Travel deals | GlobalSalsa: travel writer Belinda Jackson

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

Rug up and reap the benefits: wintery holiday bargains

Turkey

If you’re keen for a wintery holiday, there are bargains to be had.

New York City

In post-Christmas Manhattan, crowds drop off, hotel prices come down, sales take off and ice skates come into their own. It’s Restaurant Week, too, in January/February, during which key fine-dining places offer fixed-price menus.

The 414 Hotel in midtown Manhattan has a “stay four nights, pay for three” deal in its queen-size rooms, from January 5 to February 28. The 414 is a small hotel comprising two townhouses with a courtyard in between. West 46th Street (46th and Ninth Avenue), from $155 a night. 414hotel.com.

The Condor Hotel is in a commercial-residential Jewish neighbourhood of Brooklyn where Hasidic tradition meets hipster gentrification. The subway is about a three-block walk from the hotel, as are a string of restaurants on Myrtle Avenue. The hotel has a seven-night offer in January and February with savings of up to 20 per cent. A twin room, with kitchenette and balcony, costs from $US167.82 ($160) a night , including taxes, dropping to $US131 a night, including taxes, for the bulk of the seven-night stay. The hotel has a lounge and garden and the room rate includes breakfast. 56 Franklin Avenue. condorny.com.

Paris B&B, petiteparis.com.au

Europe

Cathay Pacific has early-bird flights to Europe via Hong Kong for those who can delay their Christmas gift to themselves until April 2013. Economy-class return flights cost from $1640 if booked by December 31 for travel between April 1 and May 31 or between September 1 and October 31. Destinations include London, Rome, Milan, Paris, Frankfurt, Moscow and Amsterdam. Early-bird premium economy return seats to Europe cost from $3112. 13 17 47, cathaypacific.com.

The “Canton route” is a new take on the classic “kangaroo route” from Australia to Europe. Canton is Guangzhou, a city of about 12 million just across the delta from Hong Kong, and an emerging stopover for travellers, courtesy of it being the home base of China Southern Airlines. Early-bird fares are available for bookings made until December 31 for travel from January 22 to June 30, 2013. Costs from $1289 for a return economy-class fare to Paris or Amsterdam; from $1439 to London. Conditions apply. 1300 889 628, csair.com.au.

Paris apartments to rent can be well-placed gems. Stays in January mean savings, too. For example, an apartment in the 17th arrondissement about 15 minutes’ walk from the Arc de Triomphe is a green oasis in the centre of the city. Originally built as a nuns’ cloister, the apartment can accommodate three people and has a kitchen. Stay in January for €140 ($173) a night, twin share.petiteparis.com.au.

Ephesus, Turkey

Austria is ski central. An eight-night Ski Plus package in Tyrol’s SkiWelt costs from $675 a person, quad share, when booked with any other winter Europe tour. Includes overnight transfers from London and breakfast daily. 1300 266 845, contiki.com.au.

Turkey encompasses cosmopolitan Istanbul, ancient Ephesus and mournful Gallipoli. An 11-night tour visits the sites, including Demre on the Mediterranean coast and the trading port of Phoenicus, now Finike. Save 15 per cent on bookings until January 15, 2013, for travel from December 19, 2012, to December 19, 2013. From $935 a person. adventureworld.com.au.

Mexico

High in the wine region of Valle de Guadalupe, 20 eco-cabins meld into the environment to create Endemico, a Design Hotel in Mexico’s Baja California. Remote, yes, but also just 90 minutes from San Diego by air. Get 20 per cent off the best available rate on two-night stays, or stay three nights, pay for two, until March 17, 2013. Costs from $US280 for two nights; from $US350 for three nights.designhotels.com.

Egypt

Now’s a great time to visit – without the crowds or the heat. Tempo Holidays has a two-for-the-price-of-one package on its 11-day Wonders of Egypt tour, which visits Cairo and Alexandria, El Alamein’s World War II battlefields and includes a four-night cruise on the Nile. Book by December 31, travel until September 30, 2013. Costs from $3162 for two people.

Morocco

Marrakesh is the jewel of Morocco. It’s winter here, so rug up and admire the snowy peaks behind the city. Save 30 per cent on three-night stays at Angsana Riads Collection Morocco until February 18, 2013 (excludes stays between December 23 and January 6). Costs from $350 for three nights. 1800 050 019, angsana.com.

