Over the next two weeks we highlight the best tips that have been published over the past year. Thanks to everyone who took the time to write in. Bali Pamper yourself while making a contribution to society at the Spa Hati, a wing of the non-profit Bali Hati organisation. The spa fees (which average HK$100) fund higher education and employment projects for young Indonesians. Be sure to book in advance and check out the nirvanic double massage: two masseurs caressing you at the same time with precisely choreographed strokes (Jalan Raya Andong 14, Ubud. Tel: [62 361] 977578). Bangkok The lunch buffet at Sala Rim Naam in The Oriental hotel is the best buffet I've had in my life. To get there, take the boat from the main hotel across the Chao Praya River. Once you've arrived, a personal waiter introduces every dish. Service, setting and food are all excellent. Make sure you book in advance (620 baht [HK$112]; 48 Oriental Avenue, 10500. Tel: [662] 659 9000; www.mandarinoriental.com ). Barcelona My most memorable night in Barcelona started off by sipping red wine on the roof terrace of La Pedrera (Casa Mila). During the hot summer months from mid-June to September, the top of architect Antonio Gaudi's organic, marine-inspired building is open on weekend evenings for drinks and jazz. Bookings are highly recommended for evening tickets (Passeig de Gracia, 92, Provenca 261-265. Tel: [34 93] 484 5995; www.casamila.com ). Beaches The most beautiful beach I have ever been to is Pansea Beach in Phuket, Thailand, which is quiet and secluded with clean and safe shallow waters. I visited in July during the rainy season when the resorts were quiet and cheaper and we had only a few brief showers. There are only two places to stay, the Chedi (tel: [66 76] 324017; www.phuket.com/chedi ) and Amanpuri (tel: [65] 6887 3337; www.amanresorts.com ) and both have exclusive access to this private beach and are nestled in lush green gardens. Beijing For a romantic meal, book a candle-lit table in the open courtyard of the Red Capital Club. Located down a narrow hutong, the beautifully restored house is filled with antique furniture and Mao-style memorabilia. Peruse the highly poetic menu over a drink in the cosy library (66 Dongsi Liutiao, Dongcheng. Tel: [86 10] 6402 7150 or [86 10] 8401 8886). Chiang Mai The Four Seasons Regent Chiang Mai Resort is one of the best hotels in Thailand. It has a decadent spa and, of course, this luxury comes at a price. However, its best-kept secret has to be the Lana Thai Villa, a private residence within the hotel which is operated independently as a bed and breakfast. It charges about half the hotel rates (from US$135 a room), but offers access to exactly the same amenities (The Regent Residence 7, Villa 3, Mae Rim-Samoeng Old Road, Mae Rim, Chiang Mai 50180. Tel: [66 53] 861075; www.lana-thai-villa.com , www.fourseasons.com ). Chiang Mai Hire a car and driver for between 500 and 1,000 baht a day plus petrol and spend a day visiting the Sankampaeng District, a 10km stretch of road lined with factory outlets selling ceramics, silk, wood carvings, parasols, silverware, lacquerware and sa (mulberry) paper products. Good deals on ceramic dinner settings can be found at Baan Celadon (7 Moo 3, Chiang Mai Sankampaeng Road, Chiang Mai 50131. Tel: [66 53] 338288; www.chiangmai-online.com/baancel ) and Siam Celadon (38 Moo 10, Chiang Mai Sankampaeng Road, T Tonpao, Chiang Mai 50130. Tel: [66 53] 331526; www.siamceladon.com ), and both offer overseas delivery. Visit Jolie Femme for the large showroom full of silk looms and clothing (8/3 Chiang Mai Sankam-paeng Road, Chiang Mai 50000. Tel: [66 53] 247222; www.joliefemme.com ). Costa Rica The most amazing hotel I've stayed at in the world, never mind Costa Rica, was the Finca Rosa Blanca near San Jose. Make sure you book the surreal master suite, the highlight of which is a spiral staircase carved