< Previous“ONE WAVE BECAME A SHIFTING WALL OF GLASSY, ORANGE-INFLECTED BLUE, RISING UP IN FRONT OF ME, EASING AND BUILDING AGAIN WITH MAGIC ENERGY”February 2020 Condé Nast Traveller 121Clockwise from top left: Olo Surf and Nature; surfers in Imsouane; a fireplace at Surf Maroc; rugs for sale at Amouage; a skater in the town’s skatepark. Previous spread: The point at ImsouaneFebruary 2020 Condé Nast Traveller 123 One was the great-granddaughter of the sculptor Barbara Hepworth, over from London. She’s now his girlfriend, and they’ve just come back from a ski trip to the Alps. “People round here think it’s funny,” admits Yassin. “This kid from Mysteries, learning to ski.” He’s telling me this as we enter the water off the long pebble beach at Tamri, an hour up the road from Taghazout, bookended by cliffs that look like collapsed sandcastles; a Rothko duotone of blue and orange. It’s exhaustingly choppy, my shoulders aching as I lie splattered on my board, defeated. Yassin, meanwhile, paddles mostly with one hand, and surfs the chop with the faintly disinterested grace of a Venetian gondolier. Afterwards, salty-haired and ravenous, we eat nutty, argan-fed- goat tagine with our hands out the back of a restaurant in Tamri, a devout little town known for its small sweet bananas. We sit at a pink table, as chansons d’amour bleed from a battered radio, my arms splattered sticky turmeric-yellow. As we leave, Yassin buys a bunch of bananas, which we eat in silence as we pass more tiny settlements of blocky buildings, like shards of lost citadels. A warm wind rushes through the van and we toss the peels, careful not to hit donkeys and dreadlocked hitchhikers. The village of Imsouane, an hour north of Taghazout, is said to be the next big thing, with Surf Maroc planning a camp here to access its consistent breaks, including Cathedral Point and The Bay, where Yassin swears that even hacks like me can plop in at the harbour and surf 800m waves. There’s a pastel-pink lighthouse and a plastic-table restaurant where the fishermen plonk their catch by the grill. The rest is rawer, more kif-slow than Taghazout – fishing nets, graffiti-scrawled adobe, faint strains of Moroccan reggae. On the way back, we stop to meet a group of women who gather mussels on the rocks with medieval-looking picks, lugging them to the roadside on donkeys and cooking them under clumps of shrub. There are 10 women from a village near Tamri, all wearing headscarves, sea-beaten abaya cloaks and plastic sandals, faces lined with life. One hands me a wizened mussel in charcoaled hands. It’s chewy, smoky, tasting more of land than sea. Yassin translates their Berber: one is called Fatma and another Fatna, which is amusing even to them. “We’ll be rich soon!” Fatma cackles, with cheery irony. We laugh, and chew. That evening, I’m by the Yves Klein-blue swimming pool at the Amouage, music providing a bass beat to low conversations over mojitos, in French, German, New Jersey. Looking out toward Anchor Point, I see a lonely rubber ring floating back to shore in the half- light. I wonder if he has a squid or an octopus in there, or if nature has eluded him. That night, I’ll will myself to sleep with thoughts of my wave, but will dream of stranger things. At sunrise, the call to prayer will ring out. And it will all begin again. AMOUAGE The fourth property from British surf-camp pioneers, Surf Maroc was once a tired guesthouse near the edge of town. A few winters ago it re-emerged as an airy surf club for grown-ups, all hammocks, reclaimed barbers’ chairs and box-framed Moroccan vinyl sleeves. The yoga teachers are world- class, and the excellent, mostly local staff know everyone’s first names and surf/yoga schedules. A cosmopolitan crowd eat healthy suppers at low tables around the pool, as Four Tet bleeds from speakers. Doubles from AED 460; 0044-208-12 3031, surfmaroc.com CAFÉ SURF BERBERE Most of the beachfront restaurants have near-identical menus, including pizzas, tagines, grilled fish and calamari. The most atmospheric of them is this café, part of the Surf Berbere camp, where a young crew listens to gentle beats out on the rocks, sometimes warmed by a fire. Go chilled, to match the often relaxed service. 