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

If there’s one thing I’m always looking for at the end of the day while travelling (and I’m certain a lot of us do), is a little nook that I can call home. For someone perpetually on the road, that inevitably leads to a hotel. There are properties we visit again and again because they strike a chord with us—whether it’s through their services, amenities, privacy, or ambience. Our November issue gives you the definitive list of India’s Top 20 Hotels (p. 83), which you must experience. Royal treatment, the best locations, indelible culinary experiences—these properties encompass all the right ingredients that appeal to both, business and leisure travellers. Our ‘Reasons To Travel Now’ (p. 10) curates the most spectacular addresses worldwide that take comfort and hospitality a notch up.…

FRIDAY: WHISTLER A two-hour drive from Vancouver, Whistler is considered the mecca for skiers in Canada. It’s a hotspot for events covering sports, food, films, and mountain culture. Try zip-lining (ziptrek.com), a bicycle tour, or an all-terrain tour of Whistler’s back country on the most popular ATV Whistler Adventure (canadianwilderness.com). The Peak 2 Peak Gondola (whistlerblackcomb.com) transports you between the peaks of the Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains for stunning aerial views of the Fitzsimmons Creek. EAT: The new Il Caminetto (ilcaminetto.ca) brings a fresh contemporary style of dining to the mountainside resort with a modern interpretation of classics. STAY: The Westin Resort & Spa, Whistler is just a stone’s throw from the Whistler and Blackcomb Gondolas. From 11,562 per night; westin.com SATURDAY: VICTORIA Sail from downtown Vancouver through the beautiful…

FEW SKYLINES ARE AS spectacular as Singapore’s. An array of non-stop flights from New Delhi and Mumbai have made the island nation a favourite destination among Indians over the last decade. Watch a fascinating show of light and sound take over the skies as Singapore plays host to one of the biggest New Year parties in the world. All roads lead to Marina Bay for the iconic fireworks show where thousands of revellers from around the world take part in Singapore’s largest countdown event. During mega festivities such as this, using plastic money ensures safe transactions and prevents fraudulent foreign exchange. It also helps you track your expenses, which tend to spiral out of control on trips to foreign lands. Besides, leading global payments company Mastercard is offering lucrative deals…

KODAIKANAL IS TO SOUTHERN INDIA what Shimla is to the North Indian holidaying crowd, or so I believed, till I took a short trip to the idyllic hill station on the crown of the Palani Hills to visit the new Tamara Kodai. Located at an altitude of 2,195 metres, Kodaikanal is the only Indian hill station to be developed by the Americans. The traces of this legacy can be found in generous measure across the city in the form of distinct stone architecture. The Britons soon followed suit and converted Kodai into their summer retreat. What one sees today is a graceful amalgamation of Victorian charm and laid-back American vibe, blessed by thick, cumulous mist, a quintessential feature of the Western Ghats. The Tamara Kodai, better known as La Providence…

This under-the-radar region of central-eastern Italy is marked by rolling hills that skirt the Adriatic Sea. Its capital, Ancona, is a busy port city. Further inland are the charming ancient towns of Urbino, Osimo, and Arcevia. Le Marche is worth a visit on its own, but also makes a great pairing with a Tuscany or Emilia-Romagna itinerary. GETTING THERE Aeroporto delle Marche, near Ancona, offers connections to London and Munich. The city is a four-hour train ride from Rome. TOUR OPERATOR Gary Portuesi (917-868-4712; garyp@authenticitaly.com ) is the founder of Authentic Italy (authenticitaly.com). He organises custom trips to Italy, including to Le Marche. HOTELS Portuesi suggests the recently renovated Hotel ExcelsioR (doubles from 9,800; excelsiorpesaro.it), in Pesaro, with spacious rooms overlooking the Adriatic and a private…

GETTING THERE Yogyakarta’s Adisucipto International Airport is primarily a domestic airport. Garuda Indonesia offers non-stop flights from Mumbai to Bali. STAY  The Phoenix Yogyakarta Mgallery By Sofitel is a charming colonial landmark offering luxurious rooms. Starts from 4,300; accorhotels.com EAT  Gudeg, a unique Indonesian dish, is a stew made from young jackfruit. Ayam geprek is Javanese fried chicken that’s served with rice. Lotek or gado-gado is a rare vegetarian option. Don’t forget to try kopi joss, the Javanese espresso with a piece of red-hot charcoal in it. SHOP  Silver jewellery, batik, and leather items, besides locally produced chocolate at Chocolate Monggo (chocolatemonggo.com).…

