WHERE TO SEE JACARANDA TREES IN SYDNEY: Eastern Suburbs                                                                     

For luxury shopping under Jacaranda trees, head to Oxford Street, Glenmore Road and Five Ways in Paddington. Don’t miss The Intersection, Paddington. This is the tree-lined point where Glenmore Road meets Oxford Street.

This chic enclave in Paddington is the home to luxury Australian designer boutiques. It sits opposite the sprawling jacarandas on Victoria Barracks Lawn.

Start at Jackie’s Café with a sunlit brunch in the leafy courtyard. Their greenhouse-style bar opens during spring for cocktails. Nearby Woollahra and Double Bay also boast a stunning purple haze, along with the courtyard at historic Vaucluse House.

North Shore

Pack a picnic and head to some of the best neighborhoods of Sydney. These include Kirribilli, Lavender Bay, Greenwich, Waverton, Hunters Hill, Woolwich, Longueville or Wollstonecraft for a long lunch under the Jacaranda trees. In the heart of Lavender Bay is heritage-listed Wendy Whiteley’s Garden, which has a spectacular view back to the Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Harbour foreshore dotted with Jacaranda trees.

There’s also a little piece of magic by the name of McDougall Street. Come spring, tourists and locals alike flock to the fairytale avenue in Kirribilli, where the splendid arch of jacaranda trees creates a lavender-hued dome. It’s perfect for selfies.

Sydney Harbour

Take a do-it-yourself Jacaranda walking tour through the best neighborhoods of Sydney starting at the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney, passing through Circular Quay and The Rocks. View the stunning Jacaranda trees set against the backdrop of the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge, Sydney Opera House, Sydney Harbour and historic cobblestone streets of The Rocks.

Inner West

The urban landscape of the Inner West precinct also pops with Jacaranda trees. For history buffs, the much-loved Jacaranda at the University of Sydney stood for 88 years in the quadrangle before it died in 2016. The tree was so iconic because students and teachers have talked and studied under the branches for years. So the university cloned it before it collapsed.

The planting of a native flame tree and the clone of the original jacaranda was celebrated in 2017. As the new tree grows, it’s likely to also become a living legend on the University grounds. The neighbouring suburbs of Camperdown, Newtown and Glebe are also worth visiting. Pop into farm-to-table restaurant Acre Eatery or head to the Saturday Glebe markets and enjoy the vibrant Inner West community.

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PEACE IN STATION ZERO

This quiet area of Boracay is far away from the crowds, and the lovely scenes of summer on our pages are the result of one week of hard work and luxurious fun. These photographs of Boracay certainly inspired me to consider a long weekend in Boracay soon. I’m sure you will feel the same way after you read our article and see our photographs.

This special feature also reminded me of my first visit to this island. It’s now considered one of the world’s top beach destinations. But back then, when I first visited Boracay it was still a sleepy backwater island with no electricity and very few tourists. These days, the island is pretty crowded. But at least there’s always Station Zero as a haven.

Designer Amina Aranaz Alunan
on the cover

Photographed by Bryan Arevalo
Coordinated by Patricia Cendana

BREAKING BARRIERS & LIGHTING FIRES IN BOTSWANA

Our columnists and contributors have once again outdone themselves in chasing adventures worth writing about. Dondi Joseph, a serious traveler with the most passionate case of wanderlust I know, embarked on a safari trip that began in the Okavango Delta of Botswana and ended near the borders of Zambia. His tales of trysts with the wildest of wildlife kept me glued to my seat.

GOING GREEN IN SYDNEY

Meanwhile, Jerome Martin experienced an evening that certainly counts as an adventure for the books for him. He chucked his black book of favorite Sydney restaurants out the window and agreed to dine in a 100% vegetarian hotel. This establishment is green down to room service, snacks, and banquet dining.

LAS FALLAS IN VALENCIA

Meanwhile, Michelle Barrera returned to Valencia in Spain, one of her favorite places in the world. She joined the merrymaking for the amazing annual Las Fallas festival of Valencia. Certainly among the most unique celebrations in Spain, this festival to commemorate Saint Joseph literally lights up the city in one big blaze.

SKIING IN CLUB MED TOMAMU

Angela Ayala checked into Club Med Tomamu, the newest resort in Hokkaido, the northernmost island of Japan. It’s currently the popular pick for family holidays in Asia.

A first-timer at Club Med, she writes about how her initial trepidations over a resort full of systems and procedures turned into unequivocal enthusiasm for her week of sports, songs, and dances amidst the snow. 

SWITZERLAND: BLESSED WITH BEAUTY

Finally, since Switzerland is at the top of everyone’s bucket list. So we’ve created a comprehensive guide to Switzerland, listing all of the best destinations and activities for all seasons within its borders.

Look no further than our pages for where to go and what to do in Switzerland, the land of chocolate, cheese fondue, picturesque lakes, luxury watches, and everything wonderful.

Wherever in the world you’re headed soon, we hope you’re living a #Travelife.

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THE JUSTICE LEAGUE AT MADAME TUSSAUDS SYDNEY

From June 30, visitors to Madame Tussauds Sydney will star alongside Justice League’s Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, Henry Cavill as Superman, Ben Affleck as Batman, and Ezra Miller as The Flash. These heroes will fight to save the world from Lex Luthor’s evil corporation, LexCorp.   Elsewhere in the city, Lex’s experiment wreaks havoc, sending a helicopter and its occupants hurtling toward the ground.

HELPING THE DC SUPER HEROES

Guests have to summon all their strength and join the DC Super Heroes as they fight to save the world:

• Help Superman lift a real helicopter back into the sky as onlookers cheer from the streets below.

• Guests must summon Batman with the Bat-Signal. Billowing smoke and wind reveal Batman as he’s called into battle onto the rooftop, ready to save the world.

• Then it’s time to dig deep and guests can harness their inner Super Hero alongside Wonder Woman. One successful gauntlet blast can destroy LexCorp’s technology that has created havoc in the city.

• Then it’s time to help The Flash by running alongside him! Once guests hit ‘top speed’, effects around The Flash’s environment, including projection lighting on his suit, jump to life and electricity cracks.

“Australians love the Justice League so we’re beyond excited to launch an epic new experience that will enable our guests to be a part of the action this June,” said Mark Connolly, General Manager of Madame Tussauds Sydney.

THE JUSTICE LEAGUE EXPERIENCE AT MADAME TUSSAUDS SYDNEY

“Madame Tussauds Sydney, together with Warner Bros. Consumer Products, on behalf of DC Entertainment, has created a unique and immersive Justice League experience. We have exciting plans to unite an all-star cast of DC Super Heroes. It’s an unbeatable roster of DC Super Heroes to the sensational, hi-tech experiences and we can’t wait to share it with you all.”

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