15 luxury travel experiences actually worth the money

We all have the impulse to spend, spend, spend while on holiday. The question is, will we regret it when the credit-card bill arrives?

Perhaps, if we’ve splurged on a souvenir that forever gathers dust. And does a first-class train ticket or cruise-cabin upgrade really change our fundamental travel experience?

Possibly not, yet some splurges can be most satisfying. Push your budget and you can enjoy special moments, unique experiences and access to unusual places that you’ll long remember.

Where to splurge: an overwater bungalow in Bora Bora? Pictured: Le Moana Resort.

Yes, it may seem a little insensitive or foolhardy to encourage a splurge in these inflationary, belt-tightening times.

Yet studies show that, while Australians are reining in expenditure on household items, food and liquor, they’re upping their budget on travel and accommodation (and it helps that in 2021, Australia boasted the world’s fifth largest pension market, worth an estimated $US2.8 trillion).

We haven’t lost our zest for getaways, and perhaps after the pandemic years, and in continuing uncertain times, we feel we ought to make hay.

From a few dollars more to the sky’s limit, here are some great travel experiences you probably won’t entirely regret spending extra on – plus a few hints on where best to do it and how to save, because even a splurge doesn’t have to cost more than it needs to.

The pool villa: Bali, Indonesia

Why splurge Exclusivity is a good reason to splurge, so avoid the herd and flop by your own private swimming pool in your own walled courtyard for once, for an immensely satisfying and seductive indulgence. Nowhere does it better than Bali, whose thatched pool villas come with tropical gardens and sultry sunshine.

Jimbaran Puri: Balinese-style villas with private pools and butler service.

Tell me more Low-key, elegant resort Jimbaran Puri is only six kilometres from the airport but offers tranquil beauty on the beach. Balinese-style villas are fronted by glossy pools in private compounds that erupt in lush foliage. Butler service is a bonus.

Bottom line Pool Villas at Jimbaran Puri start from $887 a night including breakfast. Want to save? Pool-less Garden View Cottage Suites are $604 and you can enjoy the lovely main pool and beach. The resort’s restaurant is excellent. See belmond.com

The cultural outing: Vienna, Austria

Why splurge Any cultural event quintessential to your destination is a worthy cost extra. A night at the opera in the world capital of classical music won’t break the bank, even if a French quip runs: “Of all the noises known to man, opera is the most expensive.”

Tell me more Dress up like the Viennese for a glamorous night out at the State Opera; the uninitiated might prefer Mozart. The ornate neo-Renaissance opera house is a spectacle in marble, red velvet and gilt. Sip tokay in the Tea Room during the intermission.

Bottom line Opera tickets range from $25 to $370 in a front-row parterre seat, but a standing-room ticket on the day costs as little as $7. English-language tours of the opera house cost $22. See wiener-staatsoper.at

The rooftop bar: Bangkok, Thailand

Moon Bar still lays claim to the ultimate killer view.

Why splurge Who wouldn’t enjoy a perch in the sunset, or halfway between neon lights and stars? Strike up your Instagram pose: rooftop bars provide a low-budget splurge that serves up glamour and cocktails, and nowhere does them better than Bangkok.

Tell me more Dozens of bars roost above the City of Angels: ABar Rooftop for gin, Alfresco 64 for whiskey, CRU Champagne Bar for bubbly. Moon Bar at Banyan Tree Bangkok, 61 floors up, is one of the originals, and still one of the world’s best, with killer views and sophisticated bar snacks.

Bottom line Drinks at Moon Bar are barely a splurge at Australian prices, but cost three times more than in regular Bangkok bars. Draft beers at $17 and cocktails from $23. See banyantree.com

The Michelin-star meal: Vonnas, France

Why splurge The traditional Michelin meal is a one-time extravagance you’ll never repeat unless you win the lottery. It’s esoteric and not always relaxing dining, yet the ultimate gourmet experience. Where better than at the restaurant of legendary chef Georges Blanc, which has retained three Michelin stars since 1981?