Cruise New Zealand

Save up to $930 on the price of an inside cabin on a 13-night voyage aboard the Dawn Princess from Melbourne to New Zealand departing on February 18. Sail through the stunning Fiordland National Park and visit Wellington, Napier and Auckland. The voyage costs from $1369 a person from Melbourne, or $1800 from Sydney, which includes Qantas flights and a two-night pre-cruise stay at the Crowne Promenade Melbourne. The deal also comes with a $75 shipboard credit. Book by December 31. 1300 596 345, cruise1st.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

Dec

Hide away in the Maldives, Kimberley or Falkands: travel deals 2 December 2012

Hideaway tourism is so hot right now: Western Australia’s Kimberley, an island resort in the Maldives (pictured left), not to be confused with those other remote islands, Islas Malvinas, aka the South Atlantic’s Falkland Islands. There’s deals to be had in all corners of the world. Read on…

TASMANIA

Queueing is sooo boring – stay at Mantra One Sandy Bay
and they’ll hand over two tickets, worth $40, to the Museum
of Old and New Art (MONA) Theatre of the World exhibition in
their ‘Ultimate Hobart Package’. The hotel is a short walk from the ferry that
takes you up the Derwent River to MONA, or is a less romantic 15 minutes’
drive. Costs from $209 a night in a one-bedroom apartment until December
25. 131 517, mantra.com.au.

NSW

The city is hotting up for Christmas, and the Sydney
Hilton, on George St, is well placed to soak up the festive vibe. The hotels’Any
weekend Anywhere’ deal saves 25 per cent off its room only an dB&B rates on
stays from November 26, 2012 until December 31, 2013. Bookings are open unitl
February 14, 2013, and you must book at least seven days before you stay. Costs
from $209 a night. (02) 9266 2051, hiltonsydney.com.au.

Hello, Darwin.

NORTHERN TERRITORY

For a taste of real summer and different harbour views,
head north to the tropical heat of Darwin and sink a sundowner as the sun sets
over the water. Crowne Plaza Darwin’s Recharge package knocks 20 per cent off
the room rate and throws in a free breakfast buffet on stays until February 28,
2013. Minimum three nights’ stay. Costs from $354 for three nights, 138 388, crowneplaza.com/recharge.

VICTORIA

The
Yarra Valley is a vista of rolling hills and vineyards, with the 4.5-star Mercure
Balgownie Estate Vineyard Resort & Spa in its centre. The hotel has just
opened its new Experience Pool, set at a toasty 28 degrees, which provides therapeutic
treatments and exercises that tie in with its onsite spa. Stay midweek (Mon –
Thurs) in a one bedroom spa suite and they’ll include breakfast and a couple of
champagne cocktails – perhaps simultaneously? – on stays from December 16 to
February 28, 2013. Costs from $305 a night (03) 9730 0700, balgownieestate.com.au.

QUEENSLAND

Forget rumours that Queensland is the most expensive
place to holiday in Australia@: take the family for a Gold Coast break for less
than a grand. Book a BYOKids family package for two adults and two kids staying
seven nights in a two-bedroom apartment in Turtle Beach Resort, and get a round
of putt-putt golf, paddle pop vouchers and welcome drinks, as well as a family pass to “Ripley’s
Believe it or Not,” worth nearly $50. Book by December 16 for stays from
now until December 21, and from January 27 – March 27, 2013. Costs $995 for 2
adults, 2 kids or $1170 for 2 adults, 3 kids. 1300 296 543, byokids.com.au.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

The only way to arrive at Australia’s newest eco lodge is
by float plane. The Berkeley River Lodge sits on Joseph Bonaparte Gulf, on the Kimberley coast, one of Australia’s
great wildernesses an hour’s flight from the nearest town. Couples save $2100
and solo travellers save $1100 on this four-night package that includes
float plane transfers from Kununurra, guided treks, river cruises and fishing
adventures. Stay February 1 – March 31, 2013, costs from $5976 a couple, $4488
for solo, four nights. 1300 851 800, abercrombiekent.com.au.

ITALY

When in Rome… drive a Fiat 500. Actually, this new tour
starts in Florence, and sees you driving in a convoy of the classic tiny Fiat
500 cars along quiet private roads to a 15th-century Renaissance villa for a
Tuscan picnic, swim and wine tasting. The five-hour tour normally costs $190 a
person. Book and pay by December 31 for tours between February and October
2013, and save 25 per cent. Costs from $145 a person, twin share. (03) 5722
1245, holidaystoeurope.com.au/specials.

WALES

Visit medieval towns and learn to say their names,
especially when their names are Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch.
Lucky you’ve got five days to do so, on a five-day Welsh Explorer. Other Welsh
classics on the tour include the wilds of Snowdonia, Conwy castle and a coal
mine. Save up to 15 per cent on bookings before December 21, quote code
‘earlybird’. Costs from $349 a person. 1300 287 226, haggisadventures.com.

The Alhambra, Granada, Spain.

SPAIN

Ronda’s beautiful bullring, Real
Palace, the Alhambra – does Spanish sightseeing get any better? Yes, when you
add wine and tapas tasting, and sangria and flamenco in Seville. The eight-day
small-group Spanish Inspiration tour starts in Madrid and travels south to
Malaga. Save $812 on bookings made by December 15. Costs from $3468 a person,
twin share. 1300 100 410, backroadstouring.com.au.

