Go to Goa!

In no other place in the world do two contrasting cultures - Indian and Portuguese - come together as magically as in the sun-drenched state of Goa. The magic and mystery of Goa lies in the fact that it is not one place at all, but two.

On one hand you have the Goa of swaying palms and white-sand beaches, Portuguese mansions, a number of fascinating medieval churches and Hindu temples, bike rides among shimmering rice paddies and walks through lush spice plantations. It's a languid retreat, where time crawls by and cobbled alleyways lead you to quaint villages. A Goa that is filled with the romance of an era gone by. Filled with lush green forests, abundant sunshine and the legendary warmth and hospitality of the Goan people. The great churches of Old Goa including the Basilica of Bom Jesus, the Se Cathedral, the Church of St Cajetan and the Church of St. Francis of Assisi stand testimony to the Catholic influence.

Then there is another Goa. Sauve and urbane. Fun and sexy. Full of hedonistic parties, colourful festivals, spectacular pageantry and exhilarating adventure. A Goa that buzzes with energy and entices you with secrets. One of which is its distinctive cuisine spicy, delectable and totally unforgettable. With a nightlife second to none, Goa is indeed the party headquarters
of South East Asia.

And there's no telling which Goa will enthrall you, but rest assured that enthrall you, it will.

A capital time

Delhi is a city that blends the dynamism of a booming urban civilization with memories of a grand past, of overwhelming passion, of quiet culture, of Mughal spendour and a colonial past. It is the seat of political power and a city of myriad contradictions. Delhi is so much more than it seems to a first glance, a sum of parts far greater than anything that can be described on a single page in a guidebook.

Hardly surprising, since Delhi has been the capital of seven empires through Indian history and has over 60,000 recognized monuments built over several millennia. As per the Archaeological Survey of India, it is believed to be the site of Indraprastha, founded by the Pandavas of the Mahabharata more than 3000 years ago.

Delhi is a city that has moved forward with the rest of the world while keeping its roots firmly planted deep in the past. The capital of India and the nerve centre of Indian politics, it is now a throbbing metropolis, with everything a visitor may be looking for - history and culture, architectural marvels, the best of Indian and world cuisine, traditional bazaars offering a unique shopping experience, flamboyant restaurants and nightclubs, polo grounds, imperial gardens and much, much more.

The historic architecture of Delhi is one of its main tourist attractions. The majestic Red Fort, the towering Qutub Minar, the unique Jama Masjid and the Rashtrapati Bhavan are some of the most popular monuments visited by tourists. However, it is along the wayside, within bazaars and at almost every curve of any road in Delhi that there are fascinating ruins of tombs, palaces and mosques, unnamed and unmarked, waiting to be explored. With as many facets as a kaleidoscope, you can rest assured that you'll find a little bit of every part of India in this city.

Gateway to India:Mumbai

This is indeed India! The land of dreams and romance, of fabulous wealth and fabulous poverty, of splendour and rags, of palaces and hovels, of famine and pestilence, of genii and giants and Aladdin lamps, of tigers and elephants, the cobra in the jungle, the country of a hundred nations and a hundred tongues, of a thousand religions and two million gods, cradle of the human race, birthplace of human speech, mother of history, grandmother of legend, great-grandmother of traditions, whose yesterdays bear date with the smoldering antiquities of the rest of the nations - the one sole country under the sun that is endowed with an imperishable interest for alien prince and alien peasant, for lettered and ignorant, wise and fool, rich and poor, bond and free, the one land that all men desire to see, and having seen once, by even a glimpse would not give that glimpse for the shows of all the rest of the globe combined.

MUMBAI: Love it or hate it, you can't ignore it. Mumbai is a temptress. Ravaged by time, history and circumstance, she has risen above it all with an easy grace. She is a city of dreams, despair, drama and dazzle, with heartbreaking poverty set within staggering grandeur. A city that sparkles with promise and glints with tears of desolation.

Mumbai is India's capital of finance. It is also India's capital of glamour. A Victorian townscape more reminiscent of a prosperous 19th-century English industrial city than anything you'd expect to find on the edge of the Arabian Sea, Mumbai bustles and buzzes.

It is the headquarters of the Indian film industry, known to Indians as Bollywood. It is a city of starlets, slum-dwellers, dancing girls, crusading activists and poets, all of whom drift into the city to make it big. It is also the ideal hub from which to explore the famous Ajanta and Ellora caves, Elephanta Island and the charming hill resorts of the Western Ghats.

