Apr

Fabulous Fiji and hot air in Canberra: travel deals March 31, 2013

Walk through three countries in a week, blow hot air in Canberra or just lay down amidst beauty in Fiji, in this week’s international and domestic travel deals.

ACT

Celebrate Easter
in Canberra, making your own Easter egg with a Canberra Glasswork artist on
hand to help out at the Crowne Plaza Canberra. The hotel’s ‘Discover More’
offer cuts 20 per cent off the room rate and includes breakfast for two at its
recently refurbished restaurant. Book
until April 28 for stays until April 30, quote ‘Discover More’. Costs from $165
a night, minimum two nights. 138 888, crowneplaza.com/discovermore.

QUEENSLAND

Long lunchers are heading to Port Douglas for its Carnivale (carnivale.com.au) in May 17-26, and the Sheraton Mirage Port Douglas’ ‘Longest Lunch’ on May 17.The three-course meal showcases local produce and all proceeds go to The Leukaemia Foundation. Fly to Port Douglas, stay seven nights in a deluxe garden view room and get over $1200 of bonuses including a room upgrade, two-for-one golf and $500 Wine & Dine credit. Book by April 12. Costs from $1590 a person, twin share. 1300 003 454, myholidaycentre.com.au.

TASMANIA

It’s starting to get chilly in Tassie: what better excuse than to try the state’s whiskeys? Stay three nights, pay for just two from April 1 to September 30 at Somerset Serviced Residences’ two properties. The apartments are on Salamanca Place and in a 1930s pier building overlooking the Derwent River and include full kitchens and separate bedrooms. Costs from $440. 1800 766 377, somerset.com.

NSW

Hilton Sydney

If you prefer your Easter eggs Benedict, rather than
chocolate, check in to the Hilton Sydney for a chic city weekend getaway, and
check out their refurbished guest rooms, the Marble Bar and the views from the
Zeta bar. The hotel’s ‘Treasure Moments’ deal
cuts 20 per cent of their best available rate, and 20 per cent off its
brasserie breakfast for your eggs, however you like ‘em. Bookings must be made
five days in advance until April 30 for stays until December 31. Costs from
$208 a room. 1300 445 866, hilton.com.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Take
time to stop and smell the flowers on this seven-day Wildflower and Nature
expedition which includes a cruise to Woody Island in the Recherche Archipelago
off Esperance see the White Chested Sea Eagle and a visit to Cape Arid at the
edge of the Great Australian Bight. The tour is for just four people, hunting
for the elusive Queen of Sheba orchid and the endangered ground parrot.
Departs September 3 and October 4. Book four months in advance and save up to
$160. Costs from $4135 a person, twin share. (08) 93856422, www.countryescapes.com.au

BRITAIN

Start planning for your British summer jaunts and get a
free day’s travel on its trains when you book a BritRail travel pass by April
15. Tickets have six months’ validity from date of issue. Three-day
second-class tickets cost from $115/children, $185/youth travellers,
$225/adults. raileurope.com.au

EUROPEAN ALPS

Walk through three countries in one week, on the
seven-day Mont Blanc Guided Walk, an alpine tour through France, Italy and
Switzerland on the Mont Blanc massif. Bring a friend and save 20 per cent on
this trip and all UTrack’s Alps 2013 walking trips made between April 1-30. The
tour, which departs every Sunday until September 15, includes all meals,
accommodation, guides and mule baggage transfers. Costs from $798 a person. 1300 303 368, utracks.com.

FIJI

For luxury in the South Pacific, Fiji’s adults-only
Tadrai Island Resort, in the Mamanucas, comprises just five private villas.
Stay three nights and get a free one-way helicopter transfer, saving $538. Stay
five nights, and they’ll include return transfers. Costs from $4363 a couple,
three nights in a private pool villa which includes all meals and snacks,
butlers, delicious Pure Fiji toiletries and all resort activities such as sea
kayaking and diving. Book until July 16, travel between April 1, 2013 and March
31, 2014. +1 866 783 1840, tadrai.com.

CENTRAL AMERICA

This trip through Belize, Guatemala and Mexico promises
to teach you the essential differences between Mayans and Aztecs: Mayans made
their kids cross-eyed, Aztecs would eat their dead enemies when there was
nothing else on the table. Get 15 per
cent off most Gecko trips including this one, a 23-day It’s worth the Human
Sacrifice trip. Save $644 when you book by April 12 for trips departing until
August 31, quote code ‘1360’. Costs from $1931 a person, twin share. 1300 791
47, geckosadventures.com.

CHINA

Kung fu, terracotta warriors and the Forbidden City are among
the highlights of Helen Wong’s 14-day China Wonders tour, which traverses the
country from Beijing’s hutongs to Shanghai’s glamorous Bund and the warriors’
home in Xian. Save $400 a person when you travel in the hot summer months, from
early June to late August. The package includes international airfares,
four-star accommodation, guides and visas. Book by May 31. Costs from $3650 a
person. 1300 788328, helenwongstours.com.

TOURWATCH

Champagne devotees will go back to the source in the
first tour through the famed French region lead by Australian ‘Champagne Dame’
Kyla Kirkpatrick. Kyla lives, breathes and works for the bubbled beverage, conducting
champagne masterclasses here and abroad. “This will be an intimate, red carpet
sojourn which will enable fellow champagne lovers to enjoy indulgent soirees
with the owners and winemakers,” she promises. The 12 guests will visit 15 prestigious
estates, many closed to the public while staying in the 17th-century Chateau de
Mairie. The tour starts in Paris on June 23 with a private champagne and
perfume masterclass, where you’ll receive a custom-made scent. Costs from $4990
a person, twin share, 0403 149 809, thechampagnedame.com.

Source: Belinda Jackson, Sun Herald

Mar

It’s guinea pigs on the barbie and Pi Mai in Laos: travel deals March 24, 2013

To die for: Sofitel Sydney’s Addams Family suite.

Roast guinea pix in Ecuador with Celine Cousteau. Go on, you know you want to. Or stay with the Addams family in Sydney, sniff out a bottle of fabulousness in Tassie or hang with pandas in China, in this week’s international and domestic travel deals.

NSW

For lovers of all things creepy, kooky and French, check in to the Sofitel Sydney Wentworth’s Addams Family suite, main picture, for the night – complete with cobwebs, watchful family portraits and a haunted mirror – and do high tea, Addams style (“It’s to die for,” the hotel says). The Addams Family musical opened last night at the Capitol Theatre, and the Sofitel’s Soiree lobby bar, resplendent with coffins and tombstones, is serving a blood-red Morticia’s Martini and bubbly Pugsley’s Poison to celebrate. The Addams Family suite package includes an ‘A’ reserve ticket to the musical, Club Sofitel access, breakfast, high tea with cocktails and, of course, late checkout (though still in daylight hours). Book by April 28. Costs from $275 a person, twin share. (02) 9228 9188, sofitelsydney.com.au.

TASMANIA

Follow your nose to some of Australia’s best cellar doors and gourmet haunts in northern Tasmania, between Launceston and Cradle Mountain. Stay one night at the Country Club Tasmania, just outside Launceston, and another night at Cradle Mountain Chateau and get full breakfast and two-course dinners each night, a bottle of local wine and entrance into the privately owned photography gallery, The Wilderness Gallery, until June 30. Costs from $283 a person, twin share, quote code “CC009”. 1800 420 555,countryclubtasmania.com.au.

