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

4 MUST-HAVE BALINESE ADVENTURES FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY From checking out monkeys to snorkeling, don’t leave the island before you and your kids try these activities. 4 FAMILY-FRIENDLY SINGAPOREAN FARMS Singapore is known for its skyscrapers, but the peaceful area of Kranji has places for kids to play with animals and get their hands dirty. MARGARITA FORÉS’S ROAD TO STARDOM We trace the Filipina chef’s influences, from her time in Florence and New York to her current reign over Manila’s culinary scene. + LOOKOUT A groundbreaking art gallery near the North Korean-South Korean border; Rangoon’s coolest new eatery; the reborn Peninsula Beijing; and 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…

BANYAN TREE JIUZHAIGOU, CHINA The mountain-top location of this retreat in Sichuan’s emerald highlands is peppered with waterfalls and limestone terraces, for views that are beyond sublime. Bordering nine Tibetan villages, Jiuzhaigou is also known as “fairyland on earth,” and the Jiuzhaigou National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is pure magic. The 209 guest rooms will start at a comfortable 65 square meters and are adorned in the colorful handicraft embroidery of the Qiang, a local ethnic group with roots in Jiuzhaigou that date back some 3,000 years. banyantree.com; doubles from RMB2,300. W GOA Opening in October, the W Goa promises a piece of paradise on the Arabian Sea. The 160 guest rooms, suites, chalets and villas bring the bold turquoise and deep blue hues of tropical living to…

IT TAKES A LOT OF MOXY to open a bar or restaurant in Hong Kong. For every success story like fine-dining Amber or hipper-than-thou Yardbird, there are dozens that vanish in months, barely making a dent in the city’s crowded culinary market. In an era when we eat with our eyes (and invariably phones) first, it’s not surprising that good design has become what sets a place apart. Here we profile three Hong Kong-based studios whose works propel restaurants to even greater heights, and ask the designers to reveal a few of their tactics and tricks of the trade. DESIGN FIRM: NC DESIGN & ARCHITECTURE SPECIALTY: SPEAKEASY STYLE Sometimes to stand out you need to blend in. This strategy proved fruitful for two speakeasy-style establishments in Hong Kong, Mrs. Pound (mrspound.com;…

FAMILY HONG KONG Hotel Icon Get cozy with your clan of four at the Tsim Sha Tsui hotel, using a special discount for adjoining rooms with views of the city and Victoria Harbour. Rooms come with museum passes, daily-replenished complimentary minibar and snacks, and breakfast for four at The Market. Stay connected with complimentary highspeed Wi-Fi throughout the hotel and unlimited 3G mobile data on the go. The Deal Family Fun: a night in two Icon 36 Family Connecting rooms, from HK$3,600 for four, through September 11. Save 25%. hotel-icon.com. SPA THAILAND COMO Hotels & Resorts At the Metropolitan by COMO, in Bangkok, you and your babe are promised a signature 60-minute COMO Shambhala treatment for two, daily complimentary yoga sessions and nourishing breakfast cooked from organic and locally sourced…

CAMBODIA Andy Booth The Angkor Guidebook co-author knows Cambodia inside and out—which roads are drivable, how to avoid crowds at temples, who the best Englishspeaking guides are— and can arrange trips with archaeologists and cartographers as well as lake cruises on traditional wooden boats. BEST FOR adventure, culture buffs, multigenerational families, sustainable travel 855-12/338-872; a.booth@aboutasiatravel.com CHINA Stan Godwyn Godwyn, who speaks Mandarin and has a master’s in anthropology with a focus on Chinese archaeology, can set up history-focused itineraries along the Silk Road or through Beijing while nimbly managing common hiccups (unannounced flight changes, gridlock in Shanghai). BEST FOR last-minute trips, value-conscious travelers, culture buffs 1-916/830-5511; stan.g@travelstore.com How Travel-Agent Fees Work For the most part, agents make their money on commissions paid to them by the travel companies they book…

