March 2017 by Travel + Leisure Southeast Asia

Southeast asia

march 2017

IT List 2017

Trekking Japanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Kumano Kodo

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

STYLISHLY AFFORDABLE ibis Styles offers guests comfort, an energetic vibe and the simplicity of all-inclusive pricing, with an all-you-can-eat breakfast, broadband internet, and many more little extras all part of the standard rate. Contemporary rooms feature all essential amenities including working desks and safes, and available family rooms make traveling with children a breeze. With each establishment having a distinct personality that reflects the creativity found in its local community, ibis Styles delivers a refreshingly fun experience at an affordable price.

The ibis Styles Chiang Khong Riverfront offers the chance to unwind with tranquil views overlooking the majestic Mekong River while enjoying an exceptional level of service. Whether Chiang Khong is a stopover en route to Laos or you’re using it as a base for exploring the cultural wonders and natural beauty of Thailand’s north, the hotel provides spacious rooms with traditional Lanna design flourishes, much-lauded international dining, and a pool bar with views across the Mekong to the Laos town of Huay Xai. As an added extra, complimentary bicycle use makes it easy to discover more of this relaxing riverside village.

ibis Styles Bangkok Sukhumvit 50

ibis Styles Chiang Khong Riverfront

Experience Bangkok’s vibrant sights without breaking the bank at the newly built ibis Styles Bangkok Sukhumvit 50. The city’s only international 3-star hotel chain offers everything needed for an enjoyable stay. The rooms are modern and the decor is decidedly cheerful, with each floor having its own whimsical motif. The playfulness continues at the airport-themed Terminal bistro, which serves excellent local cuisine and drinks. When it’s time to hit the town, a complimentary tuk-tuk service shuttles you to the SkyTrain station and from there you’re only minutes from Bangkok’s wide range of cultural landmarks and entertainment venues. The ambience of Bangkok’s old quarter meets international comforts at the ibis Styles Bangkok Khaosan Viengtai. Conveniently located near the most important historical spots in Bangkok, guests can enjoy Rambuttri Road’s diverse selection of budget-friendly restaurants and shops without sacrificing quality accommodation. Rare for the area, the hotel also features a swimming pool and large outdoor

ibis Styles Bangkok Khaosan Viengtai

terrace, as well as a unique bar and restaurant offering Thai Burgers, signature cocktails, live entertainment and pool parties. With comfortable, well-equipped rooms and vintage design cues throughout, ibis Styles is a welcome addition to this colourful neighbourhood. Bursting with character, ibis Styles Phuket City is the hip place to discover historic Phuket Town. Immerse yourself in the local lifestyle with an impressive number of heritage sites, outdoor markets, parks and art galleries all within walking distance. And that same local character is found inside the hotel as well, with every floor featuring colourful, modern designs inspired by the Sino-Portuguese architecture of Old Town Phuket. With a focus on comfort, convenience and outstanding value, ibis Styles Phuket City delivers a truly unique experience, while still only being a few minutes from the island’s beautiful beaches.

ibis Styles Phuket City

ibis Styles Yangon Stadium features inspiring local art infused with a sporting twist: design elements referencing Yangon’s love of football and chinlone, Myanmar’s spellbinding national sport. The country’s first international-standard economy hotel is welcoming and contemporary — a hip-yet-relaxing environment to unwind after a day of exploring the delights of Yangon. Bright, generously sized rooms boast the ibis signature Sweet Bed™ to ensure a good night’s sleep, while breathtaking views of the skyline are the hallmark of Yangon’s newest iconic landmark, the 369 Restaurant and Bar on the hotel’s rooftop.

ibis Styles Yangon Stadium

For more information, visit ibis.com or accorhotels.com.

A taste of tropical luxury on the magical island of Bali

Boasting magnificent views of the shimmering sea, Sofitel Bali Nusa Dua Beach Resortâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s spacious rooms and suites offer sophisticated style and exquisite comfort. Revel in a world of rejuvenation with a savant mix of world-class facilities, French cosmetology and tranquil surrounds. Discover all our magnifique addresses in over 40 countries on www.sofitel.com

ITDC Complex lot N5, Bali 80363 | +62 361 849 2888 | H9078@sofitel.com | www.sofitel.com

March

ON THE COVER Autumn colors along the Kumano Kodo in Japan. Photographer: Scott A. Woodward

features 62

Turquoise Dreams Why go all the way to the Maldives for a beach? Because, as Maria Shollenbarger finds, nowhere else does sea, sand and splendor quite like this. Photographed by Sean Fennessy

c l o c k w i s e F R O M t o p LE F T: s e a n f e n n e s s y; s c o t t a . w o o d wa r d ; f e l i x o d e l l ; c o u r t e s y o f t h e wa r e h o u s e h o t e l

62 70 82 92

Mystery Trail Japan’s Kumano Kodo pilgrimage is more than a trek; it’s a puzzle that leads you back to yourself with every carefully chosen step. By Christopher Kucway. Photographed by Scott A. Woodward

Boutique Love We offer some of the best and brightest boutique hotels across the region. You want to feel “of the place”? Check in to these newcomers.

Frozen In the Arctic of Swedish Lapland, a communion with nature awaits anyone willing to brave the cold. By Peter Heller. Photographed by Felix Odell

t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m / m a r c h 2 0 1 7

In Every Issue T+L Digital 10 Contributors 11 Editor’s Note 12 The Conversation 14 Deals 58 Wish You Were Here 106

departments

Here & Now

Beyond

17 Trailer Park Avenue

33 Taking Shape We checked in with

Melbourne’s funky new Notel is a rooftop stay that’s part mobile home, part luxury inn.

the designers behind some of the most distinctive hotel openings in the region to find out how they are molding the future of hospitality.

22 Trenches & Hoodies The travel uniform of the moment is carefree, but refined.

founder of the lifestyle blog

unremarkable area of Cape Town

26 Waterfront Revival A formerly

is becoming a playground for the city’s creative set.

28 It List 2017 Our favorite new and

Marc is the perfect stage for showing off the season’s best bags, and a few other fun accessories.

49 Sort By Price A road map to affordable accommodation across Asia.

The Place 102 Hoi An Convenient, compact and charismatic, Hoi An embodies Vietnamese charm. By Duncan Forgan. Photographed by Aaron Joel Santos

of Sabah, a village is opening an

42 Heart of the Jungle In the wilds untamed forest to help preserve the rainforest and their own culture.

46 Seeking Soul Food On a

radically redone hotels of the year will have you booking flights for your next break.

The Guide

38 Sitting Pretty Paris’s Hôtel Saint-

24 Click Couture Lauren Yates, Ponytail Journal and W’menswear fashion label, takes us shopping around the region.

for cooking and a new outlook on life and work.

march 2017 / tr av el andleisure asia .com

spontaneous trip to Cambodia last summer, fashion designer Phillip Lim developed a passion

102

F R O M LE F T: c o u r t e s y o f n o t e l ; a l e x j o h n b e c k ; k i t y e n g c h a n ; a a r o n j o e l s a n t o s

THE PERFECT BEACH ESCAPES…

CREATED FOR YOU Centara Hotels & Resorts offers spacious deluxe rooms, suites and private pool villas in Thailand and other exotic, balmy destinations, such as Vietnam, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives. Whether you are seeking beach-side serenity or wet and wild water sports; want to bliss out at our award-winning SPA Cenvaree or enjoy world-class dining at our signature restaurants, you can ensure to experience all this and more, right alongside with picture-postcard white-sand beach. BOOK DIRECT FOR OUR BEST PRICE PROMISE centarahotelsresorts.com reservations@chr.co.th 02 101 1234 ext 1

THAILAND

VIETNAM

MALDIVES

SRI LANKA

QATAR

OMAN

Lookout

this month on tr avelandleisureasia.com 3 of the Best cooking Classes in bangkok Mastering Thai cuisineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s delicate synergy of sweet, sour, savory and spicy flavors is a challenge, which is why we called on the experts.

4 Asian Craft Beers You Need to Try Now Local brewmasters are taking advantage of all kinds of Southeast Asian ingredients to create innovative ales, stouts and IPAs.

Sustainable Tiger Tourism in India Deep in the heart of Madhya Pradesh, these eco-chic safari lodges are educating travelers and helping the local wildlife.

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fr o m l e f t: a u t c h a r a pa n p h a i ; c o u r t e s y o f y o u n g m a s t e r a l e s ; s o m e n d r a s i n g h / c o u r t e s y o f s a m o d e s a fa r i l o d g e

t+l digital

A bold new gallery debuts in Bangkok; a grande dame in central Vietnam gets a Four Seasons makeover; a star Vietnamese chef branches out to Hong Kong; studying the ancient Japanese art of flower arrangement in Kyoto; how to spend a night on the town in Singapore; the latest travel deals; and more.

contributors

fr o m t o p : c o u r t e s y o f A a r o n J o e l S a n t o s ; c o u r t e s y o f S c o t t A . W o o d wa r d ; c o u r t e s y o f R a c h n a S a c h a s i n h ; K i t Y e n g C h a n

Aaron Joel Santos

Scott A. Woodward

The Place: Hoi An Page 102 — Many cities in Vietnam vie for top culinary creds, but when it comes to banh mi, Santos says there is no contest—it is Hoi An for the win. “It’s that sweet and spicy chili jam they spread on the bread.” If you’re still famished, then there’s Cao Lau noodles or sweet-potato pancakes. But Santos is quick to veer away from any clichéd look at Vietnam. How many conical hats against yellow walls can one tourist take? “Look around for something different,” he says. “Get out of town to the countryside. Peek into houses, walk through rice fields. Get lost. Leave your lens cap at home.” Instagram: @aaronjoelsantos

Mystery Trail Page 70 — A 90-kilometer pilgrimage through remote Japanese forests is a long way, a stretch where Woodward found himself thinking about loss and grief. “It’s understandable given the Shinto belief that one’s spiritual energy, or kami, is released and recycled upon death—and that waterfalls and mountains are places where the kami reside.” A welcome respite on this walk into the past were the onsen. “As the trek wound on, I was able to relax and see more intimate moments surrounding me as well as the bigger picture beyond my camera.” Instagram: @scottawoodward

Rachna Sachasinh

Marco Ferrarese

Boutique Love Page 82 — When she travels, Sachasinh likes to be immersed in a destination, and boutique hotels are the perfect address to do that. When they’re on, these smaller inns offer luxury and local culture in more intimate settings. “It can be quirky and not totally polished, but that adds to the charm,” she explains. Inevitably some addresses scored big points with Sachasinh. Among these is Templation in Siem Reap, where design elements rule the day, and Villa Mahabhirom: “I ordered tea late one afternoon, and they served it in antique colonialera porcelain china and tea pot. I love little details.”

Heart of the Jungle Page 42 — Like many of us, Ferrarese feels a stir at the mere mention of Borneo. Aside from its natural wonders, he’s fascinated by the ethnic diversity. There are still surprises around every corner and, in the case of an orangutan in the Danum Valley, up a tree. “As soon as it understood we were men, and not primates, the orangutan threw branches at us to mark its territory, and we backtracked, observing it swing between branches.” He warns that access to natural wonders can be pricey: that’s the cost of preserving the environment and educating visitors and locals. Twitter: @monkeyrockworld

W r i t er

march 2017

P h o to gr a p h er

w r i t er

editor’s note

march 2017

their credits often appearing in miniscule type, some of their better shots not even making the final cut. Everyone assumes they’ve got the best job in the world, and while the gig has its perks, the craft has come far from the days of “f8 and be there.” A case in point is a story I worked on this month with Scott A. Woodward (“Mystery Trail,” page 70). To put it into perspective, Scott shot almost 10,000 photos over the course of our nine-day hike in Japan. The first set of selects totaled 450, which were whittled down—painfully—to 45, then 25, then the 18 that appear in this issue. As any photographer will tell you, the final photographs cut are the ones that stick in the mind. How we managed to exclude a timeless shot of one of our guides traversing a log bridge in deep Japanese forest is something I’ll never be able to answer correctly. So, I have one request: With every issue of the magazine, take a moment to look out for the bylines with Scott’s name, or Cedric, Kit, Philipp, Francisco, Lauryn, Morgan, Aaron or Shin. I can guarantee those pages will be filled with great images of Asia and beyond. This month marks the appearance of our annual IT List (page 28), the best new hotels and resorts around the world. Visiting any one of them will likely have you reaching for your own camera, though be warned, the tough part will be deciding which photos to post.

@CKucway chrisk@mediatransasia.com

m a r c h 2 0 1 7 / 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

Proving that we never have to venture far to uncover somewhere new, I found myself along Bangkok’s river at one of the city’s small, new hotels, Riva Arun. A clean, modern inn, from its roof-top restaurant it also offers a different angle of the history-laden sois around Wat Pho and the Grand Palace. Come nightfall, the river is a hive of activity, the scene unlike anywhere else in the world.

fr o m l e f t: t h a n a k o r n c h o m n awa n g ; c h r i s t o p h e r k u c way

As at most magazines, photographers are our unsung heroes,

the conversation How do you encapsulate a whole country’s wonder and charm in just a few words? Nearly every national tourism board around the globe has taken on the task (the 38 exceptions include Libya, perhaps unsurprisingly, but also Sweden). FamilyBreakFinder, a U.K. travel website, has compiled a list of slogans from 150 nations and the examples range from alliterations like Epic Estonia, to Djibouti’s puntastic catchphrase, Djibeauty. Here are a few more of our favorite ways destinations are marketing themselves:

NETHERLANDS The Original Cool

Latvia Best Enjoyed Slowly

Mongolia Go Nomadic

Tajikistan Feel the Friendship

Iran You Are Invited

Philippines It’s More Fun in the Philippines

Jordan Yes, It’s Jordan

Haiti Experience It! Morocco Much Mor

Cameroon All of Africa in One Country

El Salvador The 45-Minute Country

Bhutan Happiness is a Place

Paraguay You Have to Feel It! Uganda You’re Welcome Argentina Beats to Your Rhythm

#TLASIA

Shopping for ingredients in Siem Reap’s wet market. By @travelholicjas.

New Zealand 100% Pure

This month, readers are hitting the streets to dine like locals.

Curry paste galore in Bangkok. By @livethequestion.

Fruit on the go in Hanoi. By @jula_guillianie.

Barbecue in Xian’s Old Market. By @milica_grujic_.

Share an Instagram photo by using the #TLAsia hashtag, and it may be featured in an upcoming issue. Follow @travelandleisureasia

m a r c h 2 0 1 7 / t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m

i l l u s t r at i o n b y A u t c h a r a pa n p h a i

Chile All Are Welcome

India Incredible !ndia

Vanuatu Discover What Matters

editor-in-chief art director Deputy editor senior editor senior DEsigner DEsigner EDITORial assistant

Christopher Kucway Wannapha Nawayon Jeninne Lee-St. John Merritt Gurley Chotika Sopitarchasak Autchara Panphai Veronica Inveen

Regul ar contributors / photographers Cedric Arnold, Kit Yeng Chan, Helen Dalley, Philipp Engelhorn, Marco Ferrarese, Duncan Forgan, Diana Hubbell, Lauryn Ishak, Mark Lean, Melanie Lee, Ian Lloyd Neubauer, Morgan Ommer, Aaron Joel Santos, Stephanie Zubiri chairman president publishing director publishER digital media manager TR AFFIC MANAGER /deputy DIGITAL media manager sales director business development managers chief financial officer production manager production group circulation MANAGER circulation assistant

J.S. Uberoi Egasith Chotpakditrakul Rasina Uberoi-Bajaj Robert Fernhout Pichayanee Kitsanayothin Varin Kongmeng Joey Kukielka David Bell Leigha Proctor Gaurav Kumar Kanda Thanakornwongskul Natchanan Kaewsasaen Porames Sirivejabandhu Yupadee Saebea

TR AVEL+LEISURE (USA) Editor-in-Chief Senior Vice President / Publishing Director Publisher

Nathan Lump Steven DeLuca Joseph Messer

TIME INC. INTERNATIONAL LICENSING & DEVELOPMENT (syndication@timeinc.com) Senior Director, Business Development E xecutive Editor / International

Jennifer Savage Jack Livings

TIME INC. Chief E xecutive Officer Chief Content Officer

Joseph Ripp Norman Pearlstine

travel+leisure southeast asia Vol. 11, Issue 3 Travel+Leisure Southeast Asia is published monthly by Media Transasia Limited, 1603, 16/F, Island Place Tower, 510 Kingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;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. (66-2/368-2942â&#x20AC;&#x201C;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 ADVERTISING offices General enquiries: advertising@mediatransasia.com Singapore: 65/9029 0749; joey@mediatransasia.com Japan: Shinano Co., Ltd. 81-3/3584-6420; kazujt@bunkoh.com Korea: YJP & Valued Media Co., Ltd. 82-2/3789-6888; hi@yjpvm.kr

Near-Away! by American Express

DORSETT SINGAPORE HOTEl 333 New Bridge Road, Singapore 088765 Call 6678 8388 or email reservation.singapore@ dorsetthotels.com to make your bookings now.

In the iconic heritage precinct of Chinatown, Dorsett Singapore Hotel is a relatively new 4-star hotel designed for the well-travelled in mind. With convenience as key, the hotel is located above the transport hub of Outram Park MRT interchange station, and within easy reach to major business hubs, shopping and tourist attractions. The 285 spacious guestrooms favour clean-lined, modern minimalism, equipped with fuss-free integrated technology and services, full in-

room amenities; highlighted by an expansive 30-metre outdoor swimming pool with a spectacular city line view. Dine in at an all-day restaurant, featuring a selection of international and local dishes or enjoy privileges as a Dorsett guest at the hippest bars and restaurants in town, steps away from the hotel.

To enjoy a one-night stay at The Splash Room at American Express subsidised rate of S$190 nett, please present the voucher located in your annual Platinum Reserve credit card welcome or renewal pack.

DORSETT SINGAPORE HOTEL NEAR-AwAy! By AmERIcAN ExPRESS IS OPEN TO BASIc PLATINum RESERvE cREDIT cARD mEmBERS. • Card Member must make advance reservation with Dorsett Singapore Hotel at +65 6678 8388 . Any use of vouchers must be stated at time of reservation. • All reservations are subject to availability and not applicable during blackout dates (i.e. eves of Holidays and Public Holiday) or days of high occupancy. Please contact Dorsett Singapore Hotel for more information. A room reservation confirmation letter or email (in softcopy or hardcopy) must be presented, along with the physical voucher and your American Express® Platinum Reserve Credit Card upon check-in. • Offer may not be combined with other hotel programmes or special offers and is not available on pre-existing reservations. • Card Member is responsible for their parking charges during the whole period of stay at Dorsett Singapore Hotel and no complimentary parking will be provided. • No show or cancellation policies apply in accordance to the hotels’ policies. Please check with hotel for details. • Accommodation is for a maximum of two (2) adults and is inclusive of all applicable tax and service charges for such accommodation. Breakfast is not included. Cost of meals and all other incidentals (including applicable tax and service charges), will be charged to the Card Member’s American Express Platinum Reserve Credit Card. • Merchant’s Terms and Conditions apply – please check with respective merchants for details. American Express acts solely as a payment provider and is not responsible or liable in the event that such services, activities or benefits are not provided or fulfilled by the merchant. Merchants are solely responsible for the fulfilment of all benefits and offers. • American Express does not assume liability and American Express Card Member(s) shall not make any claim whatsoever for (i) injury or bodily harm or (ii) loss of damage to property, howsoever caused, arising from, or in connection with these benefits and privileges. • Programme benefits, participating merchants and Terms and Conditions may be amended or withdrawn without prior notice at the sole discretion of the American Express International Inc. In the event of any dispute, the decision of American Express will be final and no correspondence may be entertained. American Express International Inc., (UEN S68FC1878J) 20 (West) Pasir Panjang Road #08-00, Mapletree Business City, Singapore 117439. americanexpress.com.sg. Incorporated with limited liability in the State of Delaware, U.S.A.® Registered Trademark of American Express Company. © Copyright 2017 American Express Company.

N e ws + t r e n d s + d i s c o v e r i e s

debut

Trailer Park Avenue

Courtesy of notel

Melbourne’s funky new Notel is a rooftop stay that’s part mobile home, part luxury inn. Ian Lloyd Neubauer checks in.

