MAR - APR 2015 ISSUE 41
©Garden Island Resort
06 08
Floating Fjords LOFOTEN LUXURY
Island in Paradise Fiji’s Garden Island Resort
©Tamara Sanderson
©Penang State Tourism
11
Mountain Kingdom
14
Eventful Island
16
Good Libations
BHUTAN
©Monique Beely | Utah Office of Tourism
10
22
©Mountain Torq
20
Principalities
26
Conquering the Heights Via Ferrata on Mt. Kinabalu
ACTIVITIES IN PENANG
28
Gone Glamping LUXURY CAMPS IN INDIA
AROUND THE WORLD IN A GLASS
REGULARS 05
Publisher's Note
10
Travel Tips
12
Gear Guide
OUR TEAM PUBLISHER EDITOR-IN-CHIEF CREATIVE DIRECTOR GRAPHIC DESIGNER FINANCE & ADMIN
Sports and Travel Limited publisher@sportsandtravel.com.hk Aaron K. Stewart astewart@sportsandtravel.com.hk Lynn Ooi Marilyn Wong mwong@sportsandtravel.com.hk Hylda Low hlow@sportsandtravel.com.hk
ADVERTISING SALES ADVERTISING SALES AUSTRALIA HONG KONG INDONESIA MALAYSIA PHILIPPINES THAILAND
advertise@sportsandtravel.com.hk Sabine Senne ssenne@sportsandtravel.com.hk Chris Ng cng@sportsandtravel.com.hk Akram Razak arazak@sportsandtravel.com.hk Sukdev Gill sgill@sportsandtravel.com.hk Jil North jnorth@sportsandtravel.com.hk Jesse Ting jting@sportsandtravel.com.hk
CONTRIBUTORS
SPECIAL THANKS
Ken Berg Tamara Sanderson Wee Keng Rui WL Chua
Garden Island Resort Mountain Torq Penang State Tourism Visit Andorra
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Publisher's Note
05
Dear Fellow Travellers, This issue’s theme is a slight departure for us, but then again in travel, it’s all about departures, really – in this case, focusing on the luxury side of adventure travel. While the first thing to come to mind is, not surprisingly, the cost, luxury travel is not always about breaking the bank. Thanks to the high standard of living (ie. costs) in Hong Kong, many of these destinations don’t have stratospheric costs, but offer ‘luxury’ in many other ways. Lofoten – Norway’s stunning, coastal islands, made more exclusive both by their remote location as well as their high, albeit well-worth-it cost. We also explore other countries in Europe, this time with 4 quirky, “royal” micro-states – namely Andorra, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg and Monaco – which are all kitschy and unique, with prices to match.
Following the ‘royal’ theme, we also drop in on Bhutan – the undeniably high-end destination in the Himalayas. We then get into luxury cruise train journeys as well as the high art of glamping (or ‘glamorous camping’) in safari parks in India, where you may be able to spot an elusive tiger or two. It won’t be ‘luxury’ without an indulgent boozey tour; for our liquid travel, we also explore the homes of some of the world’s most iconic drinks, including Scotland (for whisky), France (for wine) and Japan (for sake). Do check out our website or feel free to drop us a line if you want to contribute to our next issue! Until then, Happy Trails! Sports+Travel Ltd
Located on the northwest coast of the Malaysian peninsula in the Strait of Malacca, Penang consists of the main island and Seberang Perai on the mainland; back in its heyday as a colonial outpost, it was often referred to as “The Pearl of the Orient”. One of the most developed and economically important states in the country, Penang is also a popular tourist destination, ranking third in tourist arrivals in Malaysia. Filled with a rich heritage, multicultural society and vibrant culture, Penang’s hills, parks and beaches, as well as food are what draw tourists to the state. ISLAND OF CULTURE
Penang was once a part of three British Straits Settlements in the Strait of Malacca – along with Malacca and Singapore – in the 19th and early 20th century. Today, the capital of George Town still retains many of its pre-war Peranakan houses and shophouses, in addition to churches, temples and colonial buildings; for this reason, it is inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site (along with Malacca). The heritage zone – Armenian Street, Pitt Street, Love Lane, Little India, the esplanade and Beach Road – can be explored on foot (or on a trishaw), with highlights including the Khoo Kongsi clan temple, Kapitan Keling Mosque, and Pinang Peranakan Mansion.
A short distance from town is Penang Hill (800m), which is accessible via a tram or on a 2-3 hour hike from the Botanic Gardens. At the top of the hill are a smattering of colonial-style residences built at the turn of the 20th century. Located on the southeastern tip of the island is the War Museum, a large British military fortress built in the 1930s which was taken over by the Japanese during WWII. Here, you’ll find a network of tunnels, ventilation shafts, and artillery firing bays, in addition to a guillotine that was supposedly the site of numerous beheadings carried out by the Japanese. To the north of the island are some of Penang’s best-known beaches, including Tanjung Bungah, Batu Ferringhi and Teluk Bahang, as well as Muka Head and
Monkey Beach, both of which are located within Penang National Park. Just offshore from the southeast coast of Penang lies Pulau Jerejak, an island that was formerly a leper asylum for the Straits Settlement, Quarantine Station and penal colony. Today, this former ‘Alcatraz’ is home to a pristine rainforest and a smattering of jungle resorts.
