Dream by Luxury Escapes | Issue 01

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Contents

THE LUX FILES

On your marks, set-jet, go

Set jetting is the latest travel trend: organising your holiday based on a favourite TV show.

Take a Hummer tour of the canyons of Utah

An incredible way to see the red rock valleys of some of the state’s best national parks.

Take a tour to the far south of Morocco

44 18

Dine on the sandhills of the Sahara desert and listen to the evening prayer in the Medina.

Go on an elephant safari in Sri Lanka

Spotting elephants, peacocks and learning the true history of chilli crab.

Unwind on a wellness break in Fiji

From making your own kombucha and scrubs to getting pampered in the spa.

Learning to snorkel in the Maldives

Making waves in the undersea world of the Indian Ocean at JA Manafaru resort.

Cover image

Santorini, Greece

Photographed by Thibaut Modelia

Editorial

e Luxury Escapes Insider guide to Bali

Everything you need to know for a perfect getaway to the Island of the Gods.

e Phuket resort with white-hot cuisine

The Thai party town is maturing into a foodie paradise with two Dutch chefs leading the way.

Take me back to London

The Luxury Escapes TV show team takes on the UK capital in the latest series.

e new Greek Odyssey

Avoid the crowds on Santorini, discover the moonscapes of Milos and party in Mykonos.

Space station

Getting the Queensland outback all to yourself at Mt Mulligan Resort.

For all editorial inquiries, contact editorial@luxuryescapes.com

Advertising

For all advertising inquiries, contact lucy.mollison@luxuryescapes.com

Luxury Escapes

From the Luxury Escapes CEO

Travel is well and truly back in 2023. After the tumultuous past few years our customers are turning to travel as a way to make lasting memories, they are seeking new experiences and new destinations. They are travelling differently but just as passionately. We recently surveyed over 4000 Luxury Escapes members to find out how they were travelling in 2023 and over half of them were planning a trip to a country they had never visited before.

There is a pent-up demand for travelling both here and abroad, and travellers are looking for incredible travel experiences with 60 per cent of customers saying they will spend more on travel this year than they did pre-pandemic.

This is an exciting time for travel and it is the perfect time to relaunch our Luxury Escapes print magazine, now called Dream by Luxury Escapes. The aim of the magazine is to provide Australians with inspiration for their next adventure and to tell the incredible stories of our travel industry partners… the dreamers and the doers who are opening new hotels, creating tours and designing unforgettable experiences for travellers all over the world.

We aim to reflect on what is going on in the industry. Luxury Escapes customers told us that their top travel trends of the year were food tourism, wellness

e sky’s the limit

In a move that’s expected to benefit millions of Australians, Luxury Escapes and Virgin Australia’s Velocity Frequent Flyer loyalty program will join forces in an exclusive new strategic partnership.

From mid-year, Velocity’s more than 11 million members, and Luxury Escapes’ 3 million Australian customers will be able to earn and redeem Velocity Points on thousands of luxury holiday packages, hotels, cruises, tours and experiences.

The new partnership will also allow members to offset the cost of booking their next Luxury Escapes holiday by using Velocity Points to pay for part, or all, of their booking – making a premium holiday even more accessible for millions of Australians.

Velocity Frequent Flyer CEO, Nick Rohrlach said the travel partnership will create more choice, value and rewards for millions of Australian travellers.

“We are incredibly focussed on providing our members more ways to redeem Points by unlocking new partnerships and rewards that have significant value and meaning to them,” Nick said.

tourism and sustainable travel, so we have stories like Phuket’s Michelin star revolution (“Southern stars”, page 72), the Six Senses wellness program in Fiji, (“The big chill”, page 44) and the Maldives’ only fully solar-powered resort (“Overwater world”, page 42).

This is an exciting year for Luxury Escapes as well. We are providing a much wider range of travel products from cruises and flights to experiences and tours. We have also recently partnered with Virgin Australia’s Velocity Frequent Flyer loyalty program to launch an exclusive airline loyalty program for one of the world’s fastest growing travel companies (see above). We’re also excited to open our brandnew immersive retail store at Chadstone Shopping Centre in Melbourne very soon.

We hope you enjoy the inaugural issue of Dream by Luxury Escapes. With Australians racing back to embrace travel, Luxury Escapes is here to help you find the perfect holiday with more inspiration, more value and more choice than ever before.

Adam Schwab CEO Luxury Escapes

AUSTRALIA’S MOST AWARDED ADVENTURE TOUR

Ultimate Horizontal Falls Luxury Stay

Our 24-hour tour is your chance to marvel at the horizontal waterfalls aboard our luxurious vessel, Jetwave Pearl. Enjoy pure excitement with helicopter flights, power boat cruises, a guided fishing charter and a relaxing cruise through the crystal blue waters the Kimberley is famous for. Tours depart Broome and Derby. horizontalfallsadventures.com.au

THE LUX FILES

Shining a light on the new, the next, the people and the places you need to know about.

Get yourself connected

Connection, the new exhibition at THE LUME Melbourne, shines a light on First Nations art.

THE LUME Melbourne has curated one of the largest ever exhibitions of First Nations art with its latest immersive experience Connection. First Nations artists like Emily Kame Kngwarreye, Anna Pitjara and Lin Onus headline over 110 visual and musical artists that form the experience, spanning 3,000 square metres of immersive gallery space. Set to a score of First Nations music, Connection comes to life through an emotional soundtrack comprising legends like Yothu Yindi, Archie Roach and Gurrumul as well as emerging musicians like Alice Skye and Baker Boy.

The result fuses the world’s oldest culture with some of the world’s most cuttingedge technology to create the most comprehensive telling of our country’s story through art and music. Kate Constantine, a featured Gadigal artist of the Eora Nation, believes that a multi-sensory experience is a perfect way for First Nations art to be displayed because it “breaks down a lot of barriers to entry”.

All red up

New Melbourne rooftop restaurant has grilled steak as its main ingredient.

Voco Melbourne Central’s rooftop-terrace restaurant has rebranded as Blacksmith Bar & Grill with a menu featuring the best of Victorian produce in contemporary Australian dishes. The restaurant’s name is a nod to its historic location, which was once the home of the Cobb & Co stables during Victoria’s gold rush period in the 1800s. Fire-cooked steak is the main event at Blacksmith Grill with highquality cuts sourced from Melbourne-owned meat and game specialists Gamekeepers.

New kind of bluestone Back

Escape to Melbourne’s Pentridge district to visit a new destination Adina hotel, sophisticated wine bar and ne-dining restaurant.

After a nearly two-decade transformation, one of the final puzzle pieces is in place in the renovated Pentridge prison precinct with the Adina hotel – and the accompanying Olivine wine bar and fine diner North & Common. Olivine has created intimate nooks for wine tasting in what were once the cells of Pentridge Prison, carved from 170-year-old bluestone. The wine bar seats 100 guests and features a wine list of more than 500 labels curated by one of Australia’s most exciting sommeliers, Liinaa Berry.

in the limelight

Hotel Martinez in Cannes used the annual lm festival to debut a new art collection by enfant terrible British artist.

Cannes’ Hotel Martinez recently launched a new wide-ranging exhibition from British artist Damien Hirst. The exhibition features 20 artworks including examples of the artist’s acclaimed pipe-cleaner animals. The Hotel Martinez is now part of the Unbound Collection by Hyatt and it has graced the Cannes Croisette since 1929.

Essence of style

A new boutique hotel is set to put the sleepy town of Peregian Beach on the radar of sunseekers.

Essence opened in July in the upand-coming Peregian Beach area on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, a short drive south of Noosa. The 32-room hotel features two guest pools, a swim-up bar with botanical-tiled artwork, signature scents and original artwork from local artists.

Rock of ages Green is good

New Orchard Road hotel continues Singapore’s urban greening project.

The new Pan Pacific Orchard in Singapore is the latest skyscraper to champion biophilic design, incorporating natural green spaces into high-rise architecture. The new landmark on the luxury shopping strip of Orchard Road is 23-storeys high with much of the hotel enveloped in lush foliage and energy-saving features throughout including rainwater collection, renewable solar energy and a biodigester system that turns food waste into cleaning water.

New Zealand’s Waitaki Whitestone Geopark has o cially been named as New Zealand’s rst, and Australasia’s only, UNESCO Global Geopark.

The tourism industry in the Waitaki is getting ready for a surge in visitors with the announcement of Waitaki Whitestone Geopark as a UNESCO Global Geopark. The UNESCO Global Geopark designation recognises the Waitaki Whitestone Geopark’s outstanding geological and cultural heritage. The park is home to limestone “elephants” that are the remains of a prehistoric sea floor.

San Francisco

Discover

HAVE A DRINK

Smuggler’s Cove

A tiki bar that would bring a tear to Captain Jack Sparrow’s eye, Smuggler’s Cove celebrates rum in all its forms. Here, you’ll find the largest rum collection in the USA –dabble in tropical cocktails, historic pirate libations and old Havana classics. Voted one of the world’s best bars by London’s The Sunday Times and featured on the World’s 50 Best Bars list, this tiny bar sure packs a punch.

GRAB A BITE State Bird Provisions

For Michelin-starred dining that doesn’t break the bank, pull up a chair at State Bird Provisions in the Fillmore District. Share the love with seasonal dim-sum style meals like braised lamb and polenta ravioli, duck fried rice with fermented turnips, and wagyu toast. With such an affordable menu and inventive flavour combinations, we suggest you order a little of everything to try it all and truly embrace the share-style dining.

GET ARTSY

Eleanor Harwood Gallery

Here you can discover emerging to midcareer artists and an eye-popping range of paintings, drawings and sculptures on a national and international level. The gallery’s namesake, Eleanor Harwood, is a painter herself and has a keen eye for emerging artists. The gallery has shown works from visual artists such as Tiffanie Turner and Dana Hemenway, and painter Mary Finlayson.

THE NEIGHBOURHOOD

Haight-Ashbury

Once the psychedelic heart of the Summer of Love back in 1967, this thriving neighbourhood still retains much of its freespirited personality. These days, you can enjoy modern-day perks such as boutiques, and cosy coffeehouses as well as classic dive bars like the Gold Cane and Zam Zam. For a taste of 1960s tie-dye nostalgia, visit Love on Haight, an ethical fashion store and artist collective.

WHERE TO STAY Stanford Court Hotel

This stylish urban retreat overlooks San Francisco from a convenient location on Nob Hill, one of the city’s most affluent neighbourhoods. The hotel is proudly pet friendly, so guests are welcome to bring along their four-legged friends. The hotel features the elegant Mixing Room – a diner and bar – as well as a fitness centre with state-of-theart equipment by Precor and Peloton.

Two progressive cities with a reputation for inclement weather, a passion for sport and a real hunger for the food truck scene, but how do Melbourne and San Francisco really compare?

the dynamic cityscape of San Francisco with its free-spirited history, diverse neighbourhoods and one of the US’s oldest Chinatowns.

Melbourne

HAVE A DRINK e LuWOW

Putting the “wow” in The LuWOW, this fun and kitsch tiki bar is a siren call to rum lovers and cocktail connoisseurs everywhere. Serving up an eclectic range of reinvented tiki classics, the Zombie-Lu-Wow is a no-brainer for first-time visitors, due to its intoxicating mix of cinnamon, rums and fresh grapefruit juice. If you arrive hungry, Californian-style tacos and quesadillas are the perfect accompaniments to the bar’s crafty libations.

THE NEIGHBOURHOOD South Melbourne

Leafy South Melbourne is home to boutique shopping and hip bars. At the South Melbourne Market you can sample famous dim sims, browse homewares or throw back oysters by the dozen. If you fancy a tipple, Patient Wolf Distilling Co. is just around the corner and serves gin cocktails and tasting flights – try the Australian negroni, a twist on a classic with ruby grapefruit and native Geraldton wax garnishes.

GRAB A BITE

Hawker Chan

Originating in Singapore and making waves after its affordable dishes were awarded a Michelin star in 2016, Australia’s first outpost of the Hawker Chan franchise is well worth the queue. Smack-bang in the centre of the CBD means it’s all too easy to get your hands on the signature soya sauce chicken rice dish, the “cheapest Michelinstarred meal in the world”.

GET ARTSY

National Gallery of Victoria

The National Gallery of Victoria (NGV International) plays host to globally renowned exhibitions. Admire Adam Newman and Kelvin Tsang’s Temple of Boom, a reimagining of the Parthenon in Athens, and Richard Mosse’s Broken Spectre, a moving response to the deforestation of the Amazon Rainforest. On most Friday evenings from June to October, the NGV presents Melbourne’s best bands and DJs.

WHERE TO STAY e Hotel Windsor

Hailed as one of Melbourne’s grandest hotels, The Hotel Windsor is known for its original Victoriana decor, celebrity guests and Australia’s longest continual afternoon tea service. When it comes to location, you couldn’t be better placed to experience the city’s top spots: Parliament House and Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) are within walking distance, while the city’s best bars and restaurants are right on your doorstep.

Melbourne is pure cosmopolitan cool and proudly proclaims that it is Australia’s centre for art, culture, sport and dining.

OPPOSITE PAGE: Smuggler’s Cove. ABOVE: The LuWOW in Melbourne.

WORDS: FELICIA ARHONTISSAS. IMAGES, FROM TOP: JFL PHOTOGRAPHY, F11PHOTO/STOCK.ADOBE.COM, PETER FOSTER.

Apollo’s creed

The bartender’s handshake is a traditional greeting between hospitality workers; it might take the form of a signature cocktail or a simple shot. We shake hands with Cameron Parish, bar manager at Gimlet at Cavendish House and the recently opened Apollo Inn.

Apollo Inn has just started mixing things up on the corner of Flinders Lane and Hosier Lane a few doors down from Gimlet at Cavendish House. The new Trader House-bar channels late-night, supper energy with great cocktails and a simple menu.

“When it comes to cocktails, part of the fun and indeed the skill of a good bartender is not recommending the same drink to everyone,” says Cameron. “My ‘handshake’ is to get the guest talking about what flavours they like and if there is a particular style of cocktail they enjoy: fruity and refreshing, bitter and boozy or short and sharp.”

But, if pressed on a favourite, Cameron says he would not hesitate to recommend Apollo Inn’s take on the classic Lucien Gaudin.

“A Lucien Gaudin is somewhere between a martini and a negroni,” Cameron says. “We use our house-made orange liqueur, which is made using whatever oranges are in season. This is a great winter cocktail and really at its absolute best when blood oranges are at their peak.”

CAMERON’S FAVOURITE MELBOURNE BARS

Above Board

Hayden Lambert’s minimalist, Fitzroy establishment turning out a tightly curated list of classics and originals. “The drinks are amazing but the service and chat you have across the bar is what brings you back every time,” Cameron says.

