How a sleep retreat can help you catch up on zzzzzs
No, we’re not talking about holiday lie-ins but a trip dedicated to the art of slumber. Sleep vacations, one of the hottest travel trends for 2019, may be just what the doctor ordered. Read more here www.jetstar.com
Best Indonesian cuisine
The beachside village of Canggu is known as a hotspot for great food in Bali. Spice things up and eat like the locals at these cafés, restaurants and beach clubs in the region, serving up fresh and affordable dishes with a distinct local flavour. Read the full story here www.jetstar.com
Immersed in the Blue Lagoon
Who can forget teenagers Brooke Shields and Christopher Atkins frolicking in the turquoise sea in the 1980 survival blockbuster, The Blue Lagoon? Read the story in Pacific Island Living here
A guru’s healing touch, my embrace with India’s hugging saint.
The renowned spiritual leader and humanitarian, Mata Amritanandamayi, is best known for her healing hugs, having embraced a reported 33 million people worldwide. Alison Bone recalls her quest to meet the guru and receive a holy embrace. Read the full SBS article here
Land of the dragon
Dawn is breaking over Labuanbajo, as we settle into the small outrigger which will take us to Rinca island, home of the legendary Komodo dragon. The early morning silence is shattered when the boat captain fires up the outboard motor, it’s a noisy beast and conversation becomes impossible, but it doesn’t matter as the scenery unfolding before me is so spectacular that I am rendered speechless. The boat cuts across the deep inky blue water and weaves through the jagged volcanic islands that make up Komodo National Park. It is dry season and the islands are parched and barren, some are little more than big piles of black lava rock. Others have strips of dazzling white sand and a smattering of palm trees, while the bigger islands have villages of stilt houses. Read the full story here
Orangutans in the mist
The jungle rises steeply in front of us and we cross the river balanced precariously on a dug out canoe. The wall of dense green foliage looks impenetrable but a narrow, muddy trail has been carved out and the ranger leads us to a small clearing and a feeding platform. We only have to wait a couple of minutes before an orangutan comes swinging gracefully through the trees. It’s a female, and her scrawny baby clings on tightly as she stuffs bunches of bananas into her mouth and scoffs handfuls of milk from the rangers bucket. Read the full story here
Verona: City of Romantics
Creating an enchanting backdrop for one of the world’s greatest love stories, Verona is quite possibly Europe’s most romantic city. Ringed by snow-topped mountains, the ancient city of Romeo and Juliet is filled with Gothic cathedrals, treasure-filled palaces, and a 2000-year-old amphitheatre that provides an atmospheric setting for open-air opera in the height of the summer. Read the full story at flightcentre.com
9 Ways to make the most of a Fiji Holiday
There’s more to these enchanting isles than dreamy resorts, divine spas and delicious seafood. Adventure seekers can discover vibrant coral reefs or go river rafting down soaring canyons. Although your holiday tan will eventually fade, the spirit of the islands and the warmth and friendliness of the Fijian people will be etched in your mind forever. Read the full article at Qantas Travel Insider
The One and only Lombok
Lombok is often overshadowed by its sassier neighbour Bali, but those in search of an exotic getaway will be thrilled to discover the magic of this pristine tropical island. Picture mountains blanketed in lush rainforest, thundering waterfalls, vibrant traditional villages and stunning, often-deserted beaches. Read the full article at Elite Havens Magazine
I bathed in the Ganges with belief and bacteria
For devout Hindus, a ritualistic dip in the holy waters of Varanasi is said to purify the soul, but as pollution levels of the Ganges rise, spiritual renewal may come at a price. Read the full SBS article here
Samosir: An island on an island
Seventy four thousand years ago Sumatra was rocked by one of the biggest volcanic eruptions of all time. Anthropologists believe that the resulting dust cloud that covered the earth killed most of the planet’s population. From the mouths of hell sprang the tropical island paradise of Samosir, perched in the middle of Donau Toba the world’s largest crater lake . Read the full article here
Gallipoli: the birth of a legend
On the 25th of April every year, thousands of people gather at a narrow peninsula in Turkey. The rugged landscape is hauntingly beautiful with its dramatic ridges, isolated beaches and deep valleys, but that’s not what draws them. They are mostly young New Zealanders and Australians, backpacking, hitchhiking and staggering out of old Kombi vans, drawn to a location they know little about except its place in their nation’s histories. Read the full story here
Travel Media Specialist 