THE AUSTRALIAN, AUSE01Z32MA - V1 theaustralian.com.au/life ... · the instant I stepped out of the...

14 THE AUSTRALIAN, MONDAY, DECEMBER 2, 2019theaustralian.com.au/life TRAVEL

AUSE01Z32MA - V1

A rush of hot air had assaulted methe instant I stepped out of theplane, on my first night ever inSingapore. The tarmac was stillblack from a recent downpour.

I’d never seen an airport sosleek or spotless as Changi, so per-fectly a home for visitors fromeverywhere. But what hit me noless was the presence of tropicaldarkness inches away from the air-conditioning. As I stepped out intothe humid night — bougainvilleaall around the perfectly manicured

PICO IYER

Instantly at home in a strange, exotic city where the world’s civilisations meethighway — I knew only one nameto give the taxi driver as we sped to1 Beach Road.

I was 27 at the time, a writer onworld affairs for Time magazine.Just one night before getting on tothe plane I’d closed a long articleon Iran for my bosses, while alsocompleting a cover story on En-glish writer Cyril Connolly for analternative weekly.

Clearly, I was halfway out thedoor already. And just five monthsearlier, I’d made my first trip toSoutheast Asia — Thailand andBurma — and fallen under thespell of its spiced ambiguities.

It was 1984 and the first Macin-tosh computer had appeared on afew desks, with the first TED con-ference not many months away.

But I was being pulled in the op-posite direction, towards the night

and everything I couldn’t put aname to. On my way to SingaporeI stopped in Bali. My first full even-ing there, a woman I later recog-nised to be a witch led me out intothe unlit lanes, eyes blazing.

Everywhere was the smell ofclove cigarettes, the dissonant jan-gle of gamelan orchestras betweenthe trees. The urchins selling scarfsalong the road had angel faces, butfrom the monkey forest down thestreet came a ceaseless demonicchatter.

I needed to ground myselfsomewhere that felt solid andchangeless, even familiar, andwhen we pulled up at the three-storey palazzo I’d been hearingabout since boyhood, somethingin me quickened at the sight of thefamous fan-shaped traveller’spalms at its entrance.

But I also felt as if I were enter-ing several pasts at once, and thatsomehow they all came together

to make the outlines of a future.Here were aspects of my earliestdays, among the brisk bedrooms

and impeccable lawns of Oxford,mixed with spaces that remindedme of my 15th-century boarding-school near London, where thewhite busts that surrounded us aswe delivered speeches in Latin hadnames that chimed with the Dray-cotts and Balmorals and Con-naughts remembered in 380Singapore street names.

But here, too, was the world ofmy parents, growing up in a BritishIndia that would not have seemedfar at all from the Singapore of theday. I could see my father gettingoff the train at Victoria Terminusand walking across what lookedlike a padang — white-flannelcricketers everywhere — as heproceeded to the library near thebell tower at Elphinstone Collegein Bombay. I could see my mother,meeting with Gandhi as she and

her family worked to win theircountry’s independence. I couldpicture both of them moving from

their tropical home to Oxbridgejust as Lee Kuan Yew had donefewer than six years before. Andrising up all around me were sky-scrapers that evoked the city towhich I’d be returning in a fewdays, and my 25th-floor office inRockefeller Center at a company

that people took to be the publicvoice of the American Empire.

This could be home, I thought,as I looked around. Here was Indiaand Southeast Asia and Englandand New York all at once. Herewas something that brought mypast, my present and the future Idreamed of (in Japan) together.

I lugged my heavy suitcase tothe modest check-in desk, under ahuge mural, and found myselflooking at the other powerful el-ement in the equation — China —as front desk staff painstakingly in-scribed entries in large, handwrit-ten registers.

This is an edited extract from This Could Be Home: Raffles Hotel and the City of Tomorrow by Pico Iyer (Epigram Books, Singapore); shop.epigrambooks.sg.

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Raffles Hotel in Singapore

JOURNEYSWhen we pulled up at the three-storey palazzo I’d been hearing aboutsince boyhood, something in me quickened

RAINFOREST HIDEOUT THE DATAI, LANGKAWI, MALAYSIAThis family-friendly beachfrontestate on the northwest coast ofLangkawi Island was relaunchedthis year after an 18-month over-haul. The late West Australian ar-chitect Kerry Hall, who conceivedthe property in 1993, would surelybe pleased that it’s not a totaltransformation but a clever upliftof facilities in collaboration withhis original interior design col-league, Didier Lefort. The foot-print, on tall poles and loftyfoundations, is soft and light, evenbuoyant, as if The Datai is merelytethered on its steep, cascadingsite, with minimal imposition onthe terrain. New to the 121-roominventory mix are eight RainforestPool Villas with 10m infinity-edgeswimming pools overlooking treecanopies and a slender river. Ex-pect to encounter macaque anddusky leaf monkeys, great horn-bills and flotillas of butterflies withnames as irresistible as painted jez-ebel and golden birdwing.Don’t miss: An early-morningnature walk along the beach withnaturalist Nicole Lim or one ofher equally knowledgeablecolleagues.Also consider: Gaya Island Re-sort, Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia.• thedatai.com

