The Gambia News

Premium Collection Villas: New addition for 2013

Press Office - Corsican Places — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 00:00:00 GMT

A new addition to Corsican Places’ 2013 programme, the sleek Villa d’Occi is situated in the small residential resort of Sant’Ambroggio, just above the train track that hugs the coastline between Calvi and l’Ile Rousse. Commanding views over the bay and complete with private pool, Villa d’Occi is only a short walk from the village restaurants and sandy beach. www.corsica.co.uk/dOcci

This season, Corsican Places is offering 7 nights at the four-bedroom Villa d’Occi from £549 per person, valid for 19 May departure and resulting in a saving of £210pp from brochure price. This offer is based on eight sharing the property and includes return flights London Stansted – Calvi (with Titan Airways), car hire & a welcome pack. This offer is subject to availability & valid at the point of issue.

For more on Corsican Places Premium Collection visit:
www.corsica.co.uk/premium

Two Weeks for the Price of One at Southern Sardinia Villa

Press Office - Sardinian Places — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Casa Querce: 14 nights Villa-only for £1250 (save £1250)
www.sardinianplaces.co.uk/casaquerce

Specialist tour operator, Sardinian Places is offering two weeks for the price of one at its two-bedroom villa, Casa Querce located in Pula, Southern Sardinia. Valid for arrivals on Saturday 27 April, two weeks accommodation-only at the villa is now available for the one-week price of £1250.

Alternatively, book a package through Sardinian Places where 14 nights at the two-bedroom villa Casa Querce is available from £619 per person, valid for 27 April departure & resulting in a saving of £355pp. This price, based on 4 sharing, includes return flights London Stansted – Cagliari, car hire and a welcome pack. Call Sardinian Places Reservations Department on 0845 330 2050 or visit www.sardinianplaces.co.uk

More about the villa:
Casa Querce is housed within immaculately kept lawns and gardens complete with pond and swimming pool. The general atmosphere is rural despite the vibrant town of Pula being only a couple of kilometres away. All on one level, the cool white-walled interior of Casa Querce is adorned with traditional Sardinian furniture, as well as unusual artefacts from the owner’s extensive travels.

Combine the villa holiday with a local festival:
For travel 27 April x7 nights, holidaymakers can combine their stay in Sardinia with the colourful religious festival of ‘Sagra di Sant’Efisio’, which commences 01 May and lasts 4 days. The May Day procession (leaving from Cagliari) is followed by three intense days of colour, costume, music, dance and feasting. Road side stalls sell all manner of local delicacies from Sardinian cakes to grilled fish, barbequed meats and local cheeses, all washed down with the regional wines.

Please note that all offers are subject to availability.

Cape Verde - out of Africa, Brazil and Portugal

Catherine Leech - 101 Holidays — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Cape Verde is one of the world’s fastest growing tourist destinations, according to a new report from the World Travel & Tourism Council. And it’s not hard to see why, as I found on a recent visit to one of the islands.

Tell most people you are heading to Sal for a week’s holiday and they will ask you a) to repeat yourself and b) tell them where it is. It’s pretty much the same for the Cape Verde Islands themselves, made up of 9 inhabited and 1 uninhabited island plus 8 islets in the Atlantic, 300 miles off the west coast of Africa (Senegal and The Gambia are the nearest mainland countries).

I have just returned from a hot and sunny week’s R&R on Sal, which I can best describe as Marmite Island – Sal is a place you will either love or loathe, with very little in between. My boyfriend and I loved this strangely idyllic island, largely because it is decidedly – and charmingly – rough around the edges.

The basics on Sal tick virtually every winter sun holiday box – a non-stop 6 hour flight from Gatwick, only an hour’s time difference, 15-minute hotel transfers, no mosquitos or other nibbling nasties, dreamy white sand beaches, crystal clear turquoise waters, no rain, a handful of hotels and lots of diverse, well-priced restaurants. I’m always loathe to describe somewhere as safe but we felt genuinely welcome and completely safe everywhere we went.

Sal itself was the first of the islands to have an international airport and is relatively developed in terms of tourist accommodation and infrastructure.

The locals speak Portuguese and/or Creole, the ever-present music – often played spontaneously on the beach, in bars and in the cobbled streets of the main tourist town of Santa Maria – is a passionate blend of Brazilian, African and Portuguese rhythms (the Cape Verde Islands were a Portuguese colony until 1975 since when they have been an independent republic). It’s exotic, vibrant – and pretty scruffy, in the nicest possible way.

From that 1st Caipirinha in our favourite beach shack (€3 for a huge glass or a litre of excellent local beer) to our final lunch of caught-that-morning wahoo steak, chips and salad for €6, we were intoxicated – it felt as if we had landed in an un-manicured mix of the Caribbean, West African coast and Albufeira in the ’70s.

We stayed in the Hotel Morabeza, probably the best hotel on the island – it’s brilliantly positioned behind a stunning beach and a gentle stroll from the (beating) heart of Santa Maria. The staff were delightful and efficient, the food delicious and the rooms (and blissful beds) comfortable with particularly good bathrooms. There are 2 lovely pools and a terrific Beach Club. We could see the sea from our small balcony although some overlooked the crazy golf course and the back of another room block – I would have been disappointed. That said, if you want a pampered room-centric hotel experience with hot and cold running luxury, Sal probably isn’t for you.

What could the Marmite-haters possibly find to dislike in Sal….? Well, it’s windy – but that makes it a) relatively cool (those with pale skins beware – it’s between the Tropic of Cancer and the Equator so the sun is exceptionally strong and the wind is deceptive) and b) exceptionally attractive to wind-surfers and kite-surfers. Sal is a mecca for surf dudes who congregate with their colourful gear and dare-devil speeds off the more exposed beaches. We were mesmerised by the scene at Kite Beach, from beginners learning the ropes (literally) in the dunes to the speed merchants wheeling high above the waves – we could have spent an entire day just watching them.

I guess you could dislike the flat and arid “brown-ness” and relative lack of sightseeing opportunities – but we were there for fishing, relaxation and beach life. Anything else would have been a bonus – and there are other islands in the archipelago, such as Santo Antao, Santiago and Fogo, which are positively brimming with lush green hillsides, historic towns packed with colonial architecture, quaint fishing villages, hiking, biking and fishing.

There was a development boom in the early ‘noughties’ which has crumbled, along with several half-built or empty hotel, apartment and villa complexes but they are pretty unobtrusive (as are the mega Thomson-dominated all-inclusives which no doubt offer good value for money but which miss out on the colour and vibrancy of the main tourist centre of Santa Maria).

There’s no fine-dining in the Michelin sense but the restaurants are varied, fun, universally spotless (kitchens and loos) and outstanding value for money. We dined almost exclusively on fish, shellfish and even the rare delicacy, Percebes (barnacles, much sought after in Spain and readily available in Sal). A strong Italian presence also meant we could indulge in authentic pizzas, toes in the sand, when we felt like a change – and work off the calories in a funky rooftop reggae bar!

We had two disappointments – we generally avoid group trips so hired a 4WD for a day (€50). However, we simply couldn’t find some of the places visited on the island tours – they are reached only by off-road, un-signed tracks. With only 50 vehicles for hire on the island and scant signage, it seems the authorities are keen to encourage escorted tours rather than self-drive – good for employment and, with a local guide, undoubtedly a better experience for visitors. We spent €33 each for a trip on the ‘Neptunus’ semi-submersible and saw……well, not a lot. The viewing windows hadn’t been cleaned and the poorly-maintained engine poured out black smoke and black soot across the water throughout.

We’re hooked and intend to return next year, probably a little later, in April, in the hope that the tuna might be in – but we’re torn between another week on Sal or a visit to one or more of the other islands.

We travelled with Cape Verde Experience – they really know their stuff (both the team in the UK and their excellent rep, Tracey who has lived on Sal for 7 years). They offer a wide range of hotels on Sal, Boa Vista, Santiago, Fogo, Sao Vicente and Santo Antao with flights to both Sal and Boa Vista from Gatwick, Manchester and Birmingham. They also arrange island-hopping holidays – inter-island transport is somewhat limited for now but it will come, I am sure.

As tourism slogans go, ‘Marmite Island’ will never catch on for Sal but it struck us, from day one, as the perfect description for this beguiling and unique island. And if you have been and loathed it, then I would hazard a guess that you simply didn’t pick the right place for you.

Sunshine with Smiles

Tessa Webber - Hampshire Society + Wiltshire Society Magazines — Thu, 28 Feb 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Leaving the rain-soaked shores of England behind her, Tessa Webber headed due south for The Gambia, Africa's smiling coast, and found warmth that came from more than the sun

Natural Charm

Tessa Webber - Southern Daily Echo - Seven Days — Sat, 16 Feb 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Tessa Webber shook herself free of the freezing temperatures in England and found plenty to warm the heart in The Gambia

Back to School

Glen Mutel - ABTA Magazine — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Glen Mutel heads into rural Gambia and gets a warm welcome from the locals and their children.

Explore The Gambia for that winter sun

Rory McKeown - The Portsmouth News - Weekend Travel — Sat, 02 Feb 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Holidaymakers searching for that much needed winter sun should take a good look at The Gambia. The first thing that hits you when you step off the plane in Banjul, the West African nation’s capital, is the heat. It’s not an uncomfortable or stifling sensation, but glowing warmth that gives you a broad smile. It’s a smile that is on the face of every Gambian you meet and sets the mood for the rest of your magical trip.
Holidaymakers or adventurers can hop on a plane for a relatively short amount of time to step into a country that offers so much. I visited The Gambia in November and to escape the wind and rain of the UK for West Africa’s glorious sunshine and perfect heat was almost too much to comprehend.
Most people wouldn’t put The Gambia high up on their holiday destinations list, but it really is a country that caters for families, couples and those with an adventurous side.
I travelled with the Fareham-based tour firm The Gambia Experience – a branch of Serenity Holidays which specialises in holidays to The Gambia. We were treated to an insight into the various hotels The Gambia has to offer.
My accommodation, the Kombo Beach hotel, is a popular mid-range hotel situated in the Kotu resort and overlooks the stunning Kotu beach. It’s ideal for families, with outdoor activities and traditional entertainment. For those with a desire to be at one with nature, the Mandina lodges in the picturesque Makasutu cultural forest is the place for you. Its lodges are located in a sprawling forest haven that’s perfect for couples or those seeking a honeymoon destination. The Coco Ocean Resort and Spa in Bijilo is The Gambia’s bit of luxury. Boasting a spa and treatment rooms, it offers restaurants specialising in cuisines of the world and stunning architecture. Perhaps the standout for me was the Ngala Lodge, an intimate boutique hotel situated between the Bakau and Fajara resorts. Boasting a special atmosphere, it’s child-free and is ideal for honeymooners.
The Gambia is not just about its thriving resorts. Our group was able to explore the heart of The Gambia thanks to West African Tours and our tour guide Mucki. The excursions can be booked through The Gambia Experience’s hotel reps. I urge anyone to pay a visit to one of the local schools. It is guaranteed to be one of the most emotional experiences you are likely to encounter on your trip. Mucki took us to the Mansa Colley Bojang Nursery School, which has been built thanks to a hard working community, committed to giving its youngsters the prospects of a bright future. We were greeted by the smiling children and teachers, who treated us to singing and dancing. Their beaming smiles
and inquisitive natures will stay with you long after your visit, and make sure you come equipped with much-needed pens, pencils and exercise books.
Those wanting to relax and unwind should check out the lazy day river trip across the River Gambia in a Gambian style river pirogue. Other highlights included the visit to the huge Makasutu cultural forest and the4x4 trip to the village of Kubuneh, which has been transformed by a cultural street art project. It may not be the most obvious destination for many holiday makers, but The Gambia provides warmth in the winter months.
Rory McKeown was a guest of The Gambia Experience, a branch of the Fareham-based firm Serenity Holidays. He stayed at the Kombo Beach hotel, which is part of their mid-range collection. Holidays are from £499 per person for seven nights. Price includes flights from Gatwick, inflight meals and taxes. Excursions can be booked with West African Tours through The Gambia Experience’s hotel reps.

Smile - it's The Gambia

Nick Elvin - Locate Magazine (Jan-Mar issue) — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 00:00:00 GMT

The Gambia's reputation for friendly people, excellent beaches and diverse wildlife is well-deserved, as Nick Elvin discovers

Uncovering Gambia

Fri, 25 Jan 2013 00:00:00 GMT

"Gambia is a country full of surprises. Tony Kane escapes to this little paradise in West Africa."

Smiling in The Gambia

Wed, 23 Jan 2013 00:00:00 GMT

If the grey skies and frosty temperatures of home are getting you down, then The Smiling Coast of Africa might just be your perfect tonic.

Winning Projects Announced to receive Flights & Funds Donation

Press Office - The Gambia Experience — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 00:00:00 GMT

To commemorate its 25 Year Anniversary this winter (2012/13), specialist tour operator The Gambia Experience chose to donate funds and flights* to UK and Gambian-originating charitable and sustainable projects making a positive difference within The Gambia.

The Gambia Experience notified the winners of the total £25,000 funds allocation on Monday 14 January, a list of which can be viewed here and which includes UK and Gambian-based organisations. www.gambia.co.uk/25years-donations

The winners each submitted a short application form outlining their requirement for the donation which were considered in turn by a judging panel brought together by The Gambia Experience. Dick Sisman, sustainable tourism advisor acted as chair and was joined by The Gambia Experience staff, Chris Rowles, managing director; Katie Bushnell, sustainable tourism manager; and Joyce Stavroulakis, resort manager; as well as Derek Moore, chairman of AITO (Association of Independent Tour Operators).

Dick Sisman said:
“I was delighted to chair the judging panel and was heartened that The Gambia Experience received near 60 applications for the funds. The diversity of good works being undertaken by organisations and charities of all sizes in The Gambia is impressive. These range from projects to develop educational facilities; medical programmes; social and wellbeing projects for persons of all ages – not just children; and projects linked to the health and safety of humans and animals.

We would have liked to help all of the project proposals, but had to make a choice which we felt were representative of all aspects of life and topics in The Gambia. In the main these are projects which do not have other and larger sources of support and where we know that the money we can allocate will make a big difference in the development and delivery of good causes.”

The complimentary flight seats donation totalling £25,000 were selected at random during two draws; one of which took place in October 2012, the second of which took place on Monday 14 January alongside the allocation of the funds. The flight seats are aboard The Gambia Experience London Gatwick – Banjul (or reverse route) charter flight with Monarch. To see a summary of these winners see the same link www.gambia.co.uk/25years-donations

Accredited with the maximum rating of 5* Sustainable Tourism status by AITO, The Gambia Experience operates its own School Development Fund and collaborates on Carbon Offset Tree Planting and Alternative Fuel Stove schemes.

Winter Warmer

Rory McKeown - Guide2 Magazine — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 00:00:00 GMT

The Gambia is a perfect destination for people looking to unwind at a resort while embracing the vast culture the country has to offer, reports Rory McKeown.

2013 Season Highlights

Press Office - Corsican Places — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Corsican Places 2013 holiday brochure is out now. With 26 years’ experience, the leading tour operator continues to be the UK Corsica specialist, chartering flights to the island, as well offering the widest range of villas, apartments and hotels across Corsica – currently over 150 handpicked properties with 15 new additions – with more properties year on year.

Highlights for the 2013 season include:

NEW Flight London Heathrow – Figari with British Airways
www.corsica.co.uk/flights
In addition to its existing Stansted and Manchester to Calvi charters, Corsican Places will charter a new flight, London Heathrow – Figari with British Airways, for the first time in 2013. This will be the only UK flight to Figari, Corsica and enables Corsican Places to further develop its portfolio within the south of the island. A convenient morning departure time, included in-flight meal, pre-allocated comfortable seating and generous luggage allowance are amongst the selling points of this new Corsican Places and British Airways flight service.

NEW Flight Bristol – Bastia with bmi regional
www.corsica.co.uk/flights
Following its new 2013 brochure going to print, Corsican Places has announced a second new flight service for 2013: Bristol to Bastia (North East Corsica) during the summer with bmi regional. The weekly Sunday flight service will run for 13 weeks from 23 June to 22 September and represents Bristol’s only flight route into Corsica. Complimentary pre-allocated seating, convenient departure times and quality service are once again key features of flying with Corsican Places.

NEW Properties & Hotels
Corsican Places adds to its collection throughout the year. New additions featured within the 2013 brochure include the contemporary ‘Premium Collection’ four-bedroom Villa d’Occi in Sant’Ambroggio.
Situated between Calvi and l’Ile Rousse, this sleek villa commands views over the bay and is only a short walk from the village restaurants and sandy beach. www.corsica.co.uk/dOcci

New villa additions in the South include the two-bedroom Casa Mia, which set in the mountains on the edge of l’Ospédale surveys the entire Gulf of Porto Vecchio. www.corsica.co.uk/casa-mia

New hotels to the 2013 programme include the 5* Casadelmar, just outside Porto Vecchio, offering unsurpassed views across the bay to Cala Rossa. The facilities here are first class and include a spa, infinity pool and renowned gastronomic restaurant. www.corsica.co.uk/casadelmar

NEW Tour de France in Corsica 2013
www.corsica.co.uk/tourdefrance
In 2013 the 100th edition of the Tour de France will commence in Corsica for the first time with the three stages of the race taking in 500 kilometres of the island’s unique landscape. To celebrate this much-anticipated event, Corsican Places suggests things to see and do and places to stay to mirror the three key routes of the ride. Inspired by the Tour de France, Corsican Places will offer free bike carriage on its Stansted – Calvi charter flight.

NEW Cycling Holidays in Corsica
www.corsica.co.uk/cycling
New for 2013, Corsican Places will collaborate with a local cycling specialist in Corsica to offer guided & self-guided cycling holidays to its customers. Sample cycling itineraries include ‘Coastal Cycling around the Cap Corse’; ‘Cap Corse to the Castagniccia’ and ‘A Taste of the Tour de France’. For more information, as well as general advice on cycling in Corsica, see the above link.

NEW Walking Holidays in Corsica
www.corsica.co.uk/walking
Corsican Places is pleased to announce that it will be working with another local Corsican company to provide walking (guided & self-guided) holidays in Corsica during 2013. A choice of themed walking holidays has recently been added to the Corsican Places’ website, which the tour operator can package with flights and wide range of accommodation. Sample itineraries include ‘Corsican Island Mystery’; ‘Sea & Mountains’ and ‘Mare a Mare South’, and in each case the difficulty level of the walk is stated. The ‘Donkey Trekking’ walking tour may be of particular appeal to families.

NEW Sample Touring Itineraries
www.corsica.co.uk/touring
Although not new to its programme, Corsican Places has outlined sample Touring Itineraries for the first time within its 2013 brochure to remind customers that they are welcome to tailor make their personal exploration of the island suited to their own requirements. ‘Explore Authentic Corsica’; ‘Corsican Highlights’ and ‘Sardinia and Corsica Twin Centre’ are the three taster itineraries presented.

A selection of Early Booking Offers is available on 2013 holidays, valid if booked by 31 January 2013. These include ‘Savings of up to £100 per Couple’ and ‘Family Savings of up to £400 per booking’.
These offers apply when travelling on a Corsican Places’ charter flight: Stansted - Calvi, Manchester -Calvi, Heathrow – Figari, or Bristol - Bastia. Please visit www.corsica.co.uk/offers for more information.

This season (2013), holidays with Corsican Places start from £399 per person (four sharing), based on seven nights self-catering in a two-bedroom apartment, including flights and transfers.
For more information or to request a copy of the new brochure, call Corsican Places Reservations Department on 0845 330 2113 or visit www.corsica.co.uk
To view a virtual copy of the new 2013 brochure visit www.corsica.co.uk/brochure

2013 Brochure Out Now

Press Office - Sardinian Places — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Sardinian Places 2013 holiday brochure is now out and the tour operator continues to offer the largest portfolio of Sardinian properties to the UK holiday market (over 80 choices), with hotels, villas, apartments and residences across the island. Sardinian Places can book complete holiday packages, as well as accommodation-only and AVIS car hire for its customers.

Highlights of the new 2013 brochure include:

New Properties
Sardinian Places’ new property additions for this season include two new self-catering options in Alghero, North West Sardinia. Apartment Piazza Civica enjoys a privileged location in the heart of Alghero old town - a stone’s throw from a labyrinth of narrow cobbled streets, gothic architectural landmarks and the seafront. Situated on the first floor of an old building, the converted one-bedroom apartment overlooks the bustling square of Piazza Civica with its array of cafés, little shops and traditional eateries. www.sardinianplaces.co.uk/piazza-civica

Also new to the programme in Alghero is the two-bedroom villa Casa Angelica. Casa Angelica is a cottage-style villa nestled in the Alghero countryside. Appealing factors of this villa include its cool open plan interior complete with terracotta-tiled floor and striking circular pine roof. However, the large maquis-scented garden area with pool is also an undoubted pull of Casa Angelica, which is within easy reach of Alghero’s restaurants, Catalan architecture and fine selection of beaches. www.sardinianplaces.co.uk/angelica

New Touring Itineraries
www.sardinianplaces.co.uk/touring
For the first time within its new brochure, Sardinian Places presents three sample touring itineraries to give customers a flavour of tailor made touring holidays. These incorporate more than one hotel base thus increasing opportunity to discover more of the island. The three suggestions encourage exploration of the most beautiful and contrasting areas of Sardinia and are entitled ‘A Sardinia Taster’ (7 nights); ‘Explore Authentic Sardinia’ (10 nights) and ‘Sardinia & Corsica Twin-Centre’ (7 nights).

Flexible Durations
www.sardinianplaces.co.uk/flights
Courtesy of frequent flight routes operating into Sardinia from the UK, Sardinian Places can offer holidays of flexible duration. During the summer flights are available any day of the week from eight UK airports with a choice of charter, no frills and scheduled flights. However, Sardinian Places advises early booking to take advantage of competitive flight prices, particularly concerning no frills airlines – which are likely to increase in cost closer to departure.

Hotels for Families & Child Discounts
www.sardinianplaces.co.uk/child-discounts
Family-friendly hotels are a good selling-point of Sardinia in general. Sardinian Places is keen to highlight a great selection of suitable hotels providing a range of activities and facilities for children, most of which offer child discounts of up to 50% for children under 12, with certain hotels offering completely free child places. The savings are on the accommodation element of the holiday (not the flights or car hire), but can still represent a substantial discount.

Early Booking Offers – Book by 31 January 2013
Sardinian Places is offering a selection of Early Booking Offers on its 2013 holidays, valid if booked by 31 January 2013. The three main offer themes are ‘Couple Offers – save up to 25% per person’; ‘Family Offers – save up to £300 per person’ and ‘Free Child Places’.
The couple offer with the saving of up to 25%pp relates to the 4* Hotel Corallo - a perfect romantic retreat in Isola Rossa, Northern Sardinia – where, inclusive of the early booking offer, 7 night holidays now start from £564pp including flights & transfers, resulting in a saving of £190pp from brochure price. www.sardinianplaces.co.uk/corallo

In general – as with flight prices - the best hotel discounts are likely to be available for those who book ahead of the 2013 holiday season starting, particularly the peak season. Call the Sardinian Places Reservations Department or visit www.sardinianplaces.co.uk/offers for details.

This season, (2013), 7-night holidays with Sardinian Places start from £389 per person, based on eight sharing self-catering accommodation at the four-bedroom Sardinian-style villa, La Mendula, located in the seaside resort of Cannigione. This price - incorporating an early booking offer discount of £130pp - includes return flights, car hire & welcome hamper. www.sardinianplaces.co.uk/la-mendula

For more information or to request a copy of the new brochure, call Sardinian Places Reservations Department on 0845 330 2050 or visit www.sardinianplaces.co.uk
To view a virtual copy of the new 2013 brochure visit www.sardinianplaces.co.uk/brochure

Experiencing The Gambia

Tony Kane - Time and Leisure Magazine (Clapham, Battersea & Fulham) — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Tony Kane visits an art retreat at a floating paradise in the Gambian jungle.

Take A Wild Ride In Gorgeous Gambia

Andrea Collitt - Colchester Gazette — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Andrea Collitt is charmed during a stay in warm and welcoming The Gambia, where she experienced the country's culture - and plenty of its food.

Gambia is more than just sun

Derek James - Norwich Evening News — Sat, 15 Dec 2012 00:00:00 GMT

"It's the quickest and probably the cheapest place to get to if you are searching for hot winter sun and it offers a holiday which could change your life." Derek James reports from The Gambia.

An African adventure

Ben Wilkinson - Oxford Mail — Sat, 15 Dec 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Ben Wilkinson discovers time stands still in The Gambia's 'Smiling Coast'.

An African Adventure

Ben Wilkinson - Oxford Mail — Sat, 15 Dec 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Ben Wilkinson discovers times stands still in The Gambia's 'smiling coast'

Resort Party celebrates 25 Year Anniversary

Press Office - The Gambia Experience — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 00:00:00 GMT

To commemorate its 25 Year Anniversary this winter, specialist tour operator The Gambia Experience hosted a cocktail party in The Gambia on Saturday 24 November.

Approximately 150 guests attended the event which took place at the Kairaba Hotel in Kololi. Hoteliers, suppliers and customers were amongst those invited to mark this special celebration alongside host The Gambia Experience, which has remained the UK’s leading tour operator to The Gambia since 1987.

The Gambia Experience managing director, Chris Rowles made a speech thanking those attending for supporting The Gambia Experience during the last 25 years. Future successful UK tourism to The Gambia was also toasted.

A raffle was organised by The Gambia Experience Resort Office with five winners being presented with return flight seats from Banjul (The Gambia) to London Gatwick with Monarch Airlines (The Gambia Experience charter flight).

The Gambia Experience was delighted to be personally thanked by the Gambia Hotel Association, being awarded its very own wooden plaque of recognition on behalf of the association’s 30 members.

Chris Rowles comments:
“This was an excellent opportunity to thank all the many partners who have been so supportive over the years, and also to recognize what a special destination, with such welcoming people, The Gambia is. We look forward to the next 25 years of operating year round to The Gambia.”

For more information visit www.gambia.co.uk/25years

Hotel Morabeza January Offer

Press Office - The Cape Verde Experience — Tue, 04 Dec 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Specialist tour operator, The Cape Verde Experience is offering 7 nights at the 4* Hotel Morabeza on the Cape Verde island of Sal from £873 per person, valid for 17 January 2013 departure and resulting in a saving of £206pp. The Hotel Morabeza was awarded a TripAdvisor Certificate for Excellence this year. This price is based on two sharing a double room with breakfast and includes return direct flights London Gatwick – Sal, taxes and transfers. Call The Cape Verde Experience Reservations on 0845 330 2071 or visit www.capeverde.co.uk/morabeza

Enviably positioned on the edge of Santa Maria’s white sand beach, the Hotel Morabeza (meaning ‘hospitality’) is the longest established hotel on Sal and continues to be family-run. Hotel facilities include two swimming pools, three restaurants including ‘Le Beach Club’, and three bars. Activities and entertainment are also on offer, with a Watersports centre close by.

HOTEL MORABEZA DECEMBER LATE AVAILABILITY
The above package is available from £765pp departing on 12 December from Manchester, resulting in a saving of £211pp from brochure price, and also from Birmingham on 18 December from £867 per person, resulting in a saving of £146pp.

All offers are subject to availability.

Sardinian Places 2013 Holidays Now on Sale

Press Office - Sardinian Places — Fri, 23 Nov 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Sardinian Places’ 2013 holidays are now on sale and can be viewed on the specialist tour operator’s website www.sardinianplaces.co.uk ahead of the new 2013 brochure arriving with customers in the New Year.

Sardinian Places advises early booking to take advantage of competitive flight prices - likely to increase closer to departure. The best hotel discounts are also more likely to be available for those who book ahead of the 2013 holiday season starting, particularly the peak season.

2013 holiday offers from Sardinian Places can be viewed here and are divided into the following categories of ‘Couples Offers’ / ‘Family Offers’ / ‘Child Discounts’ / ‘Hotel Offers’ and ‘Property of the Week’. www.sardinianplaces.co.uk/offers

Family-friendly hotels are a good selling-point of Sardinia in general and Sardinian Places is keen to highlight excellent child discounts, with free child places at selected hotels, as well as discounts of between 20% and 90% at others. The savings are on the accommodation element of the holiday (not the flights or car hire), but can still represent substantial discounts.

As well as impressive discounts for children, Sardinian Places currently has savings of up to 35% at selected hotels, with 7 night holidays now starting from £489 per person, including flights, 20kg luggage allowance and car hire.

Sardinian Places continues to offer the largest portfolio of Sardinian properties to the UK holiday market (over 80 choices), with hotels, villas and apartments across the island. The tour operator can book packages, as well as accommodation-only for its customers.

Courtesy of frequent flight routes operating into the island from the UK, Sardinian Places can offer holidays of flexible duration. The specialist is also able to tailor make ‘Touring’ itineraries for its customers, for those who wish to have more than one base and cover a wider region.

Next season, (2013), 7-night holidays with Sardinian Places start from £379 per person, based on eight sharing self-catering accommodation at the four-bedroom Sardinian-style villa, La Mendula, located in the seaside resort of Cannigione. This price includes return flights, car hire & welcome hamper.

To book a holiday or pre-order the new Sardinian Places 2013 brochure visit www.sardinianplaces.co.uk or call Sardinian Places Reservations Department on 0845 330 2050.

