Innholdsfortegnelse for March - May 2024 i International Traveller

We're kicking off 24 by marking a golden milestone: our 50th issue. Sister title to domestic travel magazine Australian Traveller, the first issue of International Traveller was launched in 2012; publisher and founding editor Quentin Long casts his mind back to that time on page 20. The new magazine was designed with modern explorers in mind. And in the 49 editions since, we have evolved in line with what it means to be a modern explorer and continue to inspire our readers’ overseas adventures. Which is no mean feat considering the extraordinary events of the last few years, when the pandemic ground international travel to a halt in a way we never thought possible. But international travel is back in a big way and we have emerged out the other…

Heart of Old Delhi Even getting to the front door of The Golden Haveli in Chandni Chowk in Old Delhi is a magical Exotic Marigold kind of experience. The 20th-century haveli, hidden amid a maze of narrow streets and colourful alleys, has been lovingly restored to provide a peek into the neighbourhood's past and future. The 12 rooms at the boutique hotel arefilled with Mughal motifs and built around a central courtyard. Stay in the Gandhi Suite named in honour of the revered Indian leader, who was a regular guest at the many influential family havelis of Old Delhi, havelidharampura.com NEW HEIGHTS IN DUBAI One Za'abeel is the perfect example of how Dubai is taking the concept of an urban resort and elevating it to another level. The one-of-a-kind One&Only…

Washington, DC is well known for its uniquely American museums and history, but this vibrant city offers so much more. You'll easily discover iconic attractions like the Smithsonian Institution, but stay longer to find out what the locals love about DC, a city rich in culture and passion. Here are some of the best neighbourhoods to explore. In partnership with Destination DC & Brand USA 1 PENN QUARTER & DOWNTOWN Penn Quarter is a happening downtown area that's great for shopping, dining and museums. It's just steps from the White House, but be sure to explore this neighbourhood's lesser-known museums, including Planet Word, which is dedicated to the love of language. You'll also find Capital One Arena here, making Penn Quarter the ideal base for concerts err hockey. Afterwards, walk or…

Do the full lap with Silversea Silversea will circumnavigate Australia on its brand-new ship Silver Nova for the first time in 2025. The 47-day antipodean journey is bookended by Melbourne and stops at 23 ports from cities such as Sydney and Hobart to the scenic isles of K'gari and Kangaroo Island. The 12th ship for Silversea, ultra-luxe Silver Nova boasts a spacious design with an exceptionally high staff-to-guest ratio (1:1.3) and butler service for every suite. It's also Silversea's most sustainable ship with a hybrid engine that runs off LNG fuel and can connect to shore power while docked, reducing carbon emissions. silversea.com GLOBAL CRUISING FROM HOME SHORES Half a century after Princess Cruises began sailing in Australian waters, the cruise line will welcome its newest ship Discovery Princess to…

I must admit a cruise along the east coast of the UK has never been high on my to-do list. The Mediterranean? Yes, please. The Caribbean? For sure. But cloudy skies and occasional rain across the North Sea are not ideal for kicking back or topping up your tan. Yet stepping aboard EXPLORA I, I became so immersed in its luxury and sophistication that I barely noticed what was going on outside the nearest porthole. Subtle neutral tones and plush Italian furnishings in the central lobby immediately set the scene for a lavish experience. And a flute of Moët & Chandon on arrival was the perfect way to start an unforgettable journey. Onboard, guests are invited to discover an ‘ocean state of mind’. That means visiting new destinations while enjoying…

Danube River | CRUISE NOW If you could please wait here, I will just go and get the keys to the castle,” says Oldfiska Balouskova with complete nonchalance. No big deal, it's just how things happen on a Tauck trip: your guide gets the keys to the Cesky Krumlov Castle, one of the best preserved Baroque and medieval fortresses in the Czech Republic. That one sentence encapsulates what I believe is the art of travel: context, expertise and access. Travellers are motivated by a desire to learn, experience and feel. But it can be a frustratingly shallow experience if there is a lack of access to the important sights or institutions. Or if that expertise simply provides the information without context and insight. That is what makes my seven nights…

