Vivanta by Taj - Bekal, Kerala: With the world-renowned Jiva Grande Spa, you’ll have the opportunity to enjoy luxurious modern comfort whilst practising authentic and traditional yoga. Built by the backwaters with its satvik dining lounge, courtyards, landscaped relaxation spaces and meditation nooks and a fully-fledged wellness library, this tranquil pocket of wellness offers authentic, holistic and comprehensive Ayurveda programmes and yoga retreats for all levels.
Umaid Bhawan Palace, Jodhpur: A golden-hued desert sandstone monument, set amidst 26 verdant acres of garden, the scene is set for a royal experience of rejuvenation, harmony and healing. Improve posture, develop strength, motivation and refresh the mind with the Asanas yoga or expand your vital energy with the practice of Pranayama. Vivanta by Taj - Green Cove, Kovalam: Amidst white sand beaches and miles of greeneries is the Jiva Spa, with soothing white and earthy wood décor to calm and quieten the mind and body. Let the private waterfall outside the relaxation lounge serenade and rejuvenate the soul whilst you practice reviving yoga circulations.
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Located on Sri Lanka’s southern coast, between Galle and Weligama Bay, Soul & Surf Sri Lanka offers guests tailor-made week long escapes incorporating expert surfing lessons with rejuvenation of the body and mind; including daily yoga sessions, guided meditation and massage.
The island’s wave-rich southern coast is an under-the-radar surfers’ paradise, boasting clean, un-crowded waves is ideal for surf fans of all abilities, with perfect swell-rich conditions to catch your first wave, find an A-frame or experience that elusive barrel. A typical week will see guests welcome the day with an invigorating morning yoga session or head down to one of the many beautiful local beaches for morningsurf coaching, while afternoon’s are dedicated to achieving some serious zen under the canopy of the yoga shala. Sunset surf sessions offer up the perfect way to draw in the evening, with guided meditation and Pranayama - the practise of controlling energy through the body - offered afterwards to help calm the body and mind. Non-surfers are also well-catered for, as Soul & Surf offers week-long programmes for those less interested in surf and more interested in total relaxation, where one-to-one yoga sessions, meditation and Esalen massage take the place of daily surf activities. Traditional Sri Lankan cookery lessons are also offered to non-surfers, as well as the chance to explore the surrounding waterways with two guided canoe rides. www.soulandsurf.com
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Space and serenity - the true definition of luxury...
Whether searching for an intimate escape or an indulgent family retreat, Jumeirah Vittaveli offers exclusive luxury. At an impressive 203 square metres in size, each two bedroom villa offers the perfect combination of space, service and privacy. All have direct access to white sandy beaches and the Indian Ocean’s clear waters are only steps away.
Activities for the whole family to enjoy...
While children enjoy complimentary access to Kuda Koli Kid’s Club and the Teen Lounge, adults can relax on their private terrace or refresh themselves with a leisurely dip in their own ‘L’ shaped pool. Guests can indulge in an exceptional semi-open shower experience in the breath-taking open-air bathroom complete with marble bathtub.
Get wet and wild
The five-star PADI dive and water sports centre offers an abundance of activities from canoeing, windsurfing, and fishing excursions to diving in one of the world’s most incredible coral reefs, while the overwater Talise Spa offers an island escape for pure relaxation. At every turn, unbeatable hospitality and five-star amenities are combined to capture the very essence of indulgence in the Maldives. Guests can stay in the Two-Bedroom Beach Villas with Pool from 2000 GBP/ 3400 USD per villa per night. For bookings and enquiries, contact JVMreservations@jumeirah.com or +960 665 811. A.A. Miln
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Offering uncompromised privacy, this expansive estate boasts a prestigious hill-top location and is just a few minutes’ drive from Samui International Airport. Each unique, individually designed villa at Samujana also offers spectacular panoramic sea views, private beach access and truly personalised service.
Admire the magnificent architecture, stunning views and contemporary Thai style decor. Foodie guests will also adore the on call personal chef, who can provide you and your guests with an intimate dinner or private Thai cooking lessons – all from the comfort of your own villa.
With accentuated comfort, undisturbed privacy and bespoke experiences at the forefront of everything they do, the team at Samujana have equipped their luxurious villas with state-of-the-art facilities, including: over-sized air conditioned bedrooms, en-suite bathrooms, fully equipped kitchens, expansive TV and open-air lounges and breath-taking private infinity edge pools.
