Qatar Airways has long impressed us as a fantastic choice for our customers thanks to its excellent in-flight service. In 2022 alone, Qatar Airways was voted Skytrax Airline of the Year (based on traveller feedback) for a record seventh time, as well as receiving the awards for Best Business Class, Best Airline in the Middle East and Best Business Class Airline Lounge Dining.
Stuck for ideas on where to visit for your dose of Vitamin D this year? We’ve picked out some popular destinations that have piqued our interest for the coming year.
“Mauritius was made first and then heaven; and heaven was copied after Mauritius”, pronounced Mark Twain, quoting an islander. And now this tropical nirvana of palm-fringed white-sand beaches is opening again in time to welcome those longing for some winter sunshine.
Something of a scuba diving Mecca, Mauritius’ beaches are almost entirely encircled by coral reefs to discover, and there are shipwrecks to investigate too. Among the most thrilling sites are Coin de Mire, with the Djabeda wreck (almost fully covered in soft pink coral) and a wealth of marine life including octopi, dolphins and stingrays, and Cathedral, an extensive cavern and cave system. Due to the trade winds, the best time to dive there is through the winter months, roughly November through to April.
While the East Coast may be the tourist hotspot of Australia with Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane drawing in the crowds, the perimeter of Western Australia is littered with extraordinary attractions, both manmade and natural.
As visitors generally arrive in Perth, the first step is to head south to Margaret River wine region where miles of rolling vineyards, well-stocked breweries and elegant restaurants await. A stay in Margaret River itself is a must for any visitor but if you have the time, head to Dunsborough and Busselton for some of Australia’s best surf.
If you decide to head up north, you’ll pass by hundreds of miles of deserted talcum powder-white sand beaches with popular stop offs including Lancelin with its sandboarding. We recommend heading up to Exmouth and the surrounding region for some of the most incredible diving and snorkelling opportunities on earth along the Ningaloo reef.
Made up of 1192 islands, which group into 26 atolls, the Maldives is widely considered to be the ultimate destination for a tropical island getaway, with its away-from-it-all feel, lavish resorts and postcard-perfect scenery.
Throughout the past year, a clutch of new resorts have opened in the Maldives, including Jumeirah Maldives and OBLU SELECT Lobigili, creating opportunity for new experiences amongst even the most seasoned of Maldives visitors.
The crowd favourite ‘land of smiles’ is open once again and we can’t wait to get back. With so much to discover, the best way to do it is on a twin-centre break.
Chiang-Mai, in the North, delivers laid back authentic Thailand against a backdrop of misty mountains and lush green paddy fields, best enjoyed with a warm fragrant bowl of khao soi. Meanwhile Phuket, in the south, represents the classic Southeast Asian island experience with its luxurious resorts, playful bars and warm shallow coastal waters. And, with the newly opened Bush Camp from Elephant Hills, you can look forward to an ethical elephant encounter during your time in Chiang Mai.
With a bit of strategic thinking, you can effectively maximise your annual leave in 2024, by booking time off around the ten Irish public bank holidays. Doing so gives you longer stretches of time off and hence the chance to get away for longer – great news for all of us, but especially for parents trying to navigate school holidays.
The Seychelles is one the world’s loveliest tropical-island paradises, with incredible wildlife and natural ecosystems. Over its 115 islands (inner granite islands including Mahé, Praslin and La Digue, and outer islands including Aldabra), it houses, four turtle species, seven million migratory and resident birds tropical fish galore, hibiscus, frangipani and other colourful flowering trees, primary forest and stunning geological features. We’ve shared our favourite luxury hotels from which to best appreciate this breath taking Indian Ocean destination.
With many families asking us where to go in 2024 and planning for the new adventures that the coming year will bring, we’ve shared the destinations we’ve seen trending recently and what there is to do in each with children of different ages. It’s never too early to think ahead when it comes to bagging the most desirable resorts or tours – or the best deals!