RIAD RIOT The Moroccan city of Marrakech is an enchanting assault on the senses. Find your calm amid the ‘ heady frenzy in one of the city's riads, traditional houses turned boutique stays. Located in the » heart of the medina, El Fenn is a luxury hotel that comprises 41 individually styled rooms with a clash of colours, textures and art. See page 116 for more.…

The seeds for greening the City of Light were planted in 2007 when Le Plan Climat de Paris was adopted. The French capital has been actively reducing its carbon footprint ever since to be as sustainable a city as possible. As mayor of the city that gave its name to the 2015 Paris Climate Accords, Anne Hidalgo has pledged that the French capital will be carbon neutral by 2050. Featured in TIME magazine in 2020 as one of the world's 100 most influential people, mayor Hidalgo has been described by A1 Gore as “the kind of leader who demonstrates how local action can solve the climate crisis”. Mayor Hidalgo has made it her mission to transform the City of Light into a cleaner and healthier place to live and visit…

My glass of Bordeaux red catches pale ribbons of sunlight streaming through the window, refracting them onto the dining table where they land like scattered rubies. I sip the wine - bold and brassy with notes of blackcurrant - beneath a ceiling painted with elaborate frescoes. Statues of golden cherubs and bare-chested mermaids preside over me from their fixtures above vaulted doorways. No wall space is left empty - what isn't blanketed by mural or sculpture is resplendent in ornate gold detailing and Rococo-style motifs. But this is no aristocrat's palace. This is a train station. One might be surprised to find one of Paris's most esteemed eateries tucked inside Gare de Lyon, a stale croissant's throw from the usual train station fare of lacklustre coffee and shrink-wrapped sandwiches. But…

Regent Hong Kong | POSTCARDS Seeing a human descend on a cable outside a skyscraper has a degree of eye-popping sensationalism to it even if you know it's going to happen. The effect is heightened when the writhing figure is backdropped by the neon-reflected shimmer of Hong Kong's Victoria Harbour and soundtracked by a tense operatic score. I watch, mouth agape with cartoonish delight, as four figures fling their limbs about in a dramatic, choreographed acrobatic routine. Their empire-red garments catch the waterside breeze, emulating the flowing silk robes of inky figures on ancient Chinese scrolls. The room is filled with designer-draped partygoers. There's a collective inhale of astonishment, and carefully cultivated oohs and ahhs are released as the performance reaches its crescendo. I am witnessing this spectacle having been…

PASSPORT | Culture 5-8 April ECLIPSE FESTIVAL Hot Springs, Arizona, USA Astronomy fans across the world will huddle around their telescopes on 8 April to catch the solar eclipse. Travel publication Atlas Obscura is throwing a festival that extends the three-minute 3 6-second solar event into four days of music, science, art and cosmic wonder, with a lineup that includes astrophysics pros and indie psych-rock, ecliptic.atlasobscura.com Until 28 July HARLEM RENAISSANCE AND TRANSATLANTIC MODERNISM The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City, USA AFRICAN AMERICAN ART FLOWERED DURING THE INTERWAR PERIOD, FUELLED BY WAVES OF MIGRATION AWAY FROM THE OPPRESSIVE JIM CROW SOUTH AND INTO URBAN NEIGHBOURHOODS SUCH AS HARLEM. IN THE HOME CITY OF THIS GROUNDBREAKING MOVEMENT, THE MET MUSEUM CURATES AN EXHIBITION THAT EXPLORES THE HARLEM RENAISSANCE'S CULTURAL…

10 cool underground tours Things are rarely as they appear on the surface - that's why going underground can be one of the best ways to uncover a city. Join a subterranean tour for a different perspective, from a cavernous palace in Rome to a train station in NYC. Get your surf fix in Hawai'i If you're hoping to hang 10 in Hawai'i, look no further than our epic guide to the state's best beaches, restaurants and surf villages. From the shores of Waikiki Beach in O'ahu, home to famous surfers, to Kona Village retreat on the Island of Hawai'i, you'll be spoilt for choice. ULTIMATE SOLO SAFARI GUIDE A South African safari is a great reason to log some annual leave and book a flight. And why wait for…

