DestinAsian

“THE GREATEST REWARD AND LUXURY OF TRAVEL IS TO BE ABLE TO EXPERIENCE EVERYDAY THINGS AS IF FOR THE FIRST TIME.”—Bill Bryson I was recently in Sydney, where I relished the chance to soak up the city’s laid-back lifestyle and the long, sunny days of the Australian summer. On the agenda were walks by the harbor and visits to exciting new restaurants and places to stay. I even got to check out the soon-to-open Capella hotel, which is welcoming its first guests on March 15. Without revealing too much, I can tell you it’s going to be absolutely gorgeous. In fact, I would not be surprised to see it crack the top 10 list for Best Hotel in Australia in a future edition of our annual Readers’ Choice Awards. That, of…

SYDNEY A neoclassical pile in Sydney’s Domain parkland, the Art Gallery of New South Wales has served as one of the country’s top cultural institutions for over a century, its thick sandstone walls enclosing a priceless collection of Australian and international art. But as modern museums go, this one was in need of an overhaul by the time the oughties rolled around. Hence the Sydney Modern (artgallery.nsw.gov.au), a US$246 million expansion that has been hailed as the city’s most significant cultural development since the debut of the Sydney Opera House 50 years ago. Almost doubling the Gallery’s exhibition area, the new structure is a cluster of limestone-faced pavilions by Pritzker-winning Japanese firm SANAA, with a public art garden that connects it to the original building next door. In contrast to its more solemn…

THE MIXING ROOM The latest offering from Iron Fairies designer Ashley Sutton, The Mixing Room is a rustic, whimsical drinking den with countless vintage bottles hanging from its ceiling filled with fairy dust, poems, and other “magical” ingredients. The drinks menu is curated by veteran cocktail mixer Tom Egerton and inspired by characters from Sutton’s own children’s book trilogy; try Jilo the Bastard, a spin on the Manhattan muddled with garam masala and distilled banana (instagram.com/themixingroomhk). UNCLE MING’S Whisky lovers shouldn’t miss this 25th-floor perch at the months-old AKI hotel in Wan Chai, where more than 80 international whiskies can be savored against the glittering skyline. Can’t decide? Try the six-dram Around The World flight, which might include Paul John single malt from Goa or a bourbon cask–aged blend from Bordeaux’s Château d’Arche…

EL FENN BOUTIQUE In the running for Marrakech’s most stylish riad hotel, El Fenn has long been the darling of visiting art lovers and fashionistas. For those who fall under the spell of the property’s colorful fabrics, hand-thrown tableware, and adorable tchotchkes, the onsite boutique is the place to shop the El Fenn look. It’s a dazzler, with bright red walls, black and white floor tiles like backgammon boards, and a dramatic spiral staircase that leads up to the rooftop bar and restaurant. Come to stock up on rugs, cushions, throws, and accessories, and stay for sundowners — the rooftop is one of the loveliest spots in the Medina to watch nighttime Marrakech spring to life (el-fenn.com). NORYA AYRON The Norya Ayron flagship store in chic Guéliz is filled with kaftans and dresses…

NORWAY Here’s one for Mission: Impossible fans: Western Norway’s Lysefjord, where the climactic fight scene of the franchise’s Fallout film was shot, has a new trio of architect-designed cabins to check in to. The Bolder StarLodges (thebolder.no; doubles from US$495) join two smaller units set up by entrepreneur Tom Norland on a granite mountainside overlooking one of the country’s most picturesque fjords. The work of Oslo-based practice Snøhetta, the cedar-clad lodges, like their neighbors, are perched on concrete pillars to minimize their environmental impact and give the illusion of floating, an effect enhanced inside by large panoramic windows that look down 600 meters to the water. Cozy as a nest, the minimalist interiors come with midcentury modern furnishings and bathroom and kitchen fittings by Danish design company Vipp. (Food packages can be…

BALI With its open “no-walls, nodoors” concept, Buahan, a Banyan Tree Escape (escape.banyantree.com) has sustainability in its DNA, from organic gardens and a zero-waste kitchen to the use of reclaimed timber from old jetties. Now, the lush four-hectare property in the hills north of Ubud has turned its attention to a smaller but no less magical wonder of nature: fireflies. Known locally as kunang-kunang, the light-emitting beetles have long been a familiar sight in the hills of central Bali, but their populations are dwindling due to widespread pesticide use and habitat loss. Buahan aims to help redress this with its Lentera Bumi (“Lantern of the Earth”) conservation program. Working with biologists from Denpasar’s Udayana University and local eco-consultancy Wise Organic, the resort has built a bamboo-framed breeding nursery where firefly larvae are…