TRIPS OF A LIFETIME Step into Japan’s city of crafts, hike among New Zealand’s majestic peaks and more
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On the Cover
A heli-skiing trip in British Columbia’s Central Coast brings writer Dave Lank up close to pristine rainforest, Indigenous culture and as much fresh powder as he could dream of.
For more than 400 years, Kanazawa’s artisans have shaped the Japanese city by continuing to evolve their traditional pottery, gold leaf, silk dyeing and other crafts.
46
Photographer Melissa Renwick lets us tag along on a solo trek that winds between mountain passes and mirror-like tarns in New Zealand’s breathtaking Southern Alps.
60
Here’s how to make the most of Porto’s deep history, incredible architecture and irresistible food and drink scene — custard tarts and port wine included.
66
The best of South Africa, from Cape Town to wildlife spotting in Kruger National Park, as recommended by African Studio’s Robert Swanepoel.
68
Everything you need to plan your pre- or post-cruise stay in Miami.
72 Outtake
One more moment in travel.
Discover a volcanic island chain that rose from the depths of the ocean to become a living museum of plant and animal species found nowhere else on Earth. This extraordinary destination deserves an equally extraordinary way to experience it, and that’s where we come in.
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*Flights on us (“Offer”): Offer applies to new, individual bookings made between 06/01/24 and 12/31/24 for select 10, 11 and 16-night Galapagos cruise packages aboard Celebrity Flora, Celebrity Xpedition, and Celebrity Xploration departing between 06/01/24 and 12/27/26. Offer includes round trip air fare, valued up to $750 per person including air taxes and fees, departing from US or Canadian gateways, booked via Flights by Celebrity. Air must be booked via Flights by Celebrity during the Offer Period and prior to final cruise payment due date or within 150 days of cruise booking, whichever occurs first. Guests with independent air arrangements may choose a $500 per person cruise fare savings instead of airfare via Flights by Celebrity. Offer applies to the first two guests in the stateroom, is subject to availability, subject to change, capacity controlled, non-transferable, not combinable with any other offer, and may be withdrawn at any time without notice. Cancellation of Air Tickets: Air tickets may be purchased on a non-refundable or refundable basis and are each subject to the cancellation terms of the applicable airlines and Flights by Celebrity. Offer available to residents of the United States and Canada. Refer to Cruise Ticket Contract for additional terms and conditions. Celebrity reserves the right to correct any errors, inaccuracies, or omissions, and change or update fares, fees, and surcharges at any time without prior notice. ©2024 Celebrity Cruises Inc. Ships’ registry: Ecuador
EDITORIAL
Editorial Director
Dominique Lamberton
Contributing Editor
Andrew Elkin
Senior Editor
Robert Liwanag
ART
Creative Design Director
Stefanie Sosiak
Photography Director
Lori Morgan
CONTRIBUTORS
Heather Greenwood Davis, Karen Gardiner, Christian Heurtelou, Jessica Huras, Lisa Kadane, Patrycja Kuklinska, Dave Lank, Aimi Mayne, Melissa Renwick, Allison Seto, Lara Shea, Claire Sibonney, Nik van der Giesen, Mitsuru Wakabayashi
RESEARCHERS
Amanda Ghazale Aziz, Corinna Reeves
COPY EDITORS
Christopher Korchin, Robert Ronald
PROOFREADER
Diane Carlson
PRODUCTION
Senior Director, Brand & Marketing
Valerie Lenoir
Printer Mi5
SALES
Senior Director, Partnership Marketing & Engagement
Danielle Clement
Senior Director, Partner Relations (Cruise)
Rachel Grogan
Director, Partnership Marketing (Land) Franca Iuele
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Ensemble is a leading travel organization comprised of top-tier travel agencies throughout the U.S. and Canada. As a valued client of one of our member agencies, you gain access to exclusive perks, amenities and experiences as well as expert advice and exceptional customer service from the foremost authorities in the travel industry. ensembletravel.com
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BY
You may have cruised before. You may have even cruised with us before. But you’ve never cruised like this. Introducing: the Marvelous Voyage Collection by Virgin Voyages. On these unique seafaring adventures, you can take a trip from Miami to Los Angeles through the iconic Panama Canal, cruise the dramatic Pacific Coast on your way to Vancouver, or even spend 11-nights hopping Greek islands from Athens to Istanbul. Not only will these Voyages offer you an unparalleled look at the world from both land and sea, in 2026 you’ll also be able to view Marvelous celestial wonders from the deck of our award-winning lady ship. Book either our 15-night journey from Portsmouth to Iceland and back or our 12-night journey from Barcelona to Rome in August 2026 and you’ll have the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to witness a solar eclipse at sea.
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I’m not a big fan of the term “bucket list.” Perhaps it’s the slightly morbid connotation — outlining all the things we want to see or do before we “kick the bucket.” Or maybe it’s because it’s used a lot: not a surprise since research shows more than 90 percent of Americans have bucket lists, with travel experiences topping them.
Instead of keeping a running list of destinations I’d like to visit one day, I get inspired by reflecting on the trips I’ve already taken. A tour through Switzerland by train, cable car and steamboat last year has me dreaming about more visits to Central Europe, to plunge into fresh rivers and lakes and see storybook Alpine villages. Completing Scotland’s Great Glen Way, a 78-mile trek from Fort William to Inverness, with my parents two years ago has me researching other multi-day walks (Wales’s Pembrokeshire Coast Path is a front-runner). And recent city breaks in New York and Phoenix, consumed mostly by eating and drinking, have me plotting one to Mexico City, where I’ll wander its leafy streets, savor tacos al pastor and sip carajillos (see page 19).
Of course, there are destinations unrelated to past travels that I long to see and experiences I’d love to “check off.”
Spotting a giraffe in the wilds of South Africa, something our local expert Robert Swanepoel describes on page 66, is one of them, as is biting into a still-warm pastel de nata in Porto (page 60). And as a skier living in Calgary, in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, landing atop a glacier to conquer untouched powder, like writer Dave Lank did in Bella Coola, British Columbia (page 26), is undoubtedly a travel goal.
Whether you’re a fan of bucket lists or not, or whether you keep a record of must-see places at all, you’re here because you love to travel — so does our team at Range. We hope this issue helps you find your next great adventure, and the next one after that.
Dominique Lamberton Editorial Director
Where are you dreaming of heading next?
Share it with me at editor@ensembletravel.ca.
WRITER
Hometown and home base
Toronto
I never travel without snacks!
An emergency snack kit is always a good idea — my go-to is sea-salt popcorn, but having some licorice (only classic red Twizzlers, please) in my carry-on is also a regular occurrence.
When I’m not writing for Range, I am either traveling the world in search of interesting people, locations and life lessons, or in my home office working on articles for the likes of National Geographic , AFAR , Travel + Leisure and Condé Nast Traveler , or appearing in television segments across North America.
In the Moment — page 23
PHOTOGRAPHER
Hometown and home base
Kyoto
The place I can return to again and again is Bali. I was there shooting for a hotel, and I mainly visited local villages and temples. The rice fields and birdsong in Ubud made me feel like I was in heaven.
When I’m not shooting for Range , I work as a photographer, mainly in Kyoto and Tokyo, for publications such as Noma in Kyoto and Courier
The Way of Craft — page 36
PHOTOGRAPHER
Hometown Calgary
Home base Tofino, British Columbia
My travel style is spontaneous. It’s important for me to create space for the unexpected. I often enter a place having an idea of what I’d like to do, but with no set itinerary. To me, travel is about letting your heart guide the way.
When I’m not collaborating with Range , you’ll find me with my camera chasing the fog on a quiet, empty beach, exploring Clayoquot Sound’s old-growth forests or getting hammered by waves in the surf.
I also take photos for The New York Times , The Globe and Mail, TIME and Maclean’s
Peaks and Valleys — page 46
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With our changing climate comes a change in travel trends. Case in point: As temperatures rise, vacationers are looking to beat the heat by opting for cooler destinations instead of balmy ones. Experiences in chillier locales across Europe, North America and Antarctica are on the travel hotlist, from exploring the fjords and fishing villages of Lofoten (pictured), a mountainous archipelago in Norway, to hiking or snowshoeing the 1,000-plus miles of trails in Canada’s Banff National Park to whale watching on board an expedition cruise in the icy waters of Antarctica.
