Indian Ocean Travel Blog | Indian Ocean islands and African safaris

Reasons to Travel to Egypt - and a cry for help !

2011-02-12T16:42:00.000-08:00

Mubarak has now resigned - and a new day dawns on Egypt !!

I am certain i am not the only Australian tour operator in this scenario. I am certain there will be many more here in Australia and even more from all over the world.

There will be a time soon when Egypt will need tourism more than it ever has before.

Egypt is heavily reliant on its tourism - some data shows statistics quoting 12% of Egypt’s workforce work in tourism.

A decrease in tourism will hurt - a lot of people. It directly effects people in all manner of roles and positions from the waiters in the Cairo hotel restaurants, to the taxi driver in Luxor, to the Felucca owner in Aswan who operates $200 a person 3 night Nile cruise's to backpackers , the same Nile Cruise i did when i travelled Egypt.

We had a group of 12 people travelling to Syria and then into Egypt. Egypt has been cancelled - and all passengers are now travelling to Jordan and Syria instead. The Egypt component was 6 days - with hotels in Cairo booked, ground and guided transport arranged, and all arrangements paid for in full to suppliers. There was also Nile Cruise bookings, as well as pre and post arrangements in Luxor and Aswan all paid for.

Pre paying is not all that unusual - but it makes things extremely difficult after a crisis like this. Refunds are not given, but credit towards future arrangements are allocated - often with short time frames in which to use the credit, 3 months in some cases.

The real problem for us is that the tourism outlook for Egypt is so bleak - few people are likely to consider travelling there for a long time. A death knell for money tied up in pre paid services.

Our business partner and tourism operator in Egypt, Tarek is out of pocket $34,000 in pre paid services and is unlikely to recoup this money unless we can sell these products and services. In the grand scheme of things, this is not a huge amount of money and is not larger numbers of passengers.

Tarek is not going out of business due to this loss – though some will have sustained losses that have meant just that. They are now bankrupt. What is apparent is the struggle he will have on his hands over the next 12 -24 months.

Egypt is and will remain a wonderful place with amazing people. It is apparent now, more than ever before that Egypt is a modern, forward thinking society.

Tourism in Egypt needs to bounce back - and quickly. It needs it urgently in the short term to ensure it doesn't cripple the overseas operators selling Egypt and the inbound operators on the ground - and it needs it steadily in the long term to ensure its sustained economic impact.

So if you want to travel to Egypt, or are a Australian Travel Agent that has clients wanting to travel to Egypt, please consider calling us for your booking.

It would directly benefit my partner Tarek, his young family, the families of the 22 staff employed by Tarek. It would help Egypt as a whole in a very small way, that all contributes to the larger picture.

It will help the country, and its people - more so than anything else as it rebuilds from huge change.

A holiday in Egypt, a country with a history dating back thousands of years is one of the most interesting travel experiences you will ever have. The people involved in tourism, and the infrastructure are first class - but they literally will not survive without tourists.

Email me if you can help | Tweet me here

Watch Tarek on 60 Minutes last night !

the new VisitMauritius.com.au | Australia best website for travel deals and info to Mauritius

2011-01-14T18:27:00.000-08:00

Have you seen our new VisitMauritius.com.au site ??? The most comprehensive website available to the traveller looking for all the information on all the best Mauritius resorts in one place.

With loads of great hotel details and up to date info allowing you to make a fully educated choice as to which resort best suites you - VisitMauritius.com.au points you to Australia's best Mauritius travel specialists who have the best available pacakge deals from Australia on your chosen property.

Each week the site is updated with our travel partners deals - as well as news about the islands tourism industry and great things to do on the island

If your not ready to travel yet and just want to stay tuned for the best deals from australias west and east coast - "like" our Facebook app on the homepage - or follow us on Twitter.

Want a post published about your service in Mauritius ? If its about tourism - or deals with tourists or tourism - send me some details and images about your request and we will do our best. We do withhold the right to not publish anything sent to us

There are great advertising opportunities on header and side bar banner advertising. These are not expensive starting at $99 AUD per month - Air Mauritius have booked until the end of March for the header.

If you want your Mauritius resort listed in the resort pages | Email me

There is a cost and a contract - it is however not expensive and offers excellent value to you and your Australian tour operator partners. Pls ensure you are a current hotel partner to at least one of our Australian tour operators.

Where the bloody hell have we been......Our current Indian Ocean Tourism initiatives

2010-10-23T22:42:00.000-07:00

Where the bloody hell have we been ?? Blogging is not always easy...... We have been working on tourism projects, but not in the vain of Tourism Australia's ad.

We have been doing some great promotions recently and have some great new national ones coming up.

Mauritius continues to be a great focus for co promotions with our current MX News campaign, "Win a Trip to Mauritius" receiving loads of interest thanks to twice weekly inserts in the newspapers over 3 weeks.

The prize is supported by Veranda Resorts, Air Austral and my company, Reunion and Beyond ( the dedicated holiday programme for Australians - a joint initiative with Air Austral ). If you are an Australian resident and want to enter for a chance to win - do so now !! Entries close 30 October 2010.

Upcoming co promos include a campaign and a great giveaway prize with Air Mauritius and a resort (TBA) with a big national bookseller of some note - with an immense database of almost a million subscribers, and almost 100 stores across Australia.