Byrdi

The CBD sustainable cocktail champion, which is big on inhouse fermentation and seasonality. “One of the very few bars that inspires me to do more, it’s so creative and thoughtful.”

Bar Liberty

A petite Fitzroy classic that is a regular in the city’s bar awards. “Sitting at the bar is where you’ll find some of the best hospitality in Melbourne; the team are so knowledgeable.”

45ml Never Never Triple Juniper Gin

30ml Cocchi Extra Dry Vermouth

15ml Campari

15ml Apollo Inn Curacao

1 lemon coin (zest of lemon)

1. Chill a coupe glass in the freezer. Measure ingredients into a mixing glass.

2. Fill with ice and stir quickly for 15-20 seconds but be careful not to over stir as it will dilute too much. Taste for balance.

3. Strain into the frozen coupe glass. Garnish with the lemon coin.

Embla

“A wine bar that is equally adept at food as it is with beverage.” Embla has a very simple approach to wine and food with natural wine and bistro classics but the end result is complex flavours and undiscovered wines.

Caretaker’s Cottage

Making the list of 50 Best Bars in the world, this welcoming bar in an actual caretaker’s cottage in the CBD has a love of vinyl and a dedication to serving the best of everything. “One place where you can get a Guinness and deliciously cold martini at the same time.”

Apollo Inn’s Lucien Gaudin

IMAGE: SAMARA CLIFFORD

Tour the world with us

The world as you’ve never seen it. Unlock deeper travel adventures that exceed every expectation with unmissable experiences, handpicked accommodation and exquisite dining.

Exclusive tours, created by our experts

Great value small-group tours

Handpicked accommodation and VIP experiences

Dedicated tours concierge

BORA, TAHITI

The turquoise Bora Bora lagoon, fringed by a coral reef, is home to some of the most luxurious overwater bungalows in the world.

Photo: Overview

Tour de force

Buzzing Medinas, calls to prayer and endless Saharan Desert sands. Go behind the scenes of a bespoke tour crafted by guide Santiago Ramos, your ticket to the culture and magic of Morocco.

Located on the main square of Jemaa el Fna, Café de France has a huge terrace that is perfect for watching the sunset and experiencing the early evening prayer. The prayer is broadcast from several towers encircling the Medina and each tower has a delay of about one second, so when the prayer starts and you are listening to it in one tower, it will echo around the entire Medina; so this 2000-year-old soulful, romantic prayer sounds even more magic, you’re sure to get goosebumps. Marrakech is a city in

The first thing you have to do when you head to the northern African city of Marrakech is to make your way to the Medina. Trust me, this bustling marketplace is the main square of the city and packed full of little tents that house the street sellers: people selling jewellery and food, it appears a little chaotic but it is organised, beautiful chaos.

For westerners, the cultural clash is enormous because even though Marrakech has always been considered the “Paris of Africa” it is still the doorstep between Africa and Europe and it has this dual personality of being influenced by Western culture while also remaining an incredibly strong, proud Muslim country.

You want to arrive in the Medina late in the afternoon and make your way to one of the rooftop French coffee houses, the French influence is still strong in Morocco, from the architecture to the food, and French remains an official language.

the desert surrounded by palm trees, so when the sun goes down, the sand changes to so many shades of red and you hear the echoing of the sound of praying, it’s one of those moments that makes you feel like a real traveller.

Afterwards, take some time to wander and get lost on the little streets of the Medina in amongst the stalls selling huge sacks of spices in bright colours like yellow and red and green, soaking in the smell of cinnamon,

cumin and paprika as you pass. Then, have dinner in some of the finest restaurants in all of Africa, places like Le Marrakchi and La Table du Riad.

Le Marrakchi is a dark, candlelit restaurant overlooking the Jemaa el Fna where you can order tagines of chicken with preserved lemon or lamb simmered with figs, dates and sesame seeds. At La Table du Riad there are just 11 tables and the menu is dictated by the seasons.

OPPOSITE: The sunset prayer in the Medina in Marrakech is best experienced in a French coffee house as you listen to the prayer echo around the main square.

CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: Scenes from the Medina in Marrakech and surrounds.

Dreaming of a tour?

This is the start of a new tour that I have been putting together, one that starts in Marrakech but then moves to the south of Morocco, an area that does not see the same level of tourism. The tour is designed to give guests an insider view of the true Moroccan culture.

As a tour operator, to embark on a research trip is to undertake a very special solo adventure.

It is the most creative side of our industry, we are free to stop wherever we like and take the time to discover where to eat so I might find myself in a kasbah in Ouarzazate run by a family who is sitting down having lunch with me. My job is not just about ticking boxes, but ticking the right boxes.

Southern Morocco is where you see the beginning of the Sahara Desert and you cross the areas of kasbahs, middle-aged towns built from soil, water and straw. You might pass these decadent, broken-down red castles or discover an entire city inside a mountain, where people live underground due to the intense heat.

Merzouga is the true desert and the culture shifts from the European-influenced Berber to the Tuareg culture here, the people who live in the desert and their traditions are very different to what you see in Marrakech. You will find roadside date sellers, but these are not like the dates you buy in the West, they are fat and fleshy and you can buy a huge box of them for next to nothing. You will see old trucks full of dates or see motorbikes stacked high with boxes.

Our accommodation is Nomad Luxury Camp, a traditional Berber tent in the desert but it really has more in common with a five-star luxury hotel.

The best thing to do it is to get a camel ride up the biggest dune and enjoy dinner with a tablecloth and tagines. Here, you’re having a meal in among the endless Sahara Desert, the sun coming down as you are surrounded by an ocean of sand.

ABOVE: Southern Morocco marks the beginning of the Sahara Desert and the best thing to do is to take a camel ride on the ocean of dunes.

RIGHT: The Nomad Luxury Camp has more in common with a five-star hotel.

Do more dreaming online

Australia’s most stylish city stays

Miami-inspired luxury at QT Gold Coast, creative character at Ovolo Laneways Melbourne, an historic waterfront stay at MACq 01 in Hobart and more.

Be inspired by wanderlust-worthy destinations, traveller’s tales and the latest travel trends online at Dream by Luxury Escapes.

dream.luxuryescapes.com

e top 10 restaurants in Bali

From ultra-sustainable seafood at the island’s hippest beach club to smoky-sweet desserts in laidback Canggu, there’s simply no better place to eat than Bali.

Heading to Europe? Five stopovers as good as the destination

Our pick of the best stopovers enroute to Europe that could see you skydiving over the Palm Jumeirah in Dubai or skiing Switzerland’s slopes.

Hola España: how to choose your Spanish escape

Whether you’re dreaming of tapas dinners, tempranillo vineyards or strolling through cities in search of flamenco shows, plan the perfect escape with our Spain guide.

Also catch us at:

White hot

The old Kooroora Hotel in Victoria’s Mt Buller ski resort was a much-beloved beer barn, a cavernous space where live music would often have to fight to be heard over the clatter of snowboards and the clumping of ski boots. It was also the party spot for Mt Buller, a gathering place for locals and visitors, and publican Joe Maisano says the decision to level the Kooroora at the end of 2018 was not an easy one.

“It was devastating for everyone because it was such a great venue, it had so much character and atmosphere,” says Joe.

But the new Kooroora, with updated accommodation and retail spaces, was part of the maturation of the Australian Alps that has come a long way since the early intrepid pioneers hiked up to the snow and roughed it in rustic huts.

“What’s been rebuilt is a much larger venue that is based on two floors. The

ground floor is the pub section and the underground section has an acoustic shell and it’s a nightclub,” Joe says.

Joe says the new hotel is licensed for 900 people until 3am and that he fully expects “the new crop of kids that did not know the old hotel will come here and make a whole new batch of great memories”.

Now, when skiers head to Mt Buller they are going as much for the apres-ski scene – that is increasingly looking to Europe for inspiration – as for the snow itself.

“Mt Buller has come a long way,” says Rhylla Morgan, PR and Communications. “Here on ‘Melbourne’s Mountain’ we have a true alpine village that sparkles with twinkling fairy lights and is home to around 30 different bars and restaurants; the modcons include a 180-seat movie cinema, alpine spa, shopping, a gallery and even a trampolining activity zone.”

The Victorian alpine accommodation has also sped up to meet the new luxury demand. Places like Stirling Lodge, designed by acclaimed architect Professor Peter McIntyre of McIntyre Partnership, a freestanding chalet with views of neighbouring Mount Stirling. “Think hygge and modern Scandinavian style, with a shift to plush apartments and selfcontained suites that invite guests to curl up with a good book, a glass of red and watch the snow fall,” Rhylla says.

In the past no one took the three-and-ahalf hour drive up to the Victorian snow fields for the food, but that has changed. From delicious Austrian vibes at Kaptans Restaurant in Pension Grimus to French classics at The Villager and locally sourced wild meat at ABOM and Spurs.

This season Buller is also ramping up the apres ski with an extended, outdoor DJ booth to the Spurs smokehouse for daylight ski dance parties or the bar at the Bull Run Cantina with empanadas – and margaritas as frozen as the neighbouring ski slopes.

e Victorian alpine resort of Mt Buller has been evolving into a luxury mountain retreat with so much to do that taking to the slopes is almost optional. Paul Chai looks at the changing face of the Victorian alps.

ABOVE: Victorian alpine accommodation is heading upmarket with new builds like Stirling Lodge.

Nu Nu’s “monkey butter” dessert

“I buy whole bunches of bananas at the market every Friday and we slowly ripen them in the dining room – they are my version of bunches of flowers. Eventually they ripen and we make a thing we call ‘monkey butter’. When the bananas are starting to ferment, when they are gooey and black, we cook that down for a long time with palm sugar and salt and make this rich banana fudge, which we serve in half a young coconut. We use the water from the coconut to make a granita with hibiscus flowers that I pick on the way to work and season with lime juice, and we make some frozen passionfruit curd to accompany it. It is like a smash in the face of tropical flavour.”

Little Sister

On the Esplanade in Cairns, serving up modern Asian crossover cuisine, Little Sister has dishes like braised pork belly in Chinesespiced master broth and Singaporean chilli mud crab.

Monkeying around

Coming up to 20 years in its Palm Cove beachfront location, Nu Nu Restaurant is one of the finest in the region. We pull up a chair with head chef and co-founder Nick Holloway and discover his signature dish made with bananas.

Nu Nu was born when Melbourne chef Nick Holloway headed north in 2004 for what he calls “a traditional sea change”. Since then Nick has appeared on MasterChef Australia and his creative dishes, like rump cap with gorgonzola (pictured below), have become beloved local staples. His food philosophy is to keep things simple and let the tropical produce hog the limelight.

Nick has also become a passionate ambassador for the area. “It is such an incredible region,” he says. “Tropical North Queensland is the most dynamic and diverse region in the world from the outer reaches of the Great Barrier Reef to literally where the jungle tumbles into the ocean. We have the last vestiges of the Great Dividing Range and the tablelands that have this rich volcanic soil, which basically anything grows in. We have one of the only rainforest areas in the world, we have pastures – it is a vivid and amazingly verdant place.”

For Nick that means a very local focus for his ingredients. “We grab bark off the melaleuca tree across the road to smoke things and even on my short walk to work every morning I walk past all kinds of ingredients we can use that are just growing naturally,” he says.

If you are sitting at Nick’s chef’s table you are very likely to see all these ingredients come together in his “monkey butter” dessert.

NICK’S FAVOURITE NORTH QUEENSLAND RESTAURANTS

Oaks Kitchen & Garden

Ben Wallace’s Thai cooking school and degustation is an outdoor dining experience located at Oak Beach. “Ben also has Jungle Flower up in Port Douglas, which is fantastic and the food is super delicious.”

Macalister Brewing Co.

No food, no wine and no television, just beer, but Nick still thinks this is an unmissable hospitality experience. “You can’t leave Smithfield without a beer at Macalister with views out onto the cane fields.”

Two Blocks Cafe

“This is my pick of the brekkies with really interesting dishes that are outside the wellworn path of eggs and bacon, but they do that well, too,” Nick says. Think dishes like lamington hotcakes and katsu eggs Benedict with yuzu hollandaise.

Ganbaranba

This casual noodle joint in Cairns is a favourite of the Nu Nu chef for its authenticity. “They make the best ramen I have tasted outside of Japan.”

PALM COVE

ONE NIGHT IN...

Singapore

Singapore loves a night out, whether it’s sharing an ice-cold beer tower and a steaming hot plate of char kway teow or taking things up a notch with Michelin-starred chef Wolfgang Puck. It’s not just world-class drinking and dining that gives Singaporean nightlife its allure. Even after dark, the city excels in its ability to appeal to all ages, with everything from observation decks and nocturnal animal safaris to neon-lit mini golf and bowling.

6pm

Sky-high sundowner

Start your night on the town at Artemis Grill & Sky Bar, which, true to its Mediterranean inspiration, serves moreish delicacies like burrata with spiced roasted eggplant, red pepper purée and Spanish Marcona almonds. The Terrace offers unmissable panoramic views of Marina Bay and the surrounding area and the cocktail menu has Asian-inspired flavours like jasmine tea-infused whiskey, spiced pear liqueur and house-made ginger syrup.

Michelin-starred Burnt Ends, by Perth-born Dave Pynt, is a masterclass in Australian barbecue, with tantalising dishes like flat iron steak with burnt onion or a pork shoulder and grilled leeks with hazelnut and black truffle. The food may be Michelin-starred but the mood is refreshingly laidback – but don’t let this lull you into a false sense of security when it comes to securing a booking. This Dempsey Hill gem is one of the hottest tables in town.

AFTER SOMETHING A LITTLE MORE LOCAL?

Candlenut is the world’s first Peranakan restaurant to secure a Michelin star, with Singaporean chef Malcolm Lee spicing things up.

7pm Michelin-star smokehouse

9pm Drive yourself wild

Singapore has plenty of night-time activities beyond its exceptional food and drink. It is the home of the original night-time Formula 1 Grand Prix with accompanying entertainment like Post Malone and Robbie Williams.

But, if you fancy a walk on the wild side that is available year round, meet fellow nocturnal creatures at Mandai Night Safari. This wellloved wildlife-park trail guides you through six geographical regions on foot, or by opensided tram, where you can spot owls, Asian elephants and white African lions under the cover of darkness.

10pm Sipping in style

For after-dinner drinks, you can’t go past Atlas. This Art-Deco-inspired bar has a legendary gin collection with 1,300 varieties, from London dry gins dating back to 1910 to modern craft drops. Build your own martini or try The Occidental, a martini with a burst of Italian citrus and thyme. If you’re looking for late-night cocktails you could also head to Jigger & Pony, a speakeasy style joint with crafty drinks, or drop into the Conrad hotel for the crowd-favourite Manhattan.

11pm Join the club

By this time of night the area around Club Street and Ann Siang Road will be in full swing with revellers spilling out onto the street from bars such as Native – a venue renowned for using local Singaporean spirits like pineapple arak.

