Latest holiday deals

Save 58 per cent on a superior room at St Lucia's romantic Anse Chastanet resort

The best late deals on UK cottages, hotel stays, package holidays, flights, cruises and luxury breaks. 

Telegraph Hand-Picked deals 
Hand-Picked, our travel club, provides members with exclusive rates on luxury holidays.

Romantic St Lucia - 58% off

Save 58 per cent on a hillside superior room at the romantic Anse Chastanet resort in St Lucia. Valid for stays until September 15. Book by June 3. telegraph.co.uk/handpicked1184.

Yorkshire hotel - 50% off

Save 50 per cent on two nights at the Yorkshire Hotel in Harrogate. Includes breakfast and one two-course dinner. Valid for stays until July 30. Book by June 3. telegraph.co.uk/handpicked1204. 

Cyprus hideaway - 25% off

Save up to 25 per cent on a seven-night stay in the Seaview Cottage Suite at the Hideaway Club in Cyprus. Includes flights, buffet breakfast and dinner. Valid for stays from July 1 to September 9. Book by June 3. telegraph.co.uk/handpicked1189. 

Cruises

Norway - £499

A seven-night cruise on board P & O’s Oriana costs from £499 per person. Departs from Southampton on July 7, with ports of call including Stavanger, Geiranger and Bergen. telegraph.co.uk/oriana8.

Caribbean - £999

A seven-night cruise on Royal Caribbean’s Freedom of the Seas costs from £999 per person, including return flight. Departs from Port Canaveral on November 25. Ports of call include Jamaica and Mexico. telegraph.co.uk/royal8. 

Amsterdam mini-cruise - £359

A four-night mini-cruise on Celebrity’s Celebrity Constellation to Amsterdam costs from £359 per person, including flights and two-nights’ pre-cruise stay in Amsterdam. Departs from Gatwick on September 3. telegraph.co.uk/celebrity8. 

These offers can also be booked on 0800 107 1133. Prices based on two sharing, including transfers, flights (unless otherwise stated) and meals.

Sun, sea and adventure

Golf in Egypt - £579

Seven nights’ b & b at the five-star Maritim Jolie Ville Golf & Resort in Egypt costs from £579 per person. Valid for stays from now until June 28. Includes return flight from Heathrow with EgyptAir. Book by May 31. (destinology.co.uk; 0800 634 2866) 

Antiguan garden suite - £1,669

Seven nights at Carlisle Bay in Antigua costs from £1,699 per person. The offer is valid for select departures from May 30 to June 30. Includes return flight with Virgin Atlantic. Book before May 31. (vhiphotels.co.uk; 0844 573 2460) 

Zante studio - £275

A seven-night self-catered stay at the Princess Studios and Apartments in Tsilivi costs from £275 per person, based on three adults sharing a studio. Departs June 28 from Gatwick. (cosmos.co.uk; 0844 573 4261) 

Ras al Khaimah - £549

Three nights at the Hilton Ras al Khaimah Resort & Spa in Ras Al Khaimah costs from £549 per person. Includes return flights with Virgin Atlantic. Valid for departures from July 3 to 10. (virginholidays.co.uk; 0844 557 3870) 

St Lucia escape - £899

Seven nights at the four-star Smugglers Cove Resort & Spa in St Lucia costs from £899 per person. Departs on June 18 and includes return flight with British Airways from Gatwick. (hayesandjarvis.com; 0844 415 1918) 

Luxury Costa del Sol - £385

A seven-night stay at the five-star Blue Sea Gran Hotel Cervantes in Torremolinos on an all-inclusive basis costs from £385 per person. Departs from Stansted on June 12. (lowcostholidays.com; 0800 1116271) 

Greek getaway - £545

Seven nights at San Agostino resort near Kalamata in the Peloponnese on half-board basis costs from £545 per person. Includes return flight. Departs from Gatwick on June 9. (markwarner.co.uk 0844 273 7397) 

Morocco - £905

Four nights at Kasbah Tamadot in Morocco from £905 per person. Valid for departures until August 31. Includes return flight. (baileyrobinson.com; 01488 689777)

Got a great holiday deal? Email: traveldeals@telegraph.co.uk

UK cottages

Welsh seaside - £1,218

This detached stone cottage (sleeps six) with sea views over Cardigan Bay costs from £1,218 per week. It features a terraced garden with patio, barbecue and patio furniture. Shops, pub and restaurant are one mile away. The price is based on stays from July 7. Ref WN73. 

Scottish borders - £398

Three nights in this peaceful hillside cottage (sleeps six) with a secluded garden in Wamphray costs from £398. The cottage is between Moffat, with its choice of shops, pubs, hotels and restaurants, and Lockerbie in Dumfriesshire, with the Borders also accessible. The offer is valid from June 1. Ref 90138 

Rural Bedfordshire - £438

This old converted stable (sleeps four to five) in Broom, Biggleswade costs from £438 per week. It offers a cosy base from which to explore the local villages, including Bedford, Royston and Stevenage. It has easy access to Luton Airport, Cambridge and London. The offer is valid from August 10. Ref 16069.

To book, call 0844 871 2117 or see telegraphcottages.co.uk. Prices based on full occupancy. Offers are subject to availability.

Packages

Downtown Dubai - £439

British Airways is offering three nights at the Radisson Blu Dubai Downtown from £439 per person, departing June 15. The price includes return British Airways flight from Heathrow. See ba.com/dubai or call 0844 493 0758. 

Paris tour - £389

A “Paris by Eurostar” four-day escorted tour costs from £389 per person, including three nights at the Mercure Paris Terminus Nord hotel and return Eurostar travel. Valid for July 20 departures. See pageandmoy.co.uk or call 0844 567 6625. 

Four-star Brussels - £169

Three nights at the four-star Thon City Centre in Brussels travelling on the Eurostar from St Pancras International costs from £169 per person. The offer is valid for departures on August 6. See crestaholidays.co.uk or call 0844 879 8014 

Rome break - £197

Three nights’ b & b at the La Luna Hotel in Rome costs from £197 per person. The price includes return flight from Heathrow with Alitalia. The offer is valid for departures on June 9. See skyscanner.net/offers. 

Orlando - £599

Save £60 on a seven-night stay at the four-star Wyndham Orlando Resort, now from £599 per person. The price includes return flight with Virgin from London Gatwick . The offer is valid for departures from November 1 until November 30. Book by June 30. See netflights.com or call 0871 703 8000.

Flights

Bangkok - £426

Flights from London Gatwick to Bangkok cost from £426 for travel between April 1 and December 8. Book by June 30. See flightcentre.co.uk or call 0800 587 0058. 

Delhi - £455

Flights with Swiss Airlines from London Heathrow to Delhi cost from £455. Prices are valid for travel before Sept 29. Book by June 15. Call 0871 230 0040. 

New York - £493

British Airways has return fares from London Heathrow to New York from £493 for selected dates in June. See britishairways.com or call 0844 493 0787. 

Tokyo - £655

Return Virgin Atlantic flights from Heathrow to Tokyo costs from £655 for departures until June 13. Book by May 31. Call 0844 209 7310 or see virgin-atlantic.com.

Ibiza without the cars, jet skis and tattoos

The great thing about Ibiza is its variety and accessibility

As the clubbing season begins, Simon Hughes, a cricket journalist, discovers a surprisingly peaceful corner of the island, home to his perfect beach. 