out of a single tree leading to a glass rotunda bedroom with a four-poster bed overlooking coffee plantations. There's also a rain forest bathroom where water cascades through rocks and plants (Santa Barbara de Heredia. Tel: [506] 269 9392; www.finca-rblanca.co.cr ). Cuba If you want to experience real Cuban food, visit one of Havana's paladares, small restaurants which are only allowed to accommodate 12 diners. A fine example is Paladar Los Amigos in the Vedado district. It's actually the home of the owner and you eat in the dining room, complete with family pictures on the cupboards, and walk through their bedrooms to access the loo (Calle M 253, opposite Hotel Victoria). Delhi I've visited New Delhi for 30 years, but on my last visit, I discovered a special spot - Dilli Haat Food and Craft Bazaar. It's by far the best 'one-stop' shopping and eating facility I've ever come across. The exotic 'India-in-a-microcosm' bazaar covers 2.4 hectares in the heart of Delhi (on Sri Aurobindo Marg opposite INA market). Edinburgh The Witchery is wonderful and has won pretty much every restaurant award going. It's housed in an atmospheric, 16th-century building next to Edinburgh Castle and serves fabulous French and Scottish cuisine. And if you can't face leaving at the end of your meal, you can stay in the gothic Inner Sanctum suite for #195 (HK$2,405) a night, including champagne with a four-poster bed, open fire and library sitting room (352 Castlehill, The Royal Mile, EH1. Tel: [44 131] 225 5613; www.thewitchery.com ). Egypt There are two must-see hotels in Egypt (if not to spend a night, at least to drink an iced tea at sunset) - the Mena House in Cairo overlooking the pyramids (Oberoi Pyramids Road, Giza. Tel: [20 2] 383 3222; www.oberoihotels.com ) and the Sofitel Old Cataract Hotel in Aswan, which featured in the Agatha Christie novel and film Death On The Nile. This Victorian hotel has a splendid view of the river (Abtal El Tahrir Street, Aswan. Tel: [20 97] 316000; www.sofitel.com ). Florence Relive the picnic scenes in A Room With A View and spend a couple of hours in Fiesole, a pretty town in the hills above the city, with panoramic views, cool breezes, a Roman amphitheatre and the inevitable gelateria. Treat yourselves to dinner or a room at the stunning Villa San Michele, which used to be a church and convent (Via doccia 4, Fiesole 50014. Tel: [39 55] 567 8200; www.villasanmichele.orient-express.com ). Hawaii Few visitors are aware that excellent hiking can be found throughout the Hawaiian islands. The 18km Kalalau Trail on Kauai runs along high sea cliffs and is, hands down, the best walk in the state. Even veteran Himalayan trekkers will be impressed by the majesty of this hike. On Maui, make sure you walk across the lunar landscape of the 3,000-metre crater in Haleakala National Park ( www.haleakala.national-park.com ). Honeymoon destinations Head for Dalat, Vietnam's honeymoon capital. I recommend the Hang Nga Guesthouse & Art Gallery (3 Huynh Thuc Khang. Tel: [84 63] 822070) or the 'Crazy House' as the locals call it. Rooms in the twisting, tree-like structure look like something out of Alice In Wonderland. There is the gourd room where you sleep in a pumpkin, a cat room and the eagle room with an egg fireplace. Honeymoon destinations How about a honeymoon that combines the excitement of an African safari with a relaxing beach holiday? Two-centre packages are available which combine the Serengeti Plains in Tanzania followed by a luxurious away-from-it-all cottage on the coral sands of the Seychelles. The Plains are awesome, the annual migration is a sight never to be forgotten and ambitious honeymooners can climb Mount Kilimanjaro. In the Seychelles it would be hard to beat Le Meridien Fisherman's Cove at Beau Vallon (tel: [248] 247 247; www.lemeridien-fish cove.com). Honeymoon destinations Stay in a beautiful villa at the Bali Four