While in Bali, I was fortunate to also stay at the InterContinental Bali Resort in Jimbaran and the Holiday Inn Canggu, before heading to Ubud and a brief jaunt to North Bali. My time in Ubud coincided with Nyepi, the day of silence on 29^th March. In the lead-up to Nyepi, cleansing ceremonies and parades happened all over the island, with the entire community getting involved, including the Ogoh Ogoh parade, where demon statues were paraded through the streets over the entire island and then burned, as pictured on the cover of this issue. This noisy and chaotic tradition completely contrasted with the following day, when everyone spent 24 hours reflecting, adhering to the rules of no entertainment, lights, cooking, work, or travel – no one was even allowed to go outside. I’ve never known Bali to be so quiet, and I wish we had this time of reflection in Perth. There aren’t many places where a festival has the ability to shut down the airport, and if you would like to hear more about my experience, please listen to this segment on Travel Writers Radio.

In February, I headed to Sydney for the annual IMM (International Media Marketplace) and spent an entire day speed networking with back-to-back meetings with tourism operators and boards. As intense as the experience was, I’m already looking forward to IMM 2026, as it’s an invaluable resource for travel writers, especially those living on the West Coast, far removed from a lot of the action.

I’ve also shared some of my published articles from Japan, Sri Lanka, Singapore and Broome in this newsletter issue. Even if a trip isn’t on the cards, who doesn’t love a bit of inspiration and armchair travel?

Happy Fluffy Travels.

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A taste of what’s to come in this newsletter

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What’s inside the first issue of the Fluffy Towel Travel newsletter for 2025?

I don’t know about you, but as we approach the end of January, I’m wondering where the month went. I suspect the heatwave has melted my brain but luckily, I have taken plenty of notes and photos to remind me.

I swapped Perth’s unrelenting dry heat for Broome’s humidity during the wet season. According to the locals, there had been a mild break in the weather, so it was more bearable than normal, apparently. Even so, I was glowing while visiting this unique coastal town. I longingly think back to some of the things I did to celebrate the opening of the Moonlight Bay Suites, including having last sips at Matso’s Brewery (conveniently across the road) before it closed for refurbishment, witnessing the vibrant Pindan colours at Gantheaume Point, boarding a scenic flight with Kimberley Air, touring Willie Creek Pearls and riding a camel at sunset on Cable Beach.

After flying home from Broome with Virgin Australia Airlines, the very next day I was on a ferry to Rottnest Island to celebrate the launch of the Lodge Wadjemup. If you have any recollection of what the lodge used to look like, you wouldn’t recognise it now. I felt like I had landed on a Greek island, further complemented by the incredible Mediterranean menu at Sunsets.

So, what’s on the horizon for the rest of 2025? I have some trips in the pipeline and I’ll keep you posted. One of the things I love most about being a travel writer is the spontaneity, so stay tuned for more updates.

Thank you for coming along for the journey, and may your travels be fluffy.

Please click here or on the images for the newsletter, and don’t forget to subscribe so the newsletter is delivered directly to your inbox.

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There’s a widespread belief that however you celebrate the new year is how you’ll spend the year. I believe there is some truth in this as I spent quite a bit of time this year travelling within Asia after spending New Year’s Eve in Sanur, Bali, while comedic legend Bill Bailey played with some dogs on the beach. I don’t have a selfie to prove this, as I didn’t want to interrupt his holiday, so you’ll have to take my word for it.

I’ll be seeing in 2025 in Perth and already have a trip planned to Broome in January, so maybe there really is some truth in this theory.

Welcome to the third issue of Fluffy Towel Travels, where I’ll be recapping my travels from 2024 and what an epic year of travelling it has been. I visited Jakarta for the first time, revealing the Indonesian capital’s cosmopolitan side. From there, I flew to Phnom Penh and met with everyone else who was joining the CF Mekong cruise with Croisi Europe Cruises. After spending a couple of days exploring the Cambodian capital, we headed to Siem Reap, where we boarded the Toum Tiou II for an eight-night cruise to Ho Chi Minh City.

My next trip was a flying visit to Kuala Lumpur where I sampled business class with Malaysia Airlines – and I’m still raving about the satays served onboard months later.

In May, I returned to Bali to celebrate my birthday in the most unexpected way by waking up with a cockroach on my face, followed by a very mild earthquake – I don’t believe the two incidents were related, but after the amount of screaming, I’m not so sure.