Tell me more Restaurant Georges Blanc dishes up haute cuisine that dismisses any thought of clogged arteries to bring you rich, sophisticated morsels such as saffron trout, grain-fed chicken with foie gras, lime souffle, and a stupendous cheese trolley.

Dishes at Restaurant Georges Blanc .

Bottom line Vonnas is 65 kilometres north of Lyon. Given a la carte prices, the best value is the tasting menu from $396 a person. Splurge some more by staying at Georges Blanc Parc & Spa, a member of the prestigious Relais & Chateaux brand. See georgesblanc.com

The expert lesson: Kyoto, Japan

Why splurge Forget mere luxuries because Frette linens and butler service soon fade from memory. The best splurges are on doing things you’ve never done before, and especially sampling local activities you won’t do anywhere else. Want some entertainment and a surprising amount of exercise, as well as cultural insight? Take a taiko drumming class in Kyoto.

Tell me more Taiko has a 1500-year history, and the huge drums are often heard during festivals, religious ceremonies and theatre productions. The drummer must show musicality, attitude, movement and energy. Lessons are fun, the experience visceral and exciting.

Bottom line Taiko-Lab Kyoto runs one-hour group lessons in taiko from JPY13,000 ($138); private tuition is also available. Other experiences in Kyoto include Zen meditation, ikebana, tea ceremonies and craft workshops. See kyoto.travel

The adrenaline rush: Dubai, UAE

Why splurge Money is gone but memory guaranteed after an adrenaline activity that takes you beyond your comfort zone: skydiving, bungy-jumping, swimming with whale sharks. In Dubai, divert your boring shopping budget towards hurtling around a motor racetrack in a Formula One-style 180 bhp single-seater.

Tell me more You get a briefing by an instructor first, then off you go. The engine screams like a banshee as you hit speeds of 200 kmh, which seems much faster because you’re so low to the tarmac. The physicality and mental concentration is exhausting. You won’t get much closer to the Grand Prix experience.

Bottom line Driving experiences at Dubai Autodrome start from $255 in a Formula-One style vehicle. The tight-budgeted can do hot laps in the passenger seat for $106. See dubaiautodrome.ae

The overwater bungalow: Bora Bora, French Polynesia

Why splurge Shelling out will hurt, but you simply have to indulge in this tropical travel cliche, and on cliched island Bora Bora to boot. You’re absorbed between the startling surreal-blue ocean and endless sky, and soaked in lurid sunsets. Choose a bungalow that looks onto landscape rather than out to sea.

Le Moana Resort, Bora Bora.

Tell me more Slip into the water straight from your deck and find yourself amid turtles and trumpet fish. Some bungalows have glass-bottomed floors, or trap doors through which you can feed fish. Don’t go alone, or you’ll feel like an outcast amid hand-holding honeymooners.

Bottom line Stay at InterContinental Bora Bora Le Moana Resort from $1300 a night. In the December-March rainy season, hotel prices (except over Christmas) are a third cheaper, and airfares reduced. See tahititourisme.com.au

The insider tour: Berlin, Germany

Why splurge Nobody gives you better insight than a savvy local or long-term resident with focus on a special interest. The right tour can be educational, sociable and fun, and you’ll discover something you’d never have otherwise, such as the foodie culture of rough-edged, progressive Berlin neighbourhood Kreuzberg.

Tell me more Australian expat Dov Selby has a German wife and has lived in Berlin for over a decade. Among his food tours is one to gritty but creative Kreuzberg – which the regular tourist might normally avoid – for a dive into its markets, food outlets and Turkish restaurants.

Bottom line Fork & Walk Tours runs food-oriented tours to Berlin’s culinary hotspots from $126. including food tastings and drinks. Kreuzberg features on the Berlin by Night tour, which runs Wednesday-Friday. See forkandwalktoursberlin.com

The scenic flight: Kimberley, WA

The spectacular Talbot Bay and its famous Horizontal Falls.Credit: Tourism Western Australia

Why splurge You’ll seldom regret the wince-indulging extravagance of a scenic flight if you choose the right place: snow-capped mountains, colour-splattered deserts, convoluted coastlines, tropical lagoons. You won’t grasp the full scale, splendour and haunting emptiness of the battered Kimberley until you’ve seen it from above – and it will make sense of dot paintings, too.

