Innholdsfortegnelse for January 2020 i Travel + Leisure India & South Asia

Jaipur is home to me. But besides the warmth of being in familiar territory, among people I know, it is also one of the most beautiful and historically rich cities in the country, welcoming tourists from all over the globe. In July 2019, the old-walled city of Jaipur was conferred the title of a UNESCO World Heritage City. Our first cover of the new year, focussing on royalty, aptly features Padmanabh Singh, the young Maharaja of Jaipur (popularly called Pacho), and his mother, Princess Diya Kumari, Member of Parliament and the force behind the Princess Diya Kumari Foundation (PDKF), which works towards the betterment of underprivileged women in Rajasthan. Besides being beacons of Indian royalty, both of them have been instrumental in promoting and practising responsible tourism: whether it’s through…

GO SKIING AT GUDAURI, GEORGIA It is time to swap the Alps for the Caucasus. For your next ski holiday, head to Gudauri, an emerging resort town with smooth snow slopes and splendid views of the Caucasus. Located in the Kazbegi region of Georgia, 120 kilometres from the capital city of Tbilisi, Gudauri is perched at a height of 2,196 metres. Adrenaline junkies can try paragliding, speed riding (an extreme mix of skiing and paragliding), and heli-skiing, apart from skiing. Gudauri is relatively new in the tourism circuit, so you don’t have to worry about long queues or jostling fellow travellers. Offering up to 1,500 metres of vertical drop, the resort has something for every level of skier—from beginners to experts. Cottages and hotels are also mushrooming in the town.…

1. HEADPHONES BOSE NOISE CANCELLING HEADPHONES 700 The Bose 700 features a neutral audio signature, a wide soundstage, adjustable active noise cancellation, and a new soft-touch finish. Other features you’ll love are the 20 hours of playback time, a four-mic system for clearer calls, and support for Bose’s new Augmented Reality audio system (iOS only). ₹34,500; boseindia.com 2. PHONE SAMSUNG GALAXY NOTE10+ Samsung has kitted out its new Note10+ with every conceivable feature: a 6.8in Dynamic AMOLED display with HDR, laptop levels of storage (up to 512GB), three cameras at the back, advanced video stabilisation, real-time video effects, and the remarkable S-Pen. From ₹79,999; samsung.com/in 3. SMARTWATCH HUAWEI WATCH GT 2 Promising up to two weeks of battery life, an AMOLED display, and available in two size options (42mm and…

“You must try our speciality: pig’s ears!” suggests Savio, a cheerful waiter at De Jaime, one of the many tapas bars on Calle De La Victoria. It is our first meal in Madrid, and we are a bit disconcerted by the offer. The discomfort turns into curiosity, and shortly after, we are munching on orejas con patatas bravas, a tapas delicacy we had never even heard of. If you are new to Madrid, chances are that you will be overwhelmed by the culinary landscape of the city. Being uncomfortable, though, is essential to make the transition from ignorance to bliss—for in Madrid, if you know your food, you know everything. Known to take pride in its leisurely breakfasts, languorous lunches, and endless pub-crawls, Madrid is the perfect place to let…

GETTING THERE Air India (airindia. com) flies into Madurai from cities like New Delhi and Mumbai. For a longer itinerary in Tamil Nadu, Chennai is the best entry point. STAY The Gateway Hotel Pasumalai Madurai (gateway.tajhotels. com; doubles from ₹7,080) is set on the top of Pasumalai, a forested hill in the southwest of the city. Explore the property’s 63-acre garden—complete with peacocks—and enjoy views of the city from Vista, the patio café. TOUR Meenakshi Amman temple (madurai meenakshi.org ) hosts a nightly ceremony in which Shiva’s reunion with Meenakshi is enacted. Local guides can lead a walking tour through the flower market in the city’s Mattuthavani district. You can also see raw fragrance being made at Raja Palaniswamy’s facility, Jasmine Concrete Exports (jasmineindia.com), an hour outside the city.…