00212-528-20 0290, surfberbere.com LET’S BE Taghazout has a growing share of healthy, Canggu-style hangouts: places such as Surf Maroc’s Café Mouja, which does the best coffee in town, overlooking the surf. But the pick of the area is Let’s Be, just down the road in Tamraght. Owned by a Moroccan-Australian couple, it serves bright organic “healing food” – fruit smoothies with flaxseed and bee pollen, salmon poke bowls with goji and pineapple teriyaki sauce – amid the succulents, reclaimed wood and Maroc- style soft furnishings. 00212-623-53 5194 , facebook.com/letsbecafe MUNGA GUESTHOUSE Set in two tall, narrow buildings, this 15-room boutique is a feat of wild carpentry, the work of Moroccan former- pro-surfer Mounir Bouallaq and his Swiss partner Gabriela Matti. Mounir learned carpentry after becoming obsessed with ornate Berber tuya-wood doors. Munga has an Afro vibe and each room is a work of art: Boat, with its wooden vessel bed, and Olive, with bedposts made from the grinders of an ancient olive press. At the fairylit, indoor-outdoor Favela restaurant, Bocuse-trained Lyonnais chef Franck Milome serves up fresh snapper as Gabriela’s beloved rescue dogs mooch around. The driftwood- and-copper roof terrace, overlooking labyrinthine alleys out across the Atlantic, has become the most elegant spot in town. Doubles from AED 610; 00212-698-68 0680, mungaguesthouse.com OLO SURF AND NATURE In hot surf destination Imsouane, the artsy, eco-aware Olo camp is where the drifting SoCal cool kids stay. Tayourt Lodge is the most evocative place to bed down here, with its sea-beaten blue shutters, shadowy sea-facing terraces and recycled furniture. Retreats include yoga and longboarding, and women-only Mermaid’s Meetings. Doubles from AED 170; 00212-700-06 6663, olosurfnature.com Emirates (emirates.com) and Etihad Airways (etihad.com) fly non-stop from Dubai and Abu Dhabi to Casablanca, from where it’s an hour flight to Agadir with Royal Air Maroc (royalairmaroc.com). From there, Taghazout is about a 30-minute drive awayWORDS: HELENA DEVINCENTI; PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCKFebruary 2020 Condé Nast Traveller 125 CONTEST Set in a country known for its Vegemite and alternating uber-cuddly and dangerous wildlife, this ecological wonder is characterised by a combined saline- and fresh-water mix. The water body’s namesake is a historical university town known for its shrewd scholars, one of whom was the creator of the scientific theory of evolution. At least five major rivers flow into this maritime eco-zone, which is surrounded by nature reserves and national parks where high concentrations of nutrients mean vegetation breeds abundantly. Just north of this biodiverse hotspot lies an island that takes its name from a popular North American sport played with a stick and a ball; to the west, towering sandstone hills reach up to 250m high, and to the east dense mangrove marshes fringe the tidal shores. Where are you? PRIZE Email your answer identifying the water body and country where the photograph was taken to cntcontest@itp.com and you could win a three-night stay for two at Emirates Palace Abu Dhabi WHERE ARE YOU?126 Condé Nast Traveller February 2020 WIN COMPETITION RULES 1 Entries for Condé Nast Traveller’s Where are you? competition should be sent via email to: cntcontest@itp.com 2 Winners will be judged at the discretion of Condé Nast Traveller. The decision of the judges will be final and binding. No correspondence will be entertained. Only one correct answer will be registered per entrant per issue. 3 Each entry must arrive no later than February 29, 2020. Winners will be contacted by email or telephone whenever possible. 4 The entries must be in English and complete in all respects. 5 Condé Nast Traveller is not responsible for late entries. Illegible or mechanically produced entries are not eligible. Entries by text message are not eligible. 6 Prizes will not be transferred or exchanged for cash or any other item. No refunds or credits for changes or cancellations are allowed. All other expenses and costs, which are not specified as being included in the prize, are the sole responsibility of the winner. 