Are you planning to go on a cruise in 2024? According to a survey by the Tourism & Transit (TTF) forum conducted in December from a sample size of2000 Australians, one in four answered yes. These results track with an ever-increasing global demand for cruising, with an estimated 35.7 million passengers set to sail in 2024 according to Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA). These figures bust pre-pandemic levels thanks to a robust and agile cruise industry that adapted quickly to the challenges presented by Covid-19 and that continues to offer a strong value proposition compared to land-based holidays. That TTF's survey results show a strong uptick in those 35 and under planning to cruise this year - 35 per cent of those asked answered affirmative - demonstrates that an ever-more…

DAY ONE 9AM You simply cant visit Great Britain without sampling at least one full English breakfast - a signature national dish featuring a plate piled high with sausages and bacon, eggs and baked beans. Find your fave full English in the Northern Quarter, Manchester's achingly cool arts district lined with vintage and vinyl stores and home to some of the best spots for breakfast in the city. THE KOFFEE POT is like a blast from the past; it's where to find the best full English in town. There is often a queue for tables at this Mancunian institution that's fed hungry locals since 1978, especially on weekends. But this greasy spoon is well worth the wait. The KP English will more than satisfy, with strips of locally sourced, dry-cured…

If you ever speak to a traveller who has been on a Tauck cruise or tour, it instantly becomes clear that their experience was something else. Their eyes light up and they have no hesitation when recommending Tauck to others. It's a reputation that family-owned Tauck has worked hard to cultivate since its beginnings in 1925, according to Vice President of Global Sales and Reservations Steve Spivak. It's this principle that provided the groundwork for Tauck's unique four pillars on which they base every experience. 1. NEVER SETTLE FOR ORDINARY While Tauck travels every continent and offers more than 170 itineraries across land, river and sea, not a single one is allowed to be average. “We never settle for ordinary,” explains Spivak. “If we can't deliver exceptional in a destination,…

POSTCARDS | On the scene EL FENN Madonna celebrated her 60th birthday at El Fenn, while Katy Perry and Gwyneth Paltrow have also spent nights in its eye-popping rooms. Co-owned by Vanessa Branson, Richard Branson's sister, this rock star of a riad turns 20 this year but keeps things fresh with the addition of 10 new rooms. The expansive rooftop features a lap pool and popular restaurant and bar. Art is a highlight, as is the ability to take a taxi straight to its doors, no mean feat in the city, el-fenn.com Visitors to Marrakech will almost certainly come across riads - traditional Moroccan houses - when looking for somewhere to stay. Often hidden in a maze of souks and alleyways in the medinal or old walled city, they're oases…

PARIS TO PORTOFINO, THE VENICE SIMPLON-ORIENT-EXPRESS The Italian Riviera is the chic little sister of the French Riviera - and every bit as breathtaking. Watch the vistas unfold onboard the luxurious Venice Simplon-Orient-Express, a Belmond train. Outfitted in Art Deco decor, the resplendent interiors recall the romance of a golden age of rail travel. In June, the luxury locomotive will depart from its usual itinerary to journey from Paris to Portofino, the train's first visit to the Italian resort town in 42 years. Talk about arriving in style, belmond.com THE GLACIER EXPRESS, SWITZERLAND The Glacier Express has been called the ‘slowest express train in the world’. However, the laid-back pace works in passengers’ favour, allowing for lingering views of the Swiss Alps as the train glides between St Moritz and…

Northern Thailand | POSTCARDS I'm looking out over the mighty Mekong at the point where Thailand meets Laos and Myanmar in the light of the late afternoon. Here, where the muddy waters merge with an even murkier past, I can't help but think how life has changed for the people of Thailand's northern farming communities, including the one we have just visited. The family-operated Ahsa Farm Stay rests in the foothills of Doi Mae S along. It's an hour's drive north from the city of Chiang Rai and south of where I am standing on the viewing platform at Sop Ruak, in the heart of Southeast Asia's infamous Golden Triangle. To get there, my two Australian travelling companions and I set out from Chiang Rai together with local guide Kantapong…

