TAKE A WALK DOWN FIVE OF THE HOTTEST STREETS ON THE ROUTE MAP

THERE’S NO BETTER way to get to know a city than to wander around on foot. Maps are optional, pressing appointments best avoided, and open minds essential. If all goes well, you’ll walk straight past the tourist traps and stumble upon the restaurants, boutiques and galleries frequented by locals in the know.

Don’t have the time to criss-cross the town, searching? Take the short cut and head directly to the “it” street. Every city has at least one – that place that possesses its own distinctive vibe, well-known as the headquarters of the stylish set. And the best are oft en those that haven’t quite hit the mainstream… yet.

Make a beeline for the top spots on Bangkok Airways’ flight path with this list of hip strips in five different cities. Just be sure to keep exploring from this starting point – who knows what else you might find…

DESIGNER DIGS
WHERE: SOI THONGLOR
CITY: BANGKOK
By Natalie Hellon of Property Report Thailand (www.property-report.com)

Until fairly recently, Soi Thonglor (aka Thong Lo or Soi 55) was considered one of the rather unfashionable lanes off the designer-boutique-packed Sukhumvit Road. However, this street and the myriad roads that run off it are now populated by Bangkok’s creative elite.

In contrast to many of the city’s other sois, Thonglor offers a more contemporary mix of interior design stores, wedding boutiques and charming eateries. First, to distinguish itself here was H1, a cluster of glass-walled units designed by Thai architect Duangrit Bunnag. Inside H1 is To Die For, an opulent eatery that features lavish decor and an indulgent menu. The restaurant is owned by Bhanu Inkawat, creative director of Thai fashion label Greyhound, and film director Nida Sudasna, who craft ed the extensive cocktail and food menu herself.

“We saw Thonglor’s potential when we first opened three years ago. Th onglor attracts an extensive crowd that prides itself on good taste. We try to emulate this in our restaurant,” Sudasna says.

Until September, H1 was also the home of Geo, a super-stylish designer furniture and lifestyle store that has now moved down the street to number 912.

Anchoring the atmosphere between Soi 18 and 20, you’ll find the monolithic three-storey Playground!. This upscale shopping complex was built in 2005 and its striking black stone façade is hard to ignore. Modelled after the achingly trendy Colette in Paris, Playground! is the shopping venue of Thailand’s high society (known as hi-so).

On top of two noteworthy restaurants, Vanilla and Kuppa, the building houses a selection of interior design stores, a well-stocked book and magazine shop, an art gallery, as well as a handful of local and international fashion labels.

Running off one side of Thonglor is Soi 15, site of the upmarket J Avenue, a Japanese-flavoured oasis filled with chic shops, bars and even a pet boutique.

Built in 2004, the gleaming mall is home to one of Bhanu’s fashionable Greyhound Cafe ventures as well as one of the few Apple computer stores in Thailand. A clear sign that Thonglor is for those who like to “Think Different” and lead the pack.

No. 818 Playground!, tel +66 (0)2 714-7888, www.playgroundstore.co.th; Kuppa, tel +66 (0)2 662-04500 Vanilla, tel +66 (0)2 714-9652; No. 912 Geo, tel +66 (0)2 381-4324; No. 988 To Die For at H1, tel +66 (0)2 381-4322/3; Greyhound Cafe at J Avenue, tel +66 (0)2 712-6547/8, www.greyhound.co.th

ART HUB
WHERE: NIMMANHAEMIN ROAD
CITY: CHIANG MAI
By Oliver Benjamin

To say Nimmanhaemin has undergone a transformation over the last decade is an understatement. Perhaps no street in Asia has changed so much, so fast. What was once nothing more than noodle stalls and empty lots has become the thriving hipster heart of Chiang Mai.

Set midway between lush Doi Suthep mountain, Chiang Mai University, and the more touristy Old City, Nimmanhaemin Road strikes a balance between trendy sophistication and bohemian youthfulness. Its wide boulevard is densely lined on both sides with cafes, restaurants, bakeries, bars, galleries and boutiques as well as the Chiang Mai University Art Museum.

Pichaya “Dai” Chavasit of the long-running bar Drunken Flower remembers when it was easy to cross Nimmanhaemin Road, no matter how drunken the little flowers were.

The vast increase in traffic has meant this is no longer the case, but his bar is still one of the most atmospheric in the area, attracting intellectuals, musicians and artists to its leafy garden, old-style interior and eclectic CD collection.

Art and arty knick-knacks are everywhere on this avenue, particularly on Soi 1, running off its northern end. Paintings and sculptures can be found at Gong Dee Gallery, while Suriyan Chandra stocks kitschy ceramics, lamps and garden ornaments and Meo Jaidee Studio’s range of beautiful handmade candles make excellent gift s for the folks at home.