We help out Special Olympics Australia as often as we can and have a great project lead by @Envirotrade in partnership with Solis IO in Mauritius to help the people of Gorongosa in Mozambique.

My new project | The launch of our new site www.visitmauritius.com.au has taken up a lot of my time. Designed to be an organically high ranking, local site for Australian travellers, VisitMauritius.com.au is an opt in platform for island service providers to reach an Australian audience. Looking to holiday in Mauritius.

Visitmauritius.com.au already great support from our major hotel partners on the island, Veranda Resorts being the first to jump on board and sponsor their pages. If you’re not listed, and want to be - print and send me a service agreement !

The site is 90% finished - so stay tuned for more plus integration into our other platforms and news distribution. If you want to join up to receive news - like the Facebook app or follow VisitMauritius.com.au on twitter

You may have missed the last segment on Getaway | Channel 9 Australia's travel show - the travel show with Australia's largest audience ? If you did - check out the page and our Reunion Island segment here

Africa is getting loads of interest and bookings in our office thanks to a strong AUD. Lots of Mauritius and Africa enquiries showing a continued love by Australians for a safari and resort holiday. Reunion Island continues to generate a lot of interest in the Australian market but is traditionally hard to convert into bookings.

If you missed the news - the Piton de La Fournaise erupted generating a lot of calls about volcano tours in Reunion Island !

Welcome Oryx Worldwide Photographic Expeditions to our expanding product range - a great new supplier, operating small photography tours with award winning photographers. Not for those taking pictures of animals with iPhones.

<p>&amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br /&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br /&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br /&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; &amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;gt;</p>

Share

Gorongosa Community Project | Envirotrade

2010-09-19T01:44:00.000-07:00

In case you missed the eNews/twitter/Facebook news from my company AB Holidays - here is the great new community initiative we are moving ahead with in partnership with Solis IO - our ground handler in Mauritius.

Every passenger we book - every time our partner travel agents book a customer, every friend you refer to Mauritius helps reduce carbon and help the community in Gorongosa, Mozambique. Click here to find out more http://bit.ly/cb82O7

Join our Facebook page | click here | Like this post? Use our share buttons to tell your friends !

V Australia | What a shame........

2010-09-14T00:15:00.000-07:00

Another old blog review...... Jenman Safaris | Into the Australian Market | Competition on the Africa route from Australia

Well – the world cup is over | views are mixed on its success and the world moves on to other things. My old blog post was written just after my last trip to South Africa and just before the World Cup.

So.....the Jenman Safaris – product is going great !! Lots of interest – lots of great bookings and lots of great adventures for our clients. V Australia on the other hand..........I don’t know what else to say.......what a shame.

World Cup over, ex Qantas boss appointed new chief – and out the door goes the Johannesburg route and the Phuket route ex Melbourne with a new “corporate” focus on the Abu Dhabi route.

Now Australians are back again to where we started. SAA ex Perth and Qantas ex Sydney. Get ready for expensive tickets to Africa again !!

With renewed passenger interest in the Australian route for Air Mauritius, thanks to returning to Sydney – and Air Austral continuing to be strong in the market place, we hope and aim to push the fact that these two offer something more than just a flight : the opportunity to experience something new and exciting on the way to Africa ( Mauritius or Reunion Island ) as well as great product and affordable fares.

Indian Ocean Tourism | Working together...........

2010-09-12T23:59:00.001-07:00

I recently released some news - on a new page on my website titled : MTPA and IRT to work together . This was in response to a media article put out by the MTPA signalling discussions between the two bodies to work cooperatively towards creating a better holistic tourism approach for th two islands. With a strong drive to China and India

I wanted to spread some news, highlight some of the differences between the two destinations and working with the tourist boards. I pointed to my companies travel brochures ( Mauritius - Reunion - distributed to travel agents across Australia ) and our Reunion Island famil review flyer ( we hosted a Air Austral, Flight Centre, independants famil) and the amazing Saachi and Saachi produced IRT tourism video.

Our Mauritius travel brochure is full of hotels - with all the main hoteliers being strong partners of ours.

The Reunion Island brochure which features more Reunion Island content than any other travel brochure we can find - anywhere - showcases some of the smaller and more traditional types of tourism. Especially with the Village Creole program in Reunion Island. Check out Air Australs new radio clip for the Australian market

We work closely with the IRT - to the extent that good numbers of Australians now know of Reunion and consider it and Mauritius as a popular tourist destination.

The MTPA on the other hand is a totally different kettle of fish. Air Mauritius, the national airline, have 4 flights a week ex Australia to Mauritius. The airlines has invested in the route and is working hard to ensure it is sustainable.

With the airline and our hotel partners support we do our best to market the destination - and send tourists to Mauritius. See our recent product ad's in The Age, the Australian and Community News in Western Australia.

This year alone we have sent lots of tourists to Mauritius. Numbers from Australia are up 33.5% | Yet we hear nothing on the ground in Australia from the MTPA. Not even a meeting.

We hope that the MTPA support situation can be rectified soon - so that a collective, wholistic approach from Australian tour operators selling Mauritius ( Above and Beyond, Beachcomber, Fiesta Holidays , Wildlife Safari ) can generate the required tourist numbers to sustain 4 flights a week from Air Mauritius and 2 flights a week from Air Austral.

