Holiday & Travel

Sydney and NSW will turn a delightful shade of blue in late-October and November with the start of the 2016 jacaranda season, signalling one of the most beautiful times of year and a great time to visit. The city's Eastern suburbs, North Shore and CBD will be awash with blooms as will the historic town of Grafton on the NSW North Coast. Grafton is often referred to as the jacaranda capital of Australia, it hosts the annual Grafton Jacaranda Festival, and is home to Australia's largest jacaranda tree, measuring 30 metres high with a six metre circumference and crown of around 36 metres.

TV celebrity chef Rustie Lee will be cooking up a recipe for laughter when she sails on Saga Pearl II’s all-inclusive Grand Caribbean Adventure cruise this November. Rustie, who has also a cabaret background, will be singing and baking her way through lively cookery demonstrations aboard the 449-passenger ship. Master baker Rustie says there will be ‘fun, fun, fun’ all way.

From Crowded House, the ARIA Awards, MTV Beats & Eats, to the Electronic Music Conference, and Angus and Julia Stone headlining Vanfest in Forbes, November is set to hit a high note in the NSW events calendar. Destination NSW CEO Sandra Chipchase said: “NSW has something for music fans of all ages and genres and I encourage travellers to start planning their trip so they can be part of this jam-packed month of entertainment.”

As the early strings of tinsel start appearing in shopping centres, and the final school term for the year kicks off, Aussies looking for a great beach holiday this summer need to look no further than Fraser Island. According to research released by Roy Morgan, World Heritage-listed Fraser Island is the most affordable beach destination in Australia. With more than 100 freshwater lakes, pristine sub-tropical rainforests, an historic shipwreck to explore, and a world-famous beach highway, Fraser Island has a well-earned reputation as a 'must-visit' destination with plenty of natural attractions to discover.

The Ramblers Holidays Group, the original specialists in small group, expertly led walking holidays, have launched two exciting new holiday programmes – Chapters Experience Holidays and Ramblers Walking Holidays. Commenting, Kathy Cook, Joint Managing Director says “We are delighted to be introducing these two new programmes – with the entirely new range of Chapters Experience Holidays, alongside a new look Ramblers Walking Holidays." 

The 50+ solo female adventure traveller is on the rise according to travel company, Wendy Wu Tours. The Asia holiday specialist has seen a 13% increase in the 50+ solo female traveller in the last three years, compared to a 8% increase amongst males of the same age.  Booking trends also reveal that this demographic is increasingly opting for longer and more adventurous tours when compared to their male counterpart.

Christmas in Iceland has always been an important occasion, bringing everyone together with food, drink and lots of celebrations. The festivities begin on the first day of advent and continue to Epiphany on 6th January. As Christmas coincides with the darkest months of the year, Icelanders put extra emphasis on bringing light to the streets by elaborately decorating their houses and traditional Christmas trees.

One of the world's great cities, Mumbai, has grown from a small group of islands to India's economic powerhouse and gateway to the world. Still growing fast – Mumbai's population now tops 20 million – it the hypnotic combination of old and new, the chaotic and the peaceful, which draws visitors back time again to this vibrant, bustling and most human of cities.

The brand new 16-day Signature Peru, Bolivia, Chile: Explorations and adventures trip is a highlights holiday with a difference: the emphasis is on unique explorations and adventures which take you deep into the varied landscapes and cultures of the Andes. The recently opened explora hotel in the Sacred Valley offers understated first class accommodation and makes for a perfect base from which to venture out and discover the region.

Dolphin Bay Resort & Spa, one of California's finest resorts, is celebrating its 10th Anniversary in 2016. Built by visionary developers Richard Loughead and Spalding Wathen, Jr. on a 40-foot-high bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, Dolphin Bay Resort & Spa opened in 2006 as Pismo Beach's only luxury resort. The Dolphin Bay experience comprises the luxury hotel, its signature restaurant, Lido, and the newly remodelled Spa at Dolphin Bay, surrounded by expansive lawns and the breath-taking beauty of California's Central Coast.

Those in search of a unique way to experience the beauty of autumn in the UK have inspiration at hand thanks to tailor-made walking break specialists Celtic Trails Walks are self-guided, with overnight accommodation stops expertly planned and pre-booked, plus luggage seamlessly transferred between stops- avoiding the hassle of carrying heavy packs en route.

Sheltered in the depths of Uganda's Impenetrable forest, Bwindi Lodge's newly refurbished Bandas are Uganda's hippest hidden hideaways. Offering visitors breath taking views of the remote Buhoma landscape and unrivalled access to some of the world's rarest primates, Bwindi's re-imagined bandas also offer another level of comfort and style for discerning adventurers.

Although winter has just begun, it’s the best time to start making travel plans for this year’s winter season. Most travel-enthusiasts enjoy vacationing during the spring and summer seasons, but a trip during the winter season can be one of the best experiences. Whether you’re planning for a family or a couple there are lots of information on the best places to visit during the winter.

Iceland has the best seasons but winter is special with Northern Lights, fewer tourists, lower rates and more cultural life and arctic chill. Since September – through to mid-April - you may experience the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) along with the twilight. Many cultural and culinary festivals are hosted in autumn, winter and spring and it becomes the perfect opporunity to meet locals.

Coming off a record-setting winter travel season, Colorado, home of America's Best Skiing, promises to once again offer visitors to the state with an unmatched winter vacation. Both on- and off-the-slopes at Colorado's 25 ski areas ad resorts, and in destinations across the state, travelers can expect new and unique experiences including the chance to ski with professional athlete Chris Davenport at The Little Nell in Aspen, seeing the spectacular costumes from the Star Wars movies at the Denver Art Museum and creating custom skis with the legendary Pete Wagner in Telluride.