Art: major facelift for iconic Paris museum
12 February 2025
Dining – Fangst restaurant at Hattvika Lodge
14 February 2025Expect the Unexpected
The world is opening up to the discerning traveller, with five-star offerings putting in an appearance in hitherto unheralded corners
A few years ago, if you’d suggested Myanmar might feature on the cover of one of the UK’s most prestigious travel publications you might have been the recipient of some odd looks. A couple of months back, though, there it was – ushered in as a place to go before your pals got there first.
West Papua, Indonesia
Alila Purnama is a luxury phinisi (a type of sailing boat traditional to the area) owned by the Alila Hotel and Resorts group. Among the boat’s destinations is the Raja Ampat region of West Papua province. The name means ‘four kings’, in this case referring to the islands of Salawati, Batanta, Waiego and Misool.
The ship allows guests to visit dive sites that are rich in coral and many other aquatic species. Those of an adventurous disposition can focus on kayaking, surfing or deep-sea fishing while those with an anthropological bent can enjoy a visit to tribes whose way of life has changed little in centuries.
Alila Purnama can accommodate up to 10 guests and has a crew of 16. The 46-metre-long ship consists of three decks and four suites.
Raja Ampat expeditions are available this season until 28 February 2014. Private charters (full-ship chartering) may be tailored to guests’ preferred itineraries and sailing duration.
alilahotels.com/purnama
Goroka, Papua New Guinea
Luxury yacht charter company Edmiston includes several far-flung destinations on its list of options.
Among more mainstream alternatives such as a cruise around Capri’s Blue Grotto – beloved of the Roman Emperor Tiberius – with plenty of opportunities for cave diving, the firm has some temptingly exotic alternatives.
Intrepid nature lovers, for example, might be tempted by a whale-watching cruise around Tahiti, while daredevils might like the idea of combining luxury cruising with airboarding off the coast of Croatia.
It’s possible, though, that even this prospect is topped by a recent trip that took a group to see the annual gathering of the tribes in Goroka, Papua New Guinea.
The yacht Edmiston used for that trip was the 79-metre TV, with a master suite that occupies the entire top deck, a 20m waterslide, pool and swim-up bar.
edmiston.comThose of an adventurous disposition can focus on kayaking, surfing or deep-sea fishing
Chindwin River, Myanmar
Orient-Express Hotels’ river cruiser Orcaella recently completed its inaugural cruise along the Chindwin River in Myanmar.
Gary Franklin, managing director, Orient-Express Trains & Cruises, says: ‘The company has been operating river cruises in Myanmar for the past 18 years and offering hotel accommodation at the Governor’s Residence, a 48-key colonial-style hotel in Yangon.
‘We’ve seen a dramatic increase in demand for river cruises in Myanmar and feel this is the right time to increase the diversity of experiences we can offer our guests. Orcaella will complement the river cruising itineraries offered on board our boat Road To Mandalay as well as introduce new journeys.’
Orcaella provides seven- and 11-night cruise itineraries departing from Mandalay, Yangon and Bagan. All its itineraries can be combined with stays in Yangon, Inle Lake or Ngapali on the Indian Ocean.
Named after the dolphins that live in Burmese rivers, Orcaella was built by craftsman in Yangon. Its interiors, designed by François Greck, a French architect based in South East-Asia, reflect local artistic traditions and raw materials.
Prices start from £3,270 per person for a seven-night cruise. Road To Mandalay and Orcaella are both available for private charter and can be chartered in tandem, making a total occupancy of 132 guests.
orcaella.netBagan, Myanmar
In the same country, albeit on dry land, is Bagan Lodge, an 85-room boutique hotel that opened in August, close to the ancient Bagan archaeological site that comprises more than 2,000 historic temples and associated buildings.
Inside and out the hotel uses elements of traditional Burmese design, colonial-era inspiration and contemporary décor. Also on offer are an open-air restaurant, entitled Tiffin Box, as well as a spa with eight private treatment rooms, and a 20m by 9m swimming pool.
Shane McKirdy, the resort’s general manager, says: ‘Of all of the country’s many cultural attractions, Bagan stands out as the ultimate Myanmar experience. This was and is a place so fantastic, it exudes an almost mythical appeal.’
bagan-lodge.com‘Bagan stands out as the ultimate Myanmar experience. This was and is a place so fantastic, it exudes an almost mythical appeal.’
Sea of Okhotsk, Russian Far East
Luxury cruise specialist Silversea’s eighth ship, the 128-guest Silver Discoverer, joins its fleet in March 2014. She can accommodate up to 128 guests and facilities onboard include 12 Zodiacs and a glass-bottom boat for nature spotting; a swimming pool; a gym and beauty salon; a restaurant and pool grill; a lecture room for in-depth briefings about the destinations and a panoramic lounge in which to relax.
In June 2014 the boat is due to spend 19 days exploring the Sea of Okhotsk, a place whose selection of wildlife includes brown bears, seals and sea lions in addition to millions of seabirds. Even whales, including the rare western grey whale, have begun to return to these waters.
From Sakhalin and the western Kamchatka Peninsula to the Kuril Islands, this voyage explores the remote region where nature has to be seen to be believed and travellers have only begun to set foot.
Highlights included cruising by Zodiac to search for bears, arctic foxes, sea otters, seals, whales and sea eagles; photographing smoking, snow-capped volcanoes; exploring salmon-filled rivers as they flow through taiga forests and following in the wake of 17th-century Dutch explorer Vitus Bering, the founder of the nearby town of Petropavlovsk, The trip begins and ends in Otaru, Hokkaido, Japan.
silversea.comVinh Hy Bay, Vietnam
In September Aman resorts opened its debut hotel in Vietnam. The Amano’i resort overlooks the tempting beach of Vinh Hy Bay, northeast of Ho Chi Minh City, on the coast of one of Vietnam’s largest conservation sites – the Nu Chua National Park.
The property has 31 guest pavilions (a number with private swimming pools), and five Aman villas (with free-standing bedroom pavilions, dining and living areas, private pool, plus live-in housekeeper and cook) all positioned on the hillside with impressive views.
The hotel includes a cliff-side central building that houses a restaurant, bar, swimming pool and terrace with great views of the surrounding countryside.
Down by the sea, the Beach Club offers lounging and dining areas and all the kit to go snorkelling or kayaking. Nearby, there is also a state-of-the-art gym, a lakeside yoga pavilion, two outdoor tennis courts, plus a number of walking, running and trekking routes around the property.
amanresorts.comWords: Staff
