I have just returned from another wonderful trip to Argentina. As I had already visited Patagonia & Iguazu so this time was heading for Mendoza, Cordoba & Salta- well that was the plan!! I will explain more about that later!!!

So first I stand in Buenos Aires- yes I have been there before but it is such an amazing city & there are always more hotels for me to see. I was lucky enough to have lunch @ the amazing Faena Hotel. There was huge security for my VIP visit but it turned out the security was because Justin Bieber was staying @ the hotel. Faena is a stunning & unique hotel & ideal for clients wanting something extra special. The design of the hotel is really special & here is a photo of me sat in the middle of the long red carpeted hallway..

Now I know at least 20 Buenos Aires hotels so can recommend the best hotel to suit clients preferences & budget.

I went to another Tango Show, the Gala Tango. It was a smaller venue than I had been to before & it was fantastic, the dancers were really close & the food was wonderful – even for a vegetarian!  An evening tango show is a real must for visitors & there are different options to suit different budgets.

From Buenos Aires we also took the boat trip on the Delta de Tigre. It was a great trip & I would recommend it for clients that want some time out of the city & see an area where the local people have holiday homes.

So next I was due to fly to Mendoza, but as I got to the domestic airport it was in chaos- all flights had been cancelled due to volcanic ash coming over from the Chilean volcano.. What a nightmare for everyone. So I stayed on in Buenos Aires for another night & got a bit of shopping done..

As I am always on a tight schedule I was only having 2 nights in Mendoza & the flights were still cancelled the next day so I took the overnight coach to Cordoba, which was to be my next destination. The thought of an overnight bus did not exactly thrill me but it was an amazingly comfortable journey the seats recline into a bed with a foot rest so you can be practically lie flat – just like a business class flight. I am not sure I would recommend it to clients as the flight is much quicker, bit it is an option & got me out of Buenos Aires.

Mendoza will have to be next time!!

Cordoba is a really clean city, full of bars & nightclubs for the huge amount of university students in the city. The historical area of the city is stunning, with cobbled streets with imposing churches & cathedrals. I had dinner & inspected a lovely boutique hotel here called Azur Real – I will definitely use this for clients staying in the city.. from Cordoba clients can also stay in an authentic estancia..

Next I headed to Salta – by plane, as everything was all back to normal.. Salta is lovely & famous for it very fertile land which specializes in the production of a very dry white wine. The city is lovely to walk around & I would really recommend taking the aerial tram ride up to the mountain where you have amazing views of the city & the valley.  From Salta I took a day trip to Cafayate, which I would recommend clients to take as a 2 or 3 day tour. From Salta you go through Quebrada Rio de las Conchas, with some stunning scenery & great photo opportunities, to arrive in the valley of Calchaquies & Cafayate. This is a town for clients wanting to experience the famous wines of the regions. You can stay in some fabulous wineries outside of the town – Patios de Cafayate or Vinas de Cafayate are great options.  Or stay in the town- I really like the hotel Killa, which has heaps of character.

So then I head back to Buenos Aires for my final night of the trip & the next day taking the British Airways direct flight back to Heathrow. British Airways are the only airline with a direct service to Buenos Aires & is an overnight flight in both directions. It is a long flight but it was really comfortable & I managed to catch up on the films I never have the time to see in the cinema.

It was a fantastic trip & I enjoyed everything I saw. The Argentineans seemed amazed that a vegetarian that also does not like wine or coffee would come to their country! As I said in reply – they still sell gin!!

There has recently been a lot of very positive press about the stunning & unique Galapagos Islands. The UK National Geographic Traveller magazine had a full feature story on the island, in the July / August edition. Also the islands were voted as the top “Travel Experience of a lifetime” in the August edition of Wanderlust.

From January 2012 the rules & regulations for visitors to the islands will change quite radically. The National park Authority is not allowing any vessel to visit 1 particularly landing site on the islands more than once a fortnight, rather than the current once a week. This has meant that all the operators have had to change the itineraries with different itinerary options for week 1 & week 2.  Some have planned the 14 nights to consist of a 6 night cruise plus 2 different 4 night cruise options; or a 7 night cruise 1 week then the 2nd week they offer a 3 & a 4 night option. Cruises can also be combined to take back to back, creating a longer trip & visiting more of the islands.

