9 ways to embrace slow travel for a truly refreshing break

Featuring everything from off-grid shacks and luxurious glamping spots to architecturally designed cabins, new book Life Unhurried calls for a slower, more sustainable way of living and travelling. Here, its authors share tips on how to really switch off.

Ready to take it slow? Congratulations! Booking a Slow Stay is the first step in the right direction when it comes to embracing slow travel. How you actually spend your time while there, however, can be a challenge – especially if you’re not used to sitting still or being untethered from technology for more than five minutes.

It might seem ludicrous but the truth is, doing nothing can actually be much harder than churning through a to-do list.

The trick is in being able to switch your focus to quality experiences over quantity, and allowing yourself to savour languid hours and minutes rather than just counting them. Slowing down is a choice, one you can make a little easier by using these tips while you’re away.

1. Switch off your phone (don’t just put it on silent)

Here’s a reality check: the average Aussie spends five and a half hours per day on their phone. We wake to our devices, we spend most of the day on them and then, come night-time, we still can’t stop scrolling (even as the TV blares in the background).

It’s tempting to have your phone with you at all times, but the act of switching it off and putting it out of sight allows spaciousness to return. Days feel longer. Itchy scrolling fingers eventually relax. And you can marvel at the sunset without worrying about capturing it for your Insta stories.

If you can’t bear to go a day without photos, take a camera, but ask yourself what that photo will take you away from experiencing right now, in the moment – the moment you travelled to experience.

Woman looking at sunset through trees — Stare at a sunset instead of a screen.

2. Leave the laptop at home

No matter how innocent your intentions, if you take your laptop with you, you’re inviting work leakages. Checking emails can wreak havoc on your brainspace for the entire duration of your stay, even if you don’t reply.

Freaking out about the fact your shack doesn’t have wi-fi? Or a TV? Instead of feeling like you can’t possibly go without Netflix, think about what you might gain instead – deeper conversations, time to look up at the stars or into the fire, and delicious deep sleep.

Campfire by lake at dusk — Forget the laptop and spend time soaking up your surroundings.

3. Pack that book you’ve been meaning to read

Even if you consider yourself an avid reader, in ‘real life’ it can be hard to find time to disappear into a book. Pack something you’re really keen to read or choose something from the shelves of your Slow Stay and remember the joy of reading without an agenda.

4. Set aside time to simply sit

It’s a daunting prospect, doing nothing. As the late spiritual leader Thich Nhat Hanh said in his book Planting Seeds, being content with not doing anything is a very deep practice: ‘We all have an energy within us that constantly pushes us to do this or that … If we aren’t doing something, we can’t stand it.’

Start small by sitting in compact spaces of time. Use that time to listen, look, observe. What do you notice? How does it make you feel? Questions will naturally bubble up. And you’ll be amazed at the answers you find in the emptiness.

Inside the lounge area of Aframe Kangaroo Valley, NSW — Find a spot to get comfy and observe the outside world. (Image: Aframe Kangaroo Valley, NSW; Courtesy of Life Unhurried)

5. Cook and eat mindfully

When you’re tucked away in a cabin in the bush, you can’t simply head out for dinner or order delivery on your phone. But far from being a burden, the need to cook your own meals can serve as a wonderful gateway to practise mindfulness without realising it.

Cooking bacon over coals — Enjoy the ritual of cooking.

Notice the scent as you chop fresh herbs, admire the colour and shapes of the vegetables – perhaps you even picked them from the garden. Sip your wine, listen to music and prepare a simple meal. As you eat, sitting at the table, chew slowly, enjoy the conversation and take note of all your senses.

A cheese platter at Upland Farm Denmark WA — Embrace eating mindfully on holiday. (Image: Upland Farm, WA; Hannah Puechmarin)

6. Try forest bathing

The benefits of connecting with nature have been well documented. In Japan they call it shinrin-yoku – ‘forest bathing’ – and it has been proven to reduce blood pressure, improve concentration and memory, and even boost the immune system.

With many of us living in urban environments and spending so much time indoors, nature dosing while on holidays isn’t just an enjoyable way to spend your time and explore the local area, it’s preventative medicine.

Cows at Upland Farm, WA; Hannah Puechmarin — Get outside and explore your surroundings. ((Image: Upland Farm, WA; Hannah Puechmarin)

7. Practise self-care

‘I’m too busy for self-care’ is the line you tell yourself back home. But here there is time. Stash self-care items in your duffel bag – sheet masks, bath salts, body oil – and enjoy the simple pleasure of anointing yourself. Meditate (try an app like Headspace if you’re new to the practice). Crack open a fresh journal and write a list of things you’re grateful for.

