My Holiday Expert

The tourist board wants holidaymakers to look beyond coastal resorts - and there's plenty to see…..
San Miguel de Allende

The beaches of Mexico’s Caribbean coast are stunning. So stunning, in fact, that’s it’s easy for tourists to get stuck on them. With BA’s new flight to Cancun hogging the headlines, there’s a danger the natural and cultural delights on offer in the rest of this vast country could be forgotten.

To draw attention to the country’s sightseeing wonders, the Mexico Tourism Board is basing its promotional activities on 10 routes, which connect different areas of the country around a series of themes including tequila and music, Mayan culture, and wine and water sports.

Whether it’s a day trip, a short excursion or an entire tour, clients can inject some extra flavour into their holiday by going beyond the beach and seeing some of Mexico’s other sights.

Mexico highlights

Mexico City: This is one of the world’s largest cities, with masses to see, including the largest cathedral and the largest zocalo (main square) in Latin America, and artworks by famous Mexican artists such as Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo.

More unusual experiences include cruising the Aztec-era Xochimilco canals in a brightly coloured boat, or seeing a highly-entertaining Lucha Libre wrestling match – the Mexican version of WWF. An hour’s drive north of the city is the pre-Aztec site of Teotihuacan.

Archaeological sites: While Europe was still in the Dark Ages, the Mayans built huge jungle cities without metal tools or even the wheel. Their stupendous pyramids and statues are a big tourist draw, and famous sites include Chichen Itza, Tulum and Uxmal on the Yucatan Peninsula, and Palenque in Chiapas.

Colonial cities: Mexico is dotted with picturesque towns and cities full of colonial buildings, brightly coloured markets and wonderful Mexican atmosphere. In San Miguel de Allende, north of Mexico City, a new Rosewood resort opened in January, with a luxurious spa and activities such as hiking and horse riding.

The town is home to the Casa de Sierra Nevada, an Orient-Express hotel with an acclaimed cooking school. South of Mexico City, Oaxaca is known for its culinary delights and local arts and crafts. Other pretty choices include San Cristobal de la Casas, Campeche and Merida.

Copper Canyon: The best way to see the breathtaking scenery of these 20 canyons in northwest Mexico is by taking the Chepe, the Copper Canyon railway, which runs 375 miles daily between Los Mochis and Chihuahua City. The views are amazing, and many tourists stop off at some point to explore local villages.

Baja California: This peninsula of land stretches 775 miles from the border with California in the north down to the tip of Cabo San Lucas. It’s separated from the mainland by the Sea of Cortes, a whale breeding ground. There are deserts and mountains but most tourists come for the beaches and world-class golf. Luxury resorts abound, including the One & Only Palmilla, Rosewood’s Las Ventanas al Paraiso and Capella Pedregal (pictured below).

Pacific Coast: The jungles of the Sierra Madre back Mexico’s Pacific beach resorts, which include Puerto Vallarta and Acapulco.

Caribbean Coast: The Brits' favourite. Clear waters, white sands and a wide range of accommodation make this the perfect winter-sun location. From lively Cancun itself to the quieter, more upmarket Riviera Maya, there are options for most budgets.

Pool bar at Capella Pedregal

Excursions

For those who simply want a few opportunities for activity and sightseeing on their beach holiday, day excursions are simple to book.

All operators, hotels and add-on specialists have a wide range, including day trips to Chichen Itza and Tulum, visits to Xel-Ha and Xcaret Eco-Waterparks, catamaran cruises to Isla Mujeres, and swimming with dolphins and snorkelling with whale sharks.

Attraction World has added a range of dolphin experiences at the Wet’n Wild waterpark in Cancun, with a Dolphin Swim package starting from $115. This includes time in the water, a ‘dorsal tow’ or a ‘foot push’ ride, plus a food and drinks plan.

Tours and twin-centres in Mexico

For a lovely taster without too much travelling around, suggest a few days in Mexico City followed by time on the Caribbean Coast. This way, clients can explore the vibrant and exciting capital before relaxing, incorporating days out to see Mayan ruins. Kuoni offers a 13-night break, with three nights in Mexico City, 10 in Cancun and international and domestic flights, from £1,705 in September.

