Southeast asia december 2016

Margaret
River: Surf

Singapore
and
Cabernet

gets
Creative Best of
2016
Bali’s got a
brand new
Ubud

Singapore S$7.90 / Hong Kong HK$43

Thailand THB175 / Indonesia IDR50,000
Malaysia MYR18 / Vietnam VND85,000
Macau MOP44 / Philippines PHP240
Burma MMK35 / Cambodia KHR22,000
Brunei BND7.90 / Laos LAK52,000
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 T+L WorLd’s BesT aWards 2017

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for Southeast Asia’s voice to be heard. will be published in our August issue.
 December
ON THE COVER
A touch of
streetside art in
Singapore.
Photographed by
Matthieu Salvaing.
features

116
A Grand Design
Wealthy Singapore
has long been more
concerned with
commerce than art.
Now it’s spending
millions to become a
capital of creativity.
As the city makes a
culture, how will
culture remake the
city? By Jeff Chu.
Photographed by
Matthieu Salvaing.

126
Edge of America
Underrated outpost
Guam, with diving as
fantastical as its local
116 126 lore, is brimming with
surprises. Duncan
132 Forgan braves the
vengeful ancestors,
and explains why you
should crave coconut-
milk cheeseburgers.
Photographed by
Aaron Joel Santos.
F R O M t o p L E F T: m at t h i e u s a lva i n g ; a a ro n j oel s a n t o s ; l a u r y n i s h a k

132
The Best Medicine
Ubud has been Bali’s
healing capital for
more than a thousand
years. Through a
weeklong curative
quest, Jeninne Lee-St.
John discovers that a
shaman’s secret
ingredient is simple:
belly laughs.
Photographed by
Lauryn Ishak.

t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m  /   d e c e mb e r 2 0 1 6   11

departments
Here & Now
Indonesia, Halong Bay to Phuket,
25 The Best of 2016 From Japan to
T+L picks the year’s hottest
openings across the region.
38 The New Minimalism A trio of
new small hotels in Singapore
makes the city more affordable
without scrimping on comfort.
opens in Penang.
42 Over the Top A new eco-park
44 Street Cred David Thompson’s
new Thai restaurant in Sydney
ratchets up the heat.
Beyond
55 Vietnam’s True North The misty
mountains near the Chinese
border are home to a stunning
55
12  d e c e mb e r 2 0 1 6 / t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m
mix of lush landscapes, market
towns and indigenous cultures.
River, an Australian wine region
60 Due South Welcome to Margaret
with epic surfing beaches, a
welcoming vibe, and standout
Cabernets and Chardonnays.
64 Bohemian Rhapsody Long a
laid-back center for creative
types, Chiang Mai’s art scene is
on the cusp of stardom.
Special
73 The Next Big Ideas Hotels made
of bamboo, socially conscious
cruising, floating trains and fast
architecture—these innovations
will shape your travel
experiences for years to come.
38
In Every Issue 
T+L Digital 14
Contributors 16
Editor’s Note 18
The Conversation 20
Deals 98
Wish You Were Here 142
Upgrade
93 The Road Ahead How do you feel
about robot room service? Ready
to wear shoes that give
directions? This is a compendium
of travel inventions you’re about
to encounter, some as soon as
your next trip.
Guide
101 Travel Photography Tools,
techniques and tips—as well as
F R O M L E F T: c h r i s t o p h er w i s e ; c o u r t e s y of h o t el i n d i g o k at o n g ; c o u r t e s y of lo n g c h i m s y d n e y; c e d r i c a r n ol d
learning vacations—to help you
take your best shots yet.
44 64
t+l digital
+
Lookout
Luang Prabang’s new
botanical garden; the
best airline meals;
this month on tr avelandleisureasia.com
Hanoi’s ancient
5 Bespoke Shops The Perfect Weekend Rediscovering Tahiti papermaking tradition;
in Singapore in Macau There are still unspoiled vegetarian fast-food in
Emphasizing exceptionally From craft cocktails to fine corners of French Polynesia,
crafted works, these stores in dining, there’s plenty to do beckoning with empty
Hong Kong; the latest
the Lion City will make your with three days in this sandbars, turquoise waters travel deals and more.
home look like an art gallery. dynamic city. and countless adventures. travelandleisureasia.com

from lef t: c o u r t e s y of s u p erm a m a ; c o u r t e s y of t h e s t. re g i s ; i a n llo y d n e u b a u er

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14  d e c e mb e r 2 0 1 6 / t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m
 contributors
1 2
Daven
Wu
W r i t er
Best of 2016: Singapore
Page 25
— —
Wu’s favorite cultural stop in
Singapore is Haw Par Villa.
1
“Built by the Tiger Balm
family in the 1930s, its grand
set pieces of key Chinese
legends and history were
designed for the illiterates in
the community—just as the
stained glass windows in
churches were in the Middle
Ages.” Top opening of 2016?
The austerely beautiful
Whitegrass: “Aussie chef Sam
Aisbett does wonders with
Mangalica pork.” And
speaking of magic, Wu is
pumped for his upcoming
trip to Bali. “I’m hoping to see
Ida Resli, the island’s
youngest ordained priestess,
for a Melukat blessing.”
2
Instagram: @davenwu.
3 4
Holly
Robertson
W r i t er
Best of 2016: Cambodia
Page 25
— —
Roberston lists Timothy de
Bruyns of The Tiger’s Eye in
Phnom Penh as “one of the
most inventive chefs in the
country. Tim and his team
are constantly challenging
themselves to create exciting
3
new menus with fresh, local
ingredients.” While we’re on
the subject of Cambodian-
grown, the old pepper capital
is emergent. “Kampot is
beginning to appear on
people’s radars,” she
says. “With its crumbling
French colonial architecture,
and burgeoning food and
arts scene, this sleepy
riverside town looks set to
start attracting increasing
numbers of travelers.”
Twitter: @robertsonholly.
16 4
| d e c em b er 2 0 1 6
Duncan
Forgan
w r i t er
Edge of America
Page 126
“I wasn’t particularly
interested in going to Guam,”
Forgan says. “I had visions of
a giant army base with a few
fancy shops—not my scene.
But with the spooky stuff and
the strong Chamorro culture,
I was sold. It didn’t hurt that
it turned out to be so pretty.”
Best moment? “Reaching the
beach at Ritidian Point after a
long day in the rented Kia.
Just me, the ocean and some
ghosts.” With fatherhood
looming, Forgan heads next
to Sikkim in northern India.
“I’m a sucker for Himalayan
scenery and trekking, and I
want to get halfway in shape
from t o p : c o u r t e s y of D av e n W u ; c o u r t e s y of D u n c a n F or g a n ; c o u r t e s y of Holly R o b er t s o n ; c o u r t e s y of Ce d r i c Ar n ol d
before the birth of my first
boy in February.” Instagram:
@dunc1978.
Cedric
Arnold
P h o to gr a p h er
Bohemian Rhapsody
Page 64
Of the arts scene in Chiang
Mai, Arnold was wowed by
Kamin Lertchaiprasert. “His
retrospective at Maiim was a
revelation to me. I did not
know his earliest works in
photography and
monochrome paintings. He
continues to use different
media, constantly evolving.
And he’s very humble about it
all.” He might be describing
the overall feel in the Lanna
capital. “Chiang Mai has
always had its own pockets of
creativity, though they now
seem more interconnected,”
he says. “And, of course, if
your creativity is caffeine-
fueled, you’re in luck—the
coffee keeps getting better.”
Instagram: @bkk_cedric.
editor’s note | d e c em b er 2 0 1 6

One great takeaway

from travel is that it
tends to erase
preconceived notions we carry about people and places. The more we journey
abroad, the more we learn about the world in general and about ourselves.
This month, we expand our horizons, with “The Next Big Ideas in Travel”
(page 73). You’ll find a hotelier in Indonesia redefining “sustainable travel”
with a resort opening in March that’s made entirely of bamboo. There’s also
a look at retreats that help you unplug from social media and replace it with
yoga, meditation and other diversions to reconnect you with yourself. Such
destinations aren’t only found on tropical islands, even Asia’s big cities are
getting into the act. Zipping proudly into the future is tech-savvy Japan,
where you’re likely to be ferried by robot taxis come Tokyo’s 2020 Olympics.
I’d welcome such a service in Singapore, where one of my few pet peeves
is their taxi fleet, which often feels like it’s on a perpetual shift change. But
there’s no denying the success of the city-state on so many levels—yes,
there’s more than great
food there—including
the maturing arts scene.
From the National Gallery
to Gillman Barracks and
many stops in between,
the Little Red Dot is
leaving an indelible mark
on the map (“A Grand
Design,” page 116), in the
process of becoming a city From My Travels

from lef t: t h a n a k or n c h om n awa n g ; c h r i s t o p h er k u c way

that can afford poetry. As Singapore evolves into
one of the world’s
“happening” cities, there’s
always more than meets
the eye if you’re willing to
look for it. On the
CapitaGreen rooftop amid
the mirrored office blocks,
cocktail in hand, look up
and you’ll see this strange
piece of modern
architecture soaring
above the ever-changing
city. Meanwhile, 40 stories
below, the list of not-to-
be-missed restaurants,
@CKucway galleries, bars and hotels
chrisk@mediatransasia.com is constantly improving.

18  d e c e mb e r 2 0 1 6 / t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m
 the conversation

Much-coveted millennials, especially those based

in Asia, are a prized travel-industry demographic.
According to Brand Karma, a hotel marketing
agency, Asian millennials are set to spend more
than US$340 billion on global getaways by 2020,
largely thanks to well-heeled Chinese
vacationers. A study by the Hurun Report shows
the spending habits of China’s deep-pocketed,
jetsetting youth, (here in U.S. dollars):

The average amount

The average hotel budget
per night for Chinese
travelers aged 25 to 36.
The average annual
amount spent on
tourism per
household.
spent purchasing luxury
items while traveling.
of respondents with
a household net
worth of more than
$15.1 million
said personalized
service was their
most important
consideration
traveled to Europe in the past when booking
year, making it the most visited accommodations.
destination of respondents. Call in the butlers.

#TLASIA our readers end the year with

meditative moments of reflection.

Taking in the beauty of the Flores Sea in A peaceful moment before sunset in
Indonesia. By @warda.n. Chiang Rai. By @lasandroflores.

A quiet morning spent in the grand ruins The limestone pillars of Halong Bay
of Angkor Wat. By @myeeleng. provoke gratitude. By @hayzgal.

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

It is when we travel farthest from home that we learn the most about ourselves. On the edge of

our personal comfort zones is where we discover new things, grow, share, and connect with others.

Uncover the world’s most memorable travel experiences at

P R E F E R R E D H O T E L S . C O M
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#ThePreferredLife
© 2016 Preferred Hotels & Resorts

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WARMLY WELCOMES
 editor-in-chief Christopher Kucway
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senior editor Merritt Gurley
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Regul ar contributors / photogr aphers

Cedric Arnold, Helen Dalley, Philipp Engelhorn, Duncan Forgan, Diana Hubbell,
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 the best of 2016
c lo c k w i s e from t o p lef t: c o u r t e s y of R a ffle s J a k a r ta ; c o u r t e s y of mor i mo t o ; c o u r t e s y of Cr y i n g T h a i g er ; c o u r t e s y of pa r a d i s e s e a p l a n e s ;

T+L’s annual
c o u r t e s y of T h e Av i a r y; c o u r t e s y of s u p er lo c o c u s t om s h o u s e ; c o u r t e s y of me n j a n g a n d y n a s t y re s or t; c o u r t e s y of Po tat o He a d

roundup of the
hottest new
offerings across
the region. from
stylish bars and
luxury tours to
trendy shops
and boutique
hotels, it’s been
a bang-up year.

Clockwise from top left: A dapper doorman at

Raffles Jakarta; chef Masaharu Morimoto checks into
Bangkok; take a private seaplane to this Halong Bay
cruise; bird statues abound at The Aviary hotel, Siem
Reap; a drink at Super Loco Customs House,
Singapore; Menjangan Dynasty Resort; Crying Thaiger
restaurant, Bangkok; Potato Head, Hong Kong.

t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m / d e c e mb e r 2 0 1 6 25
/ the best of 2016 /
EAT & DRINK
Long After Dark
An unmarked wooden
door leads the way into
this whiskey den, where
the dark timber bar and
seating are made from
reclaimed boats and
furniture. Bartenders
retrieve bottles from one
of Cambodia’s largest
whiskey collections by
climbing a sliding wooden
ladder, while locally
brewed beers on tap and
an impressive cocktail
list complement a host of
hearty pub-style dishes.
longafterdarkcambodia.
com; drinks for two US$8.
Malis Siem Reap
Set in an elegant two-
story building along the
Siem Reap River, the
restaurant conjures up the
nearby temples of Angkor
with Khmer motifs woven
throughout its design. An
offshoot of the popular
Malis in Phnom Penh,
the menu stays true to
chef Luu Meng’s blend
of traditional recipes
and modern cooking
techniques. Definitely
try the Kampot rock crab
in a red curry sauce.
malis-restaurant.com/
siemreap; dinner for two
US$50.
CAMBODIA
The Providore
This gourmet café and
deli in central Phnom
Penh feels like a chic,
oversized pantry. Its walls
are lined with imported
wines, spirits and dry
goods while chilled
cabinets display enough
cheeses and cured meats
to send epicures into
a spin. A tasting menu
has been created to
Clockwise from top left: Avian
showcase the grocer’s
flourishes at The Aviary; The
offerings, featuring
Providore’s charcuterie platters; The
simple fare topped with
Aviary’s turquoise pool; Malis Siem
unusual ingredients and
Reap marries Khmer motifs with
modern fare; sunset at Templation; hard-to-find produce.
goodies galore at The Providore. theprovidorecambodia.
com; lunch for two US$15.
26  d e c e mb e r 2 0 1 6 / t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m
The Fishmarket
On the banks of Kampot’s
languid river, this yellow-
hued 1930s Art Deco
building is a true gem with
extra points for history—
at various stages it has
served as a radio station,
c lo c k w i s e from t o p lef t: c o u r t e s y of T h e Av i a r y; c o u r t e s y of t h e p ro v i d ore ; c o u r t e s y of T h e Av i a r y; c o u r t e s y of M a l i s s i em re a p ; c o u r t e s y of t em p l at i o n ; c o u r t e s y of t h e p ro v i d ore .
customs house and even a
night club. Serving
seafood fresh from the
trawlers, The Fishmarket,
named for its original
incarnation, is a relaxed
spot to grab a bite to eat.
Go at dusk to sip cocktails
while watching local
Cham Muslim fishermen
steering their boats out to
sea as the sun sets over
the Praek Tuek Chhu river.
fb.com/fishmarket
kampot; dinner for two
US$28.
STAY
Templation
With 33 suites and villas
dotted along almost
two hectares of garden
grounds, this Siem Reap
hotel strikes harmonic
accord with its lush
surrounds. The flawless
design of the rooms—
most of which have
their own private pools,
floor-to-ceiling sliding
glass doors, and outdoor
bathrooms—is all about
maximizing interaction
with nature. And, just
a stone’s throw from
Angkor Wat, there’s plenty
of opportunity to soak in
the area’s history as well.
maads.asia/templation;
doubles from US$148.
The Aviary
Driven by ecologically
responsible principles,
this tasteful 25-room
boutique hotel in the
heart of Siem Reap has
style points to spare. The
space is a celebration
of the local wildlife
with animal-inspired
o p p o s i t e : c o u r t e s y of a m a n re s or t s
flourishes and works
commissioned from local
artists giving the lodgings
a distinctive Cambodian
flavor. True to the name,
bird statues abound,
but the theme never
threatens to overwhelm.
theaviaryhotel.com;
doubles from US$89.
—Holly Robertson
 japan
STAY
Amanemu

The Library,
Amanemu. Set in the far
reaches of Ise-
Shima National Park
east of Osaka,
Amanemu embraces
nature at every
turn with 24 suites
and four villas
tucked between
forested hills and
a sweep of Ago Bay.
guests can even
catch their own
fish, which the
chefs will
transform into a
fresh sashimi meal.
aman.com/amanemu; suites from
¥110,000.

t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m / d e c e mb e r 2 0 1 5 59
 regional
Cl ass
The whisk y
academy

IF YOU BELIEVE IN THE NECESSITY

OF uisge beatha—“water of life”
in Gaelic—YOU WANT TO ENROLL IN
Whisky Academy. launched this
year in THAILAND, MALAYSIA AND
SingAPORE (AND COMING SOON TO
the Philippines AND CHINA), IT’S a
series of FASCINATING AND FUN
daylong certification courses
on the history AND science OF
distilling, lubricated BY LOTS OF
SAMPLE SWIGS. we say, slainte.
fb.com/thewhiskyacademy; fees vary by country but start at Bt3,500
for an apprenticeship class in Bangkok.

A Whisky Academy
tasting flight.

EAT & DRINK
Salvatore at
Maison Eight
This is the first Asia-
based cocktail bar from
legendary mixologist
Salvatore Calabrese.
In addition to signature
drinks such as his Spicy
Fifty (vanilla vodka mixed
with elderflower cordial,
lime juice and honey syrup
laced with red chili) the
menu nods to the city’s
colonial past with the
c lo c k w i s e from t o p r i g h t: c o u r t e s y of s a m s e n ; c o u r t e s y of p o tat o h e a d ; c o u r t e s y of a lt o ; c o u r t e s y of t h e oly m p i a n h o t el ; c o u r t e s y of s a lvat ore at m a i s o n e i g h t.
Queen’s Backyard, which
combines gin-infused
rhubarb, strawberry
sherbet, elderflower
cordial and apple juice
to conjure up the flavors
of an English summer.
The roomy terrace
commands knock-out
views over Victoria
Harbour. maisoneight.com;
cocktails for two HK$250.
Potato Head
Where else in Hong Kong
could hip Indonesian
lifestyle brand Potato
Head be located but in the
oh-so au courant district
of Sai Ying Pun? Open
bookings are elusive at its
Kaum restaurant, which
serves dishes from across
Indonesia. The Midcentury
Modern-tinged space
also contains a bar, a
coffee shop, and boutique/
gallery that champions
artisans from its native
country. But the coolest
innovation is the listening
space, a rec room with
a classic turntable that
feels like a hidden house
party. pttfamily.com;
dinner for two HK$550.
Samsen
Hong Kong’s first
dedicated Thai noodle
house has customers
willing to brave the lines
for its signature Wagyu
o p p o s i t e : c o u r t e s y of T h e W h i s k y A c a d em y
beef boat noodle, while
dessert high notes
include pandanus coconut
dumplings in warm salted
coconut cream. The
casual shophouse sees
diners huddled together
on stools around intimate
tables as they keep an eye
on dinner’s progress from
the open kitchen. fb.com/
samsenhk; dinner for two
HK$250.
/ the best of 2016 /
Alto
At this modern grill and
is becoming more of a
tourist magnet. If you’re
rooftop bar situated on in town to hang out in this
the 31st floor of Hong artsy, up-and-coming
Kong’s new V Point hub, then check into the
building in Causeway Olympian, a sumptuous
Bay, diners are bathed 32-room hotel with
in a warm glow from an uncharacteristically large
installation canopy of 250 rooms for Hong Kong (its
gold mini Melt lights by starter Deluxe Olympian
Brit designer Tom Dixon. rooms measure in at
While the mains are as 43 square meters) with
you’d expect—hanger high-end touches like
steaks, A5 Wagyu, Acca Kappa toiletries and
pan-roasted duck fresh flowers in rooms.
breast—there’s plenty theolympianhotel.com;
of innovation in the doubles from HK$1,750.
appetizers, including bone —Helen Dalley
marrow with chimichurri,
and watermelon salad
with raisin vinaigrette.
diningconcepts.com/
alto; dinner for two from
HK$550.
HMV Bar &
Restaurant
Hong Kong’s largest HMV
store has introduced
F&B into the mix
with a 230-seater
restaurant that serves
up surprisingly upscale
fare—the HMV Burger
is made from Australian
Wagyu and roasted
game hen appears on the
menu. The 3,716-square-
meter space in Pearl
City Mansion also acts
as a showcase for local
musicians; Wednesday
HONG KONG
is jazz night while recent
weekend spots have been
taken by everyone from
pop/rock duo Lil’ Ashes to
Beatles-tribute band Old
Boys. hmv.com.hk; dinner
for two from HK$300.
STAY
The Olympian
Hotel
With the West Kowloon
Cultural District now up Clockwise from top right: A Wagyu
and running —M+ Pavilion, riff on Thai boat noodle soup at
which features an Samsen; Potato Head serves up pork
exhibition space dedicated belly in banana leaves; 250 mini Melt
to visual art, recently lights set Alto restaurant aglow; The
opened, and free monthly Olympian Hotel; dare to sip the Spicy
festival Freespace is a Fifty cocktail at Maison Eight.
regular fixture—the area
t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m / d e c e mb e r 2 0 1 6 29
/ the best of 2016 /
EAT & DRINK
Dava Steak &
Seafood
Restaurant
Nothing beats good old
surf and turf, and this
restaurant at Ayana
Resort grills it up to a
perfection matched only
by the view. Hovering over
the river pool, Dava is a
stellar spot for sunset
ocean vistas. Sure, there
is a wine expert on hand
to guide you through
the walk-in wine cellar,
but there is also a beef
sommelier and a salt
sommelier, all ready to
help you nail your order.
ayana.com; dinner for two
US$100.
Nusa Gastronomy
Modern cooking meets
traditional Indonesian
ingredients and flavors
in a creative menu that
is full of surprises. Nusa
Gastronomy is helmed by
chef Ragil Imam Wibowo,
host of the popular
cooking show Makan
Besar, who has scoured
the archipelago for the
most special spices to
bring his dishes to life,
like the Na Niura fish
ceviche using asam
jungga, an indigenous
lime from North Sumatra.
nusagastronomy.com;
three-course set from
US$27.
EXPLORE
Heli-Surfing Bali
How far are you willing
to go to claim your own
Clockwise from
top right: Hop on a
private helicopter
and fly to Bali’s
best surf; chef
Ragil Imam
Wibowo at Nusa
Gastronomy; steak
and lobster at
Dava; snorkeling
trips organized by
Menjangan
Dynasty Resort
may reap clownfish
sightings; eco-
friendly elegance
at Menjangan
Dynasty Resort.
30  d e c e mb e r 2 0 1 6 / t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m
waves? Tropicsurf has
launched a heli-surfing
experience offering
guests of the Four
Seasons Jimbaran Bay
a 45-minute helicopter
flight across the strait
from Bali to a landing area
right in front of Grajagan’s
famed breaks on the
edge of a national park
in East Java. Spend the
day braving the tubes in
total seclusion, or, for the
less aquatically inclined,
just exploring the nearby
beaches and jungles,
before heading back to
the resort for sunset.
tropicsurf.net; US$10,000
all inclusive.
INDONESIA
STAY
The Samata Sanur
A tapestry of greens and
blues surrounds this
10-villa health-centric
refuge among the rice
paddies of Sanur, Bali.
The Indian Ocean winks
in the distance and
turquoise pools dot the
property’s shockingly
chartreuse lawns, in
hues so saturated you’re
practically swimming in a
color wheel. In Sanskrit,
samata represents a
state of balance between
the body and mind, and
this property by Lifestyle
Retreats aims to satisfy
both. The tennis court,
gym and yoga studio will
get your heart pounding,
while the calming
landscape provides a
visual lullaby. thesamata.
com; doubles from
US$215.
Raffles Jak arta
The city may be bustling,
but nothing ruffles
Raffles. The new 173-
room property hotel in
Kuningan is going for
an artist-retreat vibe,
inspired by local icon
Hendra Gunawan, so
guests can experience the
c lo c k w i s e from t o p r i g h t: c o u r t e s y of Hel i - S u rf i n g B a l i ; c o u r t e s y of n u s a g a s t ro n om y; c o u r t e s y of D ava S t e a k & Se a foo d R e s ta u r a n t; c o u r t e s y of me n j a n g a n d y n a s t y re s or t ( 2 ) .
vibrant culture of Jakarta
without the chaos. The
fluidity of the women
and trees Gunawan
paints is reflected in the
architectural flow, and his
work hangs in the rooms
and suites, which are
among the city’s largest.
raffles.com/Jakarta;
doubles from US$220.
Menjangan
Dynasty Resort
Serving up adventure with
a side of extravagance,
this beach camp and
dive center is set on
16 hectares of land by
Banyuwedang Bay in
Northwest Bali. The
safari-style resort is eco
at heart—the rooms are
crafted from canvas and
the common areas are
made of bamboo—but
frills like private infinity
pools amp up the luxury.
menjangandynasty.com;
glamping from US$190.
—merritt gurley
o p p o s i t e : c o u r t e s y of n i c o b a r
 India
shop
nicobar

Mumbai-based
fashion and
lifestyle label with
good looks rooted
in the cerulean
landscape and
languid vibe of
its namesake
paradise, Nicobar
has seduced the
wanderlust set
with its travel
essentials
and artisanal
homeware that
conjure vacation
joie de vivre.
shop in Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore or
online at nicobar.com; apparel ranges from
US$26-$230, Maasai collection cups and
plates range from US$10-$26.

Maasai collection, Nicobar.

t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m / d e c e mb e r 2 0 1 5 59
 Anantara
Kalutara’s gabled
lobby at dusk.

