1,000 Places to See Before You Die

by Patricia Schultz

  Part of the Registan, Tilla Kari Madrassa is adorned with intricate mosaics.

  WHERE: 170 miles/275 km southwest of Tashkent. WHERE TO STAY: Hotel Malika Samarkand is a comfortable choice and a 10-minute walk to most attractions. Tel 998/662-330197; www.malika-samarkand.com. Cost: from $65. HOW: U.S.-based MIR Corp., with an office in Tashkent, specializes in small-group tours and independent travel to Central Asia. Tel 800-424-7289 or 206-624-7289; www.mircorp.com. Cost: 15-day tours from $4,195. Originates in Tashkent. When: departures May and Sep. BEST TIMES: Apr–May and Sep for nicest weather.

  SOUTHEAST ASIA

  A Colonial Coastal Retreat

  KEP

  Cambodia

  Unlike other getaway destinations enjoyed by the colonial French in Indochina, the Cambodian seaside town of Kep is not a cool-weather hill station. The French residents of old Saigon may have ventured to Da Lat for verdant valleys and bracing mountain air (see p. 632), but the appeal of Kep-sur-Mer (Kep by the Sea) has always been its wonderful beaches. From the 1900s to the 1960s, colonials journeyed to Kep from Phnom Penh, yet it’s only in recent years that this sleepy resort on the Gulf of Thailand has truly awakened from its tropical slumber. The graceful arc of the island’s main beach still seems transplanted from an early-20th-century French daydream. With its broad pedestrian corniche punctuated by graceful wrought-iron lamps, it is blissfully free of modern distractions. On public holidays, families crowd here and float contentedly on rubber tubes. But any French reverie is tempered with telling reminders that you’re definitely in Asia: From bamboo shelters fringing the beach come freshly grilled platters of local seafood, while sheets of the region’s prized peppercorns (revered by the top chefs of Paris) lie drying in the tropical sun. Troops of monkeys patrol the trees near the clifftop ruins of King Sihanouk’s former summer villa.

  A century on from Kep’s beginnings as a station climatique for the French, it’s now been rediscovered by Phnom Penh’s expat smart set. Leading Kep’s resurrection as a luxury destination is the gorgeous Knai Bang Chatt, a trio of restored 1960s Modernist villas just across from the beach. Housing 11 air-conditioned rooms and including a spa and a lovely infinity pool, it is one of Cambodia’s finest, most relaxing boutique hotels. The adjacent Sailing Club restaurant and bar is the perfect ending to a day out on the water. Or, on a forested hill overlooking Kep, the Veranda Natural Resort has stylish bungalows and a palm tree–shaded pool.

  There’s still not a lot to do in Kep. You can check out the afternoon crab market, trek to the monkey-populated jungle of Kep National Park, sail in a local fishing boat to nearby Koh Tonsay (Rabbit Island) for immaculate beaches, snorkeling, and grilled fresh prawns—or just while away the hours poolside in a hammock, waiting for another perfect sunset.

  Kep’s low-key beaches are a local treasure.

  WHERE: 105 miles/170 km south of Phnom Penh. KNAI BANG CHATT: Tel 855/12-349-742; www.knaibangchatt.com. Cost: from $135; dinner at the Sailing Club $20. VERANDA NATURAL RESORT: Tel 855/33-399-035; www.veranda-resort.com. Cost: from $50. BEST TIMES: Dec–Jan is the coolest period; the wet season is May–Oct.

  Khmer Treasures in a City Rediscovering Itself

  THE SILVER PAGODA

  Phnom Penh, Cambodia

  Once considered the loveliest of the French-built cities of Indochina, Phnom Penh still retains much of its charm despite the violence of Cambodia’s late-20th-century history. A recent influx of foreign investors has brought change, but this city still moves at a relatively languid pace. French-Colonial buildings line the city’s easygoing thoroughfares, many restored and housing restaurants, cafés, and hotels.

  In the midst of the city is the sprawling Royal Palace. Some of the complex, still home to Cambodian royalty, is off-limits to visitors, but you can visit the grounds, a few buildings, and one of the country’s most magnificent sites: the Silver Pagoda, a rare showcase for the brilliance of Khmer art and civilization. Pol Pot, the 1970s Communist prime minister, destroyed most of the art in the palace but not the life-size gold Buddha, weighing close to 200 pounds and adorned with more than 9,500 diamonds. More Cambodian treasures are displayed at the National Museum, a Khmer-style open-sided pavilion just a pleasant stroll away, including 15th-century Buddha statues from the period following the fall of Angkor, the seat of the Khmer Empire, to the start of the Thai kingdom in 1431, providing an interesting counterpoint to what you’ll see at Angkor Wat (see next page).

