Innholdsfortegnelse for June 2023 i Travel + Leisure India & South Asia

THIS IS A VERY SPECIAL ISSUE for us as it is an ode to one of the most important causes that Travel + Leisure India and South Asia stands for. Our annual #TLConsciousList encapsulates experiences, destinations, and people who have made mindful choices in both travel and their daily lives. Sustainability champions across the fields of art, entertainment, hospitality, and more share some of the most important lessons on conscious living—be it actor Dia Mirza (p. 62), activist Aakash Ranison (p. 64), hotelier Sonu Shivdasani who transformed luxury travel in the Maldives (p. 65), sisters Mrinalika and Akshita Bhanj Deo who were instrumental in putting Mayurbhanj in Orissa on the map (p. 66); or sustainable fashion designer Aneeth Arora of Pero (p. 69) among others. Don’t miss our carefully curated…

Baume 10637 BAUME & MERCIER The Baume 10637 features a 12 o’clock crown and black PVD steel horns that have an interchangeable strap system with a button. The blue lacquered dial boasts a distinctive moon phase disc and comes with a blue cotton strap. ₹80,000 Submersible QuarantaQuattro ESteel™ Blu Profondo PANERAI The watch features a case made of 95 per cent recycled steel and a bracelet crafted from recycled PET to reduce its environmental impact. With automatic mechanical movement, 171 components, and a three-day power reserve, this watch is a sustainable marvel. Price on request Patravi Scubatec Black Manta Special Edition CARL F. BUCHERER The Carl F. Bucherer Patravi Scubatec Black Manta Special Edition watch features a rubber strap with a recycled PET textile layer, perfect for diving enthusiasts. With…

Sleep in the Sky in Urubamba PERU This is a bucket list worthy experience. Spending a night in the first-ever hanging lodge in the world is equal parts exciting, thrilling, and memorable. The Skylodge Sacred Valley has three transparent pods hanging from the side of a cliff face at an altitude of 370 metres. Ideal for eight guests, each pod comes equipped with a bedroom, dining area, and private bathroom with eco-toilet and sink. It’s not for the faint-hearted though, the pods can only be reached by a ladder climb from the valley floor, or via a hike and zip line, though no climbing experience is needed. Once on top, you get to enjoy the unmatched 300° view of the majestic Sacred Valley. Checkout is equally exciting; an adrenaline-filled descent…

It’s been more than eight years since you’ve started living a nomadic life. How has your journey been? The journey has been mind-blowing and life changing. I was just moving from one city to another because I was enjoying it. I first started cycling, then walking, and eventually hitchhiking. Now, I’m a person with a positive perspective and am open to challenges. This journey has been a blessing. The path that you’ve set out on is a challenging one." How do you keep up? I really enjoy what I’m doing. Being happy, travelling, trP' enjoying the whole universe, creating art, and communicating on behalf of nature is the purpose of my life; that’s how I see it, so it’s not challenging. Do you also budget your travels? What factors do…

Sustainable living is often perceived to be expensive or elitist. What are your thoughts on this? At Bare Necessities, we rely on high quality ingredients that are locally and ethically sourced. So, production costs are steep. As awareness for such products increases, the demand will also increase, which will offset the cost for production, resulting in economies of scale. That being said, sustainability need not be as expensive an affair as it is touted to be. Switching to a menstrual cup instead of using single use sanitary napkins and tampons, for example, can help save over ₹2 lakhs. Plus, menstrual cups can be responsibly disposed with no negative impact on the planet. One can actively choose to repair things at home, which will help reduce irrelevant purchases. What do you…

What inspired you to start Heirloom Naga? After completing my college, I returned home and tried several small businesses. However, none of them succeeded. During this time, I met a Zeliang Naga weaver who lived in my backyard and weaved traditional Zeliang Naga cloth on a loin loom on her veranda (at that time, weaving was primarily for producing shawls or mekhalas (wrap skirts). Out of curiosity, I asked her if she could weave something different. She said, “Why not?” I then asked her to weave a collection of black and white cushions incorporating the traditional motifs from the wrap skirts. This simple attempt to reimagine the existing textiles led to the birth of Heirloom Naga. Heirloom Naga is deeply rooted in traditional artisanship. What is the process of working…

THE AROMA OF FRESHLY prepared Naga beans curry wafted through the air. Two dogs lazed nearby; the drizzle outside had turned therapeutic. I dug into the sticky rice that was served with a side of pork cooked with banana stem. In the courtyard of a small church, somewhere in the Mon district of Nagaland, I felt welcomed in a way that I hadn’t in a long, long time. It was the early days of April; I had joined the team of Gurugram-based OMO cafe on a trip to Nagaland. The restaurant, helmed by three remarkable women—Deepika Sethi, chef Vanshika Bhatia, and Grace Muviah—prides itself on curating ingredient-first menus. They also regularly embark on sourcing trips across the country to bring back ingredients and stories that round off the dishes at…

Pikaia Lodge GALAPAGOS ISLANDS Located in one of the most ecologically diverse hotspots—Galapagos Islands—Pikaia Lodge offers an exclusive boutique experience in its 29 rooms. A Relais & Chateaux property, this contemporary luxury eco-lodge blends perfectly with the unique crater topography and was built using the lowest possible quantity of concrete. Instead, steel and natural Galapagos lava stone and tiles have been used on most floors and walls. As for most furniture, doors, and decor, sustainable, agro-cultivated teak and bamboo wood from the Ecuadorian mainland have been used. The property also tackles the problem of deforestation seriously. Not only were the endemic trees retained during the construction, but many were replanted to offset any carbon emissions. Pikaia Lodge’s commitment to reforesting with native and endemic species has led to creating a…