CHINA

Any holiday can be improved with the inclusion of a Rolls-Royce transfer or lavish afternoon tea, and Shanghai is no exception. Book a two-night Winter Moments stay at the Peninsula Shanghai and get up to US$150 credit to spend in the hotel’s restaurants, spas or services, as well as an upgrade to the next room category, daily American breakfast, free local calls and wi-fi. Stay by March 15, 2013, costs from $714 for two nights. 1800 116 888, peninsula.com/wintermoments.

MALDIVES

The Maldives are the last word in luxury, and the
44-bungalow island resort of Huvafen Fushi per Aquum one of its jewels, with
the world’s first underwater spa. The property has just reopened following a
refurb and is offering guests free speedboat transfers, free half board and a
stay five, pay four deal in its beach bungalows, complete with plunge pool,
until December 23. Usually from US$6050, costs from US$3800 for five nights. eliteresortsofasiapacific.com.

TOURWATCH

Marathon obsessives, take note, the world’s most
southerly marathon, on the far-flung Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic,
will take place on March 17, 2013. The remote archipelago comprises more than 700
islands off the eastern coast of Argentina, and its brief summer sees average
temperatures of just 15 degrees, though there’s plenty of sunshine. The
Falklands hosts an extreme marathon route that sees less than 50 runners
complete the race each year. An eight-day tour departs Punta Arenas in southern
Chile and visits a penguin colony in Chile, and the Falklands islands of Sea
Lion, Darwin and Carcass, for a chance to
mingle with the locals – human and animal, including reindeer, orca pods
and sea lions. The itinerary includes time for pre-race preparation and costs
from $4195 a person including internal
flights. +1 406 541 2677, adventure-life.com.

Source: Belinda Jackson, Sun Herald

Dec

Escape the office

The Sukosol, Bangkok

Be it shopping, flopping by the pool, an island sojourn or a city break, the neighbours can assist.

Thailand

Go for the food, people and direct flights to Bangkok and Phuket. The newest hotel in Bangkok, The Sukosol, is celebrating flinging open its doors with happy-hour cocktails, free dinner at its restaurant, Patummat, late checkout and wi-fi. Choose a Club Siam deluxe room and save $120 on stays until March 30. Costs from $320 for two nights. +66 0 2247 0123, sukosolhotels.com.

Koh Samui, on the Gulf of Thailand, can be reached from Bangkok, Singapore, Phuket or Pattaya. Book a two-night Escape to Samui package in the top-of-the-line sanctuary pool villa at the Banyan Tree Samui and save on the best rate. You’ll get a set dinner at the Banyan’s Saffron restaurant, hydrotherapy sessions for two, a honey and milk bath, daily breakfast and transfers. Costs from 82,150 baht ($2560) a villa, which sleeps four, for two-night stays until March 31. 1800 050 019, banyantree.com.

Trisara, a resort about 15 minutes’ drive from Phuket’s airport, is where eight people can stay in a four-bedroom ocean-front suite with chef, butler and driver, food and beverages, transfers and unlimited spa treatments. There’s a helicopter tour over Phuket and a day’s sailing on a private yacht through the beautiful Phan Nga Bay, too. Available until April 30. Costs from $25,110 for eight people for two nights. +66 76 310 100, trisara.com.

Fiji

Jean-Michele Cousteau Resort

Jean-Michel Cousteau Resort is set on the northern island of Vanua Levu. The resident marine biologist will help you explore the beauty of Fiji’s underwater world on snorkelling trips, night dives and seashore walks. Stay six nights, pay for four in a garden-view bure, and receive six dives and three massages as well. Bures can accommodate up to two adults and two children under 13. The package includes all meals and the resort has a kids’ club. Save $3110 on stays from now until December 21 and January 7-March 31. Costs from $4296 for six nights. 1300 306 171, fijiresort.com.

Likuliku Lagoon Resort, voted Fiji’s top resort this year, is modelled on a traditional village – if villages had over-water bures, plunge pools and private bathing pavilions. Stay five nights and get the sixth night free, until March 31. Costs from $2271 a person. +679 672 0978, likulikulagoon.com. *Please note: Likuliku Lagoon Resort was badly damaged by Cyclone Evan and will not be reopening until March 2013.

Samoa

Sinalei Reef Resort and Spa has a 30 per cent discount on seven-night stays, with breakfast and a massage thrown in, if booked by December 25 for travel until March 31. Samoa is heading into the rainy season. Costs from $1666 a villa. +685 25191, sinalei.com.

Phuket, Thailand

Cook Islands

The Little Polynesian Resort in Rarotonga is the place from which to throw your watch into the turquoise waters and relax. The resort’s ares (villas) are by the beach and usually cost from $460 a night. Stay three nights, pay for two, if booked by December 10 for travel until May 31 (excludes stays from December 21 to January 13). Costs from $920 for three nights. +682 24280, littlepolynesian.com.

