Istanbul, the European capital of culture in 2010,  is currently proving to be one of Cox & Kings’ most popular short breaks. Michael Pullman recently sampled some of the city’s culinary delights.

There are enough good restaurants in Istanbul to eat out every night for a month and still not get bored. To escape the crowds of tourists, dinner on the Asian side (which involves an atmospheric 20-minute night-time ferry ride) cannot be recommended highly enough.

The excellent-value Ciya Sofresi (left) has been winning plaudits for its superb cuisine for years. The dishes are priced by weight, allowing you to try as many different options of the cold starter and hot main dishes as you like and the bill will still be reasonable. It is located in Kadikoy, at the end of a long and lively street full of fruit, vegetable and fish markets, as well as a number of other excellent no-frills restaurants.

Turkey’s varied geography and climate mean it is self-sufficient in terms of food production so everything in Istanbul tastes fresh, especially the seafood/fish from the Bosphorus. In fact you can see rows and rows of locals fishing off the side of Galata Bridge every night, and in the evenings men carrying plates of mussels wander around the bar areas selling snacks to the locals.

 
Other restaurants worth trying include the Imbat Restaurantfor its superb views over the Golden Horn, and the many restaurants and bars in Beyoglu area, Istanbul’s liveliest area for nightlife  and home to many of the city’s more upmarket eateries.  Most locals seem to prefer to eat outside in this area, so whilst the restaurants may look full, there is often space inside if you ask. The cozy-looking restaurant we chose appeared full, but as the waiter led us upstairs through a labyrinth of passageways and rooms to find us a table we felt like we were in the famous one-take club scene from Goodfellas (below).  A lot of dining space is important in Istanbul, as turnover is slow, with meals being lazy affairs punctuated by multiple rounds of ordering and raki.

The street-food, in particular the kebabs, are also worth sampling. Lying just outside the Euro zone, the city currently represents good value for money. For foodies, as well as culture lovers, 2010 is a great year to visit Istanbul.

Cox & Kings offers a wide range of short break options in Istanbul, including the Four Seasons properties at the Bosphorus and Sultanhamet, the Avicenna (currently 4 nights for the price of 3), the Sirkeci Konak, the Sofa Hotel, the W Hotel and the newly refurbished Pera Palace Hotel. Click here to view all short breaks to Istanbul.

Online Marketing Manager Michael Pullman recently travelled to Japan and was surprised by the country’s natural beauty. Here he talks about the highlights of his trip.

Japan is a country I had long-wanted to visit. To me it conjured up visions of high-tech cities, traditional temples and geishas. I did experience that side of Japan, but what took me by surprise was the country’s stunning natural beauty, from the mountains and forests of Hakone National Park to the gardens of Kyoto.

Kyoto’s Temples and Gardens

Kyoto, the ancient capital of Japan, has over 1,000 temples, most of which are surrounded by beautiful gardens. We visited the Kiyomizu-dera Temple, which is an impressive wooden complex sitting on top of a hill overlooking the city.

An excellent example of Kyoto’s beautiful gardens can be found at Kodaji Temple. This small temple has a series of typical Japanese doorways looking out onto perfectly-proportioned gardens with running water and carefully-pruned trees.

Hakone National Park

Hakone National Park is a beautiful region of mountains, lakes and forests, about two hour’s drive from Tokyo. From Soun-zan we took a 30-minute cable car down to Lake Ashino-ko, a journey which on clear days offers tremendous views of Mount Fuji. Once at the bottom, you can take a ferry ride across the lake for more picturesque views of the mountain the Japanese reverentially refer to as ‘Fuji-san’.

A Tea Ceremony in Kyoto
We were lucky enough to attend a traditional Japanese tea ceremony in Kyoto. During a delicious sashimi dinner, we were graciously hosted by two maiko (apprentice geisha, or ‘geiko’) and one geiko. After dinner, while the elder geiko played a strnged instrument with a long neck, two of the maikos gave an exquisite dance, before we finished the evening playing parlour games such as konpira fune-fune (’slapping-box’ game).

The Park Hyatt, Tokyo

The Park Hyatt is one of the finest hotels in the world, and thanks largely to 2003’s Lost in Translation, it is also one of the most famous. The hotel begins on the 45th floor, and each luxurious but understated room has enormous windows offering superb views of the Tokyo skyline. The views from the famous New York Grill on the top floor, are even more impressive. Here we were treated to Kobe Beef, and a few drinks at the bar, where we imagined we were Bill Murray watching the live jazz band whilst sipping suntory whisky.

Cox & Kings offers an 8-night Japan’s Cultural Treasures group tour taking in Tokyo, Nikko, Hakone National Park, Kyoto and Nara from £2820 per person.

Since the Foreign Office put Lebanon back on its ‘safe’ list, the country is rebuilding its reputation as a tourist destination and it’s finding itself on the top of travel publications’ ‘undiscovered must-see’ countries for 2010. Katie Parsons travelled to Beirut for a long weekend to find out why.

