Innholdsfortegnelse for February 2021 i Travel + Leisure India & South Asia

JANUARY WAS EXCITING. From the launch of our brand-new website (travelandleisureindia.in), which offers an immersive experience and brings the travel community together, to flying overseas for the first time in 11 months, we’re finally easing into normalcy. Even though the vaccine is here, the pandemic isn’t over. And it is crucial to continue to travel responsibly and take all the necessary safety precautions. Our February issue focusses on the importance of slow travel, taking you around India with 20 destinations that let you put your feet up and soak in the country’s natural and cultural riches (p. 9). Our cover star, Bollywood actor Sobhita Dhulipala, enthrals with her personal journeys and the beauty of staycations, especially in the wake of the pandemic. She talks about how travel can heal and…

How did Nicobar come into being? I wanted to start something that celebrates India, the country of many aesthetics. But I had two kids and was already running Good Earth (goodearth.in), and didn’t have the energy. My husband and partner, Raul Rai, said we should do it together. I didn’t want to start yet another brand that would entice people to indulge mindlessly. The idea stayed with me for a long time before it dawned on me that storytelling and design are our strengths. For it to be worthwhile, it had to be something that nudged people towards a more mindful way of living. That is the purpose of Nicobar (nicobar.com). You recently launched Paro. What’s the story behind that brand? I was juggling being a mom and running Nicobar…

A MIX OF FRESH, steaming vegetables gleam on my plate. The strong scent of spices rising from the chicken curry sails up to my nose. Sitting in the centre like a plump, spoilt king, is a dollop of dhindo. It’s the first time I’m sampling this traditional dish—a millet, corn, or buckwheat-flour porridge that completes a Tamang meal. I must dunk the mashed ball generously in gundruk, my hostess, Kumari, says as she dips hers in the homemade spinach preserve and scoops it into her mouth. I am not surprised by how good the flavours are. What’s remarkable is that I’ve never eaten this before in my decade-long tryst with Nepal. Of the million-plus international travellers who visit Nepal every year, the bulk is made up of trekkers and mountaineers.…

THE SPA MANAGER at Park Hyatt Hyderabad (hyatt.com), Narayana Prasad, recommends putting nature’s bounty to good use to deal with skin issues. Take coconut oil, for instance. This natural resource doubles as a moisturiser that stimulates collagen production, thus keeping skin supple and radiant. For best results, use it as a night-time cream or as a mask by mixing a teaspoon of the oil with a tablespoon of honey. Alternatively, a banana mask, created by mixing the fruit with a teaspoon of yoghurt, can help. This Vitamin A-rich fruit aids the lightening of dark spots and blemishes caused by prolonged sun exposure. Also consider applying natural aloe vera gel to boost collagen production, moisturise skin, and reduce wrinkles.…

THIS PHOTOGRAPH WAS SHOT on Dal Lake in Srinagar, Kashmir. On this January day, it was snowing heavily, and the lake looked like it was on the verge of freezing up. But that didn’t stop this man from delivering LPG cylinders to houseboats that harboured tourists. LPG is the most common source of fuel used to heat water and cook food in the region. This picture shows Kashmiris’ efforts to make their guests comfortable, sometimes at great personal risk. -SACHIN USAPKAR ON HIS PHOTOGRAPH, SHOT WITH A NIKON D5300 IN JANUARY 2021 Sachin Usapkar 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.…

Offbeat Romantic Destinations When you’re planning your next vacation with your better half, choose one of these offbeat destinations in India to rekindle the spark. travelandleisureindia.in/ offbeat-destinations-in-india Planning Matters A lot goes into designing the perfect romantic holiday. We’ve put together a handy guide to help you chalk out your next itinerary. travelandleisureindia.in/ intimate-travel Couples Who Travel Together With swoon-worthy Instagram feeds from all over the world, these Indian couple bloggers are setting vacation goals for all their followers. travelandleisureindia.in/ travelling-couples-from-india SPOTTED Actor Parambrata Chattopadhyay was recently spotted unwinding in Himachal Pradesh. travelandleisureindia.in/ parambrata-chattopadhyay DISCOVER Unravel the many enigmas of Gopalpur, a hidden gem on southern Odisha’s coastline. travelandleisureindia.in/ gopalpur #TnlAudioStories #DiscovertheUndiscovered TUNE IN TO OUR INSTAGRAM PAGE @TRAVELANDLEISUREINDIA AND LISTEN TO STORIES OF PLACES THAT RANK AMONG THE COUNTRY'S…

