PRIVATE JET ESCAPES: BESPOKE STAYS IN AFRICA 25 THINGS TO DO IN HONG KONG
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Helen Dalley
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A LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
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Paul Lo
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elcome to the last issue of Jetsetter for 2020, a tumultuous year for the travel industry with borders closed, flights grounded and holiday plans postponed due to the pandemic. We’re tentatively hoping that travel can open up again in 2021 and we can revive those activities that provide so much pleasure on the road, like finding a fabulous beach off the beaten track on an unfamiliar isle, or ordering a cocktail you’ve never heard of in a sleek rooftop bar. This issue, we’re zooming in on some of Asia’s best islands – eight of them to be exact – including laid-back Koh Yao Noi on the edge of Phang Nga Bay and the upscale surrounds of Banwa, a private island sanctuary in a marine protected area in Northeastern Palawan. It may be a while before you get there but it’s always fun to plan future trips. Find your favourite of our eight by turning to page p66. With travellers understandably keen to eschew the crowds, the pandemic is changing travel for good. One new trend that’s emerging sees private jet firms teaming up with boutique travel agencies to offer
once-in-a-lifetime trips. Robyn Tucker-Peck reports on Roar Prive's upscale African experiences on page 36. Knowing that many of you haven’t ventured out of Hong Kong for a while (and may not plan to do so just yet), we’ve also pulled together an article on 25 things to do in the city (p42) from forest bathing in Tai Po Kau nature reserve with nature guide Jasmine Munns to private tours of European and Asian curios at Hollywood Road’s Liang Yi museum. Elsewhere in the issue, we step back to the time of the maharajahs with a piece on India’s pink city Jaipur (p88) and review an extraordinary property in the Scottish Highlands, the Fife Arms (p80). Here more than 16,000 pieces of artwork, including a painting from Picasso and another from Lucian Freud, can be admired while you’re having afternoon tea in the drawing room or relaxing in a sumptuous sofa in the lobby. Whether you’re travel ready or not quite there yet, we wish you all the best for the rest of the year…
Helen Dalley Managing Editor
CONTRIBUTORS
Robyn-Tucker Peck
brings more than 30 years’ magazine experience working in London, Chicago, Hong Kong and Vancouver for magazines including Cosmopolitan, Tatler and Homes and Gardens. Her experience in the luxury industry worldwide has given her an expansive story telling capability. She reports on the trend for private jet getaways, specifically Roar Privé's upscale African experiences, on page 36.
Denis Fahy,
Jetsetter’s publisher, has been based in Hong Kong since 1988 and established the magazine in 2009. In this issue, he reviews Italian restaurant Castellana Hong Kong, which showcases ingredients and receipes from Piedmont, one of Italy’s most esteemed regional cuisines. Read his review on p106.
Robyn Tucker-Peck Contributing Editor
Darryl Scott
d.scott@jetsetter-magazine.com Advertising Director
Fatima Cameira
fatima@jetsetter-magazine.com Marketing Director John Murphy john@jetsetter-magazine.com Advertising Director (Thailand)
Tammy Fong
tammy@jetsetter-magazine.com Travel Industry Relationship Director
Laurence James
laurence.james@jetsetter-magazine.com Chief Representative, Europe JETSETTER is registered as a newspaper & periodical. JETSETTER is published by Jetsetter Ltd JETSETTER is printed by Jetsetter Ltd Suite A, 14/F Bangkok Bank Building, 28 Des Voeux Rd, Central, Hong Kong Level 20 HKRI Centre Tower 2 288 Shimen 1st Road, Jing'an District, Shanghai, China 200041 616 Corporate Way, Suite 2-5706 Valley Cottage, NY 10989 USA Tel +852 2885 7885
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CONTENTS AUTUMN 2020
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66
80
Sim Canetty-Clarke
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80
88
Familiarise yourself with the city’s contemporary architecture and sumptuous suites – and the best dim sum joints in town
The Fife Arms’ traditional Scottish décor is headily juxtaposed next to the hotel’s contemporary artworks, says Helen Dalley
Jaipur’s old palaces and forts recall the days of the maharajahs, just like many of its luxury hotels, says Helen Dalley
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As demand for private jet charters soar, Roar Privé is offering bush and beach holidays of a lifetime, says Robyn Tucker-Peck
Cigar aficionado Eric Piras, owner of Bertie Lounge, talks cigar trends, collectibles and spirits pairings
Head chef at Rosewood’s Chaat, Manav Tuli has put a high-end twist on classic Indian street food
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Macao-born racing driver Andre Couto tells us what makes the Macao Grand Prix so special ahead of the event this November
Castellana Hong Kong offers up the flavours of the Piedmont region on a plate, says Denis Fahy
CITY GUIDE Get to Know Guangzhou
FEATURE Private Jet Getaways
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FEATURE 25 Things to Do in Hong Kong Get to know the city more intimately with our list of 25 activities, from app-led heritage walks to private museum tours
HOTEL REVIEW An Arty Stay
INSIDER Smokin’ Hot
INSIDER Racing Line
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Fancy a change from Bali and Phuket? Here’s eight Asian islands waiting to be discovered whenever you’re ready to travel…
AirAsia CEO Tony Fernandes says the airline has switched its focus to domestic travel and diversified its interests
FEATURE Island Life
FEATURE A Vision in Pink
IN THE KITCHEN Upscale Indian
RESTAURANT REVIEW Piedmont Paradise
INSIDER Flying in the Face of the Pandemic PRIVATE JET ESCAPES: BESPOKE STAYS IN AFRICA 25 THINGS TO DO IN HONG KONG
BLISSED-OUT STAYS ON EIGHT ASIAN ISLES
PEOPLE
PLACES
PROPERTY
PLAY
Cover image of the Perhentian Islands, Malaysia by Gaddafi Rusli
ROOM WITH A VIEW
BANGKOK BATHING The bathroom at the Sukothai Suite at 137 Pillars Bangkok affords stellar views of the city skyline
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ot all bathrooms are created equal. Take, for example, the Sukothai Suite at boutique hotel 137 Pillars Suites & Residences Bangkok in Thonglor, where you can soak in the hotel’s signature circular bath, glass of champagne in hand, and drink in commanding vistas over the Thai capital. The bathroom comes with its own built-in TV, so you can also catch up on your favourite shows encased in bubbles. Once you’re ready to step out, grab your iPad or holiday paperback, and perhaps another glass of champers, and recline on the bathroom sofa. Each of the hotel’s 34 suites includes butler service and are fitted out with a Maxi Bar & Wine Cellar, while the lounge area features signature rocking chairs and daybed, while large balconies are the perfect spot for a sundowner. Fancy a dip? All suite guests get 24-hour access to the rooftop infinity pool on the 27th floor. 137pillarsbangkok.com
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ROOM WITH A VIEW
Gaze out over Bangkok from the signature circular bath at 137 Pillars Suites & Residences
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INTRODUCING
A STYLISH WELCOMEIN
WAN CHAI Design-conscious hotel the Hari Hong Kong will make its Wan Chai debut this Winter
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et to open this Winter in Wan Chai, The Hari Hong Kong is the second hotel from independent home-grown brand Harilela Hotels following the opening of the Belgravia-based Hari London in 2016. Located on buzzing Lockhart Road, Causeway Bay’s sleek shopping malls and Wan Chai’s independent bars and boutiques are both on the doorstep, as is the Wan Chai Ferry Pier should you fancy a jaunt on the Star Ferry across to Tsim Sha Tsui. The hotel has 210 rooms including three signature rooftop suites designed by architect Tara Bernerd, founder and CEO of Tara Bernerd & Partners, who also designed The Hari London. F&B options include Japanese restaurant Zoku, where robata grilled dishes and sushi can be savoured from the formal dining area, bar lounge or terrace bar, a palette of pink offset by khaki velvet banquettes, patterned fabrics and sculptural furniture. Similarly chic is Italian restaurant Lucciola, which will serve up regional classics against timber-lined walls and a bold palette of ambers and green. Want a stylish setting to meet? There’s also a boardroom that can host 10. thehari.com
A suite at Wanchai’s Hari Hong Kong hotel, which will open this December
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INTRODUCING Take care of yourself at Raffles Bali by signing up for the Emotional Wellbeing programme
BALINESE DREAM
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Raffles Bali has opened its first Indonesian resort in Jimbaran Bay
erched on a hill overlooking Jimbaran Bay, which is renowned island-wide for its dazzling sunsets, Raffles Bali is the brand’s first resort on the Indonesian isle. The resort has just 32 private pool villas, each with their own outdoor terrace, and beach lovers can hit the sand at the resort’s private beach. One of the big draws of staying at a Raffles property is its discreet butler service – it was the one of the first hotel groups to offer such a service after all. The resort’s Wellbeing Butlers offer an insider’s view on local customs and can arrange cultural experiences including temple dance ceremonies. It’s not just the butler service that is influenced by Balinese culture at Raffles Bali. The villas embrace local design with rich hardwood floors and rattan furniture inside and out, while soft batik tapestries hanging behind the king beds made by local
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craftsmen deliver an artisanal flourish. Dining options include intimate candlelit dinners at The Secret Cave, where you can bond with your beau undercover of flickering torches in an ancient cave located within the heart of the resort. Alternatively, arrange dinner at Rumari, which offers a contemporary, luxurious take on traditional Balinese and Indonesian cuisine (maluku scallops with cucumber sorbet, tuna sambal with caviar) from its position at the highest point of the resort. Don’t forget to drop in for a sundowner at Raffles’ iconic Writers Bar and the adjoining Library – the Bali Sling offers an Indonesian take on the legendary cocktail. In a nod to Bali’s long and continued association with spirituality and wellness, the resort is the first to debut Emotional Wellbeing by Raffles, a holistic approach to wellness that sees guests guided through experiences, spaces and rituals throughout their stay. raffles.com
INTRODUCING
UPSCALE AUCKLAND Park Hyatt opens its first hotel in New Zealand on the North Island
Park Hyatt Auckland represents the brand’s first hotel in New Zealand
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oasting expansive views across Wynyard Quarter's Lighter Basin and out to Waitematā Harbour, New Zealand’s first Park Hyatt hotel will open doors this Autumn. Designed by Singapore’s ar+d and New Zealand’s Bossley Architects, the sevenstorey hotel resembles a Māori house, or wharenui. The exterior of the hotel is intended to resemble a Māori cloak around the building, while traditional Māori artworks and native carvings line the hotel entrance. Characterised by expansive living areas and floor-to-ceiling windows, most guest
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rooms overlook the Lighter Quay or harbour, and marble bathrooms feature a separate walk-in shower and deep-soaking bath. All 195 guestrooms feature Māori accents, including custom-designed tukutuku (woven latticework) panels and rugs made from New Zealand wool. The culinary team is helmed by executive chef Brent Martin, a New Zealander who has returned home after more than 20 years managing restaurants in some of the world’s top hotels. The hotel’s signature restaurant, Onemata, is driven by seasonal ingredients supplied by New Zealand food artisans and suppliers while the Captain’s Bar offers cocktails and sharing platters with a sideorder of skyline views. hyatt.com
We look forward to creating more memories like this with you. Follow us and keep the wanderlust alive. hotelnikkobali Our Partner in Cleanliness, Health and Safety Program
Jalan Pratama No.68X, Nusa Dua, Bali - Indonesia www.hotelnikkobali-benoabeach,com
INTRODUCING
CULTURAL COOL Sri-Lanka’s Lunuganga estate is an ode to tropical modernism
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eritage hotel brand Teardrop has partnered with The Geoffrey Bawa Trust to relaunch the famed architect’s Lunuganga estate in Bentota on the Southwest coast of Sri Lanka. A former 1930s plantation bungalow, the nine-bedroom property features Bawa’s original quirky home and a three-bedroom house he built in Colombo for his friend Ena de Silva that has been reconstructed in the grounds of the estate.
garden art and the water gardens of ancient Sri Lanka.
Acquired by Bawa in 1947, Lunuganga forms an important part of Sri Lanka’s cultural and design heritage. For this landmark project, he drew inspiration from Italian Renaissance gardens, English landscaping, Japanese
To celebrate the relaunch, Teardrop Hotels is offering guests a 20 per cent discount on all rooms booked before 31 November 2020, which can then be used anytime until 31 April 2021. teardrop-hotels.com
Stay at Sri Lanka's Lunuganga, a former 1930s plantation house remodelled by architect Geoffrey Bawa
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Geoffrey Bawa’s house comprises six private guest suites dotted around the estate, each of which pays homage to the architect’s eclectic style, with antique and modern furniture cosying up against traditional and contemporary art. De Silva’s old house is similarly inspiring, combining radically modern design with traditional Sri Lankan elements.
INSPIRE
SEE R SAIGON INSTYLE
enowned for its European opulence, the Reverie Saigon has rolled out the red carpet for guests with its Saigon Discovery Tour, a two-hour trip where passengers can gaze upon the city’s major landmarks from the cool comfort of a limited-edition Rolls-Royce Phantom Dragon while sharing a bottle of champagne with someone special.
The Saigon Discovery Tour chauffeurs guests around in a Rolls Royce, glass of champagne in hand, as they glide past the city’s most famous landmarks See Saigon from the back of a Rolls Royce with the Reverie Saigon
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The Saigon Discovery Tour begins with a trip into modern history visiting Reunification Palace before stopping off at the neo-Romanesque City Post Office and Notre Dame Cathedral. The tour also takes in the Saigon Opera House, the classic European-style landmark built in 1898. Then there’s a stop at Ben Thanh and Binh Tay markets, where guests can sample local delicacies like a steaming bowl of pho piled high with fragrant herbs, or a ridiculously sweet (yet oh-so addictive) Vietnamese coffee. The route can be customised to start and conclude at the hotel or a city destination of guests’ choosing. Guests can also opt to include other landmarks such as Thien Hau Pagoda, Chinatown and Hai Thuong Lan Ong, the city’s traditional medicine street on their tour. The Saigon Discovery Tour includes a complimentary bottle of champagne and is available from VND7,500,000 for two. thereveriesaigon.com
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INSPIRE Work and play in the Maldives with the Nautilus Workation package
MAKE THE MALDIVES YOUR OFFICE W
Work from paradise with The Nautilus Workation Package
ant to jet off somewhere sublime but can’t afford the time off work? Then why not mix business with pleasure with the Nautilus Workation package, which will give you the ultimate Zoom call background from its location on Thiladhoo Island on the Baa atoll. With prices starting at US$23,250 for seven nights in a Beach House with private pool, you can swap the traditional office set-up (and ditch the water cooler gossip) for the resort’s secluded sandbank, which is equipped with desk, shaded sun canopy and portable high speed wifi. The package includes several opportunities that will motivate you to finish those deadlines, including a guided house reef snorkelling tour, private aerial yoga session with the resort’s resident yogi, Solasta Spa
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journey and the Cinema Under the Stars experience. Once the working week is done, board a private sunset dolphin cruise complete with wine tasting on one of The Nautilus' luxury yachts. Those travelling with the kids in tow, meanwhile, can book the little ones into the Nautilus’ Young Wonderers Club. If you need to stay in to get your head down, office amenities within your beach house include a desk with view of the ocean, comfortable working chair and access to a personal assistant. The resort is also on hand to deliver continuous refreshments throughout the day and a daily yoga session at your beach house once you’ve clocked off. Don’t want to leave? The package can be extended to 14 nights (US$37,850) or 21 nights (US$52,000). thenautilusmaldives.com
CITY GUIDE – GUANGZHOU
Simon Zhu
CANTON COOL Home to some of China’s most striking pieces of contemporary architecure, sumptuous hotel suites and dim sum aplenty, this southwestern China city can be reached from West Kowloon MTR in less than an hour
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CITY GUIDE – GUANGZHOU Chijui Yeh
Guangzhou Opera House
Park Hyatt Guangzhou
Bao Menglong
Time for dium sum
SPECTACULAR SUITES
MIND-BENDING ARCHITECTURE
PROPER DIM SUM
Unwind and indulge in the best suites in town
Admire the city’s contemporary structures
Sample traditional and modern takes on these bite-sized Cantonese classics
If you’re craving space, check into one of Jumeirah Guangzhou (jumeirah.com). Split over two levels, the Pearl loft suites offer a statement stair case and light fixtures artfully dangled over the sofa and are sized at 125 sqm. Deluxe suites double as a cool office space.
