Oceania Archives - Page 2 of 3

Hidden Gems: Places In Australia Most People Never Visit

Thousands of people choose to take their summer vacations on the Australian continent every single year. Most of those travellers visit places like Sydney Harbour. Some of them might even opt to go snorkelling near the Great Barrier Reef. Everyone who takes a trip into the Outback will see Ayers Rock too. However, there are lots of hidden gems in Australia that visitors often overlook. Today, I’m going to highlight some of the places you might like to add to your list this summer. Of course, you don’t have to see any of the areas mentioned in this post. I just want to make sure you have the best experience possible.

The Yarra Valley

Many people choose to visit the district of Victoria during their Australian adventures. However, most of them tend to overlook the Yarra Valley. It’s home to some of the best scenery in the entire country, and there’s a world-famous river in the area. Just make sure you perform some research online before you plan to fly. There are lots of exciting sightseeing tours available in the area, but you might have to book in advance during the summertime. Due to the lack of tourists, there aren’t many places.

Norfolk Island

Two hours flight from Sydney, you will find the beautiful and tranquil Norfolk Island. It’s on the same latitude as Byron Bay, and it’s a place all nature lovers have to visit. The island is surrounded by stunning coastlines, and there are many cliffs perfect for rock climbing. If you want the best scuba diving experience possible in Australia, you have to go to Norfolk. Visitors will encounter dolphins and lots of other marine life in the area. There are also some fabulous hotels and restaurants on the island. So, you should arrange to stay there for a couple of nights to ensure you get to see everything.

Photo credit

The Eyre Peninsula

The Outback drops into the clear blue waters at the Eyre Peninsula. It’s a place most people don’t visit because it’s a little out of the way. Still, if you enjoy seclusion and hate crowds, it’s an essential stop on your trip. Many travel experts claim it’s the country’s best kept secret. So, try not to tell everyone you know about the location. There are lots of walking trails and activities in the area to keep you entertained. Some companies even run sessions where you’re allowed to drive a four-wheel vehicle on the beach. That shows how quiet the area can become.

Make sure you research each of those locations before planning your itinerary this summer. Australia is one of the most exciting and vibrant countries on the planet. It’s just that some people never venture off the beaten track. If you don’t go out into the countryside and steer clear of the crowds, you’re never going to have the best experience. One last thing. Whenever you decide to visit, make sure you take your camera!

6 July 2017

Top 4 Destinations In Australia For Nature Lovers

Australia, Oceania, Travel

Australia is one of the best travel destinations in the world for nature lovers. The relatively young country is still full of potential for adventures in its untamed, natural beauty, not to mention encounters with some unique and fascinating wildlife. Whether you’re going for arid deserts, snow-capped mountains, or beautiful coral reefs, there’s something for every kind of nature lover in Australia. Here are four of the best stops for your adventure down under.

Great Ocean Road

great ocean road Around three hours outside of Melbourne, this road stretches 150 miles along the beautiful southern coast of the country. It was intended as a memorial in honour of all the Australian soldiers that died in World War I, and is home to one of the nation’s most iconic landmarks: 12 Apostles. This is a chain of massive limestone columns that jut out from the sea, created over millions of years through erosion from the tide and the wind. There are a number of other amazing stops along the way, making this a perfect route for an off road caravan road trip to be taken in small stretches. This includes a number of whale-watching points, wildlife reserves, and walking trails that are bursting with incredible photo opportunities.

Kakadu National Park

kakadu-national-park Located near Darwin, this is the perfect destination for any travellers who are interested in the flora and fauna of the countries they visit. This huge national park has a wide range of plants native to the country, interspersed by unique Aboriginal art. The park is owned by a number of clans of the indigenous people, many of whom have family trees that have lived in the area for centuries. You’ll have no problem finding a local aboriginal person who will be happy to give you an insight into their folk stories, spiritual beliefs, and history.

