Innholdsfortegnelse for June - July 2023 i DestinAsian

▸ Find me on Instagram @ronaldliem “A JOURNEY IS BEST MEASURED IN FRIENDS, RATHER THAN MILES.”— Tim Cahill By the time you read this, summer will have well and truly come to the Northern Hemisphere. Perhaps, like I am, you’re counting down the days until a well-deserved midyear break. Though I returned from a family vacation in Italy barely a month ago, I can’t help contemplating another trip to take advantage of those long days when Europe is at its sunniest and most relaxed. This June/July edition marks something of a milestone for us, as it’s the first bimonthly issue since DestinAsian went quarterly in the early months of the pandemic. My team and I look forward to bringing you inspirational travel content more frequently, both via the printed word…

INDONESIA Born and raised in the North Sulawesi capital of Manado, U.K.- based Petty Pandean-Elliott is an award-winning chef and writer who has penned several popular Indonesian cookbooks. Her latest volume is The Indonesian Table (Phaidon), a 256-page paean to the food culture of the world’s largest archipelago. Interspersed with recollections of her culinary journeys across the islands, the book’s 150 recipes showcase dishes from Sumatra, Java, Bali and beyond alongside mouthwatering food images by photographer Yuki Sugiura. And for those looking to sample some of Indonesia’s finest flavors first-hand, here she shares just a few of her favorite eating spots in the country. 1 Mil’s Kitchen “At his modern Javanese restaurant in Yogyakarta, Chef Mili Hendratno turns out the best bone marrow I’ve ever tried: a combination of tender beef…

GETTING THERE The Vietage (thevietagetrain.com; US$400 per person, one-way) travels twice daily between Da Nang and Quy Nhon; the return journey is at night. Flying is also an option, with Quy Nhon’s Phu Cat Airport served by domestic flights from Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Hai Phong. WHERE TO STAY Anantara Quy Nhon Villas Base yourself at this elegant all-villa property for its quiet location, terrific food, and cliff-side spa pavilions (anantara.com; doubles from US$500).…

THE PLAN WAS TO START EATING the moment we touched down in Bhutan — not just for the purposes of this story, mind you, but because by the time our 5 a.m. Drukair flight from Bangkok deposited us on the tarmac at Paro Airport, we were ravenous. Garab Dorji, however, had something else in mind. Breakfast would have to wait. Our guide for the week explained that this was the first morning of the Paro Tshechu, a sacred dance festival held each spring on the grounds of the nearby fortress-monastery of Rinpung Dzong. “This you cannot miss,” Garab said as he ushered my photographer companion Jason and I into a waiting minivan, our stomachs rumbling. He wasn’t wrong. Behind the dzong — an imposing pile of whitewashed masonry standing sentry…

GETTING THERE Kaohsiung’s Zuoying Station is less than two hours from downtown Taipei on the Taiwan High Speed Rail (en.thsrc.com.tw) line. The city also has direct flights from Hong Kong, Bangkok, and Manila. WHERE TO STAY InterContinental Kaohsiung Opened in late 2021, this high-tech newcomer comprises 253 rooms and suites. Cocktails at the stylish lobby bar and Seeds restaurant’s seasonal tasting menu are definitely worth a try (ickaohsiung.com; doubles from US$185). Silks Club Highlights here include a contemporary art collection, spacious guest quarters, and teppanyaki restaurant Ukai-tei (silks-club.com; doubles from US$220). WHAT TO SEE Alien Art Centre Immersive installations are the main draw at this former military hostel (alien.com.tw). Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts Set in the 40-hectare Neiweipi Cultural Park, the KMFA specializes in the works of southern Taiwanese…

When the Michelin Guide awarded stars across the entire state of California for the first time in 2019, suddenly restaurants beyond the San Francisco Bay Area began receiving more attention, especially among jet-setting international diners. I have spent a lot of time in San Francisco, Napa, and Sonoma over the years for work and leisure, but this time around, on a food-filled road trip with my cousin Nathan, I was keen to explore a couple new destinations too, like Sacramento and Mendocino County. Sacramento may still fly under the radar as a dining destination, but California’s capital city does enjoy a reputation as the farm-to-fork capital of the United States, thanks to its 5,700 square kilometers of surrounding farmland and a year-round growing season for more than 160 different crops,…

GETTING THERE Freetown’s recently expanded international airport is served by Air France flights from Paris, Turkish Airlines flights from Istanbul, and a handful of inter-African flights. WHERE TO STAY Radisson Blu Mammy Yoko Freetown’s only five-star hotel comes with 172 rooms and direct access to the nightlife strip of Lumley Beach (radissonhotels.com; doubles from US$180). The Place This 50-chalet resort makes the most of its setting on Tokeh Beach, a gorgeous stretch of talc-fine sand on the Freetown Peninsula (stayattheplace.com; doubles from US$200). Kabala Hill View Bar & Guesthouse With 13 basic but comfortable rooms, the trump card here is the views over Kabala and the Wara Wara Mountain range (kabalahillview.org; doubles from US$25). WHERE TO EAT Cole Street Guesthouse The first upmarket restaurant in Freetown dedicated to Sierra Leone’s…

CENTRAL SINGAPORE A-Z Capri by Fraser, China Square FRASER SUITES SINGAPORE 491A River Valley Rd, Singapore 248372 +65 67375800 frasershospitality.com FRASER PLACE ROBERTSON WALK 11 Unity St, Singapore 237995 +65 67364800 frasershospitality.com Pan Pacific Serviced Suites Beach Road Somerset Liang Court, Clarke Quay Village Residence, Robertson Quay ORCHARD A-Z Adina Serviced Apartments Ascott Orchard FRASER RESIDENCE ORCHARD Tel: +65 67310888 31 Paterson Rd, Singapore 238522 frasershospitality.com Oakwood Studios, Mount Elizabeth Orchard Scotts Residences PAN PACIFIC SERVICED SUITES ORCHARD Tel: +65 6884 5222 96 Somerset Road, Enquiry.ppssin@panpacific.com panpacific.com Treetops Executive Residences…

