The cost of the average family holiday looks set to rise again if the government gets it way. Air Passenger Duty is set to rise yet again, this time by 8%, which will put prices up by £52 for a family of four’s trip to southern Spain says Sky News; is this the end of cheap holidays in Spain?

This tax hike hasn’t been confirmed yet, but even if it doesn’t come into force, the average price of a family holiday is increasing as fuel prices across the world continue to rise.

So just how can the typical family of four retain cheap holidays in Spain and beyond? Here are our top tips, but be warned, you will have to make compromises and travel out of your comfort zone.

Wait until the very last minute

Family holidays are usually booked well in advance. This is because you have to organise time of work and possibly even arrange to take your children out of school during term time. However, if you can bear to and your employer and your children’s teachers let you, waiting until the very last minute can still enable you to make massive savings on your family holiday. On The Beach, for example, has a range of cheap holidays in Spain that depart with just a few days’ notice. You can end up getting a four-star all-inclusive package for the price of a three-star B&B break.

Segrada Familia, Barcelona in Spain

Go indirect

Everybody would rather spend less time getting to their destination and more time at it; however, if you can bear to take the long route you could save a packet. Travelling indirectly or flying from and to regional airports can make a huge difference in cost. Just make sure you take plenty of toys and snacks for the kids, as they are likely to become miserable on a daylong journey. Here are some top tips on travelling with children from the Guardian.

Travel at unsociable times

Just as everybody prefers to fly direct, travelling at convenient times of the day is also in high demand. Flight costs are linked to basic supply and demand; if nobody wants to fly at 3am the flight will be cheap, but if everybody wants to fly at 3pm the flight will be expensive. Travelling at 3am is not ideal, especially with children in tow, but if it means you get a better holiday as a result, it is worthwhile in the end.

Turkey is more than just a beach holiday destination. Turkey holidays don’t have to be spent lying on a beach topping up your tan; you can be a lot more active and adventurous. It is thanks to Turkey’s diverse landscape – thick forests, high mountains, wind-swept coastlines and powerful rivers – that everything from white-water rafting to skydiving is possible. What’s even more inviting is the cost; the price of getting active and adventurous in Turkey is a lot less than other European locations.

On The Beach offers Turkey holidays to a wide variety of regional locations allowing you to combine a few days on the beach with some of the country’s best activities. Here are our top picks on what to do and where.

White-water rafting

High in the Toros Mountains the Köprücay River springs into life. Starting as a trickly, the river soon gushes, twists and turns its way towards the Antalayan coast. The area is truly stunning, cutting through steep gorges, terraced hills, under ancient Roman bridges and past numerous archaeological sites. You can paddle in the white water for around 10 kilometres and get to grips with rapids that are between level two and three, perfect for beginners and intermediates.

Mountain biking

Turkey’s dry and mountainous inland regions are perfect for mountain biking, but no area is more striking than Cappadocia. Unique and mesmerising rock formations make every journey different and the trails run from relatively easy to incredibly hard, so the region is suitable for all abilities. Caves and ancient habitations and monuments help to colour the journey even further.

Paragliding

Ölüdeniz near Fethiye on the southwest coast of Turkey is the best places in Europe, if not the world, to paraglide. Mountains plunge into azure ocean and thermal winds help to propel you for many miles along the coastline. Soaring high over the lagoon, white yachts cruising the coastline and sunbathers starting up in awe is a once in a lifetime experience that’s not to be missed.

Istanbul

For more information on Turkey and its regions, check out the country’s national tourism website, Go Turkey.

by David Ellis

THE ancient tombs of many of Egypt’s most famous rulers, with their treasure-troves of sculptures, paintings, hieroglyphics and carvings, are amazing enough in themselves, but the fact that they were ever discovered in the first place is nothing short of a miracle.

Looking for a great bundle of brochures on Egypt & Middle East Small Group holidays? Well, we have the Top 5 travel brochures on Egypt & Middle East Small Group holidays for you – absolutely free! Click to order them now.

Hidden among rocky ravines in a sea of shifting sands on the edge of one of the world’s most inhospitable regions, they were first found in the early 1700s in what has become known as the Valley of the Kings, one of Egypt’s major historical centres in a land that appears almost awash with significant temples, monuments and statues.

And while finding the great tombs, that were created over a 500 year period between the 11th and 16th centuries BC, was an astonishing feat in such an environment, it was the very nature of the arid climate that helped preserve the great treasures of rulers like Tutankhamen, Ramses the Great and Tutmose III.

The descent beneath the desert sands to the hidden tombs, with their sculpted and painted walls telling the story of each ruler, is a stunning surprise for the visitor, with the extreme temperatures in the region and the total lack of rain, wonderful insurance against damaging moisture.