 

It is easy to develop misconceptions about Ibiza. Dubbed the undisputed party capital of the world, the island is often used as a byword for excess. The television documentary Ibiza Uncovered – featuring a series of inebriated, semi-naked 20 year-olds cavorting about in beach bars – has a lot to answer for. It was a little disconcerting to witness similar scenes on our easyJet flight to the island, even though it was a 6am midweek departure from Gatwick.

So it was with some trepidation that I first set foot on Ibizan soil two hours later. Despite the promises in the hotel brochure of a more refined experience, I was still expecting to have my senses assaulted by thumping music and hordes of overexcited party goers, to be confronted by the stench of fried food and to be unable to see the sea because of all the great lumps of concrete masquerading as hotels hugging the coastline.

And, in order to escape all this, I was also bracing myself for an interminable journey on meandering roads stuck behind a succession of hired Seats, each occupied by bewildered drivers all trying to find the same strip of already overcrowded beach using badly drawn, misleading local maps.

I was right about one thing. The maps are badly drawn and misleading. Perhaps this is a prerogative of a holiday island to ensure visitors have trouble finding the good places, allowing the locals to get there first and bag the best spots. But in every other way my preconceptions were way off beam.

With a job (covering cricket) that follows the sun, I have spent the past 20 years inadvertently searching for the best beach in the world. Somewhere that had everything. A pretty cove that had reliable weather and iridescent, safe, crystal-clear sea and powdery sand, which had some shade but was not overlooked by apartment blocks or overrun by hawkers, or lads on jet skis, or people in general, where you could sidle barefoot into a simple, airy café selling interesting food and local wine and later stroll along the beach to the headland to watch the sun go down.

I have tried all the obvious places: France (too crowded), Italy (too expensive), South Africa (too many sharks), Australia (too many Australians), Greece, the Caribbean, Portugal (all boring food), mainland Spain (too man-made), New Zealand (iffy weather), Thailand (too touristy), Sri Lanka (too hot), Cornwall (too cold.) I could go on. And then… a blissfully easy drive from Ibiza airport, I found it. Within five minutes of leaving the airport you are driving alongside low, bush-clad hills and glinting salt lakes with few other cars, and within 10 minutes you are parking under conveniently located wooden awnings and emerging through tall trees on to a beautiful curving swathe of sand lapped by calm blue water. This is Playa des Salinas.

It was quiet at 10am. The sun loungers with little parasols were mostly unoccupied (the day doesn't really kick into life in Ibiza until midday at the earliest), there were a few kids paddling with their dads and several couples stretched out, but otherwise the place felt private and a bit of a discovery. The air was already warm, a gentle breeze with a hint of citrus wafted across the beach. It had a very laidback atmosphere. A casually dressed waiter from the nearby chiringuito sidled between the sunbathers offering coffee and snacks but without heavy persuasion. There was no one pestering you to buy anything.

The beach sloped gently into beautifully warm, clean water; within 20 metres it was waist deep. A bit further out the view across the bay and round the low, rocky headland was idyllic. At the back of the beach, merging with the trees, is an open-sided restaurant of timber construction: the Jockey Club. I have never eaten such delicious food in an informal beach environment before.

We had chillied calamari and an amazing tuna and mango salad which was incredibly fresh and zingy and washed down with sangria. I have been back twice since and the food is always light and truly scrumptious - just what you want during a shady break from the beach. The restaurant is also a superb spot for people watching as the younger contingent gradually materialises after a heady night to be revitalised by some low-level, cool beats from the resident DJ.

Even when it is quite crowded, the Playa des Salinas has a relaxed vibe. You will not see or hear a car, jet ski or tattooed Aston Villa supporter. Just kindred spirits drinking in the warm air and gazing out at the glistening sea. It's a happy place.

OK, a word of warning. The music, unobtrusive at lunchtime, does increase in volume as the afternoon wears on – though it's never overpowering. It gets busy about threeish, so it might be the moment to stroll beyond the beach across rocky outcrops, through trees and past little coves of frolicking families, round the headland to El Cavallet, a longer beach backed by dunes with very calm water and a divine open-plan restaurant with white leather sofas, incredibly delicious salads and great cocktails. Although it is regarded as Ibiza's gay beach, it doesn't feel like it. Anything goes.

I emerged through tall trees onto a beautiful curving swathe of sand lapped by calm blue water. This was Playa des Salinas.

We stayed at the Hostal Salinas, five minutes' walk from Salinas beach. There are many smart hotels on the island, ranging from luxurious spas to rustic converted fincas, but most are pricey, and none is quite so convenient. 

This is a low-level building partly hidden behind a wall that describes itself as a boutique hotel. If that is a euphemism for small and more expensive than it looks, that would be right. But in fact it is perfect. For about £150 you get a comfortable, adequate room, an airy breakfast café, a stylish outdoor bar with cushioned seating areas arranged around small palm trees and, perhaps best of all, excellent local knowledge from the English couple running it. With all that Playa des Salinas has to offer, you could spend several blissful days here: it would be that unique thing, an excellent holiday barely 10 minutes from an international airport (which you can't hear or see).

But the great thing about Ibiza is its variety and accessibility – you can get everywhere within about half an hour. Fifteen minutes to the west is the sweet, secluded Cala d'Hort, a small sandy beach looking out at a huge monolith in the sea – Es Boldado – where local families mingle with the odd tourist and you can sit at wooden tables with your feet in the sand and eat good tapas. A little further round to the west is the gorgeous Cala Comte, a slightly rockier beach attracting a younger crowd stretched out on pockets of sand or eating in a round, open-sided clifftop bar with spectacular views of the sun going down.

On the other side of the island up in the north-east is my other favourite beach, S'Aigo Blanca. You park at the top of a very steep hill and descend the road until you reach a narrow strip of orange sand backed by red cliffs. There are sun loungers, a simple restaurant serving mainly pizzas or mussels and a large rock to swim out to and sit on. Clothes are optional here – but the nudity is neither intimidating nor unappetising, and again you can be what you want.

The rich variety of restaurants on Ibiza may surprise you too. At Aura, in the middle of the island, you sit outside in a secluded, fairy-lit courtyard with cicadas clicking in the trees and eat melt-in-your-mouth beef carpaccio and fantastic seafood. In the cool, luxurious, Bedouin-style KM5, a bar-restaurant under stylish layered canvas close to Ibiza Town, the food is more eclectic, including Thai-baked fish and other Asian delicacies. In the romantic setting at Les Terrasses, an old finca in the hills which also has great rooms, you sit among twinkly-lit citrus and olive trees and the chef does amazing things with lamb and couscous.

And then there is Pacha. Look, even if people tell you you're too old for clubbing, you have to go. It is exorbitant to get in (€50/£40 – though there are cheaper options) but it is worth it, not least for the experience of standing on the balcony overlooking the main floor watching people go mental as the music is cranked up. If the average English youth put this amount of energy into their work, our economy would be in better shape!

But the great thing about Pacha, like Ibiza in general, is that there is always somewhere (relatively) quiet you can escape to - in Pacha's case a huge open-air bar with comfy seats and various chill-out spaces where the music is a good deal less overwhelming, and the food is surprisingly good, too.

Overall, I was absolutely stunned by the quality and variety of a place not significantly larger than the Isle of Wight. I can't wait to go back and wouldn't hesitate to take my children for a family holiday. And, after a stay on Ibiza, contrary to common belief, you don't need another holiday straight afterwards to recover.

Andalusia, Spain: white towns and freedom

The impressive hilltop fort and village of Zahara de la Sierra

The Serranía de Ronda in Andalusia offers the explorer a welcome like no other, says Jolyon Attwooll. 

Why go?

