When Australia closed its borders in March 2020 due to the pandemic, applied some of confinement measures strictest in the world. The international tourism was completely stopped, and even Australians were banned from entering or leaving the country . The COVID Zero strategy it paid off, and Australia maintained a remarkably low death rate for most of the pandemic.
However, once most of its citizens aged 16 and over received their vaccinations, the australian government made a 180 degree turn and adopted what some have called a laissez-faire approach, ending lockdowns and mandatory mask-wearing precisely during the height of the omicron variant.
Although the decision remains controversial, plans to resume tourism they're still running. On February 21, Australia reopened its borders to fully vaccinated visa holders from several countries. , including Spain, following the trend of removing travel restrictions that already started at the end of 2021 with visitors from New Zealand, Singapore, Japan and South Korea the first to access the oceanic country once again.
To enter, Spaniards must present a valid Australian visa, proof of full vaccination (defined as two doses of an Administration-approved COVID-19 vaccine, which includes Pfizer, modern Y Johnson&Johnson ) and one rapid antigen test either negative PCR made 24 hours before departure.
With the exception of Western Australia , whose reopening does not yet have a certain date, vaccinated tourists will be able to travel without the need for a quarantine period throughout much of the country. Visa holders who are not fully vaccinated will still need a valid travel ban waiver to enter and may be subject to additional quarantine requirements , depending on the state or territory visited.
Despite the innumerable challenges that periods of confinement have brought, life has gone on apace , with the launch of new hotels, museums, restaurants and cultural experiences at an impressive rate. Here we tell you what news awaits you now that the tourism in Australia.
NEW SOUTH WALES
Luke's Kitchen, restaurant in the Kimpton Margot Sydney (New South Wales).
Throughout 2022, a wide range of hotels will open in Sydney, including Chapel, W and the first Ace Hotel of the southern hemisphere. If you can't wait for these openings, the glamorous Kimpton Margot Sydney opened its doors in early February in a building art deco of the pitt street. This 172-room hotel, Australia's first , has an elegant rooftop pool , a restaurant run by celebrity chef Luke Mangan and custom lekker bikes to tour Surry Hills Y Darlinghurst . Booking a suite in this luxurious establishment is a safe bet.
For nature enthusiasts, there is a new experience of diving with seals in the Montague Island (Barunguba in the Aboriginal language) run by Sapphire Coastal Adventures. The small group excursions organized by this company run along the coast between Bermagui Y Narooma , in the Batemans Marine Park , four hours south of Sydney. The route is home to large colonies of Australian and New Zealand fur seals as well as small blue penguins , cat sharks and sea birds in their nests. The luckiest swimmers may even catch a glimpse of a dolphin or whale skimming the waves.
At the Warakirri Dining Experience in muddy , 3 hours and a half from the interior, the most hedonistic can taste a five course menu focused on indigenous ingredients Y traditional cooking methods . The local's founder, Sharon Winsor, of wailwan aboriginal ancestry of the ngiyampaa , she spent her youth collecting Fruits of the forest and fishing yabbies (freshwater crustaceans ), and loves to share her knowledge of the aboriginal cuisine with curious diners.
Back to Sydney, also called the Emerald City , the new BridgeClimb activity invites the most adventurous to join an Aboriginal guide for three hours on the ascent of 1332 steps of Sydney Harbor Bridge . It is a unique opportunity to go beyond postcard photos and know the history and meaning of this land in aboriginal culture.
VICTORY
Five Acres Bath, on Phillip Island (Victoria).
The Five Acres Yard.
The always dazzling Melbourne also boasts an exciting variety of new accommodations , As the W Melbourne , which has been in operation for a year and has a pool of mirrors in which photos are taken so good that it is hard to believe it; the The Ritz-Carlton Melbourne , which will soon be Australia's tallest hotel when it opens in June; and the next Shangri La Hotel , located in the sumptuous Sapphire by the Gardens community.
Also noticeably new is Five Acres, a farm farming on pristine Phillip Island, 90 minutes south of melbourne , what's wrong with it three new luxury cabins for rent . These cozy retreats (each with a outdoor bathtub Y panoramic views of western port bay ) will be in high demand, especially when it opens in October Saltwater Springs , an elegant complex of thermal baths in Phillip.
As for food, don't miss Mabu Mabu's Big Esso, on the federation square melbourne . This contemporary indigenous restaurant owned by chef and cookbook author Nornie Bero , is proud to use indigenous ingredients Y sustainably caught seafood . Among the most outstanding dishes are the fried crocodile with salt and pepper plant and the kangaroo tartar with smoked oyster alioli.