Sri Lanka
stay
Anantara
K alutara

set in a building designed by

the late Geoffrey Bawa, one of
the country’s most beloved
architects, Anantara
Kalutara channels dutch
colonial elegance while
showcasing its choice
corner of the Kalu
River estuary and
Indian Ocean.
kalutara.anantara.com;
doubles from US$275.

c lo c k w i s e from t o p lef t: c o u r t e s y of c a ll a s pa ; c o u r t e s y of c h i n at o w n h er i ta g e c e n t re ; c o u r t e s y of S u p er L o c o C u s t om s Ho u s e ; c o u r t e s y of t h e o t h er room ; c o u r t e s y of O a s i a Ho t el Do w n t o w n .
SINGAPORE
o p p o s i t e : c o u r t e s y of A n a n ta r a K a l u ta r a
Clockwise from top left: A hot mineral
pool at Calla Spa; Chinatown Heritage
Centre; slicing through pork belly at
Super Loco Customs House; order
whiskey, hold the nonsense, at The Other
Room; Oasia Hotel Downtown.
/ the best of 2016 /
EAT & DRINK
The Other Room
Hidden behind thick
drapes in an unmarked
doorway (you’ll need to
ask the hotel reception
at the Marriott for
directions), this ambient
speakeasy is manned
by a bartender who
disdains fancy, tricked-up
cocktails. Instead, drinks
are based on 150 spirits
that are cask- or spice-
finished and served neat,
in flights, or as close to
the original cocktail recipe
as possible. theotherroom.
com.sg; drinks for two
S$45.
t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m / d e c e mb e r 2 0 1 6
Super Loco
Customs House
Built in the 1960s for
the Singapore Customs
Police, these days the
Customs House focuses
on less clandestine
pursuits, like drinking and
dining at the clutch of
stylish restaurants and
mood-lit watering holes
that fill its waterfront.
The latest addition, Super
Loco, a largely gluten-
free, modern Mexican
menu, including roasted
chicken, Monterey Jack
and cilantro mayo; and
soft corn tortillas nuzzling
crispy soft shell crabs.
super-loco.com/customs-
house; dinner and drinks
for two S$70.
EXPLORE
Chinatown
Heritage Centre
Located along a long
stretch of touristy shops
hawking trinkets and
tchotchkes in Chinatown,
the Chinatown Heritage
Centre has just emerged
from an extended
refurbishment, and what
a treat it is. Carved out of
three early 20th-century
shophouses, the museum
is an intriguing peek
into the past. Alongside
new gallery spaces and
exhibits, entire room
sets from the era have
been faithfully recreated,
right down to dimly lit
kitchens and cramped
bedrooms of the original
Chinatown tenants. china
townheritagecentre.com.
INDULGE
Calla Spa
Spas are a dime a dozen
in Singapore, but few
match the sheer scale of
this 920-square-meter
cocoon, or its imaginative
menu of treatments that
incorporate everything
from trehalose and
baobab extracts to
aromatic oils infused with
sandalwood, peony, jojoba,
and water lily. Separate
his and hers hot mineral
pools are powered by
NASA technology that
pumps the waters with
oxidized ions; the couple’s
suite incorporates a
private infrared sauna.
callaspa.com.sg;
treatments from S$98.
SHOP
Looksee Looksee
Conceived by Wee Teng
Wen, the hospitality
maven behind the two
Michelin-star Odette,
Looksee Looksee is
an unusual creature.
Located in a fin de siècle
shophouse in Singapore’s
Kampong Glam quarter,
its gray-tan-pink interior
houses a cozy, light-filled
public reading room.
The books, ranging from
Buddhist philosophy
to architecture and
cookbooks, are regularly
curated by a blue-chip
corps of Singaporean
influencers, chefs and
fashion designers. Peruse
while sipping tea brewed
by local tea specialists
A.muse Projects.
lobehold.com/looksee.
STAY
Oasia Hotel
Downtown
Billed as the world’s
tallest greenscaped
building, the Oasia
Downtown’s green-clad
façade looms over the
historic red-tiled roofline
of Singapore’s Tanjong
Pagar neighborhood.
The Aga Khan laureate
architects WoHa have
stacked the rooms in
alternating volumes
around a central core
perforated with sky
gardens whose terraces
are festooned with lush
creepers and flowering
varietals. The 314
rooms, each furnished
in soft hues of pastels,
stylized leafy screens
and patterned rugs, offer
dizzying views of the city,
as does the rooftop pool.
stayfareast.com; doubles
from S$189. —Daven Wu
33
/ the best of 2016 /
Clockwise from top right: The EAT & DRINK
Himalayan salt room at Amatara bunker
Nouveau American cuisine
Wellness Resort; fresh catch at
may be hard to define, but
Morimoto Bangkok; the bed’s-eye
out of the clever kitchen
view from Riva Arun; a French Martini
at Bunker; a Residence at Anantara of locavore-leaning
Layan; the Mac’N’Blue burger at chef Arnie Marcella,
Crying Thaiger. it’s exceedingly easy to
eat. Pair your roast baby
carrots, local ricotta
tortellini and dry aged
squab with one of their
alcohol-forward cocktails,
international craft brews
or wines from a broad but
accessible list. No, let
beverage director Andreas
Pergher pair for you; he’ll
do it with a wink and a
smile. bunkerbkk.com;
dinner for two Bt2,000.
THAILAND
crying thaiger
Bangkok’s most authentic
American burger has
found a permanent
home, and has invited
some tasty pals over to
play. Mark and Honey
Falcioni, of the Daniel
Thaiger food truck, have
opened a casual temple
to carnivorism, where
the dripping Tomahawk
and the juicy pork chops
impress. But they haven’t
forgotten their roots. Get
the newest flavor burst:
the Mac’N’Blues, a burger
topped with blue cheese,
dijon and their excellent
mac and cheese. Also, just
get the mac and cheese.
fb.com/cryingthaigerbkk;
dinner for two Bt1,200.
morimoto
Iron Chef extraordinaire
Masaharu Morimoto has
entered the ring with his
signature fusion fare (tuna
pizza; hamachi tacos;
lobster pad Thai) abetted
by fat, fuss-free cuts of
sushi. Both the famous
Morimoto chicken noodle
soup and the clam miso
are such perfect tonics
that you’ll wish sickness
upon yourself to eat them
every day. Hit the outdoor
bar for a close-up of the
flash new Mahanakorn
Tower and a nightcap or
34  d e c e mb e r 2 0 1 6 / t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m
seven curated by Vibhi
Harnvarakiat, sweetheart
of a sake wunderkind.
fb.com/morimotobangkok;
dinner for two Bt3,000.
SPA
amatara wellness
resort
The world’s first Thai
hammam is a pampering
process, steam to scrub
to salt room. But this
newly retooled luxe resort
c lo c k w i s e from t o p r i g h t: t h a n e t K a e w d u a n g d ee ; c o u r t e s y of mor i mo t o ; c o u r t e s y of r i va a r u n ; p or n s a k n a n a k or n ; t h a n e t K a e w d u a n g d ee ; c o u r t e s y of Cr y i n g T h a i g er .
in Phuket bursts with
wellness options, from
a deceptively delicious
spa menu, to personal
training and yoga, to its
lengthy list of retreats.
There’s even one to help
you better bond with your
partner. Sounds like the
definition of heart healthy
to us. amataraphuket.com;
doubles from Bt8,050.
STAY
The residences,
anantara layan
Calling all ballers. In
the market for a seven-
bedroom duplex with
lawn-topped living and
dining villas, a sunken sala
for barbecues served by
an army of butlers, and
a 21-meter infinity pool
with a hottub, submerged
loungers, and glass-
bottom windows so you
can swim a peak into
your personal spa room
below? On this northwest
Phuket hilltop, the service
will stun as much as the
Andaman Sea views—just
wait til the firepit erupts
at sunset. anantara.com;
residences from Bt89,500
for two-bedroom.
riva arun
Straddled by Wat Arun
across the river and the
four kings’ spires of Wat
Po in its backyard, Riva
Arun seems suitably
o p p o s i t e : c o u r t e s y of Pa r a d i s e Se a p l a n e s
blessed, even before you
toss in a private pier
offering aquatic access to
Bankok’s newest Old
Town boutique. The clean
white and green palette
helps maximize a feeling
of airiness, which is most
apparent in the three top-
floor suites with vast
balconies and whirlpool
tubs. snhotels.com;
doubles from Bt3,359.
—jeninne lee-st. john
 A vertigious view
from a Halong-
bound seaplane.

Vietnam
Tour
Paradise
Seaplanes

glide past the

hassle of a long
roadtrip with a
Paradise Seaplanes
private flight from
Hanoi to halong bay.
see the unesco-
blessed site from
on high, then board
the 17-cabin
PAradise luxury ship
and cruise between
the thousands of
limestone karsts
peppering the
cinematic seascape.
seaplanes.vn; plane tour and two-day, one-
night cruise US$523 per person.

t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m / d e c e mb e r 2 0 1 5 59
/ here&now /
Reboots
The Strand
Yangon.
Rangoon Revamped
Burma’s biggest city gets spruced up, with two
time-honored hotels unveiling their renovations.
By Merritt Gurley

Tr avelers may want to step back in time when it

comes to the scenery, but nobody wants to stay in an old
musty room. Two of Rangoon’s big-name hotels know the
importance of keeping au courant while maintaining local
charm. The Sedona Hotel Yangon (sedonahotels.com.sg/
yangon; Inya Wing Prestige suite from US$230), which
celebrated its 20th anniversary this year, has added the
new Inya wing, with 84 luxury suites broken into four
room types, in ascending order of spaciousness: Prestige,
Irrawaddy, Shin Sawbu and Anawrahta. The Anawrahta,
a whopping 197 square meters, is on the top floor and has
the best views of Inya Lake in the house. + Colonial gem
and literary muse The Strand Yangon, (hotelthestrand.
com; Superior suites from US$334), has had a few
makeovers since it was built in 1901, always in keeping
with its past. The re-opening in November, after a
six-month dark stretch, reveals another respectful
renewal of the hotel’s iconic look. Local artisans have
restored original architectural details, from the antique
Sedona Hotel bedsteads to the marble flooring, while niceties like USB

from t o p : c o u r t e s y of t h e s t r a n d ; c o u r t e s y of t h e s e d o n a h o t el ya n g o n ; c o u r t e s y of s t u DIo roo s e g a a r d e

Yangon. ports in each room keep The Strand feeling current.

noticed

Wear the Air Flight

Qantas is re-launching its
A lesser-known side effect of Beijing’s pollution?
Fabulous jewelry. A new heav y-dut y air purifier is direct flight from Beijing
turning smog into sparkle. By Veronica Inveen to Sydney next month,
marking the first time
Can you imagine a smog-free Beijing? Dutch innovator and artist Daan
the Australian airline
Roosegaarde is making the vision a reality with his Smog Free Tower. Sitting
has flown the route
seven-meters high in the middle of the capital’s creative hub, 751 D-Park, the since 2009. The daily
tower serves as the largest air purifier in the world. The device, which has been service, which begins on
operational since September, creates a bubble of clean air by capturing about 75 January 25, is part of the
percent of the surrounding airborne smog particles. And with Roosegaarde’s expansion of Qantas’s
zero-waste philosophy, the carbon particles collected from the machine are joint-venture partnership
compressed into 8.4-by-8.4 millimeter cubes, each of which contains smog filtered with China Eastern,
from 1,000 cubic meters of air. The little black squares are turned into including three other
jewelry—rings and cufflinks set in sterling silver—that are being sold to fund new codeshare routes
the project. Every ring purchased equals a donation of 1,000 cubic between Australia and
meters of clean air. Now that the machine has been cranking for China: Sydney‑Hangzhou,
four months, they’ve collected enough smog particles to Sydney-Kunming and
launch new designs that will ship in late January, and Brisbane-Shanghai. The
with the success of this one device there are plans to two airlines are bringing
build more around China, and perhaps other the Middle Kingdom and
countries in the region as well. Who needs blood the Land Down Under a
diamonds when you can wear smog cubes? e-mail: little closer together.
mail@studioroosegaarde.net to order; rings €250. qantas.com.

36  d e c e mb e r 2 0 1 6   /  t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m
Christmas in Zurich
Enchanting Advent Season
Come December of every year, Switzerland’s largest
city transforms into an enchanting winter wonderland
filled with an array of Christmas markets, glistening
lights and cheerful music. The city is one of the most
atmospheric Christmas venues with convenient
transportation links and with Sunday opening hours and
late-night shopping that offers plenty of opportunities
to find the perfect Christmas gift.
Each year, the city dresses up in glimmering lights to
welcome this special time of the year. The celebration
officially arrives when all the Christmas lights, known as
‘Lucy’, are switched on simultaneously at the end of
November. ‘Lucy’ is made from nearly 12,000 crystals
with white, blue and red LEDs, and just like the famous
Beatles song, Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds, the lights
illuminate like diamonds at Bahnhofstrasse, Zurich’s
famous shopping mile.
The beautiful sights along Bahnhofstrasse brought by
‘Lucy’ is also accompanied by the ever unique ‘Singing
For more
informatio
zuerich.c n visit
om/chris
tmas
or email
touristse
rv
zuerich.c ice@
om
Christmas Tree’. Choirs from the Zurich region show off
the highlights of their Christmas repertoire each evening
from a househigh, pyramid-shaped stage decorated to
resemble a Christmas tree.
Christmas Markets
Whether at the oldest Christmas market in Zurich in the
Niederdorf or the popular Christkindlimärt at the main
station, the Christmas market is ideal for young and old
alike. Children can have a ride on the carousel while their
parents enjoy a glass of glühwein, hot mulled wine, all
while basking in the festive atmosphere. A train or boat
trip to Rapperswil is particularly recommended during
Christmas period. The annual ‘Christchindlimärt’ is one
of the biggest markets in Switzerland, and is renowned
for both its elaborate decorations and its diverse
program of events. Shops stay open until 10.00pm
that evening, marking the beginning of the Christmas
shopping season. From captivating sights and sounds
to late-night shopping, the sheer atmosphere is enough
to let you know that it’s definitely beginning to look a lot
like Christmas!
/ here&now /

Peranakan touches at
the Hotel Indigo Katong.
below: The Warehouse,
reinvigorating the river.

from t o p : c o u r t e s y of Ho t el I n d i g o K at o n g ; c o u r t e s y of T h e Wa re h o u s e
hotels

The New Minimalism

A trio of new small hotels in Singapore makes the city more affordable
without scrimping on design or comfort. By Christopher Kucway
How small can you go? In the homegrown cultural aesthetic that
hotel world where big space most pops. The 131 rooms combine playful
often equates to big rates, how to primary colors with Peranakan
pack full comfort into pint-sized kitsch, all in a former police
quarters is the question du jour, and station—check out the lock-up off to
these three new boutique stays have one side of the hotel restaurant.
all the right answers. Traditionally, the deeper you
venture into a Peranakan house, the
Hotel Indigo Katong more private the space becomes, and
For a local feel, head to this homey the guestrooms here mirror that
hotel outside the city center. It is a bit effect: tile floors give way to wood
out of the way to get here, but the and the vibe gets cozier as you walk
payoff is larger rooms and a farther into the room. The design >>

38  d e c e mb e r 2 0 1 6   /  t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m
/ here&now /
takes local history and punches it up
with exaggerated elements, like
gallery-worthy tiling in the lobby,
full-wall pencil murals, batik-print
rugs and a game board coffee table.
It’s a fresh twist on classic styles. 86
East Coast Rd.; hotelindigo.com;
doubles from S$160.
M Social
Designed by Philippe Starck, this
place is the perfect example of the
petite-chic trend. The biggest of the
293 rooms is a lean 22 square
meters, yet it doesn’t feel cramped.
The diminutive size only registers
once you unpack and realize there’s
not enough space to lie a suitcase
fully opened on the floor. Luckily,
there is extra room on the sitting
terrace outside, so you can always
stash your luggage al fresco. While
the two-tiered Loft Gallery room is
better suited for guests looking for a
clear divide between lounging and
sleeping quarters, the Alcove Cosy
40  d e c e mb e r 2 0 1 6   /  t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m
Loft Premier room at M
Social. from top: Vibrant
public spaces at Hotel Indigo
Katong; stylish meets smart
at The Warehouse.
room is a feat of clever design. It has
everything you’ll need, like a 40-inch
HDTV and Wi-Fi, though not always
where you might expect it: take the
bathroom sink, which, bucking
convention, is planted in the main
room facing the bed. Apparently it
took a little reconfiguring of the
standard hotel-room layout to fit the
jigsaw together, but the pieces are all
there, and seeing the creative
solutions for overcoming the limited
space is part of the fun. Another
highlight is its location; the well-
appointed facilities—from the small
fitness center to outdoor lap pool to
funky restaurant—that open onto
the Singapore River are all aimed at
getting guests to mix with this
happening residential neighborhood.
c lo c k w i s e from t o p lef t: c o u r t e s y of M So c i a l ; c o u r t e s y of Ho t el I n d i g o K at o n g ; c o u r t e s y of T h e Wa re h o u s e
90 Robertson Quay; msocial.com.sg;
doubles from S$225.
The Ware house
Opening this month, the property by
Lo & Behold feels like a missing piece
in the Singapore hotel puzzle: a
boutique hotel in a restored address.
This 37-room renovation on the
Singapore River ticks off all the right
boxes. The history of the place as a
spice storehouse, illegal distillery
and, most recently, under-the-radar
rave joint is preserved in the design
elements of the common spaces.
Exposed brick and mod, industrial-
chic lighting all point to the past.
Guestrooms are fitted out in leather
and rattan, their earth tones making
each feel larger than it actually is.
Opt for a second-floor room—those
on the ground level facing the public
walkway along the river beg for the
privacy of one-way glass. And don’t
miss the see-through pool on the
roof that opens to the river and
streets below. It defines see and be
seen. 320 Havelock Rd.;
thewarehousehotel.com; doubles
from S$225.
/ here&now /
FROM top: Bespectacled
dusky leaf monkeys swing
rampant in The Habitat;
hike or zip-line through
Penang’s new eco-park.

Below a ceiling of clouds, I watch the

ocean crash against green fields dominated
by Gunung Jerai, Kedah state’s highest peak,
50 kilometers away. I’m taking in this
unobstructed panorama from the Tree-top
Walk, a 100-meter-long circular platform
that crowns the tips of century-old trees. The
air is fresh and tropical birds tweet in the
thicket all around. It’s hard to believe that a
mere 900 meters below, Penang’s modernity
honks and screeches.
This viridian hamlet is part of The Habitat
(thehabitat.my; admission RM50 per person
per day), the island’s newest eco-park within
a five-minute walk from iconic Penang Hill’s
Funicular Train upper station. The Habitat
promotes conservation with guided hikes
down a 1.6-kilometer nature trail, flanking
the fringes of a virgin rainforest reserve
protected since 1911, and an ecosystem that
dates back 130 million years. Two giant
swings along the trail offer relaxing stops to
take in the dramatic vistas.
“None of Penang’s other parks share our
unbeatable location on top of the hill. The
biodiversity here is phenomenal,” says
Penang-born Allen Tan, the park’s director.
“We discover new insects every day.”
Developed from a drainage ditch built by the
British East India Company in the early
1800’s, the Habitat’s walking path is made of
hydromedia concrete—a porous material
that drains quickly and doesn’t interfere with
the native environment. “We enhanced what
was already here, minimizing our impact,”
Tan says. “We are cooperating with the state
government to transform the site into a
unesco Biosphere reserve.”
Indeed, there’s much to protect. “The park
hosts some of Southeast Asia’s rarest flying
mammals, including the flying lemur and
giant red and black squirrels, plus racket-
tailed drongos and giant millipedes...” Allen
is still talking when a couple of the jungle’s
Conservation
other main dwellers—bespectacled dusky

Over the Top leaf monkeys—emerge high in the canopy as

if to remedy their omission from the list.
On Penang Hill, a new eco-park is bringing an ancient Malaysian Adventurers who want a monkey’s-eye
view of the park can brave the 40-meter-high
rainforest back into the limelight. By Marco Ferr arese.
canopy walk—at 230 meters, the longest on
Photogr aphed by Kit Yeng Chan
Penang Island—or the 700-meter-long zip
line. But stay on the paths. The rest of this
incredible habitat belongs to the animals.

42  d e c e mb e r 2 0 1 6   /  t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m
/ here&now /
Fish cakes at
Long Chim
Sydney.

Restaur ant

Street Cred
David Thompson’s fiery new Thai restaurant in Sydney ratchets
up the heat. By Ian Lloyd Neubauer

Chili-loving Sydney-siders, your
dreams are about to come true. The
expatriate maestro of Royal Thai
cuisine, Australian chef David
Thompson has a new restaurant, Long
Chim Sydney (longchimsydney.com;
dishes A$18-$43). In place of the complex
flavors and fastidious presentation of
Nahm—his famed restaurant in
Bangkok—it serves raw, robust and at
He wrote the cookbook on Thai Street
Food—a 100-recipe anthology published
in 2009—and received critical acclaim
for the first two Long Chim restaurants,
in Singapore and Perth, both of which
opened in 2015. So, Long Chim Sydney
represents a victorious homecoming for
the chef and another opportunity to
take diners on a culinary journey to the
gritty streets of Bangkok without
But the real appeal lies in the menu.
First-time travelers may want to play it
safe with the mild Thai omelette or red
curry with barramundi. Intermediate
connoisseurs can try the hot-and-sour
soup of leatherjacket and dried prawns
in betel leaf, which ratchets up the chili
dial a notch or two. Diners who can
handle some serious heat should order
the green papaya salad or deep-fried
c o u r t e s y of L o n g C h i m S y d n e y

times tearfully spicy street food.
“I’ve always been too precious, and
obsessed in finding arcane venerable
recipes to play with street food,”
Thompson says. “But I was ignoring a
huge genre of the Thai repartee.”
‘Ignoring’ seems a harsh self-critique; it
is hard to imagine Thompson
overlooking any detail of Thai cooking.
passing immigration.
Set in a former storage basement in
Sydney’s CBD, the 190-seat restaurant
features dining alcoves, communal
tables and counter seats facing an open-
plan kitchen. The layout, paired with
track lighting and disco balls, coalesces
in a strange, but effective, hybrid
between a nightclub and a food court.
squid, the last dish so spicy that one
customer dubbed it, “Satan in a bikini.”
“I don’t go out of my way to shock
people with chili,” Thompson says, “but
I do go out of my way to be faithful to
the original recipes.” The fiery fidelity is
more than just tongue-scorching—it is
nuanced and deeply delicious.
Beelzebub looks good in a two-piece.

44  d e c e mb e r 2 0 1 6   /  t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m
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/ here&now /
dining

A Guide’s Guide
The Michelin Guide Seoul (guide.michelin.co.kr) debuted last
month with love for local flavor. Eleven of the 22 rankings
have gone to restaurants serving Korean fare, including two
that snagged the elusive three-star title—now carried by just
over 100 kitchens globally. Here’s a primer on 2017’s top tables:

La Yeon.
2 Awarded

La Yeon Time-honored Korean

classics, elevated with hansik
(fermented foods, assorted
vegetable dishes and rice) and
wine pairings. shillahotels.
com; dinner set from
KW150,000.
Gaon Korean food so
meticulously prepared and
presented that each meal is a
lesson on the history of the
cuisine. gaonkr.com; dinner set
from KW150,000.

Pierre
3 Awarded Gagnaire.
Gotgan by Lee Jong guk Traditional

from t o p : c o u r t e s y of t h e h o t el s h i ll a ; c o u r t e s y of p i erre g a g n a i re ; c o u r t e s y of b a lw oo g o n g ya n g
Korean dishes showcasing
seasonal ingredients. gotgan.
modoo.at; dinner set from
KW150,000.
Kwon Sook Soo Korean cuisine with
modern flair and unconventional
flavors. kwonsooksoo.com; dinner
set from KW100,000. 
Pierre Gagnaire Artfully presented
Parisian food in an elegant setting.
pierregagnaire.co.kr; dinner set
from KW85,000.

19 Awarded
There were a few surprises
among the diverse group of 19
restaurants that were
bestowed one star, including
Balwoo Gongyang (balwoo.
or.kr; dinner set from
KW45,000), a relatively modest
vegan restaurant, operated by
the Jogye Order of Korean
Buddhism, that brings big
Balwoo flavor to temple food, a cuisine
Gongyang. that’s sometimes saddled with
a reputation for being bland.
S T AY I N S T Y L E
www.putahracsa.com
/ here&now /

Debut

The Pinnacle of Penang

The coastal city’s tallest building has sprouted new floors, and
more spectacular views. By Marco Ferr arese

Look who is growing up. Last
month, the Kompleks Tun Abdul Razak
(KOMTAR) tower, Penang’s tallest
building, had its first growth spurt in
three decades, sprouting 17 meters.
Three brand-new floors were added to
the existing 65-story-high building,
freeing Penang’s concrete behemoth
from 30 years of touristic hibernation.
Start at level 59, where the Top
View restaurant offers Penang’s
highest fine dining experience, mixing
excellent sunset views with zesty Asian
and Western cuisine. Next work your
way up to level 65, where D’Top
Observatory Deck has unobstructed
360-degree bird’s-eye views of
Penang’s coastline, the Straits of
Malacca and the Andaman Sea. The
cherry on the 249-meter-high sundae
is the top floor, the outdoor Window of
the Top. Forget walking on sunshine;
take a stroll on a rainbow. The deck’s
centerpiece is a twin rainbow structure
that arches into a pot of gold
symbolizing hope, beauty, harmony,
divinity, luck and good fortune, and the
Rainbow Sky Walk, the venue’s star
attraction, is a thrilling stroll on a glass
walkway suspended 68 stories above
ground. Right behind it, Coco Cabana
Bar & Bistro dishes up nibbles and
cocktails to keep spirits high, and
vertigo at bay. thetop.com.my; Rainbow
Sky Walk, RM88 for adults; drinks for
two at Coco Cabana from RM40.

The

from t o p : c o u r t e s y of t h e t o p ; c o u r t e s y of s m i t h h o t el s
Rainbow
Sky Walk.

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48  d e c e mb e r 2 0 1 6   /  t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m
 AD VERT I SEM E N T

WONDERS OF
JAPAN
Tradition and modernity come together in this
island nation, where ancient temples border
cutting-edge resorts, bullet trains speed through
wondrous landscapes to buzzing metropolises, and
the Japanese spirit radiates everywhere: strong,
warm, and incredibly welcoming.
 ADVE RTI S E M EN T

JAPAN AIRLINES

THE BEST
WAY TO
EXPLORE
JAPAN THE PASS
Flexible and
Travel throughout Japan easily convenient, the
and affordably with Japan Airlines’ Japan Explorer Pass—
Japan Explorer Pass—a great way to exclusively avaiIable
experience the distinctive local culture to international
visitors—lets you
of places like Oita, Nagasaki, and Fukui. Omotenashi In-flight Service
purchase up to five
domestic flight
JOURNEY OF A LIFETIME sectors for a fixed
Built on a vast volcanic area, Oita Prefecture low fare. This special
is Japan’s hot spring capital; Beppu, in central fare is avaiIable
Oita Prefecture, is home to more than 2,500 year-round and up
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out at temperatures as hot as 150°C in a for travel to over
variety of colors. 30 cities in JAL’ s
Vibrant, charming, and totally unique, domestic network.
Nagasaki beckons with churches, shrines,
Oita Prefecture
temples, and an East-meets-West culinary
scene, prettily set within a gracious harbor.
Experience an authentic tea ceremony at the
Matsuura Historical Museum, a residence built
in 1893 that was home to the Matsuura clan.
Set on the coast of the Sea of Japan, Fukui
is relaxed and easygoing. Visit the Eiheiji © 2016 TIME INC. AFFLUENT MEDIA GROUP. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Temple, a headquarters of Zen Buddhism and

a palpably spiritual place set amid mountains,
mosses, and ancient cedars.
Fukui

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BOOK YOUR FLIGHT AT JAL.COM.


NHK WORLD
YOUR
WINDOW
TO JAPAN
Before you head to Japan, check out NHK WORLD TV—an all-English
channel broadcast from Japan—for an insider’s guide to Japanese
culture, food, and the country’s latest happenings, all available at
your fingertips.
LIFE & TRAVEL
NHK WORLD TV’s many creative travel
programs feature tips to help you
experience Japan like an expert. Programs
include Tokyo Eye 2020, which focuses on
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Kyoto, a deep dive into the ancient capital
of Kyoto; and Journeys in Japan, an insider’s
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traditional festivals and the best hiking
spots throughout the country.
FOOD & DRINK
Learn about the history of favorite Japanese
dishes, along with etiquette and recipes,
on the NHK WORLD Japanese Food
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AD V E RTI S E M EN T
Discover the art of eating sushi like a
native (tip: eat it upside down so the
fish comes into contact with the tongue
first)—and learn how sake is considered
sacred in the Shinto religion (a spiced
version known as o-toso is drunk at
New Year’s to ward off illnesses).
NEWS & CULTURE
Tune in to NHK WORLD TV for the latest
news from Japan, Asia, and the world. The
unique and diverse blend of programming
includes NHK Newsline, which delivers
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the day’s developments in depth. Other
programs explore Japanese society, politics,
and scientific advancements.
DISCOVER JAPAN WITH NHK WORLD AT NHK.JP/NHKWORLD.
ABOUT NHK WORLD TV
NHK WORLD TV is an Asia-
centered 24/7 international
English-language channel
produced by Japan’s public
service broadcaster NHK
(Japan Broadcasting
Corporation). The network
reaches approximately 290
million households in about 150
countries and regions via local
© 2016 TIME INC. AFFLUENT MEDIA GROUP. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
satellite, cable TV, and IPTV.
Live-streaming and VOD (video
on-demand) services on the
website and a free mobile app
give viewers access anywhere
and anytime. You
can also connect
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and Amazon Fire TV.
( サイズ：120px ×120px　角丸半径 26px)
 AD VERT I SEM E N T

JAPAN

WHAT TO
KNOW BEFORE
YOU GO
To create a faux-pas-free journey, keep these etiquette tips in mind.
›› When using chopsticks, never leave them standing upright in a
bowl of rice, or use them to pass food directly to another person’s
chopsticks—these actions are reminiscent of funeral rituals.

›› When eating noodles in Japan, it’s standard practice to slurp them—

just take the hint from fellow diners.

›› Say kam-pai, “Cheers!” before drinking, and oi-shii, “Delicious!”

throughout any meal.
MIYAGI

›› There is no custom of tipping in Japan. If you leave extra cash on the

table, the waiter may chase you down the street to give it back. SENDAI

›› Before entering any shrine, use the ladles provided near the
entrance to rinse your hands. Then pour some water into your
cupped hand to rinse your mouth, spitting out on the ground
beside the fountain.

›› It’s considered rude to speak on your mobile phone while on trains

and buses, and it’s best to switch your phone to silent mode.

›› Do not blow your nose in public. You may see people walking
around wearing surgical-style masks when they are sick
to keep germs from others. FUKUI

TOKYO

KYOTO © 2016 TIME INC. AFFLUENT MEDIA GROUP. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

MIE

OITA
 chi ang m ai | m argaret ri ver + more

Vietnam’s
Road Trip

True North
The misty mountains near the Chinese border
are home to a stunning mix of lush landscapes,
market towns and indigenous cultures. Keith Plocek
plunges into one of the country’s most authentic regions.
Photogr aphed by Christopher Wise >>

Na Hang, a
rural district in
Tuyen Quang
province,
northwest of
Hanoi.

t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m  /   d e c e mb e r 2 0 1 6   55
/ beyond /r o a d t r i p

I was perched on a pl astic stoolon Cau Go

Street, a short stretch of road in Hanoi’s Old
Quarter with an amazing concentration of
food stalls, eating a delicious plate of bun
cha: grilled pork, rice noodles, sliced
papaya, shredded carrots, a heaping pile of
herbs. Locals rushed past me on
motorbikes that buzzed like leaf blowers.
The next day I would set out on a two-
wheeler of my own to explore Vietnam’s
inland north, a place of breathtaking
topography that is home to many of the
country’s more than 50 ethnic minorities.