Daybreak in Goa. From the wrought-iron balcony of my suite overlooking Coco Beach, I watched women in colorful saris hunt for clams at the water’s foamy fringe. Boats with names like Holy Spirit and Divine Heart bobbed in the bay, tangles of fishing nets filling their wooden bellies. On the beach, a pack of dogs scavenged for snacks amid a confetti of seashells while a lone crow surveyed the scene from the edge of the hotel’s infinity pool. Spread across three laterite-walled villas near the northern village of Nerul, Ahilya by the Sea offered a taste of the Goa I had been hoping to find: one of dusty roads and long, honey-hued beaches, of gingerbread-trimmed bungalows brimming with antiques and feni-spiked drinks served in gardens sweetened with frangipani blossoms. A…

BALI Since Bali reopened to overseas tourists in early 2022, the beachside neighborhood of Pererenan has turned from a sleepy village into a bustling enclave of top-notch eateries, bars, shops, and wellness centers. Unlike adjacent Canggu, however, the traffic here is calmer and the beach is more serene, making Pererenan a top choice for your next visit to the island’s southwest coast. Coveting a keepsake silk dress, cotton playsuit, or linen onesie? Head to the eponymous boutique of American designer Myrah Penaloza (myrahpenaloza.com) for a line of yoga-inspired apparel that speaks to the island’s heart and soul — sustainability, female empowerment (30 local women are employed as home-based tailors), and comfortable everyday fashion. The store is set in a traditional Javanese joglo house that imbues it with a gallery-like aesthetic, which…

JAPAN When visitors dining out in the Japanese capital want to steer clear of animal products, what are their options beyond vegetarian shojin ryori Buddhist fare? The Vegan Guide to Tokyo (Smith Street Books) has the answer. Penned by longtime resident Chiara Terzuolo, the book maps out vegan-friendly eateries neighborhood by neighborhood, particularly those within easy reach of major attractions such as the Meiji Shrine and Asakusa’s Sensoji Temple. Off-the-radar spots are featured too, like ramen-and-curry joint Chabuzen and Superiority Burger, both of which are found in the bohemian district of Shimokitazawa. While some places on the list serve Italian dishes or Indian-inspired meals, the emphasis is largely on local cuisine. This ensures one will not miss out on juicy, perfectly fried soy meat karaage at Shibuya’s unassuming Izakaya Masaka, traditional…

From my seat at the train carriage’s marble-topped bar, I watch the Central Vietnamese countryside sweep past outside the window: a procession of fluorescent-green rice fields speckled with slender white egrets, conical-hatted farmers, and lumbering water buffalo. To the west, the hazy foothills of the Annamite Range stretch along the horizon; to the east are snatched glimpses of a sparkling sea. Save for the occasional river crossing or town, the scenery hasn’t changed much since we pulled out of Da Nang Station five hours ago. But then an ancient brick tower hoves into view on a distant hilltop. “The ruins of Thap Banh It,” says Tien, the bartender. “Welcome to Cham country.” Were this a typical Vietnam Railways carriage, I’d likely have spent most of the 300-plus-kilometer journey between Da…

On a sultry March evening at The Slate resort in Phuket, I joined a group of fellow foodies for a five-course tasting menu orchestrated by guest chef Steven John. There was tuna tataki and 48-hour pork belly, tiger prawn with pineapple and pomelo, and a zesty pesto linguine, all matched with cocktails specially crafted for the occasion. The food, as expected, was delicious; John, a self-taught chef of Thai-Swiss parentage, is well regarded in Bangkok as the founder of the private-dining service Empty Plates. But as the meal progressed and our party grew increasingly euphoric, it was his showcase ingredient that stole the show: cannabis. Billed as Thailand’s first gourmet ganja dining experience, the menu, named “Bong Appétit,” explored the once-illegal plant’s culinary potential, from CBD-infused sauerkraut puree to hempseed…

WHERE TO STAY Ahilya by the Sea Run by descendants of the last Maharaja of Indore, this intimate eight-suite bolt-hole lies within easy reach of bustling Panaji and North Goa’s most popular beaches, but is a world away in terms of vibe. Expect understated luxury, old-world charm, and soothing Arabian Sea views (ahilyabythesea.com; doubles from US$255). Wildflower Villas The seven Portuguese-style villas here dot a forested hillside just outside Candolim, offering yet another refuge from the touristy side of North Goa (wildflowergoa.com; doubles from US$300) Cabo Serai This lush eco-resort in southern Goa commands panoramic views from its perch on a hilltop above Cabo de Rama Beach, with just a handful of thatched wooden cottages and luxury surrounded by more than five hectares of native forest (caboserai.com; doubles from US$130).…

▾ 31.55090°N, 77.52851°E “I’ve always been drawn to the Himalayas, whose unimaginable scale never fails to remind me of our tiny place in the universe,” says Kinny Soni, an architect and artist based in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. For her most recent mountain adventure, she and her husband joined a self-drive 4X4 expedition through the high valleys and passes of Himachal Pradesh in India’s far north. The 10-day trip in March took in frozen lakes, remote monasteries, precipitous hairpin roads, and one of the world’s highest motorable villages, though all that lay ahead of them when Soni sketched out this watercolor of the pine forests of Baga Sarhan on day two of their journey. “I began drawing it around our campfire on a cold, drizzly evening, when the clouds, valley, and trees…