Blog

Nov

Belinda Jackson wins Travel Writer of the Year 2025-26

I am so pleased to announce that I’m the Australian Society of Travel Writers’ new Travel Writer of the Year!

The awards were announced at a gala celebration hosted by the City of Greater Bendigo, and I couldn’t be more proud. It is the second time I’ve won this prestigious award, the last time was two years ago.

The three stories in my portfolio were drawn from Saudi Arabia, Oman and southern Spain, places I love equally, and were published in the Traveller section of the The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, and in Luxury Escapes‘ glossy Dream magazine.

Traveller: AlUla, Saudi Arabia with The Royal Commission for AlUla Read the story here
Traveller: Southern Spain train odyssey with InnTravel Read the story here
Luxury Escapes: Heaven Scent in Oman, with Emirates, Anantara Hotels & Resorts and Shangri-La Group

The very generous prize is two business class tickets on Virgin Australia‘s domestic and short-haul international network – I reckon they’ll be easy to use!

Thank you to the Australian Society of Travel Writers, to the editors including Paul Chai, Craig Platt, Anthony Dennis, Jane Reddy and Trudi Jenkins, and to the tourism companies that continue to help travel journalists and writers produce detailed, quality (fact-checked) features, and to the public relations professionals who support and back us, even as budgets tighten and soundbites shorten. Huge thanks to Barking Owl Communications, Julia Spence PR, Lara McCabe at Burson, Nick Flynn, Zoe Shurgold and of course the sponsors, Virgin Australia

And a shout out to the team at Niyama Private Islands Maldives where I’m currently working on my next story (yep, it’s as tough as it sounds), who baked me the most beautiful cake when they heard the news.

Oct

Best things to do on the Great Ocean Road with Lonely Planet

The Great Ocean Road is Australia’s most iconic road trip, running along the coastline of Victoria. I wrote this guide to the drive for Lonely Planet, sharing some of my favourite stops along the Great Ocean Road, with tips on the best places to eat, my favourite swim spots and some of the new, beautiful architecture along the way.

The route starts west of Melbourne at Torquay and ends at Allansford, on the way to Adelaide. Buckle up for 243km of heart-burstingly beautiful surf strips and quiet coves, pine-lined beach towns and country roads fringed by forests.

You can read more about the Great Ocean Road, the best walks along the route on the Lonely Planet website, or see more on the official website of the road here: https://visitgreatoceanroad.org.au/

and you can see more on Tourism Australia’s website: https://www.australia.com/en/places/melbourne-and-surrounds/guide-to-the-great-ocean-road.html

To read the full story, visit https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/guide-to-the-great-ocean-road

Oct

Roadtrip to Uluru and Australia’s Red Centre, Michelin Keys now rate the world’s best hotels & dogs on planes

As Australia celebrates the 40th anniversary of the Uluru Handback, host Belle Jackson shares how you can take a bite of the red dust on a roadtrip around the Red Centre Way.

From Alice Springs/Alice Springs to Watarrka/Kings Canyon and Uluru, here’s your list of where to stay, what to eat and some of the best experiences on a drive holiday in the Northern Territory.

Also, the world’s best hotels are recognised in the new Michelin Key hotels guide; Australia’s Lizard Island is the only the three-key hotel, with Longtitude 131 near Uluru, Southern Ocean Lodge on Kangaroo Island and Drift House in Port Fairy, Victoria. Click here for the full list.

And dogs on planes – are you on board? Virgin Australia has become Australia’s first airline to allow dogs in the cabin, launching its new trial, as well as more generous carry-on limits.

