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The Region’s BiggesT LuxuRy TRaveL Magazine

issue ninety seven | May 2016

Barbados

ADELAIDEThe cosmopolitan coastal capital of South Australia shows-off its iconic locales

ThE mEDWhere to book a blissful May break, before the sun begins to scorch

NovA scoTIAHit the open-road in a 4x4, with Canadian seclusion the destination

How private beaches and the Platinum Coast attract a high-class Carribbean clientele

May 2016 // Issue N

inety Seven // Barb

ados / T

he Med / S

ri Lanka / Nova S

cotia

Complimentary Copy

ATLANTA 21.5x29cm ING.indd 1 14.04.2016 17:36

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May 2016World Traveller

The mercury is on the rise in the UAE. Air-conditioned malls feel that little bit colder, and suit jackets worn from the office to home feel that bit more toasty. It means those residing here face a fork in the road, regarding impending-summer travel-plans: ‘should I stay or should I go?’

Whichever you opt for, we’ve plenty of inspiration to entice. Dubrovnik, Taipei, Athens, Nova Scotia, Adelaide and the (currently) cool climes of the Mediterranean are just some of the desirable destinations we explore this issue, each with their own appeal. Plan to remain regional, and we’ve an array of resorts vying for your attention, proving laid-back luxury is well within reach.

There really is no right or wrong choice. Only, if you’re not waving goodbye to the heat, wave a (seasonal) farewell to the suit; short-sleeves, here we come.

Chris [email protected]

Jun-Dec 2015 | 22,984 | BPA Consumer Audit

Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission from HOT Media Publishing is strictly prohibited. All prices mentioned are correct at time of press but may change. HOT Media Publishing does not accept liability for omissions or errors in World Traveller.

Tel: 00971 4 364 2876Fax: 00971 4 369 7494

Cover: Barbados

@wt_magazine

Managing DirectorVictoria Thatcher

Editorial DirectorJohn Thatcher

Group Commercial DirectorDavid Wade

EditorChris Ujma

Features EditorAnnie Darling

Art DirectorAndy Knappett

DesignerEmi Dixon

IllustratorAndrew Thorpe

Sales ManagerLisa [email protected] +971 4 375 3608

Production ManagerMuthu Kumar

Editor’sNoteIssue ninety seven May 2016

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The Sections Check In6Be Here NowRediscover romance and beauty in the City of a Hundred Spires, or savour culture in two of China’s Yangtze River cities

11GlobetrotterCycle through majestic landscapes, explore sun-bleached ancient ruins and unearth which out-of-this-world hotels are worth checking-in to

22Chef’s Top TablesChef Daniel Ferreira’s gourmand guide to this year’s best restaurants around the globe

24Spotlight On: Taipei A modern metropolis with quaint colonial lanes and a prominent, bamboo-influenced skyscraper

26Style & WellnessSpa news, plus travel accessories and fashion; make your upcoming excursion that more stylish

Check InNews and inspiration from around the world

DestinationsIn-depth travel features to fuel your wanderlust

WeekendsEverything you need to know about short-haul escapes

ContentsWelcomeContents

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Destinations Weekends34Iconic: AdelaideAn intro to Australia’s ‘most liveable’ treasure, taking a peek at Adelaide’s beaches and spacious green parklands

38Golden SandsUncover the hidden gems and star-power of a very British Barbados, along with its white sandy beaches and jaw-dropping sunsets

46The Magic MedIt’s the perfect climate for the laid-back Mediterranean: discover the relaxing locations you should be visiting

54Northern SoulThe quintessence of ‘getting away from it all’: the serenity of natural beauty and seclusion on a Nova Scotia road trip

64One Weekend for All: Sri Lanka A melting pot of diverse culture, mouthwatering culinary creations and lush rainforest

68Great Escapes: Chic Boutiques Our hand-picked collection of the most exclusive boutique hotels, with everything you need for an unforgettable travel experience

7048hr FoodieFind a delicate blend of the past and present in Athens, with equal measures of quirky cafés and al fresco eats

71StaycationsFour hotels that prove there’s no need to leave the GCC to get away from it all

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The Sections Check In6Be Here NowRediscover romance and beauty in the City of a Hundred Spires, or savour culture in two of China’s Yangtze River cities

11GlobetrotterCycle through majestic landscapes, explore sun-bleached ancient ruins and unearth which out-of-this-world hotels are worth checking-in to

22Chef’s Top TablesChef Daniel Ferreira’s gourmand guide to this year’s best restaurants around the globe

24Spotlight On: Taipei A modern metropolis with quaint colonial lanes and a prominent, bamboo-influenced skyscraper

26Style & WellnessSpa news, plus travel accessories and fashion; make your upcoming excursion that more stylish

Check InNews and inspiration from around the world

DestinationsIn-depth travel features to fuel your wanderlust

WeekendsEverything you need to know about short-haul escapes

ContentsWelcomeContents

5


Destinations Weekends34Iconic: AdelaideAn intro to Australia’s ‘most liveable’ treasure, taking a peek at Adelaide’s beaches and spacious green parklands

38Golden SandsUncover the hidden gems and star-power of a very British Barbados, along with its white sandy beaches and jaw-dropping sunsets

46The Magic MedIt’s the perfect climate for the laid-back Mediterranean: discover the relaxing locations you should be visiting

54Northern SoulThe quintessence of ‘getting away from it all’: the serenity of natural beauty and seclusion on a Nova Scotia road trip

64One Weekend for All: Sri Lanka A melting pot of diverse culture, mouthwatering culinary creations and lush rainforest

68Great Escapes: Chic Boutiques Our hand-picked collection of the most exclusive boutique hotels, with everything you need for an unforgettable travel experience

7048hr FoodieFind a delicate blend of the past and present in Athens, with equal measures of quirky cafés and al fresco eats

71StaycationsFour hotels that prove there’s no need to leave the GCC to get away from it all

Check InBe Here Now

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Check InBe Here Now

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April 2015World Traveller

77


Yinchuan and Zhengzhou, ChinaThe silty Yangtze River carries a lofty reputation: thought of as the cradle of Chinese civilisation and the ‘Mother River of China’, because of the prosperity that flourished around its basin in the nation’s formative political and cultural times. Along its weaving, winding 3,398 miles you’ll find many cities, but this specific pair are new additions to the Emirates routemap; Dubai’s flag carrier will begin routes to both in early May. Yinchuan appeals with its rich tapestry of customs and heritage, and the vast Suyukou National Forest Park, Golden Water Area and Shahu Lake are its traditional tourist traps. 600 miles south, Zhengzhou is certain to alert the attention of martial arts pilgrims: the infamous Shaolin Temple is located at the foot of Mt. Song. Add-in sites such as Kaifeng and Luoyang, and it makes the city a great starting point for an exploration of ancient Chinese culture.

April 2015World Traveller

77


Yinchuan and Zhengzhou, ChinaThe silty Yangtze River carries a lofty reputation: thought of as the cradle of Chinese civilisation and the ‘Mother River of China’, because of the prosperity that flourished around its basin in the nation’s formative political and cultural times. Along its weaving, winding 3,398 miles you’ll find many cities, but this specific pair are new additions to the Emirates routemap; Dubai’s flag carrier will begin routes to both in early May. Yinchuan appeals with its rich tapestry of customs and heritage, and the vast Suyukou National Forest Park, Golden Water Area and Shahu Lake are its traditional tourist traps. 600 miles south, Zhengzhou is certain to alert the attention of martial arts pilgrims: the infamous Shaolin Temple is located at the foot of Mt. Song. Add-in sites such as Kaifeng and Luoyang, and it makes the city a great starting point for an exploration of ancient Chinese culture.

Check InBe Here Now

8

Prague, Czech RepublicThere are enough reasons to visit The City of a Hundred Spires year-round, but those looking to ignite their passion for art, music and cuisine will find Festival Season in May is the time to Czech out this pretty capital. Among the pomp: concert halls reverberate with the sound of symphony-drenched strings and rousing opera, the grounds of Prague Castle bustle with Food Festival stalls that waft aromas of local and international dishes, and the Navalis Saint John’s Celebrations have people jostling for the best vantage spot on Charles Bridge to revel in a glorious 300-year Baroque tradition. Begin May rituals by heading to Petrin Hill on the first of the month; the custom is to lay flowers at the feet of a statue dedicated to celebrated nineteenth century wordsmith Karel Hynek Macha – he penned a romantic May-themed poem. Otherwise, enjoy the bloom of colour that crayons gardens, flower baskets and magnolia-tree branches at this time, as well as a calendar full of memorable concerts.


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GlobetrotterHere’s what’s hot in travel this month…


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Premier Rainforest and Premier Andaman Sea Suites, with the clue in their name as to the breathtaking vistas you’ll enjoy from within each. St. Regis butlers are on-hand to cater to every whim, and on-site there’s the Iridium Spa, St. Regis Athletic Club, a fine collection of restaurants, and – mere steps away from the private lagoon – a 259sq.m. infinity pool. They’ve ensured that this hotel befits its paradise surroundings.

Must Try: An airport pick-up in a Bentley from the hotel’s fleet, whisked to what the hotel deems ‘the apex of sophistication and a premier destination fort entertainment’: a four-bedroom Sunset Royal Villa. The lavish villa is replete with a 150sq.m.

Location Lowdown: Named ‘The Jewel of Kedah’, Langkawi is a west-coast Malaysian archipelago, duty-free treasure trove, and tropical location of choice for nature lovers and avid divers alike. It’s an ideal setting for this latest addition to the luxury-hospitality landscape; a beachfront resort, set on a private lagoon with a majestic rainforest backdrop, and only 25-minutes drive from Langkawi International Airport (where the St. Regis has a dedicated airport lounge for its departing guests).

Enticements: Aside from the customary lush greenery and stunning powder-beaches, you’ll find 89 guestrooms that guarantee a memorable stay: hotel standouts are the

New ArrivalSt. Regis Langkawi

furnished private-terrace that offers sweeping views of both ocean and rainforest. Its living room has timber-framed tempered-glass floor panels, where guests can marvel at the underwater marine life. Tear yourself away from the comfort (embellished with details such as five 49-inch TVs, a Bose soundsystem, and ‘double-soak’ bathtub) for dinner at Kayuputi, to savour Asian-inspired fare coupled with an enchanting overwater dining experience.

In Short: A refined property that is the brand’s first foray into Malaysia, with a second hotel in the capital (the St. Regis Kuala Lumpur) on the horizon. starwoodhotels.com

Check InGlobetrotter

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Rügen IslandExpect abundant culture and maritime charm; there’s no better way to explore this largely untouched destination. Rügen Island’s included in the Baltic Sea cycle route, and it takes eight-days to explore this rarely visited part of Germany. The island odyssey begins on Stralsund’s beaches, before passing sensational chalk cliffs and fanciful fishing villages. Once you reach Putbus and Baabe, you’re really off the beaten-track, which is lined with marvellous woods until the coast. Make a stop at Jasmund National Park and sample a Sanddorn ice-cream, made from sea buckthorn berries.

AsturiasThis gorgeously green northern region of Spain is a cyclist’s dream. The jagged coast is wildly dramatic, decorated with multi-coloured and vibrant fishing ports. Venture past coves and rolling hills, whilst inland, mountains soar high above deep valleys, which boast delightfully rustic villages. Stop off at the Jurassic Museum, where you can walk in the giant footsteps of a Tyrannosaurus rex – literally! Before you know it you’ll be riding along the heart-stopping San Lorenzo beach boardwalk, heading towards the harbour of Lastres, the steepest of Asturias’ quaint fishing villages.

BurmaFor 13 days, you’ll make your way through Yangon, Mandalay, Mount Popa and Inle Lake, which is an unimaginable freshwater floating village. Cycle into Bagan markets and freewheel past antiquated temples. There really isn’t a better way to explore this extraordinary land, which is scattered with gilded pagodas. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a seasoned cyclist or a fair-weather rider; there are a huge variety of territories to explore. Descend down the grandiose, sloping plains of Bagan or through open farmland. Or climb through Pindaya to catch a boat ride into villages on stilts.

Côtes du VentouxAn incredibly scenic cycling route that takes you through the picturesque vineyards of Côtes-du-Rhone and Ventoux. With breathtaking views of the magnificent Mont Ventoux – where this year’s Tour de France is set to finish – this seven-day tour twists through quaint country lanes littered with pine trees and Roman sites. Pedal across green plains and foothills, before reaching the medieval village of Aubignan, which is surrounded by theatrical fourteenth century ramparts. Take the time to stop off at one of the many traditional markets and be sure to admire the well-manicured gardens.

Freewheeling HolidaysIn honour of your two-wheeled travel companion, here are our favourite cycling destinations


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Lifestyles of the rich and famousThe Bellagio in Las Vegas has been named the favourite hotel of the rich, according to a new surveyThe Four Seasons, Ritz Carlton and Mandarin Oriental all offer a luxury experience that even the most influential worldwide names would marvel at. However, when it comes to the crème de la crème of haute hospitality, The Bellagio in Las Vegas tops the list. A new survey of more than 800 millionaires from around the world, released by South Africa-based research firm New World Wealth, has ranked the Bellagio and its famed fountain the champion when it comes to hotel stays.

Are We There Yet?Travelling with little ones: fun and memorable thanks to Happy BoxWith a bit of know-how and the Happy Travel Box, jet setting with children needn’t be a hassle. This mini travel case comes in a variety of vibrant colours and each one is brimming with engaging arts and crafts that’ll keep your brood busy. Every activity is educational, fun and promotes cognitive development. thehappybox.ae

AppAirbnbThe company announced that it’s rolling out several new features to make your host experience better.

MusicDrakeWe’ve all been waiting for Drake’s latest release. Views from the 6 is the Canadian rapper’s fourth studio album.

FilmDeadpoolThis box office record breaker tells the original story of former Special Forces operative turned mercenary.

BookThe NestA warm and funny debut novel about four adult siblings and the ultimate fate of their shared inheritance...

Travel DownloadAll the media you need, whatever your journey

MauritiusSwim in turquoise lagoon waters and snooze on power-soft white sand. Savour the sweet scent of local frangipanis and snack on BBQ delights in the comforts of your majestic suite. Angsana Balaclava Mauritius resort is idyllically set in the picturesque Turtle Bay. Thrillseekers can enjoy a variety of watersports; explore the vast ocean shoreline with an afternoon of kayaking. Alternatively, guests pursuing the ultimate in relaxation can stroll around the quaint and rustic seaside village nearby. angsana.com

MaldivesNowhere in the Maldives offers that ‘no shoes’ desert island experience quite like Soneva Fushi. Rustic yet luxury, romantic yet brilliant for families, this is an island that both adults and kids will adore. The kids because Soneva Fushi is home to The Den, arguably the best (and certainly the most fun) kids’ club in the world. They’ll also love being able to view Saturn’s rings from the on-island observatory. Adults, meanwhile, will be enthralled by the sublime food, the open-air cinema, and the incredible snorkelling. soneva.com

M A U R I T I U S • S E Y C H E L L E S • M A L D I V E S • M A D A G A S C A R

c o n s t a n c e h o t e l s . c o m

The lagoon draws you irresistibly in, and you become one with its crystal clear waters. An unearthly experience, you have never felt anything quite like it. Every Constance Hotels and Resorts establishment forms a seamless addition to a location carefully selected for its beauty and communion with the waves. Pearls sparkling in the pristine seas.

