December 2015 by Travel + Leisure Southeast Asia

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december 2015

perTH iS Back on THe Map Modern BurMa goeS vinTage BeST oF 2015

after hours 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

Bangkok, London, San FranciSco, cape Town and Havana

Sofitel Legend Metropole.

SOFITEL IS MAGNIFIQUE

Sofitel Luang Prabang.

A new luxury boutique label and stunning new hotels in Southeast Asia These are stimulating times at Sofitel in Southeast Asia. There are now 11 elegant Sofitel’s in the region, with lavish properties in Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and the Philippines – including flagship hotels for the fashionforward SO Sofitel and stately Sofitel Legend labels. Excitement is also being generated by the introduction of a new Sofitel label, MGallery by Sofitel - a collection of luxury boutique hotels dedicated to sophisticated and adventurous explorers. A unique feature of the brand is that each of these charming hotels has its own fascinating story to inspire and capture the imagination of guests. The Sofitel brand now comprises four labels with Sofitel Legend, SO Sofitel, Sofitel Hotels and Resorts, and MGallery by Sofitel. Each however retains the unique Sofitel identity and core brand values of excellence, elegance, joie de vivre, open-mindedness and generosity. Additionally every Sofitel embodies the French “art-de-vivre”, a celebration of French lifestyle and culture with superb design, gastronomy, culture and wellbeing. MGallery by Sofitel 3 Nagas, Luang Prabang typifies the new MGallery by Sofitel label, 3 Nagas. providing guests with a charming and timeless experience in the heart of Laos’ cherished cultural and spiritual centre. A boutique hotel set in a beautiful garden oasis bordering the Nam Khan River, 3 Nagas, MGallery by Sofitel encompasses three elegantly refurbished historical homes, perfectly blending vintage French and classic Laos design with modern touches. Exuding authenticity and grace, 3 Nagas takes you on a historical journey back to the elegance of the bygone colonial era. For a decadent delight, take one of the hotel’s magnificent vintage cars on a tour of Luang Prabang. This year the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Luang Prabang also welcomes Sofitel Luang Prabang, the newest addition to the Sofitel Hotels and Resorts label. Guests can enjoy unparelleled exclusivity and serenity in the landscaped gardens of this all-suite, fully restored former governor’s residence where every suite opens up to its own private garden and patio area, with private plunge pool or oversized hot tub; allowing guests to unwind in total seclusion. Sofitel Luang Prabang is an elegant fusion of Far Eastern exoticism and colonial splendour and the perfect haven of calm from which to discover the natural beauty and historic charms of Luang Prabang. So Sofitel Hua Hin. For something a little more exclusive, enter the Sofitel Legend collection, a sophisticated brand that harmonises historical heritage with modern interpretation. Step into a fin-de-siecle-style suite in Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi’s colonial heritage building just steps from the Opera House in Hanoi’s French quarter. An award-winning flagship from the brand’s Legend collection, the hotel sets its refined experiences in centuries-old listed buildings bursting with historical character. SO Sofitel develops unique design and lifestyle hotels infused with local energy. For each new SO Sofitel, world renowned designers are selected to leave their mark on the brand. The latest to join the collection is SO Sofitel Hua Hin, a playful beach resort just two hours from Bangkok. By turns vibrant, minimal, audacious and innovative, So Sofitel Hua Hin takes guests on a journey through the evolution of life. With scenes reminiscent of the Grand Galerie de l’Evolution, abstract animals and playful creatures reveal themselves throughout the resort, capturing the spirit of “So Evolution” and 1 .3 – Logo displaying life as the ultimate art form. Stylish socialisers will also love Beach Society the chic new beach club and latest addition to this iconic retreat. For today’s demanding travellers who expect nothing less than beauty, craftsmanship, excellence and unique experiences at every turn, Sofitel Hotels and Resorts, SO Sofitel, Sofitel Legend and MGallery by Sofitel tick every box. FUNDAMENTALS

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On the Cover

contents Special

Best of 2015 T+L rounds up the coolest new openings in Bali, Rangoon, Hong Kong, Singapore and Sydney, plus a few highlights from the rest of the region.

116

The New Old China A modern makeover is sweeping Chengdu—traditionally known for its laid-back way of life, its leafy streetscapes, and, of course, its pandas. Christopher Beam visits this most appealing of Chinese cities, and meets the people connecting its future to its past. Photographed by Simon Norfolk

Features

All aflutter at the brand-new Sing Sing Theater, in Bangkok. Photographer: Ausadavut Sarum; photographer’s assistant: Kaona Nilavajara; stylist: Saranya Ariyakul; hair and makeup: Pichaste Treethepvilai; model: Joo Hyun/WM Management; dress: Halston Heritage; shoes: Jimmy Choo; necklace: Abnormal.

Great Places In celebration of our eighth anniversary this month, we invited 1 26 8some of the best travel photographers in the region to share their favorite

locations for vacation festivities. The result: a wanderlust-ful pictorial montage.

Horizons Now that the decades-long conflict has abated, visitors—and 136 Bright hope—are returning to northern and eastern Sri Lanka. Samanth Subramanian

uncovers the little-known treasures, from virgin forests and beaches to remarkable temples and romantic lodges, that are putting the region back in the spotlight. Photographed by Frederic Lagrange

F R O M L E F T: C H R I S T O P H E R K U C WAY; N O E D E W I T T; F R E D E R I C L A G R A N G E ; C O U R T E S Y O F FA H R E N H E I T

Heights The Hawaiian island of Oahu long has been a kind of mythic 146 Pacific paradise, a lush and exotic mixture of the U.S. and Polynesia. But now, from the

streets of Honolulu to the surf breaks of the North Shore, the currents are moving in a new direction, bringing in a fresh multicultural vibrancy and a bracing sense of style. By Maggie Shipstead. Photographed by Noe DeWitt

116

146

136

TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM / DECEMBER 2015

In Every Issue t+l digital 14 contributors 16 editor’s note 18 the conversation 20 wish you were here 154

contents

52 Seoul in Seasons Four

Seasons’ first South Korea property is a modern classic.

2 5 The Suite Life First look at The

Landmark Mandarin Oriental’s new suites.

32 Island Girl Aussie fashion

designer makes it big in Bali.

34 Supersize Me Macau is poised to become Asia’s largest entertainment hub.

Tina Leung spills her travel-

4 4 My Fabulous World

Supermodel Coco Rocha on travel, fashion and beauty.

4 5 Blurred Lines Traditional Asian

the-grid luxury lodges in Africa.

ade in Florence Shopping for Martisanal goods in Italy.

Restored heritage buildings bring Perth’s CBD back to life.

66 Pop Goes Burma The

inspirations behind Burmese lifestyle brand Yangoods.

Moeraki Boulders, on New Zealand’s South Island.

74 Cuisine as Culture Two

Japanese kaiseki chefs serve up distinct glimpses of their country—and personalities.

78 It Takes a Village Preserving

DECEMBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM

The Guide the world are shaking up their after-hours scenes in unexpected and inventive ways. T+L toasts Bangkok, Havana, London, San Francisco and Cape Town, plus clues you in to the hottest drinking trends going.

Upgrade

giving travel experiences this

107 The Gift of Go Our guide to

holiday season, from airline tickets to bucket-list trips. Plus, test-driving “smart” luggage.

local culture at Bali’s new RitzCarlton Reserve.

the perfect Balinese wooden mask.

95 Raising the Bar Cities around

72 The Moment Sunrise over the

ikat prints go global.

46 Safaris Without Borders Off-

around Australia’s Mornington Peninsula, near Melbourne.

90 Follow the Grain In search of

63 New Life for Old Treasury

40 The Flying Fashionista Stylist wardrobe secrets.

Beyond

84 The Road Less Taken A drive

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

Here & Now

t+l digital

LOOKOUT

TICAO BOYS Ride with the cowboys on the palm-fringed sands of Ticao Island’s unspoiled piece of Philippine paradise.

5 ESSENTIAL GALLERIES IN BEIJING Join us for a tour of the edgy, avant-garde and utterly wild art showcases of Caochangdi.

SINGAPORE’S GOLDEN JUBILEE As the Lion City roars through its 50th birthday, a few influential locals share their favorite things to do in their hometown.

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F R O M L E F T : K I T Y E N G C H A N ; C H R I STO P E R KU CWAY ; W E I X I A N G L I M

THIS MONTH ON TR AVELANDLEISUREASIA.COM

Meet Chengdu’s adorable pandas; the ultimate pedicure in Hong Kong; Singapore’s new National Gallery; a green getaway in Khao Yai, Thailand; the latest travel deals; and more. travelandleisure asia.com

Helen Dalley

Chris Gin

Supersize Me and Best of 2015: Hong Kong pages 34 and 55 — With a baby on the way and a toddler in tow, Dalley these days is making the most of destinations close to her Hong Kong home. Which is why she’s a great go-to for a discussion on hotels there and in Macau, where she’s seeing “a shift away from big chains to design-conscious properties.” The trend continues in Hong Kong’s already-innovative industry. Here, she says, the “new wave of boutique-hotel owners are working with local collaborators—from architects to cartographers to brewers and café owners—to create a distinct local flavor.” Twitter: @hello_cleveland.

The Moment page 72 — “I love being on this beach at sunrise,” says the Aucklandbased Gin, of Koekohe on the South Island, where he shot the spherical Moeraki Boulders. “It’s like being on another planet.” It’s tough to find a place in New Zealand that isn’t fantastically photogenic, but when pressed Gin says his favorite spots to set in his sights are Muriwai and Piha beaches, not far from his home, and Lake Tekapo, in autumn and early summer, “when the lupines are in full bloom.” Next he heads back to the bottom of the country, to photograph the Catlins and the Nugget Point Lighthouse in all their summer glory. Twitter: @chris_gin.

Maggie Shipstead

Samanth Subramanian

Pacific Heights page 146 — “Some people think Honolulu is a tourist trap, but that just means they haven’t left Waikiki,” says Shipstead, whose recent visit took her, among other places, to the booming area of Chinatown. “I hope the neighborhood continues to blossom as a dining destination.” The author of Astonish Me, a recent novel about a Russian ballet defector, did a lot of eating and drinking on Oahu, including ordering a poke bowl (seafood salad over rice) from Island Vintage Coffee and mai tais at one of Waikiki’s beach hotels. Her advice for island life? “Set your phone to aloha time or, better yet, turn it off.” Twitter: @maggieshipstead.

Bright Horizons page 136 — For the New Delhi–based writer, who lived in Sri Lanka from 2011 to 2012, the island nation still feels like home. “I’ll never forget flying into Jaffna,” he says of his latest visit. “From the air, the peninsula is a patchwork of paddy fields and ocean. I couldn’t stop staring.” For him, no trip to the teardropshaped country is complete without ordering lampreis— rice, meat, curries and a hard-boiled egg steamed in a banana leaf—at the café in Colombo’s Dutch Burgher Union building. His new book, This Divided Island: Stories from the Sri Lankan War, debuts in December. Twitter: @samanth_s.

W R I T ER

P H O TO GR A P H ER

W R I T ER

F R O M T O P : C O U R T E S Y O F H E L E N D A L L E Y; C O U R T E S Y O F C H R I S G I N ; C O U R T E S Y O F M A G G I E S H I P S T E A D ; PA D M A PA R N A G H O S H

DECEMBER 2015

W R I T ER

| contributors

editor’s note

DECEMBER 2015

THE END OF THE YEAR IS A TIME TO REGROUP, TAKE A DEEP BREATH

@CKucway chrisk@mediatransasia.com

D EC E M B E R 2 0 1 5 / T R AV E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A . C O M

From My Travels

Singapore is noted for its excellent hotels and there are more on the horizon in the coming months. One of the newest openings, The South Beach (thesouthbeach.com. sg; doubles from S$383), just might hold a world record for fascinating chairs and light fixtures. It has an unforgettable collection of both, all part of its aim to be a fun as well as functional hotel. If you do pay a visit, resist the temptation to spend too much time in its lifts that change colors.

F R O M L E F T: N A PAT R AV E E WAT; C H R I S T O P H E R K U C WAY

and, most importantly, map out your travels ahead. For some great new ideas, turn to our Best of 2015 (page 57), which looks at, among other things, resorts in Bali, eateries in Sydney and retail therapy in Singapore. In fact, we’ve done some thorough browsing this festive season, and present each story in this issue as a small, one-of-a-kind gift. Start by pulling the bow off the renovated suites at The Landmark Mandarin Oriental in Hong Kong (“The Suite Life,” page 25), then take the fast ferry to Macau (“Supersize Me,” page 34), where hotels are opening faster than you can lay down your mark at the roulette wheel. We explore how one redevelopment in Perth (“New Life for Old Treasury,” page 63) is altering the city’s complexion. Yearning for splashy fashion in Rangoon? We’ve got that covered too (“Pop Goes Burma,” page 66). It’s all, we admit, enough to make your head spin—and that’s before you dive into our special section on nightlife (“Raising the Bar,” page 95), a guide of what’s new after hours from Bangkok to Cape Town and beyond. Finally, have a look at “8 Great Places” (page 126). Some of our best photographers have contributed to this collection of stunning images from around our region to help celebrate our eighth anniversary this month. No doubt, these beautiful photos will inspire your next journey.

the conversation ON OUR WATCH

HOLIDAYS APLENTY

Despite concerns about slumping tourism industries across our region, it seems we in Asia Pacific are yearning more than ever for the open road. Together, travelers from Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan and Thailand took more vacations in the past two years than people from any other region in the world, according to the most recent Visa Global Travel Intentions study. With Singapore leading the pack at 95 percent of survey respondents taking holidays in the last 24 months, Asia Pacific residents

BURNING QUESTION

also represent the only region globally to increase their holiday-trip taking since

Is duty-free shopping worth it? It depends. Exempt from local import tax, duty-free shops often have lower prices than regular stores in the same country. But their prices are still influenced by any other local taxes, currency exchange rates, and, perhaps, the retailers’ gaming their monopoly position to pump up prices. For the best bargains, price-compare on the websites of the duty-free networks of your departure and arrival airports (Singapore, for example, is ishopchangi.com; Seoul, lottedfs.com). A recent Skyscanner study of airports globally found that in general Berlin is the cheapest: Burberry perfume is 25-percent less than in Dubai; Toblerone is about half the price as in Singapore. Of course, if you’re factoring in convenience, our region offers a steal: many places— including Australia, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam—have duty-free shops after border control.

#TLASIA

Stoked about the all-you-can-eat for US$38 in Coron, Philippines. By @pill0ws.

2013. But the news isn’t all sunny: visitors to China, Malaysia, Burma, Cambodia and Laos spent the least money on their vacations. Tourists in New Zealand spent the most, while the plurality of leisure travelers from both China and India went to Australia. Here’s a look at the numbers, with prices converted to US dollars:

84% 6

The proportion of Asia Pacific residents who traveled solely for leisure in the past two years, compared with 76% global average

$3,501

The average number of international trips Asia Pacific travelers took in the past two years

The average amount Asia Pacific respondents said they would spend on their next vacation

$3,765 The average amount visitors to New Zealand spent on their vacations, the most in the world

$652

The average amount visitors to Laos spent, the least

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Moments of lightness with refugee kids in Malaysia. By @leehorbachewski.

Navratri celebrations at Shree Lakshmi Narayan Temple, in Kuala Lumpur. By @myjejak.

A merry band in Koggala, Sri Lanka. By @the_shangri_la.

SHARE AN INSTAGRAM PHOTO BY USING THE #TLASIA HASHTAG, AND IT MAY BE FEATURED IN AN UPCOMING ISSUE. FOLLOW @TRAVELANDLEISUREASIA

DECEMBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM

BALI . BILOXI . CANCUN . CHICAGO . HOLLYWOOD, FL . IBIZA . LAS VEGAS . MACAU . NORTHFIELD PARK . ORLANDO . PALM SPRINGS . PANAMA MEGAPOLIS . PATTAYA . PENANG . PUNTA CANA RIVIERA MAYA . SAN DIEGO . SINGAPORE . TAMPA . VALLARTA . COMING SOON: ABU DHABI . CABO SAN LUCAS . DUBAI MARINA . GOA . HAIKOU . RIVIERA CANCUN . SHENZHEN . TENERIFE

Real music. Authentic experiences. Created here.

sessions by: the jane doze at hard rock hotel

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REGUL AR CONTRIBUTORS / PHOTOGR APHERS Cedric Arnold, Jeff Chu, Helen Dalley, Robyn Eckhardt, Philipp Engelhorn, David Hagerman, Diana Hubbell, Lauryn Ishak, Mark Lean, Melanie Lee, Naomi Lindt, Brent T. Madison, Ian Lloyd Neubauer, Aaron Joel Santos, Adam Skolnick, Darren Soh, Stephanie Zubiri CHAIRMAN PRESIDENT PUBLISHING DIRECTOR PUBLISHER TR AFFIC MANAGER /DEPUT Y DIGITAL MEDIA MANAGER SALES DIRECTOR BUSINES S DE VELOPMENT MANAGERS CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER PRODUCTION MANAGER PRODUCTION GROUP CIRCUL ATION MANAGER CIRCUL ATION AS SISTANT

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TR AVEL+LEISURE SOUTHEAST ASIA VOL. 9, ISSUE 12 Travel+Leisure Southeast Asia is published monthly by Media Transasia Limited, 1603, 16/F, Island Place Tower, 510 King’s Road, North Point, Hong Kong. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any information storage or retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the Publisher. Produced and distributed by Media Transasia Thailand Ltd., 14th Floor, Ocean Tower II, 75/8 Soi Sukhumvit 19, Sukhumvit Road, Klongtoeynue, Wattana, Bangkok 10110, Thailand. Tel: +66 2 204-2370. Printed by Comform Co., Ltd. (+66 2 368-2942–7). Color separation by Classic Scan Co., Ltd. (+66 2 291-7575). While the editors do their utmost to verify information published, they do not accept responsibility for its absolute accuracy. This edition is published by permission of TIME INC. AFFLUENT MEDIA GROUP 1271 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020 Tel. +1 212 522-1212 Online: www.timeinc.com Reproduction in whole or in part without consent of the copyright owner is prohibited. SUBSCRIPTIONS Enquiries: www.travelandleisuresea.com/subscribe

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The Suite Life

P H OTO C R E D I T T E E K AY

Hong Kongâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s style-focused Landmark Mandarin Oriental celebrates 10 years the only way it knows how: by revamping its suites. STORY AND PHOTOS BY CHRISTOPHER KUCWAY

NEWS + TRENDS + DISCOVERIES

A brass-hued living room in a suite at the hotel.

/ here&now / IF A ME ASURE OF A HOTEL room is judged by how well you sleep, then The Landmark Mandarin Oriental’s revamped suites score big time. That’s the polite way of saying that I slept in on the first of two nights at the hotel, the clock counting off towards eight in the morning before I knew it. Normally I’m checking e-mails by sunrise, so it was time to scramble. Not that I had far to go—for anything. Smack in the middle of Central, which in Hong Kong means the middle of the universe, all I had to do is push a button to part the curtains on another day in one of the world’s most industrious cities and see early risers already at their desks in the office blocks immediately outside my window. And I hadn’t even shaved yet! My first meeting was at nine, but I still took the time to make myself a coffee in what is best summed up as my own small kitchen. To mark its 10th anniversary this year, Hong Kong’s 113-room Landmark Mandarin Oriental is revamping its suites, a project that will be complete by February. Behind the reno is 32-year-old local architect and designer Joyce Wang, who describes the new-look suites as “sexy.” No expense was spared, though the hotel offers no dollar figures for the refurbishment, which took rooms from a darker, boxier look to one dominated by brushed brass and transparent acrylic.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: A small dining

table off the living room; colorful, daily touches adorn the suite; a king-sized bed that is difficult to leave; brushed brass artwork lends the suite a smart, residential feel.

DECEMBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM

On initial glance, I find the suite is focused most on comfort. “The room is conducive to your stepping out of your own skin and behaving differently than, say, if you were at home,” Wang tells me. She’s right; sleeping in is counter to my normal behavior, but how did she know? “Elements in the room are staged to delight and pleasure the guest with exceptional experiences.” My 15th floor aerie is dubbed an L900 Landmark suite, and at 83 square meters is the largest at the hotel aside from the Presidential suite. As with any good design, the focus is in the details. After two sets of polished glass sliding doors at the entry is a twometer circular tub. Turn left, and it’s that king-sized bed to sink into, along with his and her walk-in closets and a small bench to peer out at the surrounding offices. Gladis Young, the hotel’s communication director, forewarns me that those in the offices can peer right back, so the muted blinds are a must. On either side of that bed that coddled me in its embrace until rush hour are nightstands generous enough for my iPad and iPhone—both plugged into a hidden set of universal outlets—a magazine or two, a hotel phone, bottled water and some in-house Valrhona chocolates. On the opposite night stand is a Bose >>

/ here&now /

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: A bathroom with a view, and Jo Malone toiletries; the circular tub is the centerpiece; both bedroom and living room have easy access.

SoundLink Bluetooth III speaker, to which I pay a lot of attention, while on my side there’s an alarm clock, which I completely ignore. A curved, padded leather headboard is fitted with individual reading lights like you’d find in a business-class seat. Above it is a brushed-brass wall hanging set against distressed silk sectionals. Those two walk-in wardrobes face each other, motion-sensor ceiling lights illuminating their simple, efficient layout. A sucker for little touches, I take to the tilted wooden shoe rack, immediately lining up both pairs I have, lending my closet the look of a store display. His and her sinks look out through floor-to-ceiling windows at Central. This middle third of the suite centers on that circular bathtub, with separate glass cubicles for the toilet and for the sit-down shower. The white-on-black bathroom, accessible from either room, features Jo Malone toiletries and great views of the buzz of this big city. What stands out about the suite is its residential rather than hotel feel. That is most pronounced in the living room, reached by a right turn at the entrance, where a sofa and wraparound chair are set around an acrylic coffee table. Handwoven rugs in the bedroom and living

DECEMBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM

room both bear subtle animal skin motifs. Wang introduced transparent acrylic table ends into her design in order to give the suites a more airy, less boxy feel. Each piece here feels like it’s floating off the floor. The dining table is complemented by Wang’s favorite feature: a chilled vitrine— capitalizing on the hotel’s strong foodand-beverage presence with two lemon tarts on my arrival—and what is dubbed a vertical minibar that would be envy of any home entertainer. It consists of a fireengine red Nespresso machine; a tea maker with six varieties of Jing Tea; liquor in both 5- and 35-centiliter bottles; and a collection of glasses that includes four types of wine stemware, brandy snifters, whisky tumblers and beer glasses. The longer I spend in the suite, the more I can envision Wang’s sexy version of it. I want to invite friends over but I fear for the minibar. Yet, she echoes my initial take when describing what she looks for in her perfect hotel room. “The feeling of privacy, because that’s what I expect of my own home—and being able to ‘get away’ is a luxury for me.” Maybe sexy and homey aren’t that different after all. The Landmark Mandarin Oriental; 15 Queen’s Road Central, Hong Kong; mandarin oriental.com; doubles from HK$5,100.

A HIGHER LEVEL OF LUXURY IN PHUKET With striking, contemporary design, innovative seaside dining and an unwavering dedication to faultless service, The Nai Harn is taking luxury to new heights. Reinvigorate your senses and revel in this romantic sanctuary by the sea.

The Nai Harn Phuket 23/3 Moo 1, Vises Road, Rawai Muang District, Phuket, 83130 Thailand T +66 7638 0200 F +66 7638 8211 www.thenaiharn.com

/ here&now /

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Chef Judy Joo

MYHOUSE

HOT TABLES

Hong Kong Hustle

The trendsetting city is stealing flavors from across the Northern Hemisphere, with four new restaurants serving up worldwide favorites, from veal cannelloni at a vinyl-spinning wine bar to kimchi Bloody Marys at a London-import Korean restaurant. JINJUU

This London favorite made its way to Hong Kong in November, bringing modern Korean to Central courtesy of French-trained Korean-American Londoner Judy Joo. The multicultural chef has thrown together dishes that dip classic Korean in a hearty sauce of global

seasoning, like Korean tacos, tong dak fried chicken (HK$600 for up to four people) and beef-andpork mandu dumplings seasoned with Korean spices (HK$80). Wash it down with the White Rice Negroni or Kimchi Mary and the rest of the meal will go by in a beautiful blur. jinjuu.com/hk.

DECEMBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM

This organic eatery conceived by sommelier Alison Christ is brimming with all kinds of old-school and Old World charm, from Gris Noirs made using techniques that date back to the dawn of wine to seven tailor-made turntables available for guests to play vinyl records from the bar’s sizeable collection. For dinner, try the porcini-rubbed short rib with aged balsamic (HK$458) or the veal cannelloni with porcini béchamel (HK$228). myhousehk.com. LE GARÇON

Chef Bao La, the former sous chef at last year’s hit Ho Lee Fook restaurant, leads the kitchen at this airy Vietnamese bistro. Flavorful entrées like grilled Wagyu beef tri-tip (HK$138) and Kurobuta

pork rice noodles (HK$138), show the masterful blend of classic Vietnamese with a French flare that chef Bao La has perfected over the years, starting with his childhood apprenticeship at his family’s Vietnamese restaurant in Brisbane. legarconsaigon.com. THE OPTIMIST

Get your meat fix asadorstyle here, cooked over hot coals or wood, like it has been done in northern Spain for centuries. Behind the grill you’ll find Spanish executive chef Alfredo Rodriquez barbecuing txuleta (HK$100 per 100 grams), a Rubia Gallega rib-eye delicacy, and rodaballo a la brasa (HK$105 per 100 grams), wild turbot cooked whole in a metal casing, to perfection. theoptimist.hk. — MERRIT T GURLEY

C L O C K W I S E F R O M T O P L E F T: C O U R T E S Y O F J I N J U U ; C O U R T E S Y O F L E G A R Ç O N ; C O U R T E S Y O F T H E O P T I M I S T; C O U R T E S Y O F M Y H O U S E

prepares Korean favorites at Jinjuu; Vietnamese food, French flare at Le Garçon; The Optimist serves spicy red prawns; zesty octopus at MyHouse.

TRUNK SHOW

FROM TOP: COURTESY OF GHURK A; COURTESY OF JOHN HARDY (2)

For the first time in 25 years, accessories company Ghurka has created a new line of hard-sided luggage. “The black, white and yellow stripes are military flash colors that we fell in love with,” says the brand’s new designer, Kathy Formby. The collection is handmade in Italy using vegetable-tanned leather and nickel hardware, with pieces that range from an everyday briefcase to a head-turning wardrobe trunk. ghurka.com; from US$4,950. — STEPHANIE WU

WORLDLY GOODS

From The Vault

When Canadian jewelry designer John Hardy first visited Bali, in 1975, he fell in love with its lush landscapes and craft traditions—so much so that he built an open-air workshop outside Ubud. Today, artisans still handcraft his renowned bracelets and cuffs there, and an on-site vault holds more than 10,000 pieces dating back to the brand’s early days. Those archives informed this year’s 40th anniversary collection, which includes leather-and-sterling-silver bracelets and 18-karat-gold bands embedded with diamonds. johnhardy. com; from US$340.— LINDSE Y OL ANDER

/ here&now / INTRODUCING

Island Girl

Australian fashion regent Natasha Gan catapults her eponymous fashion label to the next level in Bali. BY IAN LLOYD NEUBAUER . PHOTOGR APH BY JASON REPOSAR

GETTING SWEAT Y IN BALI HAS

never looked so sexy, thanks to designer Natasha Gan’s new activewear collection. When Gan relocated to Bali from Sydney in 2010, many in the rag trade assumed the designer, whose creations hung in 80-something Aussie boutiques, was going into semiretirement to raise her kids. Yet Gan—a fashion dynamo who went to vocational school at 13 to study pattern-making and was working in London as a designer for H&M by 21—had no intention of slowing down. In the past five years she’s doubled her distribution network and cracked the critical American market, with Natasha Gan creations now hanging in Neiman Marcus, Urban Outfitters and Free People

stores throughout the Americas. She’s also opened three Natasha Gan boutiques in Bali: two in Seminyak, and one in Nusa Dua, with a fourth opening in Canggu. “I saw an opportunity to take things to the next level in Indonesia,” she says. “It gave me the flexibility of getting my hands on hand-printed fabrics, embroiders, beaders and much better access to digitalprinting machines.” Bali’s aquamarine waters, velvetgreen rice fields and kaleidoscopic fishing boats have also crept into her palette. “Once I moved here my direction really changed and my ranges got a lot more colorful,” Gan says. “It’s always summer and there is so much color in the landscape. I wanted to bring that through in my

DECEMBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM

work.” And the heat provided its own inspiration, as Gan looked for innovative ways to stay stylish through Bali’s scorchers. In July she launched Gan Active, a new range of tanks, tees and functional workout gear that looks smart and doesn’t wilt even when the temperature climbs. “It’s sporty but with an urban edge,” the designer says. Gan loves her island home, but as she’s proven from her stint in Sydney, her style won’t stay shackled to just one set of sunny shores. “Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore... in the next two years, I will be launching all across Asia,” she says. Good news for trendsetters in the tropics who want to look the good kind of hot. natashagan.com.au; Gan Active outfit A$130-$200.

/ here&now / UPDATE

Supersize Me

Ever-booming Macau is stacking the deck to become Asia’s entertainment hub. BY HELEN DALLE Y

Take in a panorama of Macau on a ride in the Golden Reel ferris wheel, perched at 130 meters up.

DECEMBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM

rate of expansion continues in earnest, with a parade of new hotels so opulent they put the “bling” in gambling. China’s spirited anti-graft campaign may have thinned out the gaming revenue, but big-name properties are still rolling the dice on Asia’s hottest casino destination. Here, a few gilded additions where travelers will feel like they’ve hit the jackpot regardless of their luck at the baccarat table. + Ever been in a figureeight Ferris wheel? Loopthe-loop at Studio City Macau (studiocity-macau. com; doubles from MOP1,988), one of this year’s most exciting openings. Besides housing the Golden Reel, the city’s first cinematic-themed resort, which debuted in October, boasts a Batmanthemed flight simulator; three-theater arena The House of Magic curated by magician Franz Harary; and legendary nightclub Pacha imported from Ibiza. Canto-pop legend Aaron Kwok rocked the Studio City Event Center in November, followed by the material girl herself, Madonna, who will play two dates next February. + Macau will get its first taste of butler >>

COURTESY OF STUDIO CIT Y MACAU

MACAU’S GALLOPING

Love the Island, Live the Life, experience the finest of Asian hospitality at

Meritus Pelangi, Langkawi

For further information and reservations please visit www.meritushotels.com I Email resvn.pelangi@meritushotels.com I (604)9528888

/ here&now / world’s longest Skytop aquatic adventure ride at 575 meters, 10-screen 3D Cineplex and the world’s largest JW Kids’ Club. Galaxy also opened an 8½ Otto e Mezzo Bombana in October; famed for its white truffle dishes, its impressive sister restaurant in Hong Kong has three Michelin stars. + Soaring in a Skycab over a three-hectare lake just to check in will provide you a bird’s-eye view of how much cash was sprinkled about to make the Wynn Palace (wynnpalace.com; room prices not yet confirmed), the brand’s third property here, and its most opulent. Opening in early 2016, the US$4.1 billion hotel will literally blossom: its leafy large-scale floral sculptures will be something of a signature, adding a sylvan touch to each of the 1,700 rooms. CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: A Premier

suite at The RitzCarlton, Macau; a tropical addition to the Grand Resort Deck, Galaxy Macau; personal butlers pull out all the stops at St. Regis Macao.

DECEMBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM

+ A half-scale Eiffel Tower, a rooftop garden inspired by Versailles, and a massive shopping mall modeled on the Champs Elysees: the Parisian Macao (sandschina.com; room prices not yet confirmed) will have you double-taking which continent you’re visiting in the same way The Venetian transports its guests to Italy with its canals and gondola rides. Developed by Sands China—which also manages the Venetian, Sands and Sands Cotai

Central—the 3,000-room hotel will open in 2016. + Thirty bespoke, extended wheel-base Rolls Royce Phantoms ordered by Casino Louis XIII (lxiii. com; room prices not yet confirmed) make up the world’s single-largest order for the luxury car ever—and are your transport around this luxury lifestyle property. Opening next July, the hotel will feature 200 duplex suites and villas and the only branch of legendary Paris institution L’Ambroisie.

DOWN THE TRACK TWO DESIGNCENTRIC HOTELS SLATED FOR 2017. Chanel’s creative director Karl Lagerfeld is set to bring his sense of style to Macau with his first eponymous hotel, which will be located inside new casino complex Lisboa Palace alongside another fashion-themed hotel, the Palazzo Versace Macau. + Designed by Iraqi-British designer Zaha Hadid, The City of Dreams Hotel Tower will incorporate Hadid’s signature exposed exoskeleton mesh structure, with several holes in the middle of the building for good feng shui. It will be the flagship property of the City of Dreams integrated resort, which currently houses a Hard Rock, Grand Hyatt and Crown Towers.

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 G A L A X Y M A C A U ( 2 ) ; C O U R T S E Y O F S T. R E G I S

treatment with the arrival of the St. Regis Macao (starwoodhotels. com; doubles from HK$2,388) this month, which is targeting wellheeled clients with its time-honored signature rituals of champagne sabering and midnight suppers in addition to an impeccably turned-out team of Jeeveses. + Integrated resort juggernaut Galaxy Macau (galaxymacau.com) opened Galaxy Phase II this May, with three new hotels: JW Marriott Macau (doubles from HK$2,088), the all-suite Ritz-Carlton Macau (doubles from HK$3,088), and Broadway Macau (doubles from MOP1,288), which has a hawker-style street market and a 3,000-seat theater. Other new attractions include the expansion of the Grand Resort Deck featuring the

/ here&now / 1

TOOL KIT

Hikes, Camera, Action

Document your next adventure with these ready-for-anything gadgets. 1. TomTom Bandit Action Camera Post-production is a breeze with the Bandit, which pinpoints exciting moments based on factors like your heart rate and acceleration, and then lets you edit them with a totally foolproof app. tomtom.com; US$400. 2. Polaroid Cube+ Stylish and affordable, the tiny Cube+ packs in both HD-quality video and Wi-Fi connectivity, so you can seamlessly transfer content to your phone for

instant sharing. polaroid.com; US$149. 3. Garmin VIRB XE The VIRB uses Garmin’s GPS technology to record speed, acceleration and vertical drop—so that you can show off your stats alongside footage of your first tracks. garmin.com; US$400. 4. GoPro Hero4 Session The latest from the actioncam pioneer is half the size of its forebears, with onebutton controls and a dual mic system for better sound

quality. A new app for the Apple Watch puts a remote viewfinder right on your wrist. shop.gopro.com; US$300. 5. Sony X1000V 4K Action Cam When barreling down the slopes, this device— which shoots in 4K, the best resolution out there—stabilizes your shots and reduces ambient sounds like gushing wind. It’s also waterproof, up to 10 meters with a case. store.sony.com; US$500. — NIK K I EKSTEIN

FROM TOP: COURTESY OF TOMTOM; COURTESY OF POL AROID; COURTESY OF GARMIN; COURTESY OF GOPRO; COURTESY OF SONY

FLOATS OF FANCY Bask in moonlight over the River Kwai at the newly opened XFloat Cabins. The X2 (pronounced cross to) River Kwai, in the Kanchanaburi countryside a twohour drive west of Bangkok, launched the six deluxe floating rooms in November, each equipped with a big bathtub, hot shower and an upper-level moon deck for sunbathing and stargazing. Steel trussesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;a nod to that infamous bridge upstreamâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and floor-to-ceiling glass doors, give the rooms an industrial feel while framing the wild river, jungle and mountains that paint the horizon. The scene is so tempting, you may have to leap right in. x2lobby.com; cabins from Bt6,699. X2 River Kwai, overlooking Kwai Noi River.

COURTESY OF X2 (2)

One of six XFloat Cabins.

/ here&now / Klein, Lane Crawford, Harvey Nichols, and H&M in digital media and styling projects. Since airplane cabins and airport lounges are practically her living rooms, Leung has perfected her on-the-road style. She takes into account all of the practical issues of her destination, including the climate and the types of events on her diary. Favoring comfy dark-toned pieces that don’t wrinkle, Leung’s fashion selections are usually an edit of items like a Haider Ackerman (haiderackermann.be) pencil skirt, a snug

Globe-trotting stylist Tina Leung, clicking her fabulous heels. TR AV EL UNIFORM

The Flying Fashionista

Fashion insider Tina Leung on beauty rituals and what to wear to get noticed at airports, on airplanes or wherever you may land. BY MARK LE AN of a frenetic jet-set life, stylist Tina Leung’s (tinaloves. com) Instagram page is truly a flurry of fashion. She is pictured striking candid poses at events in Paris and Milan, braving a cryogenic slimming treatment in Bangkok, going for the burn with the fashion crowd-favorite SLT workout in New York, and chilling at the hippest restaurants in Mykonos.

A VISUAL DIARY

But the Hong Kong-based Leung is no selfie-loving socialite. As a style arbiter, Leung finds that, through her Instagram page, product collaborations, YouTube videos and styling shoots, fashion can be distilled into a medium that she says is “immediate, interactive, and digestible.” She launched her fashion styling career a decade ago, after studying

DECEMBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM

the craft at New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology. Back in Hong Kong, she got her first break when her then hairstylist introduced her to industry insiders. The rest, as they say, is history, and a lot of hard work. Over the years, she has become a darling of—and partnered with—brands and retailers including M Missoni, Valentino, Loewe, Jimmy Choo, Tod’s, Calvin

(thereformation.com) cashmere sweater and a seasonal must-have such as the Balmain x H&M (hm. com) peacoat. To navigate her way through airport security, she prefers slipon loafer-type shoes or incredibly comfortable easy-to-match Ralph Lauren (ralphlauren.com) suede pumps in skin tone that magically conjure the impression of longer legs. Leung also makes time for in-flight beauty rituals. “I’m on a plane as many times as other people take cabs, so I need to hydrate with facial masks,” she says. Favorite luggage? A set of sturdy Rimowa (rimowa.com) suitcases in matte black. And for a dose of old school glamour: a pair of slightly oversized Revé By René (revebyrene. com) classic mirrored aviator sunglasses, which according to Leung, makes one’s face look a little slimmer. Now who wouldn’t love that?

COURTESY OF TINA LEUNG

Reformation

/ here&now / Try the fresh banana bread at The Loaf.

THE DISH

Basque Country’s New Flavor IN INSOMNIAC SPAIN, calling a place sleepy is always relative. But it’s certainly true of Gros, an unsung culinary gold mine across the river from San Sebastián’s old town. For years, the area’s big draw has been surfer beaches and the Kursaal, a striking contemporary arts center. There is, however, a reason to linger—flawless food served in spaces that don’t require battling for elbow room (or making months-out reservations). Go soon: Andoni Luis Aduriz, from nearby Mugaritz, one of the world’s great molecular gastronomy destinations, is opening a restaurant there. It’s only a matter of time before the crowds descend.

GERALD’S BAR | This outpost of a

Melbourne-based bar serves Basque food from an El Bulli alum by day (get the rabbit terrine), and English chef Nick Hughes produces fantastic steak tartare by night. geraldsbar.eu; mains €6–€20.

BODEGA DONOSTIARRA | At this old-school spot, it’s all about the classic pintxos (small bites). Order

braised beef with tomato and satisfying tortilla de patata. bodega donostiarra.com; pintxos from €2. BAR RICARDO | Mugaritz staffers go here for the city’s best jamón croquettes, golden on the outside and molten within. 6 Calle General Artetxe; 34-94/327-0561; pintxos from €2. BAR PAGADI | Around the corner from Bar Ricardo, this place combines traditional dishes (bold-flavored tripe omelettes) and refined favorites (perfectly crisp cod fritters). pagaditaberna.es; pintxos from €2. — PAT NOURSE

COURTESY OF THE LOAF (2)

THE LOAF | The specialty at this beachfront bakery is a tangy sourdough; for something sweet, try the fresh-from-the-oven caramel-banana bread. theloaf.es; snacks from €2.

FAB FINDS

Color Connection

CHIC INDIAN PRINTS, BY WAY OF PARIS.

COURTESY OF JAMINI DESIGN (3)

In just a year, Jamini, the accessories and décor store from designer Usha Bora, has become a Parisian insider favorite. Bora’s collection trades the typically neutral French palette for lively prints that she turns into cushions, quilts, scarves, shoes and totes. All products at the 10th Arrondissement store—which also include tree-free notebooks made from elephant or rhino dung—are made by craftsmen in her native Assam, in northeastern India, or in the nearby states of Manipur, West Bengal and Odisha. This fall, a second Jamini store opened south of Pigalle, adding carpets and perfumed candles; Bora will debut a women’s-wear collection in the spring. Notebooks from €25; jaminidesign.com. — LINDSEY TR AMUTA

/ here&now / Coco Rocha

The budding designer and new mother has traveled the world as a model since she was 16 years old.

TRAVEL ROUTINE I’m a jeans and T-shirt kind of girl, but I still wear heels to the airport so I can hit the road running when I land. When I fly with (1) my daughter, Ioni, I use the Babyzen Yoyo stroller (neimanmarcus.com; US$470), which folds up small enough to fit in the overhead bin, and she generally doesn’t need much entertaining, since she’s seven months old! TURKISH DELIGHT Cappadocia, which I traveled to last autumn, was one of the most magical places I’ve ever been. At (2) Yunak Evleri (yunak. com; doubles from US$200), the rooms are built into rock formations where people actually lived for centuries.

HOMETOWN When I return to Vancouver, where I grew up, my ideal day includes a run around (3) Stanley Park; lunch at Dave’s (davesfisha ndchips.ca), a great fish-and-chips place in Steveston; a nap on the beach at Spanish Banks; and then a fun night out in Yaletown. CARRY-ON My handbag collection for Botkier is my ode to the world’s fashion capitals. Each one has its own personality—the (4) London Clutch (botkier.com; US$248) is futuristic and inspired by the city’s geometric architecture and angular skyline. BEAUTY I wear makeup every day in my line of work, and it’s important to let your skin breathe, so I use (5) Tatcha Pure One Step Camellia Cleansing Oil (tatcha.com; US$48) to remove it all before bed. — As told to Katie James

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DECEMBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM

C LO C K W I S E F R O M TO P : C O U RT ESY O F C O C O R O C H A ; G R A N T H A R D E R ; C O U RT ESY O F TATC H A ; C O U RT ESY O F B OT K I E R ; C O U RT ESY O F Y U N A K E V L E R I

MY FABULOUS WORLD

THE FOODIE’S SELFIE GUIDE TO JAPAN

WHERE TO TASTE THE BEST OF JAPAN—AND TAKE THE BEST FOOD PICS—FEATURING A MAIN SERVING OF TOKYO WITH A SIDE DISH OF OSAKA AND NAGOYA. BY ANNEMARIE LUCK

MINGLE WITH TRENDSETTERS LUNCH IN HARAJUKU Deus Ex Machina Besides the art, surfboards, motorbikes and clothing dotted around this three-story space, the pulled pork sandwiches are the main draw. Take a seat at the communal table in the cafe and chat to hip Harajuku locals. 3-29-5 Jingumae, Harajuku, Shibuya-ku.

DRINKS WITH THE SKATE KIDS Son of the Bar If sipping a Bloody Mary in a vintage-style lounge with Tokyo’s most stylish strikes your fancy, then this new bar should be top of your nightlife list. While it doesn’t like to draw attention to itself, it’s already got street cred. Munch their classic American hamburger. 1-31-19 Higashi, Shibuya-ku. sonofthecheese.com

DON’T LEAVE JAPAN WITHOUT EXPERIENCING SUSHI BREAKFAST AT TSUKIJI Iwasa Sushi Tsukiji Fish Market has long been a top Tokyp attraction and now that the market is set to move in November 2016, it’s even more of a mustsee. Head over at 6am to start your day with a platter of the freshest sushi, served piece by piece by Iwasa Sushi’s skilled chef. 1st building, 5-2-1 Tsukiji, Chuou-ku www.iwasasushi.jp

DINNER AT AN IZAKAYA Tatemichiya Experience Japan’s lively pub culture at this basement spot that’s famed for its punk-rock feel. Izakaya staples are very affordable and include yakitori, sashimi and even fried avocado. 30-8 Sarugakucho, Shibuya-ku tabelog.com/en/tokyo/ A1303/ A130303/13019198/

TRY SOMETHING TRADITIONAL WITH A TWIST TEA CEREMONY WITH WAGASHI Sakurai Souen Sakurai, the owner of this contemporary store and cafe, spent 12 years studying to become a tea master and is able to offer customers an authentic experience. He puts a modern spin on the tradition with slick decor and a five-tea tasting course. You’ll also get to try wagashi, the traditional

Japanese sweets that accompany a tea ceremony. 3-16-28 Nishi-Azabu, Minato-ku www.sakurai-tea.jp CUISINE WITH A DIFFERENCE Junisoh On the second floor of the Hilton Tokyo, this elegant dining space features the ultimate in sushi, teppanyaki and kaiseki. Hilton Tokyo 6-6-2, Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku tsunohazu-hilton.jp/en

DELICIOUS GETAWAYS

DISCOVER THE LOCAL EATS IN OSAKA AND NAGOYA, BOTH OF WHICH MAKE EXCELLENT SHORT OVERNIGHT TRIPS FROM TOKYO. NAGOYA Where to eat

OSAKA Where to eat

Nagoya is famous for its miso-flavoured dishes. Be sure to try the signature dish at Misokatsu Yabaton (www.english.yabaton. com): pork cutlets with miso sauce. The restaurant developed its red miso recipe more than 60 years ago. Or tuck into the miso udon noodles at Yamamotoya Honten (yamamotoyahonten.co.jp), served with chicken, egg, mushrooms and deep-fried tofu.

Loved by gastronomes, Osaka is known for its tasty cheap eats and street food. Head to Sogetsu (sougetsu3.com) to feast on Japan’s popular comfort food, okonomiyaki, which is a kind of savoury pancake that you cook for yourself on a table grill. And stop for a late-night snack at one of the takoyaki (fried octopus balls) stalls at the popular Dotonbori shopping and entertainment district.

Where to stay

HILTON NAGOYA Offers diverse dining and an ideal location within Nagoya’s shopping district. 1-3-3 Sakae, Naka-ku, Nagoya. hilton.com

HILTON OSAKA A great city retreat with easy access to train stations, airport and tourist spots. 1-8-8 Umeda, Kita-ku, Osaka. hilton.com

WHERE TO STAY IN TOKYO

ROUND OFF YOUR FOODIE VACATION WITH A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP AT ONE OF THE FOLLOWING HOTELS

HILTON TOKYO

Located in Shinjuku, the heart of Tokyo’s business, shopping and entertainment district.

HILTON TOKYO ODAIBA

The best choice for waterfront accommodation in Tokyo.

HILTON TOKYO BAY

A Tokyo Disney Resort® hotel, with access to Tokyo Disneyland® and Tokyo DisneySea®

CONRAD TOKYO

Minutes from Ginza, with views of Tokyo Bay and Hamarikyu Gardens, this is an inspired destination.

Always more rewarding. Book on Hilton.com Free Wifi

Always lowest price

Check in & choose your room online

Earn points for free stays

/ here&now /

C L O C K W I S E F R O M T O P L E F T: P H I L I P F R I E D M A N ; C O U R T E S Y O F A LT U Z A R R A ; P H I L I P F R I E D M A N ; C O U R T E S Y O F H M H O T E L S ; P H I L I P F R I E D M A N (4 ) . S T Y L I S T: C H A N E L K E N N E B R E W

MOOD BOARD

Blurred Lines Traditional Asian ikat prints are giving a jolt of energy to everything from housewares to hotel interiors. BY KATIE FISH

1. Hermès “Voyage en Ikat” plates, large US$2,960, small US$630. 2. A look from the Altuzarra Resort 2016 Collection. 3. Dior Diorific Vernis nail polish, US$28 each. 4. The lobby at HM Balanguera Beach Hotel, in Majorca, Spain. 5. Madeline Weinrib pillows, US$525 each. 6. Aerin Ikat Jasmine body cream, US$58. 7. Amarie clutch, US$188. 8. Forest of Chintz earrings, US$125.

TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM / DECEMBER 2015

/ here&now / FROM TOP: Outdoor

dining at Tswalu; gelada baboons on a sunset stroll through Simien Mountains National Park; sailing the waters of Bazaruto Archipelago at Benguerra Island; one of Benguerra’s safari-lodge villas.

BREAKING GROUND

IT’S A MERE 10-MINUTE helicopter

ride, over coral-reef-strewn turquoise waters, from Vilankulo Airport to the pale-pink-tinged sands of Mozambique’s Benguerra Island. The star of this 54-square-kilometer marine national park is the new andBeyond (andbeyond. com; from US$695 per person per night, all-inclusive) property of the same name. Each of the 13 suites and villas has its own infinity pool and beachside gazebo, with a low-key safari-lodge vibe that does away with kids’ clubs and fussy dinners. Spend days on a catamaran cruise, horseback riding on the beach or snorkeling at Two Mile Reef, where you can see tropical fish, turtles and the endangered, manateelike dugong. When the tide is low, whiz over for a picnic on Pansy Island, a sandbar covered in seashells. Tswalu (tswalu.com; from US$926 per person per night, including meals and activities) long has offered a different sort of far-flung escape in South Africa’s untrammeled sliver of the Kalahari. It’s owned by the Oppenheimer family, who made their fortune in the diamond business. The luxury camp sleeps only 18, meaning you get the private, 101,000-hectare game reserve, with its red sand dunes and quartzite hills,

DECEMBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM

practically all to yourself. Now, travelers can also stay at the Oppenheimers’ former home, Tarkuni. Set away from the main property, it has five suites and its own spa, library and full staff. On guided outings (in a 4 x 4 or on horseback), you’ll see Kalahari lions, cheetahs, meerkat colonies and (if you’re lucky) the rare black rhino. It’s a sevenhour drive from Johannesburg to this part of the desert, so book the family’s Pilatus jet instead—it cuts the travel time to just 90 minutes. In Ethiopia, the Limalimo Lodge (limalimolodge.com; doubles from US$300, including meals and activities), which opens early next year, will be the first upscale property to come to the slopes of Simien Mountains National Park, a unesco World Heritage site that could be called Africa’s Grand Canyon. Gelada baboons and Ethiopian wolves roam the sheer peaks, wooded gullies with waterfalls, and deep gorges. Guests who stay in the 12-room property pay a conservation fee that goes towards supporting the African Wildlife Foundation. Come for mountain hiking, biking and camping out under the stars, along with visits to historic rural villages, yoga lessons and traditional foot massages. — JANE BROUGHTON

F R O M T O P : C O U R T E S Y O F T S WA L U ; © G A B R I E L L E & M I C H E L T H E R I N - W E I S E / R O B E R T H A R D I N G / C O R B I S ; C O U R T E S Y O F A N D B E Y O N D ( 2 )

Safaris Without Borders

A crop of new lodges in Mozambique, the Kalahari Desert and Ethiopia are opening up some of the continent’s most remote corners and bringing in an unprecedented level of style.

It’s a big world. What do you Prefer?

THE DH A R A DHEV I CHI A NG M A I Chiang Mai, Thailand

T H E L E E L A PA L AC E N E W D E L H I New Delhi, India

T H E F U L L E R T O N B AY H O T E L Singapore T HE U PPER HOUSE Hong Kong

650 independent hotels. 85 countries. An inﬁnite number of unique experiences.

PreferredHotels.com

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#ThePreferredLife

PREFERRED HOTELS & RESORTS WARMLY WELCOMES

/ here&now /

ST YLE

Made in Florence

Known for its rich history of craftsmanship, Oltrarno, the Tuscan capital’s south bank, is luring style-focused visitors away from the city center. BY VALERIE WATERHOUSE PHOTOGR APHS BY DANILO SCARPATI IN FLORENCE, the south bank of the river Arno has been a center for artisans since the Renaissance. More recently, the men’s-wear and leather ateliers around Palazzo Pitti have attracted a discreet fan club of fashion insiders. Now, in an effort to lure more travelers to Oltrarno, the Florentine government has been pumping money into the neighborhood (the once traffic-clogged Piazza del Carmine got a makeover >>

DECEMBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM

What the mind can conceive, it can achieve

Helping business professionals achieve their goals for almost 20 years. Facilities, services and rooms designed for those who are chasing excellence. 42 locations available in every major city in the Indonesian Archipelago

www.Aston-International.com

/ here&now /

CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE:

Frescoed ceilings at SoprArno; leatherworker Dimitri Villoresi; Designer Giulia Materia with her partner, Enzo, and their daughter, Anna.

earlier this year). Boutique hotels have opened, along with innovative places to eat. Perhaps most notably of all, a new wave of artisans is modernizing and organizing Oltrarno’s dynamic craft culture, making it more appealing to visitors than ever before. Matteo Perduca, a lawyer and designer who is also one of the area’s most prominent entrepreneurs, says, “What’s really drawing people is the energy that’s running through Oltrarno.” With his partner, former Fortnum & Mason packaging designer Betty Soldi, Perduca runs AndCompany (andcompanyshop. com), a design studio and shop that sells ceramics and stationery adorned with calligraphy.

Just down the street, three craftswomen joined together to open Atelier Via Maggio (atelierviamaggio. it) earlier this year. The store stocks handmade table linens and home furnishings, many of them created in the on-site workshop. Close by, on a street opposite the Palazzo Pitti museum, designer Giulia Materia (giuliamateria.com) has her namesake boutique. (The location is appropriate, since the palazzo’s construction, in the 15th century, lured other nobles to the area, thereby creating work for many more craftsmen.) The shelves of Materia’s shop are lined with covetable tote bags, artisan-made clothes and notebooks covered in 1970s wallpaper. And on the hidden-away

Via d’Ardiglione, Dimitri Villoresi (dimitrivilloresi.com) opened a leather workshop where he makes deconstructed, hand-stitched travel cases, bags and other accessories. To provide shoppers with suitably stylish digs, Perduca and Soldi last year debuted SoprArno (soprarno suites.com; doubles from €159), an 11-room guesthouse set in a 14th-century palazzo. Interiors combine original Florentine features—frescoed ceilings and wooden rafters—with modern pieces like Arco lamps. And in November, they are scheduled to open their second guesthouse, Ad Astra (adastra firenze.com; doubles from €210), in a palazzo belonging to the Marquis de Torrigiani. Most of the inn’s nine rooms have views of Europe’s largest privately owned city garden, which surrounds the property. Several grassroots schemes to promote the area are also under way. Perduca and Soldi formed Unusual Florence (unusualfl orence.blogspot. com), a group of like-minded businesses that has produced a shopping map and website. In December, their Unusual Market will purvey holiday gifts at local hostel Ostello Tasso. Materia and her partner, Enzo Sarcinelli, have also founded Sulle Tracce di Arnold (sulletraccediarnold.it), a group of 22 Oltrarno-based shops and ateliers. Both websites are perfect for self-guided tours. Perduca has his sights set on yet more neighborhood projects—opposite AndCompany is a shop he plans to convert into a café. “It’s exciting,” he says. “A new renaissance for Oltrarno.”

More Oltrarno Artisans BOTH NEW AND CLASSIC Stefano Bemer | Handmade shoes in every thing from hippo to 18thcentury reindeer skin. stefanobemer.com. Campucc10 | One-off art, jewelry and leather goods

designed by young artisans. campucc10.com. Signorvino | A new store and tasting room whose mission is to bring Italian wines to a broader audience. signorvino.com.

DECEMBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM

Castorina | Wood-carving workshop from 1895 that still produces more than 5,000 objects, including photo frames and adorable miniature animals. castorina.net.

Black Spring | An alternative bookstore founded by a gardener that sells unusual nature-themed publications. 10r Via di Camaldoli.

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Seoul in Seasons

Riding the country’s fast train to the next century, Four Seasons Seoul is stocked with all things fresh, from the towers of flowers to the bespoke beds. Korea’s kinetic capital, the Four Seasons Seoul is making its mark. “Seoul has emerged as one of the most exciting, inventive and inspiring cities in the world,” says the hotel’s general manager, Lubosh Barta, “and Four Seasons is at the center of the energy.” The energy is infectious; the staff is friendly and full of pep, and guests sway through the lobby like there’s music in the air. In fact, there is music in the air—a carefully chosen soundtrack to set the tone. That’s just one of a wealth of thoughful details in this 317room retreat, like customizable beds that allow guests to

choose from three levels of firmness to motorized window shades that can change the lighting in an instant. When those shades are up, the views include Gyeongbokgung palace, N Seoul Tower and glimpses of the cityscape and mountains beyond. The interior design is a modern approach to Korean motifs, keeping the space clean but incorporating memorable touches like botanical sculptures by rockstar-florist Nicolai Bergmann, who’s opened his first shop outside of Japan here; contemporary artworks for a dash of color; and if you are wondering what smells so damn good, it is a

signature scent created just for Four Seasons by Lorenzo Villoresi Firenze. Or, it also could be the aroma of slowroasted chicken wafting from The Market Kitchen, one of seven bars and restaurants onsite. The sipping and supping options transport guests from today’s Italy at Boccalino, to 1920s Shanghai at Yu Yuan, to prohibition-era New York at the Charles H. speakeasy bar. It is a whirlwind tour across the world and through the annals of time, and yet each restaurant, suite and era feels like just the place to be right now. fourseasons.com/seoul; doubles from W445,000. — DAVID NGO

The golden-toned lobby at the new Four Seasons Seoul.

DECEMBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM

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The Italiandesigned pool deck at The Reverie hotel, in Saigon.

the

BESTof 2015

PH E E KRAY C O OTO U R T ECSRYE D OIFT TTH EVERIE SAIGON

T+L ROUNDS UP THE COOLEST NEW OPENINGS IN BALI, RANGOON, HONG KONG, SINGAPORE AND SYNDEY, PLUS A FEW HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE REST OF THE REGION. FROM BOUTIQUE HOTELS, TO HOMEGROWN FASHION, TO BATTER-FRIED CHICKEN, EACH DESTINATION HAS SOMETHING SPECIAL TO CELEBRATE THIS YEAR.

TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM / DECEMBER 2015

/ the BEST of 2015 / BALI RESORTS

NEW VILLAS REFLECT LOCAL CULTURE ON INDONESIA’S ISLAND IDYLL. BY DAVID NGO THE LEAF JIMBARAN Balance and well-being just come with the territory at this luxury villa retreat in Jimbaran Bay, a beautiful stretch of coast known for its quiet beaches and fresh seafood. The sprawling The Leaf Jimbaran retreat opened in October, with 40 private pool villas and 10 Leaf suites all designed to showcase the beauty of the outdoors. There is an onsite organic garden and glass walls facing lush private verandas to promote relaxation and harmony with nature. It is easy to unwind with a team of butlers, chefs, babysitters and personal trainers on call to take care of your every need, so you can focus on your

every want. theleafjimbaran.com; villas from US$309. INAYA PUTRI BALI The design of this garden estate, with 460 rooms spread across 9.1 hectares, is inspired by a traditional Balinese rice-barn or jineng. The revamped Indonesian architecture is set against a backdrop of tropical splendor, all white-sand beaches and swaying palm trees. inayahotels.com; doubles from US$120. K ATAMAMA The group behind the famous Potato Head Beach Club is softopening this 58-room boutique hotel in sea-front Seminyak this month. It is the group’s first foray into hospitality, and they are going big, offering some of the largest living spaces of any hotel on the island. The 268-square meter onebedroom penthouse has a spa bath, dining and lounge areas and its own bar spread across two stories of luxury living. Design and décor are

the handiwork of local craftsmen, including tiles from Java and terrazzo made on site. the-katamama.com; Garden suite from US$319. PADMA UBUD There’s no such thing as a mediocre view at this river-valley oasis in Ubud, Bali’s cultural heart; every single room offers a stunning vista, be it overlooking the 89-meter infinity swimming pool or staring out across the leafy expanse of the surrounding bamboo forest. All the little details are on-point reflections of Ubud’s artistic community, from handcrafted lamps to carved wooden tables inlaid with opalescent shells. padmaresortubud.com; doubles from US$325.

Lounge or swim laps at Katamama, Potato Head Beach Club’s new resort.

Marquee lights, Mexican fusion and margaritas at Fahrenheit.

C O U R T E S Y O F FA H R E N H E I T. O P P O S I T E : C O U R T E S Y O F K ATA M A M A

RANGOON VIA CANCÚN

BURMA’S BIGGEST CITY IS DRUMMING UP LATINAMERICAN FLAVOR. BY MERRITT GURLEY FAHRENHEIT Follow the shine of marquee lights to this festive Mexican fusion restaurant. “We wanted to offer a relaxed atmosphere that was welcoming and affordable,” says cofounder Jeewee van Rooij, “where people can drink and dance.” On weekends the place is packed to the gills with friends spilling out into the street-side seating, clamoring for the dangerous Beerita (a Corona served

upside-down in a pitcher of margaritas) and the savory Myanmar empanadas. fahrenheit bar.com; dinner and drinks for two K26,000. + NIGHT SHELTER The team behind Fahrenheit also launched the city’s first monthly club night in July. The party will rotate venues, but regardless of the location, the crowd can always count on a hot DJ and great beats. Check facebook.com/EventsYG for upcoming dates. HUMMINGBIRD This three-story dining concept set in heritage buildings has style points to spare. The first floor is a Latin American restaurant, the second level is a retro speak-easy, and the third floor is a fairy light strewn outdoor rooftop terrace. The menu is a modern take on Latin-American dining—try the

rum-and-tequila-flamed prawns served with grilled watermelon, for example. hummingbirdyangon.com; tapas and drinks for two US$35. TIN TIN A Mexican street-food-style restaurant and tequila bar, by 57below (57below.com), the group that brought you Union Bar and Grill, Gekko and Parami Pizza, has set up shop on Bogalazay Street. The tacos, burritos and quesadillas are served up hot on industrialstyle copper, tin and timber tables. The menu was put together by Mexican chef Jorge Bernal, formerly the chef at Loco Mexican in KL, so expect hand-rolled tortillas and margaritas that pack a punch. facebook.com/tintinyangon; dinner and drinks US$35.

TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM / DECEMBER 2015

Head to the Sky Deck of Hotel Popway for cocktails and a view of the city.

with nibbles from the best local cafés, and guests can wind down in the evening with seasonal beers from the city’s Young Master Ales in the lobby. Every month, the hotel selects a Hong Kong tastemaker to share his or her favorite places in the city on its website and also equips guests with a smartphone packed with apps to make the most of the local surrounds. tribute hotels.com; doubles from HK$1,300.

TRIBUTE This hip select-service lifestyle boutique hotel in Yau Ma Tei has collaborated with local entrepreneurs, artists and designers—including installation artist Trevor Yeung and eco-friendly toiletries brand So… Soap!— to provide a homegrown edge in each of its 24 rooms, which come in two sizes: small or large. Breakfast is served on dim sum carts stocked

TUVE Taking a stripped-down approach to design with its concrete walls and flooring is Tuve, a 66-room city bolthole in Tin Hau, a neighborhood filled with cupcake shops and cafés on the fringes of shopping hub Causeway Bay. The on-site restaurant, Silver Room serves European classics like tagliolini with fresh summer truffle. tuve.hk; doubles from HK$1,400.

