If you are vegetarian, or just love a great value and wholesome meal, join the locals as they keep coming back to Melbourne’s greatest vegetarian institutions. Here are four of the best offering a range of prices and unique experiences.

Crossways – a seriously cheap lunch in the city

Look for a person dressed in Hare Krishna garb on Swanston Street, climb the stairs behind and you’ll find the best value lunch in the city.

Join the queue of lunching locals to get your big plate of hearty vegetarian food and a desert according to the day’s menu (i.e. Mondays may be chickpea curry, rice, and papadum with pineapple halava in custard). You can go back as much as you want – all for $6.50! Discounts apply for students and the elderly.

Sitting at the communal tables you might have some interesting conversation with some locals.

123 Swanston Street, Melbourne
(Upstairs on 1st Floor)
(03) 9650 2939
Monday – Saturday 11.30am – 2.30pm

Lentil as Anything – you decide what it is worth

Lentil as Anything offers a warming experience for your heart as well as your stomach. Come here for delicious vegetarian food sourced from local organic suppliers and served buffet style.

You pay, anonymously, what you feel the meal is worth. It is a unique opportunity to place human dignity above profit.

There are three locations throughout Melbourne: St Kilda, Footscray and at the Abbortsford Convent. The later is a particularly lovely experience to enjoy the music, markets, gardens, and galleries of the Convent over breakfast, lunch or dinner.

1 St. Heliers Street, Abbotsford
(03) 9419 6444
Everyday 9.00am – 9.00pm (except Monday, 12.00pm – 9.00pm)

41 Blessington Street, St Kilda
0430 388 984
Everyday 10.00am – 9.00pm

233 Barkly Street, Footscray
0424 081 652
Everyday 9.30am – 9.30pm

Tofu Shop International – the best tofu in Australia

This little eatery has been enticing the lunch time crowd for over 20 years with their well thought out kosher vegetarian food. Squeeze in and ask someone in the queue what is best combination of the current tasty choices on offer as the menu is always changing. But make sure you don’t miss out on the house brand of tofu – Five Seasons – as it is arguably the best in the continent. Expect to pay from $9 to $20 for your lunch.

78 Bridge Road, Richmond
(03) 9429 6204
Monday – Friday 12.00pm – 8.00pm
Saturday 12.00pm – 5.00pm

Shakahari – the original and still the best

When a visiting Indian colleague tells you eating at Shakahari was the best vegetarian meal he has ever had, you know you’re onto a good thing. Shakahari has been serving Melbournian’s for over 30 years and stay on top by continuously refining their carefully crafted, beautifully presented, light but satisfying vegetarian meals. Expect to pay around $15 for entrees and $20 for mains.

201-203 Faraday Street, Carlton
(03) 9347 3848
Monday – Saturday 12.00pm – 3.00pm
Sunday -Thursday 6.00pm – 9.30pm
Friday – Saturday 6.00pm – 10.00pm

One thing about America that tends to impress visitors is the level of service you get. It’s got nothing to do with native hospitality or the protestant work ethic; it’s all about the Benjamins. Aporcyphally, tips stands for ‘To Insure Prompt Service’ setting aside whether or not that’s true (and the misuse of the word ‘insure’) tipping is the reason for the great service in America. For Aussies visiting the states, tipping is like buying underwear for a new girlfriend – you know it’s something you’re supposed to do; get it right and you’ll reap the benefits, get it wrong and it’ll be awkward for everyone involved. So here’s a quick guide to gratuities.

Most of the time when you’re tipping it will be at restaurants and bars. The first thing to remember is that it’s not really optional. Servers in the US make a pittance hourly (in some states, less than the minimum wage) because it’s expected that they’ll make most of their money in tips. They even pay taxes based on the assumption that they will be tipped on every bill so by not tipping, you’re actually costing them money. 15% of the total bill is the standard for good service. If they’ve done a great job, then 20% is welcome and if they were barely adequate, 10% is sufficient. On the other hand, if you get someone who is genuinely rude (a rarity but it does happen) then leave a nickel (a 5 cent piece) rather than nothing at all – it’s considered an insult.