  Like Angkor’s bustling tourist town of Siem Reap, Phnom Penh offers a growing range of excellent accommodations. Originally built in 1929 and reopened after significant restoration in 1997, Raffles Le Royal is the city’s most gracious and elegant hotel—a drink in its Elephant Bar is infused with the glamour and romance of old Indochine. The Pavilion is a smaller, more intimate colonial property, with just 20 comfortable rooms a stone’s throw from the Royal Palace.

  Stop by the FCC (Foreign Correspondents Club), a Colonial-style bar-restaurant cooled by slowly spinning ceiling fans and tropical breezes from the Mekong River. Order a chilled Angkor beer or a dry martini and take in the views of bustling Sisowath Quay below. It’s a good place to catch up on the local expat gossip, and there are often excellent documentary-style photo exhibits on view. The FCC has a few guest rooms, but a better option is its sister property The Quay. A stylish hotel just one block away in a modern riverside building, it features eco-friendly design touches and the sophisticated Chow restaurant, specializing in small-plate spins on regional southeast Asian flavors.

  Part of the Royal Palace complex, the Silver Pagoda contains silver floors and crystal and diamond-encrusted Buddhas.

  NATIONAL MUSEUM OF CAMBODIA: Tel 855/23-217-643; www.cambodiamuseum.info. RAFFLES HOTEL LE ROYAL: Tel 855/23-981888; in the U.S., 800-768-9009; www.raffles.com. Cost: from $215 (off-peak), from $290 (peak). THE PAVILION: Tel 855/23-222-280; www.thepavilion.asia. Cost: from $90. FCC: Tel 855/23-724-014; www.fcccambodia.com. THE QUAY: Tel 855/23-992-284; www.thequayhotel.com. Cost: suites with river views from $130; dinner at Chow $20. BEST TIMES: Nov–Feb for the cooler, dry season; mid–Apr for celebration of Khmer New Year; late Nov for Bon Om Tuk Water Festival.

  A Temple City Reborn

  ANGKOR WAT

  Siem Reap, Cambodia

  One of the world’s premier architectural sites, Angkor’s temples and monuments encompass an area of about 40 square miles in northwestern Cambodia. The capital of the powerful Khmer Empire from A.D. 800 to approximately 1200, the site was abandoned in 1431 following the conquest of the Khmer kingdom by the Thai kingdom. Today Angkor is enjoyed by more visitors than ever thanks to the extended peace following the dark days of the murderous Khmer Rouge regime (1975–1979).

  Angkor’s grand scale means it’s still possible to experience your own private slice of centuries-old Khmer grandeur. The area’s uncontested highlight is Angkor Wat, a vast temple complex built at the beginning of the 12th century. It took 25,000 workers more than 37 years to complete, but after the fall of the empire it was unknown to the outside world—and remained so until 1860, when French botanist Henri Mouhot stumbled upon it deep in the jungle. Cambodians revere the site, whose iconic profile is featured on the national flag, and it’s especially important to Buddhists. Teenage monks are a common sight here, their vibrant saffron robes standing out from Angkor Wat’s austere gray stonework and the shadowed waters of the moat surrounding the main temple.

  At the heart of nearby Angkor Thom is the Bayon, the last great temple built at Angkor. Mimicking the sacred Mount Meru at the center of the Hindu-mythology universe, the Bayon rises through three imposing levels with numerous towers featuring multiple carvings of massive, serene faces at the top. About a mile east of the Bayon, the much photographed Ta Prohm temple complex is a labyrinth of porticoes and halls that is slowly being entombed by the massive roots of ancient trees.

  Before the tragedies of the Khmer Rouge period, Angkor was a favored destination for colonial French travelers. Now the nearby to
wn of Siem Reap is a travelers’ hub with a growing number of new resorts and boutique hotels. But the restored 1930s colonial splendor of Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor—featuring an inviting spa and a grand pool set within 14 acres of gardens—is still its greatest historical throwback. Though its 120 rooms make it one of the town’s largest colonial hotels, the service is still personal.

  The riverside La Résidence d’Angkor is built in traditional Khmer style, and it is one of the resorts nearest to the temples. With 62 balconied rooms and suites, a lush walled garden with a pool at its center, and a highly rated spa, it’s an enticing oasis located right in town. A more intimate boutique option is the Pavillon d’Orient, with 18 tastefully furnished rooms in a French Colonial-style mansion with a pool and spa just 5 minutes from central Siem Reap.

