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INSPIRED BY<br />
ISSUE 130 | FEBRUARY <strong>2019</strong> | COMPLIMENTARY COPY<br />
STAYCATIONS<br />
NEW HOTELS<br />
READER OFFERS<br />
ROMANTIC ESCAPES<br />
Beauty and<br />
the beach<br />
in timewarp<br />
CRETE<br />
FALL BELOW<br />
Is the Great Barrier Reef<br />
still all that? We take<br />
the plunge to find out<br />
Joy glide<br />
On a slow boat down<br />
the mighty Mekong<br />
Produced in Dubai Production City<br />
Are we there yet?<br />
All your questions answered as we<br />
foolproof your next family adventure
Welcome note<br />
People who've been bitten by the travel bug often describe<br />
it as a bit like falling in love. And with holidays inspiring us to<br />
live for the moment, be more adventurous, and discover new<br />
passions, it's easy to understand why.<br />
FIVE THINGS<br />
WE LEARNED<br />
THIS ISSUE:<br />
Managing Director<br />
Victoria Thatcher<br />
Editorial Director<br />
John Thatcher<br />
General Manager<br />
David Wade<br />
Managing Editor<br />
Faye Bartle<br />
faye@hotmediapublishing.com<br />
With Valentine's Day putting a big red heart<br />
in the middle of the month, we've rounded up<br />
a selection of romantic escapes (page 17) to<br />
whisk your loved one away on, while many of our<br />
featured staycations (page 66) highlight special<br />
experiences for couples.<br />
Whether you're travelling à deux, flying solo or<br />
have the whole family in tow, you'll find plenty of<br />
inspiration inside these pages. With half term here<br />
and summer on the horizon, we're honing in on the<br />
latter with our 10-page cover feature (page 24)<br />
guiding you towards the perfect family holiday. So<br />
if it's a European city break without the crowds, an<br />
educational journey or a magical Disney escape<br />
that gets the thumbs up, at least you won't be<br />
short of ideas.<br />
We've also got a heads-up on four places that<br />
are trending right now (page 8), while we break<br />
down the best way to spend a long weekend in<br />
Lisbon on page 60.<br />
1<br />
In Finland there are<br />
more saunas than there<br />
are cars. Indeed, Finns<br />
consider saunas a<br />
weekly necessity, p10<br />
2<br />
Known as the<br />
Portuguese blues, fado<br />
originated in the streets<br />
of Alfama in the 19th<br />
century, and you can still<br />
enjoy it today, p60<br />
3<br />
The Great Barrier Reef is<br />
the world’s largest living<br />
organism, visible from<br />
space, p44<br />
Content Writer<br />
Habiba Azab<br />
Art Director<br />
Kerri Bennett<br />
Senior Designer<br />
Hiral Kapadia<br />
Senior Advertising Manager<br />
Mia Cachero<br />
mia@hotmediapublishing.com<br />
Production Manager<br />
Muthu Kumar<br />
Happy travels,<br />
Faye Bartle<br />
Win!<br />
Find out how you can<br />
win a three-night stay<br />
at Avani+ Samui in<br />
Thailand on p79<br />
4<br />
Crete was home to<br />
Europe’s first literate<br />
civilisation, the Bronze<br />
Age Minoans, and today<br />
is scattered with their<br />
crumbling legacy, p50<br />
5<br />
Even Michelin-stared<br />
maestro Alain Ducasse<br />
feels lost in translation<br />
sometimes. He tells us<br />
how his work feeds his<br />
travel experiences<br />
on p18<br />
INSPIRED BY<br />
Photography credits:<br />
Getty Images and Phocal Media<br />
Reproduction in whole or in part<br />
without written permission from<br />
HOT Media Publishing is strictly<br />
prohibited. All prices mentioned<br />
are correct at time of press<br />
but may change. HOT Media<br />
Publishing does not accept<br />
liability for omissions or errors in<br />
<strong>World</strong> <strong>Traveller</strong>.<br />
Tel: 00971 4 364 2876<br />
Fax: 00971 4 369 7494<br />
COVER IMAGE<br />
Getty Images<br />
Find us at…<br />
ONLINE worldtravellermagazine.com<br />
FACEBOOK @worldtravellermagazine<br />
INSTAGRAM @dnataworldtraveller<br />
TWITTER @WT_Magazine<br />
worldtravellermagazine.com 3
Singita Ebony Lodge, South Africa<br />
Contents<br />
<strong>February</strong> <strong>2019</strong><br />
26<br />
SOUTH AFRICA<br />
regulars<br />
8 13 20 24 80<br />
TRENDING<br />
DESTINATIONS<br />
This month's go-to<br />
places include the<br />
seaside city of Helsinki<br />
and, closer to home,<br />
captivating Jordan<br />
GLOBETROTTER<br />
New openings; Alain<br />
Ducasse talks global<br />
tastes; and why you<br />
should make a Pointe<br />
of visiting Palm<br />
Jumeirah's new hotspot<br />
THE KNOWLEDGE<br />
Passport? check; tickets?<br />
check; travel insurance?<br />
Um... It's often<br />
overlooked, but is travel<br />
insurance essential? We<br />
ask the experts<br />
COVER FEATURE<br />
The planning of your<br />
family holiday starts<br />
now: we serve up<br />
options aplenty, from<br />
once-in-a-lifetime trips<br />
to magic moments<br />
SUITE DREAMS<br />
It's home to what is the<br />
most Instagrammed<br />
restaurant in London,<br />
but we have another<br />
very good reason to<br />
book The Bloomsbury<br />
worldtravellermagazine.com 5
CONTENTS<br />
features<br />
38 44<br />
TICKET TO GLIDE REEF ENCOUNTER<br />
Andrew Eames boards It's the largest living<br />
a slow boat down the thing on Earth and<br />
Mekong to visit Luang visible from space, but<br />
Prabang, the old royal does the Great Barrier<br />
capital of Laos<br />
Reef amaze up close?<br />
50<br />
GREEK ODYSSEY<br />
A family reunion in offthe-beaten-track<br />
Crete<br />
sees Dana Facaros find<br />
peace in a place that<br />
time forgot<br />
C<br />
M<br />
Y<br />
CM<br />
MY<br />
CY<br />
CMY<br />
K<br />
50<br />
CRETE<br />
weekends<br />
58 60<br />
REASONS TO VISIT A LONG WEEKEND<br />
ALSERKAL AVENUE IN LISBON<br />
Dubai's ever-changing Join us on a whirlwind<br />
hub of creativity<br />
tour of Portugal's<br />
continues to thrive coastal capital<br />
66<br />
STAYCATIONS<br />
Already in need of a<br />
break? We have four<br />
more good reasons to<br />
book a weekend escape<br />
74<br />
TRAVEL OFFERS<br />
It's time we sent you<br />
packing. Choose your<br />
next adventure from<br />
our exclusive offers<br />
6 worldtravellermagazine.com
A NEW WATERFRONT<br />
DESTINATION<br />
AT PALM JUMEIRAH
TRENDING DESTINATIONS<br />
Emily Williams, dnata Travel’s resident globetrotter,<br />
reveals the places that are trending this month<br />
Copenhagen<br />
A city with a lot of buzz about it right now, in Copenhagen you can experience tasty Danish street food (including<br />
the popular open sandwich or ‘smørrebrød’), get an up-close look at famous Danish designs, and learn about one<br />
of the oldest monarchies in the world. The evenings can get pretty cold at this time of year, giving you the perfect<br />
excuse to try out CopenHot, a waterfront sauna with great city views.<br />
HIGHLIGHTS 1 Dine at the new Noma (named the <strong>World</strong>'s Best Restaurant four times over), which now has an urban farm and<br />
follows a three-season kitchen. 2 Head to Tivoli Gardens, where the snow falls through <strong>February</strong>, transforming it into a winter wonderland.<br />
3 Stay warm by ducking into Kunsthal Charlottenborg, one of Northern Europe's largest exhibition spaces for contemporary art.<br />
8 worldtravellermagazine.com
TRENDING DESTINATIONS<br />
Goa<br />
Don’t miss the chance to experience Goa, India’s popular beach destination, during its peak season, which typically<br />
runs from November to <strong>February</strong>. From relaxing yoga retreats to beach shacks serving the freshest seafood, it has a<br />
truly laid-back vibe, yet you’ll also find some of the best of India’s nightlife. Visit Anjuna Market for some excellent<br />
thrift shopping and hike through the jungle to marvel at Goa’s tallest waterfall, Dudhsagar Falls.<br />
HIGHLIGHTS 1 Head to Palolem Beach to dance the night away at a silent disco.<br />
2 Get your flippers on and check out the best scuba diving spots, such as Grande Island. 3 Snap some pics of the<br />
heart-shaped lake, a natural phenomenon, at Bogmalo.<br />
worldtravellermagazine.com 9
Helsinki<br />
Did you know that in Finland there are more saunas than there are cars? Indeed, Finns consider saunas a weekly<br />
necessity and you'll find them everywhere. For excellent views 0f this pocket-sized city and a glimpse of its past,<br />
take a boat to the UNESCO-listed Suomenlinna – an 18th-century sea fortress and nature spot spread across six<br />
linked islands. What’s more, Fly Dubai now offers direct flights to Helsinki from the UAE.<br />
HIGHLIGHTS 1 Strap on your skis as there are almost 200km of well-kept trails around the capital. You can rent your kit from Paloheinä<br />
Recreational Center. 2 Embrace the slow food movement by dining on vegan, locally-sourced food – LOOP and Nolla are both excellent.<br />
3 Explore the two large national parks of Sipoonkorpi and Nuuksio, both a short bus-journey away from the city centre.<br />
10 worldtravellermagazine.com
TRENDING DESTINATIONS<br />
Jordan<br />
Embrace the glorious weather we’re experiencing in the Middle East by staying closer to home. In Jordan, you can<br />
discover the impressive sights of the ancient city of Petra and the protected desert wilderness of Wadi Rum. Here,<br />
the Full of Stars luxury camping experience sets you up in a ‘bubble’ tent for the chance to observe the clearest desert<br />
night sky. With its red sands and mountainous landscape, it’s probably the closest you can get to camping on Mars.<br />
HIGHLIGHTS 1 Tuck into a traditional meal prepared by local chefs at Petra Kitchen within Wadi Musa. 2 Take a hike to the shrine<br />
of the prophet Aaron. Situated 1,350m above sea level, it’s the highest point in Petra. 3 Follow in the footsteps of Cleopatra and<br />
experience the mineral-rich mud of the Dead Sea from Amman Touristic Beach.<br />
worldtravellermagazine.com 11
JOURNEY INTO THE SPIRIT OF ARABIA.<br />
Relax and unwind as you breathe in the mystical charm of the Rub’ Al Khali.<br />
Discover unparalleled desert luxury and cultural passion just 90 minutes<br />
from Abu Dhabi. Trek the footsteps of the Bedouin and create a thousand<br />
timeless moments in a luxury desert oasis.<br />
To book your stay, call +971 (0) 2 895 8700 or<br />
email crome@anantara.com<br />
LIFE IS A JOURNEY. Visit anantara.com<br />
CAMBODIA • CHINA • INDONESIA • MALDIVES • MOZAMBIQUE • OMAN • PORTUGAL • QATAR • SRI LANKA • THAILAND • UNITED ARAB EMIRATES<br />
• VIETNAM • ZAMBIA
FEBRUARY<br />
Globetrotter<br />
Be informed, be inspired, be there<br />
COLOUR ME HAPPY<br />
From its zero-waste food, which<br />
draws on hydroponic fruit and<br />
vegetables from the on-site farm,<br />
to its interiors that showcase the<br />
work of local artisans, SALT of<br />
Palmar offers you a window to<br />
unvarnished, vibrant Mauritius.<br />
The 59-key resort, on the east<br />
coast of the island, is the debut<br />
opening for the newly launched<br />
hotel brand SALT. The riadlike<br />
building, on the fringe of<br />
Palmar beach, has been carefully<br />
repurposed in a collaboration<br />
between local Mauritian architect<br />
Jean-François Adam and French<br />
artist Camille Walala, to bring the<br />
natural environment to the fore<br />
and allow the location's natural<br />
colours to shine.<br />
<strong>World</strong> <strong>Traveller</strong> 13
GLOBETROTTER<br />
Four Seasons Astir Palace Hotel Athens<br />
NEW HOTELS<br />
Get there before the rest<br />
1 2 3<br />
GREECE<br />
Four Seasons Astir Palace<br />
Hotel Athens<br />
Now taking reservations<br />
for arrivals beginning 29<br />
March, <strong>2019</strong>, this glamorous<br />
property on the Athenian<br />
Riviera – just 30 minutes from<br />
both the Acropolis and the<br />
airport – is your ticket to the<br />
perfect Greek beach holiday<br />
with no less than three<br />
private beaches, three pools,<br />
and eight dining spots.<br />
ABU DHABI<br />
Abu Dhabi EDITION<br />
You can watch the boats<br />
bobbing in the water at this<br />
recently-opened waterfront<br />
hotel in the downtown<br />
district of Al Bateen Marina.<br />
With guestrooms and<br />
serviced residences, it's<br />
good for longer stays, with<br />
three signature restaurants<br />
including Market by Tom<br />
Aikens, two swimming pools<br />
and a luxurious spa.<br />
VIETNAM<br />
Anantara Quy Nhon Villas<br />
Journey to this untouched<br />
destination to see the raw<br />
beauty of the Vietnamese<br />
coastline. This beachfront<br />
hideaway, set amid tropical<br />
gardens, has just 26 private<br />
pool villas (each serviced<br />
by a dedicated host), with<br />
castaway style dining<br />
experiences, a secluded<br />
Anantara spa and tours by<br />
local guides.<br />
Well and good<br />
Combine a love for<br />
travel with giving your<br />
wellbeing a boost with<br />
these fun spa pursuits<br />
on our radar… At Cheval<br />
Blanc Courchevel<br />
(pictured), you can ski<br />
down to the Russian<br />
Banya at the foot of the<br />
slopes for a traditional<br />
Northern latitudes style<br />
spa experience. The<br />
dry-heat sauna reaches<br />
temperatures of 90˚C,<br />
so you can sweat it out<br />
before braving a backto-basics<br />
toning session<br />
by rolling around in the<br />
soft snow.<br />
Turn the weather on<br />
its head by jetting to<br />
the Dominican Republic<br />
to stay at the newlyopened<br />
Impressive<br />
Resorts & Spa in Punta<br />
Cana where you can<br />
have a massage on<br />
the beach and relax in<br />
a Turkish bath. Body<br />
treatments and facials<br />
will keep you looking<br />
and feeling your best.<br />
GET TRAVEL APPY<br />
Did you know that the Google Translate app<br />
now recognises 13 new languages through<br />
your smartphone's camera, including support for<br />
Nepali, Thai, and Vietnamese? Simply snap a picture<br />
and the app will figure it out for you by processing<br />
any translatable text.<br />
14 <strong>World</strong> <strong>Traveller</strong>
CREATE<br />
SPECIAL<br />
MOMENTS<br />
WITH US.<br />
Standing tall in the heart of<br />
Dubai Marina, featuring<br />
incomparable panoramic views<br />
of the city, combine the best<br />
of all worlds with luxurious<br />
accommodation, three<br />
contemporary dining<br />
destinations and a blissful<br />
caravanserai-inspired, Saray Spa.<br />
DUBAI MARRIOTT HARBOUR HOTEL & SUITES<br />
KING SALMAN BIN ABDULAZIZ AL SAUD STREET<br />
DUBAI MARINA, PO BOX 66662, DUBAI, UAE<br />
T. 971.4.319.4000 | DUBAIMARRIOTTHARBOURHOTEL.COM<br />
Dubai Marriott Harbour Hotel & Suites<br />
@marriottharbour
GLOBETROTTER<br />
STRAIGHT TO<br />
THE HEART<br />
Want to whisk your sweetheart<br />
away? Get set to fall in love<br />
with these heart melting<br />
hideaways....<br />
ISLAND<br />
You can’t go wrong with<br />
the Maldives’ mix of powder<br />
soft sand, sparkling sea and<br />
swaying coconut trees. Revel<br />
in the air of exclusivity at<br />
Velaa Private Island, which<br />
is designed to let its exotic<br />
setting shine. We rate the<br />
Romantic Pool Residence<br />
(pictured) – an ultra-private<br />
one-bedroom villa with a<br />
Jacuzzi, gazebo on the jetty<br />
(for dining à deux) and a<br />
private spa treatment room.<br />
It's only accessible by boat.<br />
Alternatively, the adultsonly,<br />
all-inclusive Hurawalhi<br />
Island Resort provides the<br />
perfect excuse to focus on<br />
the two of you. Dine at the<br />
world’s largest undersea<br />
restaurant and book a<br />
professional photo session for<br />
a lasting memory of your trip.<br />
Grand View Junior Suite, Palazzo Manfredi<br />
CITY<br />
If a European city break<br />
is more your style, jet off<br />
to Rome where Palazzo<br />
Manfredi delivers views of the<br />
Colosseum and Ludus Magnus<br />
