Tabla de contenidos para Apr/May 2018 en DestinAsian

Writing this introduction from Berlin, where I’ve been attending the annual Digital Innovation Summit, I am heartened to know that print magazines are still thriving despite the inexorable shift to online media. The truth is that content is king, and this, our 101st issue, has some wonderful surprises in store. Husband-and-wife team Aaron Gulley and Jen Judge venture out into the wintry Siberian tundra to tag along with the Nenets, one of the last nomadic peoples on earth, on their reindeer migration. Though I can’t say I’ll be following in their footprints any time soon, this riveting story kept me glued to my seat. Over in Cambodia, Siem Reap–based Lara Dunston and Terence Carter (another dynamic duo) offer us a mouth-watering look at “New Cambodian” cuisine, profiling the young chefs…

VIENNA The Austrian capital is commemorating 100 years since the death of four Viennese modernist figures with several key exhibitions. Visitors at the Leopold Museum (leopoldmuseum.org) should check out “Vienna 1900. Klimt-Moser-Gerstl-Kokoschka” (until June 10) and a solo show on artist Egon Schiele (until November 4). The nearby Kunsthistoriches Museum (khm.at) has unveiled “Stairway to Klimt,” a temporary bridge that affords a closer view of Gustav Klimt’s 13 paintings above the main staircase until September 2. GLASGOW This year, Scotland’s largest city celebrates the 150th anniversary of the birth of designer and architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh, a pioneer of the only Art Nouveau movement in Britain. The newly restored Willow Tea Rooms are set to reopen in June to Mackintosh’s original design, and the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum (beta.glasgowlife.org.uk)…

A string of high-end day clubs have popped up in the Uluwatu area of Bali’s Bukit Peninsula over the last few months. But Omnia, the first wedge in Hakkasan Group’s Indonesian expansion, outshines them all for sheer architectural theatre, from its artfully sculpted swimming pools to the crystal cube–roofed bar that seems to hover high above the Indian Ocean. Situated at the edge of a limestone cliff on the same estate as Alila Villas Uluwatu, the club—designed by Singapore’s WOHA and the New York–based Rockwell Group—centers on sun-washed terraces of umbrella-shaded daybeds where a soundtrack of electronic dance music (and occasional sessions by big-name DJs) sets the mood for cocktails that deftly navigate the challenging space between accessible and interesting—try the Smoky Passion or Tamarillo Diablo for a smoldering tang.…

Taking a well-appointed river boat is an unforgettable way to explore some of Southeast Asia’s most alluring destinations. From July to October this year, Pandaw Cruises (pandaw.com) is rolling out the red carpet for children embarking on select adventures during school breaks. Guests between the ages of five and 18 can travel for free on any of the following seven-night itineraries: a classic Mekong cruise between Siem Reap and Ho Chi Minh City with a detour to Kratie to see endangered Irrawaddy dolphins; a cruise on Myanmar’s Irrawaddy River between Mandalay and Bagan; and a voyage along the lesser-known Chindwin, also in Myanmar. Traveling kids will bed down in a complimentary second cabin and receive all meals and local drinks for free, along with cultural performances and daily excursions led…

HAKONE Part of Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park, Hakone is an historic onsen town and a popular day trip from Tokyo. Don’t miss a cruise on Lake Ashi, a visit to Hakone Shrine, and the Hakone Open Air Museum (hakone-oam.or.jp), which features works from a slew of avant-garde artists including Picasso, Henry Moore, and Taro Okamoto. KYOTO Aside from visiting the city’s major temples and shrines, make sure you spend a few hours at the fascinating Kyoto Railway Museum (kyotorailwaymuseum.jp). The district of Arashiyama is also a great day out for kids, thanks to its bamboo grove, the hilltop Kameyama Park, and rental rowboats on the Hozugawa River. FUKUOKA The largest city in Kyushu is the home of Fishing Restaurant Zauo (zauo.com) where you must catch your own dinner. Those with more…