Evian collaborated with Miami’s luxurious Hotel Victor to create this bathing experience. This expensive bath has a 350-gallon, infinity-edge tub with over 1,000 litres of Evian Natural Spring Water. Tennis royalty Serena Williams christened this concept when it was launched, saying she could immediately feel the difference made by Evian. The water is said to revitalise and nourish the skin. Gerber daisies enhance the experience. The bath costs approximately ₹3.5 lakh, and is available exclusively to guests staying in the ₹4 lakh penthouse. hotelvictorsouth beach.com…

Lesser-Known Sites near Goa That are a Road Trip Away! The popularity of Goa as a vacation spot is such that it steals the limelight from nearby destinations worth your attention. Here’s a list of road trips from Goa that will leave you spellbound. travelandleisureindia.in/road -trips-from-goa Aamir Wani’s Shots of Kashmir Reveal the Unseen Side of the Valley Aamir Wani reveals the simplest and most exquisite side of Kashmir through his photograph collection, ‘Kashmir Through My Lens’. travelandleisureindia.in/ aamir-wanikashmir-through-my-lens-interview Explore the Unknown in Himachal and Ladakh Towering mountains, rivers older than time, and an unmatched natural aura—Miyar Valley in Himachal Pradesh is all this and more. travelandleisureindia.in/miyar -valley-trek SPOTTED Are winter blues taking over? Bollywood actress Neha Sharma’s vacay pictures from Hawaii are as sunny as it can get. travelandleisureindia.in/…

SAY KONNICHIWA TO KYOTO Kyoto balances the bling and zing of modern city life with ancient temples, sublime gardens, and ageless architecture. With over 10,000 shrines and places like Daikaku-jithe Shingon Buddhist temple built in 876 AD—Kyoto is an ideal place for a fascinating temple trail. Visit the Nijo Castle, which has over 430 cherry blossom trees, or join a hanami (sakura viewing party) to see the spiritual heart of Japan get blanketed in its quintessential pink spring garb. Go on a ramen and sake tour, or try kaiseki dining for a taste of authentic Japanese cuisine, meet friendly deer at the Nara Park, or immerse yourself in an ancient tea ceremony—there are endless experiences here. A short train ride can ferry you to popular children’s attractions like Tokyo Disneyland…

AT PARAMOUNT HOTEL DUBAI, everyone’s a star. And there are 823 plush Hollywood-themed keys, glamorous interiors, Californian cuisine, dine-in cinema, and unlimited entertainment to make sure of that. Strategically located in the heart of Dubai’s dynamic Business Bay district, the Paramount property pierces the city’s glistening skyline with 69 floors of sheer glamour. While all the 823 rooms, including 730 Standard Rooms, 80 Paramount Suites, and 12 Themed Suites, are tastefully done in true Hollywood style, the Producer Suite exceeds expectations with a private hammam and a private screening room. Inspired by the rich legacy of Paramount Pictures, the hotel features restaurants and bars that cater to all palates, including the main restaurant—The Stage—serving global cuisine, the Californian lounge and restaurant called Pacific Grove, the artisan cafe called The Craft…

NEETA LULLA The distinguished designer and costumer’s journey meant breaking stereotypes and rewriting the rules. For champions of their craft, finding and recognising their calling comes in one of two ways: the passion was always present, and was seen in every venture they embarked upon; or, it was a fortunate accident. Neeta Lulla falls in the latter category. Her creations have graced runways, regaled as costumes on the screen, and been worn at elegant soirées of world leaders. She’s also famous for adding the touch of authenticity to period dramas, Panipat being the most recent. “I was told that I had to follow something, and I took up tailoring because I thought, ‘What’s better than new clothes?’” From there, the rush of having to tell stories through fabric took over,…

SINGALILA NATIONAL PARK IS AN EDEN NESTLED in the lap of Eastern Himalayas. Located on the Singalila ridge in the Darjeeling district of West Bengal, at an elevation of 3,000 metres above sea level, the area is blessed with subtropical forests and temperate coniferous forests. The vegetation includes oak, silver fir, maple, magnolia, bamboo, and 19 species of rhododendron, which bloom in spring and cover the valleys in a multicoloured garb. The forests also have a wide variety of wild orchids and cobra lilies. This unique location and wide variety of flora have made Singalila the favoured home for myriad animal species. Among those is the very special red panda, an endangered species found in few pockets of the Eastern Himalayas and China. Apart from the adorable tree dweller, the…

