World Traveller - February'21

INSPIRED BY

ISSUE 147 | FEBRUARY 2021 | DHS 15

Reimagine

SINGAPORE

Produced in Dubai Production City

Chock-full of colourful districts, The Lion City is made for seeing on foot

The Perfectly Splendid Hideaway Come hide away from all your worries and experience the best retreat in the Maldives hideawaybeachmaldives.com reservations@hideawaybeachmaldives.com /hideawaybeachmaldives

/hideawaybeachresortmaldives

Welcome note

If there is a downside to basking in year-round sunshine, it's that we don't get to witness the passing of the seasons, to see how their characteristics restyle the landscape, painting a whole new picture.

Managing Director Victoria Thatcher Chief Creative Officer John Thatcher General Manager David Wade Content & Social Editor Hayley Kadrou Deputy Editor Sophia Dyer Art Director Kerri Bennett Digital Media Manager Muthu Kumar

In this issue we'll take you on a journey to places where that picture is vivid, from autumnal hues in New England (p52) to snow-capped buildings in Prague (p34).

If you're still to decide where to go when the time is right, our team of intrepid explorers have spent their downtime compiling the ultimate bucket list.

Starting in this issue with the first 25, over the next four issues we'll reveal 100 of our favourite travel experiences (p20).

We'll also take you on a walking tour of Singapore (p14), which has put in place strict, technology driven measures to ensure visitors can enjoy its myriad attractions without compromising on safety.

Enjoy the trip.

The World Traveller Team

FIVE THINGS WE LEARNED THIS ISSUE: 1

Candlenut in Singapore is the only Michelinstar restaurant serving Peranakan, the tasty fusion of Chinese and Malay cuisine p18

2

Opulence abounds at Versailles Palace for good reason: it took 30,000 people to create it. p28

3

The late fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent purchased Morocco's colourful Majorelle Garden and its villa (below) in 1980. p41

4

Pane carasau is the name of Sardinia's traditional wafer-thin crisp bread, which is best when buttersoaked and topped with chilli and garlic. p47

5

Founded in 1790, the Shakers were an agricultural community in New England that kept to themselves for almost 200 years. p54 INSPIRED BY

Photography credits: iStock by Getty Images, supplied Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission from HOT Media is strictly prohibited.

HOT Media does not accept liability for omissions or errors in World Traveller.

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

COVER IMAGE Little India, Singapore

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Contents February 2021 Venice Simplon-Orient-Express train

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GLOBETROTTER

regulars 06

11

GLOBETROTTER

READER OFFERS

The destinations topping our list this month include Sri Lanka's seaside resort town of Hikkaduwa.

London's new hotel hotspot; new routes to travel aboard the Venice Simplon-OrientExpress; and a walking tour of Singapore.

It's time we sent you packing. Choose your next adventure, whether near or far, from our exclusive reader offers.

OH, THE PLACES YOU'LL GO

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60

64

SUITE DREAMS

Jordan's natural charms lure us there this month, where the twostorey Kempinski Ishtar Dead Sea serves our need for a revtalising boost.

CONTENTS

features

20

34

40

46

Over the next four issues we’ll list 100 of our favourite travel experiences. Eyes down for the first 25...

With its snowy spires, Prague truly glitters in winter – and Sean Newsom takes a shine to it.

Only the bold would brave its searing summer. But a spring spin through Morocco is a breeze.

Alex Allen guarantees you’ll have Sardinia all to yourself in the height of summer – if you know where to look.

ESSENTIAL TRAVEL

ICED GEM

MOROCCAN ROLL

A SENSE OF CALM

52

ALL-TIME GLOW

Russet treetops, chocolate-box towns and a dose of American art – fall for autumn in New England.

42 MOROCCO

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OH, THE PLACES YOU'LL GO Emily Williams, dnata Travel’s resident globetrotter, reveals the places to add to your must-go list

Jerash, Jordan

The wonders of Jordan, from the largest natural spa in the world – the Dead Sea – to the Mars-like Wadi Rum desert, and the time-defying ‘lost city’ of Petra, will leave you amazed. At a short flight-time from the UAE, take advantage of being located amidst this beautiful part of the world with a journey to Jordan to experience some of the most impressive ancient wonders of the Middle East. Located north of its vibrant capital city, Amman, at just under a one-hour drive time, Jerash constitutes Jordan's largest and most impressive Roman ruins. With its epic colonnades, old forums, fascinating temples and plazas, Jerash is renowned as one of the most amazing, best-preserved Roman provincial cities on the planet.

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WISH LIST DESTINATIONS

Singapore

For the glitz of the Singapore Grand Prix; the world’s tallest infinity pool at Marina Bay Sands; the excellent shopping; the flavours of the world’s most affordable Michelin star dining (see Hawker Chan); endless thrills at beach-fringed adventure playground, Sentosa Island; or to be at the heart of a city that never sleeps… Singapore is an island full of opportunities for every type of traveller. Its world-class dining, entertainment and accommodation options are complemented, by its natural beauty. Known as one of the most impeccably clean and well-maintained cities in the world, its sparkling city skyline is juxtaposed by lush green spaces, pretty parks, the attractive banks of the Singapore River, and beaches on the coast.

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Chefchaouen, Morocco

Undoubtedly one of the most Instagrammable cities in the world, beautiful Chefchaouen is also known as ‘the blue pearl of Morocco’. Located amidst the rolling green peaks of the stunning Rif Mountains in the northwest of the country between Tangier and Fes, the best way to reach this incredible location is to fly to one of the aforementioned cities then take an (approximate) hour-long trip in a bus or taxi. Chefchaouen is certainly worth the journey.

The striking blue-washed buildings and cobbled, maze-like streets of its old town make for one of the prettiest locations for shopping in the world, with a relaxed vibe that’s hard to find in other, bustling Morrocan cities. Find here a mesmerising traditional souk, a 15th-century fortress at the heart of its main square and, for nature lovers, approximately 30-minutes from the town centre lies a beautiful tourist trail with stunning waterfalls.

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WISH LIST DESTINATIONS

Hikkaduwa, Sri Lanka

The pretty seaside resort town of Hikkaduwa is one of the most popular locations on Sri Lanka’s southwest coast. Here, a number of beautiful beaches line the coast and are in easy distance of each other to take a ‘beach tour’ with a fun Tuk-Tuk ride – including to the beach fronts of the neighbouring towns of Mirissa, known for its spectacular beach, and Galle, the latter also famous for its fort, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Find in Hikkaduwa and its surrounding towns some of the best surf in the country, while Hikkaduwa Beach in particular is known for being one of the longest in Sri Lanka, with lots to explore from its range of delicious local eateries to quaint shops. The Hikkaduwa National Park is a coral sanctuary that's home to exotic fish and marine turtles, and a popular spot for snorkelling.

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RARE, INDIGENOUS, CAPTIVATING 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 AL-MAHA.COM

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FEBRUARY

Globetrotter Be informed, be inspired, be there

STRICTLY PRIVATE What’s in a name? Turns out, quite a lot. Ithaafushi - The Private Island, meaning ‘Pearl Island’ in the Maldivian language of Dhivehi, is, as its name suggests, both beautiful and rare. A new addition to the awardwinning Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi resort, Ithaafushi – The Private Island stands alone, the Maldives' largest isolated island.

Redefining personalised travel, it homes only 24 guests in three villas, providing for bespoke experiences at every turn. At its centre is the ocean-facing Haali ('nest'), which can become an outdoor cinema or host bespoke dining experiences, whichever your wish – ideal for the most romantic of gestures this Valentine's Day. worldtravellerme.com 11

GLOBETROTTER

NoMad London

A FLAVOUR OF FLORENCE

Popping up on our radar is Andrea Auletta’s latest hotel project in Florence, Il Tornabunoi which is set to open this spring.

A stone’s throw away from the Ponte Vecchio, a stay here lands you in the historic shopping centre. Each of the 63 rooms has been designed in a different decadent palette.

On the ground floor is the Il Magnifico Restaurant & Bistro, which pays homage to traditional Tuscan cuisine. While the Lucie Gourmet restaurant will serve an array of international flavours on its elegant terrace. iltornabuonihotel.it

ALL ABOARD

THE PICTURE OF TASTE Once visited by Oscar Wilde and the infamous Kray Twins, the former Bow Street Magistrates’ Court and Police Station has seen its fair share of drama.

This month, the Grade II-listed building will throw open its doors (pandemic permitting) to a theatrical interior display – one that is characteristic of the NoMad brand. With just 91 rooms,

the NoMad London is an intimate venue crafted by Roman & Williams in artistic unison with the building’s history and Covent Garden location. Drawing connection between the brand's New York property, it will home a variety of gastronomic highlights – ranging from intimate to ostentatious – overseen by Executive Chef Ian Coogan.

Pioneers of travel luggage, Rimowa has released its first soft-bag collection. It includes The Weekender, designed to take you from work to leisure.

Made in Italy, the canvas and leather bag has two spacious compartments that comfortably fit everything you need for a city break, including a 15” laptop.

Dhs5,890 at rimowa.com/ae

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Journeying back to the golden age of travel, Belmond has announced new Grand Tour routes across Europe aboard its Venice SimplonOrient-Express train. The new passages voyage through Italy, Switzerland, Belgium and The Netherlands. After the train came to a halt and the world changed the way we holiday, the tour will meet a new demand for slow travel.

