2018—A Year in Travel

From new air routes linking India with exotic new places to Airbnb seeking to replace the traditional ‘hotel’, Raul Dias brings you a few important highlights that shaped the way we travelled in 2018.   

By Raul Dias

There’s no denying the fact that Indians are the new ‘world travellers’. Interestingly, a recent report by Skift Research titled ‘The State of India Outbound Travel 2018’ shows how in just the last 20 years, the number of outbound tourists from India has grown from 3.5 million to 21.9 million. Thus, making India the fastest-growing outbound market after China.
No wonder then that we see each other almost everywhere, from places as obvious as Manhattan to those as deliciously obscure as Ulan Bator in Mongolia. From reports of a bunch of raucous Indian men virtually taking over an entire cruise ship in Australia as part of an office offsite trip to big fat Indian weddings in Lake Como and Las Vegas, there’s really no escaping us! And be it Prague or Phnom Penh, there will probably na’er be a restaurant menu that won’t cater to our vegetarian food predilections. 
And so, on the cusp of a brand-new year, let’s ponder over a few milestones in both travel and hospitality that have most certainly changed the way we travelled in 2018…

Visa Power
Let’s face it. Visa woes have often gotten the better of us all. Me included. Despite having travelled to 62 countries, I still get bothered and flustered with all that requisite paper work when applying for those pesky “may-I-please-visit-your-precious-country” passport stickers and stamps called visas! Well, as it so happens, I needn’t be so despondent anymore. As of October 2018, Indian citizens have visa-free or visa on arrival access to 60 countries and territories. We no longer need a visa to travel to Indonesia, Ukraine, Tunisia and Qatar. In fact, Serbia became the first and only country in Europe to offer visa free entry to Indian passport holders. As for the online visas, a biggie like Australia started offering an online, e600 visitor visa to Indian passport bearers with others like Kyrgyzstan, Armenia, Vietnam and Uzbekistan following suit. All Indian passport bearers are now eligible for a visa on arrival in countries like Gabon, Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Angola, Iran and Jordan. And just a few days before I write this piece, Myanmar has announced visa-on-arrival for Indian tourists beginning 12th December, 2018.

The Young and the Restless
With India being a nation of the youth, 2018 was all about the 18-35-year-old travellers leading the way. Usually the ones to set the trends before following them, Millennials, and the even younger Generation Z, seek more hands-on and rewarding experiences. According to the website travelagentcentral.com, activity destinations that offer music, food and up-close nature experiences like safaris and sailing were up there on the top of the list for 2018. Young travellers gravitated toward destinations that offer more than a typical backpacker’s European-style getaway and instead provide more immersive natural and urban experiences. No wonder one of the hospitality world’s greatest disruptors like Airbnb decided to target Indians with their new vertical called Airbnb Experiences that offers everything from learning to surf in Sri Lanka to the more fine dining-centric activity of truffle hunting with an expert in Florence.

Homestay over Hotel?
Speaking of Airbnb, according to a recent report by Business Insider, the home sharing company now has 4 million listings in 191 countries worldwide, an amount that tops the number of listings held by the top five hotel brands combined. And Indians seem to have taken to this vacation accommodation model vis-a-vis traditional hotels like never before in 2018. Be it family reunions in Chiang Mai or bachelor parties in Phuket, renting out an Airbnb for the entire duration of stay is the preferred way to have to good time in the perennial favourite South East Asian destination for Indians—Thailand! Conversely, listings on Airbnb in India have grown by 115% year-on-year to more than 35,000, with the domestic segment of Indians travelling within India growing the fastest for the company.

New Connections
The last quarter of 2018 saw a host of both Indian and international airlines offering as many as six new non-stop routes from Mumbai. Operating for the first time from Maximum City, we saw airlines like Air Italy and Uzbekistan Airways flying in. While the former started its five times a week non-stop flight from Mumbai to Milan, Italy from 31st October, Uzbekistan Airways kicked off three direct flights a week between Uzbekistan’s capital Tashkent and Mumbai from 30th October. Among the Indian carriers, Air India restarted its direct flight services from Mumbai to Frankfurt, Germany. And while Jet Airways has now started connecting Mumbai to Manchester, UK with five-times a week flight services, Go Airways started its direct flights from Mumbai to Phuket in Thailand and Male in Maldives. Bring it on, we say!

(An edited version of this article first appeared in the 30th December 2018 issue of The Free Press Journal newspaper's Weekend section on page 3 http://epaper.freepressjournal.in/m5/1959000/Free-Press-Mumbai-Edition/30-Dec-2018#page/13/1)

Sri Lanka with a Difference!