  Now notable for the tree roots that engulf it, Ta Prohm was built in 1156 and once held a priceless cache of pearls and precious stones.

  WHERE: 196 miles/315 km northwest of Phnom Penh. HOW: U.S.-based Asia Transpacific Journeys offers custom and group trips to Cambodia. Tel 800-642-2742 or 303-443-6789; www.asiatranspacific.com. Cost: land costs average $325 per person per day. RAFFLES GRAND HOTEL D’ANGKOR: Tel 855/63-963-888; in the U.S., 800-768-9009; www.raffles.com. Cost: from $240 (off-peak), from $300 (peak). LA RÉSIDENCE D’ANGKOR: Tel 855/63-963-390; www.residencedangkor.com. Cost: from $245 (off-peak), from $345 (peak). PAVILLON D’ORIENT: Tel 855/63-760646; www.pavillon-orient-hotel.com. Cost: from $100. BEST TIME: Nov–May for dry season.

  Oceanfront Escapes on the Island of the Gods

  BEACHES OF BALI

  Bali, Indonesia

  Beautiful Bali is justly celebrated for its palm-fringed beaches. In the south, the graceful arc of Jimbaran Bay is an antidote to the nightclub-enhanced shopping mall that Kuta Beach is slowly becoming, and the best way to cap off a day spent there is with dinner at one of the simple alfresco seafood restaurants nearby. Choose from large tanks or among the offerings presented on mounds of ice—prawns, lobster, and squid are all popular—and wait for it to be cooked at a surfside table with your toes in the sand. On the bay’s southern edge, Four Seasons Jimbaran Bay is a luxurious resort masquerading as a traditional Balinese village. Breezy, bougainvillea-covered guest villas cascade down its terraced hillside leading to a 4-mile white crescent beach. Arrange for a lulur treatment, and look forward to being exfoliated from head to toe with sandalwood and spices, splashed with yogurt, then taking a soak in a bath infused with flower petals. The drama—and rates—drop a few notches at the small and welcoming Jamahal Private Resort & Spa, where the spirit of Bali still prevails and where the pampering staff is unfailingly gracious.

  On the island’s northwest coast, Lovina Beach is a quieter alternative to the energetic south coast. Dolphin-watching is a highlight, easily arranged through any of a cluster of hotels, including Sunari Villas & Spa Resort, but be prepared to get up early—the creatures are most frequently sighted just after sunrise. The nearby town of Singaraja offers a glimpse into the days of Dutch colonial rule, with tree-lined streets, whitewashed architecture, and a charming old waterfront where nothing much happens—very, very slowly. An easy 2-hour drive west is Pulau Menjangan (Deer Island), renowned for scuba diving, but also a great place for snorkeling, with straight-off-the-beach access to an underwater wall teeming with tropical fish. East of Lovina are some of Bali’s less discovered beaches. The Amed area is a series of compact coves dotted with fishing villages.

  From Amed, it’s possible to travel a beautiful coast road around Bali’s eastern tip back to the south coast. As you drive between the imposing volcanic profile of Mount Seraya and the aquamarine waters of the Bali Sea, you realize you could only be on the Island of the Gods.

  WHERE: Jimbaran Bay is 5 miles/8 km south of Denpasar. Singharaja is 62 miles/100 km north of Denpasar. FOUR SEASONS JIMBARAN BAY: Tel 62/361-701-010; in the U.S., 800-332-3442; www.fourseasons.com. Cost: villas from $680. JAMAHAL PRIVATE RESORT & SPA: Tel 62/361-704-394; www.jamahal.net. Cost: from $290. SUNARI VILLAS: Tel 62/362-41775; www.sunari.com. Cost: from $90. BEST TIME: Apr–Oct is dry season.

  Bali’s Capital of Art and Culture

  UBUD

  Bali, Indonesia

  The island of Bali stands out in Indonesia not only for its beautiful landscapes but also for its sophisticated Hindu art and culture. The Balinese have always believed that the gods live in the mountains and this is as good a reason as any to leave the busy beach areas of Kuta and Sanur and head north into the hills.

  For years, Ubud has been known as the capital of Bali’s artistic heritage, a significant distinction on an island where art is everywhere and everyone lives to create and embellish as a way of honoring the gods. The town still possesses much of the allure that first drew European painters and sculptors in the 1920s. Jump onto a ramshackle bemo (minibus) packed with locals and chickens, and get off beyond Ubud’s congested main strip to take in its fabled rice fields; the same farmers you see cultivating terraced rice paddies by hand may be the very performers or musicians you see in tonight’s temple dance. Or journey by bicycle for a closer look at village life. And if you’re after more excitement, join a river-rafting trip down Ubud’s Ayung River, past towering cliffs and cascading waterfalls.

