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The Independent
02-05-2025
- The Independent
Say hello to the Seychelles: breathtaking beaches, tropical landscapes and rare wildlife, discover the perfect island for your idyllic getaway
Made up of 115 islands and atolls, the Seychelles is blessed with some of the most incredible biodiversity on the planet. Wherever you go, endless white powder sands and turquoise waters encase lush forests that are home to rare plants and endangered creatures. The archipelago lies off the coast of Africa and is a merging of cultures and cuisines, and home to friendly locals and luxury resorts. So how do you choose the right island for you when there is so much on offer? Worry not, we've rounded up some of the best for you. Big town energy in Mahé Home to the buzzy capital of Victoria, the largest island of the Seychelles is a good place to base yourself, whether you're keen on island-hopping or you prefer to stay put in one part of paradise. The main town offers a taste of local life – visit the harbour, museums, famous clock tower, French colonial buildings and the magnificently decorated Hindu Temple. Fill up on a mix of Creole dishes and French-influenced pastries, with a visit to the renowned Marie Antoinette restaurant a must. Finally, head to the Botanical Gardens for a stroll around its lush environs, which boast 500 different species of plants, including 40 different palms and a variety of exotic fruits. Leave the capital behind for the lush greenery of Morne Seychellois National Park, which you can drive or hike through, looking out for rare birds, bats and giant tortoises along the way. Make a day of exploring Mahé's powder-soft beaches: choose from the busy vibrancy at Beau Vallon, secluded and scenic Petite Anse or Anse Royale, snorkelling at Anse Soleil, or Anse Intendance for a good mix of everything. Book into the luxury Constance Ephélia to be really spoiled, as the resort's hilly, leafy surrounds are sandwiched between two breathtaking beaches. Check little ones into the Constance Children's Club before winding down at the resort's tropical spa – one of the best in the Seychelles. Be at one with nature in Praslin A 15-minute domestic flight from the main island sits the blissful utopia that is Praslin, a magnet for nature lovers who want to explore the vast primeval forest of Vallée de Mai. So impressive is the flora and fauna here it's been awarded UNESCO World Heritage Site status, and the site is home to both the protected Coco de Mer palm tree and the endangered Seychelles black parrot, which can't be found anywhere in the world but Praslin or neighbouring Curieuse Island. Make a home-from-home in one of the 86 idyllic villas with private pools at Raffles Seychelles. The five-star resort is nestled between a tropical hillside and the ivory sands of the beautiful Anse Takamaka Beach. Here you can experience the turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean through many of the watersports or diving on offer, or choose to rejuvenate at the award-winning spa, complete with yoga pavilion and beauty salon. If you can tear yourself away from the five restaurants and bars at the resort, head to Cote d'Or beach to one of the family-run restaurants serving Creole dishes such as parrotfish or octopus curry. The beach is also great for snorkelling and exploring secluded coves and inlets. Make time to pop over to the picture-perfect granite boulders and azure waters of Anse Lazio beach, which has deservedly been included in numerous 'World's best beach' lists. Praslin is also a good base for island hopping to nearby Cousin, Curieuse, St. Pierre, La Digue, Chauve Souris and Aride islands. Book yourself onto an island trip via catamaran, leaving from Raffles' Anse Takamaka Beach. Savour untouched paradise in Silhouette Island For those looking for a slower pace of life, or a hidden idyll, then Silhouette Island will tick all your boxes. Here over 90 per cent of the land is a protected national park and the surrounding waters are a Marine park. A handful of houses and the Hilton Seychelles Labriz Resort & Spa occupy the only bit of land that doesn't form part of the virgin rainforest that surrounds Mount Dauban – the second highest peak in the Seychelles. Fortunately, this small area includes a pristine, stretching shore that slopes into gentle crystalline waters. Set a few steps from the sand, the secluded haven of The Hilton Seychelles offers everything you'll need while you're cut blissfully off from the world. From luxury villas with sea views or mountain vistas to the Eforea Spa and eight dining options that include multiple Asian and Mediterranean restaurants. Don't miss the local dishes at the resort's Grann Kaz – cooking up and celebrating the island's Creole heritage. Silhouette Island is accessible by boat or helicopter, and perfect for watersports including snorkelling and diving at the Labriz Dive Center. The reefs teem with a variety of fish, and