Our Blog

Stretching across eastern Victoria, Gippsland combines gold rush history, fishing villages, inland lakes, coastal scenery and wilderness landscapes. From Walhalla and Yarragon to Port Albert, Wilsons Promontory and Lakes Entrance, Gippsland rewards travellers willing to slow down and explore beyond the obvious.

The best travel discoveries rarely appear on an itinerary. A coffee stop becomes an adventure, a small village reveals unexpected treasures and curiosity transforms an ordinary journey into a memorable experience. Sometimes the places we never

The walk to Wollomombi Falls reveals little of what lies ahead. Then the landscape suddenly disappears beneath your feet. One of Australia's most spectacular gorge systems opens before you, creating a waterfall experience that is as much about scale and wilderness as it is about water.

t first glance, Yarragon looks like a convenient stop on the journey through Gippsland. Stay a little longer and you'll discover quality cafés, local produce, galleries and a village atmosphere that feels more sophisticated than its size suggests.

Some lookouts require long hikes. Tyers Lookout simply asks you to stop the car and take a moment. Sweeping views across the Gippsland Lakes, forests and distant dunes reveal the scale and beauty of one of Victoria's most remarkable landscapes.

The road through Baw Baw National Park is one of Victoria's most rewarding scenic drives. Towering mountain ash forests, giant tree ferns, winding mountain roads and hidden walking trails create a landscape that encourages travellers to slow down and appreciate the journey as much as the destination.

Deep within a narrow Gippsland valley, Walhalla feels separated from the modern world. Historic buildings line the main street, mountain ash forests climb the surrounding slopes and a small river winds through the valley floor. Once one of Australia's richest gold mining settlements, today Walhalla rewards visitors willing to slow down and imagine the determination, hardship and ambition that built this remarkable town.

Looking For Coastal Victoria Beyond The Tourist Trail? The Great Ocean Road may dominate Victoria travel itineraries, but Gippsland offers a different experience. Historic gold towns, fishing villages, long jetties, sweeping beaches, inland lakes and wilderness reserves reward travellers willing to leave the tourist trail behind

Great Ocean Road has a visitor overcrowding issue, brochures, instagram are contributing to a loss in visitor experience. You do not need to miss out. Slow down its a scenic road journey after all.

The phrase "hidden gem" has become one of travel's most overused promises. Secret beaches, undiscovered villages and untouched lookouts now arrive with GPS coordinates, map pins and social media queues. The irony is simple: the moment a hidden gem is published online, it begins its transformation into a mainstream attraction. Perhaps the best travel discoveries happen not when we follow a guide, but when we take the next detour and see what lies around the corner.

Taupō’s waterfront is more than a lakefront stroll. Māori art installations, Tongariro South Domain, an imaginative playground, Taupō Museum, one-hole golf, selfie signs and a meandering shoreline path create one of the town’s easiest and most rewarding local experiences.

Hidden on a hillside above Lake Taupō, Waipahihi Botanic Garden is one of those places many visitors never discover. Locals walk, jog and picnic among native and exotic trees while enjoying sweeping views across the lake and surrounding mountains. Best of all, entry is completely free.

For most of the day, the Aratiatia Rapids look surprisingly ordinary. A narrow river winds quietly through a rocky gorge below the dam. Then the warning siren sounds. Within minutes, millions of litres of water surge through the gates, transforming the river into a powerful torrent and creating one of Taupō's most dramatic free attractions

Most visitors travelling between Rotorua and Taupō never realise one of New Zealand's most remarkable geothermal landscapes is sitting quietly beside the highway. Orakei Korako combines geysers, silica terraces, steaming springs and native bush into an unforgettable geothermal experience.

At first glance, Craters of the Moon doesn't look like New Zealand at all. Steam rises from barren ground, silica stains the earth white and grey, and strange vents hiss from beneath the surface. This accessible geothermal attraction near Taupō allows visitors to experience the power of volcanic activity without tackling difficult walking tracks.

Taupō is often marketed as New Zealand's adventure capital. That's true. But it misses the point. The real story is water. Water roaring through Huka Falls. Water filling New Zealand's largest lake. Water bubbling from geothermal vents. Water warming hidden hot pools.

Best Bits Travel is built around independent travel, scenic detours, regional discoveries, and exploring at your own pace. However, not every traveller enjoys planning routes, driving unfamiliar roads, booking accommodation, or navigating logistics. For some, the holiday begins when somebody else takes care of the details. Here's a guided tour page to take the fuss out of decision making where to stay the night

At first glance, you may wonder what all the fuss is about. After all, it's spring water. Water that eventually ends up in bottles on supermarket shelves. Then you reach the viewing platform. The first thing you notice is the clarity. Not just clear, but almost impossibly clear. Beneath the surface, ribbons of emerald river weed sway continuously in currents so pure they seem invisible. Sunlight catches the water and scatters shards of light

Te Aroha isn't really on the way to anywhere. That may be its greatest strength. Discover New Zealand's historic spa town, where Edwardian heritage, mineral waters, and slower travel still define the experience.

The Catlins offers some of New Zealand's most rewarding wildlife encounters. From yellow-eyed penguins emerging from the surf to sea lions resting among dunes, photographing wildlife here requires patience, respect, and a willingness to slow down.