Innholdsfortegnelse for January 2018 i Travel + Leisure India & South Asia

SIMON CLAYS Having spent time these last few years in Sicily and Majorca, it’s struck me that I might have a passing passion for islands. Why not? I’m British. An island child, who’s used to the encirclement of the ocean, familiar with a history of usurpers washing up on my shores and happy with a cuisine and menus cluttered by my neighbours. Malta appeals in many ways and for many of the reasons I’ve mentioned. It boasts a clutch of Blue Flag beaches in St George’s Bay and the secluded Ghajn Tuffieha, and, between Valletta and Mdina, there’s more history and conflict to unravel than places ten times its size. It’s also, still, remarkably British which as English speakers, makes it remarkably simple for us to navigate and understand. Plus,…

In Northern Germany this is a treasure not many tourists flock to, but those who make the trip are likely to become repeat visitors. Rathaus is Hamburg’s neo-renaissance style architectural marvel. Sprawling and twirling athwart the city block, this city hall offers an initial clue into Hamburg’s enduring pride. Reeperbahn in St Pauli, Hamburg’s most popular and infamous street, is filled with nightcrawlers. Schanzenviertel, the alternate quarter pulsates with counter culture, art, and music. The fashionable boutiques of Alster Arkaden, that also house many cafés is abuzz with tourists looking for deals. The city is structured around the harbour, which has a major impact on the way it functions. UNANCHORED Cruise ships set sail from Hamburg’s harbour through the year; one can saunter along the Alster, ascertain the renowned Warehouse…

The SkyBridge in Langkawi is the world’s longest curve suspension bridge hanging at about 660-metres above sea level. The best place to observe the ‘Jewel of Kedah,’ is from this 125-metre long bridge that connects Mount Matcincang with the neighbouring mountain and offers spectacular views at its every curve. Visit on a›clear day to enjoy the cool breeze from the Andaman Sea, and catch a glimpse of Malaysia and the Tarutao Island in Thailand.…

What were your early days as an immigrant in New York like? It was tough being a Russian immigrant back then because of the Cold War. All those movies, Red Dawn, Red Gerbil, Red Hamster; everything was real. I also went to a tough Jewish religious school and I made my first friends by writing a satire of the Torah called the Gnorah. The rabbis didn’t like it, but some of the kids did. What inspired you to be a writer? I’m bad at everything else! I’ve been fired from every office job I’ve ever had. It was either write books or starve. What led you to throw your ‘blurbing pen’ into the Hudson River? I think I’ve blurbed over 200 books. There is even a documentary about my prolific…

It was a cool and windy spring night when we braved the streets of Adelaide in chic club-wear to sample the finest that 2KW Bar and Restaurant (2kwbar.com.au) had to offer. Ask just about anyone in the South Australian capital and chances are, they will point you to the rooftop bar on King William Street. A favourite with Adelaide’s most successful and famous denizens, this definitely isn’t a place known for anything other than the most elegant of food and seating choices. That’s why, we were more than surprised to see two rows of mahogany wine barrels sitting pretty within the smart interiors of the restaurant. Then again, wine from the barrel is not really such a bourgeois concept. The ancient Romans stored wines in amphoras, designed for aging as…

The Pav is ours and don’t let the Aussies convince you otherwise,” says Chris, my local Kiwi friend, as we dig into a smooth, creamy meringue, garnished with sliced, ripe strawberries that sit atop a crunchy crust. The pavlova is often a subject of much debate between New Zealand and Australia. While ‘those from across the Tasman Sea’ believe that an Australian chef by the name of Herbert Sachse created the dish in 1935, the hard evidence favours the Kiwis. The Oxford English Dictionary recently put an end to the mystery (and many a bar brawl) by upholding that the first recorded pavlova recipe was indeed published in New Zealand in 1927, in a book called Davis Dainty Dishes. The rich, velvety dessert was created in honour of the Russian…

