National Geographic Traveller - Jan 2024

6 8 A RG E NTI N A From Buenos Aires to Patagonia, the country offers experiences as diverse as its landscapes 8 6 EMILIA-ROMAGNA Cycle through Italy’s ‘food valley’ for a taste of the country’s iconic produce 98 TAHITI The French Polynesian island’s southeast offers coastal hiking and surfing fit for champions 108 HAMPI Long in ruins, the capital of the ancient Hindu kingdom beckons pilgrims to this day 122 NEW ZEALAND For outdoor lovers, completing one of the country’s Great Walks is the feat of a lifetime 134 MANCHESTER Creativity and craftsmanship infuse all areas of life in this northwestern hub 144 MONTREAL Canada’s second city merges European flair with North American innovation 108 HAMPI CONTENTS ISSUE 119, JAN/FEB 2024 IMAGE: FRANCESCO LASTRUCCI JAN/FEB 2024 1

Smart traveller On the cover Insider Travel talk Get involved 17 | SNAPSHOT Meet the First Nations grass dancers of Canada 18 | BIG PICTURE The underground art scene of Stockholm 21 | WHAT’S COOKING Michelin is coming to Busan in South Korea 23 | GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY Grenada’s 50 years of statehood 25 | FOOD The sweet, salty and sour flavours of the Philippines 27 | ON THE TRAIL Ride the rails on Edinburgh’s new tram network 29 | WHERE TO STAY Helsinki’s creative hotel scene 30 | FAMILY Big adventure trips for the year ahead 32 | INSIDE GUIDE Plan an alternative city break to Bucharest 35 | STAY AT HOME A quintessential UK seaside break to Llandudno 37 | BOOKS Six coffee table books to inspire your travels 38 | KIT LIST Reach for the dark skies with stargazing essentials 41 | COMPETITION Win a threenight trip to Lucerne for two 43 | NOTES FROM AN AUTHOR Geoff Nicholson on US deserts 44 | MEET THE ADVENTURER Outdoor icon Bear Grylls 46 | ONLINE Highlights from nationalgeographic.com/travel 14 | PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION Enter our annual event for a chance to be featured in the magazine 169 | SUBSCRIPTIONS Make the most of our winter sale 173 | EVENTS Including the Food Festival and new Step Up scheme 177 | INBOX Write in for the chance to win a great prize each month 178 | HOW I GOT THE SHOT Jonathan Gregson on Uganda 154 | ASK THE EXPERTS UK ski breaks, tackling Zika virus and more 156 | THE INFO Join the festivities as the Winter Olympic Games turn 100 157 | HOT TOPIC A look at the practicalities of travelling to continental Europe 158 | ALTERNATIVE WINTER EXPERIENCES Be it snowy train rides or treehouse stays, winter in Europe offers more than just skiing CONTENTS The road to El Chalten, overlooked by Mount Fitz Roy, Argentina. Image: Kav Dadfar/AWL Images 48 | WEEKENDER: COUNTY WICKLOW Foraging, fine arts and forest paths in an outdoorsy getaway to the ‘Garden of Ireland’ 54 | EAT: BALI Local recipes and passionate chefs are the backbone of Indonesia’s food-loving island 60 | SLEEP: BOSTON In the capital city of Massachusetts, the best hotels are within easy reach of the culinary and cultural action 25 60 54 48 IMAGES: ALAMY; CHRISTIAN HORAN PHOTOGRAPHY/FOUR SEASONS RESORT BALI AT SAYAN; THE FOUR SEASONS HOTEL BOSTON; CELTIC ROUTES 8 NATIONALGEOGRAPHIC.COM/TRAVEL

SU B SC RIBE TODAY Get three issues for just £5! subscriptions.natgeotraveller.co.uk or call 01858 438787 and quote ‘NGT5’ Cruise special Whether it’s spotting pink dolphins in Peru, discovering the shores of Falmouth or cruising the Nile in style, this 82-page guide is bursting with unique experiences to inspire your next ship-bound adventure. Our Food Festival is back Experience the world through food and travel at the fourth National Geographic Traveller (UK) Food Festival, coming to London’s Business Design Centre over the weekend of 20-21 July 2024. P.173 DON’T MISS Editor’s letter ISSUE 119, JAN/FEB 2024 Think of Argentina and the likes of football, tango, steak and wine might instinctively come to mind. Dig a little deeper and perhaps you’ll realise you’re actually a little more familiar with the eighth-largest country in the world than you fi rst thought. There’s the dynamic capital, Buenos Aires; Patagonia, its vast expanse crossing the Andes and into Chile; and the breathtaking Iguazú Falls, which share a border with Brazil. You might even think of Ushuaia, the gateway to Antarctica, at the southern tip of Tierra del Fuego. But this is a country that’s diffi cult to summarise. Maybe that’s down to its vast size and the sheer variety of its landscapes and climates. From its spectacular open spaces, rugged Atlantic coastline and lively cities to its myriad cultures, out-of-this-world glaciers and dense, subtropical rainforest, Argentina has such a wealth of experiences that we can only really begin to scratch the surface in this issue. Perhaps you’ll start with a wildlife adventure — from whale-watching to tracking big cats — or choose to hike the inimitable peaks of Patagonia. You could take to horseback with the gauchos of the Pampas or simply indulge in a visit to the world-famous vineyards of Mendoza. And that’s not even mentioning the asado culture, which is so much more than just barbecue. Sometimes, it’s safe to say, the best things don’t come in neat little packages. GO ONLINE VISIT NATIONALGEOGR APHIC .COM/TR AVEL FOR NEW TR AVEL FE ATURES DAILY IMAGE: JAMES GIFFORD-MEAD Pat Riddell, editor NATGEOTR AVELUK BSME Talent Awards 2023: Best Art Team • BSME Talent Awards 2023: Best Picture Editor • TravMedia Awards 2023: Travel Magazine of the Year • AITO Travel Writer of the Year 2022 • VisitEngland Awards for Excellence 2022: Travel Content Award (Gold) • AITO Young Travel Writer of the Year 2021 • LATA Media Awards 2020: Online Consumer Feature of the Year Award • Travel Media Awards 2020: Consumer Writer of the Year • British Travel Awards 2019: Best Consumer Holiday Magazine • BGTW Awards 2019: Best Travel Writer • Travel Media Awards 2019: Young Writer of the Year • Travel Media Awards 2019: Specialist Travel Writer of the Year • AITO Travel Writer of the Year 2019 • AITO Young Travel Writer of the Year 2019 • BGTW Awards 2018: Best Travel Writer • Travel Media Awards 2018: Consumer Writer of the Year • British Travel Awards 2017: Best Consumer Holiday Magazine • BGTW Awards 2017: Best Travel Writer • BGTW Awards 2016: Best Travel Writer • British Travel Awards 2015: Best Consumer Holiday Magazine AWARD -WINNING NATIONAL GEOGR APHIC TR AVELLER 12 NATIONALGEOGRAPHIC.COM/TRAVEL

PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION 2024 Among the most highly regarded travel photography prizes in the country, the National Geographic Traveller (UK) Photography Competition is now open for entries. It’s judged by a panel of industry-leading photographers and magazine editors and is your chance to get your work noticed. Submit images in up to six categories to be in the running to have your work published within the pages of National Geographic Traveller (UK). Have you got what it takes to win? IMAGE: RENATO GRANIERI 14 NATIONALGEOGRAPHIC.COM/TRAVEL

Food & travel This category celebrates photography that tells a story from any stage of the culinary journey from field to fork. Perhaps you’ll capture scenes of fishing or a harvest, chefs busy at work at a street-food stall or vendors selling their produce at a local market. People Travel portraiture should convey the power and spirit of human connection within a destination. It requires an interesting subject, artfully framed within their environment to reveal something of their unique story. Urban environments Your composition should capture the personality of a city or town. You might, for example, choose to show how people live in their urban space, traffic moving past striking architecture or bold street signs and shopfronts. Landscape This category should offer unusual perspectives on the natural world. We’re looking for plenty of creativity in shots that might, say, show an expanse of landscape or the graphic patterns of an environment revealed from a drone. Wildlife Observing animals in their natural habitat is one of the greatest wonders of travel — capturing them on camera is one of its biggest challenges. This category calls for arresting shots of any type of creature, big and small. Portfolio Whether it covers a road trip through Vietnam or an Elvis festival in Nashville, your portfolio of up to 10 images should create a multi-faceted and cohesive story of a single destination. Enter now NATGEOT V.COM/UK/COMPETITIONS Competition closes on 25 February 2024 at 11.59pm GMT. The winner must be a resident of the UK or Ireland and aged 18 or over. Judges to be announced. See full T&Cs online. JAN/FEB 2024 16

The one thing expanding faster than Sue’s horizons? Her savings. flagstoneim.com Minimum deposits and T&Cs apply. Visit flagstoneim.com for full details. Flagstone Group Ltd is authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority (Reference Number 605504) for the provision of payment services. 100+ savings accounts 50+ banks one platform

SM ART TR AVELLER WHAT’S NEW • FOOD • ON THE TR AIL • WHERE TO STAY • FA MILY • INSIDE GUIDE • STAY AT HOME • BOOKS SNAPSHOT Bluejay Linklater and Edouard Cadotte, Saskatoon, Canada Historically, when nomadic First Nations tribes in Canada’s Great Plains arrived at a new site, a group of 30 to 50 people would perform an energetic dance to flatten the tall prairie grasses ready for the camp. Today, the tradition is kept alive by grass dancers like Bluejay and Edouard, cousins from the Thunderchild First Nation, who I spotted as I walked to a conference in Saskatoon, the largest city in Saskatchewan. I was so drawn to their vibrant outfits, I simply had to photograph them, so I ran back to my hotel to grab my camera. I missed the opening session, but it was worth it. BELLA FALK • PHOTOGRAPHER bellafalk.co.uk @passportandpixels JAN/FEB 2024 17

BIG PICTURE Rådhuset Metro Station, Stockholm, Sweden With the Swedish capital being so compact and walkable, many visitors never get the chance to discover Stockholm’s remarkable metro system. From the 1950s, in an effort to bring art to the people, the government started hiring architects, painters and sculptors to develop the underground infrastructure, leading to the creation of perhaps the world’s most unusual art gallery. One of the artists was Sigvard Olsson, who had the idea to leave much of the bedrock around Rådhuset station exposed. I was immediately struck by the station’s grandeur so set up my camera and waited patiently for a clear scene. In an increasingly homogenised world, it’s wonderful to know there are places like this hiding just below one’s feet. BEN PIPE • PHOTOGRAPHER benpipe.com @benpipephoto 18 NATIONALGEOGRAPHIC.COM/TRAVEL

