Innholdsfortegnelse for Volume 123 - 2024 i Vacations & Travel

Welcome to our Chasing the Elements issue in which we explore the raw, untamed beauty of this planet; where earth, air, fire and water converge to create the most awe-inspiring travel experiences the world has to offer. From feeling the rush as we soar above the sparkling coastline of Byron Bay in a gyrocopter (that you’re piloting!) to chasing some of the world’s most active volcanoes, we bring you a curation of adrenaline-inducing adventures. For those who prefer their travel on the gentler side, join us to marvel at masterpieces on a beginner-friendly dive to an inspiring underwater art gallery in Queensland or as we gaze upon the Northern Lights from our glass-igloo accommodation in Finland. We’ll also whisk you over the Australian outback in a Cessna to see the…

You feel it as soon as you walk through the doors of Music City’s most iconic venue. It seeps through the carpet and permeates through the walls. It’s nearly 100 years of dreams seized, or shattered, or simply given up on. The highs and the humiliations. The excesses and the addictions. The start of a beautiful love story and the end of one gone sour… and that’s just the audience. Imagine being on stage? We’re at Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry, where so many famous musicians have made their mark; think Johnny Cash, Dolly Parton, Carrie Underwood, Keith Urban, Jelly Roll and Taylor Swift. On being granted her first Opry performance in 2006, Swift said, “It’s like my whole life has been diverging to this one point” (she was 16 at…

The three siblings are tucking into their dinner with gusto. One of them is particularly noisy, mewling with every tugged morsel. So much so that the mother encourages him (or her) to be quiet, so as not to disturb the neighbours or attract attention. It becomes obvious that this horse has bolted, as a rather large interloper sounds his discontent at this intrusion into his previously peaceful afternoon tea. We are smack bang in the middle of this altercation. Three lion cubs and their lean lioness mum on one side, and a mighty big trumpeting elephant on the other. Welcome to a safari in South Africa. OUT OF THE BOX The first stop of our Adventure World sojourn is a far cry from the visceral raw beauty of the circle…

Sitting by the curved window in the Commodore Club, I have the best seat in the house. I am at the bow of Cunard’s Queen Elizabeth – sea birds are riding the breeze and distant ships are blobs on the grey, shifting sea. I peruse the drinks menu and love that it features boisterous beverages that salute some of the longest serving commodores of the Cunard fleet. I choose the ‘Punch Romaine à la Carpathia’, in honour of Commodore Sir Arthur Henry Rostron, who picked up Titanic survivors while captaining the Carpathia. This concoction is believed to be the last drink served aboard the doomed ship, and contains advocaat, cream, sherry, lime juice and mallow. It’s a cross between a cocktail and dessert, just the way I like it. This…

Artful airline Immerse yourself in a creative dreamscape with Cathay Pacific’s Gallery in the Skies, an exhibition of 30 Hong Kong-inspired artworks displayed in Business Class. Or, rest easy in the new Business Class Aria Suite, which offers a privacy door, sliding partition and an impressive 24-inch 4K monitor. The airline has also amped up its Economy offering with Bluetooth connectivity and comfort seating. cathaypacific.com Tea time Making the switch from coffee to tea has never been easier with Beijing Capital Airline’s new flight from Melbourne to Hangzhou, China’s tea capital. The inaugural flight from Hangzhou landed at Melbourne Airport at 5am on 17 June. Meanwhile, Vietjet’s first flight from Hanoi to Melbourne landed in the Victorian capital on 4 June. The new journey has two return trips every Tuesday…

TRIED & TESTED Built in 1922 in ornate Neo-classical style, Hotel Per La, Autograph Collection, was refurbished a century later in 2022 by hotel founder Amadeo Pietro Giannini. Housed in the former Giannini Building, originally the headquarters of the Bank of Italy, the 12-storey hotel retains its signature architectural features across the grand public spaces, showcasing interior design by acclaimed designer Jacques Garcia. Conveniently positioned on the corner of 7th and Olive Street, hotel guests have easy access to the 7th Street Metro Centre just two blocks away, connecting passengers to Union Station, Korea Town, Universal Studios, Hollywood, Santa Monica and Long Beach. Much of the building’s original features, such as its doric columns, ornate golden ceiling and marble floors, have been preserved in the bank’s main hall, which is…

