< Previous 110 Harper’s BazaaQatar Spring 2024 THE ESCAPE TO THE LIGHTHOUSE From sun salutations to evening walks, embark on a journey of self-discovery and exploration in Greece 110 Harper’s BazaaQatar Spring 2024 HBQA_034_Spring_2024_110-111_Escape opener _13147172.indd 11029/01/2024 08:51 111 Harper’s Bazaar Qatar Spring 2024 HBQA_034_Spring_2024_110-111_Escape opener _13147172.indd 11129/01/2024 08:51112 HarpersBazaar Qatar Spring 2024 Discovering Silver Island, a privately owned island in the Aegean sea off ering guests an exclusive Greek yoga retreat experience, was the most eye-opening and affi rming revelation of summer. Situated to the north east of Athens and a few miles from the mainland, the island, home to the Christie family for over 60 years and managed by sisters Claire and Lissa, features 60 acres of undulating hills punctuated by ancient olive groves, wildfl owers and cypress trees, enveloped by the breathtaking Aegean Sea. It’s the stuff of Enid Blighton adventure — a glorious hidden gem alive with stillness and beauty; a place with an energy all of its own. Th e sisters launched the Silver Island Yoga concept in 2013 with ‘the vision to create a self sustainable, off - grid, untouched and grounded in nature retreat, in tune to the essence of the island.’ It’s a vision they have brought to life in the most incredible of ways. Accommodation options bring the outdoors in with white walls, minimalist decor, large open windows boasting sea views and, in some cases, private terraces, and draw their names from nature — Rhea, Hemera, Panacea, and Gaia. Respect for the island is met with an enduring focus on sustainable practices. Guests are encouraged to conserve water, to leave products containing harsh chemicals at home, and to savour the fresh produce of the surroundings; promoting a mindset that fosters ISLAND LIVING Grî ce A trip to Silver Island Yoga in Greece provides a truly revelatory experience Words by BIANCA BRIGITTE BONOMI Guests enjoy twice- daily yoga practice in an outdoor arena overlooking the sea Silver Island features its very own lighthouse and resident seal HBQA_034_Spring_2024_112to113_Escape_Greece_13147182.indd 11229/01/2024 21:23 The ESCAPE gratitude and contributes to the sense of oneness with the island. Th e location makes for an idyllic yoga setting. Running from April to October annually, each weekly retreat is helmed by a leader in the fi eld with each bringing their own unique style and manner of teaching. Bazaar is introduced to internationally renowned professional Fela Adebiyi, whose sessions incorporate Th erapeutic Alignment Vinyasa (TAV) yoga, pranayama (breathwork) and mindfulness practices. In a mixed ability group that includes yoga professionals and total beginners, Fela adapts his training to each level, meaning that each one is able to take away something real and tangible and benefi t most fully from the experience. Active sessions are often followed by more meditative practice, set against a magical seascape, further facilitating the opening of mind and body and the connection between the physical and mental self. Outside of the two daily yoga classes, mornings and afternoons are spent embracing island life. For Bazaar, this included long exploratory walks and swims amongst tucked away coves, visiting the lighthouse, heading out at sunrise to catch a glimpse of the island’s resident seal, reading in a hammock on a sun dappled shore, Shiatsu massage to promote healing and release with the on-site expert therapist, and long periods of stillness. Kayaks and paddle boards are available to those who wish to take in the island by sea. Th ese hours felt truly restorative, instilling a sense of calm and quiet contentment that is, for busy and stressed individuals, the rarest essence of luxury. Lunches and dinners are spent gathered around a table with fellow guests, with conversation pouring out over the excellent homemade vegetarian and vegan food — a nourishing and beautifully curated and presented diet that reaps rewards for skin, mind, body and energy levels. Visitors come from all over the world to Silver Island, with increasing numbers from the Middle East, and this internationalism makes for lively and convivial time together. After a week on the island, you’ll leave feeling brighter, restored, and reinvigorated with a real sense of calm, balance, and mental clarity. In opening up their home, sisters Claire and Lissa welcome guests into a paradisal space that enables guests to contemplate how they see the world and better understand how they see themselves. Island exploration opens up to self exploration with truly powerful, healing, and long- standing results making a trip to Silver Island both an enlightening discovery and a wonderful privilege. silverislandyoga.com You can soak in stunning water vistas from practically every setting The island boasts spectacular sea views and 60 acres of exploratory nature Food is lovingly prepared by hand and celebrates seasonal ingredients HBQA_034_Spring_2024_112to113_Escape_Greece_13147182.indd 11329/01/2024 21:23114 HarpersBazaar Qatar Spring 2024 The ESCAPE SEA OF CHANGE Maldives Discover a whole new you