By John Rozentals.
Char: an indulgent dining experience.
New experiences have been developed in the Northern Territory’s Top End to complement the Bruce Munro: Tropical Light which will run in Darwin from November 1 until April 30 on 1 November as a free-to-the-public outdoor art exhibition.
The products range from five-star dining at Char to Tropical Nights at Crocosaurus Cove.
Char, for instance, has created an indulgent dining experience which involves being collected in a limousine and escorted to East Point Reserve, where guests will be treated to champagne and canapes as the sun sets over the Arafura Sea.
Guests will return to Char for a two-course dinner with matched wines, before an exclusive tour of the exhibition between main course and dessert.
Cost is $495 per head.
Visit www.northernterritory.com.
A taste of lamb: part of the food-and-wine experience on Flinders Ranges Odysseys’ three-day tour.
Flinders Ranges Odysseys has a new three-day tour ex-Adelaide offering classy accommodation, food and wine while discovering the spectacular and rugged scenery of Wilpena Pound and the magnificent ranges.
Guests will explore the 540 million-year-old Flinders Ranges in luxury air-conditioned Mercedes Benz vehicles, in small, intimate groups of up to eight people, accompanied by a personal local tour guide.
Accommodation is at Rawnsley Park Station overlooking the southern side of Wilpena Pound and surrounded by seclusion and breathtaking views.
Highlights include a three-course lamb-tasting experience, served with matching Clare Valley wines, and finished with South Australian ports and local cheeses.
Prices are from $2242 per person twin-share, including all meals, pick-up and set-down at selected Adelaide CBD hotels, personalised touring, expert commentary from a local driver/guide, all entrance fees, special permits and all activities.
Phone 08 8553 0386 or visit www.kangarooislandodysseys.com.au.
Grafton in spring: a blaze of purple.
Spring blooms are at their finest in Grafton on the NSW North Coast at the annual jacaranda festival from October 25 to November 2.
The striking purple blossoms have been celebrated since 1935 with a variety of events including street parades, markets, cultural and handicraft displays and the crowning of the Jacaranda Queen.
Recent festival additions include a riverside feast of the best food, wine, craft beer and local artistic talent from the Clarence Valley region.
Visit www.jacarandafestival.com. Image: Destination NSW.
Melt!: Your one and only goal is to avoid becoming the next victim.
Warning! Madame Tussauds Sydney is hosting Melt!, a series of immersive horror tours, this Halloween between October 31 and November 2 at 6pm and 10.30pm nightly, and the show is not for the faint-hearted.
Are you brave enough to join the Melt! tours? Your one and only goal is to avoid becoming the next victim. Get caught and you’ll join the others as you haunt the shadows of Madame Tussauds as the killer’s half-melted trophy.
The artist needs a muse, someone to inspire their next trophy and no visitor wants to be next.
Work together to learn the identity of the Tussaud’s killer and survive to tell the tale.
Admission is $50 (18-plus only).
Visit www.madametussauds.com.au.
Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo: the largest ever will be staged in Sydney.
Get ready to witness the largest Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo ever staged when it marches exclusively into Sydney’s ANZ Stadium from October 17-19.
Featuring over 1500 of the world’s finest pipers, drummers, dancers, military musicians and performers, this renowned Scottish spectacular will be brought to life set against the backdrop of a full-size replica of Edinburgh Castle.
Visit www.edinburghtattoosydney.com.au.
The Hideaway: a warm and hip village vibe.
The Tweed’s Hideaway is a resort built amongst natural bush surrounds with ocean breezes and views out to Wollumbin Mount Warning.
Edging on to the natural corridor of Cudgen Nature Reserve, a green pathway to the surf waves of Cabarita Beach, The Hideaway has a warm and hip village vibe and caters for families, romantic escapes, wellness retreats and team-building getaways.
In true village style, the experience is communal, with chic en-suites and a communal kitchen hosted in reworked shipping containers, along with bean-bag chill zones and fire-pit circles perfect for quiet story-telling under the stars.
