August 2015

SOUTHEAST ASIA

AUGUST 2015

th 20 Anniversary Special

SINGAPORE S$7.90 / HONG KONG HK$43 THAILAND THB175 / INDONESIA IDR50,000 MALAYSIA MYR18 / VIETNAM VND85,000 MACAU MOP44 / PHILIPPINES PHP240 BURMA MMK35 / CAMBODIA KHR22,000 BRUNEI BND7.90 / LAOS LAK52,000

’ WORLD S

BEST AWARDS

SPECIAL

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World’s Best Awards 2015 T+L’s annual showcase of the greatest islands, cities, hotels, cruise lines, airports and more—as chosen by you.

F E AT U R E S

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WEIXIANG LIM

SG50 Celebrating its golden jubilee this year, continually

The new pan-Latin American Vasco, in Singapore, page 112.

innovating Singapore is in the midst of yet another cultural evolution. By Jeninne LeeSt. John. Photographed by Weixiang Lim

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Art Smart Equal parts accomodation and gallery, each of the Art Series Hotels is a cocoon of creativity with roots based in paint-dappled Melbourne. Cole

Pennington sleeps, eats, draws and drives the newest of these livable canvases.

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Ciao, Amalfi! Why Italy’s wildly picturesque, inimitably stylish, occasionally raffish, but still surprisingly relaxed coastline keeps us coming back. By Peter Jon Lindberg. Photographed by Simon Watson

cont TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM / AUGUS T 2015

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HERE & NOW

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and dive sites on a laid-back, untouched island near Cebu.

Australia’s next great urban hub.

44 Napa Revisited California’s famous wine region energized for a new generation.

25 Ticao Boys Cowpokes

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62 Pilgrimage A quest for ancient Chinese ceramics in Taiwan.

48 Golden Hour Timeless

tents 30 Strang World Supermodel-turnedpastry-chef’s favorite Hong Kong eateries.

wristwatches for men.

PLUS Ulaanbaatar wakes up;

Benedict Cumberbatch steals the stage; Singapore hotels roll out the red carpet; Fairmont Jakarta opens; and more.

32 A Village in Beijing

The city’s labyrinthine, emerging art district.

38 Rose-Tinted Beaches A local trendsetter on how to enjoy Phuket’s revived beauty.

42 Connolly’s Pantry

Five magic ingredients in a star chef’s kitchen.

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BEYOND

51 Spotlight Exploring

Vientiane’s changing neighborhoods.

56 Food Why Adelaide is poised to become

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66 The Moment A secluded beach on Cap d’Antibes, France.

56 In Every Issue T+ L D I G I TA L 1 4 CONTRIBUTORS 16 E D I T O R’S N O T E 1 8 T H E C O N V E R S AT I O N 2 0 W I S H YO U WERE HERE 134

68 Escape White-waterrafting paradise north of Kuala Lumpur.

UPGRADE

75 Travel Smarter T+L’s

Best of Tech 2015; the ultimate preflight checklist; drones for travel photography; this month’s best deals.

On the Cover At the Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok, a World’s Best Award winner for 20 consecutive years.

Photographed by Pornsak Na Nakorn.

F R O M L E F T: C H R I S T O P H E R K U C WAY; C O U R T E S Y O F O X B O L D ; A L E X FA R N U M ; P E T E R TA R A S I U K

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NEW THIS MONTH ON TRAVELANDLEISUREASIA.COM

DOWNLOAD US T+L Tablet Editions

Available on iOS, Android, Win 8 and Zinio Desktop Reader.

Get the August issue now.

PHUKET E-GUIDE

The definitive guide to Thailand’s most popular island has finally landed. tandl.asia/ phuketguide

VISIT US traveland leisureasia.com Now on our site: Ways to liven up your trip to Laos; tricks to salvage your airline mishaps; the latest travel deals and more.

SNOW COUNTRY

Niigata is now much easier to visit, thanks to a new Shinkansen bullet train route. Find out why you should go now.

Sign up for our newsletter for monthly highlights and offers from T+L Southeast Asia. tandl.asia/ newsletter FOLLOW US

WHAT THE TRUCK?

A four-wheeled trend is fueling the urban dining scene across Southeast Asia. Check out some of the latest food trucks that have rolled into town.

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Marco Ferrarese

Mark Lean

Ticao Boys and Take Me to the River pages 25 and 68 — Penang-based Ferrarese is an adventurous man. He ran class-four rapids on Malaysia’s Selangor River, where he found his efforts “amusing a group of Orang Asli, the local natives, who watch from the riverside as if they were at the movies.” He discovered another way to get in good with the locals in the Philippine isles between Luzon and the Visayas. Very few of the fishing families in Ticao have seen Westerners before, he says. “They looked at me in a mixture of awe and terror. No fear that a cup of their powerful moonshine couldn’t nurse, though.”

Twitter: @monkeyrockworld.

Strang World page 30 — Our fashion expert Lean chats with Hong Kong “It” girl Amanda Strang, and it seems pretty unfair to us that a supermodel can find success spending so much time with sweets. But the Le Cordon Bleu-trained pastry chef is highly driven, Lean says: “It’s one thing to put one’s name to a café; it’s another to work on self-made recipes.” Lean loves the lemon tart at Petite Amanda, and if you have room for more dessert, “Sevva is a good spot for cakes, people-watching and killer views,” Lean says, “while M Bar at Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong is a cozy, classy space to catch sunset.”

Twitter: @iamleanmark.

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Rachna Sachasinh

Weixiang Lim

Vientiane on the Edge page 51 — Despite Vientiane’s gradual walk into modern art and free thought, Laos keeps up traditions. Sachasinh adores the textiles—“some of the most spectacular, and least recognized, in the world.”

Each of the staggering number of ethnic groups has distinct patterns. “The motifs are graphic and geometric, and so you can pick up something at the market, even a sinh (the traditional tube skirt), and look very current,” she says. More creativity that has stood the test of time can be seen in the inner cloisters and frescoes in Vientiane’s Wat Sisaket.

For contemporary work, she recommends I:Cat Gallery.

SG50 page 112 — We inadvertently sent Lim to some of his favorite places in Singapore, such as historic Hua Bee kopitiam—though on Tuesdays you’ll find him with a pint and wings, tuning in to the band Tabula at Wala Wala Café Bar in Holland Village. The 50th birthday of his country finds Lion Citynative Lim contemplative.

“Singaporeans are blessed and cursed at the same time.

Singapore is probably the best place in the world to live,” he says, “yet because of our geographical limitations, we have to be continually on our toes so we can stay ahead.

What would it be like if we could step off the treadmill?”

Instagram: @weixianglimsg.

W R I T ER

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W R I T ER

P H O TO GR A P H ER

FROM TOP: COURTESY OF MARCO FERR ARESE; COURTESY OF MARK LEAN; COURTESY OF R ACHNA SACHASINH; COURTESY OF WEIXIANG LIM

AUGUST 2015

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W R I T ER

| contributors

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editor’s note

|

AUGUST 2015

EARLIER THIS YEAR, I HAD A CHANCE TO CHAT WITH THE MAYOR OF

@CKucway chrisk@mediatransasia.com

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F R O M M Y T R AV E L S

I went to Beijing in search of modern art and, all things considered, really didn’t have to leave the Rosewood Beijing (above), a 283-room property brimming with original works.

The hotel exudes comfort, leaving me tempted to simply lounge in my room staring out at the CCTV building. But I couldn’t skip the hand-pulled noodles at Country Kitchen, with its menu of northern Chinese cuisine. While this is Rosewood’s first Asia offering, there are eight more properties planned here in the next three years: Bali, Bangkok, Jakarta, Phnom Penh, Phuket, Guangzhou and two on Hainan.

F R O M L E F T: N A PAT R AV E E WAT; C H R I S T O P H E R K U C WAY

Kyoto. Like his city, Daisaku Kadokawa is easygoing, interesting and fun. He is also proud that Kyoto was rated No. 1 by Travel+Leisure readers in our 2014 World’s Best Awards, a feat that it has repeated this year. Yet what struck me was when he mentioned that, despite its top ranking, Kyoto still aims to improve. One example: as of this writing, the city of temples and shrines has more than 1,400 Wi-Fi hot spots—double the total from our conversation a few months ago. It’s that continual upgrading that defines our repeat winners. T+L Southeast Asia is now nine years old, but this year marks the 20th anniversary of the awards, which started with our parent publication in the U.S. Aside from the prominence of Asia-based winners—six of the top 10 airlines in the world are from this region—what stands out most about the 2015 list are those who have made the grade every year for the past 20. Count Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, the Peninsula Hong Kong and the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok among those winners.

Of course, there’s also a host of newer repeat honorees: Oberoi Udaivilas is now the best hotel in the world; Singapore’s Changi tops the airports list; and both Siem Reap and Bangkok are global favorites. For more on the World’s Best Awards, please turn to page 89.

Also, let us know about your latest finds because next year’s list is already in the works.

the conversation ON OUR WATCH

SELF-DRIVING CARS

Navigating traffic in a foreign city could one day be your rental sedan’s problem. Audi in March sent an autonomous Q5 SUV on a 5,700-kilometer trip from San Francisco to New York, and followed it up with the May reveal of its R8 E-tron sports car tooling the streets of Shanghai solo at Asia’s first Consumer Electronics Show. Baidu has announced it will debut one in

BURNING QUESTION

Beijing by the end of this year; naturally Google and BMW are

Which airlines are most likely to fork over a “free” seat?

in the race, as is Uber. Technological triumph or the stuff of sci-fi nightmares? Here’s what the geeks are saying.

The dirtiest little secret of the frequent-flyer industry is that earning a reward ticket is much easier than actually redeeming one. No laws govern this process, and if you don’t have a week to read all your program’s fine print, there’s a good chance that you’ll end up in an endless wormhole of award-ticket requests and rejections. Some airlines are far superior to others on this front. On the two top carriers, Airberlin and the U.S.based Southwest, in this year’s Switchfly Reward Seat Availability Survey, a ticket was granted for every single request, a phenomenal rate. Close on their heels, though, was Virgin Australia, with 96.4 percent availability, and, happily, it’s one of four airlines tested in our region with seats open for at least eight out of 10 requests—the others are Singapore Airlines, AirAsia and China Southern. More good news: the average proportion of award tickets available on all airlines has risen from 66 percent in 2010 to 74 percent this year.

That means jaded travelers resigned to using mileage solely for upgrades, line-skipping and lounge access should start thinking about, well, clocking more miles.

#TLASIA

“IN T HE FU T URE, SELFDRI V ING CARS W ILL BE FORCED T O DECIDE W HO LI V ES AND W HO DIES.

I feel like we don’t talk about this enough.”

— CHRISTOPHER MIMS, TECHNOLOGY COLUMNIST AT THE WALL STREET JOURNAL, ON T WIT TER

“WE CAN SAVE LIVES,

create jobs, and reduce congestion.”

— GOOGLE COFOUNDER SERGE Y BRIN, TO THE LOS ANGELES TIMES

“Commuting to work?

Why not take a Starbucks-owned and -operated car where you can get a latte, and lounge at a table working on your laptop. Need to run some errands and grab lunch?

SOUNDS LIKE A BURRITO CAR.” — MICHAEL DITULLO, CHIEF DESIGN OFFICER AT SOUND UNITED, ON LINKEDIN

“Our idea is not that the car is going to totally replace the driver, but that it’s going to give the driver freedom.

SO T HE CAR IS IN T ELLIGEN T ENOUGH T O OPER AT E

BY I T SELF, LIK E A HORSE,

and make decisions depending on different road situations.”

— YU K AI, HE AD OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE RESE ARCH AT BAIDU, TO THE SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST

WHAT’S YOUR HOME AWAY FROM HOME? OUR READERS SHARE THEIR FAVORITE HOTELS AND RESORTS ACROSS THE REGION IN WORLD’S-BEST-WORTHY PHOTOS.

SHARE AN INSTAGRAM PHOTO BY USING THE #TLASIA HASHTAG, AND IT MAY BE FEATURED IN AN UPCOMING ISSUE. FOLLOW @TRAVELANDLEISUREASIA

Cheong Fatt Tze “Blue” Mansion, in Penang, by @glampackersyd

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Alila Villas Uluwatu, in Bali, by @ongmelanie

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Marina Bay Sands, in Singapore, by @giekatz

Yet-to-open Studio City in Macau and its figure-8 Ferris wheel, by @tcs197

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ART DIRECTOR DEPUT Y EDITOR SENIOR EDITOR AS SISTANT EDITOR SENIOR DESIGNER DESIGNER

Christopher Kucway Wannapha Nawayon Jeninne Lee-St. John Merritt Gurley Monsicha Hoonsuwan Chotika Sopitarchasak Autchara Panphai

REGUL AR CONTRIBUTORS / PHOTOGR APHERS Cedric Arnold, Jeff Chu, Helen Dalley, Robyn Eckhardt, Philipp Engelhorn, David Hagerman, Lauryn Ishak, Mark Lean, Melanie Lee, Naomi Lindt, Brent T. Madison, Ian Lloyd Neubauer, Aaron Joel Santos, Adam Skolnick, Darren Soh, Stephanie Zubiri CHAIRMAN PRESIDENT PUBLISHING DIRECTOR PUBLISHER DIGITAL MEDIA MANAGER TR AFFIC MANAGER / DIGITAL CONTENT AS SISTANT SALES DIRECTOR BUSINES S DE VELOPMENT MANAGERS CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER PRODUCTION MANAGER PRODUCTION GROUP CIRCUL ATION MANAGER CIRCUL ATION AS SISTANT

J.S. Uberoi Egasith Chotpakditrakul Rasina Uberoi-Bajaj Robert Fernhout Cole Pennington Varin Kongmeng Joey Kukielka Domenica Agostino Justin Williams Gaurav Kumar Kanda Thanakornwongskul Natchanan Kaewsasaen Porames Sirivejabandhu Yupadee Saebea

TR AVEL + LEISURE (USA) EDITOR-IN-CHIEF SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT / PUBLISHING DIRECTOR VICE PRESIDENT / PUBLISHER

Nathan Lump Steven DeLuca Jay Meyer

TIME INC. INTERNATIONAL LICENSING & DEVELOPMENT (syndication@timeinc.com) VICE PRESIDENT E XECUTIVE EDITOR / INTERNATIONAL SENIOR DIRECTOR, BUSINES S DE VELOPMENT SENIOR DIRECTOR, AD SALES & MARKETING

Jim Jacovides Mark Orwoll Jennifer Savage Joelle Quinn

TIME INC. CHIEF E XECUTIVE OFFICER CHIEF CONTENT OFFICER

Joseph Ripp Norman Pearlstine

TR AVEL+LEISURE SOUTHEAST ASIA VOL. 9, ISSUE 8 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; 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. Produced and distributed by Media Transasia Thailand Ltd., 14th Floor, Ocean Tower II, 75/8 Soi Sukhumvit 19, Sukhumvit Road, Klongtoeynue, Wattana, Bangkok 10110, Thailand. Tel: +66 2 204-2370.

Printed by Comform Co., Ltd. (+66 2 368-2942–7). Color separation by Classic Scan Co., Ltd. (+66 2 291-7575). While the editors do their utmost to verify information published, they do not accept responsibility for its absolute accuracy.

This edition is published by permission of TIME INC. AFFLUENT MEDIA GROUP 1271 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020 Tel. +1 212 522-1212 Online: www.timeinc.com Reproduction in whole or in part without consent of the copyright owner is prohibited.

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YOUR HOTEL KEY UNLOCKS SO MUCH MORE THAN JUST A ROOM.

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Singapore Since 1925

Ticao Boys

PHOTOS BY KIT YENG CHAN

Imagine cowboy hats, leather lassos, bucking broncos. Now set that scene on a powder-white beach in the Philippines. It may seem a strange pairing, but that’s the outlook at Ticao island. >>

Loading up the banca for a day of fishing.

NEWS + TRENDS + DISCOVERIES

A low-key island in the Philippines, Ticao packs loads of adventure between South Luzon and Masbate. BY MARCO FERR ARESE .

/ here&now /

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT:

Stilted houses are built to withstand the tides; balancing on the beach; tour Rock Island’s waters on a banca.

This brushstroke of emerald thickets and white sand is ringed by intense open blue.

It’s one of Masbate Province’s three offthe-beaten path islands floating between the more famous shores of southern Luzon and Cebu. You’ll find snorkeling and diving here, but the region is most famous for the Rodeo Masbateño held every April.

Besides cowpokes and cattle, Ticao Pass’s constant currents and plankton-rich waters lure manta rays, and hammerhead, thresher and whale sharks. The island’s only claim to tourism fame is the Manta Bowl, an underwater atoll offering five different dive sites ranging up to 29 meters deep. Divers flock here on boat trips from Donsol, 90 minutes north across the pass in Sorsogon Province, Luzon, while between November and June, touristsladen bumboats rock by in search of whale sharks. Visitors, however, rarely stay on to explore. A pity because, apart from the dive sites, the rest of Ticao’s coast is still virtually untouched. Shores dotted by local fishing communities and a jungle-clad, waterfall-sprinkled interior are the perfect springboards for adventure seekers. Ticao Island Resort’s (ticao-island-resort.com; beachfront cabanas including all meals from P5,200 for two) romantic beach

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cabanas are the ideal setting to overnight under a carpet of blazing stars, keeping toes constantly tucked in the sand, without sacrificing comfort. The resort also offers an onsite SSIaccredited dive center and free kayaks to paddle out at sea and explore.

Ocean aside, there’s much more to discover on Ticao if you’re willing to follow the rhythms of nature. We rise before the first rays paint the horizon purple to take a stroll on the beach and watch how the sea powers the ebb and flow of local life. It’s easy enough to convince a group of young, energetic fishermen to let us charter their banca, which balances over waves using four curvy outstretched poles. They welcome us on board, but business comes first: we agree to wait quietly as they complete their morning fishing outing to the southern tip of the island. The banca glides over the turquoise ocean like a spider crawling on glass until we moor at the tiny village of Gibraltar to unload the morning’s catch. The beach has turned into a lively early-morning market where everybody, children included, smiles and sings as they

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go about their daily fishing chores. As soon as the catch has been sold, one of our guides turns to us, ready to make good on his promise.

“I’ll show you Rock Island,” he says as we gain speed over gentle waves. Originally called Minalayo, this tiny atoll across from Ticao’s southernmost tips emerges like a stony forehead topped with green, unkempt hair. Our boat glides into the fresh, shady embrace of the island’s caves.

“Look out for snakes before jumping in,” our de facto guide warns us. It was here that famous Filipino TV host Dr. Nielsen Donato spotted yellow-lipped sea kraits, one of the most poisonous sea snakes in the world. We look around, scanning for scales, but it is all clear, so very clear.

Standing in the rocking banca, the water is so crystalline the coral underneath looks sealed under a plasma screen. We bite on our snorkels and dive into high definition.

/ here&now /

FROM TOP: Lanna interior design; the book features 250 architecture photos.

ON THE SHELF

If These Walls Could Wai roof tiles. Flipping through the book is at once calming and inspiring: a visual reflection of how classic Thai architecture has captured the global imagination. Available on amazon.com or e-mail sales@rachamankha.com.

FR ANCOIS HAL ARD (2)

Whether you’re a Thai architecture buff or just enjoy ogling gorgeous resorts you may one day visit, the photography in A Tradition of Serenity: The Tropical Houses of Ong-ard Satrabhandhu (Rizzoli New York; Bt2,500), showcasing the work of lauded Thai designer and architect Ong-ard Satrabhandhu, will set you daydreaming. François Halard, who has been a regular contributing photographer for Vogue, Vanity Fair, GQ and House & Garden for 30 years, shot the 250 color photographs in the glossy volume. Ong-ard channels his Lanna background in all of his designs. Many of his residences are set in beautifully restored heritage buildings, use reclaimed materials from ancient edifices, or leverage old-style construction techniques like Tamarind Village in Chiang Mai with its bamboo archway, timber beams and thin clay

BEACH BAG

STRONG SUITS

THEATER

C L O C K W I S E F R O M T O P : C H A R L E Y G A L L AY/ G E T T Y I M A G E S ; P H I L I P F R I E D M A N ; C O U R T E S Y O F K U B E

Drama King Seven hours—that’s how long it took for the 12-week run of the Barbican’s Benedict Cumberbatch–led Hamlet, which premieres August 5, to sell out. Prudently, the London theater held back 100 tickets for each show; go to hamlet.barbican.org.uk to enter the online lottery for a chance to score late-release £10 seats to the Lyndsey Turner– directed production. In the (very likely) event that those also go in record time, the Cumberbatch-obsessed can catch broadcasts in movie theaters across 44 countries, including Hong Kong, South Korea and India (ntlive.com). — STEPHANIE WU

OBSESSION Call it the ultimate BBQ accessory: Kube is a 17” x 17” x 23” cooler that’s also a Bluetooth speaker. The flip-top stores up to 48 cans in an insulated compartment, and the 110-decibel sound system syncs with smartphones, so your summer bash heats up with a great playlist as the drinks chill down. US$1,099; kubesound.com.

Sustainability has come to swimwear.

For her line Giejo, New York designer Gabby Sabharwal uses reclaimed fabrics to create modern mix-andmatch bikinis and flattering onepieces. The suits include everything from nautical chain motifs and animal prints to feminine florals and natty chambray—and look equally at home in Bali as they do in Capri. From US$105 per piece; shopgiejo.com.

— C OURTNEY KENEFICK

T R AV E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A . C O M / A U G U S T 2 0 1 5

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/ here&now / INTRODUCING

Strang World

Supermodel turned pastry chef Amanda Strang on eating out in Hong Kong.

AMANDA STR ANG knows that, whether it’s fashion or frosting, the devil is in the details. The French-Taiwanese model might be one of Hong Kong’s most recognizable faces, but these days the pastries sold at her shop, Petite Amanda (petiteamanda.com), are hogging the limelight. Strang caught the baking bug when she was eight, starting with a simple batch of chocolate cookies. Her pâtisserie came about as a passion project, but the move from modeling to mascarpone took serious training. After a course at Le Cordon Bleu Paris, she apprenticed at Ladurée and later Caprice at the Four Seasons Hong Kong. The hard work paid off: “When I first opened Petite Amanda, there were nonstop queues,”

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Strang says. “I was amazed that so many people were turning up in the first six months.” The lady-about-town considers dining out an art that requires more than just a discerning palate. For down-toearth Italian, her favorite is Da Domenico (GF, 25 Tung Lo Wan Rd., Causeway Bay; 852/2882-8013; dinner for two HK$1,500).

“It’s a place with simple Italian cooking, nothing too fancy, which is just the way I like Italian food.” Her former training ground Caprice (8 Finance St.; 852/31968888; fourseasons.com; dinner for two HK$2,000) remains a regular in Strang’s rotation because, she says, “even the cheese bar is amazing.” The model-chef’s affinity for style spills onto the plate; she appreciates high-quality ingredients as

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well as presentation, and the omakase dinner at Sushi Ginza Onodera (1F Hollywood Centre, 77-91 Queen’s Rd. W., Sheung Wan; 852/3568-7788; omakase dinner sets from HK$1,350) fits the bill. At times when she feels nostalgic, Strang heads to The Night Market (6F-7F, 11 Stanley St., Central; thenightmarket.com. hk; lunch for two HK$150): “My mother is Taiwanese, so I go there for a taste of home.” LockCha Tea House (GF The K.S. Lo Gallery, Hong Kong Park, Admiralty; 852/2801-7177; lockcha.com; lunch for two HK$200) rounds out Strang’s repast repertoire with its finely prepared vegetarian dim sum, the city’s famous staple. And for dessert? Well she’s got that covered. — MARK LEAN

COURTESY OF PETITE AMANDA

Amanda Strang turned her love of pastries into a second career.

/ here&now /

CULTURE

A Village in Beijing

A painting at the Rosewood Beijing based on the book The Dream of the Red Chamber.

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C H R I S T O P H E R K U C WAY

Getting your bearings in the Chinese labyrinth that makes up the art district of Caochangdi isn’t always easy, but these days it’s worth it.

BY CHRISTOPHER KUCWAY >>

/ here&now /

FROM TOP: A mix of

styles in Caochangdi; a heady piece of sculpture at Platform China; inside Galerie Urs Meile.

OPPOSITE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: At the

Rosewood Beijing; an ink sketch at Three Shadows; vibrant colors at White Space.

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Shadows Photography Art Centre

C H R I S T O P H E R K U C WAY ( 2 ) ; B O T T O M : C O U R T E S Y O F G A L E R I E U R S M E I L E

AS FAR AS ARTS ENCLAVES GO ,

Caochangdi is a work in progress. As such, it might just be the perfect microcosm of present-day Beijing, a city pinned between its rich history and a modern façade. Veer down one lane in Caochangdi instead of making an abrupt left, and you’re more likely to come across a wizened Chinese grandmother perched on a wooden stool than a cutting-edge art space. While a handful of artists first moved to the village in 2000, not until the past few years has there been a concerted artistic bent to the area through public art installations and live events. Today, that shows.

The village comes with pedigree: this is where artist and architect Ai Weiwei has set up shop, both in his own gallery and in designing other spaces, putting Caochangdi on the global art map.

Still, en route to some of the city’s best art spaces, you’ll bypass open ditches, snarling dogs and locals simply going about their daily business. Wasn’t it Ai Weiwei who described the Chinese capital as being two cities, one of power and money, the other of desperation?

Split in two by a rail line, Caochangdi is where the airport expressway intersects Beijing’s fifth ring road. That might not sound pedestrian friendly, and it’s not.

Fortunately, now there is some blue signage in English and Mandarin sprouting up, but navigating this village is still hit-and-miss. Have an up-to-date map in hand.

Once you do stumble across a gallery, there’s always the unpredictable nature of the Middle Kingdom waiting to rear its head.

Security guards barring access for reasons unuttered. Or closed because a corporate function is taking place, the crowd immune to the art around it. But persevere, because when you finally find that special space showcasing an artist whose works speak to you, it is easy to see the lure to this mishmash of a neighborhood.

As its name suggests, Three

F R O M T O P : C H R I S T O P H E R K U C WAY ( 2 ) ; C O U R T E S Y O F W H I T E S PA C E B E I J I N G ; C H R I S T O P H E R K U C WAY

(en.threeshadows.cn) focuses on photography and video arts, but also exhibits other forms, notably ink drawings. Like other galleries in Caochangdi, from the outside looking in, it comes across as a small, modern factory, one with several buildings. Designed by Ai Weiwei, the center presents photography and video in a stylized manner, hanging photography in midair—the setting becomes part of the art that is on display. There’s also a permanent selection of photography here derived from the owner’s growing private collection, including Man Ray and Robert Frank as well as innumerable Chinese camerapersons.

