LONG-HAUL HOLIDAYS

The far-flung destinations that make long-haul flights worthwhile

Thinking of heading down under? A number of new experiences are making those unavoidably long flight times worthwhile. In Alice Springs, Red Centre Adventures’ latest offering is helping cement the outback’s reputation as a mountain biking mecca by launching a heli-tour package. Sign up for this pedalpowered adrenaline fix and you’ll be dropped off at some of the more remote trails surrounding Alice Springs. Afterwards, head to Uluru to check out a new drone and laserbased light show, Wintjiri Wiru. This hi-tech extravaganza, which launches in May and will take place every night, uses drones to showcase Aboriginal storytelling techniques and to provide an insight into Mala people’s lives.

Fancy getting off the beaten path? There are exciting new hotel openings in some of the world’s remote places. Explora’s El Chaltén lodge opened in Argentinean Patagonia in December 2021, providing trekkers with a great base from which to explore the Los Huemules Conservation Reserve. In Kerala, the new Taj Wayanad Resort & Spa, which opened in late 2022, provides a great base for travellers keen to explore India’s stunning Western Ghats. Meanwhile, over in Bali, the hottest new opening is the Lost Lindenberg, an art-filled boutique hotel in the sleepy fishing village of Pekutatan. There are just eight rooms at this seriously stylish hotel, designed by Bali-based architects Alexis Dornier and Maximilian Jencquel.

Various airlines are putting some of our favourite long haul destinations within easy reach this year. In January 2023, Virgin Atlantic launched a new London Heathrow to Turks and Caicos route, and in October the airline will launch new Heathrow to Maldives flights. Getting to a number of Asian destinations will also become significantly easier this year, thanks to new add-on routes from Singapore Airlines, which will launch daily flights between Singapore and the Japanese city of Osaka in 2023 in May 2023, and a fourth daily route between Singapore and Seoul in June 2023.

Finally, 2023 marks 15 years since the Singapore Grand Prix returned to the Lion City for the second time (many people don’t know that the original Singapore Grand Prix was held there between 1966 and 1973). There are still tickets available for the race, and if you fancy splashing the cash, consider splurging on a night at the Amber Lounge, a trackside nightclub where F1’s beautiful people gather during race weekend.