Just 5 hours flying time from London, and only a 2 hour time difference means Beirut is perfect for a short break in search of some sunshine. For a country that takes just 3 hours to drive from north to south, the amount of diversity is remarkable. As the marketing people say, without exaggeration, geographically it is possible to be skiing on the slopes of Mount Lebanon in the morning and swimming on the shores of the Mediterranean in the afternoon.

For most people Beirut is synonymous with a very recent turbulent past. Apart from the physical damage that remains on some buildings, and a visible military presence on the streets, there is no other evidence of the conflicts and the Lebanese are a very cosmopolitan and liberal people, unlike anywhere else in the Middle East.

Beirut’s downtown is in the process of undergoing a complete facelift, restoring the buildings to their former glory and creating a bustling city centre to try to regain its former title of the ‘Paris of the Middle East’. Solidere is a privately owned company responsible for the 25 year, multi-billion dollar rebuild programme. Gradually mosques, churches, offices and shops are all being reopened and it has given the renamed Solidere centre a new bustling lease of life.

The Corniche, the rebuilt promenade along the coast, is a hub of activity. During the day people jog and walk along it. At dusk, families meet there and friends smoke their hubbly-bubbly pipes listening to music, all watching the sun as it finally dips into the sea on the horizon behind the famous landmark of Pigeon Rocks (left).

Just 40 minutes north of the capital is the small ancient fishing village of Byblos, one of the oldest continuously-inhabited towns in the world. After exploring the ruins of the castle and quaint souks, a delicious fish lunch is a well-deserved reward. The restaurant terraces overlooking the small harbour, with its fishing boats coming in with the catch of the day make Byblos feels more Mediterranean than Middle Eastern.

En route to Byblos is Jeitta Grotto, a series of enormous caves, justified as a contender for one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. Both the Upper and Lower Caverns have gigantic stalactites and stalagmites, formed millions of years ago, all spectacularly illuminated. You can walk about 20 minutes deep into the Upper Cavern but since the Lower Cavern is partially flooded its necessary to take a small electric boat through the series of lagoons.

The real jewel in Lebanon’s crown is Baalbek. Like Palmyra in Syria, a small town has built up around the site but Baalbek is even better preserved. The 6 remaining columns of Temple of Jupiter, standing over 22 metres high, are the tallest in the world and are perhaps the most famous image of Baalbek. Next to the columns is the smaller Temple of Bacchus. Ironically it’s called the Little Temple although it’s even larger than the Parthenon in Athens. 

On top of these incredible and easy to reach sights, the Lebanese people are extremely welcoming and hospitable, and the food is incredible, with fish, kofta, pitta and kebabs all featuring highly on a Lebanese mezze menu. It is not hard to see why Lebanon is again capturing the public’s imagination after so long out in the cold.

Cox & Kings offers the 6-night escorted group tour Lebanon: Land of the Phoenicians, from £995 per person. We also offer 4-night short breaks in Beirut, staying at either the Commodore Hotel or the newly-opened Le Grey.

Online Marketing Manager Michael Pullman recently travelled to Rio de Janeiro in Brazil.

Corcovado Mountain

We travelled by jeep to the bottom of Corcovado Mountain. This is a great way to travel, as you seem to see so much more of the city through the open topped vehicles rather than through one window on one sideof a bus, and there is the the added novelty of locals waving and callingat you as you go past. We then took a 20 minute tram ride up CorcovadoMountain, which turned into a bit of a party thanks to the samba band on board, with everyone very much getting into the spirit of things and conga-ing out of the carriage upon arrival.

The view from the top of the 710-metre-high CorcovadoMountain is absolutely breathtaking. Rio de Janeiro offers a stunning vista of ocean, bays, mountains, jungle and beaches in all directions, and must have the most beautiful natural settingof any city. Even the haphazard shapes and colours of the numerous hillside favelas seem attractive from up here. You can get an idea of the view here.

Churrasco

An excellent place to try a traditional Brazilian lunch is Porcao(big pig), an elegant restaurant which offers superb views over Corcovado Mountain. Here they serve traditional churrascaria, where waiters come around with spits of barbecued beef, pork, lamb and chicken, which they carve directly onto your plate. Each guest is given a card with a green side, which basically means ‘please fill my plate with meat’, and a red side meaning ‘I’m stuffed’. Meat lovers will be in heaven here. We were cannily advised not to fill ourselves up with cold items from the buffet in order to leave plenty of room for the superbly tender meat, which just keeps on coming.

The Maracana Stadium

This enormous circular structure used to hold 200,000 spectators in the days of standingat matches, and now has a capacity of 110,000. Visitors get to see the terraces, the changing rooms, and the pitch, where on the day we visited a veteran in a Brazil top was showingoff his skills (and makingmoney) by jugglingfirst a peanut, then a tennis ball, then finally a football. In return I showed him how we do it in England by managing four whole keepie uppiesbefore losing control of the ball and belting it into the distance. Seeing a match here would be fantastic, and the World Cup Final in 2014 could not be held in a better place.

Sugar Loaf Mountain

After lunch in another of Rio’s fashionable restaurants, Casa de Feijoada, named after the national dish of beef, beans and pork which arrives in a steaming bowl lookinglike it is still on fire, we headed to Sugar Loaf Mountain. This involves a short and enjoyable cable car ride, which will be familiar to Bond fans as the scene of a memorable fight between Roger Moore and Jaws in Moonraker (see below). The views from Sugar Loaf are almost as impressive as Corcovado, with the added bonus of being able to see the Christ the Redeemer statue.

