like’ us on Facebook and stay up to date www.facebook.com/easternorientalexpress

FOUR RESORTS, FOUR WAYS. HERE,

yacht available for offshore forays, you’ll be hard-pressed to return to civilization. Jln. Sungei Enam Laut No. 8, Kijang, Bintan Island; 65/8163-6239; pulau-joyo.com; doubles from S$999.

FOR DESIGN ADDICTS Casa de La Flora | Khao Lak, Thailand

FOR HERITAGE FANS Mövenpick Heritage Hotel Sentosa | Singapore Historic charm underpins

We pick four standout new island stays in Southeast Asia. BY liang xinyi

Owner Sompong Dowpiset, together with Bangkok-based VaSLab Architects, brings ultra-modern design to the Andaman coastline with this angular, low-slung resort. The 36 slate-gray pool villas are Brutalist cubes nestled among manicured greenery; the four-room spa’s wood-and-cement interior looks like a cross between a Swedish log cabin and a space cabin. 67/213 Moo 5, Khuk Khak, Takuapa, Phang Nga; 66-76/428999; casadelaflora. com; doubles from Bt15,309.

FOR CASTAWAY WANNABES Pulau Joyo Private Island Retreat | Riau Archipelago, Indonesia

A 25-minute speedboat ride from Bintan takes you to this shipping magnate’s private residence turned sybaritic escape. Hole away in one of eight thatched-roof villas, or “Palaces”: the expansive interiors boast teakwood furniture, four-poster beds draped in gauzy fabric, and vintage objets d’art collected by the globe-trotting Hong Kong–based owners. With a tear-shaped pool, an indulgent spa and a 43-meter luxury 64 july 2011 | travelandleisureasia.com

great escapes

Clockwise from top left: Rustic luxe at Pulau Joyo Private Island Retreat, in Indonesia; Casa de La Flora’s glass-andconcrete pool villas; Mövenpick Heritage Hotel Sentosa, designed by Japanese firm Super Potato; a room at the Anantara Mui Ne Resort & Spa, in Vietnam.

Mövenpick’s sleek Singapore debut, overseen by hip Japanese design firm Super Potato. Two parallel structures embody old and new: the sea-facing 105-room Contemporary wing is a modern steel-and-glass box, while behind it, the colonial Heritage wing—a 1940’s British army barracks with terracotta roofing—lends the property character. In the latter, 61 minimalist, comfortable guest rooms are set to open at the end of this year. Watch this space.

23 Beach View Sentosa; 65/6818-3388; moevenpicksentosa.com; doubles from S$300.

FOR SERENITY SEEKERS Anantara Mui Ne Resort & Spa | Phan Thiet, Vietnam Fresh from an Anantara makeover,

this idyllic coastal getaway reopens this month with 89 sumptuous guest rooms (outsize beds; local artwork; exposed beams) and a stylish beachside restaurant helmed

by Alain Ducasse–trained Vietnamese chef Alain Nguyen. Don’t miss a dip in the infinity pool overlooking the cerulean South China Sea. Khu Pho 1, Nguyen Din Chieu St.; 84-62/741-888; anantara.com/ mui-ne; doubles from US$260. ✚

C l o c kw i s e f r o m t o p l e f t : c o u r t e s y o f P u l a u J o y o P r i v a t e I s l a n d R e t r e a t ; c o u r t e s y o f C a s a d e L a F l o r a ; c o u r t e s y o f M ö v e n p i c k H e r i t a g e H o t e l S e n t o s a ; c o u r t e s y o f A n a n t a r a M u i N e R e s o r t & Sp a

insider check-in

REF I N E D

S E R V I C E

W I T H

B A L I N E S E

WA R M T H

experience balinese warmth and personal hospitality at nikko bali resort and spa sitting atop a 40-meter cliff in nusa dua, offering a stunning 180-degree view of the indian ocean, the 5-star resort hotel presents 389 well-appointed rooms in a timeless design with a range of modern comforts for a serene getaway. well-equipped event venues like the pillar-less ballroom, outdoor settings and wiwaha wedding venue are suitable for meetings, conferences, banquets and a range of events. why choose the ordinary?

E X P E R I E N C E T H E N E W H A R M O N Y AT T H E N E W N I K K O B A L I R E S O R T A N D S PA , F O R R E S E R VAT I O N S P L E A S E C O N TA C T nikko b a l i re s o r t and spa | Jl. Raya Nus a D u a S e l a t a n | P O B o x 1 8 N u s a D u a 8 0 3 6 3 , Bali - Indonesia | T +62 361 773377 | F +62 361 773388 | E sales@nikkobali.com | W www.nikkobali.com j a k arta sales office | Prud e n t i a l To w e r 1 9 t h F l o o r | J l . J e n d r a l S u d i r m an Kav. 79, Jakarta 12910 | T +62 21 57957771 - 3 | F +62 21 57957770 | E jo@nikkobali.com

insider trip navigator

dishing up Bangkok. In Thailand’s food-

obsessed capital, authentic regional flavors are going haute. T+L’s resident expert Jennifer Chen leads a tasting tour of the city’s best bites.

Plus the top new hotels, lounges and shops

Tastes of Thailand From left: Sra Bua by Kiin Kiin restaurant; roasted

duck with red curry, sugar snap peas and pickled kumquats at Sra Bua.

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T ho n gLo r

city’s regionally driven street-food scene and bringing those diverse flavors to upscale tables around town. In the Thonglor neighborhood, Soul Food Mahanakorn (56/10 Soi 55, Sukhumvit Rd.; 66-2/714-7708; dinner for two Bt910) uses free-range meat and organic produce in dishes such as khao mok gai, Thai Muslim–style chicken biryani served with a mint-­cilantro-ginger sauce. A few blocks away in a charming shop-house, Phuket Town (160/8 Soi 55, Sukhumvit Rd.; 66-2/714-9402; dinner for two Bt760) focuses on the fiery cooking of southern Thailand. A standout: fat rice noodles with yellow crab curry. For a sampling of the north’s more subtle, herb-scented ­cuisine, head to ­Gedhawa (24 Soi 35, Sukhumvit Rd.; 66-2/6620501; dinner for two Bt600), where rough-hewn wooden tables and silk lanterns set the stage for Chiang Mai classics such as khao soi (egg noodles with chicken curry) and sai ooua (pork sausage). At Sra Bua by Kiin Kiin (Siam Kempinski Hotel, 991/9 Rama I Rd.; 66-2/1629000; dinner for two Bt4,550, ­Danish chef Henrik Yde-Andersen and partner Lertchai ­Treetawatchaiwong use liquid nitrogen to

Co u rt e sy o f S i a m K e m p i n s k i H ot e l B a n g ko k

FOOD Bangkok’s chefs are taking cues from the

present frozen red curry with lobster, while seafood-­ flavored jellies make up a deconstructed tom yum soup. At the equally inventive Gaggan (68/1 Soi Langsuan; 66-2/6521700; dinner for two Bt3,000), ­Ferran Adrià disciple Gaggan Anand spherifies cumin-spiked yogurt and blankets oysters with citrus black-salt foam in a ­colonial-style house near Lumpini Park.

f r o m t o p : C o u r t e s y o f H a n s a r B a n g k o k H o t e l ; R a l f T o o t e n / C o u r t e s y o f S t. R e g i s B a n g k o k

ROOMS The lavish 227 guest quarters at the St. Regis Bangkok (159 ­Rajadamri Rd.; 66-

2/207-7777; stregis.com; doubles from Bt14,260) are studies in painted teak and marble, but unrivaled service sets the property apart. Next door, the Hansar Bangkok (3 Rajadamri Rd.; 66-2/​209-1234; hansarbangkok.com; doubles from Bt10,260) feels more resort-like, with 94 suites decorated in subdued silks; some rooms even have canti­levered nooks furnished with daybeds. Near the Sathorn business district, ­ nantara Bangkok Sathorn (36 ­Narathiwat-​ A Ratchanakarin Rd.; 66-2/210-9000; ­anantara. com; doubles from Bt10,620) lures both businessmen and weekenders with its largescale rooms and outdoor infinity pool, where a butler dispenses cold towels and Evian mist.

GREAT VALUE ­A sadang (94 ­Asadang Rd.; 66-2/ 622-2239; ­theasadang.com; doubles from Bt3,340), a four-month-old hotel in the historic district, channels Old ­Bangkok in a ­restored »

An Edge suite’s living room at the Hansar Bangkok hotel.

Below: A view of the city from a suite bathroom at the St. Regis Bangkok.

BANGKOK GUIDE For secret curry spots and hidden wellness retreats, visit our website travelandleisureasia.com

insider trip navigator

Clockwise from above: Est.33’s Copper, Black and Lager beers; Asana, a furniture shop off Sukhumvit Rd.; colorful tops and scarves at Palette.

19th-century mansion. Husband-and-wife architects Direk and Chitlada Senghluang fitted the nine intimate rooms with antique furnishings and photographs of Siamese nobles. Opening this fall on the Chao Phraya River: the Siam (Khao Rd.; ­thesiamhotel.com; doubles from Bt15,170), the brainchild of ThaiAmerican music sensation Krissada Sukosol Clapp. Set on three acres of landscaped gardens, the 39-suite property ­includes four traditional teakwood houses salvaged by silk designer Jim Thompson.

SHOPS For a change of scenery from Bangkok’s ubiquitous malls, head to O.P. ­Garden (Soi 36,

Charoenkrung Rd.), a collection of boutiques in colonial-style houses. Serindia Gallery (Units 3101 and 3201; 66-2/238-6410) is a tranquil space with ­Himalayan-​inspired art and photography 68 july 2011 | travelandleisureasia.com

by Asian and expat artists. Across the way, designer ­Atinuj Atty Tantivit sells inventive international jewelry in her Atta Gallery (Unit 1109; 66-2/238-6422). In the Siam shopping district, the team behind local cult ­label It’s H ­ appened to Be a Closet recently launched Palette (979 Rama I Rd.; 66/​81-754-1791), an affordable line of breezy tops and dresses in vivid colors. The winding sois off Sukhumvit Road contain some of the city’s most eclectic boutiques. ­Enlever Ses ­Vêtements (59/3 Soi 23, ­Sukhumvit Rd.; 66-2/​260-4660) puts a fashionforward spin on the city’s bespoke clothing tradition with suits in linen and high-tech Japanese fabrics. Irresistible (45 MSI Tower II, Soi 31, Sukhumvit Rd.; 66-2/662-1050) stocks cicada-shaped silver boxes and clutches made of shell and inky labradorite, while Asana (235/32 Soi 31, ­Sukhumvit Rd.; 66-2/662-3118) displays contemporary wood furniture by Thai designers. The shop has ­international shipping, though pieces such as mango-wood vases can easily fit into a carry-on.

SCENE Well-heeled young expats and locals frequent Thonglor’s eccentric Iron ­Fairies

(394 Soi 55, Sukhumvit Rd.; 66-2/714-8875; drinks for two Bt330). Inspired by a blacksmith’s workshop, the lounge serves cocktails on vintage metallic cabinets and tables made of reclaimed wood. A sign outside boldly

c l o c k w i s e f r o m t o p l e f t : COURTESY OF EST . 3 3 ; c o u r t e s y o f A s a n a ; C o u r t e sy o f Pa l e t t e by I t ’ s H a p p e n e d to B e a C lo s e t

Tropical Colors

f r o m t o p : c e d r i c a r n o l d ; © T a k e p i c s f o r f u n / D r e a m s t i m e . c o m ; k a r e n b l u m b e r g ; k e i t h k e l ly ; COURTESY OF EST . 3 3

proclaims best burger in bangkok; see for yourself by ordering the ­Binzy burger, ­Australian beef topped with cheese, tomato, iceberg lettuce, and a house-made tomato relish. A few paces north, the chic, ­speakeasyinspired Fat Gut’z (264 Soi 55, Sukhumvit Rd.; 66-2/714-9832; drinks for two Bt360) serves oysters, fish-and-chips, and creative cocktails such as the ­Sinfra ­(cinnamon-​­infused bourbon with fresh pineapple and apple). Arrive early— the tiny space fills up by eight o’clock. Though it’s run by Thai beer giant Singha, Est.33 (1420/1 Pradit­manutham Rd.; 66-2/102-2096; drinks for two Bt360), located a 30-minute taxi ride northeast of downtown near the Lad Prao district, is the city’s newest brewpub. The smooth Copper beer is made with brown rice and pairs well with the hearty pub grub on offer (bangers and mash; gril­led pork chops).

Directly across the way is Wine 33 (1420/1 Praditmanutham Rd.; 66-2/102-2233; drinks for two Bt455), an industrial-chic space with a wellcurated wine list and Japanese-­inspired snacks such as fried lotus-root chips. On the other side of the Chao Phraya River in the Bangkok Noi district, the loftlike Club Arts: ­Gallery by the ­River (258/1 Soi 18, Arun ­Amarin Rd.; 66-2/8662143; drinks for two Bt300) presents international short films, dance performances, and live music every Friday and ­Saturday. Too much nocturnal reveling? Recover with a lemongrass aromatherapy massage at the quiet, highceilinged Thann Sanctuary Spa (Gaysorn ­Plaza, 999 ­Ploenchit Rd.; 66-2/656-1424; thann.info). ✚

bangkok street smarts With a pair of seminal cookbooks and two restaurants—Michelin-starred Nahm, in London, and its Bangkok outpost (Metropolitan Bangkok, 27 S. Sathorn Rd.; 66-2/625-3388; dinner for two Bt3,350)— Thai-food guru ­David Thompson knows his way around town. Here, his top streetfood haunts.— h ow i e k a h n Or Tor Kor MARKET “This is one of the great markets of the world,” Thompson says. Look for exotic produce ­(custard apples; sour snakeskin pears), green curries, fish dumplings and fermented sausages with sticky rice.

Kamphaengphet Rd. Yaowarat ROAD At night, this Chinatown alley fills with vendors selling Sino-Thai ­specialties including roast duck, grilled river prawns and ­Thompson’s favorite: sweet black-sesame-seed dumplings.

“The food here is ­prepared to order, and everything’s fresh.”

Sukhumvit soi 38 When he’s in town, Thompson is a regular at this popular, evenings-only spot near the ­Thonglor sky train station. Classics such as pad thai, chicken satay, peppery pork wontons and egg noodles are served until 2 a.m.

The terrace at the Est.33 microbrewery.

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PERFORMANCE TIME: 7.30pm also at 2.30pm on 10 Sep, 11 Sep, 1 Oct and only at 2.30pm on 25 Sep DOORS OPEN: 7.00pm. Latecomers will not be seated until an appropriate interval VENUE: Thailand Cultural Centre. Free shuttle bus from MRT station “Thailand Cultural Centre”, Exit 1,

during 5.30-7.00pm on performance dates

PHUKET’S ONE STOP PLEASURE AND LUXURY SHOP

Hilton Phuket Arcadia Resort & Spa, 333 Patak Road, Karon Beach, Muang, Phuket 83100.

Tel: +66 (0)7639 6433 | Fax: +66 (0)76 396 136 Email: phuket.sales@hilton.com www.phuketarcadia.hilton.com

For families and couples alike there’s no more complete luxury and pleasure escape on Phuket Island than the gorgeous Hilton Arcadia Resort and Spa. Set within its own huge 75 acres of lush tropical gardens beside the sands of magnificent west-facing Karon Beach, the resort offers every facility and amenity that discerning hedonists could desire. Adults and kiddies alike revel in the space and tranquility while relaxing amid the soft golden sands, the swaying palms, the chirping birds and kaleidoscope of colorful flowers.

Indulge in no less than five swimming pools with waterfalls and slides. Join the water activities and games and of course there are refreshment outlets at every pool! Hit the fitness center, grab a game of squash or golf, take a free scuba diving lesson, go sailing or game fishing, play tennis, try out the putting green, or visit the beauty salon.…

Really, the options are almost endless! Relax among the coconut groves in the Spa and indulge in Equilibrium Therapy using wild mint oil and Thai herbs, specially designed to put back the balance that frenetic modern life can take away.