Conceived as two rocks washed away by the Pearl River, Zaha Hadid’s Guangzhou Opera House (gzdjy.org) is the biggest performing arts centre in Southern China region. Be wowed by the exterior, or book a ticket to see a Cantonese opera, dance or puppet show.
The Summer Palace at the Shangri-La Hotel Guangzhou (shangri-la.com) offers top-notch dim sum in a grand setting, with chandeliers and plush red furniture. Don’t miss the deepfried prawn dumplings with spicy sauce, wontons in soya bean milk and baked pork & sesame pastries.
Park Hyatt Guangzhou (guangzhou.park. hyatt.com) offers 36 suites with an upscale residential feel, many of which offer stellar views of the Canton Tower and the city skyline. Diplomatic Suites feature art installations over the freestanding bath tub and sculptural feature walls. There are 36 suites at the W Guangzhou (marriott.com), the most decadent being the Wow Suite with separate living room, spacious balcony for cocktails and a motion sensor bidet in the bathroom. All suites have lounge access so you can mix ‘n’ mingle, W style, with other cool cats. Want a bit of history and don’t mind staying a bit further out? Half an hour away from the city by metro, Marco Polo Tiandi Foshan (marcopolo.com) offers plenty of insight into local culture at Lingnan Tiandi. The hotel’s villas, meanwhile, have their own private landscaped gardens.
Standing 138m tall, the doughnut-esque Guangzhou Circle dreamed up by Joseph di Pasquale is the world’s tallest circular building with a hole 48m across in the middle of the structure. When reflected in the river, the shape becomes a figure of eight. Characterised by a narrowing elliptical waist of just 22m, the 604m tall Canton Tower (cantontower.com) is the second-tallest tower in the world after the Tokyo Skytree (634m). Designed by Dutch company InformationBased Architecture, there’s an 180m open-air skywalk, outdoor gardens and an observation deck plus revolving restaurants and shops. Consisting of three stand-alone buildings, two of which resemble floating windows, the Window of Guangzhou development reads as ‘001’ from a distance, which reflects the city’s history as the first Chinese port open for international trading along the Silk Road. Housing high-end office space, it was designed by Atkins.
With two Michelin stars to its name, Jiang by Chef Fei at the Mandarin Oriental Guangzhou (mandarinoriental.com) offers a similarly upscale take on dim sum favourites like chicken’s feet (here it’s served in an abalone sauce) and pan fried pork buns with chives while Oriental artwork provides a tasteful backdrop. One from the city’s Michelin guide, Bing Sheng Pin Wei offers crispy barbecued pork coated with breadcrumbs and sugar, along with pig’s trotters marinated in Japanese soy and maltose, cold pork tripe and goose intestines. Large groups can order their jumbo-sized pineapple buns by the half dozen. One of Guangzhou’s busiest dim sum stops and also included in the city’s Michelin guide, Nan Yuan restaurant offers traditional dim sum like ha gau, siu mai and lotus-wrapped chicken with glutinous rice. Leave some time to explore the classical gardens.
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PRIVATE JET GETAWAYS
JETTING AWAY
TO AFRICA Travelling by private jet has become even more desirable as travellers eschew the crowds. Robyn Tucker-Peck investigates Roar Privé’s end-to-end travel experiences
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PRIVATE JET GETAWAYS
Situated on a secluded island in Madagascar, Time + Tide Miavana is one of the properties guests can stay at when travelling with Roar Privé
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A
irline travel has changed considerably since the COVID-19 pandemic. Flying on a commercial flight is now even more restrictive with limited or no food or beverage services, mask wearing, temperature checks, health forms to fill in, restrictive bathroom access plus the usual one piece of carry-on luggage. When travellers arrive at their destination, there are limited options available to them, with iconic landmarks, museums & galleries and theme parks operating at reduced capacity or subject to closure. The pandemic has created greater demand for private jet personal travel with experiences away from crowds, featuring private accommodations such as villas and private islands incorporating a customised approach. Opportunities for smaller groups and family are on the rise and private jet companies are seeing a spike in new customers. This may foretell permanent changes in the industry.
African Passions Growing up in Africa, I was left with three passions which have stayed with me to this day. The first is seeing animals able to run free, like the wildebeest, zebras, giraffes and springbok, foraging across the expansive grasslands of the Kenyan savannah. The second is my love of elephants, the smartest and largest land animals in the world and lastly, a love of sandy white beaches with clear blue water. Luxury travel agency Roar Africa delivers on all three scores. If you book a trip with them, you’ll be in good company, as it counts actor Robert Redford among its happy customers, who said his experience in South Africa and Botswana with the company was, “the most amazing and outstanding trip” he and his family had ever experienced. Reimagining private jet travel as a travel experience for families and small groups, Roar Privé, a programme
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The pandemic has created greater demand for personal private jet travel experiences away from crowds from Roar Africa, was borne out of insight into what the future of luxury travel will look like, and an understanding of what guests want when they travel to Africa, says Deborah Calmeyer, CEO and founder of Roar Africa. “The current devastating humanitarian and economic impact of COVID-19 has forced us to reimagine travel anew, with smarter itineraries, smaller footprints and the kinds of transformative experiences that foster empathy, open-mindedness and a connection between those who travel and the communities who benefit from it,” she says. The greatest threat to Africa’s wildlife is the mistaken belief that someone else will save it, says Calmeyer, who has set her sights on making positive change in Africa for Africans, with native-born guides and a curated network of local experts. “As we dream and strive to be a better version of ourselves, know that your next Africa trip is as essential for personal, mental, and emotional wellbeing as it is for the survival of the continent’s wildlife and wildlife spaces. It’s never been more evident than now, while travel is a privilege not a right, that thousands of human and animal lives depend upon it,” she adds.
PRIVATE JET GETAWAYS
Clockwise from top left:
bespoke bedding and nightwear; spacious cabins inside the jet; the plane awaits passengers on the runway
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Bush and beach The schedule offers a true bush and beach experience: game-drive safari viewing in Luangwa, Zambia, and your own private island in Madagascar. What makes this trip so special is the low impact, low touch version of ones’ own private Africa, offering absolute isolation but in safe, luxurious and frequently breathtaking surroundings. Travelling by private jet and departing and arriving at private terminals with minimum human contact naturally takes some of the anxieties out of travel as guests don’t have to negotiate check-in lines, security checks and busy airport terminals. Roar Privé guests additionally have access to a dedicated team of guides, rangers, chefs and a butler to service every aspect of their journey along with medi-centres and healthcare if needed. The itinerary for this trip starts from any private airport in Hong Kong or Singapore or anywhere in the Far East on a private jet operated by Vistajet, Asia’s fastest-growing
private jet brand, which has been flying executives around the world for 20 years. From Asia, customers fly on a Bombardier Global 6000 jet to Mfuwe Airport, a rambling settlement in the Eastern Province of Zambia. It serves the tourism industry focused on nearby Luangwa National Park and other wildlife areas in the Luangwa Valley. Guests landing at Mfuwe are met by a private guide who then drives them to Time + Tide Chinzombo, Zambia’s premier safari camp, which is home to just six villas. Situated on a curve in the Luangwa river, each villa boasts panoramic views of the abundant wildlife that prowl along the riverbank, including the elusive leopard, while private plunge pools are shaded by ancient sprawling trees. With a transfer of around an hour and a half and game drive enroute, guests spend three nights at Chinzombo or however long they want for their customised trip. Private safari vehicles with no exposure to
Clockwise from above:
the expansive villas at Time + Tide Chinzombo; Madagascan lemur
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PRIVATE JET GETAWAYS
other travellers enable you to explore the region’s diverse habitats with game drives, safari walks and boat cruises in season. Luangwa is one of the great wildlife sanctuaries of the world with oneoff game rich areas, including epic leopard and lion sightings and iconic river crossings of large breeding herds of elephant. After spending three safari-packed nights at Chinzombo, you will be transferred by road back to Mfuwe Airport, where the Vistajet Bombardier Global 6000 will fly you directly to Diego Suarez International Airport in Madagascar, a short hop of approximately two hours and 40 minutes. When you land at Diego Suarez, your private helicopter team will meet you on the tarmac, assist with immigration and passport control and then it’s a 30-minute helicopter ride to Nosy Angkao private island, home to Time + Tide Miavana in Madagascar. With ocean views and direct beach access from each of its 14 villas, this resort delivers an altogether different experience to its sister property, with its white palm-lined beaches and extensive coral reefs, and you can explore the island by complimentary bike or buggy.
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PRIVATE JET GETAWAYS
A modern day Jurassic World Madagascar is truly a celebration of the extraordinary – a Jurassic World for modern day explorers or those with a penchant for places off the beaten track. This adventure playground offers iconic water and landbased excursions, from hiking to paddle boarding. Approximately 90 per cent of all plant and animal species found in Madagascar are endemic to this African isand country. You can go lemur trekking – there are more than 100 species of lemurs –all of which are classified as rare, vulnerable or endangered. On the day of departure guests will again be transferred by private helicopter back to Diego Suarez where a Vistajet Bombardier Global 6000 will fly them directly back to Hong Kong or Singapore. Roar Africa do not own any properties but select five-star lodges that they have personally vetted. Itineraries are not listed on the website as each needs to be customised, depending on where the clients are flying from and where they desire to spend extra days. If it’s good enough for Robert Redford, then we’re sure it’s good enough for us. roarafrica.com
This page: helicopter transfer and alfresco dining by the beach at Time + Tide Miavana Opposite page from top:
fishing in the Indian Ocean; Madagascar is home to more than 100 types of lemur
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PRIVATE JET GETAWAYS
The schedule offers a true bush and beach experience: game drives in Zambia and your own private island in Madagascar
Madagascar: A walk on the wild side Five animal species endemic to an isle renowned for its biodiversity
1 Madagascar Pochard: the rarest duck in the word is endemic to the marshes and freshwater lakes of Madagascar 2 Giraffe weevil: so called for its long neck, it has a red shell that covers its hind legs and is found in Madagascar’s forests 3 Panther chameleon: the size of a house cat, it’s one of the largest in the world and can measure up to 20 inches long 4 Sifaka: this cute-looking lemur has long silky fur and is one of the most endangered animals on the island due to habitat loss 5 Tomato frogs: They are named for their vibrant orange-red coloured skin, which produces a thick, sticky fluid to deter potential predators like snakes
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FEATURE – HONG KONG
1 Do you know Hong Kong as well as you think? Here’s 25 ideas to test drive in your leisure time that you might not have done before…
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s we inch nearer to the end of the year, many of us are still no nearer to boarding a plane than we were a few months ago. Which is why it makes sense to work with what we’ve got and enjoy our gorgeous city. We’re not talking the usual jaunt to Sai Kung for a seafood meal, or a trip to the big buddha. We’re going beyond the average haunts to show you a very different side to the city, 25 of them in fact. Read on and get inspired…
1 STAYCATION IN STYLE
As international tourism grinds to a halt, many hotels in the city are offering packages that enable you to escape the daily grind without boarding a train or plane. At the Mandarin Oriental, the Staycation by M.O. includes access to the Kid’s Club (activities include a chocolate hunt, towel and balloon art) and several curated experiences, including a MO Heritage Hotel Tour, Saturday Wine Appreciation Class and Weekend Chocolate Master Class, Mixology Class and Flower Wreath Weekend Class. There’s a complimentary MercedesBenz test drive for guests booking a two-night stay in a City View Room or higher room category. The package starts from HK$2,880 per night on weekdays and is available daily until 29 December. mandarinoriental.com
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3 2 HANG OUT IN BIG WAVE BAY
The cooler weather is here and that means it’s hiking season. There are several ways to hike to Big Wave Bay, but one of our favourite routes is from Siu Sai Wan. Take a taxi or bus to the Eastern end of Hong Kong island and walk away from Island Resort up towards Shek O country park. Big Wave Bay is well signposted and easily reached within an hour and 30 minutes, with some great photo opportunities along the way as you make the ascent, and then again as you descend into Big Wave Bay.