12am Late-night snack time

Peckish after your fancy Michelin-starred meal? Have a hearty snack at a hawker centre. Try a green chilli chicken rice at Maxwell Food Centre, some thunder tea rice at Lau Pa Sat or a hearty bak kut teh (pork bone soup) on Balestier Road.

1am Keep the party going

Head to the glitzy, three-storey Marquee Singapore – part of the Marina Bay Sands complex, which features a full-size Ferris Wheel within the club, or Zouk – an icon of Singaporean nightlife.

OPPOSITE: The imposing bar at Atlas, which is a regular on the World’s 50 Best Bars list.

CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: The Singapore Zoo night safari; the bar at Singapore’s famous Zouk nightclub; the Michelinstarred Peranakan dishes at Malcolm Lee’s Candlenut.

DREAM BY LUXURY ESCAPES

SRI LANKA

Hide and seek

An elephant safari in Sri Lanka is just one highlight of a magical, and oftenoverlooked, island paradise. Paul Chai explores the southern provinces.

“Singapore has no chilli, no pepper, and no crab,” says Sri Lankan chef Dharshan Munidasa, taking a verbal crab mallet to the idea that the Lion City has any ownership over the chilli-soaked crustacean. “The crab was always here and it was always being exported. Sri Lankans are always joking the best crabs in the country are on a flight to Singapore.”

Dharshan’s response was to open the Ministry of Crab in the capital of Colombo, where he celebrates Sri Lankan cuisine and tries to keep a few more crabs at home where they belong. Dharshan cooks the crab simply in a range of styles from olive oil with a dash of Japanese soy sauce to the Sri Lankan version of chilli crab.

Today he is teaching me to grind up coconut sambal – a pungent mix of chilli, coconut, salt, lime and red onion – sassing Singapore and discussing his love for Sri Lanka. He hopes that it can once again return to the world stage, shaking off decades of conflict, political unrest and, most recently, the devastating effects of the global pandemic.

ABOVE: The Gimanhala Lounge at the Shangri-La Hambantota in Sri Lanka is perfect for catching an idyllic Indian Ocean sunset.

LEFT: An elephant family at Udawalawe National Park.

Dharshan’s enthusiasm for his home is palpable and while he has now expanded his Ministry of Crab restaurants to Bangkok, Shanghai and the Maldives, he is passionate about tourists coming to visit Sri Lanka.

Dharshan’s cooking class comes at the end of a short, four-day tour of the country. My base is the Shangri-La Hambantota Golf Resort & Spa, set over 143 acres along a stretch of sometimes-wild coastline with most rooms having a view out to the palm-tree-lined beach. My suite is a beachy-chic mix of woven rattan seating and soft-light lamps made of twisted driftwood – elephant motifs are also a key feature of the design. Fitting, as I am here to go on an elephant safari but also to discover some of Sri Lanka’s far-flung history.

The elephant safari took us to Udawalawe National Park along local roads strewn with stray dogs lazing in the morning sun. On the way to the park, we made a stop at Mulkirigala Rock Temples, where a modest painted sign on Shrine Street did little to prepare us for the climb up the vertiginous mountain that at times sees you hanging from ladders carved into the rock. The pay-off is a series of musty caves containing buddhas as well as frescoes of sinners, monks and mystical creatures. These 2000-year-old organic temples are a religious mash-up where the golden Buddhas are guarded by a Hindu makara, a mythological composite of several wild animals. It is a place where Hindus and Buddhists celebrate their faith together. At the top of the 500-plus stairs, I was rewarded with a blessing, a white-clad monk placing a hand on my head and tying colourful cotton around my wrist all the while singing a melodic Sinhalese chant.

Arriving at Udawalawe National Park, we browsed the visitor centre – a blocky green building stamped with the seal of the Department of Wildlife Conservation, which features one of the majestic elephants. It is also full of fun elephant facts, for example the average elephant drinks up to 200 litres

of water a day. Elephants hold a special place in Sri Lankan history, ceremony and folklore but they have also been unwitting casualties in the country’s now-finished civil war as well as the focus of ivory poaching, so these reserves are vital for their continued survival.

RIGHT: The view from the top of Mulkirigala Rock Temples.

BELOW: A peacock in Udawalawe (left) and the Shangri La Hambantota rooms.

Ready to explore?

Shangri La Hambantota Golf Resort & Spa

Located in Sri Lanka’s southern provinces, along the ancient spice route, the Shangri La resort organises cultural tours and elephant safaris for guests. There is also an onsite “village” showcasing local handicrafts.

Unlike the hit-and-miss search for elephants in the vast plains of Africa, finding the pachyderms in Udawalawe was quite easy and just a few short minutes into the national park tour we came across a number of elephants in their natural habitat. One, in particular, was so close to our car that, when he flicked his trunk in a figure-eight motion in an effort to soften up his grass lunch, we were almost hit by the flying reeds.

We stopped at marshland teeming with local birdlife and saw the domed nests of the Baya Weaver hanging in trees like intricately woven fruit, with the small yellow birds clinging to the outside of their homes.

As we bounced around one corner in our four-wheel drive, we interrupted a peacock mid-mating display, his colourful tail swinging back and forth like a feathery radar dish. This Sri Lankan native was suddenly coy, closing his fanned tail quickly, only to spread his feathers proudly once again as we drove off.

Back at the hotel, pounding spices with Dharshan, I think about the peacock and its shy beauty and hope that the overlooked joys, history and flavours of this fascinating island nation are soon on full display for a new batch of adventurous travellers.

TOP: An aerial view of the Shangri La Hambantota Golf Resort & Spa INSET: A standard room at the Shangri La resort.

TRAVEL TREND

On your marks, set-jet, go

WORDS BY CLAIRE TURRELL

The stars of stage and screen have long provided inspiration, and aspiration, for their legion of fans but it is now the filming locations of various television shows and movies that are catching our attention and influencing where we take our next holiday. One of the hottest trends for 2023 is set-jetting. Holidaymakers are travelling to the destinations where their favourite streaming shows were filmed just to live out those onscreen moments. American Express revealed, in its 2023 Global Travel Trends Report, that 64 per cent of people said they were inspired to visit a destination after seeing it in a movie or a TV show.

Holidaymakers are queuing up at boulangeries in Paris to buy croissants like Emily in Paris, they’re walking the streets of Bath to embrace Bridgerton’s charm and they’re booking into luxury hotels in Hawaii and Sicily following the success of HBO’s The White Lotus

The Four Seasons Maui in Hawaii was the first hotel to experience The White Lotus effect. Traffic to its website increased 425 per cent year-on-year. Lorenzo Maraviglia, General Manager of San Domenico Palace in Taormina, Sicily (where the second series of the show was filmed) says they also saw an increase in traffic too. “We saw a huge uptick in web visits following the first episodes of The White Lotus, especially from the United States, United Kingdom and Australia,” said Lorenzo.

Fans have wanted to spend time in the bar where the character Mia had her big break at the piano and dine as their heroes did on bowls of artisanal spaghetti at the clifftop restaurant. Lorenzo adds: “Our bar and restaurant bookings have also taken off, which is delightful given that our gourmet restaurant Principe Cerami just earned its first Michelin Star.”

The dramedy didn’t just create a boost for the San Domenico Palace in Taormina, but other hotels, too. Despite the fact that not a single scene was filmed at the NH Collection Taormina, the team there has reported that they also saw an increase in the number of guests following The White Lotus effect. You don’t have to be the star of a television show or film to see a rise in guests, you simply have to be located in the same region.

Now, like an actor landing their very first leading role, the mountainous city of Chiang Mai in Thailand is getting ready for its close-up and bracing itself for an influx of tourists once the third season of The White Lotus airs. Other countries are keen to get in on the act as well. Set-jetting is so effective at boosting traveller numbers that the Singapore Tourism Board just announced the launch of an $11.2 million on-screen fund to encourage shows to use the tropical metropolis as its backdrop, based on the new tourism premise that if you film it, they will come.

e blockbuster travel trend of 2023 is “set jetting” – making your travel plans based on a much-loved movie or television show. We examine the phenomenon and take a look at the shows that have us rushing to the airport.

Australian psychologist Martina Luongo said that when we trek to TV or movie locations, we are doing this for more than just our Instagram posts. “If we watched a TV show that brought us laughter and joy, seeing the location for that show in person may elicit the same emotional response,” said Martina.

Martina adds that stepping on to the set of Emily in Paris, Succession or Ted Lasso can trigger chemicals in our brain that make for an even more pleasurable travel experience than normal. “The happy hormone dopamine is released when you are engaged in a pleasurable activity and serotonin helps with mood regulations,” said Martina. “Studies have shown that when we intentionally reminisce on happy experiences it can reduce cortisol levels and alleviate anxiety.”

Yet, while the winding streets of Sicily and the beaches of Hawaii will never change, fans of The White Lotus may notice that a few of the rooms have been the subject of a little movie magic. The much-talked-about Pineapple Suite – the luxurious accommodation that is

obsessed about by newlywed Shane – is in fact, a work of fiction. But apparently it doesn’t stop fans from joking they would like to book it when they contact the hotel. Those who want to stay in the same location will find it’s the far more elegant Lokelani Presidential Suite, which costs $29,000 a night.

The historic city of Bath in the United Kingdom has launched walking tours of the city that highlight its starring role in the London high society drama Bridgerton. The tours take in the Featherington family’s abode (No1 Royal Crescent) and the Holburne Museum, which is known to fans as Lady Danbury’s house. Now, all eyes have turned to the Four Seasons in Thailand as The White Lotus is expected to be filming there.

Peter Pottinga, General Manager of the InterContinental Chiang Mai Mae Ping, which is set to open on December 1, 2023, isn’t surprised to hear that The White Lotus was tempted by this mountainous region. “Chiang Mai blends rich cultural history, natural

escapes, a unique culinary scene and worldclass hotels and resorts,” he said.

“The area will see a boom with visitors and will be on many traveller’s bucket lists.”

After the tough years of the pandemic, the arrival of The White Lotus fans will be a boost to the community said Bruce Haxton, the founder of The Tuk Tuk Club, which offers selfdrive tuk tuk adventures in Chiang Mai. “While travel is definitely back, there are still a huge number of businesses still trying to recover from the economic challenges of the past three years so I’m delighted that The White Lotus might encourage more people to spend time here,” he said.

If the location scouts or travellers need any tips on where to go in Chiang Mai, Bruce said: “I’d always urge visitors to not only stay in the city, but to get out as far into the hills as possible and explore, as that’s where the magic of Chiang Mai really lies.” And who knows, perhaps it could become the backdrop for the finale of The White Lotus?

SOUTH AFRICA

On the right track

Kruger Shalati, or e Train on the Bridge, provides luxuriously appointed train carriages as a base for your South African safari.

e lowdown

On the historic Selati Bridge, high above the Sabie River, guests unwind inside opulent train-carriage suites after exploring the arrival lounge, central bar and three plunge pools, the most impressive one on the bridge itself. There are 24 carriage suites – named for Shalati a 19th-century African warrior queen –as well as seven bridge-house suites.

e highlight

The local wildlife is the drawcard, with twicedaily game drives taking you deep into the animal kingdom. Big cats, elephants, giraffes, hippos, zebras and buffaloes are the stars of the show, along with a supporting cast of spotted genets, rock pythons and kudus. Kruger Shalati is immersed in bush territory, all but guaranteeing Big Five sightings.

e locale

Kruger Shalati is a five-minute drive from Skukuza Airport (with direct flights from Johannesburg), making it the perfect gateway to explore Kruger National Park. Each carriage suite has floor-to-ceiling glass windows overlooking the Sabie River and the animals that call it home – spot hippos, crocodiles and elephants from your bed or bathtub.

e abode

Each suite is elegantly decorated with a king bed, standalone Victoria + Albert tub, rain shower, silky designer robes and an all-inclusive minibar. The Cape Island bath products, petit fours after the turndown service, and exquisite Art Decoinspired interiors are the perfect blend of contemporary design and African traditions.

e details

Kruger Shalati

Kruger National Park, Selati Bridge Precinct, Skukuza, South Africa

e menu

Expect African-inspired fare like springbok, ostrich and kudu as part of the all-inclusive menu. Morning tea and sundowners add some luxury to game drives, complete with premium snacks and drinks. Guests are also treated to a special braai (South African BBQ), where you can sample some of the best meats in the region.

e verdict

To stay at Kruger Shalati is to fully immerse yourself in the African bushland, getting up close with wildlife as they roam their native habitat, all while sipping on an Amarula cocktail in your sky-high safari abode.

OPPOSITE: One of the three plunge pools at Kruger Shalati, the Train on the Bridge.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: The carriage interiors; barbecue delights; the bridge.

Off-road oasis

Exploring the rugged terrain in an open-air Hummer, Lindy Alexander finds heart-racing excitement – and the luxury of some much-needed time and space – in the red sandstone canyons of Utah.

“I’m going to take it real slow,” says JP. “We don’t want to pick up too much speed going down this section.” He slowly takes his foot off the brake and we creep forward. Then JP looks back at us and grins, putting his foot down on the accelerator. Hard. We hurtle towards the perilous drop, racing down a near vertical wall of sandstone. A passenger behind me who had been giggling up until this point, lets out an almighty shriek and the rest of us join in. We keep screeching until our nine-seater, open-air 4x4 Hummer comes to an abrupt halt on the valley floor. With my stomach like jelly and my heart pounding, JP looks at our faces and chuckles. “Welcome to Hell’s Revenge,” he says. While the name may sound devilish, this 10-kilometre four-wheel-drive track on the

outskirts of Moab is one of the most thrilling and unique ways to experience Utah’s otherworldly beauty. Renowned for its spectacular red sandstone canyons, big desert skies and majestic rivers unfurling across valley floors, the state is blessed with a “mighty five” national parks (Zion, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Arches and Capitol Reef).

We get glimpses of the nearby Arches National Park as JP manoeuvres our Hummer along narrow ribs of slick sandstone and revs up sheer walls of rock. The afternoon sun sends streams of light onto towering craggy outcrops, making them glow gold. Below us, the winding valleys darken into long shadows. While there are some hardy mountain bikers puffing their way over the terrain and

Hummers and ATVs in the distance, the landscape is so expansive that it never feels crowded.

JP stops by the side of a canyon where an enormous rainbow-shaped arch looks as though it has been pressed gently into the glimmering rock. “If you come back in about 70,000 years there should be a freestanding arch there,” he says. I stand at the edge, marvelling at this prehistoric landscape.

We buckle ourselves back into the Hummer and over the next hour JP jolts and bumps us to the top of rounded summits and roars down precipitous slopes while we routinely have to stop shrieking with glee so we can take some deep breaths, and some photos. “I’ve never met a ravine that I haven’t wanted to drive down,” he tells us.