Seafarers have long looked to the stars — now the custom continues for cruisers. As astrotourism experiences a meteoric rise due to celestial events like eclipses, cruise lines are planning itineraries and offering programming around the cosmos. Next year, guests aboard Atlas Ocean Voyages’ World Voyager can peer into telescopes and join astronomer Charles Barclay for discussions about the history of the universe. Cunard hosts daily shows and talks in Queen Mary 2’s Illuminations planetarium, and, for the total solar eclipse in August 2026, three of its ships will be situated in the path of totality, from Iceland to Spain. Virgin Voyages will also sail two of its ships under the 2026 eclipse — in the Mediterranean Sea at 100-percent totality and near Iceland at 98.5 percent — with talks from astronauts and cosmic cuisine (bring on the moon pies).
Jet lag can derail the first few days of a trip no matter how much you prepare. That’s why InterContinental Hotels & Resorts has introduced jet-lag app Timeshifter, used by NASA astronauts, F1 drivers and elite athletes, for guests across all 220 of its properties. Developed by scientists, Timeshifter creates a custom plan to reset the body’s circadian clock based on your sleep patterns and preferences, personal schedule and more. Each plan advises on when to avoid or seek out light, when to drink coffee and when to nap or sleep — which you’ll be doing in one of InterContinental’s new guest rooms, refreshed to enhance restoration courtesy of neuroscience-based designer Isabelle Sjövall.
It’s been decades since Pan American World Airways ruled the skies, but next year the iconic brand will take flight once more with a series of themed journeys that nod to luxury air travel’s heyday in the 1950s and ‘60s. The first, a 12-day itinerary, takes off in June 2025, departing from New York and touching down in Bermuda, Lisbon, Marseille, London and Foynes, Ireland — all stops on Pan Am’s original transatlantic routes. The private aircraft’s 50 passengers will enjoy lie-flat seats and an open bar, and, in each destination, stays at luxury properties, like the Savoy in London.
If flying leaves your skin parched (thanks, low onboard humidity), we’ve got a carry-on-sized answer. Skincare brand Summer Fridays’ Jet Lag Mask is packed with hydration boosters to attract and lock in moisture and can be used as a face, eye or hand cream, and overnight mask. The best part? The rich formula is unscented, so you can apply freely without disturbing your seatmates. Summer Fridays Jet Lag Mask, US$49 (2.25 oz), sephora.com
FOOD & DRINK
Iris, Norway
This expedition dining experience begins with a boat trip from Rosendal, calling first at chef Anika Madsen’s boathouse for a snack, before continuing to Salmon Eye — the world’s largest floating art installation, home to Iris restaurant — for an 18-course tasting menu.
Naar, India
Helmed by chef Prateek Sadhu, Naar (“fire” in Kashmiri) is redefining Himalayan cuisine in a village in the mountain range’s foothills. The area’s six seasons ensure an everchanging menu of local ingredients, including stinging nettle, wild figs and galgal (hill lemon).
Krone – Säumerei am Inn, Switzerland
This historic inn in La Punt Chamues-ch, in the eastern Swiss Alps, is now operated by James and Natacha Baron. At the inn’s three restaurants, chef James showcases Alpine cuisine using locally sourced ingredients, from butter to caviar.
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NEW & NOTEWORTHY
To celebrate 100 years since Utah’s arresting landscapes first appeared in films, the Utah Film Commission has launched the Utah Film Trail. Now, you can visit the exact spot where Forrest Gump decided to halt his three-yearlong run or have your own Ren McCormack ( Footloose ) moment outside the Lehi Roller Mills flour mill. And, until the end of 2024, check out the film exhibit at the Utah State Capitol, which stood in for the U.S. Capitol in Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde
(n.) A combination of the German words Wald (forest) and Einsamkeit (loneliness), waldeinsamkeit is best translated as “the feeling of being alone in the woods.” Germany’s answer to forest bathing, waldeinsamkeit has been practiced in the country’s woodlands for centuries. The Black Forest, a region of dense evergreens and misty valleys made famous by the Brothers Grimm’s folktales, is the perfect place to experience such peaceful solitude.
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Step aside, espresso martini: These coffee-infused beverages from around the world offer enticing alternatives to the popular after-dinner tipple.
By Jessica Huras
The island of Tenerife’s hot-coffee cocktail packs a dual punch, awakening the senses with its caffeine kick and eye-catching presentation. Condensed milk, citrusy, vanilla-scented Licor 43, a shot of espresso and frothed whole milk are layered in a clear glass for a striking stratified effect, then topped with cinnamon and lemon peel. The aromatic barraquito’s low alcohol content makes it a popular post-meal order that can be enjoyed any time of day. Allow the lemon peel to sink into your glass before stirring the drink’s tiers into one satisfying sip. Where to try it: Visit the birthplace of the barraquito at the Imperial Bar in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, where a regular nicknamed El Barraco inspired its creation.
Made with Licor 43 and coffee, the carajillo has become a staple in Mexico City’s coffee shops and cocktail bars over the last decade. The simple, not-too-sweet drink is served chilled, either puesto (on the rocks) or shakeado (shaken) for a frothy finish. Where to try it: Café-bar Cicatriz, in Mexico City’s Juárez neighborhood, serves a classic carajillo made with high-quality cold brew, and one spiked with reposado tequila.
This ubiquitous winter warmer was invented in the 1940s by Irish chef Joe Sheridan, who ran the restaurant at the transatlantic air base in Foynes, near Limerick. Sheridan devised the comforting mix of Irish whiskey, black coffee, sugar and whipped cream for a group of stranded American travelers. Where to try it: Perfect your Irish coffee with a coffee master and mixologist in the Crafting an Irish Coffee experience at Anantara The Marker Dublin Hotel.
Take the contents of your carry-on up a notch: From high-quality earplugs to a lightweight steamer, these clever products will elevate your travels.
If your charging cords are always a-tangle, this zip pouch holds the solution. With pockets and elastic loops to secure cables, adapters, dongles and more, everything will be in its right place. Tech Kit Compact, US$55 bellroy.com
Block out distracting noises, from the whir of the jet engine to a snoring partner, with flexible silicone earplugs that are comfy to wear and come in a handy carrying case. Quiet 2, US$25 loopearplugs.com
This sleek handheld gadget weighs less than a pound, takes just 15 seconds to heat up and can be used as a hanging steamer or flat iron thanks to its dual-use design. Nesugar G3 Steamer, US$49 amazon.com
No more in-flight head bobbing: This adjustable pillow wraps around your neck, providing ergonomic support and maximum comfort with its memory-foam core. Go Neck Pillow, US$69 ostrichpillow.com
Power your iPhone, Apple Watch and AirPods all at once, no cords required. When not in use, this charging station folds up to the size of your phone. SWIV 3-in-1 Foldable Wireless Charging Station, US$120 journeyofficial.com
Made from a blend of soft combed cotton and tree fibers, these easy-topull-on compression socks improve circulation to perk up feet and legs on long travel days.
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when a wave from a local makes you feel all warm inside.
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With 12 different touring styles, Globus delivers you the choices you crave with the broadest menu of touring styles available. From the classic tours that made us famous to new, passion-packed Choice vacations; independent and private tours to off-season and off-the-beaten-path journeys, Globus has a travel style and itinerary to match every wayfarer, every wanderer and every budget. Enjoy every way in the world to experience the world as you Globus-trot your way to “wow!.”
HIDDEN TREASURES OF SOUTHERN ITALY | UNDISCOVERED
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With its refreshing Atlantic breezes and live-life-to the-fullest Mediterranean ways, the sun-drenched country of Portugal invites you to dip your toe—and entire body—into a sea of relaxation.
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Timeless temples, textiles, and tantalizing dishes are all on the menu on this free-spirited sojourn in Peru, including the I-time you crave to explore on your own.