3 GET TOGETHER WITH THE BESTIES WITH AIRBNB
Most Hong Kong kitchens and dining spaces don’t exactly encourage us to gather together at home and it’s one of the reasons we love to dine out. One trend that has hit Hong Kong of late is hiring out a space with a good-sized kitchen so you can cook and enjoy a meal with friends and family in the safety of your own space, says Airbnb’s Amanpreet Bajaj, general manager of India, SEA, Hong Kong and Taiwan. He says the top searched amenity and listing type by Hong Kongers are ‘kitchen’ and ‘house’ respectively, and that it’s seen local travel grow by 15 per cent. airbnb.com
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Samuel Chan
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4 4 LOG ONTO THE HONG KONG WINE AND DINE FESTIVAL
With social distancing measures still in place, virtual events are becoming more popular, and part of the new normal. If you haven’t attended one yet, why not log onto the Wine and Dine festival (28 October-1 November), which will offer themed wine tasting classes and cooking demonstrations by top chefs. discoverhongkong.com
5 GAZE DOWN ON THE CITY AT SKY 100
In a city full of lofty concrete canyons, the observation desk at Sky 100 at ICC offers 360-degree city views from Hong Kong’s tallest building. Stop in for a bite at Café 100 by Ritz Carlton before heading back down to earth again. sky100.com.hk
6 CHOW DOWN ON TRADITIONAL HONG KONG DESSERTS
From tofu pudding to pomelo & sago soup, Hong Kong has plenty of homegrown desserts. Best known for its turtle herbal jelly, Kung Wo Tong in Causeway Bay is one of the best places to get acquainted with the classic desserts. kungwotong.com.hk
7 DO A HERITAGE HIKE WITH DISCOVER CITY WALKS
Looking for a change from the usual hike on Lantau? Download travel app iDiscover, which offers intriguing city walks with a side-order of heritage, with all sites handpicked by locals. The Sai Ying Pun walking route tells stories of 16 local
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5 craftsmen and their traditional businesses, and you can get to know some of Hong Kong's ‘sunset industries’ like letterpress printing and Chinese pastry making. Alternatively, try the Ap Lei Chau walking route. “This focuses more on stories of small businesses on the island that once anchored the vibrant fishing community, including a boat equipment shop and a hundredyear-old grocery store now in its fourth generation,” says Sheren Ngan, community manager at iDiscover. The company also offers heritage walks in other Asian cities, including Yangon, Java and Colombo that you can sign up for once things are back to normal. i-discoverasia.com
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10 TAKE AN AERIAL YOGA CLASS
8 BOOST YOUR MENTAL HEALTH WITH ART THERAPY
The new normal isn’t always so easy to navigate. If you’re struggling, why not book an art therapy session at the Not a Gallery studio. Run by Goldsmiths graduate Gigi Leung, the workshops encourage you to express your emotion through the medium of art, be that sketching, painting or throwing a pot. en.notagallery.studio
9 GO ON A HONG KONG MOVIE TOUR
Fans of Cantonese films can sign up for Walk in Hong Kong’s Hong Kong Movie Tour, which takes in sights from famous films like Rouge starring Anita Mui and Leslie Cheung, and Simon Yam & Sandra Ng’s Echoes of the Rainbow. The 2.5-hour tour takes place around Sheung Wan and Central and is available in Cantonese, Mandarin or English. walkinhk.com
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Learn the basics of aerial yoga with Bamboo Yoga, which shows students the main inversion poses at a class in Central before a hike to Tai Long Wan in Sai Kung, where you can perfect those moves while suspended on bamboo tripods over the ocean. The company also offers private and corporate lessons. bamboo-yoga.com
11 GET A GUIDED TOUR OF THE BLUE HOUSE
You’ve undoubtedly walked past Wan Chai’s Blue House, a four-storey tenement building painted a striking shade of blue. But have you actually been inside? Take a guided tour, or sign up for a community art workshop (activities include cerambola lantern or embroidery pendant making) at this 19th-century landmark. vivabluehouse.hk
12 ADMIRE COOL CURIOS AT LIANG YI MUSEUM
Hong Kong’s largest private museum, Liang Yi on Hollywood Road, is currently hosting an exhibition, Beneath the Surface, which showcases examples of Chinese inlay, Japanese Maki-e and European Cloisonne enamel. The exhibition features more than 200 objects presented over two floors and is open until February 2021. liangyimuseum.com
13 INVEST IN OR
RENT A CHEONGSAM
Set up by former model Grace Choi, Yi Ming has one of the best selections of cheongsams in Hong Kong, with everything from Bauhinia and mahjong prints to sequinned and ruffle sleeved examples. If you don’t want to buy, then hire one for a special occasion at Style Carousel, a rental marketplace for designer fashion. yi-ming. asia; stylecarousel.com
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FEATURE – HONG KONG @Peat.and.more
16 14 14 GET TO KNOW YOUR SPIRITS
If you’re keen to widen your spirits knowledge, then check into Mizunara the Library and Mizunara the Shop, a Japanese bar/retail space that offers rare Japanese whiskies and limited edition single malts alongside a solid selection of sakes and schochu. Don’t want to linger? Get a cocktail to go – a Mizunara Negroni, perhaps, or a vodka martini. mizunaratheshop.com
15 CYCLE ALONG THE TOLO HARBOUR
Ride along the scenic coastline of Tolo Harbour from Shing Mun River to Tai Mei Tuk Lake. Offering a traffic-free bike path, the breezy route takes in the cutting-edge architecture at the Hong Kong Science Park and the Tai Po waterfront car park. Bike rentals available at Sha Tin Park.
16 GRAB A BAR OF LOCALLY CRAFTED CHOCOLATE
Got a sweet tooth? Love supporting local businesses? Then check out Conspiracy Chocolate, a bean-to-bar brand that handcrafts its bars using cacao beans from Vietnam at its Hong Kong workshop, with flavours including chai, Sichuan pepper and Kashmiri chili. conspiracychocolate.com
18 17 DISCOVER WAVE-CUT
PLATFORMS ON TUNG PING CHAU
Its distinctive rock formations have earned it UNESCO World Heritage recognition, but many Hong Kongers still haven’t been to Tung Ping Chau. Closer to the mainland than Hong Kong, it is home to some spectacular cliffs and wave-cut platforms and there are camping, picnic and barbecue facilities. Catch the ferry from the Ma Liu Shui pier near the Chinese University of Hong Kong (weekends and public holidays only; journey time approximately one hour 40 minutes).
18 SUP LOCAL CRAFT BEER AT A TAPROOM
From Young Master to Moonzen, a host of good quality local breweries have sprung up in the city over the past five years or so. Some of the best places to sample these fresh brews are Second Draft in Tai Hang, Alvy’s in Kennedy Town and Pub 1842 by Young Master at Basehall in Central, which offers ales and lagers from its 10 taps.
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19 MASTER DIM SUM MAKING WITH FRIENDS
Yum Cha offers a playful twist on Cantonese classics, with baos playfully shaped into animal faces including pigs, frogs and chicks. Learn how to make siu mai and custard buns, and enjoy the restaurant’s classic afternoon tea set once the cooking workshop is over. You’ll need to rally the troops as bookings are only taken for a minimum of eight from its location in Central. yumchahk.com
20 EMBRACE FOREST NATURE THERAPY
Kembali’s Jasmine Nunns is on a mission to reconnect harried Hong Kongers with nature with her forest nature therapy workshops, specifically forest bathing walks, bushcraft and earth skills immersion and re-wilding retreats. Nunns also offers monthly wild swimming sessions for women. kembali.org
20 22 STROLL IN KOWLOON WALLED CITY PARK
An ungoverned, densely populated settlement until the early 1990s when it was demolished, you can still see the remnants of Kowloon Walled City, including its administrative building and parts of the Southern gate, at the park. Divided into eight zones, other highlights include eight floral walks and the Mountain View Pavilion, which overlooks Lion Rock.
21 PERFECT TAI CHI’S GRACEFUL MOVES
This meditative Chinese martial art said to promote good health and longevity might help see you through the stress of the pandemic. The Chen Style Tai Chi Institute offers basic and intensive courses in Tai Chi alongside health & healing courses including pain reliever and peaceful sleep. taichielite.com
23 ADMIRE PING CHE’S COLOURFUL MURALS
Villagers in Ping Yeung San Tsuen in the New Territories painted their houses and walls with colourful murals in a defiant stance against the government’s proposals to bulldoze the village, which is located in the shadow of Shenzhen. The village organises guided tours, theatre performances and farmer’s markets on the first Sunday of each month.
24 TAKE A BOAT OUT TO JIN ISLAND
Also known as Tiu Chung Chau, this island in the New Territories is home to landforms including sea caves, stacks and arches due to its exposure to easterly winds. Don’t miss Kam Chung Nam, or goldfish wagging tail: get a shot of the fish shape by walking to the top of the hill.
25 LEARN WESTERN DIP PEN CALLIGRAPHY
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With beginner and improver workshops on offer, Kalo Make Art will help you get the hang of Western dip pen calligraphy. If you’d rather self-study, pick up a starter kit at Kalo’s website and practise your strokes in time to painstakingly craft that special invite, or birthday card. kalomakeart.com
Time to reconnect with nature, with your loved ones, and most importantly with yourself. #AreYouReadyToWander samsaraubud.com
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The Algarve, among Europe’s most exclusive beach destinations, is leading the way in the Branded Residences way of living, seen as a win-win formula for investors looking to take part into the European real estate market.
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hile Europe has been the latest adopter of Branded Residences projects, a number of exciting developments recently came to market, among which the gorgeous Nomad Bay project in the Algarve, led by Nomad Residences CEO Alexandre Mansour. Combined with Portugal’s highly attractive and flexible Golden Visa program, we can expect this development to be watched with great interest. Well known for it’s Mediterranean year-round climate, the Algarve is one of Europe’s top beach destination, and a world-renowned golf retreat. With residents from all over Europe (top destination for British expats living abroad), and activities 365 days a year, it is also Portugal’s
leading region in terms of tourism and economic growth. Nomad Bay Resort overlooks the Ocean and the town of Carvoeiro, a superb and totally protected seaside village, in between the famous cities of Portimao and Albufeira. Surrounded by incredible golden sanded beaches, pastel blue waters, impressive rock formations, countless restaurants, walking distance golf course and a rich marine life, guests are guaranteed an exceptional experience. English speakers will also enjoy the proximity to the Nobel International School, very well-regarded among many of the local expats and their children. In the recent years, connectivity and global mobility have become a paramount attribute to any high-end destination. Owners and guests alike
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will love being minutes away from the beach and fine dining, but even more importantly the access to Faro International Airport 45 minutes away, and - unique in Portugal - the convenience of a daily 35-minute 18-seater plane transfer between Portimao Airstrip (10 minutes ride from Nomad Bay), and Lisbon/Cascais private Airport. Flying via private aviation terminals directly to the resort brings just another Wow factor to the impressive list of amenities provided by Nomad Bay. All while enjoying the secluded and secured experience of a fully-gated community with prime services.
Clockwise from the left:
Main pools at Sunset; Apartment with private rooftop; Double bedroom, Carvalho Beach
In terms of services, Nomad Bay offers all the amenities one can expect for a luxury resort: 24hour reception, several pools, restaurant & bar, gym, parking, storage, maintenance & repairs, beach shuttles during the summer season, and many others. Another key attribute is the serviced rentals option, managed internally by Nomad Residences, allowing owners to put their apartment on rent when they are not around. Following 2 years of interior and architectural design, the project markets 74 apartments with outstanding views, ranging from 1 to 3 bedrooms, all with floor-to-ceiling windows, each with a private terrace, some with private rooftops and pools. Prices start at €300,000. As a primary residence, a vacation home, or as an investment, there is a Nomad Bay property for every investor!
PORTUGUESE GOLDEN VISA AT A GLANCE • All family members can apply • Flexible – Only 1 week residency per year • Live and work in Portugal • Citizenship or permanent residency after 5 years • One of the safest and most stable countries in the world • Excellent and affordable quality of life, free healthcare and education systems • Great connectivity, and the best climate in continental Europe • Visa free access to all of Europe, and 170 countries
For more information: Website: nomad-bay.com Contact: info@nomad-cap.com
The Paramount Hotel is at the Heart of The London Resort The London Resort will be a tier one theme park and is being built on the banks of the River Thames — just 17 minutes from Central London. The Paramount Hotel, the resort's flagship hotel, will be operated and managed by a major hotel group and will provide luxury accommodation and world-class amenities. Key Investment Highlights • 998-year leasehold property • Estimated returns of 10.8% • From £370,000 • Excellent growth potential • Operated & managed by a world-renowned hospitality brand • Resort attracting 8-15 million visitors a year • 17 mins from central London
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FEATURE – EIGHT ASIAN ISLANDS
ISLAND LIFE Escape or plan a vist to one of these eight Asian islands for a safe, peaceful getaway
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KOH RONG ARCHIPELAGO
CAMBODIA
Why go? Situated off the coast of
Sihanoukville in the Gulf of Thailand, this Cambodian island is almost completely forested, with seasonal waterfalls hidden within the jungle and more than 20 unspoilt beaches, including Sok San, often referred to as the best beach in the country, and Lazy Beach, which is located in in a deep cove on neighbouring Koh Rong Sanloem.
Did you know? The island has hosted French
reality TV show Koh-Lanta, based on the Survivor format, several times.
Don’t miss: Ziplining through the forest, or trekking over to Long Beach.
Where to stay: Situated off the northeast
coast off Koh Rong lies private island Song Saa, an eco-resort built with reclaimed timber and materials from the mainland. The 24 villas are furnished with upcycled décor salvaged from old fishing boats and factory yards. songsaa.com
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FEATURE – EIGHT ASIAN ISLANDS
RAJA AMPAT ISLANDS
INDONESIA
Why go? Situated on the northwest tip of Bird’s Head Peninsula on the
island of New Guinea, Raja Ampat is an archipelago made up of more than 1,500 islands, the largest being Misool, Salawanti, Bantanta and Waiego. Part of the Coral Triangle, which contains the richest biodiversity on earth, you’ll find more than 600 species of hard corals and more than 1,700 species of reef fish, along with blue whales and killer whales.
Did you know? Raja Ampat is generally not recommended for beginner divers because of its strong currents – get your PADI first!
Don’t miss: Misool’s ancient rock paintings, and exploring the karst islands around Wayag.
Where to stay: Located on the uninhabited, jungle-covered isle of Birie,
the Papua Paradise Eco-Luxury Resort offers 26 water bungalows, each with spacious verandahs overlooking the reef. papuaparadise.com
Ady Fauzan
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FEATURE – EIGHT ASIAN ISLANDS
CAT BA ISLAND, HA LONG BAY
VIETNAM
Why go? Cat Ba is the largest of the 367 isles that comprise
the Cat Ba archipelago, and it’s easy to reach Lan Ha Bay from this spot, which is just as picturesque (but a lot less touristy) than nearby Ha Long bay. The island is often considered the adventure tourism capital of Vietnam, as it offers ample opportunity for kayaking, rock climbing, mountain biking and trekking – head out of town on the Lookout Tower Trail, or to Ngu Lam Peak for great mountain panoramas.
Did you know? During the Vietnamese-US war, the Viet Cong built a three-storey concrete cavern, Hospital Cave, which is located just 10km from Cat Ba town.
Don’t miss: Nearby Cat Ba National Park is home to the
extremely rare golden-headed langur, macaques and black giant squirrels.
Where to stay: Nestled between towering limestone karsts, Hôtel Perle d'Orient Cat Ba – MGallery, the first international luxury property on Cat Ba Island, offers great views over Lan Ha Bay and Cat Ba National Park. hotelperledeorient.com
Kenz Nguyen
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FEATURE – EIGHT ASIAN ISLANDS
KOH YAO NOI
THAILAND
Why go? Lying halfway between Phuket and Krabi on the edge of Phang Nga Bay
overlooking the legendary limestone karsts, the unspoilt isle of Koh Yao Noi (and its sister island Koh Yao Yai) offer blissful respite from lively Phuket to the West, its sandy shores and mangroves largely untouched by mass tourism. Take a long tail and snorkel or dive in the coral-rich waters, or simply circumnavigate this quiet isle, taking in the coconut farms and rubber tree plantations.
Did you know? Phang Nga Bay is protected from the northeast and southwest monsoon seasons, meaning its waters remain calm year-round.
Don’t miss: A trip to the fishing village of Ko Panyi, established in the late 18th century by Malay fishermen.
Where to stay: Home to 56 thatched and stilted all-pool villas resembling upscale treehouses, Six Senses Yao Noi’s hideaway pool villa sleeps eight should you want to get away with extended family or a group of friends. The Hilltop restaurant has a chef’s table that can accommodate you all. sixsenses.com
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FEATURE – EIGHT ASIAN ISLANDS
HAINAN ISLAND
CHINA
Why go? Often referred to as China’s Hawaii, Hainan
island is China’s most southernmost province, and has a climate verging on the tropical, with average temperatures of 23 to 26 degrees. The resort town of Sanya is home to many luxury resorts, many of which are located around Yalong Bay, a 7.5km stretch of sand situated in the island’s southeast. Haitang and Dadonghai Bay are also popular.
Did you know? Hainanese chicken rice may be a national dish in Singapore, but it was originally created by Hainan immigrants, who adapted it from the Wenchang chicken dish, which is eaten with chopped ginger and salt.
