FROM ASIA

FROM ASIA TO
TO THE
THE WORLD

EXPLORING THE
FARAWAY
FAROE ISLANDS

ADVENTURES IN
KYRGYZSTAN

UNDISCOVERED
SAUDI ARABIA

Dreaming
green
6 HOTELS FOR THE MINDFUL
TRAVELER (AND THERE’S MORE WHERE
THEY COME FROM!)
in this issue
F E AT U R E S no. 119

OUTER LIMITS

54
Sea cliffs on
Suðuroy, the
southernmost of
the Faroe Islands.

SO FAR SO GOOD
Situated halfway between Norway and
Iceland, the sparsely populated Faroe Islands
offer otherworldly landscapes, unexpected
flavors, and the chance to lose—or perhaps
find—oneself in their isolation.
By Barry Stone

62
A CRAVING FOR
KYRGYZTAN
Road tripping across the
mountains and valleys of this
Central Asian republic proves
the perfect way to savor its
surprisingly diverse cuisine.
By Karolina Wiercigroch

70
SHIFTING SANDS
Treasures abound in Saudi
Arabia’s remote AlUla
region, whose natural and
COURTESY OF VISIT FAROE ISLANDS

archaeological wonders
are matched only by the
hospitality of its people.
By Nicola Chilton

2 DESTINASIAN
 Live Exquisite
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Stay exquisite at more than 40 St. Regis hotels and resorts worldwide. Go There With

@stregishotels
in this issue
D E PA R T M E N T S no. 119

6
From the Publisher
Good to Go
53 10 20 Clockwise from
ECO WATCH HERITAGE below: Rice fields at
That Was Then Pu Luong, a nature
A collection of Bangkok’s latest
North Pole, 1926. reserve in northern
actively sustainable riverside hot spot
Vietnam; outside
80 boutique hotels resurrects a 19th- Hong Kong’s new
Artist’s Impression that go the extra century residential M+ museum; a dish
Bhairavi Jathar eco mile. compound. of slow-cooked
Talpade on Banff, 14 chicken and Jeju
22 abalone at Nae:um
Alberta. UPDATES CHECKING IN in Singapore; one
Wes Anderson Intimacy is the of the tented suites
designs a train name of the game at Amanwana
carriage; luxury at Raffles Bali, a on Sumbawa’s
cruising on true gem in the Moyo Island.
Rwanda’s Lake Jimbaran area.
Kivu; a new
welness retreat 24
for the Maldives; TOP TABLES
Singapore’s From classic
French flavors to
34 SkyHelix.
a cinematic ode
16 to India, four new
ISLAND-HOPPING dining experiences
Offshore escapes in in Singapore
southern Thailand’s beckon.
Trang province.
18
BOOKSHELF
A new collection of
food books offers
fresh ways to taste
the world.

31

Dispatches 27
27 34
ON THE PLUS SIDE PITCH PERFECT
After years of Getting back to
delay, the recent nature in style
opening of Hong at Amanwana, a
Kong’s M+ museum tented resort on
could prove a Sumbawa’s Moyo
watershed moment Island.
for the regional art
24
FROM FAR LEFT: CHRISTOPHER P. HILL; JOHN HENG/DA PHOTOGRAPHER;

scene. But does its

cultural vision live
JASON KANE; KEVIN MAK/COURTESY OF HERZOG & DE MEURON

up to the promise?
31
NATURAL ORDER
With its rippling
rice terraces, stilt-
Plus:
house villages, and 46
soaring limestone AUSTRALIA
peaks, the Pu AWAITS
Luong Nature 15 reasons why the
Reserve is poised states of Victoria,
to become one of New South Wales,
northern Vietnam’s and Tasmania should ON THE COVER
most appealing be on your 2022 A Bird’s Nest villa at Keemala on Phuket;
destinations. travel wish list. see page 10. Photograph by Alexpreview.

4 D ESTINASIAN
from the publisher
RONALD LIEM no. 119

D
Despite the immense challenges of the past 22 months,
I have never doubted the resilience of the travel industry, and
its ability to rebound when given the chance. We’ve watched
how pent-up demand in Europe and the United States fueled
a major boom during the northern summer. Closer to home,
international travel within the Asia-Pacific region is finally
making a comeback: the recent large-scale reopening of
Thailand to the fully vaccinated has started a chain reac-
tion, with Cambodia following suit and Malaysia expected to
do the same in January. Singapore, of course, is continuing
its pragmatic approach of expanding its Vaccinated Travel
Lanes to an ever-growing list of countries.
ancient heritage sites and more than a
few 21st-century surprises.
Elsewhere in the magazine, we get a
first look at Hong Kong’s landmark M+
museum, a groundbreaking institution
dedicated to visual culture and a must-
see once quarantine restrictions ease.
We’ve also compiled 15 new experiences
in Australia for those planning a trip
down under.
As 2021 comes to a close, I hope you
have the chance to go on a well-deserved
“To travel
is to live.”
–Hans Christian
Andersen

The broad consensus is that the way we spend our pre- holiday, whether it may be domestic or
cious time off will be different after Covid, staying longer overseas, that leaves you refreshed and
in each place in pursuit of more meaningful experiences. energized for the year ahead.
Naturally, our final issue of 2021 comes packed with ideas for
when you’re ready to dust off your passport. Photographer
Karolina Wiercigroch takes us on a fascinating romp through
the steppes of Central Asia as she explores the cuisine of
Kyrgyzstan. Over in the North Atlantic, the windswept Faroe
Islands are the focus of a feature story by Barry Stone, who
COURTESY OF RAKXA

was captivated by the rugged charm of this remote Danish

territory. Dubai-based contributor Nicola Chilton journeys
to the once-forbidden kingdom of Saudi Arabia to visit AlUla, @ronaldliem
a region where the fantastical desert landscape is dotted with [email protected]

6 DESTINASIAN
 PUBLISHER & MANAGING DIRECTOR
RONALD LIEM

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF &
CHAIRWOMAN
ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER
MAGGIE M. HALIM
CHRISTOPHER P. HILL

DIRECTOR
FRANCISCA LIEM

ART DIRECTOR Arlen Septania Adam

DEPUTY EDITOR James Louie
CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Natasha Dragun
PRODUCTION ASSISTANT Muhamad Haikal
ASSISTANT TO PUBLISHER Lord Raditya Basuki
DIGITAL IMAGING ARTIST Irfana Thahirah Putri
VIDEOGRAPHERS Raden Haryo Suryadi, Aditya Wisnu Yaniarso
SENIOR PRODUCTION MANAGER Kusdiana
PRODUCTION EXECUTIVE Adi Wijaya
WEB DEVELOPERS Geoffrey Mohammad Ihsan, M. Ichsan Pramadi

ADVERTISING SALES
REGIONAL GENERAL MANAGER SALES & MARKETING Paolo Avis, [email protected]
REGIONAL SALES MANAGER Angel Tan, [email protected]
GENERAL MANAGER SALES (INDONESIA) Elvida Nataya Wade, [email protected]
ADVERTISING SALES SENIOR MANAGER (INDONESIA) Irna Afrillia, [email protected]
ADVERTISING SALES SENIOR MANAGER (INDONESIA) Dwi Hartanto, [email protected]
ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER (INDONESIA) Yopi Hadi, [email protected]

MARKETING AND CIRCULATION

SENIOR MARKETING MANAGER Darwin Chang
SENIOR MARKETING SUPPORT Bregas Wasgapita
C&D SUPERVISOR Wahyudi
C&D EXECUTIVES Anwar Musadad, Abadi Atjang

OPERATIONS
F&A SENIOR MANAGER Resliana Yosephine
GROUP TAX MANAGER Muhammad Ridwan
ACCOUNTING MANAGER Liana Phiong
ACCOUNTING SUPERVISOR Dervina
FINANCE MANAGER Inneke Sohilait
SENIOR FINANCE EXECUTIVE R. Diana Purnama Putri
FINANCE STAFF Afrina Suryaningsih
IT SUPERVISOR Iman Setia
IT SUPPORT Imam Subahtiar
HR & GA MANAGER Martino Budiawan
HR & GA EXECUTIVE Quisty Arinnandya
OFFICE MANAGER Atiet Soeharto

MEDIA REPRESENTATIVES

CHINA INDIA MALAYSIA THAILAND

MHI China Ltd. RMA Media Next Media N.J. International Media Co., Ltd.
Mary Yao, 86-10/8528-3636 Faredoon Kuka, 91-22/2925-3735 Jo Shim, 60-3/6148-1810 Nartnittha Jirarayapong (Noo),
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All rights in this publication and the name are owned by DestinAsian Media Pte. Ltd. and licensed to P.T. Mahapala Mahardhika. No part of this magazine may be reproduced without permission. All rights
reserved. Opinions herein are those of the writers and not necessarily endorsed by P.T. Mahapala Mahardhika. DestinAsian is published six times a year and distributed throughout Southeast Asia and
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DEC E M BE R 202 1 / FE BR UA RY 2022 7

 no. 119

good to go news, trends, and discoveries

ISLAND HOPPING:
A TASTE OF SOUTHERN
THAILAND’S
TRANG ARCHIPELAGO
P. 16

KARST AWAY
Overlooking
the karst islet
of Waen from
a viewpoint
on Koh Muk.
CHRIS SCHALKX

P. 10 SLH’S ECO-CHIC CONSIDERATE COLLECTION P. 20 A RIVERSIDE REVAMP IN BANGKOK

P. 22 CHECKING IN TO THE RAFFLES BALI P. 24 NEW SINGAPORE RESTAURANTS

DEC E M BE R 202 1 / FE BR UA RY 2022 9

GOOD TO GO E C O W ATC H

GLOBAL Responsibly minded travelers

still have to cut through a lot of green-
wash to find accommodation that’s right
for them, but the process is getting easier.
Case in point: the Considerate Collection
(slh.com/considerate) from Small Luxury
Hotels of the World. Carefully selected
from SLH’s diverse network of 500-plus
boutique properties, the portfolio debuted
in October with 26 “actively sustainable
luxury hotels” in 16 countries, each vetted
against criteria developed in collabora-
tion with the Global Sustainable Tourism
Council and Singapore-based consultan-
cy Greenview. Recognized for their com-
munity mindedness, cultural custodian-
ship, and environmental consciousness,
the properties all pursue meaningful sus-
tainability initiatives, the details of which
are spelled out on the collection’s website.
And more SLH members are destined to
join the list. In the meantime, here are six
to consider for your future travels.

FORESTIS, ITALY
Powered solely by renewable energy and
designed with natural materials sourced
from the surrounding countryside of
South Tyrol, Forestis is an Alpine escape
with a conscience. The spa hotel’s scenic
perch 1,800 meters up in the Dolomite
Mountains is matched by an elevated
commitment to sustainability (for every
tree felled during construction, two oth-
ers were planted) and community en-
gagement, complimented by a zero-waste
kitchen that showcases foraged ingre-
dients and regional produce. At the spa,
ALPINE ESCAPE
Above: One of three guests can also sample the healing tradi-
wood-clad, all-suite tions of the ancient Celtic tribes that once
towers pokes above
the trees at northern roamed this land, including a druidic
Italy’s Forestis, which style of yoga called wyda (forestis.it).
also incorporates a
century-old building
originally designed KEEMALA, THAILAND
as a sanatorium. Whichever style of accommodation one
chooses at Keemala — there are tent vil-
las, clay cottages, tree houses, and cocoon-
like “bird’s nest” villas — all are designed
FOR YOUR to attune guests to the rhythms of the sur-
rounding forest. Set in the hills above Ka-
CONSIDERATION mala on the west coast of Phuket, the re-
SMALL LUXURY HOTELS OF sort is restorative in more ways than one:
THE WORLD HAS LAUNCHED it’s an active supporter of the Royal Thai
COURTESY OF FORESTIS

A COLLECTION OF ACTIVELY Navy’s Sea Turtle Conservation project as

well as community-based mangrove res-
SUSTAINABLE PROPERTIES THAT toration and tree planting. Food menus
GO THE EXTRA ECO MILE. emphasize ethical eating, each villa has its

10 D ESTINASIAN
GOOD TO GO E C O W ATC H

ECO CHIC but with the added comforts of plush

Clockwise from bedding, heated hand-cut stone floors,
left: A seaside
villa at Petit St. and cozy fireplaces fueled by sustainably
Vincent; the spa sourced firewood. Guests are encouraged
at La Sultana
Marrakech; tent to connect with the local community
villas at Phuket’s through meditation sessions and blessing
Keemala.
ceremonies with the monks at the nearby
Gangtey Goenpa monastery; they’re also
invited to visit farming families to make
cheese and butter and assist with the
harvest. Additionally, the property car-
ries out an annual tree-planting program
own water treatment system, and there’s THE FORTRESS RESORT & SPA, and helps maintain the winter roosting
a small menagerie of rescued animals, SRI LANKA grounds of the valley’s endangered black-
including a water buffalo that was saved Situated at Koggala on Sri Lanka’s sun- necked cranes (gangteylodge.com).
from the slaughterhouse (keemala.com). drenched south coast, The Fortress mixes
Dutch-colonial architectural influences LA SULTANA MARRAKECH, MOROCCO
PETIT ST. VINCENT, ST. VINCENT with homegrown Sri Lankan charm. Most The Kasbah quarter of Marrakech’s World
AND THE GRENADINES of its 53 teak-floored rooms and suites Heritage–listed medina provides an at-
There are just 22 villas on this private have unobstructed ocean views; there’s mospheric backdrop to one of the city’s
Caribbean resort islet, which was origi- also an Ayurvedic spa, an Olympic-size most inviting boltholes. Comprising five
nally developed in the 1960s and given pool, and an emphasis on sustainably historic riads, La Sultana is a showcase of
a multimillion-dollar revamp by its new sourced food from nearby farmers and traditional Moroccan decorative arts —
owners a decade ago. Guests can expect fishermen. Certified by Green Globe, the intricate stuccowork, zellij tile mosaics,
both barefoot luxury and a regenerative resort runs its own turtle conservation sheeny tadelakt plaster — that guests can
ethos highlighted by coral restoration project and offers an array of immersive explore on tours led by resident heritage
activities and efforts to develop marine experiences within the local community and architecture curators. Kitchen ingre-
protected areas around the island. Home (fortressresortandspa.com). dients are sourced from a small network
to one of only two Jean-Michel Cousteau of slow-food producers, the on-site bou-
dive centers worldwide, Petit St. Vincent GANGTEY LODGE , BHUTAN tique champions local artisans, and the
produces its own fresh water at a state-of- Set on a ridge above the fields and forests spa, equipped with two colonnaded ham-
the-art desalination plant and helps fund of central Bhutan’s Phobjikha Valley, this mams, incorporates locally made prod-
the education of its employees’ children 12-suite Himalayan hideaway takes its ucts such as argan oil and ghassoul clay
(petitstvincent.com). design cues from traditional farmhouses (lasultanahotels.com). —David Tse

ALEX TEUSCHER/COURTESY OF KEEMALA; COURTESY OF SMALL LUXURY HOTELS (2)

12 D ESTINASIAN
GOOD TO GO U P DAT E S

BEING THERE
The newest resort in the
Maldives is positioning
itself as the archipelago’s
first “nature-immersive
wellbeing retreat.” But
what does that mean?
For starters, Joali Being
(joali.com/joalibeing)
has been built from the
ground up using biophilic
design principles that
unite indoors and
outdoors. Guests can
also expect tailored
wellbeing programs
designed around the
four pillars of mind, skin, Out for
microbiome, and energy,
with an expert team of
a Spin
therapists, naturopaths, Visitors to
and movement specialists Singapore’s
on hand to guide you
through what promises
Sentosa Island
to be a transformative will soon get
journey. Set on a secluded to hover above
island in the Raa Atoll, the the treetops at
resort also offers plenty
of indulgences, from its
the area’s first
68 butler-serviced beach carbon-neutral
and water villas to its attraction.
nutritious and delicious Opening in
FROM REELS TO RAILS cuisine.
mid-December,
Train-loving fans of filmmaker Wes Anderson can now put SkyHelix Sentosa
themselves in the picture aboard Belmond’s British Pullman (mountfaber
(belmond.com), which traverses the English countryside leisure.com) is set
on culinary-focused day trips out of London. Anderson was to offer vertical
commissioned to redesign the train’s 1950s-era Cygnus
dining car and the results are as distinctive as his movies —
rides lasting 12
think silver-leaf detailing, gorgeous greens and pastel pinks, minutes in an

COURTESY OF BELMOND; COURTESY OF MANTIS; COURTESY OF JOALI BEING; COURTESY OF SKYHELIX SENTOSA
and gleaming art nouveau marquetry. Trips are priced from open-air gondola,
US$545 per person; for an even more exclusive experience, with guests
the carriage features two private suites that can be booked strapping on their
from US$2,455 for up to four people, including unlimited seat belts to soak
bubbly served from swan-shaped champagne coolers.
up the panoramic
vistas over the
nearby resorts
AFRICAN QUEEN Situated in the Albertine Rift and the Singapore
Valley, Rwanda’s Lake Kivu is known for its clear Strait as they
waters, beautiful islands, and pleasant beach resorts. slowly rotate 35
Come early 2022, travelers will also be able to stay meters above the
on this vast blue expanse with the launch of the Kivu
Queen uBuranga (mantiscollection.com), a 10-cabin,
ground.
solar-powered vessel operated by the South Africa–
based Mantis Group. Complete with an onboard
swimming pool and cocktail bar, it’s billed as the first
motorized yacht to sail the lake, with two-night cruise
itineraries that include guided hikes, bird-watching,
and insights into Rwandan village life.

