Innholdsfortegnelse for Volume 121 - 2023 i Vacations & Travel

THE WORD 'ADVENTURE' MEANS DIFFERENT THINGS TO DIFFERENT people. For some, it means labouring up ridiculously high peaks where oxygen is thin, but the views are vast. Others love nothing more than exploring beautiful places on foot, on a bike, in a kayak, on a horse or in a vehicle, whether it be a bus, minivan, car or train. Still others might think adventure is to immerse in a different culture, roughing it on the roads less travelled, or camping under a blanket of stars in a far-flung desert. In this issue, in a nod to the 40th anniversary year of Vacations & Travel, we are presenting the 40 Best Adventures to scratch your adventurous itch. Trust me, there is something here for everyone. In this jam-packed issue, we climb…

THERE ARE MANY REASONS WHY women like to travel together. Even with women they have never met. Single women like the comfort and companionship of being with other people ... a shared experience is a better one in most cases. Some ladies just prefer to travel with other women, and if there is a room sharing component, travelling with other women is preferable. Some women might be too busy to organise their own travel so going with a reputable company takes all that stress away. Here are some of the companies doing women only travel well. BE A DIVA IN IRELAND A shared journey with like-minded people enriches the experience, especially for solo female travellers. Travelling Divas was founded for this reason, for women who love to share the excitement…

WITH 10 HECTARES OF LUSH greenery, squeaky white sand, crystal clear ocean and swaying coconut palms, multiple restaurants and bars, plus watersports, arts trail and spa, there is much at Joali Maldives to explore and enjoy. Yet I’m struggling to leave my Water Villa - the view really is that stunning, and the room so comfortable that I wouldn’t be entirely disappointed if I was told to stay ‘home’ for the next few days. Opened in 2018, Joali Maldives is the first art-immersive resort in the Maldives, evident from the moment you step off the seaplane from Male. The arrival lounge is a manta-ray roofed architectural delight, part way along a 1.2km jetty that curves from the shore to the 49 thatched-roof overwater villas and residences, each offering from one…

Flight Number: EY451 + EY73Seat: 6A + 7HAircraft: 777-300ER/787-10Duration: 13 hrs 45 mins/6 hrs 30 mins The journey to Switzerland started with a quick and easy check-in, and as I was lucky enough to be flying Business Class, some relaxing time in the excellent The House lounge. THE CABINS I am in seat 8G in Business Class on the Abu Dhabi leg, on the right aisle of the centre row, with the 1-2-1 configuration. There are 28 seats in Business, with a pitch of 185 cm and 51 cm width. A mattress, doona and pillow await on my seat, which converts to a lie-flat bed when I need it later in the flight. There is an Acqua di Parma amenities bag, complete with sanitising wipes, hand cream, eye mask, socks…

WE ARE SITTING ON A BENCH ON an isolated, rocky headland in South Australia, drinking Thermos-hot tea and eating the remnants of the best Portuguese tarts we have ever had. Licking sticky fingers and on a sugar high we are thoroughly content, looking out over endless witches’ fingers of land barraged with whitewash from the curling waves from the deep. It is a four-night girls’ road trip, with three of us taking the roads less travelled and staying in cabins in holiday parks. It is Thelma, Louise and Mable (well, we needed a third name) minus Brad Pitt, the law-breaking and the dramatic cliff ending. ON THE ROAD We soon learn that there is a lot to see on country roads. After leaving Adelaide we drive along the Murray, then…

ARRIVING AT SANTORINI IS A memory-making moment; indigo water where black cliffs rear dramatically skywards, garnished with gravity-defying cubed houses. But there’s a problem if you’re arriving after 8.30am and hoping to get the ‘Santorini shot’ of the blue dome church to a cerulean backdrop, a symmetrical symphony of white on blue that is almost cinematically surreal – because you would have missed the boat, literally due to the number of tourists here. Especially in peak season of August. But I have one thing up my sleeve – time – a feature of Azamara cruises. Over the 11-day journey from Istanbul to Athens, including more headlining names like Gallipoli and Mykonos and quiet achievers such as beach-tastic Kavala in Turkey and peaceful Patmos in Greece, we tend to arrive at…

Explora reaches for the stars Executive chef of New York’s Aquavit, Emma Bengtsson, is the first female chef to showcase her culinary talents on board EXPLORA I. Bengtsson was the first female Swedish chef to be awarded two Michelin stars. The five-month partnership (until March 2024) will see Bengtsson curate a menu for fine dining restaurant Anthology, showcasing dishes that will reflect “creative interpretations of classic dishes and an innovative culinary approach with influences from Scandinavia, as well as the vibrant flavours of New York City.” explorajourneys.com Beckett’s new Euro flair This popular restaurant and cocktail lounge in Sydney’s trendy Glebe, has a new culinary team, adding some ooh la la to its belissimo. French head chef, Julien Ombredane, formerly of QT Sydney and the InterContinental Marseilles, along with Italian…