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For writer Heather Greenwood Davis, travel is not about tallying up the places visited, but about the moments collected along the way.
My husband’s grin mirrors mine as our Zodiac closes in on Damoy Point, Antarctica. Twelve years after an around-the-world adventure took us to six continents, this cruise on the Viking Polaris has brought us to our seventh.
Another passenger had a flag made to commemorate their own continental achievement and, desperate to mark our arrival, we borrow it, unfurl it between us and smile even more broadly for two dozen photos. We share them everywhere, certain our excitement will be felt by the friends, families and followers who see it. It is only later that I realize “Antarctica” is misspelled — an ironic reminder of a moment when we focused on the wrong thing.
I’m not usually a country counter. It has always felt strange to me to consider an entire place as “done” after spending a few hours, days or weeks there.
That’s not to say that I don’t keep track. A map in our family room records our travels, with and without our two sons, with a rainbow of color-coded pins. Most were earned in 2011 and 2012 when we sold everything
of value, packed up our then eight- and sixyear-olds, and set out to explore the world. For 12 months we followed our interests without obligations or schedules, flying from Canada to Argentina and then on to Colombia, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Egypt, India and Jordan, among others. But when this trip comes up in conversation, the first question is often “How many countries?”
I get it. The number quickly conveys how far we traveled and how fast we moved. But until I tell you that my kids saw animals in the wild — such as elephants in Namibia, and pandas in China — and later led classroom discussions about the differences between zoos and sanctuaries, you don’t understand the ripple effect our journey had on people around us.
Until you know that our visit to China forced us to rethink everything (from how to board a bus to what a raised voice means), you won’t get how our understanding of “normal” and “other” shifted.
The numbers don’t tell you who we met, or what we learned. Because numbers never do. What matters is far more granular: The
invitation to pick up a ping-pong paddle as you pass a midnight game in a Cairo alley, or the photos snapped with fast friends after a hotel water-polo match in Mombasa, Kenya.
Trips, near or far, are made up of countless moments: When things go right and wrong. When someone surprises you, and when you surprise yourself. Just checking destinations off a list discounts these.
Not everyone shares my opinion. For many people, travel is like a Pokémon quest, with a goal to “catch them all.” And while I’m genuinely thrilled to learn that someone was the first of their race, ethnicity, gender or sexual orientation to visit every country, it’s because I understand that for people who are often excluded from travel or left out of the narrative, those moments can be incredibly powerful. But we lose something when places and people get reduced to a number — or, in a flurry of excitement, a misspelled sign.
In case you’re wondering, my family and I hit 29 countries in our year of travel. But if we meet, I’d rather tell you about the myriad moments that count for so much more.
Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen, a member of NASA’s Artemis II mission, has always looked to the stars. Soon, he’ll be over the moon.
By Dave Lank
From earning his wings at age 16 with the Royal Canadian Air Cadets to becoming a CF-18 fighter pilot and later training astronaut candidates, Colonel Jeremy Hansen’s trajectory has been marked by a deep fascination with flight and exploration. Now, as part of NASA’s Artemis II mission, along with American crewmates Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover and Christina Koch, Hansen is set to become the first Canadian to travel around the moon. The 10-day expedition, slated for sometime after September 2025, will test the boundaries of human space exploration and pave the way for future lunar missions, including landing the first woman on the moon on Artemis III.
“The Artemis II mission is very much a testing and development mission; we’re literally creating it as we go along,” says Hansen from Houston, where he and the crew are training. It’s clear that being the first Canadian to head to the moon isn’t just a personal milestone (though he’s dreamed of getting there since he was a boy) but a testament to something larger. “We’re not challenging a crew of four humans to fly around the moon. We’re challenging a huge team to come together and do something in a way that hasn’t been done before.”
Range What’s involved in training for the Artemis II mission?
Jeremy Hansen It’s the first time we’re putting humans on the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft, so there’s no obvious path from starting at zero — we’re figuring out what a crew really needs to know, and we’re building the training tools. Last week, for example, I was in a simulator that’s still under development. We worked with mission control to simulate failures, communicating back and forth as if I were in space.
R Is there anything from home that you’ll be taking with you?
JH We’ve created a mission patch in collaboration with an Anishinaabe elder and an artist from the Sagkeeng First Nation in Manitoba. This patch represents the Seven Sacred Laws, reflecting the richness of Indigenous cultures. I’m also taking tiny moon pendants that I’ve given to my wife and three children. They’re wearing them now, and I’ll collect them before we launch to fly with me.
R What are you most looking forward to about the mission?
JH I’m looking forward to sharing the experience with my three colleagues. Being in deep space and looking back at our planet from the moon’s perspective will be incredible, and it will reinforce what I already believe: that every human is worthy of equal respect and that our future depends on collaboration.
R Like you, many people dream of traveling to outer space. What are your thoughts on the growth of space tourism?
JH There will be challenges, but I see it as a net positive. The more people who travel to space and see our planet from that perspective, the better for humanity. Government programs get things started, but the commercial sector is leaner, faster and can innovate more quickly. Space tourism is a natural extension of this.
R Back on Earth, what are some of your favorite travel destinations?
JH Some of my most memorable trips have been to remote parts of Canada. Last summer, a few of the crew were in Labrador exploring a crater called Kamestastin, which is sacred Innu territory. It’s a powerful place, both scientifically and spiritually. The crater is made of the same rock as a large portion of the moon, so it was like getting a preview of what we might encounter up there.
By Dave Lank Photos by Lara Shea
Pristine wilderness, Indigenous culture and out-of-this-world heli-skiing conditions collide on this epic adventure into British Columbia’s Bella Coola Valley.
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As we begin our winding descent into the Bella Coola Valley, I spot the regional airport’s tiny runway, carved like a scar into the rugged landscape. Inside this chartered twin-prop plane that took off in Vancouver are eight skiers from around the world, all bound for a week of heli-skiing in one of the world’s top powder destinations. Soaring above the Coast Mountains, a white expanse punctuated by jagged peaks, I reflect on just how long I’ve waited for an adventure like this.
For a spell in my twenties, I lived in a ski town and lived to ski. Most other things — thoughts of grad school, calling home, shaving — were just distractions from my dogged pursuit of fresh tracks. Inevitably, chasing powder gave way to chasing after steady paychecks and kids. But my passion for skiing never left. So, when the opportunity to go heli-skiing came up — in Bella Coola, considered a holy grail for heli-skiers — it was a chance to check off one bucket-list item I thought I’d never get to. It was also a chance to recapture a bit of my old skier self. And to take in part of the world where glaciers, rainforest and ocean converge.
Bella Coola — the name of both the small town and the valley — is located in British Columbia’s Central Coast region, in the heart of the Great Bear Rainforest. Here, winter storms roll in from the southwest, carrying moisture from the Pacific Ocean. When this soggy air slams into the Coast Mountains, it rises, cools and, like a down pillow being ripped open, dumps snow over the peaks — lots of it (the annual snowfall here can reach 100 feet).
From the airport, we fly 30 miles by helicopter to our base for the trip, Great Bear Heli Skiing. Co-owner and host Billy Blewett greets us on the banks of the upper Dean River under a canopy of giant cedar, fir and hemlock trees. The Blewett family helped to construct the camp’s private cabins and the main lodge, all built between 2011 and 2015 using massive local timbers. For nearly 60 years, generations of Blewetts have been guiding on the Dean River, which is renowned for steelhead trout fishing. In 2022, they expanded from casting lines in the water to chasing them in the snow by launching their heli-skiing operation.
Great Bear Heli Skiing’s exclusive alpine territory is 2,413 square miles: roughly one-quarter the size of the Swiss Alps, 190 times the size of Whistler Blackcomb ski resort, 520 times the size of Vail ski resort — and it’s reserved for just eight to 12 guests at any one time. Since launching operations in 2022, only a fraction of its terrain has been explored, let alone skied.
