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

MY LOCKDOWN I have never been home for this long at a stretch. The lockdown confined us within our houses, but in a subliminal way, it also opened us up to emotions that we would’ve never paid heed to otherwise. This jolt came at a time when fast travel was becoming the norm. As I, along with the rest of India, gear up for the ‘new normal’, I also know that I will miss the time I spent at home, and the company I kept for the better part of the day. Or better still, it’s probably time to plan a road trip with my dog, Kara (in pic)! This time, we vow to make it slow, responsible, and rejuvenating. MAY HAS BEEN A SURPRISINGLY hectic month for us. Besides…

FRANCE’S TOURISM INDUSTRY is considered one of the jewels in the country’s economy. Naturally, the pandemic brought things to a screeching halt earlier this year. But the light at the end of the tunnel may finally be in sight. During the Fifth Interministerial Tourism Committee meeting held on May 14, the French Prime Minister, alongside key stakeholders, drew up a list of concrete steps that the government would take to support the tourism industry. The blueprint focusses on three areas. For starters, health measures, information, and reassurance for travellers will be priority. Secondly, in order to move from a state of emergency to recovery, a total of €18 billion has been extended to support tourism-related businesses, including sporting and cultural events. Lastly, the government plans on preparing a solid contract…

What has been your biggest adventure so far? Crossing the North Atlantic Ocean was exceptional on many accounts, for it brought us close to nature’s fury. We crossed the ocean in a small inflatable boat. It was 4,828 kilometres, and we had to face very frightening gale force 10 storms. With gigantic waves and icebergs, and relentless cold, it was an adventure of epic proportions. It made us realise the power of nature and friendships, and the importance of respect in the wild. For an adventure enthusiast like you, what is the biggest challenge during a lockdown? Life is all about adapting to difficult situations. At Scouts (scout.org), we were always travelling around and having adventures, but now, we must adapt, so we have come up with ‘The Great Indoors’…

WE WERE SETTLING DOWN at a table in one of Thamel’s popular restaurants. On the adjoining table, a Swiss couple’s order of a huge rib-eye steak with a green peppercorn sauce and creamy potato mash had just arrived. When I looked at their food with pure unadulterated lust, the lady smiled and explained that they were usually vegan but they were celebrating a successful Everest Base Camp trek at that moment. I politely beckoned the waiter and told him I’d have the same, not because I was celebrating anything but because the beefsteak looked like a celebration in itself. I told the couple that I was about to start off for the Everest Base Camp, but on a motorcycle. They gave me a suspicious stare, probably assuming I had smoked…

WE MAY HAVE TRADED atlases for Google Maps and guidebooks for the Internet, but the road trip still has a hold on the imagination. It’s our chance to break away from the spaces we’ve known, and explore new regions. In Ireland past windmills and hay rolls, our SUV was stopped in our tracks by sheep and the occasional traffic jam. Luckily all that was needed was patience to get through both interruptions, which gave us the opportunity to gaze out the window and attempt to capture rolling fields and cloudy skies—reminiscent of early Windows desktop wallpapers emblematic of the first connected generation of the world. Unlike most first-time visitors, I wasn’t going to see the Cliffs of Moher or Dublin’s Guinness brewery. Instead, I was spending five days in the…

I AM SURE NICK UT wouldn’t have imagined back in 1972 that the photo he was capturing in a moment of utter distress in a suburb of Saigon would win him a Pulitzer Prize. But Napalm Girl did more than that. It went on to become the symbol of the agony of war victims and eventually changed the course of the Vietnam War. The image of a nine-year-old Kim Phuc, screaming in pain and walking unclothed towards the camera after an airstrike, shook the world. Whatever your age when you first saw it, chances are that the Napalm Girl remained etched in your mind. It certainly did in mine. That’s probably why I struggled to focus on the light-hearted conversation between two of my fellow journalists in the airport lounge…

