Freely

05/12/2024

Nagano, Japan 📍 An outdoor activity hub bursting with culture, world-class ski resorts and hot-tubbing monkeys contemplating their toes. Read more 👉 https://www.freely.me/au/travel-stories/avoid-overtourism-in-japan-at-these-6-destinations 📸 Eli Sooker

04/12/2024

As we begin reflecting on 2024, we feel especially proud about our partnership with the Z Zurich Foundation on SURFAID's Make A Wave Challenge in September.

We’re thrilled to share that Freely and the Z Zurich Foundation were able to generate over AUD $210,000 in donations to the campaign!

We achieved this by:

👉 Incentivising Australian fundraisers to reach $100+ by rewarding them with a Make A Wave x Freely rashie, while the Z Zurich Foundation committed to matching the first $100 that they raised; and

👉 Raising funds through our own Team Freely, which were generously matched 100% by the Z Zurich Foundation.

The challenge overall raised over AUD $677,000, which will power the delivery of SurfAid’s nutrition and clean water programs on the Indonesian island of Rote, including the training of 31 health professionals, 220 community health volunteers and 44 community-based mobilisers. This will positively impact 1,991 families in Rote.

A huge thank you to everyone who supported the campaign, to SURFAID for the opportunity to be part of it, and to the Z Zurich Foundation for amplifying our impact in a big way.

Until next year!

📸 SurfAid

04/12/2024

Snow trip this summer? Here's a few tips for keeping safe on the ski fields ⛷️🏂

Try saying that five times fast. Subscribe to our mailing list for more articles like this.

21/11/2024

When hiking in North Tajikistan, Freely writer Matt Cheok not only soaked up the mountainous landscape; he also enjoyed exploring Tajikistan’s border town Khujand and its Panjshanbe Bazaar. Read Matt's guide 👉 https://www.freely.me/au/travel-stories/hiking-in-northern-tajikistan

20/11/2024

On a good day, you might spot orcas and Bryde's whales at Shiretoko, the National Park on Japan’s Hokkaido island and UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site – otherwise known at "the end of the earth". Read Eli Sooker's guide: https://www.freely.me/au/travel-stories/cruise-to-the-end-of-the-earth-shiretoko 📸 Eli Sooker

23/10/2024

If you love hiking, glacial lakes and exceptional hospitality, then put Northern Tajikistan on your radar, writes our friend Matt Cheok 🇹🇯 https://www.freely.me/au/travel-stories/hiking-in-northern-tajikistan

22/10/2024

We all know K-beauty – but have you heard of haenyo, the women who've dived for molluscs off Korea's Jeju Island for centuries? 🦪 The haenyo are just one of the reasons Freely writer Matt Cheok recommends a trip to South Korea: https://www.freely.me/au/travel-stories/seven-reasons-to-visit-korea-in-2025

18/10/2024

Wow 😍 SURFAID has officially wrapped up the Make A Wave Challenge 2024 and we are just blown away by the result: $661,593 raised!

That’s enough for SURFAID to bring their full health, water and nutrition program to over 13 remote communities in the places we love to surf.

Your donations to the challenge will help:
⁠
🏥 Fund healthcare training and support for women and their families
🚰 Establish clean water facilities ⁠
👶🏽 Combat malnutrition in children under five

Thank you SURFAID for⁠ the opportunity to be part of this amazing campaign – and thank you to the Z Zurich Foundation for amplifying our impact by matching the first $100 raised by Australian fundraisers and all the funds raised by Team Freely.

Until next year 🏄‍♀️

17/10/2024

This week Freely and Cover-More Travel Insurance spent a day helping out at the The Rev Bill Crews Foundation in Ashfield.

For over 30 years, Rev. Bill Crews and the team have been supporting people experiencing homelessness and vulnerability through food provision, social welfare and education, and have created a space in Ashfield where members of the community can lend a hand.