14 D ESTINASIAN
 Here at DestinAsian, we appreciate hearing your feedback on how we can improve the quality and content of our
magazine. To help us understand you a bit better, please take a few minutes to fill out our 2021 Readership Survey.

As a token of our appreciation, you stand a chance to win a two-night stay

with daily breakfast for three at these top Centara Group properties in the Asia-Pacific region.

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or scan the QR code below.

CENTARA RESERVE CENTARA MIRAGE CENTARA MIRAGE

SAMUI RESORT MUI NE BEACH RESORT DUBAI
Set at the tranquil end of Chaweng Beach A fully integrated resort for guests of This themed destination resort on a prime
on the Thai island of Koh Samui, the newly all ages, Centara Mirage Resort Mui Ne waterfront stretch of the Deira Islands
opened Centara Reserve Samui is the debut overlooks the East Sea from its perch on is inspired by mythical Thai and Arabian
property in Centara’s luxury collection of the southeast coast of Vietnam, just a few adventures. Guests can spend their days
iconic, refined hotels. Interiors fuse colonial hours east of Ho Chi Minh City. In addition exploring the property’s water attractions
and contemporary elements, exclusive to an explorers-themed water park, the then wine and dine at eight different
amenities, private balconies and terraces, resort features Spanish Mediterranean– enticing venues. For those looking for
while restaurants range from Act 5 for style rooms, extensive recreational facilities, pure relaxation, SPA Cenvaree provides
modern high-end cuisine presented with a a trove of dining options, and a spa that pampering wellness treatments formulated
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Entries must be submitted by February 28, 2022. Thank you for taking the time to complete this survey.
GOOD TO GO

TIME FOR TRANG

LOOKING FOR A LOW-KEY
ESCAPE IN THE ANDAMAN SEA?
TRY THESE FOUR ISLANDS OFF
THE COAST OF THAILAND’S
TRANG PROVINCE.

THAILAND With their limpid waters, EASY BREEZY

Clockwise from
powdery white beaches, and swaying above: A young
palms backdropped by jungle-draped deckhand on the
karst formations, the under-the-radar boat to Koh Muk;
the restaurant
islands of southern Thailand’s Trang at Thapwarin
Archipelago have all the hallmarks of the Resort on Koh
Ngai; freshly
perfect Thai beach retreat. The tourist caught seafood
crowds have long skipped these offshore awaits at Jahnai
on Koh Libong.
gems in favor of nearby Koh Lanta and Opposite, from
Koh Lipe, leaving them blissfully devoid left: Koh Libong’s
roving Cool
of flashy resorts and blaring beach clubs. Coffee stand; a
Several ferry lines connect the islands room at Andalay
Beach Resort
during the high season from November on Koh Libong.
to May, but private longtail boats make
CHRIS SCHALKX

hopping between them a breeze year-

round. Here’s where to go, eat, and bed
down on the archipelago’s biggest islands.

16 D ESTINASIAN
 ISLAND-HOPPING

KOH MUK populous island. It’s also the least visited, (fb.com/sevenseasresort; doubles from
Trang’s most visited isle has it all: swaths making it a haven for the Andaman Sea’s US$120) has spacious bungalows and a
of sugary white sand, hidden coves, and endangered dugong population. With a poolside restaurant that whips up terrific
hiking trails that crisscross a jungle- pinch of luck, you can spot these gentle Thai stir-fries and curries. Thanks to the
cloaked interior. Day-trippers from other creatures from your canoe in Libong’s dozen or so Italians staffing local resorts,
islands are lured here by Emerald Cave southeastern seagrass beds or from the you’re also in the right place for real-deal
(Tham Morakot to locals), a hidden beach watchtower overlooking the bay at Batu Italian fare — the pizzas at Italiano Bar
accessible only by swimming through Pute village. While there, stop for lobster & Restaurant (fb.com/coralgardenresort
a pitch-black tunnel. A lively, tourist- tom yum and chili shrimp at seafood thailand) get top marks.
centric village envelops much of Muk’s institution Jahnai and track down the
eastern shoreline, offering plentiful dining Cool Coffee cart for a decent Arabica KOH NGAI
options (seek out Sugar’s for rich curries brew. A slew of rickety homestays line Without villages, ATMs, or even roads,
and fruit shakes) and accommodation for Batu Pute’s main street, but the prettiest Koh Ngai — officially part of neighboring
every budget, including the plush villas lodgings, including the Andalay Beach Krabi province but better reached via
at Sivalai Beach Resort (komooksivalai Resort (andalayresort.com; doubles from Trang — is the ultimate Thai island idyll.
.com; doubles from US$180). And unlike US$180), are to be found along a golden The waters are coral-rich and Listerine-
on the nearby islands, there’s even a pinch beach on Libong’s western tip. clear, and the main beach stretches nearly
of nightlife in the form of reggae-blasting two kilometers. Here, Thapwarin Resort
bars furnished from driftwood and fishing KOH KRADAN (thapwarin.com; doubles from US$70) and
flotsam, of which the spuriously named You’ll be hard-pressed to do much more the recently refurbished CoCo Cottage
GoGo Bar is a top spot for sundowners. than some snorkeling and hammock Resort (coco-cottage.com; doubles from
swinging on Koh Kradan, but that’s US$144) are the best places to stay. Both
KOH LIBONG exactly what this dreamy island is all are also excellent spots for lunch and
With more than 3,500 friendly residents about. The main beach delivers postcard dinner (especially if you’re after a Western
and a surface area of about 35 palm- scenes with every step, and swings made bite), but don’t miss the seafood BBQ
covered square kilometers, Koh Libong of driftwood and sisal rope hang from joints that pop up all along the beach after
is the archipelago’s largest and most leaning trees. The Seven Seas Resort sunset. — Chris Schalkx

DEC E M BE R 202 1 / FE BR UA RY 2022 17

GOOD TO GO BOOKSHELF

THE WORLD IN
YOUR KITCHEN
THIS SEASON’S
COOKBOOKS ARE FULL
OF FLAVORS FROM NEAR
AND AFAR.

In Sambal Shiok (Quadrille Publishing), whose father hails from the area, affec- from Mexico to Argentina and situates
the Kuala Lumpur–born chef behind the tionately explores in Istria (Smith Street dishes like Honduran tacos and Bolivian
lauded London restaurant of the same Books). • Interspersed with memoirs and spicy pork stew in fascinating cultural
name, Mandy Yin, celebrates the diver- recipes, The Korean Vegan Cookbook context. • Rohit Ghai, the Punjabi chef
sity of Malaysian food culture, with doz- (Avery) is attorney and TikTok star behind some of London’s leading Indian
ens of recipes ranging from her signature Joanne Lee Molinaro’s plant-based trib- restaurants, has packed his first cook-
curry laksa to tamarind prawns and beef ute to her ancestral homeland. • Tour the book, Tarkari (Kyle Books), with inno-
rendang. • Katerina Nitsou’s Macedonia: capitals of Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia vative vegetarian and vegan dishes (like
The Cookbook (Interlink Books) is a love with self-described “storyteller cook” jackfruit masala or lotus-root kofta) that
letter to her Northern Macedonian roots Zuza Zak in Amber & Rye: A Baltic Food pay homage to the food his parents ate.
and the food she grew up eating — dishes Journey (Interlink Books), whose pages • Tasting Vietnam: Flavors and Mem-
like tavche gravche (baked beans) and pa- offer up new-wave Baltic dishes like wild ories From My Grandmother’s Kitchen
strmajlija, a meat-and-egg “pizza.” • To- mushroom and pumpkin terrine and a (Rizzoli) is Franco-Vietnamese actress
day shared by Slovenia and Croatia, the beetroot salad with smoked fish. • The and model Anne-Solenne Hatte’s heart-
Istrian peninsula has in turn been ruled Latin American Cookbook (Phaidon) felt tribute to her maternal grandmother,
by the Venetian Republic, Austria, and It- draws on hundreds of regional recipes who fled the Vietnam War and eventually
aly, creating a rich culinary heritage that compiled by Peruvian chef Virgilio Mar- opened a well-regarded family restaurant
Italian-American author Paola Bacchia, tínez, who guides readers on a journey in France. —David Tse

18 D ESTINASIAN
 ADVERTISEMENT

FINDING TRANQUILITY
IN TABANAN
Eco-conscious luxury awaits at Nirjhara, a secluded sanctuary
that’s rooted in the traditions of its island home.

S
et amid a bucolic landscape of paddy fields and forest on the diverse spa menu includes Blessings, or treatments inspired by Balinese
southwest coast of Bali, Nirjhara promises an alluring blend of traditions, as well as sound healing, reiki, massages, and body scrubs.
sustainable luxury, contemporary design, and warm Indonesian Therapists deliver the wellness rituals in four treatment rooms; these are
hospitality. Its name, which means “waterfall” in Sanskrit, was derived from complemented by two Finnish saunas, a fully-equipped gym, and The
a natural cascade flowing right beside the property. The family-owned Shala, a riverside bamboo-built yoga pavilion designed by Bali-based eco-
retreat of just 25 suites and villas is elegant yet playful, delighting travelers architecture firm Ibuku.
with its relaxed sophistication and back-to-nature feel. It’s also the ideal Nirjhara’s commitment to sustainability goes well beyond a no-plastics
gateway for exploring the surrounding regency of Tabanan. policy. Upcycled materials were used in the resort’s construction; insulation
Accommodations include seven treehouse Canopy Suites built using in each suite minimizes the use of air conditioning, and water is heated with
upcycled hevea wood and clad with reclaimed teak and ironwood. Inside solar panels and heat pumps. Custom bathroom amenities are produced in
each suite and villa, guests will find woven furniture handcrafted by local Bali using all-natural ingredients, while an on-site water purification facility
artisans and contemporary artworks from up-and-coming Indonesian provides guests with drinking water in recycled glass bottles.
artists. Even more privacy awaits at The Residence, a two-story, two- Another plus? The trove of immersive activities that range from cycling
bedroom villa with floor-to-ceiling windows looking out toward the lush and horse-riding excursions to cultural experiences and surf lessons at
jungle. nearby Kedungu Beach. Guided explorations of lesser-known sights in the
Ambu, Nirjhara’s casual-chic restaurant, presents a modern hills of Tabanan are a must; the resort is just a stone’s throw away from the
interpretation of Balinese cuisine. No less than 95 percent of ingredients famed Tanah Lot Temple and the lively heart of Canggu.
are sourced from the hotel’s own vegetable garden, neighboring farms, Should you wish to travel beyond Bali’s shores, Nirjhara is introducing
and trusted local suppliers. Vela, its very own six-cabin phinisi sailing yacht, in January 2022. Luxury-
And while you can easily spend hours lounging by the infinity pool, minded adventurers who charter the vessel can look forward to customized
deeper relaxation can be had in The Retreat at Nirjhara. Here, the journeys around the Indonesian archipelago.

FO R MO RE INF O R M AT I O N, V I SI T NI RJ HA R A . CO M
GOOD TO GO H E R I TA G E

WATERFRONT REVAMP
A 19TH-CENTURY RESIDENTIAL
COMPOUND IS THE THAI CAPITAL’S
LATEST RIVERSIDE HOT SPOT.

B A N G KO K The past few years have

seen a number of crumbling warehouses
and estates along Bangkok’s Chao Phraya
River successfully transformed into hip
hangouts (The Jam Factory and Lhong
1919 are but two examples) that manage
to coexist with the traditional fabric of
their neighborhoods. To judge by the lat-
est addition to the scene, the trend shows
no sign of abating.
Occupying a clutch of once dilapidat-
ed houses in the historic Talad Noi neigh-
borhood on the edge of Chinatown, Hong
Sieng Kong (fb.com/hongsiengkong) is a
Sino-Thai-style café, gallery, and events
space that recently emerged from a meti-
culous yearlong restoration. Entry is via a
blue-fronted shophouse tucked down an
alleyway near the Zhou Shi Kong shrine,
a Hokkien sanctuary that has stood here
since Bangkok’s earliest days. The shop-
house itself — where the café’s kitchen and
order counter are located — dates back at
least 150 years; out back, on the far side of OLD IS NEW AGAIN
Clockwise from
a covered courtyard previously occupied above: Restored
by an auto-parts yard, are a pair of even after decades
of neglect, Hong
older riverfront buildings, one which Sieng Kong is
remains partially enveloped by towering now replete with
Chinese and
strangler figs. Southeast Asian
Hong Sieng Kong has proven a hit antiques; one of the
café’s riverfront
with café-goers for its colorful fruit pies, buildings remains
butterfly-pea sorbet, and Talad Noi Coffee overgrown with
strangler figs; the
— a strong jolt of caffeine with orange and riverfront deck.
soda. Waterside tables with sunset views
across the Chao Phraya are an added bo-
nus. But the antiques-filled interiors are
the main draw. Owner Dechar Sae-Be, where to start,” Dechar says of the resto- same period, and a century-old Thai teak
whose family bought the 1,600-square- ration. “Nobody had lived in the houses longboat once used for river processions
meter site more than a decade ago, over- for 40 years, so everything was run-down. that is now the showpiece of the outdoor
saw the renovations himself, opting for I just got rid of what I didn’t want, and did garden.
a look that embraced the property’s at- my best to preserve as much as I could.” Hong Sieng Kong is thronged with
mospheric state of decay: think exposed Complementing the setting is a slew of visitors at sunset and will soon expand its
rafters, patches of bare brickwork, and vintage furnishings and artifacts from his hours to dinner — further testimony to
LUKE DUGGLEBY/REDUX

the preservation of the aforementioned father’s long-established Hong Antiques the enduring appeal of Bangkok’s storied
trees, whose vine-like roots snake across shop. These include a set of carved wood- riverfront. “This place has so much his-
the masonry. en panels from early 19th-century China, tory,” Dechar says. “I just wanted to bring
“The biggest challenge was deciding a two-wheeled Chinese carriage from the it back to life.” — Ron Gluckman

20 D ESTINASIAN
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GOOD TO GO

BALI To say Raffles Bali has had a long

gestation period would be an understate-
ment. The resort was first dreamed up in
1984, when the late Dr. Shoichi Kajima
— then president of the Tokyo-based Ka-
jima Corporation — came across a parcel
of jungled land on southern Bali’s Jimba-
ran Bay. Although the acquisition process
took more than two decades, he never lost
sight of his vision: to create a classic Bali-
nese resort in a Japanese manner.
Hence the Raffles’ elegant, Zen-like
aesthetic of muted colors and minimal-
ism with a focus on local materials: woven
bamboo-mat ceilings, hardwood floors,
limestone taken directly from the site.
These elements are balanced with batik
tapestries behind the beds and a trove of
antiques from around the Indonesian ar-
chipelago. Stepping into a villa (there are
just 32 across the resort’s 23 hectares),
guests might find bronze nekara kettle
drums, paddles from Papua, or tricolor
gorga singa sculptures carved by Toba
Batak artisans in North Sumatra.
Also apparent are all the creature
comforts expected of a Raffles property,
whether that might be cloudlike pillows
misted with lavender or an enormous
bathroom featuring double vanities, a

JAMES LOUIE (1), COURTESY OF RAFFLES BALI

deep-soaking tub, and an indoor and out-
door shower. On the private terrace out
front, beside a plunge pool whose lime-
stone cladding absorbs heat during the
day (ensuring the water is never too cold
for a nighttime swim), a thatched bale
with an oversize daybed is just the place
to take in the ocean and sunset views.

JIMBARAN’S NEW GEM

WHILE RAFFLES BALI QUIETLY
MADE ITS DEBUT IN JULY 2020, THE
GRAND OPENING THIS DECEMBER
MARKS THE CULMINATION OF A
PROJECT NEARLY FOUR DECADES
IN THE MAKING.

22 D ESTINASIAN
 CHECKING IN

next to its fruit and vegetable gardens, or

the Secret Cave — a natural grotto discov-
ered during construction.
This sand-floored cavity doubles as a
venue for morning meditation sessions;
nearby, therapists deliver muscle-melt-
ing massages in the main building’s two
treatment suites or at The Sanctuary, a
stilted hillside pavilion where spa-goers
are cocooned in greenery. Instrumental
in Raffles Bali’s push for holistic well-
ness is its team of discreet yet attentive
Wellbeing Butlers, who pamper guests
BAY-SIDE BEAUTY Raffles Bali also excels when it comes through experiences like the Sleeping
Clockwise from
above: Raffles
to dining. Down by a hidden stretch of Ritual, a turndown service that includes a
Bali’s Presidential golden sand, Loloan Beach Bar and Grill bite-size sweet — rolled coconut pancake
Villa; poolside at serves up wood-fired pizzas, a zesty gar- (dadar gulung) served with acacia honey,
one of the resort’s
ocean-view villas; den salad with hummus, and grilled sea- perhaps — and a rotating selection of
a villa bedroom; food marinated in a Jimbaran-style spice wedang, Javanese herbal drinks infused
the contemporary
Indonesian menu mix. Rumari, situated at the highest point with ingredients such as rosella, pandan,
at Rumari includes of the property, offers an indulgent à la lemongrass or kaffir lime.
Rujak Scallop,
which blends carte breakfast packed with delights like And when one awakes after sunrise,
fresh Maluku tuna poke, Central Javanese soto ayam, few things beat sitting out in the thatched
shellfish with
Balinese fruits; and lobster omelets. By night, French bale, listening to birdsong and the waves
one of the resort’s chef Gaetan Biesuz and his team turn out of the Indian Ocean lapping against the
Wellbeing Butlers.
exquisite interpretations of Indonesian beach far below. In an age of instant grati-
dishes, which are best prefaced with sun- fication, it’s comforting to know that Dr.
downers at The Writers Bar next door. Kajima’s long-cherished wish has finally
The resort can even organize private din- been fulfilled (rafflesbali.com; doubles
ners at a seaside gazebo, a rustic pergola from US$1,060). –James Louie

DEC E M BE R 202 1 / FE BR UA RY 2022 23

GOOD TO GO TO P TA B L E S

FOUR IN S’PORE
FROM CLASSIC FRENCH
FLAVORS TO A CINEMATIC
ODE TO INDIA, THE LATEST
ADDITIONS TO SINGAPORE’S
FOOD SCENE BECKON.