Bali

Villa Kubu is down a quiet gang (laneway) in the heart of Seminyak. Stay four nights, pay for three, or stay seven nights and pay for five, until March 15 (excluding December 15- January 8). Costs from $US245 ($235) a night for a one-bedroom villa with a plunge pool. +62 361 738 905, villakubu.com.

Hawaii

The Hyatt Regency Waikiki Beach Resort and Spa. Stay each fourth night for free, with free daily breakfast, when booking the hotel’s Sunshine on Sale deal (excludes December 26- January 4). Costs from $US1035 for four nights. 13 12 34, waikiki.hyatt.com.

Vanuatu

The Warwick Le Lagon resort in Port Vila has a four-night deal. The package includes return economy airfares with Air Vanuatu, breakfast and spa discounts. Book now for travel until December 14, or from January 16 to March 13. Costs from $1445 a person, twin share. 13 13 81, holidayspecialists.com.au.

Japan

Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka are on the itinerary of a seven-day Raw Japan tour that usually costs from $1520 a person, twin share. Book by December 31 for a January 20 departure into Japan’s rather chilly winter and the tour costs from $1064 a person. Tour begins and ends in Tokyo and includes taking the Shinkansen bullet train to Kyoto and two days spent in Osaka. 1300 791 485,geckosadventures.com.

Malaysia

The Hard Rock Hotel, on Batu Ferringhi beach on the resort island of Penang, has 250 rooms, wi-fi, iPod docks, CD and DVD players and satellite TV. The hotel also has a kids’ club and club for teenagers, pool, spa and gym. Batu Ferringhi hosts a lively night market, is a popular site for parasailing and windsurfing, and has street eats and upscale dining venues aplenty. The Hard Rock’s Rockin’ Internet Deal is a discount of up to 40 per cent on the standard room rate. Costs from $167 a night. penang.hardrockhotels.net.

Hong Kong

One of the hottest shopping destinations on the planet, Hong Kong is on the boil, while little sister, Macau, makes for a perfect side trip. The Mandarin Oriental’s Christmas Extravaganza package includes a two-night stay in the oriental presidential suite at its second-tier hotel, The Excelsior, and a third night free at the Mandarin Oriental, Macau. Includes massages, transfers, champagne and hampers, gift cards and bathrobes. Normally $9753, save up to 35 per cent when staying between December 20 and January 1. Costs $7173 for three nights. 1800 123 693, mandarinoriental.com.

Sri Lanka

Deep inside, you’re a surf goddess and yoga goddess, too. If in doubt, head to Sri Lanka to make it happen. Surf Goddess Retreats is running two eight-day programs (from January 4 to 11 and January 14-21) that include daily yoga sessions, surf lessons, all equipment, six hours of spa treatments, cultural exploration, accommodation and meals. Costs $US2595 a person, save $US500. The retreat’s villa is near Unawatuna, about five kilometres south of Galle on Sri Lanka’s south-western tip, and is a short tuk-tuk ride from several beaches (for beginner surfers) and reef breaks (for advanced surfers). Galle Harbour was the island’s key southern entry point, and its fort, built by Portuguese and then Dutch colonisers in the 16th and 17th centuries, is a World Heritage site.surfgoddessretreats.com/srilanka.

Nepal

You’ll rarely be outdone in, say, a dinner party conversation when you say you spent the Christmas break trekking remote mountain paths, crossing glaciers, traversing valleys and climbing passes to arrive at Everest Base Camp. This 15-day journey begins and ends in the Nepalese capital, Kathmandu, and includes a flight to Lukla, before participants trek between teahouses and monasteries to the base camp. Save $216 if booked by December 24 for travel on December 29. Costs $1219. Maximum group size is 12, minimum age of trekkers is 16 and accommodation includes 12 nights spent at teahouses. 1300 018 871, intrepidtravel.com.

Source: Belinda Jackson, Sun Herald

Dec

Animal antics in Africa and Adelaide: travel deals 25 November 2012

Discover the Way of the Panda in Adelaide, go gorilla-tastic in Africa, or hitch a ride on a camel in Broome in this week’s best international and domestic travel deals.

TASMANIA

Stepping into summer, it’s shaping up as peak walking
time for Tasmania’s hills and mountains. Yes, you can camp, but it’s so much
nicer to fall into a hot tub after a day trekking the highlands. Cradle
Mountain Chateau is knocking its rates almost in half until December 20, quote
booking code ‘PT004’. Normally from $105 a person, costs from $65 a person. 1800
420 155 www.puretasmania.com.au

AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL
TERRITORY

Canberra celebrates its centenary in 2013, with a
year-long calendar of events, with indigenous cultural explorations, art
exhibitions and sporting face-offs, canberra100.com.au. Stay at the 4½-star Pavilion on
Northbourne in a deluxe room with the
big buffet brekky, and save up to $286 a night. Valid for stays until February
2013, quote ‘Canberra Sale Special’. Costs from $140 a night. 1300 88 7979, wotif.com/hotelW6953.