Or combine a Caribbean coast beach stay with time exploring the area’s historic sights. Travel 2 offers a range of beach hotels, plus a five-day Discover Yucatan’s Mayan Ruins tour. The latter costs from £829 land-only.

Tours usually start in Mexico City and most commonly venture south, curving down through Oaxaca to San Cristobal de las Casas and then heading for the Yucatan Peninsula. Cox & Kings’ 12-night Highlights of Mexico tour starts from £2,639 and covers these bases, and clients can choose add-on options including the Copper Canyon and the Pacific or Caribbean coasts.

Of the tours that head north instead, some concentrate on Copper Canyon. W&O Travel offers a six-night package exploring the canyon by the Chepe train, from £595, including accommodation and excursions.

Others venture to the colonial cities north of Mexico City. Journey Latin America’s new self-drive itinerary, Colonial Cities and the Pacific Coast, costs from £1,902 excluding transatlantic flights, while Page & Moy offers an escorted tour called Butterflies and Mexican Culture from £1,855, including flights.

Specialist operator Cathy Matos Mexican Tours covers every inch of the country and tailor-makes trips to clients’ specifications.

Adventure operators have plenty of options in Mexico. Exodus has a new family trip called Magic of Mexico suitable for children aged eight and above. It centres on the Yucatan peninsula and includes visiting Chichen Itza on horseback, swimming in natural pools, visiting a working hacienda and seeing the sights in the colonial city of Merida. The tour costs from £1,499 (£999 child), including flights.

souce:www.travelweekly.co.uk

Joanna Booth visited California’s sunniest city ahead of BA’s direct service from Heathrow, launching in June…

“Paddle, paddle, paddle,” says Whitney. “That’s great. Now press up on your hands and toes, and pop up on to your feet.” I leap forward, and land left-foot first in the middle of my surfboard. Perfect.

If only it was that easy once you’re actually in the sea. What seemed relatively simple on the beach’s firm golden sand is another matter when the board is scudding over the waves. Most of my attempts to “pop up” end with a faceful of foam. But the sun is shining brightly and the ocean is warm, so it’s all part of the fun. And on the few occasions that I do make it upright, the sensation is exhilarating – and I have my own one-woman cheerleading squad in the shape of Whitney, whooping in support.

Surf Diva’s motto is that the best surfer in the water is the one having the most fun, and this easy, breezy attitude means the surf school’s lessons are wildly popular with children and adults.

The school is based on the long, sandy beach at La Jolla, a well-heeled coastal resort 20 minutes from Downtown, and the Surf Diva motto translates rather well for the whole of San Diego. This sunny, laid-back city just wants its visitors to have fun. There’s no pressure to see an exhausting list of sights, but there’s a whole host of things to do, whether you’re on the lookout for family fun, beachside pursuits or city slicking.

San Diego is set to welcome a greater influx of visitors from the UK when British Airways relaunches a daily direct flight from Heathrow in June. The flight will last 11 hours and the Boeing 777 offers Club World, World Traveller Plus and World Traveller cabins.

Previously, many Brits have tended to explore the stretch of California between San Francisco and Los Angeles, but now they will have the chance to easily extend their reach down to San Diego. It’s California’s most southerly city, sitting 120 miles down the coast from LA, but only 15 miles north of Tijuana, and Mexican influences can be seen in cuisine and architecture.

It’s a destination of districts, with each area offering something different, from the world-class museums and exhibitions of Balboa Park, to the buzzing bars of the Gaslamp Quarter.

Downtown

The centre of San Diego is manageably sized and easy to navigate once you get a handle on the usual US grid system. An easy way to get around is the Old Town Trolley, which loops around the main hotspots, allowing tourists to jump on and off as they please.

The Gaslamp Quarter is the dining and nightlife centre – a strip a couple of blocks wide and 16 long is home to more than 100 restaurants and 40 nightclubs and bars. There are plenty of grand Victorian buildings, in keeping with the old-style street lights that give the area its name.