QUEENSLAND

Hervey Bay is the jumping-off point for Fraser Island, pictured top left, a delight for whale-watchers and simply a place to relax. Save a precise 31 per cent on three-night stays at the four-star Peppers Pier Resort. The resort has two pools, a children’s area, day spa and fully-equipped suites with balconies overlooking the bay. Book by April 15 for travel April 2-July 4. Costs from $516 a room for three nights. 1300 888 180, zuji.com.au.

NORFOLK ISLAND

Although it is more than 1600 kilometres from Sydney, Norfolk Island is still part of the ‘hood, even though you fly over seas to get there (and you also need your passport). This eight-day tour of the south Pacific island sees you staying in the top hotel, the Governor’s Lodge resort, experiencing local culture at the Sunday markets and exploring its rainforests and gardens. Book by September 30 and save $125 a person. Costs from $2770 a person, twin share. 1300 723 642, scenictours.com.au.

CENTRAL AUSTRALIA

Enjoy your own bird’s-eye view of Australia when you cross the country on a Bill Peach Gulf to Gulf aircruise. There are only two journeys annually, this year departing from either Adelaide (June 21) or Darwin (July 1). The 10-day aircruise visits iconic outback towns and villages including Innamincka, Birdsville and Arkaroola, as well as raucous Mount Isa and up into Arnhem Land, where you’ll stay at the remote Seven Spirit Bay, on the Cobourg Peninsula. (PS: atlases out. The gulfs are Carpentaria and Spencer). Costs from $11,595 a person, twin share. 1800 252 053, billpeachjourneys.com.au.

INDONESIA

Stay five nights in a deluxe room at
Kuta’s Hard Rock hotel and get two extra nights free. The offer includes
breakfast daily, shopping vouchers and airport transfers as well as a massage,
white-water rafting adventure or water-sports experience. Travel from April 1
to June 30. Costs from $519 a person, seven nights. 1300 883 887, travelonline.com.

LAOS

Laos celebrates Pi Mai from April 13-15. The best spot to experience
it is in the Luang Prabang. Stay three nights in a garden
room at the former royal residence, the 25-room Maison Souvannaphoum and they’ll
include a boat tour on the Mekong to watch the celebrations, guided tour of the
Lao New Year parade, market fair and city festivals and a Lao Prince dinner as
well as half-price spa treatments. Costs from $488++ a room. 856 71 254 609,
angsana.com.

NEW ZEALAND

Celebrate winter in style at the famed luxury lodge,
Matakauri Lodge, and save 33 per cent. Set outside Queenstown, the view from
the 11 suites is of Lake Wakatipu with the remarkable Remarkables towering
behind. Stay two nights in a deluxe suite
between May 1 and July 31 and get a third night free: the offer also includes
pre-dinner drinks, breakfast and gourmet dinner. Costs from $1430+ a person,
three nights. +64 3 441 1008, www.matakaurilodge.com.

EUROPE

It’s veteran tour leader Jeanette Savage’s last European hurrah
when she leads Interlude Tour’s 36-day journey through Europe, departing
September 18. Just 17 guests will fly to Paris and travel to
the Loire Valley, visit Bilbao’s Guggenheim, see Gaudi’s masterpieces in Barcelona
and revel in the beauty of Provence, Cinque Terre and the Swiss Alps, staying
in boutique hotels. Book by April 19 and they’ll include airport transfers and
two nights’ accommodation for two at the Rembrandt Hotel Bangkok on the way
home. Costs from $12,240 a person, twin share, includes economy air fares. (02)
9405 2218, interlude-tours.com.

CHINA

Intrepid My Adventure Store is cutting 25 per cent, or $550, off its two-week tours from Beijing to Shanghai when booked by April 15, for travel May 20 and June 3. The tour ticks off the Chinese icons, including the Great Wall, Terracotta Warriors and Tienanmen Square, as well as volunteering at the Bifengxia Panda Breeding Centre and staying at a rural farm. Costs from $1500 a person. 1300 021 123, myadventurestore.com.

TOURWATCH

Celine Cousteau in underwater action.

With a pedigree that lists Jean-Michel Cousteau as her father and Jacques
Cousteau as grandfather, you know that an adventure with French
explorer Céline Cousteau is going to be a wild ride, indeed. Céline will spend
three days with you on Ecuador’s Galapagos Islands as part of Contiki’s 11-day
Galapagos & Ecuador tour. Remember, it’s still South America, so expect
guinea pig on the barbie, hip-flinging salsa and a chance to stare into the
abyss at Cotopaxi volcano. As part of Earth Month, Contiki will donate all profits from this trip to local Oceanic
initiatives in the Galapagos. The tour departs April 21. Costs
from $2685 a person, twin share. 1300 266 845, contiki.com.au.

Source: Belinda Jackson, Sun Herald

Mar

Where Maggie Beer relaxes, Fleur Wood eats and wellness and eco escapes: Good Weekend

Where does Maggie Beer truly relax, and Fleur Woods
find a Victorian gourmet getaway? Part of Good Weekend’s 52 ExtraordinaryJourneys that cover wellness retreats and eco-escapes.

MAGGIE BEER, cook,
restaurateur, author
The experience: Consistency, attention to detail and utter relaxation
on Kangaroo Island.
“I have visited the Southern Ocean Lodge four times, as
I host a Kangaroo Island Food Safari each year. Recently, I stayed at the lodge
for five days. I’m a detail freak and I appreciate every little bit. The luxury
is the staff, who are lovely people. It’s in the swivel chairs you sit on. It’s
in the way everything is so restful, and how every window is set to capture a
view: the first time I walked into the lodge’s great room, it took my breath
away. It’s in the greeting on arrival, the freshly made lamingtons served and
the good-quality tea. On my last visit, we walked the cliffs to Hanson Bay
every morning, and every morning the staff would offer to pack us cut fruit on
ice or a picnic and rug. We sat outside for every meal we could, eating the
best food, using seasonal, local produce. The lodge’s signature scent is lemon
myrtle, so there’s a sense of the bush. I don’t relax easily unless I’m by the
sea. Here, I am so relaxed, I just give myself over to it.”
Dream to reality: Regional
Express (rex.com.au) flies daily from Adelaide to Kangaroo Island; Sealink
(sealink.com.au) has a daily ferry service from Cape Jervis on the mainland.
Southern Ocean Lodge, Hanson Bay, two-night stays from $990 a person a night,
twin share. southernoceanlodge.com.au

WELL-BEING

CLEAN
SKINS, TAS
The experience: Chardonnay body scrub, pinot bath and a glass of wine.
Snuggled in the wild dunes of Tasmania’s far north-east, Barnbougle Lost Farm’s
spa menu includes vinotherapy – embracing blends from the nearby Tamar Valley’s
cool-climate wines. Think chardonnay exfoliant, pinot noir body mask, then a
still-water pinot bath.
Dream to reality: Barnbougle Lost Farm, Waterhouse
Road, Bridport, is one hour’s drive from Launceston. Fly direct from
Melbourne’s Moorabbin Airport. Rooms from $190 a night, twin share; 150 minutes
of vinotherapy from $320 a person. lostfarm.com.au

MASSAGE THERAPY, NT
The experience: Waterfall “treatment” in
subtropical climes.
Nature’s hand replaces that of the therapist, no booking is required, and there
are no man-made products – just an invigorating pummelling. In and around
beautiful Litchfield National Park south of Darwin, the popular Florence Falls,
Wangi Falls, Sandy Creek (Tjaynera Falls), Surprise Creek Falls and Buley
Rockhole can deliver neck-and-shoulder workouts. The best time to try is early
in the
dry season, May-June.
Dream to reality: Litchfield National Park is a
90-minute drive from Darwin. Walk from carparks to individual waterfalls.
travelnt.com

