Kanoo World Traveller March 2010

For a free booklet on India, write to: India Tourism, P.O. Box 12856, Deira, Dubai, UAE.

Tel: (9714) 2274848 Fax: (9714) 2274013. www.incredibleindia.org E-mail: goirto@emirates.net.ae

The Palais, Prague

MARCH 2010 KANOO WORLD TRAVELLER

CONTENTS 7 14 16 24

AGENDA Everything you need to know about travel this month THE CAPSULE WARDROBE Pack light, pack right.

ESSENTIAL SELECTION 20 travel secrets from in-the-know experts PICTURE THIS Three gorgeous travel pics to inspire you

50 GREENLAND Extraordinary scenes in this other-worldly island.

58 BOULOGNE

56 PRAGUE

All the addresses you need for a seaside retreat in this charming town.

You can’t fail to be captivated by the Czech Republic’s lovely, unspoilt capital, full of history and fine food.

13 DRIVETIME

A perfect getaway in Texas: hire a drop top and you’re on your way...

31 INDIA 60 MADEIRA

The insider’s guide to planning a wonderful break in this sleepy old world spot.

Adventures across the subcontinent, from tiger-spotting to tourism by train.

bay Icebergs in Disko rism

by Greenland Tou

Produced by: Hot Media Publishing FZ LLC Managing Director: Victoria Hazell-Thatcher Editorial Director: Rob Orchard Publishing Director: John Thatcher Advertisement Director: Chris Capstick Contributing Editor: Ele Cooper Art Editor: Jenni Dennis Designer: Matthew Mcbriar

Advertising enquiries chris@hotmediapublishing.com +971 4 369 0917 Editorial enquiries editorial@hotmediapublishing.com +971 4 364 2876 Cover: Courtesy of Getty Images Additional images from Photolibrary, iStockphoto and Design Hotels

Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission from Hot Media Publishing is strictly prohibited. All prices mentioned are correct at time of press but may change. Hot Media Publishing does not accept liability for omissions or errors in Kanoo World Traveller magazine. ‘Travel secrets’, ‘India’, ‘Prague’, ‘Boulogne’ and ‘Madeira’ features reprinted with kind permission of Sunday Times Travel.

May 2009 22,620 BPA Consumer Audit

AGENDA NEWS

13 DRIVE TIME 14 THE CAPSULE WARDROBE 16 ESSENTIAL TRAVEL SECRETS 24 PICTURE THIS

AGENDA

WHAT’S IN

WHAT’S NEW

WHAT’S ON

SEYCHELLES ON THE SEA SHORE A stunning new resort has just opened in the Seychelles. The Constance Ephelia (epheliaresort.com) has a plum position on two stunning beaches in Mahé and is surrounded by 120 hectares of lush, unspoiled land. The property offers a series of different accommodation styles – our favourites are the eight hillside villas which come with private pools and views out over the Port Launay National Park. A worldclass Shiseido spa, set in tropical gardens, a yoga pavilion, a sweep of delightful beach and the warm Indian Ocean beyond complete the perfect mix.

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AGENDA NEWS

BACK IN PARIS

GALLIC CLASSIC

Planning a trip to Paris? If you’re looking for accommodation you should check out the re-opened Villa & Hotel Majestic (majestichotel.com) in the 16th arrondissement, just a brief saunter from the Champs Elysees.

This century-old spot has had a full overhaul, which has introduced a ‘Maj Club’ fitnes centre with hammam and spa treatments.

It has also introduced 27 self-styled ‘villas’ which come with their own private kitchens and high-design terraces.

MAKING TRACKS

This is a cool idea: Lufthansa has launched an update site, myskystatus.com, which gives people online updates about your flight progress – including such details as current altitude and location, and your correct-to-the-minute arrival time. Once you’ve set up your account and typed in your flight details,, it’ll automoatically update your Twitter feed and Facebook status with your travel info while you’re at 36,000 feet.

SNOOZE HEADLINES Good news for long haul economy travellers looking for a proper sleep – after two years of development, the Skycouch has been unveiled.

It’s a flat bed for economy, which makes cunning g use of the smaller space available. It will be available from April onwards on Air New Zealand d flights to Auckland and should be a real boon forr those gruelling half-way-round-the-world trips..

BULLI FOR YOU

Sad times for gourmet travellers – Ferran Adrià has decided to close El Bulli, that Spanish foodie haven, for the whole of 2012 and 2013. Which means you’ve only got the next year to make a booking and try out his worldbeating molecular cuisine – and given it has one of the world’s longest waiting lists (they’re totally full up for this year already), you’d better start planning your visit now! Don’t worry, though, El Bulli will be back with a major revamp and a revitalised head chef in 2014. elbulli.com

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TRAVEL BY NUMBERS

SHUTEYE IN SHARJAH

Intriguing news for anyone planning on taking Air Arabia flights this year: rumour has it that they intend to open a low cost hotel at Sharjah International Airport. Could be very handy for those early-morning flights…

The price in euros of renting the extraordinary new ‘gondola sauna’ at the Yllas Ski Resort in Finland. It’s a cable car which glides 30 metres above the frozen ground, while its occupants work up a nice sweat. sportresortyllas.com

AGENDA NEWS

HEAD TO HEAD

NEW IN NEW YORK

Two cool new hotels open their doors in Midtown Manhattan in the big apple this month: Distrikt and Andaz Wall Street. So how do they compare?

BUY THE BOOK

Here’s one to put on pre-order – Bill Bryson’s Icons of England is out in paperback at the end of the month. It’s a cracking read, combining lashings of Bryson’s trademark humour with contributions from the likes of Eric Clapton, Michael Palin, Kevin Spacey and Jonathon Dimbleby about their favourite places in England. The sort of book that’ll have you planning your next trip to England with great gusto…

Andaz Wall Street

Location

Décor

Extras

Good for…

The Distrikt Hotel

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The Distrikt Hotel

Andaz Wall Street

distrikthotel.com | 342 W 40th street

andaz5thavenue.com | 485 5th Avenue

Styled around the neighbourhoods of New York – each of the 32 floors has a different theme, from Harlem at the top to the financial district at the bottom.

Very slick and modern – lots of light wood furniture and supercomfy sofas. Metal artwork from Queens is also a staple in all rooms – a nice touch.

Frette beds and linen and bathrobes, a welcome gift for all guests, iHome docking station, Ecru New York otions and potions, free overnight shoeshine, and the New York Times on your doorstep each morning.

Views over 5th Avenue, private balconies or landscaped terraces on most of the suites, Geneva sound systems. Oh and then the fun spa which offers great treatments, some which come with a shoe shine and newspaper.

Treating someone who thinks they know the city back to front – this place is a real eye-opener, even if you’re a seasoned Gotham City visitor.

Sightseeing and shopping – it’s just a brisk walk away from 5th Avenue’s best stores, Times Square, the Empire State Building and the theatre district.

Sicily Swing

This month sees the re-opening of the Rocco Forte Verdura Golf & Spa Resort in Sicily (roccofortecollection.com). It’s a favourite of golfers, as it has three separate links courses, alongside a vast thalassotherapy spa and first class clubs for kids and teenagers. Tucked away in the south west of the island, an hour out of Palermo, it’s a real gem: and d until April 29 it’s offering guests who book a bed and d breakfast stay a complimentary upgrade to half board, ard, unlimited green fees and a 50-mi 50-minute - nute spa treatment atment for each three night stay.

Tower ower power March rch 18 sees the launch nch of the muchanticipated icipated Armani Hotel tel at the Burj Khalifa alifa in Dubai. It’s the first st of Giorgio’s hotels and d will be followed by properties in Milan, Marrakech rrakech and Egypt.

Rooms oms are situated on levels five to eight of the he building, and suites tes are up on floors 38 and 39. There will be a world first Armani Spa a as well as eight taurants. Watch restaurants. thiss space for a full iew next month… review armanihotels.com manihotels.com

The world on its first morning.

w w w. c o n s t a n c e h o t e l s . c o m

AGENDA DRIVE TIME

DRIVE TIME

TWO DAYS

BORDERLANDS, TEXAS

‘Spectacular’ doesn’t even come close to describing Texas’s Big Bend region. Cliffs the colour of fire rear up against infinite skies, low-lying juniper shrubs relax under the sun’s rays and rugged desertscape stretches as far as the eye can see. The area formed the backdrop for No Country For Old Men and There Will Be Blood, and it’s easy to see why.

Kick start your trip in Fort Stockton and meander down to Alpine, a mountain-encircled traditional Mexican neighbourhood.

Search the skies for the legendary lights at Marfa (spooky glowing spheres, which no one has been able to explain, are often sighted there), before passing through Shafter, a ghost town that was deserted once its silver had been mined. Wind the road trip up in Big Bend National Park’s cute and unspoiled town, Marathon – rather fitting given the epic journey you and your rental will just have completed.

Monument Valley, Texas

AGENDA MASTERCLASS

HOW TO CREATE…

THE PERFECT CAPSULE WARDROBE FOR TRAVELLING Want to pack right and pack light? Get suitcase savvy with Ele Cooper’s practical tips.

tend to be more versatile anyway. Linen trousers are a failsafe option for exploring sunny destinations for women and men alike.

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Three pairs of shoes – comfy ones for walking, one pair suitable for the beach or pool, and a smart pair – should be more than enough.

Just 12 items can produce 40 outfits – and not even Victoria Beckham needs that many costume changes.

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A simple change of accessories can make an outfit look completely different.

Scarves and ties are light and easy to pack, while hats can be worn on the plane (which is also a surefire way to get yourself in the holiday mood…).

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Find out whether your hotel provides towels for the beach – if they do, that’s one less thing to pack.

We’ve all been there: having had to sit on our suitcase to get it closed, we’ve arrived at the airport only to find we’re over the limit. We then either have to endure the humiliation of raiding the case and removing the heavy items, or paying the extortionate excess baggage fee. Thankfully, this isn’t a necessary evil of holiday packing – follow these simple rules and, next time you go away, you’ll be the one sailing through customs with a smug smile on your face…

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While it’s nice to take new things you’ve bought especially for the trip, also include some old favourites which you know you’ll feel comfortable and confident in. Ignore the desperate pleas of items at the back of your wardrobe which you’ve never worn – they won’t look any better in a different country!

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Don’t believe people who drone on about boring neutral colours being the key to a capsule travel wardrobe: as long as you

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work out a colour set that matches, you’ll be fine (and far more fashionable). Just pack a variety of clothing items that match each other, from cool tops to warm outer layers (jackets or cardigans) for evening chills. Amazingly, just 12 items can produce 40 outfits – and not even Victoria Beckham needs that many costume changes.

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Don’t pack too many bottoms – people notice your lower half less and pieces

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Pack things in weight order. Place shoes at the bottom of the case, wrapping them in plastic bags to stop anything getting dirty, and cover with jeans and heavy trousers, sweatshirts etc., finally layering the thinnest and lightest pieces at the top.

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If you’re planning on taking any expensive jewellery, wear it on the flight to avoid it going missing or getting damaged.

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Tightly roll up socks and other items that won’t crease and, if you’re short on space, tuck them inside shoes.

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Finally, the absolute golden rule of packing: wrap all toiletries in plastic bags! An in-transit shampoo leak could be disastrous for your special holiday wardrobe…

20 TRAVEL SECRETS We’ve wracked our travelling brains to bring you insider tips to make the very most out of your trips…

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PLAY THE CHAIN GAME

Luxury hotel chains will have the same levels of service and comfort in all their properties, but you can bag a bargain by choosing your location wisely. You’ll need deep pockets to be able to afford the $984-a-night room rate at the iconic Four Seasons George V in Paris (fourseasons.com), while at the Four Seasons Gresham Palace in Budapest, you’ll get the same standard of room for $320. Similarly, a night at Berlin’s upscale Hotel Adlon Kempinski costs from $388, room only, but at its sister hotel in Malta, the Kempinski Hotel San Lawrenz Gozo (kempinski.com), you’ll pay from just $154 a night – including breakfast.

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Four Seasons Hotel, Budapest

AGENDA ESSENTIAL SELECTION

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SPA FOR A STEAL

The UK’s best-value spa experience hides in historic York Hall in Bethnal Green. Spa London (spa-london.org) is the UK’s first councilowned day spa, and for $33.60 you can roam between Turkish baths, the aroma-infused Monsoon Showers, Ice Fountain and plunge pool, stopping for herbal tea or a steam in the mosaic-walled hammam.

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Take the hotel potions

‘You needn’t feel guilty about sneaking bathroom goodies from your hotel room into your case when you leave. We’ll only throw away anything you’ve opened when preparing the room for the next guest. It’s far better to just take the bottles with you and finish them off at home, and then either recycle or refill them.’ Massimiliano Binda, Rooms division manager, Mandarin Oriental Geneva.

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EUROPE’S BESTVALUE CITY BREAK

‘For the cheapest and most exciting citybreak, choose somewhere that hasn’t adopted the euro yet, such as Tallinn, Prague or Sofia.

From hotels to dinner and drinking, everything is affordable, and you can get great deals on flights, too. My favourite is Bucharest – entry to museums is so cheap it might as well be free: the fantastic Museum of the Romanian Peasant costs only $2 (don’t miss the Communistera memorabilia in the basement). For the best blow-out meal in the city, head to the InterContinental (www.intercontinental.com) or the Hilton (www.hilton.com) at midday on a Sunday. For about $48 you’ll get a never-ending supply of lobster and roast beef.’ Craig Turp, Editor-in-Chief, In Your Pocket city guides

Beware plane food

‘On long-haul flights, it may seem normal to eat eat, at, fall asleep for a couple of hours and be woken for your next meal, but you’d never usually consume this much in such a short space of time.

The average air passenger consumes around 50 per cent more calories than their body needs!

The easiest way to maintain energy levels is to stick to your usual routine as closely as possible.

For overnight flights, get to the airport in time to eat dinner, rather than waiting for a late meal on board. When flying west-east overnight you’ll be woken for breakfast in the middle of the night.

Don’t eat it. And beware the continental breakfast – a couple of croissants will easily add up to 1,000 calories.’ Ian Marber, aka The Food Doctor.

The Romanian Athenaeum in Bucharest

6 PACK THE CURE-ALL CREAM

Don’t load yourself down with endless bottles of medicines. Just pack Tiger Balm – it’s the perfect cure-all tonic and comes in a tiny pot (the red one is stronger than the white). Dab it on mosquito bites to stop them itching (ditch the Savlon); under nostrils or on the chest to clear sinuses (ditch the Vicks); or rub it into muscles for soothing relief (ditch the Deep Heat).

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Skip the London tour bus

The driver of the Number 11 bus reckon’s he’s got the world’s mostphotographed route: ‘I drive past St Paul’s, Fleet Street, Aldwych, Trafalgar Square, Westminster, Sloane Square and Chelsea for a living. With an Oyster card, you can cruise the length of it for $1.44. Or you can ride a rip-off sightseeing double-decker, alongside a load of other camera-wielding tourists, for $35.20 a pop – and they can’t control the traffic any more than I can.’ Roy Lambe, bus driver

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TAKE A ‘WONKY WEEKEND’ Thinking of taking Thursday off work for a long weekend?

Funny, so is everybody else – which is why flights are always so pricey.

Go ‘wonky’ though – ie, take the Sunday off instead of the Thursday – and it’s much cheaper.

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The cheaper way to see the Big Smoke

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SWEET-TALK THE STAFF AT CHECK-IN

‘It’s true that check-in staff don’t have the power to upgrade you there and then, but charm still goes a long way. Initiate a bit of chit-chat while they check in your luggage – if they like you, they may well key in the code “SFU”, meaning “Suitable for Upgrade”. If Economy is overbooked (and only if this is the case), they’ll bump up airline employees first, followed by “commercially important” travellers (gold-card holders and big spenders), and finally, SFUs. It also helps your chances of an upgrade if you are travelling alone – it’s nigh-on impossible to upgrade a whole family.’

Our mole has worked for a major airline for 10 years, but prefers to remain anonymous.

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Sleep at the airport

TOUR OPERATORS SAY: Got an early-morning homeward-bound flight out of the UK? Stay at a soulless chain hotel near the airport!

WE SAY: Staying near the terminal does save the stress of the stupidly-early-hour alarm and panicky drive to the airport – but why not extend your hols by checking in to one of the country piles just minutes from the airport? Harmondsworth Hall Guesthouse (harmondsworthhall.com; rooms from $128, B&B), for instance, is a seven-minute drive from Heathrow in the UK. We also love The Hedgehog Inn (marstonsinns.co.uk; rooms from $112).

Less than 15 minutes from Gatwick, it’s set among woods and has cosy and good food cophallfarm.co.uk).

Harmondsworth Hall Guesthouse

AGENDA ESSENTIAL SELECTION

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BUCK THE BUSINESS TREND

Bag the best weekend citybreak deals by avoiding the boutique hotels and going for a business one instead – they can be every bit as swish, and they’re crying out for custom at the weekend. In the UK, a room at five-star Threadneedles (theetoncollection.com), near London’s Liverpool Street, costs from $660 mid-week, but drops to $310 on a Saturday. And, of course, it works the other way round with country retreats – from Thursday to Sunday, you’ll pay $480 for a night at the sumptuous Babington House in Somerset (babingtonhouse. co.uk), but during the rest of the week, the same room will cost you about $64 less.

Threadneedles

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GIVE IT YOUR BEST SHOT

Taking pictures of…Wildlife: Get right up close, or back right off for a shot that puts the animal in its natural setting. Don’t get caught ‘in between’. People: Never ask permission. It ruins the spontaneity – and hardly anyone objects anyway. Landscapes: Shoot in the early morning or late afternoon, when the light is most interesting. Landmarks: Edit the shot – and leave ugly bits out or put people in. Don’t worry, it’s still ‘true’!

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Sit at the back

CHECK IN ASAP

Time your checkin between 3pm and 5pm and you’ll get a better room. Unless guests have specifically asked for a certain room, allocation is on a first-come-firstserved basis. So, at 3pm (just after check-in opens), all rooms will be ready but most guests, especially those on business trips, won’t arrive until much later. Don’t be afraid to ask to see a few, either – the staff shouldn’t mind as this is a quiet time in the day.

THE AIRLINES SAY: Go for a seat at the front of the plane – it’s quieter, as it’s further from the engines, and you’ll often get served drinks and meals first.

WE SAY: Don’t listen – ask to sit at the back when you check in. On a 747, there is extra space in the last few rows – the tapering of the fuselage means there are fewer seats (in twos by the windows) and more elbow room. If the flight isn’t full, you’re also far more likely to get that much-coveted row to yourself, as the crew will fill the plane from the front to the back. To find the best spots on other aircraft, check out seating plans online at seatguru.com.

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AGENDA ESSENTIAL SELECTION

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Cities for free

BERLIN: Move quickly to get the most out of Thursday evenings in Berlin. For four hours only, between 6pm and 10pm, you can gain free entry to permanent exhibitions at several national museums, including the Museum of Photography, the New National Gallery and the Egyptian Museum. Visit neuenationalgalerie.de for more information.

PARIS: Time your trip to Paris to coincide with the first Sunday of the month. The Louvre (louvre.fr), the Centre Pompidou (centrepompidou.fr), and the national Picasso Museum (musee-picasso.fr) are all free.

NEW YORK: The Downtown Connection bus service (downtownny.com) runs from South Street Seaport to Rockefeller Park, with several stops along the way – and doesn’t cost a penny. For an afternoon of free touring, you could hop off near State Street, jump on the Staten Island Ferry (also free) and sail past the Statue of Liberty. The Bronx Zoo (bronxzoo. com) has pay-what-you-wish Wednesdays, and on Fridays you can save on the $17.60 entry to the Guggenheim Museum (guggenheim.org) by visiting between 5.45 and 7.45pm when, again, you can pay what you like.

Louvre Museum, Paris

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IN BLOG WE TRUST

‘I never travel without perusing online “opinion pinboards”. Restaurants and cafes change overnight, leaving guidebooks instantly out-ofdate – but foodie fans keep things current on their blogs, and because they’re “real people” they’re price-aware, too. Check out seriouseats. com, eater.com and chowhound.com – which even lets you search by global destination.’ Robert Pope.

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BEAT THE TIME ZONE Who wants jet lag eating into their citybreak? Nobody. But, if you’re the type to fall asleep in your burger en route to New York, there are thrilling alternatives. The secret to a fatigue-free trip is to fly south rather than east or west.

STAY ALERT

‘A few months ago, I surprised my wife with tickets to New York. We accidentally overslept on the morning we were due to fly. I was sure we were going to miss our flight, until I heard the peep peep of my mobile phone. I’d subscribed to BAA’s text message service. The text said that our flight was running two hours late. We enjoyed a leisurely cab ride and arrived to see our fellow passengers red-faced at the prospect of four hours in the airport.

I’ve never felt more smug.’

Harry Owen. BAA’s Flying Messenger Service texts travel updates to your phone; it is available for Heathrow, Gatwick, Aberdeen, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Stansted and Southampton flights.

Visit baa.co.uk for details

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EAT POSH LUNCH, NOT DINNER If you’re desperate to try a top restaurant, but less keen on a £100-per-head bill, go for lunch. Three-course lunches at Michelin-starred Gordon Ramsay Restaurant, in London (gordonramsay.com), cost $72pp – exactly half the price of dinner. And you’ll skip the twomonth waiting list. Meanwhile, at Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s eponymous place in New York (jean-georges.com), dinner costs $100pp, while lunch is just $36.80pp.

20 Think before you taxi

Anonymous cab drivers across the globe dish the dirt…

PARIS: ‘I shouldn’t really reveal this, but setting off for a night out at ten to seven instead of ten past can make a real difference to your cab fare. Rates increase sharply after 7pm and on Sundays and public holidays.’

NEW YORK: ‘Shift changes take place from 4.30am to 5.30am, and from 4.30pm to 5.30pm, so don’t even think about trying to find a cab during these hours – we’re all going home. In theory, our contract states that if we are hailed, we’re obliged to take you wherever you want to go in the five boroughs of the city, but you’ll struggle to get us to detour if all we’re thinking of is bed.’

ROME: ‘We are legally obliged to warn you if we switch from ‘Tariffa 1’ to ‘Tariffa 2’, which moves at a much faster rate and should only be applied when exiting the main highway.

However, I have colleagues who use the pricey tariff on unsuspecting tourists (of course, I wouldn’t dream of it!). When you get in, insist that your driver charges you Tariffa 1.’

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CARLSBAD CAVERNS, NEW MEXICO In the south-east of the American state of New Mexico lie the stately Guadalupe Mountains, home to the Carlsbad Caverns. This network of underground chambers is accessed by a ¼-kilometre deep elevator, sunk deep into the rock. Once inside, highlights include the Big Room, the seventh largest underground space in the world, paved with stalagmites and hung with stalactites. Visitors also make their way through the ‘bell cord room’, the ‘baloon ballroom’ and the ‘bat cave’ which contains no high-tech vigilantes but plenty of snoozing bats. Jaw-dropping stuff.

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IMAGE: PHOTOLIBRARY

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PICTURE THIS PICTURE THIS

CARLSBAD CAVERNS, NEW MEXICO The hauntingly beautiful Lofoten Islands, which include Mortsund, are home to many placid lagoons and islets scattered with brightly-painted stilt-houses known as ‘rorbus’.

They are used by cod fishers from across Norway who occupy them for three months at a time, during the high winter season when cod from the Barents Sea flood in to the area. Nowadays they are also rented by tourists looking for a tranquil break with the snow-capped mountains at their back and nothing but the occasional fishing boat to break up the views.

DUBAI FOUNTAIN, MEXICO, NORWAY UNITED ARAB EMIRATES The hauntingly beautiful Lofoten Islands, which include Mortsund, are home to many placid lagoons and islets scattered with brightly-painted stilt-houses known as ‘rorbus’.

The dances through thefrom powerful Dubai Fountain, letting out Theywater are used by cod fishers acrossuplights Norwayatwho occupy a sound like fireworks going off as it shoots into the night sky. Choreographed them for three months at a time, during the high winter season aquatic shows everySea twenty to aNowadays spread of different songs when cod fromhappen the Barents floodminutes, in to theset area. (including a stirring of ‘Por Ti Volare’), charming onlookers who ring the they are also rented version by tourists looking for a tranquil break waterfront at Dubai Mall and the excellent restaurants at Souk with the snow-capped mountains at their back and nothing but Al Bahar (the newly opened Bice Mare is a particularly fine viewing spot). the occasional fishing boat to break up the views.

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DUBAI FOUNTAIN, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

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IMAGE: COURTESY OF THE ADDRESS HOTELS AND RESORTS

The water dances through the powerful uplights at Dubai Fountain, letting out a sound like fireworks going off as it shoots into the night sky. Choreographed aquatic shows happen every twenty minutes, set to a spread of different songs (including a stirring version of ‘Por Ti Volare’), charming onlookers who ring the waterfront at Dubai Mall and the excellent restaurants at Souk Al Bahar (the newly opened Bice Mare is a particularly fine viewing spot).

