The World Awaits: travel tales to inspire your wanderlust

If you love a tropical, private island escape and want to do right by the environment, this is the episode for you.

Co-host Kirstie Bedford takes us to the stunning island resort of Song Saa in Cambodia’s Koh Rong archipelago. 

Bought by Australian Melita Koulmandas for US$15k, it has been transformed from knee-deep in rubbish to a luxury retreat with Cambodia’s first protected marine park. 

Hear from the island’s marine biologist, Anna Sabrina Petry about how it not only supports the ongoing conservation efforts but continues to enrich the area. 

We also talk about the new 'Swedish Prescription', where you can get a doctor to prescribe a visit to the European nation (yes, please!), and would you pay to recline your seat on a plane? We chat about the airline that's expecting you to.

Read Kirstie’s Karryon story about Song Saa: https://karryon.com.au/luxury/song-saa-cambodia-championing-conservation/

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Wellness, walking, and why we lie about the cost of our holidays are all the hot topics this week.

Kicking things off is co-host Kirstie Bedford talking about her recent trip to Tahiti, where she attended Tahiti's first annual yoga festival – a chance to find her Zen and connect with culture in this tropical paradise. 

Listen to festival founder Rani Chaves talk about what makes Tahiti such a unique destination for a yoga festival, and how yoga can be so healing, and you'll hear from leading international yoga teacher and instructor Elka Haeckel about how what you do on the mat can transform your entire mindset.

Kirstie also gives us a rundown of the not-to-be-missed experiences when you're staying in this French Polynesian isle.

We chat about Money.com.au's new research, which reveals who among us is telling fibs about the cost of our holidays, and why we're doing it.

And love the Camino, but can't commit to the full walk? UTracks has a top tip of some shorter walks you can do that will still give you a good dose of local culture.

The link to Kirstie's Air Tahiti Nui review is here: https://karryon.com.au/luxury/air-tahiti-nuis-new-manava-premium-class/ 

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Four kilometres from Australia, Papua New Guinea is our closest, and also our least explored neighbour. As PNG celebrates the 50th anniversary of independence from Australia, Australian musician and composer David Bridie talks about his connection with PNG, which spans four decades. 

A founding member of Not Drowning, Waving, David first visited PNG in 1986; he is now an initiated Tolai man, returning more than 40 times, for work and to visit friends who've become family in Rabaul, Bougainville and Manus Island, as documented in the film Abebe; see davidbridie.com 

Come for the fishing, diving and birdwatching, stay for the incredible, varied cultures, some only first touched by contact with the outside world in our lifetimes. 

Also, the places you need to be going in 2026, thanks to trendsetters Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel in 2026 and for our tip this week,  how to stop  hackers targeting you on holiday, thanks to Saily SIM cards. See lonelyplanet.com/best-in-travel and saily.com 

Finally, Kirstie checks into the Hotel Indigo Melbourne Little Collins, and we're both hoovering up Hong Kong classics at Atlas Dining in South Yarra. See https://ihg.com/hotelindigo/hotels/ and atlasdining.com.au

David's recommendations include:
Baia Sportfishing baiafishingpng.com
Walindi dive resort, Kimba walindiresort.com
Kumal Lodge (birdwatching) facebook.com/kumullodge989/ 

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As Australia celebrates the 40th anniversary of the Uluru Handback, host Belle Jackson shares how you can take a bite of the red dust on a drive holiday around the Red Centre Way. 

From Alice Springs/Alice Springs to Watarrka/Kings Canyon and Uluru, here's your list of where to stay, what to eat and some of the best things to do on a roadtrip in the Northern Territory.

Also, the world's best hotels are recognised in the new Michelin Key hotels guide; Australia's Lizard Island is the only  the three-key hotel, with Longtitude 131 near Uluru, Southern Ocean Lodge on Kangaroo Island and Drift House in Port Fairy, Victoria. For the full list

And dogs on planes - are you on board? Virgin Australia has launched its new trial, as well as more generous carry-on limits. 

Belle's recommendations on the Red Centre Way: 

Ooraminna Station, 40 mins from Alice Springs, https://www.ooraminna.com.au/
Ormiston Gorge, West Macdonnell Ranges https://nt.gov.au/parks/find-a-park/tjoritja-west-macdonnell-national-park/ormiston-gorge
Kings Creek Station https://kingscreekstation.com.au/
Ayres Rock Resort, https://www.ayersrockresort.com.au/
Standley Chasm, West Macdonnell Ranges, https://standleychasm.com.au/
Northern Territory Tourism https://northernterritory.com/

Other places mentioned:
Melbourne Winery https://www.melbournewinery.com.au/
Virgin Australia https://www.virginaustralia.com/au/en/ 

#northernterritory

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Bursting with culture, balmy nights, bustling streets and flavoursome food make Siem Reap a must-do for any family holiday, especially when it could be the last trip you do with your teens.

This week, host Kirstie Bedford explains why Siem Reap is the ultimate last hurrah when it comes to family holidays.

Finder details how you can get the most out of your frequent flyer points – and the best credit cards to maximise them.

And we give you the lowdown on the new Kyoto tourism tax, which comes into play next year. 

Read Responsible Travel's detailed report about tourism taxes at https://www.responsibletravel.com/copy/tourist-taxes

Kirstie's cover story in the Sunday Star Times is at https://www.thepost.co.nz/travel/360838639/last-hurrah-why-siem-reap-should-be-last-family-holiday-you-do-teens-go and her hotel review for Karryon is here https://karryon.com.au/luxury/fcc-angkor-by-avani-cultural-heart-cambodia/.

