Leisure Travel e-Newsletter - June 2008

On Thursday 15th May, Medway Leisure Travel held a Luxury Travel Fair at the Marriott Tudor Park Hotel in Maidstone.

After a welcome drink on arrival, clients had the opportunity to meet with 15 of our specialist travel partners, offering a varied range of worldwide holiday options. The event attracted positive feedback on the organisation and décor of the room, and of the extensive variety of holiday options, which visitors said they had not imagined to be available and had certainly not seen in their local travel agents.

Each Tour Operator had their own dedicated stand, decorated with bowls of floating exotic orchids. Guests therefore had the chance to talk individually to the operators of their choice, and receive advice and specific information about their dream holidays.

An excellent buffet was provided by the Marriott Tudor Park and fantastic prizes were offered in the evening’s grand Prize Draw – ranging from holiday vouchers to stylish travel bags and champagne.

The evening was a great success and Medway Travel hopes to hold similar events in the future, so do watch out for future invitations.

In addition, Medway Leisure Travel would be pleased to bring the Travel Fair Roadshow to your offices. All you need is a dedicated space, such as a staff restaurant or meeting room, and we will set up our stand and provide information and brochures for your staff.

Please contact Angela or Stephen to make arrangements or for further information.

Readers may remember that in April, we announced the launch of our Wellbeing Holidays International brand, and we would now like to introduce you to some of our excellent value Wellbeing holidays along with links to our dedicated website. We hope you enjoy looking through the enticing opportunities and contact us for details of your favourites. 

Cobblers Cove Barbados

Cobblers cove is one of the best-loved hotels in the entire Caribbean. Blending the elegance and charm of an English country estate with the tropical beauty and character of the Caribbean, this is a hotel to which guests return time and again. Intimate and comfortable, Cobblers Cove is a member of the prestigious Relais & Chateaux.

Wellbeing Facilities

Cobblers Cove has two treatment rooms offering calming treatments using Pevonia Botanica products. A range of holistic treatments, and beauty treatments will be offered such as Anti ageing Facials, Aromatherapy massages and Pineapple and Papaya body wraps.

Summer 2008 offers

1. Complimentary Spa Treatment - One ½ hour spa treatment per adult per stay in the hotel’s fabulous new treatment rooms. Minimum stay 7 nights.
   Valid for all new bookings 15 May - 31 August & 07 October – 19 December 2008
2. Children’s free dinner daily - ALL children under 12 years receive complimentary dinner daily, irrespective of their parents meal plan. Minimum stay 7 nights. Valid 01 July – 31 August 2008

For prices please see our website at www.wellbeingholidays.co.uk

 

Curtain Bluff, Antigua

The inspiration is distinctively Mediterranean, the soul sophisticated Caribbean. Discover a new world of luxury on Anguilla -CuisinArt Resort & Spa. This visionary, 93-room beachfront resort features the first full-service spa in Anguilla and a Hydroponic farm - the first at any resort in the world. Unmatched service and luxury resonates throughout, from the lavish guest rooms to the splendid tropical gardens, which create a setting of relaxation and seclusion.

Wellbeing Facilities

Enjoy panoramic views of azure waters and lush gardens. Be pampered at the Venus Spa, indulge in customised facials, mineral baths, aromatherapy and anti ageing treatments, as well as arctic and mineral rich thermal masks, countless massages and body treatments

Summer 2008 offers

The Well Being Experience - Stay for minimum 7 nights in a junior suite or above and receive:

1.  1 night free all inclusive
2. One 60 minute massage per suite
3. 20% discount off any additional treatments booked in the spa
4. One 30 minute tennis lesson for up to 2 persons at the same time
5. One 60 minute personal training session
6. Deep sea fishing and scuba diving trips (for certified divers and including equipment and guide)
7. Unlimited pilates, yoga and Tai Chi classes
8. Fully equipped exercise room

The Family Fun Experience - Stay for minimum 7 nights and receive 50% discount off an adjoining junior suite for 2 adults and up to 2 children under 16 years. The following are also included:  

1. One 30 minute tennis lesson or one sailing lesson per family
2. For older children waterskiing, sunfish, hobbie cats, sea kayaks and snorkelling trips (including equipment)

And remember . . . rates are based on an exclusive inclusive price, so every
guest enjoys all meals, bar drinks and numerous land and water sports; all for the inclusive price paid!