Complex and interesting, being in Mumbai with its vibrant streetlife, India's best nightlife and thousands of open-air and enclosed bazaars is like being smack-bang in the middle of a Bollywood masala potboiler movie. Addictively filled with drama, absurdity, pathos, wonder and lots of fun.

Cruising in Australia

On an island like Australia, water indulgences are found at every turn. In the Whitsundays you can bareboat charter your own yacht and take off to explore the islands and inlets. Or hire a skipper and a whole crew to cook for you and attend to your every need. Choose a spectacular cruise or a barefoot luxury adventure sailing between tropical islands and warm water reefs.

Enjoy the pleasure of sailing in Australia’s many harbours and tranquil bays. You can go champagne sailing at sunset or have lunch or dinner served while you cruise Sydney or Darwin Harbour or charter a yacht from almost any resort or island in Queensland to explore the coast or the reef at your own speed. Sleep on board listening to the sound of gentle lapping waves against the side of your boat. On inland rivers such as the Murray River you can hire a paddle steamer or captain your own houseboat and in the Margaret River region take a luxury cruise to the vineyards.

The Kimberley region of Western Australia is one of the last untouched wilderness areas on earth much of it only accessible by sea. Several adventure luxury cruises provide an amazing view of the Kimberley from a different perspective on luxury guided cruises on purpose built ships. Here, and in the Top End, luxury expedition cruises have onboard experts, speakers who can bring the voyage alive, as well as kayaks, canoes and helicopters on which to take off and explore these remote areas.

Whatever your preference, be it the slap of sail and creak of timber of a classic tall ship or the pleasures of luxury cruising, we have some of the most beautiful sailing and cruising destinations in the world. Australian cruises and charters will take you to magnificent tropical islands, white sandy beaches, crystal clear waters, sheltered coves or idyllic calm sailing waters. The scenery is spectacular beyond words, the marine life is teeming with vivid colours and magnificent corals and also waiting to be explored are our red cliffs, rugged ranges and spectacular gorges.

Key facts
* The Kimberley wilderness of Western Australia is three times larger than England but with a population of just 30,000.
* There are 74 islands in the Whitsundays but only a handful have resorts on them.
* The Great Australian Bight is the largest indentation on the Australian coastline and is said to be the longest line of seacliffs – some up to 60 metres high in the world.
* The Bay of Fires in Tasmania was named by international guide book The Lonely Planet the world's hottest travel destination in 2009, described as a castaway bay with a 29 kilometres ribbon of sea and surf.
Discover the magical north-west of Western Australia in luxury and comfort and experience wilderness in surroundings more akin to one of the world’s most exclusive hotels on a luxury cruise aboard the True North. Cruise in luxury through the Kimberley Range gorges to the remote cattle station of El Questro and the thunderous King George Falls onboard this luxury cruise ship with its own helipad and onboard helicopter for aerial flights over waterfalls, gorges and remote wilderness.

Explore the Kimberley Coast, one of the last untouched wildernesses on earth. Wild and beautiful, it is one of the planet’s oldest and most awe-inspiring landscapes – much of it only accessible by sea – on one of a number of luxury adventure cruises including Coral Princess Cruises, Seven Star Cruises and the magnificent Orion Expeditions.

Cruise the Top End in comfort on an Orion Expeditions Cruise departing from Darwin or Broome. Visit remote locations on the stunning Gove Peninsula, the Arnhem Land coastline and see the magnificent Mitchell Falls on a purpose built vessel designed to access the inaccessible, all in 5-star luxury. The ship combines the best and the latest in design with maritime and environmental technology, comfort and casual elegance. From the ice-strengthened hull to the chilled champagne and superb cuisine, this is expedition cruising at its finest, with onboard speakers and shoreside expeditions to areas that even most Australians don’t get to see.

Sail Darwin Harbour, the location for the movie Australia. Take in the glorious sunset and see the lights of Darwin and the night stars on a day, evening or overnight cruise on Darwin Harbour and its surrounding waters aboard Daymirri 2, a luxury 10 metre Seawind catamaran.

Treat yourself to a full or half day luxurious chartered sailing experience taking in the sights of majestic, world famous Sydney Harbour. Anchor for the night at Athol Bay where you’ll watch the lights of the city come alive and illuminate the Opera House – a truly memorable experience.

Sail Sydney Harbour at twilight, with the city framed by the Harbour Bridge- a magical experience aboard a luxury Beneteau yacht for just one couple plus the skipper. At sunset, the yacht is anchored in a secluded cove, a seafood dinner is served and then guests are left alone overnight to take in the tranquillity, the stars and the soothing sound of waves lapping the beach. After breakfast, the skipper returns and hoists sail for the return trip.