Kangaroo Island

kangaroo island Any nature lover heading out to Australia will obviously want to see its most iconic animal in its natural habitat. Tours of Kangaroo Island are available for booking all year round. Aside from seeing red kangaroos in abundance, you’ll also get to see adorable koalas, majestic pelicans, and sea lions and seals in the waters around it. Aside from all the wildlife you’ll be able to see, Kangaroo Island is also a hotspot for foodies. Fine wines, along with locally produced sheep’s cheese and seafood, have really helped to put the island on the map.

Uluru National Park

uluru-australia If you only see one site of natural beauty in Australia, make sure it’s Uluru national park, home to the iconic Ayers Rock, or Uluru in the aboriginal language. The park has some of the most unique and breath-taking natural rock formations in the world, all centred around the world-famous centrepiece. After you visit, you’ll know exactly why it became such a centre of cultural significance for natives and settlers alike. The park is also home to some of the most endangered species of plants and wildlife in the world, and you’ll be able to find out about the various ongoing efforts to preserve them.

23 June 2017

Noosa Heads & Betty’s Burger

Australia, Food, Travel

I’ve always wanted to check out Sunshine Coast area, especially Noosa Heads because many people have mentioned that it’s stunning up there. It’s a 3 hours to drive from Broadbeach to Noosa Heads so during my last trip to QLD in May, I finally went to Noosa Heads for a day trip. The beach is nice and the rainforest walk is pleasant but compared to many other stunningly beautiful places in the world, it’s lacking the wow factor in my eyes. But still, there are some pretty corners worth taking a picture or two and I really like the relaxed atmosphere there.

Oh you know what was the highlight of the trip? Betty’s Burgers.

I tried the Betty’s Classic and Betty’s Classic Stack. They are not just ordinary burgers, they are exceedingly tasty burgers! Can’t wait for Betty’s Burgers to come to Sydney.

8 June 2017

Burleigh Heads Sunset

Australia, Travel

The most memorable part of my Gold Coast trip this time is those amazing sunrise and sunset on the beach. Burleigh Heads is just about 20 minutes drive from Broadbeach where I stayed so we scheduled one one evening to drive over to Burleigh Heads to watch sunset over the water.

The problem is everyone else seemed to have the same idea that evening. It was packed with people with picnic blankets and cars when we get there and it took us another good 20 minutes to drive around to find a parking spot. I watched the most stunning part of the sunset through car window when those high rise buildings in Surfers Paradise glittered in the last golden sunlight of the day.

The sun had gone down as we finally settled on a rock along the hills but I still captured some beautiful images of the skylines to remember that charming evening.

31 May 2017

Day Trip To Brisbane

Australia, Travel

While staying Broadbeach, we made a day trip to Brisbane. Can you believe that was the first time I actually went to Brisbane in the last 20 years?

The weather was beautiful that day and there were nice, pretty cotton candy clouds on the sky which made it very photogenic. To top it all up, the sunset over Story bridge that night was just incredibly stunning.

I spent the day exploring leisurely and enjoying being a visitor free from any pressing timelines. The view to Brisbane CBD from the lookout of Mt Coot-tha was magnificent, way exceeding my expectation and did I mention the sunset? Look at the colors, the clouds, the bridge and everything! I felt immediately in love…

View to Brisbane CBD from the lookout of Mt Coot-tha

Sunset over Story Bridge.

23 May 2017

Broadbeach Sunrise

Australia, Travel

I have a confession to make, I used to be that person that sleeps until the last minute in the morning and never ever bothered to watch sunrise.

Last year for the first time in a long time, I accidentally watched sunrise from my hotel in Bangkok due to the time difference. Since then I watched a few more sunrises because I’ve been making a consistent effort to get up early everyday. Each sunrise is uniquely stunning and so different from the other, but that sunrise during one of these days I stayed in Broadbeach recently is the most spectacular and remarkable so far.

The world surrounding me looked incredibly stunning before the sun came out over the horizon. Here’s a snapshot from my balcony (27th floor):

?? #whoneedsfilters 27th floor. Before sunrise.

A post shared by Yvonne Zhai (@yvonne_zhai) on May 11, 2017 at 12:09am PDT

Downstairs on the beach, it was so surreal. Words couldn’t describe the beauty I’ve seen and felt. Totally speechless, I just kept staring and snapped more photos to remember this magical moment.

