April 2015 by Travel + Leisure Southeast Asia

SoutheASt ASiA

April 2015

papua new guinea a poetic place with subtitles

InsIder’s Florence a new twIst on tokyo Is thIs the end For saIgon’s street Food?

Singapore S$7.90 ● Hong Kong HK$43 THailand THB175 ● indoneSia idr50,000 MalaySia Myr18 ● VieTnaM Vnd85,000 Macau Mop44 ● pHilippineS pHp240 BurMa MMK35 ● caMBodia KHr22,000 Brunei Bnd7.90 ● laoS laK52,000

Cambodia and Thailand: a Tour by privaTe plane

Contents

Features

Melanesia Rising Two dimdims fly off a yacht… It’s the start not of a joke but of the trip of a lifetime for soph y roberts , who scuba dives below Papua New Guinea and chugs above it in a mixmaster bilong Jesus Christ. pho t ogr a phed by k en koche y . gu ide page

Sacred Spaces From the mystical ruins of Baphuon in Cambodia to a Thai island still steeped in natural splendor, joe c um mings boards a private plane for moments of wonder at two different shrines.

88 Delirium Tokyo is a megalopolis of opposites. Inspired by the surrealist imaginings of Haruki Murakami, st eph a n ie zu bir i bounces between the improbably perfect and the utterly absurd, hoping for the trip to never end. pho t ogr a phed by shinsu k e m atsu k awa . gu ide page 96 98 Time in a Bottle In the picturesque valleys outside Vienna, Austria—a land of pristine villages and renowned Rieslings and Grüners—the next generation of winemakers is bringing the Old World into the future. by bruce schoen feld . pho t ogr a phed by chr isti a n k er ber

106 The Last Stand Saigon’s iconic street-food stalls are facing extinction as redevelopment devours downtown. con n l a stok es gets his last bites at the best of these vendors still clinging to their pieces of the pavement. pho t ogr a phed by morga n om m er .

K EN KOCHE Y

gu ide a n d m a p page

111

Rocking out on Papua New Guinea, page 72.

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Contents Radar 20 Where the Pros Go Three famous chefs share their favorite meals in Asia. 22 Spicing Things Up A captain’s quarters cum hotel in Kerala. 24 A Taipei Taster One weekend in Taiwan’s capital will leave you hungry for more.

28 Once upon a Dream A relaxing road trip between Penang and Kuala Lumpur.

32 Nippon en Vogue Japan-inspired style. 38 Cebu by the Sea A Filipino designer’s tour of his island.

Trip Doctor

53 Strategies Business travel made fun. 66 Deals 28

Plus Upgrading to business class; apps and sites for last-minute trips; and more.

Decoder 112 Our Definitive Guide to Florence

Last Look

118 Tajikistan

In Every Issue t +l digi ta l

e d i t o r ’s n o t e

con tr ibu tor s

12 i n b ox

112 6

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On the Cover Blue lagoons, blazing light and beautiful sands await in and around Papua New Guinea. Photographed by Ken Kochey.

C L O C K W I S E F R O M T O P L E F T: C O U R T E S Y O F S P I C E H A R B O U R ; YA S U + J U N K O ; C H R I S T O P H E R K U C W AY; A N D R E A W Y N E R ; K I T Y E N G C H A N

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Editor’s Note

Contact me

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YOU CANNOT HELP BUT LAUGH WHEN READING

Sophy Roberts’s tale of her latest trip to Papua New Guinea (“Melanesia Rising,” page 72). As good as she is with words, even Roberts would be hard-pressed to come up with the pidgin common throughout these fascinating islands that are off the map for most. After reading the story—a journey that ventures into roadless expanses of an already remote country—I, for starters, will never think of a piano in the same way again. “For me, it’s the holy grail of travel,” Roberts told me before her trip, going “beyond

Clear waters and blue skies around Papua New Guinea.

Papua New Guinea to a series of islands where there are zero hotels except for the odd very basic homestay.” While PNG offers up a far-flung corner of the world where things are much as they were generations ago, the same cannot be said for a stop like Saigon. Caught between that familiar transition of mirrored office blocks and crumbling colonial façades, the Vietnamese city still has its charms. In “The Last Stand” (page 106), Connla Stokes and Morgan Ommer visit some of the city’s most iconic street-food stalls for what they fear is a final, delicious taste of a vanishing tradition. Almost all of the vendors are ceding their patches of pavement to a wave of modernization. While it’s not happening overnight, the loss of these simple, plastic-stool eateries that serve remarkable pho bo vien or banh mi thit tears at the engrained images—and, for many of us, memories—we have of Saigon, an overly evocative place name if there ever was one. There’s no doubt that travel shapes us in ways we do not always immediately recognize. This month, French chef Daniel Boulud shares a few of his life-defining journeys (“The Places That Made Me,” page 40), no doubt a list that will get you thinking about where you’ve been, where you want to go and why. For a few ideas on that front, look no further than the trio of chefs who offer up their travel tips in “Where the Pros Go” (page 20). Their intriguing suggestions will make your mouth water just thinking about your next trip.

The T+L Code While on assignment, Travel+Leisure editors and contributors travel incognito whenever possible. They also generally do not accept free travel or take press trips; we will clearly identify any instances in which we’ve made an exception to this policy.

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F R O M T O P : N A P AT R A V E E W AT; K E N K O C H E Y

Christopher Kucway

Contributors Sophy Roberts — Writer “Melanesia Rising,” page 72

Connla Stokes — Writer “The Last Stand,” page 106

Justin Calderón — Writer “Countryside Retreat,” page 34

Best Vietnamese street food It seems rude to single out one, but I’ll go with pho ga (chicken): nourishing, comforting and filling, and you can eat it any time of day. Vendor personalities There are places in Hanoi with matriarchs notorious for being frosty, but when you say, “I flew all the way from Saigon just to eat that,” they smile from ear to ear. I never tire of it; they take great pride in their food. Rapid transit District 1 feels international, but typical Vietnamese lifestyles and eateries will survive on the fringes and in other areas—where soon we’ll have a metro to shuttle us. Saigon living The mix of individuals here is endlessly fascinating. Just hanging out, eating and drinking are my favorite things.

Why go to Loikaw now? It’s just outside the four gems of Burma (Bagan, Rangoon, Mandalay and Inle) and offers a genuine glimpse of what life is in this country of 135 ethnicities, before the coming tourism boom. Where to next in Burma? Mrauk U calls to headstrong travelers in search of the ancient Arakan Empire where the archeological wonders are just as magnificent, but still widely part of the lives of the people that dwell among them. Local libations Khao yae is similar to rice wine found in Laos—it tastes like paint stripper and should only be tested by those with strong livers. Cruising up to Inle Lake for six hours in a longtail boat? Better bring a fluffy pillow!

CLOCK WISE FROM TOP: BILL PHELPS; COURTESY OF JUSTIN CALDERÓN; COURTESY OF CONNL A STOK ES

You’ve been to Papua New Guinea twice. I love the topography and the tribes. I adore Africa, and PNG has the same compelling combination. You feel like you are traveling in a different era. Revelation Watching photographer Ken Kochey emerge from the water after his first dive like he’d taken some kind of super drug. He was crazy for it, and the new potential of shooting 40 meters below. How’s the food? Not promising... though Port Moresby threw up a surprisingly good Japanese place, Daikoku. Where to next? Australia’s Northern Territory traveling with someone I’ve longed to work with for a while: Sab Lord, the private-safari guide.

Inbox The Oriental Pearl Tower in Pudong’s Lujiazui area is certainly the most beautiful landmark in Shanghai [“Shanghai’s Two Sides,” September 2014]. A must-see site for tourists visiting the city. - Tin Yip, a lberta , ca na da

This cross-country journey through Cambodia’s coastal towns [“Southern Comfort,” July 2014] is now on our bucket list. Hopefully we can try it next year. - Julie Harlow Day Terrific Treats

I’ve been to Will Goldfarb’s locally sourced sweets shop Room4Dessert [“Bali Brulee,” September 2014] before. It’s awesome! - Ruchita Doshi Serene Sunset

Your February cover [“The Mekong”] was so beautiful. It’s impressive when a photographer can capture the beauty

of a river that is the lifeline for so many peoples and traditions. - Lucy Overstreet hong kong

Limestone Love

The author’s cruise through Bai Tu Long [“The Bay Less Traveled,” August 2014] reminds me that we live in such a beautiful world. - Dave West perth

My country is great—the stunning karsts, the food, the bia hoi culture. Welcome! - Trung Tran hanoi

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Sweet Japanese Dreams

Would love to see Kyoto and its traditionally refurbished machiyas [“Kyoto Restored,” November 2014]. They look stunning. - Colin King Malaysian Wonder

I went to Langkawi [“The Emerald Canopy,” September 2014] in 2011. This is such a beautiful place. - Ashish Surana This wild, ancient island is such a fantastic place, and I highly recommend staying at The Westin Langkawi Resort & Spa. - Doris Rogge wisconsin

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Radar News. Finds. Opinions. Obsessions.

the view

BAA ATOLL, MALDIVES

COURTESY OF AMILL A FUSHI

Amilla Fushi, a new private-island resort in the western Maldives, contains everything a modern castaway might need: limestone-and-timber houses, outdoor rain showers, a spa with its own tea lounge, an 8,000-bottle wine cellar, and rooms with personal sundecks where you can be mesmerized for hours on end, watching the water ripple in a spectrum of clear glass to deep indigo. You might go to the restaurant for a lunch of delicious kingfish sashimi—or better yet, have your butler deliver it straight to your door? Because, truthfully, it’s difficult to leave a spot like this. amilla.mv; doubles from US$3,500. —shane mitchell

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Radar chefs

WHERE THE PROS GO Three internationally renowned chefs share their travel tips, dream restaurants and secret holes-in-the-wall with Diana Hubbell. Gaggan restaurant in Bangkok. Below: Swati Snacks, in Mumbai.

DANIEL HUMM Eleven Madison Park, in New York City Name one fantastic, splurge-worthy restaurant. Sushi Sawada (3F MC Bldg., 5-9-19

Ginza, Tokyo; 81-3/3571-4711; omakase set menu from ¥32,000) in Tokyo—the best sushi I’ve ever had. Everything was pristine and beautiful.

One low-key local spot?

I went to this little hole-in-the-wall in Hong Kong, Kau Kee (21 Gough St.; 852/2850-5967; dinner for two HK$80), and had some of the more incredible noodles I’ve ever eaten. The meal lasts 15 minutes, but the flavors in a simple bowl of noodles with beef were unlike anything I’ve tasted before. Last great meal in Hong Kong? I love Yardbird (yardbirdrestaurant.

com; dinner for two HK$650). I also had a very good experience at The Chairman (thechairmangroup.com; HK$600): unbelievable Chinese food and the most amazing snow crab dish. 20

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Osaka super gyoza. Below: Ceviche at Maido.

GAGGAN ANAND Gaggan, in Bangkok How does travel inspire your culinary style?

My travel inspires me to taste, commit the experience to memory, and then perhaps recreate my own version. Food with the same ingredients may hold the same meaning for different cultures, yet taste completely different. This provides me with a wide spectrum and helps me create my own “fantasies” with food. Name a favorite under-the-radar local restaurant. Swati Snacks (swatisnacks.com;

dinner for to Rs650) in Mumbai, although it’s definitely not “under the radar” for the locals!

Last great meal while traveling?

It was on a trip to Tokyo, when I tried chef Yoshihiro Narisawa’s restaurant, Les Créations de Narisawa

(narisawa-yoshihiro.com; 10-course set dinner menu ¥20,000).

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MITSUHARU TSUMURA Maido, in Lima, Peru How do different styles of Asian cooking influence your personal culinary creations?

The type of cuisine I do is Nikkei, which is inspired by both Japan and Peru. I would say that Asia has a very strong influence on my cuisine—it’s part of my DNA. What is your favorite place to travel to in Asia?

Osaka, Japan. Describe one of your most memorable meals. It was at Kikunoi (kikunoi.jp; kaiseki

menus from ¥15,000) where I met Yoshihiro Murata, the owner and chef of this amazing restaurant in Kyoto. It is hard to put my experience into words. The attention to detail, the quality of the products, amazing technique and very creative combinations made it one of my last great meals in Asia. +

F R O M L E F T, T O P A N D B O T T O M : C H E N G X I N /G E T T Y I M A G E S ; H U N G R Y H K . B L O G S P O T. C O M ; C O U R T E S Y O F D A N I E L H U M M ; C O U R T E S Y O F G A G G A N A N A N D ; K U N A L B H AT I ; C O U R T E S Y O F G A G G A N A N A N D ; W A N N A P H A N A W AY O N ; C O U R T E S Y O F M I T S U H A R U T S U M U R A ( 2 )

Hong Kong’s famed skyline. Below: Beef noodles at Kau Kee.

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Radar

debut

SPICING THINGS UP A stylish design hotel emerges from what was an old sea captains’ quarters. Brian Spencer reports on a small celebration of Kerala’s past and its future.

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Among the crumbling colonial-era buildings along Bazaar Road, a twokilometer spectacle of oldworld architecture and the heart of the two-millenniaold spice trade in Fort Kochi, Crist Inman saw potential in a derelict warehouse. The place— along with an adjacent, ramshackle hotel, formerly a crash pad for ship captains—had been abandoned for decades. Inman took it upon himself to restore these neglected spaces. The result is Spice Harbour, a sleek, 16-room boutique on the waterfront. “We wanted the buildings to respect the history of the exact location, while also reflecting India as an innovative culture,” he

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says. “Getting the look we wanted from the architect was easy, but executing it was difficult due to the age of the original structures.” True to this vision, engineers retained the building’s bones while giving these old captains’ quarters a much-needed facelift. Rooms feature a clean design, with splashes of vibrant colors against earth-toned walls. Most include either a terrace or walkout balcony, many overlooking Cochin Harbour. “Many locals tell us we have the best views in Fort Kochi,” says Inman. The old warehouse, meanwhile, became restaurant 51, where staff serve a fusion of Malabar and Mediterranean cuisine in a two-story dining room

replete with birdcages hung from the vaulted ceiling. Here, seasonal specialties include Malabar seafood stew, pan-seared pullet rubbed in local spices, and chilled avgolemono (egglemon) soup, the recipe for which came from Inman’s mother’s village in Greece. “We ignore recent colonial influences and tend toward those of traders bringing tastes and traditions from the Mediterranean to Persia,” says Inman. “While menus change, our focus remains the same—local ingredients that capture the soul of the particular place.” V-40 Bazaar Rd., Mattancherry, Kochi, Kerala; 91-484/2223119; raxacollective.com/ spice-harbour; doubles from Rs16,000. +

C O U R T E S Y O F S P I C E H A R B O U R (5 )

Clockwise from top left: Sunset views from the hotel; a Harbour suite’s private terrace; restaurant 51’s cheery blue exterior; seafood on the menu at 51; chilling out in 51’s laid-back lounge.

Radar Worshippers at Lungshan Temple.

Beef noodles.

weekender

A TAIPEI TASTER A foodie heaven, Taiwan’s capital offers up some pleasant surprises, including décor-centric shops, designer teas and a cheerful Chinese populace. Story and photos by Christopher Kucway

TAIPEI AT A GLANCE Getting around Taxis are plentiful, their drivers genial—have your destination handy in Mandarin—with most fares under NT$120. The MRT is easy to use, with trips starting at NT$20 and one-day passes for NT$150.

Stay If it’s the little touches that count, then the Mandarin Oriental Taipei (mandarinoriental.

com; rooms from NT$15,000) is for you. Breakfast newspapers come with an assortment of prescription reading glasses, guest rooms have desks fitted with outlets for any mobile device you can think of, while 1,700 pieces of art decorate every nook and cranny of the hotel—yes, that is a life-size model of a rhino head in the café. Staff, too, are particularly helpful. Also in the city center, Check Inn (checkinn.com.tw; doubles from NT$2,900) is a hip option, with exposed brick walls in the guest rooms, organic toiletries and free Wi-Fi. Eat For a taste of traditional Taiwanese cuisine, the eclectic yet homey Tua (tuaculture.com; lunch for two NT$1,400) is tough to beat. Tua refers to a gathering of loved ones over dinner, and here that includes dishes such as a crunchy pecan, asparagus and Chinese melon salad; chicken in a turmeric-laden sauce; baked tofu sprinkled with

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seasonal greens and chilies; and clams swimming in a salty Chinese broth. For the freshest seafood imaginable, head to the smartly designed Addiction Aquatic Development (addiction.com.tw; lunch for two NT$1,000), where Hokkaido lobsters angle to escape before being spotted by hungry diners. But get to this part of the Taipei Fish Market early or be patient: the sushi bar is so popular, it’s roped off. If you can’t finagle your way into that standing room-only space, there’s also a seafood bar, a hot pot area, a cooked-food counter and outdoor seating to enjoy grilled seafood. Open between 6 a.m. and midnight, and cash only. The airy, open kitchen at Bencotto (dinner for two NT$2,500) at the Mandarin Oriental just screams fun. Overseen by Michelin-starred Italian chef Mario Cittadini, the menu puts a modern twist on most dishes, with smoked kampachi carpaccio—say that three times after a glass of Barolo—adorned with spicy pickled leek, or a Boston lobster bisque consommé playing off

Forbidden no more The National Palace Museum (npm.gov. tw; entry NT$250) is loaded with riches from Beijing’s Forbidden City, including scrolls, pottery from across the dynasties and elaborate bronzes. Bowled over Do not leave Taipei without downing a bowl of beef noodles (unless of course you’re vegetarian, then, condolences). Debate surges around who has the best, though Yong Kang Beef Noodles (beefnoodle-master. com; bowl NT$220) has been ladling bowls since 1963.

the organic and seasonal aims of the restaurant. Also schedule a meal at the hotel’s Cantonese offering, Ya Ge, or its fun French bistro, Café Un Deux Trois. Do Taipei may have embraced the coffee revolution, but at Cha Cha Thé (chachathe.com/ eng; afternoon tea set NT$590 per person) there’s no mistaking what brew rules the local palate. Stylish in the extreme—one wall of the flagship shop in Da’an District is covered in tea bricks— there’s even a story behind the modern shape of the teapot here, one that involves that particular brand of Taiwanese humility. Three dozen different teas are available, but don’t miss the Alishan Oolong, a mellow cup to be savored. Movie buffs should head to the former American ambassador’s residence, where the white façade now houses the SPOT Taipei Film House (18 Sec. 2, Zhongshan N. Rd.; 886-2/25117786; spot.org.tw; tickets NT$260). Foreign and local art films are the norm, and there’s also a bookstore and café on the leafy grounds. Near the river, Dihua Street is a hodgepodge of aromatic Chinese dried-goods shops and funky cafés, potters and even the occasional bed and breakfast in a restored go-down. For cinnamon buns as big as your head, massive mugs of Alishan coffee and an array of fruitinfused liquors poured over ice—try the passion fruit rum, regardless of the time of day—head to Peacock Bistro (2nd Hall, 197 Sec. 1, Dihua St.; coffee for two NT$400) and hang with the hipsters who are just as likely reading books as they are fumbling with iPads. Abandoned for a decade, then saved by civic-minded types in 2007 is Huashan 1914 Creative Park (huashan1914.com/en). There’s a rotating series of events and festivals, so it’s best to check ahead of time, but also visit for the permanent design shop.