JAN/FEB 2024 16 SM ART TR AVELLER

IMAGE: GETTY The Dignity of Earth and Sky statue, South Dakota Left: The eastern border of the new Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni national monument, Colorado River, Arizona Located on the southeastern tip of the Korean Peninsula and home to several wide, sandy beaches, Busan has long been where South Koreans come to unwind. But the country’s second city is now coming into its own as a culinary destination, with its boat-fresh seafood and timehonoured recipes beginning to attract international attention. Its place on the world culinary map will be established in February, when the city is set to be included in the Michelin Guide — the only South Korean destination other than the capital to be featured. The ocean’s bounty is the name of the game in this coastal hub, but local gastronomy isn’t limited to hoe (sashimi), nakji bokkeum (stirfried octopus) and jogae gui (grilled clams). The place is packed with diverse dining choices, from sleek restaurants serving up Europeaninspired food to old-school tents known as pojangmacha, which still thrive here despite having largely died out in the rest of the country. Step inside these traditional streetfood spots to join lively locals tucking into home-style side dishes such as dakgalbi (spicy stir-fried chicken) or duruchigi (fried pork in pepper paste), served alongside local beer and shots of soju (a Korean spirit traditionally made using rice). CHRIS THARP T O P B U S A N C U L I N A R Y E X P E R I E N C E S  THE FOOD MARKET The Jagalchi fish market is this port city’s beating heart. Its stalls offer up shells, fillets and tentacles, and while you can have your seafood grilled at one of its many restaurants, a meal in the Raw Fish Center is one you won’t forget. Just point to your lunch, which is then plucked from the tank, dispatched and expertly sliced on the spot. T H E F I N E - D I N I N G S P OT Haute cuisine is somewhat of a rarity in Busan, so Lab XXIV by Kumuda, celebrity chef Edward Kwon’s latest venture, is a welcome addition. Locally sourced, French-style food, like pan-seared Hanwoo beef and sea bream in a coconut bisque sauce, is served in a room with views of the sea. instagram.com/lab24_by_ kumuda THE LOCAL HAUNT Despite Busan’s coastal location, its signature dish is a rich pork soup known as dwaeji gukbap. You’ll find soup joints on most blocks, but Ssangdoongi (‘twins’) delivers on its promise to give twice the portions — and flavour. The broth is soul-soothing, and the pork slices so stacked-up they nearly fall out of the bowl. twinsporksoup.modoo.at Haedong Yonggungsa Temple is a popular attraction in Busan THE VEGAN OPTION While not a strictly vegan restaurant, Tae Tae Tae is one of the few places in Busan to offer a full plant-based menu. Owner Kim Mintae backs up the flashy decor with fun takes on Southeast Asian and Chinese dishes, including signature aubergine chips and a fried tofu bao (bread roll). instagram.com/ taetaetae_46 THE COOKING CLASS Bapsang Cooking Class will teach you how to put together classic Korean dishes such as bibimbap (a rice bowl with various toppings), pajeon (green onion pancake) and miyeokguk (seaweed soup). At the end of the experience, enjoy a meal featuring the freshlyprepared specialities. kcookingclass.com SOUTH KOREA What’s cooking THE L AUNCH OF A NEW MICHELIN GUIDE TO BUSAN IS DR AWING FRESH AT TENTION TO SOUTH KOREA’S SECOND CIT Y JAN/FEB 2024 21 SM ART TR AVELLER

IMAGES: ALAMY Clockwise from left: View over the mile-long beach of Grand Anse; Caribbean spices including nutmeg, Grenada’s most important export; a mona monkey near Grand Etang Lake in Grand Etang National Park GRENADA GOLDEN YEARS Join the celebrations as the island marks half a century of statehood with fireworks and parades In a region known for exhuberant celebrations, expectations are high for the Caribbean island of Grenada in 2024, when it will mark 50 years of independence from Britain on 7 February. Amid the fireworks, parades and costumes at the golden jubilee, the historic capital of St George’s and its harbourfront Carenage promenade will become a stage for the country’s homegrown music and dance styles — the official logo for the celebrations includes a traditional belair (or bèlè) dancer in a billowing skirt. The runup will also see a competition to find Grenada’s calypso monarch, with participants judged on their singing and songwriting. grenadaturns50.gd Beyond the big day itself, the festive spirit is expected to linger throughout the year, and there’s plenty more on the island to keep travellers occupied. Grenada is known for its white-sand beaches — including mile-long Grand Anse — and it’s worth making time to discover the interior with its famous spice farms and waterfalls hiding amid the forested mountains. And for an evening filled with local food and music, go stall-hopping at ‘Fish Friday’ in the town of Gouyave. puregrenada.com RORY GOULDING THREE GRENADIAN ICONS N U TM E G Introduced to Grenada in 1843, nutmeg became the island’s main export, even appearing on the national flag. Grenada is responsible for more than 20% of the world’s supply, second only to the spice’s home country of Indonesia. G R A N D E TA N G L A K E In a rainforest-cloaked national park, this lake occupies the crater of an extinct volcano at the heart of the island. It features in both Grenada’s coat of arms and the 50th anniversary logo. O I L D OW N The national dish is a one-pot affair usually made with salted meat, breadfruit and other vegetables, dumplings and spices. The name is thought to be a reference to the way the coconut milk cooking liquid reduces. JAN/FEB 2024 23 SM ART TR AVELLER

Scan the QR code to explore our Alaska’s National Parks Grand Slam Private Custom Journey, or to discover all our our life-changing adventures across the globe. Explore Alaska’s eight national parks Visit us online at OffTheBeatenPath.com or call +01 406 586 1311 to speak with our team of expert Travel Advisors to start planning your adventure to Alaska’s eight National Parks and beyond! © 2024 Off the Beaten Path

IMAGES: ALAMY; RUTH CALDER-POTTS Filipino cuisine is dominated by the bold balance of three elements of taste: salty, sour and sweet. These fl avours stem from a medley of cultural, historical and environmental infl uences that have shaped Filipino culinary traditions for centuries. Salt is used both to highlight other fl avours, but also as a standalone taste. Filipino soy sauce is extra salty, while snacks like chicharron (fried pork belly) and puff ed fi sh crackers are loaded with it. Bowls of sawsawan (Filipino soy dressing) and dishes of bagoong (a condiment of fermented fi sh, krill or shrimp paste) are both used as table seasonings. Salt’s also an important part of native Filipino heritage. In the Bohol region, they make a salt called asín tibuok, which is sharp, earthy and smoky. Meanwhile, jolting acidity isn’t only acceptable in Filipino cooking — it’s key. Vinegars, calamansi (a local citrus fruit) and tamarind are vital, used to enhance fl avours, brighten up heavy dishes and tenderise meats. They can also be used in palate cleansers, such as atchara (pickled green papaya). The high acidity also has the purpose of preserving food in the tropical climate, so dishes such as adobo (a vinegary stew) and sinigang (tamarindspiked soup) can be left out all day without spoiling. Filipinos also have a very sweet tooth. You’ll fi nd American doughnut shops and fast food chains scattered all over, and there are local cake shops on every corner. Traditional sweets like leche fl an (creme caramel), halo-halo (shaved ice), biko (sticky rice cake), banana cue (fried bananas) and bibingka (baked rice cake) are fi lled with sugar, but it’s also used in savoury dishes like adobo, tocino (cured pork), longanisa (sweet sausage) and even in spaghetti sauce. You’ll be hard pressed to fi nd coff ee that isn’t pre-sweetened, while teas and juices are usually fi lled with syrups and sugar. Sugar is everywhere. This is an edited extract from Masarap, by Richie Castillo and Alex O’Neill (£13, Blasta Books). Essential ingredient Calamansi is a native citrus that’s a cross between a kumquat and a mandarin. It has the sourness of a lemon but the appearance of a tiny lime with orange fl esh. It’s used in marinades and sauces, and as a table seasoning, too. Above left: Sisig, a dish of pork, calamansi, vinegar, soy sauce and chillis, is at its best when topped with an egg yolk Below: Richie Castillo A TASTE OF The Philippines A TRIO OF BIG, BOLD FL AVOURS DOMINATES THIS ARCHIPEL AGO NATION’S UNIQUE CUISINE M U S T - T R Y D I S H E S SISIG This dish of sizzling pork originated in Pampanga province in the 1970s. Locals would take leftover meat and marinate it in a mix of calamansi, vinegar, soy sauce and chillies. It’s often topped with an egg yolk. SINIGANG This soup is made by cooking meat or seafood in tamarind-based broth with vegetables, and can be soured with fruit like calamansi, green mangoes or santol. It varies between regions. CHICKEN INASAL A grilled chicken dish from the Western Visayas region. Chicken legs are marinated in vinegar, calamansi, ginger, garlic, lemongrass and annatto oil, then grilled over charcoal. Served with garlic rice and atchara pickle. R I C H I E C A S T I L LO is a Dublin-based chef and co-founder of pop-up Bahay JAN/FEB 2024 25 SM ART TR AVELLER

ILLUSTRATION: MARTIN HAAKE ON THE TRAIL EDINBURGH Hop on the recently extended tram network, and wind your way from the city centre all the way to the port district of Leith 1 PICARDY PLACE Start at the tram stop at Picardy Place, a recently remodelled plaza atop Leith Walk. Look out for the statue of Sherlock Holmes, marking the birthplace of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, author of the fictional detective’s adventures. If it’s a clear day, walk to Calton Hill for a view of the route down to Leith and the Firth of Forth, as well as city highlights including Arthur’s Seat, the Palace of Holyroodhouse and Edinburgh Castle. edinburghtrams.com 3 FOOT OF THE WALK Hop off the tram here, on the northern reaches of Leith Walk, and explore the leafy grounds of Leith Links, originally designed as a golf course and now a public park. Make a plan to return to the area at sundown to check out Leith Depot, a much-loved arts and culture venue. As well as offering great-value food and drinks, it stages live music and club nights, including a monthly residency by BBC Radio DJ Vic Galloway. leithdepot.com 5 OCEAN TERMINAL Exit at this stop to explore the former industrial docklands, where the Royal Yacht Britannia is now berthed as a floating museum showcasing the vessel’s lifetime of service for the British monarchy. Alternatively, a tour of the new, neighbouring Port of Leith Distillery — the UK’s first vertical distillery — offers the chance to admire the view over the Firth of Forth and savour a dram. royalyachtbritannia.co.uk leithdistillery.com 4 THE SHORE Ships from the Baltic states and Low Countries once bustled away in Leith’s quay, a short walk from The Shore tram stop. Many of the area’s old merchant homes and warehouses are now cool cafes and Michelin-starred restaurants, including Martin Wishart, which serves modern European cuisine, and Heron, where chefs Sam Yorke and Tomás Gormley get creative with Scotland’s natural larder. restaurantmartinwishart.co.uk heron.scot 2 BALFOUR STREET Take the tram to Balfour Street, then stroll over to Easter Road, drily nicknamed ‘Feaster Road’ due to its recent rebirth as a culinary hotspot. Breakfast options abound: grab coffee from Foodstory and a sweet bite at Écosse Éclair or vegan cafe Plant Bae. Edinburgh Honey Co’s whisky-infused nectar makes a great souvenir. foodstorycafe.co.uk ecosseeclair.com heyplantbae.co.uk edinburghhoney.co.uk 6 NEWHAVEN The journey comes to an end with the tangy sea salt in the air and the squawk of seagulls overhead. Now a district of Edinburgh, the historic harbour of Newhaven was once an independent fishing village, and shellfish boats can still be seen bobbing on its waters. Try fish and chips from The Fishmarket, or tuck into shellfish and a glass of fizz at Loch Fyne. thefishmarketnewhaven.co.uk lochfyneseafoodandgrill.co.uk ROBIN MCKELVIE JAN/FEB 2024 21 SM ART TR AVELLER

