Hong Kong translates into ‘fragrant harbour’ in Cantonese, which is an indication of just how many culinary delights there are waiting for you to experience. It is also renowned for great shopping; from luxury malls to trendy street markets. Splurge on something special or barter your way to a bargain. In addition to its year-round attractions, it boasts a number of seasonal festivals and events.  Don’t miss the Hong Kong Summer Spectacular.

Dining

Hong Kong is renowned for being a culinary king of Asia. There are over 10,000 restaurants to try, some offering the very the best Cantonese and Chinese food.

Dim Sum

You can’t travel to Hong Kong and not eat dim sum. These sumptuous Chinese snacks are served in steaming bamboo baskets.  Choose from steamed pork buns, shrimp dumplings, beef balls and pan-fried squid. Don’t forget the spicy salt!

Seafood

Hong Kong boasts some of the best seafood – whether you choose to try it steamed, fried or grilled. Better yet, select it live from the tanks of the restaurants. There are a handful of main seafood locations to choose from throughout Hong Kong.

Our favourite is Lei Yue Mun. This seaside village is nestled in the southern-eastern corner of Kowloon and offers an insight into traditional Hong Kong, unlike elsewhere in the city.  It’s renowned for its numerous options of indoor and outdoor dining options; each offering high quality, affordable seafood.

Eating in Lei Yue Mun is hands-on; make your choice from the live seafood stalls and take it to a restaurant to be cooked to your liking. Sink your teeth into a scallop, whilst absorbing the excellent atmosphere and great views.

To get there, take a taxi from Yau Tong MTR on the Kowloon side, or MTR to Sai Wan Ho on Kong Kong Island and then catch the ferry across to Lei Yue Mun.

Tea:

Yum Cha (drinking tea) is an essential part of Hong Kong culture. A cup of steaming, fresh tea is the perfect accompaniment to many Hong Kong dishes.  Breathe in its delicate fragrances and learn about the art of tea appreciation, from tea masters in Hong Kong.

Shopping:

There is an astounding range of jewellery and watches on offer and the designs are sure to capture the attention of (envious) friends back home.  Hong Kong is also home to a huge variety of clothing stores.  Satisfy your shopping urge; whether you’re after a designer gem or a traditional Chinese piece.

It’s worth taking a look at Causeway Bay, a shopping hub popular with tourists. Did you know rent in this shopping area is ranked as the second highest in the world (following New York’s Fifth Avenue)?

For a little less hustle-bustle but just as much shopping stimulation, consider Admiralty. It’s famous for brand name, luxury goods. You’ll also find Pacific Place here. It’s one of Hong Kong’s most popular malls and a great place to find gifts.  It’s also easy to get to; connected to the Admiralty MTR Station.

Hong Kong Summer Spectacular:

22 June – 31 August 2012

Hong Kong Summer Spectacular encompasses all that’s great about summertime in Hong Kong, with a fun-filled city-wide programme of events and activities. Indulge yourself with numerous tempting privileges and discounts in the city’s various shopping malls and department stores.

Hong Kong Dragon Boat Carnival

2, 4 – 8 July

This is a feast to treat all the senses, combining exhilarating competitions, traditional customs, colourful entertainment and Beerfest!. The excitement is intense, as super-fit teams of men and women paddle furiously in international races staged in Victoria Harbour off the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront.

Lan Kwai Fong Beer & Music Fest 2012

14 -15 July

Lan Kwai Fong is the place to be this weekend of July, with over 50 booths and 3 performance stages to entertain you from the afternoon into the evening. Join in the celebrations of live shows, and food and beer tasting from around the world.

Summer in Hong Kong showcases the very best of this diverse and divine destination. Marvel at the myriad of things to see and do…

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Have you been to Hong Kong? Share your travelling tips in the comments field below.

Despite being overwhelmed by many other memorable activities, like jet-boating and wine tasting, my treatment at eforea: spa at Hilton Queenstown stood out as a highlight of my holiday.

eforea: spa is a global spa solution offered by Hilton and is an opportunity not to be missed if you are presented with the privilege.

eforea: spa at Hilton Queenstown boasts ten exquisite treatment rooms and a vast menu of spa treatments to choose from. With only one hour to spare, I found it extremely difficult to settle on just one luxurious therapy.