TO DINE FOR Clockwise from

top: Spanish mackerel with
mushrooms and daikon at
Nae:um; banquette seating at
Claudine; Firangi Superstar’s
Old Railway Room, a private
dining room decked out like a
vintage Indian train carriage.

CLAUDINE officer’s club, an old railway carriage, a a salad of acorn jelly and konbu-aged sea
Aiming for the sweet spot between haute Rajasthani palace, and a jungle lodge. The bream, and slow-roasted samchi (Spanish
cuisine and bistronomy, the latest res- food, by third-generation Indian-Malay- mackerel) with mushrooms and daikon
taurant by chef Julien Royer is all about sian chef Thiru Gunasakarn, exhibits an in a mushroom broth (naeum.sg).
home-style French cooking. Housed in a equal amount of quirk, most of it suc-
converted 1930s chapel in the Dempsey cessful. Try his playful reinterpretation GAGGAN ANAND AT MANDALA CLUB
Hill area, Claudine serves up Gallic clas- of aloo gobi or the Salvador Thali, a vivid While Thai diners mourned the pandem- JOHN HENG/DA PHOTOGRAPHER (TOP); COURTESY OF CLAUDINE; OWEN RAGGETT

sics such as onion soup, pigeon confit, and pumpkin dish that will forever change ic-induced closure of Gaggan Anand’s
vol-au-vent with veal sweetbread, cocks- your appreciation of the humble gourd namesake Bangkok restaurant last April,
comb, and morels. The vibe is decidedly (firangisuperstar.com). their counterparts in Singapore have rea-
more casual and family-friendly than it son to cheer with the temporary reloca-
is across town at Royer’s three-Michelin- NAE:UM tion of the Kolkata-born chef’s team to
starred Odette; larger parties will want to All blond woods and soft lighting, Korean the Mandala Club, where they will be in
order sharing dishes like steak flambé or chef Louis Han’s first solo venture is easy residence through March 2022. The cur-
bouillabaisse (claudinerestaurant.com). on the eyes. So, too, is his contemporary rent menu features both Gaggan signa-
Seoul cuisine, which mingles traditional tures like Yogurt Explosion — a sphere of
FIRANGI SUPERSTAR Korean flavors with Western techniques. yogurt chaat masala on a “leaf” of green
This cinematic ode to India from an un- Opened in July, the 28-seat restaurant is chutney — and such new creations as the
abashedly firangi (foreign) perspective already into its second seasonal dinner Kachang Uni, a tribute to Singapore’s ice
fairly bursts with character and whimsy. menu, which is inspired by the winter- kachang in the form of sea urchin and
Filled with vintage decor, the four dining time mountains of Han’s homeland. almond-milk tofu atop shaved kelp dashi
sections are by turns styled as a Raj-era Highlights of the six-course feast include ice (mandala.club). —Mavis Teo

24 D ESTINASIAN
 CONTEST

WIN
A THREE-NIGHT STAY
AT SIAM KEMPINSKI
HOTEL BANGKOK

D
espite its location at the heart of
the Thai capital’s premier shopping
and entertainment district, the
resort-style Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok
feels like an oasis. Combining Kempinski’s
trademark European flair with the gracious
traditions of Thai hospitality, the property
offers 397 well-appointed guest rooms
and suites, most of which overlook the
hotel’s lush garden and shimmering
saltwater swimming pools. It also boasts
an impressive line-up of dining options,
including Mediterranean restaurant ALATi
and Sra Bua by Kiin Kiin, a one-Michelin-
starred Thai establishment conceptualized
by Danish chef Henrik Yde-Andersen.
The prize is for three consecutive nights
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Simply answer the following questions and fill in your details for a
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of breakfast for two.

1. The Faroe Islands are officially part of which country?

2. Name one Australian state that has reopened to vaccinated

international tourists.

3. Which region of Saudi Arabia is featured in this issue?

Each entry must state the entrant’s full name, address, and telephone
number and be returned to DestinAsian by February 28, 2022.
Please send your answers either by post:
DestinAsian, P.O. Box 08 JKPPJ, Jakarta 10210 A, Indonesia; fax: 62-21/574-
7733; e-mail: [email protected]; or via destinasian.com

TERMS & CONDITIONS One entry per person only. • YOUR INFORMATION
Competition is open to all readers who are 18 years of age or Name (Mr./Mrs./Ms.)
older except for employees of DestinAsian and prize sponsors.
• The prize is not transferable, with no cash alternative. • Address
Rooms are subject to availability and advance booking must City Zip
be made directly with the sponsors. • Stays are valid until Country
November 30, 2022. • Blackout dates apply. • The winner will
be notified within 14 days after the draw and results will be Telephone (Home/Mobile)
published in the March–May 2022 issue of DestinAsian. E-mail
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 D I S PATC H E S HONG KONG
no. 119

dispatches stories to inspire your wanderlust

SHEDDING LIGHT
The new Herzog
& de Meuron–
designed museum
overlooks Victoria
Harbour from its
waterfront perch in
the West Kowloon
Cultural District.

On the
plus side
After years of delay and
controversy, the recent
opening of Hong Kong’s
M+ museum could prove
a watershed moment for
the regional art scene.
But does its cultural vision
live up to the promise?
BY J O N AT H A N H O P F N E R
VIRGILE SIMON BERTRAND/COURTESY OF HERZOG & DE MEURON

DEC E M BE R 202 1 / FE BR UA RY 2022 27

D I S PATC H E S

he celebrated Polish sculptor Magdalena

T
Abakanowicz once described art as “born
out of struggle.”
Hong Kong’s M+, which finally opened
in November after a wait of well over a
decade, shows the same can apply to art museums. The
vast temple to “visual culture” and centerpiece of the
chronically troubled West Kowloon Cultural District was
born of a backstory with enough twists and turns to fuel
a Korean drama: construction mishaps, budget overruns,
a revolving door of high-profile executives, allegations of
mismanagement and conflicts of interest.
Yet none of these issues have proven as contentious,
or potentially threatening to M+’s lofty ambitions — it’s
regularly mentioned in the same breath as New York’s
Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) and the Centre Pompi-
dou in Paris — as a couple of events its planners could
not have predicted. One is the National Security Law im-
posed by China in response to anti-government protests
that rocked Hong Kong in 2019. While nominally focused
LOFTY GOALS
on quelling violence, the law is also increasingly viewed Below, from left:
as a means to stifle artistic expression, and the museum’s The Main Hall at So it’s easy enough to be apprehensive
M+; an untitled
collection has already come under the microscope. The 1995 work by about the museum’s prospects, even to lapse
other event was of course the pandemic, and more specif- Beijing-based into cynicism. Despite director Suhanya Raf-
ically, Hong Kong’s somewhat heavy-handed response to Fang Lijun, who fel’s repeated insistence that M+ retains cura-
emerged as a
it. As long as most international visitors face the prospect leading proponent torial independence and that no changes to its
of 21 days of quarantine before they can set foot anywhere of China’s opening exhibitions were contemplated, pre-
Cynical Realism
near M+, any dreams of being a global nexus for the artis- movement in view events included a stern reminder from
tic community will have to wait. the 1990s. West Kowloon Cultural District chairman
Henry Tang that cultural expression was not
above the law. Yet when I visited the museum
on the morning of its opening, a huge and di-
verse crowd had assembled before its doors,
and there was a breathless excitement in the
air that I hadn’t sensed in this beleaguered
city for a long, long time. A lot of that, it turns
out, may be justified.
For one thing, M+ could succeed on force of
gravity alone. The sprawling-yet-sleek Herzog

KEVIN MAK/COURTESY OF HERZOG & DE MEURON (3); COURTESY OF FANG LIJUN

28 D ESTINASIAN
 HONG KONG

its crisp lines and austere concrete, somewhat imposing,

akin to a mausoleum. But then a corner is turned that
brings you face to face with an expansive view of Victoria
Harbour, a video installation, or a warmly lit gift shop.
It all begs exploration. The only question is, where to
go first? Because each of the main galleries is large and
rich enough in treasures to occupy a day on its own. A
mere 1,500 of the over 6,000 pieces in the museum’s per-
manent collection are on display at any one time, to say
nothing of the visiting exhibits that happen to be on offer.
And whatever political minefields they have had to navi-
gate, the M+ curators must be applauded for assembling
what has to be one of the most eclectic and representative
collections of Asia-focused art and design in the region,
if not the world.
The “design” qualifier is important and integral to M+’s
mission of not simply being a museum in the traditional
sense (hence the “plus” in its name), but also a portal to all
things visual — even what could in some circles be consid-
ered banal. It elevates not just painting and sculpture, but
gadgets, furniture, and advertising campaigns that worm
into our consciousness in childhood.
The approach is distinctive enough to galvanize even
relative veterans of the art scene like Henry Au-yeung.
While concerned about the pressures facing Hong Kong
artists in a difficult period, the founder and director of
the locally focused Grotto Fine Art gallery still sees M+ as
both a welcome sign of progress and a significant oppor-
tunity. “Very few places on earth would dedicate a piece
of prime real estate like this to art,” he tells me. “And it’s
really exciting because it’s a museum of visual culture, not
art alone. The intention is not just preservation; there’s a
focus on things that don’t conform to expectations, and
dialogue with contemporary citizens — the museum not
as a vault, but as an open stage. There’s a genuine inter-
est in the people behind the artwork, and in making the
artists visible.”
Thus one of the galleries during the museum’s debut
is given over to “Things, Spaces, Interactions,” a nostal-
gic yet consistently surprising assemblage of 500-plus
examples of furniture, architecture, advertising, and
other objects that have defined design over the last few
& de Meuron–designed museum compound, SHOW AND TELL decades. It’s a cosmopolitan collection, but the emphasis
consisting of a squat podium that appears to From top: One is on the everyday innovations that went on to play an in-
of six thematic
hover over the ground topped by a slender, exhibitions tegral role in the construction of Asia’s postwar identity:
LED-equipped latticework tower that serves currently on show, one of Toshiba’s early rice cookers; United States Infor-
“Things, Spaces,
as a gargantuan digital canvas, has instantly Interactions” mation Service propaganda offering rural Thais the stark
become one of the most commanding pres- displays hundreds choice of “Freedom, or Communism”; a breezy, neon-
of design objects
ences on an already high-profile harbor front. drawn from
splashed cover for an album by Hong Kong pop idol Anita
In a space-starved metropolis, its dimensions the museum’s Mui. Divorced from their standard context, these works
are staggering: 65,000 square meters in total, collections; a assume a new potency, and one can begin to appreciate
video installation
with no fewer than 33 galleries, three cinemas, by Seoul-based how boundary-pushing they once were.
a research center, restaurants and lounges, art group Young- Any lingering concerns that M+ is fixated on the mun-
Hae Chang Heavy
courtyards, and rooftop gardens. Industries titled
dane are banished with my whirlwind tour through the
Approaching the bank of escalators that Crucified TVs formidable collection bequeathed to the museum by Uli
link the main exhibition areas, one feels every - Not a Prayer Sigg, a former Swiss diplomat who’s been an active patron
in Heaven.
inch of this; the space is enormous and, with of China’s contemporary art scene since the early 1990s.

DEC E M BE R 202 1 / FE BR UA RY 2022 29

D I S PATC H E S HONG KONG

titled “Hong Kong: Here and Beyond,” which

occupies pride of place in the Main Gallery
and is an unbridled celebration of the develop-
ment of the city’s unique aesthetic and visual
identity from the 1960s onward. The exhibit
spans everything from the alternately grace-
ful and tortured brushwork of esteemed ink
painter Liu Shou-kwan, to a full floating home
designed by renowned provocateur Kacey
Wong, who bobbed around Victoria Harbour
in the work as part of a performance before
fleeing into self-imposed exile in Taiwan.
But perhaps the best, or at least most sym-
bolic, piece is the one that greets visitors at the
gallery entrance: a pair of doors etched with
the distinctive calligraphy of Tsang Tsou-choi,
a.k.a. the “King of Kowloon,” who doggedly
scrawled lengthy screeds proclaiming owner-
SEE CHANGE M+ rightly boasts that his donation represents one of the ship over most of the Kowloon Peninsula over
Above: A rear most comprehensive repositories of modern Chinese art prominent public surfaces throughout Hong
view of M+ and
the surrounding globally, spanning a number of distinct movements and Kong for years before his death in 2007. Once
West Kowloon nearly every possible medium. It’s an almost overwhelm- viewed as a semi-criminal nuisance, his image
Cultural Distict,
which occupies ing amount to digest on any one visit, but what it instant- has since undergone something of a make-
a headland of ly makes clear is that years of Communist Party rule have over in the eyes of the government, which now
reclaimed land
overlooking
failed to purge Chinese art of its vibrancy, and that M+ claims to be working to preserve what little
Victoria Harbour isn’t inclined to shy away from potentially controversial of his work remains. I can’t help but wonder
and the high-rise material. whether Hong Kong’s current crop of rene-
waterfront of
Hong Kong Island. Much noise was made about the museum’s decision gades will undergo a similar rehabilitation a
not to show a provocative photo by exiled enfant terrible few decades down the line.
Ai Weiwei that depicts the artist flipping the bird to Tian- As I make my way through a courtyard
anmen Square. But some of his other work is proudly on the quest for an exit, the museum has one
on display, including Whitewash, an installation of over final surprise in store. In a separate building,
100 ancient earthenware jars that Ai has painted over there’s a graveyard of sorts for the elaborate
to various degrees in an apparent jab at tradition. Other neon signs that once graced many of Hong
highlights include an untitled work by Yan Lei depicting Kong’s businesses, now very much an endan-
the arrest of artist Tang Song at the 1989 “China/Avant- gered species. It is here that the garish blue
Garde” exhibition in Beijing; and Wang Xingwei’s New cow that once dangled precariously over pa-
Beijing, a painting modeled on a well-known photograph trons entering Sammy’s Kitchen, a defiantly
of injured protestors being sped away from Tiananmen old-school diner on Queen’s Road West, has
Square the same year. It would clearly be problematic come to rest, and I’m hit by a wave of some-
to show these creations anywhere on the Mainland, let thing approaching shame when I realize that
alone in an institution of such prominence, and in that I’m not even sure I noticed the sign was gone.
the museum seems to be attempting to deliver a message. It’s a small but potent reminder of the losses
An even stronger message, at least to my mind, is constantly inflicted on a place that has en-
M+’s unabashed affection for its home city — a charac- dured more change than most, for the most
teristic that can by no means be taken for granted in a part stoically and successfully.
place so explicitly designed to compete on a global scale. In the new Hong Kong, M+ may not be the
The expression of solidarity culminates in an exhibition museum some of its original champions en-
KEVIN MAK/COURTESY OF HERZOG & DE MEURON

visioned. But if it prods people to remember

what an exceptional, even miraculous, place
the city can be, that will stand as one signifi-
cant mission accomplished. THERE IS MORE
Divorced from their standard context, THAN ONE STORY OF HONG KONG, a sign on a wall
these works assume a new potency, insisted on my visit. M+ seems purpose-built to
remind us of that truth — and that sometimes,
and one can begin to appreciate how those stories are even worth taking pride in.
boundary pushing they once were. mplus.org.hk

30 D ESTINASIAN
D I S PATC H E S VIETNAM

Natural order
With its rippling rice terraces, stilt-house villages, and soaring
limestone peaks, the Pu Luong Nature Reserve is poised to become
one of northern Vietnam’s most appealing destinations.
BY J O S H UA Z U K A S

he peak of The Beast looms intimidatingly large. to win this race, he needs to begin the descent and keep his lead.