Tell me more Orange hills, rusting red islands, white beaches, sapphire seas, gaping canyons and thundering waterfalls pass by below. Particular highlights? The Bungle Bungle Range, Buccaneer Archipelago, Mitchell Falls and Talbot Bay, whose narrow gorges surge with massive frothing tides.

Bottom line Horizontal Falls Seaplane Adventures’ half-day tour from Broome costs $895 pp, including a cruise through Horizontal Falls and Talbot Bay. Various flight-only tours with KAS Helicopters cost from $379 pp. See visitbroome.com.au

The safari: Phinda, South Africa

Why splurge A safari is one of travel’s ultimate experiences, and you can do it on the (relative) cheap on a self-drive through Kruger National Park. But splurge and you get a luxury lodge, sunset gin-and-tonics, top nosh, and a plunge pool from which to watch elephants shuffle past.

Phinda Private Game Reserve, South Africa.

Tell me more As part of the package, private game reserves offer twice-daily four-wheel drive safaris in the early morning and before sunset when wildlife is most active. An accompanying tracker and driver know where best to go for surprisingly up-close animal encounters. Tracking a rhino on foot adds an exceptional adrenaline rush.

Bottom line Phinda Private Game Reserve has luxury accommodation from $1,070 per night including meals, drinks, two game drives and a one-hour nature walk with an armed tracker. See andbeyond.com

The upscale cruise: Oceania Cruises

Why splurge Big, crowded and raucous cruise ships that nickel-and-dime you for everything and get crowded and raucous don’t appeal? Thunderstruck at the cost of a luxury-end cruise at the other end of the scale? It may be to try an upgraded premium experience that might bend the bank, but won’t break it.

Tell me more Oceania Cruises sails gracefully through a gap between bigger budget ships and luxury all-inclusive smaller ships. Forego an open bar and inclusive shore excursions, and you’ll find excellent value on Oceania’s ship, which has a luxury feel, good service and, best of all, top-notch all-inclusive dining in some of the best speciality restaurants at sea.

Bottom line Oceania’s 20-day “Lands of Lore” cruise between Singapore and Dubai departs April 23, 2024 and costs from $7389 a person in an Ocean View stateroom, including gratuities, beverages, Wi-Fi and specialty dining. See oceaniacruises.com

The designer tent: Bamurru Plains, NT

Why splurge If you’ve ever slept in a tent, you’ll recognise the attraction of glamping. Why not stay in a hotel? Well, because there mightn’t be one, and you get in-your-face wilderness, a bigger sense of adventure, and new appreciation of the environment while leaving a low eco-footprint.

Birds of a feather ... Bamurru Plains.

Tell me more African and Indian safari camps are the ultimate in glamping, capturing an Edwardian ambience with their travel trunks and claw-foot baths. But at Bamurru Plains, a three-hour drive from Darwin, the half-canvas luxury accommodation has modern-Aussie bush style. A communal lodge provides a lounge, excellent dining and infinity pool beyond. The Mary River floodplains are spectacular.

Bottom line Safari Bungalows cost from $2580 per night (two-night minimum) including all meals, open bar and two guided experiences such as crocodile-spotting or an air-boat excursion. See bamurruplains.com

Heli-skiing: Aspen, US

Why splurge Can’t bear sharing slopes and lifts, or want to push the limits of your ski prowess? Heli-skiing (or snowboarding) immerses you in spectacular, untracked landscapes whose high-altitude, knee-deep power feels like riding on champagne.

Tell me more Get whisked by helicopter into the backcountry, while also enjoying a stunning 45-minute scenic flight to the San Juan Mountains. Terrain varies from open alpine bowls to challenging lines through steep ice-encrusted forest. In some ski resorts (though not Aspen), you can up adrenaline levels even further on glaciers.