Below is a link to a really interesting BBC documentary, discussing the changes being implemented to save this very special & important part of the world.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/fast_track/9554939.stm

Apart from the Galapagos Islands the mainland of Ecuador is also stunning & offers a huge amount of diversity. It is less touristic than its neighbouring Peru & you can visit really authentic markets, travel through the Avenue of Volcanoes, go to the Ecuadorian Amazon region, stay in beautiful haciendas, go to the wonderfully pretty city of Cuenca & so much more…

If you would like to discuss visiting Ecuador & the Galapagos Islands please do contact us & we can put together a wonderful trip for you.

This time next week I will be frantically finishing off all my work so I fly out to San Jose, Costa Rica & forget about work for the next 12 days.. that is the theory anyway!!

When I say “fly out” this is said with optimism as we fly Heathrow to Miami with BA. So let’s hope they do not go on strike & affect my flight!! Surely they know I am travelling & will not wish to upset me? !! :]

I have been selling & visiting Costa Rica for nearly 13 years now & I do think I deserve a “proper” holiday there.. This means not moving areas every other day & visiting numerous hotels to look longingly at their gorgeous swimming pools!!

Last year I was technically having a holiday but I moved around too much & still inspected lots of hotels. I think I took 6 domestic flights- all @ ridiculously early times. So this year I will be strict with myself & completely enjoy the hotels I stay with. I have obviously chosen some of my favourite hotels. The order is not perhaps ideal but I am there over high season Easter so cannot complain!! I start with one of the most amazing places to stay- in the world- Casa Corcovado Jungle Lodge.

Then to Arenal Volcano- which I missed out last year for the first time ever!! Here I will stay @ the Kioro- my favourite hotel mainly due to the en site hot springs. I used to go to this property & recommend it to clients when it was juts a tented restaurant. At that time the lava flow was directly in from of the property & there was no where better to see & hear it. But the lava flow moved round not long after the hotel was built & now for the first time since 1968 it has been quiet (I don’t want to use the word dormant) for the last few weeks. But nobody worry I will get it sorted out when I am there & lava flow will be restored!! Well I did visit Sri Lanka & the day I left the problems with the Tamil Tigers was resolved..

After sorting out Arenal Volcano we head to Manuel Antonio & the El Parador Hotel. 4 nights in the same hotel – the first time ever on a trip to Costa Rica & I cannot wait!!! The swimming pools at the El Parador are lovely & the views absolutely stunning.. Here my best friend will be the sun lounger!!

Well I hope you do not miss me too much.. you all have Easter & the Royal wedding to occupy you.. maybe I will get up at 4am Costa Rica time to see the wedding- lets just see how I feel & if it is on @ the El Parador Hotel..

1952 Cuban Car

Cuba is a fascinating country, with such an interesting history.  Not so long ago, back in 1959 Fidel Castro along with Che Guevara & others successfully overthrew the American backed Cuban dictator Batista, taking back the 75% of foreign owned land & nationalised it all. When all the Americans quickly left Cuba they had to abandon all their cars. These vintage cars have been maintained ever since & many of them kept in pristine condition. The Cubans are such happy & welcoming people. They may not own much materialistic things- like houses or cars but they have a love of life that you cannot help but be drawn by. They love their music & dancing- it is everywhere you go in Cuba.

I have been to Cuba I think 7 times before & apart from the first ever trip, this last one in February was the best.