T
It’s not yet dawn, but Nguyen Dang Trung can al- This isn’t the first time Nguyen has vanquished The Beast,
ready make out the jagged contours of the impos- which is what runners call the 900-meter mountain that forms
ing mountain. He senses the horde of competitors the most challenging section of the Vietnam Jungle Marathon
in hot pursuit, which steels his spirit, powers his (VJM), an international event held annually in the Pu Luong
legs, and spurs him up the muddy track. The increase in pace Nature Reserve. Nor will it be the last. After years of on-and-off
melts the other runners away one by one, and after an intense jogging and a failed half marathon, Nguyen fell in love with trail
uphill struggle Nguyen finally conquers the summit. running during the first VJM in 2017. It’s also where he won gold
Now all alone, he stops suddenly, not to catch his breath in 2020.
but to inhale the views. The early-morning sun illuminates the “I have a special relationship with Pu
POLE POSITION
landscape, rousing the emerald rice terraces in the valley below. Above: Stilted Luong,” he says. “It’s unlike anywhere else in
Wisps of cloud cling to neighboring peaks, which sit suspended accommodation the country.”
at Pu Luong
like floating castles. The fantastical vistas nourish Nguyen’s Treehouse in the
As the crow flies, Pu Luong is located less
soul, but he can’t indulge for more than a second. If he is going village of Ban Don. than 100 kilometers southwest of Hanoi. But

PHOTOGRAPHS BY JASON KANE DEC E M BE R 202 1 / FE BR UA RY 2022 31

D I S PATC H E S

ringed by sharp limestone peaks and inaccessible by train describe the effect the village had on me.”
or highway, the nature reserve has been overlooked by Viet- Le was so inspired that in 2016 she bought
nam’s relatively recent — and rampant — tourism develop- a small hill in Ban Don and built Pu Luong
ment. Sa Pa, in the mountainous northern province of Lao Treehouse, a rustic lodge with only a handful
Cai, became the country’s most popular highland destination of rooms. To blend with the aesthetics of the
largely because it was accessible by train when roads were still village, Le created four thatch-roofed “tree
poor. Mai Chau, another tourist hot spot, is as far from Hanoi houses” set high on log stilts with panoramic
as Pu Luong, but it takes half the time to get there by car. Pu views of the nearby rice terraces. It was im-
Luong’s comparative seclusion has meant that it could con- portant to Le that her property didn’t blemish
serve its natural beauty in a way that Vietnam’s other moun- the scenery, which is why she felled few trees,
tain destinations could not. used local building materials, and designed
That was precisely what David Lloyd, director of sports and structures that pay homage to Pu Luong’s in-
marketing at Hanoi-based Topas Travel, the organizer of the digenous architecture.
VJM, was looking for. “I wanted somewhere with world-class Le’s philosophy caught on, and since Pu
trails and stunning scenery that would give runners a real Luong Treehouse opened in 2018, other
sense of adventure,” says Lloyd, who first visited Pu Luong in boutique hotels have sprung up across the
2014. He needed somewhere that few people had heard of, felt 17,000-hectare reserve. But while the land-
remote, and hadn’t been concreted over. Pu Luong ticked all scape remains mostly untarnished, Le feels
the boxes. uneasy about Pu Luong’s future. “I worry that
“VJM has the sense of stepping back in time,” Lloyd con- the place will develop too much and lose its
tinues. “Especially as the trails pass through picturesque charm,” she says.
ethnic minority villages.” Pu Luong is home to members of According to Le, if Pu Luong is to avoid
the Thai ethnic group, one of the more visible minorities in the pitfalls of other destinations — such as
northern Vietnam. Famed for their weaving dexterity, dance the gigantic concrete hotels found in Sa Pa
traditions, and terraced rice cultivation, the Thai — who are or cramped homestay clusters in Mai Chau
unrelated to the Thais of Thailand — live in small villages of — then the local government and people will
thatched stilt houses that ornament the undulating hills. need to mobilize. Local tour guide Lo Van
Threaded by streams and footpaths, Ban Don is one such Nam agrees. “We all need to work together to
village. “I fell in love with the area, especially Ban Don,” says maintain Pu Luong’s beauty,” he explains. “If
Hanoian Le Thi Phuong Dung, remembering her first visit not, investment projects will destroy the place
to Pu Luong in 2013. “The breathtaking scenery was so spe- day by day.”
cial — and the local people so friendly — that no words could Lo became one of the area’s first trained
tour guides back in 1998 and opened a home-
stay two years later in his home village of Kho
Muong. Framed by towering karst peaks in a
The Details remote valley north of Ban Don, Kho Muong
Pu Luong
Treehouse
offers a good glimpse into local life. While the
(puluongtree term “homestay” is used flexibly in Vietnam’s
house.com; more popular mountain destinations, where
doubles from
US$48) can
organize private
transport for the
four-hour drive
between Hanoi
and the Pu Luong
Nature Reserve.
Homestays
elsewhere in
the area can be
arranged via
Topas Travel
(topastravel.vn),
organizer of the
Vietnam Jungle
Marathon
(vietnamtrail
series.com).

32 D ESTINASIAN
 VIETNAM

many have evolved into guesthouses to accommodate more

visitors, in Pu Luong they’ve maintained their authenticity
for the most part, with guests sleeping in traditional houses
and eating meals with the family.
Lo recognizes that authenticity is key, but that develop-
ment is still important. He remembers growing up when
roads were poor and education was nonexistent. Now that the
area is developing, in part thanks to tourism, his grandchil-
dren can walk on paved roads to ever-improving schools. Still,
like Le, he believes that pressuring the local government to
implement policies that preserve Pu Luong’s natural beauty
is crucial to sustaining both agriculture and tourism. District
authorities do impose building restrictions and must green-
light any new developments, but there is a growing fear that
powerful investors can bend the rules.
Despite these concerns, many remain optimistic about Pu
GREEN MILES Luong’s future, especially as sustainability and conservation
From top: Scenic are becoming increasingly relevant to tourism development
views from Ban
Don village; trail master plans. While decision makers still admire successful
runner Nguyen tourism destinations like Sa Pa, there’s also an opportunity to
Dang Trung.
Opposite: Le Thi identify and learn from their mistakes.
Phuong Dung and “The landscape is what makes the place unique,” says
a wooden bathtub
at her Pu Luong
Lloyd of the VJM. “I’m confident that tourism development
Treehouse. will not lead to the loss of that uniqueness.”

DEC E M BE R 202 1 / FE BR UA RY 2022 33

D I S PATC H E S

Pitch Perfect
Castaway-like seclusion meets
five-star comfort on a far-flung
Indonesian isle called Moyo.
T E X T A N D P H O T O G R A P H S BY
C H R I S T O P H E R P. H I L L

oyo Island may not exactly be the middle of

M
nowhere, but it is certainly nowhere adjacent.
Home to just four thousand people, it sits like
a plug at the neck of the Gulf of Saleh, whose
broad, deep waters virtually split the mainland
island of Sumbawa in two. To the west across the Flores Sea,
the horizon is pricked by the distant cone of Mount Rinjani
on Lombok. To the east, hidden from view behind Moyo’s
thickly forested hills, rises another volcano, Sumbawa’s own
Mount Tambora, whose global-climate-changing eruption in

34 D ESTINASIAN
 INDONESIA

MOYO MAGIC
Clockwise from
left: One of
Amanwana’s
beachside tents;
a waitress on
the terrace of
the restaurant;
the Mata Jitu
Waterfall.

including Amans in Rajasthan, Montenegro,

Venice, and (opening soon) New York. Among
the earliest VIP guests were David Bowie, Ur-
sula Andress, and Princess Diana, who spent
two nights here in 1993 to escape the prying
lenses of the paparazzi.
Getting to nowhere, it must be said, takes
some effort. With no direct flights from Ja-
karta (where I live) to Sumbawa, I had to over-
night in Bali and lay over in Lombok before
finally boarding a private yacht at Sumbawa
Besar — the principal town on western Sum-
bawa’s north coast — for the 45-minute boat
trip to Amanwana. Almost 24 hours from door
1815 — the most powerful volcanic outburst in recorded to door, and I hadn’t even left the country.
history — has been linked to everything from Napoleon But the payoff was immediately appar-
Bonaparte’s defeat at Waterloo to the creation of Mary ent when we pulled up to the resort’s floating
Shelley’s Frankenstein. jetty, where a welcoming committee of staff
Moyo’s claim to fame (aside from its prized wild awaited our arrival. Backed by a wall of lush
honey) is the presence of Amanwana, one of the most forest, Amanwana is arranged along an invit-
exclusive hideaways in Indonesia. Developed by Aman ing crescent of coral sand on the west coast of
founder Adrian Zecha in the early 1990s, it was — and in Moyo. Its grounds encompass 50 hectares of
some ways remains — a pioneering property, and not just an extensive nature reserve that covers a third
because of its improbably obscure location. Conceived as of the 360-square-kilometer island (about
a luxury tented camp long before the term “glamping” half the size of Singapore), and so the resort
entered the hospitality lexicon, Amanwana (the name was designed to be as unobtrusive as possible,
means “peaceful forest” in Sanskrit) was a forerunner of with just 20 taupe-colored tents tucked above
low-impact resort design; I’m told that not a single tree the beach or set back beneath a bower of tropi-
was felled during construction. It also marked the first cal trees.
project by Belgian architect Jean-Michel Gathy, who “Tent,” admittedly, is something of a mis-
would go on to design some of the world’s finest hotels, nomer: set on coral-stone podiums, these

DEC E M BE R 202 1 / FE BR UA RY 2022 35

D I S PATC H E S

are more like canvas-roofed pavilions with burnished

teak floors, wraparound windows, built-in divans, and
en-suite bathrooms with double vanities and, curiously,
pull-chain toilets. Each is centered on a king-size bed
curtained in its own mini-tent of gauzy netting, which is
unfurled at turndown. It’s like sleeping in a cocoon.
The only sizeable building at Amanwana is the restau-
rant (named, rather unimaginatively, The Restaurant),
an open-air affair bathed in sea breezes and topped by a
lofty, bamboo-shingled roof. The menu here is abbrevi-
ated but it changes by the day, so you never need to eat
the same thing twice. I didn’t have a single bad meal,
whether it was a complex gulai kambing (Indonesian
lamb curry) or seared snapper with black pepper and a
simple citrus dressing. And that wild honey I mentioned
earlier? It turns up in the kitchen’s delicious homemade
honeycomb ice cream.
Due to the current lack of international guests, only
12 of the 20 tents were operational during my October
visit; number 20, where Princess Diana stayed, sat for-
lorn and empty under a layer of fallen leaves at the far
end of the compound. Yet with 10 of the tents occupied,
it was almost a full house. My fellow castaways, all from
different corners of Indonesia, were all here for the same
thing: near seclusion and complete serenity. And with no
Jet Skis or beach parties or even TVs to disturb the still-
ness, they were amply rewarded.
With little else in the way of diversions, the main
event here is nature. Apart from its prolific birdlife —

36 D ESTINASIAN
 INDONESIA

rocky dirt track that led four kilometers in-

Floating over the nocturnal reef, land past sesame fields and cashew orchards
I felt a twinge of voyeuristic shame and dense stands of bamboo. Sitting in the
whenever the beam of my flashlight front, Michel yelled out “Duck!” at every
low-hanging branch or “Hang on!” whenever
fell across a slumbering fish. the jeep plunged into a yawning pothole. Sci-
atica sufferers would be advised to skip the
experience.
But again, the payoff was worth it. Called
black-naped fruit doves, pygmy woodpeckers, yellow- Mata Jitu, the waterfall is gorgeous: a silky
crested cockatoos, and blue-tailed bee-eaters are just a spring-fed cascade that drops seven meters
few of the avian species that inhabit the island’s forests into a series of tiered limestone pools whose
— Moyo is home to wild boar and graceful rusa deer, perfectly sculpted edges — the product of
which are often spotted wandering the resort’s grounds. thousands of years of fine calcium deposits
I saw no deer during my stay, but I did see monkeys. Lots — look almost man-made. “It’s the real deal,”
and lots of monkeys. Crab-eating macaques, to be pre- Michel assured me as we dipped our feet
cise. I’ve encountered plenty of these creatures before in the jade-colored water. “Beautiful, no?”
on trips in Southeast Asia, and I have always considered Yes — and all the more so because we had it to
them a nuisance. And even here, it should be said, din- ourselves.
ers at the restaurant must be wary lest a monkey makes The scenery below the waves is even more
off with their meal. But on unspoiled Moyo, where I al- compelling. The entire coastline of Moyo is a
most felt as if I were intruding and where, after months marine conservation area, and the turquoise
of pandemic-induced solitude, I’m happy for any sort bay fronting Amanwana is particularly rich
of company — I find them quite charming. I take to sit- with life. Hawksbill and green turtles come to
ting outside my tent on a rattan-backed campaign chair, lay eggs on beaches around the island between
watching my frisky simian neighbors race up and down December and April; at a hatchery area near
the trunks of tamarind trees, trampoline off the canvas the resort’s dive center, rescued eggs that have
canopies, take turns grooming one another, and, well, been dug up by villagers are reburied, giving
just monkey around. Who needs TV? them a second lease on life.
One morning I set off with a guide for a trek along the There are several dive sites within easy
ridgeline behind the resort. Accompanying us was a tech reach of shore, and a few more farther out.
consultant from Lombok and his mother, who told me Yuda, the resort’s lanky dive instructor, took
they were on a mission to stay at all five Aman properties me out to the house reef, just a short swim
in Indonesia. Amanwana was the last on the list, and they from the jetty. It did not disappoint. There
reckoned it was their favorite. Mind you, this was before were corals of every description, gorgonian
our guide took a wrong turn and lost his bearings amid fans, and giant sponges; puffer fish and par-
a tangle of vegetation, obliging us to bushwhack our way rotfish and blue-spotted rays — a Technicolor
across a gully in order to find the track again. By the time aquascape. Later that evening, we returned
we reached trail’s end at a rocky promontory called Croc- for a night snorkel. It was an oddly intimate
odile Head, what was supposed to have been an hour’s experience, floating over the nocturnal reef,
hike had stretched out to three. But no worries. Admiring and I felt a twinge of voyeuristic shame when-
the views even as we tended to our thorn-scratched an- ever the beam of my flashlight fell across a
BLUE HORIZONS
kles, we all agreed, to the guide’s visible relief, that it had slumbering fish. When I switched the light off,
Clockwise from been a terrific adventure. Back at the resort, my new pals I found myself surrounded by a veritable con-
above: The from Lombok elected to extend their stay by a day. stellation of bioluminescence.
resort’s wooden
outrigger awaits I joined another excursion the next morning to visit On my last night at Amanwana, long after
at the jetty; a waterfall in the island’s jungly interior. Along for the the embers of a bonfire lit for our beachside
inside one of
Amanwana’s trip was Michel Bachmann, the resort’s manager, who barbecue had died down, I strolled to the end
tented suites; met me at the jetty for the boat ride up the coast to of the jetty to watch the stars. Out here in the
chili-garlic prawns
with green Labuhan Aji, the largest of Moyo’s two main villages. middle of nowhere on the cusp of Sumbawa’s
mango salad. Our craft was a traditionally designed wooden outrig- rainy season, the sky was wondrously clear
ger tricked out with cushioned benches and a mattress- and dark, the silence almost intense. Was it
topped canopy, which made for a pleasant 30-minute too late, I wondered as I followed the sandy
cruise. Back on dry land, we strolled through Labuhan path back to my tent, to extend my own stay by
Aji to where our next conveyance awaited: a roofless another night?
army-green Toyota jeep of uncertain vintage. One of just aman.com; doubles from US$1,550, including
a few vehicles on the island, it took us bouncing along a meals.

DEC E M BE R 202 1 / FE BR UA RY 2022 37

 WHAT DISTINGUISHES
A TOP HOTEL FROM
THE COMPETITION?
DEDICATION TO SERVICE,
CULINARY EXCELLENCE,
AND OUTSTANDING STYLE
ARE SOME OF THE KEY
CHARACTERISTICS, AS
IS A PALPABLE SENSE OF
PLACE. HERE ARE SEVEN
PROPERTIES IN THE ASIA-
PACIFIC REGION THAT
CHECK ALL THE BOXES.
HONORS CIRCLE

THE TOKYO
EDITION,
TORANOMON

With its foliage-filled lobby, pared-back

guest rooms, and sky-high views of the
Japanese capital, The Tokyo EDITION,
Toranomon is the coolest addition to the
city’s hotel scene in years, a cutting-edge
property that pays tribute to Tokyo’s rich
past while keeping one foot squarely
planted in the future.
Housed in the upper floors of a
38-story skyscraper in the Toranomon
business district, the EDITION brand’s first
foray in Japan (a sister property is slated
to open soon in the nearby Ginza district)
marks an unprecedented partnership
between visionary American hotelier
Ian Schrager and globally renowned
architect Kengo Kuma. The lobby alone is
a knockout: a soaring space packed with Bar for afternoon tea and Japanese- fur bed throws, down comforters, and a
a jungle-like burst of plants (more than accented craft cocktails; and the soon- single gold-leaf painting; suites offer the
500 in all, including lush palms and cherry to-open Jade Room and Garden Terrace, additional luxury of freestanding oval
laurels) that draws its inspiration from the where Michelin-starred British chef Tom bathtubs. Spanning the building’s 31st to
central courtyard of a Buddhist temple. It’s Aikens will oversee a bespoke menu 36th levels, all rooms share dazzling views
conceived as a modern gathering place centered on century-old cooking methods across the skyline, with some overlooking
that encourages communal and social and seasonal flavors. The latter will also Tokyo Bay.
interaction in all of their forms. Radiating feature a first-of-its-kind outdoor dining Even more restful is the small
out from the lobby are several eating, terrace overlooking the red-and-white but serene SPA, where rejuvenating
drinking, and entertainment areas that Tokyo Tower. therapies employ custom-blended
have their own distinct character. These Another first for the city are the Japanese essential oils and high-tech
include The Blue Room, a convivial all-day handful of guest rooms that feature beauty technology to rejuvenate guests.
restaurant whose chic decor is matched step-out terraces of their own—a rare There’s also a 24-hour fitness center
by modern takes on classic international luxury in Tokyo. But the rest of the 206 with Technogym equipment and
dishes such as herb-breaded lamb rack rooms are no less beguiling, outfitted in a skylighted swimming pool.
and duck confit; the white-marble Lobby minimalist style with light oak floors, faux When it comes time to step out,
guests are just a short taxi ride away from
numerous city attractions. Among them
is Shiba Park, one of the oldest public
parks in Japan and home to several
ancient trees; the hilltop shrine of Atago
Jinja; and the Suntory Museum of Art, a
striking ceramic louver–clad building (also
designed by Kengo Kuma) that showcases
an extensive collection of Japanese arts
and crafts.

