Get your luggage tracked, try an ancient method of wellness, savour Thai cuisine and a reason to visit Desaru
Bag on track
British Airways is going the extra mile when it comes to protecting travellers from a Covid-19 infection by offering a fast bag-drop service. Passengers travelling from London’s Heathrow Airport Terminal Five (T5) will be able to drop off and check-in their luggage with partner AirPortr as soon as they step off the Heathrow Express during peak travel periods.
This is offered free of charge to travellers who have already checked in at home. Apart from this, passengers can also track their luggage online from the moment it leaves their doorstep, or at the T5 key access areas, right up to the bag being loaded onto the aircraft as a digital bag tag receipts will be issued.
Traditional medicine
Chiva-Som, one of the leaders in wellness brands, makes its debut in Qatar with Zulal Wellness Resort.
Slated to open later this year, this wellness destination will offer contemporary Traditional Arabic and Islamic Medicine (TAIM) that is derived from the Canon of Medicine written by physician-philosopher Ibn Sina, or Avicenna, in 1025.
The Canon emphasises restoration and life balance through fitness, diet, mental and spiritual health.
Noted for their healing properties, herbs that are indigenous to the Arabian peninsula will be widely used. Treatments include traditional Qatari hamiz, a deeply relaxing massage using circular strokes, Zulal’s signature tadleek oil infused with medicinal herbs are used along with hot stones to re-energise the body and stimulate circulation and energy flow.
Other treatments include the slimming body mask of camel milk, neem and sidr leaves and essential oils that deliver heat to enhance metabolism while detoxifying and hydrating the skin.
The resort’s extensive hammam facilities will feature a range of Arabic spa rituals that positively impact both physical and spiritual wellbeing.
Go on a culinary journey
Part of experiencing a country is through its food as it says a lot about the country’s produce and how spices are used to create flavour profiles. One of the best places to experience Thai cuisine is in Phuket and Koh Samui, and the best way to experience it is via some of these amazing restaurants.
We suggest Black Ginger, The Slate’s Michelin Guide-listed restaurant which is designed in the style of a traditional Thai village and appears to float above a tranquil lagoon. Only accessible by raft, this dramatic dining destination revives Phuket’s ancient recipes and presents them with a contemporary twist. The Slate is an art-inspired beachfront resort and you can book a stay via the resort’s web- site www.theslatephuket.com.
Malaysian destination
Time has awarded Malaysia’s integrated destination resort, Desaru Coast — located on the south-eastern coast of Johor — a nod for being one of the World’s Greatest Places of 2021. The only destination in Malaysia to make the list this year, Desaru Coast is recommended to a global audience as a beach escape offering a coveted list of international hotels and other draws such as world-class golf courses and cruises through the Sedili Wetlands.
The magazine also highlights the imminent opening of the Desaru Coast Ferry Terminal that will offer increased transit options for Singapore and Indonesia. This is an annual list comprising 100 of the magazine’s top destinations from around the world. The third annual edition of the list, published on July 20, was compiled by Time’s international network of correspondents as well as industry experts.
