IT’S easy to see why the residents of Ogimachi were able to live their traditional lifestyle for so long. The Japanese village, which has been on the UNESCO World Heritage register since 1995, sits on a plot of flat river-side land at the foot of steep hills and towering peaks and this geological barrier makesContinue reading “Stepping into Japanese tradition …”
Category Archives: Destinations
Sydney’s Sheraton receives refit …
SYDNEY’S Sheraton on the Park will undergo a comprehensive renovation with the city hotel’s club lounge and 558 guest rooms receiving an elegant refresh. The $40 million refurbishment will wrap by early 2018 and is planned to combine “modern design with the classical elegance” expected of a brand that caters comfortably to both business andContinue reading “Sydney’s Sheraton receives refit …”
A rare view in rainy Venice …
THERE’S one thing nicer than Venice on a blue-sky day, and that’s Venice when the mist is hanging low and there’s a chill in the air. On those days the tourists stay away, so the alleys are less crowded, and the locals can take their time getting around rather than having to rush between theContinue reading “A rare view in rainy Venice …”
New York’s best boutique hotels …
WHEN it comes to New York accommodation there’s something to satisfy every travel whim – from budget boltholes to international icons – but it’s the new breed of boutique beauties that most excite savvy travellers. Escape the Big Apple tourist trail and book a hotel in one of the city’s five lively boroughs, where you’llContinue reading “New York’s best boutique hotels …”
Secrets to selecting a suitcase …
GO away for any longer than a few days and you’ll need one companion who causes you the least possible bother: a suitcase. But with so many variations in shape, size, weight, material, colour, wheels and locks, where do you start buying something that not only comfortably carries your clothes but withstands the punishment inflictedContinue reading “Secrets to selecting a suitcase …”
Curio Collection comes to Rome …
ANY traveller that’s visited Rome knows finding somewhere to sleep can be a challenge. The Eternal City is not blessed with a plethora of accommodation options and those that prefer booking big-name brands, finding comfort in knowing exactly what to expect when it comes to service and style by the logo hanging above the entrance,Continue reading “Curio Collection comes to Rome …”
… Singapore’s Chinatown market …
SINGAPORE is a place that’s making a mad dash towards the future with the Lion City leading the way when it comes to everything from innovative social housing developments to something as simple as finding better ways to check luggage for an international flight. But in a settlement that’s shiny and new there are stillContinue reading “… Singapore’s Chinatown market …”
the Mekong River …
WHERE … The Mekong River in central Cambodia WHEN … Monday, August 7, at 5.06pm WHAT … It’s the second full day of my cruise from Siem Reap to Saigon on board the RV Mekong Pandaw and we’re sailing downstream somewhere between Kampong Cham and Phnom Penh. It’s about an hour before dusk settles onContinue reading “the Mekong River …”
Getting sick far from home …
THE first time I went to Europe solo I came down with a cold in Prague that morphed into bronchitis by the time I reached Munich and caused my eardrum to rupture. I didn’t have anything more potent than Panadol on me and when the first symptoms appeared in the Czech capital, it took agesContinue reading “Getting sick far from home …”
Singapore’s southern sky …
Where … A suite on the 19th floor at One Ferrar Resort & Spa When … Wednesday, August 2, 2017 at 9.23am What … Another day begins in Singapore with the floor-to-ceiling windows in my suite on the 19th floor at One Ferrar Resort & Spa framing a view that stretches across the island’s southernContinue reading “Singapore’s southern sky …”
VISIT – BALI
BALI BEST IN AUGUST TRIPADVISOR has news for those Aussies desperate to escape the mid-winter gloom by spending some time in Asia’s tropical warm. Bali’s average nightly room rates are set to plummet by more than $50 per night in August at places to stay right around the Indonesian holiday island. TripAdvisor has been searchingContinue reading “VISIT – BALI”
Tips from top photographers …
SEVEN Australian photographers who specialise is landscapes and wildlife tell us about their favourite destinations for photography. David Evans David Evans is a photographer and travel writer hosting photo tours inside Scandinavia’s Arctic Circle. Abisko is a premier location for viewing the northern lights because it’s nestled between a mountain range and Lake Tornetrask, withContinue reading “Tips from top photographers …”
Accommodation for Adelaide Airport …
FLYERS travelling through the South Australian capital will soon have somewhere to stay close to their aircraft with building now underway on the new Atura Hotel at Adelaide Airport. The 165-room hotel, which will cost $50 million to complete and is expected to welcome its first guests at the end of 2018, will be connectedContinue reading “Accommodation for Adelaide Airport …”
Cool and quirky QT Canberra …
FOR so many years there was nowhere interesting to stay in Australia’s national capital. Sure, there has always been loads of hotels dotted around the districts radiating from Lake Burley Griffin, but they were sterile address offering the bland experience travellers expect from same-same chains promising a reliable style regardless of location. But that’s allContinue reading “Cool and quirky QT Canberra …”
AVANI coming to Queensland …
AVANI’S first Australian hotel is set to open its doors on Queensland’s Gold Coast in early 2018 with the new AVANI Broadbeach Residences now taking shape. The $150 million development boasts 219 guest suites including one and two-bedrooms apartments that each feature a lounge, dining room, and kitchen as well as modern appliances and neutralContinue reading “AVANI coming to Queensland …”
Singapore’s Shang receives refresh …
