Table of contents for September - November 2024 in International Traveller

If you ever speak to a traveller who has been on a Tauck cruise or tour, it instantly becomes clear that their experience was something else. Their eyes light up and they have no hesitation when recommending Tauck to others. It’s a reputation that family-owned Tauck has worked hard to cultivate since its beginnings in 1925, according to vice president of global sales and reservations Steve Spivak. It’s this principle that provided the groundwork for Tauck’s unique four pillars on which it bases every experience. 1. NEVER SETTLE FOR ORDINARY While Tauck travels every continent and offers more than 170 itineraries across land, river and sea, not a single one is allowed to be average. “Tauck never settles for ordinary,” explains Spivak. “If it can’t deliver exceptional in a destination,…

ALPINE IDYLL The storied Kulm Hotel put St. Moritz on the map as a high-end ski haven when it was established in 1878. Following its latest reimagining, the Swiss hotel has revealed an opulent layering of art and design that pays tribute to the heritage of the hotel as the birthplace of winter tourism. This vibrant alchemy of pattern, kaleidoscopic colour and texture has re-established the hotel as a hub for the arts in the Alpine community. Turn to page 34 for more.…

New Zealand does road trip scenery incredibly well. Rugged mountains, verdant forests and stunning coastlines are just the start; add in unique stays, sublime eating, vineyards, a warm Māori haere mai (welcome) and a reverence for the land, too. The top of the South Island is a picture-perfect place to hit the road. Day 1: West Coast Fly into Christchurch to start your South Island adventure before heading into the wilds of the West Coast region, home to jagged mountains, deep valleys and untamed wilderness. Gape at the dramatic landscapes from the WEST COAST TREE TOP WALK & TOWER ZIPLINE above the ancient rimu and kamahi rainforests, catching glimpses of the majestic snowcapped Southern Alps. In the afternoon, take to beautiful Lake Mahinapua aboard WEST COAST SCENIC WATERWAYS’ Eco Adventurer…

Most visitors to Japan are familiar with the tipple that locals call nihonshu, and which is known as sake to the rest of the world. But few realise that it is just one facet of a rich drinking culture. Sitting at alcohol levels comparable to wine, sake is popular in the north of the country but can spoil easily in the subtropical climate of Kyushu, where a more muscular beverage has reigned supreme since the art of distillation was introduced some 500 years ago. Far from the centre of the Tokugawa shogunate in Edo (now Tokyo), the southernmost of Japan’s four main islands has long done things its own way. The energy-sapping humidity, heat and hum of cicadas that characterise the summers here are reminiscent of the American South, as…

Selecting a hike in New Zealand/Aotearoa is like choosing a favourite meal. Every time it’s decided, another tempting option emerges. This is why hikers love the Routeburn Track on the South Island: this trail has icy waters, snow-capped peaks and thunderous waterfalls all nestled together. But how to get the most out of it? With an expert guide and premium lodgings. WHO SHOULD DO THIS TRAIL? The Routeburn Track is rated moderate. Assess your fitness level before embarking on this 32-kilometre trail, which requires five to nine hours of walking with a backpack per day. Children under 10 years of age are generally not recommended on the trail. BEFORE YOU BEGIN The adventure begins at the Ultimate Hikes Centre in Queenstown the day before your hike. Your group will receive…

Human beings have been irresistibly drawn to exploring the wider world for hundreds of years. But until relatively recently, voyages to the polar regions were the sole preserve of intrepid expeditioners. Today’s adventurous travellers, however, can trace the routes taken by early explorers to the wilder reaches of Antarctica and the Arctic with Silversea’s ultra-luxury voyages, sailing to extreme places in ultimate comfort with seasoned expedition experts. Silversea, which celebrates 30 years of pioneering premium travel this year, knows ultra-luxury expedition cruising inside out. Guests enjoy the highest levels of personalised, professional service – frequently described as ‘intuitive’ – that starts with butler service in every suite and flows through all areas of the ship. A team of highly qualified scientists, historians and cultural specialists is on hand to enhance…

