January 2019

Southeast asia

Bali

january 2019

where the cool kids hang

Where To Go in

2019 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

Your next trip to Japan sorted

T+L WORLD’S BEST AWARDS 2019

VOTE FOR YOUR TRAVEL FAVORITES TLWorldsBest.com/intl

vote now!

For your favorite hotels, resorts, cities, airlines, cruise lines and destinations you love—in the only truly global travel survey that matters.

Dear Travel+Leisure Southeast Asia readers, Readers of all global editions of Travel+Leisure will participate in the awards, so this is your chance for Southeast Asia’s voice to be heard.

So visit TLWorldsBest.com/intl and tell us exactly what you think. The full global results will be published in our August issue.

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We trust you. We trust your judgement. That’s why we want you to rate our global travel experiences for us, in the Travel+Leisure World’s Best Awards, now through March 4, 2019. These awards are recognized as travel’s highest honor, so it’s time to give back to those hotels, resorts, cities, airlines, cruise lines and destinations you love the most.

January

c ontents

features

66

The Other Side of India With Kolkata as their base, Rollo Romig and his family travel from the Himalayan foothills to the palmfringed Andaman Islands. Photograghed

by Sean Fennessy

74

74 80 66 86

Enter the Dragon A new luxury cruise offers top-flight treatment in Halong Bay. Eloise Basuki embarks on a voyage in north Vietnam that proves to be like no other. Photographed

by Leigh Griffiths

80

c l o c k w i s e f r o m t o p l e f t: L e i g h G r i f f i ths ; L o g a n H i l l ; E M M A H ARDY; S e a n F e n n e ss y

Northern Exposure On a Game of Thrones-themed photography tour of rugged Iceland, Logan Hill reveals a new way of seeing this popular destination.

86

Where the Desert Takes You Namibia is known for some of the most inhospitable places on earth. Yet, on a tour of new lodges, Peter Browne finds landscapes brimming with life.

Photographed by Emma Hardy

ON THE COVER

The private pool of a penthouse suite at COMO Uma Canggu, Bali.

Photographed by Stephan Kotas.

Model: Alexandra Kaczmarek.

tr av el andleisure asia .com / january 2019

7

c ontents In Every Issue

T+L Digital 10 Contributors 12 The Conversation 14 Editor’s Note 16 Deals 61 Wish You Were Here 106

Been to the Mergui? Didn’t think so. Less-visited locales like this Burmese archipelago and the Danish Riviera join perennially popular places in revival—such as Bangkok and Brisbane—on our list of 19 great excuses to plan this year’s vacations now.

32 Beach-town Boutique With a

prolific population of creative, locally minded cool kids, surf town Canggu is the place to be in Bali this minute.

38 Paint the Town The streets of

India’s biggest cities are becoming life-sized canvases for a growing street-art movement.

42 National Treasure The French Polynesian island of Raiatea is home to one of the world’s

rarest blooms. A hot pursuit of it through dense jungle might just be the sweatiest hike of your life.

48 Off-Campus Dining It’s better

know for its universities than its restaurants, but, these days, Cambridge, Massachuetts, has a dining scene to rival Boston’s.

50 Out West, Down Under On the shores of Western Australia, once-sleepy Perth is coming of age as a new culinary and creative destination.

Special 97 Japan The Land of the Rising

Sun, with its ancient customs and unforgettable culinary experiences, is the world’s fastest-growing travel destination. Our travel guide— encompassing the best ryokans, nature and culture tours, secret highlights, and more—will help you craft your dream trip.

51 From Beats to Boutiques

Known for its nightlife and gritty, free-spirited vibe, the Kreuzberg district of Berlin has begun to attract a more grown-up crowd.

52 Cable Ready Is there a more

thrilling way to take to the air than on a gondola?

32

8

Upgrade 55 Value Added Long layovers don’t have to be a drag when you know about the free transit tours offered by some of Asia’s busiest airports. Plus: how to get a layflat bed in coach; the latest news in hotel loyalty programs; and Martha Stewart’s packing tips.

january 2019 / tr av el andleisure asia .com

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97

f r o m l e f t: S t e p h a n K o ta s ; n atash a m o u stac h e / c o u rt esy o f pa mm y ’ s ; p r a n av g o h i l ; S h o u ya G r i g g / C o u rt esy o f Z a b o r i n

21 Reasons To Travel in 2019

t+ L di g ita l

+

Lookout

discover these Unspoiled Islands in the South Pacific Far, far off the beaten path, the Marquesas are for those who crave adventure, seclusion and truly stunning scenery.

Why Jak artans Are Flocking to Bandung With a remarkable blend of history, and Art Deco architecture, this Indonesian highlands enclave is wellworth exploring.

Into the Heart of Uluru This haunting, crimson Australian landscape, held sacred by the Anangu people, holds an air of mysticism, and offers new reasons to visit.

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january 2019 / tr av el andleisure asia .com

tleditor@ mediatransasia.com

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f r o m l e f t: j u l i e n g i r a r d o t; r i c k o f e r n a n d o ; sh a a n a m c n a u g ht/ t o u r i sm n t

this month on tr avel andleisureasia.com

The best new openings of 2018; check out the inaugural Bangkok Art Biennale; introducing Melbourne’s newest boutique hotel; why you should go surfing in Siargao now; and more.

Paradise Awaits

Experience a tropical haven south of the Philippines. Home to unique food, amazing landscapes, abundant flora and fauna, turquoise waters and fine, white sand beaches, the Davao region offers a glimpse of exciting attractions waiting to be discovered in Mindanao.

Samal Island, Davao Photo Credit: Christian Sangoyo For more information, please email info@tpb.gov.ph #tpbphl #tpbgovph

c ontributors

1

2

Leigh Griffiths

Rachna Sachasinh

“Enter the Dragon” Page 74 — “Eight years ago on a cliché backpacking trip in Southeast Asia with my mates, Halong Bay was on the list. As cheap bachelors, we took the party boat. We met lots of people, drank lots of Vietnamese whiskey and slept through the morning. On the luxury President Cruises ship, a big contrast was the freedom to choose what to do with my time—kayaking or drinking on a sunbed, for example. The staff were clearly having a good time, which rubbed off on the passengers and helped create a joyful experience...

As did watching the giant jellyfish glide by while we sat fishing with bamboo rods.”

Instagram: @leighgriffithslens.

“Reasons to Travel in 2019” and “Paint the Town” Pages 21 and 38 — “India is a nostalgic place; in many ways it’s lodged in the past. But St+art shows a clever and contemporary slice. Their murals bridge social classes and recast the spotlight on neglected, but historically significant urban villages.”

Three places you need to visit: “Hoi An Ancient Town is a happy, easy-going place. Those saffron façades. Uttarakhand is full-on, no-fuss, funeralpyre India. But now it’s much easier to travel and travel well here. As for Komodo, I’m totally sold on the liveaboard phinisi. This is one of the most tranquil and gorgeous spots on Earth.” Instagram: @rachna_sachasinh.

3

4

Adam H. Graham

Stephan Kotas

“National Treasure” Page 42 — In Raiatea, Graham hiked Mount Temehani with guide Tahi, who lived in France and French Polynesia. Skilled and cosmopolitan “he has the laidback humor and patience of a Polynesian with a soupçon of French hubris. The trail we took up is punishing and not as breezy as it looks! It got the best of me. But, the hibiscusfilled rock pool at the bottom was magazine-cover perfect. I would not do the hike again, but I’d go back to that pool in a heartbeat.” One last reason to visit? “Poisson cru, lobster in vanilla sauce, fresh fruit and roadside sea urchin vendors make this an undiscovered culinary paradise, too.”

Instagram: @adamgraham.

“Beach-town Boutique” Page 32 — “Canggu is the most dynamic neighborhood in Bali. The best way to start a day is a sunrise surf session, then an amazing café breakfast at Shady Shack or Crate. Nasi campur at Bu Mi is lunch. Sunset is time for cocktails; my faves are COMO Beach House and La Brisa. For dinner, it’s on to Ji or Betel Nut. The night has only started: try my favorite drink, the whisky sour at Tygr, then depending on the day, we can party at Pretty Poison, Deus or Old Man’s.” Next hotspot? “I like the vibe of Joshua District, a new, upcoming community hub with a café, restaurant, yoga studio and art events in the middle of rice fields.”

Instagram: @stephankotas.

1

2

W r i t er

3

12

4

W r i t eR

P h o to gr a p h er

f r o m t o p : c o u r t e s y o f l e i g h g r i f f i ths ; c o u r t e s y o f r a c h n a s a c h a s i n h ; c o u r t e s y o f a d a m h . g r a h a m ; c o u r t e s y o f st e p h a n k o ta s

P h o to gr a p h er

DREAMERS, EXPLORERS, WANDERERS...

At Four Seasons, we create beautiful resort settings that allow time for the things that really matter. We're here to help craft a captivating getaway: one smile, one connection, one moment at a time.

Hoi An, Vietnam

Selfie Drones

Selfie Check-in

The world’s first autonomous flying drone was unveiled last year by Skydio. The auto-piloted drone recognizes your face, body and clothing, so it can follow you around as you film. This year, Skydio is working on updating their technology so the drones can also make un-piloted deliveries.

Get to your room faster when staying at Grand Park City Hall in Singapore, the flagship is the first of the Park Hotel Group’s properties to install facial recognition technology for immediate check-in when you arrive. Skip the queue, download the hotel’s app, take a quick selfie, and a digital room key will be sent straight to your phone.

No Selfie Sticks Allowed Those ubiquitous arm extenders are now banned at many of the world’s most frequented sites.

Ditch your stick before you head to Kyoto’s Gion district, Beijing’s Forbidden City, the Colosseum in Rome, inside the Sydney Opera House and even at the happiest place on earth, Disneyland.

14

Brunch in the bath at Tugu Bali.

By @jktshootandgram.

The skies light up in Chiang Mai. By @awandereratheart.

Stoking the fire of the traditional irori in Japan. By @kateshi89.

Shelfie We’re on board with this wholesome offshoot: take a photo of your bookshelf or magazine pile and post it to your social feed with #shelfie. Make sure T+L is on top for bonus points!

january 2019 / tr av el andleisure asia .com

A warm welcome on the top of Mount Bromo. By @rutindri.

Share an Instagram photo by using the #TLAsia hashtag, and it may be featured in an upcoming issue. Follow @travelandleisureasia

i l lu st r at i o n by Ch ot i k a S o p i ta r c h asa k

Love it or hate it, the #selfie is an inescapable fixture of modernday travel. Since the term became Oxford English Dictionary’s “Word of the Year” back in 2013, the act of snapping a quick selfportrait in front of [insert landmark here] has grown to have its own International Day (June 21), spurring smartphone brands to install in-built “beauty” filters for optimal face-flaunting. Cafés are now pouring “selfie lattes,” and Google can even match your noggin to an artwork from its extensive museum database. Six years later, the craze is only getting more ubiquitous. Below, what’s on the horizon for global self-absorption in 2019.

Winter in Asia is a great time to commune with nature; here are a few of your coziest shots from this season.

#TLASIA

t h e c onversation

editor ’ s note

W

Penthouse views at Alila Seminyak.

From My Travels

@CKucway chrisk@mediatransasia.com

16

d ec e m b e r 2 0 1 8 / t r av e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m

f r o m l e f t: I r fa n S a m a r t d e e ; c h r i st o p h e r k u c way

As an editor of a travel magazine, I’m asked this more often than the Asian standard, “have you eaten yet?” This year and last, the query has become a doubly tough start to any conversation. I never want to suggest that a particular Hong Kong restaurant I dine in this week is better than the Balinese breakfast place I stopped at last, yet the bigger problem is that there are just so many new hotels and resorts and restaurants and bars opening up around our region, the options really are mind-boggling. If we in Asia were spoiled for choice before, we’re now headed into unchartered territory when it comes to travel. There’s a new, must-see address to check out almost every week.

So to kick off the new year, we highlight 19 places that have us especially excited (“Reasons to Travel in 2019,” page 21). In the coming months, around Asia alone, Raffles Singapore reopens; always-popular Bangkok sees a host of new hotels coming online; and Indonesia beckons with small-ship cruises galore. Farther afield, there are also great things happening in Brisbane, Oman, Nairobi and my hometown of Toronto.

Also featured in this issue are two countries I would love to visit—Iceland (“Northern Exposure,” page 80) and Namibia (“Where the Desert Takes You,” page 86). Oh, the places you’ll go this year. here’s your favorite new hotspot?

When you are casually invited to lunch at the penthouse of Alila Seminyak (alilahotels.com), there’s no need to think, just go. Four floors above the sweep of beach in this popular corner of Bali, beside an infinity pool and out of the glare of the midday sun, the ample Middle Eastern spread set before us could have lasted until dinner—except my afternoon was a string of meetings at the inaugural Further East, an illuminating event showcasing premium hotels, resorts and tours around Asia. For its part, Alila is counting on new addresses in Sri Lanka, Bali, Hangzhou and Nha Trang, among other stops on the map.

editor-in-chief art director Deput y editor Features editor senior DEsigner

Christopher Kucway Wannapha Nawayon Jeninne Lee-St. John Eloise Basuki Chotika Sopitarchasak

Regul ar contributors / photogr aphers Cedric Arnold, Kit Yeng Chan, Marco Ferrarese, Duncan Forgan, Lauryn Ishak, Grace Ma, Morgan Ommer, Aaron Joel Santos, Scott A. Woodward, Stephanie Zubiri chairman president publishing director publishER digital media manager TRAFFIC MANAGER / deputy DIGITAL media manager sales director busines s de velopment manager regional manager chief financial officer production manager circul ation as sistant

J.S. Uberoi Egasith Chotpakditrakul Rasina Uberoi-Bajaj Robert Fernhout Pichayanee Kitsanayothin Varin Kongmeng Kin Kamarulzaman Leigha Proctor Paul Adams Gaurav Kumar Nuttha Tangpetch Yupadee Saebea

TRAVEL+LEISURE (USA) Editor-in-Chief Senior Vice President, News, Luxury, st yle

Jacqueline Gifford Meredith Long

meredith partnerships, LICENSING & syndication (syndication@meredith.com) Busines s affairs director director, licensing oper ations editorial director e xecutive director, content management

Tom Rowland Richard Schexnider Jack Livings Paul Ordonez

meredith Chairman and ceo president and coo chief content officer e xecutive vice presidents

Steve Lacy Tom Harty Alan Murray Brad Elders, Lauren Ezrol Klein

tr avel+leisure southeast asia Vol. 13, Issue 1 Travel+Leisure Southeast Asia is published monthly by Media Transasia Limited, 1603, 16/F, Island Place Tower, 510 King’s Road, North Point, Hong Kong.

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REASONS TRAVEL january 2019

TO

in 2019

19 pl aces worth pl anning a trip around this year The Sea Gipsy docks at uninhabited islands around the Mergui Archipelago.

1 Now’s the time to no.

book a trip to this long-lost island paradise.

Ph D av oto i d Va C rne d irti eTss e ec kh aye

The remote and undeveloped Mergui Archipelago in Burma’s part of the Andaman Sea has more to offer than just a cruise from afar. As the government begins to hand out more hotel licenses, a few new resorts now offer island stays to help explore this pristine region.

Go now, before the word gets out.

By Joe Cummings

*Prices listed are in U.S. dollars for ease of comparison.

tr av el andleisure asia .com / january 2019

21

reasons to trave l in 2 0 1 9

Scattered like uncut jewels across the Andaman Sea off Burma’s

southern coast, the 800 islands, atolls and coral reefs of the Mergui Archipelago form one of the least-visited marine destinations on earth.

The thickly forested islands, most blissfully uninhabited, are rimmed by crystal beaches and striking rock formations. Stilted fishing villages, shifting settlements of indigenous Moken or “sea gypsy” families, and a few Burmese naval camps occupy only a handful of plots of land.

Such isolation means the archipelago harbors a great diversity of flora and fauna, still largely uncatalogued, and some of the finest diving in Asia. Until recently the Burmese government zealously guarded this living treasure, allowing only registered liveaboard boats to cruise through—no overnight stays on the islands allowed.

However, since 2011 the government has granted licenses for the development of resorts on 12 islands, following the Maldives’ model of only one per island. So far four are open and operating, but only November to April, when boat transport from Kawthaung, a rustic port at Burma’s southernmost tip, is unhindered by seasonal monsoons. The best diving conditions occur December to April, with whale sharks and manta rays visiting from February to May. With 10 spacious bungalows hidden well behind the natural tree-line on Nga Khin Nyo Gyee Island west of the archipelago, Boulder Bay Eco-Resort (boulderasia.com; doubles from $240 per person) provides a model for low-impact development in the region.

A solar farm powers the lights and Wi-Fi, while water is pumped from a local spring. Trails venture through tangled island forest to five pristine coral-fringed coves around the island, as well as a bamboo forest and Eagle Rock viewpoint. Meals, boat transfers and the use of snorkeling and kayaking gear are included in the tariff.

Boulder Bay’s owners operate the Sea Gipsy (islandsafarimergui. com; doubles from $860 per person), a converted Burmese junk with open-air sleeping areas for 10, to transfer guests from Kawthaung to the resort, stopping at deserted islands for snorkeling and kayaking along the way. Belgian photographer David Van Driessche uses the Sea Gipsy as home base for his Expeditions in Photography (expeditionsinphotography.com) tours of the archipelago.

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january 2019 / tr av el andleisure asia .com

Further north, Wa Ale Island Resort (waale resort.com; doubles from $500 per person) occupies the rugged south shore of Wa Ale Island, adjacent to Lanbi Island, home to Burma’s only national marine park. Eleven luxury tented villas line one-kilometer Turtle Beach, named for the giant sea turtles whose nests are protected by the resort. Past a rocky headland from Turtle Beach, a smaller cove harbors two treetop villas made from recycled timber, and the resort’s rustic yet elegant dining area. Chef Ray Wyatt, a veteran of African safari camps, whips up an everchanging menu using fresh produce from the resort’s garden and sustainably caught local seafood. The resort’s resident naturalist doubles as a guide for treks and kayaking.

Two hours by speedboat from Kawthaung, another barefoot luxury resort, Awei Pila (aweipila.com; doubles from $750), opened last month on Pila Island with 24 air-conditioned tented villas fronting a white-sand beach, open-air restaurant, spa and pool. Pila Island features a small village with a Buddhist temple and a beach-shack bar with pool table. Awei Pila is connected to Burma Boating (burma boating.com), a cruise fleet that includes luxury yachts for multi-day island explorations.

If you need to stop in Kawthaung, Victoria Cliff Hotel & Resort (victoriacliff.com; doubles from $84) has cliffside villas with views of the Andaman, while Grand Andaman Hotel (grand andamanisland.com; doubles from $93), famed for its relatively upscale casino, is on Thahtay Island, a short boat ride from the port.

Pristine marine life thrives in this untouched part of the world.

Dav i d Va n d r i ess c h e ( 2 )

An evening cruise on the Sea Gipsy.

2 Hong Kong’s heritage hub no.

The Dispensary’s 1997 Punch, mixes whisky, passion fruit and more.

The cathedral in Matera dates to 1270.

has become the hottest place to eat and drink.

It opened last year as an arts-and-culture center in Hong Kong’s old Victoria Police Station, but, let’s be honest, the real reason we’ll be heading to heritage-space Tai Kwun (taikwun.hk) is for the fare. The spot in Central has now opened 13 of its F&B outlets, and they are as pretty as they are tasty. A trio of upscale outfits by Aqua Restaurant Group are the latest: try regional cuisine at The Chinese Library or a modern British menu at Statement, while lounge bar The Dispensary bridges the two literally and with its East-meets-West line-up. They’re in good company with Behind Bars (a drinkery in the old jail), Aaharn and Old Bailey, with more to come. — Eloise Basuki

4 Sleep in the ancient no.

3 Get inspired by c l o c k w i s e f r o m t o p : c o u r t e s y o f T h e D i s p e n s a r y; D A B a r n e s /A l a m y S t o c k Ph o t o ; D e s i g n P i c s I n c /A l a m y S t o c k Ph o t o

no.

caves of Matera, Italy.

Traditional jewelry making at a bead workshop at Kazuri.

the art scene in Nairobi.

Most travelers who book a trip to Kenya head out straight for a safari in the Masai Mara, but it’s worth spending time in Nairobi to explore the capital’s growing creative scene. Check in to the intimate hotel OneFortyEight Giraffe Sanctuary (one-forty-eight.com; doubles from $495 per person), set in a former artist’s home and studio, where original art hangs on the walls and owner Elizabeth Fusco runs an on-site boutique. A few kilometers away, the bead workshop Kazuri (kazuri.com) employs more than 340 women who craft colorful beads, jewelry and ceramics by hand. Watch artists at work at the GoDown Arts Centre

(thegodownartscentre.com), and visit Designing Africa Collective (fb.com/ designing​africacollective) for apparel by makers from across the continent.

— Mary Holl and

Set on the instep of Italy’s boot, Matera is best known for the white Sassi structures carved into its limestone hills, which earned the town a unesco designation. The announcement four years ago that Matera would be a 2019 European Capital of Culture signaled a new era, spurring hotel and restaurant openings and culminating in this year’s festivities. Don’t miss the museum Casa Noha (fondoambiente.it/ casa-noha-eng), where a multimedia exhibit gives a glimpse of the city’s past.

The tour operator Divertimento Group (divertimentogroup.com) can arrange an experience in Murgia National Park, where you’ll go on a foraging trek with a local farmer, then share a gourmet meal in a cave next to an ancient rupestrian (i.e., made out of rock) church. Bed down at the Aquatio Cave Luxury Hotel & Spa (aquatio​ hotel.com; doubles from $205), which opened last summer with 35 guest rooms, each in a restored Sassi cave, plus a spa and pool built in a ninth-century subterranean chamber. — Nina Hahn

tr av el andleisure asia .com / january 2019

23

reasons to trave l in 2 0 1 9

5 Bangkok is sleeping and no.

eating better than ever.

By Jeninne Lee-St. John

Raffles Singapore opened its doors back in 1887.

A first-look rendering of the new urban resort, Capella Bangkok.

(mandarinoriental.com; doubles from $545) will commence a nextgeneration-luxe spiffing up of its River Wing come March.

Between these two divas, Capella (capellahotels.com) saunters into town with its locally slanted, boutique signature: expect a lowrise, greenery-draped urban resort that feels like a clubhouse for the well-heeled in-the-know. The fine dining restaurant will be a coastal Mediterranean affair from Michelin two-starred Mauro Colagreco, of Mirazur in France; the flirty bar will serve cocktails and desserts personalized to your whims. Each of the 101 rooms, suites and villas comes with generous outdoor living space—balconies, gardens, plunge pools—from which to admire the Chao Phraya River views.

If you ever do venture off property, the Michelin Guide’s new starholders alone will feed you for a week. Tip: start with the creatively haute, refreshingly unpretentious Thai stylings of Sorn (instagram. com/sornfinesouthern; tasting menu $82), Saawaan (saawaan.com; tasting menu $60) and Le Du (ledubkk.com; tasting menus from $70).

6 Singapore’s grande dame is reopening no.

soon, with Crazy Rich menus to boot.

After a two-year renovation, the new Raffles Singapore (rafflessingapore.com; doubles from $780) will reopen this summer not just bigger and better, but with dining venues by some of the world’s top chefs. As well as introducing luxe new rooms, including the one- and two- bedroom Residence suites, plus a 300guest ballroom, the iconic heritage hotel will offer a slew of modern culinary concepts. Acclaimed chef Alain Ducasse will revive the 122-year-old Bar & Billiard Room with a Mediterranean menu at BBR by Alain Ducasse, and threeMichelin-starred French chef Anne-Sophie Pic will debut in Asia with her new restaurant, Le Dame de Pic. Yì by Jereme Leung will adapt classical Chinese cuisine; North Indian food will be served at the refurbished Tiffin Room; and Long Bar will pour an updated Singapore Sling, with Widges Gin and Scrappy’s Spice Plantation Bitters, both made exclusively for the hotel. — e.B.

