The 5 best kept secret beaches of Australia!

Bondi Beach is undoubtedly the most famous beach in Australia. This stretch of sand is located 7km east of Sydney and tops the list of popular tourist destinations. While Bondi is beautiful and a lot of fun - it’s also crowded with tourists and not at all what you would call a peaceful getaway.

Bondi should be on your Australian beach bucket list - but while you are in Australia make sure you also take the opportunity to visit some of the other gorgeous beaches that are more unspoilt, quiet and naturally beautiful.

Australia’s coastline is 50,000 kilometres long and consists of 10,000 beaches - so you could spend a lifetime visiting them and still not see them all. To narrow things down, these five particularly lovely beaches are the perfect place to start.

1. Whitehaven Beach, Whitsundays

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This is the most photographed beach in Australia - and it’s easy to see why. This seven kilometre stretch of sand is located right in the heart of the impossibly beautiful Whitsundays. The sand is as white and soft as sugar, and the clear water is ideal for snorkelling.

Whitehaven Beach was named the Cleanest Beach in Queensland in 2008, and it is known for its stunning white sand. The sand is 98% silica, which is why it has such a bright white colour. It is incredibly fine, and it doesn’t retain heat so that you can walk barefoot on the beach even on a scorching day.

2. The Basin, Rottnest Island

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Rottnest Island is located off the coast of Perth, and one of its loveliest beaches is known as The Basin. Nature has created the ultimate swimming environment here - a calm basin hugged by reefs offering safe bathing in the deep, green, tranquil water. A rock ledge forms the natural swimming pool of the basin, and it is fascinating to watch the tide go back and forth across it. Sharks cannot enter, and the snorkelling is superb in the serene waters.

The beach is equipped with toilets and drinking water facilities, and the Basin is easy to reach on foot or via bicycle. It makes the ideal place for a picnic and the calm waters are perfect for kids to splash and play in.

3. Bells Beach, Victoria

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If you are a surfer, you may have already heard of Bells Beach. Surfers from all over the world come to this gorgeous stretch of coastline that is located south-west of Melbourne on the Great Ocean Road - one of the most scenic drives in the world.

The beach is home to the famous Rip Curl Pro Surf & Music Festival. Surrounded by dramatic bluffs and blessed with golden sand and sparkling water, it’s a great place to test your surfing skills if you know what you are doing - or just watch others smoothly riding the great waves.

4. Cable Beach, Broome

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Cable Beach offers 22 km of stunning white sand, red ochre cliffs and incredibly clear blue water. While you are there, you can take a camel ride across the sand, an unforgettable Australian travel experience. The gentle waves of the beach are ideal for swimming and sometimes if you are lucky you can see dolphins and whales frolicking in the waters of the Indian Ocean.

While you are there, make sure that you visit Gantheaume Point at the southern end of the beach, where at low tide you can see 130 million-year-old dinosaur footprints at low tide. You can also visit Broome to learn about the history of pearling in Australia.

5. Burleigh Heads Beach, Queensland

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Burleigh Heads is a gorgeous beach with protected waters, lined with fragrant pine trees and home to many lovely picnic spots and free public barbeques. There are plenty of funky cafes along the beach where you can relax with a cappuccino as well as superb oceanfront dining.

This area is part of a biologically diverse wildlife corridor that is home to many different species. It is also a mecca for surfers and you’ll see tanned and lithe locals on boards bobbing up and down on the waves.

These are just a few of Australia’s most gorgeous beaches - so be sure to go beyond Bondi Beach and see what else this hot and sunny destination has to offer.

8 Ultimate Adrenaline Activities in New Zealand

New Zealand is the ultimate adventure playground for adrenaline junkies. The Land of the Long White Cloud offers many opportunities to zoom down a mountain, ride a raging river, jump out of a plane, soar through the air or just generally get your thrill on. With numerous excellent adventure tour companies offering adrenaline experiences, it’s easy to go beyond your comfort zone and do something truly exciting.

Here are eight activities in New Zealand that will really get your blood pumping, give you that exhilarating rush and make you feel alive.

Bungy Jumping

If you really want to get your adrenaline pumping, why not throw yourself off a bridge? Bungy jumping was invented in Queenstown and it transformed this sleepy mountain village into a buzzing tourist destination.

The Nevis Bungy is probably the most famous of all bungy jumping spots, as it is the highest jump in the Southern Hemisphere. Don’t worry, it is perfectly safe and the staff will guide you in how to make the leap correctly.

Canyon Swinging

When you were little you thought it was a thrill to swing as high as you could on your local playground equipment. Now it’s time to graduate to a grownup swing that will give you a much bigger thrill.
The famous Shotover Canyon Swing in Queenstown will send you swinging 200m, starting with a 60m vertical free fall down a steep rocky cliff face. The staff are there to help you get over your initial fear and psyche you up to take the leap. Just do it, you won’t regret it!

Abseiling

Abseiling (from the German word abseilen which means “to rope down”) is a way of descending a steep slope in a controlled way by using a rope. You’ll be strapped into a harness and your instructor will show you how to carefully lower yourself down into caves, crevasses and waterfall.
One of the most spectacular abseiling experiences in New Zealand is at the famous Lost World Cave, a mysterious cavern filled with stalactites, stalagmites and glow worms. You’ll descend the steep cave walls and eventually find yourself at the base of the enormous echoing cavern.

Paragliding

Imagine gliding high above the rolling hills and tranquil lakes of New Zealand, feeling the wind in your hair as a gust lifts your wings. Paragliding is probably the closest a human being can get to experiencing what life is like for a bird.
New Zealand offers many opportunities to try this exciting sport and there are tour companies that offer tandem paragliding trips with a professional instructor. Coronet Peak is a popular spot, located near Queenstown and surrounded by breathtaking mountains. Nelson is also one of the best paragliding spots in New Zealand, as it is home to the original paragliding school in Nelson.

