Blog By Noosa

New Year's resolution: be pampered!

Talking of being kind to yourself, Noosa and Coolum have a wealth of spa and wellness options for some pampering, relaxation or re-setting of the system for the New Year.

It's not just for women, either. One of Noosa's best-known spas, Ikatan, has a 'ManSPAce' special for men at the moment, in case you blokes need a bit of convincing!

Ikatan is worth visiting for its location if nothing else; it is in the Noosa hinterland and has beautiful tropical gardens complete with gazebos where you can relax or spend some time with a group of friends. They do lots of 'spartys' and hen's days combining spa treatments with 'high tea' and champagne, and it's a genuine 'Noosa' experience.

Noosa Queensland, Coolum Queensland

A better use for golf balls

Because I can't even pretend to be interested in golf, I thought I'd share a different angle on the Australian PGA Championship, which is being held at the Hyatt Regency Coolum next week.

In honour of the annual influx of top golfers and golf fans, the resort's spa has launched a 'Quirogolf' massage, where you get massaged by golf balls. It's supposed to provide great release, through the rolling action of the balls -and it's got to be more enjoyable than chasing them around a golf course.

The spa is also bringing in an 'oxygen bubble', which will only be available next week. The dome-style structure apparently allows you to have a facial or body treatment while breathing in 99.99 per cent pure air, free of any pollutants, bacteria or allergens.

So, there you go, everything you ever wanted to know about golf!

Noosa Qld, Coolum Qld

Winter sunshine

Even though I'm a summer person, I really enjoy this time of year in Noosa. The mornings and evenings are chilly but the days are warm and clear, with big blue skies. It's been getting to about 22 degrees Celsius during the day and I keep finding excuses to go and sit in the sun when I should be doing something useful!

It's not swimming weather in my book (although the ocean is apparently about 23 degrees), but it's definitely the sort of weather where you feel like getting out and about for walks and bike rides and other outdoorsy things. I took this picture down at the river in Noosaville the other day, although I must confess I was drinking wine rather than doing anything active.

If you have good eyesight and look really closely, you can see some stand up paddle boarders coming down the river. That's another good thing to do at this time of year, so long as you don't fall in too often!

Noosa Qld

Noosa iPhone App out now

Juanita says...

Everything you need to know about your next Noosa holiday is now at your fingertips 24/7, with today's launch of the ByNoosa iPhone App. And if you download the App before the end of March, you could win an Apple iPad!

No matter where you are, you can receive up-to-the-minute information and inspiration about all locations and villages, from Coolum to Hastings Street, Noosaville, Eumundi and the Noosa North Shore, with categories across accommodation, tours, restaurants and bars, shopping, events, spas, attractions, transport services and more.

You might want to know where to stay, where’s the nearest Italian restaurant, how to book a surf lesson or spa treatment, or who’s playing at the local surf club tonight.

There are even interactive maps with GPS capabilities so you can easily find your way here and find your way around once you’re in the region.

Download the ByNoosa App FREE from www.visitnoosa.com.au before March 31 and register your details for a chance to win one of five Apple iPads.

Noosa Qld

Wet weather activities

South East Queensland has had its fair share of tropical summer downpours lately, so I thought I might put together some ideas for what you can do in Noosa and surrounds when it's wet - along with the obvious options of shopping, dining, pubs and bars, for which wet weather makes a perfect excuse!

* Noosa has a good independent cinema, Noosa 5 Cinemas, on Sunshine Beach Road in Noosa Junction, and there's a cafe downstairs if you want to do a movie/meal deal.

* Kids up to about ten love Panda's Playland (pictured) - and they serve good coffee and food.

* Noosa has an unbelievable number of spas, massage services and other wellbeing options, from glamorous day spas to mobile massage and yoga instruction.

* Underwater World is only about half an hour from Noosa, and there's a shuttle bus service if you need transport. A very appropriate place to spend a wet day!

* There are loads of galleries around Noosa and Eumundi, including the Noosa Regional Gallery, David Hart Galleries, Desert Rain Indigenous Fine Art, Putipula Gallery, The Cooper Gallery and The Gallery Eumundi.

* You can go ten pin bowling in Noosaville.

* Belmondos Fresh Food Market is indoors and is a great place to wander and pick up gourmet goodies if you're a foodie. Or shop and dine at the Organika shop and cafe if you're into organic food.