For art, visit the new Shepparton Art Museum, 2 hours north of Melbourne. Opened in November, this impressive museum houses the country's foremost collection of Aboriginal works from South East Australia . The inaugural exhibition includes more than 160 indigenous and First Nations pieces.
Do you feel like getting outdoors? The 100-mile Grampians Peak Trail in the Grampians National Park (Gariwerd ) is at your disposal. Not for the faint of heart - the route just completed requires 13 days of crossing and it has 11 well-equipped camps along the path. If you plan to explore the Great Ocean Road, we recommend making a stop at Wildlife Wonders. This recently opened conservation space offers 75-minute guided tours for the undergrowth otways , whose profits go to the Center for Ecological Conservation. If you are attentive you will see kangaroos , koalas, swamp wallabies, tiger quolls Y kookaburras.
SOUTH AUSTRALIA
Oceanview Eco Villas on Kangaroo Island, South Australia.
The kangaroo island , which suffered a devastating wildfire in early 2020, features the new all-inclusive Oceanview Eco Villas complex. This 200-hectare estate is an excellent starting point to get up close and personal with the non-human inhabitants of the island, such as the pygmy possums and the little ones dunnarts (Australia's most endangered marsupial). On the other hand, the new three-day excursion Conservation Connection of Exceptional Kangaroo Island delve even deeper into the local flora and fauna and lets nature lovers meet the environmentalists working to save nature.
As for hotels, the city of adelaide greeted with joy the opening of the Sofitel, five stars , in your business district. Twenty minutes from downtown, the Sequoia Lodge opened its doors in the Mount Lofty , with hot spring pools Y 14 sustainable suites . Choose the accommodation you choose, treat yourself to a grilled food in the arche of Jake Kellie , the first fully open fire restaurant of Adelaide and one of the Australia's hottest new restaurants.
CANBERRA, AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY
The elegant spa at the Adytum in Braddon, Canberra.
Inside of Adytum.
In August 2021, the Canberra National Arboretum presented new tours and experiences led by aboriginal guides . the tour Walk On Country Ngala cross the Bush Tucker Garden and the Southern Tablelands Ecosystems Park , of 250 hectares, and one of its attractions is the explanation it offers about the native plants used by aboriginal communities with medicinal, culinary and cultural purposes.
To watch the downtown canberra from a new vantage point, step aboard the GoBoat Luxe. This Danish-designed boat with an electric motor, which will launch soon on the lake Burley Griffin , is 50% larger than a standard GoBoat. It has a living room in the rear and food and drink options for sale , making it a fun way to go sailing with friends (the boat can accommodate eight people Y two crew).
To detox from the stress of this time of pandemic, head to the new wellness sanctuary of Adytum in braddon . Inaugurated last November, the center adopts a holistic approach to self-care : After a deep tissue massage, enjoy a japanese oak mineral bath , of a traditional hot rock sauna and of a organic cold pressed juice in the Elixir Bar of the sanctuary.
QUEENSLAND
Home of the Arts (HOTA) in Surfers Paradise, Queensland.
The Museum of Underwater Art has opened two installations by sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor: Ocean Siren, a statue of 12-year-old Takoda Johnson from the local village of Wulgurukaba, located 2.5 kilometers from the Strand Jetty in Townsville ; and Coral Greenhouse on the Great Barrier Reef. The latter was completed in December 2019, which means that few divers and snorkelers from other countries have seen it in person or have seen firsthand the role of these underwater works of art in reef restoration.
When Down Under Submarines, on Mooloolaba , was launched last month, became Australia's first fully submersible hybrid tour boat : The battery-powered SUBCAT-30 can cruise above the waves or dive 30 meters below the ocean's surface, offering travelers another unique view of coral reefs.
In Gold Coast , specifically in the area of Surfers Paradise , landed last May Home of the Arts (HOTA), the House of the Arts, a six-story cultural center. This $44 million company is Australia's largest public gallery outside a capital , with a program that includes art, theater, cinema, cabaret, dance, comedy and much more.
Further north, it has also recently been announced that the Daintree Rainforest, the oldest on the planet at 180 million years old and declared Heritage of humanity by unesco , will become jointly managed by the queensland government and the eastern people Kuku Yalanji , with the intention of return the land to its traditional custodians.
If you go, consider staying at the Silky Oaks Lodge, a luxurious hideaway on a tree house which reopened in December 2021 after a multi-million dollar renovation.
