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The ultimate in travel experiences

Join Wild Frontiers on a group adventure in Iraq

If your idea of adventure is sipping lattes in Paris or snapping selfies at the Colosseum, it’s time to level up. Wild Frontiers’ new 15-day “Iraq: Babylon & Beyond” tour is here to shatter your travel expectations and possibly (probably) your comfort zone.

Temper your expectations, this isn’t your average holiday. You’ll kick things off with a boat ride through the Mesopotamian Marshes, home to flamingos, pelicans, and the Marsh Arabs: people who live in reed houses and herd water buffalo like it’s no big deal. From there, you’ll explore the ancient ruins of Uruk and Ur, cities so old they make Rome look like a teenager. You’ll stand in Babylon, where Saddam Hussein once tried to outdo Nebuchadnezzar by building a palace atop the ruins.

In Baghdad, you’ll visit the National Museum, sip tea in atmospheric cafés, and discover a surprisingly vibrant dining scene. Then it’s off to the holy cities of Najaf and Karbala, followed by the rugged mountains of Iraqi Kurdistan. You’ll even visit Al-Qurnah, believed by some to be the site of the fabled Garden of Eden.

Yes, Iraq has had its share of challenges, and a lot of Foreign Offices around the world still advise against travel there. But for the intrepid traveller, this is a chance to experience a land rich in history, culture, and resilience. Plus, Wild Frontiers plants ten trees for every traveller and supports local community projects, so you can feel good about your impact.

So, if you’re ready to trade tourist traps for ancient wonders and unforgettable experiences, pack your bags. Iraq is waiting.

Party at Mt Buller this winter

This winter, Mt Buller is trading thermals for thrills as renowned hospitality group, Tommy Collins, rolls into town with a culinary snow-storm of Melbourne’s finest. Forget soggy chips at the ski lodge, this is gourmet on the gondola.

Starting on the 5th of June, four weekends of frosty fabulousness will see Melbourne foodie royalty – including Marmont, Entrecôte, and MoVida – turn Villager and Little Villager into snow-dusted stages of decadence. Think five-course feasts with an alpine twist, cocktails with altitude (get it?), and tunes to keep your snow boots tappin’.

But wait, there’s more: après-ski has gone from hot choccy to hot mess (in the best way). Bourke Street (Mt Buller’s own icy catwalk, not the street in Melbourne’s CBD) will host raucous street parties with DJs, snow-side cocktails, and a dance floor that’s sure to warm you up from the inside out.

And to kick it all off, there’s a King’s Birthday Weekend bash with Grant Smillie & Friends that promises pyro performances, surprise eats, and enough canned cocktails to make you forget you’ve still got to ski down (yikes).

Whether you’re a snow bunny, après enthusiast, or just here for the drinks (no judgement here), this is one winter takeover where calories don’t count, style is mandatory, and the weather’s not the only thing that’s cool.

So, dust off your best faux fur, practise your wine-swirl, and prepare to party like you did at your 21st birthday. Because there’s a big bash happening at Buller, and you’re invited.

Uluru-Kata Tjuta Signature Walk to open in 2026

Strap on your fanciest hiking boots and start Googling ‘how to survive without Wi-Fi, because Australia’s Red Centre is about to serve up the outback adventure of a lifetime.

Tasmanian Walking Company’s brand new Uluru-Kata Tjuta Signature Walk, launching April 30, 2026, is not your average ‘go bush and eat trail mix’ situation. It’s five days and 54 glorious kilometres of expertly guided, fully catered, star-studded wandering through one of the most sacred and stunning landscapes on Earth.

For the ‘modest’ sum of AU$5,395 (twin share), you get more than just epic selfies. We’re talking private eco-campsites nestled inside Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park – a world first. There’s even an architecturally-designed lodge, because nature is better with good lighting and a proper mattress. And your guides are a mixture of David Attenborough and Bear Grylls, with a side of outback humour.

You’ll feast nightly on three-course meals, including one unforgettable dinner while watching Kata Tjuta do its best impression of a glowing ember. Cultural workshops with Anangu Traditional Owners will leave your soul as nourished as your stomach, and AU$500 of your booking goes directly to conservation and community programs, so your conscience gets a holiday too.

Oh, and airfares to Yulara are now live, so there’s really no excuse. Book it, walk it, brag forever. Your next wild story starts here; headlamps, heart-opening moments, and all.

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.

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.

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).

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.

Dine in VR style at Icca

Nestled somewhere between fine dining and full-blown virtual hallucination, EPIC.NOW has launched a VR-powered culinary adventure in NYC that promises to blow your mind (and possibly your taste buds) straight into another dimension.

So, here’s what happens: you slap on a sleek VR headset, settle into a nine-seat, ultra-intimate dinner setting, and let Michelin-starred wizardry do its thing. Meanwhile, your eyeballs are being dazzled by immersive, otherworldly landscapes that change with each course.

Imagine eating sea urchins while floating through a coral reef or nibbling wagyu beef atop a digital Mount Fuji. It’s like dinner and a movie, except the movie is melting your perception of reality.

This mind-boggling concept came to life when a group of tech-obsessed food lovers asked, “Why should Silicon Valley have all the fun?” so they teamed up with a top-tier chef and some VR geniuses to create this surreal supper club. And voilà – EPIC.NOW was born, screaming, “The future is now!” through a mouthful of truffle foam.

We get it, it’s a strange concept. But your mouth deserves more than just flavour at dinnertime, it deserves a storyline. Every bite of this experience is backed by sound, scent and visual theatre, transforming your meal into a multi-sensory fever dream.

And hey, at least your mind has something to preoccupy itself with while you wait for your food and pretend you’re not eyeing off the kitchen doors in search of your order.