PAMPER PACKED, WA
The experience: A splendid bolthole and secluded
beach in the south-west.
Injidup Spa Retreat’s 10 villas have heated plunge pools, ocean views, in-villa
dining and an in-villa massage service. A member of the Small Luxury Hotels of
the World network, Injidup is adjacent to Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park and
within driving distance of the Margaret River wine-and-dine bounty, yet well
suited to travellers who seek to be alone, but pampered, near a brooding sea.
Dream to reality: Injidup is a three-hour drive
southwest of Perth. Two-night weekend villa stays from $650 a night.
injidupsparetreat.com.au

TUB THUMPER, SA
The experience: Barossa bush bathing.
The seven-suite Kingsford Homestead, built in 1856, has an alfresco two-person
bath set in a private corner of the estate. Guests are handed a basket
containing a bathrobe and salts before they walk into the bush to bathe.
Dream to reality: Kingsford is an hour’s drive
north of Adelaide. Two-night stays from $1780 for two. kingsfordhomestead.com.au

BODY CAMPS, QLD
The experience: A Noosa ‘‘bodibreak’’ for those
made of tough stuff.
Train like a pro under the direction of Life’s A Gym coaches: think
bootcamp-style sessions on the beach, in the ocean and pool, as well as
running, bike riding, and stand-up paddling and surfing sessions. The regimen
is bespoke and includes fitness and nutrition advice.
Dream to reality: Fly direct from Sydney or
Melbourne to Sunshine Coast Airport. Stay at Outrigger Little Hastings Street,
Noosa. Four-day ‘‘bodibreak’’ from $1650 a person, twin share. lifesagym.com

ECO

WINGING
IT, QLD
The experience: Savannah meets wetlands meets
lodge comforts.
Wake to a chorus of brolgas after a night’s sleep in an African-style tented
stay overlooking the 2000-hectare Mareeba Tropical Savanna and Wetland Reserve
in
the Atherton Tableland west of Cairns, in Far North Queensland. The Wildlife
Conservancy of Tropical Queensland spent 10 years developing the reserve.
Dream to reality: By car, it’s about a 90-minute
drive from Cairns or Port Douglas. Lodge stays from $229 a person a night, twin
share. Cairns-Mareeba train and bus services available. Transfers from Cairns
to the Jabiru Safari Lodge are available by special request.
jabirusafarilodge.com.au

BEST BEDS, SA
The experience: Stylish digs deep in native
forest.
Winter and early spring bring forth flowering plants and orchids at the
spectacular Tanonga, a 100-hectare property on the Eyre Peninsula where more
than 25,000 native trees, shrubs, grasses and sedges have been planted to help
restore the land. It’s a robust landscape of incredible views, with two
architect-designed, self-contained lodges sitting among it.
Dream to reality: Regional Express flies daily
from Adelaide to Port Lincoln. Tanonga Luxury Eco Lodges are a 20-minute drive
from the airport. Lodge stay is $310-$340 a night. Minimum two-night stay.
tanonga.com.au

BORN WILD, TAS
The experience: At home on the edge of the wild
Tarkine.
Corinna is a former goldmining settlement, its riverside workers’ cottages and
stores since renovated and an additional 14 retreats built to complement the
settler vernacular. On the southern side of the Tarkine – the largest temperate
rainforest in Australia – Corinna has rainwater on tap. While you’re there,
take a Pieman River cruise on the stunning Arcadia II, a 17-metre vessel made
of huon pine in 1939.
Dream to reality: Corinna is a three-hour drive
south west of Stanley or 90 minutes north of Strahan, on Tasmania’s west coast.
One-bedroom retreats from $200 a night for two people. corinna.com.au

STYLISHLY SOLAR, VIC
The experience: Corrugated-iron “bush
shelters”, courtesy of architects.
Self-contained studios insulated with sheep’s wool and decorated with found and
recycled materials form The Odd Frog, built on
4.2 hectares in Bright in Victoria’s north-east. It’s a solar-powered stay,
with grey water going to the orchard, walking and cycling tracks (including the
sealed Murray to the Mountains rail trail) nearby, and Bright’s shops a short
stroll away.
Dream to reality: Bright is about a three-hour
drive from Melbourne. Nearest airport is Albury, NSW. Studios from $150 a
night. theoddfrog.com

ROO THE DAY, NSW
The experience: No plastic, thanks, we’re
permaculture people.
Tucked between a sandstone escarpment and the Morton National Park, Kangaroo
Valley has National Trust-listed landscapes and village buildings, a
long-standing ‘‘no plastic bags in shops’’ policy, and tourism operators who
are upfront about their efforts to reduce their carbon emissions. About 1300
people live in the valley, and it’s
a badge of honour for many that there are no traffic lights in the area.
Dream to reality: Kangaroo Valley is a two-hour
drive south of Sydney. kangaroovalleytourist.asn.au

FLEUR WOOD, Sydney fashion
designer
The experience: Towns that let the tables do the talking.
“Victoria’s Daylesford region is a foodie revelation All
we did on a weekend visit was eat. My favourite restaurant is Kazuki’s –
modern, Japanese-inspired bistro food. There’s beef and foie gras on the menu,
but it’s very light. It’s my kind of food and I wanted everything on the menu.
Wombat Hill House cafe, in the botanic gardens, is a great place to take kids
and the food is fresh, organic and healthy. We had lunch in the conservatory
and were struck by the delicious salads with fresh herbs and the local spring
water. I did manage to get to Hepburn Bathhouse and Spa and visit Lavandula, a
Swiss-Italian-style lavender farm for the signature lavender scones, of course.
It is really beautiful, a good place for a post-spa afternoon tea. There are so
many restaurants, yet there’s still an Australian country town aesthetic about
Daylesford. With a husband and young baby, plus restaurants and spa treatments
to experience, I didn’t have much time for shopping, but we took home some
home-made apricot and almond jam. So much of the food is local and organic and
there’s a real pride in growing and producing your own foods. It’s such a great
community. If it was just outside Sydney, I’d be there every second
weekend.”
Dream to reality: Daylesford
and the Macedon Ranges is north-west of Melbourne. Self-guided touring
recommended. visitvictoria.com

This article originally appeared in Good
Weekend. Like Good Weekend on Facebook to get regular updates on upcoming stories
and events – www.facebook.com/GoodWeekendMagazine

Source: Belinda Jackson, Good Weekend Magazine

Feb

See Tokyo in style and go warp-drive in Sri Lanka: travel deals 10 February 2013

Click on for Mark Jensen’s bbq octopus recipe, Noosa Food & Wine, Qld.

Beautiful people eating beautiful food: it’s Noosa in a nutshell come this May. Otherwise, Tokyo in style and knowing your warp and weft in Sri Lanka, in this week’s domestic and international travel deals.

QUEENSLAND

Foodies will flock to Noosa from May 16-19 for the 10th Noosa International Food & Wine festival. Highlights
include Edible Music, which sees musicians and chefs combined, degustation
dinners, sunset concerts and a new Barefoot beach marquee for cocktail
competitions and a seafood feast. Tickets cost from $40, which include
celebrity chef cooking demos and live entertainment, up to $330 for a Weekend
Gold Pass, which includes cocktail parties and preferential concert seating.
Book before April 1 and save 10 per cent discount (excluding some events and
the Platinum Experience). (07) 5455 4455, noosafoodandwine.com.au.

