New Bali escape's 'no walls, no doors' concept lights up the jungle

Are pillow carriers worth their weight in gold, or are they just another useless accoutrement?

Iconic Singapore hotel expands into Bali

Beachfront villas, urban retreats, rice paddy hideaways. Whichever you fancy, Bali's best stays are immersions in local culture, cuisine, architecture and aesthetic.

South Australia’s Yorke Peninsula is often overlooked by its popular neighbour Eyre Peninsula. But anyone who has put the blinker on to head south a little early (or miscalculated a ferry departure to Eyre, like I did) will be patting themselves on the back. Especially if camping is on the itinerary.

Investigative travel journalism is a thing. I made it so this week. Armed with sunglasses, a bikini and an iPhone, I took myself off to Grand Hyatt Bali resort, in Nusa Dua, to see first-hand what kind of hell four nights in quarantine might look like…

It doesn’t get more remote than camping on an island especially when the only way to get there is by boat, barge or ferry. For a nature-based getaway girt by sea, here are nine of the country’s best.

Even better than pitching a tent amid some of the world’s most spectacular scenery is not having to pay for it. Here are five campsites where the views, swimming spots, fire-pits and fresh air are free.

There’s a Spanish backpacker out there somewhere with footage of me performing one of the most epic stunts of my life – jumping off a waterfall into the raging waters of Eliot Falls.

This week I checked out of a Bali hotel two days before intended. The website promised a traditional setting where I could immerse in writing, find my inner yogi and perhaps take a cooking class. But none of this was possible and in the end it was the dodgy internet access that forced my hand.

I’m sleeping on a mattress on the floor of a hand-built bamboo pavilion that sits amid a patchwork of rice paddies.

Most activities have been curbed during Bali’s lockdown – masks are on, dining-in is mostly off, beaches are closed, travel is not allowed. But curiously, there’s a loophole of sorts whereby hotel and resort staycations fly under the radar.

Interactive exhibition is a 100 square metres of rainfall that stops overhead, giving the ghostly sensation of being fully immersed but untouched by it.

Low-impact villas give guests a taste of Byron Bay’s legendary laid-back beach life.

The Old Clare Hotel, which wears its heritage credentials on its super-hip sleeve, is home to chef Jason Atherton’s Kensington Street Social restaurant

Exquisitely decorated in French-Indochine style and featuring extraordinary art from the owner’s private collection, this property has plenty to keep guests entertained, and is close to several of the city’s top attractions.

Having just won an AHEAD award for visual identity, this hotel is putting its quiet spot in Mornington Peninsula on the map with stunning design and a curated collection of art from Melbourne’s best and brightest.