EVENTS IN PENANG
Penang is also well known for their range of sports, music and cultural events. These include the international dragon boat festival, which has been held in Penang annually since 1979 around the fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar, as well as the Penang Bridge Marathon, one of the biggest annual events on the island.
Penang Bridge Marathon The Penang Bridge Marathon is the island’s most popular sporting event to date, held yearly since 1985. Billed as the world’s longest bridge marathon, runners from all over the world can challenge themselves by running across the third longest bridge in the world – The Penang Bridge – along a scenic coastal highway in either a full-, half- or quarter marathon. For once per year only, the Penang Bridge is closed to traffic for several hours just to cater to the marathon. Last year’s event took place for the first time on the new Sultan Abdul Halim Muadzam Shah Bridge (Penang Second Bridge), with participation from about 62,000 runners. For 2014, a cash prizes of RM20,000 were given to the top runner for both the
men’s and women’s Open categories respectively, with the top 3 spots in both the men’s and women’s categories being taken by the Kenyans. The fastest time clocked for the Men’s category was at 2:19:49 and for the women’s, 3:04:11. This year, the marathon would be split into two, with the Penang Bridge Half Marathon happening on 14 June 2015 (Sunday) and the full marathon scheduled for 22 November 2015. Both runs will be held on the new Sultan Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah Bridge, connecting Batu Maung on the island to Batu Kawan on the mainland. For the half marathon this year, the top runners in both the men’s and women’s Open categories will stand to win RM25,000 each. Runners in all categories who complete
the run will also be awarded a finisher’s medal and a certificate, in addition to attractive prizes from a select pool of sponsors. Registration for the Penang Bridge Half Marathon closes on 30 April 2015 and hopes to target 25,000 runners. On 12 - 13 June 2015, Penang will also be hosting the Association of International Marathons and Distance Races (AIMS) Conference. Hosted by the Penang Bridge Half Marathon, this is the first AIMS Asia-Pacific Conference ever staged in the continent of Asia and Oceania. For registration for the half marathon, head to http://penangmarathon.gov.my.
ACTIVITIES IN PENANG IMAGES BY: Penang State Tourism
Penang World Music Festival This year, Penang will also host the Penang World Music Festival to be held on 11 & 12 April at the iconic Esplanade in George Town. Showcasing a blend of traditional and modern music, there will be musicians from Estonia, Spain, Germany, India and more; highlights include Mongolian tradition throat-singing (khoomei) which features the simultaneous sound of several pitches emanating from one voice, as well as a South African band with its fusion of tongue clicks and hip hop. In addition to workshop sessions at the imposing Fort Cornwallis, participants would also be able to sample famous Penang delicacies, as well as purchase CDs and souvenirs at the festival grounds.
For 2015, those who purchase tickets for the Penang World Music Festival from KOMTAR and Queensbay Mall would also be entitled to a free participation at the Penang Bridge International Marathon 2015 (held on 22 November) for any category. For more on the festival, visit www. penangworldmusic.gov.my.
Events Calendar
HONG KONG
If you have an event that you feel should be included on this page, please email us on events@sportsandtravel.com.hk
22 Mar
Sea to summit Race 2015
22 Mar
Hong Kong Novice Diving Championships www.hkasa.org.hk Swimming
22 Mar
The 11.5th ANS Shatin 10K Classic Riverside Race 2015 hkmarathonpro.com 10km Race
27-29 Mar
Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens 2015
29 Mar
Salomon to the top of Hong Kong Challenge
www.tothetop.hk
3 Apr
Panasonic Pacers Charity Easter Run 2015
www.pacers.org.hk
4 Apr
The Nike Women’s 10K Hong Kong www.nike.com.hk 10km Race
12 Apr
Bonaqua Action Sprint Adventure RUN-Repulse Bay www.actionasiaevents.com 12km Race
19 Apr
9th Pokfulam Challenge-Charity Run & Family Day www.hkmsa.hk
26 Apr
Bonaqua Action Sprint DBAY
9-10 May
Sai Kung 50 - Mountain Marathon www.xterace.com
10 May
Panasonic Hong Kong Marathon Swimming Competition Series www.hkasa.org.hk Swimming
17 May
Festival of Sport - Mountain Bike Race
21 Jun
HK Mountain Bike Race - Series 6 www.cycling.org.hk
www.xterace.com/sts.html
20km/30km Trail Run
Rugby
www.hkrugby.com
www.actionasiaevents.com
2km/10km/30km Trail Run 3km/10km Trail Run
10km Road and Trail
13km Adventure Run
25k/50k Trail Run
www.cycling.org.hk
Mountain Bike (Cross Country)
Mountain Bike (Cross Country)