Say "I Do" in a French Polynesian paradise

If you have ever dreamed of a romantic beach wedding in paradise, you may like to grab these details and lightly hint to your partner that now is the time to make those dreams come true! Sofitel Luxury Hotels in French Polynesia have launched several new wedding packages for those planning on getting married in paradise in 2012, making it easier for couples to find themselves bare foot on the sand as you exchange your vows!

Sofitel caters from the most simple of ceremonies through to elaborate romantic celebrations that can be held at a choice of two destinations - the Sofitel Moorea Ia Ora Beach Resort and the Sofitel Bora Bora Marara Beach Resort & Private Island.

We love the sound of the indulgent HEREHIA ceremony available at both Sofitel resorts located on Moorea and Bora Bora. The HEREHIA package is priced from AUD1,095 (96 000 XPF). If you choose to get married at Sofitel's beach resort on Moorea, the package includes a Wedding Coordinator, an authentic ceremony by a Tahitian Priest on the beach of Sofitel Moorea, three Tahitian singers and ukulele players, plus two pareos and flower leis for bride and groom to wear in addition to a bridal bouquet and boutonnière. A romantic dinner under the stars is the perfect way to conclude the ceremony and wedding in style, only to return to your bungalow with a decorated flower bed and champagne chilling on ice. Beautiful! Sofitel also arranges a wedding certificate and exotic cocktail celebration as part of the HEREHIA experience.

Couples choosing to have their wedding on Bora Bora will be rewarded with a stunning location for their ceremony, on top of Sofitel's very own private island or "motu". The wedding ceremony is conducted in the beautiful Tahitian language. Sofitel's island features a hill look out offering amazing panoramic views across the bluest of lagoons, with majestic Mount Otemanu in the background. The most idyllic location to be at sunset. Local performers are also arranged to sing, dance and make for a truly romantic Pacific celebration.

All offers are valid for stays and weddings from the 1st of January until the 31st of December 2012 and are subject to availability and change. For more information on all packages available for Sofitel in 2012 contact Lisa Coakley on +689 86 66 05 or by email at lisa.coakley@sofitel.com. You can see more at the Sofitel website here. 

Two night Sydney Harbour Spa Weekend Cruise special!

Captain Cook Cruises is holding a two night Sydney Harbour Spa Weekend Cruise onboard the MV Captain Cook Explorer, on the weekend of October 21, 2011. Passengers can discover the world's most beautiful harbour with stunning views and great shore visits including street markets, gardens and beachside Watsons Bay by day, and fabulous food and wine and entertainment on board by night. Relax and enjoy being pampered with spa treatments at the same time! Book now and save 10% off the fare, with prices starting from $431 per person twin share, normally $479 per person twin share including all accommodation, meals and most activities.

For further information visit the Captain Cook Cruises website here, or phone toll free from Australia on 1800 804 843; Int +61-2-9206 1111.  

MSC Cruises launch a new round of European gourmet voyages

Leading cruise line MSC Cruises will really whet the appetite of foodies with their recently launched luxury European cruises, on board the MSC Splendida, MSC Fantasia and MSC Lirica. There is an exciting new series of gourmet voyages planned which will feature the creations of some of Europe’s highly acclaimed celebrity chefs, including two-time Michelin Star winner, Spain’s Paco Roncero, the UK’s “celebrity chef” Antony Worrall Thompson (pictured) and Germany’s highly rewarded Kolja Kleeburg. Italy’s equally commended Mauro Uliassi and Frenchman Gilles Epie, awarded a Michelin Star at a youthful 22, will also weave their magic on the cruises, and all will be putting on demonstrations and tastings of European cuisine to make for a truly gourmet experience in the Mediterranean and Northern Europe.

To complement two of these cruises, MSC Cruises (Australia and New Zealand) has created a 19-night Italian Gourmet Fly/Explore and Cruise package from Australia, priced from $5359 per person twin share from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide, from $5169pp twin share from Perth.

