NZ Herald - Travel Luxury Feature December 2022

Mariah Christmas week ga listlikely nes —wince.Inthis72-pagespecialissue,there’s anabundanceofoutrageouslygoodluxury experiences, once-in-a-lifetimedestinations and wish-listworthywaystotravelthat will inspire youtodreambigger whenplanning yourholidays.

Some ofitisthe stuff ofabsolutefantasy. Idoubt manyofuscoulddropmore than $4millionon aweek away or even $5000per nighton ahotel room,butisn’titinteresting to see howtheotherhalflive?

It’s notall unattainable though,I promise. Fromglampingescapes to newAsian hotels, cruiseholidaysandisland getaways, this issuedoes featuresomethingfor everyone, whatever yourideaof aluxurygetaway is. Formerightnow,theluxuryI’m most looking forwardtoisa two-weeksummer holidaythisChristmas.I’llbesleeping onan airbed in atentatLakeTaupō,unwinding from abusy, yetincrediblyrewarding year. Thisisourlast magazine for2022— we’ll bebackonJanuary 10 withmoreexciting adventures. Untilthen,you can findusonline at nzherald.co.nz/travel

Thanksfor reading Travel this yearandI hope youhave the merriest Christmas, filled withluxuryand relaxation.

stephanie.holmes@nzherald.co.nz

CONTACTS

TravelEditor: StephanieHolmes

DeputyEditors: Sara Bunny, AnnaSarjeant

TravelWriters: ThomasBywater,Sarah Pollok

Designers: CourtneyWhitaker,RobCox

FeaturesProductionEditor: IsobelMarriner

Sub-editors: JillStanford, MaureenMarriner,Sue Baxalle

Cover: Khwai RiverLodge, Botswana. Photo/MikeEloff &CarlinnMeyer,Belmond travel@nzherald.co.nz nzherald.co.nz/travel Facebook.com/nzhtravel Instagram.com/nzhtravel ListentoourpodcastTrip NotesatiHeartRadio

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CONTENTS

HOTDEALS

FITTINGINTOFIRSTCLASS

Thedo’s anddon’tsforwhen you’re feelingoutof yourdepth

ACUTABOVETHEREST

Theultimate guide to luxuryholidaysin NZ,Australia andthe PacificIslands

COMFORTINCANVAS Australiaand NewZealand’sbest glampingspots

LUXURIOUSLYAUSSIE Thereare countless ways to treat yourselfacrossthe Tasman

DESTINATIONDINE The world’smost exclusive andsought-after restaurants

TOPOFTHELIST Once-in-a-lifetime adventures andthe companiesthatwill get youthere

EIGHTARMSANDALEG Whatit’s like onthemost expensive holiday atsea LIFEOFLUXURY Cruisesthatlet you pushtheboatout

AFUTURISTICMEGASHIP Aninsider’s lookatMSCWorld Europa

LESSONSFROMTHEPAST Why steppingoutofthe comfortzoneis important

DEPTHONTHENILE

ISTHISTHEREALLIFE?

WELCOMETOTHECLUB

THEMODERNSAFARI

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LUXURIOUSLIVING

Lapupsomeluxurythissummerandelevate your wallswithfreshResenepaintcolours,inspired by ourindulgentcover. ProudlyNZmadeandownedsince1946.

Resene Bronze Resene Golden Glow Resene Rich Gold Resene Champagne

Fitting into First Class

the fingers.Actually,no. Stow yourown bagsand play it cool: you’re not going anywhere for the next16hours.

Q. Thanks to our adult children, we are about to celebrate asignificant anniversary and have been shouted the trip of alifetime. We are alittle nervous as it willbefirst class all the way, which is not ourstyle at all. Do you have any tips?

A. Let’s look at the biggestdo’s anddon’ts when you’re trying to pretend this is just another day in Monte Carlo or aboardCunard’s opulent Queen Mary 2.

We’llstart with the emolument in theroom: tipping. For Kiwis, this is areal mind. mess It is almost always expected you tip hotel, restaurant, taxistaff in theUS. In Japan, Australia, Aotearoaand many othercountries, it’s an insult —a signifier that “I’m more entitled than you”— so research the local rulesbefore you leave.

On cruises, it can be problematic. High-end lines, such as Seabourn,Silversea and others have “no tipping” policies; they factor gratuities into their all-inclusive fares.Onother lines, you will be expectedtoleave cash on the bedside table when youleave. Up to you, but remembermany cruisestaff are not well paid and tips help feed families back home.

In most other dealings with staff, it’s the old rule of “treat others as ”Ifthe hotel’s front desk is overwhelmed,goand get acoffee and come back in 15 minutes

Quitea bit of badbehaviour happens on longhaul flights where manyofthose who turn left at the front door lug more than their carry-on; they bring aswollen sense of entitlement, expecting everything to be done for themand the champagne/cocktail to be brought at asnap of

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Menus are handed outsoonafter take-off. On most premierairlines,it’s an on-demandservice, so if your flight is leaving Aucklandat12.30am, think when you’d prefer to sleepand when you’d like to eat. Yes, they do serve bottomless drinks in First Class. Don’t be that Australian cricketer in Seat 1A.

Whenyou board acruise, yourroom attendant or butler will visit to show you the ropes. You don’t need to make them your new best friend but do be pleasant— they will be cleaning your room and waiting on you duringthe trip.

At afirst-classorfive-star-plushotel, your best source of informationisthe concierge,who knows the city/locality,can get you tickets to that WestEnd or Broadway show or atable at the Michelin-starred restaurant. Be aware, though, that the little restaurant that only the locals know about couldbelong to their brother-in-law

Dress codes have relaxedover the decades but there are still afew no-nos. In top-tierhotels, always wear decentclotheswhen outside your room,togs only at the pool and acollared shirt

for men, smart casual for women in dining rooms

Ditto for flights (no shorts, jandals or tanktops). Smart airlines like Emirates and CathayPacific offer guidelines for First and Business Class flyers.They will likelyoffer you pyjamas on along-haul flight. Use the bathroom to change, please

Top-endrestaurants —many of whichare inside hotels —still hold to amore formal standard; check their websitesorask the concierge beforeyou go.

Travelling luxe, at hotelsand resorts, on cruisesand planes, you are far more likelyto bump into celebs. Respecttheir privacy, please. Especially since Covid begantocomeon holiday with us, personal space is apriority. Many travellers have bought aFirst- or Business Class ticket because they want to use the flight time to work. If the person in the next seat is doing any of the following, do not try to start a conversation: snoozing, typingona phone or a laptop,reading papers or abook. Sure, you’ll have Wi-Fi and likely phoneaccess, but restrict the phone to texting, not callingthe grandkids to tell them you’re 36,000feet aboveIran right now.

Personal space is even more important on a cruise; there’s not alot of it. Keep at least acouple of loungersbetweenyou andthe nextperson,if you can. Dittoatdinnertime, especially if a coupleappear to be enjoyinga romantic dinner, and always ask theseated diners if you can join acommunal table.

So, enjoy your trip, but don’t steal the monogrammed bathrobes.

The First-timer’s Guide is afortnightly column where we’ll answer yourtravel-related questions —anything from roaming around Rometoreining in roaming charges. Send your queriesand travel tips to travel@nzherald.co.nz with

Ewan McDonald hassome do’s anddon’ts for when you’re feeling alittle out of yourdepth

Stow your ownbags and play it cool.

Photo /Getty Images

Quite abit of bad behaviour happensonlong-haul flights where many of those who turn leftatthe front door lug more than their carry-on; theybring aswollen sense of entitlement

ACUT ABOVE THE

Luxury. Six letters firingthe imagination to fantasise about over the top-end wining, dining, sleeping, pampering,experiences. And catering to the elite is something that Kiwis, Aussies and Pacific nations do very well.

Just ask the folk in Europe, the US and elsewhere who compile lists of world’s bestthis and most exclusive that.

And our visitors, too. Mostly, they book bespokeitineraries arranged through specialist agencies —not your typical tour package. Budgets start around $60,000-$75,000 but some spend from$250,000 to $1 million for afortnight.

For afamily group staying at exclusive lodges, where it can cost $20,000-$35,000anight, the bill quicklyadds up, and thenthere’s exclusive guiding and transport,often by helicopter.

We’ve foundsomeofthe most amazing luxury experiences in Aotearoa and the neighbourhood. We’re notsaying these are the ultimate, but if you can’t find agood time here,you must be pretty hard to please

AOTEAROA

If youonly get to one luxury lodge… You’ll first glimpse Minaret Station froma helicopter, because that’s the onlyway to get to the remote property near Wa¯naka. The handful of buildings, with just fourguest chalets, are hidden among mountain peaks in aglacier valley and blendinto thespectacular surroundings.

You’ll appreciate gourmet meals, acellar naturally featuring Central Otago pinots, and a rainwater-fed outdoorhot tub at your door. Borrow one of their choppers to ski, bike unmarked trails or soar to aglacier for lunch OK, make it two:

Too many to choosefrom,but The Lindis in Ahuriri Valleyisanidyllic five-suite hideaway Luxeliving andsleeping eco-pods are much favouredbythe world’s young andwell-heeled.

If youonly get to one 5-starplus hotel… The Carlin is the creationofKevin Carlin, US hotelier turned Queenstown developer.With

gobsmackingtown, lakeand mountain views from Queenstown Hill, it promisesa “beyondfive-star” stay in suites withupto500sq mof indoor and outdoor living space. The hotel was named world’s bestnew boutique hotel at the recent Boutique Hotel Awards, apublication that has ranked international accommodations for 12 years. The Skydome, Australasia’s largest penthouse suite, has seven bedrooms spanning three floors. Features include private butlers, chefs and massages, adiscreet entranceand access to aprivate jet and luxury vehicles. One may take the Bentley into town.

OK,makeittwo: Auckland’s Hotel Fitzroy is asuperbconversion of a1910 Ponsonby villa into achic 10-bedroom oasis.

If youonly get to one wellness retreat… Acclaimed as one of the world’s bestwellness centres, Aro Ha¯promiseslife-changing, body-

morphing,spirit-lifting retreatsingorgeous Scandinavian-style surroundings on aGlenorchy hillside. Expect physical challenges, vegetarian cuisineand opportunitiesfor mindfulness and introspection.Fans: Oprah, Reese Witherspoon andour traveleditor, Stephanie Holmes:“a supportive, upliftingexperience that has led me outofmycomfort zone and helpedmetry new things”.

OK,make it two: Split Apple Retreat, built into acliff face overlooking Abel Tasman NationalPark, has tailored wellnessprogrammes, exceptional Asian-influenced cuisine and accommodation

If you only get to onefine-dining restaurant… Hiakai means “hungry”. Make sure you are beforearrivingatMoniqueFiso’s Wellington restaurant, featured in Time magazine’s Greatest Places2019. The fearlessly creative chefmade her name and perfected her craft in New York; she

Ewan McDonald hasthe ultimate guide to luxury holidaysinNZ, Australia andthe PacificIslands

MinaretStation, a luxurylodge in the SouthernAlps.

Photo /Supplied

draws on Ma¯ori andSamoan heritage to showcase native ingredients, manyforaged from around the city. Degustations mayfeaturetı¯tı¯, mamaku, kelp butter and oysterswith kokihi, or green-lipped musselicecream.Gordon Ramsay ratesit. Iwouldn’t argue with him.

OK, makeittwo: Depends whereyou’re hanging:Sid at the French Cafe, Ahi and Origine (Auckland), Palate (Hamilton), Peppers on the Point (Rotorua), Pacifica (Napier), Inati (Christchurch),Aosta (Arrowtown), Moiety (Dunedin).

If you only get to one skifield Glenorchy’s Matakauri Lodgehas aski concierge to measure you for boots, skis and poles, organise lift passes and take you to Coronet Peak or the Remarks. They’ll even

buckle you in before lift-off. Push off, carve fresh tracksinthe white stuff and get back to your digs for lunch.Twelveguest suitesare nestled besideLake Whakatipuand the mountains OK, make it two:

At Hapuku Lodge, a5-star eco-retreat just north of Kaiko¯ura, stay in ground-levelsuites or treehouses 10m up in the forestcanopy.Superb cuisine, marine attractionsand Mt Lyford’s winter playground.

If you only get to one cruise…

BilledasNew Zealand’s finest luxurycatamaran, Rua Moanaisa 26m,four-cabin yacht with submersible swim platform andtoys like underwaterscooters, windsurfers, fishingand diving gear.Itcan accommodate 60 for Hauraki Gulf charters or eight guests for overnight and longer cruises to the Mercury group,Poor Knights or Bay of Islands. Enjoyfishing, water and beach sports, be dropped off at golf courses, wineries or restaurants, or soakinthe jacuzzi whilethe crewdive for your kaimoana.

OK, make it two:

Sail for seven days into our majestic southern fiords on Fiordland Jewel, a24m, three-deck catamaran that sleeps 20 with helipad, top-deck hot-tub and avast saloon for dining, chatting andviews.

If you only get to onegolf course… Even if you’re Tiger Woods, don’t rock up to Tara Iti, south of Mangawhai, and expecttoplay around. Ranked No.6 on GolfDigest’s World’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses, it’sour first US-style private golf clubwith handpicked membership. Carvedfrom apine plantationbeside a greatsurf beach,it’s not manicured; it’s native grasses, dunes and hollows. Nonmembers canapply to play, andstay in one of the eight on-site

To playa round at TaraIti is expensive,but worthevery penny. Photo /Michael Donaldson

Continuedfromp11

cottages,ontheunderstandingthey’reonly allowedtovisitonce.

OK,makeittwo: TheFarmatCapeKidnappers,on a2400ha sheep and cattlefarmoncliffsoverlookingthe PacificinHawke’sBay,isanextraordinary destination.Theworld-rankedgolfcoursehas spectacularviews.Youmayfindithardtokeep youreyeontheball.

Ifyouonlygettoonefishingspot… Huntin’,shootin’,fishin’(thedeep-seavariety) are majorcontributorstoNewZealand’s luxurydomesticproduct;soistherefinedart ofangling.TheriversflowingintoLakeTaupo¯ presentworld-classfishing365days ayear. Summercallsfor achopperflightto asecluded pondtocast aline.Traditioncallsfor astay atHukaLodge,muchlovedbythelateQueen andherslightlylatermother.

OK,makeittwo: ChoosebetweenOtago’slakesandhighcountry riversorCanterbury,wheretheRakaiais famedforsalmonandtroutandthe Waimakaririfordeluxejetboatingexperiences.Otherrivers are available.

Ifyouonlygettoonewildlifeencounter…

Fewplacescanmatchthestunningsettingof WildernessLodgeLakeMoeraki,ourpremier naturelodge.Surroundedbyancientrainforest ontheMoerakiRiverbanks,just ashortwalk fromtheTasman,it’soperatedby conservationistsAnneSaundersandGerry McSweeney.Stylishaccommodation,finefood andguidedhikestothebeachesandbush, kayakingtoseepenguins,sealsandother wildlife.

OK,makeittwo:

Justabouteverynativebirddartsamongthe ancientplantsandtreesof55,000haWhakarewarewaForest.OnitsedgeatLakeTarawerais 5-starSolitaireLodge,perfectforhikingand biking,theBuriedVillageandWhakarewarewa, andtaongalikeLakeRotoiti.

Ifyouonlygettooneisland…

Bougieisthethemehere,soWaihekeisthe ratherobviouschoice.Whereforouruber-cool visitorstostay?Mawhitimeans“escape”and also afour-bedroomarchitectural masterpiece overlookingtheGulfon a(relatively)undevelopedcorneroftheisland.Super-kingbeds, artworksandfurnishings,courtyardsandbush, oceanandRangitotoviews. Aconciergewill

arrangecarhire,personalchef,helicoptersto thewineries…

OK, makeittwo: Rakiura.ChurchHilllodgeandrestauranthas threesuiteswithfull-glassfrontagesandprivatedecksforthebestviewsofHalfmoonBay, nativebushandwildlife.Relaxandunwindat thepremiumoptiononwhatusedtobecalled StewartIsland.

Ifyouonlygettoonewinerystay… Manywineriesletyoustaythenightbutone ofthemostluxuriousis Kinross,inthe GibbstonValleyeastofQueenstown.Itmaynot bequiteasplush as,say,CraggyRange,but ithas14studios,excellenton-siterestaurant —andratherdecentwine.

KinrossrepresentsfiveCentralOtago wineriesandsommeliersdecanttheirproducts inside-by-sidetastings.Greatbasetoexplore thearea,enjoyartisanfoodandwine,soakin theoutdoorhottub,walkthroughthevines andbreathemountainair.

OK, makeittwo: InourProvence,beddownatcountry-chic MarlboroughLodge.Tourresponsiblyon afulldayvineyardbiketourandendthedayatits renownedHarvestRestaurant.

InsidetheAlanPyecottage atHukaLodge.

Photo /Supplied KinrossWinery, CentralOtago. Photo /Supplied

AUSTRALIA

TheycallittheLuckyCountry,mainlybecause they’reluckytohavesuchgreatneighbours,but alsobecauseoftheeye-rollingrangeoflandscapes and opportunitiesacrossthecontinent— sun-kissedislands,lushjungles,desertsofharsh beauty.Andthat’sjustforstarters.

Queensland

Let’sheadtoQueenslandwherequalia,atthe northerntipoftheWhitsundays’Hamilton Island,isusuallyatornearthetopofthe country’sbesthotelsandresorts. Conde´ Nast Traveler namedittheWorld’sBestResortin2012 anditcontinuestosetthestandardforimpressiverooms,service,dininganda lushspa.Ask happycamperslikeGordonRamsay,Oprahand ToniCollette.

Beyond-the-normactivitiesincludescenic helicopterflights,heli-golf,luxuryboatdrop-offs withgourmetpicnics,orjustsoakingupthe sunshinebythepool.

Somewhatlargerthanmostluxuryresorts, whichtendtowardstheboutique,thenearby, multi-awardwinningInterContinentalHayman IslandResortpropertystretchesto168rooms, suitesandvillassnaking(oops,sorry,Australia) amongpools,seascapesandtropicalgardens.

Guestsarepickedupfromthelocalairportby privatelaunch,seaplaneorhelicopter(yourcall). There’s achoiceofbeachvillaswithprivate plungepools,poolsuiteswithswim-outaccess, “standardrooms”withCoralSeaviewsortwo exclusivehilltopresidencesand24-hourbutler serviceatthetouchof abutton.

Let’sliftthegameup anotchorseveral. BedarraIslandis afavouredhideawayforthe richandfamous —RussellCroweandFergie(the duchessnottherapper).TheGreatBarrierReef islandoffersitsmaximum20guestsseclusionin

11villassetin100haofrainforestwhenthey arriveby30-minutespeedboatfromMission Beach or theGucci-stylehelicopterfromCairns. Youcankayak,paddleboard,snorkel,walkinthe forest,godeep-seafishingorhangoutbyyour owninfinity-edgeplungepool.

Whichisalsothelifestyleforthe28visitors inthe14villasandsuitesonOrpheusIsland,one ofthereef’smostexclusivehideawayswith acclaimedrestaurant,spaandbeachfrontinfinitypoolmirroringtheCoralSea.You’re helicopteredtotheislandfromTownsvilleand driftintoislandtimewithgourmetmeals,fine wines,bushwalksandwatersports.

THERE’SA LIQUID LAUNDROMAT NEARYOU,NOMATTERWHERE THEROAD TAKESYOU

WashandDryfrom $8inunderan hour,leaving you moretimetoenjoy whatNewZealand hastooffer

Can’tnameanycelebguests;EwanMcDonald doesn’tcount.

Onthemainland,TheLanghamHotelSurfers Paradisepromisesa “newwaveofluxury”atthe firstunobstructedbeachfrontpropertybuilton theGoldCoastin morethan30years.Cocktail inhand,lollatoneofthetwopoolsandlookout totheocean;stepinsidetheChuanSpaChinesemedicineinspiredwellnesssanctuary,andend thedayatitsMichelin-starredrestaurant,T’ang Court,Cantonesefine-diningrenownedforits 14-daydry-agedduckandseafooddishes.

Continuedonp14

TheLanghamSurfers ParadiseonQueensland's GoldCoast. Photo /Supplied

Continuedfromp13

NorthernTerritory

CicadaLodgeissetinsideNitmilukNational ParkatKatherineGorgeintheNorthernTerritory.Expecttheusualfinediningandfirstclassaccommodation;however,itsconnectionto theindigenouscommunitysetsitapart.Helicoptertoseeancientrockartthoughttobemore than30,000yearsoldortodesertwaterholes;try yourhandatweaving,weaponryorbushcraft.

Tasmania

Nestled alongside Tasmania’sGreat Oyster Bay, SaffireFreycinethasbeennamedAustralia’sand theSouthPacific’sbestluxuryhotel.Inspiredby itsFreycinetPeninsulasetting,thedesignis contemporaryyetcosywithbreathtakingocean viewsfromthe20suitesandvillas.

Inside,it’sfive-coursedegustations,wi-fiand thedayspa;outdoors,uniqueexperienceslike theConnectiontoCountrywalk,TassieDevil encounter; acruisetoWineglass,gourmet quadbiketourandshuckingoystersfreshfrom thesea.

Thosetakingthemarvellousfour-dayBayof Fires Walkintheisland’snortheastgettostay initshilltoplodgeabovethespectacularcoastline.Theonlybuildingfor20km,itwasbuiltto ensureminimalenvironmentalimpactandto blendintothelandscape.

NewSouthWales

OnNSW’sCentralCoast,PrettyBeachHousesits amongnativebushoverlookingbeaches.The housesleepseightguests;threeofthefour pavilionshaveplungepoolsandthepenthouse suitehasa spaciousverandawith day-bedand

fireplace.FlytotheHunterValleyforwine tastingsorjustkickbackandstareatthewalls. Multimillion-dollarAustralianartbythelikes ofSidneyNolan.

SouthAustralia

Fifteenminutes’drivefromdowntownAdelaide, MountLoftyHouseanditssisterSequoiaLodge aretwoofSouthAustralia’sbestresorts,convenientlyplacednearthestate’sfourworld-class wineregions.MountLofty Househascharacterfilledroomswithfour-posterbeds,Hardy’sVerandahRestaurantand adayspa;SequoiaLodge isanadults-onlyretreatwith14suitesand curatedexperiences.

WesternAustralia

We’llendthisbespoketourinsideanotherreef, anothernationalpark,ontheoppositecoast.Sal SalisinWA’sNingalooReef-CapeRange NationalPark,istheplacetowhileawaythe hoursin ahammock,stroll 50m downtothe beachandmeet marinelife,thenfeastongourmetfoodandwine.Featuring16off-grid glampingtents,frommid-MarchtoJulyyoucan swimwithgentle,giantwhalesharks.

Intheremote,jaw-droppingKimberly,El QuestroHomesteadperchesontheedgeofthe ChamberlainGorge,cateringtojust20guests aged16+,butonlyduringthedryseason.You gettherefromKununurra(handupifyou’veever heardof…)byriding58kmofhighwayand another50kmonthe4WD-onlyGibb RiverRoad into405,000haofwilderness.Indoors,the expectednicetiesbutthisisallaboutthegreat outdoors:horse-trekking,birdwatching,thermal springs,fishing,cruisingthegorge,visiting ancientcavesandwaterholes.

AccommodationatSalSalisNingalooReef,

Photo /Supplied

QuestroHomestead,TheKimberly.

Photo /Supplied

Laucala'spastguests includeOprahWinfreyand ElleMcPherson.

Photo /Supplied

PACIFIC

Thebestthingabouttheworld’sbiggestocean is —gofigure— theworld’sbiggestocean,its thousandsofislandsandatollswithmilesof white-sandbeaches,turquoiselagoonsand kaleidoscopiccoralforests.Premierretreatsplay tothosebarefootfantasiesandaddtheperksof spapampering,fresh-fooddining,andoverwater villas.

Fiji

InFiji,DolphinIslandis astunning5.6ha retreat offering a“castaway”experiencetoa maximum eightguestswhoenjoyexclusiveuse.You’llboat (private,natch)30minutestothetipofVitiLevu andstayin ahigh-endversion of abure.Freshcaughtfishisbroughttotheislanddaily,aswell asmarketproduceanduniquelocalingredients. Bluewaters,goldsand,palmtrees,fragrant flowersandthefamousFijianhospitality,no extracharge.

