HOLIDAY PACKAGES   >   INDEX


adventure, bird watching, camping, conservation, cruise, culture & history, diving, family, golf, guided tour, health, national parks, romantic, safari, spa & fitness, train


Package Holidays are used by about 50% of holiday makers as an easy way to book and enjoy a holiday overseas.  The package will include a flight, accommodation and transfers.  You can also arrange insurance and car hire through the tour operator


 
Cosmostourama.co.uk : Quality escorted touring holidays across Europe, USA, Canada, Africa, South America, Asia, Australia & New Zealand. They also include classic rail journeys, safaris & special interest holidays like music tours to Elvis' Graceland.
River cruises across Europe, Egypt & China include: The Nile, Yangtze, Rhine, Elbe, Danube, Rhone, Douro & Russian Waterways. We also offer Mediterranean, Caribbean & Alaska/Canada cruises.

 



   -   Tailor-make your trip on Expedia and save!

   -   see Special Offers
Golfbreaks.com is the UK's premier service for organising Golf Breaks and Golf Days, providing tailor-made golf breaks at discounted prices and hundreds of special offers!

    
Helpfulholidays.com : Holiday cottages in Devon, Cornwall, Dorset and Somerset
Destinations : North Cornwall, South Cornwall, The Lizard, End of England, Dartmoor, South Devon, Mid Devon , Exmoor, East Devon, North Devon, Somerset, Dorset, New Forest, Bath & the Cotswolds

     -   Britain's favourite longhaul holiday company
Kuoni.co.uk : Luxury Holidays and packages

   -  offering a choice of some of the finest hotels and apartments
Olympicholidays.com : Mediterranean Destinations [ Bulgaria, Cyprus, Egypt, Greece, Turkey and Tunisia ], Tropical Destinations [ Goa, Mexico and The Gambia ].


Superbreak.com : Superbreak offer leisure hotel breaks at over 4,000 hotels across the UK, Europe and beyond. Particularly strong in the UK, and features 2-5 star hotels, with the majority in the 3-4 star+ rating.

    
Thomascook.com : Thomas Cook offer package holidays, flights, hotels, city breaks and tours to a variety of destinations around the world. Their Traveller site provides you with travel information at your fingertips from the people who have over 160 years in travel. From holidays in Majorca to City breaks in New York - use Thomas Cook Traveller to make your travel experience easy and informative. They have a range of features within their guides from galleries of Egypt to places of interest the Caribbean and more.

Adventure Packages

Adventure holidays can be as invigorating as horse-back riding, as rewarding as beach combing, as relaxing as fishing, as educational as bird-watching and as eye-popping as snorkeling in tropical waters.

See for more ...  Adventure Holidays

Bird Watching

When we think of bird-watching we imagine a bus load of serious-looking people dressed in khaki shorts and hiking boots, carrying a pad and pencil and binoculars swinging from their necks.
And we'd be right, some of the time. But most of the time, bird-watchers are folks who happened to be in a place that birds live. And that's pretty near anywhere there is a tree or bush or a plot of dirt.
Birds come in all shapes and all sizes, depending on the climate, landscape and the food source. So wherever your holiday takes you, keep an eye out for birds. Surely, they will bring a smile to your lips and a sparkle to your eyes.

Camping Packages

Camping used to be relegated to a tent or a camper and most campers were young families getting back to nature. Today, nothing could be further from the truth. The activity is now known as RV'ing. The RV stands for Recreational Vehicles and refers to anything from a simple canvas tent and sleeping bag to a million dollar motorcoach with satellite TV and GPS. Campgrounds, both private and public, are sprouting up everywhere to accommodate this growing trend.

See for more Camping Holidays

Conservation Packages

Information under this topic covers restoration programs; lists sites, districts, buildings and even whole villages that are on historical registers and features tours that stay in step with nature.

The saying "take only photographs and memories and leave only footprints and new friends" is a credo visitors should follow where ever they go. And remember, some creatures are in danger from even the slightest interference, no matter how seemingly kind. Keep that in mind, next time you're tempted to feed a wild animal. It just might mean the death of it.

