Travel + Leisure India & South Asia

Travel + Leisure South Asia, a stylish and authoritative guide for today’s global traveler, offers stunning photography, incisive commentary, vivid narratives and practical travel information with a strong emphasis on Asia. From the best spa’s to the tastiest street food, from the most luxurious resorts to the hottest rooftop bars, from the latest restaurants to the region’s top designers, from the quietest beaches to the busiest shopping streets – Travel + Leisure South Asia delivers, month after month.

Letter from the Editor

Travel + Leisure India & South Asia

THE ASIA EDIT • This issue celebrates Asia—where tradition meets tomorrow, and every gesture tells a story. From incense-lit mornings to midnight streets alive with promise, we explore a continent of contrasts and connections. At its heart is India—more than a place, an emotion. Layered, inspiring, unforgettable.

10 Underrated Asian Destinations for Your Next Getaway • From ochre spectacles in Mongolia to avant-garde art in Uzbekistan, Asia is full of undiscovered experiences, waiting to reveal themselves to those who dare to venture beyond the obvious. These ten destinations are sure to inspire a fresh perspective on travel.

A HOLIDAY THAT STAYS • There’s something about arriving in Kandima, Maldives that instantly tells your brain, “It’s time to switch off.”

COASTAL CHARMER • A quiet corner of southeast England has become the country’s newest culinary getaway.

SHAPING SHANGHAI • From landmarks on The Bund to sycamorelined streets of the French Concession, Natasha Patidar walks through the architecture that shaped Shanghai’s jazz era

RIDERS OF THE WIND • In western Mongolia’s remote highlands, a journey unfolds through vast steppes, vanishing traditions, and the enduring bond between a Kazakh eagle hunter and his golden bird.

Prescribing Memory • Subodh Kerkar has spent over three decades crafting a visual language rooted in the sea, salt, and soil of Goa. As the founder of the Museum of Goa, he has built one of India’s few truly contemporary art spaces—one that champions accessibility, experimentation, and local voices. In conversation with Alfea Jamal, Kerkar speaks about his journey from physician to artist, making art outside elite spaces, and how history, politics, and poetry shape everything he creates.

Stitched With Power • Indian design has always been defined by embroidery, excess, and grand expectations. But Kaushik Velendra has taken a different path: one that’s bold, structured, and futuristic. The first Indian-born graduate of Central Saint Martins’ MA menswear programme, and the first to showcase at the Royal Opera House, Velendra is steadily reshaping the narrative of Indian fashion. In conversation with Yashna Kumar, he speaks about global momentum, cross-cultural design, and why India’s style story can no longer be viewed in isolation.

Buildings That Bind • Few names in Indian architecture embody quiet authority, resilience, and cultural depth like Brinda Somaya. From rural schools to contemporary campuses and landmark conservation, her work defies categorisation—by intent. For Brinda Somaya, architecture is not merely about style; it’s rooted in sensitivity and a deep understanding of the people and culture it serves, along with a clear vision for its lasting future. In conversation with Stuti Agarwal, the Padma Shri awardee shares her first love, her rule for working women, and reflections on architecture, respect, workplace equity, and a lifetime of travel.

BEAUTY in BALANCE • From Army kid to screen icon, Rakul Preet Singh speaks to ALFEA JAMAL about discipline, evolution, and life beyond the spotlight

“I love Leela’s hospitality” • RAKUL PREET SINGH reflects on her evolving journey across industries, the genres she’s yet to explore, and the quiet strength that...