On your next trip to Sri Lanka, why not learn a bit of surfing or perhaps enjoy a brilliant sunrise at a non-touristy archeological site? Raul Dias puts together a list of unique things to do in Sri Lanka with the newly launched Airbnb Experiences  

By Raul Dias

This August, when I found myself in Sri Lanka for the ‘nth’ time, I realised something that left me a tad rattled. On all my previous trips to the gorgeous tear drop island, I had more or less indulged in the same activities, eaten the same food and been to the same places. A clichéd trip to Kandy nestled in the very the heart of the country to pay obeisance at the Temple of the Tooth. Tick. Beach bumming till my skin was burnt to a toasty brown at Bentota in the southwest. Tick. Getting my fill of delicious tea in the ‘up country’ of Nuwara Eliya. Tick.
But not anymore. I promised myself then and there that this time would be different. And so, I proceeded to put my money where my mouth is by signing up for a varied set of activities that the newly launched Airbnb Experiences Sri Lanka offers travellers like myself who want to go against the proverbial ‘tourist’ grain and do something refreshingly different. 
Here are my recommendations:

See the Sunrise at Pidurangala Rock
One of Sri Lanka’s lesser known archeological sites, the Pidurangala Rock in the Central Province is often eclipsed by the grandeur of its neighbours—Dambulla and Sigiriya. Speaking of which, Pidurangala is adjacent to latter and offers a 360-degree view of the mighty Sigiriya Rock as it is only slightly lower. Start your travels in the country with an early morning hike up to the rock with your host Asanka. His two-hour hike ($65 per person) to this hidden gem lets you connect with mother nature, meditate and enjoy the beautiful sunrise with a warm cup of freshly brewed Sri Lankan tea. Do not forget the bring your cameras to capture the magical moment. You can either join Asanka from Colombo or from the entrance of the Pidurangal Temple down below.

Meet the Elephants on a Minneriya Park Safari
The three-hour long Jeep safari ($32 per person) starts from the main entrance of the Minneriya Park near the car park. Once you have gone through the standard process of entry into the park, you will venture into the untamed wild of Minneriya in the country’s North Central Province which is famous for the Elephant Gathering. Soon you will make your way to the banks of the stunning Minneriya Reservoir. You will get to see groups of crocodiles resting on the banks or swimming about the lakes, vibrant birds of prey going fishing along with many other birds and animals including herds of elephants visiting to quench their thirst and to take a rest. The sight of these gentle giants is the real treat at Minneriya and their unique scent is a good indicator to choose the trails where you are guaranteed to see as many pachyderms as possible.

Learn to Surf the Waves at Mirissa
Legendary for its world-class surfing scene, Mirissa at the very southern tip of Sri Lanka is where I suggest you head to for a superb introductory surfing lesson. Conducted by Priyal who has been an ISA (International Surfing Association) Level 1 certified surf coach for the last seven years, this two-hour lesson ($25 per person) starts with a meet up at Priyal’s surf camp where you are explained the basics of the water sport. You then head to the surfing beach by riding in his specially designed, colourful tuk tuk where the practical lessons take place. This could be either the Weligama Beach break for beginners or Madiha for intermediate surfers. At the beach is where you will get an idea on how to find the right balance and maintain your posture on the board. Priyal also makes sure to spend some time talking about safety rules and surfers’ etiquette. Afterwards, you get to hit the water to put all you have learnt into practice.

The Selyn Fair Trade Experience
This 6.5-hour fair trade tour ($55 per person) in Sri Lanka’s North Western Province’s capital of Kurunegala was conceptualised by Selyna who heads business development at Selyn as a fundraiser for the Selyn Foundation and Yashodara, who leads the tours. You start the tour at the dye plant where the handloom process begins with the dyeing of 100% cotton yarn into the assorted colours used for the production. Next, experience the tradition of handloom that dates to the inception of Sri Lankan history. You will then be treated to lunch prepared by the villagers, after which you move to their headquarters and “toy factory”, where around 125 women from in and around Kurunegala work together to finish the woven fabric into Selyn products. The final stop is at their main showroom where the story of Selyn began 25 years ago when Sandra Wanduragala started the foundation.
 

FACT FILE
Getting There
There are daily direct flights from most cities in India to Sri Lanka’s capital Colombo on airlines like Srilankan Airlines, Jet Airways, Air India and Spice Jet. Travel within Sri Lanka is easy with many buses, mini vans and car hire companies offering their services.

When to Visit
The months from October to February are the best time to travel to Sri Lanka, when the country experiences a pleasant climate with plenty of cultural and artistic events taking place.

Accommodation
Though most of Sri Lanka has an excellent selection of hotels to choose from to suit all budgets and tastes, why not get more up close and personal with the city and live like a local? Airbnb has an amazing portfolio of vacation homes that you can rent out. Visit www.airbnb.co.in for more information on accommodation options and the new, curated Airbnb Experiences around Sri Lanka.

(An edited version of this article first appeared in the 21st October 2018 issue of The Free Press Journal newspaper's Weekend section on page 3 http://www.freepressjournal.in/travel/heres-a-list-of-unique-things-to-do-in-sri-lanka-with-newly-launched-airbnb-experiences/1379656)

Chiang Mai For The Mind, Body and Soul

On your next trip to Chiang Mai, why not go on a vegan food tour, or perhaps learn more about the ancient art of the yantra tattoo? Better still, step out of your comfort zone and join a hill tribe in their rice planting activity, while picking up a thing or two about soul healing in the forest.

By Raul Dias

A mixed bag of clichés. That’s one of the first things that pops into the minds of most when we think of Thailand. From the ubiquitous, raver-infested full moon parties on its many not-so-pristine, beach-fronted islands and Bollywood-themed dinner cruises along the Chao Phraya river to the unfathomable opportunities for conspicuous consumption that its bustling capital city of Bangkok offers, finding something new to do in Thailand seems like a pipe dream. And amidst all this crass commercialism and tourist-targeted bogus, the true-blue ‘traveller’ seems to get left out of the equation like a neglected stepchild! But all’s not lost, as I recently found out.
On a recent trip to the north of the country, I had an epiphany of sorts. The hilly Lanna region to be more specific, painted a whole other image of Thailand for me, with its artistic brushstrokes and colourful hues. Thus, bestowing upon the city of Chiang Mai at the very heart of Lanna, a decidedly artistic and cultural cache that makes it a great jumping off point for the traveller seeking the path that’s woefully (and thankfully!) untrodden.  