See the best of Sydney from the water when you charter a crewed private yacht on Sydney Harbour. Sail past the Opera House, under the bridge, by Taronga Zoo, visit Pittwater for a night, or slowly tack around Farm Cove and Rose Bay. Anchor overnight in a secluded bay in Sydney Harbour or set sail through the heads and explore Pittwater.

Canada: The perfect destination

Canada is one of the most exciting travel destinations in the world. The second-largest country in the world, it is a nation of tremendous cultural and ethnic diversity. Anchored by indigenous First Nations’ peoples and settled by French and British pioneers, Canada is a mosaic of culture and home to citizens from all over the world.

Few nations can equal Canada’s range of wildlife, natural splendour and geographic diversity. Bounded by the Atlantic, Pacific, and Arctic oceans, Canada features Rocky Mountain peaks, endless forests, prairie wheat fields, rainforest and desert. This extraordinary natural beauty is complemented by many vibrant cosmopolitan cities including Toronto, Montréal, Halifax, Calgary, Vancouver and Ottawa. Other exotic and unspoiled destinations include Banff & Jasper, Niagara, Whistler, Winnipeg, Churchill and Québec City.

Canada’s national parks contain some of the most diverse scenery on the planet. The rainforests to alpine glaciers, prairies to the Arctic, they support an immeasurable wealth and diversity of wildlife. Moose, deer, beavers, porcupines, elk, bald eagles and a great number of bears can be found roaming the wilderness of Canada. Polar bears, the fiercest members of the bear family, can be observed in Churchill, Manitoba.

A scenic rail trip is a must-do experience of a Canadian holiday to witness some amazing natural wonders, spectacular scenery and abundant wildlife. Ride aboard the world-acclaimed Rocky Mountaineer train, across the breathtaking scenery of the Canadian Rockies, rolling plains, picturesque meadows and the pristine blue sky.

An awe-inspiring experience is the spectacle of the mighty Niagara Falls on the international line between the cities Niagara Falls, Ontario and Niagara Falls, New York. These twin cities are connected by three bridges, including the Rainbow Bridge, which affords the closest view of the Falls. The Falls were formed 10,000 years ago as the retreating glaciers exposed the Niagara escarpment, thus permitting the waters of Lake Erie to flow north, over the scarp, to Lake Ontario.

Calgary, nestled in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, is a city that combines a thriving metropolis with Western roots and friendly small town hospitality. The city is home to the annual Calgary Stampede – ten incredible days of rodeo, chuckwagon races, music, food and fun. Also located in the province of Alberta are the serene mountain towns of Jasper, Banff and Lake Louise.

Vancouver is an urban adventurer’s delight. A city where you can ski in the morning, sail in the afternoon and still make it back to town for a drink in the evening. Vancouver offers a unique combination of big-city lifestyle and outdoor fun in close proximity.

Québec City is Canada's most beautifully located and most historic city. Vieux-Québec, surrounded by solid fortifications, is the only walled city in North America and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Its winding cobbled streets are flanked by 17th and 18th century stone houses and churches, graceful parks and squares, and countless monuments. A profoundly French city, with 95 percent French-speaking people, it is often difficult to remember which continent you are in as you tuck into a croissant and a steaming bowl of coffee in a Parisian-style café.

Canada has great amusement parks, public spaces, sports activities, games, casinos, spas, shopping centres, nightlife, hiking trails, parklands, fishing, golf, festivals, events and a wide array of exciting tours. The impressive natural surroundings offer fabulous outdoor opportunities, like hiking, skiing, rafting and fishing. The best time for outdoor activities is the fall, spring and summer. But if you want to enjoy skiing then you have travel during the winter months. Generally, spring runs mid-March to mid-May, summer mid-May to mid-September, fall mid-September to mid-November, and winter mid-November to mid-March.

Full of surprises, Canada is simply the most astonishingly beautiful country in the world. Take a scenic holiday into the heart of Canada. Keep exploring beautiful Canada.

