In response to the Middle East crises, the destinations for Australians travelling overseas are changing fast.
According to Paul Ryan, chief executive of Inspiring Vacations, Australians haven’t stopped travelling, we’re just fortunate to live in a part of the world with so many great options.
“We’re seeing a huge upsurge in bookings for Japan, we’re operating more than 40 different escorted and independent tours there, it’s got enormous appeal for Australians. It’s safe, it’s attractive on many different levels and flight times from the east coast cities are under 10 hours,” he says.
“Bookings for Sri Lanka and Vietnam are also surging, Vietnam offers terrific value while Sri Lanka is very user-friendly, it offers enormous diversity from highland tea plantations to super beaches and game parks with wild elephants.”
Despite the disruption to air travel, Europe remains a safe destination – if a potentially more expensive one to get to. For travellers with hotel or tour bookings in Europe there is no reason to cancel, and there are plenty of routes from Australia that offer safe passage around the Middle East hotspots (Flight Centre Travel Group reports a 38 per cent surge in the number of Australians travelling to Europe via Singapore in the past few weeks). Even with the rising cost of fuel and commensurate increase in airfares, it’s still possible to find return flights to Europe for about $2000-$2400 for this northern summer (particularly if you’re willing to connect through China).
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However, travellers with Europe on their mind who have not yet locked in plans might want to consider alternatives, and there’s plenty to like in the Asia-Pacific region. Most of the countries that Australians are most likely to visit are in Asia, and this is a great time to remind ourselves that we live in a part of the world well-endowed with cultural and natural assets.
Japan
Even for the well-travelled sophisticate who’s seen it all, Japan rekindles all the excitement and anticipation of the first-time traveller. What you put in your mouth, the bed you sleep on, Tokyo’s street fashions, the strange protocols to do with footwear all constitute a different take on life. It’s a head-turning brew, and a potent stimulant for anyone who travels with eyes wide open. Take a food tour in Tokyo, visit the bars in Shinjuku’s Golden Gai and the gardens of Kyoto, where the Zen garden took shape, evolving into an idealised representation of forests, rivers and mountains, arranged with enormous precision to evoke the spontaneity of the natural world.
For contrast, spend some time in the Kii Peninsula, south of Osaka, the blunt, mountainous stub that recalls an older Japan with its creaking bamboo forests, mossy oji shrines and mountain villages. Japan is not a cheap destination, and expensive if you’re looking for Western-style accommodation and food. A package tour is the best way to limit costs. Safety is not an issue, even for solo women travellers, and flight times from Melbourne and Sydney are about 10 hours.
Vietnam
For a holiday with built-in charm, serenity, scenery, shopping, great food, cultural splendours and incredible value, Vietnam is hard to beat. Although the gateway cities of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are compelling enough, both are churning whirlpools of entrepreneurial energy. Head out into the countryside and you’ll discover a tapestry of jade-green rice paddies and muddy villages against a backdrop of blue hills that rise in a distant echo of the Himalayas.
Don’t rush it. Northern and southern Vietnam are distinctly different experiences, and you’ll need at least 10 days to experience either. Your holiday dollar goes a long way in Vietnam and safety is not generally an issue. Flight time from Sydney and Melbourne is under nine hours.
Cook Islands
A tropical island getaway more off track than Fiji or French Polynesia, these are the South Sea islands of the imagination – 15 scattered islands wreathed with coral and furnished with swaying palms, smiley people and nights like a warm silk hug. These are sleepy islands. If your idea of holiday fun involves jet skis or fast food outlets, the Cook Islands would not be a happy choice. There are two groups of islands, southern and northern, but chances are you’ll be spending all your time in the southern.
Most of the Cook Islands’ international-style resort hotels are concentrated on Rarotonga but Aitutaki, just 12 kilometres long and ringed by a shark’s-tooth chain of coral motus, is the beauty queen. Jetstar will commence non-stop services between Brisbane and Rarotonga from May 18, adding to non-stop flights from Sydney. Expect to pay about $150 to $300 a night for mid-range hotels, up to $600 a night for luxury accommodation. Flight time from Sydney is about six hours.
Thailand
With its sun-struck resort islands and their major league spas, swanky hotels, restaurants, nightlife and adventure sports, Thailand is another major player in the holiday-for-all stakes. Phuket and Koh Samui each have their strengths, but another option with even better credentials might be Krabi. While it has all the glossy accoutrements that the connoisseur requires, Krabi’s ace card is its position. Set on the Andaman Sea overlooking the island-studded seascape of Phang Nga Bay, Krabi is prime if aqua sports are high on the wish list.
Accommodation is disposed around several of the region’s beaches, from the boutique resort area of Tubkaak in the north to Railay in the south, which is ringed by steep cliffs that bar all access except from the sea. The beaches are universally gorgeous, but it’s the aquatic add-ons that make Krabi a standout for the adventurous.
Thailand can be super cheap, food is generally inexpensive and you get a lot of bang for your buck even in luxury resorts. In fact, thanks to fewer tourists visiting from Europe right now, Thailand is even better value – Bloomberg reports this week that some luxury hotels are offering discounts on rooms of up to 70 per cent. Flight time from Melbourne and Sydney to Phuket is about nine hours, Krabi is a one-stop flight via Bangkok. Tourist hotspots are well policed and safety is not an issue.
China
Whether it’s food, culture, history, scenery or adventure, China is packed with tantalising possibilities for the traveller – and it remains visa-free to Australian visitors after the Chinese government extended its agreement for another 12 months. Deep in the country’s south, bordered by Myanmar, Vietnam and Laos, the province of Yunnan is a diamond in the rough, home to many of China’s ethnic minorities whose cultures find expression in distinct styles of architecture, cuisine and costume.
High points include mountainous scenery that has been carved into terraces for fields of barley and maize, the deep gorges of the Yangtze River and the city of Lijiang, where the shops and temples of the old city border a gushing stream, like a willow-patterned plate brought to life. Holiday packages in China offer great value and personal safety is not a concern. Flight time from Sydney and Melbourne to Shanghai is about 10 hours.
Michael Gebicki is a Sydney-based travel writer, best known for his Tripologist column published for more than 15 years in Traveller. With four decades of experience, his specialty is practical advice, destination insights and problem-solving for travellers. He also designs and leads slow, immersive tours to some of his favourite places. Connect via Instagram @michael_gebickiConnect via email.