For prices please see our website at www.wellbeingholidays.co.uk

 

Cocoa Island, Maldives

Escape from the noise and hectic pace of modern living at the tranquil Cocoa Island resort. Renowned for its Asian inspired cuisine and wellness centre, Como Shambhala Retreat, this natural, yet luxurious, resort is a delightful respite. Dust-white sandy beaches, crystal-clear waters, breathtaking sunsets - just some of the majestic sights you'll see when visiting the Cocoa Island resort. Rooms are inspired by Dhoni boats, adjoined by simple wooden walkways built above the shallow ocean.

  

  

Wellbeing Facilities

A sanctuary where mind, body and spirit are nurtured holistically. The COMO Shambhala Retreat offers healing traditions from Asia with natural therapies from the sea and earth, honed by international health consultants. It is a place where wellness is nurtured in simple wooden beach houses, aired by breezes carrying the scent of the ocean. This holistic approach is coupled with expert yoga tuition, which includes week-long retreat weeks led by world-renowned specialists. Couple with our signature health-giving cuisine, and feel the benefits of a complete return to real wellbeing.

Summer 2008 Special:

7 nights for the price of 5 … OR … 14 nights for the price of 10
The offer is valid for bookings from 15 May to 15 October 2008, subject to availability. Applicable for all room types, including breakfast. Free nights are subject to US$ 8 government tax per person per night. Resort credit can be used against spa treatments, food and beverage and excursions

For prices please see our website at www.wellbeingholidays.co.uk

 

Pangkor Laut Resort, Malaysia

Pangkor Laut Resort is conceived and constructed in the style of a Malay kampong. Pangkor Laut is a privately owned island located three miles off the West Coast of Malaysia in the Straits of Malacca. Situated on this exotic island is the internationally acclaimed Pangkor Laut Resort. Although the island encompasses a total of 300 acres, only a fraction has been developed to house the Resort and its Estates while the rest is covered by lush and unspoiled two million year old rainforest.

Wellbeing Facilities

The Spa Village comprises a number of specially built structures designed to facilitate an extensive range of treatments from China, Japan, India, Thailand, Bali and Malaysia. These include eight treatment pavilions, a deluxe Belian Treatment Pavilion, three Healing Huts, which include Chinese Herbal, Ayurvedic and Malay Huts, two Bath Houses, three Spa Huts, three Nap Gazebos and a Spa Boutique. 22 beautiful Spa Villas situated over the sea offer direct access to the Spa Village.

Summer 2008 special offers: 

1. Free Nights - Stay 6 nights and receive 1 extra night free on room only basis. Valid: 01Apr – 31Jul and 01Sep – 30Nov in Garden/Hill Villa.
2. Room Upgrade - Stay in a Graden Villa and receive a guaranteed upgrade, Valid: 01 Dec – 19 Dec. Offer not combinable

For prices please see our website at www.wellbeingholidays.co.uk

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Please do contact us about these or any other Wellbeing Holiday in which you are interested. We have access to a huge range, so you may be sure we will propose some that are ideal for your requirements. 

 

Visit Hungary

If you only have a short time in Hungary there are three "must sees":

· Budapest
· Lake Balaton
· Pécs

Budapest - City of Spas

The Danube flows through the City splitting Buda (built on two hills, Castle Hill and Gellert Hill) and the flatter landscape of Pest. Then there is the lesser known Obuda, the third of Budapest's cities - this lies on the same side of the Danube as Buda and is the oldest part with Celtic & Roman ruins.

