What's new: Moonlit feasts, Fiji makeovers, and more
What's new in travel this week, from Fiji to Kakadu.
You've heard about dining under the stars. But what about dinners by moonlight? NT chefs Ben Tyler (of Darwin's Kakadu Kitchen) and Phil Foote (of Cooinda Lodge) have created Kakadu Full Moon Feasts - a series of monthly dinners that allow diners to immerse themselves in timeless Indigenous culture through food and drinks.
Celebrating six seasons of the Nyoongar calendar, the dinner series kicks off today at Cooinda Lodge in the heart of the scenic Kakadu National Park.
Inspired by Kurrung - the end of the dry season - tonight's menu stars buffalo fillet with semi-dried tomato smoked in native tea tree leaves. Too late to join tonight's feast? Fret not! More soirées are slated to take place on 5 November and 10 December. kakadutourism.com
The stage is set
Seven staff and patrons at a guesthouse are the prime suspects when a woman is found dead. They can't leave the guesthouse thanks to a snowstorm unleashing its fury outside. A police detective is meticulously investigating the crime scene, but before a breakthrough is made another murder rattles the guesthouse.
The plot of the classic whodunnit, The Mousetrap, is quintessential Agatha Christie. And so is the highly satisfying surprise ending, which the audience are asked to not reveal even after they leave the theatre.
No wonder, the play has become the longest-running West End show. It's celebrating its 70th anniversary with a limited season at Sydney's Royal Theatre (8-30 October), followed by performances at Playhouse theatre in Brisbane (4-20 November), Her Majesty's Theatre in Adelaide (31 December to 15 January) and Comedy Theatre in Melbourne (17 February to 26 March). themousetrap.com.au
Fiji time
The favourite holiday destination of Australian families and, well, everyone else, Fiji, is brimming with new check-in options.
Barefoot Kuata recently launched 10 new luxury bures, each with direct access to the crystal-clear waters of the Pacific.
Savasi Island has turned up the indulgence factor, too, with the launch of two villas perched on a rocky outcrop with wide-angle ocean views.
Not one to be left behind, Plantation Island Resort has just completed a major renovation of its popular Ol Copra Buffet Restaurant and is in the process of adding a brand-new Kids Club with a dedicated toddlers zone. www.fiji.travel
Small bites, big ambition
Blackbutt flooring, sage-green banquettes and brass accents at every turn set the scene at Gildas, Lennox Hastie's ode to the Spanish region of Basque, where the talented chef spent several years before moving to Sydney.
Located just around the corner from Hastie's renowned Firedoor restaurant, the spanking-new bar features an exhaustive drinks list, heaving with sherries, alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails, and some exquisite wines from Australia, France, Spain and Portugal. But it's not just about liquid pleasures. Hastie's small bites menu is just as attractive. Ask for spanner crab churros with smoked crème fraiche. gildas.com.au
Akash is the Deputy Travel Editor for Australian Community Media. He has lived and worked in four cities around the world – Sydney, London, New Delhi and New York – and, at last count, travelled to 42 countries.
My all-time favourite destination is ... New York. You can drop a pin anywhere in Manhattan and start walking in any direction, and the sights and sounds of the city that never stops will begin to stimulate all your senses in an instant.
Next on my bucket list is … Scandinavia - at the peak of summer, when the sun almost never sets.
My top travel tip is … If you’re flying to Sydney from anywhere in the world, pick a window seat far from the wing on the left-hand-side of the aeroplane. If the weather gods and flight path align, you’ll have the most incredible views of the Sydney Harbour and Opera House.
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