I had never been to the city of Santiago de Cuba before & I loved it. Santiago is located at the southern tip of Cuba- a very long drive or domestic flight from Havana. Rather than wasting time travelling I opted to fly with Cubana from Gatwick to Holguin (flight then continues to Havana). I was pleasantly surprised with Cubana, the plane was comfortable & although it does not have the individual tv screens as Virgin have, the flight was fine. On arrival into Holguin airport we could have had a few nights @ Guardalavaca beach, but we wanted to get to Santiago straightaway.  So we had a 3 hour private transfer to Santiago arriving at the colonial Casa Grande Hotel in the centre of the historical part of the city. The Casa Grande is a beautiful building & yes it may not be in pristine condition but is in a great location & has lots of character. There is also the Melia hotel which has a swimming pool, but we were in Santiago to enjoy the city & would have plenty of time later in the trip to relax around a pool!!

Santiago is a very different city to Havana & has more of a Caribbean feel to it. It is certainly less touristy than Havana, but that will be because it is harder to get to!! We only had 3 nights here & the first night we arrived quite late so really only the 2 full days. Now I have been to Santiago I would recommend it to clients who want to experience a city a little less touristy than Havana. Santiago is reputed to be the birth place of reggae music- so here you have a huge mix of music. On the Saturday night in the park across from the Casa Grande Hotel there was a group of men playing guitar & singing – they were fantastic & would take requests. They were not doing it for money but because they enjoyed it- the bottle (s) of rum no doubt helped!! It was a great atmosphere & no loutish behaviour!!

After our 3 nights in Santiago we took the domestic flight up to Havana. Being in Havana is always a real highlight for me. It is a city that really makes you feel like you have gone back in time by several decades, back to the 1950’s. The city is so vibrant & with a little imagination you can picture how beautiful the buildings were in their hey day. Much of Havana is being renovated so the buildings are getting back to their original splendour- it is a slow & expensive job but they are getting there little by little. A walk along the Malecon on a Friday or Saturday night is like going to several parties. All the Cubans are along here playing music, drinking rum & courting.

On the Sunday we made our way to “La Rumba de Cayo Hueso”. It is a fabulous Afro-Cuban musical get together every Sunday from 12pm.  Really highly respected musicians & dancers come here to play Rumba, not the ballroom version but a complex rhythmic music generally only found in Cuba. The dance is flirtatious between a man & woman.  The singers & dancers change as people take their turn, it is fascinating a great experience. This was my first visit & I wondered why I had never been before..

When in Havana there is a lot to see & do. We had 5 nights this trip & that was perfect. We also had some relaxation time by the hotels roof top pool. My favourite hotel in Havana is still the Parque central. The rooms are great, the huge buffet breakfast wonderful & the 2 roof top pools are ideal to cool down in when the mid day sun hits..

I also went to Trinidad, the Cuban city for the day- just to see some hotels. It was a long day trip & not one that I would recommend taking from Havana. It was 5 hours each way!! But there was no availability in any of the hotels so it was either go for the day or not at all!. Although it was a long way for a day trip it was worth seeing Trinidad. It is a really pretty city with very old cobbled streets & colourful buildings. It is much better to go & stay there for 2 or 3 nights so that you can visit the old town etc in the morning or late afternoon- when the hundreds of day tourists are not there. It is a popular day trip from the beach area of Varadero so by lunch time there are lots of coaches & too many people. So if by staying a night or so you can avoid the middle hours of the day when this little city is busy & enjoy it at it quietest time. The 5* Grand Hotel is a beautiful colonial hotel in the heart of the city. But if you want to have some beach time but only be a 20 minute drive to the city then I really like the Costa Sur Bungalows. The hotel is the Club Amigo Costa Sur & is the smallest beach hotel in the area. The regular rooms are not so good but the bungalows are lovely & on the beach. For me the perfect way to enjoy Trinidad is to have 2 nights @ the Grand Hotel & then move to the beach hotel.  This is perfect for clients that really do not want to stay in the large resort area of Varadero. By staying at Trinidad beach you then also have the opportunity of going back into the city.