Departure from Australia is on January 24, 2012, and includes return Qantas economy class airfare, a meet and greet with the tour manager at Milan Airport, two nights’ stay in Lake Como (including daily breakfast and one dinner), sightseeing with entry to the Cenacolo Vinciano museum to view Leonardo da Vinci’s ‘Last Supper” and a cruise on Lake Como visiting Bellagio.

Guests will then transfer from Lake Como to the beautiful Piedmont region with wine tasting and farmhouse village lunch before having an overnight stay in the stunning city of Turin with breakfast and sightseeing. En route to Genoa to board MSC Splendida for the first of two back to back seven-night cruises, there will be wine tasting in Monteferrato. It's a truly sublime trip, filled with history, culture, and some seriously good wine and food!

During the cruises, which include ports Barcelona, Casablanca, Gibraltar, Valencia, Marseille, Valetta, Tunis and Civitavecchia (Rome), there will be demonstrations from Michelin star French chef Gilles Epie (Jan 28 until Feb 4) and UK Michelin Chef Antony Worrall Thompson who will “inspire our healthy side” on the cruise between February 4-11. Airport taxes, fuel charges and port charges are included. 

For more details you can phone MSC Cruises in Australia on 1300 028502 or check out their website. 

Suitcase Essential: Glamorous fashion from Colin Heaney

All these incredible destinations to experience require some equally fabulous fashions. Take a look at the exquisite designs by Byron Bay designer and world-renowned artist Colin Heaney. Once an acclaimed glass artist, Colin now works exclusively with fabrics and has translated his signature luminous and colourful style in to a divine collection of stunning prints. The Colin Heaney collection of flowing silk kaftans and sexy swimwear - as well as accessories like silk scarves and sarongs - is seriously sexy. His designs are timeless, beautiful and luxurious, and wearable works of art. The perfect outfift for a luxury escape or romantic honeymoon, we think! 

Seductive chic at The Giri Residence - Ibiza, Spain

Celebrities and fashionistas flock to the spanish island of Ibiza every summer to enjoy the incredible parties and nightlife of the island and its bohemian charm is a huge drawcard for those of us who like a dose of glamour in an island lifestyle. Take a look at The Giri Residence as a prime example of how Ibiza rolls. This stunning small boutique hotel is the kind of place you could imagine the likes of find Kate Moss and island resident Jade Jagger lounging around the pool and looking fabulous! 

The Giri Residence is the latest member of the stunning Harissa Hideaways collective and is located in the north of Ibiza, set within the expansive countryside of San Juan, and is a stylish and hip oasis of tranquility and comfort. A private entrance at the rear of this 150-year old finca gives you instant access to the lively village via a small and secretive alleyway. Comprising of five seductive suites, the former farmhouse has been superbly restored using the highest quality materials and craftsmanship, and decorated with outstanding interior design.

Aside from some seriously cool accommodations, The Giri also has an in-house kitchen - The Living Room -  where a highly skilled private chef offers you a cross section of his daily fresh menu selections at a reasonable price. Enjoy snacks by day and gourmet creations by night, served in an ambient setting designed to make you feel good, whether you choose the comfy sofas or prefer to dine poolside in one of our gazebos.

There is also the Giri Cafe, an inviting, modern Ibiza eatery and bar situated in the main square of San Juan that brings the true taste and colour of the Island to your table in a relaxed and informal ambience, with home grown cuisine dished up courtesy of Chef Juan Pablo Carrizo.

And, of course, there's ample time to indulge in some spa treatments - the indoor/outdoor Spa Suite is an exclusive area dedicated to the art of wellness and relaxation, with jacuzzi, private treatment room, double stone bathtubs and a heated plunge pool. It is completely private and can be reserved solely for you and your partner for the duration of your treatments. 

Discover the river life of Bangkok in luxurious style

We love Bangkok. It's an exciting city, a full sensory experience of amazing cultural sights and exotic smells (thanks to the pretty darn awesome street food!), versus the commotion of a modern day metropolis. But once you're done with the temple tours and shopped til you drop, you may just be in the mood for something truly special. 

