Top 10 Places for 2019

Where you should be seen and what you should be seeing this year...

1. LADAKH

SO NOW: One of the last wild places. If the idea of white water rafting or trekking doesn’t have you rushing to this high-altitude destination, what about the fact that this Himalayan hideaway is also the home of snow leopards? If you are travelling from June to September, book into the Chamba Camp Thiksey. Think four-poster beds, opulent chandeliers and a butler on standby. From picnics to polo matches — almost anything can be arranged. If you stay at Chamba Camp Thiksey you will have four, yes four dining options to choose from. Feast in the cool silk lined restaurant, enjoy a barbecue under the stars, dine at a private table by the lake or even among the camp’s organic garden. When you are ready to explore, go hiking, rafting, visit the local Thiksey Monastery and head into the wilds to spot those elusive snow leopards.

Blowing conch shells before morning prayers.

2. NEW YORK

SO NOW: Airport makeovers, a USD$25 billion megaproject and showstopping starchitecture. The home of Broadway is ready to put on a show in 2019. Not only are four of its airports undergoing a makeover, but there is also a whole new neighbourhood to explore. The USD$25 billion megaproject called Hudson Yards comes with celebrity restaurants, a new cultural centre — The Shed and a new landmark for New York, the Vessel by architect Thomas Heatherwick. Old neighbourhoods are also being revitalised. The Cipriani family has launched Mr C Seaport in one of the oldest parts of Manhattan and overlooking the Brooklyn Bridge. This riverside property will instantly make you a fan of the Big Apple. As will the TAK Room – Thomas Keller’s latest venture at Hudson Yards or the new Shake Shack Innovation Kitchen in the West Village. Like the sound of cold brew matcha latte? They are already serving it here. Need another reason to go? Woodstock will be celebrating its 50th anniversary. Pop some flowers in your hair and relive the glory days from 15 to 18 August 2019 in NYC.

Central Park

3. UZBEKISTAN

SO NOW: New president, new reforms and no visas needed. Steeped in Silk Road history and filled with UNESCO Heritage Sites, the former Soviet country is far more accessible to travellers. Not only has a new president brought reforms, making it easy to get a visa, but if you are lucky enough to come from places such as Singapore, Malaysia or Indonesia, you don’t even need a visa. The Silk Road cities are where you need to be and Uzbekistan has three of them — Khivao, Bukhara and Samarkand. So catch a high speed train from Tashkent to one of these ancient cities. When travelling through Bukhara make a stop at the antique-filled Silk Road Tea House where their cardamom coffee will revive the most jetlagged traveller. For unique places to stay, choose a yurt in the Uzbek wilderness. And for intriguing sights, visit the Moynaq Ship Graveyard, once a busy fishing port, but now desert after rivers were diverted by Soviet irrigation projects.

Historical Uzbekistan.

Yurts in the desert.

Visit the Moynaq Ship Graveyard, once a busy fishing port, but now a desert"

4. TASMANIA

SO NOW: Australasia’s new artisanal find. Tasmania is ready to step out of Australia’s shadow. Not only does it want to be the world destination for eco-tourism (one billion dollars has been earmarked for hotel developments), but its award-winning artisanal farms and whisky distilleries are already putting it on the world map. It’s the home of the world’s best single malt whisky, yes really. If you want to try some of this delicious gastronomy for yourself go on a tour of the distilleries, visit what’s been named as Australia’s best dining room at Saffire Freycinet or stop by the award-winning Peacock & Jones restaurant found in an old sandstone warehouse on Hobart’s waterfront. Here you can enjoy diamond clams, pasture-fed lamb and fish fresh from the market served with vadouvan, honey bug and fried curry leaves. You can burn off those calories by enjoying the Overland Trek that runs from Cradle Mountain to Lake St Clair. Then book into Pumphouse Point, a boutique hideaway set in the middle of the lake, which also has a new lodge on the shore. Spend the day trekking or fly fishing and the evening relaxing by the fire.

Cradle Mountain in Tasmania.

5. JAPAN

SO NOW: Hosting not one, but two legendary sporting events. Japan is the country that really does have it all. From the 400 plus Michelin-star restaurants for foodies, to the ancient temples for culture vultures and the power-filled mountains of Niseko for adrenalin addicts. And now it is about to become the venue for the Rugby World Cup in 2019 and the Summer Olympics in 2020. The Rugby World Cup from 20 September to 2 November 2019 is scattered throughout the country, so if you are following your team this gives you the chance to do some sightseeing at the same time. Looking for somewhere to stay in Tokyo? Take a peek at the new Hyatt Centric Ginza Tokyo, which has to claim the title for being the most well-positioned hotel in the city, set in the middle of the shopping district. Another reason to go to Japan in 2019? Did we mention cherry blossom season?

Colourful traditional dress.

