5 October 2012

Experiential

Katy Perry rocks F1

The Queenstown Trail

5 UnUsUal sports in MacaU

Experience wildlife at National Ruaha Park

Podium Lounge 2012

2 27 June 2012

ContentsMacau - Off the Beaten Path 4

Queenstown biking scene shifts up a gear for summer season 6

Experience nature in the remote Ruaha National Park 7

She kissed a boy... And we liked it 8

F1 afterparty Podium Lounge thrills visitors yet again 9

Publisher Raymond Wong

James Chen Nabila GohBelle Cheng Shawn Lui

Web Sam Soh Ophilia Leung

Eve Wee

Asia Xclusives Pte Ltd

James ChenEditor, Asia Travel Exclusivesjames.chen@asiaxclusives.com

Experiential Travel Xclusives 5 October 2012

EXPERIENTIAL TRAVEL

In this issue of Experiential Travel Xclusives, we take you to Macau and rugged it out with 5 unusual sports! Learn about the newest 110km biking trail in Queenstown, or experience Africa’s second largest national park.

Lastly, don’t forget to take in how Katy Perry rocked the F1 Night Race 2012 and the extravagant Podium Lounge.

Happy reading!

Editor’s Speak

Subscribe to our

FREE magazine

4 27 June 2012Experiential Travel Xclusives 5 October 2012

FEATUREEXPERIENTIAL TRAVEL

MacaU – off the Beaten pathFrom bungee jumping to Greyhound racing, here are 5 unusual sports to try out in Macau.

BY Nabila Goh

5

27 J

une

2012

Expe

rien

tial

Tra

vel X

clus

ives

5 O

ctob

er 2

012

FEATURE EXPERIENTIAL TRAVEL

AJ Hackett Macau TowerNot for the faint hearted, this is currently the world’s highest bungy jump at 233 meters, 61 levels o! the ground. Guests will free fall at a speed of up to 200 km/h for 4-5 seconds before re-bounding up at nearly 30 meters above the ground. You’ll be re-warded with the breath-taking view of Macau and South China. Not to mention a sense of accomplishment for being in the very exclusive club of people who have dared to bungy jumped. Night jumping is also available but those interested are advised to book in advance.

Skywalk X is a thrill-seeking walk for those who want to see what it feels like to be walking outside a tower that is 233 meters above the ground with a path that’s only 1.8 meters wide. Without any handrails. Don’t worry; you’ll be in good hands as AJ Hackett has a 100 % safety record.

Fisherman’s Wharf War Game Arena"is is Macau’s newest combat sport arena. Similar to paintball, plastic pellets are shot using BB airguns that resemble war weap-onry. "e 3 combat games allow participants to show o! their shooting skills by shooting at the enemy. Participants would also get to deploy their own troops. Small groups or individuals can also join in the fun as there are soldiers stationed there to join your team. It is better to play this in the evening, as it is easier to hide from the enemy in the darkness. "is activity is ideal for family bonding or corporate exercises as it builds team spirit and de-stresses you at the same time. All participants are equipped with safety gear and the guns are fully tested beforehand to en-sure that it is working.

CanidromeKnown to the locals as Yat Yuen, this is Asia’s premier Grey-hound racing arena. Built in the 1930s, the race still attracts a crowd of both locals and tourists. Greyhound races are held on Monday, "ursday, Saturday and Sunday at 7.30pm. "ere are 16 races a night, and in each race there would be six to eight dogs chasing a mechanical rabbit around the track at speeds of up to 60km/h. If you’re up for a di!erent kind of gaming experience, be sure to check the Canidrome out!

Hac Sa BeachHac Sa means Black Sand Beach it is the largest natural beach in Macau. "e beach itself is about 4 kilometers long with many res-taurants and bars along the beach. For the water lovers, there is a Sports and Recreation complex that rents out windsurf boards and paddle boats all day. Windsur#ng is a popular sport in a Ma-cau and you’ll be able to #nd many windsurf enthusiasts there.