OPPOSITE: Utah’s “mighty five” national parks – Canyonlands (pictured), Zion, Bryce Canyon, Arches and Capitol Reef – offer ancient landscapes and no crowds. ABOVE: Hurtling along the sandstone in a 4x4 Hummer is an exhilarating way to explore the canyons of Utah.

Stein Eriksen Lodge Deer Valley

This award-winning ski-luxe resort in Utah’s Park City is renowned for its cuisine, from decadent fondue to exquisite seafood. Dine on sumptuous gourmet cuisine at Glitretind Restaurant or take in al fresco mountain views through the glass-walled Stein Alpenglobes. Savour wine from the onsite wine cellar, boasting a collection of more than 19,000 bottles, and enjoy relaxing massage treatments at the onsite spa.

ABOVE: The Rocky Mountaineer luxury train is the perfect way to travel to the national parks of Utah.

INSET: Year-round luxury awaits at the award-winning Stein Eriksen Lodge whether you are here for a summer hike or the winter skiing.

The most scenic way to arrive in Utah is on the Rocky Mountaineer train, via the Rockies to the Red Rocks route. The 570km journey connects Denver and Moab with an overnight stop at Glenwood Springs north of Aspen, and is the first US itinerary for the historic Canadian rail company. The train’s spacious, glass-domed carriages weave through stunning remote wilderness areas, following the Colorado River on its way to meet the Pacific Ocean.

The Rocky Mountaineer shows that, while Utah may be a mecca for adventurous types (think rock climbing, mountain biking, sky diving and river rafting), it’s also the ideal destination for off-road luxury. The train is a delightfully luxurious way to arrive in this corner of the United States, and offers a taste of things to come.

After the exhilarating Hummer trip in mother nature’s playground, Brian from Utah Luxury Tours whisks me away to what he assures me is the “best kept secret in Utah”. Canyonlands National Park is an epic landscape stretching over 800 kilometres where deep canyons, ridged mesas and sculptural arches have been carved by the mighty Colorado River and its tributaries over 10 million years.

While most people drive into the national park and gaze up from the valley floor, Brian tells me that the best view is found just outside of Moab, at Dead Horse State Park. “Not many travellers know to come here, so if you do, you’ll have the luxury of time and space to explore without the crowds,” he says.

Here, dramatic lookouts frame sweeping vistas of high desert woodlands, vermillion-hued buttes and terraced rock ledges. Two thousand feet below is the Colorado River with a wide fringe of greenery at the base of colourful striations of the ancient rock that rise sharply. Looking at the dramatic, sheer bluffs and plunging canyons, I get the distinct feeling that even JP would have met his match.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

e gin-side word

e perfect farmers’ market breakfast, cycling the Shiraz trail and secret limestone caves carved by generations of local shermen. Sean Baxter, co-founder of Never Never Distilling Co. gin distillery, takes us on a personal tour of McLaren Vale in South Australia.

Located just over 40 minutes from Adelaide’s city centre, the township of McLaren Vale is the gateway to the Fleurieu Peninsula. Here you will see the cliffs in the distance bordering the sparkling coastline of the region, and the rolling vineyards scattered between townships.

The Fleurieu Peninsula is also one of South Australia’s most celebrated food and wine destinations. Not only is the region home to famous hotspots like the d’Arenberg Cube gallery and tasting space, but it’s also filled with a collection of hidden restaurants down meandering dirt roads and on clifftops, as well as more than 80 cellar doors to sip and explore.

“It’s very special to spend a day in the Vale,” says Sean Baxter. “I never get sick of the view.”

As a brand director, as well as co-founder, Sean splits his time between the Never Never Distilling Co. warehouses in Lonsdale, McLaren Vale and various activations and events both locally and interstate. The distillery offers a range of tasting experiences, masterclasses and cocktail classes and Sean is constantly keeping up with the changing hospitality options in his region.

8am Head to the market

“You can’t come to the region without going to the Willunga Farmers Markets,” Sean says. “It was the very first farmers market established in South Australia and definitely one of the best. We’ve had a stall there since we set up shop at Chalk Hill. It’s a favourite of local chefs shopping for their seasonal menus along with local producers of fruit, vegetables, cheese and olive oil. If you’re a foodie and love to cook, these markets are a snapshot of the incredible produce McLaren Vale has to offer.

9am Co ee at Dawn

“Dawn Patrol Coffee used to be a McLaren Vale secret but that didn’t last very long. They have just opened up a new joint in an old tractor shed on Main Road, McLaren Vale (all the best places are in converted sheds). It’s not really a cafe, more like a coffee cellar door.” Dawn Patrol Coffee was born in Kangarilla and the corrugated-iron-and-neon cellar door offers bagels and pastries as well as the odd food truck. “Try whatever filter coffee they have on the tasting bar,” adds Sean.

12pm A long pub lunch

“The McLaren Vale Hotel has been the unwitting sponsor of more Never Never long lunches than I care to admit. The restaurant delivers all the usual classics but takes it up a notch with their seasonal menus. You can also give the full Never Never range a nudge if you like to finish your steak with a martini, expertly crafted by the bar team.”

2pm Hit the wine country rail trails

“If you love getting on two wheels or even just like a good walk, check out McLaren Vale’s wine country on the Coast to Vines Rail Trail. The trail sits in a disused rail line corridor and the picturesque route is a no-brainer for active families. The segment connecting McLaren Vale to Willunga is referred to as the Shiraz Trail and, you guessed it, you pass right by the front door of some of the region’s most celebrated wineries. Companies like EscapeGoat Adventures provide dedicated trails tailored to your level of experience and specific interest in wine.”

4pm Take a dip at the beach

“I always take guests to Port Willunga Beach and the fishermen’s caves. If it’s summer, grab some take away (the calamari is banging) from the Star of Greece Kiosk and head down to Willunga Beach. The caves were hewn into the soft limestone rock by fishermen, who used them to store their boats and gear. The fishermen are long since gone, however the caves remain and offer the perfect place for a beachside picnic or impromptu shelter. The caves sit adjacent to the remains of the Port Willunga pier, another famous South Australian landmark. I love it in winter, the beaches are empty, but the caves are still a great vantage point for a beautiful sunset.”

5pm An afternoon tipple

“All our staff end up at Noori because it’s an incredible wine bar and we love the people who run it. They also put up with the fact our staff drink there, which means we love them even more. I’m pretty sure the last time we were there someone was doing a layback of champagne. They’ve just started doing food, too, and it’s off the charts.”

6pm Dinner with the locals

“You can’t really go past the Salopian Inn. It’s a McLaren Vale institution and the gin bar has been supporting us long before we were locals. It’s hands down the best nosh in town with the food and produce either sourced from the restaurant garden or from the local area. Karena Armstrong heads the kitchen and is a creative beast when it comes to the way she interprets flavour and expresses it through her cooking. Order the dumplings and a local bottle of red.”

7pm Time for a gin

“If it’s a Friday night, come and join us at Never Never where we shake cocktails and host live music till 8pm (10pm in summer). It’s the perfect spot to catch the golden hour as the sun begins to set along the picturesque rolling hills and crisscrossing vines that surround us on our beautiful hilltop. Then I guess it’s pretty easy to just follow all the staff to Noori.”

OPPOSITE: The Never Never Distilling cellar door. ABOVE: Port Willunga Beach and a Never Never tasting flight.

Overwater

e Maldives is a vast expanse of 1200 islands extending 820km from north to south and 130km from east to west. Deciding which island to stay on can be confusing. Let us explain it.

The islands are a series of coral atolls created from the sandy crowns of an ancient, now-submerged, range of mountains. The people of the islands are widely dispersed across the atolls, with about 200 inhabited islands. Around 112 islands are developed as tourist resorts and the rest are uninhabited

To the first-time traveller, one overwater bungalow can look much the same as the next but to regular Maldives visitors, location is very important. Put simply, the further you stray from the capital of Malé the less touristy things will be, but each of the island groups also has a distinct personality.

Northern Atolls

The Northern Atolls allow you to immerse yourself in the essence of traditional Maldivian life far from the commercial centre of Malé. Here, you can dive and snorkel with the remnants of shipwrecks swimming among some of the Maldives’ most important history such as the 500-year-old Sultan Palace on Utheemu Island in Haa Alifu. Among these pristine treasures lies the illustrious Baa Atoll, a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve whose waters are teeming with vibrant marine life.

WHERE TO STAY:

This is the home of ultra-luxury resort Soneva Fushi (pictured right) with natural wonders like crystalline lagoons and verdant jungle as well as 11 onsite restaurants. Kudadoo Private Island, with just 15 luxury villas, sets a new standard for sustainability and is the only fully solar-powered resort in the country.

world

Central Atolls

The Central Atolls of the Maldives offer a greater variety of resorts and also cut down your travel time, some resorts are just a short boat ride from the international airport. South of Malé, the Meemu, Thaa, Dhaalu and Laamu Atolls boast breathtaking natural beauty. Further west, Ari Atoll is one of the largest in the country and nutrient-rich waters make it one of the best places in the world to see whale sharks.

WHERE TO STAY:

Kagi Maldives Spa Island has just 50 villas, each featuring private pools and easy access to the beach. The 1,500sqm floating Baani Spa Complex features a sound therapy studio, restorative rituals, and an open-air yoga pavilion.

Ready to explore?

Southern Atolls

Grab your surfboard and head to the captivating realm of the Southern Atolls, where wild waves beckon surfers. Embark on a genuine exploration of local life or seek out world-class surf breaks like Beacons and Tiger Stripes, ensuring an unmatched surfing experience. With their own international and domestic airports, these remote havens have become more accessible, yet still exude a sense of untouched wilderness.

WHERE TO STAY:

Pullman Maldives Maamutaa’s four-bedroom ocean pool retreats are 1,474sqm of overwater luxury. The two-storey sanctuaries offer the ultimate blend of unparalleled privacy and top-notch personalised service and are perfect for friend groups and families seeking the very best of the Maldives.

e big chill

Often the best way to start a wellness journey – or to enhance one – is on holidays. Jennifer Ennion checks into Six Senses Fiji, located on Malolo Island in the Mamanucas, where the wellness package offers up sun, sand and a kombucha in your hand.

The wellness program at Six Senses is well-respected across the Australasian hotel industry, with the resort awarded “Spa Operator of the Year” at the Fiji Excellence in Tourism Awards 2022. It’s no surprise, given staff offer more than a standard spa menu and can create personalised programs focused on improving nutrition and sleep. Visiting therapists also offer experiences such as sound bathing and emotional detoxes.

I am at Six Senses Fiji for a couple of days where I am putting my wellbeing first, this is not just a fly-and-flop holiday but one where I will be testing out the different elements of the Six Senses wellness regime. It’s time for a soul reboot.

The bespoke nature of the Six Senses wellness program is on display from the outset. The first activity that I undertake is at the resort’s Alchemy Bar where I join two other guests for a session where we create our own individual scrubs, lotions and tonics.

In front of us is a table covered with coconut and lemongrass oils, brown sugar and salt, and bowls of papaya seeds, orange cheeks and nuts. They’re all readily available garden ingredients and pantry items, great for

making body scrubs. We pick our favourites and blend them to create aromatic beauty treatments we can enjoy at home.

After our creative scrub-making tutorial, I robe up for a relaxation massage in a private bure in the resort’s intimate spa. I make a mental note to return for the heated lava shell massage and 24K gold age-defying facial.

Six Senses, Fiji

This luxury resort puts sustainability first – it creates its own energy, grows its own organic produce, and has invested in the repopulation and protection of the critically endangered Fijian crested iguana through a successful captive breeding program. The resort combines the very best in Fijian design with contemporary features and the spa is a modern reimagining of a traditional Fijian village.

OPPOSITE: The pool at Six Senses is made for relaxing in with a glass of housemade kombucha. LEFT AND BELOW: Making your own scrubs and lotions is part of the wellness package at Six Senses Fiji.

Going with your gut

With gut health on the radar of healthconscious travellers, I continue my wellness journey by learning how to make “living sodas”, otherwise known as kombucha. In an open-air cafe overlooking the resort’s miniature marina, I am handed a turmeric tonic that’s sweet and thirst-quenching in Fiji’s heat. Next, I try fermented layalaya (wild ginger), another curious-yet-satiating concoction. I write down instructions on how to recreate these sodas at home, as I sample more delicious and intriguing flavours.

After the class, I take a look at where the staff are sourcing their ingredients. Malolo Island is home to hundreds of native plants with medicinal benefits, while the resort has a herb and vegetable garden guests can explore.

Resort chefs are given free rein to create menus championing sustainable and local produce. At Tovolea restaurant, overlooking an exquisite pool and beach, you can dine on local crab omelet with papaya relish or poached mahi mahi, with evening cocktails made with probiotic mixers.

The following morning, I start my day with sunrise yoga in a hilltop pavilion, where a cool breeze whips off the ocean. If you’re feeling energetic, you can follow your stretch with a session in the recently extended 24-hour gym but instead I recommend stand-up paddleboarding across the bay.

For the rest of the day, I move between dips in my villa’s plunge pool to surfing local breaks, exploring nearby hiking trails and snorkelling the house reef.

One of the highlights of staying at Six Senses is participating in the Under the Sea Conservation program, where you can learn about coral restoration and visit a coral nursery. It’s the perfect way to ensure your holiday not only nurtures your body and mind, but also your soul.

Ready to explore?

TOP: Gut health is also an important part of wellness and your Six Senses Fiji wellness routine includes a healthy island diet of fruit and vegetables.

LEFT: Spending the day snorkelling in the reef will help to keep you fit.

e wild bunch

From the Horizontal Falls in the Kimberley to swimming with the gentle giant whale sharks of Ningaloo Reef, Western Australia has a reputation for some of the most unspoilt nature experiences in the country. We look at the eight greatest natural wonders of the wild, wild west.

Wondrous whale sharks

From sea turtles to humpback whales and colourful tropical fish, the abundance of marine animals found in the UNESCO World Heritage–listed Ningaloo Reef makes it one of Western Australia’s best kept secrets. Snorkelling or diving with the mighty whale sharks is an experience that’s certainly worth adding to your bucket list.

Watershed moments

Located in the turquoise waters of Talbot Bay, Horizontal Falls is an unusual natural phenomenon that must be seen to be believed. The unique, sideways waterfall effect is formed by a fast-moving tidal current that squeezes massive volumes of water through two narrow gorges at an astonishing rate. They are best seen from above or with a jetboat ride through the surging water.

Floral phenomenon

A riot of colour erupts across the Coral Coast from June to November as Western Australia’s wildflowers burst into bloom. Nearly one million visitors a year gaze upon 12,500 flowering species – and their eye-popping colours – right across the state.

