September 23, 2025

Fusion Resorts Debuts Wellness Retreats Across Vietnam

September 23, 2025

Fusion Resorts has announced a trio of immersive retreats launching this fall at select Vietnam resorts. Designed to blend traditional healing practices with contemporary comforts, the properties aim to transform ordinary getaways into restorative journeys.

At Fusion Resort & Villas Da Nang, opening Dec. 31, 2025, the spotlight falls on the “Healing Retreat,” a four-day program led by newly appointed wellness master Sanjay Rawat. Drawing on more than a decade of experience in yoga, pranayama, meditation and Ayurveda, Rawat introduces travellers to a holistic reset. Guests move from chakra balancing and re-energizing meditation to sound baths and daily yoga, punctuated by plant-based cuisine that nourishes body and spirit.

Further south, the Alba Wellness Valley by Fusion near Hue builds its practice around the soothing Phong Mai hot springs. The five-day “Pancharakarma Retreat,” available Sept. 7 to 13, 2025, draws from Ayurveda’s ancient detoxifying therapies, combining yoga, meditation and personalized consultations. Treatments such as synchronized full-body massages, Shirodhara warm-oil therapy and Swedana herbal steam are designed to reduce stress, restore inner balance and improve sleep quality.

Rounding out the collection, Maia Resort Quy Nhon will launch the “Full Moon Retreat” on Oct. 31, 2025. Set against the lunar glow of Vietnam’s central coast, the program blends meditation, mindful painting and chakra healing with kayak excursions and sunset yoga. Guests will also sample local cuisine, including nourishing plant-based meals, before winding down at the resort’s beachfront signature restaurant Vị Quê.

Fusion, which operates more than 25 properties across Vietnam and Thailand, is renowned for introducing wellness programming at every level of the guest experience. These new retreats underscore a commitment to helping travellers rediscover balance — whether that means floating in a thermal pool, finding focus through breathwork or simply soaking up the idyllic natural landscapes.

Intrepid’s 2026 Not Hot List Reveals 10 Under-the-Radar Destinations

September 23, 2025

In a world where 80 per cent of travellers visit just 10 per cent of destinations, Intrepid Travel is steering adventurers elsewhere. The company’s 2026 Not Hot List, developed with trend forecasters Globetrender, spotlights 10 places often overlooked but poised to welcome visitors—from Central Asia’s vast mountain ranges to North America’s least-visited national park.

Among the highlights is Tiwai Island in Sierra Leone, newly inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2025. Here, travellers can overnight in rainforest lodges and embark on river cruises while supporting local communities that reinvest tourism revenues into conservation and development.

In Kyrgyzstan’s Tien Shan Mountains, the Kyrgyz Nomad Trail—a grassroots trekking network expanded to 2,000 km—opens up alpine valleys and glacial lakes. Trekkers stay in yurts and share meals with nomadic families, offering a rare glimpse into a way of life largely unchanged for generations.

Closer to home, Great Basin National Park in Nevada remains one of the United States’ quietest parks, drawing just over 150,000 visitors in 2024. With expanded campgrounds and new programming planned, a visit here is both a retreat into solitude and a statement of support for preserving fragile landscapes.

Other destinations on the list include:

Sierra Norte, Mexico, where Zapotec villages operate under a pioneering community-led tourism model.
Vis Island, Croatia, an antidote to overtourism with no airports or cruise stops.
Southeastern Anatolia (pictured in feature image), Türkiye, home to UNESCO sites and renowned culinary traditions.
Arunachal Pradesh, India, celebrating its first Sunrise Festival in 2026.
Via Transilvanica, Romania, a 1,400 km trail dubbed the “Camino of the East.”
Ruta de las Flores, El Salvador, a highland route famed for coffee and culture.
Oulu, Finland, the European Capital of Culture 2026, merging Arctic gastronomy with bold climate programming.

