Explore Travel/Destinations/International

Australians just can't get enough of this hot new Japanese destination

This prefecture experienced a huge increase in overnight stays.

Shizuoka Prefecture.

Updated April 1, 2025, first published August 14, 2024

By all accounts, Australian travellers just can't get enough of Japan. But instead of sticking to classic haunts like Tokyo and Kyoto, they're are discovering regional Japanese gems such as the Shizuoka Prefecture. Just one hour south-west of Tokyo on a bullet train, the region is best known for hot springs, historical sites, ocean-fresh seafood and sweeping Mt Fuji views.

No wonder, it experienced a staggering 347 per cent increase in overnight stays from Australian travellers in February 2024, compared to the same period in 2019. Is the prefecture on your list yet? exploreshizuoka.jp

A slice of Italy

A piece of Italy is coming to Melbourne. Il Mercato Centrale - the well-known food hall/market chain spread across Florence, Rome, Turin and Milan - will open its first overseas outpost in the Heritage-listed McPherson Building on 546 Collins Street in Melbourne.

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Il Mercato Centrale.

Twenty-three "artisans of taste" - from espresso bars and cannoli stations to eateries serving up Italian favourites like risottos, pizzas, parmigianas and gelatos - will be part of the three-storey complex, which has been beautifully restored and will open on September 19. mercatocentrale.com.au

Fun and festive cruises ahead

Cruise lines are inventing new ways to explore the world. Take, for instance, Norwegian Cruise Line, which has just partnered with reputable tour operators such as Contiki, Trafalgar, Insight Vacations, Costsaver and Luxury Gold to offer holidays that make the best of both worlds: land and sea, in Europe in 2025. Catering to a diverse demographic - from budget-savvy explorers to luxury travellers - the tour companies offer hundreds of packages in Europe.

Explore Europe with NCL and one of its land-based touring partners. Picture: Unsplash

Combine them with the wide number of cruises NCL offers in the continent - including the Mediterranean - on 10 ships and there's something for everyone. Meanwhile, Oceania Cruises is leaving no sail unfurled when it comes to holiday-season cruising, with an exhaustive range of options. Celebrate Christmas in the Caribbean onboard its 10-day Miami-return cruise departing on December 17 this year, or ring in the new year on a 20-day voyage departing Sydney on December 22 and heading towards Perth via Darwin, Bali and Komodo. ncl.com; oceaniacruises.com

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Talk of the town

Australian Olympians are not the only stars scoring gold medals; Bendigo has bagged one, too. At an event held in regional Victoria, the historic destination won the state's Top Tourism Town honour, with Warrnambool and Heathcote winning the silver and bronze awards respectively. Bendigo mayor Andrea Metcalf says the award recognises the town's "incredible offerings for visitors", which included Paris: Impressions of Life exhibition, which took place at Bendigo Art Gallery earlier this year. And there's more to come. The art gallery has just announced its next big exhibition, Frida Kahlo: In Her Own Image, which will kick off in March next year. As the winner of the state-level award, Bendigo will be pitted against other regional winners at Australia's Top Tourism Town Awards 2024 in September this year. Worthy competitors will range from NSW's Huskisson and South Australia's Victor Harbor to Tasmania's Devonport. toptourismtowns.com.au

Words byAkash Arora

Akash is the Deputy Travel Editor for Australian Community Media. He has lived and worked in four cities around the world – Sydney, London, New Delhi and New York – and, at last count, travelled to 42 countries.

My all-time favourite destination is ... New York. You can drop a pin anywhere in Manhattan and start walking in any direction, and the sights and sounds of the city that never stops will begin to stimulate all your senses in an instant.

Next on my bucket list is … Scandinavia - at the peak of summer, when the sun almost never sets.

My top travel tip is … If you’re flying to Sydney from anywhere in the world, pick a window seat far from the wing on the left-hand-side of the aeroplane. If the weather gods and flight path align, you’ll have the most incredible views of the Sydney Harbour and Opera House.