SOUTHEAST ASIA OCTOBER 2015

DREAM
TRIPS
PLUS
WILD INDIA
HONG KONG
SINGAPORE ARTS SINGAPORE S$7.90 / HONG KONG HK$43

EATING IN YUNNAN THAILAND THB175 / INDONESIA IDR50,000

MALAYSIA MYR18 / VIETNAM VND85,000
MACAU MOP44 / PHILIPPINES PHP240

MAD ABOUT THE MALDIVES BURMA MMK35 / CAMBODIA KHR22,000

BRUNEI BND7.90 / LAOS LAK52,000
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relaxation. Discerning guests discover authentic, personalized service at
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a warmth and generosity of spirit from the indigenous locals.
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For full terms & conditions visit theluxurycollection.com/vanabelle
 On the Cover
At W Retreat & Spa
Maldives, on Fesdhoo
Island, North Ari Atoll.
Photographer: Pornsak
features Na Nakorn. Stylist:
Tunvardee
Jutavarakul. Makeup
and hair: Witthaya
Kaeoaim. Model:
Nathalie Ducheine.
Bikini, Tan Tan; skirt,
120 Generation HK As the prodemocratic movement in Hong Kong tries to gain
steam—and the world watches—a new wave of artists, musicians and activists is
Pleat Please; shoes,
Tory Burch; hat,
stylist’s own.
filling the city with entrepreneurial energy and newfound optimism. By Jeff Chu.
Photographed by Frederic Lagrange

130 Three Tickets to Paradise Across a trilogy of Maldivian islands, Jeninne Lee-
St. John resists the urge to channel her inner Jonah, hops from boat to boat, and
comes back with far more postcards than you could stuff in a shoebox.
Photographed by Pornsak Na Nakorn

142  Agourmand
Walk in the Clouds Mushrooms make up merely the first 800 reasons a
will gorge on Yunnan. Save some space for yak bacon, fresh-baked
bread and a bevy of Chinese cheeses. Story and photos by Lillian Chou

150 Where the Big Cats Roam The 150th birthday of Rudyard Kipling finds Michael
Snyder playing Mowgli with the leopards and tigers of western India. It’s upscale
camping with a conservation edge—and celebratory candles aplenty.
Photographed by Lauryn Ishak

160 La France Profonde A place of rugged and austere beauty, with long-cherished
artisanal traditions and seldom-seen masterpieces of art and architecture,
Aveyron is the enigmatic heart of the country. Elaine Sciolino uncovers the
mysteries of a still-secret corner of France. Photographed by Simon Watson

168 Life in the Slow Lane On the coast of Maine, farm-to-table cooking, artisanal
craftsmanship and small-town virtues aren’t anything to brag about—they’re just
the way things have always been. By Heather Smith MacIsaac. Photographed by
F R O M L E F T : F R E D E R I C L AG R A N G E ; L AU RY N I S H A K ; P O R N SA K N A N A KO R N ; L I L L I A N C H O U

Andrew Rowat

120 150 130 142

TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM / OCTOBER 2015   13


departments
Here & Now
Que Seraya Seraya Crete
2 9 
colors in Indonesia.
Into the Woods Foraged food.
3 4 
Trek Stars Urban hiking boots.
3 6 
38 Tfavorite
he Lean Principles A foodie’s
regional specialties.
Wearing Is Caring Jewelry-
4 0 
with-a-purpose from Finchittida.
The Flex Factor Testing Paul
4 1 
Smith’s new hyper-flexible suit.
Tommy Hilfiger The designer’s
43 
global influences.
Leading Man Thai actor Ananda
4 4 
Everingham’s take on Chiang Mai.
Posh Spice Souk-inspired style.
4 6 
Mystical Maligcong The
4 8 
magical Philippine rice terraces.
The DL on KL New nightspots.
5 0 
87
14  OCTOBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM
In Every Issue 
t+l digital 16
contributors 18
editor’s note 20
the conversation 24
wish you were here 178
A Balanced Meal Updated
52 
Seeking Shelter Protecting the
74 
haute cuisine in Paris. heritage of ancient Berber
Plus Booking travel in Burma just got granaries in Morocco.
easier; new ocean-to-table
dining in Hong Kong; and more.
79  Dublin by Design An emerging
class of innovators in design, art
and film is turning the page of a
Beyond new chapter for the Irish capital.
57  
Behold, the National Gallery
The largest trove of Southeast The Guide
60
Asian art goes up in Singapore.
A Great Return Award-winning

87  A World of Possibilities Our
annual special on bucket list-
worthy Dream Trips.
war photographer Nick Ut
F R O M L E F T: M I C H A E L N O L A N / R O B E RT H A R D I N G WO R L D I M AG E RY / C O R B I S ; R U V E N A FA N A D O R ; C O U R T E S Y O F Z O U K ; I A N L L O Y D N E U B A U E R
revisits Vietnam.
6 4 Igniting Ipoh The Malaysian city
Upgrade
is coming of age. Fortune’s second annual Best in
101 Travel Smarter T+L and
The Takeaway Israeli-born
68 
designer Dror Benshetrit’s
Business Travel survey, along
with how to squeeze more fun
Istanbul keepsakes.
into your next work trip.
Karen State of Mind A new
70 
boutique in Burma’s limestone-
Plus Ingenious packing solutions and
new airport-napping spots.
hill town Pa-An.
41 50 29
t+l digital
THIS MONTH ON TR AVELANDLEISUREASIA.COM
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OCTOBER 2015
1 2
Pornsak
Na Nakorn
P H O TO GR A P H ER
Three Tickets to Paradise
|
contributors
page 130
— —
On the Thai photographer’s
1 first trip to the Maldives, he
shot from seaplanes, surf and
dinghies, and he had model
Nathalie Ducheine as muse.
Another natural beauty that
caught his eye? “When last
light starts waving goodbye,
and you can wish it well from
aboard a gigantic yacht,” he
says. “Daybreak and nightfall
were the most spectacular
moments, and they were
never the same.” Which is just
one reason Na Nakorn wound
up with 10,000 photos of the
trip. But that wasn’t the only
thing he accumulated: “The
food was great. I unwittingly
gained weight.” Our apologies
2 to your waistline. Instagram:
@pornsaknanakorn.
3 4
Elaine
Sciolino
W R I T ER
La France Profonde
page 160
— —
The former New York Times
Paris bureau chief has lived in
France since 2002 but only
recently took a full-scale tour
of the lesser-known southern
department of Aveyron. “The
region’s landscape is so pure,”
3
she says. “Its roads look just
as they did a century ago,
without traffic or billboards.”
Her trip highlights: the Musée
Fenaille, in the town of Rodez,
and meals like baby goat with
sorrel at Chez Colette, in
Cassuéjouls. One regret? “Not
seeing the Knights Templar
fortress towns.” Her new
book, The Only Street in Paris:
Life on the Rue des Martyrs,
comes out in November.
Twitter: @elainesciolino.
18
4
Lauryn
Ishak
P H O TO GR A P H ER
Where the Big Cats Roam
page 150
On the hunt for rare wildlife
with writer Michael Snyder,
Ishak visited Jawai, “the cool
and classy kid doing exciting
things,” and Sher Bagh, “the
grand old dame, with a more
traditional safari experience.”
Relaxing into these Rajasthan
adventures was all about
managing her expectations.
“Strangely, for me there was a
mix of calm, hope and slight
resignation. These cats are so
elusive, you had to prepare
yourself not to see one.” Luckily,
Rudyard Kipling was smiling
down on them, and they found
both leopards and tigers. “It’s
extra special when you do spot
one,” Ishak says. “They’re so
FROM TOP: COURTESY OF PORNSAK NA NAKORN; COURTESY OF L AURYN ISHAK; GABRIEL A SCIOLINO PLUMP; COURTESY OF JEFF CHU
majestic and elegant.”
Instagram: @laurynie.
Jeff
Chu
W R I T ER
Generation HK
pages 120
“Hong Kong is such a unique
mix of cultures because of its
heritage as an import-export
center—not only of goods
but of ideas and cuisines,
attitudes and fashions,” says
Chu, who reported on the
intersection of creativity and
politics in the city. “The worst
thing would be for it to
become just another big city in
China.” Chu has been visiting
Hong Kong since he was a
child, and no trip for him is
complete without a ride on the
Star Ferry, breakfast at a cha
chaan teng (the local version
of a diner), or buying stamps
at the post office. “Stamps are
fantastic little windows into
local design and values.”
Twitter: @jeffchu.
editor’s note | OCTOBER 2015

WHAT’S YOUR ULTIMATE

DREAM VACATION? IT’S A
QUESTION WE ALL
relish, and the answers often fall into one of two categories: that once-in-a-
lifetime experience or a return to a favorite foray. Our look at dream trips (“A
World of Possibilities,” page 87) involves far-flung adventures in Mongolia and
Papua New Guinea, as well as can’t-miss stops around Burma and Japan.
Also this month, writer Jeff Chu visits Hong Kong (“Generation HK,” page
120), leaving me with a sense of déjà vu. He tours the Chinese village I called
home for many years. He hikes across trails I know intimately and, through
his story, I can feel the humidity that slaps and wraps the southern Chinese
city and all who visit during the summer months. Chu uncovers an artistic
side of Hong Kong, proving there’s more to it than the pursuit of mammon.
Due north, Lillian Chou goes mushrooming in Yunnan and comes away
with a delicious tale in “A Walk in the Clouds” (page 142). The dishes she
forages, prepares and eats result in a promise to return to this region.
Not becoming a meal
themselves is the aim of
writer Michael Snyder and
photographer Lauryn
Ishak on their trip to
Rajasthan (“Where the Big
Cats Roam,” page 150). From My Travels
With Rudyard Kipling’s What do you do if your hotel
150th birthday imminent, brand bears the same name
the duo uncover the story as the destination where
you’re opening a new
behind conservation
property? Well, in the case of
efforts at leopard and tiger Shangri-la, China—also
reserves there. Call it a known as Zhongdian and, in
F R O M L E F T: N A PAT R AV E E WAT; C H R I S T O P H E R K U C WAY

modern take on The Jungle Tibetan, Gyalthang—the place

Book—a dream trip if to stay is Hylandia by Shangri-
there ever was one. La. Confusing? Not really. The
hotel embraces guests with
touches of Tibet, China, Nepal
and India all woven into the
fabric of its lobby, a welcome
retreat after some fascinating
day trips around this
unspoiled area in the northern
reaches of Yunnan. The next
stop, 1,600 or so arduous
kilometers away overland, is
@CKucway Lhasa, making this retreat
chrisk@mediatransasia.com that much more special.

20  O C T O B E R 2 0 1 5 / T R AV E L A N D L E I S U R E A S I A . C O M
Find something
YOU WE REN' T
looking FOR .

©2015 Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Preferred Guest, SPG, Le Méridien, and their logos are the trademarks of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., or its affiliates.
Discover
our secrets
and share
Let Centara take you to your dream island, a fantasy made complete with gorgeous suites and
private pool villas, all set on balmy, palmy white sand beaches off the shores of Thailand or Vietnam,
the Maldives, Bali and Sri Lanka. Whether you’re seeking a little sun, wet and wild watersports;
or some serious bliss at our spa and restaurants, we really do have the perfect spot just for you.

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 the conversation

In recent years, travelers have been

given a choice both by ATMs and
merchants to select what’s called

#TLASIA
“dynamic currency conversion”: an option
to convert the amount of your bill or cash
withdrawal to your home currency on
the spot—instead of your bank doing it
later. The benefit is knowing right then
exactly how much you’re spending in
your usual currency, but the risk, says
ThePointsGuy.com founder Brian Kelly, is
overpaying because of a worse
conversion rate, not to mention a fee for
Kintai Bridge, in Iwakuni, Japan,
the service that is often undisclosed to

THE LATEST FROM OUR WIDE WORLD OF INSTAGRAM FOLLOWERS:

POSTCARD-WORTHY BRIDGES OF CONCRETE, WOOD AND STONE.
built in 1673. — @bowwdat
BURNING QUESTION the customer. “You could be adding up to

What is “dynamic
seven percent to your purchase,” he says.
The final word: Always choose to be

currency
charged in the local currency, and use a
credit card that waives all foreign

conversion,” and
transaction fees. To stay abreast of the
most current rates, download Oanda’s

should I use it? Currency Converter app, which tracks the

day’s rates for more than 190 currencies.

Tianmen Mountain suspension

ON OUR WATCH bridge, Hunan. — @rickymorant

WORLD’S WORST
AIRLINES
We could extol the virtues of the best airlines in the world, but where’s the fun in that?
Skytrax recently announced the winners and losers of its World Airline Awards. While the
pan-Asia-Pacific region can be proud with all the top 10 carriers hailing from here (Qatar,
Singapore and Cathay are Nos. 1, 2 and 3), the big news has been that the North Korean Air
Koryo was rated worst in the world for the fourth year running, with just one star out of five.
It should be noted that the listings are based on quality of service, not safety. “It’s a bit of a
giggle,” Simon Cockerell, a travel agent specializing in the DPRK, told the AP. “They are A bridge on a bridge on the Thu
Bon River, Hoi An. — @cece.cecil
clearly not the world’s worst airline.” They do, however, shill mystery-meat burgers to the
tune of propaganda pop and ban on-board photography. Here’s what Skytrax reviewers
have said about Air Koryo and some of the 21 airlines ranked, with two-stars, just above it.

“I was fairly disappointed by the service,

however was amused when both the pilots
“WORST AIRLINE AND
customer service I’ve seen,
came around to say hello to the dignitaries,
miserable staff who don’t
PRESUMABLY LE AV ING smile.”
T HE AIRCR AF T ON AU T OPILO T !” — R. GILL, ABOUT TURKMENISTAN
— JAMES COLE, ABOUT AIR KORYO AIRLINES

“It seemed that the “The cabin staff on the way out smoked Richmond Bridge in Tasmania.
best I could get from — @teapear
[the crew] was behind the curtain and when my husband
IGNOR ANCE.” challenged them about this, SHARE AN INSTAGRAM
PHOTO BY USING THE #TLASIA
— BORIS DRENKOV,
ABOUT THEY ACTUALLY OFFERED HIM A CIGARETTE.” HASHTAG, AND IT MAY BE FEATURED
IN AN UPCOMING ISSUE.
BULGARIAN AIR — E. COOMB S, ABOUT SYRIAN AIR FOLLOW @TRAVELANDLEISUREASIA

24  OCTOBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM

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

YOUR HOTEL KEY

UNLOCKS SO MUCH MORE THAN JUST A ROOM.

see more of the story: HARDROCKHOTELS.COM

©2015 Hard Rock International (USA), Inc. All rights reserved.
 EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Christopher Kucway
ART DIRECTOR Wannapha Nawayon
DEPUT Y EDITOR Jeninne Lee-St. John
SENIOR EDITOR Merritt Gurley
AS SISTANT EDITOR Monsicha Hoonsuwan
SENIOR DESIGNER Chotika Sopitarchasak
DESIGNER Autchara Panphai

REGUL AR CONTRIBUTORS / PHOTOGR APHERS

Cedric Arnold, Jeff Chu, Helen Dalley, Robyn Eckhardt, Philipp Engelhorn, David Hagerman,
Diana Hubbell, Lauryn Ishak, Mark Lean, Melanie Lee, Naomi Lindt, Brent T. Madison,
Ian Lloyd Neubauer, Aaron Joel Santos, Adam Skolnick, Darren Soh, Stephanie Zubiri

CHAIRMAN J.S. Uberoi

PRESIDENT Egasith Chotpakditrakul
PUBLISHING DIRECTOR Rasina Uberoi-Bajaj

PUBLISHER Robert Fernhout

TR AFFIC MANAGER /DEPUT Y DIGITAL MEDIA MANAGER Varin Kongmeng
SALES DIRECTOR Joey Kukielka
BUSINES S DE VELOPMENT MANAGERS Domenica Agostino
Justin Williams
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Gaurav Kumar
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PRODUCTION Natchanan Kaewsasaen
GROUP CIRCUL ATION MANAGER Porames Sirivejabandhu
CIRCUL ATION AS SISTANT Yupadee Saebea

TR AVEL + LEISURE (USA)

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SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT / PUBLISHING DIRECTOR Steven DeLuca
VICE PRESIDENT / PUBLISHER Jay Meyer

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 Bromo, East Java • Indonesia

During your busy life, sometimes you forget to stop and reflect.
Let’s find some In Indonesia, we give you just that. Breathe. Pause. Enjoy the moment.
Mountains, beaches, or even nightlife in the cities take your pick.

beautiful place Immerse in our traditions. Forget your responsibilities. It's time to play.
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Singapore
Since 1925
 NEWS + TRENDS + DISCOVERIES
Sand and sea at
Seraya Kecil.

Que Seraya
Seraya
A new resort on a private island afloat
in Indonesia’s Flores Sea, with its breezy
blue-and-white vibe imported straight from the
Mediterranean, is part Komodo, part Crete, and
all yours to savor. STORY AND PHOTOS BY IAN LLOYD NEUBAUER
/ here&now /
CLOCKWISE FROM
TOP LEFT: Beneath
the Flores Sea;
the color scheme
is inspired by the
Mediterranean;
Greek flavor is on
the menu.
WHETHER YOU WANT TO CREDIT CARPE DIEM, sweet serendipity
or the power of Poseidon, a Crete tapestry of blue and white has
floated ashore in the Flores Sea. The blue you see has always been
here, but the white is a new addition, courtesy of Crete-native
Yannis Vlatakis. Vlatakis was kicking around the idea of retirement
last year when he stumbled upon Seraya Kecil (Little Seraya), one
of hundreds of volcanic islets orbiting Komodo Island. Within half
an hour, he had tracked down a landowner and bought a strip of
beachfront. “The second I saw this place, I fell in love with it,”
Vlatakis says. “It reminded me of the Greek Islands before they
were developed.”
He then got to work pouring his 50 years of experience in hotel
construction into creating a stylish, Greek-whitewashed barefoot
resort that harmoniously blends high-end amenities with the
island’s knockout natural beauty and local life. The most
ingenious example is the 14-meter-long bar shaped like the
bagan-style fishing boats of Indonesia that subdivides the dining
room from the kitchen. It’s a cross section of an actual vessel that
was used to ferry construction materials from Flores to Little
Seraya Island, day in day out, for eight consecutive months until
its hull gave way and it sank on the beach. Vlatakis describes its
retooling as an act of gratitude and honor: “That little boat broke
to build this place—I couldn’t just throw it away.”
You feel that same tenderness across Seraya Hotel
(serayahotel.com; beachfront bungalows for two, including half
board and round-trip transfer from Labuan Bajo Port from €254
per night, three nights minimum), open since June. Each of the 23
beachfront bungalows has a spacious wooden deck and Balinese-
30  OCTOBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM
style bathroom with outdoor showers and pebble flooring. Inside
they are pictures of tranquility, and elegantly furnished with four-
posted beds. There’s also a two-bedroom villa with a plunge pool
and wraparound wooden deck offering 270-degree views of Little
Seraya’s fringing reef, an ever-changing canvas of shimmering
blues edged by shiny white sandbanks and patches of sea grass.
The coral is even more vivid up close—a Technicolor array of
staghorn, elkhorn and brain corals as spectacular as a bursting
supernova, heaving with marine life: royal angelfish the size of
dinner plates, eagle rays and bizarre octagonal-finned cousins of
the lionfish that resemble subaqueous spiders.
Back on dry land, the resort’s alfresco restaurant and lounge
embody Greek Islands chic. From the wooden deck surrounding
the swimming pool, to the beanbags, wicker tables and chairs,
T O P L E F T: C O U R T E S Y O F W W W. F L O R E S T O U R I S M . C O M
and rustic chandeliers fashioned from driftwood, everything here
is whitewashed and highlighted with splashes of cyan. The daily
set menu, likewise, is Mediterranean to the core. Conceived by
chef George Haryanto, a Flores native who cut his teeth at Sasa’
Italian restaurant in Bali, the daily set menu begins with a fresh
Greek salad or calamari soup with flatbread. It’s followed by
hearty mains like chicken stuffed with feta, mushrooms and
eggplant; barbecued grouper with garlic and zucchini Parmesan
bake; or simple penne marinara. Dishes are made for the most
part from organic produce sourced from markets in Flores and
the freshest of seafood Haryanto buys every morning from
passing fishing boats. Let them conjure Poseidon to prep your
dinner while you channel Pasithea, the Greek goddess of
relaxation, and serenely sip your ouzo-coffee aperitif.
/ here&now /
E VENTS BANGKOK SINGAPORE
Angelini The Waterfall

A Smorgasbord at Wunderkind Enrico

Bartolini of Devero
Shangri-La Restaurant, just outside of
Milan, is the youngest chef
The first-ever Shangri-La International Festival of to be awarded two
Gastronomy will run October 27-31, showcasing the Michelin stars in Italy, and
taste bud-tantalizing talents of eight culinary he’s bringing his artful
masters in five cities across the world. Italian classics to
Bangkok’s riverfront.
HONG KONG
Petrus, Island Shangri-La
Expect dishes bursting
with contrasting flavors,
courtesy of two-Michelin-
starred Mirazur’s chef
Mauro Colagreco, flown in
straight from the Riviera,
at this French restaurant
with great views of
Victoria Harbour.
Summer Palace, Island
Shangri-La
CLOCKWISE Iconic Chinese cooking
FROM TOP: Mok techniques take center
Kit Keung serves stage as Ip Chi Cheung, the
up Cantonese at
Kowloon resident chef, showcases
his Cantonese staples.
Shangri-La; chef
Enrico Bartolini
cooks Italian at Shang Palace, Kowloon
Shangri-La Shangri-La
Hotel Bangkok; Chef Mok Kit Keung rolls
Calypso Dining out an innovative tea-and-
Hall, Shanghai,
for dessert. Cantonese-cuisine pairing
menu for the festival.
Massimo Bottura, of
Osteria Francescana in
Modena, treats diners in
Singapore to fresh twists
on Italian favorites.
SHANGHAI
Calypso, Jing An
Shangri-La
Michelin-starred Casa
Perbellini loans out chef
Giancarlo Perbellini to
Calypso to give Shanghai a
sweet taste of scrumptious
Italian confections.
PARIS
L’Abeille
Check out the view of the
Eiffel tower at Michelin-
starred L’Abeille while you
feast on a special menu of
decadent French favorites
by executive chef
Christophe Moret.
Shang Palace
The country’s only Chinese
restaurant with a Michelin
star, Shang Place is lauded
for its Cantonese and
Huaiyang food, which new
kitchen director Samuel
Lee Sum elevates with his
refined touch.
To find out more, visit
shangrilalovesfood.com.

FROM TOP: COURTESY OF SHANGRI-L A (3); COURTESY OF PHILIPP BREE (2)

WORLDLY GOODS

BASIC INSTINCT
Based in Hannover, Germany, accessory designer Philipp Bree draws
clear comparisons between his home and his new minimalist
handbag collection, PB 0110. Both town and tote are quiet and well
organized; emphasis is on timelessness rather than trend. “I think
if I lived in Berlin or Paris, it would be different,” Bree says of his
work. The sleek, orderly designs aren’t without surprises: the navy
laptop-friendly tote, for example, has a clever adjustable
strap. The midsize cross-body for women has been updated
in olive green. From US$606; pb0110.de. —  JANE BISHOP

32  OCTOBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM

 Book Inle Lake trips Escape
online. BOTTOM:
FlyMya’s founder
Artists
Mike Than Tun Win. Autumn’s most
promising new books
offer a complete
getaway—to places
both real and imagined.
The Big Green Tent,
Ludmila Ulitskaya’s
ambitious, newly
translated Russian
novel, tracks the
lives of three young
Muscovites from the
death of Stalin to the
fall of the Iron Curtain.
Garth Risk Hallberg’s
page-turning mystery
City on Fire is set in
the New York City
blackout of 1977, where
he examines the lives
of the fortunate and
the frustrated. Just
as riveting is Mary
Gaitskill’s intimate
The Mare, a love story
about Velvet, an abused
Dominican girl, and
the scarred horse she
learns to tame. Any
founder Mike Than Tun Win, “and I traveler will enjoy Rick
realized it was tough for foreign visitors Moody’s bizarre and
and locals alike to book their domestic often hilarious Hotels
flights.” Win, who returned home to of North America, the
Burma in 2011 after spending most of fictional “writings”
his life in Singapore, says his vision is to of an eccentric hotel
haul even more of the country’s travel reviewer. And lastly,
logistics onto a digital platform. “Lots of Patti Smith returns,
customers who book their flights with after the success of Just
us also ask for tour recommendations,” Kids, with musings on
NOTICED
says Win. “Many local tour agents are her peripatetic life in a
Burma 2.0
F R O M T O P : C O U R T E S Y O F F LY M YA ( 2 ) ; P H I L I P F R I E D M A N

offline and we want to work together new memoir, M Train.

with them to offer tours to travelers.” — THES SALY L A FORCE

Getting to Burma is a breeze, but
planning travel within the country can
still be a headache. Earlier this year it
was a challenge to reserve flights on
Burma’s domestic carriers unless you
were actually in Burma, but the launch
of FlyMya (flymya.com) in June ushered
in a new era. The online booking service
offers ticketing for six local airlines for
flights to a total of 27 cities. “There’s
been a tourism boom in Myanmar,” says
Starting this month you can book hotel
rooms and rental cars or drivers with
FlyMya. Even multiple-destination
tours like the Escape to Myanmar
package (five nights, US$1,472 per person
including domestic flights, hotels, guided
tours and meals), bouncing through
Rangoon, Lake Inle and Bagan, can be
booked from start to finish on the
website, so you can have your whole trip
sorted out before you touch ground.

TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM / OCTOBER 2015   33

/ here&now /
TRENDING

Into the Woods

Organic? Locally grown? Seasonal menus are so last season. Impress your
snobbiest foodie friends by hunting for your own wild edibles. BY DIANA HUBBELL

Foraged foods may have EDIBLE WEEDS

reached superstar status at
Noma and its emulators in
Copenhagen, but lately the
trend has been flourishing
further south. Top tables in
Australia including Attica
(attica.com.au; set menus
A$220), in Melbourne, and
Orana (restaurantorana.com;
set menus from A$80), in
Adelaide, are luring diners
with ingredients like
cinnamon myrtle and sea
blite. It’s not just chefs
rooting around for
chanterelles either; these
days casual Aussie
gourmands are getting down
and dirty scrounging for
prized edibles not far from
their own backyards. With
terrain this lush and varied, a
few hours of toil can yield
delicious results.
THE TRUFFLE & WINE CO.
Forget Piedmont—fragrant
black winter truffles are
stashed away in Manjimup in
Australia’s wild west. It takes
an especially sensitive schnoz
to find these beauts, so you’ll
be paired with a trained
canine companion to search
for the black gold, which
you’ll then be served fresh at
a gourmet lunch. Hunts are
seasonal and spaces fill up
fast, so sign up well in
advance to secure a spot.
truffleandwine.com.au; truffle
hunts late May through late
August A$60, appetizer and
wine pairing lunch sets A$30.
Doris Pozzi wrote the book on
urban foraging—literally.
Weekend gatherers can pick
up a copy of Edible Weeds and
Garden Plants of Melbourne,
or try the more hands-on
approach on a tour with the
author herself. The walks are
held in Yarra Valley, an hour
outside of Melbourne, making
them scenic but accessible for
city dwellers. edibleweeds.
com.au; Wild Edibles Foraging
Walks from A$45.
KOOMAL DREAMING
He may have been born Josh
Whiteland, but the founder of
this company prefers to go by
his traditional Wadandi
name: Koomal. Follow him
into the depths of Ngilgi Cave
FROM TOP: Unearth black gold on a truffle hunt with The Truffle & for a didgeridoo jam session
Wine Co.; let Koomal (left) show you the secrets of the outback. with Carnegie-worthy
acoustics, then learn how to
forage medicial plants in the
bushes and build a fire.
koomaldreaming.com.au;
Aboriginal Food, Culture,
Cave & Didge Tour A$98.
SEIT OUTBACK AUSTRALIA
Test your survival skills in
the Northern Territory as you
scavenge for bush seeds.
You’ll walk away with a
newfound appreciation for
the diversity of life in this
stark, gorgeous landscape. FROM TOP: CR AIG KINDER; COURTESY OF KOOMAL DREAMING
seitoutbackaustralia.com.au;
Bush Tucker and Reptiles tour
A$92 per person, including
transport to and from Ayers
Rock Resort.

CLOSER LAOS
Venture into the
CHINA then gorge on your five-day homestay travelers can brag
Prized matsutake glorious harvest. in the rural Isan to their friends
TO HOME jungles surrounding and porcini (See feature story town of Koh Phet about combing for
Is Oz too far afield? Luang Prabang in mushrooms in all on page 142.) will have you water beetles and
Check out these search of tasty shapes and colors shaxichina.com. hunting and eating scorpions, although
Asian options. hidden treasures grow in the rich soil frogs, insects and the faint of heart—
and roaring of Yunnan province. THAILAND lizards, as well as or stomach—should
waterfalls. laos- Scour the woods A true immersion more conventional steer clear. thailand
travel-agency.com. for precious fungi, experience, this plants. Intrepid homestay.com.

34   OCTOBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM

 ges
fique Voya
My Magni
/ here&now /

MUST-HAVES

TREK STARS
The newest hiking boots for
men are built to tackle any terrain,
from city streets to rocky peaks.
BY JANE BISHOP
PHOTOGR APHED BY JAMIE CHUNG

FROM TOP: Lowa

Vantage trekking
boot, US$245.
Adidas Outdoor
Terrex Scope
hiking boot,
US$200. The
North Face Ultra
Fastpack hiker,
US$150. Asolo
Triumph hiking
boot, US$230.
Vasque Inhaler
trekking boot,
US$160.

36  OCTOBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM

/ here&now /
BEIJING
High-quality ingredients,
like the organic young
chicken sourced exclusively
for the koushuiji, or “saliva
chicken,” make Transit (fb.
com/transitbeijing; koushuiji
for two RMB156) Lean’s
go-to restaurant in Beijing.
The koushuiji here is a
balanced mix of tender
meat and spicy sesame-
and-peanut sauce, which
Lean says is “rich, creamy
and spiced to perfection.”

C L O C K W I S E F R O M T O P L E F T: C O U R T E S Y O F M I C H E L E L E A N ; C O U R T E S Y O F T R A N S I T; C O U R T E S Y O F S O M T U M D E R ; C O U R T E S Y O F R A N G O O N T E A H O U S E ; C O U R T E S Y O F N G I U C H A P W O N G
BANGKOK
“Everyone loves a good
papaya salad,” Lean says.
Her top pick is the
guacamole-bar-style
Somtum Der (somtumder.
com; som tam for two
Bt200) both for its
unusually cool, modern
wood-finished setting and
for its 15 versions of
Thailand’s beloved bite.
“Best part is,” Lean says,
THE DISH “the rest of their menu is
absolutely delicious too.”

The Lean Principles RANGOON

Food Network Asia host Michele Lean cracks Lean is obsessed with the
open her little black book of delectable dishes mohinga fish soup served at
and guides you through a tasting tour of Asia. Rangoon Tea House
(fb.com/rangoonteahouse;
mohinga for two K10,000).
MICHELE LEAN SCOURS THE EARTH in search of “It’s commonly a street-
amazing food. The Food Network Asia host has been food but they’ve spruced it
up, loaded the bowl and
table-hopping Southeast Asia’s best restaurants and
made it one of the most
taste-testing their signature dishes in Food Wars and heavenly treats you’ll ever
before that, she was traveling across China, meeting encounter,” Lean says. The
ethnic minorities and sampling local delicacies for restaurant, set in a colonial
CCTV’s Travelogue. Although this Beijing-based building, reflects the
golden days of Burma.
journalist has lived in the Middle Kingdom for the past
eight years, she travels the world for work and play:
“Aren’t all vacations food-driven?” This year alone, the KUALA LUMPUR
Le Cordon Bleu-trained personality has already visited Sabah’s staple breakfast
Malaysia, Singapore, Burma, Thailand, the Philippines ngiu chap beef noodles is
given a new twist by Lean’s
and Indonesia, so she’s well qualified to weigh in on food uncle at Ngiu Chap Wong
trends. She can tell you all about the burgers, brownies (P-1-3 Plaza Damas, Sri
and craft beers that are making waves in this part of the Hartamas; 60-12/238-0009;
world but her favorite development is the reinvention and noodles for two RM20),
opened in June. Lean says
modernization of regional signature dishes, whether it’s
the ngiu chap taste like
in the city of origin or in another. “I love the movement of home since it is her
these different cuisines,” Lean says, “as it brings so much grandma’s recipe and the
more variety to a city.” Here Lean calls out the result is “just slow-cooked,
restaurants that best embody this trend in four of her top homemade beef goodness.”
food capitals. — MONSICHA HOONSUWAN

LEAN IN: The TV host’s secret to building up a Rolodex of gastronomic insight is a fearless approach to eating: “As a rule of thumb, I wouldn’t miss
anything!” Imodium at hand, Lean tries everything, at least twice, including Manila’s balut (cooked developed duck embryo); chocolate-colored,
jelly-like duck blood; and deep-fried salted silk worms. “If there are long lines and the locals love it, chances are, you will too,” Lean advises. “That’s
how we discover new dishes, expand our palates and learn more about different cultures.”

