ISLAND INSPIRATIONS
It’s that time of year again— when a summer vacation is no longer a distant dream but an imminent reality, a time that coincides with the release of our annual Islands Issue. Headlining it all is our cover story, beautifully shot by Martin Westlake, in which editor-in-chief Christopher P. Hill takes stock of three resorts that each promise an immersion into different sides of Sri Lanka: from a tea plantation to a beachside hideaway and the grasslands and forests of Yala National Park.
Halfway around the world in Hawai‘ i, Joe Yogerst journeys to the smallest of its main islands, Lāna‘ i, and neighboring Maui to see how native Hawaiian culture is experiencing a remarkable revival. We then jet over to Greece, where Naxos resident Lucretia Stewart shows us the virtues of her adopted home, and photographer Christos Drazos offers a glimpse of its enchanting beauty.
Although I do have a soft spot for Europe, and tend to travel there quite often, the frequency of these long-haul trips means that I can sometimes lose sight of equally fascinating places much closer to home. The Malaysian state of Sarawak is one such example; Thomas Bird’s romp through multicultural Kuching and up the Rajang River in search of Dayak cuisine is certainly food for thought.
Another under-appreciated locale is Cebu City, where deputy editor James Louie passes up the nearby beaches to delve into its Spanish-Filipino heritage, with some unexpected discoveries along the way. Every seasoned traveler knows that going off the beaten track has its rewards, and contributing editor Natasha Dragun rounds up a selection of gorgeous Australian islands you might never have heard of. Finally, Todd Pitock embarks on a voyage through the fjords on the southwest coast of Greenland, proving that islands of ice and rock can be just as captivating as those in warmer climes.