Celebrity Life

Vincent Tabuteau, a leader of the yachting industry in Thailand since the late 1980s, talks about the need for the first Thailand Charter Week.

The post Thailand Charter Week: Why A ‘B2B’ Event? By Vincent Tabuteau appeared first on LUXUO.

One of Thailand’s most exclusive property developments to date marries luxury with the tranquility afforded by Mother Nature.

The post Luxury homes in Bangkok: Santiburi The Residences appeared first on The Peak Magazine.

One of Thailand’s most exclusive property developments to date marries luxury with the tranquility afforded by Mother Nature.

For more stories like this, visit www.thepeakmagazine.com.sg.

Thailand's capital has been named the world's most-visited city for the fourth consecutive year, according to the annual Global Destination Cities Index 2019 compiled by MasterCard. Other Asian cities that made it to the top 10 include Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Tokyo taking 5th, 6th and 9th place, respectively. The list, which ranks 200 cities with the most international visitors, is based on publicly available data and visitor numbers (see 2018's top 10 most-visited cities in the world at the bottom of this article).

Having hosted a total of 22.78 million visitors in 2018, Bangkok continues to welcome more travellers than anywhere else in the world. As reported by the index, the average stay in Bangkok was 4.8 nights; in this light, we've compiled a list of the five most stunning hotels that will inspire your next trip to this dynamic city.

1. Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok

A beautifully elegant hotel that was built in 1876, Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok exudes old world charm like no other. The design is a blend of traditional Thai elements with modernity. Plus the service here is always flawless.

 

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2. The Siam

At The Siam, one of the hotel's best features is the Art-Deco-meets-Thai-style design, not to mention the surrounding lush greenery that just makes it all pop. It's also very private here, leaving guests undisturbed and at peace.

 

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A post shared by The Siam (@thesiamhotel) on Oct 1, 2018 at 7:23pm PDT

3. The Sukhothai Bangkok

With elements reflecting the ancient kingdom, The Sukhothai Bangkok reflects the glorious era with ease. Natural materials feature in its design along with acres of gardens and lotus ponds. It's truly an escape from the bustling city, but it's conveniently located downtown.

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4. The Peninsula Bangkok

Located on the banks of the Chao Phraya, The Peninsula Bangkok is an urban retreat that offers views of Bangkok's cityscape and yet seems slower paced to let guests really relax. The incredible 280-foot outdoor three-tiered swimming pool doesn't hurt either.

 

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5. 137 Pillars Suites & Residences Bangkok

Luxurious, urban, well-designed and modern, 137 Pillars Suites & Residences has it all in the heart of downtown Bangkok. Oh, and did we mention the unbelievable view from the rooftop infinity pool?

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*These are the world's top 10 most-visited cities in 2018: 

1. Bangkok (22.78 million visitors)

2. Paris (19.10 million visitors)

3. London (19.09 million visitors)

4. Dubai (15.93 million visitors)

5. Singapore (14.67 million visitors)

6. Kuala Lumpur (13.79 million visitors)

7. New York (13.60 million visitors)

8. Istanbul (13.40 million visitors)

9. Tokyo (12.93 million visitors)

10. Antalya (12.41 million visitors)

The post 5 Stunning Hotels to Stay at When You Go to Bangkok, the World’s Most-Visited City appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Simpson Yacht Charter has a network of boats across the globe, but from its home base in Asia, its growing fleet includes several Lagoon sailing catamarans operating all across the continent and beyond.


The post Charter in Asia – Yacht Style Special: Lagoon Cats Expand Reach appeared first on LUXUO.

Phuket is home to a wide range of charter yachts, with Asia Yacht Agency among companies offering dayboats, motor cruisers, superyachts and sailing yachts.

The post Charter in Asia – Yacht Style Special: Short Trips Around Phuket appeared first on LUXUO.

Thailand is the charter hub of Asia and there are few nicer ways of exploring the Andaman Sea’s islands, beaches and waters than by a 225ft superyacht.


The post Charter in Asia – Yacht Style Special: Cruising Thailand on a Megayacht appeared first on LUXUO.

Yacht Style kicks off its annual Charter Special by highlighting the changing profiles and habits of charterers in Asia, the increase in visiting superyachts, plus the challenges for operators – and Kim Kardashian ...