And you can find out more about FCC Angkor by Avani, where Kirstie stayed at https://www.avanihotels.com/.

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Ivona Siniarska has been to Africa 40 times and the founder and managing director of travel booker Take Off Go says it's more than a destination, "it's a deep-seated emotion".

From Kenya to South Africa, Ivona talks to us about the best places to go, where to start for first-timers, and how to ensure you're travelling in a way that's right by the wildlife, and ensures you are able to make the most of the experience, https://www.takeoffgo.com/

Also, loud talkers, crowding the luggage carousel and throwing your plane seat back… these are just some of the things that give us the ick when we travel, according to Vodafone.

And the Great Aussie Pie Competition results are in - listen in for where to get the best pie in Australia. Road trips just got a whole lot more delicious, https://greataussiepiecomp.com.au/

Read Kirstie's shortlisted adventure story for the Australian Society of Travel Writers' Excellence Awards about Sardinia and Belle's shortlisted culinary story about eating in Oman.

Belle has also been shortlisted for the 2025 Travel Writer of the Year award; her stories include AlUla in Saudi Arabia and Moor, Please! A fabulous self-guided journey on Spain's public trains from Seville to Jerez and Cadiz, with Inntravel.

And if you'd like to hear Belle chatting with 2GB about her cover story about travelling through Tunisia with Intrepid Travel, and the goat that tried to derail it all, listen here, https://omny.fm/shows/2gb-afternoons/travel-tunisia 

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“Opera and classical music shouldn’t be just for the elite,” says Australian-born soprano Breana Stillman. The opera singer leads a double life; based in Rome and singing throughout Europe, she’s also on a mission to bring classical music and opera to disadvantaged youth in central Africa, using art as a therapy. 

Breana spends several months a year in Kenya with the charity she founded, OperAffinity, working and performing with impoverished children to develop their artistic abilities, and to create cultural connection through music. 

Follow Breana's journey and for more on OperAffinity and its festival in Todi, Italy, https://www.breanasoprano.com/, https://www.operaffinity.com/ 

Also, while Americans are travelling to Australian in record numbers, Aussies are choosing Asia over the US for their international holidays, according to the latest Travel Trends Report from the  Australian Travel Industry Association, https://atia.travel/ 

And finally, Southern Cross Travel Insurance makes the case for taking out travel insurance for domestic travel, https://www.scti.com.au/ 

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Melissa Hoyer is one of Australia’s most respected lifestyle commentators, journalists and editors, who has worked in the travel and lifestyle sector of the media industry for more than three decades, and has interviewed the likes of Drew Barrymore, Lady Gaga, Cate Blanchett and JK Rowling.

This week, we take a look at what life's like for a leading commentator travelling on the celeb circuit, and find out where the A-listers like to go.

Also, Intrepid's "Not Hot List" is out! This annual report highlights the lesser-known destinations and regions for those who care about treading lightly when they travel.

And our tip this week is from eSIM provider Saily about how to get the most out of your data when you travel. 

Visit us at https://theworldawaits.au or on Instagram here.

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There's great nightlife, it's summer all year round, and really, really hospitable people. Add to that fabulous architecture and a blossoming food scene, and what's not to love about Malta? 

In Australia, he's Mr Malta - Maltese-Australian chef, restaurateur and TV presenter Shane Delia has been returning to the Mediterranean island nation since he was 13, so he knows a thing or two about exploring Malta's food, beaches and lifestyle. 

Talking to the podcast just ahead of Maltese Independence Day, Shane, whose restaurants include Maha in Melbourne, Layla in Brisbane and the Biggie Smalls kebab chain, appears on Channel 9's Postcards every week, says Malta is blossomed with high-end restaurants. "But while it’s well documented where we’ve been, young Maltese chefs are asking, 'Where can we be, who can we be?'" he says.  His hot tips include Marsaskala Bay for swimming and Sphinx Malta for delicious pastizzi. Follow Shane at @shanedelia 

Also, be compensated for late or cancelled flights here in Australia: you can have your say on the proposed Aviation Consumer Protection Scheme, see http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/infrastructure-transport-vehicles/aviation/aviation-consumer-protections

And finally, car rental group VroomVroomVroom says that Australian airports are the most common place for bingles in your hire car. 

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For many, Noosa on Queensland's Sunshine Coast is all about the surf, sun and stunning boutiques, but on this week’s episode we take you on a deeper dive into this pretty coastal region.

Co-host Kirstie Bedford loves nothing more than an active getaway, and so a chance to hike, bike and kayak in this UNESCO Biosphere Reserve was her idea of a dream weekend – throw in whale watching, and it was a match made in heaven.

Take a listen to her recommendations of how to explore a different side of Noosa, with top tips about where to stay, play and eat. Go to https://www.visitnoosa.com.au/ for more and see footage from her recent trip at: @kirstiewrites.

 Also, Skyscanner reveals how Gen Z is travelling today. This teen to 28-year-old age group is a big decision maker when it comes to family travel, and you might just be surprised at what their top priorities are when it comes to a getaway.

And for those who love a bit of stargazing, insuremytrip.com takes us to the best places in the world for astrotourism. The full research is here: https://www.insuremytrip.com/travel-advice/travel-inspiration/best-destinations-for-stargazing/

The places Kirstie mentioned:

https://whalesongsnoosa.com.au/

https://byearthandocean.com.au/noosa-ebike-tours/ and https://byearthandocean.com.au/stingrays-and-everglades-kayak-tour/

Lanai https://lanainoosa.com.au/

Light Years: https://www.lightyearsasiandiner.com.au/

Noosa Surf Club: https://www.noosasurfclub.com.au/

https://www.therisenoosa.com.au/

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