Born from a love of exploration, a homegrown startup is encouraging city slickers to unplug and flee to the hills, or perhaps the coast, within our own country – and then, share their tales of adventure.

Booking time away online is nothing new, but Riparide functions a little differently to the other large-scale booking sites. Before choosing your escape, you can read first-hand stories from the platform’s ‘community of storytellers’ who’ve captured and shared their getaways. These aren’t reviews, but rather in-depth stories that create a wider picture of their stays.

Be it a short escape to a tiny house or a leisurely glamping trip, on the new travel booking platform each escape listed comes from the perspective of a traveller, sharing their experiences – rather than from the owner of the property. Right now, across the site, 300 bookable experiences range from llama treks to floating luxury villas, to remote tiny house stays.

Founder of Riparide Marlon Law explains, “Our social media feeds are brimming with photos that inspire us to travel and we often rely on our friends for recommendations on where to go, so it’s no surprise that so many people have embraced booking escapes through stories. A Riparide Story feels like your best friend’s travel journal – inside are honest reviews, inspirational photos and visual itineraries. ”

Eager to escape to test it out and share your own tales? You can now book your NSW or VIC sojourn on riparide.com.