Gary Franklin, Vice President, Trains & Cruises said, “We identified some exciting new destinations and routes, offering an increased number of ways to see Europe whether for a long weekend or as part of an extended tour.” The 2021 season, which begins in March, will see the addition of three new Grand Suites on the train, named after the cities, they were inspired by: Vienna, Budapest and Prague.

GLOBETROTTER

HOW WE TRAVEL THE FIRST PLACE ON MY POST-PANDEMIC TRAVEL LIST IS… Dana: I want to either go on a ski trip to somewhere like Zermatt, or go on a beach holiday with friends to one of the Greek islands.

Rasha: My dream is to go to South America, but realistically, I see either Bali or Greece as more suitable options.

From top to bottom: A market in Marrakech; natural tote with double handle from Kinzzi; Byron Bay

WE LOVE TO SHOP FOR UNIQUE FINDS IN… Both: Any country, city, village or small town that has a unique market showcasing artisinal craftsmanship.

THE THING WE LOVE MOST ABOUT TRAVELLING IS… Both: Exploring new countries and meeting interesting people from different cultures. We love discovering hidden gems like small cafes, independent boutiques and local markets.

IF YOU’RE LOOKING TO FIND UNIQUE SOUVENIRS WHILE ON HOLIDAY TRY …

Both: Shopping the independent shops and boutiques. Or, go to the source - in the workshops and homes of local artisans to ensure you find authentic goods.

Images via Unsplash

MY TOP-THREE HOLIDAY DESTINATIONS ARE… Dana: Bali, Rio De Janeiro and Lapland. Rasha: Marrakech, Tokyo and Cortina.

THE TRIP THAT CHANGED OUR LIVES WAS… Both: Sri Lanka. We travelled with a big group of friends,

As fo SAR

Founders of lifestyle marketplace Kinzzi (kinzzi.com) Dana Jaber and Rasha Abdelhadi share a love of travel and finding local ‘treasure’ and while getting lost in local boutiques we discovered a shared love for unusual objects and a synergy in our tastes.

WE KEEP OURSELVES ENTERTAINED WHILE TRAVELLING BY… Both: Listening to podcasts, music, reading books and watching movies.

WHEN I TRAVEL I PACK… Dana: A large, natural tote bag, jeans and flipflops! I can walk around an entire city in them.

Rasha: Running shoes, a pair of earrings and eye cream.

ON MY BUCKET LIST IS… Dana: Hitting the beaches of Byron Bay, skiing in Costa Rica and exploring Japan.

Rasha: A 3 month-long trip exploring South America and to catch the Northern Lights in Iceland.

THE BEST ’TREASURE' I FOUND WHILE TRAVELLING WAS… Dana: A white silk dress from one of the cool stores in Bali.

Rasha: Three coloured lanterns that I found in Nappa Valley.

OUR TOP-TIP FOR MARKET HAGGLING IS… Both: We get so excited when we come across items we love that it can be hard for us to haggle! Make them an offer (that is fair compared to market rate)

and prep yourself to walk away if it isn't accepted – that’s important.

IF YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE SOMETHING IS ETHICALLY SOURCED...

Both: Information is key, so it's best to ask lots of questions. Make an effort to meet the artisans to learn about their story and process. Also, research the products and materials that are being used. worldtravellerme.com 13

GLOBETROTTER

Walk This Way Full of flavourful districts, Singapore is a city that’s made for enjoying on foot. Since its birth as a trading post two centuries ago, Asia’s ‘clean machine’ – a reputation it's lived up to by implementing a raft of strict, technology-driven measures to ensure visitors' safety at this time – has drawn settlers (Indian, Chinese, Arabic, Western) into a cauldron of walkable quarters that major in zingy food and late-night drinks. Bring comfy shoes and an appetite. Singapore is somewhere you'll savour.

Words: Neil English

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SINGAPORE

SEE AND DO On the first morning, hit Chinatown — the escalator from the MRT station spits you right into Pagoda Street. The area is squeaky-clean, with touristy outlets such as Gift Shop and Perfect Shop, but it’s still a stroller’s delight, strung with lanterns. Duck into the Chinatown Heritage Centre, displaying creaky recreated ’50s homes. And inhale incense and mystery in the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple, where robed masses chant hypnotically.

Make Kampong Glam — Little Middle East — your next goal. It’s a scrum of Malay and Indian-Muslim streets lined with shophouses (ornately painted, with residences above stores). There are Turkish and Lebanese restaurants, piles of fabrics and rugs for sale, and palm trees framing the gold orblike dome of the Masjid Sultan, or Sultan Mosque 4. On a Makan Makan tour (woknstroll.com.sg), hoover up potato-and-sardine curry puffs and sip ginger milk tea, then lunch: spicy chicken with rice, perhaps?

Geylang Serai is Singapore’s top fresh-food market. Pucker-lipped bass are arrayed shinily on ice; live molluscs clatter, dragging their shells. Amble in awe with ‘food sorceress’ Ruqxana Vasanwala as you stock up for her Asian-cuisine class (cookerymagic. com). Whether cooking Assam (tamarind) prawns or mango curry, you’ll get chef tricks and passionate foodie tales.

The Geylang district is richly culinary. Cruise parallel streets Sims Avenue and Geylang Road — and be bold! Try frog porridge, a soup of tender frogs’ legs in soy sauce and spring onions with gloopy rice. Try regional fruit, too — mangosteen, dragon fruit, rambutan and durian, which is sewage-pungent on the outside, but sweet as pie within.

Time to burn calories. If footsore, try a 15km Bike & Bites guided meander (letsgobikesingapore.com). Kampong Glam and Chinatown feature, as does Little India, a whirl of shoppers’ psychedelic saris and biryani joints (try the mutton variety at NGTC, on the junction of Syed Alwi and Verdun Roads. Fiery, succulent, moreish).

Left: Marina Bay Sands These pages, clockwise from top left: MICA building; Orchard Road; East Coast Park

Ramblers rejoice: Singapore is a green and pleasant land. A 15-minute taxi ride from the centre, MacRitchie Reservoir Park is a leafy Eden for an afternoon. Take a walk in the rainforest — it’s 5C hotter than in town, and the 11km nature trail will make you sweat. But seeing flying lemurs and squirrels in the rainforest is worth the effort, and dodging cheeky macaques with their mobile-grabbing ways is unforgettable.

For a cool-down moment, locate the indoor waterfall in the Cloud Forest, part of Gardens by the Bay. Singapore’s nature park is a headturner, in a pair of greenhouse domes like dinosaur skeletons. Raining down

from 30 metres on high, the cascade emits a chill mist, and the tropical flora come from around the world.

As you explore, look for the baobabs in the Flower Dome and the rare yellow Kangaroo’s Paw bloom in the Australian Garden.

Stay on at the Gardens by the Bay for nightfall, and the neck-craning beauty of the Supertrees: a cosmic grove of solar-powered palm-like structures, wrapped in living plants.

Twice a night, a light-fantasia erupts to the sounds of poignant childhoodmovie songs.

Wander until you find a spot to lie down and gaze up, reflecting on your whirlwind Singapore fling. worldtravellerme.com 15

GLOBETROTTER

EAT & DRINK LAU PA SAT SATAY STREET Because: From 7pm, the road outside this Central Business District hawker centre fills with tables and a party vibe. Barbecues turn out satay (skewered meats with sauce) ’til 1am.

WT’s tip: Bring wet wipes — they don’t supply napkins here.

FOLKLORE Because: Set to reopen next month, historic household recipes — say, stingray grilled in banana leaf with a sambal crust — are the focus.

WT’s tip: Talk to chef Damian D’Silva if you can.

The man is fascinating and starred on Masterchef Singapore.

CANDLENUT Because: This is the only Michelin-star restaurant serving Peranakan, the tasty fusion of Chinese and Malay cuisine. Wagyu-beef rendang is so good it could turn a vegetarian.

WT’s tip: Dishes are rich, so order to share.

WT’s tip: The free-flow wine and bubbly deal is too tempting to turn down.

NOURI Because: When Heston Blumenthal says, ‘We sorely missed his exciting input when he left the Fat Duck,’ you know you need to try Brazilian chef Ivan Brehm’s food. Pray for Spanish prawn bouillabaisse with prawn-head emulsion, saffron gel, fennel flowers and pollen.

WT’s tip: Sit close to the open work station to witness the skill and detail of Ivan and team.

LONG BAR Because: A Singapore Sling in Raffles hotel’s iconic bar is a ritual, recalling the days when plantation owners settled in with ladies (for whom the pink drink was created).

WT’s tip: Ask to hand-operate the Singapore Sling multishaker — you’ll get a cheer from the crowd for your efforts.

SOUTHBRIDGE LIME

Because: A glass of Champagne and a dozen chilled oysters are all you need to maximise your enjoyment of the skyline views from this cosy terrace.

WT’s tip: Skip the full food menu, as along the quay you’ll find some fantastic seafood spots.

Credit: The Sunday Times Travel Magazine/News Licensing; images supplied

Because: Beneath the Parkroyal Hotel’s hanginggarden terraces you can graze to oblivion on topgrade sushi and lobster, proceed to hot wok treats, and end with cheeses and puds.