Budapest has almost 100 thermal springs and 12 medicinal baths. In Hungary, thermal water is much closer to the surface than elsewhere hence the proliferation of springs & baths. 350,000 cubic meters of thermal waters (over 30C) break the surface daily in natural springs and drilled wells around the country.

Three of the best known spas are at the top of Gellert Hill. The Royal Palace is at the top of Castle Hill and was built originally in the 14th century and then rebuilt 400 years later in the Baroque style. Also on Castle Hill, the 700 year old Matthias Church is now the site of organ and choir performances.

Lake Balaton

Lake Balaton is known to the locals as the Hungarian Sea. The lake is 50 miles long and the most frequented tourist resort in the country. Excellent wines are made in the region. While there don't forget to try the local delicacy - toothfish.

Pécs

Pécs is about 200km from Budapest in the southern part of Hungary at the foot of the Mecsek mountains. The town is a significant cultural centre for the region and the country. It was founded by the Romans at the beginning of the 2nd century AD. Hungary's first university was founded here in 1367. The architectural monuments of the 150 years of Turkish occupation, the mosques, the Turkish bath and Pasha Idris's tomb, can still be seen. The Early Christian Mausoleum is not to be missed.

If you have time, do also visitsome of the following:

· Millenarian Benedictine Abbey at Pannonhalma
· Old Village of Hollóko
· Hortobágy National Park
· Caves of Aggtelek Karst and Slovakian Karst
· Historical Wine Region of Tokaj
· Lake Ferto

Are all well worth a visit.
 

Sri Lanka

Located just 13 miles off the southern most tip of India, Sri Lanka is a pearl shaped tropical island that is surrounded by the warm waters of the Indian Ocean. Blessed with beautiful golden beaches, palm fringed coastlines and good weather it's become a popular destination for holiday makers.

A tour of Sri Lanka  can follow a traditional path, taking in the key highlights of the country.

You can stay in accommodation chosen for it’s exotic ambiance, which will leave you enchanted. For example you could spend your first night relaxing in Colombo at Park Street Hotel. It's plain name belies its wonderful character: located on a leafy road in the heart of Colombo, the Park Street Hotel is a small boutique property which offers a luxurious and personal alternative to larger hotels. It is a 250 year old colonial bungalow on 2 acres of land in the heart of Colombo

You could then visit Vil Uyana, a fabulous new resort in Sigiryia's open countryside. Here, there are Maldivian-style water villas over a lagoon and paddy fields. Ultimate luxury and open views of the Rock are the order of the day.

The Kandy House is a carefully-renovated old colonial ancestral mansion in the spice-growing hills that surround Kandy and could be your base for two nights. Finally you could stay on a tea plantation in a renovated factory. A unique experience!

Then there is the Elephant Orphanage in Pinnewala. This orphanage feeds, nurses and houses young elephants found abandoned by their mothers.

Then for those interested in historical sites, there is the spectacular rock fortress of Sigiriya built in 5 AD. Famous for its frescoes of the Sigiriya damsels and Polonnaruwa, the second ancient capital of Sri Lanka, dating back to the 11th & 12th century AD.

While in this beautiful island, one should also visit the beautiful rock cave temples of Dambulla, where you can see one of the largest Buddha statues in the world (30m high).

Check out a spice garden with authentic spice trees like cinnamon, vanilla, pepper, nutmeg and cloves and go to the city of Kandy the capital of the hill country that has so much to offer, including its lake, a lovely centre piece of the town. Visit the temple of the tooth that houses Sri Lanka's most important Buddhist relic, a sacred tooth of the Buddha. Visit a gem museum and in the evening view a Kandyan cultural performance.

Let us put together a tailored or guided holiday for you to have a truly memorable experience.