Rio’s nightlife

On Saturday night we experienced a taste of Rio’s nightlife, visiting the superb Rio Scenarium, the best-known bar in the city. The bar is housed in an old colonial building and consists of three floors all full of interesting bric-a-brac. There are three or four live acts (usually Samba) most nights, and a pleasingly even mix of locals and tourists. After a few caiparinhas the dancefloor becomes very busy, with few able to sit down for long once the music starts. Rio Scenarium stays open late and in this strange time-warp it will be 5am before you know it.

The Copacabana Palace

We were lucky enough to be staying in one of the world’s most exclusive hotels. The Copacabana Palace is the most striking building on Copacabana Beach, an enormous pure white art deco structure. It was the first building on Copacabana Beach, and was responsible for making the area cool in the 1930s. Plenty of famous people passing through Rio have stayed here. Whilst we were there the Queen of Sweden was staying and on the last night the President of Russia checked in, together with a number of heavily-built Russians with earpieces and bulges in their pockets. The rooms are delightful and the 25-metre outdoor swimming pool is a great place to kill time, but what really makes this a great hotel is the service. Not in the slightest bit stuffy, just highly efficient and friendly, the Copacabana Palace looks after its guests extremely well.

View our tours to Brazil here >>

After the hustle and bustle of visiting the cultural delights of Tokyo and Kyoto, Far East consultant Ewen Moore, with a small group of other tour operators, recently visited the most southerly part of Japan, the Islands that make up the Okinawa prefecture. There he found a climate and an attitude far removed from those on Japan’s main Island of Honshu.

Okinawa Main Island
Our arrival in Naha, on the main Island of Okinawa and the biggest city in the Okinawa prefecture, couldn’t have been more different to our arrival in Tokyo only a few days earlier. Replace the efficient and immaculately dressed immigration guards at Tokyo Narrita airport with a handful of brightly dressed and deeply suntanned airport staff with clearly very little to do; replace the 150 metre baggage carrousel rushing out hard cased, dark coloured suitcases with a lazy single belt coughing up a mixture of golf bags and pink suitcases bulging with flip-flops and sun cream; and most of all replace the cloudy, still, inescapable heat of Tokyo and Kyoto in July with the (albeit just as hot and inescapable) humidity of a tropical Island. Here we are – Okinawa.

As we got on the bus to our hotel in downtown Naha, we were greeted with huge apologies from the Okinawan tourist board representatives, as our arrival had coincided with the evening rush hour in Naha and we had to cross the city to our hotel. 15 minutes later we were at our hotel, The Naha Terrace Hotel. With great views over the city and the coast, the 5 star Naha Terrace is the best place to stay if your flight is at an anti-social hour or simply if you fancy a few days exploring Naha.

Naha itself is certainly worth exploring for a day. The central Kokusai (or International) Street is packed with shops selling all manner of Okinawan delights. Particularly good souvenirs are a bottle of the local tipple, Awamori, a rice based spirit, stronger than any Sake you’re likely to encounter on mainland Japan and a ‘Okinawan’ style shirt. As our time in Okinawa moved on I became more and more fascinated with the ‘Hawaiian’ style of shirt worn not only by the holiday-makers, guides and street vendors, but by all the government officials and Hotel staff. I picked one up at a very reasonable price on Kokusai Street and slipping it on as we walked through the adjoining market immediately felt much more inconspicuous. The market half way down Kokusai street is another must-see, especially the food section, where one can walk through the stalls tasting the local delicacies, such as seaweed and pig’s ears. It is said that the people of Okinawa will eat every part of a pig apart from its squeal!

The next day found us heading north on the Island, towards the famous Churaumi Aquarium (until recently the proud owner of the world’s biggest fish tank). On our way we visited ‘Ryukyu Mura’, a cleverly designed ‘cultural village’ where you can walk leisurely around at your own pace viewing various aspects of traditional Okinawan life. The highlight for me was when an elderly lady suddenly appeared in one of the buildings and danced for us with a  huge bottle of Awamori on her head. ‘How old is she?’ I asked our guide after a spirited round of applause, ‘92’ she answered. I would recommend the Ryukyu Mura as a ‘fun for all ages place’, and if I’m being honest one of the few sightseeing places in Okinawa ready for the western tourist, demonstrated by their provision of an informative English speaking tape that accompanies you round.

I would recommend all the above excursions to anyone spending a few days on the main island of Okinawa, but the reason why you visit here is to relax by a beach after a busy tour of the main Islands of Japan. There are a range of different quality beach resorts to choose from on the Island, but in my opinion, there is no better place to stay than the Busena Terrace Hotel (sister to the Naha Terrace), a luxury resort situated on the mid-west coast with stunning views out over the light blue tropical sea. It was here that the G20 summit in the year 2000 took place and the hotel played host to many of the world’s leaders. If you are the sort of person who gets bored easily with relaxing by a pool or on a beach or the fear of bumping into Cherie Blair in a bikini is too much for you, the hotel is also right next to a first class championship golf course and 15 minutes from the aquarium and the cultural village.