For the beautiful pueblos blancos (white towns) of the Serranía de Ronda region, which clamber up hillsides amid some of the most dramatic mountain scenery of southern Spain. These towns – their lime-washed façades now resplendent in the late spring sunshine – are reason enough to visit, but the area’s beguiling history should also be explored.

For centuries, these towns and their hilltop forts straddled the contested frontier between Moors and Christians, swapping hands as power shifted one way and the next. And for walkers, there are spectacular trails to be wandered, particularly around the Grazalema nature reserve.

It’s a surprisingly verdant part of the world, thanks to the heavy rains from November to April – although this area, too, has been unusually arid this year. You only need to stride a few minutes beyond the steep laneways of many of the white towns to find yourself alone in the Andalusian countryside, with only the occasional cluster of ibex or a griffon vulture overhead for company. Watch out also for the towns’ Corpus Christi festivals, which start around June 7 this year. The town of Zahara de la Sierra holds one of the most striking.

 
Get there by. . .
Plane. Málaga is the city served by the most routes. EasyJet (easyjet.com) flies from London Gatwick to Málaga or Seville, while Ryanair (ryanair.com) also has flights there from Liverpool, London Stansted and Glasgow. Seville is the other logical gateway to the area. Ryanair and easyJet fly there, but only from London. See skyscanner.net for the full range of options and latest prices.

Stay at. . .
Hotel al Lago (0034 956 123 032, al-lago.es; rooms from £79 in high season) is a lovely, small hotel in Zahara de la Sierra with an excellent restaurant (see “Have dinner at…”).

The Molino del Santo (0034 952 167 151, molinodelsanto.com; from £80 in high season) is in the small town of Benaojan, accessible by train from Ronda. This hotel and restaurant, set in a converted water mill, has been run by a friendly British couple for more than two decades. It has a lot of repeat visitors, which tells you all you need to know.

La Mejorana (0034 956 132 327, lamejorana.net; from £46) is halfway up the sloping streets of Grazalema. It is run by a delightful young Spanish couple; ask for one of the rooms – with Moorish-style arches – with a view out over the valley.

Inntravel (01653 617000, inntravel.co.uk) offers excellent self-guided hotel-to-hotel walking holidays in the region. A seven-night stay in the area costs from £435 per person based on two sharing, including b&b, walking maps and route notes and transfers (flights are extra). All the hotels mentioned above can be included in the itinerary.

Spend the morning. . .
Descending into the la Garganta Verde (the Green Gorge) near Zahara de la Sierra. This is a wonderful trail that seems to take in several different microclimates on its way to the sheer-sided Cueva de Ermita (Hermit’s Cave), a magnificent echoing cavern at the bottom. Be sure to find out about the unmarked turn-off for the griffon vulture look-out about a third of the way down.

The view over to the sheer limestone cliff opposite is remarkable, but you’re really here for a glimpse of the birds. They are among the biggest in Europe, and if at first they seem elusive, a little patience is likely to be well rewarded. About 200 breeding pairs live around these cliffs, and it won’t be long before you catch sight of their languorous soaring. The morning is the best time to see these magnificent creatures in flight before the thermal air currents send them higher.

This is one of the most protected areas of the Grazalema nature reserve, and numbers are strictly managed. Apply for a permit well in advance. If you don’t speak Spanish, your hotel will often be able arrange this for you. Otherwise, call the park office at El Bosque (0034 956 727 029; open from 10am to 2pm).

This is just a small taste of the hiking possibilities in the area. Another to watch out for is the Pinsapo Reserve outside Grazalema, home to a forest of rare fir trees and herds of remarkably tame ibex goats.

Have lunch. . .
In the shade of the lush vegetation at the bottom of the Garganta Verde, with a pre-packed picnic.

Spend the afternoon. . .
Wandering the streets of Zahara de la Sierra (zahara means flower in Arabic), one of the prettiest settlements in the area. If your legs can bear the effort – and the spring sunshine isn’t too harsh – climb to the castle and tower at the top of the town, a vantage point that was highly valued during the frontier disputes between Moors and Christians. Set aside time to explore Grazalema, one of the best bases for seeing the countryside.

Have dinner at. . .
Hotel Al Lago (al-lago.es, mains from around £8). This is a terrific restaurant, with a view out over the reservoir and an Andalusian-inspired menu created by the owner, Stefan Crites, including mains such as braised Iberian pork, and baby Moroccan chicken. It also has an extensive wine list, drawn mostly from the Ronda region. A five-course tasting menu is available from around £26 per head.

Spend the following day in. . .
Ronda. The town is one of the tourist magnets of the area, which can be a shock after spending time wandering the countryside. But there are a lot of visitors for a reason – few places can beat its dramatic location on a sheer escarpment overlooking the hills of the Serranía de Ronda. As well as its many Moorish associations – from the Arab baths to the ornate cathedral, which converted from a mosque when the Moors were permanently expelled from the area – it also has more modern literary links. Its bullfighting attracted the likes of Ernest Hemingway and Orson Welles (who is buried there).

If you’d rather avoid the crowds, and have your own transport – or are prepared to undertake an arduous but wonderfully rewarding trek from Grazalema – head to Villaluenga del Rosario, a peaceful village at the bottom of a limestone ridge. It is the smallest settlement in the province of Cádiz, and the Plaza de Alameda, its main square, is ideal for coffee and watching village life unfold. It is also known for its gourmet cheeses, which you can buy directly from the village’s factory.

At all costs avoid. . .
Going to Ronda with anyone who suffers from vertigo – for obvious reasons.

Azores: cruise port guide

Regis St Louis offers a guide to the Azores for cruise passengers, featuring what to see and do, and where to eat and shop.

Some 1300km west of the European mainland, the autonomous Portuguese archipelago has spectacular rugged beauty, with rocky volcanic terrain, verdant rolling hills and dramatic cliffs overlooking the sea. Few foreign travelers visit, and those that do will discover an old-fashioned slice of Europe, complete with peaceful villages and flourishing small-scale industries like fishing, cheese-making and ceramics.

The Azores has great whale-watching off the coast and rewarding hiking all over the archipelago. Small vibrant Ponta Delgada lies on Sao Miguel, and rewards visitors with its historic architecture and easy access to the captivating scenery around the island.

Getting there and around

From the new cruise terminal, which opened in 2008, it's a short stroll to the cobblestone streets of the historical quarter. Day trips by boat operate from Ponta Delgada. By hired car, you can circumnavigate the island in a day.

Where to Eat/Drink

Restaurante Sao Pedro

In the old quarter, Sao Pedro features a broad menu of traditional Portuguese fare. Start off with Azorean black sausage or grilled shrimp with pineapple, followed by caldeirada pescador (mixed seafood stew) or grilled Azorean steak.

Address: Largo Almirante Dunn 23
Contact: 00 351 296 281 600, www.restaurantesaopedro.com
Prices: Dinner around €25 a person.
Opening times: Daily 6pm-midnight and Monday-Friday noon-3pm.

O Gato Mio

One of the island's best restaurants, O Gato Mio is a cosy, traditional spot serving high-quality seafood and grilled meat dishes. Acorda de camarao (shrimp and bread stew) is one of the house specialties. The understated dining room has large windows overlooking a garden.

Address: Avenida Fulgencio Marques, Ribeirinha
Contact: 00 351 296 479 420, www.ogatomio.com
Prices: Dinner around €20 a person.
Opening times: Daily 6pm-midnight and Monday-Friday noon-3pm.

Galeria Arco 8

Well off the beaten path, this gallery and bar presents a wide range of eclectic fare, including nights of live music nights (acoustic, jazz, world sounds) and DJs, as well as film screenings, dance performances and art openings.