Colours of paintings that relate the story of each Pharaoh’s rule and the way of life at the time, are as bold, strong and as vibrant as if done in recent times rather than over 3000 years ago – and even graffiti left by raiding Turks centuries ago remains in perfect condition.

And interestingly, while called the Valley of the Kings, its tombs also contain the remains of several of the Pharaoh’s wives, children and related noblemen.

Along with the remains of Egypt’s most gigantic temples and monuments in nearby Luxor on the edge of the great River Nile, the Valley of the Kings – that was World Heritage listed in 1979 – represents some of the ancient Egyptians’ greatest artistic achievements.

Karnak temple with its 60-odd hectares of ancient architecture is probably the most awesome, with parts of it in immaculate condition despite having been built several centuries B.C.

And if you think Karnak a wonder in daylight you’ll be even more surprised by the spectacular sound and light show that is conducted at the temple around dusk every evening.

Strategically placed spotlights see columns and walls silhouetted vibrantly against a cloudless sky, creating one of the world’s most remarkable spectacles.

As these spotlights track around the temple, the history of the buildings and the manner in which they were constructed over 18 dynasties, lost and then recovered, is narrated over loudspeakers… but be warned that the narration is not in English every night.

In Upper Egypt – along with Luxor – the main centres of history are Aswan and Abu Simbel, which are all easily accessible by air, train and road links, but can also be reached at a more relaxed pace by using one of the dozens of cruise ships that ply the Nile between Cairo and Aswan.

To permit easy access along the river most vessels have a draught of only a metre or so and generally take a leisurely four or five days to travel from Luxor to Aswan, although shorter or longer trips can be arranged.

The cruises can be joined as a self-contained package holiday or included in holidays which also offer a few days in Cairo or Alexandria and Aegean or Red Sea beach resorts.

While there are frequent air services from Aswan to Cairo a good option is the overnight train that departs Aswan punctually at 5 p.m. each day and offers a superb view of the Nile Valley and wonderful desert sunsets as it races north to the capital.

While not to be compared with the Orient Express or South Africa’s Blue Train, the Nile train has comfortable sleeping cabins, typically local meals and a licensed club car where the after-dinner entertainment includes an exotic presentation of belly dancing.

Doing It

A RANGE of package deal holidays to Egypt are available in Australia through Icon Holidays, that can also add tours through Turkey and Greece. All itineraries include first class accommodation and first class cruise vessels. Phone Icon at 1300-853-953

First time travel to India can be a daunting experience. Debutante, Roderick Eime, shares his experience and tries to alleviate your concerns about travel to the mysterious subcontinent.

Looking for a great bundle of brochures on India Independent holidays? Well, we have the Top 6 travel brochures on India Independent holidays for you – absolutely free! Click to order now.

To say India is a vast land of extremes is something of an understatement. A traveller, especially a first-timer like me can and probably will experience the entire gamut of emotions and sensations on their journey to the mysterious subcontinent. Some will, no doubt, welcome this avalanche of sensory experiences, while others will want to avoid, or at least minimise, the deluge of stimuli. I tried, with mixed success, to tread the middle ground.

To give you some idea; you’ll be amazed beyond words at the vast and extravagant palaces, forts and temples that abound throughout India, while at the same time you’ll be struck by the abject poverty in which the lowest castes live. You’ll satisfy your wildest cravings when immersed in the rich cultural heritage of this ancient civilisation while, almost at the same time, be frustrated to despair at the often pedantic bureaucracy and re-tape that is integral with modern Indian life.

To just “lob” in India is not something the debutante should do. Of course it depends on the individual, but to become comfortable within India takes time and usually several trips. My heartiest recommendation for your first trip is to use one of the many pre-packaged tours available from the plethora of companies offering itineraries to India. Mine was compiled by the Travel Corporation (India), or TCI for short and I was grateful for their sensitivity and flexibility when I needed it most!

Looking for a great bundle of brochures on India & Nepal Adventure holidays? Well, we have the Top 5 travel brochures on India & Nepal Adventure holidays for you – absolutely free! Click to order them now.

So where do you start? The Taj Mahal, without too much argument, is the most recognised symbol of India and any travel agent can slot you into an efficient package that takes in what is known as, “The Golden Triangle”. Visiting three of the richest and most diverse cultural centres of India; Delhi, Agra and Jaipur, this tri-cornered exploration will quench your initial curiosity and likely leave you hankering for more.

On one of these tours you will almost certainly travel by coach, but train or taxi is also a popular option. Self-drive is not. The roads of India defy description and often you’ll find yourself hiding your delicate eyes from the mayhem outside. Driving in India deserves its own book, let alone a paragraph here.