London’s hot ticket Raffles London at The OWO has unlocked the doors of Britain’s renowned Old War Office in the heart of Whitehall. The inaugural UK establishment for Raffles encompasses 120 magnificent rooms and suites, including Heritage Suites housed in the former offices of leaders including Winston Churchill. The hotel offers three exceptional dining venues curated by acclaimed chef Mauro Colagreco, a Guerlain Spa, and the holistic Pillar Wellbeing. The OWO will also be home to independent restaurants, including a captivating rooftop offering panoramic vistas of St James’s Park, The Mall, and Buckingham Palace. raffles.com ‘Wow’ factor The much-anticipated W Sydney has finally opened in Sydney’s Darling Harbour, bringing a new late-night lifestyle precinct to the waterfront locale. With architecture by Hassel and interiors by Bowler James Brindley, W Sydney…

It might appear from its exterior like a contemporary resort; a low, white building with curved lines and a cerulean lagoon-style pool, but step inside AYANA Segara and there’s no denying you’re in Bali. Designed by Yasuhiro Koichi, who was also behind the famed Rock Bar, there are intricate wood carvings in the lobby and a kamasan (traditional painting) within the ceiling. Each of the rooms and suites has indoor-outdoor spaces with private terraces and Balinese-style wooden décor. The fourth property in AYANA’s 90-hectare estate, AYANA Segara Bali shines with its seamless indoor-outdoor flow, and its laidback luxury style of living, making the most of life in this tropical paradise. TIME TO DINE When hunger calls, start near the main pool at Karang’s all-day dining restaurant where there’s a Pan-Asian…

IT’S MID-MORNING IN PHUKET and I’m on a speedboat on my way to Koh Yao Noi in Phang Nga Bay. Around us, limestone karsts rise like guardians in a glistening emerald bay. There are mostly locals on board, talking among themselves or dozing against the windows, but the surrounding beauty is not lost on us. A seaplane flies overhead, preparing to land on the cerulean waters, and I can’t help but think it’s like something straight out of a James Bond movie. And it was – just north of here is Khao Phing Kan, also called James Bond Island, the 40-metre vertical cliff that gained a worldwide reputation in The Man with the Golden Gun. Our mission is to bike close to 40 kilometres around Koh Yao Noi – and…

THE QUEEN IS FLIPPING GÖZLEME in an open-air restaurant in the Turkish town of Seljuk. The monarch, in this instance, is Hatiçe Merçan who, 31 years ago, borrowed a handful of lira to start making the stuffed Turkish pastry on the roadside near Izmir, when her husband’s business went bankrupt. Her gözleme literally started selling like hot cakes, and today, the cookbook author and celebrity chef reigns undisputed at Bizim Ev Hanimeli restaurant, whose buffet offers up 40 regional dishes every day. “She is the queen!” says Aysenur Genc, our enthusiastic Intrepid Travel tour leader, translator and problem solver, as our group refuels at the open-air restaurant after a visit to nearby Ephesus, Turkey’s most famous Greco-Roman ruins. Tourists and locals order cold, sour cherry juice and it’s all hands…

WATERLILIES FLOAT ON TRANQUIL waters of the billabong, delicate, long-legged birds pick through the reeds, wild horses graze in the background. I think to myself that if Monet had ever visited Australia, this would have been his heartland. There’s a snap and a swirl of water, and a three-metre crocodile’s jaws clamp shut on passing prey. OK, not so Monet… Coasting through Ngurrungurrudjba/ Yellow Waters billabong, I’m in the heart of Kakadu, with the two-hour billabong cruise one of Cooinda Lodge’s signature experiences. “The crocs are so fat at the moment,” says Mandy Muir as she pulls the boat up so we can count eight reptiles languishing on the shore. “There are also 288 bird species here,” she adds, pointing out black-headed storks, magpie geese and the tiny, fragile comb-crested…

Local flavour Reservations are finally open for Oceania Cruises’ new jewel, Allura. The sister ship to ultra-luxury vessel Vista, Allura holds true to her name with a maiden voyage sailing to some of the most intriguing destinations across the Mediterranean and the Americas. Launching June 2025, Allura boasts a mouth-watering culinary scene including five specialty dining venues, a crêperie, gelateria, an expansive Culinary Centre and Chef’s Studio. Guests can expect immersive gourmet experiences that uphold the line’s claim to ‘The Finest Cuisine at Sea’, such as Sommelier’s Choice, Cellar Master’s Wine Pairing Luncheons and culinary-based land excursions, too. oceaniacruises.com Three rivers with Tauck There is another string to Tauck’s river-cruising bow in Europe, with a new itinerary, the Three Rivers, that encompasses the Danube, Main and Rhine rivers on a…