AUSTRALIA Cassandra Bookholder Bookholder is always on the lookout for new ways to explore old favorites. Her latest finds include Brae, a farm-to-table restaurant in Birregurra, and her standbys include coastal treks outside Sydney—ideal escapes for those who don’t have time to venture farther into the interior. BEST FOR foodies, multi generational families, adventure 1-602/889-5902; cassandra b@camel back travel.com Suzy Mercien-Ferol Mercien-Ferol attracts a big-budget clientele with made-fromscratch itineraries that can tap in to Australia’s cosmopolitan attractions as well as its bush luxury—like scoring the best suite at Kangaroo Island’s Southern Ocean Lodge or seeing Tasmania’s islands from the air. BEST FOR luxury seekers, adventure, off-the-beaten-path itineraries suzy.mercien@touringtreasures.com FRENCH POLYNESIA Susanne Hamer In a region that offers many packaged vacations, Hamer creates South Pacific trips with a personal touch, taking…

Margie Hand When it comes to vetting resorts, for Hand, it’s all about the details: diaper-delivery service and kid’s clubs for families, wheelchair-ready showers for seniors, and unannounced extras like private catamaran rides or a favorite bottle of wine upon arrival. BEST FOR multigenerational families, destination weddings, honeymooners margie.hand@andavotravel.com Janet McLaughlin McLaughlin can get rooms in sold-out hotels, but she can also show you the Caribbean beyond its resorts, from buzzy restaurants with ofthe-moment chefs to shops and galleries that favor local products over dime-adozen souvenirs. BEST FOR multigenerational families, out-of-thebox experiences, honeymooners 1-513/533-7867; jmclaughlin@providenttravel.com…

1 Horatio Clare WRITER Spirited Away Page 78 “Yunnan’s allure lies in its distance and difference from what I knew of China, and its proximity to Laos and Burma,” says Clare, a writer for the Financial Times and the Spectator whose memoir Running for the Hills tells of his upbringing on a Welsh sheep farm far from civilization. Yunnan revealed a pace of life much slower than that of Chinese cities. Clare’s most distinctive memories are of receiving an ancient blessing from a shaman of the Yi people and waking up in Tibet to the sound of cowbells breaking the silence and the sight of frost on the riverbanks. Twitter: @horatioclare. 2 Peter Bohler PHOTOGRAPHER Spirited Away Page 78 “There’s a mental space in Yunnan that is very different from…

A LOT OF LOOKS WERE WRUNG out of one pair of souvenir batik pants purchased during Sofi Aboitiz’s extended family vacation through Indonesia. Upon her return home to the Philippines, where she splits time between Cebu and Manila, the former New York-based fashion merchandiser managed to upcycle the billowy cotton into the realm of global-chic rather than backpacker-tacky, pairing the pants with a T-shirt for a trip to the supermarket, or with a bikini for a day at the beach, or with a crisp white blouse for a nice dinner out. She used this experience of updating sloppy silhouettes into sleek styles to start Fini, a young brand that represents the borderless mindset of the bohemian jet set. “She had this vision of how to transform them from something traditional…

The owners of the iconic Le Sirenuse hotel in Positano, Italy, are behind perfumery ALTAIA. By Any Other Name (1) is its homage to the English rose garden where cofounder Marina Sersale’s mother once strolled (beauty habit.com; US$210). Parco Palladiano II (2) evokes the cypress trees in the Palladian gardens of Bottega Veneta’s home base of Vicenza, Italy (bergdorf goodman.com; US$295). The notes of green fig and balsam fir in Ralph Lauren’s Sage candle (3) were inspired by the designer’s ranch in the Rocky Mountains (ralph lauren.com; US$70). Jo Malone London’s Darjeeling Tea Cologne (4) captures Himalayan scents of tea, jasmine, and freesia (jomalone.com; US$340). And Armani Privé’s Pivoine Suzhou candle (5) conjures up peony, one of China’s most symbolic flowers (armani beauty.com; US$90). DITCH THOSE BAGS Chanel’s Le Lift…

ONE-AND-A-HALF MILLION BRICKS. That’s the first thing you notice about the new Katamama hotel in Bali, which doesn’t look at all like a hotel in Bali— you know, those varying versions of tree house- or temple-chic. No, this new, first hotel from Indonesia-based PTT Family looks like a big, hard brick wall, at least from the approach, and that feels jarringly incongruous to anyone who was familiar with sister Seminyak property Potato Head Beach Club’s iconic soft silhouette of colorful, vintage wooden shutters, salvaged from abandonment across the archipelago. But then you find out that all those bricks were handmade by local craftsmen using age-old techniques, and you realize how much these walls have in common with that one across the driveway, that they are yin and yang. “I love…

