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

LOOKOUT Where to find the world’s cheapest Michelinstarred meal in Singapore; must-see UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Asia; stunning hotel suites you have to see to believe; the latest travel deals and more. travelandleisureasia.com THIS MONTH ON TRAVELANDLEISUREASIA.COM 3 OVER-THE-TOP BUTLER SERVICES Art butlers, fragrance butlers, barbecue butlers—these hotels go the extra mile to make guests feel pampered. THE SERENE SIDE OF BORACAY It may be one of Southeast Asia’s party capitals, but there are still plenty of peaceful havens on the isle. 7 BEACHES FOR YOUR BUCKET LIST From Sumba to Sri Lanka, the Maldives to Cambodia, there’s a gorgeous stretch of sand for your every desire. 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…

Toting a Louis Vuitton trunk once meant contending with its heft—stylish, but hardly overhead-bin-friendly. The brand’s new line, a collaboration with industrial designer Marc Newson, updates the classic with cutting-edge materials for luggage that’s chic and ultralight. Every detail (the polycarbonate shell, the monogram canvas) of the 50-and 55-centimeter carry-ons was engineered to minimize weight. Efforts paid off: the large size (shown here with model Emmy Rappe) is only 3 kilograms but has 37 liters of packing space. What didn’t change, thankfully, is the iconic LV logo— which itself carries a lot of weight. Rolling suitcase, US$3,100; earrings, US$730; ankle boots, coat and leather pants, prices available upon request; louisvuitton.com.…

NEGRONI BITTERS, IN MANILA Though the origins of this traditional aperitif are steeped in lore, the most widely accepted version is that Count Camillo Negroni, a swashbuckling ne'er-do-well who roamed the American Wild West as a rodeo cowboy, returned to his native Florence and asked for a stiffer version of his usual Camparivermouth-soda drink, the Americano. Bartender Forsco Scarselli obliged him by swapping soda with gin; today, on this side of the world, mixologist Lee Watson, who also helms ABV, makes a fruitful update at his newest bar, Bitters. His Negroni’s Love Child replaces gin with the slightly sweet Asti, before finishing it off with a few dashes of sour cherry bitters. The count would be sated. 63-2/942-9750. JULEP AKADEMI, IN BALI The old-school-elegant julep took over verandas in the…

Tequila’s sultry big sister saunters into our hearts, giving the boot to that shot glass-sloshed, lime-andsalt-leavened, blue agavebased liquor. Mezcal distillers, who use piñas from 150 types of agave, smoke them in pits for days, infusing flavor from the wood used to heat the stones. This means the drink, like wine, can express a broad range of notes, from ash or walnut to citrus or chili. Recent years have seen bars such as Vasco (vascosingapore.com) in Singapore embracing the complex spirit in cocktails like the Mezcal ‘70, with Campari, sweet vermouth and chocolate bitters. A’Toda Madre ( atodamadre.com.ph), Manila’s most extensive tequila bar, whips the smoky stuff into a margarita. Hong Kong is in the throes of a mezcal boom, with hotspots like Yardbird (yardbirdrestaurant.com) and Brickhouse (brickhouse.com.hk) churning out…

Eshewing saccharine cosmos and daiquiris, today’s most innovative bartenders are crossing over to the saline side. Grandma’s favorite panacea gets a less-wholesome makeover with Chicken Soup for the Alcoholic’s Soul, an umami-loaded creation from the mixologists at Hopscotch (hopscotch.sg) in Singapore. Pour the bone broth spiked with bonito-infused vodka warm from a tea kettle to cure what ails you. Over in Bangkok, the Tee Yai at WTF Bar & Gallery (wtfbangkok.com) packs a punch courtesy of three types of hot sauce. Of course, the original and still one of the best of the genre remains the Bloody Mary, the Platonic ideal of which can be found at Bar Mimitsuka (bar-mimi.com), a tiny, invitation-only watering hole in Tokyo. You’ll find no outlandish garnishes here, just a single spartan cube of ice…

Everything’s better with bacon, so it was only a matter of time before bartenders figured out how to slip a little greasy goodness into your glass. Though it appears everywhere in that quintessential brunch accompaniment, the Bacon Bloody Mary, some bars are getting more creative with concoctions such as the Bacon Blah Blah, a bourbon base with bacon oil, egg white and lime at Wing N’Thing, a funky, Old Town eatery in Bangkok, or the Iberian lard-washed (and bacon-garnished) Stone & Knives at Isono (isono.com.hk) in Hong Kong. Fat-washing, the process of emulsifying fat molecules in liquid that makes these fullflavored, mouth-coating libations possible can be used in even more daring ways. In a clever nod to the Thai palate, Ah Sam Cold Drink Stall (fb.com/AhSamColdDrinkStall), a hidden speakeasy in…

