Wednesday 4 November 2009

China Day this Saturday!

Barrhead Travel are celebrating all things China at our Glasgow Superstore this Saturday and we'd like you to come along!

Visit us at our Oswald Street home in the city centre between 12pm and 4pm to meet experts from Wendy Wu Tours, the UK's leading China Specialist tour operator, who offer the best value tours to China and Indochina.

Exclusive offers will be available in store on the day!

Register now for free tickets by calling 0871 226 2673 or visit www.barrheadtravel.co.uk/events and start planning your holiday to China today!

Tuesday 3 November 2009

Barrhead Travel Destination of the Week: Far East.

Far East

Head east, young man. That’s the advice from the Post Office, whose latest Long Haul Holiday Report claims that the Far East offers “unbeatable value” for this winter.

The survey highlights Thailand as the long-haul destination where spending money is likely to go furthest. Bali and Malaysia are close contenders.

The Post Office says all three holiday spots are “significantly cheaper” than any of Europe’s winter sun options.

And while all three destinations boast a variety of established beach resorts, there are plenty of up-and-coming alternatives or you to consider too.

Phuket

This winter promises bargains galore for holidaymakers to Thailand, package prices are up to 25% lower than a year ago. A vast array of special offers is available at just about every hotel. Promotions include free extra nights, free meals, and free accommodation for children.

One week’s bed and breakfast at the three-star Patong Beach Hotel costs from £285.

Khao Lak

It has unspoilt beaches and is away from the madness of Phuket. It is close to the Similan Islands for scuba diving and Khao Sok for wildlife-spotting and jungle trips. La Flora Resort is recommended for beach lovers. It is right on the beach and is a well-priced smaller, boutique-type property.

One week’s bed and breakfast at La Flora costs £1,175 from Heathrow on November 18.

Bali

An increase in Bali bookings means several operators are looking beyond the popular resorts of Kuta, Nusa Dua and Sanur in the south of the island this winter. On the east coast, Alila Manggis is a beautiful property. It’s just a short drive from the unspoilt cultural village of Candi Dasa. Seminyak, north of Kuta, is recommended for visitors looking for more vibrant nightlife. Although a relative 'newbie' to British holidaymakers it is already very well established in the Australian market, which means it has lots of trendy bars and restaurants.

One week’s bed and breakfast from £1,089 at Alila Manggis and £1,289 at the luxury Anatara Seminyak. Both prices include Malaysia Airlines flights from Heathrow.

Langkawi

Renowned for luxury accommodation, Langkawi is less developed than Malaysia’s other main holiday island, Penang. It has fantastic, white sandy beaches nestled beneath rolling mountains. It also has mysterious caves and pockets of virgin rainforests dating back millions of years. The Holiday Villa Beach Resort and Spa is a perfect winter pick, with its own private beach. The hotel has snorkelling and diving facilities, allowing guests to explore the colourful reefs.

One week on a room-only basis at the Holiday Villa Beach Resort from £939 for Heathrow departures before November 27.

Hoi An

Vietnam boasts several emerging beach resorts. Destinations such as Nha Trang and Phan Thiet have been boosted by international chains including Novotel and luxury brand Evason.

Hoi An is a good choice for visitors looking to do more than just sunbathe. As well as an excellent sandy beach, it boasts a picturesque old town that has been designated a World Heritage site by Unesco.

There is lots of local culture to enjoy, from historic buildings to intriguing craft shops, street markets and excellent restaurants.

Hoi An has grown in popularity as access has got easier. The nearby city of Danang is served by flights from Bangkok and Singapore.

The resort is also a good base for visiting other cities in central Vietnam, including historic Hue.

Bed and breakfast rates start at £20 per person per night at the Hoi An Trails Resort.


Singapore

Singapore’s tourism industry is reaping the benefits of massive infrastructure investment which shows little sign of easing despite the global downturn.