  One of Ubud’s unexpected attractions is its sophisticated restaurant scene. One of the front-runners, Mozaic, opened in 2001 and is well-known for its six-course Discovery Menu, an exotic introduction to the world of delicate Balinese flavors. It might even tempt you to sign up for cooking classes at Paon Bali in the nearby village of Laplapan—you’ll start with a visit to a market to gather ingredients before repairing to the kitchen to prepare an elaborate feast.

  Ubud’s compelling mix of accommodations ranges from basic home stays to exquisite resorts that rank among the world’s finest. The Amandari, an idealized adaptation of a walled Balinese village, is more retreat than hotel. The reception area, an open thatch-roofed building, recalls a wantilan, or traditional meeting hall, while its pool hugs the contours of the surrounding emerald green rice paddy terraces, overlooking the Ayung River and the valley beyond. Those same inspiring rice-field views are yours from Waka di Ume, while at the stylish Purist Villas, luxury is found in Ayurvedic massage, yoga, and meditation classes.

  WHERE: 14 miles/23 km north of Denpasar. HOW: U.S.-based Back Roads offers 8-day tours including biking, river rafting, and snorkeling. Tel 800-462-2848 or 510-527-1555; www.backroads.com. Cost: $3,800, all-inclusive. Originates in Ubud. MOZAIC: Tel 62/361-975-768; www.mozaic-bali.com. Cost: 6-course dinner $70. PAON BALI: Tel 62/81-337-939095; www.paon-bali.com. Cost: half-day class from $45. AMANDARI: Tel 62/361-975-333; in the U.S., 800-477-9180; www.amanresorts.com. Cost: from $850. WAKA DI UME: Tel 62/361-973178; www.wakadiume.com. Cost: from $305. PURIST VILLAS: Tel 62/361-974-454; www.thepuristvillas.com. Cost: from $240. BEST TIMES: Apr–Oct for the dry season; May–Jun for Rice Harvest Festival in rural villages; mid-Jun–mid-Jul for Bali Arts Festival.

  Discovering Java’s Hindu-Buddhist Past

  BOROBUDUR AND PRAMBANAN

  Java, Indonesia

  The hike to the top of the Buddhist monument of Borobudur, a 1-hour clockwise path from base to apex, takes pilgrims through the three levels of Buddhist cosmology: the worlds of desire, form, and formlessness. Ideally, the journey ends with complete detachment from the here and now—a concept that’s not hard to grasp when you’re hit with the powerful 360-degree panorama, including a quartet of active volcanos.

  Construction probably began around 800, during the era of the devoutly Buddhist Sailendra dynasty; it is thought to have taken 75 years to complete. Mysteriously, Borobudur was abandoned only 200 years later, possibly as a result of its being partially buried in ash from the eruption of nearby Mount Merapi in 1006. It lay undisturbed in the overgrown jungle for centuries until the site was rediscovered by the British in 1814.

  A massive UNESCO-directed restoration was completed in 1983, refurbishing more than 3 miles of ha
nd-carved reliefs representing the Buddhist universe of worldly, spiritual, and heavenly spheres that wrap around the pyramidal structure’s ten terraces. The higher levels are studded with 72 bell-shaped stupas and more than 400 Buddhas, which give Borobudur, the world’s largest Buddhist monument, its prickly-porcupine silhouette. Five minutes by car from Borobudur, the Amanjiwo resort echoes the circular layout of the monument, which is visible from the lushly landscaped grounds. Amanjiwo translates to “peaceful soul,” a state of mind effortlessly achieved after one of the resort’s traditional Javanese massages. Another of Amanjiwo’s draws is the chance it offers to visit Borobudur at dawn, but if you stay at the welcoming hotel Manohra, you are considerably closer—just steps from the temple entrance. Rise before the sun to watch the mist rise off the rice fields and densely packed coconut plantations, revealing the silhouettes of Borobudur and the volcanoes in the distance.

  Around 37 miles southeast of Borobudur is another revered ancient monument: The Hindu site of Prambanan is a 9th-century complex of more than 200 temples and shrines, eight of which have been restored. In the dry season, during the full moon and the nights leading to it, Prambanan becomes the floodlit backdrop for a cast of hundreds that performs the Ramayana ballet before a transfixed audience.

  The 9th-century Borobudur features more than 500 statues of Buddha, all in the lotus position.