AR 1Intr Dbai-Butn-0-21 V2.indd 1 7/14/09 2:54:44 PM 2 NAMES OF COUNTRY AR 1Intr Dbai-Butn-0-21 V2.indd 2 7/14/09 2:54:46 PM Asian Resorts Bhutan Indonesia Japan Laos Maldives Malaysia Taiwan Thailand UAE photography & text by Akihiko Seki Tuttle Publishing Tokyo • Rutland, Vermont • Singapore AR 1Intr Dbai-Butn-0-21 V2.indd 3 7/14/09 2:54:51 PM Published by Tuttle Publishing, an imprint of Periplus Editions (HK) Ltd., with editorial offi ces at 364 Innovation Drive, North Clarendon, Vermont 05759 USA and 61 Tai Seng Avenue, #02-12, Singapore 534167 Text and photographs copyright © 2009 Akihiko Seki All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without prior written permission from the publisher. Distributed by North America, Latin America & Europe Tuttle Publishing 364 Innovation Drive, North Clarendon VT 05759-9436 USA Tel: 1 (802) 773-8930; Fax: 1 (802) 773-6993 [email protected]; www.tuttlepublishing.com Japan Tuttle Publishing Yaekari Building, 3rd Floor, 5-4-12 Osaki, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo 141 0032 Tel: (81) 03 5437-0171; Fax: (81) 03 5437-0755 [email protected] Asia Pacifi c Berkeley Books Pte. Ltd. 61 Tai Seng Avenue, #02-12, Singapore 534167 Tel: (65) 6280-1330; Fax: (65) 6280-6290 [email protected]; www.periplus.com Indonesia PT Java Books Indonesia Kawasan Industri Pulogadung JI. Rawa Gelam IV No. 9, Jakarta 13930 Tel: (62) 21 4682-1088; Fax: (62) 21 461-0206 [email protected] 12 11 10 09 6 5 4 3 2 1 Printed in Singapore TUTTLE PUBLISHING® is a registered trademark of Tuttle Publishing, a division of Periplus Editions (HK) Ltd. Front endpaper: One & Only Reethi Rah, the Maldives (page 104). Back endpaper: The Oberoi Lombok, Indonesia (page 63). Page 1: Cocoa Island, the Maldives (page 96). Page 2: The Oberoi Lombok, Indonesia (page 63). Pages 4–5: Four Seasons Resort Langkawi, Malaysia (page 122). AR 1Intr Dbai-Butn-0-21 V2.indd 4 7/14/09 2:54:52 PM AR 1Intr Dbai-Butn-0-21 V2.indd 5 7/14/09 2:54:54 PM 6 NAMES OF COUNTRY AR 1Intr Dbai-Butn-0-21 V2.indd 6 7/14/09 2:54:55 PM Contents SIMPLY THE BEST 009 Bhutan UMA PARO Paro 016 Indonesia AMANKILA Bali 022 AYANA RESORT & SPA Bali 028 BAGUS JATI HEALTH AND WELL-BEING RETREAT Bali 034 COMO SHAMBHALA ESTATE at BEGAWAN GIRI Bali 040 LOSARI COFFEE PLANTATION RESORT & SPA Magelang, Java 046 MIMPI RESORT MENJANGAN Bali 052 THE OBEROI BALI Bali 056 THE OBEROI LOMBOK Lombok 062 THE ROYAL PITA MAHA Bali 066 Japan GAJOEN & TENKUH-NO-MORI Kagoshima 072 GOSHO BESSHO Kobe 078 INN SEIRYUSO Shimoda 082 THALASSA SHIMA HOTEL & RESORT Toba 088 Laos MAISON SOUVANNAPHOUM Luang Prabang 092 Maldives COCOA ISLAND Makunufushi Island 096 KANUHURA Lhaviyani Atoll 100 ONE & ONLY REETHI RAH North Malé Atoll 104 THE RANIA EXPERIENCE Maafushi Island 110 Malaysia CAMERON HIGHLANDS RESORT Cameron Highlands 114 CARCOSA SERI NEGARA Kuala Lumpur 118 FOUR SEASONS RESORT LANGKAWI Langkawi 122 PANGKOR LAUT RESORT Perak 128 THE DATAI LANGKAWI Langkawi 132 THE MAGELLAN SUTERA Kota Kinabalu 136 Taiwan SPRING PARK URAI SPA & RESORT Taipei 140 Thailand ANANTARA GOLDEN TRIANGLE RESORT & SPA Chiang Rai 144 BAAN TALING NGAM RESORT & SPA Samui 148 BLUE CANYON COUNTRY CLUB Phuket 152 CHIVA-SOM INTERNATIONAL HEALTH RESORT Hua Hin 150 FOUR SEASONS RESORT CHIANG MAI Chiang Mai 160 MANDARIN ORIENTAL DHARA DHEVI Chiang Mai 166 RAYAVADEE Krabi 172 THE PENINSULA BANGKOK Bangkok 178 THE TONGSAI BAY Samui 182 UAE ONE & ONLY ROYAL MIRAGE Dubai 186 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 192 AR 1Intr Dbai-Butn-0-21 V2.indd 7 7/14/09 2:55:00 PM NAMES OF COUNTRY AR 1Intr Dbai-Butn-0-21 V2.indd 8 7/14/09 2:55:03 PM