Matador Network's Blog, page 740

Vietnam’s 24-karat gold hotel

Upon hearing about this new hotel coated in 24-karat gold, you might immediately think it’s in Dubai. It wouldn’t be an unreasonable guess, but in actuality, this new glitzy hotel is in Hanoi, Vietnam, and it’s being called the world’s first gold-plated hotel. The Dolce by Wyndham Hanoi Golden Lake opened this summer, and guests looking for ostentatious luxury won’t be disappointed.

Photo: Dolce by Wyndham Hanoi Golden Lake/Facebook

The hotel is filled with gold-plated tubs, sinks, and toilets, and there’s even a 24-karat gold tiled infinity pool on the roof. And of course, this aesthetic applies to the food and drink too. Dishes served at the hotel are topped with edible gold flakes, and the cups next to the coffee maker have gold details. Approximately 2,000 points of gold were used to decorate the hotel, though the price per night is actually surprisingly cheap.

Photo: Dolce by Wyndham Hanoi Golden Lake/Facebook

Rooms start at around $250, which feels like an absolute steal in a gold-plated palace. The 441-room property is conveniently located just 10 minutes away from the Hanoi city center and stands in stark, glamorous contrast to the many Soviet-era buildings that surround it.

Photo: Dolce by Wyndham Hanoi Golden Lake/Facebook

Nguyen Huu Duong, chairman of the group that owns the property, told Reuters, “At the moment, there is no other hotel like this in the world.”

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Remote mountain cabins near NYC

Mountain elitists of the Western United States, with their Rocky Mountain and Sierra Nevada ranges, like to own the conversation about what qualifies as a “true mountain experience.” But New Yorkers are in on a secret: the pristine, forest-flanked alpine lakes of Adirondacks; the near-perfect undulations of White Mountains; and the steeps of the Green Mountains all hold their own when it comes to the perfect place to escape the urban madness. Any further proof they may need, as if there’s not already enough, is a snowshoe outing away from any of the cabins listed below. These mountain escapes are far enough away, about five hours from NYC, but within a day’s drive so as not to require an overnight en route — and they all make for an ideal getaway this winter.

1. Bull Crest Cabin, Elizabethtown, NY

Photo: Airbnb

$125/night via Airbnb

Drive time from NYC: under five hours

Cozy barely begins to describe the Bull Crest Cabin, high in the Adirondacks near Elizabethtown (and conveniently not too far from the slopes of Whiteface Mountain ski resort). This one comes with all the fixins, including a toasty fireplace. Full kitchen, full WiFi, and fully surrounded by forest, not a disturbance in the world to bother your crew other than the immediate access to a variety of outdoor activities like snowshoeing, skiing, or frigid forest bathing. The town itself isn’t far, either, in case a night out beckons or a trip to restock supplies is in order.

2. River Cabin w/ Sauna, Upper Jay, NY

Photo: Airbnb

$375/night via Airbnb

Drive time from NYC: under five hours

If you’ve ever wanted to know what it’s like to sauna inside a hollowed-out log, this is your chance. The cabin itself is the bonus here, with the ability to sleep your entire crew of up to 12 people in four bedrooms within an 1800s guesthouse. The swank experience comes with a wood-burning stove, firepit, avocado chairs, and a river running nearby to wash away the sounds of the city. It’s less than half an hour from Whiteface Mountain and has walk-out hiking access so bring the snowshoes.

3. Unique and Rustic w/ Fireplace and Outdoor Space, Bartlett, NH

Photo: Airbnb

$195/night via Airbnb

Drive time from NYC: about six hours

Up to four guests can enjoy this cabin in the White Mountains outside of Bartlett, New Hampshire. Perfect for a snowshoe or ski getaway. Attitash Mountain resort is right up the road, with Cranmore and Black Mountain ski areas not far away. Back on property, enjoy an outdoor apres session around the fire pit or lounge in the spacious living room inside. The expansive kitchen and fireplace mean you can cook a meal and actually enjoy the process without feeling cramped. While there’s WiFi, phone service isn’t excellent here, making this cabin a good spot to head to disconnect from your electronics for a few days and get back to nature.