Jet Boating

Taking a jet boat ride is a thrilling way to speed across the waters of New Zealand while surrounded by the stunning landscapes. One of the best known jetboating experiences in the country is the ride along the Shotover River, which will send you flying through narrow canyons and rugged walls at impressive speeds.
Waiau Gorge is another fantastic jet boating experience that will take your breath away, thanks to the stunning and lush surroundings as well as the speed of the boat. Huka Falls on the North Island is another favourite, a chance to get close enough to the falls to feel the spray of water on your face.

Skydiving

Imagine looking down on the snowy peaks, blue lakes and green rolling hills of New Zealand from 12,000 feet as you plummet towards earth. Skydiving is often described as a “life changing” experience for visitors to New Zealand and it is a very popular adrenaline activity. With the gorgeous scenery, abundance of jump zones and excellent, safe operators, there is no better place on earth to throw yourself out of a plane.
Queenstown is a great place to go for a jump, as you can admire Lake Wakatipu and Aoraki Mt. Cook on your way down. Glenorchy is also a fantastic location, you’ll be jumping above the picturesque landscapes where the Lord of the Rings was filmed. It is also possible to skydive above Auckland and check out an unforgettable bird’s eye view of the city. Or, you could skydive above Fox Glacier, which is a section of the largest snow fields in the Southern Alps.

Rafting

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There are many thrilling fast-flowing rivers in New Zealand where you can ride a raft over the frothy white waters, dipping and swirling as you rush headlong through the wilderness. There are many tour companies that will outfit you with a raft and all of the safety gear you need, then take you down the river on a thrilling ride.
One of the best is the Rangitata, which flows through the Southern Alps near Christchurch. Rangitata Rafts has been providing rafting tours for many years. The Mohaka is another great river to go rafting on, with a wide range of rapids and gorgeous natural surroundings. It is located along the Taupo-Napier highway on the North Island.

Skiing and Snowboarding

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New Zealand’s snow-capped peaks create a dream landscape for powder hounds and many people travel from all over the world to ski and snowboard here. There are many superb skiing and snowboarding areas in New Zealand to choose from.

Cardrona in Wanaka is a great all rounder with a wide selection of ski slopes for all skill levels. The Remarkables in the Queenstown area is the ideal place for beginners to learn new skills and practice their techniques. If you are a seasoned skier or snowboarder and you are seeking a challenge, Craigieburn and Treble Cone have a lot to offer expert riders.

Which one of these adrenaline activities will you try on your trip to New Zealand?

Strange and Romantic Love Traditions From Around the World

Valentine's Day is fast approaching - the time of year when we treat our sweethearts to chocolate, flowers and other treats in order to show them how much we love them. These Valentine’s Day traditions are typical for our culture, but what about love and romance in different parts of the world? What are some of the romantic traditions of courtship in other countries? Let’s take a look at some strange love traditions from all around the globe.

Of course, “strange” is a relative term. What is strange to one culture is completely normal to another culture. So, keep in mind as you read these that someone from another country would certainly find our wedding, dating and romance traditions quite strange.

The Blackening of the Bride, Scotland

The “Blackening” of the Bride (and often the groom too) is a tradition that is still practised in small villages and rural areas of Scotland. The ritual is normally carried out on the day before the wedding and it goes all the way back to medieval times. The bride and groom are “captured” by their loved ones and then covered in all sorts of gross things including rotten eggs, fish and treacle. Then they have flour and feathers dumped all over them, which sticks to the treacle.

They are then paraded through the streets or driven around on the back of a truck so that everyone can see them in their messy state. Then, they may be tied to a lamp post or dumped in the (shallow) sea. It is believed that this tradition prepares the married couple for their life together and it also helps to ward off evil spirits.

The Romance of a Chicken Liver, China

The ancient ethnic Daur people of China have a tradition where an engaged couple dissects a chicken and inspects the liver. If the liver is healthy and is good shape then this is seen as a sign that the relationship will be successful.

Once they have found the healthy liver, the couple can set a date for their wedding. If the liver is unhealthy, the couple need to wait on marriage and try again on another chicken later. When a marriage date is set, the couple will have a feast with their families to celebrate.

Give the Girl You Fancy a Lovespoon, Wales

In this sweet tradition that dates back for many years, the guy would present the girl of his dreams with an intricately carved wooden spoon. The spoon represents that he would always feed and provide for her.

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Also, it was a way of showing off his woodworking skills as these spoons are very detailed and have a lot of complex motifs carved into them. This tradition dates back to the 17th century and the earliest Welsh love spoon is from 1667 and is on display at a museum in Cardiff.

If she does not feel the same way for him, she would return the spoon (awkward!). however , if she likes him then she would wear the spoon around her neck as a symbol of their relationship. The images that are carved into the spoon have specific meanings - bells represent marriage, horseshoes mean luck, etc.

Eat Salty Bread to See Your Future Lover, Armenia

In Armenia it is believed that if you are single and you chow down on a piece of salty bread you will have a dream about your future partner. The bread has to be baked by your grandmother or a middle aged woman who is happily married.

It should be eaten on the eve of St. Sargis Day and you should fast all day before eating the salt bread. After not eating all day and then eating salt bread before you sleep, you’ll be very thirsty. Tradition says that your future husband or wife will offer you water in your dream. The water in the dream also has significance - if it is clear the relationship will be honest but if it is muddy there will be problems with cheating.
These are just a few of the strange and fascinating love and romance traditions from all over the world. What other wedding, dating and romance traditions around the globe have you heard about? Let us know in the comments below!