Don’t miss: A daytrip to Nanshan Cultural Park, home to a 108m-tall statue of Guang Yin (she’s taller than the Statue of Liberty), Buddhist temples and great sea views. Where to stay: New property Fairmont Sanya Haitang Bay is home to the world’s first 1,200m-long sea water canal within a hotel, and guests take a dragon boat ride to reach rooms and other hotel facilities, which include the Wood Art Gallery, a courtyard house boasting furnishings and artefacts from the Ming and Qing Dynasty. fairmont.com
The Sukothai Shanghai
Are you travel ready, travel reserved or travel reluctant? Small Luxury Hotels of the World survey says high-end guests are travel ready Despite ongoing uncertainty over international travel restrictions “travel ready” advocates continue to drive pent up demand for luxury holidays this year, according to a recent survey by Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH). More than 4 in 5 (81 per cent) of recipients were ‘travel ready’, and planned to travel between August and December 2020. Of these, 63 per cent have not been put off by recent events and will either continue with an existing booking, change their trip to another destination or postponed until Q4. Domestic travel takes the limelight, with 44 per cent in Asia planning to take a staycation, of which 17 per cent plan to do so during in the final quarter of 2020. International bookings were mainly for Q2 2021 visits, with top destinations being France and the UK. Most are mindful of travelling safely, with 93 per cent agreeing to additional health checks at the airport. More than 90 per cent of recipients stated that they would feel most comfortable in a small hotel, while private residences were also popular. SLH’s new Exclusive Use reservations option enables guests to turn any one of its 250 hotels into a fullyserviced private residence, and with more than 30 of its hotels having fewer than 12 rooms, this might just be a way to bring family and friends together. slh.com
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FEATURE – EIGHT ASIAN ISLANDS Gaddafi Rusli
PERHENTIAN ISLANDS
MALAYSIA
Why go? Located off the coast of Kuala Besut
in northeast Malaysia, the Perhentians are made up of two main islands, Perhentian Besare and Perhentian Keci, along with five uninhabited isles accessible by boat. Its clear, shallow waters are perfect for swimming with the kids, or first-time diving experiences.
Did you know? The name “Perhentian” means “stopping point” in Malay, and refers to the islands’ traditional role as a waypoint for traders between Bangkok and Malaysia. Don’t miss: Sign up for some turtle conservation volunteering during your time here: companies including Ecoteer or Bubbles Dive Resort offer progammes to help boost the green and hawksbill turtle populations. Or go hiking round the islands to spot monitor lizards and maybe wild monkeys. Where to stay: Located on Long Beach, Bubu Villa is a secluded complex of 18, and has its own Italian-themed restaurant. buburesort.com
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FEATURE – EIGHT ASIAN ISLANDS
BANWA PRIVATE ISLAND
PHILIPPINES
Why go? A private island sanctuary in a marine protected area in Northeastern Palawan in the Sulu
Sea, Banwa is the paradise you’ve been dreaming of during the pandemic, with six villas set amid verdant landscaping and infinity pools that fall into uninterrupted ocean views. Gather with your family and friends at open kitchen Latitude, and enjoy a sundowner at Latitude Bar. The produce is grown on the island’s organic farm and the island even bottles its own water from its well. Activities include everything from golf and tennis to hiking and stargazing.
Did you know? Banwa can be reached from Hong Kong in three hours via private jet or helicopter. Don’t miss: Look out for the critically endangered Hawksbill sea turtle and the dugong (sea cow) during your stay on Banwa. Where to stay: In one of the island’s lush villas, each of which have their own infinity pool and garden terrace. banwaprivateisland.com
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PAMALICAN ISLAND
PHILIPPINES
Why go? This remote private island accessible only by private plane (it’s around an hour
from Manila), feels blissfully far away from civilisation, being located in the middle of the Sulu Sea between Palawan and Panay. But you don’t have to live like Robinson Crusoe, as it’s home to Amanpulo, with each of the 42 villas staffed by a private chef and butler.
Did you know? You can watch turtles nest on the beach here from March until October. Don’t miss: Kitesurfing along deserted shores, spotting marine life from a clear kayak or diving in the coral reef, which lies just 300m offshore.
Where to stay: The deluxe hillside casitas offer stunning views of the Sulu Sea and neighbouring islands, while villas have a club car to explore the island. aman.com
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WELLNESS
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WELLBEING Preview new wellness innovations for now and next year…
RESTORE BALANCE AT MANDARIN ORIENTAL HONG KONG In need of a good facial? Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong recently launched the Five Elements Aroma Facial skincare series, inviting guests to experience the five elements of ancient Chinese philosophy, namely Wood (Balance), Fire (Purity), Earth (Vitality), Metal (Longevity) and Water (Hydration). Bespoke to each client, this treatment addresses the key underlying concerns of the skin and includes a face, neck and shoulder massage. Guests who book the 90-minute treatment receive an additional face mask and hand massage. You can also bring the body into balance with the hotel’s Traditional Chinese Therapy treatment, which incorporates deep breathing techniques, singing bowl ceremony and crystal healing from a warm volcanic stone bed. A Chinese meridian massage follows to re-establish the equilibrium between body and mind. mandarinoriental.com
GOOD TO KNOW: The hotel offers a tea lounge, Chinese herbal steam room, Jacuzzi, sauna and tepidarium.
UNVEIL A NEW YOU AT BANGKOK’S RAKXA Combining Eastern healing disciplines with Western science, Bangkok will welcome another new wellness & medical retreat, RAKxa, this December. Tucked away on Bang Krachao, a jungle-clad island on the Chao Praya River known locally as the city’s green lung, the retreat will offer 60 private pool and garden villas and two residences surrounded by botanical gardens. Home to the VitaLife scientific wellness clinic, holistic wellness centre RaKxa Jai and medical gym RaKxa Gaya, the facility offers advanced medical treatments with holistic therapies alongside renowned Thai hospitality. Offering personalised three-to-14 day programmes, the RAKxa experience combines the expertise of medical doctors and holistic therapists to prescribe tailored treatment plans to guests. There are 10 different packages available, with programmes addressing issues including gut health, boosting immunity, weight management and how to de-stress. raxkawellness.com
GOOD TO KNOW: RAKxa is the result of a three-way partnership between M.K. Real Estate, Minor Hotels Group and VitalLife Scientific Wellness Centre, a subsidiary of Bumrungrad hospital.
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WELLNESS
UNWIND IN YOUR OWN PRIVATE SPA AT ANANTARA KIHAVAH MALDIVES VILLAS Dreaming of the Maldives? Be among the first to experience the newly refurbished two, three, and four-bedroom beach pool residences and two-bedroom over water pool residences at Anantara Kihavah Maldives Villas. Inspired by the island’s natural beauty, the redesign has preserved the element of space while marrying a light and airy interior and tropical design touches.
FREE YOUR MIND: BEHOLD RETREATS LAUNCHES PLANT MEDICINE JOURNEYS Designed to elevate guests to peak performance and wellbeing, entheogen plant medicine wellness service Behold Retreats offers enlightening getaways in Costa Rica, the Netherlands and Peru where psilocybin, ayahuasca and the San Pedro cactus are legal. The retreats guide guests into an expanded state of consciousness and can help promote long-lasting psychological growth. Behold Retreats create programmes tailored to each guests’ individual needs and preferences, each of which includes education, preparation, retreat and post-integration support with a qualified coach or therapist. On returning home, guests are supported to make sustained improvements to the quality of their everyday life. While some university studies have found that the psilocybin experience made participants calmer, happier and kinder, research has also shown entheogen plant medicine to be effective in treating anxiety, depression and PTSD under therapeutic conditions, as plant medicine promotes neurogenesis, enabling reconciliation between parts of the brain that don’t normally exchange information. beholdretreats.com
Great for multi-generational family getaways or a retreat with your nearest and dearest, these residences are just steps from your own private beach. Wellbeing and fitness are key to this getaway, with each residence outfitted with its own private enclosed spa room and gym – couples can unwind with the 90-minute Slumber Guru without leaving their villa. The resort spa, meanwhile, houses the region’s only medical spa, where facials, vitamin IV infusions and other detoxification therapies are available. anantara.com
GOOD TO KNOW: Feeling nimble? Book in for an aerial overwater yoga session and master those moves while suspended on bamboo stilts over shallow waters.
GOOD TO KNOW: In a recent Goop Lab episode on Netflix, Gwyneth Paltrow’s team went to Jamaica for a psilocybin retreat. One team member summarised the experience as “five years of therapy”, another as “a turning point in her life”.
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HOTEL REVIEW – THE FIFE ARMS, BRAEMAR Sim Canetty-Clarke
Ben Addy
Helen Dalley
Sim Canetty-Clarke
HIGHLAND HYBRID
A former Victorian coaching inn furnished more than 16,000 antiques, collectibles and artworks, the Fife Arms is an exhilarating mix of old and new, says Helen Dalley
S
et amid the dramatic landscape of the Cairngorms National Park in the Scottish Highlands, the Fife Arms is an art-driven hotel shaped by the bold vision of owners Iwan and Manuela Wirth, co-presidents of global art gallery Hauser & Wirth. Situated in the charming village of Braemar in Aberdeenshire, it's nine miles from the Queen's residence in Scotland, Balmoral Castle. After first visiting in 1848, Queen Victoria made it fashionable to visit the area, which was referred to as ‘Royal
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Deeside’. More than 150 years on, tourists are still drawn to its extraordinary natural beauty, and Braemar’s neat chocolate box streets, dotted with gift shops and pubs, still buzz with tourists. In the spirit of upscale Scottish hospitality, ghillies – a Scottish butler if you will – are on hand to take care of your every need during your stay at the Fife. Looking dashing in the hotel’s specially commissioned tweed, they beam at us in the lobby, where we spy Lucian Freud’s illuminating portrait of his daughter Flora positioned under an inviting sofa, before escorting us to our room, playfully urging the kids to jump on the bed. Described as “a miniature history of cultural Scotland”, each of the 46 rooms and suites are driven by a distinct narrative. We have two adjoining rooms, Highland Music and Dance and The Explorer, the former of which is inspired by Scots musician James Scott Skinner. The bed features the most outlandish, glorious,
HOTEL REVIEW – THE FIFE ARMS, BRAEMAR Opposite page from top left:
Highland Music and Dance room; the Cairngorms National Park; Fife Arms Drawing Room and lobby This page: a modern take on the chandelier; a very Scottish welcome
headboard I’ve ever encountered, being constructed entirely of violins, and there are dancing shoes displayed on the walls. The Explorer room pays tribute to James Bruce, who traced the Blue Nile back to its source in Ethiopia in the 18th century, with African tribal masks. Persian rugs adorn the old wooden floors and from our window, we can see the Cairngorms illuminated by the late afternoon sun. It’s time for a hotel tour. One of the ghillies, a Yorkshireman named Andrew who’s passionate about the area’s hiking opportunities, delivers the back story to the pieces on display, like Richard Jackson’s red deer chandelier, which is composed of enlarged replicas of bag pipe drones and glass antlers with ‘chandelier’ spelled out in neon. With the hotel’s grand old staircase and a stained glass window as its backdrop, it effortlessly characterises the wonderful juxtaposition of old and new at play in the Fife. He points out a drawing of a stag by Queen Victoria (she was a keen artist) in the lobby and we admire Man Ray’s black and white photos of Elsa Schiaparelli in the cocktail bar dedicated to the fashion designer who invented shocking pink. Post-tour, I pause for a while for a Ghillie’s Highball mixed with Lochnagar whisky, admiring the understated grandeur of the drawing room and particularly Picasso’s Mousquetaire assis, a quintessential musketeer clad in ornate finery. It feels like such a privilege to keep gazing at it as I sip my drink. As Andrew says, “There’s more time to appreciate the art here than if you were in a gallery… you can sit down and enjoy it.” We’re booked in for dinner at the Flying Stag, which actually has its own namesake, a beguiling piece of taxidermy commissioned by the hotel with goose wings. The walls are lined with portraits of local people
Sim Canetty-Clarke
while the menu embraces local produce with dishes like haggis, neeps and tatties and chocolate whisky cake. The next morning at breakfast, I'm dazzled by Guilermo Kuitca’s cubistoid mural in the Clunie Dining Room, which takes inspiration from the patchwork of colours and line of the surrounding hills and village rooftops. We’re up early for a tour with the Braemar Highland Experience’s Julian Fennema, a local with an infectious enthusiasm and exhaustive knowledge of the area. We make our way through the morning mist and low-lying clouds and emerge into a bright, sunny day, stopping off at the Watchers art installation, four sculptural seats by John Kennedy, to admire the stellar views towards Corgarff Castle. Our next port of call is the Cairngorm Reindeer Centre to meet the UK’s only free-ranging herd of reindeer, which offers guided hill trips that take you past other animals, including two grumpy looking Highland bulls, pigs and stags before you meet the reindeer right at the very top. We hold out our hands with dried food and they eat eagerly, their muzzles soft in our hands. Despite their huge, somewhat intimidating antlers, some still covered in velvet, it’s quickly apparent they are gentle, friendly creatures and social too, lining up to befriend us so endless pairs
Sim Canetty-Clarke
of antlers are silhouetted in the sun. The day we’re due to leave, I wake at 7am, pull on my running shoes and jog up to Braemar Castle, which has stood here since the 17th century, the streets blissfully quiet and the clouds draped low over the heather-topped hills. Before checking out, we head off for one final explore of the hotel, encountering Martin Creed’s photographic print of an Irish wolfhound and chihuahua on the corridor leading to the library, the small dog cleverly hidden from view until we round the corner. Aptly described as, “like something out of Harry Potter” by ghillie Andrew, we are startled by a waxwork of Queen Victoria, stern and forbidding in a rocking chair, in the library, so we duck out quickly to gaze in glass cabinets stuffed with animal skulls and stag heads artfully arranged on the ceilings and walls. After so much fun exploring the hotel and the unforgettable reindeer experience, my oldest son sheds a tear when it’s time to depart, and I totally understand his sentiments. A stay at the Fife means you don’t have to choose between a traditional Scottish stay or cutting-edge contemporary, as it combines both in the most glorious, unfettered fashion. thefifearms.com
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CONDUCTING AN ORCHESTRA FROM HOME Success means very little if you cannot celebrate the victories with your team and loved ones. This is the main reason Sudhir Agarwal puts people first, guiding them to work together effortlessly to achieve the company’s goals.
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cting Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Everise, a next-generation global business process outsourcing (BPO) company, he consistently differentiates Everise by putting people first. He believes it takes collaboration, communication and drive in one’s work to achieve one’s goals. Agarwal started off as a door-to-door salesman selling Category 5 (networking) cable,: “After getting so many doors slammed in your face and you finally make that first sale, you think you’ve done the best job in the world!” he recounts with a smile. “Nothing beats a real-life education in resilience,” he added. What makes a good leader? Agarwal believes that a good leader must, first and foremost, have good communication skills. Other qualities he values include passion, compassion, being a good listener, and “being able to have fun from time to time”. It’s not all work and no play. At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and to put in place social distancing measures to protect their staff, a core team at Everise worked feverishly for two weeks to migrate 90 percent of their workforce to a workat-home program, and soon achieved 100 percent thereafter. Everise continued to grow, hiring people by the thousands to support enterprise business continuity plans, receiving thanks and gratitude from clients and employees, expressed on social media.