The Airstream with Benefits at Notel comes with a hot tub.

t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m / m a r c h 2 0 1 7

/ here&now / Notel, a mold-breaking hybrid

Inside, the caravans are Sci-Fi chic. top: Beds are made up with soft bamboo sheets.

high-pressure fire-extinguisher to spray paint large coarse surfaces. Keating, whose work adorns many Melbourne laneways and overseas venues like the new Bikini club in Bali, says his random-looking mural at Notel was a deliberate study in branding. “The palette was a dusty pink and that was key to the branding—a starting point,” he says. “I also used purple and orange and silver paint to reflect the sheen of the Airstream and connect the wall to the rest of the space.” All six Airstreams at Notel have decks with outdoor furniture and heaters, while one caravan, called the Airstream with Benefits, also comes with a hot tub. Inside, glossy white and pink surfaces, a ceiling-mounted iPad Pro with Netflix, full-size en-suite bathrooms and sunken floors coalesce in open-plan interiors that Fry says have “no resemblance to caravans at all.” Of course, that’s the point. “I wanted people to open the door and go ‘Stuff me, this is not a caravan. This is something completely different and very special,’” Fry says. “The whole idea was to wow people.” notelmelbourne.com.au; rooms A$395-$440.

march 2017 / tr av el andleisure asia .com

Courtesy of notel (2)

hotel, was created by James Fry, a guy who says he has zero experience in the hospitality industry. Chalk it up to fresh eyes or beginner’s luck, but it has Melbourne abuzz. Set on the rooftop of a high-rise in the Paris end of the city’s central business district, the funky new property has only six rooms. Well, not rooms exactly but vintage Airstream caravans polished to a sheen. “It was an underutilized space, a beautiful blank canvas with a terrific view of the Melbourne skyline on the rooftop of a building my father and I own,” Fry says. “We discussed many different ideas over the years but nothing was exciting until I came up with the idea of accommodation with a twist, in caravans.” The twists begin as soon as guests check-in via an app downloaded to their smartphone that guides them to a stairwell on Flinders Lane, one of Melbourne’s most iconic laneways. The app then functions as a digital key to a door that opens onto a rooftop covered in red Astroturf. Front and center on a brick wall is a massive mural by Ash Keating, a local graffiti artist of who uses a

/ here&now /

Cruise

The River for the Rest of Us

Bangkok’s Supanniga Eating Room has launched a dinner cruise on the Chao Praya River, bringing rare flavor and subtle charm to these well-plied waters. In theory, a dinner

cruise on the Chao Praya carries plenty of appeal— sipping and supping on a grand ship as it plies Bangkok’s River of Kings, passing the Grand Palace, Wat Arun, Wat Kalayanamit, Wat Prayoon and all the other bankfront splendors of Old Town. Yet the reality—a

giant boat, packed with 200 people, bathed in dizzying strobe lights, pop music blaring—can be daunting. In December, Supanniga Eating Room launched its cure for the common cruise, serving up their Isan-style Thai cuisine, Tattinger champagne and signature cocktails by Vesper, a hip

m a r c h 2 0 1 7 / t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m

cocktail bar in Silom, on an intimate 40-seater boat. The newly built double-deck 18-meter-long monohull is decorated in cheerful yellows and oranges, with plush couches, padded benches, wooden tables and comfy rattan chairs. The bottom deck has just four tables spaced far enough apart

supannigacruise.com; sunset dinner cruise Bt3,250 per person with a six-course tasting menu and a welcome glass of Taittinger champagne.

Pat i ya P u l l k e t

Dinner with a view on the Supanniga Cruise.

that conversation can’t carry, while the upperdeck has modular seating well-suited for groups. “We wanted to create an experience that was more elegant, cozier and friendlier than other river options,” says Thanaruek Laoraowirodge, owner of Supanniga Eating Room. From the tom yum jumbo-prawn soup and sharing plates of crab curry and stewed pork, to the mango and sticky rice and Thai petits four, the ship’s chef is sticking to the same high standards of Supanniga Eating Room’s two on-land locations (one in Thonglor and one in Sathorn). The appetizers— minced pork served on a fresh orange slice; spicy chicken salad in a crispy cup; pomelo salad with grilled prawn; fried mackerel wrapped in Chaplu leaves—seem to balance every texture known to man. Each course follows in a perfectly paced progression, lubricated by the potent cocktails courtesy of Vesper, like the Wanted on Voyage, swimming in rye whiskey, zesty with rambutan- and basil-infused cider. Order a few of those, and the two hours and 15 minutes will pass by in easy choreography, as if following the rhythms of the river. All you have to do is relax and go with the flow. —merritt gurley

B E L M O N D R O A D T O M A N DA L AY, M YA N M A R

Noticed

Tripping in Bali Uber has launched a new feature in Bali called UberTrip, perfect for tourists looking to see more of the island. The app lets you request a car for a set five-hour block, with a fixed price regardless of the distance you travel or number of stops you decide to make. It combines the flexibility of renting a car with the ease of having a personal driver, and it is all arranged through the oh-so-familiar Uber app interface. The service is making it easier to ditch the lounge chair and go see a different side of Bali. uber.com; UberTrip costs Rp300,000 for a five-hour ride, and Rp1,000 per minute thereafter.

c o u r t e s y o f b a n ya n Tr e e H o t e l s & R e s o r t s ( 2 )

Green grounds at The Grand Luang Prabang. below: Bright rooms showcase Lao textiles.

DISCOVER MYANMAR

EXPERIENCE A LAND OF SPECTACULAR SCENERY AND

Reboot

GOLDEN PAGODAS ABOARD THE

The Mekong, with Majesty

LUXURIOUS BELMOND ROAD TO MANDALAY RIVER CRUISER ON JOURNEYS OF TWO TO FOUR-NIGHTS.

Banyan Tree has opened its first

property in Laos, taking over The Grand Luang Prabang Hotel & Resort on the Mekong River. The six-hectare property was once Xiengkeo Palace, the residence of Prince Phetsarath Ratanavongsa who served as prime minister from 1942 to 1945. After the communist revolution, the colonial-style building was converted into a hotel. Banyan Tree’s sister brand, Angsana has already transformed the home of a former prime minister into a stately resort with Angsana Maison

CONTACT OUR LUXURY TRAVEL CONSULTANTS ON +65 6395 0678 OR YOUR LOCAL TRAVEL AGENT.

Souvannaphoum in Luang Prabang. With Banyan Tree now following suit, we’re curious to see what they will do with the prime riverfront estate. grandluang prabang.com; doubles from US$130.

HOTELS | TRAINS | RIVER CRUISES | JOURNEYS BELMOND.COM

the look

Trenches & Hoodies

The travel uniform of the moment is carefree, but refined, with a luxe, long-haul-ready sweatshirt and a structured coat for additional polish. A top-handle leather holdall is a chic take on the basic carry-on. Styled by Melissa Ventosa Martin. Photographed by Alex John Beck

1. Burberry deconstructed trench (burberry.com; US$2,595); T by Alexander Wang knit raglan hoodie (alexanderwang.com; US$350); Bottega Veneta crocodile handbag (bottegaveneta.com; US$17,800). 2. Lacoste trench (lacoste.com; US$475); White + Warren cashmere zip hoodie (whiteandwarren.com; US$298); SteamLine The Architect stowaway case (steamlineluggage.com; US$895); The Row Two for One 12 handbag (net-a-porter.com; US$4,450). 3. Michael Kors Collection asymmetric trench (harrods.com; US$2,995); Victor Glemaud double-face zip logo hoodie (glemaud.com; US$195); Longchamp Le Pliage Heritage handbag (longchamp.com; US$1,035); Gabriela Hearst Frances jumpsuit (gabrielahearst. com; US$795). 4. Salvatore Ferragamo silk trench, price upon request (ferragamo.com; price upon request); Max Mara angora vest (harrods.com; US$1,150); Salvatore Ferragamo Soft Sofia saddle handbag (ferragamo.com; US$3,100).

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M o d e l : E l l a / F o r d M o d e l s . h a i r : S h i n ya N a k a g awa u s i n g K é r a s ta s e at Ar t l i s t. m a k e u p : S u z y G e r s t e i n u s i n g L a n c ô m e g r a n d i ô s e l i n e r at H o n e y Ar t i s t s . n a i l s : N a i l s b y N o r i at Ar t l i s t

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/ here&now / insider intel

Click Couture

Slow-fashion advocate Lauren Yates, found of the lifestyle blog Ponytail Journal and the W’menswear fashion label, takes us shopping around the region. of Southeast Asia’s freshest bon vivants, curating her loves of fashion, food and travel in her playful blog Ponytail Journal. The Hong Kong–born, Australiaand Thailand-raised fashionista brings her global tastes to the fouryear-old website, with posts that range from a roundup of stores in Hong Kong to a video tutorial on how to make Burmese chicken, all with a feel-good edge that reflects her slogan, “funnest life possible.” Yates’s editorial fashion focus, which she calls “W’menswear” —accidently sexy, smart-casual— started to accumulate a fan base, now climbing past 36,000 followers on Instagram. Buoyed by the audience and connections in the industry, last February she launched her clothing brand of the same name. Her travels, whether collecting vintage Vietcong infantry garments in Vietnam or shophopping in Tokyo, all find their way to her W’menswear collections, in a process she calls “slow fashion.” Each piece of clothing is the product of meticulous research; even her basic tees are made from Toki-sen fabric, sourced from the best mill in the world for knits, in Osaka. By paying special attention to the provenance of ingredients, whether pertaining to food or clothing, Yates has established her own voice in a world of fast food and fast fashion. Here she talks go-to spots to shop in the region.

FROM top: Blogger and designer Lauren Yates;

antiques at Le Cong Kieu Street in Saigon; a bold getup from Soda; button-ups by W’menswear; textiles and crafts from Paya.

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fr o m t o p : c o u r t e s y o f l a u r e n yat e s ; m a r i s a v e g a / g e t t y i m a g e s ; c o u r t e s y o f s o d a s h o p ; c o u r t e s y o f l a u r e n yat e s ; c o u r t e s y o f paya s h o p

L auren Yates is one

FROM top: The Armoury boutique in Hong Kong; handcrafted, individually dyed pillows from Slowstitch Studio.

fr o m l e f t: c o u r t e s y o f t h e a rm o u r y; c o u r t e s y o f s l o w s t i t c h s t u d i o ( 2 )

BANGKOK + Yates frequents Paya (payashop. net) in Ekkamai for their range of Thai textiles, antique homewares and handcrafted goods. + For bold-print dresses she heads to Soda (sodabkk.com). “I love the creativity and spirit that drives the Soda brand. They are always using fun fabrics and they do a very feminine flavor of tailored suits and exotic pieces in the perfect proportion for me.” CHIANG MAI + This season, Yates has been working with a natural indigo studio up in Chiang Mai called Slowstitch Studio (slowstitchstudio. com) that retails scarves, wall pieces and pillow cases. The studio is run by two textile artists who studied indigo methodology in Japan. “They brought their in-depth knowledge back to Thailand to work on establishing their own sustainable dyeing and weaving studio. They’re developing purely fermented vats of indigo—no lime,

and the richest deep indigo hue you’ve seen!” HONG KONG + “The Armoury (thearmoury. com) takes such care in their curatorial process and the stories behind their wares. It’s a space run by true gentlemen who are really excited about the experience that is their world.” SAIGON + In Saigon, you can find her rummaging through antiques on Le Cong Kieu street in District 1. “You can find some really beautiful ceramic pieces. I’ve picked up a couple of mint cameras with very reasonable price tags after a good bargain.” —Veronica Inveen

Wearing W’menswear The Spring/Summer 2018 collection, debuting in July and retailing February of next year, will introduce a new line of basics like jeans, tees and sweatshirts for yearround appeal. “I think more and more of us are hunting down wardrobe staples that are made well,” Yates says, “so we are using beautiful slow-made Japanese chambrays, knits and denim.” W’menswear (ptjsupplies.tictail.com; pieces from US$160) can be found in boutiques around Asia, including Onion (onionbkk.com) in Bangkok, Syndro (fb.com/syndro.tv) in Taipei, and Nigel Cabourn Women the Army Gym Tokyu Plaza Ginza Store (cabourn.com) in Tokyo.

/ here&now / where to go ne x t

Waterfront Revival

A formerly unremarkable area of Cape Town is becoming a playground for the city’s creative set. by mary Holl and. Photogr aphed by Tom Parker

Cape Town’s new Silo Hotel.

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Sunset at the V&A Waterfront.

It wasn’t long ago that

many Capetonians steered clear of the city’s Victoria & Alfred Waterfront and surrounding Foreshore. The area served as both an industrial shipping hub and a tourist magnet, trading in souvenir bric-a-brac, sightseeing harbor cruises and Cinnabon Stix. That perception changed with the news of the Zeitz

Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (zeitzmocaa.museum),

which is scheduled to open this September in a former grain silo that’s been overhauled by London architect-of-the-moment Thomas Heatherwick. The museum will house one of the world’s largest collections of contemporary African art, much of it from the holdings of Jochen Zeitz, the owner of Kenya’s Segera Retreat and former Puma CEO. It’s Cape Town’s missing element: a cultural anchor to

complement the city’s natural beauty and stellar food and wine scenes. “It’s an icon of the confidence we feel about being African, about our place in the world,” says Mark Coetzee, executive director and chief curator. Now, visitors have a hotel option that befits the changing neighborhood: the Royal Portfolio Collection’s sleek, 28-room Silo Hotel (theroyalportfolio.com; doubles from R15,000) opens this month on the top seven floors of the Zeitz mocaa’s repurposed silo. Its bright, A necklace from Pichulik, in the Watershed marketplace.

lofty rooms have traditional furnishings—tufted chairs, crystal chandeliers—with pillowed-glass windows that lend a futuristic note. Even in advance of the mocaa’s arrival, the area is becoming a haven for African artists and makers. This May, a Cape Town design group will open Guild (southernguild.co.za), a gallery and shop that features work by African artists like Burkina Faso’s Hamed Ouattara, who transforms salvaged metal into housewares. The neighboring Watershed (waterf ront.co.za) marketplace carries goods from more than 150 artisans (such as Pichulik’s rope-andbead statement jewelry and Africa Nova’s patterned textiles) in a warehouse-like space. On Saturday mornings, hungry shoppers can stop at the Oranjezicht City Farm Market (ozcf.co.za) for local produce, freshly

baked breads and a selection of small-batch cheeses. The adjacent Foreshore has become a dining destination, capturing the attention of residents with its global fare. “Capetonians are adventurous, and they know their food and drink,” says chef Giles Edward. After a decade working at Michelinstarred restaurants in London, Edward moved home last year and opened La Tête (latete.co.za; mains R110– R185), a nose-to-tail restaurant in a 1930s Art Deco building on Bree Street. It’s one of the city’s most fearless kitchens, making dishes like kidney pudding and ox hearts with fries. A few blocks away is the General Store (the-general store.co.za), a tiny timberfronted café offering fare like za’atar-spiced lamb and French toast with roasted plums. And over at Bardough (jasonbakery.com), baker Jason Lilley’s new bar-andbakery combo, the menu includes the “dawgzilla,” a sandwich with grilled octopus and spicy chorizo. “The Waterfront has always been tourist-driven—it was never a draw for locals,” Lilley says. “It’s exciting to be one of the pioneers of a developing area.” Colorful houses in the nearby Bo-Kaap neighborhood.

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A tranquil corner at Amanemu.

clockwise from below: Rooftop views

It List 2017 Our favorite new and radically redone hotels of the year will have you booking flights for your next break. Read more at tandl.me/itlist.

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c l o c k w i s e fr o m t o p l e f t: c o u r t e s y o f t h e p e n i n s u l a b e i j i n g ; c o u r t e s y o f a m a n e m u ; c o u r t e s y o f k ata m a m a ; c o u r t e s y o f s a n ta n i

at Katamama; the stylish Santani; tea time in the Peninsula Beijing lobby.

It List

2017

asia AMANEMU

Mie Prefecture, Japan This new hot-spring resort near the Grand Shrines of Ise is opening up an area that’s previously been hard for foreigners to penetrate. It’s unique within the Aman family in that it offers a classic onsen experience, blending the traditional ryokan with Aman’s sense of space. From ¥87,300.

CANYON RANCH

Kaplankaya, Turkey The brand’s first international outpost has panoramic views of the Aegean, a sleek design, and local flavors on display in the cuisine. Hammam treatments are authentic, with a cleansing scrub on a heated marble table followed by an olive-soap massage. From US$472, including meals.

KATAMAMA

Bali, Indonesia The MO here skews more modern than the typical thatched-roof bungalow, but locally made details— lemongrass-infused gin, handdyed bathrobes—keep the look warm, not sterile. Private rooftop Jacuzzis and an adjoining beach club balance serenity with fun. From US$275.

OBEROI SUKHVILAS

Chandigarh, India Oberoi’s newest addition is Mughal-inspired from top to bottom, with intricate handpainted murals and gold leafing throughout. It sits on a former orange grove, so guests can pluck fruit from the trees as they wander the grounds. From Rs21,700.

that’s all juicing and boot camps. Santani’s approach is more subtle, with ayurvedic spa treatments, meditation and health food that includes goatcheese tortellini and chai crème brûlée. From US$710.

SONEVA JANI

Maldives If you’ve ever fantasized about staying in an overwater bungalow, add this to your bucket list. Twenty-four palatial villas jut into a gin-clear lagoon; all have private pools, and some even have waterslides. From US$3,085.

ST. REGIS VOMMULI

Maldives You come here for two reasons. One, for the impeccable St. Regis service. And two, because the look of this private-island resort will leave you speechless. Gently sloped villa roofs are meant to evoke manta rays, while the Whale Bar, which serves small plates and cocktails, opens to panoramic sea views. Read about this resort, Soneva Jani and other Maldivian reveries in “Turquoise Dreams,” page 62. From US$1,770.

TAJ MEGHAULI SERAI

Chitwan National Park, Nepal Taj Safaris’ latest lodge has a prime location, so rhino-spotting excursions are nearly effortless. After a few hours astride an elephant, unwind with a private plunge pool, an alfresco massage and a Tharu meal. From US$300, including meals.

Austr alia & New Zeala nd HELENA BAY

Beijing After a yearlong renovation, the Peninsula is a draw for more than just its location. Rooms now start at 60 square meters and have suitelike layouts, with décor that nods to both China’s storied past and its tech-forward present. From ¥2,180.

North Island, New Zealand The setting of this resort is immaculate, from the sheltered bay to the perfectly pruned gardens. The conscientious care you’ll get is clear from the staffto-guest ratio: 53 employees for a maximum of only 10 visitors. Find this in our round-up of small hotels, “Boutique Love,” page 82. From NZ$2,900.

SANTANI

THE PENINSULA

Sri Lanka The first destination spa in Sri Lanka is all about wellness—and not the ascetic Western kind

Melbourne, Australia Refreshing irreverence makes QT Melbourne a stand-out. The lobby’s wingbacks and stuffed

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peacock set the tone; rooms are industrial-lite. Expect the unexpected—like saucy comments from the elevator voice— and exuberant service. For the inside scoop on the playful interior design, check out “Taking Shape,” page 33. From A$350.

U. S . & Ca nada THE ASBURY

Asbury Park, New Jersey This colorful property is Jersey’s hot new gathering spot. There’s an inviting lobby café and bright-yellow pool chairs to lounge on during the day; at night, options include outdoor movies and a packed rooftop bar. From US$175.

THE BEEKMAN

New York City You could just have a drink in the restored atrium, but you should spend the night to appreciate this architectural wonder from all angles—and at all times of day. From US$619.

THE DEWBERRY

Charleston, South Carolina Once a midcentury office building, the Dewberry is handsome and sleek, with a vintage edge. They’ve even improved upon Southern hospitality: squint at a menu and you’re offered reading glasses; ask for honey and they’ll fetch your preferred kind. From US$300.

FOUR SEASONS RESORT

Lanai, Hawaii Head here for the away-from-itall feel that Lanai does best, but with plenty of amenities—two pools, four restaurants and an excellent spa. The interiors are clean-lined, putting the focus on the ocean views. From US$1,150.

MONTAGE PALMETTO BLUFF

Bluffton, South Carolina This spot still has a gorgeous Lowcountry look and activities like horseback riding and golf. But it got an upgrade last year: a new inn that serves as the hub, with guest rooms, a restaurant and bar and a spa. From US$305.

THE PONTCHARTRAIN

New Orleans Amid a wave of fashionable

openings, the Pontchartrain best captures NOLA’s spirit and history. The 1940s glamour of vintage keys and chandeliers juxtaposed with seemingly incongruent pieces, like a portrait of Lil Wayne, make it elegant and cool in equal measure. From US$179.

THE ROBEY

Chicago You’d be hard-pressed to find another Windy City hotel to rival the Robey’s alchemy of great aesthetics, prime location and thrumming atmosphere—all for a such a wallet-friendly price tag. From US$135.

SINGLE THREAD INN

Healdsburg, California Acclaimed chef Kyle Connaughton transfers the Japanese approach of his kitchen to the hospitality at his luxury inn. The food is hyperseasonal, and the rooms are outfitted with understated highend amenities, like Ratio coffeebrewers and Zalto wineglasses. From US$700.

SURFJACK HOTEL & SWIM CLUB

Honolulu Combine one of Oahu’s best retailers (Olive & Oliver), most exciting chefs (Ed Kenney), and a handful of top artists, and you’ve got a Waikiki first: a hotel that truly taps into the island’s creative spirit. From US$207.

21C MUSEUM HOTEL

Oklahoma City With more than 1,300 square meters of exhibition space, this boutique hotel in the century-old Model T Ford plant has filled the city’s void for an artsy place to stay. And since the galleries, lounge and restaurant have taken off with locals, it has an energy that doesn’t wane midweek. From US$219.