Corsican Places 2013 Now on Sale

Press Office - Corsican Places — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Corsican Places has announced that its 2013 Corsica holidays are now on sale. The leading tour operator continues to be the UK Corsica specialist, chartering flights to the island, as well offering the widest range of villas, apartments and hotels across Corsica, with more properties year on year.

A selection of Early Booking Offers is available on 2013 holidays, valid if booked by 30 November 2012. These include savings of £50pp on selected holidays, increased child discounts, and free UK Airport Lounge access. These offers apply when travelling on Corsican Places’ charter flights Stansted-Calvi, Manchester-Calvi and Heathrow-Figari. Please visit www.corsica.co.uk/offers for more information.

Highlights for the 2013 season include:

NEW Properties & Hotels
www.corsica.co.uk/oliviers
www.corsica.co.uk/casa-mia
www.corsica.co.uk/casadelmar
Corsican Places adds to its collection throughout the year. New additions in place for the 2013 brochure include the three bedroom Villa les Oliviers, a Bergerie style property surrounded by vineyards in the Patrimonio region of North East Corsica. New villa additions in the South include the two-bedroom Casa Mia, which set in the mountains on the edge of l’Ospédale surveys the entire Gulf of Porto Vecchio. New hotels to the 2013 programme include the 5* Casadelmar, just outside Porto Vecchio, offering unsurpassed views across the bay to Cala Rossa. The facilities here are first class and include a spa, infinity pool and renowned gastronomic restaurant.

TOUR DE FRANCE IN CORSICA 2013
www.corsica.co.uk/tourdefrance
In 2013 the 100th edition of the Tour de France will commence in Corsica for the first time with the three stages of the race taking in 500 kilometres of the island’s unique landscape.
To celebrate this much-anticipated event, Corsican Places suggests things to see and do and places to stay to mirror the three key routes of the ride. Inspired by the Tour de France, Corsican Places will offer free bike carriage on its Stansted – Calvi charter flight.

Touring Itineraries / NEW: Walking & Cycling Holidays
www.corsica.co.uk/touring
Although not new to its programme, Corsican Places has outlined sample Touring Itineraries for the first time within its 2013 brochure to remind customers that they are welcome to tailor make their own exploration of the island.

Corsican Places is pleased to announce that it will be working with a Corsican specialist to provide walking (guided & self-guided) and cycling holidays in Corsica during 2013. A choice of walking or cycling ‘tours’ will be coming soon to the Corsican Places’ website, which the tour operator can package up with flights and wide range of accommodation.

Next season (2013), holidays with Corsican Places start from £399 per person (four sharing), based on seven nights self-catering in a two-bedroom apartment, including flights and transfers. For more information or to request a copy of the new brochure, call Corsican Places Reservations Department on 0845 330 2113 or visit www.corsica.co.uk

Southern Sardinia October Travel Offer

Press Office - Sardinian Places — Fri, 21 Sep 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Two-Bedroom Villa
www.sardinianplaces.co.uk/casaquerce
Specialist tour operator, Sardinian Places is offering a choice of strong savings at the two-bedroom villa, Casa Querce in Pula, southern Sardinia. Choose from accommodation-only OR a holiday package.

ACCOMMODATION-ONLY OFFER
2 Weeks for the Price of 1
Sardinian Places is offering two weeks accommodation for the price of one at Casa Querce meaning that 14 nights villa-only now starts from £1280, resulting in a saving of £1480 (accommodation price again, plus additional £200 saving). This price is valid for arrivals on 06 or 13 October and includes a welcome pack only.

HOLIDAY PACKAGE OFFER
Save 30%
Alternatively book Casa Querce as a package with Sardinian Places where 14 nights at the villa now starts from £699 per person, resulting in a saving of £349pp (30%). This price is based on four sharing and is valid for departures 06 or 13 October and includes return flights London Stansted – Cagliari, car hire and welcome pack.

Casa Querce impresses its guests by the sheer size of its immaculately kept lawns and gardens, housing what is arguably the property’s jewel; its large swimming pool. At the centre of the grounds stands the ochre coloured house, Casa Querce, with the accommodation all on one level, decorated here and there with traditional Sardinian furniture and unusual artefacts from the owner’s extensive travels. The well-equipped and sizeable kitchen opens out onto a large terrace area perfect for soaking up the sun and for extended meal times. The general atmosphere is overwhelmingly rural despite the lively town of Pula being only a couple of kilometres away.

Call Sardinian Places on 0845 330 2050. Please note this offer is subject to availability.

What's New in The Gambia this Winter, plus Early Booking Offers

Press Office - The Gambia Experience — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Celebrating its 25 Year Anniversary of providing holidays and flights to The Gambia this winter, leading tour operator The Gambia Experience is offering a selection of Winter Sun Offers with savings of up to £190pp on holidays in November and December 2012, valid if booked by 30 September 2012.

Sample offers include £150pp discounts on 7 or 14 night all-inclusive stays at the 4 grade Sheraton Gambia Hotel and up to £190pp discounts on 3, 4 or 7 night stays at the award-winning Mandina Lodges at Makasutu. For more on this season’s Early Booking Offers click on www.gambia.co.uk/earlybookingoffers

The Gambia Experience continues to be The Gambia specialist chartering year-round flights from London Gatwick to Banjul with Monarch and offering the widest choice of accommodation, plus tours and cruises – many of which are exclusive to its programme. The tour operator reports that year on year Winter 12/13 bookings are up by 53%.

For more on how The Gambia Experience has evolved since its launch in 1987, the changing faces of its brochure, as well as comment from managing director, Chris Rowles visit www.gambia.co.uk/25years

Highlights of the new November 2012 – October 2013 brochure, incorporating sister travel company The Senegal Experience, include:

NEW: Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Project
www.gambia.co.uk/chimpcamp
The Gambia Experience is pleased to welcome back the Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Project into its ‘Unique Collection’ as from Winter 2012/13. Almost 100 chimpanzees are to be found on Baboon Islands, a group of three islets set within the River Gambia National Park, located inland from the coastal resorts. The Gambia Experience suggests combining a short stay upriver at the Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Project with another property within its collection.

NEW: Senegal Tours from The Gambia
www.senegal.co.uk/tours
New for this winter is the chance to add a 3, 5 or 7 night private tour to Senegal to any hotel stay in The Gambia. There is a choice of tours taking in various sights including the Lompoul Desert, the colonial city of Saint-Louis, the Pink Lake, the fishermen at Kayar, Bandia Nature Reserve, Dindéfélo waterfall, Dakar and Gorée Island.

NEW Hotels offering All-Inclusive Holidays
www.gambia.co.uk/all-inclusive
All-inclusive holidays are now more popular than ever in The Gambia and Senegal so this year The Gambia Experience presents more hotels that offer this board basis. The 4 grade Laico Atlantic Beach Hotel and 2 grade Palma Rima Hotel are now based on all-inclusive, with B&B or Half Board options also available, plus the 4 grade Sheraton Gambia Hotel continues as an all-inclusive hotel. The Ocean Bay, Kombo Beach and Kairaba Beach hotels all offer a choice of dining packages. In Senegal the 4 grade Royal Decameron Baobab Resort in La Somone also offers all-inclusive in a prime location beside a beach and lagoon.

Chris Packham Birdwatching Tours
www.gambia.co.uk/chrispackham
TV presenter Chris Packham will once again lead his annual birdwatching tours for The Gambia Experience in February 2013. With limited places on the trips, there is ample opportunity to learn from Chris’ extensive knowledge of wildlife. Tour supplements start from £425 per person. Additional birdwatching tours, from £195pp, can be booked throughout the winter with Gambian guide Malick Suso – Chris Packham’s ‘local’ guide of choice.

NEW: Sport Fishing in The Gambia
www.gambia.co.uk/fishing
This winter new sport fishing boats will be based in The Gambia. These well-equipped boats will open up new offshore, wreck and river fishing opportunities with marlin, shark, sailfish, dorado and tuna being just a few of the species available. Tarpon fishing in the waters close to Sitanunku Lodge on the north bank – part of The Gambia Experience Unique Collection – will also be possible.

Donating £50,000 to good causes
www.gambia.co.uk/25years-donations
To commemorate its 25 Year Anniversary this winter, The Gambia Experience is donating £25,000 worth of flights (excluding taxes) and £25,000 worth of funds to UK and Gambian-originating charitable and sustainable projects making a positive difference within The Gambia.
The Gambia Experience is accredited with 5* Sustainable Tourism status from AITO (Association of Independent Tour Operators) having founded its own School Development Fund in 1989 and for its on-going collaboration with carbon offset schemes.

This winter (2012/13) 7 night holidays to The Gambia start from £499 per person; to Senegal from £843pp, both including flights (with inflight meals & 20kg and 46kg luggage allowance respectively) and transfers. The Gambia Experience is also offering 11 night holidays for the price of 10 (saving up to £98pp) throughout the winter, valid if booking an 11 night single centre 2, 3 or 4 grade hotel with flights from Gatwick or Manchester.

The Gambia Experience product manager Karen Durham said:
“We are delighted to be celebrating our 25th year of providing holidays to The Gambia and donating £50,000 to good causes there. It has been a positive last 12 months with two of our featured properties receiving a National Order of The Gambia and TripAdvisor Award for Excellence. We have every confidence that this winter will be as, if not more, fruitful.”

For more information on holidays to The Gambia and Senegal, visit The Gambia Experience at www.gambia.co.uk or The Senegal Experience at www.senegal.co.uk
Alternatively call The Gambia Experience Reservations Department on 0845 330 2087 or The Senegal Experience Reservations Department on 0845 338 8706.

Winter Multi-Centre: 10 Nights 'River Lodges'

Newsdesk - 101 Holidays Blog — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Fancy staying on site at a Chimpanzee rehabilitation project…? You can do exactly that in The Gambia this winter – a stay at ChimpCamp is part of a new 10-night multi-centre holiday from The Gambia Experience.

The holiday includes 3 nights at the Mandina Lodges at Makasutu, on the banks of the River Gambia, where you can canoe along the river or head to the Makasutu Forest to spot baboons, monkeys and birds.

There are 3 nights at the Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Project in the River Gambia National Park where you can spend time with the chimps and also see hippos and other wildlife.

The last 4 nights are at Sitanunku Lodge from where you can take day trips in neighbouring Senegal or travel upriver to the former slave trade post of Albreda.

The price, from £1,899pp, includes return flights from Gatwick, transfers and half-board accommodation (full board at ChimpCamp). Add on a further 4 nights at Ngala Lodge, a former colonial mansion, for an extra £268pp B&B.

Find out more from The Gambia Experience.

Who's a pwetty boy then?

Tony Cross - Conde Nast Traveller Online — Fri, 24 Aug 2012 00:00:00 GMT

While David Attenborough may have brought the natural world into our living rooms, the BBC's Springwatch series has been about encouraging us to get closer to the nature around us, away from the TV and into gardens, local parks or the countryside.

The show's most popular presenter, Chris Packham, is famous for his quirky style, a love of indie music, and an instantly recognizable lisp. He fails to hide an inner mischievous schoolboy, the kind who would play truant to go hunting for grass snakes. But birds are Packham's first love, and his alternative demeanor belies the serious naturalist who is Vice-President of the RSPB, President of the Hawk Conservancy Trust, and acclaimed for his studies of kestrels in the UK.

It is then a real opportunity to spend time with Packham as he leads his annual birdwatching tours for The Gambia Experience in February 2013. With a maximum of 17 places on each trip, it's a genuine chance to learn from his extensive knowledge of wildlife. Those looking to improve their photography skills should also note that Packham is an expert photographer.

'I've lost count of how many times I've been to The Gambia, but I know it's more than 15 - and I still think of it as one of the best birding destinations anywhere in the world,' says Packham in his introduction to the trips, who highlights the area's people, safety and of course wildlife as the reasons why Gambia is his favourite place to visit.

There are two three-day tours that can be booked separately or together. You can get a taste of what to expect from this blog from an earlier tour in 2009, or by visiting The Gambia Experience website. The 2013 itineraries include exploring the Abuko nature reserve, walking tours of the Kotu stream, and a boat trip, enabling you to see water birds and the added bonus of an occasional dolphin.

If you're wondering what the bird is in our picture, it's the African Grey Hornbill, and it could be one you see on the tour, as well as Bearded Barbets, Laughing Doves, Senegal Thick-Knees and Spur Winged Plovers, to name but a few. If you can't make the dates with Packham, additional bird-watching tours can also be booked throughout the winter with Gambian guide Malick Suso - Packham's local guide of choice.

Chris Packham Birdwatching Tours are available as a supplement from £425 per person in addition to your hotel and flight costs. The birdwatching trip will run from 15th February 2013, now with a second departure on 22nd February 2013. For more information visit www.gambia.co.uk/chrispackham

Holidays and hideaways in perfect Corsica

Sarah Turner - The Sunday Mirror — Sun, 19 Aug 2012 00:00:00 GMT

North of the Italian isle of Sardinia in the Med, it is vast and rugged with a history of proud independence from its Gallic parent.

September, which brings slightly cooler weather and fewer crowds, is a great time to make the most of this gorgeous destination.

Surrounded by vineyards and olive groves near the quaint hamlet of Tarrabucceta, this two-bedroom villa in the south of Corsica is very special. Open-plan living, an extensive terrace and your own 8 x 4-metre private pool make this a gorgeous retreat. The local baker even visits daily with his van to drop off croissants and baguettes. If you want to explore, the south-coast beaches of Palombaggia are just a 20-minute drive away while the historic towns of Bonifacio and Porto Vecchio are close by.

A week’s rental starts at £659pp with Stansted flights and car hire.

September Saving on Villa Oro Verde

Sardinian Places - Press Office — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Premium Collection Villa from £549pp – save £153pp
www.sardinianplaces.co.uk/villa-oro-verde
Sardinian Places is offering 7 nights at the three-bedroom Villa Oro Verde – part of its Premium Collection, located just outside Arzachena – from £549pp, valid for departure on 22 September, and resulting in a saving of £153pp from brochure price. This price is based on six sharing and includes return flights London Gatwick – Olbia, car hire and a premium welcome pack.
Call Sardinian Places on 0845 330 2050 or visit www.sardinianplaces.co.uk

Set amongst extensive private grounds with a pool just outside Arzachena, Villa Oro Verde provides optimum comfort and seclusion. An archway from the side of the garden leads to a vineyard which supplies grapes for the owner’s wine production. Like the gardens, the villa is lovingly cared for with personal touches and a French influence from the owner Paola who originates from Corsica. The exquisite beaches of the Costa Smeralda are just a few minutes’ drive away.

A real treasure island

Katie Wood - The Sunday Post — Sun, 01 Jul 2012 00:00:00 GMT

I didn’t expect to see snow in the Mediterranean on a summer day, but that’s Corsica for you. It was a mellow 25C on the beach on my first morning, but there were big patches of white on the peaks that dominated the horizon. Those peaks are less than 10 miles from the beach, as the crow flies, but in that distance they soar to almost 8,800 feet above sea level.
It’s that variety that makes Corsica the perfect place for a family holiday. It’s the fourth largest island in the Med — just over 100 miles from north to south and no more than 50 miles from east to west — and with dozens of sandy beaches, vivid turquoise seas, tidy olive groves and vineyards and wild mountain forests there’s plenty to explore. We based ourselves at Calvi, in the north west corner of the island, where a steepwalled citadel looms over a harbour packed with gleaming yachts, an esplanade lined with restaurants and a wide blue bay.
The 17th Century fortress is still garrisoned by paratroopers of the legendary Foreign Legion, who can be seen at weekends strolling around town in uniforms with creases so sharp you could shave with them and their trademark, spotless white kepi caps.
For history buffs, the island is a treasure trove. At Filitosa, in the south, weird sculpted standing stones, erected between 4,000 and 8,000 years ago are mementoes of one of Europe’s oldest cultures. In the last two millennia, Corsica has been ruled by Romans, Vandals, Visigoths, Saracens,and Italians. It had a halcyon spell as an independent republic before falling to France in 1769, and plenty of Corsicans would like to see independence return. Even those who would rather keep the French connection are Corsican first — and French a long way second. The island has its own dialect (heavily Italian influenced). It has its own traditional music, too — and with literally dozens of song and dance festivals throughout the summer, there are plenty of opportunities to hear the paghjella laments that are at the heart of the Corsican musical tradition. We made a day trip to Ajaccio, where a statue of the island’s most famous son, Napoleon Bonaparte, stands among palm trees. There’s a fireworks display every August 15 to mark his birthday, and the spectacular explosions and whiff of gunpowder surely gladden his artilleryman’s heart.
Corte, the one-time island capital, is high in the mountainous hinterland, among steep granite slopes and wildflower meadows that in early summer are awash with scarlet, yellow and purple wildflowers and later in the season are redolent with the smell of pine trees, lavender, thyme and marjoram.
With a car, exploring is easy, but if you don’t fancy driving (and local drivers are mad!) the trinighellu (“little train”) is a great alternative, and offers an even better way to soak up the scenery.
The two-car trains rattle across the island, linking Bastia in the north with Ajaccio in the south and to Calvi and Corte. Back at sea level, the best way to eplore Corsica’s rugged coastline and sandy beaches is by boat — in fact, it’s the only way to reach some of the fabulous strands either side of Calvi, where the sand is so white and the sea so blue that it’s hard to believe this isn’t the Caribbean.You can hire a small motorboat (no permit required) at Calvi’s yacht harbour, but for those who are unsure of their maritime skills the mini-cruisers of the Colombo Line (colombo-line.com) sail on full-day and half-day voyages from Calvi to the rocky, fjord-like Calanches (granite formations) of the Scandola nature reserve, the little Sanguinaires Islands, and the coves and bays of the uninhabited Desert des Agriates. Aquavision screens give you a glimpse of undersea life, from huge shoals of whitebait to massive groupers and multi-coloured rainbow wrasse, which may whet your appetite for a snorkelling or scuba expedition.
Corsica is rich in wildlife on land, too. Big swallowtail butterflies visited the roses on our balcony, a pair of blackbirds fluttered in and out of their nest a few feet away, and a croaking chorus of frogs started up at sunset every evening in counterpoint to the shrieking swifts overhead. Further afield, I spotted ospreys, a peregrine falcon, kites and eagles. The Cupulatta tortoise park (acupulatta.com), with its unique collection of 3,000 tortoises and terrapins from all over the world, is a guaranteed child-pleaser. Other great expeditions for families include the Vizzavona adventure park (corsicanatura. fr), with its rope swings and treetop walkways, and kayaking through the backwaters of the Delta du Fangu, on the west coast, feels like a real adventure.
In Calvi (and all over the island) you’re spoilt for choice when it comes to places to eat and drink. We stayed in a self-catering studio, so we took full advantage of the open-air produce market for fruit and veg and the supermarket nearby for everything else, finding prices quite a bit cheaper than at home, with some very decent local wines for as little as £2.15.
There are also plenty of child-pleasing pizzerias, where a gigantic, family-size wheel with all the trimmings costs around £10-£15. Freshly made and baked in a wood oven, they’re an eye-opener for anyone whose family are more accustomed to the offerings from their local Pizza Shed.

Factbox
I travelled with Corsican Places (corsica.co.uk, tel: 0845 3302345) and stayed at Le Home in Calvi. Prices for a week’s holiday staying in a studio apartment (sleeping two) are priced from £659 per person and include return Manchester to Calvi flight with Flybe, airport taxes and transfers. First TransPennine Express operates intercity rail services across Scotland and the North of England. Fares between Edinburgh and Manchester Airport start from £16 and can be purchased with no booking fee at tpexpress.co.uk.
For overnight stays at the airport, the Manchester Airport Radisson Blu offers doubles from £78 and is just a few minutes’ walk from the station and terminals.
Further information:visit-corsica.com

Making Holidays Greener this July

Press Office - Corsican Places — Mon, 25 Jun 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Independent specialist tour operator, Corsican Places is pleased to be supporting Make Holidays Greener Month – a consumer awareness campaign running throughout July, set up by The Travel Foundation. The aim of the campaign is to engage travellers with the concept of ‘greener’ holidays, which help to protect the environment and benefit local people in tourist destinations.

In partnership with the Tourism Industry Carbon Offset Service (TICOS) and with the support of its customers, suppliers and staff, Corsican Places will be making its charter flights* to Corsica throughout the month of July carbon neutral. DEFRA industry standards have been used to calculate the funds required to offset the flights. The money will be raised from Corsican Places’ ongoing carbon offset ‘opt in’ payment of £3 per person, with directors of the company and Titan Airways agreeing to underwrite any additional costs required to meet the total.

Corsican Places will allocate the carbon offset funds raised during the month of July to a new reforestation project in Southern Corsica, organised through the Office National des Forêts. As forest fires can thwart the Corsican landscape throughout the summer, reforestation is vital for the replenishment of Corsica’s forests and to sustain the eco-systems of the island.

Corsican Places responsible tourism manager, Katie Bushnell comments: “Corsican Places is accredited with 5 star sustainable tourism status, the highest level possible, by the Association of Independent Tour Operators (AITO) for its policies and practices. Until now however, carbon offset donations across the Serenity Holidays travel companies have all supported green and social initiatives within West Africa**. This is an exciting turning point to show more tangible support directly to the island of Corsica. We endeavour to make this reforestation project an ongoing carbon offset practice for Corsican Places.”

Corsican Places produced a Make Holidays Greener Month leaflet, which has been included in the ticket wallets of those travelling with the tour operator this July. The campaign’s main focus is to challenge customers to do just one thing during their holiday that will help benefit local people and protect the environment. The Travel Foundation believes that this leads to a more enriched, unique and memorable holiday experience as a result.

The Corsican Places leaflet inspires customers to make their holidays greener by presenting lots of ideas by which they can explore the ‘Authentic & Unspoilt’ character of Corsica. Titan Airways, operating two of the charter flights, has also pledged its support to the campaign. An announcement will be made aboard the aircraft, with an extra collection opportunity available on embarking the aircraft once arriving back in the UK.

A Make Holidays Greener ‘Green Competition’ has been launched by Corsican Places to complement July’s proceedings. Those travelling with the tour operator during July 2012 are invited to submit an entry detailing how their holiday personally embraced either ‘Green’ or ‘Authentic’ Corsica. Entries can be in the form of a letter / photos / children’s colourings or film footage. All entries will be put into a prize draw to win a £250 voucher to use against a future holiday with Corsican Places, or another travel company within the Serenity Holidays group.

For more information about Corsican Places Make Holidays Greener Month visit www.corsica.co.uk/st

This July***, Corsican Places offers 7 night holidays from £499 per person. This price is based on two sharing a double room with breakfast at the 2* Hotel Cyrnéa in Calvi Town and includes return flights from Stansted or Manchester to Calvi, taxes and transfers, and results in a saving of £215pp from brochure price.

Sue Hurdle, chief executive of the Travel Foundation, says: “Make Holidays Greener is all about the small things we can do to make our holidays better for the places we visit and the people who live there, as well as having a great time. We’re very pleased Corsican Places is spreading this message to its customers and making this summer’s holidays the greenest ever.”

For more information on holidays to Corsica, call Corsican Places Reservations Department on 0845 330 2113 or visit www.corsica.co.uk

Ends

* Corsican Places offers the widest range of villas, apartments and hotels across the island of Corsica. For 2012, Corsican Places will offer three direct flight routes to Corsica from the UK:
London Stansted – Calvi, North West Corsica with Titan Airways
London Stansted – Figari, Southern Corsica with Titan Airways
Manchester – Calvi, North West Corsica with Flybe (New for 2012)

** Serenity Holidays Ltd has three West African destinations within its collection, its flagship travel company being The Gambia Experience, which has developed its own School Development Fund, collaborated on a Carbon Offset Tree Planting Project and more recently worked with Dick Sisman to establish a Gambia Community Stove Initiative.

*** Valid for departures 1st, 8th or 15th of July.

Media Information:
Corsican Places PR Contact: Corsican Places pr manager Jenny Adams on 0845 330 2077 or email jenny.adams@serenityholidays.co.uk

Corsican Places Ltd is a fully bonded operator and member of ABTA, IATA & AITO.

The Travel Foundation PR Contact: graeme.jackson@thetravelfoundation.org.uk
Tel: 0117 9273 049
http://www.makeholidaysgreener.org.uk/

Titan Airways PR Contact: Alison Chambers/ Jane Stanbury
Emerald Media
Jane.Stanbury@emeraldmedia.co.uk
Telephone: 01420 560094

TICOS contact: Corsican Places sustainable tourism advisor, Dick Sisman
dick@dicksisman.com
http://www.dicksisman.com/

Alghero Rural Villa: June Travel Offer

Press Office - Sardinian Places — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Sardinian Places is offering 7 nights at the two bedroom villa Casa Eucalipti near Alghero from £349 per person, valid for 23 June departure and resulting in a saving of £300pp.
This price is based on four sharing and includes return flights London Gatwick – Alghero, taxes, upgraded car hire and a welcome pack. The same package is available for a 14-night duration from £449 per person, saving £500pp.

Set in the rural heartlands of the North West and surrounded by vineyards and olive groves, Casa Eucalipti - complete with private swimming pool - is only a short drive away from the centre of bustling Alghero and the glorious beaches beyond.
www.sardinianplaces.co.uk/casaeucalipti

NEW: The Cape Verde Experience Brochure 2012/13

Press Office - The Cape Verde Experience — Tue, 12 Jun 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Independent tour operator, The Cape Verde Experience launches its November 2012 – October 2013 brochure this month. The specialist features six out of the ten islands in the Cape Verde archipelago (in total 16 hotels) and can arrange single-island and twin-centre trips, as well as a selection of programmed and tailor-made island-hopping itineraries. Highlights of the new brochure include:

Two New Hotels on the island of Boa Vista
The Cape Verde Experience has added two new unique hotels to its portfolio of accommodation on the island of Boa Vista. Set on the edge of the Norte national park, Spinguera Eco Lodge offers something different on the island of Boa Vista, whilst embracing an ethos of sustainable tourism. Once a settlement for farmers and fishermen, this ten room property - arranged as stylish stone cottages - is a haven of tranquillity and offers complete relaxation for its guests. Spinguera Eco Lodge is a ten minute stroll down to the ocean and houses its own onsite restaurant serving a fusion of Cape Verdean classics and Italian cuisine. The family run, sea front Orquidea Guest House is the second addition to The Cape Verde Experience Boa Vista collection and another perfect choice for beach-lovers. Set in tropical gardens filled with hibiscus and palms, the Guest House comprises ten rooms each complete with private balcony. Less than 250m from the town square of Sal Rei, Boa Vista’s capital, Orquidea guests are within easy reach of bars and restaurants where at weekends live Cape Verdean music can be enjoyed, providing an authentic Cape Verdean experience.

Tall Ship Sailing Cruise of Cape Verde
The three-masted topsail schooner ‘Oosterschelde’ is making a return to The Cape Verde Experience island-hopping programme for winter 2012/13. Built in the Netherlands in 1918, this 50m historic tall ship - housing nine cabins – encounters at least six of the Cape Verde islands during its 12-day voyage, offering a unique platform from which to view this diverse archipelago. Guests are welcomed to participate in on board duties, from navigation, steering, and trimming the sails, to climbing the mast and being on look out. However, the journey can be as ‘hands on’ or relaxed as desired. Shore excursions are available and payable locally. The 11 nights on board are packaged with three nights on land on the island of Sal to make the trip an overall 14 nights.

Flights to Cape Verde
From this winter, departures are available from three UK Airports to the island of Sal and from four UK Airports to the island of Boa Vista. From London there will be a weekly Gatwick flight to Sal, as well as a twice-weekly flight service to Boa Vista, thus making 10 & 11 night holidays a possibility to this island (Manchester will also offer a twice-weekly flight service to Boa Vista). The Cape Verde Experience advises early booking to avoid disappointment, especially if this winter’s demand matches or exceeds last season’s where its bookings were up significantly year on year. All flights are with Thomson Airlines.

Early Booking Offers: Book by 31 July & save up to £200pp
This winter (2012/13) 7 night holidays with The Cape Verde Experience start from £679* per person. This price is based on two sharing a standard room with breakfast at the 2.5 grade Hotel Pontão on Sal and includes return flights, taxes, transfers and contact with an English-speaking representative within resort.

The Cape Verde Experience is offering a selection of Early Booking Offers for travel this winter, valid if booked by 31 July 2012. These include savings of up £200 per person on holidays based at the Meliá Tortuga Beach Resort & Spa on Sal or at the Iberostar Club Boa Vista, as well as a discount of £100 per person on the 14-night ‘Mountains & Beaches’ island hopping itinerary. Please call The Cape Verde Experience Reservations Department on 0845 330 2071 or visit www.capeverde.co.uk for more information.

* Includes Early Booking Offer discount of £20pp.

NEW: The Gambia Experience Brochure 2012/13

Press Office - The Gambia Experience — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Independent tour operator, The Gambia Experience launches its November 2012 – October 2013 brochure this month. The brochure again incorporates sister company The Senegal Experience due to increasing interest in multi-centre holidays.

This is the 25th Year Anniversary for The Gambia Experience, which has been providing holidays to The Gambia since 1987 and remains the country specialist. The Gambia Experience charters year-round flights from London Gatwick - Banjul with Monarch and offers the widest choice of accommodation, plus tours and cruises – many of which are exclusive to its programme.

Within its new brochure, The Gambia Experience announces how the Mandina Lodges at Makasutu – part of its Unique Collection – have been presented with The National Order of The Gambia, recognising their outstanding services to the country. The tour operator is also keen to add that since the brochure went to press, Ngala Lodge – as featured within its Luxury Collection – has received the Trip Advisor Award for Excellence.