Subterranean spectacular

Beneath the surface of Margaret River is a crystal-studded wonderland waiting to be explored. The area is home to more than 150 underground limestone caves; explore these on a private Koolman Dreaming 90-minute experience with a Wadandi cultural custodian guide whose didgeridoo’s low sounds reverberate off the crystalline formations.

Quokka capers

Boasting Class-A Nature Reserve status, Rottnest Island features 42.6 kilometres of walking trails, 63 secluded beaches and 20 bays. Its biggest drawcard? Over 10,000 resident quokkas. Arrive by ferry (90 minutes from Perth, 25 minutes from Fremantle) and explore by bicycle or e-bike, making frequent pit stops for snapshots with the smiling quokkas.

Best bushwalk, ever

El Questro is a utopic nature area home to natural thermal springs, leafy gorges, epic waterfalls and quiet rivers. See it all on Walk into Luxury’s new four-day Kimberley experience that’s based at El Questro Homestead, a 10-suite luxury retreat. Your adventure includes morning birdwatching and heli-hiking with waterfall bathing.

Simply out of this world

Just two hour’s drive north of Perth is The Pinnacles, an ancient moonscape peppered with thousands of weathered limestone pillars. This otherworldly terrain was formed over 25,000 years ago and can be admired at Nambung National Park, one of Western Australia’s most visited attractions outside of Perth.

Slow travel

Reminiscent of a desert safari, a camel ride along Cable Beach is one of the best-known experiences in Broome. Countless providers offer rides throughout the day, but there’s something extra special about sunset: sway your way alongside the ocean as the sky burns gold, before finally settling beyond the sea.

e wayof water

Nate Robinson knew that taking his water-shy wife to a remote Maldivian atoll could put a dampener on their honeymoon, but instead the wonders of the Indian Ocean whet her appetite for the undersea world.

It’s impossible not to be swept up in the magic of the Maldives, and that’s why we chose it as our honeymoon destination. The water is so brilliant-blue it sometimes feels like your vision is glitching; the island’s white sands, home to bashful hermit crabs and secretive banyan trees, invite endless exploration. On our first night’s dinner, at the Ocean Grill at JA Manafaru resort in the north of the country, waiters walk barefoot through the sands, clad entirely in white with brilliantly tart mojitos in tow. We are surrounded by dense jungle and the endless whispers of the sea and despite tonight’s fat, yellow moon, it’s so dark that we can’t stop gazing at the stars. Our menus are accompanied by a torch. Our entrée arrives – red snapper ceviche, fresh from the atoll that morning, served with mango and coriander – delivered by Rafu, our dedicated guest experience host. He’s affable, charismatic and passionate, and when I ask him what brought him to Manafaru, adamant: “The diving,” Rafu says. “There are so many places underwater, so many beautiful spots to dive. I’m not going anywhere.”

ABOVE: The Ocean Grill at JA Manafaru resort in the northern atolls of the Maldives. LEFT: The resort is located on a shallow house reef that is ideal for learning to snorkel and meeting a host of varied marine life.

“We continued to meet the atoll’s inhabitants, moorish idols, convict surgeonfish and blacktip reef sharks”

JA Manafaru

Surrounded by endless miles of Indian Ocean, this provides a problem for us. My wife is famously water-shy, struggling even with the deep end of the pool.

On our first day we tried to descend our overwater villa’s ladder and dip into the mirage-like blue waters below. As reef squid and boxfish smugly drifted past, my wife hesitated above the water, unable to take a single step lower. Finally, she asked me to grab her and help her return to the deck.

I saw conviction and determination as we recovered to the warm wood of our villa’s private deck. She knew that she couldn’t just see the Maldives from above the water –we had to go further.

We visited the resort’s dive centre the following day. The instructors were encouraging, offering us use

of a life vest and complimentary snorkelling gear, and with a little work we savoured her first moments upright in the atoll. The mask and mouthpiece required constant readjustment; the fins flapped awkwardly. She persevered.

Each morning, we clambered down the villa’s ladder in fins. Each afternoon, we splashed from the beach into the atoll. The water was as still as blown glass. Our progress was deliberate, unhurried; we first submerged our faces, just a few moments at any time. But each miraculous, underwater vision encouraged us – tiny trumpetfish played peek-a-boo behind algae-covered ladders, endless coral shimmered below like sunlit porcelain and mighty parrotfish, undisturbed by our hard-won success, nibbled at rocks nearby.

Located on the private island of Manafaru in the Haa Alif Atoll, JA Manafaru is perfect for honeymooners and families alike. The resort has breathtaking views of the Indian Ocean, porcelainwhite sands and crystalline lagoons making for superb snorkelling and diving.

Buoyed by what we’d seen, we continued to meet the atoll’s inhabitants, including shy moorish idols, convict surgeonfish and baby blacktip reef sharks, left utterly alone to fend for themselves in the vast waters. Eventually, I stopped having to hold my wife’s hand. She glided outward independently, hungry to see it all for herself. Then, as her confidence grew, she decided it was time to tackle Manafaru’s cherished house reef. It was a revelation.

As we went from the subaqueous to the sublime, an endless technicolour parade of marine life marched joyously through the water. Sharks played tag with smaller prey, finger coral twinkled in the sunlight, honeycomb eels twisted, starfish lazed. Seeing my wife, exploring alone and awestruck, my heart swelled.

We snorkelled until our honeymoon’s final moments. After each session, we’d sit on the pier’s bench, dumbstruck. My wife had never considered snorkelling – she’d long thought it beyond her. Turns out all she needed was time, perseverance – and a little of that Maldives magic.

LEFT: Diving, or snorkelling, with the inhabitants of the house reef is a highlight. BELOW: If you are not keen on the ocean, you can always take a plunge in your villa pool.

Ready to dive in?

FOUR MUST-HAVES for your next European trip

Nothing beats a European summer. Santorini sunsets, shopping in Paris, sampling tapas in San Sebastian...there are memories to be made, photos to be taken and new experiences to try.

No matter if you’re a culture vulture, keen to island hop your way across the Mediterranean or take it easy by the beach, there are some essentials you can’t live without on a European voyage. To ensure a carefree trip, plan ahead with all the things you need, from the right footwear to quality travel insurance.

Want insurance from the unexpected on your next Luxury Escape?

Call 1300 88 99 00 for a quote today

1. A high-quality suitcase with all the essentials

Something like the July Checked Trunk Suitcase has a durable polycarbonate shell with twin latch locks and a multi-height soft handle. What to pack? Start with your passport, plus a photocopy – you don’t want to be caught out if something goes wrong. Next, a secure wallet with your ID, emergency Euros and bank cards for when you’re shopping up a storm at Galleries Lafayette in Paris, or Via del Corso in Rome. European summers aren’t for the fair-skinned –make sure you cover up with sunscreen, sunglasses and hat, and pack a water bottle to stay hydrated. Lift a weight off your shoulders by installing the Leisure App from Cover-More before you go. The Cover-More app uses geo-location technology to provide potentially lifesaving assistance and critical information wherever you are in the world. You’ll have access to realtime safety alerts, 24/7 travel assistance and on-call medical assistance. Travelling safely and confidently has never been so easy. Wherever you go… all in the palm of your hand.

3. Comfortable shoes for daily explorations

There’s so much to see down the cobblestoned streets of Barcelona, Athens and Vienna – don’t ruin the day with uncomfortable shoes. Birkenstocks have made a comeback in a big way and we can see why – they transition perfectly from day to night, offering both comfort and style. If hiking the Dolomites in Italy or the Camino trails from France to Spain, you’ll need proper boots – just make sure you wear them in to avoid any discomfort. You’ll feel empowered to go further with the Leisure App on hand –with 24/7 on-call medical assistance, it could prove helpful should something go wrong.

4. Choose the right insurance

You can’t truly relax on holiday without having decent travel insurance, but it is also important that you have the right cover for your particular trip. Mike Stein, Executive General Manager, Sales and Distribution, of Cover-More says that there are a few things to consider.

“The two biggest considerations when it comes to insurance are cancellation cover – particularly due to the high cost of European trips – and medical cover,” says Mike. “There are a number of countries in Europe that have reciprocal healthcare with Australia but there are also hidden medical costs in some countries because things are different to how we operate in Australia.”

What if you’ve made it to your destination but your luggage hasn’t? With Cover-More’s comprehensive plan, you’ll be covered for up to $1100. Need a doctor or dentist? With unlimited medical coverage, and up to $2000 in dental expenses, all you’ll need to focus on is getting better. Choose the Essentials Care level for basic medical coverage, or upgrade to the Comprehensive Care to ensure your luggage and travel documents are covered. “The other key consideration is when to buy the insurance,” Mike says. “You need to consider buying travel

2. Versatile clothes

Prevent a sore back by packing lightweight clothes that can be layered as required –light linen trousers, sun dresses, a cotton scarf, t-shirts to protect your shoulders, an oversized linen shirt and of course, a swimsuit or boardies! Save yourself even more weight by creating a capsule wardrobe – a collection of classics that you can combine in plenty of ways. Think white, grey or black shirts and trousers or shorts in neutral colours.

insurance from early on when you first put your deposit down, so you don’t lose your deposit if something goes wrong.” He adds that it is important to consider what you will be doing on your holiday.

“We cover a range of adventure activities like bungee jumping, so if you want to do that it’s fine, but if you want to go mountain climbing it is considered more dangerous so you need to tick an extra box,” Mike says. “In Greece, people tend to jump on mopeds, scooters or 4x4s and generally you need to make sure you have selected the add-on that covers motorbike or moped riding.” Please read the Product Disclosure Statement for full details on cover.

Mike points out that if you’re planning a cruise, you need to make the right choice when it comes to insurance because the dangers of ocean cruising make it a far more expensive insurance option, with emergency medical evacuations sometimes needed hundreds of miles from shore. “When it comes to cruising, we delineate between river cruising and ocean cruising,” Mike says. “So, make sure you have the right type of cover.”

Travel smarter with Cover-More.

Cover-More Travel Insurance: Cover-More has been protecting Australian travellers for over 35 years with award-winning travel insurance that empowers Australian travellers to travel further. Call Luxury Escapes 1300 88 99 00 for a quote today.

Hong Kong

Diana Chan, TV host and MasterChef Australia winner, is passionate about the avours of Asian cuisine. She gets snap happy on a tour of the foodie island

A PHOTOGRAPHIC JOURNEY THROUGH

ABOVE: Diana and the 92-year-old market stall owner who makes douhua daily. LEFT: Lamma Island is a great spot for fresh seafood; try the garlic shrimp at Lamma Rainbow Seafood Restaurant.

TOP: Bowls of douhua (soybean pudding), a classic Chinese sweetand-savoury snack made with silken tofu and ginger syrup. RIGHT: The Hong Kong foreshore.

Edge of tomorrow

As Celebrity Cruises plans to launch its Edge ship in Australia later this year, Jackie Sheckler Finch remembers her experience on the ship bound for the Caribbean.

When I boarded the Celebrity Edge in Fort Lauderdale for my weeklong Caribbean cruise, a crew member greeted me with, “Welcome to paradise.”

He was right. The Celebrity Edge lived up to its name with its cutting-edge technology and trailblazing features. I was royally pampered as we sailed along the Florida coast to Key West, then on to Costa Maya in Mexico, and Grand Cayman island with its glorious Seven Mile Beach.

Docking in the port of George Town you get to experience the translucent waters and sandy beaches of the Caribbean but with a touch of luxury, after all the Grand Cayman capital is also a British tax haven. Take a glass-bottomed boat out on the ocean, tour a rum distillery or visit one of the many George Town art galleries.

Along the way our ship stopped at the former home of writer Ernest Hemingway, a Spanish

Colonial-style villa in Key West that is hewn from the local rock. When The Old Man and the Sea author first bought the property in the 1930s it was rundown, but the stateliness of the property appealed to the romantic in Hemingway and he set about renovating his new home. The palatial estate, which contains the first in-ground pool in Key West, has now become a National Historical Landmark with visitors coming by air, land and sea.

This winter, the Celebrity Edge is swapping the beaches of the Caribbean for the sandy expanse of Kangaroo Island and beyond for its first-ever “paradise” cruises in the southern hemisphere. Christened in December 2018, the 14-deck Edge can carry 2,918 passengers with a crew of 1,320. The ship will be sailing the captivating coastlines of Australia with new ports for its cruises, including Kangaroo Island in South Australia and Darwin in the Northern Territory.

“It’s the great outdoors that makes this region truly exceptional and we can’t wait to welcome an equally exceptional ship that’s been uniquely designed to connect guests with their surroundings,” said Tim Jones, Celebrity Cruises vice president and managing director of Australia and APAC. Among those unique designs, Jones pointed out the Edge’s Infinite Verandas. Billed as a first for an ocean-going vessel, Infinite Verandas are designed to bring passengers closer to the ocean and to ports. Walking into my stateroom, it looked like the oceanfacing wall had one giant window that went from side to side and ceiling to floor. With the push of a button, I could lower the top of the window to provide an unobstructed view of the ocean along with the sound of crashing waves. The wide-open indoor space was about 23 per cent larger than traditional balcony cabins. Of the ship’s 1,467 rooms, 916 are fitted with these Infinite Verandas.

ABOVE: The Celebrity Edge will be heading to Australia so guests can take a magic carpet ride.

LEFT: The Caribbean port of George Town in the Cayman Islands is a popular stop on US cruises.

Celebrity Cruises

When it comes to dining, Celebrity Edge features 15 venues with excellent service.

The most talked-about dining experience on the Edge is Le Petit Chef. The high-tech entertainment concept for this dinner is that four tiny, inch-high chefs, projected onto your crisp white tablecloth, are “competing” to create the best culinary treat for passengers. The mini movie is produced using 4K technology and it shows these adorable, animated characters appearing beside passengers’ dinner plates to prepare each course. The mini chefs float past your plate in boats, chop up virtual ingredients with samurai swords and load fries onto your plate using intricate machinery before the real dish is delivered by a Celebrity Cruises waiter. My memorable dessert on my cruise in the Caribbean saw one of the petit chefs head to the North Pole on a sleigh to roll a snowball and toss it on to my plate. Then the cartoon chef sprayed chocolate sauce over the snowball with a firehose nozzle.

Another high-tech feature heading to Australian shores is the Celebrity Edge theatre with a stage that extends into the audience. The in-the-round design puts everyone closer to the entertainment.

But it is the amazing “magic carpet” that is one of the most significant innovations to come to cruising in recent years. The magic

carpet is a structure about the size of a tennis court that juts out over the edge of the ship and – as the world’s first cantilevered floating platform – it can be raised and lowered so it is accessible from a variety of different decks. It also serves a variety of different functions, for example, when it’s up on Deck 5, the carpet is an unforgettable restaurant as the ship glides over glistening water. Its arrival on Deck 14 sees it reimagined as a late-night bar and when it is close to sea level on Deck 2, the structure shows its real magical function. Instead of the usual experiences I’ve endured on other cruise ships when attempting to board a small “tender” boat for a shore excursion, the Edge’s magic carpet makes getting on and off the tender boat fun and comfortable. It even turned into a luxurious lounge where I could relax, sip a cold cocktail, enjoy snacks, listen to music, and admire the beautiful scenery.