In bars when you’re paying as you go, it’s a little different. One dollar per drink is pretty standard, regardless of how much the drink cost. However, on your first drink it’s usually a good idea to tip extra – 5 bucks should do it – to ensure that the bartender remembers your face. You’ll see the dividends when they skip three-deep queue to serve you first. Also, if you order anything particularly complicated its nice to kick in an extra buck.

Other people you should tip include bellmen/porters ($1-2 per bag), hairdressers (10-15% of the bill), Taxi drivers (10-15%), valet parkers ($2-3 per car), hotel maids ($2-3 dollars per night, left on the pillow each day) and casino dealers (place a bet for the dealer every five games or so, ask them what they want to bet on).

The Kiwis are an interesting bunch. The country is to Oz what Canada is to the US – the quiet neighbor with a funny accent. But beneath the laid-back, laconic New Zealand exterior there must be a huge red pepper of raging lust for life. After all, this is the country that brought us bungy jumping.

Visitors to New Zealand, no matter where they are, will have a wide variety of grey hair inducing, slightly suicidal activities to choose from and nowhere is this more true than Queenstown, NZ’s capital of crazy.

Bungy jumping is one of those things everyone should try at least once. However, like many of those things (skinny dipping, body shots, running for office in Queensland on a platform of thinly-veiled racism) you’ll often end up fiding out that you don’t want to do it just once.

 


Fortunately, Queenstown is the home of not one, but three different bungie sites. There the Kawaru Bridge, the world’s first commercial Bungie site, measuring in at a modest 42 meters. While it may not seem that extreme compared to the dizzying heights of the other two sites, its more than high enough when you’re standing on the edge. As an added bonus you can elect to be dipped in the river so no one will notice that you’ve wet yourself.

Then there’s the Ledge, located at the Skyline complex, 400 meters above Queenstown. This sites distinctive feature is its unique harness and runway that gives you more than 10 options as to how you jump with names like The Matrix and Flying Squirrel.

Finally, for those who believe that nothing succeeds like excess, there’s the Nevis Bungy. Just getting to the jump site is enough to get your pulse racing as you sit in a gondola suspended over 134 meters of empty air. The drop from Nevis is a heart-stopping 8.4 seconds of free fall – plenty of time for a good chunk of your life to flash before your eyes.

Although Valentine’s day passed too long ago, it’s not yet too late for you to treat your partner on a romantic get-away. Here in the Land down Under are some of the perfect places where you and your partner can bask in the glory of your love.
• Melbourne- It remains a mystery why Melbourne is considered as one of the romantic cities in the world. The city’s ambiance might have created a powerful force that hypes up the emotions and passions of couples and lovers. Additionally, the city’s many bars, cafes, restaurants, galleries, events and nightlife contribute to an intimate evening for couples or offer a chance to single individuals to get their awaited love life.

• Broken Hill – This popular lover’s town in NSW. Starting from Adelaide, this 7-hour outback journey northeast leads you to a mining town with art galleries, pubs, camel rides and other services and establishments. A great outback adventure is definitely a new and memorable experience for you and your darling.

• Brisbane – There are lots of theme parks, attractions, shows, dining and shopping that you can see here in Brisbane. The Broad beach area is the ideal place for a beach outing. An hour away, you’ll also find Noosa which is an attractive town that has sorts of hotels and resorts, beaches, restaurants and stores that are perfect for a couple’s honeymoon.

• Sydney – This vibrant city the first port of call for most international travelers that arrive in Australia. The perfect blend of wildlife, beach, wine-tasting and awesome city life makes Sydney and its nearby countryside New South Wales an ideal place for a honeymoon. Some of the most popular attractions that can be reached easily by ferry are the aquarium, zoo, Lunar Park, Darling Harbour, and many more. There are also amazing honeymoon packages outside Sydney that you can take like a trip to the Blue Mountains where you can view kangaroos and the Hunter Valleys where some of Australia’s finest wines are produced.

