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TWG at lovers andtea gourmands to avours andfl sensations of world awholenew introducing recipes, andsavoury sweet blendsinto tea and exclusive teas ne harvest fi of amyriad incorporates Tea TWG Gastronomy, Tea of theforefront At Platinum Credit Card. Platinum Credit Express® American withyour Tea TWG at bill food onyour 50%*savings upto Enjoy (UEN S68FC1878J) 20 (West) Pasir Panjang Road #08-00, Mapletree Business City, Singapore 117439. americanexpress.com.sg americanexpress.com.sg 117439. Singapore City, Business Mapletree #08-00, Road Panjang Pasir (West) 20 (UENS68FC1878J) ® Registered Trademark of American Express Company. © Copyright 2018 American Express Company. Express American 2018 ©Copyright Company. Express American of Trademark Registered Alternatively, please call call please Alternatively, Orchard (B1) or VivoCity to apply. apply. to (B1)orVivoCity Orchard American Express Booth atION Booth Express American Visit Visit amex.co/platg 6396 8838 6396 orthe . CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: LEIGH GrIffITHS; JOÃO CANZIANI; MORGAN OMMER; MARTIN MOrrELL ON THE COVER Sunset from the rooftop of The Funny Lion facing Baquit Island in Palawan. Photographed by June features Al Linsangan. 66 Delta Blues Sailing deep into southern Vietnam’s Mekong waterways, Rachna Sachasinh finds the region in a state of change. Photographed by Morgan Ommer. 76 Coast to Coast Island-hopping across El Nido and Coron, Eloise Basuki discovers this pocket of the Philippines is an ecological wonder that also feels like home. Photographed by Leigh Griffiths. 76 98 86 86 66 Above and Beyond Enjoy up to 50%* savings on your food bill L The French Alpine EL R villages of Chamonix R at TWG Tea with your American Express® and Megève are TIN MO TIN reinventing Platinum Credit Card. R MA themselves as ; R E summer playgrounds. At the forefront of Tea Gastronomy, TWG Tea incorporates a myriad of fi ne harvest teas MM By Rosecrans Baldwin. and exclusive tea blends into sweet and savoury recipes, introducing a whole new world O AN G Photographed by R of sensations and fl avours to gourmands and tea lovers at TWG Tea. With all-day dining O Martin Morrell. M as well as trendsetting tea beverages and cocktails, tea is woven into every aspect of the meal – an unmistakable nuance that deliciously enhances each dish. NZIANI; 98 A C Welcome to the O O Find out more at amex.co/lovedining à Jungle On the Argentinian side THS; JO I F of Iguazú Falls, F I Jacqueline Gifford Gr IGH checks into a luxe Visit amex.co/platg or the E L : new hotel that lives American Express Booth at ION T F up to its dramatic Orchard (B1) or VivoCity to apply. LE Alternatively, please call 6396 8838. OP setting. Photographs M T O by João Canziani. 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TRAVELANDLEISUREASIA.COM / JUNE 2018 5 In Every Issue T+L Digital 8 Contributors 10 The Conversation 12 Editor’s Note 14 Deals 62 Wish You Were Here 106 contents 19 Reasons to Travel Now 28 Literary City Three of Kolkata’s 44 Wait, This is Athens? A short See southern Thailand’s natural top scribes give us the lowdown drive from the city center, the wonders; surf Bali’s waves after on the West Bengal capital’s beaches, hotels and restaurants dark; get the Midas touch in a book-loving identity. of the revived Athenian Riviera Macau spa; and more reasons to 32 Manila on the Fly Scale sky-high offer a revelatory new way to explore the region. ropes above the jungle and soar experience the Greek capital. 24 The Rise of Redfern from an inner-city trapeze—the The streets of a once-gritty Philippine capital has thrills for Special suburb in Sydney are now home all ages. 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Centara Grand is Grand Centara you. andindeliblememoriesfor experiences the natural choice for a picture-perfect holiday. apicture-perfect for choice the natural [email protected] [email protected] 1 02 1011234 ext 4/27/2561 BE 17:28 contributors | J UNE 2018 1 2 Merritt Leigh Gurley Griffiths WRITER PHO TOGRAPHER “One for the Ages” “Coast to Coast” Page 51 Page 76 — — With two toddlers, the We sent the Australian Chiang Mai–based writer was photographer to the 1 prepped to write our Family sustainable seas of northern Special. “In Asia everybody Palawan. “The Funny Lion is wildly forgiving of kids. resort in Coron organized an Show up at dinner and the amazing island-hopping tour. waitresses will dedicate the Swimming in the clearest next two hours to babysitting. waters surrounded by Far from being angry, they colorful fish and coral is hard are delighted you brought to beat, but crashing a tribal two agents of chaos to destroy wedding on a small island their restaurant.” Must-get was something I’ll remember travel accessory? The 1st until I die.” And what of his Class Kid travel pillow, which daredevilry diving in with inflates on the floor in front blacktips at Apulit Island? of a child’s plane seat so they “Don’t get me wrong, I draw can lie flat, but not on top of the line at baby sharks.