A handful of funky art stores and cafés have been dotted around the residential Fujin Street for several years now though the selection is continually reinventing itself. Make for 3,Co (377 Fujin St., Songshan Dist.; 886-2/8787-5271), home to a stylish selection of sleek local pottery and minimalist metal work. Around the corner, Fun Fun Town (2 Alley 1, Lane 359, Fujin St., Songshan Dist.; 886-2/2766-5916) offers quirky home goods. Most shops here open at 2 p.m. There’s no shortage of temples around Taipei, but if you have time to visit only one, make it Lungshan Temple (211 Guangzhou St., Wanhua Dist.). Built in 1738, it’s the city’s oldest but, like any temple, what brings the stone etchings and bronze carvings here alive and into the present are the worshippers. +

Clockwise from left: Modern, local pottery at 3,Co; at the funky Tua; dishes on display at Fun Fun Town; Addiction Aquatic Development; Peacock Bistro; a Mandarin Oriental Taipei welcome; Boston lobster bisque at Bencotto.

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Radar

cruise

At LiT BANGKOK Hotel you will find a hotel with a wonderful complex character, a place filled with surprising design details but with a startlingly Bangkok flavour.

Small wonder that part of its name means “intrepid.” Amandira, which makes its splashy debut this month, will offer two voyages, one of which will sail around Raja Ampat, a surrealist waterworld with 75 percent of the planet’s known coral species and more than 1,300 types of fish, while the other charts a course through the Nusa Tenggara chain of islands towards Rinca and Komodo, where venomous dragons straight out of Tolkien still dwell. These waters may be rugged, but the journey aboard the 52-meter double-masted phinisi certainly isn’t. Custom-crafted by the Konjo tribe, the five-cabin vessel nimbly balances comfort with a genuine sense of adventure. And while the amenities here are plush, the real draw is the ace diving team and equipment, including tanks filled with nitrox, which allows divers to stay immersed in this delirious aquatic landscape for longer. With surroundings this mythical, you may want to just stay in fantasyland. amanresorts.com; voyages from November 11, 2015, to March 13, 2016; five-night Raja Ampat expeditions from US$45,750, double, inclusive of three dives per day, all excursions, airport transfers and meals. —diana hubbell

In the heart of Bangkok. c u lt u r e

THE EYE HAS TO TRAVEL Wim Wenders’s new documentary, The Salt of the Earth, about the Brazilian photographer Sebastião Salgado (right), offers two perspectives on the planet. First come Salgado’s travels to challenging places like Ethiopia, Rwanda and Serbia, where his experiences documenting humanitarian catastrophes nearly made him put down his camera for good. Then the film turns to Salgado’s second act: capturing the breathtaking landscapes of the Galápagos Islands, Patagonia and his native country, where he led an effort to transform his parents’ scorched farmland back into rain forest. “There are no more empty spaces that nobody has been to,” says Juliano Ribeiro Salgado, his son and Wenders’s codirector. “But photographers can still cross frontiers. That’s the definition of an adventurer.” —jesse ashlock T. +66 26 123456 www.litbangkok.com

F R O M T O P : C O U R T E S Y O F A M A N R E S O R T S ; YA S U Y O S H I C H I B A /A F P/G E T T Y I M A G E S

A Welcome Designed to Enthrall & Inspire

HERE BE DRAGONS

India The saturated colors of traditional embroideries are brought to life in Giorgio Armani’s Maharajah Nail Lacquers. US$30 each; armanibeauty.com.

F R O M T O P : P H I L I P F R I E D M A N ; © P H O T O Q U E S T/ D R E A M S T I M E . C O M ; © A LV I N G B / D R E A M S T I M E . C O M ; P H I L I P F R I E D M A N (4) ; © M A R T I N V A L I G U R S K Y/ D R E A M S T I M E . C O M ; © S A LV A D O R C E J A / D R E A M S T I M E . C O M ; P H I L I P F R I E D M A N ; © M I C H E L E F A L Z O N E /J A I / C O R B I S ; P H I L I P F R I E D M A N . S T I L L L I F E S T Y L I S T: C H A N E L K E N N E B R E W .

California Diorskin Nude Tie Dye Blush in Coral Sunset evokes the Pacific Coast skyline—and the Summer of Love. US$57; dior.com.

b e au t y

A New Leading Light in City Living

COLOR MY WORLD The latest cosmetics take their inspiration from locations all over the globe. By Katie James LiT BANGKOK Residence French Polynesia Nars’s Dual-Intensity Blush (US$42) in Jubilation provides the golden-bronze glow of the Tahitian sun—and their temporary tattoos (US$35) add a dose of cultural authenticity. narscosmetics.com.

offers that rare combination of downtown convenience that is also a haven of calm: a true home from home.

Tokyo Givenchy’s Prisme Visage Color Confetti Powder is like having the bright lights of the Japanese megacity in a compact. US$56; givenchybeauty.com.

Innovative design, state of the art amenities, international service standards and delightful Thai touches are set to redefine contemporary Thai living. Come home to the city.

Marrakesh, Morocco Yves Saint Laurent Couture Mono eye shadows in Zellige, Caftan and Orient replicate the vibrant palette of the Jardin Majorelle, which the late designer once owned. US$30 each; yslbeauty.com. T. +66 26 123456 www.litbangkok.com

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A day in the park at Taiping Lake Gardens.

drive

ONCE UPON A DREAM With plenty of diversions, Taiping and Kuala Sepetang emerge as worthy pit stops between Penang and Kuala Lumpur. By Marco Ferrarese A sleeping beauty still dozes in northeast Peninsular Malaysia. Her name is Taiping, Perak state’s second biggest town, and former Chinese tin mining queen. Set between Penang and Ipoh, she waits for travelers to stop, give her the muchcoveted “awakening kiss,” and fall in love at first sight.

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Peacefulness blankets the region, from the country’s first public garden to one of the world’s most sustainably managed mangrove forests. With a couple of days to spare, we decide to break Taiping’s spell. Lucky for us, no magic wand is required: all we have to do is rent a car at Penang’s airport, and

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drive one hour south along the highway. Taiping’s green heart reverberates from the relaxing Taiping Lake Gardens (12 Medan Istana 2, Bandar Ipoh Raya, Ipoh; 60-5/255-9962). These former mining grounds sprawl over 64 hectares, replete with scenic pools and tropical

flora. We park the car and have a long walk around the lakeshore and its leafy boulevards. The peak of Maxwell Hill (60-5/807-7241), Taiping’s hill station, looms over us. Shrouded in mist, it makes for a welcome escape from Taiping’s blistering heat. On a clear day, you can see as far as Penang to the ➔

P HOTOG R A P H ED BY K IT Y ENG C H A N

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Clockwise from top left: A hippo at Taiping Zoo; fish drying under the tropical sun; traditional Malay stilted houses; a pair of zoo parrots; workers chop logs for charcoal; driving under branches at Taiping Lake Gardens; a local fishing boat.

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and even a group of beautiful tigers bathed in artificial moonlight. Though I’m usually sad to see animals in captivity, the nocturnal creatures in these amply spaced imitations of their natural habitats seem pretty content. We spend the night at the new Tune Hotel Taiping (Jalan Istana Larut; tunehotels.com; doubles from RM76), which has larger, more luminous rooms than other properties we’ve visited in this AirAsiaowned franchise. The next day we drive 20 minutes out of town along a country road flanked by palm estates and traditional Malay wooden houses on stilts to Kuala Sepetang, a

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sleepy fishing village set around the mouth of the homonymous river. The main attraction here is the 40,000-hectare Matang Mangrove Forest Reserve, the largest surviving spread of coastal mangroves in Peninsular Malaysia—and among the most eco-friendly on earth. It’s a joy to stroll along the boardwalks, observing the secular roots emerge from the low tide. Mangroves are also the source of charcoal, Kuala Sepetang’s main business marrow. On the way back to the town center, we stop at a factory to see how it is produced. Workers stuff logs into giant round brick ovens, waiting for days until the

GETTING AROUND The closest airports to Taiping are at Penang and Ipoh, both reachable from Kuala Lumpur via AirAsia (airasia.com), Firefly (fireflyz.com. my) and Malindo Air (malindoair.com). Penang Car Rental (penangcarrental.net; daily rates from RM143) and Ipoh Car Rental (carrentalipoh. com; daily rates from RM140) arrange direct vehicle pick-up at both airports through the local desks of established rental companies such as Avis and Europcar.

B O T T O M R I G H T: © K I T S E N / D R E A M S T I M E . C O M

north and Pangkor Island to the south. Jeeps (RM6 per person round trip) slog visitors up the winding, visually arresting road 13 kilometers to the summit in 30 minutes; the fittest, however, can trek to the top in three to five hours. You can spend the night on the hill in governmentrun bungalows, but we prefer to descend to Taiping for better facilities and a visit to the night safari at Taiping Zoo (Jalan Taman Tasik; 60-5/808-6577; zootaiping. gov.my; adults RM20, children RM10). In a hushed environment free of flashing cameras and chattering tourists, we see orangutans, chimps, sun bears, hippos

charred mangrove wood is ready to be smashed into coals. We leave the factory and roll into the quaint center of Kuala Sepetang, a line of houses in a symbiotic relation with the river. The tiny port wriggles with activity as smiling locals offer river and sea explorations on their boats. Zipping around the water at dusk in search of swarms of glowing fireflies is the most romantic way to end our day. The village is easily visited as a day trip from Taiping and even from Penang, but its newest boutique accommodation, The

Happy 8 Retreat

(LC151A3, Tepi Sungai, Kuala Sepetang; 60-5/8482188; thehappy8.com.my; doubles from RM150), is a good reason for staying overnight. Housed in a four-story building topped by an eagle statue, it astutely blends modern comfort with the simplicity of a fisherman’s life. Enjoying a crimson-streaked sunset over the estuary from a balcony furnished with timber louver doors and quirky fishing net railings, we realize that the spell’s been broken, the beauty’s wide awake, and we have already fallen in love. +

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NIPPON EN VOGUE Traditional Japanese style is the look of the moment, and it’s never felt so modern. By Jane Bishop

On the runway Karate-style belts strengthen the minimalist looks at Loewe (right) and Céline. loewe.com; celine.com.

Aman Tokyo The Zen-like oasis debuted in December on the top six floors of the city’s new Otemachi Tower. amanresorts.com.

Katsushika Hokusai A show at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, spans the artist’s seven-decade career. April 5–August 9; mfa.org.

Tatcha rice powder Indigo-plant extract, once favored by samurai for the anti-inflammatory properties, is now in this complexion booster. tatcha.com.

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Hermès sachet Scented with one of five signature fragrances, this origami paper horse packs away perfectly. hermes.com.

C L O C K W I S E F R O M T O P : C O U R T E S Y O F A M A N R E S O R T S ; © M U S E U M O F F I N E A R T S , B O S T O N ; YA S U + J U N K O ( 2 ) ; C AT W A L K I N G /G E T T Y I M A G E S ( 2 ) ; C O U R T E S Y O F M O N I Q U E P É A N ( 2 )

Monique Péan earrings Striped agate and diamonds, inspired by sunsets on the island of Naoshima. moniquepean.com.

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why go

COUNTRYSIDE RETREAT Because the temples and the scenery are impossibly photogenic.

A nest of majestic conical spires, Taung Kwe Pagoda (Road 5 next to Thiri Mingalar Market) awaits you at the top of Thiri Mingalar Hill. Breathe in the scenic panorama of Loikaw from the city’s venerated limestone karst and discover the history of this holy site, then enjoy street-food delicacies and shopping at the adjacent Thiri Mingalar Market . Because the markets are chockablock with sensational local souvenirs.

Shuffle through a dazzling pageantry of culture and commerce 34

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at Demawso Market . Every day, hill-tribe women adorned in colorful dress from nearby hamlets gather at the market to trade and sell produce. Hone your bargaining skills here by purchasing some lacquerware, rattan furniture or other traditional handicrafts.

warm. Gather with new friends at the property’s restaurant bar, the busiest in town, which serves up familiar Western comfort food and local cuisine. Try hin htoke—a rice-flour batter seasoned with herbs, topped with chicken or pork and pocketed and steamed in a banana leaf.

Because the Burmese brews are the perfect accompaniment to the regional specialties.

Because a boat ride here will take you back in time. Charter a trip from MT & K

End the day with a fresh draft of icy Myanmar Beer while watching a lakeside sunset on a private cottage patio at Hotel Loikaw (hotelloikaw.com; doubles from US$70; drinks for two K2,000). A popular rustic retreat, the hotel’s rooms are comfy, the service

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(traveltomyanmar.com;

three-day river journeys from US$463 per person, double) from Moe Bye, one hour’s drive from Loikaw, north to Inle Lake. A scenic five- to six-hour longtail boat ride takes you on a journey back in time as you pass water buffalo and bucolic villages accented by the ancient Shan temples of Sankar. Take every opportunity possible to interact with the friendly tribes in front of mountain vistas. +

From top: Conical golden spires atop Thiri Mingala Hill; charter a longtail boat north toward Inle Lake; Hotel Loikaw, a rustic boutique.

F R O M TO P : JO N L I N TO N (2); C O U R T ESY O F H OT EL LOI K AW

Newly alluring Loikaw, in Burma, brims with karsts, hill-tribe markets and bold brews. Here, four reasons to go now. By Justin CalderÓn

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From April 18 through May 10, one of Asia’s most photogenic cities will play host one of its more prominent photography festivals. The third annual Kyotographie, which will showcase works by 14 acclaimed Japanese and international photographers from nine countries, differs from past events in that it transforms the former capital’s beautifully preserved architecture into living galleries. “We’re having work shown inside the Kenninji temple,” says co-founder Yusuke Nakanishi, referring to Kyoto’s oldest and one of its most venerated Zen temples. “Another noteworthy exhibit will take place in a machiya [traditional wooden townhouse] in Gion, which is not usually open to the public.”

A total of 15 different spaces throughout town will display works by photographers such as Kimiko Yoshida, who specializes in portraits in elaborate haute couture; Marc Riboud, with striking images of Alaska from 1958; and Francis Wolff, with haunting snapshots of artists from his days as both a photographer and executive at Blue Note record label. Expect to hear plenty of live jazz performances to accompany the portraits of some of music’s greatest legends, including a crossover performance by Shuya Okino. While visitors can continue to experience Japan’s past, Kyotographie brings us into the future by showing us how ties exist between the ancient and the new. kyotographie.jp. —scott haas

COU R T ESY OF K YOTOG R A P HIE

THROUGH THE LENS OF TIME

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CEBU BY THE SEA Filipino furniture designer Kenneth Cobonpue has made a name for himself through his use of local materials and traditional techniques.

Clockwise from top left: Kenneth Cobonpue, striking a pose between winning design awards; hitting a sweet spot at The Tinder Box; all sorts of gluteny goodness at Abacá Baking Company; The Henry Hotel’s funky rooms; up close and personal with whale sharks; The Man Holding Driftwood by Orley Ypon at Qube.

Eat + Drink Just opened is the Abacá Baking Company (theabacagroup.com; coffee and pastries P320) with great fresh pastries. Kanyoen (GF Castle Peak Hotel, F. Cabahug Street, Mabolo, Cebu City; 63-32/232-2989; lunch for two P500) in Mabolo has the best yakiniku in the city. Although I’m not much of a lechón fan, one can’t go to Cebu and miss out on the crisp-skinned porker: Rico’s Lechón (ricos-lechon.com; whole roasted pigs from P3,200) and Zubuchon (zubuchon.com; half-kilo from P300) are my recommendations. + For a glass of wine, head to Z Bar (drinks for two P500), which I designed seven years ago, on the mezzanine of newly renovated, localfavorite The Tinder Box (Archbishop Reyes Avenue corner Bauhinia Drive, Banilad, Cebu City; 63-32/234-1681; dinner for two P2,000). Buy A few small and independent companies make beautiful things, use indigenous crafts, and champion social causes at the same time. Among them is Anthill Fabric Gallery (anthillfabricgallery.com), which sells artistic fabrics and accessories. + Check out Qube Gallery (qubegallery.ph) for local art and the Carbon Market (M.C. Briones Street, Cebu City) for indigenous baskets and handicrafts. See + Do A four-hour hike at Canso X (510 Brgy. Cansomoroy, Balamban; 63-32/411-1600; hiking P200 per person, entrance P50 per person), which is an hour-long drive from the city, refreshes you with spectacular views of the hills and surrounding islands. + A banca cruise with Islands Banca (islandsbanca. com; island hopping for 10 from P6,500) is a must. Another favorite is whale watching, a few hours away at Oslob where you can get up close with whale sharks. However, the best part about Cebu is still its proximity to great beaches in nearby Bohol, Malapascua and Bantayan. – stephanie zubiri

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C L O C K W I S E F R O M T O P L E F T: C O U R T E S Y O F K E N N E T H C O B O N P U E ; C O U R T E S Y O F T H E T I N D E R B O X ; C O U R T E S Y O F A B A C Á B A K I N G C O M P A N Y; COURTESY OF THE HENRY HOTEL; K RISTOFFER L ARSEN; COURTESY OF QUBE GALLERY

Stay The Henry Hotel (thehenryhotel.com; doubles from P4,200) in Banilad is a hip, quirky boutique. I recommend it to friends because it’s walking distance from The Spa at Cebu (thespacebu.com) and some of the city’s best restaurants, including their own—Rica’s. Abacá Boutique Resort (abacaresort.com; doubles from P15,900) in Mactan nearby is still the best beach hotel.

1964 St.-Malo, France

“I was nine when I first saw the sea, on vacation near St.-Malo, in Brittany. We ate at a restaurant along the harbor, and when the waiter arrived with a towering plateau de fruits de mer royal, I was stunned! Its beauty and flavors marked me for life.”

timeline

“I tasted Provence in a soupe de poisson cooked by my cousin. Ground rockfish bones gave it texture. I rediscovered this memory later when I worked at Le Moulin de Mougins (moulindemougins.com; lunch for two €61).”

THE PLACES THAT MADE ME

1968–1969 Avignon, France

Daniel Boulud, Michelin-starred French chef, looks back on his life-defining travels.