► Two duty-free shops, Fa-So-La Arrival Duty Free-North and Fa-So-La Arrival Duty Free-South, were recently opened in Tokyo’s Narita International Airport’s Terminal 2. It sells premium alcohol from international brands. ► World Duty Free recently launched its walkthrough store in London’s Gatwick Airport. With almost 2,000 square metres of retail space, it has a flowing walkway and offers a personalised shopping experience. • Passengers at Dubai International Airport can buy freshly prepared food with the region’s first airport delivery , .…

• The Jumeirah Group is expanding its horizon in 2018—this time with an eye on the hip millennial market. According to CEO Marc Dardenne, at least three projects have already been signed, featuring compact rooms, emphasis on strong food and drink, and a whole lot of ‘lifestyle-infused experiences’. • With President Trump planning to stop spouses of H-1B visa holders—70 per cent of whom are Indians—from working in the US under the H-4 visa scheme, millions are worried about the impact of the changing immigration laws. However, there is a ray of hope for E-B5 visa holders as the ‘golden visa scheme’ is likely to be extended for three months.…

The park ranger Robert Régina and I were hiking along a ridge in the Caravelle Peninsula, high above the sparkling Atlantic Ocean, when he asked me, “What do you know about Martinique?” Then he answered for me with perverse Gallic pride: “Rien, je crois! Nothing, I think!” Well, not quite nothing. I once wrote a book involving Napoleon Bonaparte’s romantic life, so I knew that his legendary amour—Marie-Josèphe-Rose Tascher de la Pagerie, better known as Empress Josephine—was born and raised on Martinique. But Régina was pretty close, which I knew after one look at the lavish beauty of this spectacular nature preserve, where lovely forest cascades down mountainsides to white-sand beaches. I had never heard of the Caravelle Peninsula before. My knowledge of Martinique was indeed almost rien. Régina and…

Marrakesh has attracted an artistic crowd since the 1960s, when everyone from Yves Saint Laurent to Mick Jagger fell for its vibrant sensory landscape. Now the city’s cultural scene is being reinvigorated, thanks to two landmark happenings in the world of art and design. First came last October’s launch of the YSL Museum (museeyslmarrakech.com)a striking geometric building next to the Jardin Majorelle, which Saint Laurent and his partner, Pierre Bergé, bought and restored in the 1980s. Though the scale of the main hall’s exhibit has the feel of a capsule collection (only 50 outfits will be displayed at a time), fans will love seeing iconic pieces like Le Smoking, up close. Then, in February, the 1:54 Contemporary African Art Fair (1-54.com) will debut at the storied hotel La Mamounia (mamounia.com;…

On Zugspitze, Germany’s tallest surprisingly mountain, there’s decent schnitzel. There are also life-altering views. As I stood atop a glacier, the ski town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen nearly 9,000 feet below me, I looked down at what resembled an Alpine lake but was in fact the top of a cloud. Tethered to my wrist was a toboggan, the instrument of my shame—and eventual revelation. The main reason for my trip to this part of Bavaria, the large state that occupies Germany’s southeastern corner, was to indulge a curiosity about tobogganing. For years, I’d been eager to recapture the rush I’d experienced as a child, in Moscow, sledging down the man-made crevasse in front of our Cuban Missile Crisis–era tenement. And while most Americans regard sledging as a children’s pastime—as quaint as snow…

When a city has been changing around you for years, there comes a day when you want to understand what’s going on. I’ve been teaching at IULM University in Milan since 1991. For nearly two decades I commuted to the city from Verona, a couple of hours to the east. Picturesque perfect beside a meander of river below vine-terraced hills, Verona is the Italy people dream of. Milan, on the other hand, has always been the big bad city of popular imagination. My time there was typically a blur of duties and deadlines. I would arrive by train at the huge central station, with its Fascist-inspired friezes, and plunge straight into the gloomy subway. After that it was lessons, faculty meetings, exams, and tutorials before the reverse trip home: hassles…

