Traveller

27/12/2024

26/12/2024

Dear Americans, Antarctica has two Ts and two Cs

It's Ant-arc-tica NOT An-art-ica

20/12/2024

The Sydney-Melbourne route remains one of the world’s busiest despite the number of airline seats still being lower than before the pandemic.

Aviation data provider OAG’s annual report shows Sydney-Melbourne was the world’s fifth busiest route in 2024. It had 9,217,377 seats available this year, down 7 per cent on 2019 and down 1 per cent on last year’s numbers.

The world’s busiest route was from South Korea’s capital, Seoul, to the holiday island of Jeju. It had 14,183,719 seats. The route has been the No.1 busiest for many years, except for during the pandemic.

Competition was reduced on the Sydney-Melbourne route this year. Regional airline Rex collapsed in July after an attempt to break into capital city routes including Sydney-Melbourne.

Top 10 busiest domestic flight routes of 2024
1. Jeju International-Seoul Gimpo: 14.18 million seats
2. Sapporo New Chitose-Tokyo Haneda: 11.93 million seats
3. Fukuoka-Tokyo Haneda: 11.33 million seats
4. Hanoi-Ho Chi Minh City: 10.63 million seats
5. Melbourne-Sydney: 9.22 million seats
6. Jeddah-Riyadh: 8.7 million seats
7. Tokyo Haneda-Okinawa Naha: 8 millionseats
8. Mumbai-Delhi: 7.96 million seats
9. Beijing-Shanghai Hongqiao: 771 million seats
10. Guangzhou Baiyun-Shanghai Hongqiao: 7 million seats

19/12/2024

The world's most overrated destinations: Greek Islands.

Here’s a new rule for Greece: if you’ve already heard of a Greek island, so have millions of others – and you don’t want to join them there over summer. The chaos peaked on Santorini this year as islanders struggled to cope with the masses; Mykonos also suffers from over-tourism. Pick another of the country’s 5998 other islands to enjoy.

18/12/2024

On my (unrealistic) travel wish list for 2025: Everyone will take two steps back from the baggage carousel

This is the easiest wish to grant, and the one least likely. Unless you’re in Japan. Please everyone, you don’t have to ram your trolley right up against the baggage carousel when you’ll probably have to wait another 15 minutes for your giant suitcase to roll past.

If everyone hangs back, we can all see our bags coming, and step forward at the right time to grab them.
- Ben Groundwater

17/12/2024

Seat 47H, on board a Singapore Airlines Boeing 777, is one of the best economy seats you’ll find without paying for extra legroom.

My flight is full and by the time I’m selecting my seat online, there are few options left, but I manage to get one of just two remaining aisle seats. Seat pitch is 32 inches (81cm), which is about the best you can expect on international flights these days, with a width of 18 inches (46cm).
The cabin is in a 3-3-3 configuration. One aspect of this particular seat, 47H, that I like is that the next row, the last one in this cabin, is a 2-3-2 layout, so there’s no seat directly behind me.

That means no fear of sparking seat rage when I fully recline my seat, which I feel comfortable doing for the entire flight (except when it’s not allowed).

I typically can’t sleep sitting up but do manage a few hours during the night. Economy passengers each get a decent blanket and pillow for use during the flight. - Craig Platt

16/12/2024

The world's most underrated destinations: NSW Central Coast

Here’s a coastal region that is nowhere near as famous as Bondi, and has far fewer Hemsworths than Byron. But what the NSW Central Coast does have is a string of beaches that are among the most beautiful in Australia – check out Copacabana, Avoca, Putty and Pearl – serviced by pretty, friendly towns with accommodation that is far more affordable than its famous siblings.

10/12/2024

Why I want to hang out at the kids’ club on holiday: Beaches can be the best classrooms in the world. I learnt independence at the beach, running freely along vast stretches of sand, jumping off dunes, beachcombing solo along the shore.