Several major projects have contributed to the “greening” of Singapore, developing the Garden City in an ecologically friendly way.

Families

Lonely Planet’s latest Travel with Children guide ranks Singapore one of the world’s top 10 cities to visit with youngsters, and the top in Asia Pacific.

The best way to get your bearings is to hop on the Singapore Flyer. Launched last year, the observation wheel soars 165 metres above the ground – 30 metres taller than the London Eye. The Flyer provides views across the city to the islands of Indonesia.

Older kids – and parents – should visit the Marina Barrage, which has won architectural and environmental awards since opening a year ago. This impressive engineering feat provides the country’s first city reservoir and doubles as a venue for all kinds of watersports from boating to windsurfing. In 2010 it will stage the rowing and canoeing competitions in the Youth Olympic Games.

Families can dine at the Marina Barrage’s waterfront eateries or enjoy a picnic on the Green Roof, see the art installations and splash around at the courtyard’s water playground.

Nature lovers

The Marina Bay area is undergoing major redevelopment, which includes the creation of three waterfront gardens.

The largest will be the Gardens at Marina South, designed “to encapsulate colour, vibrancy and sustainability” next to the country’s first integrated resort at Marina Bay Sands. The first phase of the gardens development is due for completion next year.

Meanwhile, a novel new way of getting next to nature and enjoying Singapore’s flora and fauna is to trek at treetop level along the Southern Ridges walking trail. Nine kilometres of green spaces are linked by trails and connection bridges spanning the Mount Faber, Telok Blangah, Kent Ridge and West Coast parks. Walkers enjoy a bird’s-eye view of the forest and may glimpse squirrels, sunbirds or white-crested thrush.

The recently-opened Sentosa Nature Discovery Gallery aims to turn children into “nature detectives”, providing colourful exhibits and interactive attractions based around the island’s birds, insects and natural habitats.

Active types

Among several soft adventure attractions to open this year is Xtreme Skateboard @ East Coast, Singapore’s first international-standard skate board park. New on Sentosa Island is the Megazip Adventure Park, offering 450 metre zip-wire rides over the jungle and sea.

Due to open at Sentosa’s Siloso Beach this month is Singapore’s first facility for surfers. The Wave House is a music, entertainment and retail complex with a centre producing giant man-made waves for waterborne thrill seekers. Also planned nearby are the country’s first sky-diving simulator and the Azzura Hydro Sports Centre for boating and watersports.

Shopaholics

Seven million visitors a year stroll along Orchard Road, picking up top fashions and jewellery from more than 100 shops and boutiques.

Private and public investment totalling £700 million is being pumped into the area and this year alone has seen the opening of three new malls and glitzy new facades added to existing buildings.

The Orchard Road rejuvenation scheme also includes the installation of atmospheric street lighting.

Sports fans

Singapore enjoyed a valuable tourism boost by staging its first Formula One Grand Prix last year, and followed it up with the second this year. Another full programme of music and cultural events, in addition to motor-racing, is being planned for 2010.

Accommodation

The newest hotel is the Capella Singapore on Sentosa Island, which opened earlier this year and incorporates a lavishly restored colonial building with a stylish new extension. Set amid contemporary sculpture gardens, the hotel has 111 rooms, suites and garden villas. Typical rates start from £500 room-only next January.

Due to open early in 2010 is the Marina Bay Sands development, which will offer 2,600 rooms and suites, an ArtScience Museum, Las Vegas-style gaming, theatres, entertainment, shopping, restaurants and bars.

Four nights at the Marina Bay Sands with breakfast between April 1 and July 6 starts from £1,055 per person including flights and transfers.

For all your Far East travel needs be sure to make Barrhead Travel your first stop. We compare prices with hundreds of airlines and thousands of hotels to find you the very best price on the market and we can custom make the perfect trip for you. Contact one of our friendly experts now by calling 0871 226 2673 or by visiting www.barrheadtravel.co.uk

Start planning your own Far East holiday today!