(the gymnasium once used<br />
by Roman gladiators) from a<br />
selection of its suites, including<br />
its three new Grand View<br />
Junior Suites. This 17th century<br />
palace also boasts a Michelin<br />
stared restaurant, Aroma.<br />
Alternatively, brush up on<br />
your French in the City of<br />
Love with a stay at Mandarin<br />
Oriental Paris. Be inspired by<br />
sweeping views of the city –<br />
Eiffel Tower included – from<br />
the Panoramic Suite.<br />
worldtravellermagazine.com 17
GLOBETROTTER<br />
TRAVELS<br />
WITH ALAIN<br />
DUCASSE<br />
The celebrated chef oversees<br />
more than 30 restaurants<br />
around the globe, including<br />
his latest venue, miX by Alain<br />
Ducasse, in Dubai. He shares<br />
how his work feeds his travel<br />
experiences and vice versa<br />
Travelling nourishes me both<br />
spiritually and creatively, and allows<br />
me to gain a better understanding of<br />
different cuisines. And while it would<br />
not be my philosophy to try to move<br />
towards something like sushi and<br />
sashimi, as we could never achieve<br />
exactly what is served in Japan, I<br />
appreciate the aesthetical aspect and<br />
elegant presentation of this type of<br />
food, and elements could be integrated<br />
in how we perceive a dish.<br />
The first time I went<br />
to Japan I didn't<br />
understand the place.<br />
Everything puzzled<br />
me and I was lost in<br />
translation. At the<br />
same time, I grew<br />
fascinated with<br />
the country, which<br />
is why I keep on<br />
going back.<br />
We have an<br />
outpost of Rech in<br />
Hong Kong so I have<br />
spent quite a bit of time<br />
there too. The place has a great<br />
dynamic – especially in terms of its food<br />
scene – and it’s a place that I would like<br />
to explore more. Around 15 years ago,<br />
there were only five to 10 well-known<br />
chefs there, whereas now there are<br />
dozens of internationally renowned<br />
chefs to discover.<br />
Lima is also a very interesting place<br />
to me, as local chefs are rediscovering<br />
the richness of ingredients sourced<br />
from the land and sea, which so far has<br />
been underexploited.<br />
I grew up on a farm in the Landes<br />
region in southwestern France. It’s<br />
not far from wild mountains and the<br />
Atlantic Ocean, so it has a wealth of<br />
produce. Local people came to<br />
us to buy everything from<br />
vegetables to poultry,<br />
geese, duck and<br />
rabbit, and we<br />
created meals<br />
for the local<br />
community.<br />
I’ve been<br />
interested in the<br />
flavours of the<br />
Middle East for a<br />
long time and this<br />
has definitely been<br />
an influence in terms<br />
of the food you will taste<br />
at miX in Dubai. Indeed, it is a<br />
major food trend in general.<br />
miX by Alain Ducasse at Emerald Palace<br />
Kempinski Dubai is the chef’s first<br />
restaurant in the UAE and the largest in<br />
his restaurant group. kempinski.com<br />
ON OUR<br />
RADAR<br />
Leading a vegan lifestyle<br />
just got even easier thanks<br />
to Hilton Bankside’s Vegan<br />
Suite, which invites guests<br />
to veg out in its Vegan<br />
Society approved<br />
room, which is<br />
almost entirely<br />
plant-based, from<br />
the furniture to<br />
the bedding and, of<br />
course, the snacks.<br />
If you're a fan of Le Gray<br />
in Beirut, you'll be pleased<br />
to know that Campbell Gray<br />
Hotels has opened its first<br />
property in the GCC, The<br />
Merchant House,<br />
Manama, Bahrain.<br />
Located alongside<br />
the vibrant Bab<br />
el-Bahrain Souk,<br />
it's ideally placed<br />
Belmond Le Manoir aux<br />
Quat’Saisons<br />
for you to immerse<br />
yourself in local<br />
Bahraini life, and to get a real<br />
feel for the culture.<br />
Paying homage to past<br />
patron and pop icon<br />
David Bowie, the<br />
new Ziggy's Bar at<br />
Hotel Café Royal<br />
in London, serves<br />
drinks inspired by<br />
his life and music<br />
against a backdrop<br />
of curated photography.<br />
Bowie held the retirement party<br />
for his alter ego Ziggy Stardust<br />
at Café Royal in the 1970s.<br />
As part of the Kingdom’s<br />
2030 Vision, Saudi Arabia<br />
has launched a new<br />
west coast resort<br />
destination, The<br />
Red Sea Project,<br />
which will team<br />
natural islands<br />
and coastline with<br />
dormant volcanos,<br />
a nature reserve and<br />
nearby ancient ruins.<br />
18 worldtravellermagazine.com
GLOBETROTTER<br />
FOODIE HOTSPOT<br />
A MEAL WITH A VIEW<br />
Dubai's latest dining destination, The Pointe on Palm Jumeirah, beckons hungry<br />
holidaymakers with its cool line-up of eateries and stunning view of Atlantis, The Palm<br />
FITZROY<br />
This European-inspired bistro touts an<br />
à la carte menu featuring the likes of<br />
steak tartare, bouillabaisse, grilled<br />
entrecôte and confit duck<br />
leg. It's good for lunch or<br />
dinner, but the venue<br />
really comes into its<br />
own at dusk.<br />
Why we rate it: The<br />
outdoor terrace is<br />
a romantic setting,<br />
with its flame<br />
heaters creating<br />
a cosy ambience<br />
and tables directly<br />
overlooking the water.<br />
This image: The view from<br />
Chicago Meatpackers<br />
Inset: Chicken roulade<br />
at Fitzroy<br />
SEAFOOD KITCHEN<br />
Serving up beautifully presented<br />
food and Balearic Island vibes, this<br />
market-style concept treats seafood<br />
fans to delicate dishes such as snapper<br />
ceviche, as well as crowd-pleasing<br />
platters of clams, mussels, soft-shell<br />
crab, prawns and chargrilled, locallysourced<br />
fish.<br />
Why we rate it: Downstairs is familyfriendly<br />
while upstairs has a more<br />
glamorous, lounge style ambience, with<br />
ladies’ nights taking place on Thursdays.<br />
ENA<br />
Think you know authentic Greek food?<br />
We recommend you sit down to a meal<br />
at Ena before you answer that question.<br />
It's the brainchild of owner Lena P,<br />
Maniatis, whose vision for back to<br />
basics Greek food is brought to life by<br />
chef Alexandros Pavlopoulos Sperxos –<br />
all with a modern twist.<br />
Why we rate it: Most of the ingredients<br />
are sourced from small farms in Greece<br />
– the feta from Kalavrita features in a<br />
number of must-try dishes.<br />
AMIRA'S DELI<br />
This family-friendly deli brings<br />
European café culture to life, with a<br />
delicious selection of dishes to suit<br />
all ages.<br />
Why we rate it: The portions are large<br />
and each dish has an interesting stamp,<br />
like the chicken waffle cones stuffed<br />
with cheesy chicken popcorn.<br />
PALAPA<br />
This Mexican eatery is a party for the<br />
taste buds. Try the classic ceviche<br />
followed by the tacos short ribs and<br />
nachos festin marino (nachos with<br />
prawns, squid, mussels, guacamole and<br />
sea sauce).<br />
Why we rate it: The combination of the<br />
vibrant food, décor and entertainment<br />
makes eating here far from boring.<br />
This image: Sushi crêpe<br />
at Amira's Deli<br />
worldtravellermagazine.com 19
KNOW-HOW<br />
The Knowledge<br />
HOW TO...<br />
Get to grips with travel insurance<br />
Peace of mind is worth its weight in gold. Claire Ryan, head of travel and personal insurance<br />
at AIG UAE and AIG MEA Limited, answers common questions about travel insurance<br />
What are the main benefits<br />
I should expect from a travel<br />
insurance policy?<br />
Depending on the level of<br />
coverage you choose, it may<br />
offer you protection in case of<br />
travel inconvenience, such as trip<br />
cancellation, flight delay or lost<br />
luggage. More importantly, you may<br />
choose a plan covering emergency<br />
medical expenses, which can be very<br />
expensive in most situations.<br />
Taking out travel insurance is<br />
like getting international health<br />
insurance too, right?<br />
Travel insurance covers you against<br />
emergency medical expenses,<br />
which means surgical and hospital<br />
treatment if you become ill or injured<br />
during your trip. However, medical<br />
treatment required due to a preexisting<br />
medical condition that you<br />
knew about at the time of taking out<br />
your insurance would, in most cases,<br />
not be covered.<br />
If I buy my holiday on my<br />
credit card, I’m offered some<br />
protection. Do I need an extra<br />
policy on top?<br />
Credit card insurance coverage<br />
is generally limited, and all travel<br />
bookings must be completely<br />
purchased using the respective card.<br />
You must check your policy schedule<br />
from the issuing bank to understand<br />
if all your needs are covered. In most<br />
cases, the limits are quite low so, for<br />
example, travelling to the US where<br />
medical costs are very expensive<br />
would most likely require you to<br />
purchase a more comprehensive<br />
travel insurance plan.<br />
How can I ensure the<br />
cancellation policy covers all?<br />
The travel insurance cancellation<br />
policy will not cover you for all reasons.<br />
It will cover you for the travel and<br />
accommodation costs, transfers,<br />
excursions and, in some cases, even the<br />
visa costs, but only if the cancellation<br />
is unavoidable and due to a set list of<br />
reasons, such as an illness that prevents<br />
you from travelling, or the death of a<br />
relative. What it won't cover you for, in<br />
most cases, is you choosing not to travel.<br />
I need coverage for my entire<br />
family, from our baby to our<br />
elderly grandparents who are<br />
joining us on our trip. Can I cover<br />
everyone with one policy?<br />
The family travel insurance policy<br />
usually covers husband, wife and<br />
children. However, you may opt for a<br />
group travel insurance where you can<br />
add as many additional persons as<br />
required, including extended family and<br />
friends. You need to also check the age<br />
limitations, as in some travel insurance<br />
policies, the elderly have different rates<br />
or benefit limitations.<br />
I travel a lot. Is it worth getting a<br />
multi-trip policy even if I’m yet to<br />
book all my trips for the year?<br />
Absolutely. An annual multi-trip<br />
insurance will work out more cost<br />
effective if you’re a frequent traveller.<br />
Additionally, people tend to book their<br />
travel insurance after they’ve bought<br />
their flights and accommodation.<br />
But if you have a yearly policy, for<br />
example, the trip cancellation benefit is<br />
on-going and you are covered from the<br />
moment you book even the first sector<br />
of your flight.<br />
dnata Travel partners with AIG to<br />
provide travel insurance. To find out<br />
more, email holidays@dnatatravel.com<br />
20 worldtravellermagazine.com
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STAY DIFFERENT WITH JUMEIRAH<br />
5 reasons families<br />
will love Jumeirah<br />
Mina A’Salam<br />
General manager Azar Saliba<br />
shines a light on the familyfriendly<br />
allure of this established<br />
hotel at the heart of Madinat<br />
Jumeirah in Dubai<br />
There’s room for everyone<br />
1 We have 128 sets of interconnecting rooms<br />
at the hotel, giving families plenty of space<br />
to spread out in and stay connected. All of<br />
our rooms and suites can fit up to two adults<br />
and two children, but if your kids are aged<br />
12 or over then we recommend you opt for<br />
interconnecting rooms so you all get a great<br />
night’s sleep.<br />
You’ll never be bored<br />
2 With more than 30 rides and slides to<br />
thrill you, from the relaxing lazy river to<br />
the terrifying Jumeirah Sceirah (which<br />
propels you to speeds of 80 km/h), Wild Wadi<br />
Waterpark* has enough to keep you amused<br />
for hours on end – and all guests staying at<br />
Jumeirah Mina A’Salam receive complimentary<br />
access for the duration of their stay. It’s a<br />
fantastic benefit of staying with us.<br />
When you’re done splashing around, you<br />
can explore our beautiful private beach and<br />
take part in the many watersports available,<br />
from kayaking to stand-up paddleboarding.<br />
In addition, Sinbad’s Kids Club is a dream<br />
world for children with a climbing wall, play<br />
areas and pools, as well as activities such as<br />
face painting and crafts. It’s open daily from<br />
8am-8pm.<br />
Dining here is fun<br />
3 In Arabic, Madinat means city – and<br />
staying here is like being in a city within<br />
a city. In this respect we are very lucky as<br />
guests have access to over 40 different<br />
restaurants, bars and cafés, serving<br />
everything from Greek and Chinese to<br />
Mexican. As well as being able to choose<br />
from all different types of cuisines, parents<br />
can relax in the knowledge that there’s<br />
a dedicated children’s menu available at<br />
Royal Heart Suite Reef, master in the Great bedroom Barrier Reef<br />
22 worldtravellermagazine.com
WORLD TRAVELLER X JUMEIRAH<br />
Wild Wadi Waterpark<br />
*Opening 8 <strong>February</strong>.<br />
all venues throughout the resort. Plus, if<br />
your child has a food allergy or sensitivity,<br />
having around 150 chefs working here<br />
gives the luxury of being able to make you<br />
anything you want. If they need a little extra<br />
entertainment, iPads and colouring books<br />
are available at all our dining spots.<br />
Your days doesn't have to end once<br />
the little ones are in bed. Our in-house<br />
babysitting service (bookable upon<br />
request) means you can head out for a<br />
romantic supper while your children<br />
are well looked after by our trained<br />
childcare professionals.<br />
You don’t have to sweat<br />
4 the small stuff<br />
We know that travelling with small children<br />
can be a challenge and parents are often<br />
worried about forgetting an essential item,<br />
such as the bottle steriliser, or whether<br />
they’ve packed enough diapers. It’s extremely<br />
common to be caught short on holiday, but<br />
we can get hold of pretty much anything<br />
you need, from putting a steriliser in the<br />
room, to delivering a fresh supply of nappies,<br />
and whipping up some puréed fruits and<br />
vegetables in the kitchen for younger babies<br />
who are weaning.<br />
The view from the pool is hard to beat<br />
There's lots for little travellers<br />
5 to discover<br />
Staying with us can be educational, too. With<br />
its Arabian-style architecture, the resort is<br />
sure to spark your child's imagination. You<br />
can immerse them in old world Arabia with<br />
a trip to Souk Madinat Jumeirah where they<br />
can browse the stands, barrows and stalls<br />
offering a mix of mementoes and choose a<br />
keepsake to take home. Plus, you can fuel a<br />
budding passion for the arts by catching a<br />
show at Madinat Theatre.<br />
To find out more, call +971 4 366 8888<br />
or visit jumeirah.com<br />
MUST-HAVE EXPERIENCES<br />
Don’t miss these memory<br />
makers at Mina A'Salam…<br />
Sit down to brunch. Our<br />
Friday brunch provides<br />
three-and-a-half hours<br />
of delicious food and top<br />
entertainment at Hanaaya<br />
and Tortuga. Those under 12<br />
years old go free.<br />
Feed the turtles. The turtle<br />
lagoon at neighbouring<br />
Jumeirah Al Naseem is<br />
where sick and injured sea<br />
turtles are nursed back to<br />
health. Learn more about it<br />
at the feeding sessions on<br />
Wednesdays at 11am.<br />
Ride an abra. See the resort<br />
from the water by taking<br />
an abra tour of the Madinat<br />
Jumeirah waterways.<br />
Tune ceviche, Tortuga<br />
worldtravellermagazine.com 23
The Family<br />
Holiday<br />
Half term's here and (whisper it quietly)<br />
summer's on the horizon. If you've yet to book your<br />