We had a great day assembling food packages and assisting in the all-welcome community BBQ by serving food, helping on the floor and having a chat and a laugh with the community members.

Thank you to the team at the The Rev Bill Crews Foundation for the opportunity – we’ll be back ❤️

30/09/2024

Today was the final day of 's Challenge – and with over $625,000 raised for SurfAid's healthcare and clean water programs in remote Indonesia and the Pacific, what a way to celebrate!

Yesterday, we met up with the SURFAID crew, Surfie Chicks Eastern Suburbs and the local surf community at the Wanda Surf Life Saving Club in Cronulla for a group surf and to celebrate the achievements of this year's Challenge 🏄‍♀️

Donate to Team Freely here 👉 https://makeawave.co/t/team-freely

27/09/2024

Same-sex marriage hasn't been legalised in Japan, yet Tokyo is home to the world's largest concentration of gay bars 🌈 Here's mini-tour of the gay district, Ni-chome, Shinjuku Ward.

Tokyo is home to the world's largest concentration of gay bars. This is where to find a few of them.

13/09/2024

We’re huge fans of the crew at We Are Explorers – so it was such a pleasure to celebrate their 10-year anniversary and the winners of their inaugural MOMENTS storytelling competition at Young Henrys brewery in Newtown last night.

At Freely, we love quality travel stories, so it was a no-brainer for us to jump onboard as a sponsor for the MOMENTS Travel Writing category – but we were still so blown away by the high calibre of stories that came through.

To every writer who submitted, we applaud you: we learnt, laughed and lived your adventures vicariously through your words.

An enormous congratulations to the winner of the Freely Travel Writing category: Patrick Boxall with his story, ‘Don’t tell me how to Camino’. An entertaining yet considered story that hooked us from start to finish. (Read here: https://bit.ly/3XGFjNL)

Another huge congratulations to the talented Freely Travel Writing runners-up and the rest of the MOMENTS winners in the categories:

Dometic Adventure Photo
Up - Easy Money Phone Photo
G Adventures Video
Nature Photo brought you by charity partner Bush Heritage Australia

Here’s to travel, adventure and the moments enjoyed along the way 🌏

10/09/2024

This week SURFAID's Challenge hit a huge milestone: $400,000! Enough to deliver SurfAid's clean water, healthcare and nutrition program to eight remote villages.

We're incredibly proud to have partnered with SURFAID this year by rewarding Australian fundraisers who reach $100 with a limited-edition rashie and a matched $100 donation by the Z Zurich Foundation.

Get involved today: https://makeawave.co/

02/09/2024

Yesterday marked the beginning of SURFAID's annual Challenge and our team were stoked to join the celebratory paddle-out at Bondi Beach.

We're really proud to be part of this campaign and, in a humble way, contribute to the positive impact that SURFAID co-creates with remote surf communities in Indonesia and the Pacific.

Team Freely is on a mission to SMASH our $20,000 fundraising target with help from the wonderful Z Zurich Foundation 👉 Donate to our team today 🏄‍♀️🏄‍♂️ https://makeawave.co/t/team-freely

29/08/2024

There are clues – can you guess where? 👀

14/08/2024

Picture this: You just arrived in the south of France, but the area is so jam-packed with beauty, you don't know where to start – until you read our 7-day itinerary by Freely writer Catherine Bouris 🥐

Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur in the south of France is so packed with beauty, it's hard to know where to start – until now. Subscribe for more travel stories.

13/08/2024

The Freely guide to summer in Slovenia is now live 👀 With its forests, vineyards and hip cities, Slovenia in the summer is like a dreamy oil painting 🏰🌈

Exploring here feels like stepping into a vibrant painting. Subscribe for more articles like this.

11/07/2024

This summer in Europe, we’re all about bathing in nature 😎👙 Here are six gorgeous spots to enjoy a dip on your next Euro-trip.

Forget pools: this summer in Europe, we’re bathing in nature. Here are some of our favourite wild places to swim in Europe. Subscribe for more articles like this.