a fast-track to Bhutan and skiing comes to Covent Garden

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Bhutan The once-reclusive Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan will become much more accessible next month, with the launch of the first direct flights from Dubai. Starting on October 28, Drukair, the national carrier, will run two flights a week between Dubai and Paro, Bhutan’s only international airport, which sits at more than 2,200 metres above sea level. The airline already has flights to cities in five countries, including Delhi, Kathmandu and Singapore, but the link to Dubai, which has onward flights to almost 280 destinations, will significantly boost connectivity. (Just one other airline serves the country, Bhutan Airlines, and it only has scheduled flights to India, Nepal and Thailand).

Bhutan is currently marking the 50th anniversary of the first tourists arriving in the country, but numbers remain well down on pre-pandemic levels. Last year there were 103,066 arrivals (72,659 of which were from India), a total the government hopes to increase to 300,000. drukair.com.bt

London Shoppers and restaurant goers in Covent Garden will find an unusual addition to the piazza next week: a pop-up ski slope complete with 7.5 tonnes of real snow. Professional skiers, including Anni Kärävä and Alex Hackel, will compete in a “rail jam” on a slope descending from a platform fixed to the top of a bus. The event, on September 27, is being staged by the outdoor clothing brand Peak Performance, to mark the opening of a new store on Long Acre. It’s free to attend and there are limited slots available for coaching sessions with the professionals; book at peakperformance.com

Thailand The Capella Bangkok, a lavish five-star hotel overlooking the Chao Phraya river, has been named the best in the world. Opened in October 2020 in a modernist new-build block, the hotel has 101 rooms and suites, from around £550 per night. It took the title last week at the second annual “The World’s 50 Best Hotels” awards, pushing last year’s winner, Passalacqua on Lake Como, into second spot. theworlds50best.com/hotels