The Oberoi Udaivilas, Udaipur RAJASTHAN Located on the banks of Lake Pichola in Udaipur, The Oberoi Udaivilas is emblematic of the splendour of Indian hospitality. One of the most extravagant destinations in the country, the hotel was the erstwhile residence of the Maharana of Mewar. It honours this regal legacy with its evocative rooms and suites, where meticulous detailing has gone into choosing the decor-from intricate mirrors to delicate silverware. The hotel also enjoys a reputation for its signature experiences-Dinner on the Promenade, Afternoon Tea, Lunch on Lake Pichola. From 39,000 per night; oberoihotels.com WHAT WE LIKE The hotel’s diners are destinations in their own right. While Suryamahal is crowned with a sky-blue, brushed dome, The Bar takes you back in time with its green-and-white marble floor. SUJÁN The Serai…

CHARMING RETREAT Zoloft, Assagao MINUTES FROM THE popular beaches of Anjuna and Vagator, in the quaint village of Assagao, is a beautiful villa—Zoloft—soaked in a colourful, bohemian vibe. Outside the villa, there are manicured gardens, a swimming pool, a spacious verandah, and palm trees along the boundary wall. Painted in white, it looks like a colonial house with a modern twist—it has a thatched roof, traditional windows in grey, and a columned verandah among other things. The interiors of this four-bedroom villa are equally picturesque. Think colour-coded bedrooms, eccentric decor (like a floor-to-ceiling monochromatic canvas featuring owls), distressed but stylish furniture like yellow arm chairs and blue sofas, and rugs and tiles that flaunt various patterns. The two-storey house can accommodate up to nine guests. On the ground floor is…

Although hiring a Lamborghini Urus is limited right now, the car will become available on roster in the next few months. For this particular trip, set aside at least seven days and sink into Italian life. GETTING THERE Alitalia (alitalia.com) operates a direct service from Delhi to Rome, then it’s a short hop up to Venice and Marco Polo Airport. It’s important to remember that cars can’t get into Venice (unless they’re called boats), so it’s best to pick up a hired car after you’re done with the Venice leg. It’s easier on potential rental charges and dodges the shocking price of parking any vehicle on the fringes of Venice. VISA REQUIREMENTS Your entire party will need to be in possession of Schengen visas to enter Italy. Indian driving licenses…

The eclectic mix of features that Serbia is-wineries, mountains, and ski resorts on one hand and cultural hubs and historical ruins on the other -deserves to be explored with ample time in hand. GETTING THERE While there are no non-stop flights from India to Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport, you can connect via Istanbul on Turkish Airlines (turkishairlines.com) or through Abu Dhabi aboard Etihad (etihad.com). VISAS Indian citizens are allowed visa-free access to Serbia for up to 30 days. Carrying a valid passport is essential. HOTEL The Metropol Palace is situated within walking distance of Belgrade’s major attractions. It boasts tasteful rooms, a rooftop restaurant, and excellent spa facilities. From 54,100 per night; starwoodhotels.com DRINK & DINE “?” Mark Kafana This almost 200-year-old tavern is one of the city’s most popular…

THE BIG REVEAL: IBA 2018 ON NOVEMBER 12, 2018 receiving a response from readers in an online voting process, we reveal the winners of India’s Best Awards 2018 on November 12 at ITC Maurya, New Delhi. Stay tuned for live updates on Facebook (@tnlindia) and Instagram (@travelandleisureindia). SPOTTED Ace Indian cricketer Zaheer Khan celebrated his 40th birthday with wife Sagarika Ghatge and their gang of friends, including Yuvraj Singh and Hazel Keech, in Maldives with a bang. Their Instagram posts are proof. travelandleisureindia.in/zaheer-khanyuvraj-singh-maldives/ #TELLTNLINDIA THIS SHOT BY @LENSTHING›OF HIS FRIEND SURFING THE WATERS OF HAVELOCK ISLAND, ANDAMANS, IS GIVING US SOME MAJOR #TRAVELGOALS. TO GET FEATURED HERE, TAG @TRAVELANDLEISUREINDIA ON INSTAGRAM AND USE THE HASHTAG #TELLTNLINDIA. Download Travel + Leisure India & South Asia digital editions, and follow us for…

AS OUR AIRBUS A321 TOUCHED DOWN at the Velana International Airport in Malé, one of the first sights to welcome me was that of a coy Maldivian woman, head carefully covered in hijab, strutting down the runway with a striking self-assurance. The young airport staff member was among the many Maldivian youths who are trying to carve a new identity for themselves in a country facing a deep political crisis. The simmering unrest in the capital, however, belies the opulent life at the many glamorous resorts of the archipelago. The St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort, my base for the next three nights, is located on a private island in Dhaalu Atoll. Launched in 2016, the resort has quickly gained a reputation for pampering guests silly with its premium butler service.…

