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A restive festive

11th December 2009 Print

If the thought of cold, steely skies and being in a confined space with not-quite-distant-enough relatives this Christmas has you reaching for the panic button, let us guide you to a Christmas with a difference.

From tennis in Spain to surfing in Australia, put some miles between yourself and that horrible rumour following the office party.

With the festivities about to begin in earnest, newly re-launched travel search engine nowfly.co.uk has just put its top five Christmas escapes on the website.

Play tennis - Murcia, Spain
La Manga Club is doing a good line in offers and events this Christmas and, with an average annual temperature of 18°C and very mild winters, you can’t help but shout “why not?” at anyone who will listen. Away from the tennis courts, indulge in a five-course Yuletide Dinner on Christmas Eve and another big lunch on Christmas Day, naturally complete with Santa - who obviously deserves a break too!

For more information, visit lamangaclub.com. For flights to Murcia, see nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Murcia.aspx

Ski – Zermatt, Switzerland
The famous Swiss resort gets into the Christmas spirit in style and is fairly reliable for early snow. It’s a quite glamorous option and, if you have the cash to splash, there is plenty of jet-set partying to be had. Children will enjoy the ice rink in the middle of the village and they can try their hand at the seven-metre indoor climbing wall in the Triftbachhalle or see how cheese is made.

For more information, visit zermatt.ch. For flights to Geneva, visit nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Geneva.aspx

Wander the beach – Goa, India
Goa sees India’s most elaborate Christmas celebrations thanks to a Christian population descended from its time as a Portuguese colony. Buildings are decked out with lights and other decorations and the highlight is Missa de Galo (Midnight Mass). Book accommodation far in advance as this is the busiest (and most expensive) time of year and sleeping on the beach is frankly overrated.

For more information, visit incredibleindia.org. For flights to Goa, see nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Goa.aspx

Snorkel yourself silly – Barbuda, Caribbean
If you want to properly escape the washing up, fly to Antigua. Next, let the nice man from Coco Point Lodge who greets you whisk you off to a smaller plane for the ten-minute flight to Barbuda. Where you’ll be pleased (read ‘dangerously ecstatic’) to discover a series of cottages lovingly positioned right on a beautiful white sand beach. With a mix of two, three and four-bedroom accommodation, it will be the work of a moment to check in, kick off your flip-flops and run, out of control and giddy with joy, into the warm blue sea.

For more information, visit cocopoint.com. For flights to Barbuda, see nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Barbuda.aspx

Surf – Byron Bay, Australia
There’s something unbelievably clever about heading to the southern hemisphere and stepping outside the European winter for a time. In the fun enclave of Byron Bay in New South Wales, Christmas morning sees surfers in Santa hats wandering down to the beach for the traditional catching of a few waves, boards clutched under arms. For lunch, head to the beach for a slap-up barbecue. Open some tinnies, lie back and don’t think of England.

For more information, see visitnsw.com. For flights to Sydney, visit nowfly.co.uk/cheap-flights-to-Sydney.aspx