They thanked Everise for going the extra mile. Other examples of the lengths Everise goes to invest in their people include: the Everise University, which is a learning platform for employees, available 24/7; the Everise Accelerator program, which is an immersive, instructor-led training program for high-performing champions, handpicked to fast-track their supervisory and managerial careers; and the Everise Career Development program for promising employees who are paired with department leaders to receive career coaching and skills development, enhancing their career development. Through this pandemic, the world has had to re-work how they operate, and Agarwal is no exception. Virtual conference calls, one-on-one video chats, virtual happy hours and even lip sync music videos were introduced as a way to interact with his global staff of 10,000 champions and is constantly trying new ways to keep the moral of staff high and stress levels calm. Often lauded for his leadership, Agarwal says that, “being CEO is like a conductor in an orchestra, guiding the group in one direction, towards success.” Everise is headquartered in Singapore, and has offices in Malaysia, Philippines, USA, Ireland and Guatemala and Japan. Customers represent the health, wellness, smart homes, travel, hospitality, and financial services industries, among others. They include Fortune 500 and high-growth tech companies.
INSIDER
SMOKIN’
HOT
From its sumptuous confines reminiscent of an old English club, Bertie Cigars is introducing customers to New World terroirs and collectible smokes, as owner Eric Piras tells Helen Dalley You opened Bertie Cigars in Central last year. Did you have any knowledge of cigars prior to this?
Yes – I founded my cigar business, Cigraal, in 2015. At the beginning we were mainly importing and exporting into Hong Kong then we expanded into Hong Kong wholesale and travel retail. Off the back of that, I set up the Cigraal Academy, which offers bespoke training and tasting session for retailers and food & beverage specialists as well as cigar aficionadas and aficionados. Then I opened Bertie last March.
How have you adapted pandemic at Bertie?
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We’ve followed all of the various Hong Kong government guidelines and carried on with our business. We were the first cigar lounge in Hong Kong to invest in a disinfection system to make sure we had a safe place for guests and staff. Due to travelling restrictions, many
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of our customers have been staying in Hong Kong for longer periods of time and have been visiting Bertie more often than usual. Some customers bring their laptops and do some work here.
What are the most popular cigars with your customers?
Traditionally, Hong Kong customers are Cuban aficionados. At Bertie, we offer a lot of other terroirs and staff are well trained to make recommendations. We have seen an increase in sales of New World (non-Cuban) cigars. At the moment, we’re selling 60 per cent New World and 40 per cent Cuban. We are proud to lead that change in consumer behaviour. The Bertie cigar selection of five vitolas (sizes) are very popular. Those cigars are handmade exclusively for me. The blend is put together in Danli, Honduras, and I never disclose the origin of the tobacco composing those cigars. We don’t even say what the blend of those cigars is!
What are some popular cigar and beverage pairings?
Our clients enjoy different drinks with their cigars, from a simple Coke or Pu’er tea to whisky, rum, wine, or even Champagne, sake and tequila. Personally, I like to drink malt whisky and rum. I also enjoy old Cognacs from Lheraud, and a good Bas Armagnac.
What advice do you have for customers who are new to cigars?
I always suggest to start the journey with light to medium strength cigars from Honduras, the Dominican Republic or Nicaragua. All of those cigars deliver good aromas and flavour
without being too strong. You’ll find a good selection of Flor de Selva, Arturo Fuente and Joya de Nicaragua cigars at Bertie, all of which are excellent for beginners. New cigar smokers should avoid long, big cigars and those that are too strong or full bodied. The best size for new cigar aficionados are petit corona, corona and short robusto.
Do many of your customers collect cigars and is this a growing market?
Yes indeed, we have quite a nice number of customers collecting cigars. They love vintage cigars, limited editions, special editions and regional editions. This April, I did a global launch of the Cuatro Cinco Asian Edition, 1,000 boxes of 10 cigars. We did a digital launch on social media and a series of videos and Zoom events. It was the first time that a cigar has been launched worldwide this way, and it’s already a collector’s item!
When do you hope to host tasting events again?
We had a few events lined up that have had to be postponed, like a Glenfarclas tasting, the La Notte Italiana night with an Italian tenor, and a Quintessential Whites night, with Champagne and white Burgundy wines. Then there’s our live Latino music by Chris Polanco and his band Azucar Latina, and the events with my Cigraal Academy, like our blind tastings. Hopefully we can begin to restart all this in October. Next year, we hope to receive visits from famous cigar makers including Carlito Fuente, A.Fuente, Maya Selva, Flor de Selva, Juan Martinez and Joya de Nicaragua. bertiecigars.com
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INSIDER
RACING
LINE
A Macao F3 Grand Prix winner back in 2000, Portuguese driver Andre Couto tells Helen Dalley what makes the race round the Guia Circuit so special ahead of the 67th edition of the race this November What makes the Macao Grand Prix so unique?
The circuit layout is very unique – it’s a road circuit, so it’s bumpy, with many irregularities on the road and challenging for us drivers to find the right type of grip. It’s a 6.2km track, and once you go through the mountains it’s very twisty, and then you have all different types of corners that need to be taken at low, medium or high speed. There are camber and off camber zones, so it’s very tricky but a good challenge for any driver.
What are the challenges presented by the circuit for drivers? How has the pandemic affected the Macao Grand Prix weekend and the six races that will be held during 1922 November?
In 2020, the race of course won’t be the same as previous years, because many of the racing teams are from Europe, so the logistics is very difficult now with all the borders being closed, the safety measures and the 14-day quarantine in place. Most of the participating teams this year are from Macao, Hong Kong or mainland China. Nevertheless, I think for them to continue, it will still be a great event and there will be some good racing. So many sporting events have been cancelled this year so it’s great that it can still go ahead.
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There are many challenges but it’s a lot of fun. There are walls everywhere around the track, for example, and there is no margin for error. It’s a very high speed track as well, a place where you can achieve the top speeds of your car, motorbike or GT car [Couto has also taken part in other races at Macao including the GT Cup]. Up in the hills in the mountain section, there are blind corners everywhere, but it’s a big, big feeling when you can clinch a pole lap – you just get such a big buzz. Every driver who does a good lap in Macao will have this a special feeling, as it’s not an easy track. The tension and the build-up really mounts during the week ahead of the race – you go into free practice on Thursday – before the final race on Sunday, the only one that counts, of course.
Is it one of your favourite tracks?
Yes, to me it’s in fact the best track in the world. It’s a circuit where you need to do every single thing right and be able to pull that together, and it’s a really good feeling when you achieve it. For any driver to do a quick lap in Macao is great, and to drive an F3 car around the track is the best.
What are your favourite memories of the Macao Grand Prix?
Well, of course the year that I won the Macao Grand Prix was very special, and I will never forget it. It was a childhood dream for me, and it was also the first and only time a Macanese driver has won the Formula 3 race title. I watched [Brazilian F1 champion] Ayrton Senna and many other champions come to Macao, and for me to be up there with those names is very special. This is especially true as I’m a kid from Macao. I moved there from Lisbon when I was four years old and used to jump the wall to watch the race as a kid. Winning the Macao F3 is still one of my best racing career moments. My mum was born in Macao, so winning the race made it doubly special for me. macaograndprix.com.mo Andre Couto supports the World Marrow Donor Association. To find out more or to make a donation, visit wmda.info
INSIDER
FLYING IN THE FACE OF THE PANDEMIC
Asia’s largest budget carrier AirAsia has diversified its business to survive the aviation downturn, as Group CEO Tony Fernandes tells Helen Dalley The past six months have been extremely challenging for the airline business. How have you dealt with the collapse in travel demand? It’s just been about survival, really. We went from 275 flights a day to zero, but now we’re back to flying in all our countries domestically up to about 70 per capacity and welcomed our first international medical charter flight from Medan into Penang in August. We’ve also been building up our logistics business, Teleport, and have started doing food delivery while airasia.com has evolved to become much more than just selling our flights. We’re even selling flights from our competitors on the website. We’re also building up hotel supply on the site and want it to be as strong as Expedia or Agoda. Reflecting on the demand for domestic tourism, we have also launched two new air routes, Chiang Mai-Hua Hin and Udon Thani-Hua Hin.
What has been the biggest challenge for you over the past six months? To try and keep everyone’s jobs. We have 24,000 staff and I’ve never had do to a redundancy in 18 years. It was incredibly painful to let 1,000 staff go, as we did earlier this year. I don’t want to make any more redundancies and would like to rehire whoever left us.
You recently said that AirAsia could return to profitability in 2021. Do you still feel that way? Yes I do. I’m hoping next year that more borders will open and further international routes can resume. This August was a big step as we resumed our first international flight from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore. Southeast Asia is much more conservative than Europe and there are pluses and minuses to that. In Europe, they are anxious to get things moving and you are seeing a lot of stopping and starting. I think the cautious approach we have in Asia might give us more of a longer-lasting solution, rather than having to deal with second, third or even fourth waves.
As an entrepreneur, you’ve survived many crises before. How does covid-19 compare to previous crises? This is on another level. I’ve been through a lot – volcanoes, tsunamis, earthquakes, SARS, bird flu – but they are all generally isolated incidents or limited to a certain area. Covid is of course global. Creating demand when you can’t fly is tough, but it gives us the chance to rationalise and rebuild. While it’s lasting longer than I thought, the virus won’t be around forever and we’ll come out of this stronger.
You are one of Asia’s most recognisable entrepreneurs. What are your proudest achievements?
I’m a pretty simple person. When I go into the airport, I love seeing people who never thought they could [afford to] fly headed off to visit their parents, or grandparents they’ve never met. But the biggest thing for me is creating jobs – we’ve democratised pilot roles and got kids who started out carrying bags for us flying planes.
Many people remain apprehensive about flying. How would you reassure them that it’s safe? Perhaps the best way is to say that I’m flying, and even though I’m high risk being over 55 and with previous heart issues, I feel safe. The air is filtered out every two to three minutes on a plane with HEPA filters. Not a single member of my crew of more than 4,000 has caught it. At the beginning of the pandemic, they were flying to high risk areas to pick up people in Iran and Italy, so it gives me a lot of confidence about flying.
Can the aviation industry ever to return to the state it was in prepandemic? I think so – the world has been through two world wars, mega recessions and events like 9-11, after all. It will rebound, but it will take much longer than anything else. Business travel may change forever, but while you can have as many Zoom calls as you want, nothing beats travelling to meet people face to face. airasia.com
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JET FEATURE FEATURE – JAIPUR
Nahargarh Fort provides a bird’s eye perspective over Jaipur’s distinctive architecture and the Aravalli Hills
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FEATURE JET FEATURE – JAIPUR
A VISION IN PINK Home to ancient palaces and forts, Jaipur is one of India’s best-preserved cities. Helen Dalley steps back to the time of the maharajahs
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nce, Jaipur was a must-visit for backpackers on the hippy trial with a copy of Lonely Planet’s Across Asia on the Cheap as their guide looking to discover the exotic charms of South Asia and eke out their countercultural journey for as long as possible. While the elaborate palaces and well-preserved forts have long been a draw for any traveller curious to come faceto-face with India’s opulent heritage, Jaipur now holds appeal for the more discerning tourist as luxury hotels draw inspiration from the city’s palaces and transport guests to the days of maharajahs. Frequently referred to as ‘the pink city’ for its proliferation of pink architecture, Jaipur is one of India’s best-preserved metropolises. Founded in 1727 by Maharaja Sawai Jai Singh II, who ordered the construction of modern Jaipur’s most popular attractions, the city is part of India’s Golden Triangle – a popular tourist loop that also takes in Agra, the site of the Taj Mahal, and India’s capital, Delhi. While exploring Jaipur’s mighty forts and palaces is a must, save some time in your itinerary for a royallyinspired picnic on Man Sagar Lake in sight of Jal Mahal palace, which is dramatically submerged beneath the waters, or getting up before sunrise to drift over the city in a hot air balloon, picking out hidden palaces and
The Hawa Mahal has more than 900 windows, created so royal ladies could observe their subjects below without being seen since they had to observe strict purdah traditional Rajasthani villages before opening a bottle of champagne as you float back down.
The Maharajah life The capital of Rajasthan and the state’s largest city, one of Jaipur’s most opulent places to eat, stay and play is Raj Palace, a former maharajah’s residence that dates back to 1745 where everyone from Bollywood big wig Aamir Khan to novelist Frederick Forsyth have bedded down. They likely stayed in the property’s most opulent offering, the Maharajah’s Pavilion, a four-floor apartment with its own private museum displaying the Clockwise from left:
Tour guides at City Palace; Hawa Mahal is topped out by gold finials; the Jal Mahal Palace is dramatically submerged beneath Man Sagar Lake Katherine Rodeghier
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FEATURE JET FEATURE – JAIPUR
Katherine Rodeghier
Mitchell Ng
old throne and bolsters of the Maharajah Thakur Sahib against a backdrop of gold leaf painted walls. Other hotels that have sought to capitalise on Jaipur’s storied heritage include the Alila Fort Bishangarh, a 59-suite resort housed inside a 230-year old fortress and the Fairmont Jaipur, built to resemble a Mughal Dynasty palace, which is where I’ll be staying. Against a royal blue sky punctuated by cotton wool clouds, I receive one of the grandest welcomes I’ve ever experienced by Fairmont Jaipur. Horse backed guards dressed in traditional royal garb trumpet my announcement and pink rose petals are scattered from a tower at the hotel’s palatial entrance. I step through a thick wooden door into a shady courtyard before my ears are serenaded by the sweet
sounds of a sitar in the lobby. With the Aravalli hills as its backdrop, this 255-room hotel takes a typically Rajasthani approach to décor, with handpainted wallpaper and mirrored chests of drawers in its rooms. Equally stunning is the hand-painted mural in the lobby area depicting ancient Jaipur that glitters under the chandeliers. Inside the rooms, there are four-posters topped out with elaborate wooden headboards, and even a wooden jewelgreen ring neck parakeet on a swing, a nod to the Mughal women’s love of the bird (they talked to them when the men were at war). Sleeping under the roof of a reimagined Rajput palace, with its octagonal towers and large arched windows, I drift off into a slumber eased by a soporific soak in the cavernous tub.
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JET FEATURE FEATURE – JAIPUR Molten India Stepping out onto Jaipur’s busy streets, the seductive pinks, ambers and ochres are just as vibrant as director John Madden’s flattering cinematic portrayal in The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, a film about a group of British pensioners who retire in India starring Judy Dench and Maggie Smith. Asked why he chose to make the movie in Rajasthan and film parts of it in Jaipur, the director told travel guide Fodors he was inspired by state’s rich colour palette and its even richer history. “Jaipur, and I suppose Rajasthan in general, was a perfect emblem of an older feudal system in India and an agricultural economy that was colliding in a very immediate way with the modern technological India – ‘molten India’ essentially.” That pile-up of old and new is neatly represented as I attempt to cross the road alongside cows, rickshaws and an increasing number of cars in downtown Jaipur. It’s here you’ll find the Hawa Mahal (Palace of the Winds) beckoning in all its pink and red glory. Shaped to resemble to crown of Krishna, this sandstone masterpiece has more than 900 windows decorated with intricate lattice work, created so royal ladies could observe their subjects in the street below without Shutterstock
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Amber Fort is laid out on four levels, each with a courtyard; a painted elephant; sari-clad ladies at Amber Fort
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Mirrored ceilings made the maharajahs feel like they were sleeping under the stars being seen, since they had to observe strict purdah (face cover) according to Muslim law. Even surrounded by the modern paraphernalia of a typical Indian street – trolleys loaded with tomatoes, cabbages and ginger, pashmina stores and parked-up mopeds – this 18th century palace is still mesmerising, topped out by gold finials shimmering in the midday sun. Inside, shaded courtyards provide welcome respite from the heat, with painstaking murals depicting nobility framed by meticulous floral borders providing many a photo opportunity for the mix of Indian, Chinese and French visitors that jostle to zoom in on Jaipur’s regal past.