Australia the gourmet way

The frequently touted cuisine title of 'modern Australian' is more likely to include tastes of Asia, Europe and every corner of the world. Eating is part of the Australian experience – the melange of cuisines, the freshest produce and the modern, innovative and distinctly Australian way it is served up. Chefs and restaurants Down Under are garnering international attention. Talented young guns are producing cutting edge food, with an emphasis on fresh seasonal and regional produce. Gourmet retreats and fine restaurants are also springing up in regional areas across the county in places like Mudgee, Orange, the Margaret River, Mornington Peninsula, the Limestone Coast, and the Queensland hinterland. Here you can take farm gate tours, follow farm trails or visit wineries. Try a tasting plate, take a food tour, or splash out at five star hotels, resorts and retreats, where you can indulge in intimate gourmet experiences.

Australia's wine regions are producing fabulous wines and food. Take a private plane or helicopter to lunch in the Hunter, Yarra, Clare or Swan Valley. There are endless perfect settings for outside dining, whether it’s dinner in the desert under the big, starry skies at Uluru or a feast of ocean catch on the shore. Fantastic food accompanied by truly great wine is always on the menu in Australia. Now that the rest of the world has discovered the Taste of Australia the country has become a culinary destination par excellence. Join us in celebrating the evolving and exciting world of food and wine in Australia.
Key facts
* Cheong Liew’s signature dish, The Four Dances of the Sea, was once nominated by The Weekend Australian as Australia’s national dish. American Food & Wine magazine has also named Cheong one of the 'world’s 10 hottest chefs alive'.
* The 1990 Penfold’s Grange became the first wine outside California and France to be named Wine Spectator magazine’s Best Red Wine in the World.
* Absynthe on the Gold Coast was recently named as Australia’s Best Restaurant by British newspaper The Daily Mail.
* If you thought Port Douglas was just a sleepy seaside resort, think again. At 26 Spencer Patrick was the youngest chef to be awarded a Michelin star. After cooking in London's top eateries alongside such chefs as Raymond Blanc and Marco Pierre White, he has started a new venture, Harrisons, in Port Douglas, dishing up world class food.
* Tetsuya Wakuda’s Sydney restaurant has been voted among the top ten restaurants in the world numerous times. The French-Japanese food from Sydney’s kitchen wizard has dazzled the rest of the culinary world with his cool, elegant inner-city restaurant, which regularly appears on lists of the world’s finest dining experiences. The dinner menu is a fixed-price, degustation-style kaiseki menu of around a dozen courses.
* The Lakeside Restaurant at Cape Lodge in Western Australia’s Margaret River wine region, was recently voted number four in the world for food by Conde Nast Traveller.
* Lizard Island, 240km north of Cairns and 27km off the coast of North Queensland, was recently named the Best Desert Island Escape by the Forbes Traveller 400, the premier list of deluxe hotels. It also ranked sixth place in the Top 20 International Hideaways list by Andrew Harper’s Hideaway Report.
* Nine Sydney restaurants were awarded three stars in Australian Gourmet Traveller’s 2009 list of the best 100 Australian restaurants.
* Famed English seafood celebrity chef Rick Stein has moved to Australia and taken over at Bannister’s Lodge, a retreat on the stunning NSW South Coast at Mollymook.
Uniquely Australian
*Join the Kitchen Table at Aria, one of Australia’s award winning restaurant with panoramic views overlooking Circular Quay and the Sydney Opera House and high profile chef Matt Moran at the helm. With this exclusive in-kitchen fine dining experience, guests sit elevated on an observation platform within the kitchen, where they can observe the spectacle and drama of busy frontline chefs at work and interact with their chef as each course is created, from raw ingredients to plate. The Kitchen Table menu consists of eight tasting courses featuring some of Moran’s signature dishes and matching wines, creating a fabulous food experience.
* Eat at the restaurant awarded Australia’s best two years in a row by leading food guide Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide. Try the degustation menu of three hatted chef Peter Gilmore at Quay, which has fabulous views overlooking Sydney Harbour, the Opera House and Circular Quay from the top level of a cruise passenger terminal.
* Head to a relaxing gourmet retreat just outside Sydney. Renowned Sydney chef and cookbook author Stefano Manfredi who pioneered Modern Italian in Australia has taken over at Bells at Killcare, a relaxing country gourmet retreat at Killcare on the NSW Central Coast. Manfredi is also in charge of the menu at exclusive sister property, Pretty Beach House where guests get to eat whenever and wherever they’d like, on demand.
