World Traveller - December'18

INSPIRED BY

ISSUE 128 | DECEMBER 2018 | COMPLIMENTARY COPY

Mexico calls Produced in Dubai Production City

Dreamy days in Riviera Maya

ISTANBUL INNSBRUCK EDINBURGH ABU DHABI

SEASON’S GREETINGS

SEASON’S GREETINGS

jaresortshotels.com

@jatheresort

@jatheresort

JA Jingle

ALL THE WAY Get ready to ho ho ho and spend a magical festive season with us Christmas Tree Lighting: 13th Dec | 6pm – 8pm Winter Wonderland: 13th Dec – 9th Jan 2019 | 4pm – 10pm Christmas Eve Dinner: 24th Dec | 7pm – 11pm Christmas Lunch: 25th Dec | 12.30pm – 3.30pm Sunset Pool Party: 28th Dec | 7pm – 11pm New Year’s Eve Gala Dinner: 31st Dec | 7pm till late New Year’s Resolution Brunch: 1st Jan | 11am – 3.30pm Eastern Christmas Dinner: 6th Jan | 6pm – 11pm

For bookings or more information please contact us on: +971 4 814 5604 | restaurant.reservation@jaresorts.com

SEASON’S GREETINGS

WELCOME NOTE

THIS MONTH’S TRAVEL COMPANIONS

As another year draws to a close – how time flies! – the places we've visited and the people we've met along the way have shaped us, which is what makes travelling such a valuable experience.

The World Traveller team has ticked a fair few travel goals off the list, from a family-friendly holiday in Seminyak to a luxurious summer city break in the UK capital and a solo adventure to

Managing Director

vibrant Thailand. We've enjoyed sharing a selection of our best

Victoria Thatcher

travel stories – and those of our contributors – with you, and we

Editorial Director

hope that we have provided plenty of food for thought when it

John Thatcher

comes to organising your next trip.

General Manager

p22 Toro Toro's RICHARD SANDOVAL shares his best eats

If you're looking to get away for holidays, turn to page 21

David Wade

where our travel insider Emily Williams highlights the best

Managing Editor

places to welcome in the New Year. If Edinburgh appeals, be

Faye Bartle

sure to read our locals' guide (page 26), in which three insiders

faye@hotmediapublishing.com

reveal the must-see sights and experiences. If you prefer to stay

Content Writer

closer to home, our mini guide to Abu Dhabi (page 58), inspired

Habiba Azab

by UAE National Day, highlights everything we love about the

p24 Interior designer and

Art Director

capital, including a few new discoveries. See you in 2019!

author LEYLA ULUHANLI opens her travel journal

Kerri Bennett Senior Designer

Happy travels,

Hiral Kapadia

Faye Bartle

Senior Advertising Manager Mia Cachero mia@hotmediapublishing.com Production Manager Muthu Kumar

Find us at…

ONLINE worldtravellermagazine.com FACEBOOK @worldtravellermagazine INSTAGRAM @dnataworldtraveller

p26 GARETH DAVIES tells us how to explore Edinburgh on foot

TWITTER @WT_Magazine

INSPIRED BY

Photography credits: Getty Images and Phocal Media

Win!

Find out how you can win a three-night stay at Reethi Faru Resort in Maldives, on page 79

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 World Traveller.

Tel: 00971 4 364 2876 Fax: 00971 4 369 7494

p63 MICHELLE KARAM of Travel Junkie Diary, shares her great escapes

COVER IMAGE Hotel Esencia

World Traveller 3

CONTENTS December 2018 19

Velaa Private Island

REGULARS

8

15

22

21

TRAVEL GOALS

GLOBETROTTER

TRENDING DESTINATIONS

CHEF’S TOP TABLES

From the Abu Dhabi desert to a frosted lake in Hangzhou and the forests of Karnataka

Wild travel experiences, feelgood breaks and new adventures on your doorstep

dnata Travel’s Emily Williams selects the best places to welcome in the New Year

Richard Sandoval transports us to his favourite restaurants in Miami, Mexico City and New York

24

26

80

A LIFE WELL TRAVELLED

THE LOCALS’ GUIDE TO EDINBURGH

SUITE DREAMS

Interior designer and author Leyla Uluhanli shares the trips that inspire her, in work and in life

Three insiders share the best arts and culture spots, foodie delights and mustsee sights of this vibrant city

Get into the bohemian vibe of the Left Bank at the boutique Hotel Montalembert in Paris World Traveller 5

CONTENTS

40 Istanbul

FEATURES

32

40

48

TAKE ME TO THE RIVER

GOLDEN TIMES

SNEAK PEAK

Ancient temples, mystic caves, weird critters: Mexico’s Riviera Maya serves up surreal, unforgettable adventures

In revisiting Istanbul, Nick Redman finds himself reunited with his old flame

With futuristic architecture and mountains all around, Innsbruck is a city break and a ski holiday in one

WEEKENDS

58

63

64

73

A LONG WEEKEND

MY GREAT ESCAPES

STAYCATIONS

READER OFFERS

IN ABU DHABI

Michelle Karam, founder of Travel Junkie Diary, shares her best adventures

Enjoy a well-deserved weekend away at these luxurious hotels and resorts

Take advantage of our exclusive deals for your next adventure

We shine a light on the UAE capital’s enduring appeal

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Inspiration. Expertly crafted.

Comprising two iconic towers, the JW Marriott Marquis Dubai, the world’s tallest 5-star hotel, is centrally located beside the Dubai Water Canal and offers a spectrum of facilities and services for a seamless experience. The hotel features: 1,608 luxurious guest rooms and suites, over 15 award-winning restaurants and lounges, Saray Spa featuring traditional hammams, a Dead Sea Floatation Pool and 17 treatment rooms, state-of-the-art health club and fitness facilities, as well as 8,000 sqm of spectacular meeting spaces.

JW Marriott® Marquis® Hotel Dubai jwmarriott.com/DXBJW Sheikh Zayed Road, Business Bay, PO Box 121000, Dubai, UAE | T +971.4.414.0000 | jwmarriottmarquisdubailife.com

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TRAVEL GOALS

THE EMPTY QUARTER, ABU DHABI

The world's largest sand desert, on the outskirts of the emirate, is the place to live out your Arabian dreams.

Journey to Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara, which appears like a mirage amid the dunes, but don’t be fooled by the stillness of the landscape. This luxurious oasis is an adventure-seeker’s playground, offering thrilling fourwheel drives across the shifting sands, the chance to fly down the dunes on a sandboard, or saddle-up an Arabian stallion for a gallop along the winding trails. Sequester yourself away in a Royal Pavilion Pool Villa, set in a secluded spot, with golden hues as far as the eye can see.

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TAKE ME THERE

10 World Traveller

TRAVEL GOALS

WEST LAKE, HANGZHOU

This serene freshwater lake in Hangzhou is mesmerising at any time of year but in the winter, when the snow falls, it is transformed into a wonderland of icy delights. The magical dusting is a novel draw for locals, who eagerly await a seasonal deluge of snowflakes, although the lake's classic beauty means it can become crowded at the best of times. Avoid the throngs by venturing out early in the morning. Simply walking or biking around the bank is the best way to appreciate its allure, including the picturesque gardens dotted with pavilions. No wonder the city once captured the heart of Marco Polo.

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TAKE ME THERE

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TRAVEL GOALS

KOLLUR, KARNATAKA

A vehicle weaves its way along the track that bisects the dense forest of this small temple-town situated at the foot of the Western Ghats, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Usually 50 shades of green, this infrared photograph (taken by drone) washes the landscape with a purple haze, highlighting the array of hues of the foliage. It’s a popular spot for hikers. Indeed, there are many trails established in the national parks and sanctuaries of Karnataka, where groups led by a Forest Department guide are offered an education in the area’s rich flora and fauna, with the option to stay overnight in the rest houses of the jungle.

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DECEMBER

Globetrotter Be informed, be inspired, be there

THE MOST DELIGHTFUL STAY Inspired by the new Mary Poppins Returns film, The Kensington hotel in London is offering parents some well-deserved respite with its new Imperial Nannies package. Check into a top suite and you'll be matched with a multilingual au pair who’ll swoop in to look after your children for 12 hours a day, complete with a carpet bag full of surprises and fun excursions included. It’s practically perfect in every way. Available to book from 21 Dec 2018 to 31 Mar 2019.

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GLOBETROTTER

THE ANIMAL KINGDOM

Be a wild one Tick these amazing animal experiences off your bucket list…

Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort

THAILAND Walking with elephants If you’ve always dreamed of walking with elephants, Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort, located on a jungle ridge in the Golden Triangle in northern Thailand, will deliver an encounter to remember.

Home to a herd of rescued elephants, you can take part in the Walking with Giants experience, which includes two hours spent with the majestic mammals in their natural surroundings with their mahouts (keepers) and a vet or biologist. Wander with them through the jungle and learn

Mahua Kothi in Bandhavgarh

more about their habitat and habits, or simply enjoy their peaceful presence.

INDIA Step into The Jungle Book Would-be Mowgli’s can trek deep into the jungle that inspired the original The Jungle Book thanks to Taj Safaris’ dedicated Wildlife Escape. Be among the first to venture into the recently re-opened jungles of Central India: the aforementioned Baghvan in Pench National Park, Mahua Kothi in Bandhavgarh National Park, Pashan Garh in Panna National Park and Banjaar Tola in Kanha

National Park. Take an early morning four-wheel drive tour with a resident naturalist to spot the wildlife that inspired Rudyard Kipling’s characters, including the famous Sher

Khan – the Royal Bengal Tiger – followed by high tea at the lodge and evenings spent around the campfire listening for animal calls. Available at all Taj Safari lodges in India.

STRETCH YOUR PAWS If you rarely leave home without your canine companion, a glamorous trip to Monaco may just win you over. The tourism board has unveiled bespoke itineraries for pooches and their owners, with seven of its nine hotels offering dog-friendly services and packages. From Monacair’s direct helicopter transfers from Nice airport (it takes just seven-minutes, so is ideal for restless pets) to Hotel de Paris, which welcomes you with a plush dog bed, food and toys, and the decadent pet-friendly menu at Le Méridien Beach Plaza, your fur baby will be chasing his tail with excitement.

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Wellness Haven at Saray Spa. Renew for the journey ahead.

A relaxing realm of quiet luxury, Saray Spa at the JW Marriott Marquis Dubai is an authentic wellness Spa, where ancient healing techniques and locally sourced natural ingredients are combined to enhance the well-being of each guest.

The Spa features 17 treatment rooms, inclusive of two private Hammam rooms, one Dead Sea treatment room boasting the UAE’s only Dead Sea Floatation Pool found within, and two Private Luxury Spa Suites.

Experience the wonders of the Middle East through Arabian Body Rituals or Hammam Rituals, or benefit from the results-oriented facials. An exclusive retail boutique offers luxurious gifts and spa products for every occasion.

JW Marriott Marquis Dubai | Sheikh Zayed Road, Business Bay, PO Box 121000, Dubai, UAE T +971 4 414 6754 | mhrs.dxbjw.spa@marriott.com | jwmarriottmarquisdubailife.com

GLOBETROTTER

ESCAPE TO THE MOUNTAINS

Why these destinations are peaking…

ADVENTURE IN HATTA Thrill-seekers can get their kicks at Meraas' new Hatta Wadi Hub, where you can test your skills at ziplining, mountain biking, wall climbing and even axe throwing, among other activities before braving the shoots at Hatta Drop-in (Asia’s first water jump park).

Stay the night by glamping at Hatta Damani Lodges.

SKIING IN AZERBAIJAN Now until March is ski season in Azerbaijan.