1 AIR Look up! Witness the ultimate light show in the sky from a gorgeous glass igloo in Finland. Here, you can gaze upon the awe-inspiring Northern Lights and fairytale Lappish wilderness at night, and all from the comfort of your bed. The Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort offers two and four-bedroom glass igloos available to book through the Northern Lights season, running from late August until the end of April. kakslauttanen.fi 2 FIRE So hot The dust. The art. The anarchy. The outfits! America’s Burning Man Festival has taken on a life of its own. Tens of thousands of people from all over the world descend on Nevada’s Black Rock Desert each year to create Black Rock City, a ‘temporary metropolis made to honour art, self-expression and self-reliance’. As the name…

Nothing prepares you for the moment you round the corner on Iceland’s Ring Road and come face to face with the shimmering blue icebergs studded like massive sapphires in Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon. In this extraordinary land where water comes in every guise – frozen, flowing and crashing from waterfalls so ubiquitous you don’t need to go chasing them – the icebergs are arguably the superior form. We arrived just before 5pm for the last Zodiac tour of the day and, as if on cue, the sun broke through the September twilight, illuminating the iridescent icebergs, some up to 10 metres tall and equally wide. “You’re in luck,” said our guide Christian, after we’d pulled on waterproof coverings and life jackets. “Parts of the glacier broke off this morning so you’re…

Overworked and under-slept, I arrived at the latest Maldives hotspot with every intention of turning my five-night stay into a self-styled wellness retreat. I’d done some research on the SO/Maldives beforehand, of course. A girl’s got to know what to pack. I’d heard about the yoga and bespoke spa complete with hammam and Vichy rainforest shower and knew the restaurants offered nourishing salads and colourful açai bowls. Bouncing over the Emboodhoo Lagoon towards the resort, its liquid-glass waters sparkling with promise, I figured an eye mask, a private pool and a few days off the booze would have me feeling (if not looking) like Elle Macpherson. SUNRISE? WHAT SUNRISE? Well, that was until I pulled up at the jetty leading to this box-fresh hotel and took in the spectacular entrance.…

Sunsets in Koh Samui hit differently. Luminous shades of pink and orange burn the sky over the Gulf of Thailand, casting the white-sand beaches and crystalline waves in lovely hues of gold. Then, as the final rays of light disappear beneath the horizon, fairy lights flicker along the palm-fringed coast, pulling visitors from their air-conditioned resorts into the balmy evening air. It’s no wonder Koh Samui is one of the most visited islands in Thailand. A paradisaical scene is set from the moment of landing at Samui Airport, a quaint, open-air bamboo and thatch complex with beds of tropical flowers lining the alfresco walkways. ANOTHER DAY IN PARADISE As the largest island in an archipelago of 80, Koh Samui is the perfect base from which to island-hop, swim, snorkel or…

“They simply vanished. Not a splinter of wood, nor a scrap of paper. Nothing but silence until a search party landed on this island in 1850,” historian Ross Day says, his outstretched arms and power in his voice charging the Arctic air with emotion. “And discovered this.” We stand silently in front of the three gravesites wedged into the shaley ground on one of the most remote beaches on the planet. As memorials to questions unanswered, Day describes the ill-fated expedition led by the former governor of Tasmania, Sir John Franklin. “Setting sail in 1845, two ships (HMS Erebus and HMS Terror) with 129 men onboard were sent to find the holy grail of navigation – a route to link the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.” Exactly what went wrong still…

Around the world in 180 days It doesn’t get more epic than this. Oceania Cruises’ 2026 ‘Around the World Voyage’ will do just that, cruising across three oceans and 18 seas, to visit 101 ports across six continents and 43 countries. Phew. Setting sail from Miami on 6 January 2026 aboard the cruise line’s newest ship, Vista, the whole voyage will take six glorious months, soaking up the best sights of Southeast Asia, Australia, the South Pacific, Europe and South America. The grand journey promises “cultural immersions, epicurean discoveries and breathtaking natural wonders”, plus excursions to a whopping 81 UNESCO World Heritage sites. oceaniacruises.com Go big or go home For those who subscribe to the theory that too much sailing is barely enough, Avalon Waterways has answered the call for…

So Frenchy, so chic Renowned chef and restaurateur Luke Mangan has just opened his first Melbourne restaurant in over a decade: Bistrot Bisou. Located at the corner of Flinders Lane and Spencer Street, within the art-focused Hotel Indigo Melbourne, the relaxed French eatery will plate up modern takes on classic French dishes and cocktails alongside an impressive wine list. Planning a trip to Sydney instead? Try Hotel Indigo Sydney Potts Point’s new Stay and Dine package that complements a chic stay with a four-course Japanese-French dining experience by Mangan at Luc-San restaurant, from $329 per night per room. bistrotbisou.com.au The award goes to… The City of Light’s most famous hotel has solidified its place as a culinary leader this year. The Ritz Paris’s new restaurant, Espadon, was awarded a Michelin…