Many visitors to the country, seeking a more

intimate connection with the landscape, follow
the example of the locals and travel on
lightweight motorbikes. A Brit I’d met in
Central America had told me about the
phenomenon, explaining that some travelers
were inspired by an episode of Top Gear in
which the hosts rode from Saigon to Hanoi. On
Vietnamese Craigslist, there is an active trade
from top: Women in
in used motorcycles among visitors. I decided to traditional Flower Hmong
rent instead, scoring a Honda Wave from Viet dress at the market in Bac
Nam Motorcycle Tour in the Old Quarter. Ha; rice paddies near La
Of course, I could have gone by car, but I’d Vie Vu Linh eco-lodge; the
come looking for adventure. I hoped to bar at La Vie Vu Linh.
recapture some of the backpacker’s spirit of my
youth, and maybe even get a little muddy.

UNEASY RIDER
After loading up on breakfast pho, I left
Hanoi by way of narrow streets
crowded with buses and other careening,
honking bikes, then followed a route along the
Red River. On the sides of the road, strips of
eucalyptus had been set out to dry before being
made into veneer for furniture. Believe it or not,
this trip was my first time in Asia. I was drawn
to Vietnam in part because I grew up in
Houston, Texas, where the large community of
Vietnamese immigrants piqued my interest.
Still, the number of Nguyens in my yearbook
hadn’t prepared me for this on-the-ground
experience. Every vista left me wide-eyed. At
the same time, when I saw my very first rice
paddies, there was something oddly familiar
about the glistening green grid spread before
me, perhaps thanks to the all the Hollywood
movies I’d seen about Vietnam, or perhaps
because this trip was so long in the making that
I’d had ample time to fantasize.

56  d e c e mb e r 2 0 1 6 / t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m
 CHINA

VIETNAM

Bac Ha DAY 3 217 kilometers

Na Hang
Ba Be arrived at my destination, a thatched-roof lodge
National Park
on the shores of Thac Ba Lake. I sat by a fire on
which a giant pot boiled before sitting down to
DAY 4 247 kilometers eat with the employees. We dined in the
DAY 2 193 kilometers traditional style of the Dao people, one of the
region’s ethnic groups, snatching individual
La Vie My Lam
Vu Linh Hot Springs bites from steaming communal plates of pork,
broccoli, cabbage and rice. After dinner, I met
some businesspeople who had traveled from
CHINA
DAY 5 144 kilometers Hanoi that morning to volunteer on a nearby
Detail farm. We spent the evening swapping stories
area
LAOS and downing potent shots of rice wine brewed
on the property.
VIETNAM
THAILAND South

CAMBODIA
China
Sea
CLIMB EVERY MOUNTAIN
DAY 1 186 kilometers My next stop was Sapa, the French
M AP BY HAISA M HUSS E IN

colonial hill city overlooking misty

HANOI terraced farms. The overnight train ride there
0 10
KILOMETERS
from Hanoi is legendary. But the resort staff
suggested I go instead to the market town of Bac
L AOS
Ha—just as beautiful but less touristy. I
checked the forecast: heavy rain in Sapa, clear
skies in Bac Ha. Decision made.
ROAD-TRIP CHEAT SHEET As I motored along the rural roads toward
DAY 1 DAY 3 Lao Cai province, children chased after me
Vietnam Motorbike Tour Bac Ha Market Flower shouting joyous hellos. I love the freedom of solo
Expert Intrepid travelers Hmong women sell goods
travel, but after a few days alone, nothing
can buy used bikes on here on Sundays.
Craigslist Vietnam Nha Nghi Hoan Nuong makes the endorphins kick in like a chorus of
(viet nam.craigslist.org) or Simple digs in Ha Giang little kids cheering you on. At a roadside store,
rent from Viet Nam province. 84-273/864-302; the shopkeeper smiled at me and pointed to a
Motorcycle Tour (84- doubles from US$15. stool made from a tree stump. We sat down for
973/812-789).Motorbike
Tour Expert offers guided DAY 4
green tea and tobacco from his bamboo water
trips through the north. Ba Be National Park pipe. A single hit left me reeling.
hanoimotorcycletour.com. Established in 1992, this The world glistened on the switchbacks up to
La Vie Vu Linh This stunning reserve in Bac Bac Ha. Lush farms, blanketed in clouds,
eco-lodge in Yen Binh Kan province contains
appeared beyond the guardrail. I had to share
district is a sustainable- limestone peaks, evergreen
tourism initiative to forests and a glittering the road with water buffalo and chickens. When
empower the area’s Dao freshwater lake. I pulled up in late afternoon, I called the owner
people. lavievulinh.com; My Lam Hot Springs Spa of Sa House, the no-frills homestay I’d booked
US$30 per person. & Resort This destination for the night. He arrived, smiling, on his own
is renowned among
DAY 2 medical tourists for the
motorbike and led me up a winding road. The
Sa House A clean, lodging soothing and healing cool, wet air wrapped around me like a cloak.
option tucked away on a hill properties of the mineral-
near Bac Ha. 84-984/827-
537; doubles from US$13.
rich water. 84-273/774-418;
doubles from US$25.
WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH
Early the next morning, I found Bac
Ha’s market. Men in puffy jackets and
women in the colorful dresses of the Flower
Hmong ethnic group hawked vegetables, meat,
The landscape grew only more magnificent coffee, textiles, plastics, electronics and
as I approached the La Vie Vu Linh eco-lodge, livestock. Shoppers carried bags with
riding along a narrow mud path flanked by squirming creatures inside. I bought a pair of
paddies and rolling hills. It was tough going on leather gloves before embarking on the most
the Honda, and there were few signs pointing difficult leg of my trip.
the way. I kept pulling up at houses whose The early part of my day’s journey had
inhabitants would wave me onward. Finally, I hairpin turns and the occasional wayward >>

t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m  /   d e c e mb e r 2 0 1 6   57
/ beyond /r o a d t r i p

water buffalo, but at least it had fresh asphalt.

Then, at a sign for Ha Giang province, the road
turned to dirt and I fell off the bike. I’d gotten
my wish—I was covered with mud. I was elated
to emerge, hours later, onto a real road again.
A few days earlier, at a museum in Hanoi, I’d
snapped a photo of a photo of Ho Chi Minh and
set it as my phone’s wallpaper image. When I
was checking in to Nha Nghi Hoan Nuong, a
hotel in the rural town of Na Hang, the owner
noticed it and pointed to an older man sitting on
a couch. He in turn directed my attention to a
picture of himself on the lobby wall, taken when
he was much younger and dressed in uniform.
He laughed and held up an imaginary machine
gun, then said, “Rat-a-tat-tat-tat.”
It was a quiet Sunday night. There were
several restaurants on the main drag, but only
one with people inside. With its plastic tables
and chairs it felt like it could have been
anywhere in the world. As I waited for my beef
pho, a young man dropped an elbow on my
table, wanting to arm wrestle. I shook my head,
but he insisted. We locked hands. His friends
were drunk on rice wine, and soon they all
wanted a turn, too. They urged me to take shots.
I ordered a beer instead.
THE WATER CURE
The next day, I pulled my helmet over
my aching head and plunged into Na
Hang, which looked like a mountain version of
Vietnam’s iconic Halong Bay. Sheer peaks
reached toward the sky, as if subterranean
giants had poked their fingers through the
surface of the earth. I was so distracted by the
terrain that I almost ran out of gas. At the last From left: Beef
possible moment, I bought two liters from a pho in Hanoi’s Old
young woman in a roadside shack. Quarter; Ba Be
Lake, in Ba Be
Within a few hours I had coasted all the way National Park, part
down into the verdant valley of Ba Be National of Bac Kan
Park. In Ba Be Lake, I saw reflections of the province.
same mountains I’d ridden through that
morning. The narrow road curved past
waterfalls and caves beneath a canopy of trees. I
could have spent an entire day there watching
the monkeys, bears and butterflies, but the
highway beckoned.
Near the town of Tuyen Quang, I stopped at
My Lam Hot Springs to soak my battered bones.
Inside a blue building surrounded by gentle
hills and lush trees, I began my path to
rejuvenation. I lay in a porcelain bathtub filled
with lukewarm mineral water, appreciating the
stillness after four bumpy days on the road. The
next morning, I planned to sleep late, then ride
back into Hanoi, straight into the Old Quarter
for another fragrant plate of bun cha.

58  d e c e mb e r 2 0 1 6 / t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m

SANCTUARIES
IN THE CITY
Two tranquil retreats to whisk you away
from the urban hubbub of Singapore and
Kuala Lumpur: escape to the jungle
oases that lie so easily within your reach,
and discover SAMADHI.
VILLA SAMADHI SINGAPORE
Breeze beyond the bustle and ensconce
yourself in a 20th century colonial
garrison, set amid the lush greenery of
Labrador Nature Park on Singapore’s
Southern Ridges. Lovingly preserved with
recycled wood, Villa Samadhi immerses
you in the romance of a bygone era, and
as you recline, surrounded by vintage
elegance oozing with old-world Malayan
charm, strains of birdsong float through
the windows from the canopy beyond.
Nestled in The Lounge, enjoy a lazy
afternoon spent buried in a classic from
the well stocked library as you savor a
refreshing pot of tea or indulge in a
handcrafted cocktail from the bar.
Venture across the jungle boardwalk to
Tamarind Hill, where Executive Chef
Wanthana Nikonsaen awaits with her
traditional and contemporary Siamese
cuisine. Fresh ingredients from
sustainable sources are artfully
combined in heirloom recipes,
contributed by a coterie of Thai chefs
and exquisitely paired with house-
infused gins or a glass carefully selected
from the extensive wine menu.
20, Labrador Villa Road, 119193,
Singapore
T: +65 6270 1868
E: reservations@villasamadhi.com.sg
W: www.villasamadhi.com.sg
ADVERTISEMENT
Welcome to Villa
Samadhi Kuala Lumpur.
VILLA SAMADHI KUALA LUMPUR
Meanwhile, a comparably short hop
from the heart of buzzing Kuala Lumpur
brings you to a ravishing retreat built
with timber sourced from indigenous
tribes and salvaged from old village
houses. From the floor to its soaring
grass-thatched roof, Villa Samadhi Kuala
Lumpur enchants with unmistakable
authenticity and, like its sister in
Singapore, transports you to an alternate
The Library, Villa
world of luxe, lush tranquility. A villa in a
Samadhi Singapore. room, your Luxe Sarang surrounds you
with a natural, elemental tapestry forged
with a raw and rustic palette of wood,
stone and bamboo. Lounge on your bed,
handmade by Villa Samadhi’s own
craftsmen and stroll through your space,
bedecked with southeast Asian hill tribe
artworks and elegantly strewn with
artifacts and antiques from Indochina,
out to your private patio to dip in the
invigorating waters of the lagoon.
Recline on a floating futon in the shade
of a gazebo, sipping something
Luxe Sarang, Villa refreshing, or seek out further delectable
Samadhi Kuala Lumpur. delights in the hexagonal Dining Room.
Villa Samadhi Singapore
in its evening illumination.
No. 8, Pesiaran Madge off Jalan Madge, 55000
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
T: +603 9212 0372
E: reservations@villasamadhi.com.my
W: www.villasamadhi.com.my
/ beyond /d i s c o v e r y

Due
South
Margaret River, an Australian wine
region with epic surfing beaches, a
welcoming vibe, and standout
Cabernets and Chardonnays, lures
Ted Loos for a taste.

Aussies like to say that Perth, the

capital of Western Australia and a
five-hour flight from Sydney, is the
most isolated major city in the world.
Which means that the Margaret
River wine region, which is set on a
tab-shaped peninsula jutting into
the Indian Ocean—and a three-hour
drive south of Perth—must be as
remote as it gets.
A grueling 24 hours of travel
from New York City, Margaret River
was the farthest I’d ever been from
home. But flying wasn’t the stressful
from Top: Gnudi
part of this trip. Driving on the left
and artichokes at side of the road was what really
Vasse Felix, made me anxious. I stuck a Post-it
Margaret River’s note on the steering wheel of my
first winery;
rental car: stay left, it read, with

from t o p : c o u r t e s y of va s s e fel i x w i n er y; A n d re w Wat s o n / G E TTY I M AG E S

Leeuwin-
Naturaliste an arrow for emphasis. The agent
National Park. chuckled as I pulled out of the lot.
I made the trek to “Margs,” as
locals call the area, primarily for the
wine. The case can be made that it’s
Australia’s best wine region because
of the sophisticated restraint that
vintners pour into its top bottles.
(Cabernet Sauvignon is the star
grape here, followed closely by
Chardonnay.) There are nearly 100
wineries open for tastings, many of
which are located north of the town
of Margaret River along a
16-kilometer stretch of Caves Road,
where patches of forest alternate
with honey-colored pastures. There
are no fees—the winemakers are
just thrilled you made it to see them.

60  d e c e mb e r 2 0 1 6 / t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m

But Margs has a lot to offer
beyond the wine. It’s one of the most
free-spirited places I’ve ever visited,
and the people here have struck an
enviable work-life balance. Because
the coastline falls inside 375-square-
kilometer Leeuwin-Naturaliste
National Park—a constantly shifting
landscape of granite cliffs, scrubby
forests and golden sands—the
beaches are pristine. “Surf culture
runs deep here,” said Will Berliner,
when we met at his winery,
Cloudburst. “If there’s a big swell
that day, your plumber might be late
to fix your sink.”
An expat who fled New York and
from t o p : c o u r t e s y of va s s e fel i x w i n er y; E L E M E NTS M A R GA R E T R IV E R / C O U R T E SY O F M O R R I E S
from left:
Handpicking
Chardonnay
grapes; Morries, an
upscale tavern in
Margaret River.
singularly Australian knack for
creating a casual atmosphere while
quietly delivering major
sophistication—here in the form of
dishes like beet gnocchi with citrus
ricotta and almond-garlic purée.
After dinner, I drove half an
hour on Caves Road to the serene
Injidup Spa Retreat, which is
perched high on a bluff overlooking
the cobalt Indian Ocean. (Most of the
top hotels are just to the north of the
wineries.) When I first checked in
and had trouble connecting to the
wonky Wi-Fi, manager Lisa
Maclaren smiled and said: “Good
luck with that.” But I soon discovered
husband, Denis. “And we have more
than a hundred thousand visitors a
year, so they figure it out.” Many of
these guests come for the summer
outdoor concert series, which takes
place on the lush lawn every year.
The two chipper septuagenarians
don’t make wine anymore, but are
never far away from whatever’s
going on at Leeuwin. When I stopped
by for a tasting, the Horgans told me
that back in the early days, they
enlisted the help of a knowledgeable
friend. “Neither of us knew anything
before we met Bob Mondavi,”
recalled Tricia, of the man who put
Napa Valley wine on the map. “He
told us what to plant and where to
plant it.”
Those decisions were made
easier by the climate. “We’re a warm
region with an air conditioner,”
Virginia Willcock, the chief vintner
at the well-regarded Vasse Felix,
explained to me over a lunch of
roasted root vegetables topped with
toasted barley and dill at the

his film-industry job in 2003 to that you’re not here to troll

become a winemaker, Berliner now
makes three exquisite bottlings
using biodynamic farming practices.
(You can find his wines in top U.S.
restaurants like Alinea in Chicago
and the French Laundry in Napa
Valley.) As Berliner drove me in a
pickup truck around his 101-hectare
property, he sent gangs of kangaroos
scattering. “There’s a real wildness
here,” he said. On cue, Australian
ringnecks yakked above us in a karri
tree. “There’s really no industry—
except wine and tourism.”
That evening, Berliner and I
shared a bottle of his 2013
Chardonnay, which had incredible
apple and lemon blossom flavors, at
Morries, his favorite restaurant in
the town of Margaret River. The co-
owners, Anthony Janssen, Alex
Brooks and Tony Howell (who is also
the executive chef) have that
Instagram (though I did manage to
post a few photos). You’re here to
stare at the coast from your private
plunge pool. Injidup’s romantic,
isolated setting soon made the rest of
the world seem irrelevant.
Leeuwin Estate, which is
Margaret River’s most famous
winery and is renowned for its rich
and complex Art Series
Chardonnays, also feels worlds away
from reality. Set on a former cattle
ranch, the wood-and-adobe building
with a corrugated-metal roof
appears a bit dated at first. The
modernized interior, however, has
both a farm-to-table restaurant and
a gallery showing paintings by
Aussie artists.
“People like an adventure—they
like to find you at the end of the
road,” says Tricia Horgan, who
founded Leeuwin in 1974 with her

t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m  /   d e c e mb e r 2 0 1 6 61
/ beyond /d i s c o v e r y
winery’s restaurant. She was
referring to the ocean that provides
balance to the warm grape-growing
season. Willcock’s Cabernets have
what she calls “a savory, floral,
earthy quality,” which she attributes
to the cool, dry breezes.
Vasse Felix was Margaret River’s
first-ever winery, established in
1967—and it still delivers one of the
area’s most elegant experiences. The
two-story tasting room has walls
clad in reclaimed timber, and its
concrete floors are painted to a dark
gloss. At the restaurant, chef Aaron
Carr’s cuisine far surpasses typical
winery fare; he offers a A$95, Asian-
influenced tasting menu that might
include kingfish, served alongside
eel and wasabi, or a banana dessert
with miso, yuzu and peanuts.
If Vasse Felix is the region’s
established heavyweight, then Si
Vintners is its devil-may-care
upstart. Run by Iwo Jakimowicz,
who founded the 12-hectare, all-
natural winery along with his wife,
Sarah Morris, in 2010, Si has an
Caves Road, the main winery-lined path that runs through the Margaret River region.
62  d e c e mb e r 2 0 1 6 / t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m
You’re not here to troll Instagram.
You’re here to stare at the coast
from your private pool
austere, by-appointment-only
tasting room. “We’re constantly
broke, but at least we have passion,”
Jakimowicz joked when I met him
one afternoon. The wine-making
couple, who honed their craft while
living in Spain, make an exquisite
Chardonnay, a standout rosé, and a
wonderful blend of Cab, Malbec and
Petit Verdot.
Surprisingly, I didn’t see many
tourists during my winery visits,
which only added to Margaret
River’s off-the-beaten-path charm.
But that vibe is in danger of
changing when a A$60 million
airport expansion wraps up in
Busselton, a city on the edge of
Margaret River, in 2018. Some locals
feel that an influx of visitors will
change the area’s unassuming,
quirky character.
For now, though, Margaret River
is still a peaceable kingdom—one
with an outdoorsy, Australian edge.
On my last night at Injidup,
Maclaren hosted a barbecue for me.
The guests included Berliner as well
as Brad and Jodee Adams, the
founders of Ocean Grown Abalone.
When the couple aren’t at the beach,
they’re eco-farming the mollusk on
artificial reefs set at the bottom of
Flinders Bay, some 72 kilometers
away. Maclaren put some of their
fresh abalone on the grill, and we
chatted on the wooden deck outside
my villa. As the sun set in an orange
blaze and the night air turned cool,
Berliner uncorked a bottle of his
Chardonnay. I had never traveled
this far from home, but I was
already thinking about how soon I
could get myself back.
A u s t r a l i a n S c e n i c s / G E TTY I M AG E S
the details
GETTING THERE
Airlines that fly directly
from Asia to Perth include
AirAsia X, Cathay Pacific,
Singapore Airlines and Thai.
HOTELS
Cape Lodge This 22-room
hotel offers some of the
area’s most luxurious
lodging. Its rooms are
decorated in an earth-tone
palette and feature many
locally made items, like
Vasse Virgin bath products.
Yallingup; capelodge.com.au;
doubles from A$440.
Injidup Spa Retreat With
their white stone, light-wood
trim, and sisal rugs, the 10
villas clustered on a
magnificent bluff right on
the Indian Ocean
immediately encourage
relaxation. The beach below
is pristine, empty and
seemingly endless.
Yallingup; injidupsparetreat.
com.au; villas from A$640.
Smiths Beach Resort A
full-service beachfront
property perfect for
families. Many of the rooms
resemble stand-alone
condos and are clustered
around an infinity pool. It
also has a tennis court and
an excellent restaurant.
Yallingup; smithsbeach
resort.com.au; doubles from
A$276.
RESTAUR ANTS
Miki’s Open Kitchen Take a
seat at the three-sided bar
and watch chef Mikihito
Nagai and his assistants
whip up dishes like
mushroom tempura and
kingfish sashimi. Margaret
River; fb.com/mikis
openkitchen; tasting menu
A$60.
Morries Try the charcuterie
board or the creatively
combined scallops and
venison at one of the best
restaurants in the area. It’s
open for lunch and dinner,
and the tapas menu is
perfect for anyone on the
tasting trail. Margaret River;
morries.com.au; mains
A$28–$34.
Riversmith A smartly
converted gas station run by
a mother-son duo serves
breakfast and lunch and
offers local jams, jellies and
honey in the back. Margaret
River; riversmith.com.au;
mains A$9–$27.
Studio Bistro Set within a
lush garden in a clean-lined
modern building, this
restaurant has an eclectic
menu that includes dishes
like prawn dumplings and
fiery Malaysian duck curry.
Yallingup; thestudiobistro.
com.au; mains A$31–$42.
WINERIES
Cape Mentelle Founded in
1970, this winery was one of
the region’s pioneers. The
property is now owned by
LVMH and is producing some
of the best Cabernet
Sauvignons in the area. Take
the hour-long, behind-the-
scenes tour. Margaret River;
capementelle.com.au.
Leeuwin Estate A Margaret
River original tucked away
from the main roads. It’s
famous for its concert
series, held on the tree-
ringed lawn, and for its Art
Series Chardonnays, which
are getting better all the
time. leeuwinestate.com.au. HERITAGE OF SERENITY
Si Vintners The young
couple running this small-
production winery does a
range of varieties, from
Pinot Noir and Cabernet to
Chardonnay and Semillon.
Rosa Glen; sivintners.com.
Vasse Felix A beautiful,
full-service winery with
lovely garden-studded
grounds and a tasting room
covered in stone and wood.
An all-day “Cape to Vine”
tour is A$488. Margaret
Escape to the peace and tranquility of Kamandalu Ubud, a
River; vassefelix.com.au. 5-star boutique resort situated amid lush paddyfields in the
green hills of Ubud. From your very own Balinese-inspired villa,
step out to enjoy the warm hospitality of our staff and explore
the natural surroundings that lie just beyond.
Jalan Andong
Banjar Nagi
Ubud, Bali 80571
Indonesia
T +62 361 975 825
reservation@kamandaluresort.com
www.kamandaluresort.com
/ beyond /T h e Sc e n e
Artist Kamin
Lertchaiprasert by
his eerily realistic
model of a woman
at Maiiam Museum.
Bohemian Rhapsody
Long a laid-back center for creative types, Chiang Mai’s art world is on the cusp of stardom.
Diana Hubbell stops by new galleries, and chats with the artists reshaping this free-spirited
enclave. Photogr aphed by Cedric Arnold
It’s Tuesday night, but the bar is packed and a scruffy boho
bunch clutching Thai whiskey-and-sodas spills into the street.
Though there’s no real stage at Northgate Jazz Co-Op, the crowd
makes room for the musicians, who are jamming in full swing.
Pharadon “Por” Phonamnuai, a saxophonist and one of the owners,
stops to mingle before diving back into the fray. In between solos,
he bellows, “Does anybody want to join in?”
People do. A young Shanghainese woman who’s been in town all
of six hours starts riffing bebop, followed by a Thai university
student with a boyish bob and 80s-style bottle-rim glasses who
barely looks old enough to be in a bar. She sidles up, flashes her
braces in a shy smile, then lifts the mic stand clean off the floor and
lets loose a thundering alto a la Ella Fitzgerald. The whole room
roars in approval.
“We’re musicians, but we wanted to create a space for all the
arts,” Paul Sugars, one of the other co-owners, tells me during a
break. Both this and their other joint, Thapae East—an industrial
venue decked out in the requisite exposed brick that hosts
exhibitions, installations and all sorts of performance pieces—
serve as de facto centers for Chiang Mai’s creative community. “Art
64  d e c e mb e r 2 0 1 6 / t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m
for art’s sake” often rings hollow, but the old
Lanna capital has an allure that has little to do
with commerce, since the local market for art
is still trailing behind regional creative hubs
Hong Kong and Singapore. This is one of the
rare places where off beat projects, free from
the whims of deep-pocketed collectors,
encourage artists to produce work simply for
the sheer madcap joy of it. Lured by the
prospect of finding like-minded individuals,
international names have been passing
through or setting up studios here for years.
Slowly but surely, though, the scene is
evolving, with a spate of openings including
the ambitious Hern Gallery and the arrival last
summer of Maiiam Contemporary Art
Museum. Many of these newcomers boast
sleeker designs in keeping with their polished,
profitable brethren abroad. In fact, there are so
many art spaces that the city launched its first
gallery night earlier this year and now prints
maps to help visitors suss out the best ones.
Though the number of local collectors remains
low and government funding all but
nonexistent, interest from outsiders is high
enough that boutique hotels, like the new Art
Mai, are seeking to capitalize on the travelers
checking out the creative scene. Chiang Mai’s
dreamers may still dwell on the fringe, but the
rest of the world is starting to take notice, and
those living within are hoping the community
can maintain its avant-garde vibe. With any
luck, the long incubation period prior to
commercial success will preserve that weird
soul, even as the art movement grows up and
looks to sell its work to a larger global audience.
“Chiang Mai’s a big hub for creative people
from all over. I know a lot of foreign artists
who come here just to work,” says Chumpol
“Tua” Taksapornchai, a painter who runs
Matoom Art Space. Soft spoken, with long hair
and a bunch of piercings, he’s made himself a
fixture in town by organizing exhibitions for
others and helping to launch the popular
Shambhala in Your Heart Festival. Virtually
all of his work sells to collectors abroad, but the
from left: Find handmade crafts sourced from neighboring hill tribes at Rare Earth Tribal Art; tea for two at the serene Hotel des
Artists Ping Silhouette; food vendors and shop stalls ripe for the browsing at Chang Puak North Gate Market.
Bangkok native has no intention of leaving his northern home. “I
travel to Tokyo, Hong Kong, even Europe to sell most of my pieces,
but I come back here to paint,” Tua says. “It’s like a village up here
and I’ve always felt welcome. It’s hard to explain, but there’s this
sense that in Chiang Mai anything you want to create, you can.”
That can-do ethos manifests best in artist-run projects where
people from different disciplines push one another to take their
ideas to their logical—or, more often, gleefully illogical—extremes.
To find out more, I head out to nearby Doi Saket via a tuk-tuk, a
two-hour-long ride on a bumpy local bus, and finally a motorbike,
to a lush patch of land well off any sort of grid that hosts
ComPeung, the first independent artist residency in Thailand. Over
the last decade, Pisithpong “Ong” Siraphisut has hosted roughly
120 artists from all over the globe in structures he built himself
using mud and recycled bags of pet food. The meter-thick walls,
decorated with murals inside and out, swallow mobile phone
signals whole.
I join Ong, along with a visiting couple of installation artists
from San Francisco and a British photographer living in Sweden,
for bowls of vegetarian khao soi, northern Thailand’s beloved
noodles in yellow curry. As we wander the grounds after lunch, he
tells me, “I found this land 10 years ago and just fell in love with it.
Personally, I feel like this is my ongoing art project.” Thousands of
trees, all saplings and all planted by Ong and his wife, grow wild,
their trunks spindly and roots deep. Remnants of past installations
linger decaying in the thickets and clearings. We pass a Thai-style
t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m  /   d e c e mb e r 2 0 1 6 65
/ beyond /T h e Sc e n e
from left: Torlarp Larpjaroensook, artist and gallery-owner, with his work at Gallery Seescape; make time to reflect at Maiiam
Contemporary Art Museum; northern Thai specialties are on the menu at Art Mai hotel.
spirit house painted in lurid hues, a luxury condo for birds, a
dilapidated pagoda where an Australian woman conducted a
marriage ceremony for herself and a puppet dubbed “Ideal
Husband,” and a massive, wire-mesh framework covered in vines
spelling the word y e s. One of the San Franciscans is on her hands
and knees, reshaping the landscape piece by piece with a spade. She
waves a dusty glove as we pass.
“Being independent gives us some freedom,” Ong says. “Since
the community has never relied on government funds, artists are
able push boundaries with fewer fears of censorship or deadlines.
We’re more interested in the process than the final products. We
really encourage artists to try out new things. We want them to
know: ‘this is a playground for you.’”
That playful side is also what initially drew Sutthirat “Som”
Supaparinya. A svelte, composed woman dressed smartly in
monochromatic tones, she greets me with quiet warmth at the new
Asian Culture Station off of humming Nimmanhaemin Road. “It’s a
supportive environment and it’s easy to meet the more successful
artists who work here, even if they mainly sell their works abroad
or in Bangkok,” she tells me in the sparse, white room lined with
shelves of coffee table tomes. “Here, there are so many community
and artist-run spaces where people can try to do different kinds of
projects outside of the frame of selling things. It’s a place that gives
you greater freedom to produce something you want to do.”
Part of Som’s ambition is to give the artists who come here more
outlets for financial sustainability without sacrificing that freedom.
66  d e c e mb e r 2 0 1 6 / t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m
From this space, she and the other founders of
Chiang Mai Art Conversation (CAC) organize
exhibitions, lectures, symposiums, writing
workshops, and other events to spread
awareness about the city’s cultural landscape.
Last year, in collaboration with The Jim
Thompson Art Center, CAC printed the first-
ever “art map,” which lists galleries, salons,
artist residences and museums. The free
brochure is in its second print edition and
gearing up for a third. “In the past, artists
mostly needed to create a temporary space for
their projects,” she says. “Now there are more
opportunities for them to show their work than
there were 10 years ago.”
The biggest opportunity at the moment is
the Maiiam Contemporary Art Museum, the
passion project of Eric Bunnag Booth, the
international marketing director for Jim
Thompson, and Jean Michel Beurdeley, his
stepfather. Set in a 3,000-square-meter
warehouse refurbished by architectural firm
Allzone, the building boasts rotating
exhibitions, as well as an impressive selection
of works by Thai artists from the family’s
private collection. Its splashy debut in July >>
/ beyond /T h e Sc e n e
marked the arrival of Chiang Mai’s first
showcase of this caliber and has the potential
to lure more art aficionados to the area. When I
arrive, Kamin Lertchaiprasert, the artist
whose lifetime retrospective is currently on
display, shakes my hand at the door. A part-
time professor for at Chiang Mai University
and one of the cofounders of The Land
Foundation, which supports the local art
community and some of the more alternative
lifestyles that go with it, he’s one of the region’s
best-known and most prolific visionaries.
“Chiang Mai’s art scene already has many
alternative elements, but this is not just
another artist-run project. It’s more
professional,” Kamin tells me. That added level
of organization and funding manifests in
carefully curated exhibits showing a range of
work that smaller galleries could never hope to
display. “[Eric] is based in Bangkok, but when
he decided to build a museum, he chose Chiang
Mai because of the community here.”
In comparison to the earthen buildings of
ComPeung, the modernist white walls and
corridors of Maiiam might come across as too sleek or sterile, were
it not for the contents. Kamin’s pieces, which begin with a painting
he made when he was just 15 years old, span all sorts of media and
genres, encompassing everything from traditional oils to hundreds
of glazed clay pots to video installations to a grinning golden skull
with a walk-in, meditation chamber. On the way out, I almost
stumble into the culminating piece, a hyper-realistic fiberglass
woman titled Living Kindness positioned before an abstract bronze
work. I have to stop myself from mumbling, “excuse me” to her
glazed, lifeless eyes.
Kamin watches, amused. Though arguably one of Thailand’s
most successful contemporary artists (his exhibition “Sitting
(Money)” was on display at the Guggenheim for two years), he never
seems to take himself too seriously. To better interact with visitors,
he built a miniature cubic hut resembling a teahouse in the middle
of the museum. On Mondays, if he finds someone interesting, he’ll
invite them in for a chat about art, life, death or anything at all.
As for Chiang Mai’s current lack of local buyers, he remains
unconcerned, even optimistic. “For me, the market should come
after you develop this kind of community. If the market comes first,
that’s no good—you would lose so many interesting things,” he tells
me. “Right here, right now, you have no choice. You have to create
for your heart, not for your business.” The creative freedom
beckons, “does anybody want to join in?” People do.

