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Destination Curation: May 27th, 2016

28/5/2016

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Wildlife tourism (of the "let's have a look from a distance and try not to disturb anything" variety, as opposed to "big-game hunting", which can't help but get bad press) has been a "go to" travel desire for people from all walks of life for a long time now - gap year students, honeymooners, people on a work break, people flush with a redundancy package, photographers, team-builders - you name it.  But with so many options, what's the best way to do it?  That's a question answered by our first article this week by @FlyingTheNest as they review some of their favourite luxurious safaris.  They provide a ton of recommendations including the Ruaha National Park, where your 'tent' comes with your own butler and silverware and the outstanding Matetsi Private Game Reserve:  
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This doesn't seem like a bad way to live either, for either party.  Possibly not the most natural:  
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Next up:  Helsinki.  I know Helsinki exists, but beyond that, I don't know much about it.  If pressed I could reel off a few facts (hosted the '52 Olympics, it wasn't always the capital of Finland - Turku was for a long time, aaaand I'm out).  Which is a shame.  So thanks @YoungAdventures for enlightening me on how the city surprised you! In particular the depth and breadth of its cafe culture, its introverted nature, the Streat Helsinki food festival and its clash of cultures architecture. 

Finally, I came across one place I definitely want to try thanks to @okfleming via @TravelLeisure: The Nam Hai in Vietnam, which recently won Mr. and Mrs. Smith's top spa award of 2015.  Even Jeremy Clarkson agrees, as he said in 2009:  

"If you’re passing, it’s worth dropping in. Actually, even if you’re not passing, it’s worth flying over there just so you are".  

So what's so good about it?  Well, I'll let this paragraph do the talking (I haven't even included the paragraphs on the hotel and service):  

"But the “wellness retreat” itself, designed by architect 
Reda Amalou, is where the wow-factor really sets in. Described by Mr and Mrs Smith as a place “where Vietnamese chic meets cutting-edge design,” you won’t find your average, run-of-the-mill treatments here. Built according to a precise formula for zen, the spa features eight private relaxation bungalows that float serenely amongst lotus flowers on a koi fish-filled lagoon. Here, you are led through large French doors to an open air relaxation deck that juts out onto the lagoon, where a deep bathtub faces a cushioned daybed for two, and a vast selection of relaxing “rituals” and wellness “ceremonies” are offered. Each treatment begins with an oil-infused milk foot soak, and ends with you never wanting to leave. When Clarkson visited, he believed you could “get so relaxed here that your bones would melt,” calling it “the most astonishing spa in the whole world.”

I'll leave it at that.  
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Concierge99 makes it ridiculously easy for you to find ways to treat yourself by finding treats and services while away from home, making it feel more like home wherever you are in the world.
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Destination Curation

24/5/2016

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I spend quite a bit of time reading a variety of articles, blogs and opinions on where to travel, why you should travel there and how to do it right.  Sometimes they are spot on, other times I couldn't disagree more.  I usually end up a little jealous that they were there - wherever it was.  I couldn't possibly recount every word I read but what I am going to attempt here is to pick my top three articles, each week or so, and tell you about them so we can all benefit.  It might be my three favourite places, or it might just be a particularly well written piece.  Alternatively it contains a really interesting story.  In any case, I hope it's entertaining and useful!  

First up is a quick look at Annecy, France - in the words of Brooke Saward:  The cutest town in France.  When someone says that, you should take notice.  It's apparently just a bus ride from Geneva (albeit an hour long one) with trains from Lyon and Paris also available.  Which reminds me, I'm overdue my annual trip to Lyon.  

Next up comes Formentera, Spain as published by Devin Friedman in Travel and Leisure. The opening paragraph:  
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What is the meaning of it all?
"People get bored on Ibiza."It’s a truth just as it’s a truth that eventually everyone runs out of cocaine, that eventually dawn finds even the most resolute nightclub, that even fun itself gets boring. (“Fun gets boring” is one of the most terrible vacation truths that travel magazines try to hide from you.) Just open any celebrity tabloid, gaze deeply into Leonardo DiCaprio’s eyes, and you’ll see it staring back at you: even there on the deck of the mega-yacht (because, when in Ibiza, Leo is always on a mega-yacht), even there lashed to a water jet pack, even in the midst of a squirt-gun fight with French supermodel triplets, that nagging question persists like a headache: Is this all there is?"

I couldn't agree more.  Apparently, Formentera is the smallest inhabited Balearic Island and has something for everyone.  Well most people.  It's for yachters, it's for hippies, it's for sunset cocktails, sunburned nudists, lovers and nightlife (but not quite the kind you'll find in nearby Ibiza) - the kind of nightlife Hemingway would probably have sought out.  Which will either attract you or it won't.  ​
Finally, I happened on a review of mouthwatering food in Austria.  Specifically 15 foods you should try as told by @watchmesee.  I've been to Austria but I don't remember writing home about the food.
I clearly made a mistake.  From Knödel (dumplings) to Brettljause (which, admittedly is just a collection of breads, cheeses, meats and pickles - but seriously what more do you want) to Käsekrainer (sausage filled with cheese), rounded off with some Apfelstrudel and a glass or two of Sturm. Sounds like a great day to me.  
Thanks to all three writers - they have definitely added three places to my must-see list!  What about you?  Let us know below, add yourself to our mailing list and join in!
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Concierge99 makes it ridiculously easy for you to find ways to treat yourself by finding treats and services while away from home, making it feel more like home wherever you are in the world.
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    The Authors

    Siamac and Julieanne are avid world travellers, sun worshippers and enjoy sharing recommendations of treats they've encountered along the way. With this blog and Concierge99's Top 5 Guides, they can help you make the most of your travels, giving you an opportunity to find interesting and unique things to do wherever you are in the world.


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  • Home
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    • Christmas Market Burgers Recipe
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    • Thai Potato Curry Recipe
    • Thai Chilli Chicken Recipe
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