Five hot destinations that are more accessible to Aussies

Published by Herald Sun | By Sarah Nicholson

AUSSIE travellers are always enthusiastic about going off the beaten track but a lack of transport, absence of accommodation, or scant supply of tours often make it hard to plan a holiday. However, new air routes, hotels, ferry services and guided tours mean some quiet corners of the planet – as far-flung as the Arctic Circle and as near as across the Tasman – will be easier to see this year.

When British Airways added Iceland to its route map in October, with flights between London Heathrow and Reykjavik, it became a cinch to make a side trip to the Nordic nation during a visit to the UK.

Insider tip

“Reykjavik’s downtown is small enough to cover in less than a day, and visiting most landmarks is free,” says Butterfield & Robinson’s Iceland trip designer Orsolya Kako.

“There are walking tours of the city available where you only pay a tip to the guide, the sculpture garden of Asmundur Sveinsson is open to the public because he wished children be allowed to play on his statues, and there are many free concerts in small squares downtown during summer.

“Cafe Mokka at Skolavordustigur is a local classic, one of the oldest cafes in Iceland, and famous for its delicious oversized waffles and hot chocolate with cream.

“A great resource is the abundance of geothermal water, allowing for outdoor swimming pools in most neighbourhoods, and Icelanders made an artificial beach at Nautholsvik with imported golden sand and hot water pumped into the sea so it reaches a comfortable temperature for bathing.’’

See the full story in Herald Sun.