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Aman to open Amancaya in the Bahamas

Aman, the brand synonymous with “I can’t believe this is real,” is setting up shop in the Bahamas with its latest miracle of modern escapism: Amancaya.

Slated to open soon in the heavenly Exuma archipelago, this new resort is so private, it practically requires a treasure map to find (nope, Google maps won’t cut it). Amancaya, which means ‘peaceful island’ in Taíno (but could also mean ‘prepare to stay here forever’), will sprawl across two secluded cays that appear to have been personally photoshopped by Mother Nature herself.

There will be 36 of Aman’s signature pavilions (read: temples of tranquility) and a handful of branded residences, just in case you actually decide you never want to leave. Expect all the essentials: a Beach Club, an Aman Spa to recalibrate your chakras, and enough dining venues to justify packing your extra stretchy pants.

Backing this island Eden is Swiss billionaire Dona Bertarelli – sailor, philanthropist, and general overachiever – who has teamed up with Aman to make sure you’ll never see another human being on your Bahamas holiday unless you want to. Naturally, the resort is also going for LEED certification for that green tick of approval.

So, if your idea of a good time involves impeccable service, zero stress, and more sea turtles than travellers, Amancaya might just be your next obsession.

Sip on the Real McCoy’s newest flavours

Forget smoky drams in leather chairs and tasting notes that read like a perfume label — Real McCoy is here to blow the cobwebs off your liquor shelf with two new flavours: Salted Caramel and Buttered Popcorn. Yes, you read that right. It’s whiskey, but it tastes like movie night and dessert. At the same time. Incredible.

Launched by VOK Beverages and brewed for chaos (the fun kind), Real McCoy is a whiskey liqueur that’s bold, buttery, and unapologetically unpretentious.
The Salted Caramel version is like a Werther’s Original gone naughty — silky vanilla, toasty caramel, and just enough sea salt to make you wonder why every single piece of candy in the world doesn’t come with a kick. Meanwhile, the Buttered Popcorn flavour is straight out of a cinema snack bar on school holidays — creamy, nostalgic, and suspiciously addictive.

At 30% ABV, both are dangerously sessionable, whether you’re throwing back chilled shots, jazzing up your espresso martini, or just sipping them over ice and giving major main character energy.

This isn’t an alcohol brand that’s asking for permission, and it definitely isn’t trying to impress the whiskey snobs. It’s made for the kind of night that starts with “just one” and ends with karaoke, kitchen dancing, or regrettably texting your ex. And maybe all three (at the same time).

Now available in 700mL bottles and cheeky little 50mL minis. Drink it how you want, but the one thing you can’t call it is subtle.

Desert Island Survival’s newest adventure is here

Sick of “holidays” where you lie by a pool pretending you’re not still checking work emails? Enter Desert Island Survival’s newest experience in the Maldives where the only infinity pool in sight is the ocean, and the Wi-Fi password is “how ‘bout you build your own fire.”

Let’s get one thing straight, this isn’t a relaxing holiday. Yes, you’ll spend 11 glorious days in a paradise people regularly dream about (just me?), bu you’ll also spend the same 11 glorious days learning how to do stuff you never thought you’d need, like making fires without a lighter, catching your dinner without crying, and building a shelter that doesn’t look like a sad blanket fort from your childhood.

But your first five day is strictly for training. You’ll learn jungle hacks from actual survival experts, then the real fun begins. You’re dropped off on another uninhabited island, sans guide, with only your newly acquired skills, a few supplies, and a can-do (read: mildly panicked) attitude.

Unlike every other sanitised, over-curated “adventure tour,” this one strips away all the comfortable fluff. No buffets. No butlers. Just you, your hammock (if you’re lucky), and your rapidly improving ability to open coconuts without chopping off a finger.

You may ask, “Why would I do this?”, and the answer’s pretty obvious. Because it’s the antidote to your screen-addicted, city-soft, soy-latte life (ouch). You’ll come back with calloused hands, crazy stories, and a weird pride in your ability to identify edible roots.

Trisara has dropped five new culinary bombshells

Just when we thought Trisara couldn’t get any fancier (Michelin stars, ocean views, sustainable everything), they’ve gone full culinary Taylor Swift and dropped five new restaurants. Because apparently, one can never have too much caviar… or goat satay.

The first one is La Crique, and if you’re imagining the French Riviera dressed up for a Thai beach holiday, then it’s exactly that. It’s all oysters, herb-crusted lamb, and millefeuille so delicate it needs its own ‘do not touch’ sign. Chef Notty (real name, serious talent) helms this seafood seduction station with the elegance of a man who’s seen PRU’s Michelin star and thought, “Sure, I can top that.”

Next is the Thai Library, which is pretty much the soul food sanctuary you didn’t know you needed. It’s home-style Southern Thai with a sexy twist. Think grandma’s recipes, but your grandma now has a tasting menu and uses sustainable goat. Highlights include tom som soup aged 100 years and crab so fresh it may still be able to pinch you.

Onto the next, NOÉ on the Beach is members-only meets “pass the rosé.” Exclusive to hotel guests, it’s where you go to sip ocean-inspired cocktails in your designer swimwear and pretend you don’t know how emails work.

