RUNAWAY Gardens: The Artisans & Vagabonds Roll into town for Sydney’s Hippest New Harbourside Bar

The award winning team behind Bernie Dieter’s Club Kabarett brings you RUNAWAY Gardens. Sydney’s hottest new outdoor bar, bursting onto Sydney’s glorious harbourside - front and centre stage at The Rocks!

First Fleet Park is literally nowhere more perfect to grab a top-shelf tipple and gather with friends or some hot date/s at Sydney’s ultimate garden party.   

Watch the sun go down and the sky turn all sorts of vibrant, to the backdrop of The Famous Spiegeltent - where Marlene Dietrich once walked the boards, together with artisans and vagabonds gathering for THE show.

Open from 4-10pm Tuesday to Thursday, and 12 noon to 11pm (Friday and Saturday) and 10pm (Sunday) on weekends respectively, RUNAWAY Gardens hits Sydney’s hot-list this week, and will wrap up on March 12, so there’s just four weeks to spoil yourself with artisan liquor and food, and a gazillionaires’ Sydney Harbour view.

Down at RUNAWAY Gardens, the Gin is already flowing (a kabarett-staple across the world) from locally distilled Hickson Rd. Gin, the same folks behind The Barber Shop, named The World’s Best Gin Bar by the UK’s prestigious Gin Magazine and The Duke of Clarence. Their world-class gin is served up in curated cocktails and show-girl strength G&Ts.

Atomic are bringing their best brews direct from their proud home in Redfern to the stunning harbourside and festival goers will be thrilled to enjoy a breezy bite and quality beer with mates.

The Hidden Sea Wines are serving premium wines including their award-winning shiraz and rosé, alongside a global-sized conscience, removing 10 plastic bottles from the ocean for every bottle sold.

Foodies are going to love the curated artisan gourmet hampers by Aplenty, tagged as a feast for 2 and nibbles for 4.  Inspired by Continental Deli these premium offerings are packed with premium grazing such as pyengana clothbound cheddar, imported Spanish sardines, LP’s delicious locally sourced smoked mortadella, salami cotto and handmade quince paste, this hamper is really top-end.

And Tokyo-style neon food truck, Food Trap is creating exquisite Asian-fusion dishes such as fived spiced tofu Sesamiso bowls and crispy chicken tenders sprinkled with nori umami salt, as well as some really cool vibes to nourish the belly, brain, and heart. 

With just four weeks to join THE PARTY Sydney! There’s no time to waste. 

RUNAWAY Gardens is made possible via the unique collaboration between Australian independent concert and touring company Zaccaria, Dead Man Label, Sydney Fringe, Placemaking NSW and the New South Wales Government CBD Revitalisation Program.

RUNAWAY Gardens
Website: runawaygardens.com
Follow RUNAWAY Gardens: Facebook | Instagram
Opening:  15 Feb – 12 March 2022

• Tuesday - Thursday: 4PM - 10PM
• Friday and Saturday: 12PM - 11PM
• Sunday: 12PM - 10PM

Venue:  First Fleet Park, The Rocks
Handles: @runawaygardens, @therocks @berniedieter @sydneyfringe
Hashtags: #runawaygardens #therocks #clubkabarett #berniedieter #sydneyfringesideshow #sydneyfringe 

The Holiday and Travel Magazine
https://theholidayandtravelmagazine.blogspot.com.au

Ban Flower Festival to be held in middle of March 2022

Hoa Ban Festival

Dien Bien Province will organize Hoa Ban Festival and Hoa Ban Beauty Contest 2022 from March 11-14, 2022 in Dien Bien Phu City with many exciting activities.

The opening ceremony is expected to take place from 20:00 to 21:45 on March 12 at Quang truong 7/5 (or May 7 Square), Dien Bien Phu City with art program and fireworks.

Hoa Ban Festival includes activities such as "Check in Dien Bien" photo contest (receiving entries from December 2021 to April 2022, awarding on May 7, 2022) and street parade under the theme: "Night of Hoa Ban Festival" (from 19:45 to 21:00, March 11, 2022 at some central streets in Dien Bien Phu City).

