World Traveller - June'18 by Hot Media

ISSUE 122 | JUNE 2018 | COMPLIMENTARY COPY

There’s a little place I know... Local foodies spill the beans

Produced in Dubai Production City

MONTENEGRO DUBAI LOS ANGELES AUSTRIA

A CUT ABOVE Paradise found amid Bali’s lush landscape

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WELCOME NOTE

THIS MONTH’S TRAVEL COMPANIONS

Many of us will be packing our bags and heading off for some R&R over Eid, with Jebel Akhdar, Beirut, Tallin and Koh Samui among this month’s trending places, according to our travel expert. Whether you booked your trip months ago, or often find yourself making plans at the last minute, there's plenty to inspire wanderlust within this issue. From feeling the tropical breeze

Managing Director

in Bali's lush landscape (page 34) to exploring Austria's Alpine

Victoria Thatcher

pastures (page 50), if it's a change of scenery you're seeking,

Editorial Director

these stunning destinations are sure to draw you in. Foodies will

John Thatcher

devour our guide to eating like a local (page 42), which takes

Group Commercial Director

us on a journey to the best dishes to taste in Barcelona, Venice,

David Wade

Amsterdam, New York Tokyo and Paris.

Managing Editor

p22 Cuban culinary maestro LUIS POUS reveals the venues he rates

More insider tips can be gleaned from this month's travel

Faye Bartle

companions (see right), who reveal the best places to eat, shop

faye@hotmediapublishing.com

and simply discover through fresh eyes. Speaking of which,

Contributing Editor

perennial favourite, Los Angeles is given a new spin thanks to

Claire Malcolm

three tastemakers who highlight the hippest sartorial haunts, art

Assistant Editor

attractions and culinary hotspots (page 28). Even if you've been

Elena Andra Stoica

there a dozen times before, you're bound to find something new.

p24 DJ-producer SHAUN WARNER tells us where the music takes him

Art Director Kerri Bennett

Happy travels,

Designer

Faye Bartle

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

p27 Fashion icon INGIE CHALHOUB on where to shop in Dubai

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p65 Travel writer LINDSEY PARRY shares her most memorable adventures

COVER IMAGE An aerial view of the Tegalalang rice terrace in Ubud. Getty Images.

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C R E AT E SPECIAL MOMENTS WITH US.

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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.

CONTENTS June 2018

20 Capri

Capri

REGULARS

TRAVEL GOALS

GLOBETROTTER

CHEF’S TOP TABLES

A LIFE WELL TRAVELLED

We're heading into the clouds for sky-high dining in Bangkok, Singapore and Paris

Last-minute island escapes, New York's newest attractions and hot hotel openings

Asia de Cuba's executive chef Luis Pous reveals his g0-to restaurants across the globe

Chart-topping DJ-producer Shaun Warner goes where the music takes him, from Oz to Tokyo

SHOP MY CITY

THE LOCALS’ GUIDE TO LA

SUITE DREAMS

Fashion icon and businesswoman Ingie Chalhoub, tells us how to shop Dubai

We're on the inside track as three LA angels take us on a tour of their city

Staycation in style in the Royal Suite at Dubai's iconic One&Only Royal Mirage World Traveller 5

CONTENTS

Eat Like a Local

FEATURES

BALI

EAT LIKE A LOCAL

AUSTRIA

Liz Edwards is determined to dodge the tourist throngs as she pleads for peace in Bali

Appetite at the ready as we tuck into the little black books of foodies in some of our favourite cities

Ditch the devices and make like the von Trapp family this summer in Austria's Alpine pastures

WEEKENDS

A LONG WEEKEND

MY GREAT ESCAPES

STAYCATIONS

READER OFFERS

IN MONTENEGRO

Abu Dhabi-based travel blogger Lindsey Parry shares memories of her fondest trips

Enjoy a well-deserved weekend away at these luxurious hotels in the UAE

Take advantage of our exclusive deals for your next adventure

Surrender to the coastal charm of this European hotspot

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TRAVEL GOALS

SIROCCO BANGKOK

Descend the illuminated staircase into the candlelit setting and see the city unfold before your eyes. The multi-award-winning Sirocco restaurant, on the 63rd floor of Tower Club at lebua, has set the standard for a memorable evening out in Thailand's capital, with its panoramic views, fashionable crowd and anything can happen vibe (it’s where scenes for The Hangover Part II were shot). The world’s highest al fresco restaurant, Sirocco's culinary offering is led by chef Sebastien Pinson who brings “earthy, soulful cooking” to the fore for a meal that will be engrained in your memory, along with those perfect views of Chao Phraya river.

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TAKE ME THERE

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TRAVEL GOALS

LE ROOFTOP PARIS

When in Paris, searching for the ultimate rooftop venue is practically a sport. If you’re on the hunt, Le Rooftop at The Peninsula Paris can be relied upon for delivering a quintessential Parisian experience, with its elegantly crafted drinks and unobstructed view of the twinkling Eiffel Tower. Located in the heart of Paris, steps away from Arc de Triomphe and ChampsElysées, the hotel building reflects Haussmanian and neoclassical designs from the renovation period under Napoléon III – just the ticket for teleporting you into the past, while still maintaining a steady foot in the present.

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Words by Elena Andra Stoica

TAKE ME THERE

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TRAVEL GOALS

CĂ&#x2030; LA VI SINGAPORE

For a dining experience that goes beyond gastronomic pleasures, this coveted rooftop venue perched atop Marina Bay Sands is a treat for all the senses, with its sweeping views of the city skyline and Singapore Strait. Take a seat outdoors and feel the buzz of the lively city below as you sample modern Asian fare meticulously prepared by award-winning chef Joseph Sergentakis, whose signature dishes include Hokkaido scallop and oyster ceviche and king salmon roll. A team of mixologists await at the SkyBar to make your taste buds dance once again as the fiery hues of the evening sky fade to black.

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feeling like a VIP that’s Kilban’s marhaba effect The difference is the staff. So caring. I’m just an ordinary traveller but marhaba makes me feel like a VIP. With people like this, there is only one way you can go—up, up and up! Kilban

Breeze through all the airport formalities with our meet & greet services in Dubai and Bahrain. Whether you’re arriving, departing or transferring, marhaba meet & greet makes your time at the airport something to look forward to. You can also relax in style, no matter what your airline or class of travel, at our lounges in Dubai and Bahrain. Find your marhaba effect at marhabaservices.com

meet & greet | family packages | marhaba lounge | citystop | transfer service

JUNE

Globetrotter Be informed, be inspired, be there

PERFECT DAY As of 14 June you'll be able to fly from Dubai to Auckland (pictured) via Bali (page 34) on any given day of the year, thanks to Emirates' latest route launch. Plus, if you're planning a family trip to New York, we have some late additions to your to-do list (page 19), and a few last-minute Eid escape ideas to treasured islands (page 20)

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GLOBETROTTER

IN WITH THE NEW This month's noted new openings

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1. Adding five-star finery to the sun-soaked island of Skiathos is the father and daughter developed ELIVI SKIATHOS. It features suites on the beach and so-called ‘nest’ rooms, hidden among pine trees. 2. Belmond’s new-look SAVUTE ELEPHANT LODGE places an emphasis on sustainable features – and incredible wildlife views. 3. Upping the style stakes in Shanghai is THE BVLGARI HOTEL SHANGHAI, which incorporates the lovingly restored Chamber of Commerce, built in 1916. 4. Lastly, reopening on 23 June for the summer season is Switzerland's fairytale-like GSTAAD PALACE, with five new Classic Suites – one per floor.

E N J OY A B L E N D O F S T Y L E A N D T R A D I T I O N T H I S R A M A DA N Celebrate the Holy Month of Ramadan with friends and family in Dubai’s most established Ramadan setting within the sheltered oasis of our intimate courtyards.

A F E A S T O F I F TA R E X P E R I E N C E S Enjoy Iftar buffets, served daily from sunset at Tagine and The Rotisserie for AED 230, or enjoy a private banquet setting with menus starting from AED 250. Then extend the evening relaxing in our ‘Ramadan Café Courtyard’ at The Palace or ‘Ramadan Majlis’ at Arabian Court. Ramadan Café & Majlis: daily 8pm - 2.30am

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IMMERSE YOURSELF IN THAI-INSPIRED LUXURY ON DUBAI’S ICONIC PALM JUMEIRAH.

Whatever your vision of the perfect vacation – be it a fun family beach holiday, honeymoon romance or just relaxing in beachfront exclusivity – Anantara The Palm Dubai Resort offers a uniquely luxurious escape, inspired by Thai exoticism and the heartbeat of Dubai. Unwind in an enchanting Beach Pool Villa, with your very own private infinity pool. Soak up tranquil Arabian Gulf views from your Over Water Villa. Step straight from your room into the crystal clear waters of our 10,000 square metre lagoon pools. Culinary journeys excite with a melange of mouthwatering flavours. The prestigious sanctuary of Anantara Spa rejuvenates and renews, from a range of inspirational treatments, to indulgent rituals in the Turkish Hammam.

LIFE IS A JOURNEY. Visit anantara.com

ANANTARA THE PALM DUBAI RESORT P.O. BOX 71607, EAST CRESCENT, PALM JUMEIRAH, DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES T +971 4 567 8888 E resdubaipalm@anantara.com

GLOBETROTTER

Manhattan skyline

FAMILY TRAVEL

NEW IN NEW YORK Families keen to enjoy a bite of the Big Apple this summer have yet more must-dos to add to their lists, with a slew of family attractions having opened recently. Midtown Manhattan is now home to Spyscape, the world's largest interactive spy museum, where budding Bonds young and old get to sharpen their espionage skills, evade lasers, and crack codes. A multisensory experience can also be enjoyed at Madame Tussauds. KONG: Skull Island Experience features an 18-foot-high animatronic King Kong, which visitors only encounter once they've ventured through a bamboo jungle â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a much easier passage than the route through the Times Square crowds to the entrance of Madame Tussauds. Those with a head for heights will sate their sense of adventure at the Bronx Zoo, which has a zip line new for summer set 45 feet above the Bronx River. The zoo is also home to a new nature trek, replete with a jungle-themed playground and adventure course. Back in Times Square, tiny tots will love the smaller still miniatures that make up Gulliver's Gate, home to over 300 buildings, 1,000 model trains and a 3D printed replica of Grand Central Station. Lastly, having opened on Broadway (the recently renovated Lyric Theatre, to be precise) back in April, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child has charmed countless critics and is a surefire way to find favour with all the family. To-do list done.

Spyscape laser tunnel

Gulliver's Gate

THE HOT LIST

Trending Places dnata Travel's seasoned explorer, Rob Arrow, gives the inside track on where to go this month With the warm temperatures coming in and the need for some fresh mountain air, it's a great time to book a short break to Jebel Akhdar in Oman. The stunning Alila Jabal Akhdar offers all the luxury you need to rest, in stunning surroundings.