VICTORIA

“Autumn is a delightful time to escape into our wonderful alpine landscape, with epic sunsets and soft meadows filled with wildflowers,” says Alan Fenner of ParkTrek. The highlight of the ‘Alpine High Plains’ wfour-day walk (March 23-26) is a trek along the Razorback from Mt Hotham to Mt Feathertop. Team it up with the four-day ‘Easter in the Victorian Alps’ walk (March 29 – April 1), which criss-crosses the high country, visiting historical huts, staying at a ski lodge in Falls Creek. Walks are graded easy to medium, averaging 12-16km daily. Book both trips and save $120. Costs $2080 a person for two trips, includes meals, accommodation and guides (03) 9877 9540, parktrek.com.

TASMANIA

Tassie is girding its
loins for the island’s international arts festival, Ten Days on the Island,
coming up on March 15-24 (tendaysontheisland.com). Get in early and hook
yourself some seriously swank digs, at the beautiful Villa Howden, 15
minute drive from Hobart on the shores of North West Bay. Comprising 10 luxury suites looking over the bay,
the setting is serene, with wi-fi,
Australian cosmetics, full breakfast and in-suite bar included. Stay two
nights, get a third free, saving a cool $420. Book and stay by March 28. Costs
from $840 for three nights. (03) 6267 1161, villahowden.com.au.

WESTERN
AUSTRALIA

Start planning for WA’s wildflower season, which carpets the state in a rich
tapestry from June to November. Outback Spirit’s 15-day Western Wildflower
Discovery tour traverses the state’s riches, from Monkey Mia and the Shark Bay
Marina to wildlife sanctuaries as well as those beautiful stretches of native
wildflowers. Tours depart in September and October, book by February 28 and fly
Sydney-Perth return for just $199. Costs from $5595 a person, twin share. 1800
688 222, outbackspirittours.com.au.

Shangri-La Tokyo

TOKYO

Get to grips with Tokyo in style, with the Shangri-La Hotel’s new package, which sees you skipping about town in a private limo. Hotel stays usually cost from $740 a night, but the two-night ‘Explore Tokyo in Style’ package lets you snap your fingers and have the car whisk you on a tour, to the airport or just to take you shopping, until June 30. Costs from $1500, two nights. 1800 222 448, www.shangri-la.com/jp.

ITALY

Feel the rails rocking beneath you on the night journey from Paris to Rome. The Thello night trains travel up to 180km/hour and travel between Paris, Milan, Venice and now Rome with both six-berth couchette and first-class sleepers available. Book seven days in advance and save up to 50 per cent. Seats are limited, so get in early. Costs from $52 a person in a six-berth couchette. 1300 387 245, internationalrail.com.au.

USA

Get the true taste of Creole with a cooking school that
unravels the cuisine of the Deep South, with its French, Spanish, Portuguese,
Italian and Native American influences. There’s also a tour of the Jack Daniels
distillery and dinner in a Natchez mansion on this 10-day Tastes & Sounds
of the South tour. The tours depart between May 2 and October 31. Book six
months ahead and save $119. Costs from $2256 a person, twin share. 1300 663
043, trafalgar.com.

CANADA

Recovered from Christmas? It’s time to start planning for
next year, with a Canadian White Christmas tour. Have Christmas Day brunch at
Lake Louise followed by a ride in a horse-drawn sleigh, train through The
Rockies, visit the snow haven of Whistler and a take gondola ride at Banff. Departs December 16. Book by April 30, save
up to $500 a person. Costs from $6495 a person, twin share. 1300 278 278, aptouring.com.au.

MALAYSIA

Bargain hunters love Malaysia, not only for the shopping, but also for the good value on its accommodation. The Villa Samadhi is a sleek, 21-room contemporary Asian residence brimming with pools, thatch roofs and Asian antiques in central Kuala Lumpur. Stay two nights at the Relais & Chateaux property before February 28, get dinner and airport transfers and $173 off. Costs from $566 a villa, two nights. 1800 667731, globalhotelsmarketing.com.

TOURWATCH: SRI LANKA

One of this year’s hot spots, the attention on Sri Lanka
is justly deserved for its spectacular beaches, lush landscapes and intriguing
culture. Textiles aficionados have the chance to explore the island’s textiles
history, from lace to embroidery, batik and handloomed cloth. The tour is led by Melbourne embroidery
artist Cresside Colette, originally from Colombo. Highlights include private
textiles collections, weaving villages and lace workshops, as well as the
island’s main tourist sites and there’s plenty of opportunity to shop its busy
markets, with Active Travel’s wise shoppers by your side. The tour departs May
6-17. Costs from $3874 a person, twin share (excludes airfares). (02) 6249
6122, activetravel.com.au.

SOURCE: Belinda Jackson, Sun Herald

Feb

Dine in the desert, lap up the luxury: travel deals 3 February 2013

It could only be the Maldives.

Lap up the luxury in the Maldives, dine in the desert beneath the stars at Uluru or snigger like a schoolboy in Cappadocia, in this week’s domestic and international travel deals.

TASMANIA

Small and beautiful not only describes the island of Tasmania, but also Hobart’s sleek boutique hotel scene, led by the bellwether The Islington. The last word in chic, the 11-room hotel is offering 20 per cent off dinner, bed and breakfast in its lush Garden View rooms when you stay Wednesday to Sunday. Normally $585 a night, rug up and save $117 a night on stays between April 1 and September 30. The offer includes a three-course a la carte dinner for two. Book by February 28. Costs from $468 a night. 1300 896 627, mrandmrssmith.com.

VICTORIA

Now the holiday crowds have gone, you can soak up the
beauty of the Great Ocean Road in relative peace. Stay three nights in a cabin
at the Big4 Beacon Resort in Queenscliff and they’ll include a Movie Munch
popcorn pack, free DVD hire, mountain bikes, two meals for the price of one at
Terindah Estate vineyard, half price on a South Bay eco-tours discovery tour
and a bottle of chardonnay from local vineyard, Scotchmans Hill. Excludes
Saturday nights, the Bellarine Getaway
Package is valid until August 31. Costs from $330, three nights. 1800 351 152, beaconresort.com.au.

QUEENSLAND

The Sebel Resort Noosa, Queensland.

If you thought Noosa’s locals couldn’t get any more buff and beautiful, wait till the Kellogg’s Nutri-grain Ironman and Ironwoman series comes to town on February 24. Get into the action with a stay at the refurbished Sebel Resort Noosa, on Hastings Street. Stay in a one-bed spa apartment and get 35 per cent off, kids stay free and you’ll also get free internet. Stay two nights or more, and get free bike hire or surfboard hire. Book by February 28 for stays until June 20 (excluding Easter), and quote the suitably vigorous promo code ‘outdoors’. Costs from $259 a night. 131 515, sebelresortnoosa.com.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

It’s still summer out in the west, where the turtles are
nesting and the manta rays are swimming. Do your bit to keep the turtles happy
with a guided tour to spot Green, Loggerhead and Hawksbill turtles (08 9949 1176, exmouthwa.com.au), Stay at the nearby Novotel Ningaloo Reef in
Exmouth and get five nights for the price of four on stays until March 28.
Costs from $1100 a room, five nights. (08) 9949 0000, novotelningaloo.com.au.

NORTHERN TERRITORY

Tick the Northern Territory many icons off your bucket
list in one swoop, on the 11-day Territory Explorer, including Uluru, Alice
Springs, Kakadu and Katherine Gorge. Highlights also include a Sounds of
Silence dinner in the central Australian desert, a slap-up feed at Daly Waters
pub and two nights at the Sails in the Desert resort at Uluru. Book by March 31 and your partner gets free
flights into Ayers Rock and out of Darwin, tours depart between June and August.
Costs from $5665 a person, twin share.
1300 723 642,
scenictours.com.