next trip, we’re here to help. So whether you seek the<br />
adventure of a lifetime or somewhere simply perfect<br />
for a staycation, we have all the answers<br />
24 worldtravellermagazine.com
FAMILY TRAVEL EXPERIENCES<br />
worldtravellermagazine.com 25
FAMILY TRAVEL EXPERIENCES<br />
My family and I love wildlife and an African safari has always been<br />
on my bucket list. However, I’ve always thought of it as an adult-only<br />
adventure. Are there any safari lodges that cater to young kids?<br />
Lewa House, Kenya<br />
Lewa House is a family home, and<br />
you’ll feel that by staying in one of<br />
its beautiful thatched-roof family<br />
cottages. There’s also plenty to<br />
occupy aside from game drives, like<br />
freshwater crab hunts and visits to a<br />
maasai village.<br />
Samara Private Game Reserve,<br />
South Africa<br />
Children of all ages are warmly<br />
welcomed here and are exceptionally<br />
well-catered to. Tailored for under 12s,<br />
the Samara Kids' Programme features<br />
'outdoor classroom' bush excursions,<br />
indigenous rock painting and storytelling<br />
by the fire.<br />
Singita Ebony Lodge,<br />
South Africa<br />
Singita Ebony Lodge is a jawdroppingly<br />
beautiful colonial style<br />
lodge that leaves no stone unturned<br />
when it comes to spoiling families.<br />
Custom activities for young guests<br />
include astronomy, animal tracking<br />
and mountain biking, while Singita’s<br />
socially responsible ethos will keep<br />
them grounded with a visit to the<br />
Justicia community village.<br />
My kids are pre-school age. Which European cities are best<br />
enjoyed out of school holidays to avoid the crowds?<br />
1<br />
VENICE<br />
Summer in Venice can be downright<br />
unpleasant but the first half of May<br />
has fewer tourists and less traffic on the<br />
canals. After a wallet-emptying gondola<br />
ride, climb to the balcony of St Mark's<br />
Basilica, then let ’em loose to chase<br />
pigeons in the piazza below.<br />
2DUBROVNIK<br />
Cruise ships descend on Dubrovnik<br />
in peak season, which peters off<br />
around the end of September. Beat<br />
the crowds by checking the cruise ship<br />
arrival schedule (portdubrovnik.hr) and<br />
explore the walled city by entering via<br />
the Ulica Svetog Dominika gate.<br />
3<br />
BARCELONA<br />
<strong>February</strong> is chilly, but the Santa<br />
Eulàlia festival in Barcelona is<br />
terrific for mini travellers, with street<br />
parades featuring fantasy characters<br />
like gegants (the giants), and toddlerfriendly<br />
fun aplenty, from human-tower<br />
building through to puppetry.<br />
26 worldtravellermagazine.com
Opposite: Singita<br />
Ebony Lodge<br />
This page: Rome's<br />
Colosseum<br />
My kids are in secondary school and I’d like to<br />
take them somewhere that proves educational.<br />
Which destinations do you suggest?<br />
Snowmobiling, glacier hiking,<br />
volcanoes – Iceland has all<br />
the big-ticket adventures<br />
for outdoorsy teens and<br />
they’ll learn a thing or two<br />
about the might of Mother<br />
Nature, in particular, Iceland’s<br />
geothermal energy (fun fact:<br />
it actually powers the city<br />
of Reykjavik). There’s the<br />
monumental landscapes,<br />
steaming geysers and<br />
thundering waterfalls of the<br />
Golden Circle, and Krísuvík’s<br />
famous Blue Lagoon, but<br />
elsewhere, Hveragerði’s<br />
geothermal park is a hoot.<br />
They’ll never forget bathing in<br />
natural outdoor hot springs.<br />
Pizza and gelato aside,<br />
Italy overflows with culture,<br />
especially in Rome, but<br />
immersing the kids in history<br />
doesn’t have to be dull.<br />
Brandishing swords and<br />
shields, and donning helmets<br />
and armour, the two-hour<br />
Roman Gladiator School<br />
sessions run by Gruppo<br />
Storico Romano are wildly<br />
fun (even for the grumpiest of<br />
teens) and include a guided<br />
tour of the Colosseum arena<br />
and Museum of Gladiators.<br />
Mexico is another enriching<br />
destination to expand young<br />
minds. Touch down in Mexico<br />
City to take in museums, eat<br />
tostadas and watch a Lucha<br />
Libre wrestling match. On<br />
your way to the Caribbean<br />
shores of the Yucatan<br />
Peninsula, stop at Palenque.<br />
Staying in the jungle and<br />
exploring ancient Mayan<br />
temples by day, listening to<br />
howler monkeys call from the<br />
treetops at night – you’ll need<br />
to bribe your kids to leave.<br />
worldtravellermagazine.com 27
FAMILY TRAVEL EXPERIENCES<br />
We always head to our home country for the<br />
summer holidays but this year we want a big<br />
family adventure. What do you recommend?<br />
Opposite: Walt<br />
Disney <strong>World</strong> Resort<br />
This page, from top:<br />
Joshua Tree National Park,<br />
California; Wild Wadi<br />
Waterpark<br />
WHY NOT... HIT THE ROAD<br />
ACROSS CALIFORNIA<br />
Pacific Coast Highway 1 is the stuff<br />
of legend for a reason. With rugged<br />
beaches, frolicking sea lions, epic<br />
views and equally epic sights (like<br />
the iconic Bixby Bridge), driving the<br />
Pacific coastline – the kids blasting<br />
the stereo and singing at the top of<br />
their lungs – will be a road-trip your<br />
kids will talk about for years to come,<br />
particularly if you've driven it in a<br />
classic Airstream.<br />
WHY NOT.. GO ISLAND HOPPING IN<br />
FANTASTIC FIJI<br />
With 330 islands, crazy-clear water and<br />
unspoilt white-sand beaches, not to<br />
mention wonderful resorts with awardwinning<br />
kids’ clubs, Fiji is outstanding<br />
for island-hopping and there’s an added<br />
bonus: Fijians are among the friendliest<br />
people on earth. In between swimming<br />
and gallivanting on beaches searching<br />
for starfish, your babes will become<br />
best friends with local kids before you<br />
have the chance to say “Bula”.<br />
WHY NOT... TAKE TO THE HIGH<br />
SEAS FOR A CRUISE<br />
Kids will go mad for the floating<br />
playgrounds operated by Royal<br />
Caribbean, Carnival and Disney, with<br />
ginormous slides, ice skating rinks<br />
and fun-filled youth programmes<br />
aplenty, but for something more<br />
intrepid, try a Lindblad Expedition.<br />
In partnership with National<br />
Geographic, these expedition-style<br />
voyages venture to wild destinations<br />
like the Galápagos islands or Alaska,<br />
with kids’ programmes overseen by<br />
certified educators and naturalists.<br />
I fancy a family staycation for half term but want a room that<br />
also offers privacy for my husband and I. Where should I book?<br />
Recently reopened after a substantial<br />
refurbishment, Jumeirah Beach Hotel's<br />
polished rooms can accommodate two<br />
adults and two children aged under<br />
12 in one king size and one twin bed<br />
respectively. But if it's privacy you seek<br />
then each of the 'Ocean' rooms can<br />
be booked with an interconnecting<br />
room next door. With complimentary<br />
access to Wild Wadi for the duration<br />
of your stay thrown in, chances are you<br />
won't be seeing much of your children,<br />
regardless. At JW Marriott Marquis<br />
Hotel Dubai – the world's tallest fivestar<br />
hotel, an accolade your kids will<br />
love – two Deluxe rooms can be booked<br />
to interconnect, or one attached to a<br />
more spacious suite. Staying next to<br />
Ski Dubai is also likely to rack up the<br />
brownie points, and Kempinski Hotel<br />
Mall of the Emirates offers two Deluxe<br />
room types that can interconnect.<br />
28 worldtravellermagazine.com
FAMILY TRAVEL EXPERIENCES<br />
THE MAGIC MOMENT<br />
Meeting Mickey and Co at<br />
Walt Disney <strong>World</strong> Resort<br />
With four theme parks and two water parks, the wishlist<br />
topping Walt Disney <strong>World</strong> Resort is purpose built<br />
for enrapturing children. No matter their age, the<br />
wonderful world of Disney has undoubtedly waved<br />
its magical wand over your kids at some point,<br />
and there's plenty of reasons to plan a trip this<br />
year – not least for the hotly anticipated late <strong>2019</strong><br />
opening of Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. Meanwhile,<br />
the outstanding Four Seasons Resort Orlando<br />
at Walt Disney <strong>World</strong> Resort is ready to roll<br />
out its magic carpet for guests from May<br />
through September. As part<br />
of special packages timed<br />
to coincide with the cinema<br />
release of the live-action<br />
Aladdin, the resort will also<br />
offer Arabia-inspired drinks,<br />
dishes and spa treatments.<br />
Better still, its spectacular<br />
Royal Suite can be expanded<br />
to fit nine bedrooms, so no<br />
family member misses out.<br />
worldtravellermagazine.com 29
FAMILY TRAVEL EXPERIENCES<br />
My kids have (very)<br />
healthy appetites and<br />
I’m worried about<br />
running up a huge hotel<br />
bill. Where are some allinclusive<br />
options?<br />
Top billing here would have to go to<br />
the wonderful Furaveri Island Resort<br />
& Spa in the Maldives. Food and drink<br />
prices in the Maldives can test any<br />
budget, which is what makes Furaveri's<br />
all-inclusive option so attractive if you're<br />
travelling here with kids. All meals and<br />
non-alcoholic drinks (as well as selected<br />
alcoholic) are offered, with the choice of<br />
cuisines equally generous – everything<br />
from Italian through to Thai. A trip to<br />
Dubai's two-hotel JA The Resort may<br />
take you no time at all, but its secluded<br />
spot by the sea makes it feel every bit<br />
like a mini holiday. Book a minimum<br />
three-night stay and you can go allinclusive,<br />
which covers the day's three<br />
main meals as well as snacks and drinks<br />
(alcoholic and non-alcoholic). What's<br />
more, kids aged under 12 are free.<br />
I like the idea of our family<br />
travelling by train (it sounds<br />
less stressful than a road<br />
trip). What are some of the<br />
best railway journeys?<br />
If your kids are spellbound by all things Harry<br />
Potter, you'll earn a bucket-load of brownie<br />
points by boarding The Jacobite, a steam<br />
train which operates across Scotland's scenic<br />
Highlands. That's because the Jacobite is best<br />
known as the Hogwarts Express, the role it<br />
played in the film series.<br />
An adventure of a different kind can be<br />
had onboard the day-train Belmond Hiram<br />
Bingham, which snakes its way up Peru's<br />
Machu Picchu. Catering well to families, there's<br />
live music in the observation car and the threecourse<br />
menu you'll enjoy can be adapted to<br />
please any fussy little eater. Once at Machu<br />
Picchu, a private guide will whisk you to<br />
the best spots of the Citadel for a truly<br />
memorable experience.<br />
30 worldtravellermagazine.com
FAMILY TRAVEL Opposite, EXPERIENCES<br />
from top to<br />
bottom: Furaveri Island<br />
Resort & Spa; eyes on<br />
the countryside during a<br />
train journey<br />
This page: Liwa Oasis<br />
THE MAGIC MOMENT<br />
Seeing natural wonders<br />
It’s not just parents who need a break. Kids too,<br />
can get overloaded with the excessive 'noise' from<br />
modern life, whether it’s pressure from exams<br />
or overexposure to technology, which is why<br />
whisking them away to nature is always a good<br />
idea. But why not take it even further, and take<br />
them to see one of the world’s big-ticket natural<br />
wonders? Whether it’s watching the sun rise over<br />
enormous dunes in the Liwa Oasis, listening to<br />
their voices echo across the Grand Canyon, or<br />
feeling the spray from Niagara Falls on their skin,<br />
witnessing such tremendous natural beauty up<br />
close will thrill them in a way an iPad never will.<br />
worldtravellermagazine.com 31
FAMILY TRAVEL EXPERIENCES<br />
As a family I’d like to<br />
make our travels more<br />
meaningful. In what<br />
ways can we give back<br />
on our travels?<br />
Eat at local restaurants<br />
Dining at a local eatery is a win-win: it<br />
helps to support community business<br />
and it gives children an insight into a<br />
destination’s culture and traditions. They<br />
won’t get a plastic toy with their meal,<br />
but they probably won’t ever forget that<br />
time they ate rice with their hands!<br />
Purchase souvenirs from artists at<br />
local markets<br />
Market hauls may never replace the<br />
Lego, but buying that handmade<br />
ukulele, the beaded necklace threaded<br />
by a local tribeswoman, or the animal<br />
shaped from discarded flip-flops found<br />
on the beach not only helps support<br />
artisans whose livelihoods depend on<br />
tourism, it will create a lasting memory<br />
of the trip to take home.<br />
Hire a local tour guide<br />
Whether it’s tracking down the best<br />
gelateria or the nearest bathroom, a<br />
guide’s expertise and knowledge can<br />
prove invaluable. The job supports them<br />
financially, though many are just as<br />
interested in learning about your family<br />
and your culture – so say yes if they<br />
invite you over to meet their family.<br />
My kids like nothing more than a hotel kids’ club, but which ones<br />
go above and beyond to really engage them?<br />
Famous for golf it may be, but<br />
Scotland's Gleneagles is swiftly making<br />
a name for itself as an idyllic family<br />
retreat. Dating to 1924, this historic hotel<br />
is forward thinking when it comes to<br />
planning kids' activities. Working on<br />
the premise that 'whatever an adult can<br />
do, a child can do too', kids can drive<br />
a mini Land Rover, train a gundog, try<br />
their hand at fishing and falconry or<br />
even own a pony for a day (just hope<br />
that all that mucking out will put them<br />
off making the deal permanent). The<br />
great outdoors also provides a fitting<br />
playground at Constance Ephelia in<br />
Seychelles, where budding Tarzans can<br />
swing from tree to tree on a zip line.<br />
Culinary skills can also be sharpened<br />
through cooking classes, alongside a<br />
programme of other fun workshops.<br />
That's also very much the case at<br />
LUX* Belle Mare in Mauritius, home<br />
to an outdoor culinary school, tennis<br />
coaching, adventure trips around the<br />
island and local language and dance<br />
classes. In the unlikely event of having<br />
time to fill, the resort's unique cakedecorating<br />
bar summons sticky fingers.<br />
Words by Michelle Wranik-Hicks<br />
32 worldtravellermagazine.com
Opposite, from top to<br />
bottom: shopping for<br />
souvenirs at a local market;<br />
flying on the zip-line at<br />
Constance Ephelia<br />
This page: Kakslauttanen<br />
Arctic Resort<br />
THE MAGIC MOMENT<br />
Stepping into snow in Lapland<br />
The magical Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi, Finland (near the Arctic Circle),<br />
is like stepping into the pages of a storybook. Besides meeting the big man<br />
himself, your wide-eyed kids can attend elf school or visit the post office where<br />
elves sift through a reported half a million letters sent to Santa each year. If<br />
you’re lucky, your family might even get the chance to witness the spectacular<br />
light show (perhaps through the roof of a glass igloo), the Aurora Borealis, the<br />
natural phenomenon colouring the sky approximately 200 nights a year. Add<br />
to that reindeer sleigh rides, a snowmobiling adventure, and meeting adorable<br />
Siberian huskies, and you can safely notch it up as one of those extraordinary<br />
once-in-a-lifetime experiences they’ll probably tell their grandkids about one day.<br />
worldtravellermagazine.com 33
WORLD TRAVELLER X ANANTARA THE PALM DUBAI RESORT<br />
Follow your heart<br />