My favourite kind of travel has always revolved around seeking out culture. On a trip to New York City as a 17-year-old student, the Edward Hopper and Jean-Michel Basquiat paintings I saw in its museums left an indelible mark; as did watching a Knicks basketball game at Madison Square Garden: both experiences a portal to understanding the place I was in. And so I was excited to bring our annual 100 issue to life as an ode to cultural experiences. Whether expressed through art and architecture, food and festivals, customs and traditions, culture is a driving force behind travel for so many of us. Experiences can be grand journeys, such as cruising the Nile to take in the scale of Egypt’s history. Or they can take the form of simple…

NOMAD | Places The Ligurian landscape beckons in the first of a new series of cookbooks presented by Belmond and cult interior design magazine Apartamento that will drop anchor in culinary communities around the world. Woven into Liguria: Recipes & Wanderings Along the Italian Riveria are essays by writers such as Luca Cesari and recipes by chef Corrado Corti, who runs the kitchens at Splendido, A Belmond Hotel, Portofino. It’s a creative meditation on regional cuisine. belmond.com IT…

Big Apple bite Continent Brooklyn has opened within New York’s Hotel Indigo Williamsburg-Brooklyn, just two short subway stops from Manhattan. And, like its sister restaurant in Atlanta, it’s a juicy synthesis of Caribbean-Afro-Asian fare inspired by chef Scotley Innis’s Jamaican heritage. The food fits the bright, cheerful atmosphere at Continent Brooklyn, which spills onto a leafy courtyard and includes an upstairs lounge and private terrace, too. Specialties include oxtail lo mein and tender tamarind wings. ihg.com THE GOLD STANDARD Oro means ‘gold’ in Italian. It’s likely a reference to the high standards set at Oro at Hotel Cipriani, A Belmond Hotel, Venice. The Michelin-starred restaurant with elegant Adam Tihany-designed interiors recently announced a change of tack with menus conceived by head chef Vania Ghedini and culinary director Massimo Bottura. Chef…

It’s rare these days, as social media overflows with gorgeous spaces filled with gorgeous people eating gorgeous things, for a restaurant to elicit an audible gasp upon entry. But gasp, I do. Because Amaru, secreted away on the lower level of the storied Kulm Hotel St. Moritz, is beyond gorgeous. It’s transportive. Conjured from British creative polymath Luke Edward Hall’s roaming imagination, Amaru whisks you from the staggering alpine snowscapes of the upper Engadin to a dreamlike wonderland, fusing Swiss nature and St. Moritz glamour with an irresistible Peruvian vivacity. Saturated in a serotonin-enhancing palette of yellows, pinks and greens, texturally layered and peppered with motifs evoking both Peru and St. Moritz, Hall’s design concept is brought to life on the (antelope-patterned) floor by a bonhomie-enhancing team of talent, led…

Away from Tokyo’s dazzling lights and Kyoto’s well-trodden shrines, Kyushu offers coral reefs, rumbling volcanoes, hot spring ryokans, samurai lore, forbidden faiths, ceramic shrines and more. FUKUOKA Fukuoka features major festivals and a blend of Japanese and East Asian cultures. Kyushu is the birthplace of tonkotsu, a cloudy pork bone ramen, best enjoyed from the tiny stalls of the yatai food markets. The Dazaifu Tenmangu shrine, boasting blooming plum trees, is over 1000 years old and popular with students praying for exam success, while Munakata City’s three Munakata Shrines are said to protect travellers. SAGA Saga is the birthplace of Japanese ceramics, with Arita and Imari renowned for porcelain. Streets are lined with kiln chimneys, and Arita’s Tozan Shrine features striking blue and white porcelain columns. Yoshinogari Historical Park reconstructs…

There must be something in the water. According to data released by Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) in April, the number of Australians taking holidays at sea has overtaken pre-pandemic levels. “Australians have not just returned to cruising, they’ve come back with enormous enthusiasm and at a faster pace than in other markets worldwide,” reported Joel Katz, CLIA managing director in Australasia. Intel from COTA Insurance backs this up. The Aussie-owned not-for-profit has seen SO per cent incremental growth in cruising holidays booked with its insurance in the last three years, and 30 per cent of its customers have cruising included as part of their travel plans. And while COTA caters to over 50s, the trend for multigenerational holidays is going strong, with many of its customers cruising with their…

