The Elite Traveler Spring 2024 Adventure issue asks one important question: What does ‘adventure’ mean to you?
It could be something high-octane (and mildly terrifying) like heli-skiing in the frozen continent or braving the depths in a submarine to uncover the marine life that resides far, far beneath the surface. Perhaps a cultural immersion traversing the Silk Road is more your thing, or a private jet journey with a focus on getting good, quality sleep. Whatever you seek, this year’s compilation of Top Adventures is sure to tick many a box.
If your idea of a good adventure is going off the beaten path, a superyacht charter is usually the best way to do so. But what kind of tender do you need when you want to explore? Miriam Cain answers this question as she uncovers the rise of the super-tender: “The demand for chase boats has certainly increased tenfold in the past decade, as owners look to explore further afield while also expanding their toy list for increased fun.”
More of a city dweller? Head to our Explore section. Michelle Gross checks out the sights, the sips and the seafood of Boston, and heads to Sin City for the grand opening of Fontainebleau Las Vegas.
Ahead of the 2024 Summer Olympics, Nicola Leigh Stewart (who is based in the City of Light) outlines the only suites you should consider booking if you’re in town for the games — think: views of the Louvre, Arc de Triomphe, Sacré-Coeur, Musée d’Orsay and Eiffel Tower from your private terrace, or a replica of Queen Marie Antoinette’s bed chamber.
In our Influence section, we’ve covered land, sea and air. Irenie Forshaw speaks to Deborah Calmeyer, CEO and founder of Roar Africa, about empowerment, conservation and her pet lioness; Kim Ayling dives beneath the surface with marine photographer Helen Walne; and Doug Gollan finds out why Jim Segrave, flyExclusive’s founder, chairman and CEO, is part of a larger cause.
Roberta Naas also takes a close look at how Chopard’s L.U.C Full Strike Sapphire watch is created: “The assembly of the components alone takes 160 hours — not counting the hundreds of hours of hand-finishing of parts and the 17,000 hours of development of the caliber,” she says.
Naas also looks at a selection of ‘tool’ watches in our Discover section. Ranging in price from a modest $500 to over $20,000, these adventure-style watches are built for active lifestyles: water resistant to 300 meters, zero oxygen inside the case to eliminate fogging at dramatic temperatures, or vibrant luminosity for easy viewing in the dark.
Elsewhere in our Discover section, Elin McCoy makes the case for champagne without bubbles: “You might expect all these wines to resemble red and white burgundies, but they have their own style: lighter, tangier, more lively and vivid, with less richness. They’re expensive, but delicious.” We’ll drink to that.
This article appears in the 04 Mar 2024 issue of the New Statesman, Spring 2024