GETTING THERE You can take a connecting flight to Kigali from all metro cities in India. VISAS & PERMITS To fill out an online application, you can log onto migration.gov.rw. You can also get visa upon arrival without prior application. TOUR OPERATORS Micato Safaris Rwandan expeditions with this decorated company—a nine-time winner in our World’s Best Awards—range from gorilla-tracking in the Virunga volcanoes to city tours of Kigali. micato.com; four-day trips from 2,54,794, excluding gorilla permits. Wilderness Safaris Itinerary options include museum tours in Kigali as well as wildlife outings like bird-watching in Akagera National Park, rain-forest hiking near Lake Kivu, and, of course, tracking Dian Fossey’s beloved mountain gorillas from Bisate Lodge. wilderness-safaris.com ; five-day trips from 4,54,373. TRAVEL ADVISOR Dan Achber An experienced East Africa guide (and long-standing T+L…

GUNEHAR: AN ARTSY GETAWAY IN HIMACHAL PRADESH A village in a remote corner of Himachal Pradesh is fast becoming a hub for global artists. Check out the art projects in Gunehar by artists from around the world. travelandleisureindia.in/guneharartsy-getaway-himachal-pradesh A MUMBAI FISH MARKET IS NOW AN OPEN ART SPACE The Sassoon Dock Art Project is a colourful street-art makeover of one of Mumbai’s oldest fish markets, carried out by a team of over 40 artists. travelandleisureindia.in/mumbaikarsheres-spend-weekends-sassoondock-art-project PICK OF THE MONTH: THE OBEROI SUKHVILAS RESORT & SPA, CHANDIGARH Spruce yourself up for a new year with a host of luxury wellness treatments at The Oberoi Spa that’s just launched at the plush resort in Chandigarh. travelandleisureindia.in/the-oberoi-spa THE STATS According to a recent study, Indians love their travel as much as they love…

In wandering off to unknown streets or stepping off at strange platforms, one can chance upon quite a few historical hotspots. Modena is one such discovery, where culture the south of the Po Valley meets the haunting Romanesque cathedral within; the sound of Ferraris and Maseratis whizzing through the city complements the flavourful harmony of Parmigiano Reggiano and Balsamico. Antica Pasticceria San Biagio (pasticceriasanbiagio. it), a preferred spot in town, is packed and tiny. With a baking prowess that stretches back to the turn of the century, this café cum artisan store, produces some of the finest Amaretto cookies in the world. Grab a table (if you’re lucky enough to find one), order a coffee and bite into the sweet biscuit of life that is Modena. GRAB A BITE The…

As Bahrain gradually emerges from behind the shadow of its more opulent neighbours, luxury hotels introduce experiential journeys to attract discering travellers. Cruise around the various islands and hidden enclaves with The Ritz-Carlton Bahrain’s boat excursions. A guided tour of the city’s shoreline, a day-long trip to a secluded island off radar, and a private sunset sailing trip on the Arabian Gulf are all just a concierge call away. Upwards of 6,800; ritzcarlton.com…

UNPACKED I enjoy staying at the Mandarin Oriental, Prague (mandarinoriental.com). The spa here in set inside a 14th -century chapel and offers three exclusive suites for indulgent treatments. Book a table at Spices, the top-notch Asian restaurant that’s helmed by Executive Chef Zdeněk Křížek. DINING WITH A VIEW Villa Richter (villarichter.cz) is one of Prague’s best French diner with a farm-to-table concept and offers stunning views of vineyards and the city. For sumptuous gourmet cuisine, head to Kampa Park (kampagroup.com). PRIVATE ACCESS The 12th -century Strahov Monastery has survived wars, fires, and communist regimes. On a private tour, you can explore its massive library that is stocked with more than 3,000 original manuscripts. BOTTOM’S UP You’ll find great bars within the city and excellent breweries on the outskirts. Try…