Maui | JOURNEYS Laid-back Pā'ia is a place to linger. Tourists from around the world have been visiting the Hawaiian islands to soak up its surf culture, bask in its warm weather and enjoy cocktails in hotels fit for royals since the 1920s. Those same things drew me to O'ahu at age 19 as a backpacker and lured me to Maui 20 years later with my family. But there's a lot more to Hawai'i than beach-bumming and water play. Hawai'i has heart and a strong community, both of which became more apparent when fatal wildfires tore through one of Maui's main tourist towns, Lahaina, in August 2023. Brave residents helped each other and tourists to safety, offered refuge and continue to look after those who've lost homes, cars, income, and not…

SPARK A REVOLUTION Frida Kahlo's Self-Portrait Dedicated to Leon Trotsky nods to the affair the Mexican artist had with the exiled Russian revolutionary leader shortly after his arrival in Mexico in 1937. It's part ofthe public collection at The National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington D.C., the world's first major art museum solely dedicated to championing female artists. Turn to page 176 for more.…

One of my favourite moments as a small publisher has always been answering the phones and talking to our subscribers. These people are our biggest fans and invariably give us so much valuable feedback on what they like, love and hate! So, it is no wonder that International Traveller was born from a conversation with a subscriber to Australian Traveller in 2011. After renewing his subscription he asked: “Do you ever cover international destinations? You know we [he and his wife] travel overseas. We would love it if you did.”'Ihe timing was brilliant. The Aussie dollar was on an amazing upward trajectory and would reach its US$1.10 for every AU$1 apogee in the next year or so. Our CFO was pushing us to diversify the business. We had launched Australian…

Malaysia by rail The Eastern & Oriental Express, A Belmond Train, Southeast Asia, has been relaunched to include more elevated onboard experiences. In addition to the appointment of Taiwanese-born chef Andre Chiang as culinary curator, the Belmond brand has announced a new Wild Malaysia route for 2024 and a bespoke Veuve Clicquot Journey, belmond.com AN UNFORGETTABLE RWANDAN ADVENTURE Luxury houseboat Mantis Kivu Queen uBuranga is now cruising on spectacular Lake Kivu in Rwanda. The new eco-friendly vessel has 10 berths, a deck with a plunge pool and separate lounge and bar. Mantis stands for Man and Nature Together is Sustainable. Guests onboard will experience this mantra first-hand by seeing diverse wildlife and engaging with local fishing communities on one of Africa's Great Lakes. all.accor.com ARTISTIC IMMERSION Renaissance Tours’ new 2024…

With Cassandra Charlick Champagne from Champagne There's nothing like sharing a bottle of Champagne to celebrate a milestone! Champagne is a place and a type of sparkling wine; a bottle can only be labelled Champagne if it is produced in the appellation of Champagne in France. It's made in the traditional method, méthode Champenoise, which involves a second fermentation in the bottle to produce a creamy and complex effervescent wine. It's a time- and labour-intensive process. Hence, Champagne comes with a price tag. Famous houses offer consistency of style and quality for the price. You can find nuance, excitement and value by looking for lesser-known ‘grower’ Champagnes, where the grape grower also produces the wine. Champagne is usually made from three grape varieties: chardonnay, pinot noir and pinot meunier. A…

WHERE IT IS The Londoner couldn't get any more London if it tried, and its central location in Leicester Square makes sure of it, placing guests smack-bang in the cultural heart of the UK capital. Here, you're in the thick of the West End, aka Theatreland, and a stone's throw from Soho, Chinatown and Trafalgar Square, thelondoner.com WHY WE LOVE IT Opened in 2021 after an eight-year build, this five-star urban resort is billed as the world's first ‘super boutique hotel’ for its level of intimacy achieved at a mighty 16-storey scale. It invites the theatre and culture of the West End through its doors for guests to feel immersed in; on any given night a local musician will be tinkling the ivories at The Stage Champagne bar and you'll…

