Travel deals | GlobalSalsa: travel writer Belinda Jackson

Jul

Hidden secrets on the Mornington Pen, Barrington Tops and foodie Sicily: travel deals July 21, 2013

Discover the hidden secrets of Victoria’s Mornington Peninsula, NSW’s Barrington Tops, or a kids’ getaway in Sydney.

GO NOW: Discover
the Big Blue Backyard at the Mornington Peninsula’s secluded St
Andrew’s beach. Until August 31, stay three nights and pay for only two in one
of their three retreats, with Cape Schanck nearby. Costs from $1191, three nights. 1300 896 627, mrandmrssmith.com.


Big Blue Backyard

GO SOONER Enjoy a home amongst the gumtrees near Barrington Tops, three
hours north of Sydney. Stay three nights, pay two in one of Yeranda’s three
bush hideaways with $50 credit at nearby café. Costs from $325, three nights. (02) 4992 1208, yeranda.com.au.

Yeranda’s bush hideaways

GO LATER: Get
a free night’s stay when you book a cooking tour of Sicily with chef
Dominique Rizzo before July 31. The 15-day tour departs May 3, 2014. Costs from
$6095 a person, twin share. (07) 3267 1667, purefoodcookingtours.com.au.

Dominique Rizzo

KIDS

Planning a weekend away in your own backyard? Upgrade the kids
to Swissotel Sydney’s kids’ rooms, chocked full of toys, dvds and kids’ minibar.
The rooms, for kids age two to 12 years, can be a separate room or set up in the
parents’ room. Costs from $229 a room a night (half-half) or $299 for two rooms
(interconnecting available). 1800 334 888, swissotel.com/sydney.

Swissotel Sydney’s kids’ rooms

SOURCE: Belinda Jackson, Sun Herald

Jul

Kids in Paris: travel deal June 30, 2013

Children in the Tuileries Garden, Paris.
Pic: Hotel Le Meurice

Paris in summer is a kids’ playground, with puppet theatres, donkey rides, carousel rides and duck feeding in the lake of the Tuileries Gardens.

Stay nearby, at the luxe Hotel Le Meurice, between July 14 and August 29 and pay half price on a deluxe or executive room for the children, including breakfast, room upgrade and $120 dining credit.

Costs from $3846, two rooms, two nights. virtuoso.com.au.

Jul

Play in the snow, on the golf course or in New York City: travel deals July 14, 2013

It’s all about playing: in the snow, on the golf course, in China or New York City, in this week’s travel deals.

KIDS:
Kids 14 and under ski free on July 20-21, August 2425 and
September 14-15 at Thredbo when they’re with a paying adult on a two-day lift
pass. Also, the Learn to Ride week, September 16-20, throws in free lessons and
gear hire on all lift passes. (02) 6459 4100, thredbo.com.au.

GO NOW Bunker
down in the Tasmanian wilderness at the Barnbougle Dunes spa and golf course.
Their winter deal includes 18 holes of golf, a hot stone massage, overnight
accommodation and breakfast for two. Usually $718, save $192 until September 30.
Costs from $526 a couple. barnbougledunes.com.au.

GO SOONER Sleep
sweet in eight New York City hotels: pay for two nights in a suite and get a
third night free until September 2. Hotels include the new JW Marriott Essex
House, hip The London NYC and the Mad Men-esque The Chatwal. nycgo.com/thirdnight.

GO LATER Get
free flights to China when you book a 19-day China Explorer by October 31, for
travel in 2014. Highlights include Kunming’s stone forest and Chengdu’s panda
breeding centre, Beijing and Xi’an. Costs from $7595 a person, twin share. 1300
278 278, aptouring.com.au.

Source: Belinda Jackson, Sun Herald

Jul

Of white wallabies and chic Sydney babes: travel deals 23 June 2013

Bruny Island’s white wallaby.

GO NOW: TASMANIA

The
cutest little white wallabies are waiting to be seen on a Bruny Island Safari, which includes a gourmet touch. Usually $140,
save $40 on Sundays or Fridays from July 1 to August 31, quote ‘whitewallaby’.
Costs $100 a person. 0437 499 795, brunyislandsafaris.com.au.

GO SOONER: NEW ZEALAND

Winter in style luxury Kauri Cliffs and The Farm at Cape
Kidnappers. Save 35 per cent on your
room rate, which includes pre-dinner drinks and canapés, a five-course tasting
menu and unlimited golf or a massage. Costs from $740 a person a night, twin share. Kauri Cliffs, +64 9407
0010, kauricliffs.com or The Farm at Cape Kidnappers, +64 6 875 1900, capekidnappers.com.

GO LATER: USA
& CANADA

Sleeping in style @ QT Sydney

Save up to $400 when you book a guided tour and airfare
with Trafalgar before June 28. The 14-day East Coast USA & Canada trip starts
and finishes in New York. From $3395 a person, flights from $1299. 1300 663
043, trafalgar.com.