Or unwind together with a synchronized couples’ massage. Kids love their own Kidz Paradise Club with its playground and highly trained staff and baby sitters to look after them.

Or they can go horse riding nearby, or join an evening excursion to the world-famous FantaSea theme park and show. Nine food and beverage outlets cater for every taste and occasion.

Savor fresh local seafood and award-winning cocktails at “Sails” by the poolside, or join Phuket’s best Sunday brunch there with cool jazz and wandering clowns for the kiddies.

Enjoy fabulous local fare at the romantic Thai Thai restaurant. And don’t miss the Ocean Beach Club with its laid-back ambience, wood decking, sandy inland beach and sunset cocktails overlooking Karon Beach which so easily segue into relaxed fine dining suppers with a bottle of excellent wine from the cellar.

The Hilton Arcadia Resort is located at the heart of Phuket’s many attractions. It’s close to the famous dining and nightlife action in Patong; the natural beauty of Prom Thep Cape; the SinoPortuguese old town; street markets; traditional Chalong Temple and to Chalong Pier, the gateway to so many maritime adventures.

All in all there’s little doubt that Hilton Arcadia Resort and Spa in Phuket is one of the most comprehensive pleasure and luxury destinations in Asia.

stylish traveler

[st ]

STYLE TROOPERS

Tongue in Chic champions independent store Doodad. Below: Pestle & Mortar, a homegrown brand and boutique.

shopping

kuala lumpur chic where to shop in the malaysian capital? T+L asks cult fashion blog tongue in chic to open its little black book.

BY NAOMI LINDT

Photographed by David Hagerman

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[st] shopping

insider flair

In trend-conscious, superwired Malaysia, there’s nowhere better than the blogosphere to keep up-to-date on the latest styles. Take Tongue in Chic (tonguechic.com), a Kuala Lumpur–based website revered for its obsessive coverage of new designers, under-the-radar shops and fashion news. Here, Karen Wong, Tongue in Chic’s senior content associate, gives T+L the lowdown on the city’s best shopping experiences. n RETAIL HOT SPOT Bangsar, Jalan Telawi 1 to 5

The southwestern suburb of Bangsar is Kuala Lumpur’s most popular boutique-shopping area. A dizzying number of independent stores line Jalan Telawi 1 through 5, the streets that surround the chic Bangsar Village II shopping mall; many stock work by local designers, both established and burgeoning, along with streetwear brands spotted in places like Bangkok 74 july 2011 | travelandleisureasia.com

Clockwise from top left: Thirtyfour’s glam yet practical accessories; Karen Wong, of Tongue in Chic; Nurita Harith’s cocktail wear; shoes at Chalk; the boutique is hidden in Sungai Wang shopping mall; Sevendays creates playful, partyready pieces.

and Seoul. “There are so many shops that it’s best to explore the area by foot and see what catches the eye,” advises Wong.

(And with most boutiques up several flights of stairs, sensible shoes are a must.) Worthwhile stops include Sevendays (20-1 Jln. Telawi 3; sevendaysonline. com; 60-3/2287-908) for playful, party-ready items like tutu skirts and statement earrings; Mooie (3-1 Jln. Telawi 2; 603/2287-2230; mooieboutique. blogspot.com) for young, walletfriendly pieces like cropped emerald-green chinos and floral sailor tops; and Nurita Harith (10-2 Jln. Telawi 3; 603/2282-4387; nuritaharith.com), a KL designer who creates “elegant cocktails dresses that subtly incorporate current trends,” says Wong—think exposed back zippers and sweeping trains. n INVENTIVE ACCESSORIES Thirtyfour and Brollies

It’s no wonder the leather goods at Thirtyfour (86-1 Jln. Medang Serai Bangsar; 60-3/ 2095-0034; thirtyfour.net), which opened late last year in Bangsar Village II, are a Tongue in Chic darling. Created by two cousins, metalsmith Shuenn Kee and industrial designer Linda Chong, the label makes functionalmeets-glam accessories such as asymmetrical satchels in eye-popping colors, delicate lambskin clutches and wrappable skinny leather bracelets that double as headbands. Brollies (thebrollies.blogspot.com), a line of affordable DIY jewelry by Lynda Chean and Caryn Liew, is Tongue in Chic’s pick for one-ofa-kind pieces: a pendant etched with raindrops and hand-drawn »

[st] shopping clouds; a necklace hung with an oversize “diamond,” actually a paper decoupage. “Brollies’ style of whimsy is most often seen in international Etsy designs, not in Malaysia,” Wong says. “The pieces show that the country is teeming with talent.” Look for Brollies online or at Chean’s Pink Tattoos (28-1 Jln. SS15/4; 60-3/5633-7465; tattoomepink. com) shop, in Subang Jaya.

City, on the second floor, hosts a collection of over 30 independent stores filled with two-toned lace-up oxfords and vibrant suede flats, pleated short shorts and boxy, striped handbags in punchy colors.

There’s also some vintage to peruse: on a recent visit, Wong unearthed preloved accessories by designers like Comme des Garçons.

Promising shops include Doodad, Stamp and Chalk.

Jln. Bukit Bintang; 60-3/2144-9988; sungeiwang.com.

n VINTAGE GOLDMINE Amcorp Mall Flea Market

Every Saturday and Sunday, the Amcorp Mall transforms into KL’s oldest vintage wonderland, with dozens of vendors selling vinyl records, old typewriters, antique stamps, rotary phones and secondhand clothing. Stalls are spread across six floors; the ground floor focuses on collectors’ household items while levels three and four peddle clothes. “I’ve found vintage Samsonite vanity cases, Ferragamo sunglasses, a Lanvin shift dress and leather moccasins. The key, of course, is to look in every nook and cranny of the market,” says Wong. “And though it’s a pretty chill place, make sure to get there in the morning for the best finds.” Petaling Jaya, across from the LRT’s Asia Jaya station; amcorpmall.com; weekends 10 a.m.–6 p.m.

n SURPRISE FINDS Sungei Wang Plaza

“Catering to all sorts of styles, Sungei Wang can be, admittedly, tacky, but there are great finds in the many independent boutiques located there,” Wong says of the mall known for its market-like, teen-friendly atmosphere.

The recently opened Fashion 76 july 2011 | travelandleisureasia.com

eye for fashion

From top: Trawling the racks at Mooie; Thirtyfour makes delicate clutches; Stamp’s up-andcoming boutique; Amcorp Mall’s weekend flea market peddles vintage gear; colorful styles at Sevendays.

n HOMEGROWN BRAND Pestle & Mortar

Three hip, 20-something KLites—Arthur and Arnold Loh, and Hugh Koh (two brothers and a long-time friend)—are behind Pestle & Mortar (pestlemortarclothing.com), a playful new T-shirt label that realizes their long-held dream to start a business together.

Designed to show “KL through our eyes,” the tees are printed with artful photos of KL taken by Arthur that reference everyday icons: the ubiquitous, cheap noodle dish Indomie; a closeup of colorful ais, or popsicles, an essential snack of every KL childhood; the Lorong Haji Taib street sign shot upside down, referencing the area’s infamous past as a red-light district. “We love P&M because the brand produces work that is unique to Malaysia,” Wong says. “It evokes a truly local sentiment.” Designs are sold online and at the brand’s minimalist showroom in Damansara Heights (22 Lorong Dungun, Bukit Damansara; 60-16/ 222-4008). ✚

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[st] beauty

Bastien Gonzalez, left; Duro Olowu designs, right; One&Only Le Saint Géran Mauritius.

gonzalez’s global picks England Gonzalez loves the vibrant print dresses and tops by Nigerian-born, London-based Duro Olowu.

“His fabrics are amazing.”

14 Masons Yard; 44-20/78392387; duroolowu.com.

Globe-trotting podiatrist and pedicure specialist Bastien Gonzalez puts the “b” in barefoot luxury.

By Daisy Finer

At Cape Town’s Monkeybiz.

“Paris’s Museé Rodin is my favorite. I’m fascinated by the Danaïde sculpture—it looks so different in varying lights.” 79 Rue de Varenne, 7th Arr.; 33-1/44-18-61-10; musee-rodin.fr. italy “The black-ink risotto at Harry’s Bar is reason enough to visit Venice.” 1323 Calle Vallaresso; 39-041/5285777; ­dinner for two €180.

“I’ve always had a thing for Berluti shoes. I own many pairs—I haven’t been able to stop buying them. Luckily, I can justify it because my job is all about feet!” 5 Via Pietro Verri, Milan; berluti.com. south africa A nonprofit in Cape Town, Monkeybiz employs local female artists “whose beadwork is so stunning that some of the pieces look like they are alive.” 43 Rose St.; monkeybiz.co.za.

Leather Berluti loafers.

bastien’s beauty tools From left:

Nail and cuticle salve, foot talc and black diamond mineral scrub, from the Révérence de Bastien collection.

Treignac, in France, Bastien’s home village.

78 july 2011 | travelandleisureasia.com

La Danaïde, at Paris’s Musée Rodin.

C L O C K W I S E F R O M T O P L E F T : C O U R T E S Y O F B A S T I E N G O N Z A L E Z ; C O U R T E S Y O F O N E & O N LY ; C O U R T E S Y O F D U R O O L O W U ( 2 ) ; C O U R T E S Y O F B E R L U T I ; C ourtesy of D arksider _ 3 9 / F licker . com ; L A R S K L O V E ( 3 ) ; © A rnoldvandonk / dreamstime . com ; www . monkeybiz . co . za

bEST foot forward

“At the Hôtel Costes, in Paris, I once worked on nine supermodels in one day,” says Bastien ­Gonzalez, the man who has elevated the pedicure to both a medical procedure (he’s a certified podiatrist in his native France) and an art form. “The manager told me: ‘You can retire now.’ ” An hour and a half in Gonzalez’s hands involves no water, no polish and no pain.

Instead, your nails will be smoothed with a tiny diamond drill and buffed with chamois leather until they are as glossy as a seashell.

His signature treatment ends with reflexology to increase circulation, which is, according to ­Gonzalez, “the best cure for weary travelers.” And he would know. “I am on the move almost every four days,” says ­Gonzalez, who has a base at the Cadogan Hotel, in London. “­Paris, New York, Dubai, the Maldives—I basically live in hotels!”

He first became a household name in 2001 at the One&Only Le Saint Géran, in Mauritius: owner Sol Kerzner, a devoted client, wanted the world’s most beautiful feet around his pools, and asked ­Gonzalez to set up shop in One&Only properties worldwide. Now he is expanding, opening Bastien-branded studios everywhere from the Mandarin ­Oriental Barcelona to the St. Regis in Singapore to, most recently, the Istanbul Edition.

His next step? Gonzalez will launch a pedicure school in Cape Town, South ­Africa, in 2012, and he’s developed his own product line, to boot. bastien​gonzalez.com; treatments from US$200. ✚

france “I’m from a medieval village called Treignac, in the Massif Central. I spent my childhood swimming in its river, La Vézère. Now, I have a beautiful log cabin on its bank, in the middle of the forest. It’s where I go to retreat.”

[st] uniform

nomadic STYLE

what to wear when you’re on the fly? shane mitchell checks in with kenya-based fashion designer and hotelier anna trzebinski When Nairobi-based fashion designer Anna Trzebinski boards a Tropic Air helicopter or a ­single-engine Cessna, she’s ­usually heading for Lemarti’s Camp, the eco-glam safari lodge she owns in the northern frontier of Kenya with her ­Samburu husband, Loyapan Lemarti.

“I have to pack ultralight when traveling this way,” she says. “But that doesn’t mean I leave my favorite pieces behind.” Her look: cross-cultural bohemian. “I love clothes that have harmony and balance,” says Trzebinksi, who pairs a paisley cotton Etro shirt with stretch-twill Worn Jeans ­jodhpurs and canvas Ed Hardy slip-on ­sneakers. She never takes off the gold-and-­citrine Carolyn Roumeguere snake talisman that hangs around her neck or the stack of beaded bracelets that she designed with the names of her husband and her daughter, ­Tacha. Trzebinski tops off the ensemble with a vintage suede-and-shearling hoodie vest. And it all works, whether she’s on a game drive in her custom-­fitted Land Cruiser or jetting off for one of the African-inspired trunk shows that she hosts from New York City to Aspen, Colorado. ✚

80 july 2011 | travelandleisureasia.com

packing picks BAG Trzebinski just created a fringed leather hobo, but she also loves the basic L.L. Bean canvas duffel. gear “I never take off without Bose noise-canceling headphones and a Maglite LED flashlight. It’s dark out there!” beauty tools Always in her nylon Prada makeup pouch?

Boots towelettes, Dr. Hauschka moisturizer, Ren eye gel and La Mer lip balm. shoes “I designed my beaded suede sandals to work in the bush or on the coast.” book On her reading list: Oneness with All Life by Eckhart Tolle. “His daily meditations keep me in the present.” blanket When she’s sleeping on the plane or under African skies, Trzebinski wraps up in one of her label’s four-ply cashmere throws, which are woven in Kathmandu.

Photographed by Jonathan Bloom at Lemarti’s Camp, in Kenya

journal

travel topics in depth, vivid visuals and more

© A ndrew J albert | D reamstime . com

A school of tropical fish dart around a coral head.

Pacific Bounty

A dream destination comes alive for Jeremy Tredinnick— both above sea level and below the surface—around the remote islands that make up far-flung Fiji

travelandleisureasia.com | july 2011 85

journal adventure

S

he’s more than three meters long and one of the fattest sharks I’ve ever seen (let’s say 250 kilograms), but right now all I can see are teeth. Hundreds of them in parallel rows diminishing in size the further back into her mouth I look. She’s not smiling. She’s eating.

Bulging jaw muscles pulse and a three-kilo tuna head disappears in a gulp as she glides past me, her gunmetal gray side close enough to touch.

To be honest, I never imagined myself sitting at the dinner table with one of the world’s most feared predators: a bull shark. But I have wanted to dive in Fiji for years. Not only is it famous for its shark-feeding excursions in Beqa Lagoon, but it also boasts reef systems festooned with some of the richest soft coral growth on the planet.

Now that I’m here, I’ve arranged to dive in three diverse regions of the South Pacific nation to maximize my Fiji experience, but this means taking a couple of domestic flights. That, in turn, means some non-dive days to rid myself of any excess nitrogen in my blood before flying. So I wonder how I’ll fill my time on land. As the plane descends over a cerulean sea and passes over a snow-white streak of barrier reef to land on Viti Levu, Fiji’s largest island, I realize that I didn’t need to worry. The interior of this massive—by Pacific island standards—body of

86 july 2011 | travelandleisureasia.com

clockwise from top left : J eremy T redinnick ; © D oug P errine / S ea P ics . com ; © D ennis S abo | D reamstime . com

island time Clockwise from above: Curiously carved tree trunks at Tokoriki Island Resort; a tiger shark gets its close up with a diver and his camera; diving over a coral drop-off.

top : © R eniw - I magery | istock . com ; J eremy T redinnick

land is mountainous and jungle-wreathed, ripe for exploration. My driver from the airport down to Pacific Harbour on the island’s southern Coral Coast fills me in as we cruise down the Queen’s Highway, which links Nadi with Fiji’s capital, Suva, 200 kilometers away. “Where you are going is called the “Adventure Capital of Fiji,” says Ravi, a Fijian Indian who traces his family back to the indentured workers brought over by the British in the 19th century to toil on sugar-cane plantations. “There’s so much to do you won’t have enough time.” That means jetboating, whitewater rafting, waterfall hikes, village tours, jungle zip lines and, of course, scuba diving.

We drive without a hint of rushing—I’m on island time now, remember—through incredibly fecund countryside. The landscape rises around us, with hills that, despite their steep slopes, are festooned with lush tropical plant life. Indeed, it’s difficult to see the trees for the creepers and other piggybacking flora that drapes over them like an inebriated aunt saying suffocating farewells on Christmas evening.

“We’re a happy people here,” continues Ravi.