Additional highlights of the new brochure include:

Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Project
The Gambia Experience is pleased to welcome back the Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Project into its Unique Collection as from Winter 2012/13. Established in 1979, this is Africa’s longest running project of this kind. Almost 100 chimpanzees are to be found on Baboon Islands, a group of three islets set within the River Gambia National Park, located approximately 270km inland from the coastal resorts.
Accommodation at the Project takes the form of four twin-bedded, eco-friendly safari tents set on elevated platforms high above the riverbank, offering captivating views across Baboon Islands.
As a working project with conservation as a first priority, the camp offers boat trips with expert guides as a way to view the chimpanzees in their natural habitat (as opposed to accessing the islands on foot).
Other wildlife may also be spotted such as Red Colobus and Green Vervet monkeys, Western baboons, hippos, crocodiles, as well as a vast array of birds. The Gambia Experience suggests combining a two or three night stay upriver at the Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Project with another property within its Unique Collection.

All-Inclusive Holidays
Since being introduced in recent years, all-inclusive holidays in The Gambia have been well received, as demonstrated by the 4* Sheraton Gambia Hotel. As a result, The Gambia Experience has chosen to price two more of its hotels - the 4* Laico Atlantic Beach Hotel and 2* Palma Rima Hotel - on an all-inclusive basis within its new brochure (although B&B and HB options are still available at these two hotels). In addition to usual board choices a selection of hotels in The Gambia also offer a variety of ‘dining packages’. The all-inclusive hotel option in Senegal is the 4* Royal Decameron Baobab Resort, perfectly positioned between a white sand beach and the lagoon of La Somone.

Senegal Tours from The Gambia
New for this winter is the chance to add a three, five or seven night private tour to Senegal to any hotel stay in The Gambia. There is a choice of tours taking in various sights including the Lompoul desert, the colonial city of Saint-Louis, the Pink Lake at Kayar, Bandia Nature Reserve, Dindéfélo waterfall, Dakar and Gorée Island.

Chris Packham Birdwatching Tours
BBC Springwatch presenter Chris Packham will once again lead his annual birdwatching tours for The Gambia Experience in February 2013. With a maximum of 17 places on the trips, there is ample opportunity to learn from Chris’ extensive knowledge of wildlife, as well as photography. The tours break down into two three-day itineraries (coastal / Makasutu Forest), available to book separately or together, with the supplement starting from £425 per person. Additional birdwatching tours, from £195 per person, can be booked throughout the winter with Gambian guide Malick Suso – Chris Packham’s ‘local’ guide of choice.

Sport Fishing in The Gambia
This winter new sport fishing boats will be based in The Gambia at Sitanunku Lodge - as featured in The Gambia Experience Unique Collection - on the North Bank of the River Gambia.
The new boats will open up new offshore fishing opportunities, as well as river and coastal fishing with marlin, shark, sailfish, dorado, tuna and tarpon being just a few of the species available in the waters surrounding Dog Island. The Gambia Experience holidaymakers staying at other coastal hotels can also arrange day trips aboard the boats.

Lamantin Beach Hotel, Saly
Offering a private white sand beach, marina, spa, and renowned for its gourmet cuisine, the 5* Lamantin Beach Hotel in Senegal has long been considered the most luxurious hotel in Saly.
Closed for major refurbishment last year, the hotel re-opened at the end of 2011 with a new Beach Club complete with à la carte restaurant, fitness centre, and floodlit tennis courts.

Sustainable Tourism
The Gambia Experience maintains its 5 star AITO Sustainable Tourism status and in the coming twelve months aims to raise £10,000 for its School Development Fund (in the last year it has raised over £8,000). During 2011, The Gambia Experience – in conjunction with sustainable tourism advisor and friend of The Gambia, Dick Sisman - introduced its Carbon Offset Stove Scheme, whereby for the cost of £20 a new environmentally-friendly stove can be donated to a Gambian family. The Gambia Experience is currently exploring new initiatives within resort to mark its 25th Year Anniversary.

Early Booking Offers
This winter (2012/13) 7 night holidays to The Gambia start from £549 per person; to Senegal from £918pp, both including flights (with inflight meals & 20kg and 46kg luggage allowance respectively) and transfers. The tour operator is offering a selection of Early Booking Offers for travel this winter, valid if booked by 31 July 2012. These include savings of up to £150pp in The Gambia and up to £200pp in Senegal. As part of its 25 years celebration, The Gambia Experience is also running a prize draw, whereby if a customer’s holiday is booked by 31 July, they are then entered into a draw to win their holiday for free.

For more information on holidays to The Gambia and Senegal, visit The Gambia Experience at www.gambia.co.uk or The Senegal Experience at www.senegal.co.uk Or call The Gambia Experience Reservations Department on 0845 330 2087 or The Senegal Experience Reservations Department on 0845 338 8706.

NEW: The Senegal Experience Brochure 2012/13

Press Office - The Senegal Experience — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Independent tour operator, The Senegal Experience launches its November 2012 – October 2013 brochure this month. The collection is once again combined in the same brochure with sister company The Gambia Experience due to increasing interest in multi-centre holidays.
Highlights of the new brochure include:

Lamantin Beach Hotel, Saly
Offering a private white sand beach, marina, spa, and renowned for its gourmet cuisine, the 5* Lamantin Beach Hotel in Senegal has long been considered the most luxurious hotel in Saly. Closed for major refurbishment last year, the hotel re-opened at the end of 2011 with a new Beach Club complete with à la carte restaurant, fitness centre, and floodlit tennis courts.

Senegal Tours from The Gambia
New for this winter is the chance to add a three, five or seven night private tour to Senegal to any hotel stay in The Gambia. There is a choice of tours taking in various sights including the Lompoul desert, the colonial city of Saint-Louis, the Pink Lake at Kayar, Bandia Nature Reserve, Dindéfélo waterfall, Dakar and Gorée Island.

This is the 25th Year Anniversary for The Gambia Experience, which has been providing holidays to The Gambia since 1987 and remains the country specialist. The Gambia Experience charters year-round flights from London Gatwick - Banjul with Monarch and offers the widest choice of accommodation, plus tours and cruises – many of which are exclusive to its programme.

Within its new brochure, The Gambia Experience announces how the Mandina Lodges at Makasutu – part of its Unique Collection – have been presented with The National Order of The Gambia, recognising their outstanding services to the country. The tour operator is also keen to add that since the brochure went to press, Ngala Lodge – as featured within its Luxury Collection – has received the Trip Advisor Award for Excellence. Also of note for The Gambia / Senegal:

Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Project
The Gambia Experience is pleased to welcome back the Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Project into its Unique Collection as from Winter 2012/13. Established in 1979, this is Africa’s longest running project of this kind. Almost 100 chimpanzees are to be found on Baboon Islands, a group of three islets set within the River Gambia National Park, located approximately 270km inland from the coastal resorts.
Accommodation at the Project takes the form of four twin-bedded, eco-friendly safari tents set on elevated platforms high above the riverbank, offering captivating views across Baboon Islands.
As a working project with conservation as a first priority, the camp offers boat trips with expert guides as a way to view the chimpanzees in their natural habitat (as opposed to accessing the islands on foot).
Other wildlife may also be spotted such as Red Colobus and Green Vervet monkeys, Western baboons, hippos, crocodiles, as well as a vast array of birds. The Gambia Experience suggests combining a two or three night stay upriver at the Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Project with another property within its Unique Collection.

All-Inclusive Holidays
The all-inclusive hotel option in Senegal is the 4* Royal Decameron Baobab Resort, perfectly positioned between a white sand beach and the lagoon of La Somone.
Since being introduced in recent years, all-inclusive holidays in The Gambia have been well received, as demonstrated by the 4* Sheraton Gambia Hotel. As a result, The Gambia Experience has chosen to price two more of its hotels - the 4* Laico Atlantic Beach Hotel and 2* Palma Rima Hotel - on an all-inclusive basis within its new brochure (although B&B and HB options are still available at these two hotels). In addition to usual board choices a selection of hotels in The Gambia also offer a variety of ‘dining packages’.

Chris Packham Birdwatching Tours
BBC Springwatch presenter Chris Packham will once again lead his annual birdwatching tours for The Gambia Experience in February 2013. With a maximum of 17 places on the trips, there is ample opportunity to learn from Chris’ extensive knowledge of wildlife, as well as photography. The tours break down into two three-day itineraries (coastal / Makasutu Forest), available to book separately or together, with the supplement starting from £425 per person. Additional birdwatching tours, from £195 per person, can be booked throughout the winter with Gambian guide Malick Suso – Chris Packham’s ‘local’ guide of choice.

Sport Fishing in The Gambia
This winter new sport fishing boats will be based in The Gambia at Sitanunku Lodge - as featured in The Gambia Experience Unique Collection - on the North Bank of the River Gambia. The new boats will open up new offshore fishing opportunities, as well as river and coastal fishing with marlin, shark, sailfish, dorado, tuna and tarpon being just a few of the species available in the waters surrounding Dog Island. The Gambia Experience holidaymakers staying at other coastal hotels can also arrange day trips aboard the boats.

Inaugural flight celebration at Stansted to mark new Corsica flight service

Press Office - Corsican Places — Mon, 28 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Corsican Places celebrated the start of its new flight service to Figari in southern Corsica at Stansted Airport yesterday by giving away a £250 holiday voucher to its first passenger to check-in.
The new flight is the second charter to be offered by Corsican Places from Stansted with the prestigious airline Titan Airways, following the success of its Calvi (North West Corsica) service, now in its third year.

Greeted by the tour operator’s marketing executive Louise Thomas a delighted Mrs Jean Cass of Reed in Royston, (Hertfordshire) was the lucky passenger to receive the prize along with a further £50 airport shopping voucher provided by BAA Stansted’s Airline Route and Marketing Manager, Paul Haynes,

Commenting on her rewards, Mrs Jean Cass said:
“I am absolutely delighted to receive my holiday and airport shopping vouchers which has made my day and a fantastic start to my holiday. Corsica is a beautiful island and I am thrilled that I can now fly direct to Figari saving so much time and stress.”

Travelling on board a Boeing 737-300 aircraft, passengers are offered a high standard of comfort and service, including an increased baggage allowance of 23kgs, pre-allocated seating available free of charge, comfortable leather seating with a generous 32” seat pitch and Sunday afternoon departures up until September 23rd.

London Stansted, Airline Route and Marketing Manager Paul Haynes said:
“Corsica is an extremely popular connection and I’m thrilled to join celebrations today marking the launch of new direct services to Figari, which gives us connections to both the north and south of the island in time for the busy summer period. It’s always exciting to be part of new route launches and I’d like to wish Corsican Places and Titan Airways every success with their Figari flights and look forward to supporting the development of this new Stansted connection.”

Corsican Places has 25 years’ experience in providing holidays, and with over 140 accommodation options its handpicked collection includes a wide choice of villas, apartments, résidences and hotels with 22 new additions for 2012.

Sample package: Corsican Places is offering seven night holidays from £439 per person based on Les Lavandes, a 2 bedroom apartment with shared pool located on the stunning Valinco coastline and providing a perfect base for exploring the southern part of the island. This price is based on four sharing and includes return Stansted to Figari flight, car hire and welcome pack.

Call Corsican Places on 0845 330 2345 or visit www.corsica.co.uk

Old Alghero Apartment May Travel Offer

Press Office - Sardinian Places — Fri, 11 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Sardinian Places is offering 7 nights at the one-bedroom Apartment Rosa in Alghero, North West Sardinia from £499 per person, valid for departure on 19 May and resulting in a saving of £200pp. This price is based on two sharing and includes return flights London Gatwick – Alghero, taxes and airport transfers.

Located in the ancient quarter of Alghero within walking distance of a sandy beach, Apartment Rosa exudes character, encouraging its guests to live like a local.
Stylishly decorated, the apartment mixes classic yet contemporary décor with light stone walls, dark wood and chic Italian tiles.
www.sardinianplaces.co.uk/apartmentrosa

Calvi Town Hotel May Travel Offer

Press Office - Corsican Places — Fri, 11 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

www.corsica.co.uk/cyrnea

Corsican Places is offering 7 nights at the 2* Hotel Cyrnéa in Calvi Town from £399 per person, valid for departure on 27 May and resulting in a saving of £200pp from brochure price. The price is based on two sharing a double room with air-conditioning on a bed & breakfast basis and includes return flights from Stansted – Calvi, transfers and taxes.

Hotel Cyrnéa is a simple but comfortable hotel on the outskirts of Calvi. The beach is within walking distance through the pine trees and there is a large pool within the spacious grounds. The centre of Calvi is just a two kilometre stroll away.

The Mandina Lodges awarded The National Order of The Gambia

Press Office - The Gambia Experience — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The Mandina Lodges at Makasutu is delighted to have been presented with The National Order of The Gambia award from the President of The Gambia on Saturday 28 April 2012. The ceremony took place at the July 22nd Square in Banjul with the Gambian leader and vice president conferring the accolade in the form of a medal.

There were three categories of awards, each of which recognized the meritorious and outstanding services of a person, institution or group to The Gambia.

The Mandina Lodges at Makasutu was founded in 1992 by Lawrence Williams and James English, both from the UK. Since then Makasutu has become a beacon for sustainable tourism in The Gambia, going on to win green awards, collaborate with the Eden Project, and host international artists during an annual Wide Open Walls event.

The Gambia Experience features the Mandina Lodges within its designated Unique Collection.
This May, 7-night holidays at the Mandina Lodges at Makasutu starts from £999 per person, based on half board accommodation in a Jungle Lodge and including flights from London Gatwick, taxes and transfers.

For more information, call The Gambia Experience Reservations Department on 0845 330 2087 or visit www.gambia.co.uk/mandina

For the official Mandina Lodges website visit www.mandinalodges.co.uk

Southern Corsica May Travel Offer

Press Office - Corsican Places — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Corsican Places is offering 7 nights at the two bedroom villa Casa di l’Olivu in Tarrabucceta, Southern Corsica from £399 per person, valid for departures on 06 and 13 May and resulting in a saving of £293pp from brochure price. This offer is based on four sharing and includes return flights London Gatwick – Ajaccio, taxes, car hire and a welcome pack.

Casa di l’Olivu is a bergerie-style property with pool set in peaceful grounds surrounded by ancient olive trees. Situated between Bonifacio and Porto Vecchio, the location is perfect for exploring the main towns and beaches of the south coast of the island.
Corsica in May is beautiful. The most mountainous island in the Mediterranean coated in fragrant maquis comes into full bloom at this time.
www.corsica.co.uk/lolivu

May Travel Offers to The Gambia

Press Office - The Gambia Experience — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

BOUTIQUE
NGALA LODGE www.gambia.co.uk/ngala
The Gambia Experience is offering 7 nights at Ngala Lodge from £649 per person, valid for departure on 08 May, and resulting in a saving of £195 per person from brochure price. This offer is based on two sharing a suite with breakfast, and includes return flights from London Gatwick – Banjul with Monarch airlines, taxes and transfers. Extra Leg Room Flight Seats are included free of charge, subject to availability. Suite upgrades can also be quoted.

Ngala Lodge - an 18 suite hotel, formerly a colonial mansion - enjoys a magnificent cliff-top position with ocean views and is situated between the resorts of Bakau and Fajara. The atmosphere at Ngala Lodge, which is a child-free property, is both tranquil and romantic. The hotel’s restaurant is arguably one of the best in The Gambia.

ALL-INCLUSIVE
THE SHERATON GAMBIA www.gambia.co.uk/sheraton
The Gambia Experience is offering 7 nights at the 4-grade Sheraton Gambia Hotel – a beachfront hotel now extremely popular as an all-inclusive hotel in The Gambia - from £869 per person, valid for departure on 15 May, and resulting in a saving of £124pp from brochure price. This price is based on two sharing a Standard Baobab Room on an all-inclusive basis and includes return flights from London Gatwick – Banjul with Monarch airlines, taxes and transfers. Room Upgrades and extra legroom flight seats can be quoted – subject to availability.

Built into the hillside and nestled between giant baobab trees, the hotel comes complete with an infinity swimming pool, small spa and fitness room. Poolside themed dinners are a weekly feature.

Morna: On the Trail of Traditional Music in Cape Verde

Nick Maes - The Guardian — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

After a glass of grog, Chico was happy to chat. "Of course I knew Cesária Évora. I played with her on a tour of the US. Hey, she was first discovered singing at my piano!" It soon became apparent that there were many in Mindelo, capital of the Cape Verde island of São Vicente, who had known perhaps the greatest ever exponent of morna.

Morna is the national music of the Cape Verde islands, and Cesária was the undisputed queen of it until her death last December. The haunting melodies are creole – a fusion of Portuguese, African, Brazilian and Cuban – which some say are reminiscent of the Blues. To my ear morna sounds more poignant and refined. But what's indisputable is the place that is its spiritual home: Mindelo.

To get to São Vicente you have to fly via tourist hub on the island of Sal. But it's worth the trip. Mindelo's a pretty place of sun-bleached colonial buildings with cast iron balconies. And although tourism is growing, this is still a working town with an active port and fishing fleet. After work, fishermen head for bars on Rua Santa Antonio, a cobbled alley in the old town. Don't be put off by the lack of street lamps; it's a friendly place. The bars radiate a dim blue/green light and knock out decent beer for pennies. Grog, the local rum, is an altogether different kind of knock-out, believe me.

Pica Pau is a tiny, bare-boarded cafe with a big reputation for prawns and lobster – as evidenced by the hundreds of thank-you letters on the walls. I particularly liked its fish soup, loaded with dry bread.

Leaving a mark to celebrate your visit seems to be the done thing. Clube Nautica, an open-air bar by the marina is draped with flags donated by previous guests – passing sailors I presume, but it also has live music. On my first night in Mindelo I drifted into the bar and struck lucky: a lone musician began singing a hypnotic morna as he strummed a twangling 12-string guitar. He had the half-dozen drinkers transfixed.

To read the remainder of Nick's feature, please click on link to view the article on The Guardian website.

Kombo Beach Hotel receives 3rd Travelife Gold Award

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Kombo Beach Hotel in The Gambia has again been awarded a Travelife Gold Award for its commitment to sustainable tourism. This is an impressive accolade for the 4* hotel in the Kotu region, as it is the only hotel both in The Gambia and West Africa in general, to be presented with Travelife accreditation for a 3rd consecutive time.

The award firstly recognises the hotel’s dedication to the ‘Environment’ – Kombo Beach implemented such procedures as water saving measures and use of electricity reduction by making use of solar energy sources and is supported in these efforts by a Green Team comprising of staff from the various departments. Secondly, it considers the extent of the hotel’s ‘Social Responsibilities’ – Kombo Beach ensures that most supplies are sourced locally and are involved in supporting the local communities.

The Travelife awards are recognized by the FTO (British Federation of Tour Operators), ABTA (Association of British Travel Agents), ANVR (Dutch Federation of Tour Operators), FAR (Forum Anders Reisen Germany) and several Belgium Federations of Tour Operators and Travel Agents. Hotels are visited by a qualified independent Travelife auditor in order to have the information that the hotel provides is verified.

Marc Van Maldegem, general manager for Kombo Beach Hotel said:
“For many years we have been passionate about implementing environmental and social management strategies and we believe we are the front runner within The Gambia. After our focus on water and energy reduction, we have recently also started initiatives, with the help of our Green Team, to reduce our waste production and find more ways of recycling, using local enterprises. Our management is based on respect for local and ethical values, for people and for living together in harmony.”

The Gambia is a popular destination with UK holidaymakers, and Kombo Beach Hotel reports that approximately 60% of its guests come from the UK. Tour operators selling Kombo Beach Hotel include The Gambia Experience.

For more on the Travelife awards and hotels within the Travelife Collection, please visit www.travelifecollection.com
For more on Kombo Beach Hotel and its Sustainable Tourism Summary, please visit http://www.kombobeachhotel.gm/Docs/Sustainable-Tourism/Default.aspx

The Beautiful Islands of Cape Verde

Peter Thompson - Manchester Evening News — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 00:00:00 GMT

We had barely left the port on my maiden fishing voyage, yet I was already starting to question just how safe our vintage vessel was – and my sanity.

The tranquil Cape Verde island of Boa Vista had so far lived up to its billing as being an ideal place to relax and soak up the winter sun, but the serene beaches now seemed a million miles away.

After a catamaran outing the day before had set off without me due to a mix-up with the time, I was determined not to miss the boat again – if you will pardon the pun. I learned of availability for another trip and before I knew it I was clambering aboard a dinghy along with three other tourists from my hotel.
Little did we know we were about to set sail for what turned out to be a Boa Vista-style episode of Deadliest Catch. Passing a swanky catamaran and sturdy-looking fishing boats, we were soon being hoisted aboard what appeared to be the oldest and smallest vessel in the harbour by Mamadou, the merry Senegalese fisherman who was supposedly going to teach me how to fish.

We quickly learned Mamadou could hardly speak a word of English. The boat’s skipper forced the engine to splutter into life and we set off for the high seas – although I had a feeling it was not all going to be plain sailing.

I perched at the back of the cramped boat along with Darren, the only one of the four of us to have any idea about fishing, Adam and his girlfriend Laura. Small talk about what we might catch quickly turned to concern about the size of the waves.

The boat was getting battered from all sides and as it rocked precariously, Mamadou noted “biiig waves”. That had not escaped my attention and Laura, who later informed us she could not swim, was soon sprawled out across the only seat, struck down with sea sickness. With the waves getting bigger by the second and still no sign of any fish, my stomach was in turmoil.

But after a turbulent hour or so in which we appeared to be going round in circles, Mamadou finally dropped anchor as the skipper casually blocked up some holes in the boat and shovelled water back into the sea. All very reassuring.

Mamadou soon beckoned me over to reel in the first catch of the day – although the fish was almost given a lifeline as I started winding the reel in the wrong way, much to Mamadou’s amusement. With the waves still hammering into the boat I decided to take a seat to watch the expert at work.

Mamadou soon let out a cry of “whoppppaaaa, shark”, prompting the skipper to rush out of his cabin brandishing a sharp metal spike and a hammer. Granted, this was no great white, but I did not need to be an expert to recognise the fin and jagged teeth.

Three hours into our expedition and with my stomach still in knots due to the unabated choppy ocean, Mamadou finally declared that it was time for “beers, yes”. A man of few words, but those two were more than welcome. I had been like a fish out of water all afternoon, but that was certainly not the case for the rest of my week in Boa Vista. The third largest of 10 islands off the west coast of Africa, Boa Vista is very much untapped and undeveloped, although for just how long remains to be seen.

To read the remainder of Peter's feature, please click to view the article as it appears on the Manchester Evening News website.

Luxurious setting that will put a smile on your face

Kevin Walker - Surrey Times — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Kevin Walker takes a gamble on a holiday in the Gambia that pays off with the sights, smells and smiles of Africa, which makes his first trip such a memorable experience.
Anyone sailing along the 50 miles of Atlantic coastline that is Gambia could be forgiven for rechecking their compass and thinking they were severely off course after seeing the Moroccan inspired architecture of Coco Ocean Resort & Spa. Always an avid fan of the Caribbean, I had reset my compass and headed for the Gambia arriving at Coco Ocean Resort, which rose from nothing and incongruously sits proud on the West African shores. Built in true Moorish style by the Moroccan owner, Farid, with the utmost attention to detail, it is now regarded the most luxurious hotel in the Gambia. All set within five acres of lush jasmine-scented gardens which face the thundering Atlantic Ocean, it’s a resort that never feels crowded and has been the discreet choice of royalty, presidents and celebrities since it opened in 2008. The peaceful spa set behind blue glass overlooks the ocean and the natural sound of crashing waves waft through the tranquil building along with the scent of relaxing aromatic oils. Here you can experience spa treatments, which range from a simple foot massage to a traditional Hammam massage – which is the Moroccan version of a Turkish Bath – relaxing and cleansing your body with a vigorous body scrub using traditional black soap and of course, plenty of steam. A typical day in the life of Coco Ocean could easily start with a cool swim in any of the resort’s three fantastic blue shimmering infinity pools, followed by breakfast, served under giant green parasols that filter and protect guests from the early morning sun, on a large multi-level black and white tiled courtyard amidsoothing fountains, Attentive waiters busily attend to tables covered in crisp white tablecloths, first greeting you with a large basket of assorted freshly baked pastries, and smile to match, followed by fruit juices and an incredible double-page breakfast menu which includes bite-sized banana pancakes dusted in chocolate to traditional Gambian dishes. The most memorable of the market day in The Gambia. Reception at the Coco Ocean Resort. waiters was Ousman, who remembered everyone’s name and seemed to be constantly suppressing a fit of the giggles that quickly turned to uncontrollable delightful laughter as he took my order. Get used to it, because everyone smiles in the Gambia. Catch someone’s eye and it will bring a smile and an instinctive wave from young and old. Tempting though it is, it would be a crime to stay within Coco Ocean resort and never step out to see life in the Gambia, as a trip to the local market later proved. Leaving the air-conditioned comfort of our bus, driven by ‘Mr B’ another constant smiler, I ventured into a throng of colourful traders, where vibrant colour and noise immediately attacked the senses. Graceful women walk the dusty catwalk of the main street with impossible objects balanced centrally on their heads and tiny babies strapped to their backs.‘Burberry’ flip-flops lie alongside exotic vegetables and pots and pans, everything is for sale here. However, don’t look for a price tag; it’s all about what you’re prepared to pay. I discovered that rule one of haggling is – halve it, then for good measure take away your shoe size. But be realistic, time is not a valuable commodity here and you could find yourself spending an hour trying to save a pound. It’s good fun and I found by injecting humour into the equation it had a disarming effect on my opponent. My trip to the market was the equivalent of jumping into Gambian culture feet-first. That done, the smiling Mr ‘B’ set a course for Makasutu Cultural Forest just 45 minutes away by road.A 1,000-acre conservation area teeming with wildlife, run by Lawrence Williams the dedicated English owner who is passionate about his surroundings which started out as a dream of building of a small retreat for backpackers, was realized in 1992 following the purchase of just four acres of forest. Since then thousands of trees have been planted and 70 wells have been dug for the benefit of the surrounding population and vegetation. Lawrence runs the Mandina Lodges that sit within Makasutu Cultural Forest where four floating lodges and one house on stilts straddle a sleepy tributary of the main River Gambia. Reached by elevated walkways or a traditional dug out canoe, each lodge features a four-poster carved wooden bed adorned with crisp white cotton sheets. The eco-friendly bathroom has state
of the art composting toilets and solar heated water. In addition, there are three jungle lodges that are set back from the water, each of which has its own roof terrace with views across the mangroves and jungle. There’s no TV here – evening entertainment is good conversation
and music around the huge campfire after traditional dinner prepared by the resident chef. Lawrence is also a driving force for an exciting street-art project called Wide Open Walls, www. wideopenwalls.co.za, which has brought together acclaimed street artists from across the
globe. They bring with them the application of creative street-art images decorating villages as part of the Ballabu Conservation Project, which raise funds through the publication of a book and sales of photographs of the original art. Book a week here and you may just run into British street-artist Banksy.
A catamaran journey to the north bank of the River Gambiatook me to Sitanunku Lodge. During the crossing our boat was teased by a group of inquisitive dolphins that swam under our hull and criss-crossed our bows breaking the waters with grace and speed just a few feet away until they got bored with our whoops of joy and headed off to open sea. A breathtaking sight that was all too quick for my camera. Perched on high ground this resort offers recently completed hideaway lodges painted in earthy African colours. There is a bar, restaurant and plunge pool just big enough to get to know the other guests quite well, plus, since my visit, a large fresh water pool has been added, both have fabulous views across the river which can be explored by canoe in the safe waters. A short walk takes you to the other side of this Cay and commands a spectacular sea view. All rooms have electricity and modern bathroom facilities, at dusk the path leading down to the restaurant is illuminated by lanterns, the perfect, romantic getaway. An alternative option is Ngala Lodge an intimate boutique style hotel set high on cliffs overlooking the sea. Situated in a former ambassador’s residence near the British High Commission in Bakau/Fakara, this hotel is popular with couples. Lush tropical gardens provide privacy with paths that lead down to an intimate sheltered beach and decking area. There is also a swimming pool. The Atlantic Suites are stunning, each has its own private jacuzzi on the balcony or terrace, all rooms face the ocean and airconditioned with fans and mosquitonets. A fabulous sunset is guaranteed every evening seen from the restaurant which sits under a under a multi-coloured awning similar to a circus big top. For a completely urban Gambian experience a stay at the boutique Omakan hotel in Sukata is a must, set within a friendly village community four kilometres from the coast, the Belgian owner will cater for all your needs. He has immersed himself into African culture and the hotel is full of genuine African art which is all for sale. Hammocks and loungers surround the swimming pool set in lush gardens. On my last day during breakfast, I finally discovered the source of Ousman’s suppressed laughter. He had discovered what I paid for my ‘Burberry’ flip-flops. The sights, smells and humour of Africa are what make the
Gambia such a memorable experience.