KIDS: SYDNEY

Stylish babes stay at QT Sydney: its new BabyQ package
beds tots down in a super-chic Leander cot and includes a complementary iiamo
Go self-heating baby bottle worth $129. Parents get two nights in a king deluxe
room, breakfast (including fresh baby food), massage and a bottle of champagne.
Costs from $900 for two nights, qthotels.com.au, (02) 8262 0000.

Jun

Balinese food adventure, drink in the Napa Valley, hit St Kilda: travel deals June 9 2013

Go on a Balinese seafood adventure, drink it in the Napa Valley or hit St Kilda, flashpacker style in this week’s international and domestic deals.

NSW
Learn to love the snowflake
at the annual Hunter Valley Gardens ‘‘Snow Time in the Garden’’, main
picture, which runs through the winter school holidays. The festival
features ice skating, snow tubing and snowball challenges, and there’s
always wine tasting at the nearby cellar doors if you want to grow up.
Families of up to two adults and two children can stay at the nearby
Mercure Resort Hunter Valley Gardens during the festival and get tickets
to the festival’s evening Snow Time. Kids under 12 also eat breakfast
and dinner free. The festival runs from June29 to July 14. Costs from
$209 a room. (02) 4998 2000, mercurehuntervalley.com.au.

VICTORIA
Beachfront
St Kilda is the hangout for Melbourne’s beautiful people, as well as
European cafe devotees, live music lovers and flashpackers staying at
Australia’s top hostel. Stay two nights in a private room at Base
Backpackers Melbourne, just off the beach, and get one free Great Ocean
Road day trip worth $125, a welcome drink and breakfast daily, between
June 1 and August 31. Costs from $240 a room, two nights. (03) 8598 6200,
stayatbase.com.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA
The
Perth hotel scene is on fire with another new opening, this time a
five-star, all-suite apartment hotel overlooking the Swan River in the
CBD. The Fraser Suites Perth, pictured above left, has 236 apartments,
from studios to two-bedroom premier apartments that can be
interconnected, with kitchens, as well as a heated pool, sauna, bar and
restaurant, and 24-hour gym. Studios will cost from $420 a night, but
snap up an opening special with free wi-fi until August 30. Costs from
$245 a night (studio). 1800 099 465, perth.frasershospitality.com.

CENTRAL AUSTRALIA
Delay
the onset of winter and head to Australia’s hot heart: Intrepid
Travel’s four-day Central Explorer departs Alice Springs for the classic
desert sights of Uluru, Kata Tjuta (the Olgas) and the sandstone walls
of Kings Canyon. You’ll get a guided tour of local rock art by the
Western Aranda people at Wallace Rockhole and the last day is spent
exploring the western MacDonnell Ranges before returning to Alice
Springs. Book by June 28 for travel until June30 and save 25per cent.
Costs $776 a person. 1300 018 871, intrepidtravel .com/australia-sale.

QUEENSLAND
Hit
the road with a trip from Cairns to … wherever the dart hits the
map. Hire a Travellers Autobarn campervan for at least 10 days and save
20per cent. The fully-fitted vans include cooking equipment and
sleeping bags and can be returned to any mainland capital excluding
Adelaide. Book by June30 for travel August1-September 30, quote code
‘‘SUNH’’. Excludes insurance and any one-way fees. Costs from $437 for a
two-berth campervan for 10 days, travellers-autobarn.com.au.

PHILIPPINES
One
of the truly great shopping destinations, Manila’s must-buys include
pearls, fashion and shoes (surprise!). The 538-room Dusit Thani Manila
is in the thick of it all, in Makati City. The “Just for two” deal
celebrates lovers with one night’s accommodation and lays on the
strawberries and pralines, rose petals in the bath, a couples’ massage
and dinner for two. Available until December 31. Normally $458 a night,
costs from $320. +63 (2) 238 8888, dusit.com.

INDONESIA
Bali’s
far eastern coast is so quiet, it makes Ubud look like a concrete
jungle. Stay three nights at the homegrown Design Hotel Alila Manggis
and get a complimentary culinary experience for two: it could be a
Balinese cuisine and market tour with the chef, or a seafood adventure
on a fishing boat where you cook the catch. There’s also an organic
garden cooking program and a junior chef experience. Valid until
September 30. Costs from $510, three nights. +62 363 410 11, alilahotels.com/manggis.

UNITED STATES
Take
time out like a local with a dip in the natural underground hot springs
and a glass of Napa Valley wine at the Fairmont Sonoma Mission Inn. An
hour north of San Francisco and 30 minutes from Napa, the iconic hotel’s
spa is one of the country’s best, and there’s also a Michelin-star
restaurant and championship golf course on site. Stay four nights and
pay for only three until August 30. Costs from $1077, virtuoso.com.au.

NORWAY
Spot
killer whales, visit fishing villages and admire Norway’s mountains on
this five-day, self-drive tour of Tromso and the Lofoten Islands,
pictured. The tour includes four nights’ bed and breakfast, car hire,
ferry tickets and return flights from Oslo to Tromso. Save 10 per cent
when you book by June 30 for travel until September 30. Costs from $1604
a person. 1800 221 712, bentours.com.au.

