Southeast asia
april 2019
Back to Basics
Asia’s Luxe Camping Boom PLUS: Vientiane Dubai Hong Kong Bintan
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
Singing the Praises of The Song of India Why you’re sure to fall in love with Singapore’s only Michelin-starred Indian restaurant
What makes The Song of India unique? It’s the only classic Indian restaurant in Southeast Asia that has been awarded a Michelin star for three consecutive years. The creative menus are designed to take guests on a journey through India, offering the opportunity to indulge in different dishes from all over the vibrant, multicultural country. Celebrating inspiration Chef Manjunath Mural’s dishes are the inspired by many things: he frequently draws ideas from meals he ate as a child, as well as traditional Indian recipes. But he tweaks them to give them a modern twist—something we find inspirational ourselves! Take the Journey We highly recommend the signature Journey Through India menu. Beyond being beautifully presented, it gives guests and their tastebuds a chance to perambulate across different regions such as Hyderabad, Lucknow and Punjab. Each dish comes from a specific area and highlights distinct native flavors and preparation methods.
Don’t leave without sampling... 1. Lucknow Lamb Shank. These tender lamb shanks in a robustly scented, creamy gravy of herbs is also traditionally known as “nalli gosht”. 2. Laksa Chicken Kebab. A simply perfect blend of both Indian and Peranankan cuisine. 3. Bengal Prawn Curry. Tiger prawns in onion salsa and traditional hand pound spices, enhanced with mustard seeds. The vibe Housed in a colonial-style black-and-white bungalow among lush greenery, The Song of India exudes serenity. Inside, the elaborate chandelier and plush seating adds an air of luxury and comfort perfectly befitting your decadent but still homey meal. For special occasions and everyday indulgences During special occasions and festivals such as Christmas or Deepavali, guests are treated to new set menus created by Chef Mural that are available for a short time only. Turkey biryani for Yultide? Only at The Song of India!
American Express® Platinum Credit Card Members receive up to 50% off their total food bill at The Song of India with the Love Dining by Platinum Program. Find out more at amex.co/lovedining Terms and conditions apply. Not an American Express® Platinum Credit Card Member? Visit amex.co/platg or call 6396 8838 to apply.
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Discover starry nights, sunny days and a beach of powdery white sand, along with a thoughtful and beneficial partnership with the local community – and all of this just 50km from Singapore. The resort invites visitors to embrace the serene pace of the island or join a variety of sea and land activities. You’ll enjoy meal creations by Chef Surya, who embraces a diverse blend of traditional Indonesian and western cultural influences.
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April
contents
features
68
Under the Big Top A handful of new tented camps across the region is setting new conservation standards, while redefining the luxuryresort experience.
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c l o c k w i s e f r o m t o p l e f t: st e p h a n k o ta s ; a l a n n a h a l e ; t o m m a n n i o n ; l i n d s ay l a u c k n e r g u n d l o c k
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Tasting Wine, the Walla Walla Way Washington State has become a compelling wine destination. Ray Isle experiences its top-notch Cabs and Syrahs and down-toearth spirit. Photographed by Alanna Hale
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What’s Old is New Again Characterful and classic, the best new British hotels are infused with a beguiling sense of history. Photographed by Tom Mannion
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Viva Mexico City In a huge city layered with history, in which change is an essential part of the residents’ DNA, where to begin planning a trip? By Michael Snyder. Photographed by Lindsay Lauckner Gundlock
ON THE COVER
The entrance to a tented villa at Capella Ubud, in Bali. Photographed by Stephan Kotas. Model: Angelina Agustina.
tr av el andleisure asia .com / april 2019
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contents In Every Issue
T+L Digital 10 Contributors 11 The Conversation 12 Editor’s Note 14 Deals 64 Wish You Were Here 106
camp in Mongolia; go beekeeping in Tasmania; the tastiest events at Ubud Food Festival; and more.
22 Capital Growth It’s worth
lingering in Vientiane. Spend a weekend exploring both new hangouts and historic legacies.
35 Tenerife Modern The largest
of Spain’s rugged Canary Islands makes an unexpected destination for architecture and design lovers. continually hurtling toward the future, a new development in one of Dubai’s oldest districts looks to the past.
38 The Original Rustic Chic Head
Upgrade 55 The Wonders of Astrotourism
Schedule in your next natural light show; an ethereal new stargazing hotel in South Korea; the latest developments in the space race; and more.
41 Hats Off to Hamburg Idyllic
32 The Far Side Stray from Bintan’s manicured hotel grounds for a pastoral family trip that explores the island’s cultural treasures.
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No matter how your family travels, this year’s guide offers fun for nature lovers, foodies, beach-goers and every tribe in between.
upstate to New York State’s Adirondack Mountains, where hotels are recapturing the arcadian glamour of the region’s 19th-century heyday.
29 Have Camera (and Child),
Will Travel Does the jetsetter life change after having kids? A professional traveler muses on the challenges of fatherhood.
44 Choose Your Own Adventure
36 Timeless Dubai In a city
26 Greener Pastures Fine-diners
in Hong Kong are embracing the plant-based life with refined vegetarian and vegan menus.
Special
april 2019 / tr av el andleisure asia .com
green spaces and innovative contemporary architecture make this colorful German port well worth exploring.
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f r o m l e f t: k i m y o n g k wa n ; c o u r t e s y o f a r c a n e ; ta r a d o n n e ; c o u r t e s y o f a b e r c r o mb i e & k e n t
19 Reasons To Travel Now Set up
t+ L d i g i tal
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Lookout
Some of Japan’s Best skiing is actually outside of Hokkaido Book your next winter escape in these cozy mountain towns that offer pristine powder without the madding crowd.
This philippine isle is a surf paradise Sun-drenched Siargao is all about catching waves, getting to know the locals and soaking in the island’s chilled-out vibes.
Where to Go in Macau right now With ambitious new hotels, diverse eateries and a vibrant arts scene, the former Portuguese colony is constantly reinventing itself.
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f r o m l e f t: c o u r t e s y o f g i n z a n o n s e n ; s c o tt a . w o o d wa r d ; c o u r t e s y o f f e n g w e i j u h e l i
this month on tr avel andleisureasia.com
Six hotels perfect for a family vacation; where to celebrate a special occasion; finding inner peace at Vietnam’s most spiritual resort; the latest travel deals and much more.
c o n t r i bu t o rs
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Jonathan Evans
Lindy Alexander
“The Far Side” Page 32 — “It is tempting to imagine how tourism on Bintan Island might have developed if the resorts enclave had never been built; many time-poor visitors never leave its boundaries. But I can’t imagine anyone not being captivated by Kawal, Penyengat, Trikora or Gurun Pasir Busung. Interestingly, the local people don’t resent the success of the resorts: they are a major employer and have helped to boost land prices. By far the best food on my trip was the Javanese chicken I had at Rica Rica restaurant at The Residence resort—a taste sensation that was served accompanied by eight types of sambal.” Instagram: @adventures_in_journeylism.
“Family Special” Page 44 — “Multigenerational travel is on the rise. Children are a great icebreaker. Families are now more willing to venture to places that previously only intrepid travelers attempted, like, for example, Lord Howe Island, which has a beautifully luxe resort, but down-to-earth outdoor activities.” Three tips for life on the road: “Inflatable travel pillows for planes that go between your child’s seat and the one in front are a godsend for helping kids sleep. Kids’ meals aren’t always automatic on planes, so make sure you request one. And don’t try to squeeze too much in; children tire of sightseeing quickly.” Instagram: @lindyalexanderwriter.
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Joe Cummings
Janice Leung Hayes
“Under the Big Top” Page 68 — “A lot of people, me included, are tired of staying in air-con boxes in over-built resorts when visiting nature-oriented places. We want more contact with the surroundings, to hear the crickets, to smell the woodsy aromas. But we don’t want to give up fine dining. The new generation of tented camps is perfect for that. At Cardamom Tented Camp, where boardwalks connect the villas to limit impact on the grasslands, I loved stepping out of my tent at dawn, and watching mist drift across the veal. And tramping through the forest with a Wildlife Alliance ranger who knew virtually every plant.” Instagram: @joejcummings.
“Greener Pastures” Page 26 — Leung Hayes reported on the rising wave of vegetarianism and veganism, and high-end restaurants that cater to these greener tastes in carnivoreheavy Hong Kong. “I think people are coming to terms with the realities of factory farmed meat, that it harms the environment and our bodies.” Her pick of the city is “Grassroots Pantry in the morning. Breakfast there is like a little secret. It’s tranquil, and the food is all responsibly sourced and wholesome. It’s a great way to start the day.” Next up on the Hong Kongdining trend horizon? “The use of local produce, and the revival of Chinese tea.” Instagram: @e_ting.
W r i t er
f r o m t o p : c o u r t e s y o f J o n ath a n Eva n s ; c o u r t e s y o f L i n d y A l e x a n d e r ; c o u r t e s y o f J o e C u mm i n g s ; c o u r t e s y o f J a n i c e L e u n g H ay e s
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t h e c o n v e rsat i o n
exotic & idyllic retreat ...where life is a private celebration
Istanbul Airport—the world’s largest—is set to officially open this month with six runways, 115 gates, 250 airlines and an eventual capacity for 200 million passengers a year. Its closest rival will be the new Zaha Hadid–designed Beijing Daxing International Airport slated to open in September. These sprawling, futuristic hubs are expected to help us fly faster and further. Here’s what to look out for.
A tulip
Magic Mirror
The design inspiration for Istanbul Airport’s air traffic control tower is this flower, a traditional symbol of the city.
One of the high-tech features at Istanbul’s 55,000-square-meter duty-free retail area is a virtual fitting room that allows shoppers to personally preview make-up, clothing, watches and more without physically trying them on.
Starfish The nickname given to Daxing, due to its six concourse arms that unfurl from the airport’s central hub.
76.5 million Total area in square meters that the Istanbul Airport will cover once the facility is fully completed in 2030—that’s larger than Manhattan.
#TLASIA
600 meters The farthest you’ll have to walk to your gate at Daxing. Despite the 700,000-square-meter terminal, its design promises short walking distances for travelers.
in honor of our family issue, we’ve picked your top bonding moments.
Swinging into the sun on Koh Lipe. By @wanderlust.nl.
Lighting up the night in Seoul. By @thesoulofseoulblog.
Osaka’s Katsuoji temple has pockets of magic. By @chopsticksontheloose.
Family feasting at Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong. By@the.reynolds.family.
Sanur I Ubud I Nusa Dua I Jimbaran
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INTO THE BLUE Swim among sharks with our divemasters, surf the ultimate break with our local experts, or find tranquillity in the bluest waters you’ve ever seen. A world of wonder above and below the waves awaits with Four Seasons. Come and live the life aquatic with us.
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editor’s note
T
At Four Seasons Tented Camp.
From My Travels
@CKucway chrisk@mediatransasia.com
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a p r i l 2 0 1 9 / t r av e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m
f r o m l e f t: I r fa n S a m a r t d e e ; c h r i st o p h e r k u c way
to get back to basics. Tented camps are travel’s answer to this quest, and our look at their growing number around Asia (“Under the Big Top,” page 68) uncovers some of the newest canvas homes where you should be spending your next break. As you’ll discover in reading these stories, a stay at any of these properties is a far cry from roughing it. A gin and tonic on arrival at Shinta Mani Wild, a handmade copper tub at Wild Coast Tented Lodge and even dimpled teak floors at Capella Ubud—you’re not going to gain any merit badges here. Actually, that’s not entirely true. Fittingly for this age where giving back has become a vacation goal, guests can venture out on antipoaching patrols in the wilds of Cambodia’s Cardamom Mountains. Alternatively, tour the junior ranger program at Yala National Park to get a better grasp of what it takes to preserve this wild corner of Sri Lanka, or visit a Balinese school where the students’ artwork is for sale. Also, check out “The Wonders of Astrotourism” (page 55). This is a mustread for solar eclipse–hunters or those wanting to head into sub-orbit. And there’s a remote resort in South Korea that caters specifically to stargazers, that is, if the space race being waged by the likes of Bezos, Branson and Musk proves too costly. hese days, many of us yearn
A favorite resort of mine remains the Four Seasons Tented Camp Golden Triangle (fourseasons.com) in northern Thailand, which adopts orphaned and overworked elephants, and introduces guests to these amazing beasts in what is essentially a wild setting. Scattered across a bamboocovered hillside, the 15 tents here all have epic views over the Ruak and Mekong rivers and into Laos and Burma.
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T+L’s monthly selection of trip-worthy places, experiences and events.
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Earn major parental cred by setting this year’s summer camp in the Mongolian wilderness.
c o u r t e s y o f th e pav i l i o n s h o t e l s
Polo on horseback in the Orkhon Valley at The Pavilions Mongolia.
Horseback riding? Tick. Archery? Tick. Sleeping in tents? Tick—well, luxury gers, but this camp will still put you and your family well and truly into the wild. Perched on a hill overlooking the Orkhon Valley Cultural Landscape, a unescoprotected site at the foot of the Central Mongolian Khangai range, these hand-painted yurts at The Pavilions Mongolia make a wild locale for summer camp. Guests of all ages can channel their inner
Genghis Khan with activities such as archery, horseback riding and polo, kayaking along the river, and trekking through sweeping grasslands, plus singing, music and art lessons. If mom and dad need a mindful break, in-house nannies can tag in while parents take up daily yoga, Mongolian massages, or even traditional healing rituals with the resident shaman. At dinnertime, lively family-style feasts will showcase the area’s locally sourced
ingredients, and guests can try traditional hand-pulled noodles, homemade breads, grilled meats and freshly caught fish of the day—a world away from sloppy joes and chicken nuggets. pavilionshotels. com; summer camp available June 15–September 19; all-inclusive from US$600 per night, per adult; US$350 per night, for children aged seven to 18 years; US$150 per night, for children aged three to seven; kids under three are free. — Eloise Basuki
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r e as o n s t o t rav e l n o w
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These edible golfing grounds in Central Vietnam are groomed by a family of water buffalo.
Hands-on honey hunting at Saffire Freycinet.
Natural landscapes at Laguna Lang Co’s rice-field golf course.
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Find a real pot of gold with this sweet new experience on Tassie’s rugged Freycinet Peninsula. Luxury Tasmanian lodge Saffire Freycinet takes its farm-to-table policy seriously—so much so that an exclusive new experience now has guests donning full-body apiarist suits to scoop up their honey directly from nearby hives. Don’t worry, you’ll be in safe hands. Saffire’s horticulturalist and Wild Hives honey producer, Rob Barker, expertly guides guests through the hives (which can each house up to 60,000 bees) to extract the warm, fresh honeycomb—all with an idyllic view of the Hazards mountain range. With Barker’s bees freely foraging across Freycinet’s native flora like manuka, kunzea ambigua and prickly box, this liquid gold offers budding beekeepers a decadent, fragrant and multi-floral nectar that shows off the distinctive terroir of the region—it’s definitely worth the buzz. saffire-freycinet.com.au; doubles from A$2,200, all-inclusive, minimum two-night stay; beekeeping experience complimentary with the room rate. — E.b.
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f r o m to p : c o u rt esy o f l ag u n a l a n g c o ; c o u rt esy o f sa f f i r e f r e yc i n e t
Tee time at Laguna Lang Co doesn’t just mean hitting the integrated resort’s 18-hole, Nick Faldo–designed golf course, but also lunch hour for the area’s resident family of buffalo: father Tu Phat, mother Chi Chi and their calf, Bao, who tend to four hectares of rice fields located right in the middle of the greens. The bovine trio was introduced a year ago, helping to maintain the paddies by eating excess weeds and crops in the area—replacing machinery and making the manpower that is used greener and more efficient. The paddy is harvested twice a year, yielding up to 20 tonnes of rice, which supports the resort’s organic farm and is donated to locals. lagunalangco. com; doubles at Banyan Tree Lang Co from US$410; doubles at Angsana Lang Co from US$130; golf fees start from US$130. — E.B.
Refuel at a stall by Medan café Coffeenatics.
Get a taste of Indonesia at the Ubud Food Festival.
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Spice up your life at Bali’s most spirited food fest. As the spiritual hub of the Indonesian isle, Ubud also doubles as an epicenter of culinary genius. The lush locale is home not only to Bali’s best restaurants—including Locavore, the only Indonesian restaurant to grace the Asia’s 50 Best list—but also to one of Southeast Asia’s most popular gourmet gatherings: the Ubud Food Festival (ubudfoodfestival.com; April 26–28; three-day pass Rp600,000 for Indonesian residents, Rp850,000 for international visitors). This year’s theme is “Spice up the World,” and collaborative dinners, regional masterclasses, food tours, and talks by food activists, farmers and Michelin-starred chefs will skew toward the rich heritage of Indonesian cuisine. Here are the events we are most excited about.
Spices for Change
c o u rt esy o f u b u d fo o d f est i va l ( 3 )
Integral to Indonesia’s fabled spice heritage is Ternate in North Maluku, once the world’s only source of cloves. Delve into the history of the area and how community-based tourism projects Cengkeh Afo and Gamalama Spices are supporting locals in a discussion with project founder, Kris Syamsudin, and Ubud Food Festival’s
Special dinners take in Ubud’s lush scenery.
director, Janet DeNeefe. April 26, 12:30 p.m.; free. Nyonya Nuptial Nosh
As the daughter of a Baba father from Malacca and a Nyonya mother from Penang, Debbie Teoh grew up on Peranakan food. Now, the author of seven books on the legendary cuisine will put on a feast of traditional Peranakan wedding dishes that will
blow your usual laksa out of the park. No fiancé required. April 28, 12 p.m.; tickets Rp350,000. Make Every Morsel Count
The hyper-sustainable, eco-minded team at Locavore is passionate about managing food waste. In this workshop, the restaurant’s research and development head, Felix Schoener, will show you how to turn food waste, like meat and fish trimmings and vegetable scraps, into fermented sauces with a serious umami kick. April 27, 11:30 a.m.; free. Indonesia’s Coffee Wheel
The archipelago’s coffee beans are renowned worldwide for their
tropical kaleidoscope of flavors. Delve into this complex topic with the help of the team from Ubud’s coffee mecca, Seniman, and sharpen your senses in a cupping session masterclass that explores the bean’s flavor wheel. April 28, 12 p.m.; tickets Rp350,000. Into the Wild
The final meal of the festival enlists seven chefs from five of Southeast Asia’s most acclaimed restaurants for an inspired collaborative dinner. Featuring Jordy Navarra of Manila’s Toyo Eatery, Thithid “Ton” Tassanakajohn of Le Du in Bangkok and Darren Teoh of Dewakan in Kuala Lumpur, this seven-course feast will be made using ingredients foraged from around Ubud that very morning. April 28, 7 p.m.; tickets Rp1,050,000. — Veronica Inveen
tr av el andleisure asia .com / april 2019
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long weekend
Often considered a gateway town, Vientiane is an underrated destination in its own right. Laurel Tuohy wanders its heritage streets and finds hip new hangouts that are reinvigorating the city. Clockwise from top left: The
Patuxai monument symbolizes Lao independence; Lao Poet’s tropical lobby; at The Cabana Design Studio & Café; fresh honey at the Lane Xang market; dinner at La Cage du Coq; jewel tones adorn Lao Poet’s rooms.
Friday Evening
After landing into the city at dusk, I checked into Lao Poet (laopoethotel.com; doubles from US$88), which has brought a modern, more
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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 at wa l k p h o t o s /A l a m y S t o c k Ph o t o ; c o u r t e s y o f L a o p o e t; c o u r t e s y o f T h e C a b a n a D e s i g n S t u d i o & C a f é ; l a u r e l t u o h y; c o u r t e s y o f L a c a g e d u c o q ; c o u r t e s y o f L a o p o e t
Capital Growth
is one of the more overlooked capitals of Southeast Asia—most pass through for no more than one night. But on a long-weekend trip, I quickly learned that what it lacks in wow-factor attractions, it makes up for with plenty of small-town charm. I live just a short flight away, in Bangkok, but had never visited before—always seduced by flashier destinations when holiday time rolled around. Friends had told me that café culture rules in Vientiane and the city’s growing number of coffee shops make perfect pit-stops as you wander the still-standing French-colonial architecture—some addresses lovingly restored, others in advanced stages of decay. The low number of tourist sites, plus a compact, walkable downtown, is said to make the city’s slow pace of life surprisingly alluring. So, when I heard about the opening of the city’s first real boutique hotel, Lao Poet, I had a feeling that owner Lamphoune Voravongsa, who also founded Luang Prabang’s lauded Satri House, felt the hip winds of change starting to blow through the languorous capital.
Sleepy little Vientiane
millennial-style stay to a city that’s better known for its heritage buildings. The 55-room boutique mixes Indochine antiques from Voravongsa’s own collection with hits of jeweltoned glamour reflected throughout the building: velvet cushions; fancifully painted wooden furniture; oversized vintage photographs of the city’s former residents. While the rooftop pool has views of the Mekong River and the palm-frond theme channels Wes Anderson, the hotel’s pretty moniker brings the brand back down to earth—it’s an homage to beloved Laotian poet Maha Kheo, who once lived on this site, and who oversees the lobby in the form of an oversize old photograph. Across the street from the hotel is a smart choice for a first night’s dinner, La Cage du Coq (Hengbounnoy St., Ban Haysok; 856-20/54676065; mains from US$6), referencing both the city’s former French rule as well as nods to Laos’s rural, agricultural soul. The brasserie is
decorated with woven rattan chicken cages and plays a soundtrack of vintage French pop. The duck confit, Camembert ravioli, and a delicate tuna and pomelo ceviche were all perfectly cooked. And though it seemed like I was out of room for dessert, I was glad I indulged: a spoton espresso topped by golden crema was delivered alongside a silky lemon tart alluringly served in a small pitcher. Saturday
Setting out for a walk to familiarize myself with the city, the first stop was for coffee at The Cabana Design Studio & Café (5–16 Quai Fa Ngum; 856-21/253-318; coffee from US$2). Owned by interior designer and local tastemaker Nilada Ratanavong, the space is bright and filled with greenery, the menu offering hits like avocado on sourdough toast, and sweet mango waffles. After breakfast, I strolled toward the morning market on Lane Xang Avenue, where locals buy everything from clothing to electronics to kitchen staples. I took in the chaos over a Thai tea and sampled honey so fresh bees were still
I took in the market’s chaos over a Thai tea and sampled honey so fresh bees were still stuck to the comb 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 0 1 9
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stuck to the comb. (It’s not as scary as it sounds—Laos is well-known for its honey, and jars from small producers are found in nearly every corner store and larger vats in markets.) Down the street is another mélange of FrancoIndochinese culture: Patuxai, the Arc de Triomphe–inspired war monument features Laotian touches, such as renderings of Kinnari, a mythical bird-woman. I stopped by Wat Si Saket (Lane Xang Ave.; entry US$1), the only temple in Vientiane that survived the Thai invasion of 1828, then I was ready for an afternoon pick-me-up from a newbie to the coffee scene, Titkafe (fb.com/ titkafe; drinks from US$2). The modern coffee bar is developing a reputation with the city’s bloggers and bean connoisseurs. I wanted to try their nitro cold brew, which is crafted with state-of-the-art technology not often seen in the laidback capital. Titkafe uses a mix of locally sourced beans that support farmers with imported beans to balance the flavors. I chose the “passion honey nitro,” which was surprisingly mellow. Enticed by the vibrant Laotian textiles I kept seeing, I stopped into Saoban (saobancrafts.com) for souvenirs. Their wide selection of handmade fabric items (indigo scarves, Tai Deng woven wall hangings, ikat bags) comes with an attractive ethos: stock is sourced using fair-trade principles that support employment for local craftspeople— more than 95 percent of whom are women, according to the owner—and preserve traditional techniques. Between the crowds in the new café and the passion behind Saoban’s crafts, it seems that the city is developing an appreciation for locavore products. Keeping my taste buds firmly in country I set off to Amphone (37 Soi Wat Xieng Gneun;
In vientiane you can just chill out and indulge... ‘The luxury the city offers is time’ 24
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c l o c k w i s e f r o m l e f t: c o u r t e s y o f c o c o o n b a r ; l a u r e l t u o h y; c o u r t e s y o f s e tth a Pa l a c e ; courtesy of Dough & Co; l aurel tuohy
856-30/577-6677; mains from US$5), a restaurant serving traditional Laotian dishes in a vintage turquoise villa. An order of som phak, or pickled mustard greens, arrived at the table spicy, bitter and fresh, their flavor amplified by slices of raw garlic and red chilies. Orr, a traditional Lao stew made with eggplant, fish sauce and sweet basil, arrived next. Mine combined minced fish and chopped greens in a clear broth with grilled shallots and chilies floating on top. Though it wasn’t beautiful, it tasted divine, like a fresher, healthier take on a Thai dish freed from the creamy shackles of coconut milk. For a nightcap, though, I thought nouveauLaos might be the ticket. Ratanavong had suggested I check out Cocoon ( fb.com/ cocoonbarvientiane; drinks from US$7.50), a new, tiny cocktail spot so completely hidden down an alley on Henbounnoy Street that it’s like it doesn’t want to be found. Done up like a gentleman’s lounge with just 20 leather seats, the vibe was anything but understated, with 90s R&B pumping from the soundsystem and Vientiane’s hippest crowd yelling above it. I felt lucky to nab a seat at the bar and ordered their most popular drink, Gung Special, made with Jameson, honey and fresh peach juice. Upon telling head bartender Tongchana Limchai that I liked negronis, he whipped me up an expert Boulevardier. I thoroughly approved. Sunday
Breakfast on my last morning at Dough & Co (fb.com/doughandcolaos; mains from US$4) kept me in modern Vientiane. This doughnut café was created by Christina Soukdala, a
native of the capital who began her love affair with British-style doughnuts while studying in the U.K. The filled pastries—apple compote, raspberry jam, and dark chocolate on the day I visited—were sweet, chewy and messy in the best way possible. Many customers were ensconced behind their laptops; the café, housed in a greenhouse-like structure overlooking fields and a small stream, is a popular location for working travelers wanting an office with a fresher view. On a sugar-high, I set off for Settha Palace (setthapalace.com; doubles from US$140), a historical hotel standing since 1932 that is one of the city’s great landmarks. I strolled the property and chatted with general manager Hala Krimi about life in Vientiane over lunch at their restaurant, Belle Epoque Brasserie (setthapalace.com; tasting menu US$58). In her year in the city, she’s come to appreciate the slower pace of life in a place she calls “a retreat from the world.” She’s lived in Dubai and Bangkok, but here, she said, is the best place to chill out and indulge in the pleasures of a long afternoon massage, a two-hour lunch, or watching the sunset over the river. “The luxury the city offers is time,” she said. Though trendy places to eat, drink and stay are adding a new dimension to this historic city, Vientiane still wears its sleepiness with pride, and that’s a reason to visit in itself.
clockwise from far left: Cocoon
Bar’s head mixologist Tongchana Limchai; traditional textiles at Saoban; Settha Palace offers a heritage stay; a perfect glaze at Dough & Co; Titkafe is the newest addition to Vientiane’s modern coffee scene.
