Surfing? So 1960s. Standup paddling boarding? Very 2020. Fliteboards…now we’re talking.
Foilboards are surfboards with a piece of hydrofoil attached to the bottom, allowing the foiler to zoom along at serious speed by entering and exiting the water.
Byron Bay-based company Fliteboard make eFoils: Foilboards, but electric. And fast. And awesome.
It means you can surf regardless of wind or swell.
The board has a motor beneath the surface of the water, and speed is controlled by a wireless handheld Bluetooth remote, a somewhat dangerous feature in the hands of a madman.
Check the video below for an explanation of this absolutely wild piece of electro-powered awesomeness. And ah, if anyone from Fliteboard happens to see this, I’d um, be happy to test one out…
Otherworld is a virtual reality gaming bars in London, serving hyper-immersive virtual reality experiences in an uber cool futuristic setting.
The company has opened a second ‘VR Bar’ in central London, to go along with one that has been around for a couple of years in the trendy North London neighbourhood of Haggerston.
There are sixteen unique, multi-sensory virtual realities to take part in, from going into space to navigating creepy theme parks, and even a Rick and Morty themed adventure. There are craft beers and a more than capable kitchen, as well as pods that fit up to eight people.
The experiences appear to be pretty affordable, and absolutely epic.
The Rig (no, we’re not referring to you) is on it’s way.
An offshore oil rig in the Arabian Gulf, off the coast of Saudi Arabia, is set to be turned into a massive theme park and hotel, in a move we bet the original builders of the rig did not see coming.
The 1.6 million-square-foot behemoth will feature 800 hotel rooms across three hotels, 11 restaraunts, swimming pools, an ultra-luxury hotel and super-yacht marina.
Backers of The Rig are lauding it as the “world’s first tourism destination inspired by offshore oil platforms”, an admittedly fairly niche category.
It will also feature an extreme theme park, featuring super fast rollercoasters (the world’s fastest is currently being built just outside of Riyadh) as well as bungee jumping, zip-lining, aquatic sporting adventures and skydiving.
How many times have you been staying somewhere and thought: “Yes, this is nice, but what about oil drilling?” Well, the good news is there will be practical lessons in using drilling machinery, plus information on the industry itself.
While no opening date has been announced and there isn’t a great level of detail on the hotel, the theme park component of the rig looks absolutely lit – check out the video below:
get lost to planet earth: there’s a moon heading for a collision with Vegas.
With Branson and the like jettisoning off to the actual moon, the appropriately named Moon World Resorts Inc. is bringing the Big Cheese to us (to Las Vegas, specifically).
The Canadian-based company has announced plans for a $5 billion, 5.5-million-square-foot hotel whose signature feature will be a gigantic replica of the moon.
The moon itself will be 1/75,000th the size of the real thing. Which is actually pretty big, judging from the photo they’ve released.
The rest is a big deal too: a 2,500-seat theatre, a spaceship nightclub, a planetarium, a 5,000-seat event centre and 10,000-seat arena. And, of course, a 130,000-square-foot casino (this is Vegas)
Ninety-minute trips across 10 acres of craters in a ‘moon buggy’ will be available for $500 USD.
This is no conspiracy theory either – expected landing is in 2026 or 2027. More are planned after that, with telescopes set to the Middle East, China, and Spain.
Among the highlights is Pacuare Reserve, a wildlife haven hidden in dense jungle along the Caribbean Sea, and accessible only by boat.
The trip is a Make Travel Matter journey endoresed by the Treadright Foundation – one with a focus on experiences that have a positive social and environmental impact on the destinations (and those who experience them). And that’s a good thing, right? You’re travelling, but you’re also being a bloody legend as well!
As well as intimate wildlife and conservation activities (think turtles, monkeys, macaws and jaguars) you’ll squeeze in absurdly attractive beaches, cloud forests, hot springs, volcanoes and more.
You can find more socially and environmentally positive trips like this one here.
The Bungle Bungles are a bunch of gigantic domed rocks will make you feel like you’re on another planet.