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january 2019 / tr av el andleisure asia .com

f r o m to p : c o u rt esy o f ca p e l l a ; c o u rt esy o f r a f f l es S i n ga p o r e

This year is primed to be a big one for Bangkok, with the impending arrivals of a few favoritebrand five-stars.... bolstered by a reinvigorated Thai-cuisine scene that’s raking in the stars.

Rosewood (rosewoodhotels.com), in the midst of an expansionist flurry, stakes its claim to the city center with a tower that evokes the Thai wai hand greeting, is topped by sky villas with private pools, and, in a traffic-choked city, has a godsend highway-adjacent placement— it’s a breeze to the airport. Down the road is the sunlit, northern Thai–inspired Hyatt Regency Sukhumvit (hyatt.com; doubles from $192), where a new skywalk will link guests with the SkyTrain, and former street-food cooks crank authentic local fare out of the open kitchen.

On the river, Four Seasons (fourseasons.com) is going big with its Bangkok comeback. The ambitious hotel-and-residences development is betting on a years-in-the-making riverfront revival that was punctuated most powerfully by last fall’s glam-slam opening of Iconsiam (iconsiam.com), Thailand’s swankiest mall with the country’s first Takashimaya store. In this glittering light, it makes perfect sense that neighboring grande dame Mandarin Oriental

7 Prague’s culinary map is c l o c k w i s e f r o m t o p : Aksh ay S h a r m a ; c o u r t e s y o f b e l m o n d ; V o j t e c h T e s á r e k

no.

expanding, and foodie travelers are paying attention.

Not long ago, goulash and strudel dominated nearly every menu in Prague. But lately, a dynamic dining landscape has taken shape, with spots like the 17-seat chef’s-table restaurant Taro (taro.cz; tasting menus from $39), where Vietnamese dishes like pho are treated with reverence. Ambiente, the group behind many of the city’s most innovative kitchens, recently launched Kuchyň (kuchyn. ambi.cz; mains $11–$15).

There, diners order after taking a whiff from the pots on the stove, and what

lands on the plate are riffs on Czech classics, such as beef braised in red wine.

Sister spot Grils (grilskarlin.cz; mains $5–$18) specializes in spit-roasted chicken, unadorned yet perfect. And another Ambiente joint, the all-day bakery and bistro Eska (eska.ambi.cz; mains $12–$31), is a must: a slice of wood-fired sourdough, a bowl of comforting leek soup, and a parsnip bathed in brown butter are proof that Prague is now a legitimate destination for serious eaters.

— R aphael K adushin

Fresh duck rolls from fine Asian restaurant Taro.

The mountaininspired suites of Kumaon.

8 Luxury stays in Uttarakhand have no.

taken northern India to the next level.

Often called the Land of Gods, India’s northern state of Uttarakhand is dotted with ancient temples, hill stations, snowcapped peaks, and is home to some of Hinduism’s holiest cities. New upmarket lodgings means ample choice for a plush stay, including the Taj Rishikesh Resort & Spa, Uttarakhand (taj​hotels.com; doubles from $261) and the Roseate Ganges Rishikesh (roseate​hotels.com; doubles from $413), both ultraluxe, nature-filled retreats along the Ganges. Near the Tibetan border, the 10-suite Kumaon (thekumaon.com; doubles from $180) blends tropical modernism with stark Himalayan contours. Book a trek with Village Ways (village​ways.com; from $1,707 for 11 nights) and you can meander through terraced valleys and pristine wilderness, bed down in village guesthouses, or camp on a bugyal, an alpine meadow. — R.S.

9 Go vineyardno.

hopping in France.

Alsace, in the foothills of the Vosges Mountains, produces some of the finest wines on the globe. The stunning Villa René Lalique

(villarenelalique.com; doubles from $340), whose restaurant has two Michelin stars (mains $47–$143, tasting menus from $170), is the ideal place to start a sojourn. Visit top wineries like Domaine Weinbach

(domaineweinbach.com) and Maison Trimbach (trimbach.fr)

for exceptional Gewürztraminers and Rieslings. At Au Trotthus

The Belmond’s Lilas barge.

(trotthus.com; mains $27–$40, tasting menus from $74), in Riquewihr, chef Philippe Aubron melds ingredients from France and Japan—think chanterelle soup with enoki and truffles.

Luxury travelers can also see Burgundy and its vineyards by boat: the Belmond Lilas, offers private cruises (belmond.com; prices available upon request). — R ay Isle

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10 Go off-the-beaten-sailing-route on no.

these luxe liveaboards in Indonesia.

New sailing companies are reimagining traditional boats into high-end cruises for intrepid island-hopping.

By Rachna Sachasinh The Banda Sea, smack in the middle of the Indonesian archipelago and home to the remote Raja Ampat, Spice and Komodo islands, may be the closest thing to Heaven on Earth. A galaxy of verdant islands twinkle like stars in azure waters. Pink-sand beaches, colored by indigenous red coral, circle volcanic atolls like galactic rings. Cosmic sunsets streak in unseen shades of violet and fuchsia. As the meeting point of the warm, tropical Indian and Pacific Ocean currents, it’s one of the planet’s richest marine biodiversity sites, brimming with kaleidoscopic sealife and lined with stretches of pristine reefs.

Getting here used to take Robinson Crusoe–like gumption, but the debut of a few luxe liveaboard yachts makes it easier and irresistible.

One of Prana by Atzaro’s nine elegant suites.

The four-deck Prana

by Atzaro is modeled on a traditional Sulawesi phinisi.

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With their boat modeled on the Sulawesi phinisi—a traditional two-mast ironwood and teak sailing vessel with a handsome silhouette that has the wide hull of a dhow and the elegant lines of a western schooner—glamorous Rascal Voyages (rascalvoyages.com; doubles from $9,500) signals the next generation of these traditional yachts. Their 30-meter craft, whose five above-deck suites, all outfitted by Charles Orchard of iBal Designs, Bali’s hottest interior designer, delivers a five-star floating boutiquehotel experience. On-board naturalists, yogis and dive instructors plus pro scuba, snorkeling and paddleboard gear take the heavy-lifting out of adventure cruising. The more intrepid can take navigation tutorials with the ship’s captain, and join the soon-to-launch scientific reef explorations in Raja Ampat with Conservation International geologists.

The 55-meter Prana by Atzaro (pranaby atzaro.com; doubles from $1,540) phinisi amps up the luxe-factor even further with nine suites draped in flaxen linens and wraparound glass windows, plus private balconies. The ship’s four teak decks are perfect for sunrise yoga, stargazing or jumping into the balmy seas off the coast of the Spice Islands, where fragrant nutmeg, clove and mace plantations unfurl beneath misty, rainforested mountainsides chock-full of bandicoots, civets and rare birds of paradise. Atzaro is based in Ibiza, and renowned for its fabulous farmhouse retreat on the notoriously chic party isle. Here it also brings its culinary chops to high-seas living, with a toothsome gourmet fusion menu.

On board the charming 54-meter Ayana Lako Di’a (ayana.com; doubles from $840) in Indonesia’s Komodo Islands, I had a more extreme version of an island-hopping adventure, though it ultimately turned me into a liveaboard diehard. Offering a just-as-luxe sailing experience with Ayana’s newly opened Komodo resort, the nine-suite phinisi features relaxed interiors with vintage-inspired wood and brass furnishings, a bathtub and sublime rain showers. The indigo batik headboards emulate slivers of the Milky Way, a nod to sleeping under the stars. Docking at Komodo National Park, a New Seven Wonders of Nature, I came face-to-face with a man-eating Komodo dragon who, thankfully, had had already dined.

Back on board, I got back to what modern phinisi cruising is all about: chilling barefoot on smooth teak decks, watching dolphins lope along the starboard and being a castaway in Indonesia’s heavenly seas.

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reasons to trave l in 2 0 1 9

11 This is the year tented camps no.

will inherit the Earth.

Recent months have brought the otherworldly safari pods of Wild Coast Tented Lodge (resplendentceylon.com; doubles from $777) in Yala National Park, Sri Lanka; and the Pavilions Himalayas Lake View (pavilionshotels.com; doubles from $224) tented eco villas in Nepal. On the heels of the new Capella Ubud (capellahotels.com; doubles from $919) in Bali, whose Bill Bensley–designed tents are themed on the jobs and encounters of colonial-era settlers, comes Shinta Mani Wild (shintamani.com; doubles $1,900), his latest and greatest fairy tale come-to-life, which just debuted in the Cambodian jungle. Guests reach the all-inclusive, chop-notrees, community-empowering resort by zipline and can join rangers on anti-poaching patrols. Cambodia is actually a canvas-topped hotspot: see also rustic preservationist Cardamom Tented Camp (from $259 per person for two nights) or super-green The Beige (the-beige.com; doubles from $355) near Angkor. — J.L.S.J.

All 15 tents at Shinta Mani Wild hang over the river.

12 Toronto is offering Modern art c l o c k w i s e f r o m t o p : c o u r t e s y o f S h i n ta M a n i W i l d ; c o u r t e s y o f f i f e a r ms ; T o n i H a f k e n s c h e i d

no.

in a new museum as well as on the shores of Lake Ontario.

The city is raising its art game: the Museum of Contemporary Art Toronto Canada (moca.ca) has reopened after a three-year, $13 million relocation and expansion, and 2019 will see the launch of the Toronto Biennial of Art (toronto​biennial.org; September 21–December 1). Plan a visit around Winter Stations (winter​stations.com; February 18–April 1), which brings public art to Lake Ontario’s beaches, or Nuit Blanche Toronto (nbto.com; October 5), a one-night festival. Check in to one of the many new properties: the Kimpton Saint George (kimpton​saint​george. com; doubles from $239) displays more than 700 works by Canadian artists; the Anndore House (theanndore​house. com; doubles from $167) has in-room record players; and the luxe St. Regis Toronto (st-regis.marriott.com; doubles from $496) brings old-school opulence to the city.

— Hannah Walhout

The Museum of Contemporary Art Toronto Canada has a new home.

The Fife Arms is a restored Victorian coaching inn.

13 Follow the no.

Hollywood trail to Scotland.

While Saoirse Ronan and Margot Robbie are the stars of the recent film Mary Queen of Scots, Scotland’s scenery steals the show. Want to walk in Ronan’s footsteps? The cozy seven-room lodge at Glenfeshie Estate (glenfeshie.scot; two-night rentals from $12,360), where

scenes from Mary were filmed, is available for exclusive rental. In the Highlands village of Braemar, renowned gallery owners Iwan and Manuela Wirth have turned a coaching inn into the luxurious Fife Arms (thefifearms.com; doubles from $325). Between visits to castles and glens, stop in the up-and-coming city of Dundee to check out the new V&A Dundee (vam.ac.uk/ dundee). The museum’s shiplike building, by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, houses more than 300 exhibits devoted to Scottish design, from a re-created Mackintosh tearoom to video games. — Lisa Gr ainger

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The renovated Four Seasons Resort Nam Hai.

14 Historic Hoi An is steering into the future. no.

An influx of creatives is bringing new life to one of Vietnam’s most beautiful ports. are you sick of hoi an? We get it. The Ancient Town, first settled

2,000 years ago, was in 1999 named a unesco World Heritage site, protecting its pagodas, wooden bridges and merchant houses, many built between the 15th and 19th centuries. Ever since, tourists have crowded this historic, romantic (if somewhat kitschy) living museum.

But new shops and restaurants are bringing a contemporary eye to the layered—Chinese, Japanese, Indian, French, Portuguese and Dutch, for starters—culture, warranting a return trip for even the most jaded among us to this central Vietnamese dollhouse of a town.

Didier Corlou was among the first European chefs to work in postwar Vietnam, at Hanoi’s iconic Metropole hotel. Now he is researching the influence of the sea and the spice trade on Hoi An’s culinary practices, like the use of turmeric, cassia and curry leaves.

He serves dishes such as “ocean soup,” a consommé with purple seaweed and ginger, in the leafy courtyard of Cô Mai (comai​hoian. com; mains $4–$10), a repurposed 200-year-old merchant’s house.

Tadioto Hoi An (fb.com/tadiotohoian; sushi sets from $11), owned by artist Nguyen Qui Duc, serves Japanese fare and shots of rare sake and whisky. Nguyen also has a Kyoto-style “eating street” in the works. Nearby, chef Nguyen Nhu Thinh blends traditions he picked up in London and Tokyo at Aubergine 49 (hoian-​aubergine49. com; mains $14–$31, tasting menus from $40). Similar currents

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weave through the menu at The Hill Station (thehill​station.com; mains $7–$10), which channels Indochinese cool with imaginative dishes like Camembert roasted with pineappleinfused rice wine. And the drinks list at T-Room Gin Bar (fb.com/thetroom​g inbar), in a historic teahouse, includes gins infused with native vanilla and cardamom.

As a trading stop, Hoi An was historically a hub for textiles and leather—and new boutiques are now livening up the town’s long-respected apparel and design scenes. Head to the FrenchVietnamese atelier Metiseko (metiseko.com), with its understated prints and smart silhouettes, or Chula (chula​fashion.com), where colorful patterns and architectural motifs are embroidered onto bohemian frocks. Lam (fb.com/lamboutiquehoian), near the central market, reimagines the traditions of Ancient Town with embroidered velvet slippers and silk slip dresses in the spirit of the ao dai. Tapping into the town’s leisurely vibe, Sunday in Hoi An (sunday​in​hoian.com) has an atmospheric whiteand-blue atelier filled with ceramics and linens.

Speaking of luxurious bedding, another oldie worth a fresh look here is the renovated Four Seasons Resort the Nam Hai (fourseasons. com; doubles from $725), the newest incaration of what was the country’s first modern international-standard five-star resort when it opened a dozen years ago. Each of the 100 villas reinterprets the Vietnamese garden courtyard house, with regal platform beds and floor-toceiling windows that bathe the space in palmdiffused light. The resort’s spa, inspired by the teachings of the Vietnamese monk Thich Nhat Hanh, incorporates mindfulness training and spiritual wisdom into its treatments.

If you want to stay in the heart of the action, though, try one of these two upscale hotels that gracefully ground you in town: the stately Hotel Royal Hoi An - M Gallery (accorhotels.com; doubles from $105) and the more sprawling Anantara Hoi An Resort (anantara.com; doubles from $219) sit riverfront on either side of Old Town. You can easily walk to all the sights, pick up the country’s best banh mi, then beat it back to your pool (rooftop at Hotel Royal; a gardenensconsed saltwater beauty at Anantara) when the lack of air-con in the city center takes its toll. But be sure to head back out to the dreamy saffron façade-lined lanes come nightfall. The bar scene is lively. Tourists stroll carefree.

With the river awash in candlelight, you’ll see how Hoi An’s new golden era is just beginning.

— R.S.

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reasons to trave l in 2 0 1 9

16 Tisvildeleje and the Danish Riviera no.

has all they hygge you can handle.

Bullo River Station, a lodge in Australia’s Northern Territory.

15 Experience outback life in no.

f r o m t o p : c o u r t e s y o f b u l l o r i v e r stat i o n ; M i kk e l A d sb ø l ; c o u r t e s y o f k e m p i n sk i h o t e l m u s c at

the Northern Territory.

The remote Australian region is pouring millions into tourism initiatives, including a National Aboriginal Art Gallery and new hiking and biking trails.

But even before all that takes shape, it’s worth a visit, especially being such a close port to Asia. At Uluru (parksaustralia.gov. au), the sandstone monolith revered by the area’s Indigenous people, the massive—and massively popular—Field of Light installation by artist Bruce Munro has extended

its run through December 2020. And in the Top End, the northernmost part of the territory, the 12-room Bullo River Station (bullo​ river.com.au; doubles from $576) has a crisp new look courtesy of Sydney designer Sibella Court, with jewel-colored tiles and Indigenous art. On the 200,000-hectare grounds, you can view rock paintings dating back thousands of years, and baobab trees, plus spot the area’s huge saltwater crocodiles.

— Carrie Hutchinson

The Danish seaside village of Tisvildeleje has always had a cult following. In ancient times, it was a sacred site dedicated to the god Tyr; its spring drew pilgrims who believed its waters had healing properties.

More recently, Tisvildeleje and the surrounding Danish Riviera have attracted urbanites who embrace the area’s rustic, unpretentious charms. The town is little more than a main road, lined with intimate restaurants such as the buzzy new Tisvilde Kro (tisvilde​kro.dk; mains $25–$55); a bakery, Brød & Vin (tisvildeleje​bager.business.​site); and tiny boutiques. The choicest stays are two reimagined 19th-century properties: the boho Tisvildeleje Strandhotel (strand-hotel.dk; doubles from $122) and Helenekilde Badehotel (helenekilde.com; doubles from $213), a grand beach house with Midcentury Modern Danish furnishings and front-row views of the Kattegat Sea. — Gisel a Williams

Tisvilde Kro serves modern Danish cuisine.

The infinity pool at the Kempinski Hotel Muscat.

17 Oman has no.

earned some extra bling.

A crop of stylish hotels underlines the diversity of experiences available in Oman. On the southern coast, the Al Baleed Resort Salalah by Anantara (anantara.com;

doubles from $405) is a gateway to banana forests, dolphin-filled waters, and the unescolisted Frankincense Trail.

In Muscat, the beachside

Kempinski Hotel Muscat

(kempinski.com; doubles from $332) debuted last April with a grand lobby inspired by the country’s Persian architectural heritage. The Al Bustan Palace, a Ritz-Carlton Hotel (ritz​carlton.com;

doubles from $457), one of Oman’s most iconic resorts, unveiled a redesign incorporating traditional Omani prints.

And now that Muscat International Airport has wrapped the first phase of a $1.8 billion expansion, airlines are launching new flights to the country. — H.W.

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18 Brisbane is having a cosmopolitan

The Wet Deck bar at W Brisbane.

no.

coming of age.

Ironically nicknamed Brisvegas for its sleepy mien, Brisbane has long been regarded as an outsize country town, a cultural vacuum overshadowed by Sydney and Melbourne. But that’s changing. The shift began last year with the launch of W Brisbane (whotels.com; doubles from $252), the first five-star to open here in 20 years. Next, the $140 million Howard Smith Wharves development will bring a hotel and restaurants to an old dockyard. The $2.6 billion Queen’s Wharf project, set for 2022, will add Ritz-Carlton and Rosewood hotels, 50 restaurants and bars, and a riverfront beach. But even before Queen’s Wharf is complete, this growing city has plenty to offer. Fine arts institutions like the Queensland Art Gallery/Gallery of Modern Art, or qagoma (qagoma.qld.gov.au), where the Asia Pacific Triennial is on view through April. Fortitude Valley continues to evolve, with the opening of the resort-style Calile Hotel (thecalile​hotel.com; doubles from $186) and the relaunch of the Emporium Hotel as the whimsical Ovolo the Valley (ovolohotels. com; doubles from $158). One thing remains unchanged, though: the river is still the heart of it all, both as a thoroughfare and a destination. The City Hopper ferry is a serene vantage point from which to see Brisbane’s parks, the cliffs of Kangaroo Point, and the ever-evolving skyline of this underrated city. — sanjay sur ana

19 Manhattan has a new playground. no.

Despite being within striking distance of Times Square and Chelsea, Manhattan’s far west side remained undeveloped for decades, the subject of many competing visions of its future.

Now, the vast industrial parcel is poised to become a supersize neighborhood known as Hudson Yards (hudson​yards​ newyork.com). The $25 billion undertaking, whose first shops, restaurants and attractions open this March, will by 2024 encompass 16 residential and commercial buildings—most of them built on a giant platform over an active railyard.

Hudson Yards’ vision is perhaps best exemplified by Vessel, a climbable sculpture conceived by British designer Thomas Heatherwick as NYC’s answer to the Eiffel Tower. The

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steel showpiece, which has 154 interlinked flights of stairs offering peerless views of the Hudson River, anchors the Public Square & Gardens.

The Shed (theshed.org), an eight-story performance and exhibition space, has a one-ofa-kind feature: a telescoping shell that allows the building to expand and contract to accommodate a variety of events and crowd sizes.

A seven-story building will house the city’s first Neiman Marcus and eateries by such big-name chefs as Thomas Keller and David Chang. And if you want to stay the night, check in to the Equinox Hotel (equinox.com/hotels), the first property from the upscale fitness brand slated to open this summer. — siobhan reid

f r o m to p : c o u rt esy o f w h ot e l b r i sba n e ; C o u rt esy o f Fo r b es M ass i e

The kaleidoscopic interiors of the Vessel structure.

spot l i g h t

Beach-town Boutique

With a prolific population of creative, locally minded cool kids, the place to be in Bali right now is surf town Canggu. Jeninne Lee-St. John visits this healthy hamlet next to Seminyak before the big boys move in. photogr aphs by Stephan Kotas Coming into Canggu on a weekday afternoon, our driver thought he was lost so he pulled down a long, bamboo-shaded pathway to ask directions at a beach club. In the front yard, a couple of perma-tanned dads with long hair and high–thread count towels slung over their shoulders tossed their giggling towheaded kids in the air. There was a pool encircled by a whitewashed wooden structure, half–pirate ship, half-treehouse, with buoys and fishing nets and rope ladders hanging above, surfboards propped up against a wall, and swimsuitsporting good-looking patrons sipping drinks in beanbags and on couches oriented to the beach beyond.

So, we weren’t lost at all. Geographically, because the hotel we were headed to, COMO Uma Canggu (comohotels. com; doubles from US$188), turned out to be just across the road. And, mentally, because this place, La Brisa (labrisabali.com), was the Canggu I had been promised, in all its surfer-chic, boho-luxe, sustainability-minded, digital nomad–populated glory. When a friend moved here a few years ago, I had never heard of it. Now, it’s so overflowing with on-trend locavore and social-enterprise restaurants and businesses that I can’t stop hearing

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about it. With beautiful people eating superfoods everywhere, it’s like the high-income, eco-aware Wonderfruit music festival–goers jumped into a smoothie bowl blending the Zen of Ubud, the surfer chill of Uluwatu, and the cool of classic Seminyak.

That last—cool—of course, is ephemeral. By the time I was planning this trip to Canggu a few months ago, I was worried I was already late to a party that I hadn’t been sure had even started yet. The debut of the first international fivestar hotel here was my hook, but the town has had the pulse of the island since 2009, when Aussie custommotorcycle and -surfboard shop, skatepark, café and bar Deus Ex Machina (deuscustoms.com) opened and quickly became an icon. Canggu still has fewer visitors and a lower population density than neighboring Seminyak, thanks in part to the remaining ample paddy fields— though on this trip there was a new speakeasy planted in the middle of one, and it was heaving. A French friend told me that expats like him were already moving to the towns up the coast like Tabanan, but Canggu is still the nerve center. This edge-ofthe-radar vibe is what makes the area feel so liveable, even, maybe especially, to a city girl like me. clockwise From top left: Get the

addictive zucchini waffles and smoked salmon for breakfast at COMO Uma Canggu; the private pool in one of the 12 threebedroom COMO penthouses; surf instructor CJ at COMO's in-house school, TropicSurf; morning waves on Batu Bolong; mixing it up at COMO Beach Club.

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This was the Canggu I had been promised, in all its surfer-chic, boho-luxe, sustainabilityminded, digital-nomad glory

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When I asked for recommendations in Canggu, every, single person said The Slow (theslow.id; doubles from Rp2,458,838). They didn’t just say it, actually. They urgently stressed it, in a stage-whisper, as if it were the venerated leader of their cult. When I popped in, the reverence washed over me. The Slow is very, very cool.

You don’t want to look like a gawking tourist here. You want to be casually in the in-crowd of creative aesthetes who use this well-lit boutique hotel and nose-to-fishtail eatery as home base, embodying why Canggu is different from elsewhere in Bali.

The Slow is the tropical-brutalism baby of husband and wife George and Cisco Gorrow, who had procured a plot of land for a beach house, and returned two years later to find the area swarming. To be fair, the place sits on main drag Batu Bolong, 300 meters from Old Man’s (oldmans.net), the original Canggu surf-bum sandy hangout overlooking the break of the same name. It was just a matter of time. The Slow is awash in art from the couple’s private collection, plays bespoke soundtracks by L.A.–based Revolution Radio, and last year launched a music, art and film fest.