Stroll across the one-lane street where Platform China Art Institute (platformchina.org) typifies the evolving neighborhood. Sculptures pop up from a strip of weeds, a new concrete floor is being polished in another space, while another small exhibit has a sign-in sheet with a few names but no visitors. It’s difficult to tell if the spot is in the early stages of decay or at the start of a new life.

On the other side of the rail tracks, Galerie Urs Meile (galerieursmeile. com) has been in Beijing since 1996, and its newest location in Caochangdi, also designed by Ai Weiwei, continues to specialize in contemporary Chinese art.

Around the corner, down another narrow lane, Pékin Fine Arts (pekinfinearts.com) displays a range of works from across Asia, and like others in the neighborhood, aims to

promote the artists in more established markets like Tokyo, London, Paris and New York City.

Art, whether paintings or sculptures, stands out against the pure backdrops offered at the aptly named White Space Beijing (whitespace-beijing.com). Originally part of the nearby 798 art district— an area that is now just as much restaurants and bars as it is a gathering place for original art— White Space promotes young, upand-coming Chinese artists.

With each of these galleries, it’s imperative to call ahead to make certain they are open, normally from Tuesday through Saturday.

Also, book a car and driver for the return trip as the neighborhood is still rough around the edges, a white

spot on the map even to the capital’s residents. Yet, the original art on display makes the trip worthwhile.

Ai Weiwei has long argued that Beijing needs to let people have space for their own interests. Caochangdi just might be the place.

Checking In: Beijing If it’s art you’re after in the Chinese capital, few hotels can match the display put on by the Rosewood Beijing (rosewoodhotels.com; deluxe rooms from RMB1,743). The hotel simply flaunts its original art pieces every chance it gets—there are more than 1,500 in total—a great calling card for a small chain that is expanding around Asia in the coming two years.

Staff here speak of the hotel being a curated space, an idea that permeates all public areas and the guest rooms (right) themselves, which feature original cloisonné paintings and fine art prints. Art, books and historical accoutrements make up the décor at the chain’s first hotel in Asia.

TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM / AUGUS T 2015

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/ here&now / Ulaanbaatar’s Great Chinggis Khan Square.

A Welcome Designed to Enthrall & Inspire

you will find a hotel with a wonderful complex character, a place filled with surprising design details but with a startlingly Bangkok flavour.

In the heart of Bangkok.

T. +66 26 123456 www.litbangkok.com

UPDATE

Mongolia in Motion

AFTER A 25-YEAR SOCIALIST HANGOVER, THE COUNTRY’S INTRIGUING CAPITAL CIT Y IS FINALLY WAKING UP. In Ulaanbaatar, elaborate temples now live cheek by jowl with rising skyscrapers, thanks to an influx of investment from the financial sector. The new Shangri-La Hotel (shangri-la.com; doubles from US$260) is raising the luxury quotient with 290 contemporary rooms, some facing Bogd Khan, one of the four Sacred Mountains; a sleek restaurant serving northern Chinese cuisine (clay-pot stews, Peking duck); and a 21st-floor private club. Nearby is Great Chinggis Khan Square, a plaza lined with fashionable hangouts. A highlight: the lounge iLoft Function House (iconcept.mn), where DJs

flown in from Seoul spin K-pop remixes. (The city has a surprising obsession with all things Korean.)

There are two ways to arrive: by plane—Korean Air and Turkish Airlines now offer service, and a second international airport debuts in 2017—​or with Golden Eagle Luxury Trains (golden​eagle​ luxurytrains.com; 15 days from US$15,895 per person). This hotel on rails has butler service and L’Occitane-stocked cabins and follows a route from Moscow that includes visits to Lake Baikal, the deepest on earth, and the 16thcentury Kremlin Fortress, in Kazan, Russia. — DANIEL SCHEFFLER

TUUL & BRUNO MOR ANDI/CORBIS

At LiT BANGKOK Hotel

One Farrer Hotel & Spa’s façade. BELOW: A Courtyard room at The Fullerton.

ACT FAST

Merlion’s Jubilee When was the last time you got a present for going to someone else’s birthday party? Well, Singapore is just that kind of classy. This month the city-state celebrates its 50th birthday with a lineup of parades, performances and exhibitions.

Better yet, hotels are rolling out amazing deals to set the stage for a truly gilded golden jubilee.

Preferred Hotels & Resorts heritage members The Fullerton Hotel (fullertonhotel.com; doubles from S$500, through August 31) and F R O M T O P : C O U R T E S Y O F O N E FA R R E R H O T E L & S PA ; C O U R T E S Y O F T H E F U L L E R T O N H O T E L

The Fullerton Bay Hotel

Meanwhile, at Mövenpick Heritage Hotel Sentosa (moevenpick-hotels.

com; doubles from S$240) you’ll get a 50-percent discount for every second night you stay. Globetrotters, check in at one of Worldhotels (worldhotels.com; through August 16) properties: Carlton City (doubles from S$254), Goodwin Park (doubles from S$390), Hotel Fort Canning (doubles from S$290) and York Hotel (doubles from S$257), where you get 1,000 frequent flyer miles for a reservation of two nights or more.

(fullertonbayhotel.com; doubles from S$650, through December 30) are offering a complimentary room upgrade and a S$50 dining credit.

The group’s newest member One Farrer Hotel & Spa (onefarrer.com; doubles from S$250) is giving away a S$50 dining voucher that guests can use at Escape Restaurant & Lounge.

A New Leading Light in City Living

LiT BANGKOK Residence offers that rare combination of downtown convenience that is also a haven of calm: a true home from home.

Innovative design, state of the art amenities, international service standards and delightful Thai touches are set to redefine contemporary Thai living.

Come home to the city.

SET SAIL Kicking off this summer on select northern European sailings, Ventures by Seabourn are kayak and Zodiac excursions that leave directly from the foldout marina on the 458-passenger Seabourn Quest. The program, which will soon expand to Antarctic and Amazon River itineraries, includes activities like rides along the fjords and past icebergs. And because there’s no need to disembark, guests get extra time to sleep in. sea​bourn.com.

T. +66 26 123456 www.litbangkok.com

/ here&now /

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Rose takes

INSIDER INTEL

Rose-Tinted Beaches

Phuket through the eyes of a seafaring, high-flying island expert.

38

ROSSARIN “ROSE” MAITLANDSMITH lives and breathes Phuket.

This Renaissance lady is a pilot-intraining, a yachtswoman, a designer, an artist, a gallery owner and a personal shopper (66-81/958-3830; rmaitlandsmith@gmail.com; starting from Bt3,000 an hour) for an elite set of travelers looking for distinctive souvenirs that go beyond sarongs and swimsuits. “One woman asked me if I could find her a traditional teak spirit house between breakfast and lunch,” says Rose. “Luckily, I knew a guy.”

Of course most of the requests she gets are a little more tropical and a lot more packable. On her must-have list are dainty white-gold bracelets with nautical charms by Karma Creations (karma-creations.com), elegant resort wear by Chandra (chandra-exotic.com)—“It is perfect

AUGUS T 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM

beach style and very lovely cutting”—and the exotic patterned fabrics from local brand Lola, available at The Plaza Surin (theplazasurin.com). Handmade spa products from Lemongrass House’s (lemongrasshousethailand.com) flagship Phuket store are also popular. “I love the smell of the shop,” Rose says. “Coconut and lemongrass, scents of the island.”

The Thai native was raised in Bangkok but has spent the past 17 years in Phuket, and her abstract acrylic paintings are driven by island tableaux. “All the colors in the sky and sea give me inspiration,” she says, and there are a few beaches she can always count on for fodder.

In the mornings she jogs Bangtao Beach, to catch sunrise. “It is quiet and has lovely scenery. The sea is bookended by rocks.” >>

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 R O S S A R I N M A I T L A N D - S M I T H ; P O R N S A K N A N A K O R N ; C O U R T E S Y O F R O S S A R I N M A I T L A N D - S M I T H ; C O U R T E S Y O F T R I S A R A

the controls, flying over karsts in Phuket; tropical-scented treats at Lemongrass; Rose’s abstract art reflects island life; the Bar at Trisara.

The Siam, Bangkok, Thailand

The Fullerton Bay Hotel, Singapore

The Mark, New York, New York, U.S.

The Wellesley, London, England, U.K.

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/ here&now / (223/2 Prabaramee Rd.; 66-76/344079; baanrimpa.com/italianrestaurant). “The waves break so close you may get splashed,” Rose says. “Many people go for dinner, but at lunchtime I own the place and I’m very cheeky—I have five waiters running around me.” She also frequents Pha Chom Tawan Kamala (66-87/418-7104), for pad Thai served in banana leaf on a little tray with wooden chopsticks: “It’s five-star presentation with a millionaire view at school-kid prices.”

Dusk is a magical time of day for the artist, and she usually spends it sipping cocktails at Trisara’s (trisara. com) shorefront bar. “The beach there is quite charming because of how the sun sets behind the small island on the horizon,” Rose says.

“The overall effect is something special.” There is a pontoon out front during the high season so she makes this a regular stop when she has friends with yachts in town. “They love strutting from the yacht to the bar. ‘Where did we come from? Oh just that yacht out there.’”

Though she has no qualm with luxury living and a touch of bravado, she has more serious ambitions than just snacking and shopping. Her own gallery (32-34 Thalang Rd.) is equal parts substance and style.

“There was art and there was furniture, but this is something

40

entirely different that will hopefully bridge the two.” Rose has scooped up six town houses in historic Old Town, and connected two of the Sino-Portuguese buildings to create the space. “Investing in old architecture is like putting money in the bank, and knowing you are leaving something for your grandchildren.” She points to the Baba Museum, set in a 102-year-old building, that will open at the end of the year as evidence of the changing scene. “Phuket has a fascinating heritage, and people are seeing the island in a new light.”

An ambassador of the developing creative set, Rose hopes to see Old Town drawing travelers on its cultural merits. “We’re not going to them; they need to come to us,” she says. “Now that we are a real artistic community, we need to champion our work.” Rose’s work next will be on display in December at an exhibition at the Boathouse by Montara (boathousephuket.com), and she plans to go bigger than ever. “I’m experimenting with bold colors, mix media and larger canvases.”

Whether eats, art or architecture, her mission is to show every facet of Phuket. “It is not just beach, sun and sand,” says Rose. “It is a holistic and sensuous way of living, if you know the right way to live.” If you still haven’t quite found your island groove, just take a sandy page out of Rose’s book. — MERRIT T GURLEY

AUGUS T 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Breezy resort

wear from Chandra; pasta with clams at Da Maurizio; Rose’s gallery in Old Town; along Kalim Beach.

CLOCK WISE FROM TOP: COURTESY OF CHANDR A; COURTESY OF ROS SARIN MAITL AND-SMITH (3)

In the afternoon she heads to

Kalim Beach for lunch at Da Maurizio

/ here&now / BUTTER

THE DISH

Why: “It adds richness to sauces.”

The Dish: Choice of steak mix-and-matched with compound butters and sauces.

Restaurant: The Grill by Sean Connolly. thegrillnz.co.nz; steak from NZ$38.

Connolly’s Pantry

Chef Sean Connolly, known for his produce-driven restaurants in Australia and New Zealand, shares his seasoning secrets.

— MONSICHA HOONSUWAN

42

AUGUS T 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM

Why: “It gives a wonderful sweetmeat flavor to my potatoes.”

The Dish: Duck-fat chips with house-made tomato sauce.

Restaurant: Parlour Burger. parlourburger.com.au; A$6.

SEA-SALT FLAKES

Why: “Everything needs salt.

If you use the right salt, it’s gentle and not too strong, and when you add it to the food it brings out the best flavors.”

The Dish: Scampi ceviche.

Restaurant: The Morrison Bar & Oyster Room. themorrison.com.au; A$32.

STAR ANISE

Why: I love the sweet and savory licorice flavor. It’s very versatile and gives a depth to your dish.”

The Dish: SA lamb shoulder.

Restaurant: Sean’s Kitchen. seanskitchen.com.au; A$70.

DRY CHILI

Why: “I use it as a background flavor to give a nice gentle burn, subtle and well-rounded.”

The Dish: Spaghetti with Cloudy Bay clams and chili flakes.

Restaurant: Gusto at the Grand. fb.com/GustoAtTheGrand; NZ$28.

F R O M T O P L E F T: G I O VA N N I PA C I A L E O ( 5 ) ; E D WA R D H U R R E L L , C O U R T E S Y O F T H E G R I L L B Y S E A N C O N N O L LY

FOODIES DOWN UNDER can’t get enough of celebrity chef Sean Connolly’s bold, earthy style. He calls himself a “purveyor of damn fine food,” and the critics agree: kitchens he’s helmed have pulled in a total of three Chef Hats, the Aussie equivalent of Michelin Stars, and his five restaurants spread across Sydney, Adelaide and Auckland are always packed. He’s even the host of his own TV show, Sean’s Kitchen. Yet, his food philosophy is refreshingly minimalist. After 15 years prepping molecular dishes at Sydney’s perpetually hatted Astral ( The Grill by Sean Connolly in Auckland is his other ever-awarded eatery), Connolly decided he was fed up with foam and wanted to pursue a more produce-driven approach. The result: meat on the bone or in the shell, charred or grilled, and served with fresh seasonal harvests. “This is what real food is all about,” he says. “The older I get, the simpler my food gets.” Connolly’s latest opening, Sean’s Kitchen in Adelaide, holds a collection of his favorite recipes, including “grandma’s carrots,” a saltysweet fuss-free tribute to his late granny.

“I let my produce speak for itself,” he says. Still, humble is by no means predictable. Connolly is experimenting with a Japanese-inspired take on Gallic fare, which he’ll be serving in Bangkok at the World Gourmet Festival (siambangkok.anantara.com; September 7-13) next month. “It’s going to be a challenge, but that’s why I get out of bed every day,” he says. “I love it.” T+L caught up with the star chef to find out the secret staples that add dazzle to his dishes.

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/ here&now / DRINK

Napa Revisited

California’s most popular wine region is getting a jolt of much-needed energy. BY TED LOOS

PHOTOGR APHED BY ALEX FARNUM

Napa Valley had settled into a comfy rut. Wineries were turning out upscale but often predictable Cabernets, and the hotels felt reliably, if not excitingly, luxe—the kind of complacency that comes from being at the top of the heap. But the area’s affluent, increasingly younger clientele wants something different—innovation, clean design, a casual vibe—and Napa has responded in the form of new projects, reboots and renovations all across the valley.

This isn’t your parents’ Napa, but they’ll like it too.

Leading the charge is Odette Estate (odetteestate.com), a nextgeneration winery in the Stags Leap District from philanthropist Gordon Getty, California lieutenant governor Gavin Newsom and Napa veteran John Conover. Instead of building the faux-Tuscan villa with the bluechip art collection that used to pass for a bold statement, the trio created a LEED Gold–certified facility with a living roof and a glassed-in visitors’ center with a private dining room. “Millennials are driving us in an experiential direction,” Conover says.

Newsom adds, “The travelers we’re encountering are >> IN RECENT YEARS,

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AUGUS T 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM

Odette Estate winery, in Napa Valley, California.

/ here&now /

CLOCKWISE FROM FAR LEFT:

Odette Estate; the winery office, an upcycled shipping container; scallops with white gazpacho at Atlas Social; Odette’s Jeff Owens (left) and Gavin Newsom.

seeking more than just a tasting flight. They want their wine, but also architecture, design and an authentic culinary experience.”

Visitors can take a guided walking tour of the grounds, then embark on a 90-minute tasting of Odette’s three bottlings, crafted by the 34-year-old wine­maker Jeff Owens. The 2012 Estate Cabernet, with its rich blackcherry flavors, goes for US$98— aspirational, but not crazily priced.

Even more remarkable is the fact that all the wines can be bought under screw cap. The 2012 Estate Reserve Cab, priced at US$300, is the first twist-top ever to earn 100 points from Robert Parker.

The hotel scene is also getting a stylish update, with the Yabu Pushelberg–designed Las Alcobas (luxurycollection.com) and Charlie Palmer’s fully upgraded Harvest Inn (harvestinn.com; doubles from US$449) debuting within the year in St. Helena. Napa’s classic resorts are taking stock, too. Meadowood Napa Valley (meadowood.com; doubles from US$900) embraced a cleaner aesthetic in the 85 rooms, with linen-covered sofas, slate-f loor bathrooms and black-and-white photos of the valley. A stand-alone spa opens this fall. Auberge du Soleil (aubergedu ​soleil.com; doubles from US$850) is gradually shedding its Provençal look. Designer Suzanne Tucker has already given 12 of the 50 rooms a polished feel by adding f loor-to-ceiling windows and

46

swapping terra-cotta f loors for cream-colored carpeting.

It’s among the valley’s chefs where you’ll see some of the biggest changes. Thomas Keller’s French Laundry (thomas​k eller.com; tasting menus from US$295) reopened in April after the international design firm Snøhetta did a Modernist overhaul of the kitchen. This news was overshadowed only by Keller’s pop-up, Ad Lib (thomas​keller.­com; entrées US$24–US$60), at the Silverado Resort. Locals and tourists have gone mad for his riffs on Parker House rolls, Caesar salad prepared tableside and beef Wellington, all served in a less reverential setting.

It’s open through October 18.

At chic St. Helena gastropub the Farmer & the Fox ( farmerandfox. com; entrées US$16–US$32), Joseph Humphrey elevates British classics, pairing Scotch eggs with watercress and topping sourdough crumpets with uni. And in the revitalized city of Napa—which felt like a ghost town in the past, but now hums with shops and fitness studios—there’s Atlas Social (atlas​socialnapa.com; entrées US$7–US$18), where chef Nick Ritchie serves unfussy rabbit pot pie and cherry-cola barbecue wings. With its blackboard sporting Julia Child quotes and large terrace, the place epitomizes the changing of the guard. “I’ve stopped taking my food too seriously,” says Ritchie, a Napa native. “Everything should just be delicious.”

AUGUS T 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM

WHERE TO EAT NOW IN SAN FRANCISCO The gateway to Napa has its own share of buzzy openings. The creative Californian menu at Aster (astersf.com; entrées US$29– US$34), Daniel Patterson’s new spot in the Mission, showcases heirloom grains and heritage meats in dishes like roasted lamb shoulder with Indian spices, cabbage and wheat berries. + Mexico City star Gabriela Cámara makes her stateside debut this month with Cala (149 Fell St.; entrées US$20– US$35), in the Mid-Market area.

Expect sustainable seafood in the main dining room, a casual taqueria out back and rare mezcals on both menus. + What do you get when you combine a café, bakery, dinner spot and dedicated kitchen for preserving everything from berries to tomatoes? The Manufactory (2900 18th St.), a multivenue project from local powerhouse Tartine Bakery & Café that opens this fall in the Heath Ceramics building. — BROOKE PORTER K AT Z

/ here&now /

ST YLE

GOLDEN HOUR

These handsome new wristwatches make tradition timely.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Rolex rose-gold Cellini Date, US$17,800. Burberry rose-gold Britain,

US$5,500. Cartier rose-gold Clé de Cartier, US$18,800. A. Lange & Söhne rose-gold-andsilver Saxonia, US$14,800. Hermès rose-gold Slim d’Hermès Perpetual Calendar, US$38,900.

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AUGUS T 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM

S T Y L I S T: J O J O L I

BY JANE BISHOP. PHOTOGR APHED BY GR ANT CORNETT

/ here&now /

DEBUT

Center Stage

C O U R T E S Y O F FA I R M O N T J A K A R TA

THE NEW FAIRMONT JAK ARTA IS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE CIT Y, WITHIN ARM’S REACH OF EVERY THING FROM LUXURY SHOPPING TO DAY TRADING. When it comes to the Indonesian capital, access is everything. Located in the fashionable Senayan enclave, the new Fairmont Jakarta is perfectly positioned amid some of the city’s hottest sites.

Duck into the underground pedestrian walkway linking the hotel’s basement lobby with nearby attractions and you can be in Plaza Senayan, one of the city’s classiest shopping spots, within a few minutes. If you are traveling for work, you’ll appreciate that the Sentral Senayan Office Towers are also attached to the hotel by the subterranean link while the Indonesian Stock Exchange and Jakarta Convention Centre are just around the corner, an easy short stroll.

In classic Fairmont style, the line between business and pleasure is appealingly blurred. So, while the hotel’s 3,500 square meters of function space makes it eminently briefcase-friendly, its luxurious guest rooms, selection of dining options and fitness and spa facilities are geared towards indulgence.

Carve out time for a treatment in the cavernous 900-square-meter Willow Stream spa followed by a swim in its elevated outdoor pool.

Strolling the property you’ll be struck by how every element of design is both sophisticated and soothing.

Interiors are high-end takes on the styles of Java and Japan (from where the owners hail), featuring earthy tones of batik and traditional woods and textiles.

Guest rooms start at a spacious 49 square meters and are equipped with state-of-the-art technology controlling a whole range of lighting options and an interactive flat-screen TV. Bathrooms are luxury spa-style with separate rain shower and bathtub, and are kitted out with toiletries by New York perfumer Le Labo.

An extravagant buffet and decadent Sunday brunch are on offer at all-day dining restaurant Spectrum, while Sapori goes for a classic Italian deli feel.

The hotel’s crowning glories, however, are its fine-dining restaurant View (dinner for two Rp660,000) and the elevated K22 Bar (drinks for two Rp150,000), where frosty cocktails chime beautifully with the twinkling Jakarta skyline. fairmont.com; 62-21/ 2970-3333; doubles from Rp3,712,500 per night. — DUNCAN FORGAN

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The night market comes to life as the sun sets over the Mekong.

Vientiane on the Edge SPOTLIGHT

L E I SA T Y L E R / G E T T Y I M AG ES

Riverfront eats, expat enclaves, a budding film scene.

Rachna Sachasinh explores the capital’s neighborhoods, finding a city in transition, and worth a second look.

a d e l a i d e | ta i p e i | m a l ay s i a | + m o r e

/ beyond /S P O T L I G H T “GET LOST,” KEOTA THAMNUVONG

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AUGUS T 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM

Rue Chao Anou to Rue François Ngin

The action along the river winds through the streets, with plenty of sidewalk cafés, restaurants and bars. The patina of old colonial villas and rustic shophouses glimmers with newfound liveliness and energy. Young locals, tourists and the city’s expats congregate in a multicultural esprit de corps. Previously a haven for backpackers, the recent addition of boutique lodgings and gourmand-level eateries lend a cosmopolitan air.

Yet as the riverfront neighborhood changes, many of its draws still hark back centuries, and I awake in darkness to take part in one such iconic scene. Stars still stubbornly hang to the sky as I prepare for an alms-giving ceremony. With my basket of sticky rice and fruit, I kneel in front of Wat Ong Teu and place provisions in the monks’ bowls as they walk by silently. I join a small group of local women, and the ritual proceeds serenely, then I head to the Mekong promenade. Early risers practice slow tai chi movements next to an energetic Jazzercise class shimmying to an international pop soundtrack. On Rue Chao Anou, I come upon the newly opened Common Grounds (commongroundslaos.com; coffee and sandwiches for two K86,000), a coffeehouse where nostalgic 1950s-era photographs share wall space with local art. I regroup with a café Americano and a warm croissant and cross the street to Saoban (saobancrafts.com; scarves from K20,000), an indigenous craft collective. The handwoven cotton scarves dyed with indigo and mak gua (a local fruit with a pearl gray pigment) are so gorgeous I buy half a dozen. Following the southern wall of Wat

F R O M L E F T : C O U RT ESY O F C O M M O N G R O U N D S ; C O U RT ESY O F L’A D R ESS E D E T I N AY

tells me. “Allow the city to reveal itself.” The proprietor of Salana Boutique Hotel (salanaboutique. com; doubles from K899,855) pours tea for me in the posh lobby before ushering me out the door. It is spring in Vientiane. I stroll the stately Lane Xang between the Presidential Palace and Patuxai, marvel at the 500-year-old temple erected by King Setthathirat atop Hindu and Khmer ruins and admire the city’s beaux arts façade inherited from the French. One of Southeast Asia’s smallest capitals, Vientiane has strugged with its reputation as a backwater, a sleepy hamlet lost in time. In 1975, when the communist Pathet Lao took over the country, Vientiane slipped into hibernation. Now, the city is showing new signs of life. On street corners, men grill salted river fish next to modern storefronts peddling world-class wines. Eclectic cafés and gastropubs bring together myriad culinary influences. On welltrodden streets, I pause and take in the scene, then follow unnamed paths and winding lanes just to see where they take me. Before long, I’ve done it: I am thoroughly lost, and, along my aimless wanderings, Vientiane reveals her hidden charms.

C LO C K W I S E F R O M TO P : C O U RT ESY O F SAO BA N ; C O U RT ESY O F SA L A N A B O U T I Q U E H OT E L ; C O U RT ESY O F L E T R I O C O F F E E

Ong Teu, I get sidetracked on a picturesque alley where the scent of ylang-ylang and moke flowers draw me to Tangerine Garden (fb. com/tangerinegardenspa; treatments from K80,000). After an aromatherapy scrub and massage, I’ve worked up an appetite.

Dining options are plentiful in the riverside district. L’Adresse de Tinay (ladressedetinay.com; dinner sets K160,000) is a charming bistro with inventive dishes like the hamburger terrine with creamy layers of potato standing in for the standard bun. On Rue Françoise Ngin, newcomer Acqua’s (acqua.la; five-course degustation menu K358,000) wood-fired pizzas look enticing, as do the neon-hued cocktails. At Han Sam Euay Nong or Three Sisters (Rue Chao Anou; dinner for two K40,000), opposite Wat Chan’s gilded gate, the fish larb (grilled fish salad), tam mak hoong (papaya salad), and spring rolls are the real deal.

CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: Historic views at

Salana Boutique Hotel; Le Trio Coffee; Common Grounds’ chicken pita; L’Adresse de Tinay; traditional loom work at Saoban.

Rue Nokeokoummane to Rue Hengboun

Long-time residents of this burgeoning ’hood can recount early days of the 1975 coup when the mood was quiet and subdued. Today, the local temples are filled with chanting monks and giggling school children, and the streets are bustling with pushcart vendors selling seasonal fruit and shops shilling everything from sweets to hardware and handicrafts. Come here to people-watch and sample delicious cocktails and small bites.