After a 930-day absence from sailing in Australia, Jones said Celebrity Cruises is seeing increased interest in its return as travellers seek more unique and special experiences.

“Celebrity Cruises is debuting a new, larger ship, new destinations, and new onboard experiences,” Jones said. “All designed to provide an even deeper immersion into this region’s unique culture.”

The Celebrity Edge debuts in Australia later this year and will join the Celebrity Eclipse in local waters. Highlights of the 2023 Australian season include trips to the Great Barrier Reef, food and wine itineraries in Melbourne, Adelaide and Hobart, as well as the return of the popular Auckland to Fiji cruise.

INSET: When the Celebrity Edge debuts in Australia later this year, guests will be able to experience the high-concept dining like Le Petit Chef. ABOVE RIGHT: Another innovation on board is the addition of Infinite Verandas with huge windows billed as a first for an ocean-going vessel.

“The Celebrity Edge is home to the ‘magic carpet’, the world’s first cantilevered floating platform. The magic carpet can be raised and lowered so it is accessible from a variety of different decks and can serve a variety of functions from lounge to late-night bar.”

True Luxury Returns to the River

Behold, the debut of Riverside Luxury Cruises, a bespoke and soon to be beloved new luxury river cruise line. Aboard our all-suite ships you will be treated to more space, sumptuous design, delectable cuisine and hospitality found in luxury hotels the world over. Butler service in every suite will ensure your every whim is met with a “yes.” This

INSIDER: BALI

Bali is a chameleon island that can o er you everything from early morning meditation in Ubud among the rice paddies to late nights in the famous beach clubs of Canggu, and everything in between. Here is our insider guide to the perfect Bali break.

From the steep cliffs of Uluwatu in the south with its rolling surf and powder white beaches to the forests of Ubud in the north filled with monkeys and waterfalls, Bali is known as the “Island of the Gods” and it’s not hard to see why.

Part of Bali’s appeal to travellers is the variety that you can find on this modestly sized island. Families, honeymooners and solo travellers will find what they are looking for in Bali –whether it’s adventure, relaxation or gourmet dining. You can hike to volcanoes, enjoy an ancient, healing black-sand bath on the shores of Sukawati or visit a market with a chef and learn how to cook Balinese dishes.

Partygoers can also kick up their heels in beach clubs and dance the night away on the sand. But if you’re looking for the quiet life, you don’t need to travel far. At its heart Bali is a spiritual place. The towering penjors (bamboo poles) sway in the breeze during the Galungan festival, offerings are left on the stone pathways and temples can be found in every village. But one experience that all holidaymakers share is that they will want to return.

Drinking and dining

Ijen, Seminyak

Potato Head in Seminyak is leading the way once more with Ijen, the first zero-waste restaurant in Indonesia. Here the chefs cook up dishes made with local ingredients in Potato Head’s superstylish, upcycled surrounds. Expect dishes such as octopus with salted chilli and kombu noodle and burnt mango with kaffir lime.

Honey & Smoke, Ubud

Wes Anderson fans will love this speakeasy bar that has taken inspiration from his films. Designed to look like a train carriage (below), complete with racks filled with luggage, this 1920s-themed bar in Ubud is celebrated for cocktails covered with smoke-filled bell jars and wood-fired food. Don’t know what to order? Try the Feed Me tasting menu.

Shelter, Seminyak

A former chef at Icebergs on Sydney’s Bondi Beach serves up Middle Eastern and Mediterranean dishes in this leafy Balinese joglo (wooden house) in Canggu. Menu favourites include wood-roasted chilli scallops with lemon butter and chocolate truffle with sour cherry and pistachio yogurt.

JIMMY NICHOLSON / @JIMMYNICHOLSON

“Despite being an Aussie tourist hotspot, I love that Bali remains so rich in culture. Day trips to picturesque islands and monkey forests, some of the world’s best hospitality, plates of nasi goreng jam packed with exotic Indonesian flavours on every corner, stunning beaches and swimming spots, and no shortage of epic resorts and villas that ooze luxury without breaking the bank.”

Koral, Nusa Dua

Bali has now launched an underwater restaurant to rival those of the Maldives. Guests take their seats in a perspex tunnel that runs through a giant aquarium in Nusa Dua. Angel fish and sharks swim by as you dine on savoury ice cream cones, Tasmanian salmon and lobster garnished with edible flowers.

Bali by season

Bali has two seasons – the dry season that runs from April to October and the wet season that runs from November to March.

April – October

Gourmands will want to arrive in April for the Ubud Food Festival. Here you can enjoy long-table lunches, sample the work of Indonesia’s best chefs and listen to the sounds of Indonesia’s best young musicians. Then there’s the Bali Arts Festival in June and July with Indonesian and international artists. The Kite Festival lights up the sky in July and August when locals give thanks for a successful harvest.

As Bali’s dry season runs over Australia’s cooler winter months, you’ll see plenty of Aussie tourists here making the most of the sun, so it will be more expensive than the wet season. You’ll see fewer travellers in October as it’s on the cusp of the wet season.

November – March

Boy ‘N’ Cow, Seminyak

Bare brick walls and tongue-in-cheek art form the backdrop to this steakhouse in Seminyak. After ordering a custom cocktail in the upstairs bar, take a seat in the restaurant that serves 30-day dry-aged beef and generous sides for the table. Even though it’s called a meat boutique there are options for pescatarians and vegetarians as well.

From November to March, you are going to see an increase in showers, but the wet season still has its plus points. There are fabulous festivals like the Makepung buffalo races that take place in November in Jembrana in southwest Bali, when competitors climb aboard the wooden ploughs behind their buffalo and race each other across the fields. It’s also during November that the Balinese celebrate Galungan, when villagers take offerings to the temple and statuesque bamboo poles are decorated with woven palm leaves. But if you are looking for the quiet life look out for Nyepi in March, which is the day of silence. Everything grinds to a halt, so this is a must do for anyone who wants to get away from it all and have a digital detox. The Banyumala twin falls should also be in full flow, making unforgettable Instagram moments.

Billy Ho, Canggu

Hotfoot it to this Canggu favourite that has undergone a makeover – expect to see design highlights like lobster pots upcycled as lampshades. Chef Will Meyrick and his team serve up Asian-fusion dishes; choose from small plates such as pork belly katsu bao buns or more filling, larger plates like roast glazed lamb shoulder.

Sleeping and relaxing

Jumeirah Bali

The team behind the seven-star Burj al Arab has opened its first outpost in Southeast Asia in Uluwatu, Bali. Inspired by the water palaces of the 13th-century Majapahit empire, the Jumeirah Bali is a masterclass in relaxed elegance. Choose from one- or twobedroom pool villas overlooking the ocean or tucked away in a private garden. Follow one of the winding lanes to the beach, spa, or restaurant, but make sure you’re by the pool at sunset for a picture-perfect view.

Six Senses Uluwatu

This minimalist hideaway hugs the side of the cliff in Uluwatu and offers designer suites and villas that overlook the ocean. Within the grounds you’ll find the famed Six Senses Spa, where you can enjoy a Balinese massage with hot stones, a yoga pavilion and fitness centre, as well as restaurants, a clifftop bar and an outdoor cinema.

COMO Shambhala Estate

Think natural swimming pools fed by a waterfall, white-water-rafting trips along the river and a 10th-century temple where you can take part in a water purification ceremony. And when you choose to get some rest at this Ubud resort, you can book a stay at the Wanakasa Residence that wraps around a banyan tree.

Kappa Senses Ubud

This hotel is located in the heart of Ubud’s rice paddy fields and aims to embed you into the community through serving local spicy bumbu in its restaurant and offering meditation at a local temple. The Deluxe Suite with the jacuzzi on the terrace and the 1,000 square metre spa is a highlight, but so too is the fact that 50 per cent of the produce from its organic garden is shared with the community.

Apurva Kempinski Bali

Headed for Bali?

This resort in Nusa Dua cascades down the hillside like a palace from an ancient civilisation. The view from the lobby terrace will leave you weak at the knees and the resort is also home to the Koral underwater restaurant, a spa that offers treatments that stretch over two days, and the prettiest of beaches.

BEST KNOWN FOR:

Villas

If you’re seeking a home away from home, look no further than Bali. From designer beachfront getaways to family-friendly stays, you don’t have to worry about sharing the pool, as it will be all yours for your holiday.

Families

Families should look at The Pavilions and Amarterra Villas. The Pavilions in Sanur offers a two-bedroom villa and pool in a private compound, but there is also a restaurant and spa that uses homemade organic products from the grounds. While those taking a multi-generational trip could look at the three-bedroom Amarterra Villa in Nusa Dua, which features a private pool and has three separate bedroom villas that surround it.

Honeymooners

Honeymooners should check out the Arkamara Dijiwa in Ubud that has the Royal Pool Villa, which comes with a private pool and personal butler. If you want to be a little closer to the beach you can book into the Oceanic Pool Villa at Kimpton Naranta Bali, which has a saltwater plunge pool. Or if you want the best of both worlds, you can check out the five-star Astera Resort in Canggu, which has a Smart Royal One Bedroom Villa with private pool and jacuzzi that overlooks the rice paddies.

Friends

e Anvaya

Book the Anvaya suite at this family-friendly beach resort in Kuta and you will have your own garden and pool. The Kunyit restaurant serves up a Balinese megibung (traditional family meal) lunch, where you share food from one oversized dish, or check out the interactive Sunday brunch at the Sands restaurant where you can make pizzas with the chef.

Friends who are celebrating a special occasion can book into The Residences at Soori Bali. The exclusive four-bedroom Residence is set on two levels with generous living areas and landscaped gardens with soothing water features.

HOLLY KINGSTON / @HOLLYKINGSTON

“From the laid-back surf and coffee culture in Canggu, to ultraluxurious beachfront resort living – a stay at The Mulia is a MUST.

– All the way to the stunning mountains and waterfalls of Munduk, there is truly something for everyone in Bali.”

Out and about

Meditate in a secret cave

If you’re in need of a moment of Zen, enjoy a meditation session in a secret cave found in Uluwatu, Bali. In this stalagmite-filled hideaway, be guided by an instructor through a combination of breathing exercises and energy movements to boost your mind, body and soul.

Learn to surf

Chase some waves at the Padang Padang Surf Camp near Uluwatu. The instructors will show you how to jump on the board, choose the right waves and give you tips on how to ride them back to shore. The team will film you so you can follow your progress.

Design your own chocolate bar

Discover Bali’s own version of Willy Wonka: the artisanal Junglegold Bali chocolate factory in Ubud. Under its thatched roof, you will not only have the chance to taste its award-winning plant-based chocolate and see the cacao pods hanging from the trees in the farm, but you can also make your own bespoke bar

THE SURPRISING THING:

People have just one of four names

Parents who have spent nine months worrying what to name their child might be envious of parents in Bali. Children on the Indonesian island have one of four names depending on the order in which they were born. The eldest child is called Wayan, the second child is called Made, the third child is Nyoman and the fourth is Ketut. If there is a fifth baby in the family, the cycle will begin again, but the baby will be called Wayan Balik, which means “return”. There are a couple of alternative names for the first three babies, but Ketut never changes.

As this comes from the caste system, there are alternatives for people who are from different castes. But as the working-class Sudra caste represents 93 per cent of the population, these are the names you’re more likely to hear. So don’t be surprised if your tour guide asks you if you’re the youngest or oldest child in your family as it’s the fastest way to remember everyone’s name.

FAMILY AFFAIR:

Bali with kids

This tropical isle was made for family holidays. Not only are there acres of sandy beaches to turn into sandcastles, but endless activities to enjoy.

Nature loving families will want to travel to Ubud where they can visit the Sacred Monkey Forest Sanctuary, see the Tegenungan waterfall or even take a tour through the padi terraces with a local farmer. If your kids are a little older, you can explore the deep with a snorkelling trip to the pristine bays of Nusa Dua.

Foodies can make bespoke chocolate at Junglegold Bali or try your hand at a Balinese cooking class. If you have teens in tow who you want to tear away from their devices, send them whitewater rafting along the Ayung River in Ubud or hit the surf in Uluwatu.

On rainy days you can visit the Kids Soho Playground in Sanur, which offers everything from a climbing wall to ballet lessons, taekwondo sessions and even coding classes. If grandparents are joining you too, take them for a ride through the rice paddies in a VW convertible and enjoy lunch overlooking Bali’s most active volcano Mount Batur. You could also learn how to make batik or visit the Uluwatu Temple at sunset to see a traditional Kecak fire dance on the clifftops.

Become a silversmith

Feeling artsy? Visit the famed John Hardy jewellery workshop where you’ll not only have the chance to take a look at the John Hardy archives, sketch your own design and create a wax carving, but you’ll learn how to weave one of its classic silver chains.

Make an ancient herbal drink

Indonesians use jamu, an ancient herbal drink dating from the eighth century, to power themselves up for the day. Indonesians think so much of jamu that they have nominated it for the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List. With the help of a traditional healer, take a tour through an organic garden at The Art of Jamu at Capella Ubud where you’ll handpick the herbs you need to create your own concoction.

Enjoy a romantic dinner in the jungle

Go back in time and visit the 1920s-inspired Aperitif at Viceroy Bali in Ubud. Step into the chic dining room to enjoy a seven-course degustation menu. Picture a spicy rendang venison Wellington and a honeycomb of meringue served with mango and coconut. Just remember to leave room for the crescent-shaped dish filled with petit fours.

Southern stars

ailand’s Phuket has long been a go-to destination for sun-seekers and the party crowd. But, as Ron Gluckman discovers, it is now foodies that are ocking to the island thanks to a handful of chefs championing sustainability and attracting the attention of the famous Michelin guide.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY CHRISTOPHER WISE

TOP: Rick Dingen on the farm at Jampa where he kickstarted Phuket’s farm-to-table movement (left). The amazing produce is then plated to perfection (right).

ABOVE: Trisara resort has been at the forefront of the resurgence in Phuket’s didning scene with restaurants Jampa and PRU.

Phuket has been famed for decades as a premier holiday destination, for eeing the Australian cold, or weekend breaks from Singapore or China. is tropical island boasts vast stretches of serene sand, spectacular resorts, o shore islands to explore, plus a lively party scene. e latest buzz is Phuket’s tasty new travel attraction – ne dining.

Thailand is no stranger to the global food scene – Bangkok is on all the global food lists, with star chef Thitid “Ton” Tassanakajohn topping Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants List with Le Du at Number 1, and taking out third place with Nusara in Bangkok. Don’t be surprised if he appears again on the next list with Samut, his first Phuket restaurant.