But this terrain isn’t strictly for experts: A misconception about heli-skiing is that it’s the domain of hotshot skiers, the ones in ski films jumping out of helicopters and shredding near-vertical faces. Our group varies wildly in skill level, age (from teen to septuagenarian) and thrill-seeking tendencies. Mountain operations manager Ken Bibby, our lead guide for the week, tells me his average client is between 50 and 70 years old. “The best way to think of heli-skiing, is go to any ski area and get rid of all the people,” he says, “and imagine skiing green, blue and occasionally black runs with no moguls, no tracks, just untouched powder.”
Inside the lodge at Great Bear, the vibe is familial. With a Sitka margarita (featuring spruce-tip vodka) in one hand and bruschetta on homemade walnut sourdough in the other, I join a pre-dinner kitchen party, where guests, staff and guides mingle around the large island. I ask Ken what drew him to Bella Coola. “Its big rivers, big mountains, big glaciers, big fish and big bears,” he says. “One of my favorite things is taking off in the lushness of a rainforest and then dropping on the top of the glacier in a totally different environment. At the end of the day, you land, and there’s the smell of cedar trees, and moss under your feet as you walk up to the lodge. It’s that dichotomy that’s so cool.”
The morning comes early: It’s a flurry of strong coffee (delivered piping hot in a French press to my cabin), layers of fleece and the sounds of clinking gear. Outside, the mountains are bathed in fresh light, glowing like embers. Our group climbs into two glinting A-Star helicopters for the ride up over the mighty Dean River, above the trees and into the alpine.
As we hover above the peaks, the view around us is all steep chutes, jade-blue seracs, yawning crevasses and ice fields that stretch like frozen oceans. We touch down on a flat section of meringue-like glacier. Gathering a safe distance from the chopper’s high-pitched, whirring rotors, we cover our faces as we’re blasted with spindrifts of icy crystals. The mechanical bird rises, then quickly banks away, disappearing behind a ridge. Silence. We’re in avalanche country, so Ken trains us on using our avalanche beacon and lightweight shovel to simulate a rescue. Then we’re introduced to a game-changing piece of tech in our quiver: the avalanche airbag, essentially a giant flotation device that you deploy from your backpack with a yank of a cord. In theory, this should keep you bobbing atop an avalanche like a
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Heli-skiing guests get their turns in behind their guide on the run Pinball Wizard; a break on Beachcombers, one of Great Bear Heli Skiing’s most scenic runs, to take in the Dean River.
The view around us is all steep chutes, yawning crevasses and ice fields that stretch like frozen oceans.
cork, rather than getting sucked under the icy wave. Ken briefs us on the protocol if we do get caught: “Try to stay on top. As the debris slows, make a last effort to reach the surface or stick a hand out,” he says. “If you can’t, create an air pocket with your hands in front of your face. Stay calm.”
I feel safe in the company of our three certified heli-ski guides, each equipped with years of professional training and a sixth sense for the vagaries of snowpacks and avalanche conditions honed from a life in the alpine. We repack our avalanche gear, switch our beacons to “locate” with a beep, and click into our fat skis. Ken instructs us to wait until he’s at the bottom of this section, and suddenly he’s off, carving effortlessly through the deep snow. Way, way below, he disappears over a roller. A beat later, a “hoot-hoot” echoes off the mountains, and he reappears, coming to a stop — a mere speck of yellow Gore-Tex in a sea of white. With a wave of his pole overhead, he signals the next skier — me.
Adrenaline kicks in. I push off on my skis, which look like giant tongue depressors. The snow swallows my ankles, hiding my boots, and feels as light as a whisper. Whatever skiing muscle memory was stored away rushes back, familiar and instantly reassuring. I opt for wide, surf-like turns, letting the skis do most of the work. My heart is pounding. A neural storm of dopamine is unleashed. I’m sure my pupils are as large as frisbees.
This is the longest, most uninterrupted powder run of my life, slicing through the best snow I’ve ever skied. I come to a sharp stop right before Ken, fully covering him with a spray of Bella Coola sugar. The “hoot-hoot” I bellow out matches his. The tone of the day is set.
In one giant bowl, with views of the Dean Channel reaching out into the open ocean, our group skis down in tandem. We’re careful not to cross each other’s tracks — a big no-no in heli-skiing. We leave behind lines that look like they were created by giant snakes slithering in parallel. Each ride back up, in the company of new friends, feels like a competition to see whose smile is the widest. By day’s end, we’ll have skied 20,000 feet of vertical.
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In Bella Coola, you don’t argue with the weather. On day three, the alpine is covered in a thick layer of cottony fog. With visibility too poor to fly high, we swap ski boots for hiking shoes. We fly low, and land on a patch of rocky shore on the Dean River next to a clearing into the rainforest.
The Great Bear Rainforest is one of the largest remaining intact tracts of coastal temperate rainforest in the world. Over centuries, the area has attracted those with varying interests: fur traders, fishermen and farmers; logging companies and the environmental activists who oppose them; those looking to get lost, and those not wanting to be found; and, more recently, tourists.
Before all this, since time immemorial, it’s been the land of the Nuxalk people. For thousands of years, the Nuxalk (pronounced “new-hulk”) navigated their vast territory by dugout canoe. They traded along routes like the “Grease Trail,” named for the prized buttery oil of the eulachon, a small smelt-like fish. The Nuxalk presence is etched into the land, visible today in intricately carved totem poles and ancient petroglyphs.
Entering the rainforest is like stepping into a giant terrarium. The scent is musky and sweet. Stands of old-growth red cedar and Sitka spruce bearded in moss reach up like wooden skyscrapers. Calling them trees feels like a diss, like calling a whale a fish.
We hike through the forest to a canyon ledge overlooking the fast-moving water. Ken wipes a light dusting of snow from a flat, smooth rock to reveal a Nuxalk petroglyph. It’s an image of a face — equal parts man, animal and spirit. Seeing this carving, thought to be between 5,000 and 10,000 years old, adds a sense of permanence and sacredness to the valley.
Over the next few days, with the weather back on our side, we helicopter back into the alpine world. That feeling Ken talked about, of rising from valley low to mountain high, from lush green to stark white, doesn’t get old.
We fly to new mountain playgrounds daily, bagging fresh lines on every run, some never skied before. Progressively my legs and my confidence get stronger, bringing back that high from the ski days of my younger years; of being in alignment with, and oxygenated by, nature.
On one of my last runs on the last day, I ski a steep line. It’s my steepest yet. I get low on the arc of the turn, my hands skimming the snow’s surface. My run, while far from ski-film material, is one I’d be happy to be remembered by. At the end of it, I’m exhausted — perfectly.
By Karen Gardiner
Artisans in Kanazawa, Japan’s epicenter of crafts, are preserving traditional ways by reinventing them for modern life — and visitors have a role to play.
In a large, light-filled workshop, Koichiro Toshioka sits cross-legged in front of his spinning potter’s wheel. He pulls a lump of clay upward, thinning and raising its walls until it forms a bowl. Each movement builds on a legacy that runs through his family, including his grandfather, who’s pictured demonstrating his craft for a young Prince Naruhito in a black-and-white photo hanging on the wall above him.
Toshioka is the fifth-generation master potter of Kutani Kosen, the last kiln making Kutani ware, a colorful style of porcelain, in Kanazawa. I’m not surprised by his stories about watching potters while he played in the workshop as a boy and eventually learning the craft himself through passed-down techniques. But I hadn’t expected Toshioka to introduce me to a concept that changes the way I think about the preservation of craft. The most important thing, he tells me, is to carefully watch, learn and imitate techniques — then “break, and go a different way.”
The concept of shu-ha-ri is embedded in Japanese culture, from the tea ceremony to martial arts. It describes the three stages required for mastery of skills: Learn the fundamentals, break with tradition, and transcend. The concept informs a learning process that results in masters who are steeped in the foundations of their craft, but capable of infusing it with new ideas — a mentality critical for the survival of traditions in a modern world. Over five days in this city of 460,000 on Japan’s west coast, I come to see that Kanazawa’s sensibility represents the concept’s purest expression. While lifestyles and tastes are ever-changing, Kanazawa’s craft culture endures not because its artisans dutifully preserve traditions, but because they nurture them in ways that allow them
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Spinning clay for Kutani ware; master potter Koichiro Toshioka at work; the Ōhi Museum celebrates the tradition of the tea ceremony as well as handshaped Ōhi pottery.