ALL RATES QUOTED ARE FOR STANDARD DOUBLES, ROOM ONLY, UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED. IMAGES: NIKI SOUKKIO; ALAMY; KLAUS K HOTEL WHERE TO STAY Helsinki FINL AND’S CAPITAL HA S AN OFFBE AT SIDE THAT SHINES THROUGH IN ITS CREATIVE HOTEL SCENE Hotel AX Finland’s biggest city is also its most stylish. Once the home of influential local architect and designer Alvar Aalto, the capital’s art nouveau core is today complemented by contemporary Nordic architecture and offbeat design hits, including clothing and home furnishings company Marimekko’s flagship store and the subterranean Amos Rex Art Museum. Adding another dimension to the city is the harbour district of Jätkäsaari, a former backwater that’s reinvented itself in the past two decades with sleek apartment blocks anchored by restaurants, cafes, shops and a new public sauna. In spring 2022, this maritime hub welcomed Hotel AX, an art-focused property with an entrance marked by a fantastical metal sculpture titled Orc, setting the tone for the offbeat interiors that lie within. The hotel is the brainchild of Finnish interiors architect, designer and sculptor Stefan Lindfors, who’s turned the guest rooms into artistic sanctuaries with muralled walls and whimsical names such as ‘Poem King’, ‘Love Letter with a View’, ‘Novel Corner’ and ‘Fairytale Corner’. Its restaurant is inspired by Jätkäsaari’s maritime history, while Hotel AX has also invested heavily in works by Finnish artists, including abstract art by acclaimed local artist Nina Roos, which are dotted around the building. It’s a five-minute tram ride to the pastel-coloured city centre, and a two-hour ferry journey to the Estonian capital of Tallinn from Jätkäsaari’s Länsiterminaali ferry terminal. From €105 (£92), B&B. hotelax.fi Hotel Helka Located in the central Kamppi neighbourhood, Hotel Helka was built in the 1920s by the Finnish Young Women’s Christian Association as a women’s refuge. Today, it welcomes people from all walks of life. There’s a sauna, bar, art deco touches in the lobby and rooms furnished with Alvar Aalto’s iconic midcentury chairs, alongside local art. From €132 (£115), B&B. hotelhelka.com Klaus K This LGBTQ+-friendly hotel champions the art of Touko Laaksonen, the cult gay-erotica illustrator, widely known as Tom of Finland. Guests can sleep in a room furnished with Laaksonen’s work, go on a Tom of Finland walking tour, or catch drag shows as part of the Thursday club night. The hotel has art nouveau character, a restaurant and a prime location on Bulevardi, one of Helsinki’s main streets. From €95 (£83) , B&B. klauskhotel.com Lapland Hotels Bulevardi This stylish hotel in the central Design District showcases the aesthetics of northern Finland — think dark walls, decorative antlers and private saunas in 105 of its 182 guest rooms. Kultá Kitchen & Bar, its restaurant, is notable for its Lappish dishes. Nearby, there are art galleries and design boutiques to explore. From €198 (£172), B&B. laplandhotels.com PAULA HOTTI From top: Hotel AX’s rooms feature local art; pastelcoloured architecture in central Helsinki; pasta served at Toscanini, Klaus K’s onsite restaurant JAN/FEB 2024 21 SM ART TR AVELLER

IMAGE: ALAMY Above: Houseboats are a unique accommodation option for families travelling through Kerala’s backwaters FA MI LY A YEAR OF ADVENTURE Make 2024 one to remember with these epic trips, putting fairytale castles, cultural exchange and slow travel front and centre Europe on rails With further expansion of the Good Night Train network due in March 2024, families will be able to book a central European rail odyssey all the way to Prague. Start with chocolate-tasting in Belgium’s capital, before museumhopping in Dresden and Berlin, hiking in the Saxon Switzerland National Park and touring Prague’s castle. £ MORE INFO: Good Night Train Brussels to Prague, couchette bunks for two adults and two children aged four to 11, from €496 (£432), one way. europeansleeper.eu Laid-back India Visit spice plantations, canoe the backwaters and clamber amid the old forts of Cochin on Village Ways’ new Spirit of the South trip. It explores the Karnataka coast and Kerala — an exciting family alternative to Goa — over two adventurous weeks, offering a relaxed and affordable introduction to India. £ MORE INFO:From £1,100 per person for a party of four, including accommodation, most meals, overnight trains and car transfers, but not flights. villageways.com Greek island-hopping Interrail’s new Greek Islands Pass gives families an exciting way to explore Greece, covering four travel days on national ferry lines. Or for a trip with more support, try Olympic Holidays’ nine-night ‘family favourites’ itinerary, which ferry-hops through the Dodecanese islands of Rhodes, Symi and Kos, meandering between shallow coves, ancient temples and friendly hamlets. £ £ MORE INFO: From £1,305 per person based on two adults and two children travelling, with accommodation, transfers and flights. interrail.eu olympicholidays.com Ancient treasures in Egypt With Cairo’s Grand Egyptian Museum expected to open in early 2024 after years of delay, bringing together nearly all 5,000-odd artefacts from Tutankhamun’s tomb, now’s the time for history fans to book a trip to Egypt. Exodus’s nine-day Egyptian Family Adventure includes time in Cairo as well as Nile sailing and Red Sea snorkelling. £ £ MORE INFO: From £1,549 per adult, £1,162 per child aged nine to 16, including accommodation, some meals, transport and activities, but not flights. exodus.co.uk An intro to Latin America Less well known than Mexico but with just as much to offer families, Guatemala is an exciting introduction to Latin America. Stubborn Mule’s new two-week Best of Guatemala family itinerary includes kayaking on Lake Atitlán and a tour of the Mayan ruins at Tikal. Kids also get the chance to cook pizza on top of Pacaya volcano. £ £ £ MORE INFO: From £4,250 per person for a family of four, including flights, B&B accommodation, domestic travel and activities. stubbornmuletravel.com Farmstays & bullet trains in Japan Celebrate the 60th anniversary of Japan’s shinkansen (bullet train) in 2024 with a once-in-a-lifetime family trip. Intrepid’s new eight-day Highlights of Japan Family Holiday combines shinkansen rides with a visit to Tokyo’s Harajuku district, Kyoto’s temples and a night on a tea farm, where curious kids can try tea picking. £ £ £ MORE INFO: From £2,740 per adult, £2,466 per child aged 17 and under, including accommodation, domestic transport, and some meals and activities, but not flights. intrepidtravel.com RHONDA CARRIER 30 NATIONALGEOGRAPHIC.COM/TRAVEL SM ART TR AVELLER

Luxury Your 5-star Ski In-Ski Out holidays are so close IN THE AUSTRIAN ALPS. DAS EDELWEISS Salzburg Mountain Resort I Unterbergstrasse 65 I 5611 Grossarl I AUSTRIA +43 6414 300 I www.edelweiss-grossarl.com I [email protected]

IMAGES: ALAMY; COSMIN DRAGOMIR; THERME GROUP LOV I N ’ W I N E B A R & BISTRO This intimate bistro in the north of the city is always my first choice. It has every possible variety of Romanian wine and does the best bowl of mussels in town. lovinwinebar.ro TASTING ROOM I’ve been a regular here for over a decade. A 10-minute walk from Lovin’, it’s home to the country’s best selection of white and sparkling wine. Be sure to try the cramposie românească. tastingroom.ro BUCĂTĂRIA Not far from the city centre, this cosy spot pairs seasonal comfort food with great local wines like the Davino Flamboyant, a red from the Dealu Mare region. instagram. com/bucataria. localfood Radu is a judge on Masterchef Romania and the owner of Bucharest’s Voila Bistro A confl uence of multicultural neighbourhoods, belle époque avenues and functional high-rises, Bucharest wears its past on its sleeve. While the Ceauşescu regime sought to erase all traces of the city’s history in the early 1980s, today, the Romanian capital overfl ows with character — its gritty exterior concealing a wealth of cosy bars, galleries and bookshops. Begin with a walk along Bulevardul Primăverii in the north of the city. Among the many grand houses occupying this leafy, secluded street, look out for the decadent Casa Ceaușescu — the one-time family residence of Romania’s communist dictator Nicolae Ceaușescu, who ruled from 1965 to 1989. Its gilded interiors can be explored on a guided tour. A fi ve-minute stroll away is the Museum of Recent Art, a multi-fl oor gallery dedicated to championing contemporary Romanian artists. A trip on the metro south from Aviatorilor station to Piata Romana leads to Patiseria Amzei, a tiny hole-in-thewall bakery recognisable only by the long queue of locals waiting patiently for their daily pastry fi x. The standout is merdenele cu branza (feta-fi lled pastries) — grab a couple fresh from the oven and head over to Casa Mita Biciclista as they cool down. One of a handful of bourgeoise residences that survived the architectural erasure of the Ceauşescu regime, this sumptuous art nouveau townhouse plays host to photography exhibitions, live jazz performances and exclusive parties evoking the glamour of early 20thcentury Bucharest. casaceausescu.ro mare.ro facebook. com/PatiseriePiataAmzei instagram.com/lamitabiciclista Wander down Calea Victoriei towards Biserica Kretzulescu — perhaps the most captivating of Bucharest’s Eastern Orthodox churches — before joining university students sipping espressos at neighbouring Artichoke Social House. Here, you may spot Bucharest’s resident theremin player — a maestro of the motion-operated synthesiser. An entire afternoon can be spent browsing the tomeladen balconies of Cărturești Carusel — a grand and luminous bookshop in the city’s neo-baroque Old Town. From here, it’s a short tram ride to Obor Market, where, come spring, stalls overfl ow with cherries and leafy greens. Try the mici (skinless spiced sausages, served with mustard) straight from the grill at Terasa Obor. Alternatively, stop for lunch at nearby fi ne-dining establishment Soro Lume, where the market’s off erings fuel an ever-changing menu of artfully crafted seasonal dishes. If they have it, try the charcoal-roasted duck hearts with candied parsnips. facebook.com/kretzulescu artichoke.coff ee carturesticarusel.ro facebook.com/TerasaObor sorolume.ro Next stop is the evocatively named Sector 4, where communist-era tower blocks fall away to reveal Văcărești Nature Park, a vast bowl of rewilded industrial land on the edge of the city and a sanctuary for native wildlife. Spend some time getting lost among the reeds before taking the metro to Universitate and NoRoom Taproom, where Maktoob Brewing founder Adina Ioana Oniciuc serves some of the best craft beers in the city. Cismigiu Gardens is an atmospheric spot when the light begins to fade, with art deco lamps fl ickering into life and rooks coming home to roost. If you're here in May or October, head over the river to the neighbourhood of Cotroceni for the biannual Cotroceni Bazaar, which sees residents open their courtyards to the public, transforming this tranquil enclave into a buzzy hub of live music, shopping and festivities. parcnaturalvacaresti.ro instagram.com/noroomtaproom incotroceni.ro The following day, cleanse yourself of any night-time excesses with a trip to Therme Bucharest, an innovative wellbeing centre that’s home to a plethora of saunas — including one that screens David Attenborough documentaries. therme.ro SAM KEMP INSIDE GUIDE WITH REWILDED GREEN SPACES, FORWARD -THINKING GALLERIES AND ART DECO BOULE VARDS M ADE FOR STROLLING, ROM ANIA’S CAPITAL PROMISES AN INTRIGUING ALTERNATIVE CIT Y BREAK BUCHAREST LIKE A LOCAL Radu Dumitrescu’s favourite spots for Romanian wine 32 NATIONALGEOGRAPHIC.COM/TRAVEL

The golden domes of St Nicholas Orthodox Church are typical of Bucharest’s Christian architecture Clockwise from below: One of Therme Bucharest’s many saunas; the view down a busy street in the Old Town; the elegant balconies of Cărturești Carusel JAN/FEB 2024 33 SM ART TR AVELLER