“Phuket wasn’t known as a fine-dining destination,” says Ton, noting that the scene has been defined by its tourist market, so pizza and pasta, European and Thai food. Fine, but nobody flew to Phuket to dine until Ton and a new wave of creative chefs began upping offerings on Thailand’s largest island. Ton hired chef Chatchawan “Banky” Varahajeera at Samut (meaning ocean) to showcase Phuket’s seafood. Samut also uses local ingredients like island flowers and southern specialties – the mud crab comes drenched in rich yellow curry, while the Phuket lobster is dressed in coriander, served with sea grape and kale. It’s part of a localisation trend celebrating southern cuisine, savoured at venues like Royd and Laad. The latter features Steve Doucakis, a young American chef who worked at Quince in Bangkok. He raves about the unlimited potential in the wide-open spaces of Phuket.

“It’s really exciting here,” says Steve, who moved to Phuket to open Laad in May 2023. “Bangkok is so established, with so many great

restaurants. Everyone knows Phuket, but now they are exploring the food and flavours more,” he says. “It’s geographically huge, with all these great influences.” He lists Malay, Muslim, Chinese and Portuguese flavours. “It’s just so diverse, and not really well known. Not yet.”

Many relish the mostly untapped potential of Peranakan cuisine (also called Nyonya), renowned from Penang to Singapore. Chinese dishes blend with Malay curry in what fans enthusiastically call the world’s first fusion, cultivated along trade routes from Singapore through to Malaysia, Indonesia and Phuket. While Phuket town is famed for the same colorful Sino-Portuguese architecture found in Singapore and Georgetown, it’s never really mined the scrumptious food heritage of its Peranakan past.

Royd is a great place for immersion. Chef Suwijak “Mond” Kunghae worked at top restaurants in Bangkok, returning home to explore his heritage. “We want to share our knowledge of southern Thai cuisine, which we grew up with.” Many recipes were handed down in his family, running a Phuket restaurant for two decades. At Royd in Phuket town, he modernises traditional fare with creations like southern squid curry with coconut shoots, and Hokkien Char – Cantonese seafood noodles with confit egg.

Double Dutch

In late 2019, titans of Thai dining gathered at the glitzy Four Seasons on the Chao Phraya River to celebrate: Bangkok cooks in their chef whites, along with the sole recipient of a star for Phuket and all southern Thailand – Jimmy Ophorst, representing PRU. He came from the Netherlands to Phuket in 2012 as a food consultant, opening PRU at Trisara resort in 2016. PRU stands for Plant, Raise, Understand, and is much more than another Phuket restaurant with stunning sunset views – although it is perched right on the Andaman Sea. An advocate of sustainable cuisine and minimising waste, Jimmy has been a catalyst for a heightened sense of consciousness in Phuket kitchens.

Chefs like Ton readily credit the ground-breaking work of PRU for not only planting the seeds for Phuket’s culinary rise, but sparking a new level of concern for sustainability and local sourcing. Michelin paid respect by giving PRU the first Green Star in Thailand.

Michelin, a century-old food guide, announced its new Green Stars in 2020, honouring restaurants that combine culinary excellence with eco-friendly operations. The global Green Star community has grown to over 400 restaurants, but just three in Thailand. Besides PRU, the

list includes Haoma in Bangkok, and Jampa, a huge organic farm with a restaurant that is the sister property of PRU. Both were developed with Trisara by the forward-thinking Montara Hospitality Group. When Trisara launched in 2004, many saw it as a huge gamble, admits Montara CEO Kittisak (Kitt) Pattamasaevi. While most Phuket properties skirted popular beaches, Trisara offers reclusive hillside rooms with stunning views of jungle plunging into the Andaman Sea. Rooms are spaced far apart, with private pools. Far from the nightlife, Trisara quickly connected with the world’s celebrities and jetsetters, it became a global hit.

PRU quickly reinvented Trisara as Phuket’s premium dining destination, but Jampa is part of another monumental Montara gamble.

The farm sits on nearly 275 acres, being developed as an enormous wellness retreat, Tri Vananda (Forest of Lasting Happiness). Already Montara is offering residences tucked amongst lakes and trees, and it adds a full medical centre, holistic spa and mindfulness centre. “We see this as the direction for Phuket. People are more interested these days in health and wellbeing.”

IMAGE ABOVE: PRU was the first Michelin star in the whole of southern Thailand thanks to the Dutch chefs Jimmy Ophorst and Rick Dingen (pictured). OPPOSITE: Trisara resort was a gamble that paid of with big celebrity visits; the menu at PRU is 100 per cent local and supports sustainable fishing and organic local meats.

Many track Phuket’s culinary revival to the arrival of the famed Michelin Guide, which launched in Bangkok in 2017, expanding south two years later.

Trisara

Trisara is a world-class haven of opulent private villas with unparalleled views of the Andaman Sea and gleaming swimming pools. For pure tranquillity and bliss, the exclusive Jara Spa is a pampering oasis framed by a century-old ficus tree, and every massage, Himalayan salt compress or foot reflexology treatment is crafted to help achieve balance and restoration.

Ready to explore?

Kitt says the success of Trisara proved that visitors weren’t only attracted by beaches. “It made us more confident to see how they valued wellness and were concerned with how their food was sourced and prepared.” Jampa was conceived not just as an organic farm, but a teaching centre, where people could see how food was produced.

Farm-to-table dining is a trendy movement in fine dining, but Phuket might seem an unlikely addition. “The soil isn’t very good, it’s really salty,” says Rick Dingen, walking me around Jampa’s fields and duck ponds. Rick, also from the Netherlands, is both chef at the marvellous on-farm Jampa restaurant, and the main field worker. He’s a non-stop bundle of energy and information as we tour the farm, stopping often so he can check plants, marking the progress of crops. Everything goes on a spreadsheet to plan fresh menus that optimise Jampa produce and minimise waste.

“When we started, there was really no attention being paid to local produce.” He took samples and pictures of plants, querying locals about use in cooking. Probably 10 per cent of what is used by PRU comes from the farm, even more at Jampa, which can easily build tasting menus around whatever is ready.

Jimmy emphasises that the goal was never replacing, but finding top-quality local providers. PRU supports sustainable local fishing. Meanwhile, high-quality meat and organic produce is more widely available as greener operations have expanded across Thailand. “Our menu is 100 per cent local,” he says. “Nothing comes from overseas.”

This is part of his crusade towards zero-waste in an industry notorious for excess. “It’s really difficult,” he notes. “I think we’re at 60 or 70 per cent. We still have a long way to go, and are always thinking of what we can do, and experimenting.” That’s reflected in the menu of PRU, which is famed for its star turn of the simple carrot.

Odds are you won’t spy another carrot so spectacularly featured in a Michelin menu. But what a carrot! At PRU, it’s cooked in the soil it came from, underground in banana leaves for 6-8 hours. Then, it’s served with a tangy hollandaise sauce made from carrot juice and house-cured egg yolk.

And it’s no outlier. Everything at PRU is meticulously groomed, seasoned and artfully presented. Educating eaters is as much a goal as serving a satisfying meal. Jampa has a fine-dining restaurant but also outdoor tables for picnics, where guests can pick and help cook the food. “There is something special about serving a beet when people see it growing,” Rick says proudly. “This is the most satisfying place to be a chef.

Take me back to London

e“Cool Britannia” era of Britpop and the Young British Artists may be in the rear-view mirror but London continues to innovate and remains a cultural metropolis rivalled only by its sister city of New York. e new Luxury Escapes team headed to London to cover the best of the UK capital right now.

To capture the excitement around every cobblestoned corner of the Old Dart, the Luxury Escapes television team recently visited to film an episode for season six of the travel show with hosts Cameron Daddo and Rachel Khoo.

“I have been to London in the winter and I have been to London in the spring and in all seasons I find London exciting,” Cameron says over a whisky in the new Londoner hotel. “The city is vibrant, multicultural and packed with arts and culture.”

The London theatre scene is still rivalled only by Broadway forming the famous “NyLon” commute between the two cities that has made them the twin cultural hubs of the Western world.

The regal Shaftesbury theatres attract top talent from all over the world. The Soho area is home to classic plays like The Mousetrap, the world’s longest running play, or revivals like Cabaret. But it is also the stepping off point for new epics like Harry Potter and the Cursed Child or the quirky 2023 debut of TONY! The Tony Blair Rock Opera

No stranger to treading the boards himself, Cameron cites the Soho area with its private members’ bars and old Irish pubs as one of his favourite places to visit, but he is also a fan of the traditional afternoon tea.

“The appeal of an afternoon tea is its elegance and it’s just being able to sit still and enjoy the care that has been put into the food that has been created,” Cameron says

of his time shooting an afternoon tea for the show at The Kensington Hotel. “And there is something about having a cup of tea and eating a scone with cream that just feels very elegant and old world.”

London boasts hundreds of Michelin-starred restaurants, exciting and varied street food and it has been the home of local, craft brews for hundreds of years.

But for Cameron, he had two very specific food goals when coming to London.

“I wanted to make sure that I had some fish and chips or a Guinness pie and I had them both,” he says.

This is what the new Luxury Escapes team experienced on their exploration of London.

All eyes were on London this year for the coronation of King Charles III but underneath all the pomp and ceremony the UK capital is still one of the most vibrant, cosmopolitan capitals on the planet.

Feasting on street food in Brixton

The buzzing burg of Brixton is the proud AfroCaribbean capital of London and that is reflected in some of its tasty street food. Mama’s Jerk serves up the classic jerk barbecue marinade created by Mama Charlotte decades ago and liberally applies it to a range of dishes including a classic jerk chicken as well as Jamaican curried spice prawns. You can grab a taste of another classic marinade, Granny Suzy’s pepper sauce, on prawns at Fish, Wings and Tings as well as a side of fried plantains. Or try the Bhangra Burger at Baba G’s for another multi-cultural mash-up; a burger with a lamb patty and Indian spices.

Cycling Kew Gardens

Historic Kew Gardens has been around for nearly 300 years. It has received seeds sent from Joseph Banks as he sailed the South Seas with Captain Cook, been the playground of royalty and has had intricate English gardens designed by 19th century horticultural superstar Capability Brown. Usually banned from cycling in the gardens, you can hop on a bicycle during the Summer Cycle season at sunset and enjoy a ride around the gardens as well as some live music.

Sipping a wee dram at e Londoner

Stay on the famous Leicester Square in style at The Londoner that bills itself as an urban resort and has six different concept bars and eateries, guest-only parlour rooms, a wellness retreat and screening rooms for the Soho movie crowd. You are on the doorstep of the London theatre district where, later this year, David Tennant (Doctor Who, Broadchurch) will take on the iconic role of Hamlet. The Whisky Room at The Londoner is perfect for an afternoon scotch and is accessible via a secret door through the powder rooms.

“The whole aesthetic of The Londoner it is just so classy,” says Cameron. “The hotel has been well thought out, from the overall design to the comfort of the couches and the chairs. The food was incredible. I think it is probably the best breakfast that I have ever eaten at a hotel.”

OPPOSITE: London pubs were the original home of local, craft brews before the current global trend.

ABOVE: One of the six themed dining spaces at The Londoner (top) and the bedrooms with views over the city.

Braving the Dare Skywalk

Get a bird’s eye view of Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on the Dare Skywalk that takes you 46.8 metres above the pitch and then get up close and personal with another bird: the famous Spurs golden cockerel statue. The Skywalk offers unparalleled views of the London skyline as well as the odd thrill if you are game enough to take part in The Edge, where you are lowered back down to the ground on a rope and pulley.

“You can almost imagine what it would be like playing on the pitch in front of a packed stadium,” says Cameron.

Downing a pint at a right royal pub

The Prince’s Head in Richmond has been serving pints for over 300 years and its spot on the Richmond Green means that on a balmy evening drinkers might spill out of the venerable front bar and onto the grass. The pub also serves classic pub grub and hosts live music and is a magnet for locals after work. Fancy a riverside tipple? Head to the nearby White Cross, which stands on the site of a former monastery and has a large riverside terrace that is packed on sunny weekend days.

Luxury London stays

e Londoner

The Londoner is home to 350 exquisite bedrooms and suites, six eateries and bars, including a rooftop lounge and tavern, a private guest residence, seven inspiring meeting spaces and a stunning ballroom for up to 850 guests. The rooms are loft-inspired and packed full of art works and objet d’art with eclectic London views; many over the streets of the city’s Theatreland.

e Kensington

Set in the heart of one of London’s most desirable neighbourhoods, The Kensington’s grand stucco façade is characteristic of this affluent 19th Century district, home to cultural treasures like the Natural History Museum, the Victoria & Albert Museum and the Royal Albert Hall. World-famous stores such as Harrods and Harvey Nichols are only a short walk away and open fires found in nearly all the hotel’s ground floor reception rooms.

OPPOSITE: London’s famous “Shard” building is part of the vibrant city that begs to be explored. ABOVE: The colourful Town House in The Kensington is the perfect spot for afternoon tea.

Raising a pinky at a proper afternoon tea

Town House at The Kensington is an oasis of calm in the busy city with its Alice-in-Wonderland whimsy and fabulous, sweet treats. Decorated throughout with boughs of trees in full bloom, bold patterns and teensy-weensy hot-air balloons that look like they are set to sail around the world in 80 days, this modern tea house hosts grand afternoon teas in the finest British tradition. “An afternoon tea is like a time out, it’s a time to relax, it is purposeful and conscious,” Cameron says.

Hunt for an elusive Banksy

Banksy may be the most famous street artist in the world, but the ephemeral nature of his work means that you can never guarantee that one of his scrawls will still be there when you drop in for a visit. Still, this is part of the appeal as you hunt the streets of London for an original Banksy that has yet to be desecrated or covered with posters. A quick online search brings up several maps of where Banksy has done some doodling and you can go on a self-guided tour to find a copper snorting a line or white paint, his famous London rats or his mural in honour of fellow artist JeanMichel Basquiat.

LUXURY ESCAPES TELEVISION SHOW

Luxury Escapes TV returns to Australian screens in August 2023. Season 6 will feature bucket-list destinations including Santorini, Tuscany and the Maldives.

The brand new season of Luxury Escapes premieres on Foxtel August 29, also streaming on BINGE with encore screening on Network Ten

e new

odyssey Greek

Have the moonscapes of Milos or the seas around Santorini all to yourself. Flip Byrnes shares the ultimate Greek Islands experiences far from the touristy crowds.

The caldera may seem calm, but the islands of Santorini have not been silenced completely. Nea Kameni remains a live volcanic site (it has been dormant since 1950, having erupted eight times in 1900 years) and these islands continue to be pushed slowly out of the sea by the volcanic pressure below.

A day on the water is a day where time pauses. There are no crowds here, ever, just the sizzle of fresh fish as sailor Petros barbeques on the catamaran’s aft.