Tourism in Okinawa is very much alive and developed in terms of domestic visitors, but despite the large US presence from the Naval base (who it seems on-the-whole keep themselves to themselves), Okinawa is fairly new to the idea of western tourists. Despite the current dearth of western visitors, it is however well enough equipped in terms of accommodation and activities to make an ideal tourist destination.

One thing I would highly recommend doing if you are visiting Okinawa is hiring a car and self-driving. This is something I experienced for a morning and found the roads to be safer and quieter to those in the UK. Although Okinawa may not feel like Japan, with some things (such as safety) it certainly is and I was put in a simulator which spoke to me in English and let me practice on the ‘virtual’ roads of the island before being plonked in front of a short DVD which explained to me how not to collide with the car in front and the importance of fastening my seat belt. I was also delighted to find that, (despite their being only really 3 roads on the island), the car did have a Satellite Navigation system which would speak to me in English and which the people in the hire shop are more than happy to set up for you. Having a car on Okinawa is a big plus as it allows you to hop from beach to beach as well as visit some of the attractions above in your own time.

So it was with difficulty that the following morning I dragged myself up and headed to the airport for our flight to the Island of Ishigaki, the most southerly part of Japan and a mere 100km from Taiwan.

Ishigaki

I shouldn’t have worried, what we found on the smaller, far more sparsely populated Ishigaki (around 45,000 as opposed to around 1.2 million), was another delightful place to come and relax.

After an early start and some fervently drawn out goodbyes from the entourage that had accompanied us for our days on the main Island, we were in need of refuelling. We weren’t disappointed as our first stop was the Kaho restaurant, famous throughout the Ishigaki and the neighbouring Yaeyama Islands for its healthy cuisine. The highlight of it was trying a local seaweed dish, Mozuku, thin ‘noodle-like’ seaweed, served in vinegar.

Stomachs full of seaweed and tea; we set out for our afternoon’s excursion, a leisurely cruise around Kabira Bay in a glass bottomed boat. Kabira Bay is home to some of the most beautiful coral and tropical fish in the world and it makes for a fascinating afternoon, cruising in and out of the small islands scattered off the Ishigaki coast.

The Yaeama Islands, of which Ishigaki is the largest and most populous member, offer a sight of rural Island life, where many of the inhabitants have barely ever left their own Island, and can’t comprehend the commerce of mainland Japan. Just a 20 minute ride from Ishigaki is tiny Island of Taketomi, whilst a mere 300 lay their heads here at night, the daytime population can rise into the thousands with many of the visiting Japanese enjoying a leisurely Buffalo cart ride around the traditional Okinawan residences.

In terms of accommodation, The ANA Intercontinental Ishigaki resort is the Islands premier hotel. Just 10 minutes from the airport and situated on a kilometre long stretch of beach, the hotel bears all the reassuringly classy traits of other hotels in Asia under the Intercontinental brand.

Miyako

The final one of the Islands that we visited in the Okinawan Prefecture was the small holiday Island of Miyako. It was clear from the our arrival at the airport that it was a big deal for the tourist authorities in Miyako to have visitors from UK travel companies and after a rushed interview for the Miyako TV news, we were taken to a fantastic lunch at the Miyako Tokyu Resort. This resort is situated on what is arguably the best stretch of beach on the Island and is well equipped for Western visitors, with a brand new spa and a number of restaurants to choose from.

The main attraction of visiting Miyako is the Ocean and wonderful Coral and tropical fish that can be seen there. The Island is a truly great place to lie on the beach relaxing or splashing around with a snorkelling mask.

If you are the looking to experience the ultimate in luxury resort relaxation that Japan has to offer you may wish to stay at the suite-only, Allamanda resort. Popular with Japanese honeymooners and government officials, and with it’s own stretch of beach and golf course, there is nowhere better on the Island to relax and enjoy being pampered.

To discuss Tailor-Made options to Japan’s Okinawa Prefecture call 020 7873 5000.

Cox & Kings’ PR Executive Laura Smith found herself with a free weekend this July, and popped across to Paris for the night.

Travelling
The Eurostar is a quick, stress-free way to reach the French capital, and will have you sipping espresso in a café off the Champs Elysees within three hours of leaving St Pancras. I was completely won over by the whole experience- the trains were clean and very comfortable, fast and, most importantly, on time. On our return to London, we had two apologies from our driver about the three-minute delay to our departure. The three minutes was made up en route. Another bonus is of course the lack of lengthy airport immigration queues and liquid restrictions.

For those that prefer to fly, British Airways has regular flights to Paris from Manchester and London Heathrow, Gatwick and City airports. Connecting regional flights are available.

Sleeping
We stayed at the Sofitel le Faubourg. Situated just off the Place de la Concorde, close to Champs Elysees and ten minutes’ walk from the Arc de Triomphe, the hotel is ideally located for a short sightseeing visit. And it’s location that you pay for in Paris. If you just have a weekend to spend in the city, you don’t want to spend all your time travelling to and from your out-of-town hotel. Sofitel le Faubourg has good sized rooms, a small gym, a lovely restaurant and good quality in-room amenities, including Hermès bath products.