* Sample chef Cheong Liew’s sublime eight-course degustation menu, a gastronomic journey that you’ll never forget at one of South Australia’s top luxury dining experiences, The Grange Restaurant in the Adelaide Hilton.
* Discover the history of Australia’s premier wine at this world-renowned Australian establishment, home to South Australia’s most famous wine, Penfolds Grange. Explore the cellars, take a tutored tasting of premium wines, dine in one of Australia’s best restaurants and treat yourself to one of the most famous wines on the planet at Penfold’s Magill Estate, which is also home to Magill Estate Restaurant which is consistently rated one of the State’s top fine dining experiences.
* Eat your way around the island of Tasmania, a gastronomic paradise. In Hobart there’s Gondwana, Lebrina, Marque IV, Moorilla Estate and, just out of the city, Meadowbank Estate. In Launceston, Stillwater Restaurant and the Mill Providore, beside the beautiful Tamar River, has grown into one of Australia's favourite food destinations. In the north, regional fare features the stunning Georgian homestead Calstock, near Deloraine; on the west coast, gracious dining on the edge of the wilderness at Franklin Manor, Strahan; in the south, the stunning architecture of Peppermint Bay restaurant and provedore at Woodbridge; or the rammed earth restaurant at Home Hill Winery.
* Enjoy three days of tasting and discussing Tasmania's finest food and wines at Cradle Mountain Lodge. Indulge in a gourmet extravaganza, rated among the country's best food and wine experiences. Cradle Mountain Lodge has hosted Tasmania's premier culinary event, Tastings at the Top for the last 15 years. A stellar line-up of providores this year includes boutique winemakers, beer brewers and specialist growers from various regions in Tasmania. Taste your way from degustation dinners to wine tastings; to wilderness walks and decadent spa treatments at the famous Waldheim Alpine Spa, Tastings at the Top encompasses the very best Tasmania has to offer.
* Experience Wineglass to Wine Glass. Walk from Freycinet Lodge to Wineglass Lookout then down to the white-sanded shores of Wineglass Bay where a banquet awaits. Indulge in Tasmania's finest food and wine near the turquoise waters of the Freycinet Peninsula on Tasmania’s pristine East Coast. You will be served local produce and cool-climate wines, including the freshest seafood from east coast waters, Tasmanian beef and quail, salads and Tasmanian cheeses.
* Retreat to The Louise, an idyllic vineyard retreat in the heart of Shiraz country with breathtaking views, 15 luxury suites and a highly acclaimed onsite restaurant, Appellation. One of Australia’s top regional dining experiences, it is the perfect haven for food and wine connoisseurs, surrounded by hundreds of acres of vineyards in the Barossa Valley.
* Head out on a Food Safari of South Australia with Outback Encounter. A "foodie's" dream come true, you’ll try the freshest local produce and some of the best wines Australia has to offer. This tasting journey on a 9-seater private Propjet Charter plane, will take you across the South Australian state to meet with gourmet chefs, cheese makers, abalone farmers, olive oil producers, wine makers, tuna farmers, and swimming with the mighty Southern Blue Fin Tuna. This seven day Food Safari covers Kangaroo Island to the Eyre Peninsula and the Barossa Valley to hunt, collect and experience various local and regional delicacies.
* Tour the Margaret River region in style. Starting from either Injidup Spa Retreat or Smith’s Beach Resort in Yallingup, you’ll be picked up in a luxurious ivory Silver Shadow Rolls-Royce for a short tour. Awaiting you will be a gourmet lunch picnic. Then retreat to your villa and watch the sun set with a bottle of Pol Roger Champagne or order in-villa dining with a private chef.
* During a luxury stay in WA’s Margaret River region indulge in the scenery as well as the gastronomic delights and world-class wineries of the Margaret River region on a Margaret River Discovery Tour with either an exclusive small group or private touring. Visit a range of Margaret River's wineries, from the small emerging superstars to the esteemed estates, then indulge in a special food and wine pairing lunch at Cape Mentelle winery.
* Take a cooking lesson with award winning Executive Chef Tony Howell at the recently opened cooking school at the five-star Cape Lodge in the Margaret River region. A three hour class in the gourmet kitchen of Cape Lodge’s magnificent Private Residence, is followed by a five course dinner in the Cape Lodge Restaurant where Howell changes the menu daily and uses only the finest local produce. Located on its own vineyard on the banks of a private lake, three hours south of Perth, Cape Lodge is one of Australia’s finest boutique hotels.
* Indulge in a city sights stroll for the ‘epicurious’ in Melbourne, the Victorian capital. Taking in classic restaurants, and the latest buzz venues, The Sommeliers City Walk is a unique and interesting way to see and experience what’s happening in Melbourne’s wine and food scene. Small groups stroll and visit three restaurants tasting nine wines matched with nine generous menu “tastes” in an intimate setting with the city’s top sommeliers.
