Islands Mag-discover Guide Oct 2009

b r u n o m o r a n d i / g e t t y i m ag e s

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Sailing Away and Away In Indonesia, Bali has the mystique, Komodo has

the dragons and Sumbawa now has the islands feature article (page 56). But tucked away in the world’s largest island nation is Rutong Island — and this beach. The quiet location is perfect for a picnic lunch that’s bookended by morning sailing and afternoon snorkeling. To find your way here, start with the 17,508 islands. Fly to Bali for your pick of many tours that explore get here the Lesser Sunda Islands of Indonesia. One such 14-day excursion by Komodo Flores Rutong Travel heads east by ferries to Sumbawa, then on to the wonders of Komodo National Park, of course. While other travelers often turn back at that point, pushing farther east leads to Flores island, an adventurous, little-developed island with a 1,500-foot-deep volcanic-crater lake, 15-foot-long pythons and miles of green mountains. There, a drive past rice fields and rivers to the north shore of Flores leads to Pulau Tujuh Belas marine reserve, a small archipelago known as 17 Islands. Sail to Rutong, and you’ll finally be on this white sand, a peaceful sliver in those 17 islands that themselves are a sliver in the 17,000-plus. And you won’t find any dragons or tourists nipping at your heels. Tour rate starts at $2,930. komodoflores.com — chris tauber

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something’s different: Drumming echoes through the island’s narrow streets as a wave of gyrating colors and headdresses with peacock feathers parades past. From the capital city of Hamilton to charming historic St. go now George’s Island, dotted with pastel-­colored Bermuda buildings, nautical pride and cultural heritage fill the crisp, fresh air. It’s all part of a yearlong, island-wide celebration of Bermuda’s 400th anniversary. Learn more about those centuries with a visit to the Bermuda National Gallery in Hamilton. Fine-art exhibitions showcase the island’s history visually — from furniture made by the first English colonists to black-and-white photography of people and architecture at the turn of the 20th century to abstract modern art that reflects the island’s vibrant present. The story unfolds further at the annual Gombey Festival (Oct. 4). Dancers performing 18th-century rituals with rhythmic drums, whistles, whips, masks and mirrors reveal the island’s African influence. Ride the bus on winding roads, or take a small ferry over turbask in history at the Granaway Guest House & Cottages, quoise waters to Bermuda’s west end. Visit the Royal Naval an 18th-century manor with cedar beams and antique ­silver. Dockyard and enjoy the Bermuda Tattoo (Oct. 22), a miliwatch a colorful (and musical) military parade during the tary event that combines world-class armed units, ceremonial Bermuda Tattoo at the Royal Naval Dockyard. take an uniforms, music and dance. artistic journey through the island’s history at the Bermuda There’s no better time to let National Gallery. Learn more at www.bermuda2009.bm Bermuda’s history wash over you. — lola akinmade also this month

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» Marine Movies

» Conch Crazy

» Apple a Day

Meet hundreds of fish during the Seychelles’ SUBIOS (Sub Indian Ocean Seychelles) Underwater Film and Image Festival (Oct. 2-4). Created to promote marine-based tourism to the islands, the festival is celebrating its 20th anniversary. By day, explore some of the world’s oldest underwater granite formations on diving and snorkeling expeditions. By night, watch films and presentations by local and international guest speakers at hotels on Mahé Island. Cheer for your favorite fish film or photo on Oct. 4 when the competition winners are announced. subios.com

Crack, string or simply eat your food at the eighth annual South Andros Conch Festival (Oct. 10-12). Held in Mars Bay, on the south end of Andros Island in the Bahamas, this extravaganza of all things conch plans to attract more than 500 revelers this year. They’ll celebrate the different ways to prepare and eat this tasty mollusk. If you go, be sure to try the popular Conch Fregagie, made with coconut and fresh veggies. And see how your conch­cracking skills match up to the local pros’ in the cracking contest, a festival highlight. bahamas.com

