Innehållsförteckning för March/May 2021 från DestinAsian

PARIS When museums finally reopen in Paris, art buffs can look forward to more than a refurbished Louvre, which has been undergoing renovations since lockdown measures closed its doors in October. Just a five-minute walk from the onetime royal palace is the new Bourse de Commerce – Pinault Collection (boursedecommerce.fr), the latest project by French luxury-goods magnate François Pinault. A sister to Pinault’s two private museums in Venice, it inhabits the Bourse de Commerce, a circular 19th-century commodities exchange topped by an iron-and-glass dome. The landmark building has been over-hauled to the tune of US$170 million with a restoration led by Pritzker Prize–winning architect Tadao Ando, who has transformed it into a multiuse art venue with a 284-seat auditorium, a black-box theater, and 6,800 square meters of modular exhibition space.…

This 80-key all-villa private pool sanctuary — tucked away in the postcard-perfect Baa Atoll, a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve — is a must for travelers seeking out the utmost in barefoot luxury. Either poised over the water with sweeping ocean views or nestled along a pristine stretch of private beach, each hideaway boasts large infinity-edge pools, dining pavilions, expansive wooden sundecks and ample lounging areas complete with swinging daybeds, hammocks and sun loungers. Setting a new precedent in naturally inspired design and luxurious living, Anantara Kihavah is home to one of the newest collections of the largest private pool residences in the world. Consisting of two units of Two-Bedroom Over Water Pool Residences, and five units of Two-, Three- and Four-Bedroom Beach Pool Residences, this exclusive collection is the pinnacle of…

15.4958° S, 144.1648° E. Tap these coordinates into your GPS and you’ll eventually arrive in the tiny riverside settlement of Laura, some 200 kilometers northwest of Cairns on Queensland’s Cape York Peninsula. Just one road leads north from here, and it takes you as far as you can travel on land toward the tip of Australia. Laura is a town in the most basic sense of the word: there’s a pub with a few rooms, a post office, a roadhouse selling general supplies and fuel. That’s about it. But this unassuming, cloyingly humid outpost is the gateway to something remarkable — the world’s largest collection of prehistoric rock art. One day five years ago, Johnny Murison was out on a “boys’ trip” with his cousin: camping, hunting, and fishing in…

Andaz arrives in Bali April sees the debut of the first Andaz resort in Indonesia, the 149-room Andaz Bali. Situated on the beachfront in Sanur, the property is designed to evoke a traditional Balinese village, with Bangkok-based architect Martin Palleros interweaving such traditional elements as red brick and woven bamboo with contemporary touches. A “village square” doubles as a communal space where guests can mingle with local creative thinkers, while the marble-floored rooms, suites, and villas — with interiors by SPIN Design Tokyo — are spread in low-rise clusters with a hidden courtyard and ponds. Handpicked artworks throughout represent a combination of local and international artists like Wayan Witana, Davina Stephens, and Kawamura Kohey. Guests can also look forward to five dining venues (including a beachside seafood restaurant where the…

TOKYO Home to the Tokyo Stock Exchange, Kabutocho once drew comparisons to New York’s Wall Street: a financial hub packed with bankers, brokers, securities traders and the restaurants and bars they frequented. But after Japan’s economic bubble burst in the early 1990s and the exchange subsequently closed its sprawling trading floor in favor of all-electronic trading, the area quickly lost its luster. Flash forward to today, however, and Kabutocho is back, thanks to revitalization efforts that have ushered in a new wave of businesses and earned it a spot on Time Out’s 2020 list of the world’s coolest neighborhoods. At the heart of the ongoing transformation is K5 (k5-tokyo.com), a “micro-complex” that opened last February in a converted neoclassical bank building dating to 1923. Located behind the stock exchange, the…

ITALY Enticing visitors to explore beyond Italy’s well-trodden destinations, I Borghi più belli d’Italia (borghipiubelliditalia.it), an association that promotes small Italian towns and villages of historical and cultural interest, has recently added six more communities to its 300-plus-strong network. For an authentic, traditional slice of the bel paese, look no further. The northernmost addition to the line-up is Montechiarugolo, in the Apennine foothills of Emilia-Romagna. Surrounded by farms and fields, the municipality is distinguished by an imposing 15th-century castle that now serves as a museum. Other highlights include the nearby spa complex of Terme Monticelli and Parmesan culinary classics like tortelli d’erbetta: squares of pasta stuffed with ricotta, eggs, nutmeg, and spinach. In Umbria, Monteleone d’Orvieto owes its listing to a medieval town center that gives “the impression that time…