After a few exhausting days, I opted for the renewing anti-oxidant facial. Based on the influential art of aromatherapy, it is a deluxe spa treatment which combines different organic botanicals with a range of antioxidants and vitamins; leaving the skin looking fresh and radiant.

I was impressed before the treatment even began. I was ushered to an extravagant change room, where a personal locker with a fluffy dressing gown and slippers awaited me. On my way back to the spa rooms, I passed the stunning sauna and lap pool.

After reclining in the waiting lounge with a refreshing glass of lemon water, I was taken to my dimly-lit, sweet-smelling treatment room.

First, I was treated to an enzyme peel, which tingled as it infused into my skin.  Once removed, I was given a deep-cleansing acupressure facial. The facial was performed in harmony with sounds of nature and a bouquet of organic scented oils. The treatment was just as relaxing for my mind as it was for my face.

Warm pebbles were then run along the contours of my face, quickly followed by cold stones. The contrast in temperature was invigorating to say the least. Aside from its immediate uplifting effect, I was told it would reduce puffiness and clear my energy pathways.

My therapist followed the soothing stones with an eye treatment and scalp massage. My neck was turned to one side and any tension was massaged out across my head, neck and shoulders.  The relaxing sensation was well worth the side effect of oily hair…

I wake to my spa therapist asking if I’d like some water and only then did I realise I must have dozed off.  Needless to say the treatment was unbelievably calming and restorative.

My spa experience at Hilton Queenstown was surreal or what you might call… ‘eforeal’.

- Coby Sullivan
Travel Associates

Have you had a great overseas spa experience? Share it in the comments section below.

My name is Avis.  I am an Irish girl who used to run a surf lodge in Mozambique.  That was, until I decided to follow my passion and co-founded mmMule.

We’ve all had moments where we’ve pondered about what it would be like to turn our back on our everyday jobs to pursue our secret entrepreneurial idea.  For me, that moment escalated a couple of years ago, when I met Andrew.  His like-mindedness changed the course of my life and together we set out to change the lives of other travellers too.

Andrew is an Aussie creative director and before I met him in Mozambique, he’d spent the last ten years working between working in New York City & travelling the world. We hit it off immediately & decided to travel to and explore Ethiopia together later that year. Whilst on a three day trek in Lalibela, we got to talking about all the things we were passionate about in life and what it was in our opinion, which made travel special for us.

Mozambique, where Andrew and I met.

Both Andrew and I agreed that the highlights of previous trips were always the unexpected, interactions we had with the locals in the area. We both love meeting new people and are fascinated by other cultures and ways of life.  It’s those unique and authentic experiences that stay with you forever.

People I meet always laugh at my stories and ask how I manage to have such amazing stories from my travels. I soon discovered it was the local connections that usually led me to my wacky adventures. Andrew felt the same, so we decided that together, we would somehow try to enable ordinary people to travel like us; meet locals and have awesome, authentic travel experiences.

So, whilst half way up an Ethiopian mountain with a dancing priest, a couple of donkeys and an ill-fated goat named Henry we decided we would ditch our real world jobs and follow our passion for travel, by creating a website that facilitated such experiences.

The exact spot where we decided to create mmMule.

We went to Coachella in California and during our shenanigans there, met our developer. After some good times together in New York, Dublin & now Sydney, the idea of our website, mmMule, finally began to take shape. It operates on a few different levels, but is best described as… a new type of social travel network that allows you to get anything you want from anywhere in the world, by rewarding a traveller for delivering it to you.

Sound cool? We think so too.

It lends itself to endless possibilities. Maybe you’re a local looking for your preferred brand of jeans from the USA or craving your favourite wine from Paris. Perhaps you’ve run out of that ‘hard to get’ make-up, or wish you could get your hands on something from duty free? Enter mmMule.

Perhaps you’re a traveller who wants to meet locals, find a place to stay or get the inside scoop on where to go and what to do in a certain region? mmMule can help you to line up these kind of interactions.

