The Many Wonders of Queensland

Be it the Great Barrier Reef, islands, world heritage– listed rainforests, wildlife, or nightlife, Queensland in Australia has something for every kind of traveller.

SITUATED IN NORTHEASTERN Australia, Queensland makes for the perfect vacation spot for friends, solo travellers, and young couples. With COVID-19 protocols in place, the state is ready to welcome tourists. Simply put, you are good to go to Queensland. Plan a trip to Brisbane, the bustling cultural capital. When here, embark on River to Bay experiences, climb the iconic Story Bridge, discover the riverside areas aboard CityCat ferries, or explore Eat Street Northshore, one of Brisbane’s hottest food and entertainment destinations. Stay at stunning river-view hotels like Crystalbrook Vincent, W Brisbane, or Emporium Hotel South Bank.

For an immersive vacation, head to Cairns, the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef. Home to islands such as Green Island, Fitzroy Island, and Lizard Island, the adventure capital offers experiences like AJ Hackett’s Skypark, Cairns Zoom, Kuranda Skyrail, and Daintree Rainforest, a UNESCO World Heritage-listed rainforest. You can also ride the rapids of Tully River, see the sunrise from a hot air balloon, or go skydiving.

Head to Gold Coast for its sandy beaches and surfing spots. Take up jetboating, jet-ski safari tours, or go on rides at the theme parks in the region. Climb up to the SkyPoint Observation Deck, and enjoy dinner at the local surf clubs.

Singapore Airlines (singaporeair.com), the world’s most awarded airline, connects India to Queensland from eight cities, with three daily flights to Brisbane and five weekly flights to Cairns. queensland.com

FOOD IN SWITZERLAND is varied due to the influences from neighbouring countries. Swiss chocolates are famous all over the world. The many chocolatiers of Switzerland continue to follow traditional recipes and make sweet treats by hand. The European nation equally delights with its schnitzels, älplermagronen (alpine macaroni), pastas, raclettes, gelatos, and cheesy fondues. Take the Show Cheese Factory—the country’s sole cheese factory—for instance. Located inside the Engelberg Monastery, this is where one can watch cheese being made by hand, and buy the famous bell-shaped Engelberger Klosterglocke cheese, whey organic cosmetics, souvenirs, and yoghurt.

Fondue is undoubtedly the most famous of the Alpine dishes. Begin a fondue trail in Zurich’s Old Town, or visit the world’s highest igloo village in Zermatt where you can savour mulled wine with fondue in a hot tub while enjoying views of the Matterhorn and Valais Alps. ICE Magic, a high-altitude location in the Swiss canton of Valais, offers views of the Aletsch Glacier along with all-you-caneat raclette and cheese fondue, ideal after a round of ice hockey with friends.

Be it supermarkets, bakeries, gourmet restaurants, or a picnic spread with Alpine views, Switzerland has something for every palate. myswitzerland.com

From top: SkyPoint Observation Deck offers panoramic views of Gold Coast; Cairns is the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef.

Clockwise from top: Maestrani’s Chocolarium offers experiential tours; fondue after skiing is a common experience in Switzerland; rösti is a Swiss dish of shallow-fried potatoes.