LaucalaIslandis a5-star-plusgetawayin 1295haofcoconutplantations,mountains, beachesandlagoons.Oh,and arunwayforthe privatejetsthatshuttleguests50minutesfrom Nadi.CreatedbyRedBull’sDietrichMateschilz andrununderthewellness-focusedCOMO brand,it’s“theresortwheretherearenolimits.” Oneshallnotasktoomanyquestions.George ClooneyandOprah —noticehowoftensheblags astayattheseplaces? —payfromUS$5600 anight fora one-bedroomvilla. Assumingtheypay,of course.

toohot.Apartfromtheusualactivities,there’s ajungle-shrouded18-holegolfcourse.

Otheroptions:NamaleFijiIslands,anawardwinningoperationoverlookingtheKoroSea; Jean-MichelCousteau’sboutiqueeco-resort at SavusavuBay.Surroundedbyamarinesanctuary,thissociallyandenvironmentallyresponsibleresortisoneoftheregion’smostrenowned destinations.

FrenchPolynesia

“PrivacyisnotsomethingthatI’mmerelyentitledto,it’sanabsoluteprerequisite,”declared MarlonBrando,and TheGodfather actorwent tosomelengthstoachievethatatTetiaroa,50km northeastofTahiti.

Hespent50yearscreatinga sustainableprivateislandparadise,nowknownasTheBrando, FrenchPolynesia’smostextraordinaryecofriendlyescape.Onanatollof adozensmall islandssurrounding alagoon,itfeaturesspaciousone-bedroomvillasonwhitebeachesinhabitedbyexoticbirds,mantaraysandseaturtles. Eachhas adeckleadingto aprivateplungepool.

Yes,there are restaurantsand bars

OnthesecludednortheasternsideofBora Bora’slagoon,StRegisResortboaststhelargest privateoverwatervillasinthispartoftheplanet. Ifthat’snotquitealoneenoughforyou,reserve asecludedbeachvillawithabutleroncall24/7. LeMeridienandtheConradBoraBora Nui,onprivateMotuTo’opuaisland, maytickleyourfancy,too.

CookIslands

IntheCookIslands,Rarotonga’sMotuBeachfrontArt Villasboaststunningvillas andanexpensiveartcollection,whileAitutakiLagoon ResortistheCookIslands’ onlyretreatwithoverwater bungalows.Expectchampagnecolouredbeaches,glorious sunsets(“hardto beatanywhereelse onEarth,”we’veread),innovative cuisine,culturalnightsandtheusualtoys. Specialities,too:dancelessons,leimaking,crab racing,fishfeedingandmotuwalking(youknow what“motu”means,sothisiswadingthrough theshallowsfromislettoislet).

Vanuatu

There’s alottoloveaboutVanuatu —theunique

culture,greatfood,excellentdiving— andseveralrenovatedresortsthathavesprungbackto lifefollowing2015’sCyclonePam. TheHavannah Vanuatu, ahalf-hourdrivefromPortVila,is strictlyforgrown-ups —gorgeousvillasbuiltfor two,privatedining,absolutebeachfront.Thetwo deluxewaterfrontvillashaveoverwater decksand aprivate7minfinitypool.

IririkiIslandResort &Spa’s thatchedfaresandbungalows havealsobeen refurbishedon itsCoralSeaislandhome,a three-minuteferryridefrom Vila.

TheAussieownershave added aswim-upblackjack tableand akaraokeroom.Kids arewelcomehere.

Ratua,a30-minuteferryride fromEspirituSantoairport,is ownedby asecretiveFrenchbillionaire whoopenedhisislandasa not-for-profitecoresortin2010.Guestvillasareincredible 200-year-oldteakstructuresshippedfrom Indonesia,withornateBalinesefurnitureand fittings.Noplastic,everythingismadeofwood and there are no cars. Foodis organicand hyper-local.

24 HOURSOFART AND CULTUREINKANAZAWA

Japan’s unique blendofchic contemporary style and elegant,age-old traditions has long captured theheartsof culture-loving travellers.Few places demonstratethis fusion of past andpresent better than thevibrant city of Kanazawa. Betweenthe quaint historicaldistricts,modernmuseums, serene gardensand stylishTokyoites on acityescape, visitors arespoiled for choice in this cultural playground

STROLL AROUND KENROKUEN

GARDEN

To sayKenrokuen Garden is oneof Japan’smostbeautiful landscape gardensisn’t an exaggeration.In fact, it’s recognised as oneofthe country’s “three great gardens”.After strolling around thescenic25-acre grounds,it’s easy to understandwhy.Perchedatopa hill above thebustlingcity, thegarden is spacious yetsecluded, withpaths that cutbetween sweepingviewsofthe valley belowand lush,shelteredgroves full of cherry blossoms and mapletrees. Whetheryou visitinautumn, winter,

summer or spring, thegardenholds new delightseachseason, from traditionalstyle teahouses and perfectlymanicured

thegigantic‘neagari’ (exposed roots) pine.Thankstothe ‘kaiyu’(circuitstyle) design,yourmind is free to driftand roam whileyou walk oneofseveral pathsthatmeandersclockwisearound a

FEASTYOUREYESATOMICHO MARKET

If youlove seeing theauthentic side of acity, wherelocalsgotoeat,shop and catchup, thenextstopofthe dayshouldbeOmichoMarket. Near Kanazawa Station, this freshfood market wasestablished over300 years agoand continuestobeacornerstone of Kanazawa’s food culture. The undercovermarketisa buzzinglabyrinth

stallsselling localseafood and exotic appliancesand more Wandering between thevarious offeringsisafeast for theeyesasyou

pass tanksofsea creatures and towersof unfamiliarfruit,fragrantbundles of dried plants andelegant porcelaindishes. If you’re feelingpeckish,you cansimply grab somethingfresh offthe grill at a stall, duck into ahole-in-the-wallsushi spot or jointhe longlines that wind out of themorepopular restaurants

Anddon’t miss thechance to brew your

EXPLORE HIGASHI CHAYADISTRICT

ROLL YOUR OWNSUSHI

AT

COIL experience,cross theroadtoCoilin Hakomachishoppingcentre. Considered oneofthe more‘Instagrammable’places to dine,the new eatery offersasleek, modern take on traditional Japanese food and design.Inside thebrightly lit restaurant, diners useiPads to order sushi’,askinnystyle sushiroll. Instead of sittingbackand waitingfor therolls dishesalong withsheetsofnoriprecoveredinrice–and then,the assembly is up to you! Youcan choose from or something moreadventurous like

ThenextstopisHigashi Chaya District,the largestand mostbeautiful of Kanazawa’s threeentertainment districts.Established around the1820s, this is where ‘ochaya’ teahouses were typicallylocated;places where geisha entertainedguestswithfoodand performances.

Today, many of thetwo-story wooden buildings remain butnow sell crafts,clothes,souvenirsand food Immaculatelydressed visitors stroll alongthe little lanewaysdipping in and outofstoreslikeHakuichi,where you cantry gold leaf-coatedice cream, and thetraditional sweetshopKintsuba Nakataya

Thosecurious about Japanese music should visit Fukushima Sangentenwhich specialises in shamisen (a traditional three-stringed instrument), whilevisitors to Gold Leaf Sakudacan seethese ultratheir eyes.

LEARN HOWGOLDLEAFISMADE

No matter where in Japanyou’veseen gold leaf,the chancesare itcame from Kanazawa whichproduces99percent of thecountry’s supply.Atthe specialtyworkshop,Gold Leaf Sakuda,you cansee thecomplex craft in action.Here,you’llwatch apowerful machinepoundingthe gold (which is sandwiched withinathick bundle of paper) untilit’spressed into thecharacteristically

theworkshop where you’ll seeateamof expertsnimbly cut, glue and storethese gleaming leaves in an almostmeditative rhythm.After touringthe giftshop’s dozens of gold-coveredproducts, from soapsand lotionstopaintings and sculptures,besure to peek insidethe bathroomswhich are linedwithgoldand platinum

VISITA SAMURAIHOUSE

To continue your journey through Japan’srichhistory,headtoNagamachi, Kanazawa’s samurai district setatthe foot of Kanazawa Castle.Although it’s been centuriessince high-ranking samurais inhabited the fortress-like houses and quaint gardens,you canstill seeexactly howtheylived by paying a visit to Nomura-ke. Part museum and part restored residenceitoncebelonged to theprestigious Nomura samurai family, and it’s nowopentothe public Atreasure trove of artifactsand artwork, savour this portal into thepastbefore taking aseatand enjoyingthe gorgeous indoorgardenasitbasks in theafternoon light

GEISHA PERFORMANCE

Endthe evening withaperformance like no otheratKaikaro.One of thefew remainingchaya in theHigashi Chaya District,the teahouseisowned by

a6th-generationgeishawho hosts geisha evenings for exclusivegroups. Atreasuredpiece of Japanese culture, only afew dozengeisharemainin Kanazawa offeringanunforgettable glimpseinto thenation’suniquemusic, dance and arts.After beingwelcomed rich geisha history, guests canenjoy atraditional Japanesemeal whiletwo

ancientstories throughsongand dance

STAYINGFOR LONGER?

TheKurobeGorgeTrain in Toyama is the perfectone-day adventurethatoffers of Japan’s famous autumn colours.

Formore Japantravelinspiration and forcurrententry requirementsvisit JapanNationalTourism Organization https://www.japan.travel/en/au/.

Photo /mTairavia Shutterstock.

KenrokuenGarden. Photo/Sarah

Zashikiexperience, Kanazawa. Photo/JNTO.

Golf leafproduction in Kanazawa. Photo/Sarah Pollok

StreetsofKanazawa.Photo /Sarah Pollok

Omicho Market. Photo/Peter Adams viaShutterstock

COMFORT

IN CANVAS

It’s been lessthan 20 years sincethe phrase“glamping” began making its way from the travel pages and on to thewish lists of travellers.

Butinthat short time, the concept hasevolved beyond just puttinga bed in a tent. Today’s glamping destinations showcase the best of their surrounding environments,allowing travellers to immerse themselves in nature withminimal effort.

Canopy Camping,across New Zealand

All but relatively unknownfive years ago,Canopy Campinghas taken Aotearoa by storm, and now has more than 80 privately owned locations acrossthe country. However, not all its offerings are,bydefinition, glamping.Many are more akintosmallholiday homes, complete with running water and electricity. (Itsnewest location, Watercliffinthe Bay of Plenty, springs to mind.) But if an actual tent is whatyou’re after, you’ll find it at Lake Tarawera’s Kanuka. Located in aboat-in-only nook in the bush, the safaritent is beachfront, and onlyashort hike from nearby hot springs. Then again,noone said that glamping only takes place outdoors.Canopy Camping’s most unusual offering is right in Auckland’s Eden

Park. Asurprisingly cosy overnight stay, The Staydiumallowsits guests to roam the sports arena at night,and wake in themorningtothe sun rising over the stands.

PurePods,across New Zealand

Nipping closely at Canopy Camping’s heels, PurePods launched in New Zealand in 2014and since then, has growninto abrand that people talk about withhushed reverence. There arenow nine pods across the country one on the North Island, six on the South Island, and two on Rakiura/Stewart Island— withtheir exact locations only revealedupon booking. While theysit on the more luxuriousend of the glamping spectrum (with units starting at $590 a night), there’s no TV, WiFi or air-conditioning and in some cases, no cellphone reception. But it’sall intentional. The entertainment hereiswatching the world drift by, through the all-glass cabins’ triple-glazed windows.

Tatapouri Bay, Taira¯whiti

It’s like something outofa Netflix property renovation series: Ayoung couple buy an ageing caravanpark. Then they quicklyset to work turning it into asustainably minded destination for locals and tourists, with the addition of modern cabins with sea views, seasonal beachsideglamping tents, and acafe housedinshipping containers. That’sroughly the story behind Tatapouri Bay, situated just outsideGisborne.Thereare both two-person ($225) and four-person ($275) LotusBelle tents available, outfitted with plush queen-sized beds and USB outlets for charging devices. The onsite Finnish saunaand oceanfront spa round out the experience.

Cockatoo Island, Sydney Harbour

These two to four-personabodes run light on the “glamour” —they’re just standard run-ofthe-mill tents, but withcot beds within from AU$135 ($144). But thereal sellingpoint here is that they’re located on an islandinthe middle of Sydney’s Harbour. During its storied history, Cockatoo Island has served as penal establishment(its convict-era buildings areon Unesco’s World Heritage List), an industrial and reformatory school for girls, and the officialdockyard for the RoyalAustralia Navy. In additiontoexploring the island’s relicsand buildings, campers can watch movies in the campground cinema, playvintagelawn games, andpossibly even see aghost or two, so they’ll have another story to tell aroundthe campfire.

Nightfall, Lamington National Park, Queensland

Hidden deep in agorge on the edges of Lamington National Park —anarea just inland of the Gold Coast, renowned for its waterfalls, lush rainforest, andglow worms —you’ll find Nightfall’scustomdesigned luxury campingtents

Jessica Wynne Lockhart checksout thebestdestinationsand experiencesfor glamping in New Zealand andAustralia

Scheduletimewith someone special in theecocabinPure Pods across the country;right, the waterfront campground on Cockatoo Island. Photos / Supplied; DestinationNSW

Main:TeTuhiDomenearKinlochBay; below,Longitude131,withonlyUluruas yourneighbour. Photos/Canopy Camping;Supplied

Thesearesafaritentsunlikeanyyou’veever seen,fromtheindoorfireplacestothehandcarvedstonebasins.Rollupthecanvas,and youmightglimpsered-neckwallabies,flying foxes,andevenkoalaswanderingpastyour tent.Theexperience— whichisinclusiveof alcoholicbeveragesandfire-cooked organicfood,withtheoption toadd-onmassagesinthe privacyofyourtent— startsatAU$935per night,butis booked-out monthsinadvance.

Longitude 131, Northern Territory ArguablyAustralia’smost iconicglamping experience, Longitude131will allayanyconcerns youmighthaveabout justhowglamorous glampingcanreallybe. Afterall,thisiswherethe royalsstaywhentheycometovisit Australia,asKateandWilliamdidbackin2014. PartoftheLuxuryLodgesofAustraliacollection,theglampsite(ifyoucanevencallitthat) isnestledamongstthereddunesandhasviews ofUluruandacrossthedeserttoKataTjuta. Butitalsooffersopportunitiesforcultural immersion,includingthroughitsartist-in-

residenceprogrammes,whereguestscaninteractwithAnangupaintersandceramicists. RoomsstartatAU$4200pernight,includingall diningandbeverages,signatureguidedexperiences,andreturnairporttransfers.

PaperbarkCamp,JervisBay, NSW

Drivethree hourssouthof Sydney,andyou’llfind yourselfinpretty JervisBay,withits turquoisewaters, white-sand beaches, whale-watchingopportunities,and paperbark forests.It’sin thelatterthat you’llfind Paperbark Camp, acollectionofcanvas tentsamongthe eucalypts.Eachhas anopen-airprivateen suite,withfreestanding bathandshower,soyou watchkangarooshopthroughthe bushasyoushower.Canoesandbicyclesare availableforuse,makingiteasytovisitone ofthearea’stwoaward-winning microbreweries.Specialsarefrequently offered, withratesstartingfromAU$635per night,whichincludes athree-coursedinner, fullbreakfast,andtakeawaylunch.

Luxuriously

Aussie

Seeking an extra special getaway? Look no further than acrossthe pond. In acountry as vast and diverse as Australia,there’s always something new, something unique and, if you’relooking to really push the boat out, something luxe. Whether it’s restaurant-hopping via private plane or relaxing at achic hideaway on asandy island, these are the sort of experiencesyou’ll be reminiscing aboutfor years to come.

LATESTLODGINGSFOR THE WISH LIST

The House at Lizard Island, Great Barrier Reef,Queensland

Perched at theedge of GreatBarrier Reef, Lizard Islandisrich in history and big on rugged beauty. Here,resort guestscan’t help but be immersed in nature from everyangle —thinkdeserted white sand,crystal-clear coastlines and 360-degree views across the reef.

The houseboasts asleek architectural design and three storeys of off-grid barefootluxury, plus complete privacythanks to the surrounding nativebush. There’s an outdoor bath and pool for languid dips, yogadeckand rooftop spa for added zen, as well as aprivate chefand bespoke wellness treatments to ensure you floatoff the islandfeeling completely refreshed. thehouseatlizard.com

Nest &Nature,Fleurieu Peninsula, South Australia

Rolling mountainsand sweeping viewsgreet

The House at Lizard Islandoffersa secluded getaway with jaw-dropping viewsoverthe reef; happiness is an outdoor tub at Nest& Nature retreat, FleurieuPeninsula. Photos/ Supplied; Elise Hassey

of eachdwelling meansyou can enjoythe serenity in style

For guests who can tear themselves away from their private terrace with firepit and sunken bath,Fleurieu Peninsula’s wineries andbeaches

InterContinental Sorrento Mornington Peninsula, Victoria

After amajor renovation to revamp alocal landmark, the newly-opened InterContinental Sorrento boasts European resortvibes and classicseasidecharm, just an hour outofMelbourne. Roomsrange from chic heritage suites in the original limestone building to penthouse options complete withprivate plunge poolsand rooftopaccess. There’s also the expansivepool with ocean views,the spa and bathhouse for indulgentbeauty sessions, and on-site restaurantswith everythingfrom woodfired pizzas in the beer garden to fine dining withArt Deco-inspired glamour.

Beyondthe hotelgates,Sorrento township is perfect for relaxedsaunteringaround the boutiqueshops, while the greaterpeninsula is known for its thermal pools, wineries, art galleries and beaches. ihg.com/intercontinental/hotels/us/en/sorrento/melst/ hoteldetail

Finniss River Lodge, Darwin,Northern Territory

Set on aworkingcattle farmwith tropical rainforest and extensivewaterwaysonthe doorstep, nature takes centre stage at Finniss River Lodge.Here, outdooractivities on offer include fishingexcursions, scenic heli flights, tours around LitchfieldNational Park with an experienced indigenous guide, and the chancetospot some of the area’s resident crocs. And when you’renot out exploring the Top End, there are six exclusive suites and an infinity pool to relax in,aswell as gourmet bites whipped up by top Aussie chef, Travis Crane

The lodge is about90minutes’ drivefrom Darwin/Gulumerrdgen,ora 20-minute jaunt via charter plane to the lodge’s private airstrip, if you’regoing extraluxe.

finnissriverlodge.com.au

Fromhigh-end havens to wild nature experiences, there are countless ways to treat yourself across the Tasman, writes SaraBunny

Main:

visitors to Nest &Nature, ahilltopeco-retreat in the Fleurieu Peninsula’s Inman Valley. With just twoexclusive suites on site, you don’t have to worry about noisy neighbours, and the stateof-the-artfeatures, soothing muted tones and open-plandesign

are ashort drive fromthe retreat. esca.com.au

NATURAL ENCOUNTERSWITH THEWOW FACTOR

WalkKangaroo Island, South Australia

Spread acrosssix action-packed days, this 67km adventure takes in everything from craggy clifftopstogolden beaches,with awhole lot of wildlife-watching along the way. And if you’re picturing having to lug aheavy tent with you, think again —this is the sort of hike that includes hotelaccommodation. Visitors can also expect high-end meals, wine tastings, expert guides and 4WD transfers between the 11 scenic strolls throughout the island.

Often referredtoasa “zoo without walls”, Kangaroo Island’s animal inhabitants include sea lions, koalasand echidnas. The walk package also includes aZodiacboat cruise, where visitors can spot the abundantmarine life and, if they’re lucky, take adip with the local dolphins. walkkangarooisland.com

Murray RiverTrails Safari to River’s End, SouthAustralia

Take an iconic Australian river, add abunch of breathtakingscenery, aluxury houseboatand an ultra-chic riverside retreat, and youhave the makings of avery special getaway. The newest tour from Murray River Trails,this five-night safarikicks off from Riverland and cruisesalong the Outback Lakes, before heading on to Coorong National Park and Murray Mouth.

From gumtreeforest and ochre-toned cliffs, to white sandsand sprawling dunes, visitors get the chance to experience differentlandscapes along the country’s longest river, and learn all about the history, culture and unique wildlife of each environment. The accommodation offers the best of both worldstoo, with the firsthalf of the tour spent on the custom-designed houseboat before you’re dropped off right at the doorstepofyour next stayatRiver’s End Retreat.

Activities include guidedkayaking adventures, atour of Ngaut Ngaut Aboriginal

Archaeological Cultural Site and ameeting with local elders. And in an area known for its culinary delights, plenty of gourmet food and wine is agiven. murrayrivertrails.com.au

Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley, New South Wales

Whether youprefer soaking up the view with a wine glass in hand or gettingyour handsdirty with aconservation project, there are plenty of ways to get back to nature at Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley. There’s 2800ha of nature reserve on the doorstep, and guests are welcome to help outwith anything from woodlandregeneration followingthe 2019 wildfires, to spreadingmulch andplanting seedlings.

But if it allsounds like hard work, you can always show your appreciation by simply stopping to admire the stunning surrounds. Located on the Great Dividing Rangewithin the Greater BlueMountains, the luxurious resortboasts dramatic scenery from every angle, just threehours’ drive fromSydney.

oneandonlyresorts.com/ wolgan-valley

UNFORGETTABLE CULTURAL EXPERIENCES

Top: Nature steals the showatFinniss River Lodge, nearDarwin;above, see the many facesofthe mighty Murray Riverona luxury river cruise;below The rockformationsat Flinders Chase National Park are justone of the many spotstoexplore on KangarooIsland. Photos/ Supplied;Getty Images

up closetofavourite pieces and gain adeeper understanding not only of First Nations art, but also the rich culture, storytellingand traditions interwoven through eachwork

Top off the experiencewith atreat for the taste buds. At aprivatedinner created by top Koori chef Chris Jordan,graze on dishes inspired by indigenous ingredientsand cookingtraditions, while enjoying live music and Aboriginal and TorresStrait Islander dance performances. qagoma.qld.gov.au/visit/first-artistscultural-experience

Culture Connect, Cooktown, Queensland

In aremote cornerofTropical North Queensland, sprawling Normanby Station is hometo some of thecountry’s most fascinatingremnants of history. On the lands of the Balngarrawarra people, the area is dotted with ancientrockart carefully preserved insidetraditional shelters. Here, visitors can book in for arange of tours to see theintricate rock designsthat are only accessible with aguide, explore the rugged escarpmentsand tropical savannah of the area, and learn the incredible stories of the land.

Take ahalf-day excursiontothe ancient art sites, or opt for afull-day experience, which also includes awalkaboutwith an indigenous ranger to learn about bush traditions, tuckerand medicine. With the historic Cooktown settlement, Daintree Rainforest and Cape Tribulationall close by (at least by Aussie Outback standards), multi-day packages and tailored tours of the broader area are also available. cultureconnect.com.au

NEXT-LEVEL DINING

The FlyingGourmet Getaway, South Australia

What could be better than aprivate plane to chauffeur you and up to eight pals around some of South Australia’s best dining hotspots? This four-day foodie adventure takes in Outback fare at the Prairie Hotel in Flinders Ranges, celebrity chef Maggie Beer’s Pheasant Farm in the Barossa, and along lunch starring succulent wagyubeef at Mayura Station,Coonawarra. With arange of vineyards also in the flight path, you can expecttovisit aslew of top wineries, too.

But it’s not all aboutthe cuisine. Along the way, passengers are treated to unforgettable bird’s eye views of the Flinders Rangesand Wilpena Pound, and thepristine peaksofthe Adelaide Hills.

airadventure.com.au/tour/the-flyinggourmet-getaway

The GreatAustralian Gourmet Adventure, all states

Looking for theultimate foodie escape? Take abig juicy bite out of every state on a 103-day culinary odyssey aroundAustralia.From the Kimberley to Tasmania,MargaretRiver to the Whitsundays, thisepic journey ticks off aroll call of top spots, including off-track locales like Lord HoweIslandand King Islandinthe wild and windy Bass Strait.