1972 Basque Region, France

“In lieu of a vacation, my boss sent me to work near Biarritz, where a pinch of piment d’Espelette, a local chili pepper, changed me. In Lyons, we’d learned to season, not spice up, a dish. That summer, the piment was everywhere, and it was delicious.”

> 1981

“When I arrived in D.C., chef Jean-Louis Palladin was revolutionizing French cuisine in America. Instead of importing ingredients, he traveled the U.S. to find the best purveyors. We hung out at Bistro Français (bistrofrancaisdc. com; dinner for two US$55), where we reveled in the bourgeois cuisine of our youth.”

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1984 Bali, Indonesia

“I spent a week in Bali with my girlfriend living in a sarong on US$16 a day. But for her birthday, I called the Oberoi Hotel (oberoihotels.com; doubles from US$450) to book dinner. Our table was encased in garlands of orchids. That evening was a lesson in hospitality and graciousness.”

With 15 restaurants around the world—including the new Bar Boulud (barboulud. com; dinner for two US$84) at the Mandarin Oriental Boston—it’s easy to assume Daniel Boulud was born a culinary globe-trotter. But to this farm boy who grew up near Lyons, taking a trip meant trudging to the market and back. Here’s how he eventually discovered the world—and how that turned him into a chef.

Washington, D.C.

C L O C K W I S E F R O M T O P L E F T: C I N D Y O R D/ S T R I N G E R /G E T T Y I M A G E S ; H E M I S . F R / G E T T Y I M A G E S ( 2 ) ; © S T U A R T C R U M P/ D R E A M S T I M E . C O M ; C É L I N E C L A N E T ( 2 ) ; © B O R I S R Y Z H K O V/ D R E A M S T I M E . C O M ; © M Y P I X / D R E A M S T I M E . C O M ; © S I M O N G U R N E Y/ D R E A M S T I M E . C O M © T O M A S P A V L A S E K / D R E A M S T I M E . C O M ; C O U R T E S Y O F B I S T R O F R A N Ç A I S ; © J O N B I L O U S / D R E A M S T I M E . C O M ; © D A B O O S T/ D R E A M S T I M E . C O M ; M AT T H I E U S A LV A I N G

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1970 Lyons, France

“While interning at Paul Bocuse’s Auberge du Pont de Collonges (bocuse. com; set menus from €160), I ate sea bass in puff pastry. Later, I paid homage at Le Cirque (lecirque.com; set dinner €98) with truffled, pastry-encased sea scallops.”

1989 Rio de Janeiro

“Claude Troisgros invited me to cook for a charity event in Rio 25 years ago and introduced me to the Brazilian way of life: tropical fruits, exotic vegetables and caipirinhas. What a culture shock! I dream of retiring in the shadow of Sugarloaf Mountain.”

Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket

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French colonialstyle rooms.

Picking the latest crop.

Rolling hills of tea.

tea

‘TIS THE TEA-SON

Grab your kettle and head for Mount Mogan, whimsically nicknamed the Valley of Fairies, a 2.5-hour drive southwest of Shanghai. For centuries, this fanciful landscape has been cloaked not in pixie dust, but in fragrant Camellia sinensis tea shrubs, whose buds and leaves are harvested once a year between the end of March and the beginning of May to produce three teas: green, black and yellow. Indulge in all of them at Le Passage Mohkan Shan

(lepassagemoganshan.com; doubles from RMB4,200), a French country estate surrounded by 12,000 roses and eight hectares of biodynamic tea plantation, where, for this six-week season you can pick the best shoots off the bushes under the guidance of

local “tea hands.” Some of your daily haul is wok-roasted, packed in a tin caddy, and gifted for your homebrewing pleasure. Some leaves land directly onto your plate, in the form of foie gras with homemade tea jelly, tea-smoked duck, green tea biscuits and green tea mousse cheesecake, while others infuse green tea bath amenities available starting this month. But we recommend sipping the signature Mogan huangya, one of only three types of yellow tea in existence in China today. A single, perfect cup is our idea of a fairytale end to the day. A private tea-picking experience is available annually in March and April and can be reserved ahead or upon check-in from RMB280 per person. —monsicha hoonsuwan

C O U R T E SY O F L E PA S S AG E M O H K A N S H A N (3)

Aficionados looking to fill their own cuppa can try their hand at this season’s harvest on Mount Mogan’s picturesque slopes.

art

A FORCE TO BE RECKONED WITH Two powerhouse artists from two different lands unite in one mesmerizing exhibition. At first glance, the photographs of one of the greatest American portraitists and the acrylics of one of Japan’s premier abstract painters don’t seem to have much in common. Yet at Sundaram Tagore Gallery’s “Forces of Nature: Annie Leibovitz and Hiroshi Senju”

S U N D A R A M TA G O R E G A L L E R Y ( 2 )

exhibition in Hong Kong the powerfully portrayed subjects of Leibowitz’s 10 prints—ranging from Scarlett Johansson to the Dalai Lama—are the so-called movers and shakers of several generations. Senju’s six mammoth abstractions of cascading water, two rendered in fluorescent paint so that they only come to life under black light, are evocative of a more organic sort of power, one that shapes and molds the world

around it. The traditional Japanese pigments made from ground coral, shell and stone, plus the help of gravity in creating the rippling rivulets on sheets of mulberry paper, underscore the works’ earthly inspiration. Despite their differences, or perhaps because of them, these carefully curated collections only grow more captivating in juxtaposition. Prepare to linger. sundaramtagore. com; through May 10. —diana hubbell

From top: Senju’s black-and-white waterfall glows under black light; Leibovitz’s surreal portrait of Malcolm McLaren.

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a dv e n t u r e

UP, UP AND AWAY For those looking to fly high in the clouds, the verdant, vertiginous heart of Taiwan offers paragliders the chance to soar. Joe Henley takes to the skies. 44

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For one heart-stopping instant, I stare down and see my feet suspended by nothingness. The ground below me is a distant patchwork of greenery, bordered by the sea on one side and a majestic mountain range on the other. It’s a far cry from Taipei’s endless expanse of vertical urban density and glaring neon signage, though this lush, wild land dotted with cottages is only a few hours from the capital. Then the warm humid air buoys us

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and we’re skyward-bound, drifting effortlessly upward. Chris Yeh, who’s manning the massive chute above, steers us towards the mountain’s sheer rock faces and the thermals radiating off of them, then back into the wide open abyss. This is my first time taking the plunge and it far exceeds anything I expected. It’s difficult to do justice to the visceral rush one gets from launching off the side of a mountain ➔

V I I-P H O T O/G E T T Y I M A G E S

Gliding into the sunset over Puli Township, Taiwan.

Radar exotic & idyllic retreat ...where life is a private celebration

Snapping a selfie with FlyTaiwan.

P. 62 361 705 777 F. 62 361 705 101 E. experience@kayumanis.com

“If you want to do cross-country, you can go almost all directions,” Yeh says. “It is textbook mountainflying for paragliding.” Puli is one of the only places in Taiwan where year-round paragliding is possible, though conditions are best between September and March, when thunderstorms are less of a factor. Yeh and his team of instructors take some 300 to 400 people on tandem flights each year, leaping from a location known as Tiger Head mountain, 200 meters above a nearby landing zone on a flat plain below. But it’s also possible to take longer flights from the same launch point over some of the region’s most sought-after attractions. One of these is Sun Moon Lake, a shimmering stretch of blue to the south of Puli. Gliding over Taiwan’s largest body of water is one of those rare, beautiful alpine sights to which the mind will return over and again. As Yeh says of the sport that has become his life, “It’s never the same way twice. Every flight is different. There are always new things out there to discover.” +

GETTING THERE Take a shuttle from Taoyuan International Airport to Taoyuan THSR (high-speed rail) station or the MRT from Kaohsiung International Airport to Zuoying THSR station, then transfer to a high-speed train to Taichung (thsrc.com.tw; from NT$415). Nantou buses leave three times per hour on average from Taichung station and travel 50 minutes to Puli Township (ntbus. com.tw; NT$134 one way).

www.thegangsa.com

www.kayumanis.com

C O U R T E S Y O F F LY TA I W A N

Sanur I Ubud I Nusa Dua I Jimbaran

to soar high above the landscape. And there are few places where I would rather experience that rush than right here. Though its capital often commands the most attention, Taiwan is a paradise for lovers of the great outdoors, and high-altitude enthusiasts in particular. In fact, about a third of the island’s terrain is taken up by mountains higher than 1,000 meters, and another third by dozens of hills and terraces of an elevation between 100 and 1,000 meters—all ideal for thrill-seekers like yours truly. I still may be rocking training wings, but the man running the show here is definitely a pro. Yeh, the founder of FlyTaiwan ( facebook. com/FlyTaiwanParagliding; tandem flights from NT$3,500) in Puli, Nantou County in the island’s center, has been riding the winds around these parts for 22 years. The Taichung native chose to base his business in the small town, surrounded by mountain peaks, for its abundance of launch points and near-unparalleled access to thermals, the secret to long, languid flights that can last for hours.

The gold standard With Fairmont Gold, travel is made exclusive, efficient and effortless. From city traffic to airport lineups, the details of travel can eat up precious time. So, imagine a hotel visit that promises to make every second count. Where they remember the details that please you. Where the main goal is to make your life easier. Fairmont Hotels & Resorts has the answer: Fairmont Gold, offering the utmost in personalized attention. Exclusive check-in and checkout Exceptional treatment begins the moment you arrive at the private reception desk on the Fairmont Gold floor. Need a last-minute restaurant reservation? Tickets to a special event? A flight rebooked? You name it, the specially trained Fairmont Gold team will deliver, professionally and enthusiastically. Hospitality so amazing, you’ll never want to leave Your Fairmont Gold room is a sanctuary, where elegant, residential furnishings encourage you to kick back with your feet up. Bespoke amenities and the embrace of lavish terry-cloth bathrobes recreate a spa experience in the privacy of your own room. If you need to stay in touch with the office, complimentary high-speed Internet and a spacious work area ensure maximum productivity, making work a pure pleasure. Your own private lounge Unwind in the company of like-minded guests in the private Fairmont Gold Lounge, while enjoying a host of special privileges: from morning’s complimentary continental breakfast to evening’s honor bar and complimentary cocktail canapés. The lounge’s tranquil atmosphere also provides a unique setting for business— just right for an informal one-on-one meeting. Redefining hospitality Maya Angelou once wrote, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” This would be an apt summary of the heart of Fairmont Gold’s promise. Whether you’re traveling for business or leisure, Fairmont Gold is truly the standard by which hospitality excellence can be measured, the world over. Book your next stay on a Fairmont Gold floor, and see what in-the-know travelers are talking about. For more information, and a list of participating hotels, visit fairmont.com/asia/goldfloor

Radar

behind the scenes

DOES STARWOOD DREAM OF ELECTRIC SHEEP? On a visit to the hotel company’s new innovation studio, David Samuels explores the brave new world of hospitality.

otels are my favorite places to think and write, or simply to escape from reality, which is sometimes harsh. The hotels I am grateful for are run by sensitive, thoughtful people who provide the precarious balance of anonymity and personal care that I crave. I want privacy, interesting design and also a place to be sociable or take a meeting for an hour or two without breaking the spell of being somewhere far away from home. I like camping out alone under the stars, in a nice room with a comfortable bed, a desk and room service. As human beings become switching stations for the digital

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signals coming in and out of our phones, the technological backwardness of so many hotels has become, for me, part of their charm. I take comfort in the fact that hotel rooms often double as museums of Jurassic technologies—the desktop landline that acts as a two-kilo free weight, the dedicated button you must push to order room service, the DVD player for which you can rent actual DVDs. Still, the fear that the hotel experience I am dependent on might dissolve into the surrounding digital babble of Big Data and wearable gizmos and giant LCD screens doesn’t seem entirely unreasonable.

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In fact, Starwood Hotels, which counts St. Regis and W among its global brands and operates one of my personal favorites, the Hotel Bristol in Warsaw, is investing US$100 million over the next two years to create the very types of tech-y amenities that make me most anxious, among them iPad room service menus and appbased temperature and lighting controls. (It is not the first hotel company with such ambitions, but it’s the largest.) These projects, and many more, are the focus of the newly opened Starlab, a Manhattan-based digital and design studio that seeks out the next great hotel innovations. Feeling fiercely protective of my IL LUSTR ATED BY PEPMA X

beloved old-world order, I decided to head there myself and investigate. The first thing that caught my eye at Starlab was a pair of wall displays broadcasting a lightly curated stream of every photo guests were posting and tagging on social media from every Starwood property in the world. More than half the pictures were of food: perfectly arrayed rare tuna slices, colorful desserts that looked almost like turn-of-the-century hats and so on. The feed brought to mind the great Yale sociologist Thorstein Veblen’s 1899 work The Theory of the Leisure Class, which posited a new generation of hotels like the Ritz in Paris as elaborate theater sets where the rising global bourgeoisie could show off their status in appropriately impressive settings. Food is a socialmedia-friendly version of the hotel experience on one plate. After gazing a bit, I asked the Starlab design team how Big Data had changed their approach to their jobs. “Before, the hotel was the content. Now people are bringing their own content with them,” explained Mike Tiedy, senior VP for brand design and innovation. Great design and working Wi-Fi are simply the cost of entry to the market these days, and the hotel experience needs to be ever more alluring simply to keep up with whatever is on guests’ phones. Adding a sleek new vase or distinctive-looking chair isn’t enough to make a hotel feel fresh again. “We have to get those things right the first time,” added VP of global brand design Ted Jacobs. The most powerful existing effect of digital technology on design, Jacobs told me, is the feedback loop of websites and social media that plays back the success or failure of each design choice in real time, making it visible to the guest’s friends, and their friends, and their friends. Everything new is now instantly available to everyone, at least theoretically, so the value in the guest experience comes from its overall vibe—or what Jacobs calls the “red thread.” It’s not just the brand history, individual design choices or level of

service that makes an impact, but the way those things are tied together into a cohesive narrative. That’s not branding-speak, either—what it means is that hotels have become like big-budget Hollywood movies where the one-line pitch is so clear and so immediately attractive that people are delighted by the idea alone. Starlab’s digital team concerns itself with how guests navigate a hotel. It recently made headlines after introducing its Keyless program, which lets Starwood Preferred Guest (SPG) members use their phones to unlock doors at all W, Aloft and Element hotels. When I visited Starlab, only 10 properties were offering the service, but 64,000 SPG members had already signed up. I learned that room-service menus are available via the SPG app at Le Méridien in Munich, and will soon roll out globally. (Future historians will be interested to know that the first dish ordered via app was a Caesar salad.) I got a peek at some screenshots of the SPG Apple Watch app, which will remind guests of their room number or provide directions back to the hotel, in both English and the local language. It was only when I wrapped my head around Starwood’s use of Big Data— murky territory for a privacy nut like me—that I began to understand how the cogs may actually turn in my favor. By this point, it’s not news that Starwood employs 30-odd people to keep “eyes on glass 24/7,” handling 3 million social media interactions per year that range from mentions of slow check-in lines to stories of guests who get locked out of their rooms (like one guest at Le Méridien Rimini who got stuck on his balcony and was rescued by hotel staff after tweeting his distress; he was rewarded the next day with, of course, a whistle and an Italian-English dictionary). Data is especially useful to hotel managers, who can use it to help their

guests in ways that would please the most traditionally exacting Swiss hotelier. In the backstage area of the W Downtown, in New York’s Financial District, I looked at the profile of one guest who listens to the Pixies and the Shins, eats Kettle Korn and likes to have a tea kettle in his room—the kinds of things that good hotels should know about their guests. Now, as part of an opt-in pilot in 30 hotels, Starwood plans to install Bluetooth “beacons” in lobbies and public spaces that will beam profiles of approaching guests to staff—who can then greet them by name and follow up on service requests. Walking home in the rain, I might have felt like the lonely hero of a dystopian science-fiction novel, but oddly, I didn’t. No, I don’t care for Apple Watches and Google Glasses. What I do care about is service in the hospitality industry, which is generally where a legion of hotels and large international chains fall flat. The high-touch yet protective experience that I love is generally characteristic of hotels in Europe and Asia, where the local hospitality cultures are rooted in a sense of community and discretion and attentiveness. The service virtues that I appreciate are generally not part of our culture, which has plenty of other things to offer: movies, music, democracy, upward mobility, efficient large-scale organization, open markets and a general disdain for servile habits. The data-driven hotel experience is the newest way of closing the service gap. Sensors and apps might just be an equivalent of the beautiful ladies who keep tabs on guests’ movements in the pool and lobby areas of the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok, making their habits and preferences known to managers. If that’s what happens, then there’s nothing to be afraid of. In fact, I might like it. +

THE DATADRIVEN HOTEL EXPERIENCE IS THE NEWEST WAY OF CLOSING THE SERVICE GAP

T R AV E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A .C O M

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Trip Doctor

THE T+L GUIDE TO

HAVING FUN ON A BUSINESS TRIP

Traveling for work doesn’t mean you can’t experience everything a city has to offer. Here’s how to get the most out of five major business destinations, including client-worthy restaurants, easy walking tours and quick escapes when the meetings are over. Plus, get travel advice from frequent fliers and T+L’s picks of the top new business-class cabins and lounges.

BY ANDREW SESSA, WITH REPORTING BY JONNY CL ARK AND GRANT MARTIN. ILLUSTRATED BY TOM HAUGOMAT

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Trip Doctor

Strategies UPDATE

Some of the best new premium cabins belong to Air France and China Airlines, both of which recently introduced fully lie-flat, all-aisleaccess business seats. Aer Lingus (above) now has affordable lie-flat transatlantic seats. American Airlines’ new business cabins, which have started rolling out on 777s, offer innovative front- and rear-facing seats for even more shoulder space.

Beijing’s 798 Art District. Below: The Forbidden City.

Beijing China’s sprawling capital can sometimes overwhelm, but there’s deep history and a vibrant contemporary culture if you know where to go. on duty

Rich and crisp-skinned, Peking duck is Beijing’s signature dish. One of the best versions is at Duck de Chine (elite-concepts.com), an industrial-chic space

in the energetic Chaoyang district that’s perfect for a lunch meeting. + After dark, head to the 80th floor of the China World Summit Wing hotel to talk strategy at Atmosphere (shangri-la.com), the city’s highest bar. The views stretch for kilometers, taking in Tiananmen Square and the mountains.

off the clock Context Travel

(contexttravel.com) has a three-hour, historian-led walk that lets you squeeze in visits to the Forbidden City’s imperial palaces before any late afternoon meetings. 54

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+ For a window onto of-the-moment Chinese creativity, turn to the expat American guides at Chart Contemporary

(chartcontemporary.com), who offer tours of galleries and studios in the 798 Art District.

extra day

The Badaling section of the Great Wall is closest to town, but it’s often overcrowded. Instead, head about two hours away to the quieter Jinshanling portion— some parts of which are unrestored—for a hiking day trip with Imperial Tours (imperialtours.net).