“Sure, we had our problems about 10 years ago [Fiji has had a few coups, both bloody and less so, since its independence from Britain in 1970] but that’s all finished now. We live in a place where it’s easy to grow vegetables and the sea provides for us too, so even the poorest people never starve. Our families and religions are strong and don’t fight, so we are content. That’s why we smile a lot.”

I see his point, and begin to understand why every Fijian greets you with a smile and a loud “Bula!” meaning “Hello!” or “Welcome!” The size of its two main islands—Viti Levu and Vanua Levu—and their mountainous interiors mean that rainfall is plentiful, and there is enough land for large rivers to create wide alluvial plains before emptying into the sea. So, lots of sun and rain, warm temperatures year-round, plenty of fertile growing land for the population of 830,000 and equally rich tropical seas surrounding them. In Mother Nature’s bounty stakes, Fiji is a surefire winner.

There’s also a strong cultural connection to both land and sea, so ecological conservation is an easy sell to village chiefs and landowners.

This is great news for adventure lovers and divers, as I soon find out. Beqa Adventure Divers

and Aqua-Trek donate at least half if not more of every shark-reef levy to the owners of the reef that they dive on; financially compensated, they don’t need to fish the site out of sharks and other pelagics, which allows shark fanatics like me to get up close and personal with these beauties.

That’s how I find myself departing the Beqa Divers dock early in the morning and chugging down a chocolate-colored, mangrove-lined backwater in an aluminum dive boat with six other scuba enthusiasts. There’s a certain tension in the air, especially from the young Danish couple who admit to only nine dives each in their logbooks—lord knows what is going through their minds as we bump across the lagoon and stop over the reef drop-off.

Technically this is a simple dive: straight down the reef slope to 30 meters, 15 minutes watching a dive master feed the sharks tuna heads and fish offal. Then it’s up to 10 meters for more feeding of smaller sharks, before a safety stop at five meters where the last of the food is shared among the reef denizens. I say technically. In reality, this is one of the most unconventional dives I’ll ever make.

A giant stride entry, some steady finning down to kneel behind a low coral wall a few meters from the feeding station, and the fun begins. There’s a maelstrom of activity around the feeding site when we arrive. The fish knew what was coming; they all wanted a piece of the action. Gray reef sharks, silvertips, lemon and nurse sharks glide around through a cloud of »

idyll in the ocean

Above: Out paddle boarding; at the Jean Michel Cousteau Fiji Island Resort.

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journal adventure

Sky and Sea From above: Sunrise over the north beach of Mana Island Resort

in the Mamanucas; Fiji is blessed with an abundance of rich marine life.

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D

iving at Grand Central Station in Namena Marine Reserve, the marine life and coral garden is as rich as any CGI imagining à la Finding Nemo.

The park is where I’ve come to see for myself why the nation is called the Pacific’s “Soft Coral Capital.” I’m not disappointed. In fact, our second dive makes even this site pale by comparison. The Chimneys is a group of thin rock towers draped with a full spectrum of hard and soft corals, as if some psychedelic sea goddess decided that her kingdom needed a brilliant centerpiece. This is what brings divers to Fiji, clusters of yellow, red and pink corals swaying in the current. On land, people would say all this coloration clashes horribly, yet down in this otherworldly realm it works.

We spiral down one pinnacle, then fin leisurely past a couple of shorter ones before twisting up another skyscraper. The fish seem to have gone all out to compete with the coral in multiplicity of hues—crowds of mauve antheas »

top : J eremy T redinnick ; C ourtesy of T ourism F iji | C at H olloway

snappers, giant trevalleys, napoleon wrasse and other carnivores. But they make themselves scarce when the first bull appears. Size counts in the underwater realm, and bull sharks are heavy-bodied and larger than the reef sharks.

They, in turn, would disappear if a tiger shark appeared, not a frequent occurrence these days.

I’m not talking one bull shark here either.

On the first pass, I count 16 bulls ranging up to 3.5 meters long, conditioned for a free meal requiring no energy outlay and taking no notice (I hope) of the watching divers. I feel no fear.

Neither do the newbie divers. Then one of the dive masters takes a small bag of scraps up to a point above and lets it out in a flurry: the result is a tornado of sharks, some bumping, jostling and hasty tail flicks, while dashing around and through them are hundreds of smaller fish vying for scraps too small for the bulls to bother with.

An underwater feeding frenzy. Astonishing.

More fun lies in wait at shallower depths.

The bulls prefer to stay deep so it’s the turn of the sleeker and more graceful gray reefs, blacktips and whitetips, the latter small and harmless enough to be handled by the dive masters. On the reef top I notice that, although there is plenty of hard coral, it’s not the prettiest.

Farther out in Beqa Lagoon are picturesque corals. Here there is only one reason to dive.

journal adventure and canary-yellow damselfish swarm over the reef, collecting under bright-blue table corals or behind crimson-red sea fans. A glut of colorrelated adjectives, I realize, but if there’s one place on the planet where it is necessary, it is on a Fijian reef in the Koro Sea, believe me.

My last destination is the Mamanuca Islands, home to many of Fiji’s most popular island resorts. The diving is excellent but after my previous experiences, the pleasures of garden eels, schooling snappers, small whitetip sharks and hawksbill turtles at “The Supermarket” site and round Monuriki Island, where the Tom Hanks movie Castaway was filmed, seem a shade pedestrian. I’ve been spoilt by Fiji.

Luckily the topside wonders are worthy recompense—I take a relaxing half-day tour on the Sea Spray, a 25-meter schooner, meandering through turquoise waters past idyllic islands with golden strands and verdant hillsides. On my final day back on Denarau, a manmade “island” that is effectively part of Viti Levu and home to mainstream luxury tropical resorts like Sofitel and Sheraton, I rise at 4 a.m. to go hot-air ballooning as the sun rises over the highland interior. It is a magical way to end my sojourn on these islands. The encounters with oversized aquatic predators have met all my expectations.

But I’ll also remember the vitality of Fiji’s landscape and warm, embracing culture. ✚

Fiji’s clear blue waters.

GUIDE TO FIJI

GETTING THERE Air Pacific (airpacific.com) flies three times a week from Hong Kong to Nadi, as well as operating routes from Australia and New Zealand.

Korean Air (koreanair.com) also flies from Seoul three times weekly. Or you can fly via Brisbane or Sydney with Qantas (qantas.com.au) or via Auckland with Air New Zealand (airnewzealand. com).

STAY Coral Coast Outrigger on the Lagoon Popular with families, the property has comfortable Fijian-style bures as well as standard rooms, and a great hilltop spa and sunset bar.

Sigatoka, Viti Levu; 679/6500044; outriggerfiji.com; doubles from F$402.

Uprising Beach Resort A funky resort in the heart of Fiji’s “Adventure Capital” area. Pacific Harbour, Viti Levu; 679/345-2200; uprisingbeachresort.com; double bures from F$180.

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Warwick Fiji Resort & Spa Smaller property with a boutique feel boasting fine seafood, Italian and Japanese restaurants, and a good dive shop. Queen’s Highway, Korolevu, Coral Coast, Viti Levu; 679/653-0555; warwickfijihotel.com; doubles from F$475.

Denarau Sofitel Fiji Resort & Spa An all-in resort and golf haven close to Nadi town. Denarau Island, Nadi; 679/675-1111; sofitelfiji.com.fj; doubles from F$383.

Mamanuca Islands Likuliku Lagoon Resort An adults-only haven of peace and tranquility, this is one of Fiji’s most luxurious retreats.

679/672-0978; ahuraresorts. com; doubles from F$1,594.

Mana Island Resort & Spa Beaches on both the north and south of this thin island guarantee calm waters and good snorkeling regardless of wind direction. Lautoka, Viti Levu; 679/665-0423; manafiji.com; doubles from F$374.

Tokoriki Island Resort The northernmost resort in this island group is a short boat ride from the Castaway island of Monuriki. 679/672-5926; tokoriki.com; doubles from F$1,011.

Vanua Levu Jean-Michel Cousteau Fiji Island Resort An amazingly luxurious place that

consistently wins ecotourism awards. On remote Savusavu Bay, it has some of Fiji’s best diving right on its doorstep.

Savusavu, Vanua Levu; 679/850-188; fijiresort.com; doubles from F$1,600.

DO Adrenalin Fiji Shop 8, Port Denarau Marina, Nadi; 679/ 675-0061; adrenalinfiji.com; hot-air ballooning from F$475.

Aqua-Trek Beqa Club Oceanus Resort, Pacific Harbour, Viti Levu; 679/3450324; aquatrek.com; twotank shark dives F$267 per person.

Aqua-Trek Mana Diving in the Mamanuca Islands. Mana Island Resort, Mamanuca Islands; aquatrekdiving.com; two-tank dives from F$190 per person.

Beqa Adventure Divers Lagoon Resort, Pacific Harbour, Viti Levu; 679/3450911; fiji-sharks.com; twotank shark dives F$245 per person.

Rosie Holidays Fiji’s largest tour operator. Rosie House, Queen’s Road, Martintar, Nadi; 679/672-2755; rosiefiji.com.

South Sea Cruises Daytrips on a 25-meter schooner in the Mamanuca Islands. Port Denarau, Nadi; 679/6750500; ssc.com.fj; day cruises from F$164 per person.

TTF Specializes in four-day tours of Viti Levu that combine culture and adventure. Nadi International Airport Arrivals Concourse; 679/672-5950; feejee experience.com; four-day tours from F$499 per person.

© I sland E ffects | istockphoto . com

WHEN TO GO South of the equator, Fiji’s dry winter season from May through to September is the best time to visit, though don’t be surprised if heavy showers sometimes hit in the afternoon even then.

Temperatures can be high but good sea breezes have a tempering effect.

BALÉ DE RUA (or ‘STREET BALLET’)

Samba & Hip-Hop That Will Make You Cheer & Dance Supported by Embassy of Brazil

journal dispatch

give me shelter

With so many journalists nowi reporting from the front lines,i veteran war correspondent Janine dii Giovanni recalls the hotels—fromi Sarajevo to Iraq—that were heri havens, clubhouses and second homesi

92 july 2011 | travelandleisureasia.com

© F ran ç oise D e M ulder / R oger - V i / A F P / G etty. com

Crowds gather outside the Sarajevo Holiday Inn in troubled times.

I

n the midst of last winter’s revolts across the Middle East and North Africa, I kept getting e-mails and text mes­sages from friends and colleagues in Tripoli, Cairo, Sanaa and Benghazi. It made me homesick for the days when I spent more than half the year on the road, living in some of the world’s best and worst hotels. The bad ones were truly bad, with little or no food, and no water, electricity, showers or toi­lets. The best were not about the rooms them­selves, but the memories of reporting historic events alongside legendary journalists.

The romantic in me had been influenced by the journalistic greats who had covered the war in Indochina and lived out of the Caravelle Hotel, in Saigon: David Halberstam, Walter Cronkite, Jon Swain. Or Ernest Hemingway, Jon Dos Passos and Martha Gellhorn reporting the Spanish Civil War while at the Hotel Florida, in Madrid.

I was a teenager when I first saw Under Fire, the Nick Nolte film about the Sandinista revolution in Nicaragua, and thought, This is going to be my life. Nolte plays a photojournalist who sacrifices his life to alert the world to horrific human rights violations. Gene Hackman portrays an aging writ­er who loses his beloved girlfriend, an intrepid re­porter, to Nolte’s character. I had no idea that, in the years to come, situations in my own life would imitate those shown in the film.

But even back then I knew that while the movie looked glamorous, the reality of living as a foreign correspondent was not going to be how Hollywood portrayed it. Angelina Jolie always had clean, freshly pressed shirts when she played a humanitarian worker in war zones in Beyond Borders. I can tell you that if I had a white shirt, it didn’t remain clean for long.

The first hotel I stayed in as a foreign corre­spondent was the American Colony, in Jerusalem. It was 1990, during the first Palestinian intifada. My friend Ahmed brought me to the hotel for tea. I was a broke freelancer, young and green. Originally, I had planned to stay at a small, charmless and cheap hotel in West Jerusalem.

“Why don’t you stay at the Colony?” Ahmed asked as he led me, in the hazy, solid heat of

sum­mer, through the winding streets of East Jerusalem. The first thing I saw when we entered the lobby—cooled by the white stone and enormous fans—was a photographer with long, curly hair and a red T-shirt that said time magazine. She was shouting at someone about shipping her film. There were some Palestinian politicians in shiny, badly cut suits and some United Nations types whispering in a corner.

Ahmed took me to the inner sanctum of the Colony, a leafy courtyard that opened onto various rooms, like a Turkish pasha’s palace, which in fact it had once been. There were lemon trees and Armenian tiles and the sound of water flowing from a fountain. The waiter brought us mint tea, heavily sugared, and tiny butter biscuits in the shape of stars. I got a room for US$40 a night, the journalists’ rate,

To get out of the hotel was an EXERCISE in survival: with our helmets and flak jackets, we had to run out at breakneck speed and moved in that afternoon. And suddenly, I was part of the pack that gathered at breakfast in the courtyard and sat in the sun wearing dark glasses. It was like something out of a Graham Greene novel.

We were obsessed with breaking news. In one of the rooms off the lobby there was an Associated Press wire machine spewing out copy, so everyone could keep up to date on the intifada. If there was a clash in the West Bank, someone would enter the courtyard, shout “Ramallah!” and all of us, in a flash, would disappear into taxis.

It was at the American Colony that I learned to do the work I would end up doing for two de­cades (and still do, though in a more careful way now that I have a small child). The intifada taught me how to report human rights violations, how to record people’s lives in my notebooks and at­tempt to give a voice to the voiceless. I was for­tunate enough—perhaps because I was young and unthreatening—to » travelandleisureasia.com | july 2011 93

journal dispatch watch other great reporters at work and learn from them. Richard Beeston, the London Times man (now the paper’s foreign edi­tor), let me jump in his car and catch a ride to the West Bank. The late Juan Carlos Gumucio of El País taught me how to file a proper news story.

A reporter from Le Monde explained how to get a press pass from the Israelis. The BBC constantly let me use their phone.

After Palestine, I traveled next to Bosnia, in the sum­mer of 1992. I lived with most of the other jour­nalists in the ugly, Soviet-style Holiday Inn in Sarajevo, which had the misfortune of being lo­cated on Sniper’s Alley.

To get out of the hotel was an exercise in survival: with our helmets and flak jackets, we had to run out the back door at breakneck speed to avoid getting shot. The food was disgusting and I didn’t bathe for weeks, but the comradeship of the journalists reporting the war was fierce. I met some of my closest friends there, as well as my future husband. We were bonded together forever because of the siege and the sorrow of watching this beautiful and brave city get pummeled.

I go back often to Sarajevo now, but I have only stayed in the Holiday Inn one time since the war ended. I was too tormented by ghosts— and it was strange to turn on a switch and have electricity, strange not to see half the hotel open to the air because it had been blown apart by a bomb. However, I did search for all the waiters that I had known during the war—the ones who used to play football at night in the cavernous dining room because the shelling and sniping made it too dangerous to go out­ side. How I loved their courage, their dignity, and the fact that they wore freshly cleaned white shirts and bow ties while they served us rice and rock-hard bread for dinner. (Sadly, I managed to find only one of them.)

During the war, the entire hotel was run on black-market supplies—the heating oil one freez­ing winter was negotiated by one of the journal­ists (another one who, sadly, is now dead), and the food probably came from humanitarian aid pack­ages. We drank the wine cellar dry that first sum­mer. And I will never forget the first Christmas of the war, in 1992, when a bunch of us went to mid­night mass (held at a secret time because the Serbs would 94 july 2011 | travelandleisureasia.com

have bombed a church full of people at midnight) and then raced back to the hotel in our cars, and someone pulled out a bottle of champagne they’d been hoarding. After that came hotels in the Congo, Liberia, Rwanda, Zimbabwe and the Ivory Coast. In Sierra Leone, a particularly interesting hotel called the Mammy Yoko had a swimming pool full of frogs. There was the place in Somalia that served spaghetti with lobster every night and where I had my own private militia. There was the hotel in Kosovo where, after I came back from a bomb­ing raid, my husband-to-be, who thought I had been killed, organized something unheard-of and utterly luxurious: a warm shower. There was the convent in East Timor where my bed was a door frame with a sleeping bag thrown over it.