OCEANIA CRUISES has announced three new itineraries that explore lesser-known ports in Africa and Asia at the end of2024 and into 2025. The 1250-guest ship Riviera will sail an epic 59-day Grand Voyage, which cruises from Barcelona to Singapore, oceaniacruises.com VIKING'S 2024-2026 river cruise brochure is packed with culturally rich itineraries such as The Rhine & Main Explorer, Mississippi River Odyssey and Big Easy to the Gateway City. vikingrivercruises.com.au AVALON WATERWAYS had oenophiles clinking glasses at the news of its Bordeaux 2025 itineraries. The new Bonjour Bordeaux: Châteaux, Wineries & Charming Villages cruise will be available for one-, two- and three-week sailings. avalonwaterways.com.au SAIL CROATIA's new small-ship Heritage cruise is aimed squarely at culture boffins. The seven-night cruise onboard its Elegance ships departs from the historic town of Split. The…

WHANGĀREI, NEW ZEALAND/AOTEAROA In February Oceania Cruises’ MS Regatta was the first cruise ship to visit Whangārei in decades. This Northland city's attractions include the Whangārei's Hundertwasser Art Centre with Wairau Māori Art Gallery, where architecture and art harmonise with nature. Philippines Asia's Best Cruise Destination for 2023 is set to be the next big thing in cruising. With some 7641 islands, it's not hard to see why. Several new international cruise terminals are being constructed to meet anticipated demand, including in paradisiacal Palawan and surfing capital Siargao. NOSY BE, MADAGASCAR Nosy Be is one of the most sought-after stops on a cruise with Norwegian Dawn, which debuted in Southern African waters in 2024. This island off the northwest coast of Madagascar is famed for its lemurs, chameleons and ylang…

Stop judging me. Please. So I went on a cruise. And enjoyed it. Let me guess, you “could think of nothing worse” than spending your holiday on a cruise ship. I'm aware of the stereotypes that spring to mind when I say “cruise”: people crowded into small spaces, bad food and worse entertainment. But if you're of this opinion, I'm willing to wager you've been on exactly zero cruises. And yet you're judging me. Be honest you are. I can see it in the way your eyes narrowed and mouth slighdy tightened when I said I went on a cruise. From where I sit, you're evaluating me as “one of those people” who has no sense of what good quality travel is. To be fair, sometimes the stereotypes do ring…

CRUISE NOW | Yasawa Islands Adinghy emerges from around the bay and is headed towards us, to this empty beach some 87 kilometres north of Viti Levu. I'm standing knee-deep in translucent water, mottled with the dark patches of reef beneath its surface. A school of small white fish scuttles past. The boat draws my attention though: it's the first I've seen out here in three days. A family of eight from nearby Navotua Village spill out of the dinghy and onto the sand. They settle in a shady spot and carefully place trinkets on a mat and hang sulus (sarongs), bula shirts and traditional tapa cloth prints in the palm trees. Known locally as masi, these intricately patterned tapa cloths are made exclusively by the women of this region…

For anyone who's dreamt of seeing the northern lights (that's all of us), the coming two years might be your best chance in more than a decade. The aurora borealis will reach a solar maximum, which happens halfway through the 11-year solar cycle and sees the auroral displays at their most active, dynamic and vibrant. Gold Coast-based cruise specialist My Cruises has created an exclusive itinerary with Norwegian Cruise Line to coincide with this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity: the Exclusive Northern Lights Discovery journey sails in October 2025. And Norway specialist Hurtigruten is so confident you'll see the swirling atmospheric phenomenon when you sail one of its expert itineraries during auroral season that it's promising another voyage for free if you don't. “It is super strong this year,” says Hedda Felin, CEO…

There aren't enough Excel spreadsheets in the world to prevent random incidents happening on holiday - they happen to the best of us. So it's wise to prepare in other ways. Matthew Murdoch has heard every travel story under the sun. As chief customer officer at PassportCard, he's well versed in the trials and tribulations that can lead to travel insurance claims. “We're a new, innovative travel insurance company in Australia with the ability to support our customers when they're travelling anywhere overseas,” says Matthew. “PassportCard makes instant payouts to customers for our most common types of claims when they're overseas.” So what are the most common forms of travel turmoil? We asked Matthew to break it down. UNEXPECTED ILLNESSES AND ACCIDENTS It's practically impossible to anticipate a mystery illness…