* Head east from Melbourne, to the rolling hills, contented cows and fabulous food of the famous Yarra Valley, an easy hour's drive. The Yarra Valley is now the home to over 40 wineries. Visit Domaine Chandon, the Australian arm of French Champagne giant Moet et Chandon. Stop for lunch at Yering Station, the site of the Valley’s oldest winery, with sensational views and delicious food. Then stay the night at Chateau Yering where you can continue the gastronomic journey.
* Follow your appetite to the region that takes indulgence to another level, Daylesford, a leisurely 90 minute drive from Melbourne. With tranquil rural atmosphere, spas and wonderful food, dinner at the multi-award winning Lake House is a 'must' destination for lovers of good food and wine. Daylesford is the gourmet heart in a region known for its highly-rated restaurants and food so fresh it comes straight from the paddock to your plate: chestnuts, wild mushrooms, morello cherries, wild berries, rabbits, venison, duck, free-range chickens and eggs, trout, yabbies, lamb and beef. The Lake House is part of the Small Luxury Hotel complex complete with six acres of manicured gardens, stylish accommodation and the Salus Day Spa.
* Learn the art of modern French cooking at Absynthe on the Gold Coast, recently named Australia’s Best Restaurant by British newspaper The Daily Mail. Learn from star chef Meyjitte Boughenout as he leads hands-on cooking classes on the professional art of food preparation and presentation. French-born Meyjitte has won numerous awards in Australia and scored two Michelin stars as head chef at a prestigious Belgian restaurant. Classes are held over four days from 2pm until 7pm on-site in the Absynthe kitchen.
* Dine with the Tides, a romantic dinner for two on the jetty at Orpheus Island, listening to the waves lap the shore and feeding the marine life below.
* Savour the seven course degustation menu at Peppers Spicers Peak Lodge, a two hour drive south-west of Brisbane. Breathe in the fresh mountain air and indulge in fine food and wine at this all-inclusive lodge, with just 10 luxurious suites, which sits atop a large private cattle property. At 1,100 metres, it’s the highest retreat in Queensland. If you feel like taking lunch into the great outdoors, the chef can prepare a gourmet hamper picnic for you.
* Stay in a luxury mountain retreat at Spicers Clovelly Estate, the first property in the new Spicers Retreats, Hotels and Lodges range of boutique properties, which opened this year near Montville in the Sunshine Coast hinterland. Set on nine hectares of lush country land, with only 10 suites it has modern French furnishings and luxury linens, a day spa and a fine dining restaurant with an innovative four or seven course degustation menu and extensive wine list.
* Eat in the Dune House at the heart of the camp at Longitude 1310, a stunning communal facility offering exquisite food and wine, a do-it-yourself or fully serviced cocktail bar, extensive library and reclusive lounge. Longitude 1310 is quite simply one of the best wilderness hotels in the world where you stay in one of fifteen tented sanctuaries in the desert, catering for just 30 guests and set atop an isolated sand dune near Uluru.
* Dine under a sparkling outback sky when you experience the Sounds of Silence. With the setting of the sun behind Kata Tjuta and Uluru in the distance, guests dine under the canopy of the desert night, your very own storyteller shares tales as told in the stars. As the sun sets, you feast on a buffet of authentic Australian delicacies including barramundi, kangaroo, emu and crocodile, bush salads and sweets, complemented by Australian wines. This is a unique dining experience that provides the romance of the desert, gourmet outback fare and star-filled heavens.
* Get close to politics and the corridors of power at The Ginger Room in the members dining room of Old Parliament House, one of Canberra’s most elegant and historic settings. European and Asian influences are drawn on by the owner/chef to create an exciting menu with an impressive selection of Australian, Italian and French wines and the adjoining lounge area is great for pre or post dinner drinks.
* Follow the Poacher's Way, trying one or all of the charming venues that form part of it. Dine with a vineyard view towards Parliament House at the extended Pialligo Estate Cafe in Pialligo. Feast while overlooking the mysterious Lake George at the Lerida Estate Winery. Delicious food matched with cool climate wines await at Lambert Vineyards near Bungendore and Shaw Vineyard Estate, Murrumbateman. Other outstanding country restaurants on the Poacher's Way include Grazing, the 2007 Australian Tourism Award Winner, at Gundaroo; Poachers Pantry Smokehouse Cafe near Hall where you can try delicious gourmet smoked products; the Lynwood Cafe in Collector and Cafe Schönegg which offers innovative dishes made with fresh regional produce at Country Guesthouse Schönegg.