If the Padres are playing in Petco Park, the baseball stadium at the Gaslamp’s southern end, clients without tickets should head for the rooftop bars of the Hotel Indigo and the Marriott Gaslamp Quarter, which have views over the field.

At the north end of Gaslamp, Horton Plaza is a five-storey shopping centre with 130 stores, including Stateside favourites such as Macy’s, Nordstrom and Abercrombie & Fitch.

Gaslamp Quarter, San Diego

East of Gaslamp is the up-and-coming East Village. Visitors will find trendy bars and restaurants, including the charming Cafe Chloe, which serves a Californian take on French bistro eating.

West of Gaslamp is the waterfront, with the cruise ship terminal, a large convention centre, and two museums providing the main focus for tourists. The city has a massive naval presence, and the USS Midway Museum is the quickest way to get a military flavour. Once aboard the hulking aircraft carrier, visitors can get up close to jet fighters, visit the bridge and the engine room and even loop the loop on the Strike Fighter flight simulator.

North of Gaslamp is Balboa Park, one of the most important addresses for tourists to remember. Rather conveniently, San Diego has taken many of its headline sights and museums, and built them all together within a large landscaped park. These include the brilliant San Diego Zoo – one of the world’s best – a number of art museums, a natural history museum, a space and science centre, a car museum and a sports museum. Pick a couple and spend the day there.

Further north is Old Town, the site of the first Spanish settlement on the West Coast and the city’s Hispanic heart between 1821 and 1872, when Mexico gained independence from Spain and took over the area. The five-hectare site is slightly cartoonish in nature, with Mexican restaurants, margarita bars and themed gift shops in among the museums and original wood and adobe buildings.

The beaches

San Diego’s most beautiful city beach is on the peninsula of Coronado. Always referred to as an island, Coronado sits across the bay from Downtown and can be reached over the huge, arching bridge, or by ferry. It’s a quiet spot, with some quaint old houses. Recommend clients visit for a day and start with brunch at the delicious cafe-bakery Tartine and spend some time on the wide, white, family-friendly expanse of sand.

Behind the beach is the Hotel Del Coronado, one of America’s earliest and best known resort hotels. Clients may recognise the white clapperboard and pointed roofs of the hotel from the Marilyn Monroe film Some Like It Hot, which was filmed here in 1959. If clients don’t have time to stay in the famous Hotel Del, book them in for a treatment at the spa. The therapists are excellent, and there’s a private seafront pool with comfortable loungers and great amenities.

Moving north up the coast, Ocean Beach is known as San Diego’s hippy beach, with family-owned and independent shops rather than chain stores. Above this, Pacific Beach and Mission Beach are where the party is to be found, popular with students and young sun-worshippers. Mission Beach is home to SeaWorld San Diego, where guests can watch trained killer whales, manatees, seals, dolphins and penguins perform, and enjoy behind-the-scenes animal encounters and water rides.

North again is La Jolla. This upscale neighbourhood really is stunning, with picture-perfect beaches suiting families and surfers and a central village of upmarket shops, destination restaurants and a fine Contemporary Art Museum.

• Find out more at sandiego.org

Tried and tested: San Diego hotels

La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club

A sprawling, Hacienda-style property, the La Jolla resort sits on a private beach. It’s a paradise for families, with studio rooms and suites available that include kitchen and living room facilities. The beachfront rooms offer stunning sunset views, and direct access to the beach where every evening families gather for barbecues – the hotel provides all the equipment.

There’s a pool, gym, and 12 tennis courts, plus two restaurants. The Marine Room is renowned for its exquisite seafood and amazing location – the waves break right over the glazed front of the restaurant. It’s worth a visit, even if clients are staying elsewhere.

Borrego Valley Inn

The low-rise, sandy coloured buildings of Borrego Valley blend into the desert scenery, so guests feel at one with the landscape. There are just 15 rooms, done out in Southwestern style with Saltillo-tiled floors, Native American pictures and private patios, with their own sun loungers and a lemon tree. Rooms face each other across a courtyard filled with fountains and desert flora, and there are two swimming pools.