You’ll find the best resorts at Shahdag and Gabala but, for more challenging pistes, try the black runs at Tufandag Resort. Stay at Qafqaz Tufandag Mountain Resort Hotel, which has a rope-way passing by that’ll take you straight to the mountain ski centre.

STARGAZING IN OMAN There’s a mega meteor shower this month.

To view the shooting stars, head to Alila Jabal Akhdar in the Al Hajar Mountains, where astronomer Mike Dalley is hosting stargazing masterclasses leading up to and during the peak of the big event.

The best days to see it are 14 and 15 Dec at around 2am.

NEW OF NOTE

Bluewaters Dubai What’s it all about? The site of the world’s largest observation wheel, Ain Dubai, this oasis off the coast of Dubai Marina has opened the drawbridge to visitors.

What’s the vibe? For a small island, it has an edgy urban buzz, with residences, hotels, and plenty of shops and restaurants to keep you busy, all connected by pedestrian-friendly areas.

How do I get there? By car, boat or foot.

There’s a direct road line to Sheikh Zayed Road, pedestrian access from The Beach opposite JBR, and an RTA-operated water taxi service.

How shall I explore? Head to shopping and dining hub The Wharf to check out the eclectic mix of cafés, restaurants and bistros. Next, stroll along Central Avenue, which borders the landside of The Wharf, before heading to North Walk and Wharf Avenue, which edge the waterfront, circling Ain Dubai Plaza beneath the observation wheel.

Can I stay there? For sure. The island’s trio of non-gaming resorts – Caesars Palace Bluewaters Dubai, The Residences at Caesars Palace Bluewaters Dubai (serviced apartments) and Caesars Resort Bluewaters Dubai – offer a luxurious experience. Dine at Gordon Ramsay's Hell’s Kitchen, be pampered at Qua Spa, and chill at private beach club Cove Beach.

A MALDIVIAN MILESTONE Velaa Private Island is celebrating its fifth anniversary this month, with a wow line-up of activities and events, including sports tournaments and a party taking place on 20 December, featuring Czech violincellist Tereza Kovalova and a gourmet food journey courtesy of Chef Gaushan de Silva.

Happy Anniversary!

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GLOBETROTTER

US$18.7 BILLION THE AMOUNT THAT’S EXPECTED TO BE SPENT ON WELLNESS TRIPS

BY THOSE IN MENA IN 2022, AN 11.8% GROWTH ON 2017*

Kneipp path hydrotherapy treatment area, Clinique La Prairie

A RESORT ON OUR RADAR

Feel-good trips Replenish your end-of-year energy reserves with a restorative break away at these leading wellbeing destinations…

FOR A WINTER BOOST:

FOR THE SLEEP-DEPRIVED:

Team mind-clearing scenery with a holistic approach to wellbeing at Clinique La Prairie Switzerland. Its Winter Boost Program, available until March 2019, helps combat the winter blues with five nights of expert pampering, including daily winter infusions and deep tissue massages.

Not catching enough zzz’s?

The new Bedtime Rituals & Sleeping Therapy stay package at Mandarin Oriental, Milan can help you get a good night’s rest. Unwind with the inroom Oriental Sleeping Ritual massage and, with a spritz of your sleep-inducing pillow spray, settle in for a stretch of undisturbed shut-eye.

FOR FAMILIES: The spa town of Druskininkai in Lithuania, known for its mineral waters, curative mud and squeaky clean air, takes a family-friendly approach to wellbeing, with yoga for kids, lots of nature-based experiences and child-friendly facilities, such as the steam bath at Druskininkai Aquapark.

Featuring handy to-do and packing lists, curated itineraries, space for travel notes and full colour world maps to doodle on, the cross-grain lambskin Smythson Off the Beaten Track Travel Journal is a great stocking filler for adventurers. smythson.com

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*Source: GWI’s Global Wellness Tourism Economy report

Family-friendly staycation favourite, JA Jebel Ali Golf Resort, has been renamed as JA The Resort, Jebel Ali Beach, Dubai. Home to three properties – JA Beach Hotel, JA Palm Tree Court and JA Lake View Hotel (opening in September 2019) – there’s plenty to keep you occupied, including an 800-metre private beach, four landscaped swimming pools, over 16 restaurants and bars, and the David Leadbetter Golf Academy where you can learn this coaching master’s simple philosophy for teaching the golf swing.

TRENDING DESTINATIONS Party hats on: dnata Travel’s resident globetrotter Emily Williams knows the best places to welcome in 2019 Travelling to Scotland’s historic capital has never been easier with the launch of direct flights from Dubai to Edinburgh with Emirates. In winter, when the nights are longer, the city bursts into life with festive market stalls and a torch-lit procession that kicks off its famous Hogmanay celebrations for New Year’s Eve, culminating in a vivid finale that illuminates Edinburgh Castle. Turn to page 26 to read our locals’ guide.

The weather is perfect in Hong Kong in December, the last month of its traditional high season, making it a great time to go hiking in the hills and valleys. Its dramatic city skyline attracts visitors to see its spectacular

countdown to the New Year, which concludes with a dazzling pyrotechnic dragon dancing across the sky.

New York City transforms into a magical winter wonderland at this time of year. Take a walk through Central Park where the frozen lake becomes an ice rink – you can even go sledging there.

More than one million people gather at Times Square for its atmospheric New Year’s Eve celebrations. A boat ride on New York Harbour is an alternative experience, offering the best view of the firework display at the Statue of Liberty.

It’s summer in Sydney and therefore a great time to enjoy the beach life with the locals. To fully appreciate the scenery, try the coastal walk from the beaches of Bondi to Coogee. Due to its location, Sydney is one of the first major world cities where the clock strikes midnight to mark the New Year and the firework display at the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House is sure to impress.

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FOOD

CHEF’S TOP TABLES Chef, restaurateur and TV personality Richard Sandoval heads restaurants across the globe, including Dubai's Pan-Latin favourite Toro Toro

On my wish list…

Gaggan, in Bangkok. Chef Anand Gaggan is known for his experiential progressive Indian tasting menu and for offering his guests a warm Thai welcome. It was recently voted 'Asia's Best Restaurant'.

KYU Miami

MÁXIMO BISTROT Mexico City

I really like this place, an upscale Asian-American eatery employing sustainable cooking techniques in the heart of eclectic Wynwood in Miami. The chef, Michael Lewis, is well travelled and he uses those experiences to influence his woodgrilled cuisine. Here, he applies the Japanese philosophy of wabi-sabi – the art of finding perfection in something imperfect.

FAVOURITE DISH: Tuna tataki with fermented chili and citrus.

Chef Eduardo García’s Máximo Bistrot, which he runs alongside his wife, showcases local ingredients from farms around Mexico City, including the famed floating gardens of Xochimilco.

Their devotion to all things local extends to the furniture, while the menu (the likes of crab soup with creole corn) changes daily based on what's in season and available.

FAVOURITE DISH: Deep-water prawn with chicatana.

ELEVEN MADISON PARK New York In a city where dining trends change frequently, Eleven Madison Park is always among the top tables – it's the current holder of the 'Best Restaurant in North America' title. It serves an 8-10 course, modern European seasonal tasting menu that draws inspiration from New York to add a touch of the inventive.

FAVOURITE DISH: Smoked sturgeon cheesecake with caviar.

COME DINE WITH ME...

Toro Toro, a play on the Spanish word for bull, sets the stage for an artful blend of PanLatin flavours and features amazing cuts of beef cooked in our churrasco grill. I invite you to sample my unique spin on South and Central American ingredients and flavours, as you taste your way through an array of savoury small plates.

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C R E AT E SPECIAL MOMENTS WITH US.

DUBAI MARRIOTT HARBOUR HOTEL & SUITES KING SALMAN BIN ABDULAZIZ AL SAUD STREET DUBAI MARINA, PO BOX 66662, DUBAI, UAE T. 971.4.319.4000 | DUBAIMARRIOTTHARBOURHOTEL.COM Dubai Marriott Harbour Hotel & Suites @marriottharbour

Standing tall in the heart of Dubai Marina, featuring incomparable panoramic views of the city, combine the best of all worlds with luxurious accommodation, three contemporary dining destinations and a blissful caravanserai-inspired, Saray Spa.

PERSONALITY

A LIFE WELL TRAVELLED

LEYLA ULUHANLI I consider myself very lucky to have grown up in the ancient city of Baku.

Some of my earliest memories are of the grand architecture of the old palaces and sacred mosques. I also had the chance to experience the exquisite décor of some of the best private homes in the city. In many ways, the city continues to speak to me now and is largely reflected in my work.

I constantly draw inspiration from the amazing spirit, people and architecture of Moscow, where I live.

I love working on interiors projects there, especially in the older parts of the city, filled with historic buildings so deeply intertwined with the lives of artists, poets and actors.

I spent eight years capturing the mosque photography for my book, visiting a selection of world-renowned mosques and discovering their intricate patterns and ornaments.

Córdoba in Spain impacted me the most – its Grand Mosque is an exquisite and rare gem of Moorish architecture.

The materials and patterns used for the decoration are out of this world, and the place presents an amazing example of a harmonious union between East and West.

I’m a citizen of the world, so I don’t have a favourite destination, but I love the sea and the ocean. These places bring me calm and bliss, allowing me to recharge and get ready for my next work marathon.

A place that’s still on my wish list is Polynesia. It’s somewhat of a childhood dream to visit an exotic place so far away; something you have only seen or read about in books. Plus, it seems like a great vacation spot.

Leyla’s book, Mosques: Splendors of Islam, published by Rizzoli New York, is out now 24 World Traveller

Photo © Cristina Mittermeier

The interior designer and author lays open her travel journal

LOCALS’ GUIDE

THE LOCALS' GUIDE TO

Edinburgh Revel in the history, culture and creative energy that gives Scotland’s capital its vibrant character

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LOCALS’ GUIDE

STEP TO IT Gareth Davies runs Edinburgh Expert Walking tours, taking visitors under the skin of the city edinburghexpert.com

Historic Victoria Street. Photograph © VisitScotland / Kenny Lam

Visitors are often surprised to learn that Edinburgh’s New Town is more than 250 years old. They are even more intrigued when I tell them that the Old Town was largely rebuilt in the 19th century, so much of it is more recent than the New Town.

But that’s Edinburgh. It's a city of contrasts that’s very different throughout the year, so there’s always an element of the unexpected.

The site was first settled around 3500 years ago and much of the city’s layout harks back to earlier times with narrow lanes, cobbled backstreets and bridges that can be a challenge to navigate – something the guidebooks don’t prepare you for. Although I've walked some of the streets hundreds of times, I still notice new features, and can find new stories to tell.

The areas I most enjoy showing off are around the New Town. Many visitors never look beyond the Royal Mile and Old Town, so this feels like a whole other side of the city that people don't expect – it has its own character and style, a host of history and culture and some fantastic Georgian-era architecture. It’s something of a hidden gem, hiding in plain sight.

My favourite stop-offs? The Scottish Parliament building, due to its weirdly wonderful sense of style, as well as Advocate's Close, one of the narrow lanes off the Royal Mile, for its spectacular views, mixture of ancient and modern buildings, and stories of the historical figures who have lived there. There's so much to see and talk about on that single alleyway.

If you have more time, head north of the New Town to Stockbridge to check out its independent shops, cafés and restaurants, before making your way along the Water of Leith to the historic Dean Village to view its picturesque 17th-century buildings.

South of the Royal Mile is George Square and Bristo Square, home to some of the historic buildings of Edinburgh University, including the iconic Old College quad designed by Edinburgh's greatest architects, Robert Adam and William Playfair.