BE INSPIRED


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The highly-anticipated Cannes Film Festival takes place from May 11 – 22, and whether you prefer Pedro Almodóvar’s nail-biting thriller or Steven’s Spielberg’s latest drama, this year’s line-up looks pretty special. New work from some of the most celebrated filmmakers will be coming to a town known for its couture shops and the pretty Promenade de la

Croisette. Hollywood glamour is undoubtedly the main draw, but there’s also enough natural beauty to make your trip worthwhile. Discover the best of the French Riviera, taking a relaxing boat ride to St Tropez; breathe in the beautiful fresh air of the Mediterranean Sea or stroll the picturesque waterside, where million-dollar yachts add to the sense of occasion.

Where to stay: Just a few minutes walk from La Croisette, Hôtel Le Canberra epitomises this city’s decadent opulence. Black marble bathrooms and candy pink guestrooms make this boutique stunner a must-visit. hotel-cannes-canberra.com

Where to shop: Fashion boutiques, interior design shops and tea salons upon the

cobbled streets; Etats Unis has excellent wares, as does the historic Rue Meynadier.

Where to eat: PhilCat on the esplanade offers one of Cannes’ finest luncheons. There’s splendid sea-views from a magnificent terrace, where locals and visitors converge to enjoy cheese-smothered paninis and tomato-packed salads.

Cannes Film Festival 2016The most exclusive event on the film calendar returns for its 69th edition

Check InMy City

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MY CITY

Venice, Italy

When I first jump of the train from my hometown of Asolo, I walk through the idyllic roads before arriving at Gallerie dell’Accademia (gallerieaccademia.org). This is one of my favourite places in the whole city, and is the most prestigious museum exhibiting pre-nineteenth century art. San Giorgio Isle is breathtaking and Palazzo Cini is another wonderful gallery showcasing international masterpieces (palazzocini.it/en). Afterwards, enjoy an espresso at Caffè Florian in Piazza San Marco, the principal public square of Venice (caffeflorian.com/en). The tranquil atmosphere is a lazy, summer dream. You must also visit the Venice Boardwalk, officially known as Ocean Front Walk.

Wandering around Venice is an experience in itself. It’s important that you get lost so that you’re able to discover its hidden beauty. Every road holds something unexpected; I’ve often wandered unknowingly into a little courtyard full of vibrant flowers and splendid architecture. La Guidecca is the perfect historic neighbourhood for this, and is formed by a series of picturesque islands.

Le Mercerie (lemercerie.it) is a great area for the fashion forward, who’ll fall in love with the delicate Japanese couture that decorates shop windows. I also always visit the boutique Fabio Gatto in Calle della Mandola (fabiogatto.com).

My favourite hotel is the Hilton Molino Stucky (hilton.com). It’s a beautifully restored building and has fantastic views from the grand terrace. The old gardens of the Cipriani Hotel in Giudecca are also worth visiting (belmond.com/hotel-cipriani-venice). It sits directly on the water and, in the morning, is one of the most romantic places in the whole city.

La Porta d’Acqua (laportadacqua.it) is close to Rialto Bridge and ideal for a relaxing lunch. For a more refined dinner, visit Osteria di Santa Marina (osteriadisantamarina.com). The octopus salad with crispy baby potatoes, cooked in fragrant saffron, is a very popular dish. The chef is extremely creative and cooks using a vast selection of fresh Venetian ingredients that change throughout the year, depending on the season. Osteria Al Remer (alremer.it) is ideal if you want to sample lavish mountains of mouthwatering cicchetti (small bites of delicious appetisers) in Erbaria. Next to Ponte dei Giocattoli, you can also enjoy views of Canal Grande while treating yourself to some delicious bites. I never miss the delicate nearby fruit and fish market, which is only frequented by in-the-know local Venetians.

What a secretive place, with opulent architecture lining its banks. Venice is an intimate, unique universe, that somehow continues to astound and amaze no matter how many times you visit.

Giovanna MiliettiThe founder of one of the most sought-after children’s fashion brands frequents the capital of northern Italy’s Veneto region

Check InAsk The Expert

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Rob Arrow is a product manager at dnata Travel and a self-confessed hotel geek. With nearly a decade of experience in the luxury travel industry, Rob loves nothing more than talking hotels and discovering destinations. His favourite country is Lebanon, his favourite city is Los Angeles, and his dream is to own a boutique retreat in the Italian Alps.

Ask theEXPERT

Q. Let’s plan a family-fun road-trip around Europe: where are the essential places to go?A. Europe has much to offer and so many choices when it comes to a road trip for the entire clan. Although the road system in Europe is of a very high standard, there are long distances between sites of interest, and plenty of views to savour along the way. Writing down the key things you wish to get out of your trip is crucial. Is it a history tour of France and Spain, the romance and food of Italy and Switzerland, or do you prefer the plains of East Germany and Poland? For thrillseekers, hit the theme-park trail: start with Disneyland Paris and move onwards to Europa Park and then down to PortAventura,

with its Ferrari Land. There are some exhilarating road trips to enjoy across the south too. Starting in Nice, spend some time at the Hyatt Palais de La Méditerranée, then travel onwards to Monaco to the Monte Carlo Beach Hotel, which has a brilliant Kids’ Club and full access to all areas of Monaco. Then, travel back to the wonderful secluded Terre Blanche Hotel Spa Golf Resort in Aix-en-Provence; from here you can take day trips to Grasse, Saint Paul de Vence and many other quaint Provencale villages and towns. My best piece of advice is: try not to drive into cities. Either collect the car at the airport and leave to explore the open space, or enjoy the city car-free and return to an outer city location to collect the car for the onward journey. Also, another tip is that some hotel groups offer a great cross-Europe tour experience. For example, Four Seasons Hotels have a wonderful Italian-Swiss-French tour package from Florence to Milan, up to Geneva, rounding off at the amazing George V in Paris.

Q. Which islands in the Mediterranean (and within Europe) have caught your eye this year?A. Europe is without doubt home to some incredibly charming islands steeped in history and myth. Of course there is the UK, but that is generally well-talked

about, so move your attention south for summer islands to hop. Spain has the wonderfully fun Balearics; Ibiza boasts great entertainment venues including Space and Pacha, as well as some amazing hotels – like Ushuaïa Ibiza Beach Hotel – in which to relax and unwind. Mallorca is a haven for yacht lovers (and owners), and has a wonderful area of luxury hotels, from the exquisite Belmond La Residencia to the fully-loaded luxury of St. Regis Mardavall Mallorca Resort on the sea. Further east in the Med, you have the stunning Greek Islands. Here you can escape for days, travelling around some of its most appealing islands and retreats. Mykonos and Santorini are two like no other, and on the latter island there’s sophistication to be found at Mystique or Vedema. Slowly waking up is Hvar in Croatia, with its green forests and unspoiled beaches, so go exploring before it becomes overrun with resorts! For less relaxation and more adventure, plan a trip to the ‘Emerald Isle’, Ireland. Spend a few days at the Conrad Dublin while delving into this gem of a city on the River Liffey, then take to the roads for great driving and vistas on the Ring of Kerry, spending nights in quaint hotels. Worth a visit is the fine Ballyfin Demesne Hotel at the foot of the Slieve Bloom Mountains; ancient lore and new memories guaranteed.

Clockwise from below: Killarney National Park, Ireland; View of Calo des Moro bay, Mallorca; View of Monte Carlo, Monaco.

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Check InChef’s Top Tables

22

Chef Daniel Ferreira, of the J&G Steakhouse at The St.

Regis Dubai, takes us through his recommended eats around

the world

Pizarro, LondonOrder: Meat terrine with pistachio, dried apricots & strawberry saladIf you ever get a chance to meet the chef and owner, José Pizarro, you’ll understand why I love this restaurant. He’s so passionate and his daily specials are always a winner. I first met José just prior to his opening of Pizarro and I will never forget the sheer energy he eluded. This energy is present in every dish that comes out of his kitchen.

Funky Gourmet, AthensOrder: Snails, earthy aromas, fresh black truffle My achilles heel is snails. I love them, and the flavour pairings in this dish are perfectly balanced. I first met chef Georgianna Hiliadaki in 2010 while working at the Sani Gourmet Festival. When I first tried her culinary creations, it was like a siren went off in my head. Since then her popularity has sky rocketed.

Chef’sTOP TABLES

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Les Fables de la Fontaine, ParisOrder: Roasted monkfish, fennel foam horseradish & fennelStart off slow; see and taste as many different dishes from the menu as you can. The monkfish is beautiful and it’s amazing to see the different approaches taken to the humble bulb of fennel. You can relax and enjoy the full experience of this restaurant without feeling out of place. It pops into my head each time I daydream about Paris.

Viajante, LondonOrder: The tasting menuThe tasting menu is always a journey, and an intimate insight into Portuguese chef Nuno Mendes. He’s really in a unqiue class of his own and I love his restaurant because I feel that I can relate to what he is doing in the culinary world. Nuno is passionate and continues to break culinary boundaries. There’s nothing conventional about this place, or this man!

Villa Toscana, Abu DhabiOrder: Homemade pappardelle Siena style, lamb ragu dolceforte, sage, with toasted pine nutsI love the flavour profiles of this beautiful dish, and the dolceforte elevates it to another level entirely. Villa Toscana is extremely consistent and delivers every single time I visit. Without a doubt, it’s one of the best restaurants in Abu Dhabi and takes Italian cooking to new heights.

Clockwise from below: Funky Gourmet; Funky Gourmet; Funky Gourmet; Villa Toscana.

Check InChef’s Top Tables

22

Chef Daniel Ferreira, of the J&G Steakhouse at The St.

Regis Dubai, takes us through his recommended eats around

the world

Pizarro, LondonOrder: Meat terrine with pistachio, dried apricots & strawberry saladIf you ever get a chance to meet the chef and owner, José Pizarro, you’ll understand why I love this restaurant. He’s so passionate and his daily specials are always a winner. I first met José just prior to his opening of Pizarro and I will never forget the sheer energy he eluded. This energy is present in every dish that comes out of his kitchen.

Funky Gourmet, AthensOrder: Snails, earthy aromas, fresh black truffle My achilles heel is snails. I love them, and the flavour pairings in this dish are perfectly balanced. I first met chef Georgianna Hiliadaki in 2010 while working at the Sani Gourmet Festival. When I first tried her culinary creations, it was like a siren went off in my head. Since then her popularity has sky rocketed.

Chef’sTOP TABLES

23


Les Fables de la Fontaine, ParisOrder: Roasted monkfish, fennel foam horseradish & fennelStart off slow; see and taste as many different dishes from the menu as you can. The monkfish is beautiful and it’s amazing to see the different approaches taken to the humble bulb of fennel. You can relax and enjoy the full experience of this restaurant without feeling out of place. It pops into my head each time I daydream about Paris.

Viajante, LondonOrder: The tasting menuThe tasting menu is always a journey, and an intimate insight into Portuguese chef Nuno Mendes. He’s really in a unqiue class of his own and I love his restaurant because I feel that I can relate to what he is doing in the culinary world. Nuno is passionate and continues to break culinary boundaries. There’s nothing conventional about this place, or this man!

Villa Toscana, Abu DhabiOrder: Homemade pappardelle Siena style, lamb ragu dolceforte, sage, with toasted pine nutsI love the flavour profiles of this beautiful dish, and the dolceforte elevates it to another level entirely. Villa Toscana is extremely consistent and delivers every single time I visit. Without a doubt, it’s one of the best restaurants in Abu Dhabi and takes Italian cooking to new heights.

Clockwise from below: Funky Gourmet; Funky Gourmet; Funky Gourmet; Villa Toscana.

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Check InSpotlight On

• Don’t miss Step through Lingxing Gate at the Taipei Confucius Temple, and travel back 2,000 years to tap into the master philosopher’s mindset: his teachings are explained within several themed rooms, surrounded by colourfully-stunning, Minnan style architecture. In all, a peaceful setting in which to be inspired

Spotlight On TaipeiA timely look at the delights of Taiwan’s most-bustling metropolis, as Emirates begins flying the colossal A380 to this Asian destination

See and Do Taipei 101Once the world’s tallest skyscraper, this bamboo-inspired landmark is a vibrant hub. Take the 1010m-per-minute elevator to the Observatory, for 91st-floor cloud-high panoramic views. Prefer the heights of high-end shopping? Head back down to the upscale mall, and use the free Wi-Fi to share your ‘101’ memories with the world.

Beitou Thermal ValleyPart of the culture, no Taiwan travel-tale is complete without visiting the jade-like geothermals with their eerie mist... They’re boiling so you can’t leap in, but nearby resorts have access to cooler hot springs.

Elephant MountainEscape the big city and inhale fresh air, with stunning skyscape views being the reward for your steep-stepped ascension. One of the ‘Four Beast Mountains’ of Taipei, the Xiangshan trail is suitable for family members of all ages: settle in a pavillion and enjoy sunset over the city.

Stay Sherwood HotelFive-star service, elegant European style and antique Chinese furnishings blend at a well-located hotel – near to major cultural areas and shopping districts. It is also a mere ten minute walk away from the mesmeric Liaoning Street Night Market.

Grand HotelThe vermilion-columned palatial retreat has long been the residence of choice for visiting foreign dignitaries. Each of the eight guest levels represent a different Chinese dynasty, with murals, art and carvings punctuating the luxury with an historical flourish.

Eat and DrinkDin Tai FungTheir vaunted Xiaolongbao parcels – of piping hot soup dumplings – are treats that secured a Michelin Star; savour a menu of fine ingredients composed in delicious dishes. The main outlet is in Taipei 101 but with quality being consistent, visit them in SOGO department store for less bustle.

Tainan Tantsumien Seafood Impressions count here with Royal Doulton china, Christofle silverware and uber- formal diners. An amazing covered old-market with exotic, ocean-fresh food: try steamed ‘live’ cod, crab or shrimp.

Smoothie HouseAs Taipei begins to flirt with 30 on the thermometer, cool off with juicy local fruit atop refreshing shaved ice. Mango is the topping of choice at this renovated outlet; sit downstairs in the original shack-setting for added aura. It’s located on Yongkang St. which itself is a goldmine for street food like spring onion pancakes and fried Gao Zha.

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Check InStyle & Wellness

&StyleWellness

What to pack for a safari holiday...Kenya, East Africa

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1. Marni Leather and Horn Necklace, USD650 (monnierfreres.com)2. Andie Black Acetate Round Framed Sunglasses with Gold Silver Crystal Fabric Detailing, USD380 ( jimmychoo.com)3. Keira Sunglasses in Grey Python Leather and Rose Gold Metal, USD300 ( jimmychoo.com)4. Round Clip-On Earrings in Acrylic Resin, USD200 (marni.com)5. Ruby/L Coral Pink Elaphe Trainers, USD420 ( jimmychoo.com)6. Kenya Pouch, USD550 (charlotteolympia.com)7. Ruby/L Coral Pink Elaphe Mini Bag, USD760 ( jimmychoo.com)8. Apfel Tiger Purse, USD1,300 (charlotteolympia.com)9. Kitty On The Rocks, USD625 (charlotteolympia.com)10. Feral Flats, USD680 (charlotteolympia.com)11. Classic Runway Wide-Brimmed Hat, USD495 (armani.com)

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As far as tourist towns go, Lagos has the lot. The sixteenth century architecture of the Rio Bensafrim, beautiful cobbled streets and its elegant plazas will leave you wanting more.