at wellness destination JOALI BEING Words by BIANCA BRIGITTE BONOMI HBQA_034_Spring_2024_114to119_Escape_Maldives_13147184.indd 11429/01/2024 08:53115 HarpersBazaar Qatar Spring 2024 The ESCAPE The ESCAPE The design and landcaping of JOALI BEING is in synergy with its natural surroundings. This destination is based on biophilic principles, facilitating the natural fl ow of energy from coast to coast An array of masterclasses, including candle- making in the dedicated herbology centre, are available As the fi rst island of its kind in the Maldives, JOALI BEING is a living, breathing monument to self-care and wellness. Off ering a totally diff erent experience to a spa resort, the island is dedicated to creating personalised wellbeing programmes catered to the unique goals of each guest — less focused on individual treatments and more on nurturing real transformation. It’s an ethos that is immediately apparent upon arrival, where guests are greeted by Gate of Zero, a permanent site- specifi c sculpture by Turkish artist Seçkin Pirim. Inspired by the movement of the semazen’s fl ared white skirt, the installation represents a sense of letting go and resetting to ‘zero’, the starting point for rebuilding and renewal. It’s a feeling that continues across the resort, underpinned by the restorative and guiding principle of ‘weightlessness’ — a feeling of freedom, lightness and joy. Every element of island life, from its architecture to its landscaping, has been driven by biophilic principles, designed to refl ect the structures and laws of the natural world. Th e result is a space free of negative vibrations and one in which energy fl ows freely to instill harmony and balance. Th at sense of Zen fi nds its way into each of the 68 private beach and water villas. Beautifully appointed, they feature a private pool, curated artwork, a customised Wellbeing Bar, meditative musical instruments, wellbeing games, and, in some cases, a gorgeously relaxing outdoor bath. Located on the secluded island of Bodufushi in Raa Atoll, the retreat is anchored in four wellness pillars – Mind, Skin, Microbiome and Energy, and features wellbeing programmes crafted by over 60 dedicated wellbeing experts. In addition to its 39 treatment rooms, the destination off ers a series of unique transformational spaces including the Kaashi hydrotherapy hall; Seda, the hub of sound therapy; the Discovery Sound Path; the Core movement and fi tness zone; and the Ocean Sala overwater HBQA_034_Spring_2024_114to119_Escape_Maldives_13147184.indd 11529/01/2024 21:24116 HarpersBazaar Qatar Spring 2024 The ESCAPE Wellness facilities are world leading and include a Watsu Pool, a Sensory Deprivation Room, a Sound Therapy Hall and an expansive fi tness off ering deck for yoga and meditation. Th e feeling of weightlessness is captured in the leading wellness facilities, which include a dedicated Watsu pool. A form of aquatic bodywork used for deep relaxation, at JOALI BEING guests can fl oat under a galaxy of softly fl ickering lights as an expert practitioner performs gentle stretching, acupressure and massage in chest-deep warm water. Whether opting for a De-Stress programme designed to cultivate inner balance, vitality and strength through a sequence of grounding and restorative practices; or a Gut Reset programme geared around nurturing and healing your body’s micro-environments, each journey is personalised after an Intelligent Movement Analysis and an Integrative Health Assessment and range from fi ve nights to three weeks. JOALI excels with its wellness programmes and also with its curated off erings and experiences — from tea masterclasses exploring the drink’s benefi cial properties, to a candle-making workshop that enables guests to create a beautiful memento of their stay. An art studio showcases talented local artists as well as allowing guests to produce their own inspired work. Th ere is also a dedicated marine centre off ering scuba diving and PADI diving courses. Guests can learn more about the impressive Reef Restoration Project, which works to restore the coral reef surrounding the atoll by growing corals in a nursery before planting them in the reef once they’ve grown. Culinary off erings provide yet another highlight. Th e Earth-to-Table initiative promises ingredient traceability and fresh, locally harvested and sustainably sourced foods, whilst the Culinary Learning Centre off ers interactive nutritional cooking classes, so that you can feel good about what you eat and continue to fuel your wellbeing at home. joali.com HBQA_034_Spring_2024_114to119_Escape_Maldives_13147184.indd 11629/01/2024 21:24117 HarpersBazaar Qatar Spring 2024 The ESCAPE Culinary arts at JOALI BEING focus on an Earth-to- Table initiative HBQA_034_Spring_2024_114to119_Escape_Maldives_13147184.indd 11729/01/2024 08:54118 HarpersBazaarArabia.com March 2023 POL A R E XCE SS Ponant’s plush new icebreaker is making the white continent more accessible – and luxurious – than ever Words by KATHERINE ANN KNIGHT Antarctica119 Harper’s Bazaar Qatar Spring 2024 IMAGES: SUPLLIED As the fi rst fl akes of snow fall, I hug my Parka hood around my ears and watch a churning grey wake