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A piece of art in the Hyatt Centric Kanazawa hotel shows off local kinpaku (gold leaf); Toshio Ōhi Chōzaemon XI in the Ōhi Museum’s Shotonoma tearoom.
Crafts are ingrained in Kanazawa’s culture and are the reason for its 430 years of peaceful prosperity.
to evolve. And, as I discover, that has a lot to do with the city’s distinct history.
Kanazawa is obsessed with crafts. I see it as soon as I arrive at Kanazawa Station. Platform pillars are adorned in gold leaf, a concourse is lined with heritage craftworks — from ceramics to silk — and the exit takes me through a massive wood portal that references Shinto shrines and Noh theater. In my hotel, the Hyatt Centric Kanazawa, artisanal works are woven throughout guest rooms and public spaces, such as the Kutani-ware dishes that show each room number and the silk color sample reimagined as elevator art. But the city’s reverence goes beyond esthetics. Crafts are ingrained in Kanazawa’s culture and are the reason for its 430 years of peaceful prosperity. In the 17th century, the Maeda samurai clan, which ruled the region, was second in economic power only to the governing Tokugawa shogunate. Concerned that their arsenal would appear threatening, the Maeda left behind the cycle of war that had defined Japan for centuries. In a workshop in Kanazawa Castle, they redirected their weapon-making resources to the development of some 200 crafts, 36 of which are still practiced today, including gold leaf, pottery, lacquerware, metal inlay, embroidery and silk dyeing.
Having put down their swords, Maeda samurai focused on the perfection of refined pursuits such as the tea ceremony. But tea ceremonies need tableware — and, in keeping with the ritual, it needs to be meaningful. “Hosts have to tell a story about each of the ceremony’s components,” says Toshio Ōhi Chōzaemon XI, the 11th-generation head of a pottery-making dynasty, when I visit him at his
family’s Ōhi Museum in Kanazawa’s historic center. Each item, I learn, is chosen for its symbolism, how it reflects the relationship between host and guest, and harmony with the season and setting. “The host has to think about it and the guests have to feel it,” he says. Because the Maeda wanted the highest quality, they invited Japan’s best craftspeople to Kanazawa, including, in 1666, the first Ōhi Chōzaemon who refined pottery techniques learned in Kyoto to develop Ōhi ware, a rustic style of ceramics made without a wheel. For more than 350 years these techniques have been passed down through the family, with each descendant forging their own path. At the entrance to a gallery, Toshio Ōhi points to a piece that embodies where he’s taking Ōhi ware: a sculpture that he fired and rapidly cooled to resemble an asteroid.
Craftspeople here can adapt because Kanazawa’s samurai spirit offers more freedom than Kyoto’s aristocratic culture, Toshio Ōhi explains as he slides open the door to an intimate, low-ceilinged tearoom designed by architect Kengo Kuma. He nods for me to sit down on the tatami (mat) and pick up a roughly hewn, thickly glazed bowl: The museum continues the tea ceremony tradition by inviting visitors to select a bowl from its collection to drink from in the tearoom.
Kanazawa crafts originally flourished through hospitality, which I see as I wander through Higashi Chaya, one of the city’s three well-preserved geiko (geisha) entertainment districts — the Edo-period wooden buildings lining its narrow streets and alleyways are home to teahouses and craft workshops. Today, tourism continues to support the crafts’ existence. Due to Japan’s shrinking, aging population and economic struggles, the number of artisans working
Craftspeople here can adapt because Kanazawa’s samurai spirit offers more freedom.
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Hitoshi Maida paints directly onto a silk Kaga yuzen work; Toshio Ōhi in front of gold leaf-layered doors leading to a tearoom in the Ōhi Museum; the brushes used for Kaga yuzen dyeing are made with deer hair; Hitoshi Maida uses a broad brush to apply background color to a long bolt of kimono silk.
in Kanazawa is declining, threatening the survival of traditional techniques. The city’s Ichigo Ichie program is a response to this, connecting local tour agencies with craftspeople offering studio visits to generate cultural experiences for visitors and income for artisans. I cross town, passing the stone walls and off-white tiled roof of Kanazawa Castle and the blooming pink plum trees of Kenroku-en (one of Japan’s Three Great Gardens), to visit one of the program’s most popular studios. Hitoshi Maida is a third-generation practitioner of the Kaga yuzen silk-dyeing technique. Inside the small showroom at the entrance to his studio, where kimonos are displayed on racks next to delicate floral arrangements, I admire a kimono that is jet black but for a bottom section edged with a cascade of colorful blooms. Maida points out a leaf, painstakingly hand-painted to appear as if an insect has nibbled away at it. Because it’s a freehand technique, Kaga yuzen allows for adaptability and realistic depictions of nature, Maida says, attributing this to Kanazawa’s samurai culture. Kyoto kimonos, by contrast, are still lavishly stylized as if to appeal to 18th-century elites. Few people wear kimonos these days, and only 130 artisans still use the Kaga yuzen method, compared with 240 two decades ago. “We are making every effort to ensure it doesn’t disappear,” says Maida, who incorporates strikingly modern designs in his kimonos and applies them to other products, too. He creates interior features, such as wall hangings for hotels, and accessories like card holders and handkerchiefs. I buy a pair of silk earrings, hand-painted with geometric shapes and wire-framed for a 3D effect.
Toshio Ōhi made this bowl from fragments of bowls made by his father and grandfather, but which broke in an early-2024 earthquake.
Ryo – to my son, by glass artisan Atsushi Ichikawa, gets at the dual meanings of Ryo, which is both a Japanese name and the word for “mountain ridge.”
Kinshibai — or Golden Cup St. John’s Wort — provides the signature motif for this Kaga
Since 1870, the Kutani Kosen kiln has made ceramics, such as this lidded teacup, in a naturalist style that is in constant evolution.
Before I leave, Maida talks me through each of Kaga yuzen’s 15 steps, from sketching the design to drying the silk. With his guidance, I touch a brush to the edge of a floral motif and let the pink dye bleed to its center. Instantly, I see how the effect of the color gradation adds realism to the design.
I indulge my artistic side again in Higashi Chaya, at the century-old Gold Leaf Sakuda factory. Kanazawa produces more than 99 percent of Japan’s kinpaku, or gold pounded into whisper-thin sheets. I carve a design into sticker paper, transfer it to a dish, cover it with a sheet of gold leaf, then peel away the paper to reveal my now gilded design. When I ask about the bits of gold I’ve discarded in the process, my guide tells me not to worry: The scraps are used for everything from food decoration — gold-leaf ice cream is a popular local treat — to facial masks. (Historically, kinpaku workshops’ main customers were temples and shrines, with their multitude of gilt figures and ornaments.)
The inventive ways that Kanazawa’s artisans evolve to appeal to new markets mean they don’t have to choose between survival and long-practiced traditions. These ways are taught at Kanazawa Utatsuyama Kogei Kobo craft school, set high on a hill facing the Sea of Japan, where artists on competitive scholarships study ceramics, lacquerware, silk dyeing, metalwork — and glasswork, the school’s modern addition to Kanazawa craft. Students here not only perfect their techniques, but also “challenge themselves, their artworks and mentalities,” says assistant director Jun Murakami. “They have to adapt to the needs of modern times,” he says, adding that the school hopes students stay in Kanazawa after graduation to keep producing, learning and teaching.
The inventive ways that Kanazawa’s artisans evolve mean they don’t have to choose between survival and long-practiced traditions.
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An artisan applies kinpaku (gold leaf) to a surface for decoration; two geiko (the local word for “geisha”) make their way to a teahouse in Higashi Chaya district; glass artisan Atsushi Ichikawa at his studio.