Madagascar | Island Ark

2010-09-06T21:31:00.000-07:00

I love Madagascar - and i love finding out great new things about the place.Thanks to @Asistentravel

I especially love it when i find a new video !! Storyteller Media have done a great job in putting together this video : Madagascar Island Ark : Before it's too late....

Check out it - leave a comment.

Posted by AB Holidays | 07 September 2010 | Like this post? Use our share buttons to tell your friends !

Mafia Island | Tanzania | Island and Beach lodges

2010-09-06T21:12:00.000-07:00

I recently wrote a blog titled, Ras Mbisi | The Home of Barefoot Luxury which received lots of views and retweets !! Thanks

As a result of some of the content i was then tweeted by @Mafiaisland - which is Peter - who along with his daughter and wife own and operate Lua Cheia Beach Lodge and Kinasi Lodge

WOW - both of Peters properties look fantastic. I will definatley be visiting both on my next trip to Africa.

What is so amazing about visiting somewhere like Mafia Island is your priorities really change. At the end of the day - a cool swim, a cold beer and dinner is pretty much all you need. This is my kind of place.

Check out Peter's main website www.mafiaisland.com - which links to both his lodges.

Peter writes a great blog if your really interested in real island life - from someone who lives there !!

Sunset Bar at Lua Cheia

Kinasi Lodge

Posted by AB Holidays | 07 September 2010 | Like this post? Use our share buttons to tell your friends !

Ras Mbisi | The Home of Barefoot Luxury

2010-09-01T20:48:00.001-07:00

Blog Update | Ras Mbisi Lodge | New video !!

Well done Michelle - great video, i love it. Follow @RasMbisi for whats happening on this Mafia Island paradise.

******************************************************************

This week i checked one of my new Twitter followers ( @RasMbisi ) to find she is the owner of Ras Mbisi Lodge in Mafia Island, Tanzania -

This coastline is a part of the world so rarely visited by Australian tourists. The travellers who do get up there are there generally for safari, in Kenya and Tanzania or to visit Zanzibar.

This is certainly a place i would visit to chill out and relax for a while in isolated simplicity. Can you imagine the fishing and snorkelling ?

There are a whole load of activities you can do - sunset cruises to help you unwind, and excursions to local attractions include Chole Island, Chungaruma lakes, Mlola Forest, and the Marine Park located in the Chole Bay area.

There is fishing, snorkelling, diving, sea kayaking, sailing in n’galawas with local boatmen as well as heaps of other great things to see and do. Fancy a dhow safari around the islands ?

There are places like this of all shapes and sizes all up and down Africa's east coast. Mozambique has some stunning deluxe properties, accessed through Pemba in the Quirimbas Archipelago. Kenya has pockets of beautiful developments, as does Tanzania.

Then there are the islands of the Seychelles, Mauritius, Reunion, Comoros and Mayotte and Madagascar

Clarens , South Africa | Golden Gate National Park

2010-08-09T20:15:00.000-07:00

We recently drove from Johannesburg to Durban and on the way stopped and spent the night in Clarens.

Clarens is a beautiful little town on the edge of the Golden Gate National Park and the Drakensberg mountains. In many ways it reminds me of small towns dotted through Australia's Blue Mountains and southern highlands. Little gift shops, cafes and specialty food stores are in abundance. The air is crisp and has that alpine freshness to it. I was surprised to learn we actually were at quite an altitude - Clarens sits at just over 1900 meters.

Equidistant from Johannesburg, Durban and Bloemfontein, Clarens is fast becoming a semi alpine, trout fishing and golf getaway resort for the South African wealthy.

We discovered that the Golden Gate National Park that we drove through earlier in the day actually contained large elk and some large elk and springbok

We were all in awe at the colours and contours of the incredible cliffs that cleave the landscape. Car high grass made us feel like we were the only ones exploring the vast park and added an element of danger and excitement to the experience.

Eagles, kites and hawks circle and ride the updrafts above our heads as we slowly drive the paved roads that wind through this stunning national park. We did spot Zebra and a solitary blue wildebeest.

Not the usual tourist spot in South Africa, Clarens, the Golden Gate National Park and the Drakensburg are well worth a visit.

Check out Marius Coetzee's photos and blog of his recent trip to the Drakensburg

Watch this great video of the Golden Gate National Park from Siyabona Africa

Check out this amazing time lapse footage | Moonrise and Dawn over Golden Gate National Park, South Africa | with thanks to Craig Hind

Kilwa to Mafia Island on a dhow 'Shaniyake'

2010-08-05T23:12:00.000-07:00

While looking around on the internet for great new product for our Indian Ocean travel company we come across all kinds of amazing things.

I recently found this great youtube video from Wazza2007

I love the music and think it perfectly matches this short video of a few friends enjoying sailing off the coast of Kenya. Kilwa has an awesome old Arab fortress in ruins at the entrance to the river. It is a very difficult place to find out anything about.

Enjoy !! Let us know your thoughts.....

Reunion Island Tourism | Radio Segment

2010-07-28T22:40:00.000-07:00

Listen to the new radio advertising segment for Air Austral.

What do you think ? Leave a comment below

Exploring North West Madagascar | Silhouette Cruises' exedition vessell Maya's Dugong

2010-07-26T23:15:00.000-07:00

In my opinion, the most spectacular array of diversity in Madagascar is to be found along the north west coast. Rare birds, lemurs and chameleons share a stunning backdrop of tropical islands, ancient baobab trees and white-sand beaches.