4. Pine Valley Cabins, Thornton, NH

Photo: Pine Valley Cabins/Facebook

$90/night

Distance from NYC: about five hours

Pine Valley Cabins are a collection of small cabins near Waterville Valley Resort and south of Loon Mountain. Each sleeps four people and offers easy access to the epicness that is northern New Hampshire. But despite all the skiing, snowshoeing, firepit story hours, and snowman building to be done on a trip here, one activity makes this a unique cabin getaway: snowmobiling. Bring the whole family out for a snowmobile adventure at the Corridor 11 Trail behind the property and several other established routes, where you can rip through powder lines and groomed tracks as part of the Twin Mountains Snowmobile Club. Call yourself a “sled head” or not, even riding on the back of one of these machines will have you hollering until it’s time for a Hot Toddy.

5. The Cabin, Mendon, VT

Photo: Airbnb

$375/night via Airbnb

Distance from NYC: about four-and-a-half hours

Get out of town and into the forest at this secluded cabin near the legendary Killington Ski Resort. The woodsy retreat is a welcome reprieve from the bustling ski resort and offers easy access to nature, which will likely beg you outside for a snowshoe, booted hike, or, at the very least, a cup of hot cocoa on the rustic wooden deck. The property is truly isolated from civilization but is modernized with a full kitchen, four bedrooms for six guests, and plenty of space to lounge. So if you’re the type who likes to escape to the woods to read or write you won’t find yourself in the dark out here.

6. Vermont Tree Cabin, Waterford, VT

Photo: Airbnb

$186/night via Airbnb

Distance from NYC: about five-and-a-half hours

Part tree house, part mountain cabin — the total of the sum is that it doesn’t really matter because this secluded getaway spot has the most epic hot tub you’ve ever seen. Which is a good thing because nothing goes better with cold weather and a day in the mountains than a hot tub. It’s made of cedarwood and is perfect for you and your partner (or a very, very close friend). This so-called “treecabin” is a quick drive to Cannon Mountain and Burk Ski Resort, but with this hot tub and its views out onto the Green Mountains, we wouldn’t blame you if you never left the elevated deck platform.

7. Secluded Luxury Cabin on Romantic Private Lake, Stanfordville, NY

Photo: Glamping Hub

$274/night via GlampingHub

Distance from NYC: about two hours

When the goal is mountain seclusion, the Catskills are an easy drive for massive reward. This high-end cabin embodies everything a vacation in the Borscht Belt should be — luxurious but remote, accessible yet quite affordable. Onsite you’ll find everything needed for a romantic getaway — a kitchen and porch grill for cooking inside or out, a spacious living area and outdoor lounge, and a bedroom with a view. Oh yeah, and the lake that’s yours to gaze upon as your wintertime fantasies manifest themselves.

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The best little-known views in Kauai

Kauai is full of postcard-perfect vistas, so you don’t really have to go out of your way to fill your feed with stunning images. But if you want to capture a scene that’s a little different on this Hawaiian island, catch a sunset from a different angle, take in the famed Na Pali cliffs without a day-long hike, or just glimpse a side of the island most travelers don’t see, there are some straightforward ways to do just that. Some are a short drive away or a pleasant walk — but none demand a grueling trek.

1. Waimea Canyon views

Photo: Nina B/Shutterstock

It’s a beautiful, sunny afternoon on Kauai’s west side and you decide to drive up Highway 550 from the coastal town of Waimea to the Waimea Canyon Lookout at 3,400 feet above sea level. But when you get to the parking lot, you find it’s packed with cars, and when you walk the steps up to the lookout, you realize all you can see is white. The 10-mile-long cleft of red earth that’s been dubbed the Grand Canyon of the Pacific is completely obscured by fog.

