DELTA SKY MAGAZINE - The Favorites 2012

1Stands more than
Landmarks
2,716 feet high, with
160+ stories and
26,000+ glass panels.
These wonders, both natural and manmade, made
your list of the most breathtaking in the world.
2
Consisting of many
walls and fortifications,
its branches stretch
13,173 miles.
3Still under construction
after 130 years, projected to be completed
in the next 20 years.
4Fifty mph
winds
cause her
to sway
up to 3
inches,
and her
torch up to
6 inches.
7Took about 2.3 million
blocks of stone, each
with an average weight
of 2.5 tons, to build.
Reader Tip #5
“Less is more.”
R e a de r T i p #17
“Bring cash.”
DECEMBER 2012 deltaskymag.com
6Its plummeting water
descends at a rate of
500 million liters per
minute.
than a year to apply the
60 tons of paint needed
to cover its surface.
1 Burj Khalifa, Dubai
2 Great Wall of China
3 Sagrada Família, Barcelona
4 Statue of Liberty, New York City
5 Mount Everest
6 Victoria Falls
7 Great Pyramids of Giza, Egypt
8 Eiffel Tower, Paris
9 Grand Canyon, Arizona
Machu Picchu, Peru
Reader Tip #29
“Some of the best experiences are the ones not planned.”
9Six thousand feet
74
mately
60 million
years old
and 8,850
meters
high.
8Takes 25 painters more
For Photo credits, see page 66.
We asked, you answered: From top hotels
and travel advice to the most thrilling sporting
events and best cooking schools, your picks
and ours for the best, brightest, newest, most
exceptional and cherished places in the world.
And don’t worry, if your favorite isn’t in
here, there’s always next year.
5Approxi-
deep at its lowest point,
spanning 18 miles at
its widest point.
Located 2,430
meters above sea
level and founded in
the 15th century.
w
PARIS
The Grudge Match:
London v. Paris
We’ll always have Paris, true, but the city of
light shines brighter than ever right now. On
the hotel scene, the fabled Ritz has closed for
a multiyear renovation, so the fashion flock has
decamped to the nearby Mandarin Oriental
Paris on Rue Saint1
Honoré. This intimate
Editors’ Pick
hostelry boasts a twoBest Moroccan Oasis
floor spa and innovative
La Mamounia, Marrakech
dining at Sur Mesure
This masterpiece of
courtesy of chef Thierry
Moroccan architecture is
surrounded by a 700-yearMarx. W Hotels has
plunked down its Parisian old garden oasis. Food and
drink from all continents
outpost at the intimate,
are offered at the hotel’s
91-room W Paris-Opéra,
four restaurants and five
perfectly situated by
bars. mamounia.com
the Palais Garnier opera
house and the must-visit Galeries Lafayette 1
and Printemps department stores. The Hotel
Le Bristol 2 has shed its dowager duds thanks
to a recent refurbishment and has unveiled
its new bar, the brainchild of überdesigner
2
Pierre-Yves Rochon: Think English club-style
3
décor with a DJ who spins on the weekends.
And Le Meurice on the Rue de Rivoli boasts
a revamped spa with two hammams and a
nail bar. But we are especially smitten with
La Maison Favart, a gorgeous new “guest
! Where would y
d
o
u
house” in front of the Comic Opera with
te
a wonderful attention to service. On
the culture front, the Louvre’s new
Islamic Galleries have everyone
Paris
buzzing thanks to its undulating
roof that envelops the once-unused
London
Visconti Courtyard. Meanwhile,
across the river, the Musée d’Orsay
3 shines afresh thanks to an
18-month renovation that allows its
stunning Impressionist collection to take
Source: First annual deltaskymag.
com readers’ survey,
center stage. —J. O. N
Sept.1-30, 2012.
Which will prevail in our popularity contest: Edgy and eclectic London or glamorous
Paris with its je ne sais quoi allure?
i
LONDON
you
vo
1
?
nd
DECEMBER 2012 deltaskymag.com
3
Reader Tip #65
“Keep your eyes OPEN!”
Reader Tip #77
“Compression socks.”
Reader Tip #83
“Stay hydrated.”