There's nowhere more exciting and thrilling for a long weekend than Beirut. It has the full package: food, partying, friendly people and, if you venture to the mountains and beyond, stunning scenery. Le Gray, Beirut is the place to stay.

Summer in Northern Europe can be amazing, especially in the Baltics, and there's nowhere more charming than historic Tallinn. Wander along the medieval streets, unwind in a coastal cafĂŠ, and visit the green parks on outskirts of the city.

If you're looking for somewhere a little quieter with an abundance of stunning views, beaches and food, then Koh Samui is the answer. Crash at Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui and unwind in luxury, with lots of pampering in the spa.

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GLOBETROTTER

The Reel Deal

CAPRI July and August see this immaculate island - once the go-to escape for the greats of Hollywood's golden era - surrender to the tourist hordes, so take the chance this month to enjoy the wonderfully atmospheric Capri town, where whitewashed walls encircle splendid restaurants and choice boutiques. The island rises high, meaning whichever ancient side street you've ambled down you'll emerge to to-die-for views. Where to stay: Hotel Caesar Augustus

LANGKAWI The finest vantage point from which to fully appreciate Langkawi’s lush landscape is via its SkyCab, a cable car which spans some 4,000 metres across millennia old rock and jungle. But back on terra firma, it’s tough to top the five-star finery of the Meritus Pelangi Beach Resort & Spa, Langkawi (pictured), where a kilometre-long stretch of bone-white beach bestows beautiful panoramas. Book a Pelangi Suite to enjoy balmy nights on your seafacing veranda. Where to stay: Meritus Pelangi Beach Resort & Spa, Langkawi

LOVE ISLANDS

Make a last-minute Eid escape to an island you'll fall head over heels for

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MAURITIUS This beguiling island – on which you can sometimes experience all four seasons in what feels like five minutes flat – has an adventurous side beneath its calm façade: you can explore underwater caves, trek mountains and rivers and skydive above spectacular scenery. However, nothing quickens the heart quite like the romantic moments you can share here – try dinner at the lantern-lit Le Barachois. Where to stay: Constance Prince Maurice Mauritius

FOOD

CHEF’S TOP TABLES Cuban culinary maestro and executive chef at Asia de Cuba, Luis Pous has cooked for Fidel Castro; here he reveals the dining venues he rates

On my wish list… The iconic The French Laundry in Napa Valley by Chef Thomas Keller, which recently underwent a four-year US$10 million renovation. I love the way they do business using French techniques, and Keller is a pioneer of farm to table cuisine. thomaskeller.com

KOMODO Miami

LITTLE PRINCE New York

komodomiami.com Komodo is a well put-together Asian fusion oasis that emits an addictive energy. Although it is a large venue – the multilevel space comprises a restaurant, lively lounge and patio area – it runs like a small one. It’s impossible to miss the most raved about dish – Peking duck – as it's the first thing you see when you enter the restaurant. The restaurant placed ads in Miami's Chinese newspaper to source the crispiest skinned, most succulent duck in town. FAVOURITE DISH: Peking duck.

littleprincesoho.tumblr.com One of the most endearing restaurant’s I’ve ever been to, Little Prince truly reflects its name. Emanating the feel of a living room, this old school brasserie serves up the epitome of French cuisine and the chef sources all the produce from the local market, meaning you’ll rarely find the same item on the menu twice. FAVOURITE DISH: The crudités with market vegetables and tarragon aïoli, and the pesto zucchini pasta with heirloom cherry tomatoes.

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POLLEN STREET SOCIAL London pollenstreetsocial.com Following a philosophy of ‘deformalised fine dining’, the Michelin star Pollen Street Social in London's Mayfair is my go-to whenever I’m in the city. Chef Jason Atherton has nailed the French/English cuisine, and the à la carte menu changes with the seasons, which is something that tempts me back again and again. It has an eclectic interior and there is an incredible private dining room. FAVOURITE DISH: Be sure to try the goat's cheese churros.

PERSONALITY

A LIFE WELL TRAVELLED

SHAUN WARNER

The UAE-based Irish DJ-producer has tracks trending in the Middle East and across the globe. His second album Stay will be released on 15 June I travel regularly, and I’ve perfected little routines to help the journey run as smoothly as possible. If I’m travelling business class, the extra space means I can spend a few hours making music. I actually really enjoy being confined in the aeroplane, as it forces me to slow down the pace. I’m a big believer in personal recommendations. I prefer to spend my time eating and drinking my way around a place rather than going to see the sights. I think if you eat where the locals do you’ll get a far better experience and you’ll probably meet a lot of interesting people this way too. I’ll normally search out a city's best bars and eateries and start my trip from there. On my last trip, I went to Auckland, Brisbane and Sydney. All three cities are like a home from home to me and I have a lot of close friends there. I spent eight years living in that part of the world and 24 World Traveller

I always have a great time. Sitting in a café in Bondi watching all the barefoot, beautiful people pass by on the way to the beach is something I’ll never tire of. Brisbane is one of the world’s best foodie destinations and Auckland and its surrounds are also very nice. The people are laidback and completely genuine. My original trip to Australia has played a pivotal role in my life. I had planned to live and work there for a few months but that turned into eight years. I loved the place so much I decided not to keep going with the rest of my trip, and settled there and became a permanent resident. I split my time between Brisbane and Sydney and loved every minute of it. It’s there I’ve made some of my closet friends and had some of my best experiences. From skydiving over Byron Bay at sunrise to scuba diving on the Great Barrier Reef, the place is just one big adventure waiting to be had.

As much as I like to discover new places, Ireland is where I’m from and it keeps calling me back. Clearly, I’m biased, but it’s one of the most beautiful places in the world and the people are just so nice. Although it’s a relatively small island, there’s still so much I have to discover there. I love to travel alone, however, if I could sit beside anyone on a plane for a long journey, I’d pick Joe Rogan. He’s a comedian, UFC commentator and diverse podcaster, and I think we would have a great conversation. The next place to tick off my list is Tokyo. And I'd also like to go to Hong Kong later in the year. These two destinations have been calling me for a while now. I’ve recently started to listen to a lot of music from the region so I’m looking forward to visiting both places and see what impact they have on my own music.

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Extend your journey with World Traveller magazine by heading online to read more inspirational and exclusive travel content and take advantage of upto-the-minute hotel and holiday features

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SHOPPING

Clockwise from left: Golden gown, INGIE Paris Ramadan and Eid Capsule Collection 2018, Dhs11,125; pink gown, INGIE Paris Ramadan and Eid Capsule Collection 2018, Dhs10,700; Aquazzura Spring-Summer 2018 collection; ring, Comptoir 102; bangle, Bil Arabi by Nadine Kanso; INGIE Paris; Tribe Main image: Ingie wears a piece from the INGIE Paris Spring Summer 2018 collection

SHOP MY CITY

Dubai

Ingie Chalhoub, Etoile Group president and managing director and founder of INGIE Paris, tells us how to shop the emirate Dubai is a major shopping destination and, as the modest movement continues to grow, all eyes are on the region. There are exciting and creative events happening yearround but there's no better time to discover Dubai’s homegrown labels than during Ramadan and Eid. Creative hub Alserkal Avenue in Al Quoz, hosts designers throughout Ramadan at its outlet Nadi Al Quoz. For more artisanal products, such as candles and interiors, head to Tribe at the Collective by Ripe, also in Al Quoz, and O’de Rose on Al Wasl Road, both of which have an incredible selection of locally handcrafted luxury products. Visiting The Dubai Mall is a must – it takes luxury shopping to a whole new level with VIP services such as personal shopping, and the world’s top brands at your fingertips. The recently added Fashion Avenue

extension is a shopper’s paradise. It’s home to the first INGIE Paris boutique in Dubai, offering an exclusive collection of eveningwear, ready-to-wear and couture. While you’re there, I also recommend visiting the Aquazzura and Tod’s boutiques for glamorous footwear and accessories. For jewellery, I love the timeless yet very modern Arabic script collections of Bil Arabi founded by designer and artist Nadine Kanso. For leathergoods, I’m a huge fan of Baraboux, the luxury leather goods brand founded by HRH Princess Reema Bandar Al Saud in 2014. Etoile “La boutique”, my multi-brand concept in Mall of the Emirates, was one of its very first stockists. Having been raised in Paris, I'm in love with the French style. Comptoir 102 in Jumeirah stocks fabulous French contemporary brands, and its range of fine jewellery is especially unique.

“The Dubai Mall takes luxury shopping to a whole new level”

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LOCALS’ GUIDE

THE LOCALS' GUIDE TO

Los Angeles There’s no shortage of chic restaurants, bars and boutiques to explore in the City of Angels – in between doing yoga and sipping cold-pressed juices, of course

American Rag Cie

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LOCALS’ GUIDE

STYLE SETTER Homme Depot founder Levi Sawyer shares his favourite sartorial haunts, from edgy boutiques to vintage markets homme-depot.com American Rag Cie (150 South La Brea Ave, americanrag.com) is a true Los Angeles staple for both established ready-towear as well as some of the best vintage around. Here, you can find everything from Vivienne Westwood to Commes des Garçons. It also boasts a massive denim bar with an amazing curation of Japanese and American pieces and a killer shoe selection. It's been my go-to for classic bowling shirts and Levi's for over a decade. Maxfield is another famous LA boutique that’s known for all things luxury and of the moment (8825 Melrose Ave, maxfieldla.com). The price tags are higher so it's more of a special occasion shop with the best of runway and streetstyle brands like Gucci, Off White and Balenciaga. The space is ultra chic and located in the hip West Hollywood neighbourhood with endless food and bar options nearby. If I could have any shop at my fingertips at all times it would be Opening Ceremony LA (451 N La Cienega Blvd, openingceremony.com). The selection of emerging and established brands like Kenzo, Acne Studios, Sankuanz and Y/ Project keeps me coming back every season. The store has a way of inspiring amazing street-style looks right off the runway. It helps that the merchandising is always colourful and quirky, an aesthetic that aligns with my own style. If you're looking for affordable designer options or a last-minute holiday look then Wasteland will more than likely have what you need (7428 Melrose Ave, shopwasteland.com). Known for resale and secondhand finds, it handpicks passed-down designer pieces and sells them at a more desirable price. Located off the trendy Melrose shopping district, it's always a great spot to find a worn-in leather motorcycle jacket or a good pair of Saint Laurent boots. World Traveller 29

LOCALS’ GUIDE

Flea market finds The Rose Bowl Flea Market (1001 Rose Bowl Dr, Pasadena, rgcshows. com/rosebowl) is one of California's best, with a 45-year history

THE ART BEAT Anat Ebgi, owner of the eponymous Arts District gallery, shares her five favourite LA-style art immersions anategbi.com, @AnatEbgi

Hauser & Wirth (901 E 3 St, hauserwirthlosangeles.com) spans an entire city block of LA's Arts District, featuring works by local and global artists such as Louise Bourgeois and Mary Heilmann. This summer I'm particularly excited about the Larry Bell

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retrospective. A key West Coast Light and Space movement figure, it will include his original minimalist glass cubes.