ST TRAVEL FACTS
Kevin Walker travelled to The Gambia courtesy of The Gambia Experience. For details of all the hotels mentioned contact the Gambia Experience who have been operating for almost 25 years and fly to The Gambia all year- round. Their trusted Gambian reps, who unsurprisingly provide clients with a wealth of local information and insight into their country, will quickly become more like family friends. Prices for a seven night holiday staying at the exclusive Coco Ocean Hotel start from £999 per person, based on two sharing a junior suite with air conditioning on bed & breakfast. Luxury boutique hotel, Ngala Lodge, costs from £899 per person, based on two sharing a standard suite with air conditioning on bed & breakfast. These prices are inclusive of flights, hotel transfers and airport taxes. Room upgrades and Premium Class flight upgrades are also available Three night add-on stays for the ultimate two-centre holiday can be arranged. A three night stay at the Mandina Lodges will cost from £199 per person on a half-board basis. Prices for a three night stay at Sitanunku Lodge will cost from £249 per person (half board). Note the above properties are all exclusive through The Gambia Experience and are therefore not available through any other UK tour operator.

Rustic Charm in Corsica

Sarah Gibbons - Travelbite — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Rustic Charm - Renovated Flour Mill: 7 nights from £499pp
www.corsica.co.uk/u-mulinu

Corsican Places has just added character property U Mulinu to its 2012 collection. This three-bedroom 18th Century renovated flour mill is nestled next to a stream in the relatively undiscovered region of Casinca, just south of Bastia.

This season, Corsican Places is offering 7 nights at U Mulinu from £499 per person, resulting in a saving of £134pp. This offer is based on five sharing the property and includes return flights to Bastia, taxes and car hire. The price is valid for either 13 May departure from Gatwick or 20 May departure from Manchester. Call Corsican Places Reservations Department on 0845 330 2113 or visit www.corsica.co.uk

Surrounded by vineyards and fruit orchards - with walking trails and Marana beach within the area - U Mulinu comes complete with private pool. Perfect for those seeking tranquillity and authentic Corsica.

Why Sardinia is perfect for families

Press Office - Sardinian Places — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

With a flight time of approximately two hours, Sardinia is a low stress family destination where children are welcome as an integral part of Italian life. Sardinian Places continues to offer the largest portfolio of Sardinian properties to the UK holiday market (over 80 choices), with hotels, villas, residences and apartments across the island. The tour operator highlights the accommodation most suitable for families, as well as why the island in general is perfect for those with children.

Suggested Family Days Out
With experienced staff in the UK office and knowledgeable resort team on the island, Sardinian Places is on hand to advise tried and tested family days out. A ‘Top Ten Family Days Out’ is shortlisted in the tour operator’s brochure and includes Horse & Donkey Riding; Festivals; Waterparks; Boat & Train Trips; Aquariums and Sardegna in Miniatura (‘Miniature Sardinia’). www.sardinianplaces.co.uk/families

Beaches in Sardinia www.sardinianplaces.co.uk/beaches
Sardinia’s coastline is one of the finest in the Mediterranean and offers character through contrast – dramatic limestone mountains drop to secluded coves in the east, where the west is rich in powdery sand dunes. The north and south are abundant in glorious beaches, most gently shelving with exceptionally clean sand and shallow waters – perfect for young children.
For adults, water sports including water skiing and windsurfing are available during the summer.

Sample Family Property & Child Discounts
Sardinian Places can book packages (including any of the UK direct flight routes into the island –subject to availability), as well as accommodation-only for its customers. Foldable high chairs and cots (excluding cot linen) are provided free of charge in self-catering properties, as well as a baby-sitting service (on request).

Sample properties ideal for families include the four-bedroom Casa Roberta located on the outskirts of Alghero, North West Sardinia. Set in two acres of land and surrounded by countryside and vineyards, Casa Roberta is a haven for families wanting to make the most of their villa and outdoor space. The grounds come complete with swimming pool, tennis court, table tennis and even a small farmyard housing goats, donkeys and birds. Bicycles are also available to borrow. Alghero, along with the beaches of the North West coast are just 8km away.

This May (valid for departures 5th, 12th, 19th and 26th) 7 nights at Casa Roberta starts from £499pp, resulting in a saving of £100pp from brochure price. This price is based on 8 sharing and includes return flights Gatwick – Alghero, taxes, car hire and welcome hamper. Call Sardinian Places Reservations Department on 0845 330 2050 or visit www.sardinianplaces.co.uk/roberta

There are many hotels in the Sardinian Places programme that offer up to 50% discount for children. Call Sardinian Places for more information.

Great saving on Sardinia Seaside Apartment

- Love Italy — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Seaside Apartment with views & tennis court:
7 nights from £399pp (save £190pp)
www.sardinianplaces.co.uk/vista-mare

Sardinian Places is offering 7 nights at the two-bedroom Apartment Vista Mare situated in the small seaside resort of Porto Istana, just south of Olbia from £399pp, valid for departures on 28 April & 5 May and resulting in a saving of £190pp from brochure price. This price is based on four sharing and includes return flights London Gatwick – Olbia, taxes, car hire and welcome pack.

The covered balcony – running the length of the property and offering views across the Golfo di Porto Istana - is one of the key selling points of this apartment. There is a shared tennis court on site and sandy beach 100m away, as well as boat excursions to the islands of Tavolara and Molara from Porto Istana.

West Africa's tiny slice of paradise

Stephanie Maskery - The Flintshire Chronicle — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

A hunt for winter sun leads Stephanie Maskery to West Africa's tiny slice of paradise.

Three the magic number for winter sun

Derek James - Norwich Evening News — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

If you are looking for some hot African sunshine where the welcome is as warm as the weather then how about considering three very different countries on and off the West Coast of Africa - Cape Verde, Senegal or The Gambia. DEREK JAMES reports.
Where to go for a winter holiday? You may be tired of the Canaries where the weather can be dodgy. You may think the Caribbean too expensive or the Far East too far. And other, closer to home, winter resorts such as parts of Egypt and Tunisia report low bookings for obvious reasons.But due south - roughly six hours flying time away - there are three fascinating countries with sweeping and stunning beaches waiting to be explored.
Each one has so much to offer. Each one is very different with its own rich history and culture. Each one will give you a good value holiday with a difference. One was a former Portuguese colony, the other French and the third British.
Cape Verde
Let’s start with the former Portuguese islands of Cape Verde. There was talk a few years of transforming these island just off the coast of West Africa into the next Canaries – thank goodness that hasn’t happened. This collection of ten islands each have their own appeal with varied landscapes, an eclectic cultural heritage and a variety of activities to suit all. The islands are an ideal winter sun destination and a great place to escape the crowds.
The leading tour operator is The Cape Verde Experience and commercial manager Paul Kenny says the flight is relatively short and the weather remains consistent throughout the year - between 24 and 29 degC. Beyond the beaches the islands offer great diversity in their landscapes and culture and if
you are visiting it makes sense to opt for a twincentre holiday or an island-hopping itinerary which can be tailor-made in any combination. Bookings to Cape Verde are stronger this winter, mainly due to the increase in flights from the UK and an improvement to the infrastructure and accommodation – namely the opening of the Melia Tortuga Beach & Sea resort on sale and improvements to a number of other properties.
The islands all offer something different – from beautiful clean beaches to soaring mountain landscapes and lush green valleys - go and see for yourself.
Senegal
The French love their former colony Senegal but why should they have it to themselves. This is a great country to visit - offering so much. The UK’s destination specialist, The Senegal Experience, offers a wide range of accommodation, with a select choice of luxury hotels and properties.
The Gambia’s larger French neighbour is a fantastic country to visit with its superb climate, great beaches and thriving culture plus, its three mighty rivers and wonderfully intricate coastal lagoons and waterways support a great wealth of wildlife including numerous bird species and mammals.
There’s also opportunity for visitors to spot larger animals such as rhino, giraffe and zebra within its protected wildlife reserves. Where to stay? One place I can recommend is the 5* Lamantin Beach Hotel located in the beach resort of Saly, about 80kms south of bustling Daker. This impressive hotel re-opened just before Christmas following a major refurbishment and now offers guests a wider choice of rooms along with a new beach club providing a la carte dining overlooking the sea. With its own private beach and adjacent marina, the Lamantin provides a real “wow” factor.
The Gambia
One of the best value winter warmers is the former British colony The Gambia, the smallest country on the continent with one of the biggest hearts. Board the plane to Banjul and the chances are you will be sitting next to “repeaters” – people who travel to this country every year because they love everything about it - the people, the culture, the way of life. Some people go for the sun, others for the
bird life, some for the fishing at sea or on the rivers and there are those involved in various charity projects. Others have bought homes in the country. It is still the best value winter sunshine holiday around. In recent years some excellent smaller, upmarket yet affordable “boutique” hotels have been built away from the coastal strips. You tend to find many people tend to go back to the same place to stay because the staff have become friends. It is that kind of country. And you never know who you will bump into - on my last visit in January I met Teresa Elmassry who runs a busy restaurant and bar
with her husband called Yasmina’s the corner of the main road leading into the Senegambia “strip.” In a previous life she was Teresa Slater, formerly of North Walsham and then Lawson Road in Norwich, who worked at Mann Egerton, Sedgwick’s and the Co-op before heading off to work in Gambia. And it was there that she met Roberto, fell in love, settled down to get married, raise a family and run a thriving business. I’ll tell you more about Teresa in the Evening News soon but if you are visiting the country then pop in and say hello. So be warned. Visiting these countries can change your life. You may not want to come home.
Get Packing
 The Cape Verde Experience (0845 3302071, capeverde.co.uk) offers a wide variety of holidays with flight options to Sal and to Boa Vista from Gatwick. The company is offering seven night packages at the 4* Hotel Morabeza on Sal (capeverde.co.uk/ morabeza), a popular family-run hotel with good facilities on the edge of Santa Maria’s white sandy beach from £899pp travelling in May.
 The Senegal Experience (0845 3388706, senegal. co.uk) is offering half board packages including flights and transfers from £1,199pp for holidays in March. This price is based on two sharing a garden room at the Lamantin Beach and return flights to Daker via Brussels from Heathrow.
Call for more details of holidays to Senegal, including twin centre options combining a stay in the Gambia, plus tailor made tours and Rivers of West Africa cruise and stay opportunities.
 The Gambia Experience (0845 3302087, gambia. co.uk) has a complete range of places to stay from basic 2* hotels offering a real taste of Africa to intimate 5* luxury hotspots and from family fun
hotels to stunning river lodges. If you want to travel in March here are two offers at beachfront hotels. A week at the 3* Kombo Beach costs from £399pp based on two sharing a standard air conditioned room on b&b. A week at the 4* Sheraton Gambia Hotel, all-inclusive, from £699 based on two sharing a standard Baobab room with air con. These budget prices include Gatwick flights with a reduced allowance of 15 kilo and does not include airport transfers. A supplement of £15pp applies for transfers and £25pp for an increased 5 kilo luggage allowance.
Travel Tip: Airport Comfort
It is the perfect, peaceful start to a holiday. Airports are busy, bustling places but there are quiet corners where you can relax - the exclusive airport lounges are not just for those travelling first
class. You have probably noticed people popping in and out of them as you queue for an overpriced soggy roll and coffee. No.1 offers airport lounges at Stansted, Gatwick North and South and
Heathrow Terminal 3 which are great places to visit where you can recharge your batteries before boarding. Pay the entrance fee - it is cheaper to book in advance - and food and drink plus other
facilities are all there for you. Spa services and showers at some do cost extra.There are two lounges at Stansted, one serving all international gates (except Ryanair) and the other serving
Ryanair flights. They are open from 4am to 9pm and cost £15pp for up to three hours (children £7.50). The lounges are Gatwick North and South cost £20 (children £10) if booked in advance and
the flagship lounge at Heathrow is £30 (children £15).
 For more details and to book up visit www. no1traveller.com or you just turn up when you get to the airport.
Travel Tip: Getting To The Airport
The easiest way to get to the airport - Stansted, Heathrow and Gatwick - from Norwich and otherNorfolk towns is by National Express (08717 818181, nationalexpress.com) coach which travel 24
hours a day. They run an efficient and convenient service in and out of Norwich and the coaches stop at Thickthorn, Wymondham

Three the magic number for winter sun

Derek James - Norwich Evening News — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

If you are looking for some hot African sunshine where the welcome is as warm as the weather then how about considering three very different countries on and off the West Coast of Africa - Cape Verde, Senegal or The Gambia. DEREK JAMES reports.
Where to go for a winter holiday? You may be tired of the Canaries where the weather can be dodgy. You may think the Caribbean too expensive or the Far East too far. And other, closer to home, winter resorts such as parts of Egypt and Tunisia report low bookings for obvious reasons.But due south - roughly six hours flying time away - there are three fascinating countries with sweeping and stunning beaches waiting to be explored.
Each one has so much to offer. Each one is very different with its own rich history and culture. Each one will give you a good value holiday with a difference. One was a former Portuguese colony, the other French and the third British.
Cape Verde
Let’s start with the former Portuguese islands of Cape Verde. There was talk a few years of transforming these island just off the coast of West Africa into the next Canaries – thank goodness that hasn’t happened. This collection of ten islands each have their own appeal with varied landscapes, an eclectic cultural heritage and a variety of activities to suit all. The islands are an ideal winter sun destination and a great place to escape the crowds.
The leading tour operator is The Cape Verde Experience and commercial manager Paul Kenny says the flight is relatively short and the weather remains consistent throughout the year - between 24 and 29 degC. Beyond the beaches the islands offer great diversity in their landscapes and culture and if
you are visiting it makes sense to opt for a twincentre holiday or an island-hopping itinerary which can be tailor-made in any combination. Bookings to Cape Verde are stronger this winter, mainly due to the increase in flights from the UK and an improvement to the infrastructure and accommodation – namely the opening of the Melia Tortuga Beach & Sea resort on sale and improvements to a number of other properties.
The islands all offer something different – from beautiful clean beaches to soaring mountain landscapes and lush green valleys - go and see for yourself.
Senegal
The French love their former colony Senegal but why should they have it to themselves. This is a great country to visit - offering so much. The UK’s destination specialist, The Senegal Experience, offers a wide range of accommodation, with a select choice of luxury hotels and properties.
The Gambia’s larger French neighbour is a fantastic country to visit with its superb climate, great beaches and thriving culture plus, its three mighty rivers and wonderfully intricate coastal lagoons and waterways support a great wealth of wildlife including numerous bird species and mammals.
There’s also opportunity for visitors to spot larger animals such as rhino, giraffe and zebra within its protected wildlife reserves. Where to stay? One place I can recommend is the 5* Lamantin Beach Hotel located in the beach resort of Saly, about 80kms south of bustling Daker. This impressive hotel re-opened just before Christmas following a major refurbishment and now offers guests a wider choice of rooms along with a new beach club providing a la carte dining overlooking the sea.
With its own private beach and adjacent marina, the Lamantin provides a real “wow” factor.
The Gambia
One of the best value winter warmers is the former British colony The Gambia, the smallest country on the continent with one of the biggest hearts. Board the plane to Banjul and the chances are you will be sitting next to “repeaters” – people who travel to this country every year because they love everything about it - the people, the culture, the way of life. Some people go for the sun, others for the
bird life, some for the fishing at sea or on the rivers and there are those involved in various charity projects. Others have bought homes in the country. It is still the best value winter sunshine holiday around. In recent years some excellent smaller, upmarket yet affordable “boutique” hotels have been built away from the coastal strips. You tend to find many people tend to go back to the same place to stay because the staff have become friends. It is that kind of country. And you never know who you will bump into - on my last visit in January I met Teresa Elmassry who runs a busy restaurant and bar
with her husband called Yasmina’s the corner of the main road leading into the Senegambia “strip.” In a previous life she was Teresa Slater, formerly of North Walsham and then Lawson Road in Norwich, who worked at Mann Egerton, Sedgwick’s and the Co-op before heading off to work in Gambia. And it was there that she met Roberto, fell in love, settled down to get married, raise a family and run a thriving business. I’ll tell you more about Teresa in the Evening News soon but if you are visiting the country then pop in and say hello. So be warned. Visiting these countries can change your life. You may not want to come home.
Get Packing
 The Cape Verde Experience (0845 3302071, capeverde.co.uk) offers a wide variety of holidays with flight options to Sal and to Boa Vista from Gatwick. The company is offering seven night packages at the 4* Hotel Morabeza on Sal (capeverde.co.uk/ morabeza), a popular family-run hotel with good facilities on the edge of Santa Maria’s white sandy beach from £899pp travelling in May.
 The Senegal Experience (0845 3388706, senegal. co.uk) is offering half board packages including flights and transfers from £1,199pp for holidays in March. This price is based on two sharing a garden room at the Lamantin Beach and return flights to Daker via Brussels from Heathrow.
Call for more details of holidays to Senegal, including twin centre options combining a stay in the Gambia, plus tailor made tours and Rivers of West Africa cruise and stay opportunities.
 The Gambia Experience (0845 3302087, gambia. co.uk) has a complete range of places to stay from basic 2* hotels offering a real taste of Africa to intimate 5* luxury hotspots and from family fun
hotels to stunning river lodges. If you want to travel in March here are two offers at beachfront hotels. A week at the 3* Kombo Beach costs from £399pp based on two sharing a standard air conditioned room on b&b. A week at the 4* Sheraton Gambia Hotel, all-inclusive, from £699 based on two sharing a standard Baobab room with air con. These budget prices include Gatwick flights with a reduced allowance of 15 kilo and does not include airport transfers. A supplement of £15pp applies for transfers and £25pp for an increased 5 kilo luggage allowance.
Travel Tip: Airport Comfort
It is the perfect, peaceful start to a holiday. Airports are busy, bustling places but there are quiet corners where you can relax - the exclusive airport lounges are not just for those travelling first
class. You have probably noticed people popping in and out of them as you queue for an overpriced soggy roll and coffee. No.1 offers airport lounges at Stansted, Gatwick North and South and
Heathrow Terminal 3 which are great places to visit where you can recharge your batteries before boarding. Pay the entrance fee - it is cheaper to book in advance - and food and drink plus other
facilities are all there for you. Spa services and showers at some do cost extra.There are two lounges at Stansted, one serving all international gates (except Ryanair) and the other serving
Ryanair flights. They are open from 4am to 9pm and cost £15pp for up to three hours (children £7.50). The lounges are Gatwick North and South cost £20 (children £10) if booked in advance and
the flagship lounge at Heathrow is £30 (children £15).
 For more details and to book up visit www. no1traveller.com or you just turn up when you get to the airport.
Travel Tip: Getting To The Airport
The easiest way to get to the airport - Stansted, Heathrow and Gatwick - from Norwich and otherNorfolk towns is by National Express (08717 818181, nationalexpress.com) coach which travel 24
hours a day. They run an efficient and convenient service in and out of Norwich and the coaches stop at Thickthorn, Wymondham

Three the magic number for winter sun

Derek James - Norwich Evening News — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

If you are looking for some hot African sunshine where the welcome is as warm as the weather then how about considering three very different countries on and off the West Coast of Africa - Cape Verde, Senegal or The Gambia. DEREK JAMES reports.
Where to go for a winter holiday? You may be tired of the Canaries where the weather can be dodgy. You may think the Caribbean too expensive or the Far East too far. And other, closer to home, winter resorts such as parts of Egypt and Tunisia report low bookings for obvious reasons.But due south - roughly six hours flying time away - there are three fascinating countries with sweeping and stunning beaches waiting to be explored.
Each one has so much to offer. Each one is very different with its own rich history and culture. Each one will give you a good value holiday with a difference. One was a former Portuguese colony, the other French and the third British.
Cape Verde
Let’s start with the former Portuguese islands of Cape Verde. There was talk a few years of transforming these island just off the coast of West Africa into the next Canaries – thank goodness that hasn’t happened. This collection of ten islands each have their own appeal with varied landscapes, an eclectic cultural heritage and a variety of activities to suit all. The islands are an ideal winter sun destination and a great place to escape the crowds.
The leading tour operator is The Cape Verde Experience and commercial manager Paul Kenny says the flight is relatively short and the weather remains consistent throughout the year - between 24 and 29 degC. Beyond the beaches the islands offer great diversity in their landscapes and culture and if
you are visiting it makes sense to opt for a twincentre holiday or an island-hopping itinerary which can be tailor-made in any combination. Bookings to Cape Verde are stronger this winter, mainly due to the increase in flights from the UK and an improvement to the infrastructure and accommodation – namely the opening of the Melia Tortuga Beach & Sea resort on sale and improvements to a number of other properties.
The islands all offer something different – from beautiful clean beaches to soaring mountain landscapes and lush green valleys - go and see for yourself.
Senegal
The French love their former colony Senegal but why should they have it to themselves. This is a great country to visit - offering so much. The UK’s destination specialist, The Senegal Experience, offers a wide range of accommodation, with a select choice of luxury hotels and properties.
The Gambia’s larger French neighbour is a fantastic country to visit with its superb climate, great beaches and thriving culture plus, its three mighty rivers and wonderfully intricate coastal lagoons and waterways support a great wealth of wildlife including numerous bird species and mammals.
There’s also opportunity for visitors to spot larger animals such as rhino, giraffe and zebra within its protected wildlife reserves. Where to stay? One place I can recommend is the 5* Lamantin Beach Hotel located in the beach resort of Saly, about 80kms south of bustling Daker. This impressive hotel re-opened just before Christmas following a major refurbishment and now offers guests a wider choice of rooms along with a new beach club providing a la carte dining overlooking the sea.
With its own private beach and adjacent marina, the Lamantin provides a real “wow” factor.
The Gambia
One of the best value winter warmers is the former British colony The Gambia, the smallest country on the continent with one of the biggest hearts. Board the plane to Banjul and the chances are you will be sitting next to “repeaters” – people who travel to this country every year because they love everything about it - the people, the culture, the way of life. Some people go for the sun, others for the
bird life, some for the fishing at sea or on the rivers and there are those involved in various charity projects. Others have bought homes in the country. It is still the best value winter sunshine holiday around. In recent years some excellent smaller, upmarket yet affordable “boutique” hotels have been built away from the coastal strips. You tend to find many people tend to go back to the same place to stay because the staff have become friends. It is that kind of country. And you never know who you will bump into - on my last visit in January I met Teresa Elmassry who runs a busy restaurant and bar
with her husband called Yasmina’s the corner of the main road leading into the Senegambia “strip.” In a previous life she was Teresa Slater, formerly of North Walsham and then Lawson Road in Norwich, who worked at Mann Egerton, Sedgwick’s and the Co-op before heading off to work in Gambia. And it was there that she met Roberto, fell in love, settled down to get married, raise a family and run a thriving business. I’ll tell you more about Teresa in the Evening News soon but if you are visiting the country then pop in and say hello. So be warned. Visiting these countries can change your life. You may not want to come home.
Get Packing
 The Cape Verde Experience (0845 3302071, capeverde.co.uk) offers a wide variety of holidays with flight options to Sal and to Boa Vista from Gatwick. The company is offering seven night packages at the 4* Hotel Morabeza on Sal (capeverde.co.uk/ morabeza), a popular family-run hotel with good facilities on the edge of Santa Maria’s white sandy beach from £899pp travelling in May.
 The Senegal Experience (0845 3388706, senegal. co.uk) is offering half board packages including flights and transfers from £1,199pp for holidays in March. This price is based on two sharing a garden room at the Lamantin Beach and return flights to Daker via Brussels from Heathrow.
Call for more details of holidays to Senegal, including twin centre options combining a stay in the Gambia, plus tailor made tours and Rivers of West Africa cruise and stay opportunities.
 The Gambia Experience (0845 3302087, gambia. co.uk) has a complete range of places to stay from basic 2* hotels offering a real taste of Africa to intimate 5* luxury hotspots and from family fun
hotels to stunning river lodges. If you want to travel in March here are two offers at beachfront hotels. A week at the 3* Kombo Beach costs from £399pp based on two sharing a standard air conditioned room on b&b. A week at the 4* Sheraton Gambia Hotel, all-inclusive, from £699 based on two sharing a standard Baobab room with air con. These budget prices include Gatwick flights with a reduced allowance of 15 kilo and does not include airport transfers. A supplement of £15pp applies for transfers and £25pp for an increased 5 kilo luggage allowance.
Travel Tip: Airport Comfort
It is the perfect, peaceful start to a holiday. Airports are busy, bustling places but there are quiet corners where you can relax - the exclusive airport lounges are not just for those travelling first
class. You have probably noticed people popping in and out of them as you queue for an overpriced soggy roll and coffee. No.1 offers airport lounges at Stansted, Gatwick North and South and
Heathrow Terminal 3 which are great places to visit where you can recharge your batteries before boarding. Pay the entrance fee - it is cheaper to book in advance - and food and drink plus other
facilities are all there for you. Spa services and showers at some do cost extra.There are two lounges at Stansted, one serving all international gates (except Ryanair) and the other serving
Ryanair flights. They are open from 4am to 9pm and cost £15pp for up to three hours (children £7.50). The lounges are Gatwick North and South cost £20 (children £10) if booked in advance and
the flagship lounge at Heathrow is £30 (children £15).
 For more details and to book up visit www. no1traveller.com or you just turn up when you get to the airport.
Travel Tip: Getting To The Airport
The easiest way to get to the airport - Stansted, Heathrow and Gatwick - from Norwich and otherNorfolk towns is by National Express (08717 818181, nationalexpress.com) coach which travel 24
hours a day. They run an efficient and convenient service in and out of Norwich and the coaches stop at Thickthorn, Wymondham

Seven of the best boutique hotels in Africa

Rachel Dixon - The Guardian — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Set on white sands, wild wetlands, or at the heart of historic cities, these small hotels bring a touch of luxury to exotic locations.

Souimanga Lodge, Fimela, Senegal
Five luxurious waterside lodges stand in tropical gardens in the Saloum Delta national park, an area where two rivers meet the Atlantic. The covered dining terrace at the end of the lodge's private jetty is the perfect place to spot flamingos and pelicans.
• Seven nights' half-board from £1,289pp, including flights, 0845 338 8706, senegal.co.uk/souimanga

Book Hotel by the Sea & enjoy Wine Festival of Monti

Press Office - Sardinian Places — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Hotel Villa Margherita: 3 nights from £599pp (save £172pp)
www.sardinianplaces.co.uk/villa-margherita
Specialist tour operator, Sardinian Places is offering a short break to Sardinia this summer from £599pp, resulting in a saving of £172pp. This price is based on two sharing a Deluxe Room with Balcony at the 4* Hotel Villa Margherita in Golfo Aranci, North East Sardinia, and is based on a three night duration with breakfast, arriving on Friday 03 August. The travel deal also includes return flights Gatwick-Olbia with Easyjet, taxes & airport transfers.
This travel deal is subject to availability – please call to book: CALL SARDINIAN PLACES RESERVATIONS ON 0845 330 2050 or visit www.sardinianplaces.co.uk

Surrounded by beautiful beaches, Golfo Aranci is a seaside resort with a charming port. Perfect for couples, Hotel Villa Margherita is centrally located and directly positioned by the sea.

More on the wine festival of Monti this summer:
Monti is a century-old wine village. On the first Sunday of August the sweet smell of grapes is in the air, grapes which produce the pale yellow local wine*. People gather in the square near the 1956 Vermentino Cellar (the first on the island to have sold bulk bottled wine), for this two-day festival sampling the wine and folk dancing to local music, with vast bottles uncorked, open air cooking and fresh produce stalls to enjoy. Those staying at the hotel may take the TrEnoArchè – the historical train - from Golfo Aranci to the festival.

* The wine is delicate and refined, and in 1975 Vermentino's wine was confirmed by DOC (Vino a Denominazione di Origine Controllata) and in 1996 it also received recognition from the DOCG (Vino a Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita).

Why Corsican Places appeals to Families

Press Office - Corsican Places — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Leading, independent specialist Corsican Places offers the widest range of villas, apartments and hotels across the island of Corsica. The tour operator’s portfolio of accommodation and flight schedules, along with the island’s beaches, present a few factors as to why this destination and Corsican Places in particular appeals to Families:

Corsican Places Charter Flights
Corsican Places exclusively charters two flights into Calvi, North West Corsica: one from London Stansted with Titan Airways, and one from Manchester with Flybe. These two charter flights have many positive selling points for families, becoming a preferred choice compared to no-frills carriers operating into different airports on the island. Advantages include convenient morning departure times; pre-assigned seating; comfortable seat pitches; luggage allowance for infants* and creative resources (‘Kids’ Packs’) for children on board. Corsican Places also co-charters a flight into Figari, Southern Corsica with bmi. Sharing many features of the above, the flight schedule of this route perfectly coincides with accommodation check-in and check-out times.
As the UK’s closest Mediterranean island, the flight time to Corsica is short being no more than two hours, twenty minutes, which along with easy accommodation transfers makes it a very low stress destination.

Corsican Places Property Portfolio
With over 140 property choices within its portfolio, Corsican Places presents a ‘Property Guide’ to highlight those which are most suitable for families – villas with pools being a year on year favourite. In Corsica, all swimming pools are securely fenced, covered or alarmed as per French regulations. Foldable high chairs and cots (excluding cot linen) are provided free of charge in Corsican Places self-catering properties. Baby and booster seats can be requested in Corsican Places hire cars although the tour operator does advise taking the family’s own car seat and pushchairs – which can be carried free of charge on Corsican Places charter flights. The tour operator is able to arrange a babysitting service for those staying in self-catering properties (service on request).

Beaches in Corsica
Corsica has 1000km of coastline and close to 200 beaches, all of which are incredibly clean both in terms of the beaches themselves and also the quality of the water. The island’s diverse landscape means there is a similar variety in the makeup of beaches. White and gold sand beaches contrast with pebbles; main town beaches are complimented by hidden coves reached only by boat and foot. The shaded and gently shelving nature of many of the beaches offer peace of mind for families wanting to bathe and explore.

