Treasure island
Nikoi Island, Indonesia
Why is it special?
Off the shores of bustling Singapore lies the tranquil island of Nikoi. The 15-hectare private island is ringed with white sandy beaches and coral reefs of spectacular colour and diversity. Conservation is also a priority in Nikoi Island. The local community has been involved in the development of Nikoi as well as the ongoing operation of the island. Driftwood and alang-alang grass roofing were used as primary building materials. Modern technology such as solar panels and low-voltage LED also play a part in Nikoi’s conservation efforts.
What can you do there?
Nikoi Island is a place to reward the weary soul. Indulge in water sports in the white sandy beaches. Equipment for snorkelling, fishing, kayaking, windsurfing, stand-up paddle boarding and sailing are provided free-of-charge. With prior arrangement, delegates can go diving to explore wrecks and outer reefs. Two pools on the northern side of the island provide vistas of the South China Sea, making it a separate destination within the island.
Workshops can also be organised. The unique teambuilding environment facilitates activities from sailing and raft building to rock climbing and music workshops.
Daily board covers three meals a day, including morning and afternoon tea. The menu depends on the seasonal availability of ingredients from local markets. Drinks are paid for separately.
How to get there
Take the ferry from Singapore’s Tanah Merah terminal to Indonesia’s Bintan Island. Transfer to a taxi and make your way to the dock at Kawal. Take another ferry ride out to Nikoi Island. Total journey takes 2hours 30minutes.
Contact
email: relax@nikoi.com
Swing out
Dalat Palace Golf Club, Dalat, Vietnam
Why is it special?
Perched at an elevation of 1,500m in Vietnam’s southern highlands, Dalat is the perfect antidote to the heat and humidity of the coastal lowlands. Dalat Palace Golf Club is an enjoyable challenge for golfers of all levels. Originally opened in 1933, a re-design in 1994 gave the golf course a refreshing makeover. Low-handicap players will be tested by a series of lakes, which pose as a challenge through ten of the 18 holes. The course offers panoramic vistas of Dalat and its stunning beauty is unforgettable.
What can you do there?
You mustn’t miss a round of golf when you’re on one of Asia’s best golf courses. The rolling hills and majestic lakes form the backdrop for most of the 18 holes, making your game a peaceful one. Take note of Hole #6, the course’s signature hole. The narrow fairway is sandwiched between water and out of bounds. Get crooked and you are well on your way to a double bogey or worse.
Aside from golf, visit the stunning Sofitel Dalat Palace, if you’re not already staying there. Built in 1922, it was used to lure the crème de la crème of the colonial tourist market to Dalat. After decades of debilitation, the Sofitel Dalat Palace reclaimed its former glory when it received a multi-million dollar restoration project in the early 1990’s.
Its sister hotel, the Mercure Dalat Hotel Du Parc, is also a figure of opulence. The 144-room hotel was built in 1932 and features antique casement windows and other period details that have been painstakingly restored.
How to get there
From Ho Chi Minh City, take a 35-minute flight to Lien Khuong Airport, followed by a 30-minute drive to the city centre, where the course is located.
Contact
email: DPGC@VietnamGolfResorts.com
Spring forward
Hilton Odawara Resort and Spa, Odawara, Japan
Why is it special?
This is a former civil servant’s holiday resort. Unlike many other properties in crowded Japan, the Hilton Odawara has spacious grounds. There are tennis courts, jogging paths, a golfers’ driving range. The hotel nestles between the Hakone Mountains and Sagami Bay, so the views are spectacular. Most important though are the hot springs and hydrotherapy baths.
What can you do there?
Soak away your post-conference tensions by choosing various water treatments in the capacious baths. You could organise a corporate retreat here since the hotel has 15 different meeting rooms and the neon lights of Tokyo seem a world away.
How to get there
Take the Shinkansen bullet train from Shinagawa station bound for Osaka to Odawara station. Then take a taxi or the free shuttle bus to the Hilton Odawara Resort & Spa 20 minutes away.