After 5 nights in Havana we were ready for a rest, so with a heavy heart we said goodbye to Havana having the short transfer to Varadero beach, for our final 5 nights in Cuba. Varadero gets slatted a lot by people but it is a gorgeous beach & yes it is very touristy with lots of big international hotels- but at least Cubans live there. I am not a big fan of the Cayo’s, the islands along the coast. Yes they are on lovely beaches but as they are so isolated Cubans do no actually live there & are brought in to work for a week & then go home for a few days before returning to the Cayo to work some more. We went into Varadero Town one evening to the Casa de la Musica & were so lucky to see a famous Cuban band called Los Van Van playing. It was a great night & full of local people. This band is huge in Cuba & we were so lucky to be in the right place at the right time. They have played in the UK before with the tickets selling @ £30. Here in Varadero we got in for 10 CUC’s – £7!! Bargain. The rest of the time we relaxed on the stunning beach watching the Pelicans & drinking cocktails. At the internationally managed resort hotels the food & drink are an excellent standard- maybe too good as we drank & ate far too much!!

So we than had to come home :[ . Any spare currency was spent on buying more bottles of Havana Club @ duty free. The Cubana flight, as on the way over, was perfectly on time & even arrived 10 minutes early. We arrived to grey skies & rain- welcome home!! But at least we had got away from the UK’s miserable weather & had a fantastic holiday – one that I will never forget..

As many of you will know I love my holidays to Cuba & will be back there again in February!! Exciting news is that in April, Cuba is coming to us- well London anyway!! For those of you that want to salsa dance there are workshops in the day & the parties start each evening.

The event runs from the 8^th to the 11^th April. Full details & ticket information can be found through the following link.

http://www.londoncubancongress.com/

Hola..

Am back from yet another wonderful trip to Cuba.. AND I missed all the snow everyone was texting me about!! There was not a sign of it o my return so wonder if it was all a joke!! This was a quick week’s holiday so was primarily to relax & get some sun. Varadero beach is so lovely & again this year we had the pelicans bobbing by, a few feet from our sun loungers!! Bless them..

Many people slat Varadero beach because it is very touristy – but my thoughts on this is that yes there are a lot of hotels but at least Cubans live in this area. If you go out to one of the Cayos- like Cayo largo, Santa Maria, Ensenachos etc you are in a hotel & no Cuban communities around. The staff are brought in to work then go home every so often for a few days. At least in Varadero you can go out to local restaurants & Cuban nightclubs- if you want to.

Even though I only went for a week I had to have at least 1 night in Havana- which was my last night on this trip. It is such an amazing city & I love it. It really is like stepping back in time with all the old cars & buildings. This time I had dinner @ the Hostal Valencia Paella restaurant- it was lovely & the vegetarian paella was really tasty.. See they are even catering more for us difficult vegetarians- who also don’t eat fish!! Things really are changing.

Well it was too short a trip & I cannot wait to go back in February- for 2 weeks. This time hitting Santiago de Cuba, Havana for 5 nights – cant wait for that & finishing @ the beach for 5 nights before coming back to the cold – oh & work!!! ..

I cannot stress enough how people need to visit this amazing island before the American mass tourist market start to arrive & with it their demand for MacDonald’s, KFC etc..

If you are thinking about a trip to Cuba please do not hesitate to contact me any time! You can also request our full e-brochure for Cuba which contains a wealth of information about Cuba locations, hotels and activities.

Worldwide Holidays Direct are pleased to announce our partnership with a valet airport parking service Meteor, available at the main UK airports. This is available to book on our website from Friday 10th December 2010. The new service will allow clients to book valet parking where your car is collected & returned to you at the airport terminal. We have used this service ourselves and found it to be a fabulous way to arrive & leave the airport- hassle free, no self parking & no shuttle buses required!!!

Booking valet airport parking could not be easier with Worldwide Holidays and Meteor Meet and Greet. Clients simply go to www.worldwideholidays.co.uk/parking where you can find a simple easy to use form. Just fill out which airport you require, when you are travelling and our system will calculate the best price for you!

If you have any questions about this new service please feel free to contact us.

A quick blog before my trip to Cuba on Sunday. For many of my clients I am sure you will already know that I think Cuba is the best place to go in the Caribbean. There are fabulous beaches, wonderful colonial cities to visit, history, wonderful people, lots of very cheap rum & of course fantastic weather!! I tend to go in November / December, as the weather is so nice there & so horrible in the UK. And I get a tan for Christmas!