First

Artists: Exceptional IndigenousArt andDining, Queensland

If you’re looking for an immersive and extraspecial art experience, this is one for the wish list.After atraditionalWelcometoCountry ceremony, you’llbejoinedbyanAustralian First Nations storyteller, artist and curator for a magicalprivatetourthroughQueensland Art Gallery/Gallery of Modern Art. The unique oneon-one setting is theperfectopportunity to get

Along the way,you’ll stay in upscale retreats, enjoy private masterclasseswith local chefs, and journey from mountainstosea, and that’s before we’ve even mentioned the food and wine.When it comes to sampling the goods, you’llsavour everythingfrom sumptuous seafoodto local market treats, succulentmeats to freshly foraged delights, with each area offering adifferent foodie focus.

Prefer to let your stomach rest between states? The full adventure is made up of 14 itineraries, so youcan always pick favourites rather than tackling the whole trip at once.

southern-crossings.com/great-australiangourmet-adventure

Travelhas never been easier,thanks to the wide choiceoftravel accessories; below, noise-cancelling headphones turn anoisy journeyinto apeaceful affair; stay hydratedwith aportable water filter. Photos/ Pexels

Your own devices

Look the part of afrequentflier with these life-changing travelaccessories,writes Sarah Pollok

Noise-cancelling headphones

Between the airport announcements, chatty crowds, roaringtrain stations and rumblingtraffic, travel can be a noisyaffair.But it doesn’t haveto be. Cutting out the clamourcan makea world of difference when trying to stay calm and relaxed while on the move, which is why noise-cancellingheadphones are a rich-lister essential. Top sellers like Bose QuietComfort 45 go for $250 while JBL T230 NC cost around $150.

Hydratingskincare

Wanttotravel the globewith aglowy complexion? Then it’s time to investinsome top-quality skincare. Since planes are kept at 10-20per centhumidity, they can leaveyou feeling dehydrated. So, alongwith drinking lots of water,moisturising skincare products go along way in keeping you feeling fresh.Look for ahydrating serum that has hyaluronic acid and moisturisers that have emollients like squalane, and don’t forget to keep them under 100ml.

Travel wallet

If you’re still carrying around boardingpasses,booking confirmations and passports in aplastic sleeve (or shoved intoyour carry-on bag),it’s timetolevel up with astylish travel wallet. Fashionable andfunctional, this accessory makes every traveller look like

afrequent flier, whilst also keeping your documents, cash, cards and that spare pen close at hand.Welovewallets that come with card slots, multiple sleevesand azip to keep it all secure.

Trackingtags

We know these little devices have caused much controversy,as airlines flip-flopover whether they’re allowedincheckedbags. In the meantime, tracking devices will still be amust-have for high fliers who want to keep closetabs on important items like suitcases, wallets, phones and cameras. Powered using Bluetooth, thesekeychain-like tags allow youtotrack the location of whatever theyare attachedtothrough your phone, computer or tablet.Followingthe boom in popularity, there are dozens of brandstochoose from but we recommend skippingthe cheap knock-offs andinvesting in areliable brand like Tile or Apple Airtags

Bluetooth speaker

Music speakers maynot make it on to atypical packinglist, butregular travellers know just how valuable this gadget can be. Whetheryou’re chilling at abeach, lazinginan Airbnb or lying by ahotelpool, a small portable speaker can help travellers set amood or start aparty no matter where they are.Popular optionslike JBLGo3portable speakers start from $70, while Bose Wonderbooms sit around $170.

Cross-shoulder bag

If youtravelled to Europe or Americathis year (especially during summer) you’llnodoubt be familiarwith Lululemon’s Everywhere Belt Bag. Simply referredtoas“the bag” by many, the cross-shoulder accessory quicklygained cult status and becomeamust-have for savvytravellers. Hands-free, water-repellentand with plenty of pockets, it’snomystery as to why. While the original is $49 from Lululemon (if you’re lucky enough to find one), there are many alternatives.

Portablewater filter

Hydration is always important but even more so duringbusy traveldaysspent exploringcities or catching flights. However, notall water is of equal quality, especially when it comes from public water stations overseas, making portable water filters apopular carry-on gadget for health-conscioustravellers.Theseoften come as entire water bottlesorstraws you can put into adrinkbottle, whichuse microfiltersand carbon filters to break down chlorine and heavy metals.

Power bank

In today’s digitalage, asmartphone feels as essential as apassport when travelling around. From booking confirmations to boarding passes,credit cards and maps, our phones are full of crucial information. However, theybecomelittle more than decorative chrome brick when they’re out of battery. If you want to avoid being that person tethered to afree airport charger or cafesocket, aportable power bank is key to chargeyour phoneonthe go. Fortunately, thesecome pretty cheap, as little as $40.

DESTINATIONDINE

Foodiesshouldaddthese, award-winning,exclusive, sought-afterinternational restaurantstotheirwishlist, writes AnnaKingShahab

Intermsofsettingandwhat’sonthe plate,restaurantscanofferuptheextraordinary,theunexpected,andthe breathtakinglybeautiful.Hereare someofourkeydestinationrestaurants toputonyourbucketlist.

KleinJan

On ahuge privategamereserve,Tswalu Kalahari,SouthAfrica’sfirstMichelin-starred chef,JanHendrikvanderWesthuizen,creates anincrediblejourneyweavinguniqueflavours bornfromtheKalahariwithstoriestiedto SouthAfrica’scultureandhistory.

IthaaUndersea

Theworld’sfirstunderwaterrestaurantis tucked5mbelowtheIndianOceanonRangali IslandintheMaldives,withtropicalmarinelife yourbackdroptodinner.Therestaurant,which seatsjust14at atime,isexclusivelyavailable toguestsatConradRangali.

Under It’s aratherdifferentoceanthatguestsgazeout intoatNorway’sUnder, asemi-submerged restaurantthatdescendsupto5.5mfromthe craggyshorelineintotheicyNorthAtlantic. HeadchefNicolaiEllitsgaardcallson“fresh ingredientsandpure,nakedflavours”with plentyofseafoodfromjustoutsidethethick

architecturallydesignedconcretewalls— sustainabilityis akeyfocus.

Room4Dessert

Lookpastthename(orisitjust me?) becausethisUbud,Bali-basedspot issynonymouswithallthings sophisticatedlysweet.Proprietor WillGoldfarbtrainedatElBulliand originallyopenedRoom4Dessertin hishomecity,NewYork,before relocatingtoBali —a locationthat allowshimtorunhisrestaurantsurroundedby asubstantialgardenfromwhich hesourcesingredientsforthemenu,the likesofrosella,cacao,coconut,and lemongrass.LastyearGoldfarbwas named theworld’sbestpastrychefinthe50Best, soifyou’reBali-bound, makea pilgrimagefortherestaurant’savant-garde tastingmenuthatprogressesfrom savourysnackstoa steadystream ofdesserts.

Sublimotion

Dinnerand ashowmeans something quite differentatSublimotioninIbiza. Amenucosting$2kupwardsconsists of20coursespreparedbySpanishtwo Michelin-starchefPacoRonceroandteam (ninemoreofwhomarealsoMichelinstarred)for amaximumof12guests.The diningroomis ahigh-techtheatre,providing amulti-sensoryexperienceinwhich guestsaresortofboth audienceandactors —thinkVRheadsets,bespokesoundtracks, cutting-edgelightingand alot,lotmore.The IbizanlocationisonlyopenfortheEuropeansummerbut apop-upbranchhas openedinDubaitoplugthegap.

KikunoiHonten

TheJapanesecityofKyotoisawashwith elegantrestaurants,andKikunoi Honten,whichhasoperatedformore than100years —havingstartedlife as ateahouse —isa giantamong them.Currently,withthree Michelinstars,therestaurant’s offeringfollowsthefamousapproach ofkyo-kaiseki,anarrayofexquisite dishes(upto14courseshere)sent fromthekitchentodemonstratethe fourseasons.ChefYoshihiroMurata’s cookingseessignatureingredientsofJapanesecookingtreatedwithkidgloves —from famouslyrareMatsusakabeefandbluefin tunaotoro(thefattiestofthebellysection) alongwithfleetinglyseasonalthingslike cherrypetalsandbambooshoots.

Geranium

Itoccupies aratherincongruoussettingontheeighthfloorof afootball stadiuminCopenhagen,butenjoys aviewnotonlyofthesportspitch butalsooverthebeautiful Faelledparkengardens,anda golden reputation,havingbeennamedthe world’sNo 1restaurantin2022’sThe World’s50BestRestaurants.ChefRasmus Kofoed’sgrithasseentherestaurant make itsway steadilyupthelistfrom49thplace in2012. Likemanybig-nameDanishchefs, Kofoedisbigonforaging,particularlyfrom Denmark’swaterysurroundings,soseafood featuresprominently,alongwithallmanner ofplants —butmeathasbeenleftoffthe menusince 2021.

Continuedonp28

AtCopenhagen'sAlchemist, thediningexperiencelasts50 coursesanddinersmove aroundthefantastical multimillion-dollar planetariumspace. Photos/ Supplied;GettyImages

Theworld’sfirst underwaterrestaurant is5mbelowtheIndian OceanonRangali Islandin theMaldives atConradRangali; above,Yoshihiro Murataismasterchef forKikunoirestaurant.

Luxurytravel: Food and drink »

Continued from p27

Alchemist

Another city that punches high in theculinary world,Copenhagen is also hometoAlchemist, where the diningjourney lasts 50 courses —and is avery different beast from the terroirdriven Scandi cuisine we’ve become familiarwith. Duringfive “acts”, diners move around the fantastical multimillion-dollar planetarium space. Each mouthful is imbued with powerfulmessages;chef Rasmus Munk uses cuisine as avehicle to raise awareness around aplethoraof social and environmentalcauses, for which,when he’s notbusy making magic in the kitchen,Munk puts his money and timewhere his mouthis.

Guy Savoy

The eponymous Paris restaurant of the chefwho trained Gordon Ramsay remains,inmany pairs of discerning eyes, the GOAT— it’s the most consistently high-performing restaurant across myriad lists out there.The homeoffinely honed technique, impeccable seasonal ingredients, and elegantaesthetic would be the cherry on top for any indulgentvisit to the City of Lights.

Mil

Famous for his Lima restaurant Central, chef Virgilio Martinez’s Mil is anotherreasontoput Peruonthe list —and the journey to get there is an adventureinitself. Mil is 3500m above sea level in theSacred Valleyonthe fringe of the Moray ruins. It’s best enjoyedhaving acclimatedtothe altitude, so give yourself afew days before tucking in to whatisan

immersive experience in Peruvian indigenous culture. Guests can opt to dig potatoes, collect freshmountainwater or myriad other ways of having ahand in what endsupontheir plate and gaining uniqueinsight.

Seagrass Lounge andRestaurant

It’s alittle closer to home, but you do need to be aguest to dine at this clifftop restaurant on Fiji’s exclusiveLaucala Island, aComo resort. The good news is that the hefty nightly rate is truly all-inclusive —you can savourimpeccably prepared farm and ocean-to-tablefare, Champagne and lush cocktails to your heart’s content withnobill. The resorthas its own 1400ha organic farm growing aplethora of vegetables, fruit, herbs,and livestock —anything that’s not sourcedfrom the garden is supplied by other localFijian growers. Istayedthere several years ago and amongthe several restaurants, Seagrass was ahighlight— aThai focused dining room upstairs makes the deliciousmost of local seafood like lobster, lushherbs and tropicalfruit and,perched on the rock over crashing waves is aluxurious but fun teppanyaki offering at RockLounge. To get there, drag yourself away from your villa’s poolside and call abutler for aride or hit the terracotta-paved road in your own golf cart. You time it for sunset,naturally.

Outstandinginthe Field

A“roving restaurantwithoutwalls”, Outstanding in the Field has been poppingupinall sorts of places since its debutinfounder Jim Denevan’s brother’s US farmin1999. Its carefully curated dinner parties have poppedupin vineyards, city streets, beaches, and deserts across all 50 US states and more than adozen countries around theworld. The events are characterisedbyanelegantlylaid longtable and adesire to connect growers with diners by bringing the restaurant to the source.

Main: Fiji’s Seagrass Restaurant is available onlytoguestsofprivate island resort Laucala; top, GuySavoy at hisParis restaurant; Peruvian chef Virgilio Martinez’s restaurant Mil. Photos/ Supplied;Getty Images

Top of the

Once-in-a-lifetimetripsare justthat: Adventurestoremote and awe-inspiring locations that you’ll never makeagain —and, in manycases, are luckytomake even once. Jessica WynneLockhart hasrounded up the best tour operators to helpyou live outyour wildesttravel dreamsacrossthe globe.

Inca Trail: The rainbow mountainsnearCusco and the start of Peru's longdistance trek. Photo /123RF

Hike the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu

There’s no better way to arrive in Machu Picchu than by following in the footsteps of an ancient civilisation, starting fromthe capital of Cusco, andarriving four days later at theSun Gate, where you’ll look out overone of the world’s greatest archeological sites.

It’sa challenging journey (ancient Incanshad tinyfeet and constructed stairs accordingly), but it’smade easier by the skilled porters, guides, andPeruvian chefs takingcare of mostofthe hard workfor you —and then some. (You’ve neverexperienced true joy until you’re magically presented witha freshly baked cakeafter along dayofhiking,even though you’re camping on theside of amountain at 3000m altitude.)

Sustainable travelexperts Intrepid Travel will make sure you don’t go hungry —orget lost with departures startingfrom $1470

Hike to Bhutan’s Tiger’s Nest Monastery

In September, Bhutan’s much-anticipated reopeningcoincided with thelaunchofthe TransBhutan Trail, a400km trail that was once used as apilgrimage route by Buddhists to crossthe country. Reopenedfor the firsttime in 60 years, it passes through lushand mountainous valleys, andpast fortifiedbuildings. But you don’t have to be ahiker to experience the country’s unique culture, natural environment, andhospitality.

On National Geographic’s Wonders of Bhutan itinerary (operated by GAdventures), you’ll spend nine days visiting remote shrines and temples, enjoy ahome-cooked mealata farmstay, andwatch locals practising archery, Bhutan’s national sport. And,ofcourse, you’ll also have thechancetohike to Paro Taktsang (Tiger’s Nest), the country’s most famousmonastery, which clings to theedge of the cliffs in the Paro Valley. Departures start from $8079 and include the Bhutan Government’s new visitor entry fee of US$200 ($314)daily.

Visit Antarctica in an environmentally sustainable way

Unless you’re aresearcher or scientist,Antarcticaisthe definition of aonce-in-a-lifetimetrip —whichiswhy you want to ensure you’re visiting the ecologically sensitive environment in the most sustainable way possible.

Enter Le Commandant Charcot, the world’s first luxury hybridelectric polar exploration ship. Operatedbycruiseline Ponant, the 245-person ship offers refinedelegance, with two restaurants, abar and an on-board spa. But its real selling featureisthatit’s classifiedasan icebreaker, whichmeans you cansafely venture deep intothe middle of the ice, gettingyou that muchclosertoicebergs, penguin colonies,and whales. In addition to snowshoeing, kayaking, andeven taking apolar plunge,guestscan also participate in citizen science projects, contributing to our knowledgeofthe icy continent.Trips start from US$20,060.

Luxurytravel: Dream trips »

Sleep overnight with giant tortoises in the Galapagos Islands

Imagine walking amongblue-footedboobies sitting on their nests, watching marine iguanas feed on algae underwater,orsnorkelling alongside sea lions andsea turtles. There’s no question;the isolated volcanic archipelago of Ecuador’s Galapagos islands is unlike any other destination

On Natural Habitat Adventures’ small group Hiking and Kayaking Adventure (from US$6495) you’ll get to spend even more time immersedin the environment and exploring areasmost visitors will never see, thankstospecial paddling permits. Case in point: An overnight stayatthe company’sexclusive safari-style highland camp on Santa Cruz, where you’ll see the island’s most famous residents, wild gianttortoises. Best of all, as apartner of WWF, Natural Habitat Adventures offsets your carbonemissions, including your round-trip flights fromyour departure city.

Look one of the world’s rarest primates in the eye

There aresaid to be fewer than 1100 mountain gorillas left. They also only live in ahandful of places, including Uganda’s densely vegetated BwindiImpenetrable Forest NationalPark, which is home to abouthalf of the world’s population of the species.

To protect them, viewingsofthe gorillas are extremely restricted, and permits can cost up to US$700. Needless to say, getting atour operator to take care of the heavy lifting when it comes to organising this excursion is the way to go.

While ExtraordinaryJourneys custom-buildsits itineraries, its sample five-dayluxuryUganda Safari (from US$4041) includes atrek in search of amountaingorilla family, where you’ll get to spend up to one hour with the gentle primates You’ll also visit aBatwa (pygmy) community and hike with their elders, learninghow they once hunted and lived.

Gorilla trekking can also be included as an add-

on to asafari in EastAfrica.

Travel to Canada’s Sub-Arctic to see polar bears

The polar bearcapital of the world, Churchill,Canada, isn’t easy to get to. There’s no road access this far northinManitoba,sovisitors need to arrivebyplaneoronthe famous two-night train journey north.

Family-owned tour operator Frontiers North Adventures offersboth options, with its ClassicChurchill Polar Bear adventure timed for the autumnmonths(October andNovember) when polar bearsgather in the areaand wait for the ice to freeze. (As abonus, longer nights means you’re more likely to see the NorthernLightswhile there.)

Bears are observed safely fromaboard FrontierNorth’s Tundra Buggy, while dog-sled adventures, cultural presentations, anda visit to the Itsanitaq Museum roundout the experience.

Tripsstart from CA$7349 ($8500)

Explore the remains of an ancient city in Jordan

Ghost towns have nothingonPetra, an ancient city that was once athrivingcentre of tradeand the capitalofthe Nabataean empire between roughly 400BCand AD106. The remains of this metropolis can still be seentoday in the massive archeologicalsite, whichisconsidered oneof the Seven Wonders of the World. Temples and tombsare carvedinto the sandstone, an extensive hydrologicalsystem runs through the city, and there’s even an altar wheresacrifices took place

You canspendliterally days exploring it (trust me; it’s bigger than you think)but if you’reshort on time, Abercrombie &Kent’s guided tour will cover allits highlights, including the muchphotographed Monastery and the Treasury. The seven-day Highlights of Jordan tour (from AU$4970) also stops in the present-day capital of Amman, at theDead Sea (where visitors can float in the high-salinity waters), and the Mars-likedesert of WadiRum.

Trek through the mountains of Patagonia

Ask atrampertotell you what trails sit on their once-ina-lifetime list, and youmight be there for awhile, as it’s usually acase of “howlong is apiece of string.” But chances are Patagonia’s Torres del Paine likely sits high on the list. Circumnavigating some of South America’s most spectacular peaks, the110kmO-Trekincludesthe park’smore remote backside, where crowdsthinout.

And on World Expeditions’11-day guided tour ($8290) it’s not just aboutexploring on foot.You’ll also take aboat cruisetothe head of afjord andkayak to the Grey Glacier,making thisa true multi-adventuredestination

Primate eyes: Ugandan mountain gorillas high in theBwindiforest Photo /123RF

Polar bearmotherand cubinthe tundra of WapuskNational Park, Manitoba. Photo /123RF

Visitingthe Mars-like landscapeofWadi Rum,Jordan Photo /Supplied

Once in alifetime: Patagonia’s Torres del Paine. Photo /Andrew Svk,Unsplash

Travel should be a relaxing experience, and the booking process can be too! YOU Travel’s well-connected and dedicated advisors will take all the hard work out of planning your journey or cruise, without you getting lost on the web. New Zealand owned and operated, and available 24/7, we ’ re with you all the way

The Pragser Wildsee, Italy

Superyachts »

Eightarmsandaleg

Take aprivate helicopterto lunchin Greenland

beforebedding downina $200m superyacht builtforthe co-founderof Microsoft, writes AmandaHyde

Wavegoodbyetothecaptain’stableandcoachpartyshoreexcursions aboardtheOctopus,where thesuper-richenjoy avery differentkindofboating holidayononeoftheworld’smostexpensive yachts.Famousenoughto haveitsown Wikipediaentry,Octopuswasoriginallybuilt forMicrosoftco-founderPaulAllen —ata cost ofaround$200million.

Withtwohelicopterpads,aglass-bottomed observationdeckand aheatedpoolwithretractable glassfloor(aswellas aspa,gymand basketballcourt),itcosts alottokeepitafloat andrunning:about$20million ayear.After Allen’sdeath, Octopuswasboughtand refurbishedbeforeopeningtopayingguests thisyear,andluxurytravelcompanyCookson Adventureswasthefirstcompanytoarrange acharter.

NealBateman,headofyachting,went alongtoensurethingsransmoothly.

“Theexperienceconfirmedtome whyOctopusissohighlyregardedin theyachtingindustry.Shefullydeservesherreputationasthequintessentialexploreryacht,”hesays.In short,thisisthebestboatintheworld tocharter,ononeproviso —you’llneed tofindthe$4.1milionperweekfee.

Inreturn,guestshavetheprivilegeof joiningthehandfuloftravellerswho’veseen Octopusinallitsglory(andthere’s alotof it:theyachtisoneofthelargestintheworld witheightdecksandsevensupport vessels).WhileAllenwasalive,theboat remainedanenigma.ItsoriginaldesignersallegedlysignedearlyNDAs andonlyinvitedguestswereallowed onboard(includingMickJagger’s supergroupSuperHeavywhorecordedpartsofitsalbumintheyacht’s studio).

Becauseofitsserioustechnicalequipment, Allenalsolenttheboattoscientificexpeditionswhilehisownresearchteamuncovered twoimportantWorldWarIIwrecks:theJapanesewarshipMusashi,whichsankoffthecoast ofthePhilippinesin1944,andasthebellfrom theRoyalNavy’sHMSHood.

Likehermany-tentaclednamesake,Octopuscanalsoreachpartsthatotherscan’t, tacklingtheicyconditionsofAntarcticawith aplomb —whichexplainswhyBatemanthinks thateasternGreenland,whichissoremote thatitcanonlybeexploredbyprivateyacht, makestheperfectdestination.

“It’seasytoflythereprivatelybuttheonly waytoexploredeepintothewildernessand accessitsotherwiseinaccessiblefiordsisby exploreryacht,”hesays.

He’sdeviseda roughitineraryaccordingly, thougheveryCookson tripisspeciallytailored tosuititsguests(andthosewithpocketsthis deepcanexpectthekindofaccess-all-areas holidaysthattakeupto ayeartogetthe necessarypermitsfor).

Conservationistsandexpeditionguideswill beonhandtopointoutpolarbears,narwhals, walrusesand Arcticfoxesandthere’salsothe chancetoindulgein aspotofsuper-rich sightseeing —“flightseeing”aboard aprivate helicopterthatcanwhizgueststothelargest ice sheet outside Antarctica for lunch. More adventuroussailorscanevenbecome record-breakers,sinkingunderthe seaonthefirst-everunderwater explorationoftheregionby submersible(thoughthis costsextra).

Backonboard,

amaximumof12guestswillhave acrewof 42cateringtotheireverywhim.Theyachthas anembarrassmentof“toys”(that’sboatspeak forgadgetsandgizmos) —fromwakeboards tofishingequipment —and afullyequipped divecentre.Ifyouthinktheycouldn’tpossibly askformore,you’dbewrong:Cookson’ssometimesdemandingclientelehavemadesome interestingrequestsinthepast.

“Weoncebuilt aluxuryexpeditioncamp deepintheAfricanbushand,atthelast minute, theclientrequested agoldenbathtub tobeadded.Wemanagedtosource,transport andlinkuponesotheycouldsoakunderthe starsuponarrival,”saysCookson.

“Andon arecentgroupretreaton aprivate islandoffPanama,ourteamtrekkedwaistdeepup ariveratmidnightinorderto positionkayaksandsetup asurprise lunchinthejungleforthefollowingday.”

—TelegraphGroupLtd

LIFE OF LUXURY

Looking for agetaway with grandeur? These luxury cruises let you really push the boatout, writes Tiana Templeman

Discover aworld filled with intimate luxury and indulgence on these fabulous journeys where the smell of your melting credit card is lost in the exotic scents of Asian markets,basking Arctic seals or freshly baked Parisian pastries. Start saving now —you’ll be glad you did.

