Travel + Leisure Southeast Asia is the regional edition of the world’s biggest—and most trusted—travel magazine brand. Every month, Travel + Leisure Southeast Asia inspires its readers to experience stunning adventures; explore cutting-edge hotels, spas, shopping and more; and travel in sensational style, armed with hands-on, up-to-date, accurate and practical travel information. A chic, stylish and authoritative guide for today’s traveler within Asia and beyond, Travel + Leisure Southeast Asia is the must-read guide to all that Asia has to offer.
ELEGANT ESCAPES • Sofitel Hotels & Resorts is an ambassador of modern French style, culture and art-de-vivre around the world. Each address, whether in the rebellious urban style of a SO Sofitel or the contemporary elegance of a Sofitel, exudes an understated sense of luxury, always adding a touch of French decadence to the very best of the locale.
t+l digital • THIS MONTH ON TRAVELANDLEISUREASIA.COM
On our watch
#TLASIA • WE LOVE SEEING OUR READERS’ MOST EPHEMERAL TRAVEL MEMORIES.
editor’s note
REASONS TO TRAVEL NOW • T+L’s monthly selection of trip-worthy places, experiences and events.
Neighborly Appeal • Known for its off-the-beaten path resorts, Six Senses has made a splash in Singapore with its first city hotel. Jeninne Lee-St. John settles in to the row of converted shophouses, where she finds the brand’s culture of spa and sustainability is alive as ever.
CANTONESE UNBOUND • Into the wealth of Chinese restaurants in Singapore enters a trio aiming to reframe the traditional menu with forgotten recipes, regional diversity, and health and sustainability as their driving flavors.
Pearl of the South • Beyond the bright lights of Phuket and the sandy shores of Krabi, Koh Mook—Pearl Island—is an oft-forgotten jewel of southern Thailand. Here’s how to spend a lazy few days on this idyllic yet underrated isle.
Valley and Vines • A frequent retreat for well-heeled Sydneysiders, the nearby Hunter Valley wine region is worth adding to your itinerary.
Testing the Waters • In Japan, home to tens of thousands of mineral-rich onsen, hydrotherapy isn’t just an occasional indulgence—it’s a way of life.
What exactly is…
Water Worlds • Hydrotherapy soothes the mind as much as the muscles. While flotation tanks have swept Asia recently, and the Aquatonic seawater therapy pool at Ayana Resort & Spa Bali is a perennial favorite soak, these destinations offer new remedies to try.
THE WORLD’S BEST AWARDS • WHO GETS TO DECIDE WHICH TRAVEL EXPERIENCES, DESTINATIONS AND COMPANIES ARE TRULY SUPERLATIVE? YOU DO. EVERY YEAR, WE ASK THE T+L AUDIENCE TO RATE AIRLINES, CRUISE SHIPS, CITIES, ISLANDS, HOTELS AND MORE FROM THEIR RECENT TRAVELS. THE RESULTS ARE A PICTURE OF THE VERY BEST IN TRAVEL NOW. FOR THIS, OUR 23RD EDITION OF THE WORLD’S BEST AWARDS, HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF READERS TOOK PART IN SELECTING THE WINNERS. AS ALWAYS, THEY SURPRISED US—AND INSPIRED SOME SERIOUS WANDERLUST.
Top 100 Hotels • Four Seasons Resort Bali at Sayan, a 60-room retreat near Ubud, got your vote as the No. 1 Hotel in the World. It was one of 27 properties in Asia that made the Top 100 list, the most of any region this year.
Cities & Islands • Though Mexico claimed the top two cities in the world, Udaipur led the six Asian cities that dominate the top 10. For island getaways, Indonesia was the runaway favorite, taking home the top three spots.
Destination Spas • Many resorts promise health-focused getaways—but which ones actually deliver? This year, our readers chose properties with deep experience in wellness, from Bali to as far afield as Germany and Mexico.
Transportation • Singapore Airlines soared along for the 23rd year in a row, while its home port of Changi continued to...