We can highly recommend taking to the waters of the mighty Chao Phraya River to discover a whole new way of life - this is where the real lifeblood of Bangkok and its surrounding areas really comes alive. One of the best days we ever had was when my partner and I boarded a luxury private boat and headed along the river to the ancient kingdom of Ayutthaya. We spent the day dining on sumptuous feasts prepared by our personal chef, sipping cocktails and watching the river life unfold before arriving at our destination for an incredible tour of the Thailand of old. 

Anantara Hotels are the latest hotel group to offer this kind of experience, with their Anantara Cruises giving guests the unique chance to see for themselves how Thailand’s waterways are the country’s lifelines, and why Bangkok’s Chao Phraya River is one of the most famous and significant.  Locals living on its banks maintain an authentic lifestyle, creating vivid snapshots of a bygone age in between glittering temples like the Temple of Dawn, landmarks of regal heritage such as the Grand Palace and Royal Barges Boathouse, as well as striking bridges and monumental buildings which reflect the capital’s dynamic evolution over the past 20 years.   

A couple of one hundred year old rice barges 'Anantara Song’ and ‘Anantara Dream’ have been painstakingly rebuilt from teak and restored to their present splendour to cushion the appeal of a real Thai adventure.  Guests will make themselves at home on the river for overnight excursions that blend quintessential old world charm, modern comforts and truly personalised service, choosing between vessels and itineraries designed with discerning traveller needs in mind. Or, for a more in depth journey in to the ancient wonders of this beautiful land, you can hire the boats for a two night, three day Ayutthaya Adventure, Ayutthaya Thousand Golden Temples Tour or Ang Thong Mystic River Tour, or reserve these fine cruisers for private charter. 

Anantara Song

Two-night/three-day package:

Double occupancy: Baht 69,000 net per cabin

Private Charter: Baht 230,000 net (1-8 passengers)

Inlcudes all meals and non alcoholic beverages onboard, deluxe turndown gifts, tour programmes with an English speaking guide and admission charges, as well as private roundtrip limousine transfers. 

Anantara Dream

Available for private charter only at a cost of Baht 200,000 net (for 1–4 passengers). The package price includes two nights’ accommodation onboard, private round-trip limousine transfers, welcome champagne, deluxe turndown gifts, private cooking class, all meals and non alcoholic beverages onboard, full ground tours programs with an English speaking guide and admissions charges at designated places.

For enquiries and bookings, call +66 (0) 2477 0770, email bangkokcruises@anantara.com or visit their website. 

North Star adventure cruises to Papua New Guinea

After enjoying yet another successful season in the Kimberley, North Star Cruises, operators of the adventure-cruise ship TRUE NORTH, are getting ready to sail east to Papua New Guinea. Guests on the PNG cruises 'Adventures in Paradise' an look forward to a long list of daily activities including snorkelling over ditched WWII tanks, scuba diving and fantastic game fishing; treks into the jungle and opportunities to explore the beautiful fiords of Tufi; exhilarating helicopter flights including a visit to the Kokoda Track and flights over Rabaul's active volcano; and strolls on the uninhabited Lusancay Islands. The cruise also includes return flights from Cairns in a private charter plane. 

Adventures In Paradise Cruising Schedule

Adventures In Paradise 1

Cairns / Alotau - Kavieng / Cairns

From 29 October 2011 To 05 November 2011: Hurry - only a few cabins left!

Adventures In Paradise 2

Cairns / Kavieng - Alotau / Cairns

From 26 November 2011 To 03 December 2011: Cabins Available

Adventures In Paradise 3

Cairns / Alotau - Kavieng / Cairns

From 03 December 2011 To 10 December 2011: Cabins Available

Adventures In Paradise Extended

Cairns / Kavieng - Louisiades - Alotau / Cairns

From 10 December 2011 To 19 December 2011: Cabins Available

For more information, head to the North Star website here.