"YOU HAVE TO RECOGNIZE THE WATERS. Here, GPS and maps don't work, as the islands appear and disappear and the depths keep changing," says Bimal Mondol, the shipmaster who expertly steers our vessel, the ABN Charaidew II, across the Brahmaputra River in Assam, India. It's early December, and we are ready to embark on ecotourism giant & Beyond's return to cruising in India, designed in collaboration with local operator Assam Bengal Navigation. The careful itinerary reflects the partners' shared values regarding land, community, and wildlife conservation.
As a weak sun breaks through the winter fog, we board the elegant 18-suite ship. Everything is a showcase of Assamese culture-the 19th-century rattan furniture, the handwoven fabrics, the local art hanging on the walls. There is a robust collection of books on Assam, as well as an onboard naturalist and historian who can fill in any gaps during our daily excursions.
Denne historien er fra April 2023-utgaven av Condé Nast Traveler US.
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Denne historien er fra April 2023-utgaven av Condé Nast Traveler US.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
ANCIENT WAY
The vivid colors and patterns typical of robes in Benzilan A centuries-old trading route through China's Yunnan Province unlocks a land of rice paddies and teahouses where tradition persists in the face of modernity's relentless push
ROLLING ON THE RIVER
With the launch of Viking Mississippi, American cruising enters its next chapter
HOLD THAT THOUGHT
At a big-hearted temple retreat in rural Japan, Zen rituals fused with mindfulness practices teach Kate Crockett to be more present
be cool
Outside the summer months, Lake Como hums with a slower, more local rhythm. Now travelers re getting wise to the appeal of the legendary Italian vacation spot in all seasons
BLUE ORIGIN
At a retreat on Costa Rica's Papagayo Peninsula, one of the world's longevity hot spots, Maria Yagoda remembers the importance of living well
CITY OF DREAMS
On the ever-shifting banks of the Mississippi River, French, Spanish, Haitian, and African influences have shaped the contours of modern New Orleans, that singular mecca of jazz, jambalaya, and Mardi Gras. Now, 20 years after the destruction wrought by Hurricane Katrina, Crescent City resident Leslie Pariseau finds a complex but resilient community where no idea is too far-fetched
CUTE COUPLE
Japan's long-standing romance with Italian food is playing out in inventive ways all over Tokyo
TECH SUPPORT
With cutting-edge treatments increasingly jostling for space with traditional therapies, Kelsey Eisen ponders our recent obsession with all things science-backed
IN GOOD COMPANY
For Jen Murphy, a group hiking retreat in the California desert shows that community and connection are cornerstones of a healthy life
IN BLOOM
Just off the beaches of southern Sri Lanka, a design-forward lifestyle district is flourishing Just off the beaches of southern Sri Lanka, a design-forward lifestyle district is flourishing