IMAGES: GETTY; NATIONAL TRUST IMAGES/JOHN MILLER From top: Llandudno’s Victorian pier at sunrise; Bodysgallen Hall has cosy, woodpanelled rooms for guests to lounge in WHERE TO STAY Set in a Grade I-listed 17thcentury country house, Bodysgallen Hall is one of only three National Trust-owned hotels. It has views of Conwy Castle and Eryri, a spa with a pool, and a restaurant serving local produce such as Anglesey scallops and Conwy lamb. Guests can tour the grounds and veg plots with the head gardener. From £260 per night, B&B. bodysgallen.com Why go A Victorian favourite once billed as the ‘Queen of Welsh resorts’, Llandudno has kept much of the charm that made it so popular. The curving promenade framing Llandudno Bay, the aroma of fi sh and chips wafting in the air, pastel-coloured art deco houses lining the seafront and old-fashioned amusements on Llandudno Pier all combine to deliver a quintessential British seaside break. The town also serves as gateway to a wealth of natural attractions in Eryri (Snowdonia) National Park and water-based adventures in Colwyn Bay. And a stay in Llandudno can be combined with a trip to Conwy, across the river of the same name, which has a mighty castle and Britain’s smallest house. visitconwy.org.uk What to do Spend a day exploring the area in and around the Great Orme — the limestone headland that rises above Llandudno to the north west. Start by riding the cable-hauled Great Orme Tramway (in action since 1902) and exploring the Great Orme Mines, a legacy of Bronze Age copper mining. Then, if it’s not too windy, glide down on the Llandudno Cable Car and take a car or bike along Marine Drive for a scenic trip around the base of the peninsula, looking out across the Irish Sea to the Menai Strait and Anglesey. greatormetramway.co.uk greatormemines.info Where to eat Dylan’s, on Llandudno’s East Parade, is set in a Grade II-listed building and off ers sea views plus a menu starring local produce. Dishes might include Welsh lamb tacos, Conwy pork or mussels plucked from the Menai Strait. Its attached shop has a range of award-winning Welsh sauces, pickles and preserves to take home. dylansrestaurant.co.uk We like A half-hour drive or train ride away, the picture-perfect market town of Llanrwst has an impressive three-arched bridge across the River Conwy. Take a stroll and drop by Blas ar Fwyd, a Welsh food hub incorporating a deli, wine shop and restaurant Amser Da. Highlights include Welsh cheeses and charcuterie, Anglesey sea salt and tipples such as rhubarb cider and mead. blasarfwyd.com Don’t miss A 20-minute drive from Llandudno, the National Trust’s Bodnant Garden has Italianstyle rose terraces, woodland peppered with giant sequoias, and a collection of hydrangeas and magnolias. The step-free Rose Walk takes in key parts of the garden, such as the terraces, waterfall bridge and Old Mill, set against the backdrop of the Eryri foothills. The longer twomile River Walk is best tackled on two wheels. nationaltrust.org.uk KARLINA VALEIKO STAY AT HOME LLANDUDNO Bookended by beaches on a limestone peninsula, this vintage North Wales seaside town has plenty of outdoor appeal JAN/FEB 2024 35 SM ART TR AVELLER

WORDS: SARAH BARRELL. IMAGE: GETTY BOOKS Coffee table travels STEP INTO GORGEOUS L ANDSCAPES, LIVE A VICARIOUS JET-SET LIFE IN HIP HOTELS AND WORSHIP THE WONDER OF NATURE IN HIGH GLOSS Hotel Kitsch Based on the social media account A Pretty Cool Hotel Tour, this book celebrates the romance of themed hotels and retro getaways. Its gallery of Champagne pools, heart-shaped tubs, Jetsons-style motel suites and clamshell beds is accompanied by text that delves into the backstories, birthplaces and quirky histories of the world’s off-beat travel spots. Artisan, £30 Garden: Exploring the horticultural world Take an illustrated journey across the globe and discover how gardens and horticulture have shaped history, from the Garden of Eden to the humble vegetable plot. Our love of manicured green spaces is explored via works by a diverse range of artists, encompassing paintings, illustrations, sculptures and more. Phaidon, £44.95 Byron Bay This is a love letter to the sun-soaked, rainforest-backed bay on Australia’s New South Wales coast that’s long been a hub for hippies, healers and boho fun-lovers. It comes with the requisite gallery of bronzed surfers and buff beach guards, along with in-depth essays delving into the destination’s cheerfully defiant refusal to adhere to social norms. Assouline, £85 The Alps A year-round guide to the Alps for those who like their peaks to be posh, this book focuses on luxury and boutique hotels across the region, with lush photography, lively storytelling and some useful practical info for travellers. There are also insider guides on the most stylish spots for shopping, dining and strolling in after a day on the slopes. Phaidon, £39.95 Life on Our Planet Accompanying the Netflix series of the same name, this glossy guide to Earth’s prehistory is packed with mind-boggling facts, as well as 200 stunning images. It explores deep time, from ancient oceans and the first plant life, through five periods of extinction to the arrival of humans — and what may lie beyond. Witness Books, £30 Magnum Magnum This collection from Magnum Photos showcases 75 years of photography, chronicling peoples, cultures, events and issues around the world. First published in 2007, this expanded edition, with more than 150 new images, celebrates 20thcentury masters but also includes work by 25 photographers who’ve joined Magnum in the past 15 years. Thames & Hudson, £125 JAN/FEB 2024 37 SM ART TR AVELLER

KIT LIST STARGAZING The stellar gear to help you reach for the skies, from the all-weather parka to the beginner-friendly telescope that can point you in the right direction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 2 PHILIP’S PLANISPHERE Is that the Big Dipper or the Little Dipper? Banish all confusion with this moveable disc map of the night sky, which can show your exact place in the universe no matter the time of year, thanks to a dial adjustable to the date and time. To go deeper, pair it with Philip’s Stargazing 2024, a guide to the year ahead. £12.99. hachette.co.uk 6 P E T Z L AC T I K C O R E 6 0 0 L While avoiding man-made light sources is key to making the most of the night sky, you’ll inevitably need a torch. Ordinary white lights can ruin your night vision, so opt for a model like this head torch from Petzl, which has a softer red-light setting and keeps your hands free. It’s also rechargeable and water-resistant. £72. cotswoldoutdoor.com 3 VO I T E D C LO U DTO U C H BLANKET If you’d rather take your stargazing at a leisurely pace, pack this four-in-one insulated blanket from Voited, which can change into a pillow, a sleeping bag and a hands-free cape, with water-resistant recycled ripstop fabric on one side and faux fl eece on the other. Available in various designs. £128. voited.co.uk 5 C E L E S T RO N S TA R S E N S E EXPLORER DX 130 An excellent beginner’s telescope, this Celestron model comes with a smartphone app. Not only does it list celestial objects you can view, it also has on-screen arrows to point you in the right direction. Once your target is in view, the app shows a green bull’s eye, prompting you to look into the eye piece. £399. wexphotovideo.com 1 YETI RAMBLER 1.9L JUG Coff ee is a stargazing essential, as much about keeping you warm as it is about keeping you awake. This stainless steel jug from Yeti can be counted on to keep yours hot for hours, with double-wall insulation and a thick lid for heat retention. It’s available in two sizes — 1.9L and 3.8L — and comes in almost all the colours of the rainbow. £100. uk.yeti.com 7 R A B VA L I A N C E WAT E R P RO O F D OW N WOMEN’S PARKA Picking out the constellations on wintry evenings can be chilly — which is why you need a dependable outer layer. This parka from Rab is perfect, fi lled with duvet-cosy recycled down with a waterproof shell. It will keep heavy downpours and high winds at bay. £380. rab.equipment 8 B E RT S C H AT H E AT E D GLOVES PRO – DUAL HEATING These heated waterproof gloves from Bertschat off er three temperature levels, and heat both sides of the hand and all digits for up to eight hours. They come with rechargeable batteries, slotted into a zipped sleeve at the wrist, and are touchscreen-compatible. £199.99. bertschat.co.uk GEORGIA STEPHENS 4 JAC K WO L F S K I N EVERQUEST TEXAPORE MID Cold toes? They’ll be a thing of the past when you don these waterproof yet breathable winter boots, which will keep you feeling stellar even if the mercury drops to -30C, thanks to a thick, fl eecy internal layer. They off er good grip on wintery surfaces and have a cushioned midsole. £125. jack-wolfskin.co.uk 38 NATIONALGEOGRAPHIC.COM/TRAVEL SM ART TR AVELLER

IMAGES: GRAND HOTEL NATIONAL LUZERN; SWITZERLAND TOURISM A THREE-NIGHT CIT Y BREAK TO LUCERNE National Geographic Traveller (UK) has teamed up with Switzerland Tourism to off er an activity-packed trip to the medieval city THE DESTINATION As far as natural settings go, Lucerne is hard to beat. The city is spread across a lake and surrounded by the Alpine peaks of central Switzerland, making outdoor activities and excursions popular year-round — be it a paddle steamer cruise or a skiing day trip when temperatures drop. The compact centre is equally attractive, set around a medieval old town with fresco-adorned facades and wooden bridges. Add to the mix cultural events like the summertime Lucerne Festival with its classical concerts and Lilu Light Festival Lucerne, which lights up the city with installations every January, and you’ve got a true all-rounder. THE PRIZE Courtesy of Switzerland Tourism, the winner and a guest will enjoy a three-night stay at Grand Hotel National Luzern on a B&B basis (room category subject to availability). The winners will receive a first-class Switzerland Travel Pass, giving them access to public transport, over 500 museums across the country and excursions on the Rigi, Stanserhorn and Stoos mountains. Also included are a guided city tour; a ‘Dine Around’ voucher worth £100, covering 19 restaurants; a first-class Lunch Cruise; and entrance to the Swiss Museum of Transport. The prize also includes return economy flights with Swiss International Air Lines from London, Manchester, Birmingham or Dublin to Zurich. Blackout dates apply. myswitzerland.com From top: The Reuss river in Lucerne, with the wooden Chapel Bridge crossing the water; Grand Hotel National Luzern; a luxurious guest room WIN TO E NTE R Answer the following question online at natgeotv.com/uk/competitions WHAT ’ S TH E NAM E O F TH E FE S TIVAL THAT TAKE S PL AC E I N LU C ERN E E VERY JAN UARY ? Competition closes on 31 January 2024. The winner must be a UK resident and aged 18 or over. Full T&Cs at natgeotv.com/uk/competitions JAN/FEB 2024 41 COMPETITION

