The Call of Kyushu
Travel+Leisure US|April 2023
Despite lush landscapes, hundreds of hot springs, and a recent wave of high-design hotels, this Japanese island rarely gets top billing. Danielle Demetriou travels by train (and ferry) to see what we've been missing.
Danielle Demetriou, Hannah Walhout
The Call of Kyushu

FOR THE THIRD time in 15 hours, I lowered my body into a hot spring on the slopes of a volcanic peak. During my first dip, the previous day, the sun was glinting off the water; the second soak unfolded beneath a nearly full moon. This time, my pre-breakfast bath was shrouded in morning mist and steam.

The urge to spend almost every second immersed in water is impossible to resist at Kai Yufuin (hoshinoresorts.com; doubles from $187), a new ryokan resort on the island of Kyushu. Japan is known for its hot springs, or onsen, many of which have adjoining bathhouses or inns and Kyushu is home to more than a third of them.

The volcanic landscapes that heat Kyushu's springs also give the region its citrus groves and a saw-toothed coastline flecked with emerald islets. But despite the natural beauty and seductively laid-back tempo, the island is often overlooked by visitors from overseas. On a recent trip from my home in Kyoto, not long after Japan began opening up to international tourism, I saw firsthand what awaits travelers-including a flashy new bullet train that helps shorten the trip between Fukuoka and Nagasaki, two of the island's main cities, to 80 minutes.

Bu hikaye Travel+Leisure US dergisinin April 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

Bu hikaye Travel+Leisure US dergisinin April 2023 sayısından alınmıştır.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

TRAVEL+LEISURE US DERGISINDEN DAHA FAZLA HIKAYETümünü görüntüle
The Luxury of Silence - Grieving a dissolved marriage, Nora Walsh seeks peace and compassion at a meditation retreat in California.
Travel+Leisure US

The Luxury of Silence - Grieving a dissolved marriage, Nora Walsh seeks peace and compassion at a meditation retreat in California.

My decade-long marriage to a man I deeply love had dissolved, and I had come to the Spirit Rock Meditation Center, in the secluded hills of Marin County, north of San Francisco, to steady myself. Led by the author and meditation teacher Oren Jay Sofer, the seven-day silent retreat focused on the four brahmavihāra, or Buddhist virtues: loving-kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity.

time-read
4 dak  |
October 2024
Family Values - Gay father and blogger Jonathan Bailey shares his proudest moments of traveling with his partner and daughters.
Travel+Leisure US

Family Values - Gay father and blogger Jonathan Bailey shares his proudest moments of traveling with his partner and daughters.

My partner and I grew up in families that didn't travel a lot, so we've always had a sense of wanderlust. Before we had kids, we traveled together, and it was life-changing-travel opened our minds to different ways of life.In 2000, Triton and I decided to have kids. At the time, my mom had terminal cancer, and we were all about connecting with family. We wanted to adopt, because we felt like there were so many children in the world who needed love and a good home. In 2002, my mom passed away, and Sophia was born two weeks later. We welcomed our second daughter, Ava, in 2004.

time-read
3 dak  |
October 2024
Back to Sri Lanka - The past few years have not been easy on this alluring South Asian island. But on a return visit, Prasad Ramamurthy finds a place-and a people-on the upswing.
Travel+Leisure US

Back to Sri Lanka - The past few years have not been easy on this alluring South Asian island. But on a return visit, Prasad Ramamurthy finds a place-and a people-on the upswing.

I was at the end of a five-day journey that had begun in the UNESCO World Heritage site of Galle Fort, in southwestern Sri Lanka, and taken me across the southern tip of the island to the leopard reserve of Yala National Park. In between I had taken in the dramatic coastline of Weligama and had stopped for some beach time in Hiriketiya. Sri Lanka is a country I'm particularly fond of, so when I was asked to revisit to report this story, I seized the opportunity. Yes, I was dying to go back, but I'd had another motive for coming: I wanted to see if the island nation was ready to welcome international visitors again.

time-read
10 dak  |
October 2024
Experiences: Hands On - Single-malt whiskies and triple-cream cheeses are the stuff New York's Hudson Valley is made of.
Travel+Leisure US

Experiences: Hands On - Single-malt whiskies and triple-cream cheeses are the stuff New York's Hudson Valley is made of.

The Hudson Valley has long drawn New York City dwellers in search of clean air, spectacular hikes, and upstate culture. Now a budding community of artisans-young farmers, bakers, vintners, distillers-is turning the region into a modern breadbasket.It is a tightly woven ecosystem that also extends to restaurants and hotels. At Tenmile Distillery, in the town of Wassaic, for example, the grain used to make whiskey comes from a farm in Tivoli, 30 miles away, while the gin and vodka it produces are served at stylish addresses like the Troutbeck (doubles from $580), a hotel in Amenia, and the restaurant Stissing House (entrées $22-$155), in Pine Plains.

time-read
6 dak  |
September 2024
LAGOS RISING
Travel+Leisure US

LAGOS RISING

Africa's biggest city is a powerhouse of art, culture, and fashion. Shirley Nwangwa reflects on her relationship to her family's home and to her Nigerian identity, while photographer Ike Edeani captures the creative scene.

time-read
10 dak  |
October 2024
DEEP DIVE
Travel+Leisure US

DEEP DIVE

Go for a swim with sperm whales, and you may find yourself hooked. Maggie Shipstead journeys to the Caribbean island of Dominica, where these giants of the deep are making a big splash.

time-read
10+ dak  |
October 2024
AMERICAN VINTAGE
Travel+Leisure US

AMERICAN VINTAGE

After years of being in the shadows, Virginia winemakers are finally getting the attention they deserve. Wanda Mann takes a tasting tour.

time-read
8 dak  |
October 2024
Take a Hike
Travel+Leisure US

Take a Hike

A beloved Malibu spa renowned for embracing the outdoors makes its way to the East Coast. Jess Feldman takes an inside look.

time-read
3 dak  |
October 2024
Just Dive In
Travel+Leisure US

Just Dive In

The most nautical Four Seasons has to be this scuba-centric ship, which sails a rarely visited corner of the Pacific.

time-read
3 dak  |
October 2024
The Next Frontier
Travel+Leisure US

The Next Frontier

With deep pockets and mighty ambitions, Saudi Arabia is building a high-end resort area with serious green cred.

time-read
2 dak  |
October 2024