VICEROY L’ERMITAGE

Beverly Hills, California This discreet gem has a fresh new palette, and the lounge has made way for a light-filled French bistro. But the real sell is the suites: with dressing rooms, cushy couches and deep soaking tubs, they’re like an A-list home away from home. From US$413.

Eu rope COOMBESHEAD FARM

Cornwall, England The five rooms are simply decorated, because—let’s be honest—you’re here for the food. The 18th-century farmstead has just a single communal table, where chefs April Bloomfield and Tom Adams serve incredible dishes like pork cracklings in cider sauce. Guests can even take baking or butchery workshops. From £172.

IL SERENO LAGO DI COMO

Lake Como, Italy Il Sereno is a restrained antidote to Como’s gilded grandes dames. Designer Patricia Urquiola had everything from bathtubs to uniforms made with local materials like ceppo di gré stone and Como silk. The layout puts all eyes on the water, with a 150-meter shoreline and lakeview terraces in every room. From €745.

PARK HYATT

Mallorca, Spain This may be the Balearics’ most stunning retreat yet. Its design was inspired by Mallorcan hamlets, and the pink stone buildings, serpentine pathways and rows of colonnades have an ancient feel. From €344.

THE PULITZER

Amsterdam The update of this hotel’s 25 landmarked town houses was not just a polishing of floors and some new cushions. The designer, Jacu Strauss, spent the night in every room to dream up a special look for each. The result is colorful and whimsical, but tasteful. From €275.

THE RITZ

Paris It was all worth the wait. Four years after closing its doors for renovation, the new-andimproved Ritz has kept the Belle Époque glamour but added some modern necessities: speedy WiFi, new plumbing and a one-of-akind Chanel spa. From €1,032.

RITZ-CARLTON

Budapest Just two blocks from the Danube, this Ritz-Carlton captures Budapest’s blend of elegance and modernity. The

club lounge has Hungarian wines and local pressed juices. From €288.

SOHO HOUSE

Barcelona Catalan architecture cements the sense of place, but dedication to comfort makes this six-floor club a place you want to linger. Fluffy robes are a given; here they’ve upped the coziness ante with a heated towel rack, wool eye mask and hot-water bottle under the covers. From €255.

Afr ica & the Middle East ANANTARA AL JABAL AL AKHDAR

Nizwa, Oman Skirting the rim of a canyon 2,000 meters above sea level, this is a dramatic departure from Oman’s beach-resort circuit. The locale makes simple pursuits— vertiginous swims in the infinity pool or dinner on a glass platform cantilevered over the chasm—thrilling. From US$560.

ANDBEYOND MATETSI RIVER LODGE

Matetsi Private Reserve, Zimbabwe At this renovated lodge on a 49,978-hectare reserve, you’re in reach of all the activities offered on the Zambezi. But even if you never leave your room, the scenery—a watery landscape teeming with wildlife—will keep you enthralled. From US$995 per person, all-inclusive.

ASILIA THE HIGHLANDS

Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania It’s the first camp near the northern gate of the Ngorongoro Crater, so while most visitors queue at the southern end in the early morning, Asilia guests can sleep in, then take a leisurely descent to the crater floor. From US$430 per person, all-inclusive.

LEEU ESTATES

Franschhoek, South Africa Analjit Singh’s latest property in South Africa’s wine country is a beautifully landscaped, 17-room gem with its own wine cellar (tastings are gratis for guests), a spa and a farm-to-table restaurant. From US$659.

SANCTUARY CHIEF’S CAMP

Okavango Delta, Botswana Ultra-personal service is the star at this overhauled safari camp. That, and the new Geoffrey Kent Luxury Suite, which comes with a private fire pit, lounge and bar, plus a butler and guide. From US$1,180 per person, all-inclusive.

SIX SENSES ZIL PASYON

Seychelles On this eco-chic private isle, the mood is light: soft marine décor, swings by the tubs, vast pool decks. The pièce de résistance is the spa, shoehorned between the archipelago’s iconic black boulders, with a yoga pavilion so close to the water the sea spray cools you during poses. From US$1,340.

Car ibbean & Ber muda HAMILTON PRINCESS

Bermuda In addition to revamping the rooms during its renovation, this Fairmont property upped its cultural cred with a restaurant from Marcus Samuelsson and an eclectic art collection with works by Warhol, Nelson Mandela and Banksy. From US$279.

KIMPTON SEAFIRE RESORT & SPA

Grand Cayman Catering to both couples and families, this property takes full advantage of its Seven Mile Beach location. Guest rooms—in colors inspired by flora on site— are all angled to face the sea, and the lobby has spectacular floor-to-ceiling windows. From US$500.

LE BARTHÉLEMY HOTEL & SPA

St. Bart’s, French West Indies This Grand Cul-de-Sac newcomer is at once glamorous and unpretentious. An army of genial French staffers will stock a gourmet picnic basket for you, or tote rosé to your lounge chair overlooking the Caribbean. From US$636.

SHORE CLUB

Turks and Caicos This hotel is the first on Long Bay Beach, a more private alternative to popular Grace Bay. Come for a romantic escape (the

ocean-inspired scheme is glamorous) or a group vacation (the 580-square-meter penthouse has a huge terrace and hot tub). From US$925.

Mexico & Centr al & South Amer ica ATIX HOTEL

La Paz, Bolivia Contemporary and indigenous influences abound, like a façade of timber and Comanche stone and works by artist Gastón Ugalde. The restaurant, Ona, is among the city’s best, thanks to a staff recruited from Latin America’s top kitchens. From US$143.

CHABLÉ

Yucatán, Mexico Just an hour from the coast, Chablé marries Méridan hacienda hospitality with beachresort-style amenities (like the glamorous, palm tree-lined pool that could’ve been plucked from Tulum). From US$780.

EXPLORA VALLE SAGRADO

Sacred Valley, Peru Explora’s philosophy emphasizes nature, and their latest addition is designed accordingly: Wi-Fi, TV and minibars are replaced with soothing spaces ideal for relaxing after a day spent exploring craggy peaks and Incan ruins. From US$1,950 per person, for three nights, all-inclusive.

MAR ADENTRO

Los Cabos, Mexico A reflecting pool wraps around this striking seaside property, anchored by Nido, a restaurant ensconced within a woven-twig ovoid structure. The rooms are divvied among stark white cubes that appear to float along the edges of the pool. From US$326.

NEKUPE

Nicaragua The service alone is first-class, as you’d expect at a luxury inn with just four villas and four suites. But consider the activities—trail rides, monkeywatching treks, skeet shooting and more—and the unreal views, and it’s a singular way to experience the region. From US$750.

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borneo| cambodia + more design

Taking Shape

C o u r t e s y o f SCDA

We talked to designers behind some of the most distinctive new properties in the region—including an Indonesian oasis that blends into the beach, an urban hotel in Australia that isn’t afraid to get flirty, and a zero-carbon eco-pod in Malaysia—to find out how they are shaping the future of hotels.

SCDA designed the SkyTerrace living concept in Singapore to incorporating elements of the surrounding park.

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/ beyond /d e s i g n

from Top (at soori bali): Ombak beachfront restaurant; spa-style bathrooms with stone and warm terracotta; villas are surrounded by palm trees along the shoreline.

Founder: Soo K. Chan Speciality: Harmony

“Many places in Bali have been loved almost to death, but Soori Bali is different,” says Soo K. Chan, owner of the property and founder of SCDA Architects. “It is a neighbor with a genuine connection to the villages and local culture.” Conjuring connections is Chan’s modus operandi in his quest to link the surrounding world with the spaces he creates. Of course starting with the right location is a pivotal part of any blueprint and Chan says he was instantly smitten with the plot where Soori Bali (sooribali.com; doubles from US$775) now sits, a groove of black volcanic beach under Mount Batukaru, surrounded by rice terraces: “When we first discovered the land, there was no road access, so my wife and I took a helicopter out to see it. It was magical— breathtakingly beautiful and so peaceful.”

But Chan expects more out of the scenery than just a pretty backdrop—even the trees have a to-do list. Harnessing nature’s own design prowess, he uses crossventilation to reduce energy consumption, and tasks the leafy landscape to provide shade. “It’s about making the best use of natural resources,” Chan says, “so that the resort blends in seamlessly.” The resort opened six years ago, managed by boutique luxury group Alila, but as Chan gained experience in the hospitality industry he decided to take over. “As an architect and an avid traveler, it was my

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dream to be a hotelier,” he says. Now Chan has even more autonomy over fulfilling his vision, designing everything from the restaurant and garden landscape, down to the staff uniforms and cutlery. His knack for combining the harmony of nature with the precision of an engineer traces back to his childhood in unesco-listed George Town, Penang. “I wanted to be an architect from the time I was old enough to play with Lego pieces,” Chan says. His other lifelong dream of becoming a hotelier will be realized this spring when Soori Bali relaunches. Coming out from

C o u r t e s y o f S o o r i B a l i ( 3 ) . i n s e t: c o u r t e s y o f s c d a

Firm: SCDA Architects (scdaarchitects.com) Design Philosophy: Seamlessly transition between indoor- and outdoor-spaces.

under the Alila umbrella, this series of upgrades and additions will position the property as an anchor of the new Soori luxury lifestyle brand. All 48 villas will be polished up and Chan is converting a wooden Balinese house into an Indonesian restaurant with views over the rice fields, but he says the most exciting transformation is the revamp of the Soori Spa, which will offer massage, reiki and acupuncture, along with therapy courtesy of U.S.-trained clinical psychologist Dr. Harold Roberts to improve the neurological shaping of the brain. “We create truly transformative experiences for the mind, and body and soul,” Chan says. It is fitting that a spa is the keystone for a guy whose ideology is all about finding a balance between what is outside and what is in.

c o u r t e s y o f Q T H o t e l s a n d R e s o r t s ( 2 ) . i n s e t: TE R ENCE CHIN

Coming Soon Soo K. Chan is taking another bite out of the Big Apple with the Soori High Line (522 West 29th St., New York, NY; soorihighlineny.com), which will open this summer. Chan says the 31-room residential property is “the synthesis of 25 years of architectural practice. I strived to create the most bespoke residence in NYC by marrying crafted luxury with resort-style living.” Soori Niseko is also on the drawing board as the brand’s first ski resort.— Merritt Gurle y

Founder: Nic Graham Speciality: Humor Firm: Nic Graham + Associates Design Philosophy: Spin interior design to create comedic moments. “Are you alone, handsome? Is that a gun your pocket?” the elevator may ask you at the QT Melbourne, thanks to the cheeky sense of humor of interior designer Nic Graham. If you are at the new QT Sydney, the elevator won’t flirt with you, but it will use sensors to choose the perfect soundtrack for you. “If there’s one person in the lift, it may play something like Are You Lonely Tonight,” Graham explains, “but if there are six people it might ramp it up to a house party anthem.”

This playful blend of design and technology is Graham’s calling card. The founder of Nic Graham + Associates, or G+A for short—a small Sydney-based firm with a reputation for creating spaces ripe with humor and narration—tries to capture guests’ imagination with every centimeter of his interiors. “One of our jobs is to create memorable experiences that guests can take with them,” Graham says, “memories that touch them somewhere and create a return visit as opposed to a space that you are just transient through.” This ethos made him a perfect partner for David Seargeant, founder of QT hotels, the enfant terrible of Australia’s budding artmeets-fashion-meets-anything goes school of hotel design. “At our very first meeting it was apparent Nic had a full grasp of our vision to create a multi-layered, design-driven spaces for our hotels,” Seargeant says of commissioning Graham to design the interiors of the first QT on the

from top: Houndstooth and

Chesterfields at the QT Sydney Member’s Lounge: Striking a pose outside of QT Melbourne.

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/ beyond /d e s i g n Gold Coast, which opened in 2012, and who has repeat-hired the designer half-a-dozen times since. Graham started his career not as an interiors-man but as a furnituremaker. “Back at university, I liked the idea of architecture but I was scared off by the math,” he says. “So I studied furniture making instead. It allowed me to vent my creativity on a smaller scale.” Graham still crafts furniture. He developed a custom range for each

QT hotel—high-back retro chairs, giant purple ottomans, solid wood coffee tables—not just as functional objects but as yet another layer of humor, adding to the narrative. But why must everything have a punch line? Because, “finding humor in furniture, artifacts and artworks results in a much more personal guest experience,” Graham says. “That’s something I taught myself after years of working in minimalist modern spaces.”

Coming Soon G+A is currently shaping the inside of the second Hotel Indigo project in Taipei. Built near the city’s river on the site of an old brickworks, the 180-room property is scheduled to open in 2018 and will embrace the history of its location with inferences to brick patterns and dragon-boat racing. Closer to home, the company is working on two new properties for W Hotels and Resorts in Australia: the W Brisbane, which will have a river theme coupled with modern interpretations of Aboriginal storytelling and art; and the W Perth, where dirty reds, ochres, sand, jarrah timbers and king stucco will engender a tie-in to the economics of mining-rich Western Australia.—Ian lloyd

Founder: Jason Pomeroy Speciality: Heritage Firm: Pomeroy Studio (pomeroystudio.sg) Design Philosophy: Use ancient technique as inspiration for modern sustainable structures.

from TOP: G+A

crafted the interiors and poolside design at W Hong Kong; the staircase at QT Melbourne, but take the elevator.

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Architect Jason Pomeroy doesn’t shy away from a challenge. Eco-pods. Carbon-negative homes. A 522-room over-water, hibiscus flower–shaped hotel, which holds the Guinness World Record for most swimming pools in a resort. His portfolio may be diverse, but a simple philosophy shines through every project: if it ain’t broke, why fix it? While many modern designers are chasing the newest trends, Pomeroy has his sights trained on the past, using ancient architectural techniques to achieve surprising and cutting-edge feats of sustainability.

f r o m t o p : c o u r t e s y o f w h o t e l h o n g k o n g ; c o u r t e s y o f Q T H o t e l s a n d R e s o r t s . i n s e t: R o b e r t S u c h / P o m e r o y S t u d i o

neubauer

From top (by pomeroy studio): Flower-shaped Lexis

c l o c k w i s e fr o m t o p l e f t: R o b e r t S u c h / P o m e r o y S t u d i o ( 2 ) ; P o m e r o y S t u d i o

Hibiscus resort, in Malasyia; B House, a carbon-negative home in Singapore; Pomeroy’s sketch of Shenzhen, drawn on Montblanc Augmented paper.

What started as a childhood past time—making wigwams out of twigs in the garden of his parent’s London home—has blossomed into Singapore-based Pomeroy Studios, one of the most innovative and sustainable design firms in Southeast Asia. Pomeroy’s love of throwback structures, like the wigwam, is still a guiding force. The half-Malay, half-British architect is also a professor, author, and host of Channel NewsAsia’s City Time Traveller and Smart Cities 2.0. His work takes him across Asia studying both antique and modern buildings. “While aesthetics may change, the basic social and cultural needs of man have remained the same for hundreds—if not thousands—of years,” Pomeroy says. “Buildings that can meet these needs tend to stand the test of time.” Take the B House in Singapore, a carbon-negative home that Pomeroy designed. At first look, its silver, rounded roof, large windows and sleek wood details speak only to modernity, however, it draws on many of the same principles that inform the city’s iconic black-andwhites: overhanging roof, expansive verandas and variable shutters. Pomeroy’s Idea House, on the outskirts of Kuala Lumpur, is an ode to the traditional Malaysian kampong home, built with the

features to meet the needs of today’s society, following what he calls “a Darwinian theory of (building) evolution.” Survival of the fittest is just another challenge Pomeroy is ready to tackle. cultural, spatial and social needs of its inhabitants in mind. “It can expand and contract as families grow and change,” Pomeroy says of the modular framework. Channeling the architects of old, Pomeroy thinks about buildings in terms of how they are used and puts people first. “It is vital to foster a sense of community so that the place becomes more people-centric,” Pomeroy says. From single homes like the B House, to the 522-room Lexis Hibiscus (lexishibiscuspd.com; doubles from RM870) Pomeroy uses age-old tricks like high-ceilings for cooling and central courtyards to bring people together, but adapts the

Coming Soon Situated on some of the most prime beach frontage in the Philippines, Casobe, a residence and hotel in Calatagan, Batangas will boast 342 nautically inspired rooms making for the perfect escape from bustling Manila. Befitting of a site of natural beauty, the structure will embrace Pomeroy’s green agenda with a low carbon footprint. And to further his foothold in the Philippine’s sustainable architecture scene, Optimma, a housing community in Pampanga that will be completed in 2018, will have 246 carbon-zero homes at a price point accessible to the average Filipino homeowner. —Veronica Inveen

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/ beyond /f a s h i o n Roger Vivier ankle-strap sandal (rogervivier. com; $875); Eddie Borgo Chet Minaudière bag (eddieborgo.com; $1,490).

Sitting Pretty Spring style this year is all about a playful approach to color and texture, with luxe materials done in a bold, retro palette. Paris’s Hôtel Saint-Marc, a jewel box in the Second Arrondissement, has mastered that mix—it’s the perfect stage for showing off the season’s best bags (and one seriously great shoe). FASHION EDITOR MELISSA VENTOSA MARTIN. Photogr aphed By Crista Leonard >>

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*Prices are listed in U.S. dollars and may vary by country and retailer.

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S I A M K E M P I N S K I H OT E L BA N G KO K 991/9 Rama, Road Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand Tel: +66 (0) 2 162 9000, Fax: +66 (0) 2 162 9009 kempinski.com/bangkok

equipped accommodation in a unique setting. Most rooms feature a balcony overlooking the verdant gardens and free-form swimming pools. The Cabana and Duplex Cabana rooms enjoy direct pool access from a private terrace. The Duplex rooms, with a living room and bedroom on separate floors, boast additional privacy. Larger families should opt for the kitchenette-equipped two-bedroom suites, and a family package that comes with unlimited access to the

Kids’ Club, where guests aged 5 to 12 will love the perks, from karaoke to arts and crafts to cooking classes in the Kids’ Club junior kitchen. Speaking of haute cuisine, Siam Kempinski’s award-winning Sra Bua by Kiin Kiin is a must for any foodie. Applying Western cooking techniques to traditional recipes, the chefs produce original Thai-inspired modern fare. It’s a delightful blend of old world and new, European and Asian that also defines this warm, beautiful hotel.

/ beyond /f a s h i o n In one of the Hôtel Saint-Marc’s lounge areas, velvet sofas and a pastel rug are plush counterpoints to a brass-wrapped chair and chrome-and-glass tables (hotelsaintmarc.com; doubles from $305).

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3 4

1. Céline Clasp bag in crocodile (celine.com; $23,400). 2. Loewe Barcelona Stitches bag (loewe.com; $2,850). 3. Givenchy by Riccardo Tisci bag (givenchy.com; price upon request); L’Artisan Parfumeur Tenebrae perfume (lartisanparfumeur.com; $210). 4. Stella McCartney shoulder bucket bag (stellamccartney.com; $1,585). 5. La Maison Moreau Vicomte and Chancelière bag (moreau-paris.com; Vicomte bag, $4,795; Chancelière bag, $3,425).

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/ beyond /c o n s e r v a t i o n Life proliferates in Malaysia’s Ulu Telupid forest reserve.

Heart of the Jungle

In the wilds of Sabah, a village is opening an untamed forest to help preserve the rainforest and their own culture. By Marco Ferr arese. Photogr aphed by Kit Yeng Chan. >>

march 2017 / tr av el andleisure asia .com

Ratnagiri– Unfold the rich legacy as you walk across this Buddhist seat

Website: odishatourism.gov.in/www.visitodisha.org• E-mail: oritour@gmail.com • Toll Free : 1800 208 1414, OTDC Central Reservation Counter (10 am - 6 pm): Tel. : +91674 2430764

If you wish to explore places of historical significance, Odisha’s rich cultural heritage will serve as the perfect time machine. Rock-cut shelters at Khandagiri and Udayagiri dating back to the 1st century BC, excavated Buddhist Stupas, monasteries and Sculptures at Ratnagiri and Lalitgiri, and the Sun Temple at Konark will provide extraordinary glimpses into the ancient past.

Lalitgiri– Be speechless as you explore Buddhist relics and tantra

DhauligiriAmidst tranquil Buddhist backdrop discover your very own Peace Pagoda

FEEL BLESSED, EXPLORING THE RICH BUDDHIST HERITAGE OF ODISHA

sanket odisha tourism 2016

/ beyond /c o n s e r v a t i o n We push through a snarl of vines, bend under low-hanging branches and hike a rugged path until we stumble upon a stream. Machete in hand, our young guide Herman Solungin jumps over the slippery stones that peek above the surface. He lands safe on the opposite side, but we hesitate. The bottom of the riverbed looks like a nasty place for a fall.