If we were more time rich, we’d continue to Thirasia, so far east of the tourist track most don’t even know it exists. It’s also tempting to drop anchor in Santorini, permanently, but instead we heed Poseidon’s call and continue our sea odyssey to Milos. A two-hour sail west is Greece’s latest “it” island, a geological gem with supernatural rock forms and abandoned mines. This Cycladic island hasn’t hit the tourist heights of Santorini or Mykonis (yet), but was hurled into the publicity stratosphere when British Vogue started shooting here and Justin Bieber splashed down in 2021.

There is nowhere quite as exotic as Milos, with colours ranging from ochre and blazing white to emerald waters and magma sunsets. And it has what Santorini doesn’t, stunning beaches: including the eggshell-white moonscape of Sarakiniko (a mix of volcanic ash, sandstone and pumice) frozen into sea stacks, arches and caverns; Tsigrado beach (accessed by a rickety Flintstones-style ladder), and geothermal Paleochori where tavernas, like my favourite find Sirocco, offer stews cooked in clay pots buried in the sand overnight.

If there’s one experience to splurge on when you visit Santorini, it’s a private charter with Renieris Santorini Sailing Centre. My captain, Eleftherios, explains the history of the island as we pass Akrotiri Lighthouse, Red Beach and nose onto a private mooring at volcanic Nea Kameni island.

There are no shortages of places to discover. You can explore the quiet northern village of Pollonia, the bustling port of Adamas (don’t miss the world class Milos Mining Museum) and a cliff-perched Plaka (the old town), with its maze of tapering lanes and low-slung doorways, many decorated with bursts of floral colour.

The fishing villages of Mandrakia and Klima are a delight. Brightly painted traditional houses known as syrmatas line the ancient tiny ports. The different colours of the houses act as homing beacons to the returning fishermen. On a sun-soaked afternoon you might see local boys diving from the quay in Mandrakia into the Aegean Sea, right next door to the sole restaurant Medusa (one of the island’s best) that serves fish straight from the fishermen’s baskets.

We set sail again to south coast gems you can only access by boat. Every cove is more thrilling than the last, culminating in a minuscule cavern with white-sand bottom, black lava underwater walls and a turquoise that needs to be seen to be believed. This cove, one of my Greek Island highlights, has no name and can only be found by using a local skipper.

In contrast is Paliorema Sulfur Mine, an abandoned oceanside quarry complete with rusted, iron rail tracks, stone buildings and leftover mounds of sulfur. It’s eerie but a tangible reminder of Milos’ history. There’s one thing you won’t see in Milos, the marble Venus de Milo, now ensconced in the Louvre, that was found here in 1820. But who needs Venus when you have a volcanic wonderland?

OPPOSITE PAGE: Milos is the new “it” Greek island with less visitors but the same stunning scenery and maze-like old towns. ABOVE: The moonscapes of Sarakiniko have attracted celebrities like Justin Bieber and British Vogue photo shoots.

LUXURY ESCAPES TELEVISION SHOW

Luxury Escapes TV returns to Australian screens in August 2023. Season 6 will feature bucket-list destinations including Santorini, Tuscany and the Maldives.

The brand new season of Luxury Escapes premieres on Foxtel August 29, also streaming on BINGE with encore screening on Network Ten

The perfect day in Mykonos

If you are keen to turn up the glamour, head to Mykonos, whose stunning beaches, wild nightlife, minimalist architecture, cabana table service and hot pot of glitterati are the calling cards. Start at the super stylish new Myconian O hotel at Ornos Beach, where every space is an Instagram backdrop. Then, celebrate what Mykonos does best – beach clubs. Make a beeline for bohemian-chic Scorpios, the Kardashian favourite of Nammos or the eclectically cool Santanna.

With an area of only 85 square kilometres, the island is ripe for exploring by car, making it easier to find quieter patches of paradise. For lunch head to Kiki’s, a bare bones taverna that doesn’t take reservations

(and has now made it onto Gwyneth Paltrow’s infamous Goop website).

After a siesta, lose the late afternoon exploring the passageways of Mykonos Town, arguably one of the prettiest choras (old towns) in the Cyclades. Also stop in at the iconic Byzantine Panagia Paraportiani church, and the photogenic 15th century windmills overlooking the town.

The day ends with sunset drinks at nearby Korali bar, then it’s back to base for dinner at Myconian O (both part of the Myconian Collection). You can drift from your table to a cloud-like bed, ready for another day of decadence, Greek style.

Back on dry land

Santorini’s world-famous town of Oia, with its white-cubed houses cascading down smouldering grey cliffs is your Greek Island dream brought to life. The precarious placement of the buildings creates a sense of drama, as though at any moment the island may tear itself apart like the volcanic explosion that created it –a blast so powerful that Santorini ash has been found as far away as Canada.

In peak summer, Santorini becomes a seething mass of travellers that can be as daunting as the mythic Greek minotaur. But while the Aegean island seems to shine in the spotlight, there’s a softer side, far from the crowds that not many discover. As Lefteris (“call me Lefty”) of bespoke guiding company Blue Shades of Greece says, “Santorini holds so many surprises, the trick is to stay longer, dig deeper and get off the beaten track.” To truly love her, you need to know her.

To have an immersive Greek Island holiday, you need two things: to choose your base wisely and to have an insider like Lefty.

Poolside, at Nobu Hotel Santorini, I am enjoying lemon-drizzled octopus with a side dish of peace and privacy against this cinematic setting. It’s all about location. Situated on a clifftop in Imerovigli, just a 10-minute drive to Oia, Nobu Hotel sits on the Oia-Fira hiking trail where the caldera plummets theatrically into the enticing sea. “This is one of my favourite villages,” says Lefty but it’s not the favourite. That honour is reserved for Megalochori.

We are taking a day trip to Lefty’s top spot on Santorini, but first we are paying a visit to Pyrgos, a labyrinth of lanes built atop a mountain that is riddled with tunnels that were once used for escaping pesky pirates. As we visit an alcove, a musician plucks a Greek bouzouki, a cousin of the lute, his soft tune drifting towards snippets of daily life; drying washing, a yiayia drinking coffee on her doorstep, cats winding sinuously through lace curtains. This is a slow side of Santorini that many visitors miss.

When we arrive in Megalochori we discover that it is a throwback to Santorini’s simpler days, draped in a riot of apricot, cerise and oyster bougainvillea. “Especially during a busy year”, Lefty beams, “this is where I come to hear the birds sing.”

The town is also semi flat, an absolute rarity in Santorini, with gems like the recently opened wine bar/gallery/restaurant Alischani. Peruse art while sipping vin santo (holy wine) and enjoying a Greek pie stuffed with local greens or a signature parpadelle pasta.

Still hungry? Backtrack to Oia. Even if you are not staying at the Santo Pure Oia Suites & Villas – one of the most elegant and central stays on the island – you’ll want a table at the awardwinning Alios Ilios, Santo Pure’s restaurant. Dishes like trahanas, (a tiny, pebble-shaped grain that is considered one of the world’s oldest foods) paired with an assyrtiko wine are musthave experiences – evidence of winemaking has been found in the archaeological ruins of the 3600-year-old prehistoric city of Akrotiri nearby.

Summer on the Greek islands is a magic time, and it only takes a few tricks and hacks to make sure that this island paradise is not one that you have to share.

Ready to explore?

OPPOSITE: Mykonos is packed with beach-club glamour but you can still get away from the crowds in the old town. ABOVE: Poolside at Santo Pure, one of the most elegant stays on the island of Santorini.

Space station

On a Queensland adventure to a working cattle station, couple travel bloggers e Twosome Travellers (Alex and James Lock) discover the perfect sunrise and feel, at times, like they have this vast expanse of the outback all to themselves.

We are staying at Mt. Mulligan Lodge, a secluded outback getaway about 150 kilometres north-west of Cairns. The property is set on 69,000 acres and includes the old township, the cemetery and the original infrastructure from the Cobb & Co coach system, which helped service this region at the height of the gold, and later the coal, rush. The property is overlooked by Mount Mulligan itself, an imposing sandstone tabletop mountain that reflects the changing colour of the sky on its soaring 18-kilometre-high escarpment.

To experience the best of this outback sunrise, we have booked an ATV quad bike tour at the lodge that has us bounding out of bed at 5.45am sharp and hopping onto an ATV in semi-darkness while the stars still twinkle overhead. After 15 minutes on the ATV, we make it to the sweet spot with perfect views of Mount Mulligan and the eucalyptus woodlands that surround it. As the landscape turns golden, we watch in a hushed silence as a flock of red-tailed black cockatoos takes flight, silhouetted against a fiery sky.

Catching a sunrise in the outback primes us for a day of adventure in Queensland’s bushland. We stay at our sunrise vantage point for a while, soaking it in while sipping freshly brewed coffee and tucking into homemade pastries, all while our guide, Corey, gives us a history lesson on Mount Mulligan and the heritage property. Afterwards, we steer our ATVs back towards the lodge, ready to tuck into breakfast.

Mt. Mulligan Lodge’s restaurant features a seasonal menu that boasts the best local ingredients, organic vegetables, premium meats and fresh fruits. We are spoilt for choice for breakfast: there is everything from sourdough crumpets with bush honey to a smoked barramundi omelet with black garlic. You will also find great barista coffee on hand to fuel your days’ activities. And the beauty of an early start is that we finish breakfast by 8.30am and still have the entire day ahead of us.

The lodge Itself is a blend of outback chic and contemporary Australian design, with spacious guest rooms that boast panoramic views of the surrounding landscape and Mount Mulligan itself. With such a unique combination of luxury and adventure, this is the perfect destination for anyone seeking an unforgettable Australian experience. There are no more than 28 guests at any time, so at times it feels as if we have the place to ourselves.

Our residence, the Outback Room, is immaculate and personalised with a lovely welcome card, reusable water bottles and bespoke tote bags. The fully stocked fridge holds a variety of Australian wines and other drinks to enjoy. During our stay we discover that there is nothing better than pouring ourselves a glass of wine and heading outside onto the veranda, where a deep tin bathtub invites a long soak and views across the tranquil weir and the imposing Mount Mulligan rock face.

ere’s no better way to enjoy the outback beauty of Mount Mulligan than by watching the sky morph into a breathtaking palette of pinks and deep, burning oranges at sunrise.

TOP: Mount Mulligan, or Ngarrabullgan, is the towering sandstone table-top mountain that dominates the views from the luxurious Mt. Mulligan Lodge.

ABOVE LEFT: One of the joys of the stay is to grab a glass of wine and hit the tub on the veranda. ABOVE RIGHT: The exquisite food at the lodge.

Mt. Mulligan Lodge

Mt. Mulligan Lodge offers a secluded escape with all-inclusive luxury accommodation that caters to just 28 guests. You can explore the region with chef-prepared gourmet picnic hampers, hike the southern face of Mount Mulligan or go barramundi fishing in the weir.

Big day out

One of the most enjoyable activities at Mt. Mulligan Lodge is a guided ATV adventure, which combines heart-racing thrills with fascinating facts about the traditional landowners’ longstanding culture and relationship with the region.

This Queensland outback location is known to its original inhabitants as Ngarrabullgan. The area is layered with First Nations history dating back 37,000 years and its natural elements have been used by the traditional landowners for millennia as both nature’s pharmacy and supermarket. We even receive a bush lesson in how to increase our daily intake of vitamin C in the wild – by licking the backside of a green tree ant.

Whether you’re a seasoned ATV rider, or a beginner like us, the tour is suitable for all levels of experience, with expert guides leading the way. The sight of Queensland’s outback stretching before us as far as the eye can see, as we zip across the glorious landscape that shifts from rolling hills to lush rainforest and crystal-clear streams is something we will remember for a long time to come.

We spot lots of kangaroos on our drive and incredible birdlife such as soaring wedge-tailed eagles, rainbow lorikeets and kingfishers. Also, considering that you are staying on a 69,000-acre cattle station, you’re sure to meet more cattle than people during your time at Mt. Mulligan Lodge.

By early evening, after touring the property by ATV, we have built up quite an appetite. Despite being in the outback, the cuisine at Mt. Mulligan Lodge is one of the key attractions with a seasonal menu that highlights a range of locally sourced ingredients. Dine on the best the Atherton Tablelands has to offer with daily changing set menus like soft-shell crab and noodles, washed down with a glass of chilled wine, or a modern Australian menu with barramundi, dry-aged duck with bush tamarind and a selection of sorbets for dessert. You might find popcorn octopus with avocado and garden herbs or kangaroo with Davidson plum, red cabbage and hazelnut milk.

The all-inclusive bar means we want for nothing when it comes to drinks for the duration of our stay. Each room is appointed its own electric buggy, and we spend our evenings driving it to the Sunset Bar, where we watch the sky shift into dusk while sipping cocktails crafted with a Mt. Mulligan twist. On our final evening, we have the whole area to ourselves as we nurse our Mulligan Margaritas – aged tequila with Cointreau, lime, agave syrup and the addition of habanero syrup – the powerful stillness of the great outback landscape broken only by the occasional squawk of a visiting cockatoo.

Whether you’re raring for adventure, seeking solitude and relaxation, or determined to reconnect with nature, your traveller’s itch will be scratched at this outback retreat. With so many activities on offer, it caters for the adventure seekers – like us – who wish to get behind the wheel of an ATV or try their hand at paddle boarding on the weir. The combination of luxury accommodation, five-star facilities and worldclass dining welcomes those who simply wish to disconnect from the hustle and bustle of daily life and read a book, relax in the Infinity pool and sample the all-inclusive range of food and drink.

TOP: Mt. Mulligan Lodge has places for just 28 guests, so even back at the lodge by the pool it never feels crowded.

ABOVE RIGHT: The Twosome Travellers, Alex and James Lock, enjoying a moment together on their guided ATV tour of Mount Mulligan and surrounds.

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Acoustic guitar from Gruhn Guitars

Dan Sultan

“In 2013 I was making a record in Nashville Tennessee and towards the end of my time there I went into the world famous Gruhn Guitars. I was interested in an old Gibson hollow-body electric. I had a few really nice guitars lined up to try and just as I was heading to an isolated room to play them I noticed an acoustic with f-holes from the early 1950s out the corner of my eye. I grabbed it last minute to try along with the others.

“I played all of them and finally got to the acoustic that was really more of an afterthought. I wasn’t exactly sure what I was wanting to find that day but when I played that final guitar it was obvious that I’d found it. It was absolutely perfect. It was also a lot cheaper than the others, so it all worked out well. Nashville is such a great city of music and creativity and that old guitar was a perfect fit for the whole trip. It remains one of my favourite guitars and Nashville one of my favourite cities.”

Dan Sultan’s self-titled new album is out Friday August 18 on Liberation Records and Dan is touring nationally; dansultan.com

NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE

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