Quasar Expeditions: Beyond Darwin’s footsteps

Step back in time and channel your inner movie star onboard the luxury royal yacht, Grace, while you explore the Galapagos Islands like aglamorous princess (or dashing prince). Named after the actress and princess, Grace Kelly, this historic yacht was her wedding gift and now sails around the Galapagos Islands in style.

Explore by day and sip champagne by night with amaximum of 16 guests, accompanied by guides with aminimum of 15 years of experience in the region.

With seven- to 16-night itineraries that follow in the footsteps of Charles Darwin and accommodation that has played host to Hollywood and business royalty, this is an expedition cruise like no other. Priced from $13,560pp. quasarex.com

Aqua Expeditions: Mekong River cruise

Surround yourself in the sounds of the Mekong River during ameditation class on the top deck or board aprivate skiff for an intimate small group tour on athree-, four-, or seven-night cruise onboard the Aqua Mekong. There are just 20 airconditioned suites on this luxurious river ship, all of which have full-length windows. Add an observation deck, indoor and outdoor bars and

lounges, an air-conditioned dining room and a private cinema, and you’ve got plenty to keep you entertained onboard. As the sun sets, grab some newfound friends and quench your thirst with a G&T or sweet Vietnamese coffee, or slip into the plunge pool and watch the colours change. Priced from $5678pp. aquaexpeditions.com

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection: Valletta to Rome

Cruise from Valetta to Rome on aseven-night cruise on the brand new Ritz-Carlton yacht, Evrima, astate-of-the-art 298-guest superyacht that takes the Ritz-Carlton’s high-endhotel experience to the high seas (and the next level).

This all-suite ship comes with an aft deck with direct sea access, sun lounges and private watercraft to drop you off around the Italian Amalfi coast during the cruise.

Gratuities, dining, drinks and more are included in your fare. With almost one staff member for every guest, the personal service on this cruise has to be experienced to be believed. Priced from $12,070pp. ritzcarltonyachtcollection.com

CoralExpeditions: Through the heart of Japan

With just 99 guests and the ability to reach some of the country’s smallest ports, Coral Adventurer the perfect ship for exploring the hidden cornersa culture of Japan, one of the world’s hottest travel destinations for 2023. From cobblestone village lush mountainous landscapes, bustling cities, tiny coastal islands and Unesco-listed lava tube caves, this immersive cruise experience offers ahigh-end holiday without fuss and formality.

With at least one excursion included at every port, an Australian and New Zealand crew and fares that cover gratuities and drinks with lunch and dinner, this 14-nightexpedition cruise from Tokyo Fukuoka takes in Japan’s major highlights,a destinations that few tourists get to see. Priced from $14,520pp coralexpeditions.com

Oceania Cruises: Old and New World medley

Take your tastebuds on aTransatlantic journey from London to New York onboard Vista, Ocean newest ship. Stateroomsare residential in style combine modern Scandinaviandesign with ad

Glide into the sunset on aMekong River Escape.

LUXURY

French flair to create acosy home away from home (if your house resembles aposh country club, is). Wake to the smell of freshly baked French bread from the onboard bakery as you collect your barista coffee, then sit and contemplate your day Paris, Dublin or Boston, or perhaps watch the from adeck chair on one of the four days spent cruising across the Atlantic.

Priced from $11,860pp. oceaniacruises.com

Two’s aCrowd: Mississippi Rivercruise

might be travelling alone, but you won’t feel lonely on this cruise along the Mississippi River with Two’s aCrowd, abespoke tour group for solo travellers.Step aboard the American Heritage, a custom-built riverboat reminiscent of aclassic 1800s paddle steamer but with amodern interior, immerse yourself in the charm of America’s South. The recently refurbished ship features spacious cabins, multiple lounges, an all-American crew and an onboard restaurant. Starting in Memphis, this fully guided nine-night cruise tour explores all the best towns and cities along the famous river, focusing on the region’s history and famous Southern hospitality and cuisine.

Priced from $11,997pp. twosacrowd.com.au

Scenic: Journey Across the Pacific

from Santiago to Papeete on Scenic Eclipse an ultra-five-star expedition yacht with two onboard helicopters and asubmarine to take in sights from above and below the ocean.

This Journey Across the Pacific itinerary travels from Santiago to Papeete, with the chance visit iconic yet remote islands such as Easter Island, Pitcairn Island and Gambier Island either during regular shore excursions or using one of ship’s high-tech “toys”. With acrew of naturalistsand guides onboard, you’ll have access locations and experiences that are the stuff of dreams. Priced from $18,550pp. scenic.com.au

Ponant: The Geographic North Pole

Board Ponant’s Le Commandant Charcot for one of the ship’s 17-night voyages to the North Pole in 2023 and you’ll be one of the world’s first cruiserstovisit the Geographic North Pole.

With all the amenities of aluxury yacht, this hybrid-electric LNG-powered luxury icebreaker has multiple lounges, bars, speciality restaurants, aspa and aheated pool that wraps around the aft deck. Pass pack ice and polar bears as you relax on your balcony with champagne in hand, or perhaps collect some ice for your scotch on an excursion with the expert onboard expedition team.

Solo travellers with (loads of) cash to splash should note that there’s no single supplement on this voyage.

Priced from $60,520pp. au.ponant.com

TrueNorth: Raja AmpatExplorer

Explore one of the world’s best diving and snorkelling destinations on around-trip cruise from Darwin onboard True North, aluxury exploration vessel specially designed to navigate the shallow waters of Australia’s Kimberley Coast, Papua New Guinea and Indonesia.

Silversea’s Silver Nova (left) has an extensive open deck, eight restaurants and ajazz club; Ponant is taking passengers to the geographic North Pole (top right); True North explores Australia’s Kimberley Coast (bottom right).

Photos /Supplied

Your 12-night cruise tour begins with a chartered flight from Darwin to Ambon in Indonesia, the gateway to abeautiful archipelago of 1500 islands, cays and shoals, and where you’ll board your ship. Sunset drinks in ahistoric fort, floating through sacred cave systems, cruising past towering karst islands and exploring hidden bays and coves are just afew of the highlights on this tropical expedition cruise.

Priced from $39,977pp. truenorth.com.au

Silversea: Cairns to Sydney

Experience Silversea’s newest ship, Silver Nova, on acruise that heads down the Queensland coast, stopping at famous and less visited ports like Kangaroo Island, Mooloolaba and Phillip Island along the way.

Although it’snot cheap, everything on this cruise is included, from private round-trip transfers to the airport, Business Class flights and butler service to shore excursions like aRIB ocean safari, vintage steam train ride, and a photographic tour guided by alocal expert photographer.

On board you’ll find eight different dining venues, multiple bars and lounges, astate-of-theart theatre and ajazz club. Every cabin is asuite, and there are only 364 of them.

Priced from $16,855pp. silversea.com

Oceania Vista’s owner’s suite; the bar on the Ritz-Carlton superyacht —a high-end hotel level experience.

MSCWorldEuropaisa new luxurycruiseship,currently dockedinDoha,Qatar; below,the BotanicGarden poolonboard;theVenom Dropisa mirror-polished 11-storeyspiralslide.

Photos /Supplied

Afuturistic megaship

CABINTOCLUB

Floatingalonga lustrousboutiquelinedpromenadebeneathcrystal chandeliersandcomputergeneratedsilhouettesofwhales glidingsilentlyabovecouldeasilybea scenefrom afuturisticremakeof AliceinWonderland.Socouldwhiskingdowna mirror-polished11-storeyspiralslide wingedby toweringLEDlightpillarswith aviewoutto ancient-styleArabicbuildingspaintedthecolour ofmarshmallows.You’dbeexcusedforthinking youweredreaming.

Butit’snofairytale —it’stheultramodern MSCWorldEuropa,whereeveryinchofthe ship’sdesignissomewhatsurreal.Thefamilyownedcruiseshipcompanyisadeptatraising thebareachtimeitlaunches anewadditionto itsfleetandthe333m-longmegashipitchristened in aspectacularlaunchinDoha,Qatar,in Novemberisnoexception.

Theship’sluxeEuropeaninteriorislargely theinspiration ofits Italianowners,particularly RafaelaAponte,thewifeofMSCfounder GianluigiAponte.Hertimelesslyelegantstyleis juxtaposedwith agenerousdashofgrandambitionandisevidentthroughouttheship’s 40,000sq mofpublicspace.Palemarble,brushed brass,Scandinaviantimber,andplushsoftfurnishingsinmutedvelvets,creamboucleand vintagetobaccoleathersitalongsideglassfloors, mirror-facetedfacades,lushfoliagewalls,imposingartworks, aMSC-signatureSwarovski staircaseand —ofcourse —theaforementioned 11-deckhighsleekarchitecturalspiralslideand thelife-sizedwhalesprojectedvia a330m2LED domeceiling.Theresultisinnovativeandexquisite.

SPACEFORALL

With22decks,33restaurantsandbars,seven pools, 13hot poolsandaccommodatingalmost 6800passengers,it’sfarbeyondbeingdescribed as afloatinghotel —it’s amodernmetropolis initsownright.

Don’tbedeterredbythemegashipcapacity; thereisspaceforeveryoneandeveryyearning. Sip acupofEnglishBreakfastintheship’sserene andairyRajPoloTeaHouse,whichcouldeasily havebeenpluckedfrom aRaffleshotel.Orsavour apintatthedarkandcoolEnglishpubreplete withChesterfield-stylesofas,oaktablesand

QATAR

GETTINGTHERE

QatarAirwaysoperates dailyflightsfromAuckland toDoha, Qatarvia Australia. qatarairways.com

DETAILS

MSCWorldEuropais spendingherinaugural seasoninthePersianGulf visitingDoha,theUAE portsofDubai,AbuDhabi andSirBaniYasIsland;and Dammam,SaudiArabia. FromApril2023,she’ll relocatetothe Mediterraneanforthe Europeansummer. msccruises.co.nz

featuringitsownonboard microbrewerycreated byItaly’snumerounocraftbeerguru,TeoMusso. There’salso aginbarwith70craftginsandginblendingclasses,plus acoffee emporiumwith espressomade withbeansfromFrance,Italy, TurkeyandMoroccoadornedwithextraordinarylatteart.

Amongthespecialityrestaurants,there’sthe Chef’sGardenKitchen,ledbySwedish-born Michelin-starredchefNiklasEkstedt.Thedining areaisflankedbyanopenkitchen,glass-encased floor-to-ceilinghydroponicgardensand champagne-goldwall-mountedherbplanters.

Alsofringedwithgreeneryistheship’s BotanicGardenPool, atranquilrainforest-like indoorareawitha retractableglass roof, oversizeddaybeds,hangingloungersanda tropicalpoolbar.Twomoreoftheship’sseven poolscanbefoundinthechic“Zendistrict”,an adults-onlyzoneattheaftoftheshiplinkedby aglasswalkwaywitha bird’s-eyeviewtothe outdoorpromenadefarbelow.

Tosatisfyallbudgets,MSCWorldEuropahas 19differentcabincategories,65percentofwhich havebalconies.Theship’scutting-edgeY-shaped aftallowsevenmorepassengerstoenjoya balconyview,withcabinsinthispromenadefacingareaperfectlypositionedforpeoplewatchingandhearingsquealsofdelight(and fright)fromthespiral slide.

Alongtheexternallengthsoftheshipare conventionalbalconycabins,suiteswithprivate hottubs,plusa newopen-airalternativewith somecabinsfeaturing afloor-to-ceilingwindow whichslidesdownwardstobecomea glass balustradetoletthewarmMiddleEasternor Mediterraneanbreezewaftindoors.

Fortheultimateinpalatialsurroundingsand first-classservice,theMSCYachtClubisan exclusiveship-within-a-shipenclaveatthefront ofthevessel.OnMSCWorldEuropa,yachtclub guestsareindulgedwithamultitudeofspecial privileges,including24-hourbutlerservice,a two-storeysundeckwithsecludedpoolsand shadycabanas, aprivateclubloungewithunlimitedcomplimentarydrinksandgourmet canapes,plusa fine-diningrestaurantawayfrom themasses.

TheYachtClub’s152suitesincludeextra homecomforts,suchaswalk-inwardrobes, imperialbathtubs,separatebedroomsandliving areas,andprivatespapoolsonextra-largebalconies.ThepinnaclesoftheYachtClubaccommodationaretwopalatial“Owner’sSuites”and a“RoyalSuite”featuring150sq mofopulent stylingcurrentlyhousingsomeofthetop-tier EnglishfootballWAGsduringtheFifaWorld Cup.

ATYOURSERVICE

With acrewwhoaresaidtospeak aminimum ofthree languageseachandsportsmilesthat glowalldayandnight,there’snevera moment whereyou’rebereftofservice.Fromthebreakfastbuffetwaiterwho’llsuggest afreshly squeezedjuicetoaccompanyyourhot,fluffy omeletteandflatwhite, totheever-smilingroom attendantwhocheerilygreetsguests,while magicallyleavingcabinsneatlyservicedand minibarsrestocked.AndintheMSCAureaSpa, softly-spokenandskilfulstafflistentoguests’ requirements(liketreatingswollenlong-haul legs)beforesuggesting atailoredplanfromthe arrayofmassagestylesandtherapeutic offerings: aFinnishsauna, aMediterranean bath,Japanesehotstonebeds, aGermanKneipp walk(throughhotandcoldknee-deeppools),and asnowroom.Puffyanklesaresimplynomatch forthelapofluxury.

Ourtraveladvisersare themostexperiencedandwell-connected in theindustry, offering ourclients countlessunique,undiscoveredtravelgems. We’lldesignyour seamless one of akind journeyfromstart to finish and take care of everything in between.Discovera worldofraretravelgemsonyournextholiday withthehelp of aTravelAssociatesadviser.Talk to us today.

InLatvia, MaggieWicks steps out ofthecomfortzoneofherluxurycruise

Yes,theysellicecreamsatAuschwitz.It’snot asentencethatwould sitcomfortablywithanyone. It’snotasuncomfortable,however, asthetouriststakingselfiesstandingunderthoseodiousgates,the words“ArbeitMachtFrei”abovetheirheads, smilinggormlesslyforthecameraattheentry to adeathcamp. Doesitsoundlike Irecommendyoustayaway? Actually,theveryopposite.Auschwitz is aplace everyoneshouldvisit.I’dsaythesame forCambodia’sKillingFields, Israel’sYadVashem,theHouse ofTerrorinBudapest,the COPEmuseuminVientiene, Laos,andanynumberof museumsaroundtheworld thatteachthedarkhistory ofhumankind.

WhenmyhusbandandI visitedAuschwitz in 2017,a numberofpeoplecommentedthattheycouldnever dosuch athing.Visit aNazi deathcamp onyourholiday?It’s justtoosad,theysaid,ortooinappropriate.Thesecommentsseemedto comefrom amisguidedideathat avisitto Auschwitzis“darktourism”;thatthecafeand thebrochuresandthecoachridesoutthereare creatingthe“DisneyficationoftheHolocaust”. Letmetellyou,AuschwitzisnoDisneyland.

AtAuschwitz,noonecanenterwithoutbeing on atour,andtoursareconductedwithsolemnity byinformed,educatedguideswhoinviteyouto askthemanything —evenabouttheirown

family’sinvolvementwiththeHolocaust.The toursarerespectfultothosewho weremurdered here— thereareexhibitswherenophotography isallowed,topreservethedignityofthedead. Theseexhibitsareterribletosee —hairthatwas shavedoffinmate’sheads,tinyleathershoes wornbythechildrenwhoweresenthere,gold fillingstornfromteeth.Wewalkedbyinsilence andshock.Itwas harrowing,butnevergratuitous.Everyoneshouldhavetheopportunityto experienceit.

Therulesandguidesdiffersitetosite ofcourse.AtCambodia’sTuol SlengGenocideMuseumin PhnomPenh,tourists— mainlybackpackers —make theirownwaythroughthe museumindependently, withjustsomeinformation boardsonthewallstoguide them.Thesiteisanold schoolthatwasconverted into atortureandexecution centrewhere20,000adults andchildrenwereimprisoned —andjust12survived.Without guides,itisuptothevisitortoget whattheywantfromtheexperience— toresearch,tobring aguidebook,tohirea privateguide,orjusttowalkandabsorbthe harrowingatmosphere.

Recently IvisitedRigainLatvia.I wascruising aboardRegent’sSevenSeasSplendor,themost well-appointedshipinitsfleet.Onboard,passengers enjoysteakdinnersanddirtymartinis, roomattendantsandseamlessservice.Butas wellastheluxuryandcomfort,theitinerary

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RIGA

DETAILS

RegentSevenSeas Cruises’NorthernEurope itinerariesonSplendorsail fromApriltoSeptember, withsomeitineraries offeringtheopportunityto visitRigainLatvia.For moreinformation,goto rssc.com

offereda waytogetoutofourcomfortzones.

Ineachport,differentactivitiesandtours wereonoffer.Theserangedfromforagingtrips, visitinglocalmarkets,exploringartand museums,tohistorytours.InRiga,thehighlightsincluded adaytastinglocalfood,and seeingsome of the city’s incrediblecollection of ArtNouveaubuildings.Instead, acoach-loadof passengers,includingmyself,chosetojoina localguideon amuchmoresombretourtolearn aboutthehistoryofLatvia’sJewsduringWorld WarII.

Wevisitedthe siteofRiga’sgreatsynagogue where,inJuly1941,localpolicelocked400 Jewishpeopleinside,dousedthecurtainsand furniturewithpetrol,andburntthemtodeath. WevisitedtheforestofRumbulajustoutside Riga,where25,000people,includingchildren, weremadetomarchandthenshotdeadover twodays and buriedinmassgraves.There were 93,000JewslivinginLatviabeforethewar;by theendthere werejust 1500alive.Attheend ofthetour,possiblythemostshockingfactof allwas revealed —thatinLatvia,aswellasother countriesinthisregion,childrenarenottaught abouttheHolocaustinschool.

Oneofthemanyfascinatingthings Ihave learnedfromvisitingthesesitesisthatconcentrationcampsandtorturecentreswerenever supposedtosurvive.Theywerenotbuilttolast, buttodisappear,toerasethecrimesofthe regimesthatconstructedthem.Auschwitzand TuolSlengarepreservationprojects.Thosewho workatthesesites,oftendescendantsofthe peoplewhosufferedthere,areworkingtomaintainthecrumbling ruinssothattheynever disappear,sothatwecanalwaysvisit,andnever forgetwhathappened.

Noteveryoneknowshowtobehaveinthese situations.Theselfies,theposing,thesnacks. Butthey’rethere —theytookthetimeduring theirholidaytopayattentiontothelessonsof history. Ihavefullrespectforteenagerswhosign uptoschooltrips,eveniftheydotake selfies; foroldpeoplewhotaketheuncomfortablecoach triptotheoutskirtsofKrakow;forbackpackers whonavigatebusdepotsandtuktuks,earmarkedLonelyPlanetsinhand.

Main:A viewovercentral Riga,Latvia;left,Regent SevenSeas'Splendor. Photos /GettyImages; Supplied

Itisuptoustovisit,topayrespect,torememberwhathappened,toensureitneverhappensagain.Atthesesites,youseeandlearn abouttheworsthumansarecapableof.Itisdifficult,challengingandimportant.Yes,theysell icecreamsatAuschwitz.Buttheonlybehaviour thatwouldbeunforgivableisnottogoatall.

next.

Explorethe pyramidsastridea majesticcamel, wander among thesoaringpillarsin Karnak Temple, and delightinthefragrance ofAswan’s spicemarket.Join ourexpertEgyptologiststhrough theheartof Egypttoexploreallthisandmore onourbrandnew ships,nowwith departuresin 2024.

Day 1–3

CAIRO, EGYPT

ExplorethebestofCairo-enjoy acamelridewhileadmiringtheGreat SphinxandtheGreatPyramidsofKhufu,KhafreandMenkaure.Marvel atthesprawlingCitadeloftheMountain,andtourtheMuseumof EgyptianAntiquities.

Day 4 LUXOR, EGYPT FlytoLuxorandvisitthe TemplesofLuxorand Karnak,thenboard yourship. Day 5 QENA,EGYPT Enjoy aguidedtourofthesprawlingDenderaTemple Complex,including the fascinating TempleofHathor.. Day 6

LUXOR, EGYPT Visitthe ValleyoftheKingsandthe ValleyoftheQueens,enjoying PrivilegedAccess tothetombofQueenNefertar. Day 7 ESNA,EGYPT Explorethe redsandstone TempleofKhnumduring aguidedtour.Then, ifyouwish,headtoEsnaVillage forafulltourofthetownanditslively marketscene. Day 8–9

ASWAN, EGYPT VisittheAswanHighDam followedby alocalmarket,takea scenic Nile cruiseon afelucca,orjoinanoptional excursiontoAbuSimbeltoadmire theGreat TempleofRamsesII.Thenextday,visittheUNESCOWorld HeritagesiteofPhilae Temple. Day

Depth on the

There can be few better excusesfor aNile rivercruise than the centenary of themost important archaeological discovery of the 20th century: HowardCarter’s 1922 excavation of the tomb of Tutankhamun.This in mind, Iopted for the maiden voyage of Viking’s Osiris, the cruise line’s newest river boat, whose inaugural jaunt along theriver —fromCairo downtoAswan via Luxor, and back again—was timed to coincide with thearchaeological anniversary

Named after one of the most important gods of ancientEgypt, Osiris was built and designed fromasimilar toolbox to the rest of Viking’s fleet of river, ocean and expedition ships. On board, IfoundaNordic compote of minimalist spaces and stylish comfort, with amidship atrium of floor-to-ceilingglass that fills three decks with naturallight, linked by vertical slabs of shiny pink andgrey streaked onyx (inspired by the columns of Abu Simbel)

There’s asun deckofshaded sofas, open-air loungersand rocking chairs,too —where I spent many an hour drinking in 360-degree

viewsofriver life as it driftedpast under perpetual sunshine. When it came time for abreak from the heat, I’d venture down to thePool Deck and cool off in the infinity plunge pool or the indoor-outdoor Aquavit terrace.

But Iwas there with aloftier purpose.Just before leaving for Egypt, my mother had revealed that my late great uncle, Edwin Ward, was head of Egyptology at theRoyal ScottishMuseum in Edinburgh (of which he later becamedirector in 1931), and worked in Egypt with Carter’s mentor, Flinders Petri, “thefather of modern Egyptology”

In 1896 his team discovered the Merneptah Stele in Thebes, a3m-tall black granite slab inscribed morethan 3200 years ago —a significantfind, as it included ahieroglyphic reference to Israel, providing the first-ever extrabiblical evidence that the landofIsraelexisted around 1200 BC

It is now housed in the EgyptianMuseum in Cairo and, conveniently, my cruiseitinerary kickedoff with aprivate after-hours tour of the museum,tosee the spectacular antiquities Carter subsequently excavatedfrom the tombof Tutankhamun. Compared to these,the Merneptah Stele is now aminor exhibit —though with the help of our Viking Egyptologistguide, Salah Twafik, Iwas able to find it in alonely cornerofthe museum, on apallet ready to be moved to the new GrandEgyptian Museum (GEM) in Giza —just in timetoget aphoto of me standing nexttoittoshow my mother.

My mission achieved, it was on to the Ptolemaic-era temple dedicated to Hathor— goddess of music, drunken revelry andfun —at Dendera,a pleasure dome of antiquity that hosted festivals of hedonistic excess in Roman times.With the place entirely to ourselves, we wanderedthis wonderfully preserved site

Viking’s newest river boat, whichtravelsfromCairo down to Aswan via Luxor, provides theideal opportunity to get your ancienthistory fix, writes Chris Caldicott

wherethestoryofOsirisistoldingraphicdetail onthewallsofa rooftopchamber —then returnedtothecoolcomfortofOsirisforcocktail hour,astheheatofthedayfadedinto abloodorangesunsetovertheriver.

InLuxor —knowntotheancientEgyptians asThebes —wewere berthedrightnextto theTempleofAmun-RaatKarnak,thelargest religiousbuildingeverconstructed. Acommitted Egyptologistcouldspenddaysexploringthisvast complexthattook1300yearstoconstruct,but Salahexpertlyguidedustothehighlights— includingthe134beautifullypaintedcolumnsof theGreatHypostyleHall,eachonetoppedwith calyxcapitalslargeenoughfor100mentostand on.