 

Mammal Watching Holidays in Peru

Peru harbours some of the richest rainforests in the world, and its most southern Amazonian state, Madre de Dios, boasts many biodiversity world records. In Puerto Maldonado, the capital of Madre de Dios, the river Las Piedras is well known for its abundant fauna and has recently been scientifically proven to harbour over double the mammal densities of surrounding rainforest reserves.

In 2002 the Alto Purus Indigenous Reserve was extended to protect the entire upper Las Piedras basin 220 miles from the mouth of the river. The locally owned and comfortable Amazon Rainforest Conservation Centre, ARCC for short, was built in 2002 to protect 17,000 acres of the pristine rainforest surrounding the wildlife-rich Lake Soledad. Tours are based here from where you can follow the naturalist guides on a variety of exciting excursions.

Whilst ARCC offers some of the best rainforest mammal and bird watching in the Amazon Rainforest, mammals can still prove to be difficult to see at times. One can’t expect to see such large or numerous mammals as in Africa due to the low mammal density, the nocturnal habits of the majority of mammal species, and the dense rainforest vegetation.

However during periods when mammals are proving difficult to spot, you will be kept entertained by the incredible diversity of other classes of vertebrates and invertebrates. While the tour’s focus and highlights hope to include threatened species such as Giant River Otters, Black Spider Monkeys and White-lipped Peccaries, you will also have a good chance of seeing many of the plethora of birds, reptiles, plants and insects of this spectacularly-diverse rainforest.

Do ask our consultants for more details of this unusual and adventurous wildlife watching holiday.

 

Twice daily flights from Stansted to Athens have been introduced for this summer. Aegean Airlines has started to operate a 195-seat Airbus A321 in a two-class configuration on the route.

One way tickets start at £59, inclusive of all taxes. Flights depart from Stansted at 10:20 and 20:00 and from Athens at 07:30 and 17:10.

The leading domestic carrier in Greece has added the London route as part of international expansion, bringing its overseas destinations up to 12. It serves 17 points in Greece - Athens, Thessaloniki, Heraklion, Chania, Rhodes, Kos, Samos, Mytilene, Chios, Alexandroupolis, Mykonos, Santorini, Kavala, Limnos, Corfu, Ioannina and Kefalonia.

The airline’s commercial director Stavros Dalikas said: "London to Athens will be one of the most important routes for Aegean Airlines and we are really pleased that we can now offer our clients this service. Greece has always been a very popular, year round holiday destination for the British and there has been a steady increase in the business sector in recent years.”

The airline, which carried 5.2 million passengers last year, is a regional partner of Lufthansa providing passengers with access to Lufthansa’s global network.

The global market for environmentally and socially responsible holidays is growing rapidly and Britain’s own green travel market – worth £409 million in 2006 – is increasing by 25% a year, according to a recent report.
More clients are not only asking operators about responsible travel but are expecting it as well. It is moving from a niche market to part of the standard operating procedures for many travel companies. At the same time, destinations are continually improving their infrastructure for this type of tourism.
Carbon offsetting schemes are particularly popular. Some tour operators offer a scheme in which customers make a small donation on an opt-out basis that is matched by the company. So far, more than £1 million has been raised for The Travel Foundation and ClimateCare, two leading carbon offsetting providers.
But does carbon offsetting really make a difference or is it just a smokescreen? ClimateCare executive director Edward Hanrahan said: “Carbon offsetting absolutely does make a difference – we make about two million tonnes of verified carbon reductions a year, and it’s growing. It is also increasingly important to holidaymakers – 70% of our online customers said offsetting was an essential action when they fly."
The list of possible ecotourism holidays and destinations ranges from African safaris to Antarctic cruises. And responsible travel isn’t just aimed at young adventurous types either – families, couples, honeymooners and The over-50s are all going green.

Themed holidays are particularly popular in the responsible tourism sector, like trekking holidays in Peru where some companies ensure guides receive a decent salary, or diving holidays in Mozambique where clients can stay in eco-friendly lodges rather than high-rise hotels.