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HERMITAGE MUSEUM, ST PETERSBURG This stunning staircase, knwon as the ‘Jordan staircase’ is a grand old relic of the opulent Russia of the Tsars and is one of the most ornate and attractive corners of the old – and infamous – Winter Palace. The building is now the world-renowned State Hermitage Museum, home to in excess of three million art works from across the globe. Covered in curlicued gold and mounted with statues made of alabaster, depicting Justice, Opulence, Equity, Mercury and Mars, the Jordan staircase is the sort of place which takes your breath away and leaves you with a cricked neck from craning to take in all the details.

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IMAGE: PHOTOLIBRARY

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Mayfair is the heart of London Brown’s is the heart of Mayfair.

This chic hotel offers the perfect home-away-from-home.

Boasting luxurious rooms and suites that you will never want to leave, outstanding dining that you will never forget and heavenly spa treatments, Brown’s is the only address you need in London.

Albe Albermarle Street, London, W1S 4BP Tel: 020 7493 6020 Fax: 020 7493 9381 E-mail: reservations.browns@roccofortecollection.com www.roccofortecollection.com

INDIA INDIA

TOTAL GUIDE

India

All the ingredients for your very own, crowd-free spice odyssey are right here…

32 DOUBLE TAKE For each busy sight, there’s a quiet alternative that’s all yours.

40 ANOTHER COUNTRY Urban life crowding you out? Empty your mind among these lovely, laid-back landscapes.

36 DO NOT PASS GOA Follow us for perfect pockets of timewarped peace.

44 STREETS AHEAD Why get held up with the hordes? Digest our easypeasy city guides – and hit the ground running.

India feature reproduced with permission from Sunday Times Travel

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Double take Main attractions mean major crowds – but Nick Boulos knows how to make it easy for you…

LABOURS OF LOVE BIG HITTER: Taj Mahal, Agra, Uttar Pradesh: Now this hulk of marble is what you call a love token – and it’s a tragedy the lady it was built for, Mumtaz Mahal, didn’t get to see it before she died. The marble mausoleum was commissioned by Shah Jahan in 1631, as a dramatic statement of love for his late wife, and it took 20,000 craftsmen more than 22 years to complete. Three million tourists now come to pay their respects each year, silently taking in the immaculate form of the monument’s perfectly symmetrical facade.

For a complete contrast with its serenity, devote a day to Agra city, where chaotic Indian traffic zigzags and honks its way along roads edged with crumbling buildings in iced-gem colours.

SECRET SIGHT: Bibi Ka Maqbara, Aurangabad, Maharashtra Unkindly dubbed the ‘poor man’s Taj Mahal’, this exquisite mausoleum may be 1,000km south of Agra, but it bears a striking resemblance to its popular cousin. The similarity doesn’t end there: Bibi Ka Maqbara was also built for love, albeit a different kind.

Inspired by Shah Jahan’s efforts, Prinze Azam constructed this monument near the pretty, gated city of Aurangabad in memory of his mother in 1679. Nul points for originality, but the lack of tourist traffic makes it just as moving as its better-known counterpart.

BIG CAT ENCOUNTERS BIG HITTER: Bandhavgarh National Park, Madhya Pradesh: It’s been an abrupt about-turn for Bandhavgarh, once the hunting ground of trigger-happy Maharajahs. Thanks to a wellenforced protection programme, 50 Royal Bengal tigers now stalk this jungly, riverlaced wilderness in eastern Madhya Pradesh.

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Visit and you’ve got a good chance of spotting the striped predators in their natural habitat, but be warned: this place is hugely popular with tourists, so don’t expect any lone cat encounters. Not that you’d really want one.

SECRET SIGHT: Sasan Gir Wildlife Sanctuary, Gujarat: By contrast with Bandhavgarh’s crowds, few foreigners venture to Gujarat’s remote Sasan Gir Wildlife Sanctuary. Three times as big as its busier counterpart, this lush sprawl of densely forested hills is the last refuge for a different type of big cat: the Asiatic lion. Only 300 or so remain in the wild but – good news – unlike the tiger population, the number of lions here is growing, from 50 at the turn of the last century. There’s a good chance of seeing some other fantastic felines too – a couple of hundred panthers lurk within the park.

LAKESIDE LOVELIES BIG HITTER: Udaipur, Rajasthan: Centring on Lake Pichola, the majestic manmade watering hole built at the end of the 14th century, this place was once top of the tourist tick-list. But a lack of rain in recent years dried it to a sorry puddle, reducing the visitor count to a trickle, while leaving Udaipur’s palaces, flamboyant old buildings and serene surrounds almost empty. After 2006’s record monsoon, the waters are back, and the hordes will soon be too, so get here now to make the most of the magnificent City Palace and Lake Palace Hotel – regal icing to the whole scene.

SECRET SIGHT: Dal Lake, Kashmir: Not only does Dal Lake have plenty of water, it is also home to some great-looking gondola-style taxis. The ripples as they pass are the only things to disturb an otherwise perfect reflection of the snow-topped Pir

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The Taj Mahal KWT

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Clockwise from this image: Tigers in Bandhavgarh National Park; the Lake Palace hotel in Udaipur; Gwalior Fort in Madhya Pradesh; an elepant at Amber Fort, in Jaipur; City Palace, Udaipur. the sun sets upon a Shikara boat; the Dal Lake in Kashmir.

Panjal mountains. If you’re happy on water, there’s no need to stay on dry land. Dal has a floating market, and you can sleep in one of the Victorian houseboats edging the lake – built as holiday homes for high-ranking members of the British Raj, they’re comfy and unique.

FANTASY FORTS BIG HITTER: Amber Fort, Jaipur: From the front, this looks like a fairytale fort from Walt Disney’s sketchbook, rising from the dusty outskirts of Jaipur in gigantic blocks of perfectly carved sandstone. It’s best approached in style – fix a lift with the ‘elephant office’ at the entrance to the palace at the bottom of the hill, and your beast will plod along the spiral of cobbled streets to this huge structure, which sits on the site of an ancient citadel. Step inside and you’re faced with another assault on the senses: a maze of imposing courtyards and ornate, marbled rooms where every surface is alive with frescoes, mosaics and paintings. It’s no surprise to learn that this place took three Maharajahs two centuries to build (they started in 1592). Things can get a little claustrophobic, but there’s relief beside Moatha Lake, overlooking the city below.

SECRET SIGHT: Gwalior Fort, Madhya Pradesh: A couple of hours south of Agra, this inyour-face structure was founded in the 8th century, making it around 800 years older than its amber counterpart. Lording it over sleepy Gwalior from high above town, it’s been added to several times, and is now a mishmash of shrines with gold-topped buildings, fantastical towers and detailed rock sculptures. It lends the destination a rugged glamour, heightened by the lack of tourists. Stay for the atmospheric nightly light show, which recreates the fort’s history with spellbinding tales of miracles, battles and enduring love.

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“After 2006’s record monsoon the waters are back, so get here now to make the most of the Lake Palace Hotel ”

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Do not pass Goa Don’t be put off by the package-holiday hordes, it’s still possible to find your own pocket of happy hippiedom, says Nick Rufford.

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treets clogged with rickshaws, beggars on the pavement, virulent diseases – there’s only so much you can take of London. Sometimes, you just have to go away somewhere and decompress – ideally, to a Robinson Crusoe setting where the sun is on ‘constant’ and you can survive on a few bucks a day. Somewhere, in fact, like Goa. The former Portuguese colony on India’s west coast must have seemed like the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow to the weary hippie travellers who arrived in the ’60s. It was inhabited by laid-back, hospitable locals and bordered by sandy stretches in frothy cappuccino shades. After the perils of the overland trip to get there – broken-down Magic Buses, money shortages – it was just the excuse they needed to hang around for another month or three and delay the journey home.

The party was still going strong three decades later: ‘Like ’60s San Francisco, only cooler,’ said one traveller I met there in the ’90s. Back then, it had been a magical place, buzzing with full-moon parties. It was only recently, however, that I finally booked my tickets and dusted down my rucksack – ready to set off on a spontaneous adventure with just my hand-luggage for company. It wasn’t long before I began to realise how much things have changed. First of all, there was the checklist: a visa to get into India (half a day at the embassy), vaccinations for hepatitis A, typhoid, meningitis, tetanus and polio, and a course of malaria tablets ($200 in total), as well as sterile syringe needles, in case I ended up in hospital (possibly overcautious of me, but they were confiscated at check-in anyway, the inevitable consequence of having no hold luggage).

And it’s no longer just the intrepid few 36

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making the journey – now there are 1.5m visitors a year, with 250 charter flights operating during high season. I took the Mumbai option and wound up in Calangute, Goa’s most popular package destination. If the ’60s vibe is still there, it’s buried deep under the hundreds of tonnes of concrete that have gone into sprawling hotels, dodgy nightclubs and shops selling tie-dyed shirts. I quickly moved on, towards Palolem Beach, one of the least spoilt spots in Goa, according to my guidebook. It’s a two-anda-half hour drive down the highway from the

“Palolem Beach isn’t off the beaten track anymore. You may remember it from the opening scenes of The Bourne Supremacy” capital, Panaji, across the Zuari River. The road stretches through rich, green fields to the vanishing point on the horizon. In the distance, hidden amid the betel, pepper and spice plantations, are gold-topped buildings.

It looked promising after Calangute, but Palolem Beach isn’t exactly off the beaten track anymore. You may remember it from the opening scenes of The Bourne Supremacy, when Jason Bourne looks for somewhere ‘off the grid’ to hide from the CIA. He ends up in Palolem, but they don’t show you the vast InterContinental hotel (where the cast and crew stayed) and the mini-city of coco-huts.

One traveller I met blamed the ‘Lonely Planet effect’ – thousands of visitors reading the same recommendation. ‘They should

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Tourist cabins on PalolemKWT beach37in Goa

rename them Crowded Planet guides,’ he said grumpily. It was becoming clear that serendipity is no longer an option in Goa, unless you have weeks to spare. If you’re intent on uncovering a special place pronto, you’re best off seeking recommendations from old Goa hands. That’s how I found The Lemon Tree at Candolim, an old Portuguese villa converted to a four-star hotel with complicated towel origami and pretty, tiled courtyards. It charges $180 for a double room – a lot more than a hippie could afford, but a reasonable price to pay for the privacy.

Its sheltered, overblown gardens are steps from the beach as well as Souza Lobo, which dishes up India’s finest curries.

But to witness Goa in anything like its original state – long, empty beaches, a scattering of coco-huts, a few fishermen’s boats pulled up on the sand – you have to head north towards a stretch of beaches across the mouth of the Chapora, Goa’s other great river. To get there, you pass Anjuna 38

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beach, where the original hippies settled.

It’s still the epicentre of tourist culture – a colourful, energetic place, choked with cafes playing Indian techno and bargain-hunters buying tom-tom drums and cheesecloth trousers. Not until you reach Morjim does the atmosphere really begin to change.

This place is also known as ‘turtle beach’, because the southern end is a sanctuary for rare Olive Ridley turtles. They once nested all the way along Goa’s coast, but increased tourism and pollution threatened them with extinction, and those who once sold the eggs are now paid to protect the creatures.

Mandrem Beach, further north, is quieter still. Apart from a few elderly beachcombers, there was nobody around, and the guesthouses all had vacancy signs.

From here on north, you can discover the kind of peace that made those early travellers stay for years. Querim Beach, at the northern tip of Goa, is nothing but untouched sand and a couple of shacks.

“Surya Samudra comprises 22 cottages hidden in a coconut forest beside the Arabian Sea” After four sweaty days of travelling, this was where my Goan experience began. I settled down on a hammock slung in the shade between a couple of palms, with a pile of books bought for a few rupees from a book exchange by the side of the road.

The only sound was that of the surf and the occasional thud of falling coconuts. A speck in the distance got closer and closer; it took half an hour before the boy was near enough for me to read the sign on the rickety cart he was pushing – ‘Himalaya Ice Cream’. ‘Cool, man,’ he said when I bought one and gave him a tip. Finally, Goa was beginning to chill out.