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Scottish National Portrait Gallery interior views © Keith Hunter & National Galleries of Scotland

Literary fans can sip a brew at The Elephant House tea and coffee shop in the historic quarter, which authors including J.K. Rowling and Ian Rankin have used as a writing den

Shona McCarthy, chief executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, talks art and culture

1

The Edinburgh Fringe Festival, which takes place every August, brings together acts and audiences from all over the world to create an international melting pot of arts and culture, from theatre and comedy to circus, opera, children's shows and spoken word performances. There’s nothing quite like wandering through the city when the Fringe is on and soaking up the electric atmosphere.

2

The impact of the festival is felt keenly through the year, with many Fringe artists and companies adding to a thriving local creative scene that has transformed 28 World Traveller

the city into a bucket-list destination for anyone who is passionate about the arts.

There are events all year round, from the Edinburgh International Science Festival in April through to Hogmanay, which rounds off the annual cultural The Elephant House Photo © VisitScotland / Kenny Lam offering at the turn of the New Year – it's always a hive of activity.

The National Museum of Scotland is another must-see, with fascinating permanent There are lots of amazing exhibits from nature, science, art, galleries featuring all kinds of design, fashion and more. Here, you art and exhibitions, both past can find out more about the history and present. Some favourites include of the area, from pre-history to the the Scottish National Portrait Gallery present day, in the Scottish galleries. and the Scottish National Gallery. The former tells the story of Scotland and its people with portraits of historical People often talk about there figures such as Mary Queen of Scots being a sense of an artistic and Robert Burns, while the National community in the city, one that is Gallery has an outstanding fine art not bound by geography or nationality, collection, including masterpieces but can give a real sense of belonging

by Botticelli, Rembrandt, Monet and in a different way. What better reason Van Gogh, among many others. to visit Edinburgh this winter?

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WORDS BY OLIVIA CUTHBERT

ON THE FRINGE

LOCALS’ GUIDE

TRADITIONAL TASTES Matthew Korecki, owner of popular family-run restaurant New Chapter, unravels the foodie scene Local flavour There’s a huge number of independent restaurants in Edinburgh. People here tend to seek out hidden gems – the tucked-away places that serve incredible food with personalised service – rather than going for what they already know with chain restaurants.

New and noteworthy The restaurant scene is growing rapidly, with new venues opening every week, so the quality of the produce, dishes and service is constantly on the rise. There has also been an uplift in the number of dining destinations serving fantastic global cuisine, be it Swedish, Hungarian, Nepalese, Filipino or Caribbean food.

Scottish classics Our elegant sister restaurant Otro, in the West End, is very popular with those who want to taste Scottish ingredients. The Kilted Lobster in Stockbridge is perfect if you’re in the mood for seafood, and if you needed convincing, all profits go towards the Cooking Up A Storm project to fight food poverty. For fine dining, I recommend Restaurant Martin Wishart on The Shore for a Michelin-star experience.

Quirky cuisine The Full Moon Dinners at the Secret Herb Garden on Old Pentland Road are a magical experience where diners eat in a beautiful greenhouse by the light of the moon. Six By Nico on Hanover Street is a great option too, with themed six-course tasting menus that change every six weeks, serving wonderfully creative food.

Market fare For coffee and cake, The Stockbridge Market is always a treat. For street food, head to The Pitt in Leith, which has great vibes and innovative street food vendors serving amazing bites every weekend.

Secret Herb Garden's Full Moon Dinners

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WORLD TRAVELLER X ANANTARA EASTERN MANGROVES

Life on the edge For an urban escape in a lush lagoon setting, Anantara Eastern Mangroves leads the way

S

ituated on the outskirts of central Abu Dhabi, along a scenic stretch of protected mangroves, this coveted hotel is ideal for those who want to team outdoor pursuits with a spot of city sightseeing.

It’s just a 10-minute drive from downtown, yet Anantara Eastern Mangroves feels a world away from the hustle and bustle of the city, with its waterfront location lending a tranquil vibe.

Make the most of the views by booking a suite with a view of the lagoons so you can soak up the surrounds from your private balcony. Plump for an Anantara

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Mangroves Pool Suite, which can accommodate up to two adults and one child, and you'll wake up to lush lagoon views. Make the most of the winter sun by unwinding on your private terrace before taking a dip in your plunge pool.

If you’ve got energy to burn, take a kayak out to explore the mangrove reserve. Guided tours are available to ensure you don't miss a thing – herons, foxes and turtles can usually be spotted.

Stand-up paddleboarding is also on offer, and there’s a promenade bordering the waterway (the city’s old corniche) that’s ideal for jogging and cycling.

A FIVE-STAR SPA Dedicated spa-goers are sure to be impressed by the traditional treatments on offer at Anantara Spa, which is especially well-known for its signature hammam rituals. Inspired by the ancient Turkish bathing tradition, the journey begins on the warm stone, with time to bask in the heat, followed by a body buff with a traditional kese mitt to prep the skin for receiving the hydrating suds.

After rinsing, you’ll receive a circulation-pepping scrub followed by a purifying clay mask. Even your hair and scalp are given the royal cleansing

Pachaylen

Anantara Spa

treatment, with a pressure point face and head massage to lull you into a deep sense of relaxation. An olive foam massage and coffee body polish followed by a cooling rinse complete this blissful 60-minute pamper session. However, we highly recommend that you upgrade with a full body massage using argan infused oil for an additional full hour of relaxation.

ALL IN GOOD TASTE Another draw card is the hotel’s dining

A room with a mangrove view

credentials. Its popular Thai restaurant, Pachaylen, invites you to taste authentic cuisine in a refined setting. A traditional kim player sets the tone as contemporarystyled delights, such as aromatic curries and spicy salads, are brought to your table. If you’re unsure what to choose, simply go with the enduring favourites of tom yam soup and pad Thai noodles.

For sunset views, head to Impressions on the rooftop, which serves signature drinks from 7pm to 2am daily. And if

you’re keen to boost your cooking skills, you can take part in a Spice Spoons Middle Eastern and Thai cooking class, which will take you to Al Mina Fish Market and the vegetable market across the road to shop for fresh ingredients.

Back at the resort, a top chef will guide you with step-by-step instructions for preparing delicious dishes, giving you a new skill to take back home.

To find out more, call +971 2 656 1000 or visit anantara.com World Traveller 31

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MEXICO

Take Takeme meto tothe theriver river Ancient temples, mystic caves, weird critters (in the water and on the menu: Mexico’s Riviera Maya serves up surreal unforgettable adventures – mere footsteps from the Caribbean’s most dreamily relaxing beaches, says Ed Grenby

‘A

nd this is where they were beheaded, their lifeblood cascading down the steps of the pyramid in front of you.’

I’ve been to the Caribbean a few times – hell, I’m the kind of loser who even goes off on those half-day historic tours of dockyards and distilleries and other such thrillers – but I’ve never heard those words from a tour guide before.

That, I suppose, is because I’ve never been to Mexico’s Riviera Maya before, contenting myself instead with circuits of Barbados, Antigua and Jamaica (‘... and this is where the barrels would be stored before bottling and labelling ...’).

This year, though, looking for something a little more exciting – a little less ‘barrel warehouse’, you might say – I strayed one swipe further down the ‘Caribbean’ page of the tour operator’s website, and ended up here, on the eastern edge of Mexico, where the sacrificial altars of the ancients and the otherworldly natural wonders of the Yucatan are bordered with beaches that are every bit as good as Barbados’s and are washed by the self-same calm Caribbean Sea. And, truth be told, I didn’t leave those beaches for the first four days of my fortnight. Well, why would I? Cloud-soft sand shelved at a perfect 10-degree angle into waters as warm as a mother’s welcome; and, even with my shades on, the sea’s blue and the sand’s white and the fringing forest’s green were literally, squintingly dazzling.

Frigate birds soared and searing-yellow kiskadees chirped, their high, ringing song as exuberant as the frigates’ flight. Sea turtles, too, showed their appreciation of the place, their nests bulging in the sand; and behind the beach, around my hotel’s two elegantly understated aquamarine swimming pools, iguanas lazed on the paths, lordly and unmoving, as if to say, ‘My kind World Traveller 33

MEXICO

has been around since the dinosaurs, hombre. You can make way for me.’

I wanted my adventure to have a big dollop of ‘easy’, and Hotel Esencia delivered on both. It’s a sprinkling of cool, white, slightly hacienda-style houses and lawns carved from the jungle, but the luxury and quiet good taste have a raffish edge.

So there is discreet abstract art and posh coffee-table books, but also driftwood bannisters and hammocks slung beneath the thatched, open-walled palapa huts, while elegant lamps hang seductively from trees beside wild coconuts.

The location is Xpu-Ha (amazingly, just an hour’s drive down the coast from noisy Cancún); the ‘X’, I eventually work out, is pronounced ‘sh’, like the shhhushing of the wavelets. It’s so hypnotically perfect that even the daily deposit of algae on the sand seems appealing once I learn that it’s actually sargasso (sounds so much more romantic than ‘seaweed’, no?). But when, accidentally up early one morning, I see the sargasso being carefully, cossetingly hand-cleared from the beach by hotel staff, I know I’m going to have to look a little further afield if I want any of the ‘edge’ I’d abandoned Barbados for.

A quick coach trip to Cobá, however, and I’ve got edge by the bucketful (it’s here the lifeblood did its cascading thing).

An important Mayan city from the 1st century AD to the 15th, it’s now a cluster of stone ruins looming enigmatically from the middle of a million miles of jungle.

The biggest is the pyramid of devotion to honey (Why did he get such kudos?

Because the stuff was an important ingredient in Mayan cement, apparently.

Though once you’ve tasted the local honey, rich and intense, no explanation for its status is needed. In fact, it’s a wonder they ever built anything above one storey without licking it into ruin.) Incredibly, you’re allowed to climb the pyramid, and the experience is unforgettable – not so much for the views (an infinite ocean of

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green treetops) as for the hairs-on-theback-of-your-neck tingle of knowing that others once looked down exultantly from the same spot, but for them it wasn’t the pride of summiting the 120 steps, but the eye-bulging, ecstatic madness of the decapitator or willing decapitee.

Even weirder than the weirdness, though, is the fact that (given the weirdness) it’s so pleasant here. The site is too big to navigate on foot, so people hire bikes or get chauffeured around on passenger trikes by their guides, and the atmosphere is more weekend cycle in the park than lingering echo of ritual murder. A five-minute pedal down a shady path is Cobá’s poc-ta-poc court, where matches of the Mayans’ get-theball-through-the-hoop-using-only-yourhips game could go on for days before reaching their climax with, obviously, the sacrifice of the winning coach. And instead of horror, all I can think of is whether England's coach Gareth Southgate would be prepared to go all the way and get his trademark waistcoat bloody.

So the adventure comes pretty easy round these parts, but the easy can be adventurous, too. Even international luxury hotel brands have a dash of local fizz in their DNA here, and the Rosewood, where I’m staying next, is essentially a vast mangrove lagoon that just happens to have a few (also fairly vast) rooms scattered around it.

In mine, the cheapest category, as well as the (count ’em!) indoor bathroom, outdoor bathroom, walled garden, roof terrace, sun deck and plunge pool, there’s a lovely little wooden boat dock on stilts above the lagoon, where you can see nothing but jungle and convince yourself you’re an intrepid explorer. Indeed, if you sit still there for 30 seconds, you’ve got a pretty decent chance of spotting cormorants, iguanas, raccoons, turtles and, if you’re really lucky, baby crocodiles (they’re ‘taken somewhere safe’ when

Opening pages: a colourful trajinera floats down a canal. This page, clockwise from top left: enjoying an ice This page: The view from the cream; Toltec temple historic area of Candelaria ruins in Tula; Rosewood

MEXICO

Mayakoba Riviera Maya Opposite: Contemporary art in Iglesia de Santa Clara

‘Caves lead off it in all directions, with sweet little bats roosting on the roofs, and even sweeter little turtles pottering in their waters’

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ROME

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MEXICO

Left: Ik Kil sinkhole This page: Indo-Pacific sailfishes hunt sardines in Yucatán

‘Frigate birds soared and searing-yellow kiskadees chirped, their high, ringing song as exuberant as the frigates’ flight’ they grow bigger than a metre, says a hotel-staffer mysteriously, and I can’t help suspect that’s ‘safe’ as in ‘safe from not being made into a handbag’).