Nimmanhaemin has become so irrepressibly de rigueur these days that successful boutiques have opened up new branches elsewhere, or even relocated to the fashionable strip. Of special note is accessory and accoutrement nirvana Ginger – an established vanguard of Chiang Mai style.

Suriya B Roman, owner of eclectic boutique Suriyan Chandra says that Nimmanhaemin’s essence lies in the distinctive style of each shop.

“There are really very few chain stores. Almost all of the galleries, restaurants and cafes show the personal, conceptual touch of the owners. This makes for an artistic and dynamic environment – everyone is competing with each other to be as unique as possible.”

A few years ago, there was a plan to level Nimmanhaemin so that the Superhighway ring road could pass through, but thankfully, this is now unthinkable. Hipness budges for no one.

No. 6/21 Ginger, tel +66 (0)53 215635; No. 239 Chiang Mai University Art Museum, tel +66 (0)53 218280; Soi 1 No. 1 Suriyan Chandra Gallery, tel +66 (0)53 227480, www.suriyanchandra.com; Soi 1 No. 1 Apartment L Meo Jaidee Studio, tel +66 (0)53 895138, www.meojaidee.com; Soi 1 No. 30 Gong Dee Gallery, tel +66 (0)53 225032, www.gongdeegallery.com; Soi 1 No. 295 The Drunken Flower, tel +66 (0)53 212081

STREET WITH NO NAME
STREET: CONNECTING HONDORI SHOPPING ARCADE TO PEACE BOULEVARD, FUKUROMACHI
CITY: HIROSHIMA
By Paul Walsh (www.GetHiroshima.com)

Like many other streets in the compact grid of Fukuromachi, this trendy lane doesn’t actually have a name. But the good news is that it’s easy to find. Get your bearings at the unmissable BEAMS at the Hondori Shopping Arcade. Th is is one of the coolest chain stores you are likely to find anywhere, with designer clothing, interior goods and the kind of weird and wonderful odds-and-ends you are unlikely to ever need – but will definitely want.

From here, head south out of the covered arcade and into the open air. Th is street exemplifies Hiroshima’s blend of old and new world, offering everything from a dilapidated map store on one corner to a three-floor store filled with garish vintage and punk-inspired gear on another. The charm and attraction lie in this typically Japanese quirkiness.

“This area retains a real downtown shitamachi feeling, which is perfect for my shop,” says Eiji Emoto of KING, an outlandish boutique selling men’s underwear. Shitamachi is the description used for areas that retain the fun-loving, unpretentious air of “downtown” Japan.

Walking past the numerous sneaker stores, look for the PENCIL building (you won’t miss the large concrete pencil on the corner) and head upstairs to Blue Flat Cafe. It has a lovely open terrace where you can daydream over smoothies, desserts and drinks.

If eyewear is your thing, pop into Sense right next door. This local company takes glasses very seriously, with three floors of high quality spectacles and shades. Look out for the striking bamboo frames or those featuring locally inspired designs like origami peace-crane motifs.

As you move further south, the stores become both quirkier and harder to find. Crane your neck upwards, and you’ll see the AUX awning on the second storey of what looks like an apartment building. Inside is filled with carefully selected designer threads, including local labels not found elsewhere, sneakers, records and some cool artwork.

For a taste of New York, hunt out the tiny CHELSeA Bagel and take your snack to the nearby Fukuromachi Park. However, be warned that CHELSeA is only open from noon until the bagels disappear, and not at all on Tuesday and Wednesday.

If it’s getting close to dinnertime, you don’t have to go far to eat well in chic surrounds. Try the very trendy Cha Cha San Lotus. Modelled on a traditional Kyoto town house, complete with Japanese garden in the middle, the stylish interior is as beautiful as the presentation of the food.

BEAMS, tel +81 (0)82 544-2962, www.beams.co.jp;
KING, tel+81 (0)82 247-2739; Blue Flat Cafe, tel +81 (0)82 545-4956; AUX, tel +81 (0)82 249-8656, www.myspace.com/auxhiroshima; CHELSeA Bagel near Fukuromachi Park, no tel; Cha Cha San Lotus, tel +81 (0)82 504-9444 (Remember there are no street numbers in this area)

FRENCH AFFAIR
WHERE: STREET 240
CITY: PHNOM PENH
By Charlotte Lancaster

Spend an afternoon wandering around central Phnom Penh and you will stumble across a charming little street characterised by French architecture, boutiques and towering tamarind trees.

Street 240, located a kilometre from the riverfront, is named numerically like any other in Cambodia’s capital, but do not allow this systematic ordering of streets to misguide you: there is an artistic, eclectic mix of pleasures along this 500m stretch of road, despite its pragmatic name.