1 / SIXES AND SEVENS, BRISBANE The low-key antiquarian charm of the Queensland-style Public House, Sixes and Sevens brings simple yet clever fare to the table in a casual atmosphere. sixes.com.au 2 / THE COPPERSMITH BAR, MELBOURNE Enjoy a cellar list of fine and rare wines, 18 taps featuring Australian and international craft beers, and a selection of thoughtfully crafted cocktails. coppersmithhotel.com 3 / MORDEO BISTRO & BAR, SYDNEY CBD The ambience of Mordeo is a romantic homage to southern European bistros, and features walls with subway tiles, copper spun pendant lights, and a beautiful pressed tin bar. Its speciality? Boutique wines and homemade artisan beer. coppersmithhotel.com.au 4 / RISING SUN WORKSHOP, NEWTOWN A café cum workshop, the Rising Sun Workshop does not believe in factory farming. It buys local…

VISA ON ARRIVAL • Starting this year, Indians can enter Rwanda by air, sea, or road, with a visa-on-arrival. The visa-on-arrival will be applicable for 30 days under the new relaxed visa regime. • Israel too has eased the visa application procedure for Indians. It involves less documentation for those who have availed visas of Schengen countries, the US, Canada, Australia or Israel in the past and have completed their travel to these countries. Last year, UAE, Ukraine, and Qatar created a visa-on-arrival provision for Indian travellers. + Restaurants 1 The Middle East’s largest McDonald’s airport restaurant was recently opened at concourse B of Dubai International Airport with 16 self-ordering kiosks. 2 Travel food and beverage operator SSP has opened a new bar and…

APP-PROPRIATE TRAVEL • Chubb, one of the world’s largest casualty insurers, has launched the Chubb Travel Smart app, an innovative platform for business travellers, connecting employees with HR and security managers, and making work travel peaceful. • WiFi Map allows you to unravel free wifi passwords in more than hundred locations around you, across the world. • Taking away airport frenzy completely, App in the Air gives you real-time flight updates, gate changes, airport navigation maps and tips. What’s more? It works offline too. • Google Trips has added price-tracking features to flight and hotel searches, including alerts when a destination is expensive during holiday season, making it climb higher on the must-have app list. • Polarsteps in Iphone X automatically records the places you have visited on a trip.…

A frequently overlooked corner of Central America, mostly because of the crime reportage by the media, Tegucigalpa is an unspoilt hub for off-beat experiences. The hilly terrain comes with a laid-back vibe and friendly locals who will gladly guide you to the several interesting, colonial buildings peppered through the city, with old cobbled streets winding up steep hills to hidden parks and old neighbourhoods. Take a guided hike around the 400-year-old mining centre that supports a pine forest interspersed with some oak, scrub, and grassy clearings. EAT EL PATIO The diner serves appetisers in true Honduran style atop traditional anafres and clay pots containing hot coal. On weekends, this beer hall can be a riot, with tables overflowing with bottles and families belting out the karaoke. Do try the lip-smacking…

Machu Picchu might hog all the attention, but Peru has much more to offer visitors than a single destination: Lake Titicaca and the Pacific shores along the Pan-American Highway north of Lima make for tranquil beach getaways; the capital’s food and wine scene is one of the best in South America; and attractions like the Nazca Lines and the Paracas National Reserve provide alternatives for visitors who have already explored Machu Picchu. Peruvian tourism is booming—this year, a record 3.8 million international visitors are expected—and the travel industry has responded with new itineraries and infrastructure to satisfy those hungry for more immersive ways of experiencing the country. Here are five new trips worth taking. An Epic Train Ride Through the Andes The Andean Explorer is the first sleeper in South…

MEXICO CITY The 2018 World Design Capital (wdccdmx2018.com) will roll out a year of exhibitions to celebrate the title. The city also hosts a number of other art gatherings, like Zonamaco (zonamaco.com) and the Material Art Fair (material-fair.com) in February, Design Week Mexico (designweekmexico.com ) in October, and the brand-new Condo Fair (condocomplex.org ) in April. NORTH ADAMS, MASSACHUSETTS After last year’s US$65 million expansion, MASS MoCA (massmoca.org), a mill turned museum in the Berkshires, now has the nation’s largest contemporary art space. Two more museums are in the works for the town, both led by former Guggenheim director, Thomas Krens.…