Getting There Turkish Airlines (turkishairlines.com) and Gulf Air (gulfair.com) offer flights from Delhi and Mumbai to Thessaloníki, with stopovers in Istanbul and/or Bahrain. Stay I stayed at Thessaloníki’s Daios Luxury Living (doubles from ₹14,409; daioshotels.com), a stylish waterfront boutique property. In Halkidiki, I stayed at the stunning Sani Dunes (doubles from ₹24,268; sani-resort.com), one of five luxurious beachfront properties that make up Sani Resort. Eat Two restaurants, side by side on Thessaloníki’s Kalapothaki Street, were particularly good: the Seven Seas (entrées ₹682–₹1,365; 7thalasses.business.site) served impeccable fish, while its neighbour, Grada Nuevo (entrées ₹910– ₹2,275; gradanuevo.gr), offered more innovative dishes. Do The Archaeological Museum of Thessaloníki (amth.gr) contains a remarkable collection of Hellenic artefacts. Photographs and cultural objects illuminate the exhibits at the Jewish Museum of Thessaloníki (jmth.gr). The Museum of…

THE HOLY MONTH OF RAMADAN provides great photo opportunities and beautiful frames. This photograph was clicked in Jamia Masjid in Srinagar, Kashmir, in 2018. It captures two men waiting for the Asr namaz (late afternoon prayer). During Ramadan, mosques are busier than ever. But this year, it was a quiet affair, with people all over the country offering prayers inside their homes, due to the threat of the pandemic. -MALIQ ABID ON HIS PHOTOGRAPH, SHOT ON A NIKON D3100 IN 2018 Maliq Abid 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.…

In our latest digital campaign, #TnLSupportsLocal, we bring you stories from India that will inspire you to explore home-grown resorts, iconic local markets, and hidden gems. It’s time to see the country in a new light. Familiarise Yourself with these Iconic Flower Markets of India To get your fill of fresh flowers and marvel at their vivid colours and aromas, visit these iconic markets of the country. travelandleisureindia.in /flower-markets-of-india Here’s Why Khari Baoli is on Our Minds Delhi’s Khari Baoli is the largest spice market in Asia and will transport you to a bygone era. travelandleisureindia.in /khari-baoli We’re Dreaming of these 10 Indian Luxury Boutique Resorts Here’s why you must visit these 10 luxurious Indian boutique resorts the first chance you get. travelandleisureindia.in/ 10-indian-luxury-boutique-resorts SPOTTED This man from Rajasthan is…

IT TAKES ME AROUND 45 minutes to go from the airport to Gaj Kesri, a beautiful hotel tucked in a remote village called Nainon Ka Bas. The moment I land at the property, I realise I am in for a royal treat. I take a tour and glance through the art on display. I am told that it is Usta art—more specifically, naqqashi and manoti work practised by the legendary Usta artisans of Bikaner. Every corner of the hotel evokes a sense of heritage and tradition. It’s no surprise that Gaj Kesri is part of the Basavan Art Hotels. Next, I head to the hotel’s Polki Restaurant for lunch. It’s true to its promise of vegetarian Marwari cuisine. A delicious meal leads to a sound afternoon nap. In my room,…

Jacqueline Gifford EDITOR-IN-CHIEF, TRAVEL + LEISURE US IT WAS AROUND MARCH 11 that the staff of Travel + Leisure US started working from home. The May issue, focussed on Europe, was days from being printed, and it was too late to pull it back. “The moment we hit ‘Send to Press’, we knew that Europe was going to be the new epicentre of the virus. So we put in a disclaimer that a lot of businesses may be closed,” says Editor-in-Chief Jacqueline Gifford. But her editorial fears were all for nought, as the magazine received tons of notes from readers saying they had loved the content. “They can’t go anywhere, and they love to look at the photography, which has been a brand signature—T+L started as U.S. Camera and Travel…

NOT SO LONG AGO, we were spoilt for culinary choice, vacillating between gastropubs and wine bars, fast food and molecular gastronomy, wellness cuisine and 12-course gluttony. All of a sudden, dining out has become a distant dream, sharing drinks with strangers in a bar an unthinkable sin, and home cooking the norm. While we wait for the new normal of communal dining etiquette to emerge, the gastronomy gods have been cooking up new and interesting ways to satiate your appetite for fine food. RESTAURANT EXPERIENCE AT HOME Your next dinner date or family brunch could feature all of your favourite restaurant’s gastronomic goodness within your home’s safe cocoon. The dine-at-home format is one of many innovations planned by Zorawar Kalra, the man behind Massive Restaurants (massiverestaurants. com), the company that…