THE FIRST THING I noticed about Great Barrier Island was all that green. This diminutive stretch of forested land—just 285 square kilometres in size—popped against the azure waters of Hauraki Gulf, which stretches from Great Barrier to New Zealand’s North Island. As our plane descended, distinct features gradually revealed themselves: rocky pinnacles reaching skyward, rugged slivers of beach with windswept foliage, and, lastly, a few clusters of low-lying buildings. Fellow Kiwis who’d visited told me the setting was magical. Yet I was caught off guard by the island’s almost primaeval beauty. Though roughly 1,000 people call Great Barrier home, there’s little development, as two-thirds of the land is protected by conservation law. Te Motu o Aotea, as it’s known in the Maori language (or, informally, Aotea), doesn’t have water mains.…

THERE’S SOMETHING about the quality of light on the western coast of South Africa. It’s harsh and pure, with a brightness that makes you narrow your eyes as you gaze down the miles of empty beach. It’s this raw beauty that attracts travellers, many of them Capetonians like myself, to the windswept stretch of shoreline about a two-hour drive north of Cape Town. With its whitewashed houses and cerulean seas, it easily evokes comparisons to the Greek islands, and the village of Paternoster has long been a popular spot for weekend escapes and second homes. But a gastronomic destination with global cachet? Not so much. At least, not until Kobus van der Merwe left his big-city media job to help his parents run their quaint country store in Paternoster, where…

DR PRABHAT KUMAR BAL of Kolkata’s Vedic Village Spa Resort (thevedicvillage.com) believes in herbal hacks to deal with ageing skin. For example, mix a tablespoon each of ashwagandha powder, dried ginger powder, and diluted lemon juice, to create a face pack. Let it work its magic on your skin for half an hour before washing it off. Alternatively, take a cup of basil leaves, a tablespoon of gram flour, and a teaspoon of honey—and apply the mix on your face and neck. Once dry, wash it off with lukewarm water. This paste helps the skin retain moisture and prevents wrinkles. A teaspoon of cinnamon—known to boost collagen synthesis—mixed with a tablespoon of honey makes for another great anti-ageing face mask.…

1 STAY AT A QUAINT COLONIAL ESTATE IN BINSAR, UTTARAKHAND Established in 1899 by a British woman of the same name, Mary Budden Estate is a private five-acre retreat perched at a height of 2,438 metres in Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary. Its current owners discovered the estate in 1989, and after years of restoration, opened it as a boutique homestay in 2011. Thoroughly whimsical and luxurious, the estate features two accommodation units—a lodge and a cottage—with three en suite bedrooms each. With fireplaces, reading nooks, Kumaoni meals, and sightings of wildlife, this abode in the wilderness offers a staycation you’ll remember forever. marybuddenestate.com 2 CYCLE ALONG THE BACKROADS OF KERALA Taking time to travel through a short stretch is one of the key aspects of slow travel—pedalling rather than driving through…

THE IMPERIAL NEW DELHI has been the hotel of choice for many discerning globetrotters since 1936. The hotel’s myriad venues are known to have hosted the crème de la crème of society. Among its prestigious spaces is the 1911 Restaurant, spread across three lavish dining areas—Brasserie, Verandah, and Terrace. The hotel’s famous Sunday brunch is hosted at the 1911 Terrace. A favourite of both tourists and local families who love to engage in conversations over a delicious meal under the sun, the brunch is now back on the menu. For the health-conscious, the spread includes individually done starters and salads in dainty portions. Home-cured and preserved cold meats, home-smoked duck, home-smoked salmon, hand-made whole wheat pasta, cupcakes, vegan ice creams, sugar-free desserts, and French pastries are also on offer. The…

What inspired you to launch Code Silver? After I had finished college and come back, we were on a family holiday discussing what I should do next. My father would tell me to keep penning down things I didn’t wish to do. We never wanted to import anything and sell it in India. We wanted to create something. Making new products is what excites me. What are your most popular products? Our luggage tags are very popular. We can custom-make every single tag. Few people in India do these in metals like brass, copper, pure silver—and silver-plated. Photo frames [are popular] as well. In [Indian] metros, traditional items sell a lot. In foreign countries, people appreciate something that shows Indian craftsmanship. We extensively use an artform called chitai, which is…

ON A REGULAR DAY, the main thoroughfare leading to the Paradesi Synagogue in Jew Town, Mattancherry, is abuzz with spice merchants, antique dealers, tastemakers, and tourists scurrying between menorahs, mezuzahs, and other artefacts. Not today. Like many other tourist hotspots in the country, Fort Kochi is in a state of pandemic-induced stupor. At the far end of the Synagogue Lane, the Paradesi Synagogue patiently waits to welcome visitors once again to its altar. A stone’s throw away from the synagogue sits a gorgeous Dutch-style spice warehouse now restored and transformed into a multi-room art gallery and cafe. A modest entrance flanked by a creaky flight of stairs belies the magnificence of the 400-year-old structure that once housed the rabbis of the synagogue before spice trade took off in Fort Kochi.…