C L O C K W I S E F R O M T O P L E F T: © Z J M 710 0 / D R E A M S T I M E . C O M ; C O U R T E S Y O F A E R L I N G U S ; © G A R Y 71 8 / D R E A M S T I M E . C O M

SWEET SEATS

Singapore Celebrity chefs, a booming creative scene and a kinetic urban energy: there are plenty of reasons to explore this accessible metropolis.

C L O C K W I S E F R O M T O P R I G H T: N A D I A M A C K E N Z I E /G E T T Y I M A G E S ; C O U R T E S Y O F K+ ; C O U R T E S Y O F J A P A N A I R L I N E S . I L L U S T R AT I O N B Y W A S I N E E C H A N TA K O R N

on duty

Everyone knows there’s no shortage of dining options in Singapore but if your time is limited, fusion might be the way to go these days. May May (65 Tras St.; 65/6221-4698) blends Chinese, Malay, Indian, Thai and Korean cuisine against a setting that centers on a vertical garden. Lunch is pretty much individual orders but by dinner the Asian tradition of sharing dishes means you can cover a wide swathe of that culinary map.

different era of musicians, with poses adapted from his father’s record collection. Did we mention that Mondo is all of 10 years old?

extra days

One of the city’s strengths is that it’s minutes away from both Malaysia and Indonesia, meaning many options for day or overnight trips. Long a golfing haven,

Distinctive Peranakan architecture. Below: A young Japanese artist at his own exhibition at K+.

Bintan Island in Indonesia is now home to several resorts that cater to exceptionally opulent idle breaks. Newest among them is The Sanchaya (thesanchaya.com), a 45-minute ferry ride from Singapore. It’s home to all the luxurious little extras you would expect on a more established resort island, notably a quiet beach.

off the clock

K+ (kplus.sg) is a new gallery on Scotts Road that offers a welcome twist on the art scene. Until April 12, Japanese illustrator Mondo Okumura is on show. His black-and-white portraits are largely derived from a

UPDATE

LOUNGE ACTS A handful of new airport lounges are upping the ante on flair. Tokyo’s Haneda airport now has a Mad Men-style Cathay Pacific lounge and a first-class suite from JAL that includes John Lobb shoeshine service. Qantas’s Marc

Newson-designed first-class lounge in LAX comes with a gourmet menu courtesy of Australian chef Neil Perry. latam’s São Paulo lounge has elegant Midcentury-style furniture and sophisticated high-tech touches.

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Trip Doctor

Strategies

ROAD WARRIOR

Founder of industrial design firm Fuseproject

Causeway Bay, a shopping and nightlife hub. Below: High on Lantau’s rocky hills.

Hong Kong

Kilometers traveled per year 240,000. Favorite airport I love smaller airports that are efficient. Majorca’s has cool architecture and a Botero sculpture. Must-pack items Eye mask, earplugs, portable phone charger, electric converter, yoga pants. Chain or boutique hotels? Boutique hotels seem more connected to local culture. Airbnb is the ultimate from a cultural standpoint— hosts really know what’s going on in the neighborhood.

A hotbed of activity 24/7, Hong Kong boasts a thriving art scene, tireless nightlife and every culinary creation imaginable. on duty

Reworked into a space with a sleeker, more mod look, The Pawn (thepawn.com.hk) is a great wind-down spot in Wanchai with potent cocktails like Grow a Pear, an old-fashioned with spiced pear liquor, and Double Roasted, a strange concoction that, if the menu is to be believed, involves cognac washed in char siu fat. Nearby, and touted as a cocktail bar serving health-conscious food, Djiboutii (djiboutii.com) is all

Go-to carry-on The Incase roller bags are well-thoughtout, with designated space for a laptop and electronics, so I can pack one bag instead of schlepping two. Travel gadget you’d like to invent A lighting product that alleviates jet lag would be cool.

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purple lighting, African and Asian adornments, and oversized cocktails meant for sharing.

off the clock

For a taste of Hong Kong life as it’s lived today, tool around the streets in Sheung Wan. Once home to little more than shops selling dried goods, today it’s a mix of funky bars, small restaurants and design stores interspersed between the mounds of medicinal Chinese roots

that spill onto the sidewalks. Stroll around First, Second, Third and High streets and you’re never far from a quick snack or drink.

extra days

There are endless kilometers of green hiking trails around the big city (hiking. gov.hk/eng/trail_list/type. htm) so make time for trekking around Lantau or Sai Kung to get a glimpse of the natural side of Hong Kong. For a walking trail relatively close to the office blocks, try Dragon’s Back on Hong Kong Island.

C L O C K W I S E F R O M T O P L E F T: C O U R T E S Y O F F U S E P R O J E C T; T R A V E L P I X LT D/ G E T T Y I M A G E S ; C H R I S T O P H E R K U C W AY; I L L U S T R AT I O N B Y W A S I N E E C H A N TA K O R N

YVES BÉHAR

The Burj Khalifa. Right: Shoes at the Bastakia market.

world’s tallest building? A 9 p.m. reservation to see the observation deck on the 148th floor, then drinks at the buzzy Privé club in the tower’s Armani Hotel (armanihotels.com). Call it a late-night teambuilding session.

off the clock

Dubai

The crown jewel of the United Arab Emirates offers easy access to both beach and desert—ideal for turning that long trip from home into a vacation. F R O M T O P L E F T: T H O M A S L O O F ; © O L E G Z H U K O V/ D R E A M S T I M E . C O M ; C O U R T E S Y O F B I R C H B O X

on duty

London’s modern-Peruvian hot spot, Coya (coya restaurant.com), opened an outpost at the Four Seasons Resort Dubai. It’s now one of

ROAD WARRIORS

KATIA BEAUCHAMP AND HAYLEY BARNA Founders of Birchbox, a subscription service for beauty products

On a day-long desert safari with Gulf Ventures (gulfventures.com), you’ll traverse sand dunes in a 4 x 4, ride a camel and sip Arabic coffee in a tented camp. + Skip Dubai’s over-the-top malls and head for Bastakia, a historic neighborhood near Dubai Creek. Those negotiating skills may come in handy at the area’s souk, which sells gold, silver and rare spices.

the most sought-after tables in a city known for attention-grabbing restaurants. + How to make the most of a visit to the Burj Khalifa (burjkhalifa.ae), the

Kilometers traveled per year HB: Around 515,000. Favorite airport HB: I love the convenience of Hong Kong. You can check your bags for an evening flight right in the city center and spend the rest of the day exploring unencumbered.

Must-pack items KB: I love traveling with really comfortable pajamas. Some people just make do, but I make space. Chain or boutique hotels? HB: I’m loyal to both Starwood and Four Seasons, but I prefer boutiques when visiting somewhere new so I can get a sense of place.

extra days

Sandwiched between a white-sand beach and towering mountains, Oman’s Six Senses Zighy Bay (sixsenses.com) is about a two-hour drive from downtown Dubai. There you can go snorkeling, hiking and sailing on a traditional Arabic dhow.

Breakfast standby KB: It’s hard to pass up a croissant, especially in Europe, where they take them seriously. Pro packing tips KB: One jacket that looks great over a dress or with jeans, and a pair of multipurpose heels. Hotel service you appreciate HB: Having the room

ready for an earlymorning red-eye arrival. Wi-Fi that immediately works and has sufficient bandwidth. Unlimited free bottles of water and a desk with a nice view. Favorite app HB: I like Moves, which records where you go throughout the day on a map. It’s fun to retrace your steps in a new place.

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Trip Doctor

Strategies ROAD WARRIORS

Frankfurt

Germany’s efficient financial center has shaken off its boring reputation with a sophisticated mix of boutiques and cocktail dens.

MARK HALPERIN AND JOHN HEILEMANN Hosts of Bloomberg TV’s With All Due Respect

The Städel Museum.

on duty

Need to confer with colleagues before the day begins? Leonhard’s (restaurant-leonhards.de), on the top floor of the Galeria Kaulof department store near the financial

district, serves cappuccinos and buttery croissants on an outdoor terrace. + For a cocktail bar that’s upscale (and quiet) enough for entertaining clients, head to either the Parlour (theparlour.de) or Sullivan (sullivan-bar.de), located off pedestrian-only Zeil street.

off the clock

More than two dozen cultural institutions sit on the Museum Embankment, along the Main River. Our pick: the Städel Museum, for its impressive old masters. Culture Trip (culturetrip.de) can organize 58

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a tour through the greatest hits. + Amid the outposts of Cartier, Versace and Armani on Goethestrasse is the 135-year-old women’s boutique August Pfüller (august-pfueller. de). The institution is a one-stop shop for labels like Proenza Schouler and Thakoon; its nearby kids’ store sells German-made Steilstuled animals.

extra days

The town of Heidelberg, with its storybook Renaissance castle, is just a 50-minute train ride south from Frankfurt. Don’t miss a stroll along the café-lined Hauptstrasse. +

Preferred airline JH: Delta. There’s Wi-Fi, a decent rewards program and LaGuardia’s Marine Air Terminal. Best airline cabin MH: First class on any Japanese carrier. In-flight rituals JH: Sleeping, drinking, sleeping, drinking; Scrabble on the iPad if I’m with my wife (even though she kicks my ass almost every time). Favorite airport MH: The one I’m leaving. Go-to gadget JH: The superthin Vorson Bookmark backup battery for mobile devices. Biggest travel mishap MH: Former and current TV producers don’t let those happen.

C L O C K W I S E F R O M T O P L E F T: K I R S T E N B U R C H E R ; K R I S C O N N O R / S T R I N G E R / G E T T Y I M A G E S ; C H R I S T I E ’ S I M A G E S / C O R B I S

Kilometers traveled per year JH: More than 160,000. MH: Thousands and thousands.

A DVERTISEMENT

Bangkok’s Higher

OCTAVE

n a city that pulses at every turn, there’s no better place to take in all that Bangkok has to offer than from above at Octave Rooftop Lounge and Bar on the 45th to the 49th floors of the Bangkok Marriott Hotel Sukhumvit. This is the bar that brings to life the sounds, sights and skyline of the city every night. The fun starts on the 45th floor and only heads higher as the night progresses. The comfortable and colorful setting is home to live DJs and in-the-know crowds. As tantalizing as the views, Octave’s signature cocktails are a must. Try a Thai Mojito, a blend of Thai rum, fresh lime juice, mango and Thai basil, for a distinct local taste. An extensive tapas menu includes tuna and salmon sashimi, king crab legs, oysters, prawn or salmon teriyaki and black cod. None of this is, of course, meant to distract you from the 360-degree views across Bangkok from the after-hours hotspot of Thonglor.

The Octave Rooftop Lounge and Bar is located from the 45th to 49th floor Bangkok Marriott Hotel Sukhumvit, Sukhumvit Road soi 57 and open daily from 17.00 – 02.00 hrs. For further information and reservations, call 662 797-0140. https://www.facebook.com/OctaveMarriott

Trip Doctor

The Fix

HOW CAN I USE MY MILES TO GET A BUSINESS-CLASS SEAT?

With the increasingly limited availability of coveted award seats—and more and more miles and points flooding the system—finding business-class tickets for a reasonable number of miles is harder than ever. Here are some tips from the mileage pros. Don’t rely on upgrading. In the past, it was relatively easy to buy an economy ticket and use miles to get to the front of the plane. It’s become more of a crapshoot recently. Airlines are now focused on selling business-class seats and often open them up to upgrades only

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at the last minute, says Brian Kelly, founder of the Points Guy blog. (What’s more, some airlines require you to buy a nearly full-fare economy ticket to qualify for an upgrade.) But unless you’re a high-priority million-miler, there’s a good chance that you’ll end up stuck

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in coach. “It’s a very expensive lottery,” says Gary Leff, founder of Book Your Award, a mileage-redemption service. The better option is to use your miles to secure a business-class seat outright; they’re more plentiful and a better value. Upgrading to business on a Delta flight from the United States to Europe, for example, will cost you 15,000 to 25,000 miles on top of your economy fare—often with no guaranteed seat; the lowest-tier business award seats go for just 62,500 miles. That said, if you’re willing to gamble, consider a premium subscription to Expertflyer.com (US$9.99 per month), which will notify you when an upgrade (or an award seat) becomes available. Diversify your points. If

you’re not going to reach elite status with an airline, it doesn’t make sense to rely on a single domestic carrier to house all your miles, leaving yourself vulnerable to devaluations. Your best bet is to earn through a credit card tied to a flexible-points program, such as American Express Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Citi ThankYou Rewards and Starwood Preferred Guest, all of which let you transfer points to a variety of travel partners. And even as United, Delta and other airlines make it harder to bank miles, credit cards still have lucrative earning structures (sign-up bonuses, double-points offers, etc.). The Points Guy and One Mile at a Time blogs are both great resources for credit card offers and insights.

WHAT’S YOUR PROBLEM? I SCRATCHED MY RENTAL CAR

Don’t...

Fret over purely cosmetic damage. Most major rental agencies usually don’t bother with (or even notice) minor scratches and dings.

Do...

Alert your insurer if the damage is significant. Many require you to report accidents within a certain time frame or the coverage is void.

Don’t...

Be surprised by ancillary charges. If the car needs repairs, you may be responsible for loss-of-use fees.

Do...

Document the damage. Photos will keep you from being held accountable for more damage than you inflicted.

I L L U S T R AT I O N S , F R O M L E F T: J A V I E R J A É N ; B E N W I S E M A N (4)

Q+A

by Amy Farley

Leverage partnerships. Don’t rule out a domestic airline simply because you live in a different country. Domestic carriers’ websites don’t show you the full inventory of all the airline’s international partners. Ben Schlappig, founder of PointsPros and the One Mile at a Time blog, advises calling the airline and asking about seats on affiliated airlines. For example, American Airlines might initially seem impractical for travelers based in Asia. However, AAdvantage miles can be used for Etihad Airways award seats, which are often available, since few U.S. travelers are aware of this agreement. Stay flexible. You’ll find the best

upgrade and award-seat availability, Leff says, when business travelers are not flying: at off-peak times, midweek and midday. Business seats are also easier to snag on flights to or from second-tier airports. That American Airlines flight from Raleigh-Durham to London has much more availability than one from New York’s JFK to Heathrow, Schlappig says. You can also mix and match carriers now that airlines are lifting the restrictions on booking one-way award tickets. The benefit, Leff says, is that you don’t need as many miles

by the numbers US$3,918

Price of a round-trip business-class ticket on Delta Airlines from New York to Hong Kong in September.

140,000

Number of miles it takes to secure this same seat.

US$1,820

Value of a 140,000-mile seat, based on the most recent point-to-dollar conversion from the Points Guy blog.

in any one frequent-flier account to take advantage of one-way rewards. Outsource the task. If the thought of moving points around and researching airline partnerships seems overly stressful and makes you want to throw in the towel, you can. Services like Schlappig’s PointsPros and Leff’s Book Your Award will find those lucrative award seats for you for a relatively modest price. Schlappig charges US$200 a ticket (US$100 for each additional one); Leff’s fee is US$150 a ticket. Neither will charge you until he finds you an acceptable itinerary. +

INTERNATIONAL MILES A flexible points credit card is a great way to rack up miles, but it’s important to remember that some airlines will give you more bang for your buck. Here are three worth keeping in mind: BRITISH AIRWAYS B.A. offers great value on short-haul award tickets: business-class seats on flights of up to 650 miles cost just 9,000 Avios points, one-way. Compatible with: American Express Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Starwood Preferred Guest.

KOREAN AIR Travelers can use Korean’s Skypass miles to get first-class seats on Korean Air and most other members of the SkyTeam alliance—a benefit not available to Delta SkyMiles holders. Compatible with: Chase Ultimate Rewards.

SINGAPORE AIRLINES The carrier offers businessclass awards on certain routes exclusively to members of its KrisFlyer loyalty program. Compatible with: American Express Membership Rewards, Citi ThankYou Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards, Starwood Preferred Guest.

Trip Doctor

Packing

by Jane Bishop

Q+A 3

IS A TRAVEL BAG DESIGNED SPECIFICALLY FOR THE SPORT I PLAY WORTH THE INVESTMENT? If you’re committed, your bag should be, too. Here are five stylish totes at the top of their game.

1 SERVE IT UP

Pack like a pro with Lacoste’s coatedcanvas duffel. Its roomy interior fits a racket and gear (US$320).

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2 FISH FROM THE HIP

The Tongass 650 angler’s waist pack by Umpqua keeps everything—tools, tackle, hook, line and sinker—at your fingertips (US$170).

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3 COMMUTE BY BIKE

SealLine’s seamless cycling backpack is lightweight, waterproof and adjustable in size to keep contents secure (US$150).

4 SKI IN, SKI OUT

Sportube’s hard-sided expandable case (US$200) holds two pairs of skis and has a matching boot bag (US$120).

5 HOT TO TROT

The cotton-and-calfskin Hermès riding carryall gets a blue ribbon for being big enough to fit boots, crop and breeches (US$3,150).

P H O T O G R A P H E D B Y YA S U + J U N K O

HELMET AND CROP BY HERMÈS

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Trip Doctor

Tech

Have a tech question, or a hotel app you want to share? Tell us at tripdoctor@travelandleisureasia.com.

HOW TO BE A SPONTANEOUS TRAVELER Procrastinators, rejoice: a new crop of digital tools can help you book an entire trip in a matter of minutes, even mere hours before takeoff. So get packing. By Tom Samiljan and Monsicha Hoonsuwan

FIND YOUR FLIGHT

BOOK A ROOM

The key to getting a last-minute deal is flexibility. The website Adioso lets you browse fares from your departure city to anywhere in the world and sort by price. Kayak’s Explore (kayak. com/explore) charts airfares on a global map to show how far your money can go. And the Get The Flight Out app (iOS) puts the cheapest day-of fares—from Orbitz, Travelocity and others— on an easy-to-scan interface. Our best find: Singapore to Hong Kong for US$280 round trip.

HotelQuickly (Android; iOS) is no doubt the best platform for 11th-hour hotel bookings in Asia. It’s available in 15 countries (including Burma, Laos and South Korea) and has just unveiled a sleeker, more intuitive new look. For even more substantial savings, try Hotels. com—last-minute bargains start at 50 percent off. Booking.com’s new app, Booking Now (iOS), claims the largest inventory, learns your preferences and suggests hotels accordingly.

ALL-IN-ONE

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PLAN YOUR ITINERARY DISCOVER LOCAL Why arrange your trip months EXPERIENCES ahead when you can spend 10 minutes on TripHobo’s visual itinerary planner? To make the most of your day, drag and drop into a timeline your preferred activities available in more than 400 global destinations, and the site will promptly calculate the travel time between each stop. If the whole process still feels like eternity, you can modify existing users’ plans to match your needs or let the algorithm autogenerate one in two minutes.