Cruise Packages

Cruising is one of the fastest growing holiday styles in the world and new ships are being launched in record numbers. Ships the size of several footballs fields, like the recently launched Norwegian Sky, are becoming commonplace.

Cruising is no longer a pleasure reserved for the elite. Short cruises around the Bahamas and along the Mexican Riviera are very reasonable. Even passengers on oversea voyages come from all walks of life. And private yachts, like the 1931 Sea Cloud, although considered pricey, are no longer limited to a "who's who" private guest list.

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Culture and History Packages

It's not the color of our skin that makes us unique or defines our differences. Our differences are defined by our culture and our culture is defined by our past, our heritage and our traditions. It is this past, and these heritages and traditions that give our cities, towns, and villages character, personality and distinction and make them so appealing to those of us who are intrigued by it all.

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Diving Packages

Although people have been curious about life beneath the sea throughout history, diving as we know today, began in 1943, when Jacque Cousteau dove into the water wearing innovative breathing apparatus developed by French engineer Emile Gagnan. Today, the activity is enjoyed by millions of people from all around the world. Popular dive spots are the Caribbean, the South Pacific and Hawaii, where sea-live is abundant and the water is clear and warm, although divers who explore the Pacific northwest waters swear the sea-life in the cold water is the best. Ship wrecks and caves are also popular with experienced divers.

Diving is a serious sport that requires training and discipline and all divers must take a course by a certifying agency before diving, such as the Professional Association of Dive Instructors (PADI), the National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI) and the National Association of Scuba Diving Schools (NASDS) . Most places where diving is popular offer dive courses. Some countries require certified divers to take a course with their own countries instructors. At all schools, students must be in reasonable health, good swimmers and over 12 years old. Lessons usually take place in a pool and first dives in open water. An important rule in diving is no matter what your experience, never dive without a companion in the water and a spotter on land or in the boat.

Depths below 130 feet are not recommended for recreational diving. Risks are pressure-related. The deeper the dive, the denser the air and the more nitrogent the body absorbs. To avoid decompression sickness (the bends), a diver must ascend slowing and not fly for 12 or 24 hours. To avoid the condition, don't dive below 30 feet.

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Family Packages

More and more families are traveling together. Hotels, resorts, airlines and vacation planners are aware of this trend and are planning holidays that focus on the needs of the entire family from the smallest tots to finicky teens to mature grandparents. Aunts and Uncles aren't overlooked either. So scroll through our family site and discover a variety of adventures for every member of your family and tips on how to make sure everyone has fun.

Golf Packages

The game of golf is an outdoor sport played on a grassy area (course) with a small hard ball and a series of wood and steel-headed clubs. The object of the game is to hit the ball (at the first stroke between holes, the ball sits on a plastic or wood peg called a tee), in as few strokes as possible into a hole or sunken cup on the course. The hole is at least 4 inches deep and 4.5 inches in diameter. The area between the hole and the tee is called the fairway and can contain hazards such as sand traps, ponds, tall grass and trees. The fairway is often constructed with mounds and slopes. The standard golf course has 9 or 18 holes and occupies about 65 acres or 150 acres. The game is played with partners taking turns with competitors or individually. International tournaments for amateurs and professionals take place year round.

It is a much loved relaxing game and according to the National Golf Foundation, enjoyed by almost 20 million people in United States alone. Revenue from this sport comes from the wide spectrum of goods involved, such as clubs, bags, clothing, shoes, carts, etc., and the daily course fees. Consequently, it is a billion dollar industry, with new golf resorts popping up all over the world annually, many with a waiting list of participants.

Golf has its origin, as we know it today, in Scotland in the 15th century; although it is not clear just who played the first game of golf it could have been Caesar's form of relaxation for all we know. It appears that he did hit a feather- stuffed ball with a club-shaped branch on occasion. In fact, a feather-stuffed ball was used at the world's oldest golf course, the Royal and Ancient Golf Club at St. Andrews, Scotland, founded in 1754, up to the 1800's. The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews is where the basic rules of golf were established.