“Put your right leg on the second rock and use that hanging liana to balance. Be careful, it’s very unstable,” Eddie Chia, the tall Sabahan-Chinese our tour leader says. This 38-year-old is the reason we have entered the depths of this forgotten jungle, a place that, until now, has been only visited by researchers, rangers and, sadly, the occasional illegal poachers. About 100 more treacherous rocks and 30 minutes later, we emerge sweaty, breathless and awe-struck at the bottom of a waterfall that crashes into a bowl of boulders. My legs are shaking but it’s a fine price to pay to stand where I am, surrounded by century-old giant trees, and dwarfed by the wicked power of the Kopuron waterfall roaring above me. I’m among a precious few to have stood in this very spot in Ulu Telupid, a protected rainforest reserve located in the center of Sabah on the eastern fringe of the Heart of Borneo conservation area (heartofborneo.org). Despite its perfect location as a pit stop

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between the lures of Mt. Kinabalu and the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Center, this lush slice of the country has never seen tourism until now. Before being gazetted as a Class 1 Forest Reserve in 1984, Ulu Telupid was used for palm-oil farming and timber logging, and it never occurred to the Dusun, Sabah’s largest ethnic group, that their home might be an adventure-travel draw. Some residents of neighboring Kampung Bestaria village migrated to Ulu Telupid in the 1970s to work in the logging industry, while others have lived here for generations, surrounded by this bountiful resource, oblivious to its potential. Everything changed last year, when Chia teamed up with the villagers of tiny Kampung Bestaria to form the grassroots cooperative KOBEST (Koperasi Kampung Bestaria; 6013/858-0699; kobest16@gmail.com; two-day, one-night packages for two from RM520), a contraction of Koperasi and Bestaria, and start guiding the first visitors into the reserve. This community is the birthplace of Chia’s Dusun wife Nelly, so he has all the more reason to be invested in its well-being. His goal is to bring new funds to the village by easing access to the

area. Today, travelers just have to send KOBEST an e-mail and the organization takes care of everything, from dealing with the permits required to visit the reserve, to pickup in Telupid town, to organizing custom tours that follow the rugged paths carved and maintained by KOBEST themselves. “I see the cooperative as a program, more than a product,” Chia says. It’s one with parameters: the community weighs in on every decision, and tourism revenue is considered secondary to farming and agriculture income. Chia has a long history with jungle tourism. In the 1980s, his mother was branch manager of Api Tours, the pioneering travel company that started operations in Sepilok. “During school holidays, my mom would take me with her in the jungle to help as a dishwasher and a porter.” He remembers shuttling around the battery of her first Motorola cellular phone—it weighed 25 kilos. “Back then, traveling in Sabah was more authentic: accessibility was limited, you had to bring anything you needed in the jungle, and we had to rely on local communities to provide accommodation and food,” he says. “That’s the concept I have for the co-op.” A stay here is a dive into pure Borneo. Visitors enter a world governed by the rhythms of nature, participating to the Dusun tribe’s daily rituals, such as farming mountain rice

and palm oil. Sharing communal meals on the floor of their host families’ homes, guests are surrounded by smiling elders and gurgling newborns. The dishes are simple, and everything from the chicken cutlets to shredded papaya to the brown rice comes straight from the surrounding hills. “We are still discovering new patches of forest, opening new trails and trying the best approaches to bring visitors in,” Chia says, bending over a map of the area, his tiny round spectacles falling towards the tip of his nose. The area has plenty of assets to draw a crowd—two gushing waterfalls, giant trees, and some of the world’s rarest species of flowering plant—but part of the grand plan is to keep visitation sustainable. “We don’t want to bring more than 60 visitors per month into the jungle,” he says. When nature is the commodity, conservation is paramount, and KOBEST’s guides are tasked with keeping foot traffic low, minimizing impact on the jungle, helping block illegal poaching and logging activities and, of course, educating visitors. “We want people to come to Kampung Bestaria and experience Dusun culture while they learn about the issues the rainforest is facing,” he says. If this project proves successful, Chia plans to take it to other rural communities across Borneo. The concept is a lot like the jungle that inspires it. With a little love and care, who knows how far it will grow?

from far left: The

towering Ulu Telupid canopy; an egret; a young KOBEST helper demonstrates how to tap rubber; a deer farm outside Telupid; Kopuron Waterfall; harvesting rice.

/ beyond /t r a v e l d i a r y

Seeking Soul Food

On a spontaneous trip to Cambodia last summer, fashion designer Phillip Lim developed a passion for cooking and a new outlook on life and work. 1

1. I fell in love with the cuisine in Cambodia. It was so simple, but delicious and refined. I just started cooking a few months ago. I used to joke that I was a professional takeout orderer, but I got to a point where I wanted to change my life. I stayed at Amansara (aman. com; suites from US$1,290) and asked to shadow a cook who could teach me to make my own meals. I learned in this open-air kitchen. We used charcoal instead of electricity. We’d leave these three clay vessels heating all day and rotate whatever

dishes we were cooking. 2. This is the beginning of a curry paste. You use ginger, turmeric, galangal, Kaffir lime, Thai chilis and garlic, and pound it with a mortar and pestle. It’s the foundation for almost all Khmer food. 3. I hope to return and stay in one of these local houses—many of them have been in a single family for generations. This one, where I had the cooking lessons, overlooks Angkor Wat. It’s a traditional house, built on stilts. There’s no electricity, but it’s designed so air circulates constantly, and

For designer Phillip Lim, Cambodia always seemed shrouded in secrecy. Though raised in California, he was born in Thailand to Chinese parents who had spent a decade in Cambodia before they had to flee across the border when the Khmer Rouge took power. Their memories were painful ones, of a country embroiled in civil war. “My parents never talked to me about it,” he says. “I remember asking to go and they’d say, ‘Oh, no, you don’t want to do that.’ ” Still, friends said he’d love it, so when he decided on a whim to take his first true vacation in years, Siem Reap was an easy choice. With no firm plans beyond a hotel reservation, Lim spent his stay meandering through temples, cooking with locals, and soaking in the slower pace. Here, he shares a few favorite moments from the trip. — Lil a Battis

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all photos: courtesy of phillip lim

when monsoon season comes the water runs underneath so there’s no flooding. It’s really beautiful. Cambodia has luxury, but to me the reason to go is to get in touch with what you want to be about. 4. Everything in Cambodia is centered on food. That’s how the community comes together. It was beautiful to see, and I just wanted to be a part of it. We went to the market each day. These vegetables are all grown by local farmers— no pesticides, just straight from the backyard. 5. I made this lunch in the open-air kitchen. It’s shrimp-and-pomelo salad; coconut-curry fish with Kaffir lime; lemongrass pork skewers; and pickled cucumber, carrots and radish with chiliand-lime dressing. Anything we didn’t need got turned into something else. It’s made me see ingredients in a different way. It’s like what I do at work with materials. Apply it to cooking and the sky’s the limit. 6. I didn’t tell my family I was going to Cambodia. My parents left so traumatized that

they can’t speak about it, and they were so protective of me. But the day before I left, I got a package from my sister with photos of my parents at Angkor Wat. Talk about synchronicity. So I went there at the beginning of the trip. It was an amazing, spiritual experience. When I came home and told my parents where I’d been, they were happy I had made the decision on my own. They see both sides—what Cambodia gave them and what it took away—but I just saw the beauty and the potential, which was nice for them to hear. 7. Every morning, a guide picked me up on a tuk-tuk to go see the sunrise from dilapidated forest temples. This temple, Banteay Kdei, is one of the few in the area that are still used in religious ceremonies. It was a special experience to witness the monks at prayer. I said a blessing in gratitude that I am able to travel, to get out of my comfort zone, and to see a place that held so much personal significance to my family.

Everything in Cambodia is centered around food. That’s how the community comes together. I just wanted to be a part of it 6

Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay

THERE ARE PLACES YOU MOVE TO… AND THERE ARE PLACES THAT MOVE YOU

Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan

Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay

Let Four Seasons take you to the heart of a Bali that few discover - and even fewer truly experience. Gaze over the sparkling ocean from a fully-renovated, Balinese-inspired pool villa, learn an ancient craft and renew your spirit with sunset blessings by a Balinese priest at Four Seasons Jimbaran Bay. Submit to nature’s embrace at the riverside Four Seasons Sayan, explore Ubud and unlock the cultural and spiritual heart of this mystical island.

Find out more at: fourseasons.com/bali

Sort By Price

A roadmap to affordable accommodation across Asia. By Diana Hubbell

s o u r c e I l l u s t r at e d fr o m t o p : c o u r t e s y o f H o t e l I n d i g o S i n g a p o r e K at o n g ; c o u r t e s y o f T u n e H o t e l S e pa n g ; c o u r t e s y o f R a m a d a B a l i S u n s e t R o a d K u ta

Illustr ated by Autchar a Panphai

Gone are the days when frugal travelers could expect nothing more than schlepping their own luggage to bare-walled rooms in properties so generic they’d wake up and forget where they were. Luckily, hotels have learned that personality goes a long way and that mantra has trickled down to even their lowest-cost options. Nimbler labels are focusing on catering to specific clientele, be they flashpackers, fitness fanatics or digital nomads. While some properties flaunt splashes of local color, others may feature meeting spaces reminiscent of a Google office. Best of all, these high-end extras are often available at bargain prices. Read on to find the hotel that best fits your wallet-conscious wanderlust.

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the

/ guıde /

affordable

hotels

Tune Hotels

What they lack in frills, hotels from this Malaysia-based chain more than make up for by nailing the basics every business or short-term leisure traveler needs. Expect super-comfy beds with 250-thread-count duvets and powerful showerheads. Base rates are a steal, but you might want to fork over a little more for extras like air-con and TV. + where in asia: India, Indonesia, Malaysia + newcomer: While the Malaysian mogul behind Tune has been busy lately opening properties in Nairobi and London’s Shoreditch, the recently rebranded Tune Hotel Sepang, Malaysia (doubles from $58) offers a place to crash 15 minutes from the Kuala Lumpur airport. The hotel will let you book a shorter stay between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. and pay even less. + tunehotels.com.

Ibis Hotels

Base price:

$60

or less

Basic Bunks Working under the philosophy “less is more,” these accommodations bypass unnecessary extras and pass the savings onto you.

*Prices throughout are listed in U.S. dollars for easy comparison.

FabHotels

For those traveling to the Subcontinent, this budget brand boasts more than 150 properties. Most veer to the spartan side, but with average rates starting at around $30 per night and convenient locations in more than a dozen cities, no one seems to be complaining. + where in asia: India + newcomer: FabHotel Sai Village Sushant Lok (doubles from $25) features simple, functional rooms for a low price. + fabhotels.com.

c o u r t e s y o f T u n e H o t e l y o g ya k a r ta

Tune Hotel, Yogyakarta.

Sometimes all you really want is a clean, comfortable place to sleep without breaking the bank, which is where the 2,000-plus Ibis, Ibis Styles and Ibis Budget hotels come into play. While the latter keeps prices as low as $25 with compact cocoon rooms and the like, there are still some serious bargains to be found in the former two lines. + where in asia: Burma, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, Vietnam + newcomer: As the name implies, the main draw at the Ibis Saigon Airport (doubles from $54) is its location, especially useful if you’ve got a long layover transferring between Tan Son Nhat International Airport and the domestic terminal. + ibis.com.

Base price:

A Little Something Extra

or less

Plenty of small perks are available for those willing to shell out a few more bucks on their stay.

c l o c k w i s e fr o m l e f t: c o u r t e s y o f R a m a d a B a l i S u n s e t R o a d K u ta ; c o u r t e s y o f C i n n a m o n R e d C o l o m b o ; c o u r t e s y o f N o v o t e l P h u k e t P h o k e e t h r a

$100

Cinnamon Red Colombo.

Ramada Bali Sunset Road Kuta.

Cinnamon Red Hotels

While Cinnamon Hotels & Resorts across Sri Lanka and the Maldives can be fairly opulent, the brand’s recently launched sibling targets switched-on urbanites looking for a stay with character at an affordable price. The budget brand, which bills itself as “lean luxury,” only includes one property at this point, but as flashpackers continue to flock to the Pearl of the Indian Ocean, that’s likely to change quickly. + where in asia: Sri Lanka + newcomer: From the swift paperless check-in to the rooftop infinity pool with Indian Ocean views, there’s a lot to like about Cinnamon Red Colombo (doubles from $85), the brand’s splashy debut. + cinnamonhotels.com.

Ramada Hotels

Novotel Phuket Phokeethra.

Sunset Road Kuta (doubles from $60)

Run by the Wyndham Hotel Group, which boasts the largest number of hospitality properties in the world, Ramada Hotels has been a low-cost favorite for more than 60 years. Although many of its 1,000-plus properties are concentrated in North America, the brand has ambitious Asian expansion plans. Options range from Ramada Limited, with a modest number of amenities, to full-service Ramada Hotels. + where in asia: Australia, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mongolia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand + newcomer: Kuta may be the epicenter of Bali’s party scene, but the Ramada Bali

makes it easy for guests to take a break from all the action. Sip sundowners by the rooftop pool, book a treatment at the spa, and unwind in true Balinese style. + ramada.co.uk.

Holiday Inn Express

The sheer number—more than 2,400 worldwide—of outlets in this chain by InterContinental Hotels & Resorts is a testament to their popularity among thrifty travelers looking for reliable standards like fully stocked business centers and smaller fitness clubs. Holiday Inns and Holiday Inn Resorts around Asia often sport full-service amenities and cushy on-site restaurants, while Holiday Inn Express outposts

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affordable

focus on savings. For the love of families, kids aged 12 and under can stay and eat for free across Asia. + where in asia: China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Macau, Malaysia, Maldives, Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand + newcomer: A super-central location near one of the Malaysian capital’s main shopping districts makes the Holiday Inn

Express Kuala Lumpur City Centre

(doubles from $50) a practical choice for shorter stays. + ihg.com/holidayinn.

Mercure Hotels

Slightly swisher than Ibis but a touch less upscale than Novotel, this mid-range entry from AccorHotels features free Wi-Fi connectivity, an efficient online check-in system, and stylishly functional rooms from Tokyo to Chiang Mai. + where in asia: China, Indonesia, Japan, Laos, Philippines, Singapore,

hotels

South Korea, Thailand, Vietnam + newcomer: The Mercure Manila Ortigas (doubles from $65) gives guests easy access to Pasig City, plus plenty of meeting facilities for work travel, and 150 comfortable rooms. + mercure.com.

Jin Jiang International Hotels

This Shanghai-based powerhouse operates a string of four- and five-star hotels throughout the People’s Republic. Both categories are moderately priced and often offer some of the cushiest beds in farther flung cities such as Urumqi. + where in asia: China + newcomer: In a green area outside of the city center, Jin Jiang International Hotel Xi’an (doubles from $100) gives visitors a break from all the bustle with relatively easy access to the Terra Cotta Warriors and the Bell Tower. + hotels.jinjiang.com.

Centra by Centara

Unlike the huge five-star Centara Grand hotels or the petite but pricey Centara Boutique Collection, this economic offshoot keeps it simple in urban and seaside spots in the Kingdom of Smiles. + where in asia: Thailand + newcomer: Centra by Centara Phu Pano Resort Krabi (doubles from $80) exudes chilled out ocean vibes. + centarahotelsresorts.com.

Doubletree by Hilton

Warm chocolate chip cookies at check-in and other thoughtful touches help the 450-plus outlets of this brand across 39 countries stand out from the crowd. + where in asia: China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand + newcomer: Relax at the indoor sauna and steam room when you stay at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Chongqing Nan An (doubles from $87).

+ doubletree3.hilton.com.

c o u r t e s y o f C e n t r a b y C e n ta r a P h u Pa n o R e s o r t Kr a b i

Centra by Centara Phu Pano Resort Krabi.

march 2017 / tr av el andleisure asia .com

Exceptional Extended Stays These serviced apartments combine the comforts of home with the convenience of a hotel. BANGKOK Modena by Fraser, Bangkok

Holiday Inn Express Kuala Lumpur City Centre.

c o u r t e s y o f H o l i d ay I n n E x p r e s s K u a l a L u m p u r C i t y C e n t r e

Novotel Hotels

With more than 430 locations worldwide, Novotel Hotels provide travelers with all the basics and then some. Wi-Fi, generously sized flatscreens, iPod docking stations, online check-in and fast check-out, plus around-the-clock dining options are just a few of the standard amenities. Families will love both the play areas and the fact that two children under the age of 16 can stay and eat breakfast for free. + where in asia: China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand + newcomer: Historic Phuket Town is at your doorstep when you stay at the new Novotel Phuket Phokeethra (doubles from $100). The sky lounge offers especially pretty views of old Sino-Portuguese roofs. + novotel.com.

Four Points by Sheraton

Travelers flock to the more than 200 of these hotels across 30 countries thanks to tech-savvy perks that go way beyond free Wi-Fi. For instance, a downloadable training app will help you come up with a customized workout in the gym, while select rooms come equipped with smart mirrors and dual HD televisions so that you and your boo can stop fighting over the remote. + where in asia: Australia, Bangladesh, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Nepal, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam + newcomer: Conveniently located near the city’s CBD, the Four Points by Sheraton Jakarta, Thamrin (doubles from $64) provides in-room massage treatments in lieu of a spa. + starwoodhotels.com/fourpoints.

Huge windows, custom art pieces, and a location near the MRT make this new debut a hit with business travelers. bangkok. modenabyfraser.com; doubles from $54.

KUALA LUMPUR Ascott Kuala Lumpur

Plush kitchenetteequipped pads come with access to a top-notch gym, a sauna and pool, and plenty of playspace for kids, making this central residence feel like an upgraded version of home. the-ascott.com; doubles from $95.

HONG KONG V Wanchai Hotel

With just 25 opulently appointed rooms, this hotel and serviced apartment makes for an intimate abode exclusively for longer stays, with a price tag that’s a steal in Hong Kong. thev.hk; doubles from $3,158 per month ($102 per night).

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Hotel Indigo Singapore Katong. left: Amari Koh Samui.

Living Larger

or less

Creature comforts abound at these decidedly upscale, but still affordable options.

$140

Amari

The “Amari Hosts” at these familyfriendly hotels and resorts are always available to babysit or keep the kids occupied with a slew of games and crafts, giving parents the chance to take a breather and sip a cocktail by the pool. Flexible all-day dining and modern décor add to the overall experience. + where in asia: China, Bangladesh, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Thailand. (Malaysia opens June 2017) + newcomer: On the powdery strip of Chaweng Beach, Amari Koh Samui (doubles from $120) features dual swimming pools in a lush, green setting. + amari.com.

Aloft Hotels

With modish furnishings and a palpably hip vibe similar to more upscale sister brand W Hotels & Resorts, these urban outposts tend to revolve around buzzy cocktail bars and dining options targeted at young professionals on the go. Guests can take advantage of high-tech perks such as the SPG Keyless system, which allows you to open your door with a wave of your smartphone. At select properties, Botlr, a robotic butler, attends to the needs of guests by delivering towels, toiletries and other necessities right to their doors. + where in asia: China, India, Indonesia, South Korea, Malaysia, Nepal,

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dusitD2 Hotels & Resorts

The savvy little sibling of Dusit Thani Hotels & Resorts, dusitD2 Hotels sport contemporary interiors dappled with splashes of primary colors, full connectivity, and often extras including spas, fitness studios, and activities such as cooking classes. + where in asia: China, Maldives, Philippines, Thailand + newcomer: Guests at the dusitD2 Khao Yai (doubles from $100), overlooking Khao Yai National Park, can partake in fun outdoorsy activities, such as visiting a near by alpaca farm or dining in a private treetop “pod.” + dusit.com/dusitd2.

Hotel Indigo

Local culture infuses every element of these boutiques, from the design schemes of the suites—think: murals and bespoke artwork inspired by the surrounding neighborhood—to the menus serving traditional specialties made with regional produce. Spa-style bathrooms

fr o m l e f t: c o u r t e s y o f H o t e l I n d i g o S i n g a p o r e K at o n g ; c o u r t e s y o f Am a r i K o h S a m u i

Base price:

Taiwan, Thailand + newcomer: Opened in January, Aloft Taipei Beitou (doubles from $126) is ideally positioned for travelers looking to scope out the capital or kick back at the nearby natural hot springs. + starwoodhotels.com/alofthotels.

with rainshowers, plus business and fitness centers available around the clock, are added bonuses. + where in asia: China, Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand + newcomer: Taking over a former police station, Hotel Indigo Singapore Katong (doubles from $140) features a rooftop infinity pool with a killer view of one of the Lion City’s historic ’hoods. + ihg.com/hotelindigo.

Avani Hotels & Resorts

They may not offer quite the same level of luxury as swankier sister brand Anantara, but Avani properties still sport plenty of flair, not to mention kids’ clubs, spas and fitness centers. Activities go local, including mangrove tours in Malaysia, basket boats in Vietnam, and watersports in Sri Lanka. + where in asia: Malaysia, Thailand, Sri Lanka and Vietnam

+ newcomer: A Sri Lankan oasis ringed with palms, Avani Kalutara Resort (doubles from $125) offers yoga classes, spa treatments, watersports and games for kids. But, given its stunning location at the intersection of the Indian Ocean and Kalu Ganga River, you may be tempted just to kick back and watch the waves roll by. + minorhotels.com/avani.

courtesy of Fusion Suites Sai Gon

Fusion Suites, Saigon.

