if you've got the winter blues, try the European cruise company U by Uniworld. Photo / News Corp Australia Network
Jack Frost nipping at your door? As winter begins to bite, we've scoured the globe for hot places, bursting with cool new experiences, where you can warm up and wind down.
This new yacht is hot. Guests who stay at Qualia Resort at Hamilton Island can now exclusively charter swanky motor yacht Palm Beach 55. With a first-class fit, finish and amenities, this is the first of its kind in commercial use in the world. Cruise the Whitsundays, exploring beaches and islands with your skipper, host and all equipment, plus a balmy breeze or two.
This latest luxury lodge, which rests along a 500m section of remote Australian coastline, is seriously swell. Perched inside Christmas Island National Park, the first of Swell Lodge's glass-fronted eco-chalets will open on Tuesday. What makes this establishment even hotter is that it is the first eco-accommodation permitted inside any of the Commonwealth national parks.
Intrepid Travel has launched a scorching three-day tour of Arnhem Land, Kakadu and Litchfield. On this journey through the Northern Territory's East Arnhem Land, indigenous guides will take guests through special sections and explain the cultural significance of various art sites. Along the way visit the Mawurndaddja rock art site as well as the Ubirr Aboriginal art sites
Wanting warmth but simply can't leave the southern states? For the hottest new restaurant opening in Melbourne, head to Matilda at South Yarra. This toasty establishment calms the chill with its menu of modern Australian produce, all of which is touched by hot coals, smoked woods or flames. Matilda sits beneath the new United Places Botanic Gardens, a new boutique hotel with 12 designer suites boasting warm touches such as velvet drapes and charcoal-tinted mirrors.
Going camping in the Northern Territory has just taken on a whole new twist with the introduction of Flash Camp @ Kakadu. This bespoke bell tent accommodation, in the Cooinda Camping Ground in the heart of Kakadu National Park, operates from mid-June to mid-September. Sleep in double or twin tents with spring-foam mattresses, quality bed linen, fresh towels, bamboo furniture and toiletries.
Thala Beach Nature Reserve at Port Douglas is not only celebrating its 20th anniversary as one of Australia's leading eco resorts, but it has just been admitted into National Geographic's Unique Lodges of the World. A hot tip: Thala is the only beachfront eco lodge in Queensland with about 2km of private access beach exclusively for in-house guests.
It's eco all the way at Lady Elliot Island, on the Southern Great Barrier Reef, and now it's upped the ante, launching two new sustainable eco tents. Perched so close to the shore that guests can watch turtles lay their eggs, these fully powered tents include quality bedding and furnishings and an outside deck from which to enjoy Mother Nature's show.
This new reef sleep with Lady Musgrave Experience is divine. Jump aboard Advance II, a 56ft custom-built steel yacht, and spend a night or two where you can enjoy Lady Musgrave Island all to yourself. Snorkel sections of this Southern Great Barrier Reef not available to day guests and opt for a night dive with manta rays.
Queenslanders love a cool pool and new offering Yeppoon Lagoon is a blue beauty. This resort-style lagoon, along Yeppoon foreshore on the Tropic of Capricorn, measures 250sq m with swimming areas including a children's shallow play area, informal lap pool, and infinity edge looking to Great Keppel Island.
Love your plonk and a pedal? Now you can combine the two. UTracks has released a new tour through northern Spain. The eight-day Highlights of the Rioja by Bike journey will take you through this wine region renowned for its classic bold reds and fine dining. Feast at award-winning restaurants in countryside estates and medieval villages and sleep in handpicked hotels full of character and charm.
Head to the Med for some European summer sunshine and the latest offering in the Club Med portfolio. Opened on June 9, Club Med Cefalu in Sicily boasts unrivalled sea views and promises "Italian dolce vita". Discover the sweet life through chic culinary experiences designed by renowned Michelin four-star chef Andrea Berton. Swim in the Mediterranean, laze on a lounge, or slumber in your suite.
Destined to make you feel all warm and fuzzy, Four Seasons resort The Nam Hai, in Vietnam's Hoi An, has introduced AntiGravity Yoga. Staged in the new Thanh Tinh Yoga Pavilion, it pays homage to Vietnamese garden homes typically found near Hue. Believed to be the first AntiGravity Yoga in Vietnam, this flying yoga uses hammocks suspended above the ground to achieve poses.
Hoist the sails and join G Adventures on its new trip along Sri Lanka's east coast. Timed to coincide with the whale-watching season and along the secluded east coast, it offers some of Sri Lanka's best snorkelling opportunities. When not sailing aboard this new 52-foot catamaran, which takes up to eight passengers and has four double/twin cabins with ensuite bathrooms, guests can kayak or stand-up paddle along deserted beaches. The trip comes with a skipper and an on-board cook who specialises in Sri Lankan cuisine.