Designed by British architect David Adjaye, Alara Lagos (alaralagos.com) is a wonderful multi-brand store, which opened in 2015. It has a beautifully curated collection of hard-to-find African luxury brands, which are available alongside more-established designers.

I also love Stranger Lagos (strangerlagos.com), which is one of my favourite shops in the entire city. Lagos is very humid and often noisy, so Stranger is a real oasis of calm. This concept store has all of my favourite things in one place: delicious tea, scrumptious banana bread and, perhaps most importantly, menswear that looks great on women! Temple Muse Boutique (temple-muse.com) also has a brilliant selection of high-end brands, and buyers have a strong eye for bold prints.

There’s nothing better than a cool evening in a boutique hotel after a day shopping in the sweltering heat. Head to The George Lagos (thegeorgelagos.com) or book a suite at Eko Hotel (ekohotels.com) for spectacular views of the Atlantic Ocean.

Feeling peckish? La Taverna is amazing if you enjoy Italian food. Wood fired pizzas and fresh pesto are always on the menu. Avid foodies should also go to Glover Court in Ikoyi to try Suya, which is a local delicacy of sun dried, smoked and seasoned meat. Lekki Market is great if you’re looking for hand-carved miniatures for friends. Wear comfortable shoes and don’t worry about getting lost – you’re guaranteed to find something that makes the trip worthwhile. Chukwu’s spring-summer collection 2016 can be bought from weruzo.com

The Style-Savvy LocalBorn in Austria to Nigerian parents, London-based designer Chinasa Chukwu knows where to shop and what to buy in Lagos

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&StyleWellness

What to pack for a safari holiday...Kenya, East Africa

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1. Marni Leather and Horn Necklace, USD650 (monnierfreres.com)2. Andie Black Acetate Round Framed Sunglasses with Gold Silver Crystal Fabric Detailing, USD380 ( jimmychoo.com)3. Keira Sunglasses in Grey Python Leather and Rose Gold Metal, USD300 ( jimmychoo.com)4. Round Clip-On Earrings in Acrylic Resin, USD200 (marni.com)5. Ruby/L Coral Pink Elaphe Trainers, USD420 ( jimmychoo.com)6. Kenya Pouch, USD550 (charlotteolympia.com)7. Ruby/L Coral Pink Elaphe Mini Bag, USD760 ( jimmychoo.com)8. Apfel Tiger Purse, USD1,300 (charlotteolympia.com)9. Kitty On The Rocks, USD625 (charlotteolympia.com)10. Feral Flats, USD680 (charlotteolympia.com)11. Classic Runway Wide-Brimmed Hat, USD495 (armani.com)

5. 7.

27


As far as tourist towns go, Lagos has the lot. The sixteenth century architecture of the Rio Bensafrim, beautiful cobbled streets and its elegant plazas will leave you wanting more.

Designed by British architect David Adjaye, Alara Lagos (alaralagos.com) is a wonderful multi-brand store, which opened in 2015. It has a beautifully curated collection of hard-to-find African luxury brands, which are available alongside more-established designers.

I also love Stranger Lagos (strangerlagos.com), which is one of my favourite shops in the entire city. Lagos is very humid and often noisy, so Stranger is a real oasis of calm. This concept store has all of my favourite things in one place: delicious tea, scrumptious banana bread and, perhaps most importantly, menswear that looks great on women! Temple Muse Boutique (temple-muse.com) also has a brilliant selection of high-end brands, and buyers have a strong eye for bold prints.

There’s nothing better than a cool evening in a boutique hotel after a day shopping in the sweltering heat. Head to The George Lagos (thegeorgelagos.com) or book a suite at Eko Hotel (ekohotels.com) for spectacular views of the Atlantic Ocean.

Feeling peckish? La Taverna is amazing if you enjoy Italian food. Wood fired pizzas and fresh pesto are always on the menu. Avid foodies should also go to Glover Court in Ikoyi to try Suya, which is a local delicacy of sun dried, smoked and seasoned meat. Lekki Market is great if you’re looking for hand-carved miniatures for friends. Wear comfortable shoes and don’t worry about getting lost – you’re guaranteed to find something that makes the trip worthwhile. Chukwu’s spring-summer collection 2016 can be bought from weruzo.com

The Style-Savvy LocalBorn in Austria to Nigerian parents, London-based designer Chinasa Chukwu knows where to shop and what to buy in Lagos

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A step back in time, to an ancient oasis

Adrère Amellal Desert Ecolodge, Egypt

Nothing short of magical, eco-evenings are spent staring at a twinkling sky. Tablets,

TVs and smartphones are left dumbfounded: your guiding lights here are flickering

beeswax candles. There is no electricity within the mud and salt buildings, but with surroundings this spectacular, who needs

it? Bolt blue Lake Siwa; the backdrop of White Mountain... such peace that travel

writer Benedict Allen was compelled to pen, “At night it is so quiet that you begin to hear

the stars.” adrereamellal.net

Somewhere not to go cold-turkey just yet…

Chiva-Som International Health Resort, Thailand

If a tech-blackout seems like a drastic shift from ‘informed’ to ‘outcast’, Chiva-Som is a stepping-stone to switch-off. The entire tropical beachside resort in Hua Hin is not

e-smog free, but their policy is personal tech being allowed only in-room: in public areas, the only ‘browsing’ allowed is a book. The focus here is on getting your own energy to 100%: Niranlada Medi-Spa is its jewel,

with an extensive menu of beauty and spa treatments, and a plethora of physio and

fitness facilities. chivasom.com

Big Sur bliss beside the Pacific Ocean

Post Ranch Inn, CaliforniaThe long-haul flight will prime you for a

bout of gadget-downtime, and you’ll venture to a stunning resort with limited network coverage, an absence of guestroom alarm

clocks and zero TV. The payoff is the chance to unplug and reconnect with yourself in the real-realm; take in a spot of morning

yoga or venture on a pulse-raising mountain yomp. Our tips are an enlightening Shaman Session, or sampling the signature Big Sur Stone Therapy – which combines warmed jade from nearby beaches with therapeutic

massage techniques. postranchinn.com

I’m looking for...

The Spa You Need

Digital Detox

Ever vow to turn away from the smartphone, succeed… yet a blinking alert

light tempts you to surrender moments later? Venture to these destinations to give

your screen (and yourself) a total break

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Check Indnata Offers

B GermanyColosseo, Europa-Park3 nights from USD322 per person Special offer: 10% discount on room rateIncludes: 3 nights stay in a Double Room with breakfast dailyValidity: Jul 1-Aug 31, 2016

An architectural renaissance with an aura of Ancient Rome graces Rust, at this Coliseum-inspired four-star hotel. Italian restaurants, fountains and an array of wellness treatments ease you into relaxation.

AI

WORLD TRAVELLER

Reader Offers

A USASLS Hotel, a Luxury Collection Hotel 3 nights from USD888 per personSpecial offer: 10% discount on room rateIncludes: 3 nights stay in a Superior Room and return airport transfersValidity: Jul 1-Aug 31, 2016

In Beverly Hills (L.A. precisely) and an artful member of the Collection; Philippe Starck designed the jewel-like garden terrace rooms, for example. Effortless cool, achieved.

ItalyME Milan II Duca4 nights from USD702 per person Special offer: Receive a 15% discount on room rate, upgrade to Vibe Room and 10% discount on food and beverageIncludes: 4 nights stay in an Aura Room with breakfast daily and return airport transfersValidity: Jul 1-Aug 31, 2016

This upscale address is mere minutes walk from the vibrant Porta Garibaldi. Not that you'll hear it: for peace, the luxurious rooms are all soundproof.

JordanKempinski Hotel Amman3 nights from USD275 per personSpecial offer: Receive a complimentary upgrade to next room categoryIncludes: 3 nights stay in a Superior Room with breakfast daily and return airport transfersValidity: Now 'til Dec 31, 2016

Sip on your morning coffee in a Deluxe Room that overlooks Amman, before venturing out to city attractions which are all within easy reach.

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F ThailandSheraton Grande Sukhumvit3 nights from USD295 per personSpecial offer: Stay 2 nights and receive an additional night free, early check-in and late check-out and 20% discount on food and beverage and SpaIncludes: 3 nights stay in a Grande Room with breakfast daily and return airport transfersValidity: July 1-Aug 31, 2016

Cross the skywalk straight into Terminal 21 shopping centre.

H Hong KongInterContinental Hotel Hong Kong 3 nights from USD935 per personSpecial offer: Stay 2 nights and receive an additional night free and complimentary Club accessIncludes: 3 nights stay in a Deluxe Harbour View Room with breakfast daily and return airport transfersValidity: Jul 1-Aug 31, 2016

Home to Asia's most spectacular Presidential Suite, this premier property promises dramatic Victoria Harbour vistas.

E Sri LankaJetwing Lighthouse, Galle3 nights from USD315 per personSpecial offer: Stay 2 nights and receive an additional night freeIncludes: Stay in a Deluxe Room with return airport transfersValidity: Apr 15-Jul 15, 2016

A fabulous testament to the work of local architect Geoffrey Bawa, this tropical retreat sits on the shoreline. Worth a peek are the inventive, travel-themed suites: Fa-hsien, Ibn Battuta, and Spillbergen.

How to Book

You can book these offers by calling dnata on

+971 4 316 6666

Or visit dnatatravel.com Terms and conditions

apply. On the same site you can also sign up to dnata’s

newsletter and receive more offers direct to

your inbox.

MalaysiaMeritus Pelangi Beach Resort & Spa, Langkawi3 nights from USD380 per personSpecial offer: Receive a 15% discount on room rate, food and beverage and Spa, and a guaranteed upgrade to next available room categoryIncludes: 3 nights stay in a Garden Terrace Room with breakfast daily and return airport transfersValidity: Jul 1-Aug 31, 2016

The pot of hospitality-gold located on 'rainbow' beach.

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I K LJ

USALotte New York Palace3 nights from USD670 per personSpecial Offer: 10% discount on room rateIncludes: Stay in a Superior Guest room with return airport transfersValidity: Now 'til Jun 30, 2016

Considered Midtown's premier modern hotel, it proudly lives up to its illustrious, pre-reinvention past. A grand lobby, 1882 Villard Mansion, and a contemporary tower ensure past and present masterfully combine.

United KingdomShangri-La Hotel, At The Shard, London3 nights from USD745 per personSpecial Offer: 15% discount on room rate, free WiFi and Welcome Chinese Tea SetIncludes: 3 nights stay in a Superior Room with breakfast daily and one way airport transferValidity: Jul 1-Aug 31, 2016

The protagonist of any aerial shot of London, The Shard harbours elegant Shangri-La on floors 34-52; Orient meets Icon.

FranceHotel du Collectionneur Arc de Triomphe, Paris3 nights from USD645 per personSpecial Offer: Receive a guaranteed room upgrade to next available category and free spa accessIncludes: 3 nights stay in a Superior Room with breakfast daily and one way airport transferValidity: Jul 1-Aug 31, 2016

1930s style kisses the interior of this hotel, occupant of a truly historic neighbourhood.

ThailandAngsana Laguna Phuket3 nights from USD160 per personSpecial Offer: Summer Offer - receive a 20% discount on room rate Includes: Stay in a Laguna room with breakfast dailyValidity: Now 'til Oct 31, 2016. Booking window up to 30 days prior to arrival.

In the coveted Phuket locale of Bang Thao Bay, this Andaman Sea beachfront resort has 600-acres of parkland. Villa with a private pool? Prestige secured.

Guarantee your stay at the most-desired address of New York, London, Paris or Phuket

Hotel du Collectionneur Arc De Triomphe

Lotte New York Palace

Shangri-La Hotel, At The Shard

dnata’s FANTASTIC FOUR

Districts of Prestige

Angsana Laguna Phuket

DestinationsIconic ShanghaiDestinationsIconic Adelaide

A lively art scene, stunning buildings, fine cafés, pretty parks and an array of beaches... it’s easy to see why this

is deemed one of Australia’s ‘most liveable’ cities

AdelaideIconic

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The River TorrensIt was 1836 when an inland bend was chosen as site of the City Centre. The Riverbank is now instantly-recognisable as being essentially Adelaide, and its cultural, economic and social value is being fully-capitalised on. Architecturally, modern mixes with contemporary here, from the gleaming glass of the Convention Centre, the more-traditional looking InterContinental hotel, to the canvas-white roof of Festival Centre, home of the city’s performing arts. With no looming skyscrapers here the city feels quite manageable, and with it being Australia’s driest capital, you’ll get more outdoors-time to bask in the glorious sunshine at locations such as this one.

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November 2015World Traveller

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Daily AdelaideThe cosmopolitan, coastal, South Australia state capital says ‘Hello’

to Qatar Airways from May 3. The fourth Australian city in the company’s destination list will be

a stylish journey indeed, as the ‘World’s Best Airline’ will operate its impressive Airbus A350-XWB on the route. The luxury begins at

Hamad International Airport: relax in unrivalled premium lounges before

departing at 9pm, arrving direct into Adelaide at 4:25pm the next

day. Return flights leave at 9.25pm, getting you back to Doha by 4.50am. Timings clock in at 13hrs and 14hrs respectively, though with in-depth Oryx One in-flight entertainment,

on-demand dining in Business Class and attentive five-star service

throughout, you’ll barely notice.qatarairways.com

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November 2015World Traveller

35


Daily AdelaideThe cosmopolitan, coastal, South Australia state capital says ‘Hello’

to Qatar Airways from May 3. The fourth Australian city in the company’s destination list will be

a stylish journey indeed, as the ‘World’s Best Airline’ will operate its impressive Airbus A350-XWB on the route. The luxury begins at

Hamad International Airport: relax in unrivalled premium lounges before

departing at 9pm, arrving direct into Adelaide at 4:25pm the next

day. Return flights leave at 9.25pm, getting you back to Doha by 4.50am. Timings clock in at 13hrs and 14hrs respectively, though with in-depth Oryx One in-flight entertainment,

on-demand dining in Business Class and attentive five-star service

throughout, you’ll barely notice.qatarairways.com

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DestinationsIconic Adelaide

VineyardsLess then an hour away from Adelaide, take a break from ocean views and feast eyes upon an expanse of green that stretches into the horizon. The region is well-

Adelaide Botanic GardensThe region boasts three such oases of natural beauty: Wittunga Botanic Garden, Adelaide Botanic Garden in the inner city parklands, and Mount Lofty Botanic Garden. Wittunga, a haven for diverse wildlife, has its Butterfly Garden and an abundance of water-wise flowers and plants from Australia and South Africa, while Adelaide is 50 hectares of magnificently-maintained gardens and stunning architecture, with the Greek-styled Santos Museum of Economic Botany. It’s on a vigorous Mount Lofty trek, up in the Adelaide Hills, that you’re most likely to spot the cute Koalas pictured here. Cool-climate plants are cultivated, and there are intriguing pieces of art dotted around the 97 hectares too; be enchanted by the Fern-, Spring- and South American- Gullys, as well as the streams, waterfalls and Northern Hemisphere trees of the Woodland Garden.

known for its production of award-winning grape, and there are over 200 cellar doors within a short driving distance. There are dozens of prominent names here to

note (that spark intense debate between grape connoisseurs), and it would be a brave person who picks out a handful. Best to head to southaustralia.com and decide for yourself!