DADDY, can we go to the airport?” “When are we going back to the airport?” “Is it time for the airport now?” This is the daily inquisition from my aviation-obsessed four-year-old son, a cavalcade of questions he fervently hopes will result in his greatest bliss: taking flight on a commercial airliner. Sometimes Henry’s queries—preludes to longer sermons about Dreamliners and Concordes, tail configurations and retired logos—are tender and wide-eyed. Other times his questions grow louder and more urgent. Loaded with longing, they hit me like jet thrust. The prolonged pandemic marks Henry’s first time being “grounded.” Not flying registers as an unfair punishment for my voluble and passionate boy. He used to go to the airport frequently—enough for it to seem like a regular treat. He visited grandparents and great-grandparents;…

STANDING ON THE TARMAC of Talara, a no-frills regional airport in northwestern Peru that sees just eight flights per day, I began to think I had made a mistake. Though I was destined for Máncora, a coastal town in the Piura province, I found myself surrounded by nothing but desert . “You’re in the right place!” a fellow passenger called. I turned to find a Matthew McConaughey doppelgänger with salty locks and a giddy grin . After chatting for 15 minutes, I learned he visited Máncora regularly and often encountered confused first-timers. Headed in the same direction, he offered me a ride and helped load my tattered longboard onto his dusty 4 x 4 Suzuki. “Everyone has the same reaction,” he said with a chuckle, making zero effort to avoid…

IF YOU’VE MADE the trip, you know the moment I’m talking about. Around 24 kilometres south of Miami, there’s a point when the highways unspool and the horizon opens. You’re driving up and over palmetto scrub, then estuary, then swamp. Then the land drops away and suddenly, you’re flying. On one side is the sunrise Atlantic; on the other it’s the Gulf of Mexico, the sunset sea. In between lie the Florida Keys, a constellation of fragile, sugar-sand isles dissolving into the impossibly blue currents of the 24th parallel. This is the moment when most visitors—myself among them—like to hoot and holler and wave their arms out the sunroof. Highway 1 connects some of the larger clumps of coral into a 265-kilometre road trip, but each of the 1,700-odd dots…

Getting There British Airways (britishairways.com) flies from New Delhi to Miami International Airport via Heathrow. Key Largo is a nearly 60-minute drive from the airport. Stay Bungalows Key Largo This resort has standalone lodgings, many with outdoor ocean-view tubs. Doubles from ₹32,912 per person, all-inclusive; bungalows keylargo.com Isla Bella Beach Resort Find an abundance of watersports and family-friendly activities at this 24-acre complex. Doubles from ₹23,383; islabellabeach resort.com Little Palm Island For over-the-top luxury, this private-island retreat is unbeatable. Suites from ₹1,82,518; littlepalmisland.com Eat Mrs. Mac’s Kitchen An unpretentious stalwart with excellent conch chowder and Key lime pie to write home about. Entrées ₹733–₹3,152; mrsmacskitchen.com No Name Pub This has been a Keys institution since 1936. Entrées ₹880–₹1,759; nonamepub.com See & Do Mote Marine Laboratory The Keys outpost of this…

“It’s GORY,” said the docent, a retiree volunteer. We were standing on a cliff at Point Lobos State Natural Reserve, which occupies a peninsula shaped like a lion’s paw scraping the Pacific just south of Carmel, California. The winter sun glinted off waves that splashed rocks draped in harbour seals. The docent was describing the plight of a three-foot-tall, ear-tufted bird perched near a posse of avian toughs in black, gray, and white formal wear. “He’s a Brandt’s cormorant, and they’re western gulls,” she said. Come spring, they would all nest there, and the cormorant’s chin would turn blue to attract the ladies. “They’re neighbours, but their relationship is imperfect.” While the gulls’ call acts as a burglar alarm for cormorants by signalling predators, when the cormorant chicks hatch ,…

Getting There United Airlines (united.com) flies non-stop from Delhi to San Francisco International Airport. Carmel is two hours by road. Stay Mission Ranch Laid-back luxury and countryside views on the grounds of a 19th -century former dairy farm in Carmel. Doubles from ₹9,550; mission ranchcarmel.com San Luis Creek Lodge A boutique hotel in downtown San Luis Obispo that accents a modern farmhouse aesthetic with beachy bohemian touches. Doubles from ₹12,414; sanluis creeklodge.com White Water Cambria Nina Freudenberger refurbished this 25-room inn near Moonstone Beach. Doubles from ₹8,374; white watercambria.com Eat & Drink Bayside Café Stop by this Morro Bay hang for classics like crab Louie and tri-tip French dip sandwiches. Entrées ₹808–₹2,130; baysidecafe.com Aubergine Chef Justin Cogley adapted to COVID-19 by taking his Michelin-starred Carmel restaurant outdoors. Tasting menu ₹15,058;…