For more information, visit

editionhotels.com/tokyo-
toranomon
 HONORS CIRCLE

in Miami Beach, while its dining venues

take their inspiration from the 1950s
lifestyle of Frank Sinatra and his Twin
Palms house in Palm Springs, California.
There’s Lido, an Italian all-day dining
spot with a distinctly Modernist indoor-
outdoor aesthetic; The Juice Café, which
reinterprets Sinatra’s music room and
offers a menu of coffees, fresh-pressed
juices, smoothies, and healthy snacks;
and Praça, an eclectic, retro-style Thai
“izakaya” serving generational family
recipes and ingredients indigenous to the
Hua Hin area alongside inventive craft
cocktails.
After a day of exploring the local
THE STANDARD, HUA HIN markets, street food, and sights—
highlights include the summer palace
of Phra Ratchaniwet Mrigadayavan,
an elegant teakwood complex built in
1924 during the reign of King Rama VI—
With its Miami vibes and upbeat Inspired by the elegant geometry guests will want to book an appointment
ambiance, it’s safe to say that there is of mid-century modernism, the resort’s at The Spa, where treatments
nothing standard about the offerings at white sculptural architecture provides emphasize rejuvenation and renewal.
this brand-new beachfront oasis on the a thoughtful counterpoint to the leafy
Gulf of Thailand. Standard International’s surrounds. Accommodations come in the
first hotel in Southeast Asia and the form of 199 rooms, suites, and villas,
latest addition to the company’s rapidly all serenely decorated in light woods
expanding portfolio of trendy properties, and muted colors. The 151-square-meter
The Standard, Hua Hin is nestled amid Bayside Villas are the ones to book, with
lush gardens in the heart of Hua Hin, their direct beach access, skylighted
a seaside resort town long favored by bathrooms, fully stocked wet bars, and
Thailand’s royalty and social elite. Just plunge pools.
steps from the beach, it combines an The Standard, Hua Hin’s centerpiece
appreciation of local history with a global swimming area is designed to recall the For more information, visit
sensibility and a bit of fun. pool scene at the beloved Standard hotel standardhotels.com
HONORS CIRCLE

from an open kitchen. Just downstairs

is The Bar, where guests can indulge in
an array of lunch and dinner options as
well as creative cocktails such as the
Sydney Sling—an Australian version of the
Singaporean classic that mixes ingredients
up with ginger liqueur and small-batch
Four Pillars gin from the Yarra Valley. This
is also where the hotel hosts its Fullerton
Signature Afternoon Tea experience,
THE FULLERTON HOTEL which features the likes of lobster cornet
à l’Oriental, duck rillettes in sesame buns,
SYDNEY and caviar-topped smoked salmon mille-
feuille alongside chocolate moelleux,
pandan lamington, and other sweets.
The Fullerton Hotel Sydney's location
on the pedestrian mall of Martin Place
Standing out from downtown Sydney’s puts it within easy reach of attractions
other top hotels with its distinctive mix such as Darling Harbour, the Royal Botanic
of heritage and contemporary comfort, Garden, and the Sydney Opera House,
The Fullerton Hotels and Resorts’ first not to mention some of the city’s best
property outside Singapore makes for an galleries and shops. Guests should also
unforgettable stay. opt to spend some time exploring the
It’s in part a reimagining of the colorful history of the GPO on one of the
former General Post Office (GPO), a hotel’s complimentary heritage tours. Led
late-19th-century landmark that has by a resident guide, the 90-minute walks
been painstakingly restored by its new also showcase the building’s intricate
owners. Adorned with vaulted arcades, a stonework and architecture as well as
clock tower, and a sweeping sandstone relics from the Tank Stream, Sydney’s
facade, the original building is connected original freshwater supply. A section of the
by a dramatic six-story glass atrium to stream lies below the GPO, giving guests a
a modern high-rise section. Most of the front-row seat to a pivotal piece of cultural
416 guest rooms are housed in the latter, heritage.
while those in the GPO building offer
more classically inspired options. These
include the Heritage Long Suite, a stately browse and request hotel services directly.
space occupying the former postmaster’s Club rooms and suites feature exclusive
office that comes complete with glossy Balmain amenities.
hardwood floors and two original (though While the surrounding central business
non-functioning) marble fireplaces. district has no shortage of great places to
Yet even standard rooms are stylishly dine and drink, The Fullerton Hotel Sydney
appointed and boast Harman Kardon holds it own on the culinary front. Situated
Bluetooth speakers, Nespresso machines, under the skylights of the atrium, The Place
an extensive pillow menu, and a tablet that restaurant serves iconic Southeast Asian
provides an interactive Tapendium digital dishes (think wagyu rendang and seafood For more information, visit
concierge service, allowing guests to laksa) alongside Modern Australian cuisine fullertonhotels.com
 HONORS CIRCLE

THE OKURA
TOKYO

When the original Hotel Okura Tokyo

debuted in 1962 in advance of the
first Tokyo Olympics, it was a vision of
Japanese modernism and a symbol of
the country’s return to the world stage.
And although the aging building was
demolished six years ago to make way for
its current rendition — a pair of gleaming
glass towers that rise above a stone-paved
courtyard and reflecting pond — its legacy
survives in a continued emphasis on
simplicity and elegance.
Rebuilt and rebranded, The Okura
Tokyo, which reopened in 2019 ahead
of the city’s second (albeit postponed)
hosting of the Olympic Games, features
508 rooms and suites housed in either the
41-story Okura Prestige Tower or the more marriage of mid-century modernism oversee a menu of kaiseki classics; and
classically styled 17-story Okura Heritage and age-old Japanese minimalism and Sazanka, a sleek teppanyaki restaurant
Wing. Some of the Heritage floors boast craftsmanship. that now sits 190 meters above the ground
balconies (a rarity for Tokyo hotels), while Located in the Toranomon business on the top floor of the Okura Prestige
the more contemporary rooms in the district across from the U.S. Embassy, The Tower. The latter is also home to the
neighboring tower come with sweeping Okura Tokyo easily bests its predecessor sumptuous Cantonese dining room Toh-
skyline views. Both buildings sport lobbies in terms of facilities and services, with a Ka-Lin and the atmospherically low-lit
designed by Yoshio Taniguchi, son of the luxury shopping arcade, two chapels, an Orchid Bar, another transplant from the old
architect behind the original hotel and a authentic sukiya-style tea-ceremony room, Okura that today sports one of the city’s
considerable talent in his own right. The and an expansive club lounge. There’s a most extensive collections of rare whiskies
one in the Prestige Tower is of particular 27th-floor gym, pool, and spa that offers and original blended malts. Back in the
note: it’s a faithful re-creation of the old treatments conceived by French skincare Okura Heritage Wing, Nouvelle Epoque
Okura’s much-beloved lobby, right down brand Annayake. And guests have no less conjures up a graceful fusion of French
to its polyhedron-shaped pendant lamps, than seven restaurants and bars to choose and Japanese flavors in an equally elegant
wooden kumiko latticework, lacquerware from. Some of these are reincarnations setting, with dishes that are both healthy
tables, and great expanse of tatami-hued of old favorites like Yamazato, where and gastronomical.
checkerboard carpeting—a masterful grand chef Tadashi Sawauchi continues to Also on site is the Okura Museum of
Art, originally established in 1917 by the
hotel’s founding family as Japan’s first
privately operated art museum. Occupying
a classically Chinese-style building across
from the main entrance, it is home to
an impressive collection of Japanese
paintings, sculpture, calligraphy, and
decorative objects, three of which are
gazetted as National Treasures. Guests
receive free entry.

For more information, visit

theokuratokyo.jp/en
HONORS CIRCLE

THE MURRAY,
HONG KONG

The flagship of ever-stylish Niccolo Hotels

occupies a 1960s modernist landmark
on the doorstep of Hong Kong’s Central
financial district. The 27-story Murray
Building, originally built as a government
office tower, is now replete with stylish
interiors courtesy of Foster & Partners,
whose sensitive revamp of the high-
rise—distinguished by its deeply recessed
windows and arched colonnades—marked
a milestone for heritage conservation in
the city. The 336 spacious rooms and
suites (even entry-level accommodation dining, seafood semi-buffet dinners, and
spans a generous 38 square meters) are the hotel’s signature afternoon tea. Up on
done up in a sleek residential style with the rooftop, Popinjays is a glass-walled
views of either the riotous greenery of bar and restaurant where patrons tuck into
adjacent Hong Kong Park or the urban modern European dishes while enjoying
jungle of the Central skyline. panoramic views of the surrounding
Nor does The Murray disappoint when skyscrapers and the slopes of Victoria
it comes to dining. The Tai Pan is all about Peak. And Mián, set in a standalone
modern bistro fare and family-friendly pavilion adjacent to a pet-friendly terrace,
brunches, while the Garden Lounge serves dim sum and dishes inspired by For more information,
provides an elegant backdrop to all-day China’s regional cuisines. visit niccolohotels.com

ALILA SEMINYAK BALI

Uninterrupted ocean views and an golden sand. Alila Seminyak Bali’s eco-
emphasis on laid-back luxury are credentials are just as impressive—it
just two of the reasons guests rave holds an EarthCheck certification for
about this 240-room resort on Bali’s sustainability—as is its myriad of amenities,
Seminyak Beach. The design is another: which include five swimming pools, the
a distinctive blend of understated sunset-facing Beach Bar, and the sublime
contemporary architecture woven Spa Alila with its range of all-natural,
through with verdant lawns, wall-hugging Asian-inspired treatments and therapies.
plants, green roofs, and landscaped Coastal dining restaurant Seasalt is
terraces that lead down to a stretch of another highlight; designed like a stylish
seaside residence with a breezy alfresco
setting, it specializes in wild-caught and
responsibly harvested seafood dishes
seasoned with organic sea salt from the
village of Kusamba in East Bali. As part
of the resort’s roster of unique guided
experiences (which include tours of the
neighboring 15th-century temple of Pura
Petitenget), guests can visit Kusamba on
the Seasalt Journey, a private excursion
that explores centuries-old salt farming
traditions. Other on-site Alila Happenings
range from zero-waste cocktail workshops For more information,
to classes in coconut-leaf art and making visit alilahotels.com/
gebogan, or Balinese temple offerings. seminyak
 HONORS CIRCLE

THE SIAM, trotting menu by New Zealand chef Blair

Mathieson and a collection of discreet
BANGKOK dining areas, including a stunning central
terrace with soaring ceilings and art deco
chandeliers. Bill Bensley was brought
back for the design, while Krissada
Sukosol Clapp, the hotel’s founder and
Set amid verdant grounds on the banks creative director, was responsible for the
of the Chao Phraya River in the historic styling, infusing the space with antiques,
heart of Bangkok, this art deco–inspired curios, and artworks.
urban resort is as stunning as they Guests looking for an immersive
come. Designed both inside and out by cultural experience can join a cooking
internationally acclaimed architect Bill class, go a round in the on-site Muay
Bensley, The Siam brims with character Thai boxing ring, or immortalize their stay
and panache, from its hushed marble with some body ink by a Sak Yant tattoo
corridors and grand Opium Spa to the master. As for Bangkok’s many riverside
39 suites and villas, each of which is attractions, they’re just a short cruise away
beautifully accented by Thai antiques and on The Siam’s graceful wooden boat.
collectibles.
Connie’s Cottage, the largest villa,
occupies a century-old Thai house
originally brought downriver from
Ayutthaya by silk designer Jim Thompson adjacent to the riverside swimming pool, is
for his friend Connie Mangskau, an the perfect spot for sunset cocktails.
antiques dealer who entertained the A brand-new addition to The Siam is
likes of John Rockefeller and Jacqueline The Story House, a reinvention of the
Kennedy. Another pair of traditional previous Café Cha. Along with the hotel’s
teakwood houses is occupied by Chon revamped welcome courtyard, which
Thai Restaurant, which serves classic Thai now sports a soaring glass pyramidal For more information,
cuisine by the water, while the Bathers Bar, roof, the new restaurant features a globe- visit thesiamhotel.com
 PEAK SEASON
Hikers on the new
Grampians Peaks Trail
near the summit of
Mt. Rosea, with Lake
Bellfield in the distance.

46 D ESTINASIAN
 Australia
awaits!
With New South Wales and
Victoria already open to vaccinated
travelers and Tasmania primed to
follow suit on December 15, it’s time
to start planning that next trip down
under. An added bonus? All three
states have plenty of new experiences
to enjoy. So read on to discover 15
reasons why Australia should be
on your 2022 travel wish list.
BY N ATA S H A D R AG U N

Hike the Grampians Peaks Trail

Looking to spend some time outdoors? Then lace up your
hiking shoes for an epic endorphin high on the freshly
minted Grampians Peaks Trail (parks.vic.gov.au). This
challenging 13-day, 160-kilometer trekking route through
indigenous Gariwerd country is not for the faint of heart, but
it rewards with dizzying vistas over the Victorian wilderness
a few hours’ drive from Melbourne. Visitors can expect
dramatic peaks glimpsed along rocky ridgelines, sandstone
gorges and gullies, and tangles of native flora that shelter
wallabies, wombats, and echidnas. The northernmost peak
of the Grampians range, Mount Zero, is your starting point
in the north, from which the trail passes over the summit
of Mount Difficult, traverses Halls Gap, and continues on
to the town of Dunkeld. Pack your tent to pitch at one of
the 11 campsites en route, or register for a guided walk with
BELINDA VAN ZANEN

the additional comfort of ending the day in eco-friendly

huts outfitted with kitchens and balconies that give way
to swoon-worthy views. For those short on time or energy,
some sections of the trail can be done as day walks.

DEC E M BE R 202 1 / FE BR UA RY 2022 47

 3

Immerse yourself
in Van Gogh
masterpieces
There are art museums—
where you tiptoe past
paintings and comment in
hushed tones—and then
there’s The Lume (thelume
.com), an immersive digital
gallery at the Melbourne
Convention and Exhibition
Centre. The 3,000-square-
meter venue is currently
dedicated to Vincent van
Gogh, whose larger-than-
life works are projected
onto floors and walls. The
multisensory experience
is enhanced with aromas, 4
sounds, and tastes to
transport you back to the
magical world of the Dutch
Toast the
post-impressionist painter.
country’s first
zero-waste
(almost) bar
Encompassing a
collection of revamped
2 railway sheds, the
South Eveleigh precinct
Discover the has emerged as
wild side of Sydney’s newest foodie
the Great hub, home to the likes of
Ocean Road Kylie Kwong’s canteen-
style Lucky Kwong
Victoria’s most famous (luckykwong.com.au)
driving route is beloved and tiny ramen bar
by road trippers for RaRa Chan (rararamen
its sleepy seaside .com.au). But the place
villages and dramatic getting the most
rock formations. attention is Re (weare
Now, thanks to re.com.au), which was
Wildlife Wonders hyped as the world’s
(wildlifewonders.org.au), first permanent
COURTESY OF THE LUME; COURTESY OF RE; BOY ANUPONG/GETTY IMAGES

you can dig deeper into no-waste cocktail

part of this National bar ahead of its April
Heritage–listed opening. Owner Matt
stretch of ocean- Whiley admits that
hugging highway on they still have a ways
foot. The company’s to go on that score, but
75-minute, naturalist- the results so far are
guided wanderings undeniably impressive,
traverse Great Otway from the upcycled
National Park, through interiors to the cast-off
ferny gullies of glow- glassware and the
worms and eucalypt cocktails themselves,
woodlands where built from rescued fruits
koalas chill above. and surplus produce.

48 D ESTINASIAN
 5

Climb the Sydney Harbour Bridge with

an indigenous storyteller
BridgeClimb Sydney is one of the city’s most famous attractions, a three-
hour guided walk to the upper arch of the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge.
While the company offers multiple daily ascents, its new Burrawa Climb
(bridgeclimb.com) is available just once a month, and it’s well worth stepping
out for. Led by an Aboriginal guide, the eye-opening experience reveals
Dreamtime stories and sacred sites most visitors pass without appreciating
their indigenous significance. Like the hidden middens at Tallawaladah (The
Rocks), and Kai’ymay (Manly Cove), whence Wangal man Woollarawarre
Bennelong was lured to become a mediator for governor Arthur Phillip in
the late 1700s. While there are 1,332 steps to tackle, your guide’s tales of 7
the city’s pre-European heritage—not to mention the unbroken views from
the summit, 134 meters above the water—provide fascinating distractions.
Get an eyeful of
art at MONA
In 2011, Tasmanian gambler
and self-confessed “maths
geek” David Walsh opened the
Museum of Old and New Art
(mona.net.au) on the riverside
north of Hobart, turning
art on its head and tourism
around. To celebrate a decade
of eye-popping installations,
MONA unveiled a major
revamp to its subterranean
galleries last December and
installed two new outdoor
works: American sculptor Tom
Otterness’s cast-bronze Girls
Rule (pictured), which doubles
as a children’s playground;
and House of Mirrors, a
labyrinth of seemingly endless
mirrors created by Melbourne
installation artists Christian
Wagstaff and Keith Courtney.
Another relatively recent
addition is Siloam, a tunnel
complex that hosts large-
scale artworks by Ai Weiwei,
Oliver Beer, and Alfredo Jaar.
COURTESY OF MONA; COURTESY OF BIG ESSO; BEN CIRULIS

6 Tuck into indigenous flavors at Big Esso

Torres Strait Islander Nornie Bero is passionate about food, and she celebrates indigenous cooking and
ingredients at her newest Melbourne restaurant, Big Esso (mabumabu.com.au). Many of the dishes
are inspired by the food she grew up with on the islands, which lie off the northern tip of Queensland:
razor clams with sea urchin bisque and finger-lime caviar, say, or charred emu fillet with molasses,
fried sugar cane, and saltbush chimichurri. It’s a dining formula that Bero has perfected for years at
Big Esso’s sister café, Tuck Shop, with both establishments supporting indigenous suppliers. And the
vibe here couldn’t be any more relaxed—think communal tables with views overlooking Birrarung (the
Yarra River), murals by Aboriginal artists, and a soundtrack of tunes by First Nations musicians.