Searching for an in-the-know guide who caters to your interests? GuideAdvisor speeds things up by letting you check guides’ profiles, videos and reviews in advance so history buffs won’t end up in a petting zoo. The new Vietnam-based site Triip has unique tours crafted by local “creators” in Southeast Asia—say, “Zen in Saigon” with Inra, an ethnic Cham—all bookable online.

If you’re looking to book airfare, rooms, rental cars and excursions all at once, LastMinuteTravel.com sells heavily discounted package deals. Just be prepared to deal with a clunky user experience. For US$50, you can join their membership club, which adds another 10 percent to your savings, on average.

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I L L U S T R AT E D B Y J AV I E R J A É N

Trip Doctor

Deals

REA D E R E XC LU S I V ES

THIS MONTH’S BEST DEALS From a personal shopping service in Chiang Mai to a MasterChef cooking experience in Luang Prabang, these offers take your pastimes to a whole new level.

BEACH MALDIVES The Deal T+L Southeast Asia Exclusive offer from Maalifushi by COMO (comohotels.com), our 2015 IT List’s A-List Escape in the culturally distinctive Thaa Atoll. Stay Five nights in an Overwater villa. The Highlights Free fifth night, and a 60-minute signature COMO Shambhala massage in an overwater room for two, when booked with code PROTLSEA. Cost US$7,200 (US$1,440 per night), double, book by May 31. Savings 22 percent.

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CEBU The Deal Ultimate Villa Experience from Crimson Resort and Spa Mactan (crimsonhotel. com), 40 spacious private villas, each with its own plunge pool, on Mactan Island. Stay Two nights in an Ocean Front Private Pool villa. The Highlights Unlimited massages at the Aum Spa for two; 20-percent discount on food at the hotel’s outlets; and 20-percent discount on water sports activities. Cost From P50,000 (P25,000 per night), three people maximum, through December 31. Savings 30 percent.

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Super Saver

BALI The Deal So Gourmet from Sofitel Bali Nusa Dua Beach Resort (sofitel.com), a beachfront property on the south coast home to Nikki Beach Bali pool bar and Vietura Bali Aesthetic Clinic. Stay A night in a Luxury room. The Highlight Daily Rp750,000 food-andbeverage credit per stay. Cost From Rp2,650,000, double, through March 31, 2016. Savings 37 percent.

THAILAND The Deal Bangkok & Beach Special from Kensington Tours (kensingtontours.com), a custom-tour specialist with round-the-clock, on-ground support. Stay Seven nights total: two nights at Ariyasom Villa, Bangkok, and five nights at Vijitt Resort, Phuket. The Highlights A private guided tour of Bangkok; an upgrade to a Deluxe Seaview villa at Vijitt Resort; a 60-minute The Lover of Vijitt spa treatment for one; a candlelit Thai set dinner on the beach for one; and all chauffeured transfers. Cost From US$2,125 (US$303.50 ➔

✪ Newly opened

COURTESY OF SOFITEL BALI NUSA DUA BE ACH RESORT

A Luxury room with plunge pool access at Sofitel Bali Nusa Dua Beach Resort, in Indonesia.

Trip Doctor

Deals

per night) per person, for travel between May and October. Savings 32 percent.

CULTURE ✪ CHINA The Deal Opening offer from JW Marriott Hotel Shenzhen Bao’an (marriott.com), a 356-room hotel with views of Qianhai Bay and the Pearl River Delta, world’s largest urban area. Stay A night in a Deluxe room. The Highlight Thirty-percent discount on retail rates. Cost From RMB840, double, through April 30. Savings 30 percent. PENANG The Deal Double Sweet Upgrade from Hotel Equatorial Penang (equatorial. com), 20 minutes from George Town World Heritage site. Stay A night in a Club Premier Deluxe

room. The Highlight Complimentary upgrade to a Premier suite for two with Equator Club benefits such as a 20-percent discount at the hotel’s dining outlets, access to Equator Club Lounge and all-day refreshments. Cost From RM560, double, through April 30. Savings 34 percent.

✪ SIEM REAP The Deal Angkor Discovery package from Sarai Resort & Spa Siem Reap (sarairesort.com), a stylish Moroccan-inspired luxury boutique recently opened in February. Stay Three nights in a Gold Chamber room. The Highlights Two-day private excursion to Angkor with an English-speaking guide; two-day temple pass for two; and a set dinner for two at Goat Tree

Garden. Cost From US$531 (US$177 per night), double, ongoing. Savings 46 percent. ASIA The Deal Colour Our Spring from Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts (moevenpick-hotels.com), a Swiss hotel company with 82 properties in 25 countries. Stay A night in a standard room. The Highlight A room discount at nine participating properties in India, Pakistan, Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines and Singapore. Cost From US$90, double, book by April 30. Savings Up to 30 percent. CHIANG MAI The Deal Stay, Eat & Shop exclusive offer from Sireeampan (sireeampan.com), an 11-suite resort near Chiang Mai Zoo, Doi Suthep and Nimmanhemin Road. Stay Two

nights in a Studio room. The Highlight The new Personal Shopping by Sireeampan service, carried out by professional, English-speaking shopping assistants who take guests scouring Chiang Mai for the best quality products at the best prices, when reserved with code TLSEA20. Cost From Bt16,800 (Bt8,400 per night), double, book by April 30. Savings 20 percent.

CITY ✪ CHINA The Deal Beyond Expectation Captivating Debut from St. Regis Chengdu (stregis. com/chengdu), recently opened in the southwest Chinese city known for its giant panda reserves. Stay A night in a Deluxe room. The Highlight A choice of the following: one-way

airport transfer with two tickets to the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding; one-way limousine airport transfer; signature St. Regis afternoon tea for two; or a complimentary 60-minute massage for one person and 50 percent discount for the second person at Iridium Spa. Cost From RMB1,750, double, through June 30. Savings Up to 32 percent. SINGAPORE The Deal Family Time from The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore (ritzcarlton.com/ singapore), 608 rooms centrally located in Marina Bay. Stay A night in a Premier room. The Highlights Tickets to Madame Tussauds Singapore and Images of Singapore for two adults and one child; new Ritz Kids educational travel map; and daily ice cream pass for children. Cost From S$450, double, through June 30. Savings Up to 30 percent. SHANGHAI The Deal Ultimate F1 Experience from Fairmont Peace Hotel (fairmont.com), an Art-Deco, old-Shanghai masterpiece on the Bund. Stay Two nights in a Fairmont Gold room. The Highlights A complimentary upgrade to a Fairmont Gold room with Fairmont Gold Lounge benefits; three-day shuttle service between the hotel and the F1 circuit; and one-way airport transfer. Cost From RMB2,850 (from RMB1,425 per night), double, from April 10-12. Savings 40 percent. BANGKOK The Deal Easter Family Break from Metropolitan by COMO (comohotels.com), 169 airy, naturally lit rooms, each displaying art by a famous Thai painter. Stay A night in two connected Metropolitan

rooms. The Highlight A 50-percent discount on the connected second room, inclusive of daily breakfast for four at Glow and daily fresh fruits. Cost From Bt8,250, double, April 1-15. Savings 50 percent.

DINING HONG KONG The Deal Romance Package from Hyatt Regency Hong Kong, Tsim Sha Tsui (hongkong. tsimshatsui.hyatt.com), in one of Kowloon’s tallest buildings with direct access to two MTR stations. Stay A night in a Standard King room. The Highlight A dinner for two: C either a romantic set dinner M of fresh oysters, pan-fried foie gras, lobster bisque, Y steak au poivre, chocolate CM soufflé and chocolate bonbon at Hugo’s; or a succulent MY Cantonese set dinner at The CY Chinese Restaurant. Cost From HK$4,450, double, CMY through December 31. K Savings 28 percent. LUANG PRABANG The Deal Far Flung Master Class Experience from Kiridara Villas Luang Prabang (snhcollection.com/kiridara), two intimate private villas in Laos’ northern World Heritage town. Stay Three nights in Kiridara Villa Ban Visoun or Ban Kili. The Highlights A hands-on cooking class to recreate dishes demonstrated by MasterChef Australia judge and chef Gary Mehigan in his Far Flung TV series, partly filmed at Kiridara; tak bat alms-giving ceremony as shown in the series; a shopping trip to a local fresh produce market accompanied by a personal butler; and round-trip airport transfers. Cost From US$930 (US$310 per night), four people maximum, through December 15. Savings 40 percent. +

✪ Newly opened

SHANGHAI 1 - 4 JUNE 2015

ASIA’S LEADING LUXURY TRAVEL EVENT ILTM ASIA IS AN INVITATION-ONLY EVENT, WHERE THE VERY BEST TRAVEL AGENTS AND ADVISORS FROM ACROSS ASIA MEET THE WORLD’S MOST SPECTACULAR LUXURY TRAVEL EXPERIENCES. IF YOU ARE A LUXURY SUPPLIER OR BUYER OPERATING IN THE ASIA PACIFIC REGION, PLEASE REGISTER YOUR INTEREST IN ATTENDING AT WWW.ILTM.COM

April 2015 In This Issue

MORGAN OMMER

72 Papua New Guinea 82 Siem Reap + Koh Kood 88 Tokyo After Dark 98 Vienna 106 Saigon Street Food

Bo kho, beef stew, brewed by Mr. Chau at his street stall in Saigon, page 106.

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MELANESIA RISING

Two dimdims fly off a yacht… It’s the start not of a joke but of the trip of a lifetime for Sophy Roberts, who scuba dives below Papua New Guinea and chugs above it in a mixmaster bilong Jesus Christ. Photographed by Ken Kochey

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A big catch near the Trobriand Islands. OPPOSITE: Two ways to navigate the Papua New Guinean waters.

here is a black-and-white picture of Errol Flynn standing in a copra plantation in Papua New Guinea, taken in 1926 in Kavieng on New Ireland, an island at the northern end of the Bismarck Archipelago off Papua New Guinea’s northeastern seaboard. The 17-year-old Flynn poses in a white cotton shirt, sleeves rolled to the elbows, matching pants and with a cigarette hanging from his lip. The photograph was taken six years after the League of Nations expropriated this former German possession when the islands north and east of Papua New Guinea, from New Ireland to Bougainville, were turned over to Australia as winnings for the crucial role their soldiers played in the Great War. This was when the area became known as the Mandated Territory of New Guinea (in 1942 invaded by the Japanese, then integrated into the independent political entity of PNG with independence in 1975). As for foreigners, they became known as dimdims in the local Melanesian Tok Pisin (or New Guinea Pidgin) language. There is nothing more compelling than New Guinea’s lingua franca—aside, perhaps, from the fact that in a country of just 7 million, Tok Pisin is one of 800 different tongues spoken, a sum representing an entirely disproportionate eighth of the languages in the entire world. It is a unique range mirrored by PNG’s fantastical topography—especially its eastern shores and 74

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islands, which I’m exploring on a 10-night cruise aboard the Australian-flagged expeditionary yacht, True North. Sailing one of the very few vessels plying these waters with an on-board helicopter, I can tell you from on-high that the landscape runs from menacing volcanic cones on New Britain, to strings of coral pearls in the Louisiade Archipelago, to a thousand jade-green fjords, which reach like spindly fingers into the cobalt Solomon Sea. What’s more, the diving here provides an extraordinary perspective, with multi-colored coral gardens more vibrant and full of vitality than any I’ve seen elsewhere in the world. Still, this is my second visit to PNG in the space of six

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Flying the PNG flag; a welcome sing-sing in Tufi; Craig Howson, owner of the True North; the Louisiade Archipelago as seen from the helicopter; post-snorkel in Deboyne Lagoon; on-board amusebouches.

months, and the main reason I’ve returned is because I can’t get enough of the people. The trip starts in Kavieng, where Flynn was photographed, and finishes in Alotau, which is the capital of Milne Bay Province at the mainland’s easternmost extremity, the 1,000-nautical-mile route encompassing numerous archipelagos, including islands as deliciously named as Panapompom. But then every word in this country, from maps to machines, is packed with poetry. Children are pikininis. Branches are fingas bilong tri. Waterfalls are wars kalap, or water collapsing. Even the baddies sound attractive:

BENEATH US, THE BOAT SLIPS AWAY. WE CLIMB HIGHER AND HIGHER BEFORE WE DROP DOWN, HEARTS IN MOUTHS, INTO A HIDDEN VALLEY. I DOUBT ANY MAN HAS WALKED HERE

The promise of a chopper ride for the top students has raised grades on Rambutyo Island.

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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Sunset water sports; a Japanese fighter ditched in the May 1942 Battle of the Coral Sea, near Goodenough Island; verdant views; a solemn stare near Tufi.

fester among tribal groups that haven’t yet worked out how to find gainful employment in a country undergoing rapid change, New Guineans laugh from the belly. They are deeply hospitable. When we turn up in a remote village on East New Britain, the local schoolteacher, Chris Topher, gathers together the villagers for a colorful singsing performance. “I’d like to apologize for anything you don’t expect,” he announces to our group of 32 dimdims sitting on plastic chairs arranged beneath the cherry trees. “I’d also like to say sorry for what we cannot provide.” It is here that I hear the best pidgin word of all—a phrase politically incorrect to outsiders, but according to Topher, just another pidgin description: children born of relationships with foreign loggers are half cuts. Topher says the children are fully integrated into village society, even though the logging companies are not always so warmly appreciated.

FLY OVER SOME OF THE remote islands

criminals are raskols. Helicopters, more familiar to PNG’s remote communities than cars, are mixmaster bilong Jesus Christs, indicating the presence of Christian missionaries, with the de-compressed metaphor—such and such is this, but not quite—loading up concrete nouns and simple verbs to create brilliantly witty turns of phrase. Wan bagful blak bokis hemi gat waet tut mo hemi gat blak tut, sipos yu kilim smol, hemi singaot gud translates literally as “one big fella black box, him he got white tooth and him he got black tooth, suppose you kill him small (meaning strike or hit lightly) him he sing out good.” I attempt to work out the meaning further, by writing down the entire translation. Ruthie Sirambat, with whom I get talking on New Ireland, smiles and throws me a lifeline: “A piano,” she explains.

I END UP SPENDING MY FIRST morning in PNG with Ruthie, when a tropical storm blows in, smudging out the blue lagoon and blazing white sands. We sit out the rain for an hour on her pandanus-roofed veranda, which overlooks the water. I watch the children get their orange halos of flowers ready for the sing-sing they’re putting on for True North’s passengers. I listen to Ruthie and her friends tok story with an infectious enthusiasm. Ruthie, the daughter-in-law of a Methodist pastor, explains how New Ireland’s Malagan culture is matrilineal. I doubt anyone is going to challenge her, nor any of these women: these are big, strong Melanesian mamas. When the conversation broaches the country’s reputation for violence, Ruthie dismisses it with a swipe of her hand and a huge, eye-creasing smile. Outside Port Moresby, which, granted, is cited among the world’s most dangerous capitals, and the Highlands, where problems

off Papua New Guinea, and it’s easy to see what is happening: great holes in the jungle look like open wounds, the thickly forested folds cleared for regimented oil palm plantations. Land grabs are frequently the subject of corruption scandals, along with the purse-seine trawlers, which are emptying out the seas, and the mining companies, who are digging deep into this resource-rich nation for oil, gas and gold. Ecological concerns aside, the potential benefits of such efforts—development opportunities education, medicine—are not finding their way back to local people. They subsist on gardengrown vegetables, fruit and locally caught fish, but subsistence is all it is, with malaria still rife and natural disasters, from cyclones to volcanic eruptions, creating occasional and urgent calls for outside assistance. Hence the relevance of True North, whose Australian owner, Craig Howson, ensures that it arrives at every village it visits with donations, including medicine and clothes and scores of footballs, which the kids chase into the sea. The helicopter occasionally flies the urgently sick to hospital—with the costs sponsored by individual passengers. True North also donates an annual scenic flight for the top performing children at a school on Rambutyo Island, which has made achievement rates shoot up, according to True North’s helicopter pilot, Rob Colbert. For True North’s passengers, too, it is the helicopter that elevates the boat’s PNG forays into the trip of a lifetime. With a 2.2-meter draft allowing it to slip in and out of narrow river systems and awkward coral atolls with ease, the T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A . C O M A P R I L 2 01 5

CLOCKWISE FROM FAR LEFT: Chilling in Deboyne Lagoon; oxygen cha-cha-cha; taking a peek in the Louisiades; an outrigger sea boat unique to the Dobu people, who are spread from the Trobriands to the Louisiades.

T L Guide

vessel hits the perfect seam: affluent, exploratory travelers who want to tip off the edge of the map without giving up their air-conditioned cabin, scuba gear, fine wines or daily lift-off in the mixmaster. I come to fully appreciate the adrenaline rush when we hit Tufi. No roads link this coastal jewel with Port Moresby. Arrival is either by plane (a 50-minute journey from the capital) into Tufi’s newly fixed strip on a flattened fjord’s head, or by boat, which is what we’re doing, sleeping in a perfect anchorage where high green walls of forested volcanic rock reach up on every side. Here, I take my first helicopter flight of the expedition. Beneath us, the boat slips away, and the curls of foaming wake created by the tenders. The Tufians’ outrigger canoes get smaller and smaller, until they look like insects on the water. We see waterfalls drop out of the sides of the fjord in which the ship is anchored, and then we follow a silver thread of river, which reaches up and up towards the peak of Mount Trafalgar. We pass over impenetrable blue pools where the river water pauses on its journey to the Pacific. We hover above 10, even 20, hornbills, which skim across the canopy. We climb higher and higher until we crest the ridge, its needle-like pinnacles as sharp as the teeth of a barracuda, before we drop down, our hearts in our mouths, into a hidden valley. I am doubtful any man has walked here. It hits me then that’s what I love about PNG—that real but ever harder to find sense of discovery. Flying home to London, I get talking to my neighbor on the plane. He is a British-born scientist working in birdlife conservation out of James Cook University in Australia. I tell him where I’ve just come from, and he tells me about Pseudobulweria becki, or Beck’s petrel, on which he recently published a paper. It is a seabird endemic to New Ireland—the very place I started my trip, armed with that photo of Errol Flynn in the only decent book I could find on the region. He explains the conundrum of the petrel, and how nobody in the scientific research community can find the nesting grounds of this critically endangered seabird. They know it is there— the bird has been recorded 45 times since 2007, mostly north of New Britain and around New Ireland—but the sightings have all been at sea. While I find the elusiveness appealing, he corrects me: If their colony is a single swathe of forest taken out by the loggers, we have lost the bird forever. I am reminded that if Papua New Guinea sometimes feels like a Neverland, that’s because it’s just as fragile as the world of a child’s imagining. + 80

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True North (northstarcruises.com.au). The author traveled as a guest on the 10-night Adventures in Paradise trip, which starts at A$17,295 per person, including private, roundtrip air charters between Cairns, Australia, and Papua New Guinea. Silver Discoverer (silversea.com). Sleeping 120, this larger vessel has 12 Zodiacs and a glassbottomed boat, as well as onboard diving expertise. A 14-day trip from Koror, Palau, to Cairns, Australia, via Tufi, Papua New Guinea, from US$11,250.