Epic
Sports
4
Reader Tip #46
“Be patient.”
5
you
vo
Experiences
t
!
ed
h event w
Whic
ou
Formula 1 Grand
Prix de Monaco
ld
yo
31%
Reader Tip #63
“Act like you know what you’re doing, even if you don’t.”
Super Bowl in New Orleans 24%
Bullfighting in Madrid 23%
Tour de France in Paris 15%
Masters in Augusta 7%
ant to attend?
tw
os
m
76
42%
2
u
Reader Tip #11
58%
to spend a w
ee
ke
//
“You can never pack too light.”
ant
tw
os
m
It certainly has been an annus mirabilis for the
British capital, thanks to the Queen’s Diamond
Jubilee, the Olympics and the Paralympics.
And now that the city has returned to its
prehoopla pace, it shines brighter than ever.
A slew of new hotels have opened, including
the chic Belgraves, the continental-cool
Bulgari Hotel with its posh spa, the business
traveler-geared South Place Hotel, the
hyperelegant Corinthia Hotel London and
the intimate, color-packed Dorset Square
Hotel. Hostelries that have just opened—or
will debut in the upcoming months—include
Café Royal in the heart of London’s West
End, The Wellesley smack on Hyde Park and
the Shangri-La Hotel in the Renzo Pianodesigned Shard skyscraper on the south bank
of the Thames 1. White-hot restaurants
include Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, The
Ledbury 4, Dabbous, Wishbone, Chicken
Shop, The Delaunay 2, MEATmarket and
Tramshed. On the
culture front, don’t
Editors’ Pick
miss the sumptuous
Best Rock ’n’ Roll Lodge
“Ballgowns: British
The Edgewater Hotel,
Seattle
Glamour Since 1950”
The Edgewater sits on Puget
exhibit at the V&A
Sound, and its rooms have
through January 6,
an upscale mountain lodge
the “Pre-Raphaelites:
vibe—a motif repeated in
its Six Seven restaurant
Victorian Avant-Garde”
and lounge. The Beatles
display through January
even stayed here during
13 at the Tate Britain
their first U.S. tour in 1964.
and the “Life and
edgewaterhotel.com
Death in Pompeii and
Herculaneum” exhibit that premieres at the
British Museum 5 in March 2013. London’s
shopping scene is hotter than ever: Go for
high-octane glamour on New Bond and Old
Bond streets, peruse the colorful leather wares
at the beautifully overhauled Smythson of
Bond Street, explore the scene on bustling
Oxford Street, go for funky and fabulous in
Spitalfields and Shoreditch or visit the city’s
ne plus ultra department stores: Liberty,
Selfridges 3 and Fortnum & Mason. And do
pop into Burberry’s sprawling flagship store on
Regent Street. —Jason Oliver Nixon
//
Super Bowl XLVII,
Mercedes-Benz
Superdome, NOLA
Grand Prix de Monaco
This legendary Formula 1 event
sends single-seat racecars—
picture a bobsled with wheels
The Super Bowl returns to New
and a spoiler—on a 78-lap spin
Orleans for the 10th time next
February. Go for Beyoncé’s halftime around the streets of Monte
Carlo. Its unique circuit course
show and stay for the Falcons’
and glamorous setting make
21–7 victory over the Texans (so
it one of the world’s singular
promises a fortune teller in the
sporting events. May 23–26.
French Quarter). February 3.
grand-prix-monaco.com
neworleans-superbowl.com
Tour de France,
Paris stage (stage 20)
The final stage of cycling’s
greatest contest is mostly for
show, but what a show it is.
The winner—bolstered by time
earned from other stages—
glides down the Champs Élysées
with a glass of Champagne in
hand, cheered on by thousands
of spectators. July 21. letour.fr
deltaskymag.com DECEMBER 2012
77
Little Black (Travel) Book
The Academy Award-nominated Naomi Watts is
something of a global citizen: She lived in England
before moving to Australia with her mother in her
early teens, and she now spends most of her time
in New York City—when she’s not filming halfway
around the world. This month Watts appears in
The Impossible, a Spanish film about a family caught
up in the devastating 2004 South Asian tsunami.