The aforementioned places are parcels that make Australia a top romantic destination for lovers. Whether it’s a tour in the jungle, exploring nature or indulging in the city’s life, the activities are truly endless. Add some spark in your love life and surprise you partner to a trip to the cities in Australia.

Boutique hotels in Sydney are known to offer good accommodation with their awesome ambiance and design. Traditional standard bearers of Sydney’s boutique hotels industry have consistently satisfied tourists and business travellers  alike. Now, a new breed of boutique hotels have opened their doors to a more diverse, unique and personalized experience for all guests. Whether you like a room that gives you an astounding view or a feel of Sydney’s heritage, there’s a boutique hotel for you. You deserve nothing but the best for your entire stay at Sydney. So here’s a list of our picks of the best boutique hotels in Sydney:

1. The Diamant

The place is strategically located near the city which allows you to enjoy the leisure of work and play. Upon entering the hotel lobby, you’ll surely have an impression of a grown-up feel. The rooms are spotlessly clean.

2. Ravesi’s

When you’re in the Bondi Beach, this is the best place to check –in. Rooms provide you a beautiful scene of the ocean and morning sun. This place is definitely your sanctuary after a day of surfing, moving about on the sand, restaurant hopping and partying.

3. Moog Hotel

Here is a hotel that was once a dilapidated 10-bed hotel. But now, it has been renovated into a single, huge room. The amenities include two pools, playstation-enabled spas, big screen projectors and an awesome stereo system. This is surely a pick of rock-stars and their likes.

4. The Storrier

Do you have the love for art? This place combines hotel and art gallery in one. The paintings and artworks displayed in this hotel are the creations of Tim Storrier. Rooms come with kitchenettes and terraces at the back of the hotel. Amenities include LCD-flat screen TVs with Foxtel, fast internet connection, his’ n’ hers robes, quality linens and toiletries from Molton Brown.

5. Australia Street Cottage

With modern furniture and bare sandstone walls, it’s evident that “Old meets New” is the hotel’s primary motif. From the yoga mat placed on a cupboard, pantry filled with supplies you need, queen-sized bed hovered with an insect net; truly you can say that this place has been well thought of to provide you with convenience and comfort. Unfortunately, the rooms don’t have airconditioning systems. You must open the windows and get a bit of noise during weekend nights.

Book your boutique hotel here

A coastal town on the east coast of Australia, Ulladulla is just as interesting as its name it.

About three hours south from Sydney, it has been a popular tourist destination for travelers around the country for decades, and now it seems, the rest of the word has finally caught on.

The place itself boasts a beautiful setting, with the town centre based on the foreshore of one of Australia’s greatest beaches.

There is some top quality surf available, as well as great snorkeling, and quality beach activity.

With an abundance of mountains to climb, Ulladulla is also a great place to venture around and do some bushwalking and sightseeing.

If, on the other hand, you’d rather take it easy, then just relax on the warm sand and catch some rays.

The place has plenty of great golf courses that are all of high standard and testing holes.

Staying in the sport genre, there is also a popular Bowls club, which offers bare foot bowls and jugs at dirt-cheap prices.

The only downside to the town is the mediocre nightlife on offer.

Ulludulla does not have huge nightclubs and great bars. What it does offer are nice restaurants with alcohol served, and a few local pubs.

If you are looking for a nice holiday place for you and your family and wan to try somewhere different for a change, then check out Ulladulla.

The town is home to some of the nations most famous people including the three-piece band Silverchair.

While many may look at Newcastle as just being an industrial town on the coastline, there is much more to it than what meets the eye.

Home to some of the nations best beaches, Newcastle is definitely a place for all surfing lovers.

Australia’s sixth largest city boasts breaks like Nobbys, Newcastle, Bar, Dixon Park, Merewether and Stockton Beaches, all within five kilometers form the city centre.