38  OCTOBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM

 / here&now /
INTRODUCING
Wearing is
Caring
The Finch sisters design
jewelry that dazzles
the eye and warms the heart.
BY SAMANTHA LEESE
T WIN SISTERS TIDA AND LISA FINCH
know a thing or two about selling jewelry
for a purpose. When their mother fled
Laos in the aftermath of the war in
Vietnam, she sold a necklace she had
hidden in her shoe to pay for dressmaking
lessons that she would use to support her
family. The sisters, who live and work in
London, founded Finchittida (finchittida.
com) shortly after graduating from
University of the Arts London with design
degrees in 2012. Their mission was to
create a game-changing, purpose-driven
brand with products as cool as its ethos.
In the past three years, their elegant
pieces have won the jewelry designers a
celebrity following and a commission
from Hollywood: Finchittida created a
bridal headdress, laser cut from silver
mirror Perspex, for Mila Kunis to wear
in her role as Queen of the Universe in
the 2015 film Jupiter Ascending.
40  OCTOBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM
Finchittida’s fourth collection,
Culture Clash, launched at London
Fashion Week this September, fuses
intricate design methods and motifs
from across three continents: Asia,
Europe and South America.
Fresh from a month-long trip to Laos
in April, the sisters encountered a
Chilean artisan, Marcelo Martinez of
Nativo Copper, whose handcrafted
jewelry is inspired by his travels in South
America. “Our vision was to reinvent his
traditional methods of woven metals in a
[contemporary] London style and
combine them with our Lao motifs,” Lisa
says, “to create a really fierce, fashion-
forward collection.”
Of their own mixed heritage (their
father is British), Tida and Lisa say they
had always longed to connect with the
Southeast Asian part of their identity
while growing up in London. “Our way of
doing this is through fashion,” Tida says.
“We love the concept of yin and yang;
balance is everything.”
Tida and Lisa have partnered with the
Mines Advisory Group (MAG) in Laos to
support the clearance of bombs in their
mother’s homeland. Some two million
tonnes of ordnance were dropped on Laos
during the Vietnam War—the most ever
per capita. When the twins discovered
that one third of these had been left
dangerously unexploded, Lisa says, “It
was definitely a question of how do we
COURTESY OF FINCHIT TIDA FINCH
help, and not whether we should.”
For every piece of jewelry Finchittida
sells, one square meter of land is made
safe for future generations. So if you don
their new engraved dragon hoop
earrings, for example, you’ll both be a
beautiful vision and help the Finch
sisters realize their beautiful vision of a
bomb-free Laos.
 / here&now /

IN THE BAG

The Flex Factor

Dancer Storyboard P leaps across a New York
rooftop in a new travel-friendly suit
designed to be as supple as it is
sophisticated. BY THESSALY L A FORCE
PHOTOGR APHED BY RUVEN AFANADOR
S T Y L I S T: J A N E B I S H O P. G R O O M I N G : L U I S G U I L L E R M O U S I N G D I O R H O M M E / O R I B E H A I R C A R E AT FA C T O R Y D O W N T O W N

WHEN YOU’RE THE DANCER

Storyboard P, life keeps you moving.
“It’s a voice,” he says, describing what
he feels when he dances. “It’s this
inner momentum that’s motivating
the direction I go, how long I hold a
move, when I should change it, what
should come out.” At the age of 25,
Storyboard has already made a name
for himself performing on and off the
streets of Brooklyn, where he grew
up. He’s the king of flex, an
improvisational style of dance that’s
equal parts balletic grace and strong
hits, marked by contortionist stunts
and smooth footwork. Recently his
moves have landed him roles in music
videos, with hip-hop stars such as Jay
Z, and a performance at Mass MoCA,
the prestigious modern arts outpost
in western Massachusetts.
So who better to give Paul Smith’s
new “A Suit to Travel In” a test run?
Storyboard, who is handsome >>

TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM / OCTOBER 2015   41

/ here&now /

with wide-set
eyes and has a
soft way of
speaking,
danced (on a
Brooklyn rooftop, in
Nike Air Raids) for
photographer Ruven
Afanador to Don Henley’s
“Boys of Summer,” subjecting
the suit’s high-twist fibers to
his particular athleticism. (He
cites Fred Astaire and Michael
Jackson as inspirations, and
though he has some ballet
training, he is largely self-
taught from 1990s music
videos and his peers.) The suit
stood up. “I was expecting it
to rip,” he admits. “The last
time I wore a suit, it ripped. I
went out and I was dancing. I
was kind of embarrassed.”
Where does he hope his
talents will take him next? “I
would love to go to Morocco,”
he says. “Or Saudi Arabia.
Enchanting places.”

SUIT UP “I travel all the time and often have to rush straight from the plane or train to a
shop event or even to stand up in front of an audience at a talk, so having a suit that looks
fresh is important to me,” Paul Smith says. The British designer had high expectations when
searching for a fabric that could withstand a relentless travel schedule that those in the
fashion world know so well. Made in styles for both men and women from 100-percent New
Zealand wool, with a high-twist yarn, this crease-resistant suit—which comes in three classic
colors (black, navy and dark gray), and in three different fits—has corozo-nut buttons that
are extra hard. Smith adds: “It’s vital to have a suit that springs back to life easily.” US$1,530;
paulsmith.co.uk.

1 5
C L O C K W I S E F R O M T O P L E F T: C O U R T E S Y O F T O M M Y H I L F I G E R ; © C H R I S T I E ’ S I M A G E S / C O R B I S : C O U R T E S Y O F L E E L A PA L A C E H O T E L S ;
MY FABULOUS WORLD
Tommy Hilfiger
COURTESY OF TOMMY HILFIGER (2); COURTESY OF EREDI CHIARINI; COURTESY OF R ALEIGH HOTEL
The fashion designer and budding hotelier may be the embodiment
of American style, but his outlook is entirely global.
UNIFORM
When I travel, my navy blazer is
my briefcase. I put everything in
the pockets: my passport, wallet,
mobile phone, chargers and
business cards. I get custom
suits made at (1) Eredi Chiarini
(eredichiarini.it), in Florence.
CARRY-ON
My memoir, American Dreamer
(Random House), comes out next
March. Every time I flew, I would
take a hundred pages or so with
me to edit while on the plane. It
occupied a huge amount of time; I
definitely didn’t sleep as much as
I should have!
ART FIX
I met Andy Warhol when I moved
to New York in the late 1970s,
and have always been attracted
to his work. I have a deep
understanding of it, because I
was very entrenched in that
pop-culture scene. My favorite
piece is (2) Grace Kelly; it
reminds me of my wife, Dee.
COMFORT FOOD
Whenever I’m in L.A., I love to
eat at Madeo Ristorante (1-
310/859-4903; entrées US$30–
45), which is a great old-school
Italian eatery. There’s nothing
better than pizza and pasta—real
carb-heavy dishes—but I also
like lighter options like grilled
branzino with a fresh salad.
DREAM TRIP
Last year I traveled to New Delhi,
where we marked a decade of the
Tommy Hilfiger brand’s presence
in India with a big event at the
(3) Leela Palace (theleela.com;
doubles from US$375).
Everything in that country is so
inspiring—the people, the food,
the smells, the colors­. I want to
return to Jaipur and Bangalore.
/ here&now /
3
2
4
CHECK-IN
When the opportunity arose to
buy the (4) Raleigh hotel (raleigh​
hotel.com; doubles from US$350)
in Miami Beach, I jumped at it.
The property is landmarked, so it
still has this incredible charm.
We plan to renovate and bring it
back to its original state, which
was so fantastic and unique.
THE SHOW GOES ON
To celebrate our 30th
anniversary and our largest store
opening in China, we recreated
the (5) Fall 2015 runway show
from New York Fashion Week in
Beijing. It took place in a full-size
mocked-up stadium, complete
with Astroturf, a scoreboard and
a Jumbotron. I think for an
American designer to put on a
spectacle like that really struck a
chord with the Chinese. It was
pure entertainment. 
— As told to Katie James
TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM / OCTOBER 2015   43
/ here&now /
INSIDER INTEL
Leading Man
Thai superstar and boutique hotelier Ananda
Everingham shares his favorite excursions in
and around Chiang Mai. BY DIANA HUBBELL
DR AMA RUNS IN THE FAMILY for
Ananda Everingham. The Bangkok-
born heartthrob has starred in some of
Thailand’s biggest blockbusters, like
Me… Myself, Eternity and Shutter, and
while he’s played the leading man in
many a rom-com, it might be hard to
trump the suspense and intrigue of his
own backstory. Everingham’s mother is
Laotian, his father is an Australian
photojournalist, and the 1983 NBC
television movie, Love Is Forever, about a
photojournalist who scuba dives the
Mekong to rescue his lover from
communist-ruled Laos is based loosely
on their true tale. In addition to a flair
for theatrics, hospitality is also an
Everingham trademark. Before he was
discovered at age 14, Everingham
worked part-time in his parents’ Indian
restaurant, Himali Cha Cha, a Bangkok
institution. So in a satisfying second
act, Everingham returns to hospitality
with the opening of Hotel Yayee (17/5
Nimmanhemin Soi 17; 66-99/269-5885;
fb.com/hotelyayee; doubles from
Bt1,900), a 14-room boutique hotel in
Chiang Mai. “The inspiration and
design came from the idea of building
something for someone I was in love
with,” the ever-romantic Everingham
says. “That is the reason the hotel is
called Yayee, which means sweetheart.”
The love interest in this particular
tale may very well be the city itself. “I
moved to Chiang Mai in 2009 and
figured that it would be important to
invest in the town that I was now
living,” Everingham says. “I spent so
much time designing and working on
the project that the only way to do the
space justice was to turn it into a hotel.”
Die-hard fans will quickly recognize
Everingham’s obsession with
photography, which he inherited from
C O U RT ESY O F H OT E L YAY E E
his father and showcases through the
stunning black-and-white images hung
in every guest room. His Lao heritage is
also woven throughout, with fetching
touches like throw pillows imported
from his mother’s hometown. The local
design motif extends to the rooftop
 terrace, which sports mountain views
as swoon-inducing as the star himself—
not to mention potent cocktails. Even
the breakfast, which ranges from Thai
khao tom (rice soup) to eggs and
sausages, exhibits close attention to
detail and cross-cultural sensibilities.
Everingham is still lighting up the
big screen, but his latest movie Love
H2O opened at the end of August and
there are no other releases slated for
this year, so for now Everingham fans
can get their fix by following his
footsteps and tire tracks through the
sleepy downtown and lush surrounding
hillsides on some of his favorite
expeditions in Thailand’s northern hub.
+ For local products like candles and
trippy trinkets, Everingham heads to
the city’s hippest strip, Nimmanhemin
Soi 1 (nimmansoi1.com), home to stylish
restaurants, art galleries and the
annual Nimmanhemin Art & Design
Promenade (December 5-10).
+ A pleasant walk with a culture
edge “starts at the base of Khualek [Iron
Bridge], where the local dek waen [street
motorcycle racers] like to hang out, and
leads to Chareon rat Road up past
SA KO N C H AO P H R A E K N O I ; C O U RT ESY O F BA A N M O N M UA N
C LO C K W I S E F R O M TO P : C O U RT ESY O F H OT E L YAY E E ;
Nawarat Bridge, where there are many
cool boutiques and local restaurants
with great organic food, handwoven
products and crafts.”
+ Everingham’s ideal day trip is
spent astride his motorbike. “I like to
ride around the Mae Rim loop into
Samoeng. On the route, there are many
places to stop such as Pong Yaeng Ang
Doi [Mae Rim-Samoeng Road, Mae Rim
District; lunch for two Bt500] for lunch.
The food there is good, and the
ingredients are locally grown. On the
way down to Samoeng, you’ll see a sign
that reads fortune telling and beer,
run by a cool old couple. Go there for a
bite to eat, or to have a cold beer while
having your fortune read.”
+ Also on the Mae Rim, Baan Mon
Muan (Pong Yaeng, Mae Rim District;
66-83/318-6444; baanmonmuan.com;
dinner for two Bt450) is one of
Everingham’s top picks for “amazing
local food made from the ingredients
grown in the hotel’s backyard.” And as
Everingham will tell you, when
searching for Chiang Mai’s hidden
charms, you often need look no further
than the backyard.
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP
LEFT: A cross-cultural
breakfast spread at
Hotel Yayee; people-
watching at Chan-Neung
Café on Nimmanhemin
Soi 1; stop for a garden-
fresh lunch at Baan
Mon Muan. OPPOSITE:
Ananda Everingham.
/ here&now /

MOOD BOA RD

Posh Spice 4

Whether at a resort in Marrakesh or a

shop on Madison, the season’s best
offerings all have a touch of the souk.
BY COURTNEY KENEFICK
1

C LO C K W I S E F R O M TO P C E N T E R : C O U RT ESY O F M A N DA R I N O R I E N TA L ; C O U RT ESY O F L A N V I N ; P H I L I P F I R E D M A N ( 6 ) . ST Y L I ST : C H A N E L K E N N E B R E W
5

1. Lancôme mascara in Mon Regard Parisien, US$32. 2. Aveda eye color in Golden Ginger, US$15. 3. The pool at the Mandarin Oriental
Marrakech, opening in October. 4. A look from Lanvin’s fall collection. 5. Valentino leather flats, US$875. 6. India (Phaidon), a photo
book by Steve McCurry, US$60. 7. New York Stoneware ceramic vase, US$150. 8. Stella McCartney brocade clutch, US$1,955.

46  O
JUC LT YO 2
B 0E 1R5 2  /0  T1 R
5A  / V  TE RL A V
N ED LL A
ENI SDULREEI A
S SU IRAE. CA OS M
IA.COM
 / here&now /
HEAD-TO-HEAD

Import Quality
THESE AMERICAN RESTAUR ANTS HAVE ALL EXPANDED RECENTLY
WITH INTERNATIONAL OUTPOSTS —BUT THEY DIDN’T JUST DO THE
SAME OLD THING. HERE’S WHAT’S COOKING.

MOTORINO | SINGAPORE VOODOO DOUGHNUT | TAIPEI

The Move The Clarke Quay party The Move Portland’s outlandish
C L O C K W I S E F R O M T O P L E F T: C O U R T E S Y O F M O T O R I N O ; C O U R T E S Y O F V O O D O O D O U G H N U T; C O U R T E S Y O F S M I T H & W O L L E N S K Y; C O U R T E S Y O F C AT C H

district gets a branch of New York’s
cult Neapolitan pizza joint—open until
midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.
The Translation This is the first
Motorino with outdoor seating. Naples’s
San Gennaro Cathedral inspired the
marble floor, and the chairs are from a
Belgian flea market. The Draw The
Soppressata Piccante pie is made with
Italian salumi that’s illegal to import to
the U.S. motorinopizza.com.
doughnuts are now served in the
shadow of the Taipei 101 skyscraper.
The Translation It’s got the same
Pepto-pink walls and takeout box, but
there’s a lot more room, with 52 seats
under chandeliers. The Draw
Doughnuts here are 25 percent smaller
(with 25 percent less guilt!). Try the
Taipei Cream (Bavarian filling with
maple-and-vanilla frosting).
voodoodoughnut.com.

CATCH | DUBAI SMITH & WOLLENSKY | LONDON

The Move The Manhattan seafood hot
spot has opened in the Fairmont hotel
in Dubai. The Translation It’s about
half the size of the three-story original,
but graffiti-covered brick walls and
industrial fans convey a distinctly
American vibe. The Draw Only-in-
Dubai dishes include the Land & Sea
sushi roll (made with miso lobster and
Wagyu beef) and the Pearl Necklace
cocktail (vodka, passion fruit and
oyster-and-star-anise cordial).
emmgrp.com.
The Move The steak house chain goes
international in the Adelphi building on
the edge of Covent Garden. The
Translation This is, hands down, the
most opulent location to date. The
green-and-white color scheme is
punched up with Carrara-marble bars
and plush banquettes. The Draw The
irresistible Sunday special: tender
roast beef, Yorkshire pudding and
potatoes cooked in goose fat.
smithandwollensky.co.uk.
—   JAY CHESHES
/ here&now /
DETOUR

Mystical Maligcong
Hidden beyond the Philippine Cordilleras’ main route,
this small town, with its distinct stone-wall rice terraces,
has an unimagined beauty few travelers get to see.
BY MARCO FERR ARESE. PHOTOGR APHED BY KIT YENG CHAN

MALIGCONG’S AMPHITHEATER
of stone-wall rice terraces is one of
the Cordilleras’ unsung insider
secrets. The journey there, a hair-
raising 30-minute uphill ride from
Bontoc’s bustling market in a
packed-to-the-gills jeepney (five
departures per day; P20), weeds out
the faint hearted, but the pay-off is
worth every bump in the road.
Panoramas of rice steppes carved
into rolling hills extend as far as
the eye can see. It looks like a
playhouse for giants, with rice-
carpeted staircases zigzagging in
every direction. This unesco
World Heritage site is the sole
example of pre-colonial stone
construction in the country, but
few have trod these fields.
You can do Maligcong as a half-
day trip from Bontoc but, with
surrounds this stunning, it is
worth putting down your bags and
staying a while. Suzette’s
Maligcong Homestay (63- 91/5546-
3557; fb.com/maligconghomestay;
doubles including dinner P1,000) is
an intimate lodge with three
rooms, each with rustic wooden
fittings and a spacious veranda
overlooking the valley. You
couldn’t hope for a more gracious
host than Ate Suzette, and her
home-cooked pork adobo will
warm your belly and your soul
through Maligcong’s chilly nights. village limits along the snaking
Suzette can arrange guided stone path, we stumble upon a group
walks to the terraces and hikes to of shy school kids on their way back
the hot spring in the nearby village home. We all walk in single file past
of Mainit, but you can also just local farmers working knee-deep in
strike off by yourself on muddy water tending to the paddies.
perambulatory excursions. I bask in the slice-of-life moment,
Following Suzette’s advice, we hike and tell myself that this is what
to Maligcong’s primary school, a travel is all about. As we trudge
cluster of wooden houses along the ridge to the top, the
dominating the valley from the top afternoon sun starts a shimmering
of the highest hill. As we leave the light show in the hundreds-strong
patchwork of pools below us. I’m FROM TOP: The
dumbstruck by the beauty of this jeepney ride from
ever-changing, three-dimensional Bontoc market to
Maligcong is an
checkerboard. Suzette had told us, intensely local
“Even though I’ve lived here most of experience;
my life, it’s hard to get tired of Maligcong is the
Maligcong. It looks like a different only spot in the
Philippines where
place in every season.” Taking in the
you’ll find these
vastness of the view, I know exactly picturesque stone-
what Suzette means. I try to imagine wall rice terraces.
what the stairs of the Gods will look
like during my next visit.
/ here&now /

CLOCKWISE FROM BELOW: A Ginger Berry Julep

makes a scene at 44 Bar; slide into the lounge at
Zouk; mixologist Andrew Tan at Hyde at 53M.

on a telenovela budget, which is part of

its charm. The drinks here though
shouldn’t be taken lightly. Or on an
A F TER DA RK empty stomach. Head bartender CK Koh
rolls out drinks like the Castaway, a
The DL on KL knock-you-on-your-ass blend of
Privateer amber rum, coffee liqueur,
From bars to super clubs, the city’s nightlife is on fleek. MARK LEAN
pineapple, and Monin salted caramel
gets turned up at three of the hottest new places to get down. syrup; as well as fellow tiki-inspired rum
cocktail, the Jungle Bird, made from
WATCHING SUNRISE OVER A Campari, pineapple and lime juice,

mountaintop may be a magical
experience, but I prefer my dawns to the
backdrop of dubstep at super club Zouk
(436 Jln. Tun Razak; zoukclub.com.my;
drinks for two RM100, entry from RM25),
which recently reopened its doors at the
three-hectare TREC after decamping
from its Jalan Ampang location. Built at
the cost of RM38 million, the latest KL
spinoff to the 24-year old Singaporean
party hot spot is packed with 10
specialist rooms, each with its own
distinct music policy, an exclusive
members’ bar with private lift access, a
VIP concierge and, sensibly, due to the
club’s 5 a.m. closing time, a medical bay.
Since the nightspot launched in KL back
in 2004, it’s estimated that 100,000 night
owls have slid past the velvet rope each
year. At the new club, international
night-clubbers who bring their passports
get their own entry lane, along with
complimentary entrance to the party.
Slightly more understated in
approach is pop-up 44 Bar (The Row,
Jalan Doraisamy; 60-3/7958-1377; fb.
com/44bar; drinks for two RM100), an
arty back-alley cocktail joint on a street
that was hip perhaps a decade ago. Here,
interiors, the work of design firm
Allthatissolid, are composed of trippy
mind-bending motifs that recall an
Austin Powers aesthetic. The bar’s
movie-set aspirations have been realized
C L O C K W I S E F R O M T O P L E F T: C O U R T E S Y O F 4 4 B A R ; C O U R T E S Y O F Z O U K ; C O U R T E S Y O F H Y D E AT 5 3 M
purportedly invented in 1978 at the Kuala
Lumpur Hilton. Drink up—44 Bar is at
its current location until December.
The city’s newfound appreciation for
cosmic cocktails is obvious at Hyde at
53M (53M Jln. SS 21/1A, Damansara
Utama; 60-3/7733-2303; fb.com/hyde53m;
drinks for two RM100), a speakeasy in
suburban Petaling Jaya with gleaming
leather sofas and waitstaff donning bow
ties and suspenders. The no-smoking
policy means you get the tavern vibe
without the cigar fumes, perfect for
unwinding after work. A steady stream
of creative types flock to this stylish and
laid-back bar for mixologist Andrew
Tan’s ever-changing roster of drinks
that includes the mighty King Kong
Bloody Mary, which owes its name to its
serving portion as well as to its alcohol
content. And for an equally oversize
monster of a night, order the New
Horizon here; the so-named tray of half
a dozen pandan and coconut cream-
topped shooters will set you on the right
(or wrong?) path.

50  OCTOBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM

 / here&now / exotic & idyllic retreat
...where life is a private celebration

DINING

Go Fish
This month, Davy Jones’s locker is
spilling open onto Third Street in Sai
Ying Pun with the opening of Fish
School seafood restaurant. “Hong
Kong began as a fishing village and
seafood continues to be a unique
pillar of its local culture,” says Hong
Kong-born chef David Lai. “As a chef
there is no better inspiration than
these pristine gifts from nature.” Lai
is designing the menu at the intimate
50-seater restaurant where the
catches of the day—think fish,
shrimp, lobster and crabs—are
primarily sourced from small,
family-owned fishing boats. Sea to
FROM TOP: serving platter, courtesy of mom and
Chef David Lai,
Fish School co
pop, oh and one of the top-rated chefs
founder; Lai’s in Hong Kong. 100 Third St., Sai Ying
catch of day. Pun; 852/2361-2966; fishschool.hk.
F R O M T O P : C O U R T E S Y O F D AV I D L A I ( 2 ) ; C O U R T E S Y O F F O U R S E A S O N S

TRENDING: JET-HOPPING
IT’S LIKE A CRUISE SHIP IN THE SKY: the next ultra-high-end way
to travel across multiple countries is in a private jet. Four Seasons is
linking its best hotels via 757 on trips like January’s eight-nation
“Timeless Discoveries” (fourseasons.com/jet; US$132,000 per person), Sanur I Ubud I Nusa Dua I Jimbaran
which, in one L.A.-to-London itinerary, combines white-water
rafting in Bali with flying in to Agra to marvel at the Taj Mahal.
Remote Lands has two eight-seat Gulfstreams hopscotching Asia P. 62 361 705 777 F. 62 361 705 101
with stays at Aman resorts; the March departure (remote​lands.com; E. experience@kayumanis.com
US$58,888 per person) offers lessons from a sword fighter in Tokyo
and lunch with a Cambodian princess at her dance academy. And
next September, Abercrombie & Kent’s tricked-out 757 will take 50
guests from the streets of Cuba to the stone statues on Easter Island
to estancias in Patagonia (abercrombiekent.com; US$99,500 per
person). —  ANDREW SESSA

www.thegangsa.com www.kayumanis.com
/ here&now /
FOOD
A Balanced
Meal
After years of rustic bistros, chef
David Toutain is bringing fine
dining back to Paris—with a twist.
FROM LEFT: Toutain’s
wood-accented dining
room; the chef, who is
originally from Normandy.
COMPLAINING ABOUT THE FOOD
scene in Paris is like saying your
private plane doesn’t have enough
seats. But if you’ve been to Auckland
or Melbourne or Singapore—or
anywhere, really—and visited
restaurants that are casually rustic,
locally driven and generally modern
in feel, then Paris’s reigning
bistronomie trend can give you a
sense of déjà vu. Frenchie and its
successors remain popular and
great, but it’s time for a new era in
Parisian dining.
A forward-thinking group of
chefs is looking to modernize haute
cuisine, with its labor-intensive
sauces and elaborate plating, and would’ve made Escoffier cringe.
make it a sophisticated but not stuffy That’s kind of the point: fine dining
experience. And no one nails it quite need not be a religious experience,
like David Toutain, whose namesake and Toutain gets that. At one point,
restaurant in the Seventh just before the meat course, you even
Arrondissement serves just two get to pick your own steak knife.
menus: nine courses for €72 and 15 (Too bad you can’t keep it.)
for €105. If you’re lucky, you’ll be The room is equally informal,
welcomed by the brilliant Canadian alive with laughing locals, and
sommelier Linda Violago. Instead of decorated like a Stockholm Airbnb,
the wine pairings, order whatever with blond-wood tables and exposed
bottles she suggests to go with the bulbs dangling from cords. Dessert,
night’s meal. too, is on the playful side. The night I
The food changes daily, though dined, fresh strawberries arrived
most of it is ambitious and a bit looking like the Sydney Opera
strange: little balls of beef carpaccio House, propped up by little spheres
with raspberries hidden inside; of ice cream. Then came rich truffles
beets whittled into something served buried in the chef’s chocolate
resembling a film canister, then version of dirt. Dirt! That last bit of
stuffed with more beets for a double kitchen science is something many
dose of earthiness; hunks of eel with nouvelle gastronomie chefs have been
apple confetti in a pool of black- riffing on for a few years now.
Toutain’s success lies in taking
sesame sauce.
All of it is formalist in execution, something familiar, classic even,
undeniably French, and mostly and simply doing it better.
served on unglazed plates that davidtoutain.com. — KURT SOLLER

GETTING YOUR FIXE Paris’s standout set menus, both simple and splurgy

ALAIN DUCASSE AU CLOVER | The latest SPRING | Opened by RESTAURANT GUY YAM’TCHA | Though the
PLAZA ATHÉNÉE | The from star chef Jean- American chef Daniel SAVOY | Go at lunch, restaurant moved to a
room resembles a Marie François Piège—who Rose, it’s now one of when the chef offers a larger spot this summer,
Antoinette version of worked at the Hôtel de Paris’s top affordable €110 carte of updated intriguing Asian-inflected
Miami. The cheapest Crillon—and his wife, dining experiences. For classics—raw oysters dishes such as red-tea
lunch menu costs €215. Elodie. The tiny St.- €84, his team serves with seaweed and lemon mousse still make its
M AT T H I E U S A LVA I N G ( 2 )

And it’s mostly Germain spot serves light refined takes on dishes granita or artichoke-and- €60 lunch one of the
vegetables. Strictly for plates like quinoa wafers like chicken bouillon and black-truffle soup—in the toughest reservations to
those willing to indulge and marinated fresh squab with sweet-breads. penthouse of the Paris score in the world.
on (truly remarkable) tomatoes that seem springparis.fr. Mint, where it relocated yamtcha.com.
carrots and artichokes. almost Californian in in May. Swank, right down
alainducasse-plaza style. clover-paris.com; to the red-carpet
athenee.com. dinner prix fixe from €58. entrance. guysavoy.com.

52  OCTOBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM

The Best
When you think of Bintan, resorts, spas and golf
immediately spring to mind. But there’s more to the
Indonesian getaway that meets the eye. And it’s those extras
that should have you visit the lively island. For starters is the
award-winning Mangrove Discovery Tour, a journey along the
Sebung River into thick jungle that takes in unique plant life as
well as monkeys, monitor lizards and king fishers. The day
becomes a trip into the serene side of the island—and if you
opt for the enchanting evening tour, you’ll find the mangroves
bathed in the luminescence of fireflies and glittering stars.
Exploring this island is the new thing on everyone’s to-do
list, so the full-day South Bintan Heritage Tour takes visitors
to Senggarang, an intriguing fishing village home to a
200-year-old Banyan tree and pilgrimage site for Buddhists.
A giant statue of Buddha oversees all. On Penyengat Island,
stops include a Dutch fort, old palaces and the Sultan of
Riau’s Grand Mosque. No tour is complete without stopping in
Tanjung Pinang to sample kerupuk, prawn and fish crackers.
Separate tours of the island’s capital are also available.
For the outdoor set, there’s the Gunung Bintan
Adventure Trek. While only 340 meters high, the
mountain is rich with soaring trees; rare animals
such as silver leaf monkeys, sun birds and eagles;
and a chance to plunge into a water fall for a local,
natural and cool blessing.
For more information, visit bintan-resorts.com
Nature also comes into play with a Traditional Fishing
Tour, where you get a chance to catch crab, shrimp and fish
with bamboo and wire traps. And don’t miss the Eco Farm
Trek that explores a 17-hectare farm growing fruit, vegetable
and herbs, where you can indulge in a seasonal-produce
tasting and take home some of the harvest.
As if all these adventures weren’t enough, Bintan has
introduced a number of new tours, including the Trails of Sea
Gypsies, an in-depth and fascinating look at this intriguing
way of life, centered on floating fishing platforms called
kelongs, that is entirely separate from the modern world. The
coastal views of traditional boat builders at work and villages
hovering over the sea will take your breath away. Or, escape
via both local seacraft and motorized trishaw to the Island of
the Kings, where the long-gone Riau Kingdom is never
forgotten. The island of Penyengat and all its attractions are
pending listing as unesco World Heritage Sites.
Gods & Dragons is a tour that delves into the roots of
Chinese settlers, and takes you to visit temples, dive into
nature and be awed by more than 500 life-sized
statues, each different and unique. Rising above them
all is Vihara Avalokitesvara, which houses the
tallest Goddess of Mercy statue in Southeast Asia.
It is, like most everything you’ll encounter in
Bintan, a scene you will never forget.
 A dvertisement

of Bintan
 sa i g o n | m a l ay s i a | b u r m a | + m o r e

Behold,
CULTURE

the
National
Gallery
Two of Singapore’s grandest heritage
buildings will reopen next month as a
showcase for the world’s largest public
collection of Southeast Asian art.
Melanie Lee gets a sneak peek of the
architectural masterpiece.
PHOTOGR APHED BY DARREN SOH

The unaltered
façade of the
National Gallery
Singapore.
/ beyond /C U L T U R E

THE BARE WALLS AND QUIET

CORRIDORS SET MY MIND R ACING.
What will this space look like when
it is alive with art and teeming with
tourists? There is a visceral sense of
urgency as curators, videographers,
construction workers and cleaners
stride purposefully about the
National Gallery Singapore the day
I’m taken for a “naked” museum
tour (seeing the museum without its
exhibits). Its official opening is on
November 24, and as the largest
visual arts venue in Singapore, at
64,000 square meters (a little larger
than Musée d’Orsay in Paris), it has
expectations to live up to. 
Judging by first impressions, this
gallery doesn’t have much to worry
about. Housed in the former City
Hall and Supreme Court buildings,
two national monuments with
towering Corinthian and Ionic
columns, the National Gallery is a
palatial wonderland where art, ↑ The Rotunda Dome
design and history merge. The classical Rotunda Dome that
The adaptive reuse and was previously hidden from the
conservation of these two iconic public can now be viewed from the
buildings from the 1920s and 1930s Supreme Court terrace. From there,
has been a five-year, S$530-million you can also peek through the
mammoth task undertaken by rooftop to see a close-up of the
French architectural firm Studio former Supreme Court’s copper
Milou and CPG Consultants from main dome, which has turned
Singapore. The key design concept is bluish-green after years of oxidation.
to add layers to the existing In its previous life, it was a law
buildings rather than altering them library, and if you make your way
too drastically. One of the most inside the Rotunda, you’ll find
striking new features is a canopy restored curved columns and
made of glass and 15,000 aluminum cabinets that will hold volumes of
panels draped over both structures. browsable archival materials.
This unique, veil-like roof gives a
dappled sunlit effect during the day → City Hall Chamber
and is supported by steel structures The 1945 signing of the Japanese
that look like chrome tree trunks. A surrender documents, and the 1959
basement concourse and two sky swearing in of Singapore’s first
bridges have also been constructed prime minister, Lee Kuan Yew: City
to connect the two buildings. Hall’s most stately room was also the
These contemporary additions site of its most significant national
are breathtaking, but it is the events. Its original wood panels and
historical integrity seen in the marble columns, with brass capitals
restoration that truly gives the set atop the pillars, remain and have
National Art Gallery its soul. Here been restored. There are no
are a few of the architectural immediate plans to have any
showstoppers that are worth exhibitions or displays in this
checking out on your visit. room—history speaks for itself.