A touch of romance in Australia

Australia is the perfect place for romance. Take in one of our magnificent sunrises or sunsets wrapped in the arms of your beloved. Lose yourself on a secluded island retreat, be pampered at a glorious day spa or explore the peace and tranquillity of nature’s most spectacular landscapes. It doesn’t matter whether you’re on a honeymoon, a romantic getaway or celebrating an anniversary, Australia has romantic havens aplenty for you to explore.

You can find the perfect beach house, resort or private villa or a luxury pavilion in one of the most amazing places on earth. A place where you can walk barefoot on the beach, swing in a hammock, lounge about in the plunge pool or take in the view from your own private deck and watch the sun melt into the sea.

Enjoy canapés at sunset overlooking a secluded bay or a candlelit dinner on the beach. You can if you wish have your own personal chef and butler, private spa pool, plunge pool and rejuvenation therapies for an indulgent recharge. Take a resort boat and picnic hamper to a remote beach for a day’s seclusion or escape to your own private island.

Key facts
* Australia’s northernmost resort, Lizard Island sits right on the spectacular Great Barrier Reef in Queensland. The Ribbon Reefs near Lizard Island are also renowned for some of the best big game fishing in the world.
* Cradle Mountain Lodge, a wilderness retreat, is set on the northern edge of the World Heritage listed Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park in Tasmania.
* The Blue Mountains are blue because of droplets of eucalyptus in the air from the massive eucalypt forests.
* Kangaroo Island is a wildlife haven of international significance. Cut adrift from the mainland it preserves species that no longer exist in other parts of Australia.
* The Daylesford region of Victoria is an area that contains Australia's largest concentration of natural mineral springs.

Uniquely Australian
Stay at an exclusive island retreat at the privately owned eastern end of Bedarra Island. An oasis of seclusion for romantic couples, East Bedarra Villa is on the water’s edge on a two-acre estate that wraps around a palm-fringed white sand beach. Doorila Cove is considered the most beautiful beach on the island. Here you can swim or snorkel for hours in the warm clear turquoise waters of the coral sea.

Magical Mauritius

The Republic of Mauritius is an island nation about 900 kilometres east of Madagascar. It was colonised only during the 17th century, when the Dutch occupied the land that was - and to some extent still is - a treasurehouse of flora and fauna; later the French moved in and then the British, until the island became independent in 1968. Today, it is the ideal holiday destination, providing the perfect vacation ambience with sun, sea, surf and sand, melding beautifully with friendly people, wonderful food and places to stay that come very close to the definition of heaven. Mercury Travels has two fabulous options for the holiday traveller to choose from...

Option 1
All rates are per person in USD valid till 31 Aug 2010

(except for Intercon which is valid till 31 July 2010)
Casuarina 3*
Standard package: 4 nights: USD 311
Standard package: 6 nights: USD 450
Ambre 4*
Standard package: 4 nights: USD 321
Standard package: 6 nights: USD 462
Honeymoon package: 4 nights: USD 311
Honeymoon package: 6 nights: USD 445
Maritim 4*
Standard package: 4 nights: USD 472
Standard package: 6 nights: USD 690
Honeymoon package: 4 nights: USD 362
Honeymoon package: 6 nights: USD 528
Intercontinental 5*
Standard package: 4 nights: USD 500
Standard package: 6 nights: USD 738
Honeymoon package: 4 nights: USD 452
Honeymoon package: 6 nights: USD 666
Inclusions:
· Accommodation on Half-board basis (including breakfast & dinners excl drinks)
· Airport – Hotel – Airport Transfers.
· Meet and greet at airport
· Full Day South tour including visits to Floreal, Volcanic Crater at Trou Aux Cerfs, Grand Bassin, Black River Gorges & Chamarel (including entrance fee)
· Full Day North tour including visit to Port Louis, Caudan Waterfront & Pamplemousses Garden**(excluding entrance fee)
· Full Day Ile Aux Cerf island tour with speed boat transfers
· Service of Local Representative during stay
· English Speaking Driver Guide
· All Transfers & Tours by AC Coach on Seat in Coach basis
Option 2
MAURITIUS LE MERIDIEN SUMMER SPECIAL 2010
All rates are per person in USD in Deluxe Room valid from 14 May - 26 Jul 2010
Standard package: 4 nights: USD 444
Standard package: 6 nights: USD 590
Honeymoon package: 4 nights: USD 368
Honeymoon package: 6 nights: USD 524
*HM: Honeymoon : complimentary t-shirt, pareo, bottle of house wine, honeymoon dinner & 25 minute duo massage
Package Inclusions:
· Accommodation on Half-board basis (including breakfast & dinners excl drinks)
· Airport – Hotel – Airport Transfers.
· Meet and greet at airport
· Full Day South tour including visits to Floreal, Volcanic Crater at Trou Aux Cerfs, Grand Bassin, Black River Gorges & Chamarel (including entrance fee)
· Full Day North tour including visit to Port Louis, Caudan Waterfront & Pamplemousses Garden**(excluding entrance fee)
· Full Day Ile Aux Cerf island tour with speed boat transfers
· Service of Local Representative during stay
· English Speaking Driver Guide
· All Transfers & Tours by AC Coach on Seat in Coach basis
*Terms and conditions apply.

