Jetsettersblog

Gaia Retreat & Spa has won ‘Best Destination Spa’ at the Australasian Spa Association Awards (ASPA) 2008. It was also placed in the top three ‘Best Hotel Spa” category at the Awards, held during the eight annual Spa Conference in Hobart 25-28 July.

General Manager Gregg Cave said that the Best Destination Spa award was prized by his co owners and Gaia’s staff as it represents recognition from spa industry colleagues and ASPA members.

“I am also delighted that Gaia is making a further contribution to tourism in northern New South Wales. This honour comes just six months after winning the Conde Nast Traveller UK award for the same category.”

Gaia is location glorious, at Brooklet in the lush green hinterland of Byron Bay. Its famed Amala Day Spa has some of the industry’s finest practitioners.

 

Visit www.gaiaretreat.com.au

The Land of Many Waters is not a destination to plan as a quick overnight stop. The 110 kilometre coastline and myriad of inland waters of the new Batemans Marine Park, a lush landscape made up of picturesque villages and towns and the uniques hinterland which has 72 % of the area covered by National Parks and Sate Forests, offers visitors plenty to do and see.

The region will gently delight you, day, after day, with the unexpected and undiscovered. It’s a place people talk about and plan to return to.

Caravaners and campers can easily navigate throughout Eurobodalla with little traffic chaos and few parking problems. And there are plenty of places to stay, from 5 star holiday parks to primitive camping grounds, on the beaches, by rivers, and in the bush.

Some are tucked away, seemingly forgotten about by all except the native animals and birds that might curiously watch as you set up camp. Others awake and finish your day with a palette of ever-changing colours on the horizon to make even the busiest person stop and appreciate the many hues of blue.

It’s true what they say, the sky is a different colour on the south coast.

And if your idea of a perfect holiday means staying within walking distance of shops, cafes, restaurants and clubs, well look no further. You can find a perfect nature based location, right on the beach or river, and still be in minutes walking distance from everything you need.

From September to November this land of many waters celebrates spring with whale watching, the Narooma Blues Festival, the Moruya Jazz Festival, a generous menu of open gardens, walking trails rich with native bird and wildlife and a wondrous range of sea life close to shore.

Other must see and do’s are a visit to Mogo Zoo and its ever expanding family of rare and endangered species, Birdland with it’s colourful and diverse bird and animal life and Old Mogo Town where bushrangers and the rich history of our gold mining past come alive again.

Hump back Whales, Southern Right Whales, Fin Whales, Brydes Whales, Sei Whales, Blue Whales and Orcas have all been seen in recent years and there has even been a sighting of a rare albino humpback off Montague Island. The whales are on their return journey from September to November and are seen all along the Eurobodalla Coast and particularly around Narooma. The edge of the continental shelf runs unusually close to shore providing nutrition-rich krill and warm currents which they “hitch” a ride on.

The many headlands offer excellent land based vantage spots and there is no more rewarding experience than seeing these majestic creatures up close from a boat. Tours depart daily from Narooma and Batemans Bay.

The Great Southern Blues and Rockabilly Festival in Narooma, now in its thirteenth year, consistently serves up a potent mix of fresh talent and veteran style.

Sixteen international and Australian artists have been announced already and this year’s festival look like being one of the finest in Australia this year. And there are plenty of caravan and camping options both on-site and in easy walking distance.

The hot rhythms and cool swing of the annual Moruya Jazz Festival in October brings a little piece of New Orleans to Eurobodalla.

The satin Jazz men get out their horns and the small town welcomes performers like The Mike Hallam Hot Six and The Society Syncopators. The atmosphere is infectious at this community-owned event where locals and visitors rub shoulders in the best of spirits.

The Eurobodalla Regional Botanic Gardens is well worth a visit for its wide variety of flora and fauna. 2000 species of flora are on show you may come across kangaroos, wallabies, bandicoots, possums, echidnas, snakes, lizards, frogs and many bird species.