With this new concept, you never have to be a tourist again; you can build connections in every city you visit. You can meet like-minded people, get anything your heart desires & experience the world from a local’s perspective.

It has been a year of hectic coding and endless Skype calls.  Admittedly, there were moment where we contemplated throwing in the towel; it was quite the struggle trying to bring this project together, across different continents, but here at mmMule we were very excited to finally go live a few weeks ago and the response so far has been phenomenal.

We’ve had great feedback from people all over the world, looking for items to be delivered. We have had requests from Europe, Canada, the US, Middle East, South America & Australia. Our most common requests are for specialist food like, wines, coffees and whiskey.

My absolute favourite request so far was from a surf instructor in France, Joe. He missed some treats from back home so, in return for someone delivering him some crisps & chocolate to France, he offered them a complimentary surf lesson.

So next time you’re on the move, hop on to mmMule & see if there’s something you can deliver to someone, to help them out and add to your own travel experience.

Go on, you mmMight just surprise yourself.

Mules from Ethiopia... the inspiration behind the name of our website.

Avis Mulhall is the co-founder of mmMule.com

You can follow her on twitter @avismulhall | @mmMule_com

Find out more about mmMule at: www.mmmule.com | https://www.facebook.com/mmMuledotcom

On October 1st, I had the privilege of going on a Crystal Cruise with my husband.  We opted for Mediterranean Treasures, which is a 12 night cruise travelling from: Venice – Dubrovnik – Taormina – Sorrento – Rome – Livorno – Monte Carlo – Barcelona, with two nights prior to the cruise in Verona.

The 2 nights in Verona were the highlight of the trip. It is a wonderful small city, which is easy to get around by foot, with a lot of historical sights to visit, great shopping and a fabulous alfresco vibe for eating out. We stayed at “Il Sogno di Giulietta” which is an historic house opposite Juliet’s balcony, in the courtyard of her house.

We were delighted when we entered our suite to find a four-poster bed, French doors leading to a balcony overlooking the main street, with a giant spa bath and traditional furnishings – superb! The service was excellent, and the best thing is that after Juliet’s House and Courtyard closes for the night, the hotel guests have private access to the balcony courtyard.

We boarded the Crystal Serenity in Venice. Even though the ship was docked away from the centre, Crystal provided a free boat shuttle from the ship to St Marks Square, making for two days of very easy sightseeing.

One of my favourite memories of the cruise was that initial first sailing out from Venice along the Grand Canal at sunset. It was truly one of the most beautiful European sights. Crystal made visiting all ports easy; there was always an efficient and very regular form of transport from the ship to the centre of town available, even if you were not taking one of their shore excursions.

My highlights from the ports visited would be:

• Walking the old fort wall of Dubrovnik, and having a local beer in the main square.
• The town of Taormina as a whole. Very picturesque, with a lot to see and do for a day
• Driving along the Amalfi coast
• The view of the town of Lucca and surrounds from atop one of its many towers
• Having 2 full days docked right in Monte Carlo and driving along the coast from Monte Carlo to Cannes and eating and drinking in many fun places along the way
• We loved that we had long stays in almost all ports – often 10-12 hours or longer
• We loved the onboard life

Our cabin was a lead-in cabin, without a balcony, but we found it very comfortable and stylish, with ample room to fully unpack and ‘move in’. The bathroom was spacious, with two sinks – perfect for a couple.

We enjoyed the excitement of dressing up for formal nights, which included meeting the Captain and having formal portraits taken. We met so many interesting people from all walks of life and were pleased to find a real range of ages on board from couples in their 30′s up to 70′s , as well as family groups of a few generations, and many nationalities, although the majority were American.

The crew were incredible. The main thing I noticed is that they were all having a great time! Our dining room staff were a laugh a minute and kept us entertained nightly. All staff were extremely warm and friendly, remembered our names, and our likes and dislikes.

The ship was almost at capacity but it never felt like there were too many people around. There were no queues for anything. We very much enjoyed the Aussie singer and piano man entertaining nightly in the Saloon Bar. We also loved our dining experiences in the two “specialty” restaurants onboard, which were easy to book and a great alternative to the main dining room.