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SINGAPORE

WHERE TO STAY M SOCIAL Because: This is great value for such striking modernity, in swathes of Philippe Starck-designed inlaid flooring and furniture carved from reclaimed wood. Even the lava lamps fit in.

WT’s tip: Order a drink to your room and watch the R2D2-shaped robot sweep up the corridor to deliver it to you.

THE WAREHOUSE HOTEL Because: With a central (but not too central) river location at Robertson Quay, this spot is all serenity and birdsong. Design is anything but dozy, though: Edison bulbs, brick walls and metal beams in this colonial warehouse are on-trend.

WT’s tip: The glass-walled rooftop infinity pool is perfect for a lazy morning in the sun.

Left: Folklore These pages, from top to bottom: infinity pool at Marina Bay Sands; The Warehouse Hotel

THE VAGABOND CLUB Because: Its infamous past is glossed over, yet stylishly alluded to, with art-lined walls in the bar, lashings of tassels on red-velvet furnishings and ceilings of faux gold leaf.

WT’s tip: Forego lunch in-house for the spicy, cheap, authentic treats of Little India, which is right on your doorstep. Look for Zam Zam, which specialises in murtabak (pan-fried parcels of dough stuffed with minced meats, spices, herbs and eggs).

MARINA BAY SANDS Because: You’ve seen it in the pictures — a hulking trio of towers supporting a sky-high roof and head-spinning infinity pool, home to 2,500-plus rooms and scores of restaurants. It won’t disappoint.

WT’s tip: For eccentricity, board a pod on the Ferris wheel inside the hotel’s nightclub.

THE CAPITOL KEMPINSKI Because: You’ll feel your heart rate slow on entering this haven of Asian tranquillity, set in conjoined NeoClassical and Venetian Renaissance buildings (where sailors once stayed for less than $2 a night!). It’s just 15

minutes by taxi from Gardens by the Bay, too.

WT’s tip: If you have one break from Asian food, make it Wiener schnitzel at Frieda in the hotel arcade.

RAFFLES Because: One of Asia’s prime historic hotels re-emerged as a superb slice of mod-colonial luxury.

Suites channel the suave spirit of former guest Somerset Maugham, in exquisite espresso-tone woods and louvred shutters, white-marble floors and delicious dinners, particularly in the (north-Indian) Tiffin Room.

WT’s tip: The Long Bar rightly tops tourists’ lists. But far more elegant is the Writers Bar in the lobby. worldtravellerme.com 17

5 ways the Waldorf Astoria Maldives Ithaafushi redefines Indian Ocean luxury

Four-bedroom residence

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WORLD TRAVELLER X WALDORF ASTORIA MALDIVES ITHAAFUSHI

T

hose who have been to the Maldives before, know the drill. White sand beaches, gradient ocean views and luxurious accommodation are archetypal of an atoll stay. However, rewriting the paradisiacal Indian Ocean narrative for a select few comes, Ithaafushi - The Private Island. Promising a unique Maldivian experience, here are five reasons this private island by Waldorf Astoria is a cut above.

1

BESPOKE SERVICE Sleeping just 24 guests on the entire island (which is set away from the main resort) in three villas, the concierge team is always available for the lucky few that shack up here.

Offering unparalleled levels of bespoke luxury, almost every experience is customisable. At the heart of the island, is Haali, meaning ‘The Nest’ in Dhivehi, the local language of the Maldives, where guests can curate their own experience, from an evening cinema showing under the stars, to a celebratory meal that’s served in style.

Haali aerial view

2

PERSONALISED WELLNESS Drawing inspiration from its serene surrounds, the island aims to rejuvenate – naturally. Housing the Maldives’ first Wellness Concierge service, personalised treatments seek to relax and rebalance. Each month the island will host industry-leading practitioners in disciplines such as Ayurvedic energy treatments and reflexology. If boosting your metabolism is high on your atoll agenda, wellness programmes and private exercise classes mean you will leave feeling revitalised.

3

ACCOMMODATION The two-bedroom overwater villa has two spacious master bedrooms, double dressing rooms, indoor and outdoor rain showers, living room, infinity pool and Jacuzzi. While the, larger three-bedroom villa stands alone in the midst of the green gardens, boasting two palm tree-shaded swimming pools. The four-bedroom residence contains two king bedrooms, two queen bedrooms, Jacuzzies and a living area - all with direct access to the beach.

Two Bedroom Overwater Villa

4

WORLD-CLASS DINING There are 11 speciality eateries at the main resort, each crafted by chefs of the highest ilk. The Ledge, helmed by Dave Pynt (the brains behind Singapore’s Michelin-starred Burnt Ends), puts a delicious twist on Australian barbecue.

Elevating dinner to the next level is finedining restaurant Terra, where guests can dine in bamboo pods overlooking the canopies of trees and azure waters below.

While ocean-facing Yasmeen takes guests on a gastronomical journey around Arabia.

5

WATERSPORTS Inviting guests to take advantage of the turquoise waters - that they can proudly call their own during a stay here - Ithaafushi has a comprehensive range

The yoga pavilion

of water-based activities. From soaring high above the waters while parasailing, to diving into the dark depths to explore shipwrecks perched on the ocean bed.

Unique fishing experiences, surfing and snorkelling excursions can be arranged in total privacy. ithaafushiprivateisland.com worldtravellerme.com 19

Essential Travel: Part 1 There’s no time like the present to plan your next adventure. Over the next four issues we’ll feature 100 of our favourite travel experiences, so grab some paper, sharpen that pencil, and start reworking that bucket list…

This page: Acropolis in Athens at spring

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ESSENTIAL TRAVEL

Visit the Acropolis Greece

The inquisitive travellers and prospective conquerors who first laid eyes on the Acropolis would have immediately understood the power of its creators. The towering columns of the Parthenon, the looming marble façades, the intricate sculptures of the Erechtheion: all were designed to showcase the muscle and might of classical Greece, an effect that holds true to this day. The settlement sits on a natural rock platform, high above the sprawl of Athens, its white marble columns still dazzling in the sun. There’s no better place to tread in the historic footsteps of the ancient Athenians.

Whale watch in Kaikoura New Zealand

Most whale watching experiences are carefully timed to catch pods of on their annual migrations – but not in Kaikoura, one of the few places in the world where giant sperm whales can be seen year-round, and close to shore. The 3km deep Kaikoura Canyon runs right up against the New Zealand coast, creating a rare and rich system of sea currents that sustain a huge marine food chain including seals, dolphins and the outsized seabirds known as shearwaters. A great resource to find the right tour for you is whalewatch.co.nz, where you can also learn more about New Zealand’s marine culture before your trip. worldtravellerme.com 21

ESSENTIAL TRAVEL

Hit the ski slopes The Alps

Plenty of resorts contribute to the best of the Alps, but those dedicated to a bout of ski and après-ski inspire imagery of powdery pistes, luxury lodges, roaring fires, and ski-lifts ascending over trails. Tignes and Courcheval in France, Verbier, Zermatt and St.Moritz in Switzerland, Innsbruck and fashionable Lech Zürs am Arlberg in Austria… every afiskionado will have their own resort de jour, but it remains that skiing in the Alps exists as a season-long social occupation for the upper classes.

Majestic mountains, cool air, alpine villages, glasses of bubbles and perhaps even the fleeting sighting of a Royal Family member zipping past on the slopes.

Previous pages: Acropolis, Greece This page, from top to bottom: Sri Lanka; Mauritius

Follow the tea trails Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka is the globe’s fourth largest tea producer, providing the world with 340,000 tonnes of the stuff every year and, in the lush tea counties of Sri Lanka, you can sip up some history with a trail through old colonial plantations. Head to Tea Trails – the world’s first tea bungalow resort perched an altitude of 1,250m – and enjoy rambling across 2,000 acres in the panoramic region whilst staying at bungalows and cottages that date back to the seventeenthcentury. Learn time-honoured planting traditions, follow the trails of old Ceylon, enjoy meals packed with fresh homegrown vegetables and, of course, sample the world’s most popular teas.

Witness the Northern Lights Scandanavia

The Northern Lights (or aurora borealis) are visible across Scandinavia, Scotland and northern Canada, but the further north you go, the better viewing you’ll get – you don’t get much further than Norway’s Svalbard. There you'll experience the polar night, with unearthly colours and sounds in a crisp night-sky, above a snowy Arctic wilderness 22 worldtravellerme.com

that is 1,200km from the North Pole.

Alternatively, Kakslauttanen in Finnish Lapland is great for those who want to gaze at the Northern Lights from the comfort of their own glass igloo. When these enchanting solar winds are in a phase of high activity, a visit heralds pure visual magic.

Stay in a stately home England

With the popularity of period dramas (Downton Abbey, The Crown, Bridgerton et al), this experience is ascending must-try travel lists, with historical fascination now blended with a dash of popular culture.

Highclere Castle has moved with the trend, offering 2- or 3-bedroom cottages to rent within its 5,000-acre estate, meaning one can prolong the feeling of being part of the drama. For a quieter opportunity, Cliveden House in Berkshire encourages you to create your own moment in history. They've a host of rooms (right up to the Prince of Wales Suite, and a Spring Cottage), where one can wine, dine and enjoy family time in the snugly rich confines of a stately home.