Whether you want to make a grand gesture or keep<br />
things low key, there are plenty of ways to ramp up<br />
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paired with your favourite drink. Each morning<br />
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34 worldtravellermagazine.com
Be pampered in the hammam<br />
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worldtravellermagazine.com 35
Discover the perfect blend of convenience,<br />
stylish comfort for pleasure and business.<br />
א אא אא אא<br />
א אאא א<br />
Email: info@2seasonshotels.com | Web: www.2seasonshotels.com<br />
Tel: +971 4 399 6666 | Fax: +971 4 381 8067 | P.O.Box: 502222, Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai Internet City, UAE<br />
א א<br />
Unlimited Comfort
XXXXXXXXXXXXX<br />
LAOS p38<br />
GREAT BARRIER REEF p44<br />
CRETE p50<br />
Postcards<br />
Stories from journeys<br />
far and wide<br />
worldtravellermagazine.com 37
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These pages: A fisherman<br />
sets his traditional net<br />
Luang Prabang, the old<br />
royal capital of Laos, is<br />
still easier to reach by<br />
water than road. On<br />
a slow boat down the<br />
gilded Mekong, Andrew<br />
Eames finds the<br />
Southeast Asia of old<br />
38 worldtravellermagazine.com
LAOS<br />
worldtravellermagazine.com 39
LAOS<br />
here was nothing to<br />
set Boat Can Sway<br />
apart when I first<br />
glimpsed her that<br />
morning, among the<br />
river vessels jammed<br />
in herringbone<br />
formation against the<br />
bank at Huay Xai on<br />
the Lao-Thai border.<br />
She was slender, just<br />
35 metres long, and<br />
locally crafted, like<br />
the cluster around her, with rosewood<br />
planking above water, steel hull below.<br />
Just another boat on the mighty Mekong,<br />
waiting to do business. The unique<br />
appeal would be apparent once we were<br />
on board, for our two-day voyage to<br />
Luang Prabang: we had not one but three<br />
captains, an embarrassment of comfy<br />
chairs for the passenger count (18) and<br />
the promise of a cosy halfway house: a<br />
sedate river-view hotel for the night. (Our<br />
boat was too bijou-boutique for cabins.)<br />
We also had a chef, it became clear,<br />
as we stole back from our mooring<br />
and the smell of lunch wafted by. A<br />
fishy appetiser — tender white tilapia,<br />
steamed with dill — emerged from the<br />
galley as we nosed out into the channel.<br />
By the time I’d turned my attention to<br />
the beef curry, lightly fragranced with<br />
lime leaves, the sour taste of officialdom<br />
I’d experienced early that morning was<br />
disappearing as fast as the morning<br />
thrum of Huay Xai town. But it had<br />
sure been an inauspicious start...<br />
The Mekong is the Amazon of<br />
Southeast Asia, passing through six<br />
countries en route to the sea, and the<br />
stretch we were following forms part<br />
of Laos’s international border — I’d<br />
had to cross east from Thailand that<br />
morning to catch the boat. Despite its<br />
name, there had been nothing remotely<br />
amiable about the Friendship Bridge:<br />
the echoingly empty Lao immigration<br />
counters were inch-deep in a confetti of<br />
dead mayflies. Changing money at the<br />
bank, I got $100 worth of Lao kip, yet<br />
my paperwork stated I’d only changed<br />
$90. When I pointed this out, the teller<br />
just shrugged. Those $10 were his now.<br />
Still, here I was, out on the sunlit<br />
water, blending into the forgotten<br />
world of one of Asia’s greatest rivers.<br />
The day was sultry, but the boat’s<br />
This page, clockwise<br />
from above: A tuk<br />
tuk speeds through<br />
the streets of Luang<br />
Prabang; woman<br />
dressed in traditional<br />
costume; coconut<br />
pancakes on street stall<br />
Credit: Andrew Eames/The Sunday Times Travel Magazine/News Licensing<br />
40 worldtravellermagazine.com
movement brought a fresh breeze rifling<br />
through the saloon. It was wonderful<br />
being here: a plate of pineapple and<br />
lychees appeared before me.<br />
Between here and now and Luang<br />
Prabang were two days of delicious<br />
grazing as a tapestry of forest, fishing<br />
villages and limestone mountains<br />
unravelled slowly either side.<br />
I had long dreamt of making this trip.<br />
More than once, on previous holidays<br />
in Thailand, I’d reached the banks of<br />
the Mekong. But I had never crossed it.<br />
Cruising has colonised its lower reaches,<br />
hundreds of kilometres downriver from<br />
Huay Xai, where it becomes sufficiently<br />
wide for big, all-inclusive boats. But<br />
they held little appeal for me: after years<br />
seeing Thai sophistication, I wanted the<br />
Southeast Asia I’d found so enthralling<br />
in my backpacker days. Laos, I knew,<br />
was a country still immersed in the old<br />
ways. If I could tap into its river life,<br />
perhaps I’d recapture fond memories<br />
of Southeast Asia as it used to be.<br />
This upper stretch of the Mekong is<br />
still wild and unspoilt — too treacherous<br />
for big cruisers. People will tell you<br />
it is the best way to reach the former<br />
royal capital of Laos, one of Asia’s most<br />
enchanting backwaters. In fact, it is<br />
one of the very few places in the world<br />
more accessible by water than by road.<br />
There could be no more authentic<br />
way to arrive than aboard a typical<br />
river boat, the very reason it exists.<br />
On the Boat Can Sway, to be precise.<br />
That wasn’t, I confess, the boat’s real<br />
name. A notice up by the captain’s perch<br />
in the bows warned that, because of<br />
the rapids, the ‘boat can sway’, but the<br />
first words were partially obscured.<br />
Whatever, it sounded far sassier than<br />
Pakou III, and more descriptive.<br />
The water levels at this early stage in<br />
the Mekong’s journey are as volatile as a<br />
teenager. In the rainy season the silt-rich<br />
floods rise to fertilise a broad hopscotch<br />
of village vegetable patches, but then the<br />
river skinnies down and rocks rear from<br />
the water like scales on a dragon’s back.<br />
That afternoon, standing on the front<br />
deck, we could see this was going to be<br />
an exhilarating ride. The teenage dragon<br />
bared its teeth and started to seethe and<br />
‘<br />
A TAPESTRY OF<br />
FOREST, FISHING<br />
VILLAGES AND<br />
MOUNTAINS<br />
UNRAVELLED<br />
EITHER SIDE<br />
’<br />
writhe. The danger was less the rocks<br />
we could see, more those concealed just<br />
below the surface. At times it was like<br />
white-water rafting, and you knew things<br />
were tricky when the captain’s brow<br />
furrowed, the boat quivered, and he asked<br />
everyone on the front deck to sit down.<br />
We weren’t alone in riding the rapids.<br />
Every now and then a highly painted<br />
apparition, barely more than a surfboard,<br />
came screeching by, noisy as a race<br />
circuit, half a dozen passengers sitting<br />
erect before a truck engine mounted<br />
on the stern. They could get you to<br />
Luang Prabang in six hours, explained<br />
Sanh, our onboard guide. Attempt<br />
that journey by road, and it would<br />
take you 13. I settled back in Boat Can<br />
Sway, more contented than ever.<br />
In quieter moments we saw fishermen,<br />
out on the water in slender canoes,<br />
working and nets in the backwater<br />
eddies of what is officially the largest<br />
freshwater fishery in the world. Their<br />
dream, said Sanh, was of catching a<br />
Mekong catfish, at up to 300kg the largest<br />
freshwater fish in existence, but rare.<br />
How a fisherman could expect to land<br />
something six times his bodyweight in a<br />
dugout made for one, he never explained.<br />
For us passengers, that first day passed<br />
in a blur of eating, snoozing, waving at<br />
the fishermen and village children, and<br />
getting to know each other. It was a sort<br />
of river-borne house party and I found<br />
myself swapping stories with an English<br />
couple, Simon and Angela, who’d come<br />
all the way to Laos overland. It was an<br />
adventure that had included a train<br />
trip through Russia, where Angela<br />
had slipped on ice and broken her<br />
arm. Together, we chatted with a posh<br />
British banker, on board with his Thai<br />
wife and their striking children. She<br />
lived in Bangkok, while he remained in<br />
worldtravellermagazine.com 41
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42 worldtravellermagazine.com
LAOS<br />
London, which sounded intriguing,<br />
although I didn’t ask further. Fleeting<br />
insights into other people’s lives are<br />
most fascinating when you accept<br />
you’ll never know the full story.<br />
In turn, we passengers stirred interest<br />
among the people of the riverbanks.<br />
In its more indolent sections the flow<br />
wound past sandy embankments<br />
and bays, where swimming children<br />
stopped to stare and wave. Mooring at<br />
a beach, we spent an hour with a boy<br />
desperate to show us how he trapped<br />
crickets for the family’s dinner using<br />
a long bamboo pole. I don’t think<br />
we’d have met him if we’d been on a<br />
five-star luxury river cruise, or a bus.<br />
He even led us up the sandy<br />
embankment to his hill-tribe village,<br />
where every house was perched on<br />
stilts above spare timbers stacked<br />
underneath for when the family<br />
needed to up sticks and relocate to<br />
better land. Hydropower dams are<br />
under construction along the Mekong,<br />
and one is planned downriver of<br />
that boy’s village, at a settlement<br />
called Pak Beng, where we broke our<br />
journey at the end of that first day.<br />
The Luang Say lodge was a mahoganyrich<br />
construction with a fabulous<br />
view down over rushes whirring with<br />
cicadas to the Mekong sliding by. It<br />
was elegant, open to the evening airs<br />
and the sounds of gibbons calling.<br />
Simple in design, it was also vulnerable,<br />
as we discovered after dark, when<br />
a thunderstorm menacing the hills<br />
decided to pounce, driving billowing<br />
clouds of rain through the restaurant.<br />
Next day dawned bright and clear,<br />
the overnight storm having cleared<br />
the haze created by the slash-and-burn<br />
practice that dominates agriculture<br />
here. Some 70% of the Lao landscape<br />
is forest and mountains, and in<br />
the sharp light the burnt hillsides<br />
bristled like an elephant’s hide,<br />
their receding shoulders purpled<br />
as if they’d been in a fight, some<br />
bruises still livid with flame.<br />
After a breakfast of fried eggs and<br />
mango sticky rice, the baritone of<br />
Boat Can Sway’s engine summoned us<br />
back to the water’s edge. This time the<br />
river seemed more gentle, its teenage<br />
convulsions less frequent, and the<br />
captain relaxed sufficiently to allow the<br />
Thai/English couple’s children to take<br />
turns with the wheel. Much later that<br />
day, as the sun was burnishing the river<br />
bronze, we finally sighted Luang Prabang,<br />
raised high on a finger-like peninsula<br />
between the Mekong and its tributary<br />
the Nam Khan. I stood transfixed by the<br />
curved roofs of its many temples peeking<br />
above the riverside acacias. Boat Can<br />
Sway performed a final pirouette, fond<br />
farewells were said, and we dispersed<br />
into the next stage of our lives.<br />
After tranquil time on a boat it felt<br />
strange to be back among thronging<br />
humankind; strange, too, to be decanted<br />
into a place that felt so much like a<br />
spiritual remnant of old Southeast<br />
Asia, suspended in time. But I couldn’t<br />
have been happier. It reminded me<br />
of Thailand’s popular northern city,<br />
Chiang Mai, when I first arrived<br />
there some 40 years ago. Then, it was<br />
a place of novice monks and young<br />
travellers wide-eyed with wonder.<br />
Laid out by French planners in the<br />
late 19th century, when Laos was part<br />
of French Indochina, Luang Prabang<br />
displayed a fusion of styles. I wandered<br />
thoroughfares lined with Chinese-style<br />
shophouses and colonial villas, their<br />
courtyards fragranced with frangipani.<br />
Shutters were the kind you’d see in a<br />
Provençal village, married with filigree<br />
ironwork eaves created by artisans<br />
from Vietnam. Some of these heritage<br />
buildings have been adapted to create<br />
exquisite little hotels, some are coffee<br />
shops, some art galleries or massage<br />
parlours. The presence of the Mekong,<br />
and sometimes the Nam Khan, at the<br />
end of every street added a sense of<br />
calm wellbeing, with cars pretty much<br />
absent. Boats, rickshaws and bicycles<br />
proved the best way of getting around.<br />
Renting two wheels I was in a blur of<br />
nostalgic bliss, visiting sights. The 16thcentury<br />
Wat Xieng Thong, built for Lao<br />
royalty on the tip of the peninsula, was<br />
a stunner, containing a riot of depictions,<br />
in gold leaf, of the Ramayana stories<br />
— the Indian epic later adapted by<br />
the Lao people — and a tree of life<br />
‘<br />
SOME OF THE<br />
HERITAGE<br />
BUILDINGS HAVE<br />
BEEN ADAPTED<br />
TO EXQUISITE<br />
LITTLE HOTELS<br />
’<br />
mosaic embedded with emeralds<br />
and lapis lazuli on the back wall.<br />
Each morning, just before dawn,<br />
came the city’s cultural highlight, as<br />
orange-robed temple monks emerged<br />
in silent single file onto the street, to<br />
receive alms from local women. The<br />
age-old ritual was over by the time the<br />
sun had risen and breakfast beckoned.<br />
I passed French-influenced bakeries<br />
and courtyard restaurants, while eating<br />
avocado baguettes and yellow-duck<br />
noodle soup, mesmerised by the slow<br />
waltz of boats out on the water.<br />
Late in the day I’d joined the crowds<br />
heading up the 328 steps to sit under<br />
the pagoda on the top of Phu Si hill<br />
and watch the departing sun run<br />
its fingers lovingly across the goldpainted<br />
gable ends of the temples,<br />
before saying farewell from behind<br />
the misty rills of forested hills. After<br />
that came the night market, arrayed<br />
with fishermen’s trousers, lanterns,<br />
and jewellery fashioned from the scrap<br />
metal of war — a sombre reminder<br />
that the Ho Chi Minh Trail, the hotly<br />
contested Vietcong supply line in the<br />
Vietnam War, mostly ran through Laos.<br />
Finally, each evening, came the<br />
difficult decision of where, and what,<br />
to eat. It was all very enchanting,<br />
and I could almost think, as I sat at<br />
a little bistro sipping a drink while<br />
waiting for my order of shrimp bisque,<br />
that it was untouched by modern<br />
life — but modern life always has<br />
the last laugh. My time ran out, and<br />
I had to leave — this time via Luang<br />
Prabang’s front door, on a jet plane.<br />
Inspired to travel? To book a trip, call<br />
+971 4 316 6666 or visit dnatatravel.com<br />
worldtravellermagazine.com 43
44 worldtravellermagazine.com
GREAT BARRIER REEF<br />
Reef encounter<br />
She’s a beauty — no wonder the Great Barrier Reef<br />
tops so many travellers’ bucket lists.But is the view<br />
from below as ‘great’ as it used to be?<br />
Andrew Eames takes the plunge<br />
GOLDEN<br />
GLOW<br />
Diwali (7<br />
November)<br />
is one of<br />
worldtravellermagazine.com 45
GREAT BARRIER REEF<br />
Bob was sitting on the<br />
upper deck of a pontoon<br />
moored to Agincourt Reef.<br />
A solitary figure, absorbed<br />
in his newspaper, he was every inch<br />
the authentic Aussie, complete with<br />
hat, shorts, and an unflinching<br />
certainty to his world view.<br />