AUSTRIA‘S SNOWIEST WINTER SPORTS DESTINATION

ILLUSTRATION: JACQUI OAKLEY The desert is a place of winds and shifting contours, sometimes of low-flying military planes, and although it’s in some sense empty, once you start looking, every plant, every rock, every jackrabbit is a source of fascination NOTES FROM AN AUTHOR setting off into the wilds, when I met a huge, imposing man who asked, “So how do you like my desert?”. I said I liked it very much and didn’t argue about whether or not it was his. Then he said, “If you walk on concrete for too long you start to think like a predator.” I had no answer to that and went on my way. Undoubtedly, I’ve done a lot of walking on concrete, but I don’t think I’m a predator. And when I’m in a particularly bleak stretch of desert I sometimes feel like prey. That name, Death Valley, is as accurate as it is dramatic, and lately it’s had special resonance for me. A few years ago, I was there at the Ubehebe Crater, a half-milewide, over-700ft-deep cavity. I decided to walk around the rim, a route described by the National Park Service as ‘moderately difficult’. I could cope with that — or so I thought. I’d done it in previous years and found it comfortable, but this time it was agony. I didn’t give up because you can’t when you’re halfway round the rim of a volcanic crater, but by the end I was exhausted, heart pounding, gasping for breath. At the time, I accepted this as just another symptom of getting old. But in due course, having been thoroughly checked out by both US and English doctors, it was concluded that I’m suffering from CMML (chronic myelomonocytic leukemia), a rare type of blood cancer, although not rare enough, obviously. I was told it was ‘treatable but not curable’. I currently take weekly injections of a hormone that stimulates red blood cell production and allows the blood to carry more oxygen. The prognosis isn’t great. At some point, the leukemia will change from chronic to acute, at which point I’ll be in real trouble. In some strange way this condition has inspired me, and led me to write Walking on Thin Air, a book about my walking experiences, often in the desert. I do get dog-tired sometimes, but I still walk and I still write. They’re the things I do, that I’ve always done, and I’ll continue as long as I possibly can. The memories of my first encounter with the California desert are so clear and intense that sometimes I wonder if I invented them, but I don’t believe so. I was hitchhiking across the States — it was the 1970s — and I was a young Englishman ‘on the road’, having read too much Jack Kerouac. My lift dropped me at a gas station near Barstow, a city in the Mojave Desert, in the south of the state. The car was air-conditioned and as I got out, I was hit by a wall of heat as strange and thrilling as anything I’d ever experienced. I was wearing a cotton T-shirt, and I went into the petrol station’s bathroom to drench it in water, then went out looking for a place to hitch. By the time I found one, the T-shirt was completely dry. It was a learning experience, proving that the desert has to be treated with huge respect. It isn’t a monster, it won’t bite you, but it does demand that you’re on your mettle. That was the start of a long relationship with the American desert, chiefly the Mojave, especially Joshua Tree National Park, Yucca Valley and Death Valley. I’d always lived in cities and done lots of urban walking, but the moment I set foot in the desert I knew it was a very special place for me. Nothing in the English landscape moved me the way it did. I began to make regular desert trips and for a decade and a half I lived in Los Angeles. I had many reasons for moving there, but the fact that I could be in that landscape in a couple of hours was a large part of the attraction. Walking is the way I experience and explore the desert, although, of course, a reliable 4WD helps in getting there. I don’t claim to be some great explorer. I find an appealing stretch of desert, and I walk there. And if I find wonders such as petroglyphs, an abandoned gold mine or, say, the Noah Purifoy Desert Art Museum of Assemblage Art, then so much the better. Cliches abound regarding the desert — that it’s a place of stillness, silence, emptiness. But, only up to a point. It is also a place of winds and shifting contours, sometimes of low-flying military planes, and although it’s in some sense empty, once you start looking, every plant, every rock, every jackrabbit is a source of fascination. There’s isolation and solitude, but sometimes you meet fellow travellers. I was once in Stovepipe Wells, in Death Valley, Captivated as a young man by the allure of the American open road, the novelist now finds solace and inspiration walking the country’s deserts GEOFF NICHOLSON Geoff Nicholson is the author of Walking on Thin Air; A Life’s Journey in 99 Steps, published by The Westbourne Press, £12.99. geoffnicholsonwriter.com SM ART TR AVELLER JAN/FEB 2024 43

IMAGE: BEAR GRYLLS VENTURES Bear Grylls is best known for presenting shows such as Born Survivor and Running Wild with Bear Grylls. He has led several record-breaking expeditions in aid of charity and has held the position of Chief Scout of the United Kingdom and Overseas Territories since 2009. The Brompton x Bear Grylls C Line Explore bike is available now from brompton.com beargrylls.com @beargrylls @beargrylls R E A D T H E F U L L I N T E RV I E W O N L I N E AT NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC. COM/TR AVEL THE T V PRESENTER AND FOR MER SA S OFFICER ON RESPON SIBLE TR AVEL, COMFORT ZONES AND EXPLORING THE WORLD ON HIS DOORSTEP Bear Grylls MEET THE ADVENTURER Where’s your favourite place to explore in the UK? My number one is always Wales. There’s so much to it: incredible coasts, mountains, caves, waterfalls. My family owns a little island a few miles off the coast of North Wales that’s totally off-grid. The house is powered by wind and solar; we even collect rainwater off the roof. It can be isolating sometimes, but I love that. I spend so much of my year around people and I’m not a natural extrovert — I need a little quiet time to sit and recharge. How can people be encouraged to travel more responsibly? It’s all about setting an example. You’ve got to try and make responsible living an aspiration. The world is a gift to be experienced, but we always have to temper that with a love and respect for the places we go. People are savvy now; they want to travel with companies that are socially responsible, and you’d hope that the adventure travel industry responds to that. After all, if you love something — a certain culture or environment — you should want to protect it. You have a new collaboration with Brompton, which seems an unlikely partnership — an adventurer and a commuter bike. How did this come about? I’ve ridden Bromptons all my life, so this partnership is something that’s been brewing for a long time. I travel a lot, but despite appearances, it’s not all jungles, deserts and mountains. The rest of the year is spent in cities, at conferences, conventions or events. But I find being tied to cars and taxis in big cities quite confining, so I always take my Brompton. Arriving in a place you don’t know, it’s great to have such an easy way to just get out and explore. It really plays into that adventure state of mind. Where’s next on your travel list? The more I travel, the more I realise how truly incredible the world is — but sometimes the best adventures are on your doorstep. I thought I knew every inch of the Brecon Beacons (now Bannau Brycheiniog), but last night, I was camping there with some old friends and we found this amazing hidden ravine with its own waterfall. It was like something out of Narnia; I had no idea it was there. The reality is that you don’t have to save a fortune and travel halfway across the world — you can experience new places on a weekend or an evening. You’ve just got to use your imagination. INTERVIEW: MEGAN HUGHES Tell us about your earliest memory of travel. My first real travel experience was going down to Dartmoor National Park, in southern Devon, with my dad. We went horse riding and wild camping, but it was winter and I was only six and was absolutely freezing. I remember my dad saying to me: “It’s OK. Sometimes you’ve just got to put your head down and get through the storms because what’s on the other side is amazing.” He was an ex-Royal Marines Commando and taught me so much about the resilience of the human spirit and being adventurous. Adventure always starts inside; it’s not just about your surroundings. It’s about living with your eyes wide open and with a gratitude for life. You’re an expert at coaxing others out of their comfort zones. What takes you out of yours? I’m not sure I particularly love the ‘getting there’ bit of travel, despite having done so much flying for work over the years. So, I wouldn’t say I’m a great traveller, but I do still try and visit new destinations as much as possible. In that sense, I spend most of my life out of my comfort zone. I think of it as more of a comfort pit — somewhere you want to get out of as quickly as possible. Any top travel tips? I always try to travel without expectations. Adventure only happens when things start to go wrong. Stay nimble, expect the unexpected and be sure to keep a sense of humour — no matter what happens! 44 NATIONALGEOGRAPHIC.COM/TRAVEL SM ART TR AVELLER

Choose from four captivating tours History & Hauntings Mysteries & Murders Merchants & Mansions Architecture Tour Hocus Pocus Movie Locations Tour "Travelers' Choice Best of the Best" from TripAdvisor 2022 Salem Massachusetts’ Most Loved Tour Book Now www.witchcitywalkingtours.com Instagram: @witchcitywalkingtours

JAPAN How theatre is evolving Kabuki and Noh artists are pushing boundaries in old traditions, using innovative tech and manga. THEME PARKS Welcome to Buddhist hell Asia’s ‘hell parks’ began as temple gardens that warned visitors of Buddhism’s many levels of hell. TECHNOLOGY Seven video cameras we love Whether biking or diving, these cameras are your best bets for capturing sights and sounds. SIX OF THE WORLD’S BE ST MOUNTAIN - R AIL TRIPS Imposing peaks, river valleys and glacial lakes await on these memorable routes — from a luxury adventure through Peru to a short hop across the Alps. Words: Monisha Rajesh TOP STORIES Here’s what you’ve been enjoying on the website this month DARJEELING HIM AL AYAN R AILWAY New Jalpaiguri to Darjeeling, India Since 1881, this old steam train has been a beloved part of northeast India’s landscape. Bright blue against emerald-green tea bushes, it weaves in and out of low-hanging cloud, giving a comical toot at every turn. Built by British colonisers, the railway was used to transport tea, rice and other produce up and down the Himalayan foothills. On a clear day, passengers are treated to views of the snowcapped, 8,586-metre peak of Kangchenjunga. HOW TO DO IT: The train departs New Jalpaiguri daily at 10am and arrives into Darjeeling at 5.30pm. A one-way ticket starts from INR 1,400 (£10). dhr.in.net irctc.co.in THE SKEENA Jasper to Prince Rupert, Canada Known locally as the ‘Rupert Rocket’, the Skeena train departs Jasper National Park three days a week, taking passengers into the deepest wilderness of British Columbia. With 3,000-metre peaks sparkling all around, the train curls out of Alberta past the Canadian Rockies’ highest point, Mount Robson, followed by the Cariboo Mountains, at the foot of which lie teal-green lakes as still as glass. From a panoramic carriage, passengers can keep eyes peeled for black and grizzly bears, white-tailed deer, elk and moose, as well as bald eagles. HOW TO DO IT: A one-way ticket starts from C$171 (£100). viarail.ca ANDEAN EXPLORER Cusco to Arequipa, Peru From Cusco, the Andean Explorer embarks on a luxury two-night journey high into the canyons and plateaus of the La Raya mountain range. From the cosiness of bunk-bed cabins or double-bed suites, passengers can wake to the sight of a crimson sunrise over Lake Titicaca before disembarking to sip coffee in the chill of the mountain air. Off-board visits take passengers to the Uros islands, Sumbay Caves and for strolls around green lagoons before the third day’s arrival into Arequipa. HOW TO DO IT: A two-person bunk-bed cabin starts from US$5,688 (£4,560). belmond.com READ MORE ONLINE WHAT’S ONLINE 46 NATIONALGEOGRAPHIC.COM/TRAVEL