Other options recommended by Cox & Kings include the Warwick Champs Elysees, Hotel Westminster and the Sofitel Paris Champs Elysees.

Eating
Head up to Montmartre in the early evening and watch the sun go down from the viewing point by Sacré Coeur. To reach Montmartre, take the Metro to Blanche, close to the Moulin Rouge. Then head up the winding, cobbled streets and steep steps to the bustling Place du Tertre, which is lined with restaurants and ice cream parlours and brought to life by musicians and the odd caricature artist. Continue to the Sacré Coeur at the very top of the hill for one of the best viewing points over Paris. You can climb to the top of the church for 360 degree views or simply stand at the viewpoint outside. There are dozens of excellent restaurants to choose from, serving fresh Moules Frites and Steak Haché.

The French have breakfasting down to a tee (or should that be coffee). Unfortunately, though, they’re late risers at weekends, and it can be difficult to find a decent café open at 9am. Fortunately, the breakfast at Sofitel le Faubourg included a comprehensive selection of pastries and breads, with eggs available to order.

For snacking, eat delicious hot crepes from one of the countless stalls along the Seine or at Montmartre, and stop at a gelaterie to choose from a rainbow of ice cream flavours.

Paris is not a place to watch the waistline. I don’t know how Parisian women manage it!

Sightseeing
Stroll along the Seine and admire the enormous river barges; visit Notre Dame and the Arc de Triomphe; visit the Pompidou Centre and take the lift to the café at the top, even if you don’t pay to enter the museum – the views are fabulous.

Don’t miss a visit to the Louvre, one of Europe’s finest museums. The Mona Lisa is somewhat anticlimactic, but worth a visit, and there are some great art collections – the impressionists rooms are particularly good.

The Arab du Monde Institute was an unexpected highlight. Designed by celebrated French architect Jean Nouvel, who also created the Fondation Cartier, the building’s architecture is based on the mechanism of a camera lens, which opens and closes according the position and brightness of the sun to let in the right amount of light. The wall of the institute is comprised of hundred of these shutters, so that it’s never to bright, or too dark, inside.

If you have time, you could take the Metro out to see the new Bibliotheque Nationale, designed by Dominique Perrault. The library’s four buildings are set up like four giant, open books, with a central square of greenery in between. Anyone can visit and walk around.

For second (and third, fourth and fifth etc etc) time visitors, it’s easier to forgo the ‘schedule’ and the ‘to-do list’ and simply take your time and stroll around. You’ll notice things you didn’t on other visits, and have more time to simply soak up the atmosphere.

Cox & Kings offers three-night breaks in Paris, staying at the centrally located Sofitel le Faubourg, from £520 per person including return Eurostar tickets (standard class) and three nights’ B&B at Sofitel le Faubourg.

Travel Tips:

· Buy drinks and snacks for your Eurostar journey before you board. Queues for the on-board café trolley can be long and prices high.
· Get a decent map. The centre of Paris is fairly compact and much of it is easily navigable on foot, but you’ll need a good map to keep you on the right track.
· Get recommendations for good cafes and restaurants, whether from a guidebook or a friend. The city is jam-packed with places to eat and drink and making a decision on where to stop is almost impossible!
· Visit some of the less-famous sites. The new Biblioteque Nationale and the Arab de Monde Institute are just two examples of striking modern architecture in the capital. You can go inside both buildings and stroll around – you’ll find that you’re one of just a few international visitors.
· Buy a travel card – Paris is easily navigable by underground, and the Metro is far more spacious and airy than the London Underground. It’s cheaper to buy multiple ‘journeys’ at the start of your stay than individually.
· Take comfortable shoes. I was torn between comfort and glamour but fortunately head won out over heart in the end.

Cox & Kings Far East expert Neil Davis recently travelled to Szechwan in China. “I recently had the good fortune to travel to Jiuzhaigou National Park in China’s SouthWest province of Sichuan. While the Olympics has helped to boost tourism to China, Jiuzhaigou National Park remains off-the-beaten-track to most visitors.”

Jiuzhaigou National Park is only a 30-minute flight (or an 11-hour drive!) from Chengdu and can be easily combined with a trip to see some of Sichuan’s most famous residents – Panda’s.

The park was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Sight in 1992, and its Alpine-like scenery of waterfalls and colourful lakes are famed throughout the rest of China.

Although not officially discovered by the government until 1972, this remote region was inhabited by various Tibetan and Qiang peoples for centuries and you can visit one of the local Tibetan villages during your time in the park.

On arrival at Jiuzhaigou airport, located in the mountains and one of China’s three plateau airports, I was met by my local guide and driver and was presented with a traditional neck scarf. We soon departed the small airport across the barren landscape and headed for our lunch stop at the Mingaiangyuan Hotel in the local valley. After tasting some of the local delights we headed for the ancient walled city of Songpan, where we would take a stop en route to the National Park.