some of the quieter beaches are breeding grounds for green turtles. And naturally, exploring the national park, regarded as one of the most important biodiversity hotspots in the Indian Ocean, is a must. Take on the many criss-crossing hiking trails and spot native birds, bats and geckos. Don't miss La Digue and Sainte Anne Island While it's impossible to get around all of the islands, here are two worth checking out on a day trip or as part of a boat tour. La Digue, a short trip from Praslin, is home to the world famous Anse la Source d'Argent beach where the scenery is so breathtaking, it's hard to believe it's real. The island is mostly navigated by bike, so cycle from one beach to the next, taking time to see traditional crafts at Union Estate and rare birds and terrapins at La Digue Vev Special Reserve. A quick boat ride from Mahé, and a worthwhile visit, is Ste. Anne Island, which along with five other islands, make up the Sainte Anne Marine National Park. The island's numerous coral reefs are home to sea turtles and dolphins, while back on terra firma, you can explore dazzling beaches or hike a network of trails that show off more of the Seychelles much-cherished biodiversity.
Forbes
01-05-2025
- Forbes
Adventure—And Quiet—Awaits At The End Of The Road In Tahiti
At the end of the road on Tahiti Iti, the smaller island of Tahiti that hangs from Tahiti Nui like the tail of a fish, lies a singular kind of getaway. Aimatarii and Hitinui Levy's airy guesthouse is built on land that Hitinui's family has owned for generations. Called A Hi'o To Mou'a, its back porch looks out on soaring jungled peaks and sea birds diving on shrimp ponds. The front porch, with its long breakfast table where Aimatarii serves her guests fresh fruit, juice, eggs, and Tahitian donuts, offers glimpses of the ocean across the road. It's the kind of place that invites a slowing down, island style. Teahupo'o sits on the shores of a calm lagoon. Just a year ago, Teahup'o, where the Levy's live, was buzzing with excitement. This sleepy rural town had blasted onto the international map as the site of the 2024 Olympic surf competition. Now it's quiet: the little beach on the lagoon is empty save for the dogs that wander Teahup'o's streets, a chicken or two, and some locals alternating between socializing and offering the handful of tourists boat rides past the reef to see the famous wave. The roar of it can be heard breaking on the outer reef. It's a fitting soundtrack for the monuments to Tahiti's surfing lore that line the new waterfront bridge put in for the Olympics. The Levys not only had front-row seats to the competition; their family hosted Team USA for it. Nods to surfing lore are everywhere around Teahupo'o's waterfront. Hitinui grew up in the house across the street on the ocean, surfing, rowing, and fishing. He moved to the capital, Papeete, and worked an office job for years. But he wanted to live closer to the natural world again, and a few years ago, came back home and built the guest house. He became a hiking guide to take guests and other tourists on adventure outings along Tahiti's wild southern coast, and Aimatarii took on running A Hi'o To Mou'a. Guests here get their own spacious, white-tiled room and bathroom full of tropical plants, and a private slice of patio with a jaw-dropping view of the mountains. While guests can join Hitinui for a guided hike—an option highly recommended to get to spots difficult for tourists to access on their own, and to hear his stories of this place—DIY adventure options abound here, too. Just across the bridge, friendly reef snorkeling offers a swim around bright coral, electric blue clams, rays, eels, and a dazzling array of fish. The Levys have a glass-bottomed kayak guests can take out paddling when the lagoon is calm. And a path on their property leads up toward the mountains, through a riot of flowering trees and a herd of white horses that Hitinui's mother tends, to a high tumbling waterfall. The A Hi'o To Mou'a guest house backs up to high jungled mountains. The Levys built A Hi'o To Mou'a with an enormous open kitchen in the center of the house; they both love cooking. Hitinui offers cooking lessons in the French-influenced Polynesian dishes that make the food here internationally famous—complete with foraging for faa'a, akin to wild spinach, and teaching guests how to shuck, halve, and grate coconuts. He makes shucking a coconut, on a spike in the front yard, look easy. But for the uninitiated, it's an almost comically difficult and lengthy process. Hitinui can do it in ten seconds flat. And then both Aimatarii and Hitinui are generous with sharing both their company and their stories while guests eat their meal on the covered porch with its flash of the sea. If you're looking for a slice of Tahiti that's peaceful, welcoming, with just the right amount of adventure of your choosing, it's here at the end of the road in Teahopo'o. The Levys on the patio of their guest house in Teahupo'o.