See page Golf Holidays

Guided Tour Packages

You see them everywhere, groups of people wearing the same buttons, following a leader with an umbrella or a bright hat with the tour company's logo. It's a popular way to travel, going on a prepackaged tour, and a good one will make your holiday hassle-free. That's the biggest advantage: the company takes care of everything.

If I have to say anything negative about a guided tour is that when it is over, it is a mad scramble to your respective departure gates, and your fellow companions -- some you've come to know and even like -- suddenly become strangers again.

Health and Safety Packages

If ever ignorance is not bliss, it is when it comes to health and safety issues. For example, getting sick just before you leave is devastating, but even worse if you still have to pay for the trip. So get cancellation insurance when you book just in case.

Getting sick on a holiday is the ultimate disappointment, but much worse if you are not prepared, so get travel insurance. Make sure, too, that your shots are up to date. Inquire about health rules of the country. Find out answers to questions like: Should I drink the water? Are the bugs deadly? What happens if I need a doctor?

Look over the helpful health and safety tips on our pages. And most important of all: Check with your doctor before following ANY health advice.

Hotels & Resort Packages

Accommodations can make or break a holiday. And it is not whether the property is a five-star resort or a room with nothing but a bed and a toilet down the hall. It has to do with surprises. We are disappointment when something doesn't meet our expectations. So before you go, read our tips on accommodations for some solid advice on how to find out exactly what you are getting into.

National & State Park Packages

National Parks are found throughout the world. Initially, they may have been created to protect bits of wilderness for our pleasure, but no longer. Today they protect valuable flora and fauna and even on occasion lifestyles and culture.

Regions of rainforests, glacial lakes, cemeteries, parkways, aboriginal land use, battlefields and monuments are under the National Parks jurisdiction.

The first national park in the world was the Yellowstone National Park in the United States. It was set aside in 1872. Next was the Banff National Park in Alberta, Canada. It was established in 1885

Romantic Getaway Packages

 To keep that lovin' feeling" you get on Valentine's Day, put your hearts together and book a romantic getaway . Whether it's over the sea, across the border, or around the corner, getting away from it all promises to put you in the mood for love.

Safari Packages

There are dozens of tour operators offering safaris in Africa and most offer the same itinerary. The differences are not so much the lodges or the parks you visit. The differences are in the extras, such as how many people in a van during game watches, what type of van, how long do you stay and how often do you go. Is there a professional guide on board or is the driver also the guide? What is the length of time spent at craft shops? How do you get from one resort to another and what arrangements are made for pickup and transfers from and to the airport? Is bottled water included on the game watches or is it extra. Is wine included in some meals?

Spa & Fitnes Packages

Body polishing, waxing, scalp massages, herbal wraps, facials, manicures, foot scrubs, sauna soaks, sea salt scrubs . . . you can avail yourself of these spa services either around the corner from where you live or in an exotic place across the continent.

Some spa facilities are housed in hotels, others stand alone. Some spa facilities focus on health, others focus on beauty. All spa facilities focus on your mind and a state of well-being. . For example some spas use lavender and tangerine oils to calm and ease muscle aches. Others offer treatments to the sounds of meditative music.

Even hotels without full services offer relaxing treats like herb teas and plush robes and slippers to their business clients. Beds are wrapped in European cotton linens and covered with down comforters. At turndown, fresh fruit and mineral water appears at your bedside.

You don't have to make your spa experience a two-week vacation. Why not try a weekend retreat or an afternoon reprieve close to home? There are many options. And here at Travel Tips 'n' Tales we will keep you informed.

There is only one rule and that is to be self-indulgent. And that's okay. This is one time that something that feels good is actually good for you

Train Packages

Trains are magic, romantic, nostalgic, and very adaptable. Trains opened up the west in North America. In some isolated sections in some countries, like Siberia, trains are the only connection to the rest of the world. Trains have managed to chug all the way from the past into the future. Trains carry millions of people to work every day. Trains carry tourists from one destination to the other. Today, some trains are the destination. When you're on a train, you can enjoy the scenery or your companion or the atmosphere of the train.

There are speed trains and steam trains and there are private trains that move on private tracks. There are coal trains, freight trains, flat trains, wine trains and historical trains. Some trains ignore you completely and some trains treat you like royalty.


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