This 11 hour exploration of the Bungles takes place on foot, on four wheels and up in the air.
There’s a walk through these ancient beasts that give you an appreciation for their size and age. You’ll also careen through the Purnululu National Park until you get to the Echidna Chasm. Chasm is right, at least initially – it’s a giant space which narrows and narrows until it is just two shoulders width apart. The orange towering walls of the chasm look as if they are lit from within when looking upward.
But the best way to see outback Australia is from above; a scenic flight at the start of the day takes in some of Western Australia’s very very (very) best.
And if you’ve been anywhere else in Western Australia, you’ll know that that’s pretty bloody good.
How ’bout a Bahama Mama? Or is a Sexy Monkey more your thing?
Whatever your go-to, cocktails are a sure-fire way to get lit, and while Kangaroo Island isn’t exactly Ibiza, the Kangaroo Island Spirits’ Cellar Door Cocktail Masterclass is a great way to bring some lit back to the mainland.
Kangaroo Island Spirits have been making gin, spirits and cocktails for a while now (they are the birthplace of Australian gin). They’ve gotten seriously good at it, and they are award winning spirits you’ll be using.
The best part is they’re willing to share a few of their secrets, so you can impress your friends at your next house party.
In the Masterclass you’ll learn from the masters, making three delicious cocktails using award-winning spirits, recreating some some classics as well as some of Kangaroo Island Spirits’ own signatures. We’re sure you’ll do the cocktail shake thing, at which point you’ll need to harness a bit of that Outkast energy…
The Liveabroad Dive Safari is probably the most comprehensive in Great Barrier Reef experiences.
Scuba diving with Hammerhead and reef sharks at the Reef’s North Horn is adventure enough for a trip to Cairns. But things are only getting started there.
There are 26 dives on this week long adventure, where you’ll be taken to the best sites determined on the time of year you are lucky enough to find yourself there.
If you’re ballsy enough to dive into the ‘Snake Pit’ then you’ll find yourself swimming with Olive Sea Snakes. A jump into the Cod Holes will have you face to face with 30kg Cod fish and the exceptionally curious Maori Wrasse, who are the size of a large dog. There are turtles, stingrays and the rare Minke Whale to be found in other spots, as well as Garden Eels and schools of Big Eye Trevally and Barracuda. Oh, and did we mention the reef itself?
When you’ve had enough of living under water you can retire to the luxury vessel that you’ll live in for a week at the Cairns Marina, with world famous sunsets to enjoy after a big day diving.
The idea of cruising down the Mooloolaba canals, eating the famous Mooloolaba prawns while sipping on beer and champagne sits really nicely with us.
But it’s not just the seafood that brings the local theme to Saltwater Ecotours’ boat cruises on the Sunshine Coast. Their vision is to “establish a unique marine experience that would inspire a deeper connection to Indigenous culture and the ocean.”
The cultures of both Torres Strait Islander and the local Kabi Kabi people are explored and explained in detail on this two-hour cruise, set on a beautifully restored, century-old sailing vessel.
There’s a variety of different cruises they offer, with subtle differences depending on what you’re after from your experience.
As well as all that $1.50 of each ticket to the Southern Ocean Carbon Company, a carbon mitigating company with a focus on growing seaweed in the oceans of Southern Australia. So you can cruise along with a champagne in one hand and a prawn in the other, and know you’re doing your bit for Mother Earth. It doesn’t get any better than that.
If you’ve ever thought ‘gee, I would do anything right now to be sitting on a rooftop terrace in Rome, relaxing with some friends and taking in the city with a glass of wine,’ Viewnary will help you do it.
I mean sure, it won’t transport you to Rome, and you’ll need to supply your own wine and friends. But it will find you a cool rooftop.
It’s a platform where you can book private & secret rooftops, terraces and locations with great skyline views and panoramas. Its like a new and cool alternative to the usual observation decks and skybars.
It’s only new and while the database of rooftops and balconies are still growing, there are already some very cool spots that have been uploaded. See below for our pick:
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