18 May 2017

Sunset At Coolangatta

Australia, Travel

Coolangatta (the southernmost suburb of city of Gold Coast, QLD Australia), Wagga Wagga (a regional city in NSW Australia) – don’t you like the sounds of those names?

Though I’ve heard of lots of good things about Coolangatta, I never had any desire to go and check it out until earlier this month. Coolangatta belongs to the Gold Coast city and has the reputation of the being the coolest end of Gold Coast. So while we were in Gold Coast area, I thought why not go and see it finally? It was only 30 minutes’ drive from Broadbeach, where we stayed anyway.

Gold Coast is so different from Sydney, the temperature difference during a day is much smaller; the atmosphere is much, much more relaxed and people a lot friendlier. No wonder so many people like Coolangatta. What’s not to like? We stayed for the whole afternoon and chilled on the beach to watch the entire period of sunset. How I loved the time spent on the beach! It’s so amazing how many colours the sky could turn in a matter of a couple of hours!

16 May 2017

Hello Again Broadbeach

Australia, Travel

In my younger years, I wouldn’t consider a holiday as such if it doesn’t involve a 3 weeks+ overseas trip. How time has changed me:).

Not only the place I went for a holiday recently is within Australia, it is also somewhere I’ve been before! Back in 2012 I visited Broadbeach in Gold Coast for the first time for 4 days and really loved it there. This time, we went for 8 days but instead of flying there and mainly staying in broadbeach, we drove all the way up. During the 8 days, I explored many other beautiful places in Gold Coast region, took a day trip to Brisbane, another day trip to Noosa Heads, revisited all the major shopping centres and of course, spend a lot time soaking up the sun on the those endless stretch of white sandy beaches.

Last time I didn’t post any pictures for my trip to Broadbeach, so here are some photos from Broadbeach this time.

14 May 2017

Mount Wilson, Red Leaves & Red Dress

Australia, Style Diary

Bought this Summer, this is my first ever red dress. Apart from dressing up for to have some photos taken, I don’t see any other occasions it could be had. I was buying it regardless. To me, it was like fulfilling childhood dreams – to dance freely in a large circle skirt, in a far far away land.

Well Australia is quite far away from any other continent and Mt Wilson is about 100km west from Sydney – not particularly close either. I was too intimidated to wear anything red when I was young. Grey and brown coloured outfits were my wardrobe staples. But now? I don’t care that much. You see, age is a good thing. It gives you confidence. It makes you do whatever pleases you.

———————————-

3 June 2016

White Sands And Wild Landscapes In Broome

Australia, Travel

I love the amount of great spots in Australia. This time, we’re going wider afield than usual. Instead of sticking to the east coast, we’re going to the other end. Broome is a coastal town and area in the Kimberley, the north-west region of Australia. The region is known for rugged wilderness well worth exploring and Broome is no different. But that’s not all it has to offer. Let’s take a look at this sandy, historically packed part of Oz.

Photo source: Pinterest

Cable Beach

Indeed, one of the best things that Broome has to offer over other great destinations in the Kimberley is its fantastic beaches. In particular, Cable Beach is a huge 22km stretch of beach that’s perfect for a most serene stroll. Camel rides are popular to travel this huge stretch. Broome holiday advice from Best of The Kimberley is one of the places you can check for when the beach is in vacation season.

Horizontal Falls

Of course, anywhere in the Kimberley is going to have some rough terrain that has to be seen to be believed. Horizontal Falls is one such place. Two immense gorges create an amazing effect. The rushing tide funnels through a line in immense pressure, creating the visual effect of horizontal waterfall. This is best seen from above and there are plenty of planes willing to take you over for a good price.

Malcolm Douglas Wildlife Park

Of course, if it’s the wild you want to see, then you want to see some of the fauna as well. Malcolm Douglas Wildlife Park, named after the much loved documentary maker, is just fifteen minutes from town. As well as a host of crocodiles moved from its old spot on Cable Beach, it has hundreds of kangaroos, rare dingoes and colorful birdlife.

