Chinmoy Lad 
Not every journey that takes 13-hours from origin to destination ends in paradise. Thankfully, ours did. Owing to non-direct flights from Mumbai, after several changes (two domestic, one international) and a speedboat transfer, we finally made it to the only resort in the Laamu Atoll in the far south of … Read more
Set in Hong Kong’s historic Mandarin Oriental Hotel, which recently celebrated its 50th anniversary, the Mandarin Grill + Bar had previously resembled a private club which made it a perfect setting for big business deals over lunch. Fitted out with leather and dark woods, a leftover from the power 80’s, … Read more
Michelin-stars are all well and good, but some restaurants go beyond approval from the French. Steeped in history, Yan Toh Heen at the InterContinental Hong Kong, formerly the renowned Regent, has decades of glory to look back on as an unrivaled epitome of luxurious Cantonese cuisine. Recently renovated top to … Read more
Hong Kong should have seen the Spanish inquisition coming. While French, Italian, and European cuisines have been popular and served to a high standard for decades in this international city, good Iberian-influenced cuisine was scarce. The fairly new phenomenon began with a few Spanish restaurants opening up in the early … Read more
You’re fooled as you step into a suite at André Fu-designed The Upper House in the heart of Hong Kong. The large, elegantly furnished accommodations at this boutique hotel were once serviced apartments that have been completely redesigned and refurbished. Transformed seamlessly to a chic city hotel exuding a modern … Read more
When casino operating licenses were granted to the big corporations setting up in Macau in the early 2000s, it changed both the physical and cultural landscape of the city. In the inevitable excesses that followed, hotels and resorts tried to build bigger and more eye-catching behemoths than their counterparts.With the … Read more
In gaudy Macau, the Las Vegas of the east, there exists a serene gastronomic refuge from the excesses of sin city. While many of Macau’s finer restaurants are housed in soulless hotels, Casa de Tapas is tucked away in old Taipa village, a well-known area that’s gained a reputation for … Read more
Landing on the island airport just off Male, Maldives, is stunning. The plane circles and teases us as we get our first glimpse of the turquoise waters synonymous with the islands that make up the Maldives. After arrival at the small terminal, we’re escorted to the jetty of the Sheraton … Read more
Were it not for the floor to ceiling windows looking out to the famous Victoria Harbor skyline with sweeping views of towering skyscrapers in the distance, you’d be forgiven for thinking you’d stepped back in time to neoclassical Paris. Set on the 56th floor of Island Shangri-la Hong Kong in … Read more
In Hong Kong, two friends often greet each other by asking “Nei sihk mh sihk faahn ar?” Roughly translated, this means “Have you eaten yet?” a common greeting that eschews the more traditional, “How are you?” This simple phrase reveals volumes about Hong Kong’s character. In a city with restaurants … Read more