S E A RC H F O R NATGEOTR AVELUK FACEBOOK 11 X (TWITTER) 11 INSTAGR A M BELIZE Mayan cave tourism Hundreds of caves served as portals to a Mayan underworld, full of extraordinary relics. TRUFFLE HUNTING How dogs sniff out black gold At a secret location in Hampshire, two women, one man and one dog go in search of a local delicacy. DISASTER RECOVERY Can tourism help? Natural disasters have made headlines in 2023 — here’s how tourism can have a positive impact. Candy-coloured beach huts, smart bakeries and shrieking gulls — you’ll find all of these along Suffolk’s coast. It’s a scenic stretch, where estuaries slink to the sea through marshes and reeds — havens for birds, otters and seals. There’s plenty to sustain its human visitors, too, with local ingredients produced by the sandy soils and seaweed-rich shores. BUTLEY ORFORD OYSTERAGE On a bend on the Butley River, Bill Pinney cultivates Pacific oysters in a ‘fattening creek’, while cod roe, trout, mackerel and Wester Ross salmon are smoked in his oak-log-fired smokehouse. Two miles away, at the family’s restaurant in Orford, the plump oysters are served up alongside a vast array of seafood. THE CANTEEN, SOUTHWOLD This restaurant is part of a community project set in the former Southwold Hospital. It celebrates farm-fresh global flavours at affordable prices with weekly changing menus. Once a month, invited chefs cook a pay-what-you-can Sunday lunch. TH E U N RU LY PI G , WO O D B RI D G E The success of The Unruly Pig, set in a timberframed Regency building, is testament to owner Brendan Padfield’s commitment to good food with big-hitting flavours, with a menu serving what he calls ‘Britalian’ food. Plates include veal sweetbreads slathered in herby lardo di Colonnata, and a custard tart served with raspberry sorbet. READ MORE ONLINE B E YO ND THE TR AVEL SECTION How Covid attacks your heart Scientists have found Covid-19 can trigger serious cardiovascular problems, especially among older people who have a buildup of fatty material in their blood vessels. A new study has revealed why. natgeo.com/science | S C I E N C E | See Spain’s fabled Alhambra as few have ever before This remarkable fortress is considered the crowning glory of Muslim rule on the Iberian Peninsula. We were given behindthe-scenes access to its darkest recesses. natgeo.com/history | H I S T O R Y | Hurricanes are escalating more quickly than ever. Here’s why Rapidly intensifying weather patterns are significantly more common than they were 40 years ago and they’re still hard to predict early enough to prepare. natgeo.com/environment | E N V I R O N M E N T | A SC ENI C S E A S ID E B RE AK FE ATU RE S LO C AL OYSTERS , SMO KED FI S H AND THE CHANCE TO MAKE YOUR OWN GIN. WORDS: CLAIRE BOOBBYER PL AN A FOODIE WEEKEND ON THE SUFFOLK COAST VISIT NATGEO.COM/TR AVEL FOR NEW TR AVEL FE ATURES DAILY IMAGES: ALAMY; BLACK DOG DELI; CHRISTIAN HEEB/LAIF/REDUX; NORIKO HAYASHI/THE NEW YORK TIMES; REBECCA HALE; GETTY JAN/FEB 2024 41

WEEKENDER The ‘Garden of Ireland’ is a fabled landscape of rivers, forest walkways and smugglers’ coves where visitors can forage, wild swim and follow woodland paths to monastic ruins. Words: Amelia Duggan To drive south of Dublin and cross into County Wicklow is to be confronted, almost immediately, with some of the most soaring, timeless scenery the Emerald Isle has to off er. This is the ‘Garden of Ireland’: a forested realm of steep, glacial valleys that climb dramatically to the stark uplands of the Wicklow Mountains. Its beauty has made it a site of pilgrimage since ancient times — between the sixth and 12th centuries, the valley of Glendalough was home to one of the most powerful and learned monasteries in all Christendom. Today, walkers fl ock to Wicklow to tackle sections, if not all, of the Wicklow Way, an 82-mile trail that snakes through the county’s centre. Along the way, it off ers detours to spectacular aristocratic country piles like Powerscourt House & Gardens or horticultural wonders such as the National Botanic Gardens, Kilmacurragh. A groundswell of civic pride and investment over the past decade has led to the launch of new tours and attractions, including the multimillion-pound Beyond the Trees aerial forest walkway. Meanwhile, on the coast, pretty towns with sandy beaches off er surfers and swimmers access to the Irish Sea, their streets paved with tales of smugglers, Vikings, rebels and poets. COUNTY WICKLOW 4 8 NATIONALGEOGRAPHIC.COM/TRAVEL

IMAGES: GETTY; STRAWBERRY TREE RESTAURANT Morning Kissing the county’s northern border with Dublin is the lively beach town of Bray, its promenade stretching a mile between the mouth of the River Dargle and a rocky headland once notorious for smugglers’ caves. Strap on a life jacket for a sea kayak lesson with Bray Adventures. Paddling out from the harbour, the instructor paints a picture of Bray’s 19thcentury heyday as Ireland’s most glamorous seaside resort, pointing out landmarks such as Oscar Wilde’s birthplace. The final destination is a set of rugged sea stacks home to nesting guillemots, cormorants and kittiwakes. Lunch awaits in the town of Greystones — The Happy Pear serves hearty plant-based curries and soups, plus vegan desserts. brayadventures.ie thehappypear.ie Afternoon Drive to Powerscourt House & Gardens, one of eastern Ireland’s most impressive and storied estates, in Enniskerry. The 18thcentury Palladian manor is merely set dressing for the main event: 47 acres of landscaped gardens. Beautifully arranged beneath grand terraces and framed on the horizon by Wicklow’s Great Sugar Loaf peak, the grounds offer up ornamental lakes and follies to rival the grander palaces of continental Europe. Self-guided audio tours tell the history of Ireland through the triumphs and tragedies of this great house. Later, drop in at the on-site whiskey distillery, or follow the road four miles south to visit the spectacular 398ft-high Powerscourt Waterfall, Ireland’s highest cascade. powerscourt.com Evening A groundswell of interest in the great outdoors since the pandemic has made Wild Summits’ night hike and history tour of Glendalough the company’s most popular offering. The most sensational pocket of Wicklow Mountains National Park, Glendalough is home to the ruins of a grand monastic city. Founded in the sixth century, it grew in size and ecclesiastical might to become one of the major centres of learning in the West, before falling into disrepair and being burnt down by the English in 1398. Setting off before dusk, Wild Summits’ guides take hikers though the ruined abbey, around the twin lakes and up into mountains populated by sika deer — a nearly nine-mile walk that ends with a headlamp-lit scramble back to the car park. wildsummits.ie DAY ONE SEA TO SUMMIT WICKLOW EQUI TOURS With hour-long tours tailored to each rider’s experience and bespoke, cross-country horse-riding trips also on offer, this working stables on the edge of the Wicklow Mountains is the place to saddle up and explore the landscape. Riders are matched to one of 35 horses — all Irish cobs, Irish sport horses or thoroughbreds — and taken through forests or onto the sands of Brittas Bay. wicklowequitours.com K2ALPACAS This farm hosts a variety of interactive experiences with its herd of 80 fluffy, Andean camelids. They offer a Prosecco Trek, where guests walk the friendly alpacas up to a viewpoint to enjoy a drink, learning about the animals and the area along the way. The farm also opened seven elegant self-catering cottages on the property in 2022. k2alpacas.ie FALCONRY IRELAND Travellers can learn about the ancient field sport of falconry at this centre in Woodenbridge, with experiences that include seeing Harris’s hawks, lanner falcons, turkey vultures, black kites and owls in their element. Walk out into the surrounding woodland with seasoned falconers whose birds demonstrate flying and hunting. Finally, end up in the Woodenbridge Hotel & Lodge, Ireland’s oldest inn dating back to 1608, for a meal. falconryofireland.ie Animal attractions TOP THREE From left: A traveller admires the valley views in Glendalough from a mountaintop; Strawberry Tree Restaurant is certified by the Organic Trust JAN/FEB 2024 49

IMAGE: CELTIC ROUTES Morning Take a guided walk with selftaught foraging expert Geraldine Kavanagh of Wicklow Wild Foods. Walking along the banks of the Avonmore River near Rathdrum, basket in hand, Geraldine identifies nettles, nuts, berries and more, sharing their nutritional properties, as well as recipes to try and local folklore. You can also see her work in the gin made by Glendalough Distillery, an award-winning local company a 25-minute drive north of Rathdrum, for which she provides seasonal foraged botanicals. For a homemade lunch, drive on west to Roundwood Stores; the high-end grocers-cum-cafe sells all manner of artisanal produce and has a charming outdoor patio. wicklowwildfoods.com glendaloughdistillery.com Afternoon Wicklow’s most far-flung attraction is 18th-century Russborough House, which sits amid the Blessington Lakes on the border with County Kildare. It’s reached by an hour-or-so drive over the undulating plateaus of the Wicklow Mountains. Guided tours of the interior show off handsculpted ceilings, marble fireplaces and mahogany staircases — plus, a cornucopia of tapestries, silverware, clocks and oil paintings collected on Italian tours by the first owner, Dubliner and brewing heir Joseph Leeson. Important works of art were added in the 20th century by new owner Sir Alfred Beit, including Thomas Gainsborough’s portrait of Madame Baccelli, which has miraculously been returned to the collection three times following dramatic art heists. russborough.ie Evening Wrap up a trip to Wicklow at Strawberry Tree, Ireland’s first and only restaurant certified by the Organic Trust. Whether you go a la carte or opt for the 10-course tasting menu, each playful dish is a masterful expression of the current season using Irish produce. Most ingredients are grown on neighbouring organic farms or collected by in-house foragers, creating dishes such as sika venison tartare with fermented turnip and bilberry followed by wild woodruff creme brulee. There’s also an onsite deli, bakery and smokehouse. Linger longer by booking into BrookLodge & Macreddin Village, the refined 89-room, four-star hotel that’s housed the restaurant since 1999; doubles start at £125. brooklodge.com DAY T WO FORAGING & FINE ART WICKLOW The eponymous county town sits on a stunning stretch of coast, settled by the Vikings in 795. Descend from the clifftop ruins of Black Castle, built during the 12th-century Norman invasion, to Travelahawk Beach below. C L A R A VA L E For a blissful river dip, head to the old stone Clara Vale Bridge and park by Saint Patrick’s and Saint Killian’s Church. From the grassy verge, it’s easy to scramble down into the shallow waters of the Avonmore and wade upstream, admiring the trees and dragonflies. BRITTAS BAY Wicklow’s most famous beach is this three-mile smile of white sand backed by ecologically significant dunes, grasses and ferns. It has Blue Flag status and lifeguards during summer high season, making it perfect for bathing, bodyboarding and more with the family. M E E T I N G O F THE WATERS The intersection of the rivers Avonmore and Avonbeg offers picnicking facilities amid lush forest. Swimming here’s a right of passage; it’s where Irish poet Thomas Moore was inspired to write the popular ditty, The Meeting Of The Waters, in the early 19th century. GREYSTONES While the chi chi town’s South Beach is a scenic half-mile of pebble and sand, perfect for dips, locals instead go to The Cove. This shingle beach south of the marina hosts morning swimmers year-round who afterwards head to Rise at the Cove, a social enterprise cafe serving hot drinks with a portable sauna onsite. Places for wild swimming TOP FIVE Right: Brittas Bay is Wicklow’s most prized stretch of sand and the perfect spot for a swim WEEKENDER JAN/FEB 2024 51