For The Body…
A firm believer that to truly get the pulse of any new place surging through my veins, I simply have got to start my innings with a taste of the local food. First things first. The food of the north is very different from that of the rest of Thailand. A lighter, more herbaceous take on the coconut milk-redolent dishes of the south, the cuisine of Lanna is aromatic and spicy. And the lynchpins of the cuisine have got to be the piquant, lemon-y Chiang Mai sausage and a brutally fiery mushroom salad called yum hed.
To get a more immersive foodie experience I signed up with the newly launched Airbnb Experiences for a four-hours, hands-on long cookery class with Chef Chanrat Karatna who helped me discover the secrets of authentic Northern Thai cuisine. Here, I learned to whip up from scratch the light khew wan kai chicken curry and the Northern Thailand version of the ubiquitous somtamthai papaya and prawn salad, all served with sticky black rice that is a specialty of the Lanna region.
Now, the words ‘vegan’ and ‘Thai food’ mentioned in the same sentence, seem like the greatest oxymoron. Wrong! The Plant-based Food Experience with Keidra, a local Chiang Mai resident and vegan food enthusiast is a food tour with a difference. The four-and-a-half hours tour takes people for a ride in a bright red songtaew (Thai-style pick-up truck) first to the local fruit and vegetable JJ Market where you can taste exotic Thai fruits like the longan and the snake fruit, while learning about their healing powers. It then careens towards the Lanna’s Herb stall of the famous ‘Juice Lady of Chiang Mai’ where you can sample different herbal healing juices. The tour ends with an all-vegan meal at a few of Keidra’s favourite vegan restaurants like Nong Bee’s and Anchan for some further dope on Thai, Burmese, and Western plant-based dishes.

For The Soul…  
While tattoos have always been a sore (pun unintended) topic for me—with their permanency being the major off-putting factor—knowing more about them has always been a source of fascination. And so, I found myself signing up for another super-unique Airbnb Yantra Tattoo Experience that saw me leave the city of Chiang Mai for the quite village of Samnak, a little less than an hour away. Here, my guide Nikom, a former monk introduced me to another monk-turned-tattoo master Arjan Sompong who gave me a crash course in all things Yantra Tattoo.
Apparently, the traditional hand done Thai tattoo is not regarded as a tattoo, but as an indelible talisman imbedded into the wearer’s skin. While there are several types and patterns of Yantra Tattoos with their own respective meanings and purposes, they all feature ancient geometric symbols, animals or deity designs. These motifs are believed to offer protection to the wearer against bad luck and bestow upon them good fortune.
More interestingly, I was also told about the very rare invisible Yantra Tattoo that Sompong does, where a mixture of black sesame seed oil and invisible tattoo ink is injected into the recipient’s dermis layer. The mantras imbued into the person are meant to protect them from all harm, without the tattoo being traceable at all.
Now, at the risk of fueling another cliché of “heading to the hills to find healing”, here’s another rather unusual activity for the soul that one must try when in Chiang Mai. Claiming to possess the power to heal herself and others in vastly different ways; emotionally, spiritually, and even physically, Naiyana offers her very unique four-hour meditative ‘Soul and Energy Healing in the Forest’ experience.
At Yardfahmadin, her healing home nestled deep in the woods outside Chiang Mai, besides a gurgling stream Naiyana teaches people the ancient healing art of Omtri. This therapy is said to be a fusion of several powerful healing modalities, combining crystal healing, Reiki, and traditional Asian healing practices to help to bring your mental, emotional and physical energies into alignment, all by accessing your soul’s own inner wisdom. Besides said to bring inner peace and harmony, Omtri also allegedly helps balance and stabilise physical energy, provides relief from aches and pains, and relieve specific issues, such as anxiety, depression and insomnia.

For The Mind…
Bringing into perspective Chiang Mai’s prowess as an arts and craft stronghold are a number of activities one can partake in that help unleash the mind’s creativity. Initiated by Khun Jao, and hosted by Emika, Made in Chiang Mai is an Airbnb Experiences project that relies on the support of local people to help travellers get a better understanding of the arts scene. Located 45 minutes outside of the Chiang Mai city centre, the village of On-Tai is where one can learn everything from working with clay from a local expert to meeting with the village artisans and learning how do bamboo and cotton weaving to picking up the nuances of the natural tie-dying process.
To end my sojourn in the Lanna region, I decided to do something rather different. And so off it was with Pat, my tattooed, Steven Tyler doppelganger of a guide in his off roader for a tryst with the Karen hill tribe. Our destination: an authentic Karen village a good hour’s drive away from Chiang Mai over bumpy, nausea-inducing mountain roads. A place that seems untouched by time, where the villagers still live in traditional stilt bamboo houses.
As it was lunch time, we were invited to sit down cross-legged on the thatched floor and partake in a traditional lunch of a watery, bitter herb-flavoured chicken curry with a side of stir friend pumpkin leaves—all washed down with a tasty home distilled rice-based drink. It was only after we were sated that the villagers took us around their super clean village, sharing with us everything from their rather complicated fabric weaving techniques and rattan basket making to planting the all-important rice crop and herb foraging.
Live like a local. How’s that as the new mantra of travel with a purpose?