“While some places receive millions of visitors each year, many others go virtually unnoticed,” said Erica Kritikides, Intrepid’s General Manager of Experiences. “Our Not Hot List reflects an approach to tourism we’ve long championed: better tourism, not less tourism.”

For the curious and conscientious, the 2026 Not Hot List is an invitation to take the road less travelled—and to leave a positive impact along the way.

Stay: The Algonquin Resort

September 23, 2025

A fresh look at an iconic hotel in St. Andrews by-the-Sea, New Brunswick.

When The Algonquin first opened in 1889 on the shores of New Brunswick’s Passamaquoddy Bay, it was a grand hotel stop on the Canadian Pacific cross-country railway. The town of St. Andrews by-the-Sea, where the hotel sits on a hill, was a place people visited from Quebec and northeast United States to breathe in the restorative sea air and slow down from busy city life.

More than 130 years later, in some ways, not much has changed. An afternoon spent on the resort’s wraparound porch, watching piebald deer wander across manicured lawns, feels as blissfully unhurried today as it did in the 19th century. But in other ways, The Algonquin is entering a new era.

While the hotel’s exterior exudes its historic importance, inside, rooms have been given a modern makeover. With seafoam green and cadet blue decor and wide-panel wooden floors, it’s like stepping into a private maritime cottage; open the window and you’ll have the breeze off the bay drifting in. Grab a complimentary bike or e-scooter from just outside reception and explore town, around the harbour or through the trails in the spruce forest of Pagan Point Nature Preserve. Or schedule a late afternoon game at the hotel’s award-winning golf course, where holes offer incredible views of the water, and catch the sunset while you’re there.

Come evening time, the hotel’s nightly ghost tours lead brave travellers underground through tunnels that connect different parts of the resort. Stories echo off the walls of a former night watchman whose jangling keys can still be heard, lights mysteriously dimming while staff are cleaning and dishes found on the floor of the dining room after tables were set the evening before. And while weather permits, the hotel lights bonfires and sets out blankets on Adirondack chairs, inviting guests to cozy up for a night of stargazing and making s’mores.

Next year, The Algonquin will unveil a two-storey Nordic spa, opening a new chapter in the story of this beloved seaside retreat. The past is rich, but the future looks especially inviting.

What to Do in St. Andrews by-the-Sea

Slip into a flotation suit then take a seat on one of Fundy Tide Runners’ zodiacs for whale watching. The season runs June to October, and while sightings aren’t 100% guaranteed, there’s a high chance you’ll spot a minke whale or two, plus porpoises and harbour seals. For retail therapy, head to Water Street to visit The Nautical Shop for coastal-chic homewares, art and accessories, and Marmalade for Canadian culinary treats, accessories and books.

On the Menu

The Algonquin-Style Classic Gin Martini served at Braxton’s Restaurant and Bar uses gin from First Light, a local small-batch distiller that forages botanicals to capture the essence of the region in its bottles. Paired with the cocktail is a freshly shucked oyster accompanied by dry vermouth mignonette.

It’s in the Details

Accent pieces in the hotel suites tell the stories of the Bay of Fundy’s fishing heritage. The warm glass globe table lamps were inspired by handblown glass fishing floats that help keep nets afloat. The standing lamps, designed by Canadian firm mackaywong, pay homage to the lighthouses that dot the province’s shorelines, with the base inspired by the breaching whale sculpture by artist Ryan Moyes found at Market Wharf.

Louise Penny’s Guide to Quebec’s Eastern Townships

September 23, 2025

Where the bestselling mystery author finds inspiration, connection, and really good cheese.

When we caught up with Louise Penny, she had just returned from London, England — not to promote a book or attend a literary gala, but to retreat. “Oddly enough, I go to London to be quiet,” she says with a laugh. “This little village can be quite hectic.”

The village she’s referring to is Knowlton, Quebec, where she resides for most of the year. It’s also the real-life setting that inspired Three Pines, the fictional home of Chief Inspector Armand Gamache in her bestselling mystery novel series.