Here, she shares some of her travel favorites:
Favorite place to take your kids? “We shot in
London this year and stayed in Kensington right
between Holland Park and Hyde Park, which were
fun places to stroll. They also loved going to the
Natural History Museum 1.”
Tip for traveling with kids? “One word: iPad.”
Would you rather spend a weekend in Paris or
London? “Paris. I always need more than just a
Reader Tip #42
Reader Tip #89
“Breath mints.”
weekend in London.”
Favorite exotic island? “That’s a hard one (laughs),
it’s been so long since I’ve been to one. I went to
Necker Island 2 [in the British Virgin Islands] once,
and that was pretty exotic.”
What’s your favorite neighborhood in NYC?
“I love Tribeca because it’s really quiet and so
great for families. There are wonderful parks
and restaurants.”
Which of the world’s wonders has made the
most lasting impression on you? “Seeing the
wildlife migration on the Serengeti in Kenya.”
R e a de r T ip #100
“Relax with patience.”
“Leave the toiletries at home. Buy a travel pack when you get there.”
voted! Whe
u
re
d
yo
Hollywood
22%
o
er t
ef
pr
Downtown
Downtown
Figueroa Hotel: This
funky, colorful hotel
near the Staples Center
channels an early
Hollywood vibe by way
of Morocco. We love
the oasislike swimming
pool, the eclectic décor,
the al fresco bar and the
very approachable rates.
figueroahotel.com
Figueroa
Hotel
Upper East Side
The Surrey: This nifty
newcomer has shaken
up the once-stuffy Upper
East Side hotel scene. Sip
cocktails in the lobby bar
courtesy of superstar chef
Daniel Boulud, partake of
a soothing spa treatment
or take in the Manhattan
vistas from the private
seasonal roof garden.
thesurrey.com
The London
West Hollywood
oted! Wh
er
uv
ed
o
y
Upper West Side
7%
r to stay in N
YC
refe
?
up
yo
The Surrey
Hollywood/
West Hollywood
The London West
Hollywood: A spot-on
location, gorgeous
décor, cosseting
service, killer views and
the rooftop restaurant
from Gordon Ramsay
have us dreaming in
Technicolor. thelondon
westhollywood.com
Upper East Side
18%
Midtown
38%
SoHo/
The Village
Other
18%
Midtown
City Club Hotel: Hotelier
Jeff Klein, who also owns
and runs LA’s Sunset
Tower Hotel, has crafted an
intimate, 65-room hostelry
that’s like the chicest of
homes. Settle into your
soothing aerie then head
for dinner at chef Daniel
Boulud’s db Bistro Moderne,
situated just off the lobby.
cityclubhotel.com
Beverly Hills
Beverly Hills Hotel:
Currently being
overhauled by starchitect
Adam Tihany, the Beverly
Hills retains its iconic
charm, including the pink
and green color scheme
and leafy wallpaper.
We’ll see you in The
Fountain Coffee Shop.
beverlyhillshotel.com
SoHo/Village
Crosby Street Hotel:
London’s Firmdale
Hotels has made a
splash Stateside with
their colorful, bespoke
outpost on SoHo’s
tucked-away Crosby
Street. Rooms are light
and airy, and there’s a
posh screening room
in the basement.
firmdalehotels.com
17%
Santa Monica
21%
Santa
Monica
Other
Shutters on the
Beach: Situated
smack on the beach,
Shutters pairs a California
cool sensibility with top-tier amenities
and services (spot-on restaurants, wonderful
views, a knockout spa). Kick back, take a surf
lesson or try some yoga on the beach.
shuttersonthebeach.com
Crosby Street Hotel
20%
Upper West Side
Mandarin Oriental, New
York: Cool and sleek, the
Mandarin Oriental offers a
bastion of sophistication
at the gateway to this
cultural neighborhood.
Plus, there’s an amazing
spa. And Time Warner
Center’s eateries—Per
Se, Bouchon Bakery,
A Voce—sit just
downstairs. mohg.com
19%
deltaskymag.com DECEMBER 2012
79
stay in LA?