Following a morning visit to Wat Mixay, I wander into Maichan (maichanhandicraft.wordpress.com). The narrow shop is stocked with textiles such as wedding blankets and sinhs, some specimens half a century old. Nearby at Carol Cassidy Lao Textiles (laotextiles.com), a wooden looms-filled colonial-era bungalow, weavers produce intricate works inspired by animist and Buddhist iconography as well as the mythical naga or serpent. Down the street, a Japanese expat recently opened Dresden Lao (dresdenlao. com; dinner for two K190,000), a cheerful gastropub where Western and local flavors blend surprisingly well, and potent cocktails are poured over carved ice. I’m perked for a walk along Rue Hengboun, passing by shophouses where customers linger for a chat and old men sit out front, smoking and palavering with neighbors. On a side street, La Cage du Coq (Rue Hengbounnoy; 856-20/5467-6065; lunch sets K59,000) opened late last year with on-theme décor such as lampshades retooled from bamboo baskets that were used to cage hens. The vintage, bohemian vibe seems more Bahamas than Cote d’Azur, but the kitchen knows its stuff: the vegetable tart and the confit de canard are spot on. The balmy evening calls for further exploration, and I make my way to The Beer House (fb.com/

TheBeerHouseVientiane; beers for two K111,000), another fresh face in a neighborhood exploding with new dining options. Inside, a group of young Lao friends toast and banter at the rustic wood bar. With a glass of Belgian ale and a plate of pralines, I find a seat outside and take in Vientiane’s laid-back nightlife.

Rue Sokpaluang to Rue Dongpaina

This is where Vientiane’s well-heeled live and work. Luxury SUVs ferry city folk along wide, tree-lined boulevards to the many embassies and government offices. Peek over the walled compounds and you will see manicured tropical

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/ beyond /S P O T L I G H T lawns and gardens surrounding restored Art Deco and colonial bungalows. International schools, yoga studios and smart coffeehouses appear at various intervals, next to noodle stalls and mom-and-pop groceries. For entrepreneurs, there is ample space to reinvent cultural styles and sensibilities.

I cycle to Ban Thongkang and nearby Ban Saphanthong, east of the city center. On the wide leafy streets, the feel is both homespun and urbane. I stroll through sylvan Wat Sok Pa Luang where monks meditate in cloisters cloaked in dense jungle foliage. Steps away is the bold and colorful Chanmaly’s Café (fb.com/chanmalyrestaurant; dinner for two K400,000). Chanmaly’s is a serious gastronome without being fussy. The mood here is playful, with darts and pétanque on the terrace and an area for tots to rumble while parents sip Rosé and sample cheese boards with gran reserva manchego, chorizo and salsichon ferried from Catalan and crêpes made with flour imported from Brittany. The wife of owner and chef Mathieu Thaëron, Caroline, arranges classic round bouquets à la française in her atelier next door. Soirées and pop-up shops for handmade jewels, artwork and garments keep the neighborhood’s dance card full. I pedal to Rue Dongpaina and hop off at Sea Sunset (seasunsetbar.com; dinner for two K268,000). The menu meanders from Spanish tortilla to Lebanese hummus (both excellent) to the house-style American cheeseburger, and owner Pietro Zorzi tells me that while it’s easy to source foodstuffs, “good-quality aged

spirits are still hard to come by in Laos.”

Somehow he’s still managed to cobble together one of the city’s best bar menus, but I don’t need a fancy cocktail. Bor pen yang (no worries), I say. In Vientiane’s humid climate, a glass of Beer Lao on ice, the way locals drink it, is the way to go.

Rue Pangkham to That Dam

The sleepy That Dam roundabout is filled with royal and colonial vestiges while trendy wine bars bring out the young and prosperous.

Businesspeople wrangle deals at working lunches and fete their success at celebratory dinners. All this unfolds alongside local women selling homemade pork sausages and street carts cooking syrupy crêpes to order.

Against the backdrop of the 16th-century That Dam, Vientiane is coming of age.

I walk by a shack with a corrugated tin roof several times before realizing it is Pho Zap (Rue Phai Nam; pho for two K40,000), my destination for Laos rice noodle soup. Once the steaming bowl of thin noodles garnished with

fresh basil and watercress arrives, I am glad I perservered. A short walk takes me to That Dam, or Black Stupa. An indomitable seven-headed naga, Vientiane’s guardian spirit, is believed to reside inside the shrine, although in 1828, the Siamese managed to abscond with the stupa’s original goldleaf casing. At sunset, shades of orange, pinks and violets color the stupa, and for a moment That Dam’s original luster comes to life. Several wine shops border the roundabout, with That Dam Wine House (Rue Chanthakoumane; dinner for two K170,000) offering the best selection in town. Rosey from a few glasses of a crisp Verdejo from New Zealand, I retire to my home for the evening, the opulent Settha Palace Hotel (setthapalace.com; doubles from US$180). Standing outside, I imagine life here some 80 years ago, when the landmark colonial hotel welcomed its first guests.

Rue Setthathirath to Rue Phonpapao

There is no one neighborhood to experience the art scene, but this outpost of Vientiane is a strong contender. Here, new forms of artistic expression are taking root, as a new generation draws upon a rich cultural legacy to tells its stories through film and painting. Vientiane’s creative set, much like the town itself, is awash in self-discovery.

I start the day sipping a top-notch espresso from Le Trio Coffee (fb.com/letriocoffee; coffee for two K40,000) on Rue Setthathirath’s most commerical block. Fortified with a house-roasted Mata Hari blend, I walk east past the beaux arts-inspired Presidential Palace and Haw Phra Kaew. Near the Wat Si Muang, the city’s spiritual pillar, the Buddhist-inspired frescoes and carvings etched on the temple’s walls give way to modern art forms. At I:Cat Gallery (fb.com/icatgallery), a contemporary narrative unfolds in compelling watercolors by Lao and expat artists. To discover more about the city’s budding art and film scene, I hop on a songthaew and head to Baan Tonmali Cake (fb.com/ BaantonmaliCake; cake for two K28,000), a hip café run by Phanumad “Ton” Disattha and his wife Kanlayanee. Ton is part of Lao New Wave Cinema, a coalition of young filmmakers creating buzz with their provocative arthouse films. Lao New Wave screens movies at Vientianale (vientianale.org), the city’s international film festival held each year in March. Perhaps equally artful are Kanlayanee’s inspired confections. A layered cheesecake served in a mason jar and the mango mousse are particularly mouth-watering. I bite into a chocolate caramel cupcake and am overwhelmed by the sweetness. I may be lost, but I feel right at home.

/ beyond /F O O D

A Little Wonder Down Under

Sydney and Melbourne get more attention, but Gordon Kanki-Knight finds that Adelaide, with its great weather, inventive restaurants and vibrant creative scene, is playing in the big leagues. PHOTOGR APHS BY PETER TAR ASIUK

in Adelaide, I headed to the just-opened Africola restaurant to tuck in to a plate of bunny chow. Originally invented by Indian migrant workers in Durban, South Africa, bunny chow consists of a meat or vegetable stew served in a hollowed-out loaf of bread. But Africola’s South African chef-owner Duncan Welgemoed serves his rich lamb curry in a

ONE SPARKLING AFTERNOON

The interior of Africola is inspired by clandestine clubs of apartheid-era South Africa.

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dainty bun topped with a jam glaze—a refinement that would have been unimaginable to the dish’s inventors. Welgemoed’s menu also includes items such as slowroasted cow’s head and allegaartjie potjie, a stew of beef, pork and mutton neck with a frisky vegetable condiment called “boom chakalakka.” The restaurant’s interior was designed in the style of shebeens, the lively apartheid-era speakeasies of Welgemoed’s youth.

Outside, possums and kookaburras frolicked in the trees. “This food is part of my heritage,” said the burly chef, who worked in the kitchens of Heston Blumenthal and Gordon Ramsay before coming to Adelaide, where he first founded the popular French-style Bistro Dom. “Here I can carry that legacy on.”

Š2010–2014 Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Preferred Guest, SPG, Westin and their logos are the trademarks of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., or its affiliates. For full terms & conditions, visit TheWestinSingapore.com

/ beyond /F O O D

He’s one of a group of young Adelaideans, many of them expats, breathing new life into this city of 1.3 million, which has for generations been dominated by the OAFs—Old Adelaide Families—who trace their lineage to the city’s first free-settler European arrivals in the early 19th century. Unlike in Sydney and Melbourne, rents here are low, and a concentration of formerly dormant historic structures in Adelaide’s tiny downtown has drawn a new wave of entrepreneurs.

Stephen Yarwood, the city’s last mayor (elected at age 39, he was the youngest in Adelaide’s 179-year history), worked with the nonprofit Renew Adelaide to match buildings with tenants and led an initiative to transform the area’s dim, neglected alleys into lively, pedestrian-only zones. Working in such close proximity, many members of Adelaide’s upstart creative class quickly became collaborators in the numerous bars, cafés, design spaces and restaurants sprouting up around the district.

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CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: Orana, a showcase for regional cuisine; Sym Choon Lane, one of downtown Adelaide’s lively walkways; Duncan Welgemoed, Africola’s chef-owner.

Welgemoed’s business partner is James Brown, a native South Australian with a blond surfer bob who had architecture firm StudioGram create Africola’s vibrant interiors and the open fire pit where Welgemoed cooks. Brown’s design firm, Mash, has spearheaded the city’s rebranding, from new bars and restaurants to pop-up events like Neon Lobster, a miniature shantytown containing a taqueria and mezcalería that the company installed in a nightclub.

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Mash also designed the interiors of the two-year-old Orana, installing a large, rough-hewn mural by the Italian artist 2501 and using streamlined tables in Tasmanian blackwood that was charred to evoke the aftermath of a bushfire. Run by a Scotsman—Jock Zonfrillo, a close friend of Welgemoed—the restaurant has sought to establish a truly Australian culinary culture. It’s a far cry from the patronizing “bushtucker” restaurants that used to pass for national cuisine. Zonfrillo spent years in the outback learning about ingredients from Aboriginal communities; the restaurant’s name means “welcome” in the language of the indigenous Wiradjuri Nation of central New South Wales. In another city, a Scottish immigrant teaching the locals about the pleasures of smoked cockles, charred kangaroo tartare, bunya nuts and riberries might raise

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FROM ABOVE: The shop at the eclectic design space Jam Factory; the secret bar Maybe Mae; football players in Victoria Square, at the center of Adelaide.

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eyebrows. But the attitude among diners in Adelaide, Zonfrillo told me, is “show us what you can do.”

It’s this emphasis on the handmade and purpose-built that has come to define Adelaide now. I saw another side of that new identity when I visited the Jam Factory, which houses studios, galleries, and shops for ceramics, glasswork, furniture and metal design. Its education program has produced designers like the Vietnamese-born furniture maker John Quan and Japanese-born glassblower Kumiko Nakajima, a married couple who showed me the houseware line they produce in the space. Quan also collaborated with fellow designer Pina Falzarano on furniture and fittings for the new Pan-Asian eatery Kokumi. The restaurant is named after the newest Japanese flavor discovery.

“Kokumi” describes the hearty, mouth-filling quality imparted by certain compounds found in foods like garlic and scallops, and the menu’s savory meat dishes, like the grilled beef with miso butter, were conceived to showcase this particular taste sensation.

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All of these destinations lie a short walk from one another, in a central business district surrounded by green space. There are appealing cafés nearby, like Coffee Branch, which offers brunch and a tasty flat white, and Sad Café, which serves the excellent South Australian– made Dawn Patrol Coffee. There are some great tiny bars, too, thanks to a new easy-to-obtain liquor license for small venues around Adelaide.

Clever Little Tailor is a former loading dock that has tan leather booths, craft beer and one of the city’s best selections of spirits. To get to the speakeasy-style Maybe Mae nearby, visitors walk through a tunnel and push on a panel that opens to reveal an intimate room ringed by leather banquettes.

As I visited these bars, restaurants and boutiques, I was reminded of a conversation I’d had with Brown and Welgemoed over cold beers at Africola. “It’s easy to look abroad and emulate what other people are doing, whether it’s design, food, booze....” Brown said as we watched a group of locals play football under the cloudless sky. “The trick is to find your own voice and be confident enough to deliver.”

Welgemoed nodded. “When you’re in France, Spain, Italy, you’re handcuffed by the confines of the culture,” he explained. “In Adelaide, we don’t have that problem.”

/ beyond /P I L G R I M A G E

Shopper in a Strange Land For years, Clancy Martin dreamed of becoming a collector

of ancient Chinese ceramics. One afternoon in Taiwan,

he finally got his chance. PHOTOGR APHS BY SEAN MARC LEE

I WAS IN THE YINGGE CER AMICS

district in New Taipei City, about half an hour by train from central Taipei, where I was hoping to find a thousand-year-old Chinese bowl.

The area has a quietly beautiful cobblestoned main street, lined with unexpected palm trees with iron cages around their trunks. You can see the mountains beyond the low, graceful buildings, until you turn onto one of the narrow alleys packed with one- to three-story shops, where cords of lights hang from the windows overhead and a sense of frenetic intimacy replaces the calm.

If it’s made of clay, you can buy it here. It is to the ceramics enthusiast what the Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo is to the sushi lover.

Unfortunately, I didn’t have much of a plan. My first mistake was trying to hire a translator on the street. I must have talked to 15 cabdrivers before finding one who understood what I wanted. He called his son Jim—a handsome guy in his twenties, also a cabdriver—who arrived to take me around on foot.

To explain what I was looking for, I drew the distinctive V shape of a bowl from the Song dynasty (960– 1279) in the air and said, “Simple, black or brown, and very old.”

I FIRST BECAME INTERESTED IN

Chinese ceramics at Anta Pottery, a shop in New Taipei City.

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Song dynasty tea bowls on a trip to Bangkok to buy rubies nearly 20 years ago, when I was working in the jewelry business. I thought I might buy one for my wife, so I visited a cramped, dimly lit shop that specialized in these bowls. I found them lined up on shelves, about 20 to a wall, each illuminated with its own halogen light. They were simple glazed bowls, all in earth tones, that widened dramatically from the base to the mouth. I remember thinking that they were the antithesis of the jewelry I dealt. I studied them, trying to look like a connoisseur. I picked up a small one—really no more than a cup without a handle—

/ beyond /P I L G R I M A G E that I thought I might be able to afford. There was a stifled gasp, and I turned to see the tiny proprietor frozen in a half-standing position behind his desk at the back of the shop. “Would you please place the bowl on the shelf?” he asked me. “I will help you.” It turned out to be worth several hundred thousand dollars. I did find one in my price range—around Bt500,000—but didn’t buy it.

Why not? Two reasons: First, I was worried about having to explain to my wife why she should like it.

Second, I felt like a bit of a faker. I trusted the authenticity of the bowls this fellow was selling, but I felt like I was pretending to understand an aesthetic language—like the guy who buys a Patek Philippe because he saw Michael Douglas wearing one in a movie. A collector should understand, in his bones, the thing he collects. But after passing on the bowl, I was hooked. I tried to buy others at New York City auctions, only to be outbid in ways that made me feel silly—I was prepared to go up to US$20,000 for one, only to see it sold for more than US$100,000. As

I learned more about Song bowls, I realized that a big part of their allure is that their value is so difficult to discern.

I’ve collected a number of precious things—Persian rugs, antique lace, pre-Depression glass lamps, German Expressionist lithographs, early American gold watches—but none have the superficial ordinariness, the selfeffacing quality, of Song bowls. Some have glazes with names like oil spot, hare’s fur and partridge feather, and range in color from whitish gray to celadon to russet. But the very best are just heavy black pottery.

They look like an exceptionally pretty version of something you might find at your local ceramics class. According to Michael Bass, a specialist in Chinese art at Christie’s, these were considered ideal for the tea parties and contests that were in vogue in China a millennium ago, at which masters

FROM LEFT: A tea bowl with an oil-spot glaze at Anta Pottery; a storefront on Yingge Ceramics Street, in New Taipei City.

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would whip the tea to produce a white head. In his 1049 essay “The Record of Tea,” the Chinese scholar Cai Xiang wrote, “The froth is seen most clearly in a tea bowl with a black glaze.”

Taipei—along with Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing, New York City and Tokyo—is an epicenter of the global trade in Song dynasty ceramics, which have become prized among wealthy Chinese collectors.

“So many billionaires retire to Taipei,” said my old friend Marek Nowack, a wholesale dealer in rare antiquities. “The treasures follow the money.” Sometimes the treasures come west, too: two years ago, Sotheby’s in New York City auctioned off a small Song dynasty tea bowl, which the seller had purchased for US$3 at a yard sale, to a dealer in London for US$2.2 million. There are many fine examples of these bowls in the collections of institutions like the

Metropolitan Museum of Art and the British Museum. If you’re looking to purchase one, there are several reputable dealers around the world specializing in ancient Chinese art, like J.J. Lally & Co. in New York City. Yingge Ceramics Street is one place where you might reasonably expect to find a deal, however— though Marek warned me to watch out for counterfeits.

Modern ceramics for sale at Anta Pottery.

JIM AND I WENT INTO MANY SHOPS

where he spoke with the owners.

Some showed us ornately decorated bowls that I guessed were from the Qing dynasty (1644–1912). After several hours, on a narrow street with more palm trees, he found a tile-roofed place he told me was called Happy Sam’s. It was stuffed with Buddha statues, tea sets and traditional Chinese porcelain with patterns of birds and dragons. After Jim asked for old bowls, the owner, a solid, shaggy man in a blue suit and a pink polo whom I took to be Sam, led us up a short staircase to a room full of cardboard boxes stacked floor to ceiling. We sat on a wooden bench where a middle-aged woman in a pale blue short-sleeved dress served us tea on a table covered in tiny green ceramic tiles.

The owner began bringing me brightly colored bowls, some ornamented with lotuses and other flowers, probably made in the past few hundred years. I kept saying, “no, thank you,” and Jim and Sam would shake their heads and laugh.

We were on our third pot of tea when Sam brought out a wide-mouthed, grimy, and old-feeling black bowl with brown flecks. I inspected it carefully, keeping it close to my lap.

“He says it’s from the Han dynasty,” Jim told me. “So, maybe two thousand five hundred.”

“Two thousand five hundred years old?” I asked.

“No, two thousand five hundred U.S. He doesn’t know how old the bowl is.”

The Han dynasty ended nearly 2,000 years ago. I knew the bowl

It looked like the bowl I’D HELD ALL THOSE YEARS AGO IN BANGKOK. It was exactly the bowl I’d been looking for

couldn’t be that old. It looked like a Song dynasty bowl. It was thick enough, heavy enough. The black glazing was regular, and it caught the light. I could see red and purple tones beneath the black. There were brown flecks. It was the right size.

There were a few small chips. It looked like the bowl I’d held all those years ago in Bangkok. It was, in fact, exactly the bowl I’d been looking for.

So I didn’t buy it.

As I admired the bowl, I kept thinking of the line “A fool and his money are soon parted.” Especially when the fool is a foreigner who can’t speak the language. A fool who is visiting a place for the first time and may never return. A fool who will pretend he knows more than he does for fear of looking like a fool. As we left, Sam grabbed my arm while saying something to Jim, who shook his head. As Jim drove me back to Taipei, I asked what he’d said.

“Maybe for two thousand. If you

come back tomorrow, he might sell for one thousand. I think it’s hard to know what is a real bowl.”

I kept thinking about it on the way home. If I’d gotten him down to a thousand, would it have been worth it, even if it turned out not to be an authentic Song bowl? What if I’d taken it to J.J. Lally & Co. only to learn it was actually worth US$100,000? My many years in the jewelry business have made me permanently suspicious, and I was probably right not to buy the bowl.

But as my plane crossed the Pacific, I felt a sense of diminishment. He who hesitates is lost. Twice now, I’d done it to myself. The siren of my Song bowl was still calling.

Next year I plan to go to Guangzhou, where they actually made Song bowls a thousand years ago. “If the fool would persist in his folly,” William Blake wrote, “he would become wise.” I haven’t given up yet.

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/ beyond /T H E M O M E N T

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K AT H E R I N E W O L K O F F

CAP D’ANTIBES | Côte d’Azur, France

In the late afternoon, when the air is calm and the sun is beginning to set, you might see locals hopping a cement wall to reach the narrow, hidden beach just below Boulevard Maréchal Juin, a winding road that snakes its way down the craggy coast of Cap d’Antibes, where the villas face the sea. This is the land of the Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc, of gleaming white yachts bobbing gently in the harbor, of vacationers who lounge under striped umbrellas while sipping Bellinis served by attentive waiters. But on that pebbly, unnamed spit of sand exists an altogether different type of glamour—the kind that takes some knowing to find, far from the air-kissing crowds. Here, a couple lingers in the last hours of the day, undisturbed, their bodies intertwined in the summer heat. — LINDSE Y OL ANDER

/ beyond /E S C A P E

Take Me To the River

A taste of the great outdoors awaits just a stone’s throw from Kuala Lumpur.

BY MARCO FERR ARESE

SAV V Y KUAL A LUMPUR residents know that the grass is greener in Kuala Kubu Bharu. The sleepy Malaysian colonial town set in a lush valley 70 kilometers to the north is the main access point to scenic Selangor Dam and a web of wild rivers that unfolds in the depths of ancient jungles, home to a community of modern-day Orang Asli, Malaysia’s aboriginals. A refreshing swim at Lata Medang, a majestic but easy-to-access waterfall on

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the edge of town, is a captivating teaser into their untamed lands.

These waterways are the closest getaway for whitewater rafting from Kuala Lumpur. The Selangor River originates in Kuala Kubu Bharu and empties into the Strait of Malacca at Kuala Selangor, keeping adventurers on their knees with up to class-four rapids.

Tour operators PieRose Swiftwater (60-13/361-3991;

C O U R T E S Y O F O X B O L D . O P P O S I T E , F R O M L E F T: C O U R T E S Y O F O X B O L D ; M A R C O F E R R A R E S E

Braving Kuala Kubu Bharu’s roaring classfour rapids.

FROM LEFT: Enjoying the rapids without a raft; wild rivers and lush forests are within easy reach of Kuala Lumpur.

pieroseswiftwater.wix.com/raftmalaysia; from RM180 per person including lunch) and Oxbold (60-19/663-8336; oxbold.com; from RM212 per person including lunch) organize day-trips downriver. Groups of 10 or more can pump up their adrenaline levels by trying Oxbold’s more challenging multiple-day expeditions along the Singoh River in nearby Perak state (all-inclusive three-day excursions from RM1,590 per person).

Kuala Kubu Bharu, however, is more than just a platform for downstream thrills. The compact town

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CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT:

center lined by rows of traditional Chinese shophouses from the 1930s has a perfect heritage atmosphere to soak in the subtle joys of small-town life, including a homecooked taste of local delicacies. Restoran Nine-Thy Eight (33-34 Jln. Dato Balai; 60-3/6064-1198; meal for two from RM30) serves an array of traditional Malay-Chinese dishes; order the chicken wings roasted in beer and served on rice for a true Selangor’s treat. Kedai Makanan Lee (Jalan Dato Tabal; meal for two RM15), a tiny shop filled with chatty locals, dishes up tasty bowls of curry laksa garnished with local spices at a bargain. To amp up on caffeine and sugar, head to Teng Wun Bakery & Confectionery (15 Jln. Dato Muda Jaafar; 60-3/6064-1586; 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.) for delicious kaya puffs and exotictasting durian cakes.

There is basic lodging in town, but the best digs are 20 kilometers away at Fraser’s Hill, a former British colonial hill station, easily reachable by taxi. Overlooking forested meadows, Ye Olde Smokehouse (thesmokehouse. my; doubles from RM400) is a well-restored summer estate with colonial-style rooms where you can relax after rafting. The charming country house proves the rapids aren’t the only high-class act around.

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FROM BELOW: MARCO FERR ARESE (2); COURTESY OF TENG WUN BAK ERY & CONFECTIONERY

Lunch at a local noodle shop; flaky kaya puffs at Teng Wun Bakery; prepping curry laksa at Kedai Makanan Lee.

/ beyond /E S C A P E FROM RIGHT: A colonial-style room at Ye Olde Smokehouse; outside on the terrace.

The easiest and most comfortable way to reach Kuala Kubu Bharu is by Electric Train Service, with trains running from Kuala Lumpur’s Sentral Station to Kuala Kubu Bharu (ktmb.com.my; one way fare per adult RM14) three times a day.

Alternatively, Kuala Lumpur’s regular KTM commuter train service

links Sentral with Rawang, where you must alight and change to a train to Tanjung Malim.

Kuala Kubu Bharu is the second to last stop (one person one way RM5.60).

By car from Kuala Lumpur, it’s an easy 50-minute drive north along the E1 expressway until you reach the Kuala Kubu Bharu exit.

COURTESY OF YE OLDE SMOKEHOUSE (2)

GETTING THERE

Singapore Since 1925

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Best of Tech 2015

Technology correspondent Tom Samiljan tested hundreds of gadgets to find the ones most worthy of your (extremely limited) carry-on space.

When it comes to multitasking on the go, these new tools are worth their weight in gold. PHOTOGR APHS BY MITCHELL FEINBERG

MACBOOK It was always the standard-bearer for powerful processing, but at just half an inch thick and less than a kilogram, Apple’s latest 12inch MacBook is now as portable as the MacBook Air. A top-of-theline Core M processor packs lightning-fast speeds, and it runs both OS X Yosemite and Windows. One caveat: the only port is a USB-C (smaller than the usual USB), meaning you’ll need an adapter to connect your accessories. From US$1,299, apple.com.

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/ upgrade /

SURFACE 3

RHA T10 EARBUDS

IPHONE 6 PLUS

With a magnetized keyboard that connects effortlessly, this tablet hybrid feels like a laptop but can be used during takeoff and landing.

Among the new features: hardware that stays cool and quiet and a free oneyear subscription to Microsoft Office. From US$499, microsoft.com.

They’re impressively customizable: each pair comes with 10 sets of ear tips (in varying materials and sizes) and interchangeable filters to optimize bass or treble.

Another plus: specially designed over-ear hooks boost noise isolation.

US$190, rha-audio.com.

Sure, it’s a bit conspicuous and too big for your pocket, but after a few weeks of reading the New York Times or watching Scandal on its stunning 5.5-inch Retina HD display, you may find this iPhone replaces your iPad—giving you one less thing to pack. From US$299, apple.com.

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MOPHIE POWERSTATION PLUS CHARGER The Mophie’s tiny aluminum body—roughly the size of a businesscard holder—has built-in Lightning or micro USB ports that can power multiple gadgets at up to four times the speed of a standard charger. From US$80, mophie.com.

APPLE WATCH Though many of its travel apps still need finessing, the watch itself is a valuable tool for staying connected on the go, allowing you to take timesensitive calls, get and reply to text messages, check e-mail and stay on top of appointments.

From US$349, apple.com.