CNA
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- CNA
Celebrity food travels: Class 95 DJ and musician Rai's top places to eat in Ho Chi Minh City
Musician and Class 95 DJ Rai Kannu's love for Ho Chi Minh City is evident in the fact that he's visited the Vietnamese metropolis four times since pandemic travel restrictions were lifted. He's even learned to say 'Happy new year' in Vietnamese. In this city that's 'a proportionate mix of order and chaos', 'I love that you get the best of all worlds there, from streetside fare and humble food shops to more sophisticated, French-influenced offerings,' he said. He's also played gigs here, where he discovered an audience comprising an eclectic mix of Vietnamese youths who love grunge music and teachers from all over the world. 'We did have a few people up on the tables of Yoko Cafe, banging their heads fervently to our encore track by Rage Against The Machine,' he recalled. Off-work, the joy of travel for Rai is in long walks, soaking in the culture and dining where the locals do. Although he's 'one those who can be categorised under 'eats to live',' he said, 'I do enjoy quality food and drink. I'd like to think I know what is good and what is not.' For affordable accommodation, he recommends Hammock Hotel, where 'the rooms are chic and cosy. They have beds – you don't need to sleep in the hammocks – but what I loved about it was the 24-hour pantry with a free flow of drinks all stocked up in a fridge, beer included.' His travel tip for discovering the city is to 'break your journey up into parts. It's no point exploring different districts far apart from each other in a short span of time. Plonk yourself somewhere – District 1 is a good start – and walk your way to every nook and cranny you can find. You'll uncover your own little gem collection of banh mi, pho and egg coffee, as well as art, history and culture.' Here are his top recommendations for food and drink in Ho Chi Minh City. BUN THIT NUONG CHA GIO I've been here regularly since I first discovered it, and no, there is no menu. You just order according to how many bowls you want. Bun thịt nuong is a popular Vietnamese dish of cold rice vermicelli topped with grilled pork and fresh herbs like basil, mint and veggies. The bun thit is cooked streetside, beneath a rustic building, and you sit across the road, along an uneven pavement, on plastic chairs with legs half sawn off. Quite like squatting with some support. I don't know if it helps the crowd to move along since one can't sit back and relax, but the pork is sublime and you don't really need to find another spot to have this dish. PHU VUONG PHO Simple. Basic. Hearty. That's all you need to look for when having one of Vietnam's most popular offerings. I always have the mixed bowl, because a pho is not a pho unless you have everything in it, tripe included. A no-frills place with reasonably priced pho. HUM GARDEN I found this spot because I was planning for a more elegant date night – a place with dim lights, clean food and good service. I highly endorse Hum Garden especially when you are looking for vegetarian fare that is fresh and cooked to traditional tastes, containing a slightly modern twist. All the veggies are sourced directly from farmers too. I'd five-star this place in a heartbeat because it fulfilled all that I was looking for, and greens never tasted better. One of my favourites was the steamed brown rice with purple yam, lotus seeds and peas. Even something as simple as stir-fried chayote with peanuts was mind-blowing! YOKO CAFE I am particularly biased to Yoko Cafe because I have performed a few times there with my grunge tribute band DYRT, and done some open mic sessions as well. Simply put, it's a dive bar with music. That's probably the best way to describe the place. The decor reminds me of the legendary Crazy Elephant at Clarke Quay – rustic and woody with a mix of high and low tables and chairs. From what I know, they don't have a particular regular band but instead they do lots of showcases, open mics and jams. As a musician, I'm glad they know how to set up a good sound system, and coming from the frontman of a band playing 90s grunge, that helps a lot! One for those who enjoy the gritty, indie singer-songwriter type feels. Primary objective: Drink beer, watch bands. KRYSTALINI HIDDEN COCKTAIL BAR Getting here is a mini adventure in itself. It's located in a more commercial area of the city, but the hunt to find the place is almost like marching up People's Park Complex in Chinatown, and getting lost while you're at it. The musty smells of an old stairwell accompany your trek to Krystalini, but once you're there, it's a small, plush, yet cosy little hideout with friendly bar staff ready to make you your fix or fixes for the night. I wanted something with a bit of a kick in the butt so I went for a Golden Glow, which had bourbon, Fireball whisky, amaretto, lime juice, Angostura bitters and a touch of cinnamon. Spiced, tasty and definitely strong enough.
