Northstar

Hotels: A hidden tranquil KHAO LAK – Just a mere hour away from the club-thumping, heart-pumping, young and vibrant beach party getaway that is Phuket – is a tranquil paradise with similar breathtaking views of the sea, minus the crowd and clubs. Fret not – the basic amenities are well, more than basic. The main market is a drive away, civilisation thrives and there is no need to get all geared up for the next series of “Survivors”. JW Marriott Khao Lak Resort & Spa is essentially, a modern vista of beach life serenity. It’s like life goes back to a time where simple and unhurried is the norm of being yet the yearning to uncover is still burgeoning just because of the limitless beauty that is located at the Phang Nga Province, north of Phuket, surrounded by the breathtaking Andaman Sea. The 298-room JW Marriott Khao Lak Resort & Spa is situated on a lushlylandscaped site. Guest rooms are arranged in four main primary wings, perpendicular to the beach, providing spectacular views of the resort’s two sprawling lagoon-like swimming pool areas and grounds. Phuket International Airport, which serves 17 international destinations with non-stop service daily, is an hour’s drive away. Step into the hotel and the first thing that will greet you is the grand water feature where you can swim in. The largest swimming pool in Southeast Asia, this beauty stretches into “tributaries” that line the parameters of your balcony should you be given a unit on the first floor. Take a stroll outside and you’ll hear that gentle peaceful whispers of waves coming from the one kilometre stretch of pristine Khuk Khak Beach, untainted and protected. Sea turtles are reportedly coming back to lay their eggs and the local community has joined in the conservation efforts here in Khao Lak. And that is why the team at JW Marriott Khao Lak has seen a rise of approximately 30 per cent hike in tourist arrivals, in 2012 as compared to 2011, particularly for shortstays from neighbouring countries such as Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong. Offering casual elegance, the hidden gem is not only a paradise for vacationers and beach lovers, but also for corporate planners who organise retreats with a difference – to get together and give something back to nature and marine life. Hotels: Opera Nights in Old Saigon HO CHI MINH CITY – French architecture, a rich arts scene and pre-war romance – just about the right setting for a memorable night out with your loved ones over a bottle of oaked Chardonnay, for the perfect company. Quaint nights of antiquity in an Asian city may not be in headlines of what’s fronting your mind at first mention, but Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) begs to differ. Walk along District 1 and the Old Saigon – as it is still affectionately referred to by the locals, will bring you back to its heydays; cleverly constructed and laid out city with wide boulevards, tree-lined parks, tailored pavements and buildings of grandeur overlooking the Saigon River. Truth is, we know how images of packed roads with endless motorcycles emerge centre stage as the imagery of default when it comes to the modern day HCMC. But that’s where travel brings you a different definition – in visual and experience. Thankfully, art and soul are immortalised, deeply-rooted in the heart of Vietnam, evidently from the 115-year-old Saigon Opera House. Check in to the Caravelle Hotel’s 119-square-meter Opera Suite which oversees the historic Lam Son Square and Saigon Opera House where you can attend an evening performance of the critically acclaimed Hon Viet which provides a window to the history of Vietnam. Weaving in legacy from over hundreds of years, and covering three regions of the country, the Hon Viet features Vietnamese culture through dance, traditional music and scenes from the Legend of the Trung Sisters to the life of city sidewalk vendors. The Saigon Opera House was designed to mimic the Petit Palais in France, which was erected in the 1897 – the same year the Opera House was built. And this is telling from the ornate façade, which is a masterpiece of architect Ferret Eugene. The 800-seat theatre was partially destroyed in 1945 by the Allied bombings but the frontage was restored in 1998, in time for the 300th anniversary of the founding of Saigon. Today, Caravelle reigns as Saigon’s most distinctive accommodation opportunity, offering ‘Opera Nights’ a four-day, threenight package which includes the Hon Viet performance, dining at any three new L’Opera menus in the hotel’s fine-dining restaurant, Reflections with perks such as a 150-minute Relaxation Spa Package for two at the Caravelle’s newly-opened wellness sanctuary as well as full Opera Suite benefits at the hotel’s Signature Lounge. If you’re one who’s keen to experience luxury amidst a canvas of history while experiencing the colourful wonders of opera, the location and proximity to the Opera House will entice you to reconnect with a piece of history that’s monumental to the birth of modern day Vietnam.

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