(An edited version of this article first appeared in the October 2018 issue of Jetwings International in-flight magazine of Jet Airways http://www.jetairways.com/EN/IN/jetexperience/magazines.aspx)

6 Sri Lankan Foodie Experiences You Shouldn’t Miss

From guided food tours in the city and countryside plantation visits, to enjoying the local flavours at whimsical beachside restaurants and a whole lot more in between, Sri Lanka is undoubtedly a gourmand’s paradise.  Raul Dias brings you 6 unique ways to celebrate one of the best things about the tear drop island—its food!  

By Raul Dias

Hunt Down Local Treats
Compared to its rather diminutive size, you’re in for a treat with the sheer volume of street food you can sample when in the Sri Lankan capital of Colombo. From the ambient “chop-chop” sound of the ubiquitous kottu rotty available at almost every street corner, to the Dutch colonial influenced rice and meat preparation called lamprais, the culinary landscape of the city is peppered with delectable offerings. A great orientation to them is by signing up with the newly launched Airbnb Experiences’ Epic Local Food Hunt 3.5-hour long tour with food guru Arqam. Ten local delicacies from isso wade (crispy prawn fritters) and egg hoppers to sweets like kalu dodol (cashew and palm sugar fudge) are in store for you. (www.airbnb.co.in/experiences/222313)

Flavours of the East!
Reflective of Colombo’s diverse and decidedly eclectic dining out scene, are a number of international cuisine restaurants that find themselves plonked cheek-by-jowl in a mural-decorated, former industrial alley off the main Park Street. And one such former warehouse-turned-hipster chic café is Monsoon. Here, chefs Ambrim from Malacca in Malaysia and Chef Marilyn from the Kalinga province in the Philippines dish out the regions’ favourite dishes from Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam to enormous success, all in a setting that is both cozy and at its whimsical best. Pro tip: dig into the scrumptious Balinese pork belly with sambal matah that is served here and thank us later! (www.monsooncolombo.com)

Dine in Style
A labour of love by Sri Lanka’s culture and arts maven Shanth Fernando, Paradise Road The Gallery Café is an ode to all things black and white from the exquisite table linen to the fine, locally produced crockery and cutlery. Established in 1998, this stylish restaurant dishing out elevated versions of traditional Sri Lankan dishes is housed in the former offices of world-renowned Sri Lankan architect, the late Geoffrey Bawa. Make sure to call for the black pork curry served with saffron rice and the caramalised onion seeni sambol to know what divinity tastes like. But hang on, there’s more on offer for the lover of art. Flanking the café is the iconic Paradise Road Galleries that features monthly rotating exhibitions by established and emerging Lankan artists. (www.paradiseroad.lk)

Get Cooking…
Head up country to the fecund city of Kandy and let Chitra, a government licensed cooking teacher since 1989 be your hands-on guide into the world of home style Sri Lankan cookery. The immersive, 3-hour long Airbnb Experiences’ Flavours of Sri Lanka cooking class is where you will experience the ways of cooking typical Sri Lankan dishes like kiri bhat (savoury rice cake) and parippu (lentils curry) in clay pots, using traditional equipment to heighten your ‘live and learn like a local’ experience. And when you’re done, you get to sit down and enjoy the fruits of your collective labour. (www.airbnb.co.in/experiences/340067)

Cinnamon 101
As one the main contributors that put this tiny island on the world’s spice trade map—with everyone from the Dutch to the Portuguese and lastly the British claiming a piece of the spicy pie with their colonisation—cinnamon is at the fore in Sri Lanka till this very day. Get up close and personal with this fragrant bark and know all there is to know about it by taking the Airbnb Experiences’ 1.5-hour long Cinnamon Permaculture Garden Visit in Beruwala near the historic city of Galle at the very tip of the island’s southern coast. The organic cinnamon plantation and permaculture garden is a one-hectare farm where you will be shown not just how cinnamon grows but also get an introduction to the hundreds of different vegetables, fruits, spices, nuts, timber and Ayurvedic plants that are grown there. (www.airbnb.co.in/experiences/338327) 

  

‘Pun’ Times in Galle!
Still in Galle? Make sure to check out two very interesting places where the puns on offer are as good as the fare they dish out. First, have a light lunch at Tequila Mockingbird housed in the seaside Old Dutch Hospital. This one’s named after the cult-classic cocktail book of the same name, which itself is a pun on the legendary Harper Lee novel To Kill a Mockingbird. Here, you can scarf down a brilliantly made fish burger stuffed with tuna chunks coated in the fiery, local ambultiyal spice paste where the cloves establish their dominance over everything else...in a good way, that is! To cool things off, get yourself a double scoop of the orange zest and pistachio gelatos at Isle of Gelato—housed in a quaint rowhouse along the Old Town’s main Pedlar Street—that’s purported to be Galle’s, nay the country’s, best gelato place.   

(An edited version of this article appeared on 1 October 2018 in Travel + Leisure, India and South Asia http://travelandleisureindia.in/sri-lanka-for-foodies/)

Goa’s Best Kept Secret!

Neatly tucked away from the typically touristy North Goa scene, the idyllic village of Assagao is fast becoming a magnet for those seeking a little off-the-beaten-path kind of holiday action with its quaint B&Bs, design stores and eclectic dining options.  