Baghdad was my last assignment before I became a mother and entered a new phase of my life. I spent nearly three months at the AlRashid Hotel there in 2003, during the last days of Saddam Hussein, waiting for his fall.

One night, Sean Penn came to my room to talk. He was in the city as a “private protester” against the bomb­ing that was certainly on its way. Be­cause everything was bugged in those days—the Iraqi secret police were ev­erywhere and followed journalists; I dressed in the bathroom with the light out—we turned the TV up full blast on some cheesy Egyptian dance channel, smoked cigarettes and talked politics. Penn was dying for a drink and so was I, but there was no alcohol in the Al-Rashid unless you somehow smuggled it in.

For breakfast the hotel served pome­granate juice and bread with honey. We worked hard, but because we were away from home for so long, we tried to carve out normal lives. Some mornings, in the misty haze of pollution that is Baghdad, I would look out my window at the gar­dens and see Lorenzo, an Italian journal­ist, jogging. An Austrian reporter once offered to paint my hair when I said I wanted to dye it blond. Another Italian writer used to practice piano daily.

In March 2003, right before the bombs started falling in Baghdad, we were forced to move to the Palestine Hotel. I thought I would come back to the Al-Rashid, so I left two suitcases of my good winter clothes—coats, »

journal dispatch sweat­ers, boots—and just took the necessi­ties with me. I never got them back. The American military moved in, and the Al-Rashid became part of the Green Zone.

I

n 2001 in Kabul, after the fall of the Taliban, Peter Jouvenal, a BBC cameraman who knew Afghanistan like the back of his hand, opened a ho­tel in a house on Passport Street that, at one point, had allegedly been the home of one of Osama bin Laden’s wives. He called it the Gandamack Lodge, which is also the fictional address of Flashman, the main character in the George Fraser MacDonald books that foreign corre­ spondents love to read. Four years later, Jouvenal moved to another loca­tion near the unhcr building, restored the rooms and opened a restaurant with English comfort food (shepherd’s pie; lamb chops; fry-ups for breakfast) called the Hare & Hound Watering

Hole. It’s dark and seedy and fantastic. It comes close to the American Colo­ny’s famous bar (which someone once nicknamed the Chamber of Horrors because of the amount of alcohol con­sumed there).

I don’t miss the endless wandering I used to do, or how lonely I got for months on end. I don’t miss the stress of spending all day trying to find a bottle of water to drink or brush my teeth with, or the hell of filing a story on a satellite telephone for 50 dollars a minute. But I do miss being part of his­tory being written— or, as Christiane Amanpour once said, “shining a light on the darkest corners of the world.”

Those messages from Benghazi, Tripoli and beyond did stir something in me, and for a moment, I wanted desper­ately to be part of the pack again. ✚

5 foreign correspondents’ most memorable hotels ● The pomegranate juice at the Hotel InterContinental Kabul is one of ­Afghanistan’s great secrets. I discovered it when I was staying there in 1989–90, right after the Soviet withdrawal.

I arranged with one of the waiters to have an unending supply in exchange for a ­Raleigh bicycle, which was like buying him a RollsRoyce. The trouble was that then all the waiters wanted to supply me with pomegranates.

John Burns

London bureau chief, the New York Times

● While ­covering ­Vietnam for CBS, I stayed at the ­Caravelle Hotel, in Saigon. It was ­elegant but a little tatty around the edges: the faintest smell of nuoc mam wafted through the corridors, and the night watchman was known as Mr. Cat, because he had two long threads on either side of his face, like whiskers. Mr. Cat specialized in doing anything you needed.

Another guest had a lady friend who wanted a Ford Mustang.

Somehow Mr. Cat got it shipped all the way up the Saigon River, amid the fighting, intact.

● The Mamba Point Hotel, in Monrovia, Liberia, was a classic colonial hotel with big overhead fans and verandas overlooking the ­Atlantic.

But in 2003, as the situation got worse, it became a refugee center, the usual businessmen stuffed in with families sleeping in the halls and on the roof.

These people had nothing: I remember one family in particular who had made soup and were using the handle of an old rotary phone for a ladle.

Sebastian Junger

Journalist, filmmaker, and author of War

● In 2006, in ­Lebanon’s Bekáa Valley—a Hezbollah stronghold—I found the most divine hotel, the Grand Hotel Kadri, in Zahlé. We’d run up and down all day dodging Israeli missiles, and each night we’d retreat to this gorgeous hotel whose existence had absolutely no logical explanation: Frenchstyle architecture; high ceilings; huge rooms; 300-threadcount sheets. Hotel heaven on a stick, in the middle of the Bekáa Valley.

Michael Ware

● After the 2010 earthquake in Haiti, I’d grab some food and go to the rooftop of Le Plaza Hotel, in Port-au-Prince.

One side overlooks a park outside the National Palace, which essentially became a camp for displaced people.

On another side is this beautiful port, with the mountains in the distance. From that vantage point, I could see what Haiti is and what it could potentially become.

dr. sanjay gupta

Chief medical ­correspondent, CNN

Veteran war correspondent, CNN and time

Dan Rather

Anchor, HDNet’s Dan Rather Reports

As told to Nate Storey and Gabriella Fuller

96 july 2011 | travelandleisureasia.com

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journal outdoors Secluded beaches, many of which can only be reached by boat, dot Cham.

Hidden Cham Off the coast of Vietnam is a group of islands that seems forgotten by the modern world, writes Duncan Forgan, and that’s fine by him and the locals he meets. Photographed by Aaron Joel Santos

travelandleisureasia.com | july 2011 99

by the sea Clockwise from above: A small temple overlooking the South China Sea; much of the Cham islands remain undeveloped; a drawing of fishing boats and Cham Island at a small temple on the island.

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G

uttural, beer-distorted Vietnamese pierces the late afternoon calm. Then a French tourist asks me: “Are those air rifles?” I squint into the sun at a group of men gesticulating frantically at us from across the paddy field and clock the glint of metal barrels. The locals, it turns out, are packing mild heat.

Five minutes earlier, taking this shortcut seemed like a good idea. Our mission to explore Hon Lao—the largest of the eight-strong Cu Lao Cham archipelago 18 kilometers offshore from China Beach in southern Vietnam—on foot had been a fruitful one; an insight into a destination that remains untouched by mass tourism.

After three hours hiking along the undulating pot-holed strip of tarmac that is the main highway on the island’s west coast, our sweat-drenched group is more than ready to shave a few minutes off the journey back to Bai Lang village and the boat waiting to whisk us back to the mainland. Bad move. We’re walking directly into the line of afternoon target practice. “You need to move a little bit quicker,” says Gianni Marcon, our guide, with classic understatement.

With the guns adding a sense of urgency out of step with the sleepy pace of the island, we oblige. Clambering out of the paddy, I glance back at our tormentors who, by now, are bent helpless with laughter. They open another round of La Rue beer.

© A aron J oel S antos ( 2 ) ; © Y u - M ei B alasingamchow / flickr . com

journal outdoors

© Y u - M ei B alasingamchow / flickr . com ; © A aron J oel S antos

A young fisherman heads back to the mainland.

Close shaves with armed men are not part of the average visitor experience on Hon Lao. The encounter, nonetheless, seems indicative of a destination whose attributes have been jealously guarded from outsiders. Tantalizingly close to Hoi An, the small archipelago is hardly an obscure outpost.

When Hoi An was the commercial capital of the Champa Kingdom, which ruled central Vietnam from the 7th to the 19th centuries, and controlled the spice trade between Indonesia and China, the leeward anchorages on the western side of mountainous Hon Lao provided shelter for vessels from the north-east monsoon. Goods would be unloaded into smaller ships and then transported into town.

The island remained an important stop on the trading route even after the Vietnamese superseded the Chams. Its rich fishing grounds have provided a decent living for its inhabitants. All this is a roundabout way of saying that Cu Lao Cham, has been on the radar for ages and should, by rights, be a prime target for the development frenzy enveloping this corner of Indochina.

Rising steeply from the South China Sea, Hon Lao would melt quite easily into a Southeast Asian paradise island identity parade. All the requisite elements are present and correct. Jungle-clad mountains pour down towards a

crystalline ocean; the western shoreline is laced with a string of curving white-sand indentations. Coral reefs that ring the island are home to a tropical cornucopia of vibrant marine life such as clown fish, butterfly fish, angelfish, seahorses and snapper.

It’s a special spot for sure and booming numbers of daytrippers, both Vietnamese and foreign, attest to its charms.

However, with accommodation on Hon Lao restricted to four simple guesthouses, basic homestays in the villages of Bai Lang and Bai Huong and alfresco camping on the tourist beach of Bai Chong, it’s clear that we are well astray of Vietnam’s tourist trail.

There are a couple of very good reasons for this. The most prosaic is the weather. The winter monsoon hits Central Vietnam particularly hard making conditions generally lousy between October and January. Shallow water levels at the entrance to the Hoi An River make it almost impossible to visit then. The islands remain sporadically accessible until the beginning of February.

Another major deterrent to visitors is that Cu Lao Cham has been controlled by the Vietnamese military since reunification in 1975 and was largely off-limits to visitors until 2003. Why access was restricted is anyone’s guess. » travelandleisureasia.com | july 2011 101

journal outdoors

rural routine Clockwise from top: Squid and fish dry in the afternoon sun on the islands; watching the day pass from a hammock; local fishermen head out in the early morning in a traditional bowl-shaped boats for their daily catch, and likely your dinner.

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Groups of TEENAGERS hide in the shade smoking cigarettes and drinking iced Vietnamese coffee No doubt, the same ideas about change were bandied about other idyllic islands in this part of the world 30 years ago, but it’s difficult to picture Hon Lao as a resort destination. As our group descends into Bai Lang following our misstep in the paddy field, the languid rhythm of life compared to the frenetic pace of modern Vietnam is evident. Tiny silver fish catch the sun as they lay out in the streets to cure; groups of teenagers hide in the shade at plastic tables smoking cigarettes and drinking ca phe sua da (iced Vietnamese coffee with condensed milk) and every second backyard seems to be occupied with a shirtless elderly gentleman taking an afternoon nap in his hammock.

It’s a romantic scene and one of those that cash-rich and time-poor tourists tend to idealize. Life on the island, however, is far from a bed of roses. Overfishing, both by »

© A aron J oel S antos ( 2 ) ; © Y u - M ei B alasingamchow / flickr . com

The most prevalent explanation is that the lucrative trade in the birds’ nests hidden high amongst the cliffs on the eastern side of Hon Lao might have had something to do with it. Even today access to the east of the island is discouraged, while opportunities to explore the verdant interior are conspicuous by their absence.

The army’s grip on the islands may seem draconian, but many in the local tourism industry believe that its control has turned into a blessing rather than a curse. Lodovico Ruggeri, the Italian who runs Cham Island Diving—one of the first operators to run excursions to the archipelago back in 2002—says the military presence has acted as an effective brake on overdevelopment. “As long as the army is on the island it will remain relatively unspoiled,” he tells me over icy beers in Hoi An. Developers have noticed. “This part of Vietnam is changing at a frightening pace and Hon Lao has got some of the best beaches and most pristine waters in the region. How could it not be on the radar?” The island’s popularity has grown in recent years, but the military is still very protective of these shores.

Yet some change is inevitable. Four Seasons is building a resort at Bay Bim beach. Progress looks slow. A handful of villas are still at a skeleton stage and there’s no sign of any work being done (or indeed any workers) on the day I visit but a completion date of 2014 is being kicked around.

journal outdoors

tropical refuge Right: A fishing village on the islands; fishing boats moored off the Cham coast.

Vietnamese and voracious outsiders from as far away as China and Japan, has depleted fish stocks. And local youngsters are more attracted by the bright lights of the mainland than by the simple life on Hon Lao. “They go and they don’t come back,” our boatman Viet, himself an islander, ruefully tells us later.

On the boat back to the mainland and my digs at the Nam Hai hotel—a stylish low-rise that contrasts with the slew of garish concrete monstrosities being built on China Beach—I chat with Beth, an Australian tourist who had spent the previous night sleeping on Bai Chong with her friend Shelley. “It was perfect,” she tells me. “Just us, a few bottles of beer and the stars.” Chances are it won’t be quite as idyllic in the future but, for now, Hon Lao remains a choice refuge from the from the world. Just be careful with your shortcuts. ✚

Cham Island Address Book Getting There It’s a 75-minute flight between Saigon and Danang. Both Vietnam Airlines (vietnamairlines. com.vn) and Jetstar Pacific (jetstar.com.vn) operate daily flights between the two cities. Costs start at around US$35 for a one-way flight. From Danang, it is a 40-minute taxi journey (around US$15) to Hoi An where most of the operators for trips to Cu Lao Cham are based. The most reputable operator is Cham Island Diving Center (chamisland diving.com), which runs tours to the island including diving and snorkeling trips, home stays and a one-night camping on the beach

104 july 2011 | travelandleisureasia.com

package. A more rustic option is to go with the vegan restaurant Karma Waters (karmawaters.com), which operates home stays with villagers in Bai Huong.

Stay Nam Hai Chic digs in welldesigned villas that blend contemporary stylings with traditional Vietnamese touches. Hoi An, Hamlet 1, Dien Duong Village; 84-510/ 394-0000; namhai.com; doubles from US$550.

Life Heritage Resort This boutique resort wins points both for its comfortable rooms and its convenient location near the center of Hoi An. 1 Pham Hong Thai St.; Hoi An Town; 84-510/

391-4555; life-resorts.com; doubles from US$100.

Eat On Hon Lao, Bai Chong has several seafood restaurants worth a look. Better still, they’ll cook you dinner too if you decide to stay overnight on the beach. In the main village of Bai Lang, there are two simple restaurants named Dan Tri and Tinh.

Dinner for two at either one costs VND250,000.

Morning Glory Still at the top of its game with fresh ingredients and flair-packed takes on local cuisine the order of the day. 106 Nguyen Thai Hoc St.; 84510/241-555; lunch or dinner for two VND400,000.

Bale Well Self-wrapped rice paper rolls are the order of the day here. Helpings are huge, the food is delicious and the prices are laughably low. Off Tran Hung Dao St.; lunch or dinner for two VND150,000.

Do Cham Island Diving Center Divers can explore the many dive sites in the area with the center’s PADI-certified instructors. For non-divers the operator runs one-day or two-day/one-night trips to Hon Lao, which can take in everything from snorkeling to exploration of the island.

88 Nguyen Thai Hoc, Hoi An; 84-510/391-0782; one-day snorkeling excursion US$40; daily dive trips from US$75.

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Italy’s MountaIn MagIc a foodIe’s guIde to chIcago

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journal food

La Dolce Vita

From piedmont to campania, Anya Von Bremzen discovers six affordable agriturismi where the food comes straight from the land and Italian traditions live on.

Photographed by simon watson

An aperitivo at Poggio Etrusco, in the Tuscan hills outside Montepulciano.

T

he sheets may not be Frette and the Internet is still dial-up, but if you don’t mind a wake-up call from a rooster, picking your own tomatoes for dinner or sharing the pool with the proprietors’ little kids, then you’ll love an Italian agriturismo. Despite stringent guidelines, the number of farmstays across the country has flourished and is now estimated at around 20,000. Unpaved country roads lead to centuries-old farms where intimate family meals and evening pasta lessons with mamma hark back to a simpler way of life.

And even more memorable than the kitchens are the prices, usually a third of what you’d pay at a hotel (and that’s with dinner thrown in).