Next time, stop on the way up, just a couple of miles shy of your destination, and you’ll already be able to see the rust- and green-hued gorge, as you’ll be below the fog line. If you stop a little before that — at the Iliau Nature Loop, accessible right off the highway — you can take a short walk to get views of the canyon most don’t see. Oh, and another tip: if you do want to go to the actual Waimea Canyon Lookout after that, go in the morning; that’s usually before the fog rolls in.

2. Na Pali lookouts

Photo: Pierre Leclerc/Shutterstock

Conventional wisdom has it that to see the weirdly serrated, emerald cliffs of the Na Pali Coast, you need to either paddle on a canoe or climb into a helicopter. The other known option is to get a permit and hike the sometimes treacherous 11-mile Kalalau Trail from Ke’e Beach up north — since, after all, no roads actually reach the famed escarpments. In fact, on your same journey to Waimea Canyon on Highway 550, you can continue northward past the canyon, almost to the end of the road. You’ll park in a lot right near the Kokee Park Geophysical Observatory. With your back to the observatory, walk towards the Kalalau Valley Lookout for spectacular views of the cliffs and the ocean beyond them. You may even catch a picture with tropical flora in the foreground.

Right here, you are also at the trailhead for the Kalepa Ridge path, so feel free to walk a little farther in for yet more views. Two other options include stopping earlier at the trail to the Another option is to drive a little farther to the Pu’u O Kila Lookout, where you’ll get views straight across Kalalau Valley, a stunning dale flanked by the Na Pali cliffs. Be sure to go in the morning for clear views.

3. Hanalei Valley vistas

Photo: Steve Heap/Shutterstock

Many people think you can only take in the view of Hanalei Valley from the car as you are winding down the twisty road off the Princeville bluff and towards the valley. In fact, there are some other ways to see it. A simple option is while you are descending into the valley, as you take the big 300-degree left-hand turn, to pull out to your right at a lookout point. We recommend continuing on and crossing the one-lane bridge down below and then immediately heading left onto Okolehao Road. Drive to the end of the road and take a short walk on the Okolehao Trail. This will give you much more dramatic views of the Hanalei Valley, with its taro fields and fruit trees, and the Hanalei Bay just beyond it.

4. Princeville sunset evenings

Photo: Nathan Peachman/Shutterstock

On the north shore of the island, many people rush down to the area near Hanalei Pier at sunset. It’s certainly a festive scene, especially on weekend nights for local teens, so by all means, check it out. But if you want sunset views most don’t see, then get yourself to Princeville and take the short hike down the Queen’s Bath trail at sunset. If the trail seems too daunting, or you don’t have time to clamber down to the beach before the sun dips below the horizon, keep driving on Ha Haku Road towards the St. Regis. After passing a set of condos located directly across from each other, you’ll see a patch of green on your right. This is before the parking lot to Hideaways, one of Kauai’s many little-known beaches. It’s the perfect spot to catch the sun dipping below the horizon — or, in summer months, dropping behind the peaks in the distance.

5. Maha’ulepu Heritage Trail scenes

Photo: Nina B/Shutterstock

The Maha’ulepu Heritage Trail is in fact a walk, but it’s generally flat and always freshened by ocean breezes. You can drive to Shipwreck Beach and find the trail to your left. You’ll walk up high, on the red earth of the Makawehi Bluffs and the trails and dusty sand-hued paths just above the sea, catching a side of the island not served by paved roads. Even though you are close to Poipu, a condo-dotted and sunny corner of Kauai, this protected area is free of development. Walk all the way to Punahoa Point and you can look across to Gillin’s Beach, another one of Kauai’s lesser-known beaches. If you want to continue to the Makauwahi Cave Reserve, you’ll see an area dedicated to native plant restoration.

6. Kilauea National Wildlife Refuge perspectives

Photo: Adam Springer/Shutterstock

The Kilauea Lighthouse is on the northernmost point of the island and is understandably a popular destination. And while it’s worth a visit, take a moment to stop before the ticket office to the lighthouse. You’re in the Kilauea National Wildlife Refuge, where you’ll likely to see Hawaii’s state bird, the nene, and several other native bird species. Take a photograph of the scene with the lighthouse, the point, and the ocean. Only then should you work your way to the lighthouse. Make sure you keep your eyes focused on the water, as this is a top spot for dolphin and whale sighting.