By Raul Dias

To say that serendipity was at play when the charming North Goa Village of Assagao was first discovered would be putting way too mildly! Legend has it, that a prince whence lost in the dense, hilly forest after a bout of hunting, upon hearing the early morning crowing of a rooster, heaved a sigh of relief and uttered the words “assa re ganv!” or “there is a village, after all!”. This lead to the name Assagao, which is often supplemented by the moniker ‘Land of Flowers’ that the locals fondly call their village, due to the abundance of flora. Particularly the bright orange flame of the forest flowers, the trees of which can be found everywhere one looks.
Devoid of the hustle and bustle one has come to expect of its neighbouring tourist hot spots of Anjuna and Vagator, Assagao is fast becoming the de facto hub for all things artsy and creative with its quaint B&Bs, design stores and dining options—all of which spell out the word ‘eclectic’ with a capital ‘E’.
We bring you four ways to make the most of your time in this tiny piece of paradise: 

Do
A great way to get introduced to the wonders of Assagao—from its magnificent colonial Portuguese-style homes to the beautiful Church of Saint Cajetan—is by going on a 4km-long heritage walk with Felly Gomes’ Heritage Walks (www.livehappygoa.com). Conducted under the aegis of the Live Happy NGO that’s working on a sustainable village model of Assagao, this walk has locals explaining their village’s history and stories, while offering you a taste of goodies like Goan sweets, organic herbal tea and kokum juice.
How about infusing a bit of live music into your Assagao stay? Then the guys at The Assagao Mehfil (www.assagaomehfil.com) have just the thing for you. Since 2013 Chinmaya Dunster, a renowned World Music maestro, and Sandeep Srivastava, singer and composer, have been hosting monthly live music concerts at the uniquely Goan Hotel Astoria in the village. Performances here range from sufi invocations to jazz nights. 
For all you nature lovers out there, do visit Rosie and Peter’s Assagao Kitchen Garden and Food Forest (www.facebook.com/RosieAndPeter) to learn how to cultivate your own food. Equally wonderful is a day spent at Apurbai Farms (0832-2268822) to get a bit of organic farming into your lives.

Shop
Retailing a range of sarees as well as bags, jewellery, homeware and apparel from 10 states, across India, the Red Brick Shop (www.redbrickshop.com) located at Bouta Waddo is an Assagao icon known for its ethically sourced products that don’t cost the earth! For a more upscale shopping experience visit 6 Assagao (0832-2268228) that stocks both artisanal jewellery and designer threads housed in a beautifully restored 100-year-old mansion. Make sure you pop into People Tree housed in the same mansion for home furnishing and objet d’art. As one of India’s first design collectives that set up shop nearly 25 years ago, 6 Assagao focuses on ethical design and eco-fashion across India.

Eat
A third angle of the 6 Assagao triangle is the very popular restaurant Gunpowder (0832-2268091 / 0832-2268083) that’s also housed in the same multipurpose space. Here, expect to nosh on regional Indian dishes like backwater prawns and zesty mushroom black pepper fry, alongside South Indian staples such as egg appams.
For an eclectic mix of cuisines ranging from hearty Mexican to chic San Franciscan and from exotic Asian to down-home Indian, have lunch at Ruta’s Roadhouse (www.rutas.in). A cute little day-only restaurant, located on the border of Assagao and Anjuna and started by two returnees from San Francisco, this is where you will find honest, wholesome comfort food.
For a few pre-dinner drinks, try out Soro (091-9881934440). Meaning alcohol in Konkani, Soro bills itself as a local village pub where you can catch up on the village gossip with the locals. Though it is a seasonal restaurant, that operates from October to February each year, Villa Blanche Bistro (www.villablanche-goa.com) is the perfect place for those languid Sunday brunches spent gorging yourselves silly on grilled calamari and sorpotel with soft poie bread!
To cool off after a particularly indulgent Goan meal, order in some frozen treats from Hice Cream (091-9867691483). Here, you will find artisanal ice cream concoctions dispensed in jars. Try these for starters: Shiver Me Timbers (rum-and-raisin) and the super popular Whiskey Rock-a-Roller (Jack Daniels alongside organic cocoa).

Stay
Assagao has a superb selection of both hotels and B&Bs to choose from when planning a stay. For a charming experience of staying in a beautifully restored historic 200-year-old Indo-Portuguese mansion, book yourselves into the five-bedroom The Villa (www.airbnb.co.in). This Airbnb listed property is made up of two distinct living zones: the main historic structure called The Villa and the more modern pool-side garden bungalow called Villa Jardim. All this is spread over one and a half acres of manicured gardens and comes with its own pool!
Equally well-appointed is the artfully decorated Sunbeam (www.justjivi.com), the home of stylist Jivi Sethi that he rents out. Flags, crosses and stone Kalinga lions guard and herald your entrance to the main courtyard of the house that has two sumptuous bedrooms along with a living room and a dining room.
Situated on the west side of Assagao, facing the rice fields with Anjuna’s St. Anthony’s Chapel as a background, 30 Assagao (www.30assagao.wordpress.com) has three bedrooms, two bath-rooms, a large living room, dining-hall and an American style kitchen. Housed in a 4,275 sqm large estate that has a coconut plantation along with mango trees this place is perfect for a large family vacation—Assagao style.