Glass artist Atsushi Ichikawa did just that: First coming from Tokyo 20 years ago to teach the then relatively new discipline at the craft school, he now has his own business making glass sculptures and accessories, from decorative multicolored zodiac animals to functional black-glazed tea bowls. “Kanazawa is a good environment for making art,” Ichikawa says, in his century-old former soy-sauce storehouse in Ono, the city’s port area, where a growing number of artists are drawn by the disused warehouses and cheap rent. Ichikawa tours me around the neighborhood, popping into spacious high-ceilinged and unheated studios, including craft school alum Eriko Asano’s. Inside an old can factory, she uses an intricate cut-glass technique to create a 3D effect in her dishes and jewelry, which feature delicate floral and geometric motifs. Ichikawa’s down-to-earth persona and scrappy business seem suited to the grittier surroundings of the port, away from downtown’s neat preservation districts. He doesn’t sugarcoat the life of an artist — “It’s hard to make money,” he says — but he’s found freedom here to create his art his own way. He shows me a sculpture which, drawing from influences both traditional and modern, Japanese and foreign, depicts a glossy banana perched atop mochi (rice cakes) adorned with Kaga mizuhiki (knotted paper string), another of Kanazawa’s traditional crafts. After days of being immersed in Kanazawa’s craft culture, Ichikawa and his playful piece seem like the embodiment of the city’s dynamic attitude toward craftmanship and Japan’s concept of shu-ha-ri: Learn the fundamentals, break with tradition, then transcend.
With little more than sturdy boots and her trusty camera, photographer Melissa Renwick set out to soak up the blissful solitude and breathtaking vistas on a remote alpine trail in southern New Zealand.
OPPOSITE PAGE Steps descending from Lake Harris, near the highest point on the Routeburn Track. “I love how muted the layers are — so soft and subtle, yet grand and mysterious,” Melissa Renwick says. “If you hike the route in the other direction, all this is at your back.” LEFT Melissa met German hiker Simon Vogel at Lake Mackenzie. “He was soaking wet,” she says. “My interaction with him was fleeting because he was pretty eager to set up his tent.”
The sun breaks through the clouds over the Routeburn Flats, with the Humboldt Mountains behind. “The light came in at the right angle at the right time,” says Melissa.
The Routeburn Track, on New Zealand’s South Island, weaves through meadows, around mountain tarns and over alpine scrubland with views of soaring peaks and vast river valleys, partly following a historic Māori route to the west coast. Māori also came to the area to source pounamu, or greenstone, a culturally significant mineral found only in the South Island that is carved into traditional symbols which carry special meaning for their bearers.
The 20.5-mile Routeburn Track — one of New Zealand’s Great Walks, a set of 10 epic hiking trails spread across the two main islands — winds through all this and links two national parks in a rugged and remote section of the Southern Alps; the road distance between the north and south ends of the trail is about 200 miles. This mix of seclusion and history drew photographer Melissa Renwick to this solo trek while in New Zealand earlier this year.
OPPOSITE PAGE A walkway skirts around the edge of Lake Mackenzie, site of a hut and campground near the south end of the track. “When you’re traveling alone,” Melissa says, “who you interact with and how you interact with them is always different. It pushes you outside your comfort zone.” LEFT The endemic Dracophyllum menziesii, a.k.a. pineapple scrub, is a common sight when “tramping” in the South Island.
Melissa set out keen to experience the adventure on her own terms. “I’ve traveled alone a lot, and I’m comfortable in the wilderness,” she says. “I liked being able to go at my own pace, especially as a photographer — I was stopping and starting, spending time in specific places without feeling rushed.” Melissa spent three days walking from south to north, the same direction as the Routeburn River. “You’re following that water flow the whole way, and it’s so energizing when you’re walking alongside a river,” she says. The only living creature you’re likely to see on the track is another human — about 13,000 “tramp” through each year — or a native bird like the mischievous (and endangered) kea, the world’s only alpine parrot. “They’ll shred your gear if you’re not careful,” Melissa says.
The walk takes from two to four days to complete, and the New Zealand Department of Conservation maintains two campsites and three huts along the route where hikers can overnight. Bookings for the huts and campsites fill up within days of reservations opening each July (high season on the Routeburn Track is November 1 to April 30). “What’s special about the huts is that you’re meeting people from all over the world,” Melissa says. “It’s an intimate experience with everyone cooking food and drying their clothes and sharing where else they’ve been in New Zealand.” Every evening in the huts is capped by a conservation talk from a hut warden like Clive Rule, who’s been stationed at the Lake Mackenzie Hut for more than 30 years. “The wardens are so knowledgeable, you can ask them anything,” Melissa says. “And Clive had the whole hut cracking up.”
LEFT “ Trampers” often congregate on this section of the trail north of Lake Mackenzie that rises sharply and then descends again. “It’s one of those natural rest stops to have a snack and just take it all in,” Melissa says. Here, three hikers climb toward a ledge for views of the Darran Range and the Hollyford Valley.
The wet weather was no issue for Melissa, who lives in the rainforest in Tofino, British Columbia. In fact, the cloudy skies provided soft light with fewer harsh shadows — perfect for making photographs. And Melissa found hiking the Routeburn Track to be an approachable way to see the New Zealand wilderness, one that would appeal even to someone who is intimidated by the outdoors or high mountains. “For those three days I was doing exactly what I wanted to be doing. And once I finished, I ate fish and chips at the Glenorchy Hotel with some people I met on the hike, and I felt so satisfied,” she says. “For me, it was all about the journey, and the peaks and valleys experienced along the way.”
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Spanning 7,523 square miles and 16 distinct eco-zones, Kruger National Park is one of Africa’s largest and most biodiverse game reserves. Approximately 147 mammal species roam here, from aardvark to zebra, but if it’s the Big Five you’re after, there’s a good chance you’ll check all of Africa’s most dangerous game animals off your list: Kruger is home to an estimated 1,000 leopards, 1,500 lions, 1,850 white rhinos, 17,000 elephants and 48,000 buffalo. For more on the safari experience, plus expert tips on what else to see and do in South Africa, turn to page 66.
Perched above the scenic Douro River and famous for its fortified wine, Portugal’s second-largest city wows with architecture, azulejos (ceramic tiles) and cuisine that speaks to the land and the sea.
By Lisa Kadane
From the top deck of the iconic Dom Luís I Bridge that connects Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia, I look out over colorful buildings with red-tiled roofs that cascade down steep hills on both banks of the Douro, Portugal’s “river of gold.”
From here, I have two choices: walk north into Porto’s historic center, a maze of cobblestone streets and churches that’s a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site, or stroll south into Vila Nova de Gaia, where port cellars line the river, aging the country’s famous fortified wine. I can’t go wrong.
It’s my first visit to Portugal’s walkable second city, and I’m on a mission to find the best sweet pastries, savory sardines and refreshing port cocktails, plus as many azulejos — the glazed ceramic tilework that decorates churches, palaces and train stations — as possible.
I start the day with a cappuccino and two pastéis de nata from Manteigaria’s Rua dos Clérigos location, a short walk from my hotel on Avenida dos Aliados, the city’s main thoroughfare. These quintessential Portuguese tarts feature a creamy custard nestled inside a flaky pastry, topped with your choice of cinnamon or sugar.
Fortified, I walk the short distance to Livraria Lello, which might just be the world’s most beautiful bookstore. The line outside speaks to its popularity: Visitors must buy an eight-euro ticket (which can be applied to the price of a book) and select a time to visit. But even if you don’t make a purchase, the bookstore’s spectacular neo-Gothic interior — in particular, the showpiece red staircase that spirals to a second level — is worth the price of admission. The Lello brothers, who opened the bookstore in 1906, envisioned it as a temple of art and science, with the staircase as the altar leading readers to ever more tomes upstairs.
The morning’s main event is a threehour introduction to Porto’s eclectic food scene with Secret Food Tours. I meet up with guide José Manuel Marques da Costa at the city’s 19th-century Mercado do Bolhão. The open-air complex reopened in 2022 after a major renovation, and the expansive space is filled with restaurants and merchants that sell everything from fresh-cut flowers to bottles of piri-piri sauce. Our group of six starts with slices of pão de ló (sponge cake), followed by tinned fish washed down with glasses of vinho verde (young wine).