Macau Motor Sports Club"is is the only kart-racing circuit in both Hong Kong and Ma-cau. It attracts motorsport enthusiast who want to try go-karting along the 1.2km-long, 10m-wide track. With 10 corners of vary-ing tightness and di$culty, this circuit is a challenge even to experienced go-karters. "ere is also plenty of space for driver to make skilled passes. You can either rent the 200cc kart for a ten- minute session or the 270 CC 2 -seater karts for the adrenalin junkies. "e club is also fully stocked with safety gear from the helmets to the waterproof clothing for rainy days.

FEATURE

Subs

cribe

to ou

r

FREE

magazi

ne

6 27 June 20125 October 2012Experiential Travel Xclusives

EXPERIENTIAL TRAVEL

Queenstown biking scene shifts up a gear for summer season

BY BELLE CHENG

A new network of trails is launching next month in Queenstown, as it a ‘must visit’ destination for international biking. "e 110 km Queenstown Trail will be launched on 18 October 2012, and it is be-ing hailed as one of the country’s %agship trails and is one of 18 projects deemed as a ‘New Zealand Great Ride’.

"e trail will run alongside pristine rivers, lakes and mountain ranges and con-nect through Wakatipu Basin, Gibbston ‘valley of vines’, Arrowtown, Lake Hayes, Frankton and Queenstown Bay.

Cyclists can choose to complete the full multi-day ride or spend a day or even an hour exploring parts of the trail which is #lled with alpine scenery and easy ac-cess to iconic Queenstown experiences including bungy jumping, jet boating and wine tasting.

"e summer season is de#nitely heating up for bike enthusiasts, with more up-coming key biking trails reopening around the region.

"e Southern Hemisphere’s only gondola-accessed downhill mountain biking o$cially kicks o! this Saturday, 29 September, when Skyline recommences its

gondola service to the Queenstown Bike Park. "e park features more than 30 km of purpose-built tracks catering for families to pro-riders. "e li&, which allows bikes to be hooked onto the gondola and carried up to the Park, has been a huge hit and transported more than 10,000 riders last year.

Along the western shores of Lake Wakatipu, the popular Walter Peak backcountry trail will reopen on 23rd October, which includes a 45-minute cruise aboard the historic TSS Earnslaw steamship. "e 55 km one-day ride is the #rst stage of the ‘Around the Mountains’ trail being developed as part of the National Cycleways project. It comes with a new premium #ve day/four night guided ride set to launch within the next year.

Biking season continues with the multi-lap relay mountain bike event ‘8 hours@Jacks’ on 8 December, followed by the Motatapu 47km High Country Mountain Bike Ride on 9 March 2009. "e Queenstown Bike Festival is back for its third year at Easter (22 March-1 April) with an action-packed festival programme of events including the Slopestyle, SuperD Enduro race, and the Tour de Wakatipu.

“Local operators have recognised the importance of being cycle-friendly and have o!ered a range of services to make it as easy as possible for visitors. "ere’s now a bike assembly area at Queenstown Airport, a range of bike tours, products, packages and rental gear, so whether you’re looking for a family-friendly ride, adrenaline pumping downhill action, a backcountry heli-biking adventure or a leisurely pedal around the region’s many vineyards to taste the award-winning wine, it’s all possible.”

"e newly released Lonely Planet New Zealand Travel Guide has singled out mountain biking in Queenstown as one of its top 12 new favour-ite New Zealand recommendations, mentioning that “since the opening of the Queenstown Bike Park, the region is now #rmly established as an international focus for the sport.”

!e Queenstown trail has o"ered an experience for bike riders as well as families who are looking for adventures.

7

27 J

une

2012

Expe

rien

tial

Tra

vel X

clus

ives

5 O

ctob

er 2

012

EXPERIENTIAL TRAVEL

Experience nature in the remote Ruaha National ParkGet as close to wildlife as possible away from the throngs of tourists

BY NABILA GOH

Being the second largest National Park in Tanzania, Ruaha National Park covers an area of about 22,000 kilometers square.

It is also one of the remote areas in Tanzania; you will scarcely see any other car on the landscape.

