Fah Sakharet is the Art Director of Travel + Leisure South East Asia for the past 2 Years. She was educated in the UK and has worked for some of the leading UK magazines. She has travelled the world and now has landed her dream job at Travel + Leisure. Retreat East catches up with the creative eye behind the magazine.

Hi Fah, what is your background?
I’ve got a bit of an eclectic background. I was born in Manila, where my dad, who's Thai, was working for ADB as an economist. That’s where he met my mum, who's Filipina. When I was 12, I was sent to England for school, and stayed there for almost 20 years. Professionally, I got my start in London as a junior designer at a newspaper, and then moved onto consumer magazines. In 2005, I left my job and went traveling around the world, and wound up in Bangkok—where my mum is—a year later.

Describe your job as art director at Travel+Leisure Southeast Asia.
I basically oversee the creative side of the magazine. That means everything from organising cover and fashion shoots, designing layouts, commissioning photographers and illustrators, and making sure the magazine is out on time. It’s also my job to make sure that we match the high standards of the U.S. edition.

How did you end up doing this job?
I was freelancing for Media Transasia, which is the company behind the Southeast Asia edition, and they approached me about becoming the art director. It was perfect, my two passions had come together—travel and magazine design! I took up the position and we launched in December 2007. 

Are fashion/editorial shoots as glamorous as they seem?
The short answer—no. Sure, from the outside, it seems really glamorous: you’re jetting off to all these exotic, amazing locals. But the reality is that it’s a lot of hard work. Before the shoot is a logistical nightmare: you have to coordinate with the photographer, the stylist, the model, the make-up artist, the people at the location. You then have to play travel agent and make sure everyone is at the right place, at the right time. And once you’re at the shoot, it’s often early morning starts and late nights. Still I can’t complain, I get to visit some amazing places where normally I probably wouldn’t have the chance or funds to do so. And nine out of 10 times amidst the stress and chaos, we have fun too.

What's the most beautiful place you’ve been to recently?
A few months ago I was on a shoot in the Philippines. It’s been years since I’ve been there, so I extended my trip and went down to Boracay. I live in Thailand so I’ve been spoilt with beautiful beaches, but I was blown away by White Sand Beach. The sand is like talcum powder and the sea is crystal clear. But it’s not just the landscape that makes a place beautiful—a big part of it is also your experience you have with the people and the culture. Filipinos are a happy-go-lucky bunch, and the warmth of the locals made my stay all the more memorable.

What has been your best shoot to date?
The shoot we did in Manila was really crazy - we shot in the city which is really hot, sticky and just hectic. The same for Hanoi. City shoots are often the hardest because logistically they are more difficult to organise. But I was really pleased with the outcome, the shots look brilliant. I would say my most recent shoot in the Maldives is probably my best one so far. We shot at the One and Only resort which is great place to stay and well, the Maldives, you just cant ask for anything better. The islands are beautiful, the sun is always shining and the sea are all different shades of blue you can think of. Plus, I have a wonderful team which makes everything much more fun to enjoy these places with.

What are the highs and lows of your job?
Highs—the most obvious thing is being able to visit amazing places for the first time. The different cities and cultures I experience is one of the most exciting parts of my job. Perhaps less obvious is working with an amazing team at the magazine. Everyone is great, and even though it can get quite manic and stressful, we always manage to have a laugh! Lows—the run-up to deadlines every month, the pace increases tenfold a week before the magazine goes to press and it can get pretty exhausting.

What's your favourite city in Asia?
It’s hard to pick just one—there are so many amazing cities in Asia, and they’re all so different from one another. Once, I traveled from Luang Prabang to Hanoi. My first few hours in Hanoi I hated it—it was so noisy, just so many people in such a small area, and so many motorcycles. It was just so much to take in after spending a week in Luang Prabang, which is the exact opposite—sleepy, very tranquil. But then by the second day, I absolutely loved it. In fact, everything that I had initially disliked I was now enjoying—all the hustle and bustle. I think it’s just the city girl in me!And now Hanoi’s one of my favorite places in Asia—great for food, shopping, and the architecture. And I enjoy grabbing a beer in one of the bia junctions—the corner stalls all around the Old Quarter. The beer is delivered daily there, so no preservatives are added—which means you don’t get a hangover. And if you like wheat beer like Hoegarden, you’re in for a surprise—the beer at these stalls tastes similar, but costs only a fraction of the price of an imported European beer. It’s also very democratic—everyone sits on small plastic seats and chats to the people sitting next to them—locals, expats, and backpackers. It’s very laid back.

