I was able to learn a lot about the Islands, get up close with some ocean predators and find the best spots for Mosaic travellers.

Flying into the capital Male puts you just 465km’s from the equator which explains the strong sun from morning until late afternoon. Expect blue skies, over 10 hours of sunshine per day and temperatures in the low 30’s. It also puts you in close proximity to the 1100+ picture perfect Islands.

To transfer to your chosen Island, step out of the airport to find speed boats lined up like taxis at the airport dock, or fly via sea plane.

Yes, the water really is like this!

At first I couldn’t believe it. From the moment we set off from Male, passing local and resort Islands on our speed boat, I asked “is this real?? It looks like a swimming pool!”

Once settled on the Island, a swim was first on the agenda. Again, I was left standing in disbelief but this time on the shore where the water is so clear, a baby black tip shark and manta ray could be seen swimming in the shallows.

The sand is almost pure white and the water, a clear but vibrant turquoise. It really is as good as it looks in the (unedited and unfiltered) photos!

Whether you prefer a relaxing, slow paced holiday or an action packed experience, unique to the Maldives, there’s something for you here:

• Epic beach days
• Half and full day trips
• Sunset dolphin tours
• Island hopping
• PADI dive courses
• Big game fishing
• Reef snorkelling – these waters are said to contain two-thirds of the world’s species of reef fish!

Up close with wildlife:

Once I arrived in the Maldives, I was quick to notice “shark snorkelling tours” being promoted and booked myself a spot!

I’ve always been an animal lover and growing up by the beach, I’ve had an interest in sharks from a young age.

The day started with a gentle introduction to sea creatures as our speed boat neared a pod of dolphins swimming close to a near by island. The boat quickly came to a stop and we were told to jump in, I couldn’t believe what happened next: after 2 minutes of snorkelling over coral reefs full of tropical fish, a pod of 6 dolphins (with baby!) passed by directly underneath me! To observe them so naturally and close up was mind blowing to me.

Next up was the a stop at “shark point”! From our seats in the speed boat, we could see hundreds of giant trevally swimming close to the surface and after a few minutes, a large grey nurse shark appeared. Our guide gave us some instructions for these animals and assured us that it was safe to swim here – no one on his boat had ever been bitten. 

I was one of the first in the water and not long after, a nurse shark swam by not bothered by my presence at all. For me, I was a bit scared by his at first!

Soon, we were swimming among half a dozen 3 meter sharks all in close proximity to us. There were so many animals around our boat that it was hard to avoid being “bumped into” by one of these beauties before they continued to swim along unfazed.

The fear quickly diminished as we felt very safe swimming with these animals and loved to be able to see them in their natural environment.

Sting, eagle and manta rays were the last animals on our list to see. Although reassured that it was safe to be in the water with them, my memories of Steve Irwin kept me on land!

Best time to travel:

The dry season from November until April brings calm seas, clear skies with less frequent rains. During these months, few showers and winds are expected and the sea is extremely flat.

Beach days are perfect during this season with the water temperature sitting between 28°C to 30°C and drying off takes no time with the light sea breeze.

To find out where to stay and to book your trip, call Rosie at Mosaic Travel on (03) 5275 4583

The post Holly’s time in the Maldives appeared first on Mosaic Travel.

Here at Mosaic Travel, we know that there are countless destinations to visit around the Globe and will jump at any opportunity to travel, but if you’re looking for another reason, here are an extra 12! 

January:

Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival, CHINA

It gets seriously cold in North East China and Winter gets made the most of with this month long festival. During the day, see the Worlds biggest ice sculptures and by night, visit “Ice and Snow World” featuring illuminated full sized buildings made from blocks of ice.
 

February:

Lantern festival, TAIWAN

Originally used in the Pingxi District to notify others that the town was safe, these lanterns are now decorated with well wishes and images relating to their owners before being released into the night sky. It is a simply beautiful sight.
 

March:

Rio Carnival, BRAZIL

Arguably the biggest festival (and party!) in the World, this week long event attracts nearly 5 million people per year who are all excited to join in the street parties and samba parades!

There is fierce competition among the fun, with 70+ Samba schools competing in mind-blowing costumes (roughly 3000 participants per school) to make it to the final extravaganza at Rio’s “Sambadrome”.
 

April:

Songkran, THAILAND

The Thai New Year is celebrated with a 3 day water fight using water guns, buckets, fire hoses and even elephants! Hawaiian shirts and dancing in one of the many street parties are highly encouraged at this time of year. You’re guaranteed to get soaked and have an amazing time!
 