I learnt to go wild at the beach but also how to be sensible – how not to get sunburnt, wade out beyond my depth or get caught in a rip.

I saw oil slicks on water and rubbish washed up in the foam. The surf fishermen threw undersized fish back, so they could grow and breed. The impact of humans on nature wasn’t such an issue then as now, but I was aware we were capable of doing harm.

Free play on the beach is one way kids find out about themselves and where they stand in the world. Unfortunately, the modern world sometimes puts restrictions on children’s play and independence.

Yet there are many wonderful opportunities for children to learn about the natural world, driven by the compelling need to raise awareness among young and old before we lose too much of nature.
-Lee Tulloch

09/12/2024

Bogan-free parts of Bali: Amed, Karangasem Regency.

This string of fishing villages along the north-east coast near Amed Beach, holds a South-East Asia beachside vibe of yesteryear. The main road has cafes, warungs and dive shops hidden in the tropical greenery and affordable accommodation overlooking the black sandy beaches.

Amed’s protected marine area has helped firm-up its reputation for excellent scuba diving, snorkelling and free-diving. The coastline’s sunken ships, including Japanese Wreck on the black-pebbled beach of Banyuning Bay, and The Liberty wreck at Tulamben, are easily spied with a snorkel and mask. Hire wooden catamaran reef boats to explore dive sites further offshore.

Break up the drive with lunch at beautiful Bali Asli, in Gelumpang village, 30 minutes from Amed. It’s an enchanting restaurant serving Indonesian cuisine in a pavilion with views over the rice fields to distant mountains.

Villa Adi, with rooms and family-sized pool villas, is just one offering of smaller guest accommodation close to main road shops and amenities. Head south along the coast for more resort-style options including Aquamarine Beach Villas which has its own beachfront and trattoria serving excellent Italian. Visit in the dry season (April and October) for calmer waters and clear visibility. Amed is a 98-kilometre, three-hour drive from Bali airport.

05/12/2024

Need some Christmas gift ideas for the travel-lover in your life?

How about a neck pillow? There are some who swear by the Trtl travel pillow, and though I’m not one of them, I understand their appeal. There are other options out there too, many of which will make life far more comfortable for your travelling gift recipient. Try the Cabeau Evolution s3, the Ostrichpillow Go Neck Pillow, the Snoooze Travel Pillow, or – if you’re feeling hilarious – the Ostrichpillow Original. - Ben Groundwater

04/12/2024

Following nearly six years of development, the Snowies Alpine Walk in NSW’s Kosciuszko National Park, set to rival Tasmania’s Overland Track, is now complete.

The final 12-kilometre section of the 55-kilometre trail – running from Perisher Valley to Bullocks Flat – has just opened, offering hikers the chance to immerse in the ever-changing terrain and views of the so-called “roof of Australia”.

More than 28 kilometres of new tracks have been added as part of the $27 million project, with upgrades to many pre-existing tracks including the Porcupines walk, Illawong walk, Main Range loop and the Kosciuszko Summit – the latter upgrades designed to protect threatened alpine grasses.

There are already several guided tour options available in time for the peak summer travel season, with travel operators including Thredbo Resort, Australian Walking Holidays and Women Embrace Adventure offering multi-day hike packages that provide a way to participate while enjoying the hospitality and creature comforts of resort hotel facilities.

03/12/2024

You’ve probably heard of egg rolls, a staple of American-Chinese cuisine, thanks to US TV shows and movies. You can picture the scene: the chop suey in the classic “oyster pail” container, the fortune cookies in their shiny wrappers, and the egg roll poking out of a paper packet. It looks like a spring roll, the egg roll, but it’s different.

It’s bigger. Its filling is mostly shredded cabbage, with some chopped meat, a few other vegetables and spices, it’s deep-fried, and … whoa, it’s a Chiko Roll! An egg roll is a Chiko Roll. It’s basically the same. An American cultural icon, a proud staple of a distinct cuisine, and someone in Australia, independently, created it too.