I don’t even have to leave this heaven for my next adventure. Pretty much every mouthful I’ve consumed on this trip has been exciting (zinging ceviche... flavour-burst fish tacos... I could go on.

And did), but nothing prepared me for the Rosewood’s breakfast huevos rancheros with its side of toasted grasshoppers.

‘They’re just like corn,’ the waiter reassures me. Which might be true if corn had little faces and legs and antennae. But I fear that not eating them would make me a species traitor in the unceasing war that wages here between mosquito and man. Even after finishing off the bowlful (they’re crispy-crunchy and kind of moreish), I’ve probably nibbled

a lot less insect than the insects have nibbled of me over the past few days.

The only thing more ubiquitous than mozzies is cenotes, the water-filled caverns and sinkholes that pockmark this part of Mexico. They range from bath-size to 2km-wide; some sitting at the side of the road for anyone to dive into, others built up into sprawling theme parks. But what they all have in common is alluringly cool, enticingly clear, bewitchingly blue and irresistibly swimmable water.

My favourites are Ik Kil (big, busy, but outrageously Insta-genic, with vines that hang down into the water from the jungle above); the complex clustered together as Río Secreto (don wetsuits, hard hats and miners’ lanterns, for a guided walk/wade/swim/scramble through an underground river system); and Gran Cenote. Here, beautiful kids

from the nearby towns laze and flirt on the hammocks and greenswards, and steps descend into a sinkhole. Caves lead off it in all directions, with sweet little bats roosting (upside down, of course) on the roofs, and even sweeter little turtles pottering in their waters.

It’s a lovely and intriguing swim, but hire a snorkel for a few pesos and you can have your mind thoroughly blown.

Like an iceberg, it transpires that what you can see of the caverns above water is a mere fraction. Beneath the surface is an uncanny underworld, an otherworld, a netherworld, where the stalactites you saw drooping from the roof are now stalagmites rising from the floor, or columns holding up the roof (or is it the floor?). Through some trick of the eerily suffusing blue light, or the crystallineclear water, or the refractions of sound World Traveller 37

and sightlines, you feel you’ve travelled upside-down through the looking glass to the sort of inverted augmented alternate reality that Hollywood spends billions of FX dollars to create – but for just $5.

In this corner of the Caribbean, lifechanging experiences can be got cheap as well as easy, it seems. Moving on to my next hotel, the more mid-market Tui Sensatori, I alternate my days between watching from my beach lounger as pelicans patrol the airspace in perfect three-bird formations, like pimped-up fighter planes; and taking the kind of coach tours that could give coach tours a good name. On one to Tulum, I find there are, in fact, three overlapping Tulums: the ruined Mayan city (less dramatic than Cobá, but sited on the most delectable little beach – sightseeing really couldn’t be any more effortless); the tourist strip (a boho hamlet of boutique hotels, beach clubs, juice bars and yoga joints; and, just offshore, the turtles’ Tulum. It’s an ancient underwater place of congregation for these beautiful beasts, and for the equally elegant manta rays that accompany them, but easily discoverable thanks to the unearthly noises that arise from it. (Could they form some strange sub-aquatic ‘song’?

Nope, it’s the sound of a dozen excited turtle fans trying to say ‘So agelessly graceful!’ to each other, but it comes out through their snorkels as ‘Urrrggghhh!’)

Meanwhile, just a few kilometres up the coast lurks the adventure for which I’ve been steeling myself all fortnight, the ultimate won’t-find-this-in-the-Windies escapade. Whale sharks are among the world’s largest predators, as big as 38 World Traveller

buses but still distinctly, unnervingly shark-shaped (because they are, in fact, sharks). I’ve always desperately wanted to/not wanted to swim with them, and here, in the open ocean out beyond Isla Mujeres (that’s ‘Isle of the Dead’) you can.

So in the Margarita-hued light of dawn, as the returning fishermen are enjoying a 6am brew on the docks, we take their places in the boats and head out. And an hour later we’ve found our leviathan; the snorkels and flippers go on, and we go in.

Whoever started calling them ‘gentle giants’ had obviously never floated in the water in front of one (and certainly wasn’t a zooplankton, several million of which they devour every day). With that Jaws dorsal fin, that machete-sharp tail, that constant swaying, swaggering, menacing movement through the water, they’re unmistakably sharks. And it doesn’t matter how many times your guide tells you they can’t swallow anything bigger than their golf-ball-sized throats: when these 10-metre monsters swim towards you, their great mouths wide open, a word bubbles unbidden to the surface of your mind, and the word is Jonah.

Then they swim, unfussed, right past you, and suddenly they’re the peaceful, placid, curious creatures you’ve heard about. Fear dissolves and all that’s left is wide-eyed, humbled wonder – and an afternoon on the beach with a brew and a burrito, gazing out across a couple of thousand kilometres of warm water towards Barbados, feeling rather pleased with yourself.

Inspired to travel? To book a trip, call +971 4 316 6666 or visit dnatatravel.com

Credit: The Sunday Times Travel Magazine/ News Syndication

‘In this corner of the Caribbean, life-changing experiences can be got cheap as well as easy’

MEXICO

This page: Beach Suite at Hotel Esencia

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ISTANBUL

GOLDEN TIMES

In revisiting Istanbul, Nick Redman is reunited with his old flame

Left: The Grand Bazaar This page: silhouette of the Blue Mosque

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ISTANBUL

Right: interior of the Blue Mosque

‘Like a photograph emerging in a darkroom tray, the spiritual gloom developed into magnificence’

B

eyond the windows it looked like a light show put on just for us, as we waited to be seated at Mürver, a busy new rooftop restaurant in Istanbul. Illuminated white and sodiumorange across the dark mouth of the Golden Horn, the skyline monuments sparkled: Topkapı Palace, Hagia Sophia, and the Blue Mosque, its six minarets spearing the night sky. We got a corner table at the back. This place was dinner-reservation gold, be it your first night ever in the old Ottoman capital, or your first night back, as it was for my other half and me late last spring.

The soft funk sounds, flash-fire open kitchen and de rigueur filament bulbs made Mürver feel sweepingly self-assured.

Marinated sea-bass starters arrived, a tangy delight; then courgette fritters, kicky with chilli. The maîtresse d’, upon my asking about moving to a window table when the crowd thinned, said, ‘It won’t,’ with a satisfied smile, as if nothing had changed since the city’s big-money, pre-crunch, pre-coup millennial times.

I had to smile, too. So it was still irresistanbul! Istanbul, the city I’ve adored for three decades or more, living and working there first, as a sybaritic twentysomething. I’d love to say nothing had changed, but that would be to ignore the endless posters of President Erdoğan we saw lining the freeway from the airport, as he geared up for another power-enhancing election. For Turks, a lot has changed.

And for tourists? Here again after more than two years, we needn’t have worried: the same effusive welcome that is practically the Turks’ moral duty; the same great-value food; the same kamikaze taxi drivers, sadly, too, with their allergy to

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safety belts. We were glad we had chosen to stay in Sultanahmet, where Byzantium and Constantinople rose and fell, and where Christianity yielded to Islam, 600 or so years ago. I found reassurance in its historic continuity: it looked as stunning as it always had, just untroubled now by tourists and touts. At dusk, the two of us strolled the sleepy streets, past leafy trees and gaily painted clapboard facades, more Tyrolean than Turkish. It was as if we’d hit on an undiscovered Euro weekend hotspot.

The Four Seasons Hotel Sultanahmet was a tranquil essay in polished-wood floors, geometric kilims and corridors of Ottoman tiles, patterned with tulip petals and circular bursts of colour, like firework finales. The lobby had the perfume of lilies, a safe embrace. From our balcony I looked down at the garden, where jasmine plaited itself in thick columns up the turmeric-coloured enfolding walls, looking like cypress in the low light.

Inhaling the iron smell of geraniums, I was back, oddly, in a flash: to June 2001, a heady evening here with friends, the summer before the Twin Towers fell.

The world has mended and come apart since. It always will. In Istanbul, tourists were trickling back, said a hotel waiter, pouring drinks by an oil lamp’s flicker.

‘This is an old city,’ he told us, as we devoured yoghurt-smothered Iskender kebab on puffy flatbread, zingy on the tongue with tomato sauce and hot chilli flakes. ‘Over thousands of years it has had so many punches. We have been sad, but people are returning again.’

Istanbul felt no scarier than Paris, I thought, as we stepped out to mingle with those people next day. In the balmy air we wandered among horse chestnuts in

bloom before the Blue Mosque, fountains playing, the muezzin’s call wailing to its crescendo. Loudly chattering Turkish schoolkids milled about smoke-laced carts selling blackened corn-on-the-cob.

The queue was reassuringly healthy for the Hagia Sophia, its buttresses and ballooning domes squeezing out the sky.

It seemed more magnificent than I’d ever known it, almost not of this planet, as if it had crash-landed from outer space millions of years ago and, over the ages, grown rusty and dusty, as civilisations rose around it.

Such was the awe it was built to instil: first as a church in the 6th century, and again, after almost a millennium, when saved from failing Byzantine dilapidation in 1453 by the conquering Ottomans, who restored it as a mosque. Inside, like a photograph emerging in a darkroom tray, the spiritual gloom developed into magnificence, daylight angling in with stage-beam precision from windows on high.

We performed the ‘Say, “cheese”’ honours for three Romanians in the grounds of Topkapı Palace, which rang with the chip-chip of masons repairing the low stone walls. The inscrutable residence for generations of sultans was a paradise garden of blood-red rose beds and carpets of pansies, monastic cedars throwing shadows across the lawns. It filled the senses like distilled nostalgia.

Chambers shone with centuries of splendour, from mother-of-pearl grandfather clocks (one a gift from Queen Victoria to Abdul Hamid II) to a 300-yearold ceremonial suit of armour, dripping with chains like something from Michael Jackson’s tour wardrobe circa 1993. But on this cloudless day, Topkapı was for outside indulgence. As waiters at Konyalı restaurant

World Traveller 43

This page, clockwise from top left: Turkish cheese pide; ample spices on sale in the city's Spice Bazaar; a traditional Turkish kebab; boza being poured into a glass

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ISTANBUL

Credit: Sunday Times Travel Magazine / News Licensing

‘Ooh, that Bosphorus view, and the blue Golden Horn flowing to meet it, scored with the white trails of ferries moving at the speed of swans’ removed the cloches on our kebab lunch plates, we lazed sultan-style on the terrace, catching rays, letting our senses lead us.

Ooh, that Bosphorus view, and the blue Golden Horn flowing to meet it, scored with the white trails of ferries moving at the speed of swans. Way north, in the direction of the Black Sea, traffic caught sunlight, tiny silver beads traversing the Bosphorus Bridge, the unlikely front line of the failed 2016 coup. Behind it all rose the LA-style skyline of new-rich Istanbul – steely and blue-glassy, aspiring optimistically to heydays ahead.

We took a night taxi, seeking the delectations of the modern city in Bomonti, inland from the Bosphorus shores. The city unspooled: a futuristic galaxy. Brutal apartment blocks filled canyons, glittering as they rolled off into the hills. We sped above it all, across high flyovers like fat spaghetti tangles, spotted with red taillights, and could only gawp admiringly at Istanbul’s sheer indefatigable grandeur.