Our eyes met, so I remarked that<br />
it wasn’t the most peaceful place to<br />
read, on a deck awash with families<br />
in flippers launching themselves into<br />
the water in a flailing mass of arms<br />
and legs. ‘I guess not,’ he grinned.<br />
Bob, it turned out, had recently retired<br />
after a lifetime in the unrelenting<br />
glare of Australia’s Red Centre, and he<br />
thought the green tropical north was<br />
brilliant, the Great Barrier Reef its<br />
Crown Jewels. ‘All that wonderful stuff<br />
going on down there.’ He surveyed the<br />
water proprietorially. ‘You been in?’<br />
I had. I said I’d seen a clownfish<br />
family. That had been good. The Nemos<br />
had been doing their whole flustery<br />
house-proud thing, darting around the<br />
fronds of their anemone. And there’d<br />
been loads of giant clams, shellfish<br />
the size of fridge-freezers with velvety<br />
mantles that looked like debauched<br />
hotel double beds. ‘Plus there’s a huge<br />
grouper that hangs under the pontoon,<br />
called Susie. As big as a barn door.’<br />
But I didn’t want to admit that<br />
I’d hoped for more. That the fish<br />
density had been thin, and the corals<br />
themselves disappointingly... well,<br />
beige. I suspected that wasn’t what<br />
Bob would have wanted to hear.<br />
I love anything to do with the sea,<br />
so the Great Barrier Reef — one of the<br />
seven wonders of the natural world<br />
— had long been on my bucket list.<br />
This is, after all, the world’s largest<br />
living organism, visible from space,<br />
comprising 2,900 reefs, 900 islands,<br />
300 coral cays and 1,625 species of fish,<br />
many of them in magnificently weird<br />
shapes and extraordinary colours.<br />
I’m lucky enough to have done a bit<br />
of diving — and a lot of snorkelling<br />
— in some incredible places, but to<br />
my mind the sheer scale of the GBR<br />
had always kept it a league apart. But<br />
the more I heard about its magical,<br />
myriad life forms, threatened by years<br />
of heatwaves and tropical storms, it<br />
became something I simply had to see<br />
‘<br />
BRIGHT<br />
YELLOW<br />
GOATFISH,<br />
RISING IN<br />
UNISON LIKE<br />
FLUORESCENT<br />
MIDGES OUT OF<br />
HEATHER<br />
’<br />
— before I really did kick that bucket.<br />
So I’d come with a mix of hope — and<br />
fear. And to get a handle on the huge<br />
breadth of the thing I’d set myself<br />
something of a personal target: I wanted<br />
to see the Great Eight, which is the<br />
Barrier Reef’s equivalent of an African<br />
safari’s Big Five. These eight iconic,<br />
spectacular creatures have recently been<br />
selected by the Marine Park Authority<br />
as representative of the sheer diversity<br />
to be found on the Reef. They’re a mix<br />
of generic and specific, with turtles,<br />
sharks, whales and rays on the list, along<br />
with clownfish, Maori wrasse, giant<br />
clams and potato cod. I only had a few<br />
days, but was resolved to tick them off<br />
— after all, it might be my only chance.<br />
Spending a day out on that doubledecker<br />
pontoon at Agincourt was my<br />
first, and inexpensive, eyeful of the<br />
undersea. Quicksilver’s giant catamaran<br />
— seats for 400 — had gobbled up the<br />
65km commute from the rainforestwrapped<br />
mainland, and by the time<br />
we returned to Port Douglas in late<br />
afternoon I’d been on a discovery snorkel<br />
with a marine biologist and a ride in<br />
a semi-submersible, but I’d only got<br />
clownfish and giant clams ticked off my<br />
list. So I needed to go deeper. Literally.<br />
Next day, brandishing my PADI scuba<br />
certificate, I headed out again. I’m not<br />
an experienced diver, but fortunately<br />
there is nothing testing about the<br />
warm, aquarium-like waters of the<br />
Reef, particularly as I was buddied up<br />
with a Scottish oil-rig diver used to<br />
the ‘scuzzy’ (his word) North Sea. Jim’s<br />
eyes were like saucers as we descended<br />
among bizarrely long trumpetfish,<br />
which were taking it in turns to do<br />
headstands above the boulder coral.<br />
Below them was a shoal of fingersized<br />
bright yellow goatfish, rising in<br />
unison out of a coral cauliflower, like<br />
fluorescent midges out of heather.<br />
Despite this increased access, though,<br />
after two dives and one snorkel I’d only<br />
chalked up one further sighting: the<br />
Maori wrasse, a labrador-sized fish that<br />
evolution had face-painted in purple<br />
and green. A hump-headed pair had<br />
mooched nonchalantly around the coral<br />
stack, pretending to look very cerebral —<br />
the Forrest Gumps of the Barrier Reef.<br />
46 worldtravellermagazine.com
Opposite: Oriental<br />
sweetlips swim in the<br />
sun-pierced ocean<br />
This page: Sunset over<br />
the heritage listed Port<br />
Douglas wharf<br />
worldtravellermagazine.com 47
GREAT BARRIER REEF<br />
With three down and five to go I<br />
needed to up my game. I was sad to<br />
leave Port Douglas, which has a laidback,<br />
bohemian vibe, its streets lined<br />
with sweet-smelling frangipani and<br />
lavender-flowered jacaranda. It is<br />
almost exclusively a purpose-built<br />
holiday resort, with its reef-andrainforest<br />
double act, and its main<br />
drag split between the outfitters who<br />
organise trips during the day, and the<br />
terraced restaurants and bars who fuel<br />
the trippers into the balmy night.<br />
Cairns, 68km south, turned out<br />
to be altogether more substantial. It<br />
had history — 150 years of it, starting<br />
with a gold rush that brought dozens<br />
of different nationalities to what<br />
was then an isolated shanty town.<br />
Today there are backpackers from<br />
Europe wandering along its seafront<br />
esplanade and day-trippers off the<br />
cruise ships nibbling on crocodile<br />
satay in its boardwalk restaurants.<br />
From here I headed offshore again,<br />
this time on a propeller aircraft that<br />
skimmed out over batik-effect spangles<br />
of turquoise and gold, streaked with<br />
rust and rimmed with silver surf. My<br />
destination was an island with history<br />
longer than Cairns, because back in 1770<br />
Captain James Cook had landed here<br />
during a voyage that nearly ended in<br />
disaster when his boat went aground.<br />
Lizard Island has since become a<br />
great deal more hospitable, occupied<br />
as it is on one flank by a marine<br />
research station, and on its most<br />
sheltered side by a luxurious barefoot<br />
retreat for honeymooners and CEOs.<br />
The resort’s 40 suites and villas are<br />
carefully landscaped into lawns shaded<br />
by seagrape trees and pandanus palms<br />
behind a couple of the island’s 24 whitesand<br />
beaches, where they are presided<br />
over by a sumptuous restaurant open<br />
to evening breezes soughing through<br />
the casuarina trees. Most importantly,<br />
for my purposes, it had dive boats and<br />
snorkel boats, access to special sites<br />
and stacks of local knowledge, and was<br />
prepared to assemble these assets to<br />
suit a guest’s whims. Especially a guest<br />
with a shopping list of fish to see.<br />
First, the turtles. Easy: no boat<br />
required, they said, and that afternoon,<br />
biologist Ben took me over to the<br />
research station (which has been<br />
‘<br />
LIZARD ISLAND<br />
HAS ON ITS MOST<br />
SHELTERED SIDE<br />
A LUXURIOUS<br />
BAREFOOT<br />
RETREAT FOR<br />
HONEYMOONERS<br />
AND CEOS<br />
’<br />
responsible for parts of Blue Planet)<br />
and pointed to the shallows. I felt like<br />
a cameraman as I slid into the water<br />
ahead of a green sea turtle grazing on<br />
the seagrass. As it sauntered past, I<br />
noted a couple of remoras, or suckerfish,<br />
on either side, so that from the rear<br />
it looked as if it was packing pistols.<br />
Next morning, I clambered aboard<br />
one of the resort’s dive boats to head<br />
to the outer reef, with high hopes of<br />
seeing my remaining four: whales,<br />
rays, sharks and potato cod. An hour<br />
later we were at a site called the Cod<br />
Hole, having seen a minke whale<br />
unsheathe itself from the water in the<br />
distance en route. Not a particularly<br />
breathtaking sight — minkes are<br />
not large — but it was undeniably<br />
a whale, doing what whales do.<br />
As for the potato cod, I was pleased<br />
to find them pretty much queuing<br />
up. The Lizard Island dive team has<br />
permission to feed certain fish, and we<br />
descended into the transparent waters<br />
to find a bruiser of a fish with Winston<br />
Churchill lips and big black splodges<br />
along its flanks, ready and waiting. This,<br />
apparently, was Brian, and we’d been<br />
warned not to pet him, even though he<br />
bumped into us like a friendly dog.<br />
We’d also been warned about sharks,<br />
and it wasn’t long before the divemaster<br />
drew our attention to a sleek shape,<br />
circling half out of sight. It was a grey<br />
reef shark, being proper sharky — but<br />
more scared of us than we were of it,<br />
the divemaster said afterwards. Shortly<br />
after, a whitetip reef shark appeared,<br />
immobile on the sandy bottom. Big,<br />
but only threatening at night.<br />
After just 24 hours on Lizard Island<br />
I’d notched up four more of my Great<br />
Eight, although it had taken all the<br />
resources (and expense) of a far-flung,<br />
five-star resort to get them. And while<br />
my quest was nearly complete, I still<br />
felt a bit disappointed — for all the<br />
coral and fish I saw, the world’s largest<br />
reef should have so much more.<br />
Fortunately, there was a bonus<br />
moment yet to come on my last evening<br />
on Lizard Island, on a last-minute solo<br />
snorkel at Anchor Bay, an easy walk<br />
from my veranda. The sun disappears<br />
in a hurry here, as if it has something<br />
important to do in another hemisphere,<br />
and I hadn’t allowed myself a lot of<br />
time. But suddenly there were colours,<br />
and fish, among candelabras of flamehued<br />
fire coral and fields of staghorn<br />
coral with fresh-growing tips of blue. I<br />
spotted an orange-spine unicornfish,<br />
a cloud of yellow-tailed fusiliers, and a<br />
titan triggerfish, seemingly unaware<br />
of the yellow lipstick smeared all over<br />
its face. And, yes. Finally a ray — a<br />
fleeting glimpse, a small one the size<br />
of a dinner plate, but the moment I<br />
caught sight of the last item on my<br />
list, I also glimpsed another form,<br />
circling. It’s one thing sharing the<br />
water with a shark when you’re with<br />
an experienced divemaster, but quite<br />
another when you’re alone and the light<br />
is noticeably dimming. I didn’t linger.<br />
On my last morning I was up early to<br />
meet the sunrise on the top of Cook’s<br />
Look, the island’s highest point, where<br />
the captain himself had climbed in<br />
search of a way out of the reef. Today<br />
it is also the only place you can get a<br />
mobile-phone signal, so I took a selfie on<br />
the top and WhatsApped it to my family,<br />
and then watched the rising sun throw<br />
my shadow across the turquoise sea.<br />
Almost instantly my phone buzzed<br />
back at me from the other side of<br />
the world. ‘How is the Great Barrier<br />
Reef?’ my daughter wanted to know.<br />
It was a big question, and one that<br />
needed a pithy answer — especially<br />
if I wanted to get back down in time<br />
for breakfast — so I tapped out four<br />
words that I thought summed it up:<br />
‘Endangered, but still beautiful.’<br />
Inspired to travel? To book a trip, call<br />
+971 4 316 6666 or visit dnatatravel.com<br />
Credit: Andrew Eames/The Sunday Times Travel Magazine / News Licensing<br />
48 worldtravellermagazine.com
This page: Soft,<br />
colourful corals around<br />
Lizard Island<br />
worldtravellermagazine.com 49
XXXXXXXXXXXXX<br />
This page: A traditional<br />
Greek salad Right: The view<br />
over Chora Sfakion town<br />
50 worldtravellermagazine.com
CRETE<br />
Seeking serenity in high-season<br />
Crete? Dana Facaros finds the<br />
crowd-free, timewarp beauty beyond<br />
the island’s brochure beach resorts<br />
worldtravellermagazine.com 51
CRETE<br />
n the village we sat sipping iced coffees,<br />
the ubiquitous frothy, bitter, refreshing<br />
taste of a Greek summer. Around us<br />
worry beads clacked; ducks quacked;<br />
and villagers doing their morning<br />
shopping stopped for a chat in the<br />
dappled shade of an olive tree. In the<br />
tiny main square of Fodele, we were<br />
only an hour away from the coast and<br />
Crete’s hulking capital, Heraklion, but it<br />
felt as if we’d travelled back light years.<br />
Don’t get me wrong. Like everyone<br />
who’s holidayed here, I love Crete for<br />
its coast. Every time I’ve visited my<br />
cousin Despina over the years, we’ve<br />
lazed the hours (days, weeks) away on<br />
the quieter shores that unravel east<br />
and west of Heraklion, where Despina<br />
teaches English at a local school. I’ve<br />
always left with a deep tan and sunny<br />
memories, of wiggling our toes in warm<br />
sands and giggling over family anecdotes<br />
as the rays dry our swimsuits, while<br />
her architect husband, Theo, steps out<br />
in a suit and takes care of business.<br />
But I was so glad we’d made the<br />
journey, this time off the beaten track,<br />
inland to the Crete that time forgot. Not<br />
solely because of the peace, the quiet<br />
and those caffeine hits, but because it<br />
showed me how much there is in Crete<br />
to see beyond the big brochure resorts.<br />
I love Heraklion — the poster city<br />
for the whole island — as much as the<br />
other sun-seeking thousands who fly in<br />
for the bargain summer hotels of Agios<br />
Nikolaos, or the five-star resorts around<br />
the holiday town of Elounda, on the Gulf<br />
of Mirabello, a couple of hours’ drive east.<br />
But this time, my annual date with<br />
Despina was to take a different tack.<br />
The two of us had spent the morning on<br />
the beach at Fodele. Theo was absent,<br />
working in Sitia, a port town a long<br />
drive away, towards the easternmost<br />
tip of Crete. We were gossiping and<br />
bronzing as usual, when clouds brought<br />
a sudden grey to the day, hanging over<br />
the mountains that sweep down to<br />
the sands. Despina sat up and took<br />
off her shades, gesturing towards the<br />
family pick-up truck parked nearby.<br />
‘That might be it for a while. Fancy<br />
a drive?’<br />
Did I? Motoring in Crete is always<br />
travel heaven: the peaks, the twistedlicorice<br />
byways, the olive groves glinting<br />
to the horizons. Unlike Greece’s smaller<br />
‘<br />
AS WITH SO MANY<br />
ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITES<br />
BEYOND THE MAIN TOURIST<br />
CIRCUIT HERE, WE HAD<br />
THE MOMENT ALL TO<br />
OURSELVES<br />
’<br />
specks (Cyclades, Dodecanese), Crete<br />
feels like a fully-fledged country. In an<br />
hour you can roll from Greek island<br />
to Tuscany to Switzerland. Birthplace<br />
of Zeus, it is as old as time, home to<br />
Europe’s first literate civilisation, the<br />
Bronze Age Minoans, and scattered<br />
with their crumbling legacy. On Crete,<br />
it takes more than clouds to stop play.<br />
As it happened, the sun was returning<br />
wanly as we drove into Fodele village,<br />
warming the valley we passed through<br />
to reach it, lush with orange, lemon and<br />
mandarin groves. We parked, sat and<br />
drank, shaded by an olive tree, a gnarly<br />
thing with leafy branches. Only a sign<br />
beside it reminded us we were not just in<br />
the back of beyond but in the arty heart of<br />
