This vending machine is actually a pub

Picture this: it’s a hot day in downtown Fukuoka, and you pass a vending machine selling the traditional Japanese vending machine things (Coke, Pepsi, bubble-tea, pizza and underpants).

Just any other street in downtown Fukuoka… …or is it!? (Takuya Miyano)

You pop some coins in and instead of getting a coca-cola back, the vending machine opens wide, revealing a set of stairs.

“This vending machine is a pub!” we imagine you saying to yourself as you descend the slightly steep steps into a dimly lit Izakaya.

You know that Izakaya means ‘Stay-drink-place” in English, so you grab a seat, ask for a sake and the special (cheese fondue yakitori, a kind of grilled chicken with veges and a cheese sauce dip) and stay-drink you do.

Be warned though: every other vending machine you visit from now will probably seem pretty dull.

The pub is hidden amongst other vending machines in Fukuoka’s Kasuga neighbourhood…see if you can find it. 

The most peaceful place on Earth

Cities are bustling again, and with bustling comes busy. And busy means traffic jams, running late for work, trains to catch and work to do, people to see and places to be.

And we love it. But the return of busy means the value of a peaceful getaway has gone up once again.

It’s hard to imagine any place more tranquil than Cap Karoso, a slice of serenity on Indonesia’s Sumba Island, a southern island not too far away from the Western Australian border.

At Karoso, it doesn’t matter what your idea of relaxing is – they’ve got it. If it’s meditating next to a waterfall, you can meditate next to a waterfall.If it’s catching a peeling left rightout front the villa, wax that board up. If it’s yoga in an exquisite yoga pavilion, then prepare that downward dog.

Almost everything is handmade from locals, from woodwork and furniture, to furnishings and ceramics. Even just watching the resort’s ceramic making process is soothing.

They also have a farm on-site, growing the delicious food that you eat. If learning is your thing, you can learn about plant propagation, nursery skills, plant care, garden maintenance, organic farming and permaculture.

And then there’s where you sleep. Villas boast private beach access, lush gardens, tasteful artwork and a hot tub, while the studios aren’t too shabby either.

Get me there now please.

Japanese onsen: weird, but good weird

Except for maybe eating sushi from a vending machine in Tokyo while dressed as Toad and about to visit a sumo wrestling bout, visiting a ryokan is about the most Japanese thing you can do.

Ryokans are more than just a place to sleep – they’re an opportunity to get a taste of traditional Japanese life and hospitality – think tatami floors, futon beds  local cuisine and Japanese-style baths called onsens.

Onsens are geothermal springs where people go to recuperate and rejuvenate. They are almost always clothing not optional – yep, you go into these absolutely starkers.

This might feel weird to begin with, but becomes pretty normal after about five minutes (which is probably weirder in itself).

Magoroku Ryokan in Akita is set among the mountains, and might be one of the most picturesque places to chill out at in the country. In wintertime, snow surrounds the outdoor hot spas.

It can be tricky getting off the beaten track in Japan, but Akita is certainly just that. It’s in the far north-west of the country, so you don’t have to deal with the hordes of crowds that come with being further south, which in turn means not dealing with hordes of naked people when you’re in the onsen.

The Maldives are back: Six new stays

The Maldives are back…in a big way.

The tiny Indian Ocean archipelago has always been top of mind for luxury travellers, especially those with romance on their mind.

Since Aussies were last able to travel there, another six gorgeous stays have opened up in this little slice of paradise.

We take a look at each of these epic new resorts:

Kagi Maldives Island: A resort best suited to couples, the five-star Kagi Maldives Spa Island is THE place for a honeymoon. It’s almost worth getting married, just so you can stay here. It is an intimate all-pool-villa resort, bringing understated luxury and elegant simplicity, and maximum romance.

Patina Maldives – Fari IslandsThere were about 300,000 plants dug up in the making of Patina Maldives, all of which were brought to the hotel for replanting upon its completion. This tells you everything you need to know about the eco-conscious mindset of this new luxury resort, which is fair enough, given the archipelago is expected to be vulnerable to rising sea levels in the future. It is powered mostly by the sun, which isn’t much of an issue in the Maldives. And it’s beautiful.

Patina Maldives.

The Ritz Carlton Maldives – Fari Islands: The Ritz Carlton in the Maldives has 100 overwater or beachfront villas of luxury, in predictably epic proportions. Truly absurd levels of beauty here will leave you feeling like you’re in some permanently photoshopped Instagram page.

Le Meridien Maldives Resort & Spa:  Le Meridien Maldives Resort & Spa is the most Maldivian of the new stays. It has six restaurants and bars, all inspired by the culture and cuisine of the Maldives. Located on Lhaviyani Atoll, guests can savour the sights and sounds of the natural beauty with indigenous flora and fauna, a shimmering lagoon and coral reefs teaming with wildlife including manta rays and turtles.

Le Méridien Maldives Resort & Spa’s Japanese restaurant.

Kuda Villingili:  Kuda Villingili Resort Maldives is home to the biggest pool in the Maldives, and offers a wide range of activities, including access to a world class surf break. It’s also got an incredible variety of dive spots, and a heap of nice dining spots.

Kuda Vilingili Resort – access to epic surf.