Ecotourism destinations in hot demand this year include Thailand, Egypt, Kenya and India. South America is also rocketing with popular activities including hiking the Inca Trail in Peru, staying in luxury eco-lodges in the Amazon jungle, visiting deserted islands off the coast of Brazil and exploring the rare wildlife of the Galapagos Islands.

The British are also holidaying closer to home. England has become more popular than ever as a destination for responsible travellers. In April, England jumped from the 14th to second most popular destination in terms of actual holiday bookings. England now trails just behind Egypt, which takes first place.

If you are keen to be an ecotourist on your holidays, please discuss it with our consultants and they will direct their research accordingly and give you a selection of ideas to match your wishes both for a great holiday and one which is also environmentally friendly.

When you long for an exciting wildlife experience, an appropriate place could be the Kabini River Lodge nestled in the southern fringes of the Nagarhole National Park, India.

Kabini River Lodge has been awarded “the Best Eco-Friendly Tourism Organization” by the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India and has been tastefully converted from the erstwhile hunting lodge of the Maharaja of Mysore.  It has been rated as one of the top 5 wildlife resorts in the world by British Tatler’s Travel Guide.
It provides breathtaking memories, with a view of the mysterious backwaters of River Kabini. Travel enthusiasts have been visiting this popular wildlife resort for years, not only to enjoy its grand services, but to experience a memorable stay in a jungle.

Designed in majestic colonial style architecture, Kabini River Lodge accommodates about fifty visitors by providing fashionable double rooms well equipped with modern amenities. It also offers ten spacious twin-bedded and six comfortable tented cottages with private baths for each.

A wide range of facilities are offered by the lodge to cater to your necessities. Starting with well-equipped bars. Enjoy some excellent dining options in the Ghol Ghar, a fantastic eatery that overlooks the stunning views of the River Kabini. The tasty hot buffet, the Chinese and the Continental cuisines are sure to make your mouth water. Indulge in the fresh Tandoori delicacies that will serve as a part of your daily menu.

Kabini River Lodge features seminar and meeting rooms along with multimedia projectors and facilities for conferencing.

Join the exciting safaris to travel all the way to the Nagarhole National Park. The best time to visit the park is during dawn and dusk. The entire safari trip will be a fascinating trip.  

Don’t miss out the evening boat ride on the Kabini River as you will come across some one hundred and fifty or two hundred elephants bathing on the banks of Kabini River. After returning from the exciting journey, you can enjoy the heavenly Ayurveda body treatment at the Lodge.

Views of spotted deer, wild elephants, sloth bears, wild dogs, wild boars and of course, ferocious tigers are quite usual in this area, for which the months of March, April and May are best.

Ask our consultants for more details and they will be pleased to plan a truly wonderful holiday for you to include a stay here or in any other wildlife centre you may wish to experience.

Caribbean and Panama Canal cruises

Azamara Cruises has released details of its winter 2009-10 programme of Caribbean and Panama Canal cruises.

The 694-passenger Azamara Journey, which underwent a £10 million revamp before its 2007 launch, will sail in the region between December 2009 and mid-April 2010, visiting 23 ports in 15 countries.

The luxury small ship, part of the Royal Caribbean Cruises family, will make first-time calls at Castries, St. Lucia; Willemstad, Curacao; and San Diego, California.

The vessel also will anchor off of the seven-mile island of Bequia, in The Grenadines, a favourite port of call for yachts and small cruise ships because of its unspoiled atmosphere and attractions such as Princess Margaret Beach, cliffside dwellings at Moonhole, and Oldhegg Turtle Sanctuary.

San Diego will be the turnaround port for two 16-night Panama Canal sailings, one westbound from Miami departing on December 18, 2009, and one eastbound to Miami departing on January 3, 2010.