From March 11-14, 2022, sports activities will be held at relic area of Dien Bien Phu (command bunker of De Castries) such as: highland cultural space; sports exchanges and competitions (To mak le, Tung Con, Tu lu, crossbow shooting, Giay cake making, stick pushing, tug of war); traditional and folk games of ethnic groups (Blind-clad beating pot, du quay, seesaw, tossing and exchanging, carrying water across the bridge...); experiential activities (pushing heavy bike, carrying ammo box).

The 3rd Hoa Ban Beauty Contest 2022 to be held locally through March and the finale will be on 14 March.

Other festivals includes Ban Phu Festival in the framework of Day of Culture, Sports and Tourism (March) at Ban Phu Village, Noong Het Commune, Dien Bien District; Water Festival (Bun Huot Nam) of Lao ethnic group (April) at Na Sang Village, Nua Ngam Commune, Dien Bien District; Performing folk songs and folk dances of ethnic groups in the westernmost part of the country (March) at Sin Thau Commune, Muong Nhe District.

This serie of culture, sports and tourism activities focuses on promotion image of Ban Flowers and ethnic culture, contribute to attract visitors to Dien Bien Province.

Vietnam National Administration of Tourism
Tourism Information Technology Center
Tags: #Dien Bien Province, #Ban Flower Festival,

Conscious travel is defining Asia-Pacific’s tourism rebound

Pratima Singh

Conscious travel is defining Asia-Pacific’s tourism rebound, says a new Economist Impact study

Key takeaways:

• 87% of travellers in Asia-Pacific say sustainable tourism is important to them, and a majority are thinking differently about their next holiday
• Conscious travel isn’t about the environment alone—in fact, more travellers say social (47%) and economic aspects (41%) of sustainable travel are more important to them
• Travellers want to positively benefit locals both economically and socially, and connect more deeply with local cultures and communities
• Shifting traveller behaviour is resulting in a growing preference for domestic tourism, travel to rural destinations and less crowded locations
• 87% believe technology is either enabling or can enable conscious travel

Rebuilding tourism inAsia-Pacific: A more conscious traveller? is a report from Economist Impact, commissioned by Airbnb. The research is based on a survey of more than 4,500 respondents in Australia, India, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand.

The onset of covid-19 and subsequent border closures brought international travel to a near standstill and impacted tourism like little before it. Now, as tourism starts to rebound after a lull, travellers are thinking deeply about their holiday preferences, choices and actions, Economist Impact research shows.

The rise of the ‘conscious traveller’ is presenting an opportunity for communities to grow their local economies off the back of the travel rebound, and also welcome an evolving form of win-win tourism that emphasises genuine connection.

The Economist Impact finds that people are thinking deeply—and holistically—about sustainable travel, and their understanding of it encompasses social, economic, cultural, community and environmental aspects. When asked what the two most important aspects of sustainable tourism are, economic (46.7%) and social (41.3%) aspects were ahead of environmental (32.1%), cultural (31.6%) and community (21.5%) considerations.

More than two in three people say it’s important to them to create a positive impact for locals, with 58% saying it’s important they do not contribute to issues such as overtourism. In keeping with their desire to travel to less crowded destinations, many want to travel off the beaten path—about half the respondents plan to travel more frequently to rural destinations that haven’t caught the fancy of tourists yet. Additionally, 57% plan to travel more domestically than in the past, and aim to allocate more of their travel budgets within their countries.

Travellers are also mindful about the ways in which tourism can positively impact communities that are in need of economic recovery, and want to factor this into where they travel and how they spend their money. Almost three in five travellers say they will be more conscious about familiarising themselves with what is important to the communities they’re visiting and how they can make a contribution.

The desire for conscious travel is also being supported by technologies that are shaping travel practices. Eighty-seven percent of respondents are of the view that technologies are either enabling or can enable sustainable tourism, particularly by making information more widely and easily accessible. Separately, 43% believe that technology is making tourism in Asia-Pacific more inclusive by enabling more stakeholders to benefit.