20%
NYC
DECEMBER 2012 deltaskymag.com
Favorite hotel? “Oberoi Rajvilas in Jaipur,
India 3. It was pretty special! We stayed in a tent,
but when I say tent, I don’t mean just a tent—it
was a spectacular hotel.
Beverly Hills
Whatever your
neighborhood of
choice on either coast,
these editors’ picks
will have you
covered in style.
78
2
o
Top
Hotels
LA
Reader Tip #24
“Pack all you need in your carry-on.”
3
o
{
Reader Tip #7
“Don’t be in such a rush that you forget common courtesy.”
What’s your favorite vacation spot? “Sydney.
I know it’s not exactly considered a vacation spot,
but we always go at the end of the year when it’s
summer to get away from the cold weather in New
York, so it feels like a vacation.”
1
photos, Previous page: Richard Phibbs/Trunk Archive (Watts); This page, above: Natural
History Museum (#1); Duncan McNicol/Stone (#2); Richard Bryant/Arcaid/Corbis (#3).
t
Naomi Watts’
Reader Tip #8
“Relax. Go with the flow. Don’t stress out over things that are not exactly like at home.”
Reader Tip #38
“Pack Tylenol PM for jet lag.”
Travel Gear
Cheers!
The gear and gizmos we don’t want to leave behind.
you
vo
Charger
51%
The Mophie Juice Pack
This is one sleek battery pack. Use
the case as you would any other, but
when the 20 percent warning pops
up, flip a switch and viola! You’re at
full charge again. $79.95, mophie.com
Ryan Gosling
The Canada native calls NYC home,
but this summer he returned to
his roots, visiting Ontario with
girlfriend Eva Mendes. Gosling
co-owns Tagine, a Moroccan
eatery in Beverly Hills, and he was
recently spotted filming in Austin.
35%
Anthony Bourdain
Given the miles he’s logged for No
Reservations and The Layover on Travel
Channel—not to mention an upcoming
show on CNN—Bourdain knows a thing
or two about how to eat and travel well.
Some hotel favorites: The Chateau
Marmont in LA, Grant Hyatt Singapore, The
Raleigh in Miami, Hotel de Russie in Rome
and the Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong.
21%
Angelina Jolie
Jolie, Brad Pitt and their brood often set up home
base at their sprawling Chateau Miraval in the South
of France, but the high-flying A-List couple is also
partial to New Orleans, Italy, the Galapagos Islands,
India and the Greek isles of Santorini and Mykonos.
//
Editors’ Picks
Best snowboarding & Skiing lodges
DECEMBER 2012 deltaskymag.com
14%
Kindle Paperwhite 3G
E-readers aren’t new, but the new
Kindle Paperwhite 3G is the latest
and most technologically advanced
reader of its kind. What’s so great?
Amazon has improved the screen
contrast, fine-tuned the lighting
and thrown in free 3G wireless
access around the world.
Starts at $179, amazon.com
Winfield Collection by
Samsonite
The luggage purveyor has upped its
game with its new Winfield collection.
The cases feature 360-degree
spinning wheels and are lightweight
but sturdy enough to hold up to the
wear and tear of travel. If pink isn’t
your thing, it’s available in three subtler
colors. Starts at $126, samsonite.com
80
Oprah Winfrey
When Winfrey needs R & R, she
trades in her Montecito, California,
digs for her Maui retreat, a former
ranch. She’s also been spotted
exploring the Greek islands and Fiji,
and she’s long had roots in Chicago.
at would yo
um
os
t
Toothbrush 21%
Underwear 15%
Razor 10%
Lipstick 3%
Waldorf Astoria Park City
& St. Regis Deer Valley, Utah
The WA Park City provides a luxe lodge
retreat after a day of shredding the
slopes. Situated at the base of
Canyons, you’re a stone’s throw from
more than 4,000 acres of brilliant
terrain. If it’s skiing-only you’re after,
book at the nearby St. Regis, with its
J & G Grill, sprawling Remède spa and
helpful ski valets. parkcitywaldorf
astoria.com, stregisdeervalley.com
14%
! Wh
et at home?
forg
to
te
ha
t
Chris Rock
The comedian likes to take his
daughters to Walt Disney World
and says his favorite vacation
spot is St. Martin. Book a table
at The Ivy on Robertson in Los
Angeles and don’t be surprised
if you see him at the next table.