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BeachesIf you prefer nice, flat, lulling waves rather than crashing tides, then quiet Grange Beach is the laid-back coastal retreat for you. The low ebb of life is exactly as captured here and the simplicity is alluring; part with a few dollars on a tasty fish & chip supper, to munch on while strolling along the jetty, enjoying the ruffling of the ocean. Adelaide has other beaches, of course – 70km of them to be precise. With its seaside charm, Glenelg is the most popular (among dolphins, too), and can be reached by tram from the heart of the city, with nearby Holdfast Shores being the place to head for a slice of stylish al fresco dining and a dose of speciality shopping.

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DestinationsIconic Adelaide

VineyardsLess then an hour away from Adelaide, take a break from ocean views and feast eyes upon an expanse of green that stretches into the horizon. The region is well-

Adelaide Botanic GardensThe region boasts three such oases of natural beauty: Wittunga Botanic Garden, Adelaide Botanic Garden in the inner city parklands, and Mount Lofty Botanic Garden. Wittunga, a haven for diverse wildlife, has its Butterfly Garden and an abundance of water-wise flowers and plants from Australia and South Africa, while Adelaide is 50 hectares of magnificently-maintained gardens and stunning architecture, with the Greek-styled Santos Museum of Economic Botany. It’s on a vigorous Mount Lofty trek, up in the Adelaide Hills, that you’re most likely to spot the cute Koalas pictured here. Cool-climate plants are cultivated, and there are intriguing pieces of art dotted around the 97 hectares too; be enchanted by the Fern-, Spring- and South American- Gullys, as well as the streams, waterfalls and Northern Hemisphere trees of the Woodland Garden.

known for its production of award-winning grape, and there are over 200 cellar doors within a short driving distance. There are dozens of prominent names here to

note (that spark intense debate between grape connoisseurs), and it would be a brave person who picks out a handful. Best to head to southaustralia.com and decide for yourself!

37


BeachesIf you prefer nice, flat, lulling waves rather than crashing tides, then quiet Grange Beach is the laid-back coastal retreat for you. The low ebb of life is exactly as captured here and the simplicity is alluring; part with a few dollars on a tasty fish & chip supper, to munch on while strolling along the jetty, enjoying the ruffling of the ocean. Adelaide has other beaches, of course – 70km of them to be precise. With its seaside charm, Glenelg is the most popular (among dolphins, too), and can be reached by tram from the heart of the city, with nearby Holdfast Shores being the place to head for a slice of stylish al fresco dining and a dose of speciality shopping.

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DestinationsBarbados

Pack your Fendi with your flip-flops. Beloved of the glittery Brit pack, Barbados has all the sea and sun you want from the Caribbean, plus a social scene from the Big Smoke. Bling it on, writes Katie Bowman

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Pack your Fendi with your flip-flops. Beloved of the glittery Brit pack, Barbados has all the sea and sun you want from the Caribbean, plus a social scene from the Big Smoke. Bling it on, writes Katie Bowman

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G O L D

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a N D S

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“I used to fly both the children from their school in Switzerland to Barbados each Christmas, but it just got toooooo stressful.” The lady

patted her tanned, diamond-speckled neck so that her spritzer partner was in no doubt as to whom it was too stressful for. “Now I take one for Christmas week, the other for New Year’s. It’s so much easier.” This snippet – overheard at high tea, as a pretty grey bullfinch flitted delicately from my silver teapot to the top tier of my cucumber sandwiches – went straight on to my list of ‘Things that could only happen in Barbados’. (Recounted without a smidgeon of exaggeration, I might add.) For years, I’ve been keeping an amusing mental record of extraordinary Barbados moments, and had been given a perfect addition as soon we landed at Grantley Adams airport. A suited gent clutching a gold ‘Sandy Lane’ clipboard was discreetly plucking passengers from the long, sweaty immigration queue and whisking them off to a separate fast-track line.

“Is that allowed?” huffed one red-faced chap. (We weren’t sure, but we were all too British to make a fuss). Then there was the straight-from-Surrey pony club we passed in the taxi (“Practice makes perfect, Imogen!” shouted a David Cameron-alike dad); the kippers at breakfast (“I don’t suppose I could get a spot of lemon with these, old boy?”); and the vintage Bentley transporting an elderly dame from the airport to her cruise ship (well, it is a 20-minute journey). Every one of these moments was a perfect candidate for my list.

Have these moments ever put me off Barbados? No way. Should they you? Absolutely not. It is this unique Tunbridge-Wells-in-the-Tropics personality that earns the beautiful island such loyal fans. It’s serene and sun-kissed like the rest of the Caribbean, but brilliantly entertaining – and, unlike the rest of the Windies, everything just works. Like to go diving, but want the boat to arrive on time, every time? Of course. Want a nanny with Ofsted qualifications and three languages? Sign right here.

The exacting standards of Barbados’s high-society clientele have made for a holiday isle that is, yes, hot and steamy, but also punctual, shipshape and safe. So if you like the sound of scones with your winter sunshine, consider this your tear-out-and-treasure guide...

Playing the platinum card If you’ve never been to Barbados before, it’s all about the west or ‘Platinum’ coast (it used to be called the Gold Coast, but the arrival of 18-and-counting billionaires’ holiday homes called for an upgrade). The island’s south shore is affordable yet heavy on the high-rises and all-inclusive resorts. Its rugged east is ravishing, but too wild for swimming and, therefore, a hotel scene. And the north is, well, the north. (A local taxi driver once put me right when I asked to swing by: “There’s nothing there, unless you want to see the cement factory?”) Everybody who’s anybody – from Cliff, to Cowell, to Rihanna’s mum – calls the handsome Platinum stretch home, and its mighty skyscraper palms and red-speckled flamboyant trees cast welcome shade onto swathes of groomed white sand (at some resorts they comb it into garden-lawn lines, at others, it’s figures-of-eight). It’s dangerously mesmerising to catch glimpses of the sea – a frothy toothpaste green deepening to bruise-blue – as you drive along Highway 1, a pot-holed road that lazily follows the shoreline. But my favourite view is at Lone Star, once a mechanic’s garage, now a boutique hotel and restaurant. Lone Star’s design revolves around a vast picture window that frames the ocean from the moment you check in, to the second you

Opening pagess: The Carribean sea at dusk. Clockwise from left: A surfer in St Philip; Boats on the West coast; Pottery displayed at a roadside stand; Local man walking past a mural.

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“I used to fly both the children from their school in Switzerland to Barbados each Christmas, but it just got toooooo stressful.” The lady

patted her tanned, diamond-speckled neck so that her spritzer partner was in no doubt as to whom it was too stressful for. “Now I take one for Christmas week, the other for New Year’s. It’s so much easier.” This snippet – overheard at high tea, as a pretty grey bullfinch flitted delicately from my silver teapot to the top tier of my cucumber sandwiches – went straight on to my list of ‘Things that could only happen in Barbados’. (Recounted without a smidgeon of exaggeration, I might add.) For years, I’ve been keeping an amusing mental record of extraordinary Barbados moments, and had been given a perfect addition as soon we landed at Grantley Adams airport. A suited gent clutching a gold ‘Sandy Lane’ clipboard was discreetly plucking passengers from the long, sweaty immigration queue and whisking them off to a separate fast-track line.

“Is that allowed?” huffed one red-faced chap. (We weren’t sure, but we were all too British to make a fuss). Then there was the straight-from-Surrey pony club we passed in the taxi (“Practice makes perfect, Imogen!” shouted a David Cameron-alike dad); the kippers at breakfast (“I don’t suppose I could get a spot of lemon with these, old boy?”); and the vintage Bentley transporting an elderly dame from the airport to her cruise ship (well, it is a 20-minute journey). Every one of these moments was a perfect candidate for my list.

Have these moments ever put me off Barbados? No way. Should they you? Absolutely not. It is this unique Tunbridge-Wells-in-the-Tropics personality that earns the beautiful island such loyal fans. It’s serene and sun-kissed like the rest of the Caribbean, but brilliantly entertaining – and, unlike the rest of the Windies, everything just works. Like to go diving, but want the boat to arrive on time, every time? Of course. Want a nanny with Ofsted qualifications and three languages? Sign right here.

The exacting standards of Barbados’s high-society clientele have made for a holiday isle that is, yes, hot and steamy, but also punctual, shipshape and safe. So if you like the sound of scones with your winter sunshine, consider this your tear-out-and-treasure guide...

Playing the platinum card If you’ve never been to Barbados before, it’s all about the west or ‘Platinum’ coast (it used to be called the Gold Coast, but the arrival of 18-and-counting billionaires’ holiday homes called for an upgrade). The island’s south shore is affordable yet heavy on the high-rises and all-inclusive resorts. Its rugged east is ravishing, but too wild for swimming and, therefore, a hotel scene. And the north is, well, the north. (A local taxi driver once put me right when I asked to swing by: “There’s nothing there, unless you want to see the cement factory?”) Everybody who’s anybody – from Cliff, to Cowell, to Rihanna’s mum – calls the handsome Platinum stretch home, and its mighty skyscraper palms and red-speckled flamboyant trees cast welcome shade onto swathes of groomed white sand (at some resorts they comb it into garden-lawn lines, at others, it’s figures-of-eight). It’s dangerously mesmerising to catch glimpses of the sea – a frothy toothpaste green deepening to bruise-blue – as you drive along Highway 1, a pot-holed road that lazily follows the shoreline. But my favourite view is at Lone Star, once a mechanic’s garage, now a boutique hotel and restaurant. Lone Star’s design revolves around a vast picture window that frames the ocean from the moment you check in, to the second you

Opening pagess: The Carribean sea at dusk. Clockwise from left: A surfer in St Philip; Boats on the West coast; Pottery displayed at a roadside stand; Local man walking past a mural.

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42


sit down with that first tropical punch. (You’ll come to rate glasses of punch according to the view they offer, not the taste, since every version blows your head off).

Others swear The Cliff restaurant has the best panorama. Book a table well in advance, even if that feels odd (“Two people, by the water’s edge please. Yes, it’s a special occasion”). You’ll be pleased you did. Our gorgeous hostess led us down through tiers of busy cliffside nooks, each seating thinner, more glamorous people than the one before. Ibiza-style lounge music drifted on the air, giant lanterns burned and drapes billowed – then suddenly a communal ‘ahhhhh’ reverberated around the place as the remote-control screens glided into action, shielding skimpily dressed diners from an unforeseen tropical downpour. Had this been any other island but Barbados, holidaymakers would have been running for the plastic brollies, to sit huddled and hungry until the rain stopped. As I said: only in Barbados...

Exploring the other coast But isn’t there more to Barbados than beaches and bling dinners? Yes, but not too much. Enough to kill a rainy afternoon, but not such a lot that you should feel guilty if you get good weather. Speightstown, once Barbados’s biggest port and known as ‘little Bristol’, is the perfect pint-sized pitstop. Vegetable traders still sell knuckly cassava, vivid green okra fingers, hairy yams and juicy tomatoes as their great-great-grannies would have done in the 1800s, and all right by one of the loveliest beaches in Barbados. Even its Arlington

House Museum – an elegant white eighteenth-century chandler’s mansion – seems sympathetic to the lure of the sunlounger for tourists. You can whizz round its three air-conditioned storeys in less than an hour and still get an understanding of Barbados, from colonial times to contemporary. From here, pootle to St Nicholas Abbey, a forensically well-preserved Jacobean mansion and rum distillery among romantic, lush gardens. The drinks on arrival should be just enough to awaken you for the obligatory historic film reel.

Next? Cherry Tree Hill. You’ll approach this elevated viewpoint from beneath a canopy of majestic mahogany trees that suddenly drops away, like a theatre curtain, to reveal the untamed, wind-ravaged east coast and its main town, Bathsheba. It looks more like Scotland than the Caribbean of brochure pictures, and you won’t believe that holidaymakers are quaffing rosé-grape and picking at shrimp salads only a few kilometres away.

By now it’s time to head back to the beaches and resorts, but not before you sit back and enjoy a drive through parted seas of sugar cane, past colourful clapboard ‘chattel’ houses and cute hand-painted signs to ‘Dover’, ‘Worthing’ and ‘Hastings’. Hiring a driver for the day is affordable in Barbados so let somebody else take the wheel.

Hummingbirds and high tea Much like a prestigious postcode dropped artfully into dinner-party conversation, your hotel choice when staying in Barbados says a lot about you. And the most impressive is Sandy Lane. Is there

Ibiza-style lounge music drifted on the air, giant lanterns burned and drapes billowed...

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sit down with that first tropical punch. (You’ll come to rate glasses of punch according to the view they offer, not the taste, since every version blows your head off).

Others swear The Cliff restaurant has the best panorama. Book a table well in advance, even if that feels odd (“Two people, by the water’s edge please. Yes, it’s a special occasion”). You’ll be pleased you did. Our gorgeous hostess led us down through tiers of busy cliffside nooks, each seating thinner, more glamorous people than the one before. Ibiza-style lounge music drifted on the air, giant lanterns burned and drapes billowed – then suddenly a communal ‘ahhhhh’ reverberated around the place as the remote-control screens glided into action, shielding skimpily dressed diners from an unforeseen tropical downpour. Had this been any other island but Barbados, holidaymakers would have been running for the plastic brollies, to sit huddled and hungry until the rain stopped. As I said: only in Barbados...

Exploring the other coast But isn’t there more to Barbados than beaches and bling dinners? Yes, but not too much. Enough to kill a rainy afternoon, but not such a lot that you should feel guilty if you get good weather. Speightstown, once Barbados’s biggest port and known as ‘little Bristol’, is the perfect pint-sized pitstop. Vegetable traders still sell knuckly cassava, vivid green okra fingers, hairy yams and juicy tomatoes as their great-great-grannies would have done in the 1800s, and all right by one of the loveliest beaches in Barbados. Even its Arlington

House Museum – an elegant white eighteenth-century chandler’s mansion – seems sympathetic to the lure of the sunlounger for tourists. You can whizz round its three air-conditioned storeys in less than an hour and still get an understanding of Barbados, from colonial times to contemporary. From here, pootle to St Nicholas Abbey, a forensically well-preserved Jacobean mansion and rum distillery among romantic, lush gardens. The drinks on arrival should be just enough to awaken you for the obligatory historic film reel.

Next? Cherry Tree Hill. You’ll approach this elevated viewpoint from beneath a canopy of majestic mahogany trees that suddenly drops away, like a theatre curtain, to reveal the untamed, wind-ravaged east coast and its main town, Bathsheba. It looks more like Scotland than the Caribbean of brochure pictures, and you won’t believe that holidaymakers are quaffing rosé-grape and picking at shrimp salads only a few kilometres away.

By now it’s time to head back to the beaches and resorts, but not before you sit back and enjoy a drive through parted seas of sugar cane, past colourful clapboard ‘chattel’ houses and cute hand-painted signs to ‘Dover’, ‘Worthing’ and ‘Hastings’. Hiring a driver for the day is affordable in Barbados so let somebody else take the wheel.

Hummingbirds and high tea Much like a prestigious postcode dropped artfully into dinner-party conversation, your hotel choice when staying in Barbados says a lot about you. And the most impressive is Sandy Lane. Is there

Ibiza-style lounge music drifted on the air, giant lanterns burned and drapes billowed...