DEC E M BE R 202 1 / FE BR UA RY 2022 49

 8

Hang out with the world’s highest

cliff camping experience
Camping takes an elevated turn with Beyond the Edge
(unleashed-unlimited.com.au), which invites thrill-seekers to
abseil down to their accommodation for the night and sleep on a
mattress-size portaledge (as in, portable ledge) secured to the
face of a sheer 300-meter cliff. The experience—said to be the
loftiest of its kind in the world—takes place on the north wall of
Mount Buffalo Gorge, a perch that affords sky-high views of the
craggy granite tors, waterfalls, and soaring snow gums of Victoria’s
picturesque alpine country. This is nature writ large, and aside
from the occasional birds darting past, little separates you from
the stars. Guides will deliver a three-course dinner toward the
end of the day, and return after dawn with freshly brewed coffee 9
and pastries before helping guests with the optional multi-pitch
abseil down to the valley floor. While sure to be a hit among avid
climbers, this cliff-hanging escapade (available from November
Eat at the latest
to May) is open to any adventure lover, regardless of experience.
restaurants from
top Sydney chefs
Be sure to ride the elevator up
to Clare Smyth’s first foray
outside the United Kingdom,
Oncore (crownsydney.com),
which sits on level 26 of the
Crown Sydney in Barangaroo.
The chef (who enjoys three
Michelin stars at her London
restaurant, Core) mingles
her Northern Irish heritage
with Australian ingredients
on a menu that includes
Murray cod with clams and
lovage, and Shiro Kin wagyu
with Sydney rock oysters, all
accompanied by sweeping
harbor views. Then line up
to visit six-seater Kisuke
(kisukepottspoint.com), an
omakase joint that appears
to have slipped straight from
the alleys of Tokyo. Sit down COURTESY OF UNLEASHED UNLIMITED; PETRINA TINSLAY/COURTESY OF MARGARET

to Yusuke Morita’s immense

degustation—including a dozen
sushi and sashimi bites—
prepared before you. Finally,
head east to Double Bay for
applauded chef Neil Perry’s
latest venture, Margaret
(margaretdoublebay.com).
Named after his mother, the
Mod Oz offering is a nod to
the food Perry ate growing
up, with dishes (like coral
trout with XO butter, pictured
above) featuring hyper-local
produce cooked in a wood-
fired oven and rotisserie.

50 D ESTINASIAN
 11

Admire the new art

in Sydney’s oldest
neighborhood
Tucked down cobblestone
alleys, transforming old
sandstone walls, glittering
overhead—art now surrounds
visitors to The Rocks.
Local curatorial agency Art
Pharmacy was tasked to
work with Sydney-based
artists to inject color into
this historic harborside
neighborhood, and the results
are five commissioned
pieces created around the
timely themes of revival and
renewal. Pictured here is part
of Barkindji artist Maddison 12
Gibbs’ Spirits Make Noise,
a series of striking black-
and-white murals inspired
Explore
by Aboriginal matriarchs.
Australian
screen culture
Formerly known as
the Australian Centre
for the Moving Image,
10 Melbourne’s ACMI
(acmi.net.au) has just
emerged from a two-
Bed down year, US$30 million
at Hobart’s renovation that saw
newest the addition of new
luxury digs technologies and
displays to architect-
Occupying pride of designed spaces.
place in a redeveloped Situated in Federation
city block in Hobart’s Square, it’s a dynamic
ANNA KUCERA/COURTESY OF ART PHARMACY; SHANNON MCGRATH; COURTESY OF THE TASMAN

historic waterfront and interactive shrine

area, The Tasman to screen culture,
(marriott.com) marks whether you’re catching
the Australian debut a film in one of the
of Marriott’s Luxury museum’s two cinemas,
Collection. Comprising attending a workshop
a 19th-century former on digital arts, or playing
hospital, a 1930s art video games. The
deco building, and a events roster changes,
new glass-encased but a permanent
wing, the 152-room fixture is “The Story
hotel is about as luxe as of the Moving Image”
it gets in the Tasmanian exhibition, which
capital, with classic features original movie
yet contemporary costumes and props,
interiors, fine Italian old film cameras,
cuisine, and an intimate TikTok clips, arcade
cocktail bar and games, and everything
rare-spirits library. in between.

DEC E M BE R 202 1 / FE BR UA RY 2022 51

 13

Check in,
chill out at The
Surf Yamba
Stunning beaches,
great seafood, and
world-class surf breaks
—not for nothing has
the laid-back holiday
town of Yamba been
dubbed the next
Byron Bay. Situated in
northern New South
Wales at the mouth of
the Clarence River, it
now also has its first
boutique digs: The Surf
Yamba (thesurfyamba 15
.com.au). With a curved
exterior inspired by Take a dip at
1930s ocean liners, Victoria’s new
the hotel has just hot-spring
12 rooms—all with havens
balconies and Italian
terrazzo floors—plus The bucolic Mornington
a rooftop terrace and Peninsula south of
plunge pool that enjoy Melbourne attracts
panoramic sea views. foodies and sybarites
alike. The latter come
to partake in its thermal
waters, which, come
mid-2022, will bubble
14
to the surface anew
at Alba (albathermal
springs.com.au), a
Taste Tasmania design-driven wellness
at Van Bone retreat offering
mineral-rich soaks and
If you haven’t heard of a pampering spa. Over
Bream Creek, you’re not in the shire of East
alone. This dot on the map, Gippsland, meanwhile,
a 45-minute drive east Metung Hot Springs
of Hobart, is home to the (metunghotsprings
island’s latest destination .com) will soon welcome
restaurant, Van Bone weary limbs to its
(vanbone.com.au), whose namesake coastal
hilltop perch overlooks green hamlet. The 12-hectare
fields that stretch down to estate beckons with
ELISE HASSEY (TOP); COURTESY OF ALBA; ADAM GIBSON

Marion Bay. The striking geothermal soaks,

exterior—replete with four- glamping, yoga, and
meter-tall rammed-earth spa treatments. And
walls—belies a pared-back things are also about
dining room where chef to get steamy on
Timothy Hardy prepares an Phillip Island, where
innovative 14-course meal Saltwater Springs
heroing Tassie produce, (saltwatersprings.com
whether grown on-site .au) is set to feature
or sourced within a few 45 bathing pools of
kilometers of where you sit. different temperatures.

52 D ESTINASIAN
 the way it was

TOUCH DOWN
The Norge landing
in Alaska on May 14,
1926, after flying
over the North Pole.

1926
The Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen is best known as the first man to reach
the South Pole, a feat he achieved in 1911 after a grueling 56-day march over the
icy wastes of the Antarctic. What is less well remembered is that 15 years later,
he would lead the first verified expedition to the North Pole — this time not with
ships and dogsleds, but aboard an Italian-built airship called the Norge. Others had sought to reach the earth’s
northernmost point before this, including an ill-fated 1897 attempt by three Swedes in a hot-air balloon.
Amundsen himself had tried to fly over the pole by plane just a few years earlier. But the Norge, a 106-meter-
long dirigible modified for flight in arctic weather, proved the ideal vessel. And so on May 11, 1926, the airship
left its hanger at Ny-Ålesund in Norway’s Svalbard archipelago and glided off with 16 men on board. They
made history the next morning when the Norge passed over the North Pole, and set another record (as the first
aircraft to traverse the polar ice cap between Europe and America) two days later with a successful landing in
DEA PICTURE LIBRARY/GETTY IMAGES

Teller, Alaska. And if all of that sounds like a distant chapter of history, then you haven’t heard of OceanSky
Cruises, a Swedish aviation company that aims to put the North Pole back on the map with dirigible trips of its
own. Using a state-of-the-art (and still-in-development) hybrid airship, the two-night flights will offer luxuries
that the crew of the Norge could only have dreamed about, including eight en-suite cabins, a restaurant, and
a bar. But the biggest draw is something not even Amundsen achieved: a six-hour layover at the North Pole
itself. Don’t start packing just yet, though: the first flights won’t happen till at least 2024, and they won’t come
cheap — the cost of a cabin is expected to be upward of US$230,000. —David Tse

DEC E M BE R 202 1 / FE BR UA RY 2022 53

 SO FAR
ROCKY START
A hiking trail on
Kalsoy Island
is backdropped
bythe cliffs and
rock stacks of
neighboring
Eysturoy and
Streymoy.

54 D ESTINASIAN
SO G O O D
Situated halfway between Norway and Iceland, the sparsely
populated Faroe Islands offer otherworldly landscapes, unexpected
flavors, and the chance to lose—or perhaps find—oneself in their
isolation. BARRY STONE gets well and truly off the beaten path.

DEC E M BE R 202 1 / FE BR UA RY 2022 55

A DROP IN THE OCEAN
Múlafossur waterfall
and the village of
Gásadalur. Opposite:
A table at Koks, a
former farmhouse
turned two-Michelin-
starred restaurant.

56 D ESTINASIAN
 IN
a remote archipelago in the North Atlantic,
there’s a long, slender island that locals say
is shaped like a wooden flute. Unlike its larg-
er neighbors, this island is not accessible via
bridge or tunnel, only by ferry from Borðoy,
a 20-minute passage that brings you to the
hamlet of Syðradalur. From there, you drive
north along the island’s only road, passing
through four dank and somewhat spooky
mountain tunnels — the flute’s finger holes
— until you reach Trøllanes, population 20.
Here, you park your car and hike to your
goal, Kallur Lighthouse, a squat beacon set
high above the churning ocean on the is-
land’s northernmost tip.
Providing the trail hasn’t been closed
because the wind is too strong or the fog too
thick, the hour-long hike to the lighthouse
will take you through shrubby, heather-
filled grassland, and once you arrive you’ll
be in no mood to leave. You might stay an
hour. Maybe even two. Maybe you won’t want to leave at all. Like With just 1,400 square kilometers of land, the Faroe Islands
the sailors in Greek mythology who were lured by the beguiling are wholly defined by water. All towns and villages — with the
COURTESY OF VISIT FAROE ISLANDS. OPPOSITE: JAMES FOSTER. PREVIOUS: CHRIS RIEFENBERG

song of the Sirens, you’ll be tempted to just sit and listen to the exception of one, Vatnsoyrar — hug the shoreline, though even
crash of the waves against the sea cliffs and the wind that whistles Vatnsoyrar has a waterside perch on the edge of the islands’ larg-
across bowl-like valleys and sharply etched peaks — music this est lake. Yet despite the dispersed nature of its communities, the
flute-shaped splinter of land, Kalsoy, was wrought and twisted by archipelago is remarkably well connected thanks to a network of
nature to play. bridges and mountain tunnels. Take Gásadalur, where the Múla-
Welcome to the Faroe Islands. Situated 320 kilometers north fossur waterfall tumbles 30 meters into the Atlantic. The tiny
of the Scottish mainland, this chain of 18 islands and hundreds of cliff-top village was all but cut off from the rest of Vágar Island
assorted skerries and islets is officially part of Denmark, though until a 1,400-meter-long tunnel was blasted through the rock in
the archipelago has been self-governing since 1948. It’s the vis- 2004. Prior to that, when a Gásadalurian passed away, the coffin
ible manifestation of the Greenland-Scotland Ridge, an ancient had to be carried for five kilometers over the steep and windswept
uplift of basaltic lava that makes for a unique geological foot- mountain to the cemetery in Bøur along the old postman’s trail.
print. If you took Norway’s fjords and Scotland’s Highlands and How the Faroese have worked to overcome their geographic
mixed them up in a blender, you’d have a place that looked like challenges is impressive, but nothing can compare to the auda-
this: a scattering of austere volcanic peaks marooned in a wet and cious infrastructure programs of the 21st century, the fruits of
windswept world. Locals joke that the original Faroese were sea- which cannot be seen from any headland or mountaintop: under-
sick Vikings dropped here en route to Iceland after they became sea road tunnels. The first of these linked Streymoy (the largest
too ill to continue their voyage. and most populated island) with neighboring Vágar (where the

DEC E M BE R 202 1 / FE BR UA RY 2022 57

 ISLAND SCENES Opposite, clockwise
Clockwise from top from top left: Poul
left: Monkfish with a Andrias Ziska, the
Jerusalem artichoke chef who runs Koks;
at Koks; the winding a window at the
lanes of Tórshavn’s updated 19th-century
historic quarter, farmhouse occupied
Tinganes; a sitting by Heimi í Stovu; the
room at Heimi í Stovu; village of Viðareiði
a pair of puffins. on Viðoy Island.

58 D ESTINASIAN
The Details Also on Streymoy
Island, Heimi í Stovu
GETTING THERE (fensalir.net; US$255
The Faroe Islands are per day for the entire
an hour’s flight from house, minimum
Reykjavík or Edinburgh four-night stay) in the
with local carrier village of Kvívík is even
Atlantic Airways more intimate, with just
(atlanticairways.com), three bedrooms that
which also flies to Oslo, ooze traditional Nordic
Copenhagen, and Paris. charm.
For visitors with time
on their hands, a weekly WHERE TO EAT
ferry service operated A dinner at Koks
by the Smyril Line (koks.fo) is almost
(smyrilline.com) sails mandatory for foodies,
between the Danish though the tasting
seaport of Hirtshals and menu will set you
Tórshavn—a 36-hour back US$295, not
crossing. including wine pairing.
In Tórshavn, Barbara
WHERE TO STAY Fish House (barbara.fo)
On the waterfront in serves Faroese seafood
Tórshavn, Havgrím in a charming grass-
Seaside Hotel (hotel roofed house.
havgrim.fo; doubles
from US$425) is a WHAT TO DO
former Danish naval Explore the islands’
residence turned mountains with Reika
14-room lodging with Adventures (reika.fo),
an elegant color palette which specializes in
inspired by the sea climbing and rappelling
and shoreline. excursions.

DEC E M BE R 202 1 / FE BR UA RY 2022 59

MOVING MOUNTAINS
The craggy flanks
of Gøtunestindur
mountain on
Eysturoy Island, with
the southernmost
headland of Borðoy
in the distance.

airport is) in 2002; another opened four years later connecting made from everything from wool to horsehair. At Steinprent, a

JAN ERIK WAIDER. PREVIOUS SPREAD, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: COURTESY OF KOKS; INGRID HOFSTRA; COURTESY
OF KOKS; BARRY STONE; DOMINIC BREITBARTH; COURTESY OF HEIMI Í STOVU; COURTESY OF VISIT FAROE ISLANDS
the islands of Eysturoy and Borðoy; and late 2020 saw the com- small gallery and workshop set in an old factory on the harbor,
pletion of the longest one yet, running 11 kilometers between artists use limestone blocks to create beautiful limited-edition
Streymoy and Eysturoy and featuring the world’s first undersea lithographs while you watch. And the old Faroese saying “ull er
roundabout (one illuminated, I might add, by a light installa- Føroya gull” (“wool is Faroese gold”) still holds true at Gúðrun &
tion by local artist Tróndur Patursson). A fourth sea tunnel from Gúðrun, the islands’ only couture fashion brand, which produces
Streymoy to Sandoy — the only Faroese island with sand dunes — beautiful handmade knitwear rooted in ancient knitting tradi-
is slated to be ready for traffic in late 2023. It is estimated to cost tions but with a thoroughly modern sensibility.
866 million Danish kroner (about US$128 million), even though Indeed, Tórshavn is nothing if not an intriguing blend of old
only a few hundred cars are expected to drive through it each day. and new. Perched on a hill above town is Glasir Tórshavn Col-
But the Faroese have done their sums: tunnels are cheaper to lege, a bold vortex-shaped structure by Danish architectural firm
operate than ferries in the long run. BIG whose upper levels radiate outward in all directions toward
the Faroes’ mountainous landscapes. Back down on the water is
THE ISLANDS’ CAPITAL, TÓRSHAVN, is a compact harbor city the rocky promontory of Tinganes, the historic location of the
on the southeast coast of Streymoy. Home to nearly half of the Faroese landsstýri (government). With its sod-roofed buildings
archipelago’s 53,000 inhabitants, it’s as bustling as it gets in the and narrow cobbled streets, this is where Nordic settlers estab-
Faroes, with a lively restaurant scene, craft beer bars, and more lished a parliament of their own when they arrived here around
than its share of cultural offerings. You can admire centuries- 825, making it — along with Tynwald Hill on the Isle of Man and
old Faroese rowboats still gloriously intact at the National Mu- Thingvellir in Iceland — one of the three oldest parliamentary
seum, while the National Gallery’s permanent collection com- sites in the world.
prises 2,500 works including paintings, sculptures, and textiles After a couple of days with Tórshavn as my base, I moved up-