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PERFECT 10: HIP HIDEAWAYS

Don’t have an old hand to show you the secret retreats of Goa and Kerala? Guidebook writer Guyan Mitra reveals all

GOA KERALA SURYA SAMUDRA, KOVALAM

KERALA GOA FORT TIRACOL, PERNEM

This one comprises 22 terracotta-roof cottages hidden in a coconut forest

Behind colonial walls lurks Goa’s grandest abode. Fort Tiracol has marble-

beside the Arabian Sea. Based on traditional Keralite design, the whole

floored rooms named after days of the week: Wednesday is by far the best of

place looks so authentic that the pool is the only clue that it’s really a resort.

the lot, with a split-level balcony that lords it over the Arabian Sea. From here,

Many rooms overlook the water. Rooms from $350 (suryasamudra.com).

watch amber sunsets and silhouettes of dolphins dancing on the horizon.

Rooms from $500, room only (forttiracol.com).

MALABAR HOUSE, KOCHI Come if only for afternoon drinks, served in the leafy courtyard of this bou-

HOME, PATNEM

tique homage to the British Raj. Overlooking the old military parade ground

The sleepy beach of Patnem is home to a few bamboo shacks and little else.

of Fort Kochi, it mixes old India with new: bright, garish colours and ancient

The best of a pretty basic bunch, Home is a collection of white concrete

Keralite artefacts abound, and there’s a bizarre but excellent seafood res-

affairs, tucked in a pretty, palm-shaded garden. Hammocks strung between

taurant for leisurely dinners. Rooms from $225, B&B (malabarhouse.com).

the trees look out over a beach that’s blissfully empty bar a handful of cricketplaying kids. Rooms from $30, room only (homeispatnem.com).

RAHEEM RESIDENCY, ALLEPPEY This fairytale 19th-century colonial house is set high above a beach busy

DWARKA ECO LODGE, SOUTH GOA

with rice boats. Interiors are all sparkling tiles, delicate arched windows

This tiny, back-to-basics B&B sits far from the charter crowds (and the near-

and four-poster beds. There’s also a literary slant, with a bumper library

est town), in the lagoon-encircled jungle of southern Goa. Ten thatched-roof

and discounts for long-staying scribblers hoping to clear that writer’s block.

cottages (ripped down at the end of each season to tie in with local environ-

Rooms from $130, B&B (raheemresidency.com).

mental laws, then hastily built again) are just steps away from one of Goa’s last untouched strips of sand. Bungalows from $90 (dwarkagoa.com).

EMERALD ISLE HERITAGE VILLA, NEAR KOCHI Stranded on a river island, reached through the Keralite backwaters by dug-

YOGA MAGIC, ANJUNA

out canoe, this low-slung bungalow is a converted plantation house with just

Flags flutter high above the arid paddy fields north of Anjuna, marking out

four cosy rooms. It’s surrounded by paddyfields and rivers, which means

these digs from occasional grazing cattle. This collection of Rajasthani hunt-

that meals are as fresh as can be, with curries cooked using the daily catch

ing tents is as serene a spot as you’ll find for a holistic holiday – as the guests

and sweet rice puddings. Rooms from $100 (emeraldislekerala.com).

who glide around will testify. Tents from $50 (yogamagic.net).

FRIDAY’S PLACE, POOVAR

SWASWARA, GOKARNA

In the jungle-lined backwaters of southern Kerala, you’ll find this clutch of

Sweet scents fill the dusty streets of Gokarna in Karnataka, 170km south of

handsomely crafted teak cottages. Wildlife wonders abound – you can spot

Goa, that has retained the region’s old vibe. Overlooking Om Beach, Swas-

brahminy kites and parakeets from your balcony. Fishing is popular too –

wara captures the mood perfectly, with 24 okra-toned cottages, attracting

guests often throw lines off the resort’s interconnecting bridges to bring up

guests seeking ayurvedic treatments and arty workshops. Rooms from $480,

crabs and eels for supper. Rooms from $170 (fridaysplacekerala.com).

full board (swaswara.com).

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Another country Thought India was all chaos and crowds? Time you got the bigger picture, in one of these remote, attractive corners.

1. Darjeeling This hill country has provided relief from the soul-sapping heat of the North Indian plain since 1835, when the area was annexed by the British from the Kings of Sikkim on spuriously strategic grounds.

The truth was simpler: with cool breezes and superb views of the distant Himalayas, Darjeeling was the perfect place for colonial administrators to relax with a fine cup of tea. Visit between April and June or September and November, when there are few clouds to spoil the views. Rise with the sun and climb Tiger Hill to watch it paint the peak of Kanchenjunga pink, or ride the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway, described by Mark Twain as ‘the most enjoyable day I have spent on Earth’. And where to take tea? Best spot for tiffin is the Windamere Hotel (windamerehotel.com), an unashamed relic of the Raj.

The sunset on the Himalayas as

from the hills of Darjeeling.

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2.The Himalayas Here’s one for wannabe Palins: edging the entire northeast flank of India, like the icing on a particularly exotic cake, the Himalayas are the destination for explorers. You’ll see tribes whose features hint at ancient routes from Nepal, China and beyond, and buildings set starkly against icy desolation like elaborate jewellery on an unmade-up person… All this, and more surprises you won’t find in any guidebook.

Take Tawang, located at a giddy 3,000m in the state of Arunachal Pradesh, and more than worthy of its ‘Little Tibet’ moniker.

It’s quite a journey here, from the transit town of Bomdila – winding up mountains hidden by cloud cushion, skirting neon glacial lakes – but every panorama is a beauty, particularly in winter, when the landscape is transformed into Ice Magic peaks.

TheKWT River41Ganges

3. Ranthambore When you visit Ranthambore National Park in eastern Rajasthan, the subcontinent’s most famous tiger reserve, two things are certain. The first is that at least one of your fellow tourists will insist on reciting Blake’s poem The Tiger, despite knowing only the first stanza. The second is that nobody will be able to tell you exactly how many of the striped killers live in this 390 sq m park – guides swear there are 29, but more objective estimates suggest that poaching, among other

Padam Talao Lake,

National Park 42Ranthambore KWT

factors, has brought the population down to less than 20. If you want a chance of spotting one (sightings are by no means guaranteed), you need to get up early, wrap up warm and prepare for plenty of driving around in tourist Jeeps known locally as Gypsies. The Macavitylike qualities of the tiger – including the ability to remain utterly invisible at 20 paces – can be frustrating, but if you are lucky enough to spot the world’s most endangered feline, there’s a third certainty: you’ll be awestruck.

A train trip through INDIA the hills of Bengal

4. The Konkan Railway India has more than its fair share of trains fit for Maharajahs. But if you’re after a more authentic, tourist-light journey, you’re better off trundling through the 58 stations along the Konkan Railway. Stretching more than 760km across the west coast, the line links Mangalore and Mumbai, via some of the country’s most spectacular countryside – this is easily the most scenic commuter train on the world’s

tracks. As it runs through Goa and the Western Ghats, you can expect to see hills to the east, and catch glimpses of empty beaches between swaying palms to the west, where the track almost touches the Arabian Sea. Half the fun of the trip is haggling for street food at stations en route, and discussing the view with your fellow passengers. Beats a stuffy dining car full of suits any day.

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Streets ahead Make one of India’s cities the climax of a chaotic, captivating adventure, says Richard Green. Here are eight cut-out-and-keep easy itineraries

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DELHI: GRAND BOULEVARDS AND OLD TOWN LANES Day one: Savour the pomp and power of New Delhi by hiring a rickshaw to drive you westwards along the full length of the Rajpath, from the huge India Gate and up to the presidential palace. Then wander among the peaceful Lodi Gardens to the south, landscaped around 15th-century tombs and filled with parakeets and hoopoe birds. Ten minutes’ rickshaw ride southeast is Humayan’s Tomb, a stunning 16th-century mausoleum that was the inspiration for Agra’s Taj Mahal. Then ride a few kilometres west to lunch at Dhaba, in the stately Claridges hotel; it’s styled like a truckers’ cafe and serves excellent ‘North Indian Highway Cuisine’, with the side of a truck for wall decoration. From here, it’s a short walk to the Gandhi museum and memorial at Birla House (gandhismriti.nic.in), where the Mahatma spent his last 144 days. In the evening, window-shop in the many government craft emporiums that are clustered around busy Connaught Place.

Day two: Just north of the new city sits the colourful chaos of Old Delhi. Potter down some of the area’s iconic merchant streets: teeming Chandni Chowk, the jewellers’ lane of Dariba Kalan, or the wedding promenade of Kinari Bazaar. Just to the east is the Red Fort; built in 1638 by Shah Jahan, of Taj Mahal fame, its giant red sandstone walls house a tranquil interior.

MUMBAI: BUSY, BUZZY, FULL-TOBURSTING METROPOLIS Day one: Take a walk past the grand Colonial buildings that flank the Oval Maidan (park): the High Court, the Secretariat and the University.

Just to the north is the magnificent square of Horniman Circle and St Thomas’s, British-built in 1718. Continue north to the Chhatrapati Shivaji (formerly Victoria) Terminus, a Gothic fantasy of a railway station next door to the largest post office in the country. A little further north is Crawford fruit and veg market. Grab lunch from one of the street stalls, then taxi to Mani Bhavan, the house where Gandhi lived while he was in Mumbai, now a fascinating museum dedicated to the Mahatma (gandhi-manibhavan.org). A few minutes’ walk west takes you into posh Malabar Hill; visit the serene Banganga Tank (ceremonial pond).

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Street scene in Kolkata, West Bengal.

Time for coffee in The Taj Mahal Palace hotel’s recently-reopened Sea Lounge – or mosey along Marine Drive to Chowpatty Beach, where vendors sell giant balloons and snacks in a fairground atmosphere.

Day two: Board an early ferry beside the Gateway of India for Elephanta Island, where intricate buildings have been carved out of the rock. Back on the mainland, take a local train from Churchgate Station (or, if it’s rush hour, a taxi) to the downtown Dhobi Ghats, stairs by the river where millions of items are washed daily, then miraculously returned to their owners. Finally, take a Bollywood studio tour (book through indiabollywoodtours.com) – the city is home to India’s film industry.

KOCHI: CHARMING, CHILLED-OUT SEASIDE CITY Day one: Better known as Cochin, this lowrise seaside city is a delight. The ancient Fort Kochi area makes for a good wander: pass the faded Parade Ground, Dutch Cemetery, Bishop’s House and old cricket pitch, before winding up at the Chinese fishing nets – wooden contraptions that spring out of the sea like giant, spindly spiders. For lunch, buy a fish from the small market here and take it to a stall to be grilled with sea salt, garlic and lemon. Afterwards, hail a rickshaw and ride across to the eastern side of the peninsula to see the regal portraits of Rajahs past.

Then walk north to see the ramshackle spice sheds, still trading sacks of spices today.

Day two: For a feel of the bustling harbour, take the ferry to the busy, modern part of the city at Ernakulam (15 mins), or book an afternoon backwater boat trip with KTDC (ktdc.com). Then try an evening of traditional Keralite dance at the Kerala Kathakali Centre (kathakalicentre.com) on the banks of Fort Kochi Beach. Performances start at 6pm, but the dancers’ meticulous pre-show make-up session at 5pm is the scene-stealer.

KOLKATA: FORMER RAJ CAPITAL TURNED SUPER-CIVILISED CENTRE Day one: Start at the Victoria Memorial; the last remaining and largest of the colonial46

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Clockwise from this image: Rambagh Palace Hotel, Jaipur.

Colourful boats at dusk, Mumbai. Churchgate at night, Mumbai. Herbs and spices at the New Market, Kolkata. Rajvilas Hotel, Rajasthan.

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era monuments, it contains 25 galleries of imperial paintings. Meander north through the vast city park (Maidan), stopping to peruse the art and archaeological collections of the Indian Museum. Next door is oldeworlde Sudder Street and, one block north, the New Market – both are surrounded by good snack stands for lunch. Just north of the Maidan is the BBD Bagh (formerly Dalhousie Square), crowded with grand Colonial facades, including the Writers’ Building (originally built for the clerical staff of the East India Company). After all that sightseeing, Park Street is the place for hanging out, with good restaurants.

Day two: Take a taxi to the explosion of colour that is the flower market, under Howrah Bridge. Then it’s back in the cab to the Botanical Gardens, home to one of the world’s biggest Banyan trees, and where tea was introduced from China. Back over the new bridge and you’re in the narrow alleys of ‘native’ town, where Bengali families grew wealthy serving the Empire. The Marble Palace is splendidly grand (it’s still a Rajah residence, so you need a letter of introduction from the West Bengal Tourist Information Bureau to visit). Then shop in the nearby Kumartuli, the ‘potters’ market, where multilimbed statues are made.

AMRITSAR: PRETTY AND PEACEFUL Day one: The Golden Temple is a welcoming place – with free guided tours, free meals (they feed 50,000 people per day) and, should you need it, a place for the night, too. This OTT gilded wonder appears to float on the waters that surround it. Just beyond the entrance is the Jallianwala Bagh, where the infamous General Dyer massacred unarmed Sikhs and set the end of the Raj in motion.