Skyline Studio

/ upgrade /

PHILIPS SHOQBOX MINI SPEAKER Despite its half-pint proportions, the Bluetoothpowered Shoqbox uses sophisticated circuitry to deliver outsize audio. It’s water- and dust-resistant, too, so you can take it to the beach or pool. US$60, philips.com.

NIKON D5500 Weighing in at a mere half kilo, this DSLR is almost as compact as its mirrorless brethren and compatible with a greater range of lenses. It also has a tilting LCD display (perfect for selfies) and Wi-Fi connectivity (for instant storing and sharing). From US$750, nikon​-asia.com.

PLANTRONICS BACKBEAT PRO HEADPHONES Most wireless headsets fall short on audio quality—but not these. BackBeat PRO supplies big volume, clear sound separation and active noise cancellation for 24 hours on a single charge. US$250, plantronics.com.

FITBIT CHARGE HR This jacked-up fitness tracker shows your heart rate, lets you see how many calories you’ve burned and monitors your sleep—with far better accuracy than current smart watches. US$150, fitbit.com.

OLYMPUS E-M5 MARK II It might look retro, but this mirrorless camera is cuttingedge, with top-performing image stabilization, video capability, speed and a wide array of add-on lenses to fit its compact body. US$1,100, asia. olympus-imaging.com.

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/ upgrade /

LG G4 SMARTPHONE

OLLOCLIP 4-IN-1 LENS

AMAZON FIRE HD 6

PANASONIC LUMIX FT6

LOGITECH KEYS-TO-GO

The G4’s standout feature is, without a doubt, its powerful camera—the best one on the market.

With a bigger aperture than any of its competitors, it turns out photos with impressive clarity and color, even in low-light situations.

Bonus style points come courtesy of the supple leather backing. From US$510, lg.com.

Slide it onto the corner of your iPhone 6 or 6 Plus, and the Olloclip acts as a wide-angle lens for your mobile camera, doubling your field of view and capturing robust street scenes and landscapes.

Also included: a fish-eye lens and two macro lenses for portraits and detail shots. US$80, olloclip.com.

The price tag and proportions of the latest Fire are well suited to children’s small hands, while integration with Amazon Prime lets travelers of all ages access tons of free, downloadable entertainment. You can use it to make movies, too, thanks to full 1080p video capabilities. US$99, amazon.com.

This 16.1-megapixel point-and-shoot camera is able to withstand water as deep as 13 meters, temperatures as cold as -10 degrees Celsius and environments as inhospitable as the sandswept Gobi. It’s also great for video, even underwater, where most cameras falter. US$300, panasonic.com.

This universal keyboard is just a quarter-inch thick and connects via Bluetooth to any Android or iOS device. We like it best for its mechanical keys, which are dramatically easier to use (and less prone to typos) than the touch pads you’ll commonly find elsewhere.

US$70, logitech.com.

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/ upgrade /

SKULLCANDY GRIND These stylish headphones don’t just stand out for being ultraaffordable. They offer punchy bass and audio so well defined you’ll forget they lack noise cancellation. Plus, a flexible stainless steel headband and tangle-free cord make them virtually indestructible and easy to pack. US$60, skull​c andy.com.

SAMSUNG GALAXY S6 EDGE The best all-around Android device to hit shelves this year, Samsung’s latest debut gets its name from a display panel on its side that acts as an alarm clock on your nightstand. It also has adept front- and back-side cameras, a shatter-resistant Gorilla Glass screen and a rapid charger that can give you four extra hours of battery life in 10 minutes flat. From US$300, samsung.com.

SONY FDR-X1000V ACTION CAM Mount it on your helmet, bike handlebars, or even your dog’s harness and you’ll document your adventures hands-free, with premium 4K definition, rich colors and impressive video stabilization. US$500, store. sony.com.

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A 24/7 ESCAPE. TRANQUIL BY DAY. ELECTRIC BY NIGHT. SITUATED BETWEEN MAENAM AND BO PHUT, IT HAS THE FINEST AND MOST PRISTINE BEACH LOCATION IN THAILAND, OVERLOOKING STUNNING BEACHES AND LUSH FORESTS, W RETREAT KOH SAMUI AWAKENS AS THE SUN GOES DOWN, IGNITING THE UNEXPECTED. ILLUMINATING.. ENVIRONS. TAKE IT EASY. SURROUNDED BY VERDANT FOLIAGE, EACH OF OUR 74 PRIVATE-POOL RETREATS BOASTS A PRIVATE OUTDOOR POOL AND INFINITE ISLAND VIEWS. INSIDE, PREMIER TECHNOLOGY MEETS W SIGNATURE BED, BLISS® SPA AMENITIES AND WHATEVER/WHENEVER® SERVICE. W RETREAT KOH SAMUI T 66 77 915 999 / F 66 77 915 998 EXPLORE WHAT’S NEW / NEXT WRETREATKOHSAMUI.COM WHOTELS.COM/KOHSAMUI

/ upgrade /

TRAVEL PREP 101 | YOUR PREFLIGHT CHECKLIST

WHATEVER YOUR FINAL DESTINATION MAY BE, GET TING THERE WILL GO A LOT SMOOTHER WITH THESE 10 BEFORE-YOU-BOARD STR ATEGIES. AT HOME __ Get fast-tracked. Sign up for APEC Business Travel Card (travel.apec. org) to skip the queues in 19 countries around Asia Pacific, including Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. Plans for an ASEAN Business Travel Card are still in the works, but for now ASEAN passportholders can make a bee line for recently launched ASEAN lanes at Kuala Lumpur International Airport and KLIA2 for expedited immigration clearance. __ Buy some peace of mind. AIG’s Travel Guard protection (from S$26; aig.com) will reimburse you S$100 for every six consecutive hours of delay, S$200 if you miss a connection because of a delay, and up to S$8,000 if your bag goes missing. If you book your tickets with AirAsia, add on Tune Insure (from S$6 airsasiainsure.com), which offers similar coverage. Pricings for both vary between countries so be sure to check with your local provider. __ Stay up-to-the-minute. You shouldn’t depend on your airline to let you know when there’s a delay. Sign up for text and e-mail alerts with an online flighttracking service like FlightStats (free; Android, iOS). Or manage your itinerary

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with TripIt Pro (US$49 a year; Android, iOS), which comes with built-in alerts. __ S core a prime seat. Not into ponying up for an aisle seat ahead of time? Then your best bet is to sign up with website ExpertFlyer, which alerts you when your seat of choice becomes available, so you can log on and grab it. Use SeatGuru’s online cabin maps to help you pick. __ Check that your carry-on is really a carry-on. Not all bags advertised as carry-ons meet the 56 x 36 x 23centimeter size limit. So if you want to avoid having to gate-check (and pay for) your bag, know your airline’s size restrictions before you leave home. __ Size up your toiletries. Carry-on liquids, gels and aerosols have to be 100 milliliters or less and fit in a clear, 20 x 20-centimeter bag. Head to 3floz.com to find travel-size products by more than 60 brands. They can also ship to hotels. __ D ress smart. To move through airports with ease and emerge from a flight unrumpled, stick to wrinkle-free fabrics, such as light-weight wool and tight knits.

For overnight flights, a pair of leggings or jeans with a bit of stretch go a long way.

And a good cashmere wrap or sweater is invaluable when facing the chill of an air-conditioned cabin.

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AT THE AIRPORT __ K now your way around. GateGuru (free; Android, iOS) will help you navigate terminals at some 200 airports around the world and point you wherever you need to go. Particularly handy during a layover, the app lists airport amenities and restaurant reviews. __ Stay connected. A Boingo account (from US$4.98 a month) will keep you online at more than 50 airports across the globe. And if you set up a profile with the hot spot provider’s new Passpoint Secure service, you’ll get even faster encrypted connections at a growing number of airports. __ Join the club. If you’re facing a long layover or extended delay, you can usually get a day pass to a lounge for US$25 to US$50—which often pays for itself in free Wi-Fi and food. Or consider a membership to an independent club, like Priority Pass (US$99 a year; prioritypass.com), which has 700 lounges in more than 120 countries.

ILLUSTR ATION BY VALERO DOVAL

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TIP SHEET | FLYBY PHOTOS

C L O C K W I S E F R O M T O P : S E O N G J O O N C H O ; C O U R T E S Y O F Z I P H I U S ; C O U R T E S Y O F A E R O N AV I C S ; C O U R T E S Y O F B L A D E ; C O U R T E S Y O F S Y M A ; C O U R T E S Y O F D J I

BORN FROM THE MODERN-DAY BATTLEFIELD, drones have emerged as the ultimate toy for traveling photographers. Here are five drones catering to beginners, hobbyists and pros. BY IAN LLOYD NEUBAUER

Ice fishing in Hongcheon, South Korea.

Versatility

Value

Ease

Expertise

DJI Phantom 2 Vision Small enough to fit in a backpack, this drone comes with a built-in Wi-Fi camera and app that lets you capture stills and video while flying. It knows to avoid airports and will return to its original take-off position when the battery gets low.

SYMA X5C An Asian knock-off of the DJI Phantom series, this mini drone produces footage and stills on par with early camera phones, i.e. blurry. But for the price it’s a steal and even shaky sky-cam footage can end up on the evening news.

Blade 350 QX3 Combining quadcopter technology and a mount for a GoPro, this is the go-to HD camera in the sporting world. It is very easy to fly: once the aircraft is in place, just let go of the sticks and Blade’s SAFE technology will maintain its position.

Airframe SkyJib-X4 Ti-QR The professional’s choice for hundreds of Canon 5D and 7D users, this Kiwi drone is made of aerospace-grade materials to deliver an ultra-strong airframe package. It minimizes vibration and offers stability in the wind.

THE BASICS

THE BASICS

THE BASICS

THE BASICS

Flight time 25 minutes Shop dji.com Base price US$699

Flight time 7 minutes Shop symatoys.com Base price US$63.99

Flight time 15 minutes Shop bladehelis.com Base price US$499.99

Flight time 20 minutes Shop aeronavics.com Base price US$2,182

Waterproof

Ziphius This soon-to-bereleased floating drone from Portugal is controlled from an app on your smartphone. It has a range of up to 90 meters, speed of 10 kilometers per hour and waterproof HD camera with 160-degree tilting and GoPro operability.

THE BASICS

Swim time 1 hour Shop myziphius.com Base price US$199

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DEALS | T+L READER SPECIALS

BEACH BALI

From a cross-country tour of Sri Lanka to a mocktail mixology class for kids in Hong Kong, this month’s offers shake things up.

Kayumanis Ubud Private Villa & Spa Get away from it all at this spa resort, where a butler tends to your every need around the clock; the minibar is restocked daily with drinks and homemade cookies; and a delicious tea set is served every afternoon in your villa.

Bonus: a two-hour Relaxing Massage or Relaxing Ritual; a 30-minute back-and-shoulder massage; and a candlelit dinner for two. The Deal Perfect Escape; three nights in a one-bedroom private villa, from US$1,925 for two, through March 31, 2016. Save 21%. kayumanis.com.

KRABI

A private villa at Kayumanis.

SUPER SAVER Cosmopolitan Hotel, Hong Kong Turn the tot over to the nanny with a complimentary two-hour babysitting service, and take your older kids out for some splash-happy fun at marine-themed Ocean Park. The Deal Stay4Fun: a night in a Premier room, from HK$1,000 for two adults and a child, through August 31.

Save 50%. cosmopolitanhotel.com.hk.

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Pimalai Resort & Spa A destination in itself, the 40-hectare Koh Lanta estate offers eight dining options, with dishes that showcase ingredients from the hotel’s own organic Rim Ping farm; a spa; two infinity pools; and a PADI dive center. The Deal Chill out at Pimalai: a night in a one-bedroom Hillside Pool villa, from Bt17,300 for two, through October 31. Save 41%. pimalai.com.

FAMILY THAILAND

Anantara Hua Hin Keep your children entertained with an hour of family activities per day, including muay Thai and yoga. There are also cooking classes and batik painting sessions just for kids.

F R O M TO P : C O U RT ESY O F K AY U M A N I S U B U D P R I VAT E V I L L A & S PA ; C O U RT ESY O F C O S M O P O L I TA N H OT E L , H O N G KO N G

LANGKAWI

The Datai Langkawi Surrounded by the jungle and set high on the forest ridge, this Kerry Hill-designed rain forest resort is deliberately positioned 300 meters away from the coast so you can revel in the wonders of nature and discover unfamiliar species on the way to your morning swim. The Deal Stay 4 Nights, Pay for Three: four nights in a Deluxe room, from RM4,290 for two; book by December 20.

Save 25%. thedatai.com.

With the little ones occupied, you can stroll the Bill Bensleydesigned gardens and swim the beachside pool. The Deal Family Fun for Everyone: two nights in a Deluxe Garden View room, from Bt8,200 for two adults and two children, through December 25. Save 20%. huahin.anantara.com HONG KONG

Mandarin Oriental This flagship Mandarin Oriental takes pride in its complete range of children’s facilities and services, and is now giving your kid an opportunity to make mocktails, decorate a cake, craft chocolate truffles or learn the secrets to good makeup and nail care. The Deal Mini MO package: a night in a Harbour room, from HK$4,790 for two adults and a child, through August 31. Save 26%. mandarinoriental.com.

SAMUI

Belmond Napasai Enter this cashew- and coconut-encased hideaway to find beachside multi-level residences each with a full-fitted kitchen, personal housekeeping services, a private pool, a massage sala and spacious terraces fit for family gatherings. The Deal Oceanfront Pool Residence Promotion: two nights in a

one- to four-bedroom Oceanfront Pool Residence, from Bt43,200 for two adults and a child, through September 30. Save 20%. belmond.com.

SPA CAMBODIA

Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor, Siem Reap, and Raffles Hotel Le Royal, Phnom Penh Two of the country’s most prestigious addresses blend Khmer elegance with Art Deco and French colonial design, and both offer daily champagne buffet breakfast along with a 50-minute Khmer massage for two. The Deal Experience the Charm of Cambodia: three nights in a State room, from US$552 for two, through September 30.

Save 30%. raffles.com.

SAIGON

Sheraton Saigon Spend your VND1,000,000 spa credit at Aqua Day Spa, which incorporates local wisdom into treatments like the traditional Vietnamese massage with detoxifying suction-cupping, and the Oriental Zen that fuses Vietnamese, Hong Kong and Shiatsu Zen massages to de-stress the body. The Deal Treat Yourself to an Aqua Day Spa: a night in a Premier Deluxe room, from

VND4,225,000 for two, through December 31. Save 43%. sheraton.com.

CULTURE VIETNAM

Hotel Royal Hoi An Your stay at this Art Nouveau property is complemented with the Royal Indulgence package, consisting of a 90-minute body treatment, a rose bath and a glass of champagne at the spa for two; a day tour of Hoi An’s best attractions such as Thanh Ha Pottery Village and Tra Que Vegetable Village; a sunset cocktail cruise on the river; and a chef’s degustation menu for two. The Deal Hoi An Memorable Sojourns: three nights in a Royal Deluxe room, from US$1,015 for two, through December 31; book with code RoyalhoianT+L2015.

Save 30%. mgallery.com.

studied at nearby Daci Temple.

The Deal Opening offer: two nights in a Studio 60 room, from RMB850 for two, through September 30. Save 50%. thetemplehousehotel.com.

SRI LANKA

Resplendent Ceylon The Dilmah-owned company offers a full taste of the country in one trip, from two nights with full board at Ceylon Tea Trails in the hilly tea estate to three nights with half board at Cape Weligama on the sunny southern coast.

Seaplane transfer between the hotels, massage, daily activities and ground transport are also included. The Deal Tea & Sea: five nights from US$1,903 per person, through October 31. Save 48%. resplendentceylon.com.

CITY MACAU

CHINA

The Temple House Timber, brick, step stones and a carefully restored Qing-era siheyuan, a courtyard flanked on four sides by residential structures, make up this new heritage, Preferred Hotels & Resorts-member property in Chengdu. Its modest ambience mirrors traditional homes used a thousand years ago to host the traveling scholars who

Mandarin Oriental This deal is perfect for shoppers: the stay comes with a voucher of MOP1,000 applicable toward your purchases at the city’s largest Bulgari store, Macau’s only Louis Vuitton Maison and other revered fashion brands at One Central Macau. Fill up post-shopping at one of the hotel’s dining venues or soothe your tired feet at the spa with the complimentary MOP1,000 hotel credit. The Deal One Fantastic Experience: a night in a Deluxe room, from MOP2,888 for two, through December 29. Save 60%. mandarinoriental.com.

C O U RT ESY O F H OT E L R OYA L H O I A N

SINGAPORE

A Deluxe room at Hotel Royal Hoi An.

The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore Spend this summer swimming in the outdoor pool or just relaxing in the guest room enveloped by the skyline panorama. Plus, attractions like the S.E.A. Aquarium and Gardens by the Bay are just a step away. The Deal Enjoy the Summer: a night in a Deluxe room, from S$384 for two, through August 31. Save 20%. ritzcarlton.com.

— MONSICHA HOONSUWAN

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In Celebration of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn’s 5th Cycle Birthday

The Golden Mask award production of Russia’s leading classical ballet companies.

SWAN LAKE

Ballet in two acts The Novosibirsk Ballet Theatre, Russia

Thursday 24 September 7.30pm Friday 25 September 7.30pm Baht 4,000 / 3,000 / 2,500 / 1,800 / 1,200

Winner of the Golden Mask National Theatre Award for best production and best male dancer.

LA BAYADERE

Ballet in three acts The Novosibirsk Ballet Theatre, Russia Monday 28 September 7.30pm

Baht 4,000 / 3,000 / 2,500 / 1,800 / 1,200

Hotline 02 262 3191 www.thaiticketmajor.com (24 hrs)

www.bangkokfestivals.com

VENUE: Thailand Cultural Centre. Free shuttle from MRT station Thailand Cultural Centre, Exit 1, during 5.30-7.00pm

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BEST AWARDS

ST E T A E R HE G T S E S .

A S, U C O W Y O Y H B RE S RUISE LINE AS VOTED U S I E L

+ C TRAVELTIES, HOTELS, S AND MORE — , CI AIRPORT S D N A ISL

¡ FOR FULL LISTINGS OF ALL OF THIS YE AR’S WINNERS — INCLUDING THE BEST HOTELS AND CRUISE LINES FOR FAMILIES — V ISIT TA N D L . M E / W O R L D S B E S T 2 0 1 5 .

Survey methodology is on page 109.

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WHEN THE WORLD’S BEST Awards

launched, in 1996, it was a way for Travel + Leisure to hear from you, our readers, about the hotels you loved, the airlines you were loyal to, the destinations that most excited you.

Back then, the world felt much bigger—airlines didn’t have websites, translation apps didn’t exist—and only the coolest of cities had boutique hotels. Our first World’s Best Awards reflected many of these differences. Most of the top-rated hotels were grande-dame properties, like the Oriental Bangkok (No. 1 overall) and Peninsula Hong Kong (No. 3). And the top 10 cities indicated a preference for more familiar destinations such as New Orleans and San Francisco on one side of the world, Sydney and Christchurch on the other.

In a testament to how much the global landscape has changed, this year only two of the top 10 cities (Florence and Rome) appeared on the inaugural list. T+L readers are now visiting places considered adventurous by 1996 standards: Cape Town, Kyoto and Siem Reap. Small, independent hotels like Ireland’s 82-room Ashford Castle (No. 3) have risen to the top, proving that personal service and a strong sense of place resonate more than ever. Turn the page to see the winners.

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YEARS A LOOK BACK THROUGH WORLD’S BEST HISTORY

T I M E L I N E , F R O M L E F T: T+ L A R C H I V E S ; C O U R T E S Y O F R I T Z- C A R LTO N L AG U N A N I G U E L ; M AU R I Z I O S I A N I / G E T T Y I M A G E S ; © S 1 0 0 1 / D R E A M S T I M E . C O M ; © PAV L O S R E K A S / D R E A M S T I M E . C O M

SINGAPORE AIRLINES & CRYSTAL CRUISES

UNDEFEATED CHAMPS

WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BE NO. 1 on the World’s Best list for 20 years in a row? For starters, a commitment to service and the ability to stay ahead of the curve—both of which are hallmarks of Singapore Airlines and Crystal Cruises. Here’s a closer look at how they have stayed on top for so long.

Singapore Airlines is known for setting the industry standard. Among its groundbreaking achievements: it was the first commercial airline to offer free drinks and meal choices in economy as well as free headsets. And the airline has continued to innovate ever since. It flew the world’s largest passenger plane, the Airbus A380, before any other commercial carrier, in 2007. And it’s poured millions of dollars into ongoing initiatives: a low-air-pressure tasting room, a library of 15,000 dishes, and the new premium-economy class, where custom-made seats come with HD monitors, foldout leg rests, USB ports and personal storage space. But beyond a focus on food and design, the Singapore story is really

about service, embodied by the “Singapore Girl,” whose rigorous flight-attendant training program accepts only 10 percent of its applicants and lasts for four months (compared with the industry standard of five weeks).

With only two ships in its fleet, Crystal Cruises doesn’t have the scale of other similar cruise lines—but manages to do more with less. It grasped early on how important technology would become for its passengers, launching the Computer University@Sea in 1997.

(There’s now a Technology Concierge on every voyage.)

Crystal’s lineups are unmatched in their breadth, with offerings like Berlitz language courses (an industry first), Yamaha keyboard lessons and digital-filmmaking classes. It was also ahead of the game when it came to health and wellness, pioneering hypoallergenic staterooms in 2013. More recently, Crystal introduced late-riser itineraries, giving guests the option to sleep in before excursions. Still to come: a long-awaited new ship that will likely raise the bar even higher.

1996

The historic Oriental in Bangkok was crowned the best hotel in the world—12 years before officially changing its name to the Mandarin Oriental. It repeated its win in 1999 and 2000.

1999

The West was the best—at least according to the U.S. and Canada winners. Seven of the top 10 hotels were in that region; the RitzCarlton Laguna Niguel in California was No. 1.

2001

Six of the 10 best cities were in Europe—the highest concentration ever. On the list: Paris, Venice, London, Florence, Rome and Vienna.

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1

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2002

We embraced that little thing called the Internet—which we noted “has become an important part of our readers’ lives”—and did away with paper surveys. The result? The most comprehensive list to date, with hundreds of thousands of evaluations.

2005

Happy 10-year anniversary!

We registered the new popularity of small, independent hotels and the fact that readers were gravitating toward more “unusual” and “authentic” places like Bangkok.

K YO TO G U I D E : C H R I S TO P H E R K U C WAY (4). S A N J U S A N G E N D O : I L A R I A L E S C H I U T TA /G E T T Y I M AG E S T I M E L I N E , F R O M L E F T: DA N K R AU S S /G E T T Y I M AG E S ; C H R I S TO P H E R K U C WAY; C O U R T E S Y O F S I N G I TA S A B I S A N D ; ©V L A D V I T E K / D R E A M S T I M E .C O M ; ©PRESTONIA/DREAMSTIME.COM; C O U R T E S Y O F S I N G A P O R E C H A N G I I N T E R N AT I O N A L A I R P O R T

INSIDER’S GUIDE TO KYOTO Our favorite spots from a visit

to this year’s World’s Best City.

HOTEL | The city’s first true luxury property, the RitzCarlton, Kyoto (1), forgoes marble and glitz for Japanese minimalism in its 134 spacious rooms; some suites have Zen gardens overlooking the Kamo River. ritzcarlton.com; doubles from US$543.

RYOKAN | The historic Tawaraya is a warren of twisting corridors, creaky wooden staircases and 18 spare but beautiful rooms, all surrounding a sakura tree. As for the service: how your bags get to your suite in five minutes flat is a mystery.

81-75/211-5566; doubles from US$705.

MUSEUM | Designed by Yoshio Taniguchi (who did the MoMA), the sleek new wing of the Kyoto National Museum has a wellcurated selection of ancient ceramics, Edo-period kimonos and Chinese paintings. kyohaku.go.jp.

MARKET | Nishiki (4) is Instagram paradise, with vendors selling everything from sake and mochi to fresh oysters.

Bring coins and small bills to buy snacks with. kyoto-nishiki.or.jp.

RESTAURANT | Tucked in the basement of a non­­descript building near Sanjo Station, the nautical-theme Renrakusen specializes in high-grade Omi beef. Generous cuts are lightly fried and grilled—no knife required. 81-75/241-4358; entrées US$75–$100.

SHOP | For a genuine and wideranging taste of the city's creative side, head to Kyoto Design House. Located in the smart Tadao Ando-designed Niwaka Building, the shop offers a glimpse of what local designers are up to. Japanese paper, colorful leather goods, fine pottery and expertly turned woodcrafts stock the tables and shelves. kyoto-dh.com/en.

2008

Call it the year of the safari. Five out of the top 10 hotels in the world—including No. 1 Singita Sabi Sand, in South Africa— were in Africa (with two in Kenya).

TEMPLE | Across from the National Museum, the Buddhist temple Sanjusangendo (2) houses 1,001 human-size statues of the god Kannon, carved from cypress in the 12th and 13th centuries. It’s a humbling display of craftsmanship, though the smoky incense is a bit much. sanjusangendo.jp.

CAFE | You haven’t tasted real green tea—earthy, full-bodied, heady—until you visit Ippodo Tea (3), a tiny shop and tearoom close to the Ritz-Carlton. The attendants whisk matcha (green-tea powder) into frothy perfection. ippodo-tea.co.jp.

GARDEN | The 15th-century Ryoan-ji (5) is Japan’s most famous dry-landscape garden: 15 rocks artfully placed in raked white gravel. It can get crowded, but skipping this contemplative space would be like missing the Louvre. ryoanji.jp.

2010

Six of the top 10 airlines were from Asia, including Singapore, Cathay Pacific, Asiana, Thai Airways, EVA and Korean.

2013

Change is good—which is why we added additional categories to the list: airports and hotel brands. The winners: Singapore Changi Airport and Oberoi Hotels & Resorts.