7.8° North Bar is all shaken, stirred, and sultry. Italian charm, classic cocktails, and latitude references to impress your date.

And then there’s Cielo & Spice, a Silk Road fever dream serving tandoori chicken, river prawn pasta, and brunch with jazz hands. Literally. Live jazz. On a deck. Overlooking the Andaman.

Our pro tip? Pack your stretchy pants. Phuket’s new foodie paradise isn’t just a vibe, it’s five.

Fiji’s Loloma Hour turns sustainability into a good time

Fiji’s newest national initiative is basically a love letter to the planet, written in biodegradable ink, of course. It’s called Lolomo Hour and it’s doing great things for the environment. But first, a bit of background info.

Loloma means love in Fijian, and honestly, if love were a happy hour, it would look a lot like this: a chance to give back to the islands we so often take from (minus the hangover, inflated bar tab, or cringey karaoke).

Their idea is simple: take an hour out of your holiday to do something good for the environment, the community, or the culture. In return? You get a soul cleanse with a side of smug satisfaction. That’s the kind of shot we can all handle.

Created by the legends at Tourism Fiji, Loloma Hour is the world’s first environmental happy hour (move over espresso martinis), and it’s rolling out across resorts, hotels, and dive boats faster than a coconut can fall on your head. Their goal is to rack up 5,000 hours of guest-led goodness in the first year. That’s 300,000 minutes of reef planting, litter collecting, and cultural immersion.

The initiative is built on four very noble pillars: giving back to wildlife, giving back to the community, giving back to the reef, and giving back to the coastline. Which roughly translates to ‘pat an iguana, chat to a village elder, rehome some coral, and pick up someone else’s beer can without grumbling’.

One day you’re sipping something tropical on the deck of the Seventh Heaven floating bar, the next you’re knee-deep in coral fragments at their reef rehabilitation program. Maybe you’re weaving mats with local women at Sofitel’s Culture Hour, or cruising with sharks off Barefoot Kuata Island in a citizen-science shark dive. At Viani Bay Resort, you can even get up close with giant clams, nature’s answer to the big-budget action star.

Some resorts go all in, like Likuliku Lagoon’s Fiji Crested Iguana Conservation Program (adorable lizard alert) or Six Senses Fiji with their coral nursery that’s basically an underwater botanical garden for Nemo’s cousins. Meanwhile, over at InterContinental Fiji, you can literally trade beach trash for a latte. That’s right, Litter for a Latte may be the best incentive ever invented for tidying up.

The beauty of Loloma Hour is that it doesn’t feel like an obligation. There’s no guilt-trip, no plastic pledge, no sob stories playing on loop. It’s just you, some sunshine, and a little slice of feel-good action. Like going to the gym and discovering it serves fresh coconut water, and thanks you personally for attending.

The best part? You don’t need to be a marine biologist or a UN diplomat to get involved. You just need an hour. And, ideally, a strong sunscreen.

1 Hotel Melbourne opens

Melbourne just got a little greener and a lot more fabulous. Enter 1 Hotel Melbourne: a sustainably sexy new stay perched on the Yarra River that proves you can save the planet and sip boutique wine at the same time.

This isn’t your average “we swapped plastic straws for paper” kind of eco-hotel. No, 1 Hotel is full-blown tree-hugger chic with floor-to-ceiling windows, 2,000+ plants, and interiors made from reclaimed everything including timber from old rail bridges and moss panels (whatever they are).

Rooms are calm, gorgeous sanctuaries with views of the river or skyline, plus Bamford spa products so fancy you’ll seriously ‘consider’ smuggling them home. There’s also a gym, steam room, spa, sauna, and a pool that practically begs you to put it on your Instagram story.

And there’s plenty of good food. The signature restaurant (mystery chef pending) will hero local farmers, fishers, and seasonal produce, while the grab-and-go café dishes out organic bites you’ll pretend are for “later.” Over in the lobby bar, they’re shaking up foraged cocktails so delicious you won’t care what’s in them.

Sustainably built, stylishly executed, and smugly satisfying; 1 Hotel Melbourne is where eco-cred meets indulgent escape. So, what are you waiting for?

Embrace Hari Hong Kong’s ‘Retox’ experience

If you’re sick of juice cleanses, yoga retreats and kale in places kale has no right to be in (like the mac & cheese you just ordered), The Hari Hong Kong hears you. And then raises you a cigar, a double shot of gin, and a dessert platter so indulgent it might just make Willy Wonka weep.

Their new “Retox But Not Detox” package is a no-guilt, full-pleasure overnight stay that celebrates all the things wellness brochures warn you about. You’ll check into one of The Hari’s sexy, design-forward rooms – complete with velvet, marble and views that’ll make your IG followers irrationally jealous – and prepare for an evening of delicious debauchery.

And you have plenty of retox options. You’re either puffing on a Confidenciaal cigar paired with The Hari’s own citrus-spiced gin (silver medalist at the World Gin Awards, thank you very much), or you’re diving face-first into a trio of desserts: Amalfi lemon sponge, pistachio cannoli, and creamy panna cotta. And the whole sweet affair is served with a sparkling glass of Moscato.