‘You made it,’ called Hatice, looming to greet us as we stepped into Kilimanjaro.

She’d already texted a snap of herself with her Italian beau, taken at the table moments before – possibly in case we didn’t recognise our friend, two years after she’d left London to resettle here.

The pair had invited us so as to big-up Bomonti, their home turf, a kilometre or so north of Taksim Square. It was named after two Swiss brothers who brewed hops here around the dawn of the 20th century, when Istanbul was Constantinople. Their factory, once closed and broken-windowed, has been resurrected for the unfailingly effervescent millennials of Istanbul, and Kilimanjaro is one of several hedonistic joints filling its bare-brick warehouse spaces and sprawling courtyards.

With lots of straw-sucking, couplesyflirting going on, Kilimanjaro could have been in Manhattan’s Meatpacking District or Prenzlauer Berg in Berlin. Its centrepiece was a huge ‘aviary’ basket structure that followed the looping Grand-Prix curves of the bar below, full of spotlit bottles, perched like songbirds among dangling potted plants. Such a surprise stunner in a reborn corner! All the while, ’70s funk of the James Brown school came courtesy of a speccily serious DJ, as plates of crispy-skin chicken thighs circulated with waiters’ pirouettes, threatening drinkers’ Armani garb.

We talked until late, about this and that; about how, if ever a city deserves good times, it is Istanbul, with inclusivity in its marrow. I recalled the borscht of snowy nights, in 1987, at Rejans, a nocturnal nook in a dodgy Beyoğlu backstreet originally opened by anti-Bolshevik exiles, musicians sawing away in its minstrel’s gallery, late.

I lamented its long-ago folding.

'It’s been relaunched', said Hatice.

'Next time you come, we’ll go.'

Next morning dawned more dispiritingly, cacophonous with irascible gulls, and hangover-grey due to a grim downpour off the foggy Bosphorus. A comfort-food kind of day. Benoit was waiting, as he’d promised, with brollies outside the Spice Bazaar, beyond the moored ferries of Eminönü, gateway to Old Istanbul. The Belgian expat lays on culinary walks to help visitors discover the part of the city I’d overlooked in the past, always questing after the new. This area was a commercial whirl in late Roman imperial times – and with Benoit, we uncovered a traditional Istanbul as vibrant as I’d recalled it years ago.

We breakfasted first, on seeded simit bread rings, with the rain coursing about the drainpipes of an atmospheric han — a World Traveller 45

This page:Opposite: the view from Four Sail boats Seasons Hotel Sultanahmet (in docked in Sausalito the foreground) This page: The coastal route linking San Francisco to Big Sur

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ISTANBUL

storeyed, arcaded Ottoman storage depot, of which few remain. It was a workers’ cafe, family-run for generations, by emigrants from Erzincan, a town way east, near the border with Armenia. A daub of molasses tingled the tastebuds, black, sticky and prune-like, brought from the Black Sea, where it is a centuries-old method of preserving apples in winter. Coffee sacks piled in a nearby alley told of wider, older trade links, stamped with destinations from ‘Yemen’ to ‘Etiyopya’, ‘Sumatra’ to ‘Hindistan’. Moving deeper, we brushed past spice dens dustily pungent with oregano and coriander, wild orchid roots dangling like sacrificial skeins of teeth.

We ate lamb’s neck soup in a corner place, scrunched on low stools like picnic gnomes, then cheesy pizza-style pide at Mavi Haliç Pidecisi, where the cookproprietor let us dispatch our own off a large wooden paddle into the oven’s roar. We had lamb kebabs still sizzling from their bed of red charcoal at Osmanlı Kebapçısı, a classic concern as queued-for as a trendy New York food truck. At Altan Sekerleme sweet shop (founded 1865) we sucked sugared almonds in Smartie colours, offered freely for the tasting from stoppered jars. It was very Turkish: these sensory rituals, the sweetness of strangers.

Another curiosity was Sevda Gazozcusu, its walls lined with shelves of retro Turkish fizzy drinks: a collector’s new trend, would you believe, said Benoit.

Darkness was descending over the city. We ended up sipping boza, Turkey’s traditional rainy-day warmer, made of fermented millet, sugary and creamy – slightly custardy. At this elegant establishment, Vefa Bozacısı, served by white-clad waiters, we could have been in Florence or Madrid amid the stained mirrors and worn floor tiles. Spooning it up, I fell through the time tunnel, through decades, to my first winter, January 1986, when I would order it on ferries crossing the bitter, sleety Bosphorus after work. I got a familiar warm feeling inside: Istanbul, and the pleasurable glow of going back to find a city as sweet and seductive as ever I’d known it.

“In the day we drove past vast stretches of seascape. At night, we sat five storeys up among thousandyear-old trees”

Inspired to travel? To book a trip, call +971 4 316 6666 or visit dnatatravel.com World Traveller 47

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INNSBRUCK

You don’t have to slope off into the wild to get your downhill fix. With Hapsburg heritage, futuristic architecture and mountains all around, Innsbruck is an atmospheric Austrian city break and ski holiday in one, says Sean Newsom

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Opening pages, from left: heading downhill in the mountains; the city centre of Innsbruck, as seen from the Town Hall's roof terrace These pages: Hungerburgbahn railway station

S

o there I was, walking the streets of Innsbruck in my ski boots, feeling ridiculous.

Everyone else was dressed for shopping, or for morning lectures at the city’s university. I was in lemon-yellow boots, silver helmet and bilious-green jacket, shouldering a bright red pair of skis. Normally, when I’m heading for the slopes, that’s perfectly acceptable.

But on this particular Austrian morning I was a lump of hard, shiny plastic bobbing in a sober sea of overcoats. It felt as if I’d just fallen out of a giant box of Lego.

Then I arrived at Zaha Hadid’s Hungerburgbahn railway station, and everything changed. It’s slap-bang in the middle of town, only 250m from the Rococo splendour of the Hofburg palace, the Hapsburg dynasty’s home-fromhome whenever they visited Innsbruck.

But in just 30 minutes its sleek, chic funicular railway, followed by a couple of cable cars, had whisked me to an altitude of 2,256m. When I stepped out of the top station, it was into a raw white wilderness.

On my left was a knuckle of rock, punching its way to the summit of the Hafelekarspitze at 2,334m. On my right... well, I couldn’t see what was on my right, because a tearing wind had whipped the snow into a thick cloud. Thank heavens I’d booked a guide, Sebastian, because the only way I was going to find the piste was if I followed him footstep by footstep.

Provided, of course, the wind would let me.

There was one gust I’ll never forget.

It seemed to be testing me, like a finger waggling a loose tooth, checking if it was ready to be torn free. My whole body shuddered in its grip. My mind, too. Just down there, half an hour ago, I’d been standing outside Manna Delikatessencafe

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on the Maria-Theresien-Strasse, wondering if there was time for a slice of Apfelstrudel mit Vanillesauce before the ride up the mountain. Now I was hunkered down in a snowdrift, trying not to be blown off an Alp. Of course, any day of skiing mixes the wild and the refined, as you flit between the comfort of your hotel or chalet and sub-zero mountain slopes. But nowhere is the contrast sharper than in Innsbruck.

This is a city, not a ski resort, and it isn’t near the Alps, it’s in the middle of them – crammed onto the last sizeable patch of flat ground before the road to Italy heaves itself over the Brenner Pass. Look down almost any street, and see a proud procession of exquisite Baroque, Renaissance or Gothic buildings – with the view finishing in a wall of snow and rock. It’s a place where the most civilised of human endeavours and the most rugged of nature’s wildernesses are constantly jostling for precedence.

That means that, unlike a typical ski trip, where time spent away from the snow seems ‘wasted’, here it feels as if you’re getting a terrific city break thrown in for free. On the way to rent some boots and skis, my walk took me underneath an 18thcentury triumphal arch that left my jaw well and truly dropped – in a way that nothing in, say, Méribel ever had. The arch is a sober monument, given it commemorates a wedding, not a war: between the future Austrian emperor, Leopold, and Maria Luisa of Spain, in 1764. But served up with a backdrop of Alps, it’s both incongruous and magnificent – like Innsbruck itself.

On another break from the slopes the next day, I ran my hands over the cool orange marble of the columns at the Hofkirche, a church whose modest exterior hides an extraordinarily exuberant mausoleum, designed in the early 16th

INNSBRUCK

‘Zaha Hadid’s Hungerburgbahn railway station is slapbang in the middle of town, only 250m from the Rococo splendour of the Hofburg palace’ World Traveller 51

INNSBRUCK

‘It’s so quaintly perfect, it feels like you’ve wandered onto a postcard’ century as the final resting place of the Emperor Maximilian I. Then, at the Ferdinandeum – Innsbruck’s unmissable museum of history and art – I rediscovered the work of local hero Albin EggerLienz. The most underrated of Austrian artists, his anguished paintings explore the hard, plain lives of mountain folk, in an earthy palette of ochres. Hanging alongside work by Egon Schiele and Oskar Kokoschka, they are an eye-popping introduction to early-20th-century angst.

There was even time for Kaffee und Kuchen, courtesy of Café Sacher. Here, in a branch of the famous Viennese coffee shop, they celebrate the afternoon ritual of coffee and cake with a slice of Sachertorte, a sandwich of chocolate sponge and apricot jam, encased in thick, shiny chocolate icing. The first time I tried it, years ago in the Austrian capital, it seemed much more dry and formal – like the army officers who used to eat it, I imagined. But that was before I learned to smother it in whipped cream.

Admittedly, Innsbruck is no match for Vienna when it comes to Austrian culture.

But that’s not the point. There are no mountains in Vienna. And it’s the mix of the two that creates one of winter’s most compelling short breaks. Stay in one of the city-centre hotels, less than 15 minutes’ drive from the airport, and you’ll have plugged yourself into the same network of connections the locals use. Like tentacles, the lifts, roads and railway lines reach up into every mountain, and together they serve up every snowy pastime imaginable.

So, for example, you could spend a morning wading through the wedding-cake interiors of the Hofburg palace – then ride bus line J up to the village of Igls. As well as 52 World Traveller

a small ski area, it’s home to Innsbruck’s Olympic bobsleigh track, and if you’re feeling reckless you can hitch a ride on one of its four-man sleds (olympiaworld.at).

Acceleration is instantaneous, the top speed 115kph. It feels like you’ve been strapped to a bullet and fired out of the barrel of gun.

Or you could catch a train from the Hauptbahnhof to Seefeld, and a rather more sedate version of the Alps. I went the next morning, hoping to soothe my still-frazzled nerves – and deliver you to an absurdly pretty village of wooden eaves and spa hotels, where cross-country skiing trails weave through the forest. Don’t commit to a whole day, though. Skiing on the flat is exhausting. Plan instead to spend the afternoon mucking about on the outdoor curling rinks, where they play an easy, uncomplicated version of the Olympic sport, beneath a tiny-onion domed church. It’s so quaintly perfect, it feels like you’ve wandered onto a postcard.

Meanwhile, the skiers in your group will be arguing about which of Innsbruck’s nine local ski areas to try. For most, the essential stop is the Stubai Glacier, which is where I took my hire car on the third day. It’s a good hour from the city centre – but on a sunny day it’s worth every wiggle of road, because there are few better pockets of easy, intermediate-friendly skiing in the Alps. It’s not just the fact that the pistes are so wide, steady and gentle that makes it a blast; it’s the quality of the snow. Up there, the lift system tops out at an eye-watering 3,170m, and the season runs from mid-September until June. It’s the perfect place to warm up your ski legs and rebuild your confidence.

By the end of the day, I was skiing so fast I thought my hair would catch fire.