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TOP 10 OVER ALL

UNITED STATES & CANADA

1 Kyoto Japan 91.22 2 Charleston South Carolina 89.84 3 Siem Reap Cambodia 89.57 4 Florence 89.43 H 5 Rome 88.99 H 6 Bangkok 88.91 7 Kraków Poland 88.69 8 Barcelona 88.59 9 Cape Town 88.27 10 Jerusalem 88.18

A SIA

ME XICO & CENTR AL & SOUTH AMERICA

1 Kyoto Japan 91.22 H 2 Siem Reap Cambodia 89.57 3 Bangkok 88.91 S 4 Tokyo 85.25 5 Hong Kong 83.98 H 6 Singapore 82.46 7 Hanoi Vietnam 82.26 8 Shanghai 81.91 9 Ho Chi Minh City Vietnam 80.48 10 New Delhi 80.10

1 Charleston South Carolina 89.84 H 2 New Orleans 88.11 3 Savannah Georgia 87.02 4 Santa Fe New Mexico 86.10 H 5 San Francisco 85.70 S 6 Quebec City 85.52 H 7 Chicago 85.18 H 8 New York City 85.07 S 9 Victoria British Columbia 84.88 10 Asheville North Carolina 84.84

1 Cuzco Peru 87.30 H 2 Mexico City 87.13 3 Rio de Janeiro 82.10 4 Buenos Aires 81.33 H 5 Lima Peru 81.06

EUROPE

1 Florence 89.43 H 2 Rome 8 8.99 H 3 Kraków Poland 88.69 4 Barcelona 88.59 H 5 Istanbul 87.40 H 6 Budapest 87.05 7 Seville Spain 86.99 8 Edinburgh 86.90 9 Madrid 86.56 10 Paris 86.40 S

AFRICA & THE MIDDLE E A ST 1 Cape Town 88.27 2 Jerusalem 88.18 3 Tel Aviv 83.18

H H

Throughout the World’s Best Awards, scores shown have been rounded to the nearest hundredth of a point; in the event of a true tie, properties, companies, or destinations share the same ranking.

LEGEND World’s Best Awards Debut H H all of Fame (on the list for 10 years in a row) | S Super Hall of Fame (on the list for 20 years in a row)

AUSTR ALIA, NEW ZE AL AND & THE SOUTH PACIFIC 1 Sydney 87.48 S 2 Melbourne 85.13 H 3 Auckland New Zealand 80.35

COLOR, IN ITS MANY FORMS, IN KYOTO.

No.

1

CITY Overall

For the second year running, Kyoto takes the number one position in the world, with Siem Reap and Bangkok also reaching the top 10, alongside favorites such as Florence, Barcelona and Cape Town. Asia's big cities—Tokyo, Hong Kong and Singapore—rank highly in the regional table, as do Australian centers Sydney and Melbourne.

WA N N A P H A N AWAYO N

KYOTO, JAPAN

No.

1

ISLAND Asia

BALI, INDONESIA

TOP 10 OVERALL

1 Galápagos Islands Ecuador 90.82 H 2 Bali Indonesia 88.98 H 3 Maldives 88.53 4 Tasmania Australia 88.32 5 Santorini Greece 87.93 6 Moorea French Polynesia 87.90 7 Maui Hawaii 87.89 S 8 Kauai Hawaii 87.88 S 9 Great Barrier Reef Australia 87.31 10 Malta 86.90

AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND & THE SOUTH PACIFIC

ASIA 1 Bali Indonesia 88.98 H 2 Maldives 88.53 3 Phuket Thailand 79.22

1 Tasmania Australia 88.32 2 Moorea French Polynesia 87.90 3 G reat Barrier Reef Australia 87.31 H 4 B ora-Bora French Polynesia 86.11 H 5 Fiji 84.78

CONTINENTAL U.S. & CANADA

1 Vancouver Island British Columbia 86.22 2 Hilton Head South Carolina 85.00 3 Golden Isles (Jekyll Island, Little St. Simons Island, Sea Island, St. Simons Island) Georgia 84.49 4 San Juan Islands Washington 84.22 5 Kiawah Island South Carolina 83.15

HAWAII

1 Maui 87.89 S 2 Kauai 87.88 S 3 Hawaii, the Big Island 85.64

H

THE CARIBBEAN, BERMUDA & THE BAHAMAS

1 Harbour Island Bahamas 85.60 2 Jost Van Dyke British Virgin Islands 84.60 3 Virgin Gorda British Virgin Islands 84.18 4 St. John U.S. Virgin Islands 83.87 5 Anguilla 83.13

MEXICO & CENTRAL & SOUTH AMERICA

1 Galápagos Islands Ecuador 90.82 H 2 Isla Mujeres Mexico 82.32 3 Ambergris Cay Belize 79.18

EUROPE

K I M B E R L E Y C O O L E / G E T T Y I M AG ES

1 Santorini Greece 87.93 2 Malta 86.90 3 Crete Greece 85.79 4 Mykonos Greece 84.84 5 Majorca Spain 83.85

H

SURF'S UP AT ULUWATU IN BALI.

T R AV E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A . C O M / A U G U S T 2 0 1 5

95

Asian airlines continue to dominate the charts with our readers,

though a couple of Middle Eastern carriers—namely Emirates and Qatar Airways—are making their presence felt in the top 10. That regional

dominance also extends to airport hubs like Singapore Changi

and Hong Kong's international gateway.

INTERNATIONAL AIRLINES

INTERNATIONAL AIRPORTS

1 Singapore Airlines 90.94 S 2 Emirates 87.59 H 3 Qatar Airways 85.00 4 C athay Pacific Airways 84.90 S 5 Air New Zealand 84.73 6 V irgin Atlantic Airways 84.30 S 7 Thai Airways International 83.93 H 8 Korean Air 83.86 9 All Nippon Airways (ANA) 82.83 10 Qantas Airways 82.72

1 Singapore Changi Airport 89.55 2 Hong Kong International Airport 85.07 3 A msterdam Airport Schiphol 79.20 4 Zurich Airport Switzerland 77.19 5 Munich Airport Germany 75.62

CAR-RENTAL AGENCIES 1 National Car Rental 79.52 S 2 Enterprise Rent-A-Car 77.77 3 Alamo 77.15 4 Avis Car Rental 75.84 S 5 Hertz 74.64 S

H

LEGEND World’s Best Awards Debut H H all of Fame (on the list for 10 years in a row) | S Super Hall of Fame (on the list for 20 years in a row)

1

AIRLINE International

SINGAPORE AIRLINES

B LO O M B E R G / G E T T Y I M AG ES

No.

No.

1

Mega-Ship Ocean

CRUISE

DISNEY CRUISE LINE MEGA-SHIP OCE AN

1 Disney Cruise Line 88.03 H 2 Princess Cruises 84.79 H 3 Celebrity Cruises 83.79 S 4 Cunard 82.15 S 5 Royal Caribbean International 79.51

L ARGE-SHIP OCE AN

1 Crystal Cruises 89.98 S 2 Regent Seven Seas Cruises 89.28 H 3 Azamara Club Cruises 88.78 4 Oceania Cruises 87.23 H 5 Cunard 84.79 S 6 Princess Cruises 83.96 H 7 Holland America Line 83.57 S 8 Celebrity Cruises 80.16 S 9 Royal Caribbean International 79.55 10 Norwegian Cruise Line 7 5.99

SMALL-SHIP OCE AN

1 Seabourn 93.57 S 2 Paul Gauguin Cruises 92.90 3 Windstar Cruises 90.18 4 Regent Seven Seas Cruises 88.95 H 5 Silversea Cruises 88.28 H

RIVER

FROM OUR READERS

1 Viking Cruises 93.92 2 Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection 93.73 3 Tauck River Cruising 92.69 4 Grand Circle Cruise Line 90.26 5 AmaWaterways 83.22

B U E N A V I STA I M AG ES

“ NOW WE KNOW

WHAT ALL THE FUSS IS ABOUT. DISNEY IS INCREDIBLE AT SEA. THE KIDS’ PROGRAMS WERE FANTASTIC, THE FOOD WAS EXCELLENT AND THE SERVICE WAS MIND-BLOWING” T R AV E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A . C O M / A U G U S T 2 0 1 5

97

SAFARI OUTFIT TERS

No.

1

1 Ker & Downey 98.44 2 Micato Safaris 96.95 S 3 Africa Adventure Company 96.67 3 African Travel 96.67 5 andBeyond Luxury Safaris 95.33

CHILLING OUT AT THE GOLDEN DOOR SPA IN CALIFORNIA.

98

A U G U S T 2 0 1 5 / T R AV E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A . C O M

C O U RT ESY O F G O L D E N D O O R

1 Butterfield & Robinson 97.76 2 V BT Bicycling & Walking Vacations 95.88 3 Classic Journeys 95.68 4 Wilderness Travel 95.42 5 Kensington Tours 94.07

GOLDEN DOOR, SAN MARCOS, CALIFORNIA

TOUR OPER ATORS

Overall

1 Golden Door San Marcos, California 98.33 2 Rancho La Puerta Tecate, Mexico 94.69 H 3 Ten Thousand Waves Japanese Spa & Resort Santa Fe, New Mexico 93.09 4 Lake Austin Spa Resort Texas 92.64 H 5 M iraval Resort & Spa Tucson, Arizona 92.53 H 6 M ii Amo, a Destination Spa Sedona, Arizona 92.00 H 6 Westglow Resort & Spa Blowing Rock, North Carolina 92.00 8 Canyon Ranch Tucson, Arizona 88.40 9 L odge at Woodloch Hawley, Pennsylvania 87.13 10 Red Mountain Resort Ivins, Utah 86.77

TOP DESTINATION SPA

TOP DESTINATION SPA S OVER ALL

LET’S CONNECT

www.travelandleisureasia.com

@travleisureasia

/travelleisureasia

@travelandleisureasia

No.

1

HOTEL Overall

OBEROI UDAIVILAS, UDAIPUR, INDIA TOP 100 HOTEL S

1 Oberoi Udaivilas Udaipur, India 99.29 H 2 Hotel Castello di Casole—A Timbers Resort Casole d’Elsa, Italy 98.00 3 Ashford Castle County Mayo, Ireland 97.33 3 Triple Creek Ranch Darby, Montana 97.33 5 Oberoi Rajvilas Jaipur, India 97.26 H 6 Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at Sultanahmet 9 6.57 7 Singita Sabi Sand Kruger National Park Area, South Africa 96.47 8 Farmhouse Inn Forestville, California 96.00 8 The Peninsula Shanghai 96.00 8 Sunset Key Guest Cottages, a Luxury Collection Resort Key West, Florida 96.00 11 41 London 95.87 12 Wickaninnish Inn Tofino, British Columbia 95.81 13 Le Meurice Paris 95.71 14 Inn at Palmetto Bluff, a Montage Resort Bluffton, South Carolina 95.64 15 Four Seasons Hotel, Gresham Palace Budapest 95.61 16 Oberoi Amarvilas Agra, India 95.60 H 17 O ne&Only Palmilla, Los Cabos Resort S an José del Cabo, Mexico 95.56 18 Chanler at Cliff Walk Newport, Rhode Island 95.50 19 Ocean House Watch Hill, Rhode Island 95.43 20 Allison Inn & Spa Newberg, Oregon 95.25 21 Rosewood Mayakoba Playa del Carmen, Mexico 95.20 22 The Peninsula Bangkok 95.11 H 23 Primland Meadows of Dan, Virginia 95.06 24 Hotel Gritti Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel Venice 94.82 25 Saxon Hotel, Villas & Spa Johannesburg, South Africa 94.75 26 Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park 94.73 27 Banyan Tree Mayakoba Playa del Carmen, Mexico 94.67 27 Little Nell Aspen, Colorado 94.67 29 Le Bristol Paris 94.51 30 Hotel Terra Jackson Hole Teton Village, Wyoming 94.50 30 Inn at Little Washington Washington, Virginia 94.50 32 The Cloister S ea Island, Georgia 94.49 33 Hotel Alfonso XIII, a Luxury Collection Hotel Seville, Spain 94.35 34 Cape Grace Cape Town 94.32 H 35 The Peninsula Hong Kong 94.22 35 Wentworth Mansion Charleston, South Carolina 94.22 37 Cavallo Point Lodge S ausalito, California 94.15 38 Egerton House Hotel L ondon 94.13 39 The Peninsula Tokyo 94.00 40 Park Hyatt Paris-Vendôme 93.93 41 Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai, Thailand 93.91 42 Hotel Lungarno Florence 93.88 43 Lodge at Sea Island Georgia 93.78 44 Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong 93.75 45 The Goring London 93.67 46 Calistoga Ranch California 93.66 47 Lake Placid Lodge New York 93.65 48 Belmond Hotel Caruso Ravello, Italy 93.60 48 Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten Kempinski Munich 93.60 50 Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita, Mexico 93.54 50 Inn Above Tide Sausalito, California 93.54 52 Sebastian Vail—A Timbers Resort Colorado 93.47 53 Four Seasons Hotel Prague 93.47

100

A U G U S T 2 0 1 5 / T R AV E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A . C O M

54 M eadowood Napa Valley St. Helena, California 93.44 55 The Hay-Adams Washington, D.C. 93.33 55 St. Regis New York City 93.33 57 Stein Eriksen Lodge Deer Valley Park City, Utah 93.28 58 Belmond Miraflores Park Lima, Peru 93.25 59 Singita Kruger National Park South Africa 93.18 60 Four Seasons Hotel Buenos Aires 93.14 61 Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi, Vietnam 93.09 62 Four Seasons Hotel Amman, Jordan 93.07 62 Palacio Duhau–Park Hyatt Buenos Aires 93.07 64 Esperanza, an Auberge Resort Cabo San Lucas, Mexico 93.03 65 Sonnenalp Hotel Vail, Colorado 92.94 66 Milestone Hotel London 92.91 67 Four Seasons Hotel Seattle 92.84 68 Park Hyatt Saigon Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam 92.71 69 Belmond Hotel Cipriani Venice 92.71 70 Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at the Bosphorus 92.67 71 The Peninsula B eijing 92.60 72 S agamore Resort Bolton Landing, New York 92.57 73 Four Seasons Resort Bora-Bora, French Polynesia 92.55 74 Four Seasons Hotel George V Paris 92.48 75 Post Ranch Inn Big Sur, California 92.47 76 The Peninsula B everly Hills, California 92.44 77 French Quarter Inn Charleston, South Carolina 92.38 78 St. Regis Florence 92.36

79 L aPlaya Beach & Golf Resort Naples, Florida 92.33 80 Grand Hotel Tremezzo L ake Como, Italy 92.30 81 Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort South Carolina 92.27 82 Sandpearl Resort Clearwater Beach, Florida 92.25 83 Four Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea Hawaii 92.25 84 San Ysidro Ranch Santa Barbara, California 92.22 85 Hôtel Plaza Athénée Paris 92.20 86 Il San Pietro di Positano Italy 92.19 86 The Oberoi New Delhi 92.19 88 Four Seasons Hotel Chicago 92.14 89 Four Seasons Resort Hualalai Hawaii, the Big Island 92.10 H 90 Four Seasons Hotel Singapore 92.00 90 Jade Mountain St. Lucia 92.00 90 The Langham Chicago 92.00 90 Mohonk Mountain House New Paltz, New York 92.00 90 Resort at Pelican Hill Newport Coast, California 92.00 90 Sandals Whitehouse European Village & Spa Jamaica 92.00 96 Mandarin Oriental Bangkok 91.89 S 97 Taj Mahal Palace Mumbai 91.83 98 Montage B everly Hills, California 91.82 99 Grand Solmar Land’s End Resort & Spa Cabo San Lucas, Mexico 91.78 100 Camden Harbour Inn Camden, Maine 91.73 100 Michelangelo Hotel New York City 91.73

TOP HOTEL BRANDS

1 Oberoi Hotels & Resorts 97.50 2 Aman 94.00 3 The Peninsula Hotels 93.23 4 Rosewood Hotels & Resorts 93.15 5 Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts 92.43 6 St. Regis 92.36 7 Auberge Resorts Collection 92.14 8 Belmond 91.16 9 Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group 91.14 10 T he Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company 90.15

D U ST I N A KS L A N D

LEGEND World’s Best Awards Debut | H Hall of Fame (on the list for 10 years in a row) | S Super Hall of Fame (on the list for 20 years in a row)

It’s a big year for Oberoi: not only is Udaivilas the No. 1 hotel but the company also won the hotel brands category—a World’s Best first. Aside from the Indian group, Peninsula scores well in the top 100, with Four Seasons, Mandarin Oriental, Sofitel, Park Hyatt

and Taj all gaining attention around Asia. In the hotel brands category,

Rosewood enters the equation, a group to watch out for in this region.

A SIA CIT Y HOTEL S

1 The Peninsula Shanghai 96.00 2 The Peninsula Bangkok 95.11 H 3 The Peninsula Hong Kong 94.22 S 4 The Peninsula Tokyo 94.00 5 Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong 93.75 6 S ofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi, Vietnam 93.09 7 P ark Hyatt Saigon Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam 92.71 8 The Peninsula Beijing 92.60 9 The Oberoi New Delhi 92.19 10 Four Seasons Hotel Singapore 92.00 11 Mandarin Oriental Bangkok 91.89 S 12 Taj Mahal Palace Mumbai 91.83 13 Shangri-La Hotel Bangkok 91.10 14 JW Marriott Hotel Bangkok 89.75 15 B elmond La Résidence d’Angkor Siem Reap, Cambodia 89.18 16 Grand Hyatt Hong Kong 88.94 16 Mandarin Oriental Singapore 88.94 18 Regent Beijing 88.44 19 Westin Bund Center Shanghai 88.17 20 Kowloon Shangri-La Hong Kong 88.15

1

RESORTS

1 Oberoi Udaivilas Udaipur, India 99.29 2 Oberoi Rajvilas Jaipur, India 97.26 H 3 Oberoi Amarvilas Agra, India 95.60 H 4 Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai, Thailand 93.91 H 5 Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor Siem Reap, Cambodia 90.32

H

LEGEND World’s Best Awards Debut | H Hall of Fame (on the list for 10 years in a row) | S Super Hall of Fame (on the list for 20 years in a row)

HOTEL Asia | City

THE PENINSULA, SHANGHAI

C O U RT ESY O F T H E P E N I N S U L A

No.

21 D warika’s Hotel Kathmandu, Nepal 87.73 22 Hyatt Regency Kyoto 87.60 23 Pudong Shangri-La, East Shanghai 87.40 24 Raffles Hotel Le Royal Phnom Penh, Cambodia 87.30 25 Park Hyatt Tokyo 86.96

No.

1

RESORT Australia, New Zealand & the South Pacific

FOUR SEASONS, BORA-BORA AUSTR ALIA, NEW ZE AL AND & THE SOUTH PACIFIC CIT Y HOTEL S 1 Four Seasons Hotel Sydney 90.19 2 The Langham Melbourne 89.56 3 Park Hyatt Sydney 89.11 S 4 InterContinental Sydney 87.20 5 Sydney Harbour Marriott Hotel at Circular Quay 86.30

RESORTS

1 F our Seasons Resort Bora-Bora, French Polynesia 92.55 2 InterContinental Bora Bora Resort & Thalasso Spa French Polynesia 89.65 3 InterContinental Tahiti Resort & Spa French Polynesia 77.81

AFRICA & THE MIDDLE E A ST CIT Y HOTEL S

1 S axon Hotel, Villas & Spa Johannesburg, South Africa 94.75 2 Cape Grace Cape Town 94.32 H 3 Four Seasons Hotel Amman, Jordan 93.07 4 One&Only Cape Town 91.68 5 Mena House Cairo 89.75 6 King David Hotel Jerusalem 87.29 7 Belmond Mount Nelson Hotel Cape Town 86.40 8 David Citadel Hotel Jerusalem 84.24 9 V ictoria & Alfred Hotel Cape Town 83.50 10 Fairmont The Norfolk Hotel Nairobi, Kenya 82.55

LODGES & RESORTS

1 S ingita Sabi Sand K ruger National Park Area, South Africa 96.47 H 2 S ingita Kruger National Park S outh Africa 93.18 3 Ngorongoro Serena Safari Lodge Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania 87.56 4 Victoria Falls Hotel Zimbabwe 86.57 5 Chobe Game Lodge Chobe National Park, Botswana 86.53

C O U RT ESY O F FO U R S E AS O N S ( 2 )

FROM OUR READERS

“ I CAN HONESTLY SAY THAT

THE FOUR SEASONS RESORT BORA BORA IS THE BEST TROPICAL HOTEL I HAVE EVER BEEN TO. I HAD THE BEST MASSAGE OF MY LIFE WITH SARA AT THE SPA”

ON THE WATER AT THE FOUR SEASONS BORA BORA. ABOVE: ROOM WITH A VIEW, FOUR SEASONS SYDNEY.

T R AV E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A . C O M / A U G U S T 2 0 1 5

103

CONTINENTAL U.S. RESORTS (40 Rooms or More)

No.

1

INNS & SMALL LODGES (Fewer Than 40 Rooms) 1 T riple Creek Ranch Darby, Montana 97.33 2 Farmhouse Inn Forestville, California 96.00 3 Chanler at Cliff Walk Newport, Rhode Island 95.50 4 Inn at Little Washington Washington, Virginia 94.50 5 Lake Placid Lodge New York 93.65

LEGEND World’s Best Awards Debut | H Hall of Fame (on the list for 10 years in a row) | S Super Hall of Fame (on the list for 20 years in a row)

LODGE Continental U.S. | Small

TRIPLE CREEK RANCH, DARBY, MONTANA FROM OUR READERS

“ THE SERVICE AT TRIPLE

CREEK IS THE BEST I’VE EVER EXPERIENCED. THEY THINK OF EVERYTHING, AND NO REQUEST WAS TOO LARGE OR TOO SMALL IT WAS PERFECTION”

104

A U G U S T 2 0 1 5 / T R AV E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A . C O M

M M P H OTO S / G E T T Y I M AG ES .

O P P O S I T E , F R O M TO P L E F T : C O U RT ESY O F R I T Z - CA R LTO N N E W YO R K ; S Q U I R E FOX ; C O U RT ESY O F R I T Z - CA R LTO N N E W YO R K ; C O U RT ESY O F W E N T WO RT H M A N S I O N

1 Sunset Key Guest Cottages, a Luxury Collection Resort Key West, Florida 96.00 2 Inn at Palmetto Bluff, a Montage Resort Bluffton, South Carolina 95.64 3 Ocean House Watch Hill, Rhode Island 95.43 4 Allison Inn & Spa Newberg, Oregon 95.25 5 Primland Meadows of Dan, Virginia 95.06 6 Little Nell A spen, Colorado 94.67 H 7 Hotel Terra Jackson Hole Teton Village, Wyoming 94.50 8 The Cloister S ea Island, Georgia 94.49 9 Cavallo Point Lodge S ausalito, California 94.15 10 Lodge at Sea Island Georgia 93.78 11 Calistoga Ranch California 93.66 12 Sebastian Vail—A Timbers Resort Colorado 93.47 13 Meadowood Napa Valley St. Helena, California 93.44 14 Stein Eriksen Lodge Deer Valley Park City, Utah 93.28 H 15 Sonnenalp Hotel V ail, Colorado 92.94 16 Sagamore Resort B olton Landing, New York 92.57 17 Post Ranch Inn Big Sur, California 92.47 H 18 LaPlaya Beach & Golf Resort Naples, Florida 92.33 19 Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort South Carolina 92.27 20 Sandpearl Resort Clearwater Beach, Florida 92.25 21 San Ysidro Ranch Santa Barbara, California 92.22 22 Mohonk Mountain House New Paltz, New York 92.00 22 Resort at Pelican Hill Newport Coast, California 92.00 24 St. Regis Bal Harbour Resort Florida 91.60 25 Pier House Resort & Spa Key West, Florida 91.39

CONTINENTAL U.S. LARGE CIT Y HOTELS (100 Rooms or More)

1 R itz-Carlton New York, Central Park 94.73 H 2 The Hay-Adams Washington, D.C. 93.33 2 St. Regis New York City 93.33 4 Four Seasons Hotel S eattle 92.84 5 T he Peninsula B everly Hills, California 92.44 H 6 Four Seasons Hotel Chicago 92.14 7 The Langham Chicago 92.00 8 Montage B everly Hills, California 91.82 9 Michelangelo Hotel New York City 91.73 10 The Peninsula New York City 91.60 11 Waldorf Astoria Chicago 91.54 12 Mandarin Oriental New York City 91.53 13 The Peninsula Chicago 91.43 H 14 The Langham B oston 91.24 15 Four Seasons Hotel L as Vegas 91.04 16 St. Regis S an Francisco 90.90 17 Fairmont Olympic Hotel S eattle 90.84 18 Hotel 1000 S eattle 90.75 19 G rand Bohemian Hotel A sheville, North Carolina 90.53 20 Four Seasons Hotel D enver 90.46 21 21c Museum Hotel Cincinnati 90.40 22 Lenox Hotel B oston 90.32 23 Rittenhouse Hotel P hiladelphia 90.29 24 St. Julien Hotel & Spa B oulder, Colorado 90.11 25 L oews Regency (formerly the Mandarin Oriental) San Francisco 90.09

SMALL CIT Y HOTEL S (Fewer Than 100 Rooms)

INSIDE THE WENTWORTH MANSION, A CHARM OF CHARLESTON. ABOVE: ROOM WITH A VIEW ACROSS CENTRAL PARK AT THE RITZ-CARLTON NEW YORK.

No.

1

1 Wentworth Mansion Charleston, South Carolina 94.22 2 French Quarter Inn Charleston, South Carolina 92.38 3 Planters Inn Charleston, South Carolina 91.23 4 The Vendue Charleston, South Carolina 90.88 1c Museum Hotel L ouisville, 5 2 Kentucky 90.22 6 M arket Pavilion Hotel Charleston, South Carolina 90.12 7 R osewood Inn of the Anasazi Santa Fe, New Mexico 89.68 8 T he Jefferson W ashington, D.C. 88.89 9 B ohemian Hotel Savannah Riverfront Georgia 85.71 10 Ritz-Carlton Georgetown Washington, D.C. 85.11

HOTEL Continental U.S. | Small City

WENTWORTH MANSION, CHARLESTON, S.C.

Paris is always a clear favorite in Europe’s Large City Hotel category, and this year was no exception. With some of

the world’s best wine, food and museums—including the new Fondation Louis Vuitton—what’s not to love? And London has two debuts, one each in Knightsbridge and Mayfair—both posh neighborhoods that are experiencing a new surge of energy.

SMALL CIT Y HOTEL S (Fewer Than 100 Rooms)

1 Le Meurice Paris 95.71 2 Four Seasons Hotel, Gresham Palace Budapest 95.61 3 Le Bristol Paris 94.51 4 Hotel Alfonso XIII, a Luxury Collection Hotel Seville, Spain 94.35 5 Park Hyatt Paris-Vendôme 93.93 6 Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten Kempinski Munich 93.60 7 Four Seasons Hotel Prague 93.47 8 Four Seasons Hotel Istanbul at the Bosphorus 92.67 9 Four Seasons Hotel George V Paris 92.48 H 10 Hôtel Plaza Athénée Paris 92.20 11 Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon 91.60 12 Merrion Hotel Dublin 91.13 13 Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane 90.72 14 Chesterfield Mayfair London 90.67 14 Hotel de Russie Rome 90.67

No. BELLE ETOILE SUITE TERRACE ROMANTIC DINNER, LE MEURICE.