Address: Avenida Antero de Quental 5A
Contact: 00 351 296 628 733

What to see and do

It's well worth exploring Ponta Delgada, which became capital of the island in 1546. Just back from the waterfront is the historical quarter set with 17th and 18th century mansions and small plazas shaded by monkey puzzle trees.

Whale watching

Whale watching is spectacular in the Azores. In the prime season (from May to September), you can expect to see a wide range of species, including sperm whales, blue whales and the odd killer whale, plus frequent dolphin sightings. One recommended outfitter is Futurismo Azores Whale Watching.

Contact: 00 351 296 628 522, www.futurismo.pt

Sete Cidades & Vista do Rei

On a half-day trip from Ponta Delgada you can explore some of the outstanding scenery of Sao Miguel Island. Some 20km northwest of the capital is Sete Cidades, a massive volcanic crater with a circumference of 12km. At the crater's centre lie Lago Azul (Blue Lake) and Lago Verde (Green Lake), aptly named after their striking colours (one reflecting the sky, the other reflecting the verdant flanks surrounding it). From the Vista do Rei (King's Lookout), you can get a view of the magnificent crater lakes, and the ocean surrounding it. Follow the road market 'Cumeeiras' for a scenic two-hour walk skirting along the edge of the crater. Organized tours are available to Sete Cidades, though it's easy enough to do on your own by hiring a car.

Contact: Car hire is available through AutAtlantis (00 351 296 205 340, www.autatlantis.com)

Shopping

Browse the shops in Ponta Delgada's old quarter for regional produce like artisanal cheeses and locally produced wines. Pineapples are delicious on Sao Miguel. The Arruda Acores pineapple plantation is open to visitors, and you can purchase pineapple liqueurs and pineapple sweets--as well as the fruit itself.

Contact: Arruda Acores (00 351 296 384 438, Rua Doutor Augusto Arruda, Faija de Baixo)

India: the delights of devotion in Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu has some of the oldest, most beautiful Hindu temples in India. And you won’t have to share them with hundreds of other visitors, says Anna Murphy. 

The Brihadeeswarar temple in Tamil Nadu

Temples are what the state of Tamil Nadu, on the eastern side of India’s southern tip, promises visitors: some of the oldest and most celebrated Hindu temples in the country. 

And these temples are indeed wonderful in their variety, from the ancient stone excavated example at Mamallapuram, now a monument rather than a temple, with its giant three-dimensional carving of an elephant which pilgrims from all over India come to visit, to the buzzing Sri Meenakshi temple in the charming city of Madurai, where the resident elephant is very much alive and – for a few rupees – will bless you by fondly resting his trunk on your head.

Then there is my particular favourite, the often-overlooked Airavatesvara temple, which dates back to the 12th century, in what is now an out-of-the-way little town called Dharasuram. It is a magical place, its courtyard surrounded by high walls topped with a procession of miniature bulls. The temple itself contains countless columns, each carved with tiny religious scenes that seem impossible in their intricate beauty.

The Sri Meenakshi temple

We were at Airavatesvara as the sun set, the place utterly peaceful and entirely our own; it was one of those moments that the very best holiday throws up, its pinch-yourself magic never to be forgotten. 

When we left the quiet confines of the temple, though, frenetic small-town Indian life reasserted itself, as giggling school girls piled into a bus, each of them with a long chain of jasmine threaded through her ponytail (symbolic of chastity), and a man ironed his way through a pile of shirts, his ironing “board” the top of a wooden cart, the iron itself of the hot-coals variety that wouldn’t look out of place in Downton Abbey. It was one of those time-travel moments in which India specialises – a dose of the 19th century wrapped in the 21st. 

Because, of course, Tamil Nadu is about so much more than temples. We had come for the guidebook sights, but we ended up being at least as seduced by the chaotic everyday life, a place where three rush-hour lanes of cars come to a halt to let a wooden oxen cart pass, where a bricklayer balances 15 bricks on his head – yes, 15 – and still gives you a smile and a wave, where, at Madurai’s famous flower market, the cross-legged men, who spend countless hours a day intricately threading rose petals and jasmine buds into wedding necklaces, wave you over, laughing, and insist on presenting you with a rose. 

It’s a place where the glorious craziness spills over even into the temples themselves. There was one day in particular that I shall never forget, when our trusty driver Rajesh, sensing we were up for the unusual, took us to a temple where you see only locals, no tourists. It was a Friday, a particularly spiritual day for Hindus. In the streets outside, two men wearing papier-mâché cow costumes were dancing wildly to the music of a pipe and drum band. 

Inside, the temple proved an architectural nonentity, but in every other way it was remarkable. People were queuing to sacrifice their hair, either to give thanks to the gods or to invoke their help. A phalanx of barbers were nonchalantly removing waterfalls of long black tresses from women, and dealing with fidgety toddlers without the slightest trouble. 

The sandalwood covered pates of those who had already given their hair were everywhere to be seen, many of them now queuing to enter the inner sanctum of the temple. Sometimes in that same queue a woman who had been fasting – another religious practice that a woman may undertake occasionally during her lifetime – would suddenly start flailing and speaking in tongues, her relatives gathering round her in the belief that she was speaking the words of their particular family god. 

Elsewhere, there was another queue, this one of goats decorated with garlands of flowers, oblivious to the sad fact that their lives were about to come to a sudden sacrificial end in a bloodstained corner of one of the temple’s courtyards. 

Did you know?
In 2004 Tamil became the first Indian language to be given classical language status

It was time for some peace again. We headed to the rural area of Chettinad, which comprises 75 villages scattered over around nine square miles. We knew we were staying in a hotel called the Visalam in the village of Karaikudi. What we were not expecting as we bumped our way along country roads was to find ourselves in a fantasia of Thirties-style glamour, an airy Art Deco mansion worthy of a silent movie star. 

It was a stunning place to stay, with its central courtyard, its monochrome tiled floors and its elaborately carved teak doors and granite pillars (not to mention one of the loveliest swimming pools I have ever seen in India). What made the place all the more remarkable was that it was situated in the middle of a typically ramshackle Indian village, like an ocean-going liner that had somehow ended up docked in the wrong harbour.

^{The beach at Mamallapuram}

Except on closer inspection it wasn’t alone: tucked away on other back streets were more vast mansions, some of them Art Deco masterpieces, others baroque in style and covered in over-the-top flourishes (urns and statuettes galore); all of them – in marked contrast to the spick and span Visalam – in various stages of decay. 

Driving through other villages in Chettinad revealed that these architectural baubles were far from unusual. At the turn of the last century the Chettiar subcaste was highly successful at business and banking across Asia – from Burma to Sri Lanka – and sent its fortunes back to its homeland in order to construct these remarkable palaces. 

The only thing that concerned the Chettiars as much as their homes was their food, and Chettinad cuisine is becoming increasingly famous throughout India. Most celebrated of all is the food at the Bangala, an old gentlemen’s club that now has rooms. Here I was served one of the best lunches of my life. 

Arrayed on the traditional banana leaf, pepper chicken, tomato prawns, pomegranate raita, two sorts of mango chutney (sweet and spicy), and half a dozen other exotic delicacies besides.

Airavatesvara temple

We fell in love with Tamil Nadu over the course of our trip. Like that gloriously belly-busting lunch, it offered us a surfeit of treats. Most beguiling of all was that its wealth of architecture and history was not accompanied by the kind of tourist maelstrom that forms an inescapable part of a visit to some of India’s more well-known regions; also, that its people were some of the warmest and most laid back I have met on the continent. When we left Tamil Nadu we left a part of our hearts behind us. 