May:

Cooper Hill’s Cheese Rolling Festival, ENGLAND

Every year, locals tumble 650 feet down to the bottom of the hill chasing a wheel of Double Gloucester cheese which reaches speeds up to 100km/h!

This tradition dates back several hundred years making the race a World-famous event with competitors travelling from across the globe to compete.
 

June:

FIFA Women’s World Cup, FRANCE

The eighth edition of the FIFA Women’s World Cup will be played in 9 cities across France this year. 24 teams will come to compete in what is quickly becoming a widely popular event on the sporting calendar.
 

July:

Running of the bulls, SPAIN

Whether you’re watching or running, this event is sure to up your heart rate! Every morning, 2000+ people run the 875m with 6 bulls through the city. This event is the highlight of the 8 day festival “Sanfermines” and was born from the need of  getting the bulls from outside the city, into the bullring.

DISCLAIMER: WE STRONGLY ADVISE AGAINST RUNNING WITH THE BULLS DURING THIS FESTIVAL!
 

August:

La Tomatina, SPAIN

This festival is like no other! Since 1945, it has been held on the last Wednesday of August, during a week of festivities in Buñol, Valencia.

Legend has it that in 1945, some young boys joined a parade of musicians and performers on stilts before knocking one over. The performer flew into a fit of rage and a market stall of vegetables fell victim! This has grown to 20,000 people participating in one of the most bizarre and fun festivals every year!
 

September:

Oktoberfest, GERMANY

Oktoberfest: the Worlds largest beer festival held annually in Munich, Bavaria, Germany sine 1810. A 16-day festival running from late September to the first weekend in October with more than 6 million people from around the world attending the event every year!

Apart from beer steins and bratwurst, you can also enjoy amusement rides, sidestalls, and games. 
 

October:

Diwali, INDIA

The 5 day Festival of Lights is the most celebrated event on the Hindu calendar. During the celebration, temples, homes, shops and office buildings are brightly illuminated.

Diwali symbolises the spiritual “victory of light over darkness, good over evil and knowledge over ignorance.” 
 

November:

Dia de los muertos (Day of the Dead), MEXICO

Mexico’s most important and widely celebrated holiday! A colourful display of costume and culture, this holiday is all about getting together with friends and family to remember and celebrate ancestors who have died in order to help them on their spiritual journey.

It was added to UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2008 and since 2016, a parade has occurred to celebrate The Day of the Dead. This came after the James Bond film, Spectre, which featured one in its opening scene, however, the parade did not exist when the movie was made!
 

December:

Whirling Dervishes Festival, TURKEY

One of the Worlds greatest spectacles is the Rumi or Whirling Dervishes Festival in Konya, Turkey. The ritual pays homage to the Sufic Saint Mevlana and is so unique that UNESCO labelled it as one of the “Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.”

To organise a trip around one of these fantastic events, 

call Rosie at Mosaic Travel on (03) 5275 4583

The post Event Holidays, around the world in 12 events! appeared first on Mosaic Travel.

These were the endearing sentiments of my husband’s Baba (now passed) when she first met me. Of course, I didn’t understand it at the time because I didn’t speak Croatian and she didn’t speak English but it was later translated and will be a sentence that stays with me forever.

Five years later and at times, it feels as though there is no other explanation for it. I look around and am still struck by the natural beauty of Croatia; the climate, history, tradition and culture… it all still has me spellbound. And now, I get to share my love and passion with guests sailing up and down the Dalmatian coast. So, how did a kiwi come to live and work on a yacht in Croatia?

I first came to Croatia almost six years ago, I had just finished a 2-year stint in London and my soul was in need of sunshine, freedom and adventure. I knew nothing about Croatia at the time, I had only seen a few dreamy pictures from my friends who had been sailing in Croatia and that was enough.

After travelling around Europe, through a series of coincidences, I ended up working on a boat in Croatia as a tour guide for young aussie and kiwi travellers.

I instantly fell in love with the country, something about it made me feel home. While the turquoise waters and coastline held me captivated, it was the people more than anything who really made me feel welcome. Once I got to know the locals, it didn’t take long before they all started telling me that I was Dalmatian at heart, that I would find love and end up moving to Croatia. I figured this was just a line they used on all of the young, enthusiastic travellers but it turns out, they were right.