Belle’s recommendations on the Red Centre Way include:

Ooraminna Station, 40 mins from Alice Springs, https://www.ooraminna.com.au/
Ormiston Gorge, West Macdonnell Ranges https://nt.gov.au/parks/find-a-park/tjoritja-west-macdonnell-national-park/ormiston-gorge
Kings Creek Station https://kingscreekstation.com.au/
Ayres Rock Resort, https://www.ayersrockresort.com.au/
Standley Chasm, West Macdonnell Ranges, https://standleychasm.com.au/
Northern Territory Tourism https://northernterritory.com/

Other places mentioned:
Melbourne Winery https://www.melbournewinery.com.au/
Virgin Australia https://www.virginaustralia.com/au/en/

#northernterritory

Oct

Explore Malta with chef Shane Delia; getting compensated for delayed flights & hire car accident hotspots

There’s great nightlife, it’s summer all year round, and really, really hospitable people. Add to that fabulous architecture and a blossoming food scene, and what’s not to love about Malta?

In Australia, he’s Mr Malta – Maltese-Australian chef, restaurateur and TV presenter Shane Delia has been returning to the Mediterranean island nation since he was 13, so he knows a thing or two about exploring Malta’s food, beaches and lifestyle.

Shane joined me on the podcast just ahead of Maltese Independence Day.

Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or via our website and all other great podcast apps.

His restaurants include Maha in Melbourne, Layla in Brisbane and the Biggie Smalls kebab chain, and he appears on Channel 9’s Postcards every week. He says Malta is blossoming with high-end restaurants.

“But while it’s well documented where we’ve been, young Maltese chefs are asking, ‘Where can we be, who can we be?'” he says. His hot tips include Marsaskala Bay for swimming and Sphinx Malta for delicious pastizzi. Follow Shane at @shanedelia

Also, be compensated for late or cancelled flights here in Australia: you can have your say on the proposed Aviation Consumer Protection Scheme, see http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/infrastructure-transport-vehicles/aviation/aviation-consumer-protections

And finally, car rental group VroomVroomVroom says that Australian airports are the most common place for bingles in your hire car.

Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/ep-112-exploring-malta-with-chef-shane-delia-payouts/id1689931283?i=1000727243372

Spotify https://open.spotify.com/episode/3Tuu5FlHKAg7WOmyaBBB7W

Oct

Old Salt, Pier Runner, Wellness Cruiser: What’s your cruise personality?

From pier runners to the bargain hunters, which one of these 10 cruise personalities are you?

My story in the Australian Financial Review’s High Seas magazine decode the most common ocean journey archetypes, including the Old Salt and Round-the-World Devotees, and why you should google upside-down pineapples before you cruise. There are the wellness cruisers, the hypermilers, and the round-the-world devotees.

Click here to read the full story and to see if you are, actually, a Pier Runner. Thanks to Simon Leitch for the great illustrations.

In this edition, I also got to put the case for why sea days are the best days on ship, in a cheeky little essay recalling my mum’s inability to find a glass of water on an epic Seabourn cruise.

Click here to read the full story, where you can forget the destination, cruising is all about the journey. Watch the ocean, soak up the sun and enjoy the curious sensation of seeing nothing on the horizon.

Oct

Shortlisted for Australian Travel Writer of the Year 2025

I’m very, very pleased to announce that I’ve been shortlisted again for Travel Writer of the Year in the Australian Society of Travel Writers 2025 awards!

I titled my collection of three features The Underrated and the Understated, reporting on a train journey in southern Spain, AlUla in Saudi Arabia and Oman (that’s me, stopping to smell the roses, after being trapped in flooded Dubai on the way to that mountain of fragrance).

Thanks to ASTW and to the companies who continue to support travel journalism, including InnTravel, Saudi Tourism, Emirates, Shangri-La Muscat in Oman and Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar, and their PR representatives

And thanks also to the editors at the Traveller section of the Sydney Morning Herald and The Age newspapers and Luxury Escapes’ Dream magazine, who commission features from these adventures, which sometimes (Ok, often) slip away from the conventional path.

The competition is daunting – my friends Justin Meneguzzi and Kate Henessey complete the trio shortlisted for the TWOTY (best acronym, right?) Luckily, they are both great humans as well as extremely talented writers.

@hh_510 thank you so much, once again, for this photo from Al Jebel Al Akhdar It’s one of my favourite travel photos.

Sep

The view from a neurodivergent traveller; world’s most crowded hotspots & duty-free shopping tips

Airports are one of the most stressful places we’ll find ourselves, and this week on The World Awaits travel podcast, we’re looking at travel from the viewpoint of a neurodivergent traveller.