Marcus Barlow The vice president of sales for American Express Travel & Lifestyle Services oversees a team of some 1,500 counselors across North America who provide bespoke travelconcierge services and help card members get the most out of their rewards points. 1-602/537-4245; marcus.c.barlow@aexp.com Betsy Donley This 22-year industry veteran’s agency, Camelback Odyssey Travel, is a specialist for clients seeking exotic adventure experiences such as fly-fishing in the Seychelles or the Andes, and even space travel with Virgin Galactic. 1-602/889-5909; betsyd@camelbacktravel.com Julia P. Douglas Douglas, who founded Jet Set World Travel in 2005, has road tested countless hotels, resorts and villas with her two children in tow. Her agency excels at planning honeymoons and experiential family travel. 1-312/574-1181; julia@jetsetworldtravel.com Jack S. Ezon Ezon, who is an advisor for brands like Fairmont…

HAWAII Marilyn Clark Let Clark, one of only 11 individuals with Master Specialist certifications for Hawaii’s six major islands, be your source for trips that combine culture, history, romance, and local intel (Maui’s best gluten-free sweetshop, an exotic-animal sanctuary on the Big Island). BEST FOR foodies, culture buffs, history lovers, wellness, honeymooners, destination weddings marilyn@ lighthousetravel.net NAPA VALLEY AND SONOMA Michelle Murré Tap Murré if you want to visit wineries that aren’t open to the public, take part in harvest parties at top vineyards, or venture beyond Napa to little-known hiking trails and cliff-side beaches. BEST FOR foodies, couples, multigenerational families 1-415/796-3869; michelle@azurinetravel.com NEW YORK CITY Lia Batkin Batkin and her partner, Seth Kaplan, are known for granting unprecedented access to her hometown’s greatest hits—they can line a Manhattan street…

LARGE AND SMALL SHIPS Scott Kertes Those who have attempted to make sense of a cruise’s fine print—which restaurants you can access at an allinclusive rate, how much Wi-Fi costs, what is considered a premium drink—will understand Kertes’s value. He’s sailed on all the most popular lines and hunts for the best prices and packages. BEST FOR couples, baby boomers, groups scott@vbdusa.com Ruth Turpin With more than 200 cruises under her belt, Turpin has a knack for pairing clients with the right itinerary and planning special onboard surprises— decorated staterooms, private dinners—that are typically difficult to secure. BEST FOR luxury seekers ruth@cruisesetctravel.com Valerie Ann Wilson In her 30-plus years on the job, Wilson has built 16 offices around the U.S., is chairman emeritus of Virtuoso’s advisory board, and provides counsel…

ADVENTURE Betty Jo Currie Currie’s mission is to connect people to farflung destinations, whether that means flying in an open-door helicopter over Norway’s Lofoten Islands, fishing in remote rivers in New Zealand, or dining in the bush in Botswana. BEST FOR adventure, thrill seekers, multigenerational families 1-404/254-5677; bettyjo@curriecotravels.com Brooke Garnett Garnett, a former dive master in the Andaman Sea, creates trips that combine light adventure with comfort—stay in a tent in the Aussie outback followed by a stint at the Park Hyatt Sydney. BEST FOR adventure, millennials 1-212/627-1950; bgarnett@absolutetravel.com Susan Sparks About 70 percent of Sparks’s trips include biking and hiking, so she makes sure to map out paths in advance, noting distance and altitude to prepare her clients for journeys to Vietnam and Nepal. BEST FOR active travel, honeymooners…

SO, YOU WANT TO TAKE a selfie in the lift? Make sure you sit in each of the wildly different perches in the lobby too. Oh, don’t forget to have your hair blown back at the outdoor pool squeezed into the playful 18th floor with no walls, tropical breezes and 360-degree views of ever-changing Singapore. Yes, The South Beach is no run-of-the-mill hotel. Designed by Philippe Starck, the 654-room mesh of all things contemporary and unconventional doesn’t even have a lobby; instead, those in the know call it a social space. Chairs carved out of tree roots, hewn into driftwood, upholstered in fur: it’s all crafted to foster community fun. Outside, a wavelike aluminum canopy soars above heritage buildings and modern towers, embracing all. This louvered skin allows natural tropical…

