Tickets for the Australian Open 2010 have just been released for sale through Ticketek.  The Grand Slam event for the Asia/Pacific region will be held in Melbourne between 18th and 31st January 2010.  

With record crowds anticipated again for 2010, plans have been revealed which will double the spectator space available at the event with the introduction of Grand Slam Oval.  There will be 11,000 square metres on Grand Slam Oval area which will be located between Hisense Arena and Rod Laver Arena.   Planned facilities include wine bar; beer garden; two giant screens; live bands; DJ’s; and a range of other free entertainment.  To beat the heat, the Evian Spa will offer ice massages and the ANZ Ice Cube will be a great place to ‘chill out’ and relax!

Families should head to Garden Square for family fun and entertainment including big screen; roving entertainment; tennis activites and watching the Wilson racquet stringers at work.   If the kids would rather play tennis than watch they can head to the MLC Fan Zone; meet players at MLC Autograph Island or rate their serve against the champions at the Express Post Speed Serve.  Retail outlets will offer brand name tennis from Lacoste and the Andy Roddick tennis range plus a variety of  Australian Open souvenirs such as beach towels,  giant tennis balls, caps and t-shirts.

There is something at the Australian Open 2010 for any kind of tennis fan – from the diehard face painter grabbing a spot on a show court to adults enjoying the outdoor entertainment and families looking for a great day out during the holidays.  Ticket prices start from AUD$29 for a ground pass which gives access to all the outdoor courts plus free entertainment and activities on Grand Slam Oval and Garden Square.

If you have purchased a series ticket, or plan to visit several days in a row then why not stay the night?  There are a range of hotels in Melbourne offering great deals.  Due to the large number of tourists combined with school holidays and a public holiday long weekend, rooms will book out quickly.

The Hilton on the Park Melbourne is located directly opposite the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne Park and a short walk to Rod Laver Arena.   The hotel is next to the Fitzroy Gardens and offers picturesque views to the city.   Relieve sore legs from a day at the tennis by relaxing by the outdoor heated pool, working out in the gym or book a massage at the Hilton Day Spa.  Enjoy evening cocktails and bar snacks in the Park Lounge or dine in the Gallery Restaurant.   

Recently refurbished, the traditional styled Hilton Guest Rooms are decorated in rich warm tones and feature large panoramic windows.  Work at the desk, surf the internet with wi-fi access, chill-out with on demand movies, relax in the large armchair with ottoman or re-energise in the marble bathroom.    If you enjoy the privacy of your own whirlpool spa, upgrade to a Relaxation Suite with separate lounge/dining area and large screen TV.

If you dont want to pay your own way, enter our Australian Open Tennis 2010  Battle of the WAGS competition.     The winner will receive two adult tickets to the Australian Open Tennis Championships for the Men’s Semi Finals on Friday 29th January 2010 at 3pm PLUS two nights accommodation a the Hilton on the Park Melbourne in a Relaxation Suite from 29th to 31st January 2010.  Total value of the prize is AUD$1689.80.  GOOD LUCK!

If you plan to be one of the  300,000 annual visitors to the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, you can now enjoy panoramic views of Uluru from a newly opened AUD$21 million tourism facility.

The viewing area is 3 kilometres from Ayers Rock and offers spectacular views.  It incorporates 11 kilometres of roads; 1600 metres of walking tracks; traditional shade shelters; coach and car parking; bathroom facilities and an area which can be used for outdoor performances.  The project will cater for 3,000 visitors, whereas the existing dawn viewing area can attract over 1,200 people daily.

The viewing platforms are landscaped into the dunes offering views over the desert oaks to both Uluru and Kata Tjuta.  Spectacular viewing is available  from sunrise throughout the day until sunset.  Named Talinguru Nyakunytjaku which means ‘place to look from the sand dune’ in Pitjantjatjara, the traditional Aboriginal language of the area; the project is the largest infrastructure investment in the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park and the first major upgrade since the Cultural Centre was built in the mid 1990’s.

Aboriginal elders are hoping that this new viewing platform will offer an alternative for visitors who want more than a base view of the monolith, as well as discourage tourists from climbing the sacred rock.

Ayers Rock Resort is the perfect place to base yourself when touring the area.  There is a variety of accommodation options from campground through to five star luxury; apartments for families to romantic hotel suites for couples.

The four star Emu Walk Apartments are located minutes from the hub of the resort, the Town Square, which features mini-supermarket and shops.  You can stock up on essentials to cook in the fully self contained apartments which feature one or two bedrooms with separate kitchen and lounge area. 

Named after the iconic sails that crown its roof, Sails in the Desert Resort is pure five star luxury.   The interior decor focuses on the Aboriginal art, heritage and culture of the area with displays in the lobby and public areas.   Award winning dining is available from the Kuniya Restaurant, or sip cocktails and enjoy tapas-style cuisine by the pool at Rockpool.  

Longitude 131 offers a uniquely Australian outback experience.  With just fifteen luxurious, eco-sensitive and romantic tents, this resort offers the opportunity for intimate viewings of the sunrise and sunset over Uluru.   The nightly tarrif includes all meals and premium alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages; transfers and a touring program exclusive to resort guests.  Enjoy a three-course meal outdoors at Table 131, under a spectacular desert night sky twinkling with thousands of stars.

