TIBET SOUTHEAST ASIA - RICE / POTATO
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SOUTHEAST ASIA NOVEMBER 2019
Time travel in
TIBET
INSIDER’S
GUIDE TO
INSTAGRAM
TAIWAN’S
HOT SPRINGS
PLUS
PENANG
BACOLOD
SIEM REAP
FIJI AND TONGA
SINGAPORE S$7.90 / HONG KONG HK$43
THAILAND THB175 / INDONESIA IDR50,000
MALAYSIA MYR18 / VIETNAM VND85,000
MACAU MOP44 / PHILIPPINES PHP240
BURMA MMK35 / CAMBODIA KHR22,000
BRUNEI BND7.90 / LAOS LAK52,000
CHECKING IN
Spring Break
Baring it all at Hoshinoya’s newest resort in the
Taiwanese hot-spring town of Guguan. Story and
PHOTOGR APHS BY CHRIS SCHALK X
Mountain views
meet mineral
springs in Taiwan's
leafy heartland.
22 NOV EMBER 2019 / T R AV EL A NDLEISUR E ASIA .COM
NOTHING BUT A TINY cotton towel
protects my modesty at the steaming
pool I’m about to enter. I may be
in Taiwan, where hot-spring outings
are usually swimwear-friendly
family affairs, but here in the baths
of Hoshinoya Guguan, tradition
dictates I onsen the Japanese way:
in my birthday suit.
My initial awkwardness melts
away the moment I submerge into
the cypress-fringed outdoor bath.
Fed by streams flowing down the
craggy peak of Xueshan, East Asia’s
second-highest mountain, its water
is slightly alkaline and on the
pleasant side of piping hot, making
it the perfect introductory onsen for
a novice like me. FROM TOP:
Opened in June, Hoshinoya Zigzagging through
Guguan (hoshinoya.com; doubles the gardens; an
elevated spot on
from NT$7,560) is the luxury resort
Xueshan’s slopes;
chain’s first foray into Taiwan, and Taiwanese-style
only its second resort outside of congee; rooms are
Japan, where founder Kuniji designed for quiet
Hoshino opened his first ryokan in relaxation.
Nagano Prefecture in 1914. Its
setting on a forested plateau in
Guguan, a tiny hot-spring enclave in
the island’s mountainous heartland
90 minutes west of Taichung, taps
directly into the liquid treasure.
“The qi is particularly good here,” stone bath endlessly fed by
says the brand’s global wellness Xueshan’s hot springs, and refreshed
manager, Keiko Watanabe, as we by a forest breeze. In a palette of
stroll through the resort’s verdant muted greys and browns, interiors
gardens. “The wind, the water reflect the clean, functional shapes
—everything flows so naturally.” characteristic of Japanese Zen
Qi, the Chinese concept of energy design. Every piece of furniture
flow, informs both the resort’s (comfy futons and low-slung
wellness program and its design daybeds among them) faces floor-to-
— from the garden, where wooden ceiling windows that frame valley
pathways zigzag through swaying views in countless shades of green.
bamboo forest and babbling canals As the sun begins to set and the
swirl around Chinese firs and humming of cicadas fills the air,
Formosan gum trees (some of which I set off to the resort’s restaurant,
date back to Japanese colonial times), following twists and turns through
to the kaze no ma, a communal the garden, past a shimmering pool
lounge on the fifth floor, optimally and gazebos lit up with lanterns
positioned to catch the sunlight resembling fireflies. The dining
and the crisp mountain air. room features both Western-style
My room, too, is designed with seating and Japanese-style sunken
qi in mind, laid out over two floors, dining booths, horigotatsu, the latter
with a bedroom and lounge on the offering the best views of the garden.
bottom and an onsen area on top. I opt for the eight-course kaiseki
The focal point is an indoor-outdoor meal, a delicate pairing of Taiwanese
TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM / NOV EMBER 2019 23
CHECKING IN
bounty and Japanese cooking myself then soaking in hot water
techniques, dished up by executive until my fingertips turn into raisins
chef Shunsuke Fujii on a plethora is all wrong. She tells me not to just
of tiny colorful ceramics. Highlights jump straight in, but to first splash
include sea bream sashimi with myself 10 to 20 times to let my skin
kumquat-infused salt, and grilled react to the minerals. She also
Taiwanese grouper marinated teaches me gentle stretches and
in soy sauce, mirin and sake. breathwork for when I’m submerged.