Day two: The beautiful Rambagh Gardens are a must-see. In the afternoon head an hour west to the India/Pakistan border crossing at Wagah. Crowds gather on either side to watch the daily pre-dusk ‘closing the border’ ceremony: expect machismo, foot stomping, eyeballing and a gate-slamming finale, all precisely choreographed.

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“Start at the Victoria Memorial; the last remaining and largest of the colonialera monuments, it contains 25 galleries of imperial paintings.”

CHENNAI: ORDERLY MIX OF OLD BUILDINGS AND TOWN-PLANNING Day one: Kick off at impressive St George Fort, built in 1640 and the first foothold for British India. Immediately north is George Town, for the giant red brick High Court (and the climb to get to it). A couple of kilometres west of that, the vast Government Museum (chennaimuseum.org) has the world’s best collection of Chola Bronzes. As twilight begins to twinkle, survey the city sprawl from St Thomas Mount, then walk some of the 12km stretch of Marina Beach – pausing at the ‘Ice House’, a semi-circular storehouse for New England ice since the 1830s.

Day two: Take a taxi to the shore buildings and cave carvings at Mamallapuram, about 90 minutes’ drive south. Or, if it’s a Saturday, the Enfield Factory to the north of Chennai runs tours of its iconic motorbike production line (royalenfield.com; $16pp).

JAIPUR: PASTEL, PRINCELY HOME OF THE RAJAHS Day one: Start at the City Palace, a complex of pretty courtyards and gardens, home to the royal family of Jaipur. Nearby, the Palace of the Winds (Hawa Mahal) is a five-storey, film set-like facade: sublime from the front and a tangle of timbers from behind (it’s one room deep and floor-to-floor access is via a ramp). Stroll round the corner to the Jantar Mantar, a collection of outsized 18th-century astrological instruments that resembles a giant’s golf course. And, in the evening, watch a Bollywood blockbuster at Jaipur Raj Mandir, the best cinema in India, with a gaudy pink exterior, and lavishly kitsch inside.

Day two: The Amber Fort is a fairytaleperfect fort-palace, just north of Jaipur.

Tackle the lake-to-entrance incline in an elephant howdah, then wander the myriad

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wonders of the fort, brimming with inlay work and mirrors.

AHMADABAD: EXOTIC AND ROMANTIC GUJARATI GETAWAY Day one: Get your bearings, or delightfully lose them, in the labyrinthine streets of the Old City. Then take a taxi north to the Calico Textile Museum, to see the brilliantly coloured turbans, carpets, and saris. In the afternoon, it’s a 15-minute drive to Gandhi’s Sabarmati Ashram – a peaceful place founded in 1915, and the starting point of the great man’s famous Salt March. Pop into the Hathi Singh Jain too, for its magnificent marble decoration.

Day two: Leave the city for the nearby Adalaj Step Well, 19km northeast of Ahmadabad.

An exquisite solution to the region’s frequent droughts, it’s almost 30m deep and crammed with beautiful stone carvings. Then make the two-hour trip to Modhera. It’s worth the journey: arriving at this Sun Temple, built in 1026, will leave you agog, with its amazingly intact carvings and decorative pillars.

GETTING AROUND Flying is the easiest way of travelling long distances within India. No-frills services can cost less than first-class train fares, and are substantially quicker. Air India operates a low-cost service between 11 Indian destinations, including Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai and Thiruvananthapuram.

Kingfisher Airlines (flykingfisher.com) serves more than 50 airports, including Udaipur, Goa, Bangalore and Chennai. The Indian train system is efficient and very cheap – especially if you’re willing to travel in basic, second-class seats. For times, fares and to check availability, see irctc.co.in, where you can also make reservations using an

Clockwise from this image: Victoria Memorial at dusk, Kolkata, India Gate at night, New Delhi. Dudgsagar waterfall, Goa, Mysore Palace, Mysore.

Chinese fishing nets, Kochi.

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e-ticket system. Buses are a convenient way to travel short distances, but planning ahead is difficult as there are limited facilities for viewing timetables and booking online. Visit the local bus station to find information on departures and prices, or consult a local travel agent if you need more guidance.

WHEN TO GO Avoid the monsoon season, which starts in the southwest in early June and expands to affect the whole country by the end of the month. By then, temperatures are also stiflingly high, reaching 40°C or more in the summer months. Winter (OctoberFebruary) is much better for sightseeing in comfort, even in the hot south of the country where temperatures hover around 20°C. The usually wet northeast also dries out substantially at this time. Between March and May, the weather turns humid, making city visits a bit of a chore, but it’s the perfect time to see the Himalayas.

WHAT TO EAT While the tradition of vegetarianism is fairly widespread in India, it’s not as strictly adhered to as it once was. You’ll find those familiar, curry-house dishes in the north of the country: korma, biryani, rogan josh and tandoor dishes were all introduced to the region by Muslim settlers from Arabia, and come with rice and chapattis or naan.

Other North Indian specialities include dhal and chutneys. Eastern areas are famous for their desserts; give sandesh a try. The popular sweet is made from condensed milk and comes in hundreds of flavours – everything from saffron to mango and vanilla. If you’re in southern India, try dosas – delicious pancakes made from rice and black lentils, often served with curries or chutneys.

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In Greenland, massive icebergs and gigantic glaciers quietly await you; nature’s spectacular phenomenon of Northern lights (Aurora Borealis) can be witnessed, and it gets so cold that nothing but seal fur can keep you warm‌ Heba Hashem

Clockwise from this image: Huskies resting, Greenland, Image by: Jorgen Chemnitz.

National Park; Humpback Whale off the coast of Kitaa, Image by: John Rasmussen.

Two hunters in a kayak, Upernavik Narsaq, Image by: John Rasmussen.

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A JOURNEY TO THE NORTH

GREENLAND

of all flights. To visit any town in Greenland, this will be your first stop, before changing over to a short domestic flight to continue to your destination.

Nuuk is Greenland’s capital city, and the country’s largest and most inhabited, with a population of 15,000. It is also the world’s smallest capital city! Sitting on the West

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bout 400,000 years ago, Greenland may have been Green. But with the constant changes in temperature and sea levels which might have affected its geographical location, today only the southern parts enjoy greenery during the summer. The largest island in the world, 85% of Greenland is covered by ice. This could be the real “Land of Narnia”. However, this one is reachable and the experience is mind blowing and one to remember for life.

From the Middle East, a simple route that will take you there is a flight to Copenhagen, Denmark. Alternatively, you can head to Reykjavik, Iceland. From either of those two cities, you hop on Air Greenland to reach Kangerlussuaq, a trip that takes about 5 hours. The only international airport in Greenland is based in Kangerlussuaq, an inland town on the West side, with a stable environment guaranteeing the timely arrival

coast of Greenland, Nuuk faces Canada’s north eastern side, which explains the dozens of Canadian tourists wandering about. The city also boasts Greenland’s University and the National Museum, where you can learn all about the Inuits’ history.

Moreover, Greenland’s only light-controlled pedestrian crossing and roundabouts are found here.

Nuuk, which means ‘headland’ as it lies at the tip of a large peninsula at the mouth of a gigantic fjord, is Greeland’s oldest town. It was founded by the missionary Hans Egede, which is also the name of the city’s only 5-star hotel. Touring the city centre is fairly easy on foot, and opposite Hotel Hans Egede are most of the city’s restaurants, which serve traditional Greenlandic dishes, cooked with fish, reindeer, lamb, beef or lobster meat.

While other towns offer them as well, whale-spotting excursions are particularly recommended in Nuuk, since these sea mammals are known to appear here more often than in other areas. Once on the boat, you will probably hear a whale before seeing it. The fountain of water gushing from its back will pull you to the right direction, with a sound similar to that of an elephant’s trumpet. At that point, get ready to see a wild humpback whale in action, as it jumps out to take its regular breath out of water, taking yours with it too. Humpback whale trips are only available in the summer months between June and September mainly because they come to feed in polar waters during this season, before migrating to tropical waters to breed and give birth in winter. If you’re lucky, you might also spot a Mink, Fin, Blue or Killer whale along the trip, KWT

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Clockwise from this image: Ittoqqortoormiit mountains, east Greenland, Image by: Destination East Greenland. Sunset on icefjords, Image by: Kristian Fridriksson. Northern lights aurora borealis in Nuuk capital city, Image by: Thomas Krämer.

Red town houses, Ittoqqortoormiit, Image by: Jorgen Chemnitz.

and, of course, seals will be popping out from all directions to keep you entertained until a whale decides to make an appearance.

A helicopter to the Ice Sheet and Norse ruins is another trip to consider while in Nuuk. The journey takes you through fjords and over mountain tops, to the base of the fjord, where you will make your first landing to look at the ruins from the Norse settlement established some 1000 years ago. You then move on to the edge of the Ice Sheet, which allows you both the chance to walk on the Ice Sheet itself and perhaps to have a drink mixed with ice that is several thousands of years old.

Owned by Air Greenland and Royal Greenland, the Arctic Umiaq Line is Greenland’s national shipping company, which can take you to most of the surrounding towns. Apart from the extraordinary landscape that is experienced in comparison to travelling with a domestic flight, the ferry also serves as means of transport for locals, which means you will take a peek into their day-to-day lives.

For example, from Nuuk you can use the AUL to take you to the northerly town of Ilullisat, where the UNESCO-protected ice fjord and ice cap are based. The ship offers both standard and more comfortable 52

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superior rooms with hot and cold meals on board throughout the 48-hour journey. As you approach the northerly town of Ilullisat, hundreds of icebergs scattered all over the ocean entice you to stay outside on the ship’s deck even though the weather might be not be that pleasant. During summer, however, the sun shines out during most of the day.

Dramatic scenery is guaranteed in Ilullisat, which means ‘icebergs’ in Greenlandic.

It is home to approximately 4,500 people and 4,500 sled dogs. Ilullisat is beautifully located at the mouth of a 56 km-long ice fjord filled with enormous icebergs from the most productive glacier in the northern hemisphere - Sermeq Kujalleq. The glacier produces 20 million tonnes of ice a day, equal to the amount used by New York City in a year. A couple of hours further north of Ilullisat, a boat trip can take you to the Eqi glacier, where you can spend a couple of days in a hut. South of Ilulissat Icefjord is another charming settlement, Ilimanaq, which is one of the oldest settlements in Greenland. Most tour organizers arrange these trips.

Spending a few nights in one of the metallic, heated igloos of Hotel Arctic is an experience not to be missed. Fully equipped with a narrow shower, TV and white-blue interior, it feels like being in outer space.

Out of the 87 rooms that overlook Disko Bay, or Ilullisat’s Ice Bank, five are external igloos and they are only available from May to October, so booking in advance is recommended.

Bjork, the Icelandic singer, is one of the igloos’ biggest fans. On her first visit she liked it so much that she extended her stay for a further few weeks. Hotel Arctic is also known to have hosted 10 US senators, the Danish Prime Minister and the German Chancellor.

In previous years, members of the Japanese, Thai and Danish royal courts were also guests there. It is no wonder that people from all over the world travel to this isolated spot.

From your window, a breath-taking sight captures your senses at all levels.

From early autumn onwards, the night sky is regularly illuminated by the northern lights and, although this occurs all year round, it cannot be seen during the summer months due to the midnight sun. The phenomenon is often seen around midnight and is best experienced on a dark, clear night in the period from September to the beginning of April. If you are travelling during this period, you can see the northern lights from anywhere in the country, whilst in South Greenland the northern lights can be seen from as early as the end of August.

GREENLAND

“The Northern Lights are often seen around midnight and are best experienced on a dark, clear night between September and April” Dog-sledding is another activity that is strictly seasonal. February, March and April are the best months to try this effortless ride, which has sled-dogs doing all the work. Upon a signal given by the driver, a group of harnessed dogs happily pull you along as you sit comfortably on a warm, reindeer-skin sled. As sunset falls, you will be left wondering whether you should remain a passenger or attempt to drive one yourself. This is in fact possible in Tasiilaq, on Greenland’s East coast, where a few days of training are enough to qualify you for a dog sledding driving license!

The midnight sun in Greenland is a spiritual experience that disconnects you from the man-made concept of time.

Children roam with their roller skates into midnight as the sun hangs down low in the horizon, and people sit dotted across the hills, sipping on hot drinks while enjoying

the never-ending warmth of the sun rays.