1 Lauryn Ishak PHOTOGRAPHER Cruisin’ Page 83 Singapore-based photographer Ishak sailed through the “wild, unexpected and stunning” Raja Ampat archipelago in West Papua, Indonesia, aboard the phinisi Alila Purnama. “The staff is top-class and personable.” Simply being aboard was a detox: “When you show up on the boat still carrying your daily routines in your head, you expect some sort of schedule. But as the days go by, you relax, let go and you roll with the laid-back rhythm of being out on the open ocean. Time is told by when the sun rises, when you eat your meals and when the sun sets again. It was hard to leave.” Instagram: @laurynie. 2 Shoba Narayan WRITER The Great Game Page 48 “The Himalayas are reason enough,” to visit Nepal, says…

BONIFACIO GLOBAL CITY IS MANILA’S new promised land, attracting cool young professionals and the hottest bars, clubs and restaurants with its grassy knolls and wide boulevards and, most important, relative lack of traffic. BGC is the nearly miraculous exemplar of what this sprawling metropolis could’ve looked like if civil engineers had the chance to actually plan each neighborhood. And at the heart of this virgin enclave towers Shangri-La at the Fort, Manila. Open just a few months, this complex where Filipino flair stylishly accents imported luxe is already the community hub—just ask all the locals who use the sunny High Street Lounge as their personal den. Staying here is like being dropped into a ready-made clique to which you instantly belong. The first thing to do with new friends? Eat.…

CULTURE-HOUNDS ARE SPOILED this season. The buzziest of Asia’s boundary-pushing festivals is the inaugural Yinchuan Biennale (moca-yinchuan.com; September 9–December 18), with a lineup of 80 international artists, such as heavyhitters like Anish Kapoor. The art world is already atwitter, both at the caliber of the work and the decision to pull Redline, Ai Weiwei’s piece about government censorship, right before opening. Asia’s original biennale for contemporary art, the Gwangju Biennale (gwangjubiennale.org; September 2-November 6), centers on the open-ended theme “What Does Art Do?” No one seems to have a definite answer, but the exhibits, from Li Jinghu’s light installations to Joungmin Yi’s abstract paintings inspired by Seoul, make it intoxicating to ponder. Meanwhile in Japan, the third Aichi Triennale (aichitriennale.jp/english; August 11–October 23) sprawls across Okazaki, Toyohashi and Nagoya, with…

“WELCOME TO OUR SUPERMARKET,” says Jim, one of our three Bidayuh guides, as he balances on the tip of our bamboo raft. He’s using a long pole to steer us out of the current and towards an alluring rocky beach framed by jungle. Our journey to this remote corner of Borneo’s rain forest started at Kampung Peraya, a tiny ethnic Bidayuh village an hour’s drive southeast of Sarawak’s capital Kuching, where we embarked on a winding river voyage. Before we can ask Jim what he means, the two other Bidayuh guides are already wading waist-deep towards the thicket that extends beyond the river bend. “They are going to collect ferns and greens for your lunch,” Jim clarifies, while helping us out of our padded chairs. Careful not to capsize our…

BESPOKE BITTERS BITTERS & SWEETS Central’s newest hot spot mixes house-made bitters with a menu that’s big on dessert: witness their cayenne-laced-dark chocolate and homemade graham cracker S’mores. The cocktail list is split between signatures and reimagined classics, with popular examples of the former including The Sesame, in which spiced rum and black sesame deliver a boozy take on a traditional Chinese dessert. An imaginative play on an Old Fashioned, The Smokey Joe mixes house-infused coffee bourbon and chocolate bitters while cherry wood smoke adds a final flourish. fb.com/bittersandsweetshk. MIXOLOGY DÉGUSTATION THE WOODS A jaunt to The Woods today is sure to reveal a big surprise: a culinary take on mixology that appeals to serious foodies. At its eight-seater bar area, the prix-fixe menu is turned on its head as…

