India's 'Palace on Wheels' Is One of the Most Luxurious Train Rides in the World (Video) - Travel+Leisure

Posted: 30 Oct 2018 12:00 AM PDT

India's 'Palace on Wheels' Is One of the Most Luxurious Train Rides in the World | Travel + Leisure

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Air tax cut: 20 of the best long-haul holidays for 2015/16 - Telegraph.co.uk

Posted: 22 Apr 2015 12:00 AM PDT

Want to make the most of lower taxes on long-haul travel? Here are 20 great family holidays which are that much cheaper now that children under 12 have been exempted, and the highest tax bands rationalised.

Key points to consider before booking are inoculations (check with your GP well in advance); and the season you are planning to travel. Combining long-haul travel with school holidays is not always easy – few destinations are at their best in July and August, so October and February half-terms, and even Christmas or Easter can be better times to travel than the summer vacation. Consider also joining with small group holidays organised by tour operators and aimed at three or four families travelling together – they are a great way for children (and adults) to make friends.

Prices are per person, per week, based on a family of four usually sharing a room with flights and transfers, unless stated.

Sun and fun

1. Seaside hotel in Barbados

Barbados is one of the safest bets for a Caribbean summer holiday. It's well off the usual hurricane track, and has a good choice of accommodation and lots of direct flights. The four-star Bougainvillea Beach Resort on the island's south coast is one of the best for families and costs from £1,004 for August 24 departure or £871 for October 25 (based on children aged up to 11 years) through British Airways Holidays (ba.com).

Read more: the best hotels in Barbados

^{Barbados is a good bet for families (Photo: AP/Fotolia)}

2. Theme parks in Orlando

Florida is popular for February half-term and Easter breaks, so book well in advance. The four-star Wyndham Lake Buena Vista hotel is a short distance from Disney World Resort with shuttles provided to every theme park in the area. From £749 departing February 12 2016 (based on children aged up to 11 years) through Magic Holidays (020 7580 5000; magicholidays.com).

Read more: the best hotels in Orlando

• The secret to flying long-haul with kids

3. Luxury for less in Sri Lanka

One of the best-value tropical beach destinations, Sri Lanka is great for an exotic sun and sand holiday at a reasonable price. The Jetwing Beach hotel, on Ethukala beach in Negombo, offers supervised childcare centre, large swimming pool and plenty of activities including beach volleyball, windsurfing, biking and catamaran sailing. From £808 (based on children aged up to 11 years), for travel at October half-term. Quote: IO0008 and book by July 3, through Kuoni (01306 747008; kuoni.co.uk).

^{A temple in Sri Lanka (Photo: AP/Fotolia)}

4. Eco retreat in northern Goa

The long palm-lined white-sand beaches on India's west coast are another excellent destination for good-value winter sun. The Yab Yum Resort offers grass-roofed "domes" sleeping up to four. There's a children's paddling pool, toys and yoga classes for parents. From around £1,230 for December departures (book accommodation through i-escape.com/kids and see skyscanner.com for flight options).

• Air tax explained: how to save money on a family holiday

5. Mexico all-inclusive

Sensatori resorts are Thomson's top-end all-inclusive offering, and this one, on the Riviera Maya on the Caribbean coast of Mexico, is one of its most popular. The Sensatori Resort Mexico has five pools and a hotel kids club as well as six different restaurants. From £1,309 all-inclusive (based on children aged up to 11 years) with departures on October 28 through Thomson (0871 230 2555; thomson.co.uk).

^{The Mayan ruins of Tulum (Photo: AP/Fotolia)}

Discovery and adventure

6. Costa Rica volcanoes and rainforest

Costa Rica's stunning reef and rainforest landscapes make for a brilliant active family holiday. The downside is that flight costs are high. Start with the capital, San José, before visiting the active volcano at Arenal National Park and rainforest at Monteverde. Then relax on sandy beaches of the Central Pacific Coast. A 16-day "Natural Magic" family group tour offers such an itinerary and costs from £2,201 (based on children aged up to 11 years), departing December 19, through Imaginative Traveller (0845 867 4980; imaginative-traveller.com).

• Why May is the best month to travel

7. Elephants and coral reefs in Thailand

A holiday in Thailand is great way to introduce children to a new culture. A 10-day "Rainforests and Islands" group family tour allows you to explore in the company of like-minded families: hunt out superb beaches, stay in remote lodges, snorkel over the coral reef, explore Bangkok and ride through the rainforest on an elephant. It costs from £1,567 (based on children aged up to 11 years) with departures in July and August through Families Worldwide (01962 737560; familiesworldwide.co.uk).