The Huntington Botanical Gardens in Pasadena (151 Oxford Rd, San Marino, huntington.org) is a gorgeous setting for a stroll through its one hundred acres of flora, especially the Japanese Garden and Desert Garden. A classic lunch at the Rose Garden Tea Room can be followed by a visit to the Huntington Library Art Collection, with its exquisite collection of 17th through to mid 20th-century European and American art.

Every two years the Made in L.A. Biennial returns to the Hammer Museum (10899 Wilshire Blvd,

hammer.ucla.edu/exhibitions). An exciting showcase of LA based Californian artists, this year's iteration (3 June to 2 September) includes works by landscape filmmaker James Benning and painter Celeste Dupuy-Spence. The exhibition is accompanied by a series of outdoor concerts, screenings and performances.

While most of the art world shuts down for the summer, Los Angeles is still quite active. Located on the main drag of La Cienega Boulevard, the galleries in The Culver City Arts District (culvercityartsdistrict.com) are a hotbed for great art viewing. It's one of the rare areas in Los Angeles where you can park your car and walk to about a dozen excellent galleries on foot.

Words by Michelle Wranik-Hicks

The Mistake Room (1811 E. 20th Street, tmr.la) is a non-profit gallery located in a former garment factory in Downtown LA. Directed by César García, TMR is dedicated to the discovery of projects imagined by an international community of contemporary artists. This summer they will be screening films by Sky Hopinka and Karrabing Film collective, which examine indigenous histories though personal archives.

Above: AAA, 2016 by Nancy Lupo at Hammer Museum's Biennial Made in L.A. 2018 Left: Public Garden, Hauser & Wirth Los Angeles, 2016. Photo: Joshua Targownik/targophoto.com © Courtesy Hauser & Wirth Opposite: Rustic Canyon (photo by Rick Poon)

LOCALS’ GUIDE

FOODIE HOTSPOTS Chef, author and founder of Silverlake hotspot Sqirl, Jessica Koslow knows all the best places to go to taste the local culinary highs sqirlla.com What makes LA great is the diversity and uniqueness of the culinary landscape. The jade noodles from Sapp Coffee Shop (5183 Hollywood Blvd), the hickory burger at Apple Pan (10801 W Pico Blvd) and the koji’d meat at Shibumi (815 S Hill St, shibumidtla.com) are just some of the dishes that bring the LA food scene to life. When I'm not working I find myself at Proof Bakery in Atwater Village (3156 Glendale Blvd, proofbakery.com). Baker Na Young Ma started this quaint and technically perfect bakery in 2010 and the canelés are the best I’ve had in the States. There are many chefs in this city that I respect and look up to. David Schlosser of Shibumi (shibumidtla.com) – a 40-seat Japanese restaurant in Downtown LA – is a gentle giant from Santa Monica whose food is deceptively simple yet nuanced. His vision as a chef resonates strongly with me. Suzanne Goin (Tavern/AOC/Lucques, thelucquesgroup.com) has created a culinary empire in Los Angeles and I value her entrepreneurial manner. My go-to restaurants when I have visitors in town are: Rustic Canyon (1119 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, rusticcanyonrestaurant.com) where my friend chef Jeremy Fox is pushing boundaries in the kitchen. Located close to the water, Gjusta (320 Sunset Ave, Venice, gjusta.com) offers clean, fresh food and smartly designed space. Lastly, Ori Menashe of Bestia opened his new restaurant, Bavel (500 Mateo St, baveldtla. com), in April and it’s a total slam hit. He offers a take on Middle Eastern food that's so flavourful, you’ll wonder why shrimp, eggplant and even hummus has never tasted this good.

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WORLD TRAVELLER X ANANTARA THE PALM DUBAI RESORT

Into the blue Famous for its over water villas, Anantara The Palm Dubai Resort invites luxury seekers to enjoy an elevated holiday experience

s discerning travellers will agree, finding a destination to top your last memorable holiday can prove quite the challenge. The more you travel, the higher your expectations, but we know of a place that ticks all the luxury experience boxes. Anantara The Palm Dubai Resort on Palm Jumeirah blends Asian-inspired design with the best of beachfront luxury. Featuring the UAE’s only over water accommodation, those seeking five-star views and plush decor suspended above the Arabian Gulf are sure to be impressed by the spacious One Bedroom Over Water Villas. The vistas even extend beneath your feet with a unique glass viewing panel set into the floor of each villa, offering a fascinating snapshot of the seascape below. Foodies have plenty to whet the appetite, with seven ways to dine. For

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traditional Asian cuisine in a stylish setting head to Mekong, where you can cosy up in rickshaw-style seating and tuck into authentic dishes from China, Thailand and Vietnam. Alternatively, follow your nose to Bushman’s Restaurant & Bar, which will be grilling up a storm on the open fire. With its rustic interiors and billabong-inspired al fresco area, you’ll be treated to an authentic Australian dining experience including kangaroo sirloin and Queensland scallops, with a signature Pavlova dessert prepared at your table. On Fridays, the lively Fork & Cork brunch at Crescendo is a gastronome's delight with fantastically fresh seafood, plenty of international flavours, an entire room dedicated to cheese, and plenty of kid-friendly menu options. For an insider scoop on hotel-worthy cuisine, sign up for the Spice Spoons interactive Thai cooking experience,

which offers a sneak peek at the country's trademark flavours. Burn off those extra calories with a fun watersports session. Families will love the banana boat rides, while the more adventurous can check out the wakeboarding, kayaks, stand-up paddle boarding and traditional Thai long-tail boats for a relaxed scenic tour. If you're short on time then a daycation definitely fits the bill. Book yourself in for a full day of pampering at the spa and let go of any deep-seated stress with a relaxing and revitalising turn in the traditional Turkish hammam followed by an Anantara Signature Massage. Round out the experience with a healthy lunch or indulgent dinner at Revo Café or Crescendo. High-end island living never felt so good. To find out more, visit anantara.com

Bedroom, Over Water Villa

Turkish hammam, Anantara Spa Mekong

Crescendo

An aerial view of the resort

World Traveller 33

BALI

34 World Traveller

Opposite: Fisherman at Lake Batu This page: A woman carries an offering toward a temple in Ubud

The name may whisper like a remote tropical breeze, yet Bali can be busy, built-up and a bit of a let-down. Paradise is not lost, though â&#x20AC;&#x201D; far from it. Liz Edwards falls for the lush beauty of the islandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s verdant hills, empty shores and kind local souls

World Traveller 35

et your violins out: my husband made me go to Bali. I know, I know; the three-line whip really shouldn’t have been necessary. On paper, Bali should have been topping my bucket list. I haven’t yet found a corner of Asia I don’t like, and this one, Indonesia’s star island, comes brimming with ancient temples, spicy food, delightful people, dreamy scenery and dramatic coastline. Yoga fans love it, surfers love it, even educated beach bunnies love it; it’s many things to many people. But maybe that was my problem. It’s many things to too many people. A quick chat with my inner snob confirmed that Bali’s popularity was what was putting me off. Couldn’t we get an Asia fix elsewhere, I asked? Not if we wanted somewhere new, and easy for our three-year-old, and didn’t want to drip our way round, replied Les — Bali’s late monsoon means it sunbathes while other bits of Asia squelch. So I let him book, on one condition: he had to find us the crowdpleasing bits, without the crowds. That’s quite a condition, it turns out. Crawling through traffic in Bali’s Kuta tourist area on the first day of our fortnight’s exploration, I ask our driver if it’s always this slow. ‘You think this is slow?’ he laughs. ‘Sometimes the airport road’s so jammed, it’s quicker to walk into town.’ First step, then, is leaving Kuta, however slowly. The beach gives good sunset, but it’s backed by an ugly westernised sprawl — an M&S, a Bubba Gump Shrimp Co — that makes me itch. ‘This isn’t Bali,’ says our driver. ‘See?’ says Les. Thirty kilometres up the coast from Kuta, between mountain-view fields and wavethumped sands, Soori Bali is another story. Actually, this sleek villa-hotel probably isn’t quite Bali, either (too groomed and efficient), but it’s a darn sight closer and it’s serenely peaceful. Cue sighs of relief all round. Of course, it’s easy to ditch the crowds when you can hide in a posh villa with room service and private pool. (‘Don’t jump in from the bedroom,’ cautions the butler, while sliding open the doors perfectly positioned for doing just that.) And we can spy a little local life playing out on the beach below: ladies burying themselves to bake in the hot black sand; men standing in the shallows with fishing

36 World Traveller

nets; a jingly, drum-beating procession that turns out to be a passing funeral. But we’re not really testing the crowd-avoidance thing until we leave the hotel gates next morning on bikes. And we pass with flying colours. Pedalling around nearby villages and fields with Mustana, the hotel’s immaculate cycling guide, we plug instantly into the rural peace. We see no other tourists, only neatly uniformed kids mopedding home from school, farmers rotovating their fields, shopkeepers lazing in the shade. Away from the pounding surf, the noisiest thing we hear is the happy-shouty-chatter that signals ‘primary school’ the world over. But what’s unique is the very physical manifestation of the island’s Hindu beliefs, and not just the little plates of foodie-floral offerings we see in every doorway. Mustana points out the temples within each family compound; bigger, curly-roofed communal temples sit between the compounds; and even the plots of spinach, watermelon and aubergine out in the fields are punctuated with mini shrines. High above it all hover dozens of kites, humming in the breeze, anchored by posts or hands too distant to see. ‘What do the kites symbolise?’ I ask Mustana solemnly. ‘It’s kite season,’ he says. ‘They’re for fun!’ Back at the hotel, Mustana helps our son make his own kite, using a glowing joss stick to weld polythene around a bambooand-string frame, and we take it to the beach, kicking up soft charcoal sand as we send it soaring. Just along the coast is Pura Tanah Lot, one of Bali’s most important sites, perched photogenically on coastal rocks — and a magnet for Kuta day trippers. Kryptonite! Can we swerve it? Yes, we can, says Les, because en route to Munduk, the next base in our dodge-the-masses tour, is Pura Luhur Batukau, another major temple, but one that’s safely off the beaten track. We head north across the island through leafy villages, many elaborate with bamboo and palm-leaf decorations for ceremonies timed to coincide with the new moon. Pura Luhur Batukau itself is a collection of shrines and tall, tiered-thatch merus (pagodas) surrounded by forest thick with palms, bamboo and hibiscus on the misty foothills of Mount Batukau. Temple rules vary around the island, but here they’re

BALI Clockwise from left: A traditional salt farmer walking on the beach; a colourful crowd bringing offerings to a temple; a man farms the verdant fields; fresh produce for sale at a market in Ubud

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;We spend the next couple of days off-piste, exploring coffee plantations, fields of blue hydrangeas destined for offerings, and hidden jungle waterfallsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

