4 reasons we’re excited about the grand opening of the W Sydney — now the largest W in the world

Australian airline Qantas is making it easier — and cheaper — to go down under with a flight sale that has tickets starting at under $1,000.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Niav Konno, a social-media strategist and content creator for small businesses, who lives in Makarska and runs the popular TikTok account @mylifeincroatia . It has been edited for length and clarity.

Sydneysiders, like most Australians, are genuinely friendly people – they just want visitors to have a good time and take fond memories with them when they go home. That said, there are some things to know about visiting one of Australia's most intriguing cities.

When I started planning my trip to Luxembourg earlier this year, I had one thing in mind: affordable luxury.

Not all Buddhist temples are Zen-like experiences with manicured gardens and meditative art. In countries like Thailand and Singapore, travelers can visit Buddhist “hell parks.” Once used to warn parishioners about the punishments that awaited them after a life of sin, hell gardens are now more like B-movie horror theme parks.

“The best things about Sydney are free,” resident Russell Crowe famously said — and with good reason. The Sydney limits boast over 100 free beaches (for surfing, loafing, and soaking in the sun), handfuls of stunning coastal walkways, and endless public plunge pools, national parks, and festivals sprinkled all over the city.

What makes a good city is subjective but a good indication that a place might be worth visiting is when it's voted for by thousands of people. Both Time Out and CN Traveler recently conducted a poll of the coolest neighborhoods/best cities in the world right now and thousands of people can't be wrong.

Tipping on cruise ships has changed over the years. Cash used to be king, dispensed at a passenger’s whim. But nowadays, many large lines are both cash-free and have automated tipping as part of the daily dues, meaning passengers no longer need to carry around a wad of bills. But, there are caveats. For example, not all crew is included in the general tip—some are actually forbidden from accepting gratuities—and sometimes, currency matters. Below, what you need to know about tipping on a cruise, and how to make sure no onboard tip gets lost in the shuffle.

If you’re a whisky lover, destinations like Scotland, Japan, and Kentucky are all probably high on your list of places to imbibe in between distillery tours. But you might want to add Singapore to the short list of great whisky destinations. That’s because The Grande Whisky Museum in Suntec City, Singapore is the keeper of not just the world’s most valuable bottle of whiskey, but it also boasts the most valuable whiskey collection, according to the Guinness World Records.

Within the last decade, cocktail bars in Asia have firmly stepped out from behind the shadows of their Western counterparts. What was once a handful of acclaimed establishments in developed hubs like Tokyo, Singapore, and Hong Kong has flourished into a continent-wide wave of progressive bars known not only locally but globally for sustainable innovation as well as distinct, culture-specific takes on mixology with local ingredients.

For the last five decades, the Sydney Opera House has been a global spectacle: with its whimsical rooftop sails and prime location on the Sydney Harbour, it has become not only the city's most recognizable symbol, but that of all of Australia. While presiding over the building's October 20, 1973, opening, the late Queen Elizabeth II called it “unique”—and while its architecture certainly remains a standout feature, what makes the structure truly forward-thinking is the degree to which Danish architect Jørn Utzon drafted it with sustainability in mind.

The World's 50 Best Bars have just been announced—and you can consider this your official bucket list of exceptional drinking dens around the world.