Countercultural Seattleites in America's Pacific Northwest have never been for the mainstream. And that's exactly how they like it. From the anti-establishment noise behind the coffee revolution to the birth of grunee - a new style of music born from disenchantment in the 1980s - both have been intrinsic to Seattle's cool-kids vibe, no matter how old the said kids happen to be. But what do these two seemingly unrelated aspects of most societies - coffee and music - really have in common? In this case, both represent the ethos of a generation seeking authenticity and raw expression and are products of an era that valued the alternative and the underground. It couldn't have happened anywhere but Seattle. At the time, the two offered a distinct contrast to the polished…

With towering cathedrals, storybook villages, Nordic frozen lakes and sun-drenched Mediterranean islands, Europe remains one of the most intriguing places in the world. Explore Worldwide is a global leader in touring Europe. This B Corp-certified company has been guiding adventurers to remote locations and unique experiences for over 42 years. It prides itself on leading authentic adventures with expert guides for intimate groups of 11 to 16 people. This all means you can get to the heart of your destination with like-minded people on a trip you will never forget. All that's left for you to do is to choose your own adventure. CENTRAL EUROPE BY TRAIN Travelling through Europe by rail is undoubtably romantic (even for solo travellers). Enjoy the scenery at a leisurely pace and explore away from…

Salzkammergut | JOURNEYS Time can feel indeterminate in Salzkammergut. On one hand, there's the ageless beauty of this Austrian region's limestone mountains, cobalt lakes and timber A-frame houses fronted by window boxes resplendent with flowers. On the other, there's Christoph Viscorsum, contemporary artist and alpinist, fixing me with a clear blue gaze as he describes how the new audio compilation he's created as a soundtrack to this landscape could change my life. “How do you take this experience with you and not lose it?” he asks, gesturing to the geological drama before us: a vista of alpine pastures, conifer-studded slopes, threadbare mountain peaks and broad valleys, hazy with afternoon sun. “How do you return to society?” Viscorsum, who once spent three days and nights perched atop poles in central Vienna…

WHAT IS YOUR FIRST MEMORY OF TRAVELLING? I come from a large family with seven children and we immigrated from Trinidad to Canada when I was a child. We used to go on camping trips to the Rockies in between Alberta and British Columbia. I was born on the equator so camping in the mountains was very foreign to us at the time - we had never heard of sleeping in tents! WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT TRAVEL? It has really changed over time. I used to travel for self-serving purposes, like seeking spiritual connectedness in sacred and historical places. Now it's about the people I meet, and feeling like a part of the community by immersing myself in the day-to-day culture. WHERE ARE YOU GOING NEXT? South Africa,…

PASSPORT | Museums WHAT'S IT ALL ABOUT? The National Museum cf Women in the Arts (NMWA), located in the heart cf Washington, D. C., is a locus of female talent. The museum is housed in a former Masonic Temple — a space notoriously exclusive of women. Talk about a turn of the tables. The impetus for NMWA came about when art collector Wilhelmina Holladay found herself captivated by the works of Flemish still-life artist Clara Peeters in the galleries of Europe. But upon returning home to the US, she found no mention of Peeters in H. W. Janson's History of Art and, infact, no mention of any women whatsoever. Holladay endeavoured to change that, founding NMWA in 1987. After closing for renovations in 2021, the museum has recently reopened with…

Daniel Lubwama Kigozi is the artist better known as Navio in Uganda. He is the most awarded East African rapper of all time and has become widely known for tapping into tribal sounds that he blends with different beats. “I found music through my family. I took the African and traditional influences from my father, the Top 40 hits from my mum, the R&B from my sister and the hip-hop from my brother,” says Navio, who lives in the capital city of Kampala in the neighbourhood of Najjanankumbi with his wife and three children. “I was 10 years old when I started rapping and writing my own music. My dream was to become the biggest star the world had ever seen. But after a few years, I realised geography would…