Exclusive Australia

Exclusive hideaways are everywhere – a secluded lodge, an intimate boutique hotel, a mountain or coastal retreat away from the crowds. Australia is home to some fabulous luxury properties. These private hideaways represent a new style of distinctively Australian casual elegance and luxury – places where you can relax in your own world.

Hide away in your own exclusive gated enclave on the northernmost tip of a Queensland resort island, at qualia. Your luxury timber pavilion with ceiling to floor glass walls has wraparound views over the Whitsundays, an infinity pool, gourmet dining on the water’s edge and a central spa where you can have a hot stone massage with 300 million year-old stones.

Be one of the first to stay in a world class sanctuary on Tasmania’s pristine Freycinet Peninsula. Saffire will be an inspirational coastal sanctuary delivering sophisticated five star luxury. A rejuvenating and enlightening retreat, Saffire will enrich, uplift, and change the way you feel about life.

Get away from the crowds on East Bedarra Island. Bedarra Hideaway, a privately owned retreat, is a work of art nestled between a lush backdrop of tropical rainforest and a pure white sun kissed secluded beach. Every square inch of this exclusive island hideaway has its own distinctive character - a blend of tropical hideaways around the world. Bedarra Hideaway’s three hexagon building is a reflection of world renowned photographer and owner Peter Lik's unique personality.

Enter the private gates and drive to the top of the escarpment to Pretty Beach House. Three secluded villas sit high on the Central Coast's secluded Wagstaffe Peninsula, 90 minutes north of Sydney. Pretty Beach House is resoundingly an exclusive hideaway for couples, with day beds and private heated plunge pools, a private chef on demand and around-the clock butler service.

Indulge with a guilt free conscience at New South Wales latest exclusive hideaway, Emirates Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa, Australia’s first luxury wildlife and conservation based resort. There’s just 40 freestanding pavilions, each with their own pools.

Hide from the neighbours at the Avalon Coastal Resort – soak in the Huon Pine bathtub as you admire the views through wall to wall glass of the magnificent Tasmanian East Coast and unwind. Don’t worry, there are no neighbours – just you, the cliffs and the ocean.

Immerse yourself in wild bush luxury at Bamurru Plains where you’ll find romance in the lap of nature. Stay in one of nine individual safari suites which blend into the surrounding bush in the Mary River floodplains to the west of Kakadu National Park. Listen to the sights and the sounds of the bush, as you soak up the atmosphere from the luxury of your secluded suite with all the creature comforts of a luxury hotel.

Stay in a luxury lodge on Kangaroo Island. Set high on a coastal clifftop, commanding spectacular ocean, beach and wilderness views, Southern Ocean Lodge is the ultimate fusion of nature and luxury. Premium lodge facilities, a spa retreat, personal service and sophisticated dining deliver a stylish and exclusive Kangaroo Island experience.

Experience the beauty and majesty of Moonlight Head Lodge on the Great Ocean Road in Victoria, an exclusive luxury lodge on Australia’s highest headland. Designed and owned by one of Australia’s foremost architects, Glenn Murcutt, it is orientated towards the sea, amidst dramatic landscapes and pure luxury in a magnificent semi wilderness location.

Escape to one of the most powerful places on earth, staying in complete luxury and awaking to your own private view of the sunrise over Uluru at Longitude 131. Your room is a palatial tent, and you will be one of a maximum of 30 guests ‘camping’ atop an isolated sand dune just outside the boundary of the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park in the Northern Territory.

Enjoy the exclusive islands, fabulous wilderness lodges, glamorous tented camps in the desert and in coastal sand dunes, exclusive spa and vineyard retreats, and remote country properties where you can leave the city behind and live ensconced in true outback luxury.