* The J in Noosa Junction has a wide range of shows, workshops and other entertainment for adults and children. Check their website for listings.

Noosa Queensland

Noosa's newest spa

While I was visiting Outrigger the other day, I dutifully went and tested out the very glamorous Stephanies Ocean Spa - oh, the sacrifice!

I went with high expectations, having had an incredible experience in one of Stephanie Shepherd's other Queensland spas a while ago, and I certainly wasn't disappointed. The spa is classy, peaceful and very 'Noosa', with its focus on natural finishes and its treatment rooms looking out into the trees.

One of the spa's points of difference is a large mineral flotation pool, which allows you to float effortlessly in warm water - Stephanie says an hour in there is equivalent to six hours' sleep. There's also a vinotherapy room, which has a gorgeous timber bathtub, plus there's a Geisha bath suite and a 'rain therapy' suite.

For me the big selling point of the spa (which is open to day visitors as well as hotel guests) is its emphasis on rituals in the treatments. It will never be just a massage or just a facial - most of the treatments incorporate several different elements and are intended as a journey for the body and the mind.

I spent half an hour soaking in the Geisha bath with a glass of wine (probably shouldn't mention it was only 11am!) then had the Signature Skin Treatment, which included a customised facial, a hot stone back and neck massage, a foot massage and a scalp massage, over 100 blissful minutes.

I came out absolutely glowing - but rendered completely useless for the rest of the day!

Noosa Qld

Big wow factor at Outrigger

I've just returned from checking out Noosa's newest resort, the five-star Outrigger Little Hastings Street Resort & Spa Noosa, which has opened a few weeks ahead of schedule (the builders will surely be thrown out of the industry for that!)

Noosa has gone from one five-star resort to three over the course of this year (the other two being the Sheraton and Quay West), so travellers in that market are really spoilt for choice now.

The Outrigger will take a lot of beating, with its location on the hill above Hastings Street, its quality accommodation and its spectacular views over Laguna Bay. It sits next to the national park and it's been designed so it really blends into its surrounds - you'd hardly know it was there until you drive in and many of the rooms look out into the trees.

The accommodation includes one and two-bedroom suites as well as larger villas that would be perfect for extended families or friends travelling together, and you have kitchen facilities as well as the resort restaurant - and dozens more restaurants if you go down the boardwalk to Hastings Street.

The resort also has extensive conference facilities, beautiful spots for weddings and a first-class spa - stay tuned for a review of that.

Noosa Qld

Last chance to win a $10,000 trip to Noosa

Brad says...

Only two days left to enter the Noosa Mayfiesta competition, for a chance to win a $10,000 trip to Noosa. The prize includes flights, accommodation, tours, activities, restaurant vouchers, day spa visits and even spending money, so it would be an awesome holiday.

To enter, just go to the Noosa Mayfiesta website and enter your details.

And don't forget everybody can get 25 per cent off selected accomodation and activities in Noosa during the month of May, which is full of events and festivals. You'll find all the details on the website.

Noosa Qld

Noosa Mayfiesta $10,000 holiday giveaway

Brad says...

Thought I'd give you a bit more detail about the Noosa Mayfiesta holiday giveaway that Jane mentioned - not that you probably need much convincing to enter!

The prize not only includes flights to the Sunshine Coast from your nearest Australian capital city but 10 nights' accommodation, with seven nights at Karalee (left), a holiday house managed by Zinc Properties, and three nights at the five-star Quay West Resort & Spa Noosa (below), which only opened last month.

Add on spending money, tours, activities, restaurant vouchers and spa treatments and it's a pretty awesome prize. You even get a week's surfboard hire from Classic Malibu, so you can try out some of our famous waves.

Noosa Qld

Come to Noosa in May

In all my excitement about the Mayfiesta competition (a $10,000 trip to Noosa, in case you missed it), I failed to actually tell you anything about the event.

You've probably already gathered that Mayfiesta is a festival in May, but to give you a quick overview, the events include the Noosa Food & Wine Festival, the Australian Body Art Carnivale, the Noosa River Festival, the Noosa Winter Festival, the Noosa Wedding Expo and the music festival Ripe Noosa (pictured). Did you get all that?!

Throughout the month, you can also get 25 per cent off a range of accommodation, restaurants, day spas, tours and shopping, which is pretty cool.

For more information, go to www.mayfiesta.com.au. And don't forget to enter the competition!

Noosa Queensland