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Previous pagess, left to right: A fisherman holding his catch at Speighstown fish market; A wrecked fishing boat. This page: Farley Hill National Park. Opposite page, clockwise from top left: The Spa and Pool at Sandy Lane; Close-up of wet grass during monsoon; The Brown Pelican, the national bird of Barbados; White Frangipani flowers.

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a hotel more rumour-shrouded? A clientele more photographed? A beach more opulent? (At one point, I had Scottish entrepreneur and ‘Dragon’ Duncan Bannatyne being papped on my left, while on my right an elderly couple chatted with their bodyguard about their daughter’s latest stint in rehab). It is surreal. It is scandalously wealthy. But it is also beautiful. Cruising into the grounds (and you can, for brunch, or a spa treatment, or whatever – even if you’re not staying there) is like entering a grand studio lot where they are about to film Agatha Christie’s A Caribbean Mystery – all neatly pressed staff, hushed marble corridors, hummingbirds at play and a level of service that is effortlessly ‘50s rather than in-your face new money.

Sandy Lane deserves its own list of extraordinary one-offs. There is a free unpacking service. (Yes, really.) On arrival, guests are asked if they want that evening’s dinner outfit pressed. (No word of a lie.) You summon your beach waiter by placing your own personal SL flag in the sand. (I kid you not.) And when you walk over a mopped floor, the sign doesn’t read ‘Watch your step’, but ‘Please excuse us in our pursuit of excellence’. Before I had even unpacked, there came a gentle knock at the door: “Madam, our monitoring software indicates your television is not working correctly,” apologised the technician, before swiftly fixing it. I hadn’t even turned the thing on yet.

Cobblers Cove hotel is another Barbados-only wonder: a collection of traditional wooden cottages around the gloriously pink Great House (the ‘40s former beach

retreat of a sugar-cane planter). Yes, you can swim with an endangered wild sea turtle just seconds from its terrace, but you can also order oysters and caviar on the same terrace each Friday night (this is the hotel’s respectful nod to Barbados’s ‘fish fry’ tradition). It’s this combination of the untamed and the refined that will seduce you, just as it seduces so many other faithful island fans.

There is nothing quite like a glass of punch at Cobblers, clinking glasses with your neighbour as abandoned laughter skips through the darkening sky – even better if there’s the thrilling threat of a thunderstorm and you can catch that last evening swim before electric jolts scribble on the horizon. And all this before you don your pearls and sit down to pick at a posh dinner.

Of course, there are so many more ‘only in Barbados’ stories I could share (my favourite is that when pilots used to fly Concorde to Barbados – a fact silly enough in itself – they’d tip the wing as they flew over Sandy Lane because virtually every passenger was a guest), but you’ll have more fun collecting your own. So pick a lounger, order a punch, position your shades just right, and prepare yourself for some of the greatest people-watching on Earth.

And when you get home? You won’t be going to Kodak to print out your holiday snaps, but to buy a copy of Hello! – where the whole fabulous whirlwind you’ve just experienced will be laid out in glorious high gloss. Now that’s a souvenir.

46

DestinationsThe Magic Mediterranean

4646

in may

THE maGiCmEd

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4747

It’s August on some sun-scorched Greek island. The beaches are rammed, the temperature is in the 30s and you’ve just queued for an hour for a table at a vine-draped taverna. When you finally catch the waiter’s eye and mention, by way of breaking the ice, that it’s busy, he sighs and says: “You should have been here three months ago.”

It’s true. You should have been. And not just here, but right across the Med. By late May, summer has moved in, the wild flowers are in full bloom, and the beaches are all yours. Here are our picks for a golden May escape...

46


4646

in may

THE maGiCmEd

47


4747

It’s August on some sun-scorched Greek island. The beaches are rammed, the temperature is in the 30s and you’ve just queued for an hour for a table at a vine-draped taverna. When you finally catch the waiter’s eye and mention, by way of breaking the ice, that it’s busy, he sighs and says: “You should have been here three months ago.”

It’s true. You should have been. And not just here, but right across the Med. By late May, summer has moved in, the wild flowers are in full bloom, and the beaches are all yours. Here are our picks for a golden May escape...

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Tuscany Average May temperature: 23⁰CMay is a time of flowers in Tuscany. The yellow rapeseed comes first, followed by the poppies, then the jasmine, the olives, the wild roses and the sage. This is no country for hay-fever sufferers, but for others, it’s near perfect. Cherries are in season, as are the fava beans beloved of the locals. To make the most of it, you need to stay at the wonderful, hilltop-based Villa San Michele, where Florence’s terracotta rooftops are spread out below you. Dating to the 15th century, the villa’s façade is attributed to the great Michelangelo.

Sardinia Average May temperature: 22⁰CHigh above Cala di Volpe on Sardinia’s Costa Smeralda, the charming Hotel Rocce Sarde has a slightly Daliesque feel, scattered as it is among the junipers and vast boulders that litter the mountainside. There’s good hiking around here — just ask Lucia, the manager — and a regular shuttle bus down to the wonderful white-sand beach at Rena Bianca. With sunbeds, umbrellas, toys and a near-perfect beach bar, it gets crowded here in season. But not in May.

Tenerife Average May temperature: 23⁰COkay, it’s the Atlantic, not the Med, but the point still stands. The Gran Hotel Bahia del Duque Resort is a destination resort on the upmarket Costa Adeje. Its aim is to take you prisoner, keeping you happily trapped in a Portmeirion-like property that has eight restaurants, 13 bars, five pools, a spa and a watersports centre. Rooms are suitably luxurious, but for the best combination of sea views and peace and quiet (the oceanside rooms overlook the central plaza), ask for the fourth floor or higher.

mykonos Average May temperature: 23⁰CYou know Mykonos. It’s the one with the windmills and the banging nightlife. In summer, it teems with cruise-ship passengers by day and clubbers by night, but, because most of the clubs open in April, even May can be busy. So you need a hotel at a slight remove from the action. That place is the luxury Mykonos Princess Hotel, by Agios Stefanos Beach. It’s exactly what you’d expect from a Mykonos boutique hotel: whitewash and daybeds, and breakfast served until 11am.

Santorini Average May temperature: 23⁰CThe diamond of the Cyclades, with its stunning views of the Aegean, is thought by many to be the most romantic place on earth. You require beaches? Go elsewhere. Culture? Stay in Athens. You want to loaf all day beside a private plunge pool, sipping chilled grape and soaking up that mesmerising view, stay at the Grace Santorini, a whitewashed minimalist boutique that defines the extraordinary Santorini experience.

amalfi Average May temperature: 22⁰CMay should be high season in Amalfi. The weather is perfect, the sea is warm and the lemon trees are in blossom. The roads are reasonably clear, the locals are happy (they’ll be sullen by August) and the walking is fabulous. The hotels seem to have caught on that this is the absolute best time to be here, so prices aren’t hugely lower than at the July peak. Stay at the Grand Hotel Convento di Amalfi, which offers 53 rooms of Sorrentine luxury in a converted monastery high above the coast. The beach is five minutes downhill. It takes significantly longer coming back.

Opening pages: Anaga Natural Park, Tenerife. Clockwise from left: A remote farmhouse, Tuscany; Sunbeam in the forest in the north of Tenerife, Tuscany; Val d’Orcia, Tuscany.

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Tuscany Average May temperature: 23⁰CMay is a time of flowers in Tuscany. The yellow rapeseed comes first, followed by the poppies, then the jasmine, the olives, the wild roses and the sage. This is no country for hay-fever sufferers, but for others, it’s near perfect. Cherries are in season, as are the fava beans beloved of the locals. To make the most of it, you need to stay at the wonderful, hilltop-based Villa San Michele, where Florence’s terracotta rooftops are spread out below you. Dating to the 15th century, the villa’s façade is attributed to the great Michelangelo.

Sardinia Average May temperature: 22⁰CHigh above Cala di Volpe on Sardinia’s Costa Smeralda, the charming Hotel Rocce Sarde has a slightly Daliesque feel, scattered as it is among the junipers and vast boulders that litter the mountainside. There’s good hiking around here — just ask Lucia, the manager — and a regular shuttle bus down to the wonderful white-sand beach at Rena Bianca. With sunbeds, umbrellas, toys and a near-perfect beach bar, it gets crowded here in season. But not in May.

Tenerife Average May temperature: 23⁰COkay, it’s the Atlantic, not the Med, but the point still stands. The Gran Hotel Bahia del Duque Resort is a destination resort on the upmarket Costa Adeje. Its aim is to take you prisoner, keeping you happily trapped in a Portmeirion-like property that has eight restaurants, 13 bars, five pools, a spa and a watersports centre. Rooms are suitably luxurious, but for the best combination of sea views and peace and quiet (the oceanside rooms overlook the central plaza), ask for the fourth floor or higher.

mykonos Average May temperature: 23⁰CYou know Mykonos. It’s the one with the windmills and the banging nightlife. In summer, it teems with cruise-ship passengers by day and clubbers by night, but, because most of the clubs open in April, even May can be busy. So you need a hotel at a slight remove from the action. That place is the luxury Mykonos Princess Hotel, by Agios Stefanos Beach. It’s exactly what you’d expect from a Mykonos boutique hotel: whitewash and daybeds, and breakfast served until 11am.

Santorini Average May temperature: 23⁰CThe diamond of the Cyclades, with its stunning views of the Aegean, is thought by many to be the most romantic place on earth. You require beaches? Go elsewhere. Culture? Stay in Athens. You want to loaf all day beside a private plunge pool, sipping chilled grape and soaking up that mesmerising view, stay at the Grace Santorini, a whitewashed minimalist boutique that defines the extraordinary Santorini experience.

amalfi Average May temperature: 22⁰CMay should be high season in Amalfi. The weather is perfect, the sea is warm and the lemon trees are in blossom. The roads are reasonably clear, the locals are happy (they’ll be sullen by August) and the walking is fabulous. The hotels seem to have caught on that this is the absolute best time to be here, so prices aren’t hugely lower than at the July peak. Stay at the Grand Hotel Convento di Amalfi, which offers 53 rooms of Sorrentine luxury in a converted monastery high above the coast. The beach is five minutes downhill. It takes significantly longer coming back.

Opening pages: Anaga Natural Park, Tenerife. Clockwise from left: A remote farmhouse, Tuscany; Sunbeam in the forest in the north of Tenerife, Tuscany; Val d’Orcia, Tuscany.

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destinationsThe Magic Mediterranean

Loaf all day beside a private plunge pool, sipping chilled grape and soaking up that mesmerising view

51

may 2016World Traveller

50

destinationsThe Magic Mediterranean

Loaf all day beside a private plunge pool, sipping chilled grape and soaking up that mesmerising view

51

may 2016World Traveller

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Cyprus Average May temperature: 24⁰CDon’t go to Cyprus until the back end of May to avoid the irritating sea breezes in the first half of the month. When they’ve blown themselves out, though, the weather is perfect, with 12 hours of sunshine a day and enough heat to force a midday retreat. Stay at the Almyra, a modern design hotel in the ancient town of Paphos, on the island’s southwest tip. Bright and white, with a dramatic slate-lined pool, the hotel is bang on the waterfront and a couple of minutes from the town centre.

Crete Average May temperature: 24⁰CThe Domes of Elounda is a top-end luxury resort with the emphasis as much on aesthetics as that famous Cretan hospitality. There are 120 secluded suites and villas hidden among the shrubs, many with views across Elounda Bay to the mysterious island of Spinalonga. If you can be torn away from your terrace, you’ll find five restaurants, a small beach and a gold-plated spa.

Corfu Average May temperature: 23⁰CThe Corfu Imperial Grecotel Exclusive Resort offers nothing but classic five-star

luxury on an olive-studded private estate on an isthmus in Kommeno Bay. We’re talking chandeliers, cocktails at 7pm and fine dining to dress up for by night, and refined napping beside the pool in the Italianate gardens or down on the private beach by day. Nice spa, too.

algarve Average May temperature: 25⁰CLate May is the best time to visit: the meadows are full of flowers and the baby storks have hatched, so make a beeline to Pine Cliffs, the sprawling five-star clifftop resort with the tricky golf course, the Annabel Croft tennis academy, the sunset bubbly bar and the magnificent Praia da Falesia Beach at its feet.

Cephalonia Average May temperature: 22⁰CIf you head north from the commercial bit of Cephalonia, past Myrtos Beach, then hang a left, you’ll come to Assos. It’s a dreamy spot, overlooked by a ruined Venetian fortress, and, as it happens, by most tourists. Just three minutes from the beach, you’ll find the delightful, family-run Cavos Inn. It’s got just nine rooms, and you want rooms one, two or six, all of which have wall-to-wall sea views.

Previous pages: The north coast, Tenerife. Clockwise from right: View of the Caldera from a restaurant in Cyclades, Santorini; Townscape of Oia Village, Santorini; Sea and sand dunes, Sorso; Oia city, Santorini.

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Cyprus Average May temperature: 24⁰CDon’t go to Cyprus until the back end of May to avoid the irritating sea breezes in the first half of the month. When they’ve blown themselves out, though, the weather is perfect, with 12 hours of sunshine a day and enough heat to force a midday retreat. Stay at the Almyra, a modern design hotel in the ancient town of Paphos, on the island’s southwest tip. Bright and white, with a dramatic slate-lined pool, the hotel is bang on the waterfront and a couple of minutes from the town centre.

Crete Average May temperature: 24⁰CThe Domes of Elounda is a top-end luxury resort with the emphasis as much on aesthetics as that famous Cretan hospitality. There are 120 secluded suites and villas hidden among the shrubs, many with views across Elounda Bay to the mysterious island of Spinalonga. If you can be torn away from your terrace, you’ll find five restaurants, a small beach and a gold-plated spa.

Corfu Average May temperature: 23⁰CThe Corfu Imperial Grecotel Exclusive Resort offers nothing but classic five-star

luxury on an olive-studded private estate on an isthmus in Kommeno Bay. We’re talking chandeliers, cocktails at 7pm and fine dining to dress up for by night, and refined napping beside the pool in the Italianate gardens or down on the private beach by day. Nice spa, too.

algarve Average May temperature: 25⁰CLate May is the best time to visit: the meadows are full of flowers and the baby storks have hatched, so make a beeline to Pine Cliffs, the sprawling five-star clifftop resort with the tricky golf course, the Annabel Croft tennis academy, the sunset bubbly bar and the magnificent Praia da Falesia Beach at its feet.

Cephalonia Average May temperature: 22⁰CIf you head north from the commercial bit of Cephalonia, past Myrtos Beach, then hang a left, you’ll come to Assos. It’s a dreamy spot, overlooked by a ruined Venetian fortress, and, as it happens, by most tourists. Just three minutes from the beach, you’ll find the delightful, family-run Cavos Inn. It’s got just nine rooms, and you want rooms one, two or six, all of which have wall-to-wall sea views.

Previous pages: The north coast, Tenerife. Clockwise from right: View of the Caldera from a restaurant in Cyclades, Santorini; Townscape of Oia Village, Santorini; Sea and sand dunes, Sorso; Oia city, Santorini.

