When I first set eyes on Taprobane Island I had no idea that a few years into the future I’d become friends with its owner, an expat British businessman who lives in Colombo and Hong Kong. At that time, I didn’t even know someone could actually own this fantasy vision that I glimpsed while driving down…
Bye Bye, Fear of Frying, at the Four Seasons Chiang Mai Thai Cooking School
“Nine is a lucky number in Thai culture,” our cooking class coordinator said as we stood in the crisp morning sunlight in front of the wooden spirit house at the Four Seasons Chiang Mai’s Rim Tai Kitchen Cooking Academy. “So I give you nine incense sticks and ask you to join me in the Thai…
When Phoneless is Fabulous – Try the Digital Detox Retreat at Mandarin Oriental Tokyo
I wasn’t much of a digital addict until I started working from home and consequently started spending less time with real people and more time with cyber people. And I used to get on social media only when sitting at my desk on the computer. But after I started following various international news feeds on Facebook, consuming all…
Where moon massage, mystic mantras, and Theta healing meet Garudas galore – Hotel Tugu Spa Bali
I’d heard of the Hotel Tugu Bali long before I went there, and always spoken in tones of admiration. ‘Tugu’ and ‘beautiful’ were always mentioned together, as in: “Tugu! It’s gorgeous!”, “The whole place is filled with antiques! And it’s right on the beach!”, everyone gushed. Yes gushed. People always seem to get excited when they talk about…
In Search of Man-Eaters of Kumaon – Corbett Tiger Reserve, India
I went by elephant and by jeep, and nobody was eaten alive. That’s because nobody tried to eat us. Mention animal safaris, animals in the wild, and most people think African safari, but I love visiting the tiger reserves of India. And there are actually quite a few of them. India was once a land teeming…
Barefoot Luxe Promotion – GET EXPERT INSIGHTS FROM LUXURY TRAVEL LEADERS
Four Seasons, Six Senses, Virgin Galactic and other leaders in luxury travel & lifestyle are set to join New York Times editors Monica Drake, Sam Sifton and Ching-Ching Ni at its Luxury Travel conference this December 1-2 in Singapore, rounding out its stellar program of events. This invitation-only event will explore innovative ways that the…
Where to Relive Bangkok’s Old Town Charm – The Asadang Historic B&B
Bangkok’s historic Grand Palace district is the place to be right now if you’re in the Thai capital. A small heritage B&B offers old-time charm just a short walk from the city’s grandest spectacle. Thailand is experiencing the most heartbreaking event ever known to Thai people, the passing the world’s longest reigning and most greatly beloved monarch, HM the late King…
LET THEIR CUPS RUNNETH OVER – Why Blue Elephant Bangkok Goes Pink for October
Think Pink – October is World Breast Cancer Awareness Month As I say in my About Moi page, good health is a luxury easily taken for granted – until you lose it. If you have your good health intact, think about helping someone who’s lost theirs and is in need of support. Here’s a worthy cause if…
Where Abs Get Fab Among the Rice Paddies – Four Seasons Sayan Bali Spa & Yoga
Giant turtle or new age cathedral? Neither. As soon as I saw the photo of the new bamboo yoga shala at the Four Seasons Sayan Bali, I knew I had to go there. To me, this fantasy structure was yet another enticing vision of the enchanting things that always lure me back to Bali. Located in…
Barefoot Luxe Promotion – The New York Times Luxury Travel Conference
On December 1 & 2 in Singapore, The New York Times Luxury Travel Conference will bring together global thought leaders at a crucial summit to explore the future of luxury travel and tourism and provide insights and solutions on how to deliver “Experiences beyond Expectations.” The conference provides a unique opportunity to access insider knowledge…
Barefoot Luxe is delighted to partner & sponsor the NEW YORK TIMES LUXURY TRAVEL CONFERENCE
Apply to attend via Barefoot Luxe with our special promotion code and receive a 20% discount off all packages. This December, The New York Times brings together global thought leaders at a crucial summit to explore the future of luxury travel! New York Times journalists and influencers from the worlds of travel, hospitality, technology, retail, fine…
Tomb Waiter – Dream Dining Amid the Ruins at Angkor Wat, Cambodia
At Angkor Wat, where a lost civilization once feasted under the stars, you can too. Just add butler. Here’s how … In recent years, I’ve been hearing of private parties and chi-chi events held amongst the ruins at Cambodia’s Angkor Wat, a Unesco World Heritage Site. Yes gala dinners, jet-set party people frolicking amid the…
