The World Awaits: travel tales to inspire your wanderlust

Would you let yourself be dropped on a remote island, for total solitude?  That's explorer and entrepreneur Alvaro Cerezo's job - he drops willing travellers on deserted islands in the most remote corners of the globe.

"We give fake names to protect our islands so they are secret to protect them from mass tourism.. [otherwise] we will destroy the feeling of isolation for the client… so that’s important to us to keep them secret,” he says. See 
www.docastaway.com

We also cover off the top new international airline routes from Australia, and we have some tips about how to best take care of yourself while you travel; from Andrea Powis of travellingdivas.com

And a few of our stories up this week:

Read Kirstie's story on Melita Koulmandas of Cambodian retreat Song Saa
Read Belle's story on the next big things in travel: architecture and design
Read Kirstie's story about the All Black running a Sunshine Coast wine bar
and Belle's story about a self-guided hike from Falls Creek to Hotham

And for some hotel inspo, visit mandarinoriental.com

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Done Saigon and Hanoi, ready to explore more of Vietnam? Co-host Belle Jackson talks about why you should have the water cities of Hue (on the Perfume River), Kê Gà (on Kê Gà Bay) and Can Tho (on the Mekong Delta), on your must-visit list. She also shares the cultural tourism of the Azerai hotel group, and new flights from Melbourne into Hanoi with Vietnamese low-cost carrier VietJet, azerai.com, vietjetair.com

To celebrate, Lonely Planet is giving away two copies of its Vietnam guidebook, worth $29. Just drop us a line at [email protected] and tell us why you'd like to win!

And if you have your own visa dramas with Vietnam's online government visa applications and need a tourism visa pronto, we suggest Canberra-based visa agency https://hnncorp.com.au/ who Belle found to be fast, efficient and totally trustworthy.

Also, we talk about tourist taxes in New Zealand, Bali and Venice and whether they’ve deterred tourists visiting Europe – the visitation numbers say “Hmmm, not so much.” And our tips this week are from Smartraveller, who suggests you read the fine print on adventure sports, carry an emergency beacon if doing mountain sports, ask for that safety equipment and ensure you’re insured, https://www.smartraveller.gov.au/

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Want to get the best airfare to Europe or the US? We're going full #avgeek as flight booking expert Mark Trim shares insider secrets on airlines to watch, alternative routes and the best time to buy. He also shares tips on booking in shoulder seasons and the Asian gateways offering great lie-flat deals.

The co-founder of the Complex Travel Group, which specialises in round-the-world fares, adds that the 'best' airfare may be the most wallet-friendly, or it could also be the one stuffed with fabulous destinations for a memorable adventure, see https://complextravel.com.au 

Also, Airbnb releases its list of the best tiny towns to visit in Australia, and there are some crackers in there! And finally, tick off your essential pre-travel checklist with smartraveller.gov.au, from vaccinations to passport checks.

See https://news.airbnb.com/en-au/tiny-towns-big-adventures-airbnbs-tiny-town-guide/  

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This week we reveal the secrets of the Blue Zones – where people live the longest and healthiest lives. Blue Zone Vice President Nick Buettner explains how they discovered Blue Zones, the habits of those living there, and lessons you can learn from visiting these regions. And the Netflix show Nick mentions is Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones see netflix.com/title/81214929 

We also reveal new research from Emirates that shows where Aussies are travelling, and share some quirky hotels for an unforgettable honeymoon, with luxury hotel travel booker Mr & Mrs Smith.

Follow Kirstie Bedford here
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Audio production by Alaisdair Leith

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Rajasthan is the India of the imagination – fortresses and palaces, the grand desert, bustling bazaars and incredible colour... men in fabulous turbans and elephants and camels everywhere. But there are so many places to love in India, says Fiona Caulfield.

Fiona swapped a high-profile career as a futurist and branding consultant in New York for Bangalore in southern India, where she created the Love Travel brand. She now creates bespoke itineraries through India, as well as neighbouring Bhutan and Sri Lanka, and shares the key to exploring (and loving) India, lovetravelguides.com

Also, we announce the winner of our giveaway, the Gypsea Loop Hair Tie Bangle, designed by Tracy Morris of The Blonde Nomads travel site, see gypsealoop.com and staying on the jewellery theme, we ask – do you travel with faux jewellery? Blake Asaad, founder of GOODSTONE, says you should duplicate your rings so you don’t lose them. And we share some tips on getting the best out of your ski holiday, with nib Travel.