But don’t worry, you’ll still get breakfast in the morning, plus early check-in and late check-out (because hangovers don’t wear watches). All this from AUD480+, available until September 30.

So, if you’ve ever muttered “life’s too short” while ignoring a salad, this is your sign. Book the Retox. Skip the boot camp. And let The Hari remind you that sometimes, the most nourishing thing you can do… is sip, smoke, and have dessert first.

Relax at the newly reimagined Tanjong Beach Club

Tired of dodging selfie sticks in Marina Bay and sweating through Orchard Road? Here’s a pro tip: hop in a cab, head to Sentosa, and make a beeline for the newly reimagined Tanjong Beach Club where island vibes, killer food, and beachside cocktails await.

Set on Singapore’s sexiest stretch of sand, this iconic beach club has had a glow-up, blending mid-century modernist flair with tropical sass. Picture checkerboard tiles, plush daybeds in spicy sunset tones, and palm trees for as far as the eye can see. It’s basically giving vintage glamour meets barefoot luxury.

And the food is outrageously good. Chef Mong Zhen Yew is serving up wood-fired coastal delights that’ll make your hotel breakfast look a bit sad. We’re talking smoky Hokkaido scallops with citrus zing, grilled barramundi that’s dry-aged like a fine steak, and a sticky date pudding with smoked milk ice cream (have you ever heard of such a thing?) Even the flatbread comes with n’duja, mussels, and enough stracciatella to warm your cheese loving heart.

And the drinks are just as good. Pop a magnum of Champagne (you’re on holiday, live a little), or sip on a “Tanjong Coast” – a guava-gin number made for all-day lounging. By night, the place transforms into a barefoot dance haven with a sexy new VIP lounge and impressive beachy beats even Calvin Harris would be jealous of.

So if you need a break from skyscrapers and hawker queues, trade pavement for paradise. Tanjong Beach Club is your passport to island escapism with better cocktails and way more attractive people (A.K.A you).

Nuanu Creative City opens Oshom Bali

Congratulations, your main character moment has arrived – and it takes place at Nuanu Creative City’s newly opening luxury boutique hotel, Oshom Bali. If you’re picturing a beachside jungle dreamland with a disco ball in the wardrobes and a massage table on every terrace then you’ve pretty much hit the nail on the head.

Perched on the black lava sands of Pantai Nyanyi, Oshom is where luxury meets “I might just stay forever” energy. With just 18 keys, including dreamy Ocean Suites and Treehouse Hideaways nestled in the mangroves, this isn’t your typical resort. It’s more like a serene fever dream curated by someone who really knows their way around a mood board.

Expect volcanic sand walls, reclaimed teakwood, bamboo nest lounges, and yes, disco balls in the walk-in wardrobes. The Indigo Dreams Suite comes with its own alfresco massage room, while The Artist’s Suite has a meditation dome and an indoor-outdoor bar. Because why choose one when you can have both?

And you’re gonna drool over the food; ocean-fresh, ever-changing, and best paired with a botanical cocktail as the sun dramatically disappears into the sea. The vibe? DJ sunsets, cacao ceremonies, and poolside lectures that may or may not lead to a deep personal revelation. And because it’s tucked inside Nuanu, you also get access to Bali’s first multimedia park, electric buggies, and a wellness complex that might just realign your chakras.

Oshom isn’t just where you stay, it’s where your alter ego comes out to play (we love when we can make a rhyme work). Think saltwater dips, a whole lot of sequins, and a delicious sense that you’ve landed somewhere seriously special.

The Great Barrier Reef earns environmental nomination

Move over, Sir David Attenborough, there’s a new eco-icon in town, and it’s made entirely of coral. That’s right, the Great Barrier Reef is up for a United Nations Lifetime Achievement Award – the first non-human nominee ever. And frankly? It’s about time.

With 10,000 years of being fabulous, biodiverse, and biologically generous, the reef has been mentoring marine life, inspiring millions of travellers, and keeping it real for generations of fish, First Nations communities, and curious snorkellers. According to the team behind the nomination (Reef Guardian Councils, Traditional Owners, marine biologists, and a bunch of wide-eyed school kids from Reef Guardian Schools), the reef isn’t just a pretty face, it’s a healer, a teacher, and a full-blown environmental influencer.

To help the nomination along, A Lifetime of Greatness Project campaign was created, asking the world to get behind the Reef and celebrate it like the living, breathing legend it is. The submission video even features Master Reef Guides (yes, that’s a real job title) and local students fan-girling about plankton and biodiversity. Cute and educational.

And the best is that the nomination cleverly uses the UN’s own rulebook, arguing that the reef qualifies as a “living individual” because UNESCO said it’s a “distinct entity.” It’s a bold move and we love to see it.

So, if you’ve ever swum over this natural wonder and thought, “wow, this thing is really beautiful,” now’s your chance to show it the love it really deserves. Head to A Lifetime of Greatness to get involved because not all heroes wear capes, some are actually covered in clownfish.