60 D ESTINASIAN
 lichens and mosses. More than 400 species of plants in all: a
forest in miniature.
Kalsoy No trees also means there’s no wood available for smok-
Fugloy ing fish, an otherwise common Scandinavian practice. Instead,
catches — mostly cod and haddock — are hung beneath the eaves
Streymoy of cabins to dry in the briny air. (Mutton, another island staple, is
Borðoy similarly left to wind-cure in traditional drying sheds or hjallur.)
The ocean is the Faroes’ greatest resource, its abiding pantry. The
Eyduroy islands are shaped like a series of giant sieves, paralleling each
Vágar other and funneling Atlantic currents twice a day, mixing cold
Tórshavn Arctic waters with the warmer Gulf Stream to create a nutrient-
rich broth that provides sustenance for hundreds of fish species.
Which brings us to the spot where all culinary roads here in-
variably lead: Koks. Helmed by young Faroese chef Poul Andrias
Faroe Sandoy Ziska, this is the archipelago’s most celebrated dining destina-
Islands tion — a fiercely locavore restaurant with two Michelin stars that
sits in splendid isolation on the edge of a small lake on Streymoy.
The experience actually begins where the road from Tórshavn
ends, at a lakeside hjallur where guests (a maximum of two dozen
diners in a single seating per night) are presented with the first
of 18 courses: dried cod-skin chips accompanied by a glass of
gooseberry juice. From there, a Land Rover took us along a heav-
Suðuroy ily rutted lakeside track to the restaurant proper, which occupies
a converted 18th-century farmhouse appointed with sheepskin-
topped benches and moody Faroese art.
The rest of the courses — some barely more than bite-size,
all beautifully plated — came out in steady succession over the
next three and a half hours. Scallops served so fresh the barnacles
island to Heimi í Stovu, an 1830s farm- were still moving about in its shell. Mahogany clams with kale
house turned holiday rental in the west- puree and kelp broth. A langoustine liver; a sea urchin draped
coast village of Kvívík. It’s owned by one in pickled parsley stems; a turnip lovingly grown at the base of a
of the Faroes’ most ardent promoters, nearby waterfall that preps the palate for the smoked pilot whale
Mauritia Kirchner, a fly-fishing devotee heart, butchered from one of the 900 or so whales slaughtered
who has split her time between here and annually in a community hunt known as grindadráp. Almost
her native Germany for the last 20 years everything on the menu was locally farmed, foraged, fished, or —
or so. “The Faroes are one of Europe’s last in the case of native seabirds like gannet and razorbill — caught.
untouched places,” she told me. “There The Faroe Islands on a plate.
are trout in our lakes and salmon in our
rivers. Even if you’re a fly-fishing novice, DESPITE THEIR ASTONISHING landscapes and bevvy of wildlife
our winds can help with your casting. It’s — this is a puffin-lovers’ paradise — the Faroes have never had
perfect.” to deal with overtourism; prior to the pandemic, only around
The same could be said for Heimi í Stovu, which radiates old- 60,000 people visited each year, not counting another 50,000
world charm. The kitchen is in the former stable, its walls hung or so cruise ship passengers. But even that proved too much for
with old cooking utensils and large cast-iron pots that were once the residents of Saksun. Their picturesque turf-roofed village
used to melt whale blubber. There’s a snuggery decorated with in northern Streymoy sits at the end of a lagoon that was once
vintage William Morris wallpaper, and an antique oak four- a fjord until a severe storm in the 1600s blocked its mouth with
poster in the ground-floor bedroom. Should you be in the mood sand. The setting became so popular with visitors that the road
for an alfresco soak, you’re welcome to use the hot tub in the into the heart of the village was closed to all but locals, while a
gravel yard out back. If history is more your thing, a Viking-age sign was put up near the church advising: ENOUGH! NO MORE
archaeological site lies just down the road. TOURIST TRESPASSING. POLICE WILL BE CALLED.
Fortunately, there are numerous other places to explore;
THE WEATHER IN THE FAROES borders on the psychotic. It too many, in fact, for my weeklong visit. I never saw the famous
rains or snows more than 200 days a year, and nature determines puffin colony on Mykines or the sand dunes on Sandoy. I hiked
everything, especially the wind. “If you want to see the Faroes,” alongside the “floating” lake of Sørvágsvatn on Vágar — do not
goes an old joke, “stand still. Eventually it’ll blow right past you.” leave without doing this — but didn’t make it to Fugloy, which
Only it’s no joke. The climate is such that there are virtually no is ringed by precipitous cliffs, or to Kunoy, with its tilted, tower-
trees here, and those that do manage to take root have for cen- ing tiers of basalt and the archipelago’s only forest, albeit a man-
turies been gnawed to the ground by the islands’ 80,000 sheep. made one. Spend a few days in the Faroes and I guarantee you’ll
Yet the dearth of trees means there’s nothing other than fog to leave lamenting what you’ve missed because for all the bridges
obscure the many colors and hues of the islands’ other flora: the and subsea tunnels, it’s impossible to get around all these islands
purple marsh thistle, the yellow buttercup, the reddish catkins in a hurry. And if you find yourself hurrying here, then you’re
of the creeping Arctic willow; green-gray blankets of heath and missing the point.

DEC E M BE R 202 1 / FE BR UA RY 2022 61

62 D ESTINASIAN
BISHKEK AND BEYOND
Clockwise from below: An elderly Kyrgyz man in
Jalal-Abad wearing a traditional kalpak hat; green
tea accompanies a meal in Karakol; a yurt camp on
the shores of Song Kul lake; peaches at Bishkek’s
Osh Bazaar. Opposite: Homemade manti dumplings
filled with diced pumpkin and potatoes.

A Craving for Kyrgyzstan

ROAD TRIPPING ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS AND VALLEYS OF THIS CENTRAL ASIAN
NATION PROVES THE PERFECT WAY TO SAVOR ITS SURPRISINGLY DIVERSE CUISINE.
WORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY KAROLINA WIERCIGROCH

DEC E M BE R 202 1 / FE BR UA RY 2022 63

A
s I take another hesitant sip of the
fermented mare’s milk, I concede
with some regret that it is an ac-
quired taste I am unlikely to acquire.
Kumis, as this brew is called, is popu-
lar across Central Asia and regarded
as a national drink in Kyrgyzstan. I
had expected something similar to
kefir or buttermilk. But no. Viscous,
sour, and mildly alcoholic, kumis, to my taste buds at
least, is like a fizzy liquid version of Poland’s pungent
oscypek cheese — definitely not for the faint of palate.
It’s seven in the morning at our guesthouse in Bishkek,
Kyrgyzstan’s Soviet-built capital, on our first day in the
country. That’s perhaps too early an hour for an introduc-
tion to kumis, but it doesn’t stop us from appreciating the
first show of Kyrgyz hospitality that will accompany us
for the rest of the trip. In the breakfast room, a brightly
patterned tablecloth is piled with delectables: homemade
preserves, cream, and honey in crystal bowls; a platter
of juicy apricots and plums; pillowy balls of fried dough
called borsook; crepes and crispy blinis. Our hostess, a
genial woman with little English but plenty of charm,
plies us with black tea from a silvery samovar.
Kumis aside, it’s a promising start to our Kyrgyzstan
road trip, which will take my boyfriend and I on a looping
tour around the shores of Issyk Kul lake, across high cols
and river valleys to the ancient Silk Road city of Osh, and
on to the summer pasturelands at Song Kul, where we’ll
stay at a yurt camp with a family of herders. Kyrgyzstan
may be one of the smaller Central Asian republics, but
the distances are still vast and the terrain is mountainous.
The plan is to spend a couple of weeks on the road, but
even that will just scratch the surface of this fascinating
and beautiful land.
We leave Bishkek the next day and drive east to Issyk
Kul, the world’s second-largest alpine lake after Titicaca
in the Andes, and one of its most ancient. Every now and
then the arid landscape turns bucolic as we pass through
villages and fruit orchards. Roadside stands advertise
cherries, raspberries, plump melons, and vegetables, in-
cluding some of the reddest tomatoes I’ve ever seen.
Issyk Kul’s name means “warm lake” in Kyrgyz, a ref-
erence to the fact that its slate-blue waters never freeze,
not even during the subzero temperatures of deepest
winter. Sitting at an elevation of 1,600 meters, it’s a huge
expanse — a veritable sea for landlocked Kyrgyzstan.
Back in the days when Kyrgyzstan was part of the
Soviet Union, Issyk Kul was developed as a resort destina-
tion for Russian workers and cadres, with plush hotels and
sanatoriums built along its northern shore. Yuri Gagarin
was sent here to recuperate after becoming the first man
in space; Leonid Brezhnev kept a dacha near the village
of Semenovka. Most of the sanatoriums fell into decline
after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, though the
spa town of Cholpon-Ata remains popular with beach-
starved Kyrgyz and holidaymakers from neighboring
Kazakhstan. After nearly four hours on the road, it also
makes a good lunch stop, and we devour a platter of mut-
ton pelmeni (Russian dumplings) with gusto.
Karakol, Kyrgyzstan’s fourth-largest city, lies near the
eastern end of the lake. Founded as a tsarist garrison town

64 D ESTINASIAN
 LAY OF THE LAND
Mountain scenery
on the road to the
Kara Koo Pass.
Opposite, from top:
A group of local
holidaymakers near
Osh; ashlyanfu—a
spicy cold noodle
soup—at Ak-Tilek
Bazaar in Karakol.

DEC E M BE R 202 1 / FE BR UA RY 2022 65

66 D ESTINASIAN
TURNING THE TABLES
Clockwise from above: A tomato-and-cucumber salad and
lamb shashlik at a riverside café in Osh; in the Alay Mountains,
there’s snow even in the summer; a Dungan feast at Fatima
Dautova’s house in Karakol; a baker in Osh sprinkling sesame
seeds on tandyr nan flatbread dough. Opposite: Rounds
of freshly baked nan at a stall in Bishkek’s Osh Bazaar.

DEC E M BE R 202 1 / FE BR UA RY 2022 67

 BUCKET LIST
Clockwise from left: Shepherd Umutkor Nazarova with
a bucket of fresh cow’s milk on her family’s summer
pasture near Song Kul lake; a tandoor-baked samsa
filled with minced lamb at a café in Osh; a lunch spread
at a guesthouse in Arslanbob; Umutkor dishing up plov,
which she cooks in a heavy pot over a wood-fired stove.

68 D ESTINASIAN
in the mid-19th century, it has a smattering of classically Russian oldest market — are also delicious. Spiked with tender mutton
houses as well as a stout wooden Russian Orthodox cathedral or beef, the skewers are served with tomato-and-cucumber salad
topped by golden onion domes. Karakol is also a gateway to the and golden discs of tandoor-baked flatbread called tandyr nan. A
Terskey Ala-Too range of the Tian Shan mountains, making it staple across the Turkic world, nan is a big deal in Kyrgyzstan,
popular with skiers in winter and hikers in summer. with countless bakeries turning out piles of the stuff every day.
We, however, have come to sample the food of the Dungans, a Our local guide, Beksultan, takes us to a baker named Barno,
Muslim community descended from Hui people who fled west- who is busy preparing her next batch of bread. On a rotating tray,
ern China in the 1870s to escape persecution. Of those who sur- blobs of dough are turned into perfect circles in seconds; then
vived the arduous crossing of the Tian Shan, some found refuge they’re pinched up at the edges, brushed with milk, and sprinkled
in Karakol, where they built a colorful Chinese-style mosque with sesame and cumin seeds before being placed in a clay oven.
with a pagoda-like minaret. They also brought with them their Beksultan admits with a smile that way too much bread is eat-
distinctive cuisine, which is rich in vegetables and spices. en in Kyrgyzstan. It’s served with everything, even with another
At the home of a Dungan woman named Fatima Dautova, ubiquitous tandoor-baked item: samsa. Popular throughout the
we’re shown how to make laghman, a dish of hand-pulled wheat country, these savory hand pies are often deep-fried like their
noodles known in China as latiaozi. On her flower-filled terrace, South Asian cousin the samosa. But the version you get in Osh —
Fatima neatly rolls out the noodle dough into long, thin threads, fist-size and stuffed with chopped mutton and onions — is slow-
then, to prevent the strands from sticking together during cook- cooked on the walls of a tandoor. The fragrant broth that forms
ing, she loops them around her outstretched hands like a cat’s inside during baking is perfect for dipping nan into. It turns out
cradle and bangs them on the table a few times before throwing that there is a method to this gluten madness.
them into boiling water. Once cooked, the noodles are stir-fried
with chives, chili, and egg and served with a variety of other color- FOR MOST OF THE YEAR, Kyrgyz herders live settled lives in
ful dishes, my favorite being thin-cut potatoes with strips of beef. villages, but from June to September, when the lowlands are arid,
Another Dungan specialty awaits us at the Ak-Tilek Bazaar: they move to alpine pastures known as jailoo. And few jailoos are
ashlyanfu, a spicy, vinegary cold noodle soup typically accom- as coveted as the meadowlands of Song Kul, a mountain-ringed
panied by Russian pirozhki (fried lake some 125 kilometers southeast
buns filled with mashed potatoes) to of Bishkek. As soon as the summer
offset the tang. Ashlyanfu stalls take grasses begin to emerge, families
The Details for boutique charm,
up an entire aisle of the market; we move here to pitch their felt yurts,
GETTING THERE however, should check
settle in at one called Elwira’s, which AND AROUND into the 14-room Navat fatten their livestock, and live for a
is clearly a local favorite. The lineup From Southeast Asia, Hotel (navathotel.kg; few months like their ancestors.
outside never seems to shorten. the easiest route to doubles from US$85), a The Nazarovas are one such
Bishkek is via Dubai, cozy option in the city’s
where low-cost airline historical district that’s family, and we’ve arranged to stay
WE DEPART KARAKOL early the Flydubai (flydubai just steps away from at their camp for a couple of nights.
next morning as the sun is rising .com) operates daily the Kyrgyz Opera and We are given our own yurt to sleep
red-eye flights to the Ballet Theater and the
over the snowy peaks. Skirting the Kyrgyzstani capital. National Museum of in but join our hosts for meals,
southern shores of the lake, the road Bishkek-based tour Fine Arts. starting with afternoon tea, which
takes us over a spur of mountains operator Travel Land While tourism is served at a low table with chunks
(trvlland.com) can infrastructure is limited
before dropping down to the Naryn organize car rentals in the countryside, of warm bread, tart homemade jam
River, which we follow for several and guided tours. homestays and yurt made from foraged blueberries, and
uneventful hours before arriving at visits can be set up a thick, scrumptiously fat cream
WHERE TO STAY through the Kyrgyz
the village Ak-Tal for the night. Filled with Soviet-era Community Based known as kaymak.
Our route the next day is reput- monumental art and Tourism Association Umutkor, the matriarch, soon
ed to be the most thrilling drive in architecture, orderly (cbtkyrgyzstan.kg), starts preparing a plov, frying on-
Bishkek is also home to which brings together
Kyrgyzstan. Traversing a succession a Hyatt Regency and a 15 diverse destination ions, carrots, and lamb with spices
of verdant valleys, it winds through two-year-old Sheraton communities across over a wood-fired stove. She stirs in
plunging gorges and over lofty hotel. Those looking Kyrgyzstan. red devzira rice and leaves the dish
ridges. The steep, twisting ascent to to simmer, filling the yurt with the
the 3,500-meter pass of Kara Koo aroma of cumin, coriander, caraway.
is rewarded with outstanding views: softly molded mountains I ask Umutkor about life in the jailoo. “It’s a lot of work, tend-
stretch away endlessly in gradual shades of yellow, red, purple, ing the animals, cooking over fire, baking bread,” she says. “But
and blue. Beyond the dust-blown village of Kazarman, we enter a it’s better than in town. It’s beautiful here, and peaceful. My boys
sea of grassy steppe broken only by the occasional yurt or flock of love it. They’re always running around, playing, riding horses.”
sheep. Finally, where the southern ranges of the Tian Shan give Our plov that evening is inevitably accompanied by a big
way to the fertile lowlands of the Fergana Valley, we reach Osh. jug of fresh kumis, the fermented mare’s milk that I’ve been try-
Located a couple kilometers from the border with Uzbeki- ing to avoid since that first morning in Bishkek. Umutkor doesn’t
stan, Osh was for centuries a key hub on the Northern Silk Road. have horses, so she trades cow’s milk for kumis with a neighbor.
Today more than half of the city’s inhabitants are Uzbeks, and She assures me that the kumis from Song Kul is the best in all
their influence is clearly visible in the kitchen. Osh is famous for of Kyrgyzstan. Perhaps the crisp mountain air and the natural
its plov, a pilaf-like rice dish that’s found across Central Asia and beauty of our surroundings has something to do with it, but it’s
the Caucasus but that is a particular Uzbek specialty. We sample here, in a lakeside shepherd’s yurt under the snow-flecked peaks
several versions, each seemingly more aromatic than the last. of the Tian Shan massif, that I finally drink a glass of kumis with
The kebabs at the Jayma Bazaar — said to be the region’s genuine pleasure.

DEC E M BE R 202 1 / FE BR UA RY 2022 69

 DESERT DREAMING
The AlUla region’s
otherworldly geography
includes the rock
formations of Gharameel,
where sandstone spires
tower above the desert.

70 D ESTINASIAN
 Sh i f t i n g

As once-reclusive Saudi Arabia slowly opens

up to the world, one destination in particular
is poised to become the kingdom’s main draw card:
AlUla. Yet for all the desert region’s natural and
NICOLA CHILTON

archaeological attractions, NICOLA CHILTON finds

equal inspiration in the hospitality of its people.