World Traveller 37

strict: no women during pregnancy, no children with baby teeth, no one ‘getting impure due to death’. So we borrow sarongs, leave our baby-toothed son playing I-spy with Ferry, the driver, and step through the Yin-Yang split gates into the temple precincts, all mottled, mossy stone carvings and liberally scattered offerings. Actual Balinese worshippers outnumber tourists, and there’s a hold-your-breath atmosphere of quiet reverence. Priests chant, bells ting, sacred water fountains tinkle. We tingle. ‘See?’ says Les. Via the luminous emerald hillsides of the UNESCO-protected Jatiluwih rice paddies (stunning, but crowd-wise definitely on the spectrum), we continue north to Munduk, high above Bali’s triplet volcanic lakes. Enough tourists have made it here that all along the ridge overlooking the lakes, enterprising restaurateurs have gilded the view with giant selfie props: a swing, a couple-sized woven heart, a bamboo helicopter to pose in. It’s just as well our tour operator has given us a guide, Kadek, who knows his brief. We spend the next couple of days off-piste, exploring coffee plantations, fields of blue hydrangeas destined for offerings, and hidden jungle waterfalls. Banyumala, a 15-minute scramble down a steep tree-root-stepped path, is a spectacularly lush 40m-high cascade, where we have only the swallows and dragonflies for company — though of course we’re not the first here. It wouldn’t be Bali without a shrine. Our Marlene Dietrich act is coming on so well, we risk a stop at Pura Ulun Danu Beratan on our way out of the mountains. The ‘floating’ temple on Lake Beratan must have graced a million brochure shots, but the mid-morning visitor-swarmed reality is more theme park than ethereal. We definitely want to be alone now — in which case we’re heading for the wrong place; Ubud has been a victim of Eat, Pray, Love success. But we couldn’t ignore it, says Les. The town is Bali’s cultural capital, home to

38 World Traveller

(child-pleasing) dancers and musicians, (wife-pleasing) artists and craftsmen, all part of what makes Bali unique. So we’re prepared for busy: the traffic oozes at Kuta pace; the town’s low-rise centre heaves with tie-dye trousers, fish pedicures, air-conned Western boutiques and ticket touts; and the Sacred Monkey Forest temple is thronged with visitors ignoring the ‘Do not feed the macaques’ signs and taking photos, even around the open-air, industrial-blowtorch cremation that’s going on. (Kadek’s aunt, he mentions, casually. The Balinese are pretty relaxed about death, he says. ‘We are just puppets in this life.’) But the density of visitors in Ubud only makes it more pleasantly surprising when we do spend a day of blissful tranquillity in the countryside nearby. Our tour company has set us up with Ida Bagus Ketut Dharma. A village priest who leads nature walks and is one of the last practitioners of traditional Keliki painting, he encompasses many of Bali’s best bits in one charismatic, dimplecheeked package. We set off through rice paddies that aren’t as neat or scenically arranged as those at Jatiluwih, but it’s the same chlorophyll-drenched riot of greens, and with not a single minibus in sight, they feel more real. They’re there for the people who farm them, not for tourist show. Butterflies and dragonflies dance as Ida explains about different types of rice, points out the white egrets that help by eating bugs, and pauses to chat to a barefoot farmer resting on an irrigation channel wall. He learnt about medicinal plants from his grandfather, and shows us starflowers (their sap makes good eyedrops), mooluk leaves (shampoo substitute) and kopido leaves (antiseptic that’s good for ‘sickle wounds’, gulp). Palms and banana trees give us shade before we plunge into a steep gorge, over a wobbly bamboo bridge and back up the other side through teak, ebony and mahogany trees. It’s sweaty work, but

BALI

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

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Butterflies and dragonflies dance as Ida explains about different types of riceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

This page, clockwise from top left: Vegetarian cuisine, for which Ubud is well known; a local woman at a morning market; a HinduBuddhist temple on the shores of Lake Bratan, Ubud's famous Sacred Monkey Forest

World Traveller 39

This page: Volcanic Mount Agung is Bali's highest point

40 World Traveller

BALI

Credit: The Sunday Times Travel Magazine / News Licensing

‘Palms and banana trees give us shade before we plunge into a steep gorge, over a wobbly bamboo bridge and back up the other side through teak, ebony and mahogany trees’ the pastoral peace is soothing — as is the spread of salads, sambals, rice and spicy chicken Ida’s wife gives us back at his family compound. We buy a couple of his fantastically intricate paintings, he gives us a priestly blessing — and we’re off, reluctantly breaking the spell for our son’s benefit with a rowdy, panto-like kecak dance show back in central Ubud. The crowdometer has been creeping dangerously high, but Les has further splendid isolation up his sleeve. First, to Sidemen, the sleepy eastern region known for its intricate ikat-weaving and mountaintrekking. It’s slightly less sleepy than normal when we arrive, though, because Mount Agung, the highest of Bali’s volcanic peaks, seems to be waking up. Pre-empting an eruption, a government exclusion zone extends kilometres from her summit (and still does now) — which cuts off a couple of places we meant to visit, but adds a little ‘cloud or ash?’ frisson to our hotel’s gorgeously verdant view (maybe less so for the hundreds of Balinese displaced from their villages). We let Kadek persuade us into one more temple, Pura Bukit Tegeh.

It’s not the prettiest or most ornate we’ve seen, but many offerings suggest the locals aren’t deterred by the 300-plus steps up. And it has the best view — of rice terraces, rivers and Mount Agung herself. As we watch, she lets her shawl of clouds slip down for a coquettish shoulder-reveal, then covers herself up again, keeping her temper for now. Our final bid for seclusion is a bit of a cheat, because we hop across the sea to Bali’s neighbour, Lombok. It’s definitely quieter (no traffic jams!) and it’s refreshing to observe everyday life without feeling part of its focus. Really, though, we’re here for the beaches, which we’ve heard knock Bali’s into a cocked hat. We’ve only seen a couple on Bali but I can believe Lombok’s trump the lot when we reach Jeeva Beloam, our beachcamp hotel in the deep southeast, and clock its cornflour-soft sand and cornflower-blue waves. It’s perfect for castaway fantasists and crowd-avoiders like us. And yet, could it be... too quiet? Inspired to travel? To book a trip, call +971 4 316 6666 or visit dnatatravel.com World Traveller 41

42 World Traveller

EAT LIKE A LOCAL

Who wants to be fleeced for touristy food? Follow our contacts to their regular haunts and — from Venice to Tokyo — you’re guaranteed the very best bites

World Traveller 43

The City

BARCELONA

which is why we can have it late at night.

stallholders — and the arroz negro (cuttlefish

We love a wander along Las Ramblas — it’s such

rice) at Bar Joan.

The Local

an important symbol of Barcelona, especially

Georgia Rodriquez, dental nurse

after last year’s terrorist attacks. But we’d never

‘Just like everyone in Spain, we eat tapas,

eat there — the food is a rip-off, and no good.

but they’re actually not typically local —

‘People obsess about how Spanish people like

Instead we go to Rambla de Raval, the more

and neither is paella. Authentic Barcelona

eating late — dinner tends to be between

local stretch further north. My favourite spot is

restaurants will serve larger portions — we

9pm and 11.30pm. But our most important

relaxed Suculent (suculent.com)

call them raciones — of dishes such as pa amb

meal of the day is lunch. That’s when we eat

tomàquet (bread with tomato), barbecued

the most, usually a three-course menú del día

‘La Boqueria market is too busy, and too

calçot onions, faves a la catalana (bean and

with drinks around 2pm, followed by a siesta

expensive! Instead we go to Santa Caterina,

sausage stew) and fideuà — a bit like paella

for an hour or two. Dinner, like our breakfast,

which is under a colourful roof near Parc de

made with pasta. The best place to go for a

is normally very light — tapas and a drink —

la Ciutadella. We love it for the charm of the

drink is Can Paixano (canpaixano.com).’

44 World Traveller

EAT LIKE A LOCAL

The City

your paper plate with bruschetta topped with

‘The Rialto market is the beating heart of

baccala mantecato (dried-cod pâté), sarde in

Venice’s food scene, but it can be a hive of

The Local

soar (sweet-and-sour sardines) or cuttlefish in

tourists if you hit it at the wrong time. Get

Monica Cesarato, food blogger and guide

its own ink. You’ll find the best cicchetti in the

there when it opens, around 8am. Or, if you

Rialto, Dorsoduro and Cannaregio districts —

want a bargain, drift in at closing time,

look for a sign that says ‘ombre and cicchetti’.

around 12.30pm, when stallholders pile unsold

VENICE

‘Venetians find any excuse to slip inside the nearest hole-in-the-wall-size bàcaro.

produce into ‘bargain bags’ and sell it at a

I see tourists walk past these shadowy dens,

‘Venice does the best risotto. The finest is

heavy discount. You could buy a family-sized

either because they’re too nervous to enter, or

risotto di go, made from a rich, salty

stew’s worth of fish for 30 per cent less than the

they’ve mistaken it for someone’s front room.

broth of tiny goby fish, which live in the city’s

normal price — great if you are self-catering.

Cicchetti are the uniquely Venetian platters

lagoons. It originated on the island of Burano

of snacks you’ll find at any decent bàcaro.

which is where Venice’s fishermen used to

‘In most Italian cities you can get a decent meal

The deal is: buy a drink, graze for free. Fill

live, and is still — to my knowledge — the

for under $30, but Venice is more expensive

only place you can find it served, at the Al

— at least if you want to eat well — because

Gatto Nero trattoria (gattonero.com).

the quality local ingredients are produced on a small scale. If you want a proper, slapup dinner, expect to pay at least $50.’

World Traveller 45

EAT LIKE A LOCAL

The City

(slow-cooked kale and sausage) are more for

‘Skip the caramel-filled stroopwafel — it’s just

home. However, you can find great Dutch

for tourists. Instead, enjoy our favourite snack

The Local

ingredients used in the global restaurants

— bitterballen, which are meatballs made

Juliette Menne, brand manager

here. For example, at central La Cacerola

with beef or veal. You can find them in every

(restaurantlacacerola.nl), the menu is South

bar, because all Dutch people love them.

AMSTERDAM

‘Dutch people enjoy intimate haunts, so when

American, but it still serves fresh plaice from

guidebooks start to publicise ‘hidden gems’,

Zeeland and pigeon from Drenthe.

we go elsewhere to avoid the incoming crowds.

‘Pop-up restaurants are very popular here. They are all over the city, but outside

In the trendy Pijp area, this has happened a

‘Amsterdam doesn’t have many tall buildings,

it, too. Book ahead for a dinner trip to

lot, but there are still a few good places. For

so visitors assume you can’t get dinner with a

Vuurtoreneiland — Lighthouse Island — a

example, I love the filter coffee at Scandinavian

view. They’re wrong! Head towards the central

small UNESCO World Heritage Site an hour’s

Embassy (scandinavianembassy.nl). Or there’s

station to the former Shell headquarters — it’s

boat-ride from the city (vuurtoreneiland.