the details
HOTELS
Art Mai Gallery Hotel From
the lobby adorned with
rotating exhibitions to the
slick suites sporting works by
Thai painters including Jitsing
Somboon and Charoon
Boonsuan, this clever boutique
takes its commitment to
creativity seriously. Canvases
and easels are on-hand should
you be tempted to produce
your own masterwork.
artmaigalleryhotel.com;
doubles from Bt3,200.
Hotel des Artists Ping
Silhouette At this serene
hideaway nestled on the Ping
River, chinoiserie details,
antiques and objets d’arte set
the mood. Inspired by the
area’s old merchant trading
alleys, the Café des Artists is
perfect for an impromptu
salon. hotelartists.com/
pingsilhouette; doubles from
Bt5,500.
RESTAURANT
Cuisine de Garden Endlessly
inventive, seasonal tasting
menus—think: liquid onsen
egg served in the shell and
cracked over a warm “nest”
with fragrant foraged
mushrooms—with just the
right wink of molecular-gastro
sorcery make this ambitious
restaurant worth the drive.
fb.com/cuisinedegarden;
tasting menus from Bt1,800.
CAFES
Arttitude Gallery Cold-
pressed juices are named for
famous painters—order a
Monet Sunrise with pineapple,
carrots and passion fruit—at
this funky exhibition space
wreathed in greenery. fb.com/
arttitudegallery.
Ristr8to Lab Baristas at this
new branch of Chiang Mai’s
most Instagrammable coffee
shop take latte art to new
SUBSCRIBER DEALS
Awarded by www.royalplaza.com.sg/subscriber-deals
heights with fiendishly
complicated designs on top of
custom-crafted blends and
single-origin brews. ristr8to-
coffee-chiangmai.com.
BARS
Northgate Jazz Co-Op
Swing by on a Tuesday night
for a free-for-all jam session,
where you’ll find local artists
and musicians swaying to the
rhythms until late. fb.com/ C
northgate.jazzcoop.
Thapae East From open mic M
nights and poetry readings, to
live jazz and photography Y
exhibitions, this venue just CM
outside the old town is where
Chiang Mai’s cool kids gather MY
for culture and craft beers.
fb.com/ThapaeEast. CY
CMY
activities
Asian Culture Station K
asianculturestation.cac-art.
info.
ComPeung compeung.org.
Gallery Seescape fb.com/
galleryseescape.
Hern Gallery fb.com/
herngallery.
Maiiam Contemporary Art
Museum maiiam.com.
Matoom Art Space
matoomartspace.com.
SHOPS
Cha Chaa Slow Pace
Exquisite textiles, which are
either designed by the owner
or woven by hand in Laos,
Thailand, India, China or
Afghanistan, are the big draw
here. fb.com/
chachaaslowpace.
Rare Earth Tribal Art The
handmade crafts that the
owner painstakingly sources
from neighboring hill tribes
are a far cry from the tourist
trinkets sold in many of the
stores. fb.com/rarearthart.
subscribe now!
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 THE NEXT
P h o t o - i ll u s t r at i o n b y m at t c h a s e . So u r c e p h o t o s : Ge t t y Im a g e s

Big Ideas in Travel

Hotels made of bamboo, socially conscious cruising, floating trains

and fast architecture—meet the innovations that will shape your travel experiences
for years to come.

t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m  /   d e c e mb e r 2 0 1 6 73
 big ideas
design

Calling We were just 80 kilometers away from Singapore,

on a boat cruising through the Riau archipelago in the

doctor
South China Sea, but we might as well have been lost in
the middle of nowhere. We skimmed over water of ever-
shifting shades of blue, the sky dotted with the occasional

bamboo
fluffy cloud. I was traveling with Australian banker
turned hotelier Andrew Dixon, and our destination was
the private Indonesian island of Cempedak—a new
resort made almost entirely out of bamboo that will open
A pioneering hotelier is taking next March. As we approached, I could make out the
sustainable design to new curved roofs of the finished villas, looking like the backs
heights on a tiny island in of enormous armadillos nestled into the surrounding
jungle. Our boat docked at the end of a narrow wooden
Indonesia. Gisela Williams has jetty and we made our way to shore. To our right, in
the first look. a tiny sandy cove, was a tower made of black bamboo
with a cone-shaped thatched roof of grasses harvested
in Sumatra. “That will be the bar,” Dixon said with a grin. I marveled at its height—some two
stories—and wondered aloud how bamboo could possibly support such a structure. “It has a tensile
strength greater than steel, and it’s a grass, so when you cut it, the plant doesn’t die,” he explained.
“It grows faster than any other plant. Some species can grow a meter in a day. And it doesn’t require
The view from a irrigation or fertilizer.”
C h r i s t o p h er W i s e

beach villa on I originally met Dixon—who is often barefoot and in worn T-shirts—in 2007, when he began
Cempedak with a
thatched roof and
to wrap his mind around this concept. He had just opened his first private-island resort, Nikoi, not
a private saltwater too far from Cempedak. He and his wife, Julia, had bought a small island in 2004 with a group of
plunge pool. friends. Initally, they intended to turn it into a laid-back holiday escape for family and friends, but

74  d e c e mb e r 2 0 1 6 / t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m
 decided they could do better. “Why not train
and employ locals who would get a share of the
revenue?” he told me. “It makes a bigger, more
positive impact.”
But Cempedak—whose name refers to a
native fruit tree—is on another level entirely.
Aside from having the same socially beneficial
practices as Nikoi, it is a pioneer in its radical
use of bamboo, along with other zero- and
low-waste materials and processes. In recent
years, a small but focused group of hoteliers
and designers—many of them now working on
Cempedak—have banded together, hoping to
test the limits of bamboo, this most traditional
of building materials. In the process, they’re
changing our concept of what sustainable
accommodations can look and feel like.
Over the past decade, Nikoi has won an
impressive number of eco-awards and earns
Dixon and his investors a healthy profit. With
15 private houses and an idyllic beach, grass
tennis courts and, at other end of the island,
two stone pools, it is both wildly paradisiacal
and refined. “I am a strong believer that people
won’t pay just because it’s sustainable. They’ll
Dixon introduced me to his architectural
team: Bali-based and New Zealand–born
architect Miles Humphreys (he recently
designed the Mandapa in Ubud, which you can
read about further in “The Best Medicine,” page
132) and Emma Maxwell, one of Dixon’s interior
designers. Also present were Cempedak’s two
Balinese architects: Chiko Wirahadi and Ketut
Indra Saputra, both of whom have spent their
careers working on bamboo structures. Bali
is where some of the world’s most innovative
bamboo buildings are being made, and the
innovations there have received international
From below left:
attention. Colleagues of Dixon and his team,
Cempedak villas
such as jewelers John and Cynthia Hardy, also dot the coastline;
the founders of the environmentally focused Dixon (right)
and all-bamboo Green School, in Bali, and reviews plans with
their daughter Elora Hardy have led the effort. his lead architect,
Miles Humphreys
Elora’s company, Ibuku, designs some of the (left), and bamboo-
most breathtaking bamboo buildings you’ll design expert
ever see. Both father and daughter >> Chiko Wirahadi.

A
come because it’s a great experience,” he said.

s I followed Dixon along a

narrow, shaded path that
sloped upward toward one
of Cempedak’s villas, I saw
that it was lined by several
dark granite boulders that
had been split in half. Dixon explained that
the island was littered with them, and that
his team had been burning them for months
in order to make room for the walkway. The
process allowed them to avoid shipping in
compressors and jackhammers and wasting
precious energy. “The objective here,” he said,
“was to minimize the breaking of rocks and
cutting of trees, and to create villas that look
like they have grown out of the ground.”
C h r i s t o p h er W i s e

t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m  /   d e c e mb e r 2 0 1 6 75
 big ideas
design

have given TED Talks as bamboo evangelists,
singing its praises and its possibilities for
changing how we live.
Standing with me in a mock-up villa,
Humphreys explained how they had
manipulated and treated the bamboo to create
a two-story structure with a cresting wave of
a roof, floors polished the color of caramel, and
walls tightly woven in an intricate pattern. A
small, elegant garden surrounded the plunge
pool at the back. Dixon had hesitated about
adding pools, only moving forward with the
design when he discovered he could maintain
them with concentrated salt water generated
by the desalination process used to convert
seawater to drinking water for the resort.
Dixon pointed to a standing fan with
radiating bamboo spokes and commented on
how he found the plastic material of regular
fans not just aesthetically unappealing but

Low Impact, High Style

also wasteful. “A year ago I challenged Chiko
to create one made from bamboo. It took him
a while, but he did. We’ll be using them here,”
Sustainability and luxury ARE at he said. If Wirahadi and Saputra are bamboo
the core of these debuts in china, wizards, Humphreys and Maxwell are relative
sri lanka and nepal. novices with the material. It’s this kind of
unorthodox collaboration that leads to new
1 design, Dixon believes. He wanted Cempedak to
break from the hippie-and-humble associations
Nuo Hotel , Beijing  attached to bamboo by creating interiors that
Beijing’s smog crisis has given way
to some of the world’s greenest were more updated and luxurious. “But in
buildings, including NUO Hotel. a contemporary way that does not compete
With its sophisticated air with the beautiful bamboo forms,” Maxwell
purification system, German
energy-saving architecture and added. Other materials they plan to use include
electric car charging stations, the recycled teak, lava stone, petrified wood and
new hotel is one of the first in bronze, which will be used for the bar top. The
Beijing to be awarded LEED gold
level certification in environmental restaurant’s open kitchen will not be made of
building design. nuohotel.com; from bamboo, but it will have walls built from locally
RMB1,125. salvaged granite.
We ambled over to the towering black-
bamboo bar, accessible on one side by steep

from t o p : c o u r t e s y of n u o h o t el ; c o u r t e s y of t r i ; c o u r t e s y of t h e pav i l i o n s h i m a l aya s

2
Tri
The 11 suites here overlook
the shore of Sri Lanka’s Koggala
Lake, and each is made with living
roofs planted with native creepers.
Tri works with a local energy
consultant to minimize its waste
as much as possible, as evidenced
by the use of solar panels and
recycled wood. The treetop yoga
space is a delightful finishing
touch. trilanka.com; doubles
from US$248.
3
The Pavilions Himalayas, Nepal  shapes from it.”
The 15 villas of this resort are
nestled in a quiet valley near
Pokhara, surrounded by farmland.
The resort uses solar power and
bio-gas, recycles its waste water,
and grows most of its food. The
plastic they use is biodegradable
and even the toiletries are made of
sustainably harvested wood.
thepavilions.global; from US$140.
—V eronica In v een
stairs and on another by a Raiders of the Lost
Ark–style bamboo bridge that linked us back
to the main restaurant. “The topography here,
with all the huge boulders and steep inclines,
is so mad, we are constantly thinking on the
move,” Maxwell said. The height of the bar,
situated on a terrace, was chosen so that sitting
there would make you feel as if you were
floating above the tree line. The conical bamboo
roof looked to me like the spiraling interior of a
giant conch shell. “It’s such a simple material,”
Humphreys explained of the thatch. “It’s grass.
But it is not primitive. You can make amazing
Dixon was most excited to show me the
resort’s back-of-house. We walked down a
path that led to dormitory-style buildings with
beautifully woven bamboo walls and sleeping
quarters for the staff that were as pleasing
as the villas. We stopped at the wastewater
garden, a string of beds filled with papyrus
plants and Poaceae grasses blooming with
large purple flowers. When waste­water

76  d e c e mb e r 2 0 1 6 / t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m
 passes through the roots of these plants, they
extract toxins and clean the water so it can be
reused for irrigation. “We’ll also collect rain­
water like we do at Nikoi, but Cempedak is my
opportunity to improve on Nikoi,” Dixon said.
“Here I can take the infrastructure up a notch
in terms of efficacy and the latest technologies.”
When the Balinese architects, who brought
with them dozens of Balinese workers,
originally broke ground, they insisted on
bringing in priests to bless the project and the
island’s ancestors. Dixon happily obliged. “This
is a sacred island,” Saputra said. He pointed
to a crooked andong tree. “The priests said a
woman spirit lives in that old tree. So we built
around it.” The priests also created an altar that
sits under another tree nearby.
We returned to Nikoi, where Dixon showed
me a small contraption hidden in the growth:
four dishes, half-filled with water, that attract
mosquitoes to lay their eggs. The vessels are
programmed to flood and kill the eggs. “It’s
more effective than spraying pesticides,” he purples. I understood why a person would
The all-bamboo
explained. “I’m not in this for the marketing. never want to leave. And I admired Dixon’s bedroom interior of
Being less wasteful is also excellent for your effort to minimize his footprint. “There are a Cempedak villa.
bottom line.” Every detail is considered with hundreds of uninhabited islands in this and the
two equal criteria in mind: luxury and ecology. neighboring archipelagoes,” Dixon said, adding
The sun was setting as we joined that he was looking into buying another. “If you
Humphreys for a dinner of fresh prawns—the sailed to it from here it would take twenty-four
seafood, and as much produce as possible, is hours,” he said. “A seaplane would be useful.”
sourced locally—at a table overlooking Nikoi’s Maybe he’ll build one out of bamboo. cempedak.
beach. The sky was washed in vivid pinks and com; doubles from US$400.
n
io
ta t
r h
t
o ig
sp l
n ot

In Japan, Japan has long been at the forefront of

a sp

transportation technology—for half a century, its

Transit Is
bullet trains have whisked people between cities at up
r
T

to 320 kilometers per hour. Construction is now under

way on the world’s fastest magnetic levitation line,

Light-Years the Chuo Shinkansen, which will float trains between

Tokyo and Nagoya at more than 500 kph. The trip will
c h r isto ph er wi se . i llu str at io n by m at t c hase

Ahead take 40 minutes, compared with three hours for a

similar-length Amtrak journey between Washington,
D.C., and New York City. Though rail companies have
long prioritized speed over aesthetics, Seibu Railway’s new Limited Express cars,
coming in 2018, have upended that. They have chameleon-like aluminum skins
that will blend with the landscape by mirroring it as they speed from the verdant
valleys of Saitama Prefecture into Tokyo. Japan is also a pioneer in fully
automated vehicles. Self-driving buses will launch in the city of Chiba this year,
shuttling up to 12 people on predefined paths. And for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo,
local company Robot Taxi plans to offer an Uber-like service of self-driving cabs
between the competition venues and attractions. A countrywide rollout will
eventually follow. — Yonah Freemark

t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m  /   d e c e mb e r 2 0 1 6 77
 big ideas
technology

PH OTO- I LLUSTR ATION BY au tc h a ra pan p ha i . SOU RC E PHOTOS : © Sh u tt erd o /Drea msti me. com ( C h ristia nst ed N ationa l Histor ic Sit e ); co urtesy of pix els ( H a nd )
the blue dot Google is building the
Internet’s most
revolution comprehensive map, one
backpack at a time. Tom
In the gravel parking lot at Rainbow Beach, a popular, Vanderbilt joins the tech
calm-watered spot on St. Croix, in the U.S. Virgin Islands, giant in St. Croix to see how
Google’s Mara Harris is struggling to stay upright. Her horse,
Firefly, keeps nervously shifting and stomping. “She’s
it’s recording the world’s
probably not used to the extra weight,” says Jennifer Olah, remotest corners—and in the
proprietor of Cruzan Cowgirls, a local horse-rescue outfit that process redefining how we
runs beach riding tours. The extra weight is a 20-kilogram
contraption strapped to Harris’s back: the Google Trekker.
get from one place
The custom camera rig, which captures imagery for Google’s to another.
Street View program, sits in a military-style backpack and
has a towering extension topped by a large green orb. People often mistake it for a jet pack.
I take all this in from atop my own horse, Crow, who is more concerned with munching grass
on the sly than with Harris’s curious appendage. But then, the clouds that had suddenly gathered
begin to yield drops. A Google technician scrambles to retrieve a black garbage bag to protect the
Trekker’s lenses. As it turns out, if there’s one thing horses like less than an extra-heavy rider
wearing a robot pack, it’s having a plastic bag flapping above their heads. Firefly bolts, circling in
the parking lot, Harris and the Trekker nearly tipping off before she pulls off an admirable save
and rights herself.

78  d e c e mb e r 2 0 1 6 / t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m
 W
e are on St. Croix success. He gestures to a colorful tourist map in
because the largest of a rack of brochures. “That’s more accurate.”
the Virgin Islands is It’s hard to overstate the ubiquity of Google
nearly impossible to Maps in the modern world—and never more so
navigate using Google than when we travel. One in five Google
Maps. “Right now, if you searches is related to location, and the figure
tried to get to the airport, it would put you into jumps to one in three when the search is
Estate Kingshill—which is not where the performed on a mobile device. When you take
airport is,” says Kirk G. Thompson, the local an Uber to your
point man on Google’s effort to map the island,
over coffee at the Avocado Pitt in Christiansted,
Airbnb (which you
cased on Street View) Anyone from pro
the island’s biggest town. “And an airport’s a
rather large thing to miss!” How about the
and then find a place to
eat using TripAdvisor,
photographers
botanical gardens, one of the island’s Top 10 you’re relying on data to travelers can
apply for a
destinations? “That sends you somewhere in from Google Maps. On
the rain forest.” Thompson worked for tech and a recent hike to Finger

outdoor companies (with a stint at the U.S. State
Department) on the “mainland” before coming
to St. Thomas, then to St. Croix, where, he jokes,
“St. Thomians come to relax.” He co-owns N2
the Blue, a popular dive shop in Frederiksted,
which is how he came to be so deeply involved
in Google’s mapping effort. As he points out,
instead of giving exact addresses, Cruzans tend
to say things like, “take a right at the pink
house,” which works fine—until the house is
painted blue. But if we were to open Google
Maps and try to use it to find our way across the
island, we would have very little chance of
t t
u igh
y
ea l
b ot
camera loan
Rock, in Arizona, I lost
the trail. I stumbled
about for a while and
was about to turn back when, in a moment of
casual desperation, I opened Google Maps. I (or
the little blue dot that was me) was just a bit to
the left of the trail—faint in real life but
ridiculously clear on the map.
The map is not the territory, goes the old
saying, but the app is the world. And yet Google
Maps is far from infallible. It seems like every
week there is a story of tourists who were
directed into a private driveway instead of a >>

Bangkok and
sp

Travelers looking for a little more than a spiritual lift should head to
Bangkok and Hong Kong where medi-spa technology is having a moment. The

Hong Kong for

golden mean between traditional facials and more drastic measures—like
cosmetic surgery and injections—is quickly gaining ground in these two hopping
medical-tourism hubs. A popular new alternative to cosmetic fillers, Second

Anti Aging Peau by Biologique Recherche is an electrospun cosmetic mask created via a
technology similar to 3-D printing, harnessing electronic force to weave the
nanofibers of hyaluronic acid into patches that are placed strategically across
the face, banishing fine lines and wrinkles. This treatment is on offer at the
Peninsula Bangkok (bangkok.peninsula.com; Bt6,500) and the Four Seasons
Hong Kong (fourseasons.com/hongkong/spa; 60-minute treatment HK$3,000).
Striding in line with this trend, Divana Medical Spa has opened a new branch in
Bangkok, Divana Nurture Spa (divanaspa.com/NurtureSpa; 70-minute Sensitive
Shining Oxygen facial Bt3,500), combining classic Thai healing practices, like
i llust r ati on by m att c h ase

warm herbal compresses and traditional massage, with new medical tech, like
oxygen-spray hydradermabrasion facials and the intravenous supplementation
of vitamins and minerals. The space, a 1,600-square-meters oasis in the
middle of buzzing Sukhumvit 11, with a courtyard and treatment rooms spread
out across a two-story colonial-style house, is also slated to host week-long
longevity and age-reversal retreats next year. — Merritt Gurley

t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m  /   d e c e mb e r 2 0 1 6 79
 big ideas
technology

national park. In 2010, Nicaragua blamed

Google Maps for a misguided invasion of Costa
Decoding to map obscure
places, google’s

the Camera
street-view cameras
Rica. For someone like Thompson, an have gone from
unreliable map is just bad for business. “You vehicle to backpack.
might have had the greatest time diving, or
horseback riding,” he says. “But if you get lost,
it might sour the entire experience.” In other
words, as our faith in Google Maps grows, when
we do get lost, we might subconsciously take it
out on the destination. Travelers now expect
weighty matters
that punching “coffee” into Google Maps will The Google Trekker’s All-Seeing E yes
display all nearby cafés. The stakes for base is the size of a The orb is mounted on an
large backpack, and the aluminum rod and
business owners are huge. Not being whole rig weighs 20 contains 15 lenses for
kilograms. getting 360-degree
discoverable on Google Maps is like not being photos. The apparatus
discoverable in a Google search: you are, in

I
extends 60 centimeters
above the backpack.
essence, invisible.

ncreasingly, our movement through snap judgment

The Trekker takes a
time and space is mediated via photo every 2½
screens. As happy as I was to be put seconds; the results
later get edited into a
on the right path in Arizona, the panoramic view.
episode raised the very real
question of what dependence on
smartphones does to us. Research has shown
that people who relied on GPS were less able to
draw the cities they lived in to proper scale, and
less able to create a mental map approximating
where they had been. Maybe I have already lost
some of my ability to detect objects in the real
world, like trail markings.
We travel to see new places, but this all-
powerful compass may confine and restrict our
knowledge. One of the ways we learn, after all,
is by making mistakes. Being somewhere new
should mean stumbling into places by accident,
or dealing with locals in an unfamiliar staying power
language, or even being so immersed in a place The camera battery
lasts six to eight hours
that it doesn’t really matter if you lose your when fully charged.
way. Yet even when we want to travel off the
beaten path, we still expect to be shown exactly
where that is. And maybe that frees us from the
anxiety and hassle of finding our way, allowing
us to be more in the moment.
In the early days of Street View, the
emphasis was on “giving you a virtual travel
experience,” says Luc Vincent, a senior director
of engineering for Google and the lead engineer
of Street View. The program has evolved from As Vincent tells me, Street View grew from
those somewhat gimmicky origins; the company cofounder Larry Page’s desire to “not
imagery acquired from Street View now just bring the Web to our users, but bring the
i llust r ati on by m c k ib illo

actually makes maps better. The ante was
upped as users began to expect accurate maps
of their destinations and panoramic images as
well. “People wanted to see more detail—not
just the street, but the pedestrian walkway and
every store in a mall,” Vincent says.
world to our users.” After the technology was
condensed into backpack size—opening up all
those places inaccessible to a Street View car,
like the face of Yosemite’s El Capitan, the Burj
Khalifa skyscraper or the “secret cave” of
MythBusters cohost Adam Savage—the >>

80  d e c e mb e r 2 0 1 6 / t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m
 big ideas
technology

company realized “there was no way we could
do it ourselves.” They began lending the
Trekker to governments and tourism boards.
“We wanted to engage communities and
partners who know places better than we do
and who are passionate and can bring those
walked from the end of the pier in Frederiksted
and into town so a theoretical visitor from a
cruise ship (the island gets about 50 ships a
year) might preview the experience.
Street View has been deployed, at least
partially, in some 77 countries—its website

T
places to life through maps.” lists an extensive number of locations around
the world the company plans to map next. But
hompson—who is nothing if places like St. Croix show vividly how daunting
not passionate—is the first a challenge Google faces: the island’s quirky
individual Google tapped to house-numbering system, the road closures
map a territory, in part and other physical changes to the landscape
because he had already been wrought by devastating storms, Google’s
making so many additions as reliance on existing third-party map products.
a civilian to Google’s St. Croix maps and Street Take all those factors and
View. Any user can add to maps, though that multiply them by the It’s hard to
overstate the
has led to the addition of some controversial, number of remote
and since removed, material. Google says that unmapped destinations in

ubiquity of
anyone—from pro photographers to ordinary the world, each with its
travelers—can apply for a camera loan. own idiosyncrasies, and
Thompson is essentially responsible for
accurately mapping St. Croix—and by
you get an idea of the
difficulty. In a moment of Google Maps
extension, creating the virtual experience for
those who take a digital sneak peek before they
cosmic irony during our
filming, Mara Harris tries when we
visit. Over the past months, he has become a
familiar sight on the island, conspicuous with
to use Google Maps to
guide a taxi driver to her
travel
his hiking poles and 20-kilogram appendage, Airbnb lodgings; when that fails, she has to pull
roaming through botanical gardens: dutifully up a satellite image on her iPhone.
tracing 18-hole golf courses; plodding about old Capturing these photos takes training, hard
sugar mills; and embarking on a eight- work and optimal conditions (for usable photos,
kilometer hike around Point Udall, the Street View must operate at midday, when
easternmost point of the territorial United there are no shadows present, and in clear
States, in full Caribbean sun and humidity. He weather). Our plan one afternoon to film the
k ht
in g
s
r li
d t

California Is
o

There are two main ingredients in vodka: grain

sp

and water. So when California’s drought threatened

Making Vodka
one of those things, Hangar One head distiller Caley
Shoemaker—who is based in the state—decided to

from Thin Air

get creative. She looked to the Bay Area’s pervasive
fog for inspiration. Working with FogQuest—a
charity that has collected fog in Nepal to provide
villagers with drinking water—Hangar One placed fog collectors at landmarks like
Sutro Tower. Over six months, they collected 1,000 liters of water, which was then
double-filtered and boiled. “When we got our lab analysis back, we were told the
i ll u s t r at i o n b y m at t c h a s e

water was cleaner than drinking water out of a faucet,” Shoemaker says. The fog
water was combined with a white wine blend from nearby vineyard Bonny Doon. The
result: a smooth sipping vodka with notes of honey and pear. Proceeds from the
2,500 bottles will go toward water conservation in California. To sample it, head to
Hangar One’s new tasting room in Alameda, where you can compare the fog vodka
with Hangar One’s signature version, or sit in the botanical garden, with its views
across the Bay, and watch the inspiration roll in. hangarone.com. — Stephanie Wu

