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Travel News You Can Use
By Cynthia David
Two new tours organized by AAT Kings in partnership with Australia’s Northern Territory may send the Australian Outback to the top of your bucket list. The two- to five-day Short Break tours, led by experienced driver guides, let travellers personalize their trips while learning about Aboriginal culture. Explore Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park with a local guide who will walk with you to a significant site known as Mutitjulu Waterhole and share the meaning of the 40,000-year-old ancient rock art created by the land’s traditional owners. Join a dot-painting workshop with Aboriginal Anangu artists. Witness the stunning sunset views of Uluru and watch the sun rise over Kata Tjuta with its 36 giant domes. aatkings.com/ntsale
Behind the ancient walls of Antwerp’s Botanic Sanctuary lies Belgium’s most spectacular new hotel, The Botanic Sanctuary Antwerp. Eight years of restoration have transformed five buildings of a 13th-century monastery into 108 rooms and suites fusing ancient wooden beams with contemporary glass conservatories. The Sanctuary also offers multiple Michelin-starred restaurants, a destination spa and a 15th-century chapel. It’s one of many reasons to visit this lively port city, which is quickly becoming a new European hot spot boasting numerous Michelin restaurants, world-class galleries and museums amid its cobblestone streets. botanicantwerp.be
Hotel Indigo Grand Cayman, the newest hotel on the Cayman Islands’ celebrated Seven Mile Beach strip, has already won architecture and construction awards. It’s also the first Indigo property in the Caribbean, boasting 282 guest rooms and suites. Special touches include an epicurean hub featuring several dining concepts, an infinity pool overlooking the ocean and the island’s first rooftop lounge. On Grand Cayman’s western tip, meanwhile, new luxury boutique hotel VIDA offers eco-adventures, wellness sessions and evening food experiences. Choices include sunrise kite surfing, nature runs, meditation sessions, yoga, farm-to-fork dinners and holistic cooking classes led by a local chef. Hotelindigo.com; VidaCayman.com
Downtown Toronto’s bustling Chelsea Hotel has embarked on a $60 million renovation that promises to make this iconic hotel even more popular with value-conscious guests from around the world. Along with refreshed rooms, look forward to a renovated lobby, new lobby bar and extensive upgrades to meeting and banquet facilities. The Chelsea Hotel, which is now part of Langham Hospitality Group, has also introduced a free loyalty and experiences program called Brilliant by Langham. Members will receive special room rates and restaurant discounts along with status and award points for their stays and use of amenities. Redeem points for traditional perks plus personalized offerings such as private cooking lessons, dinners with celebrity chefs and local guided tours. Chelseatoronto.com
If you love Italian food and prefer an active vacation to sitting on a bus, check out Tourissimo’s new culinary cycling tour of Western Sicily. The eight-day tour takes you from elegant Palermo to picturesque small towns and valleys dotted with grapevines. Explore Greek ruins and a salt farm and swim in the blue Mediterranean. Sicily’s food and wine rival its natural beauty. Learn to cook local specialties and indulge in fresh seafood, pasta, pungent olive oil, eggplant, tomatoes, artichokes, citrus, figs and almonds. Four-star hotel stays include a rural abbey. tourissimo.travel
Seoul, South Korea’s ultra-modern, walkable capital, is filled with sleek high-rises, ancient temples, vibrant shopping districts and intriguing street food. See for yourself aboard Air Canada’s new direct flight from Montreal to Seoul’s Incheon airport. Until Oct. 24, the flight operates four times a week aboard a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft. While airborne, sample Korean classics including barbeque chicken and beef bulgogi. The announcement marks Air Canada’s third direct route to Seoul after Toronto and Vancouver. AirCanada.com