Delhi will occupy your first few days while you gaze in awe at the likes of the Qutb Minar, Humayun’s Tomb, the Jama Masjid and the imperious Red Fort. Gain a few points toward your Indian Adventurer’s badge when you tour the seething Chandni Chowk, near the Red Fort. Set up by the prolific and expansionist Shah Jahan of Taj Mahal fame, Chandi Chowk is the madly buzzing hub of Indian street commerce and the nominal centre of “old” Delhi. In contrast to the ancient capital, New Delhi was proclaimed in 1931 as an “Anglo-Indian Rome” replete with modern architecture wide, tree-lined boulevards and copious flower-stocked parklands.

A “day at leisure” can incorporate any number of the huge choices of shopping options. Prices for any single item can, take it from me, vary wildly. Often the first figure quoted to you is hugely inflated in optimistic hope you will just agree and pay. But haggling is an accepted method of negotiation and can yield welcome bargains. An item initially offered for say, ten dollars, can often be secured for as little as two or three dollars after protracted theatrical offer and counter-offer. Tipping is another delicate art and is a must if you want to receive a level of service we’re used to elsewhere. Indian porters, guards, waiters, taxi-drivers and lavatory attendants, you’ll find, are not at all backward in soliciting for a gratuity.

The second corner of the triangle is Agra, two kilometres south of Delhi, former capital of the Mughal conquerors and home to the fabled Taj Mahal. In accounts dating back to the 1600s, Agra was a “dream city” of palaces and temples visited by diplomats, traders and rogues alike, all seeking favour with the incumbent ruler and access to the wealth within. Today, there is not much to Agra except the Taj Mahal and the Red Fort. The streets are dusty, unkempt and chaotic, even by Indian standards, so once you’ve seen the key sights, move on.

Once in Agra, you’ll reach the Taj Mahal by electric shuttle. The smoky omnibuses of yore long since decreed unfriendly by UNESCO’s World Heritage edict, and after a thorough security check, you’ll find yourself strolling amongst the immaculate architecture of the Taj Mahal. The entrance is through a dramatic arch that “delivers” you into the realm of the Taj Mahal and sets the scene for the breathtaking sight before you. Even for the most sophisticated of world-travellers, the Taj Mahal is a splendour to the eye. Completed in 1655 after twenty-two painstaking years of construction, this venerable “monument to love” has withstood numerous earthquakes by virtue of its superb construction from unique translucent marble. The Red Fort of Agra is also an impressive construction, but much more utilitarian and purposeful than its passion-inspired neighbour on the Yamuna River.

The third corner of our triangular journey takes us to the fabled “Pink City” of Jaipur, the vibrant, bustling and immensely colourful capital of Rajasthan. Unlike its neighbouring metropolises, Jaipur gives a certain style and energy to the hubbub of Indian urban life. Taxis, rickshaws, bicycles, camels and mules all vie for the road space which seems a little more generous and well-planned than in other cities – and all this in apparently less stressful and hectic fashion.

The “pink” is derived from the rich hues of the architecture, constructed from rare coloured sandstone. One of the most outstanding examples of this is the towering Hawa Mahal, effectively a giant, elaborate façade from which the women of the court could observe the festivities below without attracting unwelcome gazes from the commoners. The Rajasthani dress code, especially for women, goes beyond the simple elegancy of the traditional sari to bold reds and crimson. Adorned with gold and silver, they carry themselves gregariously yet with grace and charm, in keeping with the ease and confidence of the city.

Traditionally an important trading centre, Jaipur has thankfully retained most of its historic character and is a wonderful, almost magical place to visit. My only encounter with the tenacious street vendors so rampant throughout India was at the famous Amber Fort where they will harangue you mercilessly as you make the journey up and down the steep rampart atop a lumbering elephant.

The immense Amber Fort, a few kilometres out of town, is overshadowed by another older fort high up on the protective Aravalli hills, both built well before the first stone of Jaipur was laid in 1727. Touring these gigantic defensive structures is a humbling experience and reminds you that, unless you were a fantastically powerful and dedicated ruler, your life wasn’t worth much back then. Despite the fierce and brutal power struggles that saw rulers come and go all over India, Jaipur is something of a monument to the finer arts and sciences. The World Heritage listed Jantar Mantar is an open-air observatory which amply displays the highbrow capabilities of the city’s founder, Jai Singh II.

Leaving Jaipur and heading back along the ridiculously congested highway to Delhi and imminent departure, leaves a heartfelt longing to see more of this region. If your selected itinerary allows a few extra days in India, spend them in Jaipur.

