Visit California touched down in Vancouver this week with a massive media delegation of 21 partners representing destinations from across the state.
"Western Canada is a really important market for us,†Jennifer Sweeney, Visit California's director of public relations, told PAX, noting that the areas share "proximity and affinity†– for example, with a focus on culinary experiences and outdoor activities…
Docking at the canal-side Amita Thai Cooking Class in Bangkok, I’m greeted by founder Tam Piyawadi Jantrupon and her staff: Soy Sauce the rooster and Basil, a Mynah bird known for his masterful impression of a police siren. There are human staff members here, too, of course, all members of Tam’s family.
This is a family operation through and through. The cooking school is part of a compound of six houses that has been in Tam’s family for three generations – including the house where she was born. She grew up here along the canal when the waterway was the primary form of transport and commerce, and vendors would travel from home to home by boat, selling fruits and vegetables.
The canal is still a site of commerce, but the wares on display are tourist trinkets and Buddha image statues. Longtail boats still navigate the waters, too, but again, they’re primarily a tourist activity rather than a vehicle of everyday life.
In Tam’s compound, though, the old ways are preserved. The extensive herb and spice garden, overflowing with lemongrass, “pea” eggplant, turmeric and more, is a throwback to a time when families had to produce as much food as they could on whatever land they had. (The kaffir lime, she notes, doubles as an excellent hair conditioner.) The recipes maintain the cooking techniques Tam learned as a girl from her aunt and grandmother, both teachers at Thailand’s first home sciences school.
That garden now provides ingredients for the cooking school, where groups of up to 10 guests learn traditional recipes in a half-day, hands-on course that sees them cook themselves a multi-course lunch. For my small class of five, it’s coconut rice with papaya salad, satay with spicy peanut sauce, and green chicken curry in coconut milk (tofu for me, the vegetarian), with a hefty serving of fresh fruit for dessert.
Tam uses the ultra-local ingredients she’s just picked, but as she demonstrates the recipes she suggests alternatives that will be easier to find at home. Instead of local pandanus leaves, home cooks can use wheatgrass or watercress to give flavour and colour to coconut rice. Shredded carrot or cucumber works in place of green papaya in a green papaya salad. This knowledge will come in handy later, since Tam provides each guest with recipe cards to take home and posts some of her recipes on her website.
After watching Tam’s demonstration and tasting the dishes, we head to our own cooking stations, where the ingredients are beautifully laid out, pre-chopped and measured. Still, we need some help to ensure we get the curry’s cooking temperature just right and the ingredients for the papaya salad pounded correctly with mortar and pestle (garlic takes a real whopping, but papaya and cherry tomatoes require a gentler touch). Soon, the cooking is finished, and we’re ushered to a table on a shady terrace set with everything we’ve prepared. It all looks and smells fantastic, and we do our best to eat as much of it as we can, but it’s not long before we’re completely stuffed. We manage to eat a few fresh rambutans (lychee-like fruits) and pineapple for dessert, and then it’s time to say goodbye.
If you go: Amita Thai Cooking Class is located on the Sanam Chai Canal in Bangkok. The 3,000 baht (approx. $110 CDN) cost per person includes hotel pick-up and drop off service and travel in a speedboat from Maharaj Pier to Tam’s compound.
Originally published at FlightNetwork.com
"A wealth of beauty. A huge, hectic place of human experience, colours, cultural elements, art, music, food, celebrations and festivals. An assault on the senses.â€
That's how Cris David, president of Insight Vacations Canada, described India to PAX in an interview ahead of the company's 2016-17 Luxury Gold India program launch in Vancouver last week (April 28)…
Founded in 1296, Chiang Mai is the largest city in northern Thailand and the capital of Chiang Mai Province. Straddling the Ping River and surrounded by old city walls, Chiang Mai is a beauty of a city that offers a peaceful alternative to the hustle and bustle of Bangkok. One day is hardly enough to soak up all that Chiang Mai has to offer, but here’s an action-packed single day itinerary to get the highlights.
Morning
Watch the sun rise over the river, then get head to one of the local temples. Be sure to wear clothing that covers your shoulders and knees, a respectful way of dressing required to enter these sacred spaces.
Start with the visually stunning Wat Phra Singh temple complex, dating to the 14th century. While the main assembly hall (Viharn Luang) is certainly impressive, don’t miss the smaller Viharn Lai Kham hall, where three walls are covered in 19th-century murals illustrating local stories.
Next, head to a “monk chat” at the nearby Wat Chedi Luang, where young monks sit with visitors to talk about Buddhism or any other subject that allows them to practice their English.
Afternoon
Head to the Baan Kang Wat Artists’ Village, where craftspeople live above their shops in a modern and airy community built in the style of a traditional village. Pop into the lovely shops, or stroll to the back of the village to take a look at the garden spilling over with squash and other vegetables. Before you leave, perk yourself up with a Thai coffee at the Old Chiang Mai Café.
If it’s Saturday, head to the Wua Lai Saturday walking street market for some authentic street food and shop for souvenirs, especially woven clothing and textiles made in the traditional style by local Hill Tribes. Bring Thai baht (the local currency) and be sure to haggle.
Night
Head to the Anantara Chiang Mai in time for the evening candle-lighting ceremony featuring traditional Thai dance on the main lawn. Then, stroll past the pool to dinner at The Service 1921 Restaurant and Bar in the riverside colonial house that used to serve as the British consulate. (Ask to take a peek at the private dining room hidden behind a secret bookshelf upstairs.)
After dinner, walk five minutes down the road to the Chiang Mai Night Bazaar. If you’re not shopped out, you can browse the many stalls of merchandise – or, if you’ve already purchased all the treasures your suitcase can hold, get your feet back in shape to do it all again tomorrow with a fish pedicure, where tiny garra rufa nibble away at your dead skin.
A fine day, indeed.
When you think of Arizona, lettuce is probably not top of mind. But the state produces almost all of the leafy greens Americans eat during the winter months, as well as a whole host of other crops, from citrus to garlic and everything in between. In the Greater Phoenix area, plenty of restaurants are building a reputation for maximizing local farmers’ bounty. Here are seven spots in Phoenix and the East Valley to get a taste of what the area’s farm country has to offer.
True Food Kitchen
Serving “honest food that tastes really good” based on anti-inflammatory diet principles, True Food Kitchen currently has locations in 10 states. With a focus on fruits, vegetables and whole grains, there are plenty of vegetarian and vegan options, but omnivores can also tuck into grass-fed beef and sustainable seafood.
In Phoenix: Biltmore Fashion Park, 2502 E Camelback Road, Suite 135
In Scottsdale: 15191 N. Scottsdale Road #101
Flower Child
The motto is “happy food for a healthy world,” a concept reinforced by the owners’ commitment to buying raw ingredients from ranchers who treat their animals (and plants) right. That means meat from naturally raised animals and organic produce that adheres to the guidelines set by the Environmental Working Group. Wash it all down with kombucha on tap.
In Phoenix: 5013 N 44th Street or 100 East Camelback Road
In Scottsdale: 10460 N. 90th Street
TQLA
Named one of the best tequila bars by USA Today, and offering tequilas on tap and tequila flights (in addition to extra-aged tequilas chosen by a certified tequilier – yes, that’s a thing), TQLA offers plenty of ways to be naughty. But there’s plenty of nice here, too, with locally sourced, organic ingredients cooked over a local mesquite-wood-fired grill.
In Mesa: Dana Park Shopping Center, 1840 S Val Vista Drive
Joe’s Farm Grill at Agritopia
At Joe’s Farm Grill, the produce literally comes from across the road. Part of the Agritopia master-planned agricultural community, this popular diner incorporates ingredients from the farm right on site. The menu’s not particularly focused on healthy eats – the motto “common food done uncommonly well” is highlighted in the list of burgers, ribs and pizza – but there’s an extensive salad list and a sign to advise which ingredients are currently in season and picked right on the farm.
In Gilbert: 3000 East Ray Road
Arizona Wilderness Brewing Co.
With ales crafted from heritage wheat grown at the local Sossaman Farms and milled at Hayden Flour Mills, the first brewery in Gilbert, AZ, offers local drinking as well as local eating. Every Wednesday, there’s a local food special showcasing ingredients from the region’s farms to round out the farm-to-table experience.
In Gilbert: 721 N. Arizona Avenue #103
Dinner Down the Orchard at Schnepf Farms
On two dates each spring, the largest peach grower in Arizona sets a long table in the middle of the organic orchard with white linen tablecloths and plenty of mood lighting. A top local chef showcases ingredients from the farm and other local producers in each evening’s four-course meal. (Note: The second of this year’s events is coming up on April 30.)