things. Fodele, it read, was the birthplace<br />
in 1541 of Doménikos Theotokópoulos,<br />
aka El Greco, the artist who matured,<br />
in Venice, Rome, Madrid and finally<br />
Toledo, into a singular force of nature.<br />
Strolling, we found his birthplace,<br />
now a museum, and gawped at<br />
reproductions of his strange, visionary<br />
works, so defiantly unlike any other<br />
of the Spanish Renaissance age.<br />
‘I have to say he could only have been<br />
a Cretan’, said Despina. ‘He wasn’t afraid<br />
to be different.’ Cretans are famously<br />
fearless. When Nazi paratroopers<br />
invaded and occupied the island, men<br />
and women, young and old, fought<br />
them with scythes, butcher’s knives and<br />
rocks, even their bare hands. After the<br />
war, Nikos Kazantzakis (author of Zorba<br />
the Greek), charged by the UN to report<br />
on Axis atrocities, found the Nazis had<br />
destroyed more than 100 Cretan villages.<br />
One of the most infamous, Anogia,<br />
was our next stop, in the mountains<br />
above Fodele. We drove past clustered<br />
homes and olive groves, beeping sleeping<br />
dogs off the road and overtaking, much<br />
to our delight, a granny in black riding<br />
side-saddle on a donkey, who smiled<br />
and waved while engrossed in a mobilephone<br />
chat. Slowly — ominously? — the<br />
landscape grew savage. A golden eagle<br />
hovered in the blue-black sky. Bells<br />
jangled as a herd of goats skipped off the<br />
road. The goatherd — mustachioed, clad<br />
in black shirt and tall boots — nodded<br />
with the noble bearing of a Homeric<br />
hero. Far off loomed Crete’s highest peak,<br />
Psiloritis: ancient Ida, sacred to Zeus.<br />
Anogia greeted us, immaculately<br />
whitewashed, its photogenic square<br />
filled with café tables and wonky chairs.<br />
It was hard to believe this was its fourth<br />
incarnation. The Turks destroyed it twice.<br />
Nazis razed it in reprisal for harbouring<br />
members of the Cretan Resistance who<br />
had abducted the German General,<br />
Kreipe. After the war, the widows of<br />
Anogia’s fighters turned to needlework<br />
to survive. Even today houses are draped<br />
in vivid woven bags and tablecloths.<br />
We lunched at a little taverna called<br />
Aetos, on tender lamb ofto, redolent of<br />
fresh mountain air and wild herbs, slowcooked,<br />
shepherd-style, from the heat off<br />
charcoal embers. It tingled the tastebuds,<br />
but the overriding sensory takeaway<br />
from Anogia was for the ears and eyes:<br />
in a tiny museum we found the works of<br />
a folk artist nicknamed Grylios (‘bulging<br />
eyes’), who started sculpting and painting<br />
naïf, heartfelt scenes of the village at the<br />
age of 68. While we took them in, tunes<br />
fluttered from a lyraki, a three-stringed<br />
violin played by Giorgios, his son.<br />
The road back to Heraklion had more<br />
in store: at Tylissos, we savoured the<br />
solitude of half an hour, late afternoon,<br />
among three ancient villas built by the<br />
Minoan people in the 16th-14th centuries<br />
BC. As with so many archaeological sites<br />
beyond the main tourist circuit here,<br />
we had the moment all to ourselves.<br />
A breeze wooed eerily in the pines as<br />
we ran our fingers over the warmed<br />
stones, channelling the long-haired<br />
Minoans in their colourful kilts. ‘Like<br />
Bronze Age hippies,’ I said to Despina,<br />
Credit: Dana Facaros/The Sunday Times Travel Magazine / News Licensing<br />
52 worldtravellermagazine.com
XXXXXXXXXXXXX<br />
This page, clockwise from<br />
above: Shepherding a herd<br />
of goats on a country road;<br />
the Venetian Walls in Heraklion;<br />
a woman sits side-saddle on<br />
a donkey; wooden louver<br />
window shutters in Crete's<br />
common blue, a typical feature<br />
of local houses<br />
GOLDEN<br />
GLOW<br />
Diwali (7<br />
November)<br />
is one of<br />
worldtravellermagazine.com 53
CRETE<br />
lost in her remoted-eyed trance.<br />
Returning to Heraklion was a shock to<br />
the system. Tour buses growled at traffic<br />
lights. Bars rang with chattery European<br />
languages — the high-spirited voices of<br />
crowds gearing up for the night. But the<br />
fading apricot light lent a kind of aura.<br />
Despina, having stopped to buy oranges,<br />
took me on to the Venetian Walls, then<br />
up the steps to the bastion where Nikos<br />
Kazantzakis, one of the most celebrated<br />
Greek writers of recent times, was<br />
buried. Despina arranged the oranges<br />
around his tomb. ‘He requested fruit<br />
instead of flowers,’ she explained, then<br />
translated his famous epitaph. ‘“I hope<br />
for nothing. I fear nothing. I am free”.’<br />
Something about this special day<br />
had liberated me, too — the elements,<br />
the savage scenery, the real people with<br />
classic customs. The raw remoteness<br />
had made me want more. So it was<br />
serendipity when we opened Despina’s<br />
front door to find Theo home a day early.<br />
He’d had to leave his car in Sitia due to<br />
an electric-cable failure, and hitch a lift<br />
back home with a colleague. It would<br />
be ready the next day, but Despina<br />
was too busy to fetch it. So was he.<br />
Me? Next morning I was on a bus<br />
heading east, with a quick stop at Agios<br />
Nikolaos. As smells of coffee and oil<br />
from its bus station faded, I felt bliss.<br />
The highway snaked around the coast,<br />
the bays glinting like shields far below<br />
in the silver light. The Gulf of Mirabello<br />
veered from arid late-summer peaks<br />
to isles caught between sea and sky in<br />
shades from pale turquoise to cobalt.<br />
The conductor checked my ticket.<br />
‘What a beautiful day to ride the bus,’ he<br />
exclaimed. He was a cheery soul in his 60s,<br />
with a sweet smile and twinkling eyes.<br />
‘A beautiful day indeed!’ I chimed in.<br />
He regarded me curiously: ‘Where<br />
are you from?’ (Translation: I can<br />
tell you’re Greek, but a bit dodgy).<br />
‘My father’s from Ikaria.’<br />
This response always gets a knowing<br />
look. Ikarians have a reputation for<br />
being slightly bonkers, although<br />
he was clearly undeterred.<br />
‘And what are you doing in these parts?’<br />
Running an errand for my cousin,<br />
Despina, I told him, whereupon<br />
his eyes grew wide. ‘Despina is the<br />
name of my mother, my wife and<br />
my daughter. I am Nikos. You must<br />
dine with us while you are in Sitia!’<br />
I dialled home to Heraklion and told<br />
my cousin. She asked to have a word with<br />
Nikos, who was thrilled to speak to yet<br />
another Despina. When he passed the<br />
phone back to me, she said, ‘He sounds<br />
lovely. Find a hotel and stay a couple of<br />
days. Theo can do without a car for a bit.’<br />
In Sitia I found the best of both<br />
worlds — the simplicity of a mountain<br />
village, and the buzz of a real Greek beach<br />
town, by the clear waters of the Aegean.<br />
A string of tavernas curled around a<br />
waterfront parade studded with fat<br />
These pages: The old Venetian<br />
harbour in Rethymnon<br />
54 worldtravellermagazine.com
palms, and cafes sighed with poignant<br />
Cretan music played by musicians who<br />
wandered from one to the other.<br />
I found a hotel and, looking out from<br />
my window as the evening turned purple<br />
with nightfall, saw lamps like pearls,<br />
flickering and showing the way to town.<br />
It was steeped in the feel of ‘Old Greece’.<br />
At a dusty newsstand I found books still<br />
priced in drachmas. I inhaled the special,<br />
unmistakable scent, a mix of freshly<br />
ground coffee, cinnamon and oregano,<br />
wafting from the grocers’ shops in the<br />
alleys. There was the happy hubbub of<br />
Greek families carving up fish at lamplit<br />
tables by the quay. Carefree children<br />
pedalled about in the warm air, as elderly<br />
folk watched them, and the world, pass by.<br />
What good fortune, finding myself<br />
alone with a car and a free diary for a<br />
day or two. I motored east to Vai, an<br />
extraordinary strand studded with a<br />
thick grove of palm trees — the largest<br />
in Europe — grown, says legend, from<br />
dates discarded by Arab pirates. I pootled<br />
up to Itanos, a cove as tiny as a bite from<br />
a biscuit, for a swim in waters of glass,<br />
overlooked by the remains of an ancient<br />
site. And when my phone rang, and Nikos<br />
insisted on honouring his invitation the<br />
next night, I felt as good as anointed.<br />
At the end of a pitted lane just<br />
beyond Sitia, his rosy-cheeked wife<br />
(Despina), opened the front door of<br />
their generator-powered cottage, and<br />
welcomed me like a long lost relative.<br />
We dined on Cretan bruschetta (dakos),<br />
tzatziki and stuffed tomatoes.<br />
I couldn’t drive back to Sitia, so they<br />
made a bed for me on the sofa. And there I<br />
slept the sweetest sleep, coiled in the heart<br />
of this real, tourist-free, homely Crete.<br />
Inspired to travel? To book a trip, call<br />
+971 4 316 6666 or visit dnatatravel.com<br />
XXXXXXXXXXXXX<br />
‘<br />
THE HIGHWAY<br />
SNAKED<br />
AROUND THE<br />
COAST, THE BAYS<br />
GLINTING LIKE<br />
SHIELDS FAR<br />
BELOW IN THE<br />
SILVER LIGHT<br />
’<br />
worldtravellermagazine.com 55
FALL IN LOVE WITH OUR<br />
HONEYMOON DEALS<br />
Escape to a magical place and celebrate<br />
the beginning of your new life together.<br />
Book one of our honeymoon<br />
packages for special offers in<br />
dreamy beach locations<br />
and make the most of<br />
your time away with<br />
each other.<br />
Book at dnatatravel.com<br />
call 800 DNATA (36282) or<br />
speak to us in-store<br />
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| Follow us on
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Weekends<br />
Staycations and short-haul escapes<br />
© Ibrahim Albeshari @ialbeshari<br />
LOVE IS IN THE AIR<br />
Dubai is famous for its masterful man-made feats,<br />
and the new Love Lake in Al Qudra certainly has<br />
the wow factor. Unveiled by His Highness Sheikh<br />
Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum,<br />
Crown Prince of Dubai, the two interlocking heartshaped<br />
lakes are luring curious travellers due to<br />
their mystery and beauty. As if it wasn't swoonworthy<br />
enough, trees have been planted beside the<br />
water to spell out the word 'love'.<br />
worldtravellermagazine.com 57
WEEKENDS<br />
Reasons to go back to…<br />
ALSERKAL AVENUE<br />
Check out the wave of creative happenings at this thriving<br />
arts and culture hub, where homegrown concepts rub<br />
shoulders with international gallery outposts<br />
Book a hands-on lesson.<br />
The two commissioned<br />
works that adorn the roofs<br />
of Alserkal Avenue – When<br />
Did You Arrive and When Will<br />
You Return – speak volumes<br />
about the hub’s ability to lure<br />
you back. The community<br />
events offer a chance to<br />
explore your talents, like the<br />
two-hour weekly workshops<br />
on drawing techniques at<br />
thejamjar. Taking place on<br />
Tuesdays from 5 <strong>February</strong>.<br />
View the new art exhibits.<br />
Jasmine, soil and Aleppo<br />
soap-inspired visual<br />
artist Sara Naim in her<br />
solo exhibition Building<br />
Blocks, at The Third Line<br />
until 27 <strong>February</strong>. Marking<br />
the Syrian artist’s second<br />
outing at the gallery,<br />
the magnified cellular<br />
structures of her subjects,<br />
mounted on wood and<br />
plexiglass, reveal their<br />
stunning complexity. There<br />
are plenty more to galleries<br />
to discover besides.<br />
Photo courtesy of Alserkal Avenue<br />
Gulf Photo Plus<br />
Snap to it. The 15th annual<br />
edition of Gulf Photo Plus’<br />
Photo Week, taking place<br />
from 4-8 <strong>February</strong>, has<br />
exhibitions and workshops<br />
by leading photographers,<br />
as well as free talks and<br />
sessions. The headline<br />
exhibition, hosted at<br />
Concrete, shines a light on<br />
seven photographers from<br />
the Arab world, including<br />
Hicham Gardaf whose<br />
Intersections project<br />
explores urban development<br />
in Morocco.<br />
For the record. It's not strictly new, but we<br />
think The Flip Side, Dubai's only independent<br />
record shop, will be your jam. It carries music<br />
from around the world and has a cool line-up of<br />
events hosted by local music buffs. There are<br />
also documentaries and talks on music in the<br />
region, making it an educational experience.<br />
Wild flavours. Even the eateries here are creative.<br />
Refuel at Wild & The Moon with<br />
an energy ball (sprouted raw<br />
walnuts, almonds and raw<br />
cocoa sweetened with<br />
dates) prepared by the<br />
vegan chefs, accompanied<br />
by a colourful tumeric latte.<br />
58 worldtravellermagazine.com
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Extend your journey with <strong>World</strong> <strong>Traveller</strong> magazine<br />
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long<br />
the<br />
weekend<br />
Lisbon<br />
With vintage<br />
trams and vibrant<br />
street life, the<br />
sun-drenched<br />
Portuguese<br />
capital is an<br />
Instagrammer's<br />
dream<br />
This page: The Bica Funicular<br />
Opposite from top:<br />
Belém Tower; Altis Belém<br />
Hotel and Spa<br />
60 worldtravellermagazine.com
LONG WEEKEND<br />
Spread across seven steep hillsides that overlook the<br />
Tagus River, Lisbon lays on centuries of history and a<br />
mild, Mediterranean climate despite its Atlantic-facing<br />
location. Famous for its yellow trams, intricate azulejos<br />
(hand-painted tiles) and delicious pasteis de nata<br />
(custard tarts), visitors will also find cool cultural spaces<br />
and an exciting food scene.<br />
Although hilly, the Portuguese capital is quite compact<br />
so you can walk to most places in the city centre. Above<br />
the 18th-century Baixa (downtown) area, Chiado is the<br />
cultural heart of the city with boutique-lined lanes,<br />
theatres and museums. Heading north, the oncesleepy<br />
Príncipe Real district is now awash with trendy<br />
restaurants and independent shops. Rising into the hills<br />
to the east is Alfama, the intriguing old Moorish quarter,<br />
while picturesque Belém, on the western edge of the city,<br />
is where Portuguese explorers set sail during the 15th<br />
and 16th centuries. It’s also home to the <strong>World</strong> Heritagelisted<br />
Monastery of Jerónimos and Tower of Belém.<br />
Our Lisbon guide offers a curated list of the best<br />
things to see and do, and the hippest places to eat and<br />
shop, not to mention the best hotels to bed down. So,<br />
let’s start exploring…<br />
Lisbon is a stylish city,<br />
so it's no surprise it has<br />
good-looking hotels to<br />
match. On the grand<br />
Avenida da Liberdade,<br />
Valverde Hotel has<br />
25 rooms kitted out<br />
with rich colours and<br />
mid-century modern<br />
furniture. Downstairs,<br />
there’s a buzzy<br />
Mediterranean restaurant<br />
and a leafy courtyard<br />
that hosts regular fado<br />
and jazz performances.<br />
Housed in a former<br />
palace below the<br />
mediaeval St George's<br />
Castle, Santiago De<br />
Alfama is another<br />
boutique beauty. There<br />
are 19 calm, neutral<br />
and stylish rooms,<br />
many with freestanding<br />
baths, and a restaurant<br />
serving seasonally-led<br />
Portuguese cuisine.<br />
Meanwhile, in a 15thcentury<br />
palace attached<br />
to the castle walls, the<br />
intimate 10-suite Palácio<br />
Belmonte is a favourite<br />
of the fashion and film<br />
set. The art-filled hotel<br />
features thousands of<br />
antique blue-and-white<br />
HOT HOTELS<br />
