The Ultimate Trip

Published: 12:00am, 9 Jul 2002

Ward Platt, Managing director of the National Geographic Channel

To sightsee:

Turkey

My wife and I went to Turkey for our honeymoon and would love to go back. It's gorgeous: you have the mix of Asia, the Middle East, the Mediterranean and Europe all coming together. In Istanbul, we stayed at the Four Seasons Hotel (tel: [90] 212 638 8200; www.fourseasons.com/istanbul) in the old part of the city near the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia - landmarks of the city. The River Bosporus flows through the middle of the city and splits it into Europe and Asia. You can go on a boat cruise down the river, then stop off at the little villages along the way to eat seafood and drink raki (anise-based alcohol similar to ouzo). The southwest coast of Turkey is also beautiful. Cappadocia is a surreal place with natural sandstone formations shaped over the years by wind and water.

To shop:

India

India is a good place to pick up things that are difficult to find in Hong Kong. The prices are very good if you have time and are tolerant with the process of haggling. My wife and I buy linen, sheets, bedspreads, kitchenware - generally things for the house. You can have suits made and I also buy casual clothes. In Delhi, there's a place called Central Cottage Industries Emporium where goods from all over India are showcased. You won't get ripped off and the quality is good because it's government-run (144 Mahatma Gandhi Road, Bangalore. Tel: [91] 11 558 4083). For more upmarket things, such as designer clothes, go to Santushti, an area with lots of boutiques in a single complex (Chanakyapuri district).

To relax:

Bali

From Hong Kong, Bali is a convenient place to go and relax. Although there are 25 or so five-star hotels, the majority of the island has still maintained its natural beauty. You can choose between being down by the water in various coastal areas or up in the hills with cooler climates. When I'm in Hong Kong I'm pretty active - we go hiking, biking, swimming, water skiing. On holiday, we tend to be more relaxed and sit in the shade and read, listen to the sounds of what's going on, have a massage.

We've stayed in different hotels in Bali but we particularly liked the Four Seasons Resort Bali in Jimbaran Bay, although I shouldn't be plugging the same chain. It's built on the water and the private bungalows are terraced in such a way that no matter which room you stay in, you have a view of the ocean. If you go in July or August there is a breeze kicking across so it's cool (tel: [62] 361 701 010; www.fourseasons.com/jimbaranbay).

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