If your idea of a holiday involves golfing, ballooning, pampering, wine tasting and fine dining, then Oaks Cypress Lakes Resort in the Hunter Valley may be the answer.
Guests can book a two-bedroom villa at the property, which is nestled in the heart of picturesque wine country, from $262 per night, with savings of up to 25 per cent when booking for a minimum of two nights.
A bonus early check-in and late check-out, and free wi-fi are also included in the deal, as is the opportunity to take to the skies aboard Oaks’ own hot-air balloon.
Visit www.oakshotels.com and use promo code MYOAKS.
One of Australia’s premier Indigenous food festivals, A Taste of Kakadu, will be staged from May 18-27, serving up a menu of ancient cuisine with a modern twist.
This year’s festival will see the region’s best Indigenous chefs showcasing their culinary creations at remarkable locations, all celebrating the traditional culture and breathtaking scenery of Kakadu National Park.
Over 10 days, visitors can embark on guided foraging walks where ‘super’ foods and delicacies such as Kakadu plums can be enjoyed, dine on crocodile, fish and buffalo cooked in spectacular ground ovens, and glide along the famed barramundi-filled rivers while enjoying bush tucker-inspired canapes.
Festival highlights include a sumptuous four-course dinner created by TV personality and hatted Indigenous chef Clayton Donovan at The Escarpment Restaurant in the legendary Crocodile Hotel in Jabiru, and an exclusive pop-up dining experience in the heart of Kakadu.
Visit www.kakadutourism.com
Explore the pristine Kimberley coastline aboard the all-new, all-luxury Le Laperouse, which has been exclusively chartered and configured by Abercrombie & Kent for use by 150 guests, including a first-of-its-kind underwater lounge.
A&K’s expedition team, which includes naturalists, conservationists and photographers, will be with guests throughout the voyage to bring to life some of Australia’s and the world’s most spectacular landscapes and seascapes.
Highlights of the 12-night journey between Broome and Darwin include Horizontal Falls, Montgomery Reef, the cave art at Raft Point, frequent Zodiac excursions, sea turtles and saltwater crocodiles, a helicopter flight to Mitchell Falls, and a fixed-wing flight-seeing experience over the Bungle Bungles.
The itinerary starts on June 20 and is priced from $18,295.
Phone 1300 851 800 or visit www.abercrombiekent.com.au
UTracks is offering a 10 per cent discount its seven-day ‘Mont Blanc Rambler’ guided walk from Italy to France on a journey that is described as perfect for those looking for an easier option for ‘doing Mont Blanc’.
The itinerary traverses high passes, crosses meadows brimming with alpine flowers and passes through typical mountain villages, allowing plenty of time to stop and take in the stunning Mont Blanc vistas, enjoy a picnic and absorb the alpine culture.
Book before April 30 and pay from $1215 per person.
This includes accommodation in comfortable gîte-hostels or refuges, all meals for six days, an experienced guide and mules to carry your gear.
Visit www.utracks.com
Oceania Cruises, a cruise line with a distinct culinary bent, has added 16 new cooking classes for the 2018 European season aboard Marina and Riviera.
The ships feature culinary centres equipped with individual induction-cooktop work stations and the new programs were developed by longtime Director of Culinary Enrichment, Chef Kathryn Kelly.
Highlights include mastering chef-knife skills, rethinking the crêpe, and secrets of the Nordic kitchen, where participants take a culinary voyage around the Baltic.
Phone 1300 355 200 or visit www.oceaniacruises.com
European Waterways is offering up to 20 per cent off charter and cabin prices for hotel barge cruises across its European network, with some cruises also including a complimentary Paris hotel stay and private chauffeured transfers to and from the vessel.
Among eligible vessels is the 12-passenger La Belle Epoque, which cruises France’s Burgundy Canal. It offers 20 per cent off whole-boat charter prices for some departures and 10 per cent off per cabin on others.
Bookings must be made by May 14.