Cocktails made with low-alcohol booze have become increasingly popular, and Atlanta’s at the forefront of the trend. So-called “suppressor” drinks—the antithesis of ultra- potent “revivers”—swap hard liquor for fortified or sparkling wines, layering them with liqueurs, juices, sodas, and fruit for a complex beverage that won't have you stumbling home. And according to Atlanta cocktail pioneer Greg Best, that's exactly the point. He’s now coowner of Ticonderoga Club ( ticonderogaclub.com), a Colonial-inspired tavern, but kicked off the trend when he was behind the bar at the upscale pub Holeman & Finch ( holemanfinch.com), mixing dry vermouth, Cocchi Americano, sherry, and grapefruit bitters to create an anti-cocktail he called Suppressor No. 1. “Atlanta is a driving town, so having several boozy drinks in a night doesn’t work here,” he says. Barkeeps…

No. 1 CONCIERGES ARE GETTING A REBOOT A number of upscale brands are taking their concierge services digital, using texting, social media and custom apps to help guests connect with the hotel. In some cases, they’re replacing people with technology altogether. It’s quite a change for this very traditional hotel role. And while it may dismay travelers who rely on concierges for assistance and advice, there are definite upsides for guests. Many of the new apps provide a central place to make various kinds of requests. At Conrad Hotels & Resorts, for instance, you can book a spa treatment and ask for restaurant recommendations with a few taps instead of multiple phone calls. You can even select your room and order a roomservice meal before check-in, tasks that were challenging—if…

Cruise: Cunard Kobe to Shanghai Ports: Japan: Kobe, Kagoshima, Hiroshima; China: Shanghai; South Korea: Busan. Why we’re clambering aboard: On this spring sailing trip, skip the floral sarong in favor a puffer jacket—but maybe one with a pretty chrysanthemum print. From incense-filled temples in Japan to serene waterfalls in South Korea to the busy streets of the world’s most populated city in China, this cruise will highlight just how much this trifecta has culturally in common. March 13 to 23, 2017; from US$1,999; cunard.com. Cruise: Azamara World Journey Ports: 60 ports in 29 countries from Australia to the U.K. Why we’re clambering aboard: Imagine starting your vacation in Sydney and after three months ending in the heart of London without ever having to rush to make check-out time. If you…

I boarded the sunrise train to Gangwon province just before midnight, imagining that it would be full of lonely people seeking the solace of the mountains and the endless blue sea. Though Gangwon is only a few hours east of Seoul, it is another world. It contains Seoraksan National Park, beloved for its dramatic peaks, deep valleys and unparalleled autumn foliage. But until recently, Gangwon was one of South Korea’s most treacherous regions. Folktales abound about farmers being devoured by tigers. In the 19th century, bandits were known to take travelers captive. As late as the 1980s, buses made the evening news by tumbling off cliffs. Today, the roads are much improved, and the area has become more accessible. Visits increased after 2004, when the South Korean workweek was legally…

MY SISTER, CHRISTINA, AND I WERE SITTING IN A GARDEN IN PALERMO, a few sips into a midmorning Campari and soda, when I began to feel fraudulent. The sea breeze fanned up from the port and onto the terrace as our hostess, Nicoletta Polo Lanza Tomasi, the Duchess of Palma di Montechiaro, recounted the history of the palazzo we were visiting, which was once owned by the Lampedusa family. It was on this very site, Nicoletta told us, that Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa, the last of the line, wrote The Leopard, which chronicles the fall of an aristocratic Sicilian family in the late 19th century. “Which of course you’ve read,” she added, “as you are a writer, and are writing about Sicily.” I shot my sister a look that said,…

Barrier Reef (“Blue Crush,” page 106). Writer Amelia Lester’s counterintuitive point underscores one of the key reasons we travel: “…after a flight to Sydney and another journey 1,600 kilometers up Australia’s eastern coast, you arrive in one of the reef’s gateway towns of Townsville or Cairns and…see nothing.” Coral reefs, like many aspects of our natural world, do not appear simply when we beckon. Our travels, if they are fruitful at all, require some effort from us other than simply showing up. Lester discovers this on her visit, coming to grips with the threats the coral reef system—and, indeed, our planet—faces today. In other words, her trip becomes a learning experience. In another, not-so-parallel universe, at least as far as our travels go, is this month’s nightlife guide (“Cocktail Power,”…

“Mothers are so consumed by helping others that they often don’t get to take care of themselves,” says Hong Kong-based entrepreneur and mother of three Angel Tsang. To help new mamas rock up to the pool with confidence, she launched Aurein swim, in high-tech, UVprotective Italian Carvico fabric engineered to flatter those post-baby curves—and be just as adorably versatile on your matching mini-me. “We put the focus back on mom, with a feel good factor sewn in.” The ultracomfy designs contribute to a worthy cause; for each sold, the company donates HK$40 to the Changing Young Lives Foundation, a Hong Kong nonprofit to help underprivileged children. Tsang may act local, but she thinks global: the brand recently announced free international shipping. aureinswim.com; swimwear from HK$920.…

