Innholdsfortegnelse for November 2019 i Travel + Leisure India & South Asia

Seldom do you come across an opportunity to explore a destination that blows your mind, especially one that has remained largely untouched (yet) by tourism. When Travel + Leisure India & South Asia was invited to AlUla in Saudi Arabia for an exclusive photo shoot (the first-ever for any Indian magazine title) with our cover star, Pooja Hegde, who’s on a career high with her recent hit Housefull 4, we didn’t need much convincing. Housing Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site—Hegra—AlUla is the crowning glory of the country. With history dating back thousands of years and a landscape that mesmerises you with its beauty, this destination is waiting to be discovered by the discerning traveller. Experience it first through our cover story (p. 70)! Furthermore, we give you 10…

1 FLOAT ON THE DEAD SEA JORDAN Sandwiched between Jordan and Israel, Dead Sea is a unique gift bestowed by nature upon us. The lowest point on land, Dead Sea’s high salt concentration makes it possible for humans to float like a boat on the water. Best accessed from private resorts on the Dead Sea Coast in Jordan, travellers can rent a sunbed and drink cocktails, slather their body with therapeutic mud from the sea, or simply read a book while lying afloat. Kempinski Ishtar Dead Sea, with its private sea access and infinity pool, provides the apt base for a laid-back weekend. Doubles from ₹25,000, kempinski.com 2 HIKE AND SWIM IN WADIS OMAN Trade the familiar Middle-Eastern desert landscape for a classic Omani wadi experience: canyons featuring red rocks,…

GETTING THERE The Bhuj airport is 86 kilometres from Tent City. You can also hire a cab from major airports such as Sardar Vallabbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad, Surat Airport, and Vadodara Airport. THE ESSENTIALS A government pass is required to visit Kutch due to its proximity with the borders of Pakistan. You can collect these passes from the check post at Bhirandirya by producing a government approved ID card. STAY Besides the Tent City, you can stay at White Rann Resort—the official operators of Rann Utsav. whiterannresort.com…

QATAR NATIONAL MUSEUM Designed by Jean Nouvel, this newly opened museum tells the story of Qatar—from before it was a country to present day. Indulgent but beautiful, the structure takes its inspiration from the gypsum desert roses that ‘bloom’ in the country. Spread over 1.5 kilometres, the museum houses 11 galleries that happen to feature the Pearl Carpet of Baroda, which is still the most expensive carpet in the world. qm.org.qa ANGRY BIRDS WORLD If you’re travelling with children, this indoor amusement park is sure to delight them. With rides that encompass everything from go-karting to the thrilling Angry Coaster, it’s got something for every traveller. If you are a video game geek, this is an ideal place to spend an afternoon in Doha’s Festival City. It also features multiple…

1. BIVOUAC BLACK FAVRE-LEUBA In 2017, Favre-Leuba created a stir with its Raider Bivouac 9000, the first mechanical wristwatch capable of measuring altitudes up to 9,000 metres above sea level. In 2019, the watch delights its fans with a new stylish black look. It is also available with a lifesaving RECCO® reflector strap. ₹5,31,000 2. SUBMERSIBLE CARBOTECH™ PANERAI This year, Panerai launched two diving watches in 42mm and 47mm respectively, in Carbotech. The case, rotating bezel, and the device for protecting the winding crown is made of this remarkable material, which lends the watches a matte-black appearance. ₹11,15,000 3. PILOT TYPE 20 CHRONOGRAPH ADVENTURE ZENITH This watch guarantees easy readability for thrill-seekers and city-slickers alike, along with two interchangeable straps. A natural heir to the instruments developed by Zenith in…

“Fasten your seat belts. We’re about to begin our descent into Muscat. Thank you for flying Oman Air.” My forty winks were shattered by the pilot’s booming voice on the microphone. After a little over two hours of flying from Mumbai, I was about to land in a country that I’d been eyeing for several years—primarily because its countryside made a strong case for an adventurous holiday. Kareem, my sartorially savvy chauffeur and guide, greeted me genially at the arrival lounge. Dressed in a dishdasha, a traditional white Omani gown, he would be my travel buddy for the next few days, witnessing firsthand my zest for the great outdoors. A few minutes into the city, I realised I’d got Muscat all wrong. Devoid of shiny glass and steel skyscrapers, with…

I’M STANDING ON THE EDGE of the hotel’s lobby area, staring down at the city of Fukuoka and the surrounding crayon of deep blue ocean that marks the point where land meets sea. I don’t think I’ve ever seen such blue waters. Another journalist joins me. He makes the same remark as I about the water. We’re doing what journalists do: marking time, chatting idly, waiting to be impressed. “It’s my first time in Japan,” I tell him. He’s been to Tokyo and Kyoto. I should go, he tells me. “I’ve been fascinated for decades,” I go on. “Had a career with Nintendo and Sony. Written scores about manga and anime movies. Literally a research thesis on postwar Japanese monster movies. Held a torch for God knows how many Japanese…