1

RESORTS & INNS 1 H otel Castello di Casole—A Timbers Resort Casole d’Elsa, Italy 98.00 2 A shford Castle C ounty Mayo, Ireland 97.33 3 Belmond Hotel Caruso Ravello, Italy 93.60 4 Grand Hotel Tremezzo L ake Como, Italy 92.30 5 Il San Pietro di Positano Italy 92.19

HOTEL Europe | Large City

LE MEURICE, PARIS

C O U RT ESY O F L E M EU R I C E

EUROPE L ARGE CIT Y HOTEL S ( 100 Rooms or More)

1 F our Seasons Hotel Istanbul at Sultanahmet 96.57 2 41 London 95.87 3 Hotel Gritti Palace, a Luxury Collection Hotel Venice 94.82 4 Egerton House Hotel London 94.13 5 Hotel Lungarno Florence 93.88 6 The Goring London 93.67 7 Milestone Hotel London 92.91 8 Belmond Hotel Cipriani Venice 92.71 9 St. Regis Florence 92.36 10 Hassler Roma Rome 91.23

No.

1

RESORT canada

WICKANINNISH INN TOFINO, BRITISH COLUMBIA CANADA RESORTS 1 W ickaninnish Inn Tofino, British Columbia 95.81 H 2 F our Seasons Resort & Residences Whistler, British Columbia 91.52 3 F airmont Chateau Whistler British Columbia 89.68 4 Fairmont Banff Springs Alberta 87.00 5 P ost Hotel & Spa Lake Louise, Alberta 85.65

CANADA CIT Y HOTEL S

1 Ritz-Carlton Montreal 90.88 2 Auberge Saint-Antoine Quebec City 90.60 3 Fairmont Waterfront Vancouver 89.33 4 Fairmont Pacific Rim Vancouver 89.19 5 Wedgewood Hotel & Spa Vancouver 88.80 6 Fairmont Le Ch창teau Frontenac Quebec City 88.05 7 Fairmont Ch창teau Laurier Ottawa 88.00 7 Ritz-Carlton Toronto 88.00 9 Fairmont Empress Victoria, British Columbia 86.94 10 Four Seasons Hotel Toronto 86.91

J E R E M Y KO R ES K I / W I C K A N I N N I S H

HAWAII RESORTS

1 F our Seasons Resort Maui at Wailea 92.25 S 2 F our Seasons Resort Hualalai Hawaii, the Big Island 92.10 H 3 Halekulani O ahu 91.69 S 4 Fairmont Kea Lani M aui 90.95 H 5 Koa Kea Hotel & Resort Kauai 90.83 6 A ulani, a Disney Resort & Spa Oahu 90.80 7 Four Seasons Resort Lanai at Manele Bay 88.30 S 8 M auna Kea Beach Hotel Hawaii, the Big Island 87.43 9 Fairmont Orchid Hawaii, the Big Island 87.26 10 Kauai Marriott Resort on Kalapaki Beach 86.78 11 Grand Wailea, a Waldorf Astoria Resort Maui 86.52 S 12 M auna Lani Bay Hotel & Bungalows Hawaii, the Big Island 85.74 S 13 Westin Maui Resort & Spa 85.23 14 H apuna Beach Prince Hotel Hawaii, the Big Island 85.11 15 R oyal Hawaiian, a Luxury Collection Resort O ahu 84.97

THE CARIBBE AN, BERMUDA & THE BAHAMA S RESORTS

1 Jade Mountain St. Lucia 92.00 1 Sandals Whitehouse European Village & Spa Jamaica 92.00 3 Reefs Resort & Club Bermuda 91.57 H 4 Seven Stars Resort Turks and Caicos 91.46 5 Ladera Resort St. Lucia 90.42 6 One&Only Ocean Club Nassau, Bahamas 89.39 7 St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort R io Grande, Puerto Rico 89.27 8 Grace Bay Club Turks and Caicos 89.05 9 Jamaica Inn O cho Rios, Jamaica 88.69 10 Ritz-Carlton Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands 88.27 11 Ritz-Carlton A ruba 88.21 12 Couples Sans Souci O cho Rios, Jamaica 88.00 13 Couples Tower Isle O cho Rios, Jamaica 87.73 14 Ritz-Carlton St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands 87.69 15 Caneel Bay Resort St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands 86.63 16 Beaches Turks & Caicos Resort Villages & Spa Turks and Caicos 86.48 17 Scrub Island Resort, Spa & Marina British Virgin Islands 86.40 18 Rosewood Little Dix Bay V irgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands 86.33 19 Hotel El Convento S an Juan, Puerto Rico 86.31 20 St. Kitts Marriott Resort & The Royal Beach Casino 86.30 21 Couples Swept Away Westmoreland, Jamaica 86.13 22 Excellence P unta Cana, Dominican Republic 85.33 23 Sandals Royal Plantation O cho Rios, Jamaica 85.09 24 Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve Puerto Rico 84.71 25 W Retreat & Spa V ieques Island, Puerto Rico 84.57

A RAINBOW OVER WICKANINNISH INN TOFINO, BRITISH COLUMBIA.

T R AV E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A . C O M / A U G U S T 2 0 1 5

107

ME XICO HOTEL S & RESORTS

1 One&Only Palmilla, Los Cabos Resort S an José del Cabo 95.56 H 2 Rosewood Mayakoba Playa del Carmen 95.20 3 B anyan Tree Mayakoba Playa del Carmen 94.67 4 Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita 93.54 H 5 Esperanza, an Auberge Resort Cabo San Lucas 93.03 6 G rand Solmar Land’s End Resort & Spa Cabo San Lucas 91.78 7 B elmond Maroma Resort & Spa R iviera Maya 91.00 8 St. Regis Punta Mita Resort 90.77 9 Fairmont Mayakoba Playa del Carmen 90.12 10 Westin Lagunamar Ocean Resort & Spa Cancún 88.92 11 E xcellence Playa Mujeres Cancún 88.14 12 J W Marriott Cancun Resort & Spa 87.83 13 The Royal Cancún 87.79 14 Grand Velas Riviera Maya Playa del Carmen 87.47 15 Moon Palace Golf & Spa Resort C ancún 86.58

108

A U G U S T 2 0 1 5 / T R AV E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A . C O M

No.

1

IN THE RAINFOREST NEAR NAYARA HOTEL, COSTA RICA.

J E F F D I E N E R / G E T T Y I M AG ES

1 B elmond Miraflores Park Lima, Peru 93.25 2 Four Seasons Hotel B uenos Aires 93.14 3 P alacio Duhau–Park Hyatt Buenos Aires 93.07 4 A lvear Palace Hotel Buenos Aires 91.70 H 5 JW Marriott L ima, Peru 90.96 6 B elmond Hotel Monasterio Cuzco, Peru 90.67 H 7 B elmond Copacabana Palace Rio de Janeiro 89.50 8 Ritz-Carlton Santiago, Chile 86.78 H 9 JW Marriott Hotel Quito, Ecuador 85.33 10 Park Hyatt Mendoza Hotel, Casino & Spa Argentina 83.77

NAYARA HOTEL, SPA & GARDENS, COSTA RICA

CIT Y HOTEL S

RESORT

1 Nayara Hotel, Spa & Gardens Arenal Volcano National Park, Costa Rica 89.22 2 Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo Guanacaste, Costa Rica 89.17 H 3 Inkaterra Machu Picchu Pueblo Hotel Peru 86.67 4 B elmond Sanctuary Lodge Machu Picchu, Peru 82.93 5 J W Marriott Resort & Spa Guanacaste, Costa Rica 80.76

Central & South America

CENTR AL & SOUTH AMERICA RESORTS

FOR THE TRAVEL + LEISURE 2015 WORLD’S BEST AWARDS

METHODOLOGY

A questionnaire developed by the editors of Travel + Leisure, in association with Wylei, was made available to Travel + Leisure readers at tlworldsbest. com and at tlworldsbest.com/ intl from November 3, 2014, to March 2, 2015. Readers were invited to participate through Travel + Leisure magazine (December, January, February and March issues), T+L tablet editions, newsletters, social media and online at travelandleisure.com. To protect the integrity of the data, after March 2, 2015, respondents were screened

by Travel + Leisure and responses from any identified travel-industry professionals who completed the survey were eliminated from the final tally.

The survey website, tlworldsbest.com, was maintained, monitored and kept secure by Wylei, which collected and tabulated the responses and kept them confidential.

The scores are indexed averages of responses concerning applicable characteristics. Respondents were asked to rate airlines on four characteristics; hotels, hotel brands, islands, airports, car-rental agencies, and destination spas on five characteristics; and cities, cruise ships, tour operators, and safari outfitters on six characteristics (see below). In most categories, respondents could also rate additional optional characteristics; these ratings were not included in the final score. For each characteristic, respondents were asked to rate a candidate on a five-point scale of excellent, above average, average, below average, and poor. Required component ratings were then averaged, creating an overall score.

For the cruise category, respondents were asked to rate individual ships, and scores were rolled up into four categories and organized by type of cruise and ship size. There is one category for river cruises (any capacity), and three categories for ocean cruises: mega-ship cruise lines (capacity of 2,200 passengers or more), large-ship cruise lines (capacity between 600 and 2,199 passengers) and small-ship cruise lines (capacity

of fewer than 600 passengers).

Some cruise lines may appear in multiple categories depending on the fleet of ships they own.

A minimum number of responses was necessary for a candidate to be eligible for inclusion in the World’s Best Awards listings. Some companies were eligible to be rated in multiple categories, including cruise lines, tour operators and safari outfitters.

In all cases, companies and properties have different scores for each category.

THESE WERE THE CATEGORIES AND CHARACTERISTICS: Airlines Cabin comfort, in-flight

service, customer service, value.

Optional: for food, for loyalty programs.

Airports Location/access, check-in/security, restaurants/ bars, shopping, design. Optional: for business, for families.

Car-rental agencies Vehicle selection, vehicle availability, car-rental location, service, value.

Cities Sights/landmarks, culture/arts, restaurants/food, people/friendliness, shopping, value. Optional: for romance, for bars.

Cruise ships Cabins/facilities, restaurants/food, service, itineraries/destinations, excursions/activities, value.

Optional: for families, nightlife.

Destination spas

Accommodations/facilities, treatments, service, food, value.

Optional: for romance.

Hotel brands Locations, rooms/ facilities, restaurants/bars, service, value. Optional: for business, for families, for romance, bars/nightlife, design.

Hotels Rooms/facilities, location, service, restaurants/ food, value. Optional: for business, for families, for romance, bars/nightlife, design.

Islands Natural attractions/ beaches, activities/sights, restaurants/food, people/ friendliness, value. Optional: for romance.

Tour operators and safari outfitters

Staff/guides, itineraries/ destinations, activities, accommodations, food, value.

Optional: for families, conservation/philanthropy.

In Celebration of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn’s 5th Cycle Birthday

An outstanding production consisting of over 200 artists.

PRINCE IGOR

Opera in two acts Samara Opera Theatre, Russia

Friday 2 October 7.30pm Baht 4,500 / 3,500 / 3,000 / 2,000 / 1,500

Puccini’s opera with an enormous production and more than 150 artists.

TOSCA

Opera in three acts Samara Opera Theatre, Russia Sunday 4 October 7.30pm

Baht 4,500 / 3,500 / 3,000 / 2,000 / 1,500

Hotline 02 262 3191 www.thaiticketmajor.com (24 hrs)

www.bangkokfestivals.com

VENUE: Thailand Cultural Centre. Free shuttle from MRT station Thailand Cultural Centre, Exit 1, during 5.30-7.00pm

COURTESY OF ART SERIES HOTEL

The Schaller Studio, in Bendigo, Australia.

/ AUGUST 2015 / For Singapore’s 50th birthday, locals share past

lessons and present loves | Ensconce yourself in art at the most creative hotels in Australia | The Amalfi Coast is as effortlessly stylish as ever

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Dusk is time for lift-off at the Marina Barrage.

SG50

Celebrating its golden jubilee this year, ever-innovating Singapore is in the midst of yet another cultural evolution.

BY JENINNE LEE-ST. JOHN | PHOTOGRAPHED BY WEIXIANG LIM

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Singapore turns 50 this month, but of course its modern history is nearly four times as old, dating to the 1819 establishment of a British settlement at the base of the Malaya Peninsula. Fast-forward from Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles to August 9, 1965, the official founding of the Republic of Singapore led by Lee Kuan Yew. Lee and his government had generations of work to do and they wanted to do it fast. The socioeconomic reforms of the past halfcentury may have inspired debate, but they were indisputably efficient.

Today, the wealthiest country per capita in Southeast Asia is a glittering Oz that welcomed 1.14 billion foreign-visitor arrivals in 2014 alone.

But some things don’t change—from its days as the only free port in the region 200 years ago, Singapore has always drawn a mix of races and religions, languages and ideas. Just look at the name it has borne since the 13th century: Singapura means “Lion City” in Malay, a tongue derived from Sanskrit. With that layer-cake notion in mind, we spoke with a diverse array of locals to get their takes on what makes their hometown special, how it has evolved, and what you cannot miss when you visit.

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O P P O S I T E , TO P : C O U RT ESY O F A L B E RT T EO. B OT TO M L E F T : J E N I N N E L E E - ST. J O H N

Singapore Botanic Gardens.

You’d be hard pressed to find a man better suited to discuss Singapore’s evolution than property developer Albert Teo. His story—rising from a humble tin and wooden kampong village to tower over a bustling CBD his father helped create— mirrors the city’s. Born before independence, he says his generation first had less a national spirit than ethnic ones (those Chinese like him were nanyang, or “southern ocean”). It wasn’t until he went to Australia to study that he looked back at his home with appreciation for one tiny island’s harmonious melting pot, he says. “That set us apart, formed the basis of what I would later understand to be the Singapore identity.”

Well, that and reveling in the contradictions of innovation. The man builds high-rises, but says, “I love the greenery in the city”—from the tropicalflora-filled Singapore Botanic Gardens (sbg. rg.sg; free admission to outdoor gardens) to the beautifully manicured Bukit Golf Course at Singapore Island Country Club (sicc.org.sg; guest greens fees from S$150 for 18 holes) to the futuristic hybrid Gardens by the Bay (gardensbythebay.com.sg; tourist conservatory admission S$28). Some of his favorite buildings are time-lapse, old places now modified just enough that, if we were transported back to their original era, it would be fun plucking off the anachronisms. See: The Cathay (thecathay. com.sg), a modern mixeduse building that started as a cinema in 1939, and is adorned with an Art Deco

façade that’s a national monument. Or head to Dempsey Hill, where the British military barracks that date back 150 years now sprout shops, bars and eateries, including the one that dishes up Teo’s favorite black-pepper crab: Long Beach @ Dempsey (longbeachseafood.com.sg; dinner for two S$120).

A romantic might think of shiny Singapore as sprouting from unlikely ground. Certainly the Tanjong Pagar area, a slum once notorious for gambling halls, opium dens and brothels, is a prime example. Today, 36 years after his father bought land here, the Amara Singapore anchors a vibrant commercial hub.

It’s a renaissance “representative of the country’s transformation from a small fishing village 50 years ago to what it is today,” Teo says.

Indeed, it’s not a long walk from the mapo doufu he orders at his hotel’s lantern-lit Silk Road (silk roadrestaurants.com; dinner for two S$80) to his beloved comfort-classic Hainanese chicken rice at decidedly less upmarket Maxwell Road Hawker Centre (11 South Bridge Rd.). Along the way you’ll encounter a critical mass of Korean joints, the new home of the wildflowerfilled Tippling Club (tipplingclub.com; tasting menus from S$160) and, on a quick-loop detour, Tras Street, whose pint-size shophouses brim with bars and bistros like the new Asian-fusion bowls café May May (maymay.com.sg; dinner for two S$90). From one end to the other of Tanjong Pagar, from Singapore’s past to future.

CEO of Amara Holdings, owners of Amara Singapore and Amara Sanctuary hotels

ALBERT TEO 65

CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: Clamoring for chicken rice at Maxwell

Road Hawker Centre; the Amara Singapore's tropical pool; butter-poached cod atop quinoa at May May.

green spaces and great vistas. It includes HortPark gardening center, the newly carved Labrador Nature and Coastal Walk and the DNA-spiral Henderson Waves bridge. For a break along the hillocks, Ayadurai says, “drop by the nearly century-old Alkaff Mansion for tea [alkaff.com.sg; Italian tea buffet S$40 per person] or ascend to the Jewel Box at Mount Faber [faberpeak singapore.com] for a refreshing pint and an outstanding view of Keppel Harbour.”

Ayadurai found his career in his fascination with the stories and legacy of World War II. So, the highlight of this area for the historian is Reflections at Bukit Chandu (nhb.gov.sg; tourist admission S$2), a unique little museum that focuses on a February 1942 battle on this ridgeline.

“One battalion of soldiers stood in the path of a whole Japanese division that was closing in on Singapore’s city,” he says with respect.

When you hear him describe his childhood neighborhood as an “extended family” of Malay, Chinese, Indian, Ceylonese and Eurasian, it’s little surprise that his vision of Singapore’s future includes even more dynamism. The city now attracts people from every corner of the globe, and “prominent in this new mix particularly are the Filipinos,” he says, “who bring their vibrant culture to the table.” All of these forces are combining to give Singapore appeal far beyond shopping malls: “It has started to unwind and let its hair down.”

Director of Singapore History Consultants, and of tour agency Journeys, which operates Original Singapore Walks

JEYA AYADURAI

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CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: A

refreshing pint from the peak at Jewel Box at Mount Faber; walking the Southern Ridges; rediscovering the old ways with Chinese opera.

PA R K : C O U RT ESY O F S O U T H E R N R I D G ES

Singapore has been getting a bad rap for a while now. You know the slings: too sterile, lack of soul, lots of lines. But, while historian Jeya Ayadurai agrees that “we used to be described as a cultural desert,” he insists that real change is afoot. “The young today are no longer focused on food and shelter but on rediscovering our roots,” he says. Ayadurai calls himself part of the “transition generation,” those who lived the country’s move from third world to first, “and are just as comfortable with the traditional values of our parents as the modern mental makeup of our children.” Children who, he says, are “eager to share their heritage with the rest of the world.” That surfaces in the desire to conserve large tracts of old districts, and in an enthusiasm for traditions such as classical Indian dance or Chinese opera.

Ayadurai points to Kampong Glam, the old Muslim quarter. “The whole area has been conserved, with the historical Sultan Mosque [sultanmosque.sg], which was built in 1824, taking a pivotal position,” he says, suggesting visitors wander the back alleys filled with traders and food hawkers, the Malay Heritage Centre (malayheritage.org. sg; free admission) and the Malaysian Royal Family Graveyard (532 Kampong Bahru Rd.) from the early 19th century. He also recommends getting lost in Little India and Chinatown. But his favorite neighborhood is the Southern Ridges (nparks.gov.sg), a 10-kilometer chain of

Keeping her finger on the pulse of her highvoltage city is Chelsia Tan’s job. That means knowing the best indie film house— The Projector (theprojector. sg; tickets S$13)—and the top workout: Yoga Movement (yogamovement. com; classes S$25). It also means tracking Singapore’s cultural revolution. “We are slowly becoming more open,” Tan says, noting that Pink Dot (pinkdot.sg), a local LGBT movement, saw its numbers grow to 28,000 this year. But she also maintains a tally of her favorite traditional idiosyncrasies. Foremost among them? The casual table-holding system of choping, that is, “how we use tissue or umbrellas to save a seat at the food court…. the no durians allowed signs on the train… and how we call everyone above 50 ‘aunties’ and ‘uncles.’ Go below 50 and you’re just rude.”

Yes, like the rest of Asia, face is important here, and fashion a huge factor in maintaining it. Retail tourists should carve time for the growing class of local labels. “I’m a sucker for raw, metal jewelry, and Yuki Mitsuyasu [yuki mitsuyasu.com; ‘Love Seed’ line from S$90] marries edge with an understated femininity,” Tan says.

“Her designs hide an element of surprise. I love how they are like mini wearable sculptures.”

Favorite clothing lines are the flirty feminine Aijek (aijek.com), the boxy-sexy Saturday (iwearsaturday. com) and the seemingly blank canvases from In Good Company (ingood company.asia), which take “wardrobe classics like the white shirt, and add subtle yet interesting details like paneling, pleats and asymmetrical cuts.”

Cuts, one hopes, that will hide your lunchtime

food baby. “Being unabashedly Singaporean, my friends and I love to eat,” Tan says. Her favorite place for breakfast and cakes is The Fabulous Baker Boy (thefabulous bakerboy.com; brunch for two S$60). She likes Sugar Hall (sugarhall.sg; dinner for two S$100) “for meats that are out of this world,” and says the Catalan tapas at FOC (focrestaurant.com; dinner for two S$100) are amazing, if you can snag a reservation. Get an ice cream at The Daily Scoop (thedailyscoop.com.sg) then browse the new Monocle shop (monocle.com) at leafy Chip Bee Gardens. Have drinks at underground Operation Dagger (operationdagger.com) or Jigger & Pony (jiggerand pony.com), where winners of the Diageo World Class cocktail competition man the bar. Big picture, Tan says, “Asian fusion food is having a moment here,”

and on her list are Neon Pigeon (neonpigeonsg.com; dinner for two S$100), a mod izakaya, and Lepark (lepark.co; dinner for two S$60), a new Asian tapas hot spot, whose “rooftop live music performances are super-popular.”

For local food, “give Newton Hawker Centre a miss,” Tan says, and hit People Park’s Complex, Chomp Chomp in Serangoon and Pasir Panjang Food Centre, “for the best Malay food ever, in my opinion.” She tries to stay healthy, eating yong tau foo—“like a soupy salad, I guess.” But junk food beckons. “I like a good plate of greasy carrot cake or Hokkien prawn mee.

And occasionally, because it’s so sinful, a steaming bowl of laksa,” she says.

For her last meal, “I would have all three. Would that make me look greedy?”

Nope, just pure and passionately Singaporean.

Features editor at SG Magazine

CHELSIA TAN 27

FROM ABOVE: Get away from the bustle at leafy Chip Bee Gardens; cartooning around at new Asian tapas hot spot Lepark.

JENNIFER LEE

Head chef at Vasco

33

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: A Mexico

Sydney-native Jennifer Lee first moved to the Lion City in 2011 to launch caféwith-a-conscience Sarnies (sarniescafe.com; lunch for two S$30) with her brother.

Having just returned from a year cooking and writing in Mexico City, she’s poised to explain why Singapore holds such appeal for foreigners: she had started to take it for granted, but “living in Mexico knocked that mentality out of me,” Lee says. “Everything here works and, because it is such a small country, there is a beautiful sense of community—priceless.”

Tiong Bahru, Lee’s favorite neighborhood, showcases the contrasts.

Go on a weekday to avoid the crowds at the market’s flowers stands, and the long, but fully deserved, lines at Loo’s Hainanese

Curry Rice (71 Seng Poh Rd.; meal for two S$10) across the street. “I even found a place the other day that puts butter in their coffee.” Lee says. That would be inventive twofer Hua Bee (78 Moh Guan Terr.)—a 70-year-old kopitiam where Lee loves the mee pok (flat egg noodles with fish and meat)—and its new secret alter-ego, Bincho (bincho. com.sg; omakase dinners from S$65 per person), a teeny, yakitori-and-sake bar down the back.

Other developments in a food-and-drink scene that she says has exploded just in the past four years include an embrace of sustainability. Visit Kranji Farmers’ Market (kranji countryside.com) or eat at a place that works with Edible Gardens (edible

gardencity.com). Another is the hipsterization of Keong Saik, where her brand-new pan-Latin American place Vasco (vascosingapore. com; dinner for two S$90)—get the salmon ceviche in a creamy leche de tigre stock, and the smoky beef-and-pork meatballs with cotija—has moved in a few doors down from sexy 28HongKong Street (28hks.com) and its intuitive bartenders, plus—did we mention?— truffle mac-and-cheese balls. Another of Lee’s top bars is The Spiffy Dapper (spiffydapper.com), where “the service is hilarious,” she says, effusing about the “great music, lanterns and old school fans swishing the breeze.”

When she escapes the kitchen, Lee likes to cycle at East Coast Park, chill

out at MacRitchie Reservoir Park, or watch the kite flying in the evening at Marina Barrage. It’s little wonder, she says, that as “life is quite easy and the systems close to flawless, it is hard for Singaporeans to leave this country for good.”

They do sojourn, though.

“The younger bright young things are travelers. I hope this does not mean that Singapore will lose its traditions.” But with butchers in Tekka Market still slicing off fresh goats’ heads, and Gen-Y chefs like Malcolm Lee of Candlenut (candlenut.com. sg; dinner for two S$60) cooking inspired nouveauPeranakan, we think it will be less a loss than a progression. Something at which Singapore has always excelled.

D R I N K : C O U RT ESY O F VAS C O. GA R D E N : C O U RT ESY O F E D I B L E GA R D E N S

70 cocktail at Vasco; mee pok at Hua Bee; an Edible Gardens rooftop oasis.

THE DETAILS Amara Singapore Expansive but warm business hotel anchoring busy Tanjong Pagar, with indulgent club floors and a pool that transports you from the CBD to a tropical getaway. amarahotels.com; doubles from S$260.

Amara Sanctuary Resort Sentosa This tranquil resort on the pleasure island has some suites in a former British army barracks and is a favorite for weddings. amarahotels.com; doubles from S$300.

Fairmont Lush five-star whose convenience is found not just in its central location but guests’ ability to put charges at Raffles and Swissotel The Stamford on their room bill here. fairmont.com; doubles from S$350.

The Fullerton Hotel Stately, colonnaded heritage hotel with a dramatic lobby, an enviable pool and river-walk dining all in what was once Singapore’s general post office. fullertonhotel.com; doubles from S$368.

Lloyd’s Inn The sneakiest little boutique you’ll find in this town, tucked just off Orchard, is bomb-

shelter-esque in a good way. The rooms are Japanese-minimalist, some with outdoor showers, and the pool is hemmed in by a mossy crumbling stone wall. lloydsinn. com; doubles from S$160.

Mandarin Oriental Singapore Second-to-none service with a divine pool and easy access to the Esplanade and sundry tourist attractions such as the Singapore Flyer and the Art Science Museum. mandarinoriental.com; doubles from S$439.

New Majestic Hotel Fun, flirty and art-filled boutique on the edge of Chinatown; rooms in the front of the shophouse façade have balconies, and the hard-tobook restaurant is helmed by award-winning Chef Yong Bing Ngen. newmajestichotel.com; doubles from S$209.