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“I cried when I saw the stream of green liquid emerge from the Poggio Etrusco Centrifuge,” confesses Californiatuscany born Pamela Sheldon-Johns about her first batch of organic olive oil 11 Via del Pelago, made at her Tuscan estate. Known Loc. Fontecornino, Sant’Albino di among fooderati for her excellent Montepulciano; cookbooks, Sheldon-Johns moved 39-0578/798-370; to Tuscany with her family 10 years poggio-etrusco. com; apartments ago after falling hard for a 17thfrom €176; cooking century stone sharecropper’s house classes from €176 shaded by huge olive trees just per person. south of Montepulciano. The Johnses converted part of the structure into three antiques-filled apartments—plus a small double room—

where guests are encouraged to cook using fava beans and cavolo nero (black-leaf kale) from their garden. Sheldon-Johns is happy to arrange a Sangiovese tasting at her friend’s enoteca near Montepulciano or a lunch at nearby Avignonesi, producer of the world’s most prized vin santo. For her cooking classes, guests gather in the kitchen, which is anchored by a woodburning stove. She might share minestrone secrets—start with only olive oil and add veggies one at a time—or explain how a soffrito of carrots, onions and celery will add flavor to any soup or sauce. Poggio’s biggest allure is its family vibe: Sheldon-Johns’s teenage daughter, Alaia, draws up activity-packed schedules for kids, and her artist husband, Johnny, might take you for a spin in his 1970 Cinquecento. Don’t leave without her plum crostata recipe and a bottle of Poggio’s fruit-forward, peppery oil made with extra-ripe Moraiolo olives.

Italian Idyll From top: A flock of sheep near Poggio Etrusco; owner Pamela Sheldon-Johns’s plum crostata; Johnny Johns’s 1970 Cinquecento.

Deep in the wooded hills of Southern Piedmont, Rosanna and Domenico La Traversina Varese Puppo run a retreat straight piedmont out of a fairy tale. The air surrounding the 300-year-old, vine-draped, partGREAT VALUE stone house is thickly scented with 109 Cascina roses. Inside, four wood-beamed guest La Traversina, Stazzano; rooms and three small apartments are 39-0143/61377; decorated with the owners’ travel latraversina.com; mementos and auction finds. La doubles from €101; dinner for Traversina trades not in cattle or two €55. crops but in flowers—which means that the garden is a fragrant riot of 200 kinds of flora, including some 50 species of irises. Rosanna is a former architect, a dog breeder and a kitchen genius; Domenico is an expert in heirloom tomatoes; and at their side is their “adopted son,” Vijaya, a charismatic, multilingual Sherpa in his late twenties who came from Nepal for a visit and decided to stay in Italy. At night, an equally colorful crowd congregates around the superlong wooden table for Ligurian vegetable torte and pastas swathed in emerald pesto with thyme, basil and marjoram from the garden. Over grappa, Vijaya spins yarns about Himalayan mountaineering disasters, and Rosanna explains the origins of Monteboro, a local sheep’s- and cow’s-milk cheese shaped like an elaborate wedding cake. Sign up for a gardening, yoga or cooking class, or just perfect the art of dolce far niente (pleasant idleness) by the flowerfringed pool. » travelandleisureasia.com | july 2011 107

journal food The pool at Tenuta La Pila, in the Veneto, left. Right: Owner Alberto Sartori and his wife, Raimonda Corsi, outside their estate.

“I admit I’m a little Swiss,” jokes the former textile entrepreneur Alberto Sartori, Tenuta La Pila explaining why everything v e n e to runs like clockwork on his 44-hectare farm in the green GREAT VALUE 42 Via Pila, Veneto plains between Verona Spinimbecco; and Rovigo. But the ebullient 39-0442/659welcome he and his wife, Raimonda, 289; tenuta​ lapila.it; doubles give guests here is purely Italian. At from €80; dinner Tenuta La Pila, things are done big: the for two €40. fertile farmlands yield corn, wheat and soy; the enormous orchard produces many apple varieties and every conceivable stone fruit; and row upon row of kiwifruit vines—Italy is one of the world’s largest producers—flank a 15-meter-long swimming pool. The architecture is just as impressive. Converted from a 1733 rice mill and fronted by a pebbled courtyard, the property includes a graceful Neoclassical casa padronale (main house), a mustard-colored barchessa (an arcaded barn where guests sleep) and an Art Nouveau carriage house that functions as an office. Raimonda has outfitted the five guest rooms and seven apartments with lighting, linens and incredibly comfortable mattresses sourced from across Italy. Veneto being maize country, expect plenty of smooth, fluffy polenta for dinner, served with a rustic stew of farm goose and braised wild greens. Sartori and his wife offer dinner just twice a week so that guests can explore the region’s Slow Food restaurants—the perfect end to a day trip to the nearby Palladian villas or the art-filled cities of Verona, Vicenza, Ferrara and Padua, all less than an hour away.

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The first thing to know about La Subida, in the northern Collio wine region bordering Slovenia, is that it houses the La Subida friuli best Michelin-starred restaurant in the area. Hosts Josko and Loredana Sirk GREAT VALUE match quirky details with updates of 52 Via Subida, Cormons; rib-sticking Friulian specialties such 39-0481/60531; as zlikrofi (potato dumplings), plum lasubida.it; gnocchi scented with cinnamon and an cottages for two from €117; epic veal shank, slow roasted in an old dinner for two bread oven and then paraded around €117. on a cart under a copper lid. The Sirks prefer to use the phrase vacanze verdi (green vacations) to refer to their 16-cottage property. The shingled-roof minichalets, scattered along a slope at the edge of an oak forest, espouse an Alpine-Zen aesthetic with swaths of blond wood, sleigh beds and plenty of firewood for the fogolars, or traditional fireplaces. Spend an afternoon at La Subida’s aromatic acetaia (vinegar factory) where Josko produces an extra-puckery, barrel-aged vinegar from local wine grapes, or hop on one of the property’s bright yellow Vespas to visit the terraced vineyards on both sides of the border: Venica, in Collio Gorizia, and Movia, in Dobrovo, Slovenia.

Giulia Savini making liqueurs in her kitchen at Le Marche’s Locanda della Valle Nuova.

You can’t help wondering what a woman like Giulia Savini—fluent Locanda in three languages and with two della Valle international master’s degrees—is Nuova doing living in Le Marche raising Le marche white Marchigiana cows and GREAT VALUE pampering guests on her 75-hectare 14 La Cappella, farm. But Savini and her parents, Sagrata di Fermignano, who also live on site, are as passionate Pesaro e Urbino; about the environment as they are 39-0722/330about hospitality. A short drive from 303; vallenuova. it; doubles from the Renaissance town of Urbino, their €113; dinner for 1980’s farm, with six modern guest two €61. rooms and three apartments, is as ecoconscious as it gets: crops are strictly organic, the stove is fueled by tree prunings, and electricity is generated by photovoltaic panels on the roof. If you don’t care for morning horseback rides or excursions to artisanal producers, stay here for the food. Loyal to her Piedmontese roots, Giulia’s mamma, Signora Adriana, makes an unforgettable beef bollito misto as well as a rich tagliatelle, made with eggs from her henhouse, that’s tossed in a deep flavored wild-boar ragù. The best she saves for last: some two dozen house-made liqueurs culled from the pantry, crammed with colorful jars of elderflower and sour-cherry preserves.

Between chatting with guests, canning tomatoes and pressing award-winning olive oil—and disciplining Tex, a frisky Le Tore Labrador—when does Vittoria C a m pa n i a Brancaccio relax? “Sometimes I forget GREAT VALUE my own name!” admits the vigorous 43 Via Pontone, agronomist turned contadina, who also Massa Lubrense, Penisola serves as president of Italy’s 5,000Sorrentina; member Agriturist association. Back in 39-333/9861982, when Brancaccio’s father bought 6691; letore.com; doubles from her the 14-hectare property agricoltura, €89; dinner for she says, was considered a dirty word. two €82.

Now it’s positively glamorous. Named for the ridge dividing the Sorrento and Naples peninsulas, Le Tore has a sunny, slightly ramshackle authenticity: crates of Amalfi lemons are scattered around the property, free-roaming speckled Livornese hens peck away and operatic arguments take place in the kitchen over what to serve for lunch. The eight guest rooms in an 18th-century villa are just as autentico, with terra-cotta floors, cheery bedspreads and frescoes by a friend of Brancaccio’s. Meals here are long affairs, served under a grapefruit tree. What to expect? Plates of cloudlike ricotta and mozzarella produced nearby, handmade pastas dressed with vibrant tomatoes and platters of garlicky vegetables. If you’re lucky, there’ll be Campanian pizza rustica, a crumbly dough filled with basil-scented cheese and salumi. Guests are welcome to work the fields during harvests, but Brancaccio jokes that “bad workers” are fired immediately. Instead, she suggests picnicking in the property’s olive grove, which faces the Mediterranean—or playing with Tex. ✚

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White-sand beaches, salty breezes, freshly caught seafood—who doesn’t love an island getaway? From a remote retreat in Vietnam to a throwback Indonesian getaway, T+L rounds up 25 under-the-radar spots where you can truly unwind.

Bonus: many of the hotels we’ve uncovered are less than US$250 a night.

model : J U L I A P E R E I R A / E L I T E M I A M I

Secret Island Escapes

Central & South America

© D avid N icolas ( 3 )

A suite at the Jicaro Island Ecolodge, on Lake Nicaragua, left.

Below: Taking a dip at the lodge’s pool.

Opposite: Lounging at the lodge. Swimsuit by Nanette Lepore; shirt, Samba Soleil.

SPOTLIGHT

Jicaro Island, nicar agua

You’ll get a dose of cognitive dissonance arriving at Jicaro Island.

There are palm trees and thatched roofs, even a shadowy volcano in the distance, but the air has none of the tropical tang you’d expect, and there are no waves or powdery shores. That’s because Jicaro is located on Lake Nicaragua, a freshwater lake 10 ­minutes by boat from the colonial town of Granada. The island’s half hectare is occupied by Jicaro Island Ecolodge (505/84031236; jicarolodge.com; doubles from US$480, including meals), a hotel as sensitive to the environment as it is easy on the eyes. Its nine casitas, stylish with their slatted façades and mosquito-netted beds, are crafted entirely from Nicaraguan timber, salvaged from storm-felled trees. The food is locally sourced, all organic; solar power heats the water; and there’s a freshwater infinity pool. As you sip a passion-fruit-banana cocktail and watch the cormorants dive into the lake, you’ll marvel at how you managed to find such a smart hotel in such an unexpected location.

T+L Tip Spend an afternoon hiking around the cloud forest on the upper slopes of the nearby volcano, Mombacho.

Caye Caulker, Belize There’s nary a traffic light on this laid-back island—an eight-kilometer strip of land that’s a 15-minute flight from Belize’s main airport.

Head to Shark Ray Alley to snorkel among nurse sharks and stingrays or go scuba diving at the underwater caves of Blue Hole.

Aboveground, try the curried lobster at the roadside Jolly Roger’s Grill (Ave. Hicaco; 1-501/6643382; dinner for two US$25). On the eastern side of the Caye, Seaside Cabanas (1-501/226-0498; seasidecabanas.com; doubles from US$105) has 10 rooms and six colorful cabins, each with its own roof terrace for taking in those amazing Caribbean views. T+L Tip Visit during the Lobster Festival (July 1–3), when the main road turns into a street party.

Robinson Crusoe, Chile A two-hour flight west of Santiago, this rugged isle earned its fame from the 18th-century sailor Alexander Selkirk, whose wild spell as a castaway here inspired the novel Robinson Crusoe. The aura of adventure still endures (there’s even a rumor of buried treasure). Travelers arrive on a seven-seater plane, then take a 30-minute speedboat ride to the town of San Juan Bautista. At the new Crusoe Island Lodge (Bahía Pangal; 56-23/460-103; crusoeislandlodge.com; doubles from US$330, all-inclusive), all 15 rooms are made with recycled materials and wood from the nearby forest. Hire guide Michelangel Trezza from the hotel to organize a scuba dive (from US$150), on which you’ll see a centuries-old shipwreck. T+L Tip Try El Mirador (dinner for two US$100) for piping-hot lobster empanadas.

San Alonso, Argentina Flocks of ibis and egrets fill the sky at this 10,000hectare hideaway in northeastern Argentina’s

Paraná Lake. Owner Douglas Tompkins—the founder of fashion label Esprit—transformed a former cattle ranch into Estancia San Alonso (54-3782/497-172; sanalonso.com; doubles from US$160, all-inclusive), with five rustic-chic suites.

Guests arrive by aircraft from the city of Posadas (arranged by the hotel; US$770 round-trip for up to three people), on the mainland, and head out on twice-daily fauna-spotting forays—if you’re lucky, you’ll see caimans and the endangered pampas deer.

After, return to the lodge for a fireside barbecue.

T+L Tip Take a fly-fishing tour (arranged by the hotel) to catch a sevenkilogram golden dorado.

Caribbean Sampson Cay, Exuma Cays, Bahamas Partially protected from commercial activity since 1959, the Exuma Cays are normally the domain of cruisers—and a few privileged landowners such as Johnny Depp. But guests at Sampson Cay have access to the area’s thriving patch reefs and isolated islets. At the Sampson Cay Club (1-242/355-2034; sampsoncayclub.com; doubles from US$275), the five modest villas include wide patios that are perfect for watching the sunset.

While the limestone karst terrain may be rugged, every path ends on a stretch of secluded white sand. T+L Tip Rent a Boston Whaler from the hotel (from US$250 per day) to tour the surrounding islands.

Scrub Island, British Virgin Islands The name may suggest otherwise, but a trip here hardly constitutes roughing it. Once a pit stop for explorers, it’s been virtually uninhabited for decades—until last year, when the luxe Scrub Island Resort, Spa & Marina (813/695-6469; scrubisland. com; doubles from US$375) opened its doors. What to expect? Spacious hillside

Denotes a Great Value (rate of US$250 or less)

Island life Clockwise from

villas, guided trips to nearby Norman Island and sunset nature hikes. T+L Tip Reserve Honeymoon Beach (accessible by boat) for a picnic à deux.

Europe Colonsay, Scotland A 2½-hour ferry ride from the west-coast whisky town of Oban takes you to this remote Hebridean island. Sheep far outnumber people, and those who have made the wildflowercarpeted island home are the sort of characters who would have inspired Robert Burns.

There’s the naturalist Kevin Byrne (44-1951/200-320; colonsayguide.co.uk; walks for two from US$32), who can name every buzzard flying near the mile-long sands of Kiloran Bay, or proprietor Mike McNicholl of the General Store (44-1951/200-265; colonsayshop.net), who’ll tell you about the dolphins he just saw and sell you a bottle of Laphroaig.

The Howard family owns the

Colonsay Hotel (44-1951/200316; colonsayestate.co.uk; doubles from US$160), a nine-room Georgian inn built in 1750, with white pebble-dashed walls, sloping slate roofs and spare furnishings. You can meet all the locals at the village hall for Saturday’s weekly ceilidh dance, as authentic a gathering as you’ll find in the British Isles.

T+L Tip For a customized tour of neighboring Jura’s legendary whisky distillery, contact David Tobin of Dream Escape (dreamescape.co.uk).

Flatey, Iceland Don’t expect to see much night sky here: in summer, daylight shines for up to 21 hours on this rocky 1.6-kilometer hideaway in Breiðafjörður Bay. Lush meadows and multicolored timber houses dot the scenery, and the mainland’s Snæfellsjökull volcano is always within eyeshot. In town, Hotel Flatey (354/555-7788; hotelflatey.is; doubles from

US$180) stays true to simple Scandinavian design (blondwood furniture; whitewashed walls), and the downstairs restaurant turns into a live-concert venue for local talent at night. T+L Tip Swing

by Iceland’s oldest (and smallest) library, built in 1864.

Gozo, Malta This tiny Mediterranean island is where Odysseus was “held captive” by Calypso after the Trojan War. Take one look at the landscape, and it’s no wonder he stayed seven years.

Rolling hills, crumbling castle walls and a Bronze Age fortress are some of the most endearing features. Check in to Hotel Ta’ Cenc & Spa (Cenc St., Sanat; 356/2219-1000; tacenchotel.com; doubles from US$260), with 85 stone bungalows overlooking the sea.

From there, it’s a short drive to Dwejra Bay, where you can take a dip, then munch on pastizzi (ricotta-filled pastries) at

Tapie’s Bar (St. Francis Square; lunch for two US$20). T+L Tip Bring home handblown objéts d’art from Gozo Glass (Ta Dbiegi Crafts Village, Gharb; 356-21/561-974).