ISLAND DREAMERLUX NORTH ARI ATOLL, THE MALDIVESOpened in February, this sisterproperty to LUX South Ari Atollfeatures 67 villas, either overwateror by the beach, all with substantialpools and styled as white cubeswith rooftop terraces and nauticalflourishes that look a little bitMiami and a whole lot tropicalmoderne. Island hosts attendevery category of accommoda-tion; there’s a super-cool beachclub with DJs and multiple restau-rants. Buggies can be ordered atany hour but the resort is notspaced-out, so strolling, ideallybarefoot and fancy-free, and with acoconut or mango ice-cream conein hand, is the way to go. The ex-perience here is dressed-down andnon-starchy, even playful. There’san old-style red phone box for freecalls anywhere in the world; justconnect, yell that you’re nevercoming home, and hang up.Don’t miss: Order a floatingbreakfast to be served on trays inyour private pool.Also consider: Soneva Jani, TheMaldives.• luxresorts.com

THE REBIRTH RAFFLES SINGAPOREThat name Raffles is a byword forcolonial grandeur and this mostfabled of Asian hotels reopened inAugust, grander than ever, after an18-month restoration. The neo-classical pile was built in 1887, thefirst in Singapore with electricityand ceiling fans, and has under-gone matronly nips and tucks overthe past 132 years but none as thor-ough and sparkling as the latest in-carnation. The 115 guestrooms arenow equipped with the latest tech-nology and up-to-date ensuites,the Writers’ Bar has been reinstat-ed and top mixologists are in com-mand, and celebrity chefs of the ilkof Anne-Sophie Pic and Alain Du-casse have opened signature res-taurants within the hotel and itsbranching arcades. But somethings never change. So here’scheers to the legendary Long Bar,home of the cherry-pink Singa-pore sling, where gunny sacks ofpeanuts still preside, their shellsready to be tossed on the floor in amost non-Singaporean manner.Don’t miss: A full colonial after-noon tea in the heritage lobby; besure to book well ahead.Also consider: Eastern & Oriental

Hotel, Penang, Malaysia.• raffles.com

ARTFUL LODGINGSTHE LANDING, BAY OF ISLANDS, NEW ZEALANDThis glamorous estate of morethan 400ha on Wairoa Bay ishome to a vineyard and four resi-dences, from two to six bedrooms,offered as separate or combinedbookings. “Magical!” declared Bar-ack Obama, who promised staff hewould return with Michelle.Choose between The Boathouse,The Vineyard Villa, Gabriel Resi-dence and the sprawling CooperResidence, named for California-based owner Peter Cooper, whogrew up in the Bay of Islands, spiedthe waterfront land on the south-west tip of the Purerua Peninsulafrom a helicopter two decades ago,and the rest, as they say, is historyin these parts. It could all be a rich

man’s plaything, but the site is oneof the earliest for Maori and Euro-pean exchange. There is abidingrespect for the land and tribal heri-tage, and on display in the CooperResidence is the largest collectionof Maori art and artefacts to be cat-alogued outside a museum.Don’t miss: A Bay of Islands cruisewith skipper Brett Michalick onthe estate’s plush cabin cruiser, ItiRangi.Also consider: The Residences atKauri Cliffs, Bay of Islands.• thelandingnz.com

SMALL WONDER MOSS HOTEL, HOBARTThe sage, leaf-green, lichen, slateand rust tones of the decor at thispetite property clearly evoke thecolours of the Tasmanian wilder-ness. Moss Hotel is folded into aGeorgian-era former warehouse,with original timber beams and

convict-cut sandstone; there arejust 39 guestrooms in the openingphase with another 21 due to openas an annexe in a heritage buildingfurther along waterfront Sala-manca Place. Collaborations with local designstudios, artisans and providoresalso imbue the hotel with a clearsense of place, from DerekHenderson’s assembly of photo-graphs and richly toned islandtimbers to big bowls of Huon Val-ley apples in public areas, and Tas-manian-sourced produce andwine in guestroom larders andmini-bars.Don’t miss: There’s no onsite res-taurant but many options arewithin cooee; best neighbourhoodbar is Institut Polaire on MurrayStreet.Also consider: Henry Jones ArtHotel, Hobart.• mosshotel.com

MANOR FROM HEAVENHECKFIELD PLACE, HAMPSHIREHere we have the English country-house dream writ large. On a162ha estate — complete with par-terres and “pleasure gardens”, anda productive organic farm — nearthe town of Hook, Heckfield Placeconsists of a Grade II-listed, red-brick Georgian mansion with laterextensions in a wooded park. Itsrenaissance has been more thansix years in the making over from arather drab events centre, but witha history that rolls back to themid-18th century. The main houseis almost as grand as HighclereCastle (aka Downton Abbey) butwithout the ticketed day-trippersand upstairs-downstairs divide.Old trees such as copper beechesand douglas firs stand tall, and sto-rybook-pretty walled gardens aredotted with glasshouses and pot-

ting sheds and perhaps the possi-bility of Beatrix Potter bunnies. It’sall a delight, including fine foodoverseen by culinary director SkyeGyngell and six types of accom-modation, from snug chambers tomassive suites.Don’t miss: Even if not staying,book a lunch at the conservatory-style Marle brasserie; in summer,try to bag a terrace table. Also consider: Coworth Park,Ascot.• heckfieldplace.com