It was almost a relief to me that COMO was the first international hotel brand to open here. Their boutique mindset, wellness focus and subtle luxury are a perfect match for this town. This new property courts

Clockwise From far left: Spread

out for the day in a swinging daybed at COMO Beach Club; whitewashed-chic at La Brisa; healthy dishes at COMO Beach Club; Sundays are for live bands at Deus Ex Machina.

flashpackers with a section of simple rooms meant for those on the go; up front are residences and penthouses, all with kitchens, commodious social spaces and balconies, and some with direct access to the hotel’s 115-meter pool or their own private ones, evoking that other favored Canggu accommodation, the rental villa.

The 12 penthouse suites are party boats in their own right. The first level has a state-of-the-art open kitchen and a living area spilling out onto the terrace. The bigger bedroom here would be anyone’s ideal master suite… until they went upstairs to the captain’s quarters, where the bed faces floor-to-ceiling windows and a pool deck overhung by a literal moon roof: a massive crescent cutaway that takes in sea and sky. I felt like I was standing on a vacation version of the Star Trek Enterprise bridge. At any minute, a hottie Captain Kirk was going to stroll up in Vilebrequin swimtrunks and Oliver Peoples sunglasses and hand me a gin-soda.

The whole resort is that kind of cool: tastefully moneyed, locavore foodie, yogi and kind of arty. There’s a Shambhala spa on-site, and I was thrilled to see the two pilates studios and the aerial yoga room. You’ll be hard-pressed to venture out of the playful COMO Beach Club, on whose swinging daybeds you’ll just want to watch the world walk by—and at sunset, watch the fireball extinguish stage left, preferably with a matching bottle of pink champagne. Mornings, you must order the zucchini waffles with smoked salmon and crème fraîche. Though, if you think that sounds super-Canggu, wait til you scan the delish and delightfully posh culinary contradictions across town on the breakfast menu at Parachute (parachutebali.com): hello, pork belly, egg and veggie cream cheese on a homemade English muffin.

Thank goodness I was burning calories with COMO’s in-house surf school. Blond and ambiguously accented, my teacher CJ gave me zinc for my nose, grabbed both our boards and set off for the seven-minute walk t r av el a ndl ei s ur e a s i a .c om / ja nua ry 2 019

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to Old Man’s Beach. COMO is on Echo Beach (original moniker: Pura Batu Mejan, for the Hindu temple on the road), on a serene, solitary, black-lava stretch neighbored by a years-in-the-making, who-knows-when-it-will-open hotel. Old Man’s, meanwhile, is lined with the rental umbrellas and loungers and Bintang bars typical of more touristy haunts. Echo Beach in front of COMO has good waves, but lots of rocks—not ideal for those of us still learning to control our turns. Especially when CJ said the take-off point for the waves can be tight.

Old Man’s is also a reef break, but has fat waves that are less aggressive and last longer. You could ride one all the way to the shore. There were always lots of people on the water, but because of the span of the wave, the break never felt crowded. CJ taught me to do turtle rolls under too-high waves, instantly washing away any residual hangover. The second time we went out, we worked on turning left. Like skiing, it’s all about shifting your weight and line of sight. I was doing pretty well until, at 5:30 p.m. when nearly the entire ocean had cleared, I realized I was barreling in on the one person left in a 50-meter radius and I couldn’t stop looking at her. Meaning I couldn’t stop from crashing into her. I wailed, “Sorry!” just before we both jumped off our boards in opposite directions. I was mortified but, thankfully, my victim laughed, and I redeemed myself to CJ with one last golden-hour lefty. to seek out a certain convenience store, go to the back and open a fake freezer door that is the gateway to a dimly lit, hip hop– and house-pumping

Let’s say i told you

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bar brimming with cool kids. This style speakeasy may be standard in Manila or Bangkok but, in Bali, Black Cat Mini Mart (Jl. Subak Canggu) feels fresh—and all the more furtive for being ensconsed in rice paddies. My girlfriends and I went there after dinner at rooftop Ji (jirestaurantbali. com), which has a view over Old Man’s, a Zuma-type-Japanese menu and Asian-fusion-temple decor. It is on the walkable trove that is Batu Bolong; another night, before hitting the Friday party at The Lawn (thelawncanggu.com) next door, we ate across the street at Fishbone Local (fishbonelocal.com), which works with Bali Sustainable Seafood to source its daily catch from local, responsible fishermen. The owners just opened Mason (masonbali.com) up the road, where the chefs nurse those other au courant kitchen obsessions: in-house pickling, butchering and cheese-making.

A friend in Brisbane saw on Instagram that I was in Bali and got in touch. He was coming to Canggu en route home. I was amazed at the coincidence, though I shouldn’t have been. Seems all the independentminded beach bums who haven’t booked all-in resort life just beeline it to Canggu, and then sort the rest later. He picked me up on his rented motorbike to go Sunday driving. We got some surf-body-undermining buttery croissants at Monsieur Spoon (monsieurspoon.com) on the way to the relatively fancified Finns (finnsbeachclub.com) on Berawa in south Canggu. “I thought this would be more your scene than Old Man’s,” he said. It was a sweet gesture, the staff and food were surprisingly good for a jam-packed beach club, and the tangerine sunset was insane. But the Chinese tourists and the luxury-car show on the adjacent lawn were disorienting. Pondering how on earth they got all those low-rider Maseratis down the winding one-lane paddy roads we were navigating on the bike, we headed back to La Brisa for drinks in the more lax, liveable Canggu.

Here’s hoping it’s sustainable.

Clockwise From left: Rooftop drinks and

Japanese fusion at Ji; a cocktail to match the Echo Beach sunset at COMO Beach Club; commuting Canggu-style; in the pool at The Lawn; en fuego at Black Cat Mini Mart.

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c u lture

Paint the Town

The streets of India’s biggest cities are becoming life-sized canvases for the country’s growing street-art movement kickstarted by a local creative foundation. As the project continues to evolve, we document just a few of the eye-catching works livening up the inner-city districts. By Rachna Sachasinh

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Aksh at N au ri ya l

India’s urban landscape is getting a brush of much needed color. Launched in 2014, the St+art India Foundation initiates street-art interventions and neighborhood exhibitions with the goal of bridging social gaps and bringing communities together.

St+art’s first project was in Delhi, splashing bright, thought-provoking murals along the city’s typically stark thoroughfares, like this road in the Lodhi Art District lined with a colorful flock by Mexican artist Senkoe (opposite) and a lotus-inspired tag by Japanese street artist Suiko (this page). The project has grown to spotlight the alternative art scene in Mumbai, Hyderabad, Goa and beyond. “Our mission is to activate spaces not known for art and culture,” says Akshat Nauriyal, one of five co-founders of St+art. “We want to make art more democratic, bring it out of museums and take it directly to people.” Each district continues to evolve, with new murals added every few months. The areas are free and open to the public, or you can join hosted tours in New Delhi, Mumbai and Hyderabad. st-artindia.org; tours start from Rs 500; advanced bookings required, e-mail team@st-artindia.org.

c u lture

► Scattered across Goa, eight hand-painted, 12-meter-high portraits form The Cutout Project, which repurposes traditional sign painting, a livelihood that is fading fast in modern India. The project was conceived by Hanif Kureshi, a St+art co-founder and one of the country’s foremost contemporary artists. The portraits, like this one by local sign painter Deepak Sarast, depict everyday Konkani people, who inhabit India’s southwestern coast, and honors them through these giant billboards that are usually reserved for celebrities.

P r a n av G o h i l ( 5 )

◄ On the tip of Colaba, where Mumbai meets the Arabian Sea, the vermillion metal drum

by French art duo Ella and Pitr adds a rare bit of color to the city’s oldest wet dock, where fisherman still haul in their daily catch as their predecessors did back in 1875.

The mural is part of the Sassoon Dock Art Project, an experiential exhibition with installations that are sitespecific to this industrial quay on a spit of land that was haggled over for centuries by the Portuguese and British and remains one of Mumbai’s most historically significant.

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◄ In Nature’s Arch and Visions of Altered Landscapes by Canadian artist Aaron Li-Hill, tigers, bears and men in air-pollution masks sprint across the canvas, in a rush to escape the march of climate change. Located in Delhi’s Lodhi Art District, the wall art draws attention to India’s pressing air-quality issue, while the real-life tree that grows in and around the central arched walkway signals hope.

► The previously unnamed streets in Hyderabad’s Maqtha Art District are now classified as Red, Yellow and Blue Gulleys, laneways that each correspond to the color palette of the more than 30 murals that now paint the suburb.

Found on the exterior of a building in the Blue Gulley, the plea for Humanity by local artists Swathi and Vijay pays homage to the community’s strong spiritual and social ties.

◄ Usual, Unusual is Indian art duo Do and Khatra’s lighthearted contribution to Hyderabad’s Maqtha Art District. Located near Necklace Road, the district’s main drag, this piece shows an old man preparing to brush his only tooth with a one-bristle toothbrush, a common morning sight depicted in an uncommon way.

t h e q uest

National Treasure

Dense with jungle and surrounded by a single enclosed coral reef, the French Polynesian island of Raiatea is also home to one of the world’s rarest blooms. Fighting blood, sweat and masculine pride, Adam H. Graham embarks on a grueling trek for a glimpse of the fabled flower.

Illustr ations by riet y

The ancient site of Taputapuātea marae lies at the base of Mount Temehani.

hoisting myself like a Neanderthal up a steep ridge of ankle-slashing brush on Raiatea’s sacred, kilometer-high Mount Temehani. The woods were thick with Caribbean pine, candlewood trees and wet ferns. The humidity made it feel like 1,000 degrees. I’d only been hiking for 10 minutes, but I was already drenched in sweat and exhausted. My guide from Polynesian Escapes (polynesianescape.com; Mount Temehani hike US$700 for up to six people), Tahi—who had told me the night before to wear pants and a long-sleeve shirt—walked ahead of me in shorts and knee-high socks, his arms inked in elaborate Polynesian tattoos. Within moments of what I had thought would be an easy and peaceful four-hour trek along sun-kissed trails fragrant with exotic tropical fruit, and mannarich lagoons, I knew I was out of my league.

When you’ve hiked as much as I have in Switzerland—my adopted homeland—it’s easy to assume that all other mountains are inferior and couldn’t possibly be as challenging, especially in this edenic land of hibiscus and waterfalls not known for its Class 4 treks. But, to be blunt, Mount Temehani kicked my ass. I had chosen the hike because the sacred mountain on the small island—a 45-minute flight from Tahiti’s capital Papeete—is the only place in the world to see the endemic tiare apetahi, one of earth’s rarest flowers. The fragrant, white, five-petal blossoms make a cracking noise when opening every morning.

According to Polynesian legend, the sound represents the breaking heart of young

I was on all fours,

Tiaitau, a young girl in love with King Tamatoa. When Tamatoa died at sea, she plunged to her death from Temehani’s summit, where the flowers still grow.

My hike-day started off great. Tahi picked me up at my hotel, Villa Ixora (fb.com/ villaixora; doubles from US$110), a smattering of bungalows strewn with hibiscus overlooking the lagoon near Uturoa on the northeast shore.

I woke at dawn to watch the tips of Mount Temehani ignite in electric jade as the sun rose, and saw rainbow parrot fish, blue damselfish and a milky white octopus glide through the clear water. At 7 a.m. we drove to the mountain’s base, bypassing the island’s rush-hour mix of Polynesian soccer moms with flowers behind their ears and French kids skateboarding to school. Raiatea is home to a thriving vanilla-bean trade and Tahiti’s only unesco site, the 1,000-year-old Taputapuātea marae complex, a sacred temple added to the list in 2017. But it’s the least touristy of French Polynesia’s main islands and, unlike in honeymooner-heavy Bora and Tahiti with its freshly lei’d tourists, morning rush here felt especially authentic and anchored to a modern and inclusive Polynesian way of life. As we blurred past it in Tahi’s truck, I regretted not allowing for more time in town.

We pulled into the driveway of Fare Ora Guesthouse (fareora.weebly.com; doubles from US$45). On the lanai were Tahi’s friends and our co-hikers Heirama and Vetea, wearing

The legendary tiare apetahi, known for its five petals and heady, sweet scent.

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t h e q uest

While the tiare apetahi is symbolic of Raiatea, colorful blooms cover the tropical isle.

guys is universal—there are always hidden challenges to test your mettle.

The trail and habitat was surprising—lush, ferny and mysterious, then suddenly arid and punishing board shorts and tank tops at a table littered with ashtrays and empty Hinano beer cans.

They offered me coffee, papaya and pain au chocolate still warm in its baking tin. My Swiss hiking mornings are generally rushed and involve catching trains and gondolas and sticking to a strict schedule, but Fare Ora was extremely laid back, best described by the French Polynesian phrase Aita pe’ ape’a, which means “no worries.” We all had flights to catch that evening, but nobody was overly concerned about our timing. Even my antsy, inner-Swiss angst was at ease.

We drove up a steep, winding dirt road, passing through jungle planted with mango, coconut and Tahitian lime. We stopped at a giant banana tree and Tahi handed me a machete. “Go for it,” he said. “It’s not as easy as it looks.”

I heard snickers from the truck as I braced myself under the three-meter-high banana tree. In one swift and satisfying whoosh, a sticky bunch of bananas fell hard onto my shoulder, their musty smell enveloping me.

“One dollar each,” I joked, sending my guy tribe into laughter and quickly earning some respect. Ideas and rules about hiking might vary country to country, but hiking with other

44

at a red-dirt pit at the base of a cliff. Instead of zigzagging up a switchback trail, the beginning was a vertical scramble so intense that I was breathless within minutes. There was no trail. Tahi, who had hiked this mountain more than 50 times, led us through jungle so dense there were no birds or flowers to see, and so quickly there was no time to see them even had there been any. His speed was unrealistic, even for advanced hikers. He tried all the tricks to quicken the pace, like lowering his voice while walking ahead, and claiming it got easier on the next leg. But we all struggled to keep up.

Then, it was so steep at the top, he had to throw down rope to help me ascend the mud-slicked rock ledge.

We reached the viewpoint and paused for a rewarding and breath-catching glimpse of the surrounding Taha’a, Huahine, Bora Bora and Maupiti Islands hovering over azure lagoons on the horizon like giant green humpbacks migrating out to sea. Atop, the trail was as wide as a logging road and true to Tahi’s words, looked easy. But the thigh-high, serrated razor grass belied the paradisiacal views, and sliced into what little ankle flesh I had exposed. Still, it was one of the most beautiful and lushest legs of the hike and we walked down the mountain past ferns embossed with Braille-like marks, red oaks, elaborate lavender flowers, and stringy orange moss bundled like saffron threads on the roadside. “Most of these plants were introduced in the 1950s. The whole mountain used to be covered in tiare apetahi,” Tahi said. “But there’s less every year and nobody knows why.”

Over the years, I’ve developed an instinct for landscapes. But my instincts were off on Temehani, and it was especially hard to tell what was around each bend. The trail design was baffling, and the habitat was surprising— lush, ferny and mysterious, then suddenly arid and punishing. There was no visible summit and little view of the trail ahead or behind you.

Though the hiking was rugged, the heat and humidity were my biggest problems. After depleting my own water source within an hour, Heirama and Vetea, who seemed relieved that I was struggling, offered me some of theirs. “Are we close to those damn flowers >>

We started the hike

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t h e q uest

yet?” I growled half-jokingly, making sure to keep my machismo game strong. Even Tahi, 50 meters ahead of us, laughed. and the trail narrowed.

For the next few hours, we scaled the bald Temehani Plateau, marked with red-berry shrubs; smooth, rust-colored volcanic stones; and acidic soil. We eventually reached a hollowed-out lava-tube stream where we refilled our water bottles. It was here Tahi delivered the bad news: “We won’t make it to the flowers if we want to catch our flights tonight.” It was only another 30 minutes on the trail, but we were already cutting it close and hadn’t even stopped for lunch yet.

I was awash in relief, but too disappointed to make jokes. Another universal hiking rule: accept your own limitations. But as I sat down to eat the sandwich I’d been toting, change out of my drenched T-shirt into a dry one, and cool down in the breeze, the depressing realization of not seeing the tiare apetahi crept in. “Hiking to the flowers requires a good six to seven hours,” said Tahi, who looked as dejected as

The sun beat down

I was. “But you shouldn’t do this hike just to see the flowers. It’s more about the journey to this sacred mountain,” he said, offering some comforting words to help wash down my pride with my lunch.

Going down is often easy, but here it was a delight. The trail widened, became shaded in pine hollows, and offered cool ocean breezes.

At the bottom was a concrete pool filled with mountain runoff water and floating hibiscus flowers, as if it had been prepared for us. Vetea cut four fresh coconuts from a nearby palm and sliced them open with his machete. The guys threw off their shirts and jumped into the pool.

I removed my second T-shirt of the day, already soaked, and eased myself into the cool, clear water, sipping my coconut and replenishing what felt like a summer’s worth of electrolytes.

And there, at the lapping shore amid the frangipani and heliconia, my mind drifted back to young Tiaitau, who was so despondent, she plunged to her death. Things could be worse, I thought, as I let my Swiss-self enjoy the timelessness of the moment and slowly felt my sense of paradise being restored.

Getting There

There are no direct international flights to Raiatea. Air Tahiti Nui (airtahitinui.com), French Polynesia’s international carrier, flies nonstop to Papeete from Tokyo, Auckland, Paris and L.A. The airline’s domestic carrier, Air Tahiti (airtahiti. com), flies nonstop from Papeete and other French Polynesian islands to Raiatea multiple times daily.

The surrounding island views make the journey worth the trek.

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p l a c e settin g s

Off-Campus Dining It’s better known for its universities than its restaurants, but, these days, Cambridge has an emerging dining scene to rival neighboring Boston’s, and is giving visitors more reasons than ever to cross the Charles River.

Cambridge, Massachusetts, has

been a cultural and intellectual hub since its founding nearly 400 years ago. It has a list of claims to historical fame to match, from Harvard, the country’s oldest university, to the Cambridge Chronicle, its oldest weekly newspaper.

Until recently, the culinary standard was also set by an old pioneer. The beloved Harvest (harvestcambridge.com; mains from US$26), though 43 years old, is a regional stalwart of farm-to-table dining. But now new restaurants are arriving, part of a broader Cambridge renaissance that includes everything from start-ups to pop-up boutiques. Chefs trained

in New York City and London and Spain’s Basque region (and, of course, good old Boston) are importing influences from their travels and setting up shop from MIT to Mount Auburn Street.

The scene is dominated by a fresh breed of neighborhood joint: cozy, comfortable hangouts that cater to the community without sacrificing a sense of culinary adventure. Here are our picks of the best places to try.

• Pammy’s

This welcoming spot from husbandand-wife team Pam and Chris Willis is quickly becoming a favorite haunt for locals—and a standard-bearer for the city’s

From top:

House-made spaghetti pomodoro at Pammy’s; the bar at Pammy’s. opposite:

Alden & Harlow, known for its reinterpretations of classic American food.

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revitalized restaurant scene. The dining room is filled with plants and vintage pieces sourced from around the Northeast, such as a statue of Demeter, the Greek harvest goddess, salvaged from a Hudson Valley estate and reassigned to watch over the buzzing bar. Chef Chris makes everything from the sausage to the XO sauce in-house, but the custommilled flours and heritage cereals ground in a trusty Italian grain mill are the true stars of his kitchen. Don’t miss the freshly made pastas, such as tightly coiled lumache (literally, “snails”) in a Bolognese sauce made with gochujang, a Korean fermented chili paste. The team also has a way with quality meats, especially in dishes made with the local Berkshire pork, like a chop served with dashi sauce over cream of wheat or a loin paired with cured pork belly and arugula. pammys​ cambridge.com; mains from US$17.

• Freepoint Kitchen

Inside the unassuming gray-brick shell of a former Best Western, you’ll find Cambridge’s newest boutique hotel, Freepoint—an eclectic, art-filled space that debuted last year after a US$6 million renovation. The property is centered around a loungelike restaurant, where Food & Wine Best New Chef alum Matthew Gaudet serves small plates like monkfish

f ro m to p: n atash a m ou stac h e / c o urt esy of pa mmy ’ s ; c ou rtesy of pa mmy ’ s

By Hannah Walhout

bouillabaisse and a Cuban sandwich made with house-roasted pork.

Don’t expect a standard hotel breakfast, either: mornings at Freepoint are brightened by options like the bagel with house-made, whiskey-cured salmon, and the miso-and-avocado grain bowl. freepointhotel.com; small plates from US$8.

• Les Sablons

Dining is an elegant affair at this plush, two-story space, where the industrial-chic interiors were inspired by the design of the Paris Métro. Chef Jeremy Sewall’s dinner menu reads like a greatest hits of French cooking: think chicken confit, duck au poivre, and veal boudin blanc, with pommes Anna on the side. For a more informal experience, head to the groundfloor Oyster Bar for a round of Wine Roulette, where patrons test out the sommelier’s latest rare finds at US$10 a glass. Pair your drink with the rotating selection of oysters, or order from Sewall’s bar menu, which includes throwbacks like an iceberg lettuce wedge with bacon and pickled onions. lscambridge. com; mains from US$30; oyster bar menu US$4–$28.

bite. gopagu.com; mains from US$15; brunch US$4–$23.

• Alden & Harlow

When this trendsetter opened four years ago, it was credited with kicking off Harvard Square’s dining renaissance. Since then, it has become the center of chef Michael Scelfo’s growing empire—he opened the seafood-focused Waypoint (waypointharvard.com; mains from US$15) two years ago, and in the coming months he’ll launch the bar-restaurant Longfellow (long fellow​h arvard.com) upstairs from Alden & Harlow.

But the subterranean dining room of his original restaurant is still buzzing every night, packed with a crowd that feels like a true Cambridge cross section, from proud college parents to twentysomething entrepreneurs.

Highlights of Scelfo’s playful New American approach include meltin-your-mouth chicken-fried rabbit, Scotch eggs made with blood sausage, and the delicious—if

irreverently titled—“ubiquitous kale salad.” aldenharlow.com; mains from US$12.

• Mamaleh’s

Like most American diners and delis, modern Jewish delicatessen Mamaleh’s excels at breakfast, lunch and brunch. What sets this place apart are the thoughtful twists and touches you’ll find if you take a closer look: the French toast is made with babka, for example, and the latkes come with added caviar if you want (you do). All the standards are here—knishes, pastrami, egg creams and a sublime matzo ball soup, each executed with a more delicate touch than your typical corner sandwich shop.

Luckily, you can order most of these items at dinner, too, plus an expanded roster of Middle Eastern small plates, like fattoush and parsnip hummus, as well as mains like the ornate “Jewish pupu platter” piled with kreplach, chopped liver and more. mamalehs. com; mains from US$23.

k ri st in t e i g

• PAGU

Chef Tracy Chang’s family legacy— her grandmother opened a Japanese restaurant in Cambridge during the 1980s—carries on at this Asianinfluenced tapas spot near Central Square, where the menus are an embodiment of Chang’s diverse biography. At brunch, tapas like the tortilla española with txistorra, a Basque-style chorizo, reflect her five-year stint cooking in northern Spain, while squid-ink bao stuffed with oysters and cult-favorite “Guchi’s midnight ramen” show off her mastery of Taiwanese and Japanese techniques. For dessert, choose the smoked-purple-yam sheep-milk ice cream, where Asian flavor meets Basque molecular gastronomy in one perfect, savory tr av el andleisure asia .com / january 2019

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g ateway

clockwise from left:

The courtyard at Long Chim, a restaurant in central Perth; the terrace at the Alex Hotel, in Northbridge; asparagus with orange sabayon and cured egg yolk at New Normal Bar & Kitchen, in Subiaco.

On the shore of Western Australia, once-sleepy Perth is coming of age as a new culinary and creative destination. By Mary Holl and It’s no wonder Perth is a late bloomer.

The city is among the world’s most remote—the nearest urban center is Adelaide, 2,000 kilometers away. Perth has always hummed along, its glimmering coastline and enviable climate attracting little notice from outsiders, who’d pass through en route to the vineyards of Margaret River. But a recent boom has spurred a golden age: new residents are pouring in, infrastructure improvements are under way, and a spate of openings have elevated Perth from wine-country way station to stand-alone hot spot.