82  d e c e mb e r 2 0 1 6 / t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m
 gorgeous shoreline of Buck Island is canceled
due to rain. We leave the Trekker behind and go
Treasure Google isn’t the only online
platform using digital

Hunters
tools and crowdsourcing
snorkeling instead, under the pier in to catalogue our galaxy
Frederiksted. The vista rivals anything above and its riches, natural and
water: an endless array of deep pillars, otherwise.
stretching into the pale blue murk, each
encrusted with a staggering array of coral and
marine life, from sea horses to frogfish (a fish
that looks, er, rather like a frog). Soon, this view
may too be a click away—Google worked with
the Catlin Seaview Survey, which tracks coral-
reef loss and publishes breathtaking “virtual
dives,” to document Australia’s Great Barrier

I
Reef with a special underwater camera.

am reminded of a line in Greg

Milner’s recent history of GPS,
Pinpoint: “In an age when GPS gives
us a blue dot on a map—and
perhaps also a rich visual image to The Milky Way World Flora global
go along with it—it becomes Project Online xplorer
increasingly difficult to understand that this It’s not just our This initiative, led by This project, led by
understanding of the institutions such as National Geographic
system is imaginary.” For one, it is a rare
Earth that is the New York Explorer and TED
occassion when we stop to question whether the benefiting from Botanical Garden fellow Sarah Parcak,
almighty data might be wrong. Maybe someone citizen-science and the Royal tasks users
projects. In this Botanic Gardens, worldwide with
entered an incorrect data point; maybe the
program, run by Kew, aims to looking through
image was taken a while ago and now there’s an Zooniverse, tens of digitally index (and high-resolution
overpass running past that quaint rental thousands of make available to satellite imagery to
volunteers, sifting everyone) an entire identify unknown
apartment. But, more broadly, it suggests that
from lef t: © De n i s Bel i t s k i y/ Dre a m s t i me . c om ; c h o t i k a s o p i ta r c h a s a k ; © D i a n a D u n l a p/ Dre a m s t i me . c om

through infrared listing of the world’s archaeological sites.

our online tools can only ever be a simulation. satellite imagery, plants—some The program, which
The blue dot on a location-aware map is a have helped 400,000 species. is funded by a TED
scientists locate— The program has prize, is scheduled to
powerful, egocentric metaphor; the 360-degree
with nearly 10 times even sent botanists launch in Peru this
panorama of the Djemaa el-Fna, in Morocco, more success than to South America to month. Parcak’s
may help you feel as if you are there. But you previous surveys— study Brazilian flora. team thinks they
some 5,000 worldfloraonline.org. may have already
will never actually experience a place until you
“bubbles” (places discovered a new
are there. As Alain de Botton puts it in The Art where stars have cemetery in the
of Travel, “we are inclined to forget how formed) in the Milky Nasca region. global​​
Way. milkyway​ xplorer.​org.  — T.V.
much there is in the world besides that which
project.org.
we anticipate.”
Are we also inclined to forget the joy of
serendipity and discovery (and not the
“discovery” coughed up by an online
algorithm)? As the Google Sightseeing
website—an unaffiliated site that takes users our “collect,” as Google calls it. We stride, in
on world tours with Google’s mapping tools— single file, down the empty beach. The Trekker,
cheekily asks, “why bother seeing the world for atop the lead horse, silently snaps a series of
real?” When I ask Vincent if all this panoramic photos—thick rain forest to one
information will dampen our desire to travel, side, the flat turquoise sea on the other. We ride
he thinks for a moment, then brings up the case placidly, sucking up many megabytes of pure
of Pompeii. “It was one of the first places we Caribbean bliss that, months down the road,
sent the Street View tricycle,” he says. “We were anyone will be able to enjoy (well, virtually). But
told by the Italian authorities that foot traffic it is not just about pretty pictures: it’s the latest
has increased substantially since we launched chapter in that perennial human quest to
the imagery.” faithfully capture the world that lies
Back on the beach in St. Croix, the rain lets somewhere between the boundaries of one’s life
up, the garbage bag is removed, and we begin and the edge of imagination.

t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m  /   d e c e mb e r 2 0 1 6 83
 big ideas
conservation

the wild Douglas Tompkins sparked controversy

when he bought nearly a million
frontier hectares of Patagonian wilderness to
donate to local governments. Now, the Tompkins
established
impact of his vision for public-private Parque
Pumalín in
Palena province, in Chilean Patagonia,
is a region of glassy fjords and simmering conservation can be felt from Montana Chilean
Patagonia.
to Mozambique. By Juan Manuel Vial
C h r i s t i a n He i n r i c h / g e t t y i m a g e s

volcanoes, where the Andes rise to splendid,

white-capped heights straight from the sea.
It is home to one of the last remaining stands of the majestic and nearly extinct alerce tree, cousin
to California’s sequoia. The place is grand, uninhabited, wild. And thanks primarily to Douglas
Tompkins—the founder of the North Face and Esprit clothing lines, who died at the age of 72 last
December—it will stay that way.
In 1989, Tompkins piloted his Cessna from San Francisco to Chile and started buying up huge
tracts of land—eventually more than 800,000 hectares—to protect from development. And what
began as a personal mission has become a global model for conservation.

84  d e c e mb e r 2 0 1 6 / t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m
 The idea of privately protecting land travelers also benefit from There are
now more
is not new, according to the International the work. APR offers a
Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). campground and an upscale,
For centuries, powerful people have set aside
hunting grounds, and native communities have
five-yurt compound where
visitors can enjoy prairie private
shielded sacred areas. Acadia National Park, in
Maine, was created in the early 20th century
safari experiences.
In East Africa, Gorongosa protected
with gifts of land, including 4,451 hectares National Park, home to
hippos, crocodiles, elephants
areas than
can be
donated by John D. Rockefeller.
But when Tompkins began buying territory, and an estimated 50 to 70

counted
“no one was doing anything similar in the lions, is the result of a 20-
world, at least not on such an ambitious scale,” year partnership between the
says Chilean journalist Andrés Azócar, who has government of Mozambique
written extensively about the philanthropist. and the Gorongosa Restoration Project. “I saw
Tompkins and his second wife, Kristine a documentary about Doug’s work,” says Greg
McDivitt Tompkins, eventually donated the Carr, the American entrepreneur who founded
Kestrel Camp,
land to Chile and Argentina. The scale of the charity, “and realized that it is possible for at the American
their work was groundbreaking—in part individual philanthropist-conservationists to Prairie Reserve
because such large tracts provide wildlife the make a difference.” in Montana.
neccessary space to roam and thrive, but also
because it helped mainstream the concept of
privately driven protection.
“He really added to the visibility of this type
of conservation,” says Jeff Langholz, professor
at the Middlebury Institute of International
Studies at Monterey and a leading expert in
privately protected areas. “In the last decade or
so, it has become a well-established tool around
the world.”
The IUCN says that there are now more
private protected areas around the world than
can be counted. They include 762 individual
tracts in the vulnerable and highly biodiverse
Atlantic Forest of Brazil and a number of
wetland areas being restored in the Avalon
Marshes of England. Many ambitious projects
have Tompkins to thank for their inspiration.
In Chile alone a number of local millionaires
are following his example.
“He’s really a global hero,” says Larry
Linden, a former Goldman Sachs partner who
helped turn 340,000 hectares of bank-owned
wilderness in Tierra del Fuego, Chile, into
Karukinka Natural Park, with Tompkins’s
quiet assistance.
Similarly, the Montana-based American
Prairie Reserve (APR) aims to create the largest
nature reserve in the U.S. by connecting
more than 1.2 million hectares of private and
public land. “Doug’s boldness, penchant for
problem solving, relentless drive and boundless
ingenuity were a model and an inspiration
De n n i s L i n g o h r

for us,” says APR president and founder Sean

Gerrity. Since 2004, the nonprofit has bought or
leased more than 143,000 hectares, and while
its first priority is conservation, nature-loving

t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m  /   d e c e mb e r 2 0 1 6 85
 big ideas
wellness
Device as Vice
A new breed of retreat wants to separate you from your
screen—for your own good. By Alex French
One Saturday last spring, seven strangers
and I plopped down on leather couches in the
Masseria della Zingara, a beautifully restored
18th-century farmhouse in Puglia, Italy.
Everyone looked a little nervous. It was the first
day of Time to Log Off, a new weeklong retreat
that asks guests to unplug from their devices
while participating in a battery of yoga,
meditation and mindfulness exercises. Tanya
Goodin, the retreat’s founder, passed around a
basket, asking guests to surrender their phones
and declare their intention for the week.
“I really need to catch up on sleep and just
chill the hell out,” said an oil-and-gas executive.
“I’m desperate to feel less frantic, less like I
need to always be sharing to promote my
work,” said a novelist.
86  d e c e mb e r 2 0 1 6 / t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m
When it was my turn, I talked about how I’d
been neglecting my wife and kids in favor of
texting and posting. “My addiction to
technology is nasty,” I confessed. “I’m in need
of a total reset.”
Goodin, the founder of the London-based
digital marketing agency Tamar and a sought-
after speaker on responsible Internet use,
wants to help people like me. The idea for Time
to Log Off came last year during a visit to
Silicon Valley, where she learned that
companies like Google encourage employees to
take digital sabbaticals. “People there could see
the problem—the amount of time we waste
mindlessly scrolling and browsing.” Goodin,
who worked in tech for 20 years, felt her own
attention span had diminished. That insight
was backed up by a Microsoft study last year,
which found that since 2000 the average human
attention span has declined from 12 seconds to
eight—shorter, the researchers claimed, than
the attention span of a goldfish. A growing body
of research from organizations such as the
National Institute of Mental Health links heavy
social-media use to depression.
There’s nothing new about restorative
travel, from spa vacations to meditation
retreats. But programs designed to help us step
away from our digital lives are something of a
growth industry. In addition to Time to Log Off,
there’s San Francisco–based Digital Detox,
which hosts Camp Grounded, a four-day boot
camp in locations around the U.S. for people
looking to break the digital habit. Hotels have
also started helping guests unplug. At Villa
Stéphanie, a wellness retreat in Baden-Baden,
Germany, for example, the bedroom walls have
been embedded with copper plates and coated
in special paint finish to block all Wi-Fi signals
and electricity.
Goodin also organizes digital detox
programs in Cornwall, England, and on Oahu’s
North Shore. “We structure the retreats around
activities that will force guests to focus and be
mindful. If you disconnect from your digital
devices for a week, we will help you reconnect
© S t u a r t Pat t er s o n / Dre a m s t i me . c om
with yourself,” she says.
The symptoms of withdrawal were clear
the first night. Over a vegetarian, alcohol-free
dinner of wild-asparagus lasagna, salad and
apricot tart, the conversation went from the
American presidential election and then-
looming Brexit vote in the U.K. to favored
Instagram accounts and increasingly clever
Internet memes. Afterward, I headed to my
bleached-white hut, located mere steps from
 the swimming pool. I climbed into bed with a e-mails on weekends or after hours when my
Donna Tartt novel, unsure of what the coming family is in the house. Digital-free meals and
week would hold. bathroom breaks. Occasional digital detoxes.
The days that followed were long and Just before I left for the airport, Goodin handed
languorous. They kicked off at 8 a.m. with a me back my phone. For a second, I was tempted
brisk, silent group walk through the cherry, to tell her to keep it.
olive and almond orchards that surround the
farm. The point was to stop thinking so much
and just be there, but in the first days, my mind
caromed from my family to my career to the
NBA playoffs. Goodin told me the “monkey
brain” would improve as the week progressed. Mobile Moratorium
After the walks came two hours of yoga led Four retreats in the region where
by Caroline Dollar, a management consultant you’ll have to log out to check in.
who also teaches in London. She explained that
she would rely on a range of styles to help us
c lo c k w i s e from t o p lef t: c o u r t e s y of k a m a l aya s a m u i ; c o u r t e s y of b r i c k ya r d b e i j i n g ; c o u r t e s y of a l i l a v i ll a s s oor i b a l i ; c o u r t e s y of B ay of F i re s

“break the unconscious drive to reach for the

screen.” I knew what she was talking about: the
urge to scroll through Instagram in the middle
of a chess game with my son or to check e-mail
while working on watercolors with my
daughter. If I couldn’t shake it here, was there
any hope?
After breakfast, most of the day was ours to
do with as we pleased. I settled into the rhythm
of the place. I swam in the pool and lounged in
the sun with my book. I worked in the garden, K amalaya , Samui Brickyard, Beijing
gathering greens for the evening meal. I With only an hour of free Wi-Fi your Since social media platforms like
learned how to curl dough for fresh orecchiette. entire stay, a strict no-mobile phones- Facebook and Instagram are blocked
in-public policy and nary a TV in your in China, the country itself makes for a
There were group trips, like a ramble along the suite, you’ll have ample time to get great digital detox destination, as it is.
craggy coast followed by a picnic at the beach tortured by your personal trainer, Venture past Beijing to the secluded
and a dip in the cool waters of the Adriatic. sweat out toxins in the multi-sensory Brickyard Retreat at Mutianyu, where
steam caverns, dive into one of their you can explore the Great Wall, which
At 5 p.m. each day, we had 90 minutes of extensive list of wellness retreats—or is visable from the resort, ride bikes
unwinding yoga and meditation. By the middle just read by this perennially acclaimed through the nearby village or unwind
of the week, I found myself outside of class resort's temple-inspired main pool. with yoga on the patio. brickyard
kamalaya.com; doubles from Bt8,500. atmutianyu.com; from CNY1,440.
thinking about the questions Dollar would ask:
Is the breath you’re breathing right now a long
breath or a short one? Can you direct your breath
into the bottom rib? While pacing the grounds, I
tried centering myself. The world became vivid:
birds of paradise in the garden; butterflies
flickering above a field of fennel; a
hummingbird buzzing around the flowers that
climbed the porch latticework; bees loitering
around the lavender; diaphanous sea clouds.
One night I sat staring up at the stars, trying to
figure out the most distant thing I could hear.
There was a faint volley of barking. Bay of Fires Walk Soori Bali
A four-day amble along one of Sandwiched between rice fields and
Mindfulness achieved. Australia’s most pristine coastlines is white-sand beaches, this setting
Corny as it sounds, when the retreat was the perfect way to forget about your makes the virtual world seem awfully
over, I felt cleansed. I didn’t crave the meat and next Instagram post (spoiler: it's a unimportant. The resort, formerly
landscape picture of this shoreline's Alila Villas Soori but now relaunching
alcohol I’d forgone. I hadn’t checked the news famous orange-striped boulders). The under its own management, is the
but I didn’t fear that the world had fallen apart. Bay of Fires Lodge Walk offers perfect place to shake off your
I felt recharged, not anxious about the work I’d 96-hours of uninterrupted Tasmanian screentime blues with meditation or a
coastal views, with comfortable stays massage session and indulge in life’s
missed. And I had a plan for sustaining those in luxury tents. bayoffires.com.au; more simple pleasures. sooribali.com;
feelings: No phone in the bedroom. No work four-day walking tour from A$2,300. doubles from US$460.— v. i.

t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m  /   d e c e mb e r 2 0 1 6 87
 big ideas
giving back

Cruising They say that creativity thrives on

constraints. And not many situations are more

with a
constrained—more inescapable and
impregnable—than a ship on the open seas. So
Fathom’s as a thought experiment, the idea of a weeklong

conscience
Adonia cruise cruise thrilled me. As a reality, well, I’m an
ship. unmarried 29-year-old New Yorker who works
at a start-up. My dossier places me well outside
the average cruise-taking demographic.
Fathom’s passengers focus on The indifference of millennials like me
volunteering and cultural exchange. Can executives, toward cruising is not lost on industry
who are starting to see a market ripe
this shake up an entire industry? Molly for—you guessed it—disruption. Among these
Young tests the waters. leaders is Tara Russell, president of a new
m i k e mor g a n / c o u r t e s y of fat h om

venture called Fathom. The cruise line is a tiny

subsidiary of the behemoth Carnival Corporation, and its fleet consists of one ship, the
704-passenger Adonia, which alternates seven-day voyages to the Dominican Republic and Cuba.
But what is a small initiative now could have, if it succeeds, very large implications for an industry
looking for its next customer base. Instead of casinos, comedians and show tunes, Fathom offers
guests opportunities to build water-filtration systems, tutor children and meet local artists.
“Impact travel” is the brand’s stated purpose, and some of the goals include equipping more than
15,000 homes with ceramic water filters and planting 20,000 trees per year.

88  d e c e mb e r 2 0 1 6 / t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m
 “We don’t think of it as a cruise,” Russell Ricardo, was originally from Colombia. “I feel I
explained to me aboard Fathom’s second-ever am working for travelers, not for tourists,” he
journey to the Dominican Republic, putting air explained at the first of three meetings,

quotes around the word, “but as a travel
experience that happens on a cruise.” As we
tucked in to Dominican dishes at the ship’s
Ocean Grill restaurant, I noticed that Russell,
who possesses impressive social-­enterprise
credentials, spoke about Fathom with the kind
of vocabulary that a tech CEO might use to talk
about a product in beta. “Everything is so not
fully baked yet,” she cheerfully admitted. Still,
this trip was version 1.0 of what Russell intends
I
flattering the group’s collective ego.
t wasn’t your typical cruise
atmosphere. Over the three days
and some 1,500 kilometers of
smooth sailing to Puerto Plata—
where the volunteering officially
began—I wandered around the ship,
snapping pictures of murals printed with what
starts here can change everything and

Fathom offers
to grow into a category of its own. Every detail remember this moment
has been carefully considered, from the and jump in. I curled up in

opportunities
paintings by a Cuban-American artist that a sunny library stocked
hang on the restaurant walls to the Adonia with volumes by Michael
itself, which is a refitted P&O vessel. “Building a
new cruise ship takes three years and costs
Pollan and Eckhart Tolle. I
grew accustomed to the to make water
hundreds of millions of dollars,” Russell
pointed out. “We found it much more appealing
sight of sun-worshippers
lying out on the pool deck,
filters and
to repurpose an under­used asset.”
The impact portion of the trip started as
sipping piña coladas while
reading the Dalai Lama’s
tutor children
soon as the ship left Miami. Passengers were autobiography. Something about the nautical
divided into groups and assigned a guide to setting lent an appealing dignity to solitude. I
facilitate activities and lead icebreaker games. was perfectly comfortable eating alone with a
My group included an auto mechanic from book. But all I had to do for company was look
Jackson, Mississippi, two Germans, a teenager up for 10 seconds and make eye contact with
from Tennessee, a retired couple from New someone (literally, anyone) and I had a buddy.
Jersey, and a graphic designer from Brooklyn— This cruise was the opposite of reality television:
not your typical cruise crowd. Our guide, everyone really is there to make friends. >>
e
t t
r
ec gh
u
it li
ch ot

Christchurch In 2010 and 2011, a series of earthquakes killed 185 and left the largest city on
sp

New Zealand’s South Island in disarray. More than 1,000 downtown buildings had to
r
a

Is Reimagining
be demolished. Whole neighborhoods were abandoned.
Faced with such devastation, leaders decided not to simply re-create the city.
Before the quakes, downtown was losing retail to the suburbs and had comparatively

the Cityscape few residents. Even the mayor admitted that the city was on track to becoming a
“sleepy hollow.”
Instead, Christchurch quickly made structures out of nontraditional materials,
establishing it as an exciting destination for fast architecture. A damaged historic
church was temporarily replaced by the six-story A-frame Cardboard Cathedral, its
nave enclosed by 86 half-tonne cardboard tubes, designed by Pritzker Prize winner
Shigeru Ban. From late 2012 to the spring of 2014, a Pallet Pavilion built of packing
materials provided room for creative events. The Re:START complex houses
i ll u s t r at i o n b y m at t c h a s e

international chains, local shops and cafés in shipping crates.

In the long term, residents are getting a more sustainable and livable environment.
Christchurch expects to attract 20,000 new residents to downtown, tripling the
pre-earthquake population. Riverfront development will connect nature and the built
environment. And landscaped plazas and cycling lanes are popping up everywhere.
Though it will be rebuilding for many years, Christchurch is well on its way to a
renaissance. — Yonah Freemark

t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m  /   d e c e mb e r 2 0 1 6 89
 big ideas
A
giving back
t 7:25 a.m. on the day we slid
into Puerto Plata, passengers
assembled in a lounge, ready
to volunteer. We were
sunblocked and prepared to
do some good. My activity was
Recycled Paper and Crafts Entrepreneurship;
others had signed up to pour concrete floors in
homes or assist with English lessons.
We funneled out to Amber Cove, a sparkling
US$85 million port opened by Carnival last fall.
The coffee shops and manicured greenery of
the compound gave it the vibe of an upscale
mall. But—lest anyone forget why we were
there—more than 40 percent of Dominicans
live below the poverty line. My group of about
two dozen filed in to a bus and drove 20 minutes
to a recycling plant in a low-income
neighborhood where a group of Dominican
women have formed a small association that
makes crafts from recycled paper to sell. Upon
arrival, the employees thanked us, with much
applause. We then participated in 20-minute
rotations through craft stations: gluing
coasters, sewing pot holders, pouring candles
infused with insect repellent, sifting paper
pulp through molds and chatting with locals
the whole way through. In total I poured 18
candles, made three coasters, sewed one-third
of a pot holder, produced one lumpy sheet of
recycled paper and generally
The activities
got in everyone’s way. After an
hour, there was a snack break,
during which I talked to fellow
passengers. “It’s very seemed to
emotional, seeing the
struggles that people go
function as a
through,” a woman shared as volunteering
gateway drug
she unwrapped a sponge cake.
“But it’s good to be here,” she
added. “It’s good that you’re
doing this.”
“Er, thank you?” I replied. (Or: “Ditto?”) I
found myself unsure of how to deliver a socially
appropriate response. By lunchtime the cruise
group had separated into clusters: some were
Instagramming, some were buying souvenirs,
some were planning to go ziplining or
 From top:
Passengers
volunteer at a
women’s cooperative
and cacao farm;
Fathom cruisers
plant trees at a
nursery as part of a
reforestation project
in the Dominican
Republic.

snorkeling (Fathom also offers more traditional

shore excursions). On the bus ride back we answered
survey questions: What did we most enjoy about
­today’s activity? What was the most significant
thing we achieved today? Our Fathom group leader,
who had accompanied us on the ground, shared
stats: we made 157 sheets of paper and 300 candles.
Not too shabby.
Later, after I’d cleaned cacao nibs at a women’s
collective and planted tree seedlings, I realized that
the sheer metrics of the volunteering—the number
of students tutored, the weight of cacao nibs
cleaned—was not the point. It is, after all, hardly a
stretch to conclude that each of the partnering
organizations might have had a more productive
morning without being interrupted by dozens of
F rom t o p : Jeff Berl i n / Co u r t e s y of Fat h om ; Co u r t e s y of Fat h om

untrained volunteers. Instead, the activities seemed

to function as a volunteering gateway drug for
people who wouldn’t normally spend their vacation
digging holes in a mountainside for the sake of rain-
forest replenishment.
And the activities were possibly even a gateway
to people, like me, who wouldn’t normally cruise. On
Fathom, you will watch Winslow Homer sunsets
and eat breakfasts of gemlike tropical fruits. But you
may also witness a preteen boy’s first epiphany
about global inequality over said breakfast: “We are
just miles away from people who are starving and
we’re eating at a buffet,” one kid announced to his
family, with a look that can only be described as
“dawning clarity.” When it comes to souvenirs, that’s
worth more than a T-shirt. fathom.org; seven-night
cruises from US$499.
 || t r av e l s m a rt e r ||

the road
ahead
From robot room service
to shoes that give
directions, seven
inventions you’re about
to encounter—as soon
as your next trip.
p h o t o - i ll u s t r at i o n b y A u t c h a r a pa n p h a i . So u r c e P h o t o s : T h e A s a h i S h i m b u n / Ge t t y Im a g e s ( ro b o t ) ;

R o b o ts t o S mart Your Phone, v o ic e

th e R e sc u e L ighting in charg e activati o n

1
Henn-na in Japan Lighting does more Landlines, keys and Want to check the
(pictured here) takes than provide remote controls may weather report or
c o u r t e s y of He n n n a h o t el ( b a c k g ro u n d & c o u n t er )

teched-out hotels to illumination—it can soon go extinct. Apps turn up the air-

Teched-Out new heights, as the

world’s first hotel
also enhance your
mood. Guests at the W
are being rolled out at
Dream Hotels in
conditioning? All you
have to do is ask. The

Hotels staffed nearly entirely

by robots—including
Sentosa Cove, in
Singapore, can select
Bangkok and Phuket to
let guests manage
Aloft Santa Clara, in
California, and the
two dinosaurs. From from a spectrum of everything from Aloft Boston Seaport
bellhop to concierge, colored LEDs. Give lighting to restaurant piloted the first-ever
friendly animatronic your room a calming reservations from their voice-activated rooms,
attendants smile blue glow or a red hue phones. In Singapore, powered by Siri and
The room of through your stay. for more energy. The Conrad Centennial and Apple HomeKit, this
InterContinental and Stay Well rooms at the the Hilton have apps past summer.
tomorrow—voice- Starwood are also MGM Grand Las Vegas that unlock guest — Jen Murphy and
jumping on the andriod as well as six Marriott rooms. And Aloft
controlled and, bandwagon, deploying properties offer bright hotels are starting to
veronica inveen

yes, with a droid a robot named Relay white lighting to use RoomCast, which
to deliver snacks and reduce jet lag and lets guests securely
at your service— amenities to rooms. circadian bedside stream video from
lighting to promote their devices to their
is here. better sleep. room TVs.

t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m  /   d e c e mb e r 2 0 1 6   93
/ upgrade /

2 S
ome revolutions happen slowly—in
this case, at around 74 kph. In July,
Swiss scientists and adventurers
Zero- Bertrand Piccard (below right) and André
Emission Borschberg (below left) completed the first
Airplanes around-the-world flight powered entirely by
the sun. Their Solar Impulse Two was built
not for comfort or speed (it averaged less
than highway speed) but for efficiency.
Piccard, 58, and Borschberg, 63, flew 17
exhausting alternating legs, the longest
(from Nagoya to Hawaii) clocking in at 117
hours, 52 minutes. They generated zero
emissions along the way. The team wanted

3
to demonstrate the viability of clean energy
in air travel, and while they admit that solar
jumbo jets are years off—we can’t currently
get enough power from the sun to fly them—
experimental aircraft such as NASA’s The global workation
battery-powered X-57 passenger plane are
exploring new ground. “I bet in ten years, Blending elements of Airbnb and
electric planes will transport fifty people, WeWork, peripatetic start-ups are
commercially,” Piccard says.  bringing new meaning to the
phrase business trip.
— Gr ant Martin

> If it is now possible to work anywhere

in the world, why not work everywhere in

frome lef t: PH O T O - I L L UST R ATI O N BY a u t c h a r a pa n p h a i . S O U R C E PH O T O S : H a n d o u t/ G E TTY I M AG E S ( P L AN E , SAN F R ANCISC O ) ;

the world? That’s the proposition of a
new generation of businesses, including
Remote Year, a mobile live/work program.
Last May, its first group of 75 members
wrapped up a year of living and laboring
around the globe. Each month they moved
to a different city, including Buenos
Aires, Prague and Kyoto. For US$27,000
a year, Remote Year provided lodging,
co-working spaces, and transportation.
Of its six current groups, half keep
Western hours so, say, a consultant isn’t
Inside the solar asleep in Shanghai when a conference
impulse two call is held in New York.
Similarly, Hacker Paradise sends
• Each propeller • Temperatures in programmers on working vacations for a
fee that starts at US$350 a week, while

FAB R IC E C O F F R INI /A F P/ Ge t t y Im a g e s ( PI L O TS ) ; © S k y p i x el / Dre a m s t i me . c om

engine generates the unpressurized
17.4 horse­power. cockpit range from Estonia-based e-marketplace Jobbatical
By comparison, a -20 to 35 degrees, so matches tech workers with overseas gigs
typical John Deere pilots are equipped (a.k.a. “career adventures”). Some
riding mower’s with oxygen as well companies are simply designing spaces,
engine generates as special clothing. such as co-working labs, with globe-
roughly 22. trotting professionals in mind.
“You feel like you’re constantly doing
• The plane weighs • The 72-meter something worthwhile with your time,”
about 2.3 tonnes— wingspan is longer Charles Du, a former NASA scientist,
less than a Cadillac than a Dreamliner said from Cuzco, Peru, where he was
Escalade—to help aircrafts’s and part of the third Remote Year class. “It
maintain lift and supports more than makes us more than travelers—it makes
conserve energy. 17,000 solar cells. us explorers.” 
— Richard Morgan

Crystal Ball 2020 2025

We asked some bright An airport eatery will make the prestigious With a cheek swab, a spa will identify the genetic markers that can be
minds to predict what World’s 50 Best Restaurants list. — Rick modified with healthy living and customize a treatment program for mind,
the coming decades Mast, cofounder of Mast Brothers chocolate body and spirit. — Barbara Close, founder and CEO of Naturopathica
will look like.