THAILAND

Get into the thick of Bangkok’s gold-obsessed Chinatown
with a three-night stay that includes breakfast daily, welcome drinks, free
wi-fi and 20 per cent off at the hotel spa. Rooms from the 11th floor up of the
three-star Grand China hotel include views of the city and Chao Phraya river.
Book by March 31 for stays between April 1 and October 31. Costs from $95 a
person, twin share, for three nights. 133 133, flightcentre.com.au.

TURKEY

The pun-worthy rock formations of Cappadocia, Turkey

Turkish history resonates with Australians, and the
battlefields of World War I are on the itinerary of this seven-day ‘Turkish Delight’ coach tour through
a remarkable country. Other highlights include the ancient cities of Troy and
Ephesus, the Convent of the Whirling Dervishes in far western Konya and the
pun-worthy rock formations of Cappadocia. Save 10 per cent when you book by
February 20, excludes tours during the ANZAC period, April 18-25. Costs from
$828 a person, includes four-star accommodation and most meals. 1300 362 844, tempoholidays.com.

BALI

Beat the rush for flights and book your April holiday
before March 1 to save $726 on a seven-night stay at Club Med, Nusa Dua. The
offer includes all meals, open bar and snacks, kids’ club, sports activities
and daily entertainment. They’ll also include airport transfers and Club Med
membership with travel insurance on travel. The deal is valid for travel until
April 30. Normally $1913 for adults, costs from $1187 for adults, $692 for
children, seven nights. 1300 855 052, clubmed.com.au.

The Viceroy Maldives.

MALDIVES

You may not
have celebrated Maldives National Day on January 25, but the five-star Viceroy
Maldives, on Vagaru Island, has marked the occasion with a discount on its 61
luxe beach and waterfront villas. Book by February 17 and save up to $760 a
night on stays until March 23. They’ll also include breakfast daily and a free
upgrade to the next villa type, if available. (Minimum stay four nights between
February 4 – 17).
Costs from $910 a
villa, a night. viceroyhotelgroup.com.

SPAIN & FRANCE

Paris and Barcelona: does it get any better? It does,
when you include the French wine regions of Bordeaux, St-Emilion and Sauternes,
then add Seville, Ronda and Granada into the mix. The Splendours of France
& Spain tour spends 18 days ambling through these two European superstars,
with departures on May 5 and September 29. Book before February 28 and get $200
off the luxury coach tour. Costs from $4435 a person, twin share. 1300 237 886,
insightvacations.com.

South Australia’s incomparable Flinders Ranges.

TOURWATCH

Capture the vastness of central Australia with a new
aerial landscape photography tour, led by the highly experienced photographer Peter
Elfes. The six-day tour skims over the beauty of the Flinders Ranges and Lake
Eyre in light aircraft, and gets down on the ground with walking and 4WD tours
and photography workshops. There’s also an overnight stay in Marree and visit
to Andamooka included, with flights by Air Wilpena, which has been running
scenic flights in the region since 1959. The groups will have a maximum of 12
guests and tours depart June 4-9 and October 22-27. Costs from $4475 a person,
single room, including all flights and tours. (08) 8648 0004, airwilpena.com.au.

Source: Belinda Jackson, Sun Herald

Jan

Swing and sing across Texas: travel deals 27 January 2013

Do glamour, Gregory Peck and gelato in Italy, swim with dolphins in Western Australia or hit the road, Jack, and swing across Texas, in this week’s round-up of domestic and international travel deals.

ACT

Canberra’s centenary calendar is hotting up, with the National Archives of Australia showing exhibitions by photographer Max Dupain and on Britain’s Child Migrants, there are the best political cartoons on show at the Museum of Australian Democracy in Old Parliament House and, of course, Toulouse Lautrec in the National Gallery. Stay at the five-star Hotel Realm, within the parliamentary triangle, until end June and save 54 per cent on the full rate with its ‘Love Notes’ package, which includes accommodation, a mini Moet, dessert platter, breakfast and late check-out. Costs from $375 for two people, one night, quote ‘Love Notes’. 1300 88 7979, wotif.com/hotelW50609.

NSW

You don’t have to leave the state to find one of the
world’s longest resort swimming pools: coming in at 485 metres long, it’s at
the Oaks Pacific Blue Resort in Port Stephens, 160km north of Sydney. The quiet
coastal region is a magnet for fisherfolk, dolphin spotters and those who just
like rolling down sand dunes, while the resort facilities include tennis
courts, a gym and a Japanese steam room. Save up to $25 a night on when you book a
two-night stay from January 27-June 30. Costs from $258, studio room, two
nights. 1300 669 978, oakshotelsresorts.com.

QUEENSLAND

You’ll be praying for hot weather with a deal at QT Gold
Coast hotel’s SpaQ, which knocks the price of the day’s top temperature off
your midweek one-hour spa treatment. So if it’s 29 degrees, you’ll get $29 off the
cost of the treatment. Valid until February 28, Mondays-Thursdays and quote
‘I’m hot’. 07 5584 1108, qtgoldcoast.com.au/spa-q/.

The dolphins of Monkey Mia, WA.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Set foot on the most westerly tip of Australia, at Cape Leeuwin, walk through the Valley of the Giants, watched over by towering forests, and journey into Kalgoorlie’s Super Pit on a 15-day coach tour of WA’s south east. Starting and finishing in Perth, the tour includes lunch at Palandri Winery in the Margaret Valley, a walking tour of Fremantle and a meet-and-greet with Monkey Mia’s dolphins. Book during the wildflower season, from August to November, to see WA’s desert plains flushed with colour. Book with a deposit by February 15, and your friend saves 25 percent. Costs from $4550 for the first person, $3413 for your friend. 1300 228 546, aatkings.com.au.

VICTORIA

Visit some of the most beautiful
gardens surrounding Melbourne on a three-night tour just in time for Mother’s
Day. Staying at the Sofitel Melbourne, the small group tour starts with high
tea at The Hotel Windsor, followed by a street art tour through the city’s
laneways, for an edgy touch. The gardens on tour include Cranbourne Botanic
Gardens’ Australian garden, Heronswood on the Mornington Peninsula and the
William Ricketts Sanctuary in the Dandenong Ranges. Book by February 28
and save $100. Includes most meals,
botanical guides and airport transfers. Costs from $1695 a person, twin share.
1300 305 202, botanica.travel.

Hotel Aviatic, Paris

FRANCE

Soak up the Parisian vibe at a discount price at the
Hotel Aviatic, on the Left Bank, close by the bars and restaurants of Saint-Germain
des Prés and Montparnasse. Save E135 ($171) on a traditional room or E165 on a
prestige room, and get breakfast, a bottle of wine and chocolates on stays
until February 28. Costs from E160 (traditional room) or E195 (prestige room).
1800 667 731, aviatic.fr.

COOK ISLANDS

The islands of the Pacific are renowned for their
welcoming arms, and those travelling to Rarotonga with Air New Zealand will
receive NZ$100 (A$75) to spend, for a very warm welcome, indeed. You could do an Aitutaki Lagoon tour, enjoy
an hour-long massage, get two days’ car hire or buy 20 papaya smoothies! Book
by March 4 for travel until June 3, cookislands.travel. Passengers traveling
Air New Zealand from Sydney to Rarotonga direct on Saturday nights get an
additional round of discounts on activities on the islands. Flights depart
Sydney 8.30pm Fridays, arrive Rarotonga 5.30am Saturdays. 132 476,
airnewzealand.com.au.

NEW ZEALAND

Spend Valentine’s Day at The Farm at Cape Kidnappers, in
Hawke’s Bay, voted one of the world’s top lodges and save 15 percent off the
standard high season rate. The package includes one night in a luxury suite, a
bottle of champagne, rose petals, bath oil and candles. There’s also a
five-course dinner, breakfast, mini-bar and, importantly, late check-out.
What’s not to love? Valid February 10-17. Costs from $855 a person, twin share
(naturally). +64 6 875 1900, capekidnappers.com.

