Escape Routes, Week of November 4
Airplane food has come a long way since I was a kid, but to my knowledge it’s never been Michelin-star caliber. Now Swire Hotels is teaming up with Cathay Pacific to offer 30 dishes from four of their properties’ swanky restaurants in Beijing and Hong Kong—including Café Gray Deluxe, the high-end restaurant at Upper House, which nabbed a Michelin star at the end of 2010.
It’s rough being a travel columnist. No, really. Here’s why—emails announcing beautiful new beach resorts, with purple prose describing the color of the water and the cushiness of the bed… and I’m stuck at a desk, surrounded by skyscrapers and smog.
But I’m steeling my nerves to tell you about a newly opened resort. Le Méridien Koh Samui has all the trappings of a lovely getaway: an idyllic location tucked away from the touristy parts of the island; decadent suites, villas, restaurants and a spa; beautiful views of the Gulf of Thailand and a picturesque dock that juts out into it.
But there’s an added touch of creativity here: a custom piece of art called “The Sampan’s Diary,” made from Chinese characters painted on cobblestones, as well as a modern, LED-illuminated artwork called “Inner Waves 01.” There’s even more artsy attention to detail—the hotel’s got its own signature scent, designed by perfume house Le Labo. Plus, every night, guests can gather in the arrival lobby to release lit-up paper lanterns in the sky—a Thai tradition that is supposed to bring luck. If I release one from Hollywood Road, can I wish to be beamed to Koh Samui?
Visit www.lemeridien.com/kohsamui or call (+66) 77-960-888. Ppening rates start at about $1,110 including breakfast; book by December 31 for stays through March 31, 2012.
It’s coming up on five years since I took a post-university backpacking trip through Southeast Asia. Steve and I did an overnight on a picturesque junk boat on Halong Bay—kayaking through the karst formations, throwing back some beers with the other passengers and star-gazing from the top deck.
After hearing the tragic news out of northern Vietnam earlier this year that a boat docked in the same area had sunk without warning at 5am, killing 12 travelers, I revised my appraisal of my earlier trip. Traveling on the cheap, we often feel there’s a sort of invincibility about us—especially in otherwise-safe parts of the world like Vietnam. If I could do it again, I’d make sure that I properly scoped out the cruise operator, or at least made sure that the boat wasn’t hopelessly old and falling apart. And if I could afford it, I’d try out the brand-new Halong Bay cruises run by Life Resorts.
These pretty junks are licensed (of course, or I wouldn’t be writing about them!) and totally up-to-date, equipped with all the proper safety features. The boats are way more swank than the one we went on—each junk is designed to play host to a couple and boasts a crew of three that caters to the guests. A large cabin with hardwood details and wide windows, a lounging area, a DVD player and LCD TV, plus sun beds for two, kayaks, snorkeling and fishing gear await. The voyages are fully customizable, with guests able to choose whether they’d rather pay a visit to the floating market, eat a fresh-cooked meal or anchor off a secluded beach. Life Resorts is currently running overnight trips as well as four and six-hour day cruises, and they’ll offer multi-night voyages starting this month.
Find out more about the Halong Bay cruises (which start at about $1,500 for a day trip and $3,350 for an overnight) at www.liferesorts.com.