Display gardens, walking tracks, picnic and barbeque facilities, a herbarium, information centre and café are some of the features to be found in the Gardens complex. The open gardens at Tilba Tilba’s Foxglove Spire Gardens is considered one of Australia best and described as an art gallery of living paintings and blooming panorama.

4 acres of lovingly tended gardens and a 100 year old cottage are set next to a café, nursery and shops.

And there is so much more. Art and craft galleries, scrumptious cafes and restaurants, boutique shopping, history and heritage, local produce, fishing, sailing, golf, bowls, bushwalking, kayaking, cruises and boat trips to enjoy the waterways.

The friendly and professional staff at the Eurobodalla Visitor Centres, on the highway at Batemans Bay and Narooma and at the library in Moruya, can help with accommodation and tour bookings and local knowledge on the best way to enjoy this unique and very special, Land of Many Waters.

Phone 1800 802 528 or visit www.eurobodalla.com.au

Mobil Travel Guide announced the release of its second international guidebook featuring hotel and spa ratings entitled Mobil Travel Guide: Hong Kong & Macau.

This guide, the second in Mobil Travel Guide’s inaugural suite of international titles, will feature information on the tourism landscape in these two regions. In addition, Mobil Travel Guide will release the newest international additions to their esteemed Four- and Five-Star list of hotels and spas in Hong Kong and Macau on Nov. 6. Mobil Travel Guide: Hong Kong & Macau comes fast on the heels of the company’s first ever international guide, Mobil Travel Guide: Beijing, which was released this past May.

Mobil Travel Guide’s international guidebook collection will expand to Europe, with the release of Mobil Travel Guide: London in July 2009 Mobil Travel Guide: Hong Kong & Macau gives the reader insider access to the areas’ best hotels, hottest restaurants, sights, shopping, cultural attractions and much more, plus maps for easy navigation throughout the region.

The guide includes more than 50 Star-Rated hotels and nearly 70 top restaurants offering great values at every pricepoint, from luxury to budget.

The guide also includes Star rated hotel and resort spas in Hong Kong and Macau.

The Mobil Travel Guide: Hong Kong & Macau ($17.95) will be distributed by the Langensheidt Publishing Group and will be released in November.

Visit www.mobiltravelguide.com

The South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism launched new websites designed specifically for smart phones and other hand-held devices.

The sites are www.DiscoverSouthCarolina.mobi and www.SouthCarolinaParks.mobi.

They contain key information about South Carolina attractions, events, lodging, shopping, golf courses, state parks, and even a select group of uniquely South Carolina restaurants, in a format suitable for the small screen.

Removing display items such as maps, photographs, videos and graphics from the full-featured sites at www.DiscoverSouthCarolina.com and www.SouthCarolinaParks.com allows consumers to easily access useful information about the Palmetto State while on the go.

For more information, visit www.DiscoverSouthCarolina.com or www.SouthCarolinaParks.com

The content provider Modality has begun releasing Frommer’s Travel Guides for iPhone and iPod Touch. The 2008 editions of Frommer’s New York, San Francisco, London and Paris are available for purchase and download on Apple.com via the new Apple Store and on iTunes for $9.99. Additional Frommer’s guides are scheduled for release by Modality in late 2008.

For more information, visit www.frommers.com/go/mobile

MSC Cruises’ new MSC Fantasia, the largest ship ever built for a European owner, will feature the 17,000-square-foot Aurea Spa.

The ship will be christened in Naples on Dec. 18. One of the spa treatments is Q-Frequency, a machine designed to eliminate cellulite, localized fat deposits, stretch marks, acne and drooping facial skin. Using the effects of radiofrequency and biocompatible energy, Q-Frequency purports to help with toning, cellulite reduction, slimming and anti-wrinkle treatment, and an anti-aging lifting effect.

St. George’s Caye Lodge in Belize added six new cabanas, a spa, a large swimming pool and a newly refitted 35-foot dive boat. Seven miles from Belize City, the lodge offers snorkeling, windsurfing, sailing, kayaking, barbecuing on a reef in the ocean, guided flats, reef and deep sea fishing packages.

