Table of contents for September/October 2016 in AFAR

POETRY IN MOTION To get a glimpse at the life of Pablo Neruda, the Nobel Prize–winning Chilean poet, take a walk to his former home, La Chascona. Now a small museum, the nautical-themed house is as romantic as The Poetry of Pablo Neruda (which you can purchase at the nearby gift shop). funda cionneruda.org 4 P.M. The Happiest Hour Cafés go from quiet to jammed in the late afternoon, when pisco sours, the national cocktail, start to flow. At Chipe Libre in Barrio Lastarria, the pros behind the bar can school you in pisco’s nuances as they mix two-forone cocktails until 6 p.m. José Victorino Lastarria 282 6 P.M. View With a Room With its soaking tubs and central location, the Singular Santiago makes for a primo home base. It’s…

Even though it’s New Zealand’s capital, Wellington has always played the overlooked sibling to bigger, trendier Auckland. But it has begun to find its voice as a town where the creative class rules. Align yourself with the city’s funky vibe by staying at the QT Museum Hotel, where modern paintings and sculptures mingle with opulent furnishings, as though in an eccentric collector’s home. It’s a hop, skip, and a jump away from Aro Cafe in the free-spirited enclave of Aro Valley. Enjoy a long black— their version of the Americano— while counting the groovy VW vans that line the streets. Nearby, the flashback continues among the Edwardian buildings of Cuba Street, where you’ll see plenty of Lennon shades and ’70s jumpsuits. Clued-in locals get the look from Emporium, a boutique…

afar.com/hotels/collection AFAR COLLECTION Aqua Wellness Resort Tola, Nicaragua Awasi Atacama and Patagonia, Chile Baglioni Cala Del Porto Punta Ala, Italy Belmond Maroma Riviera Maya, Mexico Belmond Peru Cusco, Lima, Machu Picchu, and the Sacred Valley Carillon Miami Beach Miami Beach, Florida Casa de las Olas Tulum, Mexico Cavallo Point Lodge Sausalito, California Chatham Bars Inn Cape Cod, Massachusetts Dorado Beach, A Ritz-Carlton Reserve Dorado, Puerto Rico Flemings Mayfair Hotel London, United Kingdom Freehand Chicago Chicago, Illinois Galley Bay Resort & Spa St. JohnÕs, Antigua Grace Bay Club Turks and Caicos Halekulani Honolulu, Hawaii Hotel 1000 Seattle, Washington Langham Place, New York, Fifth Avenue New York, New York Las Alcobas Mexico City, Mexico Le Guanahani St. BarthŽlemy, French West Indies Loews Regency New York New York, New York Loews Regency San…

The Hotel Four Seasons Jakarta reopened in a new location in the Indonesian capital in June, with 125 suites and a top-notch spa. The Inspiration “The design reflects local cultures and traditions, and even a bit of Jakarta’s Western European influences—particularly from the Dutch, who traveled to the city as spice traders. The Nautilus Bar has a large mural of schooners en route to port, with delicately swirling lines in the carpet to evoke the ocean.” Check Out: the patterns on the library ceiling. “The gilded, handcarved tiles reference traditional Indonesian design. And in the soaring Palm Court, the light-green finned columns look great, but they’re also there because their tiny perforations help absorb sound.” The Hotel Tcherassi Hotel + Spa is the fashion designer’s second in Cartagena, Colombia. The…

When archaeologists peered into the tombs of the Egyptians, they found vessels of honey, nectarous and edible as the day it was harvested from the hive. Because honey lasts, literally, forever. Somehow, it’s comforting to know that if the apocalypse comes, excavators centuries in the future will find my own trove of honey, fresh as a daisy. Like wine, honey conveys a distinct terroir—the earth, sunshine, and flora of a place— in the primitive yet provocative raw material of buzzing bees. Unlike wine, it comes in tiny, surprisingly durable jars, which is why I pick some up from every place I travel. My collection consists of a few dozen. There’s a dark, heady honey I found on a drive through Montalcino, Italy, some creamy stuffpicked up at a vineyard outside…

It all starts with place. “Every knot, stitch, and tassel of a Moroccan rug holds the stories of the village where it was made,” explains Mostafa Raiss-El-Fenni, the third generation in a family of rug dealers and owner of Sahara Import in Oakland, California. “This is how strongly Moroccans feel about their rugs: When one is old or torn, we cut it and use it for a doormat or something. We just keep recycling the piece until it’s gone.” Boucherouite-style rugs, the “rag rugs” of Morocco (the word comes from a Moroccan-Arabic phrase for torn, repurposed clothing), are the ultimate expression of this spirit of creative reuse. Artists weave colorful scraps of wool, nylon, and cotton clothing into extravagant, whimsical patterns. Once considered fit only for local homes—a practical, affordable…