But that was nothing compared with my

INNSBRUCK

This page: The view from the historic area of Candelaria Opposite: Contemporary art in Iglesia de Santa Clara

This page, clockwise from top left: a tempting slice of Sachertorte; festive time in Innsbruck city centre; lording over Nordkette, the mountain at the heart of Innsbruck; Hofburg palace

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This page: cable cars high over Stubai Glacier

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Credit: The Sunday Times Travel Magazine / News Licensing

INNSBRUCK

experience beneath the Hafelekarspitze the next morning. That walk along the ridge I mentioned earlier was just the overture. Sebastian, my guide and guardian angel, somehow got me through it, and together we wobbled on for five minutes until the path dropped down to a gap between the crags – and I caught my first sight of the view south.

Holy Mother of Mountain Scenery: I’d never seen anything like it. It wasn’t so much the distance that made it special.

It was the sense of depth. Sealing the horizon, 30km away, was the central spine of the Alps – the one that forms the border with Italy and snakes all the way to Mont Blanc. Immediately beneath my boots, plunging down toward the city limits, was the steepest slope I’ve ever attempted – and there, in a deep gutter of green, spread the streets of Innsbruck, glinting in the sunshine.

‘Is this the only way down?’ I asked.

I’d heard that this area, the Nordkette, was steep, but after my ego-boosting day on the Stubai Glacier, I thought I needed a challenge. Now I wasn’t so sure. What if I fell? By the look of it, I wouldn’t stop rolling until I was back in the Maria-Theresien-Strasse, lying outside Manna Delikatessencafe.

‘There is another route,’ said Sebastian. ‘But it’s steeper.’

Then I realised something. I wasn’t scared anymore. Those powerful gusts of wind had been shocking at first, but a couple of days of art galleries and Gothic architecture had sharpened my appetite for adrenaline. And knowing what (largely edible) delights were awaiting me back down in town, I steeled myself.

‘Ready?’ asked Sebastian, after I’d clicked into my skis. I nodded, and we were off.

An hour later, I was back on the streets of Innsbruck once again a lone skier in a sea of busy city folk. But this time, I didn’t feel ridiculous, I felt victorious.

There was snow on my boots and a smile as wide as the Nordkette plastered across my face. I could have hugged every one of them. Instead, I went to Manna’s and ordered some apple strudel.

Inspired to travel? To book a trip, call +971 4 316 6666 or visit dnatatravel.com World Traveller 55

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Weekends Staycations and short-haul escapes

NATURAL ATTRACTION Lush forest, sandy beaches and natural mangroves – it’s Ajman but not as you know it. Indeed, this tiny emirate is a draw card for nature fans, with the coastal destination of Al Zorah home to a rich ecosystem. Its protected wetlands are dominated by mangroves – ideal for kayaking – that support an impressive variety of species of birds and fish, including the native pink flamingo. The Oberoi Beach Resort, Al Zorah (pictured) is a luxurious base from which to explore. Simply ask the concierge about the ways to take a closer look at the area’s verdant bounty.

World Traveller 57

MINI BREAK Anantara Sir Bani Yas Island Al Yamm Villa Resort

YOUR GUIDE TO: ABU DHABI

As the UAE celebrates its 47th National Day, we shine a light on the capital’s enduring appeal

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Jumeirah at Saadiyat Island Resort

CONTRIBUTOR CLAIRE MALCOLM

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nchored by its island city, Abu Dhabi is a curious blend of contrasts that draws visitors from around the globe. From its historic heartland out to the golden dunes of the Empty Quarter, culture and heritage reign supreme, with iconic landmarks such as Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque and Louvre Abu Dhabi on the must-see list for many. However, it’s also a place for adventure seekers to get their thrills and spills, with exciting theme parks and plenty of outdoor adventures to enjoy. Even if you've visited many times before, there's a wave of newness to entice you back, from the newly-renovated Qasr Al Hosn to the billion dollar Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi.

Let our top picks inspire you to rediscover all the best bits…

ABU DHABI

# travelgoals Culture, in musical form, is the modus operandi of the hugely popular annual Abu Dhabi Classics concert series that runs from September to April. Featuring world-class artists and orchestras, concerts take place in the opulent setting of the Emirates Palace auditorium, on Saadiyat Island, and at Bin Hamoodah Fort in Al Ain

CULTURE CLUB A mosque stop When a whistle-stop visit is the reality, Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque is a must-see. A place of worship for up to 40,000, the exquisite structure features 82 domes and 1,000 pure white columns adorned with floral designs inlaid with semi-precious stones. A guided tour is imperative for insightful snippets about its architecture and design features, including the world’s largest handmade carpet. szgmc.gov.ae History lesson Swap large-scale sights for an altogether quainter experience at the open-air Abu Dhabi Heritage Village. Built to resemble a desert oasis community, take a gentle wander around the traditional barasti (dried palm frond) huts housing various exhibits, see local artisans in action and get a potted history of the emirate.

Yas Links

GET OUTDOORS Golfing greats The emirate is home to some great greens (and browns). For some of the best scenery, however, we suggest you play a round at Yas Links, the city’s only links course that benefits from a stunning coastal setting. Just don't let the gorgeous views distract you from your game. yaslinks.com Desert ranger A desert safari is a must, and Arabian Adventures is the pick of a number of locally-based companies to offer this and other fun desert experiences. It's the rare visitor who turns down an opportunity to embark on their Desert Rose Dinner Safari, which will take you on a thrilling four-wheel drive across the dunes to a traditional Bedouin style camp where a delicious dinner awaits. Plus, you'll have the chance to ride a camel and test your sandboarding skills. arabian-adventures.com

Storytime at the fort The former home of the emirate’s ruling family, and originally a coral stone watchtower marking the city’s first settlement, Al Hosn recently underwent a multi-million-dollar renovation to transform it into a cultural destination comprising the historic Qasr Al Hosn Fort, the Cultural Foundation, the National Consultative Council building, and the House of Artisans. The museum traces the city’s development from a fishing and pearling settlement to the modern metropolis it is today. alhosn.ae Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque

Animal magic On, below and above the smooth surface of the desert sands lies a teeming mass of wildlife. The impressive Al Ain Zoo, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2018, is all about education and conservation. Visit its sprawling facility and you’ll easily spend a good few hours observing more than 4,000 animals. Its highly regarded breeding programme includes a growing Arabian sand cat community and the endangered dama gazelle. alainzoo.ae World Traveller 59

MINI BREAK Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi

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travelgoals For boho chic vibes and Far Eastern cuisine, head to the newlyopened BuddhaBar Beach at The St. Regis Saadiyat Island Resort, Abu Dhabi. Direct from Paris, this day-tonight destination is the ‘in’ place to unwind and when it comes to the food, the ceviche is a clear winner

ART ICONS Inside the Louvre Named in Time magazine’s list of the greatest places of 2018, Louvre Abu Dhabi is a cultural showstopper.

Having recently celebrated its one-year anniversary this art icon, located within the Saadiyat Island Cultural District, recently unveiled 11 new acquisitions in its permanent galleries and is hosting an exhibition of archaeological masterpieces and important Islamic art from Saudi Arabia and the UAE until 16 February 2019. Its exceptional collection of artworks, artefacts and on-loan pieces is all wrapped up inside an architectural work of art – Jean Nouvel’s futuristic floating silver dome. louvreabudhabi.ae

Creative flair Manarat Al Saadiyat, a multi-gallery and performance space that hosts the annual Abu Dhabi Art show, is Park life another gem the Saadiyat Island Cultural District.

Entertainment hub Yas Island is the place to go for Check out the new Photography Studio, which hosts some fast fun, with a cluster of theme parks and community-driven photography exhibitions alongside hi-octane attractions for thrill seekers of all ages. a year-round calendar of activities and programmes.

New on the scene is Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi, There’s also a Drop In Studio for people of all ages to which boasts six immersive lands including Pack your bucket and create their own artworks, with sessions lasting DC’s Metropolis and Gotham City, as well as spade and head to the for up to two hours. manaratalsaadiyat.ae Cartoon Junction, Bedrock, Dynamite Gulch city’s newest beachfront and Warner Bros. Plaza. There's a 29-strong community A’l Bahar, Solo artist roster of rides, plus interactive familysituated along the corniche, A growing cadre of independent galleries friendly attractions and live entertainment which is packed with shops, entertainment, and reasons are also expanding the scene, including populated by fan-favourite characters such to get active – the inflatable new kid on the block Warehouse 421, tucked as Scooby-Doo, Wonder Woman and Tom AquaFun waterpark is our away in the port area, which is an advocate and Jerry. wbworldabudhabi.com top pick for families for emerging talent within the local creative community. It hosts a cool line-up of exhibitions, Pedal to the metal including Hundred Best Arabic Posters 100/100, which This entertainment nirvana is also home to the is running until 20 January 2019. warehouse421.ae 5.55-kilometre Hermann Tilke-designed Yas Marina Circuit, which hosts the annual Formula 1 Etihad Louvre Abu Dhabi Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in November. But don’t fret that you’ve just missed the main event, as the circuit hosts a full programme of year-round on-track activities, headlined by in-demand driving experiences behind the wheel of an Aston Martin GT4 or singleseater Formula 3000. yasmarinacircuit.com

SAY YAS TO FUN

Life is a roller coaster Speed demons of all ages are also bound to have Ferrari World Abu Dhabi on their bucket list. Home to the world’s fastest rollercoaster – the Formula Rossa, which hits 240km/h in under five seconds – as well as the 1.5-kilometre-long Flying Aces rollercoaster, featuring the world’s largest inverted loop and steepest incline. But it also has a host of (ahem) gentler rides to try. ferrariworldabudhabi.com 60 World Traveller

ABU DHABI

SET TO SHOP

The St. Regis Abu Dhabi

Gallery goals Abu Dhabi’s plush malls are a shopper’s delight. If designer labels are your kryptonite then The Galleria, Al Maryah Island, is sure to rob you of your selfcontrol. We say give in and go try on some of the wearable riches from the many luxury fashion, watch and jewellery brands housed here, including Van Cleef & Arpels, Richard Mille and Mulberry. thegalleria.ae Fashionable finds The concept boutique scene is also hotting up with a small but tempting collection of independent retailers selling quirky, cool and collectible items. Fashionled Minbart in the Al Raha Beach community stocks pieces from up-and-coming local, regional and international designers, while Bits & Pieces in the Al Mushrif district is a repository of unique colourful homeware, décor and kitchen trappings.

To the souk The Souk at Qaryat Al Beri is a contemporary take on the Arabian bazaar, with a touch of European influence thrown in for good measure. The waterside setting includes abras to ferry you along the man-made canal, a plethora of water-facing dining options, plus shops and pop-up stalls selling everything from jewellery and accessories to perfumes. Follow your nose to Amouage to stock up on oud-based fragrances, pick up a cashmere pashmina or three at Toshkhana, or treat yourself to some handcrafted jewellery at Exquisite Antiques Gallery. soukqaryatalberi.com The Souk at Qaryat Al Beri

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travelgoals If you’re keen to try authentic Emirati cuisine, we rate Al Fanar at The Ritz-Carlton Abu Dhabi Grand Canal’s Venetian Village. Bring your appetite and feast on dishes including fish biryani and a hearty chicken thereed (where a flavourful stew is ladelled on top of thin Arabic bread)

WHERE TO STAY The St. Regis Abu Dhabi Located at the heart of the city, along the corniche, The St. Regis Abu Dhabi is famous for its Superior Sea View rooms. Take a load off at Nation Riviera Beach Club, which boasts its own private stretch of sand, and be sure to squeeze in some pampering at Remède Spa. Jumeirah at Etihad Towers Overlooking the Arabian Gulf and the city’s cosmopolitan corniche, the 69-storey Jumeirah at Etihad Towers has views to write home about. The suites here rank among the finest in the city: even their bathrooms afford widescreen views of Abu Dhabi.