3 Best Affordable Wellness & Spa Retreats in Thailand
Psssst! … Guess what! You don’t have to pay big bucks for a wellness & spa escape any more – if you know where to find it. And I’m telling you here. These are the newest and nicest wellness retreats with the most affordable, professional spa offerings you can find in Thailand! Whenever I see the bill to…
Where Turtles Lay Eggs, and Nobody Knows – A Secret Black Sand Beach in Bali
On a secret black sand beach in Bali, turtles lay their eggs, and nobody knows… Many complain that Bali is ruined – commercialized, over-run by invading tourist hordes, group package tours, beach cowboys, and shaggy souvenir shacks blocking the view of the postcard-perfect rice terraces that the world comes to see. That may be true, but it’s a big…
Tropical Hangover Healer-Tamarind Springs Forest Spa, Koh Samui, Thailand
Feeling groggy and sluggish? A fantastic Thai herbal steam cave in a lush coconut grove offers a healing herb mist that clears the fog in your head. Tamarind Springs Forest Spa on the laid-back island of Koh Samui in southern Thailand is the first spa I wrote about at the start of my career as…
In Kiddie Wonderland, a Soothing Sanctuary for Mum & Dad at Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel
People were astonished to hear that I was going to the Hong Kong Disneyland spa. Why? Weird part number one: I don’t have kids and have no reason to be running around with giant mice and ducks. Weird part number two: Hong Kong Disneyland has a luxury spa?! At any rate, it wasn’t really my…
On the Rishikesh Yoga Trail, Beatles Ashram, & Ananda in the Himalayas Palace Wellness Retreat, India
Where best to start learning yoga? At its birthplace in India, of course. Little did I know I was on the Beatles trail in Rishikesh… I’ve been a yoga fan for a long time now, but there was once an unhappy, blurry Time Before Yoga when I didn’t know what it was and wasn’t interested. That was…
Supermodel Tips to Eat, Play, Shop Bangkok: Q&A with Asia Top Model Cindy Sirinya Bishop
Do you love shopping and eating in Bangkok? So does the whole world. Where do the real Bangkok insiders go for the best Thai fashion, specialty shops, great Thai and international food and coolest bars? Ultimate fashion insider and Thailand’s top model Cindy Sirinya Bishop shares her favourite places for the best of Bangkok fashion, food and fun. In her native…
Inner Cleanse for an Outer Glow – My Surprising Detox Retreat at Samahita Koh Samui, Thailand
When it comes to food, I’m no angel. I’m blissfully happy indulging my palate with things that are bad for me. Succulent beef burgers, crispy bacon, fresh pasta, fried chicken wings, and delicate puff pastry are things I find it hard to say no to. The cruelest way to torture me would be to separate me from…
FOLLOW BAREFOOT LUXE!
Jump Right In! It feels delicious in here! JOIN & GET – NEW INSIDER TIPS ON SECRET DELIGHTFUL PLACES, BEST HEALTH RESORTS & WELLNESS RETREATS, LUCKY LUXURY PRIZE GIVEAWAYS !
A New Future Rises From a Family’s Abandoned Past – Baan Pra Nond, Bangkok B&B
What happens when dream and coincidence intersect? When an old family photo surfaces, she never expected to see the house she had dreamed of for years… Not long ago when mini-boutique hotels were quite the trend on the Bangkok scene, I started hearing about a new little bed & breakfast hotel called Baan Pra Nond,…
On a Beach in Sri Lanka, Ancient Healing Treats Modern Ills – Barberyn Reef Ayurveda Resort
Everyone has a third eye. Yes, you have one too. Thankfully you can’t see it. Here’s how to take care of this important energy point in your body… A third eye may sound like something you’d rather keep hidden in the genetic skeleton closet, like a sixth finger or third nipple, but it’s an important…
10 Top Spas, Detox & Wellness Retreats in Asia
For the latest info, see my 2018 Top 10 Wellness Destinations in Asia list here Looking for the best places to detox, lose weight, de-stress, get fit, do yoga, and be a better, healthier you? Here are some of the best health resorts in Asia … When people hear that I write spa books and am a judge for the regional AsiaSpa Awards, they…
Biking Phuket’s Surprising Back Roads in Mai Khao
Oh give me a zone…where the buffalo roam…where the beer and the nightlife don’t play… I like lazing on the beach as much as the next person, especially when there’s a waiter with crisp chilled pineapple near by, but sometimes one feels the need to get out and poke around a bit. Biking always brings me back to my carefree childhood, and…
BAREFOOT LUXE - Blog Asia luxury travel, best spas & wellness, top hotels, resorts, barefoot luxury lifestyle 