Fromthere,weheadedalongtherivertothe smallerLuxorTemple —connectedtotheTemple ofAmon-Raforthefirsttimeinlivingmemory

bytheAvenueofSphinxes,followingtherecent restorationandexcavationofthe1060figures thatlinetheroute,somenowheadless,others reducedtomereplinthsbythepassingoftime.

In1905,following“anincidentwithdrunken FrenchtouristsatSaqqara”,Carterresigned fromTheEgyptianAntiquitiesServiceandwent freelance.HethenmetGeorgeHerbert,5thEarl ofCarnarvon,whobecamethebenefactorofhis questtofindmorelucrativebountyinThebes.

OnourwaytovisitTutankhamun’stomb,we stoppedoffatthehousethepairusedas afield basebetweentheirresidenciesintheopulent WinterPalacehotelontheLuxorCorniche.

Thetomboftheboypharaohissurprisingly small.Consideringthewealthoftreasureswe sawexcavatedfromitinCairo,themindboggles atthequantitythatmusthavebeenlootedfrom thevasttombs ofgreaterkingsandqueens.

Ourdayatanend,Osirissailedonthrough

thenighttotheredsandstonetempleoftheramheadedgodoftheNile,Khnum,inEsna,once acaravanseraistopforcameltrainsbetween NubiaandCairo,andstill abusyriversidetown.

Thenextmorning,wedockedinAswan— wheretheNileiswideandlanguorous,broken upbygiantgranitebouldersandpalm-studded islands —andspentthenexttwodaysexploring theriverontraditionalsingle-sailedfeluccas, shoppingforspicesinthesouk,visiting aNubian villageandtheTempleofIsisonPhilaeisland.

Fromhere,itwasbackup-rivertoLuxor, punctuatedbystopsattheTemples ofKom Ombo, sharedbyHorusandthecrocodilegodSobek, and the HorusTemple at Edfu.

Butthebestwasyettocome:thelureofa sunrisehot-airballoonflightovertheValleysof theKingsandQueensintheThebanMountains oftheNile’swestbankwastootemptingtoresist.

At3amthenextday,an alarmcallsummoned metoboard asmallboatthatcrossedtheriver intotaldarkness.Atthelaunchsite, amighty roarfilledthepre-dawnairasdozensoffans inflatedgiantcanvasenvelopesallaroundme, thenpropaneflameswereignitedandallofa suddenthedesertwasfilledwithinflating balloons,illuminatedfromwithin.

MygondolaascendedoverDeirelBahri,the mortuarytempleofthepharaonicqueen Hatshepsut— looking,fromabove,asthoughit hadgrownorganicallyoutoftherockyamphitheatreofcliffs aroundit.

Aswedriftedinperfectsilenceinterrupted only by bursts of flame, agolden morning light bathedthevast,magnificentdesertlandscape below,dottedwithmillennia-oldtombs,temples andmonoliths.

Belowus,andasfarastheeyecouldsee, Africa’slongestriversnakeditswaythroughthe Saharaonits6400kmjourneyfromthetropical rainforestsofTanzaniaandthehighlandsof Abyssiniatothe Mediterranean,deliveringa thinlineoffertilityandlifetotheNileValley.

Asthesunrose,ourballoonscamegentlydown tolandamonga tapestryoffields —ripewith sugarcaneandwheat,busywithturbaned fellaheenfarmersinflowingcottongallabiyya robes —and Iwasreturnedtotheshipfor breakfast,mindsuffused withtheendlessmagic ofthisstoriedland,andawedaseverbyits mightyriver.

—TelegraphGroupLtd

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EGYPT DETAILS

VikingCruisesoffersa 12-dayPharaohsand Pyramidsitineraryfrom Cairo,visitingLuxor, Qena,EsnaandAswan, fromAU$7295pp ($7724).

vikingrivercruises. com.au

Farlef:thetombof Tutankhamun;left,a sunrisehotairballoon flight overtheValleysof theKings;below, exploreTheNileona traditionalsingle-sailed felucca. Photos/ Supplied;GettyImages

Luxurytravel: Europe

Isthisthe

BackinByronandShelley’sday,the GrandTourwasquite atrip.Rich youngaristocratswouldpackup thehouseholdsilverandlinen, assortedservants, atutor,and headofftoEuropeforseveral months.Oryears,ifPapawouldbesogenerous. Todaywe’regoingtorelivetheGrandTour intoday’sstyleandcurrency,thoughwemight skipShelley’syachtingholidayinItalyand Byron’smilitaryderring-doinGreece,because neitherofthoseendedparticularlywell.

Ourfirst —orFirstClass —decision:Flyor taketheslowboattoEurope?

Arcadia,oneofP&OCruises’twoadults-only ships,sailsfromAucklandonFebruary14(yep, Valentine’sDay)for a58-nightvoyagetoLondon. The2016-passengerliner“offerseverythingyou needforbodilyrelaxationwhilefeedingyour mindwiththeatre,artandfilm.

“As achild-freeship,youcanbeguaranteed aquietandcontemplativetrip …Relaxinyour spacioussuite,dineinMarcoPierreWhite’s OceanGrill,revelstarry-eyedintheGlobe Theatreoradmire3000worksintheArtGallery.”

You’llbeovergalleriesandmuseumsafterthe nextfewweeks.Suite?$34,097pp,one-way.

Ifyou’renotopentospendingthatlongona shipatthemoment,therearealternatives.Airlinechoicesarestillsomewhatlimitedbutthe most convenient option seemsEmirates’ 27-hour long-haultoParisviaDubai,especiallynowthe A380isbackinourskies.

FirstClassround-tripislistedat$15,515ppif you’repayingfullwhack.Forthat,chauffeur transporttotheairport,fast-trackthroughCustoms,loungeaccess —and aflight.

The14FirstClassseatsbecomesuiteswhen aslidingdoorisclosed(wallpanelsinthemiddle rows),2mlie-flatbeds,touchpad-controlled entertainment,mini-bar,on-demandmeals, loungebarandtwo“showerspas” —spacious, scrupulouslycleanedbathrooms.

Next,r’n’rintheCityofLight.We’restaying attheRitzbutwewon’tbeusingthehotel’s chauffeurtotakeustoourrivercruise.Nor arivership.

Forus,anexecutivecoachtoLa NouvelleEtoile, asuperblyfurnished hotelbargethataccommodateseight passengersinfoursuites.Traditional elegance —air-conditionedandteaklineddiningroom,pianobar,sundeck; modcons —internetaccess,exercise room,bikes.

We’retakingtheChampagneCruise— whatelse? —sixnightsfromParis, $14,000pp, whichbuyschateauxvisits,Brie deMeauxcheesetastings,Moet &Chandon

privatewinesipping,wartimesitevisits, side-tripstoReimsandEpernay,the champagnecapital.

We’lleatfour-coursedinnerson WedgwoodporcelainusingChristofle silverwithappropriatewineand cheese matchesfrom aMichelin-level chef.Thisshipispremiercruallthe way,andthey’lltakeusbacktoParis. Wefeelweshoulddipourtoes intothe Med.Consideringtheairmileswe’ve rackedupalready,weshouldberesponsible travellersandtake afasttrainsouthbutanyone

canhitch arideononeofthose.

Thisisonly afantasy,remember,sowe’llbook ourownjetfortwofromLeBourget,nextdoor totheeverydayfolks’CharlesdeGaulleairport, andEurope’sbusiestprivateaviationhub.

Alightjetwiththecabinandcrewsetupfor twowillwhiskustoAthensinjustunderfour hoursfor$30,350.Hey,that includesa 300per cent carbonoffset.

We’vechosenSilversea’s11-dayvoyagefrom Athens(okay,Piraeustoappeasethepedants) toFusina(closebutnotquiteVenice.Weknow howthelocalsfeelaboutcruiseships).

Whythisship,thistrip?Silverseais asmall-ship, luxurylinewherethedestinationisregardedas importantastheonboardexperience.It’son boardtherefurbishedSilverSpirit,whichclaims oneoftheindustry’shighestspace-to-guestratios —theshipcarriesonly608adults;andtheline deliversmorethanmostinonshoreofferings, particularlywithitsS.A.L.T.food,wineand culturalprogrammes.

Thisodysseytakesin20portsacrossfive countries,theeasternMed’sgreatesthits: Athens,Crete,Izmir,Istanbul,Mykonos, Santorini,KotorinMontenegro,Splitand

Dubrovnik.Tick,tickandanothertickoff thewishlist.Mighttake aside-triptogo ballooninginCappadocia.Doesthatrequirecarbonoffsets?

We’dreallyliketoscoretheOwner’s Suite, a120sq mone-ortwo-bedroom apartmentwithveranda,livingroom, kitchen,diningarea,whirlpoolbath, butler …butthewebsitesaysthere’sa waitlist.Forthenextcoupleoftiersof suitestoo.WemayhavetosettleforNo.4, theSilverSuite.It’dbe$22,250ppifwewere flyingfromAustralia.

Sincewe’rehere,wemightaswellcheckout theotherendofthelake.Wethoughtabout charteringasuperyacht —thereseemtobean awfullotofthosetiedupintheharboursaround Europeatthemoment,butapparentlythereare oneortwolegalhitchesorhalf-hitches.

So,a superyachtinstead.Oureyeslighted uponSeaCloud.Seehowthe mainsailsets:it’s “agloriousandgraciousluxurysailingyacht,a four-mastedbarque,custom-builtin1931bythe businessmagnateE.F.Huttonforhiswifethe heiress,MarjorieMerriweatherPost”,andwe ratherlikethecutofitsjib.

Allowing 58 passengers, “her sleek, snowwhitehullelegantlycurvesfromstemtostern andhermastsstretchhighintothesky.The ship’sdecksofferthegrandeurofrichmahogany, teakandgleamingbrassandthemagnificent goldeneaglefigureheadseemspoisedtofly acrossthewaters.Thereisnoshipafloatthat cancompareforgrace,fineserviceandthesheer joyofsailing.”

Botheragain.SeaCloud’sitinerarydoesn’tquitechimewithours sowewilltakeanonlyslightly lesscharmingsistershipto chasethebreezestoValletta, inMalta.TBH,I’drather pitchup onitsneighbour island. Ihavefamilythere andcan’tresisttheideaof visiting aplacecalledGozo. Bythistimewereally shouldbethinkingaboutgettingbacktoAotearoaandmakingsuretheAucklandAirport shares,theholidayhomeatOmaha andthealpacasareallokay.Ohyes,the grandchildrentoo.

We canhire ahelicopter —haven’tusedone ofthoseyet —tothenearestreasonablysized town,justovertwohoursaway, asnipat$9850, althoughI’vejustseenthefineprint,andthere’s a“luxurytax”.

Noworries.Ifanyonedeservedtoendtheir fantasyholidayinTaormina,Sicily,GroundZero for TheWhiteLotus,itwouldbethe mythicalus. Exceptwearen’tquitedone.Somehowwehave togetbacktoParisandtheflighthome. There’salwaysonetrickybiton atriplikethis, beitfantasyorreality.Wemayhavetoswallow ourpretensionandtake a— gasp! —scheduled ferrytoMonaco.

Embarrassmentwon’tlastlong,however. OurchauffeuriswaitingattheCaptainerie —itsoundssomuchclassierthan“the wharf” —withthemotorrunninginthe …ahem,top-of-the-lineTesla.

Lushastheymayhavebeen,we forewenttheMercedesoptions.Afterall, it’sonlyninehours’drivebacktoParis, the mini-barisunlockedandloaded,we canpausefor alangueluncheoninLyon, andit’sonlyanother$11,387ontheVisa. Andonedoeshavetowatchone’scarbon footprint.EveninFirstClass,itwillbea lengthyflighthome.

CONTINENTAL

stitchforstitchfrom asuitin HongKong,but theystillhavethegalltocharge10timesasmuch. It’sthiskindofchutzpahthatbringstravellers toEurope.

Europegavetheworldtwo greatgifts:thelocomotive andinternalcombustion engine.Someconcession foralltheideastheytook. There’snothingyoucan’t findinEuropethatyoucouldn’tget elsewherefirst.Pasta,asItalianas Confucius.TheEnlightenmentcoffee housesofViennaandAmsterdam wouldn’thavegotveryfarwithout EthiopiancaffeineorFarEasternideas. Sincethe1900smostpeoplehavedressedhead totoeinimportedfabric.

Buttoparaphrase Vogue —it’snotaquestion of“whoworeitfirst”but“whoworeitbetter?”

WhatEuropedoeshaveisstyle.Panacheby thebowlful.

ASavileRowsuitmaybeindistinguishable

Thesea-facingsaunaonMS FridtjofNansen.

Diningcarriagesonsnowlinedtrains. Bombasticculturalfestivals.Publictransportthatworks.Chateaux,grandhotels andpalazzosthatwouldgiveWes AndersonandWaltDisney palpitations.

Thecontinentisoneofthemost denselypackedfortravellers.With44 countries,24languagesand201 protectedcheesevarietiespackedinto anareaa littlelargerthanAustralia, gettingaroundiseasy.Choosing asuitablemodeoftransportrequiresmore thought.

Herearethesuavestwaystogetabout Europenextyear.

NORDICBUTNICE —THEMSFRIDTJOF NANSEN

There’snothingthatmakesluxurymoreappeal-

ingthanthecontrastofruggedpolarlandscapes. Frivolousconvenienceslikepanoramic lounges andsteamroomsexistinoppositiontothe beautifullysparseswathesofEuropetowardsthe ArcticCircle.So,tobesailingnorthin aluxury linerisextraexquisite.

LiketheRoaldAmundsenofcruising, Hurtigrutenwasoneofthepioneersofbringing touriststothefarnorth.

Thecruiseline makesthefinebalancebetween feedingguests’curiositywithunderwater observationdronesandtheirappetitesat achoice ofthreeonboardrestaurants.

NamedaftertheNorwegiannaturalist,theMS FridtjofNansenoffersanitineraryfrom HamburgtoIceland.TheScandinaviandefinitionof“style”isunderstatedcomparedtothe restofEurope.ThisisnobaroqueVenetian vaporetto.ItdoesofferpalatialExpedition Suites andocean-facingbirchwoodsaunas.

Whileitmightseemindulgent,youcanenjoy theexperience—relativellyguiltfree.Builtin 2021,theNansenisthenewestofHurtigruten’s hybridelectricships.

GREECEBYSUPERYACHT

Asuperyachtfortheweek.Isthattoo extravagantanask?

TheAegeanisthenaturalharbourfor fleetsofwhiteships.

Gaudymultimillion-dollarpleasure craftwouldseemoutofplaceanywhere else.But,bobbingbetweenGreek Islands,theyareaspartofthelandscapeaswhitesand,stuccohousesand ancientmarble.

Topayfor asuperyacht’sSisyphean upkeepisnotsomethinganyonewould envy.However,touroperatorsKensington Yachtswillallowyoutoindulgethefantasyfor anine-daysailing.

AccommodationisaboardtheMYSummer Fun, asleek101-footmotoryachtwith adedicated crewofeight,includinga privatechef.Witha jet-skiand arangeof“aquatictoys”,theshiplives

foritsnamesake,anddoesn’ttakeitselftoo seriously.

Thoughsailingscanbetailoredtothetastes ofpassengers,theitinerarydepartsfrom AthensandtheGrandeBretagnehotelfor MykonosandtheCyclades.Thisisyour chancetoseeSantorinilike asuperstar andthesecludedcovesofMilos. The shipcommands acool ¤50,000($82,600) for aweeklysummerrate.Inthewords ofRomanAbramovich,howcanyou put apriceon asuperyacht?

Kensingtonalsooffers aluxurytake ontheferryroutewith11nightsinthe Cyclades.

LIGHTHOUSEINSKYEANDTHE JACOBITE

Thefarendofthetracksto aglitzysuperyacht mightbethehighlandromanceoftheJacobite SteamTrain.

TheScottishWestHighlandRouterunsfrom BenNevisandFortWilliamtoPortMallaig racingthrough alandscapestraightoutofthe

pagesof Outlander andJohnBuchan.The 134km steamtrainrouteisoneofthemosticonicrail journeysintheworld.It’sunapologeticallyold school.

IthurtlestowardsthewestcoastinCaledonian glamouracrosstheGlenfinnanViaduct —yes, theonefrom HarryPotter

The vintage first-classcarriages are a little chintzy,buttheyhaveundeniable bookishcool.

Pack agoodnovelandenjoy theviewsfromyourprivate compartmentwith aglassor twoofchampagne.

Continuingthebookish theme,fromMallaigit’sa shortskiptoSkyeand EileanSionnach.

Theoldlighthouse keeper’scottagehasbeen turnedintohigh-endaccommodation.Fittinglythe lighthousewasbuiltbythe fatherofRobertLouisStevenson —of TreasureIsland fame.Apart from afriendlylocalboat skipper there’s no staff on this privateisland. Far enough awayfromtheSkyesummercrowdsbutalmost closeenoughtotouchtheCuillins,it’s awayto seeScotland’smostpopularIslandinstyle.

CANALDUMIDI —A CRUISEWITH

ADDEDCHARM

Europe lovesitsrivercruises.Fromtheoperatic RhinelandtotheDanube,cruiseshipssnake throughthelandscape like aWagnerianserpent. Gloriousbutaboutassubtleas adollopof whippedcreamonstrudel.

Francehas adifferenttakeoncruisingto Mitteleuropa.

TheCanalduMididoessmall-scaleriver holidayswithsuavite´.Carvingthroughthe Languedoc-RoussilloninthesouthofFrance,the oldCanalRoyalrollsthroughtwoUnescoHeritageareas.

AbargeholidayinFrancedoesn’tsoundvery glamorous, Ihearyousay.Maisnon,monbrave! There’ssomeamazinglycharacterfulaccommodationfloatingonthecanalwithallthecharm of agentileprovincialhotel.Five-staroptions suchastheHotelFleurdeLis,withfour-poster bedsanda poolontheprowwouldbeenough tomakeevenLouisXIVblush.

BeginninginToulouse,thestrongholdof Frenchclubrugby,the canalstretchesthrough paradesoflimetreestowardsNarbonneandthe Mediterranean.

Themostimposinglandmarkisperhapsthe fortifiedcastlecityofCarcassonne.

Asthetraditionaltraderoutethereisno shortageofgoodlocalfoodonthecanal,cutting throughtheLanguedocwineregion.It’s aperfect tripforgastronomes.Localdelicacy,Lespetit patesofPezenaswillbereassuringlyfamiliarfor NewZealanders.Thisis amincepie,withstyle.

Farfrom asleepybackwater,thecanalallows for adreamy,bespoketakeontherivercruise.

Welcome to theclub

“H

ave you been to Club Med before?” asks the womanatthe frontdesk of Club Med Quebec Charlevoix, as she clipsonmywrist amaroon bracelet with awhite disc bearing the company’s trident trademark. This magic token will unlockthe offerings of the all-inclusive ski resortover the nextthree days.

“Usually you have the beaches and the pools and thepin˜a coladas,” she notes, ticking off the attractions at the company’swell-known beach resorts. “But here —”she waves her hand around the lobby of the newly openedresort at the base of Canada’s Le Massif de Charlevoix —“everything is inside. You never have to go outside.”

“Um,except for the skiing,” Iprotest, imagining myselftrapped in abubble of buffets, forced camaraderie andvariety shows for three days

“Exceptfor the skiing,” she nods,perhaps seeing the dread in my eyes.

Openedlast December,Charlevoix is Club Med’s first North American ski resort in decades,although worldwide it offers morethan 20 skiing destinations, including manyinthe Alps.LeMassifde Charlevoix boasts impressive terrain,the highest verticaldrop east of the Rockies (a bit more than 760m). An “upsidedown” mountain,itfalls from asummit rather than risingfrom abase, and at timesitcan feel like you’reabouttoski offone of its53trails straightinto the St. Lawrence River below.

But it lacks the kind of accommodation that turnsa ski mountain into adestination resort, which is where Club Med comes in.

“It’s adestination that needed Club Med,”

said CarolyneDoyon, president and CEO for the company in North America and theCaribbean. The plan is to follow Charlevoixin2025 with anew resort at Utah’s Snowbasin, another mountain known for its excellentskiing and lack of lodging.

Although people of acertainage —like me —might have visions of Club Medasa louche escape for swingers, these days the company is focused on the upscalefamily market. Its resorts are aimedat“affluent active parents and their children” for whom its all-inclusive model is “excellent value for money,” said Doyon, including not only lodging and meals, but lifts, group ski and snowboard lessons, and apres skiornonski activities for children and adults. (Equipmentrentals, kids’ clubs for children younger than 3and spa treatmentsare extra.)

The resortstretches along aridge overlooking the St. Lawrence at the base of Le Massif. Two buildingsare devoted to hotel rooms (the higher-priced“exclusive collection” rooms have theirown lounge and section of the resort).

Activities take placeinthe central building, withafloor devoted to the pool, gymsand spa; another to winter activities, including ski rentals, ski lockers and kids’ clubs;and another to dining, bars and atheatre for live performances.

My superiorfamily room cost aboutUS$2300

($3640) for two peoplefor three nights of ski-in, ski-out accommodation,a ski locker, all meals and drinks, and dailylessons if we wanted them.

The lodging itself is shipshape, witha bedroom that fit a queen-sizebed and not muchelse, asmaller room with two twin beds, abathroom witha sink and atub/ shower,and aseparate toilet. “We’ve donea lot of surveys,” Doyon said “The bathroom is important.”)

The designisa kind of whimsicalIkea-style modernism: In the hallways, lights overthe room doors areshaped like birdhouses; some chairs look like they’ve been borrowed from chairlifts, while othersmight be canoes. Tissue boxesresemble houses.

The main restaurant, Le Marche´, borrows designelements fromthe landscape of Quebec, evoking fishing boats, fields of wheat and stores of wood for fires,and there are clever trompel’oeilphotographsthat turn awall into whatlooks like the interiorofa Quebecois farmhouse.

My friendJulie and Iarrived between the end of theski day and the startofdinner. Canada had only recently relaxed its Covid-19

You’ll wantfor nothing at Club MedQuebec

Charlevoix,Canada’s

latest offering for snow-hungry powder hounds, writes AmyVirshup

Main:Skiiers line up at a gondola near ClubMed Quebec Charlevoix; above,a suite andbathroominthe hotel’ssignaturewhimsical Ikea-style modernism Photos /Eugen Sakhnenko/ New York Times

Main: askier on one of the53 trails; below, acookprepares a fish option as part of themeal at Le Marche´;Petit Club Med is one of severalchild-focused amenities Photos/ Eugen Sakhnenko,New York Times

Continued from p49

regulations and guests were takingadvantage of the freedom,arriving straight fromthe pool in terry cloth robes and Crocs and carrying drinks fromthe bar to big communal tables. The kids running around and challengingone another at table tennis made it feel like we had wanderedinto the tail end of abar mitzvah. After gettingourselves outfittedwith ski equipment and storing it in our locker, we decided to try the resort’s skatingrink. Ihad visionsofmyself as Sonja Henie, gliding under the lights, only to find the rink was asad, unshovelled rectangle, withice that was pitted and roughunderour skates. Maybe we would be better off inside.

By that point, Le Marche´had opened,with stations offering steak, grilled fish,pizza and plain pastastowhichyou could add your chosen sauce, small salads, smoked local salmon, abean soup, desserts such as aSaint Honore tart, raspberrycoulis with meringue. Servers roamed the room pouring red or white wine.

And it was snowing. In fact, it was still snowing the next morning, with no sign of

stopping. And Le Massif’s gondola was just out the back door.Time to ski.

The mountain naturallydivides itself into three sections, witha corridor of blues in the centre, some nicegladed bumps to the east, and long,steep black and double-black runs to the west. Iquickly fell in love with the treeskiing,bouncingdown a slopenamed for CanadianOlympic snowboarder Dominique Maltais and hunting outpowder amongthe trees on L’Archipel and La Derive.I was having so much fun that Ididn’t bother to headback to theresortfor lunch withJulie, instead making do with agranola bar fromone of the onmountain restaurantsand skiing straight through till the lifts closed at 4pm.