SOUTH AFRICA
Flowers
and the Big Five go hand in hand in South Africa in August. The 14-day
Wildflowers and Wildlife tour travels from Cape Town to Johannesburg,
guided by botanical artist Jenny Phillips, who’ll help you capture your
botanical safari on paper. Book by July 31 and save up to $1000 a couple
while solo travellers save $1867. Tour departs August 25. Costs from
$8395 a person, twin share, or $10,763 for solo travellers. 1300 336
932, botanica.travel.

Source: Belinda Jackson, Sun Herald

Jun

From British royalty to Victorian winery walkabouts: travel deals June 2, 2013

Mediterranean flavour: Santorini is the final destination
in Maeve O’Meara’s Greek gastronomy tour.
Photo: Getty Images

Australia

Queensland
Make a
date for a night in at the movies, at the QT Port Douglas hotel. Of
course, being in the tropics, it’ll be moonlight cinema. Stay any
Friday, Saturday and Sunday night between June 22 and October 6 and the
Locals Package gives you a complementary upgrade to a one-bedroom villa,
as well as two tickets to the flicks and breakfast for two in the
Bazaar restaurant. Quote code “moonlight01”. Costs from $199 a night.
(07) 4099 8900, qtportdouglas.com.au.

Victoria
Discover
the rich red and white Rhone varietals and sweet muscats of Rutherglen
at the Rutherglen Winery Walkabout, Australia’s longest running wine
festival, on the weekend of June 8-9 (winemakers.com.au).
Stay at the Tuileries and save 20 per cent on Sunday to Friday nights
until September 30. They’ll include a country breakfast and three-course
dinner for two at Tuileries Restaurant, including the unlimited wine
buffet, which showcases the region’s top drops. Usually $346 a night,
costs $276 a room, a night. (02) 6032 9033, tuileriesrutherglen.com.au.

Tasmania

Love
a snowy winter but hate long-haul travel? Freshwater on Berry is a
two-bedroom lodge in Miena, on the Great Lake in Tassie’s central
highlands, two hours from Hobart. Opened just six months ago, the local
attractions are all natural, from horse riding to bushwalking, mountain
biking and hunting. Usually $170 a night, stay two nights or more and
save $20 a night, with a bottle of Tasmanian wine thrown in to the
bargain. Valid on stays from July 1 to September 30. Costs from $150 a
night (two-night minimum).

Northern Territory
Check
in to the red heart of Australia, at one of our most iconic hotels,
Longitude 131˚, a luxury tented camp that curls along the sand dunes
facing Uluru. This three-night package includes all meals and drinks,
tours exclusively for Longitude guests and airport transfers, and
they’ll include a 15-minute helicopter flight over Uluru. Book by
September 30 for travel until November 30, and quote “escape”. Costs
from $2805 a person, twin share. 1300 134 044, longitude131.com.au/escape.

Travelodge Phillip St, Sydney

NSW
Be
a city slicker for three nights at Travelodge Phillip Street, main
picture, where you can walk to the best museums and art galleries as
well as the Opera House, the Rocks and Hyde Park. You’ll save 30 per
cent on stays until July 31, from $160 a night, with a buffet breakfast
included. Costs from $480 for three nights. 1300 886 886, travelodge.com.au.

Western Australia
Warm
up in the west, with a winter weekender special saving $100 at the
Metro Hotel, Perth. Stay one night in an executive room and get
breakfast, a bottle of sparkling wine and chocolates, noon checkout and a
$10 Coles voucher. Available on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights
until August 31. Costs from $299. 1800 004 321, metrohotels.com.au.

International

Indonesia
Children
are welcome at Seminyak’s Serene Villas, which have pool fences, toys,
cots, movies and games, and a special children’s menu. Book a three- or
six-night stay and get all that plus two complimentary meals for each
child, as well as discounted entry into Bali’s ultra-kid-magnets
Waterbom Park and Bali Safari Park. Save 20 per cent on stays until
September 30. Costs from $1130 for three nights, or $2415 for six
nights, for two adults and up to three children sharing a two-bedroom
villa. +62 361 730 899, serenevilla.com.

Abu Dhabi
It’s
official: the best of the Middle East’s desert resorts, according to
the World Travel Awards four years running, is Anantara’s Qasr Al Sarab,
in Abu Dhabi’s Empty Quarter. It’s got all the romance, with camels,
sand dunes and falconry. Stay five nights in a one-bedroom pool villa
and save up to 40 per cent. Book by July 22 for stays until July 31.
Costs from $1026 for five nights. +971 2 886 2088, anantara.com.

Oman
Gorgeously
traditional, Oman is a glimpse into the real Arabia, without the Dubai
glitz. Each of the 213 rooms in the new Crowne Plaza Duqm face the
Arabian Sea, with its shipbuilding history and tales of Sinbad. There
are five restaurants and lounges and the hotel’s opening special sees
rooms from $200 a night until September. 1800 007 697, crowneplaza.com.