Visitors to the Malaysian island of Penang might find it hard to pull themselves away from UNESCO-listed George Town, but two educational spots outside the city are a must for families. Near Batu Ferringhi, Tropical Spice Garden (tropicalspicegarden.com) offers guided tours and night walks that showcase its collection of 500 plant species. Just up the road lies Entopia by Penang Butterfly Farm (entopia.com), a discovery center sheltering all manner of insects, small reptiles, and more than 15,000 free-flying butterflies. Both offer nature learning programs for kids.…

Even with brand-new hotels popping up all the time, heritage structures converted for use as accommodation can exert an allure all their own. In China alone you can relive Beijing’s imperial past at Aman Summer Palace, where courtiers once waited for an audience with the Empress Dowager Cixi; stay in a Mao-era sugar mill at Alila Yangshuo in Guilin; or steep yourself in the romance of early 20th-century Shanghai amid the revamped shikumen villas of that city’s Capella resort. And for anyone who’s ever secretly dreamed of life as a paper-pushing bureaucrat of the late 20th century, Hong Kong now has just the place. This is perhaps a tad unfair, because The Murray—officially The Murray, Hong Kong, a Niccolo Hotel—is as stylish and unstuffy as can be. But it does…

I HEAR LAUGHTER, but I can’t locate its source. It’s not coming from the other diners with me on the terrace of the old marketplace overlooking the languid Magdalena River, nor from the chefs frying croquetas in their outdoor kitchen. It seems to be issuing from the water itself. Then three bobbing heads drift into view, and I find my answer to be a trio of young boys floating downriver, giggling as they go. Magical moments like this are almost commonplace in Santa Cruz de Mompox (also known as Mompós), and it comes as no surprise to learn that the small, exceptionally well-preserved colonial port town inspired the settings in various novels by Gabriel García Márquez, the godfather of magical realism. Until my visit, I couldn’t have imagined that such…

MET BAR AT COMO METROPOLITAN BANGKOK With its deep club chairs and wine-dark walls, the stylish lounge-style hotel bar at COMO Metropolitan Bangkok provides an intimate setting for relaxation after a full day of sightseeing. It’s an ideal space to catch up with friends, hold casual meetings, and party after dark. Patrons can expect a subtle combination of perfectly made cocktails and chilled-out sounds from the background music, with the venue open daily from 2 p.m. until midnight. For a uniquely Thai spin on a classic tipple, look to Met Bar’s signature cocktail the Tom Yum martini or Tom Yumtini. It captures the essence of its namesake soup, thanks to the sharp, bright overtones of kaffir lime leaf and a medley of other herbs and spices that creates a pleasing…

GABRIELLE LIPTON Wrote “Mompox Mágico,” p. 112 If Lipton were to ever make a coffee-table book, it might very well be about the secret gardens of Mompox. Behind the stoic facades of the haciendas lining the streets of this sleepy Colombian river town is a world of courtyards, each its own careful creation—some shaded by vine-covered trees that have been growing up from their soil for centuries, others bursting with tropical flowers. “Courtyards are a central part of traditional northern Colombian architecture, but the ones in Mompox are exceptional,” she says. “Whereas those in Cartegena are often grounds for cocktails and fine hotel restaurants, Mompox’s are more relaxed and untamed, a bit like the town itself.” AARON GULLEY Wrote “Nomad’s Land,” p. 126 “I hate cold weather. And snow. So…

1 / Da Nang, Vietnam NAMAN RETREAT This beachfront wellness resort to the south of Da Nang balances its whitewashed contemporary villas with jaw-dropping communal buildings by Tokyo-trained architect Vo Trong Nghia, who is pushing the boundaries of bamboo construction in Vietnam. Enormous trumpet-shaped columns hold up the restaurant's thatched roof, while a vaulted conference hall doubles as a wedding venue. Bending the bamboo stalks into sweeping curves was no mean feat, requiring a four-month process that involved fire, water, and air-drying. namanretreat.com; villas from US$367 2 / Bali, Indonesia BAMBU INDAH Longtime Bali residents John and Cynthia Hardy have made waves not just with their ecofriendly Green School and Green Village outside Ubud, but also the rustic-chic hotel whose name means “beautiful bamboo.” The property delivers that in spades,…