Enjoy every side of the island Mauritius

This Indian Ocean isle is no ordinary

This page: The Alps

worldtravellerme.com 23

beach destination. You’ll have over 160km of beach at your fingertips, from calm lagoons to wild stretches where pro surfers play. So why choose just one resort? Make your own tour of the island to experience its coastal treasures. Head north for the largest concentration of paradise beaches, with crystalline waters.

Down south, discover turquoise bays with mountainous backdrops, while incredible sunset views await on the west coast. In the east, the island’s most glamorous boltholes reside – including One&Only Le Saint Geran and the fabulous LUX* Belle Mare. Eat your heart out, Robinson Crusoe.

Drink splendid coffee along 'the bean belt’ Ethiopia

It was Ethiopia’s nomadic tribes who first discovered the restorative effects of coffee. In the tenth-century

they would pluck the red fruits to eat as they roamed, buoyed by the tiny nuggets of caffeine. True coffee lovers should make a pilgrimage to the town of Kaffa (which lent its name to the beans) to visit coffee farms and roam the valleys where the plants grow wild.

Ethiopians drink copious cups every day, and a coffee ceremony (with tall earthenware pots and tiny cups of sweet black brews) is a highlight.

Back-home, the aroma of every freshly-brewed cup will bring back memories.

Visit the Pyramids and the relics of Cairo’s Egyptian Museum Egypt

You haven’t seen real gold until you’ve seen the gold of ancient Egypt. Sought after by pharaohs and fought over by raiders, the glittering treasures that lie in Cairo’s Egyptian Museum have entranced mankind for

This page, clockwise from top left: Ethiopean coffee; Marrakech, Morocco; Mayan ruins, Mexico; Rio Carnival, Brazil

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thousands of years. Set aside at least one day to immerse yourself in Egypt’s myths and legends – although that will barely do justice to the world’s largest collection of Pharaonic antiquities. The iconic Giza pyramids are just a stone’s throw from central Cairo, giving you time to rifle through dusty tombs and spooky burial chambers, following in the footsteps of treasure hunters.

Stay in a riad in Marrakech Morocco

There’s no doubt that busy souks, beautiful palaces and bustling nightlife make for an intoxicating adventure, but the real delights of Marrakech lie in its historic riads – the old houses found in its atmospheric old quarter.

These unique abodes have stood for hundreds of years, little oases of calm in a restless city. Happily, many have been turned into charming hotels, complete with cool courtyard

ESSENTIAL TRAVEL

This page: pyramids, Cairo

gardens, sensational restaurants and sumptuous interior design. Head up to the roof to sip Moroccan mint tea while you watch city life unfurl, or lie back in a private courtyard swimming pool under a sliver of clear blue sky.

Divine.

days in February. You’ll hear the drums before you’ve barely stepped off the plane – an irresistible invitation to throw caution to the wind and shimmy like nobody’s watching. Trust us: by the end of the day, you’ll be dancing on the tables just like everybody else.

Samba at the Rio Carnival

Explore Mayan ruins

What happens when over 200 samba schools take to the streets of Rio for a dance-off? One helluva party, that’s what – with so many sequins, feather boas and booty-shaking divas it feels like the whole city is bouncing to the beat. Welcome to the biggest knees-up in Brazil – or even the world – where two million performers and partygoers flock for five whirlwind

If Mexico’s Mayan ruins could talk, they would tell tales of human sacrifices and merciless rulers – but for all of their blood-thirst, the people who built this stone fortress 1,000 years ago were actually quite a civilised bunch.

Their engineering, agriculture and astronomy expertise was well ahead of their time – and the fruits of their architectural prowess are evident

Brazil

Mexico

even today. Their cities of Chichen Itza, Palenque, Teotihuacán and Monte Alban are the most impressive, boasting pyramids and palaces that still stand strong. The monuments of the Mayans might now be overgrown and crumbling, but their power spans centuries.

Traverse the narrow gorge to reach historic Petra Jordan

The ancient city of Petra is one of the world’s must-see archaeological sites, and rightly so. Where else could you see such a blend of ancient Eastern traditions mixed with Hellenistic architecture, in majestic-carved structures that sprawl far deeper than the rock face from which they worldtravellerme.com 25

This page: Petra, Jordan

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protrude? An important crossroads between Arabia, Egypt and Phoenicia, this ‘lost’ city has many secrets, not least its hidden back-door entrance, dubbed the Inca Trail of the Middle East. Trek from Dana to Petra, over 45km of mountainous landscapes, across a tangle of tracks, through dry riverbeds and over burnt orange foothills, bedding down for the evenings in a tent, under a sea of shimmering stars. Marvel at sporadic flora and fauna like the electric blue Sinai agama, prickly sea squills and fragrant juniper trees and drink tea with Bedouins during this longdistance hike. Your reward for this enduring trek? Entry to the hidden city, via a majestic touch-the-wallsnarrow gorge where swirls of burnt orange and angry red lead you directly in to one of the world's New 7 Wonders.

This page, from top to bottom: Savile Row, London; stone heads, Easter Island

Get a suit made bespoke on Savile Row England

It’s the street that is the first and last word in bespoke tailoring, where sartorial standards are impeccably high, built on time-honoured traditions and practices. The leading names are stitched onto the cognisance of any well-heeled gentleman: Gieves & Hawkes (located at No. 1), Richard James, Huntsman (go-to of Laurence Olivier), Hardy Aimes, Kilgour (the rumoured birthplace of the greyflannel suit) and Henry Poole (whose crest reads ‘By Special Appointment to the Late Emperor Napoleon III’).

That’s not to say you can’t be welldressed by a less-traditional tailoring outfit: those willing to depart from Mayfair purism will find an influx of designers breaking the Savile Row mould, like Ozwald Boateng and Timothy Everest – international designers crafting labels that create silhouettes and colours with a difference, whilst upholding the immense history upon their wellformed shoulders. Savile Row is where your gentlemanly identity will be carefully captured and your personality shaped, in the form of a perfect suit. A wearable masterpiece.

Ponder the mysterious heads Easter Island

Standing sentry on the slopes of the very volcano that formed Easter Island, the Moai keep some of the world’s last great secrets. They were assembled between the eleventh and thirteenth centuries by the inhabitants of this far-flung nugget of rock, surely one of the most gruelling construction feats of the time. It’s thought that they represented the islanders’ ancestors (they were placed facing towards villages, as if to protect them) so why were they torn down by the same people who created them? What sparked the end of this

ancient civilisation? They’ve now been restored to their former glory, but their lips are still sealed...

Make the journey to Machu Picchu Peru

A view so iconic it feels like you're gazing at a travel magazine even when it's right before your eyes, the sight of Machu Picchu – perched on its windwhipped plateau high in the Peruvian Andes – has captivated travellers for centuries. Once only reachable after days of trekking, the site is now connected with the city of Cusco by train. How was this 500-year-old worldtravellerme.com 27

ESSENTIAL TRAVEL

enclave built with such precision in such perilous environs? What were the whimsies of its pampered royal inhabitants? Ponder these questions as you walk amongst its ruins, running your hands over its smooth stone contours, with centuries of history at your fingertips.

Take a helicopter ride over Niagara Falls Canada

Hovering over a roiling waterfall – its spray soaking your clothes through the open helicopter door – is one of those heart-in-mouth moments that lifelong memories are made of. We’d defy even the steeliest thrillseeker not to let out a whoop as the chopper dips towards the white-water fray, the churning pools edging ever-closer while those thundering walls close in.

But while the Niagara River is famed for its intense torrents, up here you can appreciate its intense serenity too: lush forest stretches out in every direction, while rainbows dance in the mist. It's Canada’s raw beauty, up close.

the serene Pacific Coast Highway meanders for just 235km along the Californian coast from Monterey to Morro Bay. This road is made for bikers, with scrubby mountains along one side, the bright blue ocean on the other, and sunshine on your back; it’s enough to convince anyone that two wheels are better than four. Sites along the road include Hearst Castle, Point Lobos State Reserve and the fabled Big Sur, where giant redwood trees reach skyward and the Santa Lucia Range of rocks plunge into the sea in a demonstration of elemental majesty.

It's the definition of 'the open road'.

Tour Versailles Palace France

A lasting legacy of Louis XIV, the surroundings of the glorious ‘Château’ are a lot different from when it was built in the seventeenth century: you’ll now discover it nestled in a wealthy suburb of Paris.

It served as the Royal Court, and opulence abounds: the Opéra Royal, resplendent Chapel of Versailles, gleaming Hall of Mirrors, Galerie des Batailles, grands apartments… not to mention 250 acres of manicured, geometric gardens. This is how it feels to live like a King. It’s a symbol of lavish luxury that 30,000 toiled to build; an immense creation by the man who proclaimed, “L'état, c'est moi,” meaning “I am the state.”

Drive Pacific Coast Highway USA

Less well-known than the iconic Route 66 but arguably more scenic, 28 worldtravellerme.com

This page, from top to bottom: Niagra Falls, Canada; Pacific Coast Highway, USA

Dive the Great Barrier Reef Australia

Larger than the Great Wall of China and the only living thing visible from space, the Great Barrier Reef is one of the seven wonders of the natural world and is Australia’s pride and joy.

Comprised of over 3,000 individual reef systems and coral cays, while dotted with sun-drenched tropical islands, diving this incredible site with its teeming marine ecosystem is a rite of passage for those with an affinity with the underwater world. You'll spy turtles, dolphins and sharks...