M/V Kalibobo Spirit (mykalibobospirit.com). Mick Jagger chartered this 10-cabin, 30-meter motor yacht on his December trip to the Trobriand Islands. Prices upon request. Eyos Expeditions (eyos-expeditions.com). Charter a super yacht from Australia, accompanied by the cultural expertise of skipper Rob McCallum, who spent 10 years living in Papua New Guinea. Ten-day cruises from €205,000 for 12 people.

C O U R T E S Y O F S O N E VA K I R I . O P P O S I T E : J O H N M C D E R M O T T

The Baphuon, a templemountain at Angkor that opened to tourists in only 2011. Opposite: Starry nights in Koh Kood.

sacred spaces From the mystical ruins of Baphuon in Cambodia to a Thai island still steeped in natural splendor, joe cu m mings boards a private plane for moments of wonder at two different shrines.

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From left: Gateway to the past at Angkor Baphuon; Amansara’s tuk-tuk; Soneva Kiri from the sky.

y first glimpse of the manmade stone peaks left behind by Cambodia’s most powerful kingdom was in 1993 while the United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia governed the failed nation for a year and half. It was the first time in history that the UN had taken over the administration of an independent state, and at the time no one knew whether the effort would bear fruit or if it would simply be another short blast of peace before the country slid back into chaos. I flew in on one of the first commercial flights between Bangkok and Siem Reap, a year after the Angkor-era temples and shrines made the unesco World Heritage List. I saw perhaps two dozen other foreigners while clambering through the Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom and Ta Prohm temple complexes over four days. Fortunately the elections that year, followed by the death of Pol Pot in 1998, led to a more stable Cambodia and to the establishment of the preservationist Angkor Archaeological Park. I’ve visited a few times since then, as the annual number of visitors has grown to an average 2 million. Still, as meticulous restoration efforts, usually individually sponsored by different countries, have made a growing number of sites accessible, it’s increasingly possible to find yourself

all alone in awe somewhere within the hundreds of square kilometers that the ruins cover. This time I arrive in Siem Reap from the white-sand beaches of Koh Kood, Thailand, in a single-turboprop, eight-seat Cessna operated by Soneva Kiri, the island’s “barefoot luxury” pioneer. Soneva’s new twice-weekly flights have facilitated the ultimate touring trifecta, linking by private plane Bangkok, their resort on Koh Kood and Siem Reap, where travelers are hosted at the storied Amansara. While I am champing at the bit to immerse myself in the jungle-island wilds, I first intend once more to break new (for me) archaeological ground, by experiencing Baphuon, a temple-mountain opened to the public only in 2011 after decades of painstakingly careful restoration by the École Française d’Extrême-Orient (EFEO). ne of the Angkor Empire’s architectural and artistic masterpieces, Baphuon was built by Udayadityavarman II in the mid-11th century and dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. Over the course of a millennium, the temple eroded, and the 12,000-square-meter

T H I S S P R E A D , F R O M L E F T: J O H N M C D E R M O T T; C O U R T E S Y O F A M A N S A R A ; C O U R T E S Y O F S O N E V A K I R I

sacred monument tumbled into an incoherent jumble of carved sandstone blocks. The EFEO project carefully removed and catalogued more than 300,000 stones, laying the numbered blocks out over 10 hectares. But just as archaeologists were about to rebuild the monument, the Khmer Rouge takeover of 1975 forced them to abandon their work. Although the original written plans were lost or destroyed by the Khmer Rouge, archaeologists were able to reassign the locations of all but around 10,000 stones when restoration resumed in 1995. Today these lie scattered about on the surrounding forest floor like mystery puzzle pieces. On the advice of my affable and knowledgeable local guide Dane Van, I enter the Baphuon via an entrance along the south side of the complex rather than from the principal eastern promenade. This allows us to appreciate the monument’s axial plan from the periphery, with the added bonus of avoiding tour groups mulling about the main entrance. Dane and I meander through the complex, down long, vaulted galleries and up exquisitely sculpted pediments, stopping off to admire the surviving sandstone bas-relief panels. Tiled together to form narratives that are read from

bottom to top, the sculptures reveal scenes of both divine and worldly life. There are ascetics meditating in the forest, and a hunter shooting a bird with a blowpipe. A huge reclining Buddha was added in the late 15th century when Baphuon changed religions with the rulers of the day. Nine meters tall and 70 meters long, the colossal statue owes its scale to tonnes of sandstone scavenged from the temple’s demolished western tower. After a long day of climbing, I enjoy a refreshing dip in the pool at Amansara. Originally called Villa Princière, the striking, tranquil tribute to colonial modernism was built by French architect Laurent Mondet in 1962 to accommodate guests—from Charles de Gaulle to Jacqueline Kennedy to actor Peter O’Toole (who stayed here while filming Lord Jim)—visiting King Norodom Sihanouk, who kept his own royal residence nearby. Amansara’s restoration, based on vintage photographs and local memories, successfully maintains Villa Princière’s 1960s low-slung, chalet-style character, enhanced by exposed stone, terrazzo and timber. The melding of the contemporary and traditional continues with the tasty Khmer fusion cuisine in the hotel’s architectural centerpiece, a circular dining room with a soaring seven-meter ceiling that invokes Sean Connery-era James Bond. Oh-so-early the following morning, I embark on a Tonle Sap sail on Amansara’s wooden cruiser with Nick Butler, an expert on Cambodia’s watery heart. The dawn departure, from the sleepy stilted fishing village of Kampong Phluk rather than the more touristy port Chong Kneas, means we are tracing lazy Vs in the lake’s surface well before most other sightseeing boats have appeared on the horizon. Fed by the monsoon-dependent Mekong River upstream, the Tonle Sap’s predominant currents change direction twice a year, with the lake portion shrinking during the November to May dry season as its waters flow into the Mekong at Phnom Penh, and expanding when monsoon rains push sediment into a natural wall, causing the river portion of the Tonle Sap to back up and fill the enormous lakebed. All this shuffling of nutrients makes Southeast Asia’s largest freshwater T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A . C O M A P R I L 2 01 5

get my Bond on again as my nimble Cessna lifts clear of Siem Reap, propeller pointed south to that piece of paradise from whence we came. I press my face against a window to see if I can catch a last look of Angkor but all I can see are hundreds of islands dotting the Tonle Sap’s inland sea. We’re bound for another set of islands in another country, but first we touch down at Trat airport in eastern Thailand for a quick stamp of our passports by Thai immigration officers. Passport pit stop. It feels so decadent. Back in the air, I’m soon able to spy the Gulf of Thailand’s emerald-and-diamond surface broken up by islands rimmed with shoals immersed in turquoise and pockets of white sand. Our craft descends, circles and lands on a one-lane paved airstrip on the tiny wooded island of Koh Mai Si.

we’re bound for another set of islands in another country. but first: passport pit stop Staff from Soneva Kiri meet the plane and drive us by electric buggy to a small nearby pier, from where a speedboat skims across a narrow strait to Koh Kood—it’s stocked with cold beverages but I barely have time to crack one in the five-minute journey. It turns out that the friend who described the place as “a millionaire’s Robinson Crusoe getaway” was spot-on. I’m bowled over by Soneva Kiri’s design and ethos. The construction of fully recycled wood and other sustainable natural materials evokes the rustic architecture of a fishing village—albeit the cleanest, greenest, most luxurious village you’d ever see. With 35 generously sized pool villas (the smallest is 268 square meters) tucked into idyllic beach, hillside and cliff-top nooks across Cape Pong Lak Uan in the island’s northwest corner, the resort imports no water, instead relying on spring water purified on site, as well as recycled gray water for nondrinking purposes. Most charcuterie and cheeses are homemade by the kitchen crew, while other produce, meats and seafood are procured locally. As for Koh Kood, I’m as impressed by its relative state of nondevelopment as I was during my initial visit 20 years ago. The best beaches—including the one occupied by Soneva, as well as Ao Ta Khian further south—are carved into bays along the island’s west coast. Thirty kilometers from the mainland, Thailand’s fourth largest island is still a place where there are no ATMs, banks or 7-Elevens,

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lake a hotbed of ecological activity, which earned it the distinction of unesco Biosphere Reserve in 1997. More than 140 species of fish and 200 types of plants call this area home. The massive aquatic system is home to 1.2 million people, most of whom make their living by harvesting a collective half million tonnes of fish each year. Aside from knowing the banks, inlets and islands of the Tonle Sap as if they were his own backyard, Butler delights in pointing out distinctive avian inhabitants such as the black-headed ibis, the milky stork, the spotbilled pelican and the grey-headed fish eagle. The stately sarus crane, the world’s tallest flying bird at 1.8 meters, thrives here year-round but is most easily spotted between February and May. This gray-bodied, scarlet-headed avian is extinct in Thailand and the Philippines.

From far left: A pedigreed dining room at Amansara; Soneva Kiri’s tree-pod table; have private plane will travel in style; Soneva’s gardens supply its kitchen.

and where coconut palms far outnumber the people. Residents still make a living primarily from fishing, and are proud not to be slaves of progress; recently, for example, they halted the laying of a submarine power cable off the island when local fishing rigs were damaged by the work. his part of the Gulf is true borderland. Case in point: Ao Salat, which means “Pirate Bay,” so named for the Cambodian and Vietnamese sea bandits who sought safe haven here until the 1970s. One morning, I take a car through the island’s steep, thickly forested interior to this protected cape at the northeastern tip of Koh Kood, home to the oldest and largest village. A line of small houses built over water for easy access to fishing boats should be the first hint that the ocean-side restaurants here offer the freshest seafood on the island—though I remain equally ravenous for the food at Benz’s, a lantern-lit eatery on a pier named for the talented Thai chef who helms the kitchen. I hop a Soneva Kiri shuttle boat down the coast and into Klong Yai Kee as the sun sinks into the sea, choose from Benz’s daily menu, and devour sea bass perfectly steamed in a limechili sauce; a plate of crisp, fried shrimp cakes; salty-sour bananaflower salad; and an original-recipe mango flan. I linger on my overstuffed cushions over a bottle of Shiraz til almost closing time. This island isn’t short of its own brand of mysticism. A drive deep into the interior followed by a short forest walk leads to Klong Chao Falls, a wide, 15-meter-high cascade tumbling into a massive natural rock pool perfect for a mid-afternoon swim. I’m reminded of the falls and sacred pool at Angkor’s Kbal Spean, albeit minus Shiva phalluses carved into the stone. Next time I visit, I’ll paddle a kayak up adjoining Klong Chao to reach the falls commando-style. But for now, I feel like soaking up the peaceful vibe and just letting go.

Then there’s that achingly venerated, 300-year-old makha tree. Rising 30 meters into the rain forest canopy, the majestic tower of wood is the island’s sole surviving Afzelia xylocarpa, whose timber was once as highly valued for carpentry and boatbuilding as mahogany and teak. Multi-colored banners encircle the trunk to mark its sacredness. Locals have placed liquor and oranges among the roots as offerings to the tree’s powerful spirit. After communing with the specters at the 1,000-yearold Baphuon, and paying my respects to this last tree of its species and its sisters felled long ago, I think I finally might be ready to return to the City of Angels. + Villas at Soneva Kiri (66-82/208-8888; soneva. com) from US$905, double occupancy. Suites at Amansara (855-63/760-333; amanresorts.com) from US$1,500, double occupancy. Soneva Kiri operates twice-weekly flights on an eightpassenger Cessna Grand Caravan between Siem Reap and Koh Kood on Sundays and Wednesdays. The fare, including transfers, is US$650 for adults and US$325 for children under 12. Soneva also flies two similar planes between Bangkok’s Don Muang Airport and Koh Kood up to six times a day for US$700 per adult, US$350 for children aged 2-11. T R A V E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A . C O M A P R I L 2 01 5

M U I R I L E D High-octane Robot Restaurant. Opposite: The line-up at Ginza Sushi Ichi.

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Tokyo is a megalopolis of opposites. Inspired by the surrealist imaginings of Haruki Murakami, Stephanie Zubiri bounces between the improbably perfect and the utterly absurd, hoping for the trip to never end. photographed by shinsuke matsukawa

I WASN’T SURE IF IT WAS THE COPIOUS AMOUNTS OF SAKE WE DRANK OVER DINNER or the psychedelic laser lights that fried my neurons but I had to blink several times in disbelief at what I was seeing. It couldn’t possibly be. Was that really a gorilla flying across the room hanging on to a giant butterfly? In the short span of a few hours, I had come from the pristine, temple-like interiors of a tucked-away sushi bar—devoid of any adornment or ambience, meant to keep the focus on the glistening pieces of Neptunian perfection on your plate—to a world of fem-bots, giant anacondas and Tron-like vehicles where the adjective “wild” doesn’t even come close. Welcome to Tokyo. Where the lines of the time and space continuum are perpetually blurred and each small side street or narrow door could be an unsuspecting wormhole into another dimension. I had come in search of the surreal, the existential… the moments that made up all those Haruki Murakami novels I devoured as an adolescent. What I found instead was even better, a world where reality surpasses fiction, where various timelines existed simultaneously and glimpses of the past and the future could happen within seconds of each other. If, as Murakami put it, “time really is one big continuous cloth,” then this city would be done up in intricate weaves and folds, not unlike an elaborate kimono… layer upon crisscrossing layer coming together at the one special point where chaos and harmony are synonymous.

“No matter how far you travel you can never get away from yourself.” –After the Quake It all started rather tamely. I had arrived alone, and I found myself perplexedly roaming around the streets of Roppongi Hills. Chic women clad in Burberry, dandy men in bespoke suits, the seemingly out-of-place scent of rich butter and freshly baked pastries in the air. I leaned over the edge of the building at the foot of the Mori Art Museum looking at the sun-setting sky change color, dusk slowly enveloping the Tokyo Tower. Was I really in Tokyo? Where were all the crazy intersections and Harajuku girls? I felt more like I was in the posh Seventh Arrondissement of Paris, reliving my student days except that someone had painted the Eiffel Tower red and white. A strange feeling of déjà vu washed over me, a feeling of being neither here nor there… and yet there was nowhere else I ought to be. And so there I stood, disoriented by the calm. 90

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Clockwise from top left: A fat cat guards his lair; beef, glorious beef, at Yoroniku; bustling through the Tokyo metro.

From left: Tokyo Tower at night; a slurp-worthy bowl at Ramen Nagi Golden Gai; the 1950s-vibe Old Imperial Bar.

“‘For a while’ is a phrase whose length can’t be measured.” –South of the Border, West of the Sun Parallel to the big, crazy, futuristic city buzzing with neon lights and busy people are pockets where time is incredibly slow. Fat, lustrous cats, lazing on the fringes of crowded streets with all-knowing looks on their faces… The stillness of newlyweds in full traditional regalia offering prayers at the Meiji Shrine minutes away from Shibuya… A kimonoclad woman, her thick hair impeccably piled high on her head as she shuffles through the narrow lanes adjacent to Ginza—a moving tableau of elegance and timelessness. When you purchase anything in this town make sure you are not in a hurry. Whether it is a cashmere scarf or a pair of hand-painted chopsticks or a couple of cookies to nibble on, each item is carefully, lovingly wrapped, tied with a bow, then presented to you with two hands as if it were the most precious thing in the world. The same goes for your drinks. The bar at the Imperial Hotel is like a scene from the late 1950s. Silver-haired gentlemen in doublebreasted suits, their gold buttons glistening through cigarette smoke languidly swirling in the air. Women in demure cocktail dresses or muted kimonos daintily sipping from cut crystal glasses. People huddled together deep in conversation. After a while, a very long while, my martini arrived. Not one bead of condensation slid down the glass. It was a thing of perfection. It was smoother than a baby’s bottom and as dry as what the British like to call humor. No wonder it took so long. I realized there was only one bartender. He looked ancient and yet seemed like he never aged, as if he were the eternal soul of the entire establishment, every stir with purpose, every pour decisive and every shake precise—as if every beverage he made would be his final masterpiece.

I stared at each morsel with mixed emotions. I longed for it, I glorified it and I mourned its loss even before it was gone

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“A certain type of perfection can only be realized through a limitless accumulation of the imperfect.” –Kafka on the Shore Everything was done the same way, down to the paper-thin slices of fried garlic at the teppanyaki joints. And the sushi: each piece served like a rare gem, painstakingly prepared in front of you and reverently presented one by one. Tuna belly so marbled it was white with just the softest tinge of blush. Uni so plump and vibrant it was obscene. The most boring tamago elevated to ecstatic heights. Nothing, however, beats the experience at Yoroniku. “Nice to meat you” were the only English words on the menu. An illustration of a cow and its cuts replaced the usual listings. My friend had explained to me that we would be having one bite of each different section of the same cow. But not just any cow. “A super virgin baby calf that never had any stress in its life.” Would I eat tongue? Offal? How could I say no? I had to honor the death of this super virgin baby calf by tasting each of its parts placed in front of me. DJ and nightclub-owner turned chef and restaurateur, Ban-sama has a stern face. “Don’t ask for extra sauce or do anything he doesn’t tell you to do,” my other friend whispered to me. “He yelled at me the last time I was here. Frankly, I’m a bit afraid of him.” The dinner unfolded in a dictatorial manner, Ban-sama cooking each piece with an almost delirious intensity. “Eat this. One bite. No sauce,” he barked at us. “Roll two times in sauce. Eat two bites.” “Bit of salt. Squeeze lemon, eat all.” After everyone did as they were told, he paused with his eyebrow slightly raised and observed with the same all-knowing look of those Tokyo cats. The oohs and ahhs around him were expected.

The beef was incredible. Melt in your mouth, buttery richness. Some pieces had no sauce, salt or anything, they summited the pinnacle of savory, beefy goodness solo. Some were so ethereal the closest adjective we could find was “fluffy.” Yes, fluffy beef. I was on a high—though perhaps my cholesterol levels had soared me into a haze. Just one bite, then no more? Really? I stared at each morsel with mixed emotions. I longed for it, I glorified it and I mourned its loss even before it was gone. And just when I thought everything was beyond perfect, he began to cook a leaf of meat in a barely simmering bowl of sukiyaki broth, dipping it rhythmically… One. Two. Threeee… Placing it in a bowl with a raw egg yolk and shaving a mountain of black truffles on top, each sliver falling down gently, caressing the top of the beef, the heady scent enveloping it… A climactic encounter reminding me of the Japanese concept of ichi-go ichi-e, treasuring that special moment of meeting… often translated as “for this time only.” It was the essence of Murakami’s words in one amazing mouthful: “The pure present is an ungraspable advance of the past devouring the future. In truth, all sensation is already a memory.” Yes, little cow, it was truly nice to meat you.