7. Kalalea Beach Trail overlook

Photo: norinori303/Shutterstock

Homes in the Anahola area are reserved for those of Hawaiian descent, and it’s important to be respectful of those who live here. Don’t, for example, go surf at Anahola Beach — unless you are there as the guest of a Hawaiian local and you are a damn good surfer to boot. But if you do want to get some fresh air and see this side of the island, the Kalalea Beach Trail can be accessed from the Kuhio Highway. From the trailhead, you can get vistas from up high of windy, wild Papa’a Beach. After the hike and photo taking, stop at the locally owned Kalalea Juice Hale just off the highway. The little orange building tucked into the foliage serves up some excellent juices and açai bowls.

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White House European travel bans

The US closed its borders to most European countries back in March to curb the spread of COVID-19, and the EU responded in kind. Though coronavirus cases are surging around the world, and show no signs of letting up, the White House is reportedly considering lifting the travel restrictions on foreign nationals coming from Brazil, Britain, Ireland, and the 26 member countries of the Schengen area. Those coming from China and Iran would still be banned from entering the country.

Officials within the Trump administration believe that lifting the restrictions would help the struggling US airlines whose business has taken a huge hit since the introduction of the restrictions.

Since most European countries still ban US citizens from entry, however, it’s unlikely that the US will lift the ban until a reciprocal agreement is struck, and protocols for international travel are agreed upon.

President Trump has reportedly not yet made a final decision with regard to lifting the travel restrictions.

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Best British detective shows

In October, I traveled to France to visit my family whom I had not seen for a year. Exactly two days after my arrival, the entire country went into lockdown. COVID-19 cases were dangerously surging, and we were all ordered to stay home, except for the occasional trip to the grocery store and the permitted one-hour walk that could extend no farther than 0.6 miles from our place of residence.

As we are all too familiar with by now, when you’re stuck at home with no end in sight, you need good books and good TV to keep the boredom and relentless anxiety at bay. But not any type of TV will do. My antidote to the stress of lockdown is an old-fashioned British detective story.

Marcella, Bodyguard, or The Fall might be some of the best recent Brit mystery TV out there, but there’s little relief to be had in the nail-biting suspense and psychological torments of their protagonists.

What we need are stories devoid of cliffhangers and unexpected twists, whodunits that make your brain work out the puzzles without letting it go into overdrive, and archetypal characters who are so unbelievable that you don’t invest in their tragedies. What we need are stories that don’t revel in the gore, the sexual, or the suffering.

Modern thrillers be damned. The simple, standalone episodes of late-‘90s Midsomer Murders and Jonathan Creek bring a sense of certainty that’s nowhere to be found in the real world these days. Within an hour, you’re sure to have the story wrapped up nicely, the bad guys in prison, a victim avenged. All done and dusted.

But beyond the appeal of the expected and logical closure is the enjoyable naivete of those TV series. Often set in rural villages where the annual garden festival is the biggest event of the year, or in oh-so-perfect Oxford, nothing about the background of the stories are relatable. Have you ever heard of a wealthy orchid hunter getting stabbed in the back with a pitchfork in their own manor (Midsomer Murders)? Me neither. There’s no real-world equivalent to a magician consultant solving locked-room plots throughout England (Jonathan Creek) or a crossword and opera fanatic tracking murderous university professors in his fancy red Jaguar (Morse). It’s all pure fantasy. Everything about those TV shows is so far away from our reality that it becomes a pleasure to watch, a welcome escape.

There’s also the atmosphere of comfort these shows work hard to establish: Characters drink pints in riverside pubs, live in funky but cozy windmills, read books and knit in chintz armchairs while the birds chirp outside and the milkman makes his daily delivery. There’s no anguish of the world gone berserk or loneliness — there’s mostly warmth, friendships, pleasures, and humor, all of which we need badly this year.