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54

DestinationsNova Scotia

55


NortherNSoul

Empty roads, dramatic landscapes – Nova Scotia’s Cape

Breton is a driver’s dream. (Apart from the moose.) Jenni Doggett

finds peace in the Canadian wilderness

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55


NortherNSoul

Empty roads, dramatic landscapes – Nova Scotia’s Cape

Breton is a driver’s dream. (Apart from the moose.) Jenni Doggett

finds peace in the Canadian wilderness

56


I don’t ordinarily seek travel advice from my local dry cleaner, but at some point between a rudimentary

exchange on jam removal and the weather, I mention I’m thinking of a trip to Nova Scotia. Ulla’s eyes light up as she tells me her son recently visited Cape Breton, its northernmost island, and drove for a day without seeing another car. “Not one. For 12 hours!” Nothing speaks to me more powerfully of escape than an empty road, so I book my tickets the next day. The journey is the destination on this trip, and the end point is the Cabot Trail – 300km of (empty) road encircling Cape Breton. Nova Scotia is a blustery outcrop on Canada’s wild Atlantic edge, joined to the rest of the country by just a neck of land across the Bay of Fundy – and Cape Breton is attached to the rest of Nova Scotia by a slender causeway. ‘Remote’ doesn’t come close (the area was only opened up to cars in the ‘30s), which explains why the Trail’s richly forested Highland stretches, seat-grippingly dramatic oceanic sections and tenacious little settlements attract so few visitors – as I explained to my friend Wynn, to persuade him to join me.

But deserted roads are the last thing we find on leaving Nova Scotia’s capital, Halifax, in our tank of a rental car. The size of our vehicle is meant to counter the commonest hazard on the roads in these parts: moose. (When man meets moose, man tends to lose, even if he is driving a bunker on wheels). We are flanked by similarly hulky vehicles, and progress is slow. Wynn mutters darkly in the passenger seat – he is the only person I know who loves big empty spaces as much as I do, and this isn’t quite the glorious open highway I had promised. But in time we see the hold-up is a tortoise-paced lorry with an entire wooden cabin on its back. Soon the road frees up, and we are alone bar the odd timber truck trundling past. Windows down, we pick up the pace. The sun blinks Morse at us through flying trees, and a

dazzling spectrum of greens leads us north. Four hours later, we hit Cape Breton, and another hour gets us to Baddeck, a small scattered village on the northern shore of the Bras d’Or Lakes, North America’s largest inland sea.

It’s not exactly rush hour in Baddeck (population 769), but it’s not the utter peace and quiet we were hoping for either, so after a lakeside amble we jump aboard Captain John Bryson’s schooner for an afternoon jaunt – just in time for his well-practised patter to commence. He happily holds up his comedy prop, a copy of Sailing for Dummies – and all on board groan simultaneously. The weather is warm and autumn-crisp. Quicksilver sunshine appears in bursts. There is no horizon; sky and sea blend together in wild Turner textures. Legs dangling over the prow, I am soon hypnotised by the soft, bouncing motion. We glide past the red sandstone peninsula Beinn Bhreagh, home to Alexander Graham

There is no horizon; sky and sea blend together

Bell’s estate, now a museum. Then it’s all confusion and commotion as everyone scrambles to the back of the boat. It takes a minute to see what everyone is eagerly pointing to: two enormous bald eagles powering along beside us. Captain John throws meat to the birds, who shoot past to catch their lunch before it hits the water. Evidently they are repeat customers.

Back in Baddeck, we hear promising things about the Chanterelle Inn, a half-hour drive north on the Cabot Trail – so on we go. When we get there, we meet innkeeper Earlene, who was so moved by the landscape and quality of life when she first arrived that she upped sticks from Colorado and built the Inn, on a hill overlooking the lake. We sit on the back deck for hours while Earlene plies us

Opening pages: Views across the Cairngorms National Park from Cairngorm Mountain. These pages, clockwise from right: The Fundy Footpath; Highland cattle on the Shieldaig-Applecross Road in Wester Ross; Red Deer stags.

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with wonderful homemade (and mostly home-grown) treats, chief among them a fresh, ink-coloured sticky pie made from yesterday’s crop of wild blueberries. Never have I felt so welcome. Or full. We stay for only a few hours, but when we drive away we find ourselves bickering over which of us Earlene liked best, and whether she might consider fostering us.

A burst tyre soon shuts us up. Wynn wrestles heroically with the spare while I consult the map and call the Halifax car rental company to see if they can replace it. They don’t quite laugh at us, but we are clearly too remote to be taken seriously. We need to decide whether or not to take the risk of driving the route on a spare. Empty roads could be dangerous if it happens again. Deflated, we move on to Mabou, home to a locals’ favourite for both tunes and food: the Red Shoe. A simple white clapboard building with a glass front frames the cosy one-room establishment. We’re supposed to be debating the tyre situation, but three young musicians are playing raucous folk, and instead we dine on the freshest salmon and scallops. After we’ve eaten, and indulged in some high-spirited ceilidh-dancing, we go scuttling off in search of the liquid variety of Scottish heritage — namely the Glenora Distillery, producer of the first single-malt in Northern America.

The sturdy white-stone distillery is wrapped in a dense mist on a hillside, five minutes from Mabou. The main building is mirrored in a large pond, and the surrounding fields are busy with wild purple hollyhocks. In the old-school black-beamed bar, one punter spins a great yarn about his cousin being hospitalised by a cat, and at least four of our fellow barflies confess to being related to the victim.

The courtyard stumble from bar to bed – there are rooms here, and we’ve decided to stay – is suffused with rich, smoky wood and malted scents. Not a sound can be heard for miles except the squabbling brook, and there is something satisfying in being able to both hear the source of the beverage and smell the results. Our rooms are simple but cosy; after a long day’s driving, that suits us just fine.

But the road is the thing. The sleep of the gods and two vast Celtic breakfasts later, we waddled to the car determined to complete the Cabot Trail, spare tyre or no. Soft rock medley… check; windows down… check; full tank of petrol… check; and we were on the road again.

You’re never more than an hour or two from the sea in Cape Breton, so as well as the vertiginous views you’ll find seafood fresh and abundant. Instead of the usual road-trip fare – stale triangles of doom from

Where To StayKeltic Lodge at Highlands This opulent, historic Cape Brenton resort is located deep within the heart of Nova Scotia. Featuring panoramic views of the sandy shores at Ingonish Beach and a classic 18-hole golf course, Keltic Lodge is known as one of the best resorts in the region. To book, visit dnatatravel.com or call +971 4 316 6666.

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I don’t ordinarily seek travel advice from my local dry cleaner, but at some point between a rudimentary

exchange on jam removal and the weather, I mention I’m thinking of a trip to Nova Scotia. Ulla’s eyes light up as she tells me her son recently visited Cape Breton, its northernmost island, and drove for a day without seeing another car. “Not one. For 12 hours!” Nothing speaks to me more powerfully of escape than an empty road, so I book my tickets the next day. The journey is the destination on this trip, and the end point is the Cabot Trail – 300km of (empty) road encircling Cape Breton. Nova Scotia is a blustery outcrop on Canada’s wild Atlantic edge, joined to the rest of the country by just a neck of land across the Bay of Fundy – and Cape Breton is attached to the rest of Nova Scotia by a slender causeway. ‘Remote’ doesn’t come close (the area was only opened up to cars in the ‘30s), which explains why the Trail’s richly forested Highland stretches, seat-grippingly dramatic oceanic sections and tenacious little settlements attract so few visitors – as I explained to my friend Wynn, to persuade him to join me.

But deserted roads are the last thing we find on leaving Nova Scotia’s capital, Halifax, in our tank of a rental car. The size of our vehicle is meant to counter the commonest hazard on the roads in these parts: moose. (When man meets moose, man tends to lose, even if he is driving a bunker on wheels). We are flanked by similarly hulky vehicles, and progress is slow. Wynn mutters darkly in the passenger seat – he is the only person I know who loves big empty spaces as much as I do, and this isn’t quite the glorious open highway I had promised. But in time we see the hold-up is a tortoise-paced lorry with an entire wooden cabin on its back. Soon the road frees up, and we are alone bar the odd timber truck trundling past. Windows down, we pick up the pace. The sun blinks Morse at us through flying trees, and a

dazzling spectrum of greens leads us north. Four hours later, we hit Cape Breton, and another hour gets us to Baddeck, a small scattered village on the northern shore of the Bras d’Or Lakes, North America’s largest inland sea.

It’s not exactly rush hour in Baddeck (population 769), but it’s not the utter peace and quiet we were hoping for either, so after a lakeside amble we jump aboard Captain John Bryson’s schooner for an afternoon jaunt – just in time for his well-practised patter to commence. He happily holds up his comedy prop, a copy of Sailing for Dummies – and all on board groan simultaneously. The weather is warm and autumn-crisp. Quicksilver sunshine appears in bursts. There is no horizon; sky and sea blend together in wild Turner textures. Legs dangling over the prow, I am soon hypnotised by the soft, bouncing motion. We glide past the red sandstone peninsula Beinn Bhreagh, home to Alexander Graham

There is no horizon; sky and sea blend together

Bell’s estate, now a museum. Then it’s all confusion and commotion as everyone scrambles to the back of the boat. It takes a minute to see what everyone is eagerly pointing to: two enormous bald eagles powering along beside us. Captain John throws meat to the birds, who shoot past to catch their lunch before it hits the water. Evidently they are repeat customers.

Back in Baddeck, we hear promising things about the Chanterelle Inn, a half-hour drive north on the Cabot Trail – so on we go. When we get there, we meet innkeeper Earlene, who was so moved by the landscape and quality of life when she first arrived that she upped sticks from Colorado and built the Inn, on a hill overlooking the lake. We sit on the back deck for hours while Earlene plies us

Opening pages: Views across the Cairngorms National Park from Cairngorm Mountain. These pages, clockwise from right: The Fundy Footpath; Highland cattle on the Shieldaig-Applecross Road in Wester Ross; Red Deer stags.

57


with wonderful homemade (and mostly home-grown) treats, chief among them a fresh, ink-coloured sticky pie made from yesterday’s crop of wild blueberries. Never have I felt so welcome. Or full. We stay for only a few hours, but when we drive away we find ourselves bickering over which of us Earlene liked best, and whether she might consider fostering us.

A burst tyre soon shuts us up. Wynn wrestles heroically with the spare while I consult the map and call the Halifax car rental company to see if they can replace it. They don’t quite laugh at us, but we are clearly too remote to be taken seriously. We need to decide whether or not to take the risk of driving the route on a spare. Empty roads could be dangerous if it happens again. Deflated, we move on to Mabou, home to a locals’ favourite for both tunes and food: the Red Shoe. A simple white clapboard building with a glass front frames the cosy one-room establishment. We’re supposed to be debating the tyre situation, but three young musicians are playing raucous folk, and instead we dine on the freshest salmon and scallops. After we’ve eaten, and indulged in some high-spirited ceilidh-dancing, we go scuttling off in search of the liquid variety of Scottish heritage — namely the Glenora Distillery, producer of the first single-malt in Northern America.

The sturdy white-stone distillery is wrapped in a dense mist on a hillside, five minutes from Mabou. The main building is mirrored in a large pond, and the surrounding fields are busy with wild purple hollyhocks. In the old-school black-beamed bar, one punter spins a great yarn about his cousin being hospitalised by a cat, and at least four of our fellow barflies confess to being related to the victim.

The courtyard stumble from bar to bed – there are rooms here, and we’ve decided to stay – is suffused with rich, smoky wood and malted scents. Not a sound can be heard for miles except the squabbling brook, and there is something satisfying in being able to both hear the source of the beverage and smell the results. Our rooms are simple but cosy; after a long day’s driving, that suits us just fine.

But the road is the thing. The sleep of the gods and two vast Celtic breakfasts later, we waddled to the car determined to complete the Cabot Trail, spare tyre or no. Soft rock medley… check; windows down… check; full tank of petrol… check; and we were on the road again.

You’re never more than an hour or two from the sea in Cape Breton, so as well as the vertiginous views you’ll find seafood fresh and abundant. Instead of the usual road-trip fare – stale triangles of doom from

Where To StayKeltic Lodge at Highlands This opulent, historic Cape Brenton resort is located deep within the heart of Nova Scotia. Featuring panoramic views of the sandy shores at Ingonish Beach and a classic 18-hole golf course, Keltic Lodge is known as one of the best resorts in the region. To book, visit dnatatravel.com or call +971 4 316 6666.

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the petrol station – even our most fleeting stops yield fresh strawberries and lobster sandwiches. The average supermarket houses a tank four-deep in the crustaceans; we even see a sign for a MacLobster drive-thru.

That one aside, Gaelic translations on many road signs speak proudly of the island’s strong Scottish heritage – 80 per cent of the population can trace their ancestry to the British Isles. Copycat place names (Inverness, Dunvegan, Glencoe) alternate surreally with Acadian French ones (Chéticamp, Petit Etang). Along with the fairy-tale forests, the unusual names contribute to a sense of being in a slightly made-up place.

We make it to Ingonish with all tyres intact. The Keltic Lodge perches elegantly on a narrow peninsula with an extreme drop to the Atlantic on both sides. Two weddings are in full swing, and kilted men sway intermittently out of the lodge for cigarettes, as fiddles and cheers leak into the night. We are right at the base of the vast Highlands National Park. The lack of light pollution is thrilling, and the ferociously fresh air builds bear-sized appetites. We’re too late for the dining room, though (beware: it is difficult to get fed after 7pm on the Cabot Trail), so we make do with room-service sandwiches and a nip of the Glen Breton Rare. That night I dream of moose.

The location is extraordinary, a gateway to the wilder north, but the hotel itself has a conference-centre vibe beneath the tartanry. We still haven’t found the serious seclusion we came for, so we head on into the Highlands National Park. A third of the Cabot Trail passes through it, and for most of that time ours is the only car on the road, alone among vast banks of conifers and nodding wildflowers – although somewhere out there are such creatures as Bicknell’s thrush and the Gaspé shrew. (‘They sound

The ferociously fresh air builds bear-sized appetites

more like wrestling moves than animals,’ says Wynn.) We park up at the Skyline Trail, one of many hiking options, and utter peace greets us. We get stuck into the 7km track, hopeful for some true solitude at last. We trek through dozens of tiny microclimates, still and humid one minute, cool streams of air the next. When the mist is low and visibility poor, the absolute silence is a little unnerving. I keep a lookout for moose, but we don’t see a living thing until we emerge from the forest onto a series of clifftop wooden platforms overlooking the Atlantic. Disappointingly, there are several groups of cagoules clowning for the camera. We decide to try to wait out the weather to catch the view. The other hikers eventually leave but we

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the petrol station – even our most fleeting stops yield fresh strawberries and lobster sandwiches. The average supermarket houses a tank four-deep in the crustaceans; we even see a sign for a MacLobster drive-thru.

That one aside, Gaelic translations on many road signs speak proudly of the island’s strong Scottish heritage – 80 per cent of the population can trace their ancestry to the British Isles. Copycat place names (Inverness, Dunvegan, Glencoe) alternate surreally with Acadian French ones (Chéticamp, Petit Etang). Along with the fairy-tale forests, the unusual names contribute to a sense of being in a slightly made-up place.

We make it to Ingonish with all tyres intact. The Keltic Lodge perches elegantly on a narrow peninsula with an extreme drop to the Atlantic on both sides. Two weddings are in full swing, and kilted men sway intermittently out of the lodge for cigarettes, as fiddles and cheers leak into the night. We are right at the base of the vast Highlands National Park. The lack of light pollution is thrilling, and the ferociously fresh air builds bear-sized appetites. We’re too late for the dining room, though (beware: it is difficult to get fed after 7pm on the Cabot Trail), so we make do with room-service sandwiches and a nip of the Glen Breton Rare. That night I dream of moose.