Pratima Singh, senior manager for policy and insights at Economist Impact, and editor of this report, says:

“As tourism recovers across Asia-Pacific, we’re seeing a sharp focus on conscious travel among travellers of all ages. The shifts in traveller behaviour—and motivations—could leave an indelible impact on tourism in the region if all concerned stakeholders play their cards right.”

Download the full report here

The Holiday and Travel Magazine
https://theholidayandtravelmagazine.blogspot.com.au

Rocky Mountaineer Returns for First Full Season with Special Offers

Photo courtesy of Rocky Mountaineer, credit: Emotion Cinema

Love a scenic rail journey? Returning this April for its first complete season is the Rockies to Red Rocks route, traversing the dramatic mountains and canyons between the Mile High City of Denver and Moab with an overnight stay in Glenwood Springs. 

Bookings before 28 February for journeys in April, May, September and October 2022 are eligible for $1,140 AUD discount per couple when booked through Rocky Mountaineer or ATAS accredited travel agents. 

Book now and receive $1,140 off per couple on 2022 spring/fall travel dates. Don't miss out - offer ends February 28, 2022

Eligible on 2022 travel dates for our Canadian and US routes throughout April, May, and October. September included in US routes only.

Valid on rail packages and rail-only journeys, including SilverLeaf and GoldLeaf bookings.

Includes risk-free booking with Enhanced Flexibility.

How to book: Select a package or rail-only journey during eligible travel dates specified above. Once booking details are complete, the savings will appear in the price overview before checkout.

More details here.

Find out more and get a copy of the Colorado Official State Vacation Guide at www.colorado.com

COLORADO TOURISM OFFICE: www.colorado.com

LINKD TOURISM: www.linkdtourism.com

The Holiday and Travel Magazine

Website: www.theholidayandtravelmagazine.blogspot.com.au

Saigon Street food tour is one of the best travel activities in the world

The Saigon street food tour by motorbike ranked #14 out of 25 of the best activities in the world suitable for foodie travellers in 2022.

Com tam (broken rice) is a simple favourite among street food lovers that is almost exclusive to Ho Chi Minh City. It’s made up of smaller pieces of rice, also known as Broken Rice, and served with pork which is usually grilled, fish, or simply a fried egg.

Previously, TripAdvisor, World’s largest travel platform, announced the 25 best activities travellers can do around the world, according to the travellers who love to do things (Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice Award). Thereby, the Saigon street food tour by motorbike ranked #14 out of 25 of the best activities in the world suitable for foodie travellers.

According to Tripadvisor, there is no better way to get into the swing of Saigon than riding a motorbike. Enjoy the ride on the busy streets full of rushing people and transports, and then turn into the alleys filled with food fragrance to enjoy countless typical street foods of Saigon, the intersection of various cultures, an international rendezvous with a combination of unique local points and modern world style.

Saigon is not only known as the business and financial hub of Vietnam, it is also an ideal destination for foodie travellers. Coming to Saigon, tourists will immerse in many different cultural identities from different regions. In particular, the unmissable culinary culture must be mentioned, especially the tempting Saigon street food. The dishes that tourists should try when arriving at Saigon are Cam Tam Saigon (broken rice), sui cao (ravioli soup), Hu tieu Nam Vang (Nam Vang noodle soup), banh trang tron (rice paper mix), pha lau (lance), bot chien (fried dough), chuoi nep nuong (baked sticky banana), bo la lot (Marinated beef rolled with laksa leaves), crab soup, fish nuggets…

Tripadvisor Travellers' Choice Awards is an annual award voted by millions of travellers around the world. Besides drawing votes from around the world, the awards are divided by destinations according to Asia, Europe, America, Central America, South America, South Pacific and categories such as the best outdoor activities, exclusive experiences, wine tasting, cycling tours, luxury tours, extreme expeditions, best food destinations…

Tourism Information Technology Center
Tags: #Vietnam, #Saigon, #Vietnam tourism, #Tripadvisor,

The Holiday and Travel Magazine
https://theholidayandtravelmagazine.blogspot.com.au

Vietnam National Administration of Tourism
https://vietnamtourism.gov.vn/english/

Tokyo National Museum 150th anniversary

In March 2022, the Tokyo National Museum will welcome its 150th anniversary. To celebrate, many commemorative exhibitions and events will be held over the year starting from April. 