The best news is, Crystal Cruises is becoming an ‘all inclusive’ line for 2012, so will offer even better value…if that’s possible.

My experience is only half the story, share yours in the comments section below.

- Karen Majsay

Low & James Travel Associates 

For more luxurious cruise holiday ideas, visit the Travel Associates cruise page.

Travellers to Hamilton Island can now enjoy the benefits of business class, with the launch of Virgin Australia’s new service, available on most Australian domestic routes.

During the flight, you can indulge in Luke Mangan’s gourmet menus and the best organic cosmetics, before continuing your relaxing experience at one of the Island’s fabulous resorts, including the award-winning qualia resort and the luxury Yacht Club Villas.

It’s hoped that the introduction of these new business class flights will solidify Hamilton Island’s status in the luxury tourism world and help to position it as an ideal location for celebrity getaways and special events.

For more information on Hamilton Island and Business Class flights, visit the Travel Associates website.

What are your thoughts about the introduction of Business Class flights to Hamilton Island?

Share your comments below.

I grew up in country Victoria and studied Outdoor Education and Teaching at university. I had always felt a real passion for the natural environment and loved spending time exploring some of the great places Australia has to offer. I also really enjoy being able to share these locations, by show people around. When I first visited Tasmania 4 years ago, I knew there was something really special about this state, and couldn’t wait to get back to do some more travelling. The diversity and natural beauty of the island is amazing. I moved here as soon as I finished university and just love it.

The lodge is an exceptionally unique workplace. It sits perched on a hill overlooking the ocean and all you can see for miles are the waves, sand, red rocks and coastal scrub. With no other buildings or people in sight its pretty special waking up to that view every morning.  At night, you can lay back in bed and look at the stars.

I like the feeling of being completely off the grid too. Here at the lodge, we catch all our rainwater, run on solar and gas power and bring in fresh supplies of local produce daily. The place really encourages people to relax and get back to basics. Guests get to turn off their mobiles, forget about cooking and cleaning and trying to remember the million little jobs they have to do. Instead, they just go for a stroll down to the beach, read a book in front of the fire, swim in the ocean, try another piece of cake… It’s a nice feeling being able to facilitate that for them.

It’s impossible to get bored out here and no trip is ever the same. There is always something new washed up on the beach, different animal tracks in the sand and new flowers blossoming. For example, in the last couple of months we have been seeing plenty of whales cruising down South. Everyone drops what they are doing and rushes out to the front deck to catch a glimpse of these magnificent creatures. If we’re lucky, the whales will put on a real show, splashing, breaching and showing off their new calves.  I don’t know of many other places where you get to do that at work.

I also enjoy the huge range of people I get to meet working here. Almost everyday we meet a new group of guests arriving at the lodge. I love to watch their faces as they come up onto the front deck and see the view behind them for the first time. There is also a real sense of achievement, as they have just walked for two days to arrive at the lodge. Meeting so many people each day, you are bound to hear interesting stories of travel, adventures and history. I’ve definitely felt privileged to meet some of our guests out here.

I was looking for some guiding work over Summer when I first moved to Tassie in 2008. A friend suggested Bay of Fires, which sounded intriguing, as I hadn’t spent much time on the North East coast of Tassie. I was blown away by the scenery and solitude on my first trip, it really didn’t feel like work hiking along the beach enjoying the beautiful weather and landscape. I worked for two seasons guiding and then was lucky enough to be offered the position of Lodge Manager, meaning I would get to live full time at the beach and oversee the lodge and field operations side of the walk. I have now spent the last year working as the Lodge Manager with my partner Will, and am going into my fourth year working for the company.

I’ve had a lot of great tours, but one moment that really stands out, was in Summer a couple of years ago. My fellow guide and I were walking along the beach on the second morning of the tour when we spotted an Australasian Gannet, a large sea bird, hopelessly tangled in a fishing lure. It had got both its feet and beak caught in the lure and was flapping around on the beach very distressed. We managed to catch it and remove the lure from its beak and one foot, but it was so badly tangled in the other foot that we didn’t think we could do any more to help it. That’s when two of our guests (who just happened to be surgeons) jumped in to help. With a little bit of improvised beach surgery they had the bird free in no time.  The bird then hopped off back to the water. It was a pretty rewarding moment for the whole group.

