Recent years have seen China's thirst for high-end wines is grow almost as fast as its economy. What's behind this sudden interest and how do the Chinese consume wine? See Part I. Is domestic Chinese wine living up to expectations? Read on.

A beach holiday can be an opportunity to eat, drink, sunbathe and eat some more – but at Canyon Ranch Hotel & Spa in Miami Beach, you’ll experience a luxury beach getaway that will leave you refreshed and rejuvenated. Here, you’re not only cocooned in pure all-suite comfort on the Atlantic shore – you also have complete access to the Canyon Ranch wellness programme, including the services of certified physicians and health professionals.

Surfing is the epitome of cool – a laid-back lifestyle with lots of sun, sea and sand. Hawaiian brand Lightning Bolt is synonymous with the sport (or, as some may say, religion), as one of the first successful surfing companies in the '70s. Perfectly timed to coincide with their 40-year anniversary, Lightning Bolt have launched five striking surfboards designed by legendary Lightning Bolt shapers and surfers.

The aeroplane can be fashion's biggest enemy, throwing up an array of challenges. It's a fine art to put together an ensemble that allows you to stay comfortable without sacrificing style and that, furthermore, fits in with the fashion scenes of both the departure and arrival destinations. DEPARTURES lends a helping hand for looking good during the long haul.

“Give me an aguardiente, made of the sugarcane of my valleys and the anise of my mountains.” So goes a popular song in Colombia. Yes, Colombians do tend to get a tad emotional about their national drink. In case the message wasn’t clear enough, one poet put it even more vividly: “What am I without aguardiente? I am a nation without people, a tree without roots.” Such heated passion for an aniseed-flavoured liquor, which translates appropriately as “burning water”.