Though it’s better known these days as Victoria Falls, the original Lozi name Mosi-oa-Tunya, or “the Smoke that Thunders,” is a far more alluring description for one of Africa’s most sought-after natural spectacles. The roar from the mighty Zambezi River as it tumbles over a 108-meter high precipice straddling the Zambia-Zimbabwe border can be heard from miles away, and the veil of mist rising from a narrow chasm 1,700 meters across creates rainbows that can even be seen after dark in the light of a full moon. May is the month to glimpse the falls at peak water flow: the riverside viewpoints in Zimbabwe generally offer better vistas with less spray, while a helicopter tour brings an even greater appreciation for the cascade’s sheer scale and power. It’s also prime…

KOOZA April 19–June 3; asiaboxoffice.com For six weeks, a Big Top on Hong Kong’s Central Harbourfront will be home to performances of Kooza, a 2.5-hour extravaganza by Cirque du Soleil. A clown protagonist and acrobatics galore will keep the audience glued to their seats with a riveting spectacle of sound, light, color, and movement. YAYOI KUSAMA: LIFE IS THE HEART OF A RAINBOW May 12–September 9; museummacan.org Previously shown in Brisbane and at National Gallery Singapore, this major exhibition taking in the full breadth of Yayoi Kusama’s career is making its last stop in the region at Jakarta’s months-old Museum MACAN. Her signature style involving psychedelic polka dots, nets, and pumpkins is bound to be a hit with the kids, and may even give them a head start on contemporary…

CHIANG MAI, THAILAND Long considered the adventure capital of northern Thailand, Chiang Mai has plenty of thrills on its doorstep. Green Trails (green-trails.com) offers one-to three-day family treks that take in the mountain scenery of peaks such as Doi Inthanon—Thailand’s highest—and overnight stays in hilltribe villages. Those with a head for heights should try out treetop ziplining in the rain forest of Mae Takhrai National Park with Flight of the Gibbon (treetopasia.com). LUANG PRABANG, LAOS The laid-back pace and compact size of this UNESCO-listed town makes it an ideal place to get around by bike, especially for families with adventurous teens. For an easy day trip into the rural surrounds, Biking Laos (biking-laos.com) brings guest on a mountain bike ride through villages and jungles to the Tad Sae Waterfalls. SANDAKAN,…

Red sky at night, sailor’s delight. If there is any truth to this ancient nautical maxim—and there is—then the first sunset of our five-day cruise augurs well for the rest of the voyage. As the West Papua harbor town of Sorong fades from view on the darkening horizon behind us, the sinking sun paints the sky ahead in Crayola hues of scarlet and orange, a radiant spectacle that we absorb, glasses of sparkling wine in hand, from our perch at the boat’s high prow. Steering a little north of west toward the Raja Ampat Archipelago, we follow it across a patch of glowing sea that is soon swallowed up by the moonless equatorial night. The 31-meter teak-and-ironwood charter yacht we’re sailing on is the Rascal, which launched last year as…

A permit to see mountain gorillas in Rwanda costs US$1,500, but after you pay for this rare East African experience, you still have to earn it. The two-hour drive from Kigali, the Rwandan capital, bends along a mountain highway whose blind turns by the edge of plunging slopes do nothing to deter drivers from blasting past us in the outside lane. We survive this to pass through a series of village neighborhoods stepped up a hillside on a rocky, potholed road. “African massage!” the driver quips. Stopping outside the last of these settlements, our group of eight uncoils from the SUVs, stretching to let all the spinal disks fall back into alignment. Then, with our guide and local porters, we head off along a path between furrowed fields that women…

RACING ACROSS the scrubby interior of Bintan in a beat-up taxi, I almost feel like a fugitive on the run. My driver, Erizal (like many Indonesians, he goes by one name), swerves to overtake slow-moving trucks in the harsh midday sun, its rays refracted through a sizable crack running down the windshield’s left side. I eventually see that a chunk of the steering wheel is missing, perhaps eaten away by years of exposure to the salty sea air. It’s a thrilling introduction to the largest island in the Riau Archipelago, and a reminder that we are on the very edge of Indonesia. Bintan might be synonymous with Bintan Resorts, a sprawling, master-planned enclave for weekending Singaporeans along the north shore, but that’s just part of the story. The 2,400-square-kilometer island…