The post Charter in Asia: Introduction to Yacht Style’s Annual Special appeared first on LUXUO.

Chiva-Som, in the seaside town of Hua Hin along the Gulf of Thailand, is the kind of place that’s talked about in hushed tones, a closely guarded secret shared only among the most trusted of friends and confidantes. Because it’s not a hotel. It’s not even a resort. No, Chiva-Som is -- and literally translates as -- a “haven of life”.

The first I heard of this unique health and wellness retreat was from a Chinese entrepreneur and TV host who described escaping to “the little paradise” a few weeks each year for more than a decade. She said it was the only thing that kept her grounded amid her hard-charging career and fast-paced itinerant lifestyle.

[caption id="attachment_157188" align="alignnone" width="7952"] A Thai Pavilion Suite.[/caption]

Ever since, I’ve been intrigued by this magical-sounding land of healing. At long last -- and just a few weeks before it closed for the fourth and final stage of its sweeping renovation -- I made it to Chiva-Som and learned what all the fuss is about.

After the three-hour drive south from Bangkok, we approach the entrance to the resort on one of Hua Hin’s main thoroughfares. It isn’t quite the secret passageway I was expecting, but once inside it all starts to make sense. Chiva-Som occupies what was once the weekend retreat of founder Boonchu Rojanastien, who demolished his private home to create a place for family and friends to relax, recharge and “enjoy life”. Over the years, Rojanastien and his family added to the resort’s offerings and began to welcome people from the world over looking to find their way on the path to wellness.

Last year, the resort closed for six months to allow for the renovation of the guest rooms, gym and restaurant The Emerald Room. After closing again in May, it will reopen October 15 with a refreshed health and wellness area, indoor bathing pavilion, Niranlada Medi-Spa and Taste of Siam restaurant.

[caption id="attachment_157189" align="alignnone" width="7000"] Lounge seating next to the Tranquility Pond.[/caption]

The first person to greet me, and presumably all guests at Chiva-Som, is general manager Vaipanya Kongkwanyuen. VP, as most people call him, was the director of food and beverage back in the 1994 pre-opening phase and went to work at several Aman properties before returning home last year. The much-loved fixture of the resort can often be seen greeting guests as if they’re old friends, which in most cases they actually are.

[caption id="attachment_157187" align="alignnone" width="7000"] Inside a Thai Pavilion Suite.[/caption]

“More than half of our guests are repeat customers,” VP tells me proudly. While I can certainly appreciate the beauty of the surroundings and the comfort of my one-bedroom villa -- one of 54 units that range from newly renovated Ocean Rooms and Suites to traditional Thai Pavilions -- I can’t help but wonder what keeps guests coming back year after year. Apart from a handful of families with teenagers (the minimum age here is 16), most of the guests appear to be older couples from countries such as Germany, Russia, Australia and the UK.

Soon after I’m settled in, however, I begin to understand. First up, a health and wellness consultation with my appointed advisor. Ann patiently explains the dozens of programmes based on Chiva-Som’s six modalities: Spa, Fitness, Nutrition, Physiotherapy, Holistic Health and Aesthetic Beauty. Options vary from a minimum of three nights to 14 nights, each inclusive of daily wellness meals, fitness and leisure activities, and choice of massage or body polish. I settle on the Taste of Chiva-Som package, and select three spa treatments, two physio sessions and one fitness session to complement what looks to be an already full schedule.

Ann consults a colour-coded spreadsheet and sets out to book my stay almost down to the minute. It’s an impressive feat of juggling and scheduling, the results of which will be delivered to my room each morning so that all I have to do is show up at the designated place at the appointed time.

[caption id="attachment_157185" align="alignnone" width="2658"] Chiva-Som Thai massage.[/caption]

The part I’m most excited about is the daily massages, a choice of Thai, foot, scalp, invigorating and Chiva-Som Signature, and they don’t disappoint. But the most eye-opening experiences lean more to the medical. Dr Jason Culp, an American naturopathic physician who’s been with Chiva-Som for five years, begins our mindfulness-based stress-release session by placing a sensor on my finger and asking me to breathe normally for three minutes.