Getting to Ayers Rock or Alice Springs is easy and convenient, with flights from most major capital cities on a range of Australian domestic airlines.

Culture vultures be on the alert!  The Melbourne International Arts Festival will be held from 9th October through to 24th October 2009.  This is Melbourne’s premier cultural event, featuring visual arts displays and performances by local and international artists.  Originally staged in Melbourne back in 1986 as the third Spoleto Festival (behind Spoleto Italy and Charleston USA), this unique festival celebrates its international roots. Read more »

Most people planning to travel to Vietnam are attracted by images of the country’s natural beauty.  The green rice fields are dotted with the conical hats of the local farmers; there are 3000 Kilometres of picturesque coastline; the bustling pace of Ho Chi Minh City; the relaxing atmosphere of the Mekong Delta.  Read more »

The Kingdom of Thailand is one of Asia’s most popular destinations because of its comprehensive mix of natural beauty, inspiring temples, friendly hospitality, flavoursome cuisine and ancient ruins.  Thailand shares mainland borders with Malaysia, Myanmar (Burma), Laos and Cambodia and coastlines of the Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman Sea.   There are fertile valleys and mountains in the North, rainforest and beaches to the South, with the bustling capital of Bangkok in the centre of the country.

Grand Palace Complex, Bangkok

Modern skyscrapers, historic temples, buzzing markets, sophisticated department stores and a bustling nightlife co-exist in the city of Bangkok.   The large city is divided into several areas each known for its local attraction.   Sukhumvit Road features modern and cosmopolitan dining and shopping, as well as well priced personalised tailor services located around the  Amari Boulevard and  Windsor Suites hotels.  Siam is home to the mega shopping malls of MBK, Siam Paragon, Siam City and the junction of two skytrain lines.  The Pathumwan Princess Hotel is actually attached to the MBK shopping centre and linked to the National Stadium Skytrain Station providing easy access around the city.  Bangkok’s historical roots lie along the banks of the Chao Phraya River with the classic Grand Palace and Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn).  River-taxis, ferries and goods-laden barges chug along up the river.  Riverside is home to several upmarket hotels such as the Montein Riverside and Peninsula Hotel.

Banthai Beach Resort Phuket

The Southern Thailand coastline stretches along the Malay Peninsula offering stunning beaches dotted with hundreds of islands to explore.    Phuket is  Thailand’s largest islands and one of Asia’s premier beach resorts.   There are stunning beaches, watersports, shopping, restaurant and bars.  Patong Beach is the oldest and most developed tourist area with a range of shopping, nightlife and water activities along a three kilometre crescent shaped stretch of beach.   The Banthai Beach Resort is set on five acres in the heart of Patong Beach.  There are three large free-form swimming pools, swim-up bars, health spa with seventeen treatment rooms.  Karon Beach is the second largest of Phuket’s west coast beaches and generally more quiet and releaxed than Patong.  Phuket Town is abuzz with markets, department stores and supermarkets.   At night, local food vendors, street cafes and bars spring into life. 

Khao Lak is the perfect place to get away from it all.  The beautiful beaches offer easy access to the world class reefs of the Similian Islands.  The lush tropical jungle of the Khao Sak National Park is relatively untouched by tourism.

The stunning limestone cliffs and emerald waters of Koh Phi Phi are easily accessed by ferry from Phuket Island.  Phi Phi is the perfect spot for snorkelling the stunning reefs or relaxing in a secluded resort.

Centara Grand Beach Resort Koh Samui

Once an under-developed backpackers mecca, the South-Eastern Thailand  island of Koh Samui has developed into a fully serviced tourist resort area.  You can find a variety of shopping and restaurants at the most popular beaches of Chaweng and Lamai.  Centara Grand Beach Resort Koh Samui is located on Chaweng Beach and is a very popular resort for couples and families.  All the rooms face the sea and offer fantastic views from the balcony.  The kids will enjoy their own kids pool, playground and playroom activities while the adults can sit back and relax in the outdoor jacuzzi, huge swimming pool or work out in the gym.

The Chedi Chiang Mai

The Northern Thailand province, including Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai is a fantastic base for soft adventure activities and visiting ethnic tribes.  The Chedi Chiang Mai is located on the banks of the Mae Ping River and is an elegant, modern retreat offering all facilities of a five star resort.  In Chiang Rai, the Mantrini Boutique Resort is a contemporary and trendy boutique city hotel, styled in a blend of traditional and modern Thai influences.

Thai cuisine is renowned for its use of fresh, rather than dried, herbs and spices combined with rich and creamy sauces.  Sweet smelling jasmine rice is indigenous to Thailand and is grown in the paddy fields of the Thai central plains.  Steamed rice is accompanied by aromatic curries, stir-fries and dishes laden with chillis, lime juice and lemongrass.

The weather in Thailand can vary immensely, depending upon the region.  Southern Thailand has two distinct seasons – wet and dry.   These seasons run opposite to each other on the east and west coasts of the peninsula.  The West Coast monsoon season is April to October while the bulk of the rain on the East Coast falls between September and December.