“Taking crazy things seriously is a serious waste of time.” –Kafka on the Shore After dinner led us to our hotel bar, The Oak Door. We were sipping drinks, making up stories, more interesting the later it got, about the transient clientele. One man, massive, towering, in a bright purple suit with crocodile shoes and tons of bling. He sported a pageboy and shiny aviators. ➔

From left: Impeccable cocktails at The Oak Door; don’t mess with the action heroes manning the counter at Ramen Nagi.

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From left: Just part of the Robot Restaurant routine; plump, ocean-fresh uni at Ginza Sushi Ichi.

He looked like an extra-flamboyant Barry White. I looked down at my perfectly crisp bubbly and everyone else’s impeccable cocktails and something gnawed at me. Everything was too impeccable. Hello, Tokyo? Where is your crazy?! Barry White was weird, but I wanted the wild and unimaginable. Fueled by sake and doped up on cholesterol, I pushed and prodded my friends to join the quest. The portals to the unknown were firmly locked but tequila was the key. Tequila opens all doors. We all shouted in unison: “All the way or no way!” We found ourselves in the cornucopia of the strange, the land of Robot Restaurant, where the walls of the receiving area looked like the work of a hallucinating tattoo artist, golden faux Louis XIV chairs stood at attention, and tiny dinosaurs pushed stale peanuts around the table. And just when I thought it couldn’t get weirder, it did: mirrored unicorns, alien tribes, giant snakes fighting against futuristic robots. I doubled over laughing at the sheer incredulity of it all. The night was young, so were we and we felt invincible. We had just helped a gorilla with a butterfly save the world. We had to do what champs did and sing about it. Right. No trip to Tokyo is complete without karaoke. To be honest, I didn’t know what time it was or where we were. All I knew was that we were huddled in a tiny, dingy room wearing hotel slippers with our evening wear, staring at a menu that included a wine list worthy of a Michelinstarred restaurant. Chateau Margaux 2000, anyone? No, we were drunk and cheap. Beer and more tequila did the trick, allowing us to believe we were superstars.

“The light of morning decomposes everything.” –A Wild Sheep Chase I woke up looking like a sad raccoon. My make-up and ponytail were disasters. I tried to make sense of what 96

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happened. Any clarity I might have had left went out the window with that last shot of tequila. I remember staring down at it, looking through the golden liquid and thickbottomed shot glass at my hotel slippers thinking to myself, “All the way… or something.” I downed it. After that all I recall is stumbling down some narrow, smoky streets and jamming into tiny bars crammed with people. I think there was a mis-encounter with some ramen? It was a rude awakening. Literally. We had barely slept and had to make our way to the airport to catch our flight home. Yes, we were still intoxicated. But more than that, we were intoxicated by the city. Yearning to come back even before we had left. +

T L Guide The Oak Door Bar 6F Grand Hyatt Tokyo, 6-10-3 Roppongi, Minato, Tokyo; 81-3/43338784; 11:30 a.m. to 1 a.m.; cocktails for two ¥3,300. Old Imperial Bar Imperial Hotel Tokyo, 1-1-1, Uchisaiwaicho, Chiyoda, Tokyo; 81-3/3539-8088; 11:30 a.m. to midnight; drinks for two ¥1,960, reservations recommended. Voice Private Living 6F UM Nishiazabu Bldg. 5, 4-2-2 Nishiazabu, Minato; 813/5778-4707; voicenishiazabu.com; karaoke rooms ¥1,600 per hour for women and ¥1,800 per hour for men. Robot Restaurant B2 Shinjuku Robot Bldg., 1-7-1 Kabukicho, Shinjuku; 813/3200-5500; shinjuku-robot.

com; entry ¥7,000 per person, add bento meal ¥1,000. Ramen Nagi Golden Gai 2F 1-1-10 G2 St., Kabukicho, Shinjuku; 81-3/3205-1925; n-nagi.com/english; bowls of ramen from ¥800. Ginza Sushi Ichi 1F 3-4-4 Ginza, Chuo; 81-3/3567-0014; ginza-sushiichi.jp/english; lunch sets from ¥4,000, omakase dinner from ¥15,000 per person. Sushi Yoshitake 3F Suzuryu Bldg., 8-7-19 Ginza, Chuo; 81-3/6253-7331; sushiyoshitake.com; omakase dinner from ¥23,000 per person. Yoroniku B1 LunaRossa Minamiaoyama, 6-6-22 Minamiaoyama, Minato; 81-3/3498-4629; nice to “meat” you menu from ¥9,000.

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TimeBOttle In the picturesque valleys outside Vienna, Austria—a land of pristine villages and renowned Rieslings and Grüners—the next generation of winemakers is bringing the Old World into the future.

in a

BY BRUCE SCHOENFELD PHOTOGRAPHED BY CHRISTIAN KERBER

Cheese, pickles, deer sausage and fresh horseradish at Pulkerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Heuriger, a casual restaurant in RĂźhrsdorf. Opposite: The town of Weissenkirchen, in the Wachau.

A traditional procession during the feast of Corpus Christi in the village of Joching. Opposite: Vineyards at F.X. Pichler, a winery in D端rnstein.

was sitting in an ornate dining room eating a breakfast out of the Hapsburg Empire: cheeses, meats, smoked fish, black bread with apricot jam—not a cereal bowl in sight. Chandeliers hung from the ceiling. Framed landscapes adorned the walls. Outside, the Danube flashed in the morning sun. Schloss Dürnstein was built in 1630 and is now a Relais & Châteaux property. Like the rest of the Wachau region—a rural, 310-squarekilometer area that begins some 80 kilometers west of Vienna—the castle and the surrounding village of Dürnstein look like they belong in the middle of the last millennium. With 47 rooms, Schloss Dürnstein is the largest, most luxurious hotel in a valley of small inns and guesthouses set along narrow streets that slope up from the river. Otti, a server who has been working at the hotel for nearly four decades, appeared holding a slim stack of newspapers. “Is that today’s International New York Times?” I asked, having recognized the distinct typeface from across the room. She confirmed that it was, gently putting a copy on my table. I glanced at the date. “But this is from yesterday,” I said. “For us,” she replied, “today is yesterday.” The day before, I’d accompanied Toni Bodenstein through the neighboring village of Weissenkirchen, where he is the Bürgermeister (mayor) and owner of the renowned Prager winery. Bodenstein recently supervised the installation of the handsome new Wachau Museum in a 16th-century castle. He showed me historical paintings of Weissenkirchen, then pointed out the same houses in the

brick-and-mortar when we walked around the town. “If you take a photo today and compare, things look the same,” he explained. “Nothing has changed.” Indeed, the Wachau can seem stuck in the past. The valley was designated a unesco World Heritage site in 2000, and it, along with the nearby Kamptal and Kremstal, has been famous since the 1950s for producing some of the world’s most compelling white wines—dry, refreshing Rieslings that are as focused and precise as the trim on the shutters of the area’s painstakingly maintained buildings. Along the banks of the Danube, in the villages of Spitz and Joching, those gorgeous old buildings are kept freshly painted in pastel ice-cream colors, the churches’ artichoke domes still perfectly intact. Today’s winemakers, chefs and hoteliers are dedicated to preserving the old-world feel of the valley. But they also understand the need to discreetly modernize. The soaring popularity of Grüner Veltliner, now the country’s signature grape, and a renewed interest in Austrian food (signaled by the success of American restaurants like Wallsé, in New York City and Grüner, in Portland, Oregon) have shone a new light on the region and its traditions and given people a fresh reason to visit. So, while the swallows still nest in the Schloss Dürnstein lobby, the hotel also has Wi-Fi and Thai yoga therapy, thanks to Christian Thiery, the 39-year-old son of the owners. “We update year by year, piece by piece,” he said. “If everyone did it all at once, the region would be destroyed.” The philosophy is the same at Landhaus Bacher, in Mautern an der Donau, where Lisl Wagner-Bacher has run one of Austria’s most famous kitchens for three decades. Four years ago, her son-in-law Thomas Dorfer took control and revamped the restaurant’s recipes. “The Wachau is slow-moving,” Dorfer admitted. “But to stay at this level, you have to keep reinventing what you do, even if it’s subtle.” Landhaus Bacher still serves food that is unreservedly Austrian. For dinner, I had a terrine of duck liver with rhubarb jelly and a salad from the garden, followed by local pike perch in parsley sauce: classic dishes that Emperor Franz Josef would have recognized. The cuisine was airy, refreshing and intensely local. “We’re in wine country, not in a big city like Vienna,” Dorfer reminded me. “We want you to take your time, and forget life around you.” Another evening I visited Nikolaihof, a winery, restaurant and inn just a few streets away. In 1971, it became one of the first producers to embrace biodynamic viticulture. This process involves organic agricultural practices, like growing grapes without chemical treatments, but also more mystical ones, among them burying a manure-stuffed cow’s horn in the soil. Nikolaihof’s wines have always been formidable, but 35-year-old Nikolaus Saahs Jr., the older of the owners’ two sons, has lifted them even higher. One Riesling was the first Austrian bottling to earn 100 points from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate. The property itself is arranged around a Celtic holy site, and the main building was mentioned in the Nibelungenlied, the medieval German epic. A deconsecrated 14th-century T R AV E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A .C O M

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church has been converted into offices for the family, who live nearby. In the basement is the largest wooden grape press in the world, used once a year to make a special cuvée. I sat down for dinner under a majestic linden tree, and fell into conversation with Nikolaus Jr. and his brother, Martin. Their friends arrived, in from Vienna for the night. Before I could order, we all piled into a car and headed to the family’s terraced vineyard, perched above the Danube, where they’ve built a small wooden hut. Martin ducked inside and emerged with seven bottles, dark bread and a plate of hams and cheeses. Girlfriends, daughters and various in-laws joined our group. We drank crisp Grüner Veltliners and a Klausberg Riesling, made from grapes grown where we were standing, that tasted of pear and orange peel. I could see the evening settling over the streets of Stein and the lights from the outskirts of Mautern. This impromptu gathering was such a simple yet delightful way to spend a few hours, I couldn’t imagine why anyone would do anything else. “This is nightlife here,” Martin said. “We go to a beautiful spot, we eat and drink some wine, and make a party.”

he Wachau’s traditional feel is even more striking when set against Langenlois, some 16 kilometers north in the Kamptal. Though it has its share of historic churches and homes, many of its buildings are surprising, witty and just plain cool. Acute-angled terraces jut from glass-and102

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steel cubes. Undulating roofs and diagonal lines impose themselves on the landscape. Works of art line a 5½-kilometer public path that threads through worldrenowned vineyards. It includes sculptures of a giant earthworm, a pair of scissors, and steel grapes designed to oxidize and streak with each rainfall. Some of the area’s wineries and hotels also revel in this contemporary aesthetic. The starkly geometric Weingut Loimer, set on the site of a former World War II airplane factory, consists of four black boxes scattered across the vineyard like giant pieces of stereo equipment. Loisium Langenlois, where I stayed, looked like it was constructed out of Lego blocks by a creative nine-year-old. Fifteen of its rooms are sponsored by wineries, which buy the right to stock the mini-bar with their bottlings. Mine was filled with Riesling and Grüner Veltliner from Bründlmayer, one of my favorite producers. That night, I dined with the owner, Willi Bründlmayer, at his ambitious Heuriger, a type of local tavern found in and around Vienna that specializes in robust lunch fare and new vintages of house-made wine (heurig is an adjective meaning “this year”). As we drank a fresh, young Grüner full of minerality and lime, and then a remarkable 2002 Riesling that had somehow gained intensity over the years, he explained the cultural geography at work. Unlike the Wachau region, the Kamptal looks northward, toward Prague. In design and mind-set, the Slavic influence is palpable. “The Wachau is close by, but the countryside is wilder here,” Bründlmayer said. “There’s more sense of risk and adventure.” That’s also true in terms of viticulture. The region grows Grüner Veltliner and Riesling, but also Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay and Neuburger—35 grape varieties in all. Bründlmayer, whose wife is French, even produces credible sparkling wine to satisfy her love of champagne. It was one of the many small choices the town and its residents made with no direct correlation to commerce. Rather, their decisions were aesthetic, emotional, even whimsical. Krems an der Donau, a university town of some 24,000 people and the center of the Kremstal region, serves as a middle ground between the more traditional Wachau and the forward-thinking Kamptal. It’s just 11 kilometers down the highway from Langenlois. Its young, progressive outlook is an appealing contrast to the town’s breathtaking old buildings, imposing churches and charming storefronts. I had planned to spend all day exploring it. But what had been only mist in Langenlois became a downpour in Krems, so I drove across the river toward the nearby town of Rührsdorf until I saw Pulker’s Heuriger, an informal roadhouse run by Bernd Pulker, a former server at Landhaus Bacher. Back home, I’d have dismissed this spot as a biker bar. It had a row of deer skulls along one wall, a tired Christmas wreath and empty wine bottles everywhere. Yet there wasn’t a biker in sight. Instead, the place was filled with families. Children sat at picnic tables, laughing and talking as loudly

A view of the Danube River from the hills of DĂźrnstein. Below: Loisium Langenlois, a contemporary design hotel. Opposite: At GĂśttweig Abbey, a monastery near Krems.

as they wanted while the adults ate and drank heartily around them. Pulker emerged from the kitchen. A tall man in his early thirties with a heavy beard, he was wearing blackrimmed glasses, a white shirt and ornate lederhosen. He balanced six or seven plates in his arms, and distributed them with ease. Eventually, he brought me two kinds of sliced sausage, a salad of yellow potatoes in vinegar and plump Austrian beans, each the size of a postage stamp, served cold with chives. I devoured every bite, along with hunks of dense bread. I’d heard stories of Pulker’s enthusiasm for wine, and they proved to be, if anything, understated. Every few moments, he’d appear with a fresh glass and a bottle, and pour me something invariably compelling. These were wines made for the Heuriger, low in alcohol and thirst-quenching, perfect for a Sunday afternoon. But Pulker is also a collector, and his cellar of 3,500 bottles is renowned in the community. “Guests say, ‘Make me some food and give me a little Henri Jayer Burgundy’ or whatever it might be,” he said. “And they sit here in shorts and T-shirts and have an unforgettable meal.” I’d had plenty of fine lunches and dinners during my trip, but he was right: this was the one I won’t soon forget. What set it apart most was Pulker himself, an oversize presence who embodied the enthusiasm and hospitality of the region. I can see him now emerging from the kitchen. He’s roaring with laughter, looking slightly preposterous yet altogether fitting in his traditional costume, striding toward my table, weaving between a runaway toddler and a stack of dishes, holding up a bottle he’s eager for me to try. I’m pretty sure it’s a Riesling. +

T L Guide WHERE TO SIP Wineries in the Wachau, Kremstal and Kamptal are hospitable and beautiful. However, their visiting hours can be uneven. Appointments may be necessary: it’s always best to inquire first. Franz Hirtzberger A 13th-century winery that turns out especially rich Grüners. hirtzberger.at. F.X. Pichler The futuristic winery might appear jarring, but Lucas Pichler’s traditional Grüners rank with the region’s best. fx-pichler.at. Loimer Known for intense Rieslings—and a controversially modern winery. loimer.at. Nigl Supremely balanced

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Rieslings with 50-year life spans. weingutnigl.at. Nikolaihof The pinpointprecise wines are almost as memorable as dinner in the courtyard. nikolaihof.at. Prager Complex wines with fine detail. weingutprager.at. STAY Loisium Wine & Spa Resort Langenlois loisium.com; doubles from 188. Schloss Dürnstein schloss.at; doubles from 145. EAT Heurigenhof Bründlmayer heurigenhof.at; dinner for two 90. Landhaus Bacher landhaus-bacher.at; season tasting menus from 120. Pulker’s Heuriger pulkers.at; dinner for two 80.

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Lucas Pichler outside his winery. Top: Bernd Pulker at his namesake restaurant.

SUBSCRIBE NOW TO OUR DIGITAL EDITION Available at www.zinio.com 1 year / 12 issues for US$29.99.

THE LAST Saigonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s iconic street-food Saigonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s iconic street-food stalls areare facing extinction stalls facing extinction asas redevelopment devours redevelopment devours downtown. CO N N LA CO NNLA downtown. STO K ES gets his last S TO K ES gets his last bites bites in at theofbest of these at the best these vendors vendors still clinging to their still clinging to their pieces pieces of the pavement of the pavement. P H OTOG R A P H E D BY P H OTOG R A P H E D BY M ORGA N OM M E R M O RGA N O M M E R

STAND Pork, spring rolls and noodles await diners along Dong Khoi. Opposite: Customers of Mrs. Thao must eat across the street from her stand.

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On Dong Khoi Street, Saigon’s most eminent address, there is a much-loved, family-owned food stand tucked down a dark passageway that runs through the ground floor of a shabby yet evocative French colonial building. A bowl of noodles costs about a dollar less than a single espresso upstairs in L’Usine, one of the city’s trendiest cafés. This stall has no name. There’s no menu. Walk the hallway of painters lining the Art Arcade, pass the indoor motorbike parking lot, and find a seat. You’ll be promptly served bun thit nuong cha gio—where the main protagonists are strips of marinated barbecued pork and one sliced-up, deep-fried spring roll that rest on a bed of cold, airy rice noodles. Add a smidgeon—or, for the initiated, a glob—of chili paste and pour the dish

Getting the squeeze on Nguyen Trung Truc. From right: Grilling pork for bun thit nuong cha gio on Dong Khoi; along Hai Ba Trung, Mr. Chau’s bo kho stall. Above: The Bitexco Tower.

of nuoc cham (fish sauce, water, lime juice, sugar) over it all. Use your spoon and chopsticks to churn up the herbs and greens from the bottom, and savor the essence of Vietnamese cuisine in one glorious mouthful. The family behind this operation has been making this dish since 1954. “I come here regularly. They buy ingredients at the market in the early morning,” says Chau, a 32-year-old employee at Saigontourist. “This feels safer to us than lunch-delivery services and it’s much cheaper than restaurants or hotels around here.” For residents like Chau, “comfort” doesn’t come in the form of an ACchilled room and a post-lunch espresso. No, comfort is more Proustian: a delicious, affordable meal made by someone you trust.