FEATURE JET FEATURE – JAIPUR
Aryan Singh
Daytrip: Nahargarh Biological Park Go hiking, cycling and animal spotting Keen to discover Jaipur beyond the boundaries of its iconic pink and amber structures? Then head 12 miles out of the city to Nahargarh Biological Park, a 720-hectare space where tigers and antelopes once roamed that’s now home to a wildlife sanctuary and zoo. The former attracts more than 280 species of birds (I spot my first-ever ring neck parakeet here) while at the zoo you’ll find Asiatic lions, Bengal tigers and Himalayan black bears. Annie Spratt
Regal Residence India may have abolished its monarchy shortly after independence in 1947, but City Palace continues to be a residence of Jaipur’s former royal family, and a flag of red, orange, white, green and navy stripes flutters against a deep blue sky to indicate the royals are in residence. A vast, opulent array of courtyards, gardens and buildings to get gloriously lost in, Mubarak Mahal is a heady clash of Islamic, Rajput and European architectural styles and features a museum where you can admire formal royal costumes.
One of the most popular ways to explore the park is with a four-wheel drive tour, and you can frequently stop off for photo opps of the flora and fauna and pause to admire other points of interest like the Majhi Ki Bawdi amber step well, a 400-year-old structure built to cope with seasonal fluctuations in water availability. If you’re feeling energetic, hiking and cycling tours can also be arranged online through tour operators like Viator or through your hotel. tourism.rajasthan.gov.in
Intrepid Travel
The huge palace complex also includes Diwan-I-Khas, a marble floored chamber that was once the private audience hall of the maharajahs, which is juxtaposed against a more contemporary scene as a woman wearing a pretty pink and green sari strikes a demure pose for the camera from one of the palace’s elaborate doorways. Alongside City Palace and the Palace of the Winds, Amber Fort is Jaipur’s most eminent attraction. Perched on a hill, it can be reached by elephant or jeep. After a sticky ride up, it comes as some relief to walk barefooted across the cool marble floors of the Shiladevi temple then take in the meticulous floral paintings adorning the palace walls and admire the frescoes and coloured tiles at the Palace of Man Singh.
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The Fairmont Jaipur is inspired by Mughal architecture; a courtyard at Amber Fort
Most striking is Sheesh Mahal, where mirrored ceilings made maharajahs feel like they were sleeping under the stars – and also had the added benefit of helping the palace warm up in winter – according to my guide Balbir. Snake charmers selling pungis, the flute-like instrument used to stir snakes, lie in wait around the fort hoping to catch a tourist dollar as cobras emerge from their baskets and stand to attention.
Early morning over Nahargarh Perched on the edge of the Aravalli hills, Nahargarh Fort has acted as an important defence for the city since the 1730s, but it’s also a tranquil spot for an early morning breakfast with 360-degree views over the city as it rouses itself. After masala chai and croissants with strawberry jam, I peer over the fort’s thick stone walls and gaze at the profusion of pink-and-white buildings, the city eerily calm from this elevated spot at this early hour. Many hotels can arrange an early morning breakfast (usually between 7-8am) at Nahargarh Fort so visitors can
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witness India’s bustling pink city in all its early morning glory. Back at the Fairmont, I enjoy roti Chennai and yet more sweet, spicy masala chai (I’ve been buzzing after far too many cups of this sweet, addictive stuff) for breakfast at Zoya, where, as I take in the ornate camelbone furniture and Mughal tents, it seems that everyone can be a maharajah. But in modern-day India, casting yourself as a contemporary raj means preparing for an unexpected assail on the senses. As The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel’s Evelyn puts it, “Nothing can prepare the uninitiated for this riot of noise and colour.” Having been captivated by the gorgeous silhouettes and intricate design details of Jaipur’s ancient architecture, I can certainly raise a cup of chai to that.
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LET THERE BE LIGHT The Macao Light Festival will illuminate the city’s skies again this Autumn
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laying host to arresting light installations, projection mapping shows and interactive games, the Macao Light Festival is one of the most hotly anticipated dates on the city’s calendar. With a theme of “Light Carnival”, this year’s event will take place along four designated routes across different parishes on Macao Peninsula and Taipa, namely “Circus”, “Time Tunnel”, “Candy Kingdom” and “Music Box of Lights”. Guests exploring the Circus route at Our Lady of Fatima Parish will find interactive AR games and illuminations in animal patterns to recreate a carnival feel. Visitors can also check in at the Pirate Ship or enjoy the Circus Show at Areia Preta Urban Park. Located at St. Lazarus Parish and St. Anthony Parish, the “Time Tunnel” route will weave in and out of Tap Seac Square, Calçada do Amparo, Pátio de Chôn Sau, Rua de Nossa Senhora do Amparo, Rua dos Ervanários and Largo do Pagode do Bazar and become a magical time travel corridor that visitors can lose themselves in. Against a backdrop of four historic buildings including the Macao Central Library, the festival will play host to a mega mapping show at Tap Seac Square for the first time, weaving mapping projections and music together for a mesmerising spectacle. With colourful illuminations resembling sweet treats (Rainbow Rings, Refreshing Iced Drink), “Candy Kingdom” in Nam Van and Sai Van Districts will dazzle Nam Van Lake Nautical Centre and Anim’Arte Nam Van. Similarly
arresting is “Music Box of Lights” at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, where “Amazing Escada do Coxo” “Musical Stairs” and more light installations await. In addition to the mega mapping show at Tap Seac Square, similar spectacles will be staged at Macau Canidrome and the Cozinha Pinocchio Taipa restaurant at Largo dos Bombeiros in Taipa Village, along with Wong Ieng Kuan Children’s Library in Areia Preta Urban Park and China Products Company at Largo do Pagode do Bazar. To illuminate the skies even further, several other events will be held in tandem with the Macao Light Festival: Light and Color at Cathedral Parish, Fun Journey of Light at Our Lady of Fatima Parish and Light Extravaganza on Coloane at the Parish of St. Francis Xavier. The events will feature light installations, workshops, interactive games and performances, along with time-limited offers and giveaways from this most dazzling of festivals. The Macao Light Festival is on until 31 October. For more information, visit mlf.macaotourism.gov.mo
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THE RACE GOES ON
The Macau Grand Prix will return to the city’s streets this November
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n adrenaline-fuelled circuit typified by its tight corners and long straights, the Guia Circuit is the site of the Macau Grand Prix, an annual international motorsports event that former F1 world champions Ayrton Senna and Michael Schumacher won during their days as F3 racers. This year’s event, to be held from 19-22 November, will once again see six exhilarating races take place around this testing street circuit. In addition to the Formula 4 Macau Grand Prix, the other big draws are the Macau GT Cup, the Macau Guia Race and the Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix. The line-up also includes the Macau Touring Car Cup and the Chinese Racing Cup. This underscores the confidence the motorsport world governing body has in the organisational capabilities of Macao and recognises the worldwide reputation of the Macau Grand Prix. Around 200 drivers and riders, most hailing from China and Asia, are expected to line up and race around the challenging 3.9-mile long circuit to claim victory. To ensure the races are carried out in safe conditions, overseas drivers and riders and team members have to follow Macao’s preventative measures against the pandemic. Before departing for the city, they must present proof of a valid negative nucleic acid test report for COVID-19 by a locally recognised testing institution. Upon arrival in Macao, they will be directly transferred to a designated location for a 14-day medical observation, and only be permitted to join the races if they have not tested positive for the Macau health authorities against COVID-19.
Race fans can also take time away from the track to visit one of Macao’s many tourist attractions, including world heritage sites such as the Ruins of Saint Paul, beautiful Senado Square in the heart of the city or the pretty fishing village of Coloane. Spectators can also head over to the Macao Food Festival, which will be held from 13-29 November. Now in its 20th year, the event will be held at the rotunda opposite the Macao Tower, with stalls offering delicious Asian and European delicacies alongside live entertainment, games and beer competitions.
For more information, visit www.macau.grandprix.gov.mo. To download the mobile app, visit www.macau.grandprix.gov.mo/en/about-us/app
LIFESTYLE
BRIONI’S STAR POWER CAPTURE BRAD PITT’S STYLE THIS SEASON
A LITTLE SLICE OF ITALY
SAMPLING PIEDMONT CUISINE AT CASTELLANA HONG KONG MICHELIN-STARRED TAKEAWAYS
TITLEIST BLACK IRONS
BENTLEY BENTAYGA SPEED
IN THE KITCHEN
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IN THE KITCHEN
SPICED TO PERFECTION A new Indian restaurant at Rosewood Hong Kong offers an upscale twist on traditional Indian street snacks like home-made paneer cheese and pav bhajis, says Helen Dalley
CHAAT’s menu showcases your favourite traditional street snacks. What were some of the challenges of adapting them for a fine dining restaurant?
The biggest challenge was to re-create street food fit for the refined environment of the Rosewood Hong Kong while keeping true to its roots. I have re-interpreted the dishes but the base recipes and flavours are the same. For example, the traditional Raj Kachori is piled with different chutneys, and that makes it soggy very fast. I adapted the dish to the humid environment of Hong Kong to keep the textures intact, so the chutneys became part of the plate presentation. Indian street food tastes great but the ingredients that they use, and the meat quality, is often not the best. Street food is driven by cost and profit margins, but here at Rosewood, we have access to prime quality meats such as 1855 Black Angus Beef & New Zealand lamb and free range chicken.
You have worked in hotel kitchens at the Oberoi and Intercontinental and did a stint at Tamarind, the first Indian restaurant in London to receive a Michelin star. How do you think your culinary approach has changed over the past 18 years?
My approach towards food was initially very subjective. I was asked to learn the basic sauces by heart and then follow those recipes – no trial and error with new flavours and ingredients. It was a classical approach, but slowly I’ve seen that the boundaries have started to vanish. People are now encouraged to put their interpretation of a dish on the plate, rather than something driven by the notes on a book or the generalised form of a generic dish. I feel much more able to express myself as a chef on a plate now. If I’d have done a beef kebab in India 10-12 years ago, I could have been fired for thinking [differently about it]. But now I can showcase those old recipes by using new cooking methods and combining them with the traditional flavours to produce something even better.
What do you like about Hong Kong’s dining culture?
Hong Kong’s dining culture is extremely diverse, excelling in a multitude of cuisines and local street food. I never thought Hong Kong would be so vast and varied in terms of its food culture. Being in London I used to think, “that’s it, there’s nothing better than here!” But when I arrived in Hong Kong, it
was like a totally new ball game. People are incredibly aware of quality. It’s challenging but rewarding if you can hit a sweet spot that meets demand.
There aren’t that many upscale Indian restaurants in Hong Kong. Do you think you can introduce more diners to the delights of Indian cuisine with a fine dining twist?
I was very scared of opening in Hong Kong as I didn’t know if the locals, expats and the Indian community would accept my food and pay a premium price for it. However, I’m very happy that people in Hong Kong have welcomed my food with open arms. Everyone has been very kind and supportive of the food I’m doing.
As your father once told you, “most people eat to live, but there are a few who live to eat.” Where does your passion for cooking come from?
I come from a very modest family. My dad had to work really hard to make ends meet. But whenever we got a chance, we did used to enjoy really good food. My grandmother was really good at cooking, but I was not one of those types who would learn from the grandmother and always wanted to be the chef. I was fascinated by the aura that surrounds chefs - no one messes around with them, and everyone calls them chef. I joined Oberoi hotels in 1999 as cafeteria cook, and then I met chef Surinder Singh and saw the passion in his work and approach. That’s what hooked me in to start really understanding Indian cuisine. Cooking, learning, recording various recipes, understanding the various techniques of cooking was addictive and helped accelerate my position from a mere cafeteria cook to a junior sous chef in one of Oberois’ flagship properties, The Oberoi Mumbai. I was told by a very old chef in India that the only person who was allowed to eat the food before the king was his chef – we are even above kings when it comes to food! I do love my profession.
