Roads Unknown: India
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Posted 27m ago 27 minutes ago Wed 18 Jun 2025 at 2:00am
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Ian Veneracion once considered migrating to Sydney
Ian Veneracion and his band is in Australia for a series of concerts in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne. He became popular as the son of Joey de Leon in the 80s TV Show, 'Joey & Son'. He loves outdoor activities and loves to travel and explore places in the Philippines. LISTEN TO SBS Filipino 08:49 Filipino 📢 Where to Catch SBS Filipino 📲 Catch up episodes and stories – Visit or stream on Spotify , Apple Podcasts , Youtube Podcasts , and SBS Audio app.
News.com.au
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Kokomo Private Island: How hidden sanctuary changed travel forever
It's not often you're swept up in a literal pinch me moment. Think clear skies, even clearer waters and nothing but sunshine and sand to fill every waking moment. For 72 hours, I got to live like royalty (and some of Australia's most famous faces) in perhaps one of the most picturesque hidden islands in the world. And the best bit? This slice of heaven is less than four hours from Australia's east coast. Welcome to Kokomo Private Island – a sanctuary located on the island of Yaukuve Levu — boasting the best in views, villas, cocktails and coastline Fiji has to offer. Arriving by private chopper which swooped and swayed for 45 minutes from Nadi along the Coral Coast, my young family and I were whisked straight from the helipad upon arrival to our 'home away from home' for the next three nights. With freshly cracked coconuts in hand, the island's soulful arrival song in the air and sand between our toes as we cast our eyes across the azure depths of the South Pacific — I quickly caught on to why this 'sanctuary to the stars' is the ultimate in barefoot luxury. And especially if you have little ones in tow. The Villa Stepping into our three-bedroom villa on the shores of Sunset Beach is a moment that will truly stay with me forever. The views from each room in our villa were straight from a postcard, with palm trees and catamarans framing every shot. The first moment we walked through our front door and across the expansive balcony that wrapped around our own private plunge pool and onto the sand took my breath away. And I don't think I caught it again until we left three days later. We stayed in Villa 1, which has plenty of room for six adults or a larger family with several kids in tow. With plenty of gardens to explore and open spaces between us and the next villa, the layout of the island ensures the utmost in privacy from other guests. But with activities, dining and the beach — there's also ample opportunity to mingle should you so wish. One of the many standouts was the stunning outdoor shower surrounded by swaying coconut trees. There's something truly magic about taking a shower with the ocean lapping at the sand in one ear, and the birds in the trees in the other. The island has 21 beachfront villas and five luxury residences, with villas ranging from one to three bedrooms, while the residences can accommodate larger groups with three to six bedrooms. Before jumping into food it's worth noting there's plenty in the mini bar to keep you both fuelled and hydrated (take not of the delicious choc chip cookies delivered daily) but honestly, save your appetite for one of the three main restaurants on the island. The Food Before we left for Fiji, I wasn't quite sure what to expect from daily dining experiences. But after our first meal at the island's main restaurant, the Beach Shack, I knew we had been dropped into culinary heaven. Beach Shack and neighbouring Beach Bar have uninterrupted views over the ocean and across to Namara Island, with nothing but boats, yachts and a sea plane bobbing on the surface. The food is fabulous — fresh and abundant in flavour — but it's the little touches that make dining at The Beach Shack so memorable. For anyone with a toddler, sitting back and having dinner can go one of many ways. But the staff made every effort to keep the little ones occupied — with an equally delicious kids menu, games and songs for entertainment. My two-year-old is still talking about the 'Koko Mac n Cheese' months later. 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Paired up with one of the island's food and beverage team members, the tour allows guests to explore the expansive vegetable gardens, herbs and edible flower enclosures, vanilla plantation and ever the buzzing hen house and beehives. Taking around an hour, the tour is the perfect way to further understand how the island has ensured their local produce gets from paddock to plate. The Experiences When you have a young family on holiday, there's a fine line between finding a place that has plenty to do — and also grabbing the opportunity to do nothing at all. Kokomo Private Island has almost every corner covered — from a 'I don't want to leave' kids club, to snorkel tours, manta ray swims and our absolute highlight — a day on our very own private island alone. During our second day on island (and after receiving a personally delivered menu suggestion from the island's executive chef Andrew Bryant about what's on for lunch) we were whisked across the South Pacific to Namara Island. Basically, this is how the other half do lunch. After arriving to a completely deserted island, with nothing more than a chef preparing a gourmet lunch and a bartender with champagne on ice — the entire island was ours for the day. A few family-friendly games were set up, a whimsical linen cabana drapped under coocnut trees, snorkelling gear and an entire beach full of untouched shells to collect — the experience was magic. You can spend anywhere from 3-6 hours on Namara, where time literally stands still. It's just you, some fabulous food and every corner of nature that Fiji has on offer to explore. The fun stuff When it comes to blending a luxury stay with kids, it can be a tricky line to walk. But the truth is — Kokomo have truly taken the experience lapped up by celebrities like radio host Jacki O Henderson and TV personality Karl Stefanovic, and brought it to the family domain. While our little one spent most of the time on island with us, it was hard to drag her away from the interactive and dedicated kids club when she dropped by. The clubs, which accommodate younger ones right through to teenage years, offer everything from fish feeding and local crafts, to treasure hunts, cooking classes and movie nights — they'll truly never want to leave. There's no denying a stay on the island is a premium experience. With 1-bedroom villas starting from AU$3900 per night and a larger, more family-friendly three-bedroom abode from AU$6200 (all meals included). But when it comes to absolute relaxation, world-class food and unmatched experiences — paired with an epic kids club on island offering the littles ones extensive activities where no two days are the same, all while the adults get to have a few hours of down time — you could argue every cent feels well worth it.