Café Caron (cafecaron.nl), with excellent French

been renovated to house fancy hotels, clubs, and

nl). Your ticket includes a five-course menu,

red and white.

restaurants. Moon (restaurantmoon.nl), one of

boat trip, and all your drinks. In spring and

the top-floor restaurants, has the best views of

summer, dinner is served up on a hill, and

‘We don’t really eat traditional Dutch foods

the city, and spins (really slowly — you won’t get

during wintertime it is in a romantic former

in restaurants — dishes such as boerenkool

sick) while you dine.

military fort.’

‘When guidebooks start to publicise “hidden gems”, we go elsewhere to avoid the incoming crowd’ 46 World Traveller

The City

NEW YORK The Local Kara Rota, podcast host ‘Do go to a deli, but don’t ask to have your bagel toasted! It’s a quick way to ‘out’ yourself as a tourist — and some places flat out won’t do it. For me, peak New York is lox (brined salmon) on a bagel from Zabar’s (zabars.com)— ideally eaten on a bench in Central Park, while reading The New York Times. For a great sandwich, try Eisenberg’s in central Flatiron, right off 5th Avenue, where you can sit at the counter — have it with fries and a Lime Rickey (eisenbergsnyc.com). ‘It’s a myth that New Yorkers always buy pizza by the slice — we tend to have our own favourite neighbourhood pizzeria. Mine is Arturo’s in Greenwich Village (106 West Houston St), for pizza with a bottle of good red and a live pianist to listen to. My order is a thin-crust cheese pizza with extra garlic. ‘Steakhouses, for us, are more of a formal thing — we’d go to them when our parents are in town, or for a work dinner. That said, my grandparents used to take me to Ben & Jack’s (benandjackssteakhouse.com) near the Empire State Building — a total classic. But it’s more New York then than New York now. ‘Don’t eat a hot dog from a cart. I mean, I would, but let’s just say I’ve got a strong stomach. Instead, go to one of the classic shops — Crif Dogs in the East Village (113 St Marks Pl), or Gray’s Papaya on the Upper West Side (grayspapayanyc.com). They’re grungy and lived-in, but more reassuring. ‘The biggest mistake tourists make is sticking to the safe chain restaurants around Midtown, rather than walking into a darkened storefront with delicious smells wafting out. I’ve had some of my most memorable meals at weird places that I knew nothing about. The place to wander is Midtown’s Koreatown, where you can get some of the world’s best sundubu (tofu stew) and bibimbap (mixed rice) for no more than the price you'll pay for a turkey sandwich.’

World Traveller 47

EAT LIKE A LOCAL

The City

TOKYO The Local

some great burger places — I like JS Burgers

choose from a buffet. You may need to book,

Cafe (burgers.journal-standard), in central

but in the evening look out for ‘course menus’

Shinjuku or Shibuya.

— set menus with all-you-can-drink for about

Ko Nishida, bartender

$50. Try Shirubee (1- 11-5 Jinnan Shibuya ‘We don’t expect you to know everything about

Tokyo) for Japanese dishes with a twist, such as

‘Bad sushi doesn’t exist in Tokyo, but if you

Japanese etiquette. But don’t use chopsticks to

mackerel blowtorched at the table.

want the best, head to Tsukiji Market* for

pass food, and never rest them upright in your

breakfast or lunch. Yes, it’s in the guidebooks,

rice bowl — it reminds us of a funeral. And

‘Rather than go to just one restaurant,

but Japanese people really do go there. My

remember that slurping when eating ramen is

try out a food complex where you can hop

favourite spot is Tsukiji Itadori Uogashi

considered polite, so be loud!

between several. Nakameguro Koukashita

Senryo (itadori.co.jp) — its chirashizushi

(nakamegurokoukashita.jp), under railway ‘Many restaurants have a lunch deal for about

tracks in relaxed Nakameguro, has a great

1,000 yen ($9), often with a salad, main course

range of Japanese curry places, plus a

‘Don’t stick to Japanese food. Tokyo chefs love

and drink. Look for signs that say ‘seto menu’.

yakiniku (grilled meat) bar and bakery. Or in

perfecting individual dishes, and that goes for

I like Pariya (pariya.jp) in Shibuya (the area

the museum-packed Ueno district, Ameya-

foreign cuisine, too. For example, there are

with the famous crossing), where you can

Yokocho has a line of homely izakayas.’

(sushi rice bowl) is delicious.

48 World Traveller

*The market is relocating in October Credit: The Sunday Times Traveller Magazine / News Licensing

‘We don’t expect you to know everything about Japanese etiquette. But don’t use chopsticks to pass food’

LOS ANGELES

The City

PARIS

drink instead of $13. For instance, in the gentrifying 20th arrondissement, I

The Local

might drop in to Aux Ours (auxours.fr)

Gaëlle Lochner, graphic designer

for coffee after I’ve dropped my son at school, or meet friends there for lunch,

‘Snails and frogs’ legs are not something

or drinks in the evening. Or all three!

Parisians eat. We’d tend to go to local brasseries for steak-frites or a tartare, or a big

‘You don’t have to avoid the touristy areas

salad with chicken livers. Most places do these

to eat well. Montmartre, for example, sees

typical lunch dishes well. I like Chez Gaston,

a mix of tourists and locals — people do

in the 11th arrondissement — it does a great

live round here, so among the rip-offs

salmon tartare (112 Blvd Richard Lenoir).

are some good- value restaurants. Le Rendez-Vous des Amis (23 Rue Gabrielle),

‘Waiters aren’t as rude as everyone thinks. If

for instance, is a few minutes from the

you say “bonjour” and make an effort to show

Sacré-Coeur, but it’s a lovely place with

you’re friendly, they will, too. But these guys

tables on the street. And right on the Seine,

work hard and if they’re tired of someone’s

Péniche Marcounet (peniche-marcounet)

attitude they won’t hide it. Don’t worry about

is one of several lovely riverside bars

leaving a tip, though — French people don’t.

— and has Notre Dame views.

‘Every neighbourhood has a café where

‘Have at least one market-bought picnic.

you could spend your life. Outside the

Every district has a market, usually three times a week — Marché d’Aligre Beauvau

starchy aprons, but you’ll pay $6 for a

in the 12th is well-known but locals love it.’

Credit. The Sunday Times Travel Magazine

centre, you might not get waiters in

World Traveller 49

50 World Traveller

AUSTRIA

Kaunertal mountain road in Innsbruck

THE

HIGH LIFE You could sweat on a crowded beach again, but why not set your sights higher this summer? Wholesome, healthy and with mountains to do, Austriaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Alpine pastures mean pure fun for kids and adults, says Ed Grenby

World Traveller 51

weets. Pizza. Doing the school run by car because someone (often me) is ‘too tiiiiiired’ to walk. TV. In fact, screens in general. These are some of the things my family does too much of. But what’s a holiday if not a chance to do for seven days what you’ve been meaning to do for the preceding 358? This week, I warn my family as we board the plane to Austria, for Innsbruck, things will be different. This week, there will be fresh mountain air. There will be hiking. There will be wholesome meals and hearty appetites earned through honest exercise. There will be enthusiastic identification of wildflower species. There will be swimming in cool, clear Alpine lakes. There will be rosy cheeks. There may even be family sing-songs. And if they’re not careful — if, say, the walks are foreshortened by whingeing, or if rude words are inserted into the sing-songs, or if wildflowers are declared to be ‘boring’, or if I simply deem, at my sole discretion, that there is insufficient rosiness of cheeks — then, Gott in Himmel, there will be Lederhosen. See, ever since they’d been old enough to say ‘iPad’ I’d wanted to give my spoilt urban offspring an unspoilt pastoral summer holiday in my ’50s fantasy of Swiss Family Robinson meets The Sound of Music meets Heidi. But it wasn’t until last winter’s sneaky ski weekend without them that I located it: in the three linked villages of Serfaus-Fiss-Ladis, high in the Austrian Tyrol, I saw brochures promoting the area as a summer playground of walking, mountainbiking, outdoor swimming and — if the pictures were to believed — happy, bonny children and relaxed parents beaming at each other like they’d found nirvana with a breakfast buffet attached. I’d booked a week for the four of us... which is why we’re currently two kilometres up a mountain, trying to buy a sandwich, but being swept up in a tide of Teutonic pensioners line-dancing and stein-clinking to a pleasingly overweight brass band as they oompah through a selection of softrock classics (‘Ve vill... ve vill... röck you!’). This is Fiss’s SummerPark, epicentre of the area’s attractions this time of year. And once we’ve escaped Fattie Mercury and friends, we’re free to ride, climb, bounce on, slide down and splash through a whole high plateau of amusements. Even better, the fiendish geniuses who designed the place plonked loungers just above the main play area of sand and water and free wooden trikes and tractors and scooters (and helmets! They think of everything, those fiendish geniuses!) 52 World Traveller

AUSTRIA

‘The trail itself, punctuated with giant wooden beasts, brilliantly tricks young legs into believing they like walking’ So multi tasking mums can tan and kissbetter grazed knees simultaneously. But, as I hope I made clear back at the airport, we haven’t come on this holiday for fun, and I’m soon dragging my kids away for a walk. And while that would be the cue for a four-hour whine-a-thon back home, here it’s the beginning of a great adventure. A fold-out ‘summer piste map’ plots hiking trails, cable cars, bike tracks, swim spots and other attractions, so I let my two boys pick out our route, and they pore over the thing like it might lead to pirate treasure. Inevitably, they choose one of the area’s ‘Adventure Mountain’ family paths, each themed and waymarked with puzzles and play areas, but even getting to its start point is a blast of fresh-air fun. Five minutes’ stroll out of tiny Ladis village and we’ve already climbed higher than its rooftops to views over its prettily rickety barns and operatically Gothic-looking, but seemingly pointless castle (what was it meant to guard? Some hay?). The footpath intertwines with a cheerily chuntering stream that trips down off the mountain in an unending series of mini-falls. It passes through fern and fir and patches of meadow; then suddenly there’s a whimsical set of carved-out tree trunks fixed together in giant zig-zags to form a marble run of diverted brook water. For 20 gigglingly idyllic minutes we race pine cones down the mini-flumes as if this is the only kind of ‘streaming’ that’s been invented.