7 All prizes must be redeemed prior to the expiry date. 8 Taxes, if any, are the sole responsibility of the winner. 9 The Where are you? competition is open to readers of Condé Nast Traveller aged 18 and over on the date of entry and who are ordinarily residents of the GCC. 10 Employees of Condé Nast Traveller, ITP, participating promotional agencies, contributors to Condé Nast Traveller, and the families of any of those above are not eligible to enter the contest. 11 All entries to the Where are you? competition become the sole property of Condé Nast Traveller and will not be acknowledged nor returned. 12 Entries become the property of Condé Nast Traveller and may be used for such purpose and in such media as the company deems fit, without requiring the participant’s prior permission. 13 Acceptance of the prize constitutes consent for the use of the winner’s name and likeness and those of his/ her travelling companion for editorial, advertising and publicity purposes. 14 Condé Nast Traveller will not be liable for any loss, damage or expense incurred by a prize winner or by his/her travelling companion (for example, costs of repatriation) as a consequence of any party participating in providing the prize becoming insolvent or entering into liquidation or bankruptcy. 15 Condé Nast Traveller reserves the right to amend any or all of the terms of this contest, or the prizes on offer, at any time without prior notice. 16 Contestants, by entering the contest, agree to be bound by the above rules, terms and conditions. The winner of November’s Where are you? competition is Shereen Castro from Dubai who correctly identified the location as Makaluapuna Point, Maui in Hawaii, USA. She won a three-night stay for two at Anantara Desaru Coast Resort & Villas, Malaysia WORDS: HELENA DEVINCENTI; PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK T he epitome of Emirati hospitality, Emirates Palace Abu Dhabi is a lavishly imagined Arabian retreat. On the western shore of the Abu Dhabi Corniche, the regal resort is renowned for hosting world leaders, business travellers and holiday-makers. Situated on a 1.3km stretch of private beach, 394 rooms and suites are adorned with 24k gold-leaf finishing, sparkling Swarovski crystal chandeliers, arabesque mosaics and fine desert-hued marble. As befits a palatial destination, views overlook pristine gardens and the blue swells of the Arabian Gulf, and every room promises a special experience coupled with personalised and immaculate service. When not lounging in a plush bedroom outfitted with silk brocade sofas and Romanesque bathtubs, feast like a sultan at one of 14 restaurants, go for a plunge in two outdoor temperature-controlled swimming pools, or get in a workout on the tennis courts or at the high-tech gym. For an extra dose of indulgence, the property’s private marina is the perfect spot for a romantic tête-à-tête, while a Moroccan- inspired spa provides decadent traditional treatments. To win a three-night stay for two in a Coral Room at Emirates Palace, on half-board basis (daily breakfast with either lunch or dinner at La Vendome), and a 60-minute spa treatment for two, correctly identify the location in this issue’s Where are you? competition by February 29, 2020. The prize is valid until February 28, 2021, is non- transferable, cannot be redeemed for cash and does not include public holidays. Flights, minibar and all other expenses not stated in the prize are subject to payment either on consumption or departure. This prize cannot be used in conjunction with any other vouchers or promotional offers. For more information call 00971-2-690 9000 or visit mandarinoriental.com A THREE-NIGHT STAY FOR TWO AT EMIRATES PALACE ABU DHABI CONTEST From top: The hotel sits on a private beach; La Vendome restaurant; a couple’s spa treatment roomFebruary 2020 Condé Nast Traveller 127 STOCKISTS WHERE TO BUY FASHION adidas Abu Dhabi, 00971-2-565 0664; Dubai, 00971- 4-434 0836; Muscat, 00968-2-455 8151; Kuwait City, 00965-2-224 4585; Jeddah, 00966-12-215 0353; Riyadh, 00966-11-273 4757 Atelier Swarovski by Marcolin Eyewear at Rivoli Eyezone: Abu Dhabi, 00971-2-679 7378; Dubai, 00971-4-325 3343 Bembien at Attuale: attuale.com Burberry at Matches Fashion: matchesfashion.com By Far at