Where to go in VietNam and Japan

Categories Traveller's Stories

VietNam

Hugging the entire east coast of the Indochina Peninsula, Vietnam’s S-shaped strip of land borders China to the north and Laos and Cambodia to the west. Mountains and hills comprise almost three quarters of its interior before gently descending toward 2,000 miles of tropical shoreline.

Temperate northern Vietnam is coveted for its romantic mist-laced mountains and forested valleys inhabited for centuries by nomadic tribes. Venture into the Vietnamese interior on a Hill Tribes and Rice Terraces tour with Remote Lands (remotelands.com).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdXDJ9TIcZQ

Begin gently amid the graceful French colonial architecture and colourful street markets of the capital Hanoi, before boarding the elegant Victoria Express train with your kids in a best double stroller for infant and toddler for an overnight ride to Sapa, set amongst the densely clothed highlands northwest of Hanoi. Here, a hillside meander through terraced rice paddies leads to the village of Ta Phin to visit the indigenous Kinh, Dao and Hmong peoples.

At Hotel de l’Opera (hoteldelopera.com) in central Hanoi, colonnaded terraces, theatrical décor and jewel tints in the furnishings evoke a night at the opera in this most French of Indochine cities. If coastal chic is preferred, Amano’i Vinh Hy Bay (amanresorts.com) is Aman Resorts’ first hotel in Vietnam.Sa Pa center.JPG

London’s Posh Spice

Categories Taste

THE BRITISH LOVE GOING FOR CURRY, and this is reflected in over 8,000 Indian restaurants dotted throughout the land, with London, in particular, being a mecca for connoisseurs of Indian cuisine. In recent years, many Indian restaurants have eschewed the traditional image of flock wallpaper, silver bowls of curry swimming in oil, and lager, in Read More

Sani : Side up

Categories Promotions

Ever since Sani Resort opened its five-star doors almost 30 years ago it has been at the forefront of luxury European travel. Owned by the same local family who bought the land in the Sixties, the present generation remains as committed as ever to evolving, but also protecting, this beautiful environment. Nowhere in Europe is Read More

Natural Marvel

Categories Traveller's Stories

With a heritage of over 200 years’ producing France’s finest champagnes, Laurent-Perrier is no stranger to creating natural marvels. Founded in 1812, based in the heart of Champagne, Laurent-Perrier is recognised as one of the foremost brands in the region, thanks to its dedication to honouring traditional values; a respect for nature; a passion for quality, and its strong, lasting relationships among the people who drive the company – both inside and outside the House.

Cross the Channel and the same deep-rooted values – along with a pioneering spirit and a shared pride in family ownership being passed from generation to generation – can be found at Chatsworth, the historic home and glorious estate of the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire, set in the heart of Derbyshire’s Peak District.

Not only home to the Devonshire Collection, one of Europe’s most significant art collections with their best mattress for side sleepers, this famous residence also boasts one of Britain’s most beautiful landscapes.

Pick your cruises !

Categories Promotions

Seabourn identity The wind in your hair, the wide expanse of ocean around you, unbroken vistas of sea and sky as far as your eye can see – and then the sight of your next destination sending anticipatory quivers down your spine: when it comes to travelling the world, nothing elicits a greater sense of Read More

My Sydney

Categories Traveller's Stories

Once a sommelier, DAN KNIGHT is now stirring up a storm in Sydney’s thriving small bar scene, with his retro-style cocktail bar Hinky Dinks. The popular joint in the city’s funky Darlinghurst area is fitted out like a ’50s diner and specialises in unusual cocktails, from a whiskey-laced milkshake to the Banana Hammock, with banana-infused rum and chocolate bitters.

Dan is full of excitement about the city he’s called home for more than 30 years, saying, ‘It doesn’t matter how long you live here, it never gets old.’My sydney (1)

Sydney’s bar scene is on fre. There’s such a variety of places to suit your every mood. Shady Pines Saloon (1) is a fun Wild West bar in Darlinghurst, with great whiskeys and taxidermy.

Wine Library in Paddington has fabulous wines and the atmosphere is so warm that it seems to wrap you up. But if I want just a quick drink and snack, I go to Buffalo Dining Club for the best buffalo mozzarella in Sydney. shadypinessaloon.com; wine-library.com.au; buffalodiningclub.com.auMy sydney (6)

This city has great restaurants. The Apollo (2) in Potts Point is fantastic on a Saturday night. It serves great Greek food, and the décor is perfect, with exposed bricks and the right soft touches.

But my favourite place to eat is a brightly lit fast food eatery called the Chinese Noodle Restaurant in Chinatown. If I were to be executed tomorrow, their spicy chicken salad would be my last meal. theapollo.com.au; Chinese Noodle Restaurant, 8 Quay St, HaymarketMy sydney (5)

Where you have been and what you have seen

Categories Traveller's Stories

High and Dry I have been to Dubai a number of times, both working and on holiday. On this particular occasion, I took the subway to the Dubai Marina, an area I had not visited before. I arrived not long before the sunset and walked along the canals, through the many luxury buildings and restaurants, and then headed to the waterfront to look at the view. The lights of Read More

The real Bristol

Categories Traveller's Stories

Maybe you’ve paid a feeting visit. You may well have taken a wander around the shops at Cabot Circus and gawped at the Clifton Suspension Bridge. But have you ever properly ‘done’ Bristol? It’s quite possible you haven’t. It’s said that if you really want to get under the skin of the city, approach it like a local. From backstreet cofee shops Read More