Ruaha National Park is easily accessible year-round either by plane from Dar Es Salaam airport or Zanzibar International Airport. You can also access Ruaha National Park by road through Iringo from Dar Es Salaam via Mikuni, although it is a 10 hour drive . Another driving route is from Arusha via Dodoma.

Ruaha is actually famous for its large numbers of Elephants, they currently have the highest concentration of Elephants (about 10,000) than any other national park in East Africa. Ruaha is also home to the Greater Kudu, a type of Antelope that cannot be found in any other National Park. "e park also has a large number of predators like Lions, Leopards,

Cheetahs, Bat-eared fox and Jackals. "ere are also a few packs of the now endangered African Wild Dogs too.

Adorned with terrains like the Great Ri& Valley, Rivers, Natural Springs, Wetlands, Hot Water Springs and little hills and Mountains, Ruaha is certainly a breath-taking view to behold.

"ough located in a remote area, there are no less than 6 lodges to stay at; popular ones include Tandala Tented Camps, Ruaha River Lodge and Jongomero Camp that o!er rustic but luxurious accommodations for the adventurous travellers.

"e park is best visited from July to November where ani-mals can be seen gathering around water sources.

For those who wish to experience the African wildlife with-out jostling for a view with hordes of tourists, you should visit the magni#cently remote Ruaha National Park.

Subs

cribe

to ou

r

FREE

magazi

ne

8 27 June 2012Experiential Travel Xclusives 5 October 2012

EXPERIENTIAL TRAVEL

She kissed a boy... And we liked it Katy Perry not only gave an electrifying performance; she even puckers up to a lucky fan

American pop princess Katy Perry not only wowed Singaporeans with her impressive vocals as she belted out her popular hits like “Teenage Dream”, “Hot N Cold” and “I Kissed a Girl”, she also raised temperatures with her impressive physique in a %attering mini-dress.

A hunky shirtless fan, who also happened to be Californian managed to get the songstress to do a little dirty dance with him. Katy ended their lit-tle performance with a light kiss of the cheek to the delight of the audience members.

"e three-day Formula One festivities ended with ahem #reworks as she closed the Singapore’s annual night race.

BY NABILA GOH

9

27 J

une

2012

Expe

rien

tial

Tra

vel X

clus

ives

5 O

ctob

er 2

012

EXPERIENTIAL TRAVEL

!e star-studded Podium Lounge trackside party returned once again to Singapore for the F1 weekend.

"is party is the most sought a&er and glamorous nightlife experience during the 2012 Singapore Grand Prix. Head-lining the decks this year was legendary UK DJ Seb Fon-taine with support from DJ Nicole Chen & Tenashar (SG), Giuseppe (Italy) and Angie Vu Ha (Vietnam). Acclaimed Cuban percussionist Pablo Calzado, also livened up the evening with a mix of funk, Latin and jazz beats. "e ultra luxurious event was attended by F1 luminary Eddie Jordan and many others.

"e Podium Lounge is the ultimate A-list party for the racing community and Singapore’s party elite. "e event by hotel’s Greco-Roman swimming pool o!ers up to 900 party goers an exclusive opportunity to mingle with per-sonalities in the racing community. Fashion shows by Tri-sha Vu, Canali and Willow & Huxley, were also part of the entertainment segment.

Guests were in awe as they caught the iconic Nissan GT-R supercar on display and this machine that achieves the 0-100km/h sprint in yet a new record of just 2.8s.

Azimuth showcased their exquisite world designs at this event and took this opportunity to exclusively launch their limited edition Round-1 Back In Time (BIT) JM (Jeremy Montiero) Edition watch. "ere will be 35 Limited Edition pieces of these specially designed watches to commemorate Jeremy’s contribution to Singapore and the world’s jazz music scene.

Silent and live auctions were also held for the Singapore’s Children’s Cancer Foundation, ran nightly by "e Helping Hand Group.

F1 afterparty Podium Lounge thrills visitors yet again

BY BELLE CHENG

Subs

cribe

to ou

r

FREE

magazi

ne