Challenge yourself to try more than 120 varieties of apples at Salt Spring Island’s Apple Festival (Oct. 4). Salt Spring is the organic gardening capital of Canada, and this 11th annual celebration of its prized crop (favorites are the apples that are red on the inside) is full of activities. Base camp is at Fulford Hall, where you can chat with apple experts, watch historical re-enactments and buy a homemade pie. The island’s 15 apple farms will also be open and waiting for your arrival — with tasty samples, naturally. ­­­saltspringmarket .com/apples ­— amy cassell

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F r o m Top : g av i n h e ll i e r / co r b i s ; co u r t e s y S UBI O S ; r e b e cc a e m e r y / j u p i t e r i m ag e s ; co u r t e s y S a lt sp r i n g i sl a n d a ppl e f e s t i va l

400 Years in the Making travel to bermuda this fall, and you may notice

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Mist Matters carved by lava and rich in

minerals, natural hot springs are a fresh-air retreat and a sacred place of healing. In Taiwan, they’re also stay a quick dash out of the city. Just a half- Taiwan hour train ride north of central T’aipei, Beitou is like any other bustling suburb — with steam rising from the sidewalks. Stay among the rising mist at the five-suite Villa 32. The silence in the peaceful, muted rooms leaves only the sound of trickling water in eight public baths lit by submerged lanterns or the geothermal-fed tub of your suite. Sit on the spa terrace for Beitou’s best view of Hell Valley. At dusk, switch to the terrace of the hotel’s Italian restaurant and devour fat French oysters while watching the layered mountains slowly blend into the darkening sky. Come morning, see Aborigine artifacts in the Ketagalan Culture Center, get a hybrid spa treatment that merges Chinese meridian therapy with Western massage technique or hire a cab to Yangmingshan, the nearby national park. Wherever you find yourself, turn your gaze — and your camera — down into the swirling mist. Rates start at $480. www.villa32.com — jean tang More hot hotels in the hot-springs region � Bask in your mineral-rich soaking tub (not your bed) at the Whispering Pine Inn, a resort that actually features a moat. 886-2-2895-1531 � Enjoy hot-springs comfort laced with big-city style at the Spring City Resort. www.springresort.com.tw

Swim Out of Your Shell Seeing turtles

at the Le Méridien resort on Bora-Bora isn’t luck. Dozens of green sea turtles cruise an inner lagoon here, and snorkelers are welcome activity to join them — or even adopt Bora-Bora them. The pool serves as the ­resort’s Turtle Sanctuary, a refuge in which young and injured turtles remain protected from predators and p ­ oachers. Once you’ve gotten to know your shelled “godchild,” follow its growth online and see it released into the wild. You’ll both feel lucky. boraboraturtles.com — eddy patricelli

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clockw i s e f r o m l e f t: r o b flocc a / j u p i t e r i m ag e s ; co u r t e s y v i ll a 3 2 ( 2 ) ; co u r t e s y l e m É r i d i e n r e so r t b o r a b o r a

A zesty jaunt

Zanzibar Island beckons with the sweet smell of spices. The aroma is so important that schools and offices shut down twice a year so everytour one may climb trees Zanzibar and fill coconut baskets with piles of cloves. Explore the island’s legendary mingling of African, Arabian and Asian cultures with a walking spice tour in the village of Kizimbani. At Bahama Spice Farm in the center of the island, a local guide named Hamadi (which literally means “spice”) peels cinnamon from the bark of a tree, digs up the underground stems of turmeric, revealing its golden-hued insides, and displays nutmeg resembling an art object. Fragrant scents waft through the air as your guide shares folk-medicine factoids: Lemongrass repels mosquitoes and heals headaches, while clove oil relieves muscle pain and sore gums. Go home with remedies — and maybe a spicy packet of cloves. From now on, your spice cabinet will always conjure up the delicious scent of Zanzibar. Fourhour tours start at $25. zanzibar tourism.net — iris brooks

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coinage

This year, the U.S. Mint is releasing five commemorative quarters for the nation’s island territories of American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, ­Northern Mariana Islands and the U.S. ­Virgin ­Islands. Each of the ­designs ­reflects that island’s ­language and ­culture — all for only 25 cents. Talk about a bargain. did you know