Usually,onaski vacation, the ensuing hourswould be filled with a soakinthe hot tub followed by either cookingdinnerorgoing outtoeat, before falling into bed.Club Med hadits own rhythms.First, as skiers came in for the day, starting around 3.30pm, there was the Apres,

aspread of sweets laid outinthe main hall. That was followed abit later by the Apero of meats, cheeses, crudites and dips. While these —and drinks —were being served, on the theatrestage there were singers followedby, perhaps, achild-oriented circus show. There was more adult entertainment later, but Ididn’t stay up long enough to watch it.

Idid visit the indoor pool and the small outdoor hottub. In it, awoman with acast on her arm tried to keep it out of the bubbling water.Had she hurt herself on the slopes? No, in fact, she said, she hadfallen on the skating rink.

The nextmorning, Ijoined agroup of intermediate to advanced skiers for alesson.

It was unlike any Ihave had in the US. Jack, our instructor, did not chat withhis students on the chairlift.Infact, he didn’t evensit with us. At the top of the mountain,he’d speak about atechnique to think about: Where were we initiating our turns? What part of ourfoot was most in contact withthe snow?Then we’d ski straight downtothe bottomand ridethe lift up again, without any commentary on our performance.

Ihad arranged to meet Julie back at the Club Med for lunch.Coming in, Iwas greeted by Club Med staffers in My Little Pony costumes dancing to disco music and serving coffee spiked with Tia Maria, whichwas another new experience for me.

From the lunch buffet, Igot salmon with rocket, abeet salad with orangeand feta, and grilledvegetables. Ifinished up with acookie and apecan tart. Compared with the cheeseburger wrapped in foil and kept under aheat lamp that Ihad eaten the last time Iwent skiing, it was downright luxurious.

Through the resortwindows that night, we could see family-size SUVswith luggagepods on top rollingin, backing up alongthe driveway to Charlevoix’s front entrance.Itwas spring break in Ontario, and the families were flowing in. The pace picked up at the ski school desk. At dinner,LeMarche´was buzzing.

The next morning,aflood tide of parents and children washedover the kids’ area, with families backed up out the door.InLeMarche´, which offers aview of the river, the sun shining off the St. Lawrence was dazzling.Although we were checking out that day,wecouldstay and ski until 3pm, so Iheaded back out to the slopes. By that point, the powder from our first day of skiing was long sincetrackedout,but the sunshine and the blue of the river were their own reward.

Riding the chairlift on my own,I struck up conversations with longtime Charlevoix skiers, some of whom remembered the days when,instead of lifts, the resort had abus that took you from the bottomback to the top. They told me how charming the nearbytownswere, including Baie-St. Paul, known for its arts scene.I regretted that we hadn’t jumped in the car one nightand visited.

But then we would have missed the Apres and the Apero. We might have signed up for oneofthe nighttime excursions, such as riding sleds down the mountain,but frankly, that seemed terrifying. We did try to sit by the fire pitsoutside, but getting someone to light them provedachallenge. Thenitgot dark in themountains, and cold. The food was good and plentiful. The drinks were free.

It turned out to be true that everything was inside. Except for the skiing.

An “upside-down” mountain, it fallsfroma summit rather than rising from abase, and at times it canfeel like you’reabouttoski off oneofits 53 trails straight into theSt. LawrenceRiver below.

Luxurytravel: Africa » the MODERN SAFARI

Bush dinnerinthe Phinda reserve, KwaZulu-Natal.

Photo /andBeyond

Anewbreedoflodgesandinitiativesarechallengingthestatus quo of safariholidays,writes SarahMarshall

Fortoolongsafariholidayshave beenmiredinnostalgia,stuckinan OutofAfrica timewarp. Thankfully,theindustryhas finallyrealisedthatit’stimeto moveon.

Oncethepreserveofanoldguarddressedin desertbootsandlinens,safarishavebecome muchmoreinclusiveandrespectfuloflocal cultures —fromthemotifsandmaterialsused inlodgedesigns,rightthroughtotherangeof activitiesoffered.Shiftingawayfromtheidea thisisonebigplayparkwhererichforeigners gettogawpattheanimals,communitiesareas much apartofthepictureas abushcampfire and asunsetG&T.

“Therehasbeen abeliefthatifyouwantreal expertise,youhavetoimportitfromoutside Africa,”saysRichardVigne,executivedirector ofAfricanLeadershipUniversity’sSchoolof WildlifeConservation,inRwandancapital Kigali,setuptonurturethehomegrowntalents oftomorrow.

“Ithasoccurredthroughoutthesafariand conservationindustry,fromcampmanagersto researcherstoprotectedareamanagers.Our roleistoprepareyoungAfricansforcareersin thewildlifeeconomysotheycanbethe custodiansoftheirownnatural resourcesandwildlifeheritage.”

Breathingfreshairintoplains andvalleys, anewbreedof lodges,initiativesandinspiringindividualsischallengingthestatusquo.Thisnew styleofdecolonisedsafariis moreexcitingthanever— here’swhy.

Designsaredaring Outwithwoodentraveltrunks andpithhelmets;inwithabstractartisticdesigns.Shifting awayfrom50shadesofbeige,the A-framesofoldhavebeenreplacedbyglass, adobeandthatchedstructures,often championingtribaltraditions.

ResponsibleforoutfittingandBeyond’snew GrumetiSerengetiRiverLodgeinTanzania (from$1745pp/night)andAfricanBushCamp’s LolebeziinZambia’sLowerZambeziNational Park(from$1130pp/night),Johannesburg-based FoxBrowneCreativehasshiftedawayfrom colonialcliches.Marblevanityislandsandmood lightingmeetmoderndemands,whileartand textilescelebratelocalculture.

“Eachlodgeorcamphastoreflect astrong senseofplace —relevanttotheregion,the environment,theculture,thepeopleand wildlife,”sayscreativedirectorChrisBrowne.

Drawingonlocaltechniquesandtalentsis similarlyimportanttoCalineWilliams-Wynn, founderofArtichokeDesign,whohas mastermindedsomeofAfrica’smost recenteyecatchingdesigns —includingBisate’steardrop nestsstreamingdown ahillsideinRwanda’s VolcanoesNationalPark.

“Ilovetogotocountriesandbreatheinwhat theydo,saystheCapeTown-baseddesigner,who contractslocalcraftspeopleandiscurrently usingMaasaibeadworkin arefurbishmentof Asilia’sNaboishocampintheMara(from $1195pp/night).“There’sa placefor atraditional feeling,but Iusecolonialas aswearword.We needtomoveawayfromthat.”

Newfacesaretakingcharge

Oncedominatedbywhiteownership,thesafari industryhassomeexcitingnewfacesbringing

greaterdiversity.Hailingfrom avarietyof ethnicitiesandbackgrounds,these entrepreneursarebuzzingwithfreshideas.

AmosWekesa,founderofGreatLakesSafaris andUgandaLodges,hasanextraordinarystory. Acleanerlivingon lessthan $10 amonth,he scrimped,savedanddefiedprejudicetolaunchhisowntourismbusiness.Nextyear,he willopen achimp-viewing campintheBudongoForest. “Irealisedtouristsfromdifferentpartsoftheworldare actuallyveryhappytosee theirmoneystayinthehands oflocaloperators,”hesays.

ZimbabweanBeksNdlovu, founderoftheAfricanBushCamps portfolio,featuringhigh-endlodges acrossZambia,ZimbabweandBotswana,has alsoworkedhardtoprovehimself.“Thebarriers toentryforsomebodywhowaswhite would havebeenfarless,”hesays.

Creditinga deepunderstandingof“local dynamics”forhelpinghimearnthetrustof communities,theformerguidehasbuilta successfulbrandanchoredinAfricanculture andbelievesthecontinent’sraftof “great storytellers”shouldfollow suit.Hopingtoinspiremore blackentrepreneursandblack travellers,headds:“Thereis aworldofpossibilitiesout there waitingforevery singlepersonofcolouron thiscontinent.”

Activitiesarechanging Shakingupthetiredformula ofgamedrives,bushbreakfasts andsundowners,lodgesand operatorsarefinding new waysfor peopletoengagewithwildlife.Biking, walksandhorseridingarenowoptions.Natural Selectionhaslauncheda six-nightcycletour throughtheOkavangoDelta,stayinginmobile camps(from$9135pp/night,excludingflights).

Proofpassivesafarisare athingofthepast, anewtrendforcitizenscienceisemerging.At Asilia’sUsanguExpeditionCamp,whichopened insouthernTanzania’sRuaha National Parkearlierthisyear,guestsset cameratrapsandparticipatein animalcountstobuilda baselinestudyofa newwilderness area(fournightsfrom $7570pp/nightincluding domesticflights).

andBeyond’sflagshipreservePhinda,inSouth Africa’sKwaZulu-Natal (from$910pp/night),also championsthisapproach. Behind-the-scenesactivitiesinclude dehorningrhinosand monitoringrewildedpangolins.

Andit’snotallabouttheanimals.

Aworldawayfromvoyeuristicvillagevisits andcontriveddanceshows,culturaltourismis nowconductedin arespectfulandsensitive manner.

Leadingthewayisthenewexclusive-use KalepoCampinnorthernKenya’sremote MathewsRange(from$830ppincludingdomesticflights)wheretheSamburucommunities takecentrestage.Hearpastoralistschantingto theircattleatthesingingwellsandwatch traditionalwarriorgames.

Clockwise frombelow:TheForest lodgeinSouthAfrica’sPhindareserve, KwaZulu-Natal;Grootbos,SouthAfrica, istwohours'drivefromCape Town; GrumetiSerengetiRiver Lodge. Photos/andBeyond;Supplied

Newparksareemerging

It’snolongerallabouttheSerengetiortheDelta. Asanappetitegrowsforgettingoffthebeaten track,newareasarestealingsomeofthespotlight.

Ane-visasystem,dueimminently,willmake Mozambiquemuchmoreaccessible. Running alonganIndianOceancoastlineinthesouth, thenewlyformedMaputoNationalPark combinesturtleandhumpback viewingwith achancetoseeelephantsinland,stayingatthe community-ownedAnvilBay (from$725pp/night).

For arainforestadventure,partsoftheRepublic ofCongo(not to be confusedwithitstroubled neighbour)aresafetovisit. OdzalaDiscoveryCamps runtripsintotheCongo Basin,toseegorillas,chimps, bongosandbutterflies(seven nightsfrom$22,240pp,excluding flights).

“By travellingtodestinationssuch as OdzalaKokouaNationalPark,travellersarehelping tomakethemeconomicallyviableforthelong term,”saysDaveWilson,HeadofCommercial DevelopmentatAfricanParks.

InthenorthofUganda,ontheborderwith SouthSudan,KidepoNationalParkhasthe potentialtobecome atop-tiersafaridestination. Morethan77mammalspeciesgatherona valley floorsurroundedbymountains.Pioneers in communityconservation,Kenya’sNorthern RangelandsTrustisworkingwiththepark’s neighbouringKaramojatribestoestablish conservancies.

PrinceWilliamjoinedtheminthepark earlierthisyeartocollarelephants.Apoka Lodgeisthebestcamp(from$1255pp/night).

Conservationiskey

Consciousoftheirfootprints,campsandlodges areshiftingtomoresustainablemeansofoperation.Settinga newstandardfortrulyeco safaris,EmbooRiverCampintheMarais Kenya’sfirstcarbonneutrallodge(from $2020pp/night).

Allvehiclesareelectric,wastewateris recycledandmealsarecookedwithbiogas.

Goingonestepfurther,Grootbos, aprivate reserve atwo-hourdrivefromCapeTown,has beencarbon negativesince2018(from$1945pp/ night).

Byreforesting,regeneratingfynbos vegetationandusingrenewable energy,theygivebackmore thantheytake.

Donatinga fewfootballsto alocalschoolisnolonger enoughtojustifysettingup abusinessonborrowed Africansavannahs.

Conservancies,whereland isleasedfromlocalpeople (therealcustodiansof nature),are awin-win alternativetogovernment-run parks —andwildlifesightingsare oftenbettertoo.

Acknowledgingtravellersshouldknow wheretheir moneyisgoing,TheLongRun conservationcollectivehaslauncheda new impactbillinitiativeforitsmemberstocut throughanygreensheen.Oneofseveralparticipatinglodges,BoranaLodge(from$1335pp/ night) inKenya’sBoranaConservancypresents guestswith areceiptattheendoftheirstay, with apercentage breakdownonhowtheir cash hasmadea positiveimpact.Transparencyisthe newnorm.

Theworld’s most

RESPLENDENT

From countless films to literature that’s spanned centuries, the great train journeyhas inspiredleagues of creatives. Their work in turn inspires us. Experience the true theatre of railtravel on board one of the world’s most luxurioustrains.

OrientExpress, Europe

The Orient Expressissynonymous with grandeur and luxury; thegolden era of train travel and, well,the odd murder(albeit fictional). With golden fixings and polished chrome, she really is athing of beauty —but amore complicated madamthanyou might imagine. The Orient Express is notasingular train but in factowned by twocompeting companies. Belmond’s Venice Simplon-Orient-Express is arguably the best known, notably for its plush 1920s decor and distinguished elegance, with tracks navigating much of Europe and as far as Istanbul. However, 2023 does mark thereturn of something rather special. The Accor-owned contingent of Orient Express will re-establishsix new Italian routes for the first time in 46 years. Nottobeconfused with Belmond’s VeniceSimplon-Orient-Express, the reimagined OrientExpress La DolceVita is more contemporary,celebratingthe joie de vivre of the 1960s and 70s. Equally dashing but laced with smokedmirror walls and glossy Italian lacquer.

Andean Explorer,Peru

Perhaps you’ve always dreamedofPeru but don’t want to see it from the hindofaspitting alpaca. Aluxury sleeper train mightappeal. Poking the cloudsat14,000 feet, the Andean Explorerslinks its way between Arequipa and Cusco via the spectacular Peruvian Andes. With 50 staff members to 48 passengers,coca tea is served to thwart the onset of altitude sickness,although apisco sour will surely make thechanging elevation more fun. Journeysspan oneortwo nights,with spaciousrooms defying the physics of aseemingly slender locomotive. Equipped withanen suite shower and bedside bellstocall an attendant as well as secret windows affording views of both sidesofthe train. At some point, between all the fine dining and massages in an unexpected but very well received Spa Car, passengersdisembark for daily excursions, including avisit to Lake Titicaca and the floating islandsofUros.

Maharajas’ Express, India

When was the last time you stepped off atrain on to ared carpet? Or hadyour own private butler?And confettithrownatyour feet. If it’s been all too longsince you were treated like royalty, get on board India’s Maharajas’ Express Nothing shy of apalace on wheels, opulence oozes out of everyfixture andfitting,with en suite bathroomsinevery cabin, two fine dining restaurantsand breakfast brought to you in bed by your butler. Youdon’t even have to worry about motion sickness —this train comes with adoctor.Stops include every Indianhighlight, from Mumbai and Jodhpur to Jaipur, Agra and Delhi. Guided excursions include the TajMahal, which mightnot seemsosumptuous when you’re apatron of the Maharajas.

The PresidentialTrain, Portugal

More than 130 years ago, The Presidential Train —asthe name suggests —was the official convey of Portugal’s kings and presidents.Externallydressedinroyal blue, the refurbishedinterior stays true to its era, but what might not be so obviousisthat in present-dayPortugal, thisisa train for foodies. Offering a lavish day-trip through 200km of the DouroValley, as soon as the traindeparts Estacao de Sao Bento in Porto, amammoth

All aboard for luxuriousrail journeys—fit for apresident or amaharajah,writes AnnaSarjeant

IMMERSEYOURSELF IN THEULTIMATE LUXURY ESCAPE

The pleasures of settling into theunrivalled heritage of InterContinental Hotels &Resorts canturna greattripintoanexceptional one— andnow,for alimitedtime, youcan amplifythe luxury factor to evenhigher levels,with“ElevateYourStay”

This inspired offer, forstays of two or morenights, will seeyou elevated to aspaciousSuite,CluborPremium room with up to 20 percentoff theBestFlexible Rate. Then,comemorning,let your palate be awakened withasumptuousgourmet breakfastfor two, each dayofyourstay. When you’re finally readytoleave?Take your time,relax;alatecheck-out means an indulgentmorning of soaking up even more of your impeccable surroundings. These pampering extrastakeluxurytoits pinnacle —which serves to make your time away in some of theworld’s fascinating destinations evenmoreextraordinary.

Because,while InterContinental Hotels &Resorts provideunparalleled excellenceacrossall themarkers of a luxury hotelstay, they alsogobeyond, offering adeeper understanding of each destinationthrough unique offeringsand thoughtfuldesign.

And, excitingly,there arenow more alluring spotstoput on your global radar. The InterContinental brandhas extended itsreach to thelush monsoon forestsofKhaoYai inThailand,just momentsfromthe UNESCO World Heritage-listedNationalPark. Designed by award-winning architectand interior designerBill Bensley,InterContinental Khao YaiResort’sinspireddesigntakes its cuesfromthe area's historyand role as arailgateway to northeastThailand during King Rama V'sera.Assuch, luxury suites come in theformofupcycled train carriagesfor auniquelymemorable stay

Ajungleofthe urbankind,this time in thebuzzing metropolisofSydney, alsogetsafitting tribute,too,withthe InterContinentalSydneyseamlessly set within therecently120-million-dollar beautifullyrestoredTreasuryBuilding of 1851.This prized icon has509 guest rooms,including 28 luxury suites,and vibrantdining optionsbefitting Sydney’s culinary reputation What it allmeans foryou is afully immersivevisit,one that truly celebrates the beauty of globaltravel. Such an awareness of placecontinues to openupnew cultural connections forthe InterContinental brand. To celebrateits 75th anniversary, InterContinentalHotels&Resorts recently collaborated with renowned British artist ClaireLuxton. There’s asynergyatwork herewithLuxton’sown aestheticbeinga celebrationofthe joys of worldliness, using naturalfloraand fauna. In December,an

installation wasprojected onto thefaçade of InterContinental London Park Lane, followedbyanunveiling of immersive experiences at that locationand in New York Barclayand DubaiFestivalCityin May2022. Yetanotherexample of thenew chaptersofpossibilities always opening up in The InterContinental Life.And there’s moretocome… The next installment of thepartnershipwill soon be unveiled, including thelaunchofaseriesofexclusive non-fungible tokens (NFTs),showcased throughimmersive hotel experiencesacross Australia, SouthEastAsiaand Japan.

ElevateYourStayisthe perfect opportunity to fullyengagewiththe giddiest heightsof luxury in this global worldofglamour.

Immerseyourselfinthe ultimateluxury escapeand ElevateYourStaytoday at intercontinental.com/elevateyourstay

Photo/supplied.

Luxurytravel: Rail »

diningexperiencebegins.Foreachjourney,a selectionofhand-pickedchefs,manyofthem Michelin-starred,areinvitedonboardtoshowcasethebestproduceoftheregion.Eachcourse ispairedwithwinesfromreveredlocal vineyards,likelyrollingpastthewindow.Once inQuintadoVesuvio,passengersalightfor atour ofthenamesakewinerybeforechuggingbackto Portoona menuofsweettreatsandcharcuterie.

Rocky Mountaineer,CanadaandUSA

The RockyMountaineer always tops thebill for beingoneofthemostnotableluxurytrainsin modernhistory.Withgoodreasontoo.Tracks sewanexclusiveroutethroughtheRockies, Canada’sspectacularalpineterrain,andonethat ismostlygovernedbywildlife.Aswellaswolves, bears and baldeaglesineyeshot,glass-dome windows,gourmetmealsandon-boardhosts propelthisluxurytrainjourneyintolegendary status.WiththreeroutesoperatingoutofWesternCanadaandrangingbetweentwoandthree days,2021sawthecompany’sinauguralUSroute, connectingMoabtoDenver.Ifyou’regoingto ridethesemuch-laudedrails,bearinmind CanadianitinerariesofferbothGoldLeafand SilverLeafservice,andyourexperience,from wheremealsareservedtowindowsizeandhotel offeringswilldiffer.Fornow,theUScontingent isallSilverLeafservice.

TheGhan,Australia

Becausemostofusdreamofexperiencingthe Outbackbutdon’thavethehardeneddisposition ofanSASsoldier,there’sTheGhan.Datingback morethan160years,it’snamedaftertheAfghan cameleerswho,ashandlersofthefirstcamels tobeimportedintoAustralia,helpedexploreand shapetheOutback.Wrappingguestsinproverbialcottonwool,you’rewellprotectedfromthe scorchingoutdoorheatandAustralia’sharshest

landscape,andinsteadtreatedtohotel-level comfortsandqualitySouthAustraliancuisine. Thealmostkilometre-longsleepertrainconnects AdelaidetoDarwin,withOutbacktownssuchas AliceSpringsvisitedenroute.Spreadoverthree tofourdays,TheGhanadventureis ajourneyof contrasting,oftensurprisingscenery,switching frombucolichillstoreddust,beforereclaiming thegreen asthe train’snoseapproachesAustralia’stropicalTopEnd.

GreatJourneysofNewZealand

Alltoooftenyoucanforgetwhat’sonyourdoorstep,soit’sworthremindingourselvesthattravel-

Top:TheAndean Exploreroperates betweenArequipaand Cuscoviathe spectacularPeruvian Andes;above,the PresidentialSuiteon boardMaharajas’ Express;inset,Australia’s TheGhan. Photos/ Belmond;Supplied

lersfromallovertheworldcometoNewZealand forourjaw-droppingscenery.Commencingin January,GreatJourneysNewZealand —part ofKiwiRail— arelaunchingtheirall-newmultidayguidedtourstoshowcasethebestofit.With 12fully-guidedSignaturetours,rangingfromsix to17days,accommodation,transfers(via privatecoachnoless)andoff-board experiencesarealltakencareof. Forsomethingextraluxurious, optforthe17-dayAucklandto Queenstownjourney.Guided excursionsincludeworldclasswinetasting,picnicsin HamiltonGardensandwhale watching.You’llalsohavethe chancetoswaptherailsfor wavesandenjoyvarious cruisesinMilfordSound, QueenstownandRaglan.Nights arespentin 4to4.5-starhotelsand you’lldinebothonandoffthetrain.

SevenStarsinKyushu,Japan

Joiningtheworld’selitelocomotivesin2013, Japan’sfirstluxurysleepertrainmightbe amere babyincomparisontoitscounterparts,butwhat she lacksinage she makes up for in style. The decor,includingthatinall14suitesis afusion ofWesternandJapanesedesign.Ifyou’refeeling extrafancy,thecolossalDeluxeSuite Aboasts a1.5mpanoramicwindowattheverybackof thetrain.There’salsoonesuite modifiedfor wheelchairusers,closesttothediningcarand TheBlueMoonloungecar.Thetrain,socalled becauseitpassesthroughthevolcanicsouthern islandofKyushu’ssevenprefectures,makesthe mostoftheregion’s mountain-meets-oceansceneryoverthecourseoftwoorfourdays.

DepartingandreturningfromHakata,sitback andenjoyvistasofMtAso,oneoftheworld’s largestvolcanoes,andstop-offsatthehotsprings ofYufuinandKirishima.

LIVETHE INTERCONTINENTALLIFE

Findyourselfin aworldofnewwonders.

LUXURY FORLESS

SriLankaoffers atasteofaffordableluxury,withallthebliss of atropicalholiday,writes SeanThomas

Ifyou’relikeme,thereisoneexotic thingyou’vemissedaboveallothersin thepasttwoyearsofbarelytravelling atall —andthatistropicalheat. Whetheritislazingunderthecoconut palmswitha colddrink,orsteppingon to amoonlitwhite-sandbeach,thereissomethingaboutthetropicsthatcannotbereplaced byanythingelse.Butwheretofindthat holiday blissatan affordablepricerightnow?I’llgive you aclue:it’sintheIndianOcean. Butnot theMaldives,northeSeychelles —they’reway tooexpensive.It’sSriLanka.

Yes,theflightwillput alargedentinyour budget —butonceyougethereeverything else isincrediblycheap.

Thankstoa combinationofa weakcurrency, acustom-starvedtouristindustry,and agovernmentyearningfordollarsandpounds,you cangetsensationalbargains —thinkluxury hotelsforhalforeven athirdtheirnormal tariff.Dittothedeliciousfood,theincredible sights,andsimplygettingaround:itisall surreallyunder-priced.