There are multiple dining outlets to enjoy, a pristine private beach and the award-winning Talise Spa. Jumeirah at Saadiyat Island Resort Just a short stroll away from the sweeping protected beachfront, this contemporary resort is brimming with natural attractions, with mangroves, dolphins and turtles on the doorstep. Catch a sunrise yoga session, take a dip in one of three infinity swimming pools and observe Hawksbill turtles on the sand during the nesting season. Plus, it’s a stone’s throw from the emirate’s leading cultural attractions.

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WORLD TRAVELLER X DCT ABU DHABI

Roads of Arabia © Department of Culture & Tourism – Abu Dhabi

Cross the cultural bridge Don’t miss this critically acclaimed exhibition at Louvre Abu Dhabi, which delves into the rich history of the Arabian Peninsula

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rt and culture fans have yet another reason to visit the UAE capital over the coming months, thanks to Louvre Abu Dhabi’s Roads of Arabia: Archaeological Treasures of Saudi Arabia exhibition, which explores the fascinating story of the Arabian Peninsula through archaeological and cultural artefacts from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the UAE. One of the most renowned Saudi exhibitions internationally, it was originally conceived through a cooperation between the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage and the Musée du Louvre in Paris, where it was first presented in 2010. Now back in the region following a 14-stop tour of Europe, the US and Asia and, the exhibition has been enriched by a selection of rare pieces from the emirates.

It explores five chapters in the history of the Arabian Peninsula, from early prehistoric settlements to the social and economic developments between the 14th and 16th centuries that set the stage for the modernday region. Visitors can view important archaeological pieces from the UAE, including a pearl found in Umm Al Quwain dating from 5500-5300 BCE (loaned by Umm Al Quwain Museum), which are displayed alongside significant artefacts from KSA, including a door of the Kaaba dating to 1355 (loaned by the National Museum in Riyadh), among many others. Bolster your knowledge through a series of film screenings curated by Emirati 62 World Traveller

artist Hind Mezaina (taking place each Saturday from 5 to 26 January), as well as talks and poetry performances designed to provide a richer insight.

The exhibition is taking place until 16 February 2019. Entry is free upon purchasing a ticket to the museum.

To find out more, call +971 600 56 55 66 or visit louvreabudhabi.ae

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TRAVEL NOTES

My Great Escapes Travel writer and photographer

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Michelle Karam, founder of Travel

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Junkie Diary, shares her best adventures traveljunkiediary.com, @traveljunkiediary

1. Maldives moments. One of the most beautiful Maldivian island resorts I’ve visited is Joali on Muravandhoo Island in the Raa Atoll, 45 minutes by seaplane from Male. It embraces creativity, with a fantastic collection of art and sculptural pieces to discover. 2. Ocean views in Madeira. I spent a week in Madeira with my family exploring the mountains, the ocean, the cuisine and the wonderful history that the region has to offer. This picture was taken at Belmond Reid's Palace, which is perched atop a cliff and has a view to take your breath away. 3. Finding the magic in Finland. You can fall in love with a place because of how it makes you feel, and Finland is where I found nature in the most magical way: sleeping in an aurora cabin under the stars and waking up to the sound of snow falling onto the rooftop. 4. Desert dreams. The UAE desert comes alive at sunrise and is one of the most beautiful

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places to photograph. I strongly advise you wake up early

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to experience the majesty of the dunes. 5. Family time in

Lisbon. Lisbon is one of my favourite European cities. I spent two weeks there with my family, staying at Avani Avenida Liberdade. My daughter and I were going to spend the day beside the pool but it started raining without warning. As we began to laugh, my husband took this picture. 6. Home to

Lebanon. A misunderstood country filled with nature, lakes, beaches, history, mountains and great food, Lebanon will always be my home. Seeing the Faqra Roman ruins is a must, as learning about the area’s rich history and culture is all part of the journey.

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WORLD TRAVELLER X AL MAHA, A LUXURY COLLECTION DESERT RESORT & SPA, DUBAI

STAYCATION

Al Maha, a Luxury Collection Desert Resort & Spa, Dubai Adopt the Bedouin way of life at this luxury resort in Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve THE SUITES You can get a real feel for the local culture inside these suites, which pay homage to the desert surroundings and are styled with Arabian artefacts and antiques.

Each one features an infinity style private pool that overlooks the golden dunes. Grab the binoculars from your room, head out onto the deck and wait for wildlife, such as gazelle and Arabian oryx, to wander into view.

DINING & SPA Al Diwaan invites you dine alfresco on the veranda for a breathtaking view of the reserve. Sample indigenous delicacies before heading upstairs to Hajar Terrace Bar for drinks. Indulgence of the pampering kind calls at Timeless Spa, which specialises in Middle Eastern and South East Asian aromatherapy traditions. Still the mind with a session in the therapy bath.

THE ACTIVITIES Archery, nature walks, desert drives, wildlife safaris, falconry, horse riding and camel trekking are just some of the thrilling ways to explore. Set off with a field guide who can offer an insight into the conservation projects in place as you search for telltale footprints. Sand gazelle, the Arabian red fox and Arabian oryx are among the four-legged friends who roam the area.

To find out more, call +971 4 832 9900 or visit marriott.com 64 World Traveller

EXCEPTIONAL, INDIGENOUS, EXPERIENCE. Experience the alluring, golden desert landscape, the captivating silence of nature, the free-roaming wildlife in the reserve, all enjoyed from your private suite and pool. Indulge in a luxurious desert adventure with camel treks, horseback riding, falconry, archery, dune drives and more.

HOTELS THAT DEFINE THE DESTINATION FOR RESERVATIONS, PLEASE CALL 971 4 832 9900 OR VISIT THELUXURYCOLLECTION.COM/ALMAHA

WORLD TRAVELLER X BAB AL SHAMS DESERT RESORT & SPA

STAYCATION

Bab Al Shams Desert Resort & Spa Fabled charm meets top-tier luxury at this desert dream getaway THE ROOMS Encapsulating the heart and soul of Arabia, swing open the doors of your room or suite to reveal an enchanting desert backdrop. Go wild by booking the Terrace Room, which offers a panoramic view of the expansive Palm Grove and towards the golden dunes where wildlife such as gazelle, geckos, cornucopias and the endangered Arabian oryx wander free in their natural habitat.

THE FOOD Foodies can embrace the holiday spirit thanks to the 10-day festive fiesta (from 20-30 December) at four of the main restaurants. Highlights include the festive brunch at Al Forsan, with its huge buffet and fun kids' area; the festive tree lighting on 7 Dec, complete with carols and traditional bites; and the spectacular New Year's Gala Dinner at Al Hadheerah, complete with firework display.

THE ACTIVITIES The weather is perfect at this time of year – ideal for ticking all those active pursuits off your wish list. Improve your stroke in the infinity pool, embark on a thrilling dune drive, or explore the local landscape on a fat bike. Horse and camel riding is also available – go at sunset for the best views. At the end of an actionpacked day, wind down in an outdoor cabana with a pampering spa treatment.

To find out more, call +971 4 809 6100 or visit babalshams.com 66 World Traveller

YOUR ULTIMATE DESERT ESCAPE.

Nestled among the dunes, Bab Al Shams Desert Resort & Spa is the world’s favourite choice for dream desert getaways.

This oasis of tranquility combines rustic charm with top-tier hospitality and luxury to bring to life an authentic desert experience.

Book directly with the hotel or through the hotel website and save on existing offers and special discounts BAB AL SHAMS DESERT RESORT & SPA Dubai,United Arab Emirates T:+971 4 809 6194, bas.reservations@meydanhotels.com babalshams.com /babalshamshotel

/babalshamshotel

/babalshamshotel

WORLD TRAVELLER X LE MÉRIDIEN AL AQAH BEACH RESORT

STAYCATION

Le Méridien Al Aqah Beach Resort Ramp up the fun factor on an all all-inclusive break at this family-friendly resort in Fujairah THE ROOMS Nestled between the ocean and the mountains, this popular beach resort is a draw card for fun seekers. Wake up to the sounds of waves lapping the shore and the marvellous sight of the Al Hajar mountain range, the highest in the Arabian Peninsula. The Penthouse Bedroom Suite has more than enough space for larger broods, accommodating up to nine people in style.

THE FOOD Home to eight dining venues, your taste buds are in for an adventure, too.

You can sink your teeth into delicious grills at the newly-refurbished Gonu as the fresh ocean breeze washes over you.

Alternatively, head to Views Restaurant for a delicious east-meets-west fusion buffet and live music or, for a taste of the exotic, simply reserve your table at the elegant Indian restaurant Swaad.

THE ACTIVITIES For some adrenaline-pumping fun, get warmed up for the resort’s own obstacle course, the Al Aqah Challenge. Featuring the first-of-its-kind rope course tower on the East Coast, you can take part in five activities under the watchful eye of the expert instructors. From zooming through the air on the zip lines to scaling the climbing wall, it’s sure to bring out your competitive side.

To find out more, call +971 9 244 9000 or visit marriott.com 68 World Traveller

WORLD TRAVELLER X JW MARRIOTT MARQUIS DUBAI

STAYCATION

JW Marriott Marquis Dubai Celebrate the festive season at the world's tallest five-star hotel THE ROOMS Having transformed itself into a festive wonderland, JW Marriott Marquis Dubai is a fitting place to spend the holidays, with ample space to welcome guests. Its 1,608 guestrooms and suites have luxurious finishings – think marble bathrooms with oversized tubs – with views of the glittering skyline or Dubai Water Canal. Families can book a suite and spread out in two separate living and sleeping areas.

THE FOOD There are 15 award-winning restaurants and bars at the property, each serving up a festive treat. Marvel at life-sized gingerbread house at the entrance of La Farine Café & Bakery, before having a cosy afternoon tea. Join the Festive Wanderlust brunch on 25 Dec, which promises a merry time with 11 live stations, or ring in 2019 with a six-course menu at Prime68, as fireworks illuminate the night's sky.

THE ACTIVITIES The hotel is close to many of Dubai's top attractions, but there are lots of perks that'll tempt you to linger at the property.

Take a dip in the sparkling outdoor swimming pool or, for a spot of pampering, head to the opulent Saray Spa, which has 17 treatment rooms and the UAE's only Dead Sea floatation pool. Try The Saray Golden Hammam, which includes a decadent skin massage using 24-karat gold.

To find out more, call +971 4 414 3000 or visit jwmarriottmarquisdubailife.com 70 World Traveller

Festive Celebrations at JW Marriott Marquis Dubai.

Elevate your festivities to new heights at JW Marriott Marquis Dubai, your ultimate dining destination. Make this festive season extra special for you and your loved ones with impeccable dishes, fun entertainment and memorable experiences.

FESTIVE MARKET AND EXCITING MENUS MERRY FAMILY CELEBRATIONS AFTERNOON TEA IN A LIFE-SIZE GINGERBREAD HOUSE AWARD-WINNING TURKEY TAKEAWAY EPIC NEW YEAR’S EVE PARTIES Indulge in award-winning cuisine this Festive Season, one dish at a time.

For more information, call +971 4 414 3000 or visit jwmarriottmarquisdubailife.com

JW Marriott® Marquis® Hotel Dubai Sheikh Zayed Road, Business Bay, PO Box 121000, Dubai, UAE | T + 971 4 414 3000 | jwmarriottmarquisdubailife.com jwmarriottmarquisdubai | jwdubaimarquis | jwmarriottmarquisdubai | #jwmmfestive

NEW YEAR, NEW DEALS! Welcoming in a new year is the perfect time for a new experience. Book a trip to one of our top destinations like New York City, Edinburgh, Hong Kong or Sydney.