News.com.au
20 hours ago
- News.com.au
Insane surge of Aussies visiting this location
Australian travellers are embracing Egypt more than ever with the African destination still on everyone's bucket list. While the overall travel advisory from Smarttraveller for Egypt from Australia advises 'exercising a high degree of caution' due to the threat of terrorism, it is still considered safe to travel to many parts of Egypt, particularly tourist areas. According to Intrepid Travel, the destination has seen a 170 per cent increase in new bookings as Aussies chase the warmth this winter. 'We've seen a real shift in the way Aussies are choosing where to travel this winter,' Brett Mitchell, Intrepid Travel ANZ managing director told 'Travellers are looking to avoid crowds and overdone itineraries, and the numbers back that up.' He said a recent survey conducted by the Melbourne-born global travel company revealed more than 70 per cent of Aussies said they'd felt overwhelmed by the number of tourists while travelling, and 74 per cent said overtourism has made them rethink certain destinations. 'As a result, 76 per cent are now finding lesser-known destinations appealing,' Mr Mitchell said. Traditionally, Aussies would escape to Europe in search of warmer weather, but for the first time ever, more Aussies are choosing to travel to Europe during the shoulder season months (April, May, September) to avoid the crowds and heat. 'Even those still heading to Europe in summer are now seeking out alternative destinations – typically cooler, less crowded spots,' Mr Mitchell said. 'We've seen bookings to Iceland rise by 22 per cent and Norway by 30 per cent, highlighting the growing appetite for lesser-known destinations with fewer crowds.' He said bookings for Egypt are also up year-on-year, with travellers drawn to its rich history, culture and warm-weather appeal. 'Major investment in tourism infrastructure by the government as part of its goal of attracting 30 million annual tourists by 2028 has made it more accessible to travellers,' he said. 'New hotel developments, streamlined visa processes and improvements to transport are all helping travellers move more confidently through the country and encouraging more Aussies to visit.' Angus Kidman, travel expert at Finder, said the rise of Aussies visiting Egypt comes as no surprise. 'Pyramids have a pointed appeal, so it's no surprise that Egypt is on a lot of bucket lists,' he told 'With some folks put off by the current US travel crackdown, stricter rules in Bali and no more Jetstar flights to Hawaii, other destinations become more appealing. 'Egypt is also an easy attachment to a European trip.' He warned to ensure you're insured as soon as you book. 'Egypt isn't far from Middle Eastern trouble spots, so issues can arise that disrupt your booking,' he said. 'Travel insurance doesn't have to be expensive – shop around and compare rather than just taking the option offered by your tour operator or airline.' Sydneysider Tsoline Santi just returned from a 10-day trip to Egypt with her husband. She said not only did she feel safe but it was also great not having to dodge tourists constantly. 'I knew Egypt was a country rich in culture and history but I didn't know the extent of it and how beautiful it was,' the 33-year-old told Ms Santi visited Cairo, Aswan, Luxor and Hurghada as part of a Top Deck tour Delve Deep, adding the experience felt 'surreal'. 'Being able to see all the sites we've heard about our whole lives in movies and stories with our own eyes – it felt very surreal – especially the Pyramids and being able to go inside them,' she said. 'Our tour guide was great – he explained everything in detail about where we were going and if there was anything we should be mindful about, especially cultural differences,' she said. 'That definitely put us to ease. I probably wouldn't have felt as safe travelling without a tour group or guide, particularly because of all the police check points in between each city and having the relevant documentation to go through.' According to the TopDeck site, all their Egyptian Topdeck trip leaders are qualified Egyptologists. 'Meaning? You're gonna [sic] have more fact-filled days than you can poke a mummified finger at.' The Australian government's Smartraveller website has a 'do not travel' warning within 40km of Egypt's border with Libya due to the high threat of terrorist attacks, including the Taba-Suez Road. This is not near the hotspots mostly visited by tourists. Bunnik Tours, small group tours designed for Aussie travellers, has also seen a 112 per cent increase in passenger numbers to Egypt in the second half of this year compared to the same period in 2024. The Adelaide-based company said this has prompted a 24 per cent increase in the number of 2026 departures for their most comprehensive itinerary – the 25-day Egypt & Jordan Discovery small group tour. They currently offer seven small group tours to Egypt, with maximum group sizes of 20 people. Ms Santi, who also visited Greece and Italy, said it was refreshing to be in a country that wasn't so packed. 'Egypt was much less crowded which made it a lot more enjoyable to view all the sites,' she said. A recent survey by Global Rescue found that 73 per cent of travellers are worried about overtourism, and more than half are actively avoiding popular destinations like France, Spain, Italy, and Thailand. Anti-tourism protests have also been held across cities in Spain, Italy and Portugal as some locals feel foreigners are turning their cities into playgrounds while they are left behind with a housing crisis, rising rents and environmental impacts. It comes as popular destinations across the world have been desperately trying to find new ways to cope with a massive boom in tourism post-Covid and avoid the trend dubbed 'overtourism'. What other destinations are on the rise Meanwhile, Intrepid has identified other destinations outside of Europe on the rise such as Peru and Ecuador which have seen bookings from Aussie travellers up 83 per cent and 135 per cent year-on-year, respectively. 'Travellers tend to be drawn to South America's unique range of experiences and landscapes, many of which are brought together on our 25-day Ecuador, Galápagos & Peru Explorer, encouraging travellers to slowly explore these wildly different parts of the region,' Mr Mitchell told 'These destinations are still relatively affordable, less saturated with tourists, and include experiences that give people a real sense of connection to culture.'