FIJI

The sunny islands of Fiji are on the rebound after last
year’s Cyclone Evan, with deals to be had. Stay seven nights at the Sofitel
Fiji Resort & Spa on the five-star strip on Denarau Island, get return
airfares from Sydney, $535 in wine, dine and spa credit, a full-day island
cruise, a cultural heritage tour, airport transfers, breakfast, free kids food
and kids’ club. Costs from $1690 a person, twin share. Similar deals are
available at the Sheraton Fiji Resort and Outrigger on the Lagoon. 1300 00 34
54, myholidaycentre.com.au/fiji/.

ITALY

Glamour, Gregory Peck and gelato: do Italy like Audrey
Hepburn, swanning through Tuscany, Rome and the Amalfi coast. Diva alert: join
a handful of other fabulous travellers and cruise Italy in the ultimate girls’
getaway of shopping, spas and Vespas. Book and deposit the 14-day ‘Do it like
Audrey Hepburn’ tour by February 22 for departure on June 23, and get a free
night in a 4-star Florence hotel before or after the tour. Costs from $6959 a person, twin share, quote
‘SHDIVAS’. 0408 721
569, travellingdivas.com.au.

TOURWATCH

San Antonio, Fort
Worth, Memphis, Texarkana … if these names resonate with your soul, it’s time
to hit the American West – in a Mustang convertible, of course – for a musical
road trip across the USA, from LA to Nashville. The Swing Across Texas
self-drive tour is fully escorted and departs June 15, hitting Route 66, Vegas
and Buddy Holly’s birthplace in Lubbock County, Texas, with the Grand Canyon in
there for good measure. The clincher is there’s a live act or entertainment in
every city, every night of the 22-day tour, which is included in the price
along with car hire and insurance. Costs from $7350 a person, twin share. (07)
5577 4655, classicdrivingtours.com.

Source: Belinda Jackson, Sun Herald

Jan

From Elysium to Middle Earth: travel deals 20 Jan 2013

The crowd-pleasing silvery gibbon, Indonesia.

Track down the Asian Big 5, find Elysium in the Hunter Valley or hit Middle Earth, in this week’s domestic and international travel deals.

ACT

With the National Portrait Gallery, the National Museum
of Australia and the National Gallery of Australia (currently showing the Toulouse
Lautrec exhibition) all within cooee of each other, it’s easy to see why art
lovers love Canberra. Plan ahead and save when you stay at the Mercure
Canberra. Book 30 days in advance and save up to 30 per cent on your room rate.
Costs from $112 a night, room only. 136 565,
accorhotels.com.

SOUTH
AUSTRALIA

Need a break after the rush and bustle of Christmas? Head
to the serenity of the Barossa Valley, an hour’s drive north of Adelaide. The Novotel Barossa Valley costs from $239 a
night; fly return with Virgin Australia to Adelaide and stay two nights until
March 31. Costs from $429 a person, twin share, ex-Sydney. 1300 130 485, travel.com.au.

QUEENSLAND

Stay five nights, pay four at Daydream Island Resort
& Spa and get full buffet breakfast daily and free use of watersports
equipment and open-air cinema. Two children under 14 also get to stay and eat
breakfast free for stays January 28-March 31. Costs from $598 a person, twin
share, four nights. 1800 075 040,
daydreamisland.com.

Elysia, Hunter Valley NSW

NSW

The Hunter Valley’s Golden Door health retreat, Elysia,
is running a ‘bring a friend for half-price’ deal over summer. Packages include
beautiful spa cuisine, snacks, an initial assessment as well as wellness
seminars, exercise equipment and classes including meditation and early morning
tai chi. Book before January 31 for stays until February 14 and save $525. Costs
from $1575, two people for two days.
1800 212 011, goldendoor.com.au/health-retreats/elysia.

VICTORIA

Forget heatwaves, it’s time to
plan your snow play, and happening Hotham has launched its early-bird specials.
Stay five nights in a ski-in/ski-out one-bedroom White Crystal apartment, in
the middle of the village, and save $251 when booked by January 31. Costs from
$2102 for five nights during the value
season, June 7 -27, July 22–August 1, August 26-29 September. Costs
from $2256 for five nights during peak season (June 28 – July 21 and August 2 –
25). 1800 468 426, hotham.com.au.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Eagle Lodge, Faraway Bay

Far up on the remote Kimberley coastline sits the aptly named
Faraway Bay, a tiny resort amidst the wonders of pristine waterfalls, sublime
waterways and ancient Aboriginal art. Book before January 31 and save 10 per
cent off the regular rate, and they’ll also include a free night at the
Pinctada Kimberley Grande Resort, Kununurra before you fly out to the remote property.
Rates include guided activities,
unlimited boat charters to hook the big one, and all meals and most drinks. Costs
from $3330 for two nights. 0419 918 953, farawaybay.com.au.

NEW ZEALAND

Just 3½ hours from Sydney, Wellington (aka Wellywood to Middle-earth devotees) is ramping up the deals.
Book a ‘Spring into Summer’ deal at the five-star Bolton Hotel and get buffet
breakfast and an antipasti tasting plate for two, as well as late check-out. Normally
from $382 a night, stay before January 27 and pay from $151 for two people.
Stay January 28-April 1, costs from $238 a night, weekends only. 1300
887 979, wotif.com/hotelW12421.

Traverse Britain on its railways, including the most
scenic routes – from Inverness to Kyle
of Lochalsh in Scotland, Llandudno to Blaenau Ffestiniog in Wales Exeter to
Penzance, in the West Country – and buy your freedom to hop on and hop off at
will. Buy a selected BritRail pass before February 14 for travel until February
28 and save 20 per cent. Costs from $170 for a three-day, second-class
Britrail Consecutive Pass. 1300 387 245, internationalrail.com.au.

THAILAND

Head for the hills in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand and
stay three nights for the price of two in the tranquil Tamarind Village, until
March 31. With just 45 rooms and suites, the hotel is decorated by the region’s
rich tribal weavings and patterns. It also offers a 10 per cent discount on
stays booked more than 30 days in advance, until October 31. Costs from $300
for three nights, includes buffet breakfast. (02) 9211 6590, tamarindvillage.com.

Notre Dame cathedral, Paris.

EUROPE

Get the passport out for some serious stamping when you
cover 15 European countries in 30 days on Topdeck’s popular Discover Europe
trip. All the icons are there: baguettes at the Eiffel Tower, wine tasting in
Bordeaux, gondolas in Venice and bicycles in Amsterdam. Save 7.5 per cent on
summer trips when booked and paid for by February 28. Costs from $5411 a
person. 1300 886 332, topdeck.travel.

INDIA

Get your Bollywood on where it all began, in Mumbai,
where you’ll enjoy two free nights at the Taj Mahal Palace hotel when you book
a 14-day Splendours of Rajasthan journey. Highlights include the Pink City of
Jaipur, Jodhpur’s Mehrangarh Fort and a stay in a traditional tented camp with
evening birding walks. Save up to $1045 a person and get two nights free, when
travelling until April 15. Costs from $7410 a person, twin share. 1300 851 800,
abercrombiekent.com.au.

TOURWATCH

If you haven’t heard of the Asian Big 5, this is the trip
for you. Join Wildlife Asia board member Clare Campbell (pictured) travelling through
Indonesia, from Jakarta to east Borneo and Sumatra, to see and save five endangered
species. Bornean orang-utans, Sumatran rhinos, Asian elephants, Sun bears and
the crowdpleasing Silvery gibbons all are under threat from disappearing
habitats and poaching.

