DestinAsian Magazine - August - September 2025

In this issue

What does a once-in-a-lifetime journey look like to you? Perhaps it might involve chasing the Northern Lights in Svalbard, an East African safari to witness the annual wildebeest migration, or, for avid hikers, an adventure on the “roof of the world” to reach Everest Base Camp. DestinAsian’s editor-in-chief Christopher P. Hill did just that a few months ago, balancing his exertions in the Nepalese Himalayas with stays in comfortable lodges along the route. While a 10-day trek is not the kind of holiday I’d typi-cally choose, I can see why it appeals to some escaping the stresses of city life. In another feature, longtime Bangkok resident Ron Gluckman shows us the changing face of the Thai capital by rounding up major hotel and restaurant openings, developments in luxury retail, and milestone projects marking the city’s continued evolution as a global hot spot. We also visit the Indonesian island of Lombok, where deputy editor James Louie sheds light on the local creativity hidden in plain sight, meeting the figures who are helping to shape a sustainable future. And in Albania, photographer Jessica Jungbauer delves into farm-to-table cuisine and the revival of age-old culinary traditions. This fascinating corner of the Balkans makes for a quieter but no less enriching alternative to the more popular European destinations now su!ering from overtourism.