Of course, not everything about these outdated series is enjoyable. There’s next-to-no ethnic, gender, or sexual diversity, and there are sometimes offhand comments or jokes about the LGBTQ community that will have you cringe in disgust. Although they would justly deter some viewers, these moments are sporadic and shouldn’t define the shows in their entirety. And watching these scenes with 2020 eyes, you’ll see how far we’ve come, and how ahead of the game some were (Jonathan Creek’s Maddy is a strong, sexually liberated female character, and Morse’s 1989 Dr. Grayling Russell is a modern feminist and a much-needed LGBTQ ally).

Now is not the time for stressful entertainment; instead, it’s the perfect moment to dive into international TV that’s comforting, simple, and a tad fantastical. And old-timey British detective shows, with their clichéd characters and uncomplicated plotlines, will provide all the easy escape and coziness you need right now.

If you don’t live in the UK and feel like I’ve teased you onto a dead-end road, note that you can access these TV shows on Britbox from the US and Canada for the price of a Netflix subscription.

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Black Friday sale for travel

Black Friday is usually about standing in line at Best Buy to get your hands on a flat screen that’s half-an-inch bigger than the one you currently have, just because it’s 40 percent off. This year retail shopping with hordes of other bargain hunters is even sketchier than usual due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Luckily, the day is not all about retail. This Black Friday, JetBlue is offering vacation packages to Jamaica, Aruba, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and more for a $400 discount.

The sale is available to book through midnight on December 1 and is good for travel from November 27, 2020, to September 7, 2021.

For packages between $250 and $1,499, use the code FRIDAY50 to get $50 off. For packages priced between $1,500 and $2,499, use FRIDAY100 for $100 off. For packages $2,500 to $3,999, use FRIDAY200 for $200 off. And for $400 off on packages valued at $4,000 or more, simply use the code (you guessed it) FRIDAY400.

Visit the official sale site to browse all the available packages and included perks. Destinations include Aruba, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Las Vegas, Jamaica, Cancun, and locations throughout Florida. Basically, there’s a package for anywhere you’d possibly dream of going this winter to catch some sun.

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Family gifts land to New Zealand

It’s not often that you hear a story of land developers failing in their attempt to pave paradise, but that’s exactly what just happened in New Zealand thanks to the Jardine family.

Dick and Jillian Jardine gave 2,223 acres of land by the edge of Lake Wakatipu to the nation of New Zealand rather than sign it over to developers. The land, at the foot of the Remarkables range, will now be open to the public starting in 2022 after being officially handed over to the Queen Elizabeth II National Trust.

The family has owned and worked on the land for 98 years, and wanted to see it and its biodiversity preserved for another century. They declined several offers from overseas land developers.

According to The Guardian, Jillian said, “We thought about this idea, and it just stuck, so it feels like the right thing to do. We want to keep it as it is forever, we don’t want buildings all over it or housing, there’s so much housing going in … we want to be part of saving something.”

The gifted property is now classified as freehold land (currently a working farm), and will remain so for the near future.

“This land has been in the family for nearly a century,” said Dick Jardine, “and we have endeavoured to improve and enhance it over this time. Having QEII as the caretaker of this property gives us the comfort and assurance to proudly pass over this gift for all New Zealand to enjoy and appreciate.”

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Rocky Mountain National Park morning

While sparing you the pain of any cliche “early riser” metaphors, we’d be remiss to not encourage hardy visitors to Rocky Mountain National Park to arrive as early in the morning as possible. The park is open 24 hours, but the vast majority of visitors arrive after 8 AM and depart by 6 PM. As long as you don’t mind getting in an activity or two before visiting the visitor centers, which open at 8 AM, a dawn or even pre-dawn arrival to the park offers views and strolls free of distraction — except by the wildlife you’ll likely see grazing near the road that has yet to be dispersed by the onslaught of the coming national park rush hour. Here’s what to do at Rocky Mountain National park before 9 AM, including catching the sunrise of a lifetime.