The location is extraordinary, a gateway to the wilder north, but the hotel itself has a conference-centre vibe beneath the tartanry. We still haven’t found the serious seclusion we came for, so we head on into the Highlands National Park. A third of the Cabot Trail passes through it, and for most of that time ours is the only car on the road, alone among vast banks of conifers and nodding wildflowers – although somewhere out there are such creatures as Bicknell’s thrush and the Gaspé shrew. (‘They sound

The ferociously fresh air builds bear-sized appetites

more like wrestling moves than animals,’ says Wynn.) We park up at the Skyline Trail, one of many hiking options, and utter peace greets us. We get stuck into the 7km track, hopeful for some true solitude at last. We trek through dozens of tiny microclimates, still and humid one minute, cool streams of air the next. When the mist is low and visibility poor, the absolute silence is a little unnerving. I keep a lookout for moose, but we don’t see a living thing until we emerge from the forest onto a series of clifftop wooden platforms overlooking the Atlantic. Disappointingly, there are several groups of cagoules clowning for the camera. We decide to try to wait out the weather to catch the view. The other hikers eventually leave but we

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Previous pages, clockwise from top left: A farm in Cabot Trail; The Cabot Trail at sunset;; A dead tree in the fog on The Cabot Trail; Loch Morlich. This page: Digby Wharf. Opposite page, from top: Privateers Wharf on the waterfront of Halifax; A lobster fisherman.

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are not alone: the mosquitoes here are as relentless as their Scottish cousins. Wynn tells me with a wince he has been bitten on the behind. I pull my hood tight and wander off, leaving him to do whatever he needs to relieve his discomfort. Weaving through a barcode of trunks, and leaves fluttering their eyelashes at me, I’m a little sad that moose have so far eluded us. I had carefully observed all the public information showing you how to judge a moose’s mood, and felt well-equipped to deal with all eventualities.

Within five minutes of meandering, another peasouper of a fog descends. Doubling back to where I think Wynn should be I can’t see a thing. A deep wet huffing sound comes to me just out of sight and, deciding that this could be my elusive moose, I approach the noise directly, smugly recalling from memory that lateral movement spooks them. I’m crestfallen to find only Wynn dozing, emitting a deep raspberry snore. I jab him awake in case he is accidentally emulating a mating call.

Back on the rollercoaster road, we push further into the highlands. We pass spiny

ruffles of infinite firs while heavy, low clouds cast a shifting inky patchwork over the trees. Red barns flash by in the wing-mirror. For hours, we simply watch the world fly past. The bays are deserted and the beaches empty. The weather remains schizophrenic for the remainder of our trip (take plenty of layers).

At a folksy craftshop stop, the owner urges us to take a detour to Meat Cove – so

We taste the full force of the Atlantic wind, and the knowledge that there’s nothing between us and Greenland but a chunk of Newfoundland and the icy wastes of the Labrador Sea.

We have to be cautious on our slow drive back south. We’d come for solitude, but another flat tyre on the way back could leave us stranded for hours, possibly days. Wynn had for some time been using my surname as a collective noun for mistakes, and another ‘Doggett’ of wrong turns got us lost. There’s no-one around and the temperature dips discernibly. Serendipity (or just me holding the map upside-down) leads us to one of the last working lighthouses on the island.

The solitary stone octagon pulses a warning through the gloom. The verdigris skeleton of an old pier juts from the irritable sea, and reminds us of the terrible journey many immigrants had to make to their new home here.

We count our blessings, locate ourselves, and head for the airport. Suddenly some company doesn’t seem such a bad idea.

Heavy, low clouds cast a shifting inky patchwork

uninvitingly named, but unquestionably the most memorable landscape of our trip. And finally, at the northernmost point of Cape Breton, we are entirely alone. We left the last car behind hours ago. Not a soul is to be seen. Green fields roll down to a sheer, rocky descent; white swells lace the coast. Pods of humpbacks and harbour porpoises can be seen from the clifftop. Bright stacks of lobster pots dot the grass.

Be inspired, be organised and be excited. With fantastic offers to amazing destinations available NOW, it’s the perfect time to book your summer holiday with us.

Make the most of it

Book at dnatatravel.com or call +971 4 389 8555or visit your nearest dnata Travel outlet

from AED 630

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64 One Weekend In Sri Lanka 68 Great Escapes: Chic Boutique

70 48-hr Foodie: Athens71 Staycations

74 Reader Offers

WeekendsTwo days is still plenty of time to travel

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WeekendsSri Lanka For All...

One Weekend For All In...sRI LANKAColombo may be the gateway to this beautiful Indian Ocean isle, but beyond the capital there is a wealth of wonder to uncover in the ‘Teardrop of India’

The romantic oneThe Diyawanna Oya Walkway is Colombo’s newly-refurbished public space, featuring miles of paved paths and landscaped gardens, adjacent to a tranquil lake: the Diyawanna Oyo. Couples can also enjoy a romantic stroll along the idyllic Dehiwala Beach and Mount Lavinia. As a hotspot for tourism and nightlife, the latter – steeped in history – is now a neighbourhood bustling with beach activities and delectable eateries. Meanwhile, centrally-located in cool hill-country, Nuwara Eliya is a wistful location to lose yourself in love. Its aura is imbibed from a colonial past, with manicured lawns and buildings such as the Queen’s Cottage, General’s House and the Town Post Office setting a quaint visual tone. For a real ‘us against the world’ adventure, hop aboard a train. The Ella to Kandy route clocks in at seven hours, and there is stunning scenery along the way. (Snack on in-carriage delights such as freshly-cut pineapple and mango with cinnamon, as the locomotive motion lulls you). A must-mention is Rumassala Mountain near Unawatuna: hike hand-in hand up to the Peace Pagoda for heart-racing sunset-views across the ocean.

The family-friendly oneKids love animals, but rather than seeing them pent up in a zoo (the wildlife, not your children), view the creatures in the wild against the majestic mountain backdrop of Udawalawe National Park. Most popular here are without doubt the elephants, which fend off fellow popularity contestants like crocodiles, macaques, white-necked storks and other stunning fauna. Invoke your inner Indiana Jones with a visit to the ancient ruins and UNESCO heritage sites of the garden city Polonnaruwa. Or prefer to see the resplendent ‘fruits’ of nature? Visit the attention-arresting Gem Museum in the ‘City of Gems’ Ratnapura, with its breathtaking display of locally-mined precious stones that include sapphires, rubies, and amethysts. If you find yourself opting for a bout of neighbourhood shopping, head to Pettah. Despite being in the midst of widespread historic restoration, it pulsates with the sound and colour of its local markets. Kids will love Bombay Sweet Mahal: an open-fronted shop that offers an array of vibrant Indian treats, which tempt within colourful display cases. Be sure to try the thick, chewy nut musket.

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February 2016World Traveller

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WeekendsSri Lanka For All...

The adventurous oneSri Lanka is more than white-sand beaches and stunning views, and Cycle touring is a fun way of seeing the rugged nature of country. Take a tour that pedals past the scenic towns, sleepy hamlets, and tea and rubber estates of Kitulgala in the west... which was the famous location of 1957’s Bridge On The River Kwai, and is where you can raft down the white water rapids of the raging Kelani River, or abseil down a gushing waterfall. Trade two wheels for four (by four), and thunder off-road to tackle the hair-pin bends of the Devil’s Staircase near Belihuloya, and use the vehicle to splash through streams on the exciting ‘dragon drive’ to Galoya National Park. Try an adventure of patience, taking the opportunity to spot leopards slinking around Yala National Park. And don’t forget the country’s Indian Ocean locale: on the coasts, Kalpitiya, Ampara and Trincomalee enable scuba diving among wrecks and possible dolphin pod encounters. Some adventure tours even tackle the tastebuds: so diverse is local fare (from fresh seafood to fiery curries), that a culinary excursion is an adventure in itself.

The restful oneFor total seclusion, visit the hidden Kingdom of Kotte. These overrun remnants of a fourteenth century palace lie in the Sri Jayawardenepura suburbs. The Beddagana Weherakanda ruins in Etul Kotte are beautifully peaceful; perfect for an afternoon of reflection. Colombo’s cosmopolitan side is littered with stylish eateries, contemporary galleries and engaging museums. Surprises wait to be unearthed in its old quarters, where you’ll find traditional cafés and quaint, characterful shops. At the National Museum, for example, an oversized ninth century stone Buddha greets with its enigmatic smile, and in galleries that date back to 1877, visitors admire a variety of art and carvings from an ancient past. There is little more peaceful than seeing gentle giants in their habitat: at Turtle Bay in Tangalle you can do just that, at an extremely secluded place with deserted sands on one side and a cove on the other. But for us, the crescent beach hideaway of Mirissa is most alluring. Soak up the sun on a hammock while sipping fresh coconut... the only disturbance being the breeze.

Did You Know?• Anantara has an enviable presence in this paradise. On a stunning palm-fringed southern coastlline, Peace Haven Tangalle Resort is their established property thanks to its tranquil luxury, spa-pampering and holistic bliss. In July, Anantara Kalutara Resort will add extra charm. On a secluded-beachfront, this gateway to wild nature and rich culture captures adventure with water sports or a sunset boat cruise, is family-friendly with its Kids’ Cub, and suits the restful and romantic with private-pool villas and a couple’s spa.Indulgence, truly without end.

Ask A Local“To experience authentic culture, be among the devotees who ascend the 2,234-metre Mount Samonala to watch the sunrise. It is truly significant for Sri Lankans, and trust me, as you see the entire sky turn pink from the mountain-top, you’ll feel spiritually moved. The climb is made extra ethereal as it is usually undertaken at night (as a tourist, take a guided trek and they’ll pick a place to spend the night just below the summit). The place has blissful cool air, making it the perfect climate to try a local delicacy of roti with chilli paste: it is spicy, and certain to warm the soul.” Lalith Sawarnasiri

February 2016World Traveller

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WeekendsGreat Escapes

GREAT ESCAPES

chic boutique Pencil in a break at one of these effortlessly-cool design retreats, for a slice of aesthetically-pleasing weekend wanderlust


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2.The House Hotel, Cappadocia, Turkey Ancient caves, stone houses and intrigue… Sit on the terrace and look over the main square of a quiet town where delights like coffeehouses and the museum are all yours. Rooms –set in a complex of caves – draw personality from robust stone walls, roaring fireplaces and charismatic cameos of wood. thehousehotel.com

3.The Park, Hyderabad, India Meticulous opulence is the calling card of this eyecatching boutique hotel, with its striking Nizam jewellery-inspired metalwork façade. Carefully-selected gems shine resplendently within white rooms: homage to the region’s proud reputation for gem production. From luxury lounges right down to the swimming pool, each space is exquisitely designed using a gem-hued palette. theparkhotels.com

4.Tribe Hotel, KenyaThe hotel ‘defines a city and represents a nation’. Non-conformist angles, cool granite, and a balance of authentic Kenyan materials ensure earthy elegance; waterfalls and gardens entwine with tribal appreciation, while fashion, art and creativity are celebrated. tribe-hotel.com

1.Casa De La Flora, Khao Lak, Thailand Thai resorts aren’t all peaked-roofs and wat-temple-like enclosures. Here you’ll find glass-fronted low-rise villas that pay homage to Brutalist architecture, with punctuations of grass ensuring harmony with nature. Guests enjoy Andaman Sea views, an infinity-edge pool and a voluminous library, with villa perks such as a private pool and Apple entertainment. casadelaflora.com

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WeekendsGreat Escapes

GREAT ESCAPES

chic boutique Pencil in a break at one of these effortlessly-cool design retreats, for a slice of aesthetically-pleasing weekend wanderlust


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2.The House Hotel, Cappadocia, Turkey Ancient caves, stone houses and intrigue… Sit on the terrace and look over the main square of a quiet town where delights like coffeehouses and the museum are all yours. Rooms –set in a complex of caves – draw personality from robust stone walls, roaring fireplaces and charismatic cameos of wood. thehousehotel.com

3.The Park, Hyderabad, India Meticulous opulence is the calling card of this eyecatching boutique hotel, with its striking Nizam jewellery-inspired metalwork façade. Carefully-selected gems shine resplendently within white rooms: homage to the region’s proud reputation for gem production. From luxury lounges right down to the swimming pool, each space is exquisitely designed using a gem-hued palette. theparkhotels.com

4.Tribe Hotel, KenyaThe hotel ‘defines a city and represents a nation’. Non-conformist angles, cool granite, and a balance of authentic Kenyan materials ensure earthy elegance; waterfalls and gardens entwine with tribal appreciation, while fashion, art and creativity are celebrated. tribe-hotel.com

1.Casa De La Flora, Khao Lak, Thailand Thai resorts aren’t all peaked-roofs and wat-temple-like enclosures. Here you’ll find glass-fronted low-rise villas that pay homage to Brutalist architecture, with punctuations of grass ensuring harmony with nature. Guests enjoy Andaman Sea views, an infinity-edge pool and a voluminous library, with villa perks such as a private pool and Apple entertainment. casadelaflora.com

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Weekends48-Hour Foodie

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48-Hour FoodieAthensHeading to the Med for an extended weekend? Opt for the historic Greek capital, a dining destination of impressive proportions...