WESTERN
AUSTRALIA

Where else can you ride a camel along the beach but
in Broome? Soak up that golden WA sun on Cable Beach and save up to 30 per cent
off your room at the 4.5-star Oaks Cable Beach Sanctuary, curled around a
lagoon-style swimming pool. Book by November 30 for travel until April 30,
2013. Costs from $139 a night for two in a studio room or stay five and save 40
per cent, from $595 for five nights. 1300 888 180, zuji.com.au.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Let Wang Wang and Funi show you ‘The Way of the Panda.’
Adelaide Zoo’s two pandas are one of the city’s great drawcards for kids and
adults, set in eight hectares of botanic gardens. The zoo is a pleasant walk
(ok, five minutes in a cab) to BreakFree Adelaide, in Hindley St, which is offering
the fourth night free for families who stay three nights in a two-bed apartment
until March 27, 2013. On top of that, stay before January 18, 2013, get a
two-for-one Gray Line Barossa Valley tour. Costs from $615 for three nights. 132 007, breakfree.com.au.

VICTORIA

The few weeks before Christmas is when bargain hunters
slip in a sneaky getaway: take San Remo,
for example. Just over an hour south of Melbourne, the sleepy town is
the gateway for Phillip Island, and the place for fish and chips on empty,
windswept beaches, visiting tiny cellar doors and shopping the weekend produce
markets. Stay two nights, get 10 per cent off, or stay three or more and get 20
per cent off at Silverwater Resort on stays until December 20 quote code
‘Santa12’. Costs from $278 a room, for two nights. 1800 033 403,
silverwaterresort.com.au

TRANS-AUSTRALIA

It’s time to break out the iconic Aussie songs,
Gangagang’s ‘Sounds of Then (This is
Australia)’ and
of course Icehouse’s ‘Great Southern Land’ – you come over all patriotic when
you’re crossing our country’s Red Centre.
Save up to $611pp on The Ghan, travelling from Adelaide
to Darwin or vice versa. Book before December 24 for travel until March 31,
2013. Was $2116, costs from $1505 a person, Gold Service, and was $3210, now
$2259 a person, Platinum Service. 13 21 47, greatsouthernrail.com.au.

The Dipan Resort Villa & Spa, Seminyak, Bali

BALI

Seminyak is
Bali’s hip and beating heart, with the best boutiques, bars, spas and
restaurants on the island. Stay in The Dipan Resort Villa and Spa, a
22-suite hotel in the pinnacle of Seminyak hip, Petitenget, for half the price,
but still get breakfast, wi-fi and a welcome massage. Stay four night and get a
dinner in the resort restaurant as well. Book now for travel until July 3,
2013. Costs from $130 a night in a hotel room, or $241 a night in a one-bedroom
villa. 1300 85 95 65, cantikbalivillas.com.

Flamingoes on Lake Nakuru, Kenya.

KENYA

Kids travel free
when they’re with two adults on an eight-day Kenya Highlights package. Each
couple can have one child under 12, who stays in the same accommodation and the
deal includes all meals and sightseeing. Highlights include meeting the Maasai
and the masses of flamingos on Lake Nakuru. Costs from $1895 a person, twin share.
1300 195 873, benchinternational.com.au.

CHILE & ARGENTINA

With a BMW F650 GS between your legs and the panorama of
snow-capped volcanos before you, is there any more beautiful place in the world
than the Andes? This nine-day tour by road bike starts and ends in Santiago and
covers 2100km, travelling south into Patagonia, where you cross the Andes to
Argentina and beautiful Bariloche. Compass Expeditions is offering US$800 off
for the rider and $400 for co-riders. Tour departs 28 December, 2012. Includes
bike hire, fuel and 10 nights’ accommodation. Costs from $3490, $2190 for
pillion. 1300 887 327, compassexpeditions.com.