Watch the sunrise from Bear Lake or the Alpine Visitor Center

Photo: Troy Warwick/Shutterstock

Sunrise from the Alpine Visitor Center, located at 11,796 feet near the top of Trail Ridge Road, is rivaled only by catching the morning rays atop Hawaii’s Haleakala National Park and Bali’s Mt. Batur. The difference is you can drive there. Perch yourself on a lawn chair; better yet, stand against the rock wall adjacent to the building to catch the day’s maturity over the peaks to the east. Alternatively, the rays reflect pinks and purples off Bear Lake and position you perfectly for an early morning hike.

Be the first to spot wildlife

Photo: kurdistan/Shutterstock

Elk, mule deer, bighorn sheep, and many types of birds including eagles, falcons, and ptarmigans outnumber people inside the park by a large margin. Thing is, it often appears the opposite when the park is busy. Dozens of cars often pull over along the side of Trail Ridge Road at the mere spotting of a single moose. But by arriving early while most are still polishing off their continental breakfasts back in Estes Park or Grand Lake, you’ll actually be able to witness the animals without fighting for parking. What’s more, when fewer people are around, wildlife numbers tend to be higher. Crazy how that works.

Get on the trail before everyone else

Photo: Rajesh Jyothiswaran/Shutterstock

After the sunrise, an early morning hike from Bear Lake is the ideal way to keep an unforgettable morning going. The Bear Lake Loop is under one mile in length, but if you desire a longer stroll, continue on to Emerald Lake and pass by Nymph and Dream Lakes en route. In addition to good exercise, an early morning hike allows you to beat the crowds and have the trails nearly to yourself, with the added perk of a rosy assessment of your photography skills. It’s near impossible not to overwhelm your phone’s camera roll with vivid imagery as you pass by the lakes with the greenery surrounding them and peaks in the background.

Take a trail ride on horseback

Photo: Nelson Sirlin/Shutterstock

If an early-morning hike isn’t your jam, head to Cowpoke Corner Corral and hit the trail by horseback, instead. The seven-hour guided ride ($260) from the corral into the park heads all the way up to Cub Lake and includes lunch once you get there. You’ll cruise through both Moraine and Hollowell Parks, view the devastation and rebirth sparked from the Forest Canyon Fire of 2012, and have plenty of time to pepper the guide with questions about the flora and fauna you pass along the way. They call the tour an “extended half-day,” but with an 8 AM departure followed by seven hours up and over a mountain, you’ll be ready for an early happy hour by the time you arrive back at the stable.

Cruise the pull-outs along Trail Ridge Road

Photo: Yobab/Shutterstock

A typical summer day in Rocky Mountain National Park involves a line of cars and RVs snaking their way up and over the Trail Ridge Road pass, crowding the scenic viewpoints en route. By following your wake-up hike with a cruise over the famed highway, you’ll be able to secure positioning directly in line with the best photos to be taken from each of the numerous pull-outs along Trail Ridge Road. Must-dos include Many Parks Curve, Forest Canyon Overlook, and the obligatory summit photo from your window — slow down first — from 12,183 feet. Fairview Curve is worthwhile, as well.

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Free period products in Scotland

Scotland made history yesterday by becoming the first country in the world to introduce legislation that ensures free and universal access to period products for the public. Stemming from a grassroots campaign, this bill is evidence that the Scottish government is taking period poverty very seriously and encouraging other countries to do the same.

In all public spaces, universities, schools, and workspaces in Scotland, it is now a legal right for people to have access to free tampons and sanitary pads.

The new legalization was driven home by Labour MSP Monica Lennon, who has been campaigning for this law and for ending the stigma towards menstruation in society for years. The bill passed unanimously, 121 to zero.

Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland’s First Lady is thrilled with the new legislation, tweeting her support yesterday.

Proud to vote for this groundbreaking legislation, making Scotland the first country in the world to provide free period products for all who need them. An important policy for women and girls. Well done to @MonicaLennon7 @ClydesdAileen and all who worked to make it happen https://t.co/4lckZ4ZYIY

— Nicola Sturgeon (@NicolaSturgeon) November 24, 2020

The Scottish government has broken ground this week, but the work does not end there. Lennon goes further to outline the future steps stating: “Once access to period products is secured for all, our next steps must be ensuring women’s health in general remains high on the political agenda in Scotland and that we end all stigma around menstruation. This should start with menstrual wellbeing education in all schools.”