A LIFE WELL TRAVELED Wellness is about more than getting a massage or blissing out on yoga. My upcoming show, Well Traveled (pbs.org), is not about medical tourism. It’s not about facials or beauty salon spa treatments. Instead, I hope to immerse you in a world of boundless possibilities and show you how to be the best possible version of yourself, wherever you may call home. BANGKOK BLISS I stayed at the (1) Lebua at State Tower (lebua.com; doubles from Bt4,445), had drinks at Namsaah Bottling Trust (namsaah.com; drinks for two from Bt600) and a went for a meal at (3) Issaya Siamese Club (issaya.com; dinner for two from Bt1,400). CHECKING OUT CHIANG MAI AND CHIANG RAI I was amazed at how cohesive the environment was. In New York, you…

SLINKY, SCINTILLATING AND ANYTHING but subtle, Malaysia-based designer Farah Khan’s creations make regular appearances on catwalks from Cannes to Singapore. Wallflowers might shy away from her curvehugging cocktail dresses glittering with sequined embroidery and flared, feminine skirts, but these eye-catching numbers are just right for fashionistas unafraid to shimmer in the spotlight. In order to keep up with the globetrotting lifestyle of the It girls who wear them, they’re also surprisingly travel-friendly—even after a long day rolled into a carry-on, they emerge runway-ready. That might explain why Malaysia Airlines recently commissioned Khan to design its new uniforms, the brand’s first sartorial overhaul in three decades, and why bombshells like Kimora Lee Simons, Paris Hilton, Mariah Carey and Selena Gomez have been spotted rocking her frocks. While most designers study their…

TOUCHE HOMBRE You need to get the chicken. No, not the pollo de habenero tacos— although, get those, too. We mean the chickenshaped pitchers of booze that make the best partypleasers to souse the city this year. The new, hip-hop soundtracked Touché Hombre in Bangkok’s bursting Thonglor 'hood is the first outpost outside Oz of the beloved Melbourneborn taqueria. But it also bills itself as a mezcalería, rocking 15 types of mezcal and so many tequilas that no other bar in Thailand comes close (for more on the agave trend, see page 62), and cheekily tossing a Bloody Maria Oyster shooter on the food menu. Such liquid ambition shouldn’t be surprising from the Sapparot Group, which basically introduced Bangkok to the craft cocktail (Hyde & Seek) and precision-coffee bar (Rocket)…

Creative party throwers are luring the masses to ever more extraordnary locations with the help of social media. In New York City, events by You Are So Lucky (youaresolucky.com) are part rager, part performance art: the group once bused 1,500 revelers to a deserted manor for a Felliniesque night of opera, dancing and champagne aplenty. We Are the Oracle (fb.com/wearetheoracle) throws themed soirées in Paris, like a Downton Abbey–inspired fête in the abandoned Rothschild mansion or a masquerade ball in the catacombs. And in spite of a Fight Club–worthy commitment to secrecy, Hong Kong–based Bunker (bunker.com.hk) draws crowds for all-night raves. Partygoers can enjoy laser shows and fireswallowing acts in a rural ghost town or, fittingly, a crumbling World War II bunker.…

JOE TAYLOR At its launch party, the bar staff mixed and bottled Palomas, a tequila-grapefruit highball, ahead of time for easy serving. The cocktail was a hit, and since then they’ve tacked on new batch drinks like the Cuba Negra: a blend of vermouths replicates cola, then the blend is carbonated, bottled and served with fresh lime. fb.com/joetaylorbar. HEARTBREAKER Founder Michael Madrusan—the man behind the awardwinning bar Everleigh—cemented his reputation as one of Melbourne’s mixology elite when he launched the Everleigh Bottling Co. last year. At this divey, neon-lit pub, EBC’s “Famous Four”—Manhattan, martini, negroni and Old Fashioned—make up the entire cocktail menu. heart breakerbar.com.au. BOILERMAKER HOUSE This intimate bar offers a single aged cocktail, the aptly named From the Solera: Aberfeldy whisky, rum, houseblended vermouth and a chocolate malted…

