EXPLORE
TASTE
REFLECT
CREATE
might have preferred his "shaken not
stirred", many people today choose
a vodka martini in preference to the
gin-based drink it originated as in
the 1800s. Vermouth and gin are the
only ingredients for the classic way of
making this clearly strong concoction,
B A N YA N T R E E
with the addition of savoury olive juice
SEYCHELLES
Gaze out to the sapphire
making for a dirty martini.
waters of the Indian
The ingredients might be few, but
Ocean from the relaxing
madagascar
Pool Bar at Banyan Tree
it takes expert knowledge to get the
Seychelles, ideally located
balance just right. Fruity additions
for a refreshing break.
When you've slaked your
make it more palatable for those with a
S E Y C H E L L E S , A hidden treasure
thirst take a stroll along
sweeter tooth, like the cosmopolitan, a
the pristine beach or
Population . . . . . . . .
Indigenous bird . . . . . . .
dive
into
the
infinity
pool
cranberry take on the martini classic.
89, 173
The flightless Aldabra
perched right on the edge
The lychee martini has been a
of the water..
Size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Language . . . . . . . . .
staple on the cocktail menu for the
1.4 million square
Seselwa, French
last decade. While you can sip one at
kilometres (150 islands)
and English
many of the most affluent metropolises
across the world, it’s in China where
it has a real sense of place, a native
fruit to the provinces of Guangdong
and Fujian. Belonging to the soapberry
family, the floral sweetness of the
lychee provides a perfect foil to the
clean metallic coolness of a martini’s
base note of gin or vodka.
C I T RU S C U LT U R E
Rich in vitamin C and oligonol (and thought to have anti-ageing properties)
The cocktail scene
the lychee season runs from May to October, when it is available in abundance. As
would be lost without
the lime. Believed to
beneficial as they are delicious, practitioners of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM)
have originated in Indosay these berries offer a cooling effect on the body in the summer heat.
China, they only thrive in
warm climates. The lime
most commonly seen in
cocktails is the Tahitian
lime, which is the most
widely grown, with the
largest producer being
Mexico. This is also the
source for the key lime,
which is yellow when
ripe and sweeter than its
green cousins, and usually
reserved for the culinary
delights of key lime pie.
alive by night
W hen the s un i s high
in the s k y, there ' s a
rela x ed vibe to the
place . B ut when the s un
s et s , L aguna dance s to a
different tune
There are few places more
beautiful than Phuket to see the
sun set to its best advantage. Just
10 minutes away from Laguna
Phuket by taxi is the Bliss Beach
Club. Gaze across the pearly
white sands, overlooking the
soothing Andaman Sea and enjoy
the Phuket breeze as you sip your
first cocktail of the evening.
Once the sun goes down, it’s
time to move on and a visit to
Phuket wouldn’t be complete
without at least one