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Greener Pastures
Hong Kong may love its meat, but these fine-dining chefs are planting the seeds to a green revolution, making high-end vegetarian and vegan menus that offer food for thought. By Janice Leung Hayes dining out as a vegetarian in Hong Kong usually meant sticking to Indian food or choosing restaurants designed specifically for strict Buddhists. In the latter, you’d have a choice of “Chinese mock-meats made of soy and sodium, and doused in oil and dressings,” says local chef Peggy Chan, who has been vegetarian for almost two decades. “The stigma that surrounds vegetarian and vegan foods has always been that it’s bland, and limited in variety.” Chan has been pioneering a change in this attitude, serving up creative plant-based menus at her vegetarian restaurant Grassroots Pantry (grassrootspantry.com; tasting menu from HK$850) since 2012. And now the rest of the city seems to be following in step. In addition to the growing number of vegetable-led eateries, there’s been a noticeable change in Hong Kong’s most luxurious fine-diners, which have begun to offer vegetarian and even vegan menus in addition to their usual omnivorous plates. One of the first to do so was Arcane (arcane. hk; tasting menu from HK$888), led by Shane Osborn. The former executive chef of London’s Michelin-starred Pied à Terre and finalist on Netflix cooking show The Final Table, this Australian chef will be familiar to globetrotting gourmands. “We’ve always had vegetarian options on the menu. Over the past year we’ve had more vegan guests so it made sense to offer them a bespoke menu [as well],” Osborn says. “People are becoming more health conscious and also realizing that we need to be more ecologically aware. We cannot continue to consume as much meat as we do.” Social start-up Green Monday (greenmonday.org), founded by Hong Kong entrepreneur David Yeung, encourages vegetarianism on Mondays—or one day a week. Yeung’s team posits that cutting meat
from top: Grassroots Pantry head chef Peggy Chan out in the field; her restaurant serves creative plant-based menus; a bagel with koji-smoked carrot and cashew–cream cheese at Grassroots Pantry.
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c o u r t e s y o f g r a ss r o o ts pa n t r y ( 3 )
Not long ago,
f r o m t o p : c o u r t e s y o f a r c a n e ; c o u r t e s y o f tat e d i n i n g r o o m & b a r ( 2 ) ; c o u r t e s y o f H a k u
and animal products from one’s diet can significantly lower greenhouse gas emissions, and therefore help combat climate change. Combine this with constant food-safety concerns in the headlines regarding factoryfarmed meats across the globe, and the fact that Hong Kong imports more than 90 percent of its food, and it’s easy to see why Hong Kongers are attracted to eating more plants. “People are more interested in sustainability in general, simply due to the fact that we are prompted with this knowledge daily through televised news, published articles, online magazines and social media on rotation,” Chan says. Grassroots Pantry is known for its commitment to both people and planet, serving up nutrient-dense foods mostly sourced from certified organic operations, including farms within Hong Kong, which not only minimizes food miles, but also ensures freshness. Grassroots Pantry has been a casual all-day eatery since its inception, but as Chan’s cuisine has become increasingly sophisticated, a tasting menu has also been launched in the evenings. “We hope that plant-based finedining cuisine will extend to demographics that otherwise would prefer air-flown Japanese fruit tomatoes, caviar and Wagyu beef, and eventually shift people’s mindsets on the true ‘value’ of food,” she says. With a clientele firmly in this demographic is the Michelin-starred Tate Dining Room & Bar (tate.com.hk; tasting menu from HK$1,480). Their new vegetarian tasting menu has been well-received. “I wouldn’t call [vegetarianism] a trend; it is now part of daily life,” chef-owner Vicky Lau says. “We get quite a number of nonvegetarians ordering the menu. They are often curious about what combination and cooking methods we put into it.” Creating meat-free dishes isn’t simply about swapping steak for squash. As Lau puts it, “I believe that the menu must flow well and there are a lot of things to reconsider, therefore the vegetarian version is a completely new set of dishes.” Suprisingly, the ingredients are no less luxurious than an omnivorous menu. When you think of Japanese fine dining, tuna and Wagyu come to mind, but to Agustin Balbi, executive chef of Haku (haku.com.hk; sixcourse tasting menu from HK$600), a modern Japanese restaurant, vegetables are just as worthy of the spotlight. The vegetarian menu at Haku is an expression of his love and appreciation for his ingredients. “We work
from top: The vegan daikoku shimeji salad with cashew butter at Arcane; tomato consommé with junsai is served with a mushroom tart and a green pea yogurt tartlet at Tate; Tate’s dining room; greens get a starring role at Haku.
with high-quality producers, and I thought that instead of using that amazing produce in a supporting role, why not do a menu that showcases [the vegetables] as the main attraction?” For instance, Balbi collaborates with a farmer in Japan whose sole focus for the past 50 years has been to grow the perfect tomato. Osborn uses highly seasonal, specialty Japanese produce, such as tsubomina, a distinctive mustard related to the Brussels sprout, and mukago—tiny wild mountain yams. “To know their history and their passion to achieve a certain level [of quality] is magical,” Balbi says. “If that is not luxury, what is?” Haku is also known for their house-made ferments, such as miso, which takes months to produce. The vegetarian menu at Tate also requires a lot of work from Lau’s team. “Although vegetables are normally not as expensive as meat, the man-hours in prepping all these dishes is what makes it costly,” she says. Chan agrees, adding that by using highquality, environmentally and ethically sound ingredients, and thereby educating customers, “We dispel the myth of plant-based being of lower value.” Putting vegetables at the forefront is, at the moment, still a nascent concept in Hong Kong, where the meat consumption per capita is among the highest in the world. But these chefs are up to the challenge. “Even if we serve only one vegetarian menu a night I think it’s worth it, because it’s a statement that we as chefs care about the environment,” Lau says, “and, of course, pleasing a few vegetarian friends along the way.”
clockwise from top:
Corn flatbread with grilled mustard greens at Gaa; roast eggplant with mushroom foam at Dewakan; Odette’s amusebouche mushroom broth.
More Plant-based Plates These fine-dining restaurants across the region are also becoming known for their vegetarian offerings. Odette, Singapore Though French fine-dining is often epitomized by its animal proteins—foie gras, beef, duck—at Odette, a Michelintwo-starred French eatery within Singapore’s National Gallery, acclaimed chef Julien Royer lists a completely plantbased dish as one of his signatures: an elegant
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landscape of candy-colored morsels all featuring beetroot prepared in multiple ways. There are also vegetarian tasting menus on offer for both lunch and dinner. odetterestaurant.com. Dewakan, Kuala Lumpur As the chef of a contemporary Malaysian fine-dining restaurant driven by indigenous flora and fauna, Darren Teoh is no stranger to his country’s vegetation; in fact, it forms the basis of his cooking. Although
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not permanently advertised, a vegetarian menu is available here with advance notice. Teoh says that Malaysia’s natural landscape provides the best of its bounty during the wetter months, so for the dry season, his team preserves the vegetable produce for yearround abundance. dewakan.my. Gaa, Bangkok Indian cuisine lends itself to plant-based cooking, and at Gaa, the boundary-pushing Indian-meets-Thai fine-diner, a
vegetarian tasting menu has been available from the outset. Chef Garima Arora works with a vast array of Thai produce— try the unripe jackfruit served with roti and pickles, or the coconut shoots with long pepper and macadamia milk— and has a room dedicated to fermenting ingredients inhouse, no doubt influenced by her training at contemporary gastronomic trailblazers such as Noma and Gaggan. gaabkk.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 g a a ; c o u r t e s y d e wa k a n ; c o u r t e s y o d e tt e
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e ssay
Have Camera (and Child), Will Travel
Does the jetsetter life change after having kids? Photographer Lester V. Ledesma muses on the challenges of fatherhood for a professional traveler. illustr ations By wasinee chantakorn
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e s s ay
Sunrise finds me hard at work in the village of Ywama, on the shores of Inle Lake. With a camera in my hand I am exploring a morning market, capturing scenes of daily life in this corner of Burma. The air is cool, the atmosphere busy at this early hour. Before me, rows of wooden stalls lead to the water’s edge, where boatmen disgorge loads of passengers eager to get on with their market chores. There is much hawking and haggling everywhere. In the middle of all this picturesque chaos, I glimpse a scene that makes my heart skip a beat. Backlit by golden sunlight, an Intha mother, a smoldering cheroot wedged between her lips, is carefully adjusting her daughter’s headscarf. I discreetly move in, careful not to disturb the moment. Then I quickly go through the motions I’ve done countless times before as a travel photographer: change lens, set exposure, focus, frame the scene, put finger on the shutter button… My phone suddenly rings. It doesn’t stop ringing. People look in my direction while I reach for the phone. “Daddy I miss you. When are you coming home?” says the voice on the other end. It’s my daughter Leanne, crying back home in Singapore. I spend the next five minutes somewhat patiently explaining why daddy has to be away. By the time she is pacified, my subjects have moved on. The scene has changed, and I lost
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the shot. While it’s heartwarming to know that my little girl misses me when I’m away, I can’t deny that in the last five years, my job has been trickier with the extra challenge of parenthood. Now don’t get me wrong—I love being a family man. But as a professional traveler for more than two decades, I was accustomed to a life that isn’t set up for raising a family. Not too long ago, my schedule was a constant parade of overseas trips to shoot magazine covers or feature stories. It was the life I had always dreamed of living, and needless to say I enjoyed every second of it. That life changed in 2014—just a week after my 39th birthday— when my daughter was born. I still remember that odd mix of happiness and dread when I first laid eyes on Leanne Ava Ledesma. Ecstatic as I was to finally become a dad, there was that sinking feeling that perhaps this new title came at the expense of my wandering ways. I wanted to keep the best job in the world, but I was also serious about fatherhood. Thus began the constant and ongoing struggle to balance my passion with my love. It’s not always easy to find the middle ground between the two, and I’ve already missed a few birthdays (shoot a story in Bhutan or attend a kiddie party? Admit it— you’ll do what I did!). Thankfully, most of the time I’ve ended up being proud of the choices I’ve made.
I no longer fall off the map like I used to do, because a little girl is always looking for me
to cope with the intricacies of bringing the little one on an adventure. A sarong provides instant cover when changing diapers. She’s being picky with food? Anything crunchy (but not spicy) seems to do the trick. When kiddie tantrums threaten a flight, a bag of toys—or, God help us, an iPad—often helps keep the tear bombs from exploding. Despite the hassles, my wife and I happily put up with the inconveniences just to see our baby experience the rest of the world. We did it to see her squeal with delight when she came face to face with a herd of giraffes on Calauit Island in the Philippines. We did it so that she could play with local children in Siem Reap, and in the process learn that Khmer kids are no different from Singaporean kids, or French, or Indian (especially when there’s candy involved). We did it so she could join us in a Tuscan harvest festival to witness what parties are like in a faraway place. And we still do it so she can grow as a traveler, and realize that places and people all over this world are both different and the same. It is in times like these, with my wife and daughter happily by my side, that I realize what having a family means to a person driven by wanderlust. My family is an anchor for this restless soul, the place to return to when the journey is done. But whichever place I find myself in, as long as my Joanne and Leanne are with me—that’s home.
Truth be told, I’ve changed quite a bit too. Keep me out there for a while and I’ll start missing my wife and kid. And I no longer fall off the map like I used to do, because a little girl is always looking for me. These days, I try to stay at least a week at home in-between trips, and I now limit my travel assignments to twice a month. It’s my way of ensuring that I’m never too far away from my family. Then there are those blessed instances when I get to bring my girls on location. No luxury resorts or theme parks are involved, mind you—my wife, Joanne, and I believe in searching for authentic local experiences. Usually they arrive after my job is done—this lets us enjoy a few days together unfettered by work. Travel takes on a new dimension with a toddler in tow, and my wife and I have learned tr av el andleisure asia .com / april 2019
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Clockwise from top left:
Cruising the Kawal mangroves; dried seafood stalls in Tanjung Pinang; bright Mesjid Raya Sultan Riau pops on Penyengat.
The Far Side
Bintan is known as a resort paradise, with many visitors never straying far from their hotels’ manicured grounds. But the island’s diversity makes for a pastoral family trip, says Jonathan Evans, who heads out to find the cultural treasures beyond the developed northern coast.
Bintan in 2012, the resort island—the largest of Indonesia’s Riau Archipelago— wasn’t much known for its cultural immersion. I recall being shepherded onto a coach and driven through its neat, airbrushed landscape to my tightly guarded hotel for a weekend of quiet seclusion. Bintan was colonized in the 1990s by developers who turned its northern white-sand beaches into Singapore-by-the-sea. But as Indonesia’s economy stagnated toward the end of that decade,
When I first visited
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construction stalled, and the island’s curio-laden south remained a reservoir of untapped potential. Now, it seems the entire island has had a much-needed facelift. Last year, more than 1 million visitors hit Bintan Resorts’ 13 properties, more than double the 2012 figure. And that number is set to grow with next year’s opening of an international airport. There’s a new focus on the island’s natural bounty, emphasizing the richness beyond the resorts—a land of discovery where inquisitive kids can learn about rural history and the traditional slow life just an hour from one of the world’s most modern cities. Making a return trip to the island, I decided to discover this wholesomeness for myself. I hired a driver to embark on a clockwise circuit that would take in the once-underexplored south, and found that charming local villages, stunning natural wonders and a rapidly diversifying capital are just some of Bintan’s other treasures hidden in plain sight. Just beyond
the barrier of the
Bintan Lagoon Resort (bintanlagoon.
com; from Rp1,501,000) estate, midway along the northern coast, I arrive at the sea-gypsy village of Panglong. Here, igloo-shaped brick kilns once used to burn mangroves for charcoal stand near the entrance;
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men smoke kretek (clove) cigarettes as they repair a riverboat; on the seafront, young families relax in small overwater homes. Though the arrival of electricity has transformed the gypsies’ lives, the village’s traditional atmosphere still casts its spell on me. The calming scenery continues further down the east coast. Waterfront highways thread through halcyon villages housing picture-perfect bungalows, while modest resorts, ramshackle boatyards and jetties line the shores known collectively as Trikora Beach. Just off Trikora Empat (Beach Four), I find myself alone in a copse that houses Grotto Santa Maria, where limestone sculptures depict bible scenes. The trail leads up to the bijou Chapel of St. Peter, a leftover from the Catholic migrants of the 1960s. My easygoing driver, Mohamed, tells me that a Beijing businessman is building a five-star hotel close by, suggesting that this tranquil coastline may get crowded soon. A 30-minute drive away, family haven The Residence (cenizaro.com; from Rp1,821,090) kickstarted southern Bintan’s renaissance a year ago. The spacious resort emphasizes oneness with nature—its villas are immersed in jungle; the spa looks out onto a green expanse. Prizing myself from the comfort of my bed, I cycle around the estate looking for photoops before checking into the stylish restaurant, Rica Rica (cenizaro.com; mains from Rp175,000), for Javanese ayam bakar (spiced grilled chicken) served with a smile. Near sundown, Mohamed drops me among a maze of boathouses in Kawal village to take a ride through its century-old mangrove. A wildeyed boatman named Rizal, who runs an eco-initiative here, Rumah Bintan Adventure & Tours (rumahbintan-travel.com), makes a witty host for the journey (“Watch out! Snake!” he teased). As we glide down the twilit Sebung River, beyond the hulking wrecks of fishing vessels, fireflies start to glow, turning the
rainforest into a thicket of Christmas trees, while solitary sea apple trees protrude from the water. new ventures are transforming the landscape. Even the gritty capital, Tanjung Pinang, best known for its street markets, now flaunts pristine malls like City Center, while Areca Water Park (fb.com/pt.bintanareca) is a colorful family adventure in lagoons surrounded by greenery. The city’s heart, though, remains rooted in the past. After lunch at Sam’s Anna Restaurant (Jln. Ir Sutami; 62-821/ 1927-1115; mains from Rp20,000) on the seafront—order the chicken—I walk down a nondescript lane onto a jetty where a 10-minute pompong (water taxi) ride takes me to the small island of Penyengat, whose history as a Malay seat of power is embodied in its heritage yellow architecture. According to local legend, islanders offered so many eggs to the local sultan to fund the construction of Penyengat’s Disneyesque centerpiece, the 18th-century Mesjid Raya Sultan Riau, that the whites were mixed with lime and used as cement. The journey is as much fun as the destination. At the pier, I am ushered by a becak driver into his houseshaped trailer with a crimson roof and ornately carved windows. As I trundle through the village, children wave from outside their homes. I pay the absurdly cheap Rp10,000 fare to head five minutes across the water to All across Bintan,
from top: Riau-style becaks
take you around Penyengat Island; tented living at The Canopi; Grotto Santa Maria’s biblical carvings.
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Panglong
The historic Doulos Phos will become a hotel.
Lagoi Bay
Bintan Tanjung Uban
Trikora Beach
Kawal Village Senggarang Penyengat Tanjung Pinang
from mega-resorts here is yielding unlikely hotel options. There are splashy contemporary apartments at Cassia Bintan (cassia.com; from Rp1,318,700) and glamping tents at The Canopi (thecanopi.com; from Rp1,611,720) in the family-oriented Treasure Bay resort (treasurebaybintan.com), where I spend an afternoon Segwaying around the giant Crystal Lagoon and ATV-riding along a path carved through a forest. At The Sanchaya (thesanchaya.com; from The move away
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Rp8,498,400), I kick back with a martini among colonial-luxe villas filled with stunning décor and artwork, all set behind a perfect white-sand beach. It’s also here, at Lagoi Bay, that I come across a brace of millennialfriendly openings at Plaza Lagoi. A hip rooftop bar, Yeah! Lounge (bintan-resorts.com; drinks from Rp50,000), makes a cozy sundowner spot as waves crash against the shore below. Lights illuminate sculptures of Indonesian wildlife in Lantern Park, where I stroll before stopping at Rumah Imaji (Jln. Gurindam Duabelas, Plaza Lagoi) to pose with artworks at this 3D “selfie gallery” that neatly references local culture—a topsy-turvy Malay House leads to a painted mangrove forest. Later this year, a “boat-el,” Doulos Phos, will welcome guests into the refurbished interior of the world’s longest-serving passenger ship, a 105-year-old vessel once inhabited by missionaries on voyages to the Asian colonies. With facilities both on land and on board, including a Maritime Museum, the new hotel will become something of a symbol of the island’s intent to synergize its gritty history with its glitzy future. Hopefully by now we’ve learned the lessons of those long-ago missionaries: rather that force change upon the cultural legacy, this island that once felt like two separate worlds seems to be letting its modern and traditional sides co-evolve symbiotically.
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where to stay The development of Bintan’s resorts into more than just beach retreats means there are plenty of places for diverse family fun. Here are just some of our top picks. Nirwana Gardens Activities from batik painting to quad biking keep guests of all ages busy around this elegant resort. Diners and drinkers should make a beeline for The Kelong for the seafood and to the Calypso Floating Bar for sundowners. nirwanagardens. com; from Rp2,354,850. The Residence The first luxury property outside the resorts enclave attracts watersports aficionados and families; Kakatu Kids’ Club runs treasure hunts, cooking classes and dance lessons. cenizaro. com; from Rp1,821,090.
Cassia Bintan A youthful zest pervades this newcomer spattered with vivacious murals; split-level miniapartments, tuktuk service and tiffin breakfasts add to the spontaneous fun. cassia.com; from Rp1,318,700. The Canopi Camp in a luxury teepee by a treated-saltwater oasis that’s the size of 50 Olympic pools. This envelope-pushing resort within Treasure Bay soon joins the Marriott Group’s Tribute Portfolio. thecanopi.com; tents from Rp1,611,720. Trikora Beach Club & Resort At this boho-chic estate with warm service, villas house families of four. Older children may enjoy the roaring surf; kids below three stay for free. trikorabeach club.com; from Rp1,685,030.
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the Chinese settlement of Senggarang, where families still live in stilt houses. I wander past centuries-old temples beside a yellow pier, and find a tiny shrine almost completely engulfed by the rampant branches of a banyan tree. A more desolate environment awaits in the northwest, outside the port city of Tanjung Uban, where roadsides of russet rock lend this part of Bintan an almost desert-like quality. Suddenly, I am dazzled by the sand dunes of Gurun Pasir Busung (Jln. Raya Busung), an undulating beige moonscape full of selfie-snapping locals, where rainwater has reacted with rock minerals to form brilliant turquoise pools (Telaga Biru). Just a few kilometers north—in stark contrast—is the entrance to the resorts zone, where tidy hedgerows flank the roads that connect the nearby attractions.
W o r t h F ly i n g F o r
Tenerife Modern The largest of Spain’s Canary Islands is an unexpected destination for architecture lovers.