Long considered merely a stiff complement to cola—or worse, the preferred drink of spring breakers—rum has finally moved up from the bottom shelf. For a taste of the tiki renaissance that’s helped rum revamp its image, head to Pouring Ribbons (pouring ribbons.com), in New York City, for Mondays with Miller. Tiki expert Brian Miller mixes retooled island standbys; his version of the Painkiller is made with pineapple juice, cinnamon syrup and coffee-infused rum. If you're craving a less tropical take on the spirit, pay a visit to Berlin’s Melody Nelson (2 Novalisstrasse; 49-177/744-6751) for a Black Mojito— a tipple of dark rum, blackberries and mint that’s not on the menu, but is legendary nonetheless. In Sydney, the rum bar Lobo Plantation (thelobo.com.au) serves the high-end stuff neat. A seven-course flight…

A sake revival is under way as bars and breweries the world over experiment with new approaches. In San Francisco, the Michelin-starred Nico (nico sf.com) uses sake in place of liquor in cocktails, infusing it with ingredients like juniper or molasses to re-create the taste of higher-proof spirits. London’s 7 Tales ( sosharu london.com), a Tokyo-inspired cocktail bar, forgoes cheap hot sake in favor of chilled rice wine mixed into drinks such as the Nikkei Martinez, with pisco, edible flowers and black salt. You’ll find a similarly new-school ethos at Sake One ( sakeone.com), a brewery in Forest Grove, Oregon, west of Portland. There, varieties such as G Joy Genshu are sipped cold to highlight the nuanced flavor profiles.…

SUPER SAVER Villa Maroc, Pranburi Take advantage of the Arabic-inspired spa with an Indulgence Spa Treatment for two, then while away the afternoon with a Moroccan tea service. The Deal Secret of Spa Indulgence: a night in a Pool Court, from Bt7,900 for two, through December 29. Save 60%. villamarocresort.com. GREEN LIJIANG SilkAir and Banyan Tree Lijiang Situated 2,400 meters above sea level and set against the backdrop of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, the Banyan Tree Lijiang is kitted out in classic Yunnanese style. Wander the UNESCO-lauded streets of Lijiang or go hiking along Tiger Leaping Gorge. When you present your SilkAir round-trip ticket from Singapore, you’ll receive discounts on room rates, spa treatments and gallery purchases. The Deal SilkAir and Banyan Tree Exclusive, Lijiang: a night in a Garden…

F1 SPACEPAK TOILETRY This toiletry bag is not only perfect for packing, but also has room for full-sized bottles, meaning it’s ideal for traveling by boat where you are not resticted to only 100 milliliters of your favorite products. flight001.com; US$42. NUUD PHONE CASE Trudging through the rain forest? Swimming with sea turtles? This case allows you to do it all phonein-hand. lifeproof.com; US$89. HELEN KAMINSKI LOSEFA VISOR With this rollable, handcrafted raffia visor you won’t be forced to sacrifice your style for a lid that screams “tourist.” helenkaminski.com; US$165. JABRA SPORT PULSE These adventure-ready earbuds are waterproof, provide highquality audio and monitor your heart rate. jabra.com; US$159. EL 50 BINOCULARS BY SWAROVSKI OPTIK These top-notch binoculars are compact, waterproof and cruiseready with 10x magnification. swaovskioptik.com; US$3,110. S’WELL WATER BOTTLE…

I think Nantucket is a romantic notion,” said Kate Brosnan, who has lived on the little island south of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, for 37 years. We were sitting at the White Elephant, a waterfront resort hotel where each September Brosnan helps assemble a new edition of a think-y, TED-style conference called the Nantucket Project. A Wall Street refugee, she arrived in Nantucket in the winter of 1979 and never left. “I thought I had found the perfect little sleepy place,” she said. And then, of course, summer came—and with it, the hordes. Brosnan was, and still is, okay with the tourists, though lately high-season traffic has been heavier than ever. “Nantucket definitely goes through cycles, but right now it’s more popular than I can remember,” she told me. In the…

Continual change is the norm in Hong Kong, yet one constant is the unpredictable weather. Rainy season in the southern Chinese city brings massive amounts of precipitation from June to the middle of September as well as off-the-chart humidity levels. During those wet, flood-prone months, black rainstorm signals warn of more than 70 millimeters of precipitation in an hour. But Hong Kong residents take it all in stride, turning to the great indoors, to the underground, and to the blessedly enclosed walkways like the one in Central that acted as photobooth for this shot. Even if the typhoon rating reaches a once-in-a-decade T10—which means gusts of up to 220 kilometers per hour—there’s a silver lining. Just follow the locals somewhere safe, such as a restaurant or bar that hasn’t managed…