IMAGE: GETTY Wicklow Forest Bathing A new and welcome addition to Wicklow’s portfolio of nature activities, forest bathing classes in Ballygannon Wood, just north of Rathdrum, were launched by Netherlands-born Cathelijne de Wit in 2021. Forest bathing, or shinrinyoku, is a Japanese meditative practice designed to combat stress by inviting participants to focus on the sensations of being among trees; the ‘bathing’ is metaphorical. Cat takes participants on a slow, mindful walk, prompting them to engage with the details of nature through tasks, exercises and sharing circles — although, in her words, she says she lets the forest do most of the talking. Sessions end with a picnic of natural teas and snacks foraged for the occasion. forestbathingwicklow.com Beyond the Trees at Avondale Forest Park Avondale House has a long and important history as the family seat of Wicklow’s most famous son, the great 19th-century nationalist and orator Charles Stewart Parnell. After a sensitive restoration of the Georgian main house, tours launched in the summer of 2023. But the true gem of the Avondale estate is its new mile-long wooden aerial walkway — an accessible, buggy-friendly architectural wonder that takes travellers 75ft above the valley floor to interact with the canopies of oak, larch, fir and even giant redwood, and teach them about forestry. Visits culminate at the 125ft-high spiral tower from which adults and children alike can descend by slide. beyondthetreesavondale.com National Botanic Gardens, Kilmacurragh While the historic gardens here are most famous for the Broad Walk, a boulevard of yews and rhododendrons that becomes carpeted in crimson petals each April, there’s plenty else to discover year-round — in particular, species from China and Chile collected both by Victorian ‘plant hunters’ and more recently by head gardener Seamus O’Brien. Kilmacurragh’s great house, dating from 1697, stands in ruins but a €14m (£12.2m) investment project is now underway to restore it. Meanwhile, 53 acres of grounds were replanted and opened to the public in 2023. Tours depart at noon and 3pm between mid-March and midOctober, and can also be requested in winter. botanicgardens.ie THREE MORE IMMERSIVE NATURE EXPERIENCES MORE INFO ireland.com HOW TO DO IT County Wicklow can be reached in 30 mins by road or rail from Dublin. There are car hire companies in town and at Dublin airport. Ferry crossings run from Holyhead (3h) and Liverpool (7h30m). Ryanair and Aer Lingus operate from multiple UK terminals. Flight time: 1h30m. aerlingus.com irishferries.com poferries.com ryanair.com stenaline.co.uk WHERE TO STAY Summerhill House, Enniskerry. From €190 (£164), B&B. summerhillhousehotel.com Left: Hiking is one of Wicklow’s main draws, with mountain paths offering plenty of scenic views The Wicklow Way In 1980, this 82-mile hiking trail became the first of its kind to be formally established in Ireland, taking in the glacial valleys and fastflowing streams of the Wicklow Mountains over five to 10 days. 52 NATIONALGEOGRAPHIC.COM/TRAVEL WEEKENDER

FIND YOUR DREAM HOME IN PIEMONTE We are Eli Anne & Fabiana and we are real estate professionals who have known the area for 20 years! We will guide and advise you in finding the solution to your needs. IN PIEMONTE, YOU WILL FIND TRANQUILLITY, BEAUTIFUL VINEYARDS, EVENTS AND ABOVE ALL GOOD FOOD AND EXCELLENT WINE! CASE IN PIEMONTE DI LANGEN ELI ANNE RELY ON US caseinpiemonte.com selectedhomespiemonte.com [email protected]

IMAGES: GETTY; HEINZ VON HOLZEN EAT BALI Known for its beaches, jungles and colourful temples, the Indonesian island of Bali is also home to a vibrant and hugely varied offering of local dishes, from grilled octopus with starfruit to rich Padang-style curry WORDS: RACHEL LOVELOCK There’s something powerfully compelling about Balinese food. Whenever I arrive back home on the island, my taste buds immediately cry out for local cuisine. I head straight to the eastern outskirts of the capital, Denpasar, to my favourite warung (a simple roadside stall or shop), Nasi Tekor. This rustic spot recalls Bali in the 1970s and offers a fix of nasi campur, the Indonesian staple of plain rice usually served with vegetables, egg, meat or fish to make up a composite meal. I eat my fill and despite my familiarity with Indonesian and Balinese food, I’m no closer to understanding why I find it so addictive. Certainly, though, it’s in part due to its rich and diverse origins. “The moment you start exploring the history of Indonesian food, you learn about the trading activities and migration through the Strait of Malacca into what’s now Indonesia,” says Will Meyrick, the famed street food chef. Originally from Scotland, Will has a string of food venues to his name including fusion spot Mama San Bali, in Seminyak, and hip Indonesian restaurant Hujan Locale, in the inland town of Ubud. “Many of the region’s distinctive flavours and cooking techniques were shaped by early Arabic traders — the Hadhrami merchants of Yemen, as well as the Chinese, Indian and Dutch traders and settlers,” he continues. Prior to opening the Indonesian restaurant Hujan Locale in 2014, Will travelled around Indonesia — which he documented in his Trans TV show, Street Food Chef — on a mission to source the recipes that would become his inspiration. He was particularly impressed by Sumatran cuisine, especially the dishes from Aceh on this large Indonesian island’s northernmost tip. When I visit Hujan Locale, this inspires me to order the Acehnese charred grilled octopus from the grazing menu. Served with young, sour starfruit, curry leaves, pandan leaves, green chilli and okra, it’s delightfully spicy and tender. I also sample the vegetarian gulai pakis and terong balado, which is a rich Padang-style curry from West Sumatra made with fern tips, aubergine and egg, full of flavour and texture. Hujan Locale is in Bali’s cultural hub of Ubud, a tourist spot that encompasses most reasons people come to this island — traditional art communities, ancient temples, rice terraces, jungle-clad river gorges and jaw-dropping views of distant volcanoes. But Will suggests I take one of his street food tours into the gritty heart of Denpasar. Not many tourists visit Bali’s capital but it has much to recommend it — a busy vibe, local culture and history in the old city, where the brick shrines and gates are the simplest yet most exquisite in Bali. Kadek Miharjaya, born and raised in Denpasar, is a knowledgeable guide. Our first stop is Warung Babi Guling Pan Ana for Bali’s famous delicacy of spit-roasted pig. The place is packed with locals and my plate is laden with no fewer than eight side dishes, including a piece of crispy skin, lawar (made with young jackfruit, grated fresh coconut and Clockwise from top: Rice terraces in Tegallalang; steamed bumbu kuning fish, at Hujan Locale; Bapak and Ibu Tekor, the owners of Warung Nasi Tekor in Denpasar 54 NATIONALGEOGRAPHIC.COM/TRAVEL

JAN/FEB 2024 11

Experience the best of Balinese culture, breathtaking scenery, and unparalleled amenities at the award-winning AYANA Resort Bali, a destination of its own. www.ayana.com

IMAGES: CHRISTIAN HORAN PHOTOGRAPHY/FOUR SEASONS RESORT BALI AT SAYAN; MERAH PUTIH MERAH PUTIH An unassuming exterior belies the cathedral-inspired masterpiece within, with palm trees, a 30ft-high translucent roof and art deco-style columns that channel rainwater. The fine-dining menu includes ayam taliwang, Lombok spring chicken with water spinach, chives and kaffir lime, and bebek kalio — braised duck with cassava leaves, leek and chilli. Mains from IDR150,000 (£8). merahputihbali.com WARUNG GLORIA This streetside spot sells more than 40 dishes including west Sumatran beef rendang stew, perkedel potato cakes, sesame-dipped, deep-fried tempeh and myriad rice dishes. Mains from IDR50,000 (£2.60). Jl. Raya Kedampang, Kerobokan Kelod, Badung AY U N G T E R R AC E , F O U R SE ASON S BALI AT SAYAN In a jungle-fringed river gorge, near Ubud, Ayung Terrace has an a la carte menu showcasing delicacies such as Balinese mixed satay and udang bakar — grilled prawn with raw sambal and morning glory (water spinach). Mains from IDR295,000 (£15). fourseasons.com LO C AVO R E N X T Before Locavore closed in October 2023, it ranked in Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants list for five consecutive years. The sustainably built, trailblazing reincarnation opened in December 2023 near Ubud, complete with a roof garden and on-site permaculture food-forest growing indigenous fruits and vegetables. 20-course tasting menu IDR 1,800,000 (£93). locavorenext.com A TASTE OF Bali pig’s blood), rice and a dollop of the fl avourful stuffi ng. I tuck in as enthusiastically as my companions. At another warung, I’m served an ominous-looking dark green dessert-like drink called daluman, comprised of grass jelly blended with a swirl of coconut milk and a drizzle of liquid palm sugar. Topped with ice cubes, it’s surprisingly thirst-quenching. We wander through the busy central market, Pasar Badung, which is showcasing a rainbow of fruits and vegetables from long coils of snake bean to shiny purple mangosteen, and the pungent spices that drive the fl avours of Balinese cooking: turmeric, ginger, lemongrass, vanilla, cinnamon, galangal plus 10 diff erent varieties of local chilli. I get the chance to blend some of those spices at the cooking school of Swiss restauranteur, Heinz von Holzen. He arrived in Bali in 1990 and worked as executive chef at the Grand Hyatt. Then, seven years later, he and his Balinese wife, Puji, opened Bumbu Bali restaurant and cooking school in Tanjung Benoa — a peninsula that juts into the bay north of Nusa Dua. Benoa village, on the tip, was once a bustling trading port for Indonesia’s eastern islands, and many Chinese and Bugis descendants of these traders still live locally. “For me, Balinese cooking is not just about incredible food, it’s about preserving culture,” says Heinz. A renowned photographer, Heinz has published 12 books exploring local cuisine and runs a second restaurant, Art Cafe Bumbu Bali, with his son Fabian. Both of his restaurants are named after bumbu Bali, the island’s signature blend of freshly ground spices, which varies from village to village and dish to dish, enlivening and adding depth to food. During Heinz’s cooking class I laboriously pummel fresh garlic, shallots, chillies, galangal, ginger and turmeric in an ulekan cobek, a traditional pestle and mortar made from volcanic stone. The result is a harmonious-yet-complex blend that’s inimitably Balinese. “I have 16 ingredients in my bumbu Bali, the ‘mother sauce’ we call it,” says Bali-born chef Wayan Kresna Yasa when we meet at HOME by Chef Wayan, his minimalist modern restaurant decked in warm woods and tropical greens. “Making it can take three hours. You must cook it slowly and caramelise it properly to release all the umami fl avours. Balinese food is not easy food to make, and it all starts with bumbu.” HOME is in the coastal village of Pererenan, near Canggu, Bali’s hippest spot, but Wayan grew up on Nusa Penida, an island off Bali’s southeast coast framed by spectacular limestone sea-cliff s. Wayan has been a fi sherman, a boat captain and a seaweed farmer but cooking has always been his passion. He studied and worked in the US at fi ne-dining restaurants in Chicago and New York before Ayung Terrace is set on the dramatic Sayan River gorge, near Ubud Right: Mango meringue dessert, at Merah Putih EAT JAN/FEB 2024 57

returning to Bali to lead the kitchens at beach club, Potato Head. “After seven years I stepped down to do something new with Indonesian cuisine, with a modern presentation yet without jeopardising the character,” he says. About 30% of Wayan’s home-style Balinese and Indonesian dishes are vegan, some of them hailing from his native island, Nusa Penida. Standouts include ledok nusa, a savoury porridge made from whatever’s in season — corn, cassava, beans and other crops — finished with kemangi (lemon basil) which brings a sweet aroma. His plant-based creation of roasted tempeh with a crunchy baby cabbage known as keciwis is one of the best Indonesian dishes I have ever tasted. Bali’s attracted generations of ex-pats and creatives since the 1930s. It’s a place people visit — and stay. One such person is Penny Williams, an Australian who came to Bali in 2007 as executive chef of Alila Manggis resort. Four years later she designed and opened Bali Asli Restaurant in the island’s east, under the gaze of Mount Agung, Bali’s highest volcano. “It turned out to be the most amazing journey, the learning curve was about as steep as Mount Agung,” says Penny. “I realised that traditional Balinese cuisine is extremely diverse; you can travel less than two hours and the food will be prepared in a completely different way. That inspired me to create Bali Asli, where we do everything traditionally: cook on wood fires, prepare by hand using pestles and mortars, and only serve cuisine from the surrounding eastern region.” Most of Asli’s ingredients are homegrown, and the menu — on lontar palm-leaf manuscripts — changes almost daily. Lunch includes a foraged speciality, mountain fern tips with grated coconut, and spiced fish steamed in banana leaf parcels. Outside, the sky is blue and I can see Bali Asli is blessed with views of Mount Agung, the rice fields and rainforest that’s laid across the foothills like patchwork. “Every day here makes my heart sing,” Penny says as she follows my gaze. HOW TO DO IT: Tropical Sky offers itineraries exploring the best of Bali’s beaches, combined with a stay in Ubud. Start at the beach resort, Melia Bali, in Nusa Dua, then stay in Wapa Di Ume, in Ubud and travel to the northeast coast to Spa Village Resort Tembok. A 13-night trip starts from £1,869 per person B&B, including flights. tropicalsky.co.uk PEPES IKAN This fragrant spiced fish is steamed in banana leaf packages and baked on a fire of coconut husks. The juices inside the parcel explode with a moist smoky flavour. BABI GULING Bali’s signature dish of spit-roasted pig is stuffed with aromatic leaves, onion, garlic and bumbu Bali, brushed with crushed turmeric and served with lawar, spicy chopped meat and vegetables. GADO-GADO This warm salad of blanched or steamed vegetables, tofu, rice cake and hard-boiled egg is served with a sweet and spicy peanut sauce. KLEPON A small, sweet boiled ball of rice flour dough, coloured green with pandan leaf extract, filled with palm sugar and rolled in shredded coconut. The liquid centre bursts in the mouth. BUBUH INJIN A sticky black rice pudding, blended with coconut milk, flavoured with pandan leaves and sweetened with coconut sugar. FIVE FOOD FINDS IMAGES: MERAH PUTIH; MATABOOLAN Below: Pepes Ikan, from Merah Putih restaurant Right: Cooking over coals at Bali Asli 58 NATIONALGEOGRAPHIC.COM/TRAVEL EAT