This is where the story gets a little cliché, I met Mirko – my now husband, on a boat in Croatia. Not just any boat either, it was a replica pirate ship! To cut a long story short, Mirko and I got together (in my second summer in Croatia); then I moved to Australia for work but inevitably booked a one-way ticket back to Croatia and married my man of the Adriatic.

Since then, we have been working on luxury yachts together, Mirko as the Captain and I work as the hostess. A lot of people think it is a dream to be living and working together on a yacht but I will say this now, working with your partner, in a small confined space is not for everyone. Restaurants taught me a lot of valuable lessons but no matter how difficult, at the end of the day, you still get to go home to your own space. Not so on a yacht. You cannot fake working in this industry, living and working in the same space can be intense, so you really need to be in it for the right reasons and love what you do. Thankfully, we do.

Sailing and the sea has been Mirko’s passion for more than a decade; he loves raising the sails and showing people his country. As well as being the Captain, Mirko is also a – carpenter, electrician, plumber… all of these traits come in extremely handy when you live and work on a boat for 4 – 5 months. My background is in hospitality, for the better part of a decade, I worked in and managed restaurants in NZ, Australia and London. This passion for hospitality, gastronomy and more importantly – people, was the perfect foundation for life on a boat.

I may sound biased when I say this – but after working on yachts in Croatia for a few years now, I can hand-to-my-heart say that when you are booking a sailing holiday, the crew are one of the most important factors. Think about it for a second, you could book the most beautiful yacht but if the crew are incompetent or even just that bit miserable, it will impact on the energy of your holiday. For better or worse, the crew become a part of your travel memories. I have been lucky enough to work among some fantastic crews and it was something that our guests always commented on.

This year, Mirko and I are moving away from luxury cruising vessels and are instead managing and crewing (just the 2 of us) a gorgeous, classic 72-foot sailing yacht. Mirko is thrilled because it means he will be able to hoist the sails a lot more than in previous years and I am excited for the clientele I believe this yacht will attract. While luxury cruising was all good and well, we both have so much passion for Croatia that we want to share with our guests – rather than just ‘serving’.

Croatia has a rich history and culture, the food and wine scene is only just being discovered and for those who want adventure or to get ‘off-the-beaten-path’, we know exactly where to take you. I think this is the beauty of being a foreigner in this role and why Mirko and I make such a great team. For me, the awe of how special Croatia is hasn’t worn off, I see this in our guests and get to guide them through their experience, all while understanding an international traveller’s expectations. Whereas Mirko is from Croatia, he knows the coastline like the back of his hands and can share genuine experiences of growing up here.

Our motto is “SEA it different”; we want our guests to have a beautiful, relaxed sailing holiday but we also pride ourselves on customising our itineraries to match our guests’ interests and expectations while showing them ‘our’ Croatia – rather than a copy-paste tour.

Like I said, the job itself can be challenging but waking up on the water, in a new destination every day and showing people around a country that we both love, really is a dream job to me, to us. We are already excited for the summer sailing season ahead and cannot wait to create new memories for our guests. See you in Croatia!

If you’re interested in joining Tash and Mirko in Croatia, or have any questions about sailing in Croatia, get in touch with us on (03) 8609 7499 or send an email to rosie@mosaictravel.com.au

The post How did a Kiwi come to live and work on a yacht in Croatia? appeared first on Mosaic Travel.

For me, There isn’t anything much better than treating yourself to a meal in a foreign country. Perhaps ordering something you’ve read about in the guide books, or taking a local’s recommendation, or even just pointing to something at the menu and seeing what they bring to you!

Simple things seem to taste better as the quality of the ingredients are different to what we’re used to. I couldn’t believe how delicious a plain pesto pasta tasted in Italy! Other dishes are jam-packed full of intricate flavours that you know you’d never be able to recreate at home.

One other great thing about food overseas – you’ve (hopefully) left your diet behind because everyone knows calories don’t count while you’re overseas!

Here are my top 5 local foodie experiences I’ve had overseas:

Local pancakes, Hoi An, Vietnam

My sister and I were told about this ‘restaurant’ by our local Guide. When we sat down on our plastic chairs in a shabby courtyard, we were immediately handed food. As it turns out, they only offer one thing, a fixed menu, which is fantastic as it eliminates all decision-making! Piles and piles of food were placed in front of us – spring rolls, pork skewers, local savory pancakes, plus a mountain of crisp lettuce cups and fresh, fragrant herbs. We got through it all, washed down with a local beer, and as we finished, the waitress presented us with a chocolate ‘yogo’ each – dessert! It was daggy, cheap but absolutely delicious.