One Farrer Hotel & Spa A new oasis in the middle of the city. The thoughtfully designed spa is to die for, featuring Japanese onsen and a reflexology water walk in the gardens. onefarrer.com; doubles from S$290.

Raffles Hotel This serene, colonial grande dame opened to guests in 1887, its Sikh doormen

have been ushering them in nearly as long, and its barmen have been serving them Singapore Slings for 100 years. raffles.com; doubles from S$740.

The Scarlet Singapore Sultry boutique in which every room has a different theme, conveniently situated close to Keong Saik, Maxwell Market, Chinatown and Club Street. thescarlethotels.com; doubles from S$225.

The Westin Singapore No matter where you look, the views are stellar from this Marina Bay hotel that starts on the 32nd floor. thewestinsingapore.com; doubles from S$390.

ORIGINAL SINGAPORE WALKS Historian-advised tours specializing in the city’s secrets, from graveyards to smokehouses.

Notable trips include “Secrets of the Red Lantern,” focusing on Chinatown and Geylang’s redlight districts, and “Sultans of Spice,” in Kampong Glam. Some tours require advance booking; bespoke itineraries available on request. journeys.com.sg; adult fees for walking tours from S$35, for coach tours from S$55.

The art-filled New Majestic Hotel: a seamless blend of old and new.

A ratrt Sm

Hotels r t Series A e h t , s gallerie otels and ady paint-dappled h s t r a p l e , draws Equa eps, eats ivity in alr t le a s e r n c to f o g ns nin . are cocoo lbourne. Cole Pen e livable canvases s e Me h t est of s the new and drive

Street Art suite at The Cullen in Prahran, the original Art Series hotel.

T H I S S P R E A D : C O U RT ESY O F A RT S E R I ES H OT E L ( 4 )

A SMART CAR DANGLING from a helicopter 300 meters above buzzing St. Kilda Beach is not just the kind of stuff of which teenage boys’ dreams are made. It’s also how the hip, Melbournebased Art Series Hotel Group celebrated the addition of 35 tiny, trendy Smart roadsters to the fleet of private jets, choppers and limos already available for its guests. Access to Smart cars is “not your average perk,” as the company rightly claims, and this was not your average PR stunt. As I learned checking into the newest property in the Art Series portfolio, “average” was a concept even I, as a guest, would be pitted against.

“Would you like to opt in to our reverse review process?” asked Ben, the man behind the counter at The Larwill Studio in Melbourne’s Parkville neighborhood. Huh? That was a new one, but I agreed. It was an irreverent idea, publicly scrutinizing the guests, and that’s a trait clearly built into the company’s DNA. The Cullen hotel in Melbourne’s Prahran neighborhood, dedicated to showcasing the grungy, often tongue-in-cheek, works of contemporary artist Adam Cullen, opened in 2009, as the first in a line of hotels geared towards art enthusiasts where guests could enjoy luxury amenities and service while surrounded by beauty made by the nation’s leading creators. It was a ballsy idea, given the crippled economy, but Melbourne is governed by culture, and The Cullen and its five sister hotels that have followed so far—each inspired and adorned by a different local artist—have been lauded for fueling the local scene and becoming livable canvases for visitors to inhabit. (This is the city that touts its graffiti as a selling point, after all.) With two new properties having opened within the last year, quirky marketing campaigns such as a pop-up Etsy studio in-house at The Cullen, and that new fleet of fun vehicles, I thought it was time I experienced the Art Series in person… And, with Ben’s reverse review offer in mind, on my best behavior.

The new Larwill Studio is connected to Melbourne’s Royal Children’s Hospital and, staring at the late David Larwill’s massive mural adorning the lobby wall, it’s easy to get the big picture here: art can be therapeutic. Larwill’s bold and bright pieces radiate positive energy. For the health professionals and families staying at the property, it’s refreshing and invigorating.

Given the proximity to the hospital, it’s no surprise that there’s a strong emphasis on health and wellness. Each room has a yoga mat tucked away in case guests need to stretch out the soreness from riding the hotel’s complimentary Lekker bikes all over town.

Parkville is where the busy, urban city vibes end and the quaint suburbs start. With large bicycle lanes and a more relaxed atmosphere than the central business district, it’s the perfect place to cruise around and visit the parks, gardens and cafés that dot Melbourne’s outskirts.

Hang your masterpieces on your compendium wall in The Larwill Studio.

FROM TOP: In Bendigo, a Schallerdecorated Art Series tram; The Schaller Studio's homey lobby.

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Yes, I love to cycle, but driving a Smart car just oozed fun. The dimunitive two-door is the perfect match for navigating the alleys of hipster-infested Fitzroy and makes parking in the CBD easy, plus its cute, green build takes the bite out of the aggressive attitude of Melbourne drivers. After acclimating to city streets, I set out to visit the second Art Series property outside of Victoria’s capital (the other is in Adelaide) in a historic gold-mining town two hours away. Along the way, suburbia gives way to endless rows of trellises bearing grapes, and finally the small town of Bendigo comes into view.

IN BENDIGO, people can go off digging—it’s rumored there is still a fair amount of gold in the ground—and make a fortune. But it’s not the precious metal drawing artsy travelers. It’s the lavish stone balconies and ornate Corinthian columns from the 1850s rush that remain, framing the burgeoning art scene that includes the Bendigo Art Gallery and the restored Ulumbarra Theatre.

So, Bendigo is the perfect next outpost of the growing Art Series, which originally sprouted from a 2001 expedition to the outback by a small group of prominent Australian artists and members of the powerhouse property developing Deague family. They set out to

capture Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre—the country’s lowest point and, when filled with water, its largest lake—the way it would have been done a hundred years ago: by brush and canvas. Out of the pinkhued serenity of the desert and the lake, the idea to immerse hotelgoers in art was born—and, more recently, used as the jobdescription for Mark Schaller, the artist behind the hotel named for him here in Bendigo: “There was no brief, it was simple: produce enough art to fill up a hotel,” he told me.

Spanning media, genres and styles, his 240 pieces include large outdoor sculptures, and canvases of painted landscapes that look like the Australian bush’s odd cousin on Mars. No space is left undecorated—an eight-meter-tall mosaic covers one whole side.

The paintings and sketches draw upon both local lore, like the troves of gold that gave birth to the town in the 1800s, and the myths of ancient Greece. “I could take as many approaches as I wanted,” Schaller said by way of explaining the seeming mishmash. Our conversation about his collection was peppered with long pauses in which he sat visibly contemplating every idea.

It made sense when I asked how he works. “Sort of in all directions,” he said. “My old work inspires new.”

That’s also meant to be the cycle within the hotel, where the creative process doesn’t end with the installation of his designs.

The property—which was based in part on Schaller’s Melbourne studio, a funky brick space filled with reclaimed wood and stools decorated with smears of bright neon usually reserved for the fingernails of teenage girls—is as much a retreat for artists as a hotel. Each of the 120 workspaces (that’s Art Series speak for rooms) is stocked with pencils, paints, canvases and sketchpads— and you can request specialty supplies from the front desk, and sign up for art classes. There are even personal pin boards to fill with your finished pieces. Despite the inspiring setting, my attempts at drawing people I’d met during my trip ended up looking like something out of a children’s horror story.

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My attempts at drawing people I'd ended up looking like a children's

BACK IN MELBOURNE, I zipped through the CBD to The Blackman. The city is a maze of hook turns, tram tracks and traffic circles, but, after arriving in St. Kilda, my blurry perception of what a five-star Art Series property could be snapped into focus: a towering black-tinted glass building in the commercially focused section of the coastal neighborhood. A Lamborghini Aventador, a Ferrari 458 Italia and a classic MGA Roadster handsomely occupied the small parking lot out front. If my Smart car had an ego, it would have been severely bruised. It was clear before I even entered the hotel that I’d gone upmarket.

Businessmen in perfectly pressed suits—some of whom may have been sporting one of the crisp, white poplin dress shirts ingeneously available on the hotel’s room service menu—and holidaymakers clutching the latest Bottega Veneta huddled in the lobby. Where The Schaller favored bold touches and quirky furniture in line with some of his playful, Picasso-esque work, The Blackman opted for polished surfaces and marble accents.

It was a different style, to be sure, but one constant uniting each property was the uncanned personalities of the staff. I couldn’t help but laugh when the young woman behind the desk at The Blackman

met on my trip horror story called me out for looking like I’d had a little bit too much fun on Chapel Street the night before.

The other constant, of course, is the focus on art. Charles Blackman, on whose work the hotel is based, is known for his surrealism. The 670 prints that inhabit the 209 rooms are strange and dark; while a child might find comfort in The Larwill’s abstract and curative aesthetic, The Blackman’s dark Alice-in-Wonderland art might scare them. Staying in one of the large suites, I felt like a wealthy businessman hiding with a sinister secret known only to the haunting, detached characters lining my walls.

Several weeks after leaving Melbourne, I received an email notifying me that my “reverse review” had been posted. Having gotten to know the sardonic nature of the staff, I was expecting the worst. I had been accused of having a hangover while on my way to breakfast (to be fair, I did). So, I was pleasantly surprised with my rating of three out of five stars—a completely average hotel guest, it seemed. “Cole presented himself in jeans, hoodie and an American accent,” my review accurately reported. “Very chatty but also tired, Cole was 15 minutes late for check-out. In hotel lingo, such a thing is called a ‘Grey Boom’ incident.” A ‘grey boom incident’? Somehow they made even my tardy departure sound like a masterpiece. I guess through the eyes of an artist, nothing is average.

THE DETAILS The Cullen 164 Commercial Rd., Prahran, Victoria; 61-3/9098-1555; artserieshotels.com.au (same web address for all hotels); doubles from A$206.

The Olsen 637-641 Chapel St., South Yarra, Victoria; 61-3/9040-1222; doubles from A$233.

The Blackman 452 St. Kilda Rd., Melbourne, Victoria; 61-3/9039-1444; doubles from A$233.

The Schaller Studio Corner of Lucan and Bayne Streets, Bendigo, Victoria; 61-3/4433-6100; doubles from A$118.

The Larwill Studio 48 Flemington Rd., Parkville, Victoria; 61-3/9032-9111; doubles from A$143.

The Watson 33 Warwick St., Walkerville, South Australia; 61-8/7087-9666; doubles from A$139.

Smart cars can be rented from each property for A$50 per day.

The Blackman has 670 surrealist prints. BELOW: Street art at its roots.

OPPOSITE, FROM TOP: The Cullen and one of its new Smart cars; borrow a Bubagoo Bee stroller from The Olsen.

, o ! 覺 ic a malf a

The beach at Positano.

WHY ITALY’S WILDLY PICTURESQUE, INIMITABLY STYLISH, OCCASIONALLY RAFFISH, BUT STILL SURPRISINGLY RELAXED COASTLINE KEEPS US COMING BACK.

BY PETER JON LINDBERG PHOTOGRAPHS BY SIMON WATSON

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The terraced lemon and olive groves on near-vertical hillsides. The glittering cliff-top resorts, the pier-side tavernas, and the Cubist-painting townscapes—Ravello, Amalfi, Praiano, Positano, Nerano—overlooking the Gulf of Salerno, nattily threaded together by one of the world’s most spectacular roads. If you’re returning after many seasons away, it will be just as you remember it. And if you’re arriving on the Amalfi Coast for the very first time—lucky you—the very sight could make you laugh out loud at how absurdly, exactly right it all seems.

La Costiera Amalfitana is both a location and a worldview, international shorthand for a lifestyle at once endlessly sophisticated and effortlessly simple. It’s an easy mind-set to embrace, and a hard place to come down from.

(Wherever you travel after this will inevitably pale in comparison.) No matter: there’s always next year.

I spent two weeks exploring the peninsula by bike, scooter, open-top cab, rented Mercedes, pedalo, inflatable dinghy, 1972 Riva speedboat, hydrofoil, yacht, water taxi and in the muddy backseat of a farmer’s Fiat Panda.

Searching for the people and places that define the costiera now, I revisited old classics and unearthed new and unsung favorites. Here are, in my opinion, the Amalfi Coast’s can’t-miss experiences.

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Take away Campania and Italy would be a sad, sorry place, not least at the table. Some of the finest iterations of essential Italian ingredients hail from the region around Amalfi: olives, figs, eggplants, peaches, carciofi, lemons, tomatoes. You will eat extremely well here if you resist the siren song of gussied-up northern Italian and stick to simple, fresh, Campanian cuisine.

You will taste face-smackingly sharp wild arugula, the peppery O.G. stuff that makes lesser arugula seem like a chopped-up photocopy. You will discover the revelation of pezzogna, a moist and flaky spotted bream unique to these waters, which needs only a coaxing of flame, olive oil and lemon to make it leap from the plate.

You will also be tempted to sample the local sea urchin, known as ricci di mare. Do not—repeat—do not embark on this lightly. The sea urchin here will spoil you on all shellfish for life. Sample one and you may wind up ditching your job and family, renting a seaside hut in Nerano, and learning to free-dive, subsisting on ricci alone. Eaten raw, they’ll knock your socks off (if you’re wearing socks, which you shouldn’t be). Even better: sea urchin with spaghetti, olive oil and often slow-roasted tomato, the uni folded gently into the pasta to form a creamy, briny emulsion. (A pinch of peperoncino makes it sing.) Spaghetti con ricci di mare is Amalfi in a bowl and, thankfully, it’s near-ubiquitous here: try it at Lo Scoglio in Marina del Cantone, Il Pirata in Praiano, and Acqua Pazza in Cetara.

an afternoon among the fishermen of cetara The town of Cetara’s singularity is clear the moment you enter the harbor, where fishermen’s dinghies jostle for position with tuna trawlers (and the occasional brave windsurfer). This is one of the last costiera towns where fishing, not tourism, is still the primary trade. Sloping up from the harbor to the hills, Cetara’s main street is lined with marine supply stores, crumbling ocher mansions, and dark, cavelike bars, outside which sit men with seagouged, sun-blasted faces. (The town retains a confounding local dialect; some older residents don’t even speak standard Italian.)

From the shady portico of Acqua Pazza, the town’s best restaurant, you can watch the Cetarese day unfold over a lunch of all-local seafood: tender orata (another sea bream), ricciola (amberjack), octopus and, not least, alici (anchovies). The alici caught off this coast are smaller and saltier than most, making them perfect fodder for Cetara’s renowned colatura, or anchovy oil. Layers of salted fish

The terrace of Palazzo Avino, in Ravello. OPPOSITE: Some covehidden beaches are reached only by boat.

Paccheri with tomato and tuna from Da Adolfo, at Laurito Cove.

ferment for months inside chestnut barrels, producing a rich, amber-colored distillate as powerful as any Asian fish sauce. (Cetarese families exchange precious vials of colatura as Christmas gifts.) Acqua Pazza’s owner, Gennaro Castiello, makes and sells a fine colatura himself, a few drops of which can and should be added to every dish on the menu, from the anchovy crostini to the crudo di pesce with oysters, amberjack and sweet white shrimp.

a martini at palazzo avino, ravello The venerable Palazzo Sasso hotel has gone through some changes of late: it’s now the Palazzo Avino, and is run by the charming Mariella Avino, eldest daughter of the original owner. Next door to the glammed-out Belmond Hotel Caruso, the more intimate Avino still holds prime vantage, with views of both mountains and sea. Now there’s a chic spot to take it all in: the hotel’s Lobster & Martini Bar, a breezy terrace with a raw bar and a list of 100 cocktails. There’s no finer perch in Ravello, especially when the strains of violas waft over from nearby Villa Rufolo during the summer-long Ravello Festival.

getting lost in the maze of atrani One of the coast’s great unsung villages—among the smallest municipalities in Italy, with only 1,000 residents—lies around the bluff from crowded Amalfi, which busies itself oblivious to its sleepy neighbor. Atrani is used to being overlooked: the main coastal road sails right over it, three stories up, at eye level with the church clock tower. Walking here from Amalfi, you drop through a trapdoor-like opening in the overpass, from which a stairwell corkscrews down to Atrani’s minuscule piazzetta. From the scalloped-stone sidewalk you can hear the Dragone River rushing underneath to the sea, and scarcely detect the whoosh of traffic above.

The townscape resembles a pile of Jenga blocks that were tossed down the hillside by some hell-bent medieval baby. Atrani is not as fastidiously maintained as its wealthier neighbors, and that’s integral to its charm. The upper reaches are a mapmaker’s nightmare and a traveler’s dream; you can lose yourself for hours in the labyrinth of staircases and narrow passaggi, just you and the cats weaving among the laundry lines. Down on the sun-drenched shore it may be stiflingly hot, but up in these shaded alleyways, the air is cool, and the world is quiet.

only luxe properties with direct sea access. And what a spot it is: 10 stories below the lobby (reachable by a glass elevator worthy of a Bond villain), the HSC pool deck may be the most transformative 185 square meters in Amalfi.

Even uptight guests—and there are a few—are rendered spaghetti-soft within minutes of arrival.

The attendants are half the reason. While the staff upstairs are old-school formal—like Pino, the maître d’, in his black dinner jacket, and the hotel pianist, also named Pino, glissandoing his way through “Arthur’s Theme”— the pool guys josh around like a coupla Brooklyn standups, all tan and buff in their insignia polos. “Gianluca! Sergio!

Per favore, another Shakerato!” the ladies cry, batting eyes at their game hosts, who grin as if they can’t believe their luck, working in a place like this. Small wonder nobody wants to leave.

a long, lazy day on the rocks in praiano Midway between Amalfi and Positano, un-flashy Praiano—population 2,069—is as tall as it is wide, its dwellings clinging like mollusks to the slopes of 1,100-meter Monte Tre Pizzi. Tucked into a ravine at the base of the mountain is a natural harbor with a fine cove beach. And set right above it, on a series of platforms built into the rocks, is the restaurant Il Pirata—the Pirate— where the vibe is relaxed and the setting luxurious.

You’ll have to walk the long, winding path down from the parking lot; once you’re here you’ll want to hang around all day, hiking around the cove, swimming in the blue-green sea, then drying off over lunch at Il Pirata.

Owners Vera and Rino Milano know exactly what you crave in this setting, this weather: caper-studded snapper with roasted patate; cuttlefish with walnut, celery and radicchio; the aforementioned spaghetti with sea urchin; cold local wine; and a chummy waiter who, after the crowd thins out, might pull up a chair to help you finish that bottle of Marisa Cuomo Fiorduva.

breakfast at le sirenuse, positano At Positano’s most storied hotel, your morning paper is not hung on the doorknob but delivered straight to your breakfast table, with your room number written on top.

They know you’ll be there—nobody skips breakfast at Le Sirenuse.

Two sun-flooded rooms are given over to the morning spread, so gorgeously displayed you’ll think you’ve crashed a wedding brunch: bright-blue ceramic bowls of peaches, plums, strawberries and honey-sweet figs; a dozen tortas, tarts and pastries; Campanian buffalo-milk yogurt; silky house-made ricotta and stracciatella; a whole color wheel of freshly made juices. And right

hanging with the pool guys at hotel santa caterina, amalfi Other hotels dispatch guests to public spiaggi or to satellite beach clubs; the 111-year-old Santa Caterina is one of the

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outside the windows, as an eye-jolting backdrop, the gold-and-green, majolica-tiled dome of Santa Maria Assunta church, shimmering in the sun.

escaping to the beach at laurito cove Inaccessible by road, only nominally reachable on foot, the cliff-sheltered beach at Laurito Cove is a 10-minute boat ride from Positano, but a world away. The moment your launch pulls up to the dock, you’ll cast aside all misconceptions about the vaunted fanciness of the Amalfi Coast. Kids leap off boulders into the surf, while a hint of pot smoke wafts up from the pebble beach, where regulars recline on weatherbeaten folding lettini.

The beach is incentive to come; the reason to stay is lunch at Da Adolfo, whose lean-to assemblage is as scrappy as Laurito Cove itself. At one table, a tattooed dad and his teenage son are peeling peaches with their own jackknives. They arrived shirtless, in Speedos, carrying only a dry bag.

A ceramic pitcher appears, filled with white wine and sliced peaches, which suddenly seems like the best possible way to drink wine. Later will come tangy mozzarella grilled on lemon leaves, perhaps a spicy zuppa di cozze (mussels in tomato stew). There might be buttersoft octopus salad, or sun-warmed figs draped in prosciutto. The figs, your waiter informs you, were grown by a local woman named Margherita, who happens to be right over there, smoking and chatting with Sergio Bella, Da Adolfo’s owner.

Sergio took over the joint from his dad, Adolfo, who opened the place almost 50 years ago. Adolfo met Sergio’s mother on the beach in Positano in the 1960s; she was a Brooklyn girl on vacation. Enchanted, she stayed on, then stayed some more, eventually settling here for good. She didn’t return to New York for 25 years, not even to collect her things. Listening to Sergio tell the tale, you might wonder if you could pull off the same disappearing act.

getting to know the water-taxi captains of positano Is there a more satisfying mode of transit than the iconic motoscafo? Positano water-taxi skippers are chattier than London cabbies, and far nattier, in their suede drivers and peach linen pants. The best of them have ridiculous 1970s-pop-idol hair and look like they’d rather be shirtless. (Some already are.) Standing straight up, holding perfect balance as their skiffs bounce like beach balls in the wakes of yachts, they hold forth on any number of subjects in broken English, French or German, but mostly in insouciant Italian.

Maybe you’ll be lucky enough to catch a ride with Gio-Gio, a twentysomething Positanese given to blasting

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late-period Michael Jackson, which only Italians can pull off. From Gio-Gio’s boat, Positano looks even more improbable, like a town-size hologram, its mountain ridge draped in clouds, with hand-of-God sun bolts bursting through. “You know,” Gio-Gio muses, as if advancing some bold position, “sometimes I think we live in a very beautiful place.”

dining without a view In a town where all life seems turned toward the sea, Casa Mele, located just uphill from Le Sirenuse in Positano, is on the wrong (inland) side of the street, with no view and hardly any windows. It compensates with a playfully mod interior that looks as if it were designed by Alessi. A sleek Berkel meat-slicer is parked by the open kitchen, gleaming like a cherry-red Lamborghini. The plates, too, are visual statements: a deconstructed caprese salad comes stacked like chunky jewelry, laced up with ribbons of basil chiffonade. Flavors are as bold as the design, like the paccheri with an umami-packed, fish-based ragù.

In fact, looking for an inauspicious location can be an effective strategy for choosing your meals here. Some of the costiera’s best restaurants have no actual view of the coast: places like A’Paranza, a convivial seafood restaurant hidden in a vaulted Atrani basement. Or Da Vincenzo, across town from Casa Mele, which serves Praianese-style totani e patate: meaty, earthy “flying squid” (a curious, reddish-hued variety fished during new moons), flash-fried with potatoes, garlic and chiles.

lunch at lo scoglio But views, of course, are one big reason you came, and for that elusive combo of a swoon-worthy vista and a phenomenal meal, hire a boat or a water taxi and get yourself to Lo Scoglio, set on a pier above the harbor (with a beach on either side) in Marina del Cantone, a humble village near the peninsula’s western tip.

“Simple, authentic, no fireworks” is how Antonia De Simone, the ever-smiling hostess, describes the food, which has remained pretty much the same since her grandparents opened the place, in 1953. Back then the couple lived way up the mountain in Sant’Agata. The two towns were connected only by mule tracks, and it took them an hour and a half to walk home each night. In those early days, Lo Scoglio was less a restaurant than an impromptu lunch gathering, to which Signora Antonietta would simply bring whatever she had going in the kitchen.

The Onassis family were among the first paying guests. At age 86, Nonna Antonietta still presides over the restaurant from her walker or a comfy chair by the kitchen, clad head-to-toe in Juicy Couture, while her granddaughter favors Missoni and Brunello Cucinelli.

(Cucinelli is a regular here.)

N AND A O I T A C O OTH A L B S LIFESTYLE I A A R N O F A D T MALFI ORTHAN H A S A L A R TIE Y SIMPLE TION L S S A S O E N L R T C R E LA ND EFFO W, INT A E D I E V T A D PHISTIC WORL O S Y L DLESS N E E C AT ON

The pool deck at the Hotel Santa Caterina, in Amalfi.

A table setting at the seafood restaurant Lo Scoglio, in Marina del Cantone.

OPPOSITE: The dock at the 2,000-person town of Praiano.

The raw bar alone is worth the 30-minute ride in from Positano or Capri: the jewel-like tartufi di mare, sweet local clams, served raw with a zing of lemon; pink gamberetti crudi with oranges and grapefruit and Lo Scoglio’s own olive oil; and of course the unbeatable sea urchin, with its elegant amethyst spikes.

a tour of the agricola By now you’ve heard of Don Alfonso 1890, the Michelinstarred restaurant and hotel in the town of Sant’Agata.

Owners Alfonso and Livia Iaccarino were pioneers in the revival of Campanian cuisine. Four decades on, their restaurant is everything you want it to be and then some, with its gaudy pink plaster, pistachio chintz and Murano chandeliers. But it’s the family farm, a short drive away near the hamlet of Massa Lubrense, that is arguably the Iaccarinos’ masterwork.

The seven-hectare agricola—called Le Peracciole, after a local pear—tumbles down the wild, wooly, westernmost slope on the peninsula. Through sheer will and relentless sunshine, Livia and Alfonso transformed an abandoned plot into a kingdom of artichokes, favas, fennel, arugula: a veritable salad-on-a-hillside.

Livia Iaccarino is now a youthful 65. Striding through the agricola, she’s still amazed at her good fortune, to have found and conquered this place, 25 years ago. “Look!

Look!” she cries as she shows off her fields, her flocks, her 500-year-old olive trees. “Mamma mia!” Livia swoons over a lemon the size of a grapefruit, which she soon uses to play fetch with her dog. “Che bello!” she coos at a handsome rooster.

And then there are the capers. Le Peracciole’s farmhands pick 2.5 kilograms of them per day off these bushes. Their fragrance is astonishing. Indeed, you could make a meal of the smells here alone, wafting up from basil, lavender, marjoram and tomato plants. Fortunately, there’s a whole kitchen crew waiting to feed you back at Don Alfonso.

the perfect alchemy of an aperol spritz, anywhere Make your case for the Negroni, the Boulevardier or the Americano if you must, but the Aperol Spritz—albeit born in the Veneto—is the perfect Amalfi Coast cocktail. Just like Campania, it’s ingeniously uncomplicated, an elegant alchemy of sun, booze, bubbles and citrus. All you need is Prosecco, Aperol, soda and a nice plump orange wedge— maybe an olive if you’re feeling bold—plus an ample chilled glass to serve it in.