Period poverty is a global battle, and hopefully, other countries will follow in Scotland’s footsteps and provide a similar level of welfare for their citizens.

“Scotland is an example of best practice, and there is an opportunity for other countries around the world to learn from what we have achieved on period poverty in just a few short years,” said Lennon.

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Traditional Alaskan food and dishes

An abundance of natural resources has flourished for thousands of years in the untamed oceans and forests of Alaska. Alaska’s Indigenous people were the first to find nourishment in plentiful runs of salmon and herds of caribou, and today these two animals remain iconic in Alaskan cuisine. Alongside those two favorites, there is even more to love in Alaskan waters and forests.

The seafood can’t be overlooked: There are giant crabs stalking the ocean floor and oysters drinking in ice-cold, glacier-fed waters. One can also look to the trees for nourishment in the form of spruce tips and birch syrup. There are bunches of purple, red, and orange berries hanging from shrubs and trees, the key ingredient in Alaska’s famous berry cobblers. If you’re a forger, a hunter, a fisher-person, farmer, or gardener — or basically anyone who likes their food wild and fresh — Alaska is a wonderland of nutritious flavorful ingredients, oftentimes available right in your backyard.

“More than any other place I’ve ever visited, Alaska is a place where people expect to be able to live off the land, and that’s an idea that’s deeply ingrained in the culture,” Marks Adams, author of Tip of the Iceberg: My 3,000-Mile Journey Around Wild Alaska, the Last Great American Frontier, tells me. “Whether it’s caribou, halibut, moose, salmon, spruce tips, wild blueberries (or salmonberries), or even eclectic native favorites like fermented walrus, food gathering is a part of the rhythm of the seasons no matter your day job. If you’re a chef, using that cornucopia of fresh ingredients from outside your back door is a no brainer.”

Here are 10 must-try foods to try from Alaska that reflect the bounty of this stunning wilderness.

1. King crab legs

Photo: Eduard Mikriukov/Shutterstock

Alaskan king crab is legendary. Yes, the fishermen who brave dangerous waters to bag these seabound creatures become famous on Deadliest Catch, but the crabs themselves are equally noteworthy: The pristine frigid waters off the coasts of Alaska produce some of the largest, meatiest crabs on the planet. The meat itself is sweet and soft. As a bonus, Alaskan crabs are always wild-caught, making it a sustainable choice for dinner.

2. Oysters

Oysters thrive in the glacier-fed waters along Alaska’s coastlines in places like Kachemak Bay and Ketchikan, Alaska, home of Hump Island Oysters. These oysters have an exceptionally briny flavor, with hints of cucumber, melon, and minerals. Alaskan oysters are also known for being particularly plump and are among the safest oysters in the country to eat because they live in continually cold waters and eat a constant diet of plankton.

3. Reindeer sausage

Photo: Mo M/Shutterstock

Offered on breakfast platters and as a pizza topping, reindeer sausage is a true Alaskan specialty. Though it’s called reindeer sausage, it should be correctly identified as caribou sausage, as that’s how Rudolph’s brethren are known in Alaska. It’s not 100 percent caribou either but a combination of caribou, pork, and beef. Perhaps its most iconic iteration is in the form of a reindeer dog, which Atlas Obscura reports was a popular street food snack in Anchorage before the main purveyor of the hot dogs died in 2016.

4. Sourdough bread

We can give thanks, at least in part, to Alaska for popularizing sourdough bread in America (though it originated in Egypt). Sourdough came to prominence during the Klondike Gold Rush, when, according to food writer and author of I Hear America Cooking Betty Fussell, prospectors to the Yukon carried portable sourdough with them to the Yukon as a leavening alternative before baking soda was widely available. They were likely inspired by French and Italian immigrants who brought their baking techniques to the port cities of Seattle and San Francisco.