Suggested Family Days Out
With experienced staff in the UK office and a knowledgeable resort team based on the island year-round, Corsican Places is on hand to advise tried and tested fun and memorable family days out.
A ‘Top Ten Family Days Out’ is shortlisted in the tour operator’s brochure with headings such as ‘Coastal Train’, ‘Tortoise Sanctuaries’, ‘Treetops & Mountain Climbing’; ‘Craft Workshops & Local Produce’ and ‘Horse-riding, Pony Treks & Donkey Rides’.

Sample Family Property & Child Discounts
Corsican Places applies Child Discounts (children 02 – 12 years) throughout the whole season ranging from 10 – 15% with one child discount available per full fare paying adult. Call Corsican Places for more information & details. Family-friendly properties are plentiful and include the three-bedroom Casa Cassaninca in Calvi Town which from its elevated position offers far reaching views of both the sea and Calvi Citadel. New to the Corsican Places 2012 programme the air-conditioned villa comes complete with patio and enclosed private swimming pool and is just a twenty minute stroll from the sandy beach, centre of town and quayside. This season, 7 night holidays at this villa start from £574pp based on six sharing and including return flights London Stansted – Calvi or Manchester – Calvi, taxes, welcome pack and car hire.

Robert Ashton-Kane, Corsican Places island manager and parent who has lived permanently on the island for six years comments:
“The first thing that sets the island apart from many holiday destinations is the lack of “artificial” attractions that pervades many islands in the Mediterranean. There are no theme parks or water parks, no amusement arcades, only two go-kart tracks, hardly any nightclubs and a distinct absence of the “youth culture”. One of the underlying reasons for this is that Corsicans love children and the family is one of the most important things in their lives, so most of a child’s leisure time is spent with friends and family.”

For more information on holidays to Corsica, please contact Corsican Places Reservations Department on 0845 330 2113 or visit www.corsica.co.uk

* Available on London Stansted – Calvi only.

Go with the Flow

Christopher Wakling - The Independent — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Children rarely scream at the sight of me. My own offspring, faced with my anger, might quiver a bit. But I'm not often that cross. I therefore didn't understand the terrified wailing when I first saw it in The Gambia. I was in a small village called Tubakulam, just north of the river which gives the country its name. A local mechanic, Ousman Camara, had kindly offered to show me around.

We had a cup of brutally strong green tea with his uncle, Nuha Darbo, while sitting on a wall and watching the sun dip towards the scrubby football pitch. Then we entered his family compound. Gambians mostly live together in communal extended-family groups: "best social security", Ousman explained. I met his sister, mother, aunts and assorted nephews and nieces.

All were astonishingly welcoming. I was invited to pound some rice, forgiven when I tired comically quickly in the heat, and – to change the subject, as much as anything else – shown the luscious cassava planted in the back-garden-field. The older children clustered around me yelling "Toubab!" ("it means white man, or tourist, in a nice way") and tried to hold my hands. I felt special. But the youngest child took one look at me and burst into tears.

I crouched down and smiled. The toddler screamed louder and buried his face in his mother's arms. She thought this very funny and thrust the child at me again. When he refused to calm down I beat a retreat.

To read the remainder of Chris Wakling's feature, please click to view the online version on The Independent website.

February Savings at Iberostar Club Boa Vista

Press Office - The Cape Verde Experience — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Independent, specialist The Cape Verde Experience is currently offering strong savings on holidays to Boa Vista, in particular to stay at the 4* hotel Iberostar Club Boa Vista.
www.capeverde.co.uk/iberostar

This club style resort is situated on the Areja de Chaves beach on Boa Vista - arguably one of the best beaches in the Cape Verde archipelago. Operating on an all-inclusive basis, the hotel offers the high quality facilities and service, as expected from the international Iberostar name.
Facilities include swimming pool & children’s pool; waiter drink service; spa; daily activity programme and evening entertainment. There is also free access to the tennis and multi-sports courts, as well as a weekly Cape Verde party on the beach.

Once again the Iberostar Club Boa Vista has triumphed as The Cape Verde Experience’s most popular hotel, according to the tour operator’s holiday questionnaire scores for November & December 2011.

Sample holiday packages with good discounts next month include 7 nights at the Iberostar Club Boa Vista from £829pp, valid for departures on 16 February and resulting in a saving of £260pp from brochure price. This price is based on two sharing a standard double room on an all-inclusive basis and includes return flights Manchester – Boa Vista, taxes (including visas) and transfers. Departures from London Gatwick, Birmingham, East Midlands and Glasgow may also be quoted for travel throughout February.

Call The Cape Verde Experience Reservations Department on 0845 330 2071 or visit www.capeverde.co.uk

5 Of The Best

Richard Trillo - ABTA Magazine — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Early Booking Offers - Expire 31 Jan

Press Office - Corsican Places — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Corsican Places – Early Booking Offers for 27 May Departures (book by 31 Jan)

Sample Offers include:

Perfect for Couples ~ Hotel l’Onda, Calvi: 7 nights from £640pp
www.corsica.co.uk/londa
Corsican Places is offering 7 nights at the 3* Hotel l’Onda in Calvi from £640pp, valid for departure on 27 May and resulting in a saving of £50pp (Early Booking Offer valid if booked by 31 Jan). This price is based on two sharing a standard room with breakfast and includes return flights London Stansted – Calvi with Titan Airways or Manchester – Calvi with Flybe, taxes and transfers.
Situated in Calvi, Hotel l'Onda is only steps away from the beach and a ten minute stroll to the centre of town and marina.
CALL CORSICAN PLACES RESERVATIONS DEPT ON 0845 330 2113 or visit www.corsica.co.uk

Perfect for Families ~ Villa Cléa, St Florent: 7 nights from £501pp
www.corsica.co.uk/villaclea
Corsican Places is offering 7 nights at the five bedroom Villa Cléa in St Florent from £501pp, valid for departure on 27 May and resulting in a saving of £50pp (Early Booking Offer valid if booked by 31 Jan). This price is based on nine sharing the property on a self-catering basis and includes return flights London Stansted – Calvi with Titan Airways or Manchester – Calvi with Flybe, taxes and car hire. Villa Cléa is a modern villa set on the heights of Fromentica enjoying a panorama of the sea and mountains beyond.
CALL CORSICAN PLACES RESERVATIONS DEPT ON 0845 330 2113 or visit www.corsica.co.uk

Early Booking Offers - Expire 31 Jan

Press Office - Sardinian Places — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Specialist tour operator, Sardinian Places and sister company Corsican Places offer the widest selection of holiday accommodation to the UK market across the two islands of Corsica and Sardinia. There is still time to book an Early Booking Offer on 2012 holidays, valid if booked by 31 January 2012.
Sample Offers include:

Perfect for Couples ~ Hotel Arathena, San Pantaleo: 7 nights from £649pp
http://www.sardinianplaces.co.uk/Accommodation/19000372/51372/Hotel-Arathena.aspx
Sardinian Places is offering 7 nights at the 4* Hotel Arathena in San Pantaleo from £649pp, valid for 05 May departure and resulting in a saving of £193pp (Early Booking Offer valid if booked by 31 Jan).
This price is based on two sharing a standard room with breakfast and includes return flights London Gatwick – Olbia, taxes and car hire.
Presented in a traditional Sardinian style, Hotel Arathena houses à la carte restaurant ‘Balbacana’ serving a selection of local Sardinian dishes. The bars, market and boutiques of San Pantaleo are just a ten minute walk away.
CALL SARDINIAN PLACES RESERVATIONS DEPT ON 0845 330 2050 or visit www.sardinianplaces.co.uk

Perfect for Families ~ La Mendula, San Pantaleo: 7 nights from £379pp
http://www.sardinianplaces.co.uk/Accommodation/19000372/51634/La-Mendula.aspx
Sardinian Places is offering 7 nights at the four bedroom La Mendula in San Pantaleo from £379pp, valid for departure on 05 & 12 May and resulting in a saving of £150 per person (Early Booking Offer valid if booked by 31 Jan).
This price is based on eight sharing the villa on a self-catering basis and includes return flights London Gatwick – Olbia, taxes and car hire.
Peacefully located in the Galluran countryside between Arzachena, San Pantaleo and the beaches of the Costa Smeralda, La Mendula offers a great setting for family holiday.
CALL SARDINIAN PLACES RESERVATIONS DEPT ON 0845 330 2050 or visit www.sardinianplaces.co.uk

All offers are subject to availability.

The Smiling Coast

Laura Cartledge - etc Magazine — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Peering out of the egg-shaped plane window at the grey, heavy sky and rain soaked runway it is hard to believe that in just six hours I will be in a completely different world. Yet sure enough as we start our decent the clouds part and beneath us Africa unrolls it’s warm red earth to welcome us.
The Gambia, known as the smiling coast of Africa, lives up to its reputation instantly as passengers exchange excited grins, eager and excited to get out and explore.The adventure begins with the baggage reclaim as a three-deep crowd clambers to be reunited with their belongings.And as boring black suitcase after boring black suitcase rolls past I regret not having brightened up my luggage.
Finally we make it to the bus and are given a very welcome ice cool bottle of water and a handmade wicker fan by The Gambia Experience team – and as I take my first sip it becomes clear we are going to be very well looked after. All aboard we make our way to the Coco Ocean Resort & Spa located in the coastal resort of Bijilo. It is only a 30 minute drive but it flies by as we all press our noses to the glass already captivated by the country. The roadside rolls past like a film reel with scenes of shop fronts adorned with hand painted signs, and men relaxing under trees while women with children strapped to their backs walk along balancing buckets on their heads. Before long we turn into our resort where the bustle of the streets is replaced by an instant air of calm. It is easy to see why the hotel is regarded as the most luxurious one in The Gambia and has become the place to stay for celebrities and discerning holidaymakers. The cool white walls, marble lined interior, domed roofs, high ceilings and abundance of lanterns create a Moroccan feel which at first seems strange, yet the way they all work together to maximise the natural light has something magical about it.
Following welcome drinks we are shown to our rooms and it is all I can do to keep my jaw hitting the floor when the glass front slides back to reveal floating, full length, white cotton curtains which reveal just a peek of what lies beyond. The floor was a checkers board of marble with a step up from the area with two sofas to the biggest bed I have ever seen. While the wall behind had two doors, one on each side of the bed, which concealed the ensuite - as luxury means not having to walk around to get to the bathroom. After a quick shower and change it was time for dinner. The hotel has a tasty choice of restaurants and menus with international chef cooking up the best cuisine from around the world. The main restaurant offers al fresco or more formal dining and with the weather being the perfect balance of balmy with a breeze we settle outside and tuck into a tasty avocado salad followed by succulent fish.
Well fed and worn out we retire for the night. The next morning I would like to say it was the cheerful bird song outside my room which awoke me but I am afraid nature was a bit closer than that, as a spider has been tempted by the plush pillows and massive mattress of my bed and it was he, crawling along my arm, that saw me spring into the second day.
After a breakfast of freshly baked pastries, freshly squeezed juice and perfectly poached eggs it was time to explore what else the hotel had to offer. Including tiered swimming pools stepping down to the sea, beach cabanas, rooms available for event hire which are understandably popular for weddings and a beautiful spa with everything you would expect and more. In fact there was so much to see it was almost possible to forget the wonders of the country just beyond the resort walls. Luckily our itinerary for the day began with a trip to Makasutu Cultural Forest, a 1000-acre conservation area and home to a unique eco resort in the heart of the African bush. Despite the growing heat we did manage to explore the dense palm forest and learn about the plethora of wildlife that called it home.
Our guide Mucki from West Africa Tours, provided a unique, informed and hilarious commentary, spotting a kingfisher he announced The Gambia boasts seven varieties of the bird, in comparison to England’s one.“That’s The Gambia seven, England one,” he would repeat. Meaning every sighting, be it of bird, lizard or baboon, would see England lose as he announced the score, football-style, with a grin of delight.
We then took to the water in canoes made from hollowed out silk trees to get a great view of the mango groves before returning to land and being entertained by a troop of baboons. At Makasutu we also saw the Mandina lodges, which have previously been awarded “Best Overseas Eco Development Project” by the British Guild of Travel Writers. Situated on stilts along the water edge the floating and jungle lodges look almost as if they have grown there rather than being built. Over a delicious lunch we meet owner Lawrence Williams whose passion for the area, and Africa, has fuelled a street art project called Wide Open Walls which works to bring art to the local communities. Lawrence came to the area as a backpacker after university and has never left, and when the time came for us to tear ourselves away and get back on the bus it was easy to see why.
For dinner we headed to Ngala Lodge, a stunning small intimate boutique style hotel which radiated an authentically African feeling from its rich red walls and tastefully picked traditional features. The food was equally as spectacular from the spoonsized amuse bouche, to the goats cheese and spiced vegetable spring rolls served on pickled cabbage with a garlic dip.They were honestly the best I have ever tasted and I could quite happily have eaten a bowl full, however that would have meant missing out on the delicious thai style banana crème brulee.
Day three of my stay coincided with Tobaski a public holiday with biblical foundations which has unfortunate repercussions if you are a ram… luckily our day didn’t include making any sacrifices instead we took a two hour catamaran trip up river from Lamin Lodge to Sitanunku Lodge. A new addition to The Gambia Experience portfolio Sitanunku is the perfect place for birdwatchers, fishers or those seeking a romantic hideaway. While some of us cool off in the plunge pool others take to the river in kayaks before we sit down, once more, to eat. On our return trip the sun is just beginning to set and the light at Lamin Lodge is captivating, making it the perfect end to another great day. After a breakfast of banana and chocolate pancakes we pop into Omakan hotel which is ideally placed for guests wanting to be closer to the Gambian village community. Something our next stop also includes as it is time for the part I have been looking forward to the most – the school visit.
First we head to a secondary school which has been helped by The Gambia Experience before visiting the primary school in Brikama which has been made possible, in part, to the work of Bognor Regis based charity Nyodema. Everyone was so welcoming and excited within minutes I found myself sat behind a little desk surrounded by smiling faces. It was exactly how a primary school should be full of life and fun.Too soon it was time to go. In fact time is a funny thing in The Gambia, to the point it is opening joked about. If you are told a journey, for instance, may take half an hour “Gambian time” you can expect it to take anywhere between ten minutes and two days. Of course this is partly due to the fact there are only seven sets of traffic lights in the country and that rams and cattle will always have right of way. However the relaxed pace does have its benefits as it feels like you are there for longer than you are. My four days honestly felt like it was a fortnight – but in a good way. The country still has so much for me to uncover which is just as well as I definitely plan to return.
www.etcmag.net

A Warm Welcome

Dominic Smith - The Argus - Saturday Magazine — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Through watery, bloodshot eyes, Papa Sang Jatta explained the only thing to do was return home with gifts.
“You’ve problems with your relationship,” he explained through our translator and guide, Mucki Bojang. “You don’t listen. You need to start giving to charity. Take some presents home for your family.” He was holding the palm of a curious Westerner in his left hand. In his right hand he had a wooden ivory tusk shaker which he rattled to call the spirits. The sweating patient gripped a mirror to help the shaman inspect his wrinkles and lines. The witch doctor stroked the fluffs of white hair on his chin and rubbed his wool hat. He patted down his blue shiny dress. Wrapped his white linen shawl tighter. Then cast out an inquisitive stare. “Well, it’s true I argue a lot,” replied our guinea pig, rapidly becoming self-analytical as some chickens scuttled away from baboons nosing about the bamboo shack. “He’s right, though. I’ve got to get my daughters something. Now, how much do I owe him?” We were in Makasutu Forest, in the west of The Gambia, a few hours’ drive south of the administrative capital, Banjul. Once the site of a bloody tribal battle and still haunted by demons and devils (there is a dead king buried somewhere beneath the cashew trees, apparently), the area is now notable for its playful monkeys who swing from trees like children in a jungle playground and splash about in the tributaries of the River Gambia. The place is not so isolated that old Papa Sang can’t receive post. The savvy man of 90 or 91 rains (no one can remember, especially not him) has his own PO box number. But such is the privacy available here Lawrence Williams, an Englishman who has travelled to every corner of Africa from Sudan to South Africa, is trying to turn the 1,000-acre forest into a cultural hideaway. He first visited The Gambia as an uncertain tourist 20 years ago and fell for Africa’s second smallest nation – bordered only by Senegal and the Atlantic Ocean – immediately. Now he owns a bunch of exclusive floating residences, Mandina Lodges, not far from Papa Sang’s hutch. The reason: “It’s the only place in Africa I didn’t feel like an outsider.” But Williams is no khakiclothed colonial. The giant expander earrings and butterfly hand tattoos (surely to local jewellery tastes) suggest a love of street culture and art. As well as the luxury lodges, he runs Wide Open Walls: an art project whose first installation saw eight Western graffiti artists empty 1,000 cans of paint on Kubuneh village in the hope of beginning a trail whose profits will be reinvested in health and education programmes. The dream is to establish artled tourism in a country where cultural pursuits are scant. Good luck to him. Few come here for anything other than sun. But when it’s virtually guaranteed, why would you? Well, as well as intrigue and isolation, there is the varied and myriad wildlife: more butterflies than a keeper could count; rare birds, lizards, monkeys; and, in the cocktail bars on the Kololi strip, the wonderful syrupy Guinness you only find in Africa and local lager JulBrew. To reach Kubuneh, take a wooden canoe downriver, past the upside-down amber mangroves which have oysters (smoked to make the fine soup at Jo Jo’s restaurant in Kololi) clinging like leeches to their roots. Before setting sail, though, try the palm wine. The thick white goo, with its bitter lemon and lychee taste, can be drained and drunk immediately, while after three days’ fermenting it comes in at a fruity 13%. The locals call it zum zum juice: drink the lot and your head goes zum zum. Once we’d lowered ourselves into the slightly leaky vessel, my head was certainly humming something.
Things cleared up back on dry land at my hotel, Coco Ocean, where staff outnumber guests by three to one. It’s the biggest employer in the country and its aim is luxury. The presidential suite – popular with Moroccan royalty and Nigerian capital Lagos’s high society – is yours for 1,900 euros per night. Whether it’s thanks to the pools and spas and beachside service or perceived threats outside the complex (the “bumsters” who befriend visitors in exchange, they hope, for money), tour guide Mucki said most visitors keep to the hotels and their immediate environs. Shame. Almost every soul you meet – at Brikama market with its rainbow colours and withered but GM-free aubergines, in Serrekunda, beside the silk cotton tree and wrestling arena with contenders in loin cloth, in the local schools filled with mischievous children so adorable a couple from Bognor were moved to pay for
their new school – wants only to find out about you and your world.
The Gambia is a flat, watery country whose name comes from the main river British colonialists once mistook for the Nile. We dragged ourselves away from Coco Ocean on the southern bank for a blissful three-hour catamaran (£55 per person) journey over the River Gambia to the North Bank. As we sailed on to another scruffy paradise, Sitanunku, the only sound was the swoosh of dolphins riding the bow. No major resort, with only plump baobab trees and modernist huts to distract from the beachside plunge pool, Sitanunku is the place to write that novel.
For inspiration, there are kayaks to reach uninhabited Dog Island. But most people come for the fishing. Living off shore are captain fish, barracuda and yellowfin tuna so large they’ve stopped counting world records. It sounded like a fisherman’s tale worthy of Hemingway, but Alhagie Sarr said he once spent 12 hours fighting a tarpoon. There were four men in the boat and at 7am the beast was hooked. By 7pm, after a series of long, exhausting shifts, the crew landed a fish as big as the boat and as wide as three men. Still, there was no regret when he wriggled out. There is a café where the chef will cook your catch or serve you one of the meaty white fish such as benachin or butter-fish that seem to be on every menu. Fishing is the last thought over at Sanyang beach, where the Atlantic is warm, if never calm, and the long stretch of sand seems to wrap its way around the entire coastline. For £45 West African Tours will drive you there and organise a beachside buffet lunch, before securing you an invitation to a traditional family compound, be it brick or mud, containing up to 40 people.
Lamb, sacrificed and spiced for the most important day in the calendar, Tobaski, was dished out at the compound we visited. And because sharing is the essence of the feast, which commemorates Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son for Allah and the end of the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, we all sat round with greasy fingers and big smiles.
As we drove back to the hotel and on to the airport, past hundreds of skinny goats left over from the festival, the words from Papa Sang Jatta rang around my head. I contemplated giving one a new home, but instead reflected on how my own spiritual journey was over.

Happy Holidays

Jon Reeve - Southampton Daily Echo — Sat, 14 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

SOMETIMES, you just can’t help smiling. You know that feeling when, quite unconsciously, you find yourself wearing a huge grin on your face? Well if you don’t, then after a few days in The Gambia you soon will.
It’s not so much the glorious weather, the wonderful wildlife, fantastic hotels or the stunning scenery – although they obviously all play their part. No, the thing that really stands The Gambia aside from the drudgery of a typically cold, grey and miserable English winter just a six-hour direct flight away, is its people.
The country, which snakes inland from the Atlantic Ocean along the course of the river from which it takes its name, is known as the continent’s smiling coast. And it doesn’t take long to realise why. It’s quite simply infectious, and everyone’s at it. If you’re not smiling, you’re the odd one out. The Gambian people pride themselves on their sunny good nature, and there is no more obvious a sign of their warmth and friendliness than the beaming smiles that seem to be a default on everyone’s faces.
Everywhere you go, people seem to be incredibly happy. Whether they’re serving you dinner, driving a taxi, or just going about their daily business, there’s an overwhelmingly positive outlook on life. And watching African life in action is fascinating. Driving through towns, the streets are lined with improvised-looking huts and shacks, as well as sturdier brick buildings, which all house bars, cafes and shops, with groups of men sitting around outside seemingly setting the world to rights.
As you head into the countryside, which is surprisingly green after the summertime rainy season, the buildings become scarcer, only to become replaced by sporadic stalls selling fruit and vegetables, and people waiting to catch a ride in a brightly coloured taxi or one of the many ramshackle and crowded minibuses that dominate the roads. But it’s when you get out of the car that you really get a feel for the extraordinary country and its people.
The market at The Gambia’s second largest city, Brikama, was such a hive of activity it made Southampton’s WestQuay look like a library. We visited on the busiest day of the year, the eve of Tobaski – which is the predominantly Muslim country’s equivalent of Christmas – and it was extraordinary. Everywhere we turned, there were impeccably dressed people swarming through a seemingly disorganised hotch-potch of street displays and stalls accessed through narrow pathways, offering everything from traditional clothing to electrical goods to a few peppers or onions. And despite the apparent chaos, those smiles and good humour continued to shine through.
The hustle and bustle of the busy market couldn’t have contrasted more than with the relaxed tranquillity of hotel life on offer in The Gambia. We stayed in the serene Coco Ocean, an oasis of calm sitting alongside the golden sand Atlantic Ocean beach, just a couple of miles and a short taxi ride from the main tourist area of Kololi, with its lively strip of restaurants and bars offering alternatives to the laid back resorts. Opened three years ago, the colonial-style five-star spa and hotel complex boasts a range of suites and facilities to cater for guests on a variety of budgets, ranging up to the palatial Presidential Suite, which as its name suggests, has hosted heads of state and celebrities from across Africa
and beyond. Coco Ocean’s striking whitewashed and distinctively domed buildings are spaciously laid out among palm trees and green gardens, creating an oasis of calm for the perfect winter getaway. Coco Ocean has a mixture of open-air and covered restaurants offering the option of eating African, European and Thai cuisine indoors or in the open air, and bars where you can unwind by the pools or fountains, with only the sound of crashing waves to disturb you.
Further afield, the choice offered at the exclusive complex is replicated across The Gambia, which boasts plenty of hotel options to cater for different tastes and varied holiday experiences. A few miles up the coast from the Coco Ocean, the boutique suites at the quaint Ngala Lodge provide a perfect child-free couples’ retreat.
Away from the coast, guests are outnumbered by the cute and fascinating baboons wandering around the exclusive Mandina Lodges in the 1,000-acre Makasutu Forest. Its eight various lodges sit on stilts or float on the water of a tributary of the River Gambia, where visitors get an authentic feel for the African bush and its wildlife.
Taking a leisurely catamaran trip across the river to the north bank, passing the time sunbathing on deck or watching the playful dolphins leaping from the water in front of the boat, you are whisked off to the remote haven of Sitanunku. Here, just five lodges and a small bar and restaurant are set on a picturesque peninsula, providing guests with the ultimate back-to-nature getaway.
Or for those wanting to explore the true Gambia, the delightful Omakan Hotel is hidden away in the small village of Sukutu, where staff are only too happy to provide guests with information needed to see the country. But however you choose to experience this wonderful country, I bet it leaves you smiling.
FACTFILE
The Gambia Experience, based in Whiteley, is the UK’s only specialist and biggest tour operator to The Gambia, operating from Gatwick. Call 0845 330 2087 or visit gambia.co.uk
Coco Ocean Resort & Spa costs from £1,035 per person for a seven-night B&B stay in a junior suite, including flights, hotel transfers and airport taxes.

Happy Holidays

Jon Reeve - Hampshire Chronicle — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The Gambia Experience

Tim Metcalfe - Limited Edition - Kent — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Walking along Sanyang beach with my feet in Atlantic surf, I fell into conversation with one of The Gambia’s so-called 'bumsters' – grifters who make a living selling trinkets to tourists. These sort of conversations usually result in an exchange of cash for an item you do not need. And that is exactly what happened here — but in the course of my chat with Kalilu Camara I learned that his dream was to become a teacher and build a school in his village of Sanyang.
Was this a line he spun to all the tourists dropping in to sample the delights of his country, I wondered? Pondering this question later it seemed to me that this young man scraping a living on the beach appeared pretty genuine. As well as wanting cash for his seashells, he also asked if I could send him a copy of the Oxford English Dictionary — once we had shared information about what part of the UK I was visitng from.
The beauty of the palm-fringed beach and the circumstances of young Kalilu summed up the contradictions you may discover on a visit to this still developing West African country. The main tourist season in The Gambia runs from November to April — perfect for getting away from the cold, damp and sometimes snowy UK. Humidity increases between July and October, and the rains arrive from August to September. So visitors can experience luxury accommodation in the tourist hotels while soaking up some guaranteed winter sun.
Coco Ocean — where our party of visiting journalists stayed — is a 'village' style resort right on the beach in the tourist area of Bijilo. Designed using a Moroccan architectural theme, it has a spa, offering all kinds of treatments, several swimming pools, bars and restaurants, with rooms and suites to suit most pockets.
Coco Ocean is billed as The Gambia's most luxurious hotel, and has attracted royal visitors from the Middle East and has proved a wonderful location for weddings with a difference, with couples tying the knot in beautifully appointed marquees on the beach. My suite was decorated Moroccan-style, with an amazingly comfortable bed, essential air-con, and a tiled bathroom with a wet-room style shower. Other suites within the resorts did have baths, should guests prefer one.
Facilities at the top-end hotels, such as the Coco Ocean resort and spa, match anything you would find at European or Caribbean resorts. Restaurants within the resort offered a mix of dishes — making good use of the local fish, while catering for European tastes. Gambia may be a Muslim nation, but the country has its own brewery, producing a fine lager called Julbrew — which became the drink of choice among most of our group. If large resort-style hotels are not your scene, The Gambia also offers many smaller guest houses and intimate boutique hotels, such as the beautiful Omakan in the village of Sukuta, owned by the charming and enthusiastic exmusic producer Peter Vanderhallen, or the elegant Ngala Lodge in Fajara. If you wished, you could spend an enjoyable winter break in the sun without moving away from your hotel. But, by not stepping outside your hotel, you would miss experiencing the colourful, fascinating and sometimes chaotic culture of The Gambia found away from the tourist areas. My trip coincided with the Muslim festival of Tabaski, in commemoration of Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his only son, Ismail, in the name of Allah. Every married man or head of household is expected to buy a sheep or other suitable animal for sacrifice.
Tabaski is a massive nationwide barbecue – with visits to the mosque and family celebrations throughout the day. Gambians wear their finest clothes and visit their family and friends. Flocks of goats lined the roadsides and the local markets were packed with people doing last-minute shopping. Imagine our supermarkets on Christmas Eve, add the smells and sounds and bright colours of Africa, and you will get the idea. I experienced the crush first-hand on a bewildering whistle-stop tour of the busy market in the conurbation of Brikama — a labyrinth of stalls and meandering alleyways. You will need the services of a local guide (your travel company will be able to supply details) but this is an experience not to be missed. Stand still long enough amid the bustle and you will also inevitably fall into conversation with friendly passers-by, mostly interested in what you are doing in their country.
English remains the main language of The Gambia, and is taught in schools, so communication is not generally a problem. You can also easily mix a beach resort-style holiday with something a little more adventurous. For example you can get back to nature within the Makasutu Cultural Forest, a 1,000 acre conservation area which is where you will find the Mandina Lodges, a unique eco-resort set in the heart of the Gambian bush. Makasutu was founded by two British men, the late James English and his nephew Lawrence Williams. Originally the well-travelled pair had the idea of setting up a backpackers hostel, but ended up successfully attempting to prevent degradation of the forest by creating a popular tourist destination. Lawrence is also a founder of the Wide Open Walls project, an innovative scheme with has brought street artists to The Gambia.
At Makasutu you can get really close to nature while staying in luxurious lodges, either floating or on stilts over the river or within jungle lodges set back from the water in the bush. The Mandina Lodges have been voted Best Overseas Development Project by the British Guild of Travel Writers. The forest is still home to the indigenous people of the area, who visitors can meet on guided walks through the bush. I enjoyed a trip through the mangroves in a dug-out canoe (known as pirogues) seeing a variety of birds and wildlife. The Gambia has become popular among birdwatchers, with the likes of Autumnwatch presenter Chris Packham leading groups who want to see some of the country's exotic bird life — which includes many species of hornbills, various kingfishers, large and small, plus the fantastic glossy blue starling and some beautiful birds of prey, including the osprey.
While The Gambia may not have big cats or elephants – you will encounter many species of monkey. We were lucky enough to see some rare Western Red Colobus monkeys leaping through palm trees in the Tanji reserve. Fishing is another big attraction for visitors to The Gambia – and a perfect place to base yourself for a trip with rod and line is the new Sitanunku Lodge — a collection of simple (solar-powered) riverside lodges on the north bank of the River Gambia. It will take you a couple of hours to reach Sitanuku by boat. You might be lucky enough — as we were — to see pods of dolphins surfing the bow wave of your boat. Sitanunku is a wonderfully peaceful place, with two pools to relax in and a bar/restaurant area where you can sit in the shade of 400 year-old baobab trees populated, at certain times of the day, by green parrots. The perfect place to sit and write that best-selling novel if you have one in you. But if you are feeling more active you can loan a kayak and explore the river further. Keen anglers visiting The Gambia can hope to catch Cubera Snapper, captain Fish, Barracuda, Lady Fish, Cassava and even large rays. The river around Sitanunku is also home to big Tarpon (upwards of 150kg) which provide a real challenge. Fish is a big part of the local diet and you can enjoy it fresh from the river in the many good restaurants in the Senegambia tourist area. The variety of food on offer was perhaps the thing that surprised me most — you can try local Gambian dishes or go for a combination of European and international menus at the lively restaurants on the Senegambia 'strip'. I tried and enjoyed a Gambian speciality called Benachin — a tasty dish of fish, rice and vegetables.
Of course, The Gambia does have its problems. People are, largely, very poor and climate change could be having an impact on the country. The water table is falling and there are problems with deforestation — which The Gambia Experience is helping to address by supporting environmental management projects in villages where wood is the primary fuel source. But, only six hours away from UK airports, The Gambia provides a great introduction to West Africa, and, if you get hooked, could be the launch-pad for further exploration. Many people return to the country year-after-year, enchanted by the people and the culture. I think I could be one of them.