The 184-room QT Perth (qthotelsand resorts.com; doubles from A$322) opened last year in the city center. The brand’s first outpost in Western Australia, it’s a moody, glamorous addition to this sunny seaside city. But the hotel boom began back in 2015, when COMO The Treasury (comohotels.com; doubles from A$512) made its debut in a block of 19th-century buildings nearby. Its 48 rooms are at once restrained and refined, all soaring ceilings, muted tones, and Scandi-style design. The InterContinental Perth City Centre (perth.intercontinental.com; doubles from A$245) opened in 2017 in the upscale King Street Precinct, while in the

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cultural hub of Northbridge, Alex Hotel (alexhotel.com.au; doubles from A$184) offers Danish furnishings and splashes of color. Between the two is Yagan Square (yagansquare.com.au), a new cultural center that links Northbridge to the waterfront. With its art-filled park, transit hub and food hall, the center is the most high-profile marker of Perth’s evolution.

Two of the city’s brightest culinary stars are situated in the COMO complex.

Swanky Wildflower (wildflowerperth.com. au; mains from A$36) serves dishes inspired by the culinary traditions of the indigenous Noongar people, with ingredients like kangaroo and marron, Western Australia’s answer to lobster, while Long Chim (longchimperth.com; mains from A$14) delivers Thai food by David Thompson. You can also find zingy gin cocktails in the city at the Flour Factory (theflourfactory.com), pastries and comfort food at Mary Street Bakery (marystreetbakery.com.au), and hyperlocal bites and regional wines at New Normal Bar & Kitchen (anewnormal.com. au; small plates from A$10). It’s an impressive lineup for a city so far-flung, and good thing, too—after a long journey, you’re bound to work up an appetite.

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Next Stops

Perth is one of the closest ports in Australia from Asia. While you're out west, visit these other remote destinations.

Margaret River This wine region is three hours by car, five by public bus.

Rottnest Island Home to beloved marsupial the quokka, this protected nature reserve is 90 minutes by ferry.

Christmas island The remote tropical isle is four hours by plane; Virgin flies there twice weekly.

The Kimberley To explore this wild expanse, catch a 2½-hour flight to Broome, then rent a four-wheel-drive to road-trip the region.

c l o c k w i s e f r o m l e f t: c o u r t e s y o f l o n g c h i m ; c o u r t e s y o f a l e x h o t e l ; s a r a h c o l e b o w e n / c o u r t e s y o f n e w n o r m a l

Out West, Down Under

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From Beats to Boutiques

Known for its nightlife and gritty, free-spirited vibe, the Kreuzberg district of central Berlin has begun to attract a more grown-up crowd, thanks to the arrival of a clutch of chic stores, hotels and restaurants. Today, you’ll find an infectious blend of old-Berlin energy and modern style that’s well worth planning a trip around. Jemima Sissons picks the best spots to visit.

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1 Feuerle Collection This private museum, housed in a World War II bunker reimagined by architect John Pawson, is known for its collection of imperial Chinese artifacts and diverse set of works by contemporary artists such as Anish Kapoor and Zeng Fanzhi. Its newly converted Incense Room is just as suprising as a meditative, slate-gray space where all visitors are invited to participate in an ancient Chinese incense ceremony. thefeuerlecollection.org;

the Incense Room is open by appointment only.

2 Of/Berlin This concept store stocks jewelry and housewares, with an emphasis on local brands.

Pick up a speaker, made of recycled cardboard, that’s shaped like a boom box, or a cardamom-and-sandalwoodscented candle by Coudre Berlin. ofberlin.com.

3 Hotel the Yard With a garden by Swiss landscape architect Enzo

The bar at Kreuzberg’s new Orania Berlin hotel.

Enea at its center, this hotel was designed as a refuge from Kreuzberg’s busy streets. The soon-to-be-opened wellness center will include a Finnish sauna and a spacious indoor pool. hotel-the​yard.berlin.com; doubles from €111.

4 Orania Berlin From the brains behind iconic Bavarian spa retreat Schloss Elmau, Kreuzberg’s first upmarket property has jazz nights, a slick fitness center and a superb restaurant. Chef Philip Vogel’s menu is a trove of inventive dishes, such as smoked duck with plums and leeks in rice paper. orania. berlin; doubles from €205; mains €19–€53.

5 St. Bart Join fashionable locals at this recently opened gastropub on Graefestraße to dine on dishes such as kohlrabi with pecorino, hazelnut and mint, and sample the strong selection

of old-style German beers and natural wines. stbartpub.com; mains €17–€23.

6 Kumpel & Keule Speisewirtschaft Best known as purveyors of meat to the area’s most stylish residents, Kumpel & Keule has brought its hauterustic sensibility to this new restaurant, where impressive displays of dry-aged beef hang in glass cabinets.

Standout dishes include the ox cheek with celeriac, brussels sprouts and salted lemon. kumpelundkeule.de; mains €7–€14.

7 Dandy Horse Berlin Vintage shopping is big in Kreuzberg, and this wellcurated store is one of the best places to hunt for treasure. Potential finds include Bauhaus lamps, 1980s Batavus road bikes, and 90s Versace and Moschino clothing. dandy​horse​berlin.com.

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essay

Cable Ready Is there a more thrilling way to take to the air than on a gondola? Benjamin Anastas extols the pleasures of soaring over the forests and fields of northern Italy.

i l l u st r at i o n b y sh o u t

FOR ISHMAEL , the narrator of Herman Melville’s Moby-Dick, reveries of whaling ships and the seafaring life were enough to swing “the great flood-gates of the wonder-world” wide open. For me, dreaming about cable cars does the trick. I don’t mean the earthbound variety, like the ones that scale San Francisco’s steep streets, but the airborne ones, also known as gondolas or aerial tramways. The cable car is so unassuming in its work of sky-climbing that it can be easily dismissed as just a means of transport. But under the right circumstances, traveling on one can feel like being in a luxurious observatory that’s dangling from a high wire.

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I caught the itch while riding circuits through the Dolomites in Südtirol/Alto Adige, an autonomous region of Italy that should be enshrined as cable-car Valhalla. (There the cable car is known as the Seilbahn or the funivia, depending on whether you speak German or Italian. Both words make the heart beat faster.) On these routes there are deep river valleys that become shrouded in mist as your car begins its rise from the station; green terraced vineyards so close that you can see blackbirds pecking at the fallen grapes; Alpine pastures with grazing dairy cows, bells around their necks clanging steadily; open fields a kilometer up where idle hay balers glisten in the sun.

I’ve left out the part, early on in the ride, when the cabin surges upward, your knees buckle, and you start thinking of the scene in the 1979 film Moonraker, where Jaws tries to catch James Bond on the Sugarloaf Cable Car, in Rio de Janeiro, by stopping the system’s machinery with his hands and biting the cable in two. You do not—I repeat, do not—picture yourself suspended above the Alpine scenery in a little lurching death box. You grab hold of the nearest pole and do breathing exercises until your destination comes slowly into view.

Then you alight with more gratitude than a life coach high on energy shots.

That feeling when you step onto solid ground again—I call this the Cable Car Effect.

Part of it is realizing that you’ve reached an altitude that was once known only to the hardiest of Alpine climbers. Part of it is believing that you’ve cheated death. (While cable-car accidents do happen, they are actually quite rare; cities from London to Medellín, Colombia, have invested in state-ofthe-art gondola systems in recent years.) But the most salient feature of the Cable Car Effect is a sense memory of having been airborne the way that birds are, close enough to scrape the treetops, of having stepped onto a tram that breaks the rules and goes skyward instead of following its route.

There is a Chinese brush painting from around 250 B.C. that shows a man seated in a simple loop being pulled along a ropeway. It is the earliest known depiction of a passenger using cable-driven transport, and you can almost see the apprehension—as well as the thrill—written on his ancient face. It wasn’t until 1644, in the city of Danzig (now Gdańsk, Poland), that an engineer named Adam Wybe devised a cable-car system we might

recognize today. Its purpose was to deliver soil to help fortify the city walls against attack by Swedish invaders, and the cable loop was powered by horses. It’s a short step from 17th-century Danzig to modern marvels like the Mérida cable car in Venezuela, one of the world’s highest, which carries passengers up through the clouds to the 4,750-meter-high Espejo Peak. Today ski lifts are the most common forms of aerial tramway. It’s easy to forget that before we had them, skiers had to hike to the top of a run with their equipment strapped on their backs.

At the Gasthof Kohlern (kohlern.com; doubles from US$213) in the hills above Bolzano, Italy—my favorite hotel in the world for its altitude and its elegance—the cable car is a design element in the guest rooms and an integral part of the property’s history. The hotel’s founder, Josef Staffler, opened the Bozen-Kohlern cable car on June 29, 1908, to carry day-trippers out of sweltering Bolzano and into the cooler mountain precincts. A trip that had been arduous on horseback or by mule wagon was now a smooth, soaring ride, and it took just 15 minutes.

Traveling on a cable car can feel like being in a luxurious observatory that’s dangling from a high wire The hotel’s claim that Staffler’s cable car was the first in the world to carry passengers is hard to confirm; for me, the more significant fact is that the Bozen-Kohlern cable car carries you from the city’s quiet bustle practically to the lip of the hotel’s terrace, which has an unmatched view of three river valleys and the ghostly Dolomites rising to the north. From here at the hotel, perched in the mountain village of Colle, you can order a plate of speck, a wedge of soft sheep-milk cheese and a glass of Prosecco that will make the soul feel lighter. Or you can set off on a hike through dripping forests to the summit of Titschen, the local mountain and the home, in legend, of a gentle giant who rescues lost children. A wonder-world, to borrow an expression from Ishmael. Climb on board and let the floodgates open wide. tr av el andleisure asia .com / january 2019

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ADVERTORIAL

BIENVENUE CHEZ MADAME PEARL A new fabulous and flirty French fine-dining restaurant glides into Phu Quoc.

Back in the 1920s, Madame Pearl Collins ruled the social scene of Phu Quoc with style and sophistication. The second wife of Lamarck University’s first dean, this daughter of a wealthy French trader and a Vietnamese socialite was a renowned cook, an artist, and a master entertainer. Everyone in the country coveted invitations to her parties, where the champagne flowed in a riot of color.

Little secret: Pearl and Lamarck University are just the stuff of vibrant legend, the conjurings of fantasist starchitect Bill Bensley who designed the resort, but the gorgeous beachfront mansion that was supposedly Pearl’s home is very much real—as are the culinary delights within. The brand-new Pink Pearl at JW Marriott Phu

Quoc Emerald Bay is a French fine-dining extravaganza of the most inventive, vivacious and glamorous order.

Amid the decidedly feminine, fuscia-dominated decor, get excited by award-winning chef Amine Lakhdari’s seasonal, farm-to-table, deconstructed-French-classics menu presented with an arty twist. Whether you take your meal in one of the five private dining rooms, the gloriously lit main salon, or, our favorite, the sultry winetasting room, it’s sure to be an experience to remember.

Pianists and vocalists set the mood, and nights are capped with engaging performances that elevate dinner to divine reverie. Oui mes chéris, Madame Pearl’s is again the hottest table in Vietnam—just as it was a century ago.

Bai Kem, Phu Quoc District An Thoi Town Vietnam +84-297-3779999 | jwmarriottphuquoc.com | facebook.com/PinkPearlJWMarriottPhuQuoc | instagram.com/JWMarriottPhuQuoc

UPGRADE JANUARY 2 0 1 9

t r av e l

s m a r t e r :

LOYALTY

PROGRAMS + c o a c h - c l a s s

b e d s + p a ck i n g

t i p s

How to love your long layover Multi-hour transits don’t have to be a drag—squeeze in a little extra sightseeing with free transit tours offered by some of Asia’s busiest airports. By Eloise Basuki

i l l u st r at i o n b y c h o t i k a s o p i ta r c h a s a k

SIGHTSEEING TOURS

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A pavilion at Gyeongbokgung Palace, in Seoul.

district and Namdaemun market. All trips come with English guides and you can take multiple tours if time allows. Visit airport.kr to book online at least 48 hours in advance; layover must be no more than 24 hours.

Singapore

The city-state has two tours for visitors with a few hours to spare in Changi. The Heritage tour offers travelers a look at Singapore’s colonial and cultural districts like Chinatown, Little India and the vibrant laneways of Kampong Glam, plus a chance to snap a photo of the symbolic Merlion. The City Sights tour is all about taking in the modern skyline by night—from Merlion Park, see the Singapore Flyer, Marina Bay Sands and The Esplanade Theater. This tour also stops at Gardens by the Bay where guests can explore the Avatar-like Supertrees. changiairport.com; layovers must be between 5½ and 24 hours.

transit to u r s

Taiwan

Get a culture dose on one of two halfday outings offered by Taipei’s Taoyuan International Airport. The morning tour visits the intricately carved Qingshui Zushi Temple and the preserved Qing Dynasty–era Sanxia Old Street. Travelers will also get the chance to visit Yingge Ceramics Old Street, famous for its centuries-old pottery workshops.

Afternoon tours will visit the wooden Dalongdong Baoan Temple or the Taipei Confucius Temple, plus stop for a snap of the city’s landmark building, the 508-meter-tall Taipei

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101. eng.taiwan.net.tw/tour; layover must be between seven and 24 hours.

South Korea

There’s no excuse for social-media scrolling at Incheon Airport—here you can choose from nine different excursions to explore Seoul. Stretch your legs on the one-hour seaside tour that stops at either Eurwangni or Masirang Beach. Visit historic Seoul on the five-hour Traditional tour that stops at Gyeongbokgung Palace and art-district Insadong, or pick up souvenirs on the Shopping tour through bustling Myeongdong

january 2019 / tr av el andleisure asia .com

International passengers flying on Vietnam Airlines have the chance to explore Hanoi or Saigon during their stopovers. In the capital there’s a choice of a city tour that visits Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum, One Pillar Pagoda, Temple of Literature, Old Quarter and Hoan Kiem Lake, or longer trips to Van Phuc silk village or Bat Trang pottery village. In Saigon, choose a trip to Thien Hau Pagoda and Cholon (Chinatown), or a city tour to see the Reunification Palace, Notre Dame Cathedral, and the colonial-era Central Post Office, Opera House and City People’s Committee Building. Depending on your length of layover, meal plans and a hotel stay are also included. vietnamairlines.com; layover must be a minimum of six hours in Saigon, or a minimum of eight hours in Hanoi.

Japan

Narita Airport treats passengers to four cultural outings, including a visit to Shinshoji Temple and traditional Omotesando Street, with

n atta n a i c h i m j a n o n /A l a m y S t o c k Ph o t o

Vietnam

the option to enjoy a tea ceremony; or visit the rice fields and tour the local villages of Tako Town by electric bike. Longer bus tours are available at a cost, and seasonal events are also offered—spot plum blossoms in spring and attend the rice harvest festival in autumn. Tour guiding courtesy of an English-speaking volunteer is free, but you’ll need to pay for transport, entry tickets and food. Bonus: even if you’re staying the night in Narita, you can still take up these tours. Visit narita-transitprogram.jp to book online.

China

f r o m t o p : c o u r t e s y a i r n e w z e a l a n d ; D u y D o /A l a m y S t o c k Ph o t o

China’s 72-hour transit rules make it easier to explore the country without a visa, and China Southern passengers on flights stopping in Guangzhou can take on the city in two ways. If you prefer to sightsee independently, the Metro tour offers a 24-hour metro card, plus entry tickets to Chen Clan’s Ancestral Temple and the Museum of the Nanyue King Mausoleum. In a group, the bus tour makes stops at the Statue of Five Rams, Flower City Square, Guangzhou Opera House, Canton Tower and more, and includes a dim sum lunch. global. csair.com; 72-hour visa-free transit must have an onward journey to a third country and is only available to some nationalities, so check with your consulate before booking.

Notre Dame Cathedral in the heart of Saigon.

LittleK n ow n Fact

Better sleep in the back of the plane Good news: lay-flat beds aren’t just for business-class highflyers. Some airlines will sell you a whole row in coach to convert to a couch, helping you rest easier without breaking the bank.

What is it? It differs slightly depending on the airline, and not all airlines offer it, but, essentially, it’s an upgrade option that lets passengers reserve an entire row in economy so they can lie flat at a cheaper fee than booking three individual seats or, obviously, a business-class ticket. On Air New Zealand, it’s known as a Skycouch, while Air Astana calls it the Economy Sleeper. Both transform three seats into a flatbed by raising a foot-rest to seat level. Then, they add a small mattress on top of the newly widened row, and toss in linens and pillows. It’s available as an add-on for parties of one to three people traveling together; snuggling couples will love it (though their neighbors might not), and it’s also a convenient option for parents with small children.

For tighter budgets, some airlines offer the chance to purchase any remaining empty seats beside you for what can be surprisingly low fees, within a certain window of time preflight. These include Scoot’s MaxYourSpace, and airlines connected to travel-revenue partner Optiontown—such as Vietnam Airlines, Air Asia,

Jetstar and Cambodia Angkor Air—which offers the Extra Seat Option (ESO).

How do I book? If Skycouch or Economy Sleeper are available for your flight, you’ll see the option when you reserve your tickets on airnewzealand.com or airastana.com, respectively.

For ESO, you need to sign up for the offer via Optiontown after buying your economy flight; you’re essentially putting in a bid on the extra seats, and hoping you win if the flight isn’t full. For MaxYourSpace, Scoot will send an email to offer the deal close to departure, or you can check availability at flyscoot.com.

How much does it cost?

On Air New Zealand, upgrading to the Skycouch starts from S$200 for three passengers, S$499 for couples and S$999 for single passengers. Air Astana is more expensive, costing almost double the price of an economy ticket, per person. Optiontown users and Scoot passengers won’t get an actual bed, so the nominal fee per extra seat starts from just US$7 on Vietnam Airlines and US$15 on Scoot. Not bad for some extra elbow room. – E.B.

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hotel c l u bs

How mega-mergers changed hotel programs

Some of the world’s largest hotel chains have joined forces, while other favorite brands have upped their games, resulting in an overhaul of loyalty programs across the board. Here’s everything you need to know to take advantage of the revamps. By Eric Rosen

Hilton no longer offers air miles for hotel stays, but it upped earning rates by 5 to 55 percent. Elite-qualifying nights can roll over from year to year.

Points & Money Rewards give more flexibility when redeeming for free nights, and now lets guests pool points with up to 10 other people for no charge. hiltonhonors3.hilton.com.

and redeem points at SLH’s 500-plus boutique properties. world.hyatt.com.

IHG Rewards Club

InterContinental absorbed Kimpton Karma Rewards and changed its PointBreaks awards to a three-tiered system with stays redeemed for 5,000, 10,000 or 15,000 points per night. ihg.com/rewardsclub.

World of Hyatt

Leading Hotels of the World

From this year, a partnership with Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH) will let Hyatt members earn

Leaders Club went points-based.

Members can now earn points at the group’s 400-plus participating

c h e at sheet

The savviest ways to track and use your points Signing up for loyalty programs is often as simple as submitting your e-mail address.

The real challenge? Trying to stay on top of each account. These are our picks for the best apps, services and websites to manage everything for you.

By John Scarpinato

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hotels—including newcomers like Capella Ubud, in Bali—and redeem them for award nights starting at 4,000 points. lhw.com.

Le Club AccorHotels

Le Club AccorHotels absorbed Fairmont’s President’s Club, so members can earn points and elite credit for stays throughout the entire group of 4,500 hotels. In the wake of the strategic alliance between AccorHotels and Banyan Tree, look out for synergies in their rewards programs. accorhotels.com.

APPS

BOOKING SERVICES

AwardWallet This app partners with hundreds of programs—from dining and shopping (Starbucks, Sephora) to credit cards and hotels—to display all your rewards in one intuitive interface. The only hiccup you’ll find with this and other apps: some airlines won’t allow outside parties to access your info, which means a few extra steps if you want your points reflected. awardwallet.com; Android and iOS; free.

Book Your Award These air-travel specialists can help you strategically book flights (potentially saving you hundreds of thousands of miles) and will come up with creative routes to ensure you save the most money. book​ your​award.com; bookings US$185 per person.

TripIt Pro In addition to tracking your reward balances, this app provides realtime flight alerts and benefits, including discounted access to travel-enhancement programs like LoungeBuddy. tripit.com; Android and iOS; US$49 per year.

PointsPros This team of consultants offers a broader range of pricing options and will determine the best way for you to take your dream trip based on your travel goals. They’ll also transfer points and book everything for you. pointspros.com; membership US$28 per month or US$300 per year, plus US$200 per person per trip; nonmembers US$300 per person per trip.

i l l u st r at i o n b y m i c h at b e d n a r sk i

Hilton Honors

Mandarin Oriental

Fans of M.O. was introduced last year. Rather than amassing points or nights, members receive several automatic perks, including complimentary Wi-Fi, and can select two more, such as late checkout or a dining credit. mandarin​oriental.com.

Marriott Rewards (and Starwood Preferred Guest)

Marriott International’s 2016 acquisition of Starwood Hotels & Resorts made it the world’s largest hotel company. When its new award tiers take effect this year, rates will be split into peak and off-peak, but most hotels (nearly 70 percent) will still require the same or fewer points as they did before the merger. marriott.com/loyalty.

fa m i ly l o ya lt y

Finessing your family’s rewards Traveling with loved ones changes how you approach the loyalty game. Two family-travel writers, plus a family-travel specialist on the A-List, T+L’s collection of the world’s top travel advisors, share their expert insights.

Expert

do

don’t

Stirling Kelso Neff Founder of familytravel community Half Pint Travel (halfpinttravel.com).

Register your kids for frequent-flier programs no later than two years old, when they’re required to have their own seats.

Infants-in-arms won’t accrue miles since they fly for free, but some airlines charge 10 percent of the parent’s ticket for certain flights, so you can earn miles on those bookings.

Don’t wait to book flights. Traveling with family means working with numerous schedules, some of which might be tied to peak travel periods such as holiday and school breaks. Know how far in advance your preferred airlines release their award seats; it’s usually around 330 days before the flight.

julie danziger Director of luxury travel services, Ovation Travel (julied@ovationtravel. com).

Know who to consult if you want help coordinating award bookings. Your travel advisor can either refer you to a points or miles pro or work with one to take advantage of any programs you favor.

Don’t assume you’ll get connecting rooms on an award booking.

Many hotels can’t make that guarantee, so it may be worth redeeming those benefits on a different (kid-free?) trip.

Rob Taylor Founder of LGBT family-travel site 2 Travel Dads (2traveldads.com).

Try to fly on airlines that allow you to pool miles (e.g., Etihad, British Airways and JetBlue) for low or zero fees. It makes the process easier and more affordable in the event you need to transfer between family members.

Don’t rack up points on third-party hotel sites or with airlines outside your preferred alliance; both make it tough to bank enough rewards for a whole family. Book directly with your preferred brands, and ask them to match online pricing.

Radisson Rewards

Club Carlson rebranded as Radisson Rewards, and fewer nights required means it’s easier to earn elite status. radissonrewards.com.

WEBSITES ExpertFlyer Use this site to look for flight options and seat upgrades within your mileage awards. If nothing pops up, you can set an alert and the site will notify you if it finds one. expertflyer.com; basic US$5 per month; premium US$10 per month or US$100 per year.

UsingMiles Basic membership allows you to manage each family member’s accounts across 255 partner programs on one dashboard. With premier membership, you can get e-mail alerts when points and vouchers are about to expire and search for eligible flights and hotel rooms. usingmiles.com; basic membership free; premier membership US$30 per year.

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The ca r ry- o n

Martha Stewart’s tried-and-true basics The lifestyle guru knows a good thing when she sees it, which is why many of her travel essentials are pieces she’s relied on for years. But the consummate innovator, who has been creating several retail lines (including clothing, beauty products, housewares and gardening tools), isn’t afraid to mix it up. Here’s what the globe-trotter is packing right now.

Reported by Sarah Bruning 1 A sturdy suitcase “I pack my clothes on hangers and in plastic bags from my local dry cleaner. It keeps them unwrinkled and ready to wear in my Rimowa carry-on suitcase.” Rimowa Classic Flight Cabin Multiwheel, US$628; rimowa.com.

