> Features
Queensland Calling
Australia’s northeast coast is THE only place on the planet where two World Heritage Sites—the lush rain forests of the Daintree region and the Great Barrier Reef—meet, giving travelers the best of both worlds
The Floating World of The Tonle Sap
Lifeblood of the ancient Khmer empire, Cambodia’s Great Lake has for centuries nourished rice fields, wetlands, and a unique way of life. But can this fragile ecosystem survive the environmental pressures of the modern age?
Buried Treasure
The South Korean city of Gyeongju continues to serve as the historical showcase of a country enthralled with the modern, despite the best efforts of developers and politicians to update it. And while this former imperial capital may not be as immediately beguiling as, say, Kyoto, it offers countless pleasures of its own; You just have to know where to look
The Land of Slowly-Slowly
Virtually off-limits to foreign travelers a decade ago, Assam remains one of India’s best-kept secrets, offering an unforgettable combination of tea plantations, elephant safaris, and a laid-back pace of life
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Tokyo will become the fourth city in the world to welcome the Airbus A380 when Singapore Airlines (singaporeair.com) starts its daily services to the Japanese capital on May 20. The inaugural 471-passenger flight to Tokyo will arrive at Narita Airport to coincide with the hub’s 30th-anniversary celebrations.
Lodgings Update
The 41-room U Chiang Mai (66-2/684-1616; uhotelsresorts.com; doubles from US$108) is a cozy haven in the heart of Thailand’s second city. Guest rooms feature rich interiors and private balconies with daybeds. The hotel’s “no-menu” policy makes for homely dining in a bistro-style setting, while massages can be enjoyed amid the surrounds of a former governor’s residence.
Food
Just Say Cheese
Adding flavor—and aroma—to the Thai capital’s dining scene is the Millennium Hilton Bangkok’s newly opened Cheese Room (123 Charoennakorn Rd.; 66-2/442-2000; hilton.com), the first of its kind in the kingdom.
Rail Tour
Right on Track
Karnataka’s answer to northern India’s Palace on Wheels, the Golden Chariot (91-11/2334-8016; thegolden chariot.co.in; tours from US$1,770 per person, full board) offers seven-night train journeys—departing from Bangalore or Goa—that take in such magnificent heritage sites as the ruins at Hampi, the sandstone cave temples at Badami, and the temple complexes at Belur and Halebidu.
Update
Sound Idea
Two Asian hotels have introduced iPod tours of their in-house artworks. Guests at the Ritz-Carlton, Millenia Singapore (ritzcarlton.com) can download a 28-minute podcast for a self-guided exploration of the property’s modern art collection, giving them yet another reason to linger in front of big-name pieces by Frank Stella, David Hockney, and Henry Moore.
Resort
Hide and Seek
How’s this for a novel shuttle service? Visitors who can’t get enough of Bali’s resident pachyderms can set up base at the newly opened lodge at the Elephant Safari Park (62-361/721-480; elephantsafariparklodge.com; doubles from US$270), a 3.5-hectare property in the village of Taro, north of Ubud.
Shopping
House Call
Hong Kong is one step closer to cementing its place among the world’s style meccas with the opening of the Louis Vuitton Canton Road Maison (5 Canton Rd., Tsimshatsui; 852/2736-007; louisvuitton.com), the French brand’s largest flagship store outside Paris.
Hot Spot
Social Climber
Bonnie Gokson, the socialite’s socialite, has collaborated with New York–based Calvin Tsao to create Hong Kong’s most ambitious restaurant and bar in 2008, Sevva (25/F, Princes Bldg., 10 Chater Rd., Central; 852/2537-1388). Bonnie Gokson, the socialite’s socialite, has collaborated with New York–based Calvin Tsao to create Hong Kong’s most ambitious restaurant and bar in 2008, Sevva (25/F, Princes Bldg., 10 Chater Rd., Central; 852/2537-1388).
Style
Trunk Call
Shoe guru Manolo Blahnik has done wonderful things with the d’Orsay pump, but his latest take on the classic style—finished in leopard-print pony leather with brown patent trim—allows you to strut your stuff for a good cause: the Thai-based Golden Triangle Asian Elephant Foundation (helpingelephants.org).
Turkish Delight
Almost a decade after the first W hotel opened in New York City, the style-savvy brand has set down roots in Turkey. The W Istanbul (22 Suleyman Seba Caddesi; 90-212/381-2121; starwoodhotels.com; doubles from US$738) takes its design cues from the recently restored 19th-century Akaretler Row Houses, of which it is now the centerpiece.
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 Indonesia
> Through June 30, the Kayumanis Jimbaran (62-361/ 770-777; kayumanis.com) is offering a 30-percent discount on stays at its one-bedroom pool villas;
Indonesia
> Guests at The Legian, Bali (62-361/730-622; ghmhotels.com) will enjoy 30 percent off room rates until June 20, in addition to such benefits as a bottle of champagne and canapés upon arrival.
China
> Until July 15, China World Hotel, Beijing (86-10/6505-8885; shangri-la.com) is inviting DestinAsian readers to visit China’s capital with its “Beijing Indulgence” package.
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