The main attraction is the special exhibition “National Treasures - The Complete Tokyo National Museum(TBC),” which will be held from 18 October to 11 December 2022. 

This is the first time in the history of the museum that all 89 of its national treasures will be on display!

Tokyo National Museum will be celebrating its 150th anniversary in 2022.

TNM began with a historic exhibition in 1872, and since then has always pursued its core mission of protecting cultural properties and passing them down to future generations. These properties, entrusted to us by our ancestors, are humanity’s treasures.

In 2022, we will take another step forward with the hope of connecting past and present, and bringing society closer together. We will be sharing with even wider audiences the fascination of cultural properties and the excitement of visiting TNM, while reflecting on our 150 years of history.

This is a new beginning for us and our collections that we invite you to participate in through upcoming events and exhibitions.

Website: https://www.tnm.jp/150th/en/

Coral babies on Lizard Island

The $150M Reef Restoration and Adaptation Program has seen delivered nearly 10 million coral larvae to Lizard Island. They have been released across four locations to replenish reefs around the island. Southern Cross University, CSIRO and Queensland University of Technology are doing this world-first research, helping to build resilience in the reef’s marine ecosystems.

WE REGENERATE DAMAGED CORAL REEFS BY ESTABLISHING OCEAN-BASED CORAL NURSERIES
Our team is supported by scientists from James Cook University's TropWATER and Reef Ecologic and volunteers to grow coral and re-plant it to regenerate damaged high-value coral reefs.

Coral restoration has been assisting damaged reefs overseas to regenerate for more than three decades. Our not-for-profit social enterprise has collaborated with successful coral restoration projects in Florida and the Caribbean to create the first Great Barrier Reef nursery near Cairns. We have successfully grown our first generation of corals and planted them on a nearby reef. In September 2019 we moved this nursery to a more accessible location at Fitzroy Island where there is room for expansion. We have expanded and added ten new trees and will work with a tourism operator to conduct tours of the nursery.

The Great Barrier Reef is loved by Australians, it is part of our national identity, and by many people from around the world. We have all been deeply affected by the impact of the recent bleaching events. Reef Restoration Foundation has chosen to act and to grow and plant corals that are naturally more resilient for regenerating degraded reefs. We received the first permit from the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority to establish a pilot nursery on the Great Barrier Reef in 2017.

THE GREAT BARRIER REEF HAS EXTRAORDINARY GLOBAL VALUE,
as our planet’s largest living organism and a barometer of world environmental health. It has significant cultural value particularly for Indigenous Australians, who belong to one of the oldest living cultures in the world. The Great Barrier Reef is also a major economic driver as it supports the direct employment of more than 64,000 people.

WE ARE SEEKING INDIVIDUAL AND CORPORATE CORAL CRUSADERS TO JOIN US AND FULFIL OUR GOAL OF PRODUCING 1,000,000 NEW CORALS ON THE GREAT BARRIER REEF BY 2026.
This will accelerate the recovery of damaged high-value reefs and strengthen their resilience to withstand the impacts of future cyclones and bleaching events.

BE A PART OF THE GENERATION TO ACTIVELY MAKE A DIFFERENCE TO THE GREAT BARRIER REEF.
Join the Coral Crusade with Reef Restoration Foundation and your involvement will make a positive difference to the Great Barrier Reef.

GET INVOLVED

Reef Restoration Foundation

Cairns, Australia

https://reefrestorationfoundation.org/

The Holiday and Travel Magazine
https://theholidayandtravelmagazine.blogspot.com.au

The Western Australia border is opening!

Western Australia is opening - let's go! To celebrate we're providing Journey Beyond Travel Club members with offers across our Western Australian experiences, including the Indian Pacific.

From Thursday, 10 March 2022, the Indian Pacific will be back on the tracks, returning to its epic journey between the oceans it's named after.