AFRICA

Spend 20 days visiting the gorillas of Africa in some of
the continent’s most spectacular scenery, including Masai Mara, Victoria Falls
and Tanzania’s Lake Manyara and the Serengeti. There’s mountain gorilla
trekking in Rwanda, game drives, a boma dining experience beneath the
stars. Travel Associates is offering one free return economy flight with South
African Airways when two people book together. Book by December 31 for travel
on May 31, 2013, includes all internal flights and up to eight game park
drives. Costs from $16595 a person, twin share. 1800 044 066, travel-associates.com.au

TOURWATCH: SWEDEN

The low Swedish coastline was surely designed for
kayaking, and the new West Coast Sweden: Bohuslän Archipelago journey with
Southern Sea Ventures is a girl’s or boy’s own adventure writ large. The
itinerary includes beach camping and stays in snug lodges, paddling through
thousands of granite islands while observed by seals and seagulls. You’ll be
led by Swedish seakayaker Ulrika Larsson, who started her paddling career in
the Stockholm archipelago and has paddled the Swedish coastline solo. The
10-day trip includes eight days’ kayaking, and has a moderate grading, so some
paddling experience is necessary, and it helps if you’ve seen the inside of a
tent before. Departs August 25, 2013 from Gothenburg, in southern Sweden, and
includes all kayaking equipment. Costs from $2250 a person. (02) 8901 3287, southernseaventures.com.

Source: Belinda Jackson, Sun Herald

Nov

You can can can in Canberra: travel deals 18 November 2012

The Toulouse-Lautrec exhibition opens
14 December, Canberra

You can can can in Canberra, oh yes you can. You can also go ethical in Melbourne’s Fed Square or go camel, houseboat or rickshaw riding in India, in this week’s international and Australian travel deals.

VICTORIA

Love it or hate it, Melbourne’s Federation Square is the
city’s centre. Check out Australia’s largest fair-trade and ethical festival,
Fair@Square, from November 30-December 2, then discover the world beyond the Square with a
Laneways of Melbourne tour. You’ll find tiny galleries, boutiques and some of
the world’s best street art, and snack along the way. The tour includes
chocolate, lunch and a goodies bag. Normally $69 a person, costs from $49 a
person until December 31, 2013 (excluding public holidays). 0407380969, meltours.com.au

TASMANIA

Eat regional food, breathe pure air: where else but our
own Tassie? Upcoming attractions on the island include the makeover of the
Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery and MONA FOMA, the music and art festival
curated by Brian Ritchie (ex Violent Femmes) from January 16-20, 2013. The
4-star Mercure Hadleys Hobart hotel is in the centre of the city, a National
Trust-listed building that dates from 1834. Book until November 30 for stays
until March 31, 2013. Costs from $112 a night. 1300 888 180, zuji.com.au .

AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY

Work your frou-frou when the Moulin Rouge comes to
Canberra, at the National Gallery of Australia’s Toulouse-Lautrec
exhibition, which opens 14 December. French artist Henri de
Toulouse-Lautrec painted the seamy side of fin
de siecle Paris – and we’re not talking just stocking seams here. Stay at
the Mantra on Northbourne from December 14 – January 31, 2013 and they’ll
include the breakfast buffet and two adult tickets to the exhibition. Costs
from $199 until January 31, 131 517, mantra.com.au.

NSW

Concert goers and NRL
fiends have a new pad to stay at when they attend events at Sydney’s Olympic
Park with the opening of the new 4.5-star Quest at Sydney Olympic Park, which
has 140 studios, one, two and three bedroom options. Each has a fully equipped
kitchen and laundry, there’s an on-site gym and local restaurants are happy to
charge back to the hotel. Normally from $349 a night for a studio apartment,
snap up an opening rate until November 30 from $219. 1300 334 033, questatsydneyolympicpark.com.au.

QUEENSLAND

The Sunshine Coast hinterland is a hotbed of galleries,
cafes and boutique food, best discovered from the town of Montville. Stay three
nights at the couples-only 4.5-star Falls Rainforest Spa cottage, pay for just
two. You’ll also get a bottle of sparkling wine and cheese on arrival, as well
as breakfast daily, on stays until March 25, 2013 (Monday-Thursday, excludes
Christmas). Costs from $279 a person, twin share, three nights. 1800 044 066, travel-associates.com.au.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Perth marks the start of a tour of southern WA, through
Margaret River down to Cape Leeuwin lighthouse, Albany and Esperance before
turning inland to pan for gold and oogle Kalgoorlie’s Golden Superpit. The 9-day
Southern Wonders tour includes lunch showcasing the best indigenous ingredients
at Palandri winery and takes time to stop and smell the wildflowers. Save up to
$150 a person when you book and pay for six months in advance. Costs from $3009
a person, 1300 228 546, aatkings.com.au.

MACAU

Currently enjoying a hotel boom, Macau is great for a
flutter, and is also ramping up its cultural gems and family entertainment. Stay
in a deluxe king room at the new Conrad Macao, in Cotai Central, and get either
a room upgrade to a deluxe suite or a complementary buffet breakfast – featuring Portuguese-inspired Macanese
cuisine – for each night of your stay. Costs from $236 a night. +853 8113 6055,
conradmacao.com.

FRANCE
The French Riviera hotspot of Cannes has been the star of the show, with
its film festival luring A-listers for decades. Fittingly, the InterContinental
Carlton Cannes hotels’ 39 suites are named after stars including Sean Connery,
Grace Kelly and Sharon Stone. The Belle Epoque hotel now turns 100 and the
hotel is having a party until March 31, 2013. Normally from $252, costs from $215
a night. 1800 007 697, ichotelsgroup.com.