The group of up to 12 will travel on traditional river
boats (klotoks) and trek through
rainforests, staying in jungle lodges and on boats to view the wildlife and
visit animal rescue centres and the Dayak villages of Borneo. Departs 10-18
March, 2013. Costs $3100 a person plus $1000 secured fundraising. Excludes
international airfares, 0499 773 303, wildlifeasia.org.au.

Source: Belinda Jackson, Sun Herald

Jan

Getting out there with your fantasies: travel deals 13 January 2013

The Gordon River, Tasmania.

Live out your Man or Woman from Snowy River fantasy or check into the Wildman Wilderness Lodge – it’s time to get out there.

VICTORIA

Head for the hills to live out your Man or Woman from Snowy River fantasy at the Grand Mercure Pinnacle Valley resort in the Victorian Alps, half an hour from Mount Buller. Nearby activities include fly-fishing, bushwalking, golf and, of course, horse riding. A two-night tree change usually costs from $160 a night, stay until April 30. Quote the code “summer special” and get a free bottle of wine in the room. Costs from $288 for two nights. (03) 5777 5788, accorhotels.com.

NSW

Blow the city smog away with a quick getaway on the central coast. Stay at the four-star Crowne Plaza Terrigal, pictured above, by the seaside, just an hour from Sydney, and save 10 per cent and get breakfast as well. Valid on two-night stays from Sunday to Thursday in a queen or king room. Book until January 31, stay until February 28. Costs from $406, two nights. 1300 888 180, zuji.com.au.

TASMANIA

Tassie celebrates 30 years since the creation of its South West Wilderness World Heritage Area and is offering you the chance to see what the fuss is about. The Ultimate Wilderness Experience package includes two nights at Strahan Village, a cruise up the Gordon River aboard luxury catamaran Lady Jane Franklin II, main picture, a trip on the West Coast Wilderness Railway and buffet dinner at View 42° Restaurant and Bar. Save $131 on stays until April 30. Costs $880 for two people. 1800 420 155, puretasmania.com.au.

QUEENSLAND

It takes just 2½ hours to hit the glorious Whitsunday Islands from Sydney, so why are we here? Stay five nights, pay for just four at the adults-only beachfront Beach Club on Hamilton Island between January 28 and March 28. Includes a full breakfast buffet daily, VIP airport transfers and free watersports such as snorkelling and cat sailing. Costs from $2280 for five nights. 13 73 33,hamiltonisland.com.au.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

You could take a lifetime to explore the remote north Australian coastline, but 22 days is a good start with this Treasures of the West Coast tour, which spends two nights at the luxury Wildman Wilderness Lodge near Kakadu, a cruise through Chamberlain Gorge in El Questro and the spectacular Katherine Gorge, and feeding dolphins at Monkey Mia. Book by March 31 and Scenic Tours will include free flights to Darwin from the other capitals, for six departures from June. Costs from $9495 a person, twin share. 1300 723 642, scenictours.com.

Source: Belinda Jackson, Sun Herald

Dec

Spot roos, swan around Melbourne, trek Bhutan: travel deals

Powderhounds … it’s going to be a great year for
heli-skiing. Photo: Getty Images

Stay for free in chic Melbourne, send the kids out ‘roo spotting in rural Queensland or trek Bhutan: what’s not to love about holidays?

Victoria

In what has to be one of the sweetest deals in town, the Art Series hotel group (Blackman, Olsen and Cullen) is letting you roll the dice on what it calls “the overstay checkout”. Stay one night and the next day at 11am you can request a late checkout. If nobody’s booked to stay in your room, you get to stay another night, free. And so on, day by day, until the room is booked again. The deal runs from December 16 until January 13, 2013. Costs from $165 a night. 1800 278 468, artserieshotels.com.au.

NSW

To celebrate the first major exhibition of the 20th-century great Francis Bacon at the Art Gallery of NSW, the Sofitel Sydney Wentworth gives you one night’s accommodation, full breakfast for two and a free double pass to the exhibition, worth $60. The Cultural Stay package is available until February 24, 2013. Costs from $325 a night. 1300 656 565, sofitel.com.

Northern Territory

Darwin gets green and steamy over Christmas, so breakfast by the pool, followed by a cool dip, is the order when staying at the Holiday Inn Darwin. Stay three nights and save 20 per cent on accommodation, and there is free brekkie and kids under 17 can eat and stay free with a Happy-Go-Lucky package. Book and stay by February 28, 2013. Costs from $327 for three nights’ B&B. Quote “happy”. 138 388, holidayinn.com/happy.

Queensland

You don’t have to drive for days for a bush holiday. Spicers Hidden Vale is a luxury retreat on 4800 hectares, less than an hour’s drive from Brisbane. Best of all, it includes an all-day kids’ club, where kids aged between four and 12 can herd sheep, go mountain biking, spot roos, play in the animal nursery, go fishing or visit cattle stations in a four-wheel-drive. And you? Hit the pool, have a massage, do yoga, go horse riding or have a drink at a live jazz session on Sundays. Book a two-night Family Farmstay until January 31, 2013 (excluding December 24-26 and January 1), and enjoy a free kids’ club, valued at $260, and kids dine free, with a pony lead for each child. Costs from $798 for a family of four, for two nights. 1300 284 667, spicersgroup.com.au.

The Blackman hotel, St Kilda, Melbourne

Tasmania

Take your morning cuppa among the treetops during the Tahune Forest Air Walk or amid the beautiful Allendale Gardens and Rainforest on a 12-day coach tour of Tasmania. The trip begins and ends in Launceston, with highlights including a cruise down the Gordon River. Book by December 30 and save $350 a person on departures on February 16 and 23, and March 2, 2013. Costs from $3135 a person, including airfares from Sydney. Quote code SH when booking. 1800 815 906, seniorscoachtours.com.au.

Thailand

Koh Phangan island’s beauty is undisputed. Stay six nights, pay for four at the four-star beachfront Buri Rasa Village. Daily breakfast and speedboat transfers from Koh Samui airport on stays May 1-July 15, 2013. Must be booked by December 31, 2012. From $495 a person, twin share. 1300 138 755, travelindochina.com.au.

Europe

Happy to rug up? Save 20 per cent on a Eurail Global Flexi Pass in the northern winter and get a roaming SIM card worth $50. The pass is for trains and ships through 23 countries from Ireland to Romania for 10 or 15 days’ travel in a two-month period. Must be booked and paid for by December 31, for travel until March 31, 2013. From $430 (under 26s), $660 (singles 26 and over). 1300 387 245, internationalrail.com.au.

USA

Chicago does winter beautifully, with its free ice rink in Millennium Park open until mid-March and its Christkindlmarket – said to be the largest of its kind outside Europe – running daily until Christmas Eve. Stay two nights at the Swissotel Chicago, save 20 per cent on the best available rate until February 25, 2013. From $US318 ($303) a room. 1800 121 043, swissotel.com.

Canada

Powerderhounds are sniffing the air at Whistler, which recently opened for winter, and the pros are forecasting a great year for heli-skiing. The new Ultimate Whistler Experience package includes five nights for the price of four in a four-star hotel in Whistler Village, three days’ skiing at Whistler Blackcomb, one day’s heli-skiing at 6000-10,000 feet, and a free Fresh Tracks pass for each adult. From now until April 21, 2013. Costs from $1462 a person. +1 604 905 3337, whistlerblackcomb.com.

