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Almost a decade ago now, I tried to highlight some of Australia’s lesser-known spots in a two-part article, Australia’s Best Kept Secrets (Part One) and Australia’s Best Kept Secrets (Part Two). With regional carriers like Tiger Air making it easier than ever to jet around Australia’s vastness, I thought it was high time I highlighted some more off the beaten path Australian destinations that will give you a glimpse into that elusive “real Australia”. Getting There: Sunshine Coast Airport is not only serviced by a number of domestic carriers from major Australian cities, but also has seasonal international flights to and from New Zealand. I’ve harped on about Newcastle’s unfulfilled potential before, and I’m not the only blogger who has sung its praises – with the likes of Caroline in the City & Drink Tea Travel also being aware of this beach city’s immense charm.

Getting There: You can reach Ise from Osaka 2 hours and 20 minutes on the slow JR train (1,700 Yen/$17 USD) or in just under two hours on the express JR train (3,030 Yen/$30 USD). In the course of a single day in Sakai City, I tried my hand at honing my own sashimi knife, dyed yukata fabric, learned how to make Japanese candy, attended a tea ceremony, and soared high over the city’s ancient burial mounds in a VR experience. : You can see a full day itinerary for Kobe outlined in my One Day in Kobe post, but this could easily be extended out to two days with a full-day to relax and enjoy the Kobe Herb Gardens. As you can see, Osaka is not only a fantastic place to visit, it’s also a fantastic place to base yourself while you take day trips to nearby cities such as Kyoto, Nara, Kobe, and Himeji.

While it’s perfectly possible to find a hotel in Kobe and extend your stay there, for the purposes of today’s post, I’m going to assume you’re like most people and you’re skipping across from nearby Osaka. If you’re fresh off your international flight and want to get right into the action, you can head to Kobe from Kansai Airport in 1 hour and 45 minutes for 1,710 Yen ($17.10 USD) or from Osaka Itami Airport in 45 minutes for 510 Yen ($5.10 USD). While Kobe beef might be Kobe’s most famous export, the city’s Nada district is actually Japan’s largest sake producer. Admission to the Kobe Port Tower is 700 Yen ($7 USD), while the Maritime Museum and attached Kawasaki Good Times world can be visited for 600 Yen ($6 USD).

Our friends and family at home may think we are living the easy life relaxing in posh hotels in Mussoorie, but anyone who has been on the road for a little while knows that travel is often exhausting. Firstly, in the week before you get on the plane try adjusting your own bedtime by 15-30 mins each night to line up to nighttime in your intended destination. Long-term travel means a lot of world wanderers have to live as cheaply as possible on the road. What experience has taught me, however, is that a little TLC on the road can go a long long way in preventing traveler’s fatigue.