14 DAYS

VERDANT JUNGLE / BORNEO

SOUTHEAST ASIA
ADVENTURE
Adventure sport is as synonymous to Southeast Asia as is the
exotic, and now with luxury hotels expanding farther beyond
trodden paths to meet the needs of the active market, the
experiences are not just reserved for backpackers willing to brave
the trail. These adventures are luxurious and refined, delivering
a total sense of place through sport. This two-week cultural jet
experience into the most remote reaches of Thailand, Borneo,
and Indonesia minimizes travel times, while offering an array of
activities that guarantee extreme encounters with the rarest of
cultures, endangered species, and prehistoric wonders.
BY SCOTT GOETZ
14 DAYS
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INTO THE GOLDEN TRIANGLE
A private helicopter in Chaing Rai, Thailand,
launches you into the exotic borderland
where Laos, Burma, and Thailand meet.
Skim the Mekong tributaries that snake
north and burst through clouds embrac-
ing the opium hills where golden temples
sparkle in the verdant jungle. A longtail boat
ride completes the journey and delivers
you to a Deluxe Tent at The Four Seasons
Tented Camp Golden Triangle, where you
relax in a hot tub on a private deck/lounge
that overlooks the Ruak River (price avail-
able upon request). After lunch, meet your
mahout at the elephant training ground to
begin the three-night Elephant Whisperer
Program. Practice vocal commands and
learn the rules of elephant interaction to
create the bond that allows you to drive your
pachyderm on a trek through the jungle.
Dinner, served on the deck of the resorts
Nong Yao restaurant, takes you on a culinary
expedition of the regions flavors.
Four Seasons Tented Camp Golden
Triangle: General Manager Titiya Chooto,
66-53-910-200; titiya.chooto@fourseasons.com;
www.fourseasons.com/goldentriangle
CROSS TRAIN TO ADVENTURE
A Jungle Gym trainer guides this mornings
workout that includes weight training on the
free-form pool deck above the Ruak River,
a one-kilometer hike, and a jog on a trail
shared by the resident elephants. Today,
test your new skills of piloting a pachyderm
through a tempting and tasty bamboo
forest, and then leave it there to feast. Next,
venture away from the resort to the Lost City
of Souvannakhomkham. This Indiana Jones
experience, through the Bokei Province of
Laos, includes river crossings, border town
immigrations, and a dusty, bouncy drive
that ends at an ancient, lost city filled with
crumbling Buddha statues and 16th-centu-
ry chedis. A Mahout Recovery spa treatment
(about US$185 for 90 minutes) is followed by
dinner in the privacy of the camps
wine cellar.
Four Seasons Tented Camp Golden
Triangle: Camp Host, 66-53-910-200;
camphost.CHR@fourseasons.com;
www.fourseasons.com/goldentriangle
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JUNGLE LOVE
Rise before daylight for the Sunrise
Elephant Trek to Camp Peak, where a herd
of elephants awaits along with a chef who
prepares your breakfast. Watch the mist rise
from the Burmese plain, and learn of the
stories of the orphaned elephants rescued
from the streets and how they are supported
not only by your visit but also through
The Golden Triangle Asian Elephant
Foundation while you finish your meal.
As the sun starts to warm the air over the
Mekong, drive or race your way to the bath-
ing pool for elephant bathing and playtime.
Take an edible botanical nature walk back
to the resort, foraging fern tips and other
exotics, which become part of a delicious
jungle lunch. Later, enjoy the sunset as you
leisurely float down the Ruak River atop a
bamboo raft, followed by a casual dinner
brought to your tent.
The Golden Triangle Asian Elephant
Foundation: Director of Elephants John
Roberts; jroberts@helpingelephants.org;
www.helpingelephants.org
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DELUXE TENT / THE FOUR SEASONS TENTED CAMP GOLDEN TRIANGLE
MAHOUT AND ELEPHANT / THE FOUR SEASONS TENTED CAMP GOLDEN TRIANGLE
PACHYDERM RETREAT / THE FOUR SEASONS TENTED CAMP GOLDEN TRIANGLE
14 DAYS
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14 DAYS
SACRED TEMPLES, CENTRAL JAVA
Fly to Solo, where a driver takes you past the
biggest volcanoes in Java to Amanjiwos two-
bedroomDalemJiwo Suite (US$3,000 a night),
a private compound set into the rice fields with
a wraparound terrace, lounging bales, and
a 49-foot pool finished in a green Javanese
hijau danau stones. Your butler serves an
Indonesian lunch by the villas pool before your
two-hour hike into the Menoreh Hills. The re-
sort mirrors the temple of the UNESCO World
Heritage site Borobudur in the distance. Cock-
tails at Suroloyo are followed by a Javanese
Selamantan dinner in your villa with candles,
rose petals, and smoldering sandalwood.