THESE DESIGN-LED BOUTIQUE STAYS ARE ALL ABOUT THAT HOMEY FEELING. BY HELEN DALLEY

DECEMBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM

HOTEL POPWAY The fabulous views over Tsim Sha Tsui from the Sky Deck, a rooftop terrace with a bar area and clusters of comfy sofas, is the undoubted highlight at the 63-room Hotel Popway. Set up by local entrepreneur David Lau, this new hotel brand features balcony rooms where you can take in the glow of the skyline. Popcorn is a signature nibble of the hotel, and is incorporated into some of the dishes at the hotel’s Uptop Bistro & Bar; try the pan-seared tiger prawns dipped in garlic salad dressing and coated with ground popcorn and parsley. If you’re really hungry, bypass the popcorn and go straight for the Uptop Burger, a thick Wagyu beef patty with kimchi, applewood-smoked bacon and Monterey Jack cheese. popway. com.hk; doubles from HK$1,650.

C O U R T E S Y O F H O T E L P O P WAY. O P P O S I T E : D A R R E N S O H

HONG KONG HOTELS

HOTEL PRAVO Steps away from Tsim Sha Tsui MTR station, this apart-hotel from Ascott features 92 rooms and suites with five décor themes including mysterious purple and rock ‘n’ roll black. Splash out on a luxury suite, which comes with its own Jacuzzi, though even standard rooms feature a separate living area and cute touches such as decorated mirrors. citadines.com; doubles from HK$1,600.

/ the BEST of 2015 / W.E.+ store is a curated collection of up-and-coming local fashion brands.

SINGAPORE FASHION

STYLISH NEW STORES AND DESIGN LABELS ARE GIVING SHOPPERS GOOD REASON TO REVAMP THEIR WARDROBES. BY MELANIE LEE COLLATE THE LABEL Set up by Instagram fashion personality Velda Tan, who has 130,000 followers, Collate the Label debuted at this year’s Singapore Fashion Week with much fanfare for its versatility and clean, sophisticated lines. Following the mantra that less is more, pieces from its first collection such as its classic wide-legged crepe pants (S$189) and the structured double

peplum knit dress (S$239) have been spotted on many a local celebrity. This up-and-coming label recently went to New York to participate in Coterie, a global fashion trade show, with sights on the international market. collatethelabel.com. FACULTY While award-winning designer Larry Peh is better known for his graphic design and branding work, this hasn’t stopped him from collaborating with Lenz Fan and

Lyn She on a collection of menswear that straddles work and play attire. Their functional pieces have been cut to fit smaller Asian figures, and its star piece is a pair of Denim 15 Damaged jeans (S$519), made from selvedged denim from the Kuroki Mill in Japan with a deliberate worn-in look. Faculty is sold online (faculty.com.sg) and stocked at K+ at Scotts Square (0314/15, 6 Scotts Rd.). W.E.+ What started as a series of pop-up installations featuring local fashion brands has now become a permanent row of shop-in-shop boutiques with a fusion lifestyle café to boot. W.E.+ houses local labels such as Atelier LLYR (shoes for men), Revolte (edgy women’s wear with an in-store Style Bar offering fashion advice) and BSYM (by W.E.+’s founder Alfie Leong). 02-433 Suntec City Tower 5.

/ the BEST of 2015 /

FOUR NEW RESTAURANTS WHERE ONE KEY INGREDIENT SHINES. BY IAN LLOYD NEUBAUER THE CHICKEN INSTITUTE Think of this small whitewashed Korean joint as Sydney’s gourmet KFC: little steel pails piled high with batter-fried chicken thighs, crunchy and rich with flavor. There are four options, all tellingly prefixed with the words “damn good” and infused with chef Heaven Kim’s Tex-Mexinspired spices. The best seller is No. 4: damn good peanut butter chicken, prepared with coconut and jalapenos. chickeninstitute.com.au; dinner for two A$60. WATERMAN’S LOBSTER CO. Rock lobsters from Queensland didn’t cut it for the owners of this fresh and funky new seafood shack in an alleyway behind red-light district Kings Cross. Instead, they import north-Atlantic lobsters from

Nova Scotia, where the high saline level and cold sea temperatures create the sweetest, spiciest meat on Earth. The lobster in Waterman’s signature Connecticut-style roll is flash-fried in melted butter and crammed into a soft toasted hotdog bun—then crammed into your face. watermanslobsterco.com; lunch for two A$55. SAKE In the new InterContinental in ritzy Double Bay, this voluminous Japanese restaurant overflowing with marble comes alive with DJs and sugar daddies on weekends. But the real attraction lies behind the bar, where sake sommeliers serve varietals they characterize by alcohol content, sake meter value (higher is drying, lower is sweeter) and a percentage sign to indicate the amount of rice polishing. With hints of cinnamon, white flowers and banana, the Amabuki Chokarakuchi at 60 percent works

incredibly well with a bowl of popcorn shrimp. sakerestaurant. com.au; dinner for two A$350. PORK’D “We like to fatten you up,” says the waitress at Pork’d, a low-key high-calorie diner in a refurbished Victorian terrace in swinging Surry Hills. From the Pigsy Plate—a Game of Thrones worthy platter of chili bacon, pulled pork, cider pork belly, smoked porter ham hock and kransky sausage—to the banh mi, a Vietnamese roll with masterstock belly, homemade pickles, chili and coriander, the menu is singlemindedly obsessed with helping patrons make pigs of themselves. porkd.com.au; lunch for two A$40.

Chunks of Atlantic lobster grace a buttery bun at Waterman’s Lobster Co.

C O U R T E S Y O F WAT E R M A N ’ S L O B S T R E C O . O P P O S I T E : C O U R T E S Y O F K N O C K

SYDNEY’S SNACKS

BEST OF THE REST ACROSS ASIA: TOUR

AMAN PRIVATE JET EXPEDITIONS What’s the best way to get from astonishingly ancient point A to bucket-list beautiful point B? Gold star if you said Aman, who this year married their understated luxury with over-the-top adventure, in an epic, exclusive, private-plane trip that flew a few couples among their resorts in China, Bhutan, India and Sri Lanka. On the ground, each pair had a private car and guide so they could climb to Tiger’s Nest monastery and scout Bengal tigers

at their own pace. The next three journeys, in March and April 2016, will span China; traipse across Asia, from Amanpulo’s Philippine island to the new Aman Tokyo; and tour Indonesia including sailings on Aman’s own phinisis. The inaugural trip sold out in weeks, so we suggest you book now… then prime your passport for all the action. aman.com; from US$28,888 per person double occupancy.

SAIGON: HOTEL

THE REVERIE Crystal walls and chandeliers, violet ostrich-leather furniture, a 19th-century grand piano refinished in malachite and bronze, glittering mosaic bathroom floors—this is the Cirque du Soleil of hotels, with its kaleidoscopic colors, aerial views, and rotating acts (of top-flight Italian designers) that take center

stage depending on what room you’re in. We’re in love with the duplex Saigon suite by Visionnaire, full of baby-soft leather, but it doesn’t have to cost US$12,500 a night to bask in their impeccable service, from the liveried doormen who tote your parcels to your room chatting away in stellar English to the restaurant managers who intuit your need for honey-ginger tea. At The Reverie, the six-star dream is very much alive. thereveriesaigon. com; doubles from US$350.

BANGKOK: BRUNCH

KNOCK You don’t need to be a sneakerhead to be obsessed with kitchen-andkicks spot Knock’s all-you-can-eat a la carte Sunday fun day full of American comfort food remixed: think wee buttermilk cupcakes with perfectly seasoned fried chicken bites. They’ve cut a giant hole in the bright green back wall and fully sawn off the ceiling, replacing it with a retractable roof, so you can sit inside and still have a sun-kissed Sunday brunch. Which—after the free flow Chandon and Bloody Marys swilled to the DJ’s crowdpleasing tunes—will inevitably turn into a Sunday dance party. Forgot your dancing shoes? The sneaks are on sale upstairs. knockbkk.com; Knockout Sunday brunch Bt1,950. For more of the best new places to imbibe in Bangkok, turn to our global nightlife guide, “Raising the Bar,” on page 95. — JENINNE LEE-ST. JOHN

Booze, shoes, brunch: you name it, Knock’s got you covered.

TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM / DECEMBER 2015

Luxury on the River What better way to visit Myanmar in 2016 than aboard a luxury cruiser? This month, the Strand Cruise starts three- and four-night itineraries between the ancient cities of Bagan and Mandalay. The Strand name has been associated with elegant hospitality and a pioneering spirit in Myanmar since the Strand Hotel first opened in Yangon more than a century ago and that tradition continues today. The new 27-cabin ship will bring to life the legendary style and unique personality of the Strand Hotel within a contemporary river cruise experience. The Strand Cruise is the newest operator on the water and the onboard experience reflects the Strand Hotelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s timeless elegance and heritage, enhanced with latest technology such as individually controlled air conditioning, a temperature controlled wine cellar and Wi-Fi from satellite communication throughout the ship. Passengers can expect discreet nods to

The Strandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s celebrated past and colourful characters, as well as signature elements evoking the golden age of The Strand, from traditional cocktails in the lounge bar, to butler service and afternoon tea on deck. Following its two maiden voyages, the Strand Cruise will commence its regular schedule on 4 January 2016 offering three-night sailings from Mandalay to Bagan departing every Friday and four-night sailings between Bagan and Mandalay departing every Monday. There is a special launch offer available for sailings from January to March 2016 of 20% off the published high season rate. During this time, the three-night journey between Mandalay and Bagan will be from US$2,592 (usually from US$3,240) per person based on double occupancy, and the four-night journey between Bagan and Mandalay will be from US$2,874 (usually from US$3,592) per person based on double occupancy.

For more information, please e-mail captain@thestrandcruise.com, via our website www.thestrandcruise.com

burma | tokyo | bali | + more

Old Treasury’s Victorian façade.

BACKSTORY

New Life for Old Treasury Perth’s CBD undoes its top button as the COMO The Treasury hotel knocks the dust off of three heritage buildings and ushers in a new era of glitz, glamour and creativity. STORY AND PHOTOS BY MONSICHA HOONSUWAN TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM / DECEMBER 2015

/ beyond /B A C K S T O R Y to the middle of Table Zero. There, now it’s in the very geographic center of Perth. My drink sits at the crossroads of history, balanced on the crest of a new wave of culture and innovation that’s about to wash over the Central Business District of Western Australia’s capital city. When I arrived, the tension between old and new hit me straightaway. I came to explore the new COMO The Treasury hotel, a central piece of a project to revive the CBD, and the Singapore-based hospitality group’s first Australian property, which opened in October. Based on the COMO brand’s new builds, I was picturing something ultra-modern, but after 10 minutes, the driver pulled up to a façade of faded brick. Oh right, this is a refit of 1800s heritage buildings, once government offices. And it’s a genteel understated beauty, a reflection of Perth’s golden age. The CBD was once a thrumming city center. Men in suits and boater hats picked up newspapers on their way to work. Women in long dresses milled through the laneways, chitchatting while their children followed in tow. Music spilled out of jazz bars after work came to a close each day, as friends talked into the wee hours. But when iron ore was discovered in the 1960s, a mining boom attracted international investors who set up headquarters in the CBD. Many of the iconic structures, like the American Romanesque Moir’s Chambers and the beloved Adelphi Hotel, were bulldozed to make way for offices. The Old Treasury complex, once one of Perth’s most important sites—the group of three buildings had served variously as a cabinet office, post office, the land titles office and the

I NUDGE MY COCKTAIL

treasury—survived but were abandoned, and time’s heavy hand pulled the block to crumble. Families moved to the suburbs and the city became eerily quiet outside of work hours, and all but deserted on Sundays. For the past 50 years, the 283-hectare area has been all work and no play, with creative types congregating in hipper ’burbs like gritty Northbridge to the north and bohemian Fremantle to the south. “The city doesn’t have much to offer,” a local friend had warned. “Even Perthians themselves complain.” And as the mines run out of ore and the boom slowly dims, it is more important than ever to turn the page on a new chapter for the city. Enter developer Adrian Fini. Fini knew it was time for a fresh start. “The objective of this development was to restore the buildings back to their 1800s character and architecture,” Fini says, “and in doing so reignite a level of pride within Perth.” Fini grew up here, in a family of real estate developers, and became very passionate about art, urban design and city planning. “The majority of the community would have visited the buildings through their previous lives and uses,” Fini says, “so the opportunity to open them to the community was a significant one.” He proposed a restoration plan—at A$110 million, the most expensive among all bidders—to return public access to the Old Treasury. These three buildings would be completely restored and transformed into a contemporary multipurpose space, offering dining, shopping, nightlife and five-star accommodation. The top two floors would be luxury-hotel guest rooms, while at street level would be the hotel’s lobby and a variety of restaurants, bars and independent retailers. Keeping offerings local would be a dominant concern, which explains the labels at Petition Wine Bar & Merchant, the produce at Post bistro, the stems at the florist and the beans roasted in the coffee bar. The basement would be converted into late-night hangout Halford bar and David Thompson’s Thai restaurant Long Chim, as well as house a vegansoap store, Fremantle’s famous Honeycake outlet, a cupcake bakery, and a chocolate boutique. That’s a lot to pack into three heritage buildings, but Fini’s never been short on ambition. The Old Treasury complex, now renamed the State Buildings, would act as a showcase and a magnet for creative locals.

DECEMBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM

BOT TOM: ANDREW SMITH

Architect Simon Cundy.

Torched ocean trout at Petition.

The Postal Hall public arcade.

Fini tapped Perth-born, renowned architect Kerry Hill for the project. “It was daunting,” says Simon Cundy, an architect with the firm, who took a leading role in the Old Treasury restoration. “I got lost among the rooms. We didn’t even know where the front door was.” Layers of paint were scraped off. The terracotta roofs were replaced with 60,000 blue slates from a quarry in northern Wales. “‘Terracotta’ was being nice,” Cundy says. “They were just ugly red tiles.” But challenges and all, the team managed to preserve 95 percent of the original structure. The balconies off the Title’s building rooms went from rusted cages to regal lookouts. The Shambhala spa was built in what was once a government security vault, so the treatment rooms are all quiet and dark thanks to the thick metal doors. A minute’s walk from the spa is the very spot a casuarina tree was felled to commemorate the founding of the colonial city. As historic significance and modern polish elegantly mixed, the only missing piece was which hotel could complete the puzzle. When Fini met COMO founder Christina Ong in January, they both agreed it was the perfect match. While Fini and Kerry Hill have mastered the restoration, COMO knows all about highend hospitality. My room is peaceful, with natural sunlight flooding in through wide oval dormer windows, and a bed so fluffy I want to live in it forever. The heated tile mosaic in the enormous bathroom feels like a Turkish bath. So why not go for a complete bathing ritual? I enlisted the help of Rubie Jucutan at COMO Shambhala, who has treated an A-list roster (Gwyneth Paltrow! Miranda Kerr!), to gently rub my skin silky during a divine body scrub

then give me a jet-lag-relieving massage. It was inside-and-out pampering, with healthy lunches like pumpkin-chickpea curry served with quinoa at Post and dinner at the Miesian-glass-box rooftop restaurant Wildflower. Here, executive chef Jed Gerrard takes full advantage of the local climate and agricultural abundance, creating contemporary European dishes that revolve around the indigenous Noongar’s calendar of six seasons, which is dictated by life cycles of plants and animals instead of dates. The winning marriage between the COMO brand and refurbished heritage site is already drumming up excitement. “This is game-changing for the city,” says Georgia Moore, PR manager of the State Buildings. “Now people can see the culture of Perth that’s emerging, the creativity that’s exploding.” She’s not being hyperbolic. I see it happening all around me. It’s Sunday, and the streets are humming once again. Kids are running circles, all hopped up on artisanal cupcakes. A group of young Perthians samples handcrafted truffles. An elderly couple enters the Postal Hall, reminiscing about how they used to drop off their parcels here. But they don’t seem sad that the post office is gone, in fact, they seem appreciative. Their heritage is still alive, perhaps more alive than ever. comohotels.com; doubles from A$595. Chocolate truffle heaven.

Guest rooms glow in natural light.

Stairway to Shambhala spa.

Modern art adorns COMO The Treasury.

/ beyond /F I E L D T R I P

Pop Goes Burma

On a train ride through Rangoon, the creative director of new lifestyle brand Yangoods seeks inspiration for her next collection. BY MERRITT GURLEY PHOTOGR APHED BY AUNG PYAE SOE >> Burmese artist Wunna Aung depicts the changing culture.

DECEMBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM

/ beyond /F I E L D T R I P

FROM TOP: Delphine

de Lorme poses in front of one of her large artworks hanging in Le Planteur restaurant; shops at Bogyoke Market; Yangoods cofounder Htin Htin has a flare for fashion.

DECEMBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM

“I HAVE 1,000 IDEAS,” gushes Delphine de Lorme as our train chugs out of the station. Yeah, I can tell. One minute she’s snapping photos of a young man lugging baskets of bananas, the next she’s hunched over a train seat trying to capture pics of the scratches in the plastic. Two boys, faces slathered in thanaka approach us and shyly say hello. De Lorme speaks to them in her broken Burmese and they giggle in reply. They wave and jump off at the next stop. De Lorme waves back. “This is my happy drug,” she tells me. I see why she’s so crazy about the train. The buzzing atmosphere matches the chaotic energy of this Parisian transplant who moved her family across Asia pursuing her passions. Everyone is working away at something. Women, backs bowed with age, sit in a row shaving the meat out of coconuts. An old man preens a thick bundle of flowers. A young woman with a betel-nut smile stacks giant donuts into a tidy tower. This is more than transportation; it’s a moving marketplace. In a way, so is de Lorme, who has tossed her weight behind producing TV shows in France, a line of handcrafted furniture in Cebu, and now her current baby, Yangoods, a brand of handbags, stationery and other souvenirs that takes classic Burmese iconography and updates the designs to a modern sensibility. It’s an endeavor representative of the larger change I’m witnessing around me in Rangoon as it sprouts new art galleries, pop-up Mexican restaurants, swanky speakeasies and other buzz-word businesses that signal a hipster scene. This is my first time in Burma’s biggest city, and though I’ve enlisted the help of Backyard Travel and amiable guide Than to show me its templestudded, glitzy side, I’m seeing local life through de Lorme’s eyes. “At least once a month I jump in the train and just ride it for inspiration,” she tells me. “Here I feel like I’m in the real Burma. It is never what I expect, and that’s the key to happiness. Always take the surprise.” One surprise is how she wound up in this business. De Lorme has been painting for the past 30 years and her pop-art background screams through the brightly colored prints that she calls “part restoration, part creation.” She is the creative lead, but Yangoods is a collaboration of various players who work together to drum up and implement the product lines: Clara Baik, who made her fashion career in Shanghai; Rangoon-native Htin Htin, the editor of the local style magazine Moda; and Frenchman Jean Curci. The idea struck in October 2014, when Curci, Baik and de Lorme were at a dinner party. A mutual friend brought out a cache of old postcards from the 1960s and 70s and

BOT TOM: MERRIT T GURLE Y

“it was love at first sight,” Curci says. “We knew we were onto something big. There were many amazing designs that no one had ever seen.” These designs evolved into their first collection, a vintage-inspired line of fashion accessories that launched in June. De Lorme shows me a purse on which is printed a highly saturated picture of the last Shan royal family, dressed in traditional longyis, with a golden gramophone in the background, and a periwinkle-blue clutch with a picture of an ornately dressed Burmese lady holding a parasol and smoking a cigar. I see a few common motifs shine through in a style that’s at once playful, reverent and luxurious. Old photos, modern silhouettes, rich colors, silky fabrics: the collection is super cool and holds up a mirror to the trendy subculture emerging in Rangoon. Some of the images were plucked right from the dinnerparty postcards and others were purchased from Pansodan Gallery, which has a robust archive of old photos. De Lorme also researched the work of 19thcentury photographers Italian-British Felice Beato, who owned a studio in Mandalay in 1887, and German-born Philip Adolphe Klier; the two men were among the first to shoot portraits in Burma. It is uncanny how the photos are still so relevant now. The vintage collection has been a hit with locals and tourists alike. One third of their customers are local and that’s a big source of satisfaction for the founders. “We are very proud to see that our bags are being worn by modern young Burmese women,” Curci says. “We want to spread a positive image of the country through design, fashion and memories.” In the same way batik conjures Indonesia and white elephants are traditionally Thai, Yangoods hopes to bring a recognizably Burmese style to the international marketplace. The heritage photos are just the beginning. De Lorme shows me a prototype for a possible new bag, a cream clutch with the Rangoon train station map printed in deep blue, each station name scrawled in the curlicue script, yet another tribute to her love of the old choo-choos. “There is endless inspiration here and very few people explore it,” de Lorme says. “Every day I’m delighted by the things I see and experience just by walking down the street,” Baik adds, and Htin Htin says she needs only duck into the lively Bogyoke Aung San Market to clear her head: “I like interacting with the merchants selling their goods. These daily activities seem unremarkable but can have a tremendous influence on us.” I get a little dizzy listening to all of the influences behinds Yangoods, actually… The crumbling colonial houses downtown; graffiti sprayed above the railway tracks; the work of local

FROM TOP: Clara Baik,

brand manager of Yangoods; colonial buildings in downtown Rangoon offer creative fodder; Burmese iconography and pop art collide on stylish handbags; a clutch prototype and the train station that inspired it.

T R AV E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A . C O M / D EC E M B E R 2 0 1 5

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Artist Wunna Aung in action at the Taw Win Centre mall.

painters like Wunna Aung; traditional tattoos; facial scarring, used to mark women who were considered too beautiful. I try to imagine how all of this will play out in the upcoming collections, but de Lorme assures me that pop art is a medium broad enough to umbrella any and every muse: “Pop has no boundaries.” Back on the slow train to Central Station, I find myself jumping a bit when she exclaims, “Look at that poster!” She’s pointing out the window at an ad for who knows what, starring a brightly smiling Asian couple. The woman’s lipstick is bubblegum pink and the billboard is framed in the bright yellow, blue and green of the train door. “It is perfect,” she clicks away on her camera. “It is so pop and they don’t even know it!” That’s the thing about Rangoon—the most magical moments are hidden in the seemingly mundane, and beauty is blooming in shadowed corners where it was least expected. “Rangoon is a beautiful bride about to get married,” my guide, Than, says. “She’s excited for the future but the future is unknown. She’s at a turning point and she’s hopeful.” And there’s an image I can picture splashed in neon across my next Yangoods handbag.

THE DETAILS

MERRITT GURLEY

YANGOODS The two biggest shops are in Le Planteur and Bogyoke Market, with small stands scattered throughout hotels and restaurants across the city. They also have shops outside of Rangoon, in Mandalay, Inle Lake and Pa-An to name a few places, and the list is fast-expanding. Next year they are launching flagship stores in Rangoon and Mandalay, and will offer product sales and international shipping on the Yangoods website. Within Burma, orders can already be placed online at shop.com.mm. yangoods.com; printed small bags K27,900, large bags K49,900. LE PL ANTEUR This beautifully restored French restaurant overlooking Inya Lake is the only spot in Rangoon with an Enomatic wine wall; diners buy a wine credit card that they swipe

to access 32 different kinds of wine by the glass. De Lorme rehauled the interior last year creating an exclusive Yangoods collection for the space, from pillows to chandeliers to giant wall-hangings. leplanteur.net; five-course set dinner US$87 per person. BOGYOKE MARKET Also known as Aung San Market and Scottâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Market, here youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll find rows of stands teetering under rainbowed stacks of longyis, golden bracelets, ruby rings, wooden carvings and all manner of bric-a-brac. It is a treasure trove of local food, art and culture. Bogyoke Aung San Road, Pabedan. PANSODAN GALLERY This gallery was launched in 2008 by Burmese artist Aung Soe Min and American Red Cross

delegate Nance Cunningham as a space to celebrate Burma, old and new. It houses rotating exhibitions displaying the work of contemporary local artists and one of the biggest photo libraries in the country. pansodan.com.

BACK YARD TR AVEL The two-day Art in Yangon tour includes stops at independent art galleries and a train ride on the Circular Railway (pictured below). backyardtravel.com; US$198 per person, including accommodation.

/ beyond /T H E M O M E N T

MOERAKI BOULDERS | NEW ZEALAND

According to Maori legend, these unusual stone spheres are the remnants of food stores washed ashore from the wreck of a sailing canoe. While there was once an even bigger bounty of boulders along this stretch of Koekohe Beach on the South Island, the present clusters remain an amazing sight, particularly at sunrise, as captured here by photographer Chris Gin. Locals have several names for the more than 50 boulders— two thirds of which measure between 1.5 and 2.2 meters in diameter and weigh up to seven tonnes— including “hooligan’s gallstones” and “aliens’ brains.” Often posited to have evolved from the erosion of waves, the spheres actually started as lumps of sediment bound together with a natural mineral cement, their shape a result of growing at a constant rate. As the years pass, the boulders are released from the sandy cliffs by the waves, appearing on the beach like so many oversized chocolate truffles.

DECEMBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM

/ beyond /F O O D

Cuisine as Culture

Two kaiseki chefs, each with a different approach, offer a delicious glimpse of Japan on seasonal plates that are intriguing, beguiling and unforgettable. STORY AND PHOTOS BY CHRISTOPHER KUCWAY “CHOCOL ATE?” Once an animated Kenichi Hashimoto hears that, he darts off to the kitchen faster than the Japanese puns that roll off his tongue for a rendezvous with a French confectioner. Our table of five is left to enjoy his latest course, dubbed “one-bite dish,” knowing full well there’s very little that is conventional about his take on kaiseki, and the same holds true of the cherubic, fun-loving chef. “I just want to break Japanese etiquette,” Hashimoto tells us before we dive into his 11-course meal at The RitzCarlton’s Food & Wine Festival (ritzcarlton.com) in Tokyo, “so I start

with these appetizers that you can eat in any order.” Wait a minute, isn’t kaiseki known for its formalized meals, for following tradition? Those ideals, it turns out will be explained on a course-by-course basis. I’m at the festival largely because two of Japan’s best kaiseki chefs— Hashimoto and Ryusuke Nakatani, both Michelin-starred—are on the menu, and in this day and age of kitchen stars, this is a great opportunity to learn something about this local ritual—through translators—or, on a more modest level, to enjoy some of the best Japanese haute cuisine around.

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Nakatani runs Ajikitcho Horie (1-22-6 Kitahorie, Nishi-ku, Osaka; 81-6/6543-1741; ajikitcho.jp; dinner sets from ¥20,000) in Osaka, while Hashimoto is the face behind Ryozanpaku (5 Izumidono-cho, Yoshida, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto; 81-75/7714447; ryozanpaku.net; omakase dinner from ¥12,000) in Kyoto. While the two are not opposites, they do approach kaiseki from entirely different angles. Wisecracking Hashimoto likes to make serious points about his dishes through humor. That morning, I had run into him at breakfast where he asked in broken English if I was

going to his dinner. Yes, I told him. “Me too!” he laughed as he padded off to the buffet. On the other hand, the already soft-spoken Nakatani reverentially lowers his voice further when speaking of his craft. Like most kaiseki chefs, he first spent a decade simply studying Japanese haute cuisine and has been preparing it now for 20 years. Hashimoto, you might have guessed, is self-taught, which is almost unheard-of in the kaiseki world. Though the journeys to the plate differ, their menus fall into the same parameters—a set of elaborate appetizers, sashimi, a grilled dish followed by a steamed course and even one hidden in a bowl. Kaiseki is derived from 16thcentury Japanese tea ceremonies. It’s a formalized affair in an intimate but comfortable setting that celebrates the seasons through natural and local ingredients. So this isn’t simply cuisine but an integral piece of Japanese culture. I start with a midday meal prepared by Nakatani. Our sakepaired lunch has a moon festival

theme: its ingredients are at their freshest in autumn. The menu is so reflective of what’s in season that it can change between what is printed one day and the meal itself the next. In the soup course that follows appetizers, finely sliced matsutake are paired with a nutty and soft, skinless lotus root dumpling. With no discernable grain, the mushrooms are as delicate as they are delicious, a reminder of how fresh vegetables should taste. There’s also a zest of a lemon peel. Paired with sake from the Hakkaisan Brewery (hakkaisan.com) in Niigata Prefecture, the acidic—whether citrus or vinegar—comes into play against the liquor, in this case junmai-ginjo, pure rice sake with no distilled alcohol added. Kaiseki courses are served one by one, each meant to complement the next; each of the dishes is individual, the meal a whole. Nakatani’s sashimi course of sea bream, snow-white squid and crimson-colored tuna is so fresh it has me counting the city blocks to Tsukiji. And that tower of black jelly?

It turns out to be a delicious wedge of seaweed. Kaiseki is driven by aesthetics as much as taste, and Nakatani’s hassun course, lives up to that ideal. It arrives in a bamboo cage topped with red autumnal leaves. The attention to detail here in the mix of tofu, steamed abalone, roast duck, marinated persimmon and mackerel-rolled turnip makes this course almost too beautiful to eat. Once we do, our taste buds switch into overdrive. And I’m glad for one little-known aspect of kaiseki: diners need not recognize all the flavors or even ingredients in each course. Simply enjoying the dish is what matters most. Surprising, salty, rich, smoky: our table runs out of modifiers for this artistic course we were afraid to devour. Next up is a flaky grilled barracuda flavored with sudachi, a Japanese citrus fruit commonly used instead of vinegar. The dish is electrified by neon-orange sea urchin that sends shockwaves through my taste buds as if they had been dormant until this point in my

FROM LEFT: Grilled barracuda, vibrant sea urchin, local mushrooms and sudachi; laid-back, Nakatani is a picture of concentration when at work; his matsutake and lotus-root dumpling soup. OPPOSITE: Nakatani’s sashimi course of sea bream, squid and tuna.

TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM / DECEMBER 2015

/ beyond /F O O D

FROM LEFT: A seafood and matsutake soup in a teapot; chef and comedian Hashimoto; his sashimi course of tilefish, flounder and squid.

life. Unlike sushi or tempura, kaiseki is not seen as exportable, though Nakatani doesn’t necessarily agree. “As long as I can get the ingredients, I can make the food anywhere in the world.” Still, I can’t imagine finding uni like this outside of Japan. The lingering acidity of the sudachi is an ideal segue to the steamed tofu, taro, spinach and ginger, the aroma arriving well before any taste. Nakatani has one last surprise. A deep ceramic cup contains a dollop of what he calls field caviar—in essence, roe blended with a green Japanese vegetable, whose name no one present knows how to translate. T WO NIGHTS L ATER AT HASHIMOTO’S

dinner, translations might be the least of our problems. The chef has prepared two menus, one of food, the other an accompanying list of Suntory whisky (whisky.suntory. com). At first that sounds like a recipe for disaster, but instead of neat the seven whisky courses are cleverly blended. The first is so generously chilled that, vigorously mixed with soda, it resembles a glass of fine beer. While

he has worked with both sake and wine, whisky is Hashimoto’s preferred accompaniment today because it can be manipulated in the kitchen, with natural flavors or simply by adding ice. This is just the start of a long lineup of mysterious flavor medleys. As crazy as it sounds, a pike conger, prawn and matsutake soup served in a teapot contains what to me is an unforgettable mushroom. The moment of the meal. Until I drink the broth itself. Hovering, Hashimoto stops me, insisting that the broth and the whisky be taken as a one-two punch. He’s right. Together, they perform a duet that is difficult to imagine let alone describe. “I want the menu and the whisky to represent the season,” the chef tells us. “I never make the same menu. It changes depending upon the season and the location.” Intrigue then washes over our table of five with the next course, that “one-bite dish.” Turns out, it’s a bouillabaisse with the head of a spiny lobster, a delicious twist that has all the other chefs at the festival talking. Trying my best to identify the tastes, Hashimoto insists he

DECEMBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM

won’t surrender all of the ingredients to my notebook. He’s the keeper of kitchen secrets. “I want people to be interested in my cuisine,” he says, and that not knowing keeps the suspense and the flavors in the room. Opting for a vinegar instead of citrus, Hashimoto’s signature dish—aren’t they all?—is a jellied elbow crab, modest in every way except for that rush when the distinct taste of the shellfish hits. If any of us claims to not have room for dessert, we push that aside at the mere whisper of the whisky and chestnut brûlée, shiso sherbet and whisky ice cream. Oh, and there’s a sniff of Hakushu 18-yearold for an exclamation point, if any was needed, on the dinner. If it’s at all possible that a lunch and a dinner offer an insight into Japan, then I’m convinced these two are it. Nakatani, whose sentences are punctuated with long, drawn-out pauses, compares kaiseki to the life of a leaf. At every stage of its growth and demise, nature-loving Japanese will note a leaf’s beauty. “I want to bring this appreciation to each of my plates,” he says.

