Can you inspire us for this summer? How about Costa Rica? There are now package holidays to the Pacific Coast of this wonderful Central American country. It has great beaches and you can explore one of the world’s great natural destinations because so much of Costa Rica is basically untouched. You get beach and adventure in one package. Costa Rica has rainforests, cloud forests, fantastic bird life - all within a very small area. So even though the roads are not brilliant, you can travel from dazzling Pacific beaches to half way up a volcano to incredibly dense foliage. You can even take a canopy ride through the tops of the trees. It is absolutely phenomenal and a lovely destination. It is like an environmental adventure playground.
What about flying east? The main news is India. About three years ago, the Indian government opened up tourism. The number of flights and airlines has proliferated with improved standards, lower fares and more destinations to fly to. This makes India more affordable and accessible.
How difficult is India away from the classic tourist routes of Goa and Rajasthan? India is as difficult as you want it to be. Backpacking for three months would be very challenging, rewarding and good fun. If you are not a confident traveller and you want to see a lot in a short space of time, than it is well worth having an itinerary put together for you so that you know that there is someone to meet you at your destination, take you to decent hotel and ‘shield’ you from what can feel like too much hassle from the locals, even though India is a very friendly and welcoming place.
Have you ever ridden your bicycle in India? I have ridden a bicycle in India where it is survival of the fittest. Not something I would want to do for a great length of time but good to get in with the flow of the cities and fit in with people.
Where else long haul? There are lots of interesting flights starting up including new flights to Nairobi. Mauritius is going to have more flights, which I think will mean lower prices. The flight is over 12 hours but well worth it. It’s a beautiful island, big enough and diverse enough to be different from the Caribbean islands. You can either indulge yourself in a lovely resort or get out and explore. Mauritians are lovely people.
Closer to home, there is now more choice from regional airports This is very good and it is partly because there is so much pressure on slots at the London airports. There are daily flights to Copenhagen in Denmark from Leeds/ Bradford. New flights are starting up from Aberdeen to Christiansand in Southern Norway. It’s a beautiful destination on the Norwegian Riviera. It’s a short flight and Norway is warmer than you would think in the middle of summer, And prices are lower than you might imagine. There are also new flights from Edinburgh to Zurich which is a great city on the doorstep of some wonderful scenery.
What are the current holiday trends? We are being much more inclusive. Multi-generational holidays with people celebrating special birthdays, anniversaries etc abroad instead of at home. Three generations going to destinations such as the Caribbean and hiring a villa. Cruising, which answers so many of our holiday needs, is growing and you only need to unpack once.
Is there anywhere in the world you have not visited? I’m looking forward to exploring more of Africa and I want to get into the Himalayas properly.
Some of the content of the magazine refers to flights or prices from the UK. At Travel Counsellors Ireland we can source flights from Ireland and provide full quotes in Euros. Please call me for latest availability and prices.