Due to the remoteness of this area the majority of this region cannot easily be accessed. At sea, using a vessel with the kind of range necessary to travel these distances, we can unlock the secrets of Madagascar’s northwest coast.

In 2010, Above and Beyond Holidays are offering travellers the chance to discover the amazing northwest region of Madagascar aboard the expedition vessel Maya’s Dugong. A Silhouette Cruises vessell | see past Silhouette Cruises blogs

This former research vessel has been completely retro-fitted for expedition cruising – perfect for the traveller seeking an out-of-the-way adventure holiday, without forgoing the comfort and service of a modern yacht.

Maya's Dugong has only 9 cabins and a maximum of 24 guests. Expedition cruises are also small enough to give guests freedom and flexibility in deciding how they wish to discover Madagascar, be it trekking through the wilds looking for wildlife or diving the many reefs and lagoons. Aboard the vessel and throughout the cruise passengers have the experience and knowledge of a dedicated onboard naturalist and dive guide to call upon.

This is a unique opportunity to experience Madagascar and see its true diversity. On a full 14-night expedition aboard Maya’s Dugong, you will venture north from Nosy Be to Nosy Hara and then south to Baie de Mourambe. Each day allows guests to experience the numerous and varied coastal attractions along the way.

Shorter cruises of 7-nights can also be booked. Choose between the northern or southern leg of the 14 day journey. All departures leave from Nosy Be.

Past Madagascar Blogs | Lile De Nosy Be, Madagascar | The day it rained in Madagascar
Past Silhouette Cruises Blogs | Kayak Adventures Seychelles and Comoros

View the 2010 Maya's Dugong brochure and itinerary online

Kayak Adventures | Seychelles and Comoros | Silhouette Cruises

2010-07-21T20:25:00.000-07:00

These unique Seychelles kayaking trips are not for the faint hearted. Operated from Silhouette Cruise's fleet of yachts and Dutch schooners - lucky kayakers on these Seychelles island adventures get to explore stunning remote beaches, tiny coves and some of the Indian Oceans most beautiful and secluded islands.

Guests have the comfort of the yacht to fall back on when arms start to feel like rubber - and in the evenings the chance to enjoy some of the most incredible and remote tropical surroundings you can find. The Sea Star and Sea Bird accommodate guests in supreme comfort across 9 air conditioned cabins.

Other onboard facilities include a salon and bar, a dining salon and beautiful teak sun decks to stretch out and enjoy the view from. Your service-oriented crew includes 2 deckhands, a dive instructor, 3 stewardesses, and a dedicated chef, as well as the captain and engineer.

These 7 day itineraries are operating again in 2010 - 2011
Departures : 4-11 December 2010 | 19-26 February 2011 | 10-17 December 2011

As the official partner for Silhouette Cruises in Australia - Above and Beyond Holidays have some fantastic holiday package deals to the Seychelles.

Check out Simon Willis great footage from a past Seychelles Kayak Adventure

Looking for other Kayak stories? Read our blog on the Mauritius Ocean Classic

Promoting Tourism to Reunion Island | Outside of France........

2010-07-21T00:16:00.000-07:00

Reunion Island is a truely wonderful place to visit. Sure, it has issues to deal with for promoting its tourism to the outside world and handling tourists on the ground but what country doesn't ?

Réunionese culture is unique - a mix of European, Creole, African, Indian and Chinese. The most commonly used language, Réunion Creole, is essentially derives from French.

Reunion Island offers spectacular travel oppurtunities ranging from quiet and relaxing to highly active. If you're the kind of traveller more interested in an adrenaline rush than sunburn, Reunion Island has a plethora of awesome adventure activities available to you.

Options include hiking the towering heights of the islands famous "cirques" or exploring the underground on a canyoning trip, discovering cascading waterfalls, as well as scuba diving or surfing in the clear waters this Indian Ocean island.

On the south coast is the Piton de la Fournaise "Peak of the Furnace", an active volcano, in fact one of the most active in the world. This is a spectacular day trip - one not to be missed.17 miles of beaches stretch across the west coast, and there are lenty of mountains and forests to explore in between.

Tourism to Reunion Island has been focused on attracting main land French for so long that it appears Reunion Island has forgotten about the outside world.

Ground handlers, like Papangue Tours do a fantastic job in handling the new and challenging tasks of an influx of Australian tourists. Hotels are facing up to the fact that a passing knowledge of English is simply not good enough to make the first impression required to inspire tourists to recommend Reunion Island as a holiday destination. Airlines are making changes to their on board service to handle Australians used to having the choice of the worlds best airlines flying out of Australian airports.

Reunion and Beyond have brochured a dedicated stopover and holiday program for Air Austral with 10 pages of Reunion Island content.

Many peolpe ask our opinion on how tourism in Reunion will progress. Now that Air Austral have entered the Australian market, there is competition for the Australian Mauritius market. And by all accounts Air Austral arent going anywhere - reporting a modest profit in the midst of the 2010 GFC.

The task facing Reunion Island is not an insurmountable. Often people point to Mauritius as a shining example of how to implement a holistic tourism aproach with fantastic results. Mauritius is only 45 minutes away - on a clear day you can see one island from the other.
During such a conversation however it is crucial to never compare the two destinations.