Inis Meáin, Ireland The pleasures of Inis Meáin are simple: a walk along the coast to the thunder of Atlantic swells; a tableau of fissured limestone that glimmers in the mist; the best potatoes you’ll ever taste. At the stone-walled Inis Meáin Restaurant & Suites (353-86/826-6026; inismeain. com; suites from US$350; dinner for two US$125), owners Marie-Thérèse and Ruairí de Blacam have equipped the five suites with bicycles and fishing rods; oversize beds come with alpaca throws, and 10-meterwide windows look out onto Galway Bay and Connemara.

The real allure is the 30-seat glass-walled restaurant, known for its deceptively basic fish dishes and homegrown

C ourtesy of R inc ó n del S ocorro ( 2 ) ; © J oseph G ough | D reamstime . com O pposite page : © A lanesspe | D reamstime . com

left: The Hebridean coast in Scotland; wildlife in San Alonso, Argentina; riding in San Alonso.

Opposite page: Beach in Skopelos island, Greece

SPOTLIGHT

Skopelos, greece

A one-hour ferry ride from Skiathos, the island of Skopelos is so picture-perfect (hidden coves; blue-roofed tavernas; hundreds of Byzantine-era churches) that Hollywood chose its Kastani Beach as a set for Mamma Mia. At the justrenovated Adrina Beach Hotel (Panormos; 34-24240/23371; adrina.gr; doubles from US$98), the 49 pastel-colored rooms face the pine-tree-studded coastline, strewn with daybeds. Later this year, the same owners will debut the more upscale Adrina Resort & Spa (Panormos; 30-24240/23371; theresort.gr; doubles from US$110), with 16 terraced rooms and 22 villas that look out onto the turquoise Aegean. T+L Tip After a dinner of grilled lamb at Perivoli (Skopelos Town; 3024240/23758; dinner for two US$60), walk to open-air Mercurius Bar & CafĂŠ (Skopelos Town; 30-24240/24593; drinks for two US$12) or the hillside Ouzeri Anatoli (Skopelos Town; 30-24240/22851; drinks for two US$12), for live rebetika music.

SPOTLIGHT

Con Dao, vietnam

Phu Quoc might be hailed as the next Phuket, but those looking to get far off the grid head to this undiscovered archipelago just 176 kilometers off Vietnam’s southeastern coast. A 45-minute flight from Ho Chi Minh City brings you to Con Son, the largest (and only inhabited) member of the 16-island chain. Here, sheer granite cliffs border deserted beaches and crystalblue water—imagine a tropical Amalfi Coast without the crowds. Up until now, you’d have been hard-pressed to find a decent place to stay, but the arrival of the Six Senses Con Dao (Dat Doc Beach; 84-64/383-1222; sixsenses.com; villas from US$685) has brought a welcome dose of luxury to the island. Standing along a stretch of golden sand are 50 airy villas (some with private pools) that look out onto the South China Sea. Food is a highlight here. In classic Six Senses style, the hotel’s Vietnamese restaurant is set up to resemble a market; there are separate stalls “hawking” noodles and rolls, while made-to-order dishes are cooked outside in charcoal-­fueled woks. You may be tempted to never leave the resort, but the 52-square-kilometer island is well worth exploring. Hire a private guide from the hotel, who will bring you via motorbike to the area’s most remote spots, including a 19th-century hilltop lighthouse and the spectacular Dam Tre Bay lagoon. T+L Tip Take a boat trip to Bay Canh Island to view endangered hawksbill turtles during nesting season (May through September), arranged by the hotel.

120 july 2011 | travelandleisureasia.com

scenes from Vietnam

andrea fazarri ( 4 ) ; model : frederikke / elite vietnam

From top: The staff at the just-opened Six Senses Con Dao, on Con Dao, in Vietnam; a villa guest room; shrimp rolls at the Six Senses restaurant. Opposite: A pool villa at the hotel.

vegetables. For dessert, try the seaweed pudding in wild-berry sauce at An Dún B&B (353-87/680-6251; inismeainaccommodation. com; doubles from US$98; dinner for two US$50; dessert for two US$15). T+L Tip Hike the 2½-kilometer Cliff Walk, with the Cliffs of Moher as your backdrop.

La Maddalena, Italy An unassuming understudy to Capri, La Maddalena, off the coast of Sardinia, is getting some well-deserved attention. It’s now the site of La Maddalena Hotel & Yacht Club (39-78/9794273; lamaddalenahyc.com; doubles from US$340), which now has some 200 slips for the yachts that will find their way here soon.

Stefano Boeri Architects designed the angular, 96-room hotel, whose biggest draw is its glass-and-travertine spa.

Beyond the resort, there are pristine beaches, hidden coves and rare birds to discover. T+L Tip Tour the Garibaldi House & Museum (Casa Bianca), on nearby Caprera, where the 19th-century politico Giuseppe Garibaldi lived.

Pico, Portugal When Columbus made his expedition in 1492, Pico was considered a last outpost before you, well, fell off the earth—and it remains virtually unknown. It’s a shame, what with wines unlike anywhere else, and footpaths that weave through beautifully eerie landscapes of lava. In the middle of a unescodesignated vineyard is the Pocinhobay (PocinhoMonte; 351/292-629-135; pocinhobay.com; doubles from US$238), where six basalt bungalows take in views of the Atlantic. T+L Tip For dinner, head to Ancoradouro (Areia Larga; 351/292-623-490; dinner for two US$45) to sample local specialties such as polvo guisado (stewed octopus).

Sandön, Sweden There’s a reason mystery writer Stieg Larsson chose Sandön as a setting for his

popular Millennium thriller trilogy: the island is covered in a forest of moss and pine trees, and a light fog shrouds the windblown beaches. Check in to the modern Sands Hotell (46-8/5715-3020; sandshotell.se; doubles from US$298), just steps from the harbor in Sandön’s only town, Sandhamn.

At Sandhamns Värdshus (46-8/5715-3051; dinner for two US$100), chef Henrik Lepistö whips up classic Swedish dishes such as house-marinated herring and pytt i panna, a traditional hash with fried egg and beets. T+L Tip Rent a mountain bike from Sandhamnsguiderna (46-8/640-8040; sandhamnsguiderna.se; bikes for two US$60) and pedal through the forest to Trouville, Sandön’s best stretch of sand.

Asia Andaman Islands, India These 550 atolls in the Bay of Bengal have all the prerequisites for an idyllic getaway—with an added dose of culture. You can still see a few ancient indigenous tribes. The island of Havelock, a two-hour ferry ride from Port Blair, is arguably the most appealing, thanks to its bone-white beaches. Book a sea-facing villa at the new SilverSand Beach Resort (91-3192/282-493; silversandhavelock.com; doubles from US$130) and ask the staff to take you on a trek to the Kala Pather forest. T+L Tip Get to know the area’s historic villages on an excursion with Island Vinnie’s (islandvinnie.com; tours from US$11).

Gili Trawangan, Indonesia Searching for the Bali of, say, 1970? Head to Gili Trawangan, a tiny island near Lombok dotted with countless waterside cafés.

No motorized traffic is allowed here—the best way to get around is to rent a bicycle or use your own two feet. The daily agenda involves nothing more than fishing, diving or kicking

Denotes a Great Value (rate of US$250 or less)

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an island affair Clockwise from

back with a cold beer at Scallywag (South Beach; 62-370/645-301; lunch for two US$30). On the southern coast, Hotel Vila Ombak (hotel ombak.com; doubles from US$150) has 115 airy rooms.

T+L Tip Hop the ferry to Mount Rinjani (lombokmarine.com; tours from US$225), an active volcano on Lombok.

Mabul, Malaysia Diving enthusiasts flock to Mabul, off the northeastern coast of East Malaysia, where the exotic marine life is on a par with the Galápagos—native sea moths, bobtail squids and the elusive paintpot cuttlefish are just a few of the inhabitants. At Sipadan Water Village Resort (60-89/784-227; swvresort.com; doubles from US$365), the 45 stilted bungalows are cooled by constant sea breezes. T+L Tip For local souvenirs, head to Tawau village’s Sunday market (6 a.m.–noon), in nearby Sabah.

Africa & the Middle East Desert Islands, United Arab Emirates The roaring traffic sounds of Abu Dhabi, 240 kilometers to the east, is replaced by the sound of lapping waves on this cluster of Arabian Gulf islands.

Sir Bani Yas—with its wadis, mangroves and Christian monastery excavation site—has the only hotel. Luckily, you’re in for a treat: Desert Islands Resort & Spa by Anantara (971-2/801-5400; anantara. com; doubles from US$383) includes 64 Arabian-chic rooms; the hotel will plan everything from kayaking trips to game drives through the nearby wildlife park. T+L Tip For dinner, try the steamed crabs in an oyster-mushroom sauce at the hotel’s restaurant.

Rodrigues, Mauritius Locked in a shallow lagoon, this fish-shaped island has served as a paparazzi-free bolt-hole

for Prince William in years past.

With its verdant valleys and numerous islets, it’s a haven for hikers and kite-surfers, too.

Stay at the beachfront Mourouk Ebony Hotel (230/832-3351; mouroukebony hotel.com; doubles from US$205), with 34 Creole-style rooms. For freshly caught seafood, don’t miss Coralie la Diffe’rence (Countour Oblasse; 230/832-1071; dinner for two US$40). T+L Tip Spot giant Aldabra tortoises at the François Leguat Tortoise & Cave Reserve (tortoisecavereserve-rodrigues.com).

Australia & New Zealand Great Barrier Island, New Zealand At 270 square kilometers, “The Barrier” is the largest island off the Kiwi coast, but it’s also the most untouched. Spend your days hiking through dense kauri woods or exploring jagged inlets. Then refuel over

mussel fritters at Tipi & Bobs (38 Puriri Bay Rd., Puriri Bay; 64-9/429-0550; dinner for two US$45). The four modern rooms at the glass-walled Oruawharo Beach House (S. Ringwood St., Torbay; 64-9/473-6031; ihu.co.nz; doubles from US$450) are designed by New Zealand architecture firm Fearon Hay and have spectacular views of Oruawharo Bay. T+L Tip Indulge in a soak at Kaitoke Hot Springs (greatbarrier. aucklandnz.com).

U.S. & Canada Fogo Island, Newfoundland This may be the last place you’d expect to find an artistic awakening—it’s a fishing community off Newfoundland’s northeastern coast marked by craggy shores and kilometers of blissful nothingness. But thanks to residents Elísabet Gunnarsdóttir and Zita Cobb and architect Todd Saunders, the secluded island is

© hywit dimyadi / istockphoto . com ; courtesy of sipadan water village resort ; © H olger M ette / istockphoto . com ; O pposite : © J akub M ichankow / istockphoto . com

top: The majestic Mount Rinjani; Hotel Vila Ombak; on Gili Trawangan.

Opposite page: Coconut palms tower over the Andaman Islands.

idyllic Malaysia

courtesy of sipadan water village resort ( 4 )

From top: A Junior Cottage at the Sipadan Water Village Resort; vibrant waters near Sipadan; plenty of coral at your feet.

Opposite: An aerial view of the resort.

becoming a cultural destination. The creative trio are behind Fogo Island Studios, a series of six cutting-edge artists’ ateliers that perch over the Atlantic.

Rent a car to tour the modern buildings or consider a hike along the eight-kilometer Turpin’s Trail; a partridgeberry-picking excursion (fogoislandpartridgeberryfestival.com); or a bowl of seafood chowder at Nicole’s Café (159 Main Rd., Joe Batt’s Arm; 1-709/658-3663; lunch for two US$40). The Fogo Island Inn is set to open next year, but for now there’s Foley’s Place (1-709/658-7244; foleysplace.ca; doubles from US$87), a historic B&B that dates back a century. T+L Tip Organize an outing with nature writer Roy Dwyer (1-709/658-3538; roydwyer@eastlink.ca), who will take you out on his boat and recount tales of Fogo’s storied past.

Lummi Island, Washington Nature enthusiasts and locavores love this 23square-kilometer oasis full of working farms and lush fields on Puget Sound. Stay at Willows Inn (2579 W. Shore Dr.; 1-360/758-2620; willows-inn.com; doubles from US$185), with views of Orcas Island and, for the patient, some actual orcas.

Feast on spot prawns, reef-net-caught salmon, and just-picked greens prepared by the hotel’s chef Blaine Wetzel, who recently came over from Copenhagen’s legendary Noma. T+L Tip Don’t miss a bike ride to Michael Oppenheimer’s Windy Hill Art sculpture park (windyhillart.com).

Jeanne-Marie Herman here to open the sustainable Foxglove Farm (1200 Mount Maxwell Rd.; 1-250/ 931-5336; foxglovefarmbc. ca; doubles from US$175).

The wooden cottages have views of Lake Maxwell (book the Log House, with its stone fireplace). T+L Tip The Saturday farmers’ market showcases works by native potters and jewelers.

Southport Island, Maine Boothbay Harbor ranks as one of the busiest tourist havens on Maine’s Mid Coast, but nearby Southport Island, accessed via a swing bridge, has a more low-key vibe: old Cape Cod–style Colonial houses; small country stores; winding roads. On the way to town, you’ll spot the 40-year-old Robinson’s Wharf (20 Hendricks Hill Rd.; 1-207/633-3830; lunch for two US$65), one of the state’s most revered seafood shacks, serving fresh lobster, shrimp and oysters. Snag a table on the dock facing Townsend Gut. A 20-minute walk away, Ocean Gate Resort (1-207/ 633-3321; oceangateinn. com; doubles from US$104) has canoes for tours of the Gut’s sheltered waters.

Toward the island’s far end, the 30-room Newagen Seaside Inn (60 Newagen Colony Rd.; newagenseasideinn.com; doubles from US$140), with three cottages, abuts a quaint fishing harbor. This is classic Maine. T+L Tip Plan a picnic on Southport Beach. ✚ Reported by Nicole Alper, Colin Barraclough, Vinita Bharadwaj, Karen Burshtein, Claudia Caruana, Jennifer Chen, Tanvi Chheda, Christine Ciarmello, Hui Fang, Erin Florio, Peter J. Frank, Gabriella Fuller, David Herndon, Josh Krist, Heidi Mitchell, Elena North-Kelly, Laura Read, Kristina Schreck, Maria Shollenbarger, Darren Tobia, Ingrid K. Williams, Jeff Wise and Amy Wolfe.

Salt Spring Island, British Columbia Vancouver Island may have the spotlight, but neighboring Salt Spring is impossibly picturesque (imagine rocky shores, rolling pastures and sky-high oak trees). Cheese makers, vintners and an eclectic group of artists and craftspeople live here year-round. It’s precisely that eco-artist vibe that lured Michael Abelman and Ladling assam laksa, a tamarind-flavored noodle soup, at Pasar Air Itam.

Now known as Malaysia’s Silicon Valley, this tiny island and onetime backpacker haven also happens to be a repository of authentic local character, with its very own World Heritage site, stylish new hotels and Some of the best street food you’LL ever eat In SOUTHEAST ASIA. Guy Trebay reports from george town P hoto g r aph e d

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George Town’s 1906 Khoo Kongsi clan house. Above, from left: Dressed for Chinese New Year celebrations on Harmony Street; silk lanterns at the Goddess of Mercy Temple. Opposite, clockwise from top: Roaming the Chew Jetty at dawn; bubur chacha, a coconut milk dessert, at Jalan Pasar Hawker Center; the dated but beautiful entry at the China Tiger hotel.

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Gulai tumis, a hot and sour fish curry, at Perut Rumah Nyonya Cuisine. Left: Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling, lined with shop houses. Opposite: The pool at the Eastern & Oriental.

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upwind of a ritual furnace at the gateway to the Goddess of Mercy Temple, banked in incense as thick as fog, I joined the crowd feeding fake loot to the tongues of flame. The offerings were, in my case, all-purpose: something for the ancestors, for living family and friends, for luck and prosperity and health, the usual stuff. But to the customary human importuning I also sneaked a silent request to the travel gods: “How soon can you get me back here?”

