THE NEW WAY TO FIND A HOLIDAY! www.travelideas.co.za MARCH/APRIL 2015 e r o l l p a x c E ti s y m the t s a r E Fa + ONLY R22.90 GRAB A MAP & DO THE MIDLANDS MEANDER GET WET ON A SWAZILAND THRILL RIDE OR RUN A MARATHON IN CRUISES BEACH BREAKS BUSH HOLIDAYS ROMANTIC GETAWAYS FRANCE BIG DISCOUNTS ON THE WORLD S BEST HOLIDAYS MYANMAR A LAND LOST IN TIME 15037 R22.90 incl. VAT Let the good times roll... SHOP AROUND FOR SOME FANTASTIC LOCAL PLACES TO GO AND STAY 9 771993 794009 KRUGER WITH KIDS GSA march cover 2015.indd 7 BEAUTIFUL NEW ZEALAND ADVENTURE TIME MOSSEL BAY VISIT OUR WEBSITE WWW.TRAVELIDEAS.CO.ZA 2015/02/13 9:03 AM
SKI TRIPS TO AUSTRIA FANTASTIC FAMILY VALUE FOR MONEY, GOOD SKIING AND GEMÜTLICHKEIT... CONTACT YOUR LOCAL AUSTRIAN EXPERTS WITH 20 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE! 0861 SNOWSKI USE THIS ski austria - March 2015.indd 2 2015/02/12 10:26 AM
SKIAUSTRIA THE HOME OF ALPINE SKIING! Austria is truly the cradle of skiing, and as the Alps cover most of the country, it s really no surprise that it s one of Europe s top ski destinations. Unlike some other European countries, Austrian ski villages are chocolate-box traditional and pretty, centring around an onion-domed church rather than a coach park. It also has a reputation for having high standard accommodation that doesn t cost an arm and a leg. The slopes in Austria tend to be well laid out, with excellent mountain facilities, modern lift systems and pistes that don t get too clogged with skiers. Many resorts have pretty, tree-lined slopes and snow making facilities are exemplary.the most popular of the ski resorts include St Anton, Zell am See, Ellmau, Saalbach, Kitzbühel, Bad Gastein and Axamer Lizum, venue of two previous Winter Olympics. South Africans have historically only been exposed to 2 or 3 of these resorts; skiaustria Tours aims to broaden this by being the only Wholesale Tour Operator specializing in skiing in Austria and offering the widest selection of Austrian ski resorts... especially resorts that are not tourist traps! Austria s nightlife is both lively and varied. Whether you re there to enjoy après ski with Glühwein or a Schnapps at the end of a hard day s skiing; enjoying the jovial folk music, or dancing the night away in a disco - you ll find something to suit every member of the family. The après ski vibe is unmatched in Europe and the 80 s and 90 s hits are sure to get your feet tapping. Why would you want to go skiing anywhere other than the Home of Alpine skiing - Austria? 2015 CHRISTMAS SKI SPECIALS Enjoy your next Christmas in the snow of the Austrian Alps. Our ski packages include accommodation, all breakfasts, some with dinners, Meet & Greet and airport transfers, our staff in the resorts, ski hire, ski lift passes, welcome hamper, imported ski fleece top PLUS LOTS MORE (kids sharing discounts apply). GÖTZENS - INNSBRUCK A1 Beginner Ski Resort! 7 nights H H H Hotel DBB accommodation from R15 900.00 pps ZELL AM SEE 100% Snow Safe Skiing! 7 nights H H H Hotel DBB accommodation from R17 600.00 pps SKIWELT, TIROL Fabulous Family Ski Resort 7 nights H H H H Hotel DBB package from: R19 900.00 pps Excludes flights - Terms and Conditions apply subject to availability and at an estimated Rate of Exchange used is R 14.00 = EUR 1.00. Proud skiing partner of Cape Union Mart www.skiaustria-tours.com info@skiaustria-tours.com
STRAP 2 TRAVEL IDEAS March/April 2015
March / April 2015 TRAVEL IDEAS CONTENTS THE MYSIQUE OF MYANMAR (BURMA) A land lost in time... BHUTAN - LAND OF THE DRAGONS The last authentic country in the world? 42 BICYCLES IN BEIJING Exploring China s vibrant metropolis. TAKE A RUN THROUGH FRANCE The Medoc Marathon: Something completely different. 58 LAND OF THE LONG WHITE CLOUD New Zealand s North & South Islands. RODRIGUES: J TAIME Mauritius romantic (yet largely undiscovered) cousin. MEMORABLE MOMENTS IN MOZAMBIQUE Adventure. Food. Festivals. And a little bit of history. MADAGASCAR S NOSEY BE A lush, tropical paradise off the island s north coast. 72 10 84 22 SWAZILAND: BEEHIVES AND BEYOND The kingdom of adventure on South Africa s doorstep. 101 48 KWA-ZULU NATAL: THE MIDLANDS Taking it slow on the Midlands Meander. MOSSEL BAY: DO EXCITEMENT The Western Cape s best kept secret. PLETTENBERG BAY: PERFECT Nature s magnificence, fine food and fine living. TREASURE ON DISPLAY Discover a wealth of art across South Africa. KRUGER WITH KIDS? Yes you can! 16 30 66 88 105 76 WE SOURCE THE BEST HOLIDAY PACKAGES AVAILABLE 21 BHUTAN 25 FAR EAST INCL. THAILAND 32 FRANCE: ON FOOT 34 CRUISING EUROPE 41 ROMANTIC GETAWAYS 53 MAURITIUS 56 BEACH EXPERIENCES 104 BUSH GETAWAYS 111 BUSH HIDEAWAYS ALSO 38 HOTEL FEATURE: ICONIC SANTORINI 70 ACROSS AFRICA ON A VESPA! 71 SUBSCRIBE AND WIN COOL STUFF 93 DIARY OF EVENTS 97 Q&A WITH GRANT NOTTEN 112 TRAVEL SHOP 117 WIN A STAY IN CAPE ST. FRANCIS March/April 2015 TRAVEL IDEAS 3