Illustration by James Taylor / Debutart
Down Sweater by Patagonia
This goose down jacket/sweater
will become your must-have travel
companion in the cooler months.
Packable and perfectly lightweight,
it will keep you warm outside or
on the plane—and it makes the
best travel pillow you can find.
$200, patagonia.com
ed
16%
You’re on an exotic island, just before sunset,
bellied up to the beachside bar with something
strong, fruity and rum-based. Who’s that sitting
next to you? Given a few A-list choices, here are
your dream drinking companions.
London Garment by Lexdray
This is the ultimate in streamlined packing.
Load its four shelves—yep, shelves!—with
clothes, toss your laptop in the fleece-lined
sleeve and go. There’s even a garment bag
for suits. $540, lexdray.com
Reader Tip #66
“Pack a dryer sheet to keep clothes fresh.”
//
Editors’ Picks
Best Vintage Charm
McMenamin’s Kennedy School, Portland, Oregon
This group of hotels—fashioned out of old theaters, a school, a warehouse and
an old Grayhouse bus station—offers relaxed, quirky stays with great food.
Book a room in the Kennedy school, an old elementary school with its own restaurant, theater and outdoor soaking pool. Sleep in a classroom with chalkboards
(and chalk) and admire the unique murals in each room. mcmenamins.com
1
The
Perfect
Meal
Given some choices around
the world, here are your picks
for an ideal repast—and Andrew
Zimmern’s recommended
restaurant for each.
32%
Pasta in Florence
“My dad introduced me to
Trattoria Sostanza in 1972 and
I keep going back. The Bolognese, the
rigatoni al sugo, the tortellini en brodo—
Florentine comfort food at its finest.”
25%
Steak in Rio
“Translated as ‘Big Pig,’ Porcão is a rodiziostyle churrascarria that has the best beef
in town. While some think it touristy, the
gauchos know their stuff and the beef is
raised on their own farms.” porcao.com.br
16%
Tapas in Basque Spain
“I would just as soon chow on Spanish small
plates at Bixente Muñoz’s Gran Sol than at
just about anywhere else in the world. It’s in
Hondarribia on the Bidasoa River, a stone’s
throw from France.” bargransol.com
15%
Sushi in Tokyo
6
Island
Escapes
3
Surround yourself with sun, sand and water and just try not to
relax. Good luck with that! Here, our collective favorites.
7
the meal of your life at Mama’s
Fish House. During the winter,
experience the other major
Maui attraction: 10,000
visiting humpback whales!
—Deborah Rybak
Turks & Caicos: Celebrities
flock
to the Turks & Caicos and relax in
sybaritic splendor at the private,
expensive and chic Amanyara on
Provo. Yes, that was Kelly Ripa
sitting poolside. And there’s also
the exclusive Parrot Cay by COMO
on its own island, only accessible
via private launch (Donna Karan
and Bruce Willis own homes here).
But there are more approachable
options, too, on this tropical
archipelago with its gorgeous coral
reefs, cerulean waters and powdery
beaches. There’s a distinct Miami
vibe at the Gansevoort with its
white on white accommodations
built around a dramatic, palmfringed swimming pool. And don’t
overlook the Grace Bay Resorts,
including the luxe all-inclusive
Veranda and the all-suite Grace Bay
Club. Hit up the relaxed da Conch
Shack for an afternoon of curried
conch and rum punch. —J. O. N.
Galapagos: Made famous by
evolutionary rock star Charles
Darwin, the Galapagos are made
up of 14 large volcanic islands and
many tiny ones about 600 miles
off the coast of Ecuador. With just
a few small towns, the draw here is
the wildlife (and the views, and the
weather): iguanas, penguins, sharks,
sea turtles, rays, giant tortoises
and many species of land and sea
birds—some found only here. That’s
because of the islands’ remoteness;
they were formed over a volcanic
hot spot that makes the archipelago
one of the world’s most active
volcanic places. Each island is one
of a kind; to get the best overview,
book a smaller cruise with local
naturalists.