58  OCTOBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM

→ Former Supreme
Court Balcony
Flip around and face the building
façade, because besides offering a
panoramic view of Singapore’s Civic
District, this balcony also holds a
fascinating historical footnote.
Below the Allegory of Justice
sculpture is a space where it looks
like some kind of emblem has been
scraped off. It is widely believed to
have been the British coat of arms,
and was probably removed by the
Japanese during World War II. It’s
just one example of why you need to
keep your eyes peeled on a tour;
buildings with this much history are
layered with hidden details and
secret stories.

← Former Supreme
Court Foyer
Underneath the floor is a time
capsule from 1937—containing
currency from the Straits
Settlement, and newspapers—that
can only be opened in the year 3000.
Luckily, no one’s in a rush to bust
through the beautiful original Art
Deco terrazzo flooring. Together
with the staircases and airy, high
ceiling with retro wooden panels,
this space evokes F. Scott Fitzgerald-
era affairs complete with martinis
and shrimp cocktail. Interestingly
though, since there had been a tight
post-Depression construction
budget, this was considered an
“austere” building back in the day.
01-01, 1 St. Andrew’s Rd.; national
gallery.sg; complimentary entry from
November 24-December 6, 2015.

IN THE PIPELINE

Here’s what to expect
when the National Gallery
Singapore opens this
November:
•The world’s largest public
collections of Southeast
Asian artworks from the
19th and 20th centuries
contained in the DBS
Singapore Gallery and
UOB Southeast Asia
Gallery.
• Restaurants such as
National Kitchen by
celebrity chef Violet Oon,
and Odette by former Jaan
chef Julien Royer.
• Gallery & Co., a store
that will feature specially
designed products for the
museum such as books, a
variety of collectibles
and prints.
• Renowned visiting
exhibitions to give more
global context to the
permanent local and
regional collections. There
will be a partnership with
Centre Pompidou in April
2016 on the relationship
between modernist art
from Singapore and
Southeast Asia, and other
parts of the world. “Artist
and Empire,” a
collaboration with Tate
Britain featuring artworks
from the British Empire,
will open in October 2016. 

TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM / OCTOBER 2015   59

 / beyond /T R A V E L D I A R Y
3
1. MOMENT OF RESPITE At a lush
highway rest stop in the Mekong
Delta, Ut snapped these
restaurant workers before
ordering breakfast of hot soup
with rice noodles.
2. FLOATING WITNESS This
crocodile lurks on Con Phung
Island in the Mekong Delta, an
area Ut covered. During the war,
60  OCTOBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM
1 unpublished because of the child’s nudity,
2
peace activist Ong Dao Dua (or
the Coconut Monk) lived nearby.
There’s now a temple in his honor.
3. IN THE ZONE After his older
brother, AP photojournalist
Huynh Thanh My, was killed by
the Vietcong in 1965, 16-year-old
Ut began showing up daily and
developing film at the bureau,
until he got his brother’s job. “My
brother said he was going to take
a picture that would stop the
war,” says Ut, pictured here at a
combat base in January 1971.
“When I took the picture of Kim
Phuc, I thought, ‘I have it for you.’”
4. A VILLAGE REBORN Trang Bang
43 years later. The site of the
bombing is directly behind the
Cao Dai temple, seen here. >>
A Great
Return
To mark the 40th anniversary of the end of
the Vietnam War, native son and prize-
winning war photographer Nick Ut traveled
to Saigon, his camera at the ready.
JUST AFTER NOON ON JUNE 8, 1972, a South
Vietnamese Skyraider dropped napalm on
Trang Bang, a village 40 kilometers northwest
of Saigon. The payload, meant to hit occupying
North Vietnamese forces, struck civilians
instead, many of whom then rushed down the
highway toward 21-year-old Associated Press
photographer Nick Ut. His photo of nine-year-
old Kim Phuc, naked and screaming as smoke
filled the sky, galvanized international opinion
against the war. The shot, which almost went
helped Ut become the youngest winner of the
Pulitzer Prize for photography at the time.
In 1975, Ut escaped Saigon for a camp in San
Diego with only a couple of cameras. “I was a
refugee,” he says. “At the camp, I always had my
camera.” He’s worked for the AP for decades,
and now returns annually to Vietnam. This
spring, to celebrate Liberation Day and the
release of AP’s new book Vietnam: The Real War,
Ut visited Saigon for the festivities, including a
military parade. Ut, who has a historian’s
breadth of knowledge and as keen a
photographic eye as ever, shared these photos
of his trip.  — SOO YOUN 
4
/ beyond /T R A V E L D I A R Y

6
5

5. FRESH CATCH Ut spotted these

red tilapia at a fishmonger in Sa
Dec. Though he was in the
French-colonial town to visit the
famous setting of the 1992 film
The Lover, he skipped the official
tour to wander through the
nearby open-air market.
6. NIGHT VISION Ut captured an
after-dark aerial view of the
anniversary celebration. Even
after 40 years, he’s still on the
AP clock day and night.
7. ON THE MOVE Like a paparazzo
on the prowl, Ut asked his driver
to speed up then slow down so
that he could capture this family
traveling along the highway on a
motorbike to Saigon.
8. SIGNS OF LIFE “During the war,
there were lots of Vietcong here,”
Ut says, gazing out on the
Mekong. “They were hiding under
these plants and bombing
American navy boats. That’s why
American soldiers shot so many
Vietcong in this area. John Kerry
was right around here.”
9. COOL OASIS Ut’s room at the
Sheraton Saigon, where he
sometimes stays on his annual
visits, looks out on this swimming
7 pool. During the war, the hotel
was an apartment building where
Ut’s journalist colleagues Tim
8 Page, John Steinbeck IV (son of
the novelist) and Sean Flynn (son
of Errol) all lived.

62  OCTOBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM

 The Park Hyatt ® trademark and related marks are trademarks of Hyatt Corporation. © 2015 Hyatt Corporation. All rights reserved.
suite 339
DANCING L ADY ORCHIDS
PRIVATE ART TOUR IN SAI GON
HOME BREWED VIETNAMESE COFFEE
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A BEDTIME STORY ON THE PILLOW

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 / beyond /O N T H E R I S E

Igniting Ipoh
A fresh batch of boutique hotels, cafés
and restaurants is making Ipoh’s Old Town
feel brand new. BY MARCO FERRARESE.
PHOTOGRAPHED BY KIT YENG CHAN >>

​The start of Ipoh’s

heritage trail is
marked on the avenue
facing the historical
clock tower.​

64  OCTOBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM

 C
ontrary to popular belief,
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/ beyond /O N T H E R I S E
CLOCKWISE FROM
TOP LEFT: Art by
Ernest Zacharevic
celebrates Ipoh’s
white coffee;
night view of Town
Hall; egg tarts at
Kedai Makanan
Nam Heong.
OPPOSITE: ​B ean-
sprout chicken at
Restoran Ong Kee.​
SLEEPY IPOH IS WAKING UP. The Malaysian city still has all the
charm and elegance that wealth from its former life as a 1930s
colonial tin-mining center once afforded, but until recently, it has
been stuck in the past. Even the multicolored Chinese shophouses
that line the charming lanes of Old Town seem to lean against
each other, like they too have succumbed to the languid ebb and
flow of time in the tropics, and nothing much seems to have
changed in the way local shopkeepers tend to their century-old
crafts. Much like the ore that put Ipoh on the map, the city had
tarnished with age, but new flights from Singapore on Tiger
(tigerair.com) and Malindo (malindoair.com) plus a spate of
recently opened hotels and dining options have the dreamy
destination spiffed up to a high shine.
HERITAGE HOTELS
+ Experience a modern take on true shophouse-living straight in
Old Town’s pumping heart at the new boutique hotel Sekeping
Kong Heng (75 Jln. Panglima; 60-5/241-8977; sekeping.com/
kongheng/home.html; doubles from RM220). The eight rooms,
including two hanging glass boxes, are a luxe refit of a 1920s-era
building that hosted the Cantonese opera troupe way back when.
Visiting troupes performed regularly until the 1950s in the 1,500-
seat theater next door, which is now trendy bistro Plan B (60-
5/249-8286; thebiggroup.co/planb; drinks for two from RM25).
+ Also in the center of Ipoh’s Old Town and nearby the Kinta River,
another old Chinese shophouse is ready to host heritage-hunters
66  OCTOBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM
in spacious and fabulously renovated rooms.
Sarang Paloh (16 Jln. Sultan Iskandar; 60-5/
241-3926; sarangpaloh.com; doubles from
RM238) welcomes guests in a throwback lobby
furnished with Chinese vintage housewares
and inspiring batik paintings. A spiral
staircase leads to the second floor that housed
a bank in the 1920s but is now a collection of
tastefully refurbished rooms.
IPOH EATS
+ Start your day like a local with a cup of
white coffee; the quintessential Old Town
brew is made from coffee beans roasted with
palm-oil margarine and served with
condensed milk. Sip a cuppa alongside a
hearty breakfast at Kedai Makanan Nam
Heong (2 Jln. Bandar Timah; 60-16/553-8119),
known for its spot-on brews and silky egg
tarts, while you listen to hawkers’ ladles crack
and woks sizzle on the streets outside.
+ Try to find a seat among the locals at mom
and pop Restoran Ong Kee (48 Jln. Yau Tet
Shin; 60-5/253-1562; meal for two from RM20)
for some of the best tauge ayam, or bean-
sprout chicken, in town. Here the classic Ipoh
dish is boiled to perfection, sprinkled with
fresh bean sprouts and soy sauce, and served
with noodle soup or rice.
+ In the mood to live a little dangerously? Loosen your belt and
steel your nerves for the RM18 one-hour noodle free flow at Wheel
Noodles (26 Jln. Market, under 1981 Guesthouse shop sign; 60-5/
242-3777; fb.com/wheelnoodle; meal for two from RM15). This artsy
bistro has lively touches like rows of hanging umbrellas, vintage
bicycles, wooden tables and lofty interiors, and noodles come in
old-style, crowing-rooster-decorated bowls.

CULTURE QUEST
+ Eight murals by Ernest Zacharevic, the Lithuanian artist who
made Penang a street-art star, are hidden throughout the lanes
and walkways of Ipoh. Go on a treasure hunt to find them all.
T+L TIP The artwork locations are marked on the Ipoh Tourist Map
available at the tourism information office and most hotels.
+ The city’s newest heritage museum Han Chin Pet Soo (3 Jln.
Bijeh Timah; free tour booking at ipohworld.org/reservation; RM10
donation optional) was originally founded in 1893 by tin magnate + Take an evening stroll to see the light show
Leong Fee as a gentleman’s club for miners and tycoons. The space at the fountain in the square facing Ipoh’s Taj
opened in February as a musuem, and offers a peek into the Old Mahal—an apt local nickname for the
World charm of a Hakka Chinese clan house, complete with a sumptuous 1935 white marble train station.
central courtyard and packed-earth walls. The first floor recounts Walk the Kinta riverfront under LED-
the history of Ipoh’s industrial past, while upstairs the quirky glowing trees, your red carpet to Ipoh’s
reproduction of a Chinese gambling and opium den with life-size nightlife, and lose yourself to the city’s quiet
statues of Fu Manchu-alike punters is definitely worth a look. but infectious beat.

REDISCOVERY OF LEGACY

OPENING SOON

J7 Hotel
Road 6 Siem Reap,
Kingdom of Cambodia
www.j7hotel.com

info@j7hotel.com
/ beyond /T H E T A K E A W A Y

BR ACELET
My family is
incredibly
superstitious, so
evil-eye symbols
were prevalent
during my childhood.
I found this one at
Paşabahçe, a famous
glassmaker.
I keep it on a shelf
in my office alongside
other collectibles.
pasabahce.com; TL60.

RUG
A Turkish client gave
this to me. I loved the TOWEL
geometric pattern,
so I bought a few Every time I’m
more in the Bedesten in town, I go to the
section of the Grand hammam—Kılıç Ali
Bazaar. You can tell it Paşa is my favorite.
was made a long time This traditional cotton
ago, yet it feels very cloth is worn at the
current. TL750. baths; I bought some
PEN to use at home. The
Whenever I have to fabric is airy, but still
sign something soaks up water. kilicali​
special, I use this pen. pasa​hamami.com;
It was given to me by a similar styles for TL60.
client, who bought it
at the Grand Bazaar.
The Turkish people
have such an amazing
gifting culture.

CARD CASE
COFFEE I like to look for
CUPS vintage pieces—things
that have a certain
I’ve developed
memory. This silver
an obsession
box, which I
with Turkish coffee.
discovered at the
I drink it every day,
Grand Bazaar, feels
but I only use these
very traditional. I gave
cups from Hiref when
it to my wife, but I
I take the time to make
don’t know if she even
a proper brew. Hiref;
uses it! TL300.
90-212/345-6038;
TL300 for the pair.
S T Y L I S T: L I S A F L U D Z I N S K I

DROR BENSHETRIT | DESIGNER | Istanbul  For buildings like New York’s SoHo Synagogue and for products
for Tumi, Target and Alessi, the Israeli-born Benshetrit finds inspiration in symmetry and geometry. Both are in ample supply in
Turkey’s largest city, where his firm, Studio Dror (studiodror.com), has a major architectural project under way. “The heritage of
the Ottoman Empire, mixed with European and Asian influences, makes the city so diverse,” he says. The designer picked up these
keepsakes from the Grand Bazaar (istanbulgrandbazaar.org) and at shops in Karaköy. — K ATIE JAMES

68  OCTOBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM PHOTOGR APH BY JAMES WOJCIK
 It’s a big world. What do you Prefer?

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

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15_464
/ beyond /D I S C O V E R Y Buddhist imagery
adorns Kawgun cave.

THINGS ARE GETTING ROWDY at the swimming

hole on the outskirts of Pa-An, the capital of
Burma’s Karen State, this balmy afternoon. A
rocky promontory provides the ideal leaping-
off point for a queue of young Burmese lads.
The pool itself—a cool, clear expanse fed by a
natural spring—is an aquatic free-for-all
where kids pilot inflated car-tire inner tubes
and splash about in noisy water fights. As the
younger teenagers frolic, an older crowd packs
out a collection of ramshackle wooden
restaurants. Boys pick out classics on guitars
while girls fix their makeup by using the
reverse cameras on their mobile phones.
The local guys aren’t the only rock stars
around however. As my friend and I stroll
Kyauk Kalap down to the pool we are accosted by groups of
Monastery sits on a fearless smiling admirers who take turns
limestone pedestal. posing for photographs with the giant Western
interlopers. I’ve found that such eagerness is

Karen State of Mind

A new boutique in Pa-An is making it
easier to visit this entrancing Burmese
limestone-hill town in style. BY DUNCAN FORGAN
harder to come by in many of the region’s
tourist hot spots, but here in Karen State—
where many areas remain closed due to
ongoing conflict between ethnic armies and
the central government—visiting foreigners
are a rare and welcome sight.
Little happens at a breakneck pace in
Burma. Boats take days to chug their way up
the country’s rivers while a creaky road and
rail infrastructure means that patience is a
virtue that even the crankiest visitor must
adopt when it comes to getting around. In
keeping with the somnolent way of things, the
country’s tourist strategy has also taken its
sweet time to diversify, focusing mainly on a
C O U R T E S Y O F H PA - A N L O D G E ( 3 )

handful of destinations including Bagan, Inle

Lake, Mandalay and Rangoon. Yet Pa-An and
its surrounds are now emerging as appealing
additions to any Burmese itinerary.
Bordering northern Thailand, Karen State
Sashaying through has plenty in common with its neighbor to the
the green grounds of east. It’s a land of lush river valleys, emerald
Hpa-An Lodge.
paddies and towering limestone peaks. >>

70  OCTOBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM

 BOROBUDUR BROMO CANGGU CILANDAK DHARMAWANGSA KOMODO
MENJANGAN - WEST BALI NATIONAL PARK CRUISES SUMBA TUGU - PUNCAK UBUD
/ beyond /D I S C O V E R Y

Pa-An is an easy bus ride 290 kilometers east of

Rangoon and enjoys an enviable setting on the
banks of the mighty Salween River. Here you’ll find
a few serviceable eateries, the excellent community-
centric Veranda coffee shop (verandacafe.weebly.
com; coffee from K700) brewing beans from Shan
highlands, and an attractive central lake. The
jungle-clad bulk of Mount Zwekabin is a sacred
symbol of peace and an easily identifiable landmark
in an expansive countryside that offers a wider host
of outdoor adventure: visitors can walk or cycle to a
variety of caves and pagodas, swim in natural pools
or simply luxuriate in the bucolic landscapes.
Doing all this has become a whole lot easier, not
to mention appealing, following the opening of
Hpa-An Lodge (hpa-an-lodge.com; 95-9/253-307-774;
doubles from US$210 per night) in November of last
year. The boutique lodge has set an impressive new
standard for luxury in the area. Cradled in a serene
valley at the foot of Mount Zwekabin, the property
features 18 cottages handcrafted from local wood
and stone by French carpenter François Jacquey
and his team. Cottages are kitted out with tasteful
furniture made from the mahogany-like thitka and
come with a huge deck equipped with a daybed,
while trimmings such as Beats USB speakers make
lazy monsoon days even more amenable.
If the weather is fine—as it was when I visited—
the great outdoors is well worth exploring. We start
our first day in Pa-An with a brisk two-hour climb

C O U R T E S Y O F H PA - A N L O D G E

“A-door-able”
service at
Hpa-An Lodge.
 to the top of the mountain. The trail is steep and the steps
are slippery due to recent rains, but the view from the
top is as gorgeous a reward as one could wish for. After a
tasty Thai lunch in town at the hilariously named Golden
Cock restaurant (95-9/314-999-28; lunch for two K25,000)
we visit the Kawt Ka Taung Cave before indulging our
fans with some photo opportunities at the nearby
swimming hole. Sunsets around here are particularly Reflections on
Kawt Ka Taung
wondrous, the early-evening light injecting extra
Lake.
luminescence to the scenery. We end the day with a cold
Myanmar Beer at a restaurant looking out over the
Kyauk Kalap Monastery, a pagoda that straddles a tall property’s attractive pool and admiring the view over the
limestone outcrop in the middle of a lake. valley from its raised deck.
Back at Hpa-An Lodge, we opt for the Burmese set Hungry for some ballast before the long drive back to
dinner, a risky choice as the merits of local cuisine are Rangoon, we stop for an espresso and a pizza at the
often disguised by the overuse of oil. But there are no friendly Italian-themed Hotel Gabana (hpa-
such negatives here. Highlights of the meal include a anhotelgabana.com; doubles from US$50) in the center of
delicate myin kwa ywet thoke (pennywort salad) and wet Pa-An. We order “a margherita” and wait eagerly.
that sipyan (pork curry) with tender chunks of pork belly Forty minutes later our server reappears with… an icy
coated in a perfectly spiced ginger and tamarind gravy. margarita. So we remain hungry, and the salty tequila
DUNCAN FORGAN

Pa-An is nobody’s idea of a nightlife hub, but the lodge’s drink will delay our drive, but we don’t mind—with
comfortable bar makes a convivial spot to sip wine. mountains, lakes and rivers providing the backdrop to a
With several of the area’s sights ticked off the previous weekend of pure relaxation, it is impossible not to go with
day, our final morning is spent lounging around the the flow.
/ beyond /T H E Q U E S T

Seeking Shelter
On a tour of ancient granaries in the arid landscape of southern Morocco,
Eve Kahn discovers the picturesque history of these architectural
marvels—and the plan to rescue them from ruin.

Agadir Aguelluy, in the

Anti-Atlas Mountains, is
one of Morocco’s best-
preserved granaries.

THE ZIGZAGGING PATH LED to a stone
fortification on a cliff. Its curved,
monolithic walls faced a towering
mountain range, fading into the
landscape. For centuries, Berber
tribes and nomads locked up food
and other valuables here and fought
off any marauders who made it to
this remote spot. As I walked the
loose-rock trail, I was outpaced by
the fortress’s aged caretaker,
cool, tall cavern, with storage jars
half-sunken into the earth. Slit
windows overhead reduced the
Moroccan sun to dusty gold
rectangles. At eye level, I glimpsed an
oasis, a blaze of green palms, carob
and oleander in a rust-colored canyon.
The building, called Agadir
Aguelluy, is one of Morocco’s
hundreds of communal granaries,
known as igoudar in a Berber dialect
offering a fascinating glimpse into a
quickly disappearing North African
culture. Donors, including the U.S.
Ambassadors Fund for Cultural
Preservation and Moroccan royal
agencies, are financing agadir
restorations to boost tourism and
create jobs.
This spring, I visited half a dozen
igoudar in a three-day whirlwind.
Many still serve as storage spaces for
A M A R G R O V E R /J A I / C O R B I S

Mohamed Amarir, who led my family
and our guide, Hassan Idfath. Inside
the entry gate, we ducked through
hobbit doorways into mazes of
storerooms. Crouching along the
sandy floors, we found ourselves in a
(the singular is agadir). Communal
granaries exist elsewhere in North
Africa, but the Moroccan structures
are the most attractive. They’ve also
become a cause célèbre among
philanthropists and travelers,
provisions, but most are abandoned.
They range in shape and height,
some honeycombed into hillsides,
others surrounded by villages or
perched on hilltops. I based my
itinerary on suggestions from >>

74  OCTOBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM

 THE SPIRIT OF
REFINED ELEGANCE
IS REBORN FOR
TODAY’S TRAVELLER
The Patina, Capitol Singapore emerges onto the social stage with grace.
Reflecting a rich heritage of art, culture and refinement, our most talented
débutante plays to the needs of today’s discerning global audience.
Poised to change the experience. Discover the hospitality of a true host.

INSPIRING
JOURNEYS
INDEPENDENT
MINDS PAT I N A HOT ELS.CO M/SI N GA P O RE
/ beyond /T H E Q U E S T
Salima Naji, a charismatic architect
and anthropologist working to
preserve igoudar, and Zhor Rehihil,
the brilliant and feisty curator of the
Moroccan Jewish Museum, which is
helping document traces of vanished
rural Jewish communities.
I began in Idfath’s coastal-resort
hometown, also called Agadir. From
there, the drive inland to Aguelluy
takes about 2½ hours—often on
newly paved highways—and there
are granaries scattered across the
hills for hundreds of kilometers
around. Imagine a road trip across a
vast sunbaked landscape, with no
souvenir stands and hardly any signs
or tourists. Wherever we stopped,
even just to ask directions, the locals
invited us to share mint tea with
them. The Moroccan government is a
stable U.S. ally, and the people are
endlessly hospitable to my family of
American travelers. Though most old
customs remain, a little modernity hewn-plank doors with wooden keys
has crept into these parts. Nomads the size of spatulas to safeguard
install gleaming solar panels outside grain, honey, oils and jewelry. Long
their tents. Teenage girls, in ago, sentinels would have kept a
billowing robes called haiks, ride lookout, which allowed nomadic
donkeys while chatting away on families to roam for weeks on end.
their mobile phones. After harvesting the land, they would
Standing within the fortress at have lugged their stockpiles back to
Aguelluy, Idfath translated as the cool, dark agadir. I imagined
caretakers explained the repairs them feeling safe and secure as they
under way and the traditional uses of left the stronghold, heading back into
the compartments. Locals still lock the Moroccan sun.
THE DETAILS
GETTING THERE with views of red-rock Hassan Idfath This Berber-
The most convenient airport formations. dar​infiane.com; speaking guide brings a
is in Agadir, easily reached via doubles from US$101. tireless enthusiasm to his
Casablanca. You can skip the custom-tailored itineraries.
plane connection, rent a car GUIDES & RESOURCES hassan​idfath.com.
and drive five hours south. Bart Deseyn Salima Naji The architect’s
The Belgian photographer website has a comprehensive
list of restoration projects
HOTEL offers an online visual record
Dar Infiane Tata of Moroccan granaries. that are worth visiting.
A spectacular desert oasis assarag.net. salima​naji.org.
 / beyond /T H E S C E N E

Dublin by
Design
The recession scared many young people away
from Ireland’s capital. But for a group of creative
entrepreneurs, it was just the inspiration they needed.
William Shaw visits the world they’ve
created. PHOTOGR APHS BY MATTHEW THOMPSON

Garrett Pitcher at
the headquarters
of his design firm,
Indigo & Cloth.

IT’S 8 P.M. ON A WEDNESDAY at the Rooftop Bar

of Dublin’s Dean Hotel, a 52-room property set
in an 18th-century Georgian building. But it
feels like midnight on a Saturday. Groups of
twenty- and thirtysomethings are eating pizzas
topped with Parma ham and sipping Jameson
cocktails, fueling up for a night in Grafton
Street’s clubs. Since opening less than a year
ago, the Dean has established itself as a haven
for artists, creators and fresh-faced
entrepreneurs. But it’s the corridors James
Earley wants to show me. The 33-year-old
designer and graffiti artist is giving me a tour of
the impressive art collection—which he knows
well, since he handpicked all 270 works. >>

TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM / OCTOBER 2015   79

/ beyond /T H E S C E N E

Aside from a single neon Tracey Emin sign, every piece is by a

young, homegrown artist. “I just thought the time was right to
celebrate the rich talent Ireland has to offer,” Earley says, pointing to
a stylized print by design duo Ronan Dillon and Peter O’Gara of
Me&him&you.
That collaborative energy extends to the hotel’s contemporary,
unfussy logo and signage, created by the Dublin branding firm
Indigo & Cloth. From top to bottom, the Dean is a showcase for a
close-knit group of influencers who are turning their city into
Europe’s latest design capital. As the 2015 World Design Hub (an
honor bestowed by the International Association of Designers) and
the home of Irish Design 2015 (an initiative sponsored by the
national government), Dublin is midway through a yearlong
program of exhibitions and events celebrating everything from
furniture and architecture to animation.
Seven years ago, the story was very different. The country was in
the throes of a severe recession after the so-called Celtic Tiger boom,
which lasted from the late 1990s until 2007. Property values crashed.
Buildings were abandoned. Dillon, a recent college graduate at the
time, estimates that more than half of his classmates up and left
Ireland altogether.
But a downturn can offer opportunities. Dillon’s two-man
company moved into deserted rooms on South Great George’s
Street—they occasionally had to chase out the pigeons but they paid
no rent. For its first project, Me&him&you installed rocking chairs
made from old cable reels, palm trees and a piano onto Dame Lane in
the dead of night. Residents who’d gone to bed on a dirty street woke
up to a grown-up playground.
Earley also saw the neglected city as a blank canvas, and he began
covering unused walls in elaborate paintings celebrating Ireland’s
heritage. Elk, bears and wolves, long extinct on the island, started
once again appearing around town. “I’m not a massively
nationalistic person, but I felt it was time to make us feel a bit more
proud to be Irish,” he says.
In 2009, Dublin’s artists and designers launched the Offset
conference, three days of workshops and presentations by local and
international experts in animation, fashion, film and beyond.
“Before that, there was more of a culture of hiding your homework.
FROM TOP: A suite at the
Those events brought people together,” says David Wall of graphic-
Dean Hotel; Rosie O’Reilly
of We Are Islanders with design company Conor & David.
Cian Corcoran (center) Perhaps the single most conspicuous change in Dublin today is in
and Ahmad Fakhry of the area surrounding George’s Street Arcade, around the corner
Designgoat at South from Me&him&you’s original installation. The city had attempted to
Studios; artist James
Earley; O’Reilly working on
revitalize this Victorian district before the crash, but it wasn’t until
a hand-painted shirtdress. 2012 that there was enough momentum from young designers to
establish it as the Creative Quarter, a city government designation.
When Clare Grennan and Laura Caffrey set up Irish
Design Shop—an emporium of locally made products like
prints and cushions—there, in 2013, some of the
neighboring buildings were still empty. Now, it’s an
epicenter of productivity. There’s Designist, which sells
wooden egg cups, colorful pendant-lamp shades and other
handmade items. Around the corner, Industry carries a
mix of vintage and modern furniture and housewares,
like factory-style steel storage units and graphic rugs.
Shop owners often congregate at Kaph, a diminutive,

80  OCTOBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM

 THE DETAILS
HOTEL S
Dean Hotel Dublin’s newest
boutique hotel has a hot
rooftop restaurant and an
impressive collection of local
art. deanhoteldublin.ie;
doubles from €160.
Dylan Hotel At this 44-room
hotel in the swank D4 area,
expect ornate velvet
armchairs, heated marble
floors and a hip see-and-be-
seen bar. dylan.ie; doubles
from €210.

CAFES
Fumbally Mingle with
designers and other creatives
who come here for excellent
pulled-pork sandwiches and
avocado toast with fermented
red cabbage. thefumbally.ie.
Kaph This pint-size, sunlit
café has gluten-free pastries,
single-origin coffee and
rotating artwork. kaph.ie.
Sister Sadie The sibling café
of much-loved Brother
Hubbard is dedicated to all
things local, from the bread
light-filled café that hosts art exhibits and serves gluten-free baked CLOCKWISE FROM (by a nearby bakery) to the
goods and single-origin coffee. TOP LEFT: Conor salt (from Achill Island).
Elsewhere, abandoned warehouses and factories are also Nolan (left) and brotherhubbard.ie/sistersadie.
David Wall of the 3fe Order an espresso flight at
becoming centers of creativity, notably South Studios, set in an old
graphic-design this coffee-obsessed spot by
brewery south of St. Patrick’s Cathedral. On the top floor, you’ll find firm Conor & the Irish Barista Champ.
the intense, fast-talking Rosie O’Reilly, of the fashion label We Are David; Irish Design 3fe.com.
Islanders, who uses sustainable materials to create pieces like Shop owners
bamboo-silk bomber jackets and wool trousers. “It’s about Clare Grennan SHOPS
(left) and Laura Designist Find affordable and
supporting local weavers and seamstresses, making what they do Caffrey; a locally quirky crafts like hand-bound
more contemporary,” she says. Architecture firm ABCG and printed calendar notebooks and colorful felt
photographer Kieren Harnett are also among O’Reilly’s neighbors. from the shop. placemats—all by Irish
To the north, across the river Liffey, Cian Corcoran and Ahmad artisans. shop.designist.ie.
Indigo & Cloth Once a
Fakhry of Designgoat have a workshop in a former distillery. The
garment warehouse, it’s now
pair, who met as seniors at the National College of Art & Design, part coffee shop, part clothing
devise aesthetic identities for shops and restaurants, including the store. indigoandcloth.com.
bespoke wood furniture at the specialty coffee shops 3fe and Sister Industry Go for vintage and
Sadie. Nearby, the Chocolate Factory is shared by an experimental modern housewares, including
industrial-style storage units
theater company, several artists, and a recording studio. and graphic rugs.
In a former Temple Bar garment warehouse, Garrett Pitcher industryandco.com.
presides over Indigo & Cloth. Like the Dean Hotel, it’s a place that Irish Design Shop In creative
embodies Dublin’s collaborative spirit. The painting of a fantastical haven George’s Street Arcade,
Clare Grennan and Laura
beast on the outside of the building? That’s by Earley. Designgoat
Caffrey sell locally made
was responsible for the fresh, wood aesthetic of the ground-floor prints, clothing and more.
coffee shop and the first-floor clothing store. Pitcher also heads the irishdesignshop.com.
biannual magazine Thread, which showcases peers who are pushing
boundaries in fashion, art, film and music. ACTIVITIES
Block T A tile factory turned
“People leave if there’s not a community,” says Corcoran, sitting art hub complete with a
in the Fumbally café on the doorstep of South Studios. “The gallery, dark room and T-shirt
important thing was to stick with people who were here.” printing workshops. blockt.ie.

TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM / OCTOBER 2015   81

 Ad v e r t i sem en t

P RE S E N T S

SECRETS OF
3 CITIES NEW YORK | MEXICO CITY | ISTANBUL

There’s nothing like a world-class city to stir a sense of

wanderlust and adventure. Join Hyundai for a unique spin
through New York, Mexico City, and Istanbul—and see the
bigger picture as you take in local neighborhoods where the
secrets of each city live. Fit for every adventure, Hyundai is your
ultimate travel companion, wherever the journey takes you.

NEW YORK
Legendary sights. High-energy experiences. Dive into them
all with a fresh perspective, and start to unearth what this
seductive city is all about.
Nonstop NYC
For a perfect start, while away the
morning hours in an Art Deco café,
or see the city stretch awake in one
of its famous parks. A bigger vision
of New York City will come into
focus—especially when you expand
your journey to take in some of its
fascinating boroughs.
© 2015 TIME INC. AFFLUENT MEDIA GROUP. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Manhattan
The mere mention of its name con-
jures up excitement and fascination.
Stroll through Central Park, the city’s
green heart, or window shop on
Madison Avenue. Head to Midtown
to gaze at Jackson Pollocks in the
Museum of Modern Art (MoMA),
and swing by the East Village to
wolf down a mouthwateringly good
pastrami sandwich at Katz’s Delica-
tessen. If money’s no object, feast
at Harry’s Café and Steak—long a
favorite of the Wall Street elite for its
dry-age porterhouse, jumbo Maine
lobster, and Kobe burgers. Take it
all in atop One World Observatory,
granting visitors the best views of
NYC’s iconic skyline.
Ad v e r t i sem en t
Hop on a city bus with Hyundai, and
take in New York’s larger-than-life
sights from a local’s point of view.
Queens
In this culturally diverse borough,
take a walk ‘n’ taste tour to sample
Italian, Brazilian, Middle Eastern,
and Greek cuisine. Head to
The Bronx Socrates Sculpture Park to marvel at
Explore this borough’s hip-hop its creativity, or take your seat for a
roots and Yankee baseball spirit. performance at Queens Theatre—
Catch a flick on the roof of the Bronx sipping a glass of wine before
Terminal Market, wander the charm- your show in the Rotunda Lobby,
ing gardens at Wave Hill, or pop into a beautiful glass-walled room that
Dominick’s on Arthur Avenue for overlooks the park.
some of the area’s best Italian fare—
the veal parmesan and chicken
scarpariello are unforgettable.
Brooklyn
Walk over the famed Brooklyn
Bridge—then comb around
Brooklyn Flea for vintage finds,
take in a free concert in Prospect
Park, or let the salt air and funnel
cakes spoil your senses on Coney
Island. For a caffeine kick, go to
Stumptown Coffee Roaster; locals
will attest it’s the best place for continued >
those bitten by the bean.

MEXICO CITY
Discover an endless, beguiling landscape that beckons to be
explored. Hone in on key neighborhoods to get the best feel for
this sophisticated metropolis.
High-Octane Hub
A 571-square-mile labyrinth
of Baroque and Art Nouveau
architecture, experimental art, and
mouthwatering cuisine, Mexico City
is one of the world’s largest and
best-loved urban hubs. To get a feel
for its heart and soul, climb pre-
Hispanic pyramids, capture images
of colonial buildings, and dine at
unique and authentic avant-garde
restaurants.
Take to the bustling streets with
Hyundai, and enjoy free Wi-Fi
on Mexico City’s buses.
Santa Fe
Just five miles west of the city center
lies Mexico City’s newest and most
modern neighborhood—a favorite
of young professionals enticed by
its bustling restaurant, nightlife,
and culture scene. Surrounded by
picturesque desert landscape, the
stunning Santa Fe Opera House has
been hosting premier performances
since 1957; epitomizing southwest-
ern flair, the open-air design is sure
to ignite the senses.
San Angel
Once a retreat for Spanish nobles,
this beautiful neighborhood of
cobblestone streets and colonial-era
housing is full of artistic and antique
treasures. Stroll around Casa del
Risco, a Baroque fountain made
of broken porcelain fragments, or
Iglesia San Jacinto, a 16th-century
church. Troll for treasures at the
colorful San Angel Saturday Bazaar
and Art Fair, showcasing some of
the best artwork in the country.
Negotiate with the artists themselves
for the best keepsake.
Ad v e r t i sem en t
Polanco
In posh Polanco, shop at the
luxurious boutiques along Avenida
Presidente Masaryk, the area’s
answer to Rodeo Drive; wine and
dine at world-class eateries; and rest
up at some of the city’s best hotels
along Campos Eliseos. Don’t miss
the pride of Mexico City: Auditorio
Nacional, one of the world’s best
venues for concerts, art, theater, and
dance performances. The auditorium
even hosted gymnastic events at the
1968 Summer Olympics.
Roma & Condesa
Point your compass south to these
two bohemian enclaves to sample
the city’s hippest cafés, art galleries,
nightclubs, bars, and restaurants.
The creative collective revived these
once-bourgeois neighborhoods of
Art Nouveau mansions—but people
don’t come for the sights as much
as they do for the food and drinks.
Slide into La Boguedita de Medio, a
cozy Cuban restaurant renowned for
its ceviche and strawberry mojitos.
For authentic, “chic Mexican” fare,
El Parnita on Avenida Yucatán is
wildly popular among locals.
 Ad v e r t i sem en t

Revel in the intersection

of East and West, ancient
and modern, throughout
this bewitching, color-
splashed Turkish city.

ISTANBUL
Once the capital of three empires—Byzantium, Constantinople,
and Ottoman—Istanbul is now Turkey’s thriving cultural and
financial hub. To unravel what the city is all about, steer yourself
through three of its quintessential neighborhoods.

A Magical Metropolis Bosporus

Those after romantic enchantment
Istanbul’s skyline beams with sky- need look no further. This 19-
scrapers, but beneath its shimmering mile strait, split down the middle
veneer are palaces, mosques, and between Europe and Asia, blesses
minarets—relics that harken back to visitors with waterfront mansions,
an ancient world. A stroll through its shoreline palaces, and colorful
streets will delight visitors with faded marinas. Spend a day ducking into
Byzantine frescoes, kebabs, and the area’s artisan workshops, baker-
tulip-shaped tea glasses.
© 2015 TIME INC. AFFLUENT MEDIA GROUP. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

ies, and barbershops, and take in

an unforgettable sunset. With such
Old City an abundance of things to see, and
A main attraction of the postcard- so little time to squeeze it all in,
pretty Old City, the Grand Bazaar in
Beyoglu
make sure a Bosporus cruise is in
Dubbed as the city’s creative,
Beyazit houses just about the cards. How else can one see all
Western-minded dining and en-
everything under the stars. Com- six Ottoman palaces in such jaw-
tertainment quarter, Beyoglu is an
prising 61 covered streets and dropping splendor?
eclectic patchwork of sub-quarters.
more than 3,000 vendors, this
Peruse through Serdar-I Ekrem
15th-century traditional destination
street, Beyoglu’s shopping corridor,
showcases rugs, silks, wood-block
or head to Grande Rue de Pera if it’s
prints, and trinkets that have caught
luxury you’re after. The pedestrian
the attention of the fashion elite.
avenue and its web of side streets
Wind your way through the whole- Begin your next
are dotted with trendy cafés, bistros,
sale district and grab a commuter adventure behind the wheel
and restaurants. Go to Balik Pazari,
ferry to take in the illuminated at #HyundaiTravelmate.
Beyoglu’s heralded fish market,
sights from a distance.
for the freshest catch; then sample facebook.com/hyundaiworldwide
Istanbul’s finest of chocolates in twitter.com/hyundai_global
Meshur Beyoglu. instagram.com/hyundai_worldwide
In Celebration of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn’s 5th Cycle Birthday

SYMPHONY CONCERT
Samara State Symphony Orchestra, Russia
Conductor: Alexander Anissimov
Programme: Tchaikovsky’s Fantasy Overture
“Romeo & Juliet,” Festival Overture 1812
and Beethoven’s Symphony No.9

Monday 5 October (7.30pm)

Baht 3,000 / 2,500 / 2,000 / 1,500 / 800

Unforgettable evening with one of the leading

classical ballet companies in Latin America.
Celebrating its 80th anniversary.

NATIONAL BALLET
OF URUGUAY
Ballet Nacional Sodre

Sunday 11 October (7.30pm)

Baht 2,500 / 2,000 / 1,600 / 1,200 / 800

Hotline 02 262 3191

www.thaiticketmajor.com (24 hrs) www.bangkokfestivals.com

VENUE: Thailand Cultural Centre. Free shuttle from MRT station

Thailand Cultural Centre, Exit 1, during 5.30-7.00pm
 AWorld of
Possibilities
We know what gets you excited about travel: personal interaction with locals,
off-the-beaten-path adventures, the thrill of the unexpected. But we also know
that making those things happen isn’t always so easy. Which is why we’re
introducing T+L Journeys—a new series of tailor-made vacations that delivers all
these things, and more—which you can book quickly and easily. On the following
pages are 20 trips spanning the globe, from Morocco to Mongolia, that our editors
have created in partnership with Black Tomato, a leading travel company with
offices in London and New York that’s known for providing insider access and
experiences. Read on for a snapshot of the itineraries; for full day-by-day outlines
and information on how to book, go to tandl.me/journeys.

MORE DETAILS ABOUT T+L JOURNE YS ARE ON PAGE 99.

JA N E SW E E N E Y / G E T T Y I M AG ES

Ger Camp in
Terelj National
Park in Mongolia.

TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM / OCTOBER 2015   87

 the
/ guıde / t+ l j o u r n e y s

What is it that elevates

a humble vacation to that
romantic, lofty-sounding
thing, a trip of a lifetime?
The destination, of course, is all-
important. It must be a place that is in
some way exceptional—be it culturally, or
architecturally, or in terms of its natural

C LO C K W I S E F R O M TO P L E F T : R O B E RT P O ST M A / D ES I G N P I C S / G E T T Y I M AG ES ; ST E V E A L L E N / G E T T Y I M AG ES ; C O U RT ESY O F T H E I O N H OT E L ; I Z Z E T K E R I BA R / G E T T Y I M AG ES
beauty. But the way in which you visit
must be exceptional, too. There must be
comfort—luxury, even; there should be
variety, and a genuine sense of escape.
Most important, though, such a trip should
provide a sense of connection with a place,
and an understanding of the qualities that
make it unique.
If ever a destination can be said to
be truly exceptional, it is Iceland. Perched
on the rift between the North American
and Eurasian tectonic plates, this rugged
island is one of the most volcanically
and seismically active places on earth.
Icelanders know that their world is one of
absolute uncertainty, that their singular
land of fire and ice is liable to change at
any moment. For a visitor—especially one
Outside the Ion hotel. accustomed to a cozy urban cocoon—
CLOCKWISE FROM Iceland provides a rare opportunity to
LEFT: The Jökulsárlón reconnect with this elemental uncertainty,
glacier lagoon; hiking
Iceland's Vatnajökull with our planet as a living thing.
ice cap; the It was not a feeling I had prepared for.
Seljalands­f oss Like many people, I assumed
waterfall.
Eyjafjallajökull—the volcano that erupted
in 2010, sending a giant plume of ash
across mainland Europe and bringing
international air traffic to a weeks-long
standstill—was a freakish, one-off event.
“Eyjafjallajökull was a very nice
eruption, very trivial,” said Arnar Hugi
Birkisson, my guide on an experience
called Inside the Volcano. “People were
going up to the lava and cooking hot dogs
on sticks,” Birkisson said, as he and I were
lowered, on a repurposed window-
cleaning rig, into the gaping chimney of a
dormant volcano called Þríhnúkagígur, in
the southwest of the country.

88  OCTOBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM


Iceland
Down in the chamber, some 120 meters
belowground, Birkisson told me about
Grímsvötn, a volcano that blew in 2011,
producing the same amount of ash in 36
hours as Eyjafjallajökull did in 40 days. Then
there was Bárðarbunga, which last year
spewed up a lava field the size of Manhattan.
A two-meter-tall Viking type in a hard hat
and fluorescent all-weather gear, Birkisson
had a cheerful tone that reduced these
earth-shattering events to fairy tales.
Around us, the interior of the volcano rose
up in a cathedral of purples, reds and
yellows, blasted onto the rock by minerals
oxidized during Þríhnúkagígur’s last
eruption, 4,000 years ago. Peering up at it
all, I couldn’t decide which was more
humbling: the earth’s mind-boggling power,
TO S H I SASA K I / G E T T Y I M AG ES
or the Icelanders’ capacity to withstand it.
“Iceland has been steadily growing,
one eruption at a time, for 18 million years,”
said my driver, Einar Óli Matthíasson, as we
sped through conditions that switched from
sunshine to storms on an almost hourly
basis. “This has made us very good at
dealing with situations as they arise.” He
pointed out an arctic fox as it skipped across
a lava field, disguised in a summertime coat
the color of milky tea. Come winter it would
be pure white again, Matthíasson said. It
struck me that every living thing on this
island was adapted to its shifting
environment. For most of the inhabitants, it
was still the only way to survive.
As a longtime city dweller, I began to
enjoy being put in my place by Iceland’s
geological grandeur. The sensation trailed
me everywhere: while bouncing across the
endless, otherworldly landscapes of
Þórsmörk Canyon on a “super-jeep safari”;
as I hiked on Vatnajökull, Europe’s largest
glacier and a backdrop for numerous film
and TV productions, including Game of
Thrones; as I zoomed in a Zodiac between
aquamarine icebergs in Jökulsárlón glacier
lagoon; as I stood in a natural, moss-clad
amphitheater behind the vast, thundering
falls at Seljalandsfoss; as I waited, nervously,
for the ice-blue thermal springs at Stokkur
to spit scalding water 20 meters into the air.
TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM / OCTOBER 2015
A view of the
Breiðamerkurjökull
glacier, part of the
Vatnajökull ice cap, in
southeastern Iceland.
LENGTH
8 NIGHTS, 
9 DAYS
COST PER PERSON
FROM $12,600
Even on their own, these experiences
would have qualified Iceland as a dream
trip. But aside from all its natural wonders,
the country has a whole range of ways to
cosset a visitor after a bracing day outdoors.
There are wonderful, world-class hotels like
the Ion, with its industrial-chic design,
where I soaked in an outdoor thermal pool
overlooking a misty lava plain. There are
delightful family-run places like Hótel
Egilsson, set in a 150-​year-​old wooden house
near the harbor at Stykkishólmur, where, in
a sun-drenched dining room, I breakfasted
on skyr (Icelandic yogurt) and cured salmon
on house-made toast. There was fantastic
Icelandic cuisine, like double-smoked lamb
with white cabbage and buttermilk, served
by stylish young Icelanders at Reykjavík’s
Matur og Drykkur restaurant. And, on the
walk home after dinner, there were views of
the midnight sun as it dipped, just briefly,
behind burnished fishing boats in the city’s
harbor. There was no doubt about it, this
place had been exceptional—as had the
journey. — FLORA STUBBS
  89
 the
/ guıde /

Mongolia
t+ l j o u r n e y s

WHY GO Because it really is possible to see how the great

khans lived and traveled, and to sleep under the stars in
pristine wilderness.
You don’t go to Mongolia unless you’re up for two things: horseback riding and
glamping—some of the best in the world. Barely an hour outside the fast-
growing capital of Ulaanbaatar, buildings give way to wildflower-filled meadows
and green valleys, where nomads still raise horses and sheep. For nearly a week
you’ll be bedding down in a private ger (tent), complete with amenities like
heated showers, sundowners and personal chefs, and diving into the tribal
lifestyle. After a native horseman shows you the correct way to saddle up, you’ll
ride for hours on end, even into the vast Terelj National Park, and join in on
milking mares and making airag, a fermented drink that is traditionally offered
as a symbol of hospitality. Next, fly northwest to the shores of cobalt Lake
Khovsgol, where sables, moose, deer, ibex, and marmots still have free rein, to
kayak the glittering waters. You’ll also visit local yak herders, take an archery
lesson, and have a traditional hot-stone barbecue. You’ve never seen cowboy
culture quite like this. Cost based upon a party of four; from $14,370 for two.

LENGTH
9 NIGHTS,
10 DAYS

COST PER PERSON

© S I M O LY 2 0 1 0 / D R E A M ST I M E . C O M

FROM $9,055

A yak grazes on a green

pasture in Mongolia.

90  OCTOBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM

 LENGTH
11 NIGHTS,
12 DAYS
COST PER PERSON
FROM $3,780
Burma
F R O M TO P : LU I S DAV I L L A / G E T T Y I M AG ES ; CA L L E M O N T ES / P H OTO N O N STO P / C O R B I S
WHY GO Because the country is on
the cusp of major change, following
the end of a 49-year military rule.
Mass tourism hasn’t descended on
the temples, mist-covered hills,
and rural villages—yet.
As you spend a few days in each of Burma’s
most compelling corners, what will fascinate
you most are the people and their distinctive
culture. In the bustling city of Rangoon, men
still wear traditional longyi (floor-length
wraparound skirts) and women cover their
faces with thanaka to protect their skin from
the sun.
Fly an hour north to Heho, drive to the
colonial town of Kalaw, and set out to see
remote mountain communities. Here, locals
India
Fishermen polling along
Lake Vembanad, in Kerala.
COST PER PERSON
FROM $12,600
go about their daily chores, carrying wood on
their backs and preparing mohinga, a rice-
noodle and fish soup. Nearby Inle Lake is
where life revolves around the water. You’ll
glide on a boat past villages that rise up on
stilts and be completely amazed by
fishermen who, as if by magic, balance on
one leg, hold a paddle in the other, and use
both hands to cast their nets.
The ancient city of Bagan, a short flight
east, is more about the people who once
lived there: between 1044 and 1287, more
than 10,000 Buddhist temples and stupas
were built. Today, some 2,000 remain, and
the most breathtaking view is from a private
sunrise hot-air-balloon ride organized by
Black Tomato. Resist the temptation to snap
photo after photo. You won’t need them. This
is an image you will never forget.
TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM / OCTOBER 2015
WHY GO Because relaxation
doesn’t come in purer form than in
Kerala, with its ancient wellness
culture and lush landscapes.
From the minute you arrive at Purity,
a striking modern villa on the shore of
Kerala’s Lake Vembanad, you’ll begin
to breathe a little deeper. The horizon
stretches away endlessly in front of
you, and the only sound is the dipping
of boatmen’s oars out on the water. In
contrast to much of India, relaxation
is part of this southern coastal
region’s culture. A daylong backwater
cruise in a kettuvallam, or houseboat,
is immersion in the calm simplicity of
waterfront life. For four nights, you’ll
stay in jaw-dropping hotels, from the
grand, historical Brunton Boatyard in
the port of Cochin to a tree house set
on a 160-hectare coffee and spice
estate in Wayanad. During two days at
Bison Camps in Kabini National Park,
just over the border in Karnataka,
you’ll spot elephants, leopards and
possibly tigers as they roam the
banks of the Kabini River. Conclude
with three full days at Neeleshwar
Hermitage, a resort on Kerala's
Malabar Coast. Try holistic treatments
like abhyanga, where two therapists
massage special ayurvedic oils into
your skin. Wellness might be a focus
of many India itineraries, but Kerala—
the birthplace of ayurveda—is the
place to experience it.
LENGTH
11 NIGHTS, 
12 DAYS
Shwedagon Pagoda,
the spiritual
center of Burma.
  91
 Oman
the
/ guıde / t+ l j o u r n e y s
WHY GO Because the country’s stark
desert landscapes and traditional
bedouin camps give you a glimpse of the
Middle East as it was centuries ago.
Nearby Dubai gets all the ink but Oman, a destination
that couldn’t feel more different, deserves share of the
glory. In the city of Muscat, the skyscrapers are
mountains; the best shopping is found in the winding
Muttrah souk, where you can bargain for gold,
frankincense, and antique coins. Which is not to say this
The lobby at thriving metropolis, where you’ll spend two days,
Oman’s Chedi doesn’t have its modern charms: there’s the 14-year-old
Muscat hotel. Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque, one of the few places of
92  OCTOBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM
LENGTH
9 NIGHTS,
10 DAYS
COST PER PERSON
FROM $13,780
worship open to non-Muslims. (See that Persian carpet?
Six hundred women spent four years weaving it.) And
don’t miss boarding a wooden dhow—refitted with luxe
amenities—to sail to the coral reefs of Bandar Al
Khayran. Over the course of nearly a week outside the
capital, history will reveal itself at every turn: you can
see beehive-like tombs built by the Umm Al Nar culture
C O U RT ESY O F C H E D I M U S CAT
in 2500 B.C.; the ruins of Al Balid, an Islamic settlement
dating to the 10th century; and Mudayrib, an 18th-
century fort. And once you drive 2,000 meters up into
the peaks to stay at the new Alila Jabal Akhdar resort,
passing outlying terraced villages, or get a glimpse of
farmers living in wadis (oases), you’ll marvel at how
very far away the 21st century feels.
 Papua
New Guinea LENGTH
16 NIGHTS,
17 DAYS

COST PER PERSON

WHY GO Because this is your once- FROM $26,775*
in-a-lifetime chance to go rogue
for nearly a month in a country
where tribal culture still thrives.
Though you're just north of Australia, being
in Papua New Guinea feels like you’re way
out there. This is a trip that requires mental
and physical preparation (don’t expect room
C LO C K W I S E F R O M TO P L E F T : D E N N I S FAST / C O U RT ESY O F C H U R C H I L L W I L D ; A L EX F R A D K I N ; RYA N M CVAY / G E T T Y I M AG ES ; B L A K E E V E R S O N / C O U RT ESY O F B L AC K TO M ATO

service). The reward, however, is complete

disconnection from technology and some of
the most memorable hiking and intense local
encounters of your life. Begin with two nights
at the Grand Papua Hotel in the capital, Port
Moresby, where you’ll explore the city’s Clayoquot Wilderness
markets and play highland darts with locals Resort tents along the
before flying to the village of Fogomaiyu, banks of Bedwell Sound,
deep in the rain forest. For the next three on Vancouver Island. FROM
weeks, Black Tomato has arranged TOP LEFT: A polar bear in
overnights at remote camps that offer northern Manitoba; Fogo
access to the ancestral hunting grounds of

the Kosua, a tribe of roughly 1,000 people.
Guides will introduce you to these villagers,
who paint their bodies crimson and wear
incredible feathered headdresses. You’ll also
be spelunking in limestone caves, sleeping
next to roaring waterfalls and hiking deep
into the Bosavi Crater, home to fanged frogs
and giant woolly rats. You might even learn
to set a bat trap. After these immersive days
and nights, you’ll return stronger, leaner,
confident in your ability to hunt iguana and—
who knows?—maybe even bearing a tattoo
from a Kosua tribeswoman.
A member of
Papua New
Guinea’s
Kosua tribe.
LENGTH
23 NIGHTS,
24 DAYS
COST PER PERSON
FROM $14,175
Canada
WHY GO Because it is filled with
unsung frontiers—beautiful,
vast and pure, where wildlife far
outnumber people.
An adventurous and lavish cross-
country trip spans Canada. Start
on Vancouver Island for North
America’s version of an African
safari—deluxe tents with antique
rugs, oil lamps and heirloom china
included. During four days at
Clayoquot Wilderness Resort, a
luxurious camp set among old-
growth forests, the routine is
blissfully simple; look out for
black bears foraging onshore and
whales breaching in Cow Bay. A
stop in Vancouver, with its
dynamic restaurant and nightlife
scene, is a perfect urban jolt before
almost a full week back in the
wilderness, this time in northern
Manitoba. Seal River Heritage
Island Inn.
Lodge on Hudson Bay—where you
can track beluga whales and polar
bears—is as spectacularly rustic a
setting as you’ll find in North
America. Then, after a night in
Winnipeg at Inn at the Forks,
Black Tomato will show you a day
in Toronto before your flight to
Newfoundland. Here, where
icebergs loom just offshore in the
Atlantic, Canada’s pioneering
spirit reveals itself at places like
Fogo Island Inn, a hotel reachable
by ferry off Newfoundland’s
northeastern coast. There’s a
distinct sense of place and
community: bedspreads and
furniture are crafted by local
artisans, and the chef sources
ingredients from caribou moss to
pine mushrooms—a testament to
being at one with the great
outdoors. *A 10-night
itinerary is also available.

TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM / OCTOBER 2015   93

 the
/ guıde / t+ l j o u r n e y s
Moai in Easter
Island’s Rapa Nui
National Park.

LENGTH
9 NIGHTS,
10 DAYS

COST PER PERSON

FROM $5,515

M I C H A E L N O L A N / R O B E RT H A R D I N G WO R L D I M AG E RY / C O R B I S . O P P O S I T E PAG E , C LO C K W I S E F R O M TO P L E F T : A L F R E D O M A I Q U E Z / LO N E LY P L A N E T I M AG ES / G E T T Y I M AG ES ;
WHY GO Because few places can thrill both
epicureans and nature lovers quite like this
South American country.
Ask any number of big-name chefs where they’re looking
for inspiration these days, and many will point their knives

C O U RT ESY O F T H E M U KU L ; M AT T H E W M I CA H W R I G H T / G E T T Y I M AG ES ; S P E N C E R LOW E L L . B OT TO M : A N A D O LU AG E N CY / G E T T Y I M AG ES
toward Chile. Santiago is the undisputed culinary hub, with
its abundance of fresh seafood, exotic ingredients (for
those, head to the Mercado Central, where the people-
watching is as good as the eating), and talented young
chefs. You’ll spend two days grazing your way through the
city before heading north for a total scenery swap: in the
desolate Atacama Desert, the only things reminiscent of
high-rises are the curious geological formations in the
aptly named Moon Valley. With just eight elegant adobe
and thatched-roof rooms, the Awasi Atacama is South
America’s spin on the adventure lodge, a little piece of
luxury dropped into the middle of nowhere. You’ll need
three days to explore the flamingo-filled salt flats and spot
foxes and llamas; back at the hotel, there are cooking
classes to satisfy any craving. If Atacama feels like you’ve
landed on another planet, Easter Island is a time warp by
several hundred years. Over three days, you’ll have the

Chile
opportunity to hike to Mount Terevaka’s summit for
360-degree views, visit isolated Ovahe Beach, and come
face-to-face with the massive moai. The 887 statues all
differ; some have coral eyes, while others were never even
raised. Historians aren’t sure why. What isn’t up for debate
is that the statues are all the more haunting in person.

94  OCTOBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM

 LENGTH
8 NIGHTS,
9 DAYS

COST PER PERSON

FROM $4,920

Cuba
WHY GO Because, as the doors open
for U.S. travelers, now’s the time
to go, before chain hotels appear
and those ’57 Chevys vanish.
There’s no denying the country’s
Climbing Nicaragua's
Cerra Negro Volcano.
fascinating time-capsule quality,
CLOCKWISE FROM
with its gloriously crumbling
LEFT: Library at the cobblestoned plazas and beautiful
American Trade Hotel, faded façades in Old Havana. But
in Panama; the this trip will show you that the
Panama Canal; a beach city’s revitalization is in full swing.
cabana at Mukul. You’ll see it in the sophisticated
apartments for rent, like Penthouse
Ydalgo, your base for three nights in
the leafy Vedado neighborhood, or
in the spate of new paladares
(private, family-run restaurants)
popping up in unconventional
spaces like neglected tenements
and refurbished factories. You’ll
encounter aspiring musicians at
Fábrica de Arte Cubano, a renowned
cultural venue, and artists at the
Instituto Superior de Arte, a hotbed
for young talent. But Cuba is much
more than Havana, so slip back in
time for four days. Head west to
LENGTH Viñales, an agricultural town lined
7 NIGHTS,  with wood houses, and you’ll pass

Nicaragua
8 DAYS
oxen plowing tobacco fields. Down
COST PER PERSON south, in colonial Trinidad, you’ll
FROM $6,300 stay at Finca Kenia, built in the 19th
century, and tour the vestiges of

& Panama
sugar plantations, where ruins
linger like ghosts.

WHY GO Because, combined, days with surfing lessons and seaside

the two offer a slice of
unspoiled wilderness and
exciting urban life that’s off
the typical tourist track.
Sunny. Under the radar. Both Nicaragua
and Panama are emerging as Central
America’s “It” destinations. Nicaragua’s
Emerald Coast, where the pristine
beaches are marked only by their rolling
waves, now lures a fashion-forward,
eco-conscious crowd. They, like you, are
checking in to Mukul, the country’s top
resort and the vision of local billionaire
Carlos Pellas. All 37 rooms overlook the
Pacific; for four nights, you’ll be in a
modern bohio (tree house) that was built
from sustainable teak and pine. Fill your
dinners. Or a private guide can lead you
to Ometepe, one of the 365 islets in
massive Lake Nicaragua, to swim under
waterfalls and walk a trail lined by
petroglyphs. An equally stylish crowd is
descending upon Panama City, where
you’ll be for three nights at the American
Trade Hotel. Set in a landmark 1917
building, this cool newcomer is central
to the city's historic Casco Viejo district,
which has gone from gritty to glamorous
with its galleries, shops, and
restaurants, such as the Spanish-
Mediterranean-influenced Madrigal. And
in true jet-set style, Black Tomato will
set up a private evening helicopter tour,
flying over the San Lorenzo Fortress and Musicians
the famous canal for first-class views of in Havana.
this emerging destination.

TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM / OCTOBER 2015   95

 Italy
the
/ guıde / t+ l j o u r n e y s

LENGTH
7 NIGHTS,
8 DAYS

COST PER PERSON WHY GO Because Milan and

FROM $9,450 Lake Como are one glamorous
getaway, combining la dolce
vita by the water with of-the-
moment culture and fashion
in the city.
Lake Como’s vibe can be summed up in two
words: no pressure. Sure, there are must-
visit landmarks like Bellagio, a hillside
village lined with pastel villas; Comacina
Island, a tiny spit of land, perfect for a
champagne picnic; and Villa Sola, an 18th-

M E L ST UA RT / W EST E N D 6 1 / C O R B I S ; N AT I O N A L G EO G R A P H I C C R E AT I V E / C O R B I S ; M AT T H E W W I L L I A M S - E L L I S / R O B E RT H A R D I N G WO R L D I M AG E RY / C O R B I S
century Baroque estate where the dukes of
Serbelloni would summer. But the beauty of
Como lies in exploring without rushing, and
just reveling in its splashy fabulousness.

C O U RT ESY O F FO N DA Z I O N E P R A DA . O P P O S I T E , C LO C K W I S E F R O M TO P L E F T : J O N AT H A N I R I S H / N AT I O N A L G EO G R A P H I C C R E AT I V E / C O R B I S ;
Black Tomato has organized leisurely trips to
all these locations, as well as a drive (on your
own, at your own pace) in a vintage Alfa
Romeo Duetto Spider. You’ll be chauffeured
around on a 1961 Venetian motor launch
owned by the Grand Hotel Tremezzo, an Art
Nouveau landmark from the early 1900s with
not one, but three pools. Follow four nights
on Lake Como with three nights at the
Bulgari Hotel in Milan, now arguably Italy’s
most opulent city. New attractions include
the pedestrian walkways of La Darsena, the
revitalized waterfront that was part of this
year’s Expo (the paths are staying put after
the fair ends). And in Porta Romana,
Fondazione Prada’s new campus, designed
by OMA/Rem Koolhaas, is an impressive new
home for screenings, dance performances
and special art exhibitions from the
culturati’s top tier.

Outside the Fondazione

Prada, in Milan.

