SUMMER FUN
Enjoy the best season of the year in ski resorts in the midst of spectacular transformations or sun-soaked beach retreats
Bali is a great spot to head to for some sun, and we’ve got a timely tipple to toast the end of 2023 with – arak. This potent, clear spirit, typically made with sap from the coconut palm flower, has been brewed by Bali’s community distillers and used in traditional ceremonies for centuries. But the recent decision to regulate its production means tourists can now (safely) sample this aromatic spirit, too. Bartenders across the island are celebrating its revival with some seriously creative cocktails, and we recommend trying it at the Anantara Uluwatu resort, where there are daily arak hours (happy hours are so passé, after all) and a range of delicious arak-based cocktails.
Flying to Bali via Singapore? Consider spending a night on Sentosa island, where you’ll find The Palawan @ Sentosa entertainment complex. Highlights of Sentosa’s hottest new destination include a huge inflatable obstacle course, luxurious beachfront cabanas and a gorgeous swim-up bar. But our favourite attraction is HyperDrive, a hi-tech threestorey electric go-karting course. Drivers who tackle the track can collect virtual weapons, including ones that can be used to slow down competitors.
Got a head for heights? Consider another fantastic winter sun spot – the
Maldives, more specifically Ifuru Island Maldives, which opened in September on the Raa atoll, famous for its marine life. But the resort’s pièce de résistance will be the Maldives’ first permanent skydiving dropzone. Skydives will be possible from December 2023, and the resort’s skydiving centre will be headed up by world champion skydiver Will Penny, who’s performed over 21,000 jumps.
Summer getaways don’t need to be about sun – it’s a great time for snowdusted city breaks too. And while Oktoberfest might be over, there are still plenty of reasons to head to Munich. You can browse its Christmas markets before warming up at the luxurious confines of Germany’s first Rosewood hotel, which you’ll find in the old town.
Finally, if mountains are your happy place, head to the American ski resort of Aspen. Regarded as one of the world’s swankiest ski destinations, it’s famous for its challenging terrain and powderblanketed steeps. And this year there will be even more room to roam, thanks to the unveiling of Hero’s, a new high-speed quad that will provide access to 153 acres of brand new terrain. The opening of the lift will mark the resort’s first major development since the opening of the Silver Queen Gondola in December 1985.