The number of days of continuous summer sunshine and winter darkness will depend on the latitude of the places you visit. The further north you travel, the longer the midnight sun will be. Communities will be buzzing after months of cold winter, and going to bed during these days could be an unusual challenge!

Most restaurants in Greenland are found inside the town’s hotels, while a few independent cafes and eateries can be found in the capital city and bigger towns. A classic traditional appetizer is a soup dish called ‘suaasat’, which is made from boiled fish, bird or meat from seal, whale or reindeer. Other favorites include dried ‘ammassat’ (a small herring-like fish in the salmon family called capelin), dried reindeer meat and whale skin with blubber, called ‘mattak’, which is a wellloved delicacy amongst the local population.

Before embarking on your polar journey, find out the activities in relation to the current season. This way you can avoid disappointments and ensure that you see and enjoy everything as expected. Thick coats and jackets are vital to this trip no matter what season it is, as Greenland is regularly hit by winds and, even if the morning sees sunshine, the night time is always chilly,

even in summer months. If you plan to take a camcorder along, then fill up on extra batteries as photography and video clips are simply the most valuable souvenirs you can get out of Greenland.

DID YOU KNOW? In Greenlandic, Greenland is called “Kalaallit Nunaat”- the Land of People.

Ironically, the population of 56,000 over 2.175,600 square km makes it an underpopulated country.

The majority of the population lives in towns or settlements in the ice-free part of the country along the coast, mostly in Western Greenland.

Geographically, Greenland is part of the North American continent; geopolitically, it is part of Europe, and nationally the country is part of Denmark.

The ice cap was first crossed in 1888, and the journey was made on skis.

There are no roads connecting Greenland’s towns. To travel from one town to the other, two ways are primarily used: aircraft/ helicopter or ship.

The killing of baby seals is illegal in Greenland. It has never been a tradition to hunt them since they do not carry much meat.

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CONCIERGE KENYA

CONCIERGE KENYA

PRAGUE

BOULOGNE

MADEIRA

THE 30-SECOND CONCIERGE

ALFAJIRI VILLAS, KENYA Why would I stay at Alfajri?

Sheltered on coral cliffs, above the talcum sands of Diani Beach, this stylish private retreat comprises just three villas and is perfect for luxurious lazy days, fine food and panoramic views. Flowing fabrics and East African artefacts, carved Lamu doors and wooden beams reflect the region’s link with Asia – and it’s a favourite with the celebs: Rowan Atkinson, Ronnie Woods and ill-fated couple Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, to name but a few, have stayed here.

Where is it located?

The resort is nestled on the idyllic East African coast towards the south of Kenya, just an hour’s drive from Mombassa Airport (which is served by ten Nairobi flights every day). The elevated villas overlook the Indian Ocean – in fact the turret room in the Cliff Villa has a 270-degree sea view.

That sounds lovely, but is there anything to do?

If you’re not the lying-on-the-beach type, you can head out on a traditional African boat for a spot of coral reef snorkelling

with local fishermen, or alternatively rejuvenate yourself with an in-villa massage or yoga session. There’s also an 18-hole golf course less than two minutes away, where fairways weave between cashew nut, pine and palm trees. And of course, a trip to Kenya wouldn’t be complete without a safari. Luckily for guests at Alfajiri, the villa owners run their own safari company, so you’ll be in expert hands if you choose to go with them to the nearby Tsavo East National Park.

What’s the food like?

It’s up to you: all meals are included, as are drinks, and once you’ve decided what you fancy eating, food is served to you al fresco or in your villa. Local seafood – think lobster, crabs and fat, juicy prawns – is bought in daily; salads and vegetables come from local farms and fruit is hand-picked from the surrounding area. The chef likes to add a Mediterranean twist to his dishes, so cheese and olive oil lovers will be in their element. alfajirivillas.com.

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CZECH REPUBLIC

The city skyline Right: Hradcany castle

Visit Prague

Behind the fairytale facade lurks Europe’s oddest art and nightlife… and cheese says Sean Thomas.

After decades of political deep-freeze, divided East and West Europe thawed in autumn 1989, melting again into one. Smart travellers had one destination in mind: the capital of old Bohemia, Prague. Would the city on the River Vltava still be the town that Goethe called ‘the prettiest gem in the stone crown of the world’? Would it still be that middleEuropean dream? They needn’t have worried.

Preserved in the amber of history and isolated

by Communism, Prague has been saved from the commercial development you see in 56

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great Western capitals.

Here, ‘You can still smell the powder in Mozart’s wig’, as one writer put it.

WHERE TO STAY NO EXPENSE SPARED The Golden Well U Zlate Studne 4, Prague 1 (zlatastudna.cz) This 16th-century townhouse has been converted into a luxurious boutique hotel with a fab location. Ask for the gilt ’n’ mirrored room used by Habsburg King Rudolf II, or the suites once inhabited by 16thcentury astronomer Tycho de Brahe, who

wore a fake golden nose after losing his real one in a duel. There are excellent views of the Wallenstein Gardens.

Rooms from $230.

Le Palais U Zvonarky 1, Prague 2 (palaishotel.cz).

This beautiful hotel, in the suburban backwaters of historic, tranquil Vinohrady, used to be a millionaire sausage-merchant’s Belle-Epoque palace.

J K Rowling is now a regular, and its rooms are languorously lovely: some are in the eaves, others have sky-high panelled ceilings from the 1800s. You’ll need

a cab to get to the Old Town. Rooms from $216, room only.

MIDDLE OF THE ROAD Unitas Hotel Bartolemejska 9, Prague 1 (unitas.cz)

Here was once Prague’s secret police headquarters, and you can actually sleep in the converted cells – one was inhabited by dissident-turnedpresident Václav Havel.

ASK THE LOCAL Jiri Zboril is a Prague fireman. We found him eating lunch at the U Hrocha.

When you’re talking Czech food, what smells the worst often tastes the best – the specialty cheese here stinks, but it’s excellent! My favourite place to spend a summer afternoon is the castle gardens at Visehrad. It’s free to get in, very pretty, and tourists don’t know about it. Here’s a real Prague secret: there’s a lovely sandy beach in the middle of town, north of Charles Bridge, on the Hradcany side. And for great views, climb the Petrin Hill – or take the funicular from Mala Strana, because it’s very steep. You can see all the way to the Bohemian forest from the tower.

CONCIERGE PRAGUE

Clockwise from this image: The Palais at night, Charles Bridge, Main hall of the Czech National Museum, aerial view of old town, The lounge in The Palais

$160 BUYS YOU: A pair of fur-filled pillows (the Czech luxury). IRAQ ’N’ ROLL: The biggest name on Prague’s pop scene of the moment? Baghdad-born Bruno Ferrari, the ‘hippest Czech alive’. BACK IN TOWN: Touch the statue on Charles Bridge and you’re destined to return to Prague. As easy as that!

Mildly macabre but very good value. Rooms from $120, room only.

Pension U Lilie Liliova 15, Prague 1 (pensionulilie.cz) Sleep here, and you’ll be near enough to the Old Town Square to be woken by the famous clock. It’s quaint and comfortable though, with a tram stop nearby.

Rooms from $115.

WHERE TO EAT NO EXPENSE SPARED Le Papillon at Le Palais (Details as before).

For a dinner à deux, with pretty views over Vysehrad Castle, you can’t beat Le Papillon’s

celeb-favoured summer terrace. (Salma Hayek had the carp.) The seven-starred chef (that’s seven Czech stars – which equals about one Michelin) likes to experiment with Bohemian favourites, such as Ruppinsky meadow lamb and freshwater pike-perch.

Mains from $24.

Coda Trziste 9, Prague 1 (aria.cz) The in-house restaurant of the Hotel Aria is possibly Prague’s finest, and its roof terrace delivers splendid views of Hradcany’s ‘hundred spires’. Iranian caviar on ice, grilled Chilean

sea bass, foie gras – and that’s just the lunch menu.

Mains from $21.

MIDDLE OF THE ROAD Ristorante Kogo Na Prikope 22, Prague 1 (00 420 2 2145 1258) If you want a break from the Czech staples, Italian is a good bet.

Kogo is one of the finer trattorias.

Tagliatelle with spicy tomato and shrimp is a good choice. It’s popular, so ring ahead.

Mains from $10. #Manes Masarykovo Nabrezi 250, Prague 1 (00 420 2 2493 1112).

This cafe near the

National Theatre is in a building that was a famous avant-garde club from the 1890s.

Salvador Dalí used to visit. It serves authentic Czech dishes that taste nicer than they sound – cod liver with onion, and ‘Bohemian cabbage soup’. Mains from $8.

SHOPPING Prague Marionettes Zoubkova 6, Prague 5 (marionety.cz).

Tourists arrive from all over the world just to visit Prague’s marionette theatres.

This is the best store if you want to buy a puppet.

Foxtrot Hradebni 3, Prague 1 (foxtrotbizu.com) Prague is famous for its crystal and glass jewellery. Foxtrot has a superb range. Look for designs by pre-war Czech artisans: highly collectable.

Modernista Celetna 12, Prague 1, Stare Mesto (modernista. cz) Last century, Prague had its own mode of angular design, called Cubism (nothing to do with Picasso).

You can buy fabulous examples here, such as Pavel Janak’s speciallymade cubist coffee service from 1911.

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FRANCE

Port de Plaisance Below: Lunch at Matelote

Visit Boulogne-sur-Mer Think it’s just a ferry stop? Stick around – and net yourself a timeless French seaside weekend says Anthony Peregrine.

Boulogne may be associated with ferries and cross-Channel familiarity, but don’t be fooled: it is the oldest, and most distinguished, Channel port. Caesar was based here for his BC jaunts to Britain.

Some 1,800 years later, Napoleon parked 185,000 soldiers on the coast for a couple of years and then marched them away again, having realised that invading England wasn’t on. The harbour areas took a pounding in World War II, and were put back together with business, rather than beauty, in mind. But you don’t have to be pretty to be interesting. This is 58

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France’s premier fishing port – as pleasingly practical as a cod fillet, it bustles to the rhythms of the sea. It also keeps some of France’s best fish restaurants topped up. Meanwhile, up above is a splendidly preserved Old Town – quite a surprise, like finding a glorious medieval village above Grimsby.

WHERE TO STAY NO EXPENSE SPARED Hôtel Cléry Rue du Château, Hesdinl’Abbé (hotelcleryhesdin-labbe.com).

Set in swathes of parkland, this 18thcentury mansion is the sort of place Jane Austen heroines feel

entitled to. Inside, there’s a swish of period style about the decor, and Mr Darcy would approve of the victuals.

Rooms from $160.

La Matelote Blvd Ste Beuve (lamatelote.com).

A blessed relief from designer minimalism.

Bright colours surround Louis XVI furniture and a flotilla of fine ornaments. Plus there’s a pool and fitness setup. Rooms from $120.

MIDDLE OF THE ROAD Hôtel Métropole 51 Rue Adolphe Thiers (hotel-metropoleboulogne.com).

Simple, classy and

ASK THE LOCAL Thierry Humez is the owner of the Enclos-del’Evêché chambres d’hôtes.

For a different perspective on Boulogne (and great views), climb the 12th-century belfry by the Town Hall. It was the keep of the original castle and looks like an antique lighthouse. Nearby, the 27 Vole Hole (52 Rue de Lille) is a terrific little café, with great music. Try la gainée Boulonnaise, Boulogne’s version of bouillabaisse. ‘Gainée’ refers to the share of fish traditionally left to the fishermen after a catch. It’s a word, and a dish, only found here. One of my favourite eating spots is 28 Esprit d’Hélène (69 Grande Rue): don’t miss the amazing ice creams. courteous – a nice town house, with a lovely garden you never would

have expected right here in the centre. Rooms from $109, room only.

CONCIERGE BOULOGNE-SUR-MER

Clockwise from this image: Garden at the Matelote. Exhibition house in Bagatelle garden. Bedroom at The Clery

KING PONG: Le Vieux Boulogne is officially the world’s smelliest cheese, according to tests at Cranfield University, Bedfordshire. Buy it at Philippe Olivier in the city.

HERRING DO: It’s the autumn Fishtival! In November this year, le tout Boulogne takes to the streets to eat fresh herring or barbecued kippers and indulge in herring-related festivities. WELSHING ON A BIT: ‘Le welsh’ on a menu does not refer to leeks, daffodils or men of Harlech. It means ‘cheese-on-toast’.

The Boulonnais have pinched the Welsh rarebit idea, kept half the name and, if you’re lucky, added seafood.

Hôtel Hamiot 1-7 Rue Faidherbe (hotelhamiot.com).