2 A cashmere scarf “I always wear a very soft, lightweight cashmere scarf that I can also cover myself with as a blanket. My favorite is from Loro Piana.” Loro Piana Grande Unita cashmere scarf, US$475; loropiana.com.

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3 leashes and collars “If my dogs are joining me, I always throw in some stylish collars and leashes.” Martha Stewart Braided Rope and Leather slip lead, US$16; amazon.com.

5 perfume “I’ve been wearing Fracas cologne since I was 19 years old. I put it on lightly twice a day.” Fracas by Robert Piguet eau de parfum, from US$165; robertpiguetparfaums.com.

4 tinted sunblock “No matter where I travel, I pack my sunblock and wear it every day. I’m a big fan of the SkinCeuticals tinted formula. I wear it on my hands and legs and as a foundation on my face.” SkinCeuticals Physical Fusion UV Defense SPF 50, US$34; skinceuticals.com.

6 A massive tote bag “I love large tote bags because they can fit so much. My go-to is one I designed for my collection, which comes in several different sizes and colors.” Martha Stewart large canvas tote, US$199; qvc.com (in Asia, only available in China and Japan).

january 2019 / tr av el andleisure asia .com

7 a camera “I bring my Canon EOS everywhere so I can capture all of my travels for my daily blog on my website.” Canon EOS M3 EF-M 18-55mm IS STM Kit, US$799; visit asia.canon/en/consumer for where to buy in Asia.

8 Multiple ipads “I load up all three of my iPads every time I travel. One is for books, one is for TV shows, and one is for movies. I want to make sure I have options.”

Apple iPad 32GB, from US$329; apple.com.

POR T RAI T: FADIL B ERI S H A / CO u r t e s y o f M a r th a S t e wa r t. PRODUC T S , CLOC K WI S E FRO M T OP RIG H T: C o u r t e s y o f A p p l e ; C o u r t e s y o f Q V C ; C o u r t e s y o f C a n o n ; C o u r t e s y o f R o b e r t P i g u e t Pa r f u ms ; C o u r t e s y o f S k i n C e u t i c a l s ; C o u r t e s y o f Am a z o n ; C o u r t e s y o f L o r o P i a n a ; C o u r t e s y o f R i m o wa

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dea l s

t+l reader specials

CITY SINGAPORE

from top: courtesy of six senses; courtesy of ovolo hotels

Start ticking off your bucket-list destinations with these travel specials in Australia, Bali, Sri Lanka and more.

Cook & Tras, a restaurant at Six Senses Maxwell.

SUPERSAVER Ovolo Hotels, Australia & Hong Kong

Whether you’re off to Victoria Harbour or Darling Harbour, Ovolo Hotels have a deal for T+L readers. Book at least three nights in an Ovolo Hotel to save 20 percent with free breakfast, minibar and Wi-Fi. Visit the latest, Ovolo The Valley, in Brisbane, as well as others in Australia, and Hong Kong. The Deal Ovolo x T+L: a night in a medium room at Ovolo The Valley, from A$199, through September 30. Use promo code: OVOXTL. ovolohotels.com.

Six Senses Maxwell Following last year’s launch of Six Senses Duxton, sister hotel Six Senses Maxwell opened last month just a few streets away in the charming Tanjong Pagar district. More capacious than the neighboring Duxton property, Maxwell features 138 rooms, five dining spaces, and a rooftop pool and gym, with spa pods slated to open soon. To celebrate Maxwell’s opening, guests can take 15 percent off the Best Available Rate when they book online at sixsenses.com. As a bonus, the offer also includes daily breakfast, a guaranteed room upgrade and a signature cocktail for two. The Deal Special Opening Offer: a night in a Cook Street double room, from S$330, through March 31. sixsenses.com.

Raffles Hotel After a two-year renovation, Raffles is scheduled to reopen this summer and has begun accepting suite reservations for stays commencing in August. The celebratory opening offer includes a stay in one of the refurbished suites; a welcome Singapore Sling and fruit platter; complimentary non-alcoholic minibar; and butler service. Guests who choose a S$120 per night upgrade will enjoy daily breakfast for two; S$100 credit for use at the Raffles Spa, Raffles Boutique or at one the new dining venues; a commemorative souvenir; and guaranteed late checkout. The Deal Opening Offer: a night in a Palm Court suite, from S$1,069, book by May 31, for stays August 1–October 31. rafflessingapore.com.

WELLNESS BALI

Hoshinoya Bali Add a touch of traditional healing to your next vacation, with the Balinese Dance and Beauty Ritual by Hoshinoya. >>

t r av el a ndl ei s ur e a s i a .c om / ja nua ry 2 019

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ADVENTURE NEPAL

The Pavilions Himalayas Lake View You can now go glamping in Nepal, the first luxury tented eco villas opened this month

by The Pavilions. The opening package includes daily breakfast; complimentary lunch or dinner; a schedule of activities; return airport transfers; one kayaking session; and one 30-minute signature Ayurvedic massage.

Accessed via paddleboat across Phewa Lake, the eight tented villas are surrounded by

rice fields and the Annapurna Himalayas. Each tent is made with natural, local materials and features floor-to-ceiling glass doors, and alfresco rain showers. The Deal Special Opening Offer: a night in a Classic Lake villa, from US$200, through September 30. pavilionshotels.com.

CHINA

Alila Anji This is a deal for Tesla drivers looking to take their ride through the picturesque bamboo forests that sprawl across Anji county. Ecofocused Alila Anji has partnered with electric car company Tesla to create an exclusive package just for Tesla owners. Upon check-in, these guests will get a free room upgrade, plus 20 percent off Alila Experiences, Food & Beverage, spa treatments and more. Alila Anji has also installed powerful Tesla recharging stations, so drivers can fully charge their vehicles in just six hours. The Deal Exclusive Tesla Drive And Stay package: a night in a Lakeview room, from US$373, through March 31. alilaanji.cn.

BEACH THAILAND

SO Sofitel Hua Hin To celebrate the unveiling of the brand new wing at SO Sofitel Hua Hin, take advantage of the Weekend Getaway package, which offers a night’s stay plus breakfast for two. The state-of-the-art upgrade includes the addition of a new 60-meter pool with an inflatable water playground, a dedicated kid’s pool area and a SO Sundae poolside ice cream bar. The expansion also adds another 30 rooms to the property, including onebedroom SO Pool villas, SO Family suites with bunk beds, SO Studios, and SO Lofty Pool Access rooms. The Deal Weekend Getaway package: a night in a SO Comfy room, from Bt4,495, through March 31. For reservations, please e-mail h9649-RE@sofitel.com or call 66-32/709-555. so-sofitel-huahin.com.

ROMANCE SRI LANKA

Galle Face Hotel If you need a big gesture this Valentine’s Day, this ultraluxury two-night package in

Alila Anji is offering a deal for Tesla drivers.

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Colombo includes private jet flights from anywhere in the world and all meals and drinks.

Start with airport transfers in the Cadillac used by Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip during their visit in 1954; champagne and oysters on arrival; and a stay in the Empress suite, where a bespoke dinner will be served at sunset on the terrace. The next day, indulge in a 90-minute signature couple’s spa; a private helicopter flight across the countryside; a boat safari in the Angammedilla National Park; and a stay at EKHO Lake House Polonnaruwa in the Queen suite, named after former guest Queen Elizabeth. A Jaguar F-PACE car and private helicopter will transfer you back to the airport. The Deal Romance at the Iconic Galle Face Hotel: two-night package US$99,000 per double, book

by February 8, for stays February 14–16. E-mail: romance@gallefacehotel.net to book. gallefacehotel.com.

THAILAND

Banyan Tree Bangkok Whisk your loved one away to the City of Angels, and indulge in this package by Banyan Tree Bangkok. Book a minimum of three nights in an Oasis Retreat room and you’ll get daily buffet breakfast at Romsai Restaurant; one monogrammed Banyan Tree bathrobe per person; a “Moon Lovers” drink each at the rooftop Moon Bar; a royalstyle Thai dinner for two on an Apsara dining river cruise, plus a memorable photo; one-way airport transfer by hotel limousine; and a 30 percent discount on treatments at Banyan Tree Spa (excluding beauty). Upgrade to a Serenity Club room or one of the suites to have access to breakfast in the Club lounge. The Deal Sense of Romance package: a night in an Oasis Retreat room, from Bt7,200, through March 31. banyantree.com.

courtesy of alila anji

While the special doesn’t include accommodation, a varied menu of activities is included: a two-hour morning yoga class; a one-hour Balinese dance experience, including costume fitting and make-up; a three-hour spa treatment; a dance show, plus transport to and from; and all meals for the day. The Deal Balinese Dance and Beauty Ritual: one-day schedule Rp6,500,000 per person, through May 31. Book online at least three days in advance. hoshinoya.com.

january 2019

skirting the borderlands w i t h b a n g l a d e s h , b h u ta n a n d n e pa l , p l u s a j a u n t o ff t o t h e andamans, reveal s new views on

east india p. 66

towering over the tr aditional j u n k s o f yo r e , a n e w l u x u r y cruise debuts in Vietnam. t h i s i s n o t yo u r m o t h e r ’ s

halong bay p. 74

Karsts for days, from the top of Ti Top Island, in Halong Bay, page 74.

a p o p cu lt u r e w r i t e r v e n t u r e s n o r t h o f t h e wa l l f o r a “ga m e o f th r o n e s ” p h o t o g r a p h y tour of ethereal

iceland

elephants, ory x , cape se al s and wa g ta i l s m a k e w o n d r o u s s a fa r i c o m pa n i o n s , f r o m d e s e r t t o s e a a n d b a ck a g a i n i n

namibia p. 86

l e i g h g r i f f i ths

p. 80

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An untrodden beach on the Andaman Islands.

Right: Kolkata’s Mullik Ghat flower market.

Far right: A terrace at Glenburn Tea Estate, a hotel in Darjeeling, in northern India.

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A world away from the usual circuit of New Delhi, Agra and Jaipur, a different tour of the subcontinent is emerging. With the underappreciated city of Kolkata as his base, Rollo Romig travels from the tranquil Himalayan foothills to the idyllic, palm-fringed Andaman Islands—a path that captures eastern India in all its dazzling diversity.

Photogr aphed by Sean Fennessy

Side of India

The Glenburn Penthouse hotel in Kolkata, which has views of the Victoria Memorial. opposite: A traditional Bengali meal at Kewpie’s restaurant in Kolkata.

kolkata When we arrived in the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal, my family and I were excited to sample some local delicacies. So we immediately went in search of Chinese food. West Bengal is a borderland, abutting three countries on the northeastern edge of India—Bhutan, Nepal and Bangladesh—and fairly close to China. In Kolkata’s Chinatown, Chinese cookery has transmogrified into something new: Indian-Chinese cuisine, a beloved, gloopy hybrid known locally as “Chindian.” At a restaurant called Golden Joy, we filled our table with dishes you’d never find in China—chili paneer, cauliflower Manchurian, chicken lollipops.

India’s diversity is often most vivid along its borders, where the country’s neighbors influence and complicate its cultures in all sorts of unpredictable (and sometimes volatile) ways. My wife, Shahnaz, and I decided to take our six-year-old daughter, Sophy, to a part of India we’d never seen—the east. We would begin in Kolkata, the longtime capital of British India, 60 kilometers west of Bangladesh.

Then we would travel to Darjeeling: the tea-growing region in the Himalayan foothills, just 15 kilometers east of Nepal.

Doubling back via Kolkata, we would head to the Andaman Islands: a wild, remote archipelago about 1,200 kilometers south. It was a route that would offer us the greatest variety of landscapes—megacity, mountain and tropical island.

The great advantage of traveling with my wife and daughter is that I get to see everything through three sets of eyes. Shahnaz was born and raised in the southern

Indian state of Kerala, where coffee rules, and it was useful to have along a tea skeptic as we planned a trip that would take us deep into tea country. Our daughter is fascinated above all by birds, which I’d never paid much attention to until she trained me to notice the skies as much as the streets. On our first morning at the storied Oberoi Grand hotel, she spied a nest of elegant black kites in a palm tree outside our window: a family of three, just like us.

The instant we stepped outside the serene, wellshaded Oberoi we were thrust into the hurly-burly that spills out from the New Market, a crowded arcade of shops that is actually 144 years old.

There, we found more birds—a motorized eagle with flapping wings and a tiny brass owl inlaid with green stones. We began to recognize the distinguishing characteristics of the city’s architecture: crumbling colonial edifices with wooden shutters and elaborate wrought-iron balconies. And we found that the traffic was dominated by vehicles we hadn’t seen in any other Indian city: trams, hand-pulled rickshaws, curvy yellow Ambassador taxis.

The more we wandered, the more I realized what we weren’t finding. Kolkata has a reputation as a city of squalor and starvation—an image that Mother Teresa’s fame helped cement in the foreign imagination. This image, we discovered, is badly outdated. Over the past few years, Kolkata has quietly established itself as a tech hub, its arts scene has flowered in an array of new galleries, and

its residents have begun reinventing the city’s unique architectural heritage.

Next to the Marble Palace—an amazingly ostentatious private home built by an art-loving Bengali merchant in 1835, and now open to visitors—we visited a ruined mansion whose courtyard has been repurposed as an outdoor photo gallery. And on Ho Chi Minh Sarani (named to troll the U.S. Consulate down the street), a grand old open-well staircase leads to a multimedia space called the Harrington Street Arts Centre.

A painter and sculptor named Samir Roy was there preparing his new show, which was full of wonderfully weird, anxious figures that suggest a meeting between Goya and Ralph Steadman.

“Indian modern art started in Kolkata,” Roy said, and we noted the outsize number of groundbreaking masters the city has produced: poet Rabindranath Tagore, filmmaker Satyajit Ray, and painter Ganesh Pyne, among many others. Roy invited me to the even newer art space where he lives, on the outskirts of the city, called the ArtsAcre Foundation, which offers apartments to creative city residents and houses a swelling collection of new Bengali art.

Around the corner from Ho Chi Minh Sarani, a hotelier named Husna-Tara Prakash has effected another metamorphosis, transforming the top two floors and roof of a clunky office building into the city’s first boutique hotel, the Glenburn Penthouse.

It offers Kolkata’s best panorama, including a superlative view of the Victoria Memorial—a massive white-marble monument, dating to 1921, that was a colonial approximation of the Taj Mahal.

The Glenburn Penthouse was conceived as a place, Prakash told me, for guests to “exit the streets of Kolkata into somewhere light, clean and spacious.” When we visited, she was putting the finishing touches on the place, which has a carefully curated whimsy: my daughter was delighted to discover, for example, that the elevator opens on the seventh floor to an explosion of prints and mosaics of green parrots. So complete is the change Prakash has overseen, you’d never guess at the mundane architectural bones hiding underneath the hotel’s bright white walls.

The hotel’s transformation reminded me of the extraordinary work we witnessed in Kolkata’s Kumartuli neighborhood. Along its lanes, hundreds of artisans weave figures out of straw, over which they layer clay to produce remarkably realistic sculptures of Hindu idols.

Many are launched into the Ganges during the autumn Durga Puja festival—a celebration of the victory of a goddess over a demon king. It was a thrilling exhibition of craftsmanship, all the more enjoyable because no one tried to sell us anything—one of the great perks of visiting a city that has long been underestimated.

Checking out of the Oberoi Grand, I overheard one receptionist say urgently to another, “Mr. Dasgupta needs all six newspapers, including the Bengali ones.” I picked up a local newspaper and found an article that detailed the latest developments in “the Darjeeling issue” but never said what the issue was. Kolkatans are such reliable newspaper readers that it can be assumed that everyone’s kept up on each saga and doesn’t need the context explained. I was eager to catch up.

darjeeling From Kolkata we flew north, where we planned to stay a few days at Husna-Tara Prakash’s original hotel project, the Glenburn Tea Estate, in the mountains of West Bengal’s Darjeeling district. On the drive up into the Himalayan foothills from Bagdogra Airport, we saw tiny tea trees fanning out in every direction. Tea cultivation is one of the most beautiful forms of agriculture: the plantations looked as if a crazy land artist had upholstered the undulating hillside with giant panels of jade-green corduroy.

As we snaked uphill, around innumerable hairpin curves, the surroundings became increasingly rustic. I started to think the driver must be lost. And then we arrived at Glenburn, an impossibly manicured 19th-century colonial bungalow that appeared like a mirage from between the hills. On a clear day it has dramatic views of Kanchenjunga, the third-highest mountain in the world, just 75 kilometers away on the Nepali border. Our host, an affable Australian named Graeme Gibson, greeted us with ginger cookies and a tea that Glenburn calls Moonshine. This was their highestquality Darjeeling tea—an exceptionally delicate brew that they happened to be plucking that very week. Even my wife had to admit it was exquisite. t r av el a ndl ei s ur e a s i a .c om / ja nua ry 2 019

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In the morning, Glenburn’s estate manager, Parveez Hussain, gave me a tour of the tea factory. There was not an electronic device to be seen—Hussain tests every stage of production by sight, smell and feel. “We’re making a connoisseur product,” he said. “Like a single-malt whiskey.” We tried teas ranging from pale yellow to deep amber. I hadn’t known that black, green and oolong teas all come from the same Camellia sinensis trees; their category depends on when they’re plucked and how they’re processed. What makes them Darjeeling is the fact that they’re grown on these particular hills.

As we sipped from a series of small white porcelain bowls, Hussain caught me up on “the Darjeeling issue.”

Although Darjeeling is in West Bengal, only a small proportion of its population is Bengali; many locals belong to a Nepali-speaking community known as the Gorkhas, who have long agitated for their own state. In June 2017, separatist leaders called for a mass strike across the district, bringing tea production to a halt. The strike lasted 104 days. “Last year was disastrous,” Hussain said. The tea trees became wildly overgrown and were now being harvested for the first time since before the strike. In the history of Darjeeling, he said, the plants had never before had such a rest—and everyone was curious how it would affect the flavor. The result was a sweeter brew.

After the tour, a Glenburn staffer named Ranjan Chettri took us for a picnic lunch on the riverbank. Four thousand people live within the 650 hectares of Glenburn; most of them, like Chettri, work in the tea trade. “My great-grandfather planted this tea,” he said. The villages we passed were picture-perfect: brightly painted, meticulously gardened, ornamented with Buddhist prayer flags. As we walked, Chettri expressed support for the Gorkhas. “Our culture, our language, our religion— everything is different from the rest of West Bengal,” he said. The Gorkhas have nothing against the state, he stressed—they just want their share of resources that faraway Kolkata too often monopolizes.

Back at the bungalow, Gibson, our host, overheard my daughter talking about birds. “Oh, we’ll have to arrange a bird walk for you,” he said. Early the next morning, we stepped outside and saw two flashes of red and neon green soar past. “Green magpies!” a voice called out from the terrace above us. This was Sabin Mukhia, the bird-loving Glenburn staffer who’d come to lead us on an avian tour.

He took us down a narrow path along the steep tea-tree hillside, where dozens of white cabbage butterflies flitted around us and children wearing uniforms and backpacks squeezed past us on the way to school.

Mukhia pointed out bird after bird, many of which had names as delightful as their colors: a greater necklaced laughing thrush; a spangled drongo; a chestnut-headed bee-eater. Mukhia pointed up the hillside, to where two Asian barred owlets were snuggling on a branch. Then the 7 a.m. siren blew, calling the tea pluckers to work, and the owlets flew away. When we rounded the next curve, a Glenburn staffer was waiting with a picnic breakfast.

Typical of Glenburn’s attention to detail, the teacups and saucers were decorated with drawings of birds.

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Most evenings at Glenburn began with drinks around a bonfire (“That’s where they throw the coffee lovers,” my wife said). This would be followed by dinner at a communal table. On our last night, there was a slight variation in the program: a group of local musicians and schoolkids stopped by to sing songs in Nepali about life in the hills. As a finale, Chettri sang a haunting Nepali love song.

Andaman islands Two short flights and one fast ferry later, we reached the Andamans, an archipelago of 325 islands far off India’s eastern coast. Only 21 of the islands are populated, and most of the tourism occurs on Havelock Island, which is named after a British general who died of dysentery while attempting to suppress the great Indian Rebellion of 1857. His namesake isle is a profoundly placid slice of lush tropical beauty—and one, thus far, visited by remarkably few travelers.

A local guide, Karthik Mudaliar, picked us up at the dock. Like many Indian mainlanders who live on Havelock, he said he came for a visit and never left. “I’ve been to a lot of places that claim to take a daily siesta,” Mudaliar said, “but this is the only place I’ve been that takes it seriously.”

For years, the Andaman Islands were an exemplar of inaccessibility. The plots of two popular murder mysteries—the 1890 Sherlock Holmes story “The Sign of the Four” and M. M.

It looked as if a land artist had upholstered the undulating hillside with giant panels of jade-green corduroy

Pickers at work on the Glenburn tea plantation. opposite: At the Glenburn Tea Estate, high tea is served on a veranda that has views of the Himalayas.

A room at the Taj Exotica Resort & Spa, Andamans.

Left: Villas at the resort are inspired by local architecture.

Kaye’s 1960 novel Death in the Andamans—hinge on the islands’ remoteness. One of the Andamans’ four indigenous communities, the Sentinelese, is likely the most isolated tribe in the world; anthropologists believe they are the largest group of untouched people outside South America and have been here for 60,000 years.

Travel to the island on which they live is strictly banned, both because they almost certainly have no immunities to modern germs, and as a caution against their resistance to outsiders. North Sentinel Island and the debate over its people’s future were thrust into the global spotlight in November, when an American missionary was killed after attempting to kayak ashore to preach his gospel.

In the Raj era, the British used the Andaman Islands as a penal colony. One jailer, it’s said, would tell new inmates, “You see those walls around? Do you know why they are so low? Because no one escapes from this place. All around for a thousand miles there is nothing but sea.” He was exaggerating a little; the nearest land—the Burmese coast—is some 300 kilometers (less than 200 miles) away.

Tourism on Havelock only really picked up after the 2004 tsunami, when damage to the island brought it unprecedented attention. (The casualties were much worse on the neighboring Nicobar Islands, where tourism remains prohibited.) For now, the Andamans are in a sweet spot for visitors: easy enough to access, complete with all the activities and comforts a beach vacationer might want, but still impressively unspoiled. Havelock’s two paved roads, each served by exactly one bus and just a handful of other vehicles, will take you where you need to

go, and nowhere else. The interior is thickly forested; many of its trees are embellished with elaborate buttress roots that give them purchase in the sandy soil. But its perimeter is fringed with some of the most pristine beaches on earth.

We stayed on Radhanagar Beach, where the Taj hotel group has just opened the newest, most luxurious resort on Havelock Island—the Taj Exotica Resort & Spa, Andamans. At the entrance, a half-dozen staffers lined up to sing to us in the language of the islands’ Jarawa people about life on the islands. Guests stay in freestanding villas on stilts, which are built out of wood and inspired by Jarawa homes, like very upscale versions of a beach shack. At times the place was so quiet and serene that I felt I was on a monastic retreat—but one where snorkeling was always an option.

The resort’s then chef, Kaushik Misra, told me how he’d designed the menu. After India gained independence in 1947, waves of mainland Indians began migrating to the islands in search of land and work. These new arrivals came mostly from West Bengal and Tamil Nadu—two states with wildly different cuisines. The Bengali love of sugar and mustard oil met with the Tamil attachment to coconut and tamarind, both of which mingled with local tribal cooking methods and ingredients— taro, cresses, rock lobster, mangrove crab—to create a new cuisine (and one that’s much lighter and subtler than all these collisions might suggest).

Misra told me that he spent nearly a month cooking with villagers across 20 of the Andaman Islands. He explained his guiding principle: “let the food be authentic to what people eat here.” So the menu listed mochar chop (banana flower cooked with mustard oil, ginger and peanuts, borrowed

from Bengali settlers on Havelock Island) and grouper steamed in a banana leaf, as in Kerala, but served with the short-grain rice liked by Bengalis.