Mauritius is an independant country, while Reunion Island is basically a French outpost in the Indian Ocean. With this comes its own problems but also leadership and funding.

The two landscapes are like chalk and cheese and existing tourism infrastructure in Reunion in comparison to Mauritius is non exisitent.Where Mauritius has more 5 star resorts than it knows what to do with - Reunion's 4 & 5 star resorts can be counted on one hand.

We think tourism in Reunion will grow - and that in general the island will experience a tangeable benefit from this through their economy.

Reunion Island is a place to get out and explore, discover and learn where Mauritius is a place to relax in resort oppulence. The two actually compliment each other perfectly as combination of adventure and rest.

Check out the 2009 Saatchi and Saatchi Reunion Island Tourism Promotion Video

View our Travel Agent Educational Trip Review of Reunion Island

Jenman Safaris | Into the Australian Market | Competition on the Africa route from Australia

2010-07-13T22:57:00.000-07:00

The marketing initiative between Jenman African Safaris, and Above and Beyond Holidays, to deliver Jenman product into the Australian market signals AB Holidays intent to deliver a holistic Africa program – alongside the Indian Ocean Island program currently in place – as well as trying to shift the mentality of Africa as a destination only for the wealthy.

Don’t get me wrong - there is a place for high end product. I have been fortunate enough to experience some amazing five star, if not six star, game and safari experiences across South and East Africa. Read my blog on Singita Boulders Lodge. It’s just that traditionally – it has been expensive to get to South Africa, let alone East Africa from Australia.

The Australian dollar has always been fairly strong, enabling well packaged high end product to be accessible to Australian travellers, who aren’t super, super rich. But airfares have just been too expensive. And what about those of us who aren’t even super rich, let alone rich.......

For too long, a single airline occasionally two, have plied the route between Sydney and Perth to Johannesburg. Competition on the route has been slow on the ground and nonexistent in the air.

Packages with airfares are marketed from Australia as $3700 includes flights and 3 nights’ accommodation!!

Ummmm.....3 nights ? What do i do for the rest of the time? I am not going all the way to South Africa for 3 nights......and $3700!!!! And that is a special??

In flies V Australia to Melbourne heading for Johannesburg – and Air Austral start flying Sydney direct to Reunion Island targeting a market share of the Mauritius pie. Air Austral have flights to Johannesburg, as well as Mauritius, the Seychelles, Comoros and Mayotte Madagascar – as well as daily connections through to Marseille and Paris, France.

Overnight – there is competition!! Things are happening!! Air Mauritius decides to come back from Sydney and introduce a new plane on the route. Air Austral plan to deliver to a new Boeing 777-300ER on the route, Sydney to Reunion in February 2011.

In the end the consumers (travellers) are benefitting. Prices for air tickets are way down, cheaper than they have been in a long time. And Africa is overloaded with product – literally. Indaba this year in the lead up to the world cup was low in attendance but not in product!! We discovered all kinds of great new cruises, game lodges, safari options, deluxe tented camps, eco tours, you name it.......

There has never been a better time to go to Africa from Australia ( going to Africa is always amazing ) – great deals are to be had all over the place.

For inspiration check out Marius Coetzee Photography blog | To view Jenman African Safaris brochure online | Check out Jenman's new bedouin style camp

Marlin Masters, Mauritius | Naiade Events - promoting Indian Ocean tourism

2010-07-08T18:07:00.000-07:00

Now is your chance to discover one of the most beautiful and relaxing islands in the big game fishing world - Mauritius.

Well known for having plentiful game fish – including IGFA world records for Pacific blue marlin. Imagine – a tropical setting, sparkling seas, friendly locals – and lots of big fish!

Naiade Resorts and Air Mauritius are the major sponsors of the Marlin Masters tournament, held each year in Mauritius. As the official holiday partner in Australia, Above and Beyond Holidays are organising great packages for anglers and families to enjoy a great holiday and do something unique. Besides the great prizes on offer, the Marlin Masters tournament is an IGFA Offshore World Championship qualifying event, so the winning team will be eligible to participate in the IGFA 2011 Championship.

Why don’t more hotels do things like this in other parts of the world ??

Naiade is also the official sponsor of the Mauritius Ocean Classic, a surf ski event in Le Morne, Mauritius. Also a world circuit event. This sort of event is a win win for all involved. The airlines get numbers on the planes, the ground handlers get good business running all the surf skiers around and the hotels get people in the rooms and eating at the restaurants. Tourists get out and explore the island – the follow on for the local people is great with all manner of local business picking up trade.

A coordinated effort from Naiade, Above and Beyond holidays and consortiums of surf skiers worldwide has meant that more than 100 people are heading to Mauritius from Australia. Many to join in the race, and all to have a holiday and enjoy themselves for a week or more !! Lots of the travellers are extending and exploring other destinations in the Indian Ocean – Reunion Island has become a very popular side trip from Mauritius – as has Madagascar, the unexplored island.

Simple marketing strategies played a big part in getting the events happening. Dissemination of information through affiliate websites, newsletters and Facebook profiles has meant that without the traditionally expensive forms of travel advertising - Naiade, Air Mauritius and Above and Beyond Holidays have achived a fantastic result in attracting large tourist numbers to the island.