World Traveller 53

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54 World Traveller

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Previous page, clockwise from left: Maria-TheresienStrasse in Innsbruck; a brass band entertains the town; hiking through an Alpine meadow These pages, from left: Taking a break beside a beautiful lake; Kaiserschmarrn with fruit purée

‘This is Austria, and they take that “hearty appetite” stuff seriously’ The trail itself, punctuated with giant wooden beasts, brilliantly tricks young legs into believing they like walking. This one’s theme, though — following an eccentric scientist/animal trapper — unteaches kids every lesson you’ve taught them about stranger danger, with its climax nosing around the old man’s house and the creepy collection of pelts in his bedroom. (‘And the last item in my little museum,’ you half expect him to announce, suddenly creaking up the stairs and taking that axe down from the wall, ‘will be the skin of a human child!’) We scurry to the cable car that deposits us handily back beside our hotel, and wash off the ‘ick’ in the pool. Schlosshotel Fiss is a sumptuously cosy, darkwood-and-windowboxes base for an in-the-know ski crowd in winter, but a light, airy terraces-and-gardens job come summer. What’s constant is a serene indoor-outdoor pool, a pair of decent-length water-slides, and a sprawling complex of hot tubs, whirlpool baths and the like. Also constant is the food. This is Austria, and they take that ‘hearty appetite’ stuff seriously. So every evening, as well as helping ourselves from the kids’ buffet (they spend the week contentedly munching sausages at every single meal — Wurst place to bring a vegetarian), we grown-ups gorge on six courses, with the odd octopus sashimi thrown in to balance

out the heavyweights: a meltingly rich goose liver, say (not foie gras, mind, because these geese aren’t force-fed), followed (just to cancel any ethical points scored by that cruelty-free first course) by a veal schnitzel, pounded as delicately thin as carpaccio, or a handmade fat local pasta with thumb-sized truffle shavings and a light snowfall of Parmesan. This stuff would make a perfect, richly deserved reward after a day scrambling to the Tyrol’s mighty summits, but most of our ascents were made by cable car — it’s so much easier walking down than up — and much of each day was spent on the sunlounger anyway. Round here, however, even the lazing is wholesome. Our favourite spot was a hammock on a floating wooden deck in the middle of a lake, which meant a spell there had to be earned with a few minutes’ hard work aboard a hired pedalo or canoe — or a swim. The lake itself, Högsee, was a blue-green beauty, fed by a spring of clear silver. It shimmered seductively in the sunshine that’s noticeably warmer up here, 1,829m closer to its source. It’s the ideal temperature, too, after you’ve schlepped there on foot or in the moving greenhouse of a glassed-in cable car: 20c, said the chalked sign. Even more refreshing for tired feet — and whomever is in charge of the ‘big wash’ when suitcases are emptied back home — there’s no World Traveller 55

sand on the little lakeshore beaches here, just a lovely cooling mineral mud. Elsewhere, some opportunistic spa therapist would be charging 200 quid a pop to smear it on you; here, it’s merely the perfect, much-more-workable material for the kids to build ‘sand’-castles from. At the Schlosshotel’s own spa, meanwhile, things are as Germanically no-nonsense as you could hope for/fear. I’d mentioned that my shoulder was troubling me, and that I didn’t want anything too ‘pampery’, so I suppose I shouldn’t have been surprised when my therapist, a man, with the dispassionate delivery of a wartime execution squad declared: ‘This is not going to be relaxing.’ He wasn’t wrong. I’ve had more excruciating experiences in my life, but none that didn’t occur in or immediately prior to being in hospital. And when he asked me, at the end, if I had any questions, I could only think of, ‘Why do you hate me?’ In fact, the sole pleasant moment was finding my other half had got similar treatment at the mild-looking hands of the graceful goddess who’d led her meekly to her own lair. I’ve rarely felt in greater need of a ‘relaxation area’, and luckily the spa’s are lovely: its Finnish sauna, in particular, has an epic view, through a widescreen window, of Alp upon Alp upon Alp. Mostly, though, it’s the gentler, lower, more bucolic slopes that we love on this holiday, rather than the dramatic, Wagnerian peaks. That’s partly because they’re easier to walk, but mainly because they’re prettier: pastures are strewn with buttercups and clover, purples and golds and midnight-blues, edelweiss layering its delicate, vanilla scent on top of the mountains’ base notes of 56 World Traveller

pine and ozone. Meadows are dotted with winsome little wooden huts for cattle to shelter in when winter bites, and if you’re quiet enough (i.e., you’ve bought the kids an ice cream), you can get up close and stroke the cows and model-blonde horses. Those perfect, Milka-advert cows provide the soundtrack, too: they gaze and graze, and tinkle their little bells, and I close my eyes and think how evocatively picturesque that noise is (while they, presumably, think that if they could just once — just once — move their heads without that damn noise, then maybe a short life ending up as haché at the Schlosshotel’s excellent BBQ buffet might not seem so bad). I don’t suppose it’s much consolation to them, but I’d like those tartare martyrs to know how important the buffets were to my holiday. The generous opening hours — 1pm ’til 4pm — smoothed over many a parental mistiming of lunch and miscalculation of walking times, and allowed us to do much of our exploration in the late afternoon, while the hills are at their loveliest. Then, when the mountains’ shadows slid slowly down their slopes into the valley below, and the tall pines’ silhouettes stretched ever longer, and undulating ripples in the hillsides cast darker, bottle-green mottles across the neon-green fields, we’d sidle down the tracks towards a slakingly satisfying beer or gloriously stained-glass-golden Apfelsaft, and sigh with unanimous satisfaction. Despite my best efforts, the little rodents seem to have enjoyed this holiday almost as much as we adults have. I feel a family sing-song coming on. Inspired to travel? To book a trip, call +971 4 316 6666 or visit dnatatravel.com

Credit: Ed Grenby, News Licensing / The Sunday Times Travel Magazine

AUSTRIA

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Pastures are strewn with buttercups and clover, purples and golds and midnight-bluesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

Clockwise from above left: A cow poses for the camera; meadow full of spring flowers; taking a leap into an Alpine lake

World Traveller 57

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Weekends Staycations and short-haul escapes

ON THE RIGHT PATH Exploring a new destination on foot is an easy way to connect with its history and charm â&#x20AC;&#x201C; something that's especially true of Montenegro. This pearl of the Mediterranean calls for your comfiest walking boots for an early morning stroll along the beautiful Adriatic coast, traversing the winding streets and squares of Kotor's medieval old town (pictured), or embarking on an early evening hike in the mountains. Let our mini-break guide (overleaf) direct you to its best bitsâ&#x20AC;Ś

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MINI BREAK

The atmospheric Budva old town

YOUR GUIDE TO: MONTENEGRO For such a small nation Montenegro is extraordinarily varied, from its rich history to spellbinding natural landscape

60 World Traveller

St. George Island

Words by Olivia Cuthbert

nce described by actress Sophia Loren as â&#x20AC;&#x153;the most beautiful fairytale of my childhood", Montenegro was, for many years, the wellkept secret of the jet set, favoured by the likes of Marilyn Monroe through to Claudia Schiffer. Drawn by the tranquil beauty of its mountainous landscape and medieval charms of fortified coastal towns, the famous could slip away and wallow in the untouched beauty of Croatiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tiny, lesserknown neighbour. With direct flights upping its appeal, Montenegro now holds its own against any European hotspot, with a wealth of natural and historic attractions, culinary diversity and burgeoning social scene fully deserving of your attention.

MONTENEGRO

SHORE THING

Seafood specialities at a restaurant in Milocer

Coast along A big part of Montenegro’s allure is the mile upon mile of unspoilt beaches that line some of its popular resort towns. Mogren, near the bustling Venetian-style city of Budva, is tucked away at the end of a narrow path that opens onto a stunning swathe of sand framed by brilliant-blue waters and comparatively few crowds. Beach party Also in Budva and offering a more dynamic vibe, Jaz Beach was rated Europe’s top sandy spot by Lonely Planet, and is beloved of the party crowd. In the quaint port of Bar, the town beach fills up with weekend sun worshippers while nearby Sutomore has a better balance of beach bars to sun loungers. Glitz and glamour Those looking to follow in Marilyn Monroe’s footsteps can shell out US$30 (€25) to visit the exclusive 15thcentury islet of Sveti Stefan just south of Budva, and explore the beautiful beaches that line either side. Not far from here is the pretty cove of Przno with its 250-metre stretch of sand, while Waikiki Beach in Tivat offers cushioned sunbeds and clear waters. Sun soaked days at Mogren Beach

CROSS-CULTURAL FLAVOUR Head inland for adventurous experiences, with the mountainous landscape of Maja Kolata offering ample opportunity for hiking, rafting and steep uphill cycling

Firm favourites Flame-grilled freshly caught octopus is a local speciality, as is seafood in general, often served with lashings of olive oil and garlic or in a tomato sauce. Try buzara, a shellfish stew, or sate a carnivorous appetite with ispod sača, the local equivalent of a slow-cooked veal, lamb or goat roast dinner. Konoba Koliba in Tivat is known for it traditional take on wood-fired meats and grilled seafood delicacies. Mediterranean makeover The Mediterranean dishes advertised outside many local restaurants may sound familiar, but Montenegrin cuisine has a flair all of its own that draws on the flavours of neighbouring Albania and Macedonia as well as Croatia, Italy, Greece and Turkey. Pod Volat in Podgorica is a go-to for its authentic ambience, with waiters dressed in national costume. Gourmet twist Montenegro is home to several standout foodie destinations. Restaurant Galion at Hotel Vardar in Kotor comes with plenty of sophisticated old world atmosphere and breathtaking views over the Adriatic, while Konoba Stari Grad in Budva offers some of the finest Mediterranean fare in the country, complete with a Baltic twist. konobastarigrad.me World Traveller 61

MINI BREAK Black Lake, Durmitor National Park

Rail journeys are another way to take in the Montenegrin scenery, with the route from Bar and Podgorica to the Serbian capital of Belgrade among the most stunning stretches

THE GREAT OUTDOORS Spirit of adventure At Durmitor National Park, the more intrepid can soar over Europe’s deepest river via the Tara River Canyon and its 865-metre-long zip line; or hurtle over the rapids in a raft. The park’s shady forests, plunging gorges, crystal-clear lakes and winding trails can be enjoyed at a more leisurely pace on foot, or by bike, pausing to take pictures of the astounding scenery, including Bobotov Kuk, a towering 2,500-metre limestone cliff. Between the trees The primeval forest of Biogradska Gora is another beauty spot to be explored on foot, by mountain bike, on horseback, or even kayak – often in complete solitude. South of the forest is a ski run where winter visitors can get a taste of Montenegro’s emerging ski scene. In summer, people drive to the mountain summit to picnic at the peak, helping themselves to the fresh blackberries and raspberries that flourish here. Holiday on the lake All-inclusive activity holidays on Lake Skadar provide daily-changing opportunities to try something different, from kayaking and swimming in the lake’s warm waters to hiking in the surrounding hills, visiting local vineyards, searching out secret waterfalls and happening upon hidden beaches. 62 World Traveller

Renting a car is the best way to reach the most remote destinations, including the ‘Accursed Mountains’ that span the borders between Montenegro, Albania and Kosovo

PAST POSITIVE Stuff of legend Legend and folklore abounds in Montenegro. Our Lady of the Rocks church, near the UNESCO World Heritage town of Perast, sits on a manmade island believed to have been built by Croat seamen who discovered the image of Madonna and child on a nearby rock. Every 22 July, locals continue the fašinada tradition of expanding the island by throwing rocks into the sea. Religious relics Ostrog Monastery in Ostroška Greda is perched in a nook near the summit of a mountain cliff. Set against a gravity-defying vertical backdrop, some 900 metres above sea level, the gleaming white structure looks almost mythical. Morača Monastery, on the banks of the river of the same name, near the town of Kolašin, dates back to 1252 and houses a clutch of important medieval frescoes. At the castle gates Montenegro is full of impressive castles to explore, beginning with the Kampana Tower and citadel in historic Kotor, which was built over a period of one thousand years by different civilisations, from the Byzantines to the Venetians. The dramatic Ostrog Monastery

