Living in Australia, it seems a chore to travel literally anywhere. Being on a literal island in the Southern Hemisphere, it takes at least three hours to get off the island – and that’s to our sister, NZ (no shame). Not to mention, it takes five hours to travel from Sydney to Perth, so I mean, you may as well go for a long haul. It’s safe to say we’re on a deserted island when it comes to our ability to travel anywhere, given that Europeans are able to hop on a train and travel to France for a casual day trip.
If your new years resolution is something along the lines of seeing more of the world or having more experiences, well you’re in the right place. TripAdvisor just announced the most in-demand travel destinations for 2019, and boy we’re droooooling. So whether you’ve just finished uni and are taking a gap year, just finished school and taking a gap year, or just sick of work and need a break – you’re sorted. From traditional tea ceremonies in Japan to something closer to home like Uluru, we’ve teamed up with TripAdvisor to get you some pretty sweet deals.
Kimono Tea Ceremony – Osaka, Japan
Held in an old geisha house (okiya) with the best selection of kimonos, Kimono Tea Ceremony Maikoya offers travellers a fun and unique introduction to the Japanese culture with a traditional tea ceremony, kimono wearing, Japanese calligraphy, the art of wrapping gifts (furoshiki), origami, and much more. Prices start at $63AUD
Machu Picchu Day Trip – Cusco, Peru
Set high in the Andes Mountains in Peru, Australian travellers will be in awe when they visit Machu Picchu. Collected from your Cusco accommodation, travel by train to the spectacular 15th-century Inca site, where you will learn about the Inca Empire – the largest in pre-Columbian America – and explore ancient stairways, delicate carvings, and sweeping views. Pre-booking a tour ensures you’ll have a ticket for the UNESCO World Heritage Site, where daily visitor numbers are capped. Prices start at $494AUD
Best of Niagara Falls Tour – Ontario, Canada
Northern Lights Tour – Tromso, Norway
An unmissable Norwegian experience is the Northern Lights – a spectacular natural light display in the Earth’s sky. This phenomenon is notoriously hard to predict, even in Tromso, so to increase chances of a sighting, Aussie travellers should book a guided excursion. This tour offers a guide who chooses a prime viewpoint according to the day’s weather and as you watch the sky, provides soup beside a fire lit camp. From AUD $276
Private Tour: Venice Gondola Ride with Serenade – Venice, Italy
This next experience is quintessentially Venice, and shouldn’t be missed.For all you love birds, you’ll have a private, serenaded gondola ride through the famed canals of Venice. Glide past ancient palazzi and magnificent cathedrals on a traditional handcrafted gondola, while musicians serenade you with Italian ballads. Gondolas have room for up to four passengers, so it’s the perfect opportunity for romance or an unforgettable adventure. From AUD $547.11
3-Day Glacier Express Tour from Zurich – Zurich, Switzerland
Switzerland’s Glacier Express train route is one of the world’s most famous rail journeys, crossing 291 bridges and passing through 91 tunnels on a thrilling climb through the Swiss Alps. Along the way, listen to commentary via complimentary headphones explaining the engineering feat of building a rail line at high altitude. The three-day tour includes discounted rail tickets and daily breakfast, overnight stays in Zermatt and St. Moritz, and two-for-one dining deals. From AUD $746
Uluru Camel Express, Sunrise, or Sunset Tours – Uluru, Australia
Closer to home, Aussie travellers can experience the outback like the Australian pioneers did on this camel riding tour around one of the world’s great wonders, Uluru, and the ancient rock formations, Kata Tjuta. The guide of the customisable tour will teach you about the Red Centre’s wildlife and ecology, as you ride around some of Australia’s most iconic landmarks. From AUD $80
Blue Lagoon – Grindavik, Iceland
Named in 2012 as one of National Geographic’s “25 Wonders of the World,” Blue Lagoon has evolved into a world of geothermal wonder. Blue Lagoon is located in a sprawling, 800 year-old lava field in the heart of the Reykjanes Peninsula – a UNESCO Geopark. The unique properties of its waters provide not only an enchanting lagoon experience for Australian travellers, but also are the patented, active ingredients in ‘Blue Lagoon Skin Care’: silica, algae, and minerals. From AUD $79.14
Full-Day Tour from Cairo: Giza Pyramids, Sphinx, Memphis, and Saqqara – Cairo, Egypt
Great Wall of China at Badaling and Ming Tombs Day Tour from Beijing – Beijing, China
The Great Wall of China is a travel bucket list must. Although it was once thought to have been built entirely during the Qin Dynasty (between 221 and 238 BC), it is now believed to have been started earlier. On the full-day tour, Australian travellers will discover two of China’s most incredible attractions – marvel at one of the best-preserved parts of the Wall, and explore the Chang Ling Tomb, a magnificent Ming Emperor burial site. Travellers will then appease their appetite with an authentic Chinese lunch. From AUD $103.13