Songpan, or Songzhou, is a historical border town that is often referred to as the ‘Gateway to West Sichuan’. The history of this town stretches over 2300 years, during which time Tibetans, the ethnic Qiang, Hui, and Han people have all inhabited this area. Walking around this fantastic town, I was able to see some of the ‘Eight Sights of Songzhou’; The Spring Tide of Ancient Bridge, Sunset Glow of Jinpeng Mountain, Dragon Pool mirroring the moon, Dawn cooking smoke of Lu Peak, Great Mercy Buddhist Bell, Ancient Relic of Chi Pine, Autumn of Fengdong Pass, and the Brightening Sky after rain of Xuelan Pass.

After spending a considerable amount of time in Songzhou, it was time to get back on the road, and complete our scenic journey to The Jiuzhai Paradise Hotel, my home for the next two nights.

The following morning after a 30-minute drive from our hotel I was at the main entrance to the Jiuzhaigou National Park. Once our tickets had been checked and we were through the entrance, a full day of sightseeing lay ahead. Public transport moved me effortlessly around the park’s highlights, which consist of a high number of brilliantly coloured lakes, flanked by mountains and colourful alpine trees, and an array of natural waterfalls. A day here and I could really see why it is so popular throughout China, but really got me wondering why it isn’t more popular for overseas tourists.

On my final morning at Jiuzhaigou, I awoke to find that we had received a blanket of snow overnight. This really drove home what a beautiful area of China this is to visit at any time of the year.

Cox & Kings offer 14-night tour to China’s some of most breathtaking landscapes including Jiuzhaigou, Shanghai, Terracotta Warriors and the Great Wall. Please click here >>for more details or call 020 7873 5000 to speak to a Far East expert.

In June 2009 Cox & Kings’ Australasia Product Manager Aaron Jennings travelled to Australia with Tourism Australia.

It wasn’t all that long ago that the word luxury and Australia were an awkward and unlikely coupling. Times are changing though and recent years have seen a surge in luxury properties sprouting up in some of the most spectacular regions of Australia. The focus of my trip was to visit the upcoming, new and established luxury properties and destinations across four Australian states.

Queensland
Arriving at Brisbane airport in the comfort of Qantas’ business class, the first thing to do was transfer to a helicopter to take us to our hotel. Not quite as extravagant as it might sound, the hotel in question wasn’t just a few minutes drive away in the city but rather nestled deep in the Queensland hinterland over 90 minutes drive or a 20 minute spectacular helicopter trip, passing Brisbane’s skyline and hovering up into the surrounding picturesque mountains.

Approaching by helicopter, our hotel - Peppers Spicers Peak certainly had the WOW factor. A solitary building nestled on top of a mountain surrounded by the World Heritage listed Main Range National Park.

An ideal couples retreat Peppers Spicers Peak is a perfect hideaway for the beginning of your trip to stay and get over jet lag or to end your Australian adventure on what will literally be a high note. Must do’s are the champagne and canapés at sunset, where you’ll be driven to a remote part of the property to take in another breathtaking view as the sun dips behind the mountains and the 7-course degustation menu with selected wines to suit each course.

New South Wales
Jet-lag cured we headed south to the bohemian coastal town of Byron Bay and the five-star rainforest retreat; Byron at Byron. Upon arrival, signature glasses of champagne were handed to us by the property owners and hosts Lyn and John as we relaxed on the decking and were checked in.

Wooden walkways weave through the surrounding rainforest on the property, offering guests the chance to find a peaceful spot to relax with the sounds of nature, or simply retreat to your suite, with two enclosed balconies and multiple comfy seats to sink into.

Mornings at the Byron at Byron offer complimentary yoga classes and on a Thursday you can join the head-chef, on his visit to the local farmers market, where you’ll have the opportunity to try local produce or simply engage in some people watching as Byron’s most colourful characters do their shopping. The latter I tried and returned to the hotel with locally grown macadamias and some delicious local carrot cake.

A short flight south to Sydney and a 90-minute drive north and we were at the Central Coast, an area rich with pretty harbours, national parks and empty beaches. It was here we stayed at a luxury boutique getaway called Bells at Kilcare. The rooms here are great but the food and the extensive wine cellar are even better, the Italian themed menu designed by one of Australia’s most famous chefs.

The following morning we were back in a helicopter heading out into the depths of the Blue Mountains National Park, past the tourist town of Katoomba and to a site 3.5 hours drive from Sydney, where a new 5-star de luxe property is being built. The hotel in question Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa is Emirates Hotel’s first venture into Australia and is set to redefine Australian luxury when it opens later this year on the 01st October.

Although it was a construction site, all of the buildings are in place, so it was easy to envisage the final product.  The finished suites are simply incredible; each with a separate living room, walk-in wardrobe, private swimming pool and decking, the attention to detail in the rooms is astonishing. A stay at the property will include two guided nature based activities each day, gourmet meals and non-alcoholic drinks.

A scenic helicopter trip through the Blue Mountains, over Sydney Harbour Bridge and past the Opera House and we were back in Sydney, this time for a night in the newly refurbished Four Seasons Hotel. Before I could try out the renowned comfort of my Four Seasons bed, I first had a sunset cruise on Sydney harbour and dinner at one of Sydney’s best restaurants; Aria, overlooking the Opera House. Both would have been great on a usual day but we were lucky enough to catch the final day of the Vivid Festival which had projected various changing images onto the Opera House and made it quite a rare sight to behold.