2002, WHEN 29-year-old Ma Dadong returned to visit family in the city of Fuzhou in Jiangxi province, some shocking news awaited him. The Chinese government had approved construction of the Liao Fang reservoir, and it was only a matter of time before the ancient village where he grew up would be lost to the rising waters. It wasn’t just local livelihoods and belongings that faced extinction. Historically, Fuzhou (called Linchuan in ancient times) was known as the “Cradle of Talents,” an important center of knowledge and literature dating back to the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). It was the birthplace of several notable writers and philosophers, including Tang Xianzu, a Ming official and playwright who has come to be regarded as the Shakespeare of China (both men died in the same year,…

Perched on the 56th floor of Hong Kong’s Island Shangri-La hotel and with lofty views of Victoria Harbour, French restaurant Petrus played host to the DestinAsian magazine’s Readers’ Choice Awards luncheon. The 13th edition of the annual affair on February 7 drew hoteliers, tourism officials, and other travel industry leaders, and the event began with a cocktail reception followed by speeches from publisher Ronald Liem and editor-in-chief Christopher P. Hill. Mr. Liem presented red Zwiesel crystal vases to winners in 31 categories ranging from destinations and airlines to boutique hotels, while guests tucked into a three-course meal that featured dishes such as homemade cavatelli pasta and crispy pork belly with black truffles.…

Singapore SOFITEL SINGAPORE SENTOSA RESORT & SPA A fun-filled Sentosa getaway for all ages can now be had for less at the colonial-style Sofitel. The Magnifique family deal for two adults and two children gets you half-price on a second room, complimentary breakfast for the kids, and late checkout until 4 p.m. And at no extra cost to guests, the hotel will make a small donation from each night booked under the offer to the Antoine de Saint-Exupéry Foundation, which empowers underprivileged young people around the world (sofitel.com). Vietnam SIX SENSES CON DAO Getting to this eco-luxe retreat in the Con Dao Archipelago needn’t be a hassle. Valid through October 31, the resort’s Stay ’n Fly Free package offers savings of US$210 per person, thanks to free roundtrip flights between…

Sweden’s third-largest city is progressive, surprisingly multicultural, and possesses an undeniable charm. Getting there from neighboring Copenhagen only takes 25 minutes by train across the Öresund strait. TWIST AND SHOUT Signaling the revival of Malmö after decades of economic decline, the city’s undisputed icon is Turning Torso, a 190-meter skyscraper by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava. It’s the tallest building in Scandinavia and dominates the former industrial area of Västra Hamnen or Western Harbor, now a carbon-neutral neighborhood that’s the ideal place for a seaside stroll. COLD COMFORTS An easy 10-minute walk from Västra Hamnen along the curving promenade brings you to Ribersborg beach, where the Kallbadhus (ribersborgskallbadhus.se) has stood at the end of a wooden pier since 1898. Bathers at this traditional Swedish sauna come for an invigorating plunge—au naturel—into…

“Airbnb for everyone.” Splashed up on a screen in the clean, contemporary sans serif that the company has adopted as its brand font, these words underscore the agenda for a series of new initiatives announced by Airbnb CEO Brian Chesky in San Francisco in February. It’s an egalitarian-sounding slogan, much like discount carrier AirAsia’s “Now Everyone Can Fly.” But the philosophy is rather different. As Airbnb continues to morph from an alternative accommodations provider aimed at bargain-hunting millennials into a mainstream travel brand, the thrust this year—which marks the company’s 10th anniversary—is on making inroads into the luxury travel market, wooing a more discerning clientele with high-caliber and quality-verified properties. It’s an ambitious move for a home-sharing service that began with three air mattresses in the co-founders’ San Francisco apartment…