FIJI

Sonaisali Island Resort, Fiji.

Schoolies alert! Sonaisali Island Resort is staging what
it describes as the ultimate schoolies week, with seven-night packages at half
price. The island has been chartered exclusively for schools for two weeks,
starting December 4 and December 11, and packages include return airfares,
transfers, all meals, activities, and nightly entertainment including DJs and
themed parties. There is extra security and an experienced crew who will meet
you at the airport, just 25 minutes away, and be on hand 24 hours a day. Save
$1000, costs from $999 a person. 1800 981 320, unleasedschoolies.com.au

THAILAND

The holistic heaven of Thailand is encapsulated in the
luxury health resort Chiva-Som, which is luring lovers of spa lusciousness with
bonus treatments between December 1-19. Stay five nights, receive seven spa
treatments, stay seven, get 10 treatments at the much-awarded resort, located
in Hua Hin, 185km south of Bangkok. Costs from $3400 a person, five nights.
1300 857 437, traveltheworld.com.au.

INDIA

Travel by camel in Shekhawati, by luxury houseboat on
Kerala’s backwaters, and by rickshaw in Jaipur on the 23-day Colours of
Mystical India tour. Journey through the southern states of Tamil Nadu and
Kerala, discovering the historic tradition maritime town of Kochi and the
French flavour of Pondicherry before heading north to Rajasthan, Delhi and
Agra. Book before March 31, 2013 and get free return flights to India with
Singapore Airlines. Costs from $12,995 a person, twin share. 1300 723 642,
scenictours.com.

TOURWATCH

Step into an unexplored world, just 500km north of
Australia, into West Timor. This new 14-day walking tour launches from Denpasar,
Bali, flying in to the West Timor capital, Kupang. Local guides will lead you
to old Dutch hill stations, markets and traditional farms, staying in local
hotels or thatch and bamboo homes in the villages, including, in one instance,
the royal family compound. The journey takes you from tropical beaches to
mountain villages, and local host Will Kadati helps with interactive
discussions with the West Timorese. Suitable for medium-level walkers, the trip
includes two days’ walking to the Biboki kingdom, discovering each region’s
unique textiles and crafts, cuisine and religions. Departs June 28, 2013. Costs
from $2865, per person, twin share, ex-Denpasar. 1300 783 188,
activetravel.com.au.

Source: Belinda Jackson, Sun Herald newspaper

Nov

Peace in Bali, bustle on the Bund: travel deals 11 November 2012

Cinque Terre, Italy

Peace is found in Bali’s Tabanan district and in a Tuscan villa. Or find fabulousness on Shanghai’s Bund and Hobart’s Salamanca market in this week’s Australian and international travel deals.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Named one of the state’s top pubs by the AHA, the 4.5-star
Walkers Arms Hotel is spitting distance from the CBD, in happening Walkerville.
The hotel has a huge beer garden and there are gigs on Friday nights, DJs on
Saturdays and live acoustic music on Sundays. Save 20 per cent on stays until 28 February. Costs from $135 a night. 130
130 483, travel.com.au.

QUEENSLAND

Budget hotel aficionados know the Traders hotels: owned by the luxe Shangri-La gang, they’re aimed at 4-star corporates, with the benefits and panache from a glam big sister. Australia’s first Traders Hotel has opened on Brisbane’s Roma St, with prices starting from $289 weekdays and $159 weekends, always with free wi-fi. It’s celebrating the opening with a ‘Stay Connected’ package that includes one night’s accommodation in its recently, 34sqm renovated rooms, and a Samsung Galaxy Tab 2, all for the retail price of the tablet, $459. (07) 3238 2222, tradershotels.com

Sofitel Melbourne

VICTORIA

The acclaimed play ‘War Horse’, about a man and horse’s journey through World War I, makes its Australian debut at Melbourne’s State Theatre Art Centre in December. Well that’s a good excuse to head south. Usually, a night at the Sofitel on Collins costs from $260. The ‘stay and see’ package includes a five-star sleep for two and one ‘A’ Reserve ticket, worth $124, from December 23 – February 10, 2013. Costs from $269 a night. 1300 306 341, showbiz.com.au/warhorse.

NEW SOUTH WALES

It could well be the best deal in town: stay in one of
the Sheraton on the Park’s 48 suites, take home a Boucheron diamond. Between
November 17-25, and you’ll be on a treasure hunt for a diamond pendant and a
diamond bracelet hidden in the suites, but could be consoled with other surprises
including a splash from Moet, bath butler service, Polynesian spa treatments by
Thalgo or a sparkling midnight swim – it’s a surprise, people. Costs from $599,
includes access to the Sheraton Club, with pre-dinner drinks, canapés and
breakfast on Level 21. (02) 9286 6000, sheratonontheparksydney.com/sparkle.

