Innholdsfortegnelse for April 2016 i Travel + Leisure Southeast Asia, Hong Kong & Macau

1 Adam H. Graham WRITER Green Lands Page 78 “The Yaeyama Islands are a rare slice of relaxed Japan. You don’t see or feel the pressures of Tokyo or Osaka; there is less bowing, less formality and a more casual way of living.” Graham found it easy to assume the vibe. “After snorkeling around an unnamed island in the north, we found this smoothie shop in a gorgeous villa on a breezy palm-lined hill. There were white tables on the lawn. I think the name was Satoukibi Taira, but we couldn’t find it listed anywhere after; it may have just been someone’s kitchen opened temporarily for juice. There seemed to be a lot of that in Ishigaki.” Instagram: @adamgraham 2 Marco Ferrarese and Kit Yeng Chan WRITER AND PHOTOGRAPHER Backcountry…

CUSTOMERS ELBOWING THEIR WAY around tables laden with food and sauces. Woks clanging loudly in an open kitchen. Food that’s spicy, sweet and sour, often all at the same time. No, it’s not one of Singapore’s famous food courts. It’s Hawker Hall (98 Chapel St., Windsor; 61-3/8560-0090; hawkerhall.com.au; dishes A$6-$23), an à la mode Australian interpretation set in a refitted 18th century horse stable on Melbourne’s evergreen Chapel Street. A runaway success since its launch late last year, it’s the fourth venue by Chris Lucas, the Asian-fusion pop savant behind Chin Chin, a phenomenally popular Thai street-food joint in Melbourne’s CBD, and Kong BBQ, by the Yarra River, a render of Korean barbecue. The Singaporean eating-complex simulacrum follows in the footsteps of The Old Raffles Place (68 Johnston St., Collingwood;…

PASSAGE TO INDIA I first visited India when I was 18, and every time I go, I collect more fabrics and embroideries. My latest (1) runway collection is inspired by (2) Rajasthan’s heritage—I’ve always been attracted to the region’s textile techniques, like embroidery, mirror work and beading. NATURAL WONDER While in India, I stay at the (3) Imperial New Delhi (the imperial india.com; doubles from Rs100,000). It’s in an old colonial building, and it has a beautiful garden. MARKET SWEEP I love to go to markets and find objects from everyday life, like black-clay pottery from Oaxaca, Mexico, and jewelry from Africa and India. In Paris I can spend hours at the Porte de Clignancourt flea market looking at clothing. HOMETOWN GETAWAY On weekends, I go to my cabin outside…

A loop through misty peaks, laid-back river towns and primeval rain forests gives new luster to the forgotten gems of nor thern Malaysia’s emerald interior. Paved highways be damned, we’re going rogue. When our local friends take a road trip, they rarely explore beyond the convenience of the coastal North-South Expressway’s guardrail. But we have our sights set on adventure, as we pull out of the driveway of our home in Penang in a tiny Perodua Kelisa (a Malaysianmade clone of the Fiat 500) to drive in a loop from the archaeological town of Lenggong to Kuala Kangsar, Perak’s royal city. By the route we’re taking, a 40-minute drive becomes an eight-day, 1,000-kilometer back-road expedition via little known towns and viridian river valleys that dazzle in our headlights. PENANG TO…

APRIL 2016/ Surf and turf in the Yaeyama Islands, the Hawaii of Japan | A bushwalk through Australia’s rewilded Flinders Ranges | Oakland’s eating and art scene explodes | Cosmopolitan Kiev is full of surprises I’m in a deep, leaf-shaped pool under a black sky twinkling with an infinity of stars. A young Japanese woman is whirling me around the water on foam pool noodles while I fix my gaze to the sky. The adults-only treatment is called the Tinnu Floating Experience and it’s supposed to relax me and connect me with the constellation. It’s late. I already ate dinner and threw back a few glasses of awamori, a potent Okinawan shochu made with long-grain rice. As I spin in the warm water, my sense of depth becomes distorted and…

one plausible answer. Whether you’ve been many times or if it’s your first visit, the Japanese capital is intriguing at every turn and in every neighborhood. I’ve just attended a luxury travel symposium called ILTM Japan there and, as alluring as the city is, I spent two days at the Conrad Tokyo without ever venturing outside. That might sound a bit remiss but I hope that all I gleaned about Japan beyond the big three of Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto will show in these pages in the coming year. In this issue, we take a solid step in that direction to off-the-beaten path Okinawa. The lush Yaeyama Islands in “Green Lands,” (page 78), present a stark contrast to Minato-ku, but the outdoors and culture here prove more than just a…

