Innholdsfortegnelse for May 2022 i Travel + Leisure India & South Asia

LAST YEAR, SWITZERLAND TOURISM caused a global stir by releasing a short film, No Drama, starring the nation’s brand ambassador, Roger Federer, along with Academy Awardwinning actor, Robert De Niro, who turns down an invitation by the tennis star to feature in a fictional movie on the European nation, stating that the country is too perfect and “lacks drama.” This year’s promotional campaign puts the focus on the Grand Tour of Switzerland. In the latest film, Federer and Academy Awardwinning actor Anne Hathaway can be seen in an edit studio, irritated by the first cut of a new fictional film in which the two are starring. While breathtaking mountain passes, picturesque lakes, and grandiose castles, set to a powerful film score, take up a lot of screen time, the two…

THE ICONIC RADISSON BLU Plaza Delhi Airport has marked 24 years of serving excellence. Located conveniently on the Delhi-Gurugram Expressway, five minutes away from the Indira Gandhi International Airport, it has been a convenient home away from home for its patrons. Recently, the property underwent a thorough renovation. With rich wood finishes, the hotel offers a warm and comfortable atmosphere while also keeping its old-world charm intact. Its unmatched hospitality ensures that guests experience a sophisticated stay in the national capital region. Spread over seven acres, the property features 261 spacious rooms and suites, with one of the largest room sizes (34 square metres) in the base category. The culinary experience at the property features global cuisine, including critically acclaimed Thai dishes at Neung Roi, finger-licking kebabs and other Indian…

When did you decide you’d join your father in the business? By the time I started high school, I knew I wanted to join the family business. So, I chose my majors in college accordingly. During college, I went to Paris for a weekend with my friends, and that is when I got a call from my dad saying he was waiting for me to return and join work. That was the first time he openly told me that he wanted me to take the family business ahead. His faith in me further strengthened my decision. Since you took over the role of CEO, what changes have you brought into the business? I’ve spearheaded the use of technology at Parle Agro. As a result, we now have more data to…

AS A TRAVEL PHOTOGRAPHER, I soak in a lot during my trips, as does my camera. While the business capitals of countries exhibit ample similarities, each one has a distinct look and feel that cannot be replicated anywhere else in the world. For instance, Dubai can never match the trademark skyline of Manhattan, New York, no matter how many skyscrapers it builds. When you stand on the 102nd,-floor observation deck of the Empire State Building, a vast verdant stretch of Central Park opens up beyond that glitzy skyline and you realise NYC is so much more than its highrises. Meanwhile, Dubai, when seen from At The Top, an outdoor observation deck on the 124th floor of Burj Khalifa, betrays the sandy patches of its undeveloped real estate. To some, of…

OBSERVING WILDLIFE often requires a keen eye: a rare bird or a big cat is typically gone as quickly as it arrives. Not so on Macquarie Island, a rugged, 127-square-kilometre strip of rock halfway between New Zealand and Antarctica. As I set foot on one of its black-sand beaches one blustery January morning, I was plunged into a bustle of weirdly wobbly and outrageously coiffed life forms jostling all around me and conversing in a raucous language of honks, moans, grunts, and clacks. To my right, several pairs of sparring elephant seals were rearing up to nip each other’s necks. To my left, an aged male of the same species lay dying in the surf. And at my feet a royal penguin, its bright yellow crest plastered to its head…

travelandleisureindia.in Quiet Summer Getaways Avoid tourist crowds and enjoy your summer break at these peaceful places across India. travelandleisureindia.in/places/local/peaceful-summer-getaways-to-skip-the-crowd Offbeat Hill Escapades Beat the heat with a retreat to these lesser-explored hill stations in the country. travelandleisureindia.in/places/local/lesser-known-hill-stations-in-india-you-can-visit-this-summer A Vacation With Kids Worried about keeping your kids engaged during the summer holidays? Check out these activities that combine fun and learning. travelandleisureindia.in/places/local/these-summer-activities-in-india-are-the-perfect-getaway-for-your-kids-to-learn-and-enjoy DIGITAL COVER Actor Sonu Sood talks about his South African sojourn, happiest memories from the road, and how travel inspires him as an artist. travelandleisureindia.in/digital-covers/digital-cover-interview-with-actor-sonu-sood DISCOVER Sangla in Himachal Pradesh is ideal for a cool weekend in the hills. travelandleisureindia.in/places/local/travel-guide-to-sangla-valley-is-all-you-need-to-plan-your-next-mountain-holiday #InstaInspiration Find more ideas for your summer adventure on our Instagram page @travelandleisureindia. Download Travel + Leisure India & South Asia digital editions, and follow us for the best…

AS SINGAPORE RELAXES its border rules and regular international flights take off from India after two years, the city-state is ready to welcome Indian travellers once again. Singapore has long been the go-to destination in Southeast Asia for Indians. From heritage tours to modern wonders and fun activities, it has something for every age group, making it a favourite among families. Even the most informed travellers are pleasantly surprised by its array of new, unknown, and unexpected experiences hiding in plain sight. Another reason behind so many Indians choosing Singapore for their holidays is its great connectivity. Singapore Airlines (singaporeair.com) operates 65 weekly flights from eight cities across India: Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Kochi, and Hyderabad. The airline recently brought back the iconic Airbus A380—the largest passenger aircraft…