What are some of your favourite hotels in Asia?
I’ve stayed in some very nice plush places. See who is your favourite hotel designer.

What is your favourite type of food?
I don’t really prefer one cuisine over another. It’s more what I fancy eating during the time. One day I can have craving for som tam, another day it can be a simple pasta dish. But I am a meat lover and I’m very fond of the steaks. Not exactly the healthiest item, but I did enjoy my time in Buenos Aires where steak was on the menu almost every night!

What do you like to do on holiday?
I prefer to be more active. I love white-water rafting and mountain biking. I’ve tried some crazy extreme sports in New Zealand. Those Kiwis are always game for adventure. They have a sport called white-water sledging, which involves hanging onto a plastic floating device (similar to a kickboard but bigger) and you basically throw yourself into the rapids and let it take you! It’s nuts. You feel safe on a raft going down rapids with a crew of six, but when it’s you and class three rapids, it’s an entirely different matter. Needless to say once was enough for me!

What was your favourite holiday you’ve ever taken?
I've had some really cool holidays. Memorable ones have included sailing on a Turkish gulet off the coast of Turkey. I wasn’t sure how well I was would fare on a boat for seven days but it was pretty amazing. We slept up on deck and the night would be pitch black except for the light of the moon, which was just magical. I’ve never seen so many stars. Marrakesh brings back a lot of fun memories too. The city is quite fascinating and so different to other places I had visited before then. I stayed in a wonderful riad, which is a traditional Moroccan house with an interior courtyard. These houses are designed so even if it’s scorching hot outside, the inside remains cool. And when you’ve been wandering around the alleyways and souks in the heat, it was a really lovely place to return to. Another unforgettable trip was the Inca Trail. If you ever plan on visiting Machu Pichu, you can’t cheat by taking the train. On the last day, we got up at 4 a.m. and walked the last few miles up to the Temple of the Sun. When dawn breaks, and the clouds part there is a breath-taking view of Machu Pichu below. The four day trek was definitely worth it. You can’t believe a civilisation lived here 500 years ago, and yet these amazing structures still exist.

What book have you read recently?
I recently read a book called What is the What, which Dave Eggars wrote with Valentino Achak Deng. Deng was one of the lost boys of Sudan, and the book is meant to be a slightly fictionalized account of what he went through. There were thousands of boys like him and they would walk for days, weeks, months from village to village, seeking a safe place. These boys—most of them were orphans—ended up living in refugee camps for 10 years, sometimes longer. It’s incredible. I really admired the way Eggers told the story: it was such a powerful story that he didn’t need to embellish it at all. I prefer writers who just present the facts, rather than force their opinions on you. It helps you understand affairs that normally we wouldn’t actively be aware of and it’s entirely up to the reader what they decide to do with that information.

Who is your favourite hotel designer?
I don’t think I have one particular favorite hotel designer, but I do like what the designers at Six Senses create. At the Six Senses Hideaway on Samui, they’ve done an amazing job of creating a sense of privacy, while also making the villas feel like they’re part of nature. You can open all your windows and walk around in the buff, and no one can see you! Plus, they’re very environmentally friendly—the use naturally dyed fabrics, there’s no plastic in the bathroom, the water is recycled. It’s pretty remarkable what they do.

Do you think environmental issues influence people’s choice of holidays?
Perhaps in the West, but barely at all in Asia. This region is really behind Europe when it comes to environmental awareness. And when there is talk about being “green,” it’s either a silly fashion statement or it’s completely fake. A lot of hotels will say they’re green, but when you question them closely, they’ll say, Oh, we give our guests the choice of keeping their towels and linens for an extra day. That’s not being green. Being environmentally conscious means using sustainable sources of energy, recycling and reusing, and giving back to the community.

Do you think travellers are looking for boutique hotels versus the big-name chains?
Hotels like the St. Regis, Four Seasons or The Peninsula will always do well because the service is spot on—you can’t go wrong. These guys are pros—when you have a problem, they’re usually very accommodating. It’s why they have loyal customers. Of course there are boutique hotels that have the same level of service, and some people prefer the intimacy of a small hotel.

Where do you want to go and discover next?
There are so many places I would like to experience. I am really intrigued about Mongolia. It’s somewhere I have no idea about—but I’ve read and seen enough photos of Mongolia to be intrigued. I would like to stay at a ger camp and drive through or go on horseback across parts of the country. The landscape looks just amazing.

Which hotel and resorts chains are paving the way for the future?
Definitely, Six Senses for it’s environmental conscience. It’s heartening to see other hotel chains out here follow their example. Alila hotels, for instance, is launching two high-end properties that are green from start to finish. 

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