It’s near-impossible to screw up an Aperol Spritz.

Order one at even the jankiest beachfront kiosk; after one sip it will seem like the finest bar on the coast. The Aperol Spritz is as foolproof as Amalfi itself.

“Due spritz, per favore,” you’ll find yourself saying, often and with impeccable inflection. And then again. And maybe again after that. Salute.

THE DETAILS HOTEL S Belmond Hotel Caruso An 11th-century palace set on a limestone bluff overlooking the sea. Ravello; belmond.com; doubles from €848.

Hotel Santa Caterina You can spend all day at the legendary pool deck at this Amalfi grande dame. hotelsantacaterina.it; doubles from €586.

Le Sirenuse Positano’s iconic property, with sweeping views and a timeless style. sirenuse.it; doubles from €620.

Palazzo Avino Ravello’s most intimate and best-sited hotel. palazzoavino.com; doubles from €395.

Villa Tre Ville Fifteen exclusive suites in the former Positano estate of director Franco Zeffirelli. villatreville.com; doubles from €1,487.

RESTAUR ANTS Acqua Pazza A must-hit spot; don’t miss the house-made colatura (anchovy oil). Cetara; acquapazza.it; entrées €12–€30.

A’Paranza A convivial subterranean dining room is the backdrop for excellent seafood.

Atrani; ristoranteparanza.com; entrées €20–€35.

Casa Mele What it lacks in a view it makes up for in terrific, contemporary Campanian dishes.

Positano; casamele.com; entrées €24–€30.

Da Adolfo Go for the food (octopus salad, figs with

prosciutto) and stay for the beach at this refreshingly laid-back place. Laurito Cove; daadolfo.com; entrées €10–€18.

Da Vincenzo Pitch-perfect classics in a rustic setting.

Positano; davincenzo.it; entrées €15–€30.

Don Alfonso 1890 A Michelinstarred restaurant turning out sophisticated Campanian food since 1973. Sant’Agata sui Due Golfi; donalfonso.com; entrées €45–€90.

Il Pirata The place for low-key lunches above a fine cove beach midway between Amalfi and Positano. Praiano; ristoranteilpirata.net; entrées €17–€30.

Lo Scoglio A decades-old institution renowned for simple, delicious seafood. Marina del Cantone; hotelloscoglio.com; entrées €20–€80.

STORE Emporio Sirenuse Bring home the whimsical, effortless style of Le Sirenuse with goods from this clothing and design store by Carla Sersale, the hotel owner’s wife.

Positano; emporiosirenuse.com.

TR AVEL ADVISOR T+L A-List agent Emily FitzRoy knows every corner, cove and secret alleyway of this Italian region. She can create a bespoke itinerary to suit any taste. bellinitravel.com.

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wish you were here

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Neil Wade Holy Ridge TAIWAN

A hiker looks out onto a sea of clouds along Taiwan’s Holy Ridge, a trail that includes

several of the country’s top mountains. Holy Ridge is one of the island nation’s best-known

high-mountain treks. It starts at Taoshan (3,325 meters), and spends the next four or five days

navigating a wildly scenic ridge line, finally finishing at mighty Snow Mountain,

which, at 3,886 meters, is Taiwan’s second highest peak. This rugged trail is for expert hikers only, as

it spends its entirety above 3,000 meters and requires traversing several 20-meter vertical

cliffs. But for those willing to endure the journey, the hardships will be rewarded with

world-class scenery such as this vantage point—not to mention bragging rights for

completing one of Asia’s most bucket-listed multi-day hikes.

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SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT WITH T+L SOUTHEAST ASIA AUGUST 2015

I N S I D E R

W RETREAT KOH SAMUI

W RETREAT & SPA – MALDIVES

ECO CHIC WHETHER IT’S PUTTING THE PLANET FIRST WITH ECO-FRIENDLY DESIGN, OR STIMULATING THE NEXT GEN OF DESIGNERS WITH INSPIRATION TRIPS, W’S GOT IT WRAPPED UP. STYLISH SUSTAINABILITY? CHECK. WE’VE TEAMED UP WITH FUNKY LIFESTYLE BRAND EKOCYCLE FROM WILL.I.AM AND COCA-COLA. ROAD TEST EKOCYCLE SHEETS AND OUR MOBILE CHARGER & ACCESSORY VALET (MCAV) ON YOUR NEXT STAY, SWISH IN-ROOM ITEMS BOTH PARTLY CREATED FROM RECYCLED PLASTIC BOTTLES. WE’VE ALSO INVITED LOCAL TALENTS TO JOIN OUR ECO QUEST: AT W HONG KONG, GREEN PROJECT “ECO IS THE NEW BLACK” SAW THE LAUNCH OF ECO SOCKS IN COLLABORATION WITH LEGENDS SOCKS HONG KONG AND KONZEPP, PLUS ARTISTS YOLANDE PARRY AND HUGHIE DOHERTY. OVER AT W TAIPEI, WE’RE ALSO EMBRACING ECO WITH THE SWEET AWARD, SIX ROOFTOP BEEHIVES BUZZING WITH OUR NEWEST RESIDENTS. THE FIRST URBAN BEEKEEPING PROJECT IN TAIWAN GIVES US HOME-GROWN HONEY FOR OUR BEES KNEES COCKTAIL AND HONEY CHEESECAKE. ANOTHER GREEN INITIATIVE IS THE TAHIR SULTAN’S LOCAL COMMUNITY PROJECT WITH W RETREAT & SPA – MALDIVES. SUSTAINABILITY HAS MOVED UP A NOTCH IN THE KITCHENS OF W MALDIVES, TOO, WITH OVERWATER RESTAURANT FISH SERVING UP IMAGANITIVE MENUS USING LOCAL INGREDIENTS.

WILL.I.AM AT W NEW YORK

NIK WANG AT W SINGAPORE – SENTOSA COVE

W NEW YORK – DOWNTOWN ALEXA CHUNG AT W LONDON – LEICESTER SQUARE

Trendsetters ushered in the Year of the Sheep and raised a glass to celebrate the opening of W Beijing Chang’an as the ROCK THE EMPIRE GLOBAL TOUR stormed into New York and London over Chinese New Year. Curated to celebrate the arrival of the first W hotel in the Chinese capital, burlesque queen DITA VON TEESE was the tour’s main attraction, leaving guests hot under the collar with a red hot cabaret show in a gilded birdcage, a nod to China’s centuries-long love affair with bird keeping. Post-Chinese New Year, the tour stopped off at W Hotels in San Francisco, Hong Kong and Singapore, with its final destination W Beijing Chang’an.

W SINGAPORE – SENTOSA COVE

MEDIANOCHE AT W SINGAPORE – SENTOSA COVE

ROCK THE EMPIRE GLOBAL TOUR AT W HONG KONG

W LONDON - LEICESTER SQUARE

DITA VON TEESE, STAR ATTRACTION OF ROCK THE EMPIRE GLOBAL TOUR

A NEW SCENE IN BEIJING

DITA VON TEESE PERFORMING AT W BEIJING – CHANG’AN

FASHION SHOW BY RISING CHINESE STAR VEGA ZASHI WANG WITH VOCALS FROM HELEN FENG

Steps away from the Forbidden City in bustling downtown, W BEIJING – CHANG’AN has delivered a dash of cool to the Chinese capital with its inimitable mix of high style and modern glamor. To salute the opening of its newest Asia property, an electrifying premiere featuring a sultry cabaret act from DITA VON TEESE wowed local and international trendsetters, with the burlesque queen donning an elaborate gold costume for a provocative performance. The night kicked off with a traffic-stopping fashion show from fashion designer VEGA ZAISHI WANG — one of Beijing’s brightest sartorial hopes — who set the catwalk on fire with her east-meets-west aesthetic that mixed up Chinese and British culture. Music and fashion later collided at this sexy soiree, with HELEN FENG, singer from Beijing psych rock band NOVA HEART, providing the sonic backdrop as models strutted down the runway. In keeping with the avant-garde theme of this stylish eve, US duo THE DOLLS spun a sonic collision of live violin and DJ remixes for revelers. The party then headed to the hotel’s happening club lounge, X25, where France’s DJ GILDAS and UK indietronica rock band IS TROPICAL delivered a heady mix of dancefloor-friendly tunes.

THE DOLLS

EXPLORE WHOTELS.COM

YOGA IN PARADISE

W MALDIVES DELIVERS A BLISSED-OUT BACKDROP TO A YOGA GETAWAY As I trip out of my beach villa, the sky is as black as the two coffees I’ve just downed.

I needed to kick-start my way to—apologies to the meditative purists out there — a yoga session. At sunrise. On a boat. In the middle of the Indian Ocean.This is good for me, I murmur to myself walking along a sandy trail lined with palm trees and dense bougainvillea that leads to the dock.

It’s the start of a four-day yoga getaway at W RETREAT & SPA – MALDIVES WITH TARA STILES, an affable, thirty-something American who specializes in contorting her limbs into inexplicable pretzels—sorry, smoothly stretching into yoga postures— and gently coercing others to do the same.

With books on Amazon, web-based instructional videos, a line of Reebok yoga wear and a popular flagship studio in New York City, not to mention 71,000 Instagram followers, she’s her own brand. In person, Tara is a mix of guru and cheerleader.

Her mantra is, “Make your own rules.” What I know about yoga, not to mention what I can

do on a yoga mat, is pretty much limited to, well, showing up. No matter. As the sweep of sky brightens, our group of a dozen churns out into the North Ari Atoll, an azure paint box of ocean at the top final sprinkling of coral reefs that make up the Maldives.

The epitome of laid-back, Tara eases our class into a series of stretches and poses.

“Concentrate on your breathing,” she insists.

“If you can breathe, you can practice yoga.”

Before long, I’m convinced that this is how yoga classes should be: we’re out on open water, the sun is breaking through a few clouds on the landless horizon and there’s even a gentle breeze to cool our exertions.

That’s when it hits me: we’re a YouTube video for healthy living. Adopting the “make your own rules” philosophy that Tara touts, our retreat is an extended, when-inparadise version of what she normally does back in her Manhattan studio. That means six yoga sessions at sunrise and sunset. It means yoga on a dock, yoga on a boat, yoga at a spa, yoga in a W villa and yoga on an island home only to a few palm trees.

After the first session, I can’t say I’m sold on yoga, but will admit to being ravenous for a healthy dinner. That night, Tara has teamed up with W chef Paul Lewis at Fish, and an endless series of light bites and energizing smoothies mixes well with some expertly paired wines. (Make your own rules.)

Diet is a part of this yoga business, which I’m beginning to think is more a way of life than an hour’s commitment every day or two (see, I was listening!). My favorite session takes place on an island. We’re on a secluded beach, a stand of palm trees behind us, facing the sun sinking into the Indian Ocean. It’s a postcard moment, with the only sounds being Tara’s soothing instructions and gently lapping waves.

Jean-Louis Ripoche, the general manager at W Maldives wows us all with his crow pose.

The sun is gone but the stars come out. The next morning, I miss the last class because I’ve got a floatplane to catch. But I walk to that departure knowing I’ll explore yoga more. I’ve only just begun to learn to breathe.

TARA LEADING A YOGA CLASS AT THE EXTREME WOW OCEAN HAVEN AND KILLER CUISINE ON THE WAVES

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SONGKRAN SPLASH AWAY POOL PARTY AT W BANGKOK CELEBRITY DJ POUPEE AT W BANGKOK

SUMMER SHOCKWAVE

As the weather hots up, revelers are plunging into summer with W’S SHOCK WAVE summer pool parties at W’s legendary WET Decks.

W RETREAT KOH SAMUI will host its very first SPF 2015 Shockwave with tech house spinner James Zabiela as the main guest DJ on August 1. W SINGAPORE – SENTOSA COVE will continue its monthly series with a special SG 50 theme on August 2 in collaboration with the city’s hottest nightspot, ZOUK. With an all-local DJ line up of Zouk residents, this native night will be complemented by sublime Singaporean nibbles. Over in the North Ari Atoll, W RETREAT & SPA MALDIVES kicked off its Shock Wave every Thursday from May with resident DJ Silky at the Ocean’s Haven Deck. W RETREAT & SPA BALI – SEMINYAK saw the return of its annual SPF 2015 SHOCK WAVE with James Zabiela and house DJ Sebastian Leger behind the decks this July. W Taipei’s music curator Sona set the sonic scene for its Shock Wave event in May, with an after party at WOOBAR headlined by master remix DJ Tom Swoon and genre-blending house from Hook N Sling.

W SINGAPORE – SENTOSA COVE

CRUISIN’ THE WAVES Cannes, Saint Tropez, Monaco… exclusive marinas, fleets of super yachts and their well-heeled passengers are gratifyingly glam, which is why W SINGAPORE – SENTOSA COVE was the official hotel partner at the SINGAPORE YACHT SHOW for the third year running this April. Held at the award-winning ONE°15 MARINA CLUB, this exclusive event not only showcased world-class yachts but also a coveted range of celebrated brands including supercars, watches and jewelry. Having secured its position as the place to be for networking opportunities before and after the show, W Singapore – Sentosa Cove’s unique position adjacent to QUAYSIDE ISLE enabled guests to discreetly retreat from the show for private meetings. The show’s official launch party was also held at W Singapore, as was a black tie gala dinner and the official after party.

SIP FLIRT

NOBODY DOES COCKTAILS QUITE LIKE W HOTELS. SAVOR SOME SIGNATURE SIPS FROM OUR MIXOLOGISTS

MARGARITA MYRITA

JING STYLE

GLOWING 15BELOW

Location: W Seoul – Walkerhill The mix: Olmeca Altos Plata, Cointreau, grapefruit, agave syrup, white sugar The low-down: To satisfy the palates of discerning Seoul trendsetters, W Seoul has invented an innovative cocktail service, ‘Margarita Myrita’, so cocktail lovers can design their own margarita based on what tickles their tastebuds. Cocktail sippers can get creative by picking their base, citrus flavor and even the frost on the rim, plus how the ice is served.

They can even name their own margarita and keep the recipe.

To make this sip even more special, a W mixologist serves the drink on coaster featuring a handwritten ‘Thank you’ note.

Location: W Beijing – Chang’an The mix: Cachaça, Erguotou, raspberry liqueur, cranberry juice, lime juice, sugar syrup, brown sugar, soda water The low-down: The signature cocktail of the “Rock the Empire” International Premiere tour in celebration of W Beijing’s opening earlier this year, Jing Style proved an instant hit with trendsetters. Inspired by the imperial heritage of Beijing, it incorporates Erguotou, a potent Beijing liquor that dates back to the golden era of Chinese liquor making. It’s mixed with raspberry liqueur and cranberry juice to create the iconic red of China.

Its sweet berry flavor and mint leaf garnish add a metropolitan vibe to W Beijing’s signature sip.

Location: W Retreat & Spa – Maldives The mix: Dry gin, elderflower cordial, sweet and sour mix, homemade glowing ice cube, tonic water The low-down: Curated by Vikas Kumar, the new B&F Director and also master of mixology, the Glowing 15Below is one of the most popular signature cocktails at the iconic retreat. Inspired by the glowing stars of the Maldives and its fluorescent plankton, this fabulous cocktail will light up your entire night.

Locals and visitors like haunt this underground night club to see and be seen and discover what’s new and next in mixology and music.

THE COVE ROYALE

BORITOS MO-HEE-TOE

Location: W Singapore – Sentosa Cove The mix: Fords Gin, Mancino Bianco Ambrato vermouth, Champagne, HUM botanical, passion fruit and lemongrass, maple and yuzu pearls The low-down: What makes this cocktail so sippable is its premium ingredients: the #1 rated Gin in the World by The Spirit Journal, Fords Gin was created by UK mixologist Simon Ford. Redefining the artisan Italian vermouth category, the Mancino Bianco Ambrato is made by mixologist Giancarlo Mancino.

Location: W Retreat Koh Samui The mix: Gold rum, chili, fresh sugarcane juice, lime, tabasco, honey, soda and mint leaves The low-down: Combining the flavors of Thailand and Mexico and their mutual love of spice, Boritos Mo-Hee-Toe mixes gold rum with squeezed-toorder sugarcane, fresh limes, chili and mint for a bold, intense yet refreshing cocktail that’s got a kick like a mule.

TERRACOTTA WARRIORS POTION

KINTAMANI ESPRESSO MARTINI

Location: W Guangzhou The mix: Hennessy VSOP Cognac, apricot brandy, banana liqueur, orange & Angostura bitters, clove & cinnamon smoke The low-down: A very special concoction to satisfy the most demanding of tastebuds, this smokin’ cocktail also looks the part. The inherent fragrance of cinnamon and cloves is enhanced by using wood chips to create a powerful sensory experience. Finished with a delicate hit of banana and apricot, the final flourish to this potent potion is a dash of bitters.

Location: W Retreat & Spa Bali – Seminyak The mix: Coffee liqeur, premium vodka and a shot of coffee from Arabica beans grown in Kintamani, Bali The low-down: Kintamani is a Bali don’t-miss, offering a cool panorama of Batur Lake and one of the isle’s active volcanoes.

Grown at 900m above sea level, Arabica beans flourish in the fertile soil of Kintamani producing beans with a sweet aroma of roasted nut, brown sugar and caramel. “Cocktail culture at W Bali not only offers a fun twist on mixology but also a sustainable and authentic mix to the guests,” says Andreas Bergel, B&F Director at W Retreat & Spa Bali – Seminyak.

DETOX MAR-TEA-NI

POMELO DELIGHT

FOREVER PINK (SAI MAI)

Location: W Taipei The mix: Green Tea-infused Belvedere Vodka, Grand Marnier, orange juice, yuzu juice, honey, Sprite The low-down: Overdone it a bit recently? Then order up a W Taipei’s Detox Mar-tea-ni, which, with the chlorophylls from the green tea, vitamin from the orange and yuzu juice, and glucose from the honey, means you can feel almost virtuous while you sip.

Alternatively order up a Bees Knees, which also features honey from W Taipei’s rooftop beehives.

Location: W Hong Kong The mix: Pomelo, ginger beer, mint leaves, scoop of ice, scoop of lime sherbet The low-down: To reflect the fun and fresh vibe of summer, W Hong Kong’s KITCHEN has mixed up the perfect drink – Pomelo Delight. Blending extract of tropical citrus fruit pomelo with ginger beer and mint leaves, it delivers a drink that’s both refreshing and juicy.

Together with scoops of ice and lime sherbet it’s an alluring antidote to the summer heat.

Cheers!

Location: W Bangkok The mix: Apple infused vodka peach schnapps, apple juice, lime, melon-flavored cotton candy The low-down: The essence of Thailand in liquid form, Sai Mai – also known as Forever Pink – has become an Instagram hit.

Thanks to its photogenic status.

The cotton candy melts in the drink, and guests refer to it as the best selfie prop ever.

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WED LIKE A CELEB

Want a wedding fit for the pages of a fashion mag? At W HONG KONG, blissful brides and gorgeous grooms get behind the lens for a celeb-style photoshoot posing by fantastical art pieces and the dramatic mosaic wall at WET on the 76th floor. Fashion plates can then say “I do” amid the hurray of guests in the Great Room, which is adorned with three Chinese knot chandeliers and electrifying lighting effects for a radiant red carpet moment. Pre-ceremony, brides can prepare to look the best they ever have with a bridal shower at BLISS SPA while grooms can grab their besties for a rock star post-wedding-party at WOOBAR, where a private VIP room awaits.

SUNKISSED CELEBRATION

Ditch the formal dress and stiff reception for a barefoot beachside ceremony and first kiss overlooking the Indian Ocean at W RETREAT & SPA BALI – SEMINYAK. Catering for up to 20 of your nearest and dearest, The Yes, Yes, Yes package includes a two-night stay in a Marvelous One Bedroom Pool Villa, hair-do & makeup for the bride and 90-minute massage for bride and groom at the AWAY SPA, plus an hour’s free flow of beer, juices, wine and mineral water for up to 20. Most importantly, there’s two bottles of Champagne for toasting. Inviting more friends and fam to share your big moment? Then choose the FOREVER AFTER package for up to 30 guests, which includes all of the above plus a one-night stay in a Spectacular Ocean Facing Retreat.

A BLISSED-OUT WEDDING AT W RETREAT & SPA BALI – SEMINYAK

MARVELOUS ONE BEDROOM POOL VILLA AT W RETREAT & SPA BALI – SEMINYAK

CFDA FASHION INCUBATOR ORLEY AT W HONG KONG

WHAT’S NEW/NEXT IN FASHION

SWEET SEOUL From the vintage grandeur of Beijing to the frenetic neon-lit streets of Hong Kong, there was much to inspire designers on our series of Fashion Incubator trips organised with the COUNCIL OF FASHION DESIGNERS OF AMERICA (CFDA). Menswear brand ORLEY, which comprises siblings Matthew, Alex and Samantha, got among the skyscrapers of the world’s most vertical city, while accessories talent SARAH LAW and womenswear designer MISHA NONOO sought inspiration in Beijing’s exhilarating mix of old and new.

Cool down this summer at W Seoul – Walkerhill’s W MARKET ICE, a signature buffetstyle dessert happening at WOOBAR, where cutting-edge culinary creations are set to electrify taste buds. Order up a lentil crepe filled with apple, pineapple and mixed nuts, nibble hand-made macaroons and sample signature delights such as Passion Fruit Pudding and Pistachio Red Currant Mousse.

Best of all is the Woobingsu collection, the shaved ice dessert bar, where dessert fiends can dig into the Original Milk Woobingsu with red bean paste, Yogurt Berry Woobingsu, and Mango Woobingsu with coconut wafer and hand-made W macaroons. Indian dosas add a culinary twist to this iconic ice-cold treat.

BIG NIGHT OUT W GUANGZHOU upped the fashion ante in this up-andcoming Southern Chinese metropolis with a Fashion Night Out that championed five up-and-coming designers in the Pearl River Delta, the only happening of its kind in the region. It also teamed up with Chinese label MO.&CO to host a glitzy ‘POP in MO style’ event, with selected pieces from the brand’s SS 2015 collection on show.

PUTTING THE GLAM IN GUANGZHOU

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GREEN BUZZ Embracing an eco-friendly attitude doesn’t have to mean skimping on style, which is why W has partnered with EKOCYCLE, an eco lifestyle brand from WILL.I.AM and COCA-COLA. Get wrapped up in EKOCYCLE sheets and make use of our MOBILE CHARGER & ACCESSORY VALET (MCAV) on your next stay, ecofriendly in-room items both partly created from recycled plastic bottles.

W Taipei teamed up with the Taiwan Design Center for the CREATIVE EXPO TAIWAN this May to launch a W Lounge at Songshan Cultural Park that featured a sneak peek of the EKOCYCLE products, which will be available in W Hotel rooms around the world. W TAIPEI has also launched Sweet Award, the first urban beekeeping initiative in Taiwan, with six beehives now in residence at its rooftop to help boost the dwindling bee population. This home-grown nectar will be the headline ingredient in the Bees Knees cocktail and Honey Cheese Cake, and some honey will be donated to the Syin-lu Social Welfare Foundation.

W TAIPEI’S BEES KNEES COCKTAIL FEATURES HONEY FROM THE HOTEL’S BEEHIVES

W BANGKOK AND THE HOUSE ON SATHORN

BANGKOK STYLE In a bid to uncover the designers of the future, W BANGKOK sponsored cutting edge design fair ASIA TALENTS, which championed 30 diverse design studios located in nine Asian countries. Tim Wigmore and Rebecca Asquith of New Zealand’s DESIGNTREE COLLECTIVE won the W Bangkok Award for its innovative Frankie lighting collection and Chamfer (stools & coffee tables) at the show. To further underline its commitment to hot local design talent, W Bangkok commissioned cell chairs and lamps from celebrated Thai design studio ANON PAIROT to conjure up a cool look for its café and theater.

W Bangkok is poised to receive a dash of heritage glam with the addition of THE HOUSE ON SATHORN, a 120-year-old revamped colonial mansion located within the premises of the hotel. With a signature restaurant, courtyard, bar and club lounge, this multi-purpose space features inspired menus from Culinary Director FATIH TUTAK, last seen in the kitchens of the Michelin-recognised Bellbrook Hong Kong. This one-of-a-kind multi-destination venue also features four hospitality suites and additional private function spaces for stylish meetings.

ASIA TALENTS DESIGN FAIR

MR HAS DJ GIO

KELLY KELLAM

PUT A SPIN ON IT W’s ground-breaking global music collective is made up of industry pros from around the world. Behind the sonic direction of the AsiaPacific region is music director MR. HAS, who also oversees the tunes at W SINGAPORE – SENTOSA COVE. A key figure on the Singaporean music scene, DJ Has runs his own digital label, Rawjak. Mr. Has arrives at W Hotels following a four-year stint as Music Director for Singapore’s Lo & Behold Group, whose bars and restaurants include The White Rabbit, OverEasy, Loof and Tanjong Beach Club. Renowned for his ineffable style, Mr. Has has previously collaborated with Prada and Dior and is also on Mr. Porter’s Style Council, a gathering of the world’s most stylish and connected men, which also includes Hugh Jackman and Pharrell Williams.

DAMIAN SAINT

SONA EYAMBE

W HONG KONG music curator FLORA YTW plays house, techno and everything in between, and she’s entertained crowds in London, New York, Tokyo, Ibiza and Copenhagen. From the UK, she curated the music section of hip Brit mag Dazed and Confused.

KELLY KELLAM, a.k.a. Kellam, was a fixture on the underground dance music scene in New York and is music curator/resident DJ at W RETREAT KOH SAMUI. His dynamic sound ranges from warm sunrise sessions with a deep melodic groove, to dark funky grooved deep tech house. Whether it’s sunset on the beach or 3am in a warehouse, he will have you tuned into the moment with tunes that capture the vibe.

DJ LAUNA FEN

FLORA YTW

W RETREAT & SPA BALI – SEMINYAK’S music curator, DAMIAN SAINT delivers blissed-out house beats on the Indonesian isle. Formerly the tour manager and opening act for house supremo Sebastien Leger, Damian’s in demand as a remixer when he’s not behind the decks.

US actor and music producer, SONA EYAMBE is also music curator at W TAIPEI under the handle DJ Sona, who made his DJ debut at the hotel this May with his blissed-out selection of house.

Korean/Belgian electronica master DJ GIO Vanhoutte, a winner of W HOTELS BURN DJ LAB competition in 2012, curates W SEOUL – WALKERHILL’S tunes. DJ Gio started out mixing up electronic beats in Belgium, and was resident DJ at Lime Club, DecaDance and Culture Club in Gent.

Music curator at W GUANGZHOU, DJ LAUNA FEN serves up funky beats in this up-and-coming Chinese city.

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