Placeholder Content Image

“Unlike any other”: World’s highest 360-degree infinity pool opens in Dubai

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Dubai has welcomed the world’s first 360-degree infinity pool as its latest record-breaking tourist attraction.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The 750-square-metre pool deck sits on the 50th floor of the Palm Tower, which offers unbeatable views of Dubai’s skyline.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">At 200-metres in the air, the </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://auraskypool.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Aura Skypool</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> also takes out the top spot as the world’s highest infinity pool and has been described as “an island in the sky”.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The new space also features a lounge with VIP sun beds and a bar serving tapas dishes and cocktails.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Guests have the choice of booking in for a morning or sunset session by the pool, or a full-day VIP “island” experience, costing between $AUD 65 ($AED 170) and $AUD 226 ($AED 600).</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Aura is truly unlike any other destination in the UAE and the world,” Antonio Gonzalez, the CEO of Sunset Hospitality, the company behind the pool, </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://travel.nine.com.au/latest/worlds-highest-360degree-infinity-pool-opens-in-dubai/25d66d7e-2ef6-4673-be13-825aab58a0da" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">said</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> in a statement last month.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“With 360-degree views of some of the world’s most iconic sights, from the man made Palm Jumeirah - celebrating this year 20 years since its construction - through to Burj Al Arab, Burj Khalifa and Ain Dubai - all in one view, it’s a breathtaking new destination that will continue to showcase the very best of Dubai.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The opening of Aura Skypool comes after the launch of a 240-metre high observation deck at The Palm, two floors above the infinity pool.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The residential building and hotel also features the Middle East’s first SushiSamba restaurant - a chain of fusion restaurants found across the UK and USA.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Images: Aura Skypool</span></em></p>

International Travel

Placeholder Content Image

You can now experience a 360 degree view of Uluru online

<p>With ever-growing troves of valuable data on its shelves, Google has expanded its Street View range further to Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park in Northern Territory, Australia.</p> <p>However, rather than eyeing ad revenue, Google seems intent on documenting the cultural heritage of the area in this project, and after two years of collaborative development the Story Sphere of Uluru is now live online.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><iframe width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Yocf-lFF49g?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe></p> <p><span style="text-align: center;">Since 2007, Street View has captured some of the world's most famous sites across 83 countries, including the Grand Canyon in the US and the Taj Mahal in India.</span></p> <p>The service offers 360 degree panoramas from various vantage points around each site, in what are like dynamic brochures for curious parties and potential visitors, who are probably many kilometres away.</p> <p>The new Uluru coverage includes nine sites, under labels including Uluru View, Kata Tjuta View, Tjukurpa and Watering Hole in line with existing Street View scenarios.</p> <p>However, when tackling Uluru, the Google team thought the unique Australian site needed the presence and voices of its people to fully capture the Tjukurpa, or way of life of the local Anangu people.</p> <p>Working closely with Parks Australia, the local community and Tourism NT, the company engaged its existing Story Sphere platform to bring the Street View to life for the special site.</p> <p>After clicking through to the Story Spheres from Street View, the scenes become animated with voice-overs and music, adding rich currents of songlines and stories.</p> <p>Click on the white notes that hover over certain areas of the scene to be taken on a guided tour by Anangu traditional owner Sammy Wilson about its history or cultural relevance, with songs and music by traditional owner and Anangu Elder, Reggie Uluru.</p> <p>It respectfully avoids climbing the rock, in line with wishes of traditional owners, and rather traces paths around its base away from sacred sites deemed inappropriate for the project.</p> <p>"If people see this, they will hopefully have more of an understanding about Uluru. They will also want to come and visit," Wilson says.</p> <p>"Everybody in the world has their own culture, their own ways of expressing and celebrating their belief systems and culture. The natural world holds our belief system".</p> <p>"Guests can arrive informed of more than just the picture postcard views and with an appreciation and a desire to learn more when on the ground," says Jason Pellegrino, managing direction of Google Australia and New Zealand.</p> <p>"For locals, it's an opportunity to share their heritage amongst themselves in a new way. Younger generations have taken up new technology. Traditions are now transferred in multiple ways, in addition to the oral telling of stories.</p> <p>"This platform is not monetised whatsoever. There's no money being made".</p> <p>Have you ever been to Uluru?</p> <p><em>Written by Richard McLeish. First appeared on <a href="http://www.stuff.co.nz/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Stuff.co.nz</span></strong></a>. </em></p>

International Travel

Placeholder Content Image

360 degree videos of Aussie tourist destinations

<p>To say Tourism Australia has lifted their game would not be doing justice. In this series of videos we get a 360 degree experience of some of Australia’s tourist destinations.</p> <p>Check out the above video as a taster, then head to Tourism Australia’s <a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLajBrt9lvgr4v5pDW1L5T4mETnVVyI8dn" target="_blank"><em><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">YouTube channel here</span></strong></em></a> for the full experience.</p> <p><em>Video credit: YouTube / Tourism Australia</em></p> <p><em><strong>Have you arranged your travel insurance yet? Tailor your cover to your needs and save money by not paying for things you don’t need.</strong></em> <a href="https://elevate.agatravelinsurance.com.au/oversixty?utm_source=over60&amp;utm_medium=content&amp;utm_content=link1&amp;utm_campaign=travel-insurance" target="_blank"><em><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Click here to read more about Over60 Travel Insurance</span>.</strong></em></a></p> <p><strong><em>For more information about Over60 Travel Insurance, call 1800 622 966.</em></strong></p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/travel/travel-tips/2016/02/tips-for-handling-flight-delays/">5 tips for dealing with flight delays</a></strong></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/travel/travel-tips/2016/02/photo-shows-german-shepherd-enjoying-flight/">German Shepherd really enjoys plane ride</a></strong></em></span></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><strong><a href="http://www.oversixty.co.nz/travel/travel-tips/2016/02/tips-for-travelling-with-people-that-get-on-your-nerves/">Tips for travelling with people that get on your nerves</a></strong></em></span></p>

International Travel

Our Partners