Tell us about your journey to the Maldives. I first visited the Maldives with Eva (his wife) in 1987 and fell in love with the place. There was pure ice coloured water and aqua marine lagoons with little blobs of sand scattered as far as the eye could see. We kept returning. However, at one point we realised that we needed to become more involved as the resorts that existed [on the island] were poor on both sustainability and standards of service and quality. We opened Soneva Fushi in 1995 to redefine luxury hospitality with a purpose of environmental sustainability. What were e the challenges you faced in creating a sustainable resort in the middle of an island? We faced challenges to get funding for the construction. One of the…

What is the inspiration behind your recent Spring/Summer 2023 collection Forget Me, Forget Me Not? The inspiration for the collection was the daisy and forget-me-not flowers. Initially, I was drawn to these flowers because of their colours. The daisies are yellow and white, while forget-me-nots are blue, and these two hues complement each other splendidly. However, it was their stories and anecdotes that tied them together and inspired the collection. Both flowers, in their unique ways, symbolise love and romance. How would you describe your journey? My journey has been a continuous learning experience. Over the past 13 years, I have made many mistakes and learned from them. The evolution of the brand has been tremendous—from the techniques we used to what we incorporate now. However, er, our core ethics…

Can you tell us about Alsisar Mahal and its restoration process? Alsisar Mahal was originally built in 1630 and was captured by my ancestors in 1757 and has been in the family since. My father started the renovations in 1999; we finally finished in 2006, launched the hotel, and named it Alsisar Mahal. The restoration process was very tedious as it was a very old building and it was difficult to take out the bathrooms and rooms, because in olden days, not every room had a bathroom. The flooring was changed; there was a lot of work. Today, Alsisar Mahal has 43 rooms, two restaurants, a beautiful bar, and a smoking room. We also have a dungeon where we organise the jeep safaris. We also work on wildlife conservation to…

“WANT TO TAKE a slow boat to Laos along the Mae Kong?” I was asked by a tour operator in Chiang Mai, Thailand, while casually sifting through tour brochures. “We can make arrangements for you.” Interest piqued; I looked up at him immediately with a smile, “Tell me more.” Having lived and travelled in Southeast Asia for over a decade, I can safely say that the famed Mekong River cruise is, in some ways, a rite of passage for every visitor in continental Southeast Asia—Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, and Laos. So, while the idea wasn’t new to me as such, this two-day cruise on a slow boat seemed rather unique. For starters, it wasn’t just a joyride and was going to serve as a means of transportation to reach Luang Prabang,…

At.mosphere Restaurant and Lounge With multiple prestigious awards, At.mosphere Restaurant and Lounge is, quite literally, on top of the world and is one of the highest restaurants in the world. Located on the 122nd floor of the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, this lofty restaurant offers guests a unique dining experience with a bird’s eye view of Dubai. Reopened this year after closing last summer for renovations, At.mosphere Restaurant and Lounge features refreshed interiors—mosaic floors, gold accents, mirror facades, dark wood, and ceiling-to-floor glass panes that look out to Dubai. As you dine among the clouds, the only thing that can compete with the staggering view is the food. The restaurant’s exquisite menu features an array of modern French cuisines for any meal of the day. Can’t choose what…

What inspired you to adopt a sustainable lifestyle and how did you become interested in environmental protection? I was raised in an environment where it was ingrained in our conscience that everything we use comes from the earth. And that it is our unsustainable practices that are causing climate change. And when I started working with organisations like Sanctuary Nature Foundation and Wildlife Trust of India, I realised that there was a big gap in conservation approaches. I felt I could use my voice to bridge this gap and take the work that was happening in silos to people. It started off by me getting more involved in the programmes that these organisations were running and working closely with the media. When I was working on the TV series Ganga-The…

What inspired you both to pursue a career in the hospitality industry? Mrinalika: Our family has always been entrepreneurial and promoted social enterprise in Mayurbhanj. Belgadia was restored keeping in mind that travel can be a means to sustainable development and that homes can be seen as a platform with social impact as the core ethos. Akshita: Mayurbhanj has such an illustrious history and contributed so much to make the fabric of the nation richer that we decided we could reconceptualise the idea of a palace. It was a way to engage with local communities, promote conservation, and continue culinary traditions for a new age audience. In what ways do you incorporate sustainability practices into the daily operations of The Belgadia Palace? A: A percentage of the funds generated from…

How would you describe your culinary philosophy and cooking style? I’d describe myself as a chef who is rooted in tradition but also embraces growth through my culinary adventures. I love learning from my travels and allowing them to shape my ever-evolving style. It’s important for me to be conscious and aware of how my decisions and my actions around cooking and food impact people, environment, and the wider ecosystem. What is the story behind The Locavore? The whole concept of The Locavore sprang from my travels. I’ve been exploring different parts of India for the past decade, mostly to gather ideas and inspiration for my menu. But along the way, something interesting started to happen. I began to notice the various challenges related to salaries and pay scales, especially…

Your artwork incorporates scrap metal as a medium. What drew you to this material? A day spent at a scooter mechanic’s garage during my college years opened me to the world of welding and using found objects in metal for various artworks. Like any conscious Indian household, my mother would make maximum use of any material before trashing it to the bin. And that became a part of my consciousness while growing up. Metal, especially mild steel, offered a lot of possibilities for outdoor placement; it is available easily, requires less maintenance, and can be moulded easily. What was the first sculpture you created using scrap metal? Which is your latest? The first sculpture I made using metal was that of a cow in 2009, which led to a whole…