96  OCTOBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM


Croatia
W H Y G O  Because the
stunning
Dalmatian Coast conjures
the Mediterranean of
yesteryear—the setting for
your own private Odyssey.
With their cobblestoned alleys, intimate
restaurants, storied palaces, and
secluded caves, Croatia’s beautiful
islands—places like Vis, Brač, Biševo and
Hvar—have, surprisingly, been off the
radar. Yet they offer all the charm of the
Greek Cyclades or Italy’s Amalfi Coast,
and are great to sail to and from with
friends or family. Over a weeklong island-
hopping jaunt—with a crew on hand to
navigate, of course—you’ll swim in
Spain
Hvar’s harbor. FROM TOP
LEFT: Swimming off Koločep, one
of the Elaphiti Islands; an oyster
from the Bay of Mali Ston.
LENGTH
10 NIGHTS,
11 DAYS
COST PER PERSON
FROM $7,560
crystal-blue seas, taste local wines too
delicious to ever be exported, and eat
fresh local food at konobas (taverns).
When you’re not relaxing under an
umbrella, you’ll go on private tours of a
medieval castle and cathedrals, or taste
just-plucked oysters in the Bay of Mali
Ston. Lore and history are wonderfully
entangled here: discover Korčula, Marco
Polo’s rumored childhood home; the
walled city of Dubrovnik; and the lush
island of Mljet, dotted with ancient pine
forests. It's said to be Ogygia in Homer’s
Odyssey, where Calypso held Odysseus
for seven years. After you arrive, you’ll
find yourself asking: Why did he want to
leave? Cost based upon 10 people sharing
a chartered yacht.
TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM / OCTOBER 2015
LENGTH
8 NIGHTS,
9 DAYS
COST PER PERSON
FROM $10,435
WHY GO Because Madrid and
Seville offer high fashion, serious
art and incredible food—all of
it experienced with the country’s
connected insiders.
Arrive hungry. You’ll be eating your
way through Madrid and Seville for
more than a week. An excursion to
Madrid’s gourmet market Platea,
with Michelin-approved chef
Ramón Freixa—followed by a
cooking class and dinner prepared
by Freixa himself—kicks off the trip
in proper style. Don’t worry: you’ll
work off the paella as you shop with
beauty queen and Bilbao-born
model Inés Sáinz and tour the
masterpieces in the Prado and
Reina Sofía. In Seville, you’ll see the
Real Alcázar by night: Black Tomato
has opened the doors after hours,
just for you. And after a day at
Granada’s Alhambra, it’s back to
Seville for a flamenco lesson and a
guided crawl through the city’s best
tapas spots, including Casa Román.
You’ll return home well rested
(those siestas are for real), your
suitcase brimming with local
ceramics and leather goods, and a
newfound resolve to live like the
Spanish. As Pablo Picasso said: “It
takes a long time to become young.”
Flamenco
in Seville.
  97
 the
/ guıde / t+ l j o u r n e y s

LENGTH
9 NIGHTS,

Zambia &
10 DAYS

COST PER PERSON

FROM $8,820

Zimbabwe
WHY GO Because these often
overlooked countries offer safaris
for safari purists—without the
tourist hordes.
When it opened in May, Wilderness Safaris’
Linkwasha Camp introduced Botswana-level
luxury to Zimbabwe’s Hwange National Park,
home to one of the densest concentrations
of wildlife on the continent. Elephants, lions,
southern giraffes, hyenas, cheetahs—you
name it, and you’ll probably spot it on twice-
daily drives through the rolling floodplains.
And at the eco-chic Ruckomechi Camp, you’ll
lose count of how many hippos and
crocodiles emerge during unhurried canoe
tours along the rushing Zambezi River. It’s a
marvel to see, all the more so because there
are so few other visit­ors—the destination is
only now establishing high-end tourism. Its
neighbor Zambia often gets passed over, too,
but it shouldn’t: there’s everything from
prime game viewing to vistas of Victoria
Falls (and value, to boot). Here, the late
conservationist Norman Carr pioneered the

J O C H E N S C H L E N K E R / R O B E RT H A R D I N G WO R L D I M AG E RY / C O R B I S ; M I C H A E L M A R Q UA N D / G E T T Y I M AG ES ; C O U RT ESY O F L A M A M O U N I A
immersive walking safari, now a staple The High Atlas
activity at some of Africa’s most exclusive Mountains; CLOCKWISE
lodges. No trip to Zambia would be complete FROM LEFT: La Mamounia;
without a stay at one of his bush camps. At Aït Benhaddou, a fortified
the lavish new Chinzombo Lodge, an open- city and unesco site in
plan, six-villa complex overlooking the Ouarzazate; display of
Luangwa River in South Luangwa National merchandise in

Morocco
Park, it’s all about the plains animals: zebras, Marrakesh’s medina.
wildebeests, antelopes, leopards. The two

C LO C K W I S E F R O M B OT TO M L E F T : I M AG E S O U R C E / G E T T Y I M AG ES ; V I S I O N S O F O U R L A N D / G E T T Y I M AG ES ;
countries together, about a week in each, are
what a bucket-list safari is meant to be.

An elephant on
the Zambezi River,
in Zimbabwe.

WHY GO Because this is a place where you can have it all—

incredible history, luxe hotels, flavors you’ve never tasted and
as much shopping as your luggage will allow.

Morocco is sensory overload in the best way possible: it’s accessible

yet exotic, urban yet completely wild, distinctly North African with a
global, cosmopolitan edge. There’s nothing more glamorous than lying
by the palm-tree-shaded pool at Marrakesh’s La Mamounia, a hotel
that has drawn the glitterati (everyone from Marlene Dietrich to
Jennifer Aniston) for nearly a century. And few experiences are more
humbling than driving up a twisty, narrow, two-lane road through the
LENGTH High Atlas Mountains, trekking with nomads in the Jebel Saghro
14 NIGHTS, range, or landing in the desert—arguably the true soul of Morocco.
15 DAYS Riding camels and sleeping in a deluxe tented camp on the Erg Chebbi
dunes of the Sahara is like being on a movie set come to life. It’s the
COST PER PERSON perfect foil to the splendid chaos of your next stop: the medieval
FROM $14,960 medina in Fez, which is still inaccessible to cars and has a mazelike
souk where you can hunt for exquisitely crafted Berber necklaces,
carved wooden boxes, handwoven rugs and saffron that smells like the
real thing, because it is.

98  OCTOBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM

 New Classics
Five more trips to favorite destinations.

Japan walk the colorful streets of

LENG T H 10 NIGH T S/ 11 DAYS
PRICE $ 9,8 40 PER PERSON
Japan is defined as much by
its hypermodernity as by its
heritage, and you can see the
best of both worlds. In Tokyo,
stay at the serene new Aman
hotel, tour pulsating Shibuya
and visit Senso-ji, the city’s
oldest Buddhist temple. In
Hakone, dip in onsen and taste
Cartagena, taste local coffee
on a lush plantation, float
along the Vieja River aboard a
bamboo raft and weave
baskets with local artisans—
all before the week is out.
California
LENG T H 3 NIGH T S/4 DAYS
PRICE FROM $1,960 PER PERSON
red-hot music scene (check
out the Grand Ole Opry on a
VIP behind-the-scenes tour) as
well as Knoxville, which has
become a foodie mecca thanks
to Blackberry Farm, a Relais &
Châteaux property.
St. Vincent
and the

Highlights of this sunny

kaiseki cuisine before bedding
down in a ryokan. End by
hopping the bullet train to
Kyoto, where you’ll stroll the
Gion geisha district and seek
inner peace at the tranquil
rock garden at Ryoan-ji.
trip to Palm Springs include a
stay at the retro-chic Avalon
Hotel and a tour of the
destination’s Midcentury
landmarks with local
architecture expert Trevor
O’Donnell.
Grenadines
LENG T H 6 NIGH T S/ 7 DAYS
Kyoto’s geisha
PRICE FROM $ 5,670 PER PERS ON
district, Gion.
Yes, Asia is full of beautiful
beaches, but if you are going
to fly halfway around the ABOUT T+L JOURNE YS Rates are in U.S. dollars,
world to the Caribbean, seek per person, and do not include airfare or
out the still off-the-radar transportation unless otherwise noted. Specific

Colombia Tennessee
TOTO R O R O / G E T T Y I M AG ES

LENG T H 6 NIGH T S/ 7 DAYS
PRICE $ 5,860 PER PERSON
This South American jewel
is ripe for exploring. You’ll
LENG T H 4 NIGH T S/5 DAYS
PRICE FROM $ 3,390 PER PERSON
You’ll see two sides of
Tennessee: Nashville, with its
places. Combine three days at
sea on a wooden schooner—
sailing, swimming with turtles,
snorkeling the pristine Tobago
Cays—with three days of
lounging at Petit St. Vincent,
one of the region’s most
exclusive resorts.
hotels are subject to availability; meals, drinks and
gratuities are not included unless otherwise noted.
Travel + Leisure Journeys are presented to our
readers through a partnership with travel company
Black Tomato. For the complete itineraries, and to
book with Black Tomato, go to tandl.me/journeys or
call London (44-20/7426-9888) or New York (1-
646/558-3644). The Travel + Leisure brand earns a
commission based upon each trip booked.

High-end luxury overlooking a tropical forest

The luxury of grand spaces, expansive views, lush vegetation, superb understated architecture, a 33-meter lap pool,
and the warm hospitality of the Komaneka family KOMANEKA
at Bisma

for more details please visit komaneka.com Your home address in Ubud - Bali
Singapore
Since 1925
 || t r av e l s m a rt e r ||

The Best in
© R AW P I X E L I M A G E S / D R E A M S T I M E . C O M

Business Travel
For our second annual survey with Fortune, we asked road
warriors to divulge their real travel habits, name their top
cities and reveal their favorite airlines to fly. (Spoiler: most of them
sneak in some fun between meetings.) Turn the page to see
readers’ picks—plus our guides for squeezing more enjoyment
into your next work trip.

TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM / OCTOBER 2015   101

/ upgrade /
TRAVEL HABITS
PROOF THAT HITTING THE ROAD FOR
Best Cities for Business 2. Sydney WORK ISN’T JUST ABOUT, WELL, WORK.

1. London
60%
3. Toronto
4. Dubai
5. Hong Kong
A guide to city hot spots that will make you feel plugged-in—plus
a dose of culture for your few spare hours.
Visited a museum
POWER LUNCH
First opened in or other cultural sight

25%
1917, the (2) Ivy
(the-ivy.co.uk; 61% 19%
Fell off Drank a
mains £14.5–44) their little too
has long been a exercise much
favorite among routine

54%
West End bigwigs.
Its harlequin
stained-glass USED A CLIENT
windows are still Extended a trip MEETING AS AN EXCUSE
intact after a by a day or longer TO EAT AT A HOT
1 recent revamp by for leisure NEW RESTAURANT
Martin Brudnizki
Design Studio, and
now there’s also a
kitchen—turns out lined with cultural
lighter menu, a new
modern British fare institutions,
bar and additional
like the twice- including the (1)
corner tables.
roasted Blythburgh Tate Modern
pork belly. (tate.org.uk). Now
SEAL-THE-DEAL
on display: “The
DINNER
CLIENT World Goes Pop”
Follow up
COCKTAILS (through January
your winning
The team behind 24), showcasing
presentation with
the Wolseley Pop art from
a meal and a killer
restaurant has around the globe.
view at the 31st-
opened the
floor restaurant
Beaumont hotel— PRODUCTIVE
Aqua Shard
and inside, you’ll UNWINDING
(aquashard.co.uk;
find the clubby The lobby of the
mains £19–140).
American Bar recently opened (3)
Here, chef Ben
(thebeaumont.com), Hoxton, Holborn
Spalding—the
a.k.a. Jimmy’s. (thehoxton.com;

F R O M T O P : C O U R T E S Y O F T H E TAT E M O D E R N ; PA U L W I N C H F U R N I S S ; C O U R T E S Y O F H O X T O N , H O L B O R N
buzzed-about
Your colleagues doubles from £70)
protégé of Gordon
won’t mind talking has four desktop
Ramsay and Simon
business over Macs and offers
2 Rogan who just
whiskey and free printing
took over the
cocktails amid and Wi-Fi, while
walls covered in the restaurant
photos of circa- and lounge have
1930s celebrities. charging stations
strategically
37%
Exposure to new places 1% A FREE
AFTERNOON
placed near
every table, chair
and different cultures Taking a break The South Bank is and sofa. 
from family

5%
Enjoying hotels and

FAVORITE PARTS OF 12%

restaurants on
my expense account
Getting
away from

BUSINESS TRAVEL
the office

2%
Being pampered/
taken care of by
hotels 4%
Creative
inspiration

31%
Meeting new people/
solidifying
relationships with
8%
Earning loyalty 3
colleagues and clients points/miles

102  OCTOBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM

/ upgrade /
Best Cities for Extending a Business Trip 2. Paris
2

1. Sydney
3. London
4. Amsterdam
5. Vancouver

Here’s how to make the most of your leisure time Down Under.

IF YOU HAVE A DAY

Start with a
behind-the-scenes
tour of the Sydney
Opera House
(sydneyopera
house.com)—it’s
worth the 7 a.m.
call time to see the (icebergs.com.au; IF YOU HAVE A
inner workings of adult pool entry WEEKEND
Jørn Utzon’s A$6.50) and watch First, go for a stroll
masterpiece. For a waves crash over on the four-
late Levantine- the Instagram- kilometer Bondi to
inspired breakfast worthy lap pool. For Bronte Coastal
of eggs with dinner, head across Walk. A 15-minute
tomato, za’atar and town to LuMi Bar & drive away,
feta salad, head to Dining (lumidining. Paddington is the
Bondi Beach staple com; eight-course go-to spot for
Sefa Kitchen tasting menu A$95), shopping. Make
(sefakitchen.com; where Federico time for a stop by
mains A$9–$36). Zanellato turns out (1) Intersection
They serve a ‘hero an innovative Paddington (the​
blend’ coffee by Italian-Japanese intersectionpadding​
boutique-roaster menu. Stay at the ton.com.au), a strip
Single Estate that Park Hyatt Sydney lined with stylish
is creamy and (park.hyatt.com; boutiques that
potent. Funnel the doubles from spotlight local
energy into a short A$1,030) for its designers like
walk to the iconic central location Bassike and Josh
1 (2) Icebergs and unbeatable Goot. Join a
Swimming Club harbor views. well-heeled crowd
at star chef Matt
Moran’s Chiswick
3 (chiswick​​restaurant.

C L O C K W I S E F R O M T O P L E F T: C O U R T E S Y O F I N T E R S E C T I O N PA D D I N G T O N ; P E T R I N A T I N S L AY; N I K K I T O
com.au; mains
A$29–$76) for lunch
in a lovely garden.
The next morning,
check out the
Museum of
Contemporary Art
(mca.com.au)—its
4,000-strong
collection includes
varied works by
brilliant and
paradigm-shifting
Australian artists.
Next, wander the
lively streets of
gritty turned
bourgeois Surry
Hills before ending
up at the Basque-
influenced (3)
Firedoor (fire​door.
com.au; mains
A$16–$138). (Tip:
you’ll want to make
a reservation.)
Lennox Hastie is so
dedicated to
cooking with fire
that the kitchen isn’t
even wired for gas.

104  OCTOBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM

 / upgrade /

INTERNATIONAL
AIRLINES FOR BUSINESS
TOP 5 OVERALL
1. Singapore Airlines
2. Emirates
3. Air New Zealand
4. Cathay Pacific Airways
5. Qatar Airways
Emirates rolls out the red carpet for business-class travelers,

SINGAPORE AIRLINES
with free chauffeur service to and from the airport. On board,
seats come with a personal minibar and side table.

TOP 3 TOP 3

COURTESY OF SINGAPORE AIRLINES

ECONOMY PREMIUM ECONOMY HERE’S A LOOK AT WHAT SETS THEM APART FROM THE REST.
1. Singapore 1. Singapore
MEAL SERVICE CHIC SHOPPING CABIN UPGRADES GOLD-STAR
2. Air New Zealand 2. Virgin Atlantic Many of its 15,000 KrisFlyer Spree, A new premium SERVICE A new
3. Virgin Atlantic 3. Air France menus are tailored the airline’s new economy class customer-
to the route map. online mall, means started flying in experience
TOP 3 TOP 3 First- and business- passengers can August, with 38- management
BUSINESS CLASS FIRST CLASS class fliers leaving earn miles inch seat pitch, system will soon
from London, for shopping through a custom leather give crew members
1. Emirates 1. Cathay Pacific
example, can have catalogue of 2,000 seats, foldout leg access to
2. Singapore 2. Emirates a delicious full brands—from Paul rests and 13.3-inch passengers’ travel
3. Qatar 3. Lufthansa English breakfast. Smith to Muji. HD screens. preferences.
Avillion_Travel + Leisure SEA_APC_20150902_revised.pdf 1 9/3/58 BE 12:37 PM
/ upgrade /

HOTEL BRANDS FOR BUSINESS

TOP 5 OVERALL
1. The Peninsula Hotels
2. Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts
3. Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group
4. Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts
5. Park Hyatt

TOP 3 1. Shangri-La Hotels & Resorts

CUSTOMER 2. Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group
SERVICE

PENINSULA HOTELS
3. The Peninsula Hotels

TOP 3 1. Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts

BUSINESS/ 2. The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company

COURTESY OF PENINSUL A HOTELS (2)

MEETING 3. Gaylord Hotels This small luxury chain—with properties in just 10 cities—
FACILITIES
sets the standard for amenities tailor-made for road
warriors: gyms and business centers are available 24/7
TOP 3 1. Fairmont President’s Club upon request, jet-lagged execs can indulge in a rejuvenating
LOYALTY 2. Starwood Preferred Guest “sleep ceremony” at the spa, and some locations have no set
check-in time. There’s also an obsessive focus on technology.
PROGRAMS 3. Leaders Club In the Hong Kong (pictured), Tokyo and Paris hotels, for
example, guests control the TV, lighting and thermostat,
order room service, and send concierge requests by C
REPORTED BY: Christine Ajudua, Jonathan Chew, Claire Groden, Rachel touching a bedside panel. And high-speed Wi-Fi is free—
Levin, Paola Singer, Emma Sloley and Christopher Tkaczyk. even in the Rolls-Royce Phantoms used to shuttle guests M

Travel + Leisure/Fortune online reader survey conducted by Wylei, March 2015. back and forth from the airport in Hong Kong. 
Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K
/ upgrade /
TRAVEL PREP 101 | YOUR PACKING-MADE-EASIER CHECKLIST
INGENIOUS STR ATEGIES FOR TR AVELING LIGHT, SAVING SPACE AND ARRIVING
AT YOUR DESTINATION WRINKLE-FREE AND READY FOR ANY ADVENTURE.
WHAT TO PACK
__ Go light on the clothing. Follow
this formula: three tops for every
bottom. (Trust us, you can get away
with repeating pants or skirts.) As for
footwear, limit yourself to sneakers and
two pairs of shoes—one casual and one
that’s more formal.
__ Choose wrinkle-repellers. Blends
containing nylon, Lycra or polyester can
be pulled out of your suitcase relatively
unscathed. If you prefer natural fibers,
go for wool or stretch cotton. Textured
fabrics (ruched jersey, seersucker) and
busy prints also help mask fold marks.
__ Bring a just-in-case kit. Prepare for
emergencies (of the wardrobe variety) by
bringing Downy Wrinkle Releaser Plus
and Tide to Go stain remover.
__ Keep tabs on your bag. Use a luggage
tracker like LugLoc (US$70; lugloc.com)
to locate your suitcase in the event that
it gets lost. Also important: label your
bag tag with an e-mail address, rather
than a home address, so that you can be
more easily contacted in transit.
__ P rep your carry-on. Layers are
essential for chilly airplane cabins. You’ll
also want a toothbrush and at least a
day’s worth of prescriptions in case your
luggage is delayed.
__ Invest in useful tech gear. The compact
Fuse Universal Dual USB adapter has
plugs for 150 countries and two built-in
USB ports (US$30; fospower.com). The
Mophie Powerstation Plus
simultaneously charges multiple
gadgets at four times the speed of
a standard charger (US$80; mophie.
com). To make a long flight a lot
more bearable, spring for noise-
canceling headphones, such as Bose’s
QuietComfort 20i earbuds with tangle-
free cords (US$300; bose.com).
110  OCTOBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM
HOW TO PACK
__ Decide what to roll, and what to fold.
If you’re using a duffel, roll everything.
Otherwise, reserve that technique for
knits (T-shirts, light sweaters) and fold
garments that have more structure
(blazers and trousers).
__ Get space-efficient. Packing cubes, like
Eagle Creek’s Pack-It Specter Cubes
(from US$13; eaglecreek.com), keep
swimsuits, gym clothes, delicates and
dirty laundry separated. Squeeze out all
the air for extra compression.
__ Use trash bags to fight wrinkles.
Here’s how: line the bottom of your
luggage with a garbage bag; then, after
you’ve packed, add another on top. SUITCASE SMARTS
The slippery surface keeps the creases Pick the bag that’s right for you.
from setting.
1 Measure
 your carry-on. If your bag is no
__ A rrange contents strategically. Stash longer than 51 centimeters end-to-end,
footwear and other heavy items near it will fit in most overhead bins. We like
the wheelbase; this prevents the the hard-sided Quartermaster by Ebby
suitcase from tipping over. Then layer Rane (US$825; ebbyrane.com), with built-
in this order: packing cubes, rolled in carryalls for liquids, tech and more.
garments, folded clothes and bulky
2 Know
 the full-size-case rules. Four-
sweaters or jackets. Leave your
wheeled hard-sided models are best—
crushables for last.
they’re least likely to topple. Choose one
__ Maximize every nook. Snake belts that has a sturdy handle and butterflies
around the bag’s perimeter. Stuff shoes open (for easier packing), like the
with socks and fill the molded cups Herringbone Luxe Hardside Extended
of bras with underwear (this prevents Journey Spinner by Hartmann
the foam from crinkling). Tuck jewelry (US$399; hartmann.com) or the
and ties (rolled inside out) in a side Victorinox Spectra 2.0 (US$380;
pocket—you can store earrings in pill victorinox.com).
cases and string delicate necklaces
through drinking straws, taping the
clasps to each end.
ILLUSTR ATION BY VALERO DOVAL
/ upgrade /
Pod People
N A P P I N G AT T H E A I R P O R T H A S N E V E R F E LT M O R E O T H E R W O R L D LY.
Rip Van Winkle meets Captain James T. Kirk in the latest airport trend. No longer will you weary travelers have to sprawl across
three seats at your gate, trying to mold your body around the arm rests. Tandem-chair hobo or hotel: those used to be the only options for
catching zzz’s at the airport, but from sleep pods to micro hotels the classic travel siesta is getting a modern makeover. BY MERRIT T GURLE Y
Changi International
Airport, Singapore
The Haven
There are 18 nap rooms at The
Haven, each with a real single
bed, a TV, a vanity and a LAN
cable to hook up to fast
Internet. It is like a tiny little
hotel room: clean and modern,
but definitely basic. thehaven.
com.sg; three-hour package
from S$71, including a shower,
meal and lounge access.
Narita International
Airport, Tokyo
Ninehours
The units in this facility look
like the sleeping quarters in a
futuristic spacecraft used to
transport whole populations
to the far reaches of the
galaxy. Rows and rows of bed
capsules are slotted into a
massive wall, each little entry
window glowing from the
Sleep Ambient Control
112  OCTOBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM
System default lighting
setting. The dimensions are a
snug 110 centimeters wide x
220 deep x 110 tall. So climb
into the compartment and
enjoy a few hours of statis.
ninehours.co.jp/en/narita;
¥1,500 for the first hour and
¥500 each hour thereafter.
Dubai International
Airport
SnoozeCube
This station near gate C 22 is
made up of 10 soundproof
units all in a cozy cluster.
Slide open the bubbly white
door and you’ll find yourself in
a micro-room that’s big
enough for just a bed (single or
double), a touch-screen TV
and a spot to store your
carry-on luggage. The murals
painted on the wall depicting
vacation scenes, like a
beachfront sunset or babbling
brook, will get you revved up
for your holiday. snoozecube.
com; Dhs75 for a single cube
per hour, Dhs100 for a shared
cube, two-hour minimum.
Kuala Lumpur
International Airport
SnoozeKL
This newbie, just opened in
August, has the catchy slogan,
“Fall into sleep here, to land on
your feet there.” Rooms are 3 x
1½ meters, with bunk beds
that can accommodate up to
two adults and one child. The
founder, New Zealand-native
Wetini Mitai, says his vision
was to create a safe and
comfy spot for travelers to
tango i te moenga, the Maori
phrase for “take a nap.” Why
Malaysia? “We love the
culture, food and more
importantly, the people,”
Mitai says. snoozekl.com;
RM35 per hour, per person,
two-hour minimum.
EUROPE IN 40 WINKS
NAPCABS, MUNICH
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Picture a vending machine
you can sleep in. napcabs.
com; from €10 per hour.
YOTEL, LONDON HEATHROW
AIRPORT
The standard cabins are
seven square meters and
look like a hybrid between a
first-class seat on an
airplane and a sleeper
carriage on a train. yotel.com;
from £9 per hour, four-hour
S A & PA R T N E R S
minimum.
GOSLEEP, HELSINKI AIRPORT
Still in development, the
GoSleep pods at Helsinki
AAY
Airport will look like
ECEK
ergonomic egg chairs, but
OIFT NTA
with cocoon doors and fully
U R T ECSRYE D
reclining seats. gosleep.aero;
one hour from US$14.
O OTO
PH
C
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DEALS | T+L READER SPECIALS

CITY
SEOUL
Imperial Palace
Get you Gangnam groove on at
From surfing at a former-headhunters’ island in Indonesia to a this European-style art space
quest on the ancient Tea Horse Road in China, many of this in the city’s posh shopping
month’s offers meld culture and comfort in a single trip. and entertainment district.
Its collection of 400 artworks
worth more than US$1.2
Imperial million, spacious mirror-lined
Palace, in guest rooms and daily laundry
Seoul. service will keep you looking
smart and Psy-lish. The
Deal Seoul Searching: seven
nights in a Standard room,
from US$945 for two, through
December 26. Save up to
30%. preferredhotels.com.

CHINA
Wanda Realm
The new 283-room hotel in
Tai’an, 500 kilometers south of
Beijing in Shandong Province, is
a great launching point for a
trip to sacred Taishan
mountain, a unesco World
Heritage site settled by
humans since the Neolithic
period. Their signature “Bed of
Realm” and “Dream Catcher”
services (which include
calming fragrances, music and
reading materials) will soothe
you into a good night’s sleep.
The Deal Introductory offer: a
night in a Deluxe room, from
RMB598 for two, through
December 31. Save up to 40%.
wandahotels.com.

CULTURE
ASIA
Belmond
A tropical retreat on the

F R O M T O P : C O U R T E S Y O F I M P E R I A L PA L A C E ; C O U R T E S Y O F AWAY K O H K O O D
beach of Bali; a cruise into
the Chindwin jungle along
Irrawaddy’s largest tributary
in Burma; or a riverside base
for your Angkor exploration,
Belmond’s collection of
accommodations and tours
offer some of the region’s
most comfortable and unique
experiences. The Deal
SUPER SAVER Aspects of Asia: two nights in a
standard room, from US$806
Away Koh Kood, Thailand for two; book by December 17.
Your escape to this border island in the Gulf of Thailand Save 30%. belmond.com.
will help you find balance without giving up luxury. It
INDONESIA
includes breakfast for two and a 10-percent discount on
Nihiwatu
food and beverages. The Deal Buy One Get One Free: Twice the size of Bali, the
two nights in a Duplex Bungalow, from Bt4,248 for two, isolated Sumba Island is
through October 31. Save 50%. awayresorts.com. home to 650,000 inhabitants

114  OCTOBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM

 whose ancestors were known
for being fierce, headhunting
warriors, as well as to Occy’s
Left, a left-hand break made
famous in the movie The
Green Iguana. Meanwhile,
non-surfers can ride horses,
trek, paddleboard, dive or
get a massage by a private
pool. The Deal Stay 7 pay 5:
seven nights in a one-bedroom
villa, from US$3,750 for two;
book by October 31. Save
28%. nihiwatu.com.
CHINA
Hylandia by Shangri-La
The hotel is set at a brisk 3,260
meters in the clouds, but the
staff, composed of hospitable
locals, will warm your stay
with tales of the history-rich
location on the ancient Tea
Horse Road passageway
into Tibet. There’s much to
explore, from a 1,000-year-
old Dukezong Old Town to an
artisanal black pottery village.
The Deal Introductory offer:
a night in a Deluxe room, from
RMB850 for two, through
October 31. Save 22%.
shangri-la.com.
SPA
KRABI
Phulay Bay,
A Ritz-Carlton Reserve
Rekindle your romance at
this hideaway overlooking the
Andaman Sea. The perfect
panorama sets a stunning
backdrop for a joint wellness
journey. Bond with each other
during a lesson on body scrub
and scalp massage techniques,
followed by an aromatherapy
bath and a couple’s massage.
Then, fall in love with the fish
on a snorkeling trip to Koh
Hong, accessible via the hotel’s
daily shuttle boat service,
which your dedicated butler
can help organize. The Deal
Lessons of Love: three nights
in a Reserve Pavilion, from
COURTESY OF CAPELL A SINGAPORE
Bt62,400 for two, through
April 16, 2016. Save 30%.
ritzcarltonreserve.com.
SEOUL
Four Seasons Seoul
Making a high-profile debut
in South Korea this month
are some of the city’s largest
luxury hotel rooms with views
of historic palaces, N Seoul
Tower and Cheonggyecheon
canal walk. You can rejuvenate
with authentic Korean sauna
after a day of serious shopping
at nearby Myeong-dong district
or spend your daily W100,000
credit savoring delicious bites
at the hotel’s seven dining
outlets, from a New York
speakeasy to a European
market hall. The Deal Opening
offer: a night in a Deluxe room,
from W445,000 for two,
through February 28. Save
28%. fourseasons.com.
BEACH
SAMUI
Santiburi
Recent revitalization of the
beachfront resort results in the
addition of six new Spa Pool
villas, where you can relax
with a 60-minute signature
treatment for two, guiltlessly
indulge in the healthy dishes
and handover any extraneous
tasks to the butler. Make as
many trips to Santiburi Samui
Country Club as you wish
with complimentary two-way
transfers before refueling
pre-dinner with daily high
tea sets at The Lounge. The
Deal Cocoon of Serenity: two
nights in a Spa Pool villa, from
Bt44,900 for two, through
December 19. Save 42%.
santiburisamui.com.
A Premier room at
Capella Singapore.
INDONESIA
The Oberoi, Lombok
Your trip to Bali’s less bustling
cousin is still awash in the
Hindu island’s charms: teak
bed, thatched roof and hand-
tufted rugs of natural fiber are
supplemented by the distant
view of the revered Mount
Agung and the scent of
frangipanis. Savor the Balinese
sweets served with afternoon
tea at the Amphitheatre, let
your mind go in this calm
atmosphere. The Deal
Unforgettable Experience: five
nights in a garden-view Luxury
Pavilion room, from US$1,700
for two, through December 26.
Save 30%. oberoihotels.com.
SINGAPORE
Capella Singapore
Just stepping into the colonial
buildings built by the British
army in the 1880s is a dream.
Luxuriate in some of the
largest guest rooms in
Singapore, with views of neatly
landscaped gardens lush with
native plants and azure South
China Sea. Personal assistants
are always on call, while books,
board games and refreshments
are readily available in the
Library. The Deal Capella
Escape: three nights in a
Premier Garden room, from
S$1,500 for two, through
December 20. Save 30%.
capellasingapore.com.
TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM / OCTOBER 2015
PHILIPPINES
Club Paradise Palawan
Part of the Palawan Biosphere
Reserve, the private island
resort takes pride in its
protected house reefs, home to
marine life such as endangered
giant clams, cephalopods and
nudibranchs. A field of sea
grass right off shore is also
frequented by dugongs and
turtles. Plus, a dinner for two
made with ingredients sourced
from local villagers come
complimentary at Ocean
Restaurant. The Deal
Seascape Deals: two nights in a
Hillside room, from P13,560
for two, through October 31.
Save 39%. clubparadise
palawan.com.
CAMBODIA
Song Saa Private Island
A stay on these private twin-
islands in the Gulf of Thailand
is all-inclusive, from an in-villa
breakfast to a beachside picnic
and an over-water dinner.
Access to house wines and
spirits is unrestricted, while
the minibar is restocked daily.
Nature lovers can also take a
guided tour of the surrounding
marine ecosystem, kayak and
sail through the turquoise
sea. The Deal Stay 4 Pay
3: four nights in a Jungle
villa, from US$5,332 for two,
through December 31. Save
25%. songsaa.com. — MH
  115
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 A Rabari herdsman
bringing his cattle home in
Jawai, Rajasthan.

/ OCTOBER 2015 / The next Hong Kong generation | Three ways

L AURYN ISHAK

to live it up in the Maldives | Foraging and gorging in Yunnan | Wild India

celebrates Kipling’s 150th birthday | Artisanal France | Going Maine-style upscale

119
AS THE
PRODEMOCRATIC
MOVEMENT IN HONG
KONG TRIES TO GAIN
STEAM—AND THE
WORLD WATCHES—A
NEW WAVE OF
ARTISTS, MUSICIANS
AND ACTIVISTS IS
FILLING THE CITY
WITH
ENTREPRENEURIAL
ENERGY AND
NEWFOUND OPTIMISM.
GENERATION
HK BY JEFF CHU
PHOTOGRAPHED BY FREDERIC LAGRANGE

Doryun Chong, chief curator of M+, a

new museum for visual culture, at the
museum headquarters in Tsim Sha
Tsui. OPPOSITE: Rising above Central.