Reminiscing afterward on your short, but fantastic journey to the subcontinent, the many little tribulations of your discovery will quickly melt away into the amalgam of richly diverse experiences gleaned in those few jam-packed days. The memories and recollections will last much, much longer.

No other city in Peru exemplifies its rich ancient and colonial history more than Cusco.

Looking for a great bundle of brochures on Peru holidays? Well, we have the Top 5 travel brochures on Peru holidays for you – absolutely free! Click now to order free.

Located in the south of the country, Cusco was once the capital of the Incan Empire and thus, houses many archaeological relics from that era. World heritage listed in 1983, the region combines spectacular landscapes, culture and architecture, creating a visual wonderland.

Cusco’s main attraction, though clichéd is truly impressive. The once ‘lost city’ of Machu Picchu is divided into two zones and constructed on the side of a mountain. The urban sector contains numerous buildings and plazas including the Temple of the Sun, whilst agricultural terraces grace the sides of the mountain.

This place will send your nerves into a frenzy and is a thrill to witness even for those – like me – who are scared of heights.

However, Cusco has many more experiences to offer. For example, it is possible to catch the train to Machu Picchu.

But why catch the train, when you can hike through the Inca trails, the longest of which is 39 kilometres? On your way you can witness the native flora and fauna as well as some other lesser known archaeological sites such as Qoriwachayrachina or Sayacmarca.

Surely a trek as exhausting as this deserves a day in the spa? For those in pain, bathe in the natural and medicinal springs of Aguas Calientes to soothe those aching muscles.

The region’s central hub is in stark contrast to the ancient outskirts of the city. Decorated with Andean baroque structures dating back to Spanish colonisation, the Main Square provides an insight into the Spanish heritage of Peru. It features a wide variety of churches and cathedrals, including the Cathedral of Cusco and the Church of the Company of Jesus Christ.

Not far from the Main Square the village of San Blas is home to village artisans who frequently accommodate guests in their homes. I could not think of a more perfect way to experience Peruvian culture up close and personal.

For more information on travel to Peru, see www.peru.info

Bordered by stunning mountain ranges with dense forest to the shoreline and calm, deep waterways, the Inside Passage is a 1500 kilometre waterway extending from Seattle Washington to Skagway in Alaska.

Looking for a great bundle of brochures on Canada & Alaska holidays? Well, we have the Top 4 travel brochures on Canada & Alaska holidays for you – absolutely free! Click to order them now.

Alaska’s portion encompasses over 1000 islands, 24,000 kilometres of shoreline and thousands of coves and bays, while British Columbia’s share is of similar extent.

Today, during the northern summer, the seaborne traffic through the passage gets pretty hectic. Enormous cruise ships each carry some 2000 passengers, loaf along the tranquil waters, soaking up the crisp air and eye-popping scenery. Stopping occasionally at the little villages and towns, the enterprising locals are eager to embrace the cashed-up tourists.

Alaskan Inside Passage cruises are overwhelmingly popular, easy on the motion-sensitive tummy, and overflowing with magnificent scenery and fun shore excursions. But the big ship experience barely scratches the surface of the wondrous nature and wilderness possibilities hidden away.

Looking for a great bundle of brochures on Canada & Alaska Cruise holidays? Well, we have the Top 3 travel brochures on Canada & Alaska Cruise holidays for you – absolutely free! Click to order them now.

Otherwise check out some of the small ship, adventure cruise options available from such operators as InnerSea and American Safari Cruises. These vessels carry as few as a dozen passengers into some of the most remote and secluded nooks and crannies along the passage where you can get up close (but not too close) to calving glaciers while escorted by pods of orcas. Fishin’ folk will also enjoy the famous halibut and salmon fishing that abounds throughout the passage.

Apart from the enormous variety and scope of natural attractions, there is a refreshingly new perspective on indigenous tourism in Alaska. “First nation” families run many of the museums and guided tours in and around the little towns like Petersburg, Ketchikan and Wrangell. Be sure to see the museum and Chief Shakes house in Wrangell for an insight into the life of Alaska’s first residents.

Other activities to consider include guided trekking, kayaking, flightseeing and camping. Experienced kayakers can enjoy some of the best open water and river kayaking anywhere in the world, but wilderness paddling and camping needs to be taken seriously. The water is cold and the wildlife can be, well, wild!

But all this high adrenalin adventure may be more than you bargained for. Another popular way of seeing the Passage and the little communities that thrive there is aboard the Alaska Marine Highway. This regular and comfortable ferry service binds the otherwise isolated townships into one large community. It’s easy to bounce from one island and town to another, lazily enjoying the local attractions and atmosphere without enduring the tourist throngs that invade occasionally when the liners are in town.

