FROM LEFT: THANAKORN CHOMNAWANG; CHRISTOPHER KUCWAYeditor’s note (^) | MAY 2017
shapes and sizes. Whether you’re a millennial looking for a sporty break or a
couple seeking some secluded down time, there’s a strip of sand that beckons.
This month, we’ve got you covered, sunblock included, whether from a remote
corner of Indonesia, a postcard setting in the Philippines or a section of the
Australian coast that is in constant flux.
One of the more intriguing locales on our map is the Mentawai Islands off
the west coast of Sumatra (“Seafaring Souls,” page 74). Here, writer Fraser
Morton surfs above “flesh-splitting coral;” swallows a midnight snack he’d
just as soon forget; and suffers a plight that all visitors to these remote islands
face. I’m referring to the heartbreak of having to leave, not hard to fathom
when you read his tale of being enveloped by tangerine sunsets and entranced
by a girl’s singing, as well as the meaningful friendships that ensue.
If you’re looking for something more mainstream, Australia’s Gold Coast
is now a stretch where
great meals and air-
conditioned comforts
complement the
playground that is the
ocean here (“Solid Gold,”
page 86). In short, it’s
grown up.
Also evolving is Bohol.
In “Pure Philippines”
(page 96), visitors will find
pristine beaches, thriving
local communities and
centuries-old history.
Beaches really do come in
all shapes and sizes.
@ C K u c w a y
[email protected]
From My Travels
We all know Tokyo as a
hyper-modern urban
center, but it also offers up
quiet, historic corners at
many turns. I found one
when I visited Bonsai
master Kunio Kobayashi at
his garden museum. Now
69, his work includes one
tree that is more than 800
years old, as well as two
prizewinners, each worth
close to a million U.S.
dollars. Still, the best part
of a visit to this garden in
Edogawa-ku is watching
his deft hands sculpt a
tree into a piece of art.
12 MAY 2017 / TRAVELANDLEISUREASIA.COM
LIKE THE ISLANDS THEY
CALL HOME, ASIA’S
BEACHES COME IN ALL