The Hideaway offers three styles of bell tents, all with comfy Koala beds, lighting, floor rugs, tripod fans, soft furnishings and plush bath towels.
Visit www.hideawaycabaritabeach.com.au.
‘Icons of Africa’: wildlife aplenty.
The icons of southern Africa — wild animals, safari camps, tribal villages, Victoria Falls and spectacular Cape Town — will all be showcased as part of a Cruise Express land-and-cruise tour next year.
The ‘Icons of Africa’ package includes two private tours from Cape Town and a sunset cruise on the Zambezi River.
The 18-night tour begins with a flight from Australia to South Africa and a three-night stay at Kirkman’s Kamp in the Sabi Sand Private Game Reserve near Kruger National Park.
The stay includes meals, select beverages and daily game drives in search of giraffes, zebras, impalas, kudus, elephants, rhinos, lions and leopards.
A two-night stay at the Victoria Falls Safari Club in Zimbabwe follows adjacent to the world’s largest waterfall.
The itinerary then moves south to Cape Town for a night’s stay before guests board the boutique ship, Azamara Journey, for a 10-night, round-trip cruise exploring the South African coast.
Including return flights from Australia, flights within Africa and transfers, the holiday is available from $13,490 per person twin-share.
Phone 1300 766 537 or visit www.cruiseexpress.com.au.
Floating luxury: Seven Seas Voyager.
Commencing on December 18, the ‘Singapore Slings and Komodo Dragons’ itinerary from Ecruising offers an opportunity to experience Singapore, Indonesia and Australia’s Coral Coast, on board Seven Seas Voyager, as well as free one-way economy flights from Australia to Singapore and a free two-night stay at the iconic Raffles Hotel Singapore.
After saying farewell to Raffles Hotel, embark Seven Seas Voyager for an 18-night cruise through the waters of the Java and Timor, and the Arafura and Coral Seas.
The ship features just 700 spacious staterooms and suites, each beautifully fitted out with chic, contemporary furnishings, carpets, wall coverings and lighting.
Enjoy fine dining, premium beverages, wifi access and unlimited shore excursions all completely free.
Highlights include: the Indonesian capital of Jakarta, on the north-west coast of Java and home to the Istiqlal Mosque, Southeast Asia’s largest; the Javanese port of Semarang, gateway to the world-famous Temples of Borobudur; and a visit to Indonesia’s Komodo Island where guests see the prehistoric-looking monitor lizards also known as ‘Komodo Dragons’.
Prices are from $10,949 per person twin-share ex Australia.
Phone 1300 369 848 or visit www.ecruising.travel.
Prosecco: a place where vineyards cling to the sides of endless rolling hills.
Prosecco may be one of the world’s most famous and appreciated wine styles, but as a place, where vineyards cling to the sides of endless rolling hills and quaint medieval villages, it remains one of Italy’s best-kept secrets.
Exodus Travels’ ‘Prosecco Hills Long Weekend’, a four-day walking and cultural experience, has been designed for those looking for a short, guided experience through the beautiful wine-making region while already exploring Italy.
The tour includes the Prosecco Hills loop and the Villa-Barbaro-to-Asolo walk, and combines hiking, sightseeing, beautiful local wineries, plenty of prosecco tasting and an abundance of local cuisine.
Prices are from $1449, though those booking by October 18 can save 10 per cent on trips before December 31 next year.
Visit www.exodustravels.com.
From Lonely Planet’s The Universe: a telescope on Hawaii’s Mauna Kea.
Lonely Planet has journeyed further than it ever has before, with what is thought to be the world’s first and only travel guide to the Universe, a book created in collaboration with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab.
The new book touches down on the planets of our solar system, before continuing to the edge of the known Universe via exoplanets, newborn stars, supernova remnants, galaxy superclusters and more, as it discovers space’s most astonishing sights.
Featuring 608 pages, 553 photos, and 124 planets, The Universe follows in the successful tradition of Lonely Planet’s 2014 best-selling guide to The World, which is also still available.
The hardcover book is priced at $39.99.
Visit www.lonelyplanet.com.