Jumeirah Maldives: the newest hotel from the company behind several of Dubai’s most luxurious properties, including the famous sail-shaped Burj Al Arab in Dubai., Jumeirah Maldives has announced it will open its doors in November. The property is accessible only by seaplane and motorboat  – the perfect escape for a little while.

Jumeirah Maldives

Hidden Airport Cafe Gem

Let’s face it, airlines aren’t necessarily synonymous with great food. We’ve all picked and prodded at a funny looking dish on a plane before.

So if you can find some good food while you’ve got a stopover in between flights, you’re kicking goals.

Hub and Spoke is a hidden glass-house cafe located next to terminal 2 at Singapore’s Changi airport, one of the major transport hubs in Asia. The cafe’s name is actually a play on words – the hub representing Changi airport, the spokes the cities it connects.

They do both local and western foods – if you’ve got a hankering for something in particular, chances are they’ll have it – and are just as good at laksa and Nasi Lemak as they are at a rib-eye steak. Plus, of course, coffee to beat that jet lag.

They are pet-friendly, and there’s even little grassy spot outside to chill out on – an absolute luxury at an airport.

If you’ve got a stopover at Changi, or if you’re in Singapore for longer, this is the spot.

Banwa Island: Your Own Luxury

Sure, staying on a beautiful tropical island is good. But having your own island is where it’s really at.

Banwa Private Island is an all-villa luxury island within a marine reserve in north-eastern Palawan, Indonesia. You can make the entire island (barring of course, villa staff) is entirely yours, giving you the freedom to do whatever.

Pristine stretches of beach and clear waters will make this feel less Robinson Crusoe, and more ‘epic luxury’. Swim, dive, snorkel or fish to your heart’s content, or take a sunset cruise.

The starry nights at Banwa are legendary – bring your partner, kids, 10 of your best mates…whoever – and have this slice of paradise for yourself.

Nomadic Mongolian Living

Staying in the middle of absolutely nowhere is actually pretty nice.

Hundreds of thousands of kilometres of green fields, desert and vacant steppe greet travellers that make it out of Mongolia’s capital, Ulaanbaatar.

It is nine and half hours out of the city that you will find Three Camel Lodge, perched on the edge of the epic Gobi Desert. So just down the road in Mongolian terms.

You have the option of staying in a traditional ger as the Nomads have done for thousands of years, and continue to do. There is also a deluxe ger (the kind Genghis Khan could have only dreamt of) while the lodge itself has a spa and wellness option, a very cosy movie room and offers horse riding and other experiences.

But it is not these amenities you travel for – it is without a doubt the remoteness that sets this lodge (and place) apart from anything you’ve ever done. No Wi-Fi, cafes or shopping centres – it is an experience in itself to be so far away from…everything.

Mountain High

When winter begins to break in the Bayan-Ulgi district of western Mongolia, a centuries-old tradition takes place. The Mongolian Kazakh people, traditional semi-nomads, begin to move their families and huge herds of sheep, goats, cows, horses and camels to spring pastures. For five days they lead the animals on a 150-kilometre journey up the snowy Altai Mountains, which separate Mongolia from Russia. Only the strongest of the young men will ride beside and behind the herd, with the rest of the family forging ahead of them in trucks loaded with furniture and equipment.

But this movement from one region to another according to the season isn’t the only unique feature of the Mongolian Kazakhs’ heritage. They have also been domesticating and training golden eagles for 2,500 years. The huge birds, with wingspans of about two metres, are used to hunt foxes, wolves and marmots. Most hunting occurs during the coldest months of the year, when the animals have a thicker coat. During the summer, the hunters feed the birds well, but their food is reduced as winter grows ever closer so as to sharpen their hunting instincts.

Photography Gilad Fiskus

Through the Soul

Photography by Serge Anton from his book, Faces, published by Lannoo Publishers.

For the last 30 years, internationally renowned fashion and interior design photographer Serge Anton has travelled the world visiting countries across Europe, USA, Asia and Africa.

In his newest book FACES he has compiled his collection of portraits. Capturing the character of locals from his countless journeys across Africa and Asia, FACES tells the stories of exotic, faraway cultures. A picture is worth a thousand words, and for Anton, it’s all in the detail; “the details in their eyes, the light sifting through the black-and-white images, the wrinkles that seem to reflect the wisdom of lifetimes…”

sergeanton.be | lannoopublishers.com

Carnival of the Gods

Every year, in the village of Kulasekharapatnam, in India’s south, the festival of Dusshera sees tens of thousands of people disguise themselves as gods and goddesses to pay tribute to Kali, the Hindu goddess who is known as the destroyer of evil. Many centuries ago, the villagers did not have metal to make idols, so they transformed themselves. The festival is celebrated over 10 days. For the first nine days they wander from town to village to beg and dance in honour of the deity. At dawn on the tenth day, the day of Dusshera, with the deafening sounds of the drums and in a thick fog of smoke, all the costumed participants converge towards the entrance of the Sri Mutharamman Temple. As they approach the sanctuary, their bodies stiffen abruptly and go into a trance. Languages burst from the mouth; eyes roll back; cries and grunts sound. Some embark on a furious dance, others remain face down, and some speak alone – they all believe the spirit of Kali possesses them.

Photography by Boris Joseph