DEC E M BE R 202 1 / FE BR UA RY 2022 71

72
D ESTINASIAN
FROM TOP: JONATHAN IRISH; HUBERT RAGUET
 A
is home to more than two million date palms.
From the eighth century BCE, the Dadan-
ite and Lihyanite civilizations controlled the
trade caravans on the Incense Route from
southern Arabia to the Mediterranean and
ROCK OF AGES beyond, and they carved their own tombs and
Opposite, from top: The
Tomb of Lihyan son of temples into the mountains. The Nabataeans
Kuza, at Hegra; a bird’s- came next, making Hegra their southern capi-
eye view of the region’s
desert landscape. tal. The city flourished as a trade hub for 200
years until the Roman emperor Trajan an-
nexed the Nabataean kingdom as the province
of Arabia Petraea. With the advent of Islam,
AlUla became a key staging post on the pil-
grimage route to Mecca.
The archaeological sites are fascinating,
and there’s a real sense of discovery as you
few years ago, while indulging my habit of reading about places explore them. But this is a country in flux, and I was equally as
that are seemingly impossible to visit, I learned about the ancient excited to meet the young Saudis, such as Amal and Suleiman,
Nabataean city of Hegra, whose rock-cut tombs pepper a remote who are at the forefront of the birth of tourism in their town, and
plain in the Arabian Desert. It was a place barely anyone had who are eagerly awaiting visitors.
ever seen or even heard of, despite its designation as a UNESCO “I honestly didn’t expect to be a tour guide, but I like to meet
World Heritage site in 2008. I wondered how its monumental people and get to know them,” Amal told me, her gray eyes shin-
beauty had escaped global attention. ing through her niqab. “No one knew about our city in the past,
But then, this was Saudi Arabia, a country that, at the time, which is something I didn’t like because it’s a beautiful place.”
wasn’t exactly eager to welcome tourists. Fast forward to 2019 As we walked toward Jabal Al-Banat, one of the largest tomb
and all of that changed with the introduction of the kingdom’s clusters at Hegra, Amal told me how proud her mother is seeing
first tourist visas and a much-touted opening of borders that her share their history with visitors from around the world. The
allowed visitors to catch a glimpse behind the veil of this myste- sands around us were calm and quiet. There were no convoys of
rious and long off-limits land. It was a pivotal milestone in the buses disgorging tour groups, no one hassling me to ride camels
rollout of Vision 2030, a bold blueprint for diversifying the Saudi or hawking miniatures of the ruins. Aside from my travel com-
economy and fostering cultural exchange with other nations. panions and our accompanying guides, we were alone. I felt as if
Then came Covid-19, and the doors closed again. But this past I was one of the first people ever to come here.
August the borders reopened to fully vaccinated travelers, and I The remarkably well-preserved tombs of Hegra were carved
decided to go and finally see for myself the tombs that had fasci- as symbols of power and wealth, and they reveal much about the
nated me for so long. other peoples that the Nabataeans came into contact with. Deco-
I caught my first glimpse of Hegra from the back of an open- rative elements include Greek columns, Egyptian lotus motifs,
top Land Rover as I bounced over soft sands with Amal Aljohani Roman eagles, and even a carving of Medusa with snakes emerg-
and Suleiman Aljuwayhil, two young guides who are welcoming ing from her head to protect those entombed inside.
some of the first international visitors to the AlUla region with a As the sun sank lower in the sky and the fine sand kicked up
mix of warmth, excitement, and humor. As we drove, I could see by our tires sparkled like gold dust in the late afternoon light, we
the humps of sandstone outcrops rising from the desert plain, approached Hegra’s largest and most evocative monument. The
their surfaces etched by millennia of wind and rain into hollows Tomb of Lihyan son of Kuza stands alone in the scrub-flecked
and capillary-like channels. And then my eyes picked out more desert, sculpted into the face of a rock that rises 22 meters above
regular lines, the extraordinary handiwork of the stonemasons the sand. It was most likely created for a wealthy Nabataean
who left their marks on this landscape 2,000 years ago. army commander but was never finished, the perfect lines of
“We used to come and play hide-and-seek here as kids,” said its hand-hewn facade and pilasters contrasting sharply with the
Amal, who grew up in the town of AlUla some 25 kilometers wind-smoothed curves and honeycomb texture of the rest of
south of Hegra. “We thought the tombs were people’s houses. It the rock. Amal explained that the facing pairs of steps above its
was like our playground.” upper cornice (a feature common to Hegra’s larger tombs) were
Now under the aegis of the Royal Commission for AlUla meant to provide a stairway for the soul to ascend to heaven.
(RCU), a government entity established in 2017 to help develop Until a few years ago, no one in Saudi Arabia really spoke of
the region, AlUla — a vast swath of desert and mountains some the pre-Islamic civilizations that once inhabited the peninsula.
200 kilometers inland from the Red Sea — is being positioned But that is changing with a new recognition of the importance of
as the crowning jewel of Saudi tourism. Hegra is its centerpiece, those who came before, and what can be learned from them.
with a collection of more than 100 monumental tombs that The following morning, Amal’s friend and fellow guide Sulei-
easily competes with the Middle East’s other big archaeological man brought me to Jabal Ikmah, where thousands of petroglyphs
attractions. Yet the Nabataeans, a tribe of ancient Arab nomads and inscriptions cover the terra cotta–hued rocks of a desert can-
turned merchants most famously known for the remains of their yon. He said it was his favorite place in all of AlUla. “You feel like
rock-cut capital of Petra in Jordan, weren’t the first to settle this you’re walking through history, through language, and through
area. The earliest evidence of human life here dates back 200,000 the ideas behind the civilizations here. For me, it’s fascinating,”
years, and the AlUla Valley has been continuously inhabited for Suleiman told me. “Hegra gives us huge monuments, but Ikmah
seven millennia thanks to the presence of a fertile oasis that today gives us a record of shared life.”

DEC E M BE R 202 1 / FE BR UA RY 2022 73

UNDISCOVERED COUNTRY WRITTEN IN STONE
From top: Sandstone From top: Millennia of wind
outcrops near Hegra; and rain have sculpted the
mysterious prehistoric soft sandstone of AlUla
structures like this into fantastical shapes;
pendant-shaped just one of the hundreds
burial site dot AlUla’s of pre-Arabic inscriptions
plains and uplands. at Jabal Ikmah.

74 D ESTINASIAN
ANCIENT HISTORY
From top: An aerial view
of AlUla’s 12th-century
Old Town, sections of
which have been recently
restored; Nabataean
tombs at Jabal Al-Banat.

DEC E M BE R 202 1 / FE BR UA RY 2022 75

 Some of the inscriptions were etched by professional scribes, Périssé-Valéro told me. “There TRUNK CALL
Opposite, from top: The
others by ordinary people to leave a record of their pilgrimage is amazing heritage here, and al- AlUla Valley’s verdant
or petition divine protection for the journey ahead. Suleiman most nothing has been revealed oasis has supported
pointed out different scripts — Thamudic, Dadanite, Lihyanite, yet apart from Hegra.” inhabitants and wayfarers
for millennia; the natural
Aramaic — as well as images of camels, oryx, and a lyre-like in- Neolithic and Bronze Age ar- sandstone arch of Jabal
strument called a simsimiyya. “These civilizations needed water, tifacts have been found in AlUla’s Alfil, or “Elephant Rock.”
food, and security to establish themselves. But to have musical oasis. Excavations haven’t start-
instruments meant that they had become more advanced. They ed yet, but she expects that when
had the essentials, and now they had accessories,” he explained. they do, they will uncover ancient settlements. “We’re just at the
As we walked through the morning sun, the wall of rock tow- very beginning here,” she added.
ering above us, I asked Suleiman why he chose to become a guide. Looking down from the restaurant over a walking street lined
“I love to look at people’s eyes when they’re seeing our herit- with shops and market stalls, I could see locals out for a stroll,
age,” he told me. “We’re a young nation, but we have a huge legacy drinking coffee at the cafés, children playing.
and we want to show it to the whole world. Saudi is not just sand “One year ago, this street was in ruins like the rest of the Old
dunes, it’s a lot of things.” Town,” Périssé-Valéro said. “What’s nice is that it’s bringing life
back to this part of town.”
HERITAGE SITES AREN’T the only thing set to attract visitors
to AlUla. British chef Jason Atherton’s new restaurant Maraya ON MY LAST NIGHT IN ALULA, I sat with Amal next to the
Social offers a menu of modern European cuisine made with in- infinity pool at Habitas, sipping mocktails and nibbling canapés
gredients from local farms. It’s located on the rooftop of Maraya, as a sliver of a crescent moon rose over the surrounding rocks.
a mirage-like building clad entirely in mirrored glass sheets that In her mid-20s and bursting with confident energy, Amal has
simultaneously melts into the landscape while stopping you in been guiding visitors since 2019. We talk about music, her love of
your tracks. José Carreras, Lionel Richie, and Craig David have Selena Gomez and Adele, how she learned much of her English
all performed in the concert hall housed inside. from movies, and about how excited she is to welcome more
Uber-exclusive Annabel’s, the private members’ club from overseas tourists to AlUla.
London, is opening its second pop-up in AlUla this winter. And Amal joined the guide-training program organized by the
there’s a series of events planned through the cooler months to RCU, which involved stints in Paris, Abu Dhabi, and the Arizona
entice visitors who may feel that, once they’ve ticked off all the town of Sedona. “We went to Paris to work at our exhibition on
boxes of the heritage sites, there’s nothing else to see. Art, hot-air AlUla in the Arab World Institute,” she told me. “I was so happy
balloons, vintage planes, and wellness events are all in the calen- and proud as a woman there in traditional Saudi dress, telling
dar with the aim of promoting AlUla as more than a once-in-a- people about my town, wanting them to see it. It was an amazing
lifetime destination. feeling for me.”
Up to now, accommodations in the area have been limited to a And while Amal is keen for the world to discover the wonders
handful of small hotels, camping options, and RV trailers. I stayed of AlUla, she wants visitors to see something else as well. “I want
at Shaden Resort, where the rooms are nothing to write home them to see what it’s like to be an independent woman in our city,
about but the setting — between towering honey-colored rock and that we have smart women, beautiful women here,” she said.
pinnacles just a short drive from the pachyderm-shaped outcrop “We have a lot to share with the whole world.”
of Jabal Alfil (“Elephant Rock”) — is extraordinary. But upscale I asked what’s next for her. “A lot of things,” she laughs. “You’re
hospitality brands are on the way. During my visit, the Habitas gonna see!” And I sense that this same attitude of excitement,
group was just days away from debuting an eco-chic retreat in optimism, and drive sits at the heart of AlUla. While its roots may
the Ashar Valley, not far from Maraya. Nearby, a new Banyan lie in millennia of history, it’s the new generation that will put
Tree resort will open next spring, taking over and upgrading the this remarkable region on the map.
former Ashar Resort with 79 tented pool villas and a spa. Future
properties by Aman Resorts and an ambitious plan by French
architect Jean Nouvel to carve a hotel into the rocks in the newly
established Sharaan Nature Reserve will add to the mix.
Another ongoing project is the restoration of AlUla’s Old The Details (experiencealula.com)
Town, a crumbling labyrinth of mud-brick houses, shops, website, which also lists
GETTING THERE upcoming events and
and mosques that the last of its inhabitants abandoned in the Saudi low-cost carrier festivals.
PREVIOUS SPREAD, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: COURTESY OF THE ROYAL

early 1980s for the comforts of modern-day AlUla, a few kilo- Flynas (flynas.com) recently
meters to the south. Over a lunch of stuffed grape leaves and launched thrice-weekly WHERE TO STAY
COMMISSION FOR ALULA (3); OMAR ALNAHDI (2); HUBERT RAGUET

direct flights between Just-opened Habitas AlUla

jareesh porridge at Suhail, one of the first restaurants to open in AlUla and Dubai. Visitors (ourhabitas.com; doubles
the district, I was joined by Dr. Ingrid Périssé-Valéro, the direc- of nationalities eligible from US$720) comprises
tor of archaeology and heritage at Afalula, a French government for tourist e-visas (which 100 super-stylish and
currently include China/ sustainably designed villas
agency created to support the RCU. Périssé-Valéro has a team of Hong Kong, Singapore, and with terraces that look out
120 international archaeologists working on different excava- Malaysia) can apply online to the sandstone cliffs of
tions, including the sites of Dadan and the Old Town, which dates at visa.visitsaudi.com. the Ashar Valley. Slated to
debut in spring 2022, the
back to the 12th century. And she believes there is still plenty to WHAT TO DO nearby Banyan Tree AlUla
discover. Tours and activities— (banyantree.com; doubles
“I’ve worked as an archaeologist in Lebanon and Syria, but including scenic helicopter from US$1,000) will feature
flights—can be booked at such indulgences as private
here I have the same feeling that travelers and archaeologists the Royal Commission for pools and the area’s first
maybe had in the 19th century in Mesopotamia and Greece,” AlUla’s Experience AlUla Thai restaurant.

76 D ESTINASIAN
 FROM TOP: COURTESY OF THE ROYAL COMMISSION FOR ALULA; NICOLA CHILTON

DEC E M BE R 202 1 / FE BR UA RY 2022

77
Connections
UPDATES AND OFFERS FROM DESTINASIAN PARTNERS

A great escape with Bali’s Bvlgari resort

Set high on a cliff overlooking the Indian Ocean, the all-villa Bvlgari Resort Bali has ranked
among the island’s most luxurious stays for more than a decade now, thanks in large part to
its elegant fusion of traditional Balinese architecture and contemporary Italian interior design.
Aside from spectacular sea views and proximity to Bali’s iconic Uluwatu Temple, other draws
include high-caliber service, sophisticated dining, and a private beach accessed via a cliff-
hugging inclinator. Prospective guests looking for another reason to check in should consider
the resort’s aptly named Bvlgari Escape
offer, available for booking until December
31 for stays up to March 31, 2022.
Starting from IDR 10,200,000++ per night,
the experience includes daily breakfast
served either in-villa or at Sangkar
Four Seasons opens in the restaurant, two 60-minute massages per
Napa Valley stay, and 24-hour butler assistance. It
Situated in the historic town of Calistoga, a sounds like an ideal way to say goodbye to
90-minute drive from San Francisco, the newly 2021, or to welcome in the new year.
minted Four Seasons Resort and Residences For more information, call 62-361/847-
Napa Valley promises rustic-chic lodgings, 1000 or visit bulgarihotels.com
romantic destination dining, and an immersive
California wine country experience. Created
in partnership with acclaimed local winemaker
Thomas Rivers Brown, Elusa Winery and its A bonus for the
1.9-hectare organic vineyard occupy the heart Boracay-bound
of the 85-room resort, and guests are invited Three nights for the price
to explore the winemaking process with hands- of two is just the start of the
on demonstrations, opportunities to meet the benefits awaiting guests who
winemakers, and tastings that include a variety book the Boracay Better
of wines from the Napa region. Sophisticated, than Ever offer at Crimson
locally inspired cuisine awaits at Truss, where Resort & Spa, Boracay.
chef Erik Anderson — previously of San Starting from PHP 21,840,
Francisco’s two-Michelin-starred Coi — turns the package also comes
out dishes like pressed chicken served with with daily breakfast for two,
seasonal butternut squash, Fresno peppers, dining credits worth up to
popped black rice, and herbs; needless to say, PHP 3,000, complimentary
there’s also an extensive wine selection. And round-trip land and boat
when it comes time to unwind after a long day transfers, 50 percent savings on all spa services, and an additional 15 percent off all in-house
of sightseeing or vineyard visits, the mud bath restaurant meals (not including alcoholic drinks). You’ll want to act fast, though: situated on
at the Four Seasons’ Spa Talisa is just the thing. Boracay’s secluded Punta Bunga Cove, the resort is accepting bookings for this offer only until
For more information, visit fourseasons.com/ the end of this year, though the stay period extends until September 30, 2022.
napavalley For more information, call 63-36/669-5888 or visit crimsonhotel.com

A compelling deal at Capella Bangkok

With the Thai capital now welcoming back vaccinated international tourists, it’s a safe
bet that many visitors to the City of Angels will be eyeing the rooms at the Capella
Bangkok, which features the only riverside villas in town as well as plunge pool–equipped
suites and Michelin-starred chef Mauro Colagreco’s first restaurant in Southeast Asia,
Côte. Another plus is the hotel’s Stay 3 Pay 2 offer, which provides a complimentary
third night for every two consecutive nights booked at the best available rate in any
room category. Rates start at THB 19,500++ (about US$720) per night for a Riverfront
standard room based on reservations made until March 31, 2022, for stays until
September 30, 2022, while inclusions range from daily breakfast for two to sunrise yoga
by the river, sunset cocktails, and complimentary pressing of up to five pieces of clothing
per stay. Villa guests will receive the additional benefits of a roundtrip limousine transfer
within Bangkok, a 30-minute massage on arrival, and a daily in-villa apéro service.
For more information, call 66-2/098-3878 or visit capellahotels.com/bangkok
PARTNER PROMOTIONS AROUND THE GLOBE

As the newest luxury serviced residence in

South Jakarta, InterContinental Residences INTERCONTINENTAL RESIDENCES surrounds them. The property also connects
to the InterContinental Jakarta Pondok
Jakarta Pondok Indah offers business
travelers or families relocating to the
JAKARTA PONDOK INDAH Indah hotel, giving residents instant access
to a range of five-star amenities such as the
Indonesian capital a perfect home-away- INDONESIA all-day Sugar & Spice restaurant and Shio
from-home experience. The property is for teppanyaki.
strategically integrated within an upscale furnished, they all boast elegant interiors For residents looking to keep active
complex with direct access to the prominent by the award-winning design firm Hirsch and unwind, there are numerous on-site
Pondok Indah Shopping Malls, Pondok Bedner Associates Singapore and are facilities, including a state-of-the-art 24-
Indah Office Towers, leisure facilities accented with artworks from renowned hour fitness center, steam room, Planet
including a water park and the Robert Trent Indonesian artist Haryanto Gunawan. Each Trekkers indoor playground, sauna, and a
Jones Jr.–designed Pondok Indah Golf apartment is equipped with a contemporary 25-meter swimming pool. In other words,
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artist’s impression

BANFF, ALBERTA
Banff National Park in the Canadian Rockies may be best known as a nirvana for skiers and snowboarders,
but its striking landscapes make this a dreamy summertime destination as well, as Bhairavi Jathar Talpade
discovered on a family vacation in August. “Banff is a painter’s paradise,” says the Ontario-based illustrator
and artist. “The mountains, the lakes, the way the light and shadows change throughout the day and create
spectacular reflections in the water … it’s one of the most beautiful areas I’ve visited.” One highlight of her trip
was a gondola ride to the 2,281-meter summit of Sulphur Mountain, where a boardwalk offers sweeping views
— captured in this watercolor — over the Bow Valley and the town of Banff. Says Bhairavi, “Even before I touch
my brush, I try to gather the beauty, calmness, and serenity of the scene before me in my heart. Places like this
give me the energy to paint again and again.”

80 D ESTINASIAN M A RC H / MAY 2021

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