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One Journey, Two Countries: Planning an Australia & New Zealand Vacation
Combining Australia and New Zealand on one trip is the classic long-haul journey. Here is how to route it, how long it takes, and when to go.
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Swain Travel Journal
Stories, field notes, and posts from the road.
A living archive of destination insight, first-person dispatches, and the details that shape thoughtful travel.
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Luxury Travel in New Zealand: A Complete Guide
Luxury travel in New Zealand has a way of slowing you down. Few destinations pair such extraordinary landscapes with such intimate places to stay.
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Planning a Safari in South Africa: A Complete Guide
This guide explores South Africa's leading safari regions, the luxury lodges that make your stay even more memorable, the best time to visit each, and how safari pairs with beautifully Cape Town, the Winelands, and beyond.
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Luxury Travel in Australia: A Complete Guide
Luxury travel in Australia is about choosing the right destinations at the right time of year. From the Great Barrier Reef and the Outback to celebrated wine regions and luxury lodges, here's how Australia's finest experiences fit together.
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The Land of a Thousand Hills
Ian's first-person dispatch from Rwanda explores gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park, mountain gorilla conservation, and the people of the land of a thousand hills.
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NFL 2026 Season Kicks Off in Melbourne, Australia: Los Angeles Rams vs. San Francisco 49ers
In a historic moment for global sports, the National Football League is heading Down Under. For the first time ever, a regular season game will be played in…
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Top 10 Things to Do in Melbourne
Melbourne blends laneway culture, world-class coffee, sport and wine country within easy reach. Ten of the best things to do in Victoria's capital, from trams and markets to the Great Ocean Road.
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Planning a Safari in South Africa: A Complete Guide
This guide explores South Africa's leading safari regions, the luxury lodges that make your stay even more memorable, the best time to visit each, and how safari pairs with beautifully Cape Town, the Winelands, and beyond.
Updated
Luxury Travel in Australia: A Complete Guide
Luxury travel in Australia is about choosing the right destinations at the right time of year. From the Great Barrier Reef and the Outback to celebrated wine regions and luxury lodges, here's how Australia's finest experiences fit together.
Updated
Luxury Travel in New Zealand: A Complete Guide
Luxury travel in New Zealand has a way of slowing you down. Few destinations pair such extraordinary landscapes with such intimate places to stay.
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Read the latest travel writing, destination notes, and first-person dispatches from the Swain team.
- One Journey, Two Countries: Planning an Australia & New Zealand VacationCombining Australia and New Zealand on one trip is the classic long-haul journey. Here is how to route it, how long it takes, and when to go.Read the post
- Luxury Travel in New Zealand: A Complete GuideLuxury travel in New Zealand has a way of slowing you down. Few destinations pair such extraordinary landscapes with such intimate places to stay. Read the post
- Planning a Safari in South Africa: A Complete GuideThis guide explores South Africa's leading safari regions, the luxury lodges that make your stay even more memorable, the best time to visit each, and how safari pairs with beautifully Cape Town, the Winelands, and beyond.Read the post
- Luxury Travel in Australia: A Complete GuideLuxury travel in Australia is about choosing the right destinations at the right time of year. From the Great Barrier Reef and the Outback to celebrated wine regions and luxury lodges, here's how Australia's finest experiences fit together.Read the post
- The Land of a Thousand HillsIan's first-person dispatch from Rwanda explores gorilla trekking in Volcanoes National Park, mountain gorilla conservation, and the people of the land of a thousand hills.Read the post
- NFL 2026 Season Kicks Off in Melbourne, Australia: Los Angeles Rams vs. San Francisco 49ersIn a historic moment for global sports, the National Football League is heading Down Under. For the first time ever, a regular season game will be played in…Read the post
- Top 10 Things to Do in MelbourneMelbourne blends laneway culture, world-class coffee, sport and wine country within easy reach. Ten of the best things to do in Victoria's capital, from trams and markets to the Great Ocean Road.Read the post
- Australia’s MICHELIN Key Hotels: A New Benchmark for Luxury TravelThe arrival of MICHELIN Keys in Australia marks a defining moment for the country’s luxury hospitality scene. From iconic urban retreats to extraordinary…Read the post
- Barefoot Island Luxury Recognized by MICHELIN Keys🗝️The South Pacific’s most extraordinary island escapes are in the global spotlight with the introduction of the MICHELIN Keys. This prestigious distinction…Read the post
- MICHELIN Key Hotels Across Australia, New Zealand & AfricaIn 2025 MICHELIN awarded its first hotel Keys across Oceania and Africa. Here is what the distinction means and the standout properties in Swain's regions.Read the post
- MICHELIN Keys Shine a Spotlight on Exceptional Hotels in AfricaHospitality in Africa has reached an exciting new milestone with the inaugural selection of MICHELIN Key Awards. Designed to celebrate outstanding stays…Read the post
- A Century of Safari Legacy Renewed: Cottar's Unveils Luxe Modern RefurbishmentsCongratulations to Cottar's Safaris on their newly unveiled refurbishments at the multi-award-winning Cottar's 1920s Camp and Cottar's Bush Villa . Rooted in…Read the post