There are also some amazing beach walks, including the five km track from Nobbys to Merewether Beach, which should be a must for any tourist in the area.

If it is harbor sites you love, then just head down to the city’s water entrance where a stack of tourists and locals flock to enjoy a meal, drink or just marvel at the kite surfers, roller bladders and bike riders populating the area.

When the sun goes down, Newcastle stays awake with an abundance of night activities for all ages and groups.

There are nightclubs, restaurants and great performances at venues throughout the city.

Newcastle really is a place where you can relax, enjoy, have fun and feel part of a community all at the same time.

With something for everyone, the city really is a place to check out while down under.

Located 140 kilometers away from Melbourne, the island is home to an abundance of beauty, nightlife, beaches and culture.

The permanent population in the island is only 8,000, however during the summer that figure swells to a massive 25,000, with tourists from all over the world coming down.

For those who like to surf, Phillip Island boasts some of the nations best breaks in including Woolamiah, Smiths Beach, Cat Bay, Flynns and Forest Caves, as well as some more timid, flat beaches like Cowes.

Cowes is the main city in town and is home to a bunch of great restaurants and nice bars.

Apart from Cowes, there are few town centers, but each suburb will have a general store and perhaps a bottle shop too!

In terms of wildlife, there are some great places to visit including the nature wildlife farm, where you get up close and personal with some of the nations native animals.

The Koala Conserve is another place worth checking out if you are a fan of the eucalyptus-munching animal.

For the kids, a place called Amaze’n’things is the place to go, where you will find one of the nations biggest hedge mazes.

And of course, there are the penguins, which attract more tourists than any other landmark on the island when they march the beach down at Nobby’s.

Phillip Island does offer something for everyone and is worth checking out if you’re in the area.

Situated in the northeastern tropical region of Australia, the coastal city is home to an abundance of activities, and breathtaking sights.

Just to refresh your memory, Cairns is the major city in the Great Barrier Reef area, about a ten-hour trip north from Brisbane.

The climate in Cairns is what will blow you away. While it is hot all year round, the rainfall will surprise you.

The tropical condition ensure that it rains regularly, and after a few weeks there, you will begin to get used to constantly being moist, and damp.

In terms of activities? Well, where do I start?!

There is scuba diving and snorkeling in the Great Barrier Reef, skydiving over the coast, horse riding in the rainforests, rafting in one of the worlds greatest rivers – The Tully, Four Wheel driving in some of the worlds most challenging terrains and bungee jumping of a selection of locations.

That is just the beginning, there are also some great beaches, scintillating bushwalks, springs to swim in, boat cruises, jet skiing, golf courses, paragliding drops and scenic air flights to name a few.

And of course, if none of theses excite you, there is always to option of relaxing in the sun, or just enjoying a nice casual stroll down to the town centre.

Cairns really is a must see place in Australia, especially for those who love an adventure.

In recent years, with the growth of outdoor music festivals, it seems the lovely coastal town is more synonymous with the Falls Festival, a new years eve three day event, than it is with the beautiful family area it boasts.

About two hours drive from the heart of Melbourne, and another hour trip to some of the greatest landmarks on the Great Ocean Road, Lorne really sits in a mini paradise.

What people often forget is that Lorne also has some of its own amazing little hot spots.

One of these is the Erskine Waterfalls, a short drive from the main street.

The Falls is situated in the middle of a undulating mountain, and nestled within some amazing dense, thick green bush land.

There are many bushwalking tracks in all directions, ad some great camping spots right in the fringe of the water.

And, if its not enough to win you over, then head to the beach, where some of Victoria’s best surf is on offer, as too is the quality of the beach itself.

Crystal clear water, under populated sands, and some great backdrops make it a place to envy.

Lorne also boasts one of the worlds most prestigious open water swim: The 1.2k Pier to Pub swim, held annually on the Lorne foreshore.

The event draws a crown of up to 20,000 people who end up at the pub once the race is finished.