What madness is this? It is the feast day of Sant Jordi, and Barcelona is nothing but books. Only the day before, you could stroll down La Rambla with a paramour, watching the welldressed crowd, listening to an old man playing flamenco guitar. Now it is an infestation of bookseller stalls and masses thronging to get in. “Sant Jordi is in the air!” one digital banner proclaims, and you can believe it: everywhere authors are shaded in tents, signing and signing until they have to switch pens. In the courtyard of the avant-garde Antic Teatre, one of the many hidden throughout Barcelona, there is no room to move beneath the canopy of its fig tree. It is everywhere poets, a merry celebration of love. In Japan, on “White Day,” men…

A SURE SIGN THAT TIMES ARE FOREVER CHANGING IS THE CROP OF DESIG centric restaurants commanding the spotlight in Hong Kong. For generations, Cantonese have subscribed to the school of thought that, if a restaurant splashes out too much on décor, then the quality of the food suffers; the place is worth a miss. As part of this month’s focus on style and design, writer Kissa Castañeda-McDermott explores an evolving side to dining in Hong Kong (“Matters of Taste,” page 47), breaking down the tactics of trendy but lasting restaurants there. But don’t fret about the city’s menus, for “Hong Kong’s Melting Pot” (page 28) offers a quick tour of expat-driven wining and dining options, all squeezed into a single day in the hyperkinetic city. Casting your eyes forward is…

THE MASTER OF PRECISION DHARSHAN MUNIDASA Colombo Being of Sri Lankan and Japanese heritage gives chef Munidasa an edge. “Bringing out the subtlest elements of local and seasonal ingredients is the basis of Japanese cuisine,” he says. “My style, even if it is Sri Lankan cuisine, is deeply rooted in this.” He founded one of the island’s top Japanese restaurants, Nihonbashi (nihonbashi.lk; prix fixe dinner from Rs3,250), and the Sri Lankan seafood joint Ministry of Crab (ministryofcrab.com; mains from Rs960). COOKING INSPIRATION “Walking the alleyways of Tsukiji fish market [tsukiji-market.or.jp] and spending time with everyone I know there— from those who sell chopsticks to tuna to tea—as well as cooking with my cousin by the riverside in Japan both play a big role in inspiring me.” FAVORITE INGREDIENT “The 100-plus-kilogram bigeye tuna…

“TODAY’S MY BIRTHDAY, SO LET ME TREAT YOU TO LUNCH.” Mo Hom Loikhamleng tells me when we meet in Rangoon. Who am I to argue? It’s her big day—and week. The 39-year-old designer has just opened a women’s-wear boutique, Mon Précieux New York, in Sedona Hotel Yangon’s new Inya Wing. The location overlooks the home of Aung San Suu Kyi, whose passion for Burma’s progress speaks to Mo Hom personally. When Mo Hom left for New York in 2004, the Shan designer never intended to stay. “I was in the states to study and gain work experience so I could give back to my community,” she says. After graduating from New York School of Design, Mo Hom’s hard-working ethics and comfort-focused, classily sexy aesthetic landed her the opportunity to create…

PATRICK JANELLE ALWAYS THOUGHT of Japan as a place of the future: flashing lights, massive intersections, in-your-face technology. Now, having been there, he sees it more as a destination of contrasts. “There’s a quietness there that I appreciated, and a deep respect for heritage,” says Janelle, who spent nine days in Japan, splitting his time among Tokyo, Hakone and Kyoto. Among his favorite experiences: a stay at the luxe Aman Tokyo, a sushi-making class near Tsukiji Market and visits to Kyoto’s historic temples. “The temples are a total feast for the eyes. I went to Ryoan-ji just before closing and wandered around the gardens by myself, which was incredible.” 1 Self-Portrait At Bar Koba, a great spot in western Shibuya, I was inspired by both the minimalist, geometric pink façade…