What’smore,bycoming here,youaredoing SriLankans abigfavour.Becausetheywant visitorshere.Anditis rathernicetobeeagerly welcomed.Especiallywiththatmodestbillat theend.

Take,asanexampleofthesebills,thefivestarhotel Irecentlychoseforthefirstlegof myOfficialTourofSurprisinglyCheapSri Lanka.It’scalledMarinoBeach.It’s aswish newfive-starcomplexinColombo,about10 minutestuk-tukride(whichwillcostyou$4) fromthemainactionaroundthecolonial Fort District.

Foranyonelookingtosleepoffthejetlag, thishotelisperfect.Itboasts asumptuous40m rooftopinfinitypooloverlookingtheLaccadive Sea, whereatnightthelightsofthefishing boatsbobontheink-blackhorizon,likehalf thestarshavedescendedtothewaterforsome synchronisedswimming.Ithas asimilarly agreeablerooftopgarden,plushedonistic Jacuzzis,andtwosea-viewbars,oneofwhich leadsvia askybridgetoalarge,gleaminggym. Sohowmuchisitpernight,thisluxuryoasis

Below:MarinoBeachhotel inColombo,SriLanka,has thefacilitiesof aluxury hotelwithouttheheftyprice tag;above,OldGalleinSri Lankais anear-flawless exampleofan18th-century Dutchcolonialfortress town. Photos/ Supplied; GettyImages

in acapitalcitynextto awhispering oceanwith alltheamenities?Maybe$500?More?It’s$120. There’snotmuchtodoaroundtheMarino Beachexceptsoakuptheraysandthehotel curries(and afinefishcurry,plusdhal, chutneys,coconutsambol,pappadums,anda frostedglassofcoldLion lager,servedonthe ocean-sideterrace,costs$12).But Idostrongly recommendonenearbystop:TheGalleryCafe. Housedinthelow-slungex-homeof afamous

SriLankanarchitect,resembling aPompeian villadecoratedinstripyliquoricecolours,this soothing,semi-al-frescobar/artgallery/restaurantservessomeofthebestfoodinthe capital,fusingAsianandWesternflavours. Trytheprawnandlobsterlinguine,sublimely liftedwith asubtlewhackofchili.Withcaprese saladstartersandchilledwhitewine,that’s acrackinglunchfortwoandcostsabout$48, at amaximum.

Nowit’stimetowandersouth,160kmalong thecoastto historicGalle.I couldget aone-way Uberdowntheexpresswayforjust$44,but Iopt forthemoreromanticmethod.Thetrain,which trundlesdowntheseashore,meaningyoucan spendtwohourswatchingloin-clothedfishermenhaulinginsilveryhandallos(notunlike whitebait)fromthecomfortofyourberth. Pineappleandsamosavendorsplytheplatforms andcarriages,soyouwon’tgohungryeither.

Andtheprice? Afirst-classticket,itturnsout, setsmeback600SriLankanrupees.That’s$2.60. It’saroundthistime Istarttowonderifthere is aword forthestrangesensationthat Iam beingconsistentlyundercharged.

Mynexthotelis notcheapin absoluteterms.I’mpaying$250 pernightfor a“deluxeseaviewroom”inLeGrand Galle.Butthen,thisisa world-classhotelwhich,in normaltimes,cancharge $960.Thisisbecauseithas anunequalledlocation— nexttothefamousseawardbattlementsof Unesco-listedGalle,and alsobecause itofferstip-top hospitality,fromthehi-tech Japaneseloos(whichopenautomaticallyasyouapproach,likea kind ofhungryporcelaincrocodile)to asybariticpooloverlookingthecrumplingsurf, tolashingsofartandgreatSriLankanservice (and,bytheby,anepicmudcrabcurryfeast, forabout$15).

OldGalleitselfisjust afewminutes’stroll awayor a$1.50tuk-tukride. Anear-flawless exampleofan18th-centuryDutchcolonialfortresstown —withsome British military additions— itwas,pre-Covid,ratheroverrun withvisitors, especiallyinpeakseason.Now youcanwanderthehushed,colonnaded,wood-

and-whitewashedstreetsatdawnordusk —the mostpoetictimes —andfindyourselfessentially alone,apartfromtheoddSriLankanwedding, completewithgroomintraditionalvelvet-anddaggerKandyancostume.Aimtohave acocktail attheelegantFortPrintersHotel,underthe outdoorceilingfans,andwatch averysmallbit oftheworldwalkbyveryslowly.

Wheretonext?Attheseenticingprices,all ofSriLankaisyourIndo-Pacificoyster.You couldgoinlandtothehilltownsandtea plantations,youcouldamblesidewaysalongthe coastfor apurebeachexperience —maybe turtle-hauntedHikkaduwatothewest,orbluewhale-visitedMarissatotheeast(both lovely)butaftersevendreamy, sunnydaysinGalle Iwant alast tasteofColombo.

Thistime Ichoose acentral,celebratedhotel,the CinnamonGrand(five stars,sixrestaurants, twopools,spa,enormous gym,younameit:$142 pernight). Itour Colombo’svivacious markets, Ibuy cute souvenirs for pennies, I admirethetemples,mosques, lakesandcathedrals,andwhen Iamdone Iwalkfiveminutesto anevenmorecelebratedhaunt:the greatBritishcolonialGalleFaceHotel,which has aprimepositionbyColombo’sfavourite garden,gazingdirectlyouttosea.

Idrinkmanyexcellentmartinisonthe oceansideterraceas Iabsorbthepriceless beauty.Then Igetthebill.Again, Iaskmyself, howmuchshouldthiscost?Severalhoursof blissfuldrinksin aworld-famoushotelwitha magnificentviewof atropicalsea?Itcoststhe sameastwolagersinmylocalpub,backhome.

—TelegraphGroupLtd

Outofthisworld.

Findtravelinspiratononlineat nzherald.co.nz/travel orsimplyscantheQR code.

Checklist

SRI LANKA

GETTINGTHERE

Yourbiggestexpensewill beyourflight.Currently, theeasiestoptionisfrom AucklandtoColombo,via Melbourne,withQantas andSriLankanAirlinesfor around$4650pp. srilankan.com Cheaperfaresare available, but you’llbe lookingattwotothree connectingflights.Talkto yourtravelagenttofind thebestroute.

DETAILS srilanka.travel

Inset:Get apure beach experienceatMarissa,to theeastofcapitalColombo.

Indian Ocean

Sri Lanka

Kandy Colombo

luxury ROOMCHECK

Location: Driving20minutesnorthofthehecticcentre ofUbud,throughvibrantricefields,wewatchthealready scantcivilisationstripfurtheraway,takingsmallstreets andbackroadsfurtherintothejungle,besidetheAyung Valley.

Firstimpressions: Uponarrival,we’rerelievedofour bags,guidedtowards aplushwhitecouchinanopenairreceptionandhandedblissfullycoldtowelettes. Sippingon awelcomedrinkmadefromjuicedcucumber, mintandhoney, astaffmemberina beautifulwhiteand-beigerobeexplainstheimpressiverangeoffacilities andintroducesustoAyu,whowillbeourhost(read: personalassistant)duringthestay.Ifweneedanything, atanytime,she’sourwoman.Ayuwalksusaroundthe lushestate,whichis atapestryoftropicalflora, manicuredterracedlawns,andlargestonepavilions. ExpansiveforestviewsaresettothesoundoftheAying riverthatflowstotheeastofthepropertyandis expansive.Asfirstimpressionsgo,itdoesn’tgetmuch betterthanthis.

PerfectFor: Withjust30roomson a9hapieceof landinthecentreofBali,it’snosurpriseCOMO

Shambhalaisprettydarnperfectifyoudesire adeeplyrestorativeandtranquilgetaway. TheEden-likesurroundingsaremirrored inthehotel’sofferings.Betweenthe activitiesschedule(packedwithyoga, pilates,bikeridesandhydrotherapy), thedeluxespaandincredibleplantbasedmeals,youcan’thelpbutfeel abitlikea wellnessgoddess.

Room: Formaximumprivacy,villasare spreadaroundthepropertyinclusters, called“residences”.Oursisperched abovea deepbluepoolcomplexwith aroundsixothers,whicharealldonein astyle bestdescribedastraditionalBalinesemeetsfivestarluxury.It’s anicebalance;onethatgivesyou thefluffywhitecanopybed,largeoutdoorbath,double bathroomvanityandotherbeautifultouches,whilealso remindingyouthatyou’reontheIsland of the Gods.

Therearetheexpectedamenities(bathrobes,glass bottledwater,shampoos andmagnifyingmirrors)aswell astheextrasthatearnplaceslikethis acovetedfifth star;trendycanvastotebagsandmetalwaterbottles

25 -31Jan,28Mar -03Apr, 25Apr -01May, 28Apr- 4May2023

Auckland -ChristchurchHanmer Springs-NelsonGolden Bay- Auckland

Hear thehistory of NewZealand”sbiggestfarmfromour localguide as we exploreMolesworth Station.Cruisethe coastlineofAbelTasmanNational Parkand stayinsunny Nelson.Travelalong the sands of FarewellSpitand check outthe charmsofquirkyGoldenBay.

SouthernOdyssey,StewartIsland &The Catlins: 7days/6nights 16 -22Apr,19- 25Apr, 27Apr -03May2023

Auckland -Invercargill -Stewart Island -TheCatlins -DunedinAuckland

Check outInvercargill”stransport museums then flyto StewartIslandfor twonights.CruisetoUlvaIslandbird sanctuaryandwalkthetrails with anature guide.Seethe CatlinsCoast, Nugget Point/TokataLighthouse, Dunedin”sRoyalAlbatrossColony and LarnachCastle.

youcantakehome,smallvialsoflemongrass-scented insectrepellentand aNespressomachinewith unlimitedpods.

Guestscanchoosefromseveralroomandsuitetypes dependingonthepreferredsizeandview.

Facilities: ComoShambhalamaybefarfromtheheart ofUbudbutthereisplentytokeepyoubusyduring astay.Guestscanmakefull use ofthefully-equipped gym,yogaandmeditationpavilions,pilatesstudio, hydrotherapyandlappoolorsaunaandsteamroom.

Nottomentionseveraltreatmentroomsandexclusive spacomplex,rock-climbingwall,tenniscourts,and,for thosedoing atouchofremotework,freeWi-Fiallover theresort,plus abusinesscentre.

Forthosewhowanttotranscendthetypicalwellness activities,youcanenjoyEasternexperiencesfrom chakrahealingandHinduwaterblessingstoAyurveda consultationsanddeadseamudtherapy.

Additionalactivitiescanalsobe arranged,and apicnicatKedara, thehotel’swatergarden,is highlyrecommended.After descending afewhundred stairsthathugthevalley, you’retreatedtoa flax basketfullofperfectly packageddishestoenjoyin frontof anaturalspring waterpool.

Sittingamongthe immense,tropicalgreen,it’s thesortofspotthatwould usuallybecrowdedwithfellow vacationersbuthere,it’sjustus,our booksandthesound ofcicadas.

Foodanddrink: Thededicationtowellnesscarries intothemenusatKudusHouseandGlow,Como’sonsiterestaurants,whichusefresh,localingredientsto createmealsthataren’tjustgoodforyourbodybut yourtastebudstoo.Aslong-timevegans/vegetarians, wewereusedtohavingoneoptiontochoosefrom, buthere,wewereforcedtohumandhaoverdozens ofincredibleoptionslikeyoungcoconutnoodles,green lentilcroquettesortofumakirolls.Nomatterwhatwe orderedatbreakfastordinner,itwasflawless.

Sustainability: Theestateusessustainable,locallysourcedingredientsfromfarmersandsmall-scale producersacrossBaliaswellasmanyfreshfruits, vegetablesandherbsfromtheon-sitekitchengarden. Theyalsobottletheirownfilteredwaterinreusable glassbottles,whicharegivenoutforactivitiesduring yourstay.

Accessibility: Theterraced,forestlocationmakesfor gorgeousviewsand asereneatmospherebutalso meansthepropertyinvolvesmanystepsandstaircases. Ifyoutravelonwheelsorfindstaircasestrickyto navigate,it’sworthgettingintouchbeforehandtosee whataccommodationscouldbemade.

Price: Ratesfluctuatedependingontheseasonbut expecttopayaround$1000pernightfor asuite,and $850for agardenroom.Forup-to-dateprices,visit comohotels.com/en/comoshambhalaestate.

Contact: Formoreinformation,email resCSestate@comohotels.comortextWhatsApp+62 81138214845

CanterburyHighCountryStations 10-15Mar2023, 6daysfrom$3,380 pp Joinuson atourexploringremoteHighCountryStations; includesvisitstoMount Torlesse,RubiconStation,Erewhon StationandGlenfallochStation.

ExploringBali further?

Checkouttheseequallybeautifulretreatsscatteredaroundthe island.

TheSt.RegisBaliResort

SetaboveNusaDua’swhitesands,a roomatTheSt.RegisBaliResort spoilsguestswithpanoramicoceanviewsaswellasfinediningrestaurants, aluxuriousspaandfamous24-hourbespokebutlerservice.Checkinto oneofthe81suites,41privatepool villasormakelikeBarackObama andrent outthetwo-storeybeachfrontStrandResidence.

SixSensesUluwatu

Perched 74 metresabovethe ocean, few places are better to stay along Uluwatu’scoastlinethanSixSenses(right).Here,guestsenjoydailyyoga, gorgeoussuites,anaward-winningspaandfive-stardiningallsetagainst panoramicviewsoftheIndianOcean.

AlilaVillasUluwatu

Ifyouhave asoftspotforstunning minimalistaestheticsthenAlilaVillas istheplacetogo.Designedbyan award-winningarchitecturalfirm, eachsix-starvillacomeswitha 24-hourbutler,privatepooland million-dollarviewsoutacrossthe IndianOcean. Plus,ofcourse,access toworld-classrestaurants,outstanding spatreatmentsandunforgettableservice allthewaythrough.

WBali,Seminyak

WhenstayinginSeminyak,fewplacesaremoretrendyandluxurious thantheiconic WBali(below).Thisbeachfrontoasisboastsallthelavish featuresthatwillmakeyoufeellikeanA-listtravellerlikemassive beachsidepoolsandcushysunbeds,classybarsandoutdoorbreakfast buffets.Inyourprivatesoundproofvilla,expectprivateplungepools,stateof-the-artentertainmentsystems,Egyptiancottonsheetsandhuge terrazzobathtubswithplentyofexpensivespaproducts.

EscapeHaven,Canggu

HiddeninsidetheheartofCanggu,thisbrandnewwomen’swellness resorthasyoureverywhimcovered, whetheryouwanttolazebythe saltwaterpoolwith abookandfreshjuice,trytheinfraredsaunaatthe recoverycentre,dipintotheMoroccan-styleiceplungepoolorsoakyour musclesin aprivateJacuzzibath.Evenbetter,thesanctuaryiswithin walkingdistanceofthecity’sbestsurfbeaches,boutiqueshops, day spas andcafes.

HOT

inASIA

Stephanie Rosenbloomfinds some standoutaccommodationhas sprung up since the start of the pandemic

From ryokans overlooking ricefields to resorts on private islands,there’s no shortage of inviting placestostay in Asia. Here are 10 noteworthy newcomers —a modest selection given thehundredsoftantalising properties that have opened since the beginning of the pandemic.

Yet taken together, this handful of hotelsspans countries, tastes and budgets, from less than $100 anight to thousandsofdollars anight (all the properties below provided their ratesinUS dollars). Individually, each has some quality that makes it standout: its architecture, unconventional location,creative social spaces, debutas anew brand,intimate size or sheer opulence. Whether you’re consideringatrip to the pine forests of Bhutanorthe bustling capital of Vietnam, let these hotels be adeparturepoint for your imagination.

BHUTAN

Six SensesBumthang

Thereare just eight suites at Six Senses Bumthang, agraceful hideaway in aHimalayan pine forest. Some trees grow through the stone flooring of the terrace used for al fresco dining Others rise from the open-air vestibules of the suites. (There’salso atwo-bedroom villa to accommodate families or friendstravelling together.) Sitting atop ahillside, amidfarmland and ancientmonasteries, it’s aplum spot for forestbathing, anda bucolicbase fromwhich guests can set off for aBuddhist pilgrimage site, bike through fields dotted with prayerflags,or spend an afternoon foragingfor mushrooms.

Such activities seemfittingina kingdom knownfor its environmental consciousness and pioneering quality of life indicator, Gross National Happiness. Speaking of quality of life, guests can partake of different massages as well as rituals like the traditional dotsho, ahot-stone bath that uses mineral-rich stones from riverbeds.

Bumthangisthe most recentoffive lodges from Six Senses to open in Bhutan’s western and central valleys, forming acollection of properties

called Six SensesBhutan —the others are known as Thimphu, Punakha,Gangtey and Paro —that enable visitors with the timeand money to valleyhopthrough the kingdom

PricesfromUS$2100 ($3325) per night, includingtaxes, service chargeand daily fullboard meals.

CAMBODIA

Tribe PhnomPenh PostOffice

Aiming to attract the growing number of digital nomads, the 260-roomTribe PhnomPenh Post Office Square —the first Tribehotel in Cambodia —isdesigned to be aplace to not only restyour headbut to also socialise and work collaboratively. The lobby lounge beckons with candy-colouredcouches and workpodswith desks, enabling visitorstohang out or work remotely while sipping coffee from local roasters.A24-hourlobby bar, Tribe Express, meanssnacks and beverages are always on hand.There’s agym, or, as the hotel calls it, the Workout Atelier; an outdoor saltwater pool overlooking the MekongRiver; arooftop restaurant with indoor and outdoor seating;and arooftop bar shaped like asmall truck and known as MezcalMad Memories 21, where guests andlocals can rub shoulders and enjoy mezcalbased drinks.Rooms are modern and affordable, with floor-to-ceilingwindows and— for digital nomadswho happen to be nightowls —blackout blinds. When you’re ready to explore the capital, you’re within walkingdistance of WatPhnom temple andthe Royal Palace.

Pricesfrom US$89 per night.

CHINA

Moxy Shanghai Xuhui

Although only certain groups of travellerscan enter China right now —and those whodomay be subject to movement and access restrictions because of the government’s “zero-Covid” policy —Shanghai will likely be atop destination for

many foreign tourists when the countryfully opens.It’s acityofsumptuous hotels, andthe 253-room Moxy Shanghai Xuhuioffers young travellers alively andaffordable place from which to explore it. Check-in takes placeatthe lobby barand comes with acomplimentary cocktail called “Got Moxy.” Foosball and board gamesawait in the hotel’s communalspaces. And there’s a24-hour “ironing room”(you read that correctly) for those whowish to smooth the wrinkles out of their clothes before hitting the streets.

Prefer to pumpiron instead? The fitnesscentre is also open 24 hours. And so is aspottograb snacks, juice, coffee, wine and beer. Moxy’s gathering areas and its cheerful, industrial design seem tailor-made for travellers who value socialising and sightseeingmore than square footage. The 253 roomsare smalland streamlined, with peg walls rather than closets, foldup worktops and bedside USBports so there’s no crawling aroundhunting for an outlet. Whenit’s time to hit thetown,guests needn’t go far.The hotel is closetothe Bund, the historic promenade along the Huangpu River, and about a 15-minute car ridefromthe China Art Palace and the Shanghai Film Museum.

Prices from US$72 per night

INDIA

Set on a8.5ha private islandinRajasthan, RafflesUdaipur is the first Raffles hoteltoopen in India. Getting there is part of the fun. After about a20-minute drive fromthe airport,guests board aprivate boat for atrip across Udai Sagar Lake. Bird spottingisencouraged. Along the way, travellers might glimpse agreater flamingo,a painted stork or apied kingfisher

Supplied

Once on the island, visitors enter agrand hotel with nods to Mughalarchitecture, composed of 101 roomsand suites, each with features that make it hardtoleave,beita plunge pool, private

Main: The Six Senses Bumthang in Bhutan overlooksa Himalayan pine forest; above, Raffles Udaipur, whichisset on a 21-acre private island in Rajasthan, India Photos/

Raffles Udaipur

Continued from p63

garden,balcony, lakeview or some combination

For those seeking the sort of serenity you might expect from ahotelona private island, there are ornamental gardenstostroll and spots from whichtoadmire the surroundinghills of the Aravalli Range.

If aquiet cocktail sounds appealing, the Writer’s Bar is whereguests can sip and settle in with afavourite book. Didn’t bring your own? Choose one from the bar’s library. Champagne and caviar are alsoonthe menu. There are no shortage of placestodrink anddine on the island, includingRafflesPatisserie, for treats such as French desserts andbaked breads,and Sawai Kitchen, whichdrawsonrecipes from regional royalhouseholds to serve up Indian specialties

Prices fromUS$650 per night

INDONESIA

Buahan, aBanyan TreeEscape

The adults-only villas at Buahan, aBanyan Tree Escape in northern Ubud, Bali, are part of anew “no walls,nodoors” wilderness concept from Banyan Tree. It may sound abit like camping, but whilethe 16 spaciousvillasimmerseguests in nature,they’re afar cry from roughing it.

Each villahas aprivate pool, gazebo, open deck and breathtaking viewsofBalinese mountain peaks and jungle.Wood roofs hover above furnished indoor-outdoor livingand sleepingareas (shades on the sides can be rolled down for privacy or to keep out rain) with minibars, safety boxesand that rare jungle amenity —Wi-Fi.

In keeping with the hotel’s theme,open dining and lounge spaces were designedtoencourage community and to share withguests the property’szero-waste, farm-to-table philosophy.

Much of the menu is plant-based and sourced locally. The resort also serves up local adventures, including jungle trekking and crossing the Ayung River, visiting the Buahan waterfall and practisingyoga by moonlight.

Prices from US$1000 per nightfor a villa.

JAPAN

HoshinoResort KAIYufuin

Lovers of architecture may want to pack their bagsfor this hot springryokan designedbyKengo Kuma, renowned for buildings such as the Suntory Museum of Art and the JapanNational Stadium in Tokyo. Along way from the capital, Hoshino Resort KAI Yufuinis in rural southern JapaninYufuin Onsen, home to abundant spring water andhot springsources —and to stirring views of Mount Yufu.

Guests candip into bathsfed by thehot springs, or relax and gazeout overthe ricefields from the rice terrace deck. As the seasons change, so do the rice terraces, transforming from green to gold and then to ricestraw after the autumn harvest. The spare, 45-roomresortendeavours to bring the outside in.

The prefecture’s giant timberbamboo was used for headboards and sofas. Even the scents of the region have found their way indoors thanks to lighting that uses shichitoi grass, filling the air with its faint aroma.

Prices fromaboutUS$269pp per night in atwo-person room, includingtax and service charges as well as breakfast and dinner.

SINGAPORE

The ClanHotelSingapore

Named for atime when 19th-century settlers formed clan associationsastheybegan new lives in the city, the 324-room Clan Hotel Singapore is the first property under the Clan hotel brand by Far East Hospitality.Knittingtogether old and new traditions in aneighbourhood of shophouses and skyscrapers, the hotel restaurant and bar, QIN, offersfresh takes on classic Asiandishes and serves cocktails with names inspired by the Zodiac,including the Ox, the Tiger and the Dragon. An outdoor terracelounge is an escape

Main: An interior view of oneofthe villasatBuahan, aBanyan TreeEscape in Ubud, Bali; above, Hoshino Resort KAI Yufuin, a luxurioushot spring ryoken in southern Japan; below, Thepool at Josun Palace, in Seoul's stylish Gangnamneighborhood Photos/ Supplied

from the bustling streets.And the aptly named Sky Gym and Sky Pool (shower andchanging facilities are available for those checking in early or checking out late) offer soaring viewsofthe city.

When you are ready to come down, the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple & Museum and Thian Hock Keng Temple, among the oldest Chinese temples in Singapore, area short walk away. Popular tourist destinations, such as Gardens by the Bay, Marina Bay Sands,the ArtScience Museum and SkyPark ObservationDeck, are also nearby.

Prices fromaboutUS$350 per night (that includes a10per centservice charge andSingapore’s goods andservices tax).