BETWEEN THE SKY-HIGH rents of Hong Kong and the looming threat of government censorship in Shanghai and Beijing, none of China’s worldclass art destinations are actually welcoming to the artists themselves. Shenzhen, which did not exist 40 years ago, but is now a capital of electronics manufacturing, is filling that void. Located on the mainland just north of Hong Kong, it’s both culturally and geographically outside the spotlight, and is under less scrutiny from Beijing than other major cities. Shenzhen, a city of 10 million, has the country’s youngest population, and a rare anything-goes attitude prevails there. “Many residents come from outer villages and are trying to find their place here,” says Bronwen Shelwell, who developed the arts and design program at Shenzhen Polytechnic University. “This makes for an exciting…

KOKO Hidetoshi Nakata, famous footballer and sake ambassador, has joined forces with the Kee Club to open this modern izakaya restaurant with a garden terrace and an impressive sake menu. There are bottles galore and 15 varieties served by the glass, so you can explore the whole range of nihonshu. kokohk.com; dinner for two HK$640. CAFE BAUHINIA Fresh flowers and melted chocolate: life doesn’t get much sweeter than this. Café Bauhinia is part flower workshop, part restaurant, where guests are invited to create stunning bouquets and terrariums followed by campfire fun with the city’s only S’more buffet bar. fb.com/cafe-bauhinia; tea for two HK$368. COBO HOUSE BY 2AM Award-winning pastry chef Janice Wong serves up sweets that are as beautiful as they are mouthwatering, like the “Purple” dessert combining lavender marshmallows,…

MAN IS NATURE, AND NATURE IS PEACE, according to philosophical architects Royal Pineda and Budji Layug. The creative duo behind Bedji+Royal Architecture+Design, one of Southeast Asia’s leading firms, share the belief that constructed spaces should feel like natural landscapes, which results in stunning structures that may leave you wondering if you are inside or out. They founded the company in 2001, fusing their complementary disciplines to work across a range of leisure, residential and commercial projects. But the hotel world is where this pair is really making waves; their dedication to organic forms shines through in every element of the hotel environment, paying homage to the world’s ability to heal, nurture, renew and restore. They’re putting their innovative stamp on some of the most exciting launches in the Philippines, from…

WHEN SUMMER ARRIVES on the Indian Subcontinent, in April, only one aspect of its scalding touch gives comfort. The heat ripens and suffuses with sweetness the region’s parade of mangoes, much missed from Delhi to Dhaka, Karachi to Chennai, since they disappeared the previous July. First into the markets—and also, many assert, first in taste, bouquet, color and shape—is the alphonso variety of western India. “Hapus! Hapus! Hapus!” Every year, around the time temperatures start to rise above 35 degrees, the region’s own word for the variety begins to circulate in boardrooms, trains and tea shops. Merchants in city markets welcome fragrant, hay-lined boxes of the green-gold fruits with their enticing rosy blush, costing up to US$20 a dozen—a stratospheric figure by local standards. The price represents the promise, if…

The Reality of Eco-Travel Let’s get this out of the way: The greenest way to travel is not to. Spare the jet fuel, the cruise waste, the gas-guzzling rental car. Just stay home and recycle. Clearly that’s not going to happen—nor should it. Tourism produces 5 percent of the world’s carbon emissions, according to the United Nations Environment Programme, and contributes to the depletion of natural resources, the degradation of ecosystems, and the proliferation of the waste found from shorelines to trekking trails. But the global travel industry is worth US$1.5 trillion and is crucial for economic stability, development and the conservation of natural and cultural heritage. The answer is to travel responsibly. That’s getting easier, because the industry has upped its eco-game. “What was seen as good practice 10…

THIS MONTH ON TRAVELANDLEISUREASIA.COM SEEKING INSPIRATION IN BURMA We chug through Rangoon with the creative director of lifestyle brand Yangoods in search of bold new ideas. 4 HOT RESTAURANT OPENINGS IN HONG KONG From kimchi Bloody Marys to veal cannelloni, these new Hong Kong eateries promise to please palates. PERTH’S TREASURY IS REBORN AS A SLICK BOUTIQUE A top-to-toe refurbishment restores a historic gem in the CBD to glory and glamour. LOOKOUT A slew of stunning new hotels in Phuket; an insider’s guide to Macau; money-saving tricks for airline-seat upgrades; the latest travel deals; and much more. travelandleisureasia.com DOWNLOAD US T+L TABLET EDITIONS Available on iOS, Android, Win 8 and Zinio Desktop Reader. FOLLOW US TWITTER.COM/ TRAVLEISUREASIA FACEBOOK.COM/ TRAVELLEISUREASIA PINTEREST.COM/ TRAVLEISUREASIA INSTAGRAM.COM/ TRAVELANDLEISUREASIA KEEP UP WITH US Sign up for…