HIPSTER HQ THE WAREHOUSE HOTEL, SINGAPOREA combo of cement finishes, barebricks and steel girders has be-come the interior template formany cool new hotels but thesemi-industrial style of The Ware-house echoes the original archi-tecture and purpose of this 1895-

built storage-house building,relaunched in 2017 as a 37-roomhotel. Even cogs, wheels and pul-leys have been repurposed as de-sign features. Pick of the digs areRiver View Lofts on the second(top) floor, with double-heightceilings in the sleeping zone, andwindows overlooking RobertsonQuay. All the accommodation es-sentials are folded into compactspaces but the details are well-con-sidered and Po, the 52-seat lobby-level diner, serves terrific food of“elevated hawker staples” andclassics like Popo (grandma) usedto make.Don’t miss: Ask the front desk fora copy of Secrets of the Trade, alittle black book of insider retail,gallery and restaurant recommen-dations.Also consider: Hotel IndigoSingapore Katong.• designhotels.com

NEXT TO NATUREWILDLIFE RETREAT AT TARONGA, SYDNEYOn the east edge of the NSW capi-tal’s famous Taronga Zoo, thisspanking new lodge is hunkered inbushland, with its eco-smart cre-dentials clearly on display. CoxArchitecture has delivered an en-vironmentally sensitive design ofreconstituted timber panels andperforated metal blades and interi-ors are replete with creature com-forts. There are 62 guestrooms andopen-plan suites in five lodgeslinked by stairs, elevators and en-ergy-efficient external passage-ways. Four accommodation stylesoffer either bushland, harbour ortreetop views, plus the unusual op-tion of close-up outlooks to theresidents of the retreat’s exclusiveSanctuary animal habitat. Me-Galrestaurant includes botanical mo-tifs in its decor, prevailing Austra-lian flavours and spectacularpanoramas.Don’t miss: Ranger-escortedearly-morning walks, exclusive toguests before the zoo opens for theday, down to the Wollemi Aviarywhere regent honeyeaters andbright parrots swoop and swirl.Also consider: Zoofari Lodge, Ta-ronga Western Plains Zoo, DubboNSW.• taronga.org.au/sydney-zoo/wildlife-retreat

URBAN PLANNER ALILA BANGSAR, KUALA LUMPUROccupying levels 35 to 42 of themixed-use Establishment build-ing, this 143-room retreat in theMalaysian capital’s newly coolBangsar neighbourhood is packedwith leisure facilities. The double-height lobby opens to courtyardsand an atrium pool open to the skyhas been slotted into the structuralmatrix. Shanghai-based designstudio Neri & Hu describes the toplayers as “a lantern open to the sur-rounding city” and the accommo-dation ensuites as “floating boxes”,referring to the windowless designand cube-like form. All categorieshave floor-to-ceiling windows anda decor of charcoal, dove andwhite, with light teak timbers andstrong black uprights and horizon-tal supports that create a grid intowhich custom-made furniture fitsneatly. At Entier restaurant, Japa-nese-born chef Masashi Hirouchi,a Joel Robuchon protege, serves“complete meat”, from tongue totail, but seafood options are avail-able, and the adjacent Pacific Stan-dard cocktail lounge, which is all abit mid-century Los Angeles noir,features retro cocktails enlivenedby fancy salts and infused vinegars,just made to be sipped along tosoul music soundtracks.Also try: Hotel Stripes Kuala Lum-pur Autograph Collection.• alilahotels.com• entierfrenchdining.com

JUNGLE HANGOUTSHINTA MANI WILD — BENSLEY COLLECTION, CAMBODIAFifteen explorer tents constitutethis luxury outpost on a nature re-serve at the confluence of severalnational parks. Conceptualisedand designed by Bangkok-basedarchitect Bill Bensley, this is camp-ing but not as we know it. Ensuite tents on stilts, erectedwithout any removal of trees, arefilled with ephemera and collecti-bles, from explorer trunks toframed photographs of Cambodi-an royalty. There’s a slipper tub on each deck,veiled with greenery and over-looking a surging river, and arrivalby zipline at this fabulous folly,whoosh over a waterfall and rightinto The Landing Zone Bar, is op-tional, but highly recommended,as is an outing with armed WildlifeAlliance rangers patrolling forpoachers and removing snares.Heaven for butterfly watchers,too.Don’t miss: Chat with managerSangjay Choegyal about thecamp’s conservation protocols tostop mining and logging and pro-tect wildlife.Also consider: Capella Ubud, Bali.• bensleycollection.com• shintamaniwild.com

Clockwise from main: LUX North Ari Atoll in The Maldives; Me-Gal restaurant in Wildlife Retreat at Taronga in Sydney; Cambodia’s Shinta Mani Wild; The Warehouse Hotel, Singapore; The Landing in New Zealand; Datai Langkawi Resort Malaysia

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