Bolivia
From
the witches’ market in La Paz to the dazzlingly bright Uyuni salt flats
and the pre-Colombian terraces around Lake Titicaca, Bolivia is a blur
of colour and contradiction. Save 10 per cent when you book the new
13-day Bolivia Explorer tour. Book by June 30 for departures between
June 7 and November 8. Includes transport, guides and most meals. Costs
from $2115, twin share. 1300 763 338, bfirsttravel.com.

Greece
Dine like a goddess on the heavenly Greek isles, with SBS Food Safari
host Maeve O’Meara leading you off the beaten track to the islands of
Evia, Limnos and Lesbos, to finish with a bang in Santorini. “Each day
is a perfect little jewel,” O’Meara says. “You have a range of the best
regional produce, meet all our favourite Greek characters and feast on
dishes you’d never find in restaurants.” Includes accommodation,
internal flights, luxury sailing, most meals and wine. The tour runs
from September 3 to 15. Costs from $7250, twin share (save $700), $8200
for singles (save $800). (02) 8969 6555, gourmetsafaris.com.au.

Tour watch

With
a royal warrant from the Prince of Wales on its sleeve — the only one
of its kind in the world — expect fabulousness when checking in to the
Ritz London. Britain is deep in coronation mode, celebrating Queen
Elizabeth II’s 60th anniversary on the throne, and the Ritz has tickets
to the Coronation Festival at Buckingham Palace, from July 11 to 14. Its
Festival Fantastic package includes two nights’ accommodation, English
breakfast (naturally), dinner in The Ritz Restaurant, tickets to the
festival, and champagne and canapes when you’re there. Valid on
check-ins between July 11 and 13. Costs from $1789 a person, twin share.
1800 222 033, lhw.com.

Source: Belinda Jackson, Sun Herald

May

Drink in the coffee, Rhone varietals or a Himalayan vista: travel deals 26 May 2013

Drink coffee in Brisbane, Rhone varietals in Rutherglen, or just drink in the view in the Indian Himalayas.

Victoria
Discover the rich reds, Rhone
varietals and sweet muscats of Rutherglen at the Rutherglen Winery
Walkabout, Australia’s longest-running wine festival, on the weekend of
June 8-9 (winemakers.com.au). Stay at Tuileries and save 20 per cent on
Sunday to Friday nights until September 30. They’ll include a country
breakfast and three-course dinner for two at Tuileries Restaurant
including its unlimited wine buffet, which showcases the region’s top
drops. Usually $346 a night, now $276. (02) 6032 9033, tuileriesrutherglen.com.au.

New South Wales
Ski
or board Perisher and Thredbo from the central
location of the Snowy Mountains’ Lake Crackenback Resort & Spa,
which is 15 minutes from either ski resort. Normally studio apartments
cost from $250 a night but the resort has two-night stays with a hot
breakfast, $100 to spend in the spa or restaurant, discounts on ski
hire, day spas, and free shuttles to the Skitube to Perisher. Available
from June 7 until October 6. Costs from $593 for two nights in a studio
apartment (sleeps two), or from $1034 for two nights in a two-bedroom
apartment (sleeps four). 1800 020 524, lakecrackenback.com.au.

Queensland
Check
in to Brisbane’s new Traders Hotel and they’ll give you a coffee
machine. Yes, really. Book a Friday, Saturday or Sunday night stay and
get a Nespresso U machine, worth $299, along with early check-in and
late checkout and a $50 voucher. There’s free wi-fi, too. The hotel is
opposite the Brisbane Transit Centre on Roma Street and within walking
distance of the spectacular Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern
Art. Book by June 30 for stays until December 29. Costs from $298 a
night. (07) 3238 2222, www.tradershotels.com/brisbane.

Thailand
The
new 277-room Pullman Phuket Arcadia is on Naithon Beach, 15 minutes
from the airport. It has sunken lounges with wine libraries as well as a
kids’ lunchtime restaurant by the pool, and spa aficionados will
appreciate the French Payot range. The hotel’s soft-opening special
means you can pay as little as $105 a night, saving 30 per cent off the
best rate on stays of three days or more, with breakfast and wi-fi
included. Valid until October 31. Costs from $315 for three nights. pullmanphuketarcadia.com.

Vietnam
The
coastline of Nha Trang boasts much natural beauty, and then there are
the hotels. The lush Evason Ana Mandara, main picture, sits on its own
stretch of sea, which obligingly issues lobsters for the table. Stay
seven nights and pay for five, with a villa upgrade, breakfast, airport
transfers and an hour-long massage for two in its spa. Includes return
international flights with Vietnam Airlines. Costs from $2032 a person,
twin share. Book by June 15 for stays until December 19. 1300 138 755, travelindochina.com.au.

