Get expert insight on Australia with Destination Specialist for the South Pacific, Joanne Palanuik. Joanne hails from New Zealand and has explored Australia countless times over the years.
What’s your favourite place to visit?
Port Douglas in Queensland.
What’s a great place to eat?
Dundees on the Waterfront in Cairns.
What’s a unique way to explore?
Ride in a hot air balloon over the outback. You get to spot kangaroos in the early morning, watching them from above when they’re completely unaware of your presence.
What’s a hidden gem that more people should know about?
Kangaroo Island in South Australia.
What’s a famous landmark that travellers absolutely should not miss?
There are almost too many to mention, but everyone needs to see the Great Barrier Reef.
When’s the best time to visit?
The Australian spring of October and November, or the autumn of March and April.
What surprised you the most?
There is still no tipping in Australia.
What’s a common misconception?
Its size, as many travellers don’t realize that Australia is almost as big as the United States.
What is the best place to stay?
Cooinda Lodge Kakadu in Kakadu National Park has new rooms, including the Yellow Water Villa, a luxury tented villa with an ensuite bathroom.
What is the best way to get around?
It all depends on how long you’re there and where you’re going, but it’s usually a combo of flights, rail, and private car.
You might say that Aren was destined to become a globetrotter after his family took him to Germany two times before he was four. If that wasn’t enough, a term spent in Sweden as a young teenager and a trek across Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand confirmed that destiny. An independent writer, director, and film critic, Aren has travelled across Asia, Europe, the Middle East, and South America. His favourite travel experience was visiting the major cities of Japan’s largest island, Honshu, but his love for food, drink, and film will take him anywhere that boasts great art and culture.
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