Wanderfolk: Green Season in Chiang Mai and Kyoto, The Old Man Pops Up at Bamboo Bar in Bangkok

As summer hits the northern hemisphere, some of your favourite destinations are entering green season, where lush forests and manicured gardens beckon from the likes of Chiang Mai and Kyoto. Coming up, there’s also a women-only surf retreat in Bali (organised by COMO Hotels & Resorts), localised experiences in central Vietnam, and Asia’s best bar doing a three-month residency in Bangkok.

Banyan Tree Lăng Cô Celebrates 25th Anniversary

Seaview Hill Pool Villa

Looking for a beach getaway? Banyan Tree Lăng Cô showcases the best of central Vietnam with 25% discount on best available rates, as well as on spa treatments, F&B, and gallery purchases. Their 25th anniversary offer also includes one local Exceptional Experience per room. They were carefully curated to celebrate the self, relationships, and the community. Guests looking for some me-time will start their day with yoga, followed by lantern-making workshop, and an organic dinner while lovebirds can look forward to a trip to the local market to select seafood for their chef-customised dinner at a Destination Dining location.

Offer valid with a minimum of two nights’ stay now till 18 December 2019. See here for more information.

Haoma x Apéritif Restaurant in Bangkok

Chef Nic Vanderbeeken

Apéritif Bali‘s Chef Nic Vanderbeeken will be departing his paddy field-bordered restaurant in Ubud for a one-night only collaboration with Chef Deepanker Khosla at Haoma, a Neo-Indian restaurant that claims to be Bangkok’s first zero-waste, urban farm dining experience. This Friday, savour the spectacular results – a 12-course degustation menu of borderless flavours – that start with Goan Fish Curry Bombs and something called Black Puff with charcoal coconut, mackerel, and caviar. Other highlights include the Khao Yai Duck Breast (which counts ‘tasty paste’ amongst its ingredients) and Mud Crab Local with ikura and gulai.

Priced at THB2,990+ per person for food and an additional THB 2,590+ for wine pairing, Apéritif x Haoma is happening Friday, 21 June 2019. Two seatings available at 6pm and 8.30pm.

Green Season at Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai

July to September is the best time of the year to enjoy the glorious greenery of the rice fields in Thailand, and Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai takes it one step further with their seasonal offer – by taking guests through rice planting on-site at the resort. With a backdrop of the area’s mythical mountains, the 32-acre property sports terrace rice fields, verdant gardens, an award-winning restaurant, and luxurious acccomodation. The Glorious Green package also includes daily breakfast for two, a Sensory Exploration Tour to discover exotic plants, and flowers, as well THB6,000 resort credit towards dining or spa treatments.

Offer valid till end of October 2019. See here for more information.

The Old Man Hong Kong Pops Up at The Bamboo Bar

In compensation for the lobby at Mandarin Oriental Bangkok going through a months-long refurbishment, their award-winning The Bamboo Bar will be hosting Asia’s best bar, The Old Man from Hong Kong, for a three month residency. Created as a tribute to Ernest Hemingway,  the bar might have opened a second branch in Singapore, but Head Mixologist Agung Prabowo and his team will be serving up their signature cocktails out of Bangkok till August 2019. Look forward to tipples such as “The Old Man and the Sea” and “In Our Time”, made with clarified banana ghee, celery, salted tequila, and a banana skin tincture.

The Bamboo Bar is located at Mandarin Oriental Bangkok, 48 Oriental Ave, Khwaeng Bang Rak, Khet Bang Rak, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon 10500, p. +66 2 659 9000. Open Mon-Thu 5pm-1am, Fri-Sat 5pm-2am, Sun 5pm-1am.

MGallery by Accor Makes Its Way to Kyoto

Superior Twin

Located two minutes from two subway exits and within walking distance of the geisha district of Gion, the newly opened Kyoto Yura Hotel MGallery pays homage to the historic capital’s traditions through art and culture. All of the 144 rooms, starting from a comfortable 22 square metres, feature local fabric Nishijin-ori (a weaving with 1,200 year of heritage) and tatami mats in the seating areas. They’ve opened in time for green season in Japan and attractions that are perfect for the time include the Jodo Buddhist temple of Honen-in and renown Japanese painter Hashimoto Kansetsu’s garden and museum.

See here for more information.

A Balinese Surf and Wellness Retreat for Women

COMO Uma Canggu’s Surf Shack on Echo Beach

COMO Uma Canggu and COMO Shambhala Estate in Bali have teamed up with professional surfer, Sally Fitzgibbons to launch their first all-women surf and wellness retreat. Created for beginner surfers through to intermediate level, participants will spend four nights at COMO Uma Canggu followed by three nights at COMO Shambhala Estate. This means guests get the experience Bali’s best surf beaches and the peaceful sanctuary of dense jungle. In addition to Fitzgibbons’ guidance, instructors from Tropicsurf will provide lessons tailored to the female physique and personalised according to guests’ needs.

Surf and Wellness Retreat with Sally Fitzgibbons runs 2-9 November 2019, starts from US$5,520 per person for single accommodation or US$4,020 per person for twin-share accommodation.See here for more information.

Top Image: Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai

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Chief Editor

Emily heads the editorial team on City Nomads by being a stickler for details, a grammar Nazi, and a really picky eater. Born and bred in Singapore, she loves cats, the written word, and exploring new places. Can be bribed with quality booze across the board.