The World Awaits: travel tales to inspire your wanderlust – Details, episodes & analysis

This week is all about islands, as we take you to a Cambodian conservation-based private island resort and to the island nation of the Maldives.

First up, Kirstie takes us to the stunning island resort of Song Saa in Cambodia’s Koh Rong archipelago. Bought by Australian Melita Koulmandas for US$15,000, she has transformed it from knee-deep in rubbish to a luxury retreat with Cambodia’s first protected marine park. Hear from the island’s marine biologist, Anna Sabrina Petry about how it not only supports the ongoing conservation efforts but continues to enrich the area. Learn more about Song Saa at www.songsaa-privateisland.com.

Next, Belle chats about her most recent visit to the Maldives - does it live up to the hype? This time, she stayed at two resorts, Niyama Private Islands in the Dhaalu atoll south of the capital, Male, and Avani + Fares in the Baa atoll, famed for its UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. We're talking about the food, the different types of resorts, their sustainability and, of course, whale sharks. 

See niyama.com and avanihotels.com/en/fares-maldives 

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Many people dream of being a digital nomad. Is 2026 your year to do it?

This week, we’re giving you an insight into what life is really like living on the road, starting with authors, digital creators and husbands Brent Hartinger and Michael Jensen, who have lived in more than 30 countries and travelled to more than 60. 

The long-time digital nomads originally from the United States share their insights into what it’s like living a nomadic life, with top tips on how you can do it too. Follow them at: https://www.brentandmichaelaregoingplaces.com/

Then we chat to award-winning freelance food, travel and lifestyle journalist Natascha Mirosch, who swapped the sunny shores of Brisbane to move temporarily to a tiny village south of Rome where she worked remotely. We talk through why she did it, what there is to see and do in this stunning region of Italy and how you could do it too.

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Four kilometres from Australia, Papua New Guinea is our closest, and also our least explored neighbour. As PNG celebrates the 50th anniversary of independence from Australia, Australian musician and composer David Bridie talks about his connection with PNG, which spans four decades. 

A founding member of Not Drowning, Waving, David first visited PNG in 1986; he is now an initiated Tolai man, returning more than 40 times, for work and to visit friends who've become family in Rabaul, Bougainville and Manus Island, as documented in the film Abebe; see davidbridie.com 

Come for the fishing, diving and birdwatching, stay for the incredible, varied cultures, some only first touched by contact with the outside world in our lifetimes. 

Also, the places you need to be going in 2026, thanks to trendsetters Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel in 2026 and for our tip this week,  how to stop  hackers targeting you on holiday, thanks to Saily SIM cards. See lonelyplanet.com/best-in-travel and saily.com 

Finally, Kirstie checks into the Hotel Indigo Melbourne Little Collins, and we're both hoovering up Hong Kong classics at Atlas Dining in South Yarra. See https://ihg.com/hotelindigo/hotels/ and atlasdining.com.au

David's recommendations include:
Baia Sportfishing baiafishingpng.com
Walindi dive resort, Kimba walindiresort.com
Kumal Lodge (birdwatching) facebook.com/kumullodge989/ 

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The incoming Lunar New Year brings in the Year of the Wood Dragon – a year of opportunity and renewal, career work and success. Australian-Chinese artist Chris Chun talks us through the origins of the Chinese zodiac and how best to celebrate the Lunar New Year. 

Take Chris’ recommendation and visit Melbourne’s Chinatown to see the Lunar New Year parade, followed by yum cha, chinatownmelbourne.com.au then pop into the Museum of Chinese Australian History to say "Kung hei fat choi!" to the largest dragon in the world, the Millennial Dragon, whose head weighs around 200kg. Chris’s family’s favourite Chinese restaurant in Melbourne is the long-running Rock Kung has been around for decades. Visit them at 101 Kingsway, Glen Waverley. 

Also, Booking.com releases its Top 10 Most Welcoming Places in Australia, and the Sunshine Coast and Victoria are shining bright - but who do you think got the top gong? For more Sunny Coast goodness, and to put its claim as Australia's craft beer capital to the test, see visitsunshinecoast.com

And finally, let's save money on travel insurance! Financial comparison site Mozo shows you how, see mozo.com.au --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theworldawaits/message

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Should you wash elephants in Thailand? Adventure World's head Neil Rodgers talks about travelling ethically to ensure travel remains possible for our kids, including why you should avoid local tour operators who don’t protect wildlife, adventureworld.com.au

Belle's just back from undertaking one of the great hikes in northern Victoria - the crossing between Falls Creek and Hotham, with Alpine Nature Experiences and Victoria's High Country.