For the Mauritius Ocean classic - a big thanks in Australia must go to Dean from Ocean Paddler, Charles from Epic Kayaks and www.surfski.info

For more information on packages from Australia | Marlin Masters Packages | Mauritius Ocean Classic Packages

Makalali Private Game Lodge | Exploring Mpumalanga

2010-07-03T03:23:00.000-07:00

On my last trip to South Africa, i got to experience a stay at Makalali Private Game Lodge.

We flew from Durban into Nelspruit and picked up a Nissan 4WD and headed towards Makalali.

The drive from Nelspruit north is quite interesting. After half an hour or so of clearly farmed eucalypts, the road cuts its way through a valley into areas that start to look like there might be wild animals !! Up until this point we could have been anywhere !!

Along the way, God's Window, is worth a look. Supposedly the highest spot (?) in South Africa, several viewing platforms along the ridge top allow great views over the vast gorge below.The normal array of tourist wares are on display in the car park - and interestingly, in the lead up to the world cup we are told, entry fees had been introduced. 20 Rand please.

After descending from the altitude of Gods window, the landscape starts to open up and dry out. Dirt roads and vast fenced reserves start to appear. The GPS starts to drop in and out !!

Nelspruit to Makalali takes about two and half to three hours - depending how you drive. A 4WD is very handy for the last 30 or so kilometres, to make the trip more enjoyable if not for the wear the road would have on a sedan.

We arrive at the gates, complete the standard gate check in - our names are on the list - yay !!

Its a slow 20 minute drive through the game park as we follow the signs that say "Check in". Along the way we encountered zebra and giraffe, as well as some warthog.

Check in is a standalone building with a gift shop. currently packed to the brim with stuffed animals and wooden carvings. The world cup will see Makalali full the entire time and gift sho sales are good business !!

Home the over a thousand wild animals including Africa's big five, I was really looking forward to seeing Makalali for the first time. Makalali is located close to the mighty Drakensberg mountain range, west of the Kruger National Park.

An enormous conservancy of over 26,000 hectares, Makalali is operated in 4 different camps of 6 suites with all meals included and morning and night game drives daily.

Our enormous suites with sala’s (??) were really cool. Fire places for the winter. Huge balconies to relax and read. Heaps of room and great air conditioning for hot nights in summer.

NOTE | I'm sure i locked the outdoor shower door, absolutely positive. Needless to say it is not a good thing to do and i should have known better. Monkeys love bread, chocolate and avocadoes and i don’t think i was gone 5 minutes before they were into my stuff. I apologised profusely to the staff, and in what became regular fashion they respond with truly warm hearted smiles if not a real chuckle at my stupidity. The manager burst out laughing and no one else could contain themselves. Everyone started laughing. I had to smile, i was in Africa, and there are monkeys.

Our game drives were fantastic, excellent cold wine and beers were produced for sundowners and blankets and hot water bottles to fight of the chill of May in south Africa.

We had some fantastic elephant and lion sightings - most excitingly of all was our rare sighting of a pangolin.

You know what you are looking at is rare when Tom our super driver and guide doesn’t know what to say. A quick discussion with our tracker determines the best way to view animal that throughout our trip receives gasps of "oooh that’s rare, you’re very lucky"

we were lucky indeed but we didn’t know it at the time !!

Dinner in the Boma that evening is a communal affair, and we enjoy our meal with some travel agents from Italy, also in South Africa for Indaba. The menu is mushroom soup with beautifully fresh baked bread. The main course is choice of grilled beef fillet, or oven roasted chicken in tomatoes and onions. Dessert is sticky date pudding with fresh cream.

The wine list was excellent and the choice of drinks from the bar extensive. Local and imported beers are on offer - so basically everything you need.

Makalali offers a truly first class game experience. It is not expensive, and is not pretending to be something it is not. It is a truly excellent 4 to 4 1/2 star game reserve in South Africa.

If you are looking for the Singita difference | click here.

The game viewings is top class - the vehicles new, the drivers and trackers friendly, informative, knowledgeable and open. All the staff are welcoming - making the whole experience one to remember. I can’t wait to go back - and I promise to lock my door this time !!

Check out my iPhone suite walkthrough | And some great pictures recently taken from Makalali Private Game Lodge

The day it rained in Madagascar

2010-06-29T04:09:00.000-07:00

The devistation the tsunami of 2004 in Indonesia reaped had far reaching effects.

The Indian Ocean was in turmoil - we all know of the many people who where lost and the suffering of the families and people involved.

After the Tsunami that created so much havoc in Asia , the weather turned bad on the Island of Madagascar .

Check out this stunning collection of images taken in Madagascar in the aftermath of the unusual weather patterns that plagued the area.

Click here to view | Thanks to www.issuu.com/michael_lewis

Other Madagascar blogs | Jenman Dhow Safaris review | Click here

The Singita difference | Safari isnt always just safari......

2010-06-22T18:05:00.000-07:00

Having been fortunate enough to experience a wide range of safari and travel options in Africa, from the the budget to the sublime to the ridiculous, i can see how hard it must be for a traveller to make an informed choice that wont fill you with trepidation prior to arrival.

There are hundreds of game lodges, eco lodges, reserves, overland tours, tented camps - how do you choose the right one ? And is $200 a night going to give me clean sheets and hot water ? Are the expensive places really worth $2000 a night ?