Jamón ibérico: Iberian ham, served on bread, with chips. Bocadillo de calamares: Calamari sandwich Orejas con patatas bravas: Stir-fried pig ears with potatoes and paprika sauce Cocido madrileño: A meat and chickpea stew Tortilla con patatas: Thick Spanish omelette with potatoes, served with paprika sauce. Pimientos de Padrón: Fried green peppers from the Padrón region. Gambas al ajillo: Shrimp sautéed in garlic and olive oil. Champiñones a la plancha: Mushroom tossed in olive oil, often served with shrimp. Pulpa à feira: Octopus fried with potatoes sprinkled with paprika.…

IT used to be that visitors to Cape Town who wanted a taste of the wine and wild coastal landscapes outside the city would tack on a road trip through the beloved Garden Route. But over the past decade or so, the Garden Route, which runs around the southern tip of South Africa from Mossel Bay to Port Elizabeth, got a little crowded. These days, tuned-in travellers are heading inland, to the agricultural heartlands of the Cape and its lesser-known southern shores—home to some of the most appealing hotels in South Africa, as well as traditional farming villages, fashionable new restaurants, and award-winning vineyards. With the easy-to-navigate Route 62 (route62.co.za) at its heart and a host of quaint guesthouses at which to spend the night along the way, this trip…

TUCKED AWAY ON THE fourth floor of the iconic Le Méridien New Delhi hotel is the La Belle salon. This is my first visit here, and I’m told it’s known for its pedicures and manicures. I am greeted by the staff, who give me a little tour of the space. The entire place is dominated by shades of white; sunlight seeps into the salon through the large glass windowpanes; greenery contours the exterior like a marvellous accessory; and the staff is a friendly bunch. I start my day with a hair spa. After a quick analysis of my hair, the beautician suggests I try the ‘Wella Professionals’ treatment’, which, he says, would be great for my recently coloured and frizzy hair. After a quick shampoo and rinse, my beautician applies…

After an hour-long drive from Chandigarh airport, I finally reach The Oberoi Sukhvilas Spa Resort—my home for the weekend. Designed by celebrated French architect Le Corbusier, this property is an oasis of harmony. As I walk towards my villa, I can see why it is the most talked-about wellness destination in North India—think endless expanse of gardens and water bodies coupled with stunning fountains. Its soothing effect almost immediately washes over me, and I feel a sense of comforting warmth embracing me. I have come here to meet Idili Lizcano, founder of Spanish beauty and wellness brand Alqvimia. The property’s spa has partnered with Alqvimia; this brand hails from the Spanish side of the Pyrenees and is known for its natural products created lovingly to balance the mind, body, and…

I threw open the window of my room at the Mangrove Hotel, and the sky was a fiery red. So red that for a moment I thought that the town of Broome was on fire. But in reality, it was just the sun flirting with rain-laden clouds from just below the horizon. There had been a gusty storm playing out over the region through the night; now, it seemed to be abating. Broome is a beach resort town in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. My adventurous plan was to hop on a seaplane flight—with five friends—to the Horizontal Falls near Kimbolton, which is a 45-minute flight or a 10-hour drive away. Then the seaplane would drop us off at Kooljaman at Cape Leveque, nearly 210 kilometres to the north…

CARAVAN ON THE GREAT OCEAN ROAD IN AUSTRALIA Arguably one of the greatest road-trip destinations in the world, Australia’s Great Ocean Road is not meant to be sped through. A site of national heritage, the 234-kilometre stretch lining the southeastern coast of the island country is breathtaking. A caravan holiday, or ‘campervanning’ as the Australians call it, is the ideal way to take in its wild beauty. Make pit-stops to climb clifftops, surf at pristine beaches, spot wildlife along the way, and camp the nights away at dedicated caravan parks. All you need to do is gather your loved ones, decide a route, rent a nice van (camperchamp.com.au), and get going. visitvictoria.com BIKE THROUGH BURGUNDY’S VINEYARDS IN FRANCE Focussing on Burgundy’s farm-to-table ethos, a guided 10-day biking excursion organised by…