6. SINGAPORE

SO NOW: A special centenary, a new mega flight and the home of Crazy Rich Asians. Singapore has so much to celebrate — 2019 marks the 200th anniversary of the founding of Singapore, Raffles is about to reopen its doors, it's the home of the world's longest flight (Singapore to New York) and thanks to Crazy Rich Asians, it's also Hollywood's favourite new destination. You can book into Raffles when it opens mid-2019, or you can choose one of Six Senses first urban hotels — Six Senses Duxton or Six Senses Maxwell. Then dine at one of the new celebrity restaurants that are owned by Michelin-starred chefs. Visit The English House for dishes by Marco Pierre White and Raffles for new restaurants by Anne-Sophie Pic and Alain Ducasse. Lastly, if you want to feel like a Crazy Rich Asian you can always drive a Ferrari around the Formula One track.

Gardens by the Bay, Singapore.

7. BRAZIL

SO NOW: Arrival of dream hotels. Brazil is ready to party. Not only does it boast a raft of glamorous new resorts to explore, new ways to explore, but Brazil is the host of the 2019 Copa America (the South America world cup) from 14 June to 7 July. Let’s face it, with Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay in the line up, it might as well be the World Cup. Five of your favourite hotels are also about to open properties in Brazil — Anantara, Fairmont, Bulgari, Four Seasons and Six Senses. However, there’s one more than you need to take a peek at. Nannai Noronha, which is expected to open in March 2019 will be set on its own private island. It’s owned by the same team as the Nannai Resort & Spa in Mura Alto, which Condé Nast called the world’s most romantic hotel. One for the honeymooners that's for sure. Finally, if that’s not enough, you can also take a ride on the new Peralta Boat, which will take you through the Corumbao area of the Pantanal, the best location to spy wildlife in the Americas.

Sugar Loaf Mountain in Rio.

Whisk through the jungle canopy of this Nicaraguan island on your own zip line"

8. RWANDA

SO NOW: Surely the world’s chicest safari. If you want to feel like a jungle VIP, Rwanda is the place to go in 2019. This country is about to spoil us with a wealth of riches. Not only are luxury hotels launching in their droves, and the beloved mountain gorillas increasing in numbers, but Rwanda now boasts the five animals that wildlife lovers want to see – rhinos, lion, leopards, elephant and buffalo, since 20 black rhino were transferred to the Akagera National Park in Rwanda from South Africa in 2017. Rwanda is an animal lovers’ paradise. You get to see the wildlife you adore and you get to see it in style. If you want to witness the mountain gorillas from 2019 you also have the option of staying at One&Only Gorillas Nest and Singita Kwitonda Lodge in Volcanoes National Park. As for the rhinos, you will be able to book into Magashi in Akagera National Park, or to spot the chimps, book into One&Only Nyungwe House in Nyungwe National Park. Tarzan and Jane would be jealous.

A golden monkey and her baby.

Home to the new Singita Lodge.

9. EGYPT

SO NOW: A new city, a new museum and it's the muse for the latest Karl Lagerfeld collection. Egypt may be seeing glittering hotels, a state-ofthe-art museum and a new mega city launch in Cairo, but surprisingly, the ancient country is still friendly on the wallet. If you want to leave behind the hustle and bustle that surrounds the pyramids and Great Sphinx of Giza, trek through the Sinai

Desert, climb Mount Sinai and camp beneath the stars. Alternatively set sail on the Nile and ride in a traditional felucca from Luxor to Aswan. During your four-day journey you will be able to visit the palaces of the Egyptian kings and queens with an Egyptologist or just watch the world go by from your pool on the deck. But before you fly out of the country, make sure that you squeeze in a trip to the new USD$1 billion Grand Egyptian Museum that’s next to the Great Pyramids of Giza. It’s a history lesson that you’ll never forget.

The Great Pyramids of Giza.

10. CAMBODIA

SO NOW: New eco towns and resorts. Move aside Thailand and Vietnam, Cambodia is coming through. Not only is the country about to welcome a host of Architectural Digest-style properties, but it’s about to launch a sprawling eco megaproject called Song Saa Reserve near Siem Reap. Seven resorts will be invited to join this eco-town and create a quiet retreat outside of the bustling UNESCO World Heritage City. But you don’t need to wait until it’s built as when it comes to where to stay in 2019 you will be able to take your pick. If you long to castaway on your own private island book into Six Senses Krabey Island and Alila Koh Russey, or spend the night in a Bill Bensley retreat in the Cambodian jungle – Shinta Mani Wild has just opened its doors – or should we say zipline. Yes, that’s how you arrive. The Shinta Mani Wild also comes with lots of unique experiences, such as foraging with the chef in the jungle, then using those ingredients in traditional Cambodian recipes when you return to the kitchen.

Cambodia is about to welcome a host of Architectural Digest-style properties"