The Wild Heart of Borneo
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COMPASS by COX & KINGS TRAVEL TRAVEL & KINGS COX by COMPASS TRAVEL EXPERIENCED FACE TO FACE win WITH SOUTH KOREA A PAIR OF SWAROVSKI The Wild OPTIK CL COMPANION BINOCULARS South Korea, or ‘Land of the Morning Calm’, is a beautiful peninsula littered with WORTH palaces, temples, pagodas, fortresses, forests, hills and rivers. The mountainous Heart of £800 interior features several dozen national parks, while the exceptional coastline is dotted with more than 3,000 islands, most of which are uninhabited. • Private Tailor-Made Travel Borneo • Highest Quality Services • Unrivalled Experience • Exceptional Value • Expert Planning • Personal Service Rustic Russian Charms Paradise Islands 10 DAY PRIVATE TOURS OF SOUTH KOREA FROM £2,595 Nevis & Fiji www.coxandkings.co.uk/southkorea HISTORY REPEATING To speak to an expert or request a brochure, 2013 SPRING please call 0845 867 7431 quoting COMPASS William Dalrymple on Afghanistan travel news • reviews • interviews F2F Korea Ad Compass Spring 13.indd 1 04/03/2013 10:16 NEW BROCHURE OUT NOW! EUROPEAN SHORT BREAKS Cox & Kings has been pioneering travel to distant VENICE: CA’ SAGREDO lands for generations. However, for those seeking a shorter holiday, closer to home, we now apply the 3 nights for the price of 2 • From £345 pp same standards of expertise, quality and value to Whether exploring on foot European short breaks. or by boat, this romantic The hotels, all offering 4- and 5-star comforts, have city is a constant inspiration been hand-picked to combine the fi nest facilities, with its grand palazzos and style and location at exceptional prices. piazzas, and magnifi cent courtyards and churches. From Portugal to Turkey, our 2013 collection features diverse destinations right across the continent. There A member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World, are romantic classics such as Venice and Paris, Spanish the 5-star de luxe Ca’ Sagredo hotel is located on the paradors, Nordic escapes, Mediterranean islands and waterfront, overlooking the Grand Canal and just a grand palaces. short stroll from St Mark’s Square. To speak to an expert or request a brochure, please call 0845 867 7431 quoting COMPASS www.coxandkings.co.uk/short-breaks Short Breaks Ad Compass Spring 13.indd 1 04/03/2013 10:10 EDITORIAL | Spring 2013 Welcome to Compass There’s a very good reason people talk about the joys of spring. After what felt like the longest winter in history, the bright buds of a new season have arrived like a gregarious friend, full of enthusiasm for all the good things ahead. Our search for vibrant colours and spectacular wildlife takes us right to the blooming heart of nature in this issue of Compass, as we paddle along the lily-lined waterways of Borneo (p38), explore the tranquil, palm-shaded coves of Fiji (p60) and enjoy the historic charms of the little-known Caribbean island of Nevis (p56). We continue off the-beaten-track on a thrilling train journey across north-west Mexico to the dramatic Copper Canyon (p28), praise the monastic wonders of Russia’s Golden Ring heritage villages (p50), stake out a unique safari camp in the wildlife-rich reserves of Tanzania (p32) and enjoy a right royal welcome in the lesser- known family palaces of rural Rajasthan (p44). I was lucky enough to meet William Dalrymple, on one of his rare visits from India, and discuss his new book Return of a King. Read the fascinating, if chilling, parallels he draws between the disastrous Anglo-Afghan war of 1839 and today’s incursion (p14). Meanwhile, author Deborah Moggach, who scored a hit with her Indian- set novel The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, recounts how her first overseas trip was anything but exotic in One Giant Leap (p98). Elsewhere, we shop Gangnam Style in the South Korean capital, Seoul (p82), soak up the souks of Oman (p22) and celebrate 150 years of Underground art at the London Transport Museum (p96). With round ups of all the latest books, gadgets, travel news and competitions, it’s time to shake off the winter blues and embrace a more vibrant season. Oh, and when you do, please write and tell us about your travels: we always love to hear from you. Jennifer Cox, Editor www.coxandkings.co.uk COMPASS 3 COntents | Spring 2013 Contents Spring 2013 60 90 Escapades Reports Life 28 MEXICO | Chepe & cheerful 22 OMAN | 48 Hours in Muscat 14 GUEST TRAVELLER | Tony Scotland rides the peter Hilton savours the flavours of William Dalrymple Chihuahua pacifico the Omani capital On his latest book Return of a King: the Battle for Afghanistan 32 TANZANIA | Lodge an appeal 44 INDIA | Beyond the land of kings Louise Stanion visits Beho Beho Amar grover delves deep into 64 ART TOURS in the Selous Rajasthan Expert lecturers go behind the scenes of the 2013 programme 38 MALAYSIAN BORNEO | 50 RUSSIA | Picture perfect Return to innocence Andy potts