Five Fabulous Affordable Boutiques These newcomers and classics feature sharp designs, loads of local color, thoughtful extras—all sans sticker shock.

SAIGON

Fusion Suites Sai Gon With its frenetic pace and ferocious traffic snarls, Vietnam’s busiest metropolis isn’t often touted as a relaxation destination. These Zen suites may be set to change that, thanks to a wellness center and a 24-hour restaurant dishing up wholesome, producecentric fare. Holistic healing is so integral to the hotel’s concept that a daily spa treatment comes gratis with the room rate. You’ll want to take advantage, as the spa features a chromatherapy lighting scheme that adjusts to your mood, with expert therapists trained like those at Fusion Maia Da Nang, the boutique’s swish sister property. fusionsuitessaigon.com; doubles from $120.

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What’s Next Low-Cost Hotels, High-Value Innovations

Shanghai Mansion, Bangkok.

UBUD

TAIPEI

Suarti Boutique Village

Amba Taipei Songshan

Balinese jewelry designer and dancer Desak Nyoman Suarti has created an intimate oasis that channels Ubud’s eco-friendly ethos and free-spirited charm. The 25 traditional Javanese joglos in this village are made of sustainable materials and spruced up with furnishings by local artisans. Daily cultural activities range from yoga to traditional dance to a course in local herbs and spices. suartiresorts.com; doubles from $104.

A funky communal space with ping-pong tables, and enviable views of Taipei 101 are just two perks at this dead-central spot. Amba is especially geared towards a global clientele, with nice touches like friendly staff speaking five languages and universal power outlets everywhere. When you dine in, woodfire-charred steaks in bright eatery Que overlooking the Keelung River hit the spot. amba-hotels.com; doubles from $110.

KUALA LUMPUR

BANGKOK

The Kuala Lumpur Journal

Shanghai Mansion Bangkok

Copious nods to KL’s cultural landscape make this spot pop. Photographs of urban street life by local Che’ Ahmad Azhar adorn rooms, while rotating installations spotlight other Malaysian artists. Business travelers will appreciate The Hub, a plugged-in workspace complete with espresso bar, and the Workers Union and Gallery, which provide a casual setting for meetings and presentations. Also, there’s a rooftop infinity pool. kljournalhotel.com; doubles from $65.

Oozing Suzy Wong-worthy vintage glam, this Art Deco gem is ideally located in the heart of Yaowarat Road. That puts guests a quick tuk-tuk ride away from the banks of the Chao Phraya River, or a leisurely stroll from Soi Nana and Chinatown’s other increasingly vibrant alleyways. Explore the surrounding shophouse galleries and bars, then return to the soaring lantern-lit lobby and rooms dripping with chinoiserie finery. shanghaimansion.com; doubles from $125.

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Top: courtesy of Shanghai Mansion, Bangkok

ech is likely to continue to play a vital role, both in streamlining the experience for leisure travelers and helping business travelers stay connected on the road, says Nathalia Wilson, Senior Director, Hotels Asia Pacific at Savills. While high-speed Wi-Fi is all but standard throughout Asia, many boutiques are taking matters a step further. For instance, Butterfly on Morrison in Hong Kong provides guests with a pocket unlimited 4G Wi-Fi device and a smartphone that can make free local calls. Tablets may soon become the norm at hotels’ front desks, making it easy to check-in while seated in the lobby. Wellness is also likely to step into the spotlight. Think: “yoga mats and vitamins instead of chocolates on the bedside table,” Wilson says. That also extends to on-site eateries, where kale salads will be just as prevalent as club sandwiches. At Naumi Hotel Singapore, guests start the day with vegetable juice shots and fresh-pressed fruit juices spiked with vitamin supplements or skinperking collagen. It comes all down to creating a more personalized experience. To keep refining their approach, hotels are likely, Wilson says, to start “collecting more information before check-in, to the point of asking about food allergies and favorite dishes.” While already a standard practice among many of the top luxury brands, Savills anticipates that it may soon be common among boutiques at the affordable end of the spectrum. This is good news for consumers. Finely customized options make it easier than ever for travelers to find a place that’s just right.

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Arresting ocean views from St. Regis Bali.

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c o u r t e s y o f s t. r e g i s b a l i . o p p o s i t e : c o u r t e s y o f b u r i r a s a v i l l a g e p h a n g a n

Between daily spa sessions at a beachside resort in Vietnam and a tranquil visit to the shores of Inle Lake, our deals this month will provide you with a therapeutic escape from daily life.

BEACH BALI

night in a Club Deluxe room, from Bt3,430 for two, through December 31. Save 30%. centarahotelsresorts.com.

suite, from HK$1,750 for two, through December 31. Save up to 50%. newworldmillenniumhotel.com.

The St. Regis Bali Resort Known as one of Bali’s finest addresses, this suite- and villaonly resort sits in opulence on the powdery white beach of Nusa Dua. By booking your stay 60 days in advance, you’ll save on rates, enjoy a lavish breakfast spread at Boneka restaurant and receive roundtrip airport transfers. And with the extra time to organize your trip, you can get strategic about which activities to add to your itinerary. A four-hand massage? Wind-surfing lessons? A bespoke Mazzei wine dinner? There are ample options to pick from in the extensive list of offerings. The Deal Early Booking. Bigger Savings: a night in a St. Regis suite, from Rp5,347,000 for two, through December 31. Save up to 20%. stregisbali. com.

Shangri-La at the Fort Business trip–turned mini vacation? Work days are going to be much more bearable with this package that provides luxurious rooms; access to the Horizon Club Lounge; free evening cocktails and canapes; use of on-site Kerry Sports Manila, the city’s most comprehensive indoor gym; a complimentary pressing service; and either an airport arrival or departure transfer, a dining credit of P2,500 or a one-hour-long massage treatment. The Deal Horizon Business Choice: a night in a Horizon Deluxe room, from P15,500 for two, through December 30. Save 20%. shangri-la.com.

JW Marriott Singapore South Beach Singapore’s design-led landmark in the heart of the city-state’s art and culture district has discounts for advanced planners. With digs styled by French designer Philippe Starck, and a restaurant helmed by world-renowned chef, Akira Back, this 634-room hotel is sure to impress. Plan your trip early with this package and get discounted accommodations. The Deal Advance Purchase promotion: a night in a Deluxe or Premier room, from S$320 for two, through April 30. Save 20%. jwmarriottsingapore.com.

CITY

HONG KONG

Sanctum Inle Resort This aptly named haven draws stylistic cues from the virtues of a monastic life. With quiet cloistered corridors and an emphasis on simplicity, you’ll understand why Buddhist monks have been retreating to the serene shores of Inle Lake for centuries to reconnect. To get into the holiday groove, take advantage of the free cocktail at the bar, enjoy the convenience of a one-way airport transfer and discover your surroundings with a tour to Inle Lake’s most revered religous site, Phaung Daw Oo

BANGKOK

Centara Grand at Central Plaza Ladprao Upgrade your weekend shopping trip with this package, which includes accommodations in a suite, Club benefits, cocktails at the hotel’s rooftop bar, a dining and spa credit of Bt500 per person, late check-out and additional discounts on spa packages, on-site dining and shopping at Central Plaza department store, to which the hotel is conveniently attached. The Deal Suite Experience: a

MANILA

SINGAPORE

CULTURE BURMA

New World Millennium Hong Kong Hotel Your next trip to Hong Kong is about to get a whole lot sweeter with this package. Enjoy a lofty discount on stays in two different luxury suites— both with stunning views of Victoria Harbor. You’ll get special prices on hotel services like dry cleaning and on-site dining, free use of a smartphone with unlimited data and local calling, evening cocktails at the Residence Club and more. The Deal Suite Stay: a night in a Harbour View

SUPERSAVER Buri Rasa Village Phangan, Koh Phangan, Thailand Shaded under a canopy of palm trees, this quiet resort lined by the white powdery sands of Thong Nai Pan Noi beach serves as the perfect island getaway. From beachside massages to alfresco dining, you’ll enjoy every minute of your stay with this package. The Deal March & May Super Saving: a night in a Deluxe room, from Bt5,250 for two, through May 31. Save up to 58%. burirasa.com

Pagoda. The Deal 3-Day Getaway package: two nights in a Cloister Deluxe room, from US$372 for two, through September 30. Save 34%. sanctum-inle-resort.com.

SPA CHINA

The Ritz-Carlton Haikou Perched on the northern tip of Hainan, this hotel is a gateway to the world’s largest golf resort, Mission Hills Resort. But whether you are on the island to golf, beach-hop or for business, a little spa time will help you unwind. With this package, enjoy complimentary tickets to the nearby volcanic mineral springs, a 90-minute agarwood- and coconut-oil session for two at the hotel’s world-class spa, and receive 20 percent off on any additional treatments during your stay. The Deal Spa Retreat package: a night in a Deluxe Golf View room, from RMB2,988 for two, through December 29. Save 27%. ritzcarlton.com. VIETNAM

Fusion Resort Nha Trang If the pristine coastline along Cam Ran-Trang and uninterrupted views of South China Sea don’t immediately ease you into a relaxed state, the resort’s all-inclusive spa treatment policy should do the trick. During your stay, this package guarantees at least two treatments per day. Can’t decide between the body scrub or facial? Then simply start your day with one and end it with the other. You can still pamper yourself in the moments between massages: tuck into a spread of healthy Vietnamese fare by the pool or later in the day take a shuttle to the city center to visit the Nha Trang night market. The Deal Golden Rooms: a night in a Chic suite, from US$235 for two, through October 31. Save 35%. fusionresortnhatrang.com. —veronica inveen

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Near-Away! by American Express

THE SULTAN 101 Jalan Sultan #01-01 Singapore 199002 Call 6723 7101 or email info@thesultan.com.sg to make your bookings now. The Sultan is a historical shophouse hotel located in the hip and eclectic Kampong Glam district in Singapore. The hotel is just minutes away from the cool boutiques and bars on Haji Lane, the traditional carpet sellers on Arab Street and some of the hottest restaurant tables at Kandahar Street. Boasting 64 individually designed guest rooms, the hotel is a gleaming testament to both the preservation of Singapore’s historical architecture and also the country’s warm hospitality. Whether you like generous hand-

carved King size boat beds, Japanese-inspired platform beds, or skylights that allow you to wake up to the Singapore sunrise, the rooms have a little something special for each and every traveller. No stay at The Sultan would be complete without experiencing the sumptuous and hearty halal European fare at Classified Cafe.

To enjoy a one-night stay at the Puteri Room at American Express subsidised rate of S$150 nett, please present the voucher located in your annual Platinum Reserve Credit Card welcome or renewal pack.

THE SULTAN NEAR-AwAy! By AmERiCAN ExPRESS iS oPEN To BASiC PLATiNUm RESERvE CREdiT CARd mEmBERS. • Card Member must make advance reservation with The Sultan, Singapore at +65 6723 7101. Any use of vouchers must be stated at time of reservation. • All reservations are subject to availability and not applicable during blackout dates (i.e. eves of Holidays and Public Holiday) or days of high occupancy. Please contact The Sultan, Singapore for more information. A room reservation confirmation letter or email (in softcopy or hardcopy) must be presented, along with the physical voucher and your American Express® Platinum Reserve Credit Card upon check-in. • Offer may not be combined with other hotel programmes or special offers and is not available on pre-existing reservations. • Card Member is responsible for their parking charges during the whole period of stay at The Sultan, Singapore and no complimentary parking will be provided. • No show or cancellation policies apply in accordance to the hotels’ policies. Please check with hotel for details. • Accommodation is for a maximum of two (2) adults and is inclusive of all applicable tax and service charges for such accommodation. Breakfast is not included. Cost of meals and all other incidentals (including applicable tax and service charges), will be charged to the Card Member’s American Express Platinum Reserve Credit Card. • Merchant’s Terms and Conditions apply – please check with respective merchants for details. American Express acts solely as a payment provider and is not responsible or liable in the event that such services, activities or benefits are not provided or fulfilled by the merchant. Merchants are solely responsible for the fulfilment of all benefits and offers. • American Express does not assume liability and American Express Card Member(s) shall not make any claim whatsoever for (i) injury or bodily harm or (ii) loss of damage to property, howsoever caused, arising from, or in connection with these benefits and privileges. • Programme benefits, participating merchants and Terms and Conditions may be amended or withdrawn without prior notice at the sole discretion of the American Express International Inc. In the event of any dispute, the decision of American Express will be final and no correspondence may be entertained. American Express International Inc., (UEN S68FC1878J) 20 (West) Pasir Panjang Road #08-00, Mapletree Business City, Singapore 117439. americanexpress.com.sg. Incorporated with Limited Liability in the State of Delaware, U.S.A.® Registered Trademark of American Express Company. © Copyright 2017 American Express Company.

s c o t t a . W o o d wa r d

A pilgrim catches her breath, and the view, on the Kumano Kodo, page 70.

/ March 2017 / Four new Maldives hotels worth breaking the bank for |

A walk to remember on the Kumano Kodo in Japan | Our favorite new boutique hotels in Asia Pacific | A date with the aurora borealis in Swedenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s far north

Turquoise Dream

Why go all the way to the Maldives for a beach? Because, as Maria Shollenbarger finds at four new resorts, nowhere else does sea, sand and splendor quite like this. Photographed by SEAN FENNESSY

The master bath in the Water villa at Four Seasons Private Island at Voavah. opposite: Reception and guest villas at the St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Island Resort.

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From the headlines, you wouldn’t guess that the Maldives is an excellent place to go in 2017. This island nation of just 375,000 citizens, spread across 26 atolls in the Indian Ocean, has come in for a tough reckoning of late, and not without good reason. Corruption charges have plagued the government since former president Mohamed Nasheed, elected in 2008 in the country’s first multiparty democratic vote, was ousted in 2012 and briefly jailed on “terrorism” charges, in what his supporters called a military coup. (He eventually sought asylum in the United Kingdom.) The Maldives is still a democratic republic, but Islamic law plays a major role in both government and society. And when the British Commonwealth threatened to suspend the Maldives last September because of the country’s increasingly poor human-rights record, current president Abdulla Yameen responded by voluntarily withdrawing— making it only the fourth country in the 52nation assembly’s history to do so. And then there are the country’s environmental challenges. With a national average altitude of just 120 to 180 centimeters above mean sea

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level, it’s conceivable that, if polar ice melt continues on its current trajectory, by the end of the century a good amount of the Maldives could be underwater. But it’s far from all bad news here. Environmental protection is still high on the government’s priority list (the Maldives was quick to ratify the Paris climate agreement), and tourism thrives (more than 1 million visitors came in 2016). The prodigious physical attributes that have long lured honeymooners and sybarites—that amazing sea, displaying the full color-wheel range of blues; those powdery white beaches—are still present and accounted for. If you’re keen to see marine life, from thumb-size anemonefish to giant manta rays, it’s here in an abundance found in few other places in the world. And if you want to appreciate (or, better yet, have your kids appreciate) with an equally rare immediacy how imperiled that bounty is by pollution and

the sea, and the long, overwater Whale Bar takes the unmistakable shape of a whale shark, its far end open like the massive fish’s mouth to allow for prime sunset vistas. St. Regis hotels often celebrate the opulence of the brand’s Gilded Age New York flagship. At Alba, the excellent Mediterranean restaurant overlooking the infinity pool and beach, the materials on display (exotic stone, mullioned glass, chandeliers) might seem at home in Italy or the French Riviera and out of place in the Indian Ocean, yet they somehow make sense. Certainly at night, when Alba is softly lit and irresistibly pretty. (I’m not sure a marble-clad bathroom in an overwater wood villa will ever feel 100 percent right to me, but the aesthetic effect is admittedly lovely.) Just down the beach is Crust, a sand-floored, six-table, open-air joint that turns out killer pizzas and grilled bruschettas, nothing else, and that is perfection. Likewise the one-bedroom, A-frame beach villas, with their six-meter-tall picture windows overlooking private plunge pools. There’s an exceptionally cool fitnessrecreation complex at the island’s center, where a naturopathic doctor administers acupuncture, and manicures and blow-drys can be had in the jewel box of a beauty salon. The main spa, which specializes in ayurvedainspired treatments (as well as serious ayurvedic detox programs, overseen by a staff

climate change, the Maldives is one of the best places for such a field lesson. T H E G I L D E D G R A N D E DAME

St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Island Resort

Just a 45-minute flight by seaplane from Malé lies the newest member of the St. Regis portfolio, which is set on the private Vommuli Island—diminutive at nine hectares, dense with palms and pandani, and easy to circumnavigate on foot along neatly kept sand paths. Seventy-seven palatial villas are spread across the island and along the small lagoon that extends to its north. The Singapore-based architects, WOW, wanted to reference the famous marine environment through the buildings’ design: hence the overwater villas, their subtly sloping roofs clad in silvery shingles, evoke manta rays powering through

from top: Deck seating at the St. Regis Maldives Vommuli’s Whale Bar; the beach at the St. Regis Vommuli.

doctor), is a stunning construction, its weaving jetties leading to ultra-private treatment suites, each with an alfresco bath. What St. Regis seems to get right everywhere is service, and Vommuli is no exception. Starting with my airport transfer, where a video of my butler welcoming me played on an iPad in the car ride, through to the iced watermelon juice I was brought as refreshment for my flight out, there was a warm, highly competent interaction at most every turn. stregis.com; doubles from US$1,770. T H E G R O W N - U P ’ S P L AYG R O U N D

Soneva Jani

When Soneva Fushi opened in the Maldives in 1995, sustainable luxury was a pioneering concept—one that its owner-founder, Sonu Shivdasani, championed with groundbreaking recycling and building practices. Last November (21 years later), Soneva Jani opened in the northern Noonu Atoll, on the largest site ever developed in the Maldives: an oval lagoon some five kilometers long, ringed on its eastern edge by a cluster of islands. The biggest island, clocking in at around 60 hectares, will eventually be home to 32 villas of various sizes, along with two restaurants, a scuba and

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Water access from the Gathering at Soneva Jani. opposite: The living room of the Water Villa at the Four Seasons Voavah.

watersports center and an ayurvedic spa. Its outdoor cinema is already screening nightly entertainment. (The other two islands are used for intimate “Crusoe” experiences: lantern-lit dinners, spa treatments and the like.) Meanwhile, the resort’s 24 overwater villas are open for business, strung like charms on a bracelet along an undulating boardwalk that extends from the main island into the lagoon. These are punctuated by a multistory complex known as the Gathering, which holds two restaurants, a bar/lounge, a boutique, a fitness center and a mini spa. Like its predecessor, Soneva Jani favors “soft” luxuries (exquisite organic food, space, privacy) and dispenses with overt ones (anything remotely resembling gilt or marble). The Soneva look is one that a friend once dubbed, aptly, “Flintstones chic,” characterized by organic shapes, natural materials and a real inclination to delight. The villas’ timber walls and plank floors (sourced from Sri Lanka) are dotted with amoeba-shaped portholes peeking onto the horizon or the aquamarine lagoon below. There are daybeds on sturdy platforms, and sprawling indoor-outdoor bathrooms encircled by ingenious jalousie panels for privacy, with steps leading directly into the water. The one-bedroom villas have six-meterlong infinity pools and second-story lounging areas and retractable roofs in the bedrooms. The two- and three-bedroom villas have these, too, plus some have waterslides—yes, you read that right—spiraling from their upper floors into the lagoon. The Gathering is home to a Willy Wonka– esque enfilade of “cold” rooms, for ice cream, cheese and desserts. A juice bar sits across a suspended glass bridge from a vast open kitchen, where the chef does omakase-style meals based on guests’ proclivities. Next door is a circular dining platform, with a central oculus from which a massive telescope emerges for evening stargazing sessions to enjoy between courses. Soneva Jani has a way to go before it’s completed, but what was up and running when I visited more than delivered on the whimsical, indulgent experience that has long been Soneva’s stock-in-trade. Proof positive it pays not to mess with a successful formula. soneva. com; doubles from US$3,085. T H E PA RT Y I S L A N D

Finolhu

“Actually, it’s not a party island.” Or so I was assured more than once during my stay at Finolhu, the words usually just audible over the