Cairns is the ideal base from which

ESSENTIAL TRAVEL This page: Great Barrier Reef

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This page: Chang Mai, Thailand

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ESSENTIAL TRAVEL

to explore the reef, but cities like Port Douglas, Rockhampton and Townsville are also picturesque holiday spots to plan your dive.

Stay in a former palace India

Favoured by Hollywood and Bollywood stars alike, sleep like a sultan and step back in time in one of India’s majestic palace hotels, the likes of Umaid Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur or Taj Falaknuma Palace, Hyderabad.

Each has its own unique charm and décor. Some are only accessible by boat, others offer limousine services, resident astrologers, butterfly gardens and refreshing subterranean pools.

While each has a unique history, all have one thing in common – pure, opulent decadence, where the only decision you’ll have to make is the choice between a relaxing massage or a spot of lunch, brought to you by a private butler.

Drive the Garden Route South Africa

The best bit of driving the Garden Route isn’t actually the driving: it’s what you encounter along the way.

Discover ancient indigenous forests where endangered elephants roam; spot dolphins while you laze on crowd-free beaches; take a tiny steam train that threads through dramatic mountain ranges. This 300km route between Mossel Bay and Plettenberg Bay is packed with incredible landscapes and experiences, so it’s not a road trip to rush. Stop as often as you can, and let the wonderful wildlife reveal itself: it’s not everywhere that you can spy humpback whales, vervet monkeys and rainbow-plumed birds of paradise all in one day.

Encounter elephants in Chiang Mai Thailand

Skip tourist-trap Phuket and keep the island hopping for elsewhere – Chiang Mai is your go-to destination in Thailand. The mountainous northern capital is a fantastic escape from

Bangkok’s hectic pace of life and, as the cultural centre of the country, is steeped in history. Riding on the back of an elephant at Thailand’s bestknown elephant rehabilitation centre can be done without a shred of guilt, as the refuge has won countless awards for its ethical approach to rehabilitating elephants since it opened. Help the keepers feed these colossal animals, before accompanying the elephants on a walk to the river for their afternoon bath.

Book a bed on board the Trans-Siberian Railway Russia

Usually the journey isn’t the highlight of any trip. Except when the journey encompasses the spectacular vastness of the world’s largest country, via the longest voyage you can make by single train – the perfect opportunity to get stuck into War and Peace. Cabins in first and second class come with standard bed and breakfast, but you can treat yourself to the Golden Eagle for a double bed, TV, and en-suite shower room. While tickets don’t include any stop offs, you can book tick-off-your-bucket-list trips with visits to World Heritage Site the Kremlin and Lake Baikal, the world's deepest hole.

See the sights and sounds of Baku’s Old City Azerbaijan

Don’t be distracted by the rainbow-lit skyscrapers and Zaha Hadid-designed modern marvels that puncture Baku’s skyline: the heart of Azerbaijan’s capital is actually in its Old City, a fascinating settlement whose roots can be traced back to the seventh century.

It has been lived in since its ancient beginnings – with one step you can gaze into twelfth-century madrassas, while round the corner you’ll spy majestic Baroque houses. This UNESCO-listed treasure is no museum piece: it’s stuffed with fascinating shops, charming hotels, and even a bathhouse, restored to former glory.

To book a trip, call 800 DNATA or visit dnatatravel.com worldtravellerme.com 31

C R E AT E SPECIAL MOMENTS WITH US.

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New England

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Postcards Where to see the seasons shine

WINTER: PRAGUE p34 SPRING: MOROCCO p40 SUMMER: SARDINIA p46 AUTUMN: NEW ENGLAND p52

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PRAGUE

This Page: The Cathedral of Saint Nicholas

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PRAGUE

Iced gem

Snowy spires. Cascades of Mozart strings… Prague truly glitters in winter — and Sean Newsom takes a shine to it

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’ll never forget the first time I saw Prague in the snow. It was early December, 2016. I’d checked into a hotel in Malá Strana — the Little Quarter of embassies, churches and cobbled alleys that crouches beneath Prague Castle — and, wiped out from an early flight, had taken a nap. I woke to find it was minutes before nightfall in one of Europe’s most ravishing cities, and I had to get outside before darkness fell.

And there it was — the white stuff.

Just a centimetre or two, but enough to muffle the sounds of the city and bathe it in a soft, ghostly light. It picked out every detail of Malá Strana’s intricate skyline, set against the brooding purple-grey of the clouds. Baroque domes, Gothic spires, worldtravellerme.com 35

the cathedral’s baubled belltower, each peak and flourish as fanciful as a fairy tale. In the end, I stopped walking and just stood, gawping, as another snow flurry danced through the main square on the eddying wind. It felt like I’d stepped into not just another city, but another century.

Ever since I met my Czech wife 20 years ago, I’ve been a regular visitor to the city, and I’ve never seen it more beautiful than in deepest midwinter, even if it was 14 years before I saw it covered in snow. You’ll love it, too — as long as you wrap up warm. Climate change may have dulled the ferocity of the Central European winter, but Prague’s average daytime temperature barely rises above freezing in December and January. Every exit requires the methodical application of thick overcoat, woolly hat, scarf and gloves. Don’t try to butch it out: you’ll end up in bed with a fever, as I did on my first visit.

But this winter wonderland is worth every ounce of effort — not least because most tourists are put off by the cold.

In December, you won’t have to make a

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AT EVERY TURN, BRIGHT LIGHTS BECKON YOU INDOORS. DUCK INTO CELLAR TAVERNS FOR MEATY GOULASH, WARMING AS A MOTHER’S HUG

dawn raid on the city’s medieval, statuelined Charles Bridge — in summer, you’d be squirming through a mass of coach parties and selfie-sticks. Nor will you have to queue for St Vitus, the soaring Gothic cathedral that towers over the city.

Built in the 14th century, when this was effectively the capital of the Holy Roman Empire, its gemstone-encrusted frescoes become a glittering jewellery box on a darkening December afternoon.

The winter appeal goes way beyond snow flurries and deserted sights, though.

Prague is still, in its historic core, a city built to the scale of busy human feet. The tight, secretive streets of the Malá Strana

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and Staré Město (the Old Town) spin you back hundreds of years — impossible in summer, when sheer numbers kill the atmosphere.

At every turn, bright lights beckon you indoors. Duck into cellar taverns for a bowl of meaty goulash soup, glowing red with paprika and warming as a mother’s hug. Chase it with a fresh, unfiltered Staropramen at the Potrefená Husa on Platnéřská in Staré Město. Then pack on a little more insulation with a Czech cake. My favourite is koláč, a featherlight pastry topped with fruit. You’ll find the best one — cherry-topped — at Cukrář Skála bakery, about a 15-minute walk away on Dlouhá Street. Follow Dlouhá Street on to No. 37, and a dark archway suddenly looms beside you. What lurks down its cobbles, you wonder? Rabbi Loew’s famous Golem? (Loew was said to have made the Frankenstein-like creature out of clay from the banks of the Vltava before it lumbered through dozens of fanciful 19th- and 20th-century novels.) But no: the passage leads to a pocket-sized Renaissance square, and in its vaulted ground-floor rooms, a wine bar, Bokovka.

By candlelight, on a long winter’s evening, there’s no better place to hatch a plot over a glass or two of warming Czech Pinot Noir — even if you’re only deciding which museums to check out the next day.

From November 28 to January 6, Prague’s Old Town Square, Staroměstské Náměstí, is the place to be on a winter’s afternoon, losing yourself in its dense Christmas market. The setting is magnificent: on one side, the 14thcentury twin spires of Our Lady Before Týn; on the other, the city’s famous 15th-century astronomical clock. Between them swirls a glittering pool of seasonal cheer. There are presents aplenty on offer — like many Czechs, my wife loves the frosted, hand-blown glass baubles. But

PRAGUE

Opposite page: Charles Bridge This page, clockwise from above left: Mala Strana; astronomical clock on the old town hall; street art in the old town: children huddle up to escape the chill

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This Page: snow-topped buildings in the city centre

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PRAGUE

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THIS WINTER WONDERLAND IS WORTH EVERY OUNCE OF EFFORT — NOT LEAST BECAUSE MOST TOURISTS ARE PUT OFF

BY THE COLD

Credit: Sean Newsom/The Sunday Times Travel Magazine/News International

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it’s the food that will keep you hanging around: warm, fatty sausages just off the grill; fresh pancakes; garlic-andcheese langoš flatbread; all topped off by a glug of svařák, the local, citrussy take on mulled wine. Its cinnamon scent is misted over the whole square.

Carolling choirs also warm the air here, especially during Prague’s Advent festivals. If they tickle your musical ear, stroll on to the Czech Museum of Music.

It’s a fascinating spot made magical by its listening posts — few Prague experiences are more romantic than hearing recordings made on its vast collection of instruments. Little by little, the enchantment grows: a cascading Mozart duet played on 18th-century violins, or the twirling Reminiscence of Pilsen by Bedřich Smetana, performed on the piano he owned. At this time of year, the museum’s galleries are deserted, the ghosts of composers swirling around you.

Alongside its fierce warmth and artistic genius, the city has a streak of darkness, too. This you’ll confront at places such as the cemetery that commemorates the Holocaust. In summer, hundreds pour in to pay their respects, but now the snow-sprinkled headstones are a peaceful place to commune with Prague’s past lives.

