TRAVEL NEWS
TRAVEL TRAVEL NEWS NEWS
IN THE KNOW What to see, do and where to play
SWITZERLAND’S NEWEST MUSEUM OPENS A new watch museum has opened in Switzerland’s watchmaking heartland, Vallée de Joux. Designed by the Bjarke Ingels Group, the 2500sqm Musée Atelier Audemars Atelier houses some 300 Audemars Piguet watches and clocks inside its curved glass and temperaturecontrolled brass mesh structure. Visitors must book tours online and can even see artisans making watches in the workroom. museeatelier-audemarspiguet.com
KALBARRI SKYWALK NOW OPEN IN WA Western Australia’s Kalbarri National Park is one of the Coral Coast region’s most beautiful natural attractions and now visitors can take in the stellar views from platforms 100m above ground. The Kalbarri Skywalk, a project which began back in 2016, consists of two platforms which stretch out into thin air and offers views of the park and Murchison River Gorge, as well as showcasing the culture and stories of the region’s traditional owners, the Nanda people. westernaustralia.com
IN THE HEART OF DUBAI, YOU’LL FIND...EUROPE?
SHINKANSEN BULLET TRAIN NZ700S UNVEILED IN JAPAN A new bullet train has been added to Japan’s shinkansen service – not only is it a record-breaker, but it can also operate during an earthquake. Operating on the Tokaido Shinkansen line between Tokyo and Shin-Osaka stations, the NZ700S can hit record speeds of 360kmh and is equipped with a lithium-ion battery selfpropulsion system, which means it can still function on a back-up battery in the event of an emergency and even an earthquake. jrailpass.com 4 INSPIRING VACATIONS MAGAZINE | AUGUST 2020
The Heart of Europe, a cluster of seven man-made islands off the Jumeirah Coast is set to welcome its first guests as early as October when Phase One of the $US5 billion project is due to wrap up. Designed to emulate the countries of Europe, the heart-shaped Maldivian-inspired Honeymoon Island will also house the world’s first seven-star wedding hotel. By the end of 2023 visitors will be able to explore Switzerland and Floating Venice, Dubai’s take on the famed Italian city, and the world’s first underwater resort. heartofeurope.ae
