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Mt Merapi is an active volcano in Indonesia – with stunning views.
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WATCH THE SUN RISE OVER MT MERAPI Words: Ian Neubauer, travel writer
Its name means ‘Fire Mountain’ – and for good reason. Over an hour’s drive from the city of Yogyakarta on the island of Java, Mt Merapi, Indonesia’s most active volcano, has erupted more than 70 times in the past 468 years, most recently in 2014 when it blew a plume of volcanic material 1,500 metres into the sky. While Merapi can erupt again with little warning, the absence of significant seismic activity in recent years makes 2017 an opportune time to climb the 2,911-metre stratovolcano to witness sunrise. Catch a taxi at midnight from Yogyakarta to the village of Selo for the four-hour slog to the summit.
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Sydney is stunning when seen from above in a private seaplane.
LOSE YOURSELF STROLLING THE STREETS OF TALLINN’S OLD TOWN Words: Tatyana Leonov, editor, Travel ideas magazine
A unique mix of Scandinavian and Eastern European cultures, Estonia’s charming capital is a delight to explore with plenty of modern cafes, galleries and creative spaces attracting the hip crowd. The UNESCO World Heritage-listed Old Town is, of course, the highlight. Home to splendid baroque palaces and magnificent merchant dwellings, coiling cobblestone lanes and spiralling church towers, all you need is time and a good pair of shoes to scratch below the surface of this storied city. Interestingly, many of the historic structures that date back to medieval times have been preserved – even with the devastations of wars and fires of centuries past – making it one of the best-kept old towns in the whole of Europe. Tallinn City Hall is one of many historic buildings in the city’s Heritage-listed old town.
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EXPERIENCE SYDNEY BY SEAPLANE Words: Kari Edie, leisure product owner, Flight Centre
How best to see spectacular Sydney? Well, a seat on a private seaplane is a pretty good choice. I flew northwards out from Rose Bay, over the massive rocky outcrop of The Heads, then peered down on to the famous Northern Beaches. Flying westwards towards the Berowra Valley National Park I entered the Hawkesbury River for a James Bond arrival in front of a little restaurant tucked away in bushland. I had a fantastic meal at Cottage Point Inn before stepping back on to the seaplane for the all-too-short return journey that included a swoop over Sydney’s Harbour Bridge and Opera House before our gentle water landing at Rose Bay. Truly breathtaking!
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