Belle’s Victorian High Country wellness weekend was at The Barn at Freeburg and Haut Hutt sauna on the Ovens River, morning vinyasa yoga, and a facial and massage at Botanic Alps, lunch at veg/vegan cafe Wild Thyme and dinners at Reed & Co distillery and Tomahawks – phew! 

victoriashighcountry.com.au
goodstoneinc.com
nibtravelinsurance.com.au

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Dramatic fjords, snowy mountains, midnight sun… Norway’s natural beauty is legendary. But wait, there’s more! Torunn Tronsvang is the founder of UpNorway and says there’s so much more to Norway than the stunning scenery. 

She leads you through Norway’s world-leading food and wine scene, shares cultural experiences with the Indigenous people, as well as its impressive architecture, including its public toilets (they really are that good), upnorway.com

Also this episode, we’re talking the most liveable cities in 2024 – and a repeat offender comes in top spot, once again. Even if you can’t live there, clearly these are great places you want to visit. And our tip this week is all about language apps. economistgroup.com

And Cunard’s Great Australian Culinary Voyage in February 2025 on the Queen Elizabeth will feature Big Esso chef Nornie Bero, from the Torres Strait Islands, as well as dessert king Darren Purchese, Matt Moran and others

cunard.com

mabumabu.com.au

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One in five Australians lives with a disability, and yet on hotel websites, the facilities listed to cater for these travellers are often as far down the list with the dog's water bowl.

Julie Jones, creator of Have Wheelchair Will Travel and co-founder of Travel Without Limits, talks about what we can all do to make travel more inclusive for those with a disability, travelwithoutlimits.com.au

As Julie says, “People assume that it’s a small percentage of the market and therefore it’s too much effort and there’s a fear of how we are going to do it...  one of the sayings that came out of a conference on accessible tourism last year was 'progress over perfection', and I talk to destinations about just starting somewhere.”

Also, the latest places added to the UNESCO World Heritage list (surprisingly 30 new sites are added each year), and our tip this week is how you can track your loved ones when they’re flying,

tahititourisme.au/islands/marquesas-islands/
whc.unesco.org/en/list/
flightradar24.com 

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Spot the Big Five on a South African safari…and then really start seeing what the Greater Kruger National Park has to offer. Jacques Smit takes us on a tour of Sabi Sabi, a private, fence-free reserve within the Greater Kruger area. Take a birding tour, a walking safari, visit local communities; then soak up the luxury trimmings - think spa, sundowners and stylish villas, with tips on the best time to go and what to pack  (bonus; a few fashion tips as well, for a stylish safari!) 

Also, the countries that give the best bang for your buck, according to new research from travel giant Expedia. And health v travel - which would you spend to spend your retirement funds on?

See sabisabi.com
See expedia.com  

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Would you cycle for more than 210 kilometres in 30+ degree heat around southern Sardinia? For host Kirstie Bedford it was a dream come true.

Kirstie just spent a week biking the hills of the Italian island, all in the name of fun.
She rode through an abandoned medieval village, biked through a Blue Zone, climbed hills to scour some of the Mediterranean's most beautiful beaches, and drank wine with locals to celebrate what Italians do best – live life to the fullest.
Take a listen to learn some surprising facts about Sardinia, her vote for the prettiest Italian town, and how you can follow in her bike tracks, utracks.com

We also reveal the best destinations for solo travellers, and our tip this week is how you can avoid your phone getting stolen while you're overseas.

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This week, we go to the high mountains and quiet forests with two mindful hikers, in Nepal and New Zealand.

Ever think about quitting your corporate job and following a life-long dream? Laura Waters did, and she’s now an award-winning author, travel writer and speaker. Laura talks to Kirstie about hiking the length of New Zealand in a life-changing experience that led to her to write her travel memoir, Bewildered, soultrekkers.com.au 

Walking slowly in silence in the Nepalese Himalayas is just one of the ways travel writer Nina Karnikowski says we can embrace mindful travel. Belle talks to Nina about taking the time to travel, and taking in the world around us on a more acute level. “We can travel at a pace so fast, we actually miss all the wonder around us as we tick our boxes and return home exhausted," she says. 

See more about Nina’s work, including her latest book, The Mindful Traveller, at ⁠ninakarnikowski.com, and for more about her upcoming tour to the Nepalese Himalayas, visit worldexpeditions.com 

We also have a gorgeous giveaway from Gypsea Loop, a gold or silver hair tie bangle. To win, email us at [email protected] and tell us where you’d like to wear the bangle. Bonus entries if you like and follow on instagram at @theworldawaitspodcast and tag a friend!  

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