Afterwards, you may find yourself standing outside on Siroká Street, welling up as you contemplate the grim reality of what you’ve just seen.

But that’s OK. Looking back into Prague’s troubled history and feeling its icy touch is a rite of passage here.

As is diving into somewhere warm afterwards and shaking off the chill.

So grab your loved one by the hand and wander westwards along the cobbled streets of Josefov, towards the buzzing bars and restaurants around Dlouhá Street. As befits a resurgent city at the crossroads of Central Europe, the scene here is cosmopolitan, open-minded and welcoming, and if you’re in the mood to reaffirm shared values, there are few better places. Outside, a snowstorm may be brewing amid the gargoyles and ghosts. But there’ll be no mistaking the warm emotional glow within. Na Prahu: Here’s to Prague.

To book a trip, call 800 DNATA or visit dnatatravel.com worldtravellerme.com 39

MOROCCO

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Only the bold would brave its souks, peaks and sand dunes in searing summer. But, says Jeremy Lazell, a spring spin through Marrakech, the High Atlas and the desert is a breeze

Opposite: market square in Marrakesh This page: rolling dunes in the Sahara

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t was April in the Algarve that did it. Stuck indoors for a week playing Scrabble while an Atlantic storm pummelled the pool inflatables, we came to a decision that would change our holidays forever. ‘No more Med in spring.’ Which is essentially how, one year later, we found ourselves typing ‘April temperatures in Morocco’ into Google. The results looked good: five degrees warmer than the Algarve-type good. And so we stocked up on Factor 50 and got ourselves on the plane to Marrakech.

That first night in the Red City will stay with me forever. I remember wandering in the still-warm air, pulled by the throb of drums in Djemaa El Fna. There, in the dusty square that has drawn travellers for more than 1,000 years, we dodged snake-charmers and trinkethawkers, with one eye on our money belts, the other on the acrobats landing somersaults in the dirt. Wizened old-timers, clad in longdress-like djellabas, stood arguing at food stalls. A camel harnessed to a cart padded noiselessly through the narrow streets. It felt as if we’d journeyed back 500 years.

The following morning we woke at dawn with the first call to prayer sounding from the mosques, and walked to the Majorelle Garden. We arrived as the gates opened and the first warming rays were turning the fountains and bougainvilleas a riot of blazing crimsons

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I HAD BEEN TO THE NAMIB, CAMPED IN THE ATACAMA, BUT NOWHERE HAD EVER FELT SO WILDLY OFF THE BEATEN TRACK, SO THRILLINGLY ANCIENT AS THIS

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and blues. Fresh from a long, lingering British winter that had frozen the very marrow in our bones, we sat among the giant cactuses and defrosted in the sun, while bulbul songbirds chirruped in the banana groves.

I have since been back to the Majorelle Garden many times over the years, but it’s that first visit that sticks in the mind. There was something about that spring light: it had a saturated warmth that winter never has, a crisp frosted bite you will not experience in summer.

‘Marrakech taught me colour,’ said Yves Saint Laurent, who acquired the gardens and their villa in 1980. Come in spring and you’ll know exactly what he meant.

Marrakech in spring, it has become clear after more than a dozen visits, also has an upbeat, infectious energy you just

MOROCCO These pages, clockwise from lef: Aït Benhaddou; an old bike in the Medina district of Marrakech; Jemaa el-Fna Square, Marrakech

don’t get in any other season. Winter can feel half-hearted; summer fills the souks with tetchy ennui. But spring?

That’s when Marrakchis come alive.

Primed by all manner of guidebook foreboding, we hit the souks like soldiers entering battle, but were instantly disarmed by waves of friendly banter and gallons of mint tea. Half of me knew I was being finessed: the other half filled my baggage allowance with cut-price slippers and spices, a kilim and a leather belt. It was Supermarket Sweep meets Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves. I was smitten.

We ate that first night on the rooftop at Nomad, one of a rising tide of fashionable places to eat in the mazelike medina, where the best places to eat are sur la terrasse. For less than $30 each we ate like kings (guest chefs come from all over Morocco to cook modern Marrakchi classics here) and the views of the Atlas mountains are worth the airfare alone.

You’d have to book a table a week in advance in summer; in winter your tagine would be cold before it reached your table.

Deciding where to go after Marrakech was not easy. Morocco’s big five — Marrakech, Essaouira, Fez, the desert and the High Atlas — all lie pretty close together, but a week wasn’t enough time to cover them all. Sans question, we had to visit the desert, a Moroccan mate had said: April was the Goldilocks month in the Sahara, wedged between the toocold winter nights and the meltingly hot summer days. Plus, you get to cross the High Atlas to reach it, which would kill two Barbary falcons with one stone. We promised to come back again and visit Fez (too much like Marrakech for this trip) and Essaouira (the Atlantic would anyway be too chilly to swim in), and headed south towards the Sahara.

What a drive. Climbing through pine forests, up steepling switchbacks with dizzying drops, the road crossed the High Atlas at a lonely 2,260-metre pass, then plummeted towards the desert.

Just beyond, we detoured into the Ounila Valley, looping east of the main road for what wasn’t so much a 15km detour as a journey back through time. Biblical mud villages clung to the tagine-pot-shaped hills above, while almond blossom filled the sparkling riverbed in a blur of pinks and whites. worldtravellerme.com 43

MOROCCO

Just when we thought it couldn’t get better, we reached Aït Benhaddou, a 12th-century ksour that rose over the riverbed in a fairytale fantasy of kasbah turrets. Not for nothing has it starred in the likes of Gladiator and Game of Thrones. We slept that night in Agdz, an ancient staging post on the caravan route to Timbuktu, and woke to views across a swathe of date palms, orange trees, olive groves and flowering blossom in the riverbed below. Tintin never had it so good.

We continued south, as traders with camels had done for millennia before us, down the Draa Valley (aka the date basket of Morocco), following a twisting ribbon of water that exploded here and there in improbably lush palmeraies and oasis frontier villages.

We passed Zagora, a parched, one-camel town where a hand-painted sign read ‘Tombouctou, 52 Jours’, then pulled to a dusty halt at M’hamid. Less than 32km from the Algerian border, it was quite literally the end of the road.

The last 40km from M’hamid to our desert camp by 4WD took about an hour, juddering ever deeper into the Sahara across a sea of rock and sand that rattled the fillings from our grins. We arrived at a circle of Bedouin tents and ochre dunes that had my inner TE Lawrence itching to get out, and clambered up the dune behind camp. Slack-jawed, we

gazed in silence over an ocean of dunes as far as the eye could see. This was Erg Chigaga, the wildest, most remote dunescape in Morocco.

That night we sat cross-legged on Berber carpets and dined on tagine around the campfire. We sipped mint tea, served by staff wrapped in blue Tuareg headscarves, then lingered long into the night counting shooting stars. I had been to the Namib, camped in the Atacama, but nowhere had ever felt so wildly off the beaten track, so thrillingly ancient as this. My Moroccan mate was right: the desert in spring was a no-brainer. You could climb a dune without the risk of getting sunstroke, yet sit out under the stars without getting hypothermia.

The 30 minutes between 5am and 5.30am the next morning were some of the most uncomfortable but also entertaining of my life: I climbed a second dune behind camp by camel.

We snapped sunrise, ran back down to camp, then readied ourselves for the long drive back to Marrakech. Crossing the High Atlas via the carpetmaking hub of Tazenakht, we were following in the camel steps of Berber and Tuareg traders who were lugging kilims and dates to Marrakech when Marco Polo was still in shorts.

Back in town, still slightly saddlesore, we skipped the souks for one last afternoon of just-right sun on

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WE JUST SAT IN HAPPY SILENCE, TAKING IN THE VIEW OVER THE ANCIENT MEDINA, WATCHING THE SUN ARC SLOWLY TOWARDS THE HIGH ATLAS

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the terrace of our riad hotel. I don’t remember exchanging a single word with my wife. We just sat in happy silence, taking in the view over the ancient medina, watching the sun arc slowly towards the High Atlas. Above, nesting swifts filled the air with busy chatter; to the south, snow-capped summits blushed crimson against the sharpening blue. The Koutoubia minaret crackled to life, the day’s final call to prayer drifting across the rooftops.

‘Back next spring?’ I asked my wife, breaking the spell. ‘Sans question,’ she replied.

To book a trip, call 800 DNATA or visit dnatatravel.com

Credit: Jeremy Lazell/The Sunday Times Travel Magazine/News International

These pages, from left to right: a village rises from the dunes; Majorelle Garden

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MOROCCO

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SARDINIA

Deserted beaches, hushed village squares, calm coastal road-tripping... In summer. Yes! Alex Allen guarantees you’ll have Sardinia all to yourself — if you know where to look

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SARDINIA

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h, well," I say to my fiancée, Sarah, as I prise an eye open to watch one of the beach-hopping tourist boats round the rocky headland and turn towards us. "It was bound to get busier at some point."

We’re sprawled indecorously on the warm, seed-fine shingle of Cala Sisine Beach, about halfway down Sardinia’s east coast. We’d arrived on the same boat (from Cala Gonone) earlier that morning, disembarking at the jetty just a short stroll from our hotel. It’s the only way to access this stretch of the coast and the secret little coves notched out of the cliffs that shelve off into the inky-blue Tyrrhenian Sea. But as the boat eventually anchors at the far end of the beach, flopping its gangplank down on the sand, we realise it isn’t here to drop people off. It’s picking them up. Within three minutes it’s wheeling around and speeding off north, leaving us utterly alone on what is easily one of the most beautiful beaches I’ve ever seen. Grinning like kids at the gates to Disneyland, we get up and fling ourselves into the cool, glassy water.