Laced with Details With all its winding roads and changing

landscapes, Tenerife in the Canary Islands begs for a closer look. And so does its most beloved handicraft: open lacework. The designs are created by pulling threads from a piece of cloth attached to a wooden frame. Watch the abstract patterns take shape at La Casa de los gift Balcones in the northern town of La Orotava. The three-story Tenerife house, built in 1632, is now a museum and workshop that mirrors the lace itself with ornately carved wooden balconies that open to a central courtyard. Wander through the museum, which showcases Tenerife’s craft-work traditions, and see artisans mastering the art of open lacework, weaving white doilies and tablecloths rimmed with intricate borders. Stop by the gift shop, but don’t just browse inside. Each of these pieces was meant to be seen up close. casa-balcones.com — adrienne egolf

On Hawaii, everything has meaning — from off-the-airplane leis to hotel hula dances. But even traditions this popular need safeguarding. Help preserve your favorite eco-tourism Hawaii custom at the Big Island Big Island’s Volcano Art ­Center. The art gallery, learning center and performance space in Kilauea have protected Hawaii’s best for 35 years. Sit fireside while listening to ancient folktales; weed non-native kahili ginger in an old-growth forest; give the ukulele a go; or watch Na Mea Hawaii (“Things Hawaiian”) Hula Kahiko performances on a sacred pa hula platform. Your next lei ceremony will mean even more. Classes start at $35. volcanoartscenter.org — kelly lack

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F r o m l e f t: z ach s t ova ll ; j o n wh i t t l e ; b o b b y h a as / n g s i m ag e s

Tending to Tradition

Panamanian Giant

All of the adventure associated with Panama’s largest island, Isla de Coiba, used to involve getting off it. Today, the thrill of this island is in getting to it. For 85 years, snakes, crocodiles and sharks deterred prisoners from escaping this infamous penal colony off the secret island southwest coast of Panama. In 2004, the Isla de Coiba colony closed and Coiba (along with 38 other islands) became protected within a marine preserve. Suddenly, Coiba’s untrammeled beaches, verdant wilds and copious freshwater streams seemed more like prizes than punishments and caught the eye of island travelers. To plot

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your visit to this dungeon-turned-paradise, bargain with any of a dozen local lancha speedboat operators for a day trip, including visits to 100 percent wild neighbors Isla Jicarón and Jicanita. The abandoned prison cells of the colony sport brightly painted graffiti and can be viewed at one’s leisure since no official tour exists. Stay overnight in one of the few cabins. The basic accommodations are conveniently located next to the ranger’s building, so you’ll feel secure on this otherwise undeveloped island. But make sure to watch out for the island’s old security system, Tito, the 12-foot resident crocodile. He bites. ­coibanationalpark.com — rdw

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Think the ukulele is the only instrument with aloha spirit? Try Hawaii’s other sound: slack-key guitar. Wednesday nights at 7:30, Maui’s listen Napili Kai Beach Resort the music created Maui showcases by painolo, Hawaiian cowboys, in the 19th century. It involves de-tuning or “slacking” the strings of a classically tuned guitar until the six strings form a single chord. “Uncle” George Kahumoku Jr. hosts the Masters of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar Concert Series. His resume — singer, songwriter, farmer, former high-school principal — gives him plenty to talk story about in between performances by slack-key masters and up-and-coming strummers. As you mingle with the artists and ease into the mostly local audience, you’ll feel like a guest at a family gathering. Pick up one of the Grammy-winning albums recorded at past shows, such as Treasures of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar. The softly twanging sounds are anything but “other.” Tickets are $47. napilikai.com — lori barbely

Gourmet Cruising Forget buffets. Here are some of our favorite, unexpected dishes to look out for on your next island-hopping cruise. – ashley fraxedas Alaska’s islands with All Aboard Yacht Charters