This time I am only going for 1 week, so 6 nights relaxation on the beach & then the obligatory nights in Havana- I could never go to Cuba without staying in Havana- it is one of my most favourite cities in the world.

Next February I go to Cuba for 2 weeks for a friends “special” birthday & we go to Santiago de Cuba, then 5 whole nights in Havana (highlight!) & then the last few nights on the beach.

Watch out Cuba I’m coming back- again!!

A quick update about the Galapagos islands:-

The world heritage committee of the UNESCO voted 14 to 4 to remove the islands from the list of sites in danger by environmental threats or overuse, reversing the 2007 addition. The  delegation meeting held in Brasilia cited improved efforts by the government of Ecuador to protect the archipelago’s unique biodiversity, through efforts to control migration and control the introduction of invasive species.  However, conservation organizations, such as the US based Galapagos Conservancy and UK based Galapagos Conservation Trust, did express alarm, stating the decision was pre-mature and should not signal a relaxation of vigilant management and conservation efforts in the future. 

Find more about this unique destination – the Galapagos.

Following my recent trip to Costa Rica in May we are pleased to feature these three fabulous hotels. Nestled between Nicaragua and Panama, Costa Rica offers a huge diversity, wonderful nature, beautiful hotels etc. I always love going to Costa Rica, the people are just wonderful and so welcoming.

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 Hotel Parador

 I have stayed at this hotel lots of times and I always love it. Hotel Parador resort and spa is located at the end of a Peninsula in the Manuel Antonio area, on the pacific coast of Costa Rica. The 12.4 acre property is surrounded by tropical rain forests with spectacular views of the ocean. The hotel features a large swimming pool with a swim up bar & resident crocodile (not real!), an adult only pool with a cascading waterfall as well as the pool solely for the use of guests staying in the suites. Hotel activities include tennis courts, miniature golf, fitness centre and nature trails. The wonderful spa has a steam room, Jacuzzi and plunge pool. On my last trip I stayed in one of the new suites & highly recommend them. The views are stunning & the rooms ultra comfortable. The hotel have their own YouTube video giving you insight into the fantastic hotel:

If you would like to know more about this hotel option I would be more than happy to discuss itinerary options with you. You can contact me or request a brochure for Costa Rica. 

Nicuesa Lodge

 My visit in May was my first time at Playa Nicuesa and I absolutely loved this lodge. It offers a wonderful combination of nature & beach, the rooms are beautiful, the staff lovely & the food exceptional. Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge is a 165-acre private preserve located within the Golfo Dulce on Earth. This area contains Central America’s largest remaining Pacific Coast rainforest. Playa Nicuesa is a road-less paradise for nature lovers The lodge is only accessible via boat & is in an idyllic jungle meets beach setting. The lodge’s five private cabins (three 1-bedroom and two 2-bedroom) and the Mango Guesthouse with four rooms offer privacy and comfort in a natural setting. All cabins and rooms have canopied beds, ceiling fans, private terraces, and private baths with hot water and open-air garden shower. You may be interested in the lodge’s YouTube video showing some of the areas highlights.

Tango Mar Hotel

 I love staying at this hotel as it is so relaxing & quiet. It is directly on a beautiful beach & the food was fantastic. The Tango Mar Hotel is situated in Tambor along the Nicoya Peninsula & is situated directly on a beach generally regarded as the most beautiful beach in Central America. The hotel is a 60 hectares exclusive private beachfront reserve; it offers a 9 hole golf course, 2 swimming pools, tennis courts, restaurant and lots of activities including scuba diving, snorkelling and horse riding- from their own stables. Curu Reserve is only 20 minutes away & a boat trip to Tortuga Island is really nice.

 Read more about the Tango Mar.

We are very pleased to be able to offer these new options to clients and look forward to planning some exciting itineraries – all of our itineraries are tailor-made to your precise requirements. If you are thinking about a trip to Costa Rica or are interested in some Costa Rica itinerary options I would be happy to help. You can contact me or request a brochure.