We also tell you how much we love the Australian Open and how to hack your annual leave so you can have longer holidays without sacrificing the pay packet, thanks to virginaustralia.com  

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Antarctica and the Arctic are two of the last frontiers on the planet, and the focus of this week’s feature with veteran journalist Andrew Conway. He puts the case for travel to these two incredibly fragile, vulnerable places, and how we travellers can be involved in their conservation.

We’re also talking the world's most powerful passports, according to the annual Henley Passport Index, based on data from the International Air Transport Association which shows which are the most powerful passports to hold – the more powerful, the more visa-free travel you can enjoy. For the full list, visit henleyglobal.com/passport-index/ranking

And our tip this week is the safest places to travel, according to US multinational Berkshire Hathaway travel protection. Where do you reckon is the safest country? See bhtp.com/blog/safest-places-to-travel/--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theworldawaits/message

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We’re still in the thick of Australian summer holidays, so it’s time for the great Victorian playground play-off! 

We ask the hard questions – who did it better these summer holidays, Mornington Peninsula (Belle) or Phillip Island (Kirstie)?

Also this episode, we cover off the top tourism spots that Australians love to hate… and the hard-loved Gold Coast gets repeat mentions, thanks to research by internationaldriversassociation.com 

But back to Victoria, we’ve both been holidaying in the top Australian holiday hotspots of the Mornington Peninsula and Phillip Island for decades. So when we tell you what our favourite beach is, know that we’ve swam/walked/sunbathed on all the others, as well. 

We also share the best places for coffee, best walks (long and short, steep and flat), our favourite viewpoints and wildlife experiences. And, after years and years of investigative journalism/eating till we burst, you’ll get our favourite eats from our respective holiday heartlands. 

Best beach: MP, Safety Beach. PI, Smiths Beach.

Best walk: MP, Bushrangers Bay. PI, Cape Woolamai Walk or George Bass Coastal walk.

Best adventure: MP, Peninsula Hot Springs. PI, Phillip Island Helicopters.

Best coffee: MP, Commonfolk (Mornington) or Little Rebel (Dromana). PI  G’day Tiger (Cowes).

Best wildlife experience: MP, Moonlit Sanctuary or Polperro Dolphin Swims. PI. Cape Woolamai Walk (wallabies), Nobbies (for penguins) and the Koala Conservation Reserve. 

Best food & wine: MP, Polperro picnics, DOC vs 400 Gradi pizza in Mornington, fish & chips on any beach. PI . Pino's Trattoria in Cowes, Purple Hen Winery (don't go past the pinot noir).

See morningtonpeninsulatourism.org, visitphillipisland.com.au--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theworldawaits/message

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This week, we bring you two of the biggest names to join us here at The World Awaits – travel commentator Bruce Poon Tip and design innovator Bill Bensley.

Social entrepreneur, New York Times best-selling author andowner of adventure travel company G Adventure Bruce Poon Tip talks to Kirstie from Toronto about the importance of community tourism, and what you can do as a traveller to genuinely make change to communities in need.  Bruce also reveals the countries that are leading the way in travel for change, gadventures.com 

Watch Bruce’s moving video here, which is sure to change your perception of travel: thelasttouristfilm.com 

And Bill Bensley is world renowned for his unique, inspiring and award-winning hotel designs and eye-catching architecture, bringing to life more than 200 resorts, hotels and palaces in over 30 countries. He is also a concerned conservationist and passionate philanthropist, and a pioneer in helping communities, and preserving conservation and wildlife. He tells Kirstie why he’s so passionate about philanthropy and his next big project, bensley.com--- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theworldawaits/message

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We love Spain, and our two guests love it even more! This week's episode brings two of our favourite interviewees in to talk about their big love of all things Spanish. 

Meet Ben Groundwater - travel journalist occasional tour guide and lover of San Sebastian's food scene. He talks to Belle about how to eat like a Spaniard, breakfast beers and the best restaurant in this foodie heaven, bengroundwater.com

Less eating, more walking, Wandering to World founder Glenyce Johnson tells Kirstie about walking the long-distance pilgrimage route, the Camino de Santiago, which she's done an incredible 35 times, instagram.com/wanderingtheworldwithus/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theworldawaits/message

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Vomiting comedians, being shot at in Honduras and running through a game reserve. We share some of the best responses we've received from our guests about their most bizarre travel moments. 

Thanks to @brenthillfiji @lisapagotto_ and @sheryltakayama for sharing stories of their escapades on the road.

And hold the shame! Kirstie and I share our own fashion travel faux pas – all born from hard experiences. On the cruise ship. On the ski slopes. On the Fijian beaches and in the wilderness… --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theworldawaits/message

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