The Andamans are a bird-watcher’s paradise, teeming with unusual endemic birds—most famously, edible-nest swiftlets, whose dwellings made of their own saliva are coveted for soup. The Taj’s resident naturalist, Jocelyn Panjikaran, took us on a morning walk, and her enthusiasm made us see the wonder in even the most everyday things. We scrambled over strange rocks on the beach’s intertidal zone, marveling at hermit crabs and mudskippers, then detoured into the forest, which she told us was inhabited by no nonhuman mammal bigger or more dangerous than a boar.

The crime rate in the Andamans is near zero; Panjikaran said she feels safer walking in this forest, day or night, than anywhere else in India.

But the Andamans are still very much a borderland; you never know who or what will wash up on the beach. On our last morning, my daughter and I took one more dip in the transparent water, bobbing and laughing on the gentle waves. At its most crowded we had seen only a couple dozen people on this white-sand beach, but that morning we had it entirely to ourselves.

And then, farther up the beach, we spotted something drifting ashore. It was a life-size human figure woven out of straw—exactly like the ones we’d seen up north on the mainland, built by the artisans in Kumartuli. Maybe the local Bengali settlers had built it for their own Durga Puja festival. Or, who knows? Maybe it had drifted all the way from Kolkata, an intrepid idol making its own tour of the easterly fringes of India.

nepal Darjeeling

bangl adesh

Kolkata india

burma

Create your own East Indian odyssey

Andaman Islands

Set aside at least 10 days for this varied itinerary. You’ll use Kolkata as a hub, then do side trips to the Himalayan foothills and the beaches of the Andamans.

GETTING THERE

From Southeast Asia, you can fly non-stop to Kolkata from Bangkok, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. All foreign nationals require a visa to visit India; check indianvisaonline.gov.in for details and e-visa application.

KOLK ATA

We stayed at the Oberoi Grand (oberoihotels.com; doubles from US$320), a classic property with a pretty pool. The Glenburn Penthouse (glenburn​ penthouse.com; doubles from US$355) is a new, beautifully decorated boutique hotel.

For Bengali food, try a multicourse thali meal at Kewpie’s (2 Elgin Lane; mains US$6–$14). Or sample Indian-Chinese cuisine at Golden Joy (golden​joy.in; mains US$5–$11). Visit the Harrington Street Arts Centre (hstreet​arts​centre. com) and the Arts Acre Foundation (arts​acre.org) for a taste of culture.

DARJEELING

The quickest route to the Glenburn Tea Estate (glenburn​tea​estate.com; doubles from US$650, allinclusive) is an hour-long flight to Bagdogra Airport

One of the pristine beaches on Havelock Island, the most visited of the Andamans.

bhutan

followed by a four-hour drive, the final 40 minutes of which are on extremely bumpy roads. But the views are stunning, and the driver, provided by Glenburn, makes a merciful hillside refreshment stop (complete with tea service, naturally). andaman ISLANDs

The flight from Kolkata to Port Blair on South Andaman Island takes an hour and 15 minutes; when you land, you’ll need to apply for a Restricted Area Permit. To reach Havelock, the main island, book the 90-minute Makruzz ferry (makruzz. com; round-trip fare US$30.

From there it’s a 40-minute drive to the Taj Exotica Resort & Spa (taj​hotels. com; doubles from US$373), which the hotel can arrange.

TOUR OPERATOR

Our trip was organized by Wild Frontiers (wild​frontiers​ travel.com; seven nights from US$1,785). Founded by India specialist Jonny Bealby (44-020/8741-7390; jonny. bealby@wild​frontiers.co.uk)​ —a member of Travel + Leisure’s A-List—this tour operator offers custom trips throughout the continent, with the option for an Andamans extension. — R.R.

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Lounging around on the sun-soaked deck of the new President Cruises ship in Halong Bay.

Enter the Dragon A new luxury cruise offers top-flight treatment aboard the biggest vessel to launch in Halong Bay. Eloise Basuki embarks on a voyage in northern Vietnam that proves to be like no other, all from the comfort of her oversized suite.

Photogr aphed by Leigh Griffiths

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Night has fallen on the calm waters that lap the shores of Ti Top Island, in the heart of Halong Bay. Tonight the bay’s spectacular karsts are just black shadows in the distance. In the place that launched a thousand ships, my partner, Leigh, and I are squatting on the stern of the brand-new, biggest-in-the-bay President Cruises vessel, trying to catch a squid with the boat’s jolly crew. After half an hour of watching passing jellyfish undulate through the water and flying fish leap over our bamboo rods, a baby squid tugs on Leigh’s line.

“Breakfast for tomorrow!” shout the crew, and, as if retaliating with a cephalopod version of the middle finger, the flailing squid showers us in a squirt of black ink.

I didn’t think I would be getting abused by calamari when I stepped aboard this luxury cruise in Vietnam’s most famous bay. Then again, this was my first time here, and I didn’t really know what to expect. Leigh had shared debauched tales of his backpacker days in Halong Bay aboard a party boat manned by alcoholic Brits. My parents went on (and on) about their recent voyage on one of the high-end wooden junks that ply these waters. But I’ve always been a little cynical about joining the hoards of tourists who descend on these karsts, not to mention being stuck with them in close quarters. So, spending the night fishing off the back of the boat, in the company of only the local crew, was way more fun than what I’d pictured. It was surprisingly real, and certainly unique.

Officially launching this month, President Cruises maintains a local focus amid their ante-upping luxury— fine-dining meals, butler service, the full-treatment Kaia Spa and an on-deck pool with built-in Jacuzzi. Offering more space than any other ship here, this 86-meter-long, 14-meter-wide, five-deck craft impressively towers over those smaller, homey wooden junks that my parents sailed on, and is a world away from any backpacker boat.

Obviously there’s a reason this bay is so continually packed—it’s beautiful. My mom’s report that her visit wasn’t as crowded as anticipated along with assurances from friends that the bay’s unesco status has kept authorities managing the area tightly helped change my apathy into excitement. As it turned out, our two-night sailing wasn’t just upscale, but also would end with a bang for a tale that was worth telling over (and over) again.

Halong Bay is home to many legends. This

sprawling jade-green cove speckled with more than a thousand jungle-cloaked limestone karsts is said to have

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been created by a divine dragon mother. Defending the region from invaders from the north, the dragon and her children hurled a fury of fire and emeralds on the marine battlefield, destroying the attackers and creating the scatter of jagged islets and caves we see today.

This story also baptized the bay—ha long means descending dragon—and many Vietnamese people consider themselves descendants of this sacred creature.

Whether you believe the fable or veer toward the more scientific origin story of 500-million-year-old geologic evolution, the beauty of Halong Bay feels pretty magical.

Clockwise from above: President

Cruises is the only ship in Halong to have its own pool on deck, complete with Jacuzzi jets for when the nights get cold; getting schooled on the pearling process at Tung Sau oyster farm; kayaking affords a different perspective on the bay; happy hour with President bartender Jimmy; the new vessel has five decks, compared to most other ships’ four.

Clockwise from top left: The

Treasury suite’s claw-foot tub; the President’s glassbottom bow; karstviews from the elegant Treasury suite; exploring the ancient chamber of Surprising Cave; cooling off at the beach on Ti Top Island; Tracy, one of President’s butlers.

Considering itself the new legend in town, President boasts the highest capacity in Halong—46 cabins for up to 120 guests—though with five decks (most ships top out at four), it hardly feels cramped. Before I can drape myself on the pillow-piled nest loungers scattered across the top two sundecks, we’re introduced to the main crew for a safety briefing over oysters and tea. We meet cruise manager Mr. Lee; bartender Jimmy; Tracy, our butler, on hand for meal times, room service and excursions; and Hayden, the joyful assistant manager.

Mr. Lee guides us to one of two Treasury suites at the front, our 38-square-meter home for the next two nights.

If only my actual home looked like this: dark-wood parquet floors and chocolate-brown leather furnishings offer refinement; woven bamboo accents add a modern Vietnamese influence. But the spot you really want to be is in the claw-foot tub in the bathroom, where you can look out the floor-to-ceiling window to your private deck on the bow, and the shifting karst-scape beyond.

While all of the cabins have their own balconies, including a full front terrace for the 130-square-meter Presidential suite, ours affords us almost exclusive use of the very cool glass-bottomed bow. “You can have your ‘Jack and Rose’ moment here,” says Mr. Lee of the perfect Titanic-style tip. Above the see-through floor, my feet seemingly drift above the emerald waters, and with the wind blowing through my hair and the karsts gliding in the distance, I can’t stop myself shouting out a terrible impression of Kate Winslet’s, “Jack, I’m flying!” I’ve got Mr. Lee and my Leigh, but, unfortunately, neither is Leo.

As luxe as the rooms are, we don’t really

spend that much time in them, because there is so much to see. The first day we dock at the Tung Sau oyster farm to see the pearling process (and, of course, the floating jewelry shop). We gladly take up the option to hire a kayak to get closer to the coves. (Tip: avoid splashing water into your kayak, or you’ll sink like some of our fellow paddlers—and get even closer than you intended. Their rescue involves a fishing boat, some heavy lifting, and thanking the tech gods for waterproof phones.)

We climb to Sung Sot Cave, known as Surprising Cave for its vast 10,000-square-meter chamber. The largest cave in Halong, it’s also filled with legends, including a stalagmite in the shape of a forlorn abandoned wife, still waiting for her good-for-nothing fisherman husband to return; and a turtle-shaped rock that’s supposedly lucky, thus has had a lot of dong thrown at it over the years.

I’ll admit that the “newly wed, nearly dead” cruise stereotype feels accurate on this trip—we fall in with a pair of bubbly Californian honeymooners and a grayhaired but impressively adventurous group from Borneo who make me think maybe sharing a deck with strangers isn’t so bad. Still, the many private nooks make it easy to have alone time. At dinner you’re not forced to share tables with the other guests (or the space, in fact, as you can opt for in-cabin dining, too). The butler service and creatively plated a la carte menu makes the communal area feel like an intimate fine-dining restaurant.

Tracy tells me I can choose as many dishes as I like from the East-and-West menu. Tracy didn’t know that I would take her literally, but is very gracious when I order two appetizers, two mains and dessert. The traditional spiced Halong sea bass was a standout. This month the menu will be finalized with input from Michelin-starred British chef John Burton-Race.

The next day, we wake to blue skies and golden sunshine, and I feel sorry for the one-night guests disembarking this morning. I sleep in, so miss the sunrise tai chi on the top deck, but find my Zen during a late-morning swim in the sunlit pool. I have the water to myself, with a clear backdrop of Ti Top Island, the nearby karsts and other moored boats—an unforgettable scene. What had been wrong with me? My mom was right to go on; if this is cruise life, I want more of it.

We two-nighters transfer onto the Paradise Explorer day boat for our second day excursion. We huff and puff with what feels like hundreds of other tourists climbing to Ti Top’s peak—worth it for the postcard panorama of the surrounding isles—then cool off with a swim in its bay. We kayak near Trinh Nu cave, and feed sweet potatoes and cucumbers to some visiting mountain monkeys. After lunch we dock at Cua Van floating village, and row past the fishermen’s seabound houses.

Unlike Cua Van, which is protected from typhoons by neighboring islands, our floating home, it turns out, is in for a rough night. Back on the President we learn that the government has issued a strong wind warning, and every boat in Halong is to return to the harbor by 6 p.m. I look out at the still-blue sky, and feel a little indignant. Instead of packing, I head straight to the spa. If it’s going to rain on my parade, I’m getting a massage while it happens.

By the time my 90-minute hot-stone treatment is over, the sky has grown black, the storm has hit, and we are inundated with such hard sheets of rain that it’s almost impossible to leave the boat. I am glad we’ve safely pulled into harbor and are not in the middle of the choppy sea.

Mr. Lee hands out umbrellas and plastic ponchos, but these aren’t enough to keep us dry on the open-air buggy ride through flooded streets and sideways rain. Some of our fellow travelers shriek for their lives in the lashing squall. I don’t know whether to laugh or join in. It’s like an alternate madcap-caper ending to Titanic, in which Rose just gets totally, soaking wet, Jack’s biggest concern is damaging his camera equipment, and the beautiful boat survives unscathed, wondering why its occupants abandoned her. When we arrive, drenched, at Paradise’s hotel, it proves to be comfortable but heartbreakingly incomparable to my suite and that (never-used!) bathtub.

It seems sort of poetic that this spectacular bay created by a hail of dragon’s breath has now also poured its heavens on me, another invader. Sure, our stormy exit probably wasn’t due to the will of an ancient beast, but at least it makes for another good story. presidentcruiseshalong.com; one-night cruise from US$420 per double; two-night cruise from US$840 per double. t r av el a ndl ei s ur e a s i a .c om / ja nua ry 2 019

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S E T T I N G S 5000 ISO; f/8.0; 1/1000 second exposure.

“Near the steaming sulfur pits of Námafjall, our guide, Niall, walked off by himself. When everything around you is black or white, the slightest bit of color is like an explosion. Niall taught me to look for these sparks wherever I could find them.”

Northern

When a beginner photographer—and professional pop culture writer—took a Game of Thrones–themed photography tour of the rugged, snowbound landscapes of northern Iceland, he revealed a whole new way of seeing this wildly popular destination. story and photogr aphs BY Logan Hill

exposure

inter was coming.

Or, rather, I was coming for winter.

Long before dawn one day last January, I took a bumpy, twin-prop flight from Reykjavík into the bleak darkness of Iceland’s north.

When the plane touched down on the icy airstrip of Akureyri Airport, the sky was still inky black. And, though I was wearing more wool than most sheep, I was still freezing.

A bit like Game of Thrones hero Jon Snow, who trekked to the north of Westeros, I was on a quest to northern Iceland—where the TV show filmed its most frigid scenes. My editor at Travel+Leisure had challenged me, an amateur photographer and professional pop-culture obsessive, to study landscape photography on a guided Game of Thrones–themed tour. I hoped to return with my grail: publishable photographs and a sense of how the Land of Fire and Ice inspired the books that inspired the show, George R. R. Martin’s fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire.

Since the birth of pop culture, fans have flocked to Hollywood and New York to see Sunset Boulevard or Manhattan; to Dyersville, Iowa, to see the real Field of Dreams; or to Austria, to see the place that inspired The Sound of Music. But over the past few decades, as our TV and movie franchises have become bigger and travel has become more affordable, there has been a boom in entertainment travel, drawing fans like me to the locations of Lord of

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the Rings in New Zealand or the ensorcelled England of Harry Potter. Over the years, Iceland has played host to scores of production crews, providing the backdrop for everything from The Empire Strikes Back to Batman Begins. But the local travel industry has seen nothing like the impact of Game of Thrones. Since the show launched in 2011, GoT fans have descended on Iceland from all over the globe.

On my personal quest, I was accompanied by a band of merry companions: six British photography enthusiasts, eager to shoot the aurora borealis and the rugged, untouched landscapes that lie outside Iceland’s well-trodden Golden Circle. We met at baggage claim in Akureyri Airport, where I quickly surmised that I was the group’s most knowledgeable Game of Thrones fan and least experienced photographer—in both cases, by far.

Luckily, I had a mentor: our tour guide, photographer Niall Benvie. A soft-spoken, thoughtful Scot, Niall greeted us warmly in the tiny airport café and, over coffee and hot chocolate, broke down a few basics. The short Arctic days, he said, are not as limiting for photographers as one might imagine. Since the sun barely rises above the horizon at this time of year, we wouldn’t lose hours to midday glare, and would have extra time to shoot during dawn and dusk, when the sun hovers below the horizon for nearly an hour.

Briefing over, we headed out into the wilderness.

Driving northeast along the coast, I watched the sky slowly brighten, revealing a world of endless snow. A couple of hours later, Niall pulled off the highway and parked our van at the foot of a hill. As we loaded up our cameras, he issued a final safety lesson: “It’s dangerous out there. Pay attention to what’s outside your viewfinder, or you could slip off a cliff and into an icy chasm.” As we set off up the hillside, stamping fresh footprints into virgin powder, his warning immediately made sense. Around us there was no contrast, no horizon, just a disorienting scroll of white landscape bleeding into a bright sky.

Then, at the top of our climb, we came to a cliff edge.

Peering over, we saw a giant tear in this blank page, where water thundered over a huge semicircle of black cliffs. This was Goðafoss falls, one of the most spectacular locations in the whole of Iceland. I was convinced I’d seen the falls on GoT, but it turned out the series never filmed there; these waters were legendary long before the show came along. The name means “waterfall of the gods” and was coined sometime around the year 1000, when a pagan priest named Þorgeir Ljósvetningagoði converted to Christianity and declared it the religion of the realm. At Goðafoss, he obliterated the old Norse gods by casting their statues into the falls.

I stepped back from the brink, feeling woozy. Bundled up in winter gear and whipsawed by gusts of wind, I clumsily unzipped my new camera bag. I had never used

SETTINGS

3200 ISO; f/14; 1/20 second exposure.

“This wild sunset on Lake Mývatn was the hardest to shoot. The light was rich but very low, and I wanted to pick up those beautiful details in the cracking ice. I was so excited I couldn’t hold the camera still.”

SETTINGS

400 ISO; f/4.0; 1/1000 second exposure.

“It’s impossible to take a boring photo of an Icelandic horse. They have so much personality. We met this one on Lake Mývatn. I thought he had the Mohawk—and drunken swagger—of a rock star.”

anything but an entry-level DSLR, but just as Jon Snow wielded the extraordinary sword Longclaw, I had borrowed my own Excalibur: the Sony a7R III, a state-ofthe-art mirrorless DSLR. Excited to try out my new equipment, I began snapping away. But when I reviewed the photos, the waterfall of the gods looked puny—more like a birdbath of the gods. I told Niall that I didn’t know how to capture the scale of it all.

Speaking over his breath-frosted scarf, he suggested that, since I was feeling overwhelmed, I should start by zooming in and grounding my framing with foreground detail. “Don’t try to get it all,” he said. “Pick the story you want to tell.” It was good advice. Setting up my tripod for the first time and swapping lenses with freezing fingers, I took hundreds of photos. I framed rocky outcrops against the falls and zoomed in tight on the cliffs. I even slowed the shutter speed down to blur the water and get that misty effect—though, I admit, it mostly looked cheesy.

The rest of the day’s journey passed in a movie-montage rush of jagged mountains, lunar craters, whistling snowy gales, and empty horizons. Like all adventurers, we suffered early setbacks: next to the intimidating YtriSelbunga mountain, we attempted to shoot a group of Iceland’s photogenic wild horses, but they galloped away before we could grab our cameras. And though I had lost sleep watching “How to Photograph the Northern Lights” videos on YouTube, the Icelandic weather service’s aurora forecast (a local news fixture, like Oahu’s surf forecast) was dismal. Due to cloud cover, the northern lights would not be visible all week.

Later that night, I reviewed the absurd number of photos I’d taken—more than a thousand—and was disappointed by every one. Most were sharp enough, thanks to my camera, and plenty were serviceable in a “Hey, check out this crazy crater” kind of way, but they lacked the cinematic drama—the fantasy—that I had come to capture.

Closing my laptop, humbled, my Game of Thrones hero’s catchphrase echoed in my mind: “You know nothing, Jon Snow.”

on our icelandic journey, base camp was a group of rustic wood cabins named the Dimmuborgir Guesthouse, located on the shore of Lake Mývatn, a strange, shallow body of frozen water punctuated by jagged volcanic rocks and plumes of steam belching from submerged hot springs. Looking out at this eerie view the next morning, I breakfasted on local smoked fish and traditional Icelandic dark rye bread. As I ate, the innkeeper told me that the eighth Fast & Furious movie had staged a chase on the frozen lake with a Lamborghini, a tank, a Hummer, and—thanks to CGI—a submarine. “It was crazy,” said the innkeeper. “Huge explosions!”

Fittingly enough, the snowy roads were so impassable that day, Niall had to call in a vehicle that would have

made the Rock proud: an American militarysurplus Hummer fitted with giant snow tires.

We rumbled off through pristine expanses of crystallized snow, glittering in the rising sun, toward the Dettifoss—the most powerful waterfall in Europe. It’s often called “the Beast,” in contrast to “the Beauty”—Goðafoss—though I knew it from the Ridley Scott sci-fi film Prometheus, where the 45-meter-high waterfall looked so otherworldly that I imagined it had to have been a special effect.

But when we arrived at the edge of Dettifoss, after hiking about a kilometer-and-a-half through knee-high snow, I couldn’t see it. The geothermally heated water surging over the falls was so much hotter than the Arctic air that it threw off giant, rolling waves of steam that cloaked the falls entirely. Some of my companions were disappointed, but I found the strangeness exhilarating.

Catching this mystery on camera was confounding, however. I asked Niall how to shoot when there was nothing but white snow, white steam and black rock. He suggested I lean into it. Instead of looking for colors that weren’t there, he advised me to focus on the black-andwhite extremes and embrace the high-key contrast. I took shots of waves of white steam cresting between black cliffs, and close-ups of the ice crystals that covered every rock and quivering leaf like a sorcerer’s spell.

The next day we visited Dimmuborgir, or the “Dark Fortress” lava field, which inspired the name of our cabins. It is also where Game of Thrones filmed scenes featuring the wildlings—the uncivilized “free folk” who live beyond civilization’s northernmost border.

Hiking through this jagged labyrinth, I saw profiles of trolls and giants in the craggy rock faces, and tried to capture them on camera.

Then I pulled out two faces of my own: Game of Thrones action figurines of Jon Snow and his wildling lover, Ygritte. I staged silly, cinematic shots of the two statuettes, imagining how the show’s directors shot their real-life avatars in this exact setting. Just then three Turkish tourists materialized, as if from thin air. They spoke very little English, but pointed at my figures shouting, “Jon Snow! Jon Snow!” One managed to ask me if I was working on the show; when I told her I was not, their grins disappeared, and then they did too, like fangirl Cheshire cats.

Over the next few days, Niall led us from one photographic location to the next, like a hunting

SETTINGS

160 ISO; f/3.5; 1/80 second exposure.

“Every shot I took in Hofdi Nature Park looked like a fairy tale. Our guide, Niall, told us to ignore the chaos of tree branches and focus on the trunks. That was when I noticed this knot on a birch tree, which seemed to look right back at me.”

SETTINGS

125 ISO; f/2.8; 1/400 second exposure.

“At the Námafjall geothermal park, Niall suggested that we look for the natural power around us. In this picture, I like the way two sources—solar and geothermal—suffuse each other, giving a strange, alien effect.”

Goðafoss Waterfall Dettifoss Waterfall Akureyri

guide goosing the odds of our getting a great shot. We visited Námafjall, with its roiling geothermal mud pits that stank of the sulfur once mined for medicine and gunpowder. As we explored, I found that, despite the brutal cold, I was starting to enjoy the ritual of walking, hiking, and looking. Focus became more than a lens ring I twisted; it became a way of seeing the world.

On the last day, I decided to stay behind and edit

photos on my laptop. Reviewing the small proportion of images I hadn’t deleted, I began to see some progress.

Because I hadn’t been thinking about technique as much over the past few days (which I counted as a success in its own right), my photographs had begun to look a little less clichéd. My favorite was a group portrait of my fellow travelers, all lined up in a near-blizzard, appearing to photograph nothing but blank whiteness.

I looked up from my laptop to see Niall’s wife, Charlotte, our cohost and an enthusiastic amateur photographer, walking in the direction of a nearby farm, camera in hand. Pulling on my coat to join her, I realized, in a panic, that Niall had left with the van containing my bag and my magic camera. Reluctantly, I grabbed my sixyear-old, entry-level Canon Rebel—and rushed to catch up with Charlotte, who was already shooting horses outside the farm.

While I played around with my wide-angle lens, trying to exaggerate the horses’ features, the sky suddenly erupted in color over our heads. It wasn’t exactly a sunset; Niall later explained it was a display of “polar stratospheric clouds”—and it was the most intense example any of the locals could remember. The clouds were filled with ice crystals, which refracted the sinking sunlight into shards of green and pink and orange, sending them slicing across the horizon and reflecting off the lake.

All I knew was that it was the most spectacular sunset I’d ever seen, and I didn’t have my magic camera to capture it. I didn’t even have my tripod, so I had to wedge my camera into the snow. When my memory card filled up, I deleted photos; then my camera battery died, so I just sat and let the colors wash over me.