Short Street Gallery

Not all the wonders of Broome are entirely natural, however. There’s great man-made culture on display as well. The Short Street Gallery in particular is well worth a visit. Here you’ll see the largest and oldest maintained display of indigenous Australian and immigrant art. There’s all kinds of styles displayed. Aboriginal, Malay and Japanese history living in a constantly revitalizing host of exhibitions.

Willie Creek Pearl Farm

Of course, one of the most important parts of history in Broome is the town’s pearl industry. This carefully farmed luxury has been a cornerstone of industry and economy. You can see the history up close in the Willie Creek Pearl Farm. Also recommended is visiting the Japanese cemetery. Here the history of hundreds of pearlers’ contribution to the town is honored.

Sun Pictures Cinema

Of course, while you’re enjoying the town, you might want to take some time to catch a movie at the cinema. There are few better cinemas in the world for film fans to see than Sun Pictures. The longest running outdoor cinema has been entertaining with film and live shows for over a hundred years now. It hasn’t stopped today, either. You’ll not experience such a lively outdoor cinema so rich in history anywhere else in the world.

20 April 2016

Wide Leg Pants At Wollongong

Australia, Style + Design, Style Diary

The Breakwater lighthouse behind me

On the right: The Flagstaff Hill lighthouse

Wide leg pants are back. I’m not a trend follower but I know this because a couple of PR agents sent me photos featuring some rather ugly wide leg pants.

One of the reasons I don’t follow fashion trend for the sake of it is because not all styles would fit me well. Wide leg pants are exceptions. I like them. It was pointed out to me quite a few times that my legs are relatively short (though overall I can be classified as tall in person) and not as straight as they should be. Wide leg pants don’t show my flaws that much. For that reason alone, I like wide leg pants, but not the ugly ones.

As the saying goes: Fashion comes in cycles. Wide leg pants, are IN not for the first time. I had many of them from a long time ago but have cleared them out over the years. The only one left now is this pair of Chloe white pants. They are not that wide legged but still count.

Now back to the location: Wollongong. We were not even planning going to Wollongong that day. We were driving to Port Kembla and Wollongong is just on the way. We took a wrong turn & were immediately drawn to this row of large rocks. It was an easy decision to pull over have some photos taken there.

There are 2 light houses in Wollongong not far from each other. The bigger one the hill (The Flagstaff Hill lighthouse) attracts a lot more visitors on average but don’t you think the smaller one ( The Breakwater lighthouse) and its harbour surroundings are more photogenic?

11 January 2016

A Little Zombie Walk On Austinmer Beach

Australia, Style Diary

Zombie walk on the beach… a happy zombie for once

Sydney has been raining literally non-stop for a week now. Without even a minute break from those heavy rain drops from the sky, one can only sit inside and dream about beach weather.

Those photos are from my last trip to Austinmer Beach a couple of weeks ago. Autinmer beach is about one and a half hours’ drive south from Sydney, close to Wollongong city centre. Why drive so far to a beach while there are so many wonderful beaches in Sydney? Perhaps the scenic drive is quite enjoyable; perhaps that large rock platform has our names on it; perhaps it has this little shop that can cook up the best fish and chips. Whatever the reason, a day trip to Austinmer beach always manage to make me feel energized and happy.

And that’s all that matters. Do whatever makes you happy, whenever you can.

———————————————————————————————————–

Photos: Candidtown Photography

Silk top from Marcs, Ray Ban sunglass.

6 January 2016

7 Things You Must Experience Around Whitsundays, Great Barrier Reef

Oceania, Travel

Visiting Great Barrier Reef has been on my bucket list for quite sometimes. Although in theory it shouldn’t be that hard to go as I live in Australia, it still took some research and planning to finally be able to see what’s the best the Great Barrier Reef has to offer.

Cairns seems to be the most common place to stay as the base to stay if you want explore the Great Barrier Reef Region. But through research, I found that Cairns doesn’t have direct access to the flight over the iconic heart reef or the magical white heaven beach. If you want to see the best part in Great Barrier Reef, choose dreaming Whitsundays as your base.

Situated in the heart of the Great Barrier Reef, the grand landscape of Whitsundays is dotted with 74 tropical islands.