The lodge also has a fully equipped dive school.

For more information, call 800-813-8498 or visit www.gooddiving.com

The Anaheim GardenWalk, an outdoor shopping, dining and entertainment center, has opened within walking distance from the Anaheim Convention Center and the Disneyland Resort.

The complex offers 440,000 square feet of retail, dining and entertainment areas amid manicured and unique gardens.

The first phase opened with six nationally known restaurants including Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., the California Pizza Kitchen, the Cheesecake Factory, McCormick & Schmick’s Grille, P.F. Chang’s and Roy’s.

The second phase opened June 14. One of the Anaheim GardenWalk’s main features is 300 Anaheim Bowling & Entertainment Center, an upscale bowling lounge with a concierge who, upon proper fitting, delivers guests’ bowling balls to their lanes. In addition, guests can enjoy personal lane-side service while dining on menu items created by the executive chef.

Other highlights include a 14-screen movie complex with an IMAX that features first-run and classic movies; Heat Ultra Lounge, a 10,000-square-foot nightclub and special event venue; and retail stores, including a Bar Louie, Chico’s, Harley-Davidson of Anaheim, Hollister, O’Neill, Pop the Cork wine bar and Tommy Bahama. The final phase will include two hotels with a combined total of 866 guestrooms and a 400-unit timeshare property scheduled to open end of 2010.

The hotel meeting and event space will include 36,000 square feet in one hotel and 14,000 square feet in the other. Call 714-635-7400 or visit www.anaheimgardenwalk.com

Just You (0800 915 8000, www.justyou.co.uk)  the UK’s leading specialist in holidays for single travellers, has launched its new Europe & Worldwide brochure for 2009 with some great suggestions for the festive season. It features 140 pages and 21 new ideas to culturally stimulating and scenically beautiful destinations – all designed with the single traveller in mind.

A new hotel ratings system has been introduced which is based on feedback from Just You customers. Hotels are rated on a scale from one (acceptable) to five (outstanding), so guests can see which hotels are considered the best.

Itineraries span everything from traditional touring holidays, city breaks and walking holidays to river and ocean cruises and memorable classic journeys by train. There is also a great collection of ideas to festivals and carnivals around the world, such as the Pushkar Camel Fair in India, Venice Carnival and Mardi Gras in New Orleans.

Peter Squires, Head of Brand at Just You said: “Just You is all about enjoying the world with like-minded people, safe in the knowledge that you will be travelling as part of a group. We do not feature single supplements and guests are allocated their own room.

Despite the fact that some four million people a year travel alone – for many, contemplating a holiday alone can prove very daunting, hence why Just You offer ‘Discovery Weekends’ around the UK aimed at anyone contemplating those first tentative steps towards a ‘singles’ holiday. We also give our customers the opportunity to get to know their fellow travellers over dinner at an airport hotel the night before they jet off, which has proved hugely popular and is a great way for many to break the ice.”

New ideas for 2009!

NEW! Montenegro

Montenegro boasts an extraordinary blend of historical and natural delights – from pretty seaside resorts and traditional fishing villages to picturesque lakes and opulent palaces. This break is based in the historic resort of Budva, where visitors can simply sit back and relax on the stunning beaches or soak up the culture and history of the Old Town. Optional excursions explore neighbouring Dubrovnik and the mystical ambience of the ‘lost country’ of Albania.

Just You (0800 915 8000, justyou.co.uk) offer an eight-day break in Montenegro from £664 in May 2009. The price includes return flights from London Gatwick with British Airways to Dubrovnik, transfers, seven nights’ accommodation on a half-board basis, walking tour of Becici, visit to Budva’s Old Town, a farewell dinner party and the services of a Tour Manager.

NEW! Coastal California and a Mexican Riviera Cruise

Combine a four-night break in California and stays in Los Angeles and San Diego with a seven night cruise along Mexico’s stunning Riviera aboard Holland America Line’s graceful Oosterdam. The ship will call at the picturesque ports of Cabo San Lucas, historic Mazatlan – in the setting of the Sierra Madre Mountains and Puerto Vallarta. There will also be the opportunity to go whale watching and ocean kayaking.