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By Hannah Walhout
Shooting up from the
harborside in Santa Cruz, Tenerife’s palm-lined capital, is an angular building reminiscent of a medieval knight’s helmet. This concert hall, the Auditorio de Tenerife (auditoriod etenerife. com), is unmistakably by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava—and one of the reasons I traveled to this sunny Canary Island, which has become a surprising canvas for contemporary designers. I also found Calatrava’s provocative trademark white ribbing nearby at the Recinto Ferial (recintoferial detenerife.com), a convention center and event space. Tenerife is the home of Fernando Menis, the Canaries’ greatest living architect. His Plaza España, in the southwestern town of Adeje, is a public square with a jagged concrete tower as its focal point. At his unfinished but already arresting Holy Redeemer Church (32 Calle Volcán Estromboli), in San Cristóbal de la Laguna, I admired the abstract cross made by slits in the concrete façade. The glass-lined inner courtyard of Herzog & de Meuron’s triangular Tenerife Espacio de las Artes (teatenerife. es), in Santa Cruz, spun out my reflection like a hall of mirrors. The firm has also helped reimagine the city’s 90-year-old Plaza de España, adding an artificial lake surrounded by pavilions covered in succulents. It’s a whimsical complement to the avant-gardism found elsewhere on the island.
Santiago Calatrava’s Auditorio de Tenerife.
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The Al Seef Hotel, a cornerstone property in the redeveloped Al Seef neighborhood.
Timeless Dubai
Dubai is a pl ace of superlatives: the world’s tallest building, biggest shopping mall, largest tin of caviar. It’s easy to see why Dubai Creek, a waterway running through the oldest part of town, gets lost amid all the shinier attractions. The historic neighborhoods along the saltwater channel, especially on the southern side, are so linked to the roots of Dubai that the city has frequently considered submitting them for inclusion on the unesco World Heritage list. Yet until recently, this mostly residential area has been overlooked by tourists. They’re missing one of the most spectacular spots in the United Arab
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Emirates. Only at the creek will you find traditional wooden abras sailing between the districts of Deira and Bur Dubai, something they’ve been doing since the 19th century, when the first pearl divers and spice traders heading for India and Iran docked their dhows here. For one dirham, you can hop aboard. Your captain won’t tell you about the story of the creek—how it declined as a business center with the advent of cultured pearls and the discovery of oil, or how it has been dredged and expanded countless times over the years—but that doesn’t matter. The sheer joy of the ride lies more in the panoramic views of Dubai’s history:
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textile and spice souks, an 18th-century fort (the oldest structure in the city) and a warren of coral-and-adobe desert dwellings. Now the creek is getting a second wind, thanks largely to the Al Seef neighborhood project: a 1.6kilometer-long development starting at the edge of the Al Fahidi historic district and unfurling southeast along the waterfront. It’s a mix of retail and cultural spaces, from a purpose-built souk at one end to an ultramodern cluster of shipping containers at the other. As part of the revitalization project, the Jumeirah Group (the United Arab Emirate’s luxury hotel
Courtesy of Jumeir ah Group
In a city hurtling toward the future, one brand is looking to the past. Danae Mercer checks in to the latest Jumeirah property in Al Seef, a new development in one of the city’s oldest districts.
F r o m T o p : A l e x e y S t i o p/A l a m y S t o c k Ph o t o ; C o u r t e s y o f J u m e i r a h G r o u p
chain) brought three buzzy hotels to this neighborhood last year. In September, the traditionally designed Al Seef Hotel (jumeirah.com; doubles from US$125) joined the more contemporary Zabeel House Al Seef and its hostel-like cousin, Zabeel House Mini—both just a 15-minute creekside walk away. At Al Seef, everything suggests a warm nostalgia. Staff offer cardamom-flavored Arabic coffee and Emirati dates in a lobby decorated in “midcentury Dubai” style, complete with vintage TVs and brass bells at the front desk. The 190 rooms and suites are split among 10 buildings modeled after classic Arabian homes, or bayts. Mod cons like Smeg mini-fridges are hidden behind wooden panels to play up the vintage details, like gaslight-style lanterns and photographs from Dubai’s maritime past. The hotel’s Emirati restaurant, Saba’a (prix fixe from US$37), serves classic regional dishes like sticky-sweet luqaimat fritters; salona, a stew of spiced chicken, vegetables and dried lime; and the moist, rose-scented bread pudding called umm Ali. “I love that it really takes you back in time,” says Dina M. Bin Masoud, director of operations at the Jumeirah Group. “You feel anchored. It quiets the bustle.”
Surrounding Al Seef Hotel is the new souk, which has been designed to look like those of Dubai in the 1950s. The crowds arrive at night to enjoy the breeze off the water, perusing the tchotchke-filled market stalls and snapping waterfront selfies beside traditional fishing boats. It’s not Jumeirah’s first foray into building a souk; like the market at Madinat Jumeirah, one of the brand’s other Dubai properties, there’s something almost movie-set perfect about this nod to the past. With Al Seef, Jumeirah is trying to appeal to a new type of traveler to Dubai—one who is younger, more budget-conscious, interested in history and authenticity, and who seeks to connect with the city in different ways. In one of the most foundational parts of Dubai, the hotel provides a view past the glitz and glamour to the city’s origins, as well as where it could be going next. Bin Masoud reflects on this sentiment: “Dubai has become the fastest-growing city in all aspects. But at the same time, it’s going back to remembering its roots and its history, its culture.” For a place so long known only in terms of its modern extremes, perhaps reflecting on the past—distant and not-sodistant—is the most daring innovation of all.
At Al Seef Hotel by Jumeirah
Plying the waters along Dubai Creek.
+ More Hotels
Here are four more luxe Dubai newcomers to check into on your next trip. Zabeel House al seef
Jumeirah’s communityfocused offshoot marks a shift from its ultra-luxe portfolio. Zabeel House Mini provides “pocket” rooms next door. zabeelhouse.com; doubles from US$104, or US$85 at Mini. Mandarin Oriental Jumeira This 256-key
resort on Dubai’s Arabian Gulf coastline incorporates traditional Emirati healing into its 2,000-square-meter spa. mandarinoriental.com; doubles from US$750.
Form Hotel In the Al Jadaf
cultural district, you’ll find the Emirates’ first member of the Design Hotels group, which offers curated culture and architecture tours. form-hotel. com; doubles from US$133.
ONE&ONLY ONE ZA’ABEEL
The Dubai-based company’s first truly urban property will open in 2020 within twin skyscrapers connected by the world’s largest cantilever. oneandonlyresorts.com.
D i s c o v e ry
The Original Rustic Chic
In New York’s Adirondack Mountains, a wave of hotels and resorts is recapturing the arcadian glamour of the region’s 19th-century heyday. By Peter Terzian. Photogr aphs by Tar a Donne
One of five self-service bars at the Point, a resort on the shores of Upper Saranac Lake in northern New York.
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Adelphi Hotel, Saratoga Springs
in the years after the American civil war, Manhattanites of means began fleeing summer in the city for northern New York state, made newly accessible by the railroad boom. Some headed for the lakes and forests of the Adirondacks, where elite families like the Rockefellers, Merriweather Posts, and Vanderbilts built their own private lakeside “Great Camps.” By the turn of the century, more than 180 hotels had opened across the mountain range, many with amenities familiar to resort-goers today: golf courses, barbershops, children’s playrooms. Other affluent travelers decamped to Saratoga Springs, just south of the Adirondacks. Lavish hotels lined Broadway, the posh spa town’s main street, including the Grand Union Hotel, which was for a time the largest in the world. But in time the region fell out of fashion with the monied class. Most of the area’s hotels, built of wood and remotely sited, went up in flames. New highways brought inexpensive motor lodges. Growing up in nearby Albany, I knew little of this history. (I remember a strip-mall Woolworth where the Grand Union Hotel stood.) But last summer my husband, Caleb, and I discovered that a handful of the old luxury hotels survive or have recently been reborn, allowing travelers to once again experience Saratoga and the Adirondacks in fin de siècle style. Here’s how we toured them.
from left:
Toasting s’mores at the Sagamore resort, on Lake George; the Adelphi Hotel, in Saratoga Springs.
Built in 1877, this 32-room hotel was the boutique alternative to its gargantuan neighbors. It reopened in 2017 after a renovation that evokes Gilded Age elegance with a palette of gold and royal blue, massive marble bathrooms, and lots of tufted upholstery. Yet the place still feels crisp and modern, thanks to such high-tech amenities as bedside controls that allow you to open the drapes without getting up. On the evening Caleb and I visited, we chose a sidewalk table at Morrissey’s, the hotel’s cocktail lounge, and watched the passeggiata of preppy families and chattering teenagers against the backdrop of Broadway’s carefully preserved Victorian architecture. We ordered a pickled stone-fruit salad that we’re still talking about and a plate of flatbreads and hummus topped with greens and feta. Just inside the restaurant, two young men sang Neil Young songs from the late 1960s, when the town was a stop on the folk-music circuit—another layer of its rich history. theadelphihotel.com; doubles from US$209.
The Sagamore, Bolton Landing An hour’s drive north, this grand property on a private island off the western shore of Lake George sits like a queen among the vintage motels. Its original 1883 structure burned to the ground, as did its replacement. The current iteration, which dates from 1923, encompasses not only the mammoth main building but also seven multi-unit lodges. The interiors aren’t slick or trendy—our room, in one of the lodges, was decorated with twig furniture and large photographs of animals. But the atmosphere is cheerful and comfortable, the clientele diverse. Wandering the island’s 28 hectares, we came across staffers helping kids make s’mores, a family playing football and a band of young escapees from a wedding reception capering on the lawn above the lake. thesagamore.com; doubles from US$159.
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D i s c o v e ry
Hotel Saranac, Saranac Lake The town of Saranac Lake, two hours farther north, is a dot of civilization amid wilderness. The six-story Hotel Saranac, a landmark since 1927, recently underwent a four-year refurbishment that brought out its Jazz Age roots, with handsome dark woods and plush navy and orange fabrics in the guest rooms. The main entrance is in a covered passage that recalls the hidden shopping arcades of early19th-century Paris. But the Great Hall, the second-floor lobby and lounge, is the showstopper. It’s modeled after a room in a medieval Florence palazzo, right down to the hand-painted ceiling. hotelsaranac.com; doubles from US$131.
The Point, Saranac Lake One of the most famous of the Great Camps was built in the early 1930s, at the end of a secluded forest road on Upper Saranac Lake, for William Avery Rockefeller II, a descendant of John D. Fifty years later the 11-room complex of four lodges was turned into a resort. Pierre and Laurie Lapeyre, a New York City couple who have vacationed at the Point for more than two decades, purchased the property in 2016 and supervised a substantial renovation. The Point’s team of managers, servers, chefs and boathouse attendants have a genie-like ability to provide things you didn’t even know you wanted. Ask to row to a scenic picnic spot, as we did, and they’ll stock your backpack with a gourmet lunch in smart bento boxes, along with stainless-steel knives and forks, cloth napkins, a map, sunscreen, bug spray and a marine radio. When you return, pleasantly exhausted, they’ll appear with a plate of freshly baked cookies.
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from left:
Coconut muesli with hazelnuts and berries at the Point; kayaks and canoes for guest use at the resort.
Our room is in a cottage, done in what you might call Adirondack Gothic: pine paneling, a thousand throw pillows in as many patterns and a stone fireplace topped by a towering mantel clock. The other accommodations ranged from Mr. Rockefeller’s cozy former study to the boathouse’s massive upper story. Most guests dress up each night for a superb four-course dinner at the communal table in the taxidermy-rich main hall. Formal wear is requested on Saturday and Wednesday evenings, because that’s what the Rockefellers wore to dinner. But you can also eat in the kitchen, or on the dock by candlelight. Dogs are welcome, and Toby, our 10-year-old shepherd mix, frolicked with Romeo, the resident Lagotto Romagnolo. We fell into a cycle of reading, napping and hiking with Toby. On our last afternoon, as we sat on the patio of the main lodge before lunch, I realized I’d lost track of the time, the day, even where I was in the universe. Not because of Rockefeller traditions or rustic antiques, but because of something more ancient: sun and sky and pure air, the blue lake, the white and purple wildflowers sweeping down to the shore, the hum of insects—the very things people began coming to the Adirondacks for in the first place. thepointsaranac.com; doubles from US$1,750, all-inclusive.
ne x t act
The atrium of the Fontenay hotel on the banks of Hamburg’s man-made lake.
Hats Off to Hamburg The colorful German port where the Fab Four hit their stride endures, alongside idyllic green spaces and groundbreaking contemporary architecture—as epitomized by a sleek new hotel. By Joshua Levine. Photogr aphs by Christian Kerber
Before I went there for the first time, I had painted a picture in my mind of what Hamburg must look like based on what I knew it to be: a busy port off the cold North Sea. I knew that the Beatles had learned their trade in its rowdy riverside clubs, so throw in a few drunken sailors. Add a low gray sky and the container cranes of the St. Pauli dockyards and, voilà, the Hamburg of my imagination—gritty, commercial, and somewhat dreary. It was only after gazing out through the floor-to-ceiling windows of my room in the Fontenay (thefontenay.de; doubles from €357) that I could see what the Japanese mean when they call Hamburg “the green city in the woods.” Directly below me was the Aussenalster, the artificial lake where the Alster River bulges out as it flows toward the Elbe River, Hamburg’s economic lifeblood. Runners were making their way along the lakeside path under 130-year-old plane trees, past grand villas and boathouses. Sculls and sailboats sliced back and forth. It felt like a country idyll, but in the heart of a mercantile hub of almost 2 million. This lesser-known Hamburg is veined with canals and flush with the riches of global commerce. You can see where the merchant money went in the superb white villas—much of Hamburg’s architecture is white, and, by municipal decree, so is the Fontenay—but the spirit is reserved and discreet, like Hamburgers themselves. Nothing here feels overbearing, including the Fontenay. Everything in the hotel is curvy, from the concentric rings of its structure to the elliptical sofas and rugs in its circular atrium. The colors are summery—pale green, beige, sky blue— and the hotel’s 13,000 square meters of glass coax in any available light. But underneath it all there’s a reassuring solidity. The wooden room doors weigh a ton. The Fontenay is a late-life passion for billionaire Klaus-Michael Kühne. Now 81, Kühne commissioned local architecture firm Störmer, Murphy & Partners, the winner of a competition, to draw up plans for the building in 2013. One of Kühne and his team’s priorities was to make his guests feel like they could shut the world out when they wanted to—hence the heavy doors. From my suite, I could make out the Binnenalster—the Aussenalster’s little brother. It’s barely 15 minutes on foot from the Fontenay to the main train station, on the Binnenalster’s far shore. Just beyond is the late-19th-century >>
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Hamburg’s signature red brick exteriors.
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city hall that marks the beginning of downtown. It is one of the few remnants of Hamburg’s prewar commercial grandeur. In 1943, the British launched Operation Gomorrah—eight days of bombing that took out 80 percent of the city’s port and much of central Hamburg. Of the architectural masterpieces that were spared, the most fantastical is Chilehaus (chile haus.de), so named because the shipping magnate Henry Sloman, who financed the office building, imported saltpeter from Chile. The intricate brickwork contained within its sharp-edged triangle, which is reminiscent of New York’s Flatiron Building, helped the architect Fritz Höger earn the nickname “Der Klinker-Sticker”—the brick knitter. Today its ground floor holds an assortment of shops and cafés. It’s a short walk from Chilehaus to Tortue Hamburg (tortue.de; doubles from €190), a new boutique hotel that occupies an imposing government building that escaped the bombs. There’s a charming interior courtyard and two pleasant restaurants, one a brasserie and the other serving Asian fusion cuisine. Somehow, Hamburg’s old warehouse district on the riverbanks managed to make it through the war unscathed, too. It became a unesco World Heritage site in 2015. The warehouses are great brown buildings, with
A jetty on the Aussenalster
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green copper canopies like little bonnets hung high on the walls to shelter the winches used for hauling cargo up from the canals. For the most part, the warehouses are no longer used as such, but some still house Oriental rug depots, where €1.5 billion worth of Europe’s carpets come through each year. At the nearby Kaffeemuseum Rösterei Burg (kaffeemuseumburg.de), I learned that Hamburg has also served as the point of entry for much of the continent’s coffee over the centuries. (At the museum, don’t miss out on some satisfying coffee tasting.) Another warehouse has been commandeered by what a guide told me has become Germany’s most popular tourist attraction. I have rarely seen anything more German than Miniatur Wunderland Hamburg (miniatur-wunderland.com), which presents miniature electric-train tableaux of the world’s cities and landscapes—a Norwegian fjord, the Swiss Alps, Hamburg itself—in truly insane detail. Traffic controllers at a bank of screens could be running a modest airport. When I visited, it was crammed with German families staring transfixed as tiny trains tootled around a pint-size Matterhorn—an amazing if bizarre example of Germany’s passion for precision.
The undulating roofline of Hamburg’s new concert hall.
The neighborhood is still crummy, but I took a selfie in the doorway where John Lennon slouched for a photo used on his Rock ’n’ Roll album Beyond the warehouses, what has risen in the past 15 years from blighted waterfront has been a triumph for Hamburg’s urban planners. This is the new HafenCity (hafencity.com), a huge tract of modern apartments, shops and restaurants. The development screams luxury with buildings by Richard Meier, but the city has reserved one-third of HafenCity’s housing for moderate- and low-income tenants.
At HafenCity’s tip sits the splendid new emblem of modern Hamburg: Herzog & de Meuron’s Elbphilharmonie (elbphilharmonie.de), a concert space, hotel and apartment complex that dominates the harbor like a glass ocean liner in a Wagnerian fantasy. Tickets for concerts in its two halls have been selling out consistently, no matter who’s playing, since it opened in 2017. Hamburg has no tradition of good cooking, its signature dish being fried local fish on a bun. (No, it’s not the hamburger, which is believed to have been invented in New Haven, Connecticut.) That said, there’s no shortage of places to get a terrific meal. At Bianc (bianc.de; mains €86–€160), a sleek new eatery in HafenCity with Italian chef Matteo Ferrantino at the helm, I had a killer dish of sea bass, artichoke, peas and summer truffle, and another of intensely corn-flavored chicken, scallop and polenta. Excellent as Bianc was, however, I preferred a small place called Jellyfish (jellyfish-restaurant.de; tasting menus from €115) in the working-class Sternschanze neighborhood, just north of St. Pauli. The octopus with turnips and salsa verde was as good as octopus gets. Walking around this bright, modern city, I realized that the Beatles belong to a bygone Hamburg. But sheesh, they’re the Beatles and I am a baby boomer (my favorite: John). Anyone who has ever sung along to “I Want to Hold Your Hand” must not leave Hamburg before heading down to Beatles-Platz in St. Pauli. This is where I met Stefanie Hempel for Hempel’s Beatles-Tour (hempels-musictour.de), right in front of a cheesy metal statue of the Fab Four. Hempel is an ebullient young musician who didn’t grow up with the quartet but knows them better than their mothers did. She showed me the Beatles’ Hamburg, from the Indra Club, where they played their first concert in 1960, to the Top Ten Club, now the Moondoo, where they played for 92 nights straight. The neighborhood is still crummy, but I didn’t care. I took a selfie in the doorway where a pompadoured John Lennon slouched for the photo later used on his Rock ’n’ Roll album cover (which was shot before a local girl named Astrid Kirchherr persuaded the band to get mop-top haircuts). I have taken few tours that moved me as much, and as a bonus, Hempel brought along her ukulele for an unexpectedly rocking rendition of a Beatles song at each stop along the way. This may not be today’s Hamburg, but it will always be my Hamburg.
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THE GUIDE april 2019
F AMILY
Choose Your Own Adventure
No matter how your family travels, this year’s guide offers fun for everyone. By Lindy Ale x ander
PIGGING OUT
FINISH
GIVING BACK
REST
BEING
ACTIVE
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nature *Prices throughout are listed in U.S. dollars for ease of comparison.
s o u r c e I l l u st r at i o n : m a c r o v e c t o r / F r e e p i k
CULTURE TRIP
Families can feed the fish at Neds Beach, on Lord Howe Island.
For Nature Lovers
Taking time to teach your kids to connect with the earth and all its beauty is one of the joys of traveling as a family. Hours will slip by blissfully in these mountain, jungle and island retreats.
Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia Set among 161 hectares of lush jungle and forested mountains and fronted with picturesque coastline, the Shangri-La’s
d e st i n at i o n N S W
Rasa Ria Resort & Spa
allows guests to experience Sabah’s rich natural wonders right from their doorstep. Children can become a ranger for the day and learn about the rainforest’s indigenous species, such as the long-tailed macaques, bear cats and pangolins. Night walks (complete with night-vision goggles) will also be a hit. shangrila.com; Deluxe Family room from $230.
Khao Sok, Thailand The towels folded intricately in their namesake shapes in the lavish tents at Elephant Hills are just a hint of things to come. At this ethical camp in Southern Thailand, adventurous families can opt for a four-day nature safari in the region’s mountainous Khao Sok National Park and see the elephants in their natural environment. Trek the jungle alongside the pachyderms, canoe among the mangroves and explore the karstfilled Cheow Larn Lake in a longtail boat. elephanthills.com; four-day safari from $825 per adult, $412 per child.
Lord Howe Island, Australia This pristine, World Heritage–listed, crescentshaped island is only a two-hour f light from Sydney, but, as home to the world’s southern-most coral reef, it feels like another planet. Check into the recently renovated Capella Lodge and follow the resident naturalist through the island’s subtropical rainforest, or head to the crystal-clear waters for a snorkeling trip to spot some of the 500 colorful fish species in the island’s abundant preserved reefs. lordhowe. com; Makambo Loft suite from $896 per person per night, all inclusive.
Expert Advice Dyan Mckie, Family Product Manager, Intrepid Travel Get Active Children can get “templed-out” quickly. Seek more hands-on experiences or physical activities like biking or kayaking to keep kids occupied. Rain ready Traveling after the rainy season ensures the landscape is lush and green—perfect for framable snaps. Keep it breezy If your child hasn’t experienced high humidity, I recommend traveling with a small portable fan to keep them cool.
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For Wilder Escapes Being active together is a wonderful way to bond. Whether it’s carving down a mountain on skis, riding rollercoasters or pedaling through ancient villages, these trips bring the thrills.
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Yangshuo, China Explore the stunning landscapes of southern China on Backyard Travel’s Yangshuo Family Tour, which offers a sweeping adventure that explores this beautiful region in Guangxi, from Guilin to Yangshuo. Climb the “Dragon’s Backbone” by scaling a staircase of
hand-cut rice terraces, cycle along the Yulong River surrounded by citrus groves, and go rock climbing in Yangshuo. backyardtravel.com; seven-day tour from $1,275 per person.
Hong Kong There’s a sense of discovery at the new
c l o c k w i s e f r o m l e f t: c o u r t e s y o f b a c k ya r d t r av e l ; c o u r t e s y o f h o sh i n o r e s o r ts r i s o n a r e t o m a m u ; c o u r t e s y o f O c e a n Pa r k M a r r i o tt H o t e l
Cycle through the landscape of Guilin and Yangshuo.
Winter fun at Hoshino Resorts Risonare Tomamu, in Hokkaido.
Expert Advice Carlah Walton, Head of Product & Marketing, Wendy Wu Tours Don’t Drive Walking or cycling around a new city, village or region is a great way to interact with locals, to find hidden treasures and shopping spots, and to people watch. Make Friends Accepting invitations into people’s homes is a great way to connect. It’s amazing how much can be said even when you speak different languages.
The kids corner at Hong Kong Ocean Park Marriott Hotel.
Hong Kong Ocean Park Marriott Hotel , with its
16-meter-high lobby aquarium, family-themed rooms, sprawling central lagoon pool and organized scavenger hunts. Next door is Ocean Park, where kids can take a seat on adrenaline-pumping rides, see the city from up high on the cable car, and
get up close to animals and marine life from around the world. marriott.com; Whiskers Submarine room from $260; oceanpark.com.hk; adult tickets from $61, child tickets from $30.