The travel industry has more reason than ever to green up, judging by the results of the most recent Nielsen Global Corporate Sustainability report, a survey of 30,000 consumers in 60 countries about what influences their purchases. Here’s what global and Southeast Asian respondents say: 10% Increase from 2014 in the number of consumers around the world willing to pay more for sustainable brands 70% of Southeast Asian consumers like to purchase products for the health benefits and contributions to society 8/10 consumers in Southeast Asia, the most in the world, prefer to buy from firms committed to positive social and environmental Impact US$20,000 Those who earn this amount or less are more likely to say they’d pay extra to support sustainability than those with incomes greater than US$50,000 73%…

IF A WHIFF OF JASMINE instantly takes you back to a special night in Phuket or slicing into an orange conjures cocktails in the Maldives, then you’re already in tune with your most powerful sense. Smell is a potent tool that more hotels are tapping to ensure a memorable guest experience. Now travelers can create the same olfactory escape in their own homes. To keep the vacation going yearround, turn to allpowerful aromas to revisit those favorite travel experiences. “Smell is crucial to memory,” says award-winning master perfumer Christophe Laudamiel. “You don’t remember the song that was playing, but you will remember the smell.” Here are a few hotels offering scents you can savor as a souvenir. SHANGRI-LA Vanguards of hotel scenting in Asia, the properties have a bouquet that’s…

THE TREND: BARS MEET BOOKS Late Night Library Club | This roving party takes inspiration from such books as The Picture of Dorian Gray and Tipping the Velvet for evenings at venues including a Tudor mansion in Hackney (above). Guests—many of whom dress in period costumes—clink glasses with artists, poets and performers— some of whom may take the stage late into the night. latenightlibrary club.co.uk. Society Club | An outpost of this Soho club and bookshop has opened in Shoreditch. Both have specialized book collections (Soho’s is 20th-century literature, Shoreditch’s focuses on music and the visual arts) and literary-inspired cocktails (the daiquiri recipe was a favorite of Ernest Hemingway). Nonmembers can attend events by calling ahead for a spot. thesociety club.com. Library | This private members’ club in Covent Garden…

One of Vietnam’s most sought-after stylists and design stars never intended to enter the fashion world at all. Diana Hubbell catches up with Tran Phuong My about her unconventional road to international success. “I’M NOT A DREAMER,” Tran Phuong My says, “I just set a goal and keep going.” Yes, she’s doggedly pursued her ambitions, but it is hard to look at the clothes this fashion prodigy creates, some of Saigon’s dreamiest styles, and not see the spark of fancy. At 19, when most of her peers at UCLA were busy planning their party outfits, she imagined creating them. But her family pressured her to pursue a future in business and a degree in mathematics. “A friend asked my why I was studying math and all I could think of…

SUPER SAVER Preferred Hotels & Resorts, Thailand Songkran is here. Join in on the country’s annual water fight with special rates at Andara Resort & Villas, in Phuket; The Landmark Bangkok; and The Tongsai Bay, in Koh Samui. The Deal Songkran Bed & Breakfast Deals: a night in a standard room, from US$109 for two, through May 31. Save 25-50%. preferredhotels.com. BEACH LANGKAWI St. Regis Langkawi’s newest five-star is hidden in an exclusive cove on the southern tip of the island, offering splendid seclusion. Eighty-five gold-accented suites come with legendary St. Regis butler service and views of the island’s ancient rain forest or the Andaman Sea. Wind down in the company of 200 native bird species under the shade of 500-million-yearold forest. Your stay includes breakfast for two at L’Orangerie…

OAKLAND’S TEMESCAL ALLEY GLOWED ON A BRIGHT August morning, as I sat at a public outdoor table. Before me were an espresso, brewed from locally roasted beans, and a US$3 doughnut injected to order with small-batch cherry jam. Around me was a hipster communion. A couple with carefully tended mustaches and MacBooks sipped cappuccinos. A quartet of French speakers swept through wearing summer scarves. A plaidclad dad tended to his doughnutsilenced toddler. Temescal Alley’s two narrow rows of stables were once home to trolleypulling workhorses. Now they house purveyors of precious goods and services. There’s the Cro Café and Doughnut Dolly, where I bought my breakfast. Crimson Horticultural Rarities sells succulents and terrariums, Japanese gardening tools and L’Aromatica fragrances. The bookshop Book/Shop stocks US$38 canvas sleeves in which to carry…

SINH CITY FOR CENTURIES, this unbearably picturesque hamlet luxuriated in the royal patronage and homegrown ingenuity that combined to make it Laos’s cultural capital. On a sliver of land along the banks of the Mekong and Nam Khan rivers, the gilded spires and dramatic murals of the many temples, the classic Buddhist and French colonial architecture and an easy-going café culture are at once an artistic muse and an ideal backdrop for reverie. Now, in a quiet revival in line with the town’s sleepy-cool persona, a new generation is tweaking the town’s craft, culinary and creative scene while keeping faithful to its heritage charm. SHOP LIKE A LOCAL The sinh—the iconic national dress—cuts a demure silhouette (think classic pencil skirt), but the latest incarnations are not afraid to get cheeky.…