Read more: the best hotels in Bangkok

^{Elephants in Thailand (Photo: AP/Fotolia)}

8. Glaciers and bears in Alaska

Alaska offers a thrilling insight into an unspoilt wilderness but is best for older children. An eight-night "Highlights of Alaska" self-drive tour offers the chance to spot bears, deer and caribou in Denali National Park and explore the cities of Fairbanks and Anchorage. It costs from £1,637 in July or August (based on children up to 11 years) through Discover the World (01737 214250; discover-the-world.co.uk).

Outdoor activities

11. Flotilla sailing in the British Virgin Islands

Deep-water, steady winds, and the white-sand beaches and sheltered bays of a lovely archipelago make the BVIs a great destination for family sailing. Board a Sunsail 33i in Tortola and join a flotilla headed by an experienced lead boat. These two-cabin, monohull boats have a large cockpit, snorkelling equipment and dinghy with outboard. From £1,315 departing October 24 through Sunsail (0844 2732 177; sunsail.co.uk).

^{Yachts in the BVIs (Photo: AP/Fotolia)}

12. Wilderness camping in Canada

This is the real Great Outdoors – and a chance to explore a wilderness, without being too far from home comforts. A 10-day "Canadian Family Discovery" family group camping trip explores Lake Louise, Athabasca Glacier and camps in Yoho and Banff National Parks plus rafting, canoeing, hiking and biking. Prices start at £2,090 (two children aged between 12-18 years) through Grand American Adventures (0333 999 7961; grandamericanadventures.com).

13. Kenya Safari

Wildlife spotting doesn't get much more spectacular than this. The wildebeest migration reaches the Maasai Mara in July, but the dry season continues through August. A 10-day Kenya Family Safari including a visit to an orphaned giraffe centre, Lake Nakuru National Park to see flamingos and the Maasai Mara for lion, leopard, rhino, hippo and wildebeest. From £2,189 (based on children aged up to 14 years) for July and August departures through the Family Adventure Company (080 271 8995; familyadventurecompany.co.uk).

^{The Maasai Mara (Photo: AP/Fotolia)}

14. Ranch holiday in the US

"Dude" ranches make excellent resorts for active families. You can go white-water rafting, mountain biking, hiking and visit rodeos with supervised activity programmes aimed at younger children. Elk Mountain Ranch, in Colorado's San Isabel National Forest, costs £2,391 (based on two children aged eight to 11 years) with full-board departing August 16 (airport transfers are £62 per person) through American Roundup (01798 865946; americanroundup.com).

15. Powder skiing in Colorado

Steamboat resort makes a great first-time destination for families who want a taste of the powder snow of the Rockies. Compact, varied and friendly, there's plenty of scope for all abilities and it makes a great family resort, though best for children of 11 up who are better able to cope with the long journey and sometimes very cold conditions. A week's stay at the Rabbit Ears Motel in Steamboat resort centre costs from £1,160 departing on December 16 through Crystal Ski Holidays (020 8939 0726; crystalski.co.uk).

Classic journeys

16. Highway 1, California

Hire a family-sized motorhome from San Francisco and drop it off in San Diego, so you can follow this iconic American road-trip on the Pacific Coast Highway, with detours which can include Yosemite National Park and the Napa wine region, as well as a visit to LA. A 14-night California Cruisin' holiday costs from £1,469 (with children aged up to 11 years) travelling in August including a first night at the Grand Hyatt hotel in San Francisco and hire of a motorhome. A campground resort pass is an extra £248 for the period. Book through North America Travel Service (0845 122 8899; northamericatravelservice.co.uk).

• Should you book your 2016 summer holiday now?

17. Queensland tour in Australia

Of course, down under, August is winter. Nevertheless, this is the best time to visit Queensland and the Great Barrier Reef: the weather is sunny and dry, with temperatures in the low 70s – a relief from the heat and humidity of summer. A two-week, self-drive "Barrier Reef Roaming" motorhome holiday costs from £1,299 per person, (based on children aged up to nine years), including a night in a Brisbane hotel and 13 nights' motorhome hire in August, through Trailfinders (020 7368 1200; trailfinders.com).

Getting there

By air

To find domestic flights, check Skyscanner (www.skyscanner.net), Cheapflights (www.cheapflights.co.uk) or Momondo (www.momondo.co.uk). See also our expert guide to the best flight comparison websites.

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