With vistas of glorious peaks and undulating valleys unfolding as far as the eye can see, it’s no wonder you’ll have a tough time leaving your lodge at BEAUSiTE Zermatt. The storybook village of Zermatt is tucked into a quaint pocket of Switzerland’s Valais region, and is a haven for skiing, hiking, spa-going or simply admiring the views from your hotel suite. Here you’ll wake up to the quintessential Matterhorn summit transforming from deep indigo to muted citrus hues. beausitezermatt.ch/en 4 other hotels with spellbinding views Marriott Mena House At the five-star Marriott Mena House in Cairo, guests can ogle Egypt’s Great Pyramid without having to leave their room. marriott.com The Gritti Palace Venice Find yourself face to face with the Santa Maria della Salute when you escape to the…

Given the opportunity, what skier wouldn’t want to tear down an Olympic downhill course? I’m thinking exactly that as I stand at a 2,340-metre summit in the Austrian Alps, about to hurl down a piste that helped propel competitors in five of the six alpine skiing events to potential glory in the 1964 and 1976 Innsbruck Winter Olympics. The resort goes by the futuristic-sounding name of Axamer Lizum, and the summit I’m about to test my limits on is called Hoadl. The problem is: I’m hardly an Olympic-level skier. Far from it, in fact. But do you know what the best bit is? The run is graded blue. In Australia, that would mean it would be suitable for intermediate-level skiers. But over here, beginners can tackle it. I’m no beginner,…

Day 1 10am Step back in time at the Temple of Literature (Van Mieu), dedicated to Confucius that dates back to the 11th century. The grounds are home to Vietnam’s first university, The Imperial Academy, which was established in 1076. 12pm The Imperial Citadel of Thang Long is a UNESCO World Heritage site that represents more than 13 centuries of regional political power. The Forbidden City is set at the heart of the citadel and exclusively reserved for the emperor and his immediate family. 2.30pm Grab a cup of Hanoi’s famous egg coffee at one of the quaint cafes on Train Street, and watch the locomotives rattle through the alleyway just centimetres from your seat. Scary but fun! 6.30pm If an open-air extravaganza of live music, dance and water puppetry…

Transformative treatments Reset and recover in paradise at Soneva Soul, the first wellness centre in the Maldives to offer stem cell therapy. Bringing together time-honoured healing practices and modern science in an integrated philosophy, Soneva Soul offers a range of topical and infusion treatments from tissue repair to skin regeneration. You’ll also be in trusty hands with an expert team of medical and wellness professionals. soneva.com FIND BLISS IN BALI Join Real Housewives alum Jackie Gilles for a seven-day retreat in Bali. Hosted at Hotel Kommune from 21–26 November 2024, TransformU – Bali Bliss Out takes guests on a week-long self-care journey filled with yoga, spa treatments, meditation and introspective workshops. Expect sunset horse rides, surf lessons and nourishing food for every meal while luxuriating in the tranquil surrounds of…

Hot property Elevate your Gold Coast holiday with a stay at Kirra Point Holiday Apartments, a new property on the lesser-known shores of Kirra Beach. From the creators of the award-winning Elements of Byron Bay, the apartments are elegant and contemporary with multi-room options to suit couples, families and groups of friends. Lounge on the sun deck, take a dip in the 25-metre heated pool or host a summer soirée in the barbecue area. Guests can arrange for groceries, charcuterie boards or picnic hampers to be delivered, or simply wander down the way to sample the delights of the new Kirra Point Precinct. kirrapoint.com.au When in Rome Mandarin Oriental has announced a new property opening in Rome in 2026. Set within 10 19th-century villas framed by landscaped gardens, the tranquil…

TRIED & TESTED At first the old train carriage looks like something that has been abandoned in the rainforest, with tree roots twisting themselves around cracked and peeling paint. But when I step up into the car I see the words ‘Back on Track: Spa’ in a carriage that has been transformed into a luxury space where I will be pampered in style. Welcome to the InterContinental Khao Yai, where architect and designer Bill Bensley has given 27 train carriages the ultimate upcycling makeover to create a railway-themed resort that feels like something from a fairytale. From the moment we arrive in the railway station-style reception area we have entered the world of the train conductor Somsak. A fictional character created by Bensley, Somsak was the stationmaster of the Khao…