When it opened in September 2015 on the outskirts of Ubud, Mandapa, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve (mandapareserve.com) quickly earned recognition as one of the year’s best new hotels. This was not unexpected. As the third property in Ritz-Carlton’s ultra-exclusive Reserve portfolio, the 10-hectare resort had plenty of hype to live up to, and the finished results were suitably impressive, from the aerie-like lobby perched above a luminous green valley, to the thatch-roofed pool villas laid out alongside the Ayung River below in the style of a traditional Balinese village (complete with terraced rice fields and a venerable Hindu temple). Fast forward two and a half years and, while the hype has dissipated, Mandapa is perhaps more alluring than ever, its gardens now full and lush and its staff—which includes a team…

• YOU WERE BORN AND RAISED IN LISBON. ARE THERE ELEMENTS OF PORTUGUESE DESIGN THAT INFORM YOUR WORK? I’m nostalgic for Portugal because it is a beautiful country with an extraordinary aesthetic background. While I can’t say for certain that I use exact Portuguese design references in my work, I think the creativity and sensibility of Portuguese culture—honoring the craftsmen in particular—is something that stayed with me. In my projects you can see that influence in how I value craftsmanship and texture and the things that belong to that particular place. • HOW DO YOU DRAW OUT A SENSE OF PLACE IN YOUR DESIGNS? I call myself a cultural anthropologist, and I don’t think that’s presumptuous—it’s a well-earned reference to explain what I do. I observe the details of each…

JOHOR BAHRU Malaysia’s third-largest metropolitan area has no shortage of kid-friendly sights just across the causeway. Legoland Malaysia (legoland.com my) is perhaps the biggest draw; of its 70 rides and attractions, the newest is the Great Lego Race, the world’s first Lego-themed virtual-reality roller coaster. Another highlight is Lego Miniland, which has miniature replicas of downtown Kuala Lumpur and regional landmarks such as the Taj Mahal and Bangkok’s Wat Arun. From Legoland Malaysia, a 15-minute shuttle bus ride brings visitors to Puteri Harbour Family Theme Park (puteriharbour.com), headlined by a pair of attractions best suited to families with preschoolers. The Wishful Studio at Sanrio Hello Kitty Town allows kids to create their own souvenirs, while Thomas Town focuses on Thomas the Tank Engine and other cartoon characters like Pinggu the…

APRIL 13–15 Songkran Thailand’s wildest party is also its wettest, yet no one seems to mind the three-day drenching. Marking the Thai New Year, Songkran celebrations begin with morning merit making in the form of temple visits, where locals leave offerings for Buddha and pour water over statues to wash away sins and bad luck. Over time, this symbolic gesture has ballooned into the world’s largest water fight, held along streets and in parks across the country, with everyone from children to the elderly taking part. Many Thais return home to be with their relatives over the New Year period, but those that remain in big cities will happily take on tourists with bucketfuls of water and squirt guns. If you’re in Bangkok, head to Wat Pho to see the…

UPDATES AND OFFERS FROM DESTINASIAN PARTNERS THE SKY’S THE LIMIT Vietnam Airlines garnered a host of accolades in 2017, from recognition as the “World’s Leading Airline – Premium Economy Class” and “World’s Leading Cultural Airline” by the World Travel Awards, to taking home the prestigious “Asia-Pacific Airline of the Year” award at the CAPA Asia Pacific Aviation & Corporate Travel Summit held in Singapore. But equally impressive has been the airline’s fleet development. Its range of long-haul wide-body aircraft now include 10 new Airbus A350-900 XWBs and 11 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, which are being deployed between Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City as well as on international routes to Europe, Northeast Asia, and Australia. And this year will see the delivery of six A321neos, slated for service on Vietnam Airlines’…

“Marseille is full of contradictions,” says London-based French illustrator Justine Lecouffe of her recent visit to France’s second-largest city and biggest port. “It is both beautiful and gritty, peaceful and angry, wealthy and poor. I found this unusual character wonderful to explore, and it definitely provoked an array of emotions.” As she does in all the urban centers that inspire her, Lecouffe sketched detailed cityscapes of Marseille during her time there; the drawing above shows the yacht-filled Old Port—a natural harbor first settled in the sixth century B.C.—backed by the buildings of the St.-Victor district and the neo-Byzantine basilica of Notre-Dame de la Garde, where a towering statue of the Madonna and Child looks out to the Mediterranean. “The Marseillais are fiercely attached to their city, and it’s not hard…