Then he turns the computer monitor to reveal my heart-ratevariability (HRV), which unfortunately signals that I’m a prime candidate for cardiovascular burnout and accelerated age-related diseases like dementia. But after Culp shows me a simple technique to slow down my breathing, my HRV improves dramatically and all of a sudden I feel like I’ve been granted a new lease on life. Equally enlightening is my session with a physiotherapist, who analyses my posture and stride before offering easy exercises that I can do each day to feel and look a thousand times better.

But my pursuit of wellness doesn’t end there. Chiva-Som has a strict digital detox policy, which forbids the use of devices in all public areas. Thankfully I became aware of the policy just before I was due to travel and bought a book at the airport, but the resort does provide a small library with reading material in various languages.

[caption id="attachment_157186" align="alignnone" width="7000"] The juice bar.[/caption]

The food, meanwhile, is designed to not only taste good but also provide a highly nutritious foundation for life-long health. Two restaurants and a lounge area serve a range of Thai and international cuisine, and various juices, tonics and herbal teas. What they don’t serve is caffeine after 12pm and alcohol before 6pm, and the latter at prices that are no doubt designed to deter all but the most die-hard of drinkers.

The biggest surprise about the food is not how fresh and flavourful it is, but just how tiny the portions are. The first night I can’t help thinking I’ve been served a toddler meal by mistake when I see the miniscule mound of jasmine rice served alongside my baby bowl of red curry. But somehow I manage to get by without ordering seconds, and by the end of my three-day stay I’ve fully converted to this new and healthful way of eating. The drinking, of lack thereof, is a somewhat different story.

[caption id="attachment_157184" align="alignnone" width="7000"] Fresh and flavourful wellness cuisine.[/caption]

Between the meals, massages, fitness classes, aesthetic treatments, water-therapy offerings and even a visit to the resort’s community mangrove project and one of its organic gardens, the days are so packed that I don’t even make it to the beach until the morning of my departure. I manage a short stroll from the gate next to the pool and encounter a few horseback riders when a rainstorm sweeps through and drenches us all within seconds.

A bit of lazing on the beach would have been nice but I didn’t come to Chiva-Som to sunbathe or play in the surf. I came here to heal and to feel grounded, and I can always schedule in some beach therapy on my next visit, or the one after that, or the one after that...

The post Why Chiva-Som Is Considered Southeast Asia’s Leading Health and Wellness Retreat appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

What is it about Thai cuisine that so captivates us? Perhaps it's that optimal combination of sweet and salty, sour and spicy, or the abundant use of local herbs and ingredients in its cooking. And I haven’t even got to all the regional variations; of Northern, North-Eastern, Central and Southern Thai, that we (generically speaking, of course) aren’t as familiar with yet.

Long influenced by its neighbours, Thai cuisine encompasses different styles of cooking and a blend of flavours that are deeply infused into the dishes we love. Take Pad Thai for example, which was designed within Thailand using Chinese rice stick noodles. Or the beloved spicy Som Tam salad made with shredded green papaya, originating from Laos. History tells us that there were even some European influences from Portuguese missionaries and Dutch traders. But today, Thai food holds its place and ranks highly as one of the world’s most popular cuisines.

[caption id="attachment_155732" align="alignnone" width="1499"] Chef Bongkoch “Bee” Satongun started Paste Bangkok six years ago with husband and Chef Jason Bailey (not pictured).[/caption]

In fact, it also ranks in at number 28 on Asia’s 50 Best Restaurant List thanks to Paste Bangkok — a passion project created by husband and wife duo Thai Chef Bangkok ‘Bee’ Satongun and Australian-born Chef Jason Bailey. The restaurant has been awarded a Michelin star for two years since 2018, and Chef Bee was also named Asia’s Best Female Chef by World's 50 best Restaurants in 2018. With its recent successes, Paste continues to go from strength to strength with the opening of Paste Laos in Luang Prabang last year, and plans to open another outlet in Australia soon.

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Unlike other innovative cuisines we know, Paste’s cuisine is a revival of Century-old recipes from historical royal cookbooks, tweaked for the modern palate. Royal cuisine also does away with sharp edges of flavour that is often found in street food. It involves more ingredients, layers of flavours, and is far more labour-intensive. To see just how this would fare on our well, modern palates, we set off to The Land of Smiles for a taste.