I admit, I had been skeptical about taking a Game of Thrones tour. I’d always cringed at tourists who treat whole countries like backdrops for TV-inspired selfies.

But out in that field, I realized I’d never looked so closely at any place I’d visited. The camera helped me to see details I would otherwise have missed.

As I watched the sky ripple with color, I remembered a blog post I’d read by George R. R. Martin. “Reality is mud brown and olive drab,” he wrote. “Fantasy is obsidian veined with gold and lapis lazuli…. We read fantasy to find the colors again.” As I watched the strange, iridescent sky turn dark, I realized I’d found the colors again. My quest was complete.

Lake Mývatn

iceland Reykjavík

how to do Northern Iceland

Venture into the extreme landscape that inspired the frigid north in Game of Thrones—either on a weeklong photography tour or a regular sightseeing trip.

Getting There & Around

Fly into Keflavík Airport outside Reykjavík and spend a day taking in the sights of the capital. From there, it’s a 45-minute flight to Akureyri, on the northern coast. In winter, weather can be extremely unpredictable, so if you decide to rent a car, make sure it’s a four-wheel-drive with snow tires. An even safer option is to use a local company like Geo Travel Iceland (geotravel.is), which can get you around the island in everything from a Hummer to a dogsled.

Akureyri

Make Iceland’s second-largest city your jumping-off point.

After snapping a few pictures of the oddly geometric Akureyrarkirkja church (akureyrarkirkja.is) in the quaint downtown area, I picked up a collection of Norse mythology at the Eymundsson bookstore (penninn.is), some backup winter wear at the 66°North shop (66north.com), and an excellent coffee at Bláa Kannan Café (96 Hafnarstræti; 354/461-4600).

Lake Mý vatn

In warm weather, this shallow lake is a haven for birdwatchers. In winter, it’s an icy base camp from which to explore the caves, waterfalls, and hiking trails of the region.

We stayed at Dimmuborgir Guesthouse (dimmuborgir.is;

doubles from US$116), a collection of wooden cabins on the lake’s eastern shore. It offers spectacular sunset views and simple meals of local food, including some delicious smoked fish. It’s also a 10-minute drive from Mývatn Nature Baths (myvatnnature​baths.is), one of the largest and best-reviewed hot-spring spas in Iceland.

Tour Operator

Wild Photography Holidays offers a variety of guided photography tours to Iceland, including Northern Lights, Waterfalls and Game of Thrones Locations. Instruction in the field is complemented by tutorials in photo development and editing back at base camp. wildphotography​holidays.com; seven nights from US$3,935 per person.

What to Pack

Invest in a solid camera kit, including lenses, laptop and plenty of absorbent cloths for wiping off snow. (Buy your gear before you leave; camera stores are not plentiful in Iceland.) Batteries die faster in the cold, so bring spares. If you’re hoping to shoot the aurora borealis, don’t leave home without a fast, wideangle lens and a headlamp.

Waterproof winter wear is very important: head-to-toe woolen thermals, sturdy walking boots and tactical gloves for your camera hands are all highly recommended. — L.H.

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W her e the desert ta k es you From the salt pans of Sossusvlei to the shipwrecks of the Skeleton Coast, Namibia is known for some of the most remote, inhospitable places on earth. And yet, on a tour of the country’s finest new lodges, Peter Browne finds these landscapes brimming with unexpected life.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY EMMA HARDY

An aerial view of Sossusvlei, a region of the Namib Desert known for its towering sand dunes, which are among the highest in the world. The iconic, 85-meter-high Dune 45 is visible at the bottom of the image.

I assumed there would be silence in the desert; I was wrong. I thought that little of interest could survive in such a hostile place, but I was wrong again. Although I was born and raised in Africa, Namibia has changed the way I see the continent, and how I connect with it. It has rekindled the awe for Africa in me.

The Namib is the oldest desert in the world, an almighty sea of sand running for some 2,000 kilometers along Namibia’s Atlantic coastline. With few roads running to it or through it, the desert is largely inaccessible, and almost entirely uninhabited by humans.

Yet somehow life thrives there—in astonishing shapes and forms.

In the Namib I was serenaded by duetting bokmakierie birds and entertained by prancing ostriches in black tutus. There were wild melons growing in the sand, some tiny enough to furnish a dollhouse, some as big as beach balls. I learned to recognize the shepherd’s tree, which gives off a smell like a sewer but can sustain everything from insects to human beings with its roots, berries, leaves and bark.

I watched Hartmann’s mountain zebras strut and snort on vast, open plains, and I tracked desert-adapted elephants across dry riverbeds.

My adventure began—as virtually all safaris in Namibia do—in the capital, Windhoek. There I was joined by James Kydd, one of Africa’s finest private safari guides and a man with a profound love for wild, open spaces.

Together, Kydd and I flew to Sossusvlei, a part of the Namib famous for its immense red sand

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dunes—some of the tallest in the world. As we flew over them, the supremely well-traveled Kydd told me that Namibia is one of his alltime favorite places. Looking out of the aircraft window, it was obvious why.

We began by flying high above the pleats and folds of the Khomas Hochland mountains, before leveling out over a highland plateau punctuated with thorn trees, isolated settlements, and rocky inselbergs. Next, we swooped south over the great escarpment that separates the highlands from the desert—the magnificent, flattopped Gamsberg Mountain to the east, the spectacular gorges and ravines of the Naukluft mountain range to the west. Then we crossed the low gravel plains of the Namib Desert and, finally, the colossal sand pyramids of Sossusvlei.

We were booked into the newest camp in the region, Sossus Under Canvas, which stands on the Namib Tsaris Conservancy—a private wildlife sanctuary carved from 24,000 hectares of former farmland. The majority owner, a Namibian property developer named Swen Bachran, bought the land eight years ago and has worked hard to improve roads, take down fences, and install water holes for the animals he has reintroduced, which include zebras, cheetahs and giraffes. Since Bachran established the park, leopards and hyenas have returned to the area, and herds of antelope— Namibia’s iconic oryx and ubiquitous springbok among them—have begun proliferating.

In addition to being a keen conservationist, Bachran has a strong eye for property. The conservancy is a wonderfully handsome tract of land with both immense plains and a high plateau, from which there are breathtaking views of Sossusvlei. Rain had come to the area a couple of months before we arrived, ending a five-year drought. As a result, the lowlands were coated in feathery grass that shimmered in the cool east wind, as iridescent as the flicker on a silver screen.

The camp itself sits easy in the landscape, tucked into a natural amphitheater at the bottom of a cliff with the prairie stretching out before it. Its eight guest tents have floors and furniture built with reclaimed wood and roofs tiled with panels made from recycled oil drums. The effect is surprising, elemental and beautiful. As the only camp on the reserve, Sossus Under Canvas feels completely private and imparts an extraordinary sense of exclusivity and freedom to its guests.

Franco Morao, a young Namibian with a keen mind and a gentle manner, was our host and local guide. Accompanied by Morao and Kydd, I spent my days exploring the reserve on foot, meeting the cast of astonishing characters that thrives in this arid environment.

First up was the quiver tree, the grande dame of the Namib Desert.

A succulent with a crown of bulbous branches covered in a thick white powder, this species grows on even the most unforgiving rocky ridges of the escarpment. The nomadic San people used to hollow out branches to use as containers for their arrows—hence the name. In times of drought, the trees are known to self-amputate, sacrificing a branch for the survival of the whole. In the evenings at Sossus, as color drained from the China-blue skies, the quiver trees stood out like luminous sentinels around the desert prairies, guardians of all they surveyed.

The Namib Desert is also home to some of the biggest bird’s nests you’ll find in the world, which are built by colonies of sociable weaverbirds in the style of thatched apartment buildings. Cool during the day and warm at night, they provide year-round dwellings for up to 500 birds at a time, and the excited chatter of

A family of desert-adapted elephants crosses a dry riverbed near Hoanib Valley Camp, a new safari lodge in northwestern Namibia.

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A colony of Cape fur seals near MĂśwe Bay, on the Skeleton Coast. Below: Interior and exterior views of the guest cabins at Shipwreck Lodge.

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sh i p w r e c k l o d g e : M i c h a e l T u r e k

run down their shells and trickle into their mouths. Once seen, never forgotten.

Such interesting new friends—and potential foes such as scorpions and snakes, a particular interest of Kydd’s—were introduced to me daily, and in their presence I have never felt so ordinary or domesticated.

A tiny indentation in the sand revealed itself to be an insect trap dug by an ant lion larva, a creature just a fraction of a centimeter long but with formidable pincers that eventually metamorphoses into an ethereal flying insect, seen mainly at night. As a child growing up in Zimbabwe, I would torment ant lion larvae, jabbing at them with grass until their pincers gripped; out in the Namib Desert I finally learned about their worth in the world.

On my penultimate day at the lodge, we set off to visit Sossusvlei.

Vlei is Afrikaans for “salt pan,” while sossus translates from the Namib language as “dead end.” The name refers both to a part of Namib-Naukluft Park and to a specific dry claypan within it— formed when the Tsauchab river became blocked by sand, coming to a halt before reaching the Atlantic Ocean.

There is only one road to Sossusvlei in the park. It runs for about 65 kilometers along the dry floodplain of the Tsauchab, soaring red sand dunes rising on either side like the parting of the Red Sea. In the early morning, the road was swathed in a gauze of fog coming in from the Atlantic. As the first rays of sunlight hit the tops of the symmetrical dunes with astonishing precision, their ridges were lit up like a row of smoke signals.

Sossusvlei is the biggest of four claypans in the area, and the only one ever to flood. The most striking, however, is undoubtedly Deadvlei. In this parched, arid place stand the skeletons of camel thorn trees, dead since the 11th century. In their branches, flocks of Cape crows stand watch, just as they have for hundreds of years.

these weaverbird colonies returning after a day out hunting created a cheerful soundtrack for our evenings at the lodge.

Morao showed me how to set fire to a bushman’s candle, an inconsequential shrub that, when ignited, crackles into flames to emit a pure, white light. That night, Kydd put a black husk he’d found while walking in a jar of water; by morning it was fat and green, a miracle expressed by its colloquial name: the resurrection plant.

Within a day, I could make out the unmistakable tap of a tok-tokkie beetle as it serenaded a potential mate. Tok-tokkies have adapted to the desert by becoming earthbound, their wings fused into a hard shell with ridges that have evolved to collect moisture from fog drifting in from the ocean. By raising their long back legs and performing a headstand on the sand, they let the accumulated droplets

MOWE BAY STANDS on the edge of one of southern Africa’s last great wildernesses: the Namib Desert’s Skeleton Coast National Park and, beyond it, the remote region of Kaokoland. The desolate town was named after the German cruiser Moewe, which put a landing party ashore in 1884 with instructions from their leader, Otto von Bismarck, to seize the coastline, beginning a German occupation that lasted until the end of World War I. A succession of expeditions followed, each intent on uncovering the secret wealth of minerals and diamonds thought to be hidden in this forbidding landscape, but most of it came to nothing.

Fittingly for an entry point to such a stark, empty place, there is little more to this outpost than a solitary national park office and a dusty, single-room museum stuffed with skulls and rusty relics of the sea. But for anyone intrigued by the strange and the beautiful, Möwe Bay is a study in mournful longing, imparting as it does a sense of having reached the very edge of the known world.

The air here is heavy with the smell of the Cape seals that have colonized the rocky seafront. As the morning mist rolled in, Kydd and I stood and watched as the seals happily honked and flapped and slithered in and out of the churning sea. A pair of black-backed jackals skulked behind them, circling for vulnerable pups as their mothers basked, oblivious to any danger, heads tilted toward the warming sun.

After an hour or so in Möwe Bay, it was time to head up the Skeleton Coast: an unbroken stretch of deserted shoreline pounded by the Atlantic and littered with the shattered remains of ships and whales, for which the region is named. t r av el a ndl ei s ur e a s i a .c om / ja nua ry 2 019

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At Hoanib Valley Camp, near Skeleton Coast National Park, guests can spot multiple species, including the endangered desertadapted giraffe.

Shipwreck Lodge, the only camp in Skeleton Coast National Park, lies 45 kilometers up the coast from Möwe Bay, at the mouth of the Hoarusib River. There are no roads; access to the property is via four-wheel-drive, along limitless shingle beaches and over a formidable roller coaster of sand dunes. The logistics of building a camp somewhere this remote are mind-boggling; erecting one on shifting sand makes things more challenging still.

Shipwreck Lodge is no ordinary camp, either: a jaunty row of wooden cabins, seemingly marooned in undulating waves of white sand like upended shipwrecks, each as wistfully romantic as a child’s doodle.

The next morning, Kydd and I climbed the highest dune we could find to watch the sun rise over the whirls of apricot-colored sand below. Later, we were joined by a local guide, Niclas Rungondo, for a drive up to the lip of a dune. We paused at the top before coasting down the other side; as we did so, the dune emitted a loud groan, as if voicing its discomfort. I was told the sound occurs when sand moves down crescent-shaped dunes in very precise conditions—though what these are, nobody can quite agree. Many years ago, Marco Polo wrote of the “singing dunes” of the Gobi Desert in northern China, which produce an otherworldly sound he had no hesitation in attributing to desert spirits. For a moment, as that eerie sound echoed out over the Namib Desert, I was moved to agree with him.

When rain does come to this desert, the Hoarusib River floods and flows into the Atlantic Ocean. But even in times of drought, residual moisture in the ground sustains a surprising amount of greenery. The next morning we drove slowly along the Hoarusib’s wide floodplains, which were surrounded by steep canyons of black and red volcanic rock topped with tall Makalani palms. Desertadapted elephants are known to follow dry riverbeds, digging wells from which to drink, but we could find no trace of any. Instead, we followed the tracks of a brown hyena and stopped to examine the slithery indentations a blind golden mole had left as it burrowed along in the sand.

As the sun reached its zenith, we stopped at one of the “clay castles” that line the river valley—fantastical formations created by centuries of erosion. We explored their echoing, khaki canyons, where the bleached bones of antelope lay scattered. Kydd found a bat, stunned by heat exhaustion, lying at the entrance to a cave. He slowly dripped water into its mouth. Revived, it flew off, circling above us in a triumphant salute.

On our way back to camp, we joined little wagtails and sleek Egyptian geese at a miniature oasis, an apparition of glittering water and bright green reeds. I realized the day had passed without our encountering another person or hearing another human sound.

For 10 precious hours we’d had the ancient Hoarusib River valley completely to ourselves, a rare and exquisite privilege.

INLAND FROM THE Skeleton Coast lies Kaokoland, another of Namibia’s remote wildernesses, which is inhabited only by a smattering of indigenous Herero and Himba communities. Our base in this far-flung corner of the Namib Desert was Hoanib Valley Camp, managed by Natural Selection—the same safari company behind Shipwreck Lodge. The two camps are linked by a full day’s drive, with Möwe Bay as a staging post in between. The long journey turned out to be an unforgettable safari through the changing northern Namib Desert landscapes, from the high, windswept dunes of the coast to low floodplains and then the wide expanse of the Hoanib River valley, shaded with tall ana trees.

The camp itself is sheltered beneath an imposing granite outcropping that overlooks the river valley. With only six tents set on raised wooden platforms, it is an intimate and wonderfully peaceful retreat, staffed with the kindest people. Our guide, Frank Ndataiziro Kasoana, spent his childhood herding goats and cattle in a village not far away, so he knew the land and how to read it better than anyone.

The valley is famous for its wildlife, and we encountered a herd of elephants before even reaching camp. Led by a wise-looking matriarch, the family group appeared from behind a thick grove of thorn trees to amble along the sandy valley floor, a near-silent caravan of swaying trunks and fly-swatting tails. Continuing on our way, we came across a herd of handsome oryx, then a pair of graceful giraffes grazing in a shady glade.

Kydd had heard there were lions in the area, and it didn’t take long before we spotted fresh tracks in the milk-chocolate mud of the riverbed, heading upstream toward the nearest village. Not long ago, a group of five lions, a band of brothers known as the Five Musketeers, had begun killing cattle in the villages. Despite being collared and monitored by Philip Stander, a respected lion expert and conservationist, all five were eventually shot or poisoned by frustrated herdsmen. With fewer than 150 lions left in the Namib Desert, human-wildlife conflict is a big issue, and a difficult one to manage. “It is a very old, frustrating problem,” said Kasoana, who, as a former cattle herder, knows both sides only too well.

Hoanib Valley Camp was built in partnership with local communities like Kasoana’s and the Giraffe Conservation Foundation, which often conducts research in the area. After dinner one night, one of the foundation’s codirectors, Stephanie Fennessy, shocked me with the fact there are fewer than 100,000 giraffes left in the wild today, with numbers down 40 percent over the past three decades. Her husband, Julian Fennessy, who runs the foundation with her, earned his Ph.D. studying the desert-adapted giraffe in the Hoanib River valley, and he can read the patterns on the coats of the giraffes like fingerprints. He told me that he fears a “silent extinction” of the elegant creatures is under way—something he is fighting to reverse, in part by raising awareness of their plight.

Certainly the opportunity to get to know these rare creatures as individuals is unique to Hoanib Valley Camp, where they luxuriate in near-celebrity status and happily oblige their adoring fans with frequent sightings. t r av el a ndl ei s ur e a s i a .c om / ja nua ry 2 019

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A whale bone on a beach along the Skeleton Coast.

Shipwreck Lodge Möwe Bay

Africa

Hoanib Valley Camp Namibia

Skeleton Coast National Park

Omaanda

Namib Desert

Windhoek Sossus Under Canvas

An unforgettable ADVENTURE IN NAMIBIA

Before we left the Namib Desert, Kasoana took us to see the Herero village where he grew up, a huddle of tin-roofed shacks where the women wear cheerful cotton headdresses and long dresses that, remarkably, are still modeled on those worn by their colonial mistresses from generations ago. Along the way, we stopped at a nearby settlement of seminomadic Himba people and were shown around their cattle and goat pens. We also saw the immaculate interiors of their domed huts made from mud and cow dung.

So far the Himba have managed to resist change and are determined to preserve their traditional way of life.

The women were naked except for animal skins and layer upon layer of jangling jewelry. They color their skin red by mixing butter with ocher pigment, and daub their braided hair with more thick ocher. Kasoana explained that the government has introduced mobile schools in an attempt to corral the Himba into the education system, but herding goats and cattle still takes precedence and is taught from an early age.

I had been anxious about visiting the Herero and Himba villages, concerned that the experience might feel inauthentic or uncomfortable.

I needn’t have worried. Seldom have I met a more beautiful, proud, or courteous group of people. I felt welcomed and left enlightened, relieved to know that beyond the reach of most people’s ideas of civilization, there remain communities that seem so at one with the world as they know it.

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Give yourself plenty of time to explore this country, as the distances are vast.

Visiting the Namib Desert is all about taking in the epic landscapes and unique flora and fauna. For more traditional wildlife viewing, consider a stop at Etosha National Park, with its famous salt pans, or the Okavango Delta in neighboring Botswana.

GETTING THERE AND AROUND

The easiest flight connections to Windhoek, the capital, are through Frankfurt or Johannesburg. Upscale lodgings are typically accessed via light aircraft transfers, which are efficiently operated and offer fantastic views.

South African artist Porky Hefer. The park entrance to Sossusvlei is about a 40-minute drive from the conservancy.

Most visitors arrive to take photographs of the dunes and the claypans at dawn.

Quieter excursions include exploring the open plains and the Tsaris Mountains.

WINDHOEK

SKELETON COAST

Most visitors spend a night in Windhoek before or after a safari, and the new lodge Omaanda (zannierhotels.com; doubles and savannah excursion from US$900, all-inclusive), just outside of town, is the place to stay. Its French owner, Arnaud Zannier, was introduced to Namibia by Angelina Jolie, whose friends, Marlice and Rudie van Vuuren, own the wildlife sanctuary N/a’an ku sê (naan​kuse.com) outside Windhoek. Zannier bought 8,900 hectares adjacent to the van Vuurens’ land, and his new 10-bedroom lodge there is an upscale take on traditional dwellings with conical thatched roofs. The interior design is impeccable, the breakfast is the best in town, the swimming pool is heated, and there is a small spa.

SOSSUSVLEI

The Namib Desert is protected by a number of national parks. The area generally referred to as Sossusvlei is in the Namib-Naukluft Park (sossusvlei. org), in the west of the country. With only one lodge and a basic campsite in the park itself, a number of private reserves have opened on its border, including the wellestablished NamibRand Nature Reserve (namibrand.com) and the relatively new Namib Tsaris Conservancy, where I stayed at Sossus Under Canvas (ultimate​ safaris.na; doubles from US$800, allinclusive). Also on the property is Nest at Sossus (ultimatesafaris.na; from US$1,300 per person, all-inclusive), a remarkable private house conceived by

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This stretch of coast north of Swakopmund, named after the shipwrecks and whale carcasses strewn along its shores, is about as wild and remote as it gets. Just inland, the Kaokoland region is similarly untouched and underpopulated. I stayed at two new camps in the area managed by Natural Selection, a collective run by some of the best-known names in southern Africa’s safari industry. Shipwreck Lodge (natural​selection.travel; doubles from US$1,379, all-inclusive) is the only camp in Skeleton Coast National Park. It’s a great base for climbing dunes and exploring the Hoarusib River valley. The six-tent Hoanib Valley Camp (naturalselection.travel; doubles from US$1,216, all-inclusive) is built on community-owned land just outside the park, where you’ll likely spot desert-adapted elephants and giraffes.

TOUR OPERATOR

My trip was organized by Michael Lorentz (ml@passagetoafrica.com; 27-21/4470053), a member of the A-List, Travel + Leisure’s collection of the world’s top travel advisors. I was accompanied by James Kydd, a private guide who proved invaluable both for his knowledge and for his companionship. A similar 10-day itinerary with Lorentz’s company, Passage to Africa (passage​toafrica.com), including a private guide and all internal flights and transfers, starts at US$46,240 for two people. — P.B.

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c h r i st o p h e r k u c way

Along a section of the Kumano Kodo, a 900-year-old. pilgrimage trail on the Kii Peninsula.

The Land of the Rising Sun is the world’s fastest-growing travel destination, and it’s not hard to see why. It has the electric energy of Tokyo and the enduring beauty of Kyoto. The country’s ancient customs continue to fascinate, and its chefs approach their trade with a precision and creative spirit that yields unforgettable culinary experiences. Its landscape, from magisterial mountain ranges to an enchanting inland sea, rivals any in the world. Its museums are meccas for art lovers, and its architects are imagining the future of design in daring ways. Best of all, from historic urban shrines to forest trails to understated hotels, Japan offers a sense of serenity that is harder than ever to find today. For more reasons to plan your next trip there, turn the page.

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A Land Apart

Even the most unlikely corners of Japan can be spellbinding.

Venture beyond the tourist trail, says Pico Iyer, and you’ll encounter a wealth of hidden wonders.

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I’ve just slipped out of an exquisite jewel-box combination of moss garden, pond garden and camellia garden that is virtually deserted on this brilliant autumn afternoon. At Yoshiki-en (60-1 Noboriōjichō), admission is free for foreigners with passports, and right next door is Isui-en (isuien.or.jp), an even more ravishing and spacious garden complete with thatched-roof teahouses and a pond. Having basked in the dazzling scarlets and oranges and yellows of turning leaves, I head off across a park, past groves of wild plum trees and a 16th-century storehouse for Buddhist texts.

Deer peer at me through the trees. Others stroll up to check if my shoulder bag is edible. There are hundreds roaming untethered through Nara, a sprawling city 30 kilometers south of Kyoto that was Japan’s capital for most of the eighth century. With night beginning to fall, I amble past a series of fairy-tale cottages—the rooms of the Edosan Inn (edosan.jp; doubles from ¥19,540 per person)—as women in kimonos glide among them, bearing dinner in lacquered boxes. Then I make my way down to Ukimido, a

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f r o m l e f t: k o kk a i / g e tt y i m a g e s ; G e r m á n V o g e l / G e tt y I M a g e s

left: Deer outside Tōdai-ji Temple in Nara. above: One of many teahouses in Isui-en, a garden in Nara with sections that date from the 1670s.

floating pavilion on a pond ringed by hills, as the rising moon evokes a traditional Japanese painting come to life. Following a path beside an orange-gated shrine, I arrive at the 109-year-old Nara Hotel (nara​hotel. co.jp; doubles from ¥33,430), with a safe as tall as an NBA star behind its wooden front desk. A hidden flight of stairs along the hotel’s driveway takes me down into Naramachi, a maze of thin, lantern-lit lanes lined with Meiji-era wooden houses, once family homes, that now burst with handicrafts and cones of yuzu ice cream and bottles of local sake.