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 4
Think-Tank resorts
For some developers and
hoteliers, it’s no longer enough
to build a hotel: you have to
create an ideas community.

> Claus Sendlinger has long been

ahead of the curve. When he founded
Design Hotels in 1993, the boutique-­
hotel concept was nascent. Now
Sendlinger is on to his next big thing:
creating a multi-hyphenate resort that’s
part hotel, part members’ club, and part
idea incubator for the creative class.
This year, he debuted La Granja Ibiza
(lagranjaibiza.com; doubles from
US$500), an 11-room guesthouse on a
farm in the heart of the Spanish island.
The activities available for a small
charge include yoga, Slow Food

5
workshops and lectures on the future of
mobile societies, and aim to attract
like-minded vacationers. Locals are
welcome, too; a US$220 annual
membership fee provides access to Hyper-Wired
events and lectures (for overnight
guests, a membership is built in to the Museums
rate). “It’s all about dynamic
collaboration,” says Sendlinger, who
plans to expand to other locations.

Similar projects are springing up, on
different scales and with different
levels of inclusiveness. Set on a
previously uninhabited island in Croatia,
Obonjan (otokobonjan.com; from US$65
per person per night) is a seasonal
resort-festival that accommodates up
to 500 guests. The draw: highly curated,
experiential fun, including marine-
conservation workshops, underwater
art exhibits, and movie nights under the
stars. Spread over 4,000 hectares in
Utah’s Wasatch Mountains, Summit
Powder Mountain (summitpowder
mountain.com), is hoping to be a next-
gen ski village, complete with private
c o u r t e s y of S a n F r a n c i s c o M u s e u m of M o d er n Ar t ( s fmom a )
E
arly in the last century, when
the American Museum of
Natural History in New York
began placing taxidermied animals in
the “natural” context of dioramas
instead of traditional glass cases,
some observers were aghast. Critics
accused curators of popularizing
science and emphasizing
entertainment over research.
“It was cutting-edge at the time,
and the museum was accused of
dumbing things down,” says Jake
how we engage with storied
institutions. New techniques are
eliminating barriers, enhancing the
visitor experience and expanding
accessibility. And as we integrate
more technology, especially social
media, into our lives, museums are
using such tools to attract more
visitors—and followers.
The trend points toward
immersion and interaction. For “New
York at Its Core,” an exhibition opening
in November at the Museum of the

residences, co-working spaces, a

recording studio, a culinary school and,
eventually, several hotels. The town
serves as an extension of Summit
Series, invite-only networking events
for wealthy individuals and thought
leaders; early investors include Tim
Ferriss and Richard Branson. Some
programs and events will be open to the
public, while others will be exclusive to
Summit members.  Today that process continues with
— Gisel a Williams
Barton, principal of the renowned
New York exhibition-design firm
Local Projects. He sees the dioramas
as a pioneering step toward today’s
visitor-oriented museums: “It began
transferring the focus from things
to people.”
technology, which is revolutionizing
City of New York, Local Projects and
Studio Joseph designed the Future
City Lab, which allows visitors to
create their own Gothams, complete
with parks, shops and housing. You
can see yourself in your streetscape,
and export a video of your vision to
YouTube, Twitter and Facebook. For
the Tech Museum of Innovation in

2030 2035
What will
travel look All travel documents will be The Internet will have erased the mystery of discovering another human being. At Hotel
like in the digital. — Craig Dykers, architect Incognito, bookings will be made by mail, and payment will be in gold bars. — Carlos
year... and founding partner of Snøhetta Couturier, managing partner of Grupo Habita

t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m  /   d e c e mb e r 2 0 1 6   95
/ upgrade /
San Jose, California, Local Projects
helped build the BioDesign Studio
(below), where visitors can play with
DNA-sequencing technology and
“edit” bacteria. “You can cut and paste
different parts of DNA, and see an
actual organism grow,” Barton
explains. “You’re authoring new life-
forms. It’s crazy.”
The Powerhouse Museum, a major
branch of the Museum of Applied Arts
& Sciences in Sydney, has been
incorporating technology into their
exhibits for several years now. Instead
of using LCD and plasma screens for
audio and visual displays, you’ll find
visitors using iPads to take in more
personalized information. The
museum has also used QR codes in
if the story is boring, it
certain exhibitions to add a layer of
information for visitors without
overwhelming the display with text
and sacrificing the clean aesthetic of
the contemporary gallery.
Of course, more technology isn’t
always better for the visitor. When the
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
(sfmoma) expanded recently, its digital
team, led by Keir Winesmith,
pondered a suitable tech upgrade.
“We didn’t want to innovate for
innovation’s sake,” he says
Winesmith’s team nixed 3-D, virtual
reality and augmented reality in favor
of a new iOS app and audio tour
6
developed with Detour, a start-up
specializing in GPS-enabled walking
omnipotent travel-
tours, and Apple, which deployed its planning Machines
location-based technology indoors.
Unlike most audio tours, which require
you to input a number indicating your > It’s the next thing in travel booking:
companies are leveraging artificial
position, the app calculates your
intelligence to offer the personalized
location using Bluetooth, Wi-Fi access touch that used to come from agents
points and the accelerometers and alone, but delivered on demand. These
pedometers built in to Apple devices. tools process huge amounts of public

from lef t: Co u r t e s y of L o c a l Pro j e c t s . P h o t o - i ll u s t r at i o n b y a u t c h a r a pa n p h a i . So u r c e P h o t o s : p e x el s . c om ; free p i k . c om

(No Apple device? You can rent one on
won’t matter how good the site; an Android app is in the works.)
The tours are led by a diverse
technology is collection of guides—Kumail Nanjiani
and Martin Starr, from HBO’s Silicon
Valley, debate whether Marcel
Duchamp’s work is art or junk. An
app-aided stroll through sfmoma feels
“as if you had friends walking with
you,” Winesmith says. Disembodied,
chatty friends—it’s eerie. I took
philosopher Alva Noë’s tour, and he
directed my steps, telling me to meet
him in the next room, or past the
elevators. When I arrived, he’d simply
start speaking again.
As we regarded a Lee Krasner
painting, Noë likened it to “a work of
choreography.” You could say the
same of the app. Technology is a tool.
Used well, it enhances the museum-
going experience, forging smarter,
faster connections to the work. But it
has its limits. As Winesmith says, “If
the story is boring, it won’t matter
how good the technology is.”  unpleasant parts of planning, from flight
— JEFF CHU
data and mine your e-mail and calendar
to provide spot-on recommendations
with a minimum of hassle.
L o la
An iOS app launched in May by Kayak
cofounder Paul English, Lola combines
advanced processing ability with human
judgment. Submit requests via a messaging
tool; Lola applies the preferences in your
profile (aisle or window, high-end hotels or
affordable B&Bs), and a team of agents
delivers a start-to-finish plan.
Pana
This year-old app (iOS and Android) also offers
a hybrid of computer and human expertise—in
this case, to help business travelers book
flights, hotel rooms, transportation and
restaurants, as well as assist with changes
and problems along the way. It costs US$19 a
month; a desktop tool is in beta.
H e ll o H ipm u n k
The booking site’s “travel planning assistant”
doesn’t require you to down­load an app or
even visit the website. Hello Email and Hello
Calendar glean info from your e-mail threads
and calendar. It’s like looping in your travel-
agent friend and letting him do all the
comparisons to hotel searches.
— Mel anie Lieberman

2040 2045
What will
travel look There will be excursions to new, human-made worlds that orbit the Earth, to Some of us will be living in homes under
like in the the moon, even to Mars. It will make Star Trek seem like nonfiction. — James the sea. — Edie Rodriguez, president and
year... Canton, futurist and CEO of the Institute for Global Futures CEO of Crystal Cruises

96  d e c e mb e r 2 0 1 6 / t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m
 S l e e p S o u nd
These headphones
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adjust white-noise
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rest, and wake you C o ntr o l T o p
when you’ll feel Conductive threads are
most refreshed. woven into this Levi’s
kokoon.io; US$229. jacket, created with
Google. Swipe and tap
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It’s machine-washable,
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too. levis.com; available
is sewn into this

7
spring 2017.
Courrèges coat; press
a button for instant
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Smart
com; US$2,800.

Clothes
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The minimalist,
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gear turns your carry-on backpack conceals an
optional Wi-Fi hot spot
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lets you track its
location. thisis​ground.
com; from US$725.

B u rn N o tic e
The My UV Patch skin sensor
monitors your sun exposure,
notifying you via smartphone
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laroche-​posay.us; free with
Anthelios sunscreen purchase. S h o e s T hat S t e e r
The prototype Sneakairs by
EasyJet link to Google
Maps and direct you left or
right with vibrations. The
company is working on a
shoe insert that does the
A l e rt A cc e ss o ry same thing.
WiseWear’s bracelets
(designed with jeweler Iris
Apfel) track activity levels,
send mobile notifications
and act as emergency
beacons. wisewear.com;
from US$295.

2050 2060
What will
travel look In-N-Out Burger will finally open in N.Y.C., because it’s about Fuel will be so expensive that air travel will be exclusive
like in the damn time. — Will Guidara, restaurateur and co-owner of the and relaxing again. — Christoph Hoffmann, CEO and
year... Make It Nice restaurant group cofounder of 25Hours Hotels

t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m  /   d e c e mb e r 2 0 1 6   97
/ upgrade /

DEALS | t+l reader specials

BEACH
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Per Aquum Niyama
From a VIP shopping experience in Hong Kong to a luxury cruise Tucked between green jungle
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BORACAY
The District Boracay
You’re on vacation—you have
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from t o p : c o u r t e s y of Per A q u u m N i ya m a M a l d i v e s ; c o u r t e s y of R e n a i s s a n c e Ko h S a m u i R e s or t & S pa

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The Deal Book-and-Buy offer:
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SRI LANKA
Overwater villas at Per Anantara Peace Haven
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Check out the stunning view of
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SUPERSAVER Haven Tangelle. Start your day
Renaissance Koh Samui Resort & Spa, Thailand with that perfect panaroma
Give the gift of romance with this getaway, which includes cast in pinkish hues of dawn as
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FAMILY
thailand
Movenpick Siam Pattaya
Ice cream at check-in? Tickets
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CITY
SHANGHAI
Banyan Tree Shanghai on
the Bund
Saunter down the Bund as you
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Ring in the new year in Burma’s
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WELLNESS
CHIANG MAI
Sireeampan Boutique
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Pal around with your bestie at
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t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m  /   d e c e mb e r 2 0 1 6
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SINGAPORE
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ADVENTURE
BURMA
The Strand Cruise
One of the region’s most iconic
hotels offers a luxury cruise for
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journeys along the Irrawaddy.
Visit Mandalay, Bagan and
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— VERONICA INVEEN
  99
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 To Trav el

PHOTOGRA PH Y

To come home
from your journey
with the most
awesome photos
possible, you need
the right tools,
techniques and
trips.

by david ale x ander arnold,

jason chen, veronica inveen,
sam kaplan

eimar lynch, tim moynihan,

jennifer murphy, mary Robnett,
tom samiljan, john scarpinato,
kir a turnbull and mariah t yler

* Prices throughout are listed in U.S. dollars and

the cost of gear may vary by region and retailer. t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m  /   d e c e mb e r 2 0 1 6   101
 the
/ guıde / photography

The Pre-Trip
Checklist
T+L’s photo editors share their
tips on what to take along.

A lens cloth
Never use a napkin to remove dirt from a
lens. Zeiss makes a microfiber pouch that
doubles as a cloth (amazon.com; $5). For
a more thorough cleaning, apply ROR How I got t h e shot
Residual Oil Remover (ror.net; $6).

E x tr a stor age
Estimate the number of memory cards
Freediving in the
Philippines
you’ll need based on your pics’ average
file size, how often you snap and whether
you shoot video. Then bring twice that
many. Store them separately from your
camera in a waterproof case.
“When traveling in the tropics, member at Flower Island Resort
it’s always a good idea to carry to come with me as a model.
A connection to the cloud
Set up an iCloud, Google Drive or Dropbox
camera gear that lets you shoot When shooting underwater, you
pro account to back up your photos any underwater. I took this photo don’t need to go too deep–the
time your device is connected to Wi-Fi. with a Sony RX100 and Recsea light is best between two and six
You’ll have to pay extra, but if you ever underwater housing, but meters. If you venture
lose your camera, you’ll
any gear set up will work farther the water
be glad you did.
if you keep it well filters out the light
maintained and double intensity and you loose
Only the cables you need check the rubber seals. the colors. If you do
Many non-Apple products, including
Android phones and cameras, use
While in Palawan, I have to go deeper, use a

I L L UST R ATI O N s , from t o p : KAGAN M C L E O D ; wa s i n ee c h a n ta k or n

micro-USB connectors, so you should be wanted to capture the
able to bring just one and avoid that coral formations but I
dreaded tangle of cords. Most USB wall needed a human element
adapters are interchangeable, too.
for scale, so for this shot
I asked this staff
red filter to make the
colors pop. And always
dive or swim with a
b y f r a nc i sc o buddy; it is safer and
g u e r r e ro
you have a model.”

Smartphone Burst Mode

Keep your finger on the
Focus Lock
Hold a spot on your
Photo and Video in One
Press the concentric-
Secrets shutter button of your camera screen until you circles icon on an iPhone
Amp up your snaps iPhone or Android to get a “Lock” message. A or activate “Motion
without downloading capture a rapid series square will appear, Picture” in Settings on a
of shots. Select showing where your focus Samsung Galaxy to
extra apps.
your favorite later on. is set, even if you reframe. capture a video snippet.

102  d e c e mb e r 2 0 1 6   /  t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m

Picture-Perfect
Journeys
A host of new photo-focused trips place travelers
alongside experts and educators in the world’s most
appealing classrooms.
1 2
Vietnam
Join travel photographer
Nathan Horton on a 13-day tour
through the beguiling region of
Northern Vietnam. From the
rice terraces of the north east, to life on
the streets of Hanoi, to the seascape of
Halong Bay, you’ll leave this tour with a
memory card full of unforgettable shots.
nathanhortonphotography.com; May and
E l i a - L o c a r d i . I L L UST R ATI O N BY KAGAN M C L E O D
Nov.; from $3,800.
3 4
burma
Lighting is everything when it
comes to getting the perfect
shot. In a country that seems
to be constantly cast in a
golden sheen, you’ll be thankful to have
photographer Ian Robert Knight to show
you how to properly capture it all on this
11-day tour of the most snappable
sights. photoworkshopadventures.com;
Jan. to March; from $8,995.
Print Matters
These services will turn
your favorite digital photos into
treasured mementos.
Fr acture
This company offers a single product, but
Osaka it’s a great one: your photo printed
Castle. directly onto glass and ready to hang,
without a frame or additional hardware.
Eight square and rectangular sizes are
available. fractureme.com; from $15.
Artifact Uprising
For all of its books, cards and prints, this
brand uses paper certified by
the Forest Stewardship Council. It also
sells accessories, like display
stands. artifactuprising.com; cards from
$1, books from $18, prints from $20.
Milk books
The result of collaboration between
japan Moleskine and publisher PQ Blackwell,
There may not be anywhere in Milk Photobooks can print and bind your
the world quite as picturesque your shots in classic Moleskine fashion,
as Japan in the springtime. On Italian paper and all. milkbooks.com;
this tour join photography moleskine photobooks from $60.
husband-and-wife team Elia and Naomi
Locardi in capturing the beauty of
Japan’s ancient castles, iconic shrines T weed Wolf
and, of course, the eminently photogenic Design professionals will sift through
cherry blossoms. dreamphototours.com; thousands of your photos (with your input,
March and April; from $6,995. if you wish) to cull a visual narrative of
between 250 and 350 images, presented
on archival paper in a bound album.
The Galápagos tweedwolf.com; from $295.
Eight photographers and
naturalists join guests aboard
the National Geographic
Endeavour on Lindblad
Expeditions’ new 17-day Galápagos
Photo Expedition. The trip includes a
workshop in Guayaquil, Ecuador, daily
assignments, along with wildlife-viewing
adventures. expeditions.com; Dec. 2016
and Nov.–Dec. 2017; from $13,180.
t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m  /   d e c e mb e r 2 0 1 6  103
 the
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A Mardi Gras Indian
in New Orleans
“Ronald Lewis, who runs the
House of Dance and Feathers in
New Orleans, told me about this
Super Sunday parade the Mardi
Gras Indians put on.
The big chiefs have the
most elaborate
costumes, with highly
detailed beadwork. I
took this picture in the
middle of the day, when
the light creates harder
shadows and brighter
highlights. My assistant
was carrying a strobe
that we used to
104  d e c e mb e r 2 0 1 6   /  t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m
photography
How I got t h e shot
supplement the natural light.
Because this was a parade, and
the big chiefs were drumming
and singing, I didn’t want to do
static pictures—I
wanted it to feel like
you were witnessing
the moment. There
were tons of people
around, pretty much
touching the feathers.
This composition came
out of just wanting to
focus on him, without
b y Bryc e the distraction of the
Du f f y
other people.”
IT’S ALL IN THE EDIT
Whether you’re working on your
phone or a computer, these
easy tricks will improve your pics.
Cropping and le veling
Both Android and iOS have solid built-in
tools for these tasks. To zoom in on part
of your photo, tap “Edit,” then the “Crop”
icon, which looks like two interlocking Ls.
Drag the corners of the overlaid box to
adjust your frame. To correct tilt, use the
protractor interface below the image.
Eliminating red e ye
Pixlr is one of the best mobile apps for
softening that demonic glow. Tap the
circular “Tools” icon, select “Red Eye,”
then tap both pupils to make them a
realistic color. On a desktop, try Adobe
Photoshop Elements, which includes a
“Pet Eye” box within its “Red Eye” tool.
Removing dust
On your phone, Snapseed’s “Healing” tool,
Aviary’s “Blemish” tool, and
TouchRetouch all get rid of specks
caused by pollen or pocket lint. On your
desktop, go with Photoshop’s “Spot
Healing” tool. Just touch each mote to
replace it with the surrounding color.
Enhancing e xposure
Fix blown-out shots (common at the
beach or on the slopes) with Photoshop’s
Lightroom app. It allows you to apply an
“Auto Tone” effect to balance images,
reduce the exposure compensation, or
apply a tone curve—adjustments that
also help out with underexposed shots.
I L L UST R ATI O NS BY KAGAN M C L E O D
Fix ing night time shots
Android and iOS apps like Manual,
Camera+, and Night Camera can all help
with dark shooting. Adobe Lightroom
offers white-balance control, vibrance
and saturation sliders, and highlight and
shadow tools. The VSCO app has filters to
bring out details obscured by the dark.

Follow these simple rules to get an indelible image in any travel situation.
Shot from above
Food
1. Overhead shots are almost
c lo c k w i s e from t o p lef t: d av i d a le x a n d er a r n ol d ; k i r a t u r n b u ll ; d av i d a le x a n d er a r n ol d ( 2 ) ; m a r i a h t y ler ( 2 ) ; m a r y ro b n e t t ( 2 )
foolproof—preferably pulled
back far enough to reveal place
settings. When shooting
sandwiches or burgers, cut first
and tilt one half up toward the
camera. 2. Meals look best in
natural light, so try to score a
window seat. 3. In low-light
situations, to avoid the glare of
Well-lit subject
Landscapes
1. Pay attention to the direction
of the sun. To avoid overexposed
backgrounds, photograph your
subject with the light shining on
it, rather than from behind.
2. Shoot in the early morning or
late afternoon, when the light is
softer, and try to avoid the harsh
midday sun, which can lead to
washed-out photos. 3. Find a
Do This, Not That
Shot from the side
the flash, ask a friend to turn on
their smartphone’s flashlight
and wrap it in a napkin for more
diffuse illumination.
Backlit subject
focal point, such as a building,
person, tree or vehicle, to help
communicate the overall scale
of the landscape.
Building detail
Entire building
Architecture
1. At street level, it can be
difficult to capture an entire
building without distorting its
shape, so consider zooming in
on a compelling design detail.
2. Ornamentation on a façade
will look different in direct light 3. When shooting an interior, you
from the way it does in shadow. probably won’t have much light,
Walk around the building to so use wide aperture, a slow
assess your lighting options. shutter speed or a tripod.
Soft light
Harsh light
People
1. Look for a shady or light-
dappled spot to shoot portraits.
If you’re in direct sunlight, avoid
blinding your subjects by telling
them to close their eyes and
giving them a countdown until
you take the shot. 2. Always ask up your shot. 3. For street
permission before taking scenes, stand on a busy corner
portraits of locals. It’s polite, and wait for an interesting
and it will give you time to set situation, then start snapping.
t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m  /   d e c e mb e r 2 0 1 6  105
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how i got t h e shot

New Zealand
Night Sky
“Sometimes you get the day we had used
lucky, and this the Photopills app to
particular night we check the time when
did. The clouds the Milky Way would
disappeared, there line up with the
was no moon and a lighthouse. This shot
fishing boat had come was taken with a
in to shelter for the Nikon D810 with a
night, illuminating F2.8 14-24mm lens.
the right-hand side. Aperture was set to
Nugget Point, F2.8 in order to catch
pictured here, is the most light. The
located on the east ISO was set to 5,000
coast of New Zealand over a 25 second
near the bottom of exposure. Set your
the South Island, a ISO to capture the
four-hour drive from stars, compensating
Christchurch. There for any light pollution
is minimal light and your camera’s
pollution here ability to
as it is handle high
kilometers ISO. Keep your
from shots to
anywhere. between 10 and
The nearest 30 seconds
populated depending on
land mass is your lens, to
South limit star
America, trails: the
6,500 longer the lens,
kilometers b y Br e n t the shorter the
P u rc e l l
away. During exposure.”
I L L UST R ATI O NS BY wa s i n ee c h a n ta k or n

Beyond the Snap The Animated GIF

Capture people and
Add texture to your scenes in action by
vacation diary with these shooting them as video
next-gen visual loops rather than stills,
storytelling formats. using apps like DSCO,
Boomerang or Phhhoto.
The 360-Degree Photo
Next time you’re on top
The Mash-Up
Combine stills, videos and
of a building or a text using Snapchat or
mountain, record Instagram Stories—or
everything you see, using automate with Magisto
Google’s Street View app, or Google Photos’
then share it on Facebook. Assistant feature.

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 Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay

THERE ARE PLACES YOU MOVE TO…

AND THERE ARE PLACES THAT MOVE YOU

Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan Four Seasons Resort Bali at Jimbaran Bay

The secrets of mystical Bali are as elusive as they are alluring. Unlock the cultural and spiritual heart of the island from
two unique perspectives, through the distinct experiences of Four Seasons Resorts Bali. Gaze over the sparkling ocean
from a fully-renovated, Balinese-inspired pool villa at Four Seasons Jimbaran Bay, and renew your spirit with a sunset
karmic cleansing ritual by a Balinese priest on the ocean’s edge. Submit to nature’s embrace at the riverside retreat of
Four Seasons Sayan, and explore nearby Ubud and Bali's majestic mountain landscapes. Let Four Seasons take you to
the heart of a Bali that few discover - and even fewer truly experience.

Find out more at:

fourseasons.com/bali
 the
/ guıde / photography

The GearFrom VR cameras to tripods,

our pick of the best equipment for
documenting your next trip.

Phantom 4 Quadcopter
DJI’s sleeker and younger
sibling of the Phantom 3 has
the same features plus a

c lo c k w i s e from t o p : s a m k a p l a n ; c o u r t e s y of r i c o h ; c o u r t e s y of v t e c h ; c o u r t e s y of g o p ro
system that senses and
avoids airborne obstacles—
thus protecting your
investment. dji.com; $1,399.

Drones
Aerial footage can take your travel video up a notch.
But even though consumer drones are increasingly affordable
and user-friendly, flying one comes with rules and regulations,
which vary by destination. Go to uavcoach.com/drone-laws
to look up the aerial laws by country.

ACTION VIDEO
CAMERAS
Want to film while schussing
down a double-black-
diamond? Look for models
that keep the image stable
during camera movement;
daredevil videographers will
want slow-motion capabilities
and ultra-tough bodies.
1 2 VTech Kidizoom Action Cam 3 Ricoh WG-M2
GoProHERO5 Black
The new GoPro has voice-control This unit is hardy, waterproof, You can drop, step on, freeze,
functionality, a two-inch touch and easy to use—perfect if and submerge (down to 20
screen, GPS, electronic your kid’s an Evel Knievel. Plus meters) this durable and slickly
stablization, and is waterproof it comes with cool filters and designed camera, which shoots
down to 10 meters without accessories to strap it to a bike or 4K video and has built-in Wi-Fi.
housing. gopro.com; $400. skateboard. vtechkids.com; $38. us.ricoh-imaging.com; $299.

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/ guıde / photography

Mirrorless Cameras Pro DSLRs

One of the fastest-growing segments of the
industry, mirrorless cameras beam the DSLRs (digital
image straight to an LCD screen instead of single-lens
bouncing it off a mirror to a viewfinder, as reflex cameras)
a DSLR does. This means the camera body is replicate the
smaller, with nearly the same resolution and multilayer,
the ability to fit an array of lenses. The main multicolor
setback is that most mirrorless cameras technology of
lack a manual focus option (a disadvantage an old-fashioned
for serious photographers). pro 35 mm film
camera—but
with a digital
1 Sony Alpha a7R II 2 Fujifilm X-T1
imaging sensor.
It has many features The superfast focus Today’s DSLRs
associated with high- makes it hard to take can have
end DSLRs, including a blurry shot, and
42.4mp resolution, the 16mp sensor is
resolutions
good stabilization for virtually as sharp as as high as 50
video, and high light most DSLRs. fujifilm. megapixels
sensitivity. sony.com; com; $1,399, including (about 25 times
360-degree cameras $3,199, body only. one lens. that of your
standard phone
These are the cameras that make camera), but
virtual reality possible, by shooting with
multiple lenses simultaneously in a full Instant Cameras anything over
20 is a good
360 degrees, then stitching the images Your eighties-era self may not believe it, level. They’re
together into one seamless shot. (Watch but instant cameras are back. Not much generally sold
the footage on a headset like Oculus Rift has changed: the camera exposes an image without lenses.
for an immersive experience, or watch and prints it on self-contained photo paper.
and share it on YouTube and Facebook.) Which doesn’t make for amazing image
quality, but that’s not the point—nostalgia is. 1 Canon Rebel
1 Ricoh Theta 2 Orah 4i EOS T6i
The most accessible Until recently, 1080- All the DSLRs
to the most people, pixel resolution was from the Rebel line
this camera has two the standard. But the perform well—and
wide-angle lenses Orah 4i, which they’re generally
that can join video and integrates four cameras less bulky than much
images together at a into one handheld of the competition—
super-speedy 30 device, can capture but the T6i stands
frames per second footage at four times

from lef t: c o u r t e s y of g o p ro ; c o u r t e s y of f u j i f i lm ; c o u r t e s y of t h e i m p o s s i b le p ro j e c t
out for its 24.2mp
(Avatar was filmed at that clarity and has four sensor, built-in
24 fps). You can live- built-in microphones Wi-Fi, and speedy
stream and edit footage that record immersive focus. canon.com;
on your iPhone using sound. Instead of the from $399.
Ricoh’s Theta+ Video usual memory cards, it 1 Fujifilm Instax 2 Impossible I-1
app; or go all out with connects with a single
Adobe Premiere on your wire to its “stitcher,” for Mini 8 The Impossible 2 Nikon D500
desktop. theta​360.com; seamless playback. This was the Project’s camera uses
$349. orah.co; $2,195. A lower-priced
company’s biggest classic Polaroid film, alternative to the
seller last year, thanks but is improved with a pro-favorite D5, the
3 GoPro Omni to its small size, light lens surrounded by an D500 offers the
Designed for professional-level VR, the action-cam weight (about 300 LED light ring, and same 20.9mp
pioneer’s top-end equipment captures 360-degree grams), and candy resolution, 4K video,
colors. One drawback Bluetooth to send
video on what’s essentially six GoPros attached to digital images to your and touch-screen
one spherical frame. It automatically syncs up the is that the selfie lens is controls in a smaller
sold separately. phone. impossible-
timing and settings, which results in seamless project.com; $388. package—for about
footage you don’t have to edit together manually. instax.com; $54. $4,500 less. nikon​
gopro.com; $5,000. .com; from $2,000.