I was in Penang, a small island off the northwestern coast of Malaysia, half a world away from my front door. Few people of my acquaintance have heard of this lovely flyspeck, and the omission seemed more confounding the more time I spent there.

Not only is Penang—or, anyway, its capital, George Town—so lightly touched by 21st-century modernity that you occasionally feel as if you have wandered onto a period film set, but its dense mesh of streets and cultures, its polyglot population, its infrastructure and sophisticated fusion cooking also call to mind another more celebrated island, the one I call home.

In certain ways Penang is like a Toytown version of Manhattan. An outpost of trade in an earlier era of globalization, the island leased by the British from the Sultan of Kedah—in an agreement forged by Captain Francis Light on behalf of the East India ­Company in 1786—was once key to Britain’s imperial expansion. Briefly the most important of the British Straits Settlements, it eventually ceded that distinction to Singapore, which went on to claim an important place on the world stage, while Penang lapsed into a prolonged tropical slumber. »

the five-foot way is a stage on which the washing, eating, idling and other business is enacted In recent years this tiny Malaysian state has powered back into view, its fortunes revived as it transformed itself into Malaysia’s Silicon Valley. Though tourism lagged behind the boom, it is increasingly possible to find chic boutique hotels, the first stirrings of a culinary movement, and enlightened restoration projects that signal the end of Penang’s status as a secret shared only by backpackers and Malaysians who make pilgrimages there for the justifiably famous street food. But you would not necessarily notice these shifts if you happened to arrive by night, as I did, taxiing past the shadowed industrial campuses to fetch up in George Town beneath the porte cochère of the great white slab cake that is the venerable and deeply anachronistic Eastern & Oriental Hotel.

In the days when Penang was still an important port along global shipping lanes—a status predicated on its deep-water harbors and position in the Strait of Malacca—banking thrived there. So did trade of all kinds, most importantly in spices. One version of the origins of Penang’s name holds that it is a Malay (or possibly Tamil) word for betel nut, and starting as early as the 15th century, traders dropped anchor here to buy and sell cloves, nutmeg, star anise, bird’s nest, tin, pepper and rubber and also, very profitably and for quite a long time, opium.

Immigrants followed, naturally, in flight from peonage and in pursuit of fortune. By the early 19th century Penang was already a mercantile, shipping and banking center—the London– based banking powerhouse HSBC opened its first branch there in 1884—and the island’s lieutenant governor, Sir George Leith, could observe that there was probably not “any part of the world where, in so small a space, so many different people are assembled together, or so great a variety of languages spoken.”

As I read this an image rose to mind of the New York City subway, specifically the No. 7 train entering Manhattan carrying 21st-century immigrants from China, Cambodia, Thailand, India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka—spiritual cousins of the industrious voyagers from those selfsame places who once arrived by boat in George Town and slowly grafted their customs, architecture, language, styles of worship and, equally important, of cooking onto the tidy little hive of a town.

People say that George Town possesses the greatest concentration of colonial structures in Southeast Asia, and this may be.

It is certainly accurate to say that unesco deemed the fabric of the place precious enough to inscribe George Town as a World Heritage site in 2008. A smallish place roughly shaped like an ax blade, Georgetown is, as are many faded port cities, oriented inland, away from the sea. Its streets are crammed with tileroofed shop houses, Neoclassical churches, Moorish mosques, Hindu temples, gilded Chinese temples and opulent mansions built with the unfettered flashiness favored by the Peranakans, 124 july 2011 | travelandleisureasia.com

as the descendants of Chinese immigrants who intermarried with the local Malay population are called.

In George Town, you can walk out on an afternoon and simultaneously hear church bells tolling, chants emerging from a Buddhist temple, a muezzin sounding the call to afternoon prayer. Walking the length of the Jalan Masjid Kapitan Keling, also called Harmony Street, you pass from the austere portico and dome of St. George’s Church, the oldest Anglican church in Southeast Asia, to the bustling, smoke-wreathed Goddess of Mercy Temple and then beyond it to the Sri Maha Mariamman Temple, dedicated to Mariamman, a Hindu goddess linked to fertility and rain with a red complexion that makes her look slightly apoplectic. Follow the street to its end and you are in the walled precincts of the Kapitan Keling Mosque.

Still, it is the shop houses in their jumbled thousands that unify Georgetown, creating a city filled with buildings whose overhanging private upper floors are situated atop public gathering places: cafés, printing presses, laundries, men’s clubs, guesthouses, restaurants. Nearly all of these structures are linked by arcaded pedestrian passages known generically by the term “five-foot way.” Designed to keep the streets clear and to provide shelter and shade from tropical heat and torrents, the fivefoot way is also a kind of continuous corridor, both convenience and proscenium. It is a stage on which the washing, eating, gossiping, idling and other business of daily life is enacted constantly. Stop at a café for a short break of sweetened iced coffee and you can easily get so caught up in the theater of daily life that, glancing down at your watch, you find 10 minutes has stretched to an hour. The five-foot way is to George Town what the piazza is to Rome; and as in Rome you can allow yourself to get lost in a maze of lanes, slipping into the daily flow that W. Somerset Maugham called “the everlasting present.” You can allow yourself to become absorbed by a city that, despite its varied architectural anachronisms and treasures, is no museum and certainly no tomb.

T

hat is what I did for one fine week, quickly adapting to local customs that restrict outdoor activities to early mornings and late afternoons and that place a serious emphasis on food. To consume anything but liquids in the gob-­smacking heat of Penang might seem ill-advised, yet people there eat all the time. Not only that, they think about food and discuss it whenever they are not lifting morsel to mouth. You talk about lunch while having breakfast in Penang, dinner when at lunch, supper while polishing off the dinner that turns out to be a kind of late-afternoon snack. »

Joss sticks and incense cones at the Goddess of Mercy Temple.

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The five-foot way outside Kopi Cine. Clockwise from above: A 1920’s baba nyonya family wedding portrait at the Pinang Peranakan Mansion; upstairs at the mansion; a room at the Straits Collection, on Lorong Stewart.

because george Town is small and has many respectable kopi shops, you stop where you like You start your mornings in George Town with a street breakfast of putu mayam, vermicelli noodles made from rice flour and coconut milk, and then nose your way to the Chew Jetty, one of a collection of 19th-century wooden docks off Pengkalan Weld whose lengths are flanked by tin-roofed fishermen’s houses built over the water on pilings. You walk on from there, more or less at random, and because ­George Town is small and very manageable on foot and has many respectable kopi (coffee) shops that function as restaurants, you stop where and when you like.

Letting my feet lead me one morning, I paused for fresh fruit and cappuccino at Kopi Cine at the Straits Collection, a new hotel compound formed from five adjoining shop houses built in the 1920’s in the so-called Straits Eclectic style and recently restored. The results of the renovation are stylishly minimalist lodgings along Lorong Stewart unified by a central bookshop and a café that stocks The World of Interiors and French Vogue and that serves a kind of fusion menu that would not be out of place in London or New York. Fortified, I walked on to find the fabled Khoo Kongsi, a clan temple erected in an outrageously opulent style in the mid 19th century and rebuilt in similarly delirious form 50 years later when lightning struck the first building and burned it to the ground: the curious Sikh soldier statues stand guard outside the sanctum, the pop-eyed stone foo dogs snarl at the gate; there are the gilded carvings of a bird feeding its chick in a scene depicting nobles on a pilgrimage, the dragon at the roofline toying with a colossal pearl, the grisaille murals of filial piety, the tutti-frutti mosaics made from fragments of Chinese porcelain. By no rational standard could the Khoo clan temple be called harmonious. And yet it felt like a calm and deeply contemplative place.

This was probably because I had it to myself. Despite recent shifts in both the numbers and the kinds of travelers visiting Penang, George Town remains a pretty drowsy spot. Seldom did I encounter anything resembling a mob. Even at Pasar Air Itam, a celebrated food stall midway across the island—a place literally at the roadside and whose nonexistent atmospherics are offset by the fact that it serves a tamarind-­flavored noodle soup called assam laksa—the lunchtime scene was as relaxed and pleasant as the turnover was efficient and brisk.

It has to be. Between 11:30 and nightfall chef Ang Kak Peoh ladles up as many as 400 servings of his famous noodle soup, mostly to locals who carry the assam laksa away in clear plastic bags. I would take lunch at Pasar Air Itam every day were it not that the food stall is roughly 22 hours by air from home. As it was, though, I hopped a taxi and made the crossisland trek as often as possible to partake of a dish that, for balance of flavor and sheer sophistication, was about as good as anything I’ve ever eaten in my life.

I

also made it my business again and again to visit the Pinang Peranakan Mansion, drawn there by a wild hodgepodge of stuff arranged in this vaguely ersatz monument to a blended Chinese-Malay culture, but also by the distinct way the Peranakans absorbed and transformed the prim Puritanical tastes of the English, the ornate aesthetics of the Southern Chinese immigrants and the sensuality of the indigenous Malay people. Zesty eclecticism might be a polite way to characterize the fusion aesthetics of the Peranakan babas and nyonyas (men and women) and a style they devised that ­favored rampant abundance, bright colors, opulence, shiny surfaces, sinisterly rendered naturalism and fun-house gaud. Nowhere is this more evident than at the Pinang Peranakan Mansion, a house museum set in what was once a Chinese clan hall, later a mercantile outpost poetically known as the Sea Remembrance Store, and most recently a bit of dubious historicism conjured by a wealthy local.

Certainly there are other more tastefully arranged mansions in Penang, most notably the 19th-century indigo Blue ­Mansion built by Cheong Fatt Tze, a merchant sometimes termed the Rockefeller of the East. This particular place, used as a backdrop for the film Indochine, is a hotel now and offers limited tours to nonguests, who gawp at a dreamlike setting overseen by a young Malaysian with an Oxford accent and a purring demeanor that seems to mimic that of the house cats draped across the mansion’s rattan planter’s chairs.

The Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion is a favorite of high-end travelers and discerning globe-trotter types and yet, while its appeal is easy to understand, I was left wondering whether its burnished air of chic might not tarnish at night when a hawker center next door opened for business and local drunks sidled up to the karaoke mic.

I preferred the Eastern & Oriental, built by the Sarkies Brothers of Raffles fame, and my immense white room, which had views across the channel toward the mainland and which I filled with exotic orchids bought at a roadside nursery for RM15 apiece. For several days running, I took a rickshaw taxi from there to the Pinang Peranakan Mansion, intoxicated by the place’s atmospherics and also by the countless collections of carved wood panels, root tables, Minton tiles, European art glass, Scottish ironwork, jade doodads, portraits of ancestors and opium beds of rare huang­huali wood. It was once estimated that 10 percent of the Chinese population of 19th-century Penang was addicted to opium, and there can be little question that the crone whose portrait dominates a broad hallway of the Pinang Peranakan Mansion was no stranger to a pipe. From the enveloping volume of her brocade robes, a head set with heavy-­lidded avaricious eyes and hands like a pair of varnished claws » travelandleisureasia.com | july 2011 127

mr. lee’s lunch of fish stew, in a clear plastic bag, was slung from the bike he was walking emerge. To my eye, the woman appeared cruel, but a friend who accompanied me to the museum suggested that she was perhaps merely constipated. Opium is known to have that effect.

It was at the Pinang Peranakan ­Mansion’s tidy little gift shop that I found and purchased a set of antique dessert plates in a style known as Nyonyaware. Whether they were truly of the Guangxu period (1875–1908) or made last week in mainland China I can’t say. I was pleased all the same by the way the peony and bat motifs on the plates echoed the auspicious symbols one sees carved into fanlights above shop-house doorways and also by their curiously preppy pink-and-green colors.

From the museum I went in pursuit of a certain Mr. Lee, apparently the last man in Malaysia to make sandalwood joss sticks by hand. A heritage brochure I’d picked up had made special note of the sole surviving practitioners of various traditional crafts in George Town, and Mr. Lee was listed. I had already stocked up on paper money and wanted to add some incense offerings to hedge my bets with the gods.

On the way to Mr. Lee’s shop—“hole-in-the-wall” is a more literally precise description—I passed a two-story shop house from which emanated an unholy racket that called to mind the sound track of The Birds. I assumed that the building, like many in George Town, had been abandoned and left to the wild things, and only later learned that the calls were recorded lures. The swallows that roost there build nests that are harvested for soup.

I also learned that the palm-blind weaver had gone out of business, as had the man who made hand-beaded shoes. The

traditional wooden signboard engraver was seldom to be found at a shop presided over by an ancient whose wry neck caused her head to pitch forward like that of a broken Jumeau doll.

It took days to find Mr. Lee at his shop, but I got lucky one morning; just as I rounded the corner on Lorong Muda, I ran into him returning from breakfast. His lunch of fish stew, in a clear plastic bag, was slung from the handlebar of the bike he was walking. Rolling up the corrugated shutters to his stall—a space little larger than the flatbed of a pickup truck—he waved toward a stack of crates packed with incense sticks in diameters ranging from billy club to matchstick.

Now in his eighties, Mr. Lee had been making joss sticks and incense cones by hand for six decades, he explained in a Hokkien dialect that a friend of mine helpfully translated. First mixing water with powdery batches of Indian sandalwood to form a paste, he then rolls up incense sausages of varying dimensions and slips them onto candy-striped sticks to dry. I bought several batches painted with characters written in Chinese and English and said good-bye.

At the Goddess of Mercy Temple, I fell in among my fellow supplicants, stuffing wads of orange joss paper into a furnace, and also leaving some real currency in a tea bowl on the temple altar. As I gazed at a blissed-out image of Buddha mounted on his gilded throne, I uttered a silent prayer that, like all prayers, was a kind of deal. And then, while lighting an incense stick with luck written on it, I threw in a silent word to the assorted gods of thanks. ✚

guide to penang when to go Aside from the rainy season, which runs until September, weather in Penang is consistently sunny, with daily temperatures often around 30 degrees.

STAY Cheong Fatt Tze Mansion 14 Lebuh Leith; 60-4/262-0006; cheongfatttzemansion.com; doubles from RM380.

China Tiger A 19th-century merchant house and a Decostyle shop house make up the four comfortable suites and apartments. 25 and 29 Lebuh China; 60-4/264-3580; chinatiger.info; suites from RM950.

GREAT VALUE Clove Hall Edwardian bungalow with six

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suites that have vaulted ceilings and colonial antiques.

11 Jalan Clove Hall; 60-4/2290818; clovehall.com; suites from RM550.

Eastern & Oriental Hotel 10 Lebuh Farquhar; 60-4/2222000; e-o-hotel.com; doubles from RM660.

Hotel Equatorial 1 Jln. Bukit Jambul; 60-4/632-7000; equatorial.com; doubles from RM320.

and Lebuh Clarke; 60-4/2611891; hotelpenaga.com; doubles from RM522.

Shangri-La’s Rasa Sayang Resort & Spa This oceanside retreat on Batu Feringghi beach, half an hour from George Town, is also near the Teluk Bahang Forest Reserve. Batu Feringghi; 60-4/888-8888; shangri-la.com; doubles from RM870.

G Hotel 168A Persiarin Gurney; 60-4/238-0000; ghotel.com. my; doubles from RM410.

GREAT VALUE Straits Collection 47-55 Lorong Stewart; 60-4/ 263-7299; straitscollection.com. my; suites from RM420.

Hard Rock Hotel Penang Batu Ferringhi Beach; 60-4/881-1711; penang.hardrockhotels.net; doubles from RM380.

EAT Kopi Cine 55 Lorong Stewart; 60-4/263-7299; lunch for two RM105.

Hotel Penaga Cnr. of Jln. Hutton

Pasar Air Itam Jalan Pasar

Hawker Center, Air Itam; lunch for two RM15.

Perut Rumah Nyonya Cuisine Try traditional Peranakan dishes such as marinated fish in banana leaves and pork stew. 17 Jalan Kelawei; 60-4/ 227-9917; dinner for two RM90. see and do Goddess of Mercy Temple (Kuan Yin Teng) Lorong Stewart.