Rod Stewart/Michael Jackson/Sugarhill Gang blasting out of the sound systems in seemingly every public space—from the spa, with its treatment cabins named after the likes of Karen Carpenter and Barbara [sic] Streisand, to the second story of Baa Baa Beach Bar, a man cave with arcade games, self-serve beer taps and a beanbag-lined screening room (“Cinema Retro”). There were flame throwers and aerialsilk acrobats performing by the main pool; a woman dressed as a mermaid frolicked periodically in the water. Highway signs inexplicably marked the intersections of paths. A Nikki Beach–style hangout, the Fish & Crab Shack, was set halfway down the long sandbar adjacent to the island (a dhoni ferries people from the resort’s main jetty), where I watched a gaggle of Russians with epic tattoos slurp down champagne next to a palapa-style DJ booth. In my own beach villa, the resort literature trumpeted the arrival of a“retro-inspired paradise for fun-loving beach-erati!” In short, and with apologies to Finolhu’s branding team: it’s a party island. Finolhu is the second resort from the Small Maldives Island Co. (the other is the more family-centric Amilla Fushi, which opened in 2014), owned and operated by two Australians, one of whom earned his Maldives chops as general manager of the One&Only Reethi Rah. Their concept was to import the jet-set glamour of Mykonos and St.-Tropez to the Indian Ocean, flagrantly eschewing the local thatched-roof building vernacular, along with most every other conventional reference to local culture, in favor

of man caves, mermaids and lots of out-ofcontext antique signage. Fair enough, and to each his own. But the thing is, Finolhu is in the Maldives; specifically, in the Baa Atoll, one of only three unescodesignated World Biosphere Reserves in the Indian Ocean—which made the zeal with which its creators proselytized about the highflying hedonism of their vision, to the exclusion (at least on my visit) of any mention of the country’s environmental and wildlife issues, feel slightly tone-deaf. That said, Finolhu has some notable things going for it—starting with its prices. With onebedroom beach villas coming in at around US$850 in the low season, it offers better value by local five-star standards. The rooms themselves are sleekly designed, with wide private patios laid with Balinese tiles, enormous beds under pitched, palewood ceilings and gorgeous outdoor bathrooms, those in the beach villas bowered in palms and bougainvillea. The food was creatively conceived and beautifully presented, from the crunchy soft-shell-crab tacos at the Fish & Crab Shack to the poke and heavenly spiced crispy eggplant, vivid with roasted chiles, at Kanusan, the Pan-Asian restaurant. And there’s the island itself, whose windswept sandbar should, on an early-morning ramble, fulfill just about

every permutation of castaway fantasy that’s out there. Finolhu’s fun but very site-unspecific offerings ultimately lead to one question: Why come to such a remote location for something you can arguably get in Bali, Boracay or even Ibiza? On the other hand, what is working here works well indeed. Those in the market for a good time—as opposed to an edifying local experience—now know where to book. finolhu. com; doubles from US$850. THE BUCKET LISTER

Four Seasons Private Island at Voavah

Private islands are somewhat of a thing for 2017, and the Maldives is full of them. But this latest retreat in the northern Baa Atoll from Four Seasons—which already has two best-inclass Maldives resorts, Kudaa Huraa and Landaa Giraavaru (the latter located just three kilometers from Voavah)—is the real deal: an exclusive private island that sleeps anywhere from two to 22 people, has its own chefs, staff, spa with therapists and 20-meter-long PADIequipped motor yacht complete with a dedicated divemaster. Voavah, which opened in December, offers once-in-a lifetime luxury for people who are celebrating something big or a holiday redoubt for those wealthy enough to not even blink at the US$36,000-a-night rate. The rooms have been cleverly configured in three separate villas to accommodate friends, multigenerational families, or entourage-heavy celebrities/oligarchs/tuhao (Chinese nouveaux riches). The Beach House has the main living and dining areas spread across its wall-less ground floor and richly appointed mezzanine suites above. A three-bedroom villa at the island’s northern end has a master suite with a truly dreamy 200-degree sea-and-sand view; the two-bedroom overwater villa, at the island’s other end (Voavah measures only about 305 meters long by 106 meters wide) has one of the more spectacularly photogenic conflagrations of infinity pool and horizon I’ve ever seen. But what Voavah is really about is total personalization. Pancakes at midnight? Of course. Impromptu cruise on the Summer to snorkel among manta rays—which, in late summer, convene in Hanifaru Bay by the hundreds—with one of the researchers from the Manta Trust, a charity based at the nearby Landaa Giraavaru? Ready when you are, ma’am. Pizza-making class for the kids, while the grown-ups enjoy sundowners on the sandbar across the channel—perhaps with a

The living room of the Water Villa at the Four Seasons Voavah. opposite: The Gathering is the communal centerpiece of Soneva Jani.

traditional dance performance? Done—just give them a day to organize it. That guests can also partake of any of the top-notch restaurants or services offered at Landaa Giraavaru only expands the territory. But when you’re standing ankle-deep in opalescent wavelets in the morning, looking northward to a constellation of uninhabited islands, a soaring expanse of milky-blue sky, and, beyond, the ocean—luxury at its most elemental and rare—it’s hard to imagine needing anything else, ever again. fourseasons. com; from US$36,000 per night, all-inclusive.

The details GETTING THERE Velana International Airport, located on Hulhule Island off of capital Malé is reachable from cities including Bangkok, Singapore, Kuala Lumphur and Dubai. Seaplane or boat transfers are required to get to the resorts.

WHEN TO GO December through April, when the weather is dry and the humidity is low, is peak season for travelers. Low season is between May and November, which typically means more rain but cheaper rates.

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Mystery Trail

Influenced by religion, history and nature, Japanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Kumano Kodo pilgrimage is more than a trek through sacred mountains. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a puzzle that leads you back to yourself with every carefully chosen step. By Christopher Kucway

Photographed by Scott A. Woodward

Dwarfed by nature on the Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage. opposite: Autumn colors along the Hiraka-gawa.

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“Do you know what shape your mind is?”

a monk by the name of Nobuhiro Tamura asks. We’re standing late one autumn night in Okunoin, a thousandyear-old cemetery in Koyasan, the center of Shingon Buddhism. This major sect believes the secrets of life are found through meditation and, in a few, choice words, Nobu has given us a lot to ponder below 600-year-old cedars that scrape together high above this otherworldly setting. A jovial monk, he doesn’t wait for an answer. Our mind, Nobu says, is the shape of the moon. Like the lunar orb, it’s in constant flux. Full one day, ebbing a week later. Yet, wherever we find ourselves in that cycle, eventually, just like the moon, our minds will be full again. These are brain-bending thoughts, surrounded as we are by centuries of Japanese history condensed into more than 200,000 moss-covered markers, tombstones and mausoleums, the immortal remains of once-powerful shoguns, a handful of emperors and, most importantly, Kukai, Shingon’s founder, who is widely seen as the father of Japanese culture. Over the next nine days, we’re going to trek more than 90 kilometers of the Kumano Kodo, a 900-year-old pilgrimage on the Kii Peninsula, a mountainous thumb of land south of Osaka that takes in Kumano Sanzan, the three grand Shinto shrines found at Hongu, Nachi and Shingu. It’s one of only two pilgrimages listed as a unesco World Heritage Site, the other being Camino de Santiago in Spain.

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The Kumano Kodo has many layers. As a pilgrimage, it’s a mental puzzle, a key that partly unlocks the syncretism between Buddhism and Shintoism in Japan. Our trek is set up to follow a pattern of death, rebirth and life: you die once but are regenerated on the Kumano Kodo, a Japanese expression points out, one of the many mysteries hidden within this peninsula. It would be tempting to romanticize this as purely the stuff of legends, but Japanese history is as dense here as the stands of hulking cypress. The pilgrimage itself dates back to 907 when former emperor Uda, preoccupied with the ideas of rebirth, transformation and enlightenment, made a similar journey over 30 days. Yet, like the landscape itself, the Buddhist and Shinto beliefs underpinning the journey far predate Uda’s undertaking. On this strenuous walk, crossing rivers is seen as a form of purification; ascending mountains, a fusion between man and the sacred environment. From the start, we’re immersed in the deep end. Steps from the cemetery and after a 10-kilometer trek to Koyasan, we stay in a shukubo, or pilgrim’s inn, and dine on shojin ryori—vegetarian dishes that include mountain vegetables, several types of tofu,

A Japanese-style room with a view at Yunomine Onsen. Right: Vibrant colors of the season. opposite, from left: A Buddhist monk at prayer; this way to the next shrine.

tempura and rice—all a reflection of the spiritual life. Awake before dawn the next day, we attend a Buddhist prayer service that remembers those who have passed before us, stop in at the Kongobuji temple, the heart of this isolated monastic complex, then transfer by van down the Hiraka-gawa to the coast and the start of our pilgrimage. In all, there are seven Kumano Kodo routes that knit the Kii Peninsula together; we’re headed to Tanabe and the head of the Nakahechi trail. But at lunch, before taking a single step on this trek, we’re rattled by a small earthquake. If it didn’t already, the Kumano Kodo now has our full attention.

ree roots form uneven, muddy steps; narrow earthen paths are held precariously in place by stone retaining walls, some as old as the cedars themselves. Sheer doesn’t begin to describe the climb through dense forest to Takahara, a peaceful hamlet perched on a remote hillside. “Tsuru, tsuru,” our guide Alain Sabourin warns us—it’s slippery. Alain had mentioned more than once in the previous two days that our initial stretch along the Kumano Kodo, while short, would be precipitous. Halfway along that sodden trail, breathing heavily, I search overhead for the ridgeline— with no luck. I do spot Alain squatted down on one oversized step, elbows on his knees, arms askew, lost in his own thoughts, waiting for us—American retiree Jeff

Johnson, photographer Scott Woodward, and me. French Canadian by birth, now living in Nagoya, Alain has adopted Japan as his own. It’s easy to see why. The country’s southern forests, resplendent in autumn colors, shed leaves of crimson red and citrus yellow that fall in slow motion along our walk. Another year is dying off, headed into the seclusion of winter, and the effect is hypnotic. Once atop the ridge, the trail eases, rolling with the terrain. The saving grace to this day’s harsh trek, aside from its brevity, is that it ends in off-the-map Takahara. Seventeenthcentury Japanese poet Basho wrote of walking the Kumano Kodo to free himself of all things familiar, and this village with its thousandyear-old camphor trees makes it feel like we’ve already done that. On our late-afternoon approach, a ceiling of angry clouds cracks open to the west and sunlight pours into the valley, turning dried grass golden, bathing the handful of homes in this one-road village with a light found only in nature. Two women let us in on a local secret: That night it will rain and, come morning, the world will have turned upside down; the roiling clouds above us will have sunk down into the valley and we will be buoyed above the mist. Our comfortable

The golden valley of Takahara.

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inn, Takahara Kiri no Sato, is the perfect spot for contemplating the transforming valley. Immediately, Jeff and I conclude that this front-row seat to the Valley of the Mist is a two-onsen stop: one steaming bath before dinner, another early the next morning. Up before the sun, the clouds below us as predicted, we find Takahara even more enchanting. It feels distant from the modern world, much closer to nature. After that second spell in the onsen, over a Japanese breakfast of river trout, rice and miso soup, I yearn to stay another day. But the trail beckons, so we head away from this patch of paradise. Local guide Jennifer Fujino joins us for the day. A Filipina living in Japan, Jennifer’s easy laugh echoes throughout the forest as we walk and talk: an American and three Canadians trek into a Japanese forest… Above the clouds, literally and increasingly spiritually, we’re enjoying the day and are headed ever higher along an endless series of log steps. We trudge into a green world of Japanese peaks, our muddy path wending its way through the shaded side of a mountain dense with pine. Slide down one mossy path, clamber up the next, repeat. One slippery log bridge straddles a cold, shallow creek at the base of a particularly high hill. The sheer beauty of the scene moves us to… silence. We’ve walked into a woodblock print. Sunlight splits through the upper reaches of the trees, to the moist earth and wet hikers along a section of the trail that was navigated nearly a millennium ago, and first written about only 100

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years after that. Aside from our gear, the scene is unchanged. This is how each day will play out. During those moments when the wind is the only music to our ears, we drift off into our own thoughts. Alain fills us in on the history and meaning of where we are but recognizes the importance of the lulls. I hear his kumayoke, or bear bells, and our carefully chosen footsteps, but little else. We dip into stretches of silence as often as the trail falls into another valley. Repetitive stands of Japanese cedar and pine, carpets of red maple leaves, vivid mossy stepping stones just waiting to trip us up—quickly, these patterns become a visual meditation. Kobo Daishi, as Kukai came to be known after his death, asserted that we all have the nature of Buddha within us but it is up to us to put it into practice. Our stop for the next two nights is Yunomine Onsen, a 1,800-year-old hot spring that is said to be Japan’s oldest. It presents a last chance to purify ourselves before entering the first of the grand shrines. Cold, wet and caffeine-deprived, the onsen is an easy sell. If it hasn’t sunk in yet that this is a trek like no other, the next morning’s directions—turn left at the Japanese man boiling eggs in the

Arriving at Hosshinmon-oji. from far left: Entering the sacred ground of Kobo Daishi's mausoleum in Okunoin; lights at Kumano Nachi Taisha.

roadside spring—puts that to rest. We’re headed for the first of three Shinto shrines, Kumano Hongu Taisha. Distinct, sulphurous air in town quickly gives way to the clean scent of Japanese pine as the trail ascends into low clouds. Our guide for the day, Hitomi Tamaki, says she’s been told we’re an oddball quartet—that sneaky Jennifer!—whose conversation veers between veneration and vending machines. Our laughter eases the sting of the path, a rock-and-timber escalator taking us away from town as quickly as our legs will churn upwards. We pass the Kakihara-jaya teahouse, built during the Edo Period and in use as late as the 1970s. One of the most intriguing aspects of the Kumano Kodo is how little the modern world infringes on its setting. These ruins of tea houses, their foundations being sucked back into the wet earth, are a perfect reminder. In turn, they cause Scott and me to pose our daily question about the proximity of any Japanese vending machines—the kind dispensing hot coffee. Alain, as always, laughs off the query, telling us to enjoy these remnants of the past and our immediate present. He’s right, of course. Humid air wraps around us but up we go, hundreds of meters before we switch to a roller coaster of a trail through soaring pine so dense that we’re cut off from daylight. That said, all is not well. Alain is concerned about the forecast for rain later in the day. This peninsula is the wettest area of Japan, with upwards of five meters of rainfall annually in some areas. As we reach

Hosshinmon-oji, a peak towered over by a simple wooden torii, Hitomi bows deeply, and we follow: this is the outer entrance to the grand shrine and as we pass, raindrops arrive. Twenty minutes downhill, while we sit at lunch in a small covered shop—one that serves hot coffee—Alain scans the sky. “Zaa-zaa,” he murmurs, a prediction of heavier rain. Once we finish our bento boxes, the skies open, so we zip up and speed walk through the last few kilometers to the shrine, the rain soaking everything except our spirits. Even in an autumn downpour, Kumano Hongu Taisha is a spectacular sight. All paths on the peninsula lead here, a trio of wooden shrines left to their natural colors and pieced together with intricate joints, some masterful woodwork, the whole structure set against a towering green backdrop. It’s a reminder that nature, not the shrine itself, is what is sacred. Our route to the hamlet of Koguchi begins in a convenience store the next morning. Stocking up on water, sandwiches and onigiri, we turn at the store’s parking lot into deep forest. The first few hours of this 13-kilometer walk ascend. Always, the steps. Uneven. Treacherous. Rock. Root. Mud. Morning shade means a cool climb through sweeps of ferns

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One happy hiker.

Clockwise from below: Atop the

entrance to Kumano Hongu Taisha; one of many Japanese dinner courses; scenic Kumano Nachi Taisha.

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An oji watches over the trail and its pilgrims. Opposite: At the colorful Kumano Hayatama Taisha.

that do little to absorb the previous day’s downpour. Intermittent oji, stone statues that stand between the border of life and death, oversee our progress. Topping off at bend in the rock face, we take in a vista that, so local lore has it, includes 3,600 green peaks, forest as far as the horizon. There’s a certain satisfaction in knowing that we’re among the highest points within sight, distant from all things modern and man-made. By the time we stop for lunch, we’re 10 kilometers into the day’s walk; and have come across a retired Japanese couple who, all smiles, tell us that a year earlier they covered longer portions of the Kumano Kodo than we’re trekking. Over the centuries, many have trod these paths, but the pilgrimage’s popularity has dropped off from the days when Ari-no-Kumano mode—literally a procession of ants to Kumano signifying a long, continuous line of pilgrims—was common. The next person we see is on the outskirts of Koguchi, an elderly woman carving out her own piece of the trail by hand. The Japanese say you can sense the heart of nature here in Koguchi, which feels like a forgotten village, wedged as it is between 800-meter green ridges. We head straight for the one store in town and wheedle our way into a multilingual conversation with three local women who are as shocked by our presence as they are by that day’s bread prices. We commiserate, then walk to our inn, steaming onsen and good conversation over dinner. Our night’s stay is in a revamped junior high school

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that closed because of a modern concern: Japan’s aging population. This village, with five bridges across its river, has few young residents. The inn is more comfortable than I’d expected but once I’m settled in my futon, the flow of the river outside my window mimics rainfall and disturbs my sleep. Or maybe it’s thoughts of tomorrow’s epic walk.

warfed by nature as Koguchi is, it’s only a mild surprise that we’ve turned onto a long, forested tunnel. Slippery-asice rocks, fallen tree limbs, streams of water, this mossgreen trail nearly beyond reach of the sun’s rays is treacherous and continues for as far as the eye can see. Alain had told us that this last day of serious hiking would be, at more than 14 kilometers, our most difficult, but this aged section of the pilgrimage is brutal. It looks and feels like we’re in a different century. Every step up to the highest point of our journey, the 870-meter Echizen-toge Pass, is deliberate and thought out. As we near the top, a moss-encrusted, all-knowing oji awaits amid thousands of soaring pines, with a hint of clear sky peeking down. If the climb to this point

has been taxing, the descent is lethal. After the previous day’s rain, the path is a waterfall in parts, where it’s easiest to clamber on all fours through newly formed rivulets. Jeff leans on his walking sticks like never before; it seems like we’ll never get back to sea level. We arrive at a clearing with views of the Pacific but in the time it takes to unpack lunch, clouds roll in bringing a seasonal chill. The valley below feels like a finish line, one our aching calves, knees and feet want desperately to reach, yet there’s still a final two-kilometer, joint-wrenching series of stone steps down through thick forest that turns day to night. Then, the forest parts its cedar curtain to unveil Kumano Nachi Taisha, built in homage to the nearby waterfall’s kami, or spirit god. A sacred camphor tree, said to be 850 years old, holds sway over the courtyard and is large enough to enter. At a small altar, the devout say they can hear the beating of the tree’s heart. Delaying the inevitable, we don’t tour the third shrine until the following day when we board a train to Shingu to visit Kumano Hayatama Taishi. It’s at the mouth of the Kumano-gawa where waters from the sacred peninsula disperse into the Pacific. On cue, it begins to drizzle as soon as we pass under its familiar red torii. Again, we’re enveloped by stillness. I don’t want our walk to end. None of us does. Still, that’s not the same as saying we want to tackle the next rise or slide down another green trail any time soon.

Dreams of walking the Kumano Kodo will haunt me in the coming days and weeks. In my sleep, I’m ascending, descending, carefully choosing my next move across slippery hewnlog bridges, plotting how to circumvent the centuries-old moss-covered boulders down a hillside. But those dreams will also be of the magical sweep of light permeating Japanese pines and one ominous cemetery in Koyasan. Of pure silence, but also the laughter of an elderly shopkeeper as I insisted that, yes, I did want to buy a ¥500 bag of dried mushrooms from her. Of the deer we spotted on our last hike a couple of hours after Scott mentioned, wasn’t it was odd that we hadn’t seen a deer? But my mind, moon-shaped as it is, will remain forever curious about what lies around the next corner of this pilgrimage, a walk that leaves the familiar behind.

The details It’s best to take on the Kumano Kodo with local help. Our journey was with Walk Japan (walkjapan.com); tour dates start again this month and last until November. This nineday walk is ¥362,000 per person, and includes accommodation, a guide, breakfasts and dinners and three lunches, for a maximum group of 12.

c o u r t e s y o f T h e wa r e h o u s e h o t e l

Sometimes size matters. When you're searching for soul, smaller can be better. Smaller, authentic, comfortable and cool, that is. “People like to define themselves by their style and taste,” says James Lohan, cofounder of hotel curator Mr & Mrs Smith. “Boutiques have the ability to be more creative in how they look and what they offer.” On the following pages, we offer some of the best and brightest little guys across the region. You want to feel “of the place”? Check in to these newcomers.

Boutique

The lobby and bar at The Warehouse Hotel, Singapore.

Love

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A homey balcony at Owl and the Pussycat.