Hokkaido, Japan Step into your very own fairytale: deep, soft, white
snow blankets high mountain peaks and twinkling white pine forests at the five-star, ski in/ski out Hoshino Resorts Risonare Tomamu. As well as generous suites, saunas and jet-baths, Tomamu offers easy access to some of the best skiing in Japan. The GAO Snow Academy teaches both adults’ and
Get Covered Kids hurt themselves easily and if you’re doing adventurous stuff on your trip you increase your chances of needing medical assistance. Make sure you have comprehensive travel insurance for the entire family.
kids’ skiing lessons (private lessons are also available for families), and has a nursery that allows little ones to play in the snow. Adventure Mountain provides a snow escalator for kids too small for the ski lifts. hoshinoresorts.com; Mamarakuda suite from $412.
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The new Explorer Dream pool deck is ideal for families.
The kids room at Iniala Beach House.
For an Easy Escape
Cruise The new Explorer Dream from Dream Cruises will launch in Shanghai this spring and Tianjin in summer for a range of Japanese itineraries, before beginning weeklong cruises in Australia and New Zealand for the winter season. It’s perfect for multigenerational trips: the on-board Little Dreamers Club has a kids-only area with games, workshops, costume parties and a DJ booth; teenagers can step into another world at the ESC Experience Lab with virtual and augmented reality experiences; while
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adults can unwind at the Broadway-style Zodiac Theater, or the on-board spa. dreamcruiseline.com; three-night Japan cruise departing Shanghai from $406 per person.
Phuket, Thailand Many kids dream about living in a tree house, and at Iniala Beach House, dreams do come true. Luxury suites, 24-hour service, wellness and water sports will meet the adults’ standards, while kids’ bedrooms are made to look like jungle canopies and caves. Costume shops and a theater will also keep young ones entertained
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while parents put their feet up. iniala.com; $2,902 per night, all-inclusive.
Singapore As one of Singapore’s first nature-inspired resorts, D’Resort both enthralls and entertains. The enormous complex features an integrated water park, a six-hall cineplex, a 32-lane bowling alley and an immense indoor playground. The proximity to Pasir Ris, the longest stretch of beach in Singapore, makes it the ideal city chill-out location for seaside lovers, too. dresort.com.sg; Rainforest Family room from $185.
Expert Advice Angel Llull Mancas, Managing Director Asia Pacific, Booking.com in the Club For parents with very young children, look for accommodation options with a kids’ club or varied activities. Stay Young Choose a destination that makes you feel like a kid again. Letting your inner child run free can be the break you need. Team Effort If you are traveling with extended family, get everyone involved in planning to ensure all members get a say.
f r o m l e f t: c o u r t e s y o f d r e a m c r u i s e s ; c o u r t e s y o f i n i a l a B e a c h H o u s e
Going on vacation shouldn’t be a complex project. These spots were made with families in mind, so while kids are busy having fun, parents can truly switch off.
For a Culture Trip Meeting the locals, learning traditional crafts and tasting authentic food can make a one-of-a-kind way to learn about a region.
f r o m t o p : c o u r t e s y o f st r a n d C r u i s e ; L e i g h G r i f f i ths ; c o u r t e s y o f a b e r c r o mb i e & k e n t
China Explore a lesser-known side of China with Abercrombie & Kent ’s 12-day Family China and the Yangtze tour. This trip is made for kids: toboggan down quiet parts of the Great Wall; in Xian, learn to make traditional dumplings, see the Terracotta Warriors then craft your own clay soldier at a local pottery factory; head to Chengdu to see the giant pandas; cruise down the Yangtze, and visit an underwater museum; and finish with a kung-fu lesson in Shanghai. abercrombie kent.com.au; 12-day tour from $7,800 per adult, $7,270 per child.
Burma Join a two-, three- or four-night Strand Cruise that travels between Bagan and Mandalay. It’s suitable for kids aged four and up, with off-board experiences including a tour of the imperial capital of Ava by horse and cart, and exploring exquisite pagodas and historic temples. There’s no cabin fever on board: a pool with sun deck, spa and fitness room make cruise time a breeze. thestrandcruise.com; The Strand suite from $1,063 per night.
Macau
The St. Regis Macao
knows how to look after families. In addition to babysitting services, child-sized robes and slippers, outdoor pool toys and Macanese cooking classes, there is the Macau Photo Tour, which gives families a Polaroid camera and photo album to capture special moments as they tour the area’s heritage sites, like the ruins of St. Pauls, the ornate A-Ma Temple, and the iconic Lord Stow’s Bakery in Coloane Village. marriott.com; Deluxe king room from $293.
The Strand Cruise immerses guests in traditional customs.
Macau’s historic St. Paul’s ruins.
Expert Advice Lilani Goonesena, food and travel blogger, eatdrinklaos.com
Explore the Great Wall with Abercrombie & Kent.
Respect traditions Giving alms to monks and going to temple on religious days can make inroads to understanding the local community. Dress up The Lao people love kids and delight in “falang” (foreign) children wearing traditional dress as it means they are getting into the spirit of things and embracing their culture. Join the party Don’t be afraid to walk the street during Pi Mai (new year in April, celebrated with water splashing). Or float a homemade coconut husk boat down the Mekong during the boat-racing festival, Boun Suang Heua, in October.
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River views at Rosewood Luang Prabang.
For Mindful Memories Travel gives us the opportunity to give back to the communities we visit. Responsible tourism not only helps the planet, but also teaches kids valuable lessons along the way.
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Siem Reap, Cambodia A stay in this historic Khmer town offers much more than just temples. Make the whimsically designed Shinta Mani Shack your base, and let the hotel’s staff craft an itinerary for you: choose from farm tours, market visits, a night at the Phare circus, a bike tour, and more. A percentage of the room rate goes to the
non-profit Shinta Mani Foundation, which supports local communities through education, training and small-business loans. Families are encouraged to visit the villages where the foundation works to see how the resort collection embraces responsible tourism. shintamani.com; Poolside king room from $150.
f r o m l e f t: c o u r t e s y o f sh i n ta m a n i sh a c k ; courtesy of rosewood luang pr abang; c o u r t e s y o f b a l i s p i r i t f e st i va l
Dining at Shinta Mani Shack’s Khmer restaurant, Kroya.
Getting tricky at the BaliSpirit Festival.
Expert Advice Jeffrey Smith, Vice President of Sustainability, Six Senses Resorts Get their hands dirty Our Grow With Six Senses program helps kids reconnect with the natural world. At Six Senses Samui, young guests can help out at Farm On The Hill, feeding our resident goats or collecting eggs. do your research Look for hotels or tour companies that display information about commitments to the environment, sustainability or local communities on their websites. No Wet Wipes Disposable wipes are actually made of plastic and wreak havoc on septic systems. In most cases they end up in the ocean with negative impacts on wildlife.
Luang Prabang, Laos Nestled beside its own private waterfall,
Rosewood Luang Prabang’s design-led
suites and hilltop tents ref lect the area’s history, from its hill-tribe heritage and colonial legacy to its Buddhist traditions. Riverside rooms can be joined together for bigger families. Venturing out of the resort, Rosewood’s
curated experiences take you on more-authenticthan-usual alms-giving excursions, chanting sessions with novice monks, forgotten temple treks along the Mekong River, swimming in the azure Kuang Si waterfalls and playing with MandaLao’s happy and healthy rescued elephants. rosewoodhotels.com; Riverside room from $665.
Bali, Indonesia Offering everything from pirate yoga and improvisation dance to martial arts that focus on the mind, body and spirit, the BaliSpirit Festival in Ubud has a huge line-up of arts, crafts, dance, music and storytelling workshops designed for families and children. In keeping with the festival’s ethos of celebrating
health, harmony and the environment, funds are donated to local community projects including HIV and AIDS education at schools, and bamboo reforestation programs in the island’s driest areas. balispirit festival.com; kid explorer pass from $70, teenager pass from $250, adult abundance pass $850, all for seven-day access.
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For Foodie Families One of the most fun ways to get to know a country, region or town is through its food. Traveling works up an appetite, and tasting local cuisine is the perfect way to fill bellies and hearts.
Expert Advice Raffles Laight, the 10-year-old star of boyeatsworld. com.au Make a deal The best tip I can give to parents is ditch kids’ menus and encourage their children to eat what locals eat. Make a pact for your kids to eat at least one thing they’ve never tried before each day—they may end up loving it. Be Patient Always join the popular queues at street markets, because locals know best.
Vietnam On this two-week journey with Black Tomato Tours, explore Vietnam from north to south, with plenty of culinary finds along the way. Stops include Hanoi, Halong Bay, Hoi An, Saigon and Con Dao (or Phu Quoc if you prefer). Visit bustling local markets and sample regional specialties such as the capital’s pho cuon rolls. In the ancient town of Hoi An, f loat along the coconut-palmed waterways in a traditional bamboo basket boat.
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blacktomato.com; twoweek tours from $5,230 per person, all-inclusive except for international f lights.
Kathmandu, Nepal Learn to master the art of the momo (the Nepalistyle dumpling) in an intimate cooking class with Backstreet Academy. This community-focused, peer-to-peer travel platform connects guests with local hosts, in this case, part-time electrician Purna, who invites you into his home to teach the delicate craft of momo
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dough pleating. The best part? Feasting on your creations after you’ve made them in a familystyle meal. backstreetacademy.com; from $18 per person.
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Learn all about Malaysian cuisine on a half-day journey with Food Tour Malaysia’s Off the Rail Food Tour. This train tour pauses at different roadside stands and villages along the rail line where you can try teh
Eat unexpected Though I found the fried tarantulas in Cambodia kind of bland, I can't resist a killer seafood laksa or khao soi curry.
tarik, nasi lemak, blue rice, char kway teow and kuih cakes. Stop off at a local market in a Malay Reserve village, and wander the streets and family-run shophouses in an Indian Muslim neighborhood before a traditional nasi kandar. foodtourmalaysia. com; four-hour tour $62 for an adult, $31 for a child.
c o u r t e s y o f B l a c k T o m at o t o u r s
Preparing pho on a Black Tomato tour in Vietnam.
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UPGRADE april 2019
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IN our nature
The Wonders of Astrotourism
n atth a p h o n g j a n p u m /A l a m y S t o c k Ph o t o
If the total eclipse of 2017 left you longing for more celestial phenomena, read on for our guide on viewing the next natural light shows. plus: a new windswept hotel in sync with the skies, and an update on the race to get travelers into suborbital space.
Besides waterfalls and sequoias, Yosemite National Park in California is known for its vast expanses of sky.
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Seeing Stars By jennifer salerno
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Total Solar Eclipse
Northern Lights
Meteor Showers
Total solar eclipses occur about every 18 months on average, but the sun only appears fully covered if you’re within the path of totality (during this year’s event in South America, it will be about 150 kilometers wide), so it’s worth traveling to see the full spectacle.
Aurorae occur when solar events energize Earth’s magnetic field, sending charged electrons toward the poles; these collide with the upper atmosphere, producing light. Head north during the colder seasons, when nights are longer, for the best viewing.
When meteors—typically pieces of comets or asteroid debris—enter the atmosphere, they produce a streak of light. High-activity events, such as the Perseids and Geminids, yield about 50 to 100 shooting stars per hour during peak times.
Head to La Serena, Chile, where totality will last about two minutes and 15 seconds this summer, or to Chungungo, where totality should last two minutes and 36 seconds. Stay on the coast, so the mountains don’t block your view.
Fairbanks, Alaska, and towns in Canada’s far north (such as Dawson City, Yukon) balance visibility and relative warmth, according to Rodney Viereck, head of space-weather research for the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration.
For a prime viewing experience, you need a location with clear skies, minimal light pollution, and a broad expanse of sky. The International Dark-Sky Association (darksky.org) maintains an excellent database of designated Dark Sky Places.
Arrive in late June, a few days before the eclipse, so you have time to get your bearings. Should you miss this year’s (July 2), you can catch the next one (December 14, 2020), which will also take place in Chile and Argentina.
You can travel anytime between September and March, but the best move is to schedule your trip for the week of the vernal or autumnal equinox, when more activity is common because the sun is lined up with the equator.
The highest-capacity showers in 2019 are the Perseids—active between July 13 and August 26, peaking on August 12 or 13. The second high-activity shower, the Geminids, will appear between December 4 and 16, with a peak on December 13 and 14.
Jordan Harvey (jordan@knowmad adventures.com; 1-612/315-2894), a South America specialist on T+L’s A-List, advises joining an organized tour. Try one of Intrepid Travel’s two departures (intrepidtravel.com; six days from US$3,545).
Marianne Abraham, a T+L A-List advisor, can coordinate a specialized trip to lodges in or near Alaska’s Denali National Park, where there is little light pollution (marianne. abraham@butterfield.com; 1-416/ 864-1354; six nights from US$7,500).
Venture into the Moroccan desert for the Geminids with On the Go (onthego tours.com; nine days from US$1,495 per person) or head to Yosemite National Park on peak Perseid nights at Tenaya Lodge (tenayalodge.com; doubles from US$1,000). >>
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D e s i g n P i c s I n c /A l a m y S t o c k Ph o t o
H o w
w h e n
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The northern lights can be spotted over Sukakpak Mountain, in Alaska’s Brooks Range.
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Goodnight Moon A new hotel at a spiritual nexus for stargazers, sign-readers and solitude-seekers is putting a far-flung Korean isle on the map. By Daven Wu
Ulleungdo is an undulating masterpiece as ethereal as the sky it was built to salute.
As isl ands go, the first impression
of Ulleungdo tends to be a little underwhelming. Rising out of South Korea’s East Sea, this squat, dark mound of cedar- and juniper-cloaked volcanic rock seems an unlikely dream destination, especially as getting here is, to put it mildly, a major schlep. And yet, for generations, successive waves of curious travelers—lured first by word of mouth and latterly by gorgeous Instagram posts—have braved the rough seas from the mainland, inexorably drawn to the island’s mix of unearthly raw beauty, unique outdoorsy pursuits and incredible cuisine and, most vitally, spiritual energy. For reasons now lost in time, Ulleungdo is believed to be an energy gateway, a natural conjunction between the primal forces of the Earth and the sky in which the waters are suffused with healing properties, the forests balance emotional trauma, and even the
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moonlight calms and soothes away stress and anxiety. It’s almost kismet then that last year, the Healing Stay Kosmos debuted at Chusan-ri, a rugged spot at the edge of Mount Song-got and Seonginbong Peak where the island’s energy flow is believed to be at its strongest. Designed by The System Lab, the new 12-bedroom resort (four of which must be rented together as the single Villa Kosmos) is a remarkable fusion of pioneering engineering, local materials, and elegantly futuristic architecture. “Koreans believe that places with rich chi energy heals the energy of people and helps their wishes come true,” says the project’s lead architect Chanjoong Kim, and to his credit, the resort’s design is a subtle nod to that belief while managing to never descend into obvious tropes. The all-white façade is an arresting swirl of loops and curls, the silhouette meant to symbolize the flow of yin and yang energies. The
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A glimpse of Mount Song-got in the dining room.
on the horizon
Space Race
k i m y o n g k wa n ( 3 )
Light and life flow into the hotel from every direction.
unusually ethereal quality of the architecture is the result of ultrahigh performance concrete that doesn’t require reinforcing steel, which meant that the ultra-thin 12-centimeter walls were poured and formed on-site. The design, Kim notes, had to complement the environment, and flow with the monumental presence of Mount Song-got. “That’s why I wanted the architecture to be as light as possible, like a scarf lightly floating at the edge of the cliff,” he says. “The building may be an artificial existence, but it’s one that does not conflict with the surrounding nature.” Facing the sunrise, the sea or trees, each villa is designed according to astrological and meteorological charts, and the diktats of yin and yang geomancy— specifically the five elements—and guests are assigned to rooms according to their birthdates. As expected, the extracurricular activities on offer cleave closely to the island’s natural bounty, most of it pristine and undeveloped, largely as a result of its physical isolation over the centuries. Lined with rocky cliffs and caves, the emerald-hued waters around Seongin Peak are a natural draw for kayakers and scuba divers. Beaten paths fringed with wild Pampas grass wend through forests of fragrant pines, past lighthouses and bijoux fishing villages, and the shimmering 25-meter-high Bongnaepokpo waterfall. The indolent may, of course, prefer to stay within the grounds of the Kosmos, where executive chef Sunjin Hwang parlays stints at El Bulli and Noma into a robust menu
based around the sweet local fish and mountain vegetables available in the area, and where recent gastronomic triumphs have included steamed Dokdo Island shrimp served with a parsley and oyster emulsion, and a beef short-rib cooked sous-vide for 40 hours and paired with a heady truffle potato purée. And on a clear night, when the black-velvet sky is ablaze with stars unmarred by light pollution, sit yourself in the resort’s Ring Chair in a grassy plain, and soak in the moonlight pouring down like a benediction from Mount Song-got. Like the resort itself, the experience is utterly in harmony with nature.
The Details
Visit thekosmos.co.kr, and villakosmos.com for Villa Kosmos bookings; or call 82-2/ 2038-9595. Rates start from W350,000 per night. The four-bedroom Villa Kosmos is rented out entirely (for a minimum of four and maximum of eight guests) with rates starting at W2,500,000 per person, per night, a price that covers airport and ferry transfers— including a limousine service from Seoul Incheon International airport— butler service, tour guide, and all meals cooked by a private chef.
Getting There
The resort will provide detailed instructions, but generally, take the Airport Railroad Express (letskorail.com) from Incheon International Airport to Seoul or Cheongnyangni train stations, which takes about 1½ hours (arex.or.kr). Then take a train to either Pohang (2½ hours from Seoul station) or Gangneung Port (two hours from Cheongnyangni station). Hop onto a threehour ferry ride to Ulleungdo (daezer.com). On arrival at the island, it’s a 20-minute taxi-ride to the resort.
Are you and your bank account ready to follow these rocket-men up, up and away into the atmosphere? The race to cross the final frontier is heating up. Leading the charge is Sir Richard Branson, the billionaire determined to be in space in the next few months on board his own Virgin Galactic spaceship, in time to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. Branson’s coup, if he pulls it off, is just the tip of a more ambitious, commercial vision of putting fare-paying private passengers into suborbital space—a joy-ride that, for now, anyway, given the limitations of the available technology, will last just a few minutes, since the spaceship does not pull free of the Earth’s gravitational pull. The caliber of Branson’s competitors vying to be the first to monetize space travel is impressive. Among them: Elon Musk’s SpaceX, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin, and several private Chinese companies funded by China’s giant state space agency. The prize is a space and astral tourism industry that, according to a 2017 study by Bank of America Merrill Lynch, will be worth US$3 trillion in 30 years. For now, the airfare for a seat on Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo is suitably skyhigh, with a single passenger ticket (return, of course) hovering at around the US$250,000 mark, though Branson hopes prices will drop to around US$45,000 within the next decade. You can’t help but wonder what the frequent flyer program will look like. — D.W.
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of experiences from the top of the country to the south. It depends on what you want to do. You could dive the Great Barrier Reef in May, which skips cyclone season. In October and November, before it gets too hot or humid, you can go to the desert.” — Cassandr a Bookholder, Camelback Odyssey Tr avel
Greece When It Happens: “For the
Group Chat
Shoulder Season Three T+L A-List advisors explain how to maximize the not-quite-peak months in their specialty regions. Thailand When It Happens: “There
are two: the first is roughly the end of March through mid-May. The second is post–rainy season, September and October.” The Perks: “The second shoulder season is my
favorite time in Thailand. After months of rain, everything is lush and water levels are high, so the scenery is very picturesque. Monsoon season isn’t nonstop flooding; rather, it’s one or two intense but brief
lexicon
hacker fare (noun)
A flight booking that consists of two one-way fares, rather than a single round-trip ticket.
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storms most days. And in Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai, travelers can enjoy cultural touring with fewer tourists and lower prices.” — Holly Monahan, Ile x Tr avel
AUSTRALIA When It Happens: “May,
October and November are good months between peak and off-season.” The Perks: “Australia is an ideal choice for spring and fall because its varied climate makes for a range
It’s a common misconception that making a round-trip reservation will result in the most affordable price. In fact, booking two one-way tickets, sometimes on different airlines, can occasionally yield a lower total cost. So, can booking two legs of a journey with a stopover on different airlines (Just be careful of layover times in case you need to rebook your bags). Discounts
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Agnos, Tr avellive
are usually based on the destination’s off-season. Both Kayak and Google Flights display these paired fares automatically unless the user opts out. (Kayak tags them as “hacker fares,” but Google calls them “separate tickets.”) Just bear in mind: two separate flights means two distinct reservation codes, even if you depart and return on the same airline. — Talia Avakian
Marco Arguello
On Andros, in Greece, spring and autumn are prime seasons for walking the island’s many trails.
Greek islands, it’s April and October. Their offseason—November through March—is shoulder season for the rest of the country.” The Perks: “In the off- and shoulder seasons, island ferries operate on a minimal schedule and many coastal resort towns empty out. It’s a deal breaker for some, but we have amazing classical sites (ancient Olympia, Delphi, ancient Mycenae) that are open all year, plus culture and art cities like Thessaloníki and Athens. Harvest season, which starts mid-November, is a great time to visit the wineries. We also have plenty of ski resorts, most near the Macedonian and Albanian borders.” — Mina
On Our radar
Take Your Routine on the Road
We all love our daily rituals—but no one loves transferring beloved products into 100-milliliter containers or allotting crucial suitcase space to cumbersome gear. Here, solutions that make your chosen regimen as portable as your toothpaste.
C l o c k w i s e f r o m t o p L e f t: L i z C l ay t o n / C o u r t e s y o f J o e C o f f e e C o m pa n y ( 2 ) ; C o u r t e s y o f M o n a st e r y; C o u r t e s y o f M o o n J u i c e ; C o u r t e s y o f B o d y b y S i m o n e ; C o u r t e s y o f A c t i v B o d y; C o u r t e s y o f D r u n k E l e p h a n t; C o u r t e s y o f Pa r l o r C o f f e e ; C o u r t e s y o f E i g ht O u n c e C o f f e e
By Sar ah Bruning For
For
For
Coffee Fanatics
Skin-Care Devotees
Exercise Buffs
First came Folgers and Nescafé, then Starbucks Via. Now popular third-wave specialists have entered the instant-coffee game with portable options that deliver flavor that’s as rich as a freshly brewed cup. Among them: Joe Coffee Co. (joecoffee company.com; US$18–$20 for six packets 1 ), which recently released the Daily, a chocolatey South American blend, and the nutty La Familia Guarnizo from Colombia; and Parlor Coffee, which creates a seasonally sourced jar that yields an impressive 15 servings (parlorcoffee.com; US$30 2 ). True diehards who want to grind their own beans away from home can tote the Porlex JP-30, a stainless-steel hand grinder (amazon.com; US$62 3 ) and an equally portable version of their preferred brewing method—be it an Aeropress (target.com; US$30) or a sturdy 12-ounce pour-over tool from OXO’s Good Grips (bedbathandbeyond.com; US$16).
Cult-favorite labels are tailoring their product lines to suit travelers’ needs. Monastery released its holistic cleansing oils as a trio of 15 milliliter droppers (monasterymade.com; US$48 1 ), while Moon Juice has expanded from supplements into beauty with four blends containing many of the same ingredients in its signature powders, each designed to help the body adapt to stress. Silver-ear mushroom extract, for instance, appears in the company’s Beauty Shroom serum (moonjuice.com; US$58 2 ) to hydrate skin. Clean-beauty specialists Drunk Elephant introduced a collection called the Littles (sephora.com; US$90 3 ), which miniaturizes the TLC Framboos Glycolic Night Serum and seven other beloved items. Beautycounter debuted its men’s line with a four-product Dopp kit (beautycounter.com; US$45) of cleanser, shaving cream, aftershave and face lotion.