My other favourite story involves a tour group of 10 women, lots of red wine and some interesting dance moves, but I’ll save that for another time…

We are pretty settled here at the moment, so we focus a lot of time looking at ways to improve the walk and expand our knowledge of the local environment. Aside from that, we are always trying to find more time to keep exploring Tassie.  Even though it’s a small island, the list of places to visit, walks to do and rivers to paddle just keeps on growing.

Click here to see our current Cradle Mountain Lodge offers.

Visit the Travel Associates website.

I visited the captivating city of  Cape town in August this year and made many unforgettable memories. I stayed at The Ambassador Hotel. It was a great place to stay, for a reasonable price. The restaurant on the top floor, Salt had spectacular views over the cliffs and out over the Atlantic Ocean. The food was amazing. Breakfast included a continental style buffet and a cooked selection from the menu.

Rooms at the hotel were fairly standard but always clean.  The staff were excellent; very accommodating. I had the best restaurant experience ever at Mama Africa. The food is traditionally African (not just South African – but food from all over the continent). The decor was absolutely eclectic - lots of handmade decorations that were very brightly coloured. The staff were so friendly and welcoming and the food…oh my god…the food was amazing and filling.  I recommend the banquet for the full experience. The meal started with a ceremonial hand-washing and then I read the menu off a hand-painted sail on a wooden sail boat.

I am not sure how many dishes we sampled but it was close to 15! After sampling each dish, the waiter than asked if we wanted more of anything. We were pretty full but couldn’t say no to dessert. Then the real fun started! The waiters, waitresses, chefs and owner all came into the restaurant singing and drumming. I have never experienced anything like it! They had so much fun weaving between the tables and performing to their own music.

The best part about Mama Africa is that it doesn’t feel touristy; it felt like I had been invited to a local’s home and they had given me an insight into their heritage.

We climbed Table Mountain. This beautiful icon dominates the skyline of Capetown and is a spectacular sight even from the ground, let alone when you get up there! Take the Cable car for the full experience and make sure you see the local animals, particularly the dassies, they are very cute.

A must see is the Kirstenbosch Gardens. These are truly magnificent. Maybe it was the dramatic mountains which acted as a backdrop to the gardens or perhaps it was the variety of well-maintained plants which made it so stunning…whatever it was, we spent hours wandering the gardens and none of us are gardeners, even in the loosest sense of the word. Lovely. Just lovely.

Next on the agenda was Cape of Good Hope National Park. It was a fun drive down the coast, past spectacular scenery and we had the privilege of spotting some local wildlife whilst standing on what felt like the end of Africa. We saw several different native animals while we were here, including ostriches, baboons and Cape Eland.

Finally, was the V&A Waterfront. It is great for a stroll, a shop or a delicious meal out. We kept going back there for food because every restaurant we tried had such an impressive selection of food and local wines.

This is just the first part of my trip! If you enjoyed reading this, keep an eye out for part two, which includes a great story about the Blue Train…

- Anne Patterson

My experience is only half the story. Share yours in the comments section below.

For more information about amazing African holidays, visit the Travel Associates website at http://www.travel-associates.com.au/packages/africa/overview

From the moment we stepped off the seaplane, to the time the plane door shut again on our departure, resort staff members Katherine and MaryAnn were available to assist. MaryAnn rearranged her schedule to ensure we had adequate time to enjoy the Ithaa (mother of pearl) experience.

Katherine showed us an excellent time in the Cheese and Wine Bar, and I felt as if I had just caught up with an old friend.

This year, we offered our clients the chance to watch the world’s best horses and jockeys battle it out down the Flemington turf, whilst sipping on a complimentary glass of sparkling wine – after having indulged in a moorish morning tea, and brilliant buffet lunch.

Equipped with tote facilities, a race book and access to television screens, these savvy spectators won’t miss a moment of the celebrated Melbourne Cup activity.

