Tenerife by Nancy Bagnall

The island of Tenerife isn’t just sea sand and sangria! It is a fascinating mixture of volcanic mountains, desert, green fields and forests – and beaches too of course, all of which are public!
In May I joined a group with Prestige Holidays to visit the island and had all of my previous stereotype opinions of Tenerife completely overturned.
We were extremely fortunate to stay at the Gran Hotel Bahia del Duque resort. This beautiful 5* hotel, built in landscaped grounds sloping down to the beach, offers a wide variety of accommodation and excellent facilities. We also visited several other outstanding hotels, among them the Abama Golf and Spa Resort, in Guia de Isora, set in a large private estate with its own golf course, spa and beach.
Mount Teide National Park dominated by the mountain with its giant caldera, is stunning; a vast unspoiled – even by all the tourist coaches – wilderness of volcanic rock formations, pine forests and fields of wildflowers. Our guide related the colourful and fascinating history of the island as we drove through the park to visit the Parador from where we had a wonderful view of the caldera. Although having a hire car to explore the park would give one more freedom, I found the commentary from our guide really brought the place to life.
Although the south of Tenerife is, traditionally the preferred destination for those seeking the sun, visiting the north of the island is a must. The north tends to be much greener and, in my opinion, much more interesting. From the cliffs of Los Gigantes in the north west, to the volcanic mountains and dense forests of the Anaga Hills in the north east, to the fascinating towns of San Cristobal – a World Heritage site – and the capital Santa Cruz, the possibilities for exploring are endless.
A highlight of our trip was whale and dolphin watching. Setting out in a “schooner” from Puerto Colon we were lucky enough to see several dolphins very close to the boat and many pilot whales. A wonderful, if rather queasy, experience!
Truly a new perspective on one of our most popular holiday destinations.

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Cyprus by Anita Crowson

I have recently returned from my first ‘flying’ visit to Cyprus and I must say the experience has left me very eager to return. Cyprus has a whole range of accommodation to suit all budgets and requirements. During this trip I visited a selection of hotels in the resorts of Paphos, Miliou, Pissouri and Polis. I would recommend car hire to get you out and about as the roads are in a good condition and they drive on the left hand side just like at home!

Whilst in Cyprus I thoroughly enjoyed an excursion to the Troodos Mountains. The Troodos Mountain Region stretches across the centre of Cyprus. It is definitely worth considering as a holiday destination or at least for a visit during your stay. Troodos is about 45 minutes away from the Mediterranean Sea resorts and some wonderful beaches. Away from the beach areas you will find charming traditional villages to explore many remain unspoiled by development or tourism. Mount Olympus at approximately 1950m is the highest mountain on the island of Cyprus. There are some stunning views to be seen from here. There are the white ‘golf balls’ at the summit a reminder that it is a military listening station.

If you are holidaying here in January/February you might just get the opportunity to do some skiing as snow often falls in the Troodos Mountains in the winter months. There are monasteries, beautiful churches and some breathtaking scenery to enjoy. You can pack a picnic and take off on one of the nature trails. The Cyprus Tourist Office has all the information you'll need on the four official trails in the area. The Artemis Trail takes you around the summit of Mount Olympus and takes around 3 hours. The Atalanti Trail is longer at around 5 hours and the Caledonian Falls trail takes about one and a half hours. The Persephone Trail takes about 45 minutes. So, if you're not that good a walker, you know which one to take!

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Port Ghalib in Egypt by Linda Cudmore

I visited Port Ghalib in Egypt in December with Classic Collection Holidays for 3 nights.

We flew into Hurghada airport and within 25 minutes drive we arrived at the luxurious 5* Oberoi Hotel. This hotel offers all suite rooms with sunken marble baths overlooking private walled gardens. There is a private beach within the 48 acres of grounds, outdoor swimming pool, The Banyan Tree Spa offering a wide range of health & beauty treatments along with excellent restaurants featuring fine cuisine.

We then travelled down to Port Ghalib where we stayed at the 5* deluxe Intercontinental Palace Hotel for our 3 night stay. The hotel has a lovely sandy beach, outdoor swimming pool and lagoon set around lush gardens with a multitude of sport facilities. It has a Six Senses Spa, 3 restaurants including one at the Marina close by and not to be missed is after dinner drinks on the Terrace of the Look Out Bar with stunning settings.

I went on two excursions whilst there, one being a Red Sea Experience where we had the opportunity to go Snorkeling and to do a Trial Scuba Dive, if you prefer you can just relax onboard in the sun whilst lunch and beverages are served. The other was a Super Safari Experience into the desert in 4x4 vehicles. Once there you can opt for a Camel ride or a Quad bike ride into the desert for 20 minutes and on your return relax with some Bedouin Tea & Coffee along with some Bedouin entertainment in the Egyptian sunset.

Port Ghalib is a new and upcoming resort with a lovely marina that features restaurants, cafes, bars, a traditional Egyptian Bazaar and surrounded by luxury, sophisticated hotels. This resort is also a diver’s paradise and offers a wide range of other water sports and is ideal for a relaxing break in the sun.

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South Africa by Annette Ross

My trip to the North West Province in South Africa was the most amazing trip, staying in luxurious lodges in Madikwe.