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It Takes a Village

While many resorts are sequestered from their surroundings, Mandapa, a splendid new jungle resort in Bali, is fully connected to the life and culture of the island. BY MA X ANDERSON . PHOTOGR APHED BY MARTIN WESTL AKE >>

Mandapa’s lobby features a decorative bonang, an instrument used in traditional gamelan music.

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B R E AT H TA K I N G E X P E R I E N C E S C R A F T E D E X C L U S I V E LY F O R Y O U I N 1 0 0 I N S P I R I N G R E S O R T

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stage-managing the untidy business of life to create moments of magic. The road to the hill town of Ubud is typically Balinese, a thoroughfare of color and chaos full of chickens, kids flying kites and stalls selling fuel. But you leave it all behind when you turn down a quiet lane and reach the stone entrance of Mandapa, the newest Ritz-Carlton Reserve. Like a scrim, it gives away nothing of what’s to come. After walking through the entrance, I found myself on a platform with daybeds and onyx pools, perched on the rim of a plunging valley. I had to look past my shoes to see the rest of the property, an array of gracious buildings and gardens, descending 100 meters to the Ayung River. “It’s like the Lost Valley of Luxe,” I exclaimed. “We think of it more as a village,” replied the general manager, Ana Henriques. Mandapa has only 60 rooms, she explained—35 suites nestled into the hillside and 25 pool villas down in the valley below. “In between are the rice terraces and the temple,” she added. “Just like a Balinese village.” I admit, this sounded like one of those ersatz creations designed to give guests a feeling of cultural connection. But, as I was to learn, the philosophy went much deeper than that. Kubu, one of the resort’s restaurants, overlooks the Ayung River. ABOVE: The Ayung Gorge, seen from the lobby.

DECEMBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM

ALL IN THE FAMILY On September 5, Mandapa opened in Ubud, the cultural capital of Bali. Sixteen kilometers inland, the town is a safe distance from the infamous resort strips of Kuta Beach and Nusa Dua, but it’s no longer the remote paradise that captivated bohemian European artists and writers in the 1930s. And it’s certainly no stranger to highend tourism—at least six resorts in Ubud call themselves “five-star.” The beauty of the region, however, is undiminished. Jungle grows thickly on fertile volcanic soils, artists’ communities still flourish and the emerald rice terraces clinging to the steep hillsides are still one of the world’s must-see landscapes. The heart of Mandapa is its hectare of rice fields and adjacent century-old Hindu temple. This is all that remains of the 10 hectares previously farmed by a neighboring village of 30 families. Several years ago, a group of Jakarta-based investors bought the land to develop a resort. Villagers insisted that any development would employ people from their families, and that they would continue to own the temple. The investors forged a partnership with Marriott International, which felt the village stipulations could work well within the precepts of its new brand, RitzCarlton Reserve, a portfolio of small resorts (none has more than 100 rooms) designed to fit in seamlessly with local culture and landscapes. “The villagers have total access to the temple, which has been with them for three generations,” Henriques said. “Every day, they come to make their offerings. We also invite them to help with the rice harvest.” The rice terraces—which include a traditional barn on stilts—are usually being worked by one or two villagers who are now employed by Ritz-Carlton. It raised a question, which I put to Jack Widagdo, the resort’s head of sales: “If they’ve sold their lands to a resort developer….” >>

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/ beyond /C H E C K I N G I N sheer cliff face covered with jungle vines—also lit in spectacular fashion. Mandapa’s riverside restaurant, Kubu, incorporates a recently devised Balinese building technique. The striking structure is made almost entirely out of bamboo, from the supports and the shingles to the teardropshaped wicker “cocoons” in which meals are served. The style, pioneered in Ubud, is a fusion of environmental architecture and high art. A two-story bamboo balé, or pavilion, called Green Camp, is the starting place for natural activities for kids, like making a bamboo raft, mountain hiking and looking at the stars.

LIFE CYCLES

The bathroom in a Mandapa suite. BOTTOM: Outside a one-bedroom villa.

At night the jade pool WAS LIT UP; ITS STILLNESS contrasted with THE ENERGETIC Ayung River. “Why are they not retired on a beach in Jamaica, right?” He laughed. “It’s because they can’t just walk away from their land. Their association goes too deep.” Guests can learn about this association through some literal immersion: spending a few hours ankle-deep in the irrigated rice paddies. Made Warnata, the Ubud-born recreation manager, gave me a sarong, a laborer’s scarf (“To wipe the sweat!”), and a handful of rice seedlings. As frogs swam around our toes and swifts flew over our heads, we poked the seedlings into the velvety mud, using a Balinese technique that has been practiced since the ninth century.

THE ART OF PLACE Mandapa’s terrain is steep (butlers are always on hand to provide buggy rides) and the lobby and other buildings at the top of the valley are imposing. Yet the resort’s use of thatch, volcanic basalts and teak creates a sense of intimacy. The suites in the upper levels are generous— imperial, almost—with deep bathtubs set before views of the valley. The lower villas are lush, private and sensual. Mine was a retreat of dark timbers built on the edge of the Ayung. At night the jade-colored pool was lit up; its stillness, emphasized by a few floating frangipani blossoms, contrasted with the energetic river below a

DECEMBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM

The name Ubud derives from ubad, the Balinese word for medicine, a reference to the region’s long tradition of healing. Mandapa has embraced this history by employing local practitioners to offer wellness treatments. I scheduled a session with Ketut Mursi, a blind healer who is said to divine illness with her fingers and cure it with reflexology and massage. My rational side was skeptical—then baffled when she relieved a pinched nerve in my shoulder. As I was leaving the spa, I glanced down at the river and realized just how close authentic village life was: there was a naked man bathing in the Ayung. When I mentioned it, Henriques didn’t bat an eye. “It happens often,” she said. “The men will bathe after working in the fields. This is their river and this is their ritual. We are the ones who need to adapt—they shouldn’t have to change their procedures just because we have a hotel here.” ritzcarlton.com; suites from US$750.

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/ beyond /W E E K E N D Sandy bays line the Mornington Peninsula.

The Road Less Taken

COURTESY OF VISIT MORNINGTON PENINSUL A

Just south of Melbourne, the Mornington Peninsula is emerging as a haven for chefs, winemakers and the urban refugees who love them. Emma Sloley goes in for a taste.

DECEMBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM

OVER THE PAST SEVER AL YEARS, a number of Melburnians have decamped to the Mornington Peninsula to become trailblazing Pinot Noir producers, Slow Food– inspired restaurateurs and gentlemen farmers peddling vine-ash goat cheeses. Food-obsessed city folks looking for a quick escape used to get here via trafficridden country roads. But a new highway has put the region’s handful of tiny towns—all within a 15-kilometer radius—a scenic one-hour drive from Melbourne. On a recent weekend I took in the region’s bounty along with some spectacular beaches, and found the true essence of Australian relaxation.

FRIDAY 4 p.m. | The drive south

Spread out along a 40-kilometer stretch of the M3 highway is a series of four arresting, oversize public sculptures. One nearly stopped me in my tracks: the ghostly Hotel by artist Callum Morton, a sort of life-size faux resort. As the road veers toward the coast, a series of seaside villages along Port Phillip Bay begins with the Victorian-era town of Sorrento—the longtime domain of off-duty politicians and Melbourne’s blue bloods—and culminates with Portsea, the last town on the western tip of the peninsula. The real action now is a bit inland, in the charming towns of Red Hill, Merricks and Main Ridge. None of them is bigger than a thousand people, but the top-notch wineries and farm-to-table restaurants there could serve a much bigger population.

And, of course, there was wine: a beautifully paired glass of the vineyard’s spicy but delicate Pinot Noir. Red Hill South; montalto.com. au; prix fixe menus from A$75. SATURDAY 9:30 a.m. | Café culture

Aussies insist on good coffee, and here they find it at glossy newcomer Epicurean, a one-stop gourmet shop in a fancified tin shed. In front, there’s a bakery and larder; farther in is an atrium-like restaurant where you can linger over flat whites. (At lunchtime, stylish couples will descend for pizzas

FROM TOP: ADRIAN L ANDER; COURTESY OF THE EPICUREAN

6 p.m. | Checking in

I’d booked a room at Tussie Mussie, an upscale, sevenroom country inn in Merricks North whose name translates loosely to “a posy of flowers” in old English vernacular. My suite, the Old Laundry, had heated bathroom floors and canvas window shades, giving it the feel of a chic safari tent rather than former housekeeping quarters. There was a basket of eggs and bread with my name on it, a gas grill on the terrace and a kitchen garden where I was told to pick my own produce: heavy, golden squash; tiny, pungent chiles; and a cornucopia of fresh wild herbs. Breakfast here, I learned, would be DIY…and delicious. boutiqueretreats. com.au; doubles from A$472. 8 p.m. | Dinner at Montalto

When they founded their vineyard and olive grove in 2002, John and Wendy Mitchell were just two Francophiles with big dreams of creating a kind of Burgundy Down Under. Now they’re considered peninsula pioneers. The vineyard—on a ridge overlooking tidy rows of jade-green vines and monumental artworks acquired through the family’s annual sculpture prize—has a classic sylvan beauty but is also cutting-edge. At their acclaimed restaurant, I ordered a salad of slow-cooked organic eggs, fresh peas, and Grana Padano that perfectly summed up the area’s deceptively simple, Mediterranean-inspired cooking.

FROM TOP: Chef Martin Webster forages the Montalto kitchen garden; one-stop gourmet shop Epicurean.

/ beyond /W E E K E N D made in the wood-fired oven.) I found it all fabulously convivial and urbane in a slightly disorienting way— just when I was wondering if this was really rural Australia, the barista informed me of a tether out back, in case I’d come on horseback, which I instantly wished I had. Red Hill; theepicurean.com.au. When I arrived at the Japanese-style Peninsula Hot Springs, an atmospheric mist still clung to the hilltops. From the blissful comfort of a 40-degree pool, I watched the fog disperse, revealing panoramic views of verdant hills and endless eucalyptus trees. Dozens of steaming thermal rock pools, set among wild grasses and aromatic plants, cascaded down the slope. I would have liked to try them all, but there was also a hammam, sauna and spa, where I was unable to resist the Mala Mapi, a full-body mud mask and salt scrub based on Aboriginal herbalism. Fingal; peninsulahotsprings.com. 12:30 p.m. | Wine tastings, part one Seasonal salad TRAVEL AND DEC ISSUE 27102015.pdf atLEISURE Port Phillip Estate.

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In the foothills of Red Hill, I stopped to chat with Zoe Crittenden and her dad, Garry, at Crittenden Estate. They offered me a taste of their Saludos, a fiercely acidic

Escape to the peace and tranquility of Kamandalu Ubud, a 5-star boutique resort situated amid lush paddyfields in the green hills of Ubud.

C O U R T E S Y O F P O R T P H I L L I P E S TAT E

10:30 a.m. | A morning dip

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riff on Spanish Txakoli that’s emblematic of their off beat style. “It’s just fun. We try not to overthink it,” said Zoe, who could have been talking about peninsula life in general. From there, I drove to Stonier, in Merricks, one of the area’s oldest wineries. Its focus on classic Pinot Noir is a perfect foil to Crittenden. I settled down at a communal farm table with a glass and a cheese plate; nearby, two rugged chaps were hard at work, knee-deep in vats of crushed grapes. crittendenwines.com.au; stonier.com.au. 2 p.m. | Late lunch at Ten Minutes by Tractor

This celebrated young winery has views that could pass for Tuscany, but its ambitious, white-tablecloth restaurant puts a focus on everything Australian. The head chef, Stuart Bell, a Melbourne transplant and one of the peninsula’s rising stars, welcomed me with snapper from Port Phillip Bay, Flinders Island wallaby, and Red Hill cheeses. He explained that the winery’s name was a nod to the three founding families, whose vines were all 10 minutes away from one another by tractor. Every dish looked like artwork, painstakingly composed and singing with honest flavors. My favorite was cured kingfish with pickled beets. Main Ridge;

tenminutesbytractor.com.au; tasting menus from A$68. 4 p.m. | Wine Tastings, part two

Merrick’s most striking winery is Port Phillip Estate, a towering, sculptural building set on more than 70 hectares of impeccably manicured grounds. Inside, a staircase leads to a subterranean bottling plant and wine library where I sat down for a glass of citrusy Red Hill Chardonnay, minimally filtered to preserve the flavors of the region’s volcanic terroir. portphillipestate.com.au. 8:30 p.m. | Dinner at the Long Table

One of Mornington’s best dining rooms is located, oddly enough, in a strip mall. There, bespectacled chef-owner Andy Doughton preaches the gospel of local >>

A surreal

landscape awaits you

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there was a pétanque court next to fragrant lavender hedges, where I spontaneously joined a friendly couple for a languid game. Main Ridge; lapetanque.com.au; mains from A$40.

FROM LEFT:

Peninsula Hot Springs; a suite at Port Phillip Estate.

eating—he has his own personal grower for ingredients like Jerusalem artichokes, fennel pollen and pine mushrooms. An appetizer of black rice crisps with miso-horseradish mayo turned out to be irresistibly addictive. The follow-up, an heirloom tomato salad with red-vein sorrel, buffalo mozzarella and a curious “sponge” made from grapevine ash, was by far the best thing I’ve ever eaten in a shopping center. Red Hill South; thelongtable.com.au; mains A$31–$38. SUNDAY 10 a.m. | Point Leo Beach

As I drove down the area’s country roads, the scenery was all pine trees and vine-covered hills, until suddenly, the sea emerged. I saw a sign for Point Leo Road, an artery leading to a beach of the same name. I’d heard it was beloved by Melbourne surfers, so on an impulse I turned toward it. Much to my surprise, the waves were relatively calm as I took a swim in the shade of a weathered wooden lifeguard tower. 12:30 p.m. | Lunch at La Pétanque

This French restaurant is a secret oasis hemmed in by pines, vineyards and olive trees. The sun had left me starving, so my Port Phillip Bay snapper with zucchini ribbons and garlic purée was a welcome treat. Out back,

DECEMBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM

The sleepy oceanside town of Flinders was once the southernmost end of the telegraph line that spanned the continent, and it still has a bracing, end-of-the-world feeling to it. One ambitious restaurant, Terminus, at the trendy Flinders hotel, with its seasonal dishes by chef Giuseppe Piscotti like oxtail croquette and green-nettle risotto, has put this venerable town on the modern map. But fine dining felt too high-minded for my lazy Sunday mood. So I made my way to the Deck, also at the hotel, for simpler fare. I ordered the light-asair fish-and-chips, which came accompanied by green beans with preserved lemon—a far cry from the greasy, newspaper-wrapped version I remember from childhood summers. Watching the sun slowly going down over the ocean, I considered extending my getaway with a jaunt to the Yarra Valley (about an hour and a half away), but the road back to Melbourne would have to do. flindershotel.com.au; mains A$24–$38.

F R O M L E F T: C O U R T E S Y O F V I S I T M O R N I N G T O N P E N I N S U L A ; C O U R T E S Y O F P O R T P H I L L I P E S TAT E

7 p.m. | Dinner at the Deck Bar & Bistro

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Follow the Grain

Centuries-old tradition infused with individual creative license, wood carving is integral to life on Bali. On the hunt for the perfect mask, it just might be a silent artist who offers the best directions. STORY AND PHOTOGR APHS BY CHRISTOPHER KUCWAY

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Found carvings as

art at Uma by COMO; local flora preserved as a wall hanging; a sculptor at work in Mas.

I’M IN MAS VILL AGE ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF UBUD IN

search of a traditional Balinese wood mask. The smoothfeatured face of a legong dancer, perhaps, or a finely detailed barong macan (tiger king). In either case, I’d prefer the piece to be unvarnished to let the pattern of the crocodile wood, so polished that it almost looks like white marble, speak for itself. Yet, here in Mas, I’m met with perfect silence. The old Balinese wood carver sitting before me doesn’t speak. I’m not even sure he can. He’ll look at me every now and again, staring me straight in the face, but never utters a word. Instead, however, he communicates through his works, each as varied as the grains and knots in the wood they’re made from. He’s been carving for about 50 years, I’m told, but no one is quite sure how old he is. Years of squinting have engraved deep lines and ridges into his own face, and I’m guessing he’s in his 80s, older than the acacia or hibiscus he transforms. I never even find out his name. I simply watch the wordless enigma as he manipulates the 20-centimeter piece of wood into a Balinese dancer. A sculpture this size takes three, maybe four weeks to

DECEMBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM

finish, depending on the grain of wood and how much detail the carver wants to incorporate. Larger wall hangings or life-sized sculptures can take the better part of a year to create, if not longer. The entire village focuses its working day on wood carving. Stroll along its narrow two-lane streets, and it is impossible not to stumble upon mahogany and sandalwood and gray hibiscus all spilling out into the traffic. The scent of cut wood is everywhere. Shop fronts overflow, woodpiles collapse in on themselves. Everywhere in Mas, there are pieces in mid-evolution, waiting to be turned into artwork. Ornately carved doors I yearn to buy and ship to my old house in Vancouver, hefty sculptures that would look great in my Bangkok flat, Christmas gifts at every turn. Focus, I tell myself. Yesterday’s 90-minute drive from Nusa Dua was just a teaser for what was to come. Both sides of the road were lined with countless stone works. Ganesh. Images of Buddha. Chinese dragons. Bird baths and waterfalls. But stone tips the airline luggage scales into laughable directions, where wood, at least in moderation, is a >>

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FROM TOP: A stone carving at Pura Tirta Empul; Uma by

COMO uses simple, local designs in its villas and rooms.

more manageable hand carry. Both wood- and stonecarving are a part of daily life here, whether in a family compound or at a centuries-old temple. These are not antiquated traditions resurrected for the tourist trade. Still, outsiders have played their part. Balinese wood carving underwent a transformation in the 1930s and 1940s, with an influx of European artists who spurred the market with their interest in the craft. In his groundbreaking work, Ida Bagus Nyana distorted the human body, shortening some aspects of it while lengthening others. It’s a style that was carried on by his son Ida Bagus Tilem, who moved towards more abstract sculptures of the human form. Just as importantly, even for casual fans like me, he taught dozens of sculptors in Mas that the best can translate their own creativity into the wood; there is no one route to a piece of art, but more of a path each sculptor and his imagination take along the wood’s idiosyncrasies. Around Mas, it’s not uncommon for these skills to be passed from one generation to the next using little more than a dozen small metal chisels and a wooden mallet. Early the next morning, I’m witness to just how integral wood carving is to the fabric of this community when wandering around some of the rice terraces that seep into every vacant corner around Ubud. Even the stilted wood huts farmers use for temporary storage and shelters from the storm come with a devotion to details that’s also apparent at boutique resort Uma by COMO, where wood carving elements are incorporated for both design and as functional pieces. Some found and aged pieces hang as art and simple but smartly designed furniture decorate the villas. Later, we drive north to Pura Tirta Empul, the Hindu Balinese water temple. As intriguing as the temple’s purification pools are, it’s the ornate wood and stone work dating back to the 10th century that stays with me. Sitting there under the tropical sun, I realize I’ve encountered a rich vein of Bali’s history in the short span of two days. I’ve almost forgotten about my original aim of buying a Balinese mask. In the end, I find one with a more modern visage. But I’m giving it away as a gift. I’ll hold on to the memories of my visit.

THE DETAILS Gajah Bali Gallery The shop has a wide selection of wood carving that is not of the cookie-cutter variety found in many spots. Prices reflect the amount of time spent by carvers, with top-quality Balinese masks starting at around US$250. Jalan Raya Mas; 62-361/982-570. Museum Puri Lukisan In Ubud, the museum aims to preserve and display modern Balinese art,

DECEMBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM

whether paintings or sculptures: a good spot to visit for a grounding in the topic. museumpurilukisan.com Uma by COMO Take advantage of the hotel’s knowledgeable concierge, an indispensable font of information when it comes to uncovering Ubud’s best artisans and shopping. Jalan Raya Sanggingan; comohotels.com; 62-361/972-448; doubles from US$232.

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Better book ahead at Q&A Bar, in Bangkok.

COURTESY OF Q&A

RAISING THE BAR

Now that handcrafted cocktails and smartly dressed mixologists are de rigueur in clubs and lounges around the world, a number of cities are advancing their after-hours scenes in unexpected ways. From the slew of high-profile new openings in Bangkok to the techno temples of Cape Town, we’ve targeted five urban centers with the most exciting nightlife right now—and the best ways to experience them. PLUS: the global drinking trends that’ll have you buying another round. TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM / DECEMBER 2015

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SOPHISTICATED SINNING GRABS BANGKOK BY THE LAPELS

No, gents, a blazer isn’t required—but you wouldn’t be out of place donning one. From tiny speakeasies to seeand-be-seen clubs, these are the hot new perches for the city’s spruce night owls. And they’re all a hoot. BY JENINNE LEE-ST. JOHN

Sing Sing Theater

Living dolls in cheongsams float gracefully through a throwback Chinese dream, ignoring the cool-kids crowd huddled around bottles and on leather sofas, a hint of the clandestine, possibly dangerous and definitely decadent wafting in the air. Much of the mood at the brand-new Sing Sing has been struck by two of the same impresarios behind Bangkok game-changing club-cabaret Maggie Choo’s—design genius Ash Sutton and longtime tastemaker Sanya Phouma—but this place has achieved different liftoff. It’s like a Mad Max-meets-East Asia playground for the savvy set who survived a watery apocalypse only to rebuild their fortunes in metallurgy, say, or the scuba-dive scavenging and bootlegging of hotel-minibar booze. That is to say, in this place you feel badass. And the feeling heightens as you ascend the various levels, duck behind brocade curtains and into hidden birdcages from which you can survey the heaving crowd. The ceiling is a sea of lanterns, the stage is backed by a two-story gong, the mute muses laze in their gowns doing needlepoint but primed to pounce... and the entire sanguine scene is sweet seduction. facebook.com/ singsingtheater.

Don't mess with the muses at Sing Sing.

DECEMBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM

With Cuba all the rage these days, the sexiest new speakeasy in town is right on trend. But though it may be increasingly easy for travelers from all nations to get into the real Havana, access to its Bangkok simulacrum still requires stealth maneuvers under cover of darkness. Technically this place is on touristtrap Sukhumvit Soi 11, but its bitty, backside alleyway entrance (just across the street, conveniently, from big-sister nightlife stalwart Above 11) dispels any concern that Khao San backpackers might stumble in. No, more like CIA: Call up in advance and get a passcode, find the graffitied phone booth down the end of the lane and punch in your digits. Like Dr.

A U S A D AV U T S A R U M

Havana Social

FROM TOP: Havana

Social's spygames entrance; the Revolucion hits Bangkok; drink it down kitschy-cool at Revolucion.

TRENDING | NEW INFUSIONS

F R O M T O P : C O U R T E S Y O F H AVA N A S O C I A L ; C O U R T E S Y O F R E V O L U C I O N C O C K TA I L ( 2 ) . I L L U S T R AT I O N B Y D AV I D S PA S H O T T

Revolucion Cocktail

Who’s tardis, it transports you across oceans and back in time, to the pre-Fidel, pre-communist island capital, when men wore fedoras and pulled on cigars, one hand on the exposed leg of their salsa-dancing date masterfully sipping from her elegant coupe of champagne. If the Cuba Libre (clanking with iced Coca-Cola cubes) leaves you lightheaded, order a Cuban sandwich— the kitchen worked months to perfect its porky, cheesy crispness. The best photo-op is on the velvet couch under the giant mural of a barebacked, head-dressed cubana, but with everything purposefully distressed—including the fauxwater-damaged ceilings inside—and accented with iron, stained glass and, hilariously, a clothesline dangling garments, it’s hard not to look hot in here. Or, should we say, en fuego? facebook.com/havanasocialbkk.

A Frenchmen-founded Latin America-tinged bar in Thailand by way of China: the revolucion is here. On the ever-cooler Sathorn strip, in a tapas and drinks hot spot, anchored by a super-long bar they occasionally set on fire, overseen by an array of freedom fighters, to be exact. With an original location in Shanghai, the place’s kitsch-cool line is impeccably toed. Yes, it’s a themed bar that stresses its molecular-mixology cred, but in many ways it’s back-to-basics, good, clean fun. In this relatively bright, Crayola-colored, largely openplan space with comfy couches and cozy nooks, the dance music revs up around 11 p.m., when you’ll find girls getting down under the watchful eye of Che and clutching our favorite delicious, generous-pour G&G—gin, fresh grapefruit, grapefruit syrup and tonic. For novelty, try the Cherry Manhattan, ingeniously served within an ice sphere. For fresh air, move to the oil-drum tables on the large patio whose glass doors let you keep up with all the action inside. For midweek fun, stop by on Tuesday, when the Cactus Taco truck parks curbside and there’s free tequila for all. 50 Sathorn Soi 10; 66-2/235-4823. >>

From the Philippines to Peru, ingenious bartenders are altering the flavor profiles of classic cocktails, infusing spirits with unusual ingredients, creating some deliciously avant-garde results. At Bali's beachfront Ku De Ta (kudeta.net), order the Vanilla Passion Foam, a blend of vanilla foam, passion fruit and vanilla-inflused vodka. At the new Broken Shaker (brokenshaker. com) in Chicago, indulge your inner tween with the Cocoa Puff OldFashioned, which uses bourbon infused with the chocolaty cereal as its base. Bartender Kenneth Bandivas, of ABV (abv.ph) in Makati, created an Amplaya bitter melon-infused cocktail that sent him to the finals of Diageo Reserve World Class, a global bartending competition. In Cuzco, the pisco sours served at the Qespi Bar (jw marriott.com) are made with either pisco steeped in purple corn or pisco steeped in coca leaves—for a real buzz.

TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM / DECEMBER 2015

nightlife

Q&A

Cocktails to match your mood made by mind-reading mixologists in an urbane, unpretentious den of secrecy? Bangkok’s bars have been promising this for a while, but Q&A finally delivers the full package. New York refugees will recognize this retro-railcar as a blend of firstgeneration speakeasy revivalist Employees Only and boysenberriesto-basil-to-bourbon market-fresh Mulberry Project. Local night owls will be overjoyed for this reunion with their favorite bartenders from the low-laying Sugar Ray, who have Q&A's yuzu-licious Kai-To. BELOW:

Make The House on Sathorn your home.

migrated here to its flashier sister. Still, having such rarified DNA doesn’t mean Q&A feels derivative; rather, they’re all about the new, unlikely and inventive. Consider the Ancient Chinese Secret-brand bitters hand-carried back from the U.S.; or the just three bottles of small-batch family-made tequila one of the lead bartenders, always-jolly Bee, discovered at the trade-show booth of two Mexican sisters; or the piles of fruit waiting on the bar to be chopped and mashed, and the on-demand options here take on the feel of ephemeral. Of course, there’s a full menu of classics and original creations; for a hit of energy, try the Comte de Monte Cristo, with Diplomatico Exclusiva 12-year rum, Ethiopian coffee, toasted pecaninfused port wine and Amaro Montenegro, topped with torched coffee beans. That is if you can

manage to reserve one of the few supple leather seats, and then find the bar hidden in its tiny alley off the nightlife-wasteland of Asoke. Make the call then make the expedition; this is a tippling club you definitely want to join. qnabar.com. The House on Sathorn

Back in 1889, after businessman Mr. Sathorn Rajayutka built the Bangkok throughway that still bears his name, he erected a gorgeous neoclassical manor at its center, adorned with family frescoes and carvings of boars, his Chinese birth sign. Back in 2012, after the W Bangkok debuted its glittery glass tower next door, the whole city awaited its promise of reviving that manse for the 21st century. This year the shamrock louvered doors and windows were re-flung open to dramatic effect. The House on Sathorn may be chartreuse on the outside, but within is a mix of leafy green (in the calming center courtyard), somehow-subtle neon (in the sultry, loungy club), rich reds and chocolates (in the intimate openkitchen restaurant), and opulent gilt (in the Gatsby-era bar that feels like the heart of The House). Sidle up to mixologist Michele’s abode; he just might teach you how to shake The Flying Pig—Johnnie Walker Gold, Grand Marinier, passion fruit, cinnamon and pomegranate. Another secret? The duplex VIP area beyond the second-floor club includes a couple of luxe bedrooms, you know, if you really want to make yourself at home. thehouseonsathorn.com.

TRENDING | RAICILLA First, high-end tequila captivated the cocktail world; next came smoky, earthy mezcal. The agave drink of the moment? Raicilla, a spirit that, like tequila, is made in the Mexican state of Jalisco. Unlike tequila, however, raicilla can be distilled from many species of agave, and every expression is unique, with flavors that range from vibrantly acidic to Gorgonzola-like funky. La Venenosa raicilla is exported from Mexico in four styles, each made from a different species of agave, to select liquor stores in Hong Kong, with plans to expand in Singapore and across the region in the coming year.

DECEMBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM

F R O M T O P : C O U R T E S Y O F Q & A ; C O U R T E S Y O F T H E H O U S E O N S AT H O R N . I L L U S T R AT I O N B Y D AV I D S PA S H O T T

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Salsa dancers in Old Havana coronate the festival nightlife scene emerging across Cuba.