GETTING THERE The nearest airports to Kodaikanal are in Madurai (115 kms) and Coimbatore (170 kms). STAY The Tamara Kodai offers 53 suites, including a presidential suite that features two bedrooms, a fully functional kitchen, an open-air jacuzzi, among other amenities. From 19,000; thetamara.com EXPLORE ► Caroselle Cheese offers tours of its dairy where artisanal cheese varieties, such as pepper gouda, montasio, edam, and camembert, are produced. carosellecheese.com ► A sheep farm in Mannavanur (20 kms) is often compared to the rolling meadows of Netherlands. Here, you can camp under the stars. The resort arranges overnight outings, complete with bonfire, group activities, and dinner.…

Travel + Leisure India & South Asia in association with Hilton Bangalore Embassy GolfLinks hosted a select gathering of city high-fliers for a Masterclass on ‘The Weekend Palate’ at The Salt Grill on October 5, 2018. The occasion marked the launch of the restaurant’s new menu as Executive Chef Amit Gera stirred up decadent dishes, including Barley Risotto, Blanched Mushrooms, Cajun Spiced Grill Chicken, and Gin-de-Berry cocktail for the guests. During the event, Manish Gera, General Manager, remarked, “It was a wonderful collaboration between Hilton Bangalore Embassy GolfLinks and T+L Masterclass. While the platform gave our three chefs an opportunity to go beyond the recipes, the participants got to appreciate the essence of the menu of our signature restaurant, The Salt Grill, and cocktails from their bar Klinx..” Stay…

Hidden in deep woods, the Asik-Asik falls were an unknown entity for years, even to the villagers who lived closest to them. It was only in 2010, when a series of natural disasters destroyed a part of the forest around them in the Alamada region of Philippines, that locals discovered the gorgeous little cascades that seemed to magically sprout from a lusciously green cliffside. But it took another two years for this wonder to come into the public eye. Word about these falls spread like bushfire when a photograph of them won an award in a national contest. One look at them, and it’s clear as to why these waterfalls have since attracted throngs of tourists. With no river or stream nearby, there’s an aura of mystery attached to the…

7 Autumn Festivals For Complete Cultural Immersion A the winter sets in, these festivals give you an insight into the culture of the cities that celebrate them. travelandleisureindia.in/culturefests-in-autumn 10 Global Cities That Are More Excited About Diwali Than Us You’ll be surprised by how popular Diwali is in these parts of the world. Now you need not miss out on the festival of lights when travelling overseas. travelandleisureindia.in/diwali-goes-global Luxury Gifting Ideas For Your Traveller Friends This is the season to send some love to your favourite people. Here are some quick gifting ideas that will show that you care. travelandleisureindia.in/ festive-gifting-ideas…

OYSTER PERPETUAL DATEJUST 31 ROLEX The new Datejust model comes with redesigned case sides and lugs. Available in three versions, it’s equipped with the reliable calibre 2236. The white gold version has a white mother-of-pearl dial and a diamond-set bezel; the yellow gold features a green malachite gemstone dial; and the Everose gold comes with a diamond-paved dial inlaid with pink mother-of-pearl butterflies. Price on request RÉVÉLATION D’UNE PANTHÈRE WATCH CARTIER The new Revelation allows you to distort time or even make it appear and disappear. At a flick of the wrist, tiny gold beads map a meticulous trajectory on the dial, and the stylised motif of the Maison, the Panther, emerges. Available in pink gold case, the watch is offered in three dials-black, green, and red. Price on request…

The InterContinental Chennai Mahabalipuram Resort is set against the azure waters of Bay of Bengal, making it one of the most sought-after destinations in the country to host luxe beach weddings. With convenient event spaces—both indoor and outdoor (on the beach)—and an in-house team of meticulous wedding planners, the hotel puts together a regal show, the kind that will be remembered for a long time to come. Located around 50 kilometres from the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Mahabalipuram, the hotel is among the few properties that offer a full buyout option for destination weddings. Choose between the indoor Samaya Banquet Hall, and outdoor Sama 1 Beach Lawns and InterContinental Beach Gardens to host the various pre-wedding functions. While the indoor space is perfect for themed dinners, the beachfront venues…

GETTING THERE There are direct flights from Denpasar, Bali and Jakarta to Labuan Bajo. AYANA Komodo is located 20 minutes from the airport. STAY While there are a few properties in Labuan Bajo, already popular among divers, AYANA Komodo Resort, launched this September, is the only five-star property on the island. There are 205 rooms, out of which 13 are suites, and 192 standard guest rooms. Full ocean view rooms from 35,000 per night; ayana.com WHO SHOULD GO Ideal for honeymooners or for a family vacation. The resort comes equipped with a spa, two swimming pools, and a kids’ pool, sailing-themed kids’ club that also involves a coral schedule every Wednesday, various water activities including snorkelling, marine walks, dolphin watching, SUP Yoga and canoeing, sunset tours, scuba diving, etc. And…