Victoria
An early start the next morning but I can honestly say at the reputation of the Four Seasons beds are warranted, it was undoubtedly the best bed I’ve ever slept in, I just wish I’d had a lie-in. Onwards and upwards and a flight to Melbourne was followed by a helicopter transfer to Daylesford for lunch. Home to one of Australia’s best restaurants, located at the Lake House hotel. Known for its bohemian residents and natural thermal springs, Daylesford is an ideal country retreat and opportunity to visit more of Victoria’s spectacular countryside.

The following morning we headed out of Melbourne for a chef led tour of the Mornington Peninsular. Where you visit depends on what’s in season and we were taken to a tomato farm, an olive grove, a fisherman with his morning catch, a goat cheese factory, a winery and a local baker. At each stop we learnt about the different produce and local ways of life, collecting ingredients as we went, before helping the chef to create our gourmet lunch.

A couple of excellent Melbourne restaurants and a guided tour of some of the city’s most eccentric bars and it was time to leave my spacious room at the 5-star Langham Hotel and head to Kangaroo Island, home to what is quite possibly Australia’s best hotel; Southern Ocean Lodge.

South Australia
It only opened last year but in time that has passed Southern Ocean Lodge has well and truly put Kangaroo Island on the luxury map. The 21 spacious suites all face the pounding Southern Ocean and the property has an air of understated opulence that lets you relax and enjoy the natural surroundings in utter luxurious comfort. All drinks beside the expensive champagne and vintage wines behind the glass in the wine cellar are complimentary, as is the minibar in your room and two guided nature based excursions each day.

I’d arrived at nighttime and although I knew the ocean and dramatic sights lay beyond the dark panoramic windows, I was told to sleep with the blinds open so I’d get to enjoy the view when day broke. Sure enough, the first rays of the sunrise woke me up but instead of being angry at the intrusion I felt privileged to see such a beautiful sight. But with a hotel so well thought through and designed had I not taken to being woken up then I could have just used the bedside switch to send the electric blinds back down and slept on.

My day of lodge activities included a guided cliff top walk, where I learnt about the island’s unique flora and fauna and a sunset Kangaroos and Kanapés excursion into neighbouring field with hundreds of wild kangaroo, a glass of bubbles and some delicious canapés. This is just a sample what’s on offer though, as the lodge offers different excursions each day or if you’d rather you could just simply relax and enjoy the stunning surrounds without leaving at all.

The only negative I could find with my stay on Kangaroo Island was that two nights really wasn’t long enough and after a full day tour the island’s spectacular natural sites it was time to leave and head back to reality, where helicopters don’t ship me around and the drinks aren’t included. However, a flight home with Qantas in Business Class kept up the luxury touches for a few hours longer.

Call 020 7873 5000 to discuss a Tailor-Made holiday to Australia.

Last year (2008) Cox & Kings Middle East Team Leader Thomas Saunders re-visited Jordan and in particular Petra with a small group of travel agents. “Jordan has plenty to offer,  and  our week was packed with ancient sites and fantastic scenery,  however it’s Petra that really blows you away.”

A visit to Petra begins with the small unassuming town of Wadi Musa. Wadi Musa is home to the assortment of hotels and restaurants that accommodate the modern tourist’s visit to Petra. The actual site of Petra is hidden from view and was unknown to the outside world until 1812. Johan Ludvig Burckhardt was the first westerner to discover Petra, in 1812 as he pretended to be a Muslim pilgrim on his way to Haroun’s or Aaron’s tomb. While a disguise is no longer needed to visit Petra I enjoyed wearing my red and white Keffiyeh, the traditional chequered Arab headscarf, in the same colours as the Keffiyeh worn by King Hussain and the present King Abdullah.

Petra begins with a wide path and a horse track on your left. Bedu horsemen speed past you carrying tourists who are in  a hurry. After 700 meters the path leads to the beginning of the Siq, a kilometre long crevice that was paved and has a water channel running down the right side. The path twists and turns while the rose-red rocks of Petra tower either side of you.

Finally the Siq opens to the iconic sight of the treasury, a huge burial portal carved in to the sheer cliff that towers above you. To the right the path continues past the ruined rose-red coloured amphitheatre and onwards. The rest of Petra opens out in a bowl-like shape with royal tombs to your right while numerous paths leading to Roman mosaics and Nabeatean temples head off in all directions. The beginning of over 900 steps to the High Place of Sacrifice lures you to your left. There is so much to see and so many paths to walk, some more taxing then others, that you cannot do it all in one day (2 or more days can be spent at Petra). Whatever path or route you chose to take it will reward you with ancient tombs and wild scenery, and everywhere the rocks of Petra form their own natural beauty.
 
After the Siq and Treasury most people head along the old roman path to the restaurants where you can refuel before tackling the 700 or so steps that lead to the far end of the site and the majestic Monastery. Throughout the site Bedouin men, women and children have set up souvenir stalls, tea and snack tents, or are offering donkey and camel rides. They are not persistent and walk around Petra with big smiles. Take time to have tea and chat with the local Bedu who are Petra’s keepers. They have lived in and among the ruins long before Burckhardt duped his way in.