SINGAPORE’S Shangri-La hotel is an enclave of elegant excess at the top end of Orchard Road that regularly welcomes everyone from kings and queens to diplomats and politicians as well as discerning tourists in town to indulge in a spot of sightseeing. The hotel’s Tower Wing – built in 1971, it’s an original part ofContinue reading “Singapore’s Shang receives refresh …”
INSIDER – AIR NZ NUMBERS
NUMBERS TELL A STORY OF AIR NZ FLYING AIR New Zealand is beginning the next financial year by looking back at customer data from the past 12 months and revealing some interesting insights into guest travel preferences. The Kiwi carrier, which operates around 176,000 flights every year to facilitate more than 15 million customer journeys,Continue reading “INSIDER – AIR NZ NUMBERS”
NYC hotels with cool rooftop pools …
PICTURE this. You’ve spent a sweltering summer’s day exploring the Big Apple, soaking up the buzz in this biggest of big cities, and now it’s time to retreat to your New York accommodation to refresh and recharge for a night gallivanting about the city that never sleeps. Forget about lowering your core temperature with aContinue reading “NYC hotels with cool rooftop pools …”
Temple etiquette for Asia tour …
DO you know the difference between a pagoda, a temple and a stupa? I have been to Asia dozens of times since my rookie tour back in 1994, and ventured inside more Buddhist sanctuaries than I can remember, but it wasn’t until my first sojourn in Myanmar at the end of 2015 that a guideContinue reading “Temple etiquette for Asia tour …”
SQ291 sightseeing …
Where … Flying above the northern tip of New Zealand’s South Island in a Singapore Airline’s 777 on approach to Wellington’s airport. When … Sunday, March 5, 2017 at 1.31pm What … The journey from Canberra to Wellington takes my Singapore Airline’s flight right over the Marlborough Sounds with the settlement of Picton passing belowContinue reading “SQ291 sightseeing …”
Antarctica’s Cierva Cove …
HAVE you heard of a little place called Cierva Cove? It’s most unlikely, unless you’re a glaciologist or polar explorer, with this landmark just another weather-beaten bay on the western side of the Antarctic Peninsula at the mouth of the Gerlache Strait. But Cierva Cove is a significant spot thanks to the chain of monumentalContinue reading “Antarctica’s Cierva Cove …”
Another first for BKK’s Pullman …
NINE years after welcoming its first guests the world’s first Pullman hotel, Pullman Bangkok King Power, has unveiled a new look after completing a transformative renovation project. “The renovation of Pullman Bangkok King Power presented an unprecedented challenge but the result is simply stunning,” explains the property’s general manager Marc Begassat. “Our goal was toContinue reading “Another first for BKK’s Pullman …”
Sounds of silence in Cierva Cove …
I WAS expecting this to be one of the most peaceful places on the planet. I’m perched on the side of a Zodiac drifting around Cierva Cove, an iceberg-choked bay on the western side of the Antarctic Peninsula, and there isn’t a man-made sound to be heard above our breathing. But this remote place justContinue reading “Sounds of silence in Cierva Cove …”
New York’s newest is boutique beauty …
NEW York’s newest boutique hotel will welcome its first guests on February 16 with 1 Hotel Brooklyn Bridge set to become one of the Big Apple’s most divine destinations. The 194-room property is perched on the Brooklyn waterfront, a stone’s throw from the iconic Brooklyn Bridge in cosmopolitan Brooklyn Heights, with the 10-storey “sustainable ground-upContinue reading “New York’s newest is boutique beauty …”
River ship that feels like home …
“GOOD morning, welcome home,’’ the ship’s crew chant as we step back on board the RV Mekong Pandaw. It’s only 10.30am but the day is already fiercely hot, the dense humidity delivered by last night’s monsoonal downpour settling on the landscape like a wet woolen blanket. I’m pleased to be back on my graceful floatingContinue reading “River ship that feels like home …”
CRUISE – AMADEUS PROVENCE
A POOL DECK FOR PROVENCE EUROPE’S only riverboat with a pool deck will embark on her maiden voyage in April. The brand new MV Amadeus Provence will feature a “tranquil infinity plunge-style pool” and alfresco bar which combine to make it a scenic open-air perch for guests to watch the scenery drift past during sunnyContinue reading “CRUISE – AMADEUS PROVENCE”
Where to stay on Victoria’s MP …
THE Mornington Peninsula has long been one of Victoria’s favourite holiday playgrounds. And it’s no wonder the patch of land between Port Phillip and Western Port bays is so appealing with a feast of opportunities on offer for those looking to escape the big smoke for a few days or a couple of weeks. TheContinue reading “Where to stay on Victoria’s MP …”
Bendigo’s View Street …
BACK in the 19th century Bendigo sat at the heart of Victoria’s goldfields with the regional settlement growing into a bustling metropolis after the first sparkling nuggets were found in the 1850s. While tent neighbourhoods quickly sprawled in every direction – as more miners arrived to fossick for gold rustic communities grew around the minesContinue reading “Bendigo’s View Street …”
Honkers’ new very Kerry address …
HONG Kong’s Kerry Hotel is close to opening and taking reservations for stays from April 2017. The 546-room property, in Kowloon’s waterfront Hung Hom Bay, is described as Hong Kong’s first “five-star urban resort” created to “pamper guests with pure comfort and understated luxury” and each room features floor-to-ceiling windows framing views of the Victoria HarbourContinue reading “Honkers’ new very Kerry address …”
So majestic in KL …
→ Colonial charm at Kuala Lumpur’s Majestic Hotel … I HAVE a thing for Asia’s colonial-era hotels. I love everything about them – from the old-time architecture to a serene sense of history suggested by the internal design – and seek out historic addresses when heading to the Orient. So when I find myself inContinue reading “So majestic in KL …”
Far Near Or Here 