Snaffle your own slice of sand at the new Intercontinental Phu Quoc Long Beach resort, poised to open off the southwest coast of Vietnam this winter. This 459-room, suites, and villa resort comes replete with exclusive access to a secluded stretch of Long Beach. Guests here are invited to swim, soak, and embrace ocean sunsets. Boasting the highest bar in Phu Quoc, INK360, enjoy panoramic ocean and mountain views.
For 12 days, you can experience the life of a cool colonial on a new Trafalgar tour which embraces Singapore and Malaysia. The Colonial Singapore and Malaysia with Beach Stay takes guests on a hot heritage trip through Singapore, Malacca, Kuala Lumpur and Georgetown. Learn to cook with bamboo, meet villagers and dine with local families and sleep in heritage hotels and traditional shophouses. Extend your trip with two nights at the beach in Penang for an extra slice of sun.
Cruise shipCarnival Spiritis back in the water with a new facelift after undergoing upgrades focusing on fresh family-friendly entertainment features. There's a host of new spaces for kids' activities including the SoulPlay arts and crafts area, and the Warehouse Arcade for teenagers. During 2018, Carnival Spirit will be chasing the sun off New Caledonia, Vanuatu and Moreton Island.
Fiji's latest eco experience is so cool, it's hot. Visitors can now cycle abandoned railway tracks with electric-assisted bicycles on a new Ecotrax tour. Glide along former sugar cane tram lines framed by the Coral Coast and feel the Fiji flush on your face as you ride through villages, rock cuttings and mangroves before arriving at a secluded beach. Swim and feast on local fruit and coconut here
Embrace one of Latin America's hottest countries on Contiki's new Viva Costa Rica tour. This nine-day trip winds through San Jose, Arena, Playa Tamarindo, Monteverde and Manuel Antonio. Discover volcanoes, rainforest, sandy beaches, seas and coral reefs. In your spare time, go canyoneering, surfing, white-water rafting, sailing and horse riding.
This new Africa Encompassed tour, which takes in South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Kenya and Tanzania, is bound to warm the cockles. Join Eclipse Travel for this
21-day journey through Kruger and Chobe national parks, and experience the unforgettable migration in the Maasai Mara and the Serengeti. Capture the colour of Cape Town and Victoria Falls before arriving at Ngorongoro Crater, home to lions, cheetahs and leopards.
Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort's stunning location, overlooking Hawaii's famous beach, has always been a drawcard - but from July, those staying in Voyager 47 Club level rooms and all suites have access to a new premier club lounge featuring unobstructed views of Diamond Head. The Voyager 47 Club Lounge will serve breakfast bites with local Kona coffee, and boasts a dedicated club concierge to assist with activity planning. Return at sunset for a cocktail overlooking the ocean and the beach excitement. Balmy bliss.
Act like an A-lister and book into Mexico's Montage Los Cabos, the freshest accommodation offering among the Capes. Relax in deep tubs, soak in indoor/outdoor showers and enjoy stunning ocean views from your beachfront suite. Splash in three spectacular swimming pools, enjoy a personalised wellness program in the spa, and indulge in authentic Mexican fare sourced from local organic ingredients while a master tequilero matches your meals with a delicious drop or two.
It's Vanuatu's newest resort and you'll find Rockwater on beautiful Tanna Island. Carved from limestone cliffs on the island's north, this eco-resort has 10 Rock Suites and rooms all offering panoramic ocean views, a restaurant serving Mediterranean cuisine, bar and swimming pool. There's plenty to do out here including 4WD tours, snorkelling with turtles or whales and traditional canoeing.
Drawing on Fiji's rich tea plantation history which dates back to the late 1800s, guests at Outrigger's Castaway Island, Fiji, can now partake in a classic high tea. Served each day, 3pm-5pm – featuring delicate cakes, pastries and savory offerings – you can enjoy this new tradition at Waters Edge Restaurant or indulge in the privacy of your own bure. There's a taste of the tropics on the menu with coconut and island fruitcakes, Fiji honey, and a special medium-strength Earl Grey tea with citrus pieces, lemongrass, cornflowers and jasmine flowers.
For a true taste of Maldivian magic, head to Soneva Fushi which has just launched its new dining destination, Out of the Blue. This two-storey overwater structure houses five new eating experiences including Japanese, Chinese and other international dining outlets. For a real winter warmer, head to So Hot, which includes the tandoor oven, robata grill, Josper grill and pizza oven. Michelin-star chefs from around the world will host dinners at Once Upon A Table which seats only eight diners in this exclusive setting.
New European river cruise company U by Uniworld has launched an eight-day itinerary called The Danube Flow where travellers can enjoy highlights such as bathing in Budapest's famous Szechenyi Baths, party in the sky on Vienna's giant Ferris wheel in plush and roomy dining cabins, and visit Austria's oldest wine estate.