GETTING THERE

British Airways (0844 493 0787; ba.com) flies direct from London Heathrow to Chennai (formerly Madras) five times a week; from £571 return. 

Packages

I travelled with Steppes Travel (01285 651010; steppestravel.co.uk) which offers a 15-day tour of Tamil Nadu (including four nights on the beach in neighbouring Kerala) from £2,995 per person, including b &  b accommodation, international and domestic flights, chauffeur-driven transport and local guides. 

GETTING AROUND

Hiring a car and driver is surprisingly reasonable and the only sensible way to navigate Tamil Nadu’s chaotic cities and off-the-beaten track countryside if you are short of time. I recommend Banyan Tours (banyantours.com or email info@banyantours.com). If you are travelling at a more leisurely pace and sticking to the cities, then you can make the most of the excellent rail network. Contact Shankar Dandapani at SD Enterprises, who represents Indian Railways in the UK (020 8903 3411; indiarail.co.uk). 

WHEN TO GO

Tamil Nadu gets stiflingly hot in summer, and humidity can be overwhelming from March to October, so stick to the cooler, calmer months of November to February. 

THE INSIDE TRACK

 Culturally speaking, Tamil Nadu has an embarrassment of riches. Its most famous temples – all of them remarkable, and with something different to offer – include Mamallapuram and Kancheepuram near Chennai, the Brihadeeswarar in Tanjore, the Meenakshi in Madurai. We fell in love with the small but perfectly formed Airavatesvara in Dharasuram. 

Don’t miss the enchanting Chettinad district, with its stunning dilapidated mansions and delicious cuisine. This area also boasts a fantastic antiques street in Karaikudi, which has wonderful carved figures and great furniture. Another good local purchase is the brightly coloured woven cottons; you will find the best range at Sri Mahalakshmi handloom weaving centre (K.M. Street, Kanadukathan; 0091 4565 273286). 

The former French colony of Pondicherry is fascinating as well as beguilingly pretty. When you have tired of walking its French-named streets then visit nearby Auroville, an international commune with a strange line in space-age architecture. 

 Although Chennai is the region’s biggest city and not without its charms, there is little reason to stay long. Plan on spending a few days in Madurai, however. Aside from the Meenakshi temple, don’t miss the flower market (mountains of roses and tuberose), the banana market (which sells 15 varieties) and the tailors’ market located in an old temple (where you can get a shirt run up in the shadow of a giant statue of a Hindu god). 

A short internal flight away is one of the loveliest beach hotels in the whole of India, the quietly chic Neeleshwar Hermitage (467 228 7510; neeleshwarhermitage.com; double rooms from £118) in undiscovered northern Kerala. The seafood is delicious and the beach deserted. The hour-and-a-half flight from Madurai or Chennai to nearby Mangalore costs from £50 (spicejet.com). 

THE BEST HOTELS 

 

Indeco hotel, Swamimalai ££

A restored 19th-century village, this charming vegetarian hotel near the city of Tanjore (famous for its vast temple) is decorated in indigenous style (87544 19618; indecohotels.com/swamimalai.html; doubles from £60). 

Maison Perumal, Pondicherry £

This lovely old antique-filled town house is the perfect base for exploring the fascinating former French colony of Pondicherry. The staff are quite ridiculously friendly (413 222 7519; cghearth.com; doubles from £85). 

Visalam, Karaikudi, Chettinad £

A very special hotel in a very special region. The swimming pool, surrounded by flowering trees and climber-covered walls, is absolutely gorgeous (4565 273301; cghearth.com; doubles from £85). 

THE BEST RESTAURANTS 

 

Raintree, Taj Connemara, Chennai £

Well-heeled locals swear this is the best place in the city to eat south Indian cuisine. Despite its hotel location, it is certainly one of the most atmospheric, reached through the lovely gardens down a pathway flanked by stone pillars and oil lamps. The signature pepper chicken is outstanding. Typically around £15 a head (44 6600 0000). 

The Bangala, Karaikudi, Chettinad £

A meal at the Bangala is foodie heaven. Some of the most exciting cooking southern India has to offer (44 2493 4851). 

Famous Jigarthanda, Kamaraj Salai, Kila Marret Street, Madurai £

You cannot visit the city of Madurai without trying jigarthanda, the nectar-like local drink made of jaggery (rice jelly), cardamom, milk and sugar. Its name means “heart cooler”, and it is utterly delicious. The competition is stiff but locals insist this establishment is the best in the city. 

WHAT TO AVOID 

Most Tamils are vegetarian so for the freshest – and best – food, eat the way they do and avoid meat. That said, the Chettinad pepper chicken (see below) is not to be missed. Locals will usually offer “less spicy” versions of local dishes but in fact the spice level is not high for Britons used to curry. 

Even in the cooler months, Tamil Nadu can be oppressively hot. So it’s a good idea to try to avoid sightseeing in the middle of the day, and don’t go out without sunscreen, a hat and a bottle of water. 

The number of hawkers outside temples are tiny compared with elsewhere in India, but if you don’t want to buy, the same survival tactics apply: don’t even glance at the goods on offer, avoid eye contact, say nothing and keep walking. 

Great as the city of Madurai is, it has a big mosquito problem. So to avoid being bitten, cover up all day – the mozzies start lunching around the same time we do – and use a repellent that is strong enough for the tropics. Mosquitoes can even bite through fine cotton but thick linen should thwart them.

Latest holiday deals

The best late deals on UK cottages, hotel stays, package holidays, flights, cruises and luxury breaks. 

Save 50 per cent on seven nights at the Hotel Brancamaria in Sardinia

Telegraph Hand-Picked deals 

Hand-Picked, our travel club, provides members with exclusive rates on luxury holidays. 

Paris break - 40% off

Save up to 40 per cent on a one-night Paris package with Eurostar, staying at the Standard Design Hotel, travelling Premier Class. Valid for travel between July 16 and Aug 30 from London St Pancras. Book by May 27. Click here for full details

Cotswolds hotel - 63% off

Save up to 63 per cent on two nights at The Kings Hotel in Chipping Campden. Includes one three-course meal. Valid for stays from May 21 to Dec 20. Book by May 27. Click here for full details

Sardinia week - 50% off
Save 50 per cent on seven nights at the Hotel Brancamaria in Sardinia. Includes flights. Valid for stays from May 26 to September 15. Book by May 27. Click here for full details

Cruises

Norway - £649
An eight-night cruise on board Fred Olsen’s Balmoral costs from £649. The price includes meals and entertainment. Departs on August 3 from Southampton, with ports of call at Flaam, Bergen and Eidfjord. Click here for full details

Western Mediterranean - £629
A seven-night cruise on board Royal Caribbean’s Grandeur of the Seas costs from £629, including return flight and meals. Departs from Palma, Majorca, on August 12, and calls at Marseille, Malaga, Gibraltar, Barcelona and Ibiza. Click here for full details

Scandinavia and Russia - £1,159
A 14-night cruise on board Celebrity Cruises’ Eclipse costs from £1,159. Departs from Southampton on June 9, with ports of call including St Petersburg, Helsinki and Copenhagen. Click here for full details
These offers can also be booked on 0800 107 1133. Prices based on two sharing, including transfers, flights (unless otherwise stated) and meals.