Seasons overlooking Jimbaran Bay. You get your own private plunge pool with a frangipani tree dropping its scented flowers into the water (Jimbaran, Denpasar 80361, Indonesia. Tel: [62 361] 701010; www.fourseasons.com ). Have dinner or your wedding reception at the most romantic restaurant in the world - La Lucciola. Located north of Legian Beach, it is sublime at sunset. Prices are reasonable and the fruit drinks are out-of-this-world (Jalan Kayu Ara, Seminyak. Tel: [62 361] 261047). Laos Pakse is an industrial town, but you can base yourself there and visit some great places nearby. A nice day trip is to take a local boat down the Mekong River (bring a cushion) to Wat Phu in Champasak where there are sixth-century Khmer ruins to explore. Or you can take a two-hour bus trip to Bolaven Plateau and spend a couple of days at Tadlo Resort. It's a relaxing, picturesque spot by a waterfall but there's no phone, so you can't book. Las Vegas I've travelled to Las Vegas three times with almost the sole purpose of seeing Cirque du Soleil shows. The installations in Las Vegas are two of only three permanent theatres Cirque has around the globe. Mystere is in Treasure Island and O is at the Bellagio and both are jaw-dropping must-sees. Go to O which is based in/out/around water with 75 scuba-certified performers (US$80-US$110 [HK$624-$780]; tel: [1 702] 796 9999; www.cirquedusoleil.com ). London I'd highly recommend a visit to Greenwich, where the Royal Observatory (which sets worldwide Greenwich Mean Time); the beautiful Royal Park; the Cutty Sark (the last surviving tea clipper); Gypsy Moth IV (in which Sir Francis Chichester was the first person to sail solo round the world); and the excellent National Maritime Museum are all within strolling distance ( www.greenwichengland.com ). Have lunch in the famous 19th-century Trafalgar Tavern on the river (tel: [44 20] 8305 4701; www.trafalgartavern.co.uk ). London Multi-award-winning restaurant Club Gascon is one of the few places the notoriously caustic food critic AA Gill of the Sunday Times has ever raved about. The food is exquisite, with about a dozen foie gras dishes and faultless service. Though not cheap, it's much better value than the ubiquitous Conran joints (57 West Smithfield, EC1. Tel: [44 20] 7796 0600). Macau Fernando's may be an old favourite, but a great alternative is the Sunday gourmet brunch at the IFT Educational Restaurant in north Macau run by the Tourism School. Lunch is served by students in a charming Portuguese tiled dining room and costs a mere $110. Numbers are limited, so reservations are a must. You can also stay in a suite at the boutique educational hotel for only $900, including breakfast (Colina de Mong-Ha. Tel: [853] 598 3076; www.ift.edu.mo ). Melbourne The Colonial Tramcar Restaurant has won many tourism awards and is just that - a restaurant on an operational tram. Food is cooked on board and you can dine in the carpeted carriage while trundling past city sights (Tel: [61 3] 9696 4000; www.tramrestaurant.com.au ). Milan Don't miss the recently restored Last Supper, by Leonardo da Vinci, which has not been on view for about 20 years. The masterpiece was painted 500 years ago on a wall in the Convento di Santa Maria delle Grazie but the paint started to peel off soon after the work was finished. It's necessary to book about two weeks in advance. Every visit lasts for 15 minutes (Corso Magenta, Piazza Santa Maria delle Grazie. Tel: [39 02] 8942 1146). Mongolia Try to go during the Naadam Festival, the Mongolian equivalent of the Olympics, which usually runs from July 11-13. The colourful two-day event features wrestling, archery and horse racing. The opening ceremony is the highlight, and people tend to get to the stadium early. At about 9pm, locals gather in Sukhbaatar Square for singing and dancing. Rooms are hard to find during the festival and prices can double.