We suggest
Editor’s Pick
International
Expeditions
Best for Glamping
Four Seasons Tented
or National
Camp, Thailand
Geographic’s
This jungle paradise on
Lindblad
the Ruak River offers
Expeditions.
views of Laos and
Myanmar from 15 luxe
—Sarah
“tents” that include
Elbert
sunrise atop 10,000foot Haleakala Crater to swimming
with turtles below the cerulean
sea, Maui offers exotic adventures
galore. Book a room at The
Fairmont Kea Lani or the Lumeria
and then explore jungle waterfalls
in Hana or play on the exquisite
white sand beaches at Kaanapali
before wrapping up the day with
Reader Tip #44
“Inside voice in the plane.”
Burger in Austin
Blue Elephant Cooking School, Bangkok
2
9
Your
Favorites
1 Fiji
2 Maui
3 Bora Bora
4 Bali
5 Maldives
6 Turks & Caicos
7 Tahiti
8 Galapagos
9 North Island,
New Zealand
C ayo Espanto,
Belize
Easter Island
Antarctica
8-foot hammered copper tubs and king-sized
beds. The best part?
Training and riding your
own personal elephant.
fourseasons.com
Get Cooking
12%
5
//
Maui: From
“Chef Mizutani and his wife run Sushi
Mizutani, a tiny 10-seat restaurant in Ginza.
His knife work, seasoning, handcrafted rice
varietals and aging of his fish make this
worthy of its three stars from Michelin.”
“It’s a tie between Hut’s or parkside.
Old-fashioned, no nonsense—and since
I like my burgers plain and simple, these
are second to none. Just good ole ground
Texas longhorn. On a bun.”
8
4
Where do you go when you want
to learn the local culinary secrets?
Our Readers’ Survey winner in this
category was Italy (35 percent),
followed by France (26 percent) and
Thailand (10 percent)—and the rest
of you picked places all over the
globe. For a solid choice in the top
three countries, look no further than
these stellar cooking schools.
Reader Tip #92
“Drink bloody Marys.”
France:
At Home with Patricia Wells
We are saving our pennies, er, euros to
attend cookbook author and French food
authority Patricia Wells’ cooking classes at
her 18th-century farmhouse in Provence.
Wells and her husband, Walter, invite eight
students to enjoy Southern France’s rich
bounty and prepare seasonal dishes—often
in a wood-fired oven. And, naturally, there are
numerous tastings of local wines, produce
and cheeses. The classes, in English, run June
through October. patriciawells.com
Reader Tip #95
“Get in and out of your chair using the back of your chair, not the one in front of you!”
Italy:
Buono Buonissimo! Cookery School
The Villa San Michele hovers high above
Florence in the hills of Fiesole and truly
defines what a room with a view could and
should be. Step inside the façade attributed
to Michelangelo (!) and enter a pricey slice
of heaven courtesy of the folks at OrientExpress. Stay at the hotel (or not) as you
partake in the Buono Buonissimo! Cookery
School’s myriad courses that celebrate the
region’s exuberant bounty and the culinary
traditions of Tuscany. villasanmichele.com
Thailand:
Blue Elephant Cooking School
The prestigious Blue Elephant restaurant in
Bangkok serves Thai cuisine on the first two
floors of its gorgeous 100-year-old building,
but on the third floor you can learn how to
cook one of the world’s most complex cuisines yourself. Course offerings range from
a private five-day class to a half-day lesson,
in which you learn to prepare four dishes and
then invite a friend to share them afterward.
blueelephant.com/cooking-school
(Continued on page 90)
deltaskymag.com DECEMBER 2012
83
(Favorites continued from page 83)
Up-and-Coming
Destinations
Schwedagon Pagoda,
Burma
Shanghai
After being scrubbed and
polished for the Expo in
2010, Shanghai gleams and
glistens. But the city still
evokes the wild Wild West
thanks to the sense that
anything goes. Here, in the
new Hong Kong, there’s the
Blade Runner-like skyscape
in the Pudong district, which
sparkles with its dramatic
nighttime displays. Scaffolding-wrapped, shardlike
towers rise competitively at
the pace of multiple floors a
week. Across the Huangpu
River, the historic, art deco
Bund boasts promenades
that invite early morning tai
chi and late-night cavorting.