From lakeside trails and butter tarts to monastic cheeses and her own newly opened Three Pines Café, here are the spots she recommends to friends and family visiting the Eastern Townships.

Buzz Café, Knowlton

“First, you have to sleep in,” Penny says with a smile, when asked where she takes visiting friends. “Then we go to Buzz, which has fabulous coffee.”

This cozy Knowlton café is where she starts most mornings — especially when their homemade butter tarts are on offer. Penny praises the café’s owners for their support in helping her launch her own nearby spot, Three Pines Café. “The guys at Buzz were so helpful in getting the café up. They acted really as the midwives to the café, which was incredibly generous of someone who could consider the new café to be a competitor — but we’re not.”

Three Pines Café & Brome Lake Books, Knowlton

In 2024, Penny opened Three Pines Café, located beneath Knowlton’s independent bookstore, Bromelake Books. “The entire building came up for sale, and I was afraid that someone who bought it might want to convert it into apartments or something else and get rid of Brome Lake Books, which I couldn’t allow to happen.”

She set to work turning the lower floor into a café that reflects the fictional bistro from her novels, complete with fieldstone fireplaces, cushy armchairs, and a welcoming, homey feel. “I want people to bring your laptops, sit at one of the tables, and work all day if you want to — just make yourself at home,” she says.

The café is open to the public six days a week, but Mondays are reserved for a cause close to Penny’s heart. “It’s reserved for a local dementia support group. They do activities, have lunch, and spend time in a setting that feels like home. Or a club. Not something institutional.”

Manoir Hovey, North Hatley

“This hotel is one of my favourite spots in the region,” Penny says of the lakefront Relais & Châteaux property. “My husband and I were married here — well, our ceremony was at the little church overlooking North Hatley, and then our reception was at Manoir Hovey.”

She returns regularly for lunch on the terrace or a massage at the spa. “I always book the same thing: just a good 90-minute massage,” she says. “I love going to spas. I really think I’d like to die on a spa massage table,” she jokes. “What better way to go?”

Built in 1900 as a private summer home inspired by George Washington’s Mount Vernon estate, the manor is now one of Canada’s most charming boutique hotels — known for its top-rated restaurant, Le Hatley, a tranquil lakeside spa and pristine outdoor pool.

North Hatley General Store

Penny insists that this century-old store is worth a stop. “It inspired the general store in my books,” she says. “You can find everything there. Where else can you buy steaks and fresh produce, but also a hammer, rain boots — and even a coffin? You can buy a coffin there!”

From local maple syrup to hand tools and hardware, the shop remains a reliable (and delightfully quirky) community fixture. Stepping inside is like walking into a bygone era, so it’s no surprise it sparked a fictional counterpart in Three Pines.

La Rumeur Affamée, Sutton

This beloved épicerie and bakery in Sutton is a go-to for Penny. “There are pastries and breads of all kinds, sandwiches. It’s good for breakfast,” she says of the neighbourhood fixture, housed in a historic brick building. “This one inspired the bakery in my books. I really mined the entire area for inspiration.”

Head to La Rumeur Affamée for buttery croissants, crusty sourdough, and shelves stocked with Quebec cheeses and artisanal jams — perfect for assembling a picnic or cozy breakfast spread.

Coldbrook Path

Back home in Knowlton, Penny often walks her two golden retrievers, Muggins and Charlie, along the lake. “As the leaves turn, it’s just the most spectacular place to be.”

She’s referring to the Coldbrook Path, a scenic trail that winds past creeks, bridges, and wooded stretches before hugging the edge of Brome Lake. The 3.3-kilometre route is flat and peaceful, with benches and lookout points along the way. A longer network of trails connects to Foster and the Quilliams-Durrell Nature Reserve, offering even more quiet corners to explore year-round by foot, bike, snowshoe or ski.