It’s the ultimate place to relax, sunbathing in the day and stargazing at night. The owners, Rich and Gwenn, are welcoming hosts who will help and advise with any activities, from desert tours, golf or cycling to spa treatments or restaurant recommendations. Buffet breakfasts are home-made and delicious. Hotel Indigo

The Indigo is a funky design hotel located on the outskirts of the Gaslamp Quarter, so it’s really convenient for downtown sightseeing. The 210 rooms have hardwood floors, bright bedspreads and large-scale graphic prints on the walls.

The open-plan lobby is home to the lounge, bar, and dining area for breakfast, but in the evenings head for the bar on ninth floor, which overlooks the nearby Petco Park baseball stadium.

 

source: www.travelweekly.co.uk

Cyprus is widening its appeal, with short breaks, golf trips and cultural tours luring back the Brits.

News that the number of UK tourists fell by 6.8% in 2010 cast a small grey cloud over the 300-plus days of annual sunshine enjoyed in Cyprus. As Brits make up nearly half of the inbound market any dip is noticeable.

However, with operators reporting buoyant sales, and the island having seen a 5% year-on-year increase in bookings for summer 2011, it looks like the sun has come out again.

Gary Boyer, head of purchasing at Classic Collection Holidays, says the operator’s bookings for Cyprus finished 4% up for winter 2010-11, with summer 2011 sales showing a 35% increase. Generally speaking, walking and activity holidays are on the up, and figures also show that 20% of sales are for three to five-night breaks, bucking the perception that Cyprus caters solely for traditional seven and 14-night stays.

Cyplon managing director Harry Hajipapas also reports an increase in the number of people travelling to Cyprus for shorter breaks of about four nights.

“Having said that, the most popular duration among our customers is now for between seven and 10 nights compared to the 14-night duration that used to be the most booked,” he adds.

This feedback is music to the ears of the Cyprus Tourism Organisation, whose recent marketing activity, including the Cyprus in Your Heart branding, is geared to show the diverse appeal of the Mediterranean’s third largest island beyond the obvious attraction of year-round sun.

“The philosophy behind the new brand is that Cyprus is an island of contrasts, offering countless possibilities and choices, whether it is the beautiful sandy beaches, exciting historical sites, mouth-watering cuisine, wonderful scenery or the genuine hospitality of the locals,” says Orestis Rossides, the CTO’s director for the UK and Ireland.

Short breaks

With a flight time of four-and-a-half hours, increased airlift, daily flights from Manchester, Heathrow and Gatwick, and weekly flights from regional airports, it’s easy to see the appeal of Cyprus as a destination for long weekends and short breaks.

What’s more, sun is virtually guaranteed, making winter and shoulder-season stays a good-value choice, either for relaxing on the beach or taking in Unesco-listed cultural attractions such as Kourion and the Tombs of the Kings.

A top short-break destination is Larnaca. The island’s third-largest city is only 10 minutes from the airport and there’s plenty to see and do on Larnaca’s lively mile-long promenade, which is lined with shops, restaurants, bars and pubs, so clients don’t have to venture far afield.

Golfers’ paradise

Cyprus is an emerging golfers’ paradise where players can tee off year-round in an ideal Mediterranean climate. In the absence of wind and rain the only things likely to put golfers off their stroke are the breathtaking views from the greens. Mainly located in the Paphos region, courses are away from the bustle of the main resorts but easily accessible.

New for 2011 is Elea Golf Club, dubbed Nick Faldo’s Mediterranean masterpiece. The 71-par course is centrepiece of the Elea Estate where an on-site boutique hotel and spa is due for completion in summer 2012.

Already well established on the Cyprus golf scene is Aphrodite Hills, the five-star resort complex with plenty on offer for golfing widows and for non-golfers travelling with players.

Golf at Aphrodite Hills, Cyprus

Family favourite

A former British colony until 1960, Cyprus’s historical links have always made it popular with the mature market, with many repeat visitors and a large number of ex-pats living on the island.