Particularly charming is the relaxed, village-like atmosphere created by the inhabitants and their businesses. Doorways donned with plants lure customers off the street into galleries, restaurants, cafes, spas and boutiques bountiful in personality. High ceilings and original floor tiles faded from age typify the interior of the shops, tempting customers inside with both their fascinating decor and the quality of their goods.

“Businesses put a lot of money into investment, which has allowed them to maintain the quality of the establishments,” says Bruce Dunnet, owner of The Sugar Palm, a two-storey building that houses a restaurant serving Cambodian cuisine on the ground floor and a gallery exhibiting a selection of fine Asian art and craft s on the second.

In 1997, the first boutique opened on Street 240. Bliss was an upmarket alternative to shopping in local markets and one of the first outlets to offer stylish, contemporary Euro-Asian clothing and homeware. More than that, it also provided a level of indulgence previously not afforded to a city devastated by decades of political upheaval. Fashion was suddenly no longer a luxury item that could only be bought overseas.

Ten years later, younger businesses echo this fashionable mould delivering high quality goods produced entirely in Cambodia.

“Each shop has a certain feeling, a spirit unique to this street. It is very special,” confides Christine Gauthier, owner of Water Lily Atelier Boutique specialising in handmade bags, unique jewellery and other fashionable accessories.

Bliss fuses traditional Indonesian batik with modern design, culminating in an array of high quality haberdashery and original fashion. If it’s fashion you’re after, the neighbouring Jasmine offers elegant Euro-Asian outfits made locally from Cambodian silk.

For a decidedly different gift , consider The Magic Gecko’s original “decko-gecko” art. These lizard-shaped metal sculptures are painted very imaginatively – renditions include everything from Spiderman to Buddhist monks.

Staying with the lizard theme, Le Lézard Bleu boasts a fine selection of stylish Asia-inspired art, antique furniture and paintings. Perfect for taking home a piece of Street 240 to hang up in your living room.

No. 19 The Sugar Palm, tel +855 (0)23 220956; No. 29 Bliss tel +855 (0)23 215754; No. 73 Jasmine Boutique, tel +855 (0)23 223103, www.jasmineboutique.net; No. 37 Water Lily Atelier, tel +855 (0)12 812469, www.waterlilycreation.com; No. 61 Le Lézard Bleu, tel +855 (0)23 986978; No. 87 The Magic Gecko, tel +855 (0)12 890916

MELTING POT
WHERE: TON THAT THIEP
CITY: HO CHI MINH CITY
By Nell McShane Wulfh art

The south side of Ton That Thiep pops with hot pink, cool green and blood red – evidence of the growing number of modish shops, restaurants and galleries that are staking their claim on this tiny, cosmopolitan avenue tucked away in the middle of Ho Chi Minh’s bustling District 1.

For an introduction to classic Vietnamese food in elegant, historic surroundings, the well-known and much loved Temple Club is ideal. The setting is romantic, the beautiful food delicious, and the service impeccable. When Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie came to town, this is where they ate.

A few steps away, Gaya is Saigon’s go-to spot for fantastic design. Part showroom, part boutique, all the home wares, furniture and clothes on display are created by Gaya’s five owners who hail from France, Cambodia, Australia and Vietnam.

From the aluminium-cast chairs with art nouveau curves, to the hand-embroidered bed sheets and lacquered soup bowls in bold colours, traditional materials mix with modern design to produce excitingly original pieces.

Two doors down from Gaya is Saigon Kitsch, one of the mainstays of the local shopping scene. With its quirky, oft en humorous collection of Vietnam-themed jewellery, notebooks, handbags and clothes, this is the ultimate place to buy gifts.

The end of the street is home to the popular Cantina Central, a modern Mexican eatery and bar that delivers authentic recipes (think tacos and quesadillas) and the best margaritas in town. Upstairs from Cantina Central is Mai Gallery, a small space hung with colourful paintings that jump off the pure white walls. The gallery opened in March this year as a showcase for the work of young, local artists. Stop here to catch a glimpse of what’s new in the booming Vietnamese art scene.

Arache Sahrai, one of the five partners behind Cantina Central knows he’s onto a good thing.

“This street is very central and has a quiet charm, making it the perfect place to open a restaurant,” he remarks.

On top of the good location, Sahrai thinks that Ton Th at Th iep is just plain lucky – citing the Hindu temple on its northern end as a bringer of good fortune.

No. 29-31 Temple Club, tel +84 (0)8 829-9244; No. 39 Gaya, tel +84 (0)8 914-3769, www.gayavietnam.com; No. 43 Saigon Kitsch, tel +84 (0)8 821-8019; No. 51 Cantina Central, tel +84 (0)8 914-4697; No. 51 Mai Gallery, 2nd Floor, tel +84 (0)8 914-0090