Owl and the Pussycat Where: Thalpe Rooms: 17

The name comes from a quirky Edward Lear poem. The interior design comes from a life of travels. This fanciful hideaway just a short tuk-tuk ride from the historic Galle Fort has 17 rooms and suites, all with views of the Indian Ocean and individually designed by New York architect Uday Dhar. Co-owner Reita Gadkari draws aesthetic inspiration from India… Italy… Argentina, and has commissioned artists—both locals and foreigners from places including Turkey— to fill the property with colorful original works of the finest craftsmanship. There is a restaurant offering traditional Sri Lankan cuisine with Mediterranean accents, a bar and café, a relaxed beach shack and a swimming pool. On weekends the property sways to a jazz band show. Take home a bit of the kaleidoscope: shopping in the property’s boutique supports a philanthropic fund for Sri Lankan artisans and a local orphanage. otphotel.com; doubles from US$240.

sri lanka

By Alessandra Gesuelli Fort Bazaar

It took nine years to recreate this stunning 17th-century townhouse in the heart of Galle Fort. Fort Bazaar was once occupied by spice, tea and gem traders; unused since mid-1950s and in a state of near ruin until recently, it is now a charming 18bedroom hotel around a private courtyard. The project, led by PWA Architects in Colombo and supported by the 65 workers and three dogs who lived on site during the renovation, has restored the building’s original Dutch glory, and Sri Lankan welcoming heritage. Inside, Z Spa boasts chemical-free products made in Sri Lanka by Ophir; the blends are based on the therapeutic benefits of black, green, pink and red tea. The property overlooks busy Church Street, which lends its name to the hotel’s restaurant and bar, Church Street Social. Here the menu reflects the history of the locale and its Arabic influencers, with elements of Moroccan, Turkish and Middle Eastern cuisine. teardrop-hotels. com; doubles from US$130.

Overlooking the Fort Bazaar courtyard.

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fr o m t o p : c o u r t e s y o f O w l a n d t h e P u s s y c at; c o u r t e s y o f f o r t B a z a a r

Where: Galle Rooms: 18

Cambodia

By Rachna Sachasinh

A-list hospitality at Phum Baitang.

Templation

c o u r t e s y o f p h u m b a i ta n g

Where: Siem Reap Rooms: 33 While getting up close to the iconic ruins of Angkor is exhilarating, leaving the tourist mobs can be equally satisfying. This new, super-green hotel— with enough solar panels to make the operation energy efficient and one of Cambodia’s ecofriendliest—offers the easiest of outs. Taking up residence a mere 800 meters from the heritage site’s main gates, the place makes getting in and out a breeze. The architecture is mid-century Khmer, a vernacular style that leans heavily on breezeways and open ventilation to encourage airflow. Vertical water walls line stone walkways; small ponds keep the ambient temperature cool and refreshing; and old-growth trees with overarching canopies cast a welcome shade. The 33 suites and pool villas are among Siem Reap’s most spacious, loosely dressed in muted greys, ecru and straw, and poured in cool, uncoated cement and porous laterite stone, similar to the ones used in Angkor’s vast complex. All temples have an inner sanctum, and here the spa and pools jockey for the top position. After a dawn temple jaunt, slip into the scaled-up resort pool or one of the private, slate-lined plunge pools, or duck into the sleek, minimalist spa for purifying, organic treatments. templation. asia; pool suites from US$185 low season.

Phum Baitang

Where: Siem Reap Rooms: 45 Perhaps it’s too bold to say Phum Baitang rivals Angkor’s draw—but Angelina Jolie did sleep here. It’s easy to see why A-listers looking for secluded luxury would choose the “green village,” a rough translation of the property’s Khmer name. Forty-five stilted wooden villas, nearly half with private plunge pools, are modeled after traditional Khmer dwellings, while the décor and mood are strictly French country chateau. Handsome divans, oversized beds draped in natural linens, and a cigar and cocktail lounge tucked in a century-old plantation house make for a gentile take on rustic chic. From the villa’s terraces, watch fragrant lemongrass fields and rice paddies march up to the horizon. The aptly named Spa Temple, with its indigenous tonics and therapies, is just that: a communion with earthly and celestial pleasures. phumbaitang.com; doubles from US$415 low season.

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malaysia

By Marco Ferrarese

Jawi Peranakan Mansion Where: Penang Rooms: 14

A bit removed from the Muntri/Love Lane/ Chulia Street cluster of heritage boutique digs, Jawi Peranakan Mansion still perfectly conjures the opulent spirits of Penang’s 19th-century Indian-Muslim millionaires. Tucked behind a heavy brass gate, the fourth jewel in heritage hotelier Chris Ong’s crown celebrates Hutton Lane’s past, an era of luxurious bungalows built by Muslim traders from Pakistan, Central Asia and the Middle East. Inside, intricately carved arches over room doors perfectly marry with antique furniture from India and bewitching Mughal motifs throughout the spacious common areas. The four Mansion Family rooms are particularly delightful, their wooden mezzanines concealing king-size beds and attractive way-back-when wooden writing desks—a clever hideaway for parents with children in tow. Regardless, with just 14 suites, an exclusive and intimate stay is guaranteed—among the charms of one of Penang’s less-celebrated settlers. georgetownheritage.com; doubles from RM380.

Kinabatangan Wetlands Resort

Secluded in the marshland of the Kinabatangan River, this resort was already a notch up from most stays in the Sabah jungles. This year, they’re doubling the number of wooden-luxe chalets and adding a pool. Wildlife lovers, rejoice: the main activity is river cruising after wild proboscis monkeys, elusive orangutans, and rare tropical birds. As for crocodiles? Stick to the pool, for there’s quite a bask wandering about in these murky waters. kwrborneo.com; two-day/one-night packages from RM1,080 inclusive of two cruises, all meals and a jungle night walk.

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Portal to the past at Jawi Peranakan Mansion.

kit yeng chan

Where: Abai, Borneo Rooms: 20

Wake up on the river at The Warehouse.

The Warehouse Hotel

Rooms: 37 Hip history dominates at the intimate Warehouse, a contemporary industrialchic rendition of a former godown that sat in a gritty neighborhood of illegal distilleries and secret societies. The offcolor shenanigans are gone of course, but you can imagine them all through the artsy paraphernalia reminiscent of that period dotting the common spaces. The place is the very definition of proudly Singaporean: everything from the soft furnishings and bar snacks to its stylish heritage exterior and yesteryear recipeinspired Po restaurant is a local collaboration. thewarehousehotel.com; doubles from S$295.

SINGApore

By grace Ma

fr o m t o p : c o u r t e s y o f t h e wa r e h o u s e h o t e l ; c o u r t e s y o f V i l l a S a m a d h i

Villa Samadhi

Rooms: 20 The island city’s western corridor usually doesn’t register so much as a blip on the tourist’s radar, but minds may be changed soon with the opening of Villa Samadhi, ensconced as it is in such tropical tranquility. Housed in a restored colonial garrison for British army officials, this 20-room gem hibernates quietly at the verdant fringes of Labrador Nature Reserve, a treasure trove of mangrove flora and fauna complete with friendly walking trails. Pulling up the driveway and walking though the doors to attentive staff waiting with chilled towels, making your way along wood-paneled walkways to your room, passing the high ceiling and shuttered windows of the guests-only library… it feels like a grand invitation to a stately private home. A two-minute stroll down a jungle boardwalk leads to traditional Thai and Burmese cuisine made from heirloom recipes at the Tamarind Hill restaurant and houseinfused gin tipples at the Chandelier Bar. The Malayan-styled rooms are spacious— from the 27-square-meter Cribs to the 56-square-meter Luxe Sarang (Malay for nest) suite—with private whirlpools included in the larger Sarang category. Best Zen moments? Lounging on the outdoor terrace of your room with views of towering canopies and the echoes of melodious twitters. The office can wait. villasamadhi.com.sg; doubles from S$395.

The urban jungle, Villa Samadhistyle.

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Villa Mahabhirom

History favors feminine charm, and the women who ran the Baan Nai household had plenty of it. Since the early 1800s, the classic homestead produced a bevy of beauties—collectively known as “the Baan Nai ladies”—who bewitched old Bangkok with their impeccable grace and keen fashion sense. The colonial-style bungalow once anchored a vast estate belonging to a regent who served under King Rama V. Today, Bangkok’s urban jungle has swallowed much of the land, but within Baan Nai’s intimate complex, not far from Chatuchak market, a pocket of regal comportment thrives, thanks to the current lady of the house, Doungsawart Soonthornsratoon, an interior designer whose creative vintage flourishes lend grace and warmth at every turn. Old-fashioned Thai dishes are cooked in-house and served in a gorgeous garden full of grand old trees erupting with ochre and magenta blooms. With only four rooms, the inn fills up quickly. fb.com/baannaithereminiscence; doubles from Bt4,500.

Mahabhirom means “supreme pleasure” in Thai—and how do you attain this coveted state? It takes a village. Amid the winding lanes of a historic Chiang Mai enclave, 14 century-old stilted teak houses, or ruean Thai, form an idyllic hamlet. Rescued from near ruin in central Thailand, each rueancum-private suite’s earthy interiors and tree-skimming verandas are drenched in nostalgia. Here, simplicity is the hallmark of luxury, though a few bold, unexpected touches keep things lively. The owners are Bangkok-based childhood friends who clearly possess an unrepentant love for classic Thai living, and all forms of art. Sprinkled throughout is an eclectic mix of Renaissance-inspired sculptures, French settees, antique glass chandeliers and gold enamel pieces from the Ayutthaya period. The country houses’ pared-down aesthetic absorbs the flamboyance gracefully, and the result is nuanced and delightful. Krua Mahabhirom dishes up refined “mama recipes” in handsome dining nooks and terraces brimming with starlight, while locally inspired healing massages are delivered in charming, rustic teak chambers. villamahabhirom. com; doubles from Bt12,250.

Where: Bangkok Rooms: 4

Where: Chiang Mai Rooms: 14

march 2017 / tr av el andleisure asia .com

By Rachna Sachasinh

Baan Nai The Reminiscence

hailand

Eclectic art and style at Villa Mahabhirom.

philippines

By Stephanie Zubiri

Club Agutaya

Your own piece of Palawan, at Club Agutaya.

Where: Palawan Rooms: 38

Siama

Where: Sorsogon Rooms: 30 Tucked away in the middle of swaying coconut groves in the underrated Bicol province of Sorsogon is this brainchild of furniture designer Milo Naval and his wife, Kat. With clean Midcentury lines and a plethora of natural local materials like bamboo and rattan, Siama has a vintage Palm Springs-meets-tropical beach bum vibe. The 30-bedroom resort is designed to be an escape from urban chaos with secluded pockets of greenery, a 25-meter forest pool and personalized service. The latter is reflected in their dining offerings, which are basically, whatever you want and whatever is freshest. From catching a wave at Rizal Beach to picnicking while floating downriver in a coconut hut raft to exploring colonial churches and homes, a visit to Siama is a one-stop whirlwind of Philippine highlights. Our favorite itinerary, however, is a relaxing massage in one of their outdoor spa rooms followed by a cocktail under a coconut tree. Also known as: doing absolutely nothing. siamahotel.com; doubles from P8,500.

c o u r t e s y o f c l u b a g u taya . o p p o s i t e : c o u r t e s y o f v i l l a m a h a b h i r o m

Say “Palawan,” and most people think of the prehistoric karst garden that is El Nido up north. But halfway down the island’s west coast is an even less-traveled tropical Eden. Undeveloped San Vincente boasts the country’s longest stretch of beach, and you can have it all to yourself. Indulge in your castaway wanderlust without the hassle of building your own hut and fishing for your dinner if you stay at Club Agutaya. Just past the lush jungle surrounding the main town, this brandnew eco-resort sits in the middle of 14.5-kilometer pristine, powdery Long Beach. Designed to respect the nature that envelops it (bamboo railings; seashell lamps), the resort generates its power by solar and wind and has a state-of-the-art sewage-treatment system, the first of its kind in the country, that recycles water. With just 38 rooms including prized ocean-view villas, in San Vic’s only hotel, you’ll be plenty secluded, but if you want to venture farther, the staff can arrange a visit to a private island. Back in your room you’ll find solar-heated showers, plush bedding and free WiFi—so you can #humblebrag on Instagram about finally finding paradise. clubagutaya.net; doubles from P6,000.

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Hints of the Old West in a Roaders guest room.

Roaders

Where: Taipei Rooms: 68 Shades of arcane Americana color the concept at Roaders. A collage of American license plates enlivens the elevator area while the basement lobby—dubbed Roaders Saloon—features ephemera such as fake wanted signs, giant wooden barrels and wagon wheels. Although elements of the design philosophy hark back to the days before the West was won, the hotel is largely a model of modernity. Situated right next to Ximen MRT station, it is ideally located for investigation of the Ximendeng area as well as Taipei’s other highlights. But there’s also reason to linger: the lobby has a broad selection of English-language magazines to browse as well as air hockey, foosball, free snacks and drinks, and a selection of beers and spirits. Rooms, meanwhile, are cozy and soundproofed from the hubbub outside, and feature cushions monogrammed with a moose-head design—another knowing touch that hits its mark. roadershotel.com; doubles from US$89 per night.

taiwan Swiio Hotel Where: Taipei Rooms: 50

Beyond hip in the Swiio lobby.

march 2017 / tr av el andleisure asia .com

Located in the heart of Ximending—the epicenter of Taipei’s Japanese-inspired youth culture—the Swiio exudes hip energy. In fact, it has harnessed the talent of local creatives to promote a concept that is one part hotel, another part contemporary gallery. Works by Taiwanese artists, which range from graffiti and photography to graphic and abstract pieces, adorn rooms, hallways and other public areas. The funky, retro furniture was also designed and made locally. Ximending is often referred to as the Harajuku or Shibuya of Taiwan, and the Japanese influence can be detected in the hotel’s bijou rooms. Despite their small size, all benefit from attractive trimmings including 32-inch flat-screen TVs and Bluetooth stereos. Service is exemplary and, while there are no dining facilities on-site, guests are minutes from some of the city’s best street feasts. en.swiio.com; doubles from US$113 per night.

fr o m t o p : c o u r t e s y o f R o a d e r s ; c o u r t e s y o f s w i i o h o t e l . o p p o s i t e : c o u r t e s y o f h e l e n a b ay

By Duncan Forgan

Helena Bay

Where: Northland, New Zealand Rooms: 5 With their estate-to-plate cuisine, wide open spaces and unpretentious-upscale hospitality, the Kiwis do lodges better than anyone, and this new stunner at the top of the country is already heading besthotel lists around the world. Taking its name from its lovely shoreline, Helena Bay courses with history, culture and natural beauty. It’s all served on a silver platter, along with a daily menu of local fare, by a staff that outnumbers the max number of guests (10) five-to-one—and don’t get us started on the arithmetic of the 1,000-label wine cellar. Each standalone villa has a waterfront deck and two have wood fireplaces. But since temperatures in the “winterless north” never dip below 14 degrees, you’re always free to swim in the pool, picnic on the beach, or explore the grounds—five Pa sites (ancient Maori fortifications) are on the property. Book the whole place, gain access to five more bedrooms in the main house, and fly everyone in via the resort’s private helicopter; it’s just 45 minutes from Auckland. helenabay.com; doubles from NZ$1,550 low season, inclusive of breakfast, pre-dinner drinks and dinner.

MACq01

Where: Hobart, Australia Rooms: 114

Subtropical climes invite swimming at Helena Bay.

OK, so MACq01 is bit bigger than the rest, and it’s not even open yet, but we are really psyched about this consummate boutique going up waterfront on the working docks of Australia's southermost city. The storytelling hotel takes as its jumping-off point the unique spirit of tough, far-flung Tasmania, hodgepodge of convicts, indigenous natives, explorers and inventors. Each room will elucidate the tale of a different Tasmanian who exemplifies one of five archetypes— colorful and quirky; hearty and resilient; curious and creative; grounded, yet exceptional; and fighting believer—which influences each space’s aesthetic design. Doors open June 1. macq01.com.au.

Australia/ New Zealand By Jeninne Lee-St. John

The sauna cabin at the Aurora Safari Camp, located south of the Arctic Circle near Lulea.

In the Arctic wilderness of Sw edish L apl and, an otherworldly communion with nature awaits anyone willing to brave the cold. By

Peter Heller

Photographed by Felix Odell

Lars Eriksson feeds his reindeer. Opposite: On a snowshoe trek near the Aurora Safari Camp.

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ur plane nosed down through a layer of ice fog and shuddered hard, as if at the sudden view: a mistshredded scrap of forest, buried in snow. “Welcome to the Arctic,” the pilot said, as we bumped along an ice and packed powder runway. It was the end of January, and we had arrived in Kiruna, the northernmost town in Sweden, 160 kilometers above the Arctic Circle. Around us, snow-clad forest spread for nearly 400,000 square kilometers. Squalls shook the cabin. The storm was out of the north-northeast, and I tried to picture where that wind had been: a strip of Finland, a ribbon of Norway, the Barents Sea, and, before that, the polar ice cap. Brrr. We had been traveling from Denver for 18 hours. “Tell me again,” I said to my wife, Kim. “Why are we coming to the Arctic in the winter? I mean, when there are places in the world like, say, Barbados?” “To see the aurora borealis,” she answered cheerfully. Kim loves the cold, she says—it wakes her up. Minutes later we were escorted out of the squat airport building toward a pack of dogs that stood, yelping, just yards from the runway. An apple-cheeked guide named Espen Hamnvik, who wore a fur-trimmed parka, handed us each a coat, heavy snow pants, a hat and boots. “There is your sled, Kim. Peter, this is yours,” he said. “There are your dogs.” After showing us how to use the brakes on our sleds, he gave a mittened thumbs-up and mushed off into the snowy woods. The Alaskan huskies were ready to run, and they barked and yowled and strained against their ropes. Another guide yanked the lines loose, the sleds jerked, and we were off, running free over the fresh snow. Into the heart of Swedish Lapland. What we had come for, aside from the northern lights, was a taste of authentic Sami culture, and an understanding of why the northern Swedes are so crazy about winter. We’d stay first at a remote lodge accessible in winter only by dog team or snowmobile; then we’d take a train south to sleep in Sami-style canvas tents. From there, we’d move to the Treehotel. We’d be outside most of the time, and we’d try our best not to lose any digits to the cold. My dogs were the size of border collies: two piebald sisters up front, two brown brothers behind. They were running so fast that I gripped the handlebar as hard as I could. The trail was narrow and twisting, through trees with limbs shagged and bent with snow. There were sudden swoops, dips, branches to duck under. The dogs careened around the corners and we almost capsized; they charged down hills. Every time I stepped on the claw brake to slow down, one of the lead dogs threw a look over her shoulder, and I could read her thought like a cartoon balloon: Dude! WTF? Let me run! I grew up on Jack London’s tales of the Arctic, on Farley Mowat’s Never Cry Wolf. From those books I took an image of a sled driving behind a team of 12 or 14 dogs, lined up in polar twilight. Big, fluffy dogs that looked like wolves. Our Alaskan huskies, which looked nothing like those Hollywood Siberians, were bred for racing over long distances at great speed. We swished out of the trees and onto a wide frozen lake. It was 10:05 a.m. and the light was muted, like the onset of dusk. The wind was driving the snow sideways, and I lost the lead sled in the squall. Then there was only white—above, below.

Only the smooth slip and jostle of the wood runners underfoot, the biting frost on cheeks, the panting of the dogs. As if we had taken flight and were suspended in a storm. The Sami people are an indigenous, historically nomadic community who have been herding reindeer in the Arctic for several thousand years. To them, the aurora borealis has always been a solemn display. Traditionally, they believe that the lights are the spirits of their ancestors, and that if anyone sinful shows his face or acts disrespectfully when the lights appear, it could anger the spirits and bring bad luck on the people. Some parents still keep their bad children indoors during the light shows. But the aurora has gotten a lot of good press lately—the displays get stronger in 11-year cycles; the past two years have been prodigious. But I think it’s more to do with our visually obsessed culture. The aurora is the Gisele of natural wonders. The Grand Canyon, Iguazú Falls, Everest from Base Camp—none can hold a candle to the aurora in her full glory. We followed Espen as he turned his team into the woods. A few minutes later, he raised his mitten and called a halt. In the trees there was a small conical hut with a snowmobile parked in front. Pale smoke wreathed from the stovepipe. We tied up the sleds and went inside to find a popping open fire and a veteran dogsled racer and master chef named Stefan Lundgren, who served us reindeer stew and lingonberry cider. I glanced at Kim. Her cheeks were chafed red but her smile was bright. “Magical,” she said. t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m / m a r c h 2 0 1 7

The author and his wife take their first dog-sledding adventure en route to the Fjellborg Arctic Lodge.

