INDIA
JUNE 2011 WORD OF MOUTH Area of detail
lie just offshore. The museum opens an exhibition exploring the physics and history of the ocean, and it will feature a wave tube where aspiring surfers can give it a (virtual) try. Although the locals appreciate the interiors’ spare, stylish curves, they’re most excited about the skate pool outside: Inspired by the 2001 cult flick Dog Town and Z-Boys, which followed outof-commission surfers as they skateboarded Southern California’s empty swimming pools, the smooth white bowl is already popular with Biarritz’s sidewalk surfers (335-59-22-75-40).
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Malé
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THE BIG BLUE Five new sport destinations
are opening in the Maldivian atolls.
ADRENALINE SHOT
Sun, Sea, and Thrills in the Maldives
Sheltered lagoons and pristine reefs make the Maldivian atolls ideal for aquatic adventures, and a brand-new crop of resorts is offering everything from scuba diving to windsurfing 1
WAKEBOARDING Sybaritic boarders will love Zitahli Dholhiyadhoo’s wealth of waves—and villas with wine cellars and plunge pools—when it opens next month (960-331-6131; rates unavailable at press time).
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WINDSURFING Feeling a bit wrecked after traversing Anantara Kihavah Villas’ smooth lagoon? Treat yourself to an indulgent four-handed massage before dinner at the underwater restaurant, which is surrounded by schools of snapper and eagle rays (960-660-1020; doubles, $1,170–$1,420).
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FISHING Sail off from the Regent in an authentic dhoni boat to hook striped marlin, wahoo, and yellowfin tuna. Once ashore, a cook will prepare the fish to your liking—leaving you to try out the canopy bed and outdoor shower in your thatched-roof room (960-678-0088; rates unavailable at press time).
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SURFING With access to the mighty Yin Yang reef along with four other wind-protected breaks, Six Senses Laamu is a waverider’s paradise. Its glass-floored bungalows are pretty dreamy, too, with floorto-ceiling windows and sunken bathtubs overlooking the sea (960-680-0800; doubles, $590–$860).
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SCUBA Serious divers can’t wait to mingle with the whale sharks and spotted eagle rays that live near Raffles Konotta, opening later this year. And after hours under the sea, they will be hungry for the restaurant’s mas huni, a tuna dish spiked with chili and coconut (800-768-9009; rates unavailable at press time).
NEW EAT
Say so long to the aprèsround sandwich: Savvy course operators and restaurateurs are now offering menus dégustations and wine pairings to cater to sophisticated palates. NORTH CAROLINA: Golfers at Pinehurst’s revamped No. 2 course, and the new Dormie Club (open for public play until 2013), can choose from 120 wine varietals to sip with their steak at Southern Prime, which has wine lockers for locals (270 S.W. Broad St., Southern Pines; 910-6930123; entrées, $14–$33).
OBJECT
Strong Suit Inspired by the modern-day Bond girl, Lisa Marie Fernandez’s Farrah Maillot is made of thin neoprene and is as fierce in the swells off Barbados as it is on the beach. Walther semiautomatic optional (barneys.com; $360). 30
CONDÉ NAST TRAVELER
PUERTO RICO: On the waterfront bluffs on the island’s northwest, Royal Isabela has drawn comparisons to Pebble Beach Golf Links for its spectacular views; the resort’s restaurant, La Casa, will debut this fall, with a menu by David Pasternack (of Manhattan’s lauded Esca) emphasizing local produce and fresh seafood (phone number unavailable at press time). CHINA: The food at the country’s newest course was good enough for Catherine Zeta-Jones, Hugh Grant,
and Christian Slater: When the trio hit Mission Hills Resort’s Blackstone course in Hainan for Asia’s first celebrity tourney, they sampled dishes like salmon belly sushi and silver carp sashimi at Ukiyo restaurant (86-898-68683888; entrées, $10–$50).
F YI
Can’t decide whether to sail the ocean blue or go landlubber? Do both. Palm Beach’s Brazilian Court Hotel & Beach Club is launching an Haute Yacht package that includes three nights in a hotel suite, with an evening on a private yacht, Café Boulud catering, and champagne thrown in (561-655-7740; $8,150 for two).
STILL LIFES BY JENS MORTENSEN. MAP BY JOYCE PENDOLA
Gourmet Golf