To understand Uzbekistan’s reputation among American travellers, look no further than the way they refer to it: as one of the ’stans. Although the former Soviet republic’s double-landlocked location—surrounded by other landlocked countries in the Central Asian steppes—might seem remote, Uzbekistan once sat at the very centre of the world. In the first millennium, no traveller could pass from Asia to Europe without stopping in the Silk Road strongholds of Bukhara and Samarkand, and as a result these cities evolved into rich cultural centres. Modern Uzbekistan has largely been overlooked, however, since the country declared independence from the Soviet Union 26 years ago amid a cloud of corruption that has only just begun to dissipate. After the death of authoritarian president Islam Karimov last year, the new regime has taken…

HOTELS Hotel Bachmair Weissach Located an hour south of Munich, this rambling, comfortable resort has a Zen-meets-hunting-lodge vibe, several good restaurants, and stunning mountain views. The property provides easy access to skiing and tobogganing on the Wallberg. Rottach-Egern; bachmair-weissach.com; doubles from 19,505. Schloss Elmau This grand hotel, hidden in an Alpine mountain valley about an hour west of Bachmair Weissach, is an utterly singular Bavarian experience. Daily concerts, numerous spas, nine restaurants, and a bookstore on the premises are just part of the story. Elmau; schloss-elmau.de; doubles from 33,710. RESTAURANTS Fischerei Bistro Impeccable local seafood served on the shores of the Tegernsee. Bad Wiessee; fischerei-tegernsee.com; entrées 710-`2,515. Herzogliches Bräustüberl Tegernsee A rollicking beer hall in a former monastery, this spot can’t be beat for its Laugenbrezeln— traditional pretzels made with…

GETTING THERE Fly to Malpensa International Airport via major European cities including Amsterdam, London, and Paris. HOTELS Armani Hotel Milano Appropriately situated in the centre of the city’s fashion district, this extension of the iconic Milanese brand is a great home base for shopping excursions on Via Montenapoleone. Doubles from 44,443; armanihotelmilano.com Hotel Viu Milan One of several new developments in Milan’s historic Chinatown, this property has an imposing façade that is softened by walls covered with greenery. The interiors are outfitted with custom furniture from Italian design group Molteni & C. Doubles from 15,625; hotelviumilan.com Mandarin Oriental Through a partnership with the Brera Pinacoteca, the hotel offers guests exclusive access to the museum during off-hours and even once-in-a-lifetime private tours from a conservator. Doubles from 44,571; andarinoriental.com RESTAURANTS &…

On a high rock 70 metres above sea level lies the small Italian town of Manarola. One of the oldest towns in Cinque Terre, this is where the sweet Sciàcchetra wine was born, and where you will probably find more grapevines than at any other town in the region. Since no cars are allowed here, you can take a boat ride from Portofino or a train from Florence to get here. The small piazza in the centre of town is dominated by numerous medieval relics and a 13th -century church, Chiesa di San Lorenzo. The colourful mosaics of the houses give the place a dreamlike prismatic guise. Savour the Sciacchetra wine at Nessun Dorma (nessundormacinqueterre.com) that overlooks the town from a high spot and enjoy the beguiling sunset, or relish…

Survey the scenes of the French capital differently this year by hopping into a classic Citroën 2CV. It was an unusually warm morning in Paris. The convertible 2CV was humming as my driver and guide steered us towards the major attractions in the city. These tours are popular in the city, and yet I saw passersby turning their head to catch a glimpse of the car: the striking white and blue vintage, unmissable on the streets. Drifting through the French boulevards, I slid open the window to look at the signature aesthetic detail of the houses: the wrought iron, cantilevered balconies with intricate designs, dotted with potted plants. Then, the towering sentinel made me crop out of the convertible’s roof and I craned my neck to gaze up. For years,…