Contact
mail: odawara@hilton.com
Port of call
Incheon Coast, South Korea
Why is it special?
Incheon is South Korea’s third-largest metropolis, after Seoul and Busan. Incheon is also the largest seaport along South Korea’s west coast, and plays host to the country’s largest airport. The city also features Songdo International City, a futuristic business centre. Yet, this busy seaport offers more natural getaways than its counterparts.
What can you do there?
Muido is famous for hiking trails that are ideal for families. The paths pose no challenge, as routes are relatively flat. All trails take less than two hours to complete. This island also offers the Hanage and Silmi beaches. Hanagae is 1km of white-sandy beach. At ebb tide, children can collect the many conches, short-necked clams and shellfish. The combination of sea and forest provides a visual delight for those visiting the Silmi Beach.
If you are near the Wangsan beach instead, escape to the dense forest around it to cool off. At low tide, visit the mud flats and experience a mud massage.
Seafood lovers will enjoy another marine experience: sea fishing. Delegates can taste the fresh raw fish that they have just caught. Beginners can enjoy this activity easily with no need for special skills, although trained instructors are on hand to offer assistance when needed.
How to get there
Incheon is an hour’s drive from Seoul.
Contact
email: info@into.or.kr
Golden memories
Sovereign Hill, Victoria, Australia
Why is it special?
Victoria was the scene of one of Australia’s greatest gold rushes at Ballarat. Sovereign Hill is a recreation of that time of excitement, greed, hope and disappointment. The township has preserved or recreated the buildings and streets of the 1850s, when thousands flocked to the region hoping to find their fortune, including a large number of Chinese migrants. The period also witnessed the Eureka Rebellion, a large-scale uprising by the miners against the colonial authorities, which is considered the birth of modern Australian democracy. This year the complex is celebrating its 40th anniversary.
What can you do there?
Aside from panning for gold, your team can take a stagecoach ride around the town, see a gold bar poured from molten metal and explore the Gold Museum. Groups can see the reconstructed Chinese Camp, where Asian prospectors were based, or see a sound-and light-show about the Eureka Rebellion, “Blood on the Southern Cross”. Sovereign Hill lends itself to outdoor barbecues, dining or cocktail functions in the museum. Delegates can dress for the event, in 1850s-style clothes and relive the days of prospectors and pioneers.
How to get there
Sovereign Hill is just 90 minutes from central Melbourne by road.
Contact
email: enquiries@sovereignhill.com.au
Palace pampering
Jin Jing City Hyatt Regency Resort and Spa, Jin Jing City, China
Why is it special?
The Hyatt Regency Jin Jing is one of the largest deluxe hotels in Asia. It is set in a 104sqkm integrated mixed-used area, that also includes 8,000 private villas, a 27-hole golf course and stables. The property is designed to resemble a luxurious royal palace, with minarets. The Hyatt Regency is criss-crossed with pathways, waterways and archways, leading to courtyards, gardens and fountains. When completed, there will be 10 themed mansions, with their own pools and gardens served by butlers. These will be available for hire for events. Jin Jing City takes its name by using the last character each from Tianjin and Beijing, since it is halfway between the two.
What can you do there?
Few individual hotels anywhere in Asia offer such a broad spectrum of activities; badminton and basketball courts, an eight-lane bowling alley, cycling routes, horseback riding, an ice-rink, an eco-trail, a rock-climbing wall, courts for squash and tennis, an indoor swimming pool, health with state-of-the-art fitness equipment. There is dedicated teambuilding space too. With 23 different meeting rooms, the Hyatt offers tremendous flexibility as a meeting, incentive or teambuilding venue.
How to get there
Jing Jin City, is 100-km southeast of Beijing and 70km north of Tianjin, within 60-90 minutes’ drive of the two cities
Contact
email: jingjin.regency@hyatt.com