LONU IS THE LATEST addition to the list of gourmet concept restaurants at OZEN LIFE MAADHOO in the Maldives. It is part of the resort’s INDULGENCETM Plan, and is spread along the peaceful northeastern beach of Maadhoo island, replacing the resort’s R.A.W outlet. Helmed by Chef Abdulla Rameez, the Maldivian speciality chef at OZEN LIFE MAADHOO, this lively beach restaurant is all set to win hearts with its organic local dishes as well as engaging live cooking sessions. The restaurant’s menu features traditional recipes reimagined as sophisticated small plates—perfect for a flavourful lunch. LONU is a word of Dhivehi that means ‘salt’, and each dish at the restaurant is woven around this star ingredient and complemented by native herbs and spices. Island favourites include masroshi (stuffed tuna bread), masmirus prawn…

Your long career in hospitality has made you travel around the planet. Which places have made the biggest impression on you? I’m going to restrict this to India, as the country is so vast and the experiences and destinations are so diverse that I can keep speaking of them. We spent three days at the Maha Kumbh Mela in 2013, and it is an experience unlike any other. The spirituality in the air, the people, the arrangements for over 100 million people attending—it was awe-inspiring. Assam is another experience that has stayed with me. I remember sitting in a hut, chatting with locals, while drinking millet beer that was still brewing in a bamboo shoot. Then, catching Mahseer fish in Rishikesh and cooking it ourselves. And one can’t not mention…

A BLACK TOPSY-TURVY boat floats on the Mediterranean Sea, and a girl with a blue tongue licks an ice-cream cone on the shore, her other pale hand holding the outlines of a bicycle. I could be describing a scene from a surreal dream, but this is a moment in Pablo Picasso’s famed Night Fishing at Antibes (1939). As I stood before this monumental tapestry, a lesser-known medium in Picasso’s oeuvre, the pristine blue waves that were lashing against the coast of Antibes spilled into the room and I could breathe the scent of the nocturnal sea that inspired him to paint and weave this scene. Night Fishing at Antibes hangs majestically in the same castle where Picasso spent six months making a breathtakingly new body of works in 1946, along…

MANY FILMS HAVE been made with Virginia as the muse. Famous as the birthplace of America, the southeastern US state appeals to not only artists but all kinds of travellers. History, nature, culture, and cuisine are just some of the things that draw people to its shores. Virginia has one of the longest continuous histories among the American states. English colonisation began in North America with Jamestown in Virginia as the first permanent settlement—in the early 17th century. A tour of its history is incomplete without a visit to Williamsburg and Yorktown—together with Jamestown, they form the ‘historic triangle’. While Williamsburg was the capital of the Virginia Colony from 1699 to 1780, Yorktown is where the British were effectively defeated and the American Revolutionary War ended in 1781. From towering…

LOAD TRIPS can get monotonous at times. Long stretches of grey tarmac can lead to melancholy, the mood only exacerbated by a harsh summer sun. Luckily, my five-hour-long drive from New Delhi to Jaipur ends with a burst of colours at Hotel Diggi Palace. Dating back to 1860, Hotel Diggi Palace was built by Shri Thakur Saheb Pratap Singh Ji Diggi, a member of the erstwhile ruling family of the Diggi principality. In 1991, the haveli flung its doors open to the public, transforming into a heritage hotel. It has long served as an apt venue of the iconic Jaipur Literature Festival. “Over the years, we’ve hosted many personalities here at Diggi, such as the Dalai Lama,” says K John Wilson, front office manager, as I check in. Its glittering…

TABLET iPad Air The iPad Air has got a massive under-the-hood upgrade: the Apple M1 processor. It’s the chip you find in the iPad Pro, and it’s paired with 8GB RAM. There’s also 5G, faster USB transfers, and a new 12MP ultra wide front camera with CenterStage for making video calls more engaging. It’s the ultimate work-and-play device for the frequent traveller. Available in five colours; from ₹54,900; apple.com/in APP Wheely Celebrating your anniversary in Paris? See the City of Love in style in a chauffeur-driven luxury car. Or book one for your airport pick-up to extend the Business Class experience beyond the flight. With Wheely, you can book a ride for an immediate pick-up or plan outings in advance. With three service levels—Exec, VIP, Plus—the chauffeured luxury cars come…

THE TOMB OF LIHYAN, son of Kuza, stood tall in front of me: 22 metres tall to be exact. Surrounding it were sandy outcrops, a few desert shrubs, giant boulders, and the vast expanse of the orange desert. The Hegra Archaeological Site, or Mada’in Salih, is the first UNESCO World Heritage Site to be inscribed in Saudi Arabia, and is known to be the second city of the Nabataean civilisation (the first being Petra in Jordan), which flourished here from the end of the first millennium BCE into the first millennium CE. It is located around 22 kilometres from the ancient city of AlUla—a crossing point for caravans on the incense trade route—that was unveiled to visitors in 2019. As my sneakers scrunched the gritty sand of the land that…