SOUTH KOREA

Josun Palace, aLuxury Collection Hotel, Seoul Gangnam

While JosunPalace,aLuxury Collection Hotel, Seoul Gangnam considers itself part of atradition datingtothe early 20th century when one of the firstluxury hotels in Korea was built, it’s asleek getawayinthe heart of modern-day Gangnam— the stylishneighbourhoodknown for shopping and nightlife (not to mention the earwormK-pop song).

The first Luxury Collection hotel in South Korea,it’s near some of the Royal Tombs of the JoseonDynasty, part of the Unesco World Heritage list, and the Bongeunsa, aBuddhist temple datingto the eighth century,enablingguests to spend the morningtravellingthrough history and the afternoon indulgingin retailtherapy at thevast Starfield COEX Mall or checking outthe sharks at the COEX Aquarium.Onreturningtothe hotel, travellers can choosefrom several placesto satetheir appetites,including modern Cantonese finediningatthe Great Hong Yuan and Korean contemporary foodatEatanic Garden.Asweet toothmay be satisfiedlickety-split with pastries, cakes, coffee and tea from Josun Deli the Boutique.Afterwards, you canwind downwhile soaking up impressiveviewsofthe cityscape from one of the 254 cream-coloured roomsand suites.

Prices from US$245 per night.

THAILAND

Amongits 80 rooms and suites are Funky Poolside roomswith terraces that opentoa courtyardpool, and Groovy Sea View suiteswith balconiesand vinyl record players. You can spin asoundtracktoyour vacation or, for asoireein your suite worthyofInstagram, the hotelwill lend you costumes and wigs at no cost.

Forrevelryona granderscale, the retro-style SEEN BeachClub Samui has pool parties, live bands, DJsand amenuwith something for almost any craving, be it sushi, tacos, or Thai specialties.

Comfortfood and cocktails are also available at the hotel 24 hoursa day at Social Bar. And for those who workout as hard as theyparty, there’s a24-hour fitness facility, too

Pricesfrom US$170per night, which includes anumber of amenities, such as an arrival airport transfer, awelcome drink at Social Bar and daily breakfast.

VIETNAM

Capella Hanoi

On aquiet, leafy boulevard in the city’s capital, steps from the Hanoi Opera House and the Old Quarter, Capella Hanoi conjures the glamour and high society of opera in the Roaring 20s.

The hotel’s theatrical, art nouveau style is the work of Bill Bensley, the architect anddesigner known for creatingtransportive environments for luxury hotels around the world. Almost everywhere the eye lands is an ode to opera.

The 47 plushrooms and suites(some with Frenchbalconies,others with terraces) are decorated with operatic memorabilia.

At the Backstage restaurant, opera costumes set the scene for freshtakes on Northern Vietnamese cuisine, while at Diva’s Lounge, cocktails and Vietnamese-inspired tapas can be savoured against abackdrop of mirrors and red velvet curtains.

Even the indoor swimming pool was madeto look fit for aprima donna. Referred to as La Grotta, it’s aglossy respite illuminatedby chandeliers andmirrors.

Pricesfrom US$380per night

AvaniChaweng Samui Hotel &Beach Club Inspired by midcentury modernism,the Avani Chaweng Samui Hotel &Beach Clubaimsto evoke 1950s Miamiand Palm Beach, Florida, on asandybeach in Koh Samui

Made in Manhattan

Anewkid onthe blockiscompetingfortheattentionofNew York’selitehotelclientele,writes HeatherMurphy

Overthepastdecade,a gilded collectionofelitehotelsnear CentralParkhaveviedforthe distinction ofbeingthemost expensiveinNew York.Several,includingtheSt.Regis, CarlyleandthePlaza,openedmorethan80years ago.Most,includingtheBaccarat, arelative newcomer,greetguestswithsparkly chandeliers.

Thisyear, anew,relativelyunderstated, crystal-chandelier-rejectingplayerarrivedto challengethem:theAmanNewYork,inthe CrownBuildingacrossfromTrumpTower.At US$3200($5000)anight —andoftenfarmore— forthecheapestavailableroom,the costofentryisnearlytriplethat oftherest.

Forthatprice,guestsgetat least69sq mofspacein mutedcolours,withgas fireplaces,retractableflatscreenTVsand Instagram-worthy bathroomslargerthan manyNewYork bedrooms. Oak floors and glowingJapanese-inspired screenscompletethelook.If theyhavethefunds,guests cantakeitup anotch and spend US$36,000 anighttoreservetwo adjoiningsuitesanda halfdayina privatespafeaturingitsownhammamand plungepool.

AllAmanguestsgetaccessto ajazzclub,an expansivegreenery-filledterrace,anindoorpool, asaunaand acryotherapychamberwherethey candrownouttheheatandchaosofmidtown beforereturningtotheirrooms.There,noise levelshoveronpodcast-studiolevelsofquiet, accordingto astaffmember,whoadmittedthat mostpodcasterscannotaffordtostayatthehotel.

Allofthisispart of thebillionaireCEO’s attempttoprovethattheAmanbrand’sversion ofserenityandexclusivity,originallyforgedin remotelocationsinAsia,canalsosucceedin midtownManhattan.Otherurbanoutpostsinthe US,includinginMiamiBeach,Florida,and

BeverlyHills,California,areslatedtoopen,as well.

“Sincepurchasingthebrandin2014,mystrategyhasbeentobringtheAmanexperienceto urbandestinations,aswellascontinuingtogrow ourremotelocations,”VladislavDoronin,59,the ownerandCEO,wroteinanemail,addingthat heaimstotakethe“Amanresortexperiencefrom thehorizontaltothevertical.”

Hisstrategyalsoincludescreating amembersonlyAmanClubwithinnewhotelsthatcosts US$200,000perlocationtojoin,andexpanding theAmanproductline(anewaddition:Aman NewYorkfragrance).

Already, Doronin,a SovietUnion-born Swedishcitizenwhomade afortune developingrealestateinRussia beforeheboughtAmanResorts in2014,seemstohaveproved thathecangenerateintrigue.Beforethehotel opened,evensome “founders,”asmembers arecalled,saidthey struggledtosecurereservationsattheNewYork property.Eric Adams,the mayorofNewYork,was spottedatopening festivities.

ManyoftheAman’s22residencesatopthehotel’s83guest roomswerepricedhighevenforBillionaire’sRow,asthesurroundingneighbourhoodiscalled.Andyettheyseemtobeselling. Ifthefive-storeypenthouseresidenceclosesfor US$180million,thepricerealestatenewssites reportedthatitwentintocontractfor,itwould bethethirdmostexpensivehomeeversoldin theUS,accordingtoJonathanMiller, aNew York-basedrealestateappraiser.

Aman’sapproachtoservice,designandprivacyhascreated acadreofself-described“Aman junkies” —celebrities,uber-richpeopleand othertravellersintentonvisitingeachofthe Amanresortsscatteredin20countries.

“Onceyougotoone,youbecomeaddictedto thisfeelingthatthehotelcanachieveinyou,” said afrequentguestwhodidn’twantto be named

daysDec14Jan09.$13,900

Features:Returnairfares, 2nightsIguassufalls withsightseeing, BuenosAires,21 nightHollandAmerica“Oosterdam”cruise includingMontevideo,PuntadelEste, FalklandIslands,4 days cruisingAntarctica Peninsula(nolandings),CapeHorn,Ushuaia, PuntaArenas,ChileanFjords,PuertoMontt,Santiago.

make.

Aman’sgoal,accordingtothechiefoperating officer,istoaddatleast adozenresortstothe existingportfolioof34within afewyears.But withitsurbanexpansion,itshierarchicalclubs andsheernumberofproperties,willthemagic wearthin?

Discretion, peace andunicorns AmanResortsemergedbychance.Inthelate 1980s,IndonesianpublisherandhotelierAdrian Zecha —amansocharismaticthathewasamong thefirstpeopletoconvinceRupertMurdochto investinAsia —was walkingalongthebeach inPhuket,Thailand,andfellinlovewitha coconutplantation.Planstobuild aholidayhome morphedinto avisionof aboutiquehotel,which heconstructedwithEdTuttle,anAmerican architect.Tuttlehadnevercreated ahotel,but heunderstoodluxury;hispreviousprojectsincludeddesigninga holidaypalacefortheShah ofIranbeforehewasoverthrown.

Amanpuri,whichmeans“placeofpeace”in Sanskrit,accordingtotheresort,openedin Phuketin1988.Overthecomingdecades,Zecha createdAmansthroughouttheworld,typically workingwithTuttleortwootherarchitects:

Jean-MichelGathy and Kerry Hill.Thefocuswas onbuilding luxurious, typically minimalist,resortsthatflowed seamlesslyintothespectacular surroundinglandscapes.

Billionairesandcelebrities, includingBillGates and Prince, flockedtotheresorts,partlybecausediscretionwas acorepart ofthebrand.Servicewasalso reliablyexceptional.Eachguest wouldgetoneortwostaffmembersassignedentirelytothem, saidMiguelGuedesDeSousa,the generalmanageroftheAmanjena inMoroccoandtheAmanpuloin thePhilippinesfrom2003to2013. “Duringtheirstay,they’dhaveno daysoffandworkasmany hours aspossiblesothattheycouldbe totallyfocusedonthatclient,”he said.

Theextremepamperingpersiststo thisday.LaurenTrenkle,37,of ManhattanBeach,California,andher husbandhavebeencelebratingtheir now6-year-olddaughter’sbirthdayat theAmangiriinUtahsincesheturned 3.Duringthatfirstvisit,thestaff learnedthatthetoddlerlikedunicorns, sotheydressedup ahorseas aunicorn. Whenthefamilyreturnedtotheir room,theyfound aframedphotoofthe girl’smythicalencounter.

“Shethinksit’stheonlyplacewe gettoseeunicorns,”Trenklesaidof theannualtradition.

By2013,Zechanolongerownedthecompany. WhenanIndianrealestatecompanydecidedto sellit,OmarAmanat,anAmericanmovieproducerandentrepreneur,approachedhimabout tryingtobuyitback.Theyteamedupwith Doronin,whohadbeenstayingatAmanpropertiessincethe90s.

GuedesDeSousaremembersorganisinga birthdaydinnerin aromanticallylittentfor Doroninandhisthenpartner,NaomiCampbell, inMarrakech,backwhentheywerejustanother Amanpowercouple.ComparedtoKingSalman ofSaudiArabia,whosometimesboughtoutthe Marrakechhotel,orthemanwhorequested 20,000candlesandfreshlobstersinthemiddle ofthedesert,theywerelow-key,hesaid.

Doroninsaw amissed opportunitytoexpand Amantocities,where,hewroteinanemail,it wasdifficulttofindAman-calibre“tranquillity andpeace.”So,in2014he,AmanatandZecha acquiredAmanResortsforUS$358million.

Thepartnershipdidnotgosmoothly,and lawsuitsovercontrolofthecompanyensued.In 2016 acourtinLondonissuedanorderstating thatDoroninhadsettled withAmanat’scompany andthatDoronin wasincharge.NeitherAmanat norZechaiscurrentlyinvolvedinAman.(Efforts tocontactAmanatandZechathroughtheir lawyersandmediateamswereunsuccessful.)

In2015,Doronintookanothergamble.Heand Shvo, aluxuryrealestatedeveloper,purchased the20upperfloorsoftheCrownBuildingonthe cornerofFifthAvenueandEast57thStreet.

NewYork,itwashoped,wouldprovethat AmancouldthriveinUScities.Sevenyearslater, theAman New Yorkisfinallyputtingthatidea tothetest.

Inthemonthsbeforetheopening,however, Doronindrewunwelcomescrutiny,firstinNew York,whereprotestersgatheredinMarchnear thethen-unopenedhotelanddemandedtoknow hisstanceonRussia’sinvasionofUkraine,and thenfor alanddealinAspen,Colorado.Doronin sued thepublishers of the two news outlets the RealDeal,inNewYork,andthe AspenTimes —formisrepresentingDoronin’stiestoRussia. The AspenTimes settledwithhimandhedropped hissuitagainstthe RealDeal,courtdocuments show.Hehasdeniedthathehasdonebusiness inRussiainrecentyearsanddenouncedRussia’s aggressiontowardUkraine.

Location,location,location

MuchofthelegendaryAmanallurehastodowith itslocations.TheAmangiriissetin aserene Mars-likeswathofdesertinUtah.Amanwana ison asmallIndonesianisland,amid anature andmarinereserve.Aman SvetiStefanisseton theformersummerresidenceof aqueenin Montenegro.

Butwhileguestsatotherlocationsgazeattea fields,ancienttemples,verdantvalleys andlappingwaves,guestsatAmanNewYorkgazeat TrumpTower,luxurystoresandhonkingtaxis.

Onwhatwassupposedtobeopeningnightin earlyAugust, Itried —andfailed— togainaccess tothehotel.Peeringthroughthedoors, Ispotted abeigecouchwrappedinplastic.Yes,itwas supposedtoopenthisweek, adoorattendanttold me,butithadbeenpushedbackuntilthe followingweek.

Since Iwasthere,Idecidedtoexplorethe neighbourhood.I walkedpasttheBulgaristore onthegroundflooroftheCrownBuilding,past thepolicecarinfrontofTrumpTower.Eventually, IarrivedatthePeninsulaHotel,oneofthe 10orsoluxuryhotelsinthearea.Atthebar, amanwhodescribedhimselfas“someonewho investsinthings”explainedthatthereasonthe hotelcouldchargeU$28($44)for acocktailisthat because,after9/11,manyinthefinanceindustry movedherefromtheWallStreetarea.

Thisispartofthereasonthereisspacefor theAmanhotelandclub,severalluxurytravel agentsexplainedto me.Internationaltravellers wanttobenearCentralPark,high-endshopping andtheMuseumofModernArt —andbankers andtraderswantsomewheretodrink.

“It’stheinternetbubbleofluxurytravelright now,”saidJuanFernandez,theownerofElli TravelGroup,anagencybasedinNewYork,who hasfoundthatashisclientsemergefromtheir “Covidhangover,”theyarenotonlywilling,but alsoexcitedtospendmorethanthey’veever spentbefore. —NewYorkTimes

Your dream NewZealandholidayawaits

SPECIALINTERESTTOURS

Regionaltourstailoredforspecificthemesoractivities

Wingsover Wairarapa 24-27Feb2023, 4daysfrom $1,910pp

Fullofthrillsandexcitement!Experienceaviationmasterpieces withgrounddisplaysand aspectacularflyingprogrammeat Wingsover Wairarapa.

CanterburyHighCountryStations 10-15Mar2023, 6daysfrom$3,380pp Joinuson atourexploringremoteHighCountryStations; includesvisitstoMount Torlesse,RubiconStation,Erewhon StationandGlenfallochStation.

ExperienceFiordland’sGreat Walks 17-23Mar2023, 7daysfrom$5,635 AnamazingwayforyoutosamplesomeofNewZealand’s mostawe-inspiringlandscapesandGreat Walks,plusother excitingFiordlandactivities.

KapitiIslandNatureEncounter 17-20Mar2023, 4daysfrom$1,960 Enjoy acruisefromParaparaumutoKapitiIslandfor aguided historyandnaturewalk. We alsovisitSouthwardsCarMuseum andZealandia WildlifeSanctuary. ArtDecoFestivalWeekend

17-20Feb2023, 4daysfrom$1,570pp

ComealongwithusasweattendtheannualArtDecoFestival heldinNapier.Thisuniquefestivalhas awiderangeof activitiesandevents,hundredsofvintagecarsaswellasflying displays,andeverythingArtDeco.Betransportedtoanother timeasguestsandlocalsdressupin1920’sglamour.

NORTHISLANDTOURS

Arangeoftrulydiverseholidayexperiences

Hauraki GulfIsland Hopper 2-7Mar2023, 6daysfrom$4,290pp

Comealongforan‘islandhopping’experienceaswe base ourselvesnearAuckland’svibrantwharfandspendeach day cruisingto adifferentisland.

GreatBarrierIslandEscape TwoMarch2023departures, 4daysfrom$2,395pp Joinusfor atrulyunforgettableexperienceasweexplorethe uniquecharacterandoutstandingpristineenvironmentof GreatBarrierIsland.

Lake WaikaremoanaandGentleAnnie 28Mar-1Apr2023, 5daysfrom$2,125pp Notoftenvisitedbyindependenttravellers,thesetwohistorical areasarefullofhistory, gorgeousviews,andextremely interestingtodiscover.

CoromandelSights andBeaches 27Apr-1May2023, 5days from$2,115pp

Visitgoldensandbeachesandmagnificentnativeforests.This tourincorporatessomeofthebestsightsandbeachesofthe CoromandelPeninsula.

BayofIslands &Northland Getaway

27Mar-2Apr2023, 7daysfrom$3,085pp

Northland; aregionrichincultureandhistory, andblessed with apristinenaturalenvironment. We explorethisbeautiful destinationvisitinghighlightssuchastheMatakoheKauri Museum,HundertwasserArt Centre,Kerikeri MissionHouse, CapeReinga,andthe Waitangi TreatyHouse.

SOUTH ISLANDTOURS Experiencespectacularsceneryandlandscapes

DestinationDunedin 14-19Feb2023, 6daysfrom3,530pp

Nelsonand Farewell Spit 20-25Mar2023, 6daysfrom$3,310pp

DiscovertheoutstandingnaturalbeautyofFarewellSpit, with stunningviews,sanddunes,thehistoriclighthouse,FossilPoint andCapeFarewell.

WestCoastWilderness

28Mar-4Apr2023, 8daysfrom$5,290pp

Exploretherugged WestCoast; awildplaceofrivers, rainforests,glaciersandhiddengemswithmanylocalactivities includedastourhighlights.

PreservationInletCruise

14-22Apr2023, 9daysfrom$6,515 pp

Takethetripof alifetimetoexplorefiveofNewZealand’s southernmostandseldomvisitedfiordsonboardtheMilford Wanderer!

Visitourwebsitetoseethefulltouringprogrammeor contactusfor acopyofourtravelbrochure

Luxuryhasn't always been synonymouswith family holidays butcompanies like Uniworldare changing the game. Photos/ Supplied; YTL Hotels

For all the family

Theworld is increasinglyopen to holidaysthat benefit childrenand parents, writes Alexia Santamaria

The words “luxury travel” and “kids” were not so commonly found in the same sentence adecadeago, but now increasing numbers of parents are investing in holidaysthat meana greattime for them, as well as their children —without compromisingcreature comforts. Here are some ideas the whole family will love to explore in 2023.

BORNEO

Located on Gaya Islandoff the coast of Borneo, Gaya IslandResort is not only agreat eco-luxury accommodation for families but an incredible opportunity to get up close and personal with local wildlife. The resort is set within the protected Tunku Abdul RahmanMarine Park so animal encounters are everywhere, even just outside yourroom. Get involvedwith the turtle rescueprogramme, coral reef restoration,kayak through the mangroves,visit afireflyhabitat restoration andeven aProboscis Monkeyplatform.There is also aguided nightwalking tour Roomsare beautifuland there’s an onsite spa set rightinnature —you can also do culinary tours, beach barbecues,snorkelling expeditions, sunset cruises and so much more. gayaislandresort.com

AUSTRALIA

Amulti-daytraintrip is an unforgettable luxury experience for families, andJourney Beyond’s rail excursions across the enormousland mass that is Australia are the perfect place to start. The Ghan is perhaps the most famous, running from Adelaide to Darwin through the red heart of the outback. These trains feellike stepping back into abygone era with first-rate dining, elegant private cabins and the romance of atime long past. For theultimate luxury experience, book the Chairman’sCarriagePlatinumService, whichfeatures three double cabinsand one twin cabin,sleeping up to eight guests. But don’t fear the concept of too much “quality familytime” in an enclosed space. There are plenty of off-train excursions (Katherine, AliceSprings and Manguri) so everyone can stretchtheir legs and have some time out. journeybeyondrail.com.au

TAHITI

Bora BorainTahiti haslongbeen known as one of themost beautiful destinations in the world,

but it’s not just for couples on romantic breaks.

The Four Seasons Bora Bora has aKids for All Seasons programme (ages 5-12) which includes aplayroom,video games, shallow splash pad and outdoor gamesaswellasdaily activities such as hermit crab racingand coconut painting. There are introductory dive lessons for children aged 8and older, snorkelling sessions with a marine biologist and Tahitianarts and craft sessions. There are also all the usualactivities you can do together, like stand-up paddle boarding andkayaking. The perfect blend of family timeand some breaks from your darling offspring when you need it. fourseasons.com/borabora/servicesand-amenities/family

CRUISE

Only launchedin August of thisyear, the Norwegian Prima Cruise ship is all your family’s luxury travel dreams come true. It hasthe most outdoor deck space of any new build, 18 dining venues, 17 barsand lounges andthe two-bedroom family villas with large balconies are perfect to give everyone enough personalspace. Kids —and adults— willlovethe world’sfirst three-level go-kart racetrackatsea andduelling slides The Drop (plunging 10 storeys at speed) or The Rush (sliding from deck 18 downtodeck 8). There are more than 40 virtual experiences including an escape room,flying simulator and virtual golf courses; an aqua park, pool deck (including tidal wavewaterslide andinfinity hot tubs as well as the main pool), and The Stadium —think tabletop shuffleboard, pickleball, subsoccer, and twists on ping pong and foosbal. The Food Hall operatesall day with 11 casual dining stations catering to all tastes. Yes, even your fussiest young family members.It’s the perfect way to explore Europe and the Caribbean. ncl.com

River cruising is amagical way to see any country andUniworld’s GenerationsCollection meansyou can bring the kids on your luxury excursiontoo.These are special sailings

featuring altered itineraries and onboardexperiences for ayounger crowd. This means offship excursions like castle visits, riverswimming fun, bolognese pasta workshops, sand dune boarding —and even meeting local kids —aswell as on-ship additions like kid-friendly menus, special dining tablesreservedfor children (optional of course), cooking and dessert classesonboard with the chef,craft workshops, dedicatedfamily hoststooverseeactivities, kids-only movie nights, complimentary use of bicycles on shoreand so muchmore. Available on selected European itineraries as well as Splendours of Egypt andthe Nile uniworld.com/nz

ASPEN

If you’reaskiing family, Aspen is undoubtedly on your radar. The Little Nell is Aspen’s only five-star, fivediamond hotelwith skiin/ski-out access to the mountain.You’ll find spacious guest roomsand suites, two restaurants, two barsand two speakeasies for adults but also things like connecting rooms, cots, strollers, car seats,highchairs, babybathtubs, stuffed animals, kids’ robes and slippers, kids’ teepees, games, children’s room service menus and most importantly —babysittingservices so you can enjoysome time with and without your kids on the slopes thelittlenell.com

NEW ZEALAND

If youwant to keep it local there are plentyof luxurylodgesthatwill accommodate families right here in Aotearoa, includingThe Farm at Cape Kidnappers, Annandale, Blanket Bay Lodge,Hapuku Lodge+ Treetops and Wharekauhau Lodge.Depending on the location, there’s avariety of activitiestodoasa family —thinkfly fishing, horse riding, kayaking, farm tours, whale watching,mountain biking, surfing, wildlife colonies...truly somethingfor all ages and stages.

luxurylodgesofnz.co.nz

GayaIsland Resort in Borneo offers many opportunities to getup close to nature; The minigolfcourse on board NorwegianPrima.

NEXTYEAR

After ayearfullofadventure,the Travel team isreadytotakeofffor awell-earnedholiday. ThisisourlastissueofTuesday Travel for 2022,butyoucanfindsomegreat Sunday Travel pagesinthisweek’s Reset magazine, insidethe HeraldonSunday (onsaleSunday, December18).We’llbebackintheNewYear, rested,revivedandraringtogo.

Findusinthe NewZealandHerald, Bayof PlentyTimes, Hawke’sBayToday, Northern Advocate, RotoruaDailyPost and Whanganui Chronicle onTuesdayJanuary10.

Wewishyou amerryChristmas/meri Kirihimeteandhopeyougettoenjoya wonderfulbreakwithyournearestand dearest.

Thanksforcomingalongforthejourney thisyearandwe’llseeyouin2023.

Ma¯tewa¯

Photo /Getty Images