SAY ‘NO CHEESE!’ IN ITALY Italy may be celebrated for its ham and cheese, but its rich food culture thrives equally on soups, casseroles, and hearty legume dishes. For centuries, Italians have relied on ingredients like fava beans, dried peppers, eggplant, and tomatoes to hero their foods. While the pasta al pomodoro e basilico, paired with Prosecco, remains an all-time classic, Rome’s handmade gnocchi, Bologna’s steaming bowl of fagioli all’uccelletto stew and crunchy bruschetta al pomodoro are starting to tease global taste buds now. The Vegan Travel Club not only lets you savour these foods, but also includes wine tours and vegan cooking classes in each of its vegan-friendly packages. vegantravelclub.com GO ON A VEGAN SAFARI IN BOTSWANA For any animal lover, experiencing a safari in Africa is a moving…

IT’S NOT JUST MY FIRST visit to the Silicon Valley of India but also to any Radisson property ever. After a hectic Friday at Gurugram, I board a flight to Bengaluru and reach my weekend destination at an ungodly hour. It’s 1.30 am by the time I exit through the Arrivals gate. So I’m not exactly thrilled when my cab driver tells me we have a 35-kilometre drive ahead of us—from the airport to the hotel. But such is the layout of this bustling city. The midnight hour means we take just about an hour to reach Radisson Blu Atria, Bengaluru, located on Palace Road. As I enter the property in a haze, a unique blend of magenta and blue lighting envelope me in a comforting embrace. I immediately feel…

Travel + Leisure India & South Asia, in association with Le Meridien New Delhi, hosted a select gathering for the Christmas Trail Masterclass on December 15, 2019. On the buzzing winter afternoon, families from all over the capital city gathered to partake in a variety of activities and a sumptuous feast. A walk-in glass-bead Christmas Tree, a jolly Santa with elves, and a carol-singing choir put everyone in the holiday spirit. While the children dropped off letters to Santa in lit-up letterboxes and decorated a gingerbread house, the adults sipped on a Champagne Punch, paired with Naughty Gummy Bears. Families learned the traditional art of carving a turkey, nibbled on a wide variety of gourmet cheese, and savoured a three-course meal paired with wines. The joyous day culminated in a…

What role does travel play in your creativity? I discover a different personality of mine each time I travel. And that new persona looks at stories and people in a new way. Many of my stories have come to me while I’ve been on a journey. In fact, that’s why my films always have an underlying element of travel in them. It’s not a coincidence. Tell us about your most memorable travel experience. It was a trip that I took when I was in the seventh or eighth grade. I had to take my grandmother from Kolkata to Jamshedpur. It was the simplest of trips, but we got on the wrong train, which was going only till Kharagpur. It was the middle of the night when we realised this blunder.…

“Do we know why it is called Mt Difficulty Wines?” I asked Sue Hawkins, my guide, as we drove to the winery, located around 60 kilometres from Queenstown in New Zealand. Sue wasn’t too sure. During my stay in New Zealand’s South Island, I had noticed how such peculiar brand names didn’t surprise the locals. Whether it was my next destination—Mt Difficulty Cellar Door and Winery—or vineyards with names like Bald Hills, Doctors Flat, and Desert Heart, none of the locals seems to think they were strange monikers. WHAT’S IN A NAME? In Central Otago, such nomenclature stems from geography. Take Mt Difficulty Wines: their first vines were planted on the foothills of Mount Difficulty, whose name was coined by the explorer William Rees when he failed to guide his…