Kendama Japan’s version of the ancient cup-and-ball game has become a full-on phenomenon, with the YouTube channels to prove it. SpinGear’s two Tokyo stores stock every imaginable color and pattern. Bao Hand-carved bao boards (a spin on mancala) are easy to find in the markets of Kenya and Tanzania—but local players are hard to beat. Maybe suggest a round of bao la kujifunza—“bao for beginners.” Cuban Dominoes On streets in Havana, games of partner dominoes rage. Players move with mechanical precision, playing a winning move with a triumphant thwack.…

1 UMAID BHAWAN The world’s sixth-largest private residence is part lavish hotel, part home to the royal family. The sandstone fortress is set on 26 acres on the edge of Jodhpur. From $350 2 RANVAS NAGAUR Owned by the Maharajah of Jodhpur, Ranvas, where 18thcentury maharajahs’ queens lived, is set within the walls of Nagaur Fort. The 27 guest rooms all have their own colonnaded courtyards. From $232 3 THE FARM An imaginative rebirth of a Rajasthani palace that was dismantled for a dam project, The Farm cleverly incorporates reclaimed wooden beams and original doors into its six rooms and eight cottages. From $165 4 SUJÁN RAJMAHAL PALACE The palace on the outskirts of Jaipur, built in 1729 by the city’s maharajah, remains a retreat for the royal family, but…

To “Let Hawai‘i Happen” you need to get offthe beaten path. Just ask Sale Sproat, a 4th generation mule man. Sale loves his home, an island with no traffic lights and no buildings taller than a coconut tree. Here are his top Moloka‘i spots: KALAUPAPA GUIDED MULE TOUR “I happen to work here! You’re surrounded by the beautiful sounds, sights and smells of nature as you ride down the highest sea cliffs in the world on a sure-footed mule. My absolute favorite photo spot is along these 3.2 mile sea cliffs.” KALAUPAPA TRAIL “All the views you’re witnessing are mind blowing. The view that you see when you come around the first turn takes your breath away. At the bottom is Kalaupapa, a truly special place like no other you’ll…

1 A WORTH-IT AUDIO TOUR I have never LOL-ed in a museum before. But minutes into “I Don’t Get It,” one of the audio tours in the app for the new San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, I found myself doing just that, as comedian Kumail Nanjiani (Silicon Valley) riffed on the meaning of cubism. Developed with the start-up Detour, the location-aware app allows you to put your phone away and focus on the art instead. 2 Bridge the Gap For the best view of where the old building, designed by Mario Botta, meets the new one, designed by the Snøhetta firm, head for the Oculus Bridge. Snøhetta replaced the existing closed staircase with an open one, so you can see more of the museum from the dizzying mesh bridge.…

“There’s no ice cream in the world like Berthillon’s on Île de la Cité. The chocolate tastes just like frozen truffles. I also admire the fact that— in true French fashion—it’s closed in August!” RESERVE THESE TABLES “For special occasions, we go to Chez l’Ami Louis. The meals (and prices) are beyond outrageous at this bistro. ‘People cry, beg, and weep for a table,’ author Patricia Wells says. If you can’t get in there, try Monsieur Bleu, which has views of the Eiffel Tower. From burgers to foie gras, its dishes are modern and delightful. I also love Ellsworth. It’s of the ‘très Brooklyn’ style that’s so popular in Paris right now. The food is loosely based on American cuisine but made with France’s extraordinary products.” “Moulíe is such a…

1 Singita Lebombo SOUTH AFRICA Set along a hippofilled river in Kruger National Park, Singita Lebombo just completed a stem-to-stern renovation. Common areas now have a casual, communal vibe, with a fire pit in the open-air lobby, a roof deck for stargazing, and a new lap pool. From $1,500/person. 2 Amanzi Camp ZAMBIA Amanzi became the most remote camp in the Lower Zambezi when it opened this year. A couple of miles downstream from its sister property, Anabezi Camp, Amanzi is composed of four spacious tents on raised decks. All have en-suite bathrooms and private terraces where guests can observe wildlife from their hammocks. A pool built down by the river affords an even closer encounter. From $600/person. 3 Somalisa Camp ZIMBABWE There’s no Wi-Fiat this cluster of seven solar-powered…