Make it happen Fly with Aspen Heli Skiing from $5460 a person a day. A snow-cat tour for $1048 is a “budget” alternative. Stay at The Little Nell, which has a ski concierge and is the only five-star ski-in ski-out hotel. See aspensnowmass.com

The ultimate destination: Pond Inlet, Canada

Why splurge If you’re lucky enough to consider a serious splurge chump change, then the world’s least-visited places await a select few adventurers. You’re far from luxury, but the luxury is in being there at all, such as in the Canadian Arctic wilderness of Baffin Island.

Tell me more No pampering: stay in a campsite on an ice floe and travel on foot and by snowmobile. But you’re amid icebergs, abandoned whaling stations and shipwrecks, and Inuit guides help you encounter seals, walruses, narwhals and polar bears in a staggering landscape. You can even snorkel or kayak in an ice hole.

Bottom line Arctic Kingdom’s seven-night “Flow Edge Safari” costs $31,470 including accommodation, meals, guides and return flights from Ottawa, the Canadian capital. See arctickingdom.com

The traditional hotel: Marrakesh, Morocco

Why splurge Yes, we’re aware of the tragic recent earthquake in Morocco but this tourism-dependent country and arguably its premier city, will bounce back in due course and welcome you even more warmly than before. Moroccan riads are atmospheric walled compounds that provide a tranquil retreat from heat, noise and crowds. So give room upgrades in concrete hotels everywhere a miss and save for a stay not only in a riad but also in a ryokan in Japan or country house in England that provides not just an overnight but an insight into local culture.

Villa des Orangers - Marrakesh - Morocco.

Tell me more Riads often have a misleadingly modest entrance, then open into an enchanted kingdom of courtyards shaded by orange trees and centred on fountains – or swimming pools in chic versions. Expect gorgeous geometric tiling, plasterwork and carved wooden beams and doors.

Bottom line Luxury Villa des Orangers has rooms arranged around multiple ornately decorated courtyards from $754. You can however find modest alternatives such as Riad Matham or Riad Nayanour for around $200. Whatever you do, splurge on a donation for the victims of the Morocco quake via Intrepid Travel’s Morocco Earthquake Appeal. See theintrepidfoundation.org; visitmarrakech.com

To splurge or not to splurge…

On a room with view
How long do you really spend looking out a hotel or cruise-cabin window? If you expect to be out and about all day, don’t bother upgrading. But oh, in dreamy destinations – Santorini, Aswan, Jodhpur, Moorea – it’s worth the splurge for views that leave you soothed or invigorated. Even tumultuous city scenes can be mesmerising, your window a grandstand onto the action.

On an airline seat upgrade
As you drag yourself through the business class section into economy you always wish you’d sold your car for an upgrade. And yes, you can haul more luggage and arrive more refreshed and better fed. Downside? Spending all that moolah on a few hours that leaves the basic flying experience as tedious as ever. There can be far better ways to spend your money after you arrive.

On a romantic moment
Travellers distracted by the hope of hanky-panky are easily separated from their money, which is why resorts happily provide honeymoon suites, couples massages and beach dinners for two. Still, only hard-hearted holidaymakers aren’t seduced by sunset, scattered rose petals and a sunken bath. Sometimes you have to give in, forget the cost, and claim your just reward.

On an airport lounge
If you think $60 per entry for withered scrambled egg, bad wine and an Instagram boast is splurge-worthy, go ahead. Some pay-per-use lounges are so crowded you’ll find more elbow room in the terminal. However, lounges vary and, during a long-haul stopover, you might find value in a decent meal, good shower and somewhere to rest. A quiet work area will suit diligent employees.

On an overview tour
Expert private guides can be brilliant but, let’s be honest, your average tour guide is biased and a bore. If only their accreditation encouraged them to entertain or give personal anecdotes of daily local life rather than recite tedious facts. Skip the general city tour or shore excursion; guidebooks (and, dare we say, Traveller features, for that matter) cost less and tell you more. Focus on an interest, and you’ll be better rewarded.