(An edited version of this article first appeared in the September 2018 issue of  Go-Getter, the in-flight magazine of Go Airways) 

Galle: Where Time Stands Still…

Situated at the very tip of the island of Sri Lanka, the historic city of Galle with its strong colonial influence and easy, laid-back vibe is a great holiday destination, offering a whole host of activities for you to partake in, says Raul Dias who tried out a few on a recent holiday

By Raul Dias

       

Let me be upfront with you. My very first encounter with Galle had left me heartbroken. It was exactly 11 months after the horrific 26^th December 2004 tsunami had all but decimated this once-beautiful city of Sri Lanka that sits at the very southern tip of the island nation. Everywhere I looked, a sea of rubble and reconstruction at a feverish pace assaulted by eyes. The historic Fort area where I was told the “real” Galle was, was unfortunately sealed off to non-residents and thus out of bounds for travellers like myself.
It was then that I made a promise to myself that I’d wait and let Galle rejuvenate before I set foot there once again. Little did I know then that it would be almost 13 years after that I’d be back. And boy, was I in for the surprise of my life or what.

Rise of the Phoenix
August 2018 and the Galle that showed itself to me was a complete volte-face from the one of my memories. Clean, freshly swept streets, whitewashed walls with colourful bougainvillea creeping all over them. Happy, smiling people greeted me everywhere I went. And not a single remnant of the earlier carnage of Mother Nature marred this new facet Galle was showing me. And yes, this time I not only got to ‘see’ the stunning Fort area but live in it as well!
My Airbnb accommodation, the brand new Yara Galle Fort boutique hotel—where my friends and I were the third set of guests to be welcomed into—is a magnificently restored former Dutch Colonial style home. Located in the very heart of the Fort, the hotel, I was told, was first built in the mid-1700s and is a mere 70 meters away from the pristine white painted Dutch Reformed Church.
Speaking of churches, for an area as small (130 acres) as the Fort, it sure had a lot of places of worship. From the Meeran Jumma Mosque opposite the lighthouse and the serene Sri Sudharmalaya Buddhist Temple on Parawa Street to the beautiful Anglican All Saints Church a few yards ahead of the Dutch Church, all exist in perfect harmony with each other.

A Walk Though History
Desirous of a more in-depth historical recounting of Galle that no amount of reading can provide, I signed up for the newly curated Airbnb Experiences’ ‘Galle Fort Walks with a Local’. Conducted by Atheeq, a budding travel photographer and fifth-generation member of a prominent gem trading Galle family, this 1.5 hours-long walk came highly recommended and something I was looking forward to.
And so, after a lunch of a yummy fish burger—made with chunks of tuna marinated in the local, jet black-coloured ambulthiyal spice mix that I enjoyed at the wonderfully ‘punny’ named Tequila Mockingbird Bar and Grill in the Old Hospital Building—we were off on foot to explore Galle with a local and yes, “like a local” as is the idea behind this Experiences initiative by Airbnb!
Here, we were shown places like the still-functioning court house, the town square in front of it and the Fort’s lighthouse that was built only post WWII, showing us that the Fort area kept evolving. The Portuguese, Dutch, and British occupied the Galle Fort at various points during Sri Lanka’s colonial history, and they have each left a unique imprint on its fabric. As we navigated our way through the Fort’s charming alleyways at a leisurely pace, a fascinating blend of local design traditions and European colonial influence became evident in the architectural style of its many interesting structures. Atheeq made sure to keep the walk peppered with interesting facts, stories, and myths, all interwoven by the unique perspective and narrative of a local like himself, who knows this terrain as well as the back of his hand. And as a parting treat, we were taken to Galle’s best gelato shop named Isle of Gelato for some divine treats like the pistachio and orange-cinnamon double scoop that I happily gourmandised.

Surf’s Up!
As one of the world’s leading new surfing hot-spots, with their impressive swells, the waters off the beaches in and around Galle are fast becoming a haven for surfers who flock to them in droves. And so, recognising this is another fun initiative by Airbnb Experiences—learning to surf with surfing guru Oshan Diluk.
Born and raised in beautiful Hikkaduwa a little further up from Galle, Oshan knows the best places around Galle to host successful surf lessons especially for beginners. With over four years of experience as a surfing instructor he provides a whole lot of tips and advice to help you ride your first waves. Interestingly, Oshan also volunteers to teach the local kids in Sri Lanka how to surf and many of his students have progressed and got scholarships to learn advanced level surfing in places like Indonesia, the surfing capital of Asia.
The first part of the 1.5 hours-long lesson takes place at the beach, where one can get an idea on how to find balance and the right posture on the board. Oshan make sure to also spend some time talking about safety rules and surfers’ etiquette. Afterwards you get to hit the water to put that theory into practice.
A hands-on holiday where you do a whole lot more than just ‘site-see’, now that’s Galle for you!
    

FACT FILE
Getting There
There are daily direct flights from most cities in India to Sri Lanka’s capital Colombo on airlines like Srilankan Airlines, Jet Airways, Air India and Spice Jet. Travel within Sri Lanka is easy with many buses, mini vans and car hire companies offering their services. The journey from Colombo to Galle using the super-efficient expressway is a comfortable two-hour drive.

When to Visit
The months from October to February are the best time to travel to Galle, when the region experiences a pleasant climate with plenty of cultural and artistic events taking place in and around the region.