The Tarkine, Tasmania

TASMANIA

Hobart’s been cosying up with San Fran, Amsterdam and
Beijing, all named in Lonely Planet’s top 10 cities to visit in 2013. The new
Unknown Wilderness itinerary from Inspiring Journeys travels from Launceston to
Hobart, visiting the mountains, lakes and rivers in between, not to mention
dishing up your fair share of wine and cheese. Departs from January 31 to April
28 with more dates pending: book six months in advance, save $190. Costs from
$3750 a person, twin share (excluding flights) 1800 467 747,
inspiringjourneys.com.au.

NORTH-WEST
AUSTRALIA

Play spot the croc along Australia’s remote north-western
coastline. This 22-day adventure travels in coach-style 4WDs from Darwin to
Perth, crossing the Kimberley until the Coral Coast. Includes cruises on the
Ord River and through Katherine Gorge at sunrise and four nights at Bell Gorge
and Bungle Wilderness Lodge. Save up to $575 a person when booking six months
in advance, until December 31, for travel May 1-September 30, 2013. Costs from
$10,920 a person, twin share. 1800 044 066, travel-associates.com.au.

Palais Amani, Fez, Morocco

MOROCCO

Your home in the open-air theatre that is Fez is a riad;
those perfumed, inward-facing homes beloved by Morocco’s old merchant class.
With only 14 rooms, the luxury riad,

Palais Amani, is set within the medina. Normally from
$169 a night, save 33 per cent on stays until January 31, 2013, excluding
December 20 – January 1, 2013. Includes a traditional Moroccan breakfast, and a
spa with hammam and rooftop showers for those hot summer nights. Costs from $125
a night, minimum three nights’ stay. 1300 896 627, mrandmrssmith.com.

CHINA

Shanghai’s promenade the Bund has another swanky
resident, the Banyan Tree Shanghai On The Bund. Its 130 rooms overlook the Bund
and the Huangpu River. Check out the three-floor spa and 150-minute hot stones
therapy, made more delicious by a 30 per cent discount. Until February 28, get
your second night free and half-price on all subsequent nights, breakfast and
free non-alcoholic minibar on stays in the riverside retreats. Costs from $460
a night. +86 21 2509 1188, banyantree.com.

INDONESIA

Alila Villas Soori, Tabanan, Bali, Indonesia

Bali’s Tabanan district is famed for its traditional
dancers and gong (gamelan) orchestras, and private viewings can be arranged by
Alila Villas Soori, a collection of villas set between beach and rice paddies.
Save 20 per cent off the internet rate when you book one of their newly
relaunched Mountain Pool villas, when booking seven days in advance for stays
until December 19. Costs from $490++. +62 361 894 6388, alilahotels.com/soori.

ITALY

From your base in the spa town of Salsomaggiore Terme,
you’ll explore Bologna, Milan, Cinque Terre and then Lake Maggiore in this
eight-day Hidden Treasures of Northern Italy tour. Book before December 27 to
get an early-bird fare of $1475 for return flights with Cathay Pacific to Rome,
and book four months in advance to save 2.5 per cent on the tour cost. Costs
from $1134 a person, twin share. 1300 230 234, cosmostours.com.au.

EUROPE

A Contiki tour through Europe is a rite of passage for
first-time travellers. Tick off all the biggies – Paris’ Eiffel Tower, Rome’s
Coliseum, Athens’ Acropolis, Amsterdam’s red light district – in one fell swoop
on the 33-day European Explorer. You’ll also get into the boat in Venice, shake
it in Mykonos and dream on the Isle of Capri. Book before December 27 for
travel from April to September 2013 and save up to $620. Costs from $5154 a
person, twin share. 1300 266 845, contiki.com.au.

TOURWATCH

Cycling, yoga, Italy: the recipe for perfection. Throw a
little hiking in, as well as a 17th-century country villa near Lucca, Tuscany, and
it’s music for the soul. This seven-night retreat sees you practising yoga each
day, with views of the villa’s olive groves and peaceful panoramas, and cycling
through quiet country lanes. Yes, there is eating. This is Italy, after all.
There’s one completely free day in the midst of the retreat for guests to do as
they please, and non-cycling friends and spouses are welcome. “It’s a retreat,
not a boot camp,” says organiser Virginia Slevin, and there are no
super-humans, the 14 guests require just a general level of fitness. Runs from
June 8-15, 2013 (yoga & cycling) and June 15-22, 2013 (yoga, cycling &
hiking). Costs $2450 a person, twin share with a shared bathroom, or $2855 with
a private bathroom. 0407 788 600, soulfitadventures.com.

Source: Belinda Jackson, Sun Herald

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