It’s in a bland modern block, but right by the port, and it’s far more dignified inside than out. Rooms tend to reds and dark wood, and the ‘Grand Restaurant’ does top-end fish. There’s also a good (cheaper) brasserie option. Rooms from $109, room only.

WHERE TO EAT NO EXPENSE SPARED Hostellerie de la Rivière 17 Rue de la Gare, Pontde-Briques, St-Etienne au Mont (00 33 321 322281).

Here’s refinement for you: gardens, woodpanelled intimacy… it’s my favourite spot in the area. Chef Dominique Martin dresses up fish in its Sunday best. Try the shellfish ‘soup’ – lobster, prawns and shrimps with asparagus and wild mushrooms.

Mains from $38.

La Matelote (As above).

Colourful cooking matches hi-colour decor in one of the best eateries on this coast.

Dishes such as seabass à la plancha with fennel confit and tapenade shows chef Tony has

been around a bit and brought the lessons back home to Boulogne.

Mains from $35.

MIDDLE OF THE ROAD Les Terrasses de l’Enclos 6 Rue de Pressy (00 33 391 900590).

In 19th-century surroundings, chef Benoît Billy offers a contemporary take on traditional fare. Try roast monkfish with vanilla.

Mains from $22.

Chez Jules 8-10 Place Dalton (00 33 321 315412).

This is a classic Boulogne brasserie, with a terrace onto

the square. Eat in the restaurant if you need linen tablecloths, in the pizzeria if you need pizzas, and in the brasserie if you fancy braised meat on the bone. Mains from $21.

SHOPPING Philippe Olivier 43 Rue Adolphe Thiers.

This is the most celebrated cheese outlet in Northern France. You must start any shopping trip here – it’s written into the French constitution.

Chocolaterie de Beussent 56 Rue Adolphe Thiers.

Head here for the best chocolates for miles around.

Trésors du Puits du Sart St Martin-Boulogne.

It’s a little further out of town, but well worth the visit. This place produces excellent foie gras, confits – and pretty much anything else you can get from a duck.

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PORTUGAL

Madeira sunset

Visit Madeira

Reid’s Palace

The ‘flower island’ is not just for golden-wedding celebrations says Louise Roddon.

Scrunch a piece of paper, and you have Madeira in miniature.

An island that surges from the Atlantic in a series of sharp volcanic peaks and knife-edged ridges, before dropping down to a verdant coastline as nibbled and lacy as a paper doily. It’s had a bit of a makeover of late. No-frills flights, plus new spas, design hotels and glossy cafes, add up to the perfect island for a fashionable break. There are also some fine adrenaline thrills to be had: from forays along the wild, surf-bashed, deserted north coast, to 4WD safaris up into the 60

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clouds, swimming with dolphins in a nippy sea, and voyages along the rivers of a 40-millionyear-old laurel forest.

WHERE TO STAY NO EXPENSE SPARED Choupana Hills Resort Travessa do Largo da Choupana, Funchal (choupanahills.com) Sitting in splendid rural isolation above Funchal, this gutsy Asian-zen sprawl of Balinesestyled bungalows is a chic addition to the Madeiran scene.

Lounge by the pool, alongside stressed-out careerists, until the clouds obliterate the

view, then head for the spa. Rooms from $600, room only.

eaves in the original building. Rooms from $480, B&B.

Reid’s Palace Hotel Estrada Monumental 139, Funchal (reidspalace.com) Clinging to the edge of a cliff, this celebrated Edwardian pile feels like somewhere you might come to convalesce. The clientele are primarily elderly British, and a preserved-inaspic quality reigns: mugshots of royals, afternoon tea ($45), and waiters who do that synchronised thing with silver domes. The best rooms are under the

MIDDLE OF THE ROAD Quinta da Casa Branca Rua da Casa Branca 7, Funchal (quintacasabranca.pt)

Think masses of plate glass wrapped around a stark geometrical frame – sounds terrible, yet it all fits sublimely into Casa Branca’s lush, tropical garden setting. Bedrooms are understatedly

ASK THE LOCAL Cristianos Santos Andrade is the general manager of Mountain Expeditions – and takes visitors on thrilling 4WD safaris and guided levada walks.

Most people stick to mid-level levada walks, but they’re missing a treat: the challenge of Pico Areeiro to Pico Ruivo, which joins the two highest peaks of the island.

You get to walk above the clouds! Restaurante do Forte de São Tiago (00 351 291 235470) has great views and a relaxed vibe. Head to the lighthouse of Ponta do Pargo for brilliant sunsets. And the best live music spot for me is the Copacabana – you’ll see some great bands.

CONCIERGE MADEIRA

Clockwise from this image: Quinta da Casa Branca - Hotel Entrance, Choupana Hills Resort, Coast, Levada Walk, Choupana Hills Resort

$10 BUYS: A clutch of bird of paradise blooms, packed and ready to fly, from the airport florists. STICKY SITUATION: Unless you like gluing your teeth together, forget local cake speciality ‘bol’. Invest instead in some tropical fruits from the market. contemporary, there’s a great living room with lots of white calico and wicker furniture, and the restaurant is home to lauded Portuguese chef Fausto Airoldi.

Rooms from $340, room only.

Quinta do Monte Caminho do Monte 192, Monte (quintadomontemadeira. com).

Here’s a gorgeous cupcake-pink hotel set above the famous Jardins Tropicais do Monte. The original quinta (farmhouse) accommodates the lounge, but most of the well-sized – if a tad

conventional – rooms are in the modern extension. Be sure to ask for a sea view.

Rooms from $200, B&B. WHERE TO EAT NO EXPENSE SPARED Xoupana Choupana Hills Resort (see Where to stay).

Pretty food, piled into edible, toppling towers. Xoupana has chewed up a few chefs over the years, but current maestro, Momo Abbane, is sticking to the favoured Asianinspired ethos. Don’t miss the chocolate moelleux (melty

chocolate cake). Take a taxi up – the roads from Funchal are dangerous in the dark. Mains from $40.

Adega Quinta do Estreito, Rua Joaquim da Costa 9325, Câmara de Lobos quintadoestreitomadeira. com).

Gaze over vineyards and onto Churchill’s favourite earthy fishing village from the panoramic windows of this busy, informal restaurant. Expect great country cooking – ie, hefty, heady grub: Bolo de Caco (Madeiran stone-baked garlic bread) and the

unfeasibly long skewers of beef, known as espetada. Mains from $35.

MIDDLE OF THE ROAD Armazém do Sal Rua da Alfandega 135 (00 351 291 241285).

This converted salt warehouse on the edge of the old town has become hugely fashionable. Its cavernous bare-stone space is enlivened by distressed steel and exposed beams; outside there is an attractive patio. Madeirans swish up in shiny suits and Dallas-shouldered floral frocks to sample the modern

Mediterranean cooking: the tuna carpaccio is gorgeous; as are the grilled meats. Mains from $20.

Riso Rua da Santa Maria 274, Funchal (00 351 291 280360).

At a table under white calico awnings, watch twinkly cruise-ship lights fade into the Atlantic, as you sample singular risottos.

Riso’s chef is manically devoted to rice: even the salads have little grains lurking beneath their leaves. The roasted banana risotto is delicious. Mains from $22.

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Feeling excited about your holiday? Check through our list of the most popular Kanoo Travel offices, find one near you and head down or call up to turn your getaway dreams into reality...

BAHRAIN Abu Obeidah Avenue Wroad No. 302 Manama Tel. 17 576950 Mahooz Tel. 17 828754 Awali Branch Sitrah Avenue Road No. 4522 Awali Tel. 17 756487 Al Moayd Tower Manama Tel. 17 220220 Kanoo Holidays Mahooz Tel.17 828802 Kanoo Travel Refinery Tel. 17 755012 Airport Office Bahrain Tel. 17 321325 Egypt Air Manama Tel. 17 220747 Lufthansa Mahooz Tel. 17 828763 Air India Manama Tel. 17 220788 Cyprus Airways Manama Tel. 17 220 849 British Airways Manama Tel. 17 220701 Qantas / Jetabout Manama Tel. 17220743 Thai International Mahooz Tel. 17 828771 Air Canada / Austrian Airlines / Polish Olympic Airways / Sudan Airways / Sas / Swiss Int’l / Tunis Mahooz Tel. 17 828770

EGYPT Alexandria Booz Allen 1 Youssef El-Shazly Street Roushdy, Alexandria Tel. 002 03 5459265

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Alexandria 14 May Str, Sayadlia Building Symoha Tel. 020 03 424 1050 Aswan Abtal El-Tahrir Street Corniche El-Nil Tel. 002 097 2306983 Heliopolis Business Travel Centre 33 Nabil Elwakkad St Heliopolis Cairo Tel. 002 02 4130375/6 Cairo Halliburton C/O Halliburton Overseas Ltd Kilometer No 10 Land No 30 Ein Sokhna Road North Kattamia Cairo Tel. 002 02 27591690 Cairo 07 Dr. Kamal Hussin Heliopolis Cairo Tel. 002 02 26251307 Cairo Schlumberger C/O Schlumberger Zeiny Tower 25 Misr Helwan Road Maadi Tel. 002 02 7684700 Ext..

1014 Cairo U.N.D.P C/O U.N.D.P., 4th Fl, World Trade Center 1191 Cornich El Nil Tel. 002 02 25804491 Cairo Kasr El Nil 15 Kasr El Nil Street Down Town Tel. 002 02 25747991 Cairo Nile Hilton Nile Hilton Hotel Down Town Tel. 002 02 25785001 Cairo 1 Wahib Doss Str. Office No 9 Maadi Tel. 002 02 27513930 El Areesh Mfo C/O Mfo Northern Sinai Tel. 002 068 3502868 Luxor Winter Palace Hotel Tel. 002 095 2378333

FRANCE Foreign Exchange 11 Rue Scribe Paris 75009 Tel. +33 1 5300 9897 Foreign Exchange 11 Cours de I’Intendance Bordeaux 33000 Tel. +33 5 5600 6336 Bureau de Change Kanoo Printemps Dept. Store 64 Boulevard Haussmann 75009 PARIS Tel. +33 1 4282 4181

OMAN Kanoo Travel LLC PO Box 75 114 Jibroo, Muscat Tel. +968 24700249

QATAR Museum Street Old Al Salatta, Doha Tel. 441 3441 Corporate Centre Al Hithmi, Doha Tel. 448 3777 Salam Tower West Bay, Doha Tel. 483 7826, 483 7297 Ras Laffan Commercial Complex Ras Laffan Tel. 474 8772 / 4

SAUDI ARABIA WESTERN PROVINCE Kanoo Centre Medina Road, Jeddah Tel. 02 661 4950 Bab Makkah Jeddah Tel. 02 644 9030 Bamaroof Centre Hail Street, Jeddah Tel. 02 653 0541

Al Nawa Commercial Centre Al Sinnaiyat, Yanbu Tel. 04 321 3607

Kanoo Holidays, Retail Airline Centre, Khobar Tel. 03 882 2206 / 2601 / 2249

Gulf Air Jubail Tel. 03 363 0982/ 84 / 85 /86

Albishar Commercial Centre King Abdulaziz Street Al Bahar, Yanbu Tel. 04 322 1087

Kanoo Holidays, Wholesale Airline Centre, Khobar Tel. 03 8821626 / 1851 / 8820161 Hertz Khobar Tel. 03 882 2005 / 5597

Kanoo Tower King Saud Street, Damman Tel. 03 833 9793

Umalquara Street Hayfer Makkah Tel. 02 544 7741 Kanoo Travel Sharafiya Tel. 02 643 9426 Kanoo Travel Taif Tel. 02 736 4211 Kanoo Travel Rabigh Tel. 02 423 2785 Kanoo Travel Medinah Tel. 02 263 3040 Air India Jeddah Tel. 02 668 0303 / 669 6571 Gulf Air Jeddah Tel. 02 668 0303 / 669 6571 / 646 Singapore Airlines Jeddah Tel. 02 657 9898 Srilankan Airlines Jeddah Tel. 02 263 2959 Air Canada Jeddah Tel. 02 263 2996, Ext. 190 Kenyan Airways Jeddah Tel.02 263 2959 Ext. 108 Philippine Airways Jeddah Tel. 02 263 2959 Ext. 100 / 122

Airport Office Dammam Tel. 03 883 2660 / 2660 British Airways Khobar Tel. 03 882 2000 British Airways Dammam Tel. 03 835 5714 British Airways Jubail Tel. 03 362 1069 Air India Khobar Tel. 03 882 2478

King Khalid Street Khobar Tel. 03 864 7471 47th Street Rahima Tel. 03 667 0388 Al Quds Street Qatif Tel. 03 851 5009 City Centre Al Mahoob Buidling Hufuf Tel. 03 586 3823