byfar.com Chanel Abu Dhabi, 00971-2-681 1030; Dubai, 00971- 4-381 8400; Manama, 00973-1-713 1144; Kuwait City, 00965-2-245 9290; Jeddah, 00966-12-667 8436; Riyadh, 00966-11-462 7959 Chloé Dubai, 00971-4-339 8200; Abu Dhabi, 00971-2- 681 8988; Riyadh, 00966-11-222 2489 Coach Abu Dhabi, 00971-2-681 3997; Dubai, 00971- 4-339 8670; Manama, 00973-1-758 1798; Kuwait City, 00965-2-220 0518; Jeddah, 00966-1-2283 0353; Riyadh, 00966-11-211 2444 Cult Gaia at Ounass: ounass.ae Eli’s Boots at Goshopia: goshopia.com Eurthlin at eurthlin.com Fjällräven at Bauhaus: Abu Dhabi, 00971-2-563 4300; Dubai, 00971-4-514 9170 Givenchy Dubai, 00971-4-330 8282; Manama, 00973- 17-230 9021; Kuwait City, 00965-2-40 9992; Riyadh, 00966-11-211 0592 Gustoko at Villa Yasmine: villayasmine.com Judith Leiber at judithleiber.com Maison Alexandrine at alexandrine.com.br Martina Wyss at Goshopia: goshopia.com Michael Kors Abu Dhabi, 00971-2-412 4070; Dubai, 00971-4-395 1694; Manama, 00973-1-711 2724; Kuwait City, 00965-2-259 7805; Jeddah, 00966-12-275 3887; Riyadh, 00966-11-273 4911 Nike at Namshi: namshi.com Paule Ka Dubai, 00971-4-325 3225; Kuwait City, 00965- 2-259 7737 Saint Laurent Abu Dhabi, 00971-2-681 6994; Dubai, 00971-4-341 0113; Kuwait City, 00965-2-227 0255; Jeddah, 00966-2-261 1600; Riyadh, 00966-11-288 5455 Sandro Abu Dhabi 00971-2-565 0633; Dubai, 00971- 4-350 5333 Santoni Dubai, 00971-4-501 6927 Stella McCartney Dubai, 00971-4-339 9179; Jeddah, 00966-12-283 6611; Riyadh, 00966-11-288 5447 Stella McCartney at Ounass: ounass.ae Ted Baker Abu Dhabi, 00971-2-681 4711; Dubai, 00971- 4-434 0623; Manama, 00973-1-725 5164; Kuwait City, 00965-2-530 9979; Jeddah, 00966-12-605 9562; Riyadh, 00966-11-240 2974 BEAUTY Argan Liquid Gold at arganliquidgold.co.uk Bamford at bamford.com Briogeo at Sephora: Abu Dhabi, 00971-2-445 3690; Dubai, 00971-4-339 9828; Manama, 00973-1-717 9521; Kuwait City, 00965-2-259 7769; Jeddah, 00966-12-215 0496; Riyadh, 00966-11-207 8075 Charlotte Tilbury Abu Dhabi, 00971-2-492 6856; Dubai 00971-4-419 0100; Kuwait City, 00965-2-228 3888 Estée Lauder at Sephora: Abu Dhabi, 00971-2-445 3690; Dubai, 00971-4-339 9828; Manama, 00973-1-717 9521; Kuwait City, 00965-2-259 7769; Jeddah, 00966- 12-215 0496; Riyadh, 00966-11-207 8075 Gucci at Harvey Nichols: Dubai, 00971-4-409 8888; Kuwait City, 00965-2-228 3008; Riyadh, 00966-11- 273 4444 Guerlain at Bloomingdale’s: Dubai, 00971-4-350 5333; Kuwait City, 00965-2-229 9800 Henry Jacques at parfumshenryjacques.com Herbivore at herbivorebotanicals.com Kevin Murphy at kevinmurphy.com.au La Mer at Ounass: ounass.ae NUXE at Boots: Abu Dhabi, 00971-2-492 6597; Dubai, 00971-4-315 3617; Kuwait City, 00965-2-495 4609; Manama, 00973-7-727 7233 Votary at votary.co.uk JEWELLERY & WATCHES Bulgari Abu Dhabi, 00971-2-681 8828; Dubai, 00971- 4-330 8834; Manama, 00973-1-700 5812; Kuwait City, 00965-2-299 6498; Jeddah, 00966-12-669 7229; Riyadh, 00966-11-460 2800 Cartier Abu Dhabi, 00971-2-491 9716; Dubai, 00971- 4-434 0434; Manama, 00973-1-753 3333; Kuwait City, 00965-2-240 8471; Jeddah, 00966-12-660 0720; Riyadh, 00966-11-466 5665 Chanel Fine Jewellery Dubai, 00971-4-381 8488 De Beers Dubai, 00971-4-330 8388; Manama, 00973- 1-700 2905; Kuwait City, 00965-2-220 0965; Riyadh, 00966-11-260 0005 Jacquie Aiche at jacquieaiche.com Jaeger-LeCoultre Abu Dhabi, 00971-2-681 2834; Dubai, 00971-4-339 8769 Louis Vuitton Abu Dhabi, 00971-2-681 2166; Dubai, 00971-4-330 8060; Manama, 00973-1-753 7543; Kuwait City, 00965-2-220 0522; Jeddah, 00966-12-665 4502; Riyadh, 00966-11-211 2700 Montblanc Abu Dhabi, 00971-2-681 1480; Dubai, 00971-4-434 0300; Manama, 00973-1-717 9696; Kuwait City, 00965-9-921 5802; Jeddah, 00966-12-651 1135; Riyadh, 00966-11-211 1080 Noora Shawqi at noorashawqi.com Richard Mille at Ahmed Seddiqi & Sons: Dubai, 00971- 4-355 9090 Sutra at sutrajewels.com MISCELLANEOUS Absolute Snow at absolute-snow.co.uk Antique Ski Shop at antiqueskishop.com Apple at Sharaf DG: Abu Dhabi, 800-34 4357; Dubai, 800-34 4357; Muscat, 00968-22-00 9280; Manama, 00973-1-732 8181 Granger Hertzog at grangerhertzog.com Trevor Howsam Ltd at retrowallpaper.co.uk Cliff Pool Villa at Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort Top, skirt; both Paule