7 Things You Must Experience Around Whitsundays, Great Barrier Reef

1. Go To Whiteheaven Beach

First of all, you must go to Whiteheaven Beach, which is renowned as one of the top 10 beaches in the world. It totally lives up to its reputation! Here’s a view of the Whiteheaven Beach and Hill Inlet from our seaplane trip.

We took a full day boat trip to explore Whiteheaven beach, Hill Inlet and Snorkeled among the most beautiful coral reefs. I couldn’t wait to jump into the the crystal clear aqua water and jump up like little kids on the pristine silica sand.

View of the Whiteheaven Beach on a seaplane

2. Snorkelling

Yes! Snorkelling is also high on the list! Needless to say, Great Barrier Reef has the world’s largest and most magnificent coral reefs. We were blessed with beautiful weather during our stay in Whitsundays. The tide was so low on the day we went snorkelling. As a result, we were so so close to the reefs and fishes and corals. It was quite amazing to see so many colourful corals up close!

3. Fishing

It is a quite romantic notion to ride in the boat and go fishing in a hot sunny day. And indeed we did just that. We tired a half day fishing tour which took us to the fishing grounds in the beautiful Whitsunday Islands.

I was so excited about the fishing trip and dreamed about catching lots of big fishes. We even planed a ways of cooking these fishes we will catch. However, the fishing gears provided were old and almost not functioning, the low quality bait offered couldn’t hold firmly on the hook. As a result, we were not that successful of catching anything noteworthy. Though we had lots of bites, there was not possible for any good catch. So if you want to go fishing, the best way is to take your own bait and fishing gear and hire a boat only instead of going with fishing chargers. Nevertheless, despite the fact we didn’t catch any dinner, we enjoyed so much of the beautiful weather, the tranquility of calm water and chilling among the the most picturesque spots.

4. Exploring Hamilton Island

If you go to the Witsundays, stay on the Hamilton Island simply because it’s so pretty and reminds you of a somewhat fairy tale place. The Hamilton Island is a perfect base for exploring the Great Barrier Reef and Whiteheaven Beach.

The island alone has so much to offer. That’s why this island receives so many visitors on a daily basis. You can certainly catch the free shuttle bus to explore the whole island. Or hire a buggy for the ultimate convenience.

One Tree Hill, Hamilton Island

A pair of love birds at Hamilton Island

5. Visiting Airlie Beach

Airlie beach a lively little town situated on a picturesque peninsula that overlooks the sparkling Whitsunday waters. I have never seen another town with more backpackers than Airlie Beach because the whole town is packed with young backpackers from all over the world, mainly Europe.

If you want to taste a little wild life in the dreamy Whitsundays region, head off to Airlie beach. Bars, The main street of the village is lined with shops, bars and night clubs. Stroll along a pleasant boardwalk, you’ll reach The port of Airlie, from where the cruise Whitsundays ferries depart.

Airlie Beach Marina

6. Cruising Around

Cruise Whitsundays offers many types of day Cruises for you to fully explore this amazing part of the world.

Regular ferry services to the main islands and Whiteheaven Beach are offered. Hence getting a timetable of the ferry services is a good idea to easily plan your day.

7. Flying Over The Reefs By Seaplane

For a bird’s eye view, take in the panorama of the Whitusndays landscape from a seaplane. It’s certainly worth the effort and money spent. Those amazing views over the reefs, trope cal islands, the Whiteheaven Beach are breathtaking!

View of the Heart Reef, Great Barrier Reef from a seaplane

Taking a sea plan to fly over Great Barrier Reef

16 June 2015

Cascade Waterfalls Vanuatu

Oceania

I first heard of the beautiful Mele Cascade Waterfalls Vanuatu long before we made our way to Vanuatu. For some reason I imagined that it would be easy to browse around the Cascade Waterfalls Vanuatu, maybe because Vanuatu is a very relaxed country. But I was so wrong. You need to be fairly fit and be prepared to make all the way to the top.

There are a lot guided tours to take you around the Waterfalls. But you don’t really need to take a tour to thoroughly enjoy what the magnificent Waterfalls have to offer. In fact you might enjoy it more without the time strain of a tour.