The adventures continued in July when I returned to Borneo’s Sarawak to attend the Rainforest World Music Festival. While there weren’t any encounters with creepy crawlies this time (unlike the great scorpion fiasco of 2023), I missed out on visiting the orangutans after falling over and spraining my ankle. I blame the storm that delayed the concert, forcing me to wait for it out in the bar. I’d like to point out that I fell over before any alcohol had passed my lips.

I returned to Bali for the third time (that myth is ringing true) to attend the Suara Festival, which coincided with the opening of Nuanu, a new city about 10 kilometres east of Canguu. It didn’t take much convincing for my husband to join me a few days later in Uluwatu, where we found an affordable beach club at Melasti Beach called Tropical Temptation.

In late October, I explored the Ehime and Hiroshima prefectures in Japan amidst an impending typhoon that had already made landfall in Taiwan. Not to brag, but the upgrade on the overnight flight with All Nippon Airways (ANA) was the icing on this incredible trip. After this week-long trip to Japan, I was only home for a few days before I was back on another plane, this time for my maiden voyage to Laos, followed by a few days in Bangkok.

I hope you enjoy reading more about these travels; plus, I have plenty of deals for you, so you, too, can make the most of your travels in 2025.

If you haven’t already subscribed to my website, I’d be ever so appreciative if you did so I can keep on sharing content and this travel newsletter with you, which you can download here.  All you have to do is click here and share your email address to subscribe.

Thank you for your support and may your travels be fluffy.

Fluffy travels,

Carmen.

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Welcome to the second issue of the Fluffy Towel Travel newsletter. Thank you so much for your lovely feedback and support, it means the world to me that you’re finding my content useful, entertaining or inspiring, and hopefully all three. I’ve dedicated this issue to wellness and delved into the concept that travel could be the key to longevity. I also revisited some wellness retreats and shared some free side flights with you.

You might be intrigued by the image on the cover. I took this photo several years ago during a Breastique Art workshop in Perth to support Breast Cancer Care WA. The empowering workshops were designed for women to create beautiful works of art with paint and their boobs. Sadly, Breastique Art is no longer running but given October was Breast Cancer Awareness month, I thought it was the perfect opportunity to shed some light on this awful disease and embrace our bodies.

If you haven’t already subscribed to my website, I’d be ever so appreciative if you did so I can keep on sharing content and this travel newsletter with you, which you can download here.  All you have to do is click here and share your email address to subscribe.

Thank you for your support and may your travels be fluffy.

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Welcome to the first issue of the Fluffy Towel Travel newsletter. Please click on the image above or here to view the entire newsletter.

Did you know you can receive this travel newsletter directly to your inbox if you subscribe here? I promise not to spam you and to only send you information I think you’ll find useful on your travels, hopefully with your fluffy towel in tow.

Thank you for your support and may your travels be fluffy.

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Australia’s Extra.Ordinary. West is a travel book like no other

Australia’s Extra.Ordinary. West is a Western Australian travel book like no other. Told from an insider’s perspective, this coffee table book has dispelled the myth that kangaroos are jumping through the streets of Western Australia. Natural wonders, quirky anecdotes and surprising revelations are shared where even the most zealot local will be compelled to jump in and experience the essence of Western Australia. This 244-page guide welcomes you to explore our vast state where Western Australia plays the beautiful yet aloof protagonist.

Karijini Eco Retreat

Highlights at a glance:

• The Margaret River Region – although incredible, the region holds many more charms than just wine and surfing
• The Peel Region – where dolphins come to play
• The Northwest – dive into Broome’s Chinatown and the pearling industry before riding off into the sunset on a camel
• Indigenous bush tucker
• New Norcia, the country’s only monastic town
• Esperance – a pink lake, Stonehenge and Lucky Bay, one of the whitest beaches in the world
• Natural wonders galore
• Many talented Western Australian artists

Ferguson Valley Wine Region

Our Extra.Ordinary. top picks

• Cable Beach, Broome – an array of pink and blues melting into the horizon and the annual Shinju Matsuri pearl festivel
• Lucky Bay, Esperance – the sweep of powder white against pristine azure
• Greens Pool and Elephant Rock, Denmark – situated in William Bay National Park, these two beaches redefine the word green
• Yallingup Beach – world-class surfing and swimming in a protected lagoon
• The Pinnacles – mysterious rock formations most instagrammable at dusk and dawn
• The Peel-Harvey Estuary – twice the size of Sydney Harbour and teeming with dolphins, crabs and birdlife
• Pink Lakes – best viewed from above in Kalbarri and Esperance
• The Margaret River Regions boutique accommodation

Mandurah Cruises

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