Samujana’s most spectacular villas also boast private jacuzzis, fully equipped gyms, roof-top terraces, games rooms and yoga/ massage rooms. www.samujana.com. A. A. Miln
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Twitter: DestDelicious Instagram: destinationdelicious Facebook: destdelicious Here’s the thing about Southeast Asia: most tourists don’t come for the Michelin stars. They want street food vendors, sizzling skewers and plastic chairs. They want to be in the thick of it, perched next to locals and swapping fine dining for a cheap, cheerful and ultimately delicious meal. This is why visitors to Malaysia are obliged to try a banana leaf lunch. Served at most mamaks (street side restaurants with typically outdoor seating), these lunches are (as in their namesake) served on a large, green banana leaf. While each banana leaf is different, punters can expect raitas, poppadoms and a big serving of rice as a compulsory standard. It’s hearty, full of flavour, and will get you to grips with the local fare. Come to Kuala Lumpur and you’ll find a mamak on every street corner, packed to the brim with hungry people from all walks of life; families breaking Ramadan fast, office workers on lunch and tourists squinting confusedly at the Malay menus. One of the more well-known mamaks is Sri Nirwana Maju Bangsar, located at the heart of KL’s trendy Bangsar district. A little pricier than the national standard (22 ringgit, £3.70), Nirwana more than makes up for it in portion size and flavour, leaving customers to this often busy restaurant with their bellies full and hearts content. Between 11am and 3pm the banana leaf lunch buzz is in full swing, with uniformed waiters swiftly attending crowds at the stainless steel tables. The decor is simple, white walls dotted with a few calendars and decorative images that highlight the food and drinks counters. The ambiance here is created by the simple things; the chatter of customers, shouting of orders, clinking of plates. Strangers sit across from each other, fork and spoons engaged in a ravenous tussle with their banana leaf lunch. You come here for the food, plain and simple. The process of serving banana leaf is almost as exciting as the eating itself. First, the waiter sits you down takes your drink order (Ice Lemon Tea is highly recommended - a refreshing calamansi ice tea blend). A flat green banana leaf is then placed in front of you, acting as a plate. Then, with a fanfare of serving flourish, come the meal components. Huge, steaming portions of fresh rice are piled onto your leaf, and will keep on being piled until you tell them to stop. Carrying three cylindrical metal pails, the waiter then offers you the choice of three curries to sauce your rice - lentil dahl, chicken curry sauce or fish curry sauce. Opting for the latter, I was treated to a rich, zesty accompaniment. Then come the rest - a tub of light sambal (soup), a fiery chili pickle, a subtle yet sweet potato curry, milky and cooling raita, and then the star - bright red bitter gourd pakora, an absolute treat to the very last crunch. And all this before the main has even arrived. To go with the banana leaf, customers are invited to choose from a flusteringly large range of main options. These include chicken tandoori, curry and fried fish. To go with my fish curry sauce, I ordered a hefty (albeit dry) portion of fried fish. Rounded off with the grand bazaar of meal components, it solidified an altogether waist-busting and highly memorable dining experience. “Nirvana is pure, detachment from all material things and existence,” says Nriwana Maju owner Amutha Devi. “That’s why we chose the name. You eat food at Nirwana, you feel pure.” If purity can be defined as a full belly and happy smile, then seek enlightenment at Nirwana Maju.
“When I come to Al Ehsan with my friends, sometimes we have competitions to see who can eat the most Nasi Lemak,” says Afiq Ibrahim, a local lawyer from Kuala Lumpur. “There are times I’ve eaten two or three plates in one sitting!”
Regarded by diners as Malaysia’s crowning food glory, you can’t really go wrong with Nasi Lemak. Coconut rice, hot sambal, peanuts, dried anchovies and a boiled egg, accompanied by a flexible meat side (think fried chicken, rendang or stew), it’s calorific, comforting and oh-so-very delicious. Restoran Al Ehsan sits on a buzzing street in Petaling Jaya (PJ), lit up along a row of mamaks, motorbikes and plastic chairs. Clued-up locals from KL and its surrounding townships travel here especially for the Nasi Lemak; a tasty number, classic enough to keep loyalists happy but different enough to make it special. A huge grill and serving station mark the entrance to Al Ehsan, manned by an indefatigable cook who effortlessly plates up rows of food. A long line of steel trays is dotted by a garden of Nasi Lemak. Whites, reds and crispy browns set as offerings to customers.
The interior is plain and simple; the food is anything but. Rich, salty rice cooked in coconut milk is an exciting base, a central taste that sets this Nasi Lemak’s elevated tone. The peanuts provide crunch and the egg brings the soft, marrying together different textures.
What is most unique here is the sambal. Typically salty with anchovies, this sauce is sweet like chili jam. It’s a surprising hit that with chutney-like-effect converts you to the belief a boiled egg goes well with sugar. While the side of meat is optional, I’m telling you now that Restoran Al Ehsan’s crispy fried chicken is mandatory. Generous chunks of meat with dessicated salty skin will have you licking your fingers, scraping the last of the trimmings with mournful delight. To drink, one Malaysian classic deserves another. Milo Ice, a powdered chocolate milk drink, rounds of a fantastic, filling, fried feast. Restoran Al Ehsan’s Nasi Lemak may be a little odd, and definitely more than a little fattening, but in the immortal words of many of their customers: who cares? Order that second, third and fourth plate now. Jalan 20/14 46300 Petaling Jaya Selangor Malaysia Food ***** Ambiance *** Andrew Headspeath
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