Charleston, South Carolina With her flickering lanterns, cobblestone streets, exquisite mansions, and manicured flower boxes, Charleston is a timeless beauty. And while the trappings of this Southern gem are assuredly historic, a palpable exuberance is ushering in a new era of cultural vitality. Full of gorgeous scenery, sunny weather, and delicious cuisine, Charleston offers something special to travelers. The famed peninsula city is surrounded by pristine barrier islands and beach towns as well as sprawling plantation estates— one destination offering three distinct getaways. THE PENINSULA From the upbeat vibe of upper King Street to the rarefied scenery tucked south of Broad Street, Charleston’s fascinating juxtaposition of new and old exudes a sense of joie de vivre that makes it a “must visit” destination. Awardwinning boutique hotels and nationally acclaimed restaurants…

hawaii A PORTABLE PARTY Ukulele god Jake Shimabukuro knows exactly what you should bring back from your next trip to the islands. “As the ukulele has reentered pop culture in the last few years, I’ve seen more and more visitors to Hawaii buying ukes to take home. Yes, you could buy a cheap blue or pink one in your hotel’s gift shop, but you’re not going to be able to make it sound all that great. Spend a little more money on one and you’ll actually look forward to playing it. “It’s a purchase that won’t gather dust. The uke is so small and light, you can take it with you on a hike or to the beach. Or even hand carry it through the airport; you can often find…

“It comes from my husband’s grandfather— before the Spanish Civil War,” said Carmen Pou. In Bodegas Gutiérrez Colosia, her winery in El Puerto de Santa María—a Spanish coastal town famous for its sherry—Pou was drawing liquid from a rare relic: a tiny barrel of jerez quina. The nearly extinct aperitif is made of sherry infused with herbs and quinine. In its heyday, 80 years ago, the pre-dinner drink did double duty as an antimalaria treatment throughout southern Europe. Carmen’s winery doesn’t make it anymore, but the historic Valdespino bodega in Jerez does. Their version is warm and spicy with a walnut-y bite. It’s a bittersweet taste of a bygone era, one that— trust me on this—is worth smuggling home in your suitcase.…

LE CREUSET Chances are good you have something from in your kitchen. The coveted heavy-duty, Skittles-colored enameled pots, pans, and kettles evoke ambitious Sunday feasts and an iconic French timelessness. Produced in a tiny working-class town far from the lights of Paris since 1925, Le Creuset products have gone global, making their way to kitchens around the world, from Japan to the United States. This is how they’re made. INTO THE FIRE For 91 years, Le Creuset has used the same basic production process to forge its cast-iron pots, pans, and cocottes (Dutch ovens) at this foundry in Fresnoy-le-Grand, a town 116 miles northeast of Paris. Last year, the facility doubled its production capacity to meet increased global demand. Translation? It can now turn out as many as 10,000 cast-iron…

1 WHERE TO BL'SS OUT There’s no shortage of options for relaxation in Siem Reap, but the serene Frangipani Spa is the most refined of the bunch. Get a four-hand massage, a jade stone facial, or a kampot pepper scrub surrounded by petals from the spa’s pretty namesake flower. frangipanisiemreap.com 2 TAKE IT HOME Swing by Louise Loubatieres for Southeast Asian curiosities with a high-design polish. The owner (the Louise behind the name) is a French-Vietnamese designer with an eye for colorful lacquered coconut bowls, tie-dyed silk scarves, and bracelets made from water buffalo horn. Everything’s crafted in Cambodia, Vietnam, and Laos. louiseloubatieres.com 3 UNCOMMAON SCENTS Don’t miss the body and beard oils, scented with ingredients like ylang-ylang and vetiver. But the real stars of Saarti, a planet-friendly skin-care and…

FOR EVAN JONIGKEIT and Zosia Mamet, life is anything but quiet. Mamet has been immersed in intense shooting for the final season of HBO’s Girls in New York City, while Jonigkeit has been jetting between Canada and the UK to film the Netflix action-adventure series Frontier. But that’s exactly why the couple, who met onstage in Manhattan three years ago, found a perfect home base on the sleepy Upper West Side, where they spend their precious moments of downtime together. “A lot of pockets in New York have become showy and hip to live in,” says Mamet, who was raised in Los Angeles and moved to the neighborhood from Brooklyn with Jonigkeit last year. “What drew us to the Upper West Side is that it’s not in the spotlight. It…

As I walked from town into the surrounding desert, it was the bells I heard first. Softer than cowbells, and disorderly. One here, one there. Then I saw the camels. Thousands of them along the dunes waiting to be bought and sold. I watched as their owners brushed their fur and adjusted their pompom necklaces of pink, yellow, and orange yarn. Rickety stands sold these ornaments, along with saddles and the small brass and bronze bells, imperfectly shaped, that carried that sound I’d heard. I had to have one. Years later, I can pick it up and I’m immediately back on the dunes.…

“I remember spotting a green bowl with a lotus leaf pattern in an antique store and literally running to it. I didn’t know it was a Cathrineholm—I just knew it looked cool. That was 18 years ago, when I was just getting into art. As it turned out, my own style wound up being heavily influenced by mid-century Scandinavian pieces like this. “From that day on, every time I saw a similar piece at a thrift store or flea market I would buy it. I didn’t learn how much they were worth until much later. The Cathrineholm brand was made for only a few years in the late 1950s and ’60s, out of enameled stainless steel, at a Norwegian ironworks factory. Some colors, like red, are especially hard to find.…