Accommodation
Though Galle has an excellent selection of hotels to choose from to suit all budgets and tastes, why not get more up close and personal with the city and live like a local? Airbnb has an amazing portfolio of vacation homes that you can rent out. Visit www.airbnb.co.in for more information on accommodation options and the new, curated Airbnb Experiences in Galle.

(An edited version of this article appeared in the 31st August 2018 issue of the Afternoon Despatch & Courier newspaper, India on pages 14 and 15 http://www.afternoondc.in/48-hrs/galle-where-time-stands-still/article_230568)

The ‘Other’ Thailand!

From communing with the indigenous hill tribes to learning the nuances of Northern Thai cuisine and a whole lot more in-between, the picturesque city of Chiang Mai nestled in the verdant hills of Lanna, Northern Thailand has a lot to offer and will change your perception of Thailand forever, says Raul Dias

By Raul Dias

        

Let me start with a very honest confession. I’m much more of a city person than one of those travellers who head to the hills to “find” themselves and come back with halcyon tales of dew-covered leaves and other similar idyllic montages. Give me the cacophony of an urbs primus like Bangkok—blaring traffic din, et al—any day, vis-à-vis nature’s serene bounty and I’ll be your best friend.

In Love With Lanna
But all that changed a few weeks ago when I signed up for a trip curated by the newly launched Airbnb Experiences, Chiang Mai to discover a part of Northern Thailand and all it had to offer. And boy, was I convinced about the unhurried way of life or what just after a few days there! From learning about tribal life to trying my hand at weaving to even cooking my own curry, this was one trip that literally ripped me from the cocoon of my city-cushioned comfort zone and plonked me slap bang in the lap of Mother Nature.
With its raw, untapped, natural beauty, Lanna, the Northern region of Thailand is the perfect foil to the brassy commercialism one usually encounters in the more ‘touristy’ South. And the sleepy, mist-shrouded city of Chiang Mai is the perfect introduction to this kind of unhurried travel. Try as hard as you may, but it is virtually impossible to believe that this cozy, artsy town is the second largest in Thailand after the capital, Bangkok.
Culturally rich and mind-numbingly beautiful, Chiang Mai and its surrounding hills are the places to head to for some much-needed down time. Learn the finer nuances of Thai cookery, meet the tribal people, or perhaps marvel at the handicrafts made here, you will find a lot to tempt you with. Enough to give this region a shot on your next Thailand trip? You bet!

Same, Same…Yet Different!
And speaking of food, with a more herbaceous take on the coconut milk-redolent Southern and Central Thai food, the Lanna cuisine is a unique and flavourful one. From typical street fare like the spicy and lemon-y Chiang Mai sausage and yum hed—a spicy mushroom salad—the markets of this town abound with unusual flavours. Other dishes to try here are the light khew wan kai chicken curry and the Northern Thailand version of the ubiquitous somtamthai papaya and prawn salad, all served with sticky black rice that is a specialty of the region.
One of my very first Airbnb Experiences was that of learning to whip up local dishes at Air’s Thai Cooking Class. Here, Chef Chanrat Karatna—or Air as he prefers to be called—helped me discover the secrets of authentic Northern Thai cuisine with a four-hour cooking class in his beautiful open-air kitchen that’s surrounded by a herb garden. Designed in such a way that you get to select the dishes you wish to cook (and yes, eat later!), I chose the aforementioned spicy khew wan kai that Air first demonstrated, post which I got to work. And the result? A very competent curry, I may as well add, bursting with the taste of sweet basil and kaffir lime leaves!

Indigenous Wonders
For a glimpse of the elusive Hmong, Shan and Karen hill tribe people of this region, the weekend handicrafts market in the Chiang Mai town centre is the perfect place. Descending down to the valley from their hilly villages to sell their wares, these colourfully kitted out tribals are as distinct as they are fascinating to look at. With the Mon women sporting large metal-beaded headdresses and the Karen women the high coiled neck pieces, they will break all your preconceived notions (as they did mine) of the typical ‘Thai look’ as it were.
But, as I wanted a more in-depth experiences with the tribes, the mononymous ‘Pat’, my guide du jour picked me up from my accommodation for a long drive into the hills for another Airbnb Experience that I had been looking forward to. The heavily-tattooed, chain-smoking, rockstar-like Pat is a member of the Shan tribe and has lived and worked with ethnic minorities in Northern Thailand all his life. His passion, he told me, is the sustainable development of hill tribes, that includes channeling tourism in a way that benefits them, not harming them.
And so, an hour or so outside Chiang Mai, we got off-road to visit a remote, authentic Karen village where villagers still live in traditional stilt bamboo houses. Once there we not only enjoyed a very traditional lunch of a light herb-redolent chicken curry with stir friend pumpkin leaves—all washed down with home distilled rice whisky—but we also got a wonderful insight into the Karen culture and their fascinating way of life. The enthusiastic villagers were only too happy to share with us everything from their rather complicated fabric weaving techniques and rattan basket making to planting the all-important rice crop and herb foraging.
With a wealth of new-found knowledge of—and not to mention respect for—the rural way of life under my belt, I headed back to the hustle and bustle of the cityscape, not once complaining about the rather bumpy ride en route.
Well, I did say I was a changed person, didn’t I?    

FACT FILE
Getting There
There are daily connecting flights from India to Chiang Mai on airlines like Thai Airways and Bangkok Airways via Bangkok. Travel within the Northern Thailand Lanna region is easy with many buses, mini vans and car hire companies offering their services.