Tell us how you plan to continue to build your customer base We’ll stay true to our roots, not play with the principal flavours [of dishes] and continue to celebrate Indian street food in CHAAT’s refined setting. chaat.hk
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FOOD ADVENTURES
Impress that special someone with Tate Dining Room’s Date by Tate home dining experiece
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FOOD ADVENTURES
MICHELIN-STARRED
TAKEOUT
Many of Hong Kong’s most esteemed eateries are offering takeaway and delivery service
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ant to wow your other half with an upscale dinner for your next date night? Try Tate Dining Room’s Date by Tate, a private home dining experience and online gourmet shopping platform that brings a Michelinstarred restaurant directly to you, with a multi-course menu, beverage pairing and specially curated music playlist. Available Tuesday-Saturday, the gastronomy gourmet boxes are produced in limited quantities of 30 a day. There are four starters including lobster custard with razor clam and smoked grey mullet, while diners can choose mayura beef tenderloin or blue lobster thermidor for their main. Priced at HK$880 per person (+HK$200 delivery), the gastronomy gourmet box also includes a cheese course and mango passionfruit & banana mousse. datebytate.com Craving fine dining, Cantonese style? Two-Michelin starred Ying Jee Club has developed a special series of takeaway set menus, with 15 per cent off for orders from the à la carte takeaway menu. Enjoy special five or seven-course set menus at home including chef Siu’s signature crispy salted chicken, double-boiled Matsutake mushroom with Chinese cabbage and black mushroom, wok-fried Wagyu beef with leek and black pepper and honey glazed barbecue pork. Guests can also order takeaway from the
dim sum menu. Takeaway is for pick-up only and pre-payment is required for orders over HK$2,000. yingjeeclub.hk Écriture by Le Comptoir presents a twoMichelin-starred takeaway and delivery experience, Écriture a la Maison, which features some of the restaurant’s most celebrated dishes, like caviar & uni tart and Pyrenees confit baby lamb shoulder to elevate your home dining. Guests can choose from six different set menus depending on the occasion and party size, including the Library of Flavours Set Dinner Menu and Weekend Six-Course Lunch. Fancy some wine? Guests can enjoy 25 per cent on all wine orders for takeaway or delivery. Offerings can be viewed and ordered at. shop.lecomptoir.hk Fans of one-Michelin-starred Duddell’s can savour the restaurant’s celebrated Cantonese classics with a la carte and catering sets, with daily delivery and pickup from 12pm-8.30pm. The restaurant, which is famous for its cool interior and thoughtfully curated artworks, has built up a solid reputation among Hong Kong foodies for its refined, authentic take on Cantonese dishes including honey-glazed barbecued pork, braised South African abalone and pan-fried lobster with mullet roe alongside fresh mud crab and steamed whole garoupa. duddells.co
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TOP TABLES
AUTUMNEATS
Feeling hungry? Get ready to pull up a stool at mouth-watering new restaurants in Hong Kong and Macau
RELISH NORTHERN VIETNAMESE DISHES AT XUÂN
SAVOUR CONTEMPORARY ITALIAN AT ARIA
Inspired by the beauty of opera and artisanal produce, Aria brings a contemporary rendition of authentic Italian cuisine to Lan Kwai Fong. Accompanied by panoramic views of the city from its location on the 24th floor of the California Tower, the kitchen is helmed by executive chef Andrea Zamboni, who brings 20 years of Michelin-starred restaurant experience to Aria’s open kitchen, including stints at three-Michelin-starred restaurants da Vittorio in Bergamo and Otto e Mezzo Bombana in Hong Kong. While born and raised in Bergamo in northern Italy, chef Andrea spent the early part of his career working in the country’s central and southern regions, as evidenced by the influence of Mediterranean cuisine on his cooking. Aria’s menu highlights include tagliatelle with Zarda spicy tomato sauce, blue lobster and Bagna cauda fondue and baked eggplant parmigiana with basil, parmesan and Fior di Latte. ariaitalian.com
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Helmed by veteran chef John Nguyen, Xuân serves up contemporary Vietnamese fare in Wan Chai, with an emphasis on northern dishes alongside craft cocktails inspired by the nation’s signature flavours. What’s good? The braised beef tongue salad features 12-hour cooked meat atop pomelo, green mango, herbs and homemade citrus dressing while traditional pork and shrimp spring rolls are upgraded in the form of Cha Giò crispy spring rolls made with grouper, crab meat, Vietnamese herbs, and homemade nuoc mam. Nguyen’s pho is served as per Vietnam’s northern style, with a Chinese doughnut and pickled garlic in lieu of fresh herbs and diners can have choose from the signature beef, beef prime rib or chicken option. Broths are cooked for at least 24 hours while the beef is prepared for more than 12 hours for extra tenderness. facebook.com/ xuanModernVietnamese
ENJOY CONTEMPORARY VEGETARIAN AT SOIL TO SOUL
Korean temple food gets a modern twist at Soil to Soul, the newest restaurant to open at at Tsim Sha Tsui’s K11 Musea. As a specialist in eco-friendly vegan food using naturally cultivated ingredients, chef Gu Jin Kwang serves up a la carte specialties, lunch sets and six to eight course dinner tasting menu alongside contemporary bar snacks and a temple food tasting menu. From growing and gathering to preparation of dishes, all or most ingredients are either farmed or foraged from nature. Similar to the farm to table process, temple food philosophy encourages a minimalistic diet, eating only as much as you need, for minimal waste and environmental pollution, says the chef. The dinner tasting menu features eclectic seasonal dishes including perilla seed soup with taro and fungus, Jangajji wrapped rice, burdock & tofu with king oyster mushroom, and blessed tofu skin pocket stuffed with sweet potato noodle and Napa cabbage. For dessert, there's poached pear with red dates, cinnamon & star anise. Along with various Korean-style noodles, fried rice, rice ball and rice cake, dinner a la carte specialties range from appetisers like Korean gingseng salad and Korean turnip dumpling to mushroom terrine served with sweet & spicy sauce. Main course signatures include pan fried tofu & burdock, grilled king oyster mushrooms, and sweet & spicy mushrooms with assorted vegetables in a homemade spicy Korean sauce. facebook.com/soiltosoulhk
TOP TABLES
EXPERIENCE AUTHENTIC US SMOKEHOUSE FOOD AT SMOKE & BARREL
Love backyard barbecues and meat that falls off the bone? Get down to American-style smokehouse/barbecue joint Smoke & Barrel, which will open its doors this month in Central. The brainchild of chef-restaurateur duo Chris Grare and Arron Rhodes, Smoke & Barrel is their second restaurant co-venture following Kinship, which opened last year.
SANDS RESORTS MACAO EXPANDS ITS DINING OPTIONS
Leading the Smoke & Barrel kitchen is head chef Christopher Tuthill, who has roots in Albuquerque, New Mexico, together with Grare. Prior to joining Smoke & Barrel, chef Tuthill helmed the kitchen at private member’s club The American Club Hong Kong and also spent nine years working in Texas, the state hailed as the birthplace of barbecue.
Sands Resorts Macao has welcomed new restaurants into the fray, including Tai Er, Hiro by Hiroshi Kagata, Hiro Ramen, 828 Cafe, and Tim Ho Wan. Macao’s first branch of the Tai Er restaurant chain is an internet dining trendsetter that focuses on its famous signature dish, Chinese sauerkraut-style fish. Boneless and fat-free perch fillets are marinated under strict conditions to guarantee the flavour. Famed for its quality and good price, Michelin-starred dim sum chain Tim Ho Wan opened its Venetian Macao outlet in 2019 to great fanfare and now diners can enjoy its classic steamed dumplings, spring rolls and baked barbecue pork buns at Sands Cotai Central. The Venetian Macao, meanwhile, will welcome Hiro by Hiroshi Kagata, where guests can watch their sushi, sashimi, tempura, robatayaki and teppanyaki being prepared. Seasonal ingredients are directly flown into Macao from Japan several times a week. More casual options include Hiro Ramen and 828 Café, a classic Hong Kong/Macao style teahouse serving up Macanese pork chop buns and Hong Kong style French toast. sandsresortsmacao.com
Smoke & Barrel captures the heart of old-school American barbecue, using US meats, slow-and-low traditional cooking techniques, and an imported wood-fired smoker. Different from a charcoal or gas grill, the use of a smoker produces the hallmark flavours of real Texas-style barbecue imparted by hickory wood. smokeandbarrelhk.com
DIG INTO ORIENTAL EATS AT MONSOON
Dedicated to a modern expression of Southeast Asia's best street-food dishes, Monsoon is the brainchild of award-winning chef Will Meyrick, the driving force behind some of Bali's most coveted restaurants, including Sarong and Mama San. He set up Monsoon remotely, in what the chef predicts will become the new norm in hospitality. From his base in Perth, Meyrick has regularly liaised with the Monsoon culinary team at Elements Hong Kong via videoconferencing, and has created an archive of videos that detail the various preparations for each dish. "We’ve had to be willing to adopt new technology and be flexible as it's just not practical to travel to Hong Kong to train the team in person. If anything, this is a return to basics as we slow down the process, document all the recipes, and create an archive that the culinary team will always be able to refer to,” says Meyrick. Menu highlights include grilled barramundi marinated with jungle curry, royal beef salad of brisket and Vietnamese crème caramel with coffee granita. monsoonoriental.com.hk
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RESTAURANT REVIEW
PIEDMONT PARADISE
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Castellana celebrates food from one Italy’s most esteemed culinary regions, Piedmont. Denis Fahy samples its Journey Around the World menu
talian restaurants are of course ten a penny in Hong Kong, but many serve cuisine that would make the archetypal red-cheeked Italian mamma blush, with questionable pizza toppings that cater for Asian tastes (Thousand Island sauce is not a good addition) and nary a fresh bowl of pasta or bottle of Barbaresco in sight. Not so at Castellana, which, like the best Italian restaurants, sensibly zooms in on one regional cuisine and concentrates on doing it well. Opened in collaboration with chef Marco Sacco, who holds two Michelin stars in Italy for his restaurant Piccolo Lago, its menu pays tribute to the Piedmont region. Located at the borders of France and Switzerland, it has the perfect climate for wine and truffles, and dishes are cooked for longer, butter often replacing olive oil, so the ingredients are characterised by a rich, deep flavour. The restaurant’s thoughtful reproduction of Northern Italian cuisine has not gone unnoticed, and Castellana is on the recommended plates list of the Michelin guide. It has managed to blend classic decor balanced with an air of understated modernism that immediately seems to put guests in a relaxed mood, its soft neutral décor in direct contrast to the colourful
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paintings on the walls, which include a playful caricature of a truffle hunter and a bold interpretation of the Hong Kong skyline. Restaurant manager Roberto Ame proudly explains the temptations that await us from his native Piedmont. It's a perfect introduction for guests, and the build-up could be considered an appetiser alone. It’s not only authentic, it's ‘the real deal’, Roberto explains: even the olive oil comes from a tiny Piedmont plot producing only 800 bottles annually. Like the best restaurant menus, the kitchen has allowed the ingredients to do the talking and the produce is allowed to sing. Lucky diners get to sample the freshest cheeses, the most delectable meats, and the most authentic fruits, vegetables and herbs the Piedmont region has to offer. We’re here to sample the Castellana Journey Around The World menu, and proceedings got off to the most delectable of starts with a creamy Burrata cheese topped with Mazara del Vallo Sicilian red prawns, which was paired with a Frederic Mohel Reisling from 2015. Next up on the menu is Castagne, a seasonal chestnut soup with guinea fowl, an Italian Autumn classic with porcini mushrooms and cream, or a carbonara. We opt for the latter,
a good carbonara being a benchmark for any Italian restaurant, and at Castellana, it’s carbonara Au Koque, homemade tagliolini with an egg yolk infused in gin on the side artfully topped with crispy cured ham from Vigezzo Valley in the Lepontine Alps. The glazed Iberico pork ribs are similarly delightful – the meat literally slides off the bone – and it’s drizzled with sweet barbecue sauce and topped with peanuts for a dish that’s rich in texture and flavour. To finish, there’s classic Piedmont cheeses paired with a Barbaresco, or a traditional Italian pannacotta, which is paired with a Dr. Ulrich Marolo, Vermouth NV, which cuts through the creaminess of this classic Italian dessert with aplomb. If you’re serious about Italian food, then it’s definitely worth booking a table at Castellana, which we reckon deserves to get its first Michelin star very soon. Manager Roberto is very amiable and a big part of the restaurant’s success, but really it’s the authentic flavours of the Piedmont region that will have you coming back for more. If you’re keen to savour this sublime Piedmont cuisine but still cautious about venturing into restaurants, Castellana is offering takeaway and delivery, with three-and fourcourse menus available, alongside a la carte options. castellanahongkong.com
SPIRITS
A SCOTCH
LIKE NO OTHER Johnnie Walker toasts its 200th birthday with four limited edition bottles
The world’s most popular blended whisky is turning 200 in 2020
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ohnnie Walker is celebrating turning 200 in 2020 with four exclusive limited editions. Each of these 200th anniversary releases – a new bottle design and three newly crafted whiskies – are a nod to the pioneering spirit of founder, John Walker, who established the company in 1820 from his grocery store.
only eight legendary distilleries that all existed in 1820, including some very rare expressions from long-closed ghost distilleries.
Johnnie Walker Blue Label 200th Anniversary Limited Edition Design features striking illustrations that pay homage to some of the destinations that have been part of the brand’s 200-year journey. Johnnie Walker Blue label Legendary Eight, meanwhile, is a smooth, mellow Scotch crafted using whisky hand selected from
John Walker & Sons Bicentenary Blend is crafted with whiskies all aged for at least 28 years, including those from long-closed "ghost" distilleries such as Pittyvaich, Cambus and soon to be re-opened Port Ellen. All four exclusive releases will launch from October onwards for a limited period only. johnniewalker.com
John Walker & Sons Celebratory Blend is inspired by a breakthrough moment in the brand’s history, the launch of Old Highland Whisky in the 1860s. This rich and complex Scotch is crafted with whiskies from distilleries operating at the time.
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WATCHES
MASTER OF
COMPLICATIONS Patek Philippe launches a minute repeater, perpetual calendar and split-seconds chronograph
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atek Philippe has reasserted its grand complications expertise with the extension of the current collection by three models: the Ref.5303R-001 Minute Repeater, Ref.5370P-011 Split-Seconds chronograph and Ref.5270J-001 Perpetual Calendar chronograph. Unveiled in 2019 in a limited edition of 12 watches at the Watch Art Grand Exhibition Singapore, the Ref.5303R-001 Minute Repeater stands out with its open architecture without a conventional dial. The repeater mechanism, for the first time with the hammers and gongs, can be admired in action without removing the watch from the wrist. The transparency aspect also applies to the tourbillon: the back side of its cage can be seen beneath the seconds subdial at 6 o’clock. The Ref. 5370P-011 Split-Seconds Chronograph, meanwhile, features a new face with a blue Grand Feu enamel dial. The hours and minutes are tracked by slender leaf-shaped hands with luminous coatings and applied Breguet numerals in white gold.
Patek Philippe has one of the most comprehensive collections of regularly produced grand complications.
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Available in yellow gold for the first time, the Ref. 5270J-001 Perpetual Calendar chronograph (pictured) is worn on a hand-stitched matt chocolate brown alligator strap secured with a yellow-gold fold-over clasp. patek.com
WOLF1834.COM WAT C H W I N D E R S | WAT C H B O X E S | J E W E L R Y B O X E S | T R AV E L A C C E S S O R I E S H K + 8 5 2 2 74 2 3 4 4 4
WATCHES
CHRONO UPDATES Audemars Piguet releases three new versions of the Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding Chronograph
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ooking to liven up your watch collection with a pop of colour? Audemars Piguet has updated its Royal Oak Offshore collection with smoked blue, green or grey dials, each incorporating the Manufacture’s “Mega Tapisserie” pattern and new Arabic numerals that supplant the customary applied hour-markers. The blue and green dial options feature a 44mm ceramic case with matching ceramic bezel, pushpieces and screw-locked crown, with pushpiece guards executed in titanium. The smoked grey dial, meanwhile, features an 18-carat pink gold bezel and pushpiece guards. The case, pushpieces and screwlocked crown are made of black ceramic.
Now available with new dials: the Royal Oak Offshore Selfwinding Chrono
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Housed within each model’s contemporary case is the Manufacture Calibre 3126/3840, a selfwinding movement that can run autonomously for at least 50 hours. This trio of new releases is housed in a black ceramic case with glareproof sapphire crystal and caseback and is water resistant to 100m. For a sports leisure feel, each model is finished with a textured rubber strap. audemarspiguet.com
WATCHES
THE
DARKSIDE Omega teams up with yacht team Alinghi for a new Speedmaster
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n tribute to its partnership with Swiss sailing team Alinghi, Omega has launched a new Speedmaster, Dark Side of the Moon Alinghi. Embracing Alinghi’s innovative approach to boat design, particularly the new TF35 catamaran, it harnessed some cool tech, the most durable materials and an original design concept to create the new timepiece, says president and CEO of Omega Raynald Aeschlimann. Arguably the most impressive feature is the watch’s expertly decorated calibre 1865, while the manual-winding movement will suit sailing crews due to its light, slender design. Two of the watch’s subdials are also worth mentioning. At 3 o’clock, there is a 4-minute or 5-minute tactical time display to help with precision on the water, while at 6 o’clock, the traditional subdial design has been replaced with a sandblasted and anodised aluminium disc that features the Alinghi logo. The watch echoes the colour scheme of the red and black Alinghi logo with a perforated black and red rubber strap and black zirconium oxide ceramic case. omegawatches.com
A new Speedmaster, Dark Side of the Moon Alinghi, celebrates Omega’s partnership with the Swiss sailing team
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WATCHES
CATCH THESUN Krayon’s Anywhere indicates the length of the day and the time at which the sun rises and sets, a world-first in watchmaking
Krayon’s Anywhere displays the time of sunrise and sunset at any point on the globe chosen by its wearer
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hat if you could tell the exact time of sunrise or sunset at any location on the planet? Independent Swiss watchmaker Krayon’s Anywhere does just that by indicating the length of the day and the time the sun rises and sets. The watch displays the time of sunrise and sunset at any point on the globe chosen by its wearer. It can be their location at that precise moment, their place of birth, or the location where loved ones await. It’s all possible thanks to a hypercomplication created by Krayon watchmaker and founder, Rémi Maillat, who scooped the Innovation Prize at the Grand Prix d'Horlogerie de Genève in 2018 for his efforts.