The following day I loll around “Bathing is a kind of exercise,” she
the resort’s pool and follow an explains. “The warm water can work
in-again, out-again routine at my wonders on your skin and muscles.”
private onsen. No tiny towels and The masterclass is followed
curious glances here. Come by a massage at the spa, where
nightfall, I slip into a navy-colored two of the four shoji paper–screened
yukata and traditional wooden geta treatment rooms come with private
shoes to meet Ms. Watanabe again onsen pools facing a mountainscape
—this time for an onsen masterclass that’s now shrouded in clouds.
in the spa’s lobby lounge. Turns out I don’t tell my masseuse about
that my method of hastily washing my hike—or attempted hike—along
the 90-minute uphill Shao Lai hiking
FROM TOP: Kaiseki trail I’d tried earlier that day,
morsels arrive on but my weary calves give it away.
delicate ceramics; It’s nothing she can’t fix with
the outlook here is
always green.
a combination of Chinese and
European massage techniques.
As the weekend comes to a close,
I ignore Ms. Watanabe’s teachings
and take one last way-too-long soak
on my balcony. Frets of work and
deadlines evaporate with every
billow of steam. I’ve spent numerous
weekends at my in-laws’ summer
home not far from here, quietly
pleading with my wife if we could
please go home already. This time,
however, I dread the thought
of heading back to the city.
THREE MORE HOT-SPRING along the Nanshi River just a
half-hour from Taipei, Volando
programs complement the
health benefits of 45-degree-
carbonated and sulfur smell–
free. Mineral-rich and alkaline,
RESORTS IN TAIWAN Urai promises a regenerative, Celcius white-sulfur spring- it’s fabled for its beautifying
close-to-nature experience, water baths. All guestrooms properties, and is said to leave
The hills are alive with with practically every space come with a yoga mat, the skin supple and smooth.
the bubbling of hot springs. drenched in forest views. aromatic plants, organic bath Yamagata Kaku Hotel & Spa
Here are some other chill Dining comes in the form amenities and a private bath lets you tap into this fountain
spots for soaking. of French and Italian food with sound system for a multi- of youth with modern, Zen-
highlighting fresh native sensory experience. calm rooms within walking
Volando Urai Spring ingredients. Preventive medicine and the distance of the entrance of
Spa & Resort volandospringpark.com; odd cosmetic treatment are Jiaoxi Hot Spring Park. Soak
This Relais & Châteaux hot- doubles from NT$16,000. also available onsite at Beitou in public baths in the park,
spring resort in mountainous Health Management Hospital. in the communal baths on the
Wulai is among Taiwan’s most Hotel Royal Beitou hotelroyal.com.tw/beitou/en; top floor of the hotel, or in
renowned. You’re spoiled for Located in Taipei’s Beitou doubles from NT$11,999. your room’s own deep, stone
bathing options, with a public district—another area famed tub. yamagatakaku.com.tw;
bathhouse, indoor hot and for its springs—this holistic- Yamagata Kaku Hotel & Spa doubles from NT$16,000.
cold baths and a private tub in healing retreat’s spa, fitness, The Jiaoxi Township brand of — R ANDY MULYANTO and BEK
every guestroom. Sidled up hydrotherapy and nutrition spring water is clear, VAN VLIET
24 NOV EMBER 2019 / T R AV EL A NDLEISUR E ASIA .COM
UPGRADE
NOVEMBER 2019
P U T Y O U R S E L F I N T H E P I C T U R E : H O L I D AY S M A D E B Y I N S TA G R A M
#travelgram
Sleuth your way through the
crazy-popular photo-sharing app to
Insta-plan your next, best vacation.
BY CHRIS SCHALKX.
ILLUSTRATIONS BY WASINEE CHANTAKORN
It’s painfully easy to waste hours scrolling
through whimsical sunset shots and
artfully plated dishes on Instagram. How
about turning this time into a productive
trip-planning sesh instead? With more
than a billion users from every corner of
the globe, no other platform harbors such
a wealth of hyper-local and real-time travel
information. You need to know how to cut
through the selfies and #OutfitOfTheDay
nonsense, but once you do you’ll be
swimming in the insider intel that
traditional guidebooks—and even
on-the-ground blogs—are missing.
TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM / NOV EMBER 2019 53
UPGR ADE: IG
B E F O R E YO U G O
1. Hunt for Hashtags
Instagram’s search engine isn’t the most robust, but with a little
creativity, you can surface relevant posts through hashtags.
