Hello foodlovers, from my new location in Coffs Harbour! SINCE 2108 it’s been a thrill to share Sydney’s best food and cocktails, street art, and farmers’ markets with you on my food tours around Sydney – from Newtown to Redfern, and Bondi to Willoughby. Now Sydney Bites Food Tours can offer you a regional food experience – food tours on the stunning mid-north coast of NSW 500km north of Sydney. It's an exciting change, and exciting contrasts between the two east coast locatons. SYDNEY has a stunning harbour, beaches, an urban identity, and a temperate climate. COFFS HARBOUR enjoys a coastal vibe, is low density, and enjoys a semi-tropical climate. Our Northern Beaches include Sapphire Beach, Moonee Beach, Emerald Beach, and Sandy Beach. And our neighbours include BELLINGEN, and URUNGA, and we’re close to the NEW ENGLAND region. If you’ve holidayed in this region you’ll remember its unspoilt natural beauty – shell strewn beaches, abundant birdlife, and green hills dotted with banana and blueberry plantations. If you haven’t, then my tip is to start planning your city escape now – we’re just a one hour flight from either Sydney or Brisbane, or take a road trip. Coffs Harbour is the ideal place to relax and exhale outdoors, surrounded by swaying palm trees, rainforest ferns, or gentle waves on empty beaches. Since moving here I’ve been busy creating food tours showcasing this region, that I can’t wait to share with you. We have farmers markets selling local produce (and low food miles), exceptional seafood, local wineries, and rainforest walks with spectacular views. And recently Coffs Harbour won Wotif's 2020 Australian Town of the Year. An insider tip, we're actually a city, of approximately 72,000 people. I love it here – but I miss you! And like you, I miss the sound of people socializing – chatting in busy cafés, sharing conversations across the table. And eating out, not in. Connecting people through food is at the heart of my food tours, it's my passion. So although we can’t freely travel yet, I see positive signs for the reopening of regional travel destinations, and a gradual relaxation of travel restrictions. And when my tours resume, your safety will be my priority. While we wait for our restaurants, cities, and borders to reopen, tour operators and tour guides like myself are busy planning new food experiences for you to enjoy – both locally and internationally. Keep your holiday dreams alive and reach out to tour operators with any questions you have – we’d love to hear from you. We understand your desire to travel, but we also understand some of the concerns you might have, so reach out to us. Help us help you realize your future travel dreams. My tour guide friends outside Australia are keen to share their local insider knowledge with you, and offer a great travel and food experience. For Australians, New Zealand will be the first international border to open – take a look at Zest Food Tours and also Food and Spice Odyssey Tours. And why not start planning travel to international destinations like Trinidad or a luxury food and cycling holiday in Puglia, Italy or maybe eat your way through Prague. Or check out Las Vegas with The Worst Tour Guide. Contact me awia@sydneybites.com with any questions you have about domestic travel and visiting my local area, whether it's about food, or accommodation. Stay well, stay connected, and see you again soon! Follow me on Instagram for regular updates and glimpses of my slice of paradise. Awia Markey - Owner, Sydney Bites Food Tours . . . . . Previous Blogs... WHAT WAS 2019 ABOUT? - January 2020 blog COUNTDOWN TO XMAS IN SYDNEY - December 2019 blog