Boston Globe
18-04-2025
- Business
- Boston Globe
At Somerville's Café Saint Germain, the chef talks to his French onion soup
'I fell in love right away with the city, on the very first day, the European charm. It was older, a small town with big-city energy,' he recalls. He happened upon He went on to open well-regarded bistros such as Advertisement Assorted cured meats at Café Saint-Germain in Somerville. Erin Clark/Globe Staff 'I can't help but to open restaurants, I don't know what's wrong with me,' he says, amiably. The Café Saint-Germain location was formerly called PRB Boulangerie, but Le Garrec decided to pivot to a café and restaurant instead, complete with a liquor license, obtained last year. This reiteration opened in January, with drinks. Advertisement 'Once we got a legal license, it was a great start. It's a good location. There's a lot of people walking from Harvard and Inman Square, day and night, with a nice wine shop across the street — and Dali, the Spanish restaurant that's been there forever,' he says. 'At first, we had a hard time. We didn't make enough noise here when we opened with social media, and I didn't do much publicity. I think people are still discovering us.' Beef bourguignon at Café Saint-Germain in Somerville. Erin Clark/Globe Staff Plenty of people have, though; on a recent weekday lunchtime visit, the sunny space is full of folks who appear to have nowhere special to go. What to eat : Wander to the chalkboard and browse the day's wares: The café opens at 7 a.m. daily, with baked goods like croissants and brownies brought in from Le Garrec's PRB Boulangerie in Kendall Square, and then rolls into lunchtime with ham and cheese baguettes; brie slathered with cranberry jam; and smoked salmon. Soon, he'll begin to serve brunch in a box, ideal for picnics: pastries, eggs, bacon, orange juice, and coffee. 'It's a cool concept that's been working really well in Paris lately,' he says, the brainchild of 28-year-old chef Samuel Aizier, who trained in Belgium and France. Le Garrec brought him over from his late, lamented South End restaurant, Marseilles, a place that Le Garrec, then stretched thin with many restaurants, still waxes nostalgic for. Restaurateur Loic Le Garrec sits at a table in his new Somerville restaurant, Café Saint-Germain. Erin Clark/Globe Staff At 4 p.m., dinner commences: escargot, coq au vin, the beef bourguignon, steak frites, and his personal favorite: French onion soup. 'It's to die for. The chef cooks it with little brandy, a little white wine, some of these bone sauces that he makes. I think he talks to the onions while they're simmering,' he says. Advertisement On Monday and Tuesday nights, dip in for $38 unlimited French small plates, like beef tartare and mushroom croquettes. A selection of tapas showcases Café Saint-Germain's French-influenced small plates in Somerville. Erin Clark/Globe Staff What to drink : A vast swath of French wines; chalkboard specials like boulevardiers and a fig old-fashioned; plus lattes, cappuccinos, and double espressos, available hot or iced. The takeaway : A hospitable, civilized neighborhood sanctuary that's settling into a groove. A free parking lot next door sweetens the scene. 118 Beacon St., Somerville, Kara Baskin can be reached at