DMITRI ALE X ANDER /GET T Y IMAGES

HAVANA’S HOT NIGHTS ARE GETTING HOTTER Easing regulations on private businesses is allowing bares clandestinos to come out of the shadows. Translation: a muy caliente nightlife scene in the capital of Cuba. BY CAREY JONES

Whether in times of need or times of plenty, Havana has never lacked for rum, music, and parties fueled by both. But that doesn’t necessarily mean the city has always had a vibrant nightlife scene; Cuban bars, like virtually every other Cuban enterprise, have long been under state control. For the past few years, however, the government has been allowing would-be entrepreneurs to open private businesses, and Havana is now seeing an explosion of homegrown bars. “Cuba has such a long cocktail tradition,” says Havana-based tour guide Jesus Noguera. “There have always been bares clandestinos—essentially speakeasies—and now private bars are opening up all over because they are finally legal.” Many feel like

classed-up house parties, since they’re run out of people’s homes. Havana is best seen from a vintage car, so hail a 1950s convertible and cruise the waterfront Malecón to the Miramar neighborhood, where you can walk through the high-ceilinged parlors of the converted mansion Espacios (espacios‑habana.com). In the back is an outdoor bar with a louche, garden-party vibe. In nearby Vedado, where the best bars are located, Bar Bohemio (1065 Calle 21; 53-7/8336918) is a restored villa that’s been transformed into an airy, colonialera lounge with a swank backyard. Order the house cocktail, a frozen blend of vodka and basil. Gay nightlife, too, has become more visible: friendly, basementlevel Humboldt 52 (52 Humboldt; 53-5/295-4893) has young, attractive barmen and the occasional drag show, while the wild dance floor at KingBar (kingbarh avana.com) showcases DJs spinning Latin and American hits. Elsewhere in Vedado, El Cocinero (Calle 26 between Calles 11 and 13; 53-7/832-2355) is secreted up three flights of stairs in what was once a cooking-oil factory. It’s now a sophisticated roof bar with some of the city’s best daiquiris. Sip a round before braving the crowd at Fábrica de Arte Cubano (fac.cu; open Thursdays through Sundays), a warren of stages, galleries and bars—don’t be surprised if you wander into a modern-jazz set, some performance art and the outdoor terrace, all without setting down your refreshingly dry mojito. Farther east, the hipster crowd congregates at Siá Kará Café (siakaracafe.com), where Havana’s eclectic aesthetic finds expression in the irreverent art juxtaposed with quirky vintage details. Even La Guarida (laguarida.com), the city’s most-publicized paladar, or in-home restaurant, has recently opened a rooftop bar. It serves cocktails crafted by internationally recognized British and American mixologists.

TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM / DECEMBER 2015

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Start your all-nighter at Craft London.

With plans for the city’s 24-hour weekend Tube service nearly finalized, the days of downing a pint and racing for the last train home at 11:45 are almost over. Take the Underground to these hot spots for a night of partying into the wee hours. BY ALICE TATE

100

DINNER & DRINKS Chances are,

unless you’ve visited the O2 Arena, you’ve never thought of partying in Greenwich before—it is, after all, at least a £40 cab ride from anywhere. Save your pounds and hop the Jubilee Line to kick-start your evening at Craft London (craft-london.co.uk), celebrated chef Stevie Parle’s latest venture. The Tom Dixon–designed space is rich and sexy, all copper, tweed and limestone, with impressive views of the city. Parle uses almost exclusively local produce in his New British menu, which includes such dishes as langoustines with lardo and clay-baked duck with broad-bean-and-barley “miso.”

DECEMBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM

While you’re in the area, don’t pass up a visit to Meantime Brewery Tasting Rooms (meantimebrewing. com). Sample four of its 10 brews with a flight poured straight from the maturation tanks and kegs. COCKTAIL-INDULGING Shoreditch

residents have been able to keep the intimate, subterranean bar Joyeux Bordel (joyeuxbordel.com) off the radar since the four French gents of Paris’s Experimental Cocktail Club opened it in April. With the Tube’s coming late schedule, the place will no longer be a neighborhood secret. Hop the train to Shoreditch High Street station and linger over

COURTESY OF CR AF T LONDON

LONDON WILL BE STAYING UP LATE

C L O C K W I S E F R O M T O P L E F T: C O U R T E S Y O F D U C K & WA F F L E ; C O U R T E S Y O F J O Y E U X B O R D E L ( 2 ) ; C O U R T E S Y O F D U C K & WA F F L E . I L L U S T R AT I O N B Y D AV I D S PA S H O T T

champagne cocktails and cheeky libations like the Jolly Mess, made with rye, cardamom and darkchocolate liqueur. How does an ox-cheek doughnut with a view sound after midnight? Setting the trend for round-the-clock dining when it opened in 2012, Duck & Waffle (duckandwaffle.com) is by far London’s most exclusive 24-hour restaurant, 40 floors up in the Heron Tower (at Liverpool Street station). Go for the popular namesake dish, paired with a rhubarb spritz. New York City’s Hotel Chantelle (hotelchantelle.com) has hopped the pond, bringing late-night fun and French and American fare to Marylebone (near Bond Street station). Though the name might suggest otherwise, this is a restaurant and bar; it’s open until 2 a.m. for dinner and until 3 a.m. for

CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: Duck &

Waffle's Daniel Doherty; underground bar Joyeux Bordel; a champagne cocktail at Joyeux Bordel; dorset crab at Duck & Waffle.

drinks. Knock back a scotch cocktail, like the gingery, lemony Penicillin C. UP TIL DAWN Still have some

stamina? Hotels are adapting to the prospect of the new Tube, too. The second Zetter Townhouse (thezettertownhouse.com), the sister to the Clerkenwell original, landed this summer in Marylebone (near Marble Arch station). It’s a 24-bedroom Georgian town house with zany panache, elegant bathrooms, a private roof terrace and a cozy parlor, where master mixer Tony Conigliaro makes decadent cocktails—try Le Sphinx, with orange neroli honey, ambrette bitters and champagne. The bar might close at 1 a.m., but hotel guests can sip Conigliaro’s premixed cocktails— they’re in the mini-bar. Or skip over to St. Martins Lane, London’s original boutique hotel (Embankment station), which recently introduced Blind Spot (morganshotelg roup.com), a glistening cocktail lounge. It’s the perfect spot for a nightcap or three before you stumble upstairs and sleep it off until noon.

TRENDING | GOSE BEER A subcategory of sour beer—a centuries-old style that also includes Berliner Weisses and Lambics—artisanal Gose is marked by a mix of salt, coriander and wheat, and is neither tart nor very sour. “It’s a little more complex and well-balanced than your typical sour,” says Jimmy Carbone, beer aficionado and owner of Jimmy’s No. 43 (jimmys no43.com) in New York City. Gose was born in Leipzig, Germany, and had all but vanished til a few producers revived it in the 1990s. Craft breweries like Mikkeller (mikkeller.dk), with locations in Seoul, Bangkok and Tokyo, and Brew Dog (brewdog. com), with a spot in Tokyo and distrubution around Asia, have bottles stocked or will rotate a Gose on tap. Microbrewers across Australia are hopping on the Gose train; try the award-winning Doctor's Orders Electrolyte (doctorsordersbrewing. com). Or hunt down a real German import like Rittreguts's Gose.

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nightlife

THE COCKTAIL GENIUSES ARE AT WORK IN SAN FRANCISCO Morgan Schick and his team, the Bon Vivants, helped usher in a new era of the city’s nightlife with Trick Dog, the Mission’s go-to cocktail bar. We asked him about the group’s newest project—and other favorite bars in town. BY LAURA ITZKOWITZ

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Big drinks and small bites at ABV.

Café du Nord

In June, the Bon Vivants relaunched the historic hangout in the Swedish American Hall—“an homage to old nightlife,” Schick describes it— complete with oyster-shell-infused martinis, live music and a turnof-the-century vibe. cafedunord.com. Benjamin Cooper

This vintage industrial space hidden inside Union Square’s Hotel G opened in March to much acclaim. The cocktail list includes the Swarthy Gentleman, with rye, rum, sherry,

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coffee, chocolate and bitters. Schick usually asks the bartender to surprise him. benjamincoopersf.com. ABV

A few blocks from Trick Dog (trickdogbar.com), this bar has a chill atmosphere, cult spirits and inventive food, none of which requires a fork. Try the bite-size grilled octopus or the kimchi fritter. abvsf.com. Smuggler’s Cove

This Civic Center bar is the ultimate

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spot for a piña colada or a festive flaming cocktail. A favorite of Schick’s bartender buddies, the watering hole is full of the kitschy tiki finds that owner Martin Cate has been collecting for years. smugglerscovesf.com. Bar Agricole

This South of Market bar is beloved for its sleek design—wood from reclaimed whiskey barrels, hanging glass sculptures—and novel cocktail menu filled with reimagined Caribbean classics like the dark-rum swizzle and planter’s punch. baragricole.com. Stookey’s Club Moderne

C L O C K W I S E F R O M T O P : A L L I S O N W E B B E R ; M E L I S S A C H O W ; K E L LY P U L E I O ( 2 ) . I L L U S T R AT I O N B Y D AV I D S PA S H O T T

Schick likes to get a martini at Stookey’s, which opened earlier this year. The Nob Hill space combines 1930s décor—a framed portrait of FDR hangs on the wall—with eco-friendly touches like biodegradable floors made from burlap and linseed oil. stookeysclub moderne.com.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Tiki touches at Smuggler's Cove; bite-size grilled octopus at ABV; shell out at Benjamin Cooper; then surrender your fate to the bartender there.

Specs Twelve Adler Museum Café

The old-school dive bar has been frequented by poets, beatnik holdovers, longshoremen and misfits since it opened in 1968. Owner Richard “Specs” Simmons, who lives nearby, keeps his North Beach hideaway looking much the same as it did in Ginsberg’s day. 12 William Saroyan Place; 1-415/421-4112.

TRENDING | JURA WINES For consumers ever-more interested in small-batch products, Jura wines are something of a revelation. The French region near the Swiss border produces wines made from grape varieties and styles that are not often used elsewhere, such as the intentionally oxidized vin jaune, whose flavors can range from nutty to curry-like. The less daring can still appreciate the Jura’s pale red wines—earthy and herbaceous, made from Poulsard and Trousseau grapes. In Singapore you can order online from The French Cellar (thefrenchcellar.sg) or ask a bottle shop with a sizable French wine list, such as Cottage Vineyards (cottagevineyards.com) in Hong Kong, to school you on the vintages. TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM / DECEMBER 2015

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Torii, its blue-hued sister lounge downstairs, with sumptuous velvet furniture and kicky Pop art murals. tjingtjing.co.za. Part café, part motorcycle shop, part men’s-wear emporium, the dark space becomes a live-music venue at night, showcasing popular local acts in a bar packed with revelers. thehouseofm achines.com. Mixing it up at the Orphanage Cocktail Emporium. ABOVE, FROM TOP: Mood lighting at Tjing Tjing/Torii; Mothers' Ruin Gin Bar.

Orphanage Cocktail Emporium

DOWNTOWN CAPE TOWN IS LOOSENING ITS TIE For years, much of Cape Town’s Central Business District was fairly quiet after business hours— but no longer. Along Bree and Loop Streets, these clubs keep the CBD humming well past sunset. BY SARAH KHAN

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Vintage glam is on tap at this Victorianesque bar with waistcoated barmen theatrically presenting cocktails like the rum-based Daddy Warbucks. theorphanage.co.za. Door 221

Come early to the newest kid on the lively 200 block of Bree Street on Taco Tuesdays for Mexican dishes paired with Don Julio tequila. facebook.com/door221. Mother’s Ruin Gin Bar

The knowledgeable bartenders will help you pick your poison among more than 150 gin offerings. facebook.com/mothersr uincpt. Tjing Tjing/Torii

In June, popular scarlet-toned rooftop bar Tjing Tjing introduced

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Coco/GoldBar

One of Cape Town’s most vaunted clubs, Coco added another spot next door with the August opening of VIP-heavy GoldBar. Expect to rub elbows with South African luminaries while grooving to a rotating roster of global DJs. cococpt.co.za. Era

The futuristic design here sets the stage for one of the best electronica scenes in South Africa. eracapetown.com. Village Idiot

Lines running along Loop Street have been a common sight ever since the Village Idiot opened in May. If you make it inside, join locals swaying to live music on the balcony. thevillageidiot.co.za. If you’re in town: First Thursdays

is one of the city’s biggest monthly events, when the CBD transforms into a block party, with galleries and boutiques keeping their doors open late. first‑thursdays.co.za.

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

House of Machines

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The Gift of Go

If you’re ready to get out of the holiday “stuff” race, our guide will help you give something they’d never expect: travel memories that will last a lifetime—and require less wrapping, too. BY MATT VILL ANO AND MONSICHA HOONSUWAN ILLUSTR ATIONS BY BO LUNDBERG

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THERE’S NOTHING WRONG WITH

things. Things can nourish us, keep us warm or cool, connect us with our loved ones, make us look good—or, at the very least, better. But experiences make us happier than material goods do, according to a Cornell University study published last year. That’s just one among many similar findings that indicate that doing stuff, rather than having stuff, brings the most lasting joy. So this holiday season, instead of buying someone a gadget, consider giving a getaway. Rather than choosing a scarf, spring for an escape. Travel yields memories that last forever, and enables your friends and family to grow through new sights, tastes, smells and encounters. Plus, they won’t have to find space to store it. Where to begin? We’ve gathered up some ideas to inspire you—plus some tips to help you get it right.

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PLANES, TRAINS AND CRUISES

YOU CAN PUT A RIBBON ON E VERY THING FROM A TR AIN RIDE TO A PRIVATE-JET JOURNE Y. SOUTHEAST ASIAHOPPING

If someone on your gift list yearns for an epic tour of Southeast Asia, make their dreams come true with the AirAsia (airasia.com) ASEAN Pass. This multi-flight journey lets travelers book flights at base fares regardless of price fluctuations. You buy a set of credits that can be used within a time period—10 for 30 days (RM499) or 20 for 60 days (RM888)— and then assign it to the recipient who can redeem the credits for flights in and among 10 ASEAN countries. The credits required per route vary; a flight from Singapore to Phuket, for example, costs one credit, but Kuala Lumpur to Chiang Mai eats up three credits. For multiple-destinationtrip inspiration, check out sample itineraries and the amount of credits required for each on AirAsia’s website.

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AIRLINE GIFT CARDS

Just about all of the major carriers offer gift cards, which you buy directly from the airlines. Keep in mind that gift cards usually can not be used toward upgrades, baggage or other small fees. And some companies limit the number of cards you can redeem at once. Taken together, these facts suggest you are probably better off opting for a high denomination.

to Beijing. The cards come in 25-hour increments, starting at US$150,000. That doesn’t include fuel surcharges and other fees, and there are peak-day restrictions. SLOW-LIFE JOURNEY

Trains and cruises also have gift options. Belmond (belmond. com), which operates Eastern & Oriental Express luxury trains, sells gift certificates worth up to US$2,000,

AirAsia sells credits for flights in and among 10 Southeast Asian countries at base fares. PRIVATE JETS

A more indulgent gift: an airplane all to themselves. The Marquis Jet Card unlocks access to the NetJets (netjets.com) fleet in China, Europe and the U.S., which ranges from short-hop Cessnas to Bombardier Global 6000s capable of zipping from Boston

redeemable at all of its hotels and cruises as well. With new all-suite ships sailing three rivers in Asia, Avalon Waterways (avalon waterways.com) lets you give meaningful memories with the choices of US$50, US$200 and US$500 vouchers. Mighty nice way to begin a year.

WAYS TO STAY

GIVE YOUR FAVORITE PEOPLE A PL ACE TO BED DOWN—WITH ACCOMMODATIONS THAT R ANGE FROM PUP TENT TO PAL ACE. BIG BRANDS

Gift cards from multi-brand companies are a win for people who travel often to major and more obscure destinations. Fairmont Hotels & Resorts, which operates more than 130 properties under the Fairmont, Raffles and Swissôtel names, lets recipients use gift cards for everything from rooms to spa treatments. Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts has a similar policy: you can use the credit toward any charge that can be applied to a hotel bill— right down to the tips. Some companies do put limits on gift cards: Marriott International, which owns a range of brands, from The Ritz-Carlton to Bulgari hotels, doesn’t allow them to be put toward prepaid reservations.

GIVING THE EXTRA MILE Airline and hotel points can be a more powerful gift than cash—if you and your recipients handle them wisely.

CURATED COLLECTIONS

Hotel associations and collections gather properties with similar styles; giving a gift from one is a subtle way of showing that you understand someone’s travel taste. Relais & Châteaux (relaischateaux.com), the global consortium of restaurants and inns, including 41 Asian properties selected for their charm, sense of place, service and cuisine, approaches gift certificates in a refined fashion. In addition to choosing fixed monetary amounts, givers can select packages such as a three-course dinner with wine or champagne (US$425 for two) or a wellness escape with a spa treatment (US$668 for two). The recipient just has to pick a property.

1. Don’t transfer. Giving someone your surplus miles might sound smart, but you could get hit with transfer fees. Most programs simply let you book travel for others through your account. And many Asia-Pacific carriers like Qantas, Asiana, Etihad and Japan Airlines let you pool miles in household accounts for free.

The Mr. & Mrs. Smith collection (smithhotels.com) includes roughly 1,000 design-forward boutique hotels. Bookings made through the Mr. & Mrs. Smith website come with a free extra, such as a picnic lunch or a welcome cocktail. A downside: gift cards cannot be used for spa treatments or meals. Small Luxury Hotels of The World (slh.com), representing 520 special properties across 80 countries, sells vouchers in euros, US dollars and pounds. But this isn’t a good gift for dawdlers; the vouchers expire 15 months after the date of issue.

OFFBEAT ACCOMMODATIONS

Perhaps your giftee prefers less-traditional digs? Gift cards from Glamping Hub (glampinghub.com) can be used toward stays at 300 handpicked glamping spots, from tents to tipis to tree houses, in AsiaPacific and more than 1,000 nature-bounded sites around the world. Plug in your preferred US dollar amount and

the system will e-mail the gift to your recipient, who must redeem it within 12 months. Home-rental behemoth Airbnb also provides electronic credits that make for easy, if somewhat unromantic, delivery. But its directory of more than a million homes will make sure the voucher receiver experiences that sweet joy of local living at any favorite city.

Instead of choosing a fixed monetary amount, givers can select packages such as a threecourse dinner with wine.

2. Consider the fees. Airlines usually add sales tax and processing fees to mileage purchases. When they use the miles, recipients may also have to pay redemption charges, which can range from just a few dollars to more than US$1,000, depending on the airline and class of the seat.

3. Do the math. If you’re buying points, don’t spend more than you would if you paid for a flight or room in cash. Compare the total cost of the miles you want to purchase to the retail price of whatever they’ll probably be used for, to make sure you’re getting—and giving— a deal.

4. Look for specials. Most loyalty programs offer bonuses or discounts on mileage purchases or transfers at some point during the year. If you can, hold off for a really good one— they’re especially common before the holidays. (This is when it pays to be on the e-mail list.) — BRIAN KELLY

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ALL-INCLUSIVE ADVENTURES

IF YOU’D LIKE TO WRAP UP SOMETHING BIGGER AND MORE COMPLICATED, TURN TO A SPECIALIST.

DAY TRIPS

For bucket-list quick-hits, Viator (viator.com) specializes in short tours and activities—a day trip in Japan’s wine region for about US$90, a private helicopter tour of Angkor Wat for around US$580, and thousands of other options. It sells gift cards in amounts of up to US$500. FAMILY FUN

You don’t have to be a fan of theme parks to appreciate what Adventures by Disney (adventuresbydisney. com) provides: familyoriented, carefully planned, guided trips to spots around the world. Most of the itineraries include meals and last

from local experiences like a favela tour, surf lessons, or dining at a chef’s table, based on your giftee’s preferences. Soccer fans will swoon over the Australia–based agency Sportsnet’s (sportsnetholidays. com) trips to England, just launched in August, organized around watching famous teams like Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United, at a starting price of A$245 per person. Also in the works is an itinerary for the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Register on their website now so you book it for your favorite soccer spectators as soon as the package becomes available.

Choose a day trip in Japan’s wine country, a helicopter tour of Angkor Wat, or one of a thousand other options. at least seven nights. The journeys start at around US$2,300 per person, and as long as you have the names of all travelers when you’re booking, any of them can be purchased as a gift. GOOD SPORTS

EASY EXTRAS

Stocking stuffers that can make travel safer, faster and more pleasant.

Give Global Rescue (globalrescue.com) to your favorite globetrotters, and you’ll know that in an emergency they can be airevacuated to the home-country hospital of their choice. Membership starts at US$119 for a short-term plan. | Priority Pass (prioritypass.com) cardholders get access to more than 850 airport lounges worldwide. Give a single visit for US$27 or US$99 for a year’s worth of free snacks and Wi-Fi. | Immigration lines at 19 countries in Asia-Pacific and the Americas are shorter for APEC Business Travel Card (apec.org; fees vary per country) holders, and the card now lasts five years instead of three. | For someone going to Australia, Hong Kong, Singapore or Taiwan, an iVenture Card (iventurecard), can get them through top attractions cash-free.

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There are plenty of ways to satisfy those who dream of attending a worldclass athletic event. Roadtrips.com provides custom trips to major games, like the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, which starts at US$5,975 per person for six nights. The rate includes hotels and transporation, but the optional add-ons are the fun part. Choose

AMBITIOUS ADVENTURES

Want to give an impressive present but avoid getting involved in the planning process? Choose a trip—or a voucher— from a tour operator. Gift certificates from Backyard Travel (backyardtravel.com) allow your recipients to travel across Asia on a custom-made itinerary created by local insiders. T+L Journeys (tandl.me/ journeys) partners with Black Tomato to offer mapped-out vacations across the globe. A 23-night trip to Papua New Guinea, for example, starts at US$14,175 per person. All of the itineraries can be purchased as gifts for others.

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TEST DRIVE | PLUGGED-IN LUGGAGE

Weigh Station The handle doubles as a digital scale: open the app and lift the bag to get a reading.

The big news in bags is the emergence of “smart” luggage: souped-up suitcases that can charge phones, weigh themselves, send out homing signals when lost, and, oh yes, carry stuff. So far, the standout model is the Bluesmart (bluesmart.com; US$399), created by a group of travel-hungry entrepreneurs. Their bag performs on all fronts—and looks slick, too. — GR ANT MARTIN

Linked-Up Lock The main compartments can be secured with a key or via smartphone if you are nearby; a light on the bag lets you know the (TSA-compliant) lock is engaged.

Case Closed The Bluesmart has a hard polycarbonate shell, a retractable handle, and four hardy wheels. It’s carry-on only—the battery means it can’t be checked. But despite all the fancy gadgetry, it weighs just over four kilograms.

Power Supply The high-capacity battery, which plugs into a standard outlet, can juice up an iPhone six times over on a single charge.

Inner Space Electronics take up less than 10 percent of the main compartment, leaving plenty of room for your gear. The outside sleeve can hold a laptop as big as 15 inches, and has an extra pocket for a phone or tablet.

Tracking System Within Bluetooth range (about 30 meters in an airport), you can use the app to pinpoint your bag’s location. If your stuff goes missing farther afield, an onboard SIM card can send its GPS coordinates to your phone. Spare Wire There are two USB charging ports, one in the laptop sleeve and another on the back of the suitcase.

I L L U S T R AT I O N : 5 0 0 G L S

ALSO ROLLING OUT THESE HIGH-TECH ALTERNATIVES HAVE AL ARMS, TR ACKING SYSTEMS AND PERSONAL HOT SPOTS.

Samsonite GeoTrakR You can trace the bag in an 11-meter radius via Bluetooth signal, or around the world with a GSMGPRS search (30 searches are included with purchase; then it’s US$6.99 for five). The GeoTrakR, which comes in three sizes, is a great travel workhorse. samsonite.com; from US$300.

Trunkster The product of a Kickstarter campaign that raised US$1.4 million against a US$50,000 goal, Trunkster combines features such as GPS tracking and an onboard scale with an ingenious sliding front access panel, which eliminates the need for zippers. trunkster. co; from US$445.

Andiamo IQ In addition to a removable USB charger and an antitheft alert that goes off if the bag gets too far away from you, the IQ includes a Wi-Fi hot spot that can be activated with a local SIM card. The IQ is also one of the best-looking of the new contenders. andiamoluggage. com; from US$599.

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DEALS | T+L READER SPECIALS

Celebrate a sun-soaked holiday season with this month’s offers, from a private yacht tour of the Similan Islands in Thailand to a peaceful retreat surrounded by the rice fields of Bali.

ROMANCE KRABI

Phulay Bay, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve You and your special someone will find sybaritic bliss on this chopper-yacht-villa whirlwind. From Krabi Airport, a complimentary transfer whisks you to this destination spa, where you spend three nights in an opulent villa overlooking the Andaman Sea. Submerse in hydro-heaven—a candlelit marbled bath, a Jacuzzi, an outsized soaking tub and an infinity pool—and have a private dinner for two on the beach. Soon you’re in a helicopter, enroute to your private yacht to explore the Similan Islands. Over three nights, you can design your own itinerary and even your own meals; executive chef Alex Gares Blaya takes requests. The Deal Similan Islands Experience: six nights in a Royal Beach villa and on a yacht, from Bt800,000 for two, through April 30, 2016. Save 40%. ritzcarlton.com.

Phulay Bay, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, in Krabi.

SUPER SAVER X2 Chiang Mai Nimman Villa, Chiang Mai Officially opened in October, this seven-bedroom, Midcentury Modern townhome in Nimmanhemin is full of fun: a pool table, a home theater, and a rooftop sundeck for endless barbecue parties. The Deal Introductory offer: a night in a seven-bedroom villa, from Bt15,000 for 14 people, through December 15. Save 60%. x2resorts.com.

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CITY JAKARTA

Hotel Indonesia Kempinski Europe’s oldest luxury hotel shows off its Old World flair at one of the first five-star hotels in Indonesia. The building, declared a national heritage in 1993, sits at the eponymous

F R O M T O P : C O U R T E S Y O F P H U L AY B AY, A R I T Z- C A R LT O N R E S E R V E ; C O U R T E S Y O F X 2 C H I A N G M A I N I M M A N V I L L A

BALI

Sudamala Suites & Villas Sanur This couple’s escape to the cozy beachside town of Sanur includes all of the following fun for two: a wine dinner, a 90-minute spa treatment, a bicycle tour of Sanur village, and a round-trip airport transfer. After you bust out some yoga moves at Suda Ening Yoga Space, take a stroll through modern art exhibitions at the on-site Sudakara ArtSpace, many by Balinese artists. The Deal Bali Heart and Bliss: two nights in a Deluxe Garden suite, from US$420 for two, through March 30, 2016. Save 22%. sudamalaresorts.com.

roundabout in the capital’s business district, next to Grand Indonesia shopping complex, and is only 30 minutes from the airport. The Deal City Break: two nights in a Grand Deluxe room, from US$191 for two, through December 29. Save 30%. kempinski.com. JAPAN

Preferred Hotels & Resorts Whether it’s Kyoto or Tokyo that arouses your wanderlust, you can enjoy a 30-percent suite discount at nine hotels in Japan’s most visited cities: Kyoto Tokyu, Grand Pacific Le Daiba, Hotel New Otani Tokyo, Yokohama Royal Park, Keio Plaza, Royal Park Hotel The Shiodome, The Capitol Hotel Tokyu, Royal Park and The Prince Park Tower. The Deal Suite Life: a night in a suite, from US$170 for two, through March 31, 2016. Save up to 30%. preferredhotels.com. SINGAPORE

The Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Bring two of your besties along for a holiday break in Marina Bay. No slumber party is complete without fluffy bathrobes, endless spa treatments at 20-percent off, and a couple of glasses of bubbly—this deal comes with a complimentary bottle of Moët & Chandon champagne to celebrate the year’s end. The Deal A Toast to Friendship: a night in an Enhanced Premier room, from S$650 for three, through December 29. Save 40%. ritzcarlton.com.

airport transfer and a bottle of wine. The Deal Winter Escape: three nights in a My Mind or My Spirit room, from US$345 for two, through December 20. Save up to 47%. almanityhoian.com. SIEM REAP

Borei Angkor Resort & Spa Only 15 minutes from Angkor Wat, the 188-room resort welcomes you with a roundtrip airport transfer and a fruit basket delivered by attentive staff, whose service motto is the Buddhist teaching of mudita, or sympathetic joy. After exploring the vast Angkor complex, treat yourself to relaxation at Mudita Spa, where you receive a 10-percent discount on programs like the J’Pong steam therapy infused with Cambodian herbs. Also included are daily breakfast and a set lunch or dinner, while additional meals are at 10-percent off. The Deal Winter Exclusive offer: two nights in a Deluxe room, from US$123 for two, through March 31, 2016. Save 40%. boreiangkor.com.

CULTURE ASIA PACIFIC

Wyndham With this offer, you can check out street-art-inspired Tryp Fortitude Valley in Brisbane,

stroll down Patong Beach at Wyndham Sea Pearl resort in Phuket, or escape to a Pacific paradise at Ramada Plaza Nouméa in New Caledonia without breaking the bank. Plus, you earn 2,000 Wyndham Reward bonus points, so you can redeem extra free nights, just in case you can’t leave that cozy room. The Deal Explore Our World: a night in a standard room, from US$64 for two, through December 10. Save 20-30%. wyndham.com. BALI

Mandapa, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve Mandapa is the Sanskrit word for temple, a fitting name for this new Ritz-Carlton Reserve in Ubud, the island’s spiritual center. Enveloped in the rice terraces and rain forest, the riverside property channels Bali’s natural peacefulness to create a sanctuary of its own where Patih butlers attend to your every need. Whichever room you stay comes with complimentary tea and coffee produced locally, and daily breakfast at Sawah Terrace, an all-day-dining venue named after Bali’s paddies. The Deal Mandapa Experience: a night in a Reserve suite, from Rs6,138,000 for two, through December 23. Save 20%. ritzcarlton.com.

CHIANG MAI

Four Seasons Rice and shine at this Lannastyle resort. Surrounded by verdant paddies that reap 2,000 kilograms of rice a year, your recently renovated pavilion boasts polished teak floor, silk-covered furnishings and Siamese artifacts. When an afternoon read beckons, head out to your spacious Thai sala, complete with a daybed and dining table, and revel in the perfect calm. The Deal Stay Longer: three nights in a Garden Pavilion, from Bt47,980 for two, through December 19. Save 33%. fourseasons.com. ASIA

Avani Hotels & Resorts Savings sprawl across the continent at these six different Avani properties: Bentota Resort & Spa and Kulutara Resort in Sri Lanka; Sepang Goldcoast Resort in Malaysia; Quy Nhon Resort & Spa and Hai Phong Harbour View in Vietnam; and Avani Atrium in Bangkok. You can expect colorful comfort in any of the rooms, be it an over-water villa or an urban corner suite, plus, breakfast is included. The Deal Live Large: a night in a standard suite or villa, from US$98 for two, through December 23. Save 20-30%. avanihotels.com. — M.H.

WELLNESS COURTESY OF SUDAMAL A SUITES & VILL AS SANUR

HOI AN

Almanity Hoi An Hoi An isn’t only a World Heritage site, and your daily 90-minute Spa Journeys—a combination of massage, tai chi and meditation—will show you the city’s softer side. You can easily explore the city and the Ancient Town with a complimentary rental bicycle, or hit the waves with the free shuttle service to An Bang Beach. The first 100 reservations also receive a complimentary room upgrade,

A Deluxe Garden suite at Sudamala Suites & Villas Sanur, in Bali.

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Singapore Since 1925

d NOE DEWITT

Oahu, Hawaii.

/ DECEMBER 2015 / Back to the future in Chengdu | Celebrate

our eighth birthday with us at 8 Great Places you need to visit | Reflections on Northern Sri Lanka | Why Asian-fusion Oahu is a pure American paradise

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THE NEW OLD PHILIPPE LEJEANVRE/GET T Y IMAGES

A MODERN MAKEOVER IS SWEEPING CHENGDU—TRADITIONALLY KNOWN FOR ITS LAID-BACK WAY OF LIFE, ITS LEAFY, HISTORIC STREETSCAPES AND, OF COURSE, ITS PANDAS. CHRISTOPHER BEAM VISITS THIS MOST APPEALING OF CHINESE CITIES, AND MEETS THE PEOPLE WORKING TO CONNECT ITS FUTURE TO ITS PAST.