There's no better way to experience the spectacular interior landscape of Australia on this all-inclusive rail journey between Sydney, Adelaide and Perth.

Meet the quokkas on Rottnest Island; disconnect from everyday life between the outback and ocean at Sal Salis; explore the world heritage-listed horizontal falls from water and sky; or explore the remote beauty of the Kimberley with Outback Spirit.

Save up to $1,275 on the Indian Pacific

Indian Pacific

With included Off Train Experiences taking you to wineries, vibrant cities and beyond, this is a journey of discovery, paired with all-inclusive regionally inspired food and beverages.

To celebrate the long-awaited return of this epic rail crossing, we're offering a saving of $1,275 per person for all Platinum bookings travelling in March.*

Alternatively, travel on the first full-length journey of the year, from Perth to Sydney on 13 March 2022, and receive 25% off the standard Gold Twin price - a saving of $740 per person.*

BOOK TODAY

Journey Beyond
235 North Terrace, Adelaide SA, Australia 5000

https://view.e.journeybeyond.com/

The Holiday and Travel Magazine
https://theholidayandtravelmagazine.blogspot.com.au

Having fun with playing Bai Choi at Thuy Thanh Commune

For many people, Bai Choi is an indispensable
 spiritual dish in spring days

From the 2nd to the 6th of the Lunar New Year of the Tiger, 2022, Thuy Thanh Commune (Huong Thuy Town, Hue) organizes a small-scale Bai Choi festival at the campus of the Commune's Farm Tool Display House.

Through witty chants and joyful laughter as participating in the Bai Choi festival, visitors will have more atmosphere of springtime to welcome Tet through this activity.

Before that, in implementing regulations on prevention and control of COVID-19 pandemic, many large-scale spring activities in Huong Thuy town, such as: “Country market on Tet holiday”, display and exhibition of Tet flowers, flower boats, boats selling local products... scheduled to be held in Thuy Thanh commune must be canceled.

According to Mr. Tran Duy Viet - Chairman of Thuy Thanh Commune People's Committee, although the festival was not as widely propagated as in previous years, there were still a lot of guests coming to join in the festival when opening, and they were very self-conscious in the implementation of “5K” rules.

“If there are more guests, we will organize some more folk games, such as: Pot hitting with blindfold, ducks catching with blindfold… to help people and tourists have more experiences, more laughter in the Tet holiday this year,” Mr. Viet shared.
Source: Hue news
Tags: Tet Holiday, Lunar New Year, Bai Choi, Thuy Thanh Commune,

The Holiday and Travel Magazine
https://theholidayandtravelmagazine.blogspot.com.au

Vietnam National Administration of Tourism
https://vietnamtourism.gov.vn/english/

Queensland named in Wotif Top 10

Caloundra

Two Queensland destinations, Caloundra and Hervey Bay, have been named in Wotif’s 2022 Aussie Town of the Year Awards with the state continuing to take the lead in 2022 as the most sought-after Australian state.

The Wotif Awards, now in their fifth year, recognise the top destinations across the country determined by accommodation affordability, quality and traveller satisfaction.

There is still an appetite for domestic travel with a quarter of Aussies planning to visit somewhere new within Australia in 2022 and 46 per cent of those wanting to explore in nature, according to Wotif data.

2. Caloundra, QLD
With six excellent beaches to enjoy, the coastal town of Caloundra is paradise for swimmers and surfers alike. There’s kayaking, paddle boarding and windsurfing too, as well as great cafes for when you feel like a bite. If you love a good market, don’t miss the Caloundra Street Fair – every Sunday from 8am to 1pm.

Stay at: Rumba Beach Resort.

7. Hervey Bay, QLD

Hervey Bay 

Hervey Bay is a dream come true for active travellers and families, with fantastic swimming, hiking and whale watching. Hervey Bay is also your gateway to K’gari (Fraser Island) – the world’s largest sand island. It’s an absolute must-visit for any self-respecting four-wheel driver.

Stay at: Mantra Hervey Bay.

* Tourism and Events Queensland

The Holiday and Travel Magazine
https://theholidayandtravelmagazine.blogspot.com.au