Blue Sky Thinking

Tim Metcalfe - Oxfordshire Limited Edition — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Normal Service Resumes at Kombo Beach

Tue, 03 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The Kombo Beach Hotel is back in full working order following a fire on New Year’s Eve which damaged some of the beachfront public areas. Where appropriate food and beverage services were relocated to other areas within the hotel by New Year’s Day and a comprehensive clean-up operation is well underway. Disruption to hotel guests at the time was kept to a minimum with many holidaymakers praising the hard work of the staff to ensure the continued smooth running of the hotel.

Bonifacio - Unforgettable Cruise Excursions

Gillian Thornton - The Travel Editor — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Perched on high cliffs at the southern tip of Corsica, Bonifacio is spectacular from any angle, but especially from the water. Take a one-hour cruise excursion beneath the sheer cliffs or spend a relaxing few hours on the unspoilt Iles Lavezzi.

Introduction to Gillian Thornton's Corsica feature as appears on The Travel Editor website.
To read her article in full please click on the below link

Start your African Adventure Here

Nicola Fairhurst - Kent Messenger — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

THE roar of the Atlantic welcomed me to the Coco Ocean resort & Spa on the Gambian coast. After a relatively short journey from London – the flight is six hours – you can be sipping a sundowner in the West African heat by tea-time, leaving the British winter well and truly behind you.
Gambia has emerged as a winter destination to rival traditional out of season hotspots but it offers more than just sun, sea and sand. The Gambia is one of Africa’s smallest countries, sandwiched in the middle of Senegal and divided by the River Gambia which first attracted the British to its shores. It’s coastline is a sliver of golden sand, lined with palm trees and lush vegetation, the air filled with the sound of exotic birds and the call of monkeys.
My short break was arranged by The Gambia Experience who have been showing visitors the delights of West Africa for 25 years. Their choice of hotels and lodges cater for all tastes and budgets but also bring guests closer to the real Gambia. I was staying at the Coco Ocean, considered the most luxurious hotel in The Gambia. The opulent Moroccan-inspired architecture, with domes, whitewashed walls, and tiered gardens sloping toward the sea, offers guests peace and tranquillity. And if the beach-side cabanas aren’t enough to help you unwind, the spa offers a range of treatments to tempt you away from your sunbed. As it wasn’t my first visit to Africa, I was not surprised that the suites were a little rough round the edges but the facilities, service and enthusiastic staff justify the five-star rating.
The one thing that sets The Gambia apart from its rivals are the people, who are friendly and seem to want to personally welcome every visitor to their country. My tour guide Mucki, with a passion for all things Gambian, was keen to boast of all of the country’s many hidden secrets, from the many species of butterfly, to the rare Western red colobus monkey only found in this part of Africa. We dropped in for lunch at the Mandina Lodges after floating upstream in a hollowed-out canoe and found an oasis in the African bush and a world away from the cold and rain at home. Hidden in the midst of Makasutu Forest, guests are assigned a guide for the duration of their stay to explore the tributaries of the River Gambia by canoe or wander through the forest to spot their nearest neighbours – a troop of baboons.
The following day after my jungle adventure, I travelled by catamaran to Sitanunku Lodge on the north bank of the River Gambia. The simple lodges are nestled under Baobab trees and surrounded by vibrant pink and red flowers, with views of the river. While away an afternoon in the plunge pool, or take to the water as I did on a kayak and paddle around the headland. After working up an appetite on the river, I tucked into seafood tapas and beautifully grilled butterfish. On the return journey down river, dolphins danced under the bows of the boat as the sun set on another day in paradise.
So the secret is out, The Gambia offers more than just winter sun and will be the perfect place to start your African adventure.

Factfile
The Gambia Experience is a trade name of Serenity Holidays, established for 24 years. They are the UK’s only specialist and biggest tour operator to The Gambia, operating year round from Gatwick. Contact: The Gambia Experience Reservations - phone 0845 330 2087 or visit www.gambia.co.uk
Coco Ocean Resort & Spa www.gambia.co.uk/cocoocean is exclusive to UK visitors throughThe Gambia Experience. Prices for a seven-night stay start from £1,035 per person (November 28- Dec 11) or £1,097 (April 13-30). Prices include flights, hotel transfers and airport taxes.
Daytime flights with Monarch fly from Gatwick departing on Tuesdays and Fridays during winter 2011/12. All excursions can be booked locally through your representative at the hotel and are operated by West African Tours. The day trip to Sitanunku by catamaran costs £55 per person and includes a BBQ lunch.

Fly south for the winter

Judith Edwards - Reading Chronicle & Bracknell News Christmas Supplement — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Endless sunshine, expansive beaches, gourmet dining, breathtakingly delightful hotels, a palatial spa, wildlife and nature. This is The Gambia and its delights are just a six-hour flight away

Sardinian Places 2012 Now on Sale

Press Office - Sardinian Places — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Sardinian Places, the UK’s leading Sardinia specialist has released its 2012 holiday prices ahead of its new brochure arriving with customers in the New Year. The 2012 Collection is available to view online at www.sardinianplaces.co.uk, with clients able to book through the website or by telephone.

The tour operator continues to offer the largest portfolio of Sardinian properties to the UK holiday market (over 80 choices), with hotels, villas and apartments across the island. There are ten new property additions for 2012, which include:

Wine Resort Leda d'Ittiri, Alghero
www.sardinianplaces.co.uk/leda-dlttiri
Set in 18 hectares of grounds filled with vineyards and olive trees, Wine Resort Leda d’Ittiri is a renovated farmhouse - complete with antique furniture - offering just five guestrooms. Guided tours of the vineyards and olive groves, as well as wine tastings can be arranged by the hotel, which also has a swimming pool, as well as hire bicycles to explore the surrounding countryside.

Villa Montemoro, Santa Teresina
www.sardinianplaces.co.uk/montemoro
Occupying a vantage point 300m above sea level, the three-bedroom Villa Montemoro enjoys one of the finest sea views within the Sardinian Places collection. The views encompass the coastline and mountains for miles around – from the Costa Smeralda on one side, to the Gulf of Arzachena, the Archipelago of la Maddalena, and as far as Corsica on the other side.

Apartment Vista Mare, Porto Istana
www.sardinianplaces.co.uk/vista-mare
The two-bedroom Apartment Vista Mare is situated in the small seaside resort of Porto Istana, just south of Olbia. The covered balcony – running the length of the property – affords views across the
Golfo di Porto Istana. Nearby there is a choice of unspoilt creeks - all with views across to the islands of Tavolara and Molara - offering opportunities to swim in crystal clear waters.

The flight capacity into Sardinia has slightly increased year on year for 2012, and will include a second London Gatwick – Olbia Easyjet flight operating on Saturdays from mid-July. However, despite this increase, flight prices are higher, particularly on key dates such as Half Term, therefore Sardinian Places advises early booking to avoid higher prices closer to departure dates.

The specialist is currently offering three choices of Early Booking Offers on its 2012 holidays, valid if booked by 30 December 2011. These include savings of up to £200 per week on accommodation-only bookings; savings of up to 20% per person on hotel-based bookings; and 10% child discounts available per full paying adult on package holidays. Conditions apply - please contact Sardinian Places for more details. http://www.sardinianplaces.co.uk/Docs/Special-Offers/Early-Booking-Savings.aspx

Sardinian Places can book packages (including any of the UK direct flight routes into the island –subject to availability), as well as accommodation-only for its customers. Next season, (2012), 7-night holidays with Sardinian Places start from £399 per person, based on eight sharing self-catering accommodation at the four-bedroom Sardinian villa, La Mendula, located in the seaside resort of Cannigione. This price includes return flights, car hire & welcome hamper.

The 2012 brochure is available to pre-order online at www.sardinianplaces.co.uk or by calling Sardinian Places Reservations Department on 0845 330 2050.

Philippa Clarke explores the Cape Verde islands

Philippa Clarke - The Daily Mirror — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Just six years ago, the little known Cape Verde islands were hailed as the great new winter sun destination.

Ideally situated off the West Coast of Africa, kept cool from the stifling tropical heat by gentle trade winds, and with mile upon mile of white deserted sand, it was dubbed the “European Caribbean”.

With only a five-and-half hour flight from the UK, it seemed a new paradise had been discovered.

This is the introduction to Philippa Clarke's Cape Verde feature as published in The Sunday Mirror in November 2011. To read this feature please click on The Sunday Mirror web link.

Cape Verde: sun, sea and lots and lots of sand

Tracey Macleod - The Independent — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Families of Britain, gather round. I have found it – the holy grail of holiday destinations. It's hot. It's cheap. And it's less than a six-hour flight away. I'm talking about... Cape Verde! (Cue embarrassed silence, and some shuffling.)

That's pretty much how it went after we came home, when my burbling enthusiasm for our recent destination was met by blank looks and polite murmurs. Name recognition of this archipelago of mid-Atlantic islands 310 miles off the coast of Senegal is almost zero, and most of those who've heard of it know it only as the homeland of the footballer Nani, or the just-retired world-music goddess Césaria Évora, the "Barefoot Diva".

But for anyone looking for guaranteed tropical sunshine, miles of unspoiled white-sand beaches and a low-key, laid-back family experience, it's a fantastic option; like discovering the missing link between the Canaries and the Caribbean. Cape Verde's 10 islands, formerly Portuguese colonies but independent since 1975, have only recently opened up to mass tourism, with the completion of international airports on Boa Vista and Sal. Some of the islands are lush and jungly. Our destination, Boa Vista, is basically a lump of parched volcanic rock. But it has beaches – oh boy, does it ever have beaches.

It was the sheer quantity of sand that came as a shock when we first arrived. Acres of the stuff, dumped over the Atlantic by winds from the Sahara, stretched away in every direction in front of our hotel by the pristine Praia De Chaves beach, on the island's west coast. To a family whose last five holidays have been spent combing Mediterranean islands in vain for a pebbly strip to swim from, it wasn't so much a beach as a mind-blowing parallel universe. A constant wind naps the sand into a desert-like landscape of ribbed undulations and heaps it into spectacular Saharan dunes that tower over the beach.

On the other hand, the wind also whipped the sea into huge breakers – the kind of conditions only a kite-surfer could love – making it a place for children to paddle and splash in, rather than swim. Our hotel, the Royal Decameron, operated a flag system, indicating when the sea was safe. It seemed to be red-for-danger most of the week, though I did get a couple of opportunities to push myself through the broiling white foam to the clear green water beyond the breakers.

A beach where you can't really swim sounds disappointing, but it wasn't. Just sitting and watching the waves, and the zip-wire effect as cross-currents ripped across the surface, was blissful, and there was always the possibility that a humpback whale might put in an appearance.

"No stress", we were told several times, is the Cape Verde motto, and the package offered by the Royal Decameron delivered on that promise. We'd never been on an all-inclusive family holiday before, but after a week, we were converts. What had we been doing all these years in our self-catering villas, renting cars, and shopping, and cooking, and washing up (the use of "we" is a formality, obviously), when we could have just been lying around by the pool drinking unlimited beer? In Cape Verde, we got a proper, relaxing break, with all the convenience and ease of a package holiday, but without any of the crowds.

Best of all, from a "no stress" point of view, was the lack of fuss and fretting around mealtimes. Usually on holiday, I torment myself and my captives, forcing everyone to drive for miles to sample the amazing grilled sardines in some far-flung taverna I've read about on TripAdvisor. What a liberation to be limited to only three restaurants – the one in the hotel, the other one near the beach, or the snack bar. When I explained to my 10-year-old, who was tucking into his second pizza, that you didn't even need to pay for anything, he breathed: "This has got to be one of the best hotels in the world."

We were one of only a few British families, our native tongue signalled by a coloured wristband. Most of the staff spoke a little English, but our nationality meant we could move around almost unnoticed, safe from the forced jollities of the dreaded "animation" team. By day, this tireless troupe of French and Cape Verdean youngsters staffed the kids' club and conducted exercise and dance classes by the pool. At night they put on dance shows, and dragged lumpen Europeans up to salsa with them.

Music is everywhere in Cape Verde, from the jaunty piped Afro-pop that was played by the main pool all day, to the visiting musicians who performed murmuring fado-like mornas at night. Like so much about the islands, the music fuses influences from Europe, Africa and South America – a product of the islands' history as an important provisioning call for sailing ships en route to South America, and later a trading post for the West African slave trade.

The last century hasn't been kind to the Cape Verde islands: economic emigration, mostly to Portugal, became the only option for many of its men. Boa Vista, whose only natural resource is salt, was plagued by droughts. A few years ago, members of a remote coastal community were desperate enough to resort to eating the rare loggerhead turtles that breed there. However, in recent years, the Cape Verdean government has been investing heavily to promote the poorer islands as tourist resorts. Boa Vista opened up to international flights in 2007, and new roads and hotels are springing up. While the island still feels undeveloped, it probably won't do for long.

The main town, Sal Rei, still shows its colonial bones beneath the gaudily painted concrete and rubble, but it has a long way to go before it's a tourist destination in its own right. I joined a French excursion from the hotel to watch a service at the evangelical church. The poverty, and the persistent attentions of hawkers trying to sell me bad art (and in one mortifying encounter, trying to arrange a night-time rendezvous on the beach), made for a dispiriting experience.

Much more fun was a day-trip we took with a local guide, Dada, to Santa Monica beach, 11 miles of undeveloped white sand. Reachable by 4x4, down miles of bumpy track, it's on the southern, sheltered side of the island, which means no wind and no waves. We finally got our swim.

The journey home – with Dada driving straight at vertical sand dunes, the car straining to the top and careening down the other side – the boys declared to be the best adventure they'd ever had.

Our last day in Boa Vista presented us with the ultimate leaving gift. As we sat on the beach, I spotted a burst of white water, then a flash of white belly, and a humpback whale came cresting out the water quite near to shore. We watched it pass along the length of the bay, twisting and diving, as 500 excited guests came pouring out of the hotel to film it.

At my children's insistence, we are planning a return to Cape Verde. Boa Vista isn't smart, or cool, or designery. Nor is there a huge amount to do, unless you're prepared to throw your lot in with the French, and allow the animation team to teach you to Charleston, or zumba, in the broiling mid-morning heat. But it's hot, it's fairly close to the UK, and it's relatively cheap. And we loved it.

Price Match Guarantee for October Bookings

Press Office - The Gambia Experience — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Specialist tour operator, The Gambia Experience has introduced a Price Match Guarantee*, valid for winter holidays (November 2011 – April 2012) if booked in October 2011. The guarantee means that if a holidaymaker finds the same holiday cheaper anywhere else, The Gambia Experience will match the price. NB: Must be based on same departure date, departure airport, hotel, board basis and room type.

The Gambia Experience is pleased to announce that holiday questionnaire feedback for the winter season 2010/11 has revealed that 95% of its customers said they would return to The Gambia, and 97% of its customers said they would recommend The Gambia Experience to their friends.

For more on The Gambia Experience’s ‘superior holiday service’ and holiday packages for this winter, please visit www.gambia.co.uk or call The Gambia Experience Reservations Department on 0845 330 2087.

* The Price Match Guarantee excludes the Kairaba Hotel for stays over Christmas & New Year.

2012 Holidays now on Sale with Early Booking Offers

Press Office - Corsican Places — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Corsican Places, the UK’s leading Corsica specialist, released 2012 holiday prices today [Monday 03 October] ahead of its new 2012 brochure arriving with customers next month. The tour operator continues to offer the largest portfolio of Corsican properties to the UK holiday market – currently 140, but with more to be added to the Corsican Places website, www.corsica.co.uk
Highlights of the new 2012 collection include:

NEW PROPERTIES
Six new hotels & eight new self-catering properties including:

Le Moulin de Borgolaccio – Ville di Paraso
www.corsica.co.uk/borgolaccio
New for 2012, Le Moulin de Borgolaccio is a renovated flour mill set in the mountainous villages of La Balagne, affording views across the Regino valley. This three-bedroom house – retaining original features such as a grinding wheel – is a must for those seeking a character property in a rural location.

La Tour de Calanca – Olmeto Plage
www.corsica.co.uk/calanca
The most unique property in the Corsican Places collection is la Tour de Calanca - dating back to the 15th century and originally a watchtower, it was designed to protect the Corsican coast from pirate invasion. This one-bedroom house comes complete with rooftop terrace and views over the Valinco Bay and is just a stroll away from a secluded beach.

NEW FLIGHT: MANCHESTER – CALVI WITH FLYBE
Corsican Places is pleased to announce that it will charter a new flight route for 2012: Manchester – Calvi with Flybe, aboard the airline’s brand new E175 aircraft.
Next season (2012), Corsican Places will also continue to charter its London Stansted – Calvi flight with Titan Airways, as well as again offer the London Heathrow – Figari flight with bmi British Midland. Corsican Places can book holiday packages incorporating any of the UK flight routes into the island – subject to availability.

EARLY BOOKING OFFERS
Corsican Places is also offering a range of Early Booking Offers on its 2012 holidays, valid if booked by 30 November 2011. These include savings of £50 per person on flight inclusive holidays* staying at chosen properties, for travel on selected dates in May, June or September 2012.
Increased Child Discounts and Free UK Airport Lounge Access are also available. Please see www.corsica.co.uk for more details.

Next season, prices start from £399 per person (four sharing), based on seven nights self-catering in a two-bedroom apartment, including flights and transfers. For more information, call Corsican Places Reservations Department on 0845 330 2113 or visit www.corsica.co.uk.

* must include either the Stansted – Calvi; Manchester – Calvi OR London Heathrow – Figari flights.

Small is beautiful on this African adventure

Derek James - Norwich Evening News — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Small is beautiful on this African adventure

In the smallest mainland African country, small really is beautiful. Derek James reports on new resorts in The Gambia, a far cry from the bold and brash all-inclusive hotels which are now dominating the winter sunshine market.

There was a time when many people who visited The Gambia spent most of the time lying on the beach or around the pool with the occasional wander to the bar and the odd excursion into the “bush.” Local culture came from a visit to the hotel by dancers and musicians and a trip to the local market to stock up on African souvenirs. That’s fine but some of you may think that is a crying shame because outside the hotel there is a country which could change your life. Many visitors who did venture outside, meet and make friends with Gambians and discover their way of life, found their own lives taking on a new course. Yes of course there is poverty – this is Africa – but there is also laughter, lots of it, and Gambians are among the most friendly and welcoming people in the world.

The granddaddy of tourism to the Smiling Coast of West Africa is The Gambia Experience which has been sending people there for almost a quarter of a century. They have the biggest and best resort team, led so well by Joyce Stavroulakis, and offer more hotels than any other operator.

Earlier this year I visited the country to take a look at two new resorts on offer for the first time this season and called in at an old favourite. Three very different places to stay which illustrate how this country is reaching out to holidaymakers looking for more than just sun this winter. It may be a little land but it has a big heart.

NGALA LODGE
“Stop!” I said.
The taxi driver, who told me he knew “every inch of my land,” screeched to a halt.
He had been bowling along the coastal highway running towards Cape Point and had driven straight past the modest entrance to Ngala Lodge. It’s not often you get one over on a taxi driver, especially a Gambian one in his own country. “Just checking you knew where it was,” he laughed as we turned around. To be fair this isn’t a glitzy hotel with a flash entrance. It’s a colonial mansion which has been turned into a wonderfulplace to stay – and if you want to relax in stunning surroundings then this is the place for you. There is nowhere else quite like it. A smile and a handshake awaits you at reception and from then on, until the day of departure, they will look after your every need.
Most of the staff have been at the lodge for a long time and many of the guests who return every year, have become a good friends. Staying here is more like being a guest of a wealthy friend rather than staying in a hotel. It is discreet, intimate with a warm and welcoming atmosphere in a perfect position overlooking the mighty Atlantic Ocean. By day you can enjoy the gardens, the pool, or the beach and at night sit on your large balcony enjoying a drink and listening to the waves roll in. There are only 18 rooms. You can stay in one of the suites in the main lodge or in upgraded Manor or Atlantic rooms, with gardens and Jacuzzis. The working town of Bakau, a great place to visit and not spoilt by tourism, is
within walking distance. Oh, and I forget to say the restaurant at Ngala, overlooking the ocean, is one of
the best in the country. View the menus on www.Gambia.co.uk/ngalarestaurant

OMAKAN HOTEL
Most tourist hotels overlook a beach which is fine if that is what you are looking for…but the Omakan, being offered for the first time by The Gambia Experience, is very different. As a guest here you will be surrounded by the real Africa well away from the coastal area packed with tourists. So much thought and care has gone into designing this small, first class hotel, which offers magnificent rooms and facilities. Once again the welcome by owner Peter and his staff is as warm as the weather. They will meet you at the airport and take you straight to the Omakan, in Sukuta, a place they are all so proud of. It is made up of 15 beautiful suites clustered around a swimming pool. It oozes style and sophistication. You will be staying a couple of miles inland but all around are the sights and sounds of Africa and the staff and the locals are only too pleased to show you their country, their customs and traditions. Be warned – it’s a way of life you could fall in love with and you know what that
means: you’ll be back.

FACTFILE
The Gambia Experience offers year round flights to the Gambia, with twice weekly departures from Gatwick during the winter enabling popular 10 and 11 night holidays – ideal for twin centre stays.
Prices for a seven night holiday staying at the luxury boutique hotel, Ngala Lodge cost from £982pp, based on two sharing an air-conditioned room on bed & breakfast, inclusive of flights and inflight meals, hotel transfers and airport taxes.
Prices for a three night add-on stay at Sitanunku Lodge will cost from £295pp or, for a three night add-on-stay at Omakan Hotel – prices cost from £199pp.
Both three night add-on packages include half board accommodation and hotel transfers. The company also offers other hotels to suit all tastes and pockets in The Gambia and neighbouring Senegal.
Visit www.gambia.co.uk or call 0845 330 4567.

Our friends in The Gambia

Derek James - Let's Talk Magazine — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Our friends in the Gambia
More winter sunshine hotspots are offering big and bold 5* all inclusive deals in large hotels but in the smallest mainland African country, small really is beautiful. Derek James reports from The Gambia.
There was a time when many people who visited The Gambia spent most of the time lying on the beach or around the pool with the occasional wander to the bar and the odd excursion into the “bush.” Local culture came from a visit to the hotel by dancers and musicians and a trip to the local market to stock up on African souvenirs. That’s fine but some of you may think that is a crying shame because outside the hotel there is a country which could change your life. Many visitors who did venture outside, meet and make friends with Gambians and discover their way of life, found their own lives taking on a new course. Yes of course there is poverty – this is Africa – but there is also laughter, lots of it, and Gambians are among the most friendly and welcoming people in the world.