Air India Jubail Tel. 03 362 3454

Kanoo Building Corniche Road Jubail Tel. 03 362 2340

Qantas Khobar Tel. 03 882 3711 / 2467

Municipal Street Al Khafji Tel. 03 766 0045

United Airlines / Air Canada / Singapore Airlines / Swissair / Austrian Airlines Tel. 03 882 1518/ 2962 / 2602 / 03 882 4477 / 4442 / 4890 / 4533

CENTRAL PROVINCE Kanoo Tower King Abdul Aziz Road Riyadh Tel. 01 477 2228

Srilankan Airlines Khobar Tel. 03 882 2789 / 2675 / 2792

King Faisal Foundation Al Khairia Complex Riyadh Tel. 01 463 4454

Gulf Air Khobar Tel. 03 896 8496 / 9393 / 8493

Wazir Street Al Azizea Building

Gulf Air Dammam Tel.03 835 4194 / 4917 / 4952 Gulf Air Qatif Tel. 03 852 9384 / 854 5240

Khamis Abha Main Road Khamis Mushayat Tel. 07 222 3624

United Airlines Jeddah Tel. 02 263 3021 / 2959 Ext. 196 / 197

Prince Sultan Street Gizan Tel. 07 317 4285

EASTERN PROVINCE

Gulf Air Rastanura Tel. 03 667 8041/ 7972

Airline Centre King Abdul Aziz Street Al Khobar Tel. 03 882 2206

Gulf Air Hofuf Tel. 03 585 3358 / 4080 / 2252

Aboobacker Al Siddiq Street, Medina Tel. 04 823 9120

Dhahran Street Damman Tel. 03 833 7694

Riyadh Tel. 01 411 4780 Batha Riyadh Tel. 01 403 0368 Al Kubaih Street Buraidah Tel. 06 325 0888 Airport Road Hail Tel. 06 543 0430 Sharjah Street Hotat Bani Tamim Al Hotah Tel. 01 555 0304

CONCIERGE WHERE TO BOOK

THE MIDDLE EAST’S BIGGEST TRAVEL MAGAZINE

WIN

A LUXU RY ST DUBAAY AT I’S TH PALA - THE OLD CE E TOWN

JUNE 2009

THE MIDDLE EAST’S BIGGEST TRAVEL MAGAZINE

JULY 2009

TOTAL GUIDE

SUMMER LOVING

Take a gourmet tour of Croatia, find a countryside hideaway in Turkey, and discover the coolest spa in Cyprus…

BANGKOK FOR BON VIVEURS BEGINNER’S BERLIN

ACTION BREAK

OFF-RADAR NEW YORK FIVE STAR TREKKING IN THE ANDES

Silsilah Road Onaiza Al Qassim Tel. 06 362 0080 Main Street Al Khamseen Wadi Ad Dawasir Tel. 01 784 6500 Kanoo Travel Naseem Tel. 01 232 8519 Air India Kanoo Tower, Riyadh Tel. 01 477 2228 Ext. 295 / 296

Green Community Mall Jebel Ali Road Dubai Tel. 04 885 3321 Kanoo Travel – American Express Hermitage Building Al Karama Tel. 04 334 9219 Najda Street Abu Dhabi Tel. 02 678 0400 Kanoo Holidays Dubai Tel. 04 334 1444 / 315 6624

Gulf Air Olaya, Riyadh Tel. 01 461 0589 / 462 4902

Marine Travel Services Dubai Tel. 04 335 1314

United Airlines / Air Canada Kanoo Tower, Riyadh Tel. 01 477 2228 Ext. 289, 290

Airport Office Dubai Tel. 04 393 1963

Qantas Kanoo Tower, Riyadh Tel. 01 477 2228 Ext. 288, 305 Srilankan Airlines Kanoo Tower, Riyadh Tel. 01 477 2228 Ext. 292 X 293 Philippine Airlines Kanoo Tower, Riyadh Tel. 01 477 2228 Ext. 237 X 238 Air India Buraidah Tel. 06 324 6514 / 325 0888 Gulf Air Hail. Tel. 06 532 0280 Gulf Air Buraidah Tel. 06 324 6514 / 325 0888 Singapore Airlines Kanoo Tower Tel. 4734102 / 4734103

UAE Jebel Ali LOB 16, Ground Floor Jebel Ali Free Zone Tel. 04 881 5050 Karama Al Fathooi Centre Dubai Tel. 04 334 1222 Kanoo Building Khalid Bin Al Waleed Street, Bur Dubai Tel. 04 507 2242 Dubai Internet City Building 12 Tel. 04 390 1992 Deira City Centre Dubai Tel. 04 294 1481 Kanoo Building Al Orouba Street, Sharjah Tel. 06 561 6058

Kanoo Travel Corniche, Abu Dhabi Tel. 02 631 3900 / 631 8187

UK Birmingham American Express Bank House. 8 Cherry Street Tel. 0121 644 5514 / 0121 644 5560 Bournemouth American Express 95A Old Christchurch Road Tel. 0787 260 0528 / 01202 780 752 Brighton Amex House Implant American Express Ground Floor Amex House Edward Street Tel. 01273 525 041 / 040 Bristol American Express 74 Queens Road Tel. 01179 065 107 / 105 Cardiff American Express 3 Queen Street Tel. 02920 649 305 / 02920 649 301 Coventry American Express 5 Cathedral Lanes Shopping Centre Tel. 02 47 622 5511 / 0787 260 0528 Croydon American Express 2-4 High Street Tel. 0208 256 0808 / 0805 Edinburgh American Express 69 George Street 0131 718 2508 / 0131 718 2505 Essex Lakeside Bureau American Express Lakeside Shopping Centre West Thurrock Way West Thurrock Grays Tel. 01708 890 654

TAKING STOCKHOLM

A YEAR OF EVENTS IN SWEDEN’S COOLEST CITY SHORT-HOP BREAK

Glasgow American Express 66 Gordon Street Tel. 0141 225 2905 / 08 Guildford American Express 38-40 High Street Tel. 01483 551 607 / 01483 551 605

HEADING HOME TO THE BEAUTIFUL INDIAN OCEAN

THE MIDDLE EAST’S BIGGEST TRAVEL MAGAZINE

14 1 4 bright ideas for Eid

AUGUST 2009

INCLUDING...

London Kensington High St. American Express 84 Kensington High Street Tel. 0207 795 6703 London Knightsbridge American Express 78 Brompton Road Tel. 0207 761 7908 / 7900 London American Express 1 Savoy Court, The Strand Tel. 0207 240 1521 Milton Keynes American Express 670 Silbury Boulevard Tel. 01908 608 877 Manchester American Express 10-12 St Mary’s Gate Tel. 0161 833 7301 Nottingham American Express 2 Victoria Street Tel. 0115 924 7705 / 01 Plymouth American Express 139 Armada Tel. 01752 502 707 / 702 Sheffield American Express 20 Charles Street, Sheffield Tel. 0114 263 9308 / 05 Southampton American Express 99 Above Bar Tel. 02380 716 808 / 805 York American Express 6 Stonegate Tel. 01904 676 505

THE MIDDLE EAST’S BIGGEST TRAVEL MAGAZINE SEPTEMBER 2009

BHUTAN

BRAZIL NUTS

EGYPT

FANTASTIC EVENTS FROM RIO TO BELEM

Last minute Eid options

DISCOVERING THE JOYS OF BUSAN

Wizard in Oz

IT’S NOT TOO LATE TO BOOK A BREAK

12 MONTHS OF FUN DOWN UNDER

Insider guides Locals’ tips Locals’ on Madrid

+ +

CYPRUS THRILL A GRAND TOUR OF THE MEDITERRANEAN GEM

MASAI MARA

Korea Advice

London Haymarket American Express 30 – 31 Haymarket Tel. 0207 484 9674 / 0207 484 9600

London Holborn Bureau American Express 156a Southampton Row Tel. 0787 260 0528 / 0207 837 4416

OMAN

KATHMANDU

Leicester American Express 1 Horsefair Street Tel. 0116 242 1808 / 05

London Credit Swiss, First Boston American Express Travel Office C/O Credit Suisse One Cabot Square Canary Wharf Tel. 0207 888 4196

WIN

A LU STAY XURY WI TH TH MARR E GROUIOT KWT 6 T P

KWT 6 DUBAI SIGHTSEEING IN PRAGUE + FESTIVALS IN BEIRUT + RESTAURANTS IN DOHA + SHOPPING IN

TOTAL GUIDE

New Zealand N Your total guide to blissful Kiwi experiences, from trout-fishing in Lake Tarawera to helicopter hiking on the Hump Ridge Track...

Cultural fun in Vilnius New Orleans bounces back

Insider guides

WHEEL ADVENTURE

CROSSING THE ICEFIELDS PARKWAY

TOTAL GUIDE

Greek Islands G Will you pick Paxos, choose Chios, select Schinousa or opt for the Ionians? We’ve uncovered Greece’s finest holiday spots, from Agistri to Zakynthos…

WIN A luxury all-inclusive stay in Turkey at the Rixos Premium Belek KWT

6

Wh t Where tto stay in Vienna

GO GLAMPING

+ +

Where to eat in Rome

THE WORLD’S MOST LUXURIOUS CAMPSITES

PLUS: CHECK OUT OUR NEW BUSINESS TRAVEL SECTION...

Where to shop in Kuala Lumpur

WIN A first class break in Dubai, courtesy of the Courtyard by Marriott KWT (see 6p8)

Did you know…

That Kanoo World Traveller magazine has a BPAaudited circulation figure of

22,620

*

…and has the largest BPA-audited circulation in Saudi Arabia, reaching 14,460 readers in Riyadh, Jeddah and Damman? …and that the magazine also distributes 8,160 copies across the UAE, Bahrain and Oman? …reaching corporate clients as well as consumers, with distribution into companies such as BAE, GTS Aramco, Investcorp, Philip Morris, Ford Motors, IBC, Siemens and Sun Microsystems?

To get involved with the magazine, contact Chris Capstick on +971 50 456 9938 / +971 4 369 0917 / chris@hotmediapublishing.com

* Issue of May 2009 KWT

63

CONCIERGE SUITE DREAMS

SUITE DREAMS THE ROYAL SUITE, AL FAISALIAH HOTEL, RIYADH

With regal designer furnishings, a touch-screen system that controls lighting, curtains and temperature, and your own 24-hour butler, the Royal Suite at Riyadh’s Al Faisaliah Hotel is pretty special. Situated in the prestigious Olaya district, the luxury property also boasts a stunning indoor pool, an excellent spa complete with state-of-the-art needle showers, and five exquisite dining outlets including The Globe, which is located in the tower’s crowning glory – a golden geodesic orb. Couple all that with the suite’s four-poster king bed, sunken Jacuzzi, private terrace with dramatic city views, private ten-seater dining room, dressing area and separate twin accommodation, and you could be forgiven for wanting to extend your stay indefinitely. alfaisaliahhotel.com.

Live A Picture Perfect Moment Arabian-inspired tented villas bring you closer to nature. Awake to the dawn chorus of birdsong before embarking on a multitude of activities from rejuvenating spa treatments to awe-inspiring falconry displays.

Surrounded by rolling dunes, an oasis of indulgence awaits at Banyan Tree Al Wadi. Now open in Ras Al Khaimah.

To find out more, visit banyantree.com

Banyan Tree Al Wadi Al Mazaraa, P.O. Box 35288, Ras Al Khaimah, U.A.E Tel: +971 7 206 7777 Fax: +971 7 243 5000

When we went away that weekend, it started and ended with good times

Welcome to myweekend Time is precious. Weekends are even more precious.

To turn your weekend into the kind of memories that last, visit www.ihgmyweekend.com and create a world of possibilities. With over 55 hotels and resorts across the Middle East and Africa, we have the perfect break for you.

For reservations log on to www.ihgmyweekend.com Bahrain 800 00 880 | Egypt 0800 44 333 22 | Jordan 0800 22 666 | Kuwait 2473 2100 Ext.6233 Lebanon (01) 426 801 (Ask For 866 866 7556) | Oman 800 77 999 | Qatar 0800 971 234 Saudi Arabia 800 8 971 465 | South Africa 0800 999 136 | UAE 800 4642

* Room rates are per room per night and late check-out is subject to availability. Starting price is for Holiday Inn Express. All prices are based on best available rates at time of booking. Rates of Holiday Inn, Crowne Plaza and Holiday Inn Express may vary depending on hotel and country. See website for full terms and conditions.