TOURS There is a host of paperwork and permissions required to navigate the red tape involved in taking your vehicle into China. Wild Adventure Nepal (wildadventurenepal. com) was the agency that sorted everything out for us. THE ROUTE Kathmandu to Bidur: 66 km (3 hours) Bidur to Dhunche: 70 km (5 hours) Dhunche to Kyirong: 28 km (2 hours, including border crossing) Kyirong to Tingri: 270 km (6 hours) Tingri to Rongbuk: 130 km (2 hours)…

A DOUBLE ESPRESSO WITH a side of Vancouver Sun was just the booster I needed to power my blurry-eyed self back to life. I inhaled the sports stories, flipping through the pages backwards while I waited for my SUV at Avis car rental (avis.com) inside Vancouver International Airport on a busy Monday morning. I had just touched down at Vancouver, and hadn’t slept a wink on the second leg of my journey, chatting away with the flight attendants as they sportingly offered tips on all the worthy places in this easy-on-the-eye West Coast city of Canada. “I’ve driven on the other side of the road before. I can do this!” was my private self-affirmation as I tensely got behind the wheel. Jeez! Perhaps I needed another round of caffeine! Stanley…

The Oberoi Sukhvilas Spa Resort NEW CHANDIGARH IF YOU’RE LOOKING for a holistic detox, The Oberoi Sukhvilas Spa Resort, New Chandigarh is where you should head. The place offers a relaxing environment to promote well-being through Western and Eastern therapies, including Ayurveda. Its services, such as hydrotherapy pools, aromatic steam, infrared sauna, and heated tepidarium, further add to your overall wellness journey. The resort gives you the option to choose from seven, 14, and 21 days of customised authentic Ayurvedic treatment, as well as detox and weight management programmes. These are complemented by wellness menus that include varied herbal applications, panchakarma, yoga, reflections, and the cultivation of good eating habits for a long-lasting transformation, all led by resident experts. The place encourages you to soak up nature’s healing powers through…

Sooner or later, we will travel again. While international borders may take some time to reopen, there are plenty of offbeat destinations that make for great drives from major Indian cities and lend their open spaces to social distancing. Here are 10 road-trip ideas to kick-start your post-pandemic travel plans. 1 PUNE TO MALSHEJ GHAT Driving to Malshej Ghat through the Sahyadri range that runs along the Konkan Coast, and lingering in this sylvan valley might just be the holiday you need after months of lockdown. Around 120 kilometres from Pune, this mountain pass has an abundance of wildlife and waterfalls. Come August, moderate showers make the valley and the four-hour drive from Pune even more alluring. Spend the day visiting the Malshej Falls, climbing up to the sixth-century Harishchandragad…

MANY OF US SITTING in our homes right now are reminiscing about the magic that travel invokes. The pursuit of new experiences and human connection is perennial. Trenton Lee Stewart writes, “May your adventures bring you closer together, even as they take you far away from home.” That, for me, is what travel is all about. As humans, we have a knack for remembering the feelings that travel invokes, the people we have met, and the experiences we have had. We may not remember our last day in the office before the lockdown began, but we certainly remember our last holiday in vivid detail. This human need for experience is why a vibrant travel ecosystem has existed, and why in India, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council (wttc.org),…

In what ways has your life changed in Amsterdam since the pandemic broke out? My life has changed quite a bit from the travel and business perspectives. For the last three years, I was constantly on the go, travelling between countries. Since that is no longer possible, my business has shifted. We are able to do everything online, but now, I am spending more time in one place. As a social media influencer, how have you adapted your content to this situation? Social media is always changing, so I am constantly adapting to what my audience wants to see from me. I always strive to give them value and to not only entertain but [also] to empower them. Also, TikTok is my latest obsession! Has this period led to any…

THE CITY OF THESSALONÍKI, a busy Aegean seaport in the northeast of Greece, might not be high on most travellers’ must-visit list, but I wanted very much to see it. Though the nation’s second-largest city has a rich and underrated cultural history, and the beaches of nearby Halkidiki are known to be spectacular, I was drawn by my family’s history. My grandfather, a French naval officer, was posted in Salonica (the Judeo-Spanish name for the city) at the beginning of World War II, after spending several years in Beirut, Lebanon. In Messud family lore, Salonica was a haven from the gathering storm—a place where Western Europe, the Balkans, and the Middle East overlapped in apparent harmony. There, for the first time, my grandparents lived in a pretty, comfortably furnished villa instead…