explores the rich 88 FOOD | Vivek Singh Tamara Thiessen explores the heritage of the golden Ring On the changing times and tastes waterways of Sabah and Sarawak of Asian cuisine 56 NEVIS | Queen of the Caribees 60 FIJI | Into the blue Harriet Compston explores 90 RECIPE | Cinnamon Kitchen Amanda Statham relaxes in the nelson’s nevis Delicious new recipes from the remote South pacific Cinnamon Kitchen chef 78 UK | Step back in time: Aberdeenshire 86 PRIORITY BOARDING | Christopher Somerville visits Captain Steve Allright gight Castle To the moon and back with the British Airways pilot 82 SOUTH KOREA | Gangnam file Jennifer Cox on Seoul’s best 98 ONE GIANT LEAP | shopping districts Deborah Moggach Developing a love of travel, art and boys 4 COMPASS COX & KINGS TRaVEL COntents | Spring 2013 DON’T William Dalrymple Vivek Singh’s recipes Deborah Moggach MISS... p14 p90 p98 32 50 44 News & views Reviews 8 Dear Compass… 80 SOMETHING TO DECLARE | 70 Book reviews Your letters and stories Neville Peat From London Bridge to Britten On Shackleton’s Whisky and 9 New directions modern explorers 74 Wanted on voyage nigel Hosking on what’s new at Travel watches and mapping apps Cox & Kings 84 CHARITY SPOTLIGHT | Tackling poverty in India 75 Beauty spot 18 The Hot List The charity projects of Magic Bus This season’s well-being wonders The best in travel this season 96 BEHIND THE SCENES | 94 A taste of the world 24 SIX OF THE BEST | Poster tube A trio of tipples for spring Cafes for people watching 150 years of art on the London Cox & Kings experts pick their Underground favourites Competitions 68 COMPASS POINTS | 7 A question of travel Mei-Ling Hopgood Win a pair of Swarovski binoculars Are kids the key to a nation’s personality? 12 Travel in focus Winners of our photography 76 Not to be missed competition Forthcoming travel events around the UK 74 App giveaway Your chance to win a sat-nav app 93 Compass crossword Cryptic brainteaser www.coxandkings.co.uk COMPASS 5 COnTRIBUTORS | SpRING 2013 Compass Contributors T h i S S p r i n g ’ S C om p a ss c o n T r i b u T o r S Mei-Ling British journalist Amar Grover Neville Peat Hopgood’s Andy Potts is a London- spent two best-selling has been based freelance summers at autobiography travelling to travel writer- Scott Base, Lucky Girl is an Russia since photographer new Zealand’s account of her experiences, 1990 and moved to Moscow and a regular contributor to the Antarctic station, in the late as an Asian girl growing up in 2006. He is a regular Financial Times, Independent 1970s as a journalist and adopted in the American contributor to Royal Wings, on Sunday and Geographical photographer, and was Midwest. Mei-Ling’s latest magazine of Royal Jordanian magazine. He has visited the awarded new Zealand’s book How Eskimos Keep Airlines, South China Morning Indian Subcontinent regularly largest literary prize, the Their Babies Warm (£12.99, Post and websites of the since 1987 and on p44 Creative new Zealand Michael Macmillan) is a collection of Kontinental Hockey League gets off the beaten track in King Writers’ Fellowship, in parenting wisdom from around and International Ice Hockey Rajasthan. 2007. Shackleton’s Whisky the world. In Compass Points Federation. On p54, he www.pictographical.co.uk (£16.99, preface) is neville’s (p68), Mei-Ling argues that the visits Russia’s historic Golden fifth book on Antarctic themes. way children are raised is the Ring region. In Something to Declare, key to a country’s personality. he considers the merit of Find out more at following in the footsteps of www.mei-linghopgood.com great explorers (p80). www. nevillepeatsnewzealand.com The Compass Team EDITOR Jennifer Cox DEpuTy EDITOR James Innes Williams STaff WRITER Katie parsons aRT DIRECTOR Joanne Francis DESIgNER Ines Menendez aDvERTISINg Mark Stacey ON ThE COvER pROBOSCIS MOnKEYS, BORnEO ILLuSTRaTIONS Matt Broersma www.mattmatt.com WITh ThaNkS philip Hamilton-grierson, nigel Hosking, Michael pullman, Annabel Ford, Balaji Kandasamy, peter Hilton, neill prothero, Vessela Baleva, Ariane Mick de Vizcaino, Louise Stanion, Michael Fleetwood, Aaron Jennings, Toby Langley, Thomas Saunders, Sarah Morgan, Sunita Ramanand, neil Davis and Christopher Bradford. pRINTER Warners Midlands plc www.warners.co.uk phOTOgRaphy Nick gregan www.nickgregan.com OThER IMagE CREDITS Cox & Kings Travel Ltd, istockphoto.com, bigstockphoto.com, Robert Harding, Amar grover, Alamy, getty Images, nick Wilkins and James Innes Williams Compass is published by Cox & Kings Travel Ltd, 6th Floor, 30 Millbank, London SW1p 4EE. W: www.coxandkings.co.uk E: [email protected] T: 020 7873 5000 F: 020 7630 6038 6 COMPASS COX & KINGS TRaVEL ! SURVEYREp | eatCOM titlepETITIO herenS a question of travel S u r v e y o f T ravel behaviour S & att i T u d e S Compass readers are a well-travelled group, so we thought it would be fascinating to canvass your opinions on a few questions relating to travel.