Book at dnatatravel.com call 800 DNATA (36282) or speak to us in-store Download our app

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Reader offers Great deals to get you packing

THE HOLIDAYS ARE COMING Whether you're hoping to see some winter snow, or want to spend the festive break on a tropical island like Outrigger Konotta Maldives Resort (page 75), we've got a deal for you‌

World Traveller 73

THE FANTASTIC FOUR

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GEORGIA

WINTER SKI GETAWAY

4 nights starting from USD480 per person

Includes: A 2-night stay in Tbilisi and 2 nights in Gudauri ski resort; 4-star accommodation with daily breakfast; return airport transfers including a transfer from Tbilisi to Gudauri ski resort; city tours of Tbilisi and Mtksheta (the old capital of Georgia); and a day tour to the Ananuri-Kazbegi mountains.

Valid from: Now until 31 March 2019.

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FRANCE

CLUB MED ALL-INCLUSIVE SKI HOLIDAY

4 nights starting from USD1,085 per person

Includes: 4 nights at the 4-star Club Med Grand Massif Samoens Morillon in a club room; daily breakfast, lunch, dinner and drinks; ski passes and ski lessons; entertainment; complimentary access to kids' club for ages 4-17.

Valid from: Now until 31 March 2019.

ICELAND

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FINLAND

WINTER ADVENTURES

ULTIMATE ARTIC ADVENTURE

Includes: Small group tour in comfortable tourist class accommodation with daily breakfast; 2 lunches and 2 dinners; exploration of Iceland's glaciers and waterfalls; excursion in search of the dazzling displays of the Northern Lights; natural hot springs bathing; Golden Circle sightseeing; Lava caving; exploration of Reykjavik; and transportation throughout.

Valid from: Now until 31 March 2019.

Includes: 6 nights in first class hotels; 1 night in Glass Igloo; daily breakfast and 4 lunches; daily activities including King Crab Safari; Reindeer Farm with sledge drive; Snowshoes safari; visit to Artic Snow Hotel and dinner; Husky Farm visit with sledge drive; Rovaniemi and Santa Claus Village; Sampo Icebreaker cruise and ice swimming; Kemi Snow Castle visit; return airport transfers and transportation throughout.

Valid from: 6 January to 24 March 2019.

6 nights starting from USD2,315 per person

7 nights starting from USD3,765 per person

DNATA TRAVEL OFFERS

THAILAND

ANANTARA PHUKET LAYAN RESORT & SPA

3 nights starting from USD765 per person

Includes: Stay 3 nights in a Sala Pool Villa with breakfast daily and return airport transfers.

Offer: 20% discount on room rate.

Valid from: Now until 31 January 2019.

UNITED KINGDOM MAYKENBEL LUXURY SERVICED APARTMENTS, LONDON

3 nights starting from USD482 per person

Includes: Stay 3 nights in a Studio Apartment at 130 Queen's Gate and return airport transfers.

Valid from: Now until 31 March 2019.

GERMANY

FAIRMONT HOTEL VIER JAHRESZEITEN, HAMBURG

3 nights starting from USD810 per person

Includes: Stay 3 nights in a Deluxe Room Courtyard with breakfast daily and return airport transfers.

Offer: 20% discount on room rate.

Valid from: Now until 31 March 2019.

FRANCE

LE ROYAL MONCEAU, RAFFLES PARIS

3 nights starting from USD1,110 per person

Includes: Stay 3 nights in a Studio Room with breakfast daily and return airport transfers.

Offer: 20% discount on room rate.

Valid from: Now until 31 December 2018.

CZECH REPUBLIC

Anantara Phuket Layan Resort & Spa

AROUND THE WORLD

INTERCONTINENTAL PRAGUE HOTEL

3 nights starting from USD260 per person

Includes: Stay 3 nights in a Classic Room with breakfast daily and return airport transfers.

Offer: 15% discount on room rate and complimentary upgrade to Deluxe Room.

Valid from: Now until 31 March 2019.

MALDIVES

Le Royal Monceau, Raffles Paris Universal Studios Singapore

Outrigger Konotta Maldives Resort

OUTRIGGER KONOTTA MALDIVES RESORT

3 nights starting from USD1466 per person

Includes: Stay 3 nights in a Beach Villa with private pool, breakfast and dinner daily and return seaplane transfers.

Offer: 35% discount on room rate, complimentary upgrade to half board and 20% discount on seaplane transfers.

Valid from: Now until 28 April 2019.

SINGAPORE

FAMILY FUN AT UNIVERSAL STUDIOS TM, SENTOSA

3 nights starting from USD335 per person

Includes: A 3-night stay at Orchard Hotel Singapore with breakfast daily; 1-day pass to Universal Studios Sentosa, including unlimited access to cutting-edge rides including Transformers The Ride, roller coasters and many more; and return transfers to Sentosa.

Offer: 20% discount on the room rate.

Valid from: Now until 28 April 2019.

TURKEY

RITZ-CARLTON ISTANBUL

3 nights starting from USD346 per person

Fairmont Hotel Vier Jahreszeiten, Hamburg

Includes: Stay 3 nights in a Deluxe City View Room with breakfast daily and return airport transfers.

Offer: 30% discount on room rate.

Valid from: Now until 31 January 2019.

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DNATA TRAVEL OFFERS

WEEKEND ESCAPES

Hilton Dubai Al Habtoor City Jumeirah At Saadiyat Island Abu Dhabi

Nikki Beach Resort & Spa Dubai

UAE

JUMEIRAH AT SAADIYAT ISLAND ABU DHABI 1 night starting from USD341 per person Special offer: Special rate.

Includes: Stay in an Ocean Deluxe Room with breakfast and dinner and return airport transfers.

Valid from: Now until 24 December 2018.

ANANTARA EASTERN MANGROVES HOTEL & SPA 1 night starting from USD194 per person Special offer: 15% discount on room rate.

Includes: Stay in a Deluxe Balcony Room with breakfast and dinner and return airport transfers.

Valid from: Now until 31 October 2019.

(Book 7 days prior to arrival.)

NIKKI BEACH RESORT & SPA DUBAI 1 night starting from USD195 per person Special offer: 20% discount on room rate.

Includes: Stay in a Covet Room with breakfast and return airport transfers.

Valid from: Now until 24 December 2018.

HILTON DUBAI AL HABTOOR CITY 1 night starting from USD100 per person Special offer: 10% discount on room rate.

Includes: Stay in a Guest Room with breakfast and return airport transfers.

Valid from: Now until 30 April 2019.

(Book by 25 December 2018).

OMAN

RADISSON BLU YAS ISLAND ABU DHABI 2 nights starting from USD127 per person Special offer: Special rate.

Includes: Stay in a Standard Room with breakfast.

Valid from: Now until 24 Decemeber 2018.

THE CHEDI MUSCAT 4 nights starting from USD1,122 per person Special offer: 15% discount, a complimentary upgrade to next room category, 10% discount at the spa and a 10% discount on food and beverage.

Includes: Stay in a Serai Room with daily breakfast and return airport transfers.

Valid from: Now until 31 January 2019.

GRAND HYATT ABU DHABI HOTEL & RESIDENCES EMIRATES PEARL 1 night starting from USD105 per person Special offer: 20% discount on room rate and upgrade to next room category.

Includes: Stay in a Standard Room with breakfast and return airport transfers.

Valid from: Now until 30 September 2019.

(Book by 31 December 2018).

SOFITEL BAHRAIN ZALLAQ THALASSA SEA AND SPA 3 nights starting from USD321 per person Special offer: Stay 2 nights and receive an additional night free.

Includes: Stay in a Superior Room with breakfast and daily and return airport transfers.

How to book

76 World Traveller

Grand Hyatt Abu Dhabi Hotel & Residences Emirates Pearl

Sofitel Bahrain Zallaq Thalassa Sea And Spa

BAHRAIN

By calling dnata on +971 4 316 6666

By stepping into a dnata outlet or by visiting dnatatravel.com

On the website you can also sign up to the dnata newsletter and receive more offers direct to your inbox. T&Cs apply.

THE PERFECT SKI HOLIDAY All-Inclusive by Club Med 7 NIGHTS, ALL-INCLUSIVE + FLIGHTS FROM AED8,899pp*

All-Inclusive package includes:

Premium Rooms Gourmet Cuisine

Beverages

Expert Childcare Over 60 sports

Ski Lift Pass

...and so much more!

Experience originality at Club Med Saint Moritz Roi Soleil nestled at the foot of the Swiss Alps – the birthplace of Alpine Skiing, an ideal choice for an All-Inclusive, hassle free skiing holiday.

Find out more at www.dnatatravel.com To book call 800 DNATA (36282) or speak to us in-store Download our app

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*Terms & conditions applied. Price is per person based on two people staying seven nights at the 4* Club Med Saint Moritz Soleil Hotel on a all-inclusive basis, with return economy flights. Traveling between 01/12/2018 to 31/03/2019. Subject to availability.

Ski Lessons

DIGITAL

Reethi Faru Resort

Win a Maldives holiday!

In need of a tropical island escape?

We’re giving away a three-night stay at Reethi Faru Resort. Just a 45-minute seaplane ride away from Male International Airport, the lucky recipient will stay in a Jacuzzi Beach Villa on a halfboard basis, with a complimentary massage for two people and a diving activity thrown in. To enter, visit worldtravellermagazine.com

Twiddling your thumbs between issues? Simply visit worldtravellermagazine.com for even more travel inspo, and carry on the conversation on our social channels

Desert Islands Resort & Spa by Anantara

Used up all your annual leave? There’s still time to squeeze in one last trip of the year. For inspiration, head straight to our weekends section for ideas on where to spend a your free days, as well as top hotels on home turf.

MINI BREAK Our handy guides to easy-toreach destinations perfect for a long weekend away

An aerial view of Emirates Palace, by Seawings

Happy GET CLICK

Palazzo Versace Dubai

STAYCATIONS Hot hotels on your doorstep that’ll put you in a holiday state of mind

Follow us on Instagram @dnataworldtraveller to double tap our dreamy destination shots and tag us in your images for a chance to feature on our wall.

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Tweet with us @WT_Magazine – make the most of your 280-character allowance by sharing your best travel moments with us.

TRAVEL INSPIRATION AT YOUR FINGERTIPS

Available on your desktop, tablet and smartphone World Traveller 79

Suite dreams Our monthly finish with a flourish, delving into a suite that has a character and style all of its own

Signature Suite

Hotel Montalembert, Paris Though renowned for its extravagant palace hotels, it's the boutique properties of Paris where guests really get to savour the vibe of the city.

Styled to feel as though you're staying in your own apartment, albeit one housed at the top of a beautiful Haussmann-style building which dates to 1926, the Signature Suite at the wonderfully welcoming Hotel Montalembert is dressed in the finery you'd expect of Paris: heavy oak flooring, marble in the bathroom, silk curtains and Hermès’ detail.

The walls are also adorned with paintings by French artist Jean-Pierre Bourquin, yet it's the framed real-life shot of Eiffel Tower that you won't be able to take your eyes off. Hotel Montalembert is a member of the Preferred Hotels & Resorts L.V.X. Collection.

80 World Traveller

Abu Dhabi boasts a treasure trove of culture, just waiting to be discovered.

From its rich historic traditions to its vibrant, dynamic arts scene.

From a wealth of spectacular sites which offer a window into the past, to a calendar of world-class events with contemporary vigour, tradition and heritage.

Now, all of Abu Dhabi’s cultural heritage is in one place for you.

Abu Dhabi Culture is an easy-to-use platform offering the full breadth and depth of Abu Dhabi’s cultural information, right at your fingertips.

Explore every historic topic, keep up-to-date with every calendar event, browse our latest photography and videography libraries, or go exploring via the walk-throughs and interactive maps.