Three new Sydney restaurants everyone's talking about right now
Plus, three other things Explore is loving this week.
An Italian restaurant by celebrity chef Neil Perry is among several new eateries just opened in Sydney. Perry's Gran Torino, in harbourside Double Bay, has interiors designed by Collette Dinnigan and dishes ranging from tagliolini with blue swimmer crab to eggplant parmigiana. Also specialising in Italian fare is Vin-Cenzo's in inner-city Darlinghurst, with opening hours that stretch all the way to 2am Thursday to Saturday. For a splash of coastal glamour, head to Greek restaurant Etheus (pictured), a few steps from Bondi Beach. themargaretfamily.com; vin-cenzos.com; etheus.sydney
Solo minus the surcharge
Solo travel is on the rise and tour operators, such as Inspiring Vacations, are coming up with new packages to meet the demand. The Australian company has launched a number of small-group, surcharge-free holidays - in places such as Japan, Egypt, Sri Lanka and Africa - especially for solo travellers. inspiringvacations.com
Flocking to Fiji in record numbers
Fiji is setting new tourism records, with plenty of love from Australia. The South Pacific go-to drew more than 99,000 visitors in July - the most ever in a single month. Australians accounted for 45 per cent of the influx, but there were also more travellers from the US, Canada, the UK and Europe. "Fiji is absolutely the place to be right now," said Tourism Fiji CEO Brent Hill, "perfect weather, outstanding resorts, unforgettable experiences and, of course, the warmth of our people." Read about all the latest hotels and attractions in Fiji here.
How to travel like an Explore VIP
ACM - the publisher of this masthead - has expanded its popular travel brand Explore with the launch of Explore VIP, a membership program promising discounts of up to 50 per cent on more than a million hotels, resorts and activities worldwide. The membership costs $39 a year and comes with a money-back guarantee: if members don't save more than the fee within 12 months, they can claim a full refund. Deals available at book.exploretravel.com.au include nearly half-price on a five-night holiday in Bali. Explore has also introduced a tool, the Explore Travel Buddy browser extension, which highlights hidden savings on booking platforms such as Booking.com. book.exploretravel.com.au/vip
Akash is the Deputy Travel Editor for Australian Community Media. He has lived and worked in four cities around the world – Sydney, London, New Delhi and New York – and, at last count, travelled to 42 countries.
My all-time favourite destination is ... New York. You can drop a pin anywhere in Manhattan and start walking in any direction, and the sights and sounds of the city that never stops will begin to stimulate all your senses in an instant.
Next on my bucket list is … Scandinavia - at the peak of summer, when the sun almost never sets.
My top travel tip is … If you’re flying to Sydney from anywhere in the world, pick a window seat far from the wing on the left-hand-side of the aeroplane. If the weather gods and flight path align, you’ll have the most incredible views of the Sydney Harbour and Opera House.
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