121

OR ME, AS FOR SO MANY BEFORE ME,
Hong Kong has been a haven. This destiny
was written into its name, a rough
transliteration of the Cantonese words for “fragrant
harbor.” Safety smelled to me like stinky durian
and sweet lychee, exhaust and sweat. I can still feel
the backs of my eight-year-old legs sticking to the
vinyl seat of a double-decker bus (upstairs, always).
I can still hear my relatives’ voices, their rapid-fire
Cantonese swelling and ebbing as they processed
the rises and falls of the day’s stock prices.
This was, in a manner of speaking, home: my
parents had emigrated from Hong Kong to America
in their twenties, and I was born in California. They
carried with them their culture—hence my bowl-
cut hair, my fried-rice-and-pot-sticker lunches, my
sense of shame. But whenever we returned to this
city of hybrids, of Cantonese movies and English
street signs, I felt less alien, my head just another
black-topped dome in a sea of them. I’ve visited to
see family, to eat, to imagine what it would be like
to live here all the time, to make my own memories.
Neither imagination nor memory, though, are
among Hong Kong’s most prized virtues. Instead,
natives pride themselves on their pragmatism, and
one thing that I inherited from my parents, along
with the permanent identity card that officially
binds me to this city, is an ethic driven by
practicality. You can’t survive on nostalgia.
Certainly neither imagination nor memory
allowed me to dream that, nearly 20 years after the
British returned sovereignty over Hong Kong to
China, the streets would heave with prodemocratic
protesters calling for universal suffrage. A year
after the Umbrella Movement unfurled in such
spectacular fashion, most of the cameras—and the
protesters—have gone home. I wanted to see
whether the demonstrations had left any mark.
What I found was a place undergoing a
remarkable transformation. Hong Kong today is a
city that, though long defined by financial profit,
increasingly questions what constitutes a truly good
122
life. Memory matters more than ever: Hong Kong’s
unique heritage continues to define how its people
see themselves. Marks of the British—roads named
for royals, colonial architecture—endure; the Star
Ferry, still just HK$2.50 to cross Victoria Harbour,
offers as wondrous a view as ever. Yet go where the
locals go, and you’ll find that imagination is
constructing the future, in restaurants and tattoo
ink, organic produce and song.
And many Hong Kongers are learning to
cultivate something that can’t be bought or sold with
traditional currency: optimism.
“FREE HONG KONG! FREE HONG KONG!”
On a warm summer night, the chants, in
English, crept through my window in the
traditionally working-class Kowloon neighborhood
of Mongkok. I was staying with family, not far from
where my parents grew up. Most tourists don’t visit
this area, but if they did, they’d find the Bird
Garden, where old men bring their caged thrushes
and warblers, as well as the city’s main flower
market. Bougainvillea and bamboo fill storefront
after storefront, and rolling carts stacked with
orchids crowd the sidewalks.
At night, vendors wrap the displays in green
netting. Downstairs, I found the floral purples and
magentas replaced by the red of soccer jerseys worn
by hundreds of delighted fans. A week after winning
a World Cup qualifying match against Bhutan,
Hong Kong had triumphed again, this time over the
Maldives. Both matches took place at Mongkok
Stadium, about half a kilometer from the
intersection of Nathan Road and Argyle Street, one
of the sites where prodemocratic protesters clashed
with police last autumn.
The wins weren’t the big news. (If Hong Kong is a
soccer minnow, the Maldives are a guppy and
Bhutan, plankton.) Hong Kong doesn’t have its own
anthem, so during the raising of its flag, China’s
anthem plays.
The crowd had booed.
Such bursts of anti-Beijing sentiment reflect
enduring popular frustration in the wake of the
Umbrella Movement, which has produced no
democratic reform. “There are lots of hopeless
things every day, especially with the political
aspect,” prodemocratic activist Agnes Chow Ting
said when we met for coffee in Wanchai.
Chow, an earnest 18-year-old with long hair and
a touch of a lisp, once served as a spokeswoman for
Scholarism, the most prominent prodemocratic
student group, and is in her second year of
university. “We see how the central and local
governments neglect opinions about democracy for
Hong Kong people,” she continued.
Like the soccer fans, Chow has channeled her
energies into alternative forms of protest. She
cohosts a Tuesday night radio show that
 18-year-old
prodemocratic
activist Agnes
Chow Ting, in the
Central district.
Bandmates
Adonian Chan
(left) and Milk
Tsang at the
restaurant
Tfvsjs.syut.
purportedly focuses on Japanese culture, especially this part of eastern Kowloon into a business district.
pop music and animation. “There are hidden “We believe the people can do it by themselves.”
messages in animation, and I try to link them to When I expressed surprise at how Tsang and
the issues,” she explained. Take a manga series Chan skip freely among mediums, they seemed
called Attack on Titan. “It’s about giants trying to surprised that I was surprised. “For me, it’s all art,
break down walls and eat people living in a city,” not different things,” Tsang said.
she said. The corners of her mouth edged up in a This fluidity has also struck Lars Nittve and
slight smile. “People may imagine the central Doryun Chong, executive director and chief curator,
government as the giants.” respectively, at M+, a new visual culture museum
It’s this kind of imagination that gives birth to a being built in the West
character like Umbrella Man. On October 5, 2014, Kowloon Cultural District.
protesters massed in the Admiralty neighborhood
by the Central Government Complex, a hulking
Nittve was founding director
of the Tate Modern in
CERTAINLY NEITHER
steel-and-glass office tower. They had been coming
by the thousands, after class and after work, for
London, and Chong came to
Hong Kong from New York’s
IMAGINATION NOR
nearly a week. On this night, a precarious three-
meter-tall figure made of wood blocks joined them.
MoMA. Nowhere else, they
told me, have they seen this
MEMORY ALLOWED
His upraised right arm held aloft a yellow umbrella.
(Though the protest site has become something of a
kind of crossover.
“Many of the best artists
ME TO DREAM THAT,
tourist attraction, there’s little left to see.)
Umbrella Man was the creation of artists Tong
are also the best graphic
designers and architects,”
NEARLY 20 YEARS
Sin Chun and Milk Tsang. I met Tsang, 23, in Ngau
Tau Kok, an up-and-coming section of Kowloon
Nittve explained, as we sat in
the sleek offices of M+ on the
AFTER THE BRITISH
filled with warehouses. As we walked, he said he
didn’t want to talk about the sculpture, and
29th floor of a tower in Tsim
Sha Tsui, with the cultural
RETURNED
expressed sadness at the current state of affairs.
“You talk to someone on the street about the
district, now a construction
site, below us. With its
SOVEREIGNTY OVER
situation—they just want to be in their own little
world,” Tsang noted, as we took an elevator up to a
embrace of architecture,
film and design, M+ is
HONG KONG TO
restaurant on the 10th floor of an old factory. “I don’t
see any hope.”
positioned to capture this
new local dynamic with
CHINA, THE STREETS
Tsang’s statement puzzled me. His varied
portfolio, which includes sculpture, painting and
programs that are not
limited to what’s typically
WOULD HEAVE WITH
film production, pointed to Hong Kong’s
entrepreneurial promise. Tsang is a guitarist in a
classified as contemporary
art. “These are Western
PROTESTERS' CALLS
rock band called Tf.vs.js, and the restaurant, called
Tfvsjs.syut, is run by four of his five bandmates.
constructs, and we are not in
the West.”
FOR UNIVERSAL
Bassist and chef Sean Yeun, who oversees an eclectic
European-inspired menu that incorporates local
Of course, Hong Kong has
become a global art magnet,
SUFFRAGE
ingredients like Chinese yam, said hello. Guitarist with the Art Basel fair
and co-owner Adonian Chan, who doubles as a drawing thousands of exhibitors and collectors each
graphic designer, joined us for dinner. He echoed spring. But while Basel has injected energy into the
Tsang’s glum commentary. “I’ve shifted focus,” he local scene, most of what happens is not indigenous.
said, as we picked at spaghetti carbonara and a The wave of protest-related art, including Tsang’s
roasted duck leg with a sauce of Guinness and sculpture, on the other hand? “It was a spontaneous
puréed beets. “What we can change is within expression of maybe dormant desire. It felt like a
ourselves—and then within a small community.” special moment of defining the self for a young
With its big casement windows, bare concrete generation,” Chong said. “It’s uniquely Hong Kong.”
floors, and mismatched chairs, Tfvsjs.syut has the
marks of a hipster hangout. The place draws young THE MORE TIME I SPENT WITH HONG KONGERS,
creatives, who, between meals, participate in Chan’s the more I realized that politics was less a cause
curated slate of activities, ranging from literary than an effect of a broader reevaluation.
readings to jam sessions. In a nearby studio, Chan “These days, there’s definitely a stronger sense of
works on Chinese typography; one of his most community and an emphasis on returning to life’s
successful typefaces, inspired by Hong Kong’s basics,” said Nic Tse, proprietor of the Mei Wah
midcentury neon signage, has been featured, Tattoo Parlor, in Kowloon. In some ways Tse’s shop,
ironically, in a government-funded project. “The located on the gritty northern section of Shanghai
government is always promoting revitalization,” Street, is quintessentially Hong Kong, importing
Chan said, dismissing long-gestating plans to turn ideas from everywhere. Climb the narrow steps of

125
 the old tenement building to his fourth-floor studio, foragers. (Though the city is often perceived as an
and you’ll likely find a prominent tattoo artist urban jungle, 70 percent of its land mass is actually
visiting from Europe or America. You’ll also see green space.) “These abandoned farmlands, beaches
reflections of the changing ethos in what they’re and woods contain an abundance of wild
asked to ink. Tse recently tattooed the English word ingredients,” Huang told me. “Wild ginger flower.
courage on the wrist of a local activist. Different types of seaweed. Bamboo shoot.” She’s
More and more, Hong Kongers are also trying to domesticate some of these plants; what she
concerned with reconnecting, in modern ways, with can’t, she often forages for local chefs, including
heritage and history and culture. Take Wanda Uwe Opocensky of the Mandarin Oriental. “There’s
Huang, whose family has a a sea of wild watercress next to Wanda’s farm,” says
small farm on Cheung Finnish-born restaurateur Jaakko Sorsa, the
'HOW DO YOU Chau, a carless island a executive chef of FINDS, a modern Nordic
35-minute ferry ride from restaurant housed in the Luxe Manor in Tsim Sha
DETERMINE WHO Central. There’s almost Tsui. “She also brings me passion fruit—in the
always something to wild, they’re more acidic.”
WAS RIGHT OR harvest among their 40 Sorsa, who was recently named Hong Kong Chef
types of fruit trees. But of the Year by the local magazine Foodie, remains
WRONG? I WOULDN'T what draws visitors to the faithful to his European roots. His 12-course
farm are the educational “Nordic Express” tasting menu reimagines
DIE FOR A CHANGE IN programs that Wanda smørrebrød, the Danish open-faced sandwich, and
runs. She teaches a features sea buckthorn berry and pickled spruce
GOVERNMENT—BUT greener, more sustainable shoots. But the restaurant has also evolved to honor
way of living and eating— local culture (a family-style menu is popular) and to
IT'S SOMETHING I one that honors the herb- include Huang’s bounty (her licorice goes in the
infused healing desserts). The two are working on a book about
WOULD DO ONSTAGE' knowledge of traditional subtropical foraging. “People say, ‘What do you
Chinese medicine. mean that herb was picked here?’ ” Sorsa said. “It’s
—OPERA SINGER Huang, whose father, all an education.”
naturally, is a Chinese
ANGEL LEUNG herbalist, is one of Hong NOTHING STAYS THE SAME FOR LONG IN
Kong’s only professional Hong Kong—not the skyline, not the fashion, not
the slang. Even the fortune-telling business at the
Temple Street Night Market, a tourist magnet in
Kowloon, has shifted. Traditional numerologists
and clairvoyants who read palms to predict the
future used to dominate. “A few years ago, the tarot-
card readers began to take over, appealing to
Westerners,” Paul Chan, who heads up Walk in
Hong Kong, told me.
He regards such change with aplomb—that’s
capitalism, and this is Hong Kong, after all. A
former political aide and lecturer who then went
into finance, Chan recently quit banking to give
walking tours full-time. His itineraries are
varied—one spotlights Sheung Wan, a Hong Kong
Island neighborhood beloved by expats that’s full of
art galleries and third-wave coffee joints, but
several wend through Kowloon, where he grew up.
“For a comprehensive feel, go to Hong Kong Island,”
Chan said. “But you must come to this side as well.”
Chan’s meticulously researched itineraries use
the streetscape as a classroom, weaving together
history, economics and anthropology. A couple of
blocks north of the night market, we stopped into
Yim Yeung Tin, a traditional singing parlor, where
the mere HK$23 cover charge gets you a cup of tea
and entrée to one of the kitschiest experiences in
town. Plastic printed with gaudy pink roses covered
the tables, and disco balls showered rainbow light

126
 Nic Tse at his
Mei Wah Tattoo
Parlor, in
Kowloon.
OPPOSITE:
Forager Wanda
Huang at her
family farm on
the island of
Cheung Chau.
Cantonese opera
actress Angel
Leung, who
performs at the
Yau Ma Tei
Theatre.

122
all over the scuffed linoleum floors. Onstage, under
fluttering paper banners wishing you a happy new
year, a woman in jeggings and a rhinestone
headband sang Cantonese and Mandarin pop
standards, accompanied by a seventysomething
man in khaki shorts and Crocs playing a Yamaha
keyboard. It was magical. “To get in touch with local
culture,” Chan said, “you have to visit these places.”
Like many people I met, Chan kept referring to
Hong Kong’s “core values.” In his view, they had
shifted over time. “One of the underlying causes of
the Umbrella Movement was a value change
between the generations,” he said. “In the past, the
focus was on efficiency, prosperity and stability.
Now, it’s cultural preservation, work-life balance
and conservation.”
Conservation honors heritage, and heritage
provides context. One morning, I visited the
refurbished Yau Ma Tei Theatre. Built in 1930, it is
one of Hong Kong’s only surviving cinemas from
the silent-film era. Today, its Art Deco touches
restored, the theater stages Cantonese opera, and
performances take place at least once a week.
(Though the operas are in Cantonese, English-
language programs guide foreign visitors through.)
I sat in the 300-seat auditorium with Angel
Leung, a law student and rising operatic star. She
explained that Cantonese opera features minimal
sets—when an actor opens a door, you’ll see no
physical door, just vigorous hand gestures.
Costumes, however, are lavish constructions of silk.
The stories in Cantonese opera are always rooted
in history and typically reflect traditional
Confucian values, such as filial piety. A few days
earlier, Leung had performed in a piece that told the
tale of a general who sends his son to war. The son
falls in love with a woman, and his father orders
him executed for getting married during
wartime—a distraction to the warrior’s spirit. The
story takes place some thousand years ago, during
the Song dynasty, when China was also politically
riven. “In those days, it wasn’t just one leader,” she
said. Leung was cagey about her own views toward
Beijing, but noted that her generation isn’t as
politically monolithic as it may have seemed in
reports about the protests. “How do you determine
who was right or wrong? I wouldn’t die for a
change in government—but it’s something I would
do onstage.”
IN THE LATE 1200S, A CONTINGENT OF WARTIME
refugees reached Hong Kong. The Song dynasty
was in its sunset, and the court of the child
emperor Duanzong fled south, taking shelter at
Silver Mine Bay.
Today, the bay remains a lovely escape, popular
on weekends and holidays. But this was a Monday
afternoon. When I boarded the boat from the
Central Ferry Pier to Lantau Island and the village
of Mui Wo, which sits on Silver Mine, I counted no
more than 20 other people. At the beach itself, a few
elderly women in conical hats swept the sand.
Turning my eyes landward, I saw a path leading
uphill, toward Discovery Bay. So I took it.
Over the past decade, hiking has become very
popular here, and a friend had recommended this
route. Yet I had it all to myself—and I quickly
learned why. The steepening path turned to stairs
and more stairs. My thighs screamed, and in the
sauna-like afternoon my shirt was sopping. My eyes
scanned for shade, but I saw only more stairs.
Farther uphill, I sat on a step to take in the lovely
view. Cicadas erupted in a loud chorus, as if to urge
me on. At the top, I collapsed onto a bench and
caught the panorama. From here, Hong Kong looked
like a collection of half-filled green pincushions
holding skyscraper needles, sitting atop a blanket of
glitter and blue. The city and its worries felt far
away. A few clouds hung in the sky. The seas were
calm. Everything seemed possible.

THE DETAILS
HOTELS
Hullett House Once the Royal
Marine Police headquarters, this
boutique in Tsim Sha Tsui fuses
elegant colonial-era architecture
with top-notch service and
modern comforts. hulletthouse.
com; doubles from HK$6,120.
The Salisbury—YMCA of Hong
Kong The Peninsula’s surprisingly
comfortable next-door neighbor is
arguably the best deal in town. All
rooms were recently renovated,
and some offer spectacular
harbor views. ymcahk.org.hk;
doubles from HK$1,680.
Mandarin Oriental The iconic
original Mandarin is a Central
neighborhood hang-out for the
well-heeled, with its barbershop,
Captain's Bar and three Michelin-
rated restaurants. Take a high-
floor harbor-view room. mandarin
oriental.com; doubles from
HK$3,600.
ART & CULTURE
Jockey Club Creative Arts
Centre Nine floors of studios,
showrooms, shops and a
teahouse. jccac.org.hk.
Osage Art Foundation A well-
regarded gallery with shows that
seek to foster up-and-coming
local talent. oaf.cc.
Walk in Hong Kong Guide Paul
Chan takes guests deep into the
culture and politics of Hong
Kong’s neighborhoods. walkin.hk;
tours from HK$250 per person.
Yau Ma Tei Theatre At this
refurbished Art Deco theater,
young singers perform Cantonese
opera several times a week.
hkbarwoymt.com; tickets from
HK$70.
Yim Yeung Tin Singing Parlor
Kitschy and relentlessly old-
school, this nightspot features
pop standards and no pretense.
49-51 Temple St., Yau Ma Tei.
RESTAURANTS
FINDS "Finland, Iceland, Norway,
Denmark and Sweden" inspire
chef Jaakko Sorsa at the city’s
only Nordic eatery. finds.com.hk;
tasting menus from HK$498.
Tfvsjs.syut A musician-run
hangout in a gritty, industrial
building in Kowloon East. 10F Unit
B, Gee Luen Factory Bldg., 316-318
Kwun Tong Rd.; fb.com/tfvsjs.syut;
dinner sets HK$320.
Tin Lung Heen The Ritz-Carlton’s
Chinese spot offers elevated dim
sum—as well as sweeping views
of the water. ritzcarlton.com; dim
sum for two HK$500.

129
 THREE
TICKETS
TO
PARADISE
ACROSS A TRILOGY OF MALDIVIAN
ISLANDS, JENINNE LEE ST. JOHN RESISTS
THE URGE TO CHANNEL HER INNER JONAH,
HOPS FROM BOAT TO BOAT, AND COMES
BACK WITH FAR MORE POSTCARDS THAN
YOU COULD STUFF IN A SHOEBOX.

photogr apher : pornsak na nakorn

st ylist : tunvardee jutavar akul
makeup & hair : witthaya k aeoaim
model : nathalie ducheine
 Mermaids rise at
dawn to revel in the
richest part of the
W's coral reef, near
the spa, in swimsuit
by Tan Tan.

TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM / OCTOBER 2015   131

 I REALIZE THIS SOUNDS
RIDICULOUS, BUT I DIDN’T
PARTICULARLY WANT TO
GO TO THE MALDIVES.
In my defense, it had been a rough
couple of months, capped off by
the passing away of my brilliant,
beloved, cranky-pants grandmother.
She lived in New York City’s
Chinatown, and every time I’d
return home from Asia, she’d scold
me for not visiting more often, ply
me with food… and then try to hustle
me away again. “Go back to work,”
she’d say. “Go see the world. Send me
a postcard.” I always did, from every
trip. This was an old-school woman
with an immigrant’s work ethic,
but she also loved getting mail. I’m
pretty sure the power of the postcard
was just as persuasive to her as pride
in my job.
So, I headed back to Bangkok
from a bittersweet American
springtime to repack for the
Maldives, an endeavor into which I
had to put more thought than you’d
imagine. Because the plan was to do
the Indian Ocean nation three ways:
glammed out, under the sea and
a cultural deep-dive. The recently
refit W Retreat & Spa, the Anantara
Kihavah oasis and the brand-new
Loama Resort respectively specialize
in each of these angles, though, as I
would soon discover, there are few
picture-perfect vacation postcards
any of these hotels, spread, though
they are, smack out in the cerulean
sea, can’t bring to life for you.
We landed at Malé in a mid-
morning haze. Even an overcast sky
couldn’t conceal the pure beauty of
the place. The seaplanes in every
color in the gumball machine
lined up along docks like so many
Matchbox cars with wings. Click—
mental postcard for Poa Poa. We
were only in the airport, and I was
already scrapbooking this country.
A quick layover in the W lounge
(a romper room festooned with
132  OCTOBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM
oversized lollipops and Bliss body-
care products in the full bathroom)
and then we were boarding our
adorable airborne taxi. Flying over
the Maldives is itself part of the
pleasure of the visit. My mind reeled:
How many shades of blue can there
be? How is it possible that these far-
flung atolls, round specks topped
with green and ringed with golden
sands and ridges of reefs, could be
in a single country? We were all
first-timers to this unreal place, and
just as we re-hinged our dropped
jaws, we were landing at the W, the
glass of champagne handed to me
as I disembarked just the first of
countless bubble bottles we happily
popped on this trip.
That’s how, four days after
leaving Manhattan, I found myself
on a different kind of island entirely.
This one had a pumping club, but
it was below sea level. It had Alex
Monopoly-painted street art… on
a speedboat. It had bright lights,
if you reserved an over-water
rotunda for a private dinner within
a sexy ring of fire. It had diverse
and raucous nightlife—best found
on the plentiful house reef during
an evening, UV-lamp-lit snorkel
(though the two whale sharks we
spotted snuggling into a crater
turned in a bit early for my tastes).
And for VIP sections? Charter a sail
on the two-masted yacht Escape,
FROM TOP: Chillin' at W
Spa, in swimsuit by
Vilebrequin, cover-up by
Tan Tan, shoes by Tory
Burch; a W over-water
villa; all smiles at
Loama. OPPOSITE:
Ready to take off, in
dress by DVF, shoes by
Tory Burch, accessories
by Wear to Kill.
134 
OCTOBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM
WE DANCED ON
THE DOCK IN THE
SETTING SUN’S
BURNT-SIENNA WAKE
 CLOCKWISE FROM
OPPOSITE TOP LEFT: The
W beach, in swimsuit by
Vilebrequin; the Sea,
Fire, Salt, Sky dining
complex at Kihavah;
sunset at Loama; in a W
ring of fire, in dress by
Philosophy; on
Gaathafushi, W's
private isle; warriors at
Loama; a giant prawn at
Sea restaurant,
Kihavah; post-snorkel at
W, in swimsuit by Wear
to Kill; camouflaged in
W waters; the boys of
Kihavah's dive center;
gabbing grannies run
this corner, on a local
island tour by Loama.
 HOW MANY
DIFFERENT
SHADES OF
BLUE CAN
THERE BE?
 or book out the private island and
sleep under the open sky with only
seabirds for neighbors.
This is a place where you’d be
tempted not to stray far from your
daily cupcake- and fruit-infused-
vodka-shot-replenished pool villa.
But then you go to the spa, and off
your sprawling treatment room is
a deck big enough for a barbecue.
You stand under its outdoor shower
looking out over the Tiffany blue
turn to turquoise turn to Iris before
it melds with the powder-blue
sky and you wonder why you ever
thought this place wouldn’t bring
you the peace you so sorely required.
On my first night there, a skyline of
palm trees and stilted bungalows
had replaced my bridge and tower
views, and the only big apple in sight
was the setting sun, leaving T+L art
director, Nay, and me no choice but
M
to dance on the wooden dock in its
burnt-sienna wake.
anta rays
aren’t exactly
cute, but they
are graceful,
otherworldly
and aware.
They have
the largest
brain-to-
body ratio of all rays and sharks,
after all. My first encounter came
while swimming out towards the
trench in the protected marine park
where they feed: looking straight
ahead, I didn’t notice the giant ray
approaching from behind until
its snowflake-speckled head was
right under my chin. Reflexively,
calculating it to be no more than a
meter below me, I spread my limbs
wide, kicked my feet as gently as
possible and flapped my arms in
M A N TA R AY S : C O U R T E S Y O F A N A N TA R A K I H AVA H
FROM TOP: Swimming
with manta rays, one
of Kihavah's signature
adventures; a picnic on
Goimaru, Loama's
private island; picking
the best spot to let out
the lines, on a Loama
fishing trip. OPPOSITE:
W-tinted sunglasses
by Emporio Armani.
mirror motion of its pterodactyl
fins. I’d like to say we engaged in
an underwater pas de deux, but
really the ray loop-the-looped
me, doing backflips and darting
away and back, that tease, while
I struggled to keep up, laughing
through my snorkel. Laughing,
that is, until it led me head-on into
a pack of its compatriots, their
disproportionately elongated mouths
gaping open presumably to inhale
as much plankton as possible but
looking like I was supposed to swim
in and dock like the alien spaceship à
la Independence Day.
And wouldn’t that have been quite
the aquatic adventure? Well, that
was why we were here—life on the
water. In addition to the seaplane
transfer, I boarded four different
boats at Anantara Kihavah: the one
that chugged us out to meet the rays;
the aptly named Freebird parasail
party-boat that flung us 150 meters
up in the sky; the luxe 25-meter
Ocean Whisperer yacht that seems
purpose-built for a seafaring sunset
wedding (we skipped the vows and
went straight to the champagne
toasts); and the dinghy that picked
us up from our morning dive along
and into the creature-rich caves of
the gorgeous house reef they call
the Golden Wall. Super-smiley
lifeguard-of-all-trades Coco, whom
we dubbed our ocean concierge, was
present on every vessel—including
that dinghy, into which he had to
physically haul me mock-kicking
and screaming, so much did I want
to stay 12 meters down on the reef.
But I shouldn’t have been so
upset, as we were heading right
back to it, on the other side of the
island, for lunch at Sea, a submerged
aquarium in-the-round where it’s
unclear whether the fish swimming
by are on display for you or the other
way around. I’m told sea turtles
come out at night, and that dolphins
are frequently spotted. We saw
neither but it hardly mattered. The
place is magic, plus I made a friend:
the orange-striped triggerfish
playfully bumping his nose up
against my window throughout the
meal. The little, lippy, turquoise guy
was as postcard-worthy as any five-
TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM / OCTOBER 2015   137
 meter manta, and it sounded like he
was used to posing for Instagram,
to boot. “He comes every day,” our
waiter Almas confided. “The fish
have a schedule for work. ‘I’m off,
guys,’ they say. ‘Now, it’s your turn.’”
Not that you’re ever hard-pressed
to find photogenic fish at this
place. The entire resort interacts
impressively with its seaside setting.
The mansions that pass for over-
water “bungalows” (I’d say each pool
villa could sleep 12, assuming some
of your friends are happy to snooze
in hammocks above the waves) are
so well designed, airy and glass-
bottomed that you feel like you’re
in and of the ocean. The bathtub is
glass-bottomed. Sure, it’s difficult
to spot fish through a bubble bath,
but it would’ve been rude not to try.
My butler, Osama, had drawn it for
me to show off his petal-scattering
skills, which were impressive.
Of course they were. I’m pretty
sure I’ve never encountered an
entire hotel staff that seemed so
enamored of their jobs as that at
Anantara Kihavah. It was as though
the chairman of the International
Institute of Modern Butlers, Steven
Ferry, had flown in to train not
only the villa hosts like Osama but
everyone from the housekeepers
to the resident marine biologist,
French dreamboat Joseph. These
guys live in paradise, and they act
like it, literally whistling while they
work, remembering names and
morning-coffee and Bloody Mary
requests, and calling out, “Haalu
kihineh?” (how are you?) to me as
I rode around the resort on my
bicycle, bottle of Moët in the wicker
P
basket and white sundress fluttering
behind me.
eople who knock
the Maldives
point to a lack of
cultural-experience
options. Loama
Resort, not far from
Kihavah, nearly
single-handedly
shuts that grumble
down. For starters, it’s built on an
island, Maamigili, that’s a legit
archaeological site, and from the
138  OCTOBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM
moment you arrive you feel the
sense of place. The welcome dock has
an over-water gallery showcasing
a rotating roster of contemporary
Maldivian art, and the lobby doubles
as a museum for the collection of
primitive Maldivian tools, as well as
old imports that point to the atoll’s
former role as trading way-station: a
terra-cotta oil lamp likely from pre-
11th century Sri Lanka or India, for
example, and 500-year-old Chinese
porcelain found fully preserved in
urns unearthed on the island.
And then there’s the triple-
barreled pièce de résistance. A
125-year-old traditional wooden
house complete with carved
teak panels, recovered from
Kan’dholhudhoo Island and lovingly
reassembled here, is tucked in the
woods near two symmetrical ancient
bathing pools, known as vevu,
whose excavation is being led by the
hotel’s heritage and culture manager
Umair Badheeu and in which, when
sun rays slice through the draping
greenery, you can picture the pre-
Islamic-era bathers performing
their ablutions.
Inspired, I spent an unplanned
big chunk of my time at Loama in
the water. Dive master Rasheed is a
careful but fun instructor, and like
at the W and Kihavah, the house reef
here is a stunner that this resort
probably doesn’t up-sell enough. An
SSI scuba certification under my
belt, the accompanying adrenaline
had me bouncing. Good thing we
had an afternoon journey ahead—a
visit to nearby Maakurathu Island,
where an old goat herder shimmied
up a coconut tree to tap the trunk’s
nectar, which we then bought in old
soda bottles from his wife. Young
men with thick hair, oversized
aviators and tight jeans played pool
FROM TOP: Parking in
front of a Kihavah
over-water villa;
getting her paddle on
at W, in swimsuit by
Wear to Kill; a
sprawling king
pavilion at Loama.
OPPOSITE: Seaplane
views are the best.
THE MANTA RAY LOOP-
THE-LOOPED ME,
DARTING AWAY AND
BACK, THAT TEASE
 A BUNCH OF
BOISTEROUS BIDDIES
IN HIJABS GABBED
IN THE LANEWAY

in covered halls, looking like a 1970s
movie. A bunch of boisterous biddies
in a kaleidoscope of hijabs gabbed in
the laneway, clearly lorded over by
one boss lady in red reclining in her
chair, ribbing her pals and generally
commanding the deference my
grandmother always did from her
friends and family.
We continued the cultural
immersion by catching our own
dinner, the old-fashioned way. A
dozen of us guests tooled out to a
tidal confluence, where the captain
assured us of good fishing. Donning
Mickey Mouse gloves to protect our
skin, we let fly over the side of the
boat baited and weighted hooks,
carefully leading the simple lines
through our hands until we sensed
they hit the seabed. Then, we reeled
our lines back in a bit, and waited for
the tug of a hungry fish. It reminded
me of how my grandmother had
taken us crabbing when I was a
kid—summer evenings after long
days on the beach, tying chicken
bones to lines and dropping them
into the bay.
There was a whoop! as someone’s
line was jerked, and with the quick-
hands help of one of the congenial
crew, a young Chinese honeymooner
reeled in the first catch of the night,
a humpback snapper she giddily
posed for photos with. Soon, the
boat was bursting with fish, people
pulling them in on their own as we
learned to gauge the pressure of a
bite on the line. I’m proud to say I
won the day with a six-fish haul:
an emperor, a red snapper, a blue-
striped snapper, two humpback
snappers and, unexpectedly, a
skinny, creepy barracuda.
Having set sail at sunset, we
returned to Loama in deep night,
the stars shining like bright bulbs
180-degrees in all directions with the
Milky Way directly above blanketing
me and Nay, lying on the boat’s roof,
with complete calm. This would
seem like the likeliest point for me
to commune with my grandmother.
But we bonded not over nature, but
food. So it was when we got back to
the hotel that I really channeled her,
ordering three of our massive fresh
fish for dinner—one deep fried, one
grilled and the last steamed, with
ginger, garlic, scallions, soy and just
a touch of hot oil, the way Poa Poa
made it best. We took a ton of photos,
less for postcards than posterity,
and then dove in. “Hurry up,” I could
hear her saying. “It’s getting cold.”
TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM / OCTOBER 2015
CLOCKWISE FROM OPPOSITE
LEFT: Kihavah's aptly named
Fire restaurant; schools of
lunch guests at Kihavah's
Sea; on the W's Escape, in
outfit by Philosophy, shoes
by Tory Burch; Kihavah's
sunny main throughway;
lunch at Kihavah's pool bar;
Kihavah for "commuting."
THE DETAILS
HOTELS
W Retreat & Spa
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  141
 A Walk in the Clouds
Mushrooms make up merely the first few hundred reasons
a gourmand will gorge on Yunnan. Save some space for yak
bacon, fresh-baked bread and a bevy of Chinese cheeses.
story and photos by lillian chou
 At the new
Amandayan.
OPPOSITE:
Lijiang’s bounty.

TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM / OCTOBER 2015   143

 A palpable excitement
brightens the damp
mist that hangs over
a patchwork Bai minority village beneath
Langwoshan, or Wolf’s Den Mountain. I’m
in Heqing, Yunnan, China’s southwestern-
most province and have been up since dawn.
At 3,800 meters—the altitude giving name to
Yunnan, which means Southern Clouds—I’m
lightheaded from both the steep climb into this
thin air and the thrill of foraging headfirst into
the start of mushroom season here. Lush lands
hedged by majestic mountains have carved
lively villages, home to 26 minority groups,
though this part of Yunnan is dominated by the
Bai and, on higher ground, the Yi. Their diverse
cultures revere and cultivate what seems like
every possible type of the fungus. It is generally
believed that more than 800 varieties grow in
Yunnan and, from late summer through late
fall, this land springs to life.
“These are our mushroom suppliers and
they control this mountain,” says James Bao,
food-and-beverage manager of the brand-new
Amandayan, an hour away in Lijiang, who has
accompanied me on this mushroom excursion
with executive chef Steven Miao. We are
shown a makeshift shelter beneath one of the
many pines that dot the steep mountainside
where the aptly named pine mushroom grows.
Twigs, branches and pine needles protect
OPPOSITE,
these noble mushrooms, allowing them to
CLOCKWISE FROM grow to significant sizes; the large and perfect
TOP LEFT: A-grade stems fetch higher prices. A guide uses
Handmade shoes a spindly branch and carefully brushes the
from Shaxi; Duan earth away to reveal a sienna round cap with a
Jiping picks
eggplants to cook long white stem. He bends the stick to release
at Dancing Mule a thick-stemmed mushroom called songrong
Café; raw Pu’er by the locals, and matsutake by the Japanese—
tea; a forager from who love them. In fact, these rank among the
Duan Village;
Xizhou’s famous
highest quality Chinese exports to Japan where,
baba, this batch in 36 hours, they will sell in Tokyo for as much
filled with as ¥600 per gram.
scallions and On lower ground, in a humble tented
salted pork crisps; kitchen, we sit down to a feast of thick golden
in Lijiang’s old
town; plush and white niuganjun, better known as porcini,
Amandayan; a thin pale raw shavings of just-picked songrong,
traditional thick slabs of Yunnan’s revered cured country
breakfast ham, a warming chicken soup flecked with
buckwheat baba
at the Old Theatre
dried shitake, along with a plateful of potato
Inn; sheets of wedges tossed in chili. This is an immersive
erkuai hang to dry. celebration into Yunnan’s brilliant local
TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM / OCTOBER 2015
cuisine, little known outside China. Even if we
weren’t ravenous (which we are), I’d marvel
at eating a mushroom that an hour ago, I’d
plucked from the wild.
WITH ITS WEATHERED, postcard-
perfect wooden houses, Lijiang’s Old Town was
declared a unesco World Heritage site in the
late 1990s. I first visited five years ago and have
come back to this area for mushroom season,
and to gorge myself on an array of culinary
secrets you’ll never find on a Cantonese dim
sum menu. Hand-pulled cheeses, pumpkin-
colored buckwheat pancakes, baba flatbreads…
These edible delights, still made the traditional
ways by local ethnic groups, imbue the age-old
lanes of Lijiang, Shaxi and Dali with as much
authenticity as do the newly restored heritage
hotels slowly springing up. I’m here to forage
on many fronts.
A stroll around the serene courtyard
grounds of Amandayan reveals an old gate that
opens onto the ancient gardens of Wenchang
Temple across from the hotel’s idyllic teahouse.
We’re perched up on Lion Hill, known for its
magnificent view over the village of Dayan,
better known as Lijiang’s Old Town. Lijiang
is best in the early morning, when you can
wander the empty pedestrian lanes of this
sectioned-off historic grid while the quiet
gurgle of ancient water canals trickles calmly
alongside stone lanes overseen by white-capped
Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, the quintessential
Chinese landscape. Local residents, a
concentration of Naxi minority, a matriarchal
society descended from Tibet, still dress
traditionally in blue aprons and caps. Wielding
woven basket-backpacks, they head to Zhongyi
Market where a bustling kaleidoscope of colors
and strange scents brings an incredible sight
even to seasoned travelers. Witness the trays of
local fermented tofu whose fluffy layer of mold
functions like the blue spots in ripe Roquefort.
Everywhere, people sell fresh wild mushrooms
including smaller stems of songrong; dark,
large caps of tiger’s paw; long, curly-stemmed
jizhong, meaning “chicken taste;” and dark
ruffled ganba, or beef mushroom.
Dinner is an elegant study of local cuisine
where chef Miao has taken the bounty of
Yunnan and applied Chinese culinary mastery
at Man Yi Xuan restaurant. Flavors pop and
textures explode in a parade of dishes with
local ingredients like Sanchuan huotui, the
local aged country ham. Crisp bits of scorched
rice along with chewy ganba together elevate
humble fried rice to haute cuisine.
Though the mushroom menu is not to be
missed, Chef Miao sprinkles local tastes as
  145
broadly as possible—breakfast the next day,
for instance, includes yak bacon made using
Chinese charcuterie techniques with local
livestock that is rich, salty and intense, a
perfect partner to poached eggs.
THE ANCIENT TEA HORSE ROAD
was a vital trading route of caravans traveling
through treacherous passes that linked Tibet,
Burma and Bengal through China’s southwest
including what are now Yunnan, Guizhou and
Sichuan provinces. Shaxi was a central stop,
and I’m heading for a tiny hamlet just outside
called Duan Village, which offered one of very
few options in the region for overnight stays
when I first visited. Today Shaxi has plenty
of choices but I crave calm countryside—not
to mention cook Duan Jiping’s memorable
breakfast baba: a bready pumpkin-hued
pancake tinted by local buckwheat, topped by
a soft-centered fried egg, and sweetened by
local chestnut honey from nearby Mapingguan
village. So I return to the renovated guesthouse
renamed the Old Theatre Inn and its Dancing
Mule Café. I am rewarded by the tasteful
upgrades made by owner Chris Barclay. The
petite residence still holds its charm with five
rooms furnished with local antiques, plush
beds and modern bathrooms, and Duan’s
pancakes are as delicious as ever.
The property’s centerpiece is a three-story
playhouse with intricate arched roofs in
traditional Bai architecture. Now protected
by the Jianchuan county as a historic relic,
it is surrounded by verdant fields of rice and
tobacco. Local Bai ladies run the inn, and, with
advanced notice, anything can be arranged
including a cooking demonstration or a
seasonal mushroom hike, for which, of course,
I signed up. Our quest is thwarted by rain,
as well as impatience when we learn that our
young guides had already gone out to forage
that morning. But wandering through the
incline of forest in the drizzle, I am grateful
nonetheless for the beautiful hike… and all my
disappointment disappears when I’m handed a
generous gift of stunning golden niuganjun—
richly scented, pristine porcini mushrooms
from the guides’ early hunt. At the Dancing
Mule Café, the mushrooms are stir-fried in
local Bai style with green chilies and garlic,
an abundance of soft sweet mushrooms with
a spike of heat that seems unusual, but is how
mushrooms are locally eaten.
Barclay and his wife believed that a visit to
a local Buddhist temple—where they prayed
to Guanyin, the goddess of mercy associated
with fertility—blessed them with the birth of
a child. In thanks, they personally funded and
146  OCTOBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM
oversaw the neglected site’s restoration, also OPPOSITE: Made
a protected relic. Renamed the Pear Orchard from steamed rice,
erkuai cakes are
Temple for the aged pear trees that surround
fresh-pressed daily
the grounds, Barclay designed a restaurant in Xizhou.
within the grounds specializing in local dishes.
Sweet kernels of yellow corn, strips of yellow
squash with garlic, and cubes of golden-fried
local cheese called rubing—made here with
bovine milk, but elsewhere with goat’s—were
a particular delight. The next morning Ms.
Yang, the elegant head cook, brought me to her
neighbor, whose two resident cows supplied
the milk that simmered in a wood-fired wok.
Watching it curdle into a warm ricotta-like
fresh cheese, I was desperate for a drizzle of
good olive oil and flaky salt, but this was Shaxi-
style, and until it was strained into colorful
cotton handkerchiefs and knotted into tight
bundles, it would not be called rubing.
It was Friday and I cycled towards Shaxi
for the traditional market where everything
imaginable is sold including a ground display
of vibrant colored medicinal barks and roots,
twisted buns of clipped human hair and piles
of hand-rolled incense. Clusters of Bai women
in ruffled hats picked excitedly at the season’s
first Sichuan peppercorns. Their citrusy
scent tickled the air while their neighboring
compatriots arranged knotted bundles of just-
made rubing.
All villages have central plazas called
Sifang Jie, or Square Street. Shaxi’s is crowned
by an abandoned theater that is bordered by
small cafés and shops including one selling
cakes of fresh hand-pressed Pu’er tea, a
Yunnan specialty. Horse bells jingle and
their hooves clop down the cobblestone roads
through emerald rice fields as they return,
led by cowboy-like Bai guides, from treks to
Shibaoshan mountain, a legendary hike that
passes through ancient Buddhist grottoes.
At the Karma Café, off the canaled
pedestrian path, hidden inside Laomadian
Lodge, the first guesthouse I stayed in years
ago that sits on the spot of an important
trading post of the Tea Horse Road, I ordered
tender Tibetan steamed momo dumplings,
chabale (summer crust happiness) crispy yak
patties, and crunched on a fresh salad with
local walnuts while taking in the antiques and
artifacts decorating the walls.
SWIFT HANDS TWIST
COOLED DOUGH INTO
STRINGS OF BIG BEADS
OPPOSITE, FROM DEEP, DARK SKIES COVER the elaborate villa, built in 1939, has been returned
TOP: A patch of mountains and farm valleys on the road to to its original splendor under strict state
tobacco field
encircled by rice Dali, now a fast two-hour drive thanks to a council level historic protection status with
paddies, under the new highway. Along the way, between Erhai, stunning Bai architecture such as intricate
Cangshan the region’s great lake, and the foot of the wood carvings, arched roofs and a painted
mountains in Dali; Himalayas is the small village of Xizhou and back courtyard wall. A terraced bar overlooks
a banquet of Bai
the gorgeous Linden Commons, locally known manicured grounds, dotted with ancient
specialties at the
restaurant in Pear as Bao Cheng Fu. This boutique heritage hotel stones. The estate’s charms include valuable
Orchard Temple. is the third preservation endeavor by Brian antiques, collected over the Lindens’ many
and Jeanee Linden, who have garnered praise years in China.
and awards for maintaining authenticity In Yunnan, it’s impossible not to marvel
and promoting culture while revitalizing an at the similarities to Italy’s foodways. At the
old village without disrupting local life. This morning market tour (complimentary to
all Linden property guests), a cheese maker
stretches mozzarella-like fresh cheese called
rushan, or “milk fan” for its appearance after
it’s pulled and dried around a bamboo pole.
The result is an air-dried cheese that is fried
and served with sugar, or grilled and spread
with rose petal jam. Nearby, a workshop
makes erkuai, a fresh chewy rice noodle. Rice
is soaked, steamed, ground and then pressed
through rollers like Italian pasta. Popping
air bubbles crack loudly as gloved workers
shape hot dough on worn slabs of beautifully
streaked gray marble, one of Dali’s best-known
products. Swift hands twist cooled dough into
strings of big beads and press them into carved
wooden molds that are quickly released, then
inked with a red seal. Large sheets of erkuai
hang on bamboo rods drying. They are sold
fresh or dried in different shapes with a chewy
and heavier texture than Yunnan’s other
common soft rice noodle, mixian.
THE DETAILS Bao Cheng Fu at The
GETTING THERE Linden Commons Xizhou is probably best known for it’s
China Eastern 3 Fuchun Li, Xizhou, Dali; legendary baba, an addictive flatbread made
(flychinaeastern.com) flies 86-872/245-3000; linden- savory with pork and scallion, or sweetened
directly from Hong Kong centre.com; doubles from with local black sugar, red bean paste and rose
to Lijiang. Thai Airways RMB980.
(thaiairways.com) and Old Theatre Inn Duan
petal jam. The easy five-kilometer bike ride
SilkAir (silkair.com) fly to Village, Shaxi, Dali; 86- to Zhoucheng, where indigo-tie-dyed batik
Kunming International 872/472-2296; oldtheatreinn. fabric is made by traditionally costumed Bai
Airport with connections com; doubles from RMB520. grandmothers, is dotted with Xizhou baba
through Lijiang or Dali.
bakers. Vendors are ubiquitous, cooking their
Seventy-two-hour transit RESTAURANTS
visas with restrictions are Karma Café Laomadian breads in a makeshift oven of stacked metal
available on arrival for Lodge, Sideng Jie, Shaxi, trays. Throughout the nearby Sifang Jie,
certain passport holders, Dali; 86-872/472-2777; colorfully crowned Bai women in pink and
otherwise visas must dinner for two RMB170. red tunics roll baba variations, some with a
be secured in advance. Pear Orchard Temple
(Check iatatravelcentre. Reserve in advance through
cracked egg on top of salt pork or a Muslim
com for details.) Transport the Old Theatre Inn; 86- version with scallion and butter. On a rainy
by private car from 135/7725-8117; dinner for afternoon, I learn to make baba at a cooking
Lijiang to Shaxi and Shaxi two RMB200. class at the Linden Centre. In the kitchen, my
to Dali is available via Dancing Mule Café The
floury fingers twist dough bundles just like the
each establishment for Old Theatre Inn; dinner for
approximately RMB600- two RMB170. street sellers. While they bake, we enjoy drinks
800 each way. Man Yi Xuan Amandayan; at the antiquated bar, each sip heightening the
dinner for two RMB350. anticipation for our warm breads. They are
HOTELS Restaurant & Bar at Bao flaky, filling and comforting, the ideal snack
Amandayan 29 Shishan Cheng Fu at the Linden
Lu., Gucheng, Lijiang; 86- Commons Dinner for two
for a rainy day, and I know that when I make
888/533-9999; aman.com; RMB200; drinks for two these again—and I will—wherever I am, I’ll be
doubles from RMB5,003. RMB100. transported back up to the clouds.

TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM / OCTOBER 2015   149

where
the

big
cats
roam
 An elusive leopard
stalks the early-
morning hills
of Jawai.

THE 150TH BIRTHDAY OF RUDYARD KIPLING

FINDS MICHAEL SNYDER PLAYING MOWGLI WITH
THE LEOPARDS AND TIGERS OF WESTERN INDIA.
IT’S UPSCALE CAMPING WITH A CONSERVATION
EDGE—AND CELEBRATORY CANDLES APLENTY.

PHOTOGR APHED BY L AURYN ISHAK

TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM / OCTOBER 2015   151

152  OCTOBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM

here are parallel worlds here. The leopards live
above, the people below,” Adam Bannister, a lanky
South African who’s spent so much of his life
working in the bush that it’s difficult to
imagine him setting foot on pavement, tells
me on our daybreak drive as he scans the
interstices of a sandstone hill for the sharp green glint
of leopard eyes. “It’s only at this time of day that those
worlds intersect.”
Moments later, as if on cue, we overhear a pair of
leopards arguing over the remains of a several-day-old
kill. The animal, Bannister says, had been taken from
a cattle pen in the nearby village, a typical food source
for animals in this area, a hidden, but not at all remote,
valley in the western Indian state of Rajasthan. The
valley, known as Jawai, gives its name to the luxury
tented safari camp where Bannister works as head of
field operations, and is home to at least 178 species of
birds, ghost-like Asiatic wolves, long-tailed langurs, and
what might well be the densest population of leopards
anywhere on earth—about 30 in the 150-square-
kilometer area used regularly by the Jawai field team.
That same area is also home to some 5,000 people, and
while the leopards abscond with, on average, 100 head of
livestock from each village annually, there has not been
a single human death by leopard recorded in the last 160
years. Poaching here is equally rare. Jawai is not a park or
FROM LEFT: A welcome roommate
presides over a luxe Jawai tent; an
evening game drive through Jawai.
OPPOSITE: Picnic is served, at Jawai.
a sanctuary: it is a living ecosystem in which humans and
animals coexist without outside interference.
Now at the end of their second season here, the field
team at Jawai has only just begun uncovering the secret
of how exactly that ecosystem works. They’re in a unique
position to do so: Jawai is the first and, to date, only
tourism operation in the whole 1,000-square-kilometer
valley, and backed by a family-owned hospitality
company called Suján that—while also running Sher
Bagh luxury tented camp in one of India’s healthiest tiger
reserves—has the clout to take its conservation seriously.
India today is the last haven for the world’s largest,
most majestic cat—but, even here, tigers and their ilk are
embattled. Only a century ago, big cats roamed the wild
all across the subcontinent, stalking their prey through
the teak forests of central India and the foothills of the
Himalayas. This was the world into which Rudyard
Kipling was born 150 years ago this December, a world
where the animal kingdom seemed as powerful as, if
not moreso than, the delicate human one built atop it.
For many foreigners, myself included, it’s exactly that
world—the one Kipling immortalized in The Jungle Book,
first published in 1894—that provides the first childish
impressions of a vast and mysterious place called India.
It was a world of wilderness, where animals and men
lived cautiously alongside one another, a world of Western
civilization erecting its flimsy edifice on ancient soil.

FROM TOP: A Rabari herdsman;
in full bloom, flame of the forest trees
live up to their name in Jawai.
OPPOSITE: The majestic raison d’être of
Ranthambore National Park.
In his most famous story, Kipling chronicled the
life of Mowgli, the man-cub who straddled the parallel
kingdoms of man and beast. Kipling wrote The Jungle
Book while living in Vermont—about as far from India
as can be—some five years after he left the subcontinent
for good. At that point he’d spent 13 of his 29 years on the
Subcontinent, from his birth in 1865 to age six, and from
17 to 24, and the stories that make up The Jungle Book are
charged with all the romance of youthful nostalgia.
Spend enough time in the country’s sprawling,
enervating, aggravating urban centers and it’s easy
to feel that that India has been lost for good, if it ever
existed in the first place. But in places like Jawai, a
community composed of leopards, langurs and humans,
Kipling’s world is very much alive. Colonial Sher Bagh,
with its canvas tents and gracious, Old World charms,
is just the kind of place where he might have had the
imaginative space to dream up Bagheera and Baloo and
Shere Khan, the cruel tiger who is Mowgli’s deadliest foe.
awai’s 10 luxe tents are set on valley-facing plinths,
all but invisible to one another, with expansive
views from their private verandas. Spread across
10½ hectares of land, the tents and communal
spaces—also tented but entirely open-air—look
out on some of the most exceptional scenery I’ve
encountered anywhere in India: an idyllic pastoral
of villages and hamlets superimposed on a landscape of
tilting hills and bulbous rock domes straight out of Dalí.
Days are spent driving or walking through villages and
fields, spotting birds by the reservoir, following the trails
of Rabari herdsmen with their scarlet turbans piled high
on their noble heads, watching families of langurs dash
between the hills with infants clinging to their stomachs,
and spotting leopards—about eight live in the area the
game drives typically traverse—as they emerge and
disappear from the networks of caves winding through
the rocky outcroppings. At night, the camp is lit by
hundreds of candles laid out in the grass, a mirror image
of the pinprick stars scattered across the huge silent sky.
As recently as 2012, no one, neither in tourism nor
in conservation, had fully grasped the place’s potential,
despite its otherworldly beauty and convenient location
along one of India’s most popular tourist routes. “For
centuries leopards and humans have cohabited in this
area in harmony—as far as humans and wildlife can
live in harmony,” a director at Suján, Yusuf Ansari, tells
me, “and it’s working out fine.” He saw the extraordinary
in this mundane fact and wanted to share it with
visitors. Gathering data to better understand how and
contributing to local communities in order to help them
maintain that balance, are as much a part of the Jawai
mission as hospitality.
With its wide open spaces and minimal, modern
décor—everything bright, in black and white with
flashes of red; tents opening onto expansive views—
Jawai channels the vibrant renegade spirit of the African
bush. At Sher Bagh, an eight-hour drive east, both the
aesthetic and conservationist impulse take a different
 He
was merely

deigning
to appear
before
a human

audience

TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM / OCTOBER 2015   155

 Kipling’s
was
a world of
civilization
erecting
its
flimsy
edifice
on
ancient
soil

156  0CTOBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM

shape. The 12 tents, arranged in a semicircle in a wooded
clearing, hark back to colonial India: intimate in scale,
all teak and canvas and candlelight, clustered together
as a haven of refinement and civilization in the middle of
the wild. At night, guests gather to chat around a bonfire
under a canopy of trees and hanging lanterns, while
liveried waiters serve snacks and drinks. The spirit of
conviviality at camp is in itself intoxicating.
Tigers are Ranthambore Park’s raison d’être, but they
are hardly the only thing the place offers. Covering 392
square kilometers of tropical forest, draped over sheer
bluffs and rocky hills, Ranthambore is punctuated by
glassy lakes, and crisscrossed by seasonal streams. In the
dry season, the best time for spotting animals, the bare-
limbed dhok trees turn the forest dun. Banyans spread
their dusty canopies over giant drop roots that cascade
over the ruins of step wells and follow the contours of
cusped arches in the old hunting lodges once used by
the maharajahs of Jaipur. In the early morning, the sun
illuminates the austere ramparts of the centuries-old
Ranthambore Fort, set high on a sheer escarpment.
On my first drive out I didn’t see any of the nearly
60 tigers now living in the park’s 275-square-kilometer
core zone, but as the morning settled over the forest,
I watched egrets drift elegantly between trees, caught
glimpses of woodpeckers in the brush, and spotted the
FROM ABOVE: The gardener at Sher Bagh;
the fruits of his labor for lunch at the
camp. OPPOSITE: Conjuring a convivial
spirit ’round the campfire at Sher Bagh.
brilliantine baubles of kingfishers ornamenting the
skeletons of branches. Half a dozen crocodiles sunned
themselves lazily on the lakeshore; giant nilgai, the
largest antelope species in Asia, hulked gray among the
trees; and spotted stags lifted proud antlers into the low
branches. The park’s star may not have turned out, but as
I sat drinking warm masala chai by the water, the India
I’d dreamt of as a child most certainly did.
hat sense of timeless peace is deceptive. Poaching
is a problem nearly everywhere large game
remains wild (as I said, Jawai is unique), but in
India, where humans and animals have always
lived in such close proximity, it has often ravaged
wildlife populations. When Sher Bagh opened in 2000,
the park was in the early years of its second poaching
crisis, having only just recovered from a period in the
early 1990s that had depleted its population to just 12
tigers. In 2005, naturalists discovered that the tiger
population of Sariska National Park, Ranthambore’s
neighbor to the north, had been completely wiped out.
Tiger Watch, one of the most prominent NGOs working
around Ranthambore, and the Wildlife Institute of India
then found that Ranthambore’s tiger population, after
rebounding to around 40 in the late 1990s, had decreased
again by 18, a shocking figure for one of the country’s
 FROM BELOW: A nilgai, Asia’s largest
antelope; villagers relocated from within
Ranthambore have revived block printing
at Dastkar. OPPOSITE: Family photos line
the halls of Sher Bagh.
most important sanctuaries. “Conservation is always
difficult,” Ranthambore’s field director, Y.K. Sahu, says,
“and because of population pressures, conservation in
India is especially difficult.”
Jaisal Singh, Suján’s founder and CEO, was only
22 years old when he opened Sher Bagh, but he’d been
coming to the park since his early childhood, tagging
along with his parents, who were among the first people
to document the animals here. Were he less urbane, less
anachronistically genteel in his dress and bearing and
manner, Singh might seem a kind of Mowgli himself,
happier here in the forest than in the confines of the
city. “There was a period in the early 2000s where the
forest department and government were both in denial”
about the risks of extinction, he tells me in a voice still
animated by a child’s passionate urgency, “but now when
you say something, the government is listening.” Sher
Bagh’s jeeps, when not out with guests, help the forest
department track tigers, but it’s the combined efforts of
various players that have made the last seven years some
of the best the park has ever seen, Singh says.
Traditionally hunters of large game, especially tigers,
the Moghiya tribe now sends their children to a Tiger
Watch-established school, where their ancestral skills
are being repurposed to turn them into valued trackers
and guides in the park. Four villages—a total of more
than 1,200 people—have been relocated at government
expense over the last four years from the core of the
park, creating a greater area of inviolate forest for
wildlife. Those locals have joined the 90-some villages
surrounding the park that are largely populated by
communities removed from within its boundaries over
the last several decades—and, with the help of NGOs,
many gather information on possible human threats to
the tiger population from outside; it’s work that makes
entering the forest for their livelihoods unnecessary.
“If you help the tigers survive, if you participate
in conservation by not going to the park and cutting
wood, then you won’t need this erratic living of selling
illegally harvested products from inside the forest,”
says Upparmila Rathore, area director of Dastkar
Ranthambhore, a group that tries to help relocated
villagers see the financial upside of going green, partly by
resuscitating a local handicrafts tradition that had died
40 years before. Visit Dastkar’s local headquarters—a
humble concrete building a short drive down the road
from Sher Bagh—and you’ll see women in Technicolor
saris printing long reams of handloom fabrics for large
orders in the cities, or making smaller stocks for sale in
the on-site shop. Babulal-ji, one of the most experienced
block printers at Dastkar’s workshop, has personally felt
the benefit. “We had closed down our work, but today it’s
increasing day by day,” he told me. “When there’s regular
work, there’s no tension. It feels good.”
 THE DETAILS
Jawai Leopard Camp Bera,
Rajasthan; tents from Rs51,000
per night, double, including three
meals, two daily wildlife drives and
laundry (beverages not included).
Fly into Udaipur or Jodhpur; the
three-hour airport transfer from
either is Rs6,000 each way.
Sher Bagh Ranthambore
National Park, Rajasthan; tents
from Rs35,700 per night, double,
including laundry and three daily
meals (beverages not included);
wildlife drives are, according to
park regulations, organized through
the Parks Department and billed
separately. Fly into Jaipur; the
three-hour airport transfer is
Rs6,000 each way.
For both camps, contact
sujanluxury.com; reservations@
sujanluxury.com; 91-11/4617-2700.

By some measures, Ranthambore’s core area has
nearly reached capacity for adult tigers. “Now there is
competition for territory in the park,” Sahu says. “We’ve
reached that stage.” Conservation may be especially
difficult in India, but the success at Ranthambore proves
that it’s not impossible. It just requires finding creative
ways to foster communities of mutual respect between
humans and animals.
hen I met the man in Jawai who’d lost
one of his calves to leopards, he’d seemed
to me weirdly phlegmatic about the whole
thing, content with the justice of his loss.
That’s not the case other places in India, where people
will actively hunt animals that have trespassed on their
land. I asked Ansari why things were different here.
“These animals have lived alongside humans for so long,”
he said, “that they’re not viewed as ferocious predators.
It’s part of the mental landscape and has been forever.”
Which is exactly what makes Jawai so compelling and so
important: parks around India have spent decades trying
to nurture and support the kind of ecosystem that has
existed here since time immemorial. So it could provide
an essential clue to creating more sustainable reserves.
In The Jungle Book, Kipling wrote of a world in
precarious balance, maintained by the “law of the
jungle.” That law, as Kipling describes it, prevented
animals from killing humans, a rule that protected
the integrity of two equally complex, equally fragile
worlds that at times seem both mutually dependent and
mutually exclusive. Through conservation, the law of the
jungle is being slowly restored out at Ranthambore. The
tiger I finally spotted on my last game drive—lounging
lazily in a pool of water, then languidly strolling toward
a spot in the grass where he laid out on his huge striped
flank—was magnificent in his nonchalance. He looked to
me as though he was merely deigning to appear before a
human audience as part of a tacit understanding with the
park operators: Kipling’s laws for the 21st-century.
In Jawai, however, the law was never disrupted and
the cats who look down over their human neighbors,
often unseen, never seem to doubt the sovereignty—or
the strict limits—of their territory.
On my last afternoon there, I hiked with Bannister to
the top of the highest point in Jawai, a limestone mound
in the middle of the vast valley from which I glimpsed, if
only for a few moments, the world as the leopards see it:
To the east, the Kumbalgarh hills, secreting away one of
Rajasthan’s most magnificent forts. Below, a broad plain
and the glimmering mirrors of two lakes, formed by a
dam to the south, reflecting the blue then orange then
magenta sky. The bulges of stone, each one crowned with
a whitewashed temple tower and surrounded by human
geometry—the abodes of the gods and the leopards.

TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM / OCTOBER 2015   159

 A pasture near the
cheese-making
center of Roquefort.
RIGHT: The year-and-
a-half-old Musée
Soulages, in Rodez.

A place of rugged
and austere beauty,
with long-cherished
artisanal traditions
and seldom-seen
masterpieces of art
and architecture, the
department of
Aveyron is the
enigmatic heart of
the country. Elaine
Sciolino uncovers the
mysteries of one of
the last secret
corners of France.