Amanjiwo: General Manager Mark Swinton,
62-293-788-333; mswinton@amanresorts.com;
www.amanresorts.com
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BOROBUDOR, JAVA
Sunrise finds you on the Buddhist pilgrimage
path to a forest plateau where six massive
square stone platforms make the base of
Borobudur, a 9th-century shrine to Lord
Buddha made up of more than a million cut
stones, 504 life-sized Buddha statues, and
2,672 relief stone decorations. Your guide
explains the stories depicted in the reliefs, as
well as the history of how this temple came
into being. Mahout training comes in handy for
the return trip on elephant. Take a hike up to
a local volcano for a picnic, then return to the
resort for a Javanese Pijat massage given by a
dukun, a holy man and healer (about US$100).
Amanjiwo: Customer Service,
62-93-788-333; amanjiwo@amanresorts.com;
www.amanresortss.com
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ELEPHANT POLO
Youve earned your mahouts certificate, but
todays the day to graduate to the big league
by learning the basics of elephant polo, an
event that takes place on special occasions.
At breakfast, your mahout trainers will teach
you the rules created by the World Elephant
Polo Association, as well as key safety tips.
Then, mount your elephant and swing your
mallet in a real elephant polo match. Todays
tournament will ready you for the Kings
Cup, an annual charitable event held every
August. After an al fresco lunch on the polo
field, enjoy a pitch-side massage, followed
by the final polo match.
World Elephant Polo Association:
Customer Service, 66-3252-0250; info@
elephantpolo.com; www.elephantpolo.com
WALK WITH THE ENDANGERED, BORNEO
Take a morning flight to Sandakan, Malaysia,
followed by a transfer to the Kinabatangan
River. Marc Ancrenaz, founder of HUTAN-Kin-
abatangan Orangutan Conservation Project,
leads a private tour ending with an orangutan
viewing experience. Next, a heli-transfer
whisks you to Tabin Wildlife Resort, where
leading Sumatran Rhino expert, John Payne,
accompanies you to the breeding and research
station to spend private time with this nearly
extinct species. Continue on to Borneo Rain-
forest Lodges Royal Villa (about US$1,218 per
person, per night), a two-story glass and steel
villa overlooking the rainforest and the river.
Borneo Rainforest Lodge: Assistant Manager
AnnOtigil, 60-17-817-3087; ann@borneonature-
tours.com; www.borneonaturetours.com
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UNTOUCHED RAINFORESTS OF SABAH
Trek at sunrise through a towering old
growth forest of the tallest trees in Borneo,
where a team gears you up with harnesses
and ascenders for a vertical thrill 150 feet
up. There, you will enjoy breakfast above the
canopy on the same platform royals Kate
and William shared for their orangutans
perspective tour. Take a two-hour helicopter
tour over the lost world of Sabah (one-third
of it has never been explored by humans),
and soar above Maliau Basin, the oldest
rainforest in the world, rife with waterfalls
and limestone karsts. Return to the Borneo
Rainforest Lodge for an afternoon massage
on the deck of your villa, followed by a can-
dlelit dinner on the river and a night safari
with botanist Anthony Lamb.
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WALK THE TORQ, MT. KINABALU, BORNEO
This morning, take a helicopter to transfer to
Kota Kinabalu. En route, you will have an aerial
tour of Mt. Kinabalu, Southeast Asias tallest
mountain and the most bio-diverse ecosystem
in the world. Disembark at Mountain Torq base
camp to be trained to Walk the Torq, a three-
to-five hour guided climb on the worlds high-
est via feratta, a protected climbing route. No
need to backtrackthe helicopter awaits near
the summit to whisk you off to Gaya Island Re-
sort to board a private yacht for an afternoon
of snorkeling through pristine reefs. Spend the
night in the two-bedroomSuria Suite with its
views of Mt. Kinabalu (US$1,200 a night).
Gaya Island Resort: General Manager
Kirinjit Singh, 60-3-2783-1000; kirinjit@
ytlhotels.com.my; www.gayaislandresort.com
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CLOUD CANOPY / BORNEO POOL SUITE / AMANJIWO POOLSIDE LOUNGE / GAYA ISLAND RESORT
SAIL ONSILOLONAMAUMERE, FLORES SEA
Jet to Maumere, where you will board Si Datu
Bua, an ode to Indonesias Spice Island sailing
vessels with modern yacht technology that
accommodates six guests in three cabins.
Silolona Sojourns is an experiential package
created by American expat and cultural pres-
ervationist Patti Seery. Blow the ceremonial
conch shell to call for Silolona, maiden and
protector of the seas, and youre off. Tonight,
enjoy a torch-lit walk up a mountain into the
jungle, where the community has invited you
for an outdoor feast that breaks into a one-
string bass fiddle and drum jam session, and
dance into the magic of the Indonesian night.