Listen to the current episode of The World Awaits on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or via the website https://theworldawaits.au

Sarah Maree Cameron is a radio and TV presenter, writer and comedian. She presents the House of Wellness on Nine Radio, and in Melbourne, the Weekend Break with Grubby on 3AW and TravelOz on Channel 7.

With that job description, she’s constantly on the road, and we chat about how she manages her hectic schedule while juggling a number of dietary and health issues. Listen for her top tips on staying stress-free and healthy. Follow Sarah Maree on instagram for more wellness tips

Also, which are the most crowded tourist destinations in the world? A couple are particular favourites for Australian travellers, according to new analysis from Deluxe Holiday Homes.

And Kadi Luggage reveals how to get the best bang for your buck when shopping duty-free at airports.

Sarah Maree’s tips include:
Listening to sleep stories with the Calm app
Hotteeze heat pads

Sep

Travel in Asia: the hotspots and the sleeper hits

Hanoi’s hot, Phuket’s hotter and Tokyo is sizzling like a summer’s day in Hades. This week, I chatted to ABC Mornings Adelaide about the hottest places to travel in Asia, and where you can step off the beaten path to some alternate destinations in these countries.

It comes on the back of the news that a million – a million – Australians visited Japan in the past 12 months. We can’t get enough of it, and nor can the rest of the world. Which is fair enough; they’ve got fabulous culture, food, landscapes and history. What’s not to love.

I chatted with Rory McClaren about alternative destinations in Japan, away from the Lost in Translation moments in Tokyo, and why chasing geishas through Kyoto is a really, really bad look for travellers.

Also, my sleeper hit of Hue, in Vietnam, and why the Philippines is so often overlooked – and unjustifiably so.

Take a listen to the conversation – here’s a link on my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHIjMRbAAfo

Aug

Best things to do in Cairo, how to guarantee a sunny holiday & things left in Ubers: The World Awaits podcast

You’ve booked a holiday to Egypt, but the Grand Egyptian Museum’s (GEM) opening has been postponed…again! “All is not lost!” I say!

Listen on Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep-106-the-new-cairo-with-belle-jackson-avoiding/id1689931283?i=1000720943277
Spotify https://open.spotify.com/episode/0sBUGYM7YLATaHjYawp5yq?si=b0a843ca0b4a4408
or via the website at https://theworldawaits.au

As podcast host of The World Awaits travel podcast and an Egypt aficionado, I’m the guest this episode, rounding up the best of new things to do in Cairo.

I share my top three things to do in Cairo, including the best Egyptian museums and neighbourhoods, essential experiences and answers the age-old question, is Cairo safe right now? For more of my travels, including some pretty great footage (if I do say so myself) see https://www.instagram.com/global_salsa

And we have a winner of our tropical Thai holiday giveaway of four nights at Avani+ Khao Lak! Thanks to Avani Hotels & Resorts, who generously offered this prize to our listeners to celebrate our 100th episode!

And finally, our tip this week is how to avoid the rainiest places in the world (unless you love a downpour!), and we cover off the craziest things people have left in Ubers.

Aug

Boat safety in Bali; media appearance on ABC TV News Channel

Bali has had four tragic boat disasters this year, most recently with a speedboat carrying 80 people between the popular tourist island Nusa Penida and Sanur, on Bali’s east coast.

I spoke with ABC TV’s News Channel about boat safety in Bali, and how travellers can travel safely in the region.

Click here to watch the full television report: https://youtu.be/JPJD0hqUABM?feature=shared

If you’re thinking about taking a boat ride in Bali – either to Nusa Penida or further afield to the Gili islands, don’t be afraid to ask even the most basic questions, such as :

is there one lifejacket for every person on board?
do the crew do a safety briefing?
is the crossing going to be rough?
and ask yourself… does it feel right, does it feel safe?

In the end, you have to trust your gut instinct. There are regulations in Bali, they are not enforced.

Take a listen and see what you think; and let me know in the comments.

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