Also, an egg roll contains no egg, just as a Chiko Roll contains no chicken. Another similarity!

02/12/2024

Budget carrier Jetstar has backed up last week’s “Return for Free” Black Friday sale with another major sale for 48 hours from Monday morning, offering network-wide Cyber Monday discounts for international and domestic routes. Among the best deals are one-way Sydney to Ballina (Byron Bay) fares from $35, and one-way Melbourne (Tullamarine) to Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam) from $189.

28/11/2024

Australians will soon need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA) to enter the UK. This is a visa waiver, similar to the ESTA system introduced by the US in 2008.

ETAs will be required for travellers with Australian passports starting January 8, 2025, but you can apply now if you're travelling next year.

The ETA costs £10 ($19) and the fastest way to apply is via the UK ETA app, available from the App Store and Google Play. You can also apply online.

Applicants need a valid biometric passport and an email address. To submit an application, you need a photo of the data page of the passport you’ll be using to enter the UK. You also need to upload a selfie, answer some questions (including name, date of birth, nationality and details of any criminal convictions) and pay the fee. Your travel information is not required. The Home Office will then carry out checks related to identity, crime, immigration history and security. According to the UK government, you can expect a response within three working days.

Once granted, an ETA allows you to stay in the UK for up to six months – the same amount of time Australian passport-holders have been permitted to remain previously.

26/11/2024

There must be more than 1000 people crammed into one section of the small arrivals hall.

We are log jammed in the entrance, going nowhere for 30 or so minutes, until a kind of line forms and those ahead start shuffling, inch by inch, to a destination I can’t see from the back of the line.

It’s hot, there’s no water, and someone ahead in the line, who seems to be experienced with this airport, says it might take three hours to reach the immigration desk.

It takes more than two.

Some airports are notorious for their disorganisation. Others process so many people that even orderly lines take an hour or so.

But I did not expect Tokyo’s Haneda Airport to offer the worst airport experience I’ve had for a long time.

It seems Japan is becoming a victim of its own success. Australians have had a long love affair with Japan. It remains one of the most magical places in the world to visit – with a graciousness that the Western world can’t match.

More than 3 million international travellers entered Japan in August this year, up 36 per cent from the year before. I hope Haneda isn’t the tip of the iceberg – evidence that Japan isn’t coping well with the numbers. - Lee Tulloch

25/11/2024

The top countries for foodies in 2025: New Zealand.

Our Kiwi neighbour has long been known for its myriad tourist attractions, but it has rarely been considered a culinary destination. That’s about to change with a band of talented chefs and cooks revolutionising the approach to cuisine and putting the focus on seasonality, sustainability and locality. Probably the most famous is Vaughan Mabee, whose Queenstown restaurant Amisfield is attracting worldwide attention.

Other notable food mavericks include Giulio Sturla, who is reinventing the concept of the restaurant itself at Mapu, his tiny eatery outside Christchurch; Asher Boote, whose plant-based menus at Wellington’s Hillside Kitchen relies on foraged ingredients; and Monique Fiso, whose restaurant Hiakai closed earlier this year, though she’s bound to pop up again somewhere soon.

22/11/2024

The best countries to visit in 2025: Mexico.
You’ve probably heard about Mexico’s mystical Mayan ruins, the Yucatan Peninsula’s pristine beaches and the country’s exuberant Day of the Dead festivities. But what about its high-end culinary scene? Last year, Michelin launched its first Mexico guide, awarding stars to 16 restaurants. Or how about its flourishing wine industry? The country has 14 wine regions, the most popular being Baja California’s Valle de Guadalupe, which has more than 150 vineyards. Visit one of the country’s 170-plus Pueblo Magicos for a unique cultural offering, or head to Copper Canyon to see legendary long-distance runners the Tarahumara Indians.