Petra is a site that has everything, trekking trails spread up and down, left and right and all across the site. The local Bedu are as hospitable as their reputation suggests, and the ancient architecture of tombs and temples will keep your historical yearnings happy. I love wandering around Petra with a copy of David Roberts’ sketches that he made in the 19th Century. Look out for the differences that the passage of time is making such as the now-missing entrance arch at the beginning of the Siq that is depicted standing in Roberts’ sketches.

Finally can you make out the Camel and Camel driver now fading from view. This would have been a sculpture adorning the Siq and signifying the site’s trading importance. It now reminds me of the delicate and fading nature that these grand historical sights have.

 Cox & Kings offers a number of options to Petra, including the 7-night group tour Splendours of Jordan. Click here to view all our Jordan options, or call 020 7873 5000 to speak to a Middle East expert. 

In April 2009, Cox & Kings’ PR Executive Laura Smith travelled to Colca Canyon in southern Peru with a group of travel writers.

Goosebumps prickle beneath my skin and I shiver as though the sun has gone in and the temperature dropped by ten degrees. But the sun still shines fiercely, causing me to squint through my sunglasses as I peer into the vast canyon. The sudden appearance of the mighty condor, gliding along the cliff edge, hovering on invisible thermals, elicits an involuntary gasp from the small crowd that has gathered at Condor Cross.

The giant bird swoops silently in and out of view as it navigates the craggy cliff face searching for breakfast. The Andean Condor is a scavenger, preferring to muscle in on another animal’s kill than to do the hard work itself, and can travel up to 100 miles each day in its search for food.

It’s relatively quiet at the cross this morning and we see just three birds: our main performer now pacing the stage at the canyon edge and two others circling over the mountains behind us. Yesterday’s group saw 14 but nature remains unpredictable and we’re delighted with our lot. Our guide Angelica assures us that even on the rare occasion that a visit isn’t consummated with a condor sighting, Condor Cross is an unmissable excursion for those staying around Colca Canyon.

This viewing point marks one of the highest points of Peru’s great canyon which, twice as deep as its better-known Arizonan counterpart, is enormously under-publicised. It is a most spectacular spot – our group has spread out on a small patch of flat terrain that seems to balance precariously between the surrounding monoliths. The slight over-jut of the platform allows direct views right down into the pit of the gorge.

The terracotta reds and browns of the rock contrast against the unblemished blue sky and the dirty white of the low-hanging clouds, which drape themselves lazily over the mountain tops. It’s early April but some of the higher peaks still have a sprinkling of snow. Despite the small crowd of tourists that is beginning to cluster at the viewing point, the canyon inspires an eerie silence. The spirituality of the Incas was governed by nature: it was to mountains, volcanoes and rivers, rather than Gods, that they dedicated their lives and actions. Standing here, I can understand why. Heaven feels closer than it does in the removed cathedrals of Lima and Cuzco and Nature feels particularly ‘present’, as though she is watching over us from the mountain tops, and looming up from the depths of the canyon.

We’re spending three nights at Las Casitas del Colca, the latest offering from the luxurious Orient-Express hotel group. The property’s twenty individual casitas are scattered around a generous patch of rural valley in one of the shallower parts of the canyon, an exhilarating ninety-minute drive from Condor Cross around mountain bends. 

The villas are the epitome of luxury, yet manage to avoid incongruity amongst their rural surroundings. Built from traditional stone and thatch, the modest-looking casitas look as though they’ve adorned this pastoral scene for years. Llamas graze lazily on the lawns and butterflies dance uncertainly above them. Nothing looks new or out of place. The property’s interiors are subtle and muted, but conceal state of the art facilities and touches of luxury. The traditional woven bedspreads, for example, are pure vicuña wool; each one worth a staggering US$1,000. The original Laja stone tiles cover a powerful underfloor heating system, and knitted hot water bottle covers are thoughtfully tucked beneath the pristine white cotton sheets. Each casita has indoor & outdoor showers and an oversized bathtub sunk into the floor of the glass extension to the bathroom, designed to allow guests to stargaze while they soak.

Every detail, both material and conceptual, has been meticulously designed and executed. As you dine in the main lodge in the evening, a member of staff will surreptitiously slip into your room, light the log fire and fill your hot-water-bottle-cum-cuddly-toy-sheep so that both room and bed are warmed through for your arrival. The candle arbre will be lit, and some organic chocolates left on your pillow. If you like, they will even run your bath for you, and make sure it’s hot, bubbly and ready to sink into on your return from a strenuous hike in the canyon or mountain bike ride through the local villages.  

As we say goodbye to our Condors and set off on the winding journey back to Casitas del Colca, we make plans for the afternoon. Lunch out on the terrace, bottle feeding the baby llamas (the latest batch are just 20 days old and incredibly cute) and a hike up to the local village of Chivay perhaps before Pisco sours and a gourmet supper in the lodge. It doesn’t get much better than that.

Cox & Kings offers a number of group tours, private journeys and tailor-made holidays to Peru. View our Peru itineraries online or call 020 7873 500 to speak to a Peru expert.