“Woo-hoo!” the young rider hurtling down the mountain in front of me screams. “Welcome to Bhutan’s Whistler!” He is referring, of course, to Canada’s Mecca for mountain biking. On either side of me, the dense foliage is a blur. The boys in front of me skid and lean into turns, sending up sprays of dry oak leaves and pine needles. My knuckles, under my gloves, are no doubt white. I try to stay with the group, but pretty soon, it’s a futile exercise. The boys are flinging their bikes over fallen logs and branches, catching air where I come to a screeching halt barely surviving a bone-jarring crash. And most painfully for my ego, I’m having to pick up my bike to walk over the obstacles so I can keep…

I was excited, to put it mildly. One, I was visiting Zermatt after ages, and two, I was participating in a mountain hike with Adrian Ballinger and Nicolas Hojac. These are no ordinary individuals; they represent the best in mountain climbing. Ballinger is a mountaineer, guide, and entrepreneur who recently climbed K2 without oxygen support. He has already summited Mt Everest eight times, the last two instances without any supplementary assistance. Hojac, in his 20s, is already considered the fastest Alpinist today; he has broken many a climbing speed record. Besides their love for the mountains, they both happen to be brand ambassadors of the Swiss watch major Favre-Leuba. I departed from Geneva on a train on a beautiful September morning and reached Zermatt in less than four hours, the…

Getting There LAM (lam.co.mz) offers the best routes into and across Mozambique. Stay Anantara Medjumbe Island Resort is located on a private island with 14 beach villas. Doubles from ₹94,359; anantara.com White Pearl Resorts lets you combine a Mozambican tropical beach and diving holiday with an exciting bush safari. Doubles from ₹96,487; whitepearlresorts.com Anantara Bazaruto Island Resort has 44 luxury villas dotting the coast. Doubles from ₹83,007; anantara.com &Beyond Benguerra Island Lodge offers 10 casinhas, two cabanas, and the three-bedroom Casa Familia. Cabanas from ₹1,33,379; andbeyond.com Azura Quilalea Private Island provides you with your own private island castaway home. Doubles from ₹85,135; azura-retreats.com…

SPOTTED India’s Goodwill Ambassador to the United Nations, Dia Mirza, was spotted recently in New York as she attended the UN Climate Action Summit 2019. travelandleisureindia.in/ dia-mirzaclimate-warrior DISCOVER Don’t cross out Indianapolis off your hiking destinations list just because it has a flat landscape. If you know where to look, you can find some of the most rewarding trails here. travelandleisureindia.in/ hiking-inindianapolis #telltnlindia THE NEXT TIME YOU’RE IN SRI LANKA, CLIMB UP THE 1200-PLUS STEPS OF THE LION ROCK. THIS PHOTO BY @JORDHAMMOND SHOULD GIVE YOU ENOUGH REASON. 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 the best in hotels, food, style, culture, and trends. travelandleisureindia tnlindia tnlindia traveleisurein NOTE: ALL…

WHEN IN QATAR, you’re probably going to spend most of your time in Doha. Hamad International Airport is about 20 minutes away from the hustle and bustle of the city and its capitalist centre of West Bay. Further to the west is Education City, where you find the Qatar National Library and the campuses of many international universities. Not to be missed is a walk along Corniche, which offers views of the Museum of Islamic Art. Souq Waqif offers its own dose of history and plenty of eateries, ranging from traditional to exotic. Lastly, make time to visit Pearl Qatar, a man-made reclamation extending into the sea with its own set of hotels, shops, and things to do. 1. Musherib, near Souq Waqif is a neighbourhood filled with cheap fare…

A seeker of experiences with a fetish for the unexplored, Cyrus Sahukar is a true-blue traveller. According to him, there are two kinds of travellers—those who prefer to soak up the nightlife of the destination, and early risers who like to step out of their hotel rooms at the break of dawn—and he relates to both. And though the actor prefers to plan his holidays, do the research, and make the most of a destination, he also likes to sometimes land in a new place and go with the flow. Thus, Sahukar’s holidays are often a blend of both worlds. He describes a trip to New York with his friends as one of his most fulfilling experiences—each of them spent the days on their own exploring the city, catching up…

SHARJAH IS JUST A 40›MINUTE drive from Dubai. While Dubai leaves you with a lingering memory of shimmering skyscrapers, gigantic shopping malls, and unapologetic extravagance, Sharjah exudes rich history and culture from every nook and cranny. The city has ditched glitz and glam to embrace layers of elegance. Its cornucopia of experiences can be a bit overwhelming for one who seeks to design an itinerary around the city. Here are some of the most stunning places that I explored in the Emirati jewel and that you must check out on your first visit. AL MAJAZ WATERFRONT Located by the gorgeous Khalid Lagoon, this lush green space attracts people from all walks of life. Launched by Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) in 2010, the site covers an area of 21,460…