MONTENEGRO

MARKETS AND TRINKETS

Aman Sveti Stefan

Street retail Montenegro’s creative side is evident in the warren of lanes that wind through Old Kotor, where small shops and street vendors ply local handicrafts that celebrate the town’s traditional trades. Efesya Souvenir does a roaring trade in local trinkets, with everything from hand-painted plates to glass lanterns and fabric handbags, while the Namfleg Workshop runs jewellery-making workshops. Artistic flair Art galleries abound in Montenegro, beginning with the Dukley Art Centre in Kotor, which is home to a collection of smaller art outlets including Gallery Nives and Galerija Tician. Other highlights include the Cats of Kotor, a gallery-boutique where the handicrafts have a feline theme. Antiques Stanković is home to a fascinating collection of Roman coins, antique jewellery and traditional apparel. catsofkotor.com Markets and malls Retail destinations such as the Mall of Montenegro in Podgorica, Shopping Centre Kamelija in Kotor and Budva’s TQ Plaza offer shopping on a grander scale while smaller markets can be found in towns and cities everywhere, including the Budva Old Town Flea Market and Skoljke Boke farmer’s market in Kotor. mallofmontenegro.com Colourful wooden flutes at a local market

WHERE TO STAY July and August sees many of Montenegro’s tourist hotspots packed with visitors. The country’s charms are best appreciated without the crowds, so plan your travel outside of the peak season

Aman Sveti Stefan At the very top end of the Budva hospitality scene, this romantic island retreat set in the dreamy Villa Milocer was the original 1930's summer residence of the Serbian royal family. Exposed stone walls, private balcony nooks overlooking the blue waters of the Adriatic and an excellent seafood restaurant make this a firm favourite with inbound jetsetters.

Palazzo Radomiri There are just 10 rooms at this blissful Kotor seafront getaway, each featuring wooden Baroque furniture and the majority offering breathtaking views over the bay. The leafy restaurant serves romantic candlelit For a tiny country, dinners and guests can choose between a Montenegro packs in leisurely dip in the courtyard swimming pool a wealth of history, or jumping off the stone quay for a refreshing culture and extraordinary plunge in the crystal clear sea waters. scenery, from the cobbled

backstreets of bustling Budva and quaint charm The Astoria Hotel of Ulcinj with its majestic Set in the 13th-century Buca palace in the castle, to the laidback heart of Kotor's picturesque old town, this elegance of upmarket Sveti cosy boutique hotel captures the essence of Stefan and the Venetian Montenegro’s historic appeal with stone walls, beauty of Kotor

traditional furnishings (but thankfully modern bathrooms) and hand-painted murals. The owners can trace the origins of the property back to 1295, although it was renovated as recently as 2010. World Traveller 63

WORLD TRAVELLER X DCT ABU DHABI

Artistic expression

Immerse yourself in art at the Al Qattara Summer Exhibition in Al Ain, which is providing a showcase for diversity

rt enthusiasts who are spending time in the UAE this summer will be pleased to learn that there’s a mustsee exhibition taking place at the historic Al Qattara Arts Centre in Al Ain. Al Qattara Summer Exhibition, taking place from 25 June to 25 September, is showcasing a selection of works from high-profile artists in the UAE alongside pieces from the centre’s own students with the aim of shining a light on a diverse collection of artistic expressions. Each and every artist taking part has been given free rein to display his or her best works along any theme, with no boundaries on the subject matter or medium. The event is firmly in the spirit of the culture hub, which opened to the public in 2011 to champion arts and culture in the community. Indeed, Al Qattara Arts Centre has earned a reputation as one of the best establishments in the region at which to study and practice traditional art and culture, with its historical significance enhancing its appeal. The centre itself was developed around Bayt Bin Ati al-Darmaki, a traditional mud-brick tower and house that overlooks the date-palm gardens of Qattara Oasis. During the centre’s creation, archaeological excavations revealed a five-metre sequence of archaeological layers dating from the Late Islamic period to the Iron Age some 3,000 years ago. Today, the Iron Age industrial installations forming the earliest phase of this sequence are displayed in an especially redesigned basement exhibition that’s open to the public. Find our more at visitabudhabi.ae 64 World Traveller

TRAVEL NOTES

My Great Escapes Travel writer Lindsey Parry lives in Abu Dhabi with her family and charts her local discoveries and globetrotting adventures at arabiannotes.com

6 5 On your doorstep

1. Meeting elephants in Sri Lanka. This island nation is the most amazing place to visit and we’re lucky that it’s just a short hop from the UAE. On a recent trip we spent a day on an elephant safari, memorable for the proximity to which we were able to view these majestic creatures. 2. Elevated views of Tibet. In 2009, my husband and I travelled overland from Beijing to Delhi, crossing Nepal and Tibet on the way. I’d dreamed about visiting Tibet and the Potala Palace since I was little, so finally catching the first glimpse of the palace from our hotel rooftop was a sight that I'll never forget. 3. Campervanning around New Zealand. In 2011, I spent five weeks travelling around New Zealand in a camper van. I don’t know many places in the world where you can find sheep grazing alongside penguins and where the penguins are so numerous that they need their own traffic sign. 4. Seeking serenity in Kyoto. I visited the incredible Kinkaku-ji temple in Kyoto and although you can’t tell from this shot, the place was packed. It was a very Japanese style experience, with a compulsory trail to follow and everyone shuffling along in single file. So although it wasn’t the most serene experience of my life, it was worth it. 5. Culture in Al Ain. You don’t always have to venture far from home to find the most captivating sights and Al Ain has more than its fair share. This picture was taken while my mum was visiting. She’d been reading Wilfred Thesiger’s Arabian Sands and when we arrived at the beautiful Al Jahili Fort there was a Thesiger exhibition running, which was an unexpected bonus. 6. Discovering Manila on foot. Everyone told me to bypass Manila on a trip to the Philippines but, determined to discover the city for myself, I ignored that advice and spent a couple of days wandering around on foot. I loved the colours and contrasts of everyday life. Even the most average street corner told a story.

World Traveller 65

WORLD TRAVELLER X THE ST. REGIS ABU DHABI

STAYCATION

The St. Regis Abu Dhabi A class above, this urban resort represents five-star hospitality at its absolute best THE ROOMS Revel in the legendary St. Regis take on personalised luxury with 24-hour butler service an added value extra guaranteed to make your stay even more special. With 283 rooms and suites all offering views of the Abu Dhabi Corniche, from the Superior Rooms with their rich red and gold colour palette to the apartment-styled Al Manhal Suite, a sojourn at the hotel is synonymous with the finest five-star hospitality.

THE FOOD Dining takes on seasonal significance this month with the hotel’s acclaimed collection of restaurants marking the month of Ramadan with classic iftar experiences on top of the world in the world’s highest suspended suite and at terrace level overlooking the Corniche. The Terrace also continues the St. Regis Friday brunch tradition with a bounty of high-end flavours in the most convivial of settings.

THE ACTIVITIES Take a vacation for both body and mind at Remède Spa where customised treatments using aromatherapy blends and bespoke Elemis facials are the hallmark of this serene 3,200 square metre all-white space. For waterfront relaxation with style, the Nation Riviera Beach Club is a haven of calm complete with private poolside cabanas and an inviting stretch of golden sand lapped by the azure Gulf waters.

To find out more, call +971 2 694 4444 or visit stregisabudhabi.com 66 World Traveller

How We Celebrate Eid Celebrate Eid Al Fitr with a family staycation to create lasting memories. Live exquisite in one of our Superior rooms or for the ultimate level of luxury upgrade to a Signature Suite. Located at the vibrant heart of Abu Dhabi with a 200 metre stretch of pristine beach, overlooking the turquoise waters of the Nation Riviera Beach Club at the finest address in the city. Superior Room from AED 650* includes:

Complimentary upgrade to Sea View room**, AED 200 restaurant dining credit, breakfast and 4:00 pm late checkout.

Signature Suites from AED 1200* includes:

AED 500 restaurant dining credit, breakfast and 4:00 pm late checkout.

Book one room and save 50% on the second room. Perfect for families, connecting rooms available**

*Prices are subject to 10% service fee, 6% tourism fee, 4% municipality fee and 5% VAT ** Subject to availability

The St. Regis Abu Dhabi Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates t. +971 2 694 4444 stregisabudhabi.com

Stay exquisite at more than 40 St. Regis hotels and resorts worldwide. @stregishotels

WORLD TRAVELLER X THE MEYDAN HOTEL

STAYCATION

The Meydan Hotel Experience escapist luxury and city chic all under one world-class roof THE ROOMS A 284-room urban retreat less than 15 minutes' drive from Downtown Dubai, and the only hotel in the UAE overlooking a racecourse, a stay at The Meydan Hotel fuses a stunningly unique setting with five-star luxury. To make the most of the location it has to be a stay in a Panoramic Suite with private balcony overlooking the iconic turf, large living spaces and complimentary Executive Club access.

THE FOOD There’s a strong nod to the equestrian theme at Farriers with a buffet menu as international as the racing fraternity who flock to the racecourse in season. As of Eid Al-Fitr, you can go for dinner at Shiba, where Japanese and Chinese culinary artistry delight all the senses. Or, grab a leisurely bite and beverage at the Equus pool bar while Qube Sports Bar – the place to catch all the summer sporting action.

THE ACTIVITIES Once you’ve explored every corner of the city (the hotel offers a free shuttle service) it’s always a pleasure to head to the rooftop infinity pool to cool off and drink in the two-for-one views of Dubai’s unmistakable skyline and the Meydan racecourse. Or slip away to the hotel’s wellness suite for a reviving Jockeys Indulgence back, neck and shoulder massage or 80-minute signature deep tissue and hot stone treatment.

To find out more, call +971 4 381 3333 or visit themeydanhotel.com 68 World Traveller

DO MORE SPEND LESS Make the experience and your cash last that bit longer as The Meydan Hotel launches its ice-cold summer offers to beat the heat. This summer, your stay at Meydan comes with 50% off each bar and restaurant bill so you can do more â&#x20AC;&#x201C; with less. Rates starting from AED 349 * THE MEYDAN HOTEL Dubai,United Arab Emirates T: +971 4 381 3231, meydanreservations@meydanhotels.com themeydanhotel.com /meydanHotel

*Terms&Conditions Apply

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WORLD TRAVELLER X BAB AL SHAMS DESERT RESORT & SPA

STAYCATION

Bab Al Shams Desert Resort & Spa Embrace seasonal tradition with a summer sojourn in a desert oasis THE ROOMS In days gone by, local families would often decamp to the interior for the summer to escape the fierce coastal temperatures. Find your own desert oasis within the resort's rustic fortress-like walls where 115 rooms and suites blend traditional design with modern comfort. You may even catch a glimpse of a meandering camel from your dune-view terrace or balcony, with garden and pool view rooms equally appealing.