There are architecturally
arresting hotels—from the
bottle opener-topped Park
Hyatt Shanghai to the
1930s-styled Peninsula and
the sanctuarylike, yet supercool PuLi—as well as restaurants with décor that puts
New York eateries to shame.
Harry Winston, Gucci, Chanel,
Hermès, Coach, H&M and
Apple are omnipresent, but
turn a corner and you step
back in time to a throwback neighborhood of drab
Communist-era flats that
will probably have been bulldozed by this time next year.
Top
ace and churches (book a
room at the boutique-styled,
groovy Tántalo hotel with
its white-hot rooftop bar).
Pay a visit to the fabled canal, which is undergoing a
massive, multibillion-dollar
expansion to double its size
when it reopens in 2014. And
don’t miss Frank Gehry’s arresting Biomuseo at the entrance to the Panama Canal
that celebrates the nation’s
rich biodiversity. Then hightail it to the coast to either
the stunning Bocas del Toro
archipelago on the Caribbean or the tucked-away,
laid-back villages such as
Pedasí on the Pacific side (a
favorite of Angelina Jolie).
MYANMAR/Burma
Save for a recent spate of
unrest, Myanmar/Burma has
been atop the news all year
as it slowly disengages from
its military dictatorship.
Panama
That means easier access
to some of the world’s most
Panama is a rising star on the
amazing sites and sights:
international travel scene.
the temple-filled plains
It’s cheap, safe, stable
of Bagan from a
and boasts everyhot air balloon,
thing from the
the jewelstunning
encrusted
Panama Caspires
nal to junof the
gle lodges,
Shwedadventure
agon
sports and
Pagoda
postcardin Yangon
perfect
(stay at The
tropical
Strand) or
beaches. Start
The PuLi,
a tour of the
Shanghai
your journey
magical Irrawaddy
in Panama City’s
River aboard the luxuriatmospheric Casco Viejo
ous Road to Mandalay. Visit
(Old Town), a UNESCO World
now before the cruise ships
Heritage Site, and wander
and T-shirt shops arrive!
among the presidential pal-
Readers’
Pick
Croatia
Over the past decade, world
travelers have discovered
Croatia’s multiple charms. The
country’s popular Dalmatian
Coast features quaint villages
and islands strung along the
Adriatic—including the old
walled city of Dubrovnik, a
UNESCO World Heritage site
with a potent cocktail of medieval history and high-flying
glamour. Istria, along the north
coast, rivals the rolling countryside of France’s Provence—
with its own unique dose of
Modernist architecture. And
then there’s the capital of
Zagreb, marrying the toughness of the Balkans with
European sophistication.
Stradun street in
Dubrovnik, Croatia
//
Editors’ Picks
MORE
Best Indian Palace
Best Swiss Palace
Best Rock ’n’ Roll Resort
Best Restored Castle in Tuscany
Taj Lake Palace Udaipur,
Udaipur, India
Situated in the center of
Rajasthan’s Lake Pichola,
this serene former palace
rises like a mirage from the
cerulean waters. Settle into
your room and imagine what
life was like for the ruling
maharajahs. tajhotels.com
Beau-Rivage Palace,
Lausanne, Switzerland
This hotel is located on
10 acres of Lake Geneva
shorefront with exquisite
views of the Swiss Alps.
Coco Chanel so adored the
Beau-Rivage that she
buried her beloved dog
there! brp.ch
Hard Rock Hotel Cancún,
Cancún, Mexico
A few hours from the mysterious Mayan pyramids of
Chichén Iztá, the Hard Rock
Hotel Cancun is the newest
resort in this massive tourist
zone, and it has the amenties you’d expect—and
more. hardrockhotels.com
Hotel Castello di Casole,
Siena, Italy
This intimate, breathtaking
hotel, built on the ruins of a
10th-century castle, is an
easy drive from Siena. The
grounds and 41 suites incorporate reclaimed materials
and very modern amenities.
castellodicasole.com
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2012
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DECEMBER 2012 deltaskymag.com
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On the Web
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