Anywhere's large peripheral ring separates the day into two sections. As the day evolves, its length and colour change, and with them the face of the watch. It indicates the hours and minutes with dedicated hands, placed in the centre of a dial that seems suspended at the heart of the watch. It is surrounded by an annular zone upon which a small sun circulates in perpetual motion, indicating the time over 24 hours. The dial shows the same motif as on the manufacture’s first watch, Everywhere, an orb with parallels and meridians, imaginary longitudes and latitudes. This latest model is available in two interpretations: one in white gold, with blue the dominating colour; the other in 18K rose gold, with creamy white the dominant tone. krayon.ch
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WISHLIST
THE NEED FOR SPEED B With a top speed of more than 60 knots, Tecnomar for Lamborghini 63 is the brand’s fastest-ever motor yacht
illed as ‘a Lamborghini on the water’, the Tecnomar for Lamborghini 63 is an unashamedly modern superyacht with a super sporty silhouette that’s being marketed at the younger generation. Developed in partnership with superyacht maker Tecnomar and limited to 63 examples, the yacht’s clean lines were inspired by the Lamborghini Sián FKP 37, the first super sports car powered by a V12 engine. With a top speed of more than 60 knots – it’s the fastest yacht in the Tecnomar fleet – the Lamborghini 63 is powered by two MAN V122000 hp engines. Crafted from carbon fibre, this motor yacht is in the ultra-lightweight boat classification, with its 63 feet length weighing in at just 24 tons. The superyacht’s hull and structure are
created from a high-performance shell that delivers a contemporary take on the design lines created by Marcello Gandini in the Miura and the Countach of the 60s and 70s. The hard top is inspired by Lamborghini roadsters while the bow lights pay homage to the Lamborghini concept car Terzo Millennio and the Sián FKP 37, both of which have Y-shaped front lights. The interior can be customised according to client’s preferences, with different colour and material combinations available. The instrument panel, meanwhile, interprets the car cockpit in a nautical style, integrating all navigation and control systems. The legendary start/stop button (there’s one for each engine) are exactly the same as those used to start a Lambo car. If you’ve always craved a yacht that resembles a supercar, this limited edition boat will be available next year. lamborghini.com
The Tecnomar for Lamborghini 63 is aimed at the younger generation of yacht owners
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LUGGAGE
SAFE
TRAVELS
Samsara’s Nano-Bag incorporates bacteriostatic protection to keep bag and contents clean
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hether it’s been business as usual for you since the pandemic or Zoom calls for business and armchair travel for leisure, we all want to feel better protected at the airport, on the plane and in transit. Enter Samsara Luggage’s Nano-Bag, an overnight travel holdall treated with a layer of bacteriostatic nano protection that helps travellers stay safe as they alternate from car to hotel during road trips, or move to and from high-traffic areas like bedrails, bedside tables, bed sheet pillows, floors and air exhaust outlets. Use it with one of the brand’s smart carry-on suitcases and you’ve got a workstation at the gate so those last-minute emails to the boss or finishing touches to that presentation get made before it’s time to board. Using your carry-on as a pop-up office means you can also give shared workspaces a wide berth. samsaraluggage.com
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TECH
LET THERE BE
LIGHT Harnessing the sanitising powers of UV-C light, the UV Closet disinfects items in five minutes
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ou can’t use hand sanitiser on everything to keep covid-19 and other viruses & germs at bay. And with covid proven to live on certain surfaces for up to three days or more, many of us are keen to neutralise the dangers of bringing items in from outside the home. While the SARS-CoV-2 virus has not yet been specifically tested for its ultraviolet susceptibility, many other tests on related coronaviruses, including SARS, have concluded that they are highly vulnerable to ultraviolet
Keep safe from viruses and other pathogens with the UV Closet
inactivation. Enter the UV Closet, developed by a Hong Kong startup of the same name, which can kill up to 99 per cent of most viruses, airborne bacteria, mould and other pathogens that rests on products such as phones, clothes, packages and other everyday items. Best positioned at an entrance way to home, the closet measures five feet high and two feet across and has a shelf and transparent hanger with pockets to place items in. There’s also transparent netting 8cm off the ground for shoes. In addition to disinfecting materials coming into the home from outdoors like mobile phones, coats and purses, the reflective closet can be used to sanitise high-touch items inside the home like remote controls and games consoles as well as deliveries, groceries and other materials with unknown provenance. After sealing the closet, all gear is sanitised within five minutes, and it can be controlled remotely with Amazon Alexa, Siri or Google Assistant. While UV-C light can be used in homes, exposure to skin and eyes is harmful and so it should be used in a controlled environment. With covid-19 looking set to linger into 2021, be an early adopter and pre-order a closet now at uvcloset.com
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TECH
PICK OFTHE
HYBRIDS Light and compact, the Lumix S5 delivers effortless handheld video creation and professional-level photography
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s a pioneer of photo/video hybrid mirrorless cameras, Lumix has the largest lineup of such models capable of recording 4K 10-bit video. A hybrid full-frame mirrorless camera, the Lumix S5 is a solid bet for those wanting to capture quality photos and videos. Nimbler than its predecessors yet still packed with features, it offers great mobility for serious photographers and videographers alike. At the heart of the camera is a 24.2-megapixel 35mm full-frame CMOS sensor that boasts a wide dynamic range and high sensitivity performance. With high-speed, high-precision auto focus in photo shooting and video recording, the S5 features advanced deep-learning technology for real-time detection of the subject's type and features including eyes, face, head and body, meaning you can still track people or animals if they move suddenly. This neat hybrid also has a High Resolution mode that reproduces precise details as highly realistic images not only in RAW but also in JPEG, making it a good bet for landscape photography
The Lumix S5 is a serious contender for those who want to up their game
of stationary subjects or artwork with delicate details using a tripod. It can also be used in situations where moving subjects are included in the scene by switching the sub mode. With the new Live View Composite function, the S5 releases the shutter at designated intervals of exposure time and synthesizes the parts with high luminosity to produce a single picture. While the total brightness of each consecutive image is accumulated in bulb shooting, only the bright parts of an image are detected and the user can synthesize them carefully while seeing it in live view. This is useful for capturing shots of fireworks or stars in the night sky where the background needs no gain-increase. A serious contender for anyone looking to up their photography and video game. panasonic.com
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STYLE
B
rad Pitt may be closer to 60 than 50 (how did that happen?) but the movie star – who won his first Oscar this year for Best Supporting Actor in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood – still cuts quite the sartorial figure with his slicked-back blond locks and carefully cultivated stubble. After appearing on the red carpet back in February sporting Brioni black tie and oozing old-school Hollywood glamour, Pitt became the face of Brioni’s Spring/ Summer 2020 collection and is house ambassador for the luxury Italian tailor. This season, Pitt is back again for the Autumn/ Winter campaign as the face of the brand’s Tailoring Legends advertising campaign. Shot in Los Angeles by photographer Mikael Jansson, the intimate black and white portraits feature the Academy Award winner showcasing his laidback interpretation of the Brioni style, whether that’s wrapped up in a cable knit jumper and white double-breasted coat or dressed for the red carpet in the Policleto tuxedo suit, white evening shirt and black bow tie. Elsewhere in the collection, there’s crisp, sophisticated garments like the grey Virgilio suit, a single-breasted affair in sustainable wool, and the Travel 75 jacket, a cool cashmere piece that will keep you looking stylish in transit. Both pieces take inspiration from the brand’s archive to mark its 75th anniversary and reflect Brioni’s concept of a timeless wardrobe, something the brand refers to as ‘effortless essentials’. brioni.com
CHANNEL A
STYLE ICON Brioni’s Autumn/Winter campaign, Tailoring Legends, puts Brad Pitt centre stage 118
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“I must confess
that I like your book as it encourages more international co-operation in various forms!”
The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has received considerable critical attention from the infrastructure, political and media worlds. Most reports and articles on the subject are confused at best, when they are not completely misinformed or contradictory. To date there has been little agreement on the number of BRI projects, amounts spent, dates, and geographical distribution. A global information warfare campaign of mis-information, dis-information, and intoxication is currently at play about the BRI, which direct result is to confuse the situation even more... This book critically examines what China’s BRI is about, clarifies the confusion, and answers many questions. It includes a first-time-ever-published list and statistical tables of all the BRI projects up to December 31st, 2018. This work also demonstrates how instrumental the BRI is to globalization, which in itself is conducive to humanity’s evolution. It describes humanity’s five key choke points, and apprehends how China and the BRI are addressing them. “It is an excellent, comprehensive and detailed treatment of the Belt and Road Initiative. This book is far more useful than almost anything written on the topic.” Parag Khanna, Author of Connectography, New York, USA “I trust this book would provide a good road map for policy makers and infrastructure developers in any developing countries amidst complex geo-political circumstances.” Dr. D. J. Pandian, Vice President and Chief
Investment Officer, Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), Beijing, China
BEAUTY TRAVEL
HOME GROWN BEAUTY Hong Kong beauty brand Harlow has a range of ethical products that should make the cut for your next carry-on
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e love to champion home-grown brands, especially when they’re as good as Harlow, which incorporates pure, whole ingredients from social enterprises like Hives for Humanity into its collection. Free from preservatives and synthetics, the ethical beauty company utilises only uses 12 ingredients in its product range, which includes face elixirs, toners and cheek and lip tints. Signature products include its flora toners, floral essences blended with pure petal infusions in jojoba oil designed to gently tone and enhance the complexion. Choose from Cherish (rose and helichrysum), Darling (camomile and jasmine) and Treasure (neroli and rose geranium) to prime your skin, set makeup and boost hydration.
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There are also two types of botanical resin perfume: Torch (cedarwood, frankincense and vanilla) and Awake (sweet flora, leafy greens and bright citrus). Harlow does makeup too, a skin gloss and cheek & lip tint in five shades: pinched, blushed, warm, natural and naked. Made with raw cocoa butter and organic Canadian beeswax, it delivers buildable coverage that can be applied to lips and cheeks. There’s also a grooming product for gents, a face and beard ointment to hydrate skin and tame unruly facial hair. The brand avoids excess packaging and plastic and encourages re-using or re-purposing its jars and bottles. You can purchase Harlow products at the spa at the Four Seasons Hong Kong, or online at harlowskinco.com
TEE OFF
Titleist’s T-Series T100•S and T200 Black irons are finished with a high polish black PVD
NONE MORE
BLACK
Titleist’s T-Series T100•S and T200 player’s irons get a black makeover
T
he striking long-range performance of the Titleist T-Series T100•S and T200 player’s irons – powered by breakthrough technology for explosive distance in a player-preferred shape – can now be experienced in a stealthy all-black setup for a limited time. The new T-Series T100•S and T200 Black irons are finished with a high polish black PVD coating continually requested by tour players and members of #TeamTitleist. Each model is complemented by a glare-reducing matte black shaft – DG Onyx AMT Black (T100•S) or Project X LZ Onyx (T200) – and an all-black Golf Pride Tour Velvet 360 grip. T-Series irons have quickly become the mostplayed iron model on the PGA Tour. Australian golfer Cameron Smith won the Sony Open in Hawaii playing a set of T100 Black irons. US player Lanto Griffin, who put in his request for
black T100’s after seeing Smith post a picture of them on Instagram, used them to win the Houston Open. T100•S irons are the only fully-forged player’s distance iron in the category, designed to deliver the same tour-level precision and signature feel as T100 in 2-degree stronger lofts for longer distance. Each iron has been individually calibrated to give better players the added distance they need to score lower, while preserving the precision required for superior shot shaping. T200 irons deliver powerfully playable distance in a tour-inspired shape with Max Impact Technology, which extends maximum speed across the entire face of mid and long irons while preserving superior sound and feel. A super thin forged face is backed by a polymer core to provide a better distance from every swing. titleist.com
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AUTO The V12 Speedster utilises elements from the DBS Superleggera and Vantage to create its own unique platform
THE SPEEDIEST SUV With a top speed of 190mph, Bentley’s new Bentayga Speed can go 0-62 mph in 3.9 seconds
T
he Bentayga set the luxury SUV benchmark when it was launched in 2015, offering customers the ultimate Grand Touring experience unrestricted by landscape or conditions. Defining its position as the pinnacle of the range, the Bentley Bentayga Speed is the most powerful and performance orientated Bentayga to date. Effortless acceleration is a given with 900 Nm (664 lb.ft) of torque, available as a plateau from 1,500 rpm to 5,000 rpm. Maximum speed, meanwhile, is increased from 190 mph (306 km/h), while the 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) sprint is delivered in 3.9 seconds. To use this power appropriately, the car is equipped with four onroad Drive Dynamics modes: Comfort, Bentley mode, Custom and Sport. This sleek auto packs quite the technological punch, with an advanced navigation system featuring free-text and context-specific search entry, including an address or point of interest. Navigation is improved with a three-dimensional building display, satellite maps and content in
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the driver’s Head-Up Display, which can additionally project traffic information, street names and distance to destination. Wireless Apple CarPlay is now standard along with Android Auto. With a corresponding phone plugged into one of the car’s USB-C sockets, the central infotainment screen mirrors the smartphone display. Customers keen to amplify the sporting look of their Bentayga Speed can select the Black Specification, which replaces all exterior chrome work, bright detailing and some elements of the body with gloss black or carbon fibre versions. Now that’s what we call cool. bentleymotors.com
CULTURE
ASilver
SCREEN SALUTE The curtain will open on Hollywood’s Academy Museum of Motion Pictures next Spring
E
ver wanted to come face to face with the Jaws model that terrorised Amity Island’s beachgoers? Or see Bela Lugosi’s cloak from the 1931 adaptation of Dracula, or perhaps Dorothy’s ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz? Movie lovers will be able to take a nostalgic trip down memory lane with the opening of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures next Spring, admiring iconic pieces of film history and acquainting themselves with the work of screen icons such as Humphrey Bogart and Marilyn Monroe. The museum has also collaborated with big name directors Spike Lee, Pedro Almodóvar, Hildur Guðnadóttir and Ben Burtt to pull together its inaugural exhibitions. Situated on Museum Row on the Miracle Mile near the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the museum is housed in the 1930s Saban Building (formerly the Fox Wilshire Building), which has been revitalised by Pritzker prize-winning architect Renzo Piano, with a contemporary structure behind the building housing the museum’s theatres. Other highlights include the Dolby Family Terrace on the rooftop, which boasts sweeping views of the Hollywood Hills, and the Shirley Temple Education Studio, which will deliver workshops in moviemaking techniques. With more than 3,500 items at its disposal including costume and production design, makeup and hairstyling, promotional materials (and a bunch of Oscars, naturally) the museum looks set to win over starstruck tourists and serious film buffs alike. academymuseum.org
Encounter Jaws and other iconic movie memorabilia at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures
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