Michelle's Steamboat adventure

I travelled to Steamboat earlier in the year and LOVED it! Although a keen skier, this year I decided it was time to learn to snowboard, however when it started to snow I was annoyed. I thought ‘why am I learning to snowboard when I could be going crazy on skis’. As it turned out I had an awesome powder day snowboarding. It was my third day in Ski school and I was doing black runs and going through trees, it was so much fun. The ski school is incredible - the best you will come across and if you love tree skiing there is plenty of it here.

I love shopping more than anything so when I heard that there were no chain stores I was a little worried, because I love my labels. There are over 200 shops in Steamboat and they are all locally owned and operated. It’s great for one-of-a-kind items and Cowboy boots. I was pleasantly surprised. In addition to the Mountain Village, the town of Steamboat, an old cowboy and western town, is only a few kilometres down the road which is easily accessible by constant running free shuttles.

If you have a day or afternoon off from skiing the Strawberry Park hot springs are definitely worth a visit. They are super relaxing and there are several natural spas ranging from hot (over 40 degrees) to almost freezing. The ice cold one was my favourite. It was refreshing to say the very least and yes I was the only person in there.

Steamboat has it all. The dining options are impressive. Café Diva is the best restaurant ever. The beetroot gnoochi is amazing, just make sure you make a reservation.

For lodging there is something for everyone ranging from affordable studios, fully self contained apartments and vacation homes with several ski in/ ski out options. I stayed at Torian Plum, a deluxe property in the centre of the ski village.

I would definitely recommend this destination to my clients. With so much on offer you are sure to have a great time!

Michelle Gray – Assistant to Toby Withers and Sales Consultant

Bariloche, Argentina

Experience world class skiing and boarding at Bariloche during the Southern Hemisphere winter.

Mountains
Enjoy more vertical than all but the biggest North American resorts, a mix of above and below tree line, with relaxed powder bowls, groomed runs, steeps, glades and forest trails to suit all levels. Plus there more lift capacity than the rest of Argentina put together, including express lifts top-to-bottom.

Villages
Ski villages feature excellent shopping, restaurants and varied nightlife. It's also easy to go downtown to Bariloche city in the evening.

Value
Bariloche is both the best skiing and best value in South America, especially if you like to go out and go shopping. You will save plenty here compared to major ski destinations, especially with Travelplan's exclusive VIP resort card.

Access
Direct flights from Sydney to Buenos Aires on LAN/Qantas & Aerolineas make it closer than the USA. There are numerous daily flights from Buenos Aires to Bariloche, so same day connections are possible on Saturdays for ski weeks.

Accommodation
Choose from 5 star ski in/ski out to quality moderate apartments and hotels. Eating out is cheap, so most people don't bother cooking. Accommodation operates mostly on Saturday to Saturday ski weeks, depending on season and property, other days may be available.

Options
We recommend 1 or 2 weeks here, or combine your trip with a few days at the smaller boutique resort of Villa La Angostura around the north side of the same lake. Alternatively, continue on south to the Patagonia glaciers at El Calafate, which is 2 hours flight from Bariloche.

Specials
Add a Patagonia Powder Week package to get shown the best of the mountain and what's available by our locally based ski hosts. This is the perfect way to see and ski the best of this beautiful part of the world, while meeting fellow skiers and boarders.

Stopover in Kyoto and Tokyo, Japan

With the promise of abundant snowfalls and deep dry powder, the resorts of Japan have quickly become the destination of choice for many Australian skiers and snowboarders. Not only is the skiing in Japan amazing, but for many the unique cultural differences adds an element of excitement to your holiday.

You would find it hard to match anywhere in the world. Although resorts like Niseko and Furano - with their traditional pensions, unique restaurants and onsen hot springs - give you a taste of Japanese culture, to obtain a truly memorable cultural experience we recommend you add a stopover in Tokyo and Kyoto.

Kyoto
Japanese culture dates back to 10,000BC and there is no place to experience Japanese unique heritage than the old national city of Kyoto. Fortunately Kyoto was left largely untouched during WWII with few bombings and a late removal from a possible nuclear target . Consequently Kyoto's 2000 Buddhist temples, Shinto shrines, palaces, gardens are intact resulting in what is one of the best preserved cities in Japan. Whilst there are literally hundreds of sites, here is a list of the must see.

Kinkaku-ji - Golden Pavilion
Orginally bulit in 1397, The Golden Pavilion is a three-story building on the grounds of the Rokuon-ji temple complex. The top two stories of the pavilion are covered with pure gold leaf. Kiyomizu Temple This world heritage listed building was originally built in 798 without nails. The temple takes its name from the waterfall within the complex. You are welcome to catch and taste the water as people have done for hundreds of years to obtain wisdom, health, and longevity.

Gion (Geisher District)
Gion is dotted with old-style Japanese houses called machiya, which roughly translates to "townhouse", some of which are ochaya or "tea houses". These are traditional establishments where the patrons of Gion - from the samurai of old to modern-day businessmen - have been entertained by geiko and geisha in an exclusive manner for centuries.The best time to visit Gion is at night where you will be treated Kyoto's famous restaurants whilst Geisha spotting.

Tokyo
Tokyo may not have the same old culture experiences of Kyoto, but it more than makes up for this as being one of the most vibrant cities in the world where old and new Japan meet perfectly.
Highlights of a stopover in Tokyo should include:

• A visit to the largest Shinto shrine Meiji Jingu and the most important Buddhist temple Sensoji
• Shopping in Tokyo - although expensive but a real treat
• An early morning visit to the Tsukiji fish market
• The view of Mt Fuji on the Tokyo horizon which in winter is a sight to behold!