THE FOOD Factor in some quality dining during your stay. The award-winning Al Hadheerah desert restaurant celebrates Bedouin heritage with themed entertainment and a feast of Arabian delicacies. Masala is your go-to for authentic North Indian cuisine while Italian flavours are the signature at Le Dune. And both Al Sarab Rooftop Lounge and the Al Shurouq Rooftop Terrace will steal your heart with stunning sunset views.

THE ACTIVITIES An amazing choice of complimentary activities means there's never a dull moment, from falcon displays and camel rides to croquet, mini golf and boules. The resort’s infinity pools offer chilled out bliss while Aladdin’s Kids Club keeps little hands busy. Max out your leisure time with an exhilarating 4x4 desert drive, go desert ‘fat biking’, or reward yourself with a relaxing treatment or two in the tranquil Satori Spa.

To find out more, call +971 4 809 6100 or visit babalshams.com 70 World Traveller

DO NOT DISTURB. RELAXATION IN PROGRESS

Your memorable desert getaway now comes with superb deals as Bab Al Shams unveils its summer offers. We’re taking 50% off your food and drink bills so you can relax more – for far less. BAB AL SHAMS DESERT RESORT Dubai,United Arab Emirates T:+971 4 809 6498, bas.reservations@meydanhotels.com babalshams.com /babalshamshotel

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World Traveller 73

THE FANTASTIC FOUR

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Includes: Stay in a Standard Room with breakfast, lunch and dinner daily and return airport transfers. Offer: Two game viewing activities per day in the Pilanesberg National Park, including park entrance fees. Valid from: Now until 31 Aug 2018. 74 World Traveller

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3 nights starting from USD1,325 per person

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SWITZERLAND

GRAND HOTEL KEMPINSKI GENEVA This hotel offers a peaceful escape in the heart of Geneva, with breathtaking views of the lake.

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Includes: Stay in a Superior Room and return airport transfers. Offer: 10% discount on room rate, plus a 20% discount on any spa treatment. Valid from: Now until 30 June 2018.

AUSTRIA

LE MERIDIEN VIENNA Located on the Ringstraße in the heart of Vienna, this property is just three minutes' walk from Vienna State Opera House.

3 nights starting from USD366 per person

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HOTEL BALZAC PARIS

THE GRAND MARK PRAGUE

Includes: Stay in a Superior Room with daily breakfast and return airport transfers. Offer: 10% discount on room rate (arrivals on Friday) Valid from: Now until 30 Oct 2018.

Includes: Stay in a Superior Room and return airport transfers. Offer: 25% discount on room rate. Valid from: Now until 29 Sept 2018.

3 nights starting from USD549 per person

3 nights starting from USD443 per person

Four Seasons Baku

AZERBAIJAN

FOUR SEASONS BAKU

3 nights starting from USD465 per person

Includes: Stay in a Deluxe Room and return airport transfers. Offer: Stay two nights and receive an additional night free. Valid from: Now until 15 Sept 2018. Holiday Inn Dead Sea Hotel

AROUND THE WORLD

SRI LANKA

SHANGRI-LA’S HAMBANTOTA GOLF RESORT & SPA

3 nights starting from USD485 per person

Includes: Stay in a Deluxe Room with daily breakfast and return airport transfers. Offer: Stay two nights and receive an additional night free. Valid from: Now until 31 Aug 2018.

JORDAN

HOLIDAY INN DEAD SEA HOTEL

3 nights starting from USD190 per person

Shangri-La’s Hambantota Golf Resort & Spa

LUX* Belle Mare

Includes: Stay in a Standard Room with daily breakfast. Offer: 15% discount on room rate, complimentary mini bar (selected items) in all rooms, complimentary upgrade to the next category and 25% discount on spa treatments. Valid from: Now until 30 Sept 2018.

MAURITIUS

LUX* BELLE MARE

4 nights starting from USD660 per person

Includes: Stay in a Junior Suite with daily breakfast and return airport transfers. Offer: 20% discount on room rate. Valid from: Now until 31 Aug 2018.

INDONESIA

THE ST. REGIS, BALI

4 nights starting from USD1,060 per person

Includes: Stay in a St. Regis Suite with daily breakfast and return airport transfers. Offer: 10% discount on room rate. Valid from: Now until 31 Aug 2018.

THAILAND

DUSIT THANI LAGUNA, PHUKET

3 nights starting from USD230 per person

Dusit Thani Laguna, Phuket

Includes: Stay in a Deluxe Room Lagoon View with daily breakfast and return airport transfers. Offer: 10% discount on room rate and complimentary upgrade to Deluxe Sea View Room. Valid from: Now until 31 Aug 2018. World Traveller 75

DNATA TRAVEL OFFERS

Jumeirah at Etihad Towers, Abu Dhabi

WEEKEND ESCAPES

Grand Hyatt Dubai Al Ain Rotana Hotel

Lapita, Dubai Parks and Resorts, Autograph Collection

UAE

AL AIN ROTANA 1 night starting from USD155 per person Special offer: 35% discount on room rate. Includes: Stay in a Classic Room with breakfast and return airport transfers. Validity: Now until 30 June 2018. GRAND HYATT DUBAI 1 night starting from USD110 per person Special offer: 40% discount on room rate and receive Grand Club Lounge access including light refreshments and light dinner. Two children below 12 stay for free. Includes: Stay in a Club Room Downtown View with breakfast and return airport transfers. Validity: Now until 30 Sept 2018. JUMEIRAH AT ETIHAD TOWERS 1 night starting from USD177 per person Special offer: 20% discount on room rate. Includes: Stay in a Deluxe Room with breakfast and return airport transfers. Validity: Now until 30 Sept 2018. LAPITA, DUBAI PARKS AND RESORTS, AUTOGRAPH COLLECTION 1 night starting from USD150 How to book

76 World Traveller

per person Special offer: Unlimited access to Dubai Parks and Resorts for two adults and two kids. Includes: Stay in a Deluxe Twin Room and return airport transfers. Validity: Now until 30 Sept 2018. RENAISSANCE DOWNTOWN HOTEL, DUBAI 1 night starting from USD105 per person Special offer: Special discounted rate. Includes: Stay in a Deluxe Room with breakfast and return airport transfers. Validity: Now until 20 Aug 2018.

Renaissance Downtown Hotel, Dubai Alila Jabal Akhdar, Oman

Oman

ALILA JABAL AKHDAR 3 nights starting from USD505 per person Special offer: Stay two nights and receive an additional night free. Includes: Stay in a Mountain View Suite with breakfast and dinner and return airport transfers. Validity: Now until 30 Sept 2018. INTERCONTINENTAL MUSCAT 3 nights starting from USD330 per person Special offer: Special discounted rate. Includes: Stay in a Standard Room with breakfast and return airport transfers. Validity: Now until 30 Sept 2018.

By calling dnata on +971 4 316 6666

InterContinental Muscat Hotel, Oman

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.

EID SPECIAL

Discover more of Switzerland WITH EXTRA TRAVEL DAYS ON A SWISS TRAVEL PASS Get 1 extra travel day FREE

with the 4 day consecutive Swiss Travel Pass*

Get 2 extra travel days FREE

with the 8 day consecutive Swiss Travel Pass*

Explore picturesque landscapes, pristine mountain lakes, and charming villages in Switzerland with a Swiss Travel Pass.

Highlights of the Swiss Travel Pass: Offers extensive travel on trains, buses, and boats Travel on scenic trains such as the Glacier Express, Bernina Express, and GoldenPass Line included Free travel on public transportation in more than 90 Swiss cities Free admission to more than 500 museums Free travel to Mt Rigi and Mt Schilthorn, PLUS a 50% discount on additional mountain railways Children under the age of 16 travel free

Switzerland’s breathtaking scenery awaits! *This exclusive offer is available in Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen only. Valid for sale until June 30, 2018. Must be validated by July 30, 2018. ©Rail Europe. 2018. All Rights Reserved. Rail Europe, a French simplified joint-stock company, with a capital of 1 179 655 Euros, recorded in the business register of Nanterre under number 401 714 933, having its registered office at Les Collines de l’Arche, Immeuble Concorde B, 76, route de la Demi-Lune, 92800 Puteaux, France, Do not litter. Photo credits: © Swiss Travel System, Photographer: Daniel Ammann; © Swiss Travel System Created by: Rebekah Owens.

Email us at contactcentre@dnata.com â&#x20AC;˘ Call +971 4 316 6666

ONLINE

Ashford Castle, Ireland

#dnataworldtraveller TOP STORY

Four Seasons Hotel George V

Eid travel is on the mind, with our round-up of 30 hot hotels for Eid among the most clicked upon features on the website. Whether you feel like walking barefoot along a pristine stretch of white sand in the Maldives, retreating to an 800-year-old castle in the Lyonnaise countryside or feeding your appetite at the best foodie hotels in Oxford, Umbria and Paris â&#x20AC;&#x201C; our edit provides all the inspiration you need to make a last-minute booking.

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AVANI Avenida Liberdade Lisbon Hotel

We've teamed up with AVANI Avenida Liberdade Lisbon Hotel to offer a three-night stay in Portugal's vibrant capital. Simply visit the website to enter (until 30 June 2018.)

THE HOT LIST Our dedicated section is home to exclusive travel ideas that will have you reaching for your passport

Heritance Aarah, Maldives

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TRAVEL INSPIRATION AT YOUR FINGERTIPS JW Marriott Marquis Dubai

STAYCATIONS Squeeze a mini break into your busy schedule at these top hotels on your doorstep

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

Royal Suite

One&Only Royal Mirage, Dubai With a view to delight even the most demanding princess or potentate, the opulent Royal Suite is a refreshing sight for travel weary eyes. Draw back the heavy silken curtains and step out onto your expansive private balcony to drink in the sight of the Arabian Gulfâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s clear blue waters and Palm Jumeirah skyline. Whether itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s room service breakfast enjoyed in the comfort of your extravagantly canopied bed or with sundowner in hand on the terrace, the mesmerising vista never fails to captivate.

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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 Dhabiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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 Dhabiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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.

Summer Savings at JW Marriott Marquis Comprising two iconic towers, the JW Marriott Marquis Dubai is centrally located beside the Dubai Water Canal. The hotel features: 1,608 Luxurious Guest Rooms and Suites, Over 15 Award-Winning Restaurants and Lounges, Saray Spa featuring Traditional Hammams, 17 Treatment Rooms and a Dead Sea Floatation Pool, a State-of-the-Art Health Club and Fitness facilities.

Offer includes: Unlimited Bonus Marriott Rewards points, 20% F&B discount and 20% off Spa Treatments. Stay Dates: May – 30th September 2018 Terms and Conditions: Quote “M11” when making your booking. Rate excludes 10% municipality fee, 10% service charge, AED 20 tourism fee and 5% VAT. Offer is applicable on Deluxe rooms only. Must be a Marriott Rewards member to avail this promotion. *Subject to availaility.

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