1 SIP A SINGAPORE SLING AT RAFFLES In 1915, Raffles bartender Ngiam Tong Boon set out to create a cocktail that was socially acceptable for ladies to drink in public. The resulting pink-hued beverage became an instant hit and made the Long Bar at Raffles Singapore a cultural institution. A sweet-and-sour mix of gin, pineapple and lime juice, curaçao, cherry liqueur and DOM Bénédictine, the Singapore Sling is poured across the country. But the 1920s-style bar is a nostalgic experience, ensconced in dark wood with rattan furniture, oscillating ceiling fans and a monochromatic tiled floor that is perpetually scattered with peanut shells. Megan Arkinstall 2 HIKING BALI’S ASTUNGKARA WAY Wahyu and Ayu mightn’t look like typical farmers. But this savvy young Balinese couple have successfully transformed a neglected plot of land into a…

A REDISCOVERY OF AMERICAN ART The Brooklyn Museum in New York City is reinstalling its American Art galleries to commemorate its 200th anniversary. The exhibition will feature more than 400 artworks and offer a paradigm-shifting interaction with millennia of art, including a 1919 oil on canvas by Florine Stettheimer. Titled Heat, it captures the dynamic social worlds of Stettheimer’s intimate circle of family and friends, many of whom were artists and members of New York’s avant-garde. Turn the page for more.…

YOU WERE BORN IN TOKOROA ON NEW ZEALAND/ AOTEAROA’S NORTH ISLAND AND MOVED TO BRISBANE WHEN YOU WERE THREE. WHAT IS YOUR FIRST MEMORY OF TRAVELLING? It would be going back home in those early years to have Christmas with my grandparents. Sleeping on the ground at the airport with my brothers, the flights, visiting my cousins. Those are my earliest memories. WHERE ARE YOU MOST EXCITED TO VISIT ON YOUR CURRENT WORLD TOUR WITH THE LOOP (1)? I’m really excited to go to Vienna and Barcelona (2) for The Loop album tour; I’ve never been before. There are a lot of places I’m going that I’ve never played. I’m hoping to return to Australia and South Africa, too. YOU TRAVEL A LOT FOR WORK BUT HAVE LIVED IN LONDON…

Onboard Sun Princess Magic shows in secret bars. Adults-only pools with views. Live shows every night. Expectations are high, but what is Princess Cruises’ most elevated ship really like? We cruise from Athens to Barcelona onboard the 4300-guest Sun Princess to find out. How to avoid overtourism Sick of travelling to places only to find them overcrowded and overrated? Well, we’ve found some lesser-known destinations you can swap out for the tourist hotspots that truly pack a punch, maybe even more so than their popular counterparts. YOUR GUIDE TO PALM BEACH Luxury and leisure collide to create the ultimate oasis on Florida’s coast, with lavish hotels, top-notch food and stunning beaches just scratching the surface. If you’re keen to see what all the fuss is about, here’s where to eat,…

Shining a light Artworks typically sit stationary on the wall of a gallery or home. But through fashion, art can become a vehicle that moves throughout the world. Mother-daughter duo Lauren Jarrett and Melissa Greenwood of Aussie label Miimi & Jiinda create pieces of wearable art that draw inspiration from their Gumbaynggirr heritage and homelands on the mid-north coast of NSW. Their new collection, Yarilla, is named for the Gumbaynggirr word that means ‘light’. The artworks from the Yarilla collection tell stories of our hero ancestors and how they created our waterways, mountains and seas. The art] is also inspired by our matriarchal culture and the strong, resilient women in our family,” says Melissa. The wearer of Miimi & Jiinda pieces will be adorned in stories of one of the…

BACK TO NATURE The cultural heritage of Jeju Island is as layered as the sediment sandwiched in the volcanic rock formations that define this stretch of South Korea’s Yongmeori Coast. The island is home to the haenyeo (sea women), some aged in their eighties, who free-dive to depths of about 10 metres to collect seaweed and shellfish with the volcanic landscape of Sanbangsan Mountain as the backdrop. The first records of haenyeo harvesting seafood for a living date back to 1629, which is why UNESCO recognised the tradition as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity worth preserving. See page 58 for more.…