For NPR, Sharon Veil writes that Alaskan miners were so attached to their sourdough that they “supposedly slept with their beloved starters to keep them from freezing in the north country’s frigid climate.” This type of bread was so ubiquitous in Alaska during this period that sourdough eventually became a nickname for a prospector that managed to survive an entire Alaskan winter without turning back for home.

You can bake or buy sourdough anywhere in America today, but it’s worth paying tribute to its rich history in Alaska by trying sourdough pancakes while you’re there.

5. Berries

Photo: Andrey Armyagov/Shutterstock

The berries of Alaska are abundant and diverse: There are the more well-known varieties like blueberries, raspberries, and currants, but you’ll also find deep red lingonberries, orange salmonberries, and almost-black crowberries — which are famously blended into akutuq, an indigenous Alaskan ice cream made from caribou fat. Outdoor adventurers are likely to encounter them everywhere: Wild berries grow along the roadsides, near hiking trails, and in back yards all over the state.

Perhaps part of what makes berries so prized in Alaska is that they’re so versatile. Berries can be frozen, eaten fresh, preserved, added to baked goods like pies, cobblers, and muffins, or transformed into fruit leather, jam, jelly, or syrup. During long, difficult Alaskan winters, foods with a long shelf life and a variety of uses are a blessing.

6. Muktuk

This traditional subsistence food of the Inuit people is a chunk or cube consisting of one layer of dark whale skin and another layer of thick white blubber. Harvested from either the bowhead, beluga, or narwhal, muktuk is traditionally eaten raw. However, it is sometimes breaded, fried, and served with soy sauce. The flavor is sometimes compared to fresh coconut or fried eggs.

7. Birch syrup

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The most famous syrup in the country might come from Vermont’s maples, but the birch syrup harvested in Alaska shouldn’t be overlooked. The syrup is harvested during Alaska’s chilly spring season from wild growing trees in places like Talkeetna, Alaska, where Kahiltna Birchworks runs a birch syrup production facility. The flavor of birch syrup is sometimes compared to molasses — reminiscent of caramel with a hint of spice.

8. All kinds of salmon

Beloved by Alaskan bears and people alike, salmon is famously high quality and ranks among the healthiest fish in the world.

There are five types of Alaskan salmon: sockeye, chum, coho, chinook, and pink. Alaskan salmon is wild-caught, a fishing practice considered by some to be more sustainable than aquaculture. Wild salmon is leaner, its meat is a darker and richer orange hue, and it’s dense in the nutrients that fish are famous for. Alaska is far and away the leading purveyor of these supreme fish — the Seattle Times reports that around 90 percent of all wild salmon come from Alaska.

Though most of the salmon Americans eat is farmed and imported, we should go out of our way to support Alaskan fisheries. The state’s salmon fishermen are held to rigorous sustainability standards that safeguard wild salmon runs from overfishing.

9. Halibut

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NOAA Fisheries describes Alaskan halibut simply: “remarkable.” These fish grow to be larger than most other halibut in other parts of the world. Sometimes nicknamed “barn doors,” Alaskan halibut can weigh as much as 500 pounds. Wild-caught Alaskan halibut is often caught using the longlining method, which results in very little bycatch, which might be reassuring for the sustainability-minded diner. Halibut is a white fish, mild in flavor, lean, and protein-packed.

10. Spruce tips

Spruce tips are exactly what they sound like: those prickly electric green needles that grow on the very tip of spruce tree branches — and yes they are edible. The Alaskan Indigenous Tlingit people were the first to brew a tea with spruce tips, and Captain James Cook brewed spruce tip beer which he claimed could ward off scurvy — a practice which is still done today.

According to Edible Alaska, the flavor of spruce tips can be described as “herbal, fruity, citrus, resinous.” They have a wide variety of culinary applications too, adding an earthy twist to salt, jam, and syrup. The BBC reports that there is still a thriving economy based around harvesting spruce tips in Alaska, in which the wild needles are foraged and then sold to be transformed into even more products, including honey, lotion, soap, and, of course, lager.

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