dance from the stern. Th e sky is shot with purple; ice bergs rise around us, like sculptures erupting from the ocean. It’s 8pm in Antarctica and we’ve just spotted our fi rst humpback whale fl uke, a mottled silky tail rising and falling beneath the icy waters as snow petrels patrol overhead. Th is may be the most inhospitable place on Earth for mankind, but the white continent seems to be positively teeming with life beneath its dazzling layers of white and blue. I’ve hopped aboard Ponant’s luxurious icebreaker, Le Commandant Charcot, for a 14-night polar exploration cruise around some of Antarctica’s most scenic bays and ice fl oes. Th e adventure starts in Ushuaia, Argentina, where we embark the 123- cabin vessel before sailing through the notoriously unpredictable Drake Passage to reach the Weddell Sea – a water mass in the Southern Ocean that provides a gateway to some of Antarctica’s iconic animals, including its majestic emperor penguins. First though, the ship: Ponant – a French operator renowned for its stylish, boutique approach to cruising – doesn’t disappoint with its fi rst luxury ice-breaking vessel. Launched in 2021, Le Commandant Charcot is the world’s most powerful passenger- carrying icebreaker, and despite its size and technical prowess (it can break up to 3 metres of ice at the bow, 15 metres at the stern, and navigate more compacted ice-fl oe passages than any other vessel in the polar regions), its chic, modern aesthetic is pure elegance. Th ink curvilinear walls; an interplay of textures, including walnut, oak and leather; and contemporary art installations. Th ere’s two lounging areas to enjoy: the Observatory Lounge upstairs – which is all boucle-clad tub chairs, supersized wooden board games, and fl oor-to-ceiling views – and the Main Lounge – a warmer, cosier space that leads to the ship’s specialist Cigar Room and Th eatre, where a daily programme of naturalist lectures, expedition briefi ngs, and polar-centric fi lms are hosted. Th ere’s a gym and wellness area, comprising an indoor pool, Scandi-style sauna, snow room, treatment suites and salon (yes, you really can get your highlights touched up in Antarctica), plus a juice bar for ginger-spiked shakes should you experience the dreaded ‘Drake shake’. Th e two restaurants onboard are also a treat: Nuna, a fi ne-dining option, delivers menus curated by Michelin-star chef Alain Ducasse, while the top-deck, more casual eatery opens out onto an outdoor lagoon for a heated alfresco dip among the ice-cloaked mountains. Sustainability is at the core of the ship’s design, too, with liquefi ed natural gas helping to power the vessel, while recycled water is utilised to warm the outdoor seating areas and replenish reserves in the kitchens, laundry, and maintenance rooms. Th e real draws here though are the cinematic landscapes and Attenborough-worthy wildlife. And you don’t have to venture far: we spot our fi rst line of emperors snaking their way across the ice from the warmth of the restaurant, their iconic black, white, and gold silhouettes gliding through the white, lunar-esque snowscape beyond. Later, as we sail further south towards the Larsen C Ice Shelf, a pod of orcas cruise starboard of the ship. And then there’s the Adélie and gentoo penguins, chinstrap colonies, and plethora of seals – including leopard, Weddell, and crabeaters – to marvel at during our zodiac rib landings on Hope Bay, the Aitcho Islands, Carlsson Bay, Half Moon Island and Snow Hill, where we spend a magical couple of days walking with a shuffl ing army of emperors, their ‘highway’ to the ocean just metres from my feet. Adrenaline junkies are catered for, too, with optional kayaking excursions, polar hikes, and the infamous ‘polar plunge’, which involves leaping into freezing waters (it was -2°C when I, quite literally, took the plunge cloaked in nothing but my swimsuit and a brave face). It feels utterly surreal to be here; Le Commandant Charcot delivering an experience more akin to a spaceship than exploration cruise. “It’s very otherworldly,” agrees Casey Perry, our assistant expedition leader and naturalist. “Th at’s what I love about Antarctica – it’s one of the few wild places left on Earth; a place that’s pristine and pure and adventurous. A place like no other.” As the sapphire sky turns to amber over a fl oating ice pack, and I refl ect back on a day of exploring snow-dusted mountains while a cacophony of chinstrap penguins cut through the crosswinds, I honestly couldn’t agree more. Emblematic Antarctica aboard Le Boréal, L’Austral or Le Lyrial starts from QR46,300 per person, based on two people sharing a Superior Stateroom. Return fl ights and transfers, plus a pre-cruise night in a hotel in Buenos Aires, are included. Meanwhile, Polar exploration voyages aboard Le Commandant Charcot are bound for the Arctic in 2024.; ponant.com The ESCAPE Wildlife encounters are the biggest draw of this expedition with sightings of orcas, penguins and seals of all varieties Le Commandant Charcot is the world’s most powerful passenger- carrying icebreaker, but doesn’t compromise on luxury HBQ_034_118to119_Escape_Antarctica_13144557.indd 11926/01/2024 16:23Next >