Smart Phones 1 iPhone 7 Plus 1 Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge

If you’re a traveler who shoots only with
a smartphone, you’re not necessarily
missing out. Most phone cameras now
have at least 1920 x 1080 resolution
(sufficient for everything except
enlarging to poster size) and 4K video
(better than you can upload to YouTube).
Apple’s newest large-format iPhone has
a dual-lens camera that allows for better,
clearer zooming and for manipulating
depth of field, à la a DSLR. Like its little
brother, the iPhone 7, it can also shoot
ultra-hi-res RAW images. And it’s water-
resistant. apple.com; from $769.
This new model is lightning-fast and takes
bright, sharp pictures—even in dim light—
thanks to a wide aperture, dual-pixel autofocus,
and a resolution of 534ppi. It’s also water-
resistant, shoots RAW image files, and has
expandable storage up to 256GB. samsung.
com; $770.

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 1 Michael Kors

Got It in
The designer’s new retro-
inspired leather Scout bag—
which also comes in deep

the Bag?
red, bright orange and soft
blue—was made to fit
Fujifilm’s new Instax Mini 70.
The brands collaborated on
an exclusive metallic version
of the instant camera.
Every great camera needs michael​kors.com; $348.
a worthy case. The latest
ones offer good looks and
smart solutions for
today’s equipment.
c lo c k w i s e from t o p : s a m k a p l a n ; c o u r t e s y of o n a ; c o u r t e s y of L o & s o n s ; c o u r t e s y of m a r k c ro s s ; c o u r t e s y of k i ll s p e n c er

2 Killspencer 3 Mark Cross 4  Lo & Sons 5 Ona

This update on a traditional
camera case is made with leather
inside and out, a cross-body strap
and industrial hardware that
stands up to heavy use. It has
slots for a camera, lens and
accessories; other interior
organizers like lens bags are
available. killspencer.com; $750.
A luxe bag that strikes the right
balance between style and
function: the hard-sided case—
curved to sit perfectly on the hip—
keeps equipment safe and
organized. Saffiano leather, sleek
hardware, a playful key chain and
a top handle keep you on-trend.
match​esfashion.com; $2,495.
The purse that became a camera
case: what looks from the
outside like a discreet leather
handbag contains internal
compartments that house a DSLR
or mirrorless camera, a small
lens, cords and memory cards,
along with your keys, wallet and
phone. loand​sons.com; $300.
With enough room to fit an 11-inch
laptop, a DSLR camera and two
lenses, this is the satchel for the
serious traveling shutterbug. The
double straps make it comfortable
to carry, and the water-resistant
waxed-canvas exterior keeps
everything clean and dry.
onabags.com; $279.

t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m  /   d e c e mb e r 2 0 1 6  111
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If you’re shooting
with a phone...

1 Moment Lenses
Three lenses (sold individually)
that clip over your phone’s
lens let you zoom, go wide-angle,
or get super close—so you can get
the Angkor Wat at sunset or that
butterfly on a branch. moment​
lens.co; $100.

2 LuMee Glowing Selfie Case

Let’s be honest: the front-facing
cameras of most phones barely
pass muster, especially in low-
light conditions. To make selfies
pop, get a case that lights your
shots. lumee.com; from $50.

3 Quikpod Selfie Stick

If you must be that person with a
selfie stick, get a good one (and
refer to it as a monopod).
Quickpod’s version is sturdy and
ergonomic; works with GoPros,
point-and-shoots and phones; and

Extra
comes with an optional tripod
accessory. quikpod.com; $50.

Helpings
Whether you use a phone or a
If you’re shooting
with a DSLR...

c lo c k w i s e from lef t: s a m k a p l a n ; c o u r t e s y of mome n t; c o u r t e s y of i n c a s e

Leica, the right accessories
can make your shot a keeper
(and the envy of Instagram).

1 Incase Portable
1 Joby GorillaPod 3 Rocket Blaster Power 5400
Add-ons for
Already a design classic, the Stop blowing onto your lens—the Your phone’s not the only device
any kind of legs of this multi-jointed stand way to clean it is with this simple, that needs a backup power
twist into any position. Comes syringe-like device with a one-way source. A DSLR juice pack takes
camera... in DSLR- and phone-friendly valve that shoots out clean air. up only as much space as a
models. joby.com; from $49. giottos.com; $10. deck of cards. incase.com; $80.

2 Canon Pixma 4 Zeiss Lens 2 Vanguard Alta Pro Tripod

MG7720 Printer Cleaning Wipes 263AP
Wirelessly beam images from You’ll want to keep your 360- Pretty much your dad’s tripod—
the cloud to this printer/scanner degree HD video camera spotless. and the best all-around base
that handles both 4 x 6 and These will erase all grease and for your equipment we’ve found: a
8 x 10 paper. canon.com; $140. grime. amazon.com; $14 for 200. head that pivots 360 degrees,
rubberized feet and a full
height of nearly two meters.
vanguardworld.us; $130.

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 CANNES

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 A man and his
son paddleboard
into the interior
of Guam.

D
A a ro n Joel S a n t o s

/ december 2016 / Do’s and don’ts for gallery-going in Singapore, and

other lessons from a nascent cultural capital | Why Guam is a lot cooler, and spookier,
than you think | Ubud, Bali’s land of ancient healing, clears chakras and soothes souls

115
 Inside the National
Gallery Singapore.

116  d e c e mb e r 2 0 1 6 / t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m
A Grand
Design
In its short, 51-year
life, Singapore
has become one of
the world’s wealthiest
metropolises—
one more concerned
with commerce
than art. Now it’s
spending millions
to become a
capital of creativity.
As the city makes
a culture, how
will culture remake
the city?

by J ef f Ch u / photographs by M atth ieu Sa lva ing

 T
Clockwise from top left:
An umbrella tree, one of Little India’s
public-art installations; Singaporean
artist Jimmy Ong’s work on display at
FOST Gallery; a mural on one of its
courtyard walls.

here is no better emblem of

Singapore’s artistic ambitions than its National Gallery, which
opened last November. Standing before its stone bulk, I felt like an
ant that had crept across the lawns of the Padang, the parade
grounds where Singaporeans have gathered to mark momentous
events in their history—the end of Japanese occupation in 1945,
independence in 1965, and, just last year, the nation’s 50th birthday.
The building is, in fact, two. The government took a pair of
colonial-era, Neoclassical monuments (the old copper-domed
supreme court and the former city hall) and, with the help of Paris-
based architects Studio Milou, bridged them. Held aloft by a giant
metal trunk, the sparkling glass canopy resembles the majestic rain
trees that grow throughout the city.
There’s also no better symbol of Singapore’s halting artistic
development than this museum. On both of my visits, it was nearly
empty, a cavernous temple with barely any worshippers.
That is understandable—the arts are a relative novelty for
Singapore. Commerce has defined this city since it was founded,
in 1819, as a British East India Company trading post. It’s what lured
two of my great-grandparents from China—my maternal
grandfather was born here—shortly after 1900. When the city-state
gained independence in 1965, it was poor. Back then, a tenth of its
people were unemployed, and two-thirds lived in slums. Per-capita
GDP hovered just below S$5,500 (inflation-adjusted). Lee Kuan Yew,
Singapore’s founding father, declared in 1969 that “poetry is a
luxury we cannot afford.”
Lee, British-educated and urbane, was determined to enrich
Singapore. His hand was far from invisible. His government
revamped laws to attract foreign investment; mapped out an

I
efficient, modern city infrastructure; and built homes for millions.
Tiger Dad–style, he emphasized education in practical fields: math,
technology, engineering, science. Today, per-capita GDP has soared
above S$75,000. Singapore—with its population of 5 million people
and few natural resources—has become one of the richest countries
in the world.
The city-state can now afford poetry, and all manner of luxuries.
Starchitect-designed skyscrapers punctuate the sky, and a precinct
of colonial buildings has been transformed into an arts district. The
calendar is full of festivals, including the fifth Singapore Biennale,
which runs through February. Last year the government marked its
50th anniversary with symposia in New York, London and Beijing,
dispatching artists to help cultivate its image as a cultural hub.
All this makes it a particularly fascinating time to experience
Singapore’s cultural offerings. Government spending on the arts is
approaching S$1 billion per year, a 3,000 percent increase from
25 years ago. With that money, the government has sought to
construct a hothouse of what one might call Confucian creativity:
orderly, pragmatic, respectful of elders and rules. While this is no
longer the Singapore of chewing-gum bans and canings, bloggers
are still arrested for violating laws meant to maintain harmony.
The effect of such official efforts is that Singapore’s creativity has
been less like the vigorous riot of vines and trees that grow in these
tropical climes than a collection of delicate orchids (aptly, the
national flower), trained and coddled. Yet this may be changing with
the emergence of a generation of artists engaged in a conversation
about the place they call home. Given how assiduously Singapore’s
government has worked to shape the arts, the question is how that
culture will shape Singapore. “Our artists are beginning to deal
t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m  /   d e c e mb e r 2 0 1 6
with our identity,” Dr. Eugene Tan, director of
the National Gallery Singapore, told me. “How
do we see our place in the world?”
n order to better understand this, I
toured the National Gallery with
curator Charmaine Toh. Some of the
oldest works are European prints and
paintings of 19th-century Southeast
Asia. “This is what people thought the region
was,” Toh said of fantastical images of birds
and Brobdingnagian trees. Many artists
favored what Toh called “native tropes,” women
exoticized in traditional garb, for example, and
gave their works titles like Chinese Types.
We entered a gallery featuring mid-20th-
century Singaporean paintings. The era’s most
renowned local artists are called the Nanyang
School (nanyang is Mandarin for “south seas”).
The work of these painters, several of whom
were educated at Paris’s École des Beaux-Arts,
resembles that of their European counterparts,
only more awash in lurid purples, blues and
greens. Several Nanyang men famously traveled
together to Bali. “They wanted to paint naked
women,” Toh said, rolling her eyes. “Just like
the European painters othered the Asians, the
Singaporeans go and do the same thing in Bali.”
We ended our tour in a room devoted to
contemporary art. Here, after the National
Gallery opened, the curators saw behavior they
had never witnessed before. Black tape on the
floor demarcates no-go zones, but some novice
museumgoers didn’t understand. Kids picked
up the glass pebbles of an installation and flung
them across the room. Elderly women ran their
fingers over oil paintings. When a curator
approached and said, “Auntie! Auntie! Don’t
touch,” one woman replied, “But I just wanted
to feel the texture.”
According to Toh, who studied art history in
Australia, the museum struggled to find a way
to educate visitors. Then an artist made an
observation about privilege: “Why do you
expect people to know what to do? How would
you, if you’ve never been to a museum before in
your life?” The Singapore Art Museum, the first
in the city-state’s history, opened just 20 years
ago, which means that nearly all its adult
citizens grew up without one. “We have a gulf,”
Toh said, “between our art-appreciating elite
and the masses.”
The government is more keen to bridge the
distance between Singapore and the West. In
2012, it converted Gillman Barracks, a former
military base, into a contemporary art complex
with more than a dozen galleries. Outposts of
Berlin’s Arndt and Tokyo’s Tomio Koyama
added international credibility.
119
 The government offered unusual stability
and favorable lease terms. The competitive real
estate market has vexed gallery owners,
according to Stephanie Fong, the polished
young proprietor of FOST Gallery, which
focuses on emerging Singaporean artists. She
told me the rent on her previous space, a
converted shop house, had doubled in four
years, outpacing the gallery’s growth.
“The scene is still very small,” Fong observed
as we chatted over drinks at Masons, a
restaurant and bar just uphill from her gallery.
Art lovers may crowd openings, but they don’t
often become buyers. The world’s biggest
collectors still prefer to buy in New York and
Europe. And wealthy Singaporeans still favor
work from outside Southeast Asia—unlike, say,
Indonesians, who have concentrated more on
their home region.
Strolling Gillman Barracks that afternoon, I
saw few visitors. On view at FOST was Chun
Kai Feng, a Singaporean artist who arranges
everyday objects, like orange seats that you
might see at a bus stop, into totemic forms. It’s
slightly Duchampian, a whimsical subversion
of the ordinary. I didn’t mind being alone in the
empty space—it might even be a better way to
enjoy art—but I wondered about the
implications. Gillman Barracks is 15 minutes
by taxi from the CBD. Five galleries, including
Tomio Koyama, have shuttered in the past year.
“You can build a building in ten years,” Fong

O
said, “But the soft bits take time.”
ver and over, I heard variations
on this same theme: We need
patience. We need space. Let us
be. “Everything is so fabricated
in Singapore. But you lose
authenticity when you want the world to see
Singapore as a developed country,” the artist
Zul Mahmod said as we dug in to chwee kueh—
steamed rice cakes with savory radish relish—
at a hawker center. “Singapore is notorious for
pumping in money to force the culture to grow.
But a culture takes time to grow.”
Mahmod’s medium is sound. He walks the
streets for hours, wearing headphones
equipped with microphones. “It looks like I’m
listening to music,” he said, “but I’m recording
a 360 of what’s happening.” In the studio, he
cuts and collates, creating sonic mosaics.
Lately, Mahmod has been busy preparing
Sonic Reflections for the Singapore Biennale.
The piece will feature 201 wok lids with
inward-facing speakers so that the recorded
sounds collected from Singapore’s Southeast
Asian precincts (Thai, Burmese, Vietnamese)
dance off the metal like raindrops. He wants it
to reflect the region’s well-known ethnic complexity. “There’s
always a tension,” Mahmod explained to me, “because we’re not
completely aware of each other’s cultures.”
We stopped to listen to the hawker center: Clack clack clack—
metal against metal, which I recognized as spatula striking wok.
Sssssss—the sizzle of liquid hitting a hot pan. Chop chop chop. A
cleaver against wood block? “Uncle cutting things,” Mahmod said.
What he hears, too, is loss—or, more charitably, change. When
Mahmod was a kid, food stalls crowded sidewalks. In the mid 1980s,
the government corraled hawkers into food courts. In the names of
sanitation and modernity, walls went up and tile came down,
muting the street market’s cacophony. “Look at these buildings,” he
says. Anodyne. Beige. He shrugs. “You need people to make it alive.”
Mahmod grew up in a kampong, a traditional village. Roosters
crowed. Goats bleated. Rain splatted onto banana trees. But when he
was 13, the government razed the area, moving everyone to public
housing. Today, if nostalgia strikes, Mahmod visits Little India,
which he calls a rare remnant of “authentic” Singapore: “It’s music
blasting. It’s vegetable sellers yelling. It sounds like chaos. It’s real.”
Authentic to which era, though? Real to whom? Before Little
India became the busy market community it is today, the area was
home to cattle farmers and brickmakers. Did the farmers decry the
construction of now-historic shop-houses on their pastures? Did the
brickmakers mourn the loss of their kilns as the end of authenticity?
Mahmod knows change is inevitable. What concerns him and
other artists isn’t that; it’s a particular type of change—one that
comes from above rather than bubbling up from below. A national

120  d e c e mb e r 2 0 1 6 / t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m
 Sea State, by Charles Lim Li Yong,
at Gillman Barracks, a newly
formed cluster of government-
sponsored art galleries. Opposite:
The Singapore skyline as seen from
the steps of the National Gallery.

The city-state can now

afford poetry, and all
manner of luxuries
t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m  /   n o v e mb e r 2 0 1 6 117
Inside the Hotel
Vagabond, which
aims to be a
gathering space for
artists and writers.
Opposite: An art
installation in the
garden of the
National Gallery.

aversion to the laissez-faire plus old-fashioned
governmental bumbling fuels the exasperation.
A small example: for the nation’s 50th
birthday, the National Gallery Singapore
commissioned five artists to contribute to a
public work, titled Art Connector, located
nearby. Part of the installation includes 26
benches along a covered walkway. Several
feature hundreds of self-portraits of
Singaporeans; another is covered with quotes
about the nation and geometric patterns in
rainbow colors. For months, though, the
O
benches have been roped off to protect the work.
ne afternoon, I visited Mamoud’s
beloved Little India with theater
and film director Glen Goei as
my guide. We were standing
outside a shop house that’s home
to production offices for Wild Rice, the theater
company for which Goei is one of the creative
directors. Nearby sits the Tan Teng Niah house,
a villa built in 1900. Every panel on every door
and shutter seemed to be a different color, as if
100 kindergartners had gone full Crayola on the
place. “Everything else in Singapore is so
controlled and measured and considered,” Goei
said. “But this is hideous, and Little India is still
a mess, and I love it.”
Goei pulled me down an alley, past vendors
stacking mangoes and bananas. He stopped at a
kiosk selling floral garlands: bursts of magenta,
crimson, gold. “Smell that!” he commanded. I
inhaled. Jasmine. We walked a few more steps
before he halted at a newsstand. Neatly
arranged on the shelves were Tamil magazines, candies, cigarettes.
“This was the original 7-Eleven!” Goei said. The proprietor, an
Indian woman wearing a turquoise sari, laughed. “We call them
mama stalls—mama means ‘Indian,’ ” he continued. “Actually, it’s
very racist and politically incorrect. It’s messy.”
At age 21, Goei moved to England, where he became the first
Singaporean ever nominated for an Olivier, for his performance in
the title role of the 1989 West End production of M. Butterfly. He
returned to Singapore 15 years ago. “I think about leaving all the
time,” he told me. But he stays to stir debate about divisive topics.
Since 2009, Goei, who is gay, has staged an all-male production of
The Importance of Being Earnest. It’s a pointed commentary on
Singapore’s Penal Code 377A, a British-era statute, still unrepealed,
that criminalizes homosexuality. “This was the same penal code
Oscar Wilde was imprisoned for breaking,” he said. Last year, Wild
Rice’s Christmas pantomime was The Emperor’s New Clothes,
which—well, you get his point. “Race, religion, gender, sexuality—
these are very taboo subjects, partly because we are authoritarian,
partly because we’re patriarchal,” he explained. “I want to create
dialogue about them.”
The government still provides 7 percent of the theater company’s
budget. Several years ago, the subsidy was trimmed—Goei doesn’t
mind speculation on whether that was punitive—then restored.
What Wild Rice pays for performance space (most shows are at the
National Library or the Victoria Theatre, both government-owned)
exceeds its subsidies. “The image we like to project is that we are an
I
economic miracle,” he said. “But look under the carpet.”
t’s easy to forget that Singapore is an island. “Islanders
have an us-them attitude toward whatever mainland
they’re oppositional to,” Rajeev Patke, a literary scholar,
told me. In 1963, the newly independent Singapore merged
with neighboring Malaya to form the nation of Malaysia.
Ethnic and political tensions led to Singapore’s expulsion from the
federation two years later. Patke said Singapore’s “mainland” will
always be Malaysia. But perhaps the relevant “mainland” is less
geographic and more socioeconomic, with Singapore envisioning
itself among rich, powerful countries such as the U.K. or China—
and not alongside its Southeast Asian neighbors.
Patke leads the humanities division of Yale-NUS, a joint venture
between Yale and the National University of Singapore that
welcomed its first students three years ago. We chatted at an
alfresco café on campus. Indian-born, Oxford-educated, and
Singapore-based for the past 30 years, Patke is gregarious: ask him
about the island, and he’ll narrate the archipelago. “Singapore’s
location has meant that it is both separate from the mainland and
conscious of its size and scale,” he explained. “You have to build
global linkages to prosper. You have to husband your resources.”
You can see these impulses in a wave of innovators who are
creating new spaces and renegotiating Singapore’s artistic limits.
There’s Harpreet Bedi, a former Silicon Valley lawyer who, with
her husband, Satinder Garcha, owns several hotels. She hopes their
latest, Hotel Vagabond, will become an artists’ colony. Two rooms
are reserved for artists-in-residence. Each afternoon she hosts the
Lady Boss High Tea, with free food and drink for all. “Any artist can
just hang,” she said, as we sat in the kitschy lobby and salon,
boudoir-ish except for the giant bronze rhino that doubles as a
check-in desk. “People expect me to have white hair, wearing a gown
and smoking opium.” (Her hair is jet-black. She’s in an elegant
t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m  /   d e c e mb e r 2 0 1 6 123
pantsuit. And she doesn’t smoke.) “But I want
artists to just come. Have food. Create. Be free.”
There’s also Ezzam Rahman, a performance The details
artist and sculptor whose dreams of large hotel s
bronze installations were doomed by real estate Amoy Enter this boutique hotel through
costs. Instead, he has gone small. Last year, he a 19th-century Buddhist temple turned
museum. Each of the 37 rooms bears
won the President’s Young Talents award from
the name of a different Chinese
the Singapore Art Museum for 34 miniature immigrant family. 76 Telok Ayer St.,
sculptures of flowers. Intricate and beautiful, Downtown Core; stayfareast.com;
they are crafted from dried skin harvested doubles from S$200.
from calluses on his feet. He is now producing a Fullerton Hotel Housed in a grand
converted 1920s government building
new series, in the same material, of orchids. It on the Singapore River, the luxurious
expresses his angst as a native Singaporean property was recently named a national
who feels marginalized on multiple counts. “I monument. Downtown Core; fullerton​​
am Malay. I am gay. I am tall. I am fat,” Rahman hotels.com; doubles from S$257.
Hotel Jen Orchardgateway At the
said. “I want to question our national identity
retail heart of the city, the playful hotel
and its connotations. This is such a prim and offers a 47-meter infinity pool on its
proper country, shiny and polished.” rooftop, a great overview. Guestrooms
And there are literary types like have a modern vibe to match the
entrepreneur Kenny Leck and poets Cyril location. 277 Orchard Rd.; hoteljen.com;
doubles from S$215.
Wong and Pooja Nansi. I met them in Tiong Hotel Vagabond A kitschy but
Bahru, all casement windows and Art Deco comfortable art-themed hotel featuring
curves. The streets house both hipster-specific an artist salon inspired by New York
retail—artisanal barber; juice bar—and the City’s Chelsea Hotel in its glory days.
Kampong Glam; hotel​vaga­bond​
corner noodle shop where the old lady may be
singapore.com; doubles from S$235.
losing her wonton-making skills, but not her InterContinental Singapore
clientele. On Yong Siak Street is Leck’s shop, Reworked to give it more of a Peranakan
Books Actually, Singapore’s premier feel, the 403-room hotel now comes
independent bookstore. Literature is thriving. with shop-house design touches,
including batik tile floors and finely
Poets here regularly sell 3,000 or 4,000 copies of carved wooden touches, and silk-
their collections. Thousands of Singaporeans threaded wall coverings. 80 Middle Rd.;
thronged events, online and in person, for ihg.com; doubles from S$315.
National Poetry Writing Month. Nansi, who
restaur ants & Cafes
hosts a monthly poetry night at the Artistry
Artistry This small gallery and café
Café, noted that, last time around, she had to displays local art and hosts live events.
pipe the sound out to the patio because the Kampong Glam; artistry​space.com.
interior was crowded past fire-safety limits. Atlas Grand Lobby Bar Opening this
Nansi wonders whether Singapore’s soul month, the bar offers the largest
selection of gin in the world, which is a
searching has actually ignited creativity. good thing as you’ll need a drink or two
“There’s an extra rage, an extra passion,” she to absorb the Art Deco. There’s also a
said. “Some days, this tension makes me want vast champagne collection, if that’s your
to write more. Others, I never want to write tipple. Downtown Core.
CSHH Coffee Bar A former hardware
again.” Leck added: “There is still so much work
store in the Jalan Besar district has
to be done.” Wong likens Singapore to a person been transformed into a popular
learning to tango in too small a room. “Three roastery, coffee bar, and breakfast-and-
steps forward, two steps back,” he told me. “And lunch spot. cshh​c offee.com; mains
then a door slams in your face!” S$15–$18.
Labyrinth Chef LG Han’s neo-
This from a queer writer whose most recent Singaporean cuisine includes boldly
collection is, in his own telling, “dirty,” yet who reimagined versions of regional classics
has won the Singapore Literature Prize and is a like chicken rice and chilli crab.
finalist again this year. If the door slams, it also Downtown Core; labyrinth.com.sg;
tasting menu from S$48.
reopens. “Are you hopeful?” I asked.
National Kitchen by Violet Oon The
They glanced at each other nervously. grande dame of refined Peranakan
“I am,” Nansi said. (Straits Chinese) cuisine, Oon has
“Yes,” Leck nodded. installed her latest venture on the
“I’m too practical to be extremely hopeful— second floor of the National Gallery
Singapore. Civic District; violet​oon.com;
or extremely pessimistic,” Wong offered. mains S$15–$42.
It’s a very Singaporean answer. They Plain Vanilla Bakery Sip delicious
laughed, and then they sighed. brewed coffee while browsing local and
124  d e c e mb e r 2 0 1 6 / t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m
international magazines from the
reading racks. Tiong Bahru; plainvanilla​
bakery.com.
Tippling Club Chef Ryan Clift’s superb
cocktails and sophisticated tasting
menus feature the flavors of the globe,
and include herbs and greens grown
atop a retail tower on Orchard Road.
Tanjong Pagar; tippling​club.com; tasting
menus from S$170.
shops
Books Actually This indie gem and
writers’ hub is home to Singapore’s
most interesting publishing house. Tiong
Bahru; books​actually​shop.com.
Cat Socrates An offbeat boutique—
complete with resident feline—offering
goods like buttons, key chains,
tchotchkes and letterpress postcards.
Downtown Core; cat​socrates.com.sg.
Supermama Designer Edwin Low’s
shop features items like socks with
patterns based on popular childhood
snacks. Rochor; ­supermama.sg.
galleries & museums
FOST Gallery Stephanie Fong’s
contemporary art gallery showcases
both local stars and artists from around
the world. Alexandra; fostgallery.com.
Gillman Barracks Located in a former
military camp, this visual arts precinct
has 11 international galleries.
Alexandra; gillmanbarracks.com.
National Gallery Singapore
A massive new institution featuring the
world’s largest public collection of
modern and contemporary Singaporean
and Southeast Asian art. Civic District;
national​gallery.sg.
Singapore Art Museum The country’s
first art museum, which opened 20
years ago, focuses on contemporary art
and is housed in a restored 19th-century
mission school. Downtown Core;
singaporeartmuseum.sg.​
Tiong Bahru, one of the oldest
housing estates in Singapore.
E s c ap e . Unwind . D iscove r
A TROPICAL ISLAND PARADISE
O n ly 6 0 m i n u t e s f r o m S in ga p o r e
www.bintan-resorts.com
Bintan Resorts
bintanresortsofficial
 Edge of America

Underrated outpost Guam, with diving as fantastical as its local lore, is

brimming with surprises. Duncan Forgan braves the vengeful ancestors,
and explains why you should crave coconut-milk cheeseburgers.