AFRICA Sandy Cunningham Cunningham, who ran safari camps in Kenya before settling in the U.S., is most passionate about conservation, designing eco-minded safaris that highlight how tourist dollars save wildlife. She’ll even suggest conservationrelated events clients can attend before departure. BEST FOR responsible travel, honeymooners 1-505/795-7710; sandy@outsidego.com Michael Lorentz The Passage to Africa CEO and cofounder of Safarious.com is known for his off-thegrid experiences and on-the-ground relationships that allow him access to little-known areas of Madagascar, entry into rarely seen tribal ceremonies and the ability to set up mobile camps on private reserves. BEST FOR off-thebeaten-path itineraries, thrill seekers 27-21/447-0053; ml@passagetoafrica.com BOTSWANA, ZAMBIA, AND ZIMBABWE Craig Beal A former nuclear engineer who went on his first safari at age four, Beal brings impressive knowledge and attention to detail to his…

ARGENTINA AND CHILE Jordan Harvey Harvey’s boutique agency, dreamed up on a dairy farm in Patagonia, now works with more than 500 travelers a year. His secret: in-touch experiences delivered via a deep network of local artists, chefs, architects and photographers, many of them personal friends who help deliver unique experiences. BEST FOR adventure, foodies jordan@knowmad adventures.com ARGENTINA, CHILE, AND URUGUAY Maita Barrenechea Over three decades, Barrenechea has planned trips for top execs and celebrities while also helping build the travel infrastructure throughout her region of expertise, coaxing ranchers to convert estancias into guesthouses and assisting locals in preparing their tours for higher-end clientele. BEST FOR adventure, culture buffs 54-11/4314-3390; maita@mai10.com.ar BRAZIL Martin Frankenberg Frankenberg has a reputation for opening doors otherwise unavailable to travelers, whether that’s securing VIP tickets…

CENTRAL EUROPE Gwen Kozlowski Kozlowski is as comfortable designing a monthlong trip through Poland as she is a simple city stopover in Prague. She tests everything out first-hand, whether that means exploring every room in a hotel or vetting a self-drive trip before her clients hit the road. BEST FOR multigenerational families, long-term travel gwen@exeterinternational.com Nathalie Nagy This part-time Budapest resident keeps close tabs on developments in popular places like Prague and Berlin (where she once arranged a trip to an abandoned NSA outpost led by a former spy), as well as in emerging destinations like Romania, Poland and Slovenia. BEST FOR culture buffs, luxury seekers 1-212/409-9562; nathalie.nagy@protravelinc.com Ellison Poe Poe, whose parents founded Poe Travel 55 years ago, considers Austria a second home and can call on childhood friends…

“I HOPE, ONE DAY, MY CITY WILL LOOK LIKE THIS.” That’s what Singapore’s Lee Kuan Yew told his host, Prince Norodom Sihanouk, in 1967 as he drank in the pleasant prosperity that enveloped postcolonial Phnom Penh’s wide boulevards, stately villas and crisply manicured lawns. Today, of course, that urban interest would be steered in the other direction, with high-rises and global franchises mushrooming in the aspirant Cambodian capital, after a generation spent staggering to its feet. Yet the city’s tallest building, a US$170 million luxury office and retail development called the Vattanac Capital, is struggling for tenants and still feels like a flag of hope, rather than a statement of arrival. “From ghost town to boomtown” goes the refrain, but to see how this city is coming to life right…

NAVIGATING GEORGE TOWN Catchily named, they are not, but the neighborhoods of Penang’s urban core each have their own addictive personalities. CORE HERITAGE ZONE Stretching from the seafront promenade Weld Quay west to Love Lane and south to Lebuh Melayu, and cut in half by kaleidoscopic Chulia Street, the walkable core comprises quintessential Penang. Taking in sea views of Padang Kota Lama, bustling Little India and part of Chinatown, the area overflows with heritage buildings. Gudang Café (fb.com/gudangcafe; meal for two RM40) is the latest to resuscitate a 1950’s warehouse next to Armenian Street’s murals. It creates a simple yet convincing concept of Thai brews and Japaneseinspired mains. HERITAGE BUFFER ZONE Campbell Street, a 19thcentury red-light district and 20th-century shopping hub, has morphed into the city’s new standard-bearer for hip. The…