To clarify the question - you as a traveller need to really think what it is you want to get from your Africa experience. Is big game a primary drawcard for you ? Have you always wanted to see Leopard ? Are you more interested in the people and culture ? Would you rather drive a beautiful coast road and stop at wineries along the way ?

Of course you can do all of these things - there are thousands of great holiday ideas to be enjoyed throughout south and east Africa.

My product manager Katina and i recently had the fortune to experience the Singita difference and stay at Boulders Lodge and Ebony Lodge in the Sabi Sand, South Africa.

After staying prior to this at two fantastic lodges - Makalali and Leopard Hills, we arrived for 1 night at Boulders Lodge.

Boulders is super trendy - very modern, very contemporary. The staff at reception exude the manner you find at the worlds best hotels - wait, this is one of the worlds best hotels.

We arrived at midday - which meant we had until 3:30 to relax or enjoy an activity until the evening game drive.

Our rooms as you would expect are enormous with large viewing windows out over the river and the plain beyond.With out going into too much detail - view my iPhone video below.

Singita is the kind of place where guests can achieve what they want from there holiday in the African bush.Walking tours of the surrounding bush are available - as are bike tours or fishing.Walking tours are really a great option - on a vehicle your looking for large game - you want to see big lion or rhino. You would be amazed at the amount of small animals hiding in the bush - you also learn a huge amount about the plant and tree life.

We chose fishing - and of course in true Singita fashion, the kitchen made us snack boxes with sandwiches, fresh fruit, nuts and crackers.We took off up the river - finding the crossing our guide drove our Land Rover into the river, where we proceeded to fish from the back.He then popped open the esky and offered us beer, wine and cold drinks !!
Its hard to see in the video but there are hippo in the back of the estuary. There are also crocs in the river but it was winter time so we didnt see any. Must have been sleeping.

Our game drive departed at 4:00 - joining us was a young Russian couple - so 4 of us, our guide Chris and our tracker.

Guides at Singita go out of their way to get to know their guests and be available for special requests.It is obvious from the start that Chris is going to be an exceptional guide. We didnt rush through the bush - Chris had a plan from the start, he asked us all if we were happy to see a new and exciting recently discovered wild dogs den. Wild dog i hear you say ? We had been fortunate enough on our trip already to see the big 5. We had some great elephant sightings, amazing leopard sighting at Leopard Hills and some big lions.
Wild dog is RARE - even rarer to be able to get up close and personal with a den of 8 adults and an uncounted number of young.

Our guests also felt this was a unique oppurtunity so off we went in the direction of the den.

Along the way, Chris educated us with information on some of the unique flora of the Sabi Sand, plants that work as antiseptics and ones that can be a source of food.

We had a very interesting sighting of the wild dog den, we were able to get up really close, the males in the group inspected us, sniffed around and decided what we were doing was OK. Wild dog are becoming increasingly rare - Singita in the Sabi Sand hasnt had a den like this for many years.

Our sundowners were enjoyed in a grassed open expanse. Chris produced some beautiful canapes prepared by the kitchen for us to enjoy with some Singita's own wine cellars best south african pinotage.

We continued on our game drive crossing the vast expanse that Singita holds, towards the waterfalls below Boulders lodge. Now fully night time, I was amazed when Chris stopped suddenly to point out a small chameloen the exact size and colour of the leaves of the plant it inhabited. Reflecting the torch, this tiny chamelon is one of 17 different (?) species in the Sabi Sand

We then stopped in huge open expanse, where we let our eyes adjust to the night sky. A trillion stars slowly appear in the dark African sky and Chris starts to point out the major constellations with a laser pointer. This was a fantastic experience - one i have never seen before on a game drive. Being from Sydney - stars such as this are a rarity and an oppurtunity not to be missed.

Dinner this evening is a 5 star experience, paired with wine tasted in the cellar at a private tasting prior. Chris our guide joined us. We enjoyed al a carte dining the equal of top restaurants in major cities worldwide. Al a carte dining and individual tables are rare in all but the best african lodges.

Upon return to our rooms, our baths had been filled, the lights dimmed and the music turned down. Needless to say Singita Boulders was an experience.

There are thousands of variations of safari experiences and game lodges across Africa. The Singita difference is found in small touches throughout the experience. The lodges are stunning, the staff exceptional.

Little things.....our rooms contained a painting kit for parents or children alike to paint the stunning vista viewed from the rooms.

Guests can choose from South Africa's best wines from Singita's cellar at any time - or have the sommellier choose for you. There is no mini bar menu with prices - everything is included in your rate.

Rooms contain ipod docks and integrated surround sound. Stunning reference and photography books are displayed on the coffee table for guests to learn and discover more about what they might see on safari. Hot water bottles are waiting for guests on early morning game drives to make frosty mornings that little bit more bearable.

Needless to say there is a reason Singita lodges are considered the best in Africa. The
Singita difference is worth paying for.

More videos | Fishing Singita style

Watch the Singita Boulders video | Watch the Singita Ebony video

Mauritius Ocean Classic | Le Morne Mauritius

2010-06-21T00:20:00.000-07:00

We are pleased to announce the second Mauritius Ocean Classic 11th of September 2010 on the beautiful Indian Ocean Island of Mauritius!

This first race in 2009 attracted international and local paddlers alike and was a huge success. The Mauritius Ocean Classic has already established itself as key race fixture on the Mauritian calender.