Getting There The Saudi Arabian capital, Riyadh, is well connected to major Indian metros by multiple airlines. Domestic flights from Riyadh get you to AlUla in two hours. Stay With only a handful of resorts available at present, Resort Shaden is your best bet. It is a new luxury resort that features traditional Bedouin-style rooms surrounded by AlUla’s quintessential topography—gigantic rocks and boulders. shaden-resort. hotelssaudi-arabia.com Must Visit From Hegra to Elephant Rock, Jabal ‘Ikmah, Dadan, Old Town, Al-Qurh, and Al-Aqra, every corner in AlUla has a unique slice of history to offer. But don’t let the guidebooks restrict you; in a destination that’s largely unexplored, the world is your oyster, as they say. experiencealula.com…

GETTING THERE  Thai Airways (thaiairways. com) flies through Bangkok to Fukuoka International Airport, and Singapore Airlines (singaporeair.com) does the same through Changi. STAY  Agora Fukuoka Hilltop Hotel & Spa affords great views of the city, and is a short taxi drive from the centre of town. There are rooms that flaunt the traditional Japanese tatami style—simple furnishings, mats, and bedding. Or, you can opt for a more Western-style room, dressed in much the same way as any Indian five-star room. From ₹13,000; agorafukuoka-hilltop.com EAT  Restaurant Sola (solafactory.com), situated in the heart of the harbour area, serves excellent modern Japanese cuisine, courtesy of Michelin-star Chef Hiroki Yoshitake. For a more traditional meal, Meihodo Keien (hiltonfukuokaseahawk. jp) in Hilton Fukuoka Sea Hawk takes some beating.…

“FOR ME, NUBRA FELT LIKE A DREAM. It had the dunes and the mountains —all together. I had never seen anything like this before. The mood of the clouds also made this landscape shot better. Only when we travel around do we realise how great India is. AFLAH P HUSSAIN ON HIS PHOTOGRAPH, SHOT ON A CANON 5D MARK IV WITH A CANON EF 85MM F1.8, JULY 2019 Aflah P Hussain was an entrant in our ongoing ‘Your Best Shot’ contest. Submit your best shots at tplusl@burda.in, or hashtag #telltnlindia and tag @travelandleisureindia on Instagram, to stand a chance to get featured on this page.…

Marvel at Nature in Shiretoko The Shiretoko Peninsula perches on the northeastern tip of the Japanese island of Hokkaido and protrudes into the Sea of Okhotsk. In winter, tourists go to the peninsula’s coast along the sea to see drift ice. travelandleisureindia.in/ shiretoko-unesco-world-heritage-site The Best-Preserved City of Southeast Asia Luang Prabang glows with a historic aura; the combination of Lao architecture and lingering effects of European colonialism make it a unique destination. travelandleisureindia.in/luang-prabangunesco-world-heritage-site The Crumbling Past of the City of Potosi This city rose to fame as the world’s largest industrial complex back in the 16th century. Today, industrial monuments and colonial towns, besides the barrios mitayos, draw tourists to a bygone era. travelandleisureindia.in/city-of-potosi…

A SERENE ESCAPE on a golden shore, Anantara Desaru Coast Resort & Villas is nestled amidst lush tropical gardens facing the South China River at the Desaru Coast. The resort offers 123 keys in all, including 90 deluxe guest rooms, 13 standalone villas, and 20 expansive residences. While the guest rooms and pool villas with the option of one and two bedrooms come with a choice of garden, lagoon, and ocean views, the luxury residences offer absolute privacy along with an infinity pool, state-of-the-art kitchen, and dedicated butler. There are multiple dining options offering Malay, Asian, and international fare. Relish signatu re seafood at Sea.Fire. Salt., try gourmet international and Asian flavours at Turmeric, enjoy a night of tipple, cigars, and shisha at the Infinity Bar, or head to the…

DECEMBER 1,2019 TO FEBRUARY 29,2020 Winter is coming and so is the magnificent Rann Utsav. The luminescent white salt desert of the Great Rann of Kutch is bathed in a motley of colours during this three-month cultural extravaganza, which is scheduled between December 1, 2019 and February 29, 2020. The festival celebrates the indigenous art and culture of Kutch. Think traditional dancers in vibrant costumes, bedecked camels, and local huts adorned in ethnic designs—all against the stunning backdrop of swathes of salt marsh shimmering under the full moon. TENT CITY Tent City—the luxury accommodation set up by Kutch tourism near the White Rann—is the best place to stay during Rann Utsav to get the authentic festival experience. Imagine more than 400 tents lined up in the boundless salt desert. No…

