Asia Japan: Pilgrim’s Progress
Learn the ways of the ancient travellers
on a trek following in the footsteps of 9th century Buddhist scholar
and high priest Koho Daishi across the cherry blossomed- landscape of Japan
88
Temple Pilgrimage.
Japanese believers don a byakue (pilgrim)
white coat and conical hat while carrying the traditinal kongotsue walking
stick and nokyocho pilgrim passport, stamped by each shrine along the 88 Temple
Pilgrimage.
This 750- mile trek, looping around Shikoku
Island, the smallest and most sacred of Janpan’s four main islands, is
undertaken by Buddhists to gain wisdom and purity. And Geographic Expeditions
(geoex.com) leads English- speaking journeys following in the foot steps of
early 9th century Buddhist scholar and high priest Koho Daishi. Stay
overnight in some of the fifty shukubo, or temple lodgings, and travel up Mount
Koya to the Wakayama temple complex where Daishi introduced esoteric Shingon
Buddhism to Japan in the Heian Era. The voyage shifts from religious to
romantic along the rugged coast around Cape Ashizuri en route to the remote,
cedar- filled Iya Valley to spent two nights at a 300- year- old wooden
farmhouse meticulously renovated by Lost Japan author Alex Kerr.
Vine
Bridge Of Iya Valley - Tokushima, Japan
At Japan’s subtropical southern extreme,
where even midwinter temperatures hover above 15*C, the seas surrounding
Okinawa’s 160 sun-kissed islands thrive with 40 types of coral and marin life
including five different types of sea turtle. Scuba drivers head to Ishigaki
and Miyako Islands for the manta rays while hammerhead sharks are around
Yonaguni Island.
Between May and Decomber typhoons keep
divers out of the water, but this is the season that attracts international
surders to Japan’s most challenging waves.
Asia
Japan: Pilgrim’s Progress
Up to now, Okinawa- bound travellers have
settled for simple accommodation between surf breaks and reef dives, but that
will change this spring with the opening of the Ritz Carlton Okinawa
(rizcarlton.com) on Ishigaki Island, which will feature three gourmet
restaurants and an ESPA spa.
They will face competition from Hoshinoya
Okinawa (hoshinoyataketomijima.com/en), a formidable Amanresorts- meets-
Japanese ryokan concept hotel, which opens in June
Asia Singapore: Sing for You and Me
The island city of Singapore is greener
than you thnk with luscious rainforest and national parks in abudance
national
parks in abudance
Better known for designer shopping and high
stakes gambling, this island nation offers an unexpected array of outdoor
thrills in natural surroundings. Singapore consists of the main island, 26
miles from west to east and 14 miles from north to south, and 63 surrounding
islands. Waterski, wakeboard and parasail in these smooth waters with William
Water Sports (williamwatersports,com.sg) or let someone else exert themselves
while you sunbathe aboard the yacht Nymphaea, catered by ilLido (il-lido.com),
the most popular Italian restaurant in singapore. Back on land, the 183- acre
Singapore Botanic Gardens (sbg.org.sg) provides from the bustling boutiques of
Orchard Road.
the
National Orchid Garden
A relaxing escape from Singapore’s
equatorial swelter, admission is free to the verdant attractions like the lakes
and the ginger and bonsai gardens, but not if you want to view the 1,000
species and 2,000 hybirds in the National Orchid Garden. Surprisingly green,
singapre even boasts Asia’s only primary rainforest within sity limits at the
Bukit Timah Nature Reserve (nparks.gov.sg/cms). Watch out for forest birds like
the striped tit- babbler, fairy bluebird, drongos and bullbuls on the clearly
marked hiking trails. Keep an eye out also for the resident long- tailed
macaque monkeys.
Sentosa
Island
For more wildlife, head to Sentosa Island,
accessible by road or cable car just half a mile of the southern coast of the
main island. Secondary rainforset covers 70 percent of this four- square mile
island, which is a natural habitat for monitor lzards, monkeys, peacocks and
parrots. Take the official Nature Walk (sentosa.com.sg), a 1.2- mile easy trek
that highlights Sentosa Island’s unique flora (such as the insect- devouring
pitcher plants) as it winds its way up to the summit of mount Imbiak, where you
will see the remnants of a British army fortification. Another conlonial
vestige, an 1880s British military barracks, has been revitalised within the
futuristic wings of Sir Norman Foster’s Capella Singapore
(capellasingapore.com) where 211 elegant guest rooms overlook one of Sentosa’s
gorgeous white sand beaches. Many of the island;s native plats adorn the
courtyards and balconies, adding to the general on tranquility.