As we enjoy bites of salted codfish and baby sardines bathed in tomato sauce, vendor Ângela Marques, whose stall is part of Bolhão Wine House, explains that World War II was a boon for Portuguese sardines. The neutral country sold the tins of fish to both Axis and Allied troops to take to the front. Now, the colorful packages of small fish have become synonymous with Porto.
The tour ends at Capa na Baixa, known for a local sandwich called Francesinha (which translates to “little French”), an over-the-top creation stuffed with sausage and green olive-studded ham slices, encased in gooey cheese and topped with a spicy gravy-like tomato and beer sauce. “The story is that someone from here went to France and had a ham and cheese sandwich, then thought of ways to improve it,” says Marques da Costa. It’s rich, savory and best eaten on an empty stomach. After our delicious tour, a few bites are all I need.
01 Livraria Lello’s striking stained-glass skylight reads Decus in Labore (Latin for “Dignity in Work”), a motto adopted by all bookstore staff.
02 Pastéis de nata are eaten morning, noon and night in Porto.
03 Make the produce, fish and cheese stalls of the newly renovated Mercado do Bolhão your first foodie stop.
ACROSS A CONTINENT BY PRIVATE JET
February 4–26, 2025
London | Tunisia | Kenya | Rwanda | Botswana
South Africa | Benin | Morocco | London
Jet from one destination to the next on an all-inclusive itinerary packed with insider access, unforgettable dining and captivating cultural events arranged exclusively for you. Travel with a staff of expert Tour Managers, a Luggage Manager, a professional photographer, an onboard physician and a dedicated flight crew, ending each day in accommodations chosen for their comfort, hospitality and true local character.
WILDLIFE ADVENTURE BY LAND & SEA AROUND THE WORLD BY PRIVATE JET
May 19–June 11, 2025
Hawaii | Palau | Indonesia | Nepal | Seychelles | Namibia
Brazil | Panama | Fort Lauderdale
SOUTH AMERICA REVEALED A JOURNEY BY PRIVATE JET A PRIVATE JET JOURNEY
August 26–September 17, 2025
Boston | Colombia | Brazil | Uruguay | Chile
Argentina | Bolivia | New Orleans
ANCIENT KINGDOMS & DYNASTIES
October 4–28, 2025
Portugal | Morocco | Tanzania | Oman | India
Cambodia | Laos | Turkey | Malta
I decide to walk off the multi-stop lunch with a self-guided tour of the city’s azulejos. This artistic style was introduced by the Moors and came into its own in the 16th century. I find the motherlode inside São Bento railway station, in the heart of Porto’s downtown, also known as the Porto Baixa, where more than 20,000 ceramic tiles designed and painted by artist Jorge Colaço in the 1930s tell stories of transportation, farm life and historic battles.
Not to be outdone, the entire exterior of the Chapel of Santa Catarina (a.k.a. the Chapel of Souls), a short walk northeast, is covered in azulejos that depict the lives of Catholic saints. As I stroll back toward the river, even more tiles await inside Igreja de Santa Clara, and, just down the street, in the cloisters of Sé do Porto, an imposing Romanesque, baroque and Gothic-style cathedral with sweeping views over the city’s red rooftops.
Visually satiated, I make my way across the bridge to Vila Nova de Gaia’s WOW, a cultural district that opened in 2020, home to seven museums, plus restaurants, shops and a wine school. Inside Planet Cork, a museum dedicated to the inimitable material, I learn that cork trees only grow in Portugal, Spain and northwest Africa. Their bark is harvested every nine years (most famously for bottle stoppers), then it regrows, making cork a sustainable product that’s now being used for flooring, insulation, fashion and more. At the gift shop, I pick up a cork postcard to send home.
As dusk nears, it’s finally time for a sampling of port, so I head down the street to Cálem, where operations manager José Bastos leads me inside the cavernous, granite-walled cellar. Traditionally, he tells me, wooden boats called rabelos carried barrels of wine from the vineyards of the Douro Valley down the river to Porto, where the wine was aged before being shipped to England. To prevent spoilage on the long journey, winemakers began fortifying it with brandy, and port was born.
In the tasting room, I try a few styles including white port (it’s more golden in color) and a vintage ruby port, which is bottled young and matures in the cellars of its buyers. My favorite, though, is a 2002 Colheita tawny, aged in French oak for at least seven years before bottling. It’s paired with squares of dark chocolate, which bring out its cocoa, spice and dried-fruit notes. Back on the Porto side of the Douro, I work my way up from the river to Porto’s highest point, the 246-foot-tall Clérigos
Tower, for sunset. The baroque bell tower’s 225 steps lead to panoramic vistas with the river far below, and I watch the city lights twinkle to life.
I take my time walking to dinner, wandering past Igreja do Carmo, another azulejo-wrapped church, then up Rua de Cedofeita, lined with tightly packed boutiques and bistros. At Alto Porto, in the Cedofeita neighborhood just west of Baixa, chef Igor Plakhin pairs Portuguese and European dishes with international flavors like wasabi and chimichurri. My grilled octopus arrives atop a bright romesco sauce — both the presentation, and the rich and tangy flavors are sublime. Even though I’m stuffed, I go for another slice of fresh bread topped with a spread of plum butter, olives, capers, anchovies and Parmesan. It pairs perfectly with a Porto Tonico, Porto’s answer to the G&T — two parts white port, four parts tonic and a twist of lemon. I take a sip, toasting my packed day in this storied city.
MAISON ALBARLE MONUMENTAL PALACE
Set steps from some of Porto’s most famous attractions, including the neoclassical Câmara Municipal do Porto (city hall), this five-star hotel has a library for unwinding, a spa for relaxing and the Michelin-starred Le Monument for dining on Portugueseinfluenced dishes from French chef Julien Montbabut. The light-filled guest rooms are as inviting as the public spaces, with sitting areas, luxe bedding and marble bathrooms.
Experience the world’s most revered UNESCO sites, from the mysteries of Easter Island to the majesty of Machu Picchu and the vibrance of the Amal Coast. Each night, unwind in a spacious Holland America suite, where serenity and unparalled comfort await. Immerse yourself in a Legendary Voyage or explore the diversity of a Collector’s Voyage. Discover the world like never before. Please contact your Ensemble travel advisor for more details.
Our local expert reveals the diverse natural landscapes and thrilling wildlife encounters that await, from wine country to the savanna.
By Dominique Lamberton
You’re planning an itinerary for someone who’s never been to South Africa — what’s on it?
First is Cape Town. The views are amazing; it’s where mountain meets ocean. Then, you’ve got to do the Cape Winelands — the scenery around Stellenbosch is beautiful. And finally, Kruger National Park, which is the size of Switzerland. As soon as you drive in you’ll see impala, there are thousands of them. You’re also likely to see the Big Five, giraffes, wildebeests and zebras.
02
What’s special about the safari experience?
What I learned from being a guide is that every five minutes is a brand new experience for people. Imagine seeing a giraffe for the first time: It’s the oddest animal that you will encounter, standing next to the vehicle looking down at you. The guides teach clients how the bush works and how the animals interact with each other. You’ll learn a lot.
Robert Swanepoel
FOUNDER AND DIRECTOR OF AFRICAN STUDIO
Born in Zimbabwe and based in South Africa, Swanepoel has always loved the bush. In 2020, with more than 20 years’ experience in tourism, including time spent as a guide, he launched African Studio, a destination management company that curates itineraries in Southern and East Africa.
Tell us what we can expect at a game lodge. You’ll experience game drives and walks, and you’ll have boma dinners. At night, guests will sit at tables around a campfire inside a boma, a corral made from reeds and sticks. And dinner is a braai, a traditional South African barbecue with meats like boerewors (sausage), lamb and steak, plus salads and pap, a dish made of maize served with a tomato-onion gravy. Some lodges will even do bush dinners, where they’ll drive guests into the bush and host a braai in a riverbed — it’s an amazing experience.
04
Why should South Africa be on travelers’ lists?
It’s the food, it’s the climate, it’s the scenery, it’s the people, it’s the safari. We have nine biomes in South Africa — there are so many different types of nature and experiences to be had here. It’s an awesome country.
