Welcome to the land down under! In this episode of our travel show, we take you on a journey through the stunning region of Victoria, Australia. We start our adventure on the picturesque Phillip Island, where we explore the breathtaking natural beauty of this island paradise. For those seeking an adrenaline rush, we take to the skies with Phillip Island Helicopters. From above, we get a bird's eye view of the island's spectacular coastline and rolling hills. But the adventure doesn't end there! We visit the historic Churchill Island, where we learn about the fascinating history of the island and its early settlers, as well as experience traditional farming activities such as sheep shearing and cow milking. We visit Seal Rocks, where we encounter some of the most adorable ocean creatures, making for a truly unforgettable experience. As the sun sets, we go to the world-renowned Penguin Parade. Here, we witness hundreds of little penguins waddling ashore after a long day of fishing in the ocean. The sight of these cute little creatures is sure to warm your heart. Victoria's Phillip Island has something for everyone with its natural beauty, wildlife encounters, delicious cuisine, and rich history. Join us on this unforgettable journey through this stunning region and discover why it's a must-visit destination in Australia.

A slice of paradise: Australia’s Phillip Island | WION Traveller

Explore Australia's Melbourne city with WION Traveller. Join WION's Johan Castell as he travels through Victoria's Melbourne and features the best things to do while visiting the city, hosted by Visit Victoria. We show you what a tour to the Melbourne Cricket Ground looks like, and visit the heritage Queen Victoria Market and take a tour with the official tour guide Mercellez. A visit to the Brighton Bathing Boxes and digging into their background is also included. Let's not forget the food available in the city, we go on a long foodie's tour of the city that lasts an entire afternoon before finishing off at the upmarket Farmer's Daughters restaurant in the Central Business District of Melbourne.

Exploring Melbourne - Highlights of visiting Victoria | WION Traveller

A throwback to Meraj's trip to North-East India in early 2020. At the Meghalayan Age Festival, Meraj joined scores of balloonists taking flight in the 'Abode of the Clouds,' and then went underground to discover the surreal beauty that exists below Meghalaya gorgeous landscape. A spectacular cornucopia of caving, ballooning, adventure, music and food, the Meghalayan Age Festival was WION Traveller's last big hurrah before the pandemic.

WION Traveller S4 Episode 6—Meghalaya

With Punjab opening up to visitors Meraj and Johan make a beeline for a picturesque farm located at the foothills of the Shivalik mountains in Hoshiarpur. Meraj elects to ride a motorcycle while Johan gets ferried in a car; their experiences on the road, running from a rampaging monsoon, are defined by that choice. At Citrus County Firdaus, a luxury farmstay, they thrive in the face of typical Punjabi hospitality and gorge themselves silly. Meraj tries out the farm life, tilling land in an air-conditioned tractor while Johan cycles about in the rain, and impresses with his skills at picking low-hanging fruit.

WION Traveller S4 Episode 6—Saddling up at Hoshiarpur

On their first road trip post the lockdown, Meraj and Johan head for the Sariska Tiger Reserve. Defying the odds, six tiger cubs have been born in the reserve in 2020 taking the sanctuary's total count of the big cats up to 21. At this massive yet underrated wildlife reserve Meraj explores an old fort that once gave shelter to Dara Shikoh—Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb's ill-fated brother. There's plenty to be done and seen at Sariska, they concur, while ensconced in the plush quarters of Sariska Manor--a brand new boutique hotel.

WION Traveller S4 Episode 5—Sariska's new lease of life

Three months after twiddling their thumbs during the Coronavirus Lockdown, Meraj and Johan have been straining at the bit to get the show back on the road. Gingerly they step out for a 'Staycation' at the Crowne Plaza Greater Noida, a hop skip and jump from their pads in Delhi. Their first taste of Freedom is, predictably, sweeter that they'd ever imagined. Watch to get a DIY lesson on taking a Staycation in post-pandemic times.

WION Traveller S4 Episode 4: A 'Staycation' is entirely possible

A mystical desert with a lunar landscape that, through the annals of history, borne witness to the the power of human endeavour and will. Meraj and Johan explore Wadi Rum from the back of an SUV and lay their hat in a faux space-tent (a la 'The Martian' that was shot here) and are blown away by its timeless magnificence. Catch the duo's parting shot from Jordan just before the world went into Lockdown.

WION Traveller S4 Episode 3: Jordan— Marooned in Wadi Rum

WION Traveller: Lockdown Diaries - Ep 1 - Ghat Village A month into India's Lockdown, a village in Uttar Pradesh has successfully managed to ward off contagion despite being located in the proximity of Meerut city that has been severely afflicted by Covid-19. Meraj, on a break from WION Traveller, drives down to Ghat Village and discovers finds at the village, an exemplary display of community thought and action.

WION Traveller: Lockdown Diaries - Ep 1 - Ghat Village

The Coronavirus pandemic has brought the world to a grinding halt. Lockdowns around the world have virtually eliminated all but the most essential travel within cities and countries. International travel has been shelved indefinitely. At this juncture when travel is being seen as an activity that endangers individuals and communities, the tourism industry--destinations, tour operators, hotels, and the cross-section of people employed in the sector--has been virtually decimated. In this first episode of The Future Series we focus on what lies ahead for the travel and tourism industry with a special focus on Thailand.

The Future Series - Episode 1: Travel and Tourism

Our modern-day Indiana Jones' imposters seek the holy grail in Petra – Jordan's wonder of the world. In Wadi Rum, a vast desert expanse immortalised on film, Johan reprises Matt Damon's solo act in The Martian, while Meraj has a 'Lawrence of Arabia' moment.