By all means take that big ship cruise and enjoy all the comforts and facilities on that glorious, 5-star vessel, but take time out to explore and discover Alaska’s Inside Passage at your own pace away from the commercial frenzy – that’s where you’ll find the real Alaska and the greatest rewards.

River cruising is the perfect means to explore the great Yangtze River.

Looking for a great bundle of brochures on China Adventure holidays? Well, we have the Top 5 travel brochures on China Adventure holidays for you – absolutely free! Click to order them now.

The Yangtze River is a massive tempestuous monster. For centuries it has been both the life and death of the Chinese people, providing food, water for irrigation and a critical transport route, but turning fierce with immense and destructive floods. In 1998, the last destructive flood, some 2000 people were drowned and millions made homeless. This final malicious act of the Yangtze would be the last.

If China was to grow and prosper, the beast must be tamed and made to work for the masses. The might of the new China is setting out to tame this fearsome beast with concrete, steel and seemingly limitless manpower.

Our journey begins in Chongqing, a vast, sprawling metropolis now bearing the title of world’s largest city. With a population of 32 million it is three times the size of New York City thanks mainly to the relocation of former riverside inhabitants displaced by the Yangtze’s rising.

Our vessel, the 4600 tonne, 150-passenger Princess Victoria is the Victoria Cruise Line’s flagship and quite likely the fanciest cruiser on the river. Most cabins have cute little balconies, there’s a European hotel manager, Christof, and more than sufficient culinary variation and quantity. The attractive young crew are chosen, I’m certain, for their cabaret performing talent as much as their domestic diligence.

Cruise on the Yangtze in comfort with Victoria Cruises

As HRH proceeds majestically downstream, we pass floating car carriers laden with sparkling new Volkswagens, one of the many products of the newly industrialised city. Both shores are undergoing momentous transformation with great cranes and concrete pourers working overtime to construct new apartment blocks and shopping centres. The ancient riverside villages are gone, replaced by the energetic and progressive new 21st Century China.

We visit some of the few remaining archaeological sites en route and the Ghost City of Fengdu is a standout. Every so often, you visit a place that defies description, and this is one. Visitors are welcomed by a parade of stone demons each depicting unholy vices and terrifying acts. Displays inside the temple include torture and demon gods and are guaranteed to leave you squeamish.

The Three Gorges themselves are so named for the gorges Qutang, Wu and Xiling occupying a section of about 120 kilometres of the river between Fengjie andYichang. Despite their reputation for stunning scenery it was one of the most hazardous stretches of the Yangtze. As river levels rose and fell with the seasons, navigating the fury of its waters was a white-knuckle experience for crew and passengers alike.

Looking for a great bundle of brochures on China small group tour holidays? Well, we have the Top 6 travel brochures on China small group tour holidays for you – absolutely free! Click to order them now.

We divert from the main channel to the Daning River and proceed up the “Lesser Three Gorges” (Dragon-Gate, Misty and Emerald) where former farmers and river traders are now tour guides for the many passengers who come to see one of the most scenic locations in all of China. The few farms and dwellings we see are slowly being consumed by the rising waters. Residents must dismantle their own homes and move the materials above the water line to avoid flotsam fouling the dam.

Mr Zhang, our boatman, now sports smart leather shoes and trousers but dons a traditional fishing jacket and headdress as he sings a song and poles us up the narrow tributary bordered by dizzying, sheer cliffs. He’s happy that his boat is full of paying travellers, but the notes of his song are tinged with sadness. He’ll never sing this tune like his father and grandfather did, hauling in the nets and selling the fish.

After four days cruising, we meet the manmade monster designed to subdue the Yangtze and in the middle of the night, we toast the new Great Wall as Princess Victoria descends 100 metres via a series of locks to the old riverfront at Sandouping.

Any way you look at it, the Three Gorges Dam is one of the world’s engineering marvels, easily rivalling the Panama Canal or even the original Great Wall itself. Always controversial, the dam was first proposed in 1919 but many events have intervened to delay its arrival.

Proponents argued that flood mitigation would save many thousands of lives and improve irrigation, navigation and water utilisation The hydro-electric plant would produce 22,500MW or the equivalent of ten per cent of China’s industrial requirement.

Opponents cited the dislocation of millions of residents, hundreds of tonnes of damaging sediment, loss of historic relics and the danger of catastrophe due to earthquake or landslide.

“Of course, the new project was welcomed by the younger, ambitious Chinese who did not want to work hard fishing and farming anymore,” says Cathy Huang, our onboard guide with refreshing candour, “but the older people find it very hard. They don’t like living in big apartment buildings and miss their life on the river.”