When the day has come to an end, and their voice have turned ‘hoarse’, they will ride a return coach to the four and half star Stamford Plaza.

If attending Melbourne Cup Day is still on your bucket list, pencil it in now for 2012.  Skip the second-best sweepstakes and experience the excitement of the real event, with a perfect package tailored by Travel Associates.

Visit the Travel Associates website at www.travel-associates.com.au for more information on the Melbourne Cup and other unique holiday ideas.

Share your ideas about what you would like to see included in future Melbourne Cup packages in the comments section below.

- Travel Associates. Our experience counts.

With EuroBike  and Utracks I saw an abundance of beautiful landscapes, in a social setting and at a manageable pace .

I was in the ‘Beginner to Intermediate’ category of bike riders.  It was an easy ride and very safe. As part of a a self-guided tour, I was provided with maps and instructions that were easy to follow and on top of that, there were road signs to assist me along the way.

I saw a lot of little villages and country-towns and enjoyed many an espresso stop at each. Our sights varied greatly; from beaches, to forrests and vineyards to churches.  Each day, our suitcases were taken to the next hotel so it was just us, the bikes and the wind! The tour operator made himself very available via mobile phone if any of us had concerns along the way.

This was our itinerary:

DAY 1: Join Venice / Mestre

DAY 2: Cycle across Freedom Bridge to Venice and on to Chioggia (35km)

DAY 3: Follow the Adige River through fertile fields to the charming town of Rovigo (65km)

DAY 4: Go along the Po River to the Italian cycle town of Ferrara (45km)

DAY 5: By train to Alfonsine and continue to the mosaic town of Ravenna via the  Po Delta Nature Park (50km)

DAY 6: Cycle to the foothills of the Apennine Range and the town of Brisighella (55km)

DAY 7: Train to Borgo San Lorenzo, then continued by bike to Florence (35km).

Imagine vineyards, endless sunflower fields, orchards and charming villages, grapes, pears, apples, figs and tomatoes along the side of the road. We met so many amazing, friendly people, who could not wait to find out who we were, where we had come from and where we were going. We soon earned nick-name, “The Pink Angels”.

Chioggia: sometimes called Little Venice, is a fishing port on the Venetian lagoon. At the heart of the historic centre is a wide pedestrian street lined with shops and bars, where there is a lot of activity at night. The Sottomarina area, 2 kilometres from the port, has beautiful, sandy beaches. The local food was amazing. Vongole pasta was our favourite.

Rovigo: is a gorgeous town. Again, the seafood was amazing, as were the cute, little restaurants and welcoming people.

Ferrara: is situated along the Po River. This city dates back around 1300 years and is now called the city of bicycles. Everyone there owns a bike! We rode through the city along its cobble-stoned streets, feeling like we belonged. There are 9,200 meters of city walls commissioned by Duke Ercole I d’Este and built between 1493 and 1505 with walking paths on top so, you guessed it, you can cycle along the path.

Ravenna: is known as the mosaic city because of the stunning 5th-6th century mosaics that adorn the walls of its churches and monuments. With eight listed UNESCO World Heritage Sites, I hardly have to explain how beautiful this town is.

Brisighella: is a gorgeous little medieval town, perched on a hill. It has quaint restaurants and numerous gelato shops, which we felt entitled to try before the hardest part of our ride; a 3 km uphill climb! The rise led us to the most magnificent view of Florence; where we enjoyed a light lunch at a  a sensational little restaurant. We then enjoyed an easy, downhill ride with the breeze in our face; soaking up the smells and scenes of Florence, knowing that soon our bike ride was coming to an end. It was a bitter-sweet feeling.

I love the challenge and daily exercise that comes with a cycling tour.

I enjoyed visiting such gorgeous towns and villages and mixing with the locals.  What a ride, literally! I loved it and yes, I would do it all over again.

My experience is only half the story.  Share yours in the comments section below.

- Jo Kennedy

- Kennedy & Turner Travel Associates.

For more information on cycling tours and other unique holiday ideas, visit the Travel Associates website at: www.travel-associates.com.au or follow us on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/travelassociatesAU