Madikwe (about 4.5 hours drive North West of Johannesburg), covers a vast area, with lots of hidden gems. We stayed at the luxurious Makanyane and Madikwe Safari Lodge’s. Enjoying morning and evening game drives at each, viewing a wide variety of game.

In the Pilanesburg it is a little easier to spot the game and would suit those with children of all ages. A highlight was at a hide by the side of a lake in the Pilanesberg National Park near Sun City. A herd of elephants came down to the waters edge to bathe and shower, carefully protecting and encouraging the baby elephants to go in for a dip! Hippos were watching from a safe distance in the middle of the lake.

Only a 2 hour drive from Johannesburg is Sun City, with its vast array of facilities and a choice of hotels to suit different needs and budgets.. Lots of fun activities to suit all ages including the Valley of the Waves and the famous zip slide. So this makes it a great choice for families and is also a great golfing destination with 2 championship courses.

The North West province is a great destination with a good range of accommodation and activities. My lasting impression is of the friendly, beaming faces of its people, the huge array of activities available, the variety of its wildlife, the amazing enthusiasm of the rangers and the privilege of sharing in their knowledge. Seeing the animals so close up, in the safety of our especially adapted safari vehicle. Elephants, giraffe, rhinos, zebra, hippos and a pride of Lions resting under the shade of the trees and not forgetting the smaller fry – Dung beetles, tortoise, locusts and other insects and a huge variety of birds.

I was joined by my husband when we travelled from Pretoria to Cape Town on the Blue Train. A luxury service akin to the Orient Express. Travelling through some dramatic scenery in ultimate comfort,in a luxury suite with an en suite shower. Fine a la carte dining, fine wines, and all drinks included. Big picture windows giving us good views as we went along, comfortable lounge chairs – the beds hidden away in the wall. In Cape Town we stayed with friends, we explored the Cape, finding time to visit the Penguins at Boulders Beach, Cape of Good Hope and Cape Point.

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Nepal - Himalayan Trek by Bridget Keevil

I decided to commemorate moving into another decade by challenging myself to trek to Annapurna Base Camp in the Himalayas. Amazingly, my husband decided to come too!
After six months of training (seemed adequate at the time), we left the UK late October for Nepal. We started with a wonderful three night stay in Kathmandu, and a two night stay in the tented camp in Chitwan National Park.

We then moved on to Pokhara, and the start of our two week trek. Words cannot explain how hard we actually found it in the beginning, and how much our muscles ached. Michael Palin mentioned none of the above in his book! We had a fantastic guide and porter, and with their patient help and guidance we eventually made it to 4130 metres and the Annapurna Base Camp. The sense of achievement I felt at making it was overwhelming, and well worth the pain endured to get there. The views from here are spectacular – we are in the middle of a bowl with mountains all around.

The people we met on the way up and down were all so friendly. We had a well earned few days rest when we got back to Pokhara again. It was a holiday with a difference – it really made me appreciate what we have and how we live.

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Georgia & South Carolina, USA by Madeleine Carter

We flew to Atlanta to begin our visit to Georgia & South Carolina. We were
looking forward to experiencing some of the history of this part of the USA and seeing some of the great plantations for which this area is well known.

Refreshed after a night in Atlanta an easy 4 hour drive brought us to Savannah. The largest National Historic Landmark District in the United States, Savannah contains more than twenty city squares filled with museums, monuments, antebellum mansions, magnificent churches, and famous forts of the Revolutionary & Civil War eras. Staying in the centre of the historic district enabled us to make the most of our 3 nights and after taking the Old Town Trolley tour it was easy to explore on foot. From Savannah we drove north to Charleston a charming city steeped in history and beautifully preserved. A genteel horse-drawn carriage ride was a great start to our visit and we followed this with visits to The Charleston Tea Plantation, the only place tea is grown in North America and Boone Hall Plantation & Gardens which is approached through two stunning rows of oak trees dripping with Spanish moss. With a beautiful house and restored slave cabins it was fascinating to hear a presentation given by a descendant of one of the slaves and experience a glimpse of the lives of those who lived there.

After a week of culture & history we headed north again to Myrtle Beach to relax and enjoy the beautiful weather and miles of sand of this Atlantic resort.

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Dominican Republic by Anne Fisk

I was fortunate to be offered the chance of a four night visit to the Dominican Republic staying at the fully refurbished Club Med Resort. We flew into Punta Cana and arrived at the resort only eight minutes after leaving the airport. Considering the very short transfer time the aircraft noise in the resort is minimal. The resort itself is situated on a private 600 metre beach with excellent facilities for children ranging from flying trapeze lessons to windsurfing and sailing down at the water’s edge. There is a range of rooms from the Club to Deluxe, with the best being the 5* luxury suites facing the ocean with their own private pool area and concierge service. There is a beautiful spa at the very peaceful far end of the resort where we sampled Swedish massages and relaxed by the clear blue Caribbean Sea.

I went on two excursions whilst there, one being an Outback Safari in the Dominican jungle which included zip wiring, kayaking, a buggy tour round the sugar cane fields. Secondly, we set off on a Sunset Cruise in a catamaran along the coast towards Cap Cana currently being developed into a very upmarket area. It was lovely to relax and enjoy the twilight returning to Punta Cana just before the sun set into the sea.

Although there is nowhere within walking distance of the resort, the excellent facilities make up for this and there are plenty of excursions on offer.

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