DAY TWOBreakfastThere are pancakes, and there are Greek pancakes. Melinikon (on 37 Skoufa Street) will kickstart a lifetime of cravings for this authentic iteration, with fresly-prepared sweet, savoury and downright creative offerings. In-house suggestions include the Melinikon (soft cheese, honey, walnuts and cinnamon), the Club Sandwich (three wholemeal pancakes with edam, smoked turkey and BLT), Smoked Salmon (with Philadelphia and lemon zest), and other temptations. Sip on Greek double-Affogato too; you’ll need energy for all that on-foot sightseeing. melinikonpancakes.gr

LunchTake a break from (admittedly yummy) honeys, salads and seafood and sink your teeth into a burger fit for Zeus himself. Juicy Grill hits the spot with unapologetic slabs of meat. Local Bifteki beef takes the form of grilled patties with housemade BBQ sauce; Bill Murray, dethroned as an actor here, is the name of a cheddar-stuffed beef patty with chipotle aioli mayo, iceberg lettuce, tomato, and housemade fried onion strings; the un-beef Hallooney is a chicken wrap, oozing honey mustard and with haloumi, lettuce and onion. It’s first come-first served, and first class stuff. juicygrill.gr

DinnerA cable car ride from Aristippou St. takes you to the ‘The Balcony of Athens’, Orizontes Lycavittou. Candlelit romance is captured against a breathtaking vista at the city’s highest point, enhanced by generous servings of fine fare. Mains like Aegean fish of the day and the fillet of chicken (stuffed with sour cream cheese in a flavoured crust and trahana mousse) serve as delectable mouthfuls between the ‘wow’s over the scenery. orizonteslycabettus.gr

DAY ONEBreakfastDevour impressive food and equally sumptuous views on the sixth floor at St. George Lycabettus. Munch on handmade Greek breads smothered with juicy homemade marmalades, while taking in the sweeping outlook (from a prime hilltop vantage) of the mighty Acropolis, and the islands dotting the Saronic Gulf beyond. Back at the buffet, cheese lovers will rejoice at a vast array from around the country like ladotyri from Mytilene, volaki from Andros, and kefalograviera from Amfilochia, which sit alongside flaky bougatsa pastries and breakfast pies enhanced by wild herbs. sglycabettus.gr

LunchIf you’re exploring the major attractions in Athens, pop into the lively Tzitzikas & Merigas. The Syntagma outlet is one of four locations of this eatery, and has a warm and welcoming wooden-detailed interior, with a menu just as inviting. Decide between their culinary-art staples such as cod (with traditional garlic sauce from Kefalonia, and beets), Mastihato (chicken fillet served in a kadaifi pastry nest with Chios mastic sauce) or oriental kebab (with tzatziki, tomato, onions and pita bread)... only for indecision to strike when tempted by the Dish of the Day. tzitzikasmermigas.gr

DinnerCrown the evening by activating your senses: book a table at Funky Gourmet and experience molecular cuisine that is pure theatre (for both the eyes and the tastebuds). The restaurant is well-deserving of its two Michelin stars, earned from carefully-designed degustation selections. Menu 1, for example, currently intrigues with dishes like The Silence of the Lamb Part One/Part Two, snails with fresh black truffle, and orange explosion. funkygourmet.com


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StaycationsDesirable hospitality havens on the GCC doorstep, for a relaxing weekend escape

LocationAbu DhabiA meeting point for local social events, and 20 minutes from the entertainment hub, Yas Island

LocationDubaiCuts a low-rise silhouette into the desert landscape, adjacent to International Endurance City

LocationOmanThis remote mountain-resort sits on the lip of blue waters belonging to Musandam’s fjords

LocationDubaiOverlooking Dubai Creek and the Marina, neighbouring the prestigious Golf & Yacht Club

Mafraq Hotel Abu DhabiCity-Fringe Comfort mafraq-hotel.com

Bab Al Shams Desert Resort & SpaSand & Sophisticationmeydanhotels.com/babalshams

Six Senses Zighy BayAn Omani Oasissixsenses.com

In a NutshellThe boutique hotel calls itself ‘minimalist indulgence’ but all the necessary amenities and conveniences are present here

In a NutshellCulture and heritage entwine with luxury at a resort nestled in the dunes, that lives up to the ‘unique’ tag bestowed upon it

In a NutshellSun bathes craggy terrain on one side and soft sandy beach on the other, with lapping waves and nature putting you at ease

In a NutshellGreen and blue surrounds are punctuated by this gleaming white resort; premium elegance beside Dubai’s aviation gateway

On-site AllureFully-stocked fitness zone; ‘Sporty Weekend’ packages covering paintball/bowling & billiards/archery, shooting & horse riding; Ladies’ night (Monday); Friday brunch

On-site AllureDesert dune driving; camel riding; archery; Aladdin’s Kids’ Club; horse riding; Satori (World Luxury Spa Award Winner 2015); Brunch at Al Forsan, home of the Equestrian Centre

On-site AllureResort-arrival by paraglider, 4x4 or speedboat; sunset dhow cruises; rock climbing; mountain biking; Zighy Bay hikes; scuba diving and snorkelling; eponymous Spa; multiple tours

On-site AllureAmara Spa with eight treatment rooms; Masterclass at The Park (Thai cooking with Chef Supattra); Golf Hyatt; 25m pool with ample sundeck and four whirlwind pools; yacht charter

In-SuitePlump for the 260 square-metre Royal Suite with its private balconies, garden/pool vista, king-sized bed, and access to the Executive Lounge

In-SuiteHigh-speed internet means ancient desert living is left at the door. Burgundy red, gold and deep browns decorate rooms with desert or palm grove views

In-SuiteHigh ceiling, Omani village-style villas have protective cobblestone walls; opt for the Pool Villa Suite Beachfront, to step right out onto the sands

In-Suite225 guestrooms each boast a balcony or patio from which to view the Creek, and Moorish and Mediterranean décor is tasteful in all-white and gold

CuisineFive outlets take care of the tastebuds, from a BBQ at Oasis Oriental to theme nights at The Olive Branch

Cuisine1001 Arabian Nights come to life at fort-themed Al Hadheerah, with scrumptious Arabic food and awesome performances

CuisineSpice Market offers delectable Arabian fare, and Sense on the Edge is unforgettable: a classy enclave cut into the cliffside

CuisineThey’ve a few eateries, but Traiteur is the award-winning French bistronomic offering, and a Dubai culinary gem

Park HyattDubaiThe Fore of Luxurydubai.park.hyatt.com

Fraser Suites Dubai. We invite you to experience our brand new hotel rooms, each featuring contemporary interiors with abundant natural light, designer amenities, and panoramic views over the city.

Relax, unwind and enjoy our Gold Standard facilities and award winning service. At Fraser Suites Dubai, we have it all.

Toll Free: 800 (FRASER) 372737, Tel: +971 4 440 1400, Email: [email protected]

BOOK NOW for our Guaranteed Best Available Rates and special promotional offers at www.dubai.frasershospitality.com

A NEW PERSPECTIVE. A NEW EXPERIENCE.

THE FRASERCOLLECTION

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CambridgeCheltenhamChengduDoha DubaiDundeeEdinburghFrankfurtGenevaGlasgowGuangzhou

HanoiHarrogateHenley-on-ThamesHo Chi Minh CityIstanbul JakartaKuala LumpurLeedsLiverpoolLondonManchester

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WinchesterWuhanWuxiYorkAbuja (2016)Changsha (2016)Gurgaon (2016)Stratford-upon-Avon (2016)Khobar (2017)Berlin (2017)

Dalian (2017) Hamburg (2017)Johor (2017)Kunming (2017)Lagos (2017)Nanchang (2017)Balikpapan (2018)Hefei (2018)Xiamen (2018)Yangon (2018)Tokyo (2020)

Fraser Suites Dubai. We invite you to experience our brand new hotel rooms, each featuring contemporary interiors with abundant natural light, designer amenities, and panoramic views over the city.

Relax, unwind and enjoy our Gold Standard facilities and award winning service. At Fraser Suites Dubai, we have it all.

Toll Free: 800 (FRASER) 372737, Tel: +971 4 440 1400, Email: [email protected]

BOOK NOW for our Guaranteed Best Available Rates and special promotional offers at www.dubai.frasershospitality.com

A NEW PERSPECTIVE. A NEW EXPERIENCE.

THE FRASERCOLLECTION

AberdeenBahrainBangkokBarcelonaBeijingBelfastBirminghamBrightonBrisbaneBristolBudapest

CambridgeCheltenhamChengduDoha DubaiDundeeEdinburghFrankfurtGenevaGlasgowGuangzhou

HanoiHarrogateHenley-on-ThamesHo Chi Minh CityIstanbul JakartaKuala LumpurLeedsLiverpoolLondonManchester

ManilaMelbourneNanjingNewcastleNew Delhi OsakaOxfordParisPerthPooleReading

RiyadhSeoulShanghaiShenzhenSingaporeSt AndrewsSuzhouSydneyTianjinTunbridge WellsWimbledon

WinchesterWuhanWuxiYorkAbuja (2016)Changsha (2016)Gurgaon (2016)Stratford-upon-Avon (2016)Khobar (2017)Berlin (2017)

Dalian (2017) Hamburg (2017)Johor (2017)Kunming (2017)Lagos (2017)Nanchang (2017)Balikpapan (2018)Hefei (2018)Xiamen (2018)Yangon (2018)Tokyo (2020)

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Summer’s almost here, so get ready to beat the heat because there’s plenty happening indoors. Start planning

for the hot months ahead and choose from a tremendous line-up of exciting events and shows, running from July 7 to September 11. For example, exceptional comedy nights featuring Kapil Sharma, Tariq Al Ali and The Wayan Brothers will be held at several venues across Abu Dhabi, Al Ain and the Western region. British illusionist Jamie Raven will be making his regional stage debut, while Shaun the Sheep, Spongebob SquarePants and Dora the Explorer enchant children as part of Fun Nation at the du Forum on Yas Island, from July 14 to August 6. Not forgetting everyone’s favourite charming furballs; Alvin & the Chipmunks (in their self-titled Musical).

The fashion-conscious can indulge in extravagant shopping sprees without breaking the bank, by taking advantage of countless promotions and weekly prize draws. Various hotels and attractions are also offering unbelievable packages and

Entertainment Summer is right around the corner! Discover Abu Dhabi’s action-packed agenda and superb promotions that’ll make this sunny season one to remember

City of exclusive offers, so you’re able to make the most of the summer season.

From August 11, The District, aimed at those aged between 14 and 22-years-old, will also be held for a month at the du Forum. Visitors are offered support and guidance in a variety of expertise, including technology, fashion, digital media and health. Each weekend will feature an additional showcase of local and international guests, as well as informative workshops and discussions.

Stay hereA charming summer retreat (and outstanding value for money), the four-star Mafraq Hotel Abu Dhabi is a stylish ode to this emirate’s heritage. An elegant property boasting romantic views of tranquil gardens as well as the futuristic cityscape. Light-hearted and loads of fun, the 250-room abode is located on the modish outskirts of Abu Dhabi, away from the hustle and bustle of this exhilarating city. mafraq-hotel.com

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Weekendsdnata Offers

WORLD TRAVELLER

Weekend Reader Offers

Millennium Hotel And Convention Centre Four Points By Sheraton DowntownAnantara The Palm

Emirates Palace Abu Dhabi

Al Bustan Palace

The H Dubai

UAEEmirates Palace Abu Dhabi1 night from USD160 per personSpecial Offer: Summer Promotional RatesIncludes: Stay in a Coral Room with breakfastValidity: May 16-Sep 7, 2016

Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah1 night from USD185 per personSpecial Offer: Summer Promotional Rates and children up to the age of 15 years stay and eat free on parent’s meal planIncludes: Stay in a King Deluxe Skyline Sea View Room with breakfast Validity: Now ‘til Sep 30, 2016

Anantara The Palm1 night from USD175 per person

Special Offer: 20% discount on room rateIncludes: Stay in a Premier Lagoon View Room with breakfast Validity: Jun 5-Sep 5, 2016

Four Points By Sheraton Downtown 1 night from USD45 per personSpecial Offer: 15% discount on room rate Includes: Stay in a Classic Room with breakfast, 2 children up to 11 years old stay and eat free on parent’s meal plan Validity: Apr 13 until Sep 30, 2016

The H Hotel Dubai1 night from USD75 per personSpecial Offer: 30% discount on room rate Includes: Stay in a Deluxe Room with breakfast Validity: Apr 15-Oct 31, 2016

Kuwait Millennium Hotel And Convention Centre Kuwait1 night from USD112 per person Special Offer: 25% discount on room rateIncludes: Stay in Standard Room with reakfast daily Validity: Now ‘til May 31, 2016

Oman Al Bustan Palace, a Ritz-Carlton Hotel2 nights from USD188 per personSpecial Offer: 45% discount on room rates (excluding Eid Period)Includes: Stay in Deluxe Sea View room with breakfast Validity: May 1-Sep 30, 2016

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WIN!An unforgettable stay at Waldorf Astoria Dubai Palm Jumeirah

This a remarkable beach resort destination; a pristine white pearl surrounded by the azure waters of the Arabian Gulf, with a soft sand private beach, palatial public spaces, the luxurious Waldorf Astoria Spa, and elegantly-designed guest rooms and suites with iconic views. Its stylish dining and entertainment venues include Italian cuisine at Social by Heinz Beck, three-star Michelin Chef, and Vietnamese flavors at LAO… and you can win a two-night stay in a deluxe room (including breakfast for two people), by answering this question correctly:

What is the name of the Italian restaurant at this hotel?

A) LAOB) Social by Heinz BeckC) Peacock Alley

Email your answer to [email protected] by May 31, 2016.

Terms and Conditions:· Rates subject to change without prior notice· Very limited stock call now · All standard Thrifty T & C apply

Special Value Cars

MORE DEALS ARE AVAILABLE

Starting at

999per monthaed

CALL: 8004770 DOWNLOAD THE APP

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WeekendsSuite Dreams

What:Duplex Diamond Suite

with jacuzzi

Where:Hôtel Hermitage,

Monte-Carlo

About:Two bedrooms, a sizeable

lounge, and large roof terracewith jacuzzi and panoramic

ocean views are some appeal-points of this 2153 sq. ft, Pierre-

Yves Rochon-styled duplex. The Hôtel Hermitage is a style

landmark – you’re talking about a property where Gustave Eiffel

created a stunning Entrance Hall dome – and this Prince

Wing room is no exception. Dine in Michelin-star sophistication at Le Vistamar, before retiring

to a spacious suite that bears the hallmarks of flair and fine

taste; think contemporarily crisp interior details, a cut-glass

staircase, sink-in sofas, cotton kimonos and Bulgari beauty products. As if breathtaking

Principality views weren’t enough, an added sweetner from

May 26-29 is that this abode provides a perfect vantage

of the Port Hercule segment of the Formula One Circuit: witness high-octane Grand

Prix highlights from a truly luxurious pedestal.

hotelhermitagemontecarlo.com

SuiteDreams

ABU DHABI INTERNATIONAL BOOK FAIR 2016Abu Dhabi National Exhibition CentreThe fastest growing book fair in the region will soon return with the world's leading publishing houses, book sellers and readers from across the world. The event features Ibn Rushd as the ‘Focus Personality of the Year’ and Italy as the Guest of Honour for its 26th edition.

27/ APR - 3/ MAY

For more informationabudhabievents.ae

ABU DHABI AL AIN WESTERN REGION

12 - 14/ MAYNickelodeon’s Dora the Explorer Live! du Forum, Yas Island

9 & 10/ MAYChina Philharmonic Orchestra with Long Yu Emirates Palace/ UAE University

UNTIL 10/ MAYPortrait of Nation Emirates Palace

26 - 29/ MAYChic Lady Show Abu Dhabi Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre

Multaqa Zayed National Museum Manarat Al Saadiyat

UNTIL 1/ JUN

Sweet Time Festival Dalma Mall

25 - 30/ MAY16/ MAYMatthias Goerne: Winter JourneyManarat Al Saadiyat

Emirates Photography Competition - ExhibitionManarat Al Saadiyat

UNTIL 17/ JUL

7/ MAYJames and the Giant PeachAbu Dhabi Theatre, Breakwater

3 - 7/ MAYAbu Dhabi International Jewellery & Watch Show 2016Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre

6/ MAYACTIONHA on Yas Island Yas Marina Circuit

abudhabievents

Sheikh Zayed Road, Business Bay, PO Box 121000, Dubai, UAE | T +971 4 414 0000, F +971 4 414 0001 | jwmarriottmarquisdubai.com JW Marriott Marquis Dubai | @JWDubaiMarquis | JWMarriottMarquisDubai

Elevating Luxuryto New Heights.Comprising two iconic towers, the JW Marriott Marquis Dubai stands elevated above Dubai’s Business Bay on Sheikh Zayed Road, in the heart of one of the most desirable locations in the city.

of diverse restaurants and lounges.

1,608 LUXURIOUS GUEST ROOMS AND SUITES

SARAY SPA FEATURING TRADITIONAL HAMMAMS AND A DEAD SEA FLOATATION POOL

For more information please call +971 4 414 0000 or visit jwmarriottmarquisdubai.com

A F R I C A A S I A E U R O P E L A T I N A M E R I C A M I D D L E E A S T N O R T H A M E R I C A

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