Nikolai Gladkov discoverkyrgyzstan.org WELCOME TO THE KYRGYZ REPUBLIC The Kyrgyz Republic is home to pristine nature, crystal-clear glacial waters and a comfortable climate. The nomadic heritage of the Kyrgyz people preserves both the historical sites of the Great Silk Road and locals’ traditions. The unique mix of cultural heritage and natural charm has lead to Kyrgyzstan becoming a new tourist destination. Its open-sky policy and visa-free regime has helped attract foreign investments in the tourism industry. Krygyzstan is one of the most hospitable nations in Central Asia. The Kyrgyz people look forward to welcoming you as a guest in their home country. Come and discover more about the Kyrgyz people and their traditions and lifestyle. Nursultan Attokurov Nursultan Attokurov Nursultan Attokurov Nursultan Attokurov

SLEEP BOSTON WORDS: JONATHAN THOMPSON In the 19th century, Boston was nicknamed ‘The Hub of the Solar System’ such was its importance at the heart of the young American nation. Ask any of the passionate locals — especially Red Sox baseball fans — and they’ll say it’s still an accurate description. The star at the centre of this particular galaxy is a compact 400-year-old downtown, home to a collection of historic sites that form the core of the Freedom Trail, and the harbour where the Boston Tea Party protest took place 250 years ago. You’ll find most of the best hotels in the Back Bay or South End areas, both flanking the downtown and close to the culinary and cultural action. ALL RATES QUOTED ARE FOR STANDARD DOUBLES, ROOM-ONLY, UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED. IMAGES: BOSTON HARBOR HOTEL; ALICE GAO 60 NATIONALGEOGRAPHIC.COM/TRAVEL

Best all-rounder £ £ £ B O STO N H A R B O R H OTE L Anchoring the oceanfront Rowes Wharf, this heavyweight hotel is the host venue for the Boston Wine & Food Festival, a three-month event that kicks off every year in January. It’s also home to one of the city’s finest seafood restaurants, Rowes Wharf Sea Grille, which serves a memorable lobster fried rice. The bright, recently renovated rooms have blue tones and maritime art that pay tribute to the setting; the ones marked with even numbers have a guaranteed sea view. There’s an enormous pool beneath reception, hotel boat trips out to the harbour islands and live music on a floating barge every evening. Add the fact that the Children’s Museum and Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum are within easy walking distance, and you have a true all-rounder. ROOMS: From £485. bostonharborhotel.com JAN/FEB 2024 69

Best for peace seekers £ £ £ THE NEWBURY Hidden in plain sight opposite the city’s lush Public Garden, this grand dame brings warmth and tranquillity to every space, be it the airy rooftop Italian restaurant or the park-facing Street Bar, all dark wood and leather sofas. The beloved lounge has served a who’s who of guests over the last century, from the Duke and Duchess of Windsor to author Tennessee Williams, who wrote part of A Streetcar Named Desire while living at the hotel. Guest rooms invite relaxation with a neutral palette and plenty of natural light. Many also have their own fireplace and access to a dedicated ‘fire butler’ for hot cocoa and kindling. Meanwhile, the cosy library off the lobby is the perfect place to curl up with a cocktail and good book. ROOMS: From £490. thenewburyboston.com Best for active trips £ £ THE WHITNEY The Whitney sits at the confluence of three key neighbourhoods: buzzy West End, pretty Beacon Hill and scholarly Cambridge, a quick stroll across adjacent Longfellow Bridge. This 65-room boutique property has made a name for itself with its impossibly comfortable mattresses — they come from a small local supplier and are frequently sold to guests at check-out — and Sardinian restaurant Peregrine, where highlights include the paellalike seafood fregola. For active guests, there are free hotel bikes and easy access to rental kayaks for trips on the neighbouring Charles River in the warmer months, plus cross-country skis for the winter, when the river freezes solid. ROOMS: From £295. whitneyhotelboston.com Best for bargain hunters £ TH E R E VO LU TI O N H OTE L In Boston’s lively South End, the Revolution styles itself as a ‘boutique micro-hotel’, akin to a luxury hostel. All guest rooms are private, but there’s a remarkable range of shapes and sizes available, from ‘quads’ — four bunk beds, each with its own privacy curtain and USB port — to spacious loft suites with kitchenettes. The prices remain low across the board, largely because 70% of the rooms rely on shared bathrooms, but even these are no great compromise: the showers are connected to handy in-room indicators showing when they’re occupied, so guests don’t have to queue. The onsite restaurant hits the right notes with its classic Cal-Mex menu, from shrimp quesadillas to roast chicken fajitas, while the basement has a cafe and co-working space perfect for nomadic types. ROOMS: From £85. therevolutionhotel.com The Corner House suite at The Newbury Clockwise from above: View from The Revolution Hotel; the ground-floor Peregrine restaurant at The Whitney; cocktails at the wood-panelled Street Bar at The Newbury 62 NATIONALGEOGRAPHIC.COM/TRAVEL SLEEP

IMAGE: THE LIBERTY HOTEL Best for original style £ £ TH E LI B E RT Y The Liberty leans heavily into its history as the former Charles Street Jail. Its lobby is encircled by the original metal catwalks and the main restaurant, Clink, is framed with cell doors. The rooms also play up to the theme with lock and key motifs, and mock bank safes as bedside tables. With criminal irony, the catwalks once patrolled by prison guards now host free fashion shows, while the ‘drunk tank’ jail cell has been transformed into a cocktail lounge. The building’s last unwilling guest was released in 1990, but travellers can still stay in one of 18 remaining ‘jail rooms’ for a night, albeit with a king size bed and en suite. For more space, opt for a newer ‘city view room’, which sits in the connected hotel tower and off ers skyline views. ROOMS: From £325. libertyhotel.com Best for solo travellers £ SONDER 907 MAIN Across the Charles River in Cambridge, this brownstone has generous rooms at generous prices. Check-in is done via your phone, which then becomes the room key for your stay. No hotel staff are on site before 8am or after 6pm, and there’s no breakfast — though that’s hardly a drawback when you’re by the cafes of Central Square. The Scandinavian-style rooms are flooded with natural light, but the real star is perched atop the property: the beloved Blue Owl, the only rooftop bar in Cambridge. ROOMS: From £125. sonder.com Best for traditionalists £ £ THE LENOX When the Lenox was built in 1900, it was the tallest building in Boston. Its grand entrance on Exeter Street, in buzzing Back Bay, leads to a wonderfully intimate lobby with marble floors, velvet sofas and a crackling fire. Many of the rooms, decorated in warm golds and creams, have working fireplaces of their own. It’s only a block from the upmarket boutiques of Newbury Street. Despite the air of luxury, the hotel’s three dining options are all casual; Irish-themed gastropub Solas is the pick of the bunch. ROOMS: From £230. lenoxhotel.com Best for cocktail hour £ £ THE ENVOY The big story in Boston over the last five years has been the reinvention of the Seaport District from a cluster of crumbling warehouses to an attractive waterside hub. At the centre of the renaissance is the Envoy. The 136 bedrooms blend snug minimalism with design quirks, such as TV stands on bike wheels, while ground-floor Cuban restaurant, Para Maria, is the brainchild of TV chef Tatiana Rosana. The Lookout Rooftop, its seventh-floor bar with harbour views and craft cocktails, is considered the best in the city. ROOMS: From £210. theenvoyhotel.com SLEEP JAN/FEB 2024 65

IMAGES: THE LANGHAM BOSTON; THE FOUR SEASONS HOTEL BOSTON Best for all-out luxury £ £ £ FO U R S E A S O N S H OTE L BOSTON Once the site of the Boston Playboy Club, this redbrick titan on the major thoroughfare of Boylston Street has come up in the world. Now arguably the city’s most luxurious five-star property, the local outpost of the Four Seasons is also home to one of Boston’s best French restaurants, Coterie, serving an unmissable lobster pot pie with truffle and cognac sauce. The spacious guest rooms and suites have wall-length picture windows, some with commanding views over Boston’s Public Garden and on to Boston Common, with armchairs cleverly positioned to best enjoy them. The hotel’s latest refurbishment was completed in 2023 and has given the place whimsical touches, from comfortable boltholes in what was once a cavernous lobby to colourful ‘snack vaults’ — complimentary pantries — on every floor. There’s even a toy closet behind reception to entertain kids. ROOMS: From £650. fourseasons.com Best for art-lovers £ £ £ TH E L A N G H A M B O STO N Housed in Boston’s former Federal Reserve Bank, The Langham maintains the gravitas of an austere financial institution with high ceilings, marble floors and lofty brass-framed windows. But a two-year, $200m (£165m) renovation unveiled in 2022 injected an element of fun and colour, most noticeably through the hotel’s art collection, which pays homage to the building’s heritage and location. Visitors will find more than 300 pieces on display, curated by Boston’s Copley Society of Art — the oldest non-profit art institution in the US — and rotated every four months to keep things fresh. Bedrooms are bright and elegant, with panelled walls, marble-topped furniture and walk-in showers. The facelift also included a new English-inspired cocktail lounge, The Fed, where innovative signature drinks include the ‘Beatrix Potter’, with mezcal, peach and house-made salted strawberry cordial. ROOMS: From £405. langhamhotels.com Above from left: A painting on display at The Langham Boston; the unique, whimsical design of the Four Seasons Hotel Boston 66 NATIONALGEOGRAPHIC.COM/TRAVEL SLEEP

IMAGES: RENATO GRANIERI; AWL IMAGES FROM THE STREETS OF WORDS: SARAH MARSHALL & SHAFIK MEGHJI BUENOS AIRES TO THE PE AKS OF PATAGONIA , THIS VA ST COUNTRY OFFERS AL MOST E VERY T YPE OF E XPERIENCE, WHETHER YOU WANT TO HIKE IN A NATIONAL PARK, SA MPLE LOCAL WINE, GO WHALE-WATCHING OR STAY ON A R ANCH 68 NATIONALGEOGRAPHIC.COM/TRAVEL