Inside the bathroom at Upland Farm, WA — Take the opportunity to practise self-care. (Image: Upland Farm, WA; Hannah Puechmarin)

8. Appreciate the rituals

There’s a wonderful Buddhist saying along the lines of, ‘Wash the dishes like you were giving the baby Buddha a bath’. It’s about embracing sacredness in the small acts we whiz through in everyday life.

Acts of ritual are embedded in many of the Slow Stays we’ve featured in Life Unhurried. Use the opportunities provided to relish in lighting a fire, playing a vinyl record, picking herbs from the garden, slathering homemade jam on your toast and slowly brewing your morning coffee or tea. In doing so, you can turn the mundane into some of the most memorable moments of the trip.

Find acts of ritual embedded in many of the Slow Stays featured in Life Unhurried by Celeste Mitchell, Katie Gannon and Krista Eppelstun.

9. Reflect when you return home

Don’t let life drag you back into hurriedness when you check out. Find space at home to reflect on your stay, journal about your experience and talk about it over coffee with friends.

In the same way that the anticipation of a holiday can be almost as intoxicating as the experience itself, so too can the reflection.

This is an edited extract from Life Unhurried by Celeste Mitchell, Katie Gannon and Krista Eppelstun published by Hardie Grant Explore. Available 7 September; RRP $50.

The Great Ocean Road has captured the hearts of Australians with its astounding scenery since 1932, but going off-course can enrich your experience with untouched nature, foodie delights and charming towns.

It’s a chilly 16 degrees. My husband pulls on a steamer and jogs – as all seasoned surfers do – into the water. We’re at Bells Beach , the legendary break on Victoria’s Surf Coast that’s home to the Rip Curl Pro, the world’s longest-running event in competitive surfing. Each year, over the Easter long weekend, up to 40,000 people descend on the region for the event. Today, though, we have the beach almost to ourselves, and the less-than-favourable temperature doesn’t deter my husband from surfing this famous break.

Torquay to Anglesea and Aireys Inlet

The red dome of Split Point Lighthouse in Aireys Inlet. (Image: Tourism Australia)

The nearby surf town of Torquay marks the starting point for the Great Ocean Road . Unfolding our map, which we have marked out with a highlighted route for our children to follow, we set off for lesser-known Anglesea, a chilled-out town 20 minutes south of here. Its wide, sandy beach is a gentler swimming option for our young family. Groms can learn to surf here with Go Ride a Wave, which also runs stand-up paddle boarding on the Anglesea River.

Split point lookout — The lighthouse overlooks the Shipwreck Coast. (Image: Tourism Australia)

After a couple of nights in Anglesea, we hit the road again, first stopping at Aireys Inlet. Here we stretch our legs at Split Point Lighthouse, which was made famous by the 1990s television series Round the Twist, before driving under the Memorial Arch that welcomes us, officially, to the Great Ocean Road.

This 243-kilometre coastal road was built by returned First World War servicemen and serves as a permanent memorial to those who fought and died during the war. Carved into rock using hand tools and horse-drawn carts, it was a huge engineering feat and provided much-needed access to isolated coastal communities.

Lorne to Birregurra

Lorne is a delightful beachside stop for lunch and browsing boutique stores. It’s also the gateway to Great Otway National Park , which comprises a varied landscape of old-growth forests, cool-temperate rainforests, heathy woodlands and rugged coast. With the highest rainfall in Victoria, the region is home to many waterfalls – 10 of which are within 10 kilometres of Lorne.

Turning slightly off the main drag, we wind along a gum-shaded road to Erskine Falls. Here, our son leads the way through the hyper-green rainforest and down 200-plus stairs to the cascade that drops 30 metres into a lush fern gully. We hop over large boulders to get closer to the falls, enjoying the entire place to ourselves; it’s worth the return climb.

From Sheoak Falls Picnic Area, there are walking trails to Henderson Falls, Phantom Falls, Won Wondah Falls and Kalimna Falls, some of which follow an old timber tramway from forest-logging days, which only came to an end in 2008.

You can follow your appetite north to the town of Birregurra, which is part of the Otway Harvest Trail that connects farm gates, markets, wineries, breweries and distilleries. It’s home to three-hatted modern Australian restaurant Brae , helmed by celebrated chef Dan Hunter, set among native gardens and an organic farm, and Otways Distillery, which produces small-batch spirits using local produce and botanicals.

Brae restaurant — Brae is a three-hatted restaurant in Birregurra. (Image: Tourism Australia)

Apollo Bay to The Otways

Back on track, the cliff-hugging stretch between Lorne and Apollo Bay is breathtaking. At Teddys Lookout, we overlook the winding road ahead and St George River spilling into the ocean. We spend languid days in Apollo Bay, a buzzy seaside town that boasts a three-kilometre-long, crescent-shaped beach with a backdrop of rolling green hills. One evening, as the sun sets, we take the steep 10-minute walk to Marriners Lookout, which affords panoramic views of the ocean, hinterland and town.

