News from the world of travel

Waking up to the wonders of the Barrier Reef

Reefworld, Cruise Whitsunday’s Great Barrier Reef pontoon that has been popular with snorkellers on day trips as well as offering overnight stays in the underwater Reefsuites and open-air Reefsleep pods, is closing from May 15 for a six-week refurbishment.

Reefworld opened in 2019 and since then has attracted about 340,000 visitors for daytime visits and overnight stays, making it a Barrier Reef success story.

When Journey Beyond’s $30 million refurbishment at Hardy Reef is completed in April, the pontoon – renamed Heart Pontoon – will be used only for Cruise Whitsundays’ Great Barrier Reef Adventure day tours.
And when Reefworld reopens on July 1, it will give Reefsleep and Reefsuites guests private use of the entire pontoon, allowing them to experience the reef with gourmet meals with drinks, snorkelling with marine experts and plenty of relaxation time.

Journey Beyond CEO Chris Tallent said the refurbishment of Reefworld represents a commitment to elevating a special experience on the Great Barrier Reef.

“This upgrade will ensure Reefworld remains Australia’s number one unique accommodation offering on the reef, enhancing the unforgettable overnight stays available on the pontoon in one of Australia’s most iconic locations,” he said.

“Overnight guests will feel like they have the Great Barrier Reef entirely to themselves from the first snorkel of the day to the final glass of champagne beneath the stars.”
Overnight prices for Reefworld are from $895 per person twin share while an overnight stay at Reefsuite is from $1495 per person twin share.

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For more information: cruisewhitsundays.com

Mount Lofty House celebrates 40-year milestone

Historic Mount Lofty House in the Adelaide Hills has just celebrated 40 years of hotel operations.

Built as a summer house in 1852 by Arthur and Martha Hardy, who were known for their lavish parties, Mount Lofty House was destroyed in the 1983 Ash Wednesday fires.

The property, situated just 20 minutes from Adelaide’s CBD, was rebuilt and transformed into an eight-room luxury hotel which opened in 1986.It
It further expanded when the current owner, South Australian hotelier David Horbelt who acquired the property from Accor hotels in 2009, teamed up with business partner Malcolm Bean.

“Mount Lofty House is more than a hotel – it is a living piece of South Australian history,” Horbelt said.

Bean added that the property had evolved into a luxury experience destination encompassing Mount Lofty House Adults Retreat and Hardy’s Verandah Restaurant.

“We welcome travellers from around the world, offering an intimate retreat high above the Piccadilly Valley where heritage, nature and contemporary luxury converge,” Bean said.

“It is complemented by a three-hatted fine-dining restaurant, a 174-year-old cellar with more than 1300 bottles, day spa and beautiful outdoor spaces within the Mount Lofty estate gardens.”

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For more information: mtloftyhouse.com.au

More visitors head to Singapore

Singapore is enjoying strong growth in tourism with record numbers of international visitors and higher spending.

According to figures for the first three quarters of 2025 released by the Singapore Tourism Board, almost 17 million overseas travellers visited Singapore, representing a growth of 2.3 per cent compared to 2024.
Most tourists were from mainland China (3.1 million) followed by Indonesia (2.4 million) and Australia (1.3 million).

The 1.3 million Australian visitors is a record representing an 8 per cent increase over the 2024 figure.

Singapore Tourism Board chief executive Melissa Ow said: “We are attracting visitors who value the distinctive experiences that Singapore offers. To maintain this growth momentum and reinforce our destination appeal and global hub status, we will continue to develop a strong pipeline of differentiated products, events and experiences.”

Among the new attractions that opened last year are Rainforest Wild Asia as Singapore’s fifth wildlife park, Curiosity Cove as Singapore’s largest indoor playscape, Jurassic World: The Experience at the Gardens by the Bay’s Cloud Forest, and Singapore Oceanarium at Resorts World Sentosa.

Singapore’s cruise industry also showed strong growth with 375 ship visits carrying more than 2 million passengers in 2025, highlighting its role as a major cruise hub.

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For more information: visitsingapore.com

Follow the cherry blossom season in Japan

Cherry blossom season in Japan offers stunning sights for visitors and locals thanks to it having the highest concentration of cherry trees in the world.
The trees, known as sakura, have short periods when they are in full bloom, often flowering for only a week. Many tourists come to see the blossoms in Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka from late March and early April.

However, visitors who head to Japan’s Tohoku region can see the cherry blossoms reach their peak from late April to early May, as the flowering moves from south to north across Japan.

The Tohoku region is in the northeastern part of Honshu, comprising six prefectures – Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi, Akita, Yamagata and Fukushima. Surrounded by mountain ranges, river valleys and historic cities,
visitors can follow the cherry blossoms as they reach their peak blooms.
All of these destinations are connected to Tokyo by the high-speed Shinkansen rail network.

The Hirosaki Park in Aomori prefecture has more than 2500 cherry trees surrounding a former feudal castle and is regarded as one of northern Japan’s most important cherry blossom sites.
In Kakunodate in Akita prefecture – an area famous for its preserved samurai residences – rows of weeping cherry trees line the streets.
At Hitome Senbonzakura in the Miyagi prefecture, more than 1000 cherry trees line the banks of the Shiroishi River, creating stunning reflections for visitors to admire from the riverside paths.

In Nagano prefecture, visitors to Ueda Castle Ruins Park can stroll around the grounds to see cherry blossoms among the stone ramparts of the former fortress.

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For more information: japan.travel/en/au/