Many boutique studios have created apps so fans can take a virtual class, led by a human instructor, wherever they happen to be. Body by Simone (Android, iOS; free; premium access US$20 1 ) combines streaming cardio-dance workouts from celebrity trainer Simone De La Rue with advice from nutritionist Kelly LeVeque, while Alo Moves (Android, iOS; US$20 per month) satisfies yogis with options ranging from physically demanding Ashtanga to meditative Yin. Classpass (classpass.com; from US$45 per month), which started as a booking platform for urban studios, also added streaming videos from partners like Barre3. Those who prefer an individualized approach can try Activ5 (activ5.com; from US$120 2 ), a palm-size device that pairs with a phone app to assess users’ fitness levels before guiding them through short sessions based around low-impact, isometric movements.
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Taraji P. Henson
The star of the new film What Men Want and the hit TV show Empire shares the luxe yet casual travel staples that keep her comfortable and stylish at 30,000 feet. By Sar ah Bruning
foldaways. They collapse all the way down, and the lenses fold in on each other. They don’t need a big, cumbersome case that takes up a lot of room. Since I don’t like to check luggage, space is everything.” Gucci acetate-andmetal foldable sunglasses with crystal trim, US$1,230; bergdorf goodman.com. 3
A Compact Carry-On bag
“Right now, I’m using this Gucci combination of a backpack and overnight duffel—the one with all the rockets and patches on it. It’s convenient and cute, and it goes with everything. The backpack is very easy-access— everything has a place. My iPad goes in the compartment, and my wallet goes in the little front pocket. It’s the perfect amount of luggage for a two-day trip. I travel light.” Gucci GG Supreme appliquéd backpack, US$2,590; barneys.com. Gucci Courrier soft GG Supreme duffel bag, US$4,690; gucci.com. 4
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A Jumpsuit
“I love a good onesie, but it has to be easy to get in and out of when you go to the bathroom, especially on the plane. The top of this zips and the bottom part laces; it’s two pieces connected in the back but open on the front.” Unravel Project hooded
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cotton-jersey jumpsuit, US$1,320; net-a-porter.com. 2
Sunglasses
“I have a drawer full of shades, and which ones I bring just depends on what I have on. Lately, I’ve been leaning on these kind of seventies-style Gucci
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A Cozy Cape
“My new go-to piece is this navy Derek Lam cape that I bought specifically for traveling. It’s sort of like a blanket, but it isn’t too bulky, and it serves as a coat. There’s a zipper in the front, so it’s easy to take on and off, and it has pockets. I need to be able to move freely and comfortably. Usually when you get a cape or poncho, it’s either a turtleneck or a V-neck, which means you have to carry a scarf as well.” Derek Lam leathertrim wool cape, US$1,990; saksfifthavenue.com. 6
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Sneakers
“I’m not one of those girls who has to wear heels when she travels! I need shoes I can walk quickly in—I move through the airport fast. Right now, I’m wearing Fendi sneakers with pearls on the side. I wear those or Balenciaga sneakers. Sometimes when you travel your feet swell, so these give them room to grow a little.” Fendi open-knit sneakers, US$1,290; farfetch.com. 5
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Nonslip Socks
“I wear fluffy socks with the grips at the bottom. I have pairs in all different colors!” Tavi Noir Savvy Grip socks, US$12; tavinoir.com.
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C l o c k w i s e f r o m T o p R i g ht: C o u r t e s y o f NE T- A - POR T ER ; C o u r t e s y o f G u c c i ( 2 ) ; C o u r t e s y o f F e n d i ; C o u r t e s y o f NE T- A - POR T ER ; C o u r t e s y o f Tav i N o i r ; J e ss M i g l i o / C o u r t e s y o f Ta r a j i P. H e n s o n
The carry-on
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OUTDOOR
This month’s deals offer fun city stays the whole family can enjoy, plus a romantic getaway to Dubai, beach breaks in Vietnam, Indonesia and Thailand, and more.
Sheraton Grand Danang Resort Take advantage of the white sands and clear waters that front Sheraton Grand Danang Resort to reach your exercise goals. The ocean-view hotel has a new fitness challenge for their guests, with incentives for those who complete the trials. Finish four laps in the 250-meter infinity pool to receive a complimentary cocktail; run or walk 10 kilometers at the Sheraton Fitness Center or on a beach or sightseeing trail to earn a 50 percent discount off a Shine Spa treatment; kayak two kilometers in the ocean to be rewarded with a banh mi and Vietnamese coffee at the hotel’s Tea Lounge. Complete all three challenges to earn a free afternoon high tea for two. Guests can register for the challenge at the Sheraton Fitness desk, where they will receive a special passport to mark each completed goal. The Deal Sheraton Fitness Challenge: a night in a Deluxe room, from VND6,200,000, through December 31. sheratongranddanang.com. INDONESIA
Sheraton Grand Danang Resort offers a fitness challenge.
SUPERSAVER Well Hotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 20, Thailand
In the heart of the city, the health-centric Well Hotel makes a convenient base for exploring. For their third anniversary, this special package includes two nights in any room or suite; a one-hour massage or a cocktail for two at the Twist Bar & Bistro; free buffet breakfast for two; and free minibar. The Deal Third Anniversary Promotion: two nights in a Superior room, from Bt6,333, through October 31. wellhotelbangkok.com.
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The Sanchaya Fit in some golf practice with an idyllic island backdrop with this special offer from luxury Bintan resort The Sanchaya. The package includes one night in your choice of a Junior suite, Thai villa, Sanchaya suite or two-bedroom villa; one round of golf for two people; a private wine and cheese tasting with the Estate sommelier for two people; daily a la carte breakfast; express clearance upon arrival and prior to departure at The Sanchaya Lounge in Bintan Resorts Ferry Terminal; and complimentary shared transfers between the ferry terminal and the resort. The Deal The Sanchaya Open: a night in a Junior suite, from S$1,050. thesanchaya.com.
f r o m t o p : c o u r t e s y o f sh e r at o n g r a n d d a n a n g r e s o r t; c o u r t e s y o f w e l l h o t e l b a n g k o k s u kh u mv i t 2 0
VIETNAM
FAMILY MACAU
The St. Regis Macao Adding more family fun to their growing list of kid-friendly offerings, The St. Regis Macao has partnered with Papinee, a storytelling company that empowers adults to take children on educational and inspiring adventures. In honor of the collaboration, the Cotai resort is offering a package that incorporates Papinee’s exclusive St. Regis character, Jak the deer. Guests will get a one-night stay in a Deluxe room for up to two adults and two children; free breakfast at The Manor; a Jak storytelling kit, which includes an activity book and, for kids aged two to 11, an 18-centimeter Jak plush toy; a personalized Jak card and name badge; choice of backpack or coin pouch, or, for kids aged 12 to 17, a 33-centimeter Jak plush toy; 20 percent off a Family Traditions experience; and an exclusive turndown ritual including Jak cookies and milk. The Deal Stay & Play with Jak: a night in a Deluxe room, from HK$1,888, through December 31. marriott.com.
starred Summer Pavilion restaurant—and includes three customized tokens: the iconic Ritz-Carlton lion and crown emblem, a suitcase, and a Formula One racing car. The Deal Game Night package: a night in a Grand Marina room, from US$650, through December 27. ritzcarlton.com.
ROMANCE U.A.E.
Armani Hotel Dubai If you’re in need of a showstopping stay, this luxe hotel in the towering Burj Khalifa is offering a decadent place to celebrate a special occasion. The Romantic Stay Package includes daily buffet breakfast, an exclusive in-room welcome amenity and a three-course set dinner for two. The super sleek five-star is designed with the personal touch of Giorgio Armani; muted grays, chrome accents and curved structural elements add elegant appeal. If you’re looking to spoil, flower, chocolate and Armani retail stores are housed within the property, or visit the connected Dubai Mall, one of the largest in the world. The Deal Romantic Stay Package: a night in an Armani deluxe room, from
Dhs2,453, through December 25. armanihoteldubai.com. THAILAND
Four Seasons Koh Samui Cast yourself away to this Thai island paradise—the Four Seasons Koh Samui is offering an intimate escape meant for two. Stay at least three nights in one of their sea-facing villas and you’ll get daily breakfast at Koh Restaurant; a private candlelit dinner for two including alcohol; a movie screening with popcorn and soft drinks at the hotel’s “Just the Two of Us” private cinema; Bt6,000 spa credit; and airport transfers. The Deal Island Romance: a night in a one-bedroom pool villa, from Bt44,000, three-night minimum; through December 22. fourseasons.com. COMO Point Yamu Book a weeklong escape to a peaceful pocket of Phuket in your own private villa. This offer includes seven nights in an Andaman Pool villa, a Point Yamu villa or COMO Pool villa; a half-day champagne cruise around Phang Nga Bay; fresh pastries, fruits and juice in the morning; daily breakfast at La
Sirena; airport transfers; a bottle of champagne on arrival; seasonal local fruits; complimentary private bar with soft drinks and local beer; and personal butler service. The Deal The Phang Nga Experience: seven nights in an Andaman Pool villa, from Bt324,800; Point Yamu villa, from Bt367,500; COMO Pool villa, from Bt437,500; through October 31. comohotels.com.
CITY CHINA
Mandarin Oriental, Wangfujing Beijing With spacious rooms that overlook the Forbidden City, the new 73-room Mandarin Oriental Wangfujing offers a boutique-style stay with the brand’s refined, five-star service. Their opening offer includes RMB888 daily credit with every booking, which can be used on treats like cocktailswith a view at MO Bar, meals at the hotel’s dining outlets, a massage treatment at The Spa, or comfortable airport transfers. The Deal Opening Offer: a night in a Deluxe room, from RMB3,088, through June 18. mandarinoriental.com.
c o u r t e s y o f r i t z c a r lt o n
SINGAPORE
The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore To celebrate the debut of The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore’s bespoke edition of the Monopoly board game, the five-star Marina Bay resort has introduced a special Game Night package for families to enjoy during their stay. The deal includes accommodation in either a Grand Marina room or a Deluxe suite; daily buffet breakfast at Colony; one bespoke Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore Monopoly game board per stay; and one Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore Monopoly-themed welcome amenity per stay. The exclusive game board features Singaporean destinations—like the National Gallery, Gardens by the Bay and the Michelin-
Fun and games at The RitzCarton, Millenia Singapore.
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LET’S CONNECT W W W.TR AVEL ANDLEISUREASIA.COM
TR AVELLEISUREASIA
@TR AVLEISUREASIA
@TR AVELANDLEISUREASIA
April 2019
u p o n s t i lt s a n d t o p p e d b y c a n va s , new eco-resorts across the region a r e m a k i n g h o t e l s fu n a g a i n . n o n e e d f o r wa l l s w h e n y o u c h e ck i n t o t h e s e
tented camps p. 68
f o u r h o u r s f r o m s e at t l e a r e s o m e o f t h e b e s t w i n e s i n t h e pa c i f i c northwest and an outsize number of killer chefs. welcome to
walla walla p. 80
s t o dg y ? n o way. t h e r e ’ s a n e w g e n e r at i o n o f i n d e p e n d e n t b o u t i q u e s i n t h e u . k . t h at h a s u s p l a n n i n g a cross- country tour of
british hotels p. 88
one of the original mega-cities, the b u s y m e x i c a n c a p i ta l n e e d n ’ t b e t o ug h t o n av i g at e . ju s t s t i ck t o these 10 ’hoods in
mexico city
st e p h a n k o ta s
p. 96
In the Photographer’s Tent, at Capella Ubud, in Bali, page 68.
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Glamping is so last season. A handful of new tented camps across the region is setting a new standard for conservationism, while spiritedly and whimsically redefining the luxury-resort experience.
f ro m top : c h ristop he r ku cway; a a r on j oe l sa n tos
Under The Big Top
f ro m top : ste ph a n kotas; c o u rtesy o f T he Pav i li on s Hi ma l ayas L a k e V ie w
Capella Ubud, in Bali. clockwise from below: The Pavilions Himalayas Lake View, Nepal; Shinta Mani Wild, Cambodia; and Yala National Park in Sri Lanka.
Tented camps are having a moment. In an era when existing hotels are all scrambling to rebrand themselves as green, new canvas-covered properties are busting out of the gate kind and preservationist to the communities and wildlife around them. “Tented structures touch Mother Earth at only six points, so you don’t change the patterns of drainage or migration. You make a really small footprint,” Bill Bensley told us. The beyond-prolific hotel designer is the de facto leader of this trend, creating the iconic Four Seasons Tented Camp Golden Triangle a dozen years ago and three of the new spots on the following pages. Though their goal is to bring you back to nature, all of these camps are far from back-to-basics. Cuisine is big-city
in its refinement, but full of local flavors foraged from their backyards. Activities plunge you in Tomb Raider–style... but send as your sidekick a cold towel–bearing action-hero butler. Hand-carved doors, private pools, scenic bathtubs. They’re like a mash-up of African safari camps, South American trekking retreats and European Alpine lodges. “I like having only this much material between you and the lions,” Bensley said, holding two fingers together. “In the Amazon, the birds were so loud we could barely hear across a king bed.” At his new camp in Cambodia, listen for the gibbon hoots—the endangered primates, among many other fauna, have found protection on lands of eco-retreats. Man and beast alike are getting a better night’s sleep. t r av el a ndl ei s ur e a s i a .c om / a p r il 2 019
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Shinta Mani Wild Come fly away to a luxe, cunningly conservationist jungle book in the heart of Cambodia.
I
By Jeninne Lee-St. John photogr aphed By aaron joel santos
t was about a year and a half ago when Bill
Bensley told me about his fantastical plans for Shinta Mani Wild, his first entirely home-grown resort. “You’re going to take a zipline from the highest point on the property, over the waterfall and back, to the welcome platform, where you’ll be handed a gin and tonic,” he laughed, “because by then you need it.” Obviously, I then proceeded to gush to everyone about the double ziplines—even though I didn’t fully believe it. Hoteliers tell you a lot of things pre-opening, and many of them don’t pan out. This was the nuttiest thing any hotelier had ever told me, so the sheer chutzpah of the idea was exciting enough to pique the imagination about what the real Shinta Mani Wild might include, whether or not sailing in above the southern Cambodian rainforest was a realistic way to hand over your passport. So, when one of the first things my butler, Boren, says after he picks me up from the Phnom Penh airport in his camouflage vest is that he used to be a professional
Much of the fare at Shinta Mani Wild includes produce and herbs foraged on site. clockwise from below: The resort pool, in a break in the trees; Boren, one of the camp butlers; the room rate is inclusive of all spa treatments.
ziplining guide, I scan my brain for the other crazy promises Bensley had made me. Guests can go out on antipoaching patrols: “You can pick up snares,” he said. (Sure, sounds safe.) The room rate includes all alcohol: “That’s how I like to travel. No nickel-and-diming.” (Oh, Bill, you might regret that when I get there.) But first things first. The fly-in entrance is real and I’m super excited. Maybe a little too excited—3½ hours later I find myself dangling in mid-air over a brook, waiting to be rescued from the middle of the second-longest zipline in Southeast Asia. We had changed cars at the property line, from a new SUV to an old U.S. Army Jeep that’s part of the fleet the hotel acquired from the production of Angelina Jolie’s Khmer Rouge biopic, First They Killed My Father. We had bumped up a rutted dirt road to the tall zipline-takeoff tower. At the top, Boren stuck his finger up and declared there was no wind. “Make yourself small,” he told me, “if you don’t want to get stuck.” But, I wanted to let it hang all loose, kick my legs, and take 360-degree video above the trees. I wanted to milk the zipline for all it was worth. I did not make myself small. So here I am, having coasted to within two meters of the landing zone and then rolled ever so slowly back from whence I came, stuck. No matter. It’s a clear, sunny day. Maybe I should be scared, dangling 30 meters in the air, but what can I do? I lean back, I listen to the birds, I take in the view down the valley, I wave at a local guy passing below. Boren has sent one end of a rope with a ranger to Spiderman-shimmy down the cable to fetch me. I’m live-streaming it on Instagram and you can hear me crack up when he gets a
couple of arm lengths’ away and the rope runs out. Back he goes to the platform. Back he comes with a longer rope. He hooks us to each other, and Boren reels us in. “You should live your life big,” Boren says to me. “But sometimes you have to make yourself small.” Everyone is laughing. I’m loving the nonchalance of the whole situation. Zipline No. 2 is a seven-second breeze. And then someone indeed hands me a drink (Bloody Mary, pre-radioed in by Boren) as soon as I drop in. I’m not sure of our exact GPS positioning, but I do know that we are light years removed from your typical five-star. by realism, Bensley acquired the rights to this land by subterfuge: posing as an aw-shucks, cowboy boots–wearing capitalist, he won a 99-year concession and logging rights to 350 hectares in the Southern Cardamom Mountains, left it untouched for 15 years, and has now opened the most ambitious, luxury eco-resort in the region. Its all-inclusive rate covers multicourse meals prepared at the chef’s discretion or your request, all-you-can-spa treatments, all activities, and the salaries, room and board for the team of park rangers who live on-site. “This is an extension of all the good work we are doing with the Shinta Mani Foundation,” Bensley said of the Siem Reap–based organization he’s affiliated with that runs a hospitality school, issues micro-loans, covers tuitions, funds healthcare and promotes sustainable farming to help lift rural Cambodians out of poverty. At Wild, there are only 15 guest tents dotting a 1½kilometer stretch of river, meaning you’ll often have the staff’s undivided attention. Because it’s a baby boutique brand, and probably also because it’s middle-of-nowhere Cambodia, normal hotel rules do not apply. Zipline as much as you want: your butler will grab any of his pals who are available—they’re all trained for flying—to do the 320-meter run with you. Most nice hotels are wary of calling you a motorbike taxi, but this one has as an official activity climbing on pillion behind the rangers to go out on patrol. Did I mention Boren brought me cliff jumping? “My dad took me camping all over America,” Bensley said. “This place is fulfilling my childhood dreams and reliving my memories.” Which perhaps explains why the
not a man known to be constrained
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custom boat on which I am lucky enough to take the maiden voyage (two more are under construction), is so damn cute. It looks like a little boy hand-built a toy model then put it under an expando-ray. Boren pours champagne on the upper deck as we sail the Srey Ambel Estuary, through a serene side of Cambodia I’ve never seen. The banks are pristine. The only people we encounter are uniformed school kids and dudes on motorbikes crossing on wooden barges with poles. There are beaches of white sand that my feet melt into like cookie dough. The sense of freedom is liberating. And the little boy’s sense of adventure is contagious. When I’m visiting in late January, the area has just eased into dry season, a state of affairs that ordinarily might preclude kayaking, but Boren is stoked for it. “It’s so fun,” he enthuses. “I love dragging the kayaks out when you get stuck.” Out, I soon find out he means, of tangled masses of roots that have broken the waterline, over muddy embankments that sporadically ground us, and under awkwardly positioned branches that require me to do an in-boat limbo. With Boren hopping in and out of the kayak so much, I have a front-row seat to my own personal Ironman Challenge. Det, the resident naturalist, is a shier soul whose true passion is for forest bathing. Bensley had told me that he had found 11 kinds of edible mushrooms on the property. During my visit, I learn that Det also discovered a species of vanilla there that was previously unseen in Cambodia. He is a keen orchid hunter. A nature stroll with him is utter serenity, largely because of his own sweet nature. An excursion with the rangers can be a little more harrowing. Poaching, logging and squatting remain big problems and big business, even though the surrounding region was made a national park shortly after Bensley got his land. A live civet can fetch US$100 on its way, often, to an inhumane kopi luwak farm. Mainland Chinese, in the Cambodian land-grab, offer locals US$500 a hectare for illegal clearings, so they can claim squatters’ rights
The deck of one of the 15 guest tents.
clockwise from left: Rangers funded
by the camp are always on the hunt for poachers and loggers; the zipline entrance; antique aesthetic.
and build developments. The Wildlife Alliance-Shinta Mani Wild rangers are fighting an uphill battle with every trapped wild boar they free or logger they arrest. After a multi-day sting in January, for example, they impounded an excavator and marched the workers to court, only to have the case thrown out and the evidence returned. Still, when you see the rudimentary snares, often hand-made of split branches and twine, dotting forest paths, it’s hard to lose faith in the good fight. While the camp’s concept is extraordinary—“I’m never going to make any money off of this,” Bensley tells me. “This is purely feel-good”—the aesthetic is actually quite understated for his standards. Tents contain old hardbacks, steamer trunks and Princess-and-the-Pea beds that you sink into like a fluffy hug. On the porch is the living area with your big minibar; custom murals and couches provide color, and several old brass fans keep things cool—as does the river that I’m told rushes under my tent during rainy season. Canvas flaps can be lowered around this area, but then you’d be walling yourself off from the already Insta-famous, corner-perched faux-ivory tub and the hammocks next to it that hang over the gully. It’s tempting to laze here in my bathrobe, but Boren and Det are waiting to take me ziplining one final time. It’s my last morning in this summer camp for grownups, and I should live my life big, right? It goes without saying that I get stuck again. No matter. I’m not quite ready to pick up my passport yet. shintamani.com; doubles from US$1,900, inclusive of board, alcohol, spa, activities, and airport transfers to and from Phnom Penh (three hours) and Sihanoukville (two hours).
residence includes a car and private driver. the-beige.com; from US$355. — J.C.
four other tented triumphs Wa Ale Island Resort, burma
Lanbi Island next door is home to Burma’s only national marine park—convenient whether you’re staying in one of the 11 luxury tented villas on onekilometer Turtle Beach, named for the sea turtles whose nests the resort carefully protects, or one of the two whimsical treetop villas made of recycled timber. A rustic yet elegant open-air pavilion contains the main dining area. Chef Ray Wyatt, a veteran of African safari camps, creates mouthwatering and dynamic menus using resort garden produce, sustainably caught seafood from the archipelago, and graded fresh meats from Thailand. The hotel naturalist doubles as a guide for cross-island treks and kayaking. waaleresort.com; from US$400 per night, per person sharing. — JOE CUMMINGS The Beige, cambodia
Last year, nearly 2.5 million people visited Angkor Wat, most of them ferried back and forth by bus from hotel clusters in nearby Siem Reap. You can escape the clogged roadway by staying at The Beige, situated on 10 hectares of tranquil farmland north of Angkor Thom and Angkor Wat. Boasting “no traces of vinyl or plastic,” the resort offers eight tented villas made with wood and durable organic sailcloth, which are up to 112 square meters inside and fitted out with colonial-style furniture. Air-con equipment is carefully concealed; private terraces and indoor-outdoor baths ensure plenty of close contact with nature. Cool off in the infinity pool, mounted on the roof of the library and reception building and surrounded by jungle views; in cooler months, take a lounge chair by the outdoor firepit. Local chefs prepare innovative dishes inspired by Khmer regional cuisine using all-organic ingredients, many grown on the resort’s own farm. Each
Rosewood Luang Prabang Hilltop Tents, laos
While the 100 or so stairs that lead to Rosewood Luang Prabang’s hilltop tents sound like a schlep, you’ll hardly notice. Built on a former rice terrace, the brick path to your sky-high canvas palace is lined with trickling streams, bamboo groves, gardens and banana palms—a verdant playground for butterflies, dragonflies and bees. The six 75-square-meter tents are each named and designed after regional hill tribes. Example: as the Lisu are known for their colorful tunics, their tent has the traditional garments on wall hangings and on a mannequin, and a tasseled headpiece crowns the kingsized bed—which looks out onto a balcony giving way to views of fog-shrouded mountains, distant Luang Prabang, and the rest of the Bill Bensley– designed, French hill station– inspired property. Tents also form the Sense Spa, which is perched right above Rosewood’s section of the Nauea River. Glass squares in the floor provide a calming peephole to the flowing water below. rosewoodhotels.com; tents from US$932. — Eloise Basuki The Pavilions Himalayas lake view, nepal
Tented camps have been a safari-standard in India for generations; now neighboring Nepal has its first luxury ecocamp. Ensconced in rice fields and accessible only by paddleboat, the eight tented villas have fully retractable wraparound glass doors, which means you can count on Himalayan views for days. The wellness cred here is as high as the altitude: the pool is filled by a natural spring, the spa therapists are Ayurvedic, and the resort’s organic farm supplies your produce. Best of all, The Pavilions dedicates half of its profits to improving the lives of children and young people in neighboring Pokhara. pavilionshotels.com; doubles from US$332. — J.L.S.J.