GETTING THERE Direct flights are available between New Delhi and Malé. A 40-minute seaplane ride takes you to the St. Regis Maldives Vommuli Resort. STAY The resort offers a range of private villas-Garden Villa, Overwater Villa, Beach Villa, Family Villa, Caroline Astor Estate, and John Jacob Astor Estate. Starts from 1,50,000; marriott.com EXPERIENCES Save an evening for a sunset cruise on the resort’s luxury yacht, Norma, available for bookings by the hour. Starts from 1,45,000 per hour While Whale Bar offers the best sunset views, the all-day diner Alba offers exquisite Italian dishes in a charming setting. Other dining destinations include Crust, Cargo, and Orientale. Allow an experienced Ayurveda practitioner to evaluate your body type-vatta, pita, and kapha- and custom-design a treatment at the Iridium Spa. The resort lays special…

Odisha Tourism, host partner of the Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018, garnered praise from His Excellency, the Ambassador of India at Malaysia Mr. Mridul Kumar, on the closing day of PATA 2018, held at Langkawi, Malaysia.› He expressed his happiness on the presentation of Odisha Tourism at PATA and was impressed with the current effort being made in promoting Odisha. Kumar lauded the initiatives of Odisha Tourism boosting tourism in the state. The three-day event witnessed a series of B2B meetings where each co-exhibitor interacted with various tour operators visiting stalls through pre-fixed appointments.› Odisha Tourism organised the second roadshow as part of its mission to promote tourism potentials aggressively in Bangkok. The event organised in association with the Embassy of India in Thailand and FICCI at Hotel…

LORENZO VERDOLINI, 23 WHAT DO YOU DO? I’m a first-year master’s student in philosophy at the University of Bologna. In the summer I finance my studies by working at a real estate agency in Sirolo, Italy where I was born. DESCRIBE AN IDEAL DAY IN LE MARCHE. I’d visit Ancona, the capital city of the region, and eat a plate of moscioli, or wild mussels, on a breezy terrace overlooking the harbour. CATIA BELFIORI, 44 WHAT DO YOU DO? I’m a zootechnical operator, but I prefer to define myself as a cowgirl. I assist with the breeding of cows and buffaloes. HOW DO YOU LIKE TO SPEND TIME IN LE MARCHE? I used to love to sleep on Mezzavalle Beach. When I can, I ride my horse. But the little…

“SLOW. SLOOOOW. SLOOOOOOOOOW.” With each ‘o’ Ibu (roughly meaning ma’am or lady) Hani Winotosastro added to the word, my breath slowed down. My hands weren’t trembling as much, and I felt the stress leaving my shoulders. A few deeper breaths, and I was ready to apply wax from a brass canting onto a piece of white cloth. I took a workshop to learn batik tulis (handwritten or hand-drawn batik), the most traditional type of batik in Batik Winotosastro (winotosastro.com), a sprawling home factory-workshop-showroom in Yogyakarta that traces its history to the 1940s. Once the hawk-eyed Hani approved of the intricate design of wildflowers I retraced with liquid wax, it was time to choose a colour for dyeing the cloth. I picked midnight blue. “You’ve chosen the most traditional batik colour,”…

Night life RAISE THE BAR Siem Reap’s effervescent nightlife boasts a mix of classic and avant-garde bars, offering a glorious amalgamation of elegance and eccentricity. Here are some special ones that night owls shouldn’t miss. MISS WONG COCKTAIL BAR An ode to sensuous Shanghai nights, this intimate bar must not be mistaken for the cheap and crowded pubs that line the nearby Pub Street. Here, there’s none of the backpacking humdrum; instead, you’re transported to a world of style, art, and cocktails oozing finesse. It was started by renowned radio journalist Dean Williams, a New Zealander who wished to create a space reminiscent of the speakeasies of 1920s. Sip on the white rum-infused Miss Wong Punch, and Apricot and Kaffir Lime Martini. Pair it with the home-style dim sums and…

How was your experience at your Airbnb home in Goa? Goa is all about nestling into a space that offers you the beauty of wilderness. Being able to wake up to birdsong, see colourful butterflies fluttering around, sit by the pool with a book, do nothing really, take a snooze in the afternoon—the way homestays have opened up the opportunity of experiencing a place for what it truly is, I don’t think the hotel industry can. I really love the intimacy and privacy of a homestay. When we travel to a beautiful place, so many of us wish that we had a home there. Now with the choice of homestays, we don’t have to wish for it anymore. I brought in my birthday in a Goa homestay last year. We…