Just You (0800 915 8000, justyou.co.uk) offer a 13-day ‘Coastal California and Mexican Riviera Cruise’ from £1,674 in November 2008 and January 2009. The price includes return scheduled flights from London Heathrow to Los Angeles, transfers, two nights’ each on a bed & breakfast basis in Los Angeles and San Diego, seven nights’ accommodation onboard the MS Oosterdam on a full board basis in own cabin, city tours and the services of a Tour Manager.

NEW! Syria

Syria boasts a fascinating history which stretches back into the mists of time. Following a city tour in Damascus which takes in the 8th century Umayyad Mosque and the famous Chapel of St Paul, the tour then continues to the Roman ruins of Chabha and amphitheatre at Bosra, before heading to Ma’loula to view the extraordinary honeycomb houses. The final stretch of the tour visits the ‘Castle of the Knights’ – built in 1110AD and one of the greatest of all medieval fortresses, Aleppo – Syria’s second capital city and Palmyra, an oasis in the heart of the Syrian Desert and a former post along the Silk Route.

Just You (0800 915 8000, justyou.co.uk) offer an eight-day break in Syria from £1,404 in March, May, June and September 2009. The price includes return flights from London Heathrow to Damascus, transfers, seven nights’ accommodation on a half-board basis in Damascus, Aleppo and Palmyra, city tours, visits to Chahba, Bosra and Apamea, farewell dinner party and the services of a tour manager.

NEW! Costa Rica

Magnificently set between the Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, Costa Rica is a natural, subtropical wonderland with an extraordinary and exotic variety of birds, animals, plant life and deserted beaches. This tour will take the adventurous traveller on a journey of discovery, encountering everything from rainforest, waterfalls, flora and fauna, to mischievous monkeys, iguanas, crocodiles and scarlet macaws. Highlights include a stay at the Tortuguero National Park – one of the country’s most important ecological sites, a cruise along the Tarcoles River and the La Paz Waterfall Gardens.

Just You (0800 915 8000, www.justyou.co.uk) offer a 15-day tour of Costa Rica from £2,424 in February, March, June and November 2009. The price includes return flights from London Heathrow to San José, transfers, 13-nights’ accommodation on a bed & breakfast basis in san José, Tortuguero National Park, Arenal, Punta Leona and Manuel Antonio, 10 dinners, five lunches, numerous excursions and the services of a Tour Manager.

A new visitor centre has been opened overlooking the site of the new Icelandic National Concert and Conference Centre currently under construction in Reykjavik.

Located on the top floor of Hafnarstræti 20 at Lækjartorg square, the visitor centre houses an exhibition detailing the design and construction process of the Icelandic National Concert and Conference Centre due to open in early 2009.

Showcasing scale models of the building and its intricate glass façade, designed by prominent artist Olafur Elisasson, the exhibition reveals how the city centre will look post construction. Highlights include a “light wall” that projects a 24-hour recording of Icelandic summer light, compressed into a one-hour installation and a ten metre panoramic window looking over the construction site. From this elevated platform visitors can follow the building work taking place below.

Iceland’s new National Conference and Concert Centre complex will include a 1,800 capacity concert hall, a 750-seater conference hall and a rehearsal hall for up to 450 performers. The structure will also encompass a top floor restaurant, cafes, offices, smaller conference and rehearsal rooms, as well as exhibition space. A glass bricked pedestrian street will link the main Conference and Concert halls to a new 250 room luxury hotel and Lækjatorg Square.

New digital images of the dramatic design and online video footage of Olafur Eliasson explaining his design concept have recently been released and can be viewed at www.portusgroup.is

Icelandic National Concert and Conference Centre visitor centre
Lækjartorg Square
Tel: +354 437 1000
www.gestastofa.is

Opening hours: Weekdays: 10:00-17:00 / Weekends: 13:00-17:00