This is our third trip to Sardinia, the Med’s second largest island, and I’m no less gobsmacked than I was the first time. The peculiar drama of its landscape, spined with forested limestone peaks; the endless choice of truly gorgeous beaches; the charm of its towns and cities… There’s nowhere else I’ve yet discovered that ticks so many of those blissful, sun-filled summer fantasy boxes. Above all, it’s the revelation that, even in the height of the holiday season when the rest of the Med is thronging, Sardinia somehow remains untrampled.

Its well-known northeast corner, the Costa Smeralda, is encrusted with ritzy resort hotels, its Martini-still waters garnished with the gleaming yachts of the super-rich. But even here you can find quiet beaches that would be heaving anywhere else. Take Cala Razza di Juncu, for example. It’s five minutes down the coast from the blingy Capriccioli estate, where Roberto Mancini, the Italian national football team manager, can be found sipping espressos on a 48 worldtravellerme.com

Previous page: the marina at Castelsardo This page: Cagliari

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MEANDERING ALONG CLIFF-HUGGING ROADS TO HIDDEN BEACHES, STOPPING OFF AT SOME SLEEPY FISHING TOWN OR HIDDEN-AWAY HOTEL, IS A DELIGHT sunlounger. Yet, invariably, you’ll have most of the crushed-biscotti swathe of sand to choose from.

And it’s here that, after a full day spent snorkelling lazily around urchinspiked outcrops, we usually decide we can’t be bothered to schlep somewhere for dinner. Instead, with glowing skin and salt-matted hair, we slope up the sand to Jerry’s Beach Bar, an elegant, cabana-like shack. There’s never a wait for a table, so we slide right in and order two cold glasses of a local white and a plate of spaghetti alle vongole, which comes flying out, piled with tiny sweet clams, atop a chilli and garlic buttersoaked layer of pane carasau, the island’s wafer-thin crisp bread. You want easy, breezy, summery loveliness?

It doesn’t get better than this.

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Even the driving’s a doddle. After flying into either Olbia on the northeast coast, Alghero on the west, or the capital, Cagliari, on the southern tip (whichever has the best-value flights), we pick up a hire car and hit the road.

Coast-hopping under our own steam, meandering along cliff-hugging roads to hidden beaches, stopping off at some sleepy fishing town or hidden-away hotel, is a delight. Picture the Amalfi Coast drive without the traffic and you’ve got the SP105, which snakes up the island’s rugged west coast.

It’s this road we’ll take north to Alghero after our stay at Cala Gonone, on the east coast, but not before two nights in the mountain town of Oliena, where we hole up in a cottagey maisonette. Inside: crisp, whitewashed

This page, clockwise from above left: Cala Coticcio beach; the old town of Alghero; Castello di Acquafredda; seafood pasta with mussels and calamari

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Credit: Alex Allen/The Sunday Times Travel Magazine/News International

SARDINIA

plaster; colourful woven baskets on rustic wooden shelves; chipped enamel jugs filled with fresh-cut flowers.

Outside: a courtyard in the shade of an orange tree, and the sweet, musky aroma of fig leaves in the evening. It’s also near here that we discover the hotel Su Gologone, surrounded by towering cliffs, cork oaks and giant prickly pear plants, and furnished with traditional Sardinian craftwork. It’s too late to stay a night, but tucking into a slow-roast on its patio, we know we’ve just found our reason to come back again next year.

After a couple of nights in cooler air, we’re thirsty for aperitivi at little hole-in-the-wall bars along Alghero’s sea wall; for putty-coloured pistachio ice cream; and for walks in the ancient cobbled streets, bathed in the amber light of sunset. Alghero is where we stayed on our first trip, and it’s the city we gravitate back to. While Olbia has the Costa Smeralda on its doorstep, and southern Cagliari has authentic local flavour with its bustling indoor market and Vespa-swarmed streets, Alghero has a welcoming, salubrious warmth.

We base ourselves in the hills above the city where, from our rooftop terrace, we can watch the sun sink beyond the gold-sequinned horizon. In the morning we head into the Old Town centre for macchiatos and sugar-dusted pastries from Bar Pasticcheria Ciro, before beetling down to La Speranza Beach, a modest slip of sand that’s so tucked away, we miss the turn-off every time. Even so, it has a little fan-cooled cafe where, every couple of hours, we reboot our sun-and-swim-drained batteries with snacks and more coffee.

Summer here means a solid mercury reading of 28C-30C, and come the weekends the Sardinians will be out bronzing on the beaches closest to the towns. The beauty is, to beat the crowds, all you have to do is hop in the car and cruise along the coast until you hit clear sand.

After a couple of nights near Alghero, we head north, where the craggy coastline fans out into long, wide, ankleswaddling swathes of the soft stuff. At Lu Litarroni we park in an empty lot and follow a boardwalk down to the beach. We can see one or two other couples on what must be a kilometre of blinding-white 50 worldtravellerme.com

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WE BASE OURSELVES IN THE HILLS ABOVE THE CITY WHERE FROM OUR ROOFTOP TERRACE WE CAN WATCH THE SUN SINK BEYOND THE GOLD-SEQUINNED HORIZON

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sand. There’s a warm breeze blowing the aroma of myrtle and wild lavender out to sea. In the distance, a swarm of kites fill the sky like giant neon gulls, swooping low over the surf and back up, lifting their wet-suited riders into the air.

Generally, I think it’s in my nature to go after new travel experiences. I rarely have the urge to revisit places I’ve already been, preferring the thrill of the unknown. Except for Sardinia. Here, I love revisiting, re-exploring, re-eating.

There’s a pleasing comfort in the stasis of familiar places, familiar faces: the old guy with the granita cart on that one beach, the amusingly overdramatic waitress at ‘our’ pizza place. And we can never not go back to heartbreakingly pretty San Pantaleo, in the hills above Olbia, where we’ll sip Campari cocktails in the church square and watch local kids play football and get scolded by their parents when it rolls under our table.

On this trip we do something new, too, taking the ferry from Palau to the little cluster of islands lying just off Sardinia’s northern tip. We dock at the largest, La Maddalena, before heading to the quieter neighbouring island of Caprera. It’s the weekend, and the first couple of beaches we pass are surprisingly busy, but it’s not long before we find our own. Hidden from the road, about the size of a tennis court, it’s just right. We unroll our towels and bed in for the afternoon. "I hope we don’t miss the last ferry back," says Sarah, from behind the covers of an open book. Then, after a beat: "Wouldn’t it be a shame if we were stuck here all summer?"

To book a future trip, call 800 DNATA or visit dnatatravel.com

This page: Cala Luna Beach

SARDINIA

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NEW ENGLAND

Russet treetops, chocolate-box towns and a dose of American art — nothing will make you fall for autumn like a New England road trip.

Stanley Stewart drives back in time

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Sometimes when we travel, we are looking for a memory. I was looking for autumn — those dramatic North American autumns — and for some lingering nostalgia as the trees became flames of crimson and burnished gold.

Growing up in North America, autumn was an all-leaf playground. We kicked through drifts of fallen leaves. We made leaf forts and leaf dens. Hanging from branches, we leapt into piles of dry crackling foliage like daredevils. Leaves were tangled in our clothes and caught in our hair. We bore that very particular odour, the scent of the season — dry, earthy, woody, almost smoky. Now, decades on, it was time to go home in search of those colours so beautiful it’s enough to break your heart. I was heading for New England.

New England’s secret — the reason its autumns are so dramatic — is a mysterious combination of warm sunny days and sharp cold nights.

Throw in the right amount of moisture, the necessary altitude and the perfect mix of trees, led by those red maples, and you have one of the world’s greatest

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VISITORS SWOON AMONG A TUMULT OF RUSSETS AND GOLDS, YELLOW AND COPPER, ETCHED AGAINST BLUE SKIES

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autumn destinations. Down its back roads, visitors swoon among a tumult of russets and golds, yellow and copper, etched against blue skies.

Americans call their autumn travels ‘leaf-peeping’. I call it heaven.

It helps that New England is the perfect backdrop: a rugged, hilly landscape where tilled fields and red weathered barns with silver silos offset brightly coloured woods, casting reflections across dark lakes.

The whole region oozes nostalgia.

It is a sweetly old-fashioned place

of idyllic small towns, of tree-lined streets and white-steepled churches, of village greens, colonial houses and diners with the world’s best apple pie. There are swings on wraparound porches and children’s voices echoing from the back lawns. It is the world that Norman Rockwell painted — innocent, cosy, sentimental — and the world that David Lynch turned inside out.

There are probably a hundred or more wonderful driving itineraries through the six north-eastern states that make up New England. The autumn colours unravel from north to south, starting in upper Maine in midSeptember and ending in Rhode Island in early November. My journey took place in the first weeks of October, which meant western Massachusetts and Connecticut — places that come with all sorts of extras beyond the leaves, from world-famous art galleries to some of America’s most traditional inns.