When to Visit
The months from October to February are the best time to travel to Northern Thailand, when the region experiences a pleasant to chilly climate with plenty of cultural and artistic events taking place in Chiang Mai.

Accommodation
Though Chiang Mai has an excellent selection of hotels to choose from to suit all budgets and tastes, why not get more up close and personal with the city and live like a local? Airbnb has an amazing portfolio of vacation homes that you can rent out. Visit www.airbnb.co.in for more information.

(An edited version of this article first appeared in the 5th August 2018 issue of The Free Press Journal newspaper's Weekend section on page 3 http://www.freepressjournal.in/travel/the-other-thailand-visit-to-chiang-mai-could-change-your-perception-of-the-country/1328495)

10 Ways To ‘Do’ Chiang Mai Right!

The picturesque town of Chiang Mai nestled in the verdant hills of Lanna, Northern Thailand is an idyllic haven of calm and serene bliss, away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Raul Dias brings you 10 ways to make the most of your Northern Thailand jaunt

By Raul Dias

     
From learning the finer nuances of Northern Thai cookery and massage, to marveling at the handicrafts made here, there is a lot on offer for the intrepid traveller.

1.      Commune With The Divine
Make the surreal Wat Chedi Luang, nestled at the very core of Chiang Mai—both physically and metaphorically—your first pit stop. According to ancient Lanna beliefs, the temple is at the epicentre of the city which mark the centre of the universe. Dating back to 1385, this grand temple was once home to the stunning Emerald Buddha, that you can now find in Bangkok’s Grand Palace. The surrounding temples and shrines in the main complex are equally revered as many contain relics of the Buddha. (www.tourismthailand.org)

2.      Go Handicraft Hunting
One of the finest repositories of the ancient art of parasol making is the Bo Sang Handicraft Centre a little out of the main, compact Chiang Mai city centre. Here, you can not only pick up a few gorgeous parasols at rock bottom prices, but the on-site artists making them are only too happy to give you a short little demonstration. (www.visitchiangmai.com.au/bo_sang.html)

3.      Get Cooking
With a lighter, more herbaceous take on the coconut milk-redolent southern and central Thai food, the Lanna cuisine of the north is a unique and flavourful one. Sign up with the newly launched Airbnb Experiences and learn the art of Northern Thai cookery with a 4-hour hands-on class with Air one of Chiang Mai’s most celebrated chefs. (www.airbnb.co.in/experiences/205730)

4.      Meet The Giants
The Chiang-Dao Elephant Training Center a mere 30 minutes out of the city is as far removed from a ‘zoo’ as it can be. This center is home to 32 elephants that are each trained by their own mahout and here the emphasis is strongly on eco tourism. Travellers can not only come up close and personal with the center’s inhabitants but can also see them wander through the dense forests as well as help bathe them in the placid Po River nearby. (www.chiangdaoelephantcamp.com/)

5.      Mingle With The Hill People
For a glimpse of the elusive Hmong, Shan and Karen hill tribe people of this region, book yourself a place on a half day trip with Airbnb Experiences and learn about everything from their traditional stilt bamboo houses and tribal lifestyle to fabric weaving and their indigenous rice farming techniques. (www.airbnb.co.in/experiences/248011)

6.      Opium, Anyone? 
In nearby Chiang Rai, pay a visit to The Hall of Opium Museum. Here, you can learn about the trade, sale, consumption and after effects of the dreaded drug that was notoriously popular all over the Asian continent in the 17^th and 18^th centuries. The eerie, cavernous tunnel-like entrance is a fascinating introduction to the museum with its sculpted frescos showing twisted, contorted human faces, all bathed in a deep blue light. (www.maefahluang.org)  

7.      Release A Lantern
If you happen to be in Chiang Mai in the month of November, then all your senses will be treated to the delights of the beautiful Yi Peng festival. This autumn festival celebrates the full moon day in the second month according to the Lanna lunar calendar with intricately fashioned lanterns called khom loi launched into the air to take one’s wishes up to the Gods above! (www.tourismthailand.org)

8.      Visit A Royal Villa
Chosen as the summer home for the Thai Royal family, Chiang Rai is famous for the rather unusual Doi Tung Royal Villa that the current King’s grandmother Princess Somdej Phra Srinagarindra had built to partly resemble a Swiss chalet, as she lived in Switzerland for a while. With its well-manicured lawns and botanical gardens, this is one place that almost demands that one pays it a visit when in the region. (www.doitung.org)   

9.      Learn About Thai Yantra Tattoos
Visit the tiny village of Samnak an hour outside Chiang Mai, where you will meet Nikom, who was previously a monk as well. As part of a curated Airbnb Experiences tour, he will share with you the different patterns and meaning behind each ancient geometric, animal and deity designs of traditional Thai Yantra Tattoos. (www.airbnb.is/experiences/223773)

10.  Make Your Own Herbal ball

As part of a rather unusual and interesting Chiang Mai Airbnb Experiences session, Kanokwan—a renound Thai massage specialist—will not just share more about the usefulness of the Thai herbal ball—that contains various medicinal herbs, oils and spices—but she will also show you how to make one yourself and administer a traditional Thai massage. (www.airbnb.co.in/experiences/220243)

(An edited version of this article appeared on 15 July 2018 in Travel + Leisure, India and South Asia http://travelandleisureindia.in/10-bragworthy-experiences-in-chiang-mai/)