Begun in 1994 and completed in 2006, the dam comprises 27 million cubic of concrete, all of which had to be laid in one continuous pour. The dam wall is 2335 metres wide, 101 metres high and contains 39.3 cubic kilometres of water.

As the Princess passes through the multi-gated lock system, we fall 100 metres to the river beyond the wall and tie up until morning in anticipation of our ‘great tour’.

After breakfast we gather our cameras and floppy hats and prepare to embark a fleet of buses. One passenger is clearly unimpressed. “Why would I want to go and see another damn dam,” he remarked scathingly. “Yeah,” I sympathised, “a bit like dragging yourself off to the opening of the pyramids.” Regardless of your environmental leanings, viewing the dam has to be up there with the Eiffel Tower, Empire State Building or Colosseum.

Clearly visiting the dam is a popular outing for the Chinese. Hundreds of folk are jostling and nudging, as is the Chinese way, for the few vantage points and I hurriedly snatch a few photos before my arbitrary time limit expires and I’m moved on. In a country with more than a billion people, personal space is a luxury few can afford.

Downstream of the dam, the river is much less effected and the water levels are more-or-less unchanged. Traditional villages reappear and there are glimpses of what life must have been like once upon a time on the other side. While we can lament how the Three Gorges Dam has transformed the Yangtze forever, the enormous upheaval thrust upon those along its course is indicative of a rapidly changing China, a country throwing off the ancient shackles of reluctance and charging headlong towards a prosperous future with the promise of plenty for all. Let’s hope the Eastern wisdom doesn’t repeat the many mistakes of the West.

Come to Me – or be damned!

HMS Kinsha. A typical river steamer of the very early 20th Century

Fact Box

Helen Wongs Tours offers a range of Yangtze River cruises from 9- to 24 days duration aboard the Victoria Cruises’s luxury fleet of six vessels with multilingual Western cruise directors and well trained local staff, all outside cabins with picture windows, lower berths and private bathrooms, fine Chinese cuisine with Western selections, lectures on history and culture, Tai Chi lessons, painting and calligraphy demonstrations, a full range of facilities including business centre, bar, fitness centre and health clinic, and live entertainment.

Cruise prices range from AU$2680 (9 days, cruise only)

For information and reservations, phone Helen Wong’s Tours +612 9267 7833, or visit www.helenwongstours.com

Adventure cruiser, Roderick Eime, heads north in search of the mighty polar bear and a lost story from Australian history.

Looking for a great bundle of brochures on Arctic adventure holidays? Well, we have the Top 5 travel brochures on Arctic adventure holidays for you – absolutely free!
Click to order them now.

We cautiously exit the Zodiac on the pebbly beach. Ten at a time, we land on the beach, our guides already well ahead of us, scouting for sightings of the worlds largest terrestrial carnivore.

Two hundred miles north of the tip of Norway is the island of Spitsbergen, one of just a handful of the remaining polar bear hotspots in the world. With a world population of this majestic mammal possibly as low as 20,000, there is a real urgency among adventure travellers to see this creature in its native habitat. With climate change and poaching, some biologists suggest children being born today will not have this special privilege.

Clutching loaded rifles, our guides are 100 metres ahead of us making sure we don’t surprise any unseen or sleeping beasts.

Regulations require guides to carry loaded rifles and flare guns, but in over a decade of operation, Aurora’s expedition staff have only ever fired two warning shots; a testament to good planning, careful observation and prompt action.

“If we sight a bear while we’re on land, our first call is to get everyone back on the Zodiacs while the guides monitor the animal,” says Sue Werner, deputy expedition leader (EL) and daughter of Aurora co-founder, Margaret Werner, “if a curious animal approaches within 200 metres or so we fire a flare with a loud bang, but of course we never land if a bear is sighted beforehand.”

At 78 degrees N, we are firmly in the realm of the mighty polar bear, and our expedition, Aurora’s Circumnavigation of Spitsbergen, is an outstanding success with almost twenty sightings including three mother bears and cubs feeding on the last morsels of a whale carcass.

The wildlife catalogue extends to Arctic fox, walrus, reindeer, seals and a myriad seabirds wheeling and squealing overhead. On one occasion, we entertain several thousand tiny guillemots gathered around us with whistles. It’s hilarious when the entire throng whistles back on cue. Humpback, minke, fin and even blue whales are regularly sighted in these frigid waters.

During the closing stages of of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries, explorers took balloons, airships and aircraft to Spitsbergen to take advantage of the high latitude to launch expeditions to the North Pole. Byrd, Amundsen and Nobile were among them and the first definite attainment of the North Pole was made in 1926 by the airship Norge after it left the scientific outpost of Ny-Ålesund, the world’s most northerly permanent settlement.