ABOVE
The tallest animals on Earth, giraffes reach up to 16 feet (males), their necks accounting for nearly half of their height. In Kruger National Park’s savanna, look for them snacking on trees and shrubs.
Cruise through Asia on the newly revitalized Norwegian Spirit and immerse yourself in every city you visit with full days — up to 16 hours — in port. Travel to a picturesque rice paddy in Vietnam and relax on unbelievably beautiful beaches in Bali. Discover destinations you’ve only dreamed of — like Puerto Princesa and Boracay in the Philippines and Hualien in Taiwan. Then soak in fantastic vistas with your favorite beverage at hand at the adults only Spice H2O. Savor every moment at sea with delicious cuisine, from Italian delights at Onda by Scarpetta and steak at Cagney’s to French dishes at Le Bistro and more.
Before boarding your cruise at PortMiami, spend some time touring the city’s lively neighborhoods, verdant gardens and state-of-the-art galleries.
By Claire Sibonney
Miami may be known for miles-long beaches and splashy pool parties, but it offers much more than fun in the sun. The South Florida city is home to a dizzying array of cultures and distinct neighborhoods, from the Art Deco Historic District in Miami Beach and tree-lined, bohemian Coconut Grove to lively hubs of Caribbean influences, Little Havana and Little Haiti. Explore the colorful street art of Wynwood, the upscale boutiques of the Design District, the rich Black heritage of Historic Overtown and the trendy nightlife and art scenes in Allapattah. Whether you have a day or three, you’ll feel the Gateway to Latin America and the Caribbean’s irresistible rhythm and flavors — start practicing your Spanish!
Currency
U.S. dollar
Language
Mostly English and Spanish
Tipping
20% is the norm
Temperature
Average daily high of 84°F/29°C
500 BCE
The Tequesta tribe settle near the mouth of the Miami River and Biscayne Bay, building a vast society that prospers until the Spanish arrive in the 16th century.
1896
Miami is incorporated after railroad tycoon Henry M. Flagler expands his line.
1959
After the Cuban Revolution, the first wave of Cuban exiles begins to transform Miami into a multicultural hub.
1984
The Miami Vice effect spurs renewed popularity, spotlighting the city’s architectural charms and exciting nightlife.
On Sunday mornings, outdoor wellness classes such as yoga, tai chi and Zumba are just five dollars at Vizcaya Museum & Gardens. The National Historic Landmark’s 100-year-old Vizcaya Village and towering banyan trees provide a picturesque backdrop for a morning stretch, followed by a stroll through the weekly farmers’ market.
Set sail on a sunset cruise along Biscayne Bay, where you can also soak up the opulence of Millionaire’s Row — a stretch of waterfront mansions owned by the rich and famous.
Explore the Wynwood Arts District’s boutiques, secondhand stores and galleries to find that perfect treasure, like a limited-edition, graffiti-inspired print by a local artist at the Wynwood Walls Shop.
On Calle Ocho in Little Havana, Sanguich specializes in Cuban sandwiches: ham, roast pork, Swiss cheese, pickles and mustard, all pressed between famously lard-laced Cuban bread.
Down the street, Azucar Ice Cream Company’s trademark is an homage to the founder’s grandmother: handmade vanilla ice cream with guava, cream cheese and Maria cookies.
IF YOU’RE UP FOR A DAY TRIP…
From Miami, it’s only an hour’s drive to Everglades National Park. Once you arrive in the subtropical wilderness, hop on an airboat tour to see alligators, manatees and great blue herons and learn about the fascinating, yet at-risk, 1.5 million acres of wetlands.
Dominoes is Cuba’s national game, and Little Havana is the spot to watch senior players go head-to-head in intense yet friendly matches at Máximo Gómez Park.
MARK YOUR CALENDAR
Three events worth planning a trip around, whether you’re into art, music or sports.
DRINK LIKE A LOCAL
Which came first, Miami Vice the TV series or Miami Vice the cocktail? The cocktail! The frozen rumbased concoction that’s part strawberry daiquiri, part piña colada is what you’ll be ordering pooland beachside.
Art Basel Miami Beach
December 6–8, 2024
Dive into the art world at the top-rated fair in the Americas, where leading galleries from across the globe show modern and contemporary pieces, as well as those from up-and-comers.
Ocho Music Festival
March 9, 2025
Sway your hips through Little Havana at this music festival that’s part of Carnaval Miami. Latin beats, delicious street food and a vibrant celebration of Cuban culture are on the program.
Miami Open
March 16–30, 2025
See top tennis stars face off at Hard Rock Stadium, set against an atmosphere of live music, elevated stadium dining (from vendors like Nobu) and local art.
CAN’T MISS
There are nearly 3,000 pieces of 20th- and 21st-century international and Latin American art in the museum’s permanent collection, but even if you don’t make it to all the galleries, the setting is worth taking in. Designed by Herzog & de Meuron, the Swiss architecture firm behind London’s Tate Modern and Beijing’s National Stadium, PAMM features open terraces, hanging gardens and magnificent views of Biscayne Bay.
An Italian-villa vibe pervades this Sunny Isles Beach resort perched dramatically at the water’s edge, with direct beach access, three oceanfront pools and modern, minimalist rooms. While you’re relaxing under one of the resort’s red beach umbrellas, your little ones will be busy learning courtesy of the marine-biologythemed children’s program.
This stylish 1980s icon by Miami architect Kenneth Treister got a major update in 2022. The Coconut Grove property’s whimsical art nouveau design is complemented by retroinspired rooms (complete with vintage typewriters and clawfoot bathtubs), a rooftop pool and rum bar, and an open atrium overflowing with greenery.
Ask your advisor about Ensemble Exclusive Amenities at these properties.
Name a better pairing than food and travel — we’ll wait. Princess presents a variety of cuisine to satisfy every palate, along with onboard culinary and wine programs that tell a story with every bite and sip.
Whether it’s a seven-course multi-sensory meal, seasonal dishes made with regional ingredients or a slice of the best pizza at sea, you’ll indulge your inner gastronome on every sailing. And when you step into the main dining room, you can do it on your schedule: Enjoy the flexibility of traditional (same table, same waiter each night), reservable and walk-in service.
Savor fish and chips at O’Malley’s Irish Pub. Share a hand-tossed pie at Alfredo’s Pizzeria. Indulge in seafood favorites at Crab Shack. Whatever you’re craving, Princess has you covered, from sushi to barbecue to gelato.
Get lost in rich culinary storytelling with 360: An Extraordinary Experience or the intimate Chef’s Table and Chef’s Table Lumiere. Disappear into a Victorian-themed world of mixology and magic at Spellbound by Magic Castle. Experience the imaginative artist-inspired dining journey at Love by Britto.
Relish premium steaks at Crown GrillSM. Delight in handmade pasta at Sabatini’sSM Italian Trattoria. Sample bisques, bakes and broils at The Catch by Rudi. Enjoy the perfect steak at Butcher’s Block by Dario. And taste the work of a master of modern Japanese cuisine at Makoto Ocean.
Exclusive to Princess guests: Expand your palate with Princess’ partnerships with two iconic Napa Valley-based wineries, Silverado Vineyards and Caymus Vineyards. Enjoy transcendent meals perfectly paired with wine for the ultimate dining experiences. Food and wine go together like ... Princess and wine: they’ve even earned an Award of Excellence from Wine Spectatormagazine Award of Excellence.1
Averaging more than 65 feet of snowfall per year, Bella Coola, British Columbia, is known to have some of Canada’s deepest snowpacks. This creates legendary conditions for Great Bear Heli Skiing’s guests, and dramatic backdrops for photographer Lara Shea’s captures. Here, Shea snaps lead guide Ken Bibby as he makes first tracks on the run Shiny Penny.
JOIN US ON OUR REIMAGINED SHIPS FOR A VOYAGE OF A LIFETIME
BOOK ONE OF OUR EXCEPTIONAL ITINERARIES BY CONTACTING YOUR ENSEMBLE TRAVEL ADVISOR. PART OF ABERCROMBIE & KENT TRAVEL GROUP
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