3 minute read
Big Picture
EXPERIENCE
Wunyami Cultural Walk
Wanyami or Green Island has long been a go-to destination on the Great Barrier Reef. Now a new indigenous-led walking tour provides another way to enjoy its beauty. Hear about the ancient journeys of ancestral story-time beings, learn about the culture of the GuruGulu Gungganji and Gimuy Yidinji tribes, and discover their connection to the seascapes of this iconic island, which is home to 55 bird species and a mix of coastal and rainforest plants.
greatadventures.com.au
ENSLAND UE ENTS Q V E AND URISM O PICTURE: T
PICTURE: ACCOR HOTELS
Pullman Cairns International
A multi-million-dollar rejuvenation of the city-centre Pullman is underway, with the overhaul of the first eight floors of guestrooms complete; the rest will be done by early 2023. The brandnew rooms feature designer furniture and striking black-and-white palette accented by bold colours and artworks from regional artists. The hotel has a day spa, seafood restaurant, sauna, and a swimming pool with expansive sundeck.
pullmancairnsinternational.com.au
PICTURE: TOURISM AND EVENTS QUEENSLAND
RESORT
Fitzroy Island
If urban life isn’t your idea of a good holiday, Fitzroy Island is a 45-minute ride off Cairns and nearly all covered in national park crisscrossed with walking trails and scalloped with beaches. Coral lies just offshore and is home to colourful fish and occasional turtles. The resort – the island’s only accommodation – has stepped out after a serious makeover of guestrooms, swimming pool and landscaped walkways. The resort has two dining options, Foxy’s Bar and Zephyr Restaurant.
fitzroyisland.com
Air Niugini flies from Port Moresby to Cairns three times a week. See airniugini.com.pg.
UPDATE sinGaPOre
BY MARY O’BRIEN
One of those cities that never sleeps, Singapore has a
bevy of new places that have opened in the past two years. The city-state may be small, but the range of hotels, bars and restaurants is impressive with venues to suit every taste and budget. On the accommodation front, the new Hilton Singapore Orchard is one of the biggest hotels in the region. Raffles Sentosa Resort & Spa is due to open later this year and Artyzen Singapore will launch next year. We’ve listed the notable new or refreshed arrivals on these pages, but also look out for Mama Diam restaurant (inspired by the ’90s Mama convenience stores), iconic coffee shop Chin Mee Chin, upmarket Marguerite restaurant at Gardens by the Bay and revamped Ocean Restaurant on Sentosa Island. Top bars include the Regent’s flash House Bar, plant-based sustainable bar Analogue and California Republic Bar.
BAR
The Writers’ Bar
While most people head to Raffles Hotel’s Long Bar, the classic Writers’ Bar off the lobby is perhaps even more glamorous. After a refresh following pandemic closures, the watering hole – dedicated to the memory of famous writers who stayed at the hotel – is looking better than ever. Voted one of the best hotel bars in Singapore 2022 by Travel & Leisure Asia, many cocktails are inspired by literary themes. Top of the current list is Sloth, a heady mix of crème de menthe, crème de cacao and cardamom.
raffles.com
RESTAURANT
Claudine
This much-anticipated restaurant is the second in the city from chef Julien Royer (from Odette, the best restaurant in Asia on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants). The Dempsey Hill setting in a former 19thcentury chapel, designed by Nice Projects, is a stunner. A 15-metre-long paper lantern hangs from a red ceiling and glass panels of local greenery work as a backdrop to colourful furniture. The menu is inspired by Royer’s mother and popular dishes include bouillabaisse, vol-au-vent and his own sweet pariterole.
claudinerestaurant.com
PICTURE: HOSANNA SWEE
EXPERIENCE
Museum of Ice Cream
Get ready for the sugar rush at this family-friendly destination. Discover the secrets of ice cream across 14 multi-sensory installations. Highlights include a pink beach, a dragon playground and a pool filled with sprinkles. You can pop into the public cafe or pay to enter the museum for a 60- to 90-minute tour followed by unlimited frozen treats. Open since last year, this is the first Museum of Ice Cream outside the US.
