Travel + Leisure India & South Asia — May 2017

PHOTO CREDIT

92 TRAVEL + L E I S U R E / M AY 2 0 1 7

highest concentration of brown bears, which

gather in droves on riverbanks during salmon

spawning season, making quite an incredible

site. Arriving by plane is the only practical way

to reach this land of uninhabited wilderness,

and exploring by helicopter is de rigeur. The

Valley of the Geysers is perhaps the most well-

known part of the UNESCO World Heritage

Site Volcanoes of Kamchatka, and is made up

of over 20 other-worldly geysers, bubbling and

spitting out water. This 1,250-mile peninsula

is a worthwhile visit for adventurers keen on

trekking and exploring a region of primal beauty.

SOAK IN

Japan’s oldest Onsen

Make a journey to the relatively remote island of

Shikoku’s largest city to appreciate the beauty

and intricacies of Japanese architecture, literary

tradition and that for which it’s most famous—

the oldest hot spring in Japan. Matsuyama

is known across the country for Dōgo Onsen

Honkan—a luxurious wooden bathhouse

dating back to the 19th century—and visited by

locals as well as tourist from around Japan. The

distinctive architecture is steeped in tradition

and includes the stunning castle Matsuyama-

jō, perched atop Mount Katsuyama. As the

centrepiece of the city, a wander up through this

trove of artefacts gives you a stunning view of

the streets below and the distant harbour. For an

extraordinary guest experience, stay at the brand

new contemporary art museum-cum-luxury

seven-suite Setouchi Aonagi hotel, designed by

the renowned architect Tadao Ando.

THE STUNNING

FIVE FLOWER

LAKE IN CHINA’S

JIUZHALGOU

NATURE RESERVE.

The country is

known for its

bustling, modern,

fast-changing

cities, but not

for its natural

experiences—

although it’s home

to 225 national

parks. Some of the

most spectacular

are the mist-

shrouded Zhangjiajie

National Forest

Park, which played a

role in inspiring the

world of Pandora in

James Cameron’s

blockbuster Avatar,

the country’s

only tropical

natural reserve

Xishuangbanna at

the south end of

Yunnan province,

and Sichuan’s

mountainous nature

reserve, Jiuzhaigou,

on the edge of the

Tibetan plateau.

CLOCKWISE: PAKORN LOPATTANAKIJ/ALAMY; PASCAL MANNAERTS/ALAMY; IMAGES & STORIES/ALAMY

94 TRAVEL + LEISURE / MAY 2017