I PEEL BACK THE CURTAIN IN MY CABIN TO A LUSH MOUNTAIN range cloaked with birch trees and dotted with claret-coloured houses reflecting off the mirror-like waters, and there’s no mistaking we’re in Norway. We’re in the village of Hellesylt, at the head of the Sunnylvsfjorden fjord and the postcard-worthy landscape is not for a second lost on me. On the other side of our ship, the newly built MSC Euribia, is the centre of this tiny village, split in two by a thundering waterfall that cascades over granite stones. Here, wedged in a striking fjord in southern Norway, we are taken aback by the stark contrast to the bicycle-laden streets of cosmopolitan Copenhagen we were cycling just the day before. And therein lies the beauty of being aboard a…

A fairytale ending in Austria The Rosewood Schloss Fuschl – a meticulously renovated 15th-century castle on the banks of Austria’s idyllic Lake Fuschl – will be home to a new spa when the hotel reopens in 2024. Asaya will have eight treatment rooms, indoor and outdoor pools and a fitness centre. Expect a fusion of alternative therapies, lifestyle and nutrition coaching, wellness and fitness programs, as well as specialised healing treatments – all to a backdrop of endless mountains. rosewoodhotels.com Wellness your way From connecting with culture in Sri Lanka to calming meditation in Ubud, View Retreats has launched a series of new wellness escapes across Southeast Asia. Choose from seven curated, innovative wellness holidays in Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Indonesia and Sri Lanka. In Vietnam you can bed down at…

TRIED TESTED Don’t be surprised if you hear rhythmic Japanese taiko drumming coming from the entrance of the stunning award-winning restaurant, Taiko, located in Amsterdam’s Conservatorium Hotel. Formerly a bank, the hotel has held several lives, and was also once the Conservatorium van Amsterdam, and the restaurant is located where drumming lessons were once held. Because of this, star executive chef Schilo van Coevorden decided ‘taiko’ would be a catchy and appropriate name. The restaurant is all about inspired Asian and Far East cuisine; but it’s not only the flavours, aromas and textures that impress - it’s the attention to detail, service and presentation that enchants. Van Coevorden says he loves to create the perfect symphony of flavour using Asian ingredients, while his dishes also tell the story of those…

TRIED TESTED An idyllic island in the Maldives surrounded by coral reefs, crystalline waters lapping pure white shores dotted with palm trees swaying gently in the breeze, has long been my idea of paradise. Add in award-winning cuisine and a premium all-inclusive concept that gives you no nasty surprises at the end of a gourmet stay and the reality might just have been stepped up a notch. At Heritance Aarah, a jewel in Raa Atoll, time really does stand still. Just a 40-minute seaplane ride from Male, you’ll arrive 20 minutes before you left. This island idyll marches to its own time zone beat, an hour behind Male, so you can really make the most of your time here. The resort has 124 villas in seven different categories – 58…

PHOTOGRAPHY ON THE JOURNEY BETWEEN Pokhara and Manang in Nepal’s Annapurna Ranges, the crops of rice and marigolds at lower altitudes give way to snowy peaks and yaks. Once a narrow trail for horses and trekkers, the route to Manang is now also accessible by 4WD. Barely. It’s a bumpy ride and often not much faster than walking, with regular stops to take in waterfalls and apple farms. Accommodation along the trail remains largely rustic, with cosy guest houses featuring wood-fired kitchens serving lentils, rice and momos. Masala chai is no longer the only drink on the trail, with espresso machines popping up even in the most remote of villages. Where the jeep trail ends, the java trail does not. Brightly coloured house paint brings a little character and individuality…

THE SOUND IS LIKE THE DISTANT roar of the ocean at first. I pace slowly up the loose sandy scree, boots sinking and sliding in a bare landscape, monochrome grey save for random emerald tufts or a smear of moss. The sound grows until I crest a ridge where the roar becomes like a jet-powered waterfall, though there isn’t a drop of water in sight. Instead, acrid sulphur invades my nostrils, sweeping my tastebuds, and I look down upon some of the few dozen fumeroles that scatter the flanks of Mt Asahidake, venting gases at over 200 degrees in narrow cones of white steam. The people of Japan might be famously polite and reserved but their northernmost main island of Hokkaido is anything but. It hisses, belches and occasionally erupts…

AN ENORMOUS ELEPHANT IS blocking the road ahead, staring us down. “This is a mature bull elephant, and he’s angry,” our guide Caleb explains a little too cheerily. Thankfully for us, his bad temper isn’t directed at us today, we are merely in his way, and he saunters off across the blonde savannah to direct it elsewhere. A couple of hours earlier we’d paused our Rovos Rail journey in the heart of Hwange National Park, Zimbabwe and stepped off the train for a game drive, one of two included excursions on our luxury four-night rail journey from Pretoria to Victoria Falls and our first opportunity to see the local wildlife up close. ALL ABOARD Rovos Rail is deemed one of the world’s most luxurious trains, an opportunity to enjoy the…

