TRAVEL ARTICLES
Monday, 3 September 2007
Discover the real Canaries
The Canaries have long offered a temptingly convenient retreat from the cold British winter. The combination of relatively cheap short-haul flights (you can currently find flights to Tenerife from Gatwick for less than a hundred quid in November and December) and year round great weather mean that those looking to flee grey, overcast Britain can step off a three hour flight into another world of continuous sun.
This enduring appeal has unfortunately led to an all too familiar landscape of over-developed resorts blighting large chunks of the islands. For those not keen on spending their holiday imprisoned in a mass-tourism infested concrete jungle however there still remain relatively un-spoilt areas that retain plenty of the islands original character. Look beyond the resorts and you'll find picturesque whitewashed villages, orange groves, perfect blue skies and the idyllic hush of lazy sun-drenched afternoons.
Indeed, away from the nightclubs, sun-loungers and draught lagers is a world of stunning architecture, rural idylls, delicious cuisine and fiestas just waiting for you to discover it. What follows is a brief guide to the islands
El Hierro, before Columbus discovered America, was considered to be the end of the world. These days, it still preserves something of the wilderness in its heavily wooded terrain, and of course the ubiquitous volcanic landscape adds that air of the unfamiliar. It's the smallest and most westerly of the islands, and, as such, is certainly the most tranquil.
Tenerife is surely the most popular island in The Canaries (1.6 million tourists from the UK alone in 2005), boasting the most uninterrupted sunshine and hence the most bustling resort life. Of course, veer slightly away from the capital Santa Cruz, and you'll find a surprisingly chic seam of designer hotels, exclusive restaurants and boutique life. The little known Isla Baja area of the island retains an almost entirely unspoilt feel, where the villages and towns retain their original flavour and heritage, along with some wonderful food. The majority of flights to The Canaries are flights to Tenerife, with access to the other islands via connecting flights of ferry journeys.
Lanzarote conjures perhaps the most vivid imagery of The Canary Islands. Black, volcanic sand jets of sulphurous steam and vast craters are reminiscent of some distant, alien planet, while the unique architecture of César Manrique creates a vision of utopia unparalleled anywhere in the world.
Gran Canaria is known as "The Miniature Continent" due to its astonishing variety of micro-climates. For this reason, it as a real lure for those seeking natural beauty; there are 32 Natural Protected Spaces, each one boasting a different vista. Of course, as with every other island, here there is no shortage of beaches to wander, swim out from and relax on.
The best deal we found to Lanzarote meanwhile was £128 inc. tax from Heathrow on Cheap Flights.
Also on Cheap Flights you can currently find flights to Las Palmas, Gran Canaria for £104 inc. tax from Stansted.
Flythomascook are currently offering discounts on flights to the Canaries.
This enduring appeal has unfortunately led to an all too familiar landscape of over-developed resorts blighting large chunks of the islands. For those not keen on spending their holiday imprisoned in a mass-tourism infested concrete jungle however there still remain relatively un-spoilt areas that retain plenty of the islands original character. Look beyond the resorts and you'll find picturesque whitewashed villages, orange groves, perfect blue skies and the idyllic hush of lazy sun-drenched afternoons.
Indeed, away from the nightclubs, sun-loungers and draught lagers is a world of stunning architecture, rural idylls, delicious cuisine and fiestas just waiting for you to discover it. What follows is a brief guide to the islands
El Hierro, before Columbus discovered America, was considered to be the end of the world. These days, it still preserves something of the wilderness in its heavily wooded terrain, and of course the ubiquitous volcanic landscape adds that air of the unfamiliar. It's the smallest and most westerly of the islands, and, as such, is certainly the most tranquil.
Tenerife is surely the most popular island in The Canaries (1.6 million tourists from the UK alone in 2005), boasting the most uninterrupted sunshine and hence the most bustling resort life. Of course, veer slightly away from the capital Santa Cruz, and you'll find a surprisingly chic seam of designer hotels, exclusive restaurants and boutique life. The little known Isla Baja area of the island retains an almost entirely unspoilt feel, where the villages and towns retain their original flavour and heritage, along with some wonderful food. The majority of flights to The Canaries are flights to Tenerife, with access to the other islands via connecting flights of ferry journeys.
Lanzarote conjures perhaps the most vivid imagery of The Canary Islands. Black, volcanic sand jets of sulphurous steam and vast craters are reminiscent of some distant, alien planet, while the unique architecture of César Manrique creates a vision of utopia unparalleled anywhere in the world.
Gran Canaria is known as "The Miniature Continent" due to its astonishing variety of micro-climates. For this reason, it as a real lure for those seeking natural beauty; there are 32 Natural Protected Spaces, each one boasting a different vista. Of course, as with every other island, here there is no shortage of beaches to wander, swim out from and relax on.
The best deal we found to Lanzarote meanwhile was £128 inc. tax from Heathrow on Cheap Flights.
Also on Cheap Flights you can currently find flights to Las Palmas, Gran Canaria for £104 inc. tax from Stansted.
Flythomascook are currently offering discounts on flights to the Canaries.
Travel Agents selling "dubious" travel insurance
A recent study by Sainsbury's Travel Insurance has found that millions of travelers are being mis-sold travel insurance by travel agents.
According to the survey over three and a half million people have been sold "dubious" cover by travel agents. There is also a suggestion that travel agents use "bullying tactics" to push customers into purchasing policies that don't necessarily represent good value. An alarming 9% of UK holidaymakers were told that the only way of securing their preferred holiday was by also purchasing cover.
Steve Johnson, head of travel insurance at Sainsbury's Bank, explained: "It's possibly tempting to purchase cover from the travel agent when the pressure is on and you're told it's a popular destination and there's not guarantee there'll be any room left.