Between the two Panama Canal sailings, Azamara Journey will call at Port Antonio, Jamaica; Cartagena, Colombia; Puntarenas, Costa Rica; San Juan del Sur, Nicaragua; Willemstad, Curacao; and Acapulco, Cabo San Lucas and Huatulco, Mexico.

A new 10-night Easter voyage sailing from Miami on April 1, 2010 will call at St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands; Marigot, St. Martin; Roseau, Dominica; Basseterre, St. Kitts, and Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands.

A rotation of three different 12-night Caribbean itineraries from Miami between January and March 2010 each feature a balance between beach-intensive, shopping-intensive and nature-intensive ports. These include Bequia; Castries; Roseau, Dominica; St. Croix, US Virgin Islands; Falmouth, Antigua; Fort de France, Martinique; Gustavia, St. Barts; Pointe-a-Pitre, Guadeloupe; and others.

Shore excursions include the Monteverde Cloud Forest in Costa Rica from the suspended bridges that cross the treetop canopy, the Morne Trois Pitons National Park in Dominica and a Mexican cooking experience in Huatulco, where passengers learn to prepare classic dishes such as tortillas, enchiladas, stuffed chilies or Oaxaca chicken stew.

Spitsbergen — The North Atlantic Islands

This is an exciting 11-night cruise stopping at North Rhona, the Faroes, the mysterious volcanic cone of Jan Mayan, remote Bear Island and then passing through the pack-ice to the spectacular western coastline of Spitsbergen. Amidst this breathtaking scenery you can look out for thousands of Little Auks and other huge breeding seabird colonies, whales including Blue and Fin, seals, and the ‘King of the Arctic’ the formidable Polar Bear.

A Polar Bear Special

This is a new cruise along the western and northern coastline of Spitsbergen and out into the pack-ice in search of Polar Bears.

Running a little earlier in the season than the12-day Spitsbergen cruises (which should mean the ice-pack is a little further south), this is the holiday for those wanting to maximise their chances of not only seeing Polar Bears, but watching them wandering over the pack-ice in their true icy realm.

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If these are of interest, or you would like ideas and advice about cruising holidays in general, please do contact our cruise specialists who will be delighted to assist you.

High fuel costs have contributed to another casualty in the aviation industry causing the suspension of services of a South African airline.
 
Nationwide Airlines, which operates around 50 domestic and international flights a day from the country, announced recently that it had suspended all operations due to financial problems.
 
The airline had been forced to ground its entire fleet over safety concerns last November after one of the engines of an aircraft fell off shortly after taking off from Cape Town.
 
Nationwide said it had not been able to recover its losses since that period, partly due to an increase in fuel costs.
 
Its CEO said: "Our cash-flow has become critical and as a result have decided voluntarily to cease all flight operations until further notice. In December and January we resumed operations and attained a gradual recovery of the business. However, in March and April we faced a 30% increase in fuel costs coupled with a decrease in passenger load factors.”

As reported elsewhere, airlines are widely feeling the pain of the high fuel costs - and more will inevitably fail. This is why we provide Airline Failure Insurance with all air tickets we book. This safeguards clients against loss, should the airline go down between your buying a ticket and your completing your trip. 

Let us select the right bird watching holiday for you, from the vast number of competing and excellent trips offered by many specialist operators, and tailor make it to your wishes.

The majority of these expert-escorted group tours have a primary focus on birds and are guided by at least one professional ornithologist-tour leader, generally with a detailed knowledge of the area to be visited. On many tours, as well as the birds, you may also enjoy both the plants and mammals, often with additional guides to act as tour botanist or naturalist.

Additionally, some groups are accompanied by an expert local guide, in order further to broaden the educational value of your holiday.
 
You may like an action-packed, intensive birding tour with the main purpose being to accumulate as large a list of birds seen as possible. Alternatively you may prefer to stay within a particular country or area, to spend as much time as possible searching for birds (and other wildlife) on foot.
 