Peka, Croatia

On our Mosaic tours to Croatia, I take guests into the countryside on Hvar island for the day. After stopping to look at the picturesque vistas, the famous lavender, and wild herbs, we visit my friends the Dubocovic family, who own a small restaurant and winery in a village. Mr Dubocovic cooks the same thing each year for us, Peka. Peka in Croatian means ‘under the bell.’ It is slow-cooked lamb and potatoes cooked on a wood fire, covered with an iron ‘bell.’ We eat in their garden overlooking rolling hills, and tasting their home-made wine.
It’s so simple, but the quality of the ingredients, the surroundings and the friendliness of the Dubocovic family make it unforgettable!

Crickets, Cambodia

This one was a dare! Walking through the vibrant, colourful night markets of Siem Reap, I saw a cart selling deep-fried bugs. They offered everything, from garden-variety crickets, to cockroaches, small spiders to big, hairy tarantulas!
In order to prove myself an intrepid traveller, I bought a bag full of crickets to munch on. They were quite nice, crunchy and tasting of salt, oil and garlic. The only thing that stopped me eating more than one was the texture, and getting those long antennae stuck in your teeth!

Midye dolma, Turkey

The best ones are found by the Galata Bridge, and in ‘fish market street’ Beyoglu, both in Istanbul. They’re mussels stuffed with spiced rice. They’re plump, juicy, delicate and full of intricate flavour. The best way to eat them is straight from the shell, while standing up next to the midye dolma cart. When you’re finished, the midye dolmaci (the seller) will count your empty shells and charge you (about 50 cents per mussel) accordingly.

Portuguese Tart, Portugal

I wasn’t all that exciting about trying this custard delicacy when I visited Portugal the first time. But of course, being such a famous dessert, we were all given one by our tour guide after a morning walking tour of Lisbon. Wow! It was the smell that sucked me in first – still slightly warm, buttery, with a light hint of cinnamon. Then the first bite was magic. The pastry made a perfect ‘crunch’ sound like in the movies, and as you bit through the flakiness, you arrived the soft, sweet custard inside. Just heaven! (And remember, calories don’t count when you’re on holiday)

What’s your favourite local foodie experience?

The post My top 5 local foodie experiences overseas appeared first on Mosaic Travel.

So I thought I’d compile, and share with you my top 5 questions you should be asking your Travel Agent, to make sure you get the best travel experience possible.

1. Are you licensed?

The Travel Industry is deregulated now, meaning anyone can set up shop. For your peace of mind, ask if the Agency is a member of AFTA (Australian Federation of Travel Agents) and is ATAS (AFTA Travel Accreditation Scheme) accredited. This means that your hard-earned money is protected should anything go wrong.

2. Where have you travelled?

I personally think that the best Travel Agents are those who have travelled a lot themselves. If the Travel Agent has been to the destination you’re travelling to, that is ideal! But even if they haven’t, it’s reassuring to know that your Travel Agent is well-travelled, so knows what it’s all about. Although we try our hardest, we can’t travel everywhere, but good Travel Agents keep abreast of destination, tour and hotel knowledge with regular information sessions, hosted by tourism boards. Good Travel Agents are well-connected, so if they don’t personally know the answer to your travel question, they can get it from a destination expert.
3. What do you recommend?

Some clients like to do their research for their own holidays and come to a Travel Agent with a list of things for them to book. This is good, however I recommend at least asking the Travel Agent if they have any other suggestions to add, as they could know a gem of a hotel, or an must-do walking tour that you may have otherwise missed out on!

4. What happens if I need assistance after hours?

Make sure to ask who they should contact while they’re away, in case of an emergency, and if this phone is manned 24/7, so you’re not stranded overseas. It’s also handy to ask if the Travel Agent is available after business hours.

5. Can you please mark me as a VIP?

Yes it sounds a bit crass, but it’s worth it! Good Travel Agents will treat all their clients as their VIPs – this can mean exclusive offers, added extras, complimentary goodies, or maybe even an upgrade!

If you’re looking for a Travel Agent who ticks all the boxes, pick me! Give me a call on (03) 8609 7499 or send me an email on rosie@mosaictravel.com.au

The post 5 questions you should be asking your Travel Agent appeared first on Mosaic Travel.