India
If
exploring the Indian Himalayas in winter does it for you, this new
22-day Zanskar Ice Trek fits the bill. World Expeditions freely admits
this is one of its most adventurous treks, with minus-30-degree nights,
frozen river trekking and remote high passes. The tour departs from Leh
and includes all meals, internal flights, bilingual guides, sleeping bag
and jacket. Save 15 per cent off the second traveller when two people
book together; singles save 7½ per cent. Book by June 21 to depart on
February 2. Costs from $3900 a person, twin share. 1300 720 000, worldexpeditions.com.

Source: Belinda Jackson, Sun Herald

May

Deep fabulousness in Vietnam, heli-ski New Zealand or frock up in Melbourne: travel deals May 19, 2013

InterContinental Danang Sun peninsula Resort, Vietnam

Is this the most gorgeous photo ever? It was a toss-up between this fabulous shot of the restaurant at the InterCon Danang, designed by Bill Bensley, or the awesome NZ heli-skiing shot below. Reader: I chewed my nails for you. Enjoy this week’s best international and Australian travel deals.

QUEENSLAND
Avoid the queues
and head to the Gold Coast’s Sea World, main picture, out of the school
holidays and save up to 80 per cent on stays at the 4.5-star Broadbeach
resort, which includes unlimited entry to Warner Bros Movie World, Sea
World and Wet’n’Wild Water World. Stay two nights and get a free Dolphin
Discovery presentation at Sea World. You’ll get 25 per cent off food
and drinks, the kids’ club and free wi-fi. Valid until July 14. Costs
from $79.90 a person, twin share, $20 a child. 133 386, seaworldresort.com.au.

NSW
Sydney
Airport just grew up, with its first airport hotel in the international
terminal – Rydges Sydney Airport Hotel opened on May 7. The hotel is
celebrating with an opening special, free wi-fi and $35 to spend in its
Blackwattle Grill and sports bar. The 318-room hotel is one minute’s
walk from the international terminal and includes 24-hour room service.
Costs from $205 a night. (02) 9313 2500, rydges.com/sydneyairport.

TASMANIA
There’s
a rugged beauty to the Henry Jones Art Hotel, pictured above left,
which has had everyone from whalers to jam-makers on its stone floors on
Hobart’s waterfront. Book a night in a deluxe spa room and get
breakfast for two, free wi-fi and $50 towards dinner in Henry’s
Restaurant, saving a cool $178. Stay before September 30 and quote
PT014. Costs from $355. 1800 420 155, puretasmania.com.au.

TOP END

Hawke Dreaming camp

The wet season is
over, the roads are dry and the wilderness camps of the Top End are open
for business, including the Hawke Dreaming luxury tented lodge. Located
near Ubirr in a restricted section of Kakadu National Park, the lodge
has just 12 tents, with en suites and decks. Book by June 30 and save 15
per cent off the regular rate. Normally $265 a night, pay $225.
Self-drive travellers can save 10 per cent when they stay five nights at
any of APT’s exclusive luxury network of lodges across the Northern
Territory and Western Australia, including the Bungle Bungles and
Mitchell Falls. Includes dinner, bed and breakfast. 1800 240 504,
kimberleywilderness.com.au.

VICTORIA
Have
a Hollywood moment in Melbourne, at the Hollywood Costume exhibition at
the Australian Centre for the Moving Image as part of the Melbourne
Winter Masterpieces program. The Sofitel Melbourne normally costs about
$450 a night, but the Hollywood Costume package includes one night’s
stay, breakfast and two tickets to the exhibition, which has the
costumes of Scarlett O’Hara, Holly Golightly and Jack Sparrow. The
hotel’s Atrium Bar is shaking up Hollywood-inspired cocktails during the
exhibition, until August 18. Costs from $360. (03) 9653 0000,
sofitelmelbourne.com.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA
Set
at the start (or the end) of the Great Ocean Road, Mount Gambier is a
great base for wine tourism up into Coonawarra, for exploring the wild
and empty beaches along the Great Australian Bight or just taking in the
classic genteel sight of the town’s astonishing Blue Lake. Save up to
20 per cent on two-night stays in a self-contained apartment in the
4.5-star Precinct on Jardine. Valid on stays until August 5. Costs from
$800 for two nights in a three-bedroom apartment (sleeps six).
travel.com.au.

VIETNAM
One of the
world’s best new hotels, according to Conde Nast Traveler, is the
InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort, pictured, on the Son Tra
Peninsula, halfway between Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. To celebrate the
opening of the new Harnn Heritage Spa, packages include a three-night
stay, breakfast and yoga and 25 per cent off spa treatments, and a
one-hour massage. From $930 a night. 13 83 88,
danang.intercontinental.com.

SWITZERLAND
Switzerland
can be so cliched, and don’t we love it? Trafalgar’s new eight-day
Swiss Delight takes it a step further with a cable car ride to Mount
Pilatus, chocolate making and folklore tales at a traditional “stubete”.
Book by July 10 to save 7.5 per cent. Costs from $1688 a person, twin
share. Book a Singapore Airlines flight to Europe from $1999 with a
Trafalgar guided tour, and your friend flies from $899. Book flights
before July 31. 1300 663 043, trafalgar.com.