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Wild Coast Tented Lodge At the far end of Sri Lanka, it’s a question of who is watching who in Yala National Park. story and photogr aphs by Christopher Kucway
A welcoming handmade copper tub. from top: One of the smaller pod-like tents; an indifferent painted stork.
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across the roof of my tent, something that sounds like bowling balls bouncing along a tin shed. I’m wanting for nothing: I’ve got a four-poster bed with mosquito netting, copper bath, teak floor, full complimentary bar, all enshrouded in a heavy, taut canvas so it’s easy to forget that I am still in the wilds of Yala National Park in the far southeast of Sri Lanka. But out on my deck, I see what’s happening: way too easily, a grey langur dive bombs off my roof, almost in slow motion, over my head and into a tree. A second one follows. Then a few babies. I’m in the center ring of a midafternoon circus, which is kind of odd given that our four hours of touring the park earlier that morning yielded little more than listless water buffalo, some curious deer and a blue jay or two. I’m on the edge of the park but still part of it. I had arrived at dawn, after a lengthy middle-of-the night drive from Colombo. The closer we got, the longer the journey took, with the last two kilometers along a washboard of a dirt road dotted with elephant crossing signs. We pulled in as the pitch-black night gave way to a vivid orange strip of sky over the Indian Ocean. Daylight unveiled a tented camp—truth be told, the 28 luxe tents here look like oversized onions or alien landing pods, next to the ocean rolling ashore more loudly than the birdsong. Checking in, I was presented with a litany of what is where, when it’s there and how things work: Ring the front desk when I wanted to head to dinner. Someone would accompany me on the short walk—since there are no man-made boundaries, wild pigs, monkeys, and possibly the occasional leopard are roaming around. For their dinner, I presume. The warnings extend to the beach where I’m not to venture out of sight along a shore with crashing waves and families of wild elephants. While the park has been set aside by man as a preserve, Mother Nature is clearly in charge here. Only 90 minutes after the 2004 earthquake off Sumatra, a tsunami struck here, waves reaching more than six meters tall. Some 250 people perished in the immediate area. here’s something skittering
There’s a chill in the air at sunrise, a welcome dip in the temperature since, for most of the day, the sun sears everything it oversees. This parched landscape lives and dies with the monsoon, one constant being the strong winds that rake the shoreline, permanently bending trees to its liking as if some unseen and oversized bonsai master had his hand in it all. Nature may rule, but the creature comforts at Wild Coast Tented Lodge—where 40 percent of the power is solar and gray water is recycled to irrigate the landscape—cushion the blow in a quirky manner known only to those who have visited the subcontinent. “Everything is fine in your room, sir?” “Ah no, the coffee maker doesn’t always work.” “So then, everything is fine in your room sir?” “Well, the coffee… Uh, yes, okay.” That conversation having come to an abrupt, natural end, my Cocoon Suite is sumptuous. The king bed is welcome. Special soaps are there to ensure I don’t damage the handmade copper tub. (Note to guests: if you lounge on the outdoor deck, keep your door closed.) (Second note to guests: don’t leave anything shiny on the deck. Sunglasses and coffee mugs disappear quickly.) Not erring on the side of caution, I make my way to dinner unaccompanied—save the seven wild pigs that blur through the bush with definite purpose in a different direction. The camp’s bar and restaurant nudge against the coast, a perfect spot to watch the same sun that greeted me on arrival sink to the other side of the world. By morning, I completely forget what day of the week it is. Down a single track in a jeep, thick with bramble on both sides, there’s only forward or reverse here. Keep your arms in the jeep. Shield your eyes. Thistle-heavy branches whip into the truck when you least expect it. It feels like
A four-poster bed awaits. Right: An elephant ambles through the park.
we’re driving along an oversized cheese grater. Tip to the left, lurch forward, roll to the right, bounce upwards. Our driver grumbles in Sinhalese. No further, he protests, his truck can’t take it. Onwards, just a little more, insists the guide, who flashes hand signals to slow or stop. In the search for wildlife, we roll down a precipitous natural stone embankment; I tighten my grip, close my eyes and hope we don’t rip out the bottom of the jeep. Finally, inevitably, we turn a corner to confront a washed-out trail. How deep this puddle—lake?—drops we decide not to find out. Managing a 14-point turn, next to the bulk known as Elephant Rock, we retrace our path. A squawking peacock stares at us from under the shade of a tree, mocking our passage. But it wasn’t a futile journey. At 979 square kilometers, Yala National Park is only slightly smaller than Hong Kong. Its forests, scrub, grassland and lagoons are home to 250 bird species and 44 varieties of mammal, most notably one of the world’s largest concentrations of leopards. Declared a wildlife sanctuary in 1900, then a national park in 1938—a period when the British appropriated this land as hunting grounds—it now is only open to pursuit with binoculars and digital cameras. Yes, there were a few dust-churning convoys of jeeps racing towards rumors of elephant herds or shy leopards, but we quickly tired of that and headed down a narrow path of our own, escaping the crowds in the hope of tripping across a resident or two who was trying to do the same thing. As we roll slowly along, a Crested serpent eagle, its white bar along its wingspan obvious, swooped low over our jeep, landing in a tree long enough to check us out. Camouflaged in the bush is an endless array of wildlife, from alligators sunning themselves on the grassy banks to Chestnut-headed bee-eaters, blurs of green, blue, yellow and chestnut once they fly off. As we exit the bush, Painted storks are easier to spot: gangly creatures, they’re more concerned with fishing in a small pond than with us. En route back to camp, we veer down a side road and come across a herd of equally famished elephants chomping their way through some dense growth. As we exit the park, the closest thing to a leopard we’ve seen being a paw print, it feels as if the wild animals are lying in wait for the park to close to us touristing humans at 6 p.m. For them it’s home and, if need be, they know where I live. resplendentceylon.com; doubles from US$700, inclusive of room, board, alcohol, and Yala National Park safari; the drive from Colombo international airport takes five hours.
Capella Ubud Channel explorers from a different era, find Zen in unlikely places, oh, and tone those glutes in Bali. By Jeninne Lee-St. John photogr aphed By stephan kotas
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is for you depends on whether or not pratfalling into a cow patty could be your idea of a hilarious time. During a “get acclimated” walk through the farming hamlet adjacent to the resort property, our guide, Arya, suggests we might want to feed an adorable calf in a little hollow. Faster than I can say moo, my friend Alisa steps forward off a rice terrace, loses her balance and is knee-deep in dung. Arya is racing to help her up but I’m doubled over with laughter—and soon so are they. Farming is optional at the jungle-nestled Capella Ubud, but when your guide knows all the neighbors of both the two- and four-legged varieties, your best bet is to just dive in to these organic experiences no matter where they lead. Not to worry, laundry is included. Another brainchild of Bill Bensley, this historicalfantasy resort that opened last summer on the outskirts of Keliki village 20 minutes from downtown Ubud takes as its inspiration the European settlers of the 1800s; the 23 tents are themed on members of an old-world expedition party—the Baker’s Tent and the Cartographer’s Tent, for example. Floors are made of dimpled teak in Central Java, doors and headboards are hand-carved masterworks, umbrellas are tasseled silk
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hether or not Capella Ubud
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saffron, tubs are copper, and toilets are antler-topped thrones. As soon we arrive, I get social media anxiety anticipating all the photogenic everything everywhere: the striped Cistern in the valley, for one, ringed by tall U-shaped pipes gushing water into the pool, is industrial steampunk that manages to look of the place. But the hotel is much more than skin-deep beautiful. There’s a feeling of magic that pervades the property— and overrides any protestations from one’s, say, calves, from repeatedly hiking up from one’s farthest-flung tent. Capella Ubud is super green (no trees were harmed nor irrigation channels diverted in the building of this resort), intensely local, spiritually grounded, endearingly personable, and a little bit weird. In the pre-dawn, your private sherpas will get you up and down Mount Batur with smiles, safety and lots of selfies; come dusk, head for cocktail hour in the Officers’ Tent, a custom-wallpapered Wes Anderson set adorned by Edison-era bulbs, leather arm chairs and carved deer heads, in which general manager Simon Dornan and executive chef Matt McCool have an on-going billiards competition. Where else can you follow up an eight-course chef’s-table tasting menu with s’mores at a campfire to the background of blackand-white Indonesian movies? Where else does slipping in a cow patty count as a luxury experience?
Capella Ubud is hidden in deep in the jungle. clockwise from below: Chef Matt
McCool and general manager Simon Dornan have a nightly billiards game; international cuisine with Balinese twists; tents come with private pools; the resort’s traditional healer, Pak Budi.
By now it should be clear that Capella Ubud is not your average luxe life of leisure. It’s built into a cliff, so even if you’re rooming higher on the grounds, you’ve got to walk uphill a bit to reach any of the facilities. If, like I am, you’re down below, in the Temple Tent, ostensibly so you can hear the dulcet sound of the Wos River and get a better sense of how enmeshed the resort is in its community—smile and wave at the local residents bringing offerings to the altar in the valley from which this room takes its name—but possibly because your friends at Capella are gas-lighting you, it’s a literal hike to anywhere else on the property. I start counting how many steps up it takes to get to breakfast and keep losing track around 300. I’m not complaining; I don’t need to go to the gym all week. Toss in a trek to the top of an active volcano and my fitness needs are sorted. It does require a fair amount of willpower to say yes to a 3 a.m. wake-up call, but I had been wanting to hike Mount Batur, one of Bali’s four sacred peaks, for years, and during a stay at a resort inspired by expedition parties seemed like an apropos time. Capella minimizes the hardship: our SUV is filled with blankets and pillows for the hour ride, and they’re one of a handful of hotels with a license to drive all the way to the foot of the trail. It’s not just the smugness inherent in line-skipping that’s such a perk of getting this head start; when you’re hiking to a summit 1,717 meters above sea level, every step matters, and when you’re trying to get there by sunrise, so does every extra minute of sleep. So, after a quick pitstop at the base where everyone else has to leave their cars and minivans, we keep driving up a long twisting road, passing all the less fortunate souls forced to start hiking before the actual hike begins. It’s cold in the pre-dawn. Alisa and I are bundled up in layers of athletic gear, sweaters and parkas, and our butler-guides, Arya and Sundana, have put headlamps over our knit hats. The trail is steep, but lined, luckily, with branches and shrubs to grasp for leverage. If I start to even consider feeling winded, I look at the three happy superhero guides, the pair from the hotel and a local tour guide, watching out for us. They’re tasked with carrying a massive picnic basket, a first-aid kit, extra gear, lots of water, our backpacks when they become awkward... plus making sure we don’t fall off the mountain. The rest point is about two-thirds of the way up, but, Arya warns us, less than halfway in terms of exertion. Indeed, no longer solid ground, the new trail is loose volcanic dirt. It feels like quicksand and requires all my core strength not to lose my balance with each step. The occasional glance backwards reveals a twinkling daisy chain of flashlights snaking from far down in the valley. I wonder if the folks at the way bottom will possibly make it up by sunrise. And then, when my glutes are about ready to call it, we’re at the summit. The guys beeline it to their perfect spot on the ridgeline and make quick work of spreading out a big gingham blanket and unpacking tiffin boxes of breakfast sandwiches, fresh pastries and fruit. They pour us coffee, wrap throws around our shoulders, and go off for their own repast. As the sky starts to lighten, the ridge becomes more crowded and everyone who
passes by wearing not enough clothes, carrying not enough sustenance and lacking their own butler, to say nothing of three, looks at our five-star oasis longingly. I offer a sandwich to a particularly pitiful Frenchman. Thanks to thick haze, there isn’t much of a sunrise; think more a blurry clementine hiding in hollandaise sauce. But that’s beside the point. We made it to the top with time to spare, bonded with our guide buddies, and, giddy from over exhaustion, all five of us basically skip down the other, less steep, side of the mountain back to our car, pristine Lake Batur shimmering in the distance. Some people go to Ubud for the yoga. I go for the shamans. Capella has their own in house, Pak Budi, and in one of the spa tents under a wall covered by a Bill Bensley– original painting of a Balinese offering basket, he floats his hands over me conducting an energy-healing session that rebalances my chi flow and somehow alleviates the nausea and stomach cramps that had hit me in the middle of the night. Alisa, meanwhile, had arrived at the resort with a chronic pain that after two sessions with Budi seems to be working its way out of her system. We find another kind of soulful rejuvenation at the Keliki Arts School. The intricate style of drawing and painting looks ancient but was only developed in the 1970s. The imagery generally depicts idyllic scenes of traditional Balinese life or mythology. Keliki artists once anchored the economy here, until tourism plummeted after the 2002 terrorist bombings. I Wayan Gama opened a free school within his placid family compound to keep the tradition alive, and so when we visit one afternoon, about 10 boys (girls are welcome, but we are told they prefer dancing lessons) are hunched over low tables, concentrating on their original works, which might take a few weeks to complete depending on the size. The school sells the pictures, starting from US$15 and going much higher, and gives the proceeds entirely to the young artists. Art supplies are paid for with donations from visitors and hotels. It didn’t seem conceivable that a trip to an artists’ school would take the
five hours Capella had blocked off on our itinerary—until we got there and tried being artists. The drawings are so small, detailed, often symmetrical, you’d think they were based on stencils. We keep I Wayan Gama and his cousin I Wayan Ariana until well past sunset, teaching us about stroke order and proportionality, interrupted every so often by real pupils seeking advice on their progress. Alisa and I finally leave, more for their sake than for ours. The practice was meditative and, on the shaded veranda in their family home, we felt a part of the community. I’m pretty sure that is the primary purpose of every detail we encounter during this stay at this hotel—a Balinese deep-dive. In the guest tents, the treeshaded outdoor showers and private pools make for nature-immersion water ablutions, and there are no TVs because they would drown out the nightly soundtrack of the jungle-animal squawks from the treetops. I love it, and falling asleep each evening I wish I had a bedside wildlife curator to tell me who was making every noise. I guess next time I’ll check in to the Naturalist’s Tent. capellahotels.com; doubles from US$838 inclusive of daily breakfast, nightly cocktails and canapes, in-room minibar, smart phone for data and international calls, certain activities, and, for stays of two nights or more, roundtrip transfers from Denpasar airport (two hours). The omakase restaurant, Api Jiwa, is open to the public, with chef Matt curating an 80-percent locally sourced eight- to 10-course menu based on guest preferences; US$90 per person.
Mads Lange dining room looks down on the Cistern. Left: Intricate Keliki paintings often take weeks to finish.
Rolling down Preak Tachan River. left: A safari-style guest room in Cardamom Tented Camp.
CARDAMOM TENTED CAMP
It’s no quick jaunt to get completely off the grid, but this ambitious Cambodian eco-stay is worth the trek.
c o u rtesy of ca rda m om te n t e d cam p (2 )
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By Joe Cummings
y visit to one of the region’s greenest resorts begins with a short flight from Bangkok to Trat, followed by a 1½-hour car ride to the Thai-Cambodian border for a quick passport stamp and pickup by another car in Cham Yeam on the other side. An hour later we reach a pier on the Preak Tachan River in Trapeang Rung, where Cardamom Tented Camp has arranged for a wooden boat to complete the one-hour sail upriver. The red-andgreen craft putters past a few villages before entering a curving section of river flanked by evergreen rainforest, my first introduction to Botum Sakor National Park. At 171,250 hectares, it’s Cambodia’s largest national park and the largest tract of unbroken rainforest in Southeast Asia. Deep in a dramatic veal—a Khmer word for the tropical grasslands of southern Cambodia—is where Cardamom Tented Camp makes its home. We’re greeted warmly by Allan Michaud, the lodge manager and an accomplished wildlife photographer who is famous for capturing an image of the previously thought-to-be extinct giant ibis for National Geographic magazine. The nine safari-style canvas-tented rooms are well separated from each other by boardwalks on wooden platforms that minimize the human footprint on nature. Enclosed in mosquito screening, the 33-square-meter tents have comfortable beds, soft lighting, well-placed fans, bamboo and rattan furniture, tatami floor mats, hot-water rain showers, and large outdoor decks.
The camp is completely off the grid, so a solar photovoltaic system provides most electric power, backed up by a low-consumption generator when needed. A sustainable water-treatment system filters local water and recycles all gray and black water. In the wooden restaurant-bar pavilion, over a tasty dinner of grilled fish, and pork and vegetables stir-fried with garlic and fragrant Kampot pepper, conservation biologist Tom Gray recounts the history of the camp: Five years ago, Minor International, through its Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation, acquired from the Cambodian government this 180-square-kilometer concession to protect the land and its biodiversity from loggers, poachers and river sand–dredging operations. One of the prime conditions was that the land be used to generate economic activity. Together with Khiri Travel, a sustainability-minded destination management company, they came up with the upscale tented-camp concept, then joined forces with Wildlife Alliance, a Phnom Penh–based biodiversity and conservation nonprofit. Working with residents of the nearby Trapeang Rung Commune, the three entities operate under the slogan, “Your stay keeps the forest standing.” A percentage of Cardamom’s revenues go directly to Wildlife Alliance and its efforts to prevent land encroachment and wildlife trafficking through the keen eyes of their team of 12 rangers and the 40 camera traps across the concession. Since the rangers began regular patrols in 2013, incidents of hunting and illegal logging have dropped precipitously, according to the alliance. Our educational dinner reaches its finale when Allan serves an exemplary chocolate lava cake made using a recipe passed down from his chocolatier grandfather. After a sociable glass of whiskey, I head to my tent. I love sleeping under canvas. cardamomtentedcamp.com; from US$259 for a three-day visit, including ranger-guided hikes and rainforest trips, as well as boat transfers from and to Trapeang Rung. t r av el a ndl ei s ur e a s i a .c om / a p r il 2 019
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The vineyards of Abeja Winery, in Walla Walla, Washington. Opposite: The tasting patio at Walla Walla’s Foundry Vineyards.
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Tasting Wine, the Walla Walla Way A corner of Washington State known for apples and wheat has also become a compelling wine destination. Ray Isle experiences its top-notch Cabs and Syrahs, homegrown restaurants and refreshingly down-to-earth spirit. P HO T O G R A P H e d B Y A l a n na H a l e
Just-harvested grapes at Woodward Canyon Winery.
If
you want to eat some of the best food there is to be had in Walla Walla, Washington, I suggest you head to the Cenex gas station at the corner of West Rose Street and North Ninth. That’s not a joke. Chef Andrae Bopp has done stints at world-renowned New York destinations like Bouley and Le Bernardin, but for now, this is where he’s chosen to run his own restaurant, Andrae’s Kitchen. Drive past the pumps, park, walk in. To the left is a blackboard menu and a counter; to the right, a few small tables and the usual gas station stuff: racks of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, tallboys of Monster Energy, an abundance of motor oil. Not long ago, I was sitting at one of those tables talking to Bopp while eating his grilled corn salad (local corn, homemade aioli, cayenne, lime—absurdly good) and short-rib tacos (house-made tortilla, house-smoked short rib, pickled carrot and daikon—also absurdly good). And I was thinking, Well, hell, this is what Walla Walla is all about. The only thing I lacked, since Walla Walla isn’t just a town but also the most acclaimed wine-growing region in Washington, was a glass of wine. Bopp, a lean fellow with extravagant sideburns, a sleeve of tattoos and a hoop in one ear, who chose a logo for his restaurant that borrows heavily from that of the Dead Kennedys—a chef, in other words—didn’t intend to open up in a Cenex station. “I saw the space,
and it had a hot dog roller, a microwave, a hot case, and that was it. And I sorta like to cook with actual fire. But I asked some of my guys, ‘What do you think if we opened a place in a gas station?’ They were like, No way. So I asked my wife. She said no way, too. So I came in and told the GM, ‘Okay, I’ll take it.’ ” At one table three young, blond wine tourists were having lunch. At the auto-gadgets rack a guy in hunting camo stood pondering the tire-gauge choices, and at the gasstation register a beefy man in a tank top with frosted tips and sunglasses perched backward on his head was unwittingly channeling Guy Fieri while he paid for a can of Arizona Iced Tea and some scratch-offs. “So, yeah. Cans of Skoal, WD-40, you can wash your car, get propane...or an insane burger,” Bopp said. “It’s a great concept. Not that I knew it at the time.” That might go for Walla Walla itself, at least as a wine tourism destination: a great concept, not that anyone knew it at the time. Hunkered down in the southeastern corner of Washington, a 4½-hour drive from Seattle and equally far from Portland, Oregon, the place isn’t really convenient to anywhere. Still, wine has been made in the Walla Walla area since Italian immigrants first began arriving in the late 1800s. And since the 1970s, when Gary Figgins kick-started Walla Walla’s modern wine era by
NaKenge Adisa makes wine when he’s not working as a server at finedining restaurant WhitehouseCrawford.