Located in the heart of Sanur, Andaz Bali will be the first Andaz property in Indonesia when it opens in April. A modern interpretation of a traditional Balinese village, the beachfront resort reflects the best of local craftsmanship and embodies the spirit of the seaside town it calls home. Guests can look forward to 149 spacious rooms and suites, some with direct lagoon pool access, as well as garden and beach villas. On the food front, Andaz Bali will offer an elevated version of local dining, with seaside meals at the Fisherman’s Club and a culinary hub called Village Square where four restaurants dish up Asian, international, grill, and deli fare. Three swimming pools and treatments at the Shankha Spa provide ample opportunity for relaxation. The prize is for three…

I had gotten it in my head to travel to Tibet because it was a mysterious place, hard to get into because of political reasons. Tibet was a dream destination even though I didn’t know what the dream was, to begin with. I wanted to go because it was a forbidden, religious place. Three other Filipinos were joining me: Medal, Box, and Prof. They latched on to my enthusiasm, which was all there was, as I did not know how to get there. We knew no one and could not afford a guided tour. On the map, our journey began from easternmost China to the middle of the Middle Kingdom to its remotest region in the west, crossing the country from one end to the other. We would do the…

The much-anticipated debut property of Capella Hotel Group’s progressive Patina brand is set to open this spring in the Maldives’ North Male Atoll, bringing new levels of sophistication and sustainability to the Indian Ocean archipelago. Designed by renowned Brazilian architect Marcio Kogan, Patina Maldives, Fari Islands, offers 90 contemporary one- to three-bedroom Beach and Water Pool Villas, alongside 20 Fari Studios, all of which embody a harmony of sanctuary and stimulation. Apart from sophisticated accommodations, guests can look forward to tailor-made wellness journeys, interactive music programs, and captivating culinary and art experiences. Socially and environmentally conscious travelers will applaud Patina Maldives’ commitment to sustainability. From addressing waste in its supply chain and boosting the health of its guests, neighbors, and local environment to ensuring energy-positive operations — including becoming the…

With 2021 designated the European Year of Rail, it’s fitting that the months ahead will see Belmond’s Venice Simplon-Orient-Express (belmond.com) expand its route network in Europe. From late May through July, new boarding points for the legendary train service will include Rome, Florence, Geneva, Brussels, and Amsterdam, with dates and departure options detailed on the company’s website. On May 26 and July 14, for example, passengers can board the train in Rome for an overnight journey to Paris via Italy’s Lake District and the mountains of Switzerland; alternatively, guests can opt to start the trip in Florence after spending a night in either of Belmond’s two Tuscan hotels (Villa San Michele or Castello di Casole) with two-night packages starting at about US$2,800 per person. The Venice Simplon-Orient-Express is also debuting…

Whether you’re craving a wellness-centric getaway, an indulgent family vacation, or a romantic escape with your significant other, the sunny Maldives ticks all the boxes for an unforgettable post-lockdown break. These days, it’s one of the few countries in the Asia-Pacific region now welcoming leisure travelers of all nationalities with open arms, offering an example of how destinations can safely reopen their borders with pre-departure testing requirements and other health guidelines in place. Here are 20 notable private-island resorts to consider for a summer or year-end vacation as the regional and global situation improves. Read about selected properties at destinasian.com/honors-circle…

Families and romance-seekers alike will appreciate InterContinental’s first property in the Maldives, which opened in 2019 at the southern fringes of the Raa Atoll. Not only is the private-island setting sublime, but guests can be assured of the utmost in indulgent service — each of the 81 villas and residences come with the services of an Island Curator, along with complimentary Club InterContinental benefits including daily breakfast, afternoon tea, and evening aperitifs. Designed with families in mind, the resort’s two- and three-bedroom Residences offer luxury pleasure in a secluded slice of paradise and ample space for all. Exuding discreet luxury, these spacious abodes come with indoor and outdoor living and dining spaces as well as an infinity pool. Alternatively, the two-story Two Bedroom Family Lagoon Villas are ideal for couples…

LOOK AT IT!” A CZECH PASSENGER REMARKED AT 4:05 a.m. as I stumbled into the glass-domed observation lounge of Quark Expeditions’ polar expedition ship World Explorer. His eyes were alive above a smile as wide as a child’s on Christmas morning. Mine too, no doubt. Because after four days of cruising around the sweeping arc of the Antarctic Peninsula, our ship had at last encountered pack ice — great ghostly slabs so tightly crammed together that you could feasibly, albeit foolishly, strap on a pair of crampons and walk all the way to shore. We all have our own idealized, hoped-for images of Antarctica. This was mine. Penguins? There’s a colony back home in Sydney Harbour. Icebergs? They can drift for hundreds of miles into commercial shipping lanes. But pack…