Khoo Kongsi 18 Medan Cannon; 60-4/261-4609; khookongsi. com.my; admission RM5.

Pinang Peranakan Mansion 29 Lebuh Gereja; 60-4/264-2929; pinangperanakanmansion.com. my; admission RM10.

St. George’s Church Lebuh Farquhar; 60-4/262-0202.

Ladling assam laksa, a tamarind-flavored noodle soup, at Pasar Air Itam.

Among the Off the map and out of mind, East Java is often neighbors. Yet, as Adam Skolnick discovers, climb uncover a land teeming with history.

Rice paddies front Gunung Kawi.

Volcanoes overlooked in favor of its more famous beyond the clouds, meet the natives and you’ll PhotograpHed by jason wolcott

Little local Secrets Clockwise from top

left: Wall art at Tung hotel in Malang; a village near Ngrangtang Ri; Pak Paimpar cleans up the reliefs at Candi Kendali Sada; welcoming smiles at a Javanese market; the stylish interiors of the Tugu Malang; through Malang in a becak, or bicycle taxi; colonial Dutch architecture.

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ason is cursing his shoes.

After yet another fall, he jags a colorful flurry of obscenities in the direction of his footwear.

As if they begged to be on this bushwhacking expedition up and down the steepest of trails, through thick underbrush that has bloomed in the afterburn of a fire on the 1,650-meter Gunung Penanggungan. In all fairness, my cohort—a renowned international surf photographer—should be cursing me. This hike is my fault.

East Java is one of the most mountainous and picturesque slices of Indonesia’s most populous island. Look at a map and you can picture majestic volcanoes rising in such proximity that you may as well be in the Sierra Nevada or the Alps. Among them are the actively belching Gunung Bromo and Gunung Semeru (at 3,676 meters, Java’s tallest), along with the stunning Gunung Kawi, the largest in the Malang area. At first glance, or even at second blush, you wouldn’t notice Penanggungan.

“Why are we here again?” Jason asks, huffing and puffing, after picking himself up off the turf and giving his skate shoes (yes he is wearing skateboard shoes on our tropical trek) another in a series of withering stares. “This thing doesn’t even have a crater!” Our guides try not to laugh. I offer a thin smile, take stock of my own mud-stained pants, and scribble a note to self: “leave surfers in the water.”

Our day began as the full moon set behind Gunung Kawi and the sky brightened slowly over a valley sculpted for rice and sugar cultivation. It took a while but finally the East Java concrete hustle had receded and nature bloomed in full frame. At the center was our strangely shaped, scrubby nipple of a mountain. At one time there were 81 temples on these sacred slopes. According to Hindu legend, Penanggungan was the peak of Mount Mahameru before it broke off and landed here when Mahameru was moved from India to Indonesia (insert suspension of disbelief here).

Our trek begins at Candi Jolotundo, a 13th-century temple that has honored a holy mountain spring for nearly 800 years. “King Airlangga built this temple in honor of his father’s memory,” says Hendra Hermawan, our eager 24-year-old guide and a Malang University history major. “Many Hindus still come to pray, but less than 50 a year make it to the top.”

We understand why as we fight through undergrowth so thick, the trail disappears. We find it again, but there’s worse to come. I step into a hole where the trail should be and nearly slide into a ravine, and I’m no novice. I’ve summitted Mount Kilimanjaro, and Indonesia’s second largest volcano, Sumatra’s Gunung Kerinci. Things improve when Pak Paimpar shows up. A local farmer, he hikes this trail every week and

Hendra, who had been overmatched in the early going, is relieved to have help leading our bumbling duo into the clouds.

Three painful hours later we’re near the summit at the best-restored temple on Penanggungan. The 13th-century Candi Kendali Sada is perched on a mist-shrouded granite shelf, with soaring cliffs on either side. Shielded by encroaching foliage, in the absence of wind, there’s a silence, a stillness that stifles all brain speak. Pak Paimpar sets about weeding the holy temple, clearing the reliefs with the sort of reverence reminiscent of supplicant pilgrims. Most weeks he happily hikes here alone, wisely wearing football spikes. “Very few people like to come, because the trail is so difficult,” he offers without a hint of irony.

Hendra stares at the site with more than a little Indonesian pride. “Hindus had another name for it. They called it Pawitra, which means clear, like water; like clear energy.” The beauty of this temple, and the serenity of the location is one thing, but even more compelling is the gleam in Hendra’s eye, and the palpable humility in Paimpar’s actions.

Here are two devout Muslims, a student and a farmer, in complete reverence of a sacred Hindu site. Even 30 years ago, such a thing would have been unlikely. But as Indonesia’s economy continues to swell, and access to education and tourism multiplies, the nation’s culture diversity has come to the fore. This is particularly true in East Java.

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nhar Setjadibrata is an East Java native and has to be the single greatest collector of Indonesian art and antiques on earth. He also founded Tugu hotels. He started collecting Chinese porcelain when he was 23 years old, and two years later, while on break from law school, took a fortuitous trip to West Timor where he saw locals in the Kupang market selling sirih putih (a lime and betel-leaf paste) for pennies from Ming dynasty platters. When he asked about buying the plates, locals asked for just 500 rupiah.

“I was surprised because it was so cheap. I was thinking, maybe I am wrong,” he explains from the Sugar King room of his Tugu Hotel in Malang. The hotel is named for his great grandfather, and is where much of his museum-quality porcelain remains on permanent display. “‘Why you buy this junk,’ they asked me. ‘I have many more at my house if you want.’”

Intrigued, he followed a merchant to his village, and then deep into the Timor jungle where he found thousands of Chinese ceramics. Japanese soldiers had robbed these artifacts during World War II, stored them in the forest and hired guardians to keep them safe. When Japan was defeated, the booty was left in the guardians’ hands. Among the loot were 2,300 pieces from the Qing dynasty, which Setjadibrata bought for several hundred kilos of rice and sugar. “They had daily needs and didn’t know these were priceless things.”

This experience only furthered his ambition. “I love history,” he explains in a gentle voice, as he walks me » travelandleisureasia.com | july 2011 133

we stop in tretes pujon village long enough to greet farmers who puff cheroots on the edge of their field slowly toward his most prized possession in the hotel, “to show that Indonesia is a big nation with a proud history we must prove it with artifacts.”

We stop in front of a fierce and gleaming marble tiger enclosed in a glass case. “I think China started business with Indonesia since before Christ. This is from the Shang dynasty.”

He found the 3,000-year-old piece and 29 others off the East Java coast around Bancar.

Though he was born into an Indonesian sugar empire, his family’s wealth was controversially nationalized when he was 14. His dad was downsized to small town merchant, and Setjadibrata’s success is his own. Twenty years ago he stopped practicing law and began collecting full time. He’s traveled throughout Indonesia and deep into south India, where he slept on the roadside for five nights in an effort to export an ancient Jain Buddha.

Over time, his collection has swelled to several hundred thousand pieces and branched from Chinese art and ceramics into Timorese and Sumbanese indigenous crafts, Majapahit ceramics and stone sculpture, and centuries-old carved wooden pieces of Javanese Islamic art. His collection offers a glimpse into the layered story of Indonesia.

Although Hindu royalty ruled Java as early as the 7th century, Setjadibrata points out that the Majapahit Empire, Indonesia’s last great Hindu Kingdom came to power thanks to the military efforts of Mongolia’s Khublai Khan. His vast collection of Khublai Khan-era Chinese artifacts, which he found offshore near Tuban, proves that link. And Majapahit ruins and remains are scattered throughout East Java.

“Islam became dominant very quickly. It came from many sources,” he says showing me his Majapahit figurines, “from India, Malaysia and Yemen, and it was spread through shadow puppet theater.” Eventually, the Majapahit were defeated by an Islamic Sultanate based in the Javanese port of Demak in the 16th century. The high castes fled to Bali where they sparked a new culture, while the new Islamic rulers attempted to erase history. “When [Demak] took over, they destroyed many monuments,” Setjadibrata tells me. “These terra-cotta figures were taken from homes and smashed. They asked people to destroy them because they represent a multi-deity theology, and in Islam there is only one god.”

Setjadibrata operated in a vacuum for years. Even his closest friends didn’t see the beauty in his collection. During the late 20th century, the emphasis was on all things modern.

Not until 1992, when government legislated the preservation of monuments, did a majority of Indonesians became interested in their history. Setjadibrata has always wanted to share long-gone treasures, which is why he launched a hotel brand.

“I needed some place to share my collection,” he says.

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In 1985 he opened his first hotel in a restored 1850 Dutch colonial structure in Blitar, his hometown. Only a few of his pieces were ever displayed there. The bigger story in Blitar is the adolescence and the burial site of Ir Soekarno, Indonesia’s first president. “He was young and his mother was strict.

He could not bring his girlfriend home,” explains Setjadibrata.

“So he brought her to this hotel on his bicycle, where they could dine together.” Plenty of Soekarno memorabilia is on display in the Sang Fajar Suite.

Tugu Malang, which features 1920’s Chinese temple facades, stylish public areas and themed suites, offers a forum for Setjadibrata’s collection, and he has since opened impressive boutique luxury resorts in Bali and Lombok as well as restaurants and bars in Jakarta—each sporting museum-quality pieces of ancient art, including that Jain Buddha. He owns a 850-hectare coffee plantation near Blitar, and a home in Malang, a charming city with a leafy Dutch colonial quarter and a bustling center sporting 90-year-old Catholic churches, soaring mosques and an aromatic Confucian temple. But there is much more to East Java than her cities. “Better you go to the village,” is Setjadibrata’s only advice.

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fter our climb and two nights in Malang, Jason and I are escorted on a road trip through a series of misty mountain towns. We pass terraced checkerboards of veggie plots, rice, tobacco and cornfields and venture along the Ngantang River. There’s a definite lack of decent public transport and anything remotely resembling a tourist infrastructure, so the most spectacular spots remain inaccessible. Fortunately, Tugu’s guides lead us to a few of them. We stop in Tretes Pujon village long enough to greet rugged farmers who puff cheroots on the edge of their golden sawah (rice field). Leaving them, we duck under a 50-meter, soul-stirring waterfall. It’s a hemorrhage of fierce foaming coolness thundering over a muddy, vine-draped ledge before smoothing into a stream beneath a burly banyan tree. We’re refreshed.

Pangi Beach is one of Tugu’s East Java trade secrets, not that anyone would be able to find their way back via the narrow, sinuous, potholed road from Blitar. We park at the end of the asphalt, which has been swallowed by a creek before emerging again as a trail that crests a final hill revealing the hidden cove. Here, a secluded bay, its rock reef fluttering with small tropical fish. The beach is backed by a stalwart broad leaf tree, shading racks of narrow, colorful dugouts and a few larger pontoon boats, their wings dug into soft speckled sand.

There is something aboriginal, rootsy and real in the East Javanese air. Clumps of banana trees huddle against the rocks

on the westernmost headland, while long, slender plots of sugarcane are knitted into the wild, windswept foliage on the other side of the white-capped, foamy bay. Jason and I dive in and swim for the blue line at the mouth, where the rugged rocky south coast rambles on in arcs and angles. The further we swim, the more I understand that East Java’s real jewels aren’t manmade at all.

The coup de grace of any East Java road trip is not much of a secret, but it shouldn’t be missed. The Hindu temples at Panataran are the best preserved examples of Majapahit architecture in Java. Construction actually began before the dawn of the Majapahit Empire in 1197, but the third Majapahit king, Hayam Wuruk, finished the job 250 years later. We arrive at sunset, as three separate calls to prayer filter through the surrounding coconut palms and saturated the complex.

Only foundations remain, but the small Dated Temple, named for the date carved on its side, is still intact. Inside is a Ganesh, and the Majapahit symbol etched into the ceiling.

Further on, my eyes trace dragons crawling along the now roofless Naga Temple, another stupa-like building as I enter the shadow of the lovingly restored mother temple.

Our guide, Dodik Hendro Susilo, explains the reliefs with deep knowledge and reverence. “This is the Ramayana,” he says as we circle the ground floor, “we call it the Hindu Romeo and Juliet.” There is another violent romance, the Krisnayana, on the second floor, and from there we navigate a steep »

jewels of east java

Clockwise from far left: A cooling cascade to wash away the day’s trekking; the Hindu temples at Panataran are a classic example of Majapahit architecture; a mosque in Malang; roots along a hiking trail in mountainous East Java; Anhar Setjadibrata amid some of his vast local antique collection; dinner next to a Panataran temple.

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staircase, framed by stone dragon rails, to reach the Garuda statues on the third floor. There we stand and watch the sky darken, bats flutter overhead and cows moo as wailing prayer converges from all corners of the village and rice fields beyond the ruins. Each sound, each tradition is layered and distinct. Then, as the night deepens, it all melts together to become an indistinguishable wall of sound, a deep vibration, the restored foundation of an ever-stronger Indonesia. ✚

GUIDE TO JAVA

WHEN TO GO The ideal time to visit is from June through August, to avoid the rainy season.

SEE AND DO Tours can be booked through Tugu Hotels (tuguhotels.com).

Daily rates vary between Rp700,000 and Rp950,000 for a car and English-speaking guide, depending upon the specific stops covered. Trekking Mount Penanggungan, including a car, guide and porter, will set you back Rp1,500,000 per person.

STAY Tugu Malang Laid back and elegant, guest rooms are large with high ceilings and all the mod cons, and the public spaces are steeped in Indonesian history thanks to the antique collection.

Jln. Tugu No. 3, Malang; 62-341/ 363-891; tuguhotels.com; doubles from US$105.

Pangi Beach, one of East Java’s secrets—or at least it used to be.

Inggil A funky home-style Javanese joint locally beloved for their ayam goreng (fried chicken) and fiery tempeh penyet. It’s set beneath a soaring bamboo ceiling with all manner of antiques on display. Jln. Gajah Mada No 4, Malang; 62-341/332-110; lunch for two US$10.

Toko Oen Malang’s longest running eatery, this place was happening since the Dutch days.

These days it’s a place for cold beers, or cold ice cream in rattan chairs. Jln. Basuki Rahmat 5, Malang; 62-341/364-052; dinner for two US$10.

Tugu Blitar An old restored Dutch colonial in the center of town. Jln. Merdeka 173; 62342/801-766; tuguhotels. com; rooms from R375,000.

Hotel Tugu Blitar Staff, service and the food are all delightful in the hotel’s open-sided restaurant, but it gets even better if you opt for the sunset dinner at Panataran Temple. It includes after-hours access to the ruins, reasonably priced beer and wine and a dinner-long serenade from a kecapi (Javanese harp) master.

Jln. Merdeka 173, Blitar; 62-342/ 801-766; tuguhotels.com; dinner for two in the hotel US$20, at Panataran Temple US$200, including transport and guide.

EAT Melati The smaller of Tugu’s two restaurants, with top notch Indonesian and Chinese dishes at reasonable prices. Try the soto ayam. Jln. Tugu No. 3, Malang; dinner for two US$20.

SHOP Hotel Tugu Malang One of the highlights of any Tugu property is the gift shop, where authentic antiques and tasteful reproductions are sold. Jln. Tugu No. 3, Malang; 62-341/363-891.

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lastlook

Discovery Shores, Boracay, Philippines “We were finishing up a morning shoot on White Beach, this big, long stretch of super soft, sugary sand on the island’s western coast. It’s lined with resorts. Before heading to our next location, we took a swim in the sea just outside our hotel. While drying off, I spotted this couple sleeping with their big, floppy, matching sun hats. They weren’t wearing bathing suits, so I assumed they were just arriving, maybe waiting to check in. For me this mo­ment encompasses that whole feeling you get at the start of a vacation: when you know that everything’s going to be taken care of and your needs will be met. The sky is going to be blue and the sun will be out, and the palm trees will shade you. The water is going to be warm; the drinks, cool; and the daybeds are there. It’s time to relax.” ✚ p h o t o g r a p h e r e m i ly nat h an • interviewed by christine ajudua 138 july 2011 | travelandleisureasia.com