New Zealand

Yes, Huka Lodge is luxurious, but then the private Alan Pye Cottage, set on the lodge grounds, takes it up another notch. It can accommodate two couples and from April 1-September 30, 2013, the rate includes a private two-hour cooking lesson from Michelin-trained executive chef Michel Louws. So if you’ve snagged a trout in Lake Taupo, bring it in for regal treatment. The two-night package includes five-course dinners and country breakfasts. Costs from $8970 for two nights. +64 7 378 5791, hukalodge.co.nz.

Tourwatch: Bhutan

In a world where it seems everybody’s travelling, it’s hard to escape the pack. The tiny Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan limits the number of international visitors, to preserve its ecosystems and its indigenous traditions. However, it has recently opened remote national parks to hikers, with two new five-night treks. The seasons for the Merak & Sakteng Trek are short — March 15-May 31, 2013 and September 1-November 30, 2013. The trek, graded easy-moderate, offers a rare chance to see remote villages, yak herds, the semi-nomadic Brokpas people and endangered wildlife in the Sakteng Wildlife Sanctuary in eastern Bhutan. Packages include the five-night trek, two nights pre-trek in Samdrup Jongkhar and two nights post-trek in Trashigang. Costs from $US2706 ($2580) a person from Assam, India. 1300 367 875, bhutan.com.au.

Source: Belinda Jackson, Sun Herald

Dec

White Christmas at either end of the globe: travel deals 9 December 2012

Dreaming of a white Christmas? Try Austria…or Australia (if Tassie turns on the cold tap) in this week’s best international and Australian travel deals.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Quintessential
Adelaide experiences include coffee at Lucia’s in the Central Markets, where
you can shop for a beach picnic in the cool shade of the jetties on the
spectacular sweeps of Semaphore and Henley beaches. Save 25 per cent when you
stay at the Hilton Adelaide. Book by February 14, 2013 for travel until
December 31, 2013. Costs from $169 a room.
1300 888 180, zuji.com.au.

VICTORIA

With the sun finally out, Melbourne’s laneways are bursting with tables for a perfectly brewed coffee or cheeky wine on the footpath. Stay four nights at the 4.5-star Best Western Premier Hotel 115 Kew and save 25 per cent in a one-bedroom apartment which includes a king bed, spa bath and full kitchen. Book by January 31, stay by February 28, 2013. Normally $299 a night, costs from $896 for four nights. (03) 8862 0200, bestwestern.com.au/hotel115kew.

NEW SOUTH WALES

The Metro Hotel Sydney Central is opposite the Capital
Theatre, which is currently showing the classic ‘Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’. Stay
one night in a deluxe room in the Metro Hotel Sydney Central, which can
accommodate up to two adults and two children, and they’ll include a buffet
breakfast for the whole family and chocolates on arrival. Normally from $189 a
night, stay until December 20. Costs
from $205 for two adults and two children 1800 00 4321,
metrohotels.com.au.

NORFOLK ISLAND

Just 2½ hours flight from Sydney, Norfolk Island does old-school school holidays – horse riding, fish and chips and bush walks. Kids stay free on Norfolk Island this summer, with packages including flights from Sydney, seven nights’ accommodation at Hibiscus Aloha, seven days’ car hire, a round of mini golf and discount shopping cards until January 31, 2013. Costs from $1129 for adults and $589 for kids up to 17 years. 1800 1400 66, www.travelcentre.nf.

QUEENSLAND

The calendar of events at the Queensland Art
Gallery/Gallery of Modern Art, one of Australia’s premier modern art galleries,
is worth the trip alone, including the current 7th Asia Pacific Triennial of
Contemporary Art, with 77 artists from 27 countries. The Brisbane Marriott’s
Discover Brisbane package includes one night in a deluxe city view room for
two, a $30 taxi voucher, free valet parking and breakfast buffet. Usually from
$199 room only, stay until January 31, 2013, costs from $249, quote promo code ‘ES2’.
(07) 3303 8000, brisbanemarriott.com.

TASMANIA

Hankering for a white Christmas without the international
airfare? It’s been known to snow in Tassie on Christmas Day, so maybe you’ll
get lucky. Or maybe you’ll get one of those perfect, blue-sky days and the
freshest air on the planet on this 11-day Best of Tasmania guided tour. Includes
a tour of thriving Hobart, MONA gallery and Christmas Eve at Cradle Mountain
Chateau. Travel on the December 22 departure and get an early Chrissy present
of $100 off. Costs from $3890 a person, twin share, excludes flights. 1300 228
546, aatkings.com.au.

SINGAPORE

You thought Singapore couldn’t fit one more new hotel,
but you’re wrong. Parkroyal on Pickering is set to open near Chinatown this
month. Designed by Australian architect Richard Hassel, it’s already earned the
country’s highest green rating, with solar power, water recycling and sky
gardens. The hotel’s opening special costs from $220++ with breakfast, from
January 1 – March 31, 2013. 1800 192 144, singaporehotels.parkroyalhotels.com/pickering/

THAILAND

Get organised for a winter getaway in southern Thailand
and save. Get four nights free in Phuket at the Phuket Graceland Resort &
Spa, near Patong Beach, when you book eight nights in a superior room. You still
get daily breakfast and airport transfers, as well as a two-hour Thai massage
for two, and the resort includes kids’ club and facilities and a day spa. Book
by January 31, stay April 1 – November 15, 2013. Costs from $351 a person. travelonline.com

VANUATU

Blue Holidays gives you an early Christmas present by
cutting $500 off its seven-night stays at mangoes Resort, in Port Vila. The
package includes return airfares from Sydney with Virgin Australia. Book by
December 31 for travel from now until December 21, and between January 10 –
March 31, 2013. Costs from $1171 a person, twin share. 131 516 or visit
virginaustralia.com/holidays.

UK & IRELAND

Tick off all the classics – the Blarney Stone, Loch Ness
and Buck Palace – on this 16-day tour through England, Scotland and Ireland. You’ll
also trail The Beatles through Liverpool on a local Magical Mystery Tour and
find what’s hip and happening in London, Dublin, Glasgow and Edinburgh. Tours
depart March to October 2013. Book by December 27, save $228 a person. Costs
from $2061 a person, twin share, land only. 1300 266
845, contiki.com.au.

SOUTHERN AFRICA

You want it all: Victoria Falls, the Serengeti and Masai
Mara national parks, to wake up to Mt Kilimanjaro and, of course, Kruger. APT’s
Africa Highlights, which runs year-round, spends 29 days traversing southern
Africa including 15 nights in South Africa and 11 in Kenya and Tanzania. The
package includes all internal flights, game viewing and accommodation in luxury
camps and private game lodges, and is sweetened by a companion-free-flight
deal, where your mate pays taxes of $795, saving up to $2040 for a couple. Book
before December 31, 2012. Costs from $18,995 a person, twin share. 1300 229
804, aptouring.com.au.

TOURWATCH

Sleigh rides, mulled wine and cosying up in an Italian
castle: it’s the antipodean’s dream of a perfect white Christmas. This 10-day
tour departs from Munich and traverses the winter landscapes of Germany,
Austria and Italy, stopping at Innsbruck and Salzburg’s famous Christmas
markets, popping in to Milan and Venice
for a spot of last-minute shopping. Too bad you won’t have time to post your
presents back home – oh well, you’ll just have to buy for yourself. The tour
includes four nights in CastelBrando, built in the first century and
continuously renovated to its current incarnation as a 4.5-star hotel. Set in
the foothills of the Dolomites, you’ll spend Christmas Day here, sitting down
to an Italian feast. Book by December 17 for travel December 18. Costs from
$3199 a person, twin share. 1800 044 066, travel-associates.com.au.

Source: Belinda Jackson, Sun Herald

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