Downtown Walla Walla sits in a valley near the Blue Mountains.
founding Leonetti Cellar, the first winery in the region, the vineyards have produced great wine: robust, tobacco-scented Cabernets; svelte, layered Merlots; Syrahs that melt on your palate, all ripe blackberry fruit cut with peppercorn. The Walla Walla Valley, which stretches south across the Oregon border, was designated as an American Viticultural Area in 1984, but the town only caught on in recent years, as the push to explore off-the-beatenpath wine regions has driven visitors to unsung corners of the Pacific Northwest. These days a one-hour flight from Seattle gets travelers to Walla Walla with a minimum of effort, which has resulted in a huge boom in downtown and near-to-town tasting rooms, not to mention the restaurant and hotel scenes. That’s a major change, and it’s been some years coming. As Dan Wampfler, who runs the winery at Abeja with his wife, Amy Alvarez-Wampfler, said, “A decade ago Main Street was a lot shorter, and it was a ghost town at either end.” We were sitting on Abeja’s porch, sipping his vibrant 2016 Abeja Chardonnay. A couple of guests at the high-end B&B Abeja operates were enjoying breakfast in the morning sun as Wampfler described Walla Walla’s blossoming. Now there are tasting rooms by the dozen, among them such critically acclaimed producers as Spring Valley Vineyard,
Doubleback, and Seven Hills Winery. Top-notch restaurants line former– ghost town Main Street, which is anchored at one end by the new Walla Walla Steak Co., in the beautifully renovated old train station. And there is a plethora of wine bars, patisseries and coffee shops. “There are probably six or seven venues for live music every night,” Wampfler said. “My wife and I kind of won the lottery for winemakers when we ended up here.” Now, no one could ever confuse Walla Walla for Napa. Wine is big here, as are apples, but wheat runs the place. When I queried one local farmer about whether he’d ever considered growing grapes, he said, “Hell, no.” How big, I asked, was his farm? “Oh, I’m small. Six thousand t r av el a ndl ei s ur e a s i a .c om / a p r il 2 019
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acres or so.” That’s 240 hectares, and big, he informed me, was more like 8,000 hectares. In many ways Walla Walla is still a quiet town in an ocean of wheat. Sure, you can buy excellent artisanal goat cheeses (from the irrepressible French-expat cheese maker Pierre-Louis Monteillet) and heirloom tomatoes at the farmers’ market, but you can also swing by Klicker’s general store and buy a 12-kilogram bag of Walla Walla’s famed sweet onions from a crate by the parking lot. And Walla Walla still has that small-town interconnectedness. As winemaker Casey McClellan of Seven Hills Winery explained, “My father told me in Walla Walla you should only say nice things, because you never know if you’re talking to someone’s brother or sister or cousin-in-law.” That also means it’s the kind of place where, when Chris and Island Ainsworth of Saffron Mediterranean Kitchen needed to move to a new space, they enlisted their entire CrossFit group to help out. “They moved the whole place in four hours,” Island told me. “They were loading things onto the trucks faster than we could take them out.” Yet despite its small-town vibe, Walla Walla is hardly provincial. When you eat at Saffron, the Ainsworths’ gözleme, a crisp Turkish flatbread stuffed with house-made lamb sausage, local greens and smoked yogurt, makes you wonder if you’d somehow teleported to Istanbul. Sip one of bartender Jim German’s sublime cocktails at the
Frog Hollow Farm’s Amy Dietrich is the go-to supplier for Walla Walla’s finest restaurants. Opposite: Hand-cut fries with pulled pork, pickled peppers, and a Crystal-hot-sauce aioli at Andrae’s Kitchen.
new Passatempo Taverna and you could easily be convinced you’re in one of Seattle’s coolest bars, with not a clue that Passatempo’s high-design space was once the more down-home named Pastime Cafe, a blue-collar Italian joint with a lasagna deal on Thursdays. Head a few blocks outside of downtown, and you’ll find the airy Foundry Vineyards tasting room, which doubles as an art gallery showing nationally known contemporary artists. But while Walla Walla may have become a place with boutique wine shops selling US$100 bottles of Cabernet, it’s still one where the demolition derby at the county fair is among the biggest draws of the year. “Growing up here, you kinda come up with your own fun,” local Daylan Gibbard told me. “My friends had this place four miles [six kilometers] out on Last Chance Road, and we’d make a potato cannon and go out there and lob potatoes at the cows.” Rick Small, the founder of Woodward Canyon Winery, grew up in a farming family. He also happens to make some of the state’s best Cabernets, and has for more than three decades now. The second winery founded in the region, Woodward Canyon got its name from the school bus route that Small took as a kid. But the Smalls, like other longtime Walla Walla families, were wheat and cattle farmers. “We’ve had family land in Woodward Canyon for three generations now,” he told me in the winery’s cozy tasting room, a few kilometers outside of town. “On my mother’s side I’m five generations here.” Small might have ended up farming wheat himself, but when he was in the Army Reserves he started making wine with Figgins, his friend and fellow reservist. One thing led to another, and in 1981, Small founded Woodward Canyon. (Figgins edged him out with Leonetti by four years.) But when I asked Small whether there were other vineyards around when he planted his vines, he laughed. “Oh, no—this was all wheat, wheat, wheat. I had no water rights, so I was hauling the water up, and I didn’t have power either.
surrounded by v i n e ya r d s a n d w h e at f i e l d s, i c o n t e m p l at e d t h e o d d i t y o f m e r l o te at i n g c o y o t es a s i f l o at e d, s u ng l a sses o n, i n t h e r es o r t p o o l Everyone thought I was an absolute raving lunatic. Plus I had long hair then. Now I have no hair, but I’m still a long-hair person.” I mentioned that it’s strange how long it took the Walla Walla wine industry to get going, given the quality of what’s being made. “The thing is,” Small replied, “we could have had a wine industry here generations ago. But the Italian immigrants in the area were planting Mediterranean varieties, and they just froze out. In the 1950s, Walla Walla had awful freezes: temperatures that went from 70 degrees to negative 30 degrees [21 Celsius to negative 34] in a couple of days. During one of them, my dad was up in the mountains hunting, and he said it got so cold so fast that the sap in the branches of the pines froze. Limbs would crack and drop off the trees.” Whether because of global warming or just seasonal variation, recent years in Walla Walla haven’t been as brutal. Woodward Canyon’s 2014 Artist Series Cabernet Sauvignon, with its lush, black-cherry fruit, radiates the warmth of the 2014 harvest—one of a string of superb vintages that has continued through 2018. Small has had little to worry about, at least in terms of weather. Later, as we stood amid the vineyard rows in Woodward Canyon, a distant high-pitched yipping brought an annoyed look to his face. I asked what it was. “Coyotes.” “Well, at least you don’t have to worry about them eating grapes.” “Oh, they’ll eat grapes,” he said. “Absolutely. Especially Merlot.” Later, at the new Eritage Resort, I contemplated the oddity of Merlot-eating coyotes as I floated, sunglasses on, in the pool. Eritage is a joint project of Walla Walla’s Justin Wylie, vintner at Va Piano Vineyards, and hotelier-restaurateur Chad Mackay of Seattle’s Fire & Vine Hospitality. It’s the first of a series of high-end hotel properties slated to open in and around town in the next few years.
Eritage’s rooms all have private decks or patios, the requisite luxe linens, and large tubs in which one can soak pleasantly while considering which wineries to visit the next day—all touches not available at previous Walla Walla hotel options, which have largely run to Holiday Inn Expresses and the like. Eritage is outside of town, surrounded by vineyards and wheat fields. It has a bit of a build-it-andthey-will-come feel, but based on the serenity of the rooms and the quality of executive chef Brian Price’s cooking, travelers would be foolish not to. Price moves adeptly between addictively delicious takes on comfort food, like buttermilk fried chicken with kale-apple-bacon slaw, and more ambitious yet equally satisfying dishes such as roasted Alaskan halibut with a chowder of razor clam and bacon and a parsleyand-bone-marrow salad—a combo that sounds odd but tastes fantastic. Almost all the produce comes from local farms, and if you stop by, say, Frog Hollow Farm the next day, as I did, the whole concept of t r av el a ndl ei s ur e a s i a .c om / a p r il 2 019
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“farm-to-table” dining pops into life. Frog Hollow’s stand is open daily, and it’s a pleasure chatting with the amiable proprietor, Amy Dietrich, about her Honeynut squash, which Price roasts and serves with wheat-berry risotto and chanterelles—or, more entertainingly, how her first plant sale was so successful that it caused a traffic jam that the cops had to sort out. She still hosts the event every May, offering more than 100 types of heirloom tomatoes, vegetables, herbs and flowers, along with baby goats for kids to pet. Farm to table, farm to bottle, farm to people: that agrarian immediacy, in essence, is for me what makes Walla Walla so appealing. On my last night, I had dinner at Whitehouse-Crawford, the town’s longtime benchmark for fine dining, and ended up in a lengthy conversation with my server, a thoughtful guy named NaKenge Adisa. As it turned out, he’d gotten up at six that morning to crush grapes for the two barrels of wine he was making in his basement, before heading over to his restaurant shift. That’s Walla Walla. Amy Dietrich of Frog Hollow also works as an obstetric nurse; Andrae Bopp is a certified whitewater-rafting guide; Passatempo bartender extraordinaire Jim German is an accomplished painter. It’s a town full of passion projects, but without pretense. Adisa told me he’d moved back to Walla Walla from Seattle because the city was getting to him. “Here,” he said, “it’s more people-centric.” Bopp put it another way when I stopped back at Andrae’s Kitchen on my way to the airport to pick up one of his (again, absurdly delicious) Cuban sandwiches for my flight. “You go to Napa, you won’t see the winemaker behind the bar pouring samples, or the chef working the register,” he said, handing me my receipt. “Here in Walla Walla, you will.”
clockwise from above:
Hanger steak with almondand-caper-berry salsa and roasted potatoes at Saffron Mediterranean Kitchen; Tricia Rose, a server at Passatempo Taverna; the farm stand at Frog Hollow Farm.
drinking & dining in walla walla
Make a long weekend of it—a three- or four-day trip will give you enough time to experience the top wineries and restaurants at a leisurely pace.
Getting There & Around Fly into Seattle’s Sea-Tac Airport, from where Alaska Airlines offers three flights a day to Walla Walla; on the return leg, you can check a case of wine for free (though getting that back to your home country might be a problem; check the customs regulations of your final destination). Rent a car at the Walla Walla airport, or hire a tour guide to pick you up. Chris Wood of Tesla Winery Tours (teslawinery tours.com) and Ali Rodgers of the Touring Co. (thetouringco.net)— both fun, convivial and connected—can tailor an itinerary to your tastes.
Book a spot at the seated tasting at Seven Hills Winery (sevenhills winery.com) downtown to try small bites paired with wines such as the mocha-scented 2015 Seven Hills Vineyard Merlot. At other top spots—like the cozy tasting room of Spring Valley Vineyard (spring valleyvineyard.com) and Charles Smith (winesofsubstance.com), a cool-industrial space in an old warehouse—you can just walk in. A five-minute drive away, the nascent “industrial district” is home to Foundry Vineyards
Where to Eat The farm stand at Frog Hollow Farm (froghollowfarm.net) is open Fridays from May to December, but if you write in advance, proprietor Amy Dietrich can arrange a tour of the farm, too. It’s also a regular presence at the Walla Walla Downtown Farmers’ Market (downtown wallawalla.com) on Saturdays. At Saffron Mediterranean Kitchen
Washington Spokane Seattle
fic Ocean
The top lodgings are just a short drive outside Walla Walla. The new Eritage Resort (eritage resort.com; doubles from US$169) offers peace and privacy in a luxe
Where to Taste
(saffronmediterraneankitchen. com; mains US$27–$45), chef Chris Ainsworth channels Middle Eastern and southern European food traditions through local produce. Whitehouse-Crawford (whitehousecrawford.com; mains US$29–$44), which opened in 2000, is still the premier whitetablecloth destination, with a lengthy selection of top Washington wines. At Passatempo Taverna (passatempowallawalla. com; mains US$24–$35), do not bypass the bespoke cocktails. If, by some unfortunate happenstance or brief bout with madness, you don’t make it to Andrae’s Kitchen (andraeskitchen.com; sandwiches US$9–$13) before heading home, stop en route to the airport to pick up a Cuban or house-smoked brisket sandwich for the plane. — R.I.
Pa c i
Where to Stay
setting, and sublime food in its glass restaurant. The Inn at Abeja (abeja.net; doubles from US$329) is in a beautifully renovated group of turn-of-the-century farmstead buildings at Abeja Winery. The tasting room for their excellent wines is open only to mailing-list customers and inn guests.
(foundryvineyards.com), which has a worthwhile art gallery and sculpture garden, and Gramercy Cellars (gramercycellars.com), where you should make a reservation to try Master Sommelier turned winemaker Greg Harrington’s world-class Syrahs. Ten minutes outside of town, head to Woodward Canyon Winery (woodwardcanyon. com) for Rick Small’s gorgeous Cabernets. Other great nearby stops include Pepper Bridge Winery (pepperbridge.com) for complex, age-worthy Merlots; Buty Winery (butywinery.com), one of several top producers across the street from the airport; and the sleek, modernist tasting room at Long Shadows Winery (longshadows.com).
Walla Walla Valley
Walla Walla
The new Eritage Resort.
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Clockwise from left:
A sheep in the meadows surrounding Thyme, a rural retreat in the Cotswolds; the reception room at the Fife Arms in Scotland, which is hung with artworks, including a Lucian Freud portrait; Heckfield Place, as seen from its grounds.
Characterful and classic—yet never old-fashioned— the best new British hotels are infused with a beguiling sense of history. From a country mansion to a quirky seaside pub, these five standout properties illustrate why, in the U.K.,
What’s Old Is New Again Photogr aphed by Tom Mannion
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The Fife Arms SCOTLAND
Edinburgh
IRELAND
North Sea
ENGLAND
Thyme
London
Heckfield Place
The Rose
The Belmond Cadogan
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s there anyone out there who, when visiting Great Britain, doesn’t dream of staying in a grand, historic house? Maybe it’s the fault of Downton Abbey or our obsession with the royals. Maybe it’s a reaction to our techfilled, over-connected modern lives. Whatever the reason, it seems the hotel industry is listening, because the most charismatic, Instagram-worthy U.K. properties to open in the past few months have all been in venerable, time-tested spaces. There will, of course, always be a time and a place for the classics—for Claridge’s, the Connaught and the Savoy. But to get a real sense of the prevailing aesthetic in the U.K. and the country’s fascination with reinvigorating history, tradition and craftsmanship, consider a stay at one of these nextgeneration old-school properties. A reimagined Victorian inn, an entire country hamlet, a sophisticated retreat in London: these are our picks of Britain’s most intriguing, atmospheric new places to stay.
clockwise from top lef t: A guest room at Heckfield Place, a stately Hampshire home now repurposed as a hotel; the ceiling in the drawing room of the Fife Arms, by Chinese artist Zhang Enli, was inspired by Scottish quartz; a wall of hunting trophies at the Fife Arms, a Victorian coaching house that has been renovated by gallerists Iwan and Manuela Wirth.
Iwan and Manuela Wirth took over the Fife Arms about four years ago, the Scottish hotel had a storied past—but its future was looking a little The Fife Arms, Braemar, Scotland grim. Built in the village of Braemar in the 1850s to capitalize on the newfound popularity of the Highlands as a tourist destination (thanks to Queen Victoria, an influencer if ever there was one), this formerly grand property had not aged well. Busloads of tourists would stop in for a night at most; thanks to the hotel’s unsightly 20th-century additions, awkwardly carved-up public spaces, and leaky roof, there wasn’t much incentive for them to stay longer. However, in the hands of the Wirths, the Fife Arms has become a place you may never want to leave. I, for one, certainly didn’t. In a renovation that took two years, the Wirths—cofounders of the Hauser & Wirth galleries—not only restored but significantly added to the hotel’s original splendor. Where once there were some 90 guest rooms, the Fife now has just 46, ranging from stately suites named after Braemar’s noble visitors (I was in the Duke of Fife) to jewel-box-like rooms inspired by Scottish crofter’s huts. The nowgenerous public spaces are peppered with the works of international artists (the walls of the Clunie dining room were hand-painted by Argentina’s Guillermo Kuitca; a Louise
The Victorian Inn
When art dealers
Bourgeois spider has taken up residence in the courtyard; and Picasso’s Mousquetaire Assis presides over the drawing room). Though the period furnishings and artworks look like they could be original to the hotel, most—including an ornately carved walnut chimney piece depicting scenes from Robert Burns poems and a drawing of a stag by Queen Victoria herself—were in fact sourced by Russell Sage, the designer behind the Fife’s interiors. “Nothing is there just for decoration,” Iwan Wirth told me over traditional tea in the drawing room, as we gazed up at a ceiling mural by the Chinese artist Zhang Enli that was inspired by ancient Scottish quartz. “Every detail tells a story.” In lieu of a concierge, a gamekeeper and a gillie, or hunting attendant, are at your service. For me, they planned a day that began with horseback riding at the nearby Glen Tanar estate, followed by lunch at the delightful Rothesay Rooms, a farm-to-table restaurant in the nearby town of Ballater, then a private tour of Braemar Castle. As I warmed myself by the fire that evening, the edges of my brain beginning to melt from a potent cocktail of local spirits, I felt less like the patron of a high-end hotel and more like a guest at an enchanting country estate. Indeed, the hotel even has its own tartan and tweed— used not only for the staff uniforms but also the custom interiors of the Fife’s fleet of Land Rovers—and an official coat of arms. Its motto: “To the summit.” thefifearms.com; doubles from £161. — Alix Browne t r av el a ndl ei s ur e a s i a .c om / a p r il 2 019
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just 15 kilometers from the white cliffs of Dover, is one of a handful of Kentish seaside resorts that are once again becoming fashionable destinations for Londoners to The Rose, move to. Creative entrepreneurs Deal, Kent are quitting the capital in favor of the bracing sea air, advantageous property prices and growing arts scene; weekend travelers have followed close behind. And with a fast train to the area now departing from London’s St. Pancras, visitors can be skimming pebbles on the English Channel within an hour. So one frosty fall weekend, my family and I set off for Deal, eager to experience the place for ourselves. Our lodgings summed up the change this area has recently undergone: until our hotel, the Rose, closed for renovations in 2016, it was one of the most notorious “boozers” in Kent. The bar used to open at 8 a.m. and had a reputation for brawls. Following last year’s relaunch, however, mornings find guests tucking into house-made granola and coffee from trendy roasters Climpson & Sons. Christopher Hicks, the new co-owner, has family roots in the pub business—his great-grandfather ran Thompson & Son brewery, which once owned 130 pubs across Kent. A former hedge-fund analyst, Hicks and his wife, Alex Bagner, a former design editor at Wallpaper magazine, spent nine months
The town of Deal,
renovating the pub and creating eight beautiful bedrooms on the floors above, aiming to attract locals and out-of-towners alike. The décor and feel are clearly the work of someone with a trained eye for contemporary design; there’s an abundance of corduroy and velvet, soothing, low lighting, and huge potted plants. The ground floor holds a restaurant (where old wood paneling has been restored and original banquettes reupholstered) and a bar area with 1960s sofas and armchairs and a wood-burning stove. Chef Rachel O’Sullivan, formerly of the London restaurants Polpo and Towpath Café, presides over an artful menu that ticks all the boxes: local, seasonal, organic. Behind a heavy velvet curtain, a narrow staircase leads up to the bedrooms. Ours immediately delighted my husband and children with its quirky, thoughtful touches—a record player and a cool selection of discs (Joni Mitchell and the Beach Boys), a jar of penny sweets, and a shelf of carefully chosen vintage books. Each bedroom has a different color scheme. In ours, a vast burnt-orange headboard was offset by walls painted a deep sea green, while a roll-top bathtub was hidden behind sliding panel doors. I was a little concerned that we might be in for a sleepless night—we were directly above the bar, after all, and overlooked the main street. But the double-paned windows and high-threadcount sheets worked their magic—though not even these could quite drown out the cries of the seagulls early the next morning, announcing that it was time for breakfast and a walk on the beach. therosedeal.com; doubles from £90. — Rebecca Rose
The Seaside Pub
from far left:
The lobby of the Rose, a renovated pub and hotel in the Kentish town of Deal; the building’s façade.
The country hamlet
Southrop, in England’s
bucolic Cotswolds region, is a gorgeous village with a 12th-century church and a 17th-century pub. At its southern edge, a cluster of Thyme, eight honey-colored stone Gloucestershire structures—including the pub—now make up a property named Thyme. Founder Caryn Hibbert calls her creation a “village within a village” rather than a hotel. As I scrunched along the gravel drive on my way to reception, I could see why. In front of me was a group of barns set within expansive, partially walled grounds: a pastoral world unto itself. When Caryn, a doctor, and her husband, Jerry, a film director, bought Southrop Manor Above, from left: (which is still their private home) in 2001, A former rectory at Thyme, a hotel in they had no ambitions to run a hotel. Two the Cotswolds, years later, they acquired the group of derelict now converted into farm buildings next door in order to protect guest rooms; a them from redevelopment. In one, the vast bathroom at medieval barn, they set up a cooking school. Thyme.
Over the next 15 years, Thyme evolved organically. Properties were added as they became available, and in 2015 a hotel emerged from a collection of barns and cottages, the pub, and a 1623 farmhouse. The most recent addition to Thyme is an old rectory, refurbished in 2017 and now called the Lodge. That building comprises nine additional guest rooms, while a swimming pool, garden cottage and greenhouse make up Thyme’s restful, cream-and-green-toned spa. The undulating landscape around the village is deeply peaceful. Thyme sits by the little river Leach, and from the doorstep there are many walks to enjoy through meadows and outlying fields. But mostly I just wanted to sink into this country retreat. Caryn personally designed all of Thyme’s 31 rooms in a style she describes as “calming but not beige.” My quarters in the Lodge were sumptuous, with a chandelier in the bathroom and dreamy views across the grounds. At the heart of Thyme are two once-rundown barns: a lambing shed is now the sleek bar, and a cattle barn has become the striking Ox Barn restaurant. Here, chef Charlie Hibbert, Caryn’s son, devises menus based on Thyme’s abundant garden produce. I dined on dishes such as cauliflower-and-almond soup and local venison with plums and house-made pickles, all of which had a complex array of flavors as layered, and as appealing, as Thyme itself. thyme.co.uk; doubles from £300. — Harriet O’Brien t r av el a ndl ei s ur e a s i a .c om / a p r il 2 019
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London has seen a rush of high-end hotels springing up in historic buildings. Few, however, have been quite so keenly anticipated as the Belmond Cadogan. The Belmond brand’s first London property stands The Belmond at a junction that divides two of Cadogan, London London’s most affluent districts, Chelsea and Knightsbridge. As I approached the hotel, which occupies several Victorian buildings on a prominent corner, I was able to make out each of its component parts. First, the former Cadogan hotel, which was built in 1887—a woodpaneled, 64-room property that Belmond took over in 2014. Also part of the ensemble: a former bank and three adjoining town houses. It has taken £36 million and three years to turn this gorgeous stretch of prime London real estate into one luxury hotel. There is evidence of historic pedigree everywhere you look: a blue plaque is dedicated to onetime resident Lillie Langtry, actress, socialite and mistress of the Prince of Wales (later Edward VII). Oscar Wilde used to live in what was once Room 118 and is now part of the Royal Suite. There are nods, too, to Sir Hans Sloane—the naturalist and collector who in the 17th century established what later became the Cadogan Estate, on whose grounds the hotel sits—in the form of coral patterns on the carpets and a carefully chosen library of botanical books. On my visit, winter sun streamed into the vast new entrance hall, where a grand central staircase leads up to the 54 rooms (most of which are suites). Chef Adam Handling of the Frog, in London’s trendy Hoxton area, presides over the restaurant, which has an open kitchen so diners can observe his team at work. The décor is as luxurious as you would expect: marble-heavy bathrooms, huge roll-top baths, and triple-glazed windows that ensure total insulation from the traffic below. My favorite touch was a wooden bath tray with a perch for my iPad and a slot for a glass of champagne. belmond.com; doubles from £378. — R.R.
The historic hotel
Sitting on 160 hectares of prime Hampshire countryside, with distant views of Windsor Castle, Heckfield Place could have been purpose-built Heckfield Place, Hampshire for international visitors hankering for a taste of life in an English country house. Indeed, as I stepped through the doors of the handsome red-brick main building with my husband and two young kids, we were greeted by staff dressed in Downton Abbey– style attire—bustling underskirts, sensible overgarments and so on. But the illusion ended there. The uniforms, we discovered, were made by on-trend clothing brand Egg, and Heckfield, The bar at the which sits a handy 40-minute drive from Belmond Cadogan, Heathrow, is about as far from the drafty where original ceiling moldings reality of a country estate as you can get. have been Heckfield was built as a private house in carefully 1760, and for most of the 19th century was home conserved. to the illustrious Lefevre family. Sixteen years ago, it was purchased by the Hong Kong–born, Boston-based financier Gerald Chan, who commissioned a painstaking renovation. The building’s original Georgian features, from the floor-to-ceiling patio doors to the ornate ceiling roses, were all carefully restored. But the décor is nonetheless defined by its simplicity and understatement, giving the hotel a distinctly contemporary feel. The walls are finished in rough lime plaster and painted in a muted
The Country Estate
Above, from left:
The entrance to Heckfield Place, which occupies a grand Georgian mansion; Marle, the daytime dining space at the hotel.
palette: greens, ochers and neutrals in the guest wings; grays, a forest green and a dusky pink in the main house. In the snug Moon Bar, a vast disco ball twinkles above midnight-blue walls, and a fire sizzles and smokes all day long. Complimentary tea and cake are served in the afternoons, which delighted our children. Chan’s 20thcentury British art collection gives the plush public rooms extra warmth, while corn-husk dolls for Do Not Disturb signs and key fobs in the form of embroidery samplers made us feel a little like guests in someone’s extraordinary home. Skye Gyngell—the chef behind Chan’s London restaurant, Spring, and one of England’s most forward-thinking culinary talents—presides over Heckfield’s two restaurants, Marle and Hearth, ingredients for which are grown at the on-site biodynamic farm. At Hearth, a cozy room with exposedbrick walls and sheepskin-draped Windsor chairs, my husband and I feasted on a five-
course tasting menu cooked over an open fire. We ate breakfast and lunch at Marle, a bright, sunny room with an à la carte menu of heritage vegetables and locally sourced organic meats. The patriarch of the Lefevre family, Viscount Eversley, was a speaker in the House of Commons, and in his day Heckfield was known for its lively salons and political conversations—a tradition the hotel hopes to maintain in its plush theater, which has a rolling program of talks, films and events. The gardens were designed by a visionary named William Wildsmith, who created the estate’s impressive arboretum and two vast ornamental lakes, one of which now has a floating dock guests can use to go wild swimming. The hotel has harnessed his spirit in its skin-care products, Wildsmith, which are made with botanicals grown on the grounds. They are used in Heckfield’s wonderful Little Bothy spa, which is due to be topped off with an indoor pool later this year. heckfieldplace.com; doubles from £300. — R.R. t r av el a ndl ei s ur e a s i a .c om / a p r il 2 019
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Mex ico cit y There are few places as dynamic, diverse or mind-bogglingly large as the Mexican capital. In a city layered with history, in which change is an essential part of residents’ DNA, where to begin planning a trip? Michael Snyder gives his breakdown of the eight neighborhoods to visit, whether your focus is shopping, food, art or design. PHOTOGRAPHed BY Lindsay L auckner Gundlock
A little more than two years ago, I moved to Mexico City more or less sight unseen, taking it on good faith that this urban giant could find space for one more body among the 21 million that already called its entire metro area home. I came, like many foreigners before me, with vague ideas about its vibrant food and art scenes; its crooked glamour and effortless cool; its rich colonial and modern architectural landscape. I expected to find moments of enervating chaos and sometimes choking smog. But I was rejuvenated by gracious parks and sublime weather, by crisp autumn mornings and springlike afternoons, by spasms of rain and hail and thunder that gave way, just in time, to marigold sunsets blooming across the horizon. Mexico City, it seems, is able to turn a different face to each of its inhabitants. That’s because, in the past five centuries, Mexico City has become a master of transformation. Flung wide across a seismic, high-altitude plateau, North America’s largest city has survived colonial conquest, years-long floods, a bloody war of independence, a bloodier revolution,
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and, in 1985, a catastrophic earthquake that killed more than 9,000 and decimated much of the historic central borough of Cuauhtémoc. Thirty-two years later to the day, in 2017, another quake shook the city to its core, bringing down about 40 buildings and damaging many more. Within weeks, the city had bounced back from that, too. Chilangos, as residents are known, continue to deal with shoddy governance, shoddy infrastructure and fluctuating levels of security. Given the choice, many would just as soon return to the villages they left a generation or three before. But many more wouldn’t live anywhere else. No one trip is enough to unlock the city’s many wonders. For a firsttime visitor, sticking to the leafy neighborhoods in and around the Delegación Cuauhtémoc offers an ideal introduction: a walkable, manageable microcosm of the city’s wild, sophisticated whole. From the cockeyed grandeur of the Centro Histórico to the discreet galleries of Santa María la Ribera and the glamorous cafés of Condesa, these are the eight districts every visitor should get to know.