WION Traveller S4 Episode 2 - Jordan: The lost city of Petra

In Jordan's cosmopolitan capital, Meraj and Johan are swept up into a whirl of culinary, shopping, and cultural experiences. They meet people, listen to live music, sample the city's famous shwarma, and even catch a Gypsy Kings tribute band in action. Jordan's epic landscape, significant history and vibrant scene makes a larger-than-life impact on our diminutive heroes.

WION Traveller S4 Episode 1 - Jordan: Flying high in Amman

WION Traveller returns with yet another season! Meraj and Johan has truly caught the travelling bug, and continues with their never ending adventure. Now it's time to take it up a notch, by vising a middle eastern country with a lot of experiences, history, and culture, and last but not least, a wonder of the world...

WION Traveller Promo Season 4

In search of something a wee bit more exciting than rafting down the rapids on the Ganga at Rishikesh, and as introspective as meditation, Meraj and Johan look within and face their fears in Rishikesh. Their methods, unconventional at best, involve leaping off a bungy station perched 90 metres above a valley, and zipping down a hill yoked to a cable at speeds exceeding 150 kph. Days in Rishikesh, as they say, are just packed.

WION Traveller S3 - Episode 24 - Return to Rishikesh

As the year draws to a close, we look back at some of the most memorable moments of 2019 in this special edition of WION Traveller.

WION Traveller S3 - Episode 20 - Looking back at 2019

Kicking off the new year, our duo is out looking for more adventures this winter. Meraj goes skydiving in Narnaul while Johan tries Zip-lining over a popular heritage hotel near Delhi. Following up with the climbing community, Johan goes to Climb Central in Ghitorni for an indoor climbing class.

WION Traveller S3 - Episode 22 - Adventure Special

The first snowboarder of the season arrives in Gulmarg after Kashmir valley reopens for visitors. He finds a winter wonderland perfect for winter sports, the only thing missing, are people...

WION Traveller S3 Episode 20 – Johan in wonderland

In this episode we feature six home cooks competing under the supervision of one celebrated chef. With two wood-fired clay stoves and a mix of local seasonal produce, our duo take part in this competition by pretending to not be incompetent judges. These enthusiastic sous chefs make a stirring potpourri of a cook-off, in a land far far away. Don’t miss this special episode on sustainable cooking in Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary.

WION Traveller S3 Episode 19—Sustainable cooking in Binsar

At a unique retreat, disconnected from the power grid and municipal water supply, Meraj and Johan meet a remarkable family that moved from Bengaluru to a remote spot within the forest of Binsar in the north Indian state of Uttarakhand. Here they discover that it's entirely possible to lead a sustainable life without destroying the planet. A critical message, if there ever was one, as climate change manifests its grim reality on our lives.

WION Traveller S3 Episode 18--Off the grid in Binsar

Afraid of returning to the Capital's fumes, Meraj and Johan extend their traipse into the hills and find the remotest place they can find to lay their hats--the Binsar Wildlife Sanctuary. With no mobile connectivity and cocooned in a 150-year-old mansion, the two have an inadvertent digital detox that they desperately needed.

WION Traveller S3 Episode 16 - Into the Wild at Binsar

Fleeing from Delhi's killer smog Meraj and Johan make a clean break for the hills of Kumaon in the north Indian state of Uttarakhand. Here, Meraj sets up a workstation on the riverside while Johan climbs a rock to meditate in the middle of a gushing stream. Later the two head up to Gaggar, high up in the hills where they trace a rich literary history that includes Rabindranath Tagore and Mahadevi Varma.

WION Traveller S3 Episode 15 -  Weekend Escape to Kumaon

Confined to Delhi for a month, Meraj and Johan, try the office life for size and make the most of their weekend by heading for a staycation to Karma Lakelands on the outskirts of the city. The resort township's allure for Meraj, whose notions of a weekend getaway consist of nothing but golf, is precisely that. Along with a smattering of other sports that the duo have a go at. Johan even manages to milk a cow, steal a few eggs, and check out the life of bees.

WION Traveller S3 Episode 13 - Staycations and Good Karma

In the Shekhawati region of western Rajasthan, Meraj and Johan turn back time at the heritage homestead of the erstwhile ruling family of Dundlod. Johan takes turns getting astride a Marwari steed and inside an off-road vehicle. The duo pick up the crucial skills of making bangles, and even visit a haunted house.

WION Traveller S3 Episode 14 - Dune Bashing in Shekhawati

After a week of riding over the most inclement terrain they've ever encountered, Meraj and Johan reach Lo Manthang, the Capital city of the erstwhile Kingdom of Lo. In this magical walled city that lies just short of the Tibetan Plateau, they attend the Tiji Festival and witness a demon exorcism ceremony that hasn't changed in over 500 years.

WION Traveller S3 Episode 9—The Forbidden Kingdom of Lo

The episode's tagline is 'There's no place like Ladakh'. Ladakh is a newly minted Union territory, and this episode of Traveller focuses on Ladakh's allure as a destination, and the elements that make it unique. While Meraj sets out on an epic road journey from New Delhi to Leh, Johan chooses to take the picturesque flight. Once they arrive, they explore the markets, walk in the Old Town, visit the donkey sanctuary, meet the local ‘medicine man’, and undertake a short ride to the Chemrey Gompa, a Buddhist monastery built-in 1664. It concludes with the Aryan Festival that shows the diversity, and for lack of a better word, exotic nature of the region.

WION Traveller: An epic adventure of Ladakh - Part 3

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