THAILAND
Get
four free nights in Phuket when you book eight nights at the five-star,
award-winning Merlin Beach Resort, close to Patong Beach. Facilities at
the resort include a kids’ club and pool, day spas and a range of bars
and restaurants. The deal includes breakfast, airport transfers,
restaurant discounts and a two-hour massage or half-day Phuket tour.
From $466 a person, twin share. Valid until October 31. 1300 883 887,
travelonline.com.

CHINA

The lobby of the new Mandarin Oriental Pudong, Shanghai

Just
a few years ago, the glitzy Shanghai district of Pudong was mere rice
paddies: now it’s home to the newest Mandarin Oriental hotel, which
features more than 4000 original artworks. Opening packages include stay
two nights and pay just one with free wi-fi, or the Discover Shanghai
package, which includes one night’s accommodation, free wi-fi and up to
$300 in spa or restaurant use. Valid until September 30. From $661. 1800
123 693, mandarinoriental.com.

SOUTH AMERICA
South
American adventurer Explora has been combining eco-adventure and luxury
for 20 years and celebrates its birthday with a free night on
four-night stays in remote lodges in the Chilean Patagonia, Easter
Island and the Atacama Desert until October 14. Stay four nights at
Atacama, which includes airport transfers, meals and open bar, and daily
explorations via horses, vehicles, boats and foot. From $2720 a person,
twin share. +56 2 2395 2800, explora.com.

TOURWATCH

So you can’t sing, but you can still ski like a rock star
amidst the snowy peaks of New Zealand’s South Island. Southern Lakes Heli Ski’s new all-inclusive,
one-week heli-skiing package gives you unlimited heli-ski runs. “As long as
your legs can keep going, then so do you,” they promise. And if the weather
gods get moody, there are golf pros, bungy jumping and Central Otago wines to
drink. Join a group with an Unlimited Package, which guarantees first and last
tracks each day, or the Private Package for groups of four or more gets your
own chopper and 8,500 square kilometers of heli-ski exclusive terrain to
explore. Includes five-star accommodation, meals and guides. From June 30 –
September 30. Costs from $7500 (Unlimited) or from $13,499 (Private) per
person. +64 3 442 6222, southernlakesheliski.co.nz.

Source: Belinda Jackson, Sun Herald

May

Find beauty in Sri Lanka, Tasmania or Madagascar: island & beaches’ travel deals May 5, 2013

Colours of Tasmania’s Bay of Fires.

Find beauty in a Sri Lankan boutique hotel, in Tasmania’s Bay of Fires or in the bright eyes of a Madagascan lemur.

QUEENSLAND

Save up
to $450 on a three-night stay on the Gold Coast’s beautiful beaches in the
happening QT hotel. The Family Fun package gets you two interconnecting rooms
(hey, no kids sharing your bedroom!), breakfast for two adults and two children
under 12 and a family pass to Dreamworld, worth $230. Psst: starve yourself in
advance for the hotel’s fabulous buffet restaurant, Bazaar. Costs from
$360 a night, minimum three night stay. Available until December 24. (07) 5584
1200, qtgoldcoast.com.au.

NSW

With Tiger now joining Virgin and Qantas
flying up to Coffs Harbour, the NSW north coast just got a whole lot closer to Sydney. The strip, from
Coffs to Nambucca Heads, is a market lover’s paradise, with growers’ markets,
beach markets and even Bollywood markets on the beach at Woolgoolga (coffscoast.com.au).
Book five nights in a beachfront apartment at Smugglers on the
Beach and get a bottle of wine and save $125. For stays until August 31. Costs
from $625, five nights. (02) 6653 6166, smugglers.com.au.

VICTORIA

Cycle the iconic Great Ocean Road, from Mt Gambier’s Blue
Lake, just across the SA border, to Geelong, covering 610km. This is the 30th
year for the RACV Great Victorian Bike Ride and up to 6000 cyclists are
expected to take part in the ride, from November 23 – December 1. You can do a
nine-day, fully catered camping holiday, with medical and bike repairs support,
opt for the three-day leg from Gellibrand to Geelong, or the last day’s day ride
from Torquay to Geelong. Registrations open for the general public on May 20. Book
by July 29 and save $100. Costs from $895 adults, nine days, $460 adults, three
days, or $70, one day. 1800 639 634, greatvic.com.au.

TASMANIA

Keen walkers know that Tassie’s east coast is the home of
the happy hiker. Get your boots on for three days walking the white beaches of
Wineglass Bay, the fossil cliffs and peaks of Maria Island or the glorious Bay
of Fires. Complete the immersion in all things Tasmanian with starlit dinners
with Ninth Island wines and local cheeses. Get in early for next season and
save up to $150. Book by June 30 for travel from September 2013 to March 2014. Costs
from $849 a person for the three-day Bay of Fires walk. (02) 9913 8939, lifesanadventure.com.au.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

The epitome of Australian luxury, and constantly voted
one of Australia’s top stays, the Southern Ocean Lodge is on sale. Pay half
price – saving more than $3600 – when
you stay three nights at the 21-suite Kangaroo Island retreat. The
all-inclusive rate covers all gourmet fare and naturalist experiences to show
you the best of KI. Book by May 31 for stays until August 23. Costs from $3600
a couple, Ocean Retreat, three nights. 1300 851 800,
abercrombiekent.com.au.