I drove west from Cape Cod, in the wheel-tracks of the early settlers, in search of the smell, the feel, the visual

NEW ENGLAND

Opposite page: skyline of downtown Hartford, Connecticut This page, clockwise from top: aerial view of Bar Harbor, Maine; a lighthouse in Cape Cod; Maine lobster tails

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This page: a farmhouse in Connecticut

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Credit: Stanley Stewart/The Sunday Times Travel Magazine/News International

NEW ENGLAND

feast of those childhood autumns.

Avoiding Interstate 91, I headed up the Connecticut River Valley. Those settlers had bagged a bargain when they bought this land from the Nonotuck Indians for several trinkets, a pile of clam shells and 10 overcoats. Back roads led through civilised college towns such as Northampton, Amherst and South Hadley — full of bookshops and funky cafes, galleries and boutiques — to South Deerfield, where not much seems to have changed since the 1890s.

Along Deerfield’s Main Street, no fewer than 14 houses have been opened to the public as living museums, full of the kind of retro furnishings that contemporary designers ache to imitate. In 18th-century Stebbins House, clad in antique French wallpaper, an old woman who looked like your great aunt smiled and said: ‘I always think New England’s Fall is God saying sorry for our winter.’

I headed west on Highway 116, a classic country back road lined with hardwoods in a vivid rusty palette.

Gracious colonial houses were set among stone-walled fields, while along the ridge lines, pale hemlocks stood tall among yellow aspens. In Cummington, I wandered into the Kingman Tavern — not a pub, but another museum, in the shape of a general store and post office, where it still seemed to be 1953.

Roadside stalls sold fat pumpkins, bushels of rosy apples and bottles of home-boiled maple syrup. This whole northwest corner of Massachusetts, straddling the old Mohawk Trail, is full of state parks where hiking trails wind through forests drenched with autumn colours. At a curve in the road I saw a bear ghosting away among coppercoloured oaks.

In North Adams, a prosperous mill town in the 19th century, I found a rare contemporary intrusion in the impressive Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art, housed in a complex of old mills linked by walkways and courtyards. If that proves a bit too bracingly 21st century, just up the road in Williamstown are the Clark and the Williams College Museum of Art; world-class museums with collections that include Impressionists as well as American classics by Winslow Homer

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IT IS A SWEETLY OLD-FASHIONED PLACE OF IDYLLIC SMALL TOWNS, OF TREE-LINED STREETS, VILLAGE GREENS, COLONIAL HOUSES AND DINERS WITH THE WORLD’S BEST APPLE PIE

and John Singer Sargent. That evening, I veered back to nostalgia, by a hearth with a hot rum toddy in the Porches Inn, all painted furniture, deep leather armchairs and clawfoot baths.

The next day I drove deeper into the Berkshires, a bucolic hill country often compared to England’s Lake District.

Among orchards in muted colours and hardwood forests in technicolour were impressive summer homes built for moneyed folk from Boston and Rhode Island. But at the Hancock Shaker Village, 8km west of Pittsfield, was something more modest.

Named for their convulsive fits of glee during worship, the Shakers were an offshoot of the Quakers.

Founded in 1790, this agricultural community kept to themselves for almost 200 years, maintaining their pacifist beliefs and creating the elegant wooden furniture that would make them famous. Sadly, by 1960 there were only three elderly women left in Hancock (the community’s demise may have had something to do with their enthusiasm for celibacy).

But the village was preserved, and today’s visitors can enter the Shakers’ innocent world as they wander through restored houses and farm buildings with an astonishing beauty that is all about simplicity.

Just down the road, on the edge of quaint Stockbridge, is another kind of innocence in the Norman Rockwell Museum. Rockwell created more than 300 paintings for The Saturday Evening Post in the first half of the 20th century, all reflecting the contented small-town life around him: freckled children getting up to mischief, adults smiling benignly, aproned shopkeepers scratching their heads among sacks of flour and

’

baskets of fruit. It’s a sentimental style reminiscent of a Disney tear-jerker.

From Massachusetts I made for the northwest corner of Connecticut and the forested Litchfield Hills, where every town of white clapboard houses seems to come with a couple of historic inns, a handful of antique shops, village greens fringed with blushing maples and hipster cafes with the best croissants this side of the Marais. In West Cornwall, I found that romantic icon of New England, a covered bridge (think a bridge with a barn built over it). In the Housatonic State Forest, I trekked part of the Appalachian Trail on paths carpeted with yellow leaves, finding a pond where a beaver was busy ferrying tree branches to his dam.

The Litchfield Hills are irresistible, even to the New York fashion elite.

George Malkemus and Anthony Yurgaitis, former president and VP of the shoe brand Manolo Blahnik respectively, have traded high-end heels for high-end cows at Arethusa Farm, creating an award-winning dairy herd that, along with produce from their gardens, supplies the tables of their superb Al Tavolo restaurant. Just up the road, near Litchfield itself, I settled into Winvian Farm, an elegant 18th-century manor with wooded grounds scattered with designer cottages.

In the late afternoon, I sat outside beneath a canopy of red leaves. In the low raking light, here was New England distilled: the scent of mown grass, the long shadows, the astonishing wash of colour, that earthy aroma of autumn.

It was not just as sweet as a regular childhood memory. It seemed even sweeter.

To book a future trip, call 800 DNATA or visit dnatatravel.com worldtravellerme.com 57

WORLD TRAVELLER X LE MÉRIDIEN AL AQAH BEACH RESORT

STAYCATION

Le Méridien Al Aqah Beach Resort Scenic natural beauty meets wholesome family-fun at this Fujairah based hotel THE ROOMS & SUITES With the resort set to a backdrop of the Hajar Mountains and floor-toceiling windows exhibiting impressive Indian Ocean views, a stay here is a reconnection with nature. If a balcony is desirable, the Superior Room is a sound choice, or if you’re after an exclusive experience a Royal Club room or suite comes with express check-in, and access to the Royal Club Lounge.

THE FOOD With eight restaurants and bars to choose from, variety is the spice of a staycation here. Taste offers up the flavours of Thailand served in a stylish environment, while the Gonu Bar & Grill is your go-to for grilled meats and alfresco ocean-side dining. Italian dishes and ambiance are on the menu at Sapore, with Baywatch Beach Bar cooks up fresh Mediterranean dishes on the sand.

THE ACTIVITIES Al Aqah beach calls with its various ocean-based activities; those with a PADI Certification can explore a wreck close by and meet the local marine life. Or get even closer to the fish – including tuna and barracuda with a Fly-Fishing experience. Those looking to recharge should head to Spa Al Aqah for an extensive rejuvenation experience including Ayurvedic treatments.

To find out more, call +971 9 244 9000 or visit marriott.com 58 worldtravellerme.com

Book the ultimate getaway to Fujairah’s iconic resort. Soak up the panoramic views of the Indian Ocean from your spacious sea facing room, dive into the largest pool on the East coast, dine at a choice of seven distinct restaurants, or re-energize with adrenalin fueled water-sports.

Offering one of the best beach resort experiences in the region, Le Méridien Al Aqah is the ideal location for intimate getaways, special occasions, weekend breaks and family holidays.

For more information or to book your stay, call + 971 9 244 9000 or visit our website www.lemeridien-alaqah.com

N 25° 30’ E 56° 21’ DESTINATION UNLOCKED

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Win brunch and an overnight stay at JW Marriott Marquis, Dubai Fancy a weekend to savour? We've teamed up with our friends at the magnificent JW Marriott Marquis, Dubai, to offer one lucky reader a wonderful weekend stay. You’ll start your staycation with brunch for two at the canal-side Café Artois, followed by a relaxing night’s stay at the hotel with complimentary breakfast at Kitchen 6 the next morning. To find out more and to enter the competition, visit worldtravellerme.com

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

ISHTAR ROYAL VILLA Kempinski Ishtar Dead Sea, Jordan

In Jordan, at the point where the ground is at its lowest elevation in the world, and where it laps the shores of Earth's oldest natural spa, sits the Ishtar Royal Villa. It's a two-storied, threebedroom property that caters to guests who value beautiful design and historical significance.

The entrance to the villa homes one of the oldest olive trees in the world, while the building itself is an architectural feat to behold. With a private infinity pool that overlooks the Dead Sea, and your own wellness area featuring a sauna, revitalisation will quickly become the theme of any stay here.

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JORDAN

IS OPEN TO EXPERIENCE

With travel restrictions now eased to Jordan, head on an epic journey across the country to take in some of the world’s most incredible natural, and ancient architectural wonders.

With 4-day packages starting from AED3,785PP including return economy class flights, accommodation, sightseeing tours, excursions, private transfers and more‌ natural beauty and adventures await.

For more information, visit dnatatravel.com, call 800 DNATA (36282), visit our travel experts in-store or WhatsApp us on 05 666 DNATA (36282) Follow us on

Inspiration. Expertly crafted.

Comprising of two iconic towers, the JW Marriott Marquis Dubai is centrally located beside the Dubai Water Canal and offers a spectrum of facilities and services for a memorable experience. The hotel offers 1,608 elegant guest rooms and suites, over 10 exceptional restaurants and lounges, the award-winning Saray Spa featuring traditional hammams and a state-of-the-art health club.

JW MarriottÂŽ MarquisÂŽ Hotel Dubai Sheikh Zayed Road, Business Bay, PO Box 121000, Dubai, UAE | T +971.4.414.0000 | jwmarriottmarquisdubai.com