EXCLUSIVE: Saiyami Kher on visiting Australia deep sea diving and more

Imagine a journey that perfectly combines your passions, whether it’s the thrill of watching a live cricket, the adrenaline of adventure sports or savouring world class culinary delights. Saiyami Kher’s recent trip to Australia was exactly that, a dream come true. From diving into the Great Barrier Reef to experiencing the Boxing Day Test at the MCG, her trip to the land down under was more than just a vacation. Australia’s landscapes, cities and vibe left her awestruck at every turn. She recounts moments that made her trip unforgettable, shares the travel hacks she lives by and adds a few new destinations to her evergrowing bucket list. Read on.

Australia calling

I chose Australia as my year-end destination because I was keen on exploring the country. My film Ghoomer premiered there, so I had a soft spot for the place. Our world premiere had happened in Australia. At that time, I’d gone only for one day. I remember it being a super long flight. I also came back within a day. But the trip was special. Then, I was invited by Tourism Australia in January last year. They offered me the opportunity to watch the Australian Open. Everyone knows I love sports, so they had called me to watch the match. I spent time only in Melbourne last year. This year, they called me back again to watch the Australia-India cricket match. On boxing day i.e. December 26 They curated a fantastic itinerary for me as well. I was in the country from December 11 to December 28, 2024, around 17 to 18 days. I love Australia because of all the adventure and outdoor activities you get to do there.

Cricket Mania

Interestingly, it was a solo trip this time. But during my visit to Brisbane, I was with a group to see the India vs Australia cricket match. There was Sara Tendulkar, Ishaan Khatter, Mini Mathur, Kabir Khan and Prachi Desai at The Gabba. We were together only for that one day of the match. Otherwise, I was travelling solo.  Everyone knows that I am a huge cricket lover. I was supposed to watch only one day of the match but I extended and stayed back. I watched the Test match for three more days. The vibe in the stadium was super-friendly. Due to tourism opportunities, India’s relationship with Australia is booming right now. You see so many Indians there; you don’t even feel like you’re out of India. During my visit to Melbourne, I went to the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) for the Boxing Day test match. There were many Indians there because of cricket and Christmas. For cricket lovers the boxing day test match is the biggest day in the calendar. There were 90,000 people watching the game. I was really excited about that. R Balki sir was also there. He had bought tickets long ago. Unfortunately, the match didn’t go India’s way. However, it was like a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Another memorable event was spending time with Australian cricketers, David Warner, Adam Gilchrist and Michael Vaughan. I sat and discussed the game with them. A pinch-me moment for sure.

Wild at heart

Besides the matches, the whole trip was filled with adventure. I was rock climbing, kayaking, surfing and ziplining. I also went deep sea diving. It was great fun to see the city from the water while kayaking. For rock climbing, you get to see the city and the scenic beauty from a height. I loved that. I also went to the Gold Coast to surf. Surfing is a water sport I have wanted to learn for a long time. I practised for two days at surf classes and picked it up pretty quickly. The Great Barrier Reef is like a tick mark for every diver. I went down to Cairns to see it. There was a terrible storm but I didn’t back off. I was diving for three days in the long stretch but I did it up North in Cairns. It’s something that words can’t describe because what you see underwater is something you can’t explain. The colours are perfect. You don’t see those colours on land. You can’t explain life underwater. The first day was rough because we were in the ocean for two hours. The storm was on. The dive that day wasn’t the best but I dived for two days after that. It’s completely worth the hype that people make around the Great Barrier Reef. If given a choice, I would have done that for 15 days. But I had to do other things as well. I’ll definitely go back again. I went ziplining into the rainforest, which was fun. It’s simple, you go into the rainforest and zipline through it. In Mahabari, there was an animal sanctuary with kangaroos and koalas. They’re just walking around in the wild and you’re walking around with them. If you ever go vacationing with me, you’ll realise that I never relax on any of my holidays. I have a jam-packed schedule all the time. I also went to an animal sanctuary where I held a snake. There was an activity called “crocodile feeding”, which I did. The animal sanctuary felt so natural. They keep it so real and well-maintained. It was a pleasurable experience.

Pleasing the palate

I am also someone who loves trying local dishes whenever I am on vacation. You get to learn about new cultures, especially about new food. I always eat local food. The food is also good in Australia. Melbourne is known to be the food capital of Australia. It’s got some delicious food. So, all the diets go out of the window when you’re on holiday. As Melbourne is a multicultural hub when it comes to food, I mostly had Japanese food. I also ate at a nice Mediterranean place. Also, hot chocolates and croissants are a must try in Melbourne. I had those from
certain places.

Business with pleasure

The best part about being an actor is how much I get to travel. I absolutely love that about my job. I just got back from Mangalore where I was shooting, and now I’m heading to Hyderabad. During my debut film, we spent a lot of time in Ladakh. I also did a show that took me to Turkey, Georgia, Baku and rest of Azerbaijan. Because of all the travel, work never feels like work. It’s more like a holiday for me. But I also make it a point to take at least one trip with my parents every year, usually around Diwali. I also try to plan a trip with my school friends and one solo trip. So, three trips a year are a must for me.

Tips and Tricks

When it comes to my trips, there are definitely some non-negotiables. I can’t just stay in a hotel room all the time. It really irritates me. I need to get out, explore and do things when I visit a place. It’s non-negotiable. Also, I’m a light traveler. I don’t like being around people who carry too much stuff. I just pack the essentials. I’m also a fan of backpacking trips. About seven years ago, I went to Hawaii with just a backpack. Traveling light makes it so much easier to enjoy doing touristy things. I’m not someone who feels the need to document everything for social media. In fact, half the things I experience don’t even make it onto Instagram. I prefer to just enjoy the experience and have some time off. If I had to give some travel tips, I’d say, for Australia, don’t try to cram everything into one schedule. It’s a huge country, and it’s better to really explore and enjoy one area at a time. If you’re going to Queensland, for example, focus on discovering everything Queensland has to offer. Don’t just rush off to Melbourne or Sydney because you won’t get to fully experience what Queensland is about. And definitely try to enjoy the local things. That’s the essence of visiting an outdoorsy country like Australia. As for dream destinations, my list is long. I’d love to spend time in Spiti Valley, learn how to ski in Japan, see the Northern Lights and cycle around Switzerland, just to name a few.Saiyami Kher recounts her Australian adventure to Srijani Roy Chowdhury. Continue reading …Read More