If you go to Vanuatu, visiting Cascade Waterfalls is a must. There are lots of buses taking you to Cascade Waterfalls Vanuatu from Port Villa town center for little cost. Hiring a private bus to take you around the whole island is also a recommended option.

We hired a bus with a driver on the day we went to Cascade Waterfalls Vanuatu. Watching the landscape pass from our bus was a delight. On the way to the waterfalls, our bus drove pass a teenage boy sitting on the side of the road, not doing anything particularly.

We started our journey from the main gate of cascade waterfalls. The route is straightforward with clear paths to lead you up. It’s not easy to be lost here even for someone with a bad sense of direction like me. As I mentioned before, you don’t need to join a tour to walk around here. The cascade waterfalls are a series of rock – pools set in the hills of Port Vila leading to a spectacular waterfall. There are cafes on the base where you can enjoy fruit drinks and have a dip in the rock pool next to it. The scenic lower parts of the falls are just as amazing if you are not able to make all the way to the top. There are tropical plants everywhere and the colors are just beautiful.

We slowly trekked up for the main waterfalls. There was about 20 minutes’ walk uphill most of the way and we all needed to hold the ropes crossing the river. The water was so clear and felt beautifully cool on the legs.

Just below the top part of the waterfall, there’s hut and a couple of guards who look after visitors’ belongings. We left our bags and camera there in order to wade in the water and climb up the rocks lightly. I was glad we took our reef shoes with us as the climb was steep and rocks were slippery. You need to wear shoes in the water.

We made it all the way to the top. It was worth every effort. The view on top was heavenly beautiful. So beautiful that J had to go back to the hut to get our big camera.

There are hidden caves behind the big waterfalls. We didn’t even want to leave the rock pools.

On the way back to Port Villa, we drove pass that boy we saw in the morning, still sitting at the same spot, still doing nothing. I envy people who have 5 hours in a day to watch the day go by like that. Did I say the lifestyle in Vanuatu is quite relaxed?:)

If you go visiting Cascade Waterfalls Vanuatu, allow yourself at least 90 minutes to 2 hours to explore and enjoy. Things to bring:

Swimmers;
Reef shoes;
Camera.

10 March 2013

Hideaway Island Vanuatu

Oceania, Travel

“That’s Hideaway Island”, on the way to Vanuatu waterfall, our driver pointed it to us. We looked out to the sea. There it was, a sweet looking, tiny, round shaped island in the turquoise water from afar, surrounded by pristine white sand beach (in my imagination). Later it turned out that my imaginary “white sand” beach is fully covered by white coral!

An easy, less than 5 minutes boat ride will take you from the main island Efate to Hideaway Island. The boat fare is 1000 Vatu (around $12). That’s about half of an average day’s wage for a local worker but I guess locals needn’t take the boat or pay. We saw a few of them wading through chest deep water from Hideaway Island to the main island.. or swimming across:).

If you ever visit Vanuatu and are not sure what to do, plan a trip to the delightful Hideaway Island. When you go, don’t forget to take your snorkels and flippers. The small coral atoll is surrounded by amazingly clear water and coral reefs. Dive right into the water, you’ll find countless colorful tropical fish.

Swimming bare feet there is not such a good idea though, as the coral can be rough on your feet when you walk up to the shore. So take your reef shoes or flippers with you, otherwise your feet won’t like you much…

My imaginary white sand beach.

Hideaway Island is very small. It’s a perfect place for complete relaxation. There are no phones or faxes, except in the office but there’s an underwater post office if you fancy the exotic way of communication.

Walking around the island, you see local kids playing in the water, having a great time. You see local people running and jumping into the water, having a swimming competition. You see happy people waving at you with the most incredible, innocent smiles on their faces. And you’ll feel happy too, because true happiness is infectious.

There are plenty reasons to be happy. All year round warm weather, relaxed life style, lots of tropical fruit trees everywhere

and the breathtaking view…

No wonder vanuatu people have been voted the happiest people on earth. It is the kind of happiness that money can’t buy.

6 December 2012