In Queen Creek: 24610 South Rittenhouse Road
Eatery at Queen Creek Olive Mill
Arizona’s climate makes it perfect for growing olives, but this is the state’s only working olive farm. The site-pressed extra virgin olive oil features prominently on the menu, showing up as a prime ingredient in waffles and cupcakes as well as savoury items like sandwiches, salads and pizza.
In Queen Creek: 25062 S. Meridian Road
Representatives from the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism met with travel media in Vancouver yesterday to showcase the many new developments in the archipelago nation.
Grand Bahama and Nassau are "the most popular and populous islands,†said Paul A. Strachan, director, Canada for the Bahamas Tourist Office, but the ministry is working to create more awareness of the Out Islands. That means a new niche marketing strategy, with various islands specializing in deep-sea diving, bird watching or fly fishing, for example…
Vancouverites surfed Australia's Gold Coast and watched the sun set over Sydney Harbour this weekend, all without getting on a plane. These were two of the 17 immersive experiences at Virtual Australia by Air New Zealand, a first-of-its-kind pop-up virtual reality exhibit presented as part of a three-year partnership between the airline and Tourism Australia…
Read the rest at PAXnewsWest.com
There may be no image of Hawaii’s Garden Isle more iconic than the 27-kilmometre stretch of rippling green cliffs along the island’s north shore. Kauai’s Napali Coast is a staple of postcards, travel guides and Instagram feeds. No visit to the island is complete without at least one look, but you can’t get there by car.
“There’s no road to get there,” says Peggy Sowl of Outfitters Kauai “You can’t see it unless you go out and do something fun.”
Here, we explore three ways to experience this very special place.
By Sea: Catamaran or Kayak
A sail along the Napali Coast is not for the faint of stomach, but it is an impressive way to get a close-up view of the cliffs – and the area’s rich ocean life. It’s not unusual for dolphins to play in the wake of the boat, or for huge sea turtles to paddle slowly by. From December to May, you can add humpback whales to the list, as they come to the area to mate and give birth each winter. If you’re adventurous, hop onto the netting at the front on the catamaran for a wild ride – but hold on tight and be prepared to come away with sore elbows from bouncing and sore cheeks from laughing.
If conditions are right, those looking for a challenge can take a guided kayak tour of the coast. Be warned, though, this is a tough paddle and should not be attempted on your own. Book a tour with an experienced local company to stay safe.
By Sky: Hop a Chopper
Seeing the Napali cliffs from above gives a real sense of their impressive scale. But the best part of a helicopter tour is the chance to see the deep green valleys behind the shoreline, complete with waterfalls at practically every turn. Rainbows, too, are a common sight, including double and even triple arches best seen, of course, on cloudy days.
“I’ve flown helicopters in every state west of Mississippi,” says Paul Mateo, chief pilot at Safari Helicopters. “Places people dream about. This is the best. If I didn’t have to concentrate on what I’m doing, I’d be crying like a baby.”
By Sole: Hike the Kalalau Trail
Ninety per cent of Kauai’s land is inaccessible by road, making hiking a prime activity for view-seekers across the island. Only one trail winds its way along the Napali Coast: the challenging 18-kilometre Kalalau Trail. A round-trip would be too much for one day, so those dedicated enough to hike the whole thing camp on the beach for at least one night. (Note: You’ll need a permit to hike past Hanakapiai Valley or to camp.)
Those who want to sample of the trail without having to carry camping gear can explore the first three kilometres, from Kee Beach to Hanakapiai Beach. You’ll hit the first viewpoint after about half an hour of hiking. If you want support and guidance along the trail, connect with a local guide.
“All guides love showing off what we get to experience on a daily basis,” says Kelly Corbett, lead guide with Kayak Kauai, adding that guides ensure the trail is respected and minimize visitors’ impact on the land.
Originally published at FlightNetwork.com
I co-authored a report on this five-star Mexican resort with PAX Magazine’s Michael Pihach for the latest issue.
"May this be a very energetic, active and happy new year!â€
The Hong Kong Tourism Board's Karisa Lui offered those wishes for the Year of the Monkey as she welcomed members of the travel industry to a sumptuous celebratory banquet at Victoria Chinese Restaurant in Vancouver last night…