Fiji Airways’ new addition Fiji Airways’ latest Airbus has been named ‘Island of Beqa’ after an outlier to the main island of Viti Levu. The A350, known for its long-range capabilities, offers superior cabin amenities, substantial fuel savings, and can carry more cargo. Marking a significant step in the modernisation of the airline’s fleet, the A350 aligns with Fiji Airways’ strategy to introduce new-generation aircraft, reducing fuel burn and operating costs while expanding their route network and enhancing the airline’s capacity across Australia, New Zealand, North America and Asia. fijiairways.com Cool beans on high Love your coffee? Emirates serves more than 17 tonnes of coffee annually from a diverse menu including Lavazza, Coffee Planet, and Nairobi Coffee and Tea Company. Fly in Business or First Class and you can also…

THERE’S A MOMENT, STANDING high on dolerite cliffs that drop like a knife’s edge into the ocean, when the rest of the world fades to insignificance. Sheepwash Bay is remarkably still, and the sky is crisp and eggshell blue. Then we hear it – whale song, melodic and haunting. I have goosebumps. The bay is a natural amphitheatre, and the pair of southern rights we eventually spot are not shy about using it as their stage. Their calls reverberate around the pipes of stone, and seem to bounce back at us from Tasman Island and its lonely lighthouse, just offshore. There are 15 of us gazing out to sea. And not a single soul can find the right words to express how special this encounter is. Truth be told, over…

I’M CLIMBING HAND-OVER-HAND up a muddy, twisted tree-rooted hillside, grabbing vines to swing up and over logs dotted with lurid funghi. Dappled light filters through the rainforest canopy. One last moss-covered mound and there it is laid out before me: the neon-bright turquoise and emerald waters of the Wayag Lagoon dotted with jungle-topped limestone karst islands descending into the translucent depths. This is the jewel of Indonesia’s remote Raja Ampat archipelago, the bullseye of marine biodiversity on the planet, and it is spectacular. Climbing Mt Pindito is one of the it-just-gets-better-and-better experiences on my 13-night Coral Expeditions’ cruise through Indonesia’s Raja Ampat marine paradise, its exotic Spice Islands and West Papua’s Cenderawasih Bay, one of the rare places in the world with a resident population of whale sharks, the world’s…

I’M FLOATING IN WATER CLOSE to body temperature, my therapist Gaa cradling and guiding me around the pool while gently stretching me. A little awkward perhaps, yet strangely soothing. I emerge rested, if a little wrinkled, an hour later. I’ve been asleep for most of the time, Gaa tells me. This is watsu, one of the unique treatments available at Joali Being, the first nature-immersive wellbeing island resort in the Maldives. Located 40 minutes by seaplane from Male, this transformative jewel in Raa Atoll’s crown boasts 68 beachfront and overwater villas and a spa with 39 treatment rooms. Its core ethos is to guide you on a journey to achieve weightlessness of mind, body and spirit – and after an hour in the watsu pool, I might have already achieved…

Nestled in the heart of the enchanting Krabi, Centara Grand Beach Resort & Villas effortlessly marries traditional Thai design with modern luxury, all against the stunning backdrop of towering limestone cliffs. This exceptional location boasts its own secluded beach lapped by turquoise waters, and serves as the perfect launchpad for boat trips to neighboring gems, like the renowned Phi Phi Islands. MY PERSONAL SANCTUARY My One Bedroom Pool Access Villa radiates the classic charm of Thailand, covering a spacious 96 square metres. Adorned with dark wood accents and intricately-carved furnishings, each villa features an ocean-facing bedroom with a king-sized bed, a roomy terrace, and an airy living space. Large floor-to-ceiling windows draw in the lush tropical scenery, offering a breathtaking view. The bathroom features a sliding window, allowing you to…

TRIED TESTED A crowd has gathered at Cable Beach Club’s Sunset Grill to witness Broome’s main event – the sunset. The sun melts its way into the Indian Ocean as a yellow-sailed pearl lugger sails into view. I sip on a classic margarita made with fresh limes and feast on Humpty Doo barramundi so fresh it could have swum straight onto my plate. Cable Beach is 22 kilometres long and named after the telegraph cable laid between Broome and Java in 1889. The sprawling Cable Beach Club is set on the shores of the iconic beach and boasts two pools as well as 233 studios, bungalows, villas, suites and club apartments spread amongst lush gardens filled with bougainvillea and frequented by guests and grazing wallabies. The property blends colonial and…