ON THE MENU There’s nothing frozen or farm-raised aboard this ship. Dinners of salmon, halibut and Dungeness crab taste better since you’ll be the one reeling them in. But don’t worry — the crew will provide the tackle, bait your hook and net the fish. Then the resident chef will happily create something magical with it. CHEF ON BOARD For more than 10 years, Albert J. Coppula has worked on private and commercial yachts in Seattle and Alaska. He knows his way around a crab. island itinerary Among the many island highlights, visit the beaches of Prince of Wales Island, get up close to the resident bears of Admiralty Island and watch for whales off the coast of Mitkof Island. next sail date Ketchikan to Juneau departs May 20, 2010. alaskacharters.com

Greece’s Islands with Silversea Cruises ON THE MENU This

cruise is all about authentic Greek cuisine. Start your feast with a cheese-pie ­appetizer of tyropitakia and soupiorizo, like ­risotto

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with squid. Switch to your second stomach for pork souvlaki and pasticcio, a meaty baked pasta. Still hungry? Dessert is a traditional baklava. CHEF ON BOARD Laurent Austrui has traveled the world, mastering the kitchens of renowned fivestar resorts. He balances his global knowledge with recipes straight from Greek chefs and locals. ISLAND ITINERARY ­Sail from Corfu to Crete to Rhodes to Míkonos, with mainland stops in between. next sail date Rome to Athens aboard the Silver Wind departs Oct. 30. silversea.com

beaches and fresh, spicy food. When moored off islands like Jost Van Dyke or the Tobago Cays, guests go ashore on Zodiacs for a beachside barbecue. Chefs grill up fish, fowl and produce purchased that morning from local markets — think chicken and chutney with Scotch-bonnet chilis, thyme, fresh mango and allspice, all grilled in steeldrum charcoal pots. There’s even a mobile bar, so the rum punch never stops. CHEF ON BOARD Devon Hodges lives for beach barbecues so he can interact with guests. ISLAND ITINERARY ­Hit some less traveled Caribbean locales like the Grenadines (including Bequia), Grenada and Martinique. next sail date Round-trip from Barbados on the Royal Clipper departs Nov. 14. starclippers.com

Caribbean with Star Clippers ON THE MENU This

cruise combines the best of the Caribbean — beautiful

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clockw i s e f r o m l e f t: lo r i b a r b e ly; e . ja n e a r m s t r o n g / j u p i t e r i m ag e s ; w i ll i a m r e av e ll / s t ockfoo d ; r oss d u r a n t / j u p i t e r i m ag e s

Stellar Slack Key

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Sure, you can see pottery carbon-dated 1,590 B.C. in Suva’s Fiji Museum. But take a bushwalk art on Robinson Fiji Crusoe Island, also called Likuri, and you may find a piece at your feet. After a short boat trip from Viti Levu, step onto ground that’s been considered sacred for thousands of years. Walk humbly and you may discover a fragment of rust-colored pottery called Lapita. Named after Fiji’s earliest settlers who came to the islands 3,000 years ago, the shards of ancient basins and water jugs lay on the ground in the place where they were last used. So tread carefully: History lies underfoot. Bushwalk tour starts at $45. robinson crusoeislandfiji.com — sherry ballou hanson

Sea of Poppies as the title implies, most of this book by amitav

Ghosh takes place at sea. But it’s the places that aren’t present, the islands in the distance, that really drive the spirit of Sea of Poppies. For the motley crew of passengers on board the Ibis, a ship traveling from the banks read of the Ganges River to Mauritius, their destination represents dread and hope, promise and punishment. Much of this book, the first in a trilogy set during the 19thcentury Opium Wars, serves to introduce the collection of coolies, convicts and sailors who find themselves together on the Ibis. And Ghosh’s exhaustive research is evident; the historical details — from the dank, hypnotic air outside an opium factory to the sailors’ mystifying pidgin — are woven ­expertly throughout this tale. It all sheds new light on island paradises like Java, Bali and, of course, Mauritius during a time when the Indian Ocean was better known as the Black Water and when to many “the West” referred to India. It’s a gripping journey that any traveler will appreciate. — ae

f r o m l e f t: s t e v e a lva r e z / n g s i m ag e s ; j o n wh i t t l e

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