At Kahanda Kanda, the order is to drink tea and watch the
peacocks and monkeys at play.

SRI LANKA

One of the country’s top boutique hotels, the eight-suite
villa Kahanda Kanda is on a working tea estate by the serene Koggala Lake and
its stilt fishermen. Stay three nights, pay for two or stay seven nights and
pay for just five, with a free upgrade and spa treatments included. The villa
does not take children under 12. For stays from June 1 – July 31. Costs from
$548, three nights. +94 (0) 91 494 3700, kahandakanda.com.

CHINA

Tagged as the Chinese Riviera, Hainan Island is
officially going off, as Julia Gillard would have noted when she visited
recently. The newest addition is the Raffles Hainan, in Clearwater Bay. There are 299 rooms and 32 villas in the
resort, beside two championship golf courses and a 200-berth marina. Stay three
nights, pay for two from September 1 – December 31. Includes an upgrade to a
Grand Ocean view room, airport transfers, breakfast and checkout at 6pm. Yes,
6pm. Costs from $297 plus taxes. 0011
800 1723 3537, raffles.com.

MADAGASCAR

Madagascar’s nature – including lemurs, chameleons and humpback
whales – makes it a haven for adventurers. Save up to $1440 a couple on Bentours’
eight-day Barefoot Luxury South Explorer journey through rainforests, islands
and bays. Includes stays at Mandrare River Camp, two regional flights, all
transport, park fees, guides and excursions. Book by July 1 for travel June 25
– July 31. Costs from $3490 a person, twin share. 1300 799 783, escapetravel.com.au.

TAHITI

For the quintessential overwater bungalow experience, go
back to where it all began. Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora’s Surf & Turf
packages is no steak-and-prawns affair, it combines three nights in an
overwater bungalow (surf) and another three in two-bedroom beachfront villa
(turf). Included is daily buffet breakfast, a two-hour walk and snorkel with
their resident marine biologist and a reef walk, saving up to $1168. Costs from
$9241, six nights. +(689) 603 130, fourseasons.com/borabora.

VIETNAM & CAMBODIA

Spend 15 days exploring the
waterways and architecture of the Mekong River, Ha Long Bay and Angkor Wat
temples, and get free flights to Asia and two free hotel nights pre-or
post-tour. The tour includes seven nights on the RV La Marguerite on the
Mekong. Book by May 15 for travel between July and September. Prices include
all touring, meals, drinks and guided excursions. Costs from $4,395 a person,
twin share. 1300 300 036, travelmarvel.com.au.

TOURWATCH

It wouldn’t be Christmas without Helen Reddy, but be
prepared to turn the season on its head when the singer leads Christmas in July
on Norfolk Island. Reddy, who has a home on the island, returns regularly to
unwind amidst the island’s serenity. She is opening her house to guests for one
night during the eight-day tour, which covers all the island’s World Heritage
sites. Reddy will spend two nights with the group, including a progressive
Christmas dinner and will perform two concerts and lead the carols singalong,
of course. The package includes return airfares with Air New Zealand and seven
nights’ accommodation. Departs July 8.
Costs from $2055 a person. 1800 645 103, www.norfolkisland.com.au.

Source: Belinda Jackson, Sun Herald

May

Shop LA, shake what your mama gave you in Cuba, luxe up on Orpheus: travel deals April 28, 2013

Orpheus Island,Queensland

Shop it up in LA, hit Splendour in the Grass, shake what your mama gave you in Cuba… or just lie down, in style, on Queensland’s luxe Orpheus Island.

VICTORIA

It’s baby love all round at the Halls Gap Zoo, with the
arrival of Samari the giraffe. Get in on the ogling action, staying three
nights in a two-bedroom cottage at the BIG4 Grampians Parkgate resort and
they’ll include a family pass to the zoo. Resort facilities include playgrounds
with jumping pillows for the kids, tennis courts, beach volleyball and a heated
outdoor pool. Stay midweek and they’ll slice $175 off the normal price. Costs
from $400, three nights. 1800 810 781, parkgateresort.com.au.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Immerse yourself in bubbles in Perth: soak in them, and
drink them with the ‘Double Bubble’ package at Somerset St Georges Terrace
Perth, in the centre of the city. Stay one night in a premier spa studio
residence and they’ll include a spa pack, bottle of sparkling, breakfast and
1pm check-out, worth around $200. Available until December 31. Costs from $305
a couple. 1800 766 377, www.somerset.com.au.