Pushing open the olive-green door at the nondescript entrance, I feel like I’ve crashed a private supper club when we enter the intimate, semi-subterranean space. But my husband and I are swiftly shown to our seats at Hyde, one of Oslo’s hottest casual fine-dining restaurants. We’d booked the three-course ‘gordita’ set menu served at the bar. With no menu on Hyde’s website and few hints on Instagram, it feels a bit like a blind date. But when our server rattles off the day’s dishes fusing local produce with international flavours, I feel like it’ll be a good one. Cradling the head of the 120-kilometre-long Oslofjord, Norway’s compact, modern capital holds its own in fine-dining territory, with three-Michelin-starred Maaemo led by Esben Holmboe Bang described as Norway’s answer to Copenhagen’s (soon-to-close)…

South Korea’s top holiday destination Jeju Island has many magical highlights in its boast-worthy bag-of-tricks, but the ace that trumps all is the free-diving haenyeo, the island’s legendary sea women. Their fluoro-orange buoys still highlight the ocean like push pins on a mariner’s map – a sure sign these Viking-strong women, some in their eighties, continue to hunt and gather seafood. When you first meet the haenyeo, you’ll be struck not by the wrinkled lines weathering their faces but by the playful twinkle in their eyes that belies their senior years. Long hailed as the semi-matriarchs of Jeju’s society, the haenyeo first took to the icy waters edging the island’s rocky shores some 400 years ago to source seafood for their families and surrounding communities. Growing fresh resources on the…

For a ‘travel expert’, I am notoriously disorganised and many of my great travel moments are by luck, not design. Sure, these spontaneous moments are ‘what makes travel’, but having been to Athens twice and still not making it to the top of the Acropolis, it seems I should get my act together. So, for a haphazard traveller like myself, cruising has, on many occasions, saved the day. Shore excursions that I have booked just the week or day before have given me some unforgettable cultural moments. Learning to make Portuguese tarts (see page 124) in Lisbon as a pre-Douro River excursion with Avalon Waterways turned out to be an immersive experience that was as much about learning how to recreate this cultural icon as it was a history lesson.…

The majestic Taranaki Maunga rises from the surrounding land, the mountain a constant presence that embodies the rich cultural and natural heritage of the region that takes its name. Located on the west coast of New Zealand’s North Island, Taranaki is still relatively undiscovered and offers plenty of chances to get off the beaten track while providing so much to see and do. New Plymouth, the region’s urban centre, also offers good shopping and dining options, as well as a plethora of cultural experiences, including galleries, museums and festivals. HOW TO GET TO TARANAKI New Plymouth Airport is the gateway to Taranaki – and what an amazing first impression it makes. Named one of the world’s most beautiful airports by the prestigious Prix Versailles World Architecture and Design Awards in…

From 4 October TOWARD JOY: NEW FRAMEWORKS FOR AMERICAN ART Brooklyn Museum, NYC, USA In honour of its 200th anniversary this year, the Brooklyn Museum in New York City is reinstalling its American Art galleries. Through a Black feminist and BIPOC lens, more than 400 works of art will highlight the contributions made by historically marginalised artists, balancing the rawness of their complex histories with the abundant beauty of their work. brooklynmuseum.org 15-16 November YI PENG LANTERN FESTIVAL Chiang Mai, Thailand FOR TWO NIGHTS IN THE MOUNTAINOUS REGION OF CHIANG MAI IN NORTHERN THAILAND, THE SKY COMES ALIVE FOR THE YI PENG LANTERN FESTIVAL. ROOTED IN BUDDHISM AND TRADITIONAL LANNA CULTURE, THE PEACEFUL EVENT IS HELD ON A FULL MOON DURING THE THAI LANNA CALENDAR’S SECOND MONTH. GATHER AT LOCAL…

It’s a place of ancient kauri forests, sweeping uncrowded beaches and dramatic coastlines. But exploring Taitokerau Northland – from Mangawhai to the spiritual headland of Te Rerenga Wairua/Cape Reinga – reveals deep layers of New Zealand/Aotearoa’s Māori and European history and culture. WAITANGI TREATY GROUNDS The ‘birthplace of the nation’, Waitangi is the perfect introduction to New Zealand history, where Māori and European leaders came together on 6 February 1840 to sign the treaty that would shape the nation. A visit to the Treaty Grounds is multifaceted. Beside the Treaty House is the contemporary TE KŌNGAHU MUSEUM OF WAITANGI, which explains the history and significance of the treaty, and TE RAU AROHA MUSEUM OF THE PRICE OF CITIZENSHIP, a tribute to the Māori who served in New Zealand’s armed forces.…