"But the only way to be sure you get the cover appropriate for all your needs at a price that's right is to shop around."
These findings follow on from an announcement in June that from 2009 the FSA will regulate all travel insurance sold by agents as part of package deals just as it already does with other travel insurance companies. The decision was inspired by reports suggesting that during 2006 10 million Brits traveled abroad without realizing that their policy would fail to cover them in the event of a terrorist attack.
The survey revealed that 17% of those buying insurance from travel agents weren't asked about pre-existing medical conditions and a further 13% said that they were sold insurance without any explanation of what it did and didn't cover
Steve Johnson continued: "If you know roughly where you plan to go and for how long, there's nothing to stop you obtaining your insurance before you step foot in the travel agent especially when considering an annual policy."
By shopping around for deals with dedicated travel insurance companies like Go Travel Insurance, Insureandgo or AA Travel Insurance holidaymakers are likely to find better deals that are more tailored to there particular needs than by picking up insurance as part of a travel agency package deal.
According to the survey over three and a half million people have been sold "dubious" cover by travel agents. There is also a suggestion that travel agents use "bullying tactics" to push customers into purchasing policies that don't necessarily represent good value. An alarming 9% of UK holidaymakers were told that the only way of securing their preferred holiday was by also purchasing cover.
Steve Johnson, head of travel insurance at Sainsbury's Bank, explained: "It's possibly tempting to purchase cover from the travel agent when the pressure is on and you're told it's a popular destination and there's not guarantee there'll be any room left.
"But the only way to be sure you get the cover appropriate for all your needs at a price that's right is to shop around."
These findings follow on from an announcement in June that from 2009 the FSA will regulate all travel insurance sold by agents as part of package deals just as it already does with other travel insurance companies. The decision was inspired by reports suggesting that during 2006 10 million Brits traveled abroad without realizing that their policy would fail to cover them in the event of a terrorist attack.
The survey revealed that 17% of those buying insurance from travel agents weren't asked about pre-existing medical conditions and a further 13% said that they were sold insurance without any explanation of what it did and didn't cover
Steve Johnson continued: "If you know roughly where you plan to go and for how long, there's nothing to stop you obtaining your insurance before you step foot in the travel agent especially when considering an annual policy."
By shopping around for deals with dedicated travel insurance companies like Go Travel Insurance, Insureandgo or AA Travel Insurance holidaymakers are likely to find better deals that are more tailored to there particular needs than by picking up insurance as part of a travel agency package deal.
Weak Dollar makes London less appealing for US travelers
Leading flight comparison website Cheap Flights have revealed that, after analysis of the number of clicks made by users searching on their US site, the number of people booking flights from the US to London has seen a significant decline over the last year.
Despite a strong general growth in traffic for Cheapflights.com which has meant increased numbers searching for London flights, the city's sharp dip in the destination ranking table reflects a decline in London's popularity for US travelers.
The decreased popularity indicated by a drop from 7th to 15th in the destination ranking table is being attributed to the weak US dollar. Chris Cuddy, Cheap Flights' Group Managing Director said: "Cheapflights' record traffic last year reflects the fact that travellers are able find and compare more flights deals from more flights providers than anywhere else on the web.
When our users search for cheap flight deals, tourist destinations are a major component as our table shows. London is a perennial favorite destination for US citizens; however the unfavorable exchange rate has made the UK an expensive choice as the current comparative rankings clearly show!"
In a logical reverse of this situation it seems that visitors to Cheapflights.co.uk are taking advantage of the weak dollar and seizing the opportunity to pay a visit to the Big Apple. Francesca Ecsery, General Manager, Cheapflights.co.uk said: "For our UK users, New York is consistently the number one destination searched for on our UK site, Cheapflights.co.uk. With the cheap Dollar, it is therefore not surprising that the Dollar's weakness has caused a 38% surge in traffic searching for deals to America's first city compared to July 2006 a year ago.
Similarly the Pound's relative strength against the Euro has seen interest by price sensitive Brits for flights to Alicante, Malaga and Tenerife up from a year ago by between 50 and 60%."
For other travel information and cheap flights, have a look at UK Travel Zoo. This website pools the very best bargains from across the internet, making your search all the more easy going.
Despite a strong general growth in traffic for Cheapflights.com which has meant increased numbers searching for London flights, the city's sharp dip in the destination ranking table reflects a decline in London's popularity for US travelers.
The decreased popularity indicated by a drop from 7th to 15th in the destination ranking table is being attributed to the weak US dollar. Chris Cuddy, Cheap Flights' Group Managing Director said: "Cheapflights' record traffic last year reflects the fact that travellers are able find and compare more flights deals from more flights providers than anywhere else on the web.
When our users search for cheap flight deals, tourist destinations are a major component as our table shows. London is a perennial favorite destination for US citizens; however the unfavorable exchange rate has made the UK an expensive choice as the current comparative rankings clearly show!"
In a logical reverse of this situation it seems that visitors to Cheapflights.co.uk are taking advantage of the weak dollar and seizing the opportunity to pay a visit to the Big Apple. Francesca Ecsery, General Manager, Cheapflights.co.uk said: "For our UK users, New York is consistently the number one destination searched for on our UK site, Cheapflights.co.uk. With the cheap Dollar, it is therefore not surprising that the Dollar's weakness has caused a 38% surge in traffic searching for deals to America's first city compared to July 2006 a year ago.
Similarly the Pound's relative strength against the Euro has seen interest by price sensitive Brits for flights to Alicante, Malaga and Tenerife up from a year ago by between 50 and 60%."
For other travel information and cheap flights, have a look at UK Travel Zoo. This website pools the very best bargains from across the internet, making your search all the more easy going.