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The restaurant is situated on the third floor of Gaysorn Shopping Centre, in the heart of Ratchaprasong district. It’s easy to get to, but feels odd to walk over to a Michelin starred restaurant in such a quiet chain-store filled mall. But such is Bangkok with its many, many malls. However, all is forgotten as I enter the light and airy interior of the restaurant. The space is styled organically and opened up by high ceilings with a creamy palette of warm beige, dark wood and grey textures flowing through. Batten-panelled walls display shades of celadon green and olive, while decorative structures that resemble silkworm cocoons, rise to the ceiling as a sculptural focal point.

I take my seat at one side of the restaurant, which has a soundproofed window in view revealing the actions of the kitchen team, while Chef Bee calls out her order on the pass. After landing from a delayed flight, I’m keen to sample the tasting menu and look eagerly into that window as if to nudge them to serve. Fortunately, it’s not long after when the first course (out of five) arrives to the table.

[caption id="attachment_155727" align="alignnone" width="1328"] (Left) Grilled river prawn wrapped in mulberry leaves and ant eggs; and (right) roasted duck, nutmeg, curry paste and sawtooth coriander, served on rice crackers. (Photo credit: Terence Carter Photography)[/caption]

Dinner begins with appetisers and soup, with the perfectly Seared scallops — that sit on a salad bed of young coconut, peromia, lemongrass and the fragrant flesh of mangosteen — becoming a quick favourite. Meanwhile other light bites such as Roasted duck with nutmeg and curry on crunchy rice crackers, a Mulberry leaf-wrapped grilled river prawn with sweetened ant eggs, and a savoury Watermelon rind and fish roe soup with seabass and crispy jicama (or yam bean) dumplings, all hark back to royal Thai recipes and cookbooks. It’s closely followed by a Lobster salad, tossed with chive root, morels, Asian citron and dehydrated seaweed. The sweet meat, bitter leaves and zesty nuances comes together as a well-balanced dish and with the welcome addition of pork crackling strips, it’s a dish I kept going back to.

The main course is served family-style and shared amongst us, are six intensely-flavoured dishes that work well together but are also worthy of its own spot on the table. Highlights include the fluffy soufflé-style 31 Flavoured Thai omelette, which uses sweet Australian spanner crab meat from Fraser Island. Some might say it is even better than street-food star Jay Fai’s omelette. Another stunning dish is the Southern yellow curry, again with Australian spanner crab, but brought to life by a deep smokiness, which is memorable to this day. The Whole lobster with stir-fried fresh egg noodles is also worth a mention. Although the noodles were too soft for my own liking, they were flavourful and eggy, having soaked up all the the rich, slightly spicy, curry paste sauce.

[gallery size="full" ids="155731,155730"]

Thanks to Chef Bee's ancestral Lao background, several other dishes from the region were on the menu to sample. Our must-orders include Crunchy cured rice balls with a unique sour sausage mixed in a red curry paste, river weed and rose pepper leaf combination, along with a luscious reinvention of the classic Kalee Ped (or Laos Duck Curry) by Royal Laos Court chef Phia Sing which is instantly addictive.

As always, I save some room for dessert, which we are told are less Thai and more Asian-inspired so that locals can have something different to try. The desserts, a Mango mousse with sticky rice and jasmine sorbet, White chocolate flower and a durian sponge cake, are unfortunately all a little underwhelming. Although I suspect might be due to the phenomenal flavours of the previous course still coursing through our veins.

As we roll out of the restaurant, thanking Chef Bee for her hospitality and rather epic tasting menu, a thought lingers in my mind that although I’ve yet to become more accustomed to Thai cuisine, and all the varietals it comes with, you needn’t ‘digest the best’ to recognise how fantastic the food at Paste really is, and I hope it stays that way.

Paste Bangkok, 3/F, Gaysorn, 999 Ploenchit Road, Lumpini, Bangkok, Thailand, +66(0)2 656 1003

Paste at The Apsara, Kingkitsarath Road, Ban Wat Sene, Luang Prabang 06000, Laos, +856 71 254 251

The post Review: Paste Bangkok Honours Royal Recipes with Creative Thai Cuisine Worth Celebrating appeared first on Prestige Online - Hong Kong.

Founded in Indonesia, Yacht Sourcing has opened a new Thailand operation, which has already secured new CA charter listings and joined TYBA.

The post Yacht Sourcing’s New Thailand Operation Signs CAs appeared first on LUXUO.