NORTHERN TERRITORY
Kakadu Cultural Experience boat ride on the East Alligator River.
Sunset from Ubirr Rock.
The Finniss River Lodge, opening this spring, is one of the most anticipated openings of the Top End . This rural lodging, run by third-generation ranchers, only admits 15 guests at a time . Those who make the 90-minute journey from Darwin they will be able to practice hiking, bird watching, hunting mud crabs, or herding a herd through a floodplain , and still retire to a comfortable suite at sunset.
Apart from Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, Kakadu National Park is the main attraction of this region , and now there's a new way to experience it: a cultural excursion through the sky and the river . The scenic flight operator KakaduAir partnered with an indigenous tourism provider to launch the Kakadu Cultural Experience this past July. The tour combines a two hour flight on the escarpment with a 90 minute cruise for him East Alligator River plus a visit to Ubirr , a gallery of sacred Aboriginal rock art.
In Darwin you can visit the Willing distillery. Inaugurated in September, this wine cellar and cocktail bar was the first in the Northern Territory to use a traditional alembic , putting a unique Australian spin on craft spirits with small-scale production (how does that sound? an Australian vodka or gin with desert lime?).
WESTERN AUSTRALIA
WA Boola Bardip Museum in Perth, Western Australia.
When Western Australia reopening its doors to international travelers soon , there will be many new things to experience, starting with the Kalbarri Skywalk over 90 meters high in the Kalbarri National Park. Introduced in June 2020, the two cantilevered platforms offer visitors spectacular views of the Murchison River Gorge.
Rottnest Island, a protected nature reserve 20 kilometers off the coast of Perth, is best known for its turquoise lagoons and its thousands of quokkas, the happiest marsupial in the world . Although you can always do a day trip, seasoned travelers spend a few nights here . Samphire Rottnest, opening October 2020, is the hot spot to stay thanks to its coastal and elegant design and its spectacular views of the thomson's bay.
Another newcomer in 2020 is the WA Museum Boola Bardip, in Perth. This artistic space pays homage to Wadjuk Nyoongar , the land on which he sits, and to the indigenous stories that inhabit it. Its collections range from the fashion until the geology , but no museum visitor should miss Nyumbi, its weekly aboriginal dance Y smoke ceremony.
Travelers heading to the Dampier Peninsula They should book a place on the newly launched cultural excursion to the island of Oolin Sunday. This day trip is led by the Jawi guide Rosanna Angus , whose family resided in Sunday Island in the early days of the mission. Includes a visit to the community of ardyaloon , in Middle Beach , and a tour of the whirlpools of the islands Jooloom Y Jayirri , a vital territory for hunting and fishing Jawi people.
TASMANIA
Breakfast in Peppina (Tasmania).
Vines at Devil's Corner Winery, Apslawn, Tasmania
Like Western Australia, the island of Tasmania has implemented some of the strictest lockdown measures in the country. It did not reopen its border with mainland Australia until December 2021 , moment in which more than 90% of residents had already been vaccinated older than 16 years.
But the high vaccination rate is not the only cause for celebration. Launceston , in northern Tasmania, is already a popular destination among oenophiles and foodies, having recently been named a Creative City of Food by the UNESCO . Everywhere there are new wineries , like Devil's Corner or Mewstone Wines, and if you're lucky you might even get a table reservation at Seven and a Half in Hobart , the gastronomic experience for 10 people on a rooftop offered by the acclaimed chef Luke Burgess . The Tasman, a luxury hotel in Marriott International in Hobart, also has a creative Italian restaurant (Peppin) and a cocktail bar (MaryMary).
Another internationally renowned venue, Van Bone, in rural Marion Bay , opened its doors last February. The tasting menus chef's multi-course Timothy Hardy are headed by wood-fired seafood, organic products harvested in the garden of the place Y alpine-style cheese from a local dairy . The restaurant only has room for 16 people, so it is essential to book in advance.
For an even more intimate Australian sightseeing experience, take the ferry to Satellite Island in the Canal D'Entrecasteaux from southern Tasmania. This private getaway features a Summer house , a boathouse , a tent, a new mineral bath on the cliff and a terrace to practice yoga; as a climax, is preparing a floating sauna . Guests have free access to the island during their stay and are encouraged to enjoy nature, diving for hedgehogs Y abalone and peeling wild oysters fresh from the sea.
This article was published in the February 2022 international edition of Condé Nast Traveler.