Our proposals will allow for your preferences and the extent you wish to have every opportunity for photography, detailed wildlife exploration, relaxation, or to take an additional interest in the region's people, culture, history and architecture. Above all we want your holiday to be fun as well as informative, to such an extent that you will be only too keen to return. So do contact us and discuss your aims with our consultants. They will be only too pleased to assist.

Some readers may already know that we have on our website a page entitled "Worldwide Leisure Events", to give surfers information about some of the most famous, interesting and fun events happening in the coming 6 to 9 months, one or more of which you may wish to incorporate into your next holiday.

We have extracted the following examples to give you a flavour, but strongly suggest you click here to see much more!

Aix –en-Provence Arts Festival, France       12th – 17th July

Considered by some, as the best music and arts festival in Europe, this event marks the opening of the new Grand Theatre de Provence and the beginning of a three-year residency by the Berlin Philharmonic.Five night travel packages are on offer from £1,500 per person, including one ticket.

Distant Heat, Jordan        31st July – 1St August

Include with a short break to Jordan, or with a trip to the Red Sea. Distant Heat is a 2-day festival of music and dance. Set in the unique setting of Wadi Rum, against the backdrop of the desert, the event continues with beach and pool parties at the Red Sea resort of Aqaba.

La Tomatina, Bunol        27th August

Ever seen pictures of this event, and wondered wherever it is? La Tomatina takes place every year within the tiny village near Valencia in Spain. The 9000 inhabitants find their population quadrupled as thousands of visitors arrive for the largest tomato fight in the world.

Rip Curl Pro, Hossegor, France        15th – 24th August 

Home to some of the best surfing in the world, Hossegor, on the French West Coast, hosts the ASP (Association of Surfing Professionals) World Qualifying Series. This is the place to be to see the highest rated surfers as they compete for a share of the US$ 150,000 prize money.

Hermanus Whale Festival        24th – 28th September

Enjoy springtime in South Africa and join celebrations to welcome the return of the Southern Right whales. Hermanus, renowned as one of the best whale watching destinations in the world, celebrates the arrival with the ‘Welcome the Whales Wave’ – a 5km long human chain of over 5000 people, lining the cliffs of Walker Bay.

Grand Prix, Singapore        28th September

If you need an excuse to visit this beautiful island, then this could be it. The race will be the first Formula 1 street race in Asia, and the first night- time Grand Prix. Set against the backdrop of downtown Singapore, cars will speed along Raffles Boulevard passing Marina Bay landmarks, and City Hall.

Tennerfest, Jersey        1st October – 12th November

It’s here again – the chance to experience some of the best restaurants on the island for some of the best prices. Over 110 establishments will be taking part, and depending on the venue chosen, lunch or dinner can be enjoyed from as little as £10, £12.50 or £15. It would be a shame to miss out!

PGA Grand Slam of Golf, Bermuda        14th – 15th October

See some of the world’s top golfers while enjoying a break on this beautiful Atlantic Island. Winners of the 2008 Masters, US Open, British Open and PGA Championships will be gathered at the host hotel and golf course, the luxurious Fairmont Southampton.  

Day of the Dead, Mexico         1st – 2nd November

This time is widely celebrated across the country, with offerings left to the dead at dedicated alters. Far from being morbid, the event is quite a celebration with bright street festivals, and each region celebrating in its own unique way.

England Cricket Tour to India         November 2008

The England team will be returning to India this month. We have plenty of contacts for specialist Sports trips, so if you are a fan and thinking of paying a visit, please give us a call.

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We have not listed travel arrangements, as there are often countless options available, and of course, we can build them in to a longer holiday for you, if you wish. So, Please contact us about any events in which you are interested, and we will research the most best itinerary to match your requirements.

Langham Hotels celebrated the anniversary of the opening of the Langham London on June 10, by offering afternoon tea at all of its properties at 1865 prices.

That equates to one shilling six pence per guest, or around seven pence in today’s money - that's what we call really good value!