There is a little known Australian connection with Spitsbergen too. In 1928, the Adelaide-born adventurer, Captain George Hubert Wilkins, and US pilot, Lt. Ben Eielson, completed the first ever trans-polar flight. After taking off from Barrow, Alaska, 20 hours and 2500 miles later, the pair landed their single-engine Lockheed Vega amid a fierce snowstorm near Green Harbour (Grønfjorden) to the west of Longyearbyen. For this feat and his previous work, he was knighted and known thereafter as Sir Hubert Wilkins. Later that year, Wilkins and Eielson went south to conduct the first flights over the Antarctic.

Spitsbergen (translated from Dutch for ‘sharp peaks’) is the largest island in the Svalbard archipelago, 1800 kilometres north across the Barents Sea from Norway. At the dizzying latitude of 80 degrees Svalbard, by rights, should be encased in ice but the warm Gulf Stream currents create an unusually temperate climate and summer air temperatures as high as 10 degrees are possible. The landscape is bleak and rocky and characterised by vast glaciers, but embellished here and there with patches of rich green thanks to bird droppings beneath the towering cliffs. Foxes scamper about feeding on the many chicks that topple from the crowded ledges. Bears also occasionally wander in when slippery bearded or ringed seals are scarce on the ice.

Our vessel, the 1750 ton, 71m Polar Pioneer, may be at the smaller end of the world’s growing expedition fleet, but she’s a tough little customer. Although not an icebreaker in the strictest sense, she’s sliced through light sheet ice beyond 81 degrees and bumped small bergs aside with ease. Built in Finland for Russia in 1982, she’s comfortable, capable and an ideal vessel for the task.

There are numerous ship operators venturing into this far north wildlife wonderland, but few as well equipped and capable as Aurora’s Polar Pioneer. Unlike some Antarctic oceans, the icy seas are not usually rough, so a vessel like this can capitalise on its small footprint and access every nook and cranny around the coast, slicing through thin ice when required. Larger ships impose higher demands on the patience of passengers, the environment and seldom offer such enriching enhancements as sea kayaking, extended hikes, camping or even scuba diving under the ice!

Yet Spitsbergen is by no means the end or the beginning of Arctic adventure possibilities. Iceland and Greenland also offer greater scope to extend your northern experience with exciting volcanic action and Inuit encounters.

By the time we return to Longyearbyen for the busy turnaround day, we have ticked off all but a couple of species of rare whale including almost 20 polar bear sightings alone, some at less than 100m.

The terms ‘life changing’ and ‘experiential’ are all too often tossed about to describe mediocre vacations. The entrancing polar regions are where these voyages began and Spitsbergen is at the heart of it. I’d do it all again in a heartbeat.

If You Go:

Sydney-based Aurora Expeditions operates regular voyages of between 11 and 14 days to Spitsbergen in July and August each year aboard the 54-passenger, ice-strengthened vessel, Polar Pioneer. Options include kayaking and ice diving. Fares start at A$6080 per person, triple share (11 days)

For full itineraries and bookings, phone 1800 637 688 or order a brochure now for free

Getting There:

THAI flies 40 times a week from Australia to Bangkok : double daily from Sydney and Melbourne, daily from Perth and five times a week from Brisbane : with daily non-stop connections to 13 major cities in Europe : including Copenhagen, Oslo and Stockholm. Contact travel agents for the latest special offers and promotions or log on to www.thaiairways.com.au.

When it comes to natural wonders, Australia has more than its fair share. For a start there’s the Great Barrier Reef, Australia’s Red Centre with Uluru – or Ayers Rock – as its centrepiece.

Looking for a great bundle of brochures on Australia Adventure holidays? Well, we have the Top 4 travel brochures on Australia Adventure holidays for you – absolutely free! Click to order them now.

Elsewhere there is dramatic coastal wilderness and islands teaming with wildlife. Inland there are the snow-capped Australian Alps and Outback areas of raw natural beauty, like the craggy Flinders Ranges in South Australia and The Kimberley in Western Australia.

Australia is blessed with huge areas of ancient rainforest and world famous wetlands like Kakadu National Park. There is even a World Heritage-listed area on Sydney’s doorstep, in the shape of the Greater Blue Mountains, a vast stretch of ferns, canyons, waterfalls and forest, as well as cosy villages.

While there are major areas of natural significance all over Australia there are smaller pockets scattered everywhere too.

One memorable place you might come across as you drive north from Sydney along the coast is Hundred Acre Swamp. People tend to make a lot of claims that don’t stand up but when Dennis Ryan tells you he has the “best backyard in Australia” you can easily believe him. His 110-acre property backs onto one of the most important wetlands in Australia.

This once remote area of tidal marshland and estuary connects up to the Nambucca River, just west of Macksville, on the scenic New South Wales mid-north coast.

“My grandfather spent most of his life trying to drain it, to make this area more European,” Dennis says, as the canoe paddle dips into the shallow, tannin-stained water. “He used a shovel and an axe to make floodgates and miles of drains, but luckily for me and the wildlife he failed.”

Looking for a great bundle of brochures on Australian holidays? Well, we have the Top 3 travel brochures on Australian holidays for you – absolutely free! Click to order them now.

Today, the 180-acre waterway is home to some 117 species of bird, including jabirus, egrets, flycatchers and azure kingfishers. More than 400 black swans nest here, ospreys keep watch from a giant ironbark tree and the water teems with prawns and native fish.

“An Aboriginal friend of mine talked me into doing canoe tours,” Dennis says. “He reckoned I had to show people if I wanted to save the place.”

Dennis and his wife Marilyn bought the former cattle farm from his uncle in 1989, and renamed it Valley of the Mist. “Some afternoons, when it finishes raining, a cloud forms over the wetlands beneath the trees,” Dennis continues.

The Ryans abandoned the cows and crop chemicals and started growing native Australian fruits using sustainable methods. He now runs bush tucker tasting tours, as well as canoe trips.

“There are just seven canoe trips a week,” he says. “I don’t want it to turn into simply tourism. I want it to remain special. We use the wildlife and the wetlands as much as they use us.”

A typical journey sees you paddling past tiny islands of reeds and stunted saplings. Some islands are so small that they can only support a single bush. The wetland is so shallow that the canoe’s hull cuts through the pondweed.

Birds call from all directions and dozens of ducks take off in a noisy flurry of beating wings. At one point you might see eighty black swans glide by and later hundreds of flycatchers darting across the surface, picking insects out of the air.

Back on dry land Dennis shows visitors around the wetland’s swampy edge, pointing out various trees and shrubs and stopping occasionally to crush a leaf or inspect a seed head.

“My mum spoke the local Aboriginal dialect,” says Denis. “She learnt it as a kid. Years ago, in autumn, the Aboriginal women would come when the paperbark trees were in flower. It was the time of the mullet run. My grandmother traded with them for bush medicine. We’ve been using it ever since.”

He still boils up tea tree leaves for coughs and colds, and uses native leaves on abrasions and ulcers.

A cork wood tree grabs his attention. “The Aborigines used to grind up the bark and put it in the water,” he says.  “It made the fish unconscious. It was used in eye surgery as well, to collapse the muscles in the face. I made pocket money collecting it as a kid. The leaves were sent to France for the chemist to extract the chemicals, until it was synthesised in the 60’s.”

He moves on to a clump of sedge. The local Aboriginal women used to collect the tiny brown seeds and grind them up to make bread. Then there is the lilly pilly tree. Aborigines would crush the leaves and boil them along with the seeds and bark “to prevent diabetes” Dennis says.

Of the many pockets of natural significance along the south coast of New South Wales is Montague Island, near the pleasant town of Narooma.

Thousands of Humpback and Southern Right whales pass Montague Island each year on their migration route between Antarctica and the warmer northern Australian waters. Sometimes you can spot killer whales, minke whales, fin whales, sei whales and pilot whales around here too. Whale-watching boat trips are popular around here, as they are up and down both the New South Wales and Western Australian coastlines.  You can even stay in the island’s lighthouse.

More than 1,000 Australian fur seals live around its rocky shore along with a small colony of New Zealand fur seals. Thousands of pairs of little penguins make their home in burrows on the island. Other species of sea birds and song birds nest here too.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the continent – in Western Australia – a trip from Perth in spring means you have the chance to see one of the most amazing wild flower spectacles on the planet.

Western Australia’s wildflowers are legendary. In some years, after a good season of rain, vast swathes of everlasting daisies colour the arid lands. But for more predictable wildflower displays, you don’t have to travel far out of the city.

On the first day of your coastal journey north from Perth you can dip into three national parks. Off the main road the country is clouded with feathery-white smoke bush. Emus dart past with flurries of chicks, cockatoos squawk overhead, kangaroos graze sleepily, and giant wedge-tailed eagles sit on passing fence posts.

The sand plains are choked with wildflowers, an intricate palate of reds, blues, yellows and whites.  Western Australia’s wildflowers are usually at their best from late July to early November and include miniscule everlasting daisies, carnivorous sundews that feed on ants and trigger plants – tiny things that flick a package of pollen onto the back of a fleeing insect.

Whether it’s the big things or the small things, this remarkable continent will amaze you at every turn.

Written by Marc Llewellyn on behalf of Tourism Australia.

Guaranteed Cheapest Car Hire – Check us out