Sun, sea and adventure

All-inclusive Jamaica - £879
Seven nights at the four-star Sunset Jamaica Gr ande Resort & Spa costs from £879 per person. The all-inclusive package includes accommodation and return flight with Thomson from London Gatwick. The offer is for departures on June 5 (hayesandjarvis.com; 0844 415 1918)

Abu Dhabi break - £769
A three-night, half-board stay at St Regis Saadiyat Island in Abu Dhabi costs from £769 per person, including return flight with Etihad Airways from London Heathrow, departing on June 14. Book by May 28 (pureluxuryholidays.co.uk; 0844 846 8000).

Barbados beach - £985
Seven nights at the Sea Breeze Beach in Barbados, including return flight with Virgin Atlantic from London Gatwick or Manchester direct to Barbados, costs from £985. The offer is based on departures from June 11 to18. (virginholidays.co.uk; 0844 557 3870).

Majorca spa - £1,340
Seven nights at Reads Hotel and Spa in Majorca costs from £1,340 per person, including breakfast, flights and transfers (baileyrobinson.com; 01488 689777).

Malta for families - £1,329
Seven nights’ b & b at the four-star Qawra Palace in Malta costs from £1,329 for a family of three. Prices are based on departures on June 5 from London Heathrow with Air Malta (maltadirect.com/familyoffers; 0845 604 0035).

Turkish Riviera - £561
A seven-day stay at Club Med Beldi in Turkey costs from £561 per person. Includes return flight from London. Departs May 26 (clubmed.co.uk; 0845 367 6767).

Maldives for four - £6,999
Seven nights at Olhuveli Beach & Spa Resort in the Maldives costs from £6,999 for a family of four. Valid for departures from July 21 to 24. Includes return flights from London Heathrow with Etihad Airways. (trailfinders.com; 020 7368 1200)

Camping in Languedoc - £350
Seven nights for up to six people at Yelloh Village Le Sérignan Plage in Languedoc, in the south of France, costs £350 (thomsonalfresco.co.uk; 0871 971 0600).
Got a great holiday deal? Email: traveldeals@telegraph.co.uk

UK cottages

Rural Dorset - £1,392
A week at the Old Post Office on the Green (sleeps eight), in Morcombelake, Dorset, costs from £1,392 per week. This spacious detached cottage, with oak beams, an open fire and a large enclosed garden, blends old-world charm with modern-day convenience. Valid for a week starting on June 29. Ref DSR.

Lincolnshire cottage - £745
A seven-night stay at a stylish farmhouse in Slaggyford, Northumberland (sleeps 10) with views down the South Tyne Valley, costs from £1,337. Ideal for families or groups looking for a peaceful escape. Shops are seven miles away, while a pub with good food is one mile away. The offer is valid from August 24. Ref MUS.

Derbyshire break - £1,850
Seven nights in this courtyard conversion (sleeps 12-17) with a private garden, in Somersal Herbert, Ashbourne, costs from £1,850 per week. Good for large parties. Shops are two miles away. The offer is valid from August 10. Ref W7922.
To book, call 0844 871 2117 or see telegraphcottages.co.uk. Prices based on full occupancy. Offers are subject to availability.

Packages

Orlando fortnight- £599
Fourteen nights at the Champions World Resort in Florida, on a room-only basis, costs from £599 per person, including return flight with Virgin Atlantic from London Gatwick. Book by May 23 for departures between June 6 and 19. See travelbag.co.uk or call 0871 703 4240.

Four-star Venice - £595
A four-night stay at the four-star Ai Due Principi Hotel costs from £595, including return flight with British Airways from Gatwick, departing on June 17. See voyage-prive.co.uk or call 01769 573444.

Las Vegas break - £579
Three nights at the Stratosphere (room only) in Las Vegas costs from £579 per person, including return flight with United Airlines from London Heathrow and is based on departures on May 28. See travelcitydirect.com or call 0844 557 6965.

Bruges by train - £215
Three nights at the four-star Flanders Hotel in Bruges costs from £215 per person. The price includes a free night and is valid for a July 23 departure from London St Pancras on the Eurostar. See crestaholidays.co.uk or call 0844 879 8014.

Lisbon short break - £239
Three nights at the three-star Vip Executive Zurique costs from £239 per person, departing June 4. The price includes return flight with British Airways from London Heathrow. See ba.com/lisbon or call 0844 493 0758.

Flights

Cape Town - £598
A return flight from London Heathrow to Cape Town for departures until June 30 costs from £598. Book by June 12. Call 0800 587 0058 or see flightcentre.co.uk.

Beijing - £535
A return flight from London Heathrow to Beijing with Cathay Pacific Airways costs from £535 for departures until June 30. Book by May 31. See statravel.co.uk or call 0871 230 0040.

Mumbai - £597
British Airways has return flights from London Heathrow to Mumbai from £597 for selected dates until the end of August. Call 0844 493 0787 or see britishairways.com.

New York - £493
Virgin Atlantic has return flights from Heathrow to New York from £493 for departures until June 22. Book by May 23. Call 0844 209 7310 or see virgin-atlantic.com.

The Lake District travel guide

A comprehensive guide to the Lake District with advice on hotels, restaurants, walks and local pubs, written by our expert Oliver Berry.

Why go?

For Britain’s finest scenery, greenest countryside and grandest views. Covering a total area of just over 885 square miles, the Lake District National Park has been protected since 1951, and its picturesque patchwork of lakes, valleys, woodlands and fells make it one of the best places in Britain to get out and experience the great outdoors, whether it’s on a leisurely bike ride down country lanes or a day-long hike across the hills. And while the weather is notoriously unpredictable (locals will tell you that it’s not unusual to experience all four seasons in a single day), showers and racing clouds only emphasise the grandeur of the magnificent scenery.

The Lake District also has numerous artistic and literary connections, most famously William Wordsworth, who was born in Cockermouth in 1770 and drew much of his poetic inspiration from the surrounding landscape. Other poets, writers and painters followed, including John Ruskin, Beatrix Potter, Arthur Ransome and Alfred Wainwright, author of the classic Pictorial Guides to the Lakeland Fells.

When to go

The worst of the rainfall is usually reserved for the beginning and end of winter, but heavy showers can strike in the Lake District at practically any time of year. Heavy snow is common in midwinter, especially between November and February, when some rural roads become impassable.

The busiest season is between June and August, when prices rocket, car-parks are packed and traffic jams are frequent. Better to visit in the shoulder months: in April and May, when the weather is generally settled and sunny, or in September and October, when the woodlands blaze with autumnal colour.

Getting there

By air

The nearest airport to the Lake District is Manchester (www.manchesterairport.co.uk), which has domestic connections to major cities including London, Edinburgh and Bristol. 

By train

Direct trains run to Windermere and Kendal along the branch line from Oxenholme, which links up with mainline services on the west coast serving London and Glasgow. Single fares from London start at around £69 via thetrainline.com.

By car

The M6 motorway runs just to the east of the Lake District. Turn off at either Kendal (Junction 37) or Penrith (Junction 40) for the quickest access to the national park. Traffic permitting, the journey time from London is around five to six hours.

Getting around

Bus

Cumbria has a good bus service between the main towns, although services are scarcer once you get into more rural areas. The most regular service is the 555 Lakeslink, which runs at least a couple of times an hour and stops at Windermere, Troutbeck, Ambleside and Grasmere. For timetables and information, contact Cumbria County Council (cumbria.gov.uk) or Traveline (www.travelinenortheast.info).

The useful Cross Lakes Experience (www.lakedistrict.gov.uk/crosslakes) enables you to explore the countryside around Windermere, Grizedale and Coniston using a mix of boats, buses and minibuses. 

The service runs from March to October; return fares from Coniston to Windermere currently cost £18.60, or £52.70 for a family ticket (two adults and up to three children).