CHINA Modern Chengdu has grown rapidly but retains a sense of its Chinese roots.

said the American photographer, sipping whiskey on the patio of the Niccolo, a new luxury hotel in downtown Chengdu. “This is it, man, this is where it’s really at.” We were schmoozing around the hotel bar at an event sponsored by the American Chamber of Commerce, surrounded most immediately by meat-and-cheese plates, and beyond that by the skyscrapers of Chengdu’s commercial center. “I don’t think it is,” said a British hotelier, as politely as possible. “Not the real China.” He nodded down at the shops below us. “Not here with Tiffany and Cartier and whatever that one is.” The photographer, seeing his challenger’s point, hedged. “Well if you go out of town twenty miles, you’ll find it there,” he said. It wasn’t the first time I’d heard an expat waxing on about realness or the lack thereof in China. For many foreigners, there’s a geographical hierarchy of authenticity. Shanghai is at the silicone-fake end of the spectrum. (Hong Kong doesn’t even register.)

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Beijing is slightly better, with its end-of-days traffic, shoddy English and general chaotic whirl. Chongqing, Wuhan, Changsha: legit. Get down to your third-tier cities like Zhuhai, Shijiazhuang or Taiyuan, and you may have some hope of experiencing real, lungblackening, gut-lacerating, Imodium-proof China. If you want something really real— possibly too real—go to the countryside. Chengdu falls somewhere in the middle of the spectrum. It’s not quite a Tier 1 city—maybe 1.5, with a population of 14 million—but it has grown rapidly in recent years, and now has many of the markings of a cosmopolitan Chinese metropolis, including multiple ring roads, colossal malls with international brand-name stores, and pollution you can taste. Yet it has also somehow managed to remain distinct: slow where Shanghai is fast, green where Beijing is gray, provincial where Guangzhou is internationalized. As the capital of Sichuan province, it’s beloved by foodies, and

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“THIS IS THE REAL CHINA,”

traditional arts like Shu brocade and Sichuan opera survive, albeit largely for tourists. It has a sense of place—there is a there there—that may be what the photographer was referring to when he called it “the real China.” Authenticity is a slippery concept anywhere: it’s always hard to put your finger on what’s real or fake, or what those words mean in the first place. China makes it especially difficult, with its fondness for knockoff phones, handbags, eggs, news, Apple stores, diplomas, and quaint European villages. As a tourist, you’re constantly asking yourself: Is this real? The question was on my mind as I strolled through the Wide and Narrow Lanes, a traditional-looking shopping area in downtown Chengdu. It felt like walking onto the set of a movie about the late Qing dynasty, with excellent catering. I passed low-slung buildings with high thresholds and imposing archways guarded by stone dragons. Food stalls lined the walkways, selling famous Chengdu snacks like dandan noodles and balls of glutinous rice paste called sandapao, or “three cannonballs.” Here, I thought, here was the real Chengdu. The spell was broken, however, when I stumbled upon a magnificent three-story teahouse-style

building with characters hanging above the gray brick entryway: 星巴克咖啡. starbucks coffee. “It’s all counterfeit—it’s fake,” said Zhang Xianjin, a retired professor of architecture, when I met him at a nearby teahouse (a real one, located in an open-air courtyard house built more than 100 years ago). “It has no historical value.” Zhang wore a plain white shirt with a mandarin collar and spoke with quickness and precision. The Wide and Narrow Lanes were a typical example of fanggu, he said, a term that literally means “imitating the old,” but has become synonymous with the fakery of historical buildings. Throughout the country, fanggu has been China’s answer to its own destructive past. With few actual relics or old buildings left to preserve, the government has instead chosen to rebuild them as they might have looked in their prime. Architects I spoke with, both Chinese and Western, dismissed fanggu style as tasteless, inauthentic, “Disney-like.” And yet it’s become the prevailing aesthetic of Chinese heritage sites, including Beijing’s Front Gate area, south of Tiananmen Square; the Xintiandi shopping area in Shanghai; and entire sections of the

The popular Wide and Narrow Lanes. OPPOSITE: Anshun Bridge, rebuilt in 2003, dates back to Marco Polo.

Practicing the fine art of calligraphy outside Wenshu Temple.

Great Wall. Even though the Wide and Narrow Lanes look old, 85 percent of the buildings there are new, Zhang said. “It’s neither donkey nor horse,” he said dismissively. Zhang, born in Chengdu in 1943, had witnessed the city’s self-destruction firsthand. In 1967, when he was still an architecture student, the local government decided to demolish the imperial palace in the city center and erect a statue of Chairman Mao. It was the beginning of the Cultural Revolution, a motto of which was, “Destroy the old world and build a new world.” Zhang, now 72, said, “At that time, I was crazy, too. My brain wasn’t normal…. It was a bad period of history.” Later, after the political climate quieted down, he began to study China’s ancient architecture. He visited the Forbidden City in Beijing and the gardens of Suzhou. Only then did he realize that knocking down the imperial palace had been a tragic mistake. In terms of historical preservation, the worst was yet to come. Like most Chinese cities, Chengdu transformed completely after the country opened up its economy in 1979. Traditionally known for its slow pace of life,

tree-lined streets and penchant for mah-jongg, the city has shot up and out, leveling old neighborhoods to build skyscrapers, constructing a series of ring roads and two subway lines (with seven more to come), and creating a new high-tech industrial development zone in the south, which now features the building with the world’s largest floor space, the New Century Global Center. (One Chengdu resident spoke for many when he called it “the world’s biggest mistake.”) After 2008, when a magnitude 7.9 earthquake struck the mountainous area northwest of the city, Chengdu sought to rebrand itself as a destination for both tourists and investors. Companies including GE, IBM and Dell opened offices here, and Apple began producing iPads in a factory nearby. United Airlines launched direct flights from San Francisco, and the city became a hub of the “New Silk Road” freight line connecting China and Europe. These developments were good for Chengdu’s economy, but not necessarily for its soul. The city razed traditional structures and erected

behemoths in their place. “I actually think modernization has been more damaging than the Cultural Revolution was,” Zhang said. But he said it’s not too late to preserve some of Chengdu’s essence. “It’s late, but it’s still possible,” he said. The question is how.

WHEN PEOPLE TALK ABOUT CHENGDU, the word that comes up most is relaxed. (Well, that and pandas—we’ll get to them.) I heard many explanations for the city’s purported tendency toward leisure, from its geography (it’s surrounded by mountains, so residents never had to worry about invaders) to its soil (“Put a stick in the ground and it will grow flowers,” goes one saying) to its temperature (hot and humid). This relaxation takes many forms: playing the aforementioned mah-jongg, exercising in the park, eating the local hot pot known for its numbing spiciness, or, in the case of a visiting Beijinger like me, strolling around and inhaling deeply whenever I passed a tree, which was often. (Perhaps the most remarkable thing about walking around Chengdu is that one can walk around Chengdu.) At the same time, its residents are spenders, especially when it comes to high-end shopping. According to a 2013 report, 85 percent of top international brands have opened stores in Chengdu, making it one of the country’s largest markets for luxury goods. It was with this local character in mind that Lin Hao and his team of architects first started designing the new Sino-Ocean Taikoo Li Chengdu shopping area that surrounds the Daci Temple, one of the city’s oldest Buddhist temples, located in the city’s skyscraperstudded downtown. “Our approach was to understand the lifestyle of Chengdu rather than the heritage itself,” Lin Hao said. “We had to look at the so-called ‘software’ side of conservation.” Walking around the complex, colloquially known as Taikoo Li, on a Thursday afternoon, the place felt as much like a park as a mall. A child holding a balloon pranced in front of a fountain that sprang out of the paving stones. In the massive Fangsuo Commune bookstore, a group of girls crowded around The Book of Answers, asking it questions and then opening it to a random page. (Q: “Will I get back together with my boyfriend?” A: “Don’t bet on it.”) Admiring a piece of art in the plaza outside the temple, I almost forgot I was flanked by gleaming Gucci and Muji stores. The architects had to think about hardware, too: How to preserve the six “heritage buildings” on site, all from the early 20th century, while also producing a modern commercial space that integrates itself with its

surroundings. Their solution was to develop a mix of old and new styles, letting the location and design of the traditional buildings influence the new constructions around them. They kept the original layout—the “fabric of the lanes,” as Hao put it—but added modern touches like public art and pools of water. The new buildings are designed like traditional Sichuan structures, with dark tiled roofs sloping at an angle of 27 degrees, but are clearly recent, rising two to three stories high and incorporating modern building materials and lighting. In one of the more striking instances of historical integration, The Temple House, a new hotel that occupies the southeast corner of the development, has housed its lobby in one of the heritage structures, an old courtyard called the Bitieshi, which was a government translation office during the Qing dynasty. The Temple House wasn’t designed to replicate Chengdu architecture, so much as to capture its spirit. The gray bricks of the courtyard walls protrude

AUTHENTICITY IS SLIPPERY. YOU’RE CONSTANTLY ASKING YOURSELF, IS THIS REAL? irregularly, evoking the pattern seen on the heritage buildings. The grassy hillocks in its lawn area, an homage to the rolling mountains of Yellow Dragon Park, turn out to be skylights in an underground ballroom. During my stay in one of its suites, I found myself wondering if the softness of the towels was meant to simulate the coat of a baby panda. Adaptive reuse may be a familiar concept in the United States and Europe, but China has relatively few examples, especially ones involving preindustrial architecture. Chengdu does have a former kinescope factory that has been converted into an art-and-music space called, in the way that perhaps only Chinese can be both literal and poetic, Eastern Suburb Memory park, as well as an old alley called Chongdeli that has become an elegant café, restaurant and hotel, though neither is as ambitious as the Daci Temple project. Katy Ghahremani of Make Architects, which designed The Temple House, argued that repurposing old buildings keeps them alive. “The way to preserve heritage buildings is not

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to treat them as museum pieces, but to actually bring them back into use,” she said. And unlike Chengdu’s fanggu commercial strips, such as the Wide and Narrow Lanes and the Jinli Ancient Street shopping area, Taikoo Li’s approach makes clear what’s new and what’s old. “We want it to have integrity and authenticity,” she said. But the more Ghahremani and I talked, the less clear it became where to draw the line between good preservation and bad preservation, between authenticity and fakery. We all agree it’s important to maintain the Daci Temple, but the temple is itself a 20th century construction, mostly rebuilt in the style of the Qing dynasty—in other words, fanggu. “Everything you see on site is something reconstructed from history,” Hao said. Any quest to preserve Chengdu’s essence, it seemed, would inevitably bump up against the possibility that there is no pure Chengdu-ness to be preserved in the first place. And even if there were, not everyone agrees that conservation is necessary. One day I met up

WERE THE SOFT TOWELS MEANT TO SIMULATE THE COATS OF BABY PANDAS? with Chen Zhipeng, a.k.a. Gas, one half of the Chengdu graffiti artist duo Gas & Seve, who incorporate traditional symbols into their murals, which include a giant blue-and-orange goat’s head staring down from a wall in the Wide and Narrow Lanes. (This is, after all, the Year of the Sheep.) I found Gas inside the New Century “World’s Biggest Mistake” Global Center, where he was doing a commissioned work for a bar, again using his trademark blue and orange—opposites on the color wheel, hence a play on yin and yang. I asked what he thinks of the city’s attempts to preserve itself. “If a building gets to the point where it can’t stand up and is falling apart, then it’s been demolished by time,” he said. “If we insist on restoring it to its original form, that’s denying it the dignity of death.” He rejected the idea that the Taikoo Li complex is keeping Chinese tradition alive by mixing old and new. “Everything passes,” he said. “If you bring it back for the sake of doing business, then you’re not respecting its soul.”

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CHENGDU IS KNOWN FOR BEING RICH IN

history. But when I asked most locals which historical sites I should visit, they rattled off a predictable list: the popular Wuhou Temple, founded in the year 221 and now dedicated to the great strategist of the Three Kingdoms period, Zhu Ge Liang; Du Fu’s Thatched Cottage, the lush, forested estate where the great poet/drunkard/patriot may or may not have once lived; the Dujiangyan irrigation system, built in the third century B.C., which helped turn Chengdu into a fertile paradise and is now a unesco World Heritage site. In other words, the places that reinforce the selective, crowd-pleasing story Chengdu tells itself about its own history, one in which poverty or political upheaval do not feature. But not everything fits into the official narrative. And in Chengdu, far from the nation’s capital, you can get away with telling stories you couldn’t repeat closer to the seat of power. On a Tuesday morning, two Chinese friends and I drove to a small town called Anren, an hour outside the city, to visit the Jianchuan Museum Cluster—a collection of galleries, more than 30 in total, spread across 33 hectares. After buying tickets at the front entrance, we hopped into a stretch golf cart, and a chipper tour guide drove us to the first museum on our list: an exhibition of memorabilia from the Cultural Revolution. In four years living in China, I hadn’t seen anything like it. (The exhibit on 20th-century Chinese history at the National Museum in Beijing skips over the 1960s and 70s almost entirely.) One gallery features mannequins posed in scenes from that period, including a peasant family reading Little Red Books over dinner and a calligrapher painting a propaganda poster. Another room collects day-to-day items, including tickets for food, soap, and matches. Later, we saw photos of “counterrevolutionaries” being paraded through the streets on trucks, heads hung in shame, placards dangling from their necks. Fan Jianchuan, the museum’s founder, said he doesn’t approach history with an agenda. “We do our best not to take a personal stance,” he said. “We let the objects speak.” I met Fan at his office at the museum, which has walls covered with his own calligraphy. Despite having made billions in real estate and other enterprises—he was ranked among China’s 500 richest people in 2007 and 2008—Fan prides himself on his simple lifestyle. “I buy cheap cigarettes, I wear old clothes, I eat with my employees,” he told me. Fan designed the sensitive exhibits to read like Rorschach tests: See what you believe.

Those with fond feelings for the country’s revolutionary past will find their nostalgia confirmed. Those who see it as a dark period will find plenty of supporting evidence. Fan, who served in the army and once taught classes in Marxism, knows how to handle these subjects with delicacy. “We should take history as a mirror, to make sure the tragedy doesn’t ever happen again,” he said. “This is about putting reality on display, and letting the audience, especially young people, decide.” Aside from a desire to avoid future mistakes, Fan said he has personal reasons for preserving the past. “I’m almost sixty years old. As long as the museum is around, I won’t die,” Fan said. “If it exists, I exist.”

I HAD BEEN PUTTING OFF THE PANDAS.

But in Chengdu, the pandas find you. After getting off the plane, I counted about 90 seconds before I saw a picture of a “bear cat,” as pandas are known in Chinese, on a poster for the 16th annual International Furniture Fair. A family of rainbow-colored panda statues sat in a circle outside the Raffles City mall; a giant panda sculpture clambered up the side of the International Finance Square building. It was therefore less by choice than by gravitational pull—possibly even local law—that I woke up at dawn and hauled myself into a van, along with a

handful of fellow hotel guests, to visit the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding on the outskirts of Chengdu. I am not a panda fan. When a BBC presenter went on a diatribe against the panda in 2009, calling it an “evolutionary cul-de-sac,” I nodded along. The pandas I had seen at zoos only confirmed my suspicion that they symbolized not humanity’s devotion to wildlife, but our unslakable thirst for cuteness. The ubiquity of panda memorabilia in Chengdu—you can buy anything short of a panda itself—only deepened my panda fatigue. The first panda we saw, Long Bang, did not alleviate my skepticism. We found him passed out on a platform of bamboo scaffolding. (“His character is calm and quiet,” according to Long Bang’s biographical placard.) This was typical of pandas, I learned: they eat bamboo constantly, but only absorb about 20 percent of its nutrients, so they spend the rest of their time “conserving energy.” We watched Long Bang for a minute, hoping he wasn’t dead. Suddenly he stirred, then, slowly, turned over onto his other side. The crowd squealed. It was his biggest accomplishment of the day so far. In the distance, a young Beijing man from our group spotted a panda that appeared to be moving. “This one’s alive!” he said, and we

Spicy vegetarian dishes for lunch at Wenshu Temple.

Beijinger in our group posited a theory that it’s about PR for China, and it would probably be bad publicity for the government to grant the pandas their death wish just now. A cynic might also point to money and diplomacy (China lends pandas to zoos around the world). The insistence on perpetuating the species reminded me of what Gas had said about old buildings: to keep them alive artificially denies them the dignity of death. Then again, maybe we preserve some things because we just like them. Pandas are cute. Old temples are beautiful. From this perspective, even the act of building a new replica of an old teahouse or meeting hall or the Great Wall doesn’t seem so offensive. (Remember, this is a country that keeps its former leader embalmed in a public square.) If it helps people learn what life was like in the past, what’s the problem? So it’s Disney. People like Disney. And given a choice between life and extinction, between memory and forgetting, who can blame us for choosing the first?

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One pastime that hasn't changed is whiling away an afternoon in a tea garden.

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rushed over to see. Qiu Bang was not only alive, he was living well. We found him ripping into a stalk of bamboo, a pile of discarded husks strewn across his belly like some gluttonous Roman emperor. His munching was drowned out by the sounds of coos and digital shutters clicking. He flopped onto his back and kept eating in a supine position—an innovation in laziness I had to admire. He finally sat up again, and the crowd cheered. I was surprised to find my voice among them. We filed into a movie theater, where we watched a documentary in which Chinese scientists explain, over an Enya soundtrack, how they go about perpetuating the species. For pandas, the greatest threat is not predators, or a lack of food, or a depleted habitat, but their own inertia. Most of the time, they can’t even be bothered to procreate. Added to this, mother pandas often “lack mothering skill,” the narrator said, over footage of a mother smacking her pink, squiggling newborn around the cell like a hockey puck. The mere fact of the pandas’ continued existence was thus framed as a triumph of human preservationism. But to what end? The

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TR AVEL ADVISORY With the exception of passport-holders from a few countries, most visitors to China need to obtain a visa before arrival. Citizens of Singapore, Japan and Brunei visiting for 15 days or less and holders of the APEC Business Travel Card do not need visas. HOTEL S Niccolo Brand-new luxury hotel has a lovely outdoor bar overlooking downtown. marcopolohotels.com; doubles from RMB816. Shangri-La Chengdu A nod to modern China here, the hotel is noted for its restaurants and spa. shangri-la.com; doubles from RMB1,060. Temple House The new Swire property captures the spirit of the city. thetemplehousehotel.com; doubles from RMB1,509. RESTAUR ANTS Huang Cheng Ba Snacks Known for dandan and tian shui noodles and hong you dumplings. 259 Wuhouci Da Jie; 86-28/8507-6117; mains RMB6–RMB19.

Old Pier (Lao Ma Tou) Hot Pot This popular hot-pot joint has a massive, ornate façade to match its illustrious reputation. 27 Yulin Zhong Lu; 8628/8555-5705; hot pot for one from RMB95. Zhuan Zhuan Mo Excellent Sichuan food in the city’s walkable Yulin neighborhood. 1-7 Ke Yuan Jie; 86-28/6151-2236; mains RMB6-RMB88. ACTIVITIES Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding panda.org.cn. Du Fu’s Thatched Cottage Whether or not beloved Tang dynasty poet/drunkard Du Fu actually lived here, the scenic forest is certainly beautiful enough to inspire verse. 28 Caotang Lu; 86-28/8731-9258. Jianchuan Museum Cluster One of the most remarkable museum complexes in the country is in Anren, about an hour’s drive from Chengdu. It displays artifacts from the Cultural Revolution and the 2008 Sichuan earthquake. jc-museum.cn.

great places

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SCOTT A. WOODWARD SIPALAY, THE PHILIPPINES A father and his two sons wrap up a working day by hauling in their fishing nets against a fiery sunset.

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LAURYN ISHAK K ALPITIYA, SRI LANK A A playful dolphin in a deep-blue sea makes for a painterly styled photograph taken on a short cruise.

SCOTT A. WOODWARD LANGK AWI Nature’s patterns take over Earth and sky in the Malaysian island’s forests.

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ALEX TREADWAY BAGAN In a quiet moment, a Burmese monk is framed in the window of the monastery where he resides.

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SHINSUKE MATSUKAWA KINOSAKI DISTRICT, JAPAN Hot springs, Matsuba crabs and dramatic scenery are the norms in this popular region outside of Osaka.

JASON TEALE ULSAN It's just a casual stroll into the future via this footbridge over the Taehwa River, in the southeastern South Korea city.

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LILLIAN CHOU YENGISAR COUNT Y, CHINA A 95-year-old Uighur shoemaker waits for customers. Though he has 33 grandchildren, he accepts no payment for watermelon slices or wild almonds.

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PAUL PHILIPSON MELBOURNE Café life rules the day in one of the world's best cities for drinking, dining and simply being outdoors. Pull up a stool on Gertrude Street, in Fitzroy.

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The sacred springs at Keerimalai, near Jaffna, which Hindus believe have healing properties. OPPOSITE: The Kandaswamy Hindu temple in Nallur, outside Jaffna.

NOW THAT THE DECADES-LONG CONFLICT HAS ABATED, VISITORS— AND HOPE— ARE RETURNING TO NORTHERN AND EASTERN SRI LANKA. SAMANTH SUBRAMANIAN UNCOVERS THE LITTLE-KNOWN TREASURES, FROM VIRGIN FORESTS AND BEACHES TO REMARKABLE TEMPLES AND ROMANTIC LODGES, THAT ARE PUTTING THE REGION BACK IN THE SPOTLIGHT.

Sinhala-language posters on the streets of Jaffna.

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IT WAS A STROK E OF FINE fortune, rather than a feat of careful planning, that took us to the Buddhist temple at Thiriyaya at dawn. On our way there the previous afternoon, turning inland from Sri Lanka’s northeastern coast, we had hit a gargantuan front of rain. The red mud path through the jungle had collapsed into slush as we drove, and tramping up a hill to the temple in the fast-dwindling light held no appeal. So we roused ourselves in the slate-gray hours of the following morning and returned to Thiriyaya just in time to see the sun burst into the sky. To reach the temple, a visitor must ascend 277 broad stone steps, above which meet the limbs of mighty ficus trees. That morning, macaques clambered through branches over our heads, setting off rustles that sounded like rain. At the top, the temple was deserted. In silence, we walked toward the central reliquary, where a ziggurat of brick is thought to contain one of the Buddha’s hairs. Statues of the Buddha in meditation sat at the four cardinal points, the previous day’s flower offerings wilting slowly at their feet. In the predawn gloom, the temple seemed cold and forbidding. But when the sun rose over the ocean, it washed Thiriyaya with orange light, rekindling an ancient heat within its blocks of stone. Legend has it that the temple has stood at Thiriyaya, more or less unchanged, for 2,600 years, which would make it the oldest Buddhist structure in the world. For Sri Lanka’s Buddhists—all of them Sinhala speakers—it is a venerated shrine, but in the 1980s, pilgrims stopped coming here. The temple fell too far inside territory controlled by the Tamil Tigers, the guerrillas who wanted a sovereign nation for Tamil Hindus and Christians hacked out of the island’s northeast. The war between the Tigers and the state ran long: 26 years from the first bullet to the last, beginning with a furtive Tiger ambush in 1983 and ending with the army’s blood-soaked obliteration of the insurgents in 2009. In that toxic, terrifying time, more than 100,000 people died. Relations between the two communities started to fray in the decade following Sri Lankan independence in 1948, when the government passed legislation favoring the Sinhala-speaking majority over the Tamil-speaking minority. Riots punctuated the country’s early decades— macabre affairs in which Sinhalese mobs attacked Tamils, burning their houses and shops. The Tigers, who formed in the 1970s, believed that real freedom for Tamils could be won only through violence. As the conflict escalated, they slid into barbarism, killing not only Sinhalese civilians but also other Tamils who opposed their radical, violent program. The relentless bombardment that finally ended the war focused on a corner of the country—not very far from Thiriyaya, in fact—where both Tigers and Tamil civilians were huddled. The artillery gunners were indifferent to the identities of their targets; the United Nations estimates that as many as 40,000 Tamil noncombatants

may have died in those final months alone. Mahinda Rajapaksa, the president who ordered the assault, governed until January of this year. Inevitably, the war—and its denouement, particularly—engendered a culture of pain and fear, of divided loyalties and profound mistrust. The peace, since 2009, has been fraught and complicated. But the election in January of a moderate new president, Maithripala Sirisena, has relaxed Sri Lanka. Slender but genuine possibilities have bloomed: of reconciling ethnic tensions, of bringing war criminals to justice, of exorcising the brutal, corrupt spirit of the previous government, and of moving toward full political and civic freedom for minorities. The island is more open and inviting than it has been in decades, especially in the much-visited south, where tourism is well established. Nowhere is this openness more significant, or more welcome, than in the north and east, former battle zones that yield little-known treasures: monuments and beaches and forests, vibrant food and a beguiling, languorous way of life. The temple at Thiriyaya, as it quietly returns to life, is a fine example. The Sri Lankan navy now maintains the site, but an air of seclusion continues to hang low over its still ponds and shady, wooded grounds. The stillness of the north and east offers a sharp contrast to the mood in the capital, Colombo, which is where I began my journey—as most visitors to the island will. Not surprisingly, that city has seen the most change since the war’s end. The difference is particularly evident in Fort, a 400-year-old hub of government and business that was closed off for decades, for fear of Tiger attacks. The face-lift is the work of the army, which makes for a discomfiting reflection. Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, the previous defense secretary who spearheaded the renovations, is still under a cloud of allegations involving corruption and human-rights abuses, and in parts of the country, soldiers are still regarded with wary mistrust. But the army’s adventures in urban planning have provided the sort of public spaces the city lacked in wartime: Fort, the Racecourse, Arcade Independence Square. It’s hard not to feel enthusiastic about the fact they’re being conserved. An apartment tower designed by the Israeli architect Moshe Safdie will soon join the skyline, as will sheaves of new hotels. The city even has an art biennial and an annual theater festival. As I walked around the city, it felt as if Colombo was learning afresh how to live without worrying, every second of every day, about a war raging in the north that could split the country asunder.

I LI V ED IN SRI L A N K A for 10 months in 2011 and 2012, researching a book about the war. In that time, no place seeped into my soul in quite the way Jaffna did. Hindu bastion. Northern Province capital. Even today, its scorching, white light appears in my dreams; TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM / DECEMBER 2015

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Villagers wash in the Mahaweli River near Gal Oya National Park. OPPOSITE: One of the Vedda tribesmen who give tours of the forest at Gal Oya Lodge.

e h t old f o h t h e c w a u m uld wh go? w ho nd et o H ts ,a el s to w a p on uld o h s

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my subconscious, sleeping self feels a phantom heat, and knows it is back there. A peninsula of land bending westward out of the island’s tapered north, Jaffna was the spiritual fount of the Tigers. The movement began here, in the 1970s. The town had seen no real fighting since 1995, but when I first visited in 2011, it still looked freshly wrecked. Roads were shredded, there were bombed-out houses everywhere, and Tamils lived unobtrusively, sotto voce, so as not to attract the attention of the army. Every time I took an overnight bus to Jaffna, I had to dismount at a checkpoint, around 1 a.m., and explain to the officer on duty why I was headed there. For a while, last year, the government renewed a ban on foreigners traveling to Jaffna altogether. These curbs have vanished. In addition to an impeccable highway and restored service on a train called Queen of Jaffna, there are now flights out of Colombo three mornings a week. Trundling toward town from the airport, I inspected the passing sights for signs of change, and found them. The streets were better-paved. Houses had been fixed up. The small Hindu shrines that sat on every street corner gleamed with new coats of paint, and the half-dozen streets downtown thrummed with activity. During the war, no town was beset with as much grief as Jaffna; it is difficult to find a family that has not at some time been displaced, or lost its home, or lost a member to the fighting. The Tamils here still resent the government, still feel anger about their losses during the war. “But I think the people who’re still yelling about wanting an independent state are sort of on the fringes now,” said K Pathytharan, 40, once a journalist but now—in the spirit of Jaffna’s own reinvention—a part-time guide and architecture student. “The economy is recovering. And the Jaffna people are survivors.” Pathytharan—Pathy, as he insists—has large, doleful eyes and a habitually wry demeanor. For two days, he and I rode around the peninsula together, absorbing its understated pleasures. On the second day, he showed up in an Austin Cambridge, one of the prewar cars that still ply the streets as taxis, driven by a man who appeared just as antique as his conveyance. We stopped by the old Hindu temples of Maviddapuram and Keerimalai, both in need of renovation, but functioning nonetheless. Within their dimly lit chambers, shirtless men prostrated themselves in prayer to Murugan, the god of war. Later, at Casuarina Beach, we drank coconut water and watched bathers in the sea, the bed so sandy that the water appeared nearly beige. Behind us, a snack shop played old Tamil songs about love in the moonlight. The days were bright and intensely hot; the sun throwing the sharp, deep shadows of a de Chirico painting. Jaffna’s food seemed to have absorbed the temper of its climate: fiery curries of fresh crab; an addictive relish of grated coconut, chiles, and cured tuna; vegetables diced and spiced. The heat inflamed our senses, shook us awake.

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An hour out of Jaffna, a spanking-new road curves east and south, through patches of tidy farmland. In 2009, a pitted, rutted version led straight into the heart of the final battle between the Tigers and the army, and I knew very well the places that now flashed past: Puthukkudiyiruppu, the location of a creepy, triumphalist museum of armaments captured from the Tigers; Mullivaikal, where thousands of Tamils had huddled as shells hailed down on them from the sky; the Nandikadal lagoon, the site of the army’s victory. Sections of this region are still marked off as highsecurity zones, and when I saw the fences I flinched, remembering the devastating stories of the people who had died here. In moments like these, it seemed unconscionable to have returned as a tourist to a country that had not yet made amends for its wartime atrocities. Then, a few kilometers later, I would watch kingfishers and Brahminy kites swooping and rising over shimmering marshes and forget, for a while, about the war. My own moral dilemma, I thought, must be of a piece with Sri Lanka’s: How much of the past should we hold on to, and what should we let go?

NE A R TRINCOM A LEE on Sri Lanka’s eastern coast, we snorkeled and went scuba diving off Pigeon Island, a nub of sand and rock just off the shore. Whales and dolphins course regularly through these waters, but we glimpsed neither. I had to be content with clown fish and parrot fish hot-stepping through the coral; others in our party waddled back onto the beach reporting sightings of reef sharks and turtles. Sri Lanka’s southwestern coast is renowned, and heavily visited, for its splendid beaches and grand, luxurious hotels; here in the east, the beaches lining the Bay of Bengal felt new and undiscovered. Our hotel, Uga Jungle Beach, was sandwiched between the forest fringe and the aquamarine waters of the ocean, and the wild world intersected regularly with our own. One evening, we followed a monstrous kalaguyo (a variety of large lizard) oozing across our hotel’s path to the beach; at breakfast the next morning, a sambar deer stalked up to a neighboring table, nuzzled a pot of jam, accepted a roll, and swallowed it thoughtfully before heading back into the brush. After visiting Thiriyaya, we drove south, through the great harbor towns of Trincomalee and Batticaloa, where the Tigers and the army had once fought so persistently for control of the ports. As recently as 2008, when the war had weakened the insurgents, their guerrilla aircraft bombed the port at Trincomalee—an act that had so little strategic effect, it must have been born out of sheer frustration. Turning inland, we skirted Sri Lanka’s largest lake before entering Gal Oya National Park. On our cell phones, the signal flickered and expired. A steamy mixture of mountain forest and savanna-like grassland, Gal Oya is home, most excitingly, to elephants

The Buddhist temple at Thiriyaya. CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: A guest room at Gal Oya Lodge, in Gal Oya National Park; schoolgirls on Nilaveli Beach, in Trincomalee; a Sri Lankan thali at Gal Oya Lodge.