A building in the Centro Histórico, where young chefs and gallerists are bringing new energy to Mexico City’s oldest neighborhood.
CENTRO HISTÓRICO Late one Sunday morning, I set out from my home on the far side of the Zócalo, Mexico City’s spectacular central plaza, to the Mercado San Juan. It wasn’t a particularly long walk, but, like most routes through the Centro Histórico, it encompassed many pasts, many presents, and many possible futures. Here you’ll find opulent colonial palaces, crooked Baroque churches, murals by Diego Rivera at the Palacio Nacional and the Secretariat of Public Education headquarters, and the magnificent ruins of the Templo Mayor, the axis of the Aztec Empire’s religious and political universe. Until the late 1800s, the Centro was Mexico City. Then, from the turn of the century onward, modernityobsessed elites began abandoning their ancestral homes and moving to the newly created suburbs in the west and south. After the 1985 earthquake, the Centro was all but abandoned. It remained an important place of protest and celebration, but it was not a place you lingered. Entering the open doorway of the Mercado San Juan, I passed vendors selling rambutans and mangoes, plastic boxes of microgreens, and giant clams from Baja. But I hadn’t come here to shop (for that I go to Mercado la Merced, the bigger, crazier, more beautiful wholesale
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market on my side of the Centro). I had come to eat at Don Vergas, an eight-seat market stall that, for the past year, has been turning out some of the best seafood in Mexico City. Chef Luis Valle, who hails from the northwestern coastal state of Sinaloa, had opened shop only an hour earlier, but already a rowdy line had filled the aisle, singing along to the banda music playing through a loudspeaker perched precariously over the tiny kitchen. “How many crab tostadas?” Valle shouted over the music. Hands shot up: 15 orders. I slipped behind the bar to help squeeze limes and hang out with Valle, who makes great company, no matter how busy he is. I asked how many people he would cook for today. “About 400,” he said. I asked how he coped. “I don’t!” he laughed, then turned back to the crowd, shouting: “How many scallops?” Even a decade ago, you’d have been hard-pressed to find such
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excitement surrounding a restaurant in this part of town. But in the past year or so, pop-up parties have begun to appear on rooftops, in basements, and at run-down cantinas like the bizarre and beautiful La Faena, decorated with dusty shadow boxes of toreadors’ costumes. Edgy art galleries have appeared in former office buildings. Bósforo, still the top place in town for mezcal almost 10 years after it opened, draws crowds on weekends, while the nameless restaurant next door serves impeccable Oaxacan food by flickering candlelight. But despite the fact that a new, younger generation is now gravitating to the Centro, it’s still a place that belongs to everyone. Activists stage regular protests in the Zócalo. Residents from around the city come to shop at stores selling everything from spices to light fixtures and giant handmade candles decorated in lacy wax flowers.
From far left:
Scallop ceviche at Don Vergas, in the Mercado San Juan; the Palacio de Bellas Artes, one of the most iconic buildings in the Centro; a lounge area at Ignacia Guest House, which inhabits a converted town house in the style-centric neighborhood of Roma.
Government workers stop in at century-old cantinas for an afternoon beer (try La Ópera for gilded old-world opulence, or Salón España for the city’s best tequila list). Even the exorbitantly expensive Mercado San Juan, where Luis Valle slings his seafood, has a raucous weekend party. Nowhere in this immense, stratified city is more democratic or more beautiful.
ROMA & CONDESA At the northern edge of Colonia Roma, a trickle of young, stylish people wandered in and out of a heavy glass door that swung open onto Calle Puebla. They followed a bend of stairs past tall white gallery walls and out onto a sunny roof terrace surrounded by treetops. Monserrat Castera, beer in hand, led me from the open patio into a small, glass-walled room at one corner to
show me around the latest edition of her pop-up shop, Momo Room—one of a growing number of nomadic retail spaces now at the vanguard of Mexico’s fashion scene. This iteration, she explained, was inspired by Juan Rulfo, the mid20th-century writer whose works are widely considered to be among the finest ever written in Mexico. Rulfo set two of his most important books in a fictional town in the small coastal state of Colima. Among objects selected from local designers, Castera had scattered photographs of Colima, burlap sacks of the state’s famous sea salt, and handwoven straw hats. There were also playful sunglasses from French-Mexican collective Stromboli Associates; handmade box bags in wood and leather by Aurelia, a brand run by
three sisters from Guadalajara; and embroidered linen kimonos dyed with indigo and cochineal from local label Korimi Kids. None of these designers had a brick-and-mortar shop. After all, in a city obsessed with collaboration, and replete with spectacular spaces ideal for shortterm group exhibitions, what would be the point? When Mexico City was named the World Design Capital for 2018, many ascribed the distinction to an aesthetic that brings Mexico’s disparate creative traditions—from textiles and earthenware to the great Modernist boom of the 1950s—into conversation with one another. Though that sensibility has existed in Mexico for generations, it is newly fashionable in Roma and Condesa, two of the capital’s most
design-forward neighborhoods. You can witness it at stores like quirky clothing boutique Hi-Bye, at the shops lining the uneven sidewalks of the beautiful Calle Colima, and at Ven a Mi—an appointment-only showroom selling unusual crafts from around the country. After the 1985 earthquake, many residents fled Roma, and it was more than a decade before artists and designers began moving back into its gracefully dilapidated Beaux-Arts mansions. Condesa, which was the city’s most cosmopolitan area during the 1930s and 40s, experienced a shorter decline, having rebounded by the mid 90s. With its pretty Art Deco and Mission-style apartments and even prettier residents, Condesa is today the grande dame of Mexico City colonias—stylish, elegant, but never trying too hard. Condesa and Roma were also among the areas most heavily damaged in the 2017 earthquake, but this time both returned to life with remarkable speed. Were it not for a handful of empty buildings dotting the area, deep cracks running through their
white plaster exteriors, you might not know that anything had happened here at all. And while the dialogue between tradition and innovation found its way into restaurant kitchens at least a decade ago in places like Enrique Olvera’s Pujol, in the swanky Polanco area, Roma and Condesa have taken the lead in translating it into more casual—though no less ambitious— settings. At Meroma, wife-andhusband team Mercedes Bernal and Rodney Cusic offer some of the neighborhoods’ most refined cooking, taking inspiration from local ingredients, rather than traditional dishes, to create a subtly eclectic menu. And at El Parnita, a familyrun taco joint that got hip as the district did, young diners line up for a lunch of fish tacos and craft beer. And at the chaotic, nameless open kitchen next door, a young chef named Jesús Salas Tornés creates consistently delicious, interesting dishes that bring the flavors, techniques and oddball informality of the countryside straight to the heart of the city.
From far left: A temporary exhibit by the artist TO at Museo Experimental El Eco, in San Rafael; chicken with mashed potatoes and tortillas with octopus at Salón Ríos, in Colonia Cuauhtémoc; the Angel of Independence, on Paseo de la Reforma in Juarez.
SANTA MARÍA LA RIBERA & SAN RAFAEL Not long after I moved to Mexico City, I climbed a flight of terrazzo stairs leading to a buzzing, dimly lit terrace in Santa María la Ribera, an otherwise quiet residential neighborhood northwest of the Centro. Glamorous in its turn-of-the20th-century heyday, Santa María, the first planned suburb of the Centro, was, by the 1950s,
overshadowed by neighborhoods like Roma and Condesa. On that chilly evening, however, it was hard to imagine anywhere more elegant. In the 17 years since Zonamaco, the city’s mammoth weeklong art fair, launched, Mexico City has become an essential stop for regulars on the international art circuit and young artists looking to create and show work in a dynamic, affordable environment. A few nights before the gathering on the terrace, Art Week had started—an annual event that includes Zonamaco and its daring younger sibling, the Material Art Fair. Around me was a crowd of local gallerists, artists from Mexico and
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abroad, and assorted global movers and shakers. They’d come to celebrate the recent opening of the Mexico City outpost of Casa Wabi, the Tadao Ando–designed artists’ retreat in Oaxaca, on Mexico’s southern coast. Mezcal flowed freely as fairy lights twinkled along with the neon sign for a cheap hotel across the street. Between them, Santa María and the adjacent area of San Rafael are home to more than a dozen galleries and art spaces. Some represent internationally recognized artists, but most are like Casa Wabi: alternative, informal spaces for young Mexican artists. On a recent morning, I stopped by the gallery to see an exhibition of earthenware pieces by a Swiss resident at the Oaxaca center, displayed alongside Midcentury Modern furniture sold by the design shop Decada. The small space on the ground floor showed work by a photographer from the northern state of Sonora—endless
desert horizons punctuated by fragments of industrial architecture. “Mexico City is a nursery for the rest of the country,” said Carla Sodi, director of the Casa Wabi Foundation, as we sat one morning on a balcony overlooking an ordinary street that was waking to the working day. “Eventually, these artists will go back home and plant those seeds.” Santa María and San Rafael have always been low-key repositories for
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From left: Grilled lamb at Meroma, in Roma; Salón Ríos, in Colonia Cuauhtémoc, serves updatedd Mexican staples; the neighborhood of Condesa, near the Parque México.
Mexican design. Around Santa María’s gracious alameda, or central park, families move up and down the marble stairs of the gorgeously oldfashioned Geology Museum, built in 1910, while old couples dance beneath the flamboyant glass dome of the Moorish Kiosk, erected here in the same year. The Art Nouveau towers of the Museo Universitario del Chopo, an important center for contemporary art, soar over a street that, in the early 1980s, was the locus for the city’s punk and goth scenes. The ruins of Cine Opera, a nowdefunct Art Deco cinema, stand like a sentinel at San Rafael’s northern edge. And the abstract minimalism of the Museo Experimental El Eco, built in the 1950s by the celebrated artist and designer Mathias Goeritz, brackets San Rafael’s south. Yet despite all these monuments, both neighborhoods remain typical middle-class barrios. Santa María’s
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neighborhood tamale shop, Cintli, is my favorite in all of Mexico City. Beer and tequila abound at the local cantina Salón París, and La Polar in San Rafael serves steaming bowls of birria, a regional beef stew, accompanied by raucous mariachi bands playing late into the night.
JUAREZ & COLONIA CUAUHTÉMOC The glass-and-steel towers lining Mexico City’s grand ceremonial avenue, Paseo de la Reforma, burst from the low-slung concrete grid like volcanic peaks, monuments to globalist prosperity erupting from the city’s ancient lake bed. Reforma connects the Centro to the Bosque de Chapultepec, the city’s biggest park, and the trio of important art institutions clustered at its northern section—the Museum of
Anthropology, the Museum of Modern Art, and the Tamayo Museum for contemporary art. For much of the last century, the neighborhoods that flank Reforma— Colonia Cuauhtémoc to the north and Juarez to the south—were the center of the city’s international population. Wealthy Mexican families, foreigners and diplomats were drawn here by embassies and banks and streets named for the great rivers and cities of the world they once called home: Ganges, Danubio and Rhin; Londres, Hamburgo and Berlín. From their development in the early 20th century onward, these areas have expressed Mexico’s global ambitions. They still do. Ryo Kan, a streamlined, new guesthouse in Cuauhtémoc, takes its neighborhood’s global spirit to heart, bringing the intimate calm of the traditional Japanese inns it’s named after to the heart of the Mexican capital. While other new boutique hotels in the city revel in Mexico’s mid-century elegance, Ryo Kan is tranquil and subdued, compact and efficient, a meditation in pale oak and terrazzo. “Japan and Mexico have a lot in common—our ceramics, our textiles, our uses of natural materials. We wanted to find those parallels,” says Regina Galvanduque, the lead architect on the Ryo Kan project, which has 10 rooms and an onsen on its roof-deck. Ryo Kan is the most recent of a number of Japanese-inspired businesses to open along Cuauhtémoc’s subdued, tree-lined streets. In the past six years, the Edo Kobayashi restaurant group, run by Edo López, has created a small empire there, with an izakaya and ramen spot called Rokai, a tiny bar called Le Tachinomi Desu serving sake and natural wines, and a listening bar inspired by Tokyo’s Ginza Music Bar. Wander a few minutes south into the Zona Rosa, the historic gay neighborhood at the center of Colonia Juarez, and you’ll find it hard not to feel transported. Banners for cheap cafés, Korean lunch joints and neonlit gay bars obscure the façades of old houses built in an inexplicable (and
inexplicably pleasing) hodgepodge of architectural styles from France, Italy, Britain and Spain. In the evenings, crowds spill onto the broad pavement of Plaza Washington from the garage-like edifice of Cicatriz, an all-day café run by a sister-brother team of American expats, Scarlett and Jake Lindeman. Most of their customers—who come for coffee and cocktails, natural wines, and fried-chicken sandwiches—wouldn’t look out of place in New York, Los Angeles, London or Paris. That’s because many of them hail from just those places: the most recent group of immigrants to call Juarez home.
SAN MIGUEL CHAPULTEPEC The long communal table that runs down the center of the restaurant Masala y Maíz had been laid out with bowls of spices—some of them familiar to Mexican palates (cumin, cinnamon, cloves and black pepper), others (coriander seed, ginger and star anise) less so. Chefs Norma Listman, originally from the nearby town of Texcoco, and Saqib Keval, born in northern California to an Indian family from East Africa, circulated, greeting guests. Seated at the center of the table, the
Chefs Saqib Keval and Norma Listman of Masala y Maíz restaurant, in San Miguel Chapultepec.
restaurant’s first artist in residence, Sita Kuratomi Bhaumik, began her talk on the origins of Indian chai. The conversation then segued to the spices in front of us and how some of them had made their way into Mexican kitchens. Masala y Maíz had opened a few months earlier in the quietly elegant colonia of San Miguel Chapultepec, a triangle of leafy streets that separates Condesa from the Bosque de Chapultepec. Right away, it was a space obsessed with hybridity: an artists’ residency, an ambitious fullservice restaurant, and a coffee shop serving house-made doughnuts from a window connecting the kitchen to the street. That evening, it was also a workshop for a handful of curious people, an event that was local in its reach, yet cosmopolitan in its vision. For Listman and Keval, the menu at Masala y Maíz is a reflection of the mestizaje, or cultural mixing, that has defined Mexican culture and cuisine since the Spanish conquest.
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Here, huevos rancheros come with South Indian uttapam flatbreads in place of tortillas. Giant prawns are coated in Ethiopian berbere and served with jicama and rose water. Patra de hoja santa, a riff on an Indian snack of spiced chickpea batter, trades the traditional taro leaf for southern Mexico’s emblematic herb, hoja santa. San Miguel was not an obvious choice for this kind of restaurant. Peaceful and residential, the area is best known for its access to the Bosque de Chapultepec, never more than a few blocks away; for the pretty cobblestoned lanes that line its southern side; and for the beloved white-tablecloth cantina, El Mirador de Chapultepec, that has been a favorite among city politicians for decades. It’s also notable for its proximity to several essential design institutions, including the influential gallery Kurimanzutto, which turns 20 this year. Casa Luis Barragán, the former home of Mexico’s
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Pritzker-winning 20th-century architectural master Luis Barragán, lies just beyond the colonia’s western edge, and the renowned Archivo de Diseño y Arquitectura exhibition space sits right next door to Barragán’s house. San Miguel is a perfect place for peaceful walks past magnificent private homes secreted away behind humble Neocolonial façades, for whiling away hours in quiet corners of the Bosque de Chapultepec, or for sipping hibiscus mead brewed right here in the city, a specialty at Masala y Maíz. It’s also a perfect place to reflect on something Chilangos have known for ages: that Mexico City isn’t just the capital of the Spanishspeaking world, or the biggest city in North America. A city of immigrants and innovation, built and rebuilt with a zealous lust for the new, blasted by tragedy, sustained by passion and pragmatism—Ciudad de México is, and always has been, the great city of the Americas.
Plan a perfect stay in mexico city
Santa María la Ribera
For a manageable microcosm of this vast metropolis, stick to these parts of the historic Cuauhtémoc borough. Pick one as your base, and spend your days exploring the others.
San Rafael
colonia Cuauhtémoc
Getting Around
Despite its size, Mexico City is relatively easy to navigate. Comfortable year-round temperatures make it a great city for walking. The Metro is the most efficient way to cover longer distances, though it’s best avoided at rush hour. Uber is also a good option here. Centro histórico Hotels
The Downtown Mexico (downtownmexico.com; doubles from US$230), set in a 17thcentury palace, has an elegant rooftop bar and pool. Eat + Drink
Arrive early to avoid the crowds at Don Vergas (21 Ernesto Pugibet; mains US$7–$32), a stall in the Mercado San Juan that serves some of the city’s best seafood. Dip into a historic cantina like Salón España (25 Avda. República de Argentina), La Ópera (10 Cinco de Mayo) or La Faena (49 Venustiano Carranza) to break up a day of sightseeing. For dinner, stop at the beloved mezcal bar Bósforo (31 Luis Moya), then try the chic, nameless restaurant next door (mains US$8–$12). see + do
Start in the Zócalo, or central plaza, then see the Diego Rivera murals at the Palacio Nacional (palacionacionaldemexico.mx) and the Secretariat of Public Education headquarters (28 Avda. República de Argentina), the Aztec ruins at the Museo del Templo Mayor (templomayor.inah.gob.mx), and the Baroque Metropolitan Cathedral (catedral metropolitanacdmx.org). Roma & Condesa Hotels
Roma’s Ignacia Guest House (ignacia.mx; doubles from US$300) and La Valise (lavalise.
com; suites from US$350) are two of the city’s prettiest boutique hotels, while Condesa DF (condesadf.com; doubles from US$200) is all about minimal chic.
Centro Histórico Juarez
Roma San Miguel Chapultepec
Condesa
Eat + Drink
Join the area’s stylish residents at lunch spot El Parnita (elparnita.com; tacos around US$3). The open kitchen at the unnamed spot next door (84 Yucatán; small plates US$3–$7) serves some of the most interesting dishes anywhere in town. In Condesa, Molino El Pujol (fb.com/molinopujol) offers a taste of celebrated chef Enrique Olvera’s signature snacks, and Baltra Bar (baltra. bar) mixes fantastic cocktails. In Roma, Meroma (meroma.mx; mains US$14–$18) makes for an elegant, low-key alternative to the flashier restaurants in the high-end Polanco district. see + do
Shop for whimsical fashion at Hi-Bye (hibye.world), and pick up a bottle of mezcal at Sabrá Diós (15 Avda. Veracruz), in Condesa. If you’re interested in local crafts, make an appointment to visit the showroom at Ven a Mi (instagram.com/venami_mx) and keep an eye out for retail popups like Momo Room (momoroom.com). Santa María la ribera & San Rafael Hotels
The boutique hotel El Patio 77 (elpatio77.com; doubles from US$125) makes for a peaceful base in a central but relatively unexplored area. Eat + Drink
Find the best tamales in the city at Cintli (174 Calle Sabino), a no-frills storefront in Santa María la Ribera. Salón París (152 Jaime Torres Bodet) is a great traditional cantina, while La Polar (lapolar.com.mx; birria
Mexico city
US$7) makes superb birria (spicy beef stew). see + Do
The magnificent Geology Museum (geologia.unam.mx/igl/ museo), in Santa María’s main plaza, has a beautifully displayed collection. For contemporary art, don’t miss Casa Wabi (casawabi.org) and the Museo Experimental El Eco (eleco.unam.mx/eleco), a masterpiece of mid-century Mexican design. juarez & Colonia Cuauhtémoc Hotels
The newly opened Ryo Kan (ryokan.mx; doubles from US$150) brings Japanese tranquility and onsen culture to the city’s business district. Eat + Drink
You’ll find some of Mexico City’s best international restaurants in these neighborhoods, from small plates at natural-wine bar Le Tachinomi Desu (edo kobayashi.com; small plates US$5–$8) to a remarkable omakase at Sushi Kyo (edo kobayashi.com; set menus from US$75). Salón Ríos (218 Río Lerma; mains US$8–$30) is a great place for updated Mexican classics; Cicatriz (cicatrizcafe. com; mains US$3–$6) is ideal for a salad or an evening cocktail. see + do
The Anthropology Museum (mna.inah.gob.mx) has an
extraordinary collection of Mesoamerican artifacts. Next door, Museo Tamayo (museo tamayo.org) shows modern, contemporary and folk art. The Museo de Arte Moderno (mam. inba.gob.mx) focuses, as its name suggests, on modern art. San Miguel Chapultepec Eat + Drink
The menu at Masala y Maíz (masalaymaiz.com; small plates US$5–$9) explores the commonalities among the cuisines of Mexico, India, and East Africa, while El Mirador de Chapultepec (cantinael mirador.com; sharing plates US$7–$10) is one of the city’s classic cantinas. see + Do
Book well in advance for a tour of Casa Luis Barragán (casaluisb arragan.org), former home of the Pritzker-winning architect. Nearby, Casa Gilardi (fb.com/casagilardi), the last house Barragán built before his death, also offers tours by appointment. Next door to the Barragán house is the Archivo de Diseño y Arquitectura (archivonline.org), a small exhibition space and reading room devoted to Mexican design with a beautiful garden in back. Twenty years after opening, Kurimanzutto (kurimanzutto. com), in the neighborhood’s peaceful heart, is still among the most influential galleries in North America. — M.S.
wish you were here
Venture around Bali to any one of its smaller villages, and you’ll likely come across a proud elder and his sabung, a specially bred cock like I Wayan Kenyur’s here. Cared for with the utmost respect, and likely outliving its cousins who are destined for the dinner table, the rooster is part of the island’s cockfighting tradition. Today, it’s mainly practiced as part of a temple festival or a religious purification ceremony as a means to expel evil spirits through tabuh rah, or the spilling of blood. — jill gocher
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SOME CHEFS COOK THEIR BEST AT 30.000 FEET
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