Sweet Senegal

Jane Labous - Real Travel Magazine — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The first thing I notice as we take a taxi from Dakar airport into the city is the lack of car horns. There's an eerie silence; just the metallic hum of the driver's radio and the limpid stillness of the African dusk as we pull onto a roundabout (a roundabout!) and drive along the new highway that runs along the once dust road lining the corniche. It's a surprise, for the African roads I'm used to are a cacaphonous, often terrifying riot of noise and unruliness. Ten years ago I lived in Dakar for a year, and what was once a hair-raising ride through an array of decrepid cars, motorbikes, scooters, carts and pedestrians, with a background of indiscriminate hooting, is now, um, not unlike driving along a country road in Surrey...
“Hooting is as important as the brakes in Africa!” agrees the taxi driver cheerfully when I comment on this unusual phenomenon. “But Dakar drivers are learning...”
There are other things afoot in Dakar, West Africa's most developed, most forward-thinking city. It may still have its street hawkers and its chaos, but it's now a thoroughly modern metropolis with a vibrant cultural scene and, in a city always well-known for its beautiful, exceptionally chic women, fashionistas galore.
Indeed, the Senegalese are a truly beautiful race. Wandering, we find ourselves gasping at the mere sight of these long-legged, gleaming-skinned, finely-boned creatures crossing the road. Meanwhile, the city's distinctive yellow and blue minibuses which have formed Dakar’s intercity bus service for years still trundle along streets crowded with boys selling oranges from wheelbarrows; women roasting sweetcorn on oil stoves and outdoor hairdressers. It's just that all around, modern apartments are springing up and adverts celebrate mobile networks, sports centres (from wrestling to running, weight lifting and football, Senegalese men love to work out) – and cigarettes.
That said, don't under-estimate the African heat and the African, well, chaos – for it is still at large. One sight a day is generally enough, with plentiful stops for water, lunch, a cold Coke and snacks. For some reason the combination of 30-plus degree heat, a dusty city and lots of people will always have you craving the stillness of your hotel and a dip in the pool by mid-afternoon.
Most tourists visit Ile Gorée, an island just off the coast and reached by a ferry from the city port. Its colonial prettiness – all palms and pastel-painted houses - sits unsettlingly with its history. Gorée was West Africa’s main slave trading post during the 18th and 19th centuries and the Maison Des Esclaves is a preserved Dutch colonial house dating from 1776, where slaves were kept in chains on the ground floor while the owners lived in luxury upstairs. The door leading directly out to sea, where les esclaves were loaded onto boats and sent across the Atlantic to South America, is particularly disturbing.
But Dakar is a city that must be delved into to be appreciated. Some of the best musicians in Africa – guys like Cheikh Lo, Pape Diouf, Pape et Cheikh or Toure Kunde, who pack out places like the Royal Albert Hall in London - play impromptu gigs at hidden bars. You'll find the music swings until six in the morning as ebullient audiences dance Mbalax to the beat of the drum. Dakarites know how to party and if you want to see a good time in this city, it's best to join them.
So we do. Sunset is long gone when we head out to Just 4 U, easily missed if you're not looking for it, hidden behind a shabby wall in the Point E district. Inside, trendy Dakarites sip Coke and chat around plastic tables laid out beneath the palms. The band saunters on stage unhurriedly at about quarter past 11, the bass guitarist drawing on a cigarette. It's an inauspicious start but when they get going this place reverberates with colourful counter-rhythms and incredible improvisations, all a background to soulful Wolof lyrics.
When the drummer hoists his tama, the talking drum, onto his shoulder and taps out a rolling beat – question answer, question answer – the crowd claps and cheers and rocks. A man in a long purple boubou gets up and dances the Mbalax as the talking drum rolls on. It's a strange, beautiful dance, chaotic and graceful all at the same time, derived from a mixture of traditional Sabar Senegalese dancing and more modern styles. In the days to come we see it many times – the suggestive, comical swirl of the dancer's buttocks (known mystifyingly as the “electric fan”); the almost robotic movements of knees and legs to match the beat of the drum and the jelkati - a move in which the dancer moves his upper arms, bent at the elbows, in parallel motion from left to right to the beat of the drum.
It's not the only music we see in Dakar. When he's in town, Youssou N'Dour, he of the Neneh Cherry duet Seven Seconds and a big big star in West Africa, plays live on Saturday nights at his club Thiossane. His gigs draw heaving crowds of excited fans who dance until the early hours. We go, we dance, we cheer, we sweat to the fast-driving, interweaving sound of Youssou's traditional sabar drummers. It is one of the best concerts I've ever seen in my life.
The road north out of Dakar takes us through the former colonial trading town of Rufisque, where goats are traded on the dusty square amidst a hubbub of traffic and fruit stalls; hawkers sell everything from peanuts to papayas; lorries rumble past and carts pull passengers and goods. You can still gather the colonial elegance of the crumbling buildings lining the road; their roofs are caved in and their colours faded by the sun and the dirt, but they still tell the tale of what was once one of the most important French settlements in Senegal.
A few kilometres away is the Lac Rose, or pink lake, widely vaunted as one of the country's main tourist attractions. I have to admit that on both occasions I've visited, I've found it rather underwhelming – its water is ten times saltier than the sea but in the bright midday light it's more light beige than rose pink and the touts round the edge make the experience a little wearing.
Much more worthwhile is the village of Kayar, further up the coast, a working fishing village with thousands of colourful pirogues parked on the beach. You can see the entire process here, from the boats being launched to the catch being landed. Seabirds swirl overhead and children rush along the shore as we walk along the sand, being lightly chatted up by a couple of locals. We ignore them and watch a group of fishermen enlist the help of the whole family to haul in one of the boats. In the shade of a boat bow, two women and some toddlers pick tiny shrimps from the nets as a lady in colourful robes sways past with a bowl of fish on her head.
There's every reason to hire a four-by-four in Senegal; not only will it have all-important air-conditioning, but it will cope with the rough roads which often veer off from the main drag. Yamar, our extremely knowledgeable guide and driver, is not only a mine of information but a skilled off-road driver. He takes us into one of the country's hidden and largely unvisited regions, the Lompoul desert.
When I lived in Senegal I didn't even know this area existed. We spend almost four hours driving along the area's off-road “piste des charettes”, or horse cart tracks, past fields of bissap (hibiscus – known as “Senegal's Red Bull”, it makes a bright red, sweet soft drink that can be found everywhere from street corners to bars), cassava, beans and mounds of harvested peanuts. I am astonished to arrive at a vast, dune landscape that resembles a mini Sahara. One hour before sunset the dunes glow gold. We take our shoes off and sprint up and over them as the wind ruffles the sand into patterns. Gradually the sun becomes more intense, the place lights up, and I realise why there's really no better place to watch a sunset than in the desert, surrounded by golden light.
We stay at a the Camp du Desert nestled behind the dunes, where we're given a beautiful bedouin tents simply but perfectly equipped with a double bed, rush matting, pretty Moroccan lamps and a private outdoor shower and loo. The evening is a blur of stars and spirits. Over dinner the friendly bedouin chef offers us “fruit punch”. I have no idea what happened next, apart from a vague memory of lying on a mat outside pointing out the constellations. Yamar later assures me (with a wry grin) that he doesn't get tourists drunk on purpose. The next morning we both concluded (with slightly heavy heads) that it was the best possible night in the desert one could have.
St Louis is Senegal's second largest town; the first city in West Africa to be colonised by the French in 1659. By the 1790s it was a thriving trading town for goods and slaves and its colonial past is still very much evident in its architecture.
On St Louis island, the former European quarter, we find grand old four-storey buildings, pastel coloured, with wrought iron balconies and regal windows; quiet, dusty streets where goats stray and dogs lounge; gaggles of children in pink overalls chattering back from school. Most impressive perhaps is the rusting Pont Faidherbe bridge, designed by Gustav Eiffel in 1897. It links the mainland and island and is being refurbished in an extremely slow project (think years not months).
Further on, the Pont Mustapha bridge links the island to the coastal African quarter and affords a picturesque view of the pirogues along the river and the higgledy-piggledy roofs of the market stretching along the banks. Once across, you find the usual chaos of an African town, but it's down on the beach where it all happens. Kids play in the breaking waves as the women gut fish and boys play football. Further along, all the town's menfolk seem to be involved in a wrestling competition. A lithe, gleaming boy in orange pants beckons me over and motions for me to photograph him, mid-wrestle, proving that a poser is a poser, wherever you are in the world.
Further on, nets have been hung out to dry and the afternoon heat lessens as the sea mist from the incoming tide envelopes the beach. We stroll back, keen to avoid the fish heads and other miscellaeous items being washed in around our feet.
The best part about St Louis is arguably the Langue de Barbarie, a long stretch of sand straddled by the city which runs south separating the river from the sea. A pirogue shuttles us out to an island - immediately dubbed Crab Island because of the crowd of almost transparent crabs who come scuttling out to welcome us the minute our boat draws up at the jetty.
There's no-one here but us (you won't find many British tourists in Senegal – those who come are normally French, and even then, they tend to stay in the big resorts), the crabs and a barman. Oh, and a golden labrador who seems to like nothing better than to chase the crabs about. It's stunning.
Our hut, decorated in dark wood, colonial style, overlooks the river. On the other side of the narrow island is the sea, a strange wild beach where crabs pop up to check for intruders before waltzing sideways across the beach. That night dinner is served is a big Mauritanian tent – chicken, rice and to finish, Senegal's famous three tea ceremony. The ritual, in which three small glasses of tea which gradually get sweeter and sweeter are served to the visitor, is a traditional form of welcome in Senegal and other parts of West Africa.
“The first,” says the waiter huskily, handing us a small glass, “is “amere comme la mort.” Bitter as death. “La deuxieme est doux comme la vie” Soft as life. “Et la troisieme,” he pauses and winks, “est miel comme l'amour.” Sweet as love.
We head out the following morning and I close my eyes and trail my hand in the water as we zoom back across the river in the tranquil morning sunshine. It takes us three hours to drive back down the coast to our next stop – Toubab Dialao – a place where I used to come on the weekends as a student ten years ago. I'm interested to see how it has changed.
It has changed... Where once lay a small village with two tiny “campements” and a wild, uninhabited beach, there's now a burgeoning tourist centre. The banks of the beach, once inhabited only by prickly pear bushes and stray dogs, is now dotted with impressive holiday homes built by “toubabs” - tourists. The stray dogs still abound but nowadays there are a few more toubabs to hassle. We stay at Sobo Bade (www.espacesobobade.com), the clifftop artists' colony that has been there for years. It is entirely decorated with seashell mosaics and overlooks the ocean, deep blue at midday against the shimmering white of the shell walls and roofs. Today the sea is calm and warm. I notice the way the coast has eroded in the years since I visited. A rocky outcrop that used to jut far into the sea is now nearly entirely worn down, testament to the big waves and rips which often hit this untamed coast.
But it is hot in Toubab, too hot in the un-airconditioned rooms after a while (perhaps my student self was more tolerant...), and we leave the next day for the relative cool of the La Madrague hotel (www.hotel-madrague.com) on N'Gor beach in Dakar. It's my favourite place to stay; the suburb of N'Gor is a retreat from the city centre and at not much more than £40 for a clean, airy double, it's a real bargain.
The small island of N'Gor is reached via a five minute pirogue ride, costing CFA500 return. Tourists and locals bundle on – it's a favourite on the weekend amongst city folk. Over on the island the water is clear and perfect for snorkelling and there are numerous chilled-out beach restaurants serving all sorts of fresh, grilled fish and vegetables, the very best kind of Senegalese food.
Also worth a visit are the Iles de la Madeleine, a small crop of islands about four kilometres off the coast west of central Dakar. It's problematic getting here. After an incident last year in which a fisherman was shot out by the island's warden, local fishermen have largely stopped taking tourists. But thanks to a few negotiations from Yamar, a fisherman agrees to take us across. From the sea, the island looks like a great lump of rock. But chugging into a tiny peninsula we find deserted lagoons of sparkling turquoise water, one palm tree and a spread of grainy sand covered in bleached white sea urchin skeletons.
The ultimate desert island experience, it is only enhanced (well, in retrospect) by the fact that our esteemed captain manages to maroon our boat on the rocks as the tide goes out and the evening draws in. Much debate ensues as to how to solve the problem. Captain hugs us both. I, vaguely sun-stroked, burst into tears. Two urchin hunters appear on the horizon and we all pull it out. Two hours later we set sail.
But of course this is Senegal and never, in Senegal, do you quite know what's going to happen next. Sweet as love, I think they say...

Small country, big welcome

Derek James - Eastern Daily Press — Sat, 27 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT

SMALL COUNTRY, BIG WELCOME

More winter sunshine hotspots are offering big and bold 5* all inclusive deals in large hotels but in the smallest mainland African country, small really is beautiful. Derek James reports from The Gambia.

There was a time when many people who visited The Gambia spent most of the time lying on the beach or around the pool with the occasional wander to the bar and the odd excursion into the “bush.” Local culture came from a visit to the hotel by dancers and musicians and a trip to the local market to stock up on African souvenirs. That’s fine but some of you may think that is a crying shame because outside the hotel there is a country which could change your life. Many visitors who did venture outside, meet and make friends with Gambians and discover their way of life, found their own lives taking on a new course. Yes of course there is poverty – this is Africa – but there is also laughter, lots of it, and Gambians are among the most friendly and welcoming people in the world.

The granddaddy of tourism to the Smiling Coast of West Africa is The Gambia Experience which has been sending people there for almost a quarter of a century. They have the biggest and best resort team, led so well by Joyce Stavroulakis, and offer more hotels than any other operator.

Earlier this year I visited the country to take a look at two new resorts on offer for the first time this season and called in at an old favourite. Three very different places to stay which illustrate how this country is reaching out to holidaymakers looking for more than just sun this winter. It may be a little land but it has a big heart.

NGALA LODGE
“Stop!” I said.
The taxi driver, who told me he knew “every inch of my land,” screeched to a halt.
He had been bowling along the coastal highway running towards Cape Point and had driven straight past the modest entrance to Ngala Lodge. It’s not often you get one over on a taxi driver, especially a Gambian one in his own country. “Just checking you knew where it was,” he laughed as we turned around. To be fair this isn’t a glitzy hotel with a flash entrance. It’s a colonial mansion which has been turned into a wonderfulplace to stay – and if you want to relax in stunning surroundings then this is the place for you. There is nowhere else quite like it. A smile and a handshake awaits you at reception and from then on, until the day of departure, they will look after your every need.
Most of the staff have been at the lodge for a long time and many of the guests who return every year, have become a good friends. Staying here is more like being a guest of a wealthy friend rather than staying in a hotel. It is discreet, intimate with a warm and welcoming atmosphere in a perfect position overlooking the mighty Atlantic Ocean. By day you can enjoy the gardens, the pool, or the beach and at night sit on your large balcony enjoying a drink and listening to the waves roll in. There are only 18 rooms. You can stay in one of the suites in the main lodge or in upgraded Manor or Atlantic rooms, with gardens and Jacuzzis. The working town of Bakau, a great place to visit and not spoilt by tourism, is
within walking distance. Oh, and I forget to say the restaurant at Ngala, overlooking the ocean, is one of
the best in the country. View the menus on www.Gambia.co.uk/ngalarestaurant

SITANUNKU LODGE
“Take the wheel,” said Marcel as the speed boat almost flew through the waters of the mighty River Gambia. I hadn’t got the heart to tell him I hadn’t even got a driving licence and hadn’t been behind the wheel of a car for more than 30 happy years. But I took the wheel and as we twisted and turned around the arteries of this great African river with the water spraying our faces, I was really stating to enjoy myself. I was on our way back to “civilisation” from an all-too-short visit to the Sitanunku Lodge, the first tourist lodge on the North Bank of the river most of tourism has turned its back on. The most many tourists see of this river is a day trip, such as Roots, but now you can stay in one of the five lodges built by Marcel and his team overlooking the river near Dog Island. This is thoughtful eco-friendly tourism involving the local community and it provides many of them with much needed work. The lodges themselves are a joy to stay in and you have the river on your doorstep. You can canoe or fish, go bird-watching or explore the local village. And there is a plunge pool with fabulousviews next to the bar and restaurant where the freshly cooked food is delicious.
Leave Gatwick in the morning and by early evening you could be sitting outside your lodge. It’s that close. Just an hour’s journey by road and boat from Banjul Airport, less than six hours from Gatwick. And it is extremely good value…for a holiday like no other head for Sitanunku.

OMAKAN HOTEL
Most tourist hotels overlook a beach which is fine if that is what you are looking for…but the Omakan, being offered for the first time by The Gambia Experience, is very different. As a guest here you will be surrounded by the real Africa well away from the coastal area packed with tourists. So much thought and care has gone into designing this small, first class hotel, which offers magnificent rooms and facilities. Once again the welcome by owner Peter and his staff is as warm as the weather. They will meet you at the airport and take you straight to the Omakan, in Sukuta, a place they are all so proud of. It is made up of 15 beautiful suites clustered around a swimming pool. It oozes style and sophistication. You will be staying a couple of miles inland but all around are the sights and sounds of Africa and the staff and the locals are only too pleased to show you their country, their customs and traditions. Be warned – it’s a way of life you could fall in love with and you know what that
means: you’ll be back.

FACTFILE

The Gambia Experience offers the widest choice of year round flights to the Gambia, with twice weekly departures from Gatwick during the winter enabling populat10 and 11 night holidays – ideal for twin centre stays.
Prices for a seven night holiday staying at the luxury boutique hotel, Ngala Lodge cost from £982pp, based on two sharing an air-conditioned room on bed & breakfast, inclusive of flights and inflight meals, hotel transfers and airport taxes.
Prices for a three night add-on stay at Sitanunku Lodge will cost from £295pp or, for a three night add-on-stay at Omakan Hotel – prices cost from £199pp.
Both three night add-on packages include half board accommodation and hotel transfers. The company also offers a host of other hotels to suit all tastes and pockets in The Gambia and neighbouring Senegal including a number of mix and match deals.
Visit www.gambia.co.uk or call 0845 330 4567.

DID YOU KNOW?
Gambia is surrounded by big brother Senegal – another fascinating African country and one well worth visiting. The Gambia Experience offers a number of two-centre holidays including a brilliant Rivers of West Africa Cruise and stay tour. Pick up a brochure or see their website for details.

Nyodema Fifth Festival Fundraising Success

Press Office - The Gambia Experience — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Nyodema’s fifth annual festival - organised by Kathryn Burrington from The Gambia Experience and her friends - was 'a great day of diverse and inspiring music' according to festival goer Kevin Short.

An array of artists entertained the crowd at Nyodema's World Music and Arts Festival held last Saturday [20 August 2011] at The Waverley on Bognor¹s seafront.

The day started on the verandah with rock n roll from Slim Jim and the Wildcards against a back drop of blue skies and the glistening sea. A variety of musical genres followed including Slim Lightfoot¹s delta blues, a guest appearance by two Gambian drummers, the beautiful voice of Daisy Mouatt, medieval/Spanish guitar from Claude Bourbon, the West African rhythms of the Nyodema Drummers, and songs from around the world including traditional gospel and a spine-tingling Baka chant from the Nyodema World Community Choir. Morgana Villen Castro performed a stunning fusion of flamenco and belly-dancing, as well as holding a popular workshop. The children¹s percussion workshop led by Chris Diallo from Hands on Skin brought out some fabulous young talent.

"Nyodema's choir and drumming group is going from strength to strength. The weekly workshops held here in Bognor have proved a great success and both groups thoroughly enjoyed performing to such a receptive audience. New members are always welcome and no experience is necessary." said Geraldine Allchurch, the choir's director.

The evening's entertainment in the function room had everyone up and dancing. "What a great vibe - the whole day - then capped with Rattlin' Bone's feel from 'The Big Easy' ending perfectly with reggae from Planetman and the Internationalz!" said Stewart Nicol, compere for the day.

The raffle, stalls, workshops and donations collected throughout the day raised over £1,000. These funds will be used to provide children with insecticide treated mosquito nets and to continue developing the school in Dairuharu that Nyodema has built (with the assistance of the charity Karmic Angels) in The Gambia, one of Africa's poorest countries.

"Nyodema would like to thank The Waverley and their staff, the ROX charity for the loan of equipment, all the artists, volunteers and sponsors, including The Gambia Experience, and everyone who contributed to making this a really wonderful day" said Nyodema treasurer, Shelagh Hamilton.

For more information, please visit www.nyodema.org or call Kathryn on 07974 472 137.

Untamed indulgence: Seduced by Sardinia

Julie Burchill - The Independent — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The start to my Sardinia trip was not an auspicious one; having consumed two champagne breakfasts before 11am, I left my make-up bag on the plane after the drink-and-you'll-miss-it two-hour flight. I can imagine all you super-smart, let's-be-AVing-you Indy readers looking well sneery at that, but for a blue-collar Beryl Cook character made flesh who's been staggering around dumb with lipgloss and blinded by kohl since the age of 12, it was quite a culture shock. Also, NIGELLA GAVE ME THAT MAKE UP BAG! Black sequins! I cursed, as I reflected how my one legit source of dropping Nigella's name – "Ooo, that's pretty!" "Yes, Nigella gave it to me" – was now quite possibly the property of some heedless trolley dolly.

But within 30 minutes of landing we were splashing about in the beautiful, colour-changing pool at the Hotel Relais Villa del Golfo and Spa resort in Cannigione, on the Costa Smeralda (Emerald Coast) overlooking the bay of Arzachena, without a care in the world.

The Villa del Golfo is a tiny bit rustic, and at home even a whiff of rustic bread would be enough to send me cross-eyed with rage – we are an urban island, and only ocean-going ponces pretend otherwise; the sort of saps who can only have an orgasm on Cath Kidston bed linen. But in this almost viciously verdant setting, leavened by the sophistication of a library, a bridge room and an American Bar, the golden threads of the wall tapestries shimmering in the glow from the granite fireplace, suddenly it all made sense. It must be the sensuality of the Mediterranean that makes gorgeous a mode of decoration that in rainy old England just seems ditsy, mumsy and clumsily executed. That's the thing about rustic charm, I find – if it don't fit, don't force it!

Sardinia's brand of rustic charm is the opposite of the dread Kidstonia, thank the Lord. Looking out from the lushness of the pool over the sunset beauty of the bay, this place lets you know from the get-go that it can be as wild as you want it to be – not as in Girls Gone Wild, but as in untamed. Here, in the place DH Lawrence described as "outside the circuit of civilisation", many shepherds speak Latin and some breezes blow in from Africa, and the landscape is scattered with Neolithic monuments.

Even the flag is scary-beautiful: four blindfolded heads, called "Four Moors" and thought to represent captured pirates, similar to the flag of Sardinia's neighbour, Corsica, which is just an hour away by sea. I don't know Corsica well, but they appear to have much in common; wild terrain, beautiful beaches and extreme pride worn like a national costume. Replacing some silly make-up was now the last thing on my mind; seeing as much as I could of this amazing island – we were only there for three nights – was all I could think of. And our tour started just a few steps from the bar, in the hotel's Il Miraluna restaurant.

I'll admit that the food side of things was where I thought that Sardinia's wildness might be a problem. Since I was a teenager I have been struggling ineffectually to be a vegetarian, and over the years I have succeeded in cutting those animals which I find beautiful – pigs, lambs, ducks – out of my diet. Paradoxically, I don't eat animals who I consider ugly either – no turkey! This leaves me in the admittedly morally ludicrous position of eating only animals I find moderately attractive – cows, chickens and fish. (Reading this back, it's actually the first time I have considered the possibility that I may be actually insane.)

So imagine my dismay on finding out that we were heading for a region of Sardinia – Gallura – which boasts such regional specialities as PIGLET ON A SPIT and KEBAB OF LAMB ENTRAILS! And imagine my joyous relief on seeing what actually awaited us. The menu note that "our chef proposes a selection of Italian and international cuisine, revised in Sardinian style" hardly begins to describe the scenic tour through the empire of the senses which was about to transpire.

There are two reasons I have spent more than three decades failing at vegetarianism; one, no willpower and two, MEAT SHOULDN'T TASTE SO NICE! That's the thing about a really great cheeseburger; the dead bit doesn't taste dead, it tastes more alive than the bits that never lived or died. Almost anyone can make meat taste nice – come on, its meat! – but to my mind the test of a great chef is making a meat-free, not meatless (it's the difference in attitude between being child-free and childless) menu look like there's absolutely nothing missing.

This is exactly what Il Miraluna's chef, Susy Farina, does. We started with an asparagus pudding, sharp as a knife and soft as a sigh; eating asparagus in England just feels like a prelude to a fetish, but here... like the song says, "O sweet mystery of life, at last I've found you!" The tagliatelle with mussels and clams and the dory fillet were made with pescatoria so fresh that I wouldn't have been all that surprised if they'd stood up and sung a chorus of "Under The Sea" from The Little Mermaid. I felt momentarily sad that they would never get to do this, but was massively cheered up by the bitter chocolate pie with orange sauce. Susy Farina came out to take a bow, and I felt like requesting her shoe, and some champagne to drink out of it, as those pervy old stage door Johnnies did with particularly brilliant ballerinas. But I merely mumbled drunken superlatives instead.

The next day was bright and sunny and we could have punished some poor horses by riding them along one of the breathtaking trails that take in the Capo d'Orso, lighthouses, fortresses and beaches (there are two-hour trail rides for beginners, trekking at sundown for the saddle-sure and ponies for kiddies). But it's hard to drink on horseback, so we happily trotted down to the marina and boarded the hotel yacht BonAria.

I don't mind admitting I'm a bit kinky for boats. I have the opposite of seasickness, and basically no matter how rough I feel on dry land, I perk up the minute I get on board – this goes for anything from a Crazy Sofa to a cruise liner. So I knew I'd have a good time, but I had no idea HOW good. My travelling companion Miss Petrovic and I were about to embark not just upon a boat, but also upon one of the most memorable days of our lives, thanks to the crew – the smokin' Aussie, Captain Andy, and his elegant American mate, Mari.

In my experience the one dodgy thing about getting on a boat is that if the company turns out to be crap, you're screwed. How lucky, then, that Andrew and Mari were two of the funniest, most fascinating people it's ever been my privilege to meet. As we talked, laughed and even sang our way around the amazing beauty of the Emerald Coast, which could double for the Maldives on a good day, eight hours went by in a blur of chillout mix-tapes, white wine, pasta salads and pineapple as we sailed around the Maddalena Archipelago. We saw everything from Garibaldi's house to the place where James Bond drove the amphibious car up on to the beach in The Spy Who Loved Me. Who says history can't be fun

On our final day we grabbed a cab to the mind-blowingly beautiful and brilliant restaurant Madai Restaurant (also a café, lounge and winery) in nearby Arzachena. They say that if you can remember the Sixties, you weren't there – and that's what Madai is like, such a blur of pure bliss that I would mistrust anyone who could actually describe what they ate there. The chef, Elio Sironi, came here from the Bulgari Hotel in Milan and the simple symphony he played on our palates was world-class.

Thinking about the food in Sardinia, I had a sudden insight. Why WAS Naomi Campbell in SUCH a permanently hideous temper back in the day? A woman with her looks and wealth? IT WAS BECAUSE SHE SPENT SO MUCH TIME IN SARDINIA (with then-beau Flavio Briatore, who spends much of his time swanking around the Costa Smeralda) AND WASN'T ALLOWED TO EAT! That's gotta make ANYONE angry – or "hangry", as the models have it.

On paper, I could have had a rotten time in Sardinia. It was early in the season and very little was open – certainly not the International White Trash malls and bars I am developing a tragic weakness for as I get older. It rained for one whole day, hard, and we were only there for three. I don't ever want to see a piglet on a spit as long as I live. But I really can imagine going back every year, for decades – it was that good.

Some places, though beautiful, one mentally ticks off as one checks out; done that, onto the next one. Sardinia isn't like that. In travel writing, "enigmatic" is the word that comes up time after time (as opposed to the flamboyant, emotional image of Italia in general) and I totally get it now. The smell of Sardinia, the macchia, a combination of myrtle, pine, juniper just coming into flower at the end of April, is as vivid yet as elusive as the island itself. I have the feeling that you could never really get to know Sardinia. But you could have a brilliant time trying.

A Corsican Odyssey

Nigel Farrell - The Sunday Telegraph — Sun, 10 Jul 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Nearly 40 years ago, I was working as a deckhand on a sailing ketch owned by an Italian ice-cream millionaire. We were cruising the Mediterranean, and the first stop after leaving Italy was a place that left an indelible memory in my impressionable teenage mind – the breathtaking Golfe de Porto-Vecchio on the south-east coast of Corsica.
We swept in under full sail, past the lighthouse on the Pointe de la Chiappa and into the glorious bay, swathes of undulating forest running right down to the bleached white beaches like great green eiderdowns, and, behind, the first of a small army of mountains which dominate so much of the interior of this verdant, olivine island.
The sheltered, sandy coves, guarded by stubby ranks of palm trees; the multicoloured verandas of the little luxury hotels overlooking the marina; the ancient walls of the tiny Genovese town clinging to the cliffs high above the harbour; I fell in love with the place and vowed – one day – to return.
Now, for the first time since the early Seventies, I was back in Corsica, flying into Calvi airport in the north, and aiming to spend a week on a leisurely drive down the famed west coast, with the lovely Porto-Vecchio, along with those treasured memories, as our final destination.
My first surprise was how little the island has changed. Our journey up to our first stop at the little hilltop village of Feliceto was a delight: poppies and vivid violet borage line the road, alongside great orange and green nets spread beneath the olive trees, ready for an early Corsican harvest, and rows of miniature pillared villas that turn out to be old family mausoleums, a clue to the wealth this northern part of the island must have once enjoyed.
Our hotel was like stepping into a 19th-century town house; there’s a chapel on the ground floor, and a sitting-room on the first filled with the Ranucci family’s paintings and furnishings. The current Monsieur Ranucci can be found pottering around the garden in the early morning, watering the plants while his daughter Mireille works on the reception desk. They also make their own wine, from a vineyard we could see from our balcony, produced in the cave next door.
Forty-five minutes’ drive down to the coast led us to Ile Rousse, with its huge, perfectly dimensioned main square, dominated by the magnificent Marché Couvert, built in 1844 to resemble a vast open Greek temple, where a morning market is still held (there aren’t many daily markets in Corsica, and this is the best).
In the square is a bust in honour of “P de Paoli, Liberatoire… La Patricia Riconoscente” – the famous Pasquale Paoli, who created a free republic of Corsica before the French invaded in 1768. The name Paoli lives on – it appeared in one form or another virtually everywhere we went in Corsica.
At a little bar looking out across the square to the harbour beyond, we discovered a bottle of white “Enclos Des Anges”, which is not only delicious but is produced by an Englishman, Richard Spurr, at a small vineyard just outside Calvi. We found the man himself at the end of a dirt track, in a chaotic, musty old cave. He seemed happy to spend all day chatting to visitors, while observing closely as they sampled his wonderful wines, which he produces from a mere 15 acres. He has a growing reputation as a major contributor to the recent resurgence of interest in Corsican wines.“I’m the only foreign wine producer in Corsica,” he said with pride.
Heading south, we found ourselves on one of the most lovely and exciting roads I’ve ever driven, twisting and turning endlessly through the mountainous coast road towards Porto. Most Corsican roads have recently been lavished with EU grants and beautifully upgraded, although you need to allow at least twice the time you’d expect to get anywhere.
We stopped at the Col de la Croix overlooking the exquisite Golfe de Girolata. Way below, we could see the tiny, isolated village of Girolata itself, which is only really accessible by boat. The inhabitants make twice-weekly excursions by ferry to Porto for supplies. You can walk down a track named after Guy Le Facteur, who is said to make the journey each day on mule to deliver the post, but it takes two hours down, and considerably longer coming back up.
Farther south still, we stopped at a wonderful little hotel on the seafront of the sprawling capital, Ajaccio. The approaches to the town are lined with superstores but the centre was a delightful surprise, resembling a slightly faded, pre-war Côte d’Azur, and here we found our two best meals. At a cool little restaurant behind the port where the cruiseliners line up in serried ranks, we enjoyed delicious one-year-old veal (quite pink and robust), along with a light, locally caught fished called a mustelle.
Amazingly, the chef was another Englishman, Simon Andrews, who came here “for the diving” eight years ago and never went home. Then, just by Napoleon’s birthplace, on the Rue Saint-Charles, we found a fabulous pizza joint that had the feel of a private party.
After a bracing trip out to sea on the most southerly tip of the island to photograph the extraordinary village of Bonifacio, perched like an eagle’s nest atop the sheer limestone clifftops (they filmed some of The Guns of Navarone here), at last we reached Porto-Vecchio. It’s a deep natural harbour that lies beneath what once must have been an exquisite little 15th-century hilltop town. Now it’s in danger of being ruined by just too many souvenir shops and overpriced restaurants being squeezed into its tiny, cramped streets.
For most of its history, the place was well off the beaten track, only thriving after the allied military forces cleared local mosquito-ridden swamps of the curse of malaria at the end of the Second World War. Corsica was the first department of France to be liberated, and a street here is named after that famous date, September 9, 1943.
We escaped to one of those little luxury hotels down by the water that I’d ogled from the deck of my yacht all those years ago, and then spent an idyllic afternoon on the virtually empty beaches of Cala Rossa and Bennedettu I’d spotted around the bay – still empty, still lovely, still utterly unspoilt. This was no anticlimax; it was a real joy to be back.
Sitting on the sand, sipping the chilled local beer, only one disturbing thought clouded my endless blue horizon, the kind of thought that creeps up on you unexpectedly during what you had thought in every other way to be a great, relaxing holiday: just where did those 40 years go?

