Holidays

Just in time for those seeking to book for the school summer holidays, Tropical Sky is offering some excellent bargains to the Caribbean with plenty of availability in August. All flights are with XL Airways which, with a fixed price for the season, means that no additional fuel surcharges will be added prior to departure. What’s more, all the offers below are on an all-inclusive basis, so families don’t need to worry about expensive extra’s whilst away.

It’s official... booking last minute holidays is out and booking early for 2009 is in - according to self-catering accommodation specialist Mallorca Farmhouses, which, due to demand, has launched bookings for 2009. Whilst there is still availability for 2008, a few of the popular properties are virtually sold out.

The slogan for the Euro 2008 championship was ‘Expect Emotion’ and no doubt fans were sad when the tickets for the tournament sold out. But the electric atmosphere of this important festival of football can’t be confined to the stadiums.

‘Keeping children happy and well behaved on the journey to a holiday destination’ has been named as the most stressful part of a holiday with children under the age of five. 36.5% of 350 parents polled by Tots to Travel (totstotravel.co.uk) ranked this as the biggest cause of holiday stress while 28.2% said ‘packing all the stuff needed’ was the second most stressful activity.

As more overseas operators are forced to impose surcharges in response to the increased cost of aviation fuel and the high value of the Euro, Haven Holidays, Britain’s largest domestic holiday operator, have stated that they will not impose any hidden charges or surcharges.

As part of an ongoing conservation programme in Venezuela, some 250 Orinoco Caimans and 5,000 Arrau Turtles have just been released back into the wild. The mighty Orinoco River cutting through the heart of Los Llanos, Venezuela’s vast savannah, is a recognised habitat for several flagship species including the critically endangered Orinoco Caiman.

Gallop deep into Romania’s land of myth and legend, where Wolves, Bears and Lynx still roam, and enjoy the best trail-riding in Europe, through mountains and forests, folklore and tradition, generous hospitality and mystery. Equine Adventures offers two magnificent trail-riding holidays, one under canvas, the other utilising small local guesthouses, departing Cluj-Napoca June and July 2008.

With less than 3 weeks to go until World Environment Day (05 June), the issue of saving the Amazon rainforest is more topical than ever. Last week, Peru announced the creation of its first Environment Ministry, dedicated to protecting the nation’s Amazon rainforest; while the Brazilian government stepped up its “Arc of fire” operation against illegal logging and deforestation.

It’s that time of year when DJs start dusting off their turntables and promoters pull out all the stops to draw music lovers to some of the hottest clubbing resorts on the planet.

South Australia based company Big Blue Air Touring (bigblueairtouring.com) has created an exclusive two-centre luxury experience called ‘Ocean to Outback’ featuring Southern Ocean Lodge and Portee Station.

VisitDenmark has produced a camping brochure aimed specifically at UK holidaymakers for the first time. The 32-page brochure is packed with useful information on how to choose one of the 498 classified campsites in Denmark with options covering coastal, rural and even urban locations.

With Father’s Day just around the corner, the temptation is to plump for the classic combination of socks, aftershave and lunch at a nice restaurant. But why not make this year a bit different?

If your idea of heaven is miles of glorious sandy beach sprinkled with tiny pink clam shells, then look no further than Studland Beach in Dorset. The beach stretches for three miles from South Haven Point to the chalk cliffs of Handfast Point and Old Harry Rocks outside Swanage. It includes the sheltered Shell Bay, ideal for families, and a well-separated, designated naturist area.

DFDS Seaways, the leading cruise ferry operator, can accommodate pets on the Newcastle to Amsterdam daily route where they spend the crossings in the onboard spacious kennels with its PETS Travel Scheme. It is not just cats and dogs that can travel. DFDS Seaways also allows pet owners to travel with rabbits, hamsters, guinea pigs, ferrets, mice, rats and tortoises.

With a myriad of islands, each with its own heritage, culture and personality, the Caribbean remains a popular destination for holidaymakers. Whilst the high season runs from December to May, there’s plenty to do and see during the summer months too, from carnivals and cricket to turtles and trekking through rainforests.

Treat the family to a spot of crystal-clear air high in the Alps this summer, courtesy of the Switzerland Travel Centre. The company is highlighting seven-night holidays in the alpine village of Bettmeralp at the special twin share rate of £439 per adult, with one child under 12 years of age (sharing with two adults), paying just £142.

Culture vultures who want to save hundreds of pounds on the cost of an arts and entertainment-packed short break should head for Warsaw.

As Euro 2008 football fever starts to sweep the country, kids can look forward to summer holidays perfecting their pitch skills with Eurocamp's new on-parc Soccer Stations. Budding Wayne Rooneys should pack their football boots when they head to any of the three Eurocamp parcs offering the fun footie sessions.

Spirit of Adventure will invite passengers to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin’s birth on a spectacular voyage around the natural wonders of central and southern America next year. The 352-passenger ship will visit the rich habitats once trodden by Britain’s greatest naturalist – born in 1809 - throughout the Galapagos Islands, Costa Rica and the Amazon Rainforest during its 2009 cruise schedule.

Red Funnel Holidays, the Isle of Wight specialist, has announced the launch of its new camping and touring breaks programme for 2008. The new Red Funnel camping and touring packages all include return ferry travel for up to four people together with a vehicle, regardless of whether the vehicle is the size of a mini or a motor home, or has a caravan or a trailer attached.

Specialist operator, Headwater Holidays has launched a new cycling holiday for summer 2008 that leads cyclists through spectacular scenery of three European countries in an independent 10 night ride around Lake Constance.

Spain is the perfect location for a camping holiday that kids will love, with sun, sea and the laid back Spanish lifestyle making it a great destination for parents too. Spanish holidays with Keycamp are a particularly good option for families who want to experience all the culture and charm, without breaking the bank.

Parents planning to jet off abroad for the half term break will be hit with premiums of up to 80 per cent according to a study conducted by Abbey Credit Cards. And although those parents choosing to stay in the UK will pay less, they will also face highly inflated costs, the research found.

June 6th sees the UK release of Mongol: The Rise to Power of Genghis Khan, a film based on the early life of the Mongol Emperor. The Oscar-nominated film is directed by Russian filmmaker Sergei Bodrov and based on the writings of historian Lev Gumilyov. Mongol focuses on the early life of the fearsome leader, who went on to become ruler of the largest overland empire the world had ever seen, covering 22% of the Earth’s total land area.

Sail away with DFDS Seaways to Stavanger - the European Capital of Culture 2008 - a great city for a group trip with lots of events and activities to enjoy together.

With all the doom and gloom in the news at the moment, with endless talk of the credit crunch and falling house prices, the nice people at Anatolian Sky Holidays thought it was about time you had some good news.

If your kids can’t swim (or need to improve) – take them on a Haven Holiday and book them into the Learn2Swim programme. Last year a staggering 40,000 children took part in Haven’s Learn2Swim lessons, boosting their water confidence and getting them from splashing to swimming in a fun environment.

Prestige Holidays, specialists in quality holidays for individuals, is offering a selection of competitively priced packages to Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Cyprus for October half term.

Worldwide adventure tour operator Tucan Travel has teamed up with international conservation charity World Land Trust to provide a carbon offsetting service to travellers. Holidaymakers can calculate the carbon emissions of their international flights and compensate for them by making a voluntary contribution direct to World Land Trust’s Carbon Balanced programme. The scheme funds a range of projects which help to mitigate the environmental damage caused by carbon emissions.