Centurion Middle East Spring 2023

|Places| Our first

|Places| Our first night, we dine in an intimate shed dubbed the Sensorium. The eight-course degustation dinner by Gastronomo is plucked from local land and sea, with each course cooked over the flames, coals or the smoke of an open fire pit. The next day, lunch feels like a fairy tale as we dine inside a giant hollowed-out 120-year-old fig tree at the aptly named Enchanted Fig Tree. Part of the pull of staying in a WanderPod is its hyper-local outlook, partnering with local guides and companies to give guests sustainably slanted holidays that explore and educate. Here, on Kangaroo Island, that translates to lacing up your boots and exploring the rejuvenated bush, beach and island fauna with in-the-know affable guides (RADKI Coastal Tours), self-proclaimed “citizen scientists”. We visit the windbattered horseshoe-shaped Western River Cove, learning about the bird species – willie wagtails, white-bellied and wedge-tailed eagles and glossy black cockatoos – that glide above, nesting back on Kangaroo Island. The weather is unseasonably cold for late November and the water is hostile, so instead of taking to sea to spot dolphins, sea lions and penguins, we stick to land. An estimated 60,000 koalas were killed or hurt in the fires, so it feels like a privilege when we stroll through a blue gum forest and spot new generations of koalas nestled in the forks of the trees, blissing out on eucalyptus leaves. Later, we venture down the short The rusticchic interior of Sensorium restaurant but steep “Harvey’s Return” hike and stand amongst the 550-million-year-old geological wonders. The giant lichen-covered granite boulders and surrealshaped rocks display what look like intricate artworks that have been etched with the might of the Southern Ocean. The next day, our soft-spoken Kangaroo Island guide (from tour operator Exceptional Kangaroo Island) and local resident, Craig Wickham, guides us down straw-coloured mountains to the pounding coast accompanied by his pint-sized rescue wallaby and puppy, his tenderness towards the land and wildlife infecting our group as we return to our pods – all reminders of what it means to be a traveller today. “Recent times have highlighted the need for all of us to say ‘no’ to old and broken ways of doing things. We hope to inspire our Wander community – guests, suppliers, staff and locals – to make lasting changes. We have a choice to live differently,” explains Sasso. wander.com.au The Itinerary Here’s how to get the most out of your Kangaroo Island experience Do Sign up for a day with Research and Discovery Coastal Tours (radki.com.au), and you’ll spend the day as a “citizen scientist” learning about the geology of the landscape and its bird and marine life. If conditions are right, you might even get to swim with sea lions, seals and dolphins. Or lace up your boots and join Exceptional Kangaroo Island (exceptionalkangarooisland.com), a smallgroup tour operator that offers an extensive range of experiences, from one-day explorations of the island to e-bike adventures and multiday walks that will take you through secluded coves and national parks. Eat Have your fill of oysters, marron and abalone at American River’s Oyster Farm Shop ( oysterfarmshop. com.au), a farm gate for Kangaroo Island shellfish. For a quirkier but fine-dining experience, book a spot at Sensorium (gastronomodining.com.au), with delectable surf-and-turf served in a sugar-gum hut. For another incredible setting, lunch at The Enchanted Fig Tree (gastronomodining.com.au) inside a 120-year old fig tree. Natural Highlights Flinders Chase National Park, one of Australia’s iconic parks, is known for its rugged bushland, wind-battered cliffs, swathes of deserted powder beaches and epic natural rock formations like Admirals Arch and the Remarkable Rocks. Pack a picnic and visit the secluded Western River Cove complete with a cute babbling river and rock pool. Visit the aptly named Seal Bay for your best chance to spot a colony of sea lions. PHOTO REMY BRAND 24 CENTURION-MAGAZINE.COM

EXQUISITE STAYS SUMPTUOUS ACCOMMODATION AND UNIQUE EXPERIENCES IN INCREDIBLE DESTINATIONS – A SELECTION OF HOTELS AND RESORTS FOR THE PERFECT ESCAPE