I still can’t quite believe that all these treasures lie only 40 minutes from my apartment in Nara’s modern suburbs. But what my friends can’t believe is that I’ve spent this magical afternoon in the city without once stepping into any of its A-list sights: the largest wooden temple in the world, one of the most sacred Shinto shrines in the land, and the second-tallest pagoda in Japan, all accessible via a gentle saunter through the deer park. The oldest wooden building in

the world, a structure within the temple complex known as Hōryū-ji (horyuji.or.jp) that dates from 607, is just a 12-minute train ride southwest of Nara’s central station.

Is there anywhere as dense with treasures as Japan? In 44 years of continual travel I’ve never found such. That’s one reason why Japan

temples, 17 unesco World Heritage sites, whisper-soft geisha districts, Zen gardens, and international manga museum. But Japan has so much to offer that even a city such as Nara, which became the land’s first Buddhist capital 84 years before the court moved to Kyoto, can be thought of as a side trip. If countries were football teams, Japan would be the one with a crowd of allstars that could still field a second 11 to keep up with almost any rival.

Everybody knows that Tokyo is one of the sleekest and most futuristic cities on the planet, a streamlined web of hidden sushi bars and fish markets and cosplay cafés and outlandish fashions. No one wants to miss Kyoto, the capital for more than a thousand years and cradle of so many of the traditions that make Japan unique. But I remind friends that they can also go to Takayama, three hours northeast of Kyoto by train, and enjoy street after street of wooden houses, with bridges over picturesque canals leading to hills ringed with temples.

Or they can make the pilgrimage to Hiroshima’s piercing Peace Memorial (hpmmuseum. jp), two hours in the other direction, and follow it with a 10-minute ferry ride to Miyajima, a compact island of temples (and more deer) with a haunting shrine, Itsukushima, that’s been jutting into the water for 14 centuries. If they want to see how a forgotten community can be made new by art, I tell them they can’t afford to miss Naoshima, the island in the Inland Sea, less than four hours from Hiroshima, that has, over the past quarter-century, been turned into a complex of museums that are forward-looking yet serene—the ultimate Japanese combination.

Is there anywhere as dense with treasures as Japan? In 44 years of continual travel I’ve never found such has been my adopted home ever since I left New York City 31 years ago. When friends visit, I take them along this quiet trail in Nara, bypassing the crowds around Tōdai-ji (todaiji.or.jp), the central temple, and then point out that this storehouse of wonders is, in fact, an afterthought, often seen only on a day trip from radiant Kyoto, an hour away. It’s Kyoto that pulls in newcomers with its more than 1,600

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convenience stores are crammed with miniature marvels that start to prepare you for the inexhaustible food basements in the department stores.

Sometimes it feels as if all those visiting millions are converging around the well-known temples in Kyoto. Go to the postcard venues listed in guidebooks and you’ll understand why parts of Kyoto are now nicknamed “Chinatown” (almost all the young women in kimonos in the streets are in fact excited tourists). But on my walk around Nara I remember that just five minutes from the clatter of buses and clicking cameras around its central temple are beauties that the majority of

+4 Ways to EXPERIENCE JAPAN’S Great Outdoors Despite its reputation for urban density, Japan has no shortage of natural wonders—many of which are best seen on foot, bicycle, or a pair of skis. Budget a few extra days into your travel plans for a wilderness adventure.

Enjoying autumn colors on DuVine’s cycling tour, which circles away from Kyoto through Nara Prefecture and back.

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visitors have neither the time nor the inclination to visit.

Wandering around the country I like to claim as my own, I sometimes recall the first days I ever spent in Japan in 1983 and 1984. Never had I seen somewhere so different from the world I knew, so rich in secrets and so much like the elegant woodcuts I’d admired in museums. India is more intense, Cuba has better music, and Iran is more glamorous. But when a friend says she wants to go somewhere exotic and yet safe, unfathomable and yet kind, transporting and yet clean, honest, and efficient, I pick up the phone and make a reservation for her at the Nara Hotel.

Hike Walk Japan (walkjapan.com) offers more than 20 guided small-group multiday tours around the country.

Highlights include a trek in the footsteps of the 17th-century poet Bashō through the mountainous Tōhoku region; a ramble from Kyoto to Tokyo along the ancient Nakasendō way; and an expedition along the Kumano Kōdō forest trails, which spiritual seekers have been following since the sixth century.

Ski Known for its heavy snowfall, Hokkaido is a ski haven;

powder lovers flock to Niseko Village (niseko-village. com) near Mount Yotel. But there are nearly 600 ski resorts in the country. For a more authentic Japanese experience, head to Nagano prefecture where Hakuba (hakubatourism.jp) has nine pristine ski areas and access to a slew of new hotels and onsen including a 1931 ryokan redone by Relais & Château.

Bike The bucolic Nara Prefecture is one of the best places in this bike-friendly country to explore on two wheels. A seven-day guided tour by DuVine

(duvine.com; from US$8,795 per person) visits tea fields, Buddhist temples and luxurious onsens, with stops for kaiseki meals, yakitori and sake along the way.

Raft Since 2000, tour operator Canyons (canyons.jp) has been leading rafting excursions on the wild upper reaches of the Tone River near the town of Minakami, 160 kilometers northwest of Tokyo. They also offer canyoning tours that include ziplining down canyons and rappelling off waterfalls.

C o u r t e s y o f D u V i n e C y c l i n g + A d v e n t u r e C o . o p p o s i t e F ro m to p: Sho u ya G r ig g /C o u rt esy o f Z a bo r in; C ou rt esy o f Tr u n k H ot e l . I llust r at i on by lu c i n da r og e r s

You will have heard that Japan has become irresistible to travelers in the past few years. Since 2003 the number of international visitors has rocketed by more than 500 percent, and this year it is predicted to top 28 million. The declining yen has made US$15 three-course lunches possible (no tax or tips required). As the 2020 Tokyo Olympics (and the 2019 Rugby World Cup) approach, there are more announcements in English. And as Japan’s neighbors across Asia have already discovered, the country has the best shopping around, from cartoon mugs to lacquer boxes, for both high-end goods and uniquely Japanese products. Even the

A tub at Zaborin, a ryokan in Hokkaido.

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Eastern HOKKAIDO Japan’s northernmost island is a skier’s paradise, but its natural beauty is worth exploring throughout the year. Scott Gilman (scott@japanquest​ journeys.com) of JapanQuest Journeys, a member of the T+L A-List of top travel advisors, created the following tour, which he can book for you. japan​quest​journeys.com; from US$1,800 per person per day.

GETTING THERE

From Tokyo, take a 90-minute flight to Hokkaido’s Kushiro Airport. Book your return flight from the rural Nakashibetsu Airport.

DAY 1

Check in to Hazel Grouse Manor (hazel​grouse.com; doubles from ¥35,460), a 90-minute drive from Kushiro Airport.

The hotel, a Georgian home with a French restaurant, is near Kushiro Shitsugen National Park, Japan’s largest wetland. The region is home to some 1,000 Japanese cranes, once thought to be extinct. Get a closer view of the graceful birds at research centers and feeding stations throughout the park.

DAY 2

Visit Akan Mashu National Park.

Lake Mashu is famous for its clear water, and while you can only view it from a distance, it makes for sublime sightseeing. Nearby Lake Kussharo offers swimming and kayaking. At Iozan, an active volcano, buy eggs cooked by the heat of the mountain.

+ 4 quintessentially japanese Places to Stay In a country with such a long legacy of hospitality that a 200-year-old ryokan is considered a recent arrival, it can be tough for new hotels to make a splash.

These properties, all of which debuted in the past few years, stand out.

1. Fuji-no-Kirameki Fuji-Gotemba Gotemba, Shizuoka Set in a valley near Mount Fuji, these compact corrugated-steel-andwood cabins have private terraces and retractable roofs, so you can sleep under the stars while enjoying 21st-century amenities (Bluetooth speakers, digital projectors). Dinners range from full-service multicourse affairs to grill-it-yourself platters of seasoned meats and vegetables. fu-ji-no.jp; from ¥29,360 per person.

2. Zaborin Niseko,

Hokkaido The forested grounds of

DAY 3

Drive 2½ hours to remote Shiretoko National Park, located on a long peninsula on the northeastern corner of the island. Nature trails in the rugged landscape pass dramatic waterfalls and provide views of a chain of five small, pristine lakes.

DAY 4

Stop at Kaiyodai Observatory for a panorama of the surrounding countryside before a flight from Nakashibetsu Airport back to Tokyo.

A suite at Tokyo’s Trunk Hotel.

this ryokan feel so remote that you’d hardly guess you’re just 20 minutes from Japan’s most popular ski resorts. The 15 villas have low-slung furnishings and few accessories, save for the occasional artwork or ikebana arrangement.

But with private indooroutdoor hot tubs, kaiseki meals with foraged ingredients, and pinescented bath amenities, Zaborin doesn’t lack for luxury. zaborin.com; doubles from ¥75,325, all-inclusive.

3. Trunk Hotel, Tokyo This Shibuya newcomer has made an outsize impact for a hotel with

just 11 rooms and four suites—in part because its public spaces include a cocktail lounge, two restaurants, and a concept store, all of which have become favorites among the neighborhood’s in-crowd.

The hotel’s socially and environmentally conscious leanings play out in the details: Tokyomade snacks in the minibars, loaner bikes cobbled together from refurbished parts, and activities that highlight the work of area artists, chefs and musicians. trunk-hotel.com; doubles from ¥33,100.

4. Kyomachiya Hotel

Shikijuraku, Kyoto This property has only been open for a year, but its 10 two-story machiya, or shophouses, date back more than a century.

Within each, you’ll find Japanese design elements—tatami mats, rice-paper screens— plus Beni Ourain rugs and sculptural furnishings that create a modern, multicultural feel. shikijuraku.com; doubles from ¥37,605.

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Kiyomizu-dera, an eighth-century temple in Kyoto, is surrounded by the fiery leaves of Japanese maples every October.

Flying Colors

In Tokyo gardens and Kyoto temples, Marie Mutsuki Mockett finds bliss among the changing maple leaves.

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momiji, the maple indigenous to eastern Asia, autumn in Japan is exhilarating. Walking through Kiyosumi Gardens (3-3 Kiyosumi, Kōtōku) in Tokyo on a recent visit, I glanced up at a constellation of red, orange, yellow and green leaves that interlocked to form a scrim. As the sun shone through, my world was bathed in kaleidoscopic color.

That evening, I went to Rikugi-en (16-3-6 Honkomagome, Bunkyō-ku)— like Kiyosumi, a classical Edo-period strolling garden. Stage lights illuminated the momiji, so that their bright bodies flexed against the night like lanterns. Fog machines generated mist, obscuring the ground. Both Rikugi-en and Kiyosumi are part of the Autumn Leaves Stamp Rally, an annual event during which ecstatic pilgrims visit all nine of Tokyo’s main gardens, receiving a stamp in a booklet for each one.

The Japanese, ever attuned to the seasons, love the cherry blossom. But kōyō, or autumn color, is cherished with nearly the same ardor. Beginning in the 17th century, Japanese gardeners, in typically exacting manner, arranged more than 300 varieties of maple around temples, inns, and residences in pleasure-giving color configurations. Momiji leaves are thin but taut, like sheets of crystallized honey, and can refract and filter light, like natural stained glass. Japan is full of unusually red trees, and in the sunlight the leaves glow like rubies.

In recent years, media attention and foreign enthusiasm, particularly from the Chinese, have raised the passion for Japanese leaf-chasing to a kind of fervor. From mid-October until early December, websites track the changing of the leaves from northeast to southwest. There are colorful trees all over the country, but most visitors cluster around the major cities, where hotels print daily foliage updates for guests. Such obsessiveness adds to the frenzied quality of the pursuit. But a chance to see the leaves at

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N o ppawat Tom Cha roe n s in ph on / G e tt y Im ag es

Thanks to the tiny star-shaped leaves that radiate from the

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SETO INLAND SEA

full wattage is a lesson in savoring the moment before the startlingly vivid colors fade.

Because Kyoto was not bombed during World War II, its trees and temples are generally older than Tokyo’s and are particularly prized. The Zen temple Enrian (2 Saganisonin Monzen Zenkōji Yamachō, Ukyō-ku) is open only five weeks a year for visitors to see its famed 350-year-old tree, bred so its leaves turn blood-red. Visiting Rurikōin (rurikoin.komoyoji.com), I saw a crowd of fiery maples, whose predominant color, orange,

was projected through a window onto a black lacquered floor.

Founded in 778, Kiyomizu-dera Temple (kiyomizudera.or.jp) is perched atop a 13-meter cliff. It looks like the biblical ark suspended on an amber ocean of maple leaves. Young women dressed in cream, teal and camel lingered over the view of the hills and vermilion pagodas sprouting from the scarlet forests. I gazed out at the horizon, to a landscape pulsing with color and the old city itself, and my heart throbbed with happiness.

japanese buildings

Since the turn of the millennium, Japanese architects have created dazzling structures characterized by transparency and lightness. Add the following buildings to your itinerary for a glimpse of the future of architecture.

P ri sm a by D u k as/ g e tt y i mages. I l lust r at io n by lu c i n da rog e rs

Museum, Tokyo A solo endeavor by Kazuyo Sejima of mega-firm sanaa , this 2016 museum in Tokyo’s Sumida ward brings together more than 1,800 prints by 19thcentury artist Katsushika Hokusai. Its bold spaces recall the lines of his woodcuts. hokusaimuseum.jp.

2. Musashino Art University Museum & Library, Tokyo Sou Fujimoto, Japan’s most in-demand architect, specializes in minimal environments that invite exploration, such as a house made of stacked glass boxes. His 2010 library has a labyrinthine interior with a single, spiraling wall of books. maum.musabi.ac.jp.

GETTING THERE

From Tokyo, take an 80-minute flight to Takamatsu, a city on the northern shore of Shikoku.

DAY 1

In Takamatsu, visit the 17th-century Risurin Park and Shikoku Village, an open-air museum of vernacular architecture. At nearby Konpira-san, hike 1,368 steps to a Shinto shrine.

Stay at Kotohira Kadan (kotohirakadan.jp; doubles from ¥28,230), a traditional ryokan-onsen.

DAY 2

Drive south to Mount Tsurugi, then climb to the top for panoramic views.

Head into the secluded Iya Valley and spend the night at Tougenkyo-Iya (tougenkyo-iya.jp; doubles from ¥282), a group of thatched-roof villas.

+ 4 boundary-breaking

1. Sumida Hokusai

This major body of water, surrounded by the main islands of Honshu, Kyushu and Shikoku, offers a beguiling mix of art, culture and history. Epic Road’s Mark Lakin (ml@epicroad.com), a member of T+L’s Travel Advisory Board, can book this tour of the region. epic​road.com; from US$1,000 per person per day.

The Sumida Hokusai Museum in Tokyo.

DAY 3

Travel by car and ferry to Naoshima, an island in the Inland Sea that showcases contemporary art, with such site-specific pieces as a polkadot pumpkin by Yayoi Kusama. Stay at Benesse House (benesse-artsite.jp; doubles from ¥31,850), a Tadao Ando– designed museum with guest rooms.

DAY 4

3. Toyama Kirari,

Toyama Kengo Kuma’s résumé includes Tokyo’s New National Stadium, where the 2020 Olympics will be held. For this 2015 building in Toyama, on Honshu’s west coast, he squeezed a public library, bank and museum of glass art into a single bristling envelope. toyama-glass-artmuseum.jp.

4. Awaji Yumebutai Park & Conference Center, Awaji Island Tadao Ando updates Japan’s tradition of garden design. Located on an island that lies between Honshu and Shikoku, this complex, which includes a Westin hotel, features 1,000 fountains and a terrace of 100 planted flower enclosures. yumebutai.com.

Spend a day on two more art-centric islands with Benesse sites nearby: on Teshima, visit the Teshima Art Museum, shaped like a drop of water, and on Injuima, the Injuima Seirensho Art Museum, in the ruins of a factory.

Travel to Kurashiki, on Honshu’s southwestern coast, and stay at Ryokan Kurashiki (ryokan-kurashiki. jp; doubles from ¥39,525).

DAY 5

Tour Kurashiki’s superb Ohara Museum of Art (ohara.or.jp). The city is a short drive from the town of Kojima, where you can visit Japanese denim ateliers on “Jeans Street.”

A Ryokan That Floats

Guntû is a cross between a traditional inn and a luxury yacht. Lisa Grainger takes a sybaritic sail around the Seto Inland Sea.

Above: The top

deck of Guntû reflects its minimalist design.

Right: The ship’s guest rooms have private balconies, many with outdoor tubs.

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south, and Kyushu to the southwest, and surrounded by a gently hilly shoreline, the Seto Inland Sea stretches roughly 400 kilometers from east to west. It’s been an important commercial waterway between the Pacific Ocean and Sea of Japan for millennia. And while pleasure boats have long navigated its waters, it’s a good bet that none have been as luxurious as the new Guntû (guntu.jp; from ¥396,390 per person for two nights), a small, exceedingly comfortable cruise ship with ultraminimalist décor that bills itself as a “floating hotel.”

The 81-meter-long vessel, designed by Tokyo-based residential architect Yasushi Horibe, couldn’t be more Japanese. Stepping aboard at a private marina in Onomichi, a port town near Hiroshima, I noticed that the only adornment in the ship’s lobby was a polished slice of tree trunk that supported a vase holding a single lily. My wood-paneled cabin, which had floor-to-ceiling windows, was outfitted with simple handcrafted furniture. There were crisp cotton kimonos in my bathroom, fresh ginger juice in my fridge, and books on bonsai in my snug sitting room. It was like the inside of a dream ryokan—only afloat.

The three-decker boat has just 19 cabins—the largest is an airy 27½ square meters—making it feel more like a private yacht than a ship. The top deck is designed as a single living area, but I rarely bumped into the other (elegantly dressed, Japanese) passengers during my three-day sail.

Some were relishing their private balconies with outdoor tubs; others were having spa treatments or soaking in the onboard bathhouses.

The Seto Inland Sea has 3,000 islands, only some of which are inhabited, and I took daily excursions on the ship’s two speedboats. On Kashima Island, I saw fishermen bringing in nets full of coveted pin-size baby sardines. After landing at Miyajima Island one morning before

january 2019 / tr av el andleisure asia .com

T e ts u ya It o / C o u r t e s y o f G u n t û

Bounded by the islands of Honshu to the north, Shikoku to the

E x pert Itinerary

the crowds arrived, I explored its cobblestoned streets, climbed the ancient stone stairs leading to the top of a forested hillside, and got a closer look at Itskushima, the famous sixth-century Shinto shrine that appears to rise out of the bay during high tide.

Mostly, though, I reveled in the Guntû’s refined spaces. I was served an unforgettable 11-course dinner created by Tokyo chef Atsuhisa Furukawa from local seafood and Wagyu beef so tender I could cut it with a chopstick; each tiny course was served on a

different handmade plate. I also took advantage of the many masters on board: a shiatsu masseuse who unknotted my back with skill; a pastry chef who taught me the intricacies of making and drinking matcha; and a star chef, Nobua Sakamoto (of Nobu in Awajishima), who showed me how to cut and roll sushi.

There can be few lovelier places to learn how to make—or to eat— maki than at his six-seat wooden bar, as the islands drift by and passing fishermen wave from their boats.

+ 4 Restaurants

Worth a Detour Some of the country’s biggest cheerleaders stateside share reliable favorites that highlight Japanese ingredients and the joys of a humble but perfectly cooked meal.

Ja mes E l le rk e r/Ga ll e ry Stock . I l lustrat ion by lu c in da r og e rs

1. Yuyado Sakamoto, Ishikawa Prefecture

“This remote ryokan on the Noto Peninsula could be the most wabi-sabi inn in Japan,” says Nancy Singleton Hachisu, author of Japan: The Cookbook.

“Shinichiro Sakamoto and his wife, Mihoko, make all the food in-house, including the pickles, preserves and smoked fish. Soba is hand-rolled each day and treated with the respect it deserves.”

Meals are served only to ryokan guests. 15-47 Uedomachi-jisha, Suzushi; 81-766-82-0584; doubles from ¥18,070.

2. The Terrace, Naoshima Island

After a day of art at

Benesse House, says Anne Soh Woods, founder of Kikori Whiskey, “continue the sensory experience at the museum’s exceptional restaurant.

Its presentation of French cuisine with a Japanese bent is as awe-inspiring as the setting.” benesseartsite.jp; tasting menu ¥12,990.

3. Wappado, Ohara, Kyoto Prefecture

“Wappado is a small farmhouse restaurant near Kyoto, where I grew up,” says Yoshi Okai, head chef at Otoko in Austin, Texas.

“I love it because every ingredient is sourced from the area.” Look for tempura of seasonal

KyUshU This journey through the southernmost of Japan’s four main islands takes in local cuisine, relaxing onsens, and strikingly diverse landscapes.

Tesia Smith (tesia.smith@audley travel.com), a member of the T+L A-List of top travel advisors, can book this and similar tours. audleytravel.com; from US$500 per day.

GETTING THERE From Tokyo, take a two-hour flight to Fukuoka, a city on the island’s northern shore. Book your return flight from Kagoshima, on the southern side.

DAY 1

Spend the day in Fukuoka’s Hakata District exploring the Fukuoka Asian Art Museum (faam. city.fukuoka.lg.jp) and the eighthcentury Kushida Shrine. A food tour by Fukuoka Walks (fukuokawalks.com) encompasses the Yanagibashi Rengo Fish Market, a department-store food hall, and the city’s lasting street vendors. Stay at the Grand Hyatt (hyatt.com; doubles from ¥21,120).

DAY 2

Soba noodles. vegetables and coalroasted skewers of organic chicken and fish. wappado.jp; set menu from ¥2,485.

4. Obana, Arakawa, Tokyo Prefecture

This restaurant specializes in one thing: unagi, or freshwater eel. “Obana is among the best unagi restaurants in Japan,” says Nobu Matsuhisa of Nobu Restaurants & Hotels. “They do only a few preparations, which are very simple and very Japanese.”

5-33-1 Minamisenju; 81-3-3801-4670; mains ¥5,985–¥8,020.

Drive two hours south to Kurokawa, a classic hot-spring town. Check in to Yamamizuki Ryokan (yamamizuki. com; doubles from ¥37,270) and soak in its outdoor baths next to a peaceful river before a kaiseki dinner and a night on a traditional tatami.

DAY 3

Drive two hours south to the mountain town of Takachiho, then rent a rowboat to navigate the Gokase River, which winds through the dramatic Takachiho Gorge, passing waterfalls. Continue driving two hours along Kyushu’s eastern coast to Kirishima-Yaku National Park. Stay at Wasure no Sato Gajoen (gajoen.jp; doubles from ¥28,460), a collection of cottages on the bank of the Amorigawa River.

DAY 4

Check out more of Kirishima-Yaku’s active volcanoes, magnificent woodlands, and rustic onsens before the 90-minute drive to Kagoshima for your return flight.

Additional reporting by Lila Harron Battis, John Scarpinato, Ian David Volner and Hannah Walhout.

wish you were here

Sunset through a stained glass window of ocean waves. A lone surfer glides across a shallow reef pass in the Mentawai Islands off the west coast of Sumatra. The chain, long popular with experienced surfers, offers some of the best breaks in the world, but is now also attracting hikers who explore on dry land. Not to worry; crowding is still no problem on or off the water. These 70-odd isles are notable for their traditional, semi-nomadic communities and the endemic, many rare, species of flora and fauna. — John Barton

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