A new "bike and ride" service, run by Stagecoach Cumbria (timetable PDF, standard fare plus £1.50 for a bike for the day), will take cyclists and mountain bikers on specially converted bike buses from Windermere Railway Station through Ambleside, Grasmere and Keswick to the Whinlatter Forest visitor Centre.

Train

Apart from the branch-line between Oxenholme and Windermere, there are no mainline trains inside the national park, but there are several scenic railways, including the Lakeside & Haverthwaite Steam Railway (www.lakesiderailway.co.uk) between Haverthwaite and Newby Bridge, and the Ravenglass and Eskdale Railway (www.ravenglass-railway.co.uk, known locally as La’al Ratty) which chugs through the picturesque Eskdale valley.

Two useful lines also run around the Cumbrian coast, just outside the national park, stopping at towns including Grange-over-Sands, Ulverston, Barrow-in-Furness, Ravenglass and Whitehaven. 

The Furness Line travels from Leeds/Manchester/Lancaster to Barrow, and is operated by First Trans Pennine Express (tpexpress.co.uk). The Cumbrian Coast Line travels from Barrow round to Carlisle, and is run by Northern Rail (www.northernrail.org).

Boat

There are cruise boat services on Windermere, Coniston Water, Derwentwater and Ullswater. Most stop at various points around the lake, allowing you to get off at one jetty and walk to the next.

A car & passenger ferry chugs across Windermere from the lake’s east side near Bowness to the west side at Ferry House, although queues can be horrendous in summer. Timetables are available at cumbria.gov.uk. For details of lake cruises see: Windermere Lake Cruises (windermere-lakecruises.co.uk); Coniston Launch (conistonlaunch.co.uk); Keswick Launch (keswick-launch.co.uk); Ullswater Steamers www.ullswater-steamers.co.uk

Taxis

All major towns have local taxi services: ask at your B&B or hotel for details.

Know before you go

They’re tiny in global terms, but the Lakeland fells aren’t necessarily an easy proposition. Faint trails, steep climbs and big drops are all frequent hazards, and the weather can change in the blink of an eye – so make sure you’re properly prepared. Essential items include proper boots, good waterproofs (ideally Gore-Tex or equivalent), plenty of food and water and a detailed walking map; a compass is very useful, but only if you actually know how to use it. Take a mobile phone in case of emergencies, but don’t rely on being able to get a signal.

Traffic can be a serious headache at peak times, especially in summer and on bank holidays, so avoid those times if at all possible.

Holidaymakers complain of 'nightmare' stay with Thomson Holidays

The group went to Olu Deniz, Turkey

Three holidaymakers are seeking compensation from Thomson Holidays after complaining of a “nightmare” stay in Olu Deniz, Turkey.

Michael Rowe and two friends each paid £600 for two weeks at the three-star Villa Beldeniz at the end of last summer. Mr Rowe, 69, of Fairford in Gloucestershire, said that the hotel had “effectively shut down early” by the time they arrived on October 17. He and his fellow guests are now seeking compensation from the tour operator.

Mr Rowe claims that extensive renovations were going on in the hotel’s reception, bar, restaurant and kitchen, leaving him and other guests unable to buy alcoholic or soft drinks or hot food.

He also alleges that there was no hot water in his, or his friends’ rooms, on all but one day during his stay, and claims that lights throughout the hotel and its grounds were turned off during the evening, forcing guests to “navigate their way back to their rooms in the dark”. Entertainment at the hotel was “non-existent”.

Mr Rowe also claims that labourers were regularly seen moving heavy building materials through the pool area while guests were sunbathing, and says the builders spent the entire fortnight “camped out in the foyer”.

When the three Britons complained to the hotel manager, Mr Rowe alleges, he responded rudely.

According to the code of conduct issued by Abta, the travel association, of which Thomson is a member, any tour operator that is aware of ongoing building work that “may reasonably be considered seriously to impair the enjoyment of travel arrangements”, must notify customers immediately. Furthermore, if a “significant alteration is made to previously confirmed arrangements”, owing to building work or for another reason, tour operators are obliged to offer customers a refund or alternative accommodation.

Mr Rowe alleges that Thomson failed to tell him of the building work before his departure – and that nothing was done when they informed the company’s “after travel support” team during their stay.

Thomson’s own website says the 38-room Villa Beldeniz features a restaurant serving a range of Turkish and international cuisine, a pool-side snack bar, weekly barbeques, Turkish themed evenings and a games room. The three Britons claim that none of these were available during their stay.

After returning home, Mr Rowe sent three letters to Thomson that he claims went unanswered, before he contacted Abta to complain. Soon after, Thomson responded, but has so far refused to offer a refund or compensation.

“Nobody cared about the problems when we tried to call the company’s helpline, and since we’ve returned the response has been apalling,” said Mr Rowe. “If I’d only received an apology, that would probably have been enough, but we’ve been repeatedly ignored.”

A spokesman for Thomson declined to comment on Mr Rowe’s allegations, but said: “We are very sorry to hear that Mr Rowe was disappointed with his holiday to Turkey.

“Customer satisfaction is our number-one priority at all times. The vast majority of our customers travelling to the Villa Beldeniz last summer rated the hotel highly in our customer- satisfaction surveys.”

Virgin Atlantic's withdrawal adds to Kenya's tourism woes

Last winter saw a fall in tourist arrivals from the UK to Kenya due, in part, to the abduction of two foreign tourists and the murder of another on the Lamu archipelago

As Virgin Atlantic announces it will cease flights to Kenya, Gill Charlton reports on the problems the country faces in attracting the volume of tourists it used to enjoy. 

It came as little surprise this week when Virgin Atlantic announced its withdrawal from Kenya. Last winter - at the height of the tourist season - the airline was reduced to selling return flights to Nairobi for as little as £125 before taxes and charges were added.

Virgin has long struggled to make money on a route dominated by British Airways and Kenya Airways. BA has also made cuts to its service, dropping its second daily flight to Nairobi. Kenya Airways survives by using its Nairobi hub to offer tour operators attractive prices on multi-centre package holidays in the region.

Last winter saw a fall in tourist arrivals from the UK to Kenya due, in part, to rumours of an imminent terrorist attack in Nairobi (which did not happen) and the abduction of two foreign tourists and the murder of another on the Lamu archipelago. Last week the Foreign Office finally lifted its advisory against travel to Lamu but the damage this has done to the coast's tourism industry will take years to repair.

Another problem is the ageing hotel stock on the beaches around Mombasa. Those British holidaymakers who can still afford a winter sun holiday are now favouring the new resort hotels and villa complexes found in Thailand, Goa and Zanzibar which have bigger rooms, a choice of dining and the latest spa facilities.

While Kenya's safari lodges remain the envy of Africa for their diversity of game and warm welcome, the country is also finding it hard to compete on price with holidays based around the self-drive game parks in South Africa and Namibia.

So it's not surprising that Virgin Atlantic is focusing on its service to Johannesburg where it can sell money-making Upper Class seats to business people and the well-heeled British crowd who fly in for golf, partying and winter sun. Full fare seats on the Nairobi route are largely bought by charity and aid agency staff, many of who have had their travel budgets cut.

Richard Branson says he is "extremely sad to be withdrawing from Kenya". Let us hope that the withdrawal of the Nairobi service will not lead to the abandonment of the charitable projects Virgin has set up in Kenya over the past five years - even if the staff will now have to fly BA.

Virgin Atlantic pulls out of Kenya

Rising fuel prices, aviation taxes and a drop in visitors were blamed for the decision

The airline Virgin Atlantic has announced it is withdrawing flights from Kenya following rising costs and a drop in visitor numbers.