Ka. Shoes, Coach. Sunglasses, Atelier Swarovski PHOTO: ADEL RASHID; STYLED BY: RHEA SARAN; MODEL: KATHERINE S AT WILHELMINA DUBAI; HAIR & MAKE-UP: EIRINI HANNAH A look at what caught our eye this month, from romantic beachside dinners to eco-friendly escapes Most wanted HOSPITALITY REDEFINED After a top-to-toes renovation, Le Méridien Dubai Hotel & Conference Centre presents 580 newly renovated rooms and suites with a luxe contemporary design. In a Deluxe Room wake up to garden views, or live lavishly in the two-storey Royal Suite, complete with a private terrace and Jacuzzi. Eighteen dining destinations, conference rooms and a spa and fitness centre offer all any guest could want. marriott.com LAGOON LIVING Located in the Lhaviyani Atoll, Atmosphere Kanifushi Maldives has added to its beachfront suites and villas with 40 new overwater villas designed to complement the island setting with Maldivian-style furnishings and accents of blue. Enjoy 24-hour butler service at select villas, snorkelling excursions and spa treatments before heading for dinner at Pier Six, the new overwater restaurant serving the freshest seafood. atmosphere-kanifushi.com SUMPTUOUS SUSTAINABILITY The Maldives is a special destination, and one that Six Senses Laamu is doing all it can for to preserve for many world travellers to come. As an award-winning eco-resort, sustainability is at its core, always seeking new ways to be more efficient and less wasteful. Being marine-conservation minded, tending a leaf garden to harvest produce on-site, working toward being zero-waste and a goal to be plastic-free by 2022 are just a few of the ways that this Laamu Atoll retreat stands out, making a positive impact with guests and the Earth alike. sixsenses.comFebruary 2020 Condé Nast Traveller 129 SPANISH FLAIR Thai hospitality has landed in Spain with a new property that pulls out all the stops. Anantara Villa Padierna Palace Benahavís Marbella Resort has got it all, from Mediterranean views in a palazzo-style setting and a private beach club to golfing, spa, gastronomy and 1,200 artworks. A destination in itself, the 132 guest rooms, suites and pool villas are styled in classic luxury, while dining offers a global culinary tour across its eight restaurants, including haute Andalusian by Michelin-awarded chef Paco Roncero. To top the experience off, no Anantara stay is complete without serious spa time, so there is plenty to pamper in a sprawling wellness space that includes Roman baths, a hammam, an aromatic spa circuit and much more. anantara.com TOES-IN-THE-SAND ROMANCE Love is in the air at Anantara The Palm Dubai Resort. Treat someone special to a picnic-style sunset dinner on the beach, where a gourmet meal comes paired with views of the sorbet-hued sky. Let your toes sink into the warm golden sands while sipping on bubbly and tucking into an extravagant seafood platter à deux. Or opt for the Dining by Design experience, inclusive of a decadent five-course set menu prepped by the hotel chef, complete with a bouquet of 10 red roses and a framed photo to capture the moment and elevate your feelings. anantara.com ECO-LUXE With a vibe that’s playful and modern, LUX* South Ari Atoll Resort & Villas goes further than luxury and design. Dive straight in with the resort’s many water sports, or wind down island-style at the LUX* Me Spa before choosing from one of eight epicurean destinations. Of the resort’s 193 villas, some dot the four kilometres of sugar-white beach while others are perched on stilts above the blue lagoon. What really sets this resort apart is its pioneering role at being eco-friendly in the Maldives – it launched the world’s biggest floating solar system at sea – placing sustainable energy at its heart. luxresorts.com MIDDLE EASTERN MODERNITY The St. Regis Abu Dhabi merges authentic Arabian hospitality with over 100 years of St. Regis tradition, designed with local curators and artists to harmoniously blend the two. Situated on the Corniche, 228 guest rooms and 55 suites enchant with fine materials and views of the Arabian Gulf. Home to the brand’s signature butler service as well as a beach club, six dining venues and an award-winning spa, this is how to escape in a bustling capital. marriott.comNext >