Find the perfect place to stay in the<br />
Portuguese capital<br />
Portuguese tiles as well<br />
as a black marble<br />
infinity pool.<br />
At the other end<br />
of the scale, the<br />
Corinthia Hotel is the<br />
city’s largest five-star<br />
abode. Overlooking a<br />
magnificent 18th-century<br />
aqueduct, there are<br />
518 plush rooms and a<br />
fabulous spa featuring<br />
13 treatment rooms.<br />
Down by the river, the<br />
glass-walled Altis Belém<br />
Hotel and Spa draws<br />
style-conscious travellers<br />
with its slick design,<br />
monochromatic interiors<br />
and Michelin-starred<br />
restaurant. Soak up the<br />
sun beside the rooftop<br />
pool and be pampered in<br />
the award-winning spa.<br />
top<br />
tables<br />
Lisbon's inventive chefs<br />
make the most of the<br />
country’s incredible bounty<br />
BELCANTO<br />
This two<br />
Michelinstarred<br />
restaurant<br />
in Chiado is<br />
helmed by<br />
José Avillez,<br />
who combines respect for<br />
local ingredients with a<br />
playful touch. belcanto.pt<br />
LEOPOLD<br />
In the Palácio Belmonte<br />
hotel, chef Tiago<br />
Feio creates delicate<br />
dishes that fuse local<br />
ingredients with Asian<br />
flavours. Open for dinner<br />
Wednesdays to Sundays.<br />
leopoldrestaurant.com<br />
CANTINA PERUANA<br />
With a laidback bohemian<br />
vibe and dishes made for<br />
sharing, Peruvian chef<br />
Diego Muñoz brings a bit<br />
of Lima to Lisbon. Be sure<br />
to order the tuna tiradito<br />
and wok-fried seafood.<br />
cantinaperuana.pt<br />
worldtravellermagazine.com 61
etail<br />
therapy<br />
Looking to take home an<br />
authentic slice of the city?<br />
Check out these top shops<br />
Embaixada<br />
In the heart of the Príncipe<br />
Real district, this boutique<br />
shopping gallery is housed<br />
in a 19th-century Moorishstyle<br />
palace, complete<br />
with a grand staircase<br />
and courtyard. There<br />
are around 20 stores<br />
specialising in fashion<br />
and design from local<br />
brands, including madeto-measure<br />
tailoring at<br />
UOY and organic skincare<br />
from Organii Cosmética.<br />
embaixadalx.pt<br />
Luís Onofre<br />
For statement heels<br />
and luxury handbags<br />
handcrafted in Portugal,<br />
stop by Luís Onofre’s<br />
flagship store on Avenida<br />
da Liberdade (aka Lisbon’s<br />
Champs-Élysées). Spread<br />
across two floors, you’ll<br />
find the latest women’s<br />
and men’s collections<br />
from Portugal’s<br />
premier shoe<br />
designer,<br />
whose celeb<br />
fans include<br />
Michelle<br />
Obama and<br />
Naomi Watts.<br />
luisonofre.com<br />
A Vida Portuguesa<br />
This old-style emporium<br />
(pictured) stocks<br />
Portuguese-made products<br />
from small independent<br />
brands, including<br />
stationery, toiletries and<br />
homewares (don’t miss the<br />
iconic Bordallo Pinheiro<br />
cabbage leaf ceramics).<br />
There are four locations<br />
in Lisbon, including the<br />
flagship store in a former<br />
perfume factory in Chiado.<br />
avidaportuguesa.com<br />
CULTURE FIX<br />
Hit hard by the global<br />
financial crisis, Lisbon is<br />
undergoing a creative<br />
renaissance with new<br />
cultural landmarks<br />
and vibrant street art.<br />
Start your gallery trawl<br />
in Belém at Museu<br />
Coleção Berardo<br />
(museuberardo.pt), the<br />
city’s most acclaimed<br />
contemporary art space.<br />
Housed in the minimalist<br />
Belém Cultural Centre,<br />
the gallery displays<br />
an impressive private<br />
collection of abstract,<br />
surrealist and pop art,<br />
from Picasso through to<br />
Warhol and Portugal's<br />
own Paula Rego.<br />
Continue along the<br />
riverfront to the Museum<br />
of Art, Architecture<br />
and Technology (maat.<br />
pt). Opened in 2016, this<br />
eye-catching cultural<br />
space is covered in<br />
15,000 white tiles and<br />
capped with a rooftop<br />
terrace. Inside, you’ll<br />
find contemporary<br />
works across four<br />
sunken galleries. Keep<br />
walking east to LX<br />
Factory (lxfactory.com),<br />
a cluster of once-derelict<br />
warehouses beneath<br />
the 25 April suspension<br />
bridge that is now Lisbon’s<br />
coolest creative district.<br />
Browse the colourful<br />
collection of art spaces,<br />
boutiques and cafés, then<br />
check out the street art<br />
murals that adorn the old<br />
factory walls. Jump on a<br />
tram heading downtown<br />
and visit the Museu do<br />
Design e da Moda (mude.<br />
pt), a wonderful fashion<br />
and design museum<br />
housed in former bank<br />
in Baixa. Celebrating the<br />
connection between<br />
modern design and<br />
contemporary<br />
fashion, explore the<br />
vast collection of<br />
contemporary furniture<br />
from iconic names such<br />
as Philippe Starck and<br />
vintage couture from the<br />
likes of Jean Paul Gaultier<br />
and Yves St Laurent.<br />
Finish up at the Jeanne<br />
Bucher Jaeger Gallery<br />
(jeannebucherjaeger.<br />
com) in nearby Chiado,<br />
the first international<br />
outpost of the Parisian<br />
gallery, which exhibits<br />
works by lesser-known<br />
contemporary artists<br />
such as André Bauchant<br />
and Michael Biberstein.<br />
street art and graffiti.<br />
SOUL MUSIC<br />
Known as the Portuguese blues, fado originated in<br />
the streets of Alfama in the 19th century. Mournful<br />
folk ballads feature a lone singer accompanied by<br />
a Portuguese 12-string guitar and overflow with<br />
the feeling of saudade – a yearning for something<br />
lost. Stop by the engaging Fado Museum<br />
(museudofado.pt) in Alfama to learn about the<br />
history of fado and listen to its most celebrated<br />
artists. Next, skip the touristy tavernas and catch<br />
a live performance at local favourite Tasca do<br />
Jaime, a tiny restaurant in Graça (get there early<br />
or book a table).<br />
62 worldtravellermagazine.com
LONG WEEKEND<br />
Opposite page, from top:<br />
Museu do Design e da Moda<br />
© Luísa Ferreira; A Vida<br />
Portuguesa; Fado Museum,<br />
photo courtesy of Visit Lisboa<br />
This page from top: The red<br />
rooftops of Miradouro das<br />
Portas do Sol, the gardens at<br />
Fronteira Palace<br />
INSPIRING VISTAS<br />
Lisbon’s many miradouros (viewpoints)<br />
offer picture-perfect views of the city<br />
MIRADOURO DAS PORTAS DO SOL The city’s most<br />
famous vantage point offers unbeatable views over<br />
Alfama’s red rooftops. Head here for sunset, stopping<br />
first at the Miradouro de Santa Luzia, just a minute’s<br />
walk away, to admire its historic azulejos.<br />
MIRADOURO DO RECOLHIMENTO Walk along the<br />
ramparts of the 11th-century St. George’s Castle for<br />
fabulous views of the city all the way to the Tagus.<br />
Then seek out the Miradouro do Recolhimento, an<br />
olive-shaded square within the castle walls, for more<br />
dreamy views minus the crowds.<br />
MIRADOURO DA SENHORA DO MONTE Take the<br />
rickety yellow Tram 28 to the Graça neighbourhood<br />
and then stroll to this lesser-known miradouro. It’s<br />
one of Lisbon’s highest lookouts, boasting panoramic<br />
views of St. George’s Castle and the Bairro Alto and<br />
Baixa districts.<br />
Words: Lara Brunt<br />
insider tips<br />
Filipa Valente,<br />
founder of Taste of<br />
Lisboa Food Tours<br />
(tasteoflisboa.<br />
com), shares<br />
her favourite<br />
hometown haunts:<br />
The famous Tram<br />
28 route finishes in the Campo de<br />
Ourique neighbourhood, but many<br />
tourists don't explore this relaxed<br />
residential neighbourhood. It’s full<br />
of trendy and traditional restaurants<br />
where locals hang out, as well as<br />
the Campo de Ourique Market<br />
(mercadodecampodeourique.pt) which<br />
is packed with gourmet food stalls.<br />
Don’t leave without tasting a pastel<br />
de nata (custard tart) at Manteigaria<br />
(facebook.com/manteigaria.oficial) in<br />
Chiado where you can watch the bakers<br />
at work. And definitely try our seafood<br />
– I love Ramiro (cervejariaramiro.pt) in<br />
Downtown and Nune's Real Marisqueira<br />
(nunesmarisqueira.pt) in Belém. Bring<br />
your appetite!<br />
AMAZING<br />
AZULEJOS<br />
Introduced to the<br />
Iberian Peninsula<br />
by the Moors in the<br />
Middle Ages, azulejos<br />
(handpainted tiles)<br />
adorn many palaces,<br />
buildings and metro<br />
stations around Lisbon.<br />
Explore 500 years<br />
of tile trends at the<br />
National Tile Museum<br />
(museudoazulejo.<br />
gov.pt), housed in<br />
a splendid 16thcentury<br />
convent, and<br />
join a guided tour<br />
of Fronteira Palace<br />
(fronteira-alorna.pt) in<br />
the Benfica area, known<br />
for its antique azulejos<br />
in both the palace and<br />
gardens. Check out the<br />
geometric-patterned<br />
tiles in the Parque and<br />
Restauradores metro<br />
stations, and stop by<br />
Sant’Anna (santanna.<br />
com.pt), Portugal’s<br />
oldest ceramic factory,<br />
to join a tile-painting<br />
workshop or buy some<br />
azulejos to ship home.<br />
worldtravellermagazine.com 63
WORLD TRAVELLER X DCT ABU DHABI<br />
3 WAYS TO EXPERIENCE ABU DHABI...<br />
Dreamy<br />
resort hotels<br />
Get washed up at these blissful island hideaways<br />
© Jumeirah at Saadiyat Island Resort<br />
1<br />
Jumeirah at Saadiyat<br />
Island Resort. Home to<br />
mangroves, dolphins<br />
and Hawksbill turtles, the<br />
castaway-style Saadiyat<br />
Island is brimming with<br />
nature. And if sustainability<br />
is top of mind, this new kid<br />
on the block (the property<br />
opened in November 2018),<br />
will win you over with its<br />
efforts to cut plastic usage.<br />
Overlooking the sparkling<br />
waters and protected sand<br />
dunes, it's an idyllic place to<br />
unwind, with three infinity<br />
pools to splash around in,<br />
sunrise yoga sessions and<br />
bicycles available so you can<br />
explore at your own pace.<br />
2<br />
Desert Islands Resort<br />
& Spa by Anantara.<br />
Fuel your adventurous<br />
side at Sir Bani Yas Island, a<br />
protected wildlife sanctuary<br />
located just off the coast<br />
of Abu Dhabi. Home to<br />
free-roaming animals,<br />
including the endangered<br />
Arabian oryx, its blend of<br />
wild luxury will make you<br />
feel far removed from the<br />
mainland. The resort itself<br />
is nestled on the north<br />
shore between a lagoon<br />
and the sea, with rooms and<br />
suites overlooking the Gulf.<br />
There are plenty of ways to<br />
discover the island's bounty,<br />
from family wildlife drives<br />
to exploring the ancient<br />
ruins and rock formations<br />
on horseback.<br />
3<br />
Zaya Nurai Island. This<br />
boutique island resort,<br />
just 10 minutes by<br />
boat from Saadiyat Island,<br />
has accommodation to suit<br />
all types of travellers, from<br />
the bijou one-bedroom<br />
Beach Villas to the familyfriendly<br />
six-bedroom Beach<br />
Estates, which each boast<br />
a private stretch of sand.<br />
Be pampered in an oceanview<br />
spa treatment room<br />
and take part in tai chi<br />
overlooking the gardens.<br />
Dining options stretch from<br />
modern Mexican to sushi,<br />
with private dining serving<br />
up the romance.<br />
64 worldtravellermagazine.com
One Destination<br />
ENDLESS FUN<br />
Enjoy an ideal staycation for the entire family and enjoy a world of luxury and<br />
comfort at any of our two beachfront hotels, JA Palm Tree Court or JA Beach<br />
Hotel conveniently located only 15 minutes away from Dubai. Relax by one of<br />
the 4 pools and on the 800m private beach or experience the thrill of over 30<br />
exciting activities such as horse riding, golf, water sports and many more.<br />
For bookings or more information, please call +971 4 814 5400<br />
or email reservations.ptc@jaresorts.com
WORLD TRAVELLER X JUMEIRAH MESSILAH BEACH HOTEL & SPA<br />
STAYCATION<br />
Jumeirah Messilah Beach Hotel & Spa<br />
A seaside idyll sitting pretty on Kuwait's glittering coast<br />
THE ROOMS<br />
At Jumeirah's crown jewel in Kuwait City,<br />
the living spaces deliver comfort and<br />
class – as one has come to expect from<br />
this trusted brand. Heritage is honoured<br />
alongside luxury in each of the 316 rooms<br />
and suites, 79 residential suites and 12<br />
private villas. Check into a 'home away<br />
from home' with a three-bedroom villa,<br />
or reside like royalty in a majestic Royal<br />
Suite (with its own butler, no less).<br />
THE FOOD<br />
Eight international restaurants please<br />
every palate, such as sumptuous cuts<br />
at Pepper Steakhouse and delectable<br />
Italian fare at Olio, to cultural recipes<br />
from Kuwati cuisine at Arabesque. In<br />
this month of love, the Romantic Stay<br />
Package ensures a daily three-course set<br />
dinner for two at the acclaimed seafood<br />
enclave Salt – with decorated cakes to<br />
further sweeten the occasion.<br />
THE ACTIVITIES<br />
Two main attractions are lauded in the<br />
hotel's very name – the beach, and the<br />
award-winning Talise spa. Located in<br />
seclusion on the shore of the Arabian Gulf,<br />
this hotel's two swimming pools, array of<br />
leisure pursuits and 200m of private sand<br />
will tempt you into the outdoors. The spa<br />
boasts 17 treatment rooms and a menu<br />
of wellness treats, including a must-try<br />
healing stint in the Himalayan Salt Room.<br />
To find out more, call +965 2226 9600 or visit jumeirah.com<br />
66 worldtravellermagazine.com
WORLD TRAVELLER X BAB AL SHAMS DESERT RESORT & SPA<br />
STAYCATION<br />
Bab Al Shams Desert Resort & Spa<br />
Let this rustic Arabian oasis charm its way into your travel plans<br />
ROOMS & SUITES<br />
Designed in harmony with the<br />
surroundings, you'll feel at one with<br />
the dunes inside these abodes – from<br />
the Superior Room with its desert or<br />
courtyard views, to the Deluxe Suite,<br />
which fits families of four and has a<br />
terrace with a seating area ideal for<br />
gazing at those golden sunsets. The<br />
Junior Suites are decorated with rare,<br />
handcrafted Arabian furnishings.<br />
THE FOOD<br />
Enjoy a traditional meal under a blanket<br />
of stars at the open-air Al Hadheerah<br />
restaurant, which recreates a One<br />
Thousand and One Nights style setting,<br />
for an evening of vibrant dining and<br />
entertainment. Plus, the whole family<br />
can indulge at The Garden Brunch,<br />
which takes place every Friday at Al<br />
Forsan restaurant, offering an extensive<br />
buffet and lots of kids' entertainment.<br />
THE ACTIVITIES<br />
Those with a feel for adventure can take<br />
a four-wheel-drive into the desert to<br />
watch the sun set while whizzing across<br />
the sands (60 mins for 6 people). You'll<br />
even get a close-up look at protected<br />
indigenous wildlife such as desert<br />
gazelle and Arabian oryx. Bring your<br />
heart rate back to normal at Satori Spa,<br />
which offers tip-to-toe pampering<br />
packages for men and women.<br />
To find out more, call +971 4 809 6100 or visit babalshams.com<br />
68 worldtravellermagazine.com
EXPERIENCE 1001 ARABIAN NIGHTS AT AL HADHEERAH<br />
Bab Al Shams Desert Resort & Spa presents Al Hadheerah, its spectacular desert<br />
entertainment and authentic food. Explore the sights, sounds and tastes<br />
of Arabia at an authentic desert venue amidst the rolling dunes.<br />
Feast under the stars, and enjoy a night of entertainment, live music, belly dancing,<br />
traditional instruments and exclusively on Thursday & Fridays<br />
a fireworks display will light the sky.<br />
BAB AL SHAMS DESERT RESORT & SPA<br />
Dubai,United Arab Emirates<br />
T:+971 4 809 6194, bas.restaurants@meydanhotels.com<br />
alhadheerah.com<br />
alhadheerah alhadheerah alhadheerah
WORLD TRAVELLER X DUKES DUBAI<br />