Be specific, though; a search for #bangkok returns sexy selfies,
handbag advertisements and blurry food shots, but look up
We’ve picked out some of our #bangkokbrunch, and you’ll discover tucked-away coffee shops
favorite Instagrammers and the best addresses for avocado toast.
around Asia and asked them
to share the best insider tips
from their timelines.
THE
INSIDERS
@samishome
—
Hong Kong
“When in Hong Kong, seek out its
typical local cafés (cha chaan teng).
Matchbox Café in Causeway Bay ■ Tap the magnifying glass at the ■ Play around with prefixes and
harkens back to the 60s–70s and is bottom of the Instagram app to affixes to find exactly what you’re
outfitted in retro interiors and fake open the “search” page. Type your looking for. Always include the
minibus booths. Order the char siu
search query (e.g. #saigon) then name of your destination. The
pork macaroni soup!”
hit TAGS. You’ll be presented with search page will come up with
a list of hashtags. Tap one and suggestions and predictions based
posts with that hashtag will on what you type, giving you even
appear under two tabs; TOP (the more ideas. Some tried-and-
most-liked posts) and RECENT. tested examples:
Cafés—#cafehopping[city]
■ Once you’ve uncovered useful Food ideas—#[city]foodie
hashtags, you can “follow” them, Scenic spots —#adayin[city]
so that the hashtag’s top results Tourist sites—#discover[city]
show up in your Instagram feed. Activities—#thingstodo[city]
54 NOV EMBER 2019 / T R AV EL A NDLEISUR E ASIA .COM
3. Or the Jet-
Setting Tastemakers
Let’s face it: Some people just travel better. Always on
the move, perpetually at the newest bars, best boutique
hotels and hippest galleries whether in Mumbai or
Tokyo. And lucky for us, many of them love sharing their
whereabouts. Steer clear of the million-or-so-follower
influencers whose pictures only involve themselves
draped over the ledge of an infinity pool somewhere
tropical, bank-breaking and sponsored. Instead, hunt for
2. Follow the Locals
those sharing the interesting bits of a destination.
Instagram has spawned a legion of local ■ If you’re a food-focused traveler, use Instagram’s search
ambassadors who proudly share their engine to look up profiles of globetrotting chefs (@pawkhrua,
hometown. They’re often the best source @andrechiang_sg, @chefjoseandres) or food writers
for insider intel: new bars, off-the-beaten- (@francis_lam, @kat_odell) who usually eat at the most
path markets and local street-food carts. interesting restaurants—or street joints. Design buffs
should seek out traveling architects, designers and other
■ Start by using the search engine to look up creatives (@kellywearstler, @jj.acuna, @serendella) as they
travel-related pages that crowdsource their often have a penchant for finding a place’s prettiest spots.
content. Usually, tourism boards (@visit_
singapore, @vietnamtourismboard), travel ■ Stuck for inspiration? Browsing through the bylines in
media (@travelandleisureasia), or unofficial your favorite travel, design or food magazines, and then
fan accounts (@webangkok, @hongkong.insta) looking them up on Instagram is a good start.
are good starting points. Just typing a city’s
name will usually result in a list of useful ■ Once you’ve discovered a page you like, tap SUGGESTED
pages to start with. In many cases, a blue FOR YOU under their profile (hit the downward arrow next
checkmark indicates it’s an official account. to MESSAGE ) and swipe across for similar pages.
■ When you see a shot you like, tap through to Better yet, some Instagrammers make it easy to discover
the profile of the source (usually mentioned in their tips by neatly grouping them in Stories Highlights on
the caption, or tagged in the picture itself) to their profile. For example, @taiwanwalker is a foodie tour
find what else they’ve been sharing. guide who pins her top food recommendations from Tainan
to Kyushu with clear city labels. Others, like travel journalist
■ Some cities might not have an active tourism Gloria Chung of @foodandtravelhk, label their top tips with
board or fan page. But searching for hashtags city-specific, easy-to-find hashtags like #foodandtravelSeoul
like #[city]insider, #[city]blogger, or #[city]life and #foodandtravelBrisbane, helping their followers create
often yields good results too. instant city guides in a jiffy.
@foodsaketokyo—Tokyo
THE
INSIDERS “Shinjuku Sanchome is filled with casual izakaya. Start off at
Saiseisakaba with grilled skewers and onigiri, then continue the
evening in the area.”
TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM / NOV EMBER 2019 55
UPGR ADE: IG
5.Just Ask!