A 15-minute drive along the road, Maits Rest is a lush rainforest gully that has been protected since the early 20th century. Wandering along the 800-metre boardwalk, we inspect the delicate moss-covered forest floor and the gnarled roots of 300-year-old myrtle beech trees, then crane our necks to see their canopies, some 50 metres above us. It’s therapy in nature.

Cape Otway to the Twelve Apostles

The southernmost tip of Cape Otway is a delightful detour, home to the 1848-built Cape Otway Lightstation, the oldest surviving lighthouse on mainland Australia. We climb the narrow winding staircase to the gallery deck, explore the keepers’ quarters and telegraph station, and enjoy a coffee and some ‘famous’ scones at the charming onsite cafe.

It’s a pinch-me moment to finally see the Twelve Apostles in person. This unmistakable cluster of limestone stacks rising abruptly from the sea were never 12, however. When coined this in the 1890s as a marketing ploy, there were only nine; today, only seven remain after two collapsed in 2005 and 2009. We admire these Aussie icons from the viewing platform, in awe of Mother Nature’s ever-evolving artwork.

The Grotto is another natural attraction within Port Campbell National Park. (Image: Carmen Zammit)

Edging the wild Southern Ocean, this part of the coast – dubbed Shipwreck Coast – is made up of many sea-carved natural wonders including London Bridge, The Grotto and Gibson Steps. After exploring the lookout trails of Loch Ard Gorge/Poombeeyt Kontapool – its English name taken from the site of the 1878 shipwreck – we nestle into the sandy beach encircled by towering sandstone cliffs, as our children splash about on the water’s edge, and soak it all in.

Port Campbell to Timboon

Timboon Fine Ice Cream is part of a regional foodie trail. (Image: C McConville)

Just north of Port Campbell National Park, the region of Timboon is part of the 12 Apostles Food Artisans Trail, filled with purveyors of delicious foodstuffs such as Timboon Fine Ice Cream , Timboon Railway Shed Distillery and Apostle Whey Cheese. As an antidote to the indulgence, the 20-kilometre Poorpa Yanyeen Meerreeng Trail is a self-guided ride or walk between Port Campbell and Timboon through tall forests, over historic bridges and past sparkling lakes and farmland with grazing cattle.

Warrnambool to Port Fairy

Warrnambool building — A 19th-century building in Warrnambool. (Image: Peter Foster)

In Warrnambool, a town rich in maritime history, we take the four-kilometre Thunder Point Walk that traces the coast. The kids squeal when an echidna shuffles out from beneath the wooden boardwalk, and we stop to admire a seal lazing on a rock at the port.

Further along, the streets of quaint fishing village Port Fairy are lined with 19th-century cottages, old stone churches and Norfolk pines. Follow the historic walking trail to see some of the 60-plus National Trust buildings. Port Fairy is also home to Port Fairy Folk Festival (6-9 March), one of the country’s longest-running music and cultural festivals. You could time your road trip with the event for a fittingly celebratory end to any journey.

The Great Ocean Road can easily be done in three days, but we’ve spent a week on the road. The highlighted line on our now creased and well-worn map doesn’t follow the famous route precisely. It has sprouted branches in many directions, leading us to untouched rainforest and charming rural towns filled with culinary delights, and where we experienced some of our most memorable moments on the Great Ocean Road.

A traveller’s checklist

Staying there

The Monty is a highly anticipated, newly refurbished motel with a chic Palm Springs-inspired aesthetic set across the road from the Anglesea River. Basalt Winery in Port Fairy grows cool-climate wines such as pinot noir and Riesling in rich volcanic soil. Stay among the vines in its tiny home, complete with a kitchen, lounge area and outdoor firepit.

The Oak & Anchor Hotel has been a Port Fairy institution since 1857. Cosy up by the bar in winter or bask in the sunshine of the Lawn Bar in summer. The rooms are beautifully boutique with considered details, such as luxe baths for sinking into post-road trip.

Eating there

The Coast in Anglesea is a modern Australian restaurant focused on local ingredients. Grand Pacific Hotel has been a local landmark in Lorne since 1879 and recently underwent a restoration. It serves a mix of traditional pub and Italian fare alongside ocean views.

Graze is a cosy 40-seat dining room in Apollo Bay with a modern Australian menu complemented by regional wines. Apollo Bay Distillery offers tasting flights, a gin blending masterclass and serves woodfired pizzas.