For any non surf skiers the island of Mauritius offers a wonderful and exciting family holiday.

To make this event possible - sponsors are a MUST - without them so many of the great events we take for granted wouldnt happen.
We are pleased to inform you that Air Mauritius and Naïade Resorts, events’ airline and hotel partners, are offering special rates for participants, their families and accompanying persons…

Australians interested in attending need to contact Naiades outbound travel partner, Above and Beyond Holidays for packages | click here for more information
Dean Gardiner from Ocean Paddler www.oceanpaddler.com will be attending the event

Air Mauritius | Back to Sydney

2010-06-16T22:28:00.000-07:00

Air Mauritius are once again flying from Sydney to Mauritius direct.

It has been a few years since Sydney siders have been able to enjoy direct flights to the holiday island of Mauritius. Spoilt for choice for many other destinations - the introduction of flights by Air Austral from Sydney to Reunion Island direct meant not only competition for the route ( Mauritius being a short hop from Reunion ) but competition for travellers.

Air Austral fly twice - soon to be three times a week from Sydney to Reunion Island. Their network extends into some amazing holiday destinations like Madagascar, the islands of Seychelles and the Comores and Mayotte - as well as flying onto South Africa.

The reintroduction of direct flights by Air Mauritius of course comes with specials - but more importantly - the entire area that is the Indian Ocean now has flights out of a major australian city every day of the week !!

Tour operators are reporting strong growth in interest and conversion to this area - despite the GFC. Hoteliers are still offering amazing rates ( Naiade Resorts in particular has up to 55% OFF their 5 star properties )

For great package deals with Air Mauritius from Australia - click here

Africa Photography | Marius Coetzee

2010-06-16T22:18:00.000-07:00

Looking for great animal and safari images ? Check Marius Coetzee's blog

http://www.mariuscoetzeeafricanphotography.blogspot.com/

Marius Coetzee - is a professional safari guide. Based in the world renowned Sabi Sand Game Reserve, South Africa. He is an award winning wildlife photographer and his images have been published worldwide in various publication including high profile magazines like the BBC Wildlife Magazine and Africa Geographic. Marius photographs everything Africa and his image library contains thousands of images.

L'île de Nosy Be | Madagascar | The unexplored island of the Indian Ocean

2010-06-16T19:17:00.000-07:00

There are some places in the world which not even the well travelled know about.

Madagascar has long been recognised for its diverse wildlife and stunning scenery - but to really experience it, there is nothing like going there. We all know the movie - and the TV show i watch at 6:30 every morning with my 5 month old daughter....

Madagascar still remains poorly visited in terms of its location - it has South Africa close by to compete with as well as the world renowned holiday island of Mauritius. Reunion Island is close by, however not yet the international tourist hot spot that the IRT wants it to be. The islands of the Seychelles, not as close as Mauritius, to the north also offer stiff competition for tourists.

We are sending more and more Australian's each year through our Indian Ocean travel company Above and Beyond Holidays.

Now that Air Austral fly from Sydney directly to Reunion Island, Australians have a 1 stop trip to get to Madagascar. Throw in a few days in Reunion Island exploring the cirques and a few days in luxury in Mauritius and you have a fantastic holiday with a bit of everything.

There are all the normal tourist travel options available in Madagascar. There are 5 star international hotels with gorgeous beaches, great food and stunning settings. There are overland touring otions of every flavour for every guest - if its animals, nature or beaches you are into, there is bound to be something that suits.

Expedition cruise ships explore the outer islands from Nosy Be, travelling in some cases as far as the outlying islands of the Comores and Mayotte. Jenman Safaris have some fantastic adventure trips : why not spend a week hopping around the white sand beaches on one of their Dhow Safaris.

Check out this stunning collection of images from French travel company Hemis.Fr

For great travel options ex Australia | Check out Reunion and Beyond Holidays ebrochure
If you're looking for airfares with Air Austral | Click here

Jenman Safaris NEW 4x4 | Khwai Bedouin Camp, Botswana

2010-06-16T18:55:00.000-07:00

This brand-new addition to the Jenman Safaris vehicle fleet was exhibited during last month’s INDABA in Durban and caught people’s attention.

Jenman's new vehicle (the first in Southern Africa) has already been to Namibia and around South Africa. Two Jenman staff have had the opportunity to test the vehicle on a recent safari through South Africa and the reviews were great.

The 12-seater 4×4 comes equipped with 2 refrigerators, air-con, a pop-up roof, game viewing windows, comfortable seats and more… And according to rumours floating around there will be even more ‘adaptations’ to make Jenmans leading vehicle even better.

Introducing Jenman Safaris' Khwai Bedouin Camp!

This new tented camp is easily one of the best ways to experience Botswana's finest game viewing area. Jenman's new Bedouin-style bush camp consists of seven comfortable tents with ensuite bathrooms. Located under large Acacia trees, the layout and feel of the camp is designed so guests can relax in privacy while enjoying the sights and sounds of the amazing Botswana bush.

Situated in the Khwai River area, outside the northern gate of the Moremi Game Reserve, this camp is one of a kind.
Moremi is regularly described by those who know as one of the most stunning reserves in Africa. The reserve is made up of mopane woodland with thick acacia forests, intertwined with vast floodplains and lagoons.