Something you still don’t
know? Chances are, some
of your followers have been
there before. Since not
every part of one’s trip—
even if they’re highlights—
ends up on Instagram,
it usually pays to ask for
recommendations.
■ Put up a simple Instagram
Story (with or without a “Q+A
sticker”) or a post announcing
that you’re planning a trip
somewhere with a request for
tips. Be specific: if you’re
4.Reverse-Engineer Itineraries looking for vegan restaurants,
make it clear in order to avoid
a barrage of useless (but well-
Why reinvent the wheel? Benefit from the research previous
intentioned) advice.
travelers have already conducted by reverse-engineering their
itineraries through their Instagram posts.
■ For the best results, make
sure your profile is set to
■ Find someone with a similar travel Peak, but only those in the know will
public. Add a few relevant
style by clicking on a post of a venue check-in at Asia Society’s equally
hashtags to your post or story
you want to visit. Under the business photo-worthy rooftop garden. The
to be discovered by more
name will be the location in smaller latter are more likely to have shared
users outside of your network
type. Tap it and the “location” page other under-the-radar spots worth
who could offer tips. Adding
will open, with public posts of checking out.
the geotag of the city you’re
everyone who has checked in here.
visiting is a good idea, too.
■ This is a great technique to scout
■ Now, tap on a user and scope out out interesting local Instagrammers,
■ Also “@” mention your
their profile to see where else they’ve too: start off at a neighborhood diner
destination’s official tourism
checked in. The more niche your or a non-touristy café, and tap
board if they’re on
starting point, the better: just about through to its location page to see
Instagram—who knows the
every tourist will check-in at Victoria which locals have checked in there.
cool stuff they can help with!
THE @ieatishootipost—Singapore
INSIDERS
“This stall at Chinatown Complex Food Centre in Singapore serves
the most traditional cendol. Everything is still made by hand, and a
bowl of this sweet treat costs only S$2!”
56 NOV EMBER 2019 / T R AV EL A NDLEISUR E ASIA .COM
THE
6. Get Organized
INSIDERS
The Instagram app allows you to “bookmark” other peoples’
Instagram posts in a private collection, helping you easily
@wearekinkin
reference them again later. Instagram’s “saved posts” interface
lets you categorize your bookmarks in “collections.” Here’s where
—
things get interesting: you can create as many collections as Bangkok
you’d like, making it a powerful tool to organize travel tips.
“For top-notch Thai-Chinese food,
don’t just stick to Yaowarat (like all
■ To save a post, tap the little collection for each upcoming trip, the guidebooks tell you). Instead, we
bookmark icon below the post or divide it even further into point our friends to Chokdee Kao
you’d like to save. A single tap collections for restaurants, hotels Mun Kai, a hole-in-the-wall in
will send it directly to your and in-the-know Instagrammers Samsen. Don’t miss their signature
goat stew and stir-fried bitter gourd
“saved posts” folder for you in places you’re planning to hit
with egg!”
to access at a later date. up. As the word-count for
collection titles is limited, using
■ Tap the bookmark button a emojis (flags, food) can help you
little longer, and you will be save space, and make the
prompted to save it to a specific different collections instantly
collection. Add your post to an recognizable.
existing collection, or create a
new collection from scratch by ■ Once you get to the actual trip
adding a title. planning, you have a useful list of
interesting places at the ready.
■ To keep things neatly Plot them on Google Maps, and
organized, create a separate you’re good to go.
TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM / NOV EMBER 2019 57
UPGR ADE: IG
ON THE GROUND
Get the Lay Feast Hungry
THE
INSIDERS of the Land Eyes
Thanks to Instagram’s geotag Some dishes sound great written
@taipeifoodie search function, you can have out, but are a letdown in reality.
—
complete strangers do a recce Then there are those gastronomic
before your trip to a certain spot. terms (escabeche? involtini?)
Taipei A browse through the photos that
earlier visitors have posted at a
you’re too embarrassed to ask
about. Local joints might have no
location gains you the kind of intel menu at all or nothing in English.
“A visit to Taipei isn’t complete you usually won’t find on a Instagram, yet again, to the
without dropping by one of its many
teahouses. Located on historic Dihua brand’s website or in travel rescue. Find the restaurant’s
Street, South Street Delight Tea guides. Use it to learn about dress location page or its profile and tap
House is a favorite of mine. The old- codes at restaurants (are people in through to the posts it’s tagged in
timey interior is very photogenic.” the pictures decked out to the to get an overview of what folks
nines, or more casual?), family- are eating. Spot the must-order
friendliness of hotels (do you see dishes and even turn your phone
lots of kids in pictures?), or into a pick-and-point menu that
general accessibility of a place can break any language barrier.