Photographed by Aaron Joel Santos

 A painted bus stop
in downtown
Tumon, the nexus
of Guam's tourism
industry. opposite:
Young Chamorro
men in the Valley of
the Latte.

t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m  /   d e c e mb e r 2 0 1 6 127
 Clockwise from
top left: A coconut
tree on Ritidian
beach in northern
Guam; a statue of the
pope welcomes
visitors to the
roughly 95-percent
Catholic island; a
view over Tumon and
the Pacific Ocean;
small versions of
latte stones near a
local hangout in
Tumon; public art in
Tumon depicting
Guam’s cultures.
Although it lies a distant
9,331 kilometers from the
California coast, Guam
nonetheless brandishes super-sized portions of
American bonhomie.
Due to its location just west of the international
dateline, the U.S. Pacific territory is, as its garrulous
inhabitants waste no time in pointing out, where
America’s day begins. Up until now, my guide Ron
Laguana has acted as a self-appointed ambassador for
this seemingly insatiable sunniness. He lays down an
extensive 101 on the island’s colorful history and only
draws breath to scold me for not taking enough notes and
to complain about the inadequate dimensions of my
rented Kia. (“Shoulda hired a Tacoma bro,” is a frequent
refrain heard throughout the day.)
Things take an unexpectedly darker turn though as he
steers us towards a favorite fishing spot on the eastern
side of the island.
“I remember it like it was yesterday and it still gives
me the shivers,” he says maneuvering the car through a
maze of coconut palms into a clearing by the ocean. “I
trapped a wild boar in this very spot,” Ron whispers, the
sound of the waves pounding in from the Mariana
Trench—the world’s deepest point—upon the rocky
shore nearly drowning out his voice. “Just a single wild
boar. Nothing else. But when I opened up the trap, a
chicken flew out. It was inexplicable, but I knew it must
have been the Taotaomona. Perhaps they were in a
playful mood.”
Guam is a surprisingly eerie place.
The island’s indigenous Chamorro people fear and
respect the Taotaomona, zombie spirits of ancient
ancestors. Their presence and mysterious works of
sorcery, it is said, can be detected at sacred areas dotted
around the island—often at some of its most famous
beauty spots—and at mysterious rocks known as the
Latte Stones, which date back to 800 A.D.
It is doubtful whether any of the million-plus visitors
to underrated Guam each year pay much mind to the
spook factor. In fact, many tourists who do make it here
are lured foremost by duty-free designer shopping—
though there’s a growing appreciation for the idyllic
stretches of sand, and wealth of playable golf courses that
include some designed by the game’s biggest pros. This is
a shiny Pacific paradise with a laid-back vibe, where the
diving is as legendary as the island’s historic role as one
of the most strategically important American military
bases in the world. The shores are superstars for plenty
of reasons.
As a first time visitor, however, I want to dig a little
deeper to get a feel for the island’s Chamorro culture. I
also want to hear more about the myths and legends
attached to Guam—species transmogrifications being a
fantastical case in point.
My first mission, before I get down
to the serious business of mining zombie
lore and other gothic tales, is to get a feel
for the island’s evolution from colonial
hand-me-down into the most dynamic
tourist destination in Micronesia.
The obvious place to start is the
commercial hub of Tumon where mass tourism on the
island first took root around 40 years ago. Here, the
mostly Japanese shoppers flit between glitzy duty-free
malls full of brands such as Versace, Coach and Chanel.
Lining the main thoroughfare, Pale San Vitores Road,
are familiar eateries like Tony Roma’s and Hard Rock
Café, and the swanky Manhattan Steakhouse—all
testament to Uncle Sam’s firm caloric grip on the island.
A stone’s throw away is the bay’s long, curving beach,
a dazzling expanse of white sand that slopes gently into
shallow turquoise waters guarded by a coral reef. It is an
undeniably gorgeous stretch, with the high-rise hotels
offering guests a grandstand view.
Surveying the scene from the balcony of my room at
the stately Hyatt Regency, one of the island’s most
prestigious addresses, I can see the appeal. The hotel,
with several pools in lush gardens, provides a stylish
refuge from which to strike out to nearby bars such as
Shamrocks, an Irish joint with a great selection of locally
brewed craft beers, and restaurants such as the resort’s
own signature Italian venue Al Dente, which does an
impressive line of giant tomahawk steaks. Between the
American conveniences and the paradisaical aesthetic,
Tumon feels like a closer, calmer Waikiki.
On my first morning, I head for Pika’s Café, a lunch
joint that specializes in giant sandwiches and salads with
a distinct Chamorro twist. I go for the Tinaktak Burger, a
giant patty cooked with coconut milk and green beans.
Although it doesn’t sound enticing, website reviews rave
about it. And, sure enough, the eccentric combination
works: the coconut reduction imparting an enjoyably
sweet, tropical note to the juicy meat with the fresh
beans delivering some welcome crunch. I’m a convert.
In fact, dining turns out to be an unexpected highlight
of my trip. Native Chamorro food was largely based on
what early inhabitants could gather, grow and hunt from
the land plus what they could harvest from the ocean.
Spanish, American and Filipino influences crept in,
producing gems such as kalaguen (a ceviche-like dish)
and finadene sauce (a blend of vinegar, soy, onion and hot
peppers, a popular marinade used in traditional
barbecue cookouts). Other surprisingly memorable meals
come at Meskla and Proa, fusion venues where
international techniques give Chamorro cuisine a twist,
in keeping with the island’s cosmopolitan character.
En route to Pika’s Café, my taxi driver, who grew up
on the island of Rota about 90 kilometers away, expands
on Guam’s irresistible uptown allure. “It was like the
promised land for me,” he laughs. “Life is still traditional
on the other islands and there are few prospects. On clear
nights, I used to stare at the glow from the buildings on
Guam and wish I could live there someday.”
t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m  /   d e c e mb e r 2 0 1 6 129
 Ron, my guide, also encapsulates the island’s unique seek clearance at each of my stops on my last day on the
hybridization. His hale and hearty demeanor—and his island, which is devoted to its natural highlights.
preference for gas-guzzling beasts—could hardly be In the morning I ascend Mount Lamlam, said by locals
more American. But he is a proud Chamorro, a teacher to be the world’s tallest peak. Though it rises a modest
and an authority on the culture, who co-authored a book 406 meters above sea level, the theory is that, with its
on the native tongue and has promoted its use in schools. base at the foot of the Mariana Trench, its real height is
He is a font of knowledge on the legends and traditions some 11,000 meters (more than 2,000 meters higher than
that add a depth of flavor to Guam’s heady gumbo. Everest). Whether or not that’s actually a legitimate case,
As we strike out from Tumon towards the wild palm- the summit offers breathtaking views of the luminescent
backed beaches and rolling, grassy hills that characterize green hills of southern Guam pouring into the Pacific.
the south, he delivers a crash course in Chamorro lore. I For me, however, it is the beaches that steal the show.
discover that the island was once at risk of collapsing in The pick of the bunch is Ritidian Point in the far north of
the middle when a monster fish was devouring its center. the island. Accessible via a pot-holed road through some
Fortunately, the women of Guam captured the fish with of the thickest jungle on the island, it is not the easiest
their hair and the island was saved. place to get to. But chalk-white sand and mirror-clear
The story chimes nicely with the matrilineal nature of water make the arduous journey well worthwhile. I
the Chamorro. Although the men are built big and have divide my time between bobbing weightlessly in the
traditionally assumed the hunter-gatherer role, family Pacific and staring off into the powder blue horizon. The
lines are traced through mothers, grandmothers and thought occurs to me that perhaps if I meditate long
great-grandmothers. enough, I can transform into a bird and hover above all
The Taotaomona are capable of mysterious, this beauty. Maybe that’ll sate the ancestors.
sometimes macabre, works of magic. Ron tells me that
Chamorro are taught to ask permission from these
ancestors to proceed wherever they set foot. “Over the
The details
centuries, lots of outsiders have come to Guam,” he says.
“Many of them don’t know—or don’t care to know— Getting There stylish attention to detail. dusit.
about our traditions. They’ve trod on sacred land without From Southeast Asia, direct com; from US$320 per night.
asking permission and they’ve developed sicknesses, and flights to Guam International
unexplainable injuries have been inflicted upon them. Airport leave from Hong Kong, Restaur ants
Manila and Taipei. Visa and entry Pika Café Excellent, friendly
“We [the Chamorro] respect our ancestors. If you requirements for Guam are the breakfast and lunch venue in
show them courtesy then no harm will come to you.” same as for any U.S destination. Tumon. The Chamericano tortilla
wrap panini is stuffed with
Ron’s tales are interspersed by visits to Hotel s Chamorro sausage, cheddar
Hyatt Regency Guam With a cheese, red potatoes, scrambled
significant spots such as Umatac, where explorer
private stretch of beach, several eggs and the special house
Ferdinand Magellan landed in 1521. The fateful visit was swimming pools and a fine sauce. fb.com/pikascafe; meal for
the precursor for a history of colonialism—by Spain, the selection of restaurants— two from US$50.
United States, Japan and the U.S. again—that is the including signature Italian venue Meskla Chamorro fusion is the
longest among the Pacific islands. Al Dente—the Hyatt is Guam’s name of the game at Meskla. For
top hotel. Rooms offer coffee newbies, the Chamoru Platter is
Also memorable is the Valley of the Latte, a nicely machines, choice toiletries and a good bet: fried reef fish, tinala
realized eco-tourism venture that features a boat ride up king-sized beds. guam.regency. katni (dried beef), kelaguen (a
the tranquil Talofofo River and demonstrations of basket- hyatt.com; from US$250 per night. ceviche-like starter), salad and
weaving and fire-starting by local Chamorro men. Outrigger Guam Beach Resort red rice. mesklaguam.com; meal
Due to its onsite mall and for two from US$85.
There’s also a small museum dedicated to the life of
proximity to DFS Galleria, one of Proa Guam locals pride
Private Shoichi Yokoi. As U.S. forces retook the island for the island’s premier duty-free themselves on being masters of
the Allies during the bloody dying days of the Pacific retail outlets, Outrigger is ideal the barbecue. If you can’t get
campaign, Private Yokoi and a handful of his Japanese for shoppers. Try to snare a room yourself invited to a cook-out, the
comrades retreated to the undergrowth. There they held with an ocean-view balcony—the meaty offerings at Proa make a
turquoise expanse of Tumon Bay worthy alternative. fb.com/
out for an incredible amount of time, subsisting on a diet is truly special. outrigger.com; proaguam; meal for two from
of venomous toads and river eels, determined to avoid from US$260 per night. US$100.
detection at any cost. One by one they succumbed to The Westin With seven on-site
illness or the elements, or were seized. Only Private dining options, two outdoor pools Activities
and a day spa, this resort is a Mangilao Golf Club Widely
Yokoi survived. After eight more years in the jungle with
one-stop shop for leisure. Rooms considered the best course on an
only the Taotaomona for company—a chilling are spacious and many enjoy island full of great ones.
prospect—he was found by a group of local hunters in ocean views. westin-guam.com; onwardguam.com; greens fee
January 1973, by which point Private Yokoi had been from US$275 per night. from US$200.
fighting the Second World War for nearly three decades. Dusit Thani One of the newest Blue Persuasion Diving
luxe options in Tumon, this resort bluepersuasionguam.com.
Private Yokoi’s tale and travails sound so horrific that feels fresh. Everything from the Guam Visitors Bureau
I suspect the spirits kept him as punishment for Thai-inspired rooms to the huge guamvisitorsbureau.com; private
encroaching on their turf. So I make a mental note to swimming pool benefits from tour guide day rates from US$100.

130  d e c e mb e r 2 0 1 6 / t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m
 Clockwise from top
left: When it comes to
land crabs, buyer
beware—of pincers;
your standard trappings
of a tropical paradise; a
traditional Chamorro
sinahi necklace; star
fruits: rock formations
off the west coast of
Guam; the tranquil War
In The Pacific National
Historic Park.
The Tegallalang Rice
Terraces in Ubud.
opposite: Grilled
octopus at Kubu, the
fine-dining restaurant
at Mandapa, a Ritz-
Carlton Reserve.

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The Best Medicine

Ubud has been Bali’s healing capital for more than a

thousand years. Through a weeklong curative quest, Jeninne
Lee-St. John discovers that a shaman’s secret
ingredient is simple: belly laughs.
Photographed by Lauryn Ishak

t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m  /   d e c e mb e r 2 0 1 6 127
 hen I told my friends I
had been skipping
through fields collecting
caterpillars, they didn’t
believe me. I’m not so into
bugs. Or dirt. Or surprise
bugs you might find in the
dirt. But this particular dusk,
I’m super into all of that. I’m like
a little kid pretending little swaths
of grass are a big jungle, the world is
shiny and new, a delight waiting to be explored. I pick up
a fuzzy green caterpillar, letting it crawl and flip along
the tops and insides of my fingers, up my hand and my
arm. The soft fur and tiny legs tickle in the exact way I
remember from when I was five, and I wonder why I
don’t do this every day.
The most obvious reason is I don’t meet Djik Dewa
every day. This man is a marvel. A priest and a healer
specializing in Kundalini, or life-force energy, Djik Dewa
has spent 90 minutes working on me, trying to unfurl
the coiled up snake (the literal definition of Kundalini)
that usually lies dormant at the base of my spine. The
snake is, of course, a metaphor for what are said to be
deep reserves of untapped creative energy that, when
activated, can alter your consciousness and in the best of
cases work miracles.
Djik Dewa does some reflexology, he scans my body,
he activates and balances all of my chakras, clearing the
path for the Kundalini to travel up through me and work
its purifying, detoxifying magic. He also engages me in
what can be most easily described as the world’s most
eccentric staring contest. He asks me to open my eyes,
and then looks so deeply into them that it feels like he’s
looking through them. It is both extremely hokey and not
entirely inaccurate to say he’s looking into my soul.
When the session is finished, he asks how I’m feeling.
“OK,” I venture unsure. “Better?”
“Look into the mirror,” he says.
My eyes are wide open, glassy and bright, and the
whites are clearer than I’ve ever seen them. For some
reason this makes me giggle. I glance at Djik Dewa for
confirmation and he giggles back. I erupt into a pure,
hearty laugh and Djik Dewa laughs too, and then I cannot
stop. What is so funny? I have no idea. But I’m filled with
joy and incredulity. I’m a laugh machine. Djik Dewa
excuses himself while I freshen up. But the short walk
from the treatment villa to the reception sala in the Four
Seasons Sayan’s Sacred River Spa is rife with sensory
distractions—birds, trees swaying in the light breeze,
flowing water that is topped by a path I find eminently
danceable. This makes me laugh. Djik Dewa is waiting in
the sala with the spa receptionist. “How are you feeling
now?” I look around, blink, everything is crisp, my head
is clear, my body is light. I’m great! This is nuts. I’m
laughing again. I hug Djik Dewa maybe four times.
Thank him maybe 10. The walk back to my villa is
amazing. The world is in Technicolor and surround
sound. I make best friends with a caterpillar.
 This is all pretty hilariously not me, and I haven’t
even gotten to my utter fascination at discovering the
bullfrog choir burping the sun down from the pond on
the roof of my villa. It’s the most mellifluous symphony
I’ve ever heard and I stop to record it to send immediately
to everyone I know. I’ve discovered the perfect
soundtrack to this shaman-driven wellness journey I’m
on in Ubud. The traditional center for healing on the
island, the lush central region whose name comes from
“ubad,” or medicine, was for more than a millennium the
go-to destination for royal and wealthy Balinese in need
of the cure. It was kind of like Baden for the Swiss or the
Izu Peninsula for the Japanese, and has exploded into a
center for alternative medicine, from reiki to colonics.
In Ubud city center, there’s a yoga shop on every block,
and loads of people concocting raw or vegan food. But for
me, everything in moderation applies to getting healthy
as well. So there will be wine and cheese and gastronomy,
and coddling in pool villas at resorts with equally well-
rounded views on wellness. My back hurts, my soul’s a bit
wounded, I’ve got tummy troubles and I bristle when
forced to discuss the passage of time. I wanted to flee the
hectic city, immerse myself in this culture of comfort,
hang out with as many Balians (the local word for
clockwise From
left: Relaxing at the
healers) as I could and see if it would help me properly
Four Seasons Sayan exhale. Turns out the most healing exhalation of all is a
Sacred River Spa; rib-splitting guffaw.
Padma Resort Ubud
and its heated
infinity pool nestle in
My grandmother grew up in a village
a lush valley; I Made in Guangzhou in the 1930’s. Everyone worked the rice
Warnata, Mandapa's paddies. But she fought the odds, and much of her family,
recreation to pursue her education in Hong Kong and then the U.S.
supervisor; a villa She loved learning, but she also wanted to ensure that
bedroom at
Mandapa; her offspring would not have to toil in knee-deep mud.
whitewater rafting So, when I find myself in a paddy, knee-deep in mud,
on the Ayung River. cracking up with head farmer I Nyoman Wirawan over
my gardening incompetence, I feel a tinge of betrayal. A
large patch of the Four Seasons’ land bordering the river
is fertile for planting and convenient for accessing on
foot, so locals manage the paddies and keep the harvest,
and the hotel gets its own on-site example of a beautiful
terraced subak—in which guests may get their hands
and feet dirty. There’s a little part of me that feels like a
first-world jerk, play-acting an expensive activity on the
grounds of a luxury hotel, when so many people have to
be serious about it to survive. Here I am, yukking it up,
and wearing a conical hat, no less, when three paddies
over are two women actually working these fields. But
the reason I signed up for this is those women—and my
grandmother. I wanted to see what it was like for her and
her sister and her mother, to get some fraction of
understanding of where and what she came from.
Rare are the hotel experiences that want you to be
uncomfortable. That explicitly force you to reckon with
your family lore and middle-class guilt. I have to give
them props for the many layers of benefits I accrue from
this activity. It’s part therapy, part history lesson,
agricultural science, of course, and some math. It’s also
something of a work out, raking and pounding mud into

t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m  /   d e c e mb e r 2 0 1 6 135
a semi-consistent level and thickness, then bending over
to plant the seedlings, all the while trying not to fall over
into the goop, my toes clenching in the slickness for
stability. I am instructed by Wirawan to neither stand up
nor shuffle over between each plunge of seed into the
mud so as not to throw off my focus in creating a straight
row. Well, Wirawan may have given me the thumbs up
after my dozen rows, but when I send a photo of their
distinctly trapezoidal shape to my sister-in-law, who
actually grew up planting rice in rural China, I receive a
reply of her whole family laughing at my terribleness.
“You’d never survive in a village,” they chuckle. Of all
the answers I might be seeking on this trip, that one was
already predetermined. Thanks, grandma.

“Please understand, nothing is

required,” I Made Warnata tells me when we arrive at
Pura Titra Empul, one of the island’s famous sacred sites.
“You may follow behind me and do exactly as I do, or you
can just observe, or anything in between. Whatever you
feel comfortable with.”
We ease our way down the stone stairs into the pool,
formed by the spring of immortality said to have been clockwise From top
created by the god Indra. The water is icy, the stones left: The spa at
Padma Resort Ubud
below are a bit slimy, and I start when a large koi swims resembles a grotto;
past my thigh. Made asks me if I’m afraid of them; No, I the Clean Living bowl
say, just unenthused about their presence. He smiles at Four Seasons
indulgently then approaches the first fountain to begin a Sayan contains
spinach, avocados,
ritual that’s been followed at this site since at least the
chickpeas, mangoes
temple’s founding in 926 A.D. Rinse your head three and beets; a Sacred
times. Rinse your face three times. Fully submerge under River Spa villa;
the spout. Press your palms together and give thanks. He planting rice in a Four
goes first; I follow. After the first spigot, I’m no longer Seasons paddy; Djik
Dewa, a Kundalini
cold. After the third, the fish barely register. By the healer.
twelfth, I am in a trance, feeling peaceful and refreshed
and clean.
When I’m done (we skip the final two on this row
because they are for funeral ceremonies), Made is
waiting behind me and only then do I notice—again—
the crowds… people weaving around… cutting fountain
lines… not praying properly! I wonder if this irks Made,
for whom this is clearly a solemn ritual. But he’s looking
serene and super chill as we climb up and over from this
pool to the next. It’s not for me to judge the other tourists.
Nothing is required.
The last fountain is called the Master Cleanse. You
rinse your head, your face, you fully submerge, and you
drink. It’s supposed to purify you both physically and
psychologically, and so I drink as much as I possibly can.
I guzzle. I’m like a woman in the desert. Made is amused.
We head back to the changing room to peel off our wet
kamen (sarongs) and sashes—the dress code for pools—
change into dry ones, and then head for a stroll around
the temple grounds.
“When a man becomes a priest, it’s very hard,” Made
says lamentably, seemingly apropos of nothing after
pointing out the modern house on the hill above, which
was built by the Dutch and later used by Indonesian
President Soekarno. “You stay married, but you give up

136  d e c e mb e r 2 0 1 6 / t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m
sex. The husband and wife still live in the same house,
but they must separate everything.”
Stop. Back up, please. Priests can be married? I
immediately come to terms with my near-total ignorance
of Hinduism’s many iterations, and listen carefully. It
turns out Made is speaking from experience. Of the main
strains of the religion, Sivah, Bhrama and Visnu, most
Balinese are Sivah (though Made says most villages have
adherents to all three) and his family is of its priesthood.
It’s a patrilineal role that passes to the eldest son upon
the death of his father.
“My father became a priest only five years ago,” Made
says, meaning when his grandfather died, at the age of
101. His grandmother is 98. Made, former competitive
weightlifter and now recreation supervisor at Mandapa,
a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, is heir to the cloth, and he already
has two sons, but with this hereditary longevity, I’m not
too worried about any of them having to forsake carnal
pleasures any time soon.

I’m lying on a table listening to the

sound of the river flow outside. Mandapa’s terraced
grounds sit in a dramatic valley on a hook in the Ayung
River. From our position on a sharp bend, I can hear the
rapids hit the near edge of the riverbed, drop about a
meter, and carry on rightward off into the distance. I can
also hear the occasional “whoop” from whitewater
rafters out there thrilling at the turn. There’s a blind
woman at my feet conducting reflexology, murmuring to
herself quietly. After a while, she, Ni Ketut Mursi, raises
her voice slightly and her assistant, who had been
hovering by my side, heads to my back, sides, arms, legs
to apply pressure at the, apparently—since they’re
speaking Balinese—specific instructions of her boss.
This push-me/pull-you tag team manages to make both
for a gentle, almost loving, four-hand massage, and me
feel like a lab subject.
They continue in this way while Ni Ketut Mursi does
reflexology in my palms, then she comes up behind me,
cradles me between her legs and works on my meridians,
trying to clear toxins in these lines between my organs. It
is fantastically lulling. Which the makes the next step
slightly jarring. She is wiping her hand across my head,
my chest, pulling something off and then blowing, even
spitting, it away disdainfully. I crack an eye, but don’t see
anything in her hand. Yet the mood is contagious, and I
also get slightly amped up with disdain for whatever
she’s spitting away. Turns out, this is a neutralizing
tactic, and she’s removing the excessive energy she’s
found in parts of my body in order to balance the positive
and the negative inside me.
OK, OK. So, some people might not be down for such
mumbo jumbo. But besides the tangible lightness I feel
after this session, in the debrief she offers diagnoses—
culled from her various examination techniques
including tapping my throat, chest and tummy to listen
to the echoes—that might have come straight from my
medical file. She asks if I’m on antibiotics. Yes, I say,
wondering how she could’ve known. “The antibiotics

From top: A private dining coccoon at Kubu Restaurant, in
Mandapa, overlooks the Ayung River; I Wayan Suwitra leads
an aerial yoga class at Four Seasons.
138  d e c e mb e r 2 0 1 6 / t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m
were repressing the good bacteria in your digestive
system,” she says via the translator. “I fixed it.” She
noticed the slight scoliosis in my lower lumbar and
suggests when I get home I get cupping done to that area,
and find a tendon-massage specialist. I should fix my
lower back first, so that there’s a solid base from which to
work on my neck and shoulder strains (true, but those
are relatively easy to feel with your hands), and start
quelling my persistent headaches and general feeling of
unsteadiness (so true, and how in god’s name did she
detect that physically?).
As for my chakras, two had been blocked, but, she
says, she was able to clear them. The third chakra, in the
navel and connected to the organs, especially the
stomach, controls the mind and how you form opinions.
Decision-making can be a problem for me, so by all
means, away with those blockages. The fifth chakra, at
the throat, flows down to the chest and the heart. By
clearing that one, Ni Ketut Mursi says, “all existing
feelings will be able to be expressed easier through
words.” (As I type that last sentence, I am overcome with
regret at not having written this story immediately after
my session.)
Ni Ketut Mursi, whose father was also a healer, sends
me away with the reassurance that my gastrointestinal
problems are “nothing major” and a prescription to
drink ground turmeric mixed with water and honey as a
natural antibiotic and digestive aid.
Duh. Google turmeric and you get all kinds of variants
on “world’s healthiest herb.” I am reminded how far away
from the simplest answer most modern health care has
moved. I’m a big believer in alternative therapies for
physical pains, like acupuncture, but I always forget that
Mother Nature evolved her own medicines that kept the
human race going for millennia before big pharma.
“So, you believe in... everything?”
a friend asked me when I gave him a debrief, mid-trip, of
my wellness-packed schedule. This is a man who’s been
to a hypnotist. Hmm. Not exactly. I believe in trying
everything, within reason, at least once. I believe in the
sincerity of the people I’ve met and their dedication to
their work. I believe in my own experiences, and feeling
tangibly altered after each new meeting. I believe you can
learn something from everyone and hopefully create
your own compendium of personal best practices to a
healthier, happier, more purposeful lifestyle.
A swoop-peaked, open-air grandstand known as a
bale overlooks the terraced paddies of the Four Seasons.
It’s here where you can take meditation class, guided by a
gentle, relatable former nun (who is pregnant during my
visit). It’s also here where you can test your flexibility,
upper-body strength and equilibrium with antigravity
yoga. I have exactly one hangover this trip and it occurs
on the morning I am scheduled for this flying, upside-
down workout. I can only laugh at myself each time the
instructor demonstrates yet another crazy circus move
with the greatest of ease. I’m an idiot and I’m definitely
going to hurt myself. But the hammocks are made of
 From left: Pura Tirta Empul, a fresh-water purfication spring
near Tampaksiring; whether or not you participate in the Hindu
rituals, visitors to Pura Tirta Empul must wear traditional kamen.

long, strong, silky pieces of bright violet fabric. So

besides providing more support than you might expect,
they’re also gorgeous. We are like performance artists or
synchronized swimmers, unsure caterpillars turning
into beautiful purple butterflies. The joy of it tamps down
my remaining nausea. Sort of.
As class wraps up and we’re all marveling at how
much less impossible aerial yoga was than it seemed, our
instructor instructs us to laugh. We hesitate, letting out
subdued chuckles. No, I Wayan Suwitra says, “Laugh.”
And he erupts into a deep cackle, grinning ear-to-ear,
eyes practically crying. It’s a gut-grabbing, foot-stomping
laugh and the rest of us have no choice but to laugh along.
“Every day I wake up and the first thing I do is laugh,”
he says. “I’ve taught my children all to wake up and
laugh. It carries with you throughout the day. Sometimes The details
we hear someone laughing at 5 a.m., it wakes us up and Four Seasons Sayan This nearly prayer and ceremony, guests get
soon everyone in the house is laughing too.” self-contained village is dotted daily gifts of artisanal crafts.
As far as alarm clocks go, you could do worse. with gardens and on-site paddies. aman.com; doubles from US$605.
The double-decker main pool,
The next day, I take a jaunt through the woods and to a Padma Resort Ubud Up in the
boasting intuitive staff and lovely
village with I Made Agus Nova Putra, who goes by Agus. sundappled afternoon shadows, hills with a dramatic valley view,
He’s a local twenty-something who’s worked his way up perches over the Ayung River, this new, mist-shrouded hotel has
from hawking tours on the side of the road to becoming drawing out even those guests a bamboo-forest walking trail and
one of Four Seasons Sayan’s most popular guides. His with luxe pool villas. The Sacred a large heated infinity pool.
River Spa “ceremonies,” tailored padmaresortubud.com; doubles
English is tops, he’s an utter sweetheart, and he’s got all to guest needs, are some of the from IDR2,535,000.
the knowledge. Daun piduh is an antiseptic leaf that you most comprehensive, healing
chew then wrap on a wound like a band-aid to stop treatment packages we’ve ever Maya Ubud Tucked between the
bleeding; binahong is an herb you mix with water to help experienced. fourseasons.com; Petanu river and the Peliatan rice
doubles from US$560. paddies, the resort has an award-
cool the body temperature. winning spa and complimentary
We come upon a middle-aged man with a lined face Mandapa, A Ritz-Carlton activities that include tai chi and
and shoulder-length wavy hair, wearing only a wide, Reserve For a dramatic entrance pilates. mayaresorts.com;
tooth-baring grin and a loincloth. He was about to scale a the elevated lobby offers a doubles from US$199.
tree to fetch fronds from the tops that can be made into panorama of this new resort in an
Ayung River valley. Bamboo nests Kamandalu Named for a vessel
roofing and fibers. His name is Lonto and he lives in this in Kubu (or, “shelter” in Bahasa) to hold holy water, the resort
clearing with his wife in what can most charitably be restaurant furnish the ultimate focuses its design and energy on,
described as a lean-to. Lonto and I compare curls. We sit special occasion, especially with as the namesake legend goes,
on a log together and I ask if we can take a picture, then chef Maurizio Bombini’s yummy, helping guests break away from
accessible gastronomic delights. the attachments of the physical
realize it would be a lot more fun to make a Boomerang, world. kamadaluresort.com;
The vast river-front villas have a
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farewell, Lonto’s laugh follows through the trees. Immersed in the rhythms of local com; doubles from US$224.

140  d e c e mb e r 2 0 1 6 / t r a v e l a n d l e i s u r e a s i a . c o m
 wish you were here

Scott A. Woodward /  Lhasa /  tibet

The first stop on many travelers’ Lhasa itineraries is the Barkhor, a swarming market square
and one of the most famous devotional circumambulations in the Buddhist world. The
Barkhor kora, or pilgrim circuit, is approximately one kilometer around the revered Jokhang
Temple, which dates to 652 A.D. The Barkhor heaves and churns with a constant swirl of devout Tibetans, many
of whom have traveled for days or even weeks to meditate and pray. They stroll clockwise
around the hallowed grounds, one of the most sacred monasteries in Tibet. I found myself drawn to
the square, spending hours there each day, becoming swept into the masses as they whirled their way
around the spiritual heart of Lhasa. Inevitably, I photographed both the faithful and the impious, but
it was the energy that excited me. My back is to the main entrance of Jokhang Monastery, where prayers
and prostrations occur tirelessly throughout the day. My focus is towards the bustling footpath,
a stupa draped in vibrant Tibetan prayer flags, a monk smiling peacefully to himself, as the
sun sinks lower in the sky on a warm, golden autumn afternoon.

142  december 2016 / tr av el andleisure asia .com

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