Our Alaskan huskies were ready t o run, and they barked and yowled

and strained at The ropes

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t dusk, which fell at 2:50 p.m., we ran the sleds up to a cluster of low, pine-clad buildings at the edge of another lake. This was Fjellborg Arctic Lodge, our accommodation for the night. The storm had spent itself, and candles flickered in carved ice-block sconces outside the half-dozen cabins arranged around the lodge. Under half a meter of fresh snow, the world looked like a scene from a Christmas card. A blazing campfire burned, and there was Stefan, ladling more lingonberry cider into birchwood cups. What could be better than sitting on a reindeer skin around an outdoor fire in winter with the last traces of light fading behind the treetops, and the temperature plummeting? The only sounds were the crack of flames, the creak of snow-laden trees, the murmur of quiet conversation. Stefan showed us our digs. Our cabin had a sauna, and we baked in it. Then we sat outside in a hot tub and peered into the lidded sky, hoping it would clear for the northern lights. It didn’t. I admit I wasn’t too bothered: for dinner Stefan had made us cured-reindeer brioche, arctic char and a dessert with three kinds of chocolate, served with rich black coffee. When we woke the next morning, the sky had cleared. Kenth Fjellborg, the proprietor of Fjellborg Arctic Lodge, showed up on a snowmobile. Kenth is a master dog-sledder and a consummate storyteller. At age 19, he apprenticed under the legendary dogsledder Joe Runyan in Alaska. Kenth ran the Iditarod in 1994— 1,7700 kilometers through Arctic Alaska—and finished in the top 20. In 2006, he guided Prince Albert II of Monaco to the North Pole. Kenth grew up in a tiny village 16 kilometers from the lodge; his family has lived in the area for nine generations, and it’s second nature for him to make camp at 29 below. I asked him what he did in his free time. “Moose hunting,” he said. “It’s my Arctic-male version of yoga.” Swedes do not coddle neophytes or hand out liability-waiver forms—at least not up on the 68th parallel. Every day is an adventure, and they invite you to come along and bring the best of yourself. As Espen had done with the sleds, Kenth kept it simple. “This is your machine. Here is the ignition. The throttle, the brake. Keep your feet tucked in here in case you tip over.” Big smile. “Let’s go!” Off we went. The forest shimmered with rime, and the trees

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cast long, blue shadows. We throttled out of the woods to the white expanse of the lake, where two reindeer sunbathed. We zoomed onto the river Torne. Our faces froze, our eyes squinted against the blast. There was Kenth’s village, Poikkijärvi, a string of small houses on the bank. And there, across the river, was Jukkasjärvi hamlet, home to the IceHotel. You’ve heard of it: the hotel that melts every spring and is rebuilt every autumn, when artists from all over the world carve one of the dozens of rooms. There is an ice bed with a reindeer skin inside each of these sculptures— essentially an ice cave with a steady temperature of around minus-5 degrees. Kim and I walked into a room with a bunch of ice sheep jumping over an ice fence, their fluffy wool made of thousands of little ice balls stuck together. We laughed. “Luca Roncoroni created it so that guests who were worried about sleeping in subzero temperatures could fall asleep more easily,” creative director Jens Thoms Ivarsson told us. In the IceBar, we sipped elderberry juice with lime from ice glasses while a song by Danny and the Champions of the World played from speakers that no one had yet figured out how to make from ice. It occurred to me, as I switched the glass to my other hand to prevent frostbite, that the whole place was one of the most spectacular art installations on earth— no less because it was created to vanish, like a sand mandala. Like the Arctic winter itself. We climbed onto our snowmobiles and drove back as night overtook the forest. Above us, stars began to glitter like ice chips. It got seriously cold. As the machine surged, and my cheeks burned with frost, I felt a profound sense of glee. The kind that comes, strangely, when everything is frozen.

The Storforsen rapids, part of the Storforsen Nature Reserve. Opposite, from left: A lunch spread of reindeer meat, arugula, sour cream and onion by a campfire at the Storforsen rapids; a Sami-style tent; a dogsled pit stop by the shores of Lake Kaperas, on the way to Fjellborg Arctic Lodge.

A chalet on the property of Sami reindeer herder Lars Eriksson.

The details tour operator Red Savannah This England-based bespoke travel company can build an itinerary that emphasizes getting outside in the Arctic winter, viewing the aurora borealis, and staying in wildly unique lodgings. redsavannah.com; seven days from US$8,977 per person, including dinners. hotels Aurora Safari Camp Guests sleep in Samistyle canvas tents, complete with wood-fired stoves, at this unique camp. Gunnarsbyn; aurorasafaricamp.com; three nights from US$1,763 per person, all-inclusive. Fjellborg Arctic Lodge This remote lodge 160 kilometers above the Arctic Circle on Lake Väkkärä is a great place to try dog-sledding, ice fishing and snowshoeing. fjellborg arcticlodge.com; two days from US$1,918 per person, all-inclusive. IceHotel This art installation–meets–luxury hotel melts in the spring and gets rebuilt every year by artisans from around the world. Jukkasjärvi; icehotel.com; doubles from US$225. Treehotel Magnificently strange accommodations suspended high in a pine forest by the Lule River. Guests can choose one of seven tree houses, like a mirrored cube or a flying saucer. Harads; treehotel.se; doubles from US$550.

That night, no aurora. The next morning I woke early to see if I could catch it. The Swedes have a name for the polar twilight, usually at its most pronounced around dusk, when the long shadows merge. They call it blå timmen, the blue hour. At dawn, as I stepped out of the cabin and walked to the edge of the lake, that name came to me. The sky was the softest blue. And the snow. And the trees. Every shade of blue, merging to slate beneath the trees, ultramarine in the sky. In the southwest, a silver-blue half-moon was setting. I felt giddy, like a kid. So often, when we travel, we come for one thing and are blindsided by something else. I realized that I was loving winter again, the way I had as a child, when there was nothing better than sledding, or a snowball fight. Next stop: the Aurora Safari Camp outside of Luleå, just south of the Arctic Circle. The name of the place virtually guaranteed a sighting. It was also a chance for even deeper immersion, because we were staying in conical tepees with cloth skins that are inspired by traditional Sami lavvu shelters. The mercury pegged at 23 below for two days. At night, Kim and I woke up every hour and a half to stoke the little woodstove. We traded off, and somehow just got happier. The camp is on a wide lake covered with snow. One morning we took out snowmobiles. The sun, just over the treetops, was brilliant, and it turned the distant rime-frosted ridges to gold. On the islands, the trees were completely sheathed in ice. I hit the throttle and accelerated over unbroken, glittering snow. Behind me, a plume of powder sprayed into the sunlight, where it blazed with gold. That night, Fredrik Broman, the camp’s exuberant proprietor, fired up his sauna: a big tent with a woodstove, on a float, frozen into the lake. Outside were blocks of clear virgin ice and a table spread with razor-sharp chisels and saws. I sweated away happily, before flipping back the cloth door and tumbling out into the subzero darkness in a gush of steam. But still no lights. Four nights down, two to go. We’d been ice fishing with Kenth, snowshoeing with Fredrik, and today we were going to see a legendary Sami named Lars Eriksson. He came out of his clapboard house in traditional dress of dark blue felt trimmed with strips of yellow, green and red (sun, earth, fire) and reindeerfur boots. He had a flowing white beard. I saw Kim’s eyes get huge; her eyebrows shot up. “It’s Santa Claus!” she whispered. We walked in sunlight into a field among Lars’s reindeer, where he fed them spongy moss and intoned his story: “My family has been here for seven generations. In 1958, I started with the reindeer....” When the animals migrated to the forests, his family would move behind the herd on skis, and camp for weeks at a time. “When we go with the reindeer, we see the reindeer are a little tired. We stop, make a fire, make coffee. The reindeer can sleep, have a little food. We follow nature and how we feel—slow, slow, no stress.” Now, he said, the 3,000 Sami families that still herd reindeer move them with ATVs and trucks; they have to take other jobs to pay for the machines and fuel, and there is too much stress. “Not good for the deer.” He told us he knows only 25 or so Sami families who still make a living solely from the reindeer, and they need a herd of 2,000. He took us to an old log cabin for lunch, and talked about the persecution the Sami used to experience from the government. But now there is a resurgence of interest in Sami culture. Kim asked him if anyone still joiks, or practices the Sami singing she had heard about. Lars inhaled deeply, as if taking energy from the woods. Then he looked at us and sang. A deep, strong descant with the broken melody of a forest wind. He stopped and smiled. “Wow,” Kim murmured. “What does it mean?”

what could be better than sitting on a reindeer skin around an outdoor

fire in the fading light of winter? “Having friends,” he said. “The sun is out.”  Our last night was at Treehotel. It’s on par with the IceHotel in terms of its fame and weirdness. What is it about the Swedes? They have free higher education, and everyone seems to be entitled to a Volvo—maybe that liberates the mind, the artistic spirit. Why not build a hotel in the trees? Kent and Britta Lindvall, the couple who own Treehotel, commissioned different architects to build rooms up in the pines. The most famous may be Mirrorcube, skewered on a single tree, with mirrored surfaces that reflect the sky and boughs such that it seems to disappear. But we were staying in the UFO. Standing at the base of a pine tree in the subzero darkness, we pushed a button on the trunk and zmmmmm, a ladder descended. Inside, the pod had a projector that threw swimming galaxies onto the curved walls. We lay in the dark and drank tea and watched them, knowing that this might be as close as we would get to a light show. At 10:30 p.m. we put on long underwear, boots and parkas, and climbed down from the UFO. We tromped through the snow to a clearing. Nothing. Not nothing—a billion heedless stars. We climbed back into our spaceship. “It’s okay,” Kim said. “This whole trip has been like a fairy tale—who needs the aurora borealis. Right?” “Right.” But she woke me at 1 a.m. anyway. Again we tramped into thigh-deep snow. Stars, stillness. At 3:30, she started awake from a dream. We were going home in a few hours. “C’mon,” she said. “One more look.” We trudged back up. “Oh,” I gasped. There was Orion shooting his arrow, Cassiopeia, the Pleiades. And there was something moving between us and them. A scrim of pale light, like a cloud, except that it was crowning over the trees and shooting rays across the sky. Slowly, without sound, it was cascading in great waterfalls of light, shimmering in curtains the color of clouds. It felt, to me, like the spirit of winter. Understated and cold and quiet. A spirit who has sung silently to these forests since the beginning of time. Kim reached a mittened hand for mine, and we stood in the clearing, transfixed, until we could no longer feel our fingers or toes. t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m / m a r c h 2 0 1 7

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place hoi an

Hoi An embodies Vietnamese charm.

Tourists in Old Town don traditional ao dai.

Convenient, compact and charismatic, it supplies essential local experiences in easily digestible form. Just a 30-minute drive from Danangâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s international airport, which now services non-stop flights from Singapore, Thailand, Japan, Korea, Macau, Hong Kong and Malaysia among others, the town nestles on the Thu Bon River a few kilometers from the coast. Its unesco -listed old centerâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;a colorful jumble of Japanese merchant houses, Chinese temples and French colonial buildingsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; evokes its heritage as the trading center of the Champa Kingdom. Hoi An is a mighty tasty proposition as well, with a glut of delicious indigenous dishes, and an informed dining scene. Just take a stroll.

By Duncan Forgan. Photogr aphed by A aron Joel Santos

Visiting a countryside temple with Vietnam Vespa Tours.

Making rice pancakes in a nearby village.

A riverboat cruise with Anantara Resort.

TOURING TOWN

Although Hoi An is an easy place to navigate independently, it just takes a bit of initiative or an operator who offers bespoke tours to visit places that you might not reach otherwise.

i l l u s t r at i o n b y a u t c h a r a pa n p h a i

self-guided stroll

The warren of streets and alleys set back from the Thu Bon River reveal Japanese merchant houses, Chinese pagodas, ancient tea warehouses. The most iconic symbol of the town’s trading past is its beautiful covered Japanese bridge, a faithful recreation of a bridge originally built in the 1590s. Other highlights include the ornate Cantonese Assembly Hall, featuring kitsch and colorful dragon statues, and Tran Duong House, built in French-colonial style in the 19th century. Japanese Bridge: Nguyen Thi Minh Khai. Cantonese Assembly Hall: 176 Tran Phu. Tran Duong House: 25 Phan Boi Chau.

PICTURE PERFECT

With a riverine setting, amazing architecture and a surrounding tableaux of swaying palm trees, emerald rice paddies and long beaches, Hoi An offers enough eye candy to keep even the speediest shutterbug constantly clicking. French photographer Etienne Bossot of Hoi An Photo Tour and Workshop helps both budding snappers and experts find the best photographic opportunities in town on his specialized photo tours. 42 Phan Boi Chau; hoianphototour.com; tours from VND1,000,000 per person.

ON TWO WHEELS

The pancake flat topography of Hoi An and its surrounding countryside make for easy independent biking expeditions. But for a slightly more nuanced view of the area, try one of the countryside tours organized by Vietnam Vespa Adventures. With the expert knowledge of local guides informing the routes, tours give guests an authentic flavor of rural Hoi An, the highlights including visits to hidden temples, artisan weavers and precarious river crossings on rickety wooden bridges. 134 Tran Cao Van; vespaadventures.com; tours from VND1,550,000 per person.

Ask an Insider Etienne Bossot manager of Hoi An Photo Tour and Workshop

“Catch the sunset on the bridge heading to An Bang Beach on Hai Ba Trung. The juxtaposition of palm trees and fishing boats makes a great subject. In my view, Hoi An looks its very best early in the morning so if you want to capture the town in its prime I advise hitting the streets between 6 and 8 a.m. That way you will also avoid the tourist traffic. Lastly, remember to smile. Hoi An has some of the friendliest people in Vietnam and interaction will get you a long way if you want to take portraits.”

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THE GREAT OUTDOORS

Hoi An is a great gateway to outdoor activities.

Poolside at Four Seasons Nam Hai.

WHERE TO STAY + A recent rebranding has only enhanced the status of the Four Seasons Nam Hai as perhaps Vietnam’s preeminent top-end property. The all-villa resort features design-led residences with sunken living rooms and tented beds on raised platforms as well as trimmings such as outdoor rain showers and Bose stereos. A beach bar and an enhanced state-of-the-art cooking academy are new additions. Special mention goes to the property’s award-winning spa, where separate pavilions are built over a lily pad-studded lagoon offering the ultimate in privacy and luxury. fourseasons.com/hoian; doubles from VND17,000,000 per night. + An easy walk from the old town, the Anantara Hoi An benefits from an outstanding riverside location. Rooms are in a low-rise, two-level, colonialstyle building and have views of either the river or the resort’s garden courtyard. An onsite Irish pub does Hoi An’s best pint of Guinness while relaxing river cruises, exemplary service and a sizeable outdoor pool are among the other major perks. hoi-an.anantara.com; doubles from VND5,200,000 per night. + Another fine option close to the old town action is the Hotel Royal Hoi An, which features the easy-going luxury guests have come to expect from Sofitel’s MGallery collection of hotels. Highlights here include stylish bathrooms with giant tubs, an Art Deco-style pool with an ornately patterned tiled floor and magical views over the river from higher rooms. accorhotels.com; doubles from VND4,000,000. + At the Almanity Hoi An, the hotel’s superb spa is a star—and guests get one free 90-minute treatment for every day they stay. A holistic philosophy permeates the property with free use of bicycles and a restaurant serving determinedly healthy fare accentuating the cleanliving ethos. almanityhoian.com; doubles from VND2,500,000.

GOLF

Vietnam has some great picturesque links, and the strip between Hoi An and Danang is home to two championship golf courses: Montgomerie Links (montgomerielinks.com; 18-hole visitor green fee from VND2,700,000) and the BRG Danang Golf Resort (dananggolfclub.com; 18-hole visitor green fee from VND2,650,000).

MY SON

The one-time intellectual center of the Champa Kingdom that ruled large swathes of Vietnam until the 19th century, the ruins of My Son temple complex—which were aggressively bombed during the Vietnam War—make for an interesting day trip. The Sinh Tourist; 587 Hai Ba Trung; thesinhtourist.vn; half-day tours from VND209,000.

DIVING

The Cu Lao Cham archipelago offers the most northerly diving on Vietnam’s eastern seaboard and dazzles divers with underwater eye candy. Cham Island Diving Center: vietnamscubadiving.com; dive trips from VND1,600,000.

t o p l e f t: c o u r t e s y o f f o u r s e a s o n s n a m h a i

BEACH

China Beach is Vietnam’s most legendary stretch of sand. An R-and-R spot for U.S. troops during the Vietnam War, it is wide and welcoming, with Monkey Mountain and the Cham Islands in the distance. September to March brings consistent quality breaks; Danang Surf School (84-121/ 666-6722; lessons US$70) rents boards and gives lessons. An Bang beach is an expat favorite with relaxed bars and the new The Deckhouse (meal for two VND400,000) is convivial for craft beers and fresh seafood.

China Beach at dusk.

RETAIL THERAPY Hoi An has become a hotspot for having a suit made or a dress copied—“you need a tailor?” will become a familiar refrain during a visit. The ancient buildings are brimming with cute boutiques and upscale souvenirs.

Haute couture in a Hoi An tailor shop.

MADE TO MEASURE

Some attribute Hoi An’s plethora of tailor shops to its history as a center for the silk trade. Others believe the phenomenon comes from a Vietnamese propensity for copycatting. Either way, this is a suit center, with several reputable (and many not so reputable) tailors in town. Yaly Couture (47 Tran Phu; yalycouture.com) is expensive but highly regarded. Other good names include: A Dong Silk (62 Tran Hung Dao; dongsilk.com) and Thu Thuy (60 Le Loi; thuthuysilk.com).

Ask an Insider Duc Tran chef/proprietor of Mango Mango restaurant group

from left: Lighting up Home Hoi An; Mango Mango's modern twist on bun thit nuong (grilled pork and rice noodles).

EAT AND DRINK

From street stalls to lavish fine dining, Hoi An has Vietnam’s best selection of restaurants outside Hanoi and Saigon. And the bar scene isn’t too shabby either.

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BATTLE OF THE BANH MI

There’s a tasty battle being fought over the identity of the town’s best banh mi (Vietnamese sandwich), of which Hoi An’s versions are particularly legendary. Some (including celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain) wax lyrical about the version served up at Phuong Banh Mi (2B Phan Chau Trinh) near the town’s main market. Others yield more to the alchemy of Madam Khanh (115 Tran Cao Van), the selfproclaimed “Banh Mi Queen” of Hoi An. From VND25,000 per sandwich.

CONTEMPORARY CUISINE

Chief among Hoi An’s culinary innovators is Duc Tran, the Vietnamese-American chef/proprietor of Mango Mango, Mango Rooms and Mai Fish. Mango Mango (45 Nguyen Phuc Chu; themangomango.com; meal for two VND1,500,000), his flagship riverside venue, has recently undergone extensive renovation with an extended bar area and upstairs area offering diners more room to enjoy fusion dishes such as pan seared red snapper with ginger, onion and roasted black pepper, or beef chunks flamebroiled with Cuban rum

and served with mango salsa—as well as a rainbow of potent cocktails.

FINE DINING, HOI AN STYLE

Well established as one of the town’s preeminent dining venues is Morning Glory (106 Nguyen Thai Hoc; msvy-taste vietnam.com; meal for two VND1,700,000) where menu highlights include roast duck leg served with a five-spice dressing, and crunchy tofu coated in young sticky rice. Also notable is the new Home Hoi An (112 Ngyuen Thai Hoc; homehoian resaurant.com; meal for two VND1,500,000), where local favorites

such as com ga (chicken rice) and banh dap (smashed rice pancakes) are served in an elegant old townhouse.

COCKTAIL TIME

It is easy to let your hair down in surprisingly hip Hoi An. White Marble (98 Le Loi), the town’s only wine bar, has a selection to impress even the fussiest oenophile, and a prime corner spot that offers great people-watching. Nearby, Q Bar (94 Nguyen Thai Hoc) is a mainstay of the Hoi An scene and has a cocktail list to rival the classiest nightspots in Saigon or Hanoi.

SEDUCTIVE SOUVENIRS

The town is famous for Chinesestyle lanterns, which family-run Hoi An Handmade (hoianhand made.com) has been crafting for generations. At Meo Meo Atelier (meomeoembroidery.com), owner Pham Thi Ngoc Tram merges colors, designs and textures into embroidery masterpieces. Browse modern lighting and furniture at Mosaique Decoration (mosaique decoration.com), and cross the bridge to Randy’s Book Xchange (bookshoian.com) on Cam Nam Island to pore over used volumes.

Weaving bamboo rugs in a small rural village.

“Com Ga Long at 53/16 Phan Chu Trinh is my favorite place in Hoi An. They start you off with some crispy shredded papaya and thin slices of onion and lime juice on the side before giving you a juicy half chicken with soft and fluffy golden turmeric rice. Just add the cold beer for perfection. For cao lau (Hoi An’s signature noodle dish made with pork and local greens) I like to visit Cao Lau Miss Thao at 12 Tran Quoc Toan. It is a little bit away from the center but it is worth the early morning bike ride. The pork loin is tender and she seasons it beautifully with five-spice powder, soy sauce, lemongrass, black pepper and garlic.”

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wish you were here

Aaron Joel Santos / Causeway Bay / Hong kong Covering an area of more than 1,100 square kilometers, almost three quarters of which is set aside as mountainous park land, Hong Kong ranks fourth in the world when it comes to population density, behind only Macau, Monaco and Singapore. That means a vertical city, which isn’t always obvious at street level. On average, Hong Kong is home to 6,644 people per square kilometer, though that figure, like the apartments themselves, soars astronomically in neighborhoods like Causeway Bay and Mongkok. That’s reflected in the city skyline, which boasts the highest number of skyscrapers in the world. Hong Kong has more than 8,000 buildings that rise above 14 floors, double the number of Manhattan. After the airport moved away from the city center, that reach for the sky became more prevalent on Kowloon side, with the 108-story International Commerce Centre dominating the view towards Hong Kong Island and Two International Finance Centre with its 88 mirrored-glass floors.

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march 2017 / tr av el andleisure asia .com

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