Silolona Sojourns: CYBA Yacht Charter
Manager Caroline Payen, 62-361-286-682;
caroline@silolona.com; www.silolona.com
INTO THE RING OF FIRE
Motor during the night, and awake pre-dawn
to sounds of explosions. Seery has timed the
seas perfectly to arrive with a stellar view
of Mt. Komba, a lone island rising from the
sea, which blows glowing red molten lava
into the sky every 20 minutes. Breakfast is
served deck-top with the volcano thunder-
ing, spewing smoke, spraying lava, and
sending molten rocks into the water. Take
the once-in-a-lifetime chance to dive at the
base of an erupting volcano. The corals here
are stunning, and if you listen, you can hear
her rumble in the water. In the evening,
sundowner cocktails and a barbeque on a
black-sand beach allow you to continue to
feel the earths power with every magnifi-
cent explosion.
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WHALE HUNTERS OF LAMALERA
Arrive in the morning to rocky Lambata
Island, where a tender takes you ashore
to Lamalera village, one of the last settle-
ments allowed by international conservation
organizations to hunt whales for sustenance.
Meet a lamafa (boat captain), who reveals
that life for this archaic whale hunting clan
is very strict, requiring they follow centuries-
old rituals and traditions and use no modern
equipment. Take the boat out to sail on the
sea, and witness the demonstration of a
hunt and how they bring them in with only a
long board on the bow, a rusty spear, and the
strength to leap onto them. Sail onward to
Komodo past more volcanoes that dominate
the shoreline and you will begin to under-
stand why they call this the Ring of Fire.
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RINCALAND OF THE KOMODO DRAGON
Arrive in the Komodo Island National Park
in time to have a full day of water sports and
hiking. Dive among coral reefs in waters that
boast the largest biodiversity of marine life
on the planet. While the dragons are known
to swim, you have a better chance of seeing
dog tooth tuna, pygmy seahorses, and mantas
at the famed GPS point called Manta Alley.
A ranger will take you on a hike through the
hills of Rinca, one of the three islands that are
home to the Komodo dragon. With experts in
history and biology in tow, this island is best
for viewing the giant monitor lizards in their
natural habitat. A sunset cocktail, dinner on
a secluded pink beach, shooting stars above,
and glowing phosphorescence in the water
below make this a night to remember.
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SHOULD I STAY OR SHOULD I GO...BALI
Enjoy the morning sail to Labuan Bajo, then jet
off to Bali where a helicopter provides escape
at unpopulated beaches and rice paddies near
Tanah Lot Temple. Land adjacent to the lawn
of your 10-bedroomSoori Estate (US$10,000
a night) at Alila Villas Soori, where your per-
sonal host will introduce you to the chef (avail-
able upon request) who prepares lunch in the
estates gourmet kitchen. The rest of the day
is scheduled to ease you back into life before
your adventure comes to an end; lounge by the
2,474-square-foot pool, indulge in balancing
rituals in the private spa, and savor the delica-
cies from the chefs menus.
Alila Soori: General Manager Irra Malik,
62-361-894-6388; irra@alilahotels.com;
www.alilahotels.com
Ker &Downey recently partnered with Malaysias helicopter charters to offer quick in-and-out access to these
very remote areas that havent caught up to the luxuries of the rest of Asia but still offer amazing experiences.
By linking the destinations, Ker & Downey became the first operator to successfully organize such a complex
itinerary. There is finally an option for active travelers who want the best and most rare experiences throughout
Southeast Asia. To do them all together cant be beat, says David Jones, vice president of Ker & Downey. And
while its possible to do this exact itinerary, currents inthe waters of the Indonesianarchipelago change direction
seasonally, and therefore may require more time for the journey to the desired locations, depending on the time
of year (March to October is Komodo sailing season).
This is an active itinerary and designed for those who want to keep moving, even during their downtime. All
four destinations are excellent experiences on their own, and spending more time allows for a more relaxed and
less cursory exploration. There is so much to see and do between Komodo and Flores that a standard charter
is two weeks, but it can be done, says Patti Seery, who pioneered luxury yachting in the archipelago.
Whether you break up the visits or add more time, the time to go is now. The demand for sailing Indonesia
is higher than ever. In 2004, Silolona launched the eponymous Silolona, and 2012 saw the debut of Si Datu Bua.
Guest charters from Amanwana are booming and its even rumored that Four Seasons will open on Komodo.
Contact: Ker & Downey Vice President David R. Jones, (281) 371-2500;
djones@kerdowney.com; www.kerdowney.com 103
THE SPECIALISTS
SOORI ESTATE / ALILA VILLAS SOORI