TRAVEL DEALS: embrace or escape winter around the world
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| Oia village, Santorini, Greece |
ESCAPE WINTER
GREECE
Received travel wisdom states that some of the world’s best
sunsets are to be viewed in the village of Oia, on the island of Santorini. Save
$963 when you book the cliff-top Fanari Villas for four nights between July 1
and September 30. Includes breakfasts and a bottle of local wine. Costs $1310 a
suite for four nights, 1300
853 953, travel agents, iconholidays.comVIETNAM
For a steamy city break, you can’t go past Saigon, with its
rich food culture, so it’ll be as hot in the kitchen as it is poolside. Temps
don’t change much, the difference is how much rain you get. A three-day cooking
package includes classes at the Saigon Culinary School, accommodation and
airport transfers, travel July 1-September 30, from $275 a person, twin share,
1300 747 400, creativeholidays.com
MEXICO
The hotter the better: the Banyan Tree Mayakoba, in Cancun, puts its money where its mouth is, offering a discount on your room, spa and boutique that’s based on the temperature at noon that day. Balmy Cancun sees noontime temps of around 30 Celsius, which will give you 30 percent off. Book July 1-20, stay July 1-September 30. Costs from $643 plus tax a night (before discount), 1800 050 019, banyantree.com
The hotter the better: the Banyan Tree Mayakoba, in Cancun, puts its money where its mouth is, offering a discount on your room, spa and boutique that’s based on the temperature at noon that day. Balmy Cancun sees noontime temps of around 30 Celsius, which will give you 30 percent off. Book July 1-20, stay July 1-September 30. Costs from $643 plus tax a night (before discount), 1800 050 019, banyantree.com
NORTHERN TERRITORY
The coldest you’ll
get on the Mary River wetlands, two hours from Darwin, is 19 degrees at night,
but in the daytime, up to a toasty 33 degrees, nirvana for us southerners. With
low rainfall, millions of birds gather at the remaining waterfalls, making this
a great time for twitchers. Stay three nights, pay two on stays Monday-Friday.
Book by July 31, travel by November 30. Includes breakfast and
three-course dinner daily. Tours and transfers from Darwin cost extra. Costs
$490 a person, two nights in a safari tent, (08) 8978 8955, wildmanwildernesslodge.com.au
ANGUILLA
Hot nights
in the Caribbean come with a cool price tag at the five-star Viceroy Anguilla,
which is offering four nights for the price of three until end October. Design
aficionados will know the resort, decorated by US interiors goddess Kelly
Wearstler. The rest of us just love the white-sand beaches, the spa, the
saltwater infinity pool… Costs
$1185 for four nights, +925 298 9325, viceroyhotelsandresorts.com
EMBRACE WINTER
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| Kenya Mt Kilimanjaro from Elerai |
KENYA
Winter in Kenya isn’t exactly hardship, and it’s when all
the animals are most active. Save $1000 a couple on a seven-night Out of Africa
Air Safari departing July 15. Zip between the top game parks including Masai
Mara in a Cessna Caravan aircraft, staying in the tiny, beautiful Satao Elerai
near Amboseli and Satao Camp in Tsavo. Costs $4870 a person, twin share, 1300
195 873, benchinternational.com.au
VICTORIA
The young and the old get the best deals at Hotham, with
under 5s and over 70s skiing free, while kids 6-14 years ski free when they’re
with a paying adult who’s booked a three-night accommodation package during the
Value Season (September 17-30). Adults are best to snap up a three-day ski pass
for $270, saving $48, 1800 468 426, hotham.com.au
NSW
The Sydney Winter Festival runs July 22 - August 11, with
ice shows, ice-skating and, best of all, winter food to warm the cockles of
your heart and stomach. The InterContinental Sydney does its bit, serving
mussels and wine daily for $20. Save 20 percent off the best daily rate Fridays
to Sundays until September 30, includes buffet breakfast, internet and late
check-out. Costs from $550 for two nights, (02) 9253 9000, intercontinental.com
NEW ZEALAND
New
Zealand's iconic Huka Lodge turns up the heat with cosy log fires and throws in
very special events at no extra costs. Get your pencils out for the Big Red
Dinner hosted by Waiheke Island’s Stonyridge Wines (August 11) or the Marlborough affair that
is Dog Point Winemaker’s Dinner (July 14). Costs from $795 plus GST a person, +64
7 378 5791, hukalodge.co.nz
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| South Africa Hluhluwe (Gecko Adventures) |
SOUTHERN AFRICA
Rug up and climb aboard your safari vehicle to cruise the
wildlife parks of South Africa, Mozambique and Swaziland. The trip stars in
Jo’berg, finishing in Cape Town and includes guides, park fees and camping
gear. Get 30 percent off Gecko’s 23-day African Mosaic trip departing July 20.
Was $2583, now $1985 a person, twin share, 1300 791 478, geckosadventures.com
Source: Belinda Jackson, Sun Herald newspaper
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