On the banks of the River Tagus, the monument sits as an icon of the adventurers and explorers who helped establish Portugal as a 14th -century superpower. Celebrating the achievements of the district of Belem, a 52-metre tall structure exhibits a total of 33 finely carved figures from the history of the Discoveries on either side, in›addition to the main statue of Prince Henry the Navigator, holding a model of a carrack. You can enjoy a›panoramic view of the Tejo estuary and Belem from the viewing platform, then lose yourself in the riches of the Portuguese history at the museum.…

Come February, and a small town in New Zealand will once again step back in time to celebrate the roaring twenties. The Tremains Art Deco Festival (artdeconapier.com) that takes place in Napier between February 14 and 18 every year, draws locals and tourists in hoards to its film screenings, walking tours, vintage car rides, antique fairs, prohibition parties, and Gatsby picnics. Everyone dresses up in period clothing; think flapper dresses and cloche hats for the ladies and pastel suits or plus fours for the men. Napier is set in the scenic Hawke’s Bay area of New Zealand’s North Island. The town centre is one of the best preserved enclaves of Art Deco buildings, second only to Miami’s South Beach. Pastel-coloured buildings with symmetrically patterned façades and embellished with stylised geometric…

There’s something unexplainable about walking in the woods of the Whakarewarewa Forest. Even when the trees are illuminated by the scorching sun, it is as though some secrets lurk behind the thick foliage, peeking occasionally through the branches above, and whispering in the crackling of bramble beneath your feet. But the enigma really comes alive in the play of shadow and light, as I discovered on my tree-walk after dark. Spanning over half a kilometre—553 metres to be precise—the Redwood Bridge is known for being the world’s longest living tree walk. Visitors walk amidst 22 gigantic redwood trees that are over 100 years old, and are connected by means of 23 swing bridges; the highest viewing platform is at 20 metres above the ground. While the bridge is open by…

This coastal playground is home to one of New Zealand’s most beautiful beaches. With a resident population of only 300, you can have large stretches of the beach to yourself and even take an uninterrupted, self-guided snorkelling tour in the shallow waters of the Gemstone Bay that teems with sponges, bryozoans, ascidians, and fish. Hire a boat to gain access to the nearby islands and watch dolphins, seals, little blue penguins, and gannets in their natural habitat. Visit the beautiful spot with the limestone rock arch that separates two white sand beaches called Cathedral Cove, one of New Zealand’s most photographed locations. Hahei is a favourite holiday spot among the Kiwis, and worth a detour. STAY HAHEI HORIZON BED AND BREAKFAST Built on the hill overlooking the beautiful Mercury Bay…

Last month, Travel+Leisure India & South Asia rolled out a Christmas Masterclass in association with Liebherr Appliances India at their exclusive experience centre in Andheri West, Mumbai. As the evening commenced, guests were invited to bring their culinary skills to the swanky pop-up kitchen and assist Head Chef Rishim Sachdeva and Bar Manager John Leese of famed Mumbai diner, Olive Bar & Kitchen, with the demonstration of Christmas recipes from their restaurant’s winter menu. Guests revelled in the flavourful dishes and mocktails made by the duo while also enjoying a guided tour of Liebherr’s state of the art refrigerators and wine cabinets. As the night drew to a close, we bid adieu to everybody with a bag of Christmas goodies curated by T+L and Liebherr. Stay updated for news on…

MOUNTAIN HIGHS JAPAN’S IYA VALLEY Known as the Tibet of Japan, the remote Iya Valley is tucked away in the mountainous interior of Shikoku, the least visited of the country’s four main islands. Tourism to the region took a leap forward when it hosted the World Rafting Championship in 2017—putting its turquoise Class Four rapids firmly on the adventure-travel map. New ziplines and hiking trails are sprouting up in the canyons, while upgrades have been made to accommodations in the area’s traditional thatched-roof farmhouses, or minkas. Chiiori House (chiiori.org; doubles from 12,450) is the most luxurious; the property also maintains an excellent portfolio of more affordable options (tougenkyo-iya.jp; doubles from 7,999). INSIDER AFRICA ZAMBIA Until now, Zambia has had little recognition as one of Africa’s great safari destinations. Yet experts…