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f o t od a e fo ur h e a’s o k h T ff n ed hoo Ja flams, s ake in nse aw se u s and leopards. We were staying at the Gal Oya Lodge, a new eco-resort on the park’s perimeter. On our jeep sorties into the forest, Damien Mario, the lodge’s resident naturalist, raked the brush constantly with his binoculars, trying to spot concealed beasts, but we had no luck. Nevertheless, Mario was chipper. It felt like a blessing even to be here. “This park was closed off for many years during the war, and the Tigers hid out in these forests,” he said. The army reclaimed the area a decade ago, but visitors were reluctant to venture here as long as the war raged. Left to his own devices, Mario would have spent all day in the forest. He was young—in his early 20s—and, intriguingly, half Tamil and half Sinhalese, but talk of the war held his attention only momentarily. His gaze strayed all the time—upward, to identify a smudge in the treetops as a species of parrot, or toward the ground, to pick out elephant tracks. Perhaps he was too young for the past to have deeply affected him, I thought at first; only later did I understand that his present, the here-and-now of Gal Oya and its wildlife, was simply more entrancing and more important. Perhaps it was really a little thing, this ability to be unencumbered by memories of the war, but to me it felt like something momentous and new. At Gal Oya Lodge, we stayed in rustic little cabins embedded in the forest, walking up to the main, split-level building for our meals. The lobby had no doors at all, so we could sink into armchairs with cups of tea and watch chains of clouds wrap around the looming mountains. In the courtyard was the most perfect pool I’ve ever seen: subtly curved and limpid blue, positioned so that the land seemed to rise up and away just where the water ended, as if the earth cupped you in its palm as you swam. On our final evening, Mario organized a forest expedition led by Danigala Maha Bandaralage Thutha. Thutha is one of the senior leaders of the local Vedda tribe, a group of aborigines that populated Sri Lanka long before Sinhala or Tamil were spoken here. The Veddas have shrunk in number now, but they are a reminder of an

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older island life, one that predates ethnic or religious divisions. Thutha had a wiry white beard, and he wore nothing but a sarong. An ax swung freely on his back, its blade resting just above his spine; his feet, I noticed as we tramped through the forest behind him, were bare. Thutha wanted to show us how the Veddas had once inhabited the forest. Moving swiftly through the undergrowth, he halted to give us lessons: three types of leaves that can treat snakebite; pangolin burrows in the earth; herbs to cure a stomachache; a plant that, if burned, can drive bees out of their hives. Following a stream up its rocky course, we arrived at a square hole carved out of a large rock, with a lid to match. An old, unused Vedda refrigerator, Thutha said. Put dried meat at the bottom, cover it with honey, and it will keep for years. An hour or so into our walk, it began to rain: big, fat, tropical drops, crashing through the canopy. My glasses fogged up and our umbrellas snagged on tree branches. We struggled to see where we were going, so we kept our eyes fixed on Thutha up ahead. One minute he was invisible, absorbed by the foliage. The next minute he was back in view, this most original of Sri Lankans, leaping fearlessly over fallen trees, wading through a stream, peering at the sodden sky, plainly reveling in the vehement beauty of his land.

THE DETAILS GETTING AROUND Helitours (helitours.lk) flies domestic routes to Jaffna three times a week; rail service to the city was also recently restored, with daily departures from Colombo. The Sri Lanka–based experts of Experience Travel Group can arrange your trip to the country’s north and east with a range of custom-designed itineraries. experiencetravel group.com; two-week trips from US$3,100 per person. HOTEL S Colombo Courtyard A boutique hotel in downtown Colombo that prides itself on being carbonneutral. colombocourtyard.com; doubles from US$113. Gal Oya Lodge A safari-lodgestyle property near the national park, with rustic cottages and in-house naturalists. galoyalodge. com; doubles from US$155. Uga Jungle Beach An extensive resort with 48 cabins fronting a secluded beach, a half-hour outside Trincomalee. ugaescapes. com; doubles from US$250.

RESTAUR ANTS Fernando’s Bar A beachfront seafood eatery at the Aqua Inns Hotel in Trincomalee. 12 Alles Garden; 94-77/854-6139; mains US$6–$36. Green Grass Hotel & Restaurant Ideal for local specialties like crab curry. Jaffna; jaffnagreengrass.com; curries US$3–$5. Rare Combines traditional Sri Lankan ingredients and Western techniques; try the T-bone steak with tempered yams. Colombo; gaescapes.com; mains US$8–$33. TOUR GUIDES Colombo City Walks Native Sri Lankan Mark Forbes hosts history-filled tours through old Colombo. colombocitywalks. blogspot.com; tours from US$40 per person. Poseidon Diving Station A snorkeling and scuba-diving outfitter a short drive from Trincomalee. divingsrilanka.com; dives from US$80 per person.

Bathers at the North Shore’s Waimea Bay Beach

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PACIFIC Heights The Hawaiian island of Oahu has long been a kind of mythic paradise, a lush and exotic mixture of America and Polynesia. But now, from the streets of Honolulu to the surf breaks of the North Shore, the currents are moving in a new direction, bringing in a fresh multicultural vibrancy and a bracing sense of style. BY MAGGIE SHIPSTEAD PHOTOGRAPHED BY NOE DEWITT

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AROUND 8:30, A WARM RAIN BEGAN TO FALL ON HONOLULU’S

monthly night market, but no one seemed to mind. Not the crowds swarming the food vendors up and down Cooke Street, not the bikinied models strutting the runway for the local boutique Bamboo Sky, not the multitude of leashed, smiling dogs—and not me. I was fresh off the plane, sitting on a curb devouring a bowl of noodles and lemongrass tofu. The scene was pleasantly cacophonous, with grumbling generators, shouted food orders, and the competing beats of several DJs. Teenagers leaned against streetlamps and ate gourmet mac and cheese with chopsticks. Couples strolled while sipping lemonade from huge Mason jars adorned with stickers that said aloha. A piece of conventional travel advice passed among mainlanders goes like this: Hawaii is wonderful, but avoid Honolulu. It’s just a city. No, no, no. True, Honolulu is a real city, one with rushhour traffic and a thorny homelessness problem and some unfortunate 1960s architecture, but there’s no place like it. The emerald Koolau Range rises up at its back, mounded with fluffy clouds; the turquoise sea sprawls at its feet. Rainbows appear without fanfare, linger, dissolve. Coconut palms abound, as do magnificently domed monkeypod trees, white-blossomed frangipanis, royal poincianas with flame-red flower crowns—all of it rustling in the trade winds. Even

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Honolulu’s white concrete towers, gridded with balconies, have a certain tropical charm. Here, almost halfway to Asia, is an American urban center, distinctly exotic but distinctly familiar, too, down to the revitalization happening in some of its once-gritty precincts. Consider Kakaako, the area that hosts the night market. Just southeast of downtown, it has a light-industrial history and a cinder-block aesthetic now softened by colorful murals and a new abundance of inviting shops and restaurants. Sleek condos are going up, along with lively mixed-use complexes. In one block, one can visit Paiko, a florist meets coffee shop; the cozy cocktail nook Bevy; the taqueria Cocina; and Hank’s Haute Dogs,

purveyor of elevated wieners. And that’s before you settle in at the open-air, wood-and-steel taproom of Honolulu Beerworks. “Kakaako has a great feel,” said Geoff Seideman, founder of Beerworks. “We wanted to build a community gathering place.” I heard several Oahu residents describe Kakaako as Honolulu’s answer to New York’s Williamsburg, usually with a hipster-disavowing roll of the eyes but also with unmistakable pride. Honolulu isn’t kitschy, they were telling me. It’s neither a provincial backwater nor a theme park for tourists. Honolulu is its own place. Honolulu is cool. Chinatown lately has become the embodiment of this. “It still has an edge,” Mark Pei, cofounder of the creepy-fun curiosity shop and gallery Hound & Quail, told me. “There’s a lot of history here.” The streets were almost deserted on the Monday night I visited. Pei was right about the history. The flat, frontiersy façades of some of the buildings hint at the brothels and opium dens of the past, and the now-extinguished neon sign

for 1950s girlie joint Club Hubba Hubba conjured spirits of carousing sailors. Some places are exuberant architectural mishmashes: Art Deco, Italianate, pagoda. I passed shuttered produce wholesalers, tattoo shops, windows advertising Chinese herbs, and displaying feng shui items. Brick, an unusual material for Honolulu, is everywhere in Chinatown, preferred by developers after the neighborhood was largely destroyed by fires in 1886 and 1900. The bricks themselves arrived on ships from the mainland and were swapped out to make room for cargoes of sugarcane. At the intersection of Smith and Hotel Streets stand two of the city’s most talked-about restaurants, Lucky Belly and Livestock Tavern. Both are co-owned by Dusty Grable and Jesse Cruz, and both feature unfussy but elegant cuisine. (Sitting at the polished Livestock bar in the last of the evening light, I ate delicious pasta with sea urchin in a golden, creamy sauce.) No stranger to reinvention, Chinatown has in the past century gone from thriving immigrant

enclave to seedy red-light district to punkish no-man’s-land to, it seems, gastronomic frontier. “The charm, the grit, the character, the culture,” Grable said about why he chose Chinatown. His vision for the area, like Seideman’s for Kakaako, is inclusive. “What we love most,” he said, “is the sense of community in working to making it a destination, not just individual venues.” Indeed, the immediate vicinity of the Grable-Cruz mini-empire demands a post-dinner bar crawl (with a de facto theme of exposedbrick interiors). Manifest, on Hotel Street, has a large chalkboard devoted solely to whiskey options. Bar 35 across the way dazzles with its panoply of craft beers. Hank’s Café around the corner has a divey vibe and a cozy second-floor jazz venue called the Dragon Upstairs. Emerging into the warm night after my last stop, I paused, getting my bearings, a little spooked by the contrast between the lively indoors and the empty street. Old-fashioned streetlamps cast down pools of yellow

CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT:

The crowd at Honolulu’s monthly Kakaako Night Market; a couple at the market enjoys Primo Popcorn ice cream; the foyer of Shangri La, the Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art in the heiress's former mansion near Diamond Head; a spectacular view of the island from the Lanikai Pillboxes Trail; a sweep of the Waikiki skyline; outside Shangri La; a hula dancer performs for guests at the Halekulani.

light. A couple of raggedy street kids jumped on and off a bench, laughing raucously. One of them loomed in my face, with pupils dilated. “Do you know where you’re going?” he asked. “Yes,” I said, though I did not, quite. Purposefully, among the ghosts of sugarcane cutters and sailors, I walked, glad to have been here before this place turns into something else.

“Avoid Waikiki” is another

piece of advice you’ll hear, but I have a soft spot for it. Sure, Honolulu’s most famous beach is chockablock with hotels and bristling with selfie sticks, but everybody seems to be having such a good time. And what a beach it is: a long crescent of white sand lorded over by the reclining bulk of Diamond Head, ruffled by rolling waves long and low enough to beckon even the most novice surfer. Catamarans and outrigger canoes steer out through the swell. Sightseeing helicopters buzz above, sweeping by the iconic panorama. After lying by the pool at the Halekulani hotel on Waikiki Beach, drinking a mai tai garnished with a

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purple orchid—the very fantasy of Oahu—I meandered down Kalakaua Avenue, Waikiki’s main shopping drag, at dusk. Masses of people in bright alohawear drifted in and out of boutiques and malls like fish in a glossy reef, buying up goods that have chugged here on container ships and will soar away in overhead bins. Louis Vuitton. Apple. Billabong. The ubiquitous ABC convenience stores peddled sunscreen and souvenirs. I passed the statue of surfing pioneer Duke Kahanamoku, his bronze arms draped with fresh leis. Beyond, the sky had gone tangerine over silver water, and the disappearance of the sun behind the long, flat horizon reminded me just how much ocean was surrounding us, here on this volcanic blip in the world’s most geographically far-flung island chain, on our little raft of commerce. I ended up at Yoshitsune, a hotel-lobby hole-in-the-wall across from the beach. Grandmotherly servers with limited English but immaculate kimonos clacked around in wooden sandals, serving sashimi, house-made tofu, gobs of fermented

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soybeans, steamed egg custards. Everyone else was Japanese, and I felt briefly disoriented, as though I had stumbled through a portal to a neighborhood joint in Tokyo. The next morning, a mere three kilometers away, I felt as though I were in Damascus—specifically in the 18th century. I was on the Honolulu Museum of Art’s tour of Shangri La, a house built by famous American heiress Doris Duke in the late 1930s just east of Diamond Head and filled, over the course of 50 years, with a world-class collection of Islamic art. There are Persian tiles from the 1200s; a Mughal-style bedroom inspired by the Taj Mahal; a dining room designed to resemble an imperial tent; a luminous ceramic mihrab, or prayer niche, for which Duke outbid the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The Damascus Room was one of the last stops: a dim, close chamber of antique painted panels. Through the dark lattice screens that cage the windows, only the glimpses of electric-blue waves and wispy clouds gave away that I was in Hawaii.

CLOCKWISE FROM FAR LEFT: The name of the Halekulani hotel, on Waikiki Beach, means “house befitting heaven” in Hawaiian; the “jump rock” at Waimea Bay; a heliconia plant; Surf N Sea, on the North Shore’s Kamehameha Highway; a drummer at a capoeira performance at the night market; a mural in Honolulu by street artists Kamea Hadar and Rone; an employee at Hibachi, which hawks Hawaiian specialties like poke and beef skewers; a boy surfs in Turtle Bay.

Oahu has this effect, of seeming like many places and eras at once. Sometimes you are in Middle America and sometimes you are in Asia. Sometimes you are in a gleaming, pan-ethnic Pacific Rim future and sometimes in a retro resort paradise invented by 1960s travel agents. The island’s fiery prehistory looms in the form of the Koolau and Waianae mountain ranges, eroded remnants of shield volcanoes inactive for millions of years. At Pearl Harbor, the USS Arizona, sunk in 1941, still bleeds oil. A complex native culture and heritage underlies all of it, ancient but alive. The island has absorbed and hybridized the influences of visitors since the first Polynesian seafarers arrived more than 700 years ago, so why should it stop now?

I drove east over the Koolaus and followed the Kamehameha Highway north along the coast. I passed clapboard churches, schools with jalousie windows open to catch the breeze, homemade signs advertising fresh lychees and pickled

mango, the sheltered waters of Kaneohe Bay. keep the country country! exhorted a banner strung along a fence. Old-timers sat on their lanais, watching the breakers roll in. Once I rounded Kahuku Point, I was officially on the North Shore, surf spot of legend, where winter waves kicked up by Aleutian storms make the long trip south to pound Sunset Beach, Waimea Bay, Banzai Pipeline, the whole coast. An annual migration of elite riders follows. High-level surfing is paradoxical, its practitioners marked by a chilled-out countercultural vibe and consuming obsession. The North Shore's mood is correspondingly mixed, both mellow and relentlessly single-minded. “Big-wave surfing is what put the North Shore on the map, and there isn’t a more famous collection of surf breaks anywhere,” said Jodi Wilmott, a 16-year North Shore resident and general manager for the World Surf League. “The ocean is central to the Hawaiian lifestyle, and surfing is a major expression of that.” Surfing draws thousands of people (and their money) to Oahu every year, from

big-name pros to clueless spectators like myself, and it also brings Hawaii to the world. Even the most distant landlubbers can find themselves unexpectedly beguiled by surf films, surf fashions, surf slang. The North Shore is, as locals say, country, but it’s also an international port of call; it’s a peaceful place, and it’s a nearmythical place of pilgrimage. Shrimp trucks and fruit stands dot the roadsides. Surfers—dudes and chicks, kids and graybeards— walk the shoulder with boards under their arms, occasionally sticking out a thumb for a ride. In Haleiwa, tourists buy frozen açai bowls from thatched-roof stands. Locals hang out and talk about waves, about real estate, about trips off-island. “That you can be as visible or as invisible as you choose” was how Wilmott described what she loves about life on the North Shore. “That you can be truly adventurous—hike, climb, dive, surf uncrowded spots—

Sky and sea meet on the horizon in this view of Waikiki Bay, as surfers and paddleboarders ride the waves. OPPOSITE: Hailewaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Strong Current Surf Shop.

so close to home; that it attracts very creative, artistic, eclectic types; that you are half an hour from the city and an international airport while being a thousand miles from care.” The recently renovated Turtle Bay Resort certainly felt like that. It is the only big hotel on the North Shore and is a resort-y resort, with lots to do: horses and helicopters, golf and tennis, snorkeling and surfing—a place where you could imagine a Dirty Dancing-style romance. After a dinner of fish with coconut sauce at Lei Lei’s, a low-key restaurant beside a golf course, I slept with only a screen door between me and Turtle Bay itself, lulled by the crashing surf. On my way to Sunset Beach in the morning, I grabbed oatmeal and a coffee from the Sharks Cove Grill food truck and sat in the sand to watch the surfers. Even with the relatively gentle summer swell, Sunset is serious, but the wet-suited figures shooting through aquamarine barrels looked relaxed, at home. I envied their skills, their boldness. I scheduled a two-hour lesson with North Shore Surf Girls, founded nine years ago by women’s surfing pioneer Carol Philips. The next morning I bobbed in the beginner-friendly waves at Chun’s Reef while Kat McGill, my 23-yearold instructor, hung on to the back of my board and radiated good cheer.

“Okay, we’re going to get you a wave,” she called. “Ready?” “Sure,” I said, less than sure. “Paddle, paddle, paddle!” She kicked with her fins and gave me a helpful shove onto a breaking wave. Dutifully, I paddled, then pushed up from the board with my arms so I was speeding along while doing a sort of cobra pose on a steep slope of white water. “You got this!” Kat yelled from behind, ever the optimist. “Stand up!” As I had practiced on the beach, I attempted a sort of ninja hop onto my feet, landing with knees bent, one arm forward, the other crooked at my waist. For a moment, I didn’t fall. Under my board, a shallow, rocky reef sped by. Underneath that— slowly, slowly—the Pacific Plate

pulled the island away from the lava-spewing hot spot that formed it. Behind me, open water stretched more than 3,200 kilometers to Alaska. Ahead was the beach, the parking lot full of jeeps and rental cars, the road. Beyond the road unfurled Oahu with its palm trees and waterfalls and pleated volcanic mountains, its jungled canyons and the red-clay soil of the Dole pineapple plantations, its bungalows and beach mansions and hotels and military bases, the white towers of Waikiki, then more ocean, only ocean. In another second, I fell, of course, flat on my back into the water, but for all the different ways to see Oahu, I was pleased to have glimpsed it, however briefly, from a surfboard.

THE DETAILS HOTEL S Halekulani A sleek Waikiki oasis that fronts a small nook of beach. halekulani.com; doubles from US$525. Turtle Bay Resort Recently renovated to the tune of US$45 million, this busy resort has everything from horses to helicopters. turtlebayresort.com; doubles from US$280. RESTAUR ANTS & BARS Bar 35 A beer hot spot in Chinatown with more than 200 ales, porters and lagers from 20 different countries. bar35hawaii. com; pizzas US$13–$17.50. Cocina Taqueria led by chef James Walls with and emphasis on local produce and meat.

Kakaako; cocinahawaii.com; mains US$8–$13. Hank’s Haute Dogs Popular haunt offering creative takes on an American favorite. Kakaako; hankshautedogs.com; hot dogs US$4–$6. Honolulu Beerworks Choose from the list of local brews at this breezy open-air taproom in Kakaako. honolulubeerworks.com. Lei Lei’s Casual place along a golf course at the Turtle Bay Resort that draws a mixed crowd of travelers. turtlebayresort.com; mains US$24–$37. Livestock Tavern At the vanguard of Chinatown’s rebirth, this restaurant serves a seasonal menu of stick-to-your-ribs cuisine in a rustic, inviting space.

livestocktavern.com; mains US$16–$32. Lucky Belly A trendy ramen shop, complete with a late-night takeout window. Chinatown; lucky belly.com; ramen US$9–$14. Manifest Mixing cocktails that keep aficionados returning, this bar has a chalkboard dedicated specifically to whiskey. Chinatown; manifesthawaii.com. Paiko A florist and coffee shop offering hands-on floral workshops and a great selection of locally sourced plants. Kakaako; paikohawaii.com. Sharks Cove Grill A permanently parked food truck peddling hearty surfers’ smoothies, sandwiches and grilled skewers. Haleiwa;

sharkscovegrill.com; mains US$4.50–$13. Yoshitsune A little piece of Japan tucked into the Park Shore hotel that has delicious omakase dinners as well as an array of à la carte options. Waikiki; parkshore waikiki.com; mains US$9–$48. ACTIVITIES Honolulu Night Market The third Saturday of every month, food vendors and local merchants set up on Cooke Street. honolulunightmarket.com. North Shore Surf Girls A predominantly female team of instructors provides group and private surf and paddleboard lessons on the North Shore. northshoresurfgirls.com.

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wish you were here

Scott A. Woodward / Thimphu

BHUTAN There is no other place on earth quite like enigmatic Bhutan. Cradled deep in the creases of the soaring Himalayas, the country is a spectacular mixture of stunning, rugged countryside, centuries-old architecture, vibrant and colorful culture, and friendly, welcoming people. Bhutan’s natural light is soft and golden, and the prayer-flag-strewn, snowcapped-mountain vistas are beyond breathtaking. Friendly locals in traditional Bhutanese garb fill bustling city markets, while smiling monks and nuns in flowing maroon robes occupy the ancient monasteries and nunneries that dot the rugged landscape. This photograph was taken at Thangthong Dewachen Nunnery in Zilukha, just outside of Thimphu. Popularly known as Anim Dratshang and built in 1976, the lone Buddhist nunnery in Bhutan’s capital city is home to approximately 60 nuns. Here, in the candle house, two young novices light the yak-butter lamps they prepared earlier that morning.

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editor’s note

F R O M L E F T: N A PAT R AV E E WAT; C H R I S T O P H E R K U C WAY

WITH ITS SWEEP OF MORE THAN 7,000 ISLANDS, IT’S ONLY NATURAL THAT the Philippines would have much to offer visitors. The odd thing then is that the tropical archipelago is so often overlooked when it simply shouldn’t be. So where better to start than a week-long break at a one-of-a-kind getaway? In “Your Own Private Island,” we scour the length of the nation for these isles set aside for insiders and do not come away disappointed. These five personal slices of paradise, each with its own allure, are the perfect break from the norm and will have you fall for the Philippines in a big way. You’ll come away feeling that you’ve stayed with your new extended family, one you will want to revisit. Of course, there are as many diversions in the Philippines as there are islands. If you haven’t discovered the local affinity for style, then you’ve been missing out. Within this e-guide, we stop in to see designer Anne Marie Saguil (“Filipino Flair”) to uncover what inspires her label—the answers turn out to be both local in detail and global in scope. For a peek at a pristine corner of Asia, look no further than “The Next Pride of Palawan.” This is a tale of sustainable tourism and will have you appreciate what is truly special about this archipelago. Best of all, it will make you want to return, which is why this e-guide is guaranteed to come in handy in planning your next break.

@CKucway chrisk@mediatransasia.com

From My Travels

It was far too long between vacations and I needed a break. That’s where the suggestion of a private island in the Philippines fit into my plans perfectly. I was the only foreigner on the domestic flight to nowhere, even sat beside the mayor. Arriving at the island for five days of nothing but fresh seafood, cold beer and airport novels, I had made the perfect choice for a break. I won’t reveal where the island is, but the Philippines has thousands of others to choose from.

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DEALS | T+L READER SPECIALS

From a foam party in Cebu to an educational experience for children in Manila, the Phililppines is packed isle-to-isle with fun.

MANILA & BORACAY

Discovery Group Discovery Primea, in Makati Central Business District; Discovery Suites, in Manila’s Ortigas Business District; and Discovery Shores Boracay team up to give you a complimentary third night at the initial hotel of stay or at the other two properties, including breakfast. The Deal Discovery Philippines: three nights in a standard room, from US$334 for two; book by March 27, 2016. Save 33%. preferredhotels.com. MANILA

Marco Polo Ortigas Feel extra special with exclusive Continental Club Lounge benefits: from a butler to laundry and pressing services that’ll leave you looking sharp and ready to hit the town. Meals are at 20-percent discount, and all soothing spa treatments are 15 percent off. The Deal Sky’s the Limit: two nights in a Premier room, from P9,750 for two, through December 30. Save 25%. marcopolohotels.com.

Amorita, on Panglao Island, Bohol.

MANILA

SUPER SAVER Crimson Resort & Spa Mactan, Cebu Shoot yourself off to cloud nine with a visit to Crimson’s Azure Beach Club, whose new Saturday activity, launched in October, lets you burn off all-you-can-eat brunch by diving into a pool of sudsy foam. The Deal Best Rate promotion: a night in a Deluxe room, from P6,000 for two, through December 31. Save 60%. crimsonhotel.com.

DECEMBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM

Holiday Inn The kids get tickets to Kidzania Manila, where they can take on the roles of hotel professionals at the miniature Holiday Inn & Suites, from checking guests in to setting up dining tables. Don’t worry, they’ll be paid, too. The Deal Family Getaway: a night in a Deluxe room, from P5,998 for two adults and two children, through December 31. Save 20%. holidayinn.com.

F R O M T O P : C O U R T E S Y O F A M O R I TA ; C O U R T E S Y O F C R I M S O N R E S O R T & S PA M A C TA N C E B U

BOHOL

Amorita As a sweet gesture from this Little Darling, the resort’s English name, the two of you are treated to an hour of Raja signature massage, an afternoon tea set, and free yoga sessions if your stay falls on Tuesdays and Saturdays. The Deal Serendipity: two nights in a one-bedroom seaview suite, from P27,500 for two, through May 31, 2016. Save 27%. amoritaresort.com.

Urban whimsy adorns MNL Boutique Hostel.

ON THE MAP

Williamsburgos

Manila’s Burgos district sheds its gritty reputation and sprouts funky restaurants and bars, drumming up an artsy vibe that recalls, STEPHANIE ZUBIRI dares to say, Brooklyn. PHOTOGR APHED BY FR ANCISCO GUERRERO

DECEMBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM

MNL Boutique Hostel

This centrally located hostel offers clean rooms, happy colors, bright murals, free Wi-Fi, book exchanges and a “cool-cierge” service for the best insider tips and tourist information. 4688 B. Valdez St. corner Santiago Street; mnlboutiquehostel. com; doubles from P1,400.

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TOP: COURTESY OF T WO CHIC; CHAIR: COURTESY OF KISHI

Café Curieux

Run and overrun by Gallic expats, it’s your typical bar du coin: Pastis, Edith Piaf and the scruffy Frenchie barman serving you free shots of their house rhum arrangé while a cigarette dangles oh-so-precariously

9 K A L AYA A N AV E N U E

N ICA NOR GA RC I A STRE E T

10 5

Two Chiic Manila.

ARRIBA ARRIBA!

Kish’s Gregoria chair.

Pink Panda

This clothing line has the kind of breezy bohemian looks every woman wants. Think graphic tunics and evening rompers with hand-beaded detailing. 6239 Mañalac St., Poblacion, Makati; 63-2/899-2435; twochic.com.ph.

Beni’s Falafel

Two Chic Manila

M A K ATI AV E N U E

At this three-table hole-inthe-wall is the best falafel and baba ghanoush in town. That is if you can find it! Seasoned clients call in advance, get their food to go—and know to ask for extra fried eggplant in their sandwiches. 4364 B. Valdez St.; 63-906/349-1300; falafel for two P270. This Southeast Asian diner with quirky décor and great cocktails serves cheeky versions of regional faves such as “Thai Beef and Daughter-in-Law’s Eggs” or the deep-fried tilapia dish called “We Fried Nemo.” GF Y2 Residence Hotel, 4687 Santiago St.; 63-917/8393790; cocktails and sharing plates for two P1,300.

Pink Panda.

Beni’s Falafel.

from his mouth. Bel-Air Soho Bldg., Polaris Street corner Badajos Street, Bel-Air; lecafecurieux.com; Pastis for two P170. Kish

A haven for the beautiful and luxe, curated by globally acclaimed designer Ito Kish. There’s furniture including the awardwinning Gregoria chair of his own design, modern Kiwi sky planters, and brass table accessories from India. 233 Nicanor Garcia St., Bel-Air; kish.ph.

A Latino sub-culture— first started by the TexMex and margarita joint Chihuahua (chihuahuamexgrill.com; chihuaritas for two P390)—is spicing up the town with lively new additions. Head to El Chupacabra (5782 Felipe St., Bel-Air; 63-2/ 895-1919; fb.com/el chupacabra; meal for two P280) for some street tacos and cheap beer. Pop over to Señor Pollo (5767 Ebro St., Poblacion; 63-2/8316945; fb.com/senorpollo ph; meal for two P370) to wipe out a plate of roast chicken with chimichurri, spicy rice and Latin American slaw. End your night with tequila shots from A’Toda Madre’s (63998/999-1521; atodamadre.com.ph; shots for two P500) vast collection of añejos and reposados before zigzagging your way to Chihuahua, where it all began, for their famous chihuaritas and Salsa Project Saturday party.

A Toda Madre

Heima

This “Live happy, beyond ordinary” lifestyle and design store embraces all things cheery. LRI Design Plaza, 210 Nicanor Garcia, Bel-Air II; heimastore.com.

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Cebu by the Sea

Filipino furniture designer KENNETH COBONPUE has made a name for himself through his use of local materials and traditional techniques. STAY The Henry Hotel (thehenryhotel.com; doubles from P4,200) in Banilad is a hip, quirky boutique. I recommend it to friends because it’s walking distance from The Spa at Cebu (thespacebu.com) and some of the city’s best restaurants, including their own—Rica’s. Abacá Boutique Resort (abacaresort.com; doubles from P15,900) in Mactan nearby is still the best beach hotel. EAT + DRINK Just opened is the Abacá Baking Company (theabacagroup.com; coffee and

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Kenneth

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

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

DECEMBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM

C L O C K W I S E F R O M T O P L E F T: C O U R T E S Y O F K E N N E T H C O B O N P U E ; C O U R T E S Y O F T H E T I N D E R B O X ; C O U R T E S Y O F A B A C Á B A K I N G C O M PA N Y; C O U R T E S Y O F T H E H E N R Y H O T E L ; K R I S T O F F E R L A R S E N ; C O U R T E S Y O F Q U B E G A L L E R Y

MY TOWN

Ticao Boys

A low-key island in the Philippines, Ticao packs loads of adventure between South Luzon and Masbate. BY MARCO FERR ARESE . PHOTOS BY KIT YENG CHAN

Loading up the banca for a day of fishing.

DECEMBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM

Stilted houses are built to withstand the tides.

Balancing on the beach.