But it also has plenty to offer families, with safe beaches, a relaxed lifestyle, tavernas and restaurants that actively welcome youngsters, and accommodation ranging from self-catering to all-inclusive hotels with kids’ clubs and excellent family facilities. Recent developments include a new children’s activity centre, Pirates Village, at Aphrodite Hills.

An added bonus is that everyone speaks English and it’s easy for families to hire a car and get around as Cypriots drive on the left.

Budget options

While Cyprus doesn’t immediately spring to mind as a budget destination there are good deals to be found. Sales of Sunvil’s core product, self-catering villas, remain steady and the operator reports plenty of interest in the rural boutique hotels recently introduced to the programme. These properties, plus village rooms, are excellent for clients seeking a really authentic experience.

Olympic Holidays has seen a swing towards Paphos, which has a good choice in the three and four-star bracket for clients who don’t want to stay in the resort’s five-star hotels.

New to Olympic’s 2011 budget Smart Choice brochure are the four-star Crown Resorts Horizon at Coral Bay and a trio of three-star hotels – the Agapinor in Paphos, Nissiana in Ayia Napa and Crown Resorts Henipa in Larnaca.

Sample product

Sunvil Holidays has seven nights’ B&B at Antony’s Garden House, a 19th-century village inn at Episkopi, from £681 in August, including British Airways flights from Gatwick and car hire.
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Olympic Holidays offers seven nights’ self-catering at Stavrolia Hotel Apartments on the outskirts of Ayia Napa from £505 per adult and £355 per child for travel in August, based on two adults and two children sharing a one-bedroom apartment that sleeps four. Price includes Fly Hellas flights from Manchester.

Prestige Holidays offers seven nights’ B&B in a junior suite at the InterContinental Aphrodite Hills Resort from £4,437 for two adults and two children (aged under six) for travel in August, including Monarch flights from Gatwick.

Destination:
Costa Blanca

Depart:
Newcastle

Dates / Times:
Departing 24/05/2011

Returning 07/06/2011

Duration:
14 Nights

Staying in:
Albir Gardens
Star Rating:
3

Room Type:
Board Basis:
SC

Description:
This attractive complex comprises of apartment blocks situated around a large lake style pool with appealing terrace areas and offers basic, spacious and comfortable accommodation. A short walk will take you to Albir’s beaches and shops along with a great variety of local and international bars and restaurants to take in the relaxed nightlife.

We have many other departure dates and airports available – search online or call one of our travel advisors today.

To book this offer call us on 01823 478305

and quote reference no: 244666-HAY

Prices are subject to change and availability. Hays Travel reserve the right to withdraw promotional prices at any time. All prices are based on maximum occupancy in standard rooms.

Destination:
Thailand
Depart:
Heathrow

Dates / Times:
Departing 07/06/2011
Returning 17/06/2011
Duration:
10 Nights

Staying in:
Ambassador Bangkok and Best Western Premier
Star Rating:
3 and 4

Room Type:
Standard
Board Basis:
BB

Description:
Ambassador Bangkok
The Ambassador Hotel Bangkok Is situated at a prime spot in the heart of fashionable Sukhumvit Rd., Bangkok's legendary commercial district. Half an hour from Bangkok's Don Muang Internation Airport, close to Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre, and near great shopping and entertainment venues, the Ambassdor is only two minutes walk from Nana Skytrain Station.
Best Western Premier Signature
Best Western Premier Signature Hotel Pattaya is an ideal hotel for either a business trip or leisure travel. Our guests may enjoy a wide range of attractions, such as the seaside city of Pattaya, located in the center of the town and boasting beautiful bay views with its convenient location. We offer easy access to the beaches, shopping, restaurants and pubs, a beauty salon, Spa Royal Park, taxi rentals, motor bikes, market convenience store, banks and public transportation. All the city prime entertainment and leisure outlets are within casual distance known as 'Walking Street'.

We have many other departure dates and airports available – search online or call one of our travel advisors today.

To book this offer call us on 0182 347 8305

and quote reference no: 233092-HAY

Prices are subject to change and availability. Hays Travel reserve the right to withdraw promotional prices at any time. All prices are based on maximum occupancy in standard rooms.