One of Caravaggio’s most important works, Penitent Magdalene, is held in the Doria Pamphilj Gallery in Rome on Via del Corso. The painting is significant, and singular, for its depiction of Magdalene. Previously painted in sensual light, with voluptuous turn, here she is in a repose of terrific plainness. Without erotic charge, she appears either remorseful or reflective: a woman on the brink of transformation. This is markedly different from her other interpretations as a ‘fallen’ woman (there was some talk about her role as a prostitute who is reformed by Jesus although some historical accounts dispute that story). The magnificent painting has Caravaggio’s assurance of power concentrated in a single stroke, and is remarkable–as the rogue Italian painter is feted–for its use of light. Joining this landmark work at…

WHEN I CATCH AN EARLY morning flight from Bengaluru to Chennai for a day of gruelling business meetings, a break at The Leela Palace Chennai’s luxurious spa, ESPA, feels like a blessing. I am greeted by the courteous spa manager and a personal consultant, to whom I convey my need to relax. She assures me that I will receive a unique treatment to suit my needs, and offers me the ESPA aromatherapy massage, which uses a blend of individually chosen oils. The relaxing session begins with the Vitality Pool designed by Barr+Wray. The Vitality Pool, which typically operates at 38° Celsius, has air and water jet features. It contains hydrotherapy body jets, floor jets, air beds with jets, and swan neck fountains to massage my body. These button- or sensor-activated…

An energetic four-year-old boy takes off his arm floats and swims to his dad, who looks at him proudly. Next to him, a small girl splashes around. The nod of approval from her grandmother, who is relaxing on a sun deck in the indoor swimming pool, is just the encouragement the child needs to swim with renewed gusto. I am a silent spectator to these family bonding moments at Thermalbad Aukammtal—a thermal bath facility in Wiesbaden, Germany. Paying homage to Roman sweat baths, Aukammtal has indoor and outdoor pools, a variety of saunas, and a spa. Well-being gets a fun twist as you swim in 32° Celsius hot-spring water, loaded with sodium, calcium, potassium, magnesium, and hydrogen carbonate. As I swim from the indoor pool to the outdoor pool via…

This lipstick, costing over ₹44 lakh, is a copy of Guerlain’s original KissKiss lipstick created in 2005 by Olivier Echaudemaison and Herve Van Der Straeten, the creative director of the luxury brand and an acclaimed designer. The original lipsticks are popular for their rich colour and hydrating formula. The KissKiss Gold and Diamond lipstick is adorned with 110 grams of solid 18-carat yellow gold and paved with 199 diamonds of 2.2 carats each. The lipstick comes in a black lacquered wooden case with a protective black suede pouch and lip brush. This refillable lipstick can only be ordered in specific outlets. guerlain.com…

Getting There Fly to Perth Airport, Western Australia, from Delhi or Mumbai with one stopover on any one of the airlines serving the route, including Singapore Airlines (singaporeair.com) and Air India (airindia.in). Broome is a three-hour flight from Perth. The best way to see the Horizontal Falls is to go on a day tour on a seaplane. horizontalfallsadventures.com.au Once back in Broome, you can either drive to the Dampier Peninsula (200 km, six hours on a dirt road) or take a flight to the airstrip called One Arm Point. broomeaviation.com.au Stay In Broome, Mangrove Hotel offers a range of rooms and suites. From ₹6,595; mangrovehotel.com.au On Dampier Peninsula, Kooljaman at Cape Leveque has a range of stay options including safari tents, ensuite cabins, camping spots and log huts. From ₹5,825…

ON MY LAST TRIP TO THE US, which was meant to be a week in New York visiting old friends, I randomly found myself on a flight to Colorado. After two to three hiking trails, I took a quick flight in a mini plane to Vegas. After spending a night there, I found myself taking a chopper to Page, Arizona, the morning after. I was the co-pilot on this trip, and my unamused passengers consisted of four elderly sisters, a Japanese mother-daughter duo, and a Spanish couple. In Arizona, I converted them all from merry hikers into my personal Instagram photographers. We hiked from the world’s most iconic horseshoe bend to Antelope Canyon. We lunched together in a Midwest-themed shack and bonded over country music. The trip ended with life-long…