IMAGINE COWBOY HATS, LEATHER

lassos, bucking broncos. Now set that scene on a powder-white beach in the Philippines. It may seem a strange pairing, but that’s the outlook at Ticao island. This brushstroke of emerald thickets and white sand is ringed by intense open blue. It’s one of Masbate Province’s three off-the-beaten path islands floating between the more famous shores of southern Luzon and Cebu. You’ll find snorkeling and diving here, but the region is most famous for the Rodeo Masbateño held every April. Besides cowpokes and cattle, Ticao Pass’s constant currents and plankton-rich waters lure manta rays, and hammerhead, thresher and whale sharks. The island’s only claim to tourism fame is the Manta Bowl, an underwater atoll offering five different dive sites ranging up to 29 meters deep. Divers flock here on boat trips from Donsol, 90 minutes north across the pass in Sorsogon Province, Luzon, while between November and June, touristsladen bumboats rock by in search of whale sharks. Visitors, however, rarely stay on to explore. A pity because, apart from the dive sites, the rest of Ticao’s coast is still virtually untouched. Shores dotted by local fishing communities and a jungle-clad, waterfall-sprinkled interior are the perfect springboards for adventure seekers. Ticao Island Resort’s (ticao-island-resort.com; beachfront cabanas including all meals

from P5,200 for two) romantic beach cabanas are the ideal setting to overnight under a carpet of blazing stars, keeping toes constantly tucked in the sand, without sacrificing comfort. The resort also offers an Tour Rock onsite SSI-accredited Island’s waters dive center and free on a banca. kayaks to paddle out at sea and explore. Ocean aside, there’s much more to discover on Ticao if you’re willing to follow the rhythms of nature. We rise before the first rays paint the horizon purple to take a stroll on the beach and watch how the sea powers the ebb and flow of local life. It’s easy enough to convince a group of young, energetic fishermen to let us charter their banca, which balances over waves using four curvy outstretched poles. They welcome us on board, but business comes first: we agree to wait quietly as they complete their morning fishing outing to the southern tip of the island. The banca glides over the turquoise ocean like a spider crawling on glass until we moor at the tiny village of Gibraltar to unload the morning’s catch. The beach has turned into a lively earlymorning market where everybody, children included, smiles and sings as they go about their daily fishing chores. As soon as the

catch has been sold, one of our guides turns to us, ready to make good on his promise. “I’ll show you Rock Island,” he says as we gain speed over gentle waves. Originally called Minalayo, this tiny atoll across from Ticao’s southernmost tips emerges like a stony forehead topped with green, unkempt hair. Our boat glides into the fresh, shady embrace of the island’s caves. “Look out for snakes before jumping in,” our de facto guide warns us. It was here that famous Filipino TV host Dr. Nielsen Donato spotted yellow-lipped sea kraits, one of the most poisonous sea snakes in the world. We look around, scanning for scales, but it is all clear, so very clear. Standing in the rocking banca, the water is so crystalline the coral underneath looks sealed under a plasma screen. We bite on our snorkels and dive into high definition.

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Filipino Flair

Designer Anne Marie Saguil has turned her passion project, Amarie, into a leading Filipino brand with global recognition. From traditional local menswear to Jacqueline Onassis, here are her inspirations.

↑ JACKIE O CHIC The iconic American First Lady was the muse for Saguil’s Amarie Spring/Summer 2015 collection (annemariesaguil.com). “I’ve been infatuated with the classic sophistication of black-and-white of late. I imagine Jackie O donning this quiet but strong color combination while sauntering the seafronts of Greece.”

↑ BARONG TAGALOG Anne Marie’s parents used to own handicraft stores in the leading hotels of Manila, which seeded the idea to use the traditional Filipino men’s dress shirt, the barong Tagalog, as the base for her designs. “Growing up I was always drawn to the artistic skills and beauty that I saw in the embroidery of the barong Tagalog, and felt that we should be seeing more of this artistry in our everyday wear.”

REV UP THE RETRO → “The designs I used this season were heavy on bold flowers and graphic half circles, weaving in a lot of A-line silhouettes and embroidering these graphic shapes with bright contrasting colors to evoke a retro vibe.”

DECEMBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM

↑ SUNSETS BY THE SEA “Corals, melons and oranges make me think of sunshine and vibrant sunsets. And in any warm-weather situation, one always looks for something to cool the senses, which is why I also gravitate towards mint greens, lavenders and ocean blues.” — STEPHANIE ZUBIRI

C L O C K W I S E F R O M T O P L E F T: C O U R T E S Y O F A N N E M A R I E S A G U I L ( 2 ) ; © C O R B I S ; © E L E N A F R O L O VA / D R E A M S T I M E . C O M ; C O U R T E S Y O F A N N E M A R I E S A G U I L ; © J M A E N T Z / D R E A M S T I M E . C O M

SPOTLIGHT

← PINS AND NEEDLES “I admire the stay-at-home mothers who skillfully embroider all the clothes that we come out with each season. I hope the income they earn from us gives them the incentive and desire to pass on these traditional skills to their children, while they continue to earn a living in remote areas of the country without having to leave their families to create better futures for them.”

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DETOUR

Mystical Maligcong

Hidden beyond the Philippine Cordilleras’ main route, this small town, with its distinct stone-wall rice terraces, has an unimagined beauty few travelers get to see. BY MARCO FERR ARESE. PHOTOGR APHED BY KIT YENG CHAN MALIGCONG’S AMPHITHEATER of stone-wall rice terraces is one of the Cordilleras’ unsung insider secrets. The journey there, a hair-raising 30-minute uphill ride from Bontoc’s bustling market in a packed-to-thegills jeepney (five departures per day; P20), weeds out the faint hearted, but the pay-off is worth every bump in the road. Panoramas of rice steppes carved into rolling hills extend as far as the eye can see. It looks like a playhouse for giants, with ricecarpeted staircases zigzagging in every direction. This unesco World

Heritage site is the sole example of pre-colonial stone construction in the country, but few outsiders have trod these fields. You can do Maligcong as a halfday trip from Bontoc but, with surrounds this stunning, it is worth putting down your bags and staying a while. Suzette’s Maligcong Homestay (63- 91/5546-3557; fb.com/ maligconghomestay; doubles including dinner P1,000) is an intimate lodge with three rooms, each with rustic wooden fittings and a spacious veranda overlooking the

DECEMBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM

valley. You couldn’t hope for a more gracious host than Ate Suzette, and her home-cooked pork adobo will warm your belly and your soul through Maligcong’s chilly nights. Suzette can arrange guided walks to the terraces and hikes to the hot spring in the nearby village of Mainit, but you can also just strike off by yourself on perambulatory excursions. Following Suzette’s advice, we hike to Maligcong’s primary school, a cluster of wooden houses dominating the valley from the top of the highest hill. As we

ABOVE: The jeepney ride from Bontoc market to Maligcong is an intensely local experience. OPPOSITE: Maligcong is the only spot in the Philippines where you’ll find these picturesque stone-wall rice terraces.

Travel & Leisure.pdf 1 11/4/2015 7:38:38 PM

STAY RELAXED.

leave the village limits along the snaking stone path, we stumble upon a group of shy school kids on their way back home. We all walk in single file past local farmers working knee-deep in muddy water tending to the paddies. I bask in the slice-oflife moment, and tell myself that this is what travel is all about. As we trudge along the ridge to the top, the afternoon sun starts a shimmering light show in the hundreds-strong patchwork of pools below us. I’m dumbstruck by the beauty of this ever-changing, three-dimensional checkerboard. Suzette had told us, “Even though I’ve lived here most of my life, it’s hard to get tired of Maligcong. It looks like a different place in every season.” Taking in the vastness of the view, I know exactly what Suzette means. I try to imagine what the stairs of the Gods will look like during my next visit.

Being on holiday doesn’t have to mean being idle. Stay at the Holiday Inn & Suites Makati and enjoy the advantage of being in the heart of Makati City. Soak up the sun at the outdoor swimming pool, indulge in our different food & beverage offers, or escape to a day of shopping at Glorietta Shopping Mall which is directly connected to the hotel. Holiday Inn & Suites Makati Glorietta 1 Palm Drive Ayala Center, Makati City 1224 Philippines To book, call+63 2 9090888 or visit holidayinn.com/makati

STAY YOU.™ holidayinn.com

The Next Pride of Palawan One Philippine beach town is toeing the green line before tossing up tourist-filled resorts. JENINNE LEE-ST. JOHN lives to tell the tale of why you should visit sustainable San Vicente—just not too many of you, please. PHOTOGRAPHED BY RICHARD MARKS

DECEMBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM

Just one of San Vicente’s undeveloped shorelines. OPPOSITE: Parking, Exotic Island-style.

“Are you sure you want us to take the door off the plane, mam?” Marissa, the mayor’s assistant, asked me after our truck had skidded onto the airstrip and discharged us directly under the wing of a six-seater Cessna surrounded by no fewer than a dozen downright jovial people waiting partly to help but mostly to watch us take flight. Uh, definitely. In fact, there’s no way we’re getting in that plane unless the door is off. We want to stick our heads out over the ocean. We require a doorless Cessna.

Out came the power tools and off came the door. Being able to risk your life with such easy abandon is one of the thrills of charting the lesser-visited reaches of the WildWild-West Philippines, but it’s also a perk of being an official guest of a mayor eager for you to properly see all the unspoiled paradisiacal potential her town could unlock if only the right eco-minded developers snapped up the keys. Palawan Island is probably on your go-to list (if you haven’t been there already), but I doubt you’ve heard of San Vicente, San Vic to locals and the initiated— and that’s partly because the mayor hasn’t wanted you to. If that sounds counterintuitive, I should explain that this mayor, savvy and super green, is one Maria Carmela “Pie” Alvarez, who in 2010 became the youngest person ever elected to that post in the Philippines, at 21, while wrapping up her bachelor’s in international business administration with concentrations in environmental

FROM LEFT: Said the plane to the longtail boat, let's race!; spearfishing net profits, on Exotic Island; northwestern Palawan by plane; hamming it up on Long Beach.

technology and global marketing management at Babson College across the globe in Boston. After graduation, she took over a municipality that, despite sitting between Palawan’s capital, Puerto Princesa, and the resort-filled karsts of El Nido, was and remains almost entirely undeveloped—only 10,000 tourists visited in 2014. See, no one wants it to become another Boracay. Rather, Pie’s got a master plan for a self-sustaining, eco-friendly beach haven that will maximize San Vic’s hit list: the country’s longest continuous stretch of seashore (the 14.7 kilometer aptly named Long Beach); 22 lovely outlying islands and their marine sanctuaries teeming with dolphins, dugongs and turtles; butterfly, bird and bat refuges; plus waterfalls, mangroves and the Puerto Princesa Underground River, a unesco World Heritage Site and one of the New 7 Wonders of Nature. We launched our San Vicente immersion one sunny morn in a speedboat from Pagdanan Bay on the northern edge of a fishing village, zooming out towards Exotic Island. Any lethargic muddleheadedness I’d had due to the early hour was zapped on the approach by the sheer, shiny beauty of the place. The crisp waters overlapped in maybe 37 jewel-toned hues between one rocky, forested isle and our destination, Exotic, with a white-sand bib to

DECEMBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM

which the anchors of a handful of rainbow-colored paraws were tethered like charms on a necklace. We puttered up on a sandbar and I needed a moment before I could disembark. I realized that I had wanted to be in this exact spot my entire life and had never known it. A childlike expedition of the island saw us clambering over striped shale and zigzagged rocks. Some guys were spearfishing in the coral with one hand-hewn spike; our intrepid photographer, Richard, grabbed a mask and swam out to join them. I splashed around with two little girls among the outriggers and then bathed in the sun until our captain rustled us to depart for the next stop. I was sad, but for naught. Because the next stop was even better. German Island. A perfect promontory of sand, ringed by coral and topped by a little gazebo, a big grill and woven palm hammocks strung between the tree trunks, four in a row. In the sun it’s hot and bright, in the shade it’s cool and breezy, and how the place manages a natural 10-degree temperature swing is beyond me. As we pulled in, captain pointed out a sea turtle chilling in the water; while on land, we played with the cleanest beach puppies you’ll ever have the pleasure to cuddle. Our third isle of this hop was called Paradise—a bit of a stretch as it is just a wee patch of sand dripping off a hill of rocks, but I was glad we’d gone there last because it made it slightly easier to head back to the mainland. As did the allure of that doorless Cessna. Richard conferred with the pilot about the ideal seat so as to get the best shots but also not to die. That the plane needs a shockingly brief taxi is good news, since the runway, now 1.4 kilometers, is still only half built. Then we were up in the sky, circling south over the three islets we had

cruised to and fro all day. Wind whipping and wailing through the cabin, it was straight up the coastline of Long Beach, and my mind’s eye could picture the swirls of beach umbrellas that one day will stagger up its shore. Besides that, there was little need for imagination, because the water proved so clear from even that height that we could see the sea grass fluttering below its surface. (Richard could probably see it more clearly, what with his camera and entire torso hanging out of the plane.) Soon we were over El Nido’s famous emeraldflecked towers, watching figurine-sized resort guests take their last dips of the day. By this point the melting sun was casting everything in a shimmering silver. Pie, we uncovered your buried treasure.

LONE MOTORBIKE, ridden by a couple, drove by against a horizon intruded on from the right by a mountain, the melting sun reflecting on the receding shoreline. Under cover of the violet and magenta sky, a family emerged from the brush of Long Beach. Mom, dad, grandma, five boys and a little girl. They were going to fish and we were going to follow. The light was perfect, the mom was friendly and the boys were hams. The fishing net was tied to two stakes. Dad took one stake thigh-deep out into the ocean, placed the end in the sand, and dragged it forward, while

one of his sons holding the other stake at shore followed along, near-parallel. Every 30 meters or so, the dad would loop back in and they’d gather the net on the sand to see what they’d snagged. The first catch yielded six fish, the next three, fewer or none. I was glad when the mom told me the family does this for quality time, not for survival—though, yes, they were going to eat those fish. Still, in this municipality of 30,000, nearly half fish for a living. Regulating sustainable fishing has been a challenge, as has flood-proofing: new rules call for setting every structure at least 50 meters back from the high-water line (in a town this quiet, you can still hear the rolling of the ocean from three times as far away) and elevating all living quarters above the ground floor. The master plan, conceived with green-geared architecture and urban planning firm Palafox, also zones to ensure that indigenous heritage is protected, pedestrians and bikers have space to roam, and new homes and resorts are as sustainable and as solar- and wind-powered as possible. “I try to emulate the best of where I’ve been,” says idealist Pie, “and mix them together.” One of those places is right in her backyard—Boayan Island, a 20-minute speedboat ride off the coast of San Vic. Robinson Crusoe is an overplayed trope in travel writing, but Ditchay Roxas and her husband Philippe Girardeau really have lived that dream here. In 1989, they built stilted, wooden living quarters and a kitchen, connected by boardwalks, under cover of a clutch of trees, between two hills on a patch of land whose backside extends to a rocky black beach pounded by the rough waves of the open ocean and whose expansive front deck faces a long, parabolic cove, all powdery white sands and crystalline waters, obviously. T R AV E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A . C O M / D EC E M B E R 2 0 1 5

FROM LEFT: Prepping lunch on German Island; daylight’s long goodbye over Long Beach; German Island’s palm-draped perfection.

Beyond preserving 11 hectares of brushland and virgin forest for wildlife including eagles, orioles, giant monitor lizards, scrub fowl and monkeys, the couple, who raised their daughter here full time for more than a decade from 1996, have worked with the developer who now owns the rights to the island to regenerate the oncebountiful coral in the bay that was lost to dynamite fishing. One tactic: planting vetiver roots, which grow down three meters, clean the soil and filter the water. A snorkel into the aquatic garden, guided by one of the local free-divers who help tend it, reveals a maze of new hard and soft coral plantings to which fish of all breeds have been returning. Turning Boayan into a marine reserve has been a boon to the environment and the economy. Over a multicourse lunch prepared by Ditchay that includes stuffed fish tenderly steamed in coconut milk, Philippe explains that fish who flock to and breed in a safe haven create spillover outside of it, enabling locals to “fish the interest, not the capital investment.” Anyway, it hasn’t gone unnoticed to Pie and her San Vic boosters that a pristine, blooming, coral dive site is tourism gold.

N FACT, these environs are chockablock with appealing dive sites, to which Richard is lured serendipitously when we happen upon a dive master from the Puerto Princesa-based Aquaholics. Our crew takes me, in the meantime, for a snorkel on a vast reef near Port Barton, the most commercial sector of San Vic, and then we cruise over to a village on an island so the guys can buy fish (“it’s cheaper than on the mainland”) while I buy our plane tickets for a domestic flight later in the week. Even as I type this, I realize how ridiculous it sounds, all

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the more for its seeming normalcy. Purchase flights online via phone while on a boat in the middle of the ocean in the Philippines. When I first started traveling, in Europe, in a much more basic variation of this seat-ofthe-pants way nearly two decades ago, I never possibly could have conceived of any part of this situation. But here I was, bobbing in the middle of a glaring juxtaposition, grateful to have cell tower coverage while praying that no one else would come to take advantage of it and turn this nowheresville into somewhere. Back to German Island, which is blissfully empty at this hour. The crew and I have the island to ourselves for a spell and I pretend like it’s ours forever; they cleave the fish and prep lunch while I claim one of those gorgeous hammocks that were calling out to me the other day, bask in just the right ray of sun peeking through the palm canopy, and open my book for the first time in four days. And then Richard is back and his eyes are shining bright. It seems on three dives he’s explored the Alburgen wreck, a merchant vessel that sunk 26 meters 23 years ago, and seen a slew of baby barracuda, cleaner shrimp, lionfish, parrot fish, humpback grouper and oddly colored clown fish—oh, and four sea turtles. There’s a fourth dive site nearby, but he’s satisfied. “Each of those dives was better than any I’ve ever done in Thailand,” he grins. After a huge lunch, I too want to swim with a turtle. Having seen several out in this channel (there’s another rocky island some 250 meters across the water), the photographer leads the way. After a bit, he turns back

hey, where’d you come from?” says one of the Germans, laughing, as an American jokes, “We saw you out there when we sailed in but thought you were a sea turtle.” The boat, which these guys had hired at Port Barton, delivers me back to German Island, following in the wake of its captain, who, merman that he is, actually can swim through this powerful tide. En route, I see Richard on shore signaling me the thumbs up. Yeah, thanks, buddy. Now I’m all good. Well, I can’t be too mad. I am the one who said one of the thrills of off-the-map adventures is the implicit permission to risk your life. But thank goodness this random boat was here at the right moment to save it—in a palpable twist of responsible tourism. “Protecting the environment doesn’t mean you cannot go,” Philippe had told us. No, it just means finding the right balance between nowheresville and somewhere. towards German Island—maybe to fix his mask in shallower ground? I’m not sure but I think he’s coming back but then he isn’t and all of a sudden I’m too far from home and the current is too strong and I’m trying to adjust my mask and the snorkel breaks off. Great. I’m treading water aggressively against the unyielding tide, which is killing my sprained knee, trying not to swallow all of the seawater in the world while taking a clear assessment of my situation. I can’t see a soul on German Island, so trying to call for help would only waste energy. I definitely cannot swim back. (I should’ve swum back before!) OK. I probably can make it to that other island. It doesn’t have a beach, but the current will just wash me up on the rocks. I can cling to rocks and not drown and wait to get picked up. Do not panic. You panic, you drown. Attempting to right my mask once more, I dive down… And come face to face with a grown sea turtle. It’s an eerily beautiful moment of tranquility, each of us gently flapping our limbs in what is admittedly gorgeous, clear, if imminently deadly, water. Well, hey, mission accomplished: I came out here to see a big-ass turtle and I have so I guess I can die now. But, when I surface, a boat has appeared. I nearly drown in my sigh of relief. It’s about 30 meters away but the captain has already dived into the water and is fastapproaching. Salvation. “There’s a turtle! Right here!” I gasp. “Also... Drowning. Mask broke. I’m swimming to your boat, OK?” I take off doggy-paddling before he can answer. Scrambling aboard, I encounter a confused mate and then, as they climb back in back from their leisurely, non-death-defying snorkel, four chill passengers. “Oh, THE DETAILS

GETTING THERE Until the San Vicente airport is completed, you’ll have to fly into Puerto Princesa from Manila, via AirAsia Zest (airasia.com), Cebu Pacific (cebupacificair.com) or Philippine Airlines (philippine airlines.com), and hire a car—or

book a ride with your hotel—for the three-hour drive to San Vic. HOTEL This region really is untouched. The loads of lovely resorts up north in El Nido are about an hour’s drive or boat ride away; the best bet in San Vicente is:

Secret Paradise Resort & Turtle Sanctuary Six bungalows and two rooms run by a couple who cook your meals and actively preserve the four beaches their property spans. Turtle Bay, Sitio Barongbong, Port Barton; 63999/880-2480; secretparadise resort.com; doubles from P4,450.

DIVING Aquaholics Daytrip dive excursions and SSI certification classes. Unit 4, Alimar Building, Rizal Avenue Extension, Bancao Bancao, Puerto Princesa City; 63-919/991-6282; divepalawan. net; contact martyjohncollins@ gmail.com for prices.

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They don’t call the Philippines an archipelago for nothing. There are way more stunning, secluded islands, coves and beaches than we’ve had time to overdevelop. Thank goodness. So, peruse this list of our favorite slices of personal paradises, then put in for those vacation days. Privacy and time—the ultimate luxuries. BY STEPHANIE ZUBIRI PHOTOGR APHED BY FR ANCISCO GUERRERO

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M O D E L : L U I S A B E LT R A N . S T Y L I S T: G U A D A R E Y E S . M A K E U P : R E N E N B A U T I S TA

N W O R YOU D N A L S I E T A V I PR

Trotting along Balesin Village beach. On Luisa: Bhig Buda Outfitters bikini, Two Chic Manila shorts. OPPOSITE: Cone of silence at Dedon Island, Siargao.

FROM TOP: At Mykonos Village, on Luisa: Nimo With Love dress, Hat Attack clutch, Jack Rogers sandals; aromatic rice in Phuket Village; the clear blue beyond. OPPOSITE: In a Royal Villa, on Luisa: Nimo With Love kaftan, Linya Disenyo earrings, Bhig Buda Outfitters sunglasses.

b u l C d n a l s I n i Bales They say no man is an island, but I’d hazard a guess that every one wants one. In a country like the Philippines, where you have 7,107 to choose from, it isn’t that difficult to find one that is actually for sale. But while retail prices can be in fact quite reasonable, the extra financial as well as logistical tolls add up. Is there fresh water? What about electricity? Sort those issues out, but then every rainy season you’re worried a giant typhoon will sweep in and blow all your effort and affection to smithereens. Enter Balesin, a unique, private island resort that is incredibly accessible. The 25-minute flight on a private plane leaving from a private hangar smack in the center of Manila means it’s quicker to get to the island than to drive an hour south of the capital to popular weekend destination Tagaytay. A friend of mine who owns a membership explained to me that it was like having maintenance-free beach houses in Bali, Costa del Sol, Mykonos, Phuket, St-Tropez and Tuscany. That’s right: it’s a seaside Epcot Center of sorts for adults (far less cheesy than it sounds!) with only 300 villas and two-bedroom suites grouped into international villages on 500 wondrous hectares. The privilege of privacy—honestly, I’ve been kicking myself for not getting in on the ground floor ever since my first visit.

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That day, it felt like I barely got settled into my seat, comfortable with my headphones and magazine, when the captain announced that we were about to land. A tropical welcome awaited us upon touchdown with its customary flower necklaces and fresh coconut juice. Buggies lined up to give tours around the world. Yes, as strange and mainland China as it may seem, the villages are less theme-park reproductions and more inspired development. Absolutely no detail was overlooked and not one tree was out of place. Or, on Mykonos, in place, for that whole village is void of tropical coconut trees. There, the signature Greek white and blue structures are surrounded by large rocks and stunning bougainvillea perched on a small cliff overlooking the vast expanse of ocean. Over on Costa del Sol, instead of overgrown balmy vegetation there is the slightly arid landscape punctured by tiled fountains reminiscent of southern Spain. And, the shady, tree-lined beaches at Phuket, with its ornately decorated wooden villas, are perfect for a relaxing, dreamy escape. Each village comes not just with the ambience of its inspiration but with a corresponding restaurant. Moules frites at St-Tropez? Spaghetti alle vongole and wood-fire oven pizzas at Toscana? Sundowners and satay at Bali? That probably sums up the bulk of my intended itinerary here… My holiday was planned around mealtimes and cocktail hours—and while I was nibbling on a tasty skewer during the first of what was to become many happy hour sessions at the beautiful Nusa Dua bar overlooking the fuchsia sea, I had a moment of clarity: The diversity of food and drink was just one signal of the breadth of options on the island designed to maximize repeat visitors’ investments and minimize any inkling of ennui. The choices are in fact quite dizzying: You can go horseback riding on the beach, indulge in the spa, dive, fish for your own meal, karaoke. Heck, you can even let out your inner Legolas and try your hand at archery. Still, I sincerely am more than happy just reading a book, swinging in a hammock,

enjoying the salty breeze, because the truth is that the most powerful selling point of Balesin is the stunning natural setting. Only one-tenth of the island is developed, planned as it was with sustainability and respect for nature in mind. One has to drive a good 20 minutes, winding through untouched forests and untrimmed flora, to get from one village to another. Adventurous spirits might

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pack a picnic lunch and, towel and hat in hand, disappear to a secluded cove. There are more than seven kilometers of white-sand beachfront, so it’s no sweat to find a few square meters to call your own. The development was so well considered that despite the extremely high occupancy one Valentine’s weekend, we often found ourselves dining alone in restaurants, only bumping into people Sunday afternoon in the

OUS R U T N E V AD PACK T H G I M SPIRITS WEL O T , D N A A PICNIC IN HAND, AND HAT EAR DISAPP

hangar on our way home. “Oh, I didn’t know you were here too!” is a common exclamation at the end of a holiday. As our initial tour came to a close, the friendly guide asked if we’d like to see her favorite place, and took us to the southernmost tip of the island. The buggy climbed up the hill and the island narrowed to a point where on one side stood the Pacific and on the other Lamon Bay. We were waved in by the watchman, who had

CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE:

Balesin Island has a team of resident wood carvers who create decorative items and furniture; chill in beanbags at the Balesin Village Clubhouse; at the Balesin Village beachfront, on Luisa: Two Chic Manila blouse and pants; at the spa, on Luisa: Dusk Resortwear cover-up,H&M bikini; sun-kissed dining in St-Tropez; private transport for the jet set.

a big toothy grin. The mid-afternoon sun warmed our skin, long unkempt grass danced in the ocean wind, softly framing the small, charmingly beat-up guardhouse. A rickety bamboo hut with equally rickety benches stood glowing against the light and sparkling water. “I love coming here and just staring out to sea,” our guide said. “In the early morning, you can watch the sunrise and there are often turtles that come

up to the surface. Then you can come back later in the day and enjoy an unobstructed view of the sunset.” She sighed and so did I. Lucky watchman, I thought to myself. He had the best spot on the island… and didn’t have to pay a cent. Balesin Island Club; 63-2/846-6205; balesin.com; contact the resort for a preview visit, membership fees and accommodation rates.

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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT:

All-inclusive water sports; each of the eight rooms boasts uninterrupted westerly seascapes; hand-carved marble baths from Romblon; luxe lounging.

EL A R C H IP L A M IA N

L AWA A G O , PA

This is the luxe life. The brainchild of a British couple who say they live for exotic adventures without the restrictive and confining feel of resorts and hotels, Ariara is an all-or-nothing private island with the requisite dense emerald jungles, turquoise waters and white sands. The ultimate indulgence here? Whether you want a romantic escape for two or a raucous beach party with 18 friends, the eight villas, cottages and suites are book one, get them all. That goes not just for the contemporary tropical, artisan-highlighted accommodations, in which you can hop into large hand-carved marble baths from Romblon, duck under thatched roofs made out of nipa fibers, and wrap

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yourself in textiles from tribal weavers. It also applies to the bounty of big-kid toys at your disposal. Jetskiing in the late afternoon? Discovering deserted islands on the 30-meter trimaran? Taking the 12-meter dive boat out to explore coral reefs and World War II? From spa treatments to yoga to curating each vintage from the wine cellar to your personal preference— and the menu of the private chef— every desire is met, surpassed, often even anticipated, by the friendly and efficient staff. Ariaraisland.com; seven-night stays from US$40,040 for groups of six to eight people, to US$59,850 for groups of 15-18 people.

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Does it count as “private” if you’re surrounded by simians? Well, if it comes with your own cave-waterfall shower, we say, definitely. Sangat Island is a pristine nature reserve owned by British-climate refugee Andy Pownall, but the true rulers of this roost are the mischievous monkeys that scamper freely about— and among the exotic birds such as the Palawan hornbill and endangered Tabon who live in the magnificent jungle overlooking the small strip of ivory sand dotted with large conch shells. Lambingan Villa is accessible only via a rickety bridge that snakes through jagged rocks and into a cave before thrusting you out onto its secluded beach. The rustic, threestory villa is somewhat spartan and has no air-conditioning, but it harnesses nature to provide the perks, from that waterfall shower to the cool, ocean breeze. Take a kayak and explore the island’s hidden lagoons, jump into a school of rainbow-colored fish or unwind in the secret hot-spring pool. Simplicity and freshness reign with tasty (though, note, limited) offerings such as a grilled catch of the day and sautéed vegetables from the owners’ lovingly tended garden. Unplug and melt into the island’s languid time. Soon you’ll contemplate just burning that bridge and staying tucked up with the monkeys. Sangat.com.ph; low-season doubles from US$155 per person per night, including three buffet meals daily, complimentary tea or coffee, and airport transfers.

la l i V n a g n i The Lamb , , CORON IS L A N D S A N G AT

PA L AWA

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP : Pier to private paradise; nearby bountiful

reefs draw divers; history writ on the wall; fish, plus monkeys and birds, are the nearest neighbors.

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CLOCKWISE FROM BELOW: The

s a l l i V o n a The Malip O M , D AVA A R L FA R E P , D N N O IS L A M A L IPA

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Planning a destination wedding, family reunion or other intimate celebration? Pearl Farm’s seven Malipano Villas have you covered. Perched on stilts and on the rocks of the speck of land across the bay from the main resort, these spacious three-story, three- and fourbedroom villas were built in the traditional Maranao and Samal styles with bamboo accents and picturesque pointed roofs meant to look like the iconic native Philippine hat, the salakot. With its own beachfront and a large open-air veranda, the spot is made for cocktail parties and barbecues overlooking the sea. Just dial up the main resort for all your catering and concierge needs: For entertainment, there are the usual offerings of aqua sports, but perhaps you’d like to sprinkle in a dose of culture with a guided field trip to the weaving center where women from the Mandaya tribe work on lavish hand woven textiles and artisanal housewares. Back home for happy hour, be sure to order their succulent morsels of fresh tuna kinilaw—a local version of ceviche made with fresh green chilies, ginger and coconut milk—the heat tempered by frosty San Miguel beers. Whatever you fancy, take over this cluster of cottages and rule it like a festive tribe. Pearlfarmresort.com; three-bedroom villas for up to six people from P40,941 per night, four-bedroom villas for up to seven people from P44,398 per night.

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Malipano Villas are sheltered by salakot-shaped roofs; pool party, anyone?; room with a view; stilted glory.

CLOCKWISE FROM RIGHT: Your sand castle-away-from-home; Siargao is a surfing mecca; pick your own organic veggies and tell the chef how to prep your salads; beachy bounce houses.

d n a l s I n o D ed AS SOUTHE

Call it the kingmaker. Nestled in thick mangroves and among flying lemurs and monitor lizards on surfers’ paradise Siargao, the whimsical architectural gem that is Dedon Island is designed to be your personal sand castle-away-fromhome. Okay, so technically there are nine vaulted-ceilinged, playful niche-filled, luxury villas here, but at this self-described “outdoor living lab” on four hectares, in which the coconut-leaf roofs blend seamlessly and sustainably with the emerald tree canopy, you’ll hardly notice—

and you definitely won’t hear—the other barefoot guests. A flat rate per person per night ensures ease akin to residency; this island is your oyster; your wish is its command. Indulge in multiple massages per day, bounce in the domed trampolines, visit the local market… boat rides and surf lessons and picnics on deserted isles, and did we mention so many cocktails at the handwoven circular bar? Feel like expanding the menu? Wander through their organic garden and pick your own vegetables, then pop

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into the kitchen to have the chef assist you in satisfying your craving. At Dedon Island there are no checks and no billing statements, just the sheer joy of pure vacation abandon without having to worry about adding up costs upon departure… That is if you can bear to give up Poseidon’s trident and go back to civilian life. Dedon Island; dedonisland.com; doubles from P25,100 per adult per night, P12,550 for children under 18 years old, and free for kids under 10.

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