NSW

If festival camping makes your skin crawl, book a
campervan for this year’s Splendour in the Grass (July 26-28,
splendourinthegrass.com) Save up to $180 as Britz is waiving its one-way fees
when you pick up your van at Ballina or Brisbane then drop off at any other
Australian location. The deal also includes a Britz bonus pack with insurance
and outdoor furniture for picnics on the road trip home. Valid for travel
between July 24-29, book by July 24 and quote ‘splendrinc’. Costs from $764,
four-days in a HiTop, sleeps 3. 1800 331 454, britz.com.au.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Tanonga Luxury eco lodge, South Australia

Oyster
aficionados know and love the Eyre Peninsula, with its Coffin Bay oysters,
pristine waters and miles of untouched nature. Keep it all beautiful by staying
at the chic, self-contained Tanonga Luxury eco lodges, 20 minutes from Port
Lincoln, which sleep four and include a Japanese-style bath, entertainment
system and log fires. The kitchen is stocked with breakfast essentials and
local olive oil and balsamic vinegar, and meals can be delivered to your door
by a local chef. Save 20 percent on stays
until October 10, minimum two-night stay. Costs from $500, two nights.
travel.com.au.

QUEENSLAND

Cast
yourself away to the beautiful solitude of Orpheus Island, off the coast of
Townsville. There’s no privation on this tiny island: the rate includes all
gourmet meals by talented chef Arie Prabowo, regional wines and beers,
snorkeling, fishing and cruises and one signature Dining with the Tides experience.
Stay four nights, pay for just three, saving up to $2800 when staying in a
beachfront villa until July 31, and quote ‘paystay’. The island can now be
reached by helicopter from Cairns as well as Townsville (additional charge). Costs
from $4200, four nights in a beachfront room. (07)
4777 7377, orpheus.com.au.

THAILAND

There’s a lot of luxe on Koh Samui, and hovering at the
top is Baan Ling Noi villa, on the millionaire’s row at Bophut Hills, 15
minutes from the island’s airport. The villa sleeps eight in four double
bedrooms, and includes an infinity pool, tropical landscaping, rainforest
showers and life-in staff. Normally $385 a night, enjoy a low-season rate until
June 30 that works out about $33 a night, a person. Costs from $327 a night. baan-ling-noi.com.

The fabulousness of Monaco

MONACO

Yachts, casinos, high flying and fabulous architecture:
join the international jet set of the French Riviera, but without the big bucks
required. The ‘Passport to Monte-Carlo’ gets you three nights at the three-star
Columbus Monte-Carlo, a city tour, tickets to Monaco’s major museums and
attractions and a free helicopter transfer between Monaco and Nice (subject to
dates). Costs from $549 a person, three nights, twin share. French Travel
Connection 1300 858 304, frenchtravel.com.au.

CUBA
Shake what your mama gave you on a new eight-day tour through Cuba. Eat in Cuba’s
top restaurant and on a farmer’s plantation, boat through mangroves to visit a
stilted Taino Indian village and learn to drink rum and sugar cane juice
cocktails in UNESCO-listed Trinidad. Normally $2200, save $285 on the new Pearl
of the Caribbean tour, which departures every Thursday from May to October.
Book 30 days in advance until September 30. Costs from $1915 a person, twin
share. 1300 763 338, bfirsttravel.com.

Hyatt Regency Maui, Hawai’i

USA

Get exploring on the Hawaiian Islands. Hit the designer
boutiques and beach restaurants of Waikiki while staying three nights at the
Hyatt Regency Waikiki and then flip onto oasis time on the golf course and
underwater during your five-night stay at the Hyatt Regency Maui. Includes
$1500 of bonuses with inter-island and international fights, daily buffet
breakfast, children under 18 staying free and free meals for under-12s. Book by
May 15 for selected dates until December 12. Costs from $2290 a person, twin
share, eight nights. 1300 004 292, myholidaycentre.com.au/hawaii.

NEW ZEALAND

Discover the highlights of the North and South islands on
the new 18-day Essence of New Zealand coach tour, which travels from Christchurch
to Auckland. All the beauties are on the list: Milford Sound, Franz Josef
Glacia, Te Papa Museum and a Maori Hangi dinner in between. Save up to $440 on bookings by May 24. Departs
October 17, 2013 -25 December, 2014. Costs from $3950 a person, twin share. 1300
228 546, aatkings.com.au.

The Montage, Beverly Hills.

TOURWATCH

Blinded by the fabulous shopping of
LA? Get a pro to hold your hand and steer you through the glamour of Rodeo
Drive, with the ministrations of personal stylists from Stylehaus, Macy’s and BCBG
Max Azria, and go underground to eke out the best bargains in hush-hush outlet
stores. Australian Karine Bulger is your 24/7 personal concierge and escort who
has lived and worked in LA for years, and is leading four LA Experience tours
in 2013 timed to co-incide with LA’s sales seasons. Luxury continues with five
nights at the five-star The Montage hotel in Beverly Hills, with a deserved
lunch at The Ivy. There are pre-tour consultations to tailor your trip, and
your inbox will love the ongoing discounts on your favourite products. Costs
from $3370 a person. laexperience.com.

Source: Belinda Jackson, Sun-Herald

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