Virgin Atlantic has announced it is withdrawing its services as a result of increasing fuel costs and rising Air Passenger Duty (APD).

Flights between Nairobi and London will be discontinued from September 24.

"Despite the best efforts of our employees, external factors including the high price of fuel, increasing aviation taxes in the UK and insufficient passenger numbers throughout the past five years have contributed to the decision," said Julie Southern, Virgin Atlantic's chief commercial officer.

"These are still challenging times for the airline industry and we have to deploy our aircraft to routes with the right level of demand to be financially viable."

Recent civil unrest and the threat of piracy had led some tour operators to Kenya to report a slump in visitor numbers.

Sir Richard Branson has strong links to Africa, owning a lodge in South Africa's Kruger National Park and being involved in the southern African Peace Parks Foundation.

Despite this, the business mogul had already threatened to pull Virgin Atlantic out once before, following unrest after a disputed election in 2008.

Sir Richard warned Kenya's heads of tourism then, that if there was a repeat of the rioting and ethnic violence, he would have no hesitation in dropping the airline's service.

Since Virgin Atlantic launched it in 2007, APD has more than doubled and fuel costs have increased by more than 50 per cent.

The airline's last flights will operate from London Heathrow on September 23 and from Nairobi on September 24.The full published schedule will operate until this point so passengers can continue to book flights throughout the next few months.

The Foreign Office recently relaxed its travel advice for Kenya, re-opening the beach resort of Lamu, where there had been a high-profile kidnapping, to ordinary holidaymakers.

It is currently warning against all but essential travel to coastal areas within 60 kilometres (37 miles) of the country’s border with Somalia, to Garissa district and to low income areas of Nairobi.

Greece debt crisis: Q&A for holidaymakers

Greece remains safe for British travellers, according to the Foreign Office

We answer the key questions for holidaymakers planning a trip to Greece.

Should I visit Greece?
 

In many ways, it is a good time to visit. Visitor numbers have fallen in recent years, prompting many hoteliers and tour operators to offer significant discounts (Telegraph Travel recently reported that Olympic Holidays is offering savings of up to 60 per cent), while the strength of the pound (it rose to a three-and-a-half-year high against the euro last week) means you’ll have more spending money. And the last thing Greece needs is for visiting holidaymakers to steer clear – the country is hugely reliant on tourism, which accounts for around 15 per cent of GDP.

However, if you do decide to take advantage of the good deals on offer, it would be wise to book a package holiday - then your tour operator will be responsible for sorting out any problems which might develop.

Is it safe?

The Foreign Office, as is has done for the last few years, warns visitors to expect regular demonstrations in Athens and other major cities. The vast majority of the two million or so Britons expected to visit Greece this year head straight for outlying resorts and islands, so they are unlikely to be affected.

A spokesman for Abta, the travel association, said: “The economic situation has not at any stage affected tourists visiting the country. There have been demonstrations in the big cities but not the resorts where people take their holidays.”

I am due to travel but want to cancel my trip, will I get my money back?
 
Unless the Foreign Office deems Greece unsafe for holidaymakers, and issues a warning advising Britons against all but essential travel to the country, which seems extremely unlikely at this point, normal booking conditions will apply.

Cancellation charges work on a sliding scale depending on the length of time until your departure. If you cancel a holiday with Thomson, for example, more than 70 days prior to departure, you will only lose your deposit. If you cancel less than two weeks before departure, you will forfeit everything.

What about strikes and disruption?
 
If your flight is affected by a public sector strike, you have a number of legal rights.

If it is delayed by more than three hours, you will be entitled to “meals and refreshments in relation to waiting time” and “two free telephone calls, emails, telexes or faxes”. As delays caused by striking workers are not the fault of your airline, you will not be entitled to additional cash compensation.

If your flight is cancelled, your airline must provide accommodation and subsistence until a replacement flight is provided. If the flight is cancelled outright, you are entitled to a full refund.

Unless you’ve booked with a tour operator, your airline is not responsible for any other arrangements, such as car hire or hotel bookings. However, some travel insurance policies do offer cover for these “consequential losses”.

Disruption to public transport within Greece is less likely to be a problem for holidaymakers, who will usually spend most their trip in one resort. Strikes to ferry services, however, could affect access to some of the smaller islands. Again, your tour operator will do their best to find alternatives, and will offer a refund if necessary.

What if my hotel or car hire company goes bust?
 
If you’ve booked a package with an ATOL-protected tour operator that includes a hotel stay and/or car hire, you will be entitled to alternative accommodation and another vehicle. If you’ve made your own arrangements, you will probably lose out, unless you have booked with a credit card. If you pay with a credit card and spent more than £100, you are covered by the Consumer Credit Act.

What about spending money?
 
Even if Greece does exit the euro, the currency will almost certainly continue to be accepted for some time. A spokesman for Abta said: “If [a Greek exit] were to happen – and that's a big if – there would clearly be a transition period where euros will still be accepted in bars and restaurants, as is common in many countries where the euro or the dollar are accepting in parallel to the local currency.”

In some quarters fears have been raised that cash machines and electronic banking systems could freeze up if Greece bails out of the euro, and some experts have suggested that holidaymakers carry extra cash.

Should the drachma make a return, an initial conversion rate would be set, at say 1:1 to the euro. The exchange rate would then be dictated by currency markets and the drachma would immediately fall sharply, meaning prices on the ground will be cheaper for visiting holidaymakers.

Airlines overruled in compensation row

Passengers are entitled to compensation if their flights are delayed by three hours or more, but a legal challenge by airlines has seen claims put on hold

Passengers whose flights are delayed by three hours or more should be entitled to compensation from airlines, according to a senior European Court of Justice (ECJ) official. 

Yves Bot, an ECJ advocate general, has opposed a joint legal challenge by British Airways, easyJet, Tui Travel and the International Air Transport Association to compensation rules introduced in November 2009.

Although his statement does not amount to a legal ruling, the ECJ is expected to make a binding decision on the challenge in the coming months.

Under current regulations passengers flying to or from an EU, Swiss, Norwegian or Icelandic airport, or with an EU, Swiss, Norwegian or Icelandic-based airline, are entitled to meals and refreshments and free telephone calls or emails if their flight is delayed by three hours or more.

They are also entitled to compensation of between £200 and £480, depending on the distance of the flights. However, airlines do not have to pay compensation if they can prove the delay is not their fault, and has been caused by “extraordinary circumstances”.

Airlines’ concerns about the additional cost of providing such compensation were heightened by the six-day shutdown of European airspace caused by the ash cloud in Iceland and since August 2010, the legal challenge by BA, easyJet and others has seen all claims for compensation put on hold by British airlines. 

A spokesman for BA said: “We are aware of today's non-binding opinion given by the advocate general and we await the final ruling in due course. 

“The European Court of Justice ruling from November 2009 has come under criticism from many parties and we also believe the ruling was wrong.” 

Nick Trend, Telegraph Travel's consumer correspondent, suggested that even if the ruling is upheld, a sudden change in what passengers are entitled to claim is unlikely. 

"Cash compensation only applies if the delay is the airline’s fault," he said. "If the airline can show that the delay is caused by 'extraordinary circumstances' - it does not have to pay compensation. 

"Unfortunately, the definition of 'extraordinary' covers most delays, including those caused by bad weather, fog, air traffic control or other strikes, political instability and one off incidents such as the ash cloud. In practice, it is only in a relatively small proportion of cases, such as a technical problem with an aircraft, when the airline becomes liable."