P H O T O G R A P H E D B Y S I M O N WAT S O N
 LA FRANCE

161
PROFONDE
 I HAD
NEVER BEEN
SEDUCED
BY PIERRE
SOULAGES.
His paintings fetch the highest
prices at auction of any living French
artist, and the current president of
France has called him the greatest
living painter in the world. But
Soulages paints largely in black, and
black art had always left me cold.
That was before I found myself one
sunny morning in the Musée
Soulages in the medieval town of
Rodez, where the artist was born 95
years ago. The museum is a
succession of five steel blocks meant
to rust over time, both blending with
and sitting boldly apart from the
red-gray stone of the town’s
centuries-old structures. Windows
that rise to the ceiling offer views of
the town and the hills beyond.
Perched on a bench in front of a
bank of windows, I came face to face
with Peinture 162 x 724 cm, novembre metaphor for Aveyron itself: starkly with the same care their forefathers
1996, a long, horizontal canvas. At beautiful, rich with surprises, did a century ago.
first, it looked like much of the rest of underappreciated. Like the artist’s Yet Aveyron itself is arguably the
Soulages’ work: dark. “Outrenoir”— austere strokes of black on canvas, least known part of France: sparsely
or “beyond black”—he calls the style. Aveyron demands patience before it populated, hard to get to, and little
I daydreamed. I waited. The light reveals its secrets. touched by globalization, even though
seeped from the windows through My first knowledge of the region it is one of the largest French
dark, translucent shades. As it came in Paris, where I’ve lived for 13 departments. Scarred by invasions,
changed with the movement of the years. The Aveyronnais, as its wars and conquests, it was for
sun, so did the colors of the painting. inhabitants are called, moved to the centuries a poor farming region that
Its raised diagonal stripes of shiny capital en masse in the 1850s and even the Industrial Revolution could
onyx turned silver, then violet, then made their mark in the food industry not transform. Those who didn’t
blue, and finally gold. Suddenly, and as retailers of coal and wine. leave were determined both to
Soulages’s mysterious world became They still own or run thousands of preserve what they had and to keep
clear: it’s all about the light. “When brasseries and cafés in and around away outsiders.
we look at paintings, what do we see?” Paris. The Costes brothers, who run Even today, no high-speed train
Soulages once asked an interviewer. the Costes restaurant-hotel empire, goes to Aveyron.
“We see light that comes from black.” come from Aveyron. This has allowed the region to
That is the sort of revelation you And I knew, of course, of the retain the quiet beauty of another era.
might encounter in this place. The region’s long tradition of artisanal Part of southern France’s Massif
mesmerizing interplay of proportion expertise: The caves of Roquefort- Central, a huge elevation formed by
and light is a fitting backdrop for 500 sur-Soulzon produce one of the most fire and ice, it stretches over a varied
works by one of the 20th century’s famous cheeses in the world; Aubrac landscape of plunging ravines,
most intriguing and least understood cows produce some of France’s best volcanic moonscapes, rolling
abstract painters. It is also a perfect beef. Craftsmen in Laguiole still forge hillsides, hot springs, peat bogs, deep
entrée into a fascinating part of their famous knives by hand; glove caves and farm pastures in a
France, for Soulages’ paintings are a makers in Millau hand-sew gloves spectrum of green.
 A Soulages canvas
hangs in his
museum. LEFT: Le
Suquet restaurant,
in Laguiole. RIGHT:
The Abbaye Ste.-
Foy, in Conques,
with windows by
Pierre Soulages.
Visitors step in and out of
historical and geological eras: Gallo-
Roman ruins, castles straight out of
fairy tales, 13th-century walled
towns and some of the finest
Romanesque architecture in Europe.
It is a land not of large cities but of
small villages—some atop hills,
others glued to hillsides. This is not
Provence or the Loire Valley, where
house after house is inhabited by
retired Britons, where village
squares have been prettified into
banality, where weekend food
markets mean traffic jams.
In Aveyron you can wind your way
along narrow back roads—some
barely wider than one lane, forcing
motorists into languid slow motion—
and trace an indulgently leisurely
path through seldom-visited villages
and countryside. And by the end,
you will feel as if you own this swath
of France.
My husband and I started the trip
in Rodez, the department’s largest
town with about 24,000 inhabitants.
After the opening of the Soulages
Museum in May 2014, 300,000 people
visited it in the first year. And they
now have more reasons to linger: The
museum’s bistro is by culinary giant
Michel Bras, Aveyron’s other famous
native son, who has a Michelin-
starred restaurant in the region. It’s a
bright, airy space where the servers
wear black and white in homage to
the painter. And there’s Café Le
Broussy, with its classic Art Nouveau
architecture, on the cathedral square.
The pink sandstone cathedral,
darkened by the ravages of time, is
almost as tall as Notre Dame, in
Paris. Begun in the 1200s and
finished three centuries later, it has a
Gothic bell tower that rises almost 90
meters and is topped by a sculpture of
the Virgin Mary.
Nearby is the Musée Fenaille,
which has 300,000-year-old fossils,
along with relics from the Gallo-
Roman era, the Middle Ages, and the
Renaissance. I was struck by the 17
carved-stone menhirs: the largest
collection in Europe of the first
sculptural representations of the
human form. One of the menhirs, the
mysterious mouthless Lady of St.
Sernin, has hands, feet, dots for eyes,
small circles for breasts, two
necklaces, and markings on her
cheeks that could be scars or tattoos.
WE SEEMED TO BE THE ONLY
foreigners at the Sunday morning
market in Marcillac, in Aveyron’s
wine country. Locals were passing
the time in outdoor cafés and buying
food for Sunday lunch. Butchers sold
cured ham in huge blocks and
1½-centimeter-thick slabs. Bakers
beckoned with free samples of fouace,
a round, heavy brioche perfumed
with orange; farmers sold homemade
cheeses and raw milk in bulk. The
smell of deep-fried farçous, a
concoction of bread, eggs, onions,
milk, chard, garlic and parsley, filled
the air.
Much of Aveyron is protected
land—if not by regional parks, then
163
by conservative farmers whose
bounty supplies the local tables and
markets. You pass their pastures as
you go from village to village.
Elsewhere, ravines and rivers offer
hiking, rock climbing, horseback
riding, rope swinging and hang
gliding. In the early morning, heavy
fog clings to the foothills, wrapping
the landscape in mystery; at night,
the pollution-free skies are so clear
that stargazers can see the contours
of the Milky Way.
Sitting high above the Dourdou
River is the walled village of Conques,
a medieval jumble of small houses, a
few narrow lanes, and fewer than 300
people. Conques’ main draw is the
Abbaye Ste.-Foy, a magnificent
Romanesque structure with a large
semicircular frieze above the
entrance—a sort of medieval comic
strip carved in stone—depicting the
Last Judgment. Over here are the joys
of heaven (with prophets and saints)
and the horrors of hell (with gargoyles
and demons). Over there, the sinners,
including a bare-breasted adulteress
and a liar whose tongue is being cut
off, fall into eternal hellfire.
Since the Middle Ages, the abbey
has been a major stop on the Santiago
de Compostela pilgrimage route that
wends its way through France to
Spain. It also holds one of the most
important collections of medieval
and Renaissance goldwork in
Western Europe. A gold reliquary
contains a skull fragment of the
third-century martyr Sainte Foy, a
girl who was convicted, roasted on a
grill, and decapitated by the Romans
for refusing to renounce Christianity.
It was here that, as a boy Pierre
Soulages said he experienced his first
“artistic emotions” and decided to
devote his life to art. In 1994 the abbey
installed 104 windows of his
design—a series of striped panels, no
two the same. They change color with
the time of day and with reflections
from outside, casting the church’s
brooding artworks and relics in ever-
shifting patterns of light. It was a
strikingly similar experience to
looking at Peinture 162 x 724 cm.
AVEYRON BOOSTERS THOUGHT the
region might take off once before,
with the opening of the Millau
Viaduct in 2004. Taller than the Eiffel
Tower and longer than the Champs-
Élysées, it is a delicate web of steel
and concrete, and a triumph of
engineering and imagination.
Sweeping 2½ kilometers across the
Tarn Valley, it dominates the skyline.
Its architect, Norman Foster, and its
engineer, Michel Virlogeux, used
lightweight, high-tech materials to
give drivers crossing the bridge the
feeling of flying.
From afar, the bridge’s thin white
suspension cables blend so naturally
with a blue sky that when the sun is
right, the cables magically disappear,
one after the other.
But it’s an older kind of
craftsmanship for which Millau is
known. Until the late 1960s, the town
was the French capital for the
manufacture of kid gloves, producing
4 million pairs a year. Now, only a few
glove makers remain. I went to visit
one of the leading houses, Maison
Wheels of Roquefort
aging in the caves at
Maison Carles.
LEFT: The Millau
Viaduct, designed by
Norman Foster, opened
in 2004. RIGHT: A final
few diners on a quiet
Conques street.
Fabre, a fourth-generation
establishment that still uses a
90-year-old press. One of the
artisans, Christian Canillac, showed
me the atelier where he stretches and
pounds kidskin until it is as supple as
silk, and where seamstresses
individually cut, embroider and
sequin each pair by hand.
Maison Fabre has made gloves for
Dior and Nicole Kidman (when she
portrayed Princess Grace, herself
once a customer), and the showroom
stocks hundreds of models, from the
simple (I picked up an olive-green
suede pair for about €50) to the
sublime (a prune-colored elbow-
length model with python fringe and
red suede inserts).
I asked Jean-Marc Fabre, who runs
the factory, how Fabre survives,
when so many small French artisans
have gone out of business. “There are
enormously rich people in the world,”
he said. “We have good clients.”
ROQUEFORT-SUR-SOULZON, a
half-hour from Millau, announces
itself even before you arrive, with
large green-and-white billboards
from the cheese manufacturer
Roquefort Société advertising its
tours and free tastings. But we’d
planned on visiting Carles, which my
cheesemonger in Paris swears makes
the finest Roquefort in the land.
Delphine Carles, the third-generation
proprietor, and her small staff make
the cheese by hand, and age
thousands of wheels a year on oak
shelves in damp caves ventilated by
natural tunnels.
Although Carles mostly sells
wholesale and does not offer tours, it
welcomes visitors. Step through the
door and a pungent smell permeates
your nose and throat. Delphine was
not too busy, so she explained how she
makes a dust of penicillin mold from
her grandfather’s secret recipe and
showed me how she bores into a
Roquefort wheel to test its ripeness,
and, bien sûr, how to taste. “We put
our energy into our cheese, not our
publicity,” she said. “You have to
find us.”
Another famous Aveyronnais
product is the folding Laguiole knife,
from the town of the same name in
the rock- and lava-filled Aubrac
plateau to the north. At the family-
owned Coutellerie de Laguiole
Honoré Durand, artisans pound, fire
and forge sheets of steel into blades,
and shape horn and wood into elegant
curved handles in view of any casual
visitor. Every knife is stamped with
the Honoré Durand name and comes
with a free-repair guarantee. But
because the name Laguiole is not
patented, anyone can use it—like
“herbes de Provence”—and
Coutellerie de Laguiole maintains a
small exhibit of counterfeits from
places like Pakistan and China.
I asked Honoré Durand, who runs
the operation, about the difference
between a Swiss Army knife and a
Laguiole. “Laguiole is for slicing a
piece of apple for your beloved,” he
said. “It’s elegant, beautiful, noble. It
feels good in your hand.”
And there are rituals to learn:
When the head of the family clicks his
knife closed, the sound means that
the meal has come to an end. A
Laguiole knife is like a toothbrush; it
is never lent to others. And it is bad
luck to offer a knife as a gift; it must
be “bought” with a coin in exchange.
Ten minutes from the Coutellerie
de Laguiole is Michel Bras’ Le Suquet,
Aveyron’s only Michelin three-
starred restaurant. Bras learned his
craft not from a famous chef but from
his mother, Angèle, who opened an
inn and restaurant with her husband,
Marcel, in 1954. At a time when
French chefs were becoming stars,
Bras earned a reputation as the silent
chef, almost pathologically shy,
passionate about foraging and
cultivating wild roots, leaves, herbs
and flowers. Plants like nettle,
dandelion and mugwort became part
of his repertoire.
Bras’s son, Sébastien, who has
been working in the kitchen since he
was a teen, took over in 2009 from his
father, now 68. And as a tribute to
Angèle Bras, her version of aligot—a
dense, impossibly stretchy purée
made by slowly stirring a local cheese
into garlic-heavy mashed potatoes—
is still offered at every meal.
165
 The restaurant, with its small
hotel, looks like a metal-and-glass
spaceship hovering precariously on
the edge of a cliff over the Aubrac
plateau. It’s a cinematic setting—
cocktails with a 360-degree view of
the countryside. And it’s enormously
popular. Both the restaurant and the
hotel are booked long in advance,
with a clientele that is only 20 percent
non-French.
The food is exquisitely beautiful.
One signature dish, the gargouillou,
is a burst of color, texture and taste
made with 50 varieties of flowers,
herbs, seeds, leaves and barely cooked
vegetable drops. After dishes of such
delicate and intellectual, rather than
sensual, pleasure, I admit I was left
with a hunger for authentic local
cooking—for beef from golden-hued
Aubrac cows, tripoux (vegetable-and-
herb-infused sheep innards), and
truffade (a pancake of sliced potatoes
cooked in goose fat and mixed with
tome fraîche cheese).
A food critic friend had told me
about a woman named Colette who
playing boules. Six locals were sitting
outside drinking red wine sweetened
with crème de cassis.
It wasn’t yet lunchtime, and
Colette Pastissier, a slim woman of
about 50, was ironing table linens.
She was happy to take a break and
have us sample that day’s fare: baby
goat with sorrel, a walnut tart with
Roquefort sauce, and an oyster
mushroom flan. “I would never
change a comma of these recipes,”
she said proudly. “We must preserve
our heritage.”
The tasting whetted our appetites
for the lunch that would follow at
Chez Marinette, up a narrow,
winding, not-for-the-timid-motorist
road past small vineyards in Le Fel
(population 156), 45 minutes away.
The detour to Colette’s meant we
arrived nearly an hour late for our
When the head
of the family
clicks his
reservation. Diners seated at tables
outside were just finishing their
lunch. Marinette Mousset, who is 81,
sat at a table inside the entrance,
peeling fat garlic cloves. I pleaded
with her to receive us. All I wanted, I
said, was to try her roast chicken,
reputed to be the finest in the region.
She relented, insisting we start with
homemade foie gras garnished with
poached pears and fig compote.
The chicken arrived, its skin a
translucent, deep gold. Thick sauce
formed yellow- and caramel-colored
pools on the platter. I ate it with a
glass of 2011 Domaine Mousset, a
wine made from Mansois, Cabernet
Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon
grapes by Marinette’s nephew
Laurent Mousset. The ground here is
laced with volcanic stone, and the
wine had an intensely powerful
flavor and aroma.
I hadn’t experienced a Proustian
moment of memory before then. But
with one sip, I was transported back
to my childhood in Buffalo, New York,
to my grandfather’s kitchen table. I

Languoile knife
runs a small restaurant in was drinking the same tannic,
Cassuéjouls, not far from where we volcanic wine he made every summer
were staying. We arrived closed, that in our backyard. He stored it in

means the
unannounced at Chez Colette in the barrels in the basement, and served it
late morning. The restaurant was on in small, short-stemmed glasses. I
the town square, which consisted of a
small church, a war memorial, a row
meal has come still have several of those glasses, and
it gives me great pleasure to drink
of chestnut trees, and a field for to an end from them.

THE DETAILS
HOTEL S
Le Mas de Rigoulac A charming
B&B with a pool near Laguiole in
an 1860s farmhouse. La Terrisse;
lemasderigoulac.fr; doubles from
€118.
Mercure Rodez Cathédrale
Comfortable rooms, excellent
service and a stunning Art Deco
café—steps from the Musée
Soulages and Rodez Cathedral.
mercure.com; doubles from €85.
Moulin de Cambelong Hotel and
Michelin-starred restaurant
overlooking the Dourdou River.
Conques; moulindecambelong.
com; doubles from €180.
RESTAUR ANTS & CAFÉS
Chez Colette What was once an
old barn is now what locals
consider their best-kept secret.
The combo to order: a glass of red
wine and the oyster-mushroom
flan. Cassuéjouls; 33-5/65-44-33-
71; prix fixe from €15.
Chez Marinette Go for
traditional Aveyronnais dishes
like aligot and the most
spectacular roast chicken you’ve
yet to try. Le Fel; 33-5/65-44-52-
37; prix fixe from €19.
Le Suquet Sébastien Bras, son of
famed chef Michel Bras, has been
running his dad’s hyper-seasonal
restaurant since 2009. Laguiole;
bras.fr; tasting menus from €130.
MUSEUMS
Musée Fenaille The exhibits
include more than 1,100 local
artifacts—stretching back some
300,000 years. Rodez; musee-
fenaille.grand-rodez.com.
Musée Soulages Architecturally
stunning repository of 500 works
by Pierre Soulages—plus the
terrific Café Bras. Rodez; musee-
soulages.grand-rodez.com.
SIGHTS
Abbaye Ste.-Foy de Conques
The magnificent Romanesque
church and abbey founded in the
12th century is an important stop
on the medieval pilgrimage route,
thanks to its unusual relics.
mondaye.com.
Millau Viaduct This bridge on
the A75 highway (between
Clermont-Ferrand and Béziers) is
considered to be the Pont du Gard
of the 21st century. leviaduc de
millau.com.
Cathédral Notre-Dame de
Rodez One of the most imposing
Gothic cathedrals in the south of
France, constructed entirely in
pink sandstone.
SHOPS
La Coutellerie de Laguiole
Honoré Durand Part museum,
part workshop, the store explores
the artistry of world-renowned
Laguiole knives. layole.com.
Maison Fabre The eponymous
family has been making couture
gloves and other leather goods in
Millau since 1924. maisonfabre.
com.
Roquefort Carles Delphine
Carles still uses the secret family
recipe for handmade Roquefort
cheese that her grandfather
François Carles originated in
1927. roquefort-carles.fr.

166
In Celebration of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn’s 5th Cycle Birthday

Celebrating its 80th anniversary in 2014, the performance of

one of the top Czech musical ensembles with an established and
World renowned reputation. In Bangkok, it will bring to stage
Vadim Repin, one of the ten best violinists in the world today.

THE PRAGUE SYMPHONY

ORCHESTRA
Czech Republic
Conductor: Robertas Servenikas, Violin: Vadim Repin
PROGRAMME - Bellini: Overture Norma
Bruch: Violin Concerto No.1 and
Dvorak: Symphony No.9 (From the New World)
Wednesday 14 October (7.30pm)
Baht 3,500 / 2,800 / 2,200 / 1,500 / 1,000
Supported by JOBTOPGUN.com

Winner of the Lawrence Oliver prize, UK for

“Best Achievement in Dance.”  It is a new
vision of dance showcasing athleticism and
acrobatics deemed “impossible.”

MIX
Deborah Colker
Dance Company, Brazil

Sunday 18 October (7.30pm)

Hotline 02 262 3191 Baht 3,000 / 2,500 / 2,000 / 1,500 / 800
www.thaiticketmajor.com (24 hrs) www.bangkokfestivals.com

VENUE: Thailand Cultural Centre. Free shuttle from MRT station

Thailand Cultural Centre, Exit 1, during 5.30-7.00pm
Sea-urchin husks and
oyster shells found on
North Haven Island, off
Maine’s mid-coast.
OPPOSITE: Ferry Road
Beach, in Scarborough,
just outside Portland.
 Life
in the
Slow
Lane
On the coast of Ma i ne, fa r m
-to-table cook i n g,
a r t i sa n a n
l c ra f
tsma nsh ip, a nd sma ll-tow
ren’t anything t
virtues a o bra
g about—they’re
just the way
th i ng
s have a lways been .

BY HE ATHER SMITH M a c ISA AC | PHOTOGR APHED BY ANDRE W ROWAT

169
 If the U.S. were a
pantry cupboard
and the states its stock,
northern New England would be the bouillon cubes:
reliable, sustaining, distilled. This is territory where
information is need-to-know, expressions are pointed,
and small talk means a minimum of words. Just look at the
iconic slogans. Compared with “Vermont, naturally” and
New Hampshire’s “Live Free or Die,” Maine’s “The Way
Life Should Be” is almost effusive.
Not that a Mainer would ever make such a declaration.
The belief in letting hard work speak for itself—paired
with that ruggedly beautiful coast and its balsam-scented
air—has drawn me here time and again over the years.
And today, stepping from an ever-faster-spinning world
into one where the brakes are so consciously applied
makes the destination more intoxicating than ever. On my
most recent visit, as I drove through southern and mid-
coast Maine, and I connected the dots between
entrepreneurs, artists and chefs, one thing became clear.
Native or not, all these enterprising people have an
undying dedication to their steadfast communities.
Take Tony Elliott. His Snug Harbor Farm nursery in
Kennebunk is known by serious gardeners and design
devotees, but not because he has ever advertised. Snug
Harbor is unique partly because it stays open year-round,
but mostly because Elliott grows nearly all of his own
plants—notably topiary and, more recently, succulents.
Elliott did what one does in Maine: start small and keep
moving rocks, actual and virtual, out of the way. Over the
course of 25 years, he restored a broken-down 1850s
farmhouse and various sheds spread over 1.2 hectares on
Western Avenue, the main road that leads from
Kennebunk into Kennebunkport. Snug Harbor is now a
stylish but unfussy campus, a place where you can easily
lose two hours wandering from the inviting shop to one
immaculate greenhouse after the other.
Of course, it helps that Elliott is a magnetic character:
you see a crowd, and his silver hair is bound to be at the
center of it. “Maine is harsh,” he told me. “Brutal winters
and luscious summers. But there’s a raw beauty, an
honesty to it...and to the people.” Elliott knows about
Mainers’ honesty—they are quick to remind him that,
despite his years in Kennebunk, he’s still a flatlander,
someone “from away.” (In his case, the Midwest.) It’s a
label he has come to accept. “You will never be part of the
family,” he says. “But their loyalty is immense.”
Many flatlanders, like Tim Harrington, whose family
vacationed in Cape Porpoise, just north of Kennebunkport,
first encountered Maine as children. The imprint went
170
deep. Harrington is the cofounder of the Kennebunkport
Resort Collection, a group of boutique hotels and resorts
that has raised the bar for accommodations in this
traditional coastal town. His most radical move, in a place
famous for its sandy beaches, may have been to build a
property two kilometers and a half into the woods.
Hidden Pond is a luxurious compound of 36 stand-
alone cottages, staggered along dirt roads looping through
birch trees. Each dwelling has its own outdoor shower
(nice), gas fireplace (nicer) and screened-in porch (super
nice, and essential). Despite the name, there isn’t much of a
pond. But the guests—mostly couples, and a few families
when I was there—do have two heated pools, morning
yoga and nightly bonfires (s’mores included) as
consolation. This is comfort of Maine’s highest order,
summer camp for those who bunked in wooden cabins as
kids and have returned to plush mattresses dressed in
Frette linens.
At the resort’s Earth restaurant, chef Justin Walker
shuttles lobsters straight from his father-in-law’s boat to
the wood-fired roasting oven, where they emerge as some
of the most tender, smoky nuggets of meat I’ve ever tasted.
I was not the only fan. A well-heeled crowd, diverse in age,
filled the rustic dining hall. Despite the woodsy décor—log
slices acting as 3-D wallpaper, a thousand tiny lights
caught in branches overhead—this was a polished group,
as glittery as it gets in Maine. Outside, what I mistook for a
bouncer was a beefy manager of keys. Valet parking? In
Kennebunkport? It had arrived, but at least it was
operating covertly in the woods.
If Hidden Pond is the upstart, the Black Point Inn, 45
minutes farther north, is the dowager. A grand Shingle
Style hotel built in the late 19th century, it is the only hotel
that remains on Prouts Neck, a tricornered spit of land
otherwise populated by private old-money cottages.
Tradition endures within its walls, with dinner served in
the white-tablecloth Point Restaurant—collared shirt
required—from 6 to 8 p.m., a time I associate more with
cocktail hour. Such a schedule works when gin and tonics
are available all day.
I settled for an iced tea on the porch while waiting for
Kristen Levesque from the Portland Museum of Art. She
had agreed to take me to Winslow Homer’s seaside studio,
a five-minute drive around the peninsula from the inn.
The only way to visit the cottage is through the museum,
which drives you there in a Mercedes van, and then only on
Mondays and Fridays during the summer months, when
CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Around the bonfire at
Hidden Pond; North Haven oysters on the half shell
with champagne mignonette at Nebo Lodge;
Victorian touches at Nebo Lodge; a local outside
Calderwood Hall, on North Haven Island.
CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT:
Hidden Pond’s private
dining shed; Hidden
Pond's house station
wagon, which shuttles
guests to the beach
and around the
property; Winslow
Homer’s studio, in
Prouts Neck; on the
ferry from Rockland to
North Haven Island.
173
 Chef Erin French’s
Lost Kitchen, in the
town of Freedom.
the local doyennes are in residence. Prouts Neck is all
about polite control.
Homer, a Boston native, may have been “from away,”
but Maine proudly lays claim to him. Little of his work
remains at the dark, handsome studio, but Levesque
pointed out things that reveal the man—his signature
scratched into a windowpane, the second-floor balcony
that allowed him to sketch in inclement weather, a ladder
stretching up to an even higher platform from which to
study the sea.
Legend has it that his four favorite words were mind
your own business. Homer’s withdrawal, I learned, was
not the behavior of a curmudgeon but that of a wounded
man, still carrying with him the horror he had witnessed
as an illustrator reporting from the front lines of the Civil
War. His studio is full of a calm, idiosyncratic charm, but
the seascapes he painted in Maine are his wildest work,
PTSD expressed in roiling swells and crashing surf.
For all its severity, Maine can be a balm. It offered
Homer a chance to focus on his work for the last 25 years of
his life, to be inspired by nature. Alison Evans, a
ceramicist with a studio half an hour north in Yarmouth
and, as of this year, a large, modern showroom farther up
the coast in the tourist beacon of Boothbay Harbor, settled
in Maine for the same reason. As they did for Homer,
walks along the shore proved fruitful for Evans, who
makes what she sees: sea creatures. In her standout
“Oyster Series,” the tableware mimics the mille-feuille
ridges and bumps of its outer shell and captures the
pearlescent sheen of its smooth interior.
Eventide Oyster Co., a Portland oyster bar the way an
oyster bar should be, showcases Evans’s work. Her largest
shell piece to date is the restroom sink. On the counter,
teetering stacks of her plates lie next to a thick slab of
rough granite filled with ice and cradling at any one time a
dozen and a half varieties of bivalves. (The stacks go down
fast: Eventide jams through 10,000 oysters a week during
the summer season.)
Portland is the cornucopia of Maine upended and
poured into one place, a city that has more and better
eating options than most states, making it worthy of a
several-day commitment. It’s also thriving, as
developments like the millennial-geared Press Hotel open
in the cobblestoned Old Port district. But I was just doing a
flyby, which suited Eventide—an unassuming two-room
space whose windows overlook Middle Street—perfectly.
In 10 minutes I had downshifted from speeding on the
interstate highway to sitting a stool at the counter, where
the seats turn over as fast as the plates. Even faster, a
Dirty Dirty Martini, made unclean by brine, was before
me. A dozen oysters, cool and flinty fresh, followed,
accompanied by a checklist identifying what was what. I
starred three that I liked: Dodge Cove, John’s River and
EVENTIDE JAMS THROUGH 10,000
OYSTERS A WEEK IN THE SUMMER
Glidden Point. Their distinct flavors expressed the aquatic
version of terroir.
To have one great meal on a trip is a reasonable
prospect; to have several is a windfall, as was my last-
minute reservation for the Saturday-night set-menu
dinner at the Lost Kitchen, a 90-minute drive north of
Portland. Through a downpour, I made my way across a
well-lit footbridge to the restored 19th-century gristmill
and restaurant that has knit chef Erin French to her
hometown of Freedom, population 719. Since opening last
summer, her BYOB spot (there’s a wine shop downstairs)
has become a cult favorite for foodies, who make the road
trip to this rural village inland from the city of Belfast.
On this late summer evening, as the sky darkened and
surrendered to candlelight, the mostly middle-aged group
(though it’s hard to tell in Maine, since no woman here
colors her hair) settled in at two- and four-tops circling a
central communal table. All heads swiveled to attention as
French stepped away from the stove to lead us through the
evening’s seasonal American menu, speaking with such
earnestness you could hear the timbers squeak. With her
trim apron and blond bangs, she was as winsome as a
storybook mom, but also clearly the real deal—a talented
self-taught cook, full of heart and charged with energy.
French devotes some 90 hours a week to producing
what she calls “love on a plate.” Mornings start with
farmers texting her pictures of what’s available right now:
buttery duck, plump plums, pullet eggs that have only to
travel a dirt path. It’s then that she composes her menu,
working with her mostly female staff—many of them the
suppliers—to get it to the tables.
“There’s a timeless quality to life here,” French said.
“The strength of community has never left.” That’s also
what lured chef Annemarie Ahearn—whose culinary
trail has wound through New York City, Paris and
Barcelona—back to Maine. Nowhere else can she find the
wild lowbush blueberries that she picked as a child. After
relocating to her family’s waterfront farm on Penobscot
Bay, she established a cooking school there, and then later,
“Full Moon” suppers. These festive dinners blossomed
two years ago into Salt Water Farm, a restaurant down the
road in Rockport.
Ahearn’s place occupies the sort of stalwart brick
building that is the proud sentinel of nearly every small
town in Maine. It’s a hub all day long, the sunny front
counter and back dining room pulling in tourists and
Rockport sailors with littleneck chowder and New
England brown bread. The crew is equally diverse, chefs
trading intense experiences at Fat Duck and Blue Hill for
more intimate, soulful labor. Provisioners are honored on
a wall-hung chalkboard. The night I was there, the
collaboration came to fruition in a simple chicken dish.
Common Wealth Unity Farm supplied the free-range hen,
000
175
head chef Sam Richman the skill in brining and roasting. Two-hundred-year-old Turner Farm supplies Nebo
For those who weather year-round life on the islands, with nearly all that it needs, and has its own following
self-sufficiency and self-containment have always been now that it hosts barn suppers and lobster bakes in the
constants. The 350 permanent residents of North Haven, a summer. Donald Sussman, Chellie’s husband, brought
pine-dotted, five-kilometer-wide isle in cobalt Penobscot Turner into the 21st century by adding greenhouses that
Bay, had gotten along fine for generations without many keep the organic-​produce tap flowing all year long.
inns with restaurants or full bars. Hannah’s sister, Cecily, and Amanda’s sister, Jessie, took
But then Nebo Lodge arrived in 2006. Now, a small but advantage of the wider audience and recently opened
steady stream of visitors, suitcases in tow, comes off the Calderwood Hall, a brick-oven pizza restaurant with an
hour-long ferry from Rockland and walks through North adjacent market.
Haven’s postage-stamp-size town. During my stay, I saw Being intensely local has given all three places
locals jockeying with travelers for a seat at the tiny bar, on attention far beyond expectation. By concentrating on
the porch, or in one of the three cheery dining rooms. We their best resources, these Mainers have turned the circle
were all tasting change in the form of Snake Eye pisco of life into a ring of gold. This is Maine not the way life
cocktails and roasted pork belly with fresh ricotta—and should be but the way life can be and, for many “lucky”
loving it. hard workers, is. You will just never get them to say so.
Nebo Lodge began as a family-and-friends affair.
Congresswoman Chellie Pingree rescued an abandoned
Victorian house, furnishing the nine bright rooms with
THE DETAILS
textiles and rugs by native daughter Angela Adams.
WHEN TO GO with a market that gets raves for
Family friend Amanda Hallowell launched the ambitious Peak season runs mid-June quality and presentation. North
bar and restaurant, which serves everything from salads through August. Outside of the Haven Island; calderwoodhall.
garnished with flowers to ginger-tofu banh mi. Hallowell mid-coast and Portland, many com; pizzas US$15–US$28.
now works alongside Pingree’s daughter, Hannah, in hotels and restaurants shut down Eventide Oyster Co. This
from November through April. oyster bar does excellent New
running things.
England clambakes and whoopie
HOTEL S pies. Portland; eventideoysterco.
Chebeague Island Inn This com; mains US$5–$22.
Greek Revival hotel built in the Lost Kitchen Chef Erin French’s
1880s has been fully modernized seasonal, farm-to-table menus
by the Prentice family. The airy, change daily. Call way ahead for
whitewashed rooms all feature reservations; the restaurant’s
local art. Chebeague Island; Facebook page sometimes posts
chebeagueislandinn.com; doubles last-minute openings. 22 Mill St.,
from US$180. Freedom; 1-207-382-3333; mains
Hidden Pond Thirty-six well- US$24–$39.
appointed cottages set on 24 Salt Water Farm Laid-back, with
forested hectares offering simple, hearty dishes (chowder,
everything from nature walks to cheeseburgers, perfectly roasted
morning yoga. Kennebunkport; chicken) on a deck over Penobscot
hiddenpondmaine.com; Bay. Rockport Harbor; saltwater
bungalows from US$779. farm.com; mains US$13–$26.
Nebo Lodge Amanda Hallowell’s
farm-to-table fare has put this ACTIVITIES
charming nine-room inn, set on a Alison Evans Ceramic Gallery
sleepy five-kilometer-wide isle, The artist sells her mollusk-and
on the map for foodies. North oyster-inspired plates, bowls and
Haven Island; nebolodge.com; teapots at her stores in Boothbay
doubles from US$150. Harbor and Yarmouth.
Press Hotel Portland’s first aeceramics.com.
boutique hotel gives a nod to its Snug Harbor Farm A favorite
former life as a newspaper office, among avid gardeners, Tony
with vintage-style desks in the Elliott’s sprawling nursery is a
110 contemporary rooms and the manicured maze of topiaries,
Inkwell Bar. thepresshotel.com; trees and shrubs. Kennebunk;
doubles from US$299. snugharborfarm.com.
Tides Beach Club This colorful Turner Farm Stock up on organic
21-room hotel has a prime goat cheese and fresh produce at
location fronting Goose Rocks the farm stand and creamery
Beach—and suites designed by before heading out to hike North
Jonathan Adler. Kennebunkport; Haven Island. turner-farm.com.
tidesbeachclubmaine.com; Winslow Homer Studio The
Snug Harbor Farm doubles from US$419. Portland Museum of Art offers
owner Tony Elliott with tours of the artist’s seaside
two of his poodles, RESTAUR ANTS & BARS cottage; space is limited, so it’s
Bonnie and Albert. Calderwood Hall A low-key best to book ahead. Prouts Neck;
pizza joint in an old grange hall, portlandmuseum.org.

176
 wish you were here

Chris Gin /  Tutukaka Coast /   NEW ZEALAND

Hugging the upper reaches of the North Island, 2½ hours
from Auckland, the coastal village of Matapouri Bay is home to a stunning white-sand
beach and a dense collection of mangrove forests. Low tide, though, unveils
an even more exquisite prize for anyone adventurous enough to trek a steep path through the palm jungle:
what the locals call the Mermaid Pools.
Diving into this natural bath—which warms with the sun as the day
lengthens—is the reward for your efforts. Submerged in this tide pool
that is refreshed via an opening in the rock, you’re both in the ocean
and at the same time secreted away from its pull,
left in peace to contemplate a fantastic view off New Zealand’s east coast.

178  OCTOBER 2015 / TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM

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