STAYCATION<br />
Dukes Dubai<br />
With its Palm Jumeirah address and distinct British character, Dukes Dubai reigns supreme<br />
THE ROOMS<br />
Offering the best of British hospitality<br />
in the UAE, Dukes Dubai has all the<br />
ingredients for a fun-filled holiday.<br />
Cosy up in a luxurious guestroom or<br />
stay for longer in a tastefully furnished<br />
hotel apartment – Arabian Gulf views<br />
included. This month’s Suite Moments<br />
Valentine’s Day package treats romantics<br />
to a dreamy set-up in a Dukes Deluxe<br />
Suite, and private dining on the beach.<br />
THE FOOD<br />
Tuck into hearty classics with a twist<br />
at Great British Restaurant (GBR) or<br />
taste a North Indian palette of flavours<br />
at Khyber. Just be sure to keep Friday<br />
afternoons free for the Dukesy Family<br />
Brunch, which takes place at West 14th<br />
Steakhouse from 1pm-4pm. Grab a seat al<br />
fresco and tuck into tasty food from the<br />
live cooking stations while the children<br />
get stuck into the self-serve buffet.<br />
THE ACTIVITIES<br />
Make the most of the private beach access<br />
and bask in the winter sun before taking<br />
a refreshing dip in the infinity pool and<br />
setting sail in a pool float along the lazy<br />
river for some wet and wild fun.<br />
Unwind with a yoga class by the indoor<br />
pool while the little ones run off steam<br />
at Dukesy Kids Club (for ages five to 12),<br />
which invites them to get creative with<br />
cooking classes, arts and crafts and more.<br />
To find out more, call +971 4 455 1111 or visit dukesdubai.com<br />
70 worldtravellermagazine.com
WORLD TRAVELLER X JW MARRIOTT MARQUIS DUBAI<br />
STAYCATION<br />
JW Marriott Marquis Dubai<br />
Rise to the top at the world's tallest five-star hotel<br />
ROOMS & SUITES<br />
This lofty hotel has ample space to<br />
welcome guests. Its 1,608 guestrooms<br />
and suites have luxurious finishings<br />
– think marble bathrooms with rain<br />
showers and oversized tubs – and<br />
views of the glittering skyline or Dubai<br />
Water Canal. Families can book a suite<br />
and spread out in two separate living<br />
and sleeping areas. Room service is<br />
available around the clock.<br />
THE FOOD<br />
There are 15 award-winning restaurants<br />
and bars at the property, each serving<br />
memorable meals. Fans of delicious<br />
steak will want to head straight to<br />
Prime68, while Positano is the place to<br />
feast on handmade pasta and pizza. For<br />
something a bit different, try Japanese<br />
restaurant Izakaya – the resident Wasabi<br />
Girl (she has green hair) will prepare<br />
fresh wasabi at your table.<br />
THE ACTIVITIES<br />
The hotel is close to many top<br />
attractions, but there are lots of perks<br />
that'll tempt you to linger for longer at<br />
the property. Take a dip in the sparkling<br />
outdoor swimming pool or, for a spot<br />
of pampering, head to Saray Spa, which<br />
is home to the UAE's only Dead Sea<br />
floatation pool. Try the Saray Golden<br />
Hammam, which includes a decadent<br />
skin massage using 24-karat gold.<br />
To find out more, call +971 4 414 3000 or visit jwmarriottmarquisdubailife.com<br />
72 worldtravellermagazine.com
Inspiration. Expertly crafted.<br />
Comprising two iconic towers, the JW Marriott Marquis Dubai is centrally located beside the<br />
Dubai Water Canal and offers a spectrum of facilities and services for a seamless experience.<br />
The hotel features: 1,608 Luxurious Guest Rooms and Suites, Over 15 Award-Winning Restaurants<br />
and Lounges, Saray Spa featuring Traditional Hammams, A Dead Sea Floatation Pool and<br />
17 Treatment Rooms, State-of-the-Art Health Club and Fitness facilities, 8,000 sqm of spectacular<br />
Meeting Spaces.<br />
JW Marriott® Marquis® Hotel Dubai<br />
jwmarriott.com/DXBJW<br />
Sheikh Zayed Road, Business Bay, PO Box 121000, Dubai, UAE | T +971.4.414.0000 | jwmarriottmarquisdubailife.com
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discount spa voucher.<br />
couples’ massage.<br />
romantic bed decoration.<br />
at the Banyan Tree Spa.<br />
Valid from: Now until<br />
Valid from: Now until<br />
Valid from: Now until<br />
Valid from: Now until<br />
30 April <strong>2019</strong>.<br />
30 April <strong>2019</strong>.<br />
30 April <strong>2019</strong>.<br />
30 April <strong>2019</strong>.<br />
74 worldtravellermagazine.com
DNATA TRAVEL OFFERS<br />
AROUND THE WORLD<br />
GEORGIA<br />
THE BILTMORE HOTEL, TBILISI<br />
3 nights starting from<br />
USD455 per person<br />
Includes: Stay 3 nights in a Deluxe<br />
Room with breakfast daily and<br />
return airport transfers.<br />
Offer: 10% discount on room rate.<br />
Valid from: Now until 30 April <strong>2019</strong>.<br />
BAHAMAS<br />
THE ROYAL AT ATLANTIS<br />
5 nights starting from<br />
USD1,000 per person<br />
Includes: Stay 5 nights in a<br />
Standard Room and return<br />
airport transfers.<br />
Valid from: Now until<br />
31 March <strong>2019</strong>.<br />
UNITED KINGDOM<br />
THE LANGHAM LONDON<br />
3 nights starting from<br />
USD745 per person<br />
Includes: Stay 3 nights in a Deluxe<br />
Room with breakfast daily and<br />
return airport transfers.<br />
Offer: 15% discount on room rate.<br />
Valid from: Now until 30 April <strong>2019</strong>.<br />
CZECH REPUBLIC<br />
ŠPINDLERŮV MLÝN SKI RESORT<br />
3 nights starting from<br />
USD505 per person<br />
Includes: Stay 3 nights at the 4*<br />
Clarion Hotel with breakfast daily and<br />
return airport transfers.<br />
Offer: 20% discount on room rate.<br />
Valid from: Now until 31 March <strong>2019</strong>.<br />
The Royal at Atlantis Paradise<br />
Island, Bahamas<br />
SEYCHELLES<br />
HILTON SEYCHELLES LABRIZ<br />
RESORT & SPA<br />
3 nights starting from<br />
USD1150 per person<br />
Includes: Stay 3 nights in a<br />
Sanctuary Pool Villa with breakfast<br />
daily, return airport transfers and<br />
return boat transfers.<br />
Offer: 25% discount on room rate.<br />
Valid from: Now until 30 April <strong>2019</strong>.<br />
The Datai, Langkawi<br />
Hilton Seychelles Labriz Resort & Spa<br />
FRANCE<br />
BALZAC HOTEL CHAMPS<br />
ELYSEES, PARIS<br />
3 nights starting from<br />
USD530 per person<br />
Includes: Stay 3 nights in a Superior<br />
Room with breakfast daily and return<br />
airport transfers.<br />
Offer: 15% discount on room rate.<br />
Valid from: Now until 30 April <strong>2019</strong>.<br />
The Biltmore Hotel, Tbilisi<br />
Westin Mauritius<br />
MAURITIUS<br />
WESTIN MAURITIUS<br />
4 nights starting from<br />
USD810 per person<br />
Includes: Stay 4 nights in a Deluxe<br />
Room with breakfast and dinner daily<br />
and return airport transfers.<br />
Offer: 55% discount on room rate.<br />
Valid from: Now until 30 April <strong>2019</strong>.<br />
The Langham London<br />
MALAYSIA<br />
THE DATAI, LANGKAWI<br />
3 nights starting from<br />
USD1110 per person<br />
Includes: Stay 3 nights in a Canopy<br />
Deluxe Room with breakfast daily and<br />
return airport transfers.<br />
Offer: 20% discount on room rate.<br />
Valid from: Now until 30 April <strong>2019</strong>.<br />
worldtravellermagazine.com 75
DNATA TRAVEL OFFERS<br />
WEEKEND ESCAPES<br />
UAE<br />
HYATT REGENCY DUBAI<br />
1 night starting from<br />
USD120 per person<br />
Special offer: 2 children<br />
under 12 years stay free,<br />
guaranteed sea view room.<br />
Includes: Stay in a King/<br />
Twin Room with breakfast and<br />
return airport transfers.<br />
Valid from: Now until<br />
30 April <strong>2019</strong>.<br />
TAJ HOTEL DUBAI<br />
1 night starting from<br />
USD167 per person<br />
Special offer: 30% discount<br />
on room rate, complimentary<br />
shuttle to The Dubai Mall.<br />
Includes: Stay in a Luxury<br />
Room with breakfast and<br />
return airport transfers.<br />
Valid from: Now until<br />
30 April <strong>2019</strong>.<br />
ATLANTIS, THE PALM<br />
1 night starting from<br />
USD345 per person<br />
Special offer: 40% discount<br />
on room rate, complimentary<br />
upgrade to Platinum Half Board.<br />
Includes: Stay in an Ocean King<br />
Room with breakfast and dinner,<br />
and return airport transfers.<br />
Valid from: Now until 4 April <strong>2019</strong>.<br />
AL RAHA BEACH<br />
HOTEL, ABU DHABI<br />
1 night starting from<br />
USD110 per person<br />
Special offer: 1 child under<br />
12 years stays free.<br />
Includes: Stay in a Superior<br />
Room with breakfast and<br />
return airport transfers.<br />
Valid from: Now until<br />
28 <strong>February</strong> <strong>2019</strong>.<br />
YAS HOTEL, ABU DHABI<br />
1 night starting from<br />
USD190 per person<br />
Special offer: Complimentary<br />
general admission to Ferrari<br />
<strong>World</strong> Abu Dhabi, Yas Waterworld,<br />
or Warner Bros. <strong>World</strong> Abu Dhabi<br />
– one park per one-night stay.<br />
Includes: Stay in a Marina<br />
Room with breakfast and<br />
return airport transfers.<br />
Valid from: Now until<br />
30 April <strong>2019</strong>.<br />
BAHRAIN<br />
FOUR SEASONS BAHRAIN BAY<br />
3 nights starting from<br />
USD715 per person<br />
Special offer: Complimentary<br />
third night with every two<br />
consecutive paid nights in a suite,<br />
10% spa discount, complimentary<br />
return water taxi for 2 adults<br />
and 2 children per night.<br />
Includes: Stay in an Executive<br />
Suite with breakfast and<br />
return airport transfers.<br />
Valid from: Now until<br />
28 <strong>February</strong> <strong>2019</strong>.<br />
OMAN<br />
GRAND MILLENNIUM MUSCAT<br />
2 nights starting from<br />
USD280 per person<br />
Special offer: Special rate.<br />
Includes: Stay in a Classic<br />
Room with breakfast and<br />
return airport transfers.<br />
Valid from: Now until<br />
30 April <strong>2019</strong>.<br />
JORDAN<br />
THE BOULEVARD<br />
ARJAAN BY ROTANA<br />
3 nights starting from<br />
USD 275 per person<br />
Special offer: Complimentary<br />
room upgrade from Classic<br />
to Premium Studio.<br />
Includes: Stay in a Premium<br />
Studio with breakfast and<br />
return airport transfers.<br />
Stay validity: Now<br />
until 30 April <strong>2019</strong>.<br />
Taj Hotel Dubai<br />
Hyatt Regency Dubai<br />
Atlantis, The Palm<br />
Yas Hotel, Abu Dhabi<br />
How to book<br />
By calling dnata on<br />
+971 4 316 6666<br />
By stepping into a dnata outlet<br />
or by visiting dnatatravel.com<br />
On the website you can also sign up to the dnata<br />
newsletter and receive more offers direct to your<br />
inbox. T&Cs apply.<br />
76 worldtravellermagazine.com
THROUGH<br />
THE LENS<br />
Sandbank at<br />
Fushifaru, Maldives<br />
"As soon as our speedboat<br />
pulled up to this sandbank in<br />
the Maldives, I knew I wanted<br />
a drone shot of myself by the<br />
water. My companion asked<br />
how, as a modestly dressed<br />
woman wearing a hijab, I'd pull<br />
it off. Her scepticism made me<br />
even more determined and this<br />
was the result. I never look at<br />
wearing the hijab or dressing<br />
modestly as something of an<br />
obstacle. It’s such a natural<br />
and integral part of my life,<br />
like a limb – I need it but it<br />
doesn’t define me. In fact, it’s<br />
empowering to be recognised<br />
for your inner self rather than<br />
appearance. It never stopped me<br />
from doing what I love."<br />
Dubai-based travel and food<br />
blogger, Sukaina Rajabali,<br />
loves to travel to "eat new<br />
food, meet new people and<br />
discover different cultures".<br />
@sukainarajabali;<br />
sukainarajabali.com<br />
EMAIL US YOUR BEST<br />
TRAVEL PHOTOS<br />
in high-res jpeg format, along<br />
with the stories behind them to<br />
habiba@hotmediapublishing.<br />
com and you may end up<br />
being featured on this page<br />
78 worldtravellermagazine.com
DIGITAL<br />
Now win!<br />
BE OUR TRAVEL<br />
COMPANION<br />
Stay up-to-date with all that’s<br />
happening on our social channels<br />
and join in the conversation by<br />
sharing your experiences. Here’s<br />
where you can find us…<br />
@dnataworldtraveller<br />
Double tap our dreamy<br />
destination shots and tag<br />
us in your images for a chance to<br />
feature on our wall.<br />
@worldtravellermagazine<br />
Stay up to date with travel<br />
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Make the most of your<br />
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#dnataworldtraveller<br />
A 3-night stay at<br />
AVANI+ Samui<br />
Chill on a tropical island escape at this leading resort in<br />
Koh Samui, Thailand, where you can watch the sun set from<br />
your balcony, unwind with a blissful spa treatment and taste<br />
contemporary local food on the beachfront. Kayaking in the<br />
nearby mangroves, and cruising the back streets on a bicycle are<br />
just some of the ways to explore. The prize includes three nights'<br />
accommodation in a deluxe room with breakfast for two.<br />
Terms & conditions apply. Visit worldtravellermagazine.com/win<br />
THE HOT LIST<br />
Let our travel news and round-ups, available exclusively on our digital channels,<br />
inspire your next trip…<br />
1A glimpse of<br />
Jumeirah Mina<br />
A'Salam. Check<br />
out our video, which<br />
highlights familyfriendly<br />
must-dos.<br />
2Rides to brave<br />
at Wild Wadi<br />
Waterpark.<br />
Would you hurl<br />
yourself down our five<br />
top rides and slides?<br />
3Bucket list<br />
trips. Our<br />
countdown of<br />
100 must-have travel<br />
experiences is still<br />
going strong.<br />
worldtravellermagazine.com 79
XXXXXXXXXXXXX<br />
Suite dreams<br />
Our monthly finish with a flourish, delving into a<br />
suite that has a character and style all of its own<br />
Luxury Studio Suite<br />
The Bloomsbury, London<br />
Were we to issue an award for London's bestdressed<br />
hotel room, The Bloomsbury would<br />
claim the honour with ease. In what is itself a<br />
beautiful and historic red-brick building (one<br />
modelled on Queen Mary's doll house), Michaelis<br />
Boyd's (Soho House Group) vintage-style<br />
upholstery complements statement wallpaper<br />
and parquet floors in a suite that could very well<br />
define 'homely'. And if you think this is stylish,<br />
wait until you see the restaurant and lounges...<br />
80 worldtravellermagazine.com
Ronald Codrai © Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi<br />
رونالد كودراي © دائرة الثقافة والسياحة - أبوظبي<br />
DISCOVER<br />
THE STORIES<br />
OF OUR NATION’S<br />
PROUD PAST.<br />
ABU DHABI’S<br />
LEGACY AND HISTORY.<br />
Qasr Al Hosn is the oldest and most significant building<br />
in Abu Dhabi. It includes the city’s first permanent<br />
structure, a coral and sea stone watch tower built to<br />
protect the settlement of Abu Dhabi established on the<br />
island in the 1760s. Qasr Al Hosn became home to the<br />
ruling family, a seat of government, and it now stands as<br />
our nation’s living monument, telling the story of<br />
Abu Dhabi and its people.<br />
Book your experience at qasralhosn.ae
Inspiration. Expertly crafted.<br />
Comprising two iconic towers, the JW Marriott Marquis Dubai, the world’s tallest 5-star hotel,<br />
is centrally located beside the Dubai Water Canal and offers a spectrum of facilities and services for<br />
a seamless experience. The hotel features: 1,608 luxurious guest rooms and suites,<br />
over 15 award-winning restaurants and lounges, Saray Spa featuring traditional hammams,<br />
a Dead Sea Floatation Pool and 17 treatment rooms, state-of-the-art health club and fitness facilities,<br />
as well as 8,000 sqm of spectacular meeting spaces.<br />
JW Marriott® Marquis® Hotel Dubai<br />
jwmarriott.com/DXBJW<br />
Sheikh Zayed Road, Business Bay, PO Box 121000, Dubai, UAE | T +971.4.414.0000 | jwmarriottmarquisdubailife.com