QATAR’S CAPITAL IS BECOMING a hub for art and architecture enthusiasts with the ruling Thani family making arts a priority. There are multiple museums to check out. Start with IM Pei’s gorgeously designed Museum of Islamic Art (mia.org.qa), which is a monolithic work on an artificial island. Inside, you’ll find works from all over the Middle East and Asia that trace the evolution of Islamic art, from its armour to jewellery, carpets to wooden ornamentation, among other things. Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art (mathaf.org.qa) should be on your list as well. It has shown works by cutting-edge Indian artists like Raqs Media Collective and recently staged an MF Husain retrospective. Also, in Education City is the OMA-designed Qatar National Library (qnl.qa), which takes its architectural inspiration from an open…

A short drive from Mleiha, Kalba Kingfisher Lodge on the east coast of Sharjah boasts 25 luxury tents with a private swimming pool in each. You’ll spend your evenings here at the porch, watching the Indian Ocean glisten as the sun sets among mangroves. Perfect for a weekend getaway from the main city, this lodge is apt for unwinding in nature’s lap. Whether it’s kayaking or getting a massage, practising outdoor yoga or indulging in delicious international cuisine, Kalba has it all, and then some. myskhotels.com…

What were your initial thoughts about a trip to Saudi Arabia? Honestly, I first thought: what’s there to see? But when the T+L team sent me the reference pictures, I was stunned, and couldn’t wait to shoot there. Modern cities or destinations rich in heritage: what is your cup of tea? Both. London and New York are my favourite cities in the world. But I also have immense respect and admiration for heritage sites like this one [AlUla]. It is wise to realise the significance of such places and be a little sensitive about what they have to offer. What do you think of emerging offbeat destinations like AlUla? Had I not come here, I wouldn’t have known what I’m missing out on. But now, I must say that those…

The Kumaon Division of Uttarakhand, where I live, consists largely of the Kumaon Range of Himalayas, stretching for almost 320 kilometres south to north. It starts in the plains, or Terai, with the state of Uttar Pradesh to the south, the Himalayan country of Nepal to the east, and ends in Johar Valley bordering Tibet. My home, at an altitude of 1,400 metres, isn’t far from the plains. The district of Nainital in the foothills of the Kumaon range is a green, ecologically vibrant region, home to tigers, leopards, and elephants of the Jim Corbett National Park. If one travels north through Kumaon, the land keeps rising. The dense, moist, and deciduous forests gently transform with altitude. Sal and mango give way to pine and deodar. As one travels further…

GETTING THERE: Singapore Airlines  (singaporeair.com) flies from 10 Indian cities, including New Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, and Hyderabad, and connects to three New Zealand gateways: Auckland, Christchurch, and Wellington. Air New Zealand (airnewzealand.in) offers excellent connectivity within the country. STAY AUCKLAND  Hilton Auckland is a quick walk from the central business district and Quay Street. From ₹15,000; hilton.com BAY OF ISLANDS  Copthorne Hotel and Resort Bay of Islands has rooms with private patios. From ₹5,000; millenniumhotels.com QUEENSTOWN  Crowne Plaza Queenstown offers sweeping views of The Remarkables mountain range. From ₹8,000; ihg.com CHRISTCHURCH  The George overlooks the picturesque Hagley Park and the River Avon. From ₹16,000; thegeorge.com…

When a young Coco Chanel got down to designing the Turkish military uniforms in the 1930s, Istanbul was undergoing a renaissance of sorts. While the 19th -century Ottoman Istanbul was considered as cosmopolitan as modern London, the city in the 20th century was embracing a miscellany of its Greek, Roman, and Venetian (and Ottoman) influences—a cultural diversity that it retains to this day. Almost a century later, as I sit along the Bosphorus reading about Istanbul’s transition from a strategic Silk Route destination to one of the most glamorous second cities in the world, a timelapse of sorts plays in my head—trading vessels get replaced by superyachts and merchants with binocular-wielding travellers; imperial mosques and palaces built by the Byzantines and Ottomans watch glass-walled skyscrapers come up. This is the…

Getting There EgyptAir (egyptair.com) flies nonstop from Mumbai to Cairo. Cairo Make the Nile Ritz-Carlton (doubles from ₹17,008; ritzcarlton.com) your base in the Egyptian capital. Though just a stone’s throw from downtown, its riverbank location provides a peaceful respite from the city. Visit Cairo’s Islamic quarter and its Khan el-Khalili bazaar, and spend at least a day in nearby Giza to see the Pyramids and the Great Sphinx (and, as of 2020, the Grand Egyptian Museum). Aswan Cruise the Nile on the Oberoi Philae (five-day trips from ₹61,938 per person; oberoi hotels.com), a luxurious 22-cabin vessel that stops near several important ancient sites, including the Nubian Museum, the High Dam, and the Philae Temple. Cruises can begin in either Luxor or Aswan, both of which are a short flight from…