Packages
Corsican Places (www.corsica.co.uk; reservations 0845 330 2113) offers an extensive range of villas and apartments as well as hotels, with or without flights; it also provides the only weekly charter flight between the UK and Calvi (in the north-west of the island), from Stansted, in partnership with Titan Airways. Seven-night packages cost from £349 per person, including flights and transfers).

Early Booking Offers - Book by 31 July

Press Office - The Gambia Experience — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Early Booking Offers for Winter 2011/2012 - Valid if Booked by 31 July 2011
Sample Early Booking Offers include………

The Unique Collection Winter Offer (save £75 per person)
www.gambia.co.uk/omakan
www.gambia.co.uk/sitanunku
The Gambia Experience is offering discounts of £75 per person on two properties within its new ‘Unique Collection’: Omakan Hotel in Sukuta and Sitanunku Lodge on the North Bank of the River Gambia. The discount is available on 3, 4 or 7 night holidays throughout winter 11/12*. Inclusive of the discount, 7-night holidays (based on two sharing) start from £823pp (Omakan, b&b) and £1069pp (Sitanunku, half board), including return flights**, taxes and transfers.

The Luxury Collection December Offer (save £133pp per week)
www.gambia.co.uk/ngala
The Gambia Experience is offering a Free Upgrade from a Standard Suite to a Manor Suite for guests staying at the boutique Ngala Lodge near Bakau - part of the tour operator’s Luxury Collection – during the period 02 - 23 December 2011.
7-night holidays at Ngala Lodge (inclusive of the discount) start from £982pp. Price is based on two sharing with breakfast and includes return flights**, taxes and transfers.

Premium Class Flights Offer (save £50pp)
The Gambia Experience is offering savings of £50 per person on its Premium Class Tuesday flights from London Gatwick – Banjul throughout the winter*. Inclusive of the discount, a 7-night return Premium Class flight ticket starts from £245pp.

These offers exclude stays over Christmas & New Year and cannot be combined with any other offers except a loyalty discount (if applicable) and are subject to availability.

For all of the above offers, call The Gambia Experience Reservations Dept on 0845 330 2087 or visit www.gambia.co.uk

* The winter season runs from 01 November 2011 – 30 April 2012.
** Flights are available from London Gatwick and Manchester.

Authentic Corsican House – 7 nights for £1500

Press Office - Corsican Places — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Southern Corsica
10 July Accommodation-Only Offer

Rural & Affording Great Views
Authentic Corsican House – 7 nights for £1500 (save £350)
www.corsica.co.uk/a-tighiaccia
Corsican Places is offering 7 nights at the two-bedroom Villa A Tighiaccia – an authentic stone house in Southern Corsica – for £1500, valid for arrivals on Sunday 10 July, and resulting in a saving of £350 from brochure price. This offer is for the property for the week only and excludes flights & car hire.
Set in the countryside, perched high above the village of Tarrabucceta, A Tighiaccia commands views over the Cagna mountain range and the Extrême Sud coastline.
The glorious Santa Giulia and Palombaggia beaches are within 20 minutes drive.

Win a Holiday to Lantana Resort, Southern Sardinia

- Tesco Magazine Online — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Perfectly located in the middle of the warm Mediterranean sea, Sardinia is a beautifully unspoiled island that’s perfect for a summer escape. Enter our prize draw and you and a partner have the chance to win a seven-night holiday at Lantana Resort in Sardinia including return economy flights, courtesy of Sardinian Places, resort/airport transfers and breakfast each morning.

Lantana Resort Hotel & Apartments is a family-run four-star resort on the south west coast of the island, close to the historic town of Pula and a short distance from one of Sardinia’s best stretches of coastline which boasts white sandy beaches and crystal clear seas. The resort is made up of the hotel and several two and three-bedroom apartments, all set in lush botanical gardens which are filled with the colourful flowers and exotic scent of the Lantana bushes which give the resort its name. Visit Sardinian Places for more information.

Return economy flights for two adults departing from London Stansted to Cagliari, Sardinia, are provided courtesy of Sardinian Places (www.sardinianplaces.co.uk 0845 330 2050), which features Lantana Resort & Hotel within its collection, as well as villas, apartments and hotels across the whole island of Sardinia.

IMP - Click to view the article online to enter the competition through the Tesco Magazine website.

*All fields mandatory, your data will only be used for the purposes of this prize draw. See below for special terms and conditions. Please submit your details by 11.55pm on 3 August 2011.

Corsica included in top 10 destinations for July

Wed, 15 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Corsica is one of the top 10 holiday destinations for July according to CN Traveller. Here's what they have to say about the island:

"Also in the Mediterranean, Corsica - the 'Isle of Beauty' - is only 180km long and 80km wide but home to superb hotels, Michelin-starred restaurants and exhilarating watersports."

Also included in the top ten are: Cornwall, Tallinn, Reykjavik, Folegandros, Puglia, Bali, the Seychelles, Vancouver Island and Kenya.

Sardinia included in Top 10 holiday destinations in August

Wed, 15 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Sardinia has been voted one of the Top 10 holiday destinations in August according to The Conde Naste Traveller. Here's what they said: "Over on Sardinia, the Costa Smeralda is a romantic and dazzlingly beautiful holiday destination" "The Aga Khan turned Sardinia's Costa Smeralda into a eco-sensitive millionaire's paradise in the 1960s. On this north-eastern stretch of coast, where rugged landscapes meet pampered living, the rich rarely venture far from their villas or yachts. Infamous as the summer headquarters of the Italian paparazzi, who hunt for the starlets and celebrities who flock here, the Costa Smeralda is nevertheless a romantic and dazzlingly beautiful holiday escape." Also included in the Top Ten are: Cote d'Azur, Ibiza, Mayan Riviera, Karala, Edinburgh, Amsterdam, Cairo, Bhutan and Montana.

Inspirational Ideas - Estivoce festival

Jolyon Attwooll - The Daily Telegraph — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Traditional music in Corsica
From July 6 to 10, the annual Estivoce festival of summer voices takes place in Corsica, with a series of outdoor concerts, including traditional national music, as well as singing, dancing and theatrical productions from other countries.
The event is based in Pigna, one of the most important places for music on the island – but there are shows in the picturesque villages all over Balagne.
The tour operator Corsican Places (0845 330 2059; www.corsica.co.uk) offers accommodation in the area. More information: www.visit-corsica.com/en

NEW: The Gambia Experience 2011/12 Brochure

Press Office - The Gambia Experience — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Independent tour operator, The Gambia Experience launches its November 2011 – October 2012 brochure this month. The brochure again incorporates sister company The Senegal Experience due to an increasing number of customers choosing multi-centre holidays (within either destination or across both). With 24 years experience, The Gambia Experience and The Senegal Experience offer the UK market the widest range of flight and hotel options to West Africa. The strong selling ‘Luxury Collection’ is presented for both The Gambia and Senegal, and includes exclusive hotels, and those complete with spa facilities. Highlights of the new brochure include:

New - The Unique Collection
The Gambia Experience ‘Unique Collection’ is new to the 2011/12 brochure. Featuring lodges and boutique hotels located away from the main tourist areas, the selected properties bring guests closer to the culture, people and wildlife of The Gambia. Sharing many characteristics of the Luxury Collection, but with a sense of relaxed indulgence, there are four properties to choose from: The Mandina Lodges at Makasutu; Sandele Eco Retreat in Kartong, and NEW for this season, Omakan Hotel in Sukuta and Sitanunku Lodge on the North Bank of the River Gambia.

Re-opening of 5* Lamantin Beach Hotel, Saly
Offering its own private white sand beach, marina, spa, and renowned for its gourmet cuisine, the 5* Lamantin Beach Hotel in Senegal has long been considered the most luxurious hotel in Saly.
This year (2011) the hotel has been closed for major refurbishment, but is due to re-open at the end of the year, when it will boast a new Beach Club complete with à la carte restaurant, fitness centre, and floodlit tennis courts.

New - Rivers of West Africa Cruise departing from Banjul
For the second winter running, The Gambia Experience / Senegal Experience - in collaboration with Variety Cruises - will offer the Rivers of West Africa cruise aboard the MY Pegasus. In addition to the nine-night itinerary departing from Dakar, including 2 nights at a Dakar hotel, there is now the option of a five-night cruise departing from Banjul. The cruise offers an alternative way to explore the region, all from the comfort of a 23-cabin mega yacht, complemented by optional inland excursions.

Chris Packham Birdwatching Tour
BBC Springwatch presenter Chris Packham will once again lead his annual birdwatching tour for The Gambia Experience in February 2012. With a maximum of 17 places on the trip, there is ample opportunity to learn from Chris’ extensive knowledge of wildlife, as well as photography. The tour breaks down into two three-day itineraries, available to book separately or together, with the supplement starting from £345 per person.
Additional birdwatching tours can be booked with Gambian guide Malick Suso – Chris Packham’s ‘local’ guide of choice.

Additional All-Inclusive & Dining Options
The introduction of all-inclusive holidays continues to prove successful in The Gambia and Senegal with additional hotels now offering all-inclusive upgrade options, as well as a variety of dining packages.
Also, from this winter - in addition to rooms and suites - the popular 3.5* Kombo Beach Hotel in Kotu will also offer ground floor studios, complete with kitchenette and living area.

Sustainable Tourism Update
The Gambia Experience is accredited with 5-star AITO (Association of Independent Tour Operators) Sustainable Tourism status - the highest level possible. The Gambia Experience’s own registered charity - the School Development Fund established in 1989 - continues to support school projects within The Gambia, and as of 2011, has also set up its own school partnership scheme twinning UK and Gambian schools.

Early Booking Offers – Book by 31 July 2011
A number of Early Booking Offers are available, valid for November 2011 – April 2012 holidays, booked by 31 July 2011. These include £150pp savings; free suite upgrades at Ngala Lodge; twin-centre savings and discounts on Tuesday London Gatwick – Banjul Premium Class flights. Please contact The Gambia Experience / Senegal Experience for full details and conditions.

This season, The Gambia Experience offers 7-night holidays from £525 per person (based on b&b); The Senegal Experience from £979 per person (based on half board). Unique / Luxury Collection holidays start from £898 per person (The Gambia, b&b) and £1184 (Senegal, half board) - all including flights & transfers. For more information, please call The Gambia Experience Reservations Dept on 0845 330 2087 or visit www.gambia.co.uk or call The Senegal Experience Reservations Dept on 0845 338 8706 or visit www.senegal.co.uk

NEW 2011/12 Brochure for The Senegal Experience

Press Office - The Senegal Experience — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT

New - The Unique Collection
The Gambia Experience ‘Unique Collection’ is new to the 2011/12 brochure. Featuring lodges and boutique hotels located away from the main tourist areas, the selected properties bring guests closer to the culture, people and wildlife of The Gambia. Sharing many characteristics of the Luxury Collection, but with a sense of relaxed indulgence, there are four properties to choose from: The Mandina Lodges at Makasutu; Sandele Eco Retreat in Kartong, and NEW for this season, Omakan Hotel in Sukuta and Sitanunku Lodge on the North Bank of the River Gambia.

New - Rivers of West Africa Cruise departing from Banjul
For the second winter running, The Gambia Experience / Senegal Experience - in collaboration with Variety Cruises - will offer the Rivers of West Africa cruise aboard the MY Pegasus. In addition to the nine-night itinerary departing from Dakar, including 2 nights at a Dakar hotel, there is now the option of a five-night cruise departing from Banjul. The cruise offers an alternative way to explore the region, all from the comfort of a 23-cabin mega yacht, complemented by optional inland excursions.

Chris Packham Birdwatching Tour
BBC Springwatch presenter Chris Packham will once again lead his annual birdwatching tour for The Gambia Experience in February 2012. With a maximum of 17 places on the trip, there is ample opportunity to learn from Chris’ extensive knowledge of wildlife, as well as photography. The tour breaks down into two three-day itineraries, available to book separately or together, with the supplement starting from £345 per person. Additional birdwatching tours can be booked with Gambian guide Malick Suso – Chris Packham’s ‘local’ guide of choice.

Additional All-Inclusive & Dining Options
The introduction of all-inclusive holidays continues to prove successful in The Gambia and Senegal with additional hotels now offering all-inclusive upgrade options, as well as a variety of dining packages. Also, from this winter - in addition to rooms and suites - the popular 3.5* Kombo Beach Hotel in Kotu will also offer ground floor studios, complete with kitchenette and living area.

Sustainable Tourism Update
The Gambia Experience is accredited with 5-star AITO (Association of Independent Tour Operators) Sustainable Tourism status - the highest level possible. The Gambia Experience’s own registered charity - the School Development Fund established in 1989 - continues to support school projects within The Gambia, and as of 2011, has also set up its own school partnership scheme twinning UK and Gambian schools.

Early Booking Offers – Book by 31 July 2011
A number of Early Booking Offers are available, valid for November 2011 – April 2012 holidays, booked by 31 July 2011. These include £150pp savings; free suite upgrades at Ngala Lodge; twin-centre savings and discounts on Tuesday London Gatwick – Banjul Premium Class flights. Please contact The Gambia Experience / Senegal Experience for full details and conditions.

This season, The Gambia Experience offers 7-night holidays from £525 per person (based on b&b); The Senegal Experience from £979 per person (based on half board). Unique / Luxury Collection holidays start from £898 per person (The Gambia, b&b) and £1184 (Senegal, half board) - all including flights & transfers. For more information, please call The Gambia Experience Reservations Dept on 0845 330 2087 or visit www.gambia.co.uk or call The Senegal Experience Reservations Dept on 0845 338 8706 or visit www.senegal.co.uk

NEW: The Cape Verde Experience 2011/12 Brochure

Press Office - The Cape Verde Experience — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Independent tour operator, The Cape Verde Experience launches its November 2011 – October 2012 brochure this month. The specialist features six out of the ten islands in the Cape Verde archipelago (in total fifteen hotels) and can arrange single-island and twin-centre trips, as well as a selection of programmed and tailor-made island-hopping itineraries. Highlights of the new brochure include:

Increased UK Flight Capacity to Cape Verde
This winter (11/12) there is a 100% increase in UK flight capacity to Cape Verde. The key departure airports are London Gatwick and Manchester, both offering additional direct flights into the islands of Sal or Boa Vista. UK regional departures are also available from Birmingham to Sal, and - new for this season - from East Midlands and Glasgow to Boa Vista. The Cape Verde Experience is able to book any of the above flights on behalf of its customers, subject to availability. (Flights are operated by Thomson Airways, with the exception of a Manchester to Boa Vista flight with Thomas Cook).

New Sal Hotel - 5* Meliá Tortuga Beach & Spa
The Cape Verde Experience has added a new 5* all-inclusive resort on the island of Sal to its programme. The Meliá Tortuga Beach & Spa - a member of leading hotel chain The Sol Meliá group – enjoyed its grand opening in May 2011. Positioned on Ponta Preta beach, the resort features a total of 220 luxurious residences, including hotel rooms, one and two-bedroom suites, and deluxe villas complete with private garden and plunge pool. Suited to couples and families, facilities include two freshwater swimming pools, four restaurants, four bars, gymnasium and Yhi spa.

Early Booking Offers – Book by 31 July 2011
A number of Early Booking Offers are available, valid for holidays booked by 31 July 2011 for the travel period 01 November 2011 – 30 April 2012. These include savings of up to £200 per couple at the Meliá Tortuga Beach & Spa and of £150 per couple at the 4* Hotel Morabeza on Sal and 4* Iberostar Club Boa Vista on Boa Vista. Conditions apply - please call The Cape Verde Experience for more details.

The Cape Verde Experience core hotel portfolio is based on Sal and Boa Vista due to flight routes from the UK operating directly into these two islands. The Cape Verde Experience customer favourite - the 4* Hotel Morabeza on Sal - has added Executive Rooms to meet demand. Located beside the sea, the rooms come complete with shared swimming pool.

This season (winter 11/12), 7-night holidays with The Cape Verde Experience start from £699 per person (£669pp with Early Booking Offer). This is based on two sharing a room on a bed & breakfast board at the 2.5* Hotel Pontão on Sal and includes return flights from London Gatwick, taxes and transfers, as well as contact with an English-speaking, local representative. For more information, call The Cape Verde Experience Reservations Dept on 0845 330 2071 or visit www.capeverdeexperience.co.uk

£399pp for 7 nights departing on 18th June - save £196pp

Wed, 08 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Late deal for June departure!

Sardinian Places has some great late deals for departures in June. Save £196pp on holidays at Casa delle Palme, a 3 bedroom villa that sleeps 6, situated on the hillside just above Alghero. This fantastic offer is based on 6 people sharing and departing on 18th June for 7 nights. The price includes flights from Gatwick to Alghero, car hire and a welcome pack.

For full details and other late deals visit www.sardinianplaces.co.uk/Docs/Special-Offers/Early-Booking-Offers.aspx

Traveller's Guide to Sardinia

Eliot Stein - The Independent — Sat, 04 Jun 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Tucked deep into the jagged fjords of Sardinia's north-eastern tip lies some of the most expensive real estate in the Mediterranean, the Costa Smeralda (Emerald Coast). In high season, three-storey yachts putter around pools shimmering a kaleidoscope of azure hues, oligarchs occupy faux Arabian villas, and trophy wives glide from boutique to boutique. The result is a pseudo-idealised Mediterranean village, the artificiality of which allows scarcely a bougainvillea out of place. This Moorish-kasbah-meets-Mykonos wonderland is the island's most famous attraction. Yet it has almost nothing to do with the rest of Sardinia.

According to Sardinian legend, after God created the Earth, he gathered all the leftover pieces from everywhere else, threw them in the sea and stepped on them to create Sardinia – or, as the Greeks called it, Ichnusa, meaning "footprint". Since then, the island has been walked on by anyone who has ever sailed through the Mediterranean. Invaded in name but never conquered in spirit, Sardinia has managed the clever trick of absorbing a cultural buffet of influences while holding its head high with independent pride.

Lying 178km from the nearest mainland, slightly closer to Tunisia than Italy, no other island is as marooned in the Mediterranean as Sardinia – a fact that has shaped the island's character and brought a history of guests with the changing tides. While the Sardinians, or Sardi, have adopted the Italian tongue of their latest landlords, they cling fiercely to Sardo, their native language, and are recognised as a distinct ethnic group from their mainland counterparts. In effect, Sardinia is a sort of Italian Hawaii. It boasts the Romanesque churches, tile mosaics, medieval castles and fine wines associated with Italy, but also pulsates with an undiscovered and unscripted spirit that the mainland lost long ago.

Foreigners usually find it difficult to move beyond the 2,000km of Mediterranean coastline – and for good reason. The island is ringed by a shimmering shoreline of jaw-dropping beauty. But to limit your visit to the beaches is to miss the essence of an island whose people have traditionally turned their backs to the sea, fearful of those coming to exploit them and, until fairly recently, of the malaria outbreaks that plagued the coastal lagoons. Instead, many Sardinians have long sought refuge in the interior, a landscape of deep chasms, impressive massifs and impenetrable macchia (maquis) brush that nurtures the Sardinians' defiant character and hides the most compelling evidence of their secret history: more than 7,000 nuraghi stone towers and prehistoric villages built by one of the world's most advanced and mysterious Bronze Age societies. The best of these are Santu Antine in Torralba, the Unesco-protected site of Su Nuraxi in Barumini, Losa in Abbasanta and Arrubiu in Orroli, all of which are available to the public without a guide. Italy's least "Italian" region is an enchanting recipe of striking beauty and rugged brawn — one that secluded Sardinia has guarded fiercely until recently.

Eliot Stein is the author of the Footprint Travel Guide to Sardinia. To receive a 50 per cent discount (excl P&P) off any Footprint Italian guidebook, visit footprinttravelguides.com and enter Inde11 in the coupon code at checkout. Valid until the end of July.
To read the remainder of this Traveller's Guide, please click to view the online version.

Calvi Jazz Festival

Thu, 26 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The line-up for the Calvi Jazz Festival has been announced – to see the full programme visit http://www.calvi-jazz-festival.com/Programme2011.htm

We currently have availability at Apartment Georges which is in the heart of the citadel for the week of 19-26 June to coincide with the event. Right now there is also a discount of £81 per person on package holidays with 7 nights now from £489 per person, based on 4 sharing. Find out more

School Charity Day Success - over £600 raised for gambian classroom

Press Office - The Gambia Experience — Mon, 23 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Specialist tour operator, The Gambia Experience [part of Serenity Holidays] held a fancy-dress ‘School Charity Day’ last Friday (20 May) in order to raise money for its own registered charity, ‘The School Development Fund’.

A total of £618.50 was raised (£118.50 by staff and a contribution of £500 from directors) with the specific aim of supporting the Kitty Upper Basic School in The Gambia, in particular the completion of its school roof prior to the onset of the rainy season.

Staff and management at the Serenity Holidays Hampshire office were asked to come dressed as a school pupil, teacher or dinner lady. Throughout the day staff enjoyed homemade biscuits, egg & spoon races, guess the member of staff from the Serenity School Photo competition, and the unlucky few also experienced a five-minute detention!

Kathy Burrington - graphic designer at Serenity Holidays and member of the School Development Fund committee - who posed as ‘Headmistress’ for the day, commented:
“Immense fun was had by everyone last Friday. Above all, we are delighted to have made a difference to our most recent school project in The Gambia – Kitty Upper Basic School. We have now raised enough money to complete the outstanding building works, as well as carry some across to the next school which needs our help.”

For more information on The Gambia Experience, visit www.gambia.co.uk as well as www.thegambiablog.co.uk and on its School Development Fund - established in 1989, and now having assisted over 100 school projects across The Gambia - visit www.schooldevelopmentfund.org
To view Serenity Holidays staff enjoying the School Charity Day, please see The Gambia Experience Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/GambiaExperience

Grand Opening for MELIÃ Tortuga Beach Resort & Spa

Press Office - The Cape Verde Experience — Fri, 20 May 2011 00:00:00 GMT

The UK’s leading specialist tour operator to the Cape Verde islands - The Cape Verde Experience - attended weekend celebrations to mark the official opening on Saturday 7th May by Prime Minster José Maria Neves of its newest hotel addition, the 5 star MELIÃ Tortuga Beach Resort & Spa. 400 guests were wined and dined in style at the luxurious beachfront resort on the island of Sal, courtesy of overseas property developer The Resort Group plc and Sol MELIÃ, the world’s largest resort-hotel group.

Accompanied by Rob Jarrett Honorary Chairman of the Resort Group plc and Gerardo Bordoli MELIÃ Tortuga General Manager, the Cape Verde Prime Minister unveiled the first of the three planned MELIÃ operated resorts to be delivered by The Resort Group on Sal. To mark the event, guests were treated to a spectacular firework display and live performances from chart songstress Sophie Ellis-Bextor and dance group Diversity, winners of the “Britain’s Got Talent” TV competition. Cape Verdean legend Tito Paris was also there to perform his distinctive blend of traditional Cape Verdean music and DJ Danny Rampling played his ‘Sunset Set’ as the party continued at the resort’s Beach Bar.

Attending the opening, The Cape Verde Experience managing director Chris Rowles commented:
“The MELIÃ Tortuga is a welcome addition to our year round programme, offering the finest 5 star resort so far on the islands which is suited to both couples and families and perfect for our customers. Providing a wonderful holiday location and great mix of facilities, we are confident it will be a huge success and holiday bookings so far reflect strong interest."

Located on Ponta Preta beach, just ten minutes’ drive from Santa Maria town, the resort features a total of 220 luxurious residences including one and two bedroom suites and three and four bedroom villas. Facilities include two large freshwater pools, four restaurants, gymnasium and luxury YHI Spa. Gourmet dining is offered, plus a variety of bars which include a lobby bar, sports bar, beach bar and swim-up pool bar - the Beach Bar and Grille, providing the perfect location to capture the island’s renowned sunset. Activities such as diving, trekking, fishing and windsurfing can be arranged locally.

The Cape Verde Experience is offering 7 night all-inclusive holidays at the Melia Tortuga Beach & Spa from £949 per person with flights and transfers included. UK departures to Sal are available from Gatwick, Birmingham and Manchester. (NB: Above price is per person based on two sharing and is subject to availability).

For more details call The Cape Verde Experience on 0845 330 2046 or visit www.capeverde.co.uk

World Rally Championship in Sardinia

Thu, 28 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Only one week to go until the World Rally Championship round takes places in Sardinia – from 5th to 8th May 2011. There’s still time to make sure you’re there watching as Sardinian Places has availability at the nearby Villa Oro Verde, a premium 3 bedroom villa that sleeps up to 6. Read more about the villa and get prices here.

French driver Sebastien Loeb is currently top of the Championship leaderboard, whilst Britain's Matt Wilson is in 7th place. For more information about the rally visit http://www.wrc.com/calendar-and-rallies/2011/rally-ditalia-sardegna/overview/

The secrets of magic at Ngala Lodge

Wed, 27 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Guests staying at the boutique Ngala Lodge in The Gambia this May will be able to enjoy some magic over dinner and also pick up tips on how to do some tricks of their own.

Magician Mr Celsius will be performing his magic at Ngala Lodge from 13th to 20th May, sharing the secrets of a few of his tricks. Find out more about Mr Celsius and watch some videos of his television work at www.Celsiusmagic.nl

A week at the luxurious Ngala Lodge from 10th-17th May is currently discounted to £699 per person, a saving of £105pp. A week from 17th-24th May costs £799 per person. These prices include return flights from Gatwick, transfers, twin bed & breakfast accommodation, in-flight meals, 20 kg luggage allowance, Air Passenger Duty and Government Tourist Levy.

Bergerie Olivella included in "25 of the best villas in Europe"

Tue, 26 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT

Bergerie Olivella is included in a feature by Condé Nast Traveller entitled "25 of the best villas in Europe".

Here's what they say about this Premium Villa:

"Bergerie Olivella (sleeps 6), near Propriano

Hidden in dense Mediterranean shrub and forest (holm oak, buckthorn, juniper and myrtle), this secluded old bergerie (dating from 1954) has its peace disturbed only by chirruping cicadas. The nearest town is Olimeto, a five-minute drive along country roads, with bars, restaurants and shops. Thick stone walls and a pantiled roof supported by solid wooden beams keep the interiors cool, with the help of ceiling fans and gauzy door drapes. Floors are tiled, walls are painted in earthy colours and the furniture is dark wood. Bookcases, reading lights and a haphazard collection of pictures give the cottage a relaxed and welcoming feel. An oval-shaped pool in the landscaped gardens overlooks the Gulf of Valinco.

Price £761-£1,169 per person per week including flights and car hire (based on six sharing) Book through Corsican Places (0845 330 2113; www.corsica.co.uk)

On the doorstep Sandy coves of the Valinco: Plage de Cupabia is one of the most scenic beaches in the region; good seafood at Terra Cotta in Propriano.

Best for romantic breaks"

Package prices now start from £499 per person, saving £262 per person

An eye-opening introduction to Africa

Oliver Smith - The Daily Telegraph — Sat, 23 Apr 2011 00:00:00 GMT

My taxi driver, Katim, led me into the front room of his home on the edge of Serrekunda, Gambia's largest city. Twenty chairs were arranged in a horseshoe, each facing the property's most prized possessions: an ancient-looking television and a battered wireless perched on a creaking credenza. My arrival caught the attention of three cheeky youngsters. They rushed towards the doorway to greet me, their shrieks of delight disturbing the silence of the home and the slumber of older relatives napping in adjacent rooms.
Soon I was sitting in a courtyard enjoying the afternoon sunshine with a coterie of aunts, great aunts, nieces and nephews – a space we shared with a skinny heifer, a clutch of chickens and a tethered goat. A matriarchal figure stirred a mighty pan of couscous as it warmed over an open fire. A baby in a brightly coloured sling clung to her back.
The children begged me to take their pictures. They craned their necks to see the results on my digital camera. I asked the eldest to take a picture of Katim and myself. Another photograph for his album.
It's not often I accept an offer of late lunch from a taxi driver, but a day spent with Katim, and a week in Gambia, had made me less suspicious than I am in London.
I hadn't envisaged this scenario three months previously, when my girlfriend, Sophie, and I decided on a trip to this tiny strip of West Africa.
Whereas Sophie looks for nothing more in a holiday than some sun-scorched stretch of sand in which to disappear into a decent novel and – ideally – five-star accommodation, I crave distraction. Here, six hours from a sodden Gatwick, was the perfect compromise. With April temperatures in excess of 86F (30C) and good beaches, she could unwind while I explored monkey-filled forests, meandering wetlands and a sleepy Third World capital.
But our research also unearthed off-putting warnings about sex tourism (Gambia is considered a place where middle-aged ladies can meet muscular and willing young men) and "bumsters" – locals who tout themselves as holiday guides.
Informing friends and family of our decision, we were greeted by raised eyebrows. "Do take care of yourself," urged my grandmother. After all, wasn't this the country where Britons suspected of criticising the government were sentenced to hard labour and whose head of state claimed he can cure Aids by administering banana extracts to the patient's chest?
We chose to take the risk. Steer clear of the bumsters, avoid denouncing the establishment, and we would get on just fine.
Sophie's fears were forgotten within five minutes of our arrival at the hotel. Once "cheap and cheerful", Gambian accommodation has improved, and the Coco Ocean Resort and Spa can only be termed luxurious. We were whisked by golf buggy past fountains and manicured gardens to a cool, airy suite overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. In the fading light, we spotted lizards scuttling from the undergrowth and egrets stalking through the grass in search of one last edible insect.
The following morning we claimed two sunloungers beside the hotel's infinity pool – a spot that became Sophie's command centre for the duration of the holiday.
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