(are tables spaced far enough
apart for a wheelchair user to
pass through?). A browse through
these geotagged pictures also Find Real-
gives you objective insight into a
venue, untainted by the highly
stylized brand images or press
Time Info
shots you’ll find on the brand’s Instagram Stories, the snappy,
own channels. full-screen updates accessed
58 NOV EMBER 2019 / T R AV EL A NDLEISUR E ASIA .COMUse it for crowd-sourced weather as @mo_singapore (Mandarin
forecasts, or to get a feel of how Oriental Singapore’s Instagram
busy a foodie hotspot will be Your Way through Marina Bay
during lunch or dinnertime. It’s package) and @capellashanghai
also a fail-safe way to find out if a (Capella Shanghai’s Point, Shoot,
venue is actually open: published Retouch experience) offer
opening times aren’t always activities and deals that include
up-to-date, public holidays could tours with professional
affect them, and not every photographers and influencers,
establishment—especially mom- showing you the city’s prettiest
and-pops—has a contact number. corners and sharing the tricks
If you see that guests have checked of the trade.
in within the past hour, chances
Follow Your
are high you’re not going to
encounter closed doors.
Stay Inspired Favorites Every hotel, bar and restaurant
Stuck for photo inspiration? A worth patronizing has a presence
quick scroll through the pictures on Instagram these days.
snapped by visitors before you By following the accounts of
will help get your creative juices businesses you’re planning to
through the bubbles on top of the flowing. Use the location page to visit, you will be the first to know
Instagram app, are often a great see what angles and subjects other about events, specials and
source of real-time information. photographers are using to promotions—which often don’t
Contrary to regular posts, which capture the place—whether it’s get communicated on websites.
are often heavily retouched and/ a photo-worthy vantage point or @potatoheadbali announces their
or published days after the photo a backdrop for the perfect selfie. guest DJs via their Instagram;
was taken, Instagram Stories are This will often also uncover @canvasbkk shares their weekly
usually unfiltered and posted on hidden corners of a place you specials with a photo on their
the spur of the moment. Browse might not have found by simply timeline. If you have specific
to a location page, and tap the walking around. Serious questions (or want to make a
rainbow-bordered bubble to see shutterbugs can take their reservation), getting in touch
Instagram Stories posted from Instagram game up a notch by through Instagram direct
here within the last 24 hours (the joining forces with a seasoned message can be much quicker
lifespan of a Stories update). photographer. Some hotels, such than reaching out via e-mail.
@lineshapecolour
—
Saigon
THE
INSIDERS
“With its vibrant markets, ancient pagodas and amazing food, Saigon’s
District 5 is one of my favorite areas. So full of character and lots of color!”
TR AV EL ANDLEISURE ASIA .COM / NOV EMBER 2019 59UPGR ADE: IG
P O S T-T R I P T I P S
THE
INSIDERS
@euniceeunny
— Create a Pay it Back
Kuala Lumpur Keepsake Instagram as a travel guide is
only as good as its users make
“KL locals really, really love their Having a recap of a trip on your it. It’s good to give back so that
pork noodles. On my mission to hunt Instagram timeline is great (and others can benefit from your
down the best bowl in Klang Valley useful to keep a record of the
(I have more than 100 spots saved!),
experiences (and to help ensure
Kedai Kopi Wah Cheong does one of
places you’ve been), but nothing that lovely, family-run restaurant
the best versions. beats reminiscing about past you shared receives a little more
holidays with tangible keepsakes patronage). Make it easy for other
in hand. Services such as travelers to discover your posts by
@artifactuprising’s “Instagram adding an accurate geotag, and
Friendly Books” make designing always add a few hashtags to your
and printing holiday photo post description that are
albums as easy as logging in on indicative of the photo you’re
your Instagram account and
...
sharing.
picking the photos you’d like to
include. And then there’s always
the good ol’ postcard: Apps like Now, put the phone down and
@postagram will print and send actually look at that painting, float
customizable postcards using in the sea, and, for goodness’ sake,
your favorite Instagram snaps. eat that dish before it gets cold.
60 NOV EMBER 2019 / T R AV EL A NDLEISUR E ASIA .COMYou can also read