But those bonds are forcibly being broken as the Vietnamese economy recovers its composure and Saigon, the country’s financial lynchpin, barrels ahead with development. New high-rises are springing up all around District 1, with more ambitious proposals in the pipeline, including a much-needed, city-wide metro system whose central station will be a stone’s throw from the Opera House—across the street from Chau’s favorite noodle bolt hole. This prime, Dong Khoi real estate has been earmarked for a US$70 million, mixed-use project. To facilitate the city’s makeover, historic architecture in what is the exceedingly charming, oldest part of former French Indochina is being demolished. Losing these louvereddoor, shuttered-window, colonnaded buildings will scatter the street-food vendors that have been in their shadows for generations to the wind. “With new laws, prosperity and redevelopment, I think it’s safe to say

that street food will vanish from District 1 in the next five to 10 years,” says Graham Holliday, the author of the new food-inspired memoir, Eating Vietnam: Dispatches from a Blue Plastic Table. “At the most basic level, the area will lose good, cheap food.” At a more philosophical level, it will lose the bedrock of its culinary culture. “It’s a hard thing to square: preservation and development,” Graham continues. “It’s hard to see where street food and, more generally, street life, fits into any vision of a modern, developed city.” So, before it all comes tumbling down, I decided to enjoy the tastiest dishes by some of the city center’s most iconic vendors you’ll never read about in a guidebook. BACK IN OCTOBER 1929, a hotel at No. 1 Nguyen Trung Truc saw 30 delegates found a precursor to the Communist Party of Vietnam. Today, the hotel is long-gone but an equally good reason to visit this historic site

between the Opera House and Ben Thanh Market is for the version of bun thit nuong cha gio served out front. The de-skewered chunks of pork are thick and succulent, the crunchy spring roll is positively sumptuous and the use of herbs just-so. The stand here once commanded a long section of pavement. Last year, a pizzeria opened two doors up and cut into this space. Now sandwiched between two jewelry shops, the family slinging these noodles puts up its plastic chairs and folding tables on the other side of the street against the boarding of an idle development—a 40-story tower that, if built, would feature apartments, offices, restaurants and a department store. Mrs. Thao, the fiftysomething head honcho at the stall, insists they’re not going anywhere, but she’s playing a game of inches. Should the tower project across the road come back online, her 35-year-old institution will be reduced to a paltry piece of turf.

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Culinary and colonial heritage also meet just off Dong Khoi, at 39 Ngo Duc Ke. A placard on the outside indicates that the building was once the headquarters of a French company: société des plantations d’hévéas de xuan-loc, a curious detail that hints at the French-Indochine rubber-farm legacy but won’t prevent the house being flattened one day. Now, a small family-run noodle shop specializes in bun bo hue, a hearty, lemongrassinfused soup served with thick rice noodles and chunks of beef sausage, beef shank and a pork knuckle to boot. This zesty, yet soothing central Vietnamese dish is ubiquitous in 21stcentury Saigon, but brewed best by two middle-aged sisters, Mai and Hong, who have been making it for 40 years. They, too, insist they will stand their ground. But development is only one reason this killer bowl of noodles is endangered: Mai has no children and Hong’s adult daughter sells art for a living. When these sisters hang up

their ladles, there will be no one to make the soup—at least not as well. “I don’t think any of these streetfood sellers see themselves as carrying on Vietnamese traditions and promoting Vietnamese culture, although in our eyes that is very much a part of what they do,” Graham says. “It’s just what they do to make money.” Take the mild-mannered 42-yearold Mr. Chau on the quiet corner of Hai Ba Trung and Le Thanh Ton streets. His stall’s specialty is bo kho, a lightly spiced, thick stew imbued with star anise and lemongrass, and laden with chunks of carrot and beef tendon. The dish comes with a cluster of herbs (pluck and drop to your heart’s content) and a crusty banh mi for dunking and devouring. “We’ve been here for 22 years, but I think we will be gone in five,” he says without a flicker of discernible sentiment. I am impressed by his stoic attitude but I will mourn the loss of his bo kho when he gets the heave-ho.

Bun mam, fermented fish broth stew, near Ben Thanh Market. From right: Forty years of brewing at Quoc Ky Pho Bo Vien; the egg noodles for Mr. Loi’s mi hoanh thanh.

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What will stand here then? He shrugs and points at the gleaming green, high-rise luxury mall down the road: “Probably something like that.” Or something like the 35-floor Vietcombank tower, in its final phases of construction on Mac Thi Buoi Street near the Saigon River. Across that street is a 55-year old noodle shop run by a Chinese family. The sole dish on offer is mi hoanh thanh—egg noodles with slivers of roast pork and wontons served in a light pork broth. This treat is served here every morning and every evening. My only complaint is they close for lunch. Surely a new office building teeming with hungry people will be a boon for the family. Owner Mr. Loi isn’t so sure. Business is brisk enough: he sells more than 500 bowls a day, and he could afford to take his family to the beach over the Tet holiday. “But the economy is still troubled,” Loi says like a man who isn’t in the business of counting his chickens too soon.

M A P B Y W A S I N E E C H A N TA K O R N

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MR. CHAU’S BO KHO + BIT TET STALL

TU LY

OPERA HOUSE MR. LOI’S MI HOANH THANH

DONG KHOI BUN THIT NUONG CHA GIO

BANH MI BA LAC

Perhaps Loi is just playing it close to the vest. After all, not far away, in the shadow of the 68-story Bitexco Financial Tower—Saigon’s current summit—a small eatery profits nicely from the skyscraper’s office workers, shoppers and cinema-goers. Mr. Hai’s family’s spot has been here for 40 years brewing pho bo tai (pho with rare beef), pho bo vien (beef balls) or the more unusual pho bo sate—pho in a creamy peanut broth, a delicious but distinctly southern creation that would have northern purists yelling blasphemy. This is a must-try for any foodie looking to grasp Vietnam’s subtle regional culinary quibbles. I worry that it won’t withstand the boom. Hai waves away my concerns, but after the 66-year-old paterfamilias walks out of earshot, one of his staff discreetly scribbles something down on a piece of paper. “When you come back, if we’re not here,” she says, “go to this address.” That, I believe, is what you call a contingency plan. +

CO THAO’S BUN THIT NUONG CHA GIO

MAI AND HONG’S BUN BO HUE STALL

BUN MAM DAC SAN

QUOC KY PHO BO VIEN

BEN THANH MARKET

HAM NGHI

T L Guide Quoc Ky Pho Bo Vien 54 Ngo Duc Ke; open 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. House specialties: pho bo tai, VND60,000; pho bo sate and pho bo vien, VND70,000 each. Mr. Chau’s Bo Kho + Bit Tet Stall 74E Hai Ba Trung; open 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Specialties: bo kho banh mi, VND30,000; bo bit tet (steak, egg, pâté, fries), VND50,000. Mai and Hong’s Bun Bo Hue Stall 39 Ngo Duc Ke; open 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. House specialty: bun bo hue dac biet, VND50,000. Dong Khoi Bun Thit Nuong Cha Gio 151/3 Dong Khoi; open 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. House specialty: bun thit nuong cha gio, VND34,000. Co Thao’s Bun Thit Nuong Cha Gio 1 Nguyen Trung Truc; open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. House speciality: bun thit nuong cha gio, VND40,000. Mr Loi’s Mi Hoanh Thanh 2 Mac Thi Buoi;

open 6 a.m. to 11 a.m, 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. House specialty: mi hoanh thanh, VND37,000. Banh Mi Ba Lac Sitting at the front of a camera shop (and getting all the business), this hugely popular sandwich shop’s signature roll is a scrumptious pork-fest: pork floss, slivers of roast pork, pork sausage and pork liver pâté. 46 Nguyen Hue; open 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. House specialty: banh mi thit, VND15,000. Bun Mam Dac San Shrimp, catfish, squid, eggplant, and yes, pork belly, too, all sitting in a fermented fish broth with a side of veg (sprouts, garlic, chives, mint, cilantro, perilla and banana blossom), this southern classic is best eaten right on the street for breakfast or dinner. 22 Phan Boi Chau, beside Ben Thanh Market; open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. House specialty: bun mam, VND65,000.

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Our Definitive Guide to

An installation by Italian set designer Pier Luigi Pizzi outside Opera di Firenze.

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Splashy hotel openings, updated artisan boutiques and world-class cultural institutions are breathing new life into the Renaissance city. Valerie Waterhouse takes a closer look. Photographed by Andrea Wyner

FLORENCE

The penthouse at Portrait Firenze. Below: A room at the St. Regis.

N SAN LORENZO

SANTA MARIA NOVELLA DUOMO AR

SANTA CROCE PONTE VECCHIO OLTRARNO

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Lay of the Land Centro Storico The city’s historic district is filled with art museums and Renaissance churches, along with homegrown luxury brands like Gucci. San Lorenzo This maze of streets between the San Lorenzo Market and the Santa Maria Novella train station has been re-energized thanks to the addition of Mercato Centrale, a food lover’s dream. Santa Croce & Sant’Ambrogio Authentic trattorias and sidewalk cafés line the narrow lanes of these two neighborhoods, where university kids hang out. Oltrarno On the Arno River’s south bank, this lesser-known quarter has artisan workshops, galleries and a nightlife scene around Piazza Santo Spirito.

Stay Our picks of the city’s top hotels, from the most buzzed-about openings to longtime favorites. PORTRAIT FIRENZE Inspired by 1950s Florence, the Ferragamo family’s latest hotel is done in shades of lilac and gray, with vintage photographs of stars like Richard Burton on the city streets. lungarnocollection. com; €450.

SOPRARNO SUITES A former designer for London’s Fortnum & Mason recently opened this intimate inn. The 11 colorful rooms mix contemporary elements, like calligraphy throw pillows by Carolyn Quartermaine, with 19th-century frescoes. soprarnosuites.com; €130.

Piazza di Santa Maria Novella This central square is home to the just-opened Museo Novecento and the popular Officina Profumo Farmaceutica di Santa Maria Novella, a 400-yearold pharmacy that sells traditional elixirs.

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PALAZZO GUICCIARDINI One of the few hotels in Oltrarno, this 15th-century palazzo has just eight rooms with wall paintings depicting Italian landmarks. Other details we love: the hawthorn soaps by Fattoria di Belcanto and the classical music in the lobby. palazzoguicciardini. com; €190.

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FOUR SEASONS Hidden in a 4.5-hectare park, this is the city’s first true resort property. A grand villa and former convent house the 116 rooms, which look out onto a lush garden. The spacious spa is a rarity for hotels in Florence. fourseasons.com; €620.

J.K. PLACE This chic town-house hotel puts a premium on service, with a staffer for every guest. Designer Michele Bonan outfitted the 20 rooms with marble fireplaces and classical sculptures. Head to the rooftop terrace at sunset for perfect pre-dinner cocktails. jkplace.com; €383. ST. REGIS Antique Murano chandeliers and restored 16th-century frescoes fill the public spaces at the St. Regis, in Centro. Don’t miss dinner at the hotel’s Michelinstarred Winter Garden restaurant. stregisflorence.com; €565.

Hotels prices represent starting rates for double occupancy.

From left: A handloom at Antico Setificio Fiorentino; Stefano Bemer’s workshop.

Shop These authentic shops showcase the city’s long tradition of craftsmanship.

Now owned by Gucci, the 18th-century Richard Ginori (richardginori1735.com) is the ultimate source for high-end porcelain tableware. Look for 1940s patterns by Gio Ponti, available in 10 different color combinations.

Housed in a 15thcentury former stable, AquaFlor Firenze (florenceparfum.com) stocks nearly 100 scents created by master perfumer Sileno Cheloni. Snap up a bottle of Corps Diplomatique, with notes of frankincense, lemon, vetiver and musk.

At Antico Setificio Fiorentino (antico setificiofiorentino.com), you’ll find exquisite silks—ermisino, lampasso, brocatelli and more—made on antique handlooms.

Tommaso Melani sells ready-to-wear oxfords, derbies, loafers and brogues at his small shoe store, Stefano Bemer (stefanobemer.com). Actor Daniel Day-Lewis was so impressed with the shop that he signed on as an apprentice for eight months in the late nineties.

See Do

In the monastery of the Santa Croce church, Scuola del Cuoio (scuoladelcuoio. com) has been crafting leather bags since the 1950s. Best bet: the Baulettino, a pillbox-style tote with a tassel zipper.

Four fresh looks at Florentine culture.

1 Florence’s only modern-art museum, the Museo

Museo Novecento.

Novecento (museonovecento.it) debuted last summer and chronicles 100 years of Italian painting, with works by top artists like Lucio Fontana and Giorgio Morandi. 2 Local entrepreneur Umberto Montano recently reopened the long-abandoned first floor of the Mercato Centrale (mercatocentrale.it), which spotlights roughly 14 high-end producers. Ricottas from Franco Parola, pine-nut gelato from Cristian Beduschi, and handmade tortellini from Raimondo Mendolia are three standouts. 3 The iconic Uffizi Gallery (polomuseale.firenze.it) continues to expand its collection, having recently restored five galleries. Among its vast holdings are paintings by 15th-century Italian masters like Andrea Mantegna and Giovanni Bellini, as well as ancient Roman sculptures. 4 The bold, new rectilinear Opera di Firenze (operadifirenze.it) has three performance spaces, including a 2,000-seat open-air theater for warm summer nights. A highlight: La Traviata, on view this month. T R AV E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A .C O M

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FLORENCE

Left: At the pizzeria Sud, in the Mercato Centrale. Below: Osteria de L’Ortolano.

Eat Where to dine in Florence now. LE FATE This vegan restaurant in the middle of Florence is both a surprising find and one of the best new places to eat. The menu is inspired by the signs of the zodiac, with crowd-pleasers like spaghetti with almond purée, fennel, lemon and dried apricot. ristoranteveganolefate.it; €74. OSTERIA DE L’ORTOLANO Until recently, this gourmet shop run by husband-and-wife team Massimo Zetti and Marta Mezzetti had remained unchanged since the 1960s. Last year, the owners converted the store’s two intimate rooms into a casual mom-and-pop osteria serving traditional Tuscan dishes. Try the chickpea

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soup with crispy bacon, followed by the chitarrine ai tre ragù, angel hair pasta with three sauces. osteriadellortolano.it; €45. LA BOTTEGA DEL BUON CAFFÉ This creative restaurant just relocated to Oltrarno’s San Niccolò district. Inside the stone-walled dining room, locals gather for chef Antonello Sardi’s sophisticated creations, like mallard with green apple and foie gras. borgointhecity.com; €90. SUD On the first floor of the Mercato Centrale, this lively pizzeria serves sensational Neapolitan pies. Go for the Toscano,

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topped with sausage and roasted red pepper. osteriacaffeitaliano.com; €25. SESTO ON ARNO In a glass cube on the rooftop of the historic Hotel Westin Excelsior, the buzzy Sesto is run by TV chef Entiana Osmenzeza. Among her inventive Balkan- and Armenian-inflected dishes: charcoal-grilled scallops with pumpkin and orange. sestoonarno.com; €120. AMBLÉ “Fresh food and old furniture” is the motto at this bohemian café off the Ponte Vecchio, which doubles as a vintage

design shop. On the menu: a selection of tramezzini filled with local ingredients like fennel-flavored salami and white asparagus. amble.it; sandwiches for two €8. OBICÀ You would never guess that this mozzarella bar is part of a chain across Italy and the United States. Its location, in the Palazzo Tornabuoni, is unbeatable, and the kitchen turns out some of the best cheeses in town. Snag a table in the courtyard and order the smoked mozzarella paired with pink Tuscan mortadella. obica.com; €55.

Restaurant prices represent approximate cost of dinner for two.

From left: The patio at Libreria Brac; enjoying a plate of salumi at Trattoria Sostanza; hats from Grevi;.

Local Take Three insiders share their favorite places in the city.

TOMMASO MELANI

FRANZISKA NORI

UMBERTO MONTANO

Director at Strozzina gallery

Restaurateur

I L L U S T R AT I O N S B Y L A U R E N N A S S E F

For no-frills Tuscan food, I go to Trattoria Sostanza (25 Via del Porcellana; 39-055/212-691; €40), in Santa Maria Novella. The artichokeand-egg fritter grilled over charcoal is excellent. There’s also the elegant Alle Murate (allemurate.it; €120), which I own, in a gorgeous palazzo with 14th-century frescoes. Try the bistecca alla fiorentina. In the evening, there’s no better place for an aperitivo than Rivalta Café (rivaltacafe.it), where you can sip martinis while watching the sun set over the Arno.

Culinary Academy Three cooking schools that teach the Tuscan way.

Co-owner of boutiques Stefano Bemer and Scuola del Cuoio

Florence’s contemporary art scene is small but worth exploring. Biagiotti Progetto Arte (artbiagiotti. com) displays emerging Italian artists like Andrea Facco, and Galleria il Ponte (galleriailponte.com) carries a range of international 20th- and 21st-century talents. For a coffee break, Libreria Brac (libreriabrac.net) has a wonderful café that’s packed with design books. At Castello di Ama (castellodiama.com), an hour’s drive south, you can see works by Kendell Geers and Anish Kapoor.

Cucina Lorenzo de’ Medici At this high-tech kitchen, you can sign up for a themed lesson (pizza making, say) or simply watch a master chef prepare a meal. cucinaldm.com.

Desinare at Riccardo Barthel Up to 10 students gather daily at Riccardo Barthel’s interior design emporium to learn about everything from wine pairings to food photography. desinare.it.

Oltrarno has great one-off shops. At

Alessandro Dari (alessandrodari.com),

you’ll find pieces like gold-anddiamond rings inspired by angels. Nearby, perfumer Lorenzo Villoresi (lorenzovilloresi.it) blends bespoke scents from hundreds of ingredients. Across the river, I love the tailored suits at Liverano & Liverano (liverano.com), and the wool coppola caps from Grevi (grevi.it) are ideal for when the weather turns chilly.

MaMa Tuscany’s top chefs lead the classes at MaMa, on the outskirts of Oltrarno. Perfect your ravioli or discover the secret ingredients in osso buco. mamaflorence.com.

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Last Look

Photographed by Laurie Noble

Tajikistan

Hut sweet home The Pamir Highway cuts its way through Tajikistan, passing simple huts, such as this one near Alichur. In total, the road is a journey of more than 1,200 kilometers from Kyrgyzstan to Afghanistan.

Hat couture Though heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in Tajikistan, this elderly local wears a traditional hat from his native Kyrgyzstan. Tracing what was once part of the Silk Road, the Pamir Highway is now home to a mix of peoples from across Central Asia.

Sturdy, simple transport Contrasting with the drab and dusty landscape along the highway, also known as the M41, a mother pushes her child along in a rickety wheelbarrow, the duo fitted out in colorful attire.

Panoramic plateau Most of landlocked Tajikistan is above 3,000 meters, with a handful of peaks in the Pamir range soaring past 7,000 meters. The few lakes here only add to the drama of this Central Asian setting.

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