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Ten things you must do in Cádiz

Ten things you must do in Cádiz

Unroll your beach towel at La Caleta FROM sandy beaches to historical buildings and vibrant local bars, Cádiz is worth to discover. ...

Keeping the Maldives magic

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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tropical Vabbinfaru and its reef</td></tr>
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JANE COMMON finds paradise ...and then helps it stay that way.</div>
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IT’S one of the world’s most beautiful nations – nearly 1,200 islands sprinkled like stars across 35,000 square miles of clear blue sea. It’s been the backdrop to thousands of marriage proposals and wedding ceremonies yet the paradise of the Maldives is under threat from rising sea levels and destruction of the coral reefs.</div>
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I have to admit this isn’t at the top of my mind as I arrive at the Banyan Tree resort on Vabbinfaru. Every workaday worry disappears during a 20-minute boat trip from Malé airport, dolphins leading the way. Butter coloured sands and vibrant green palm trees greet us, along with a drummer beating out a salutation.</div>
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When I see my beachfront pool villa my heart starts drumming too. There’s a private garden with pool, Jacuzzi, outdoor shower, four-poster bed and floor-to-ceiling glass doors opening on to my own stretch of beach. A wooden walkway leads to a sala, a wooden hut standing out to sea, where I can doze to the gentle lapping of the Indian Ocean.</div>
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I really don’t want to leave my hideaway but am finally persuaded by the award-winning spa. And the dining options – a restaurant and bar on the beach or a private table on the jetty. I seek even more splendid isolation and take a speedboat to a deserted sandbank for breakfast.</div>
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One of the biggest attractions in the Maldives is the snorkelling. Aquatic adventurers are given a briefing by Moosa at Banyan Tree’s Marine Lab, where the problems in paradise are addressed. Every island is surrounded by a reef, Moosa explains – its house reef – but a rise in sea temperatures caused by the 1998 El Niño, the annual weather pattern that warms the Pacific, bleached 98 per cent of coral on Vabbinfaru’s reef.</div>
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In response Banyan Tree became the first resort to have a marine lab, visited by international experts, and now 40 steel cages are submerged around the island, charged by low electrical currents.</div>
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In these coral gardens fresh coral blossoms. One garden is shaped like a star while another honours Vabbinfaru’s turtles. This is a green sea turtle nesting site and any struggling youngsters are taken to the lab where they’re nurtured before being released back into the ocean.</div>
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Moosa’s words make the privilege of being here even greater, particularly as experts predict this winter’s El Niño could be one of the strongest on record. Then it’s time to discover the reef for myself. We swim a few minutes from shore, don snorkels and are transported to a psychedelic octopus’s garden. The reef is like a magical moss-covered mountain and I smile at the brightly-coloured fish straight from Finding Nemo central casting then gasp as a shark flashes by (no Jaws but a far friendlier 4ft reef shark).</div>
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I later visit the house reef at Velavaru in the Maldives’ Southern Atoll. It is part of the Banyan Tree group, a 40-minute seaplane flight from Malé, the Maldives’ island capital. The flight gives a unique perspective on the vastness of the Indian Ocean and the minuteness of the islands. They appear as turtles, jetties sticking out of little bodies like legs.</div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sleep to the sound of the sea</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Connect with the wildlife by turtle watching</td></tr>
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In fact, Velavaru (literally, Turtle Island) is two islands, one natural, the other a man-made marvel of 34 wooden villas on stilts. The villas are opulence itself – think the judges’ houses on X Factor – with infinity pools stretching into the ocean. Their glamour makes me giddy and I prefer the natural island, two minutes away on a traditional dhoni boat, which is none too shabby itself.</div>
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There are two restaurants – at one staff happily prepare the red snapper we catch on a night fishing trip – and a spa. Just as at Vabbinfaru, though, there’s an awareness that all this beauty and bounty can’t be taken for granted so I join Solah, from Velavaru’s own Marine Lab, along with other guests and staff on the monthly reef clean-up. As our boat moors beside the house reef, Solah instructs us in how to pick off the “pin cushions”, a type of star fish that suffocates the baby corals.</div>
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“Whoever removes the most will win 100 rufiyaa,” Salah cheers, distributing protective white gloves. Even with the bribe, I don’t find any as they’re so hard to see. Fortunately, Salah and the staff collect bagfuls, 119 in all, to be taken back to Velavaru and turned into sand. Still it’s good to know, as I pay my $1 a night to Banyan Tree’s Green Imperative Fund for environmental projects and initiatives, that I’ve done my (admittedly little) bit. Hopefully in this way, generations of holidaymakers can experience the magic of the Maldives for many years to come.</div>
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<strong>THE KNOWLEDGE</strong></div>
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<em>Abercrombie and Kent (01242 547760/ abercrombiekent.co.uk) offers seven nights at the Banyan Tree Vabbinfaru from £3,250pp (two sharing), full board. Price includes flights from London Heathrow to Malé, and speedboat transfers. Maldives tourism: <a href="http://www.visitmaldives.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">visitmaldives.com</a></em></div>

Keeping the Maldives magic

Tropical Vabbinfaru and its reef JANE COMMON finds paradise ...and then helps it stay that way. IT’S one of the world’s most beau...

Istanbul's silent retreat that is fit for a king

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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Blue Mosque with island backdrop</td></tr>
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The Princes’ Islands make a peaceful contrast to Turkey’s bustling capital, says LINDA McKAY.<br />
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Just off the Turkish coast, an idyllic panorama visible from Istanbul, sit the Princes’ Islands. The chain of nine small isles were a place of contemplation and exile in the Byzantine era and are now a place for day trips, a relaxed contrast to the hectic city. Only four accept visitors: Büyükada, the biggest and most popular, Burgazada, Heybeliada and K?nal?ada.<br />
Motor vehicles are banned, making them an oasis of peace and quiet, with horse-drawn carriages and bicycles the main transportation. A variety of boats, from fast sea buses to stately ferries, cross the Bosphorus, costing next to nothing. Then rent a bike and negotiate the winding streets for a glimpse of the secret splendour of the gardens behind the gates of the wooden mansions and villas.<br />
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<strong>BÜYÜKADA</strong></h3>
Covered in pines, the coastline is dotted with white late 19th century villas stretching from the colonnaded Ottoman-style port and in March and April the scent of mimosa plants fi lls the air. In 569 Emperor Justin II built a palace and monastery here, naming it Island of the Prince.<br />
The island was the place of exile for a number of Byzantine empresses. Russian revolutionary Leon Trotsky lived in exile here for four years from 1929 after being deported from the Soviet Union, penning his autobiography in splendid isolation.<br />
The best beach in Istanbul is at Yörükali Plaji, the golden sands littered with colourful parasols. With temperatures hitting 38 degrees in June and July the cobalt blue Mamara sea is tempting.<br />
Trek Büyükada’s wooded southern hill (or take a donkey ride) to the tiny Greek Orthodox Monastery of St George. Its interior is stacked with religious icons. I’m delighted to find a café selling wine made by the monks and a panoramic view of the islands from the ridge. The monastery is a place of pilgrimage and every April thousands flock here, picnicking en route under the sweet-smelling pines. Bushes and olive trees on the incline are sprinkled with multi-coloured threads where visitors tie their ‘wishes’ or invocations to the saint.<br />
Don’t miss the Fethi Okyar, a white, colonial-style mansion. This was the home of a former prime minister in 1925, and it’s likely that President Atatürk, founder of the Turkish republic, was entertained here. The Okyar estate vineyards are tended by the monks of St George.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The main ‘Princes’ Island’ offers stunning views</td></tr>
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<strong>HEYBELIADA</strong></h3>
Smaller and more peaceful than Büyükada. There’s a big naval training base, hence the huge number of young athletic men thronging the harbourside. Sit and watch them at Heyamola Ada Lokantas?, a simple waterfront restaurant. Decorated in sage green and powder blues with distinctive gourd lights, it is just as colourful as the array of Turkish mezes brought out to my table.<br />
Delights include smoky griddled aubergine and tomato, emerald green samphire with garlic salt, and sea bass cooked in cream. My favourite is tender octopus baked in olive oil, chili fl akes and thyme, washed down with admirable Turkish white wine.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyuX-7qrdvooNqB93VP-SOhyphenhypheny1d2PRgY5RF-sstAE3CgFGTQhpthoG8wVAQs9MnXntgl1gs95IAeYEQyngBLVmMIaj0mb0EqSc7yjatLZE0dAdQCrdVJmRGIPFTLTmGjakEfKg1uE_m54/s1600/Istanbul%2527s+silent+retreat+that+is+fit+for+a+king+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Istanbul's silent retreat that is fit for a king" border="0" height="378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyuX-7qrdvooNqB93VP-SOhyphenhypheny1d2PRgY5RF-sstAE3CgFGTQhpthoG8wVAQs9MnXntgl1gs95IAeYEQyngBLVmMIaj0mb0EqSc7yjatLZE0dAdQCrdVJmRGIPFTLTmGjakEfKg1uE_m54/s640/Istanbul%2527s+silent+retreat+that+is+fit+for+a+king+3.jpg" title="Istanbul's silent retreat that is fit for a king" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ayasofya Hu?rrem Sultan Bath</td></tr>
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<strong>MAINLAND</strong></h3>
My hotel, the Tria, overlooking the Bosphorus, in Sultanahmet (Old Istanbul), is a short tram ride from lively ferry port Kabatas. It is perfectly situated for exploring the delights of the city and the islands.<br />
I dine al fresco on freshly-caught squid as I gaze over the twinkling waters. My room is a traditional world of dark wood, cream linen and bejewelled lamps and from my terrace I am treated to a son et lumière illuminating the domes of the Blue Mosque to the left and Hagia Sophia to the right.<br />
I wake at sunrise to the sound of the call to prayer and then delve into the Byzantine and Ottoman eras on a tour that includes the remains of St Sampson’s hospital, half-buried behind a busy café. When Emperor Justinian became ill, Sampson was the only one to offer a cure and as a reward was allowed to establish a hospital for the poor. It became the largest free clinic in Constantinople.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">There are no cars in Bu?yu?kada</td></tr>
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I delve underground into the Basilica Cistern, marvelling at vast Byzantine columns and the huge carp swimming lazily between them; this sunken treasure served the city with water for centuries. As well as classic sights (Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia and the Topkap? Palace), we head for the tiny Mosaic Museum. Hundreds of thousands of miniature tiles, some of them picturing mythical creatures like the griffin, date from the 5th century.<br />
I take a Turkish haman at the historic Ayasofya Hürrem Sultan Bath, between the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia. Twin domes house softly-lit white marble male- and female-only spas. It was originally named after Roxelana, powerhungry wife of Suleyman the Magnificent, longest-reigning sultan of the Ottoman Empire. I revel in the traditional bubble wash and body scrub followed by an aromatherapy massage with Judas tree oil.<br />
Lemon and pistachio Turkish delight is served in the relaxation lounge. A delight indeed…<br />
<strong>THE KNOWLEDGE</strong><br />
<em>Direct Traveller (0844 414 3071/ <a href="http://www.directtraveller.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">directtraveller.com</a>) offers three nights at the Tria Hotel Sultanahmet from £229pp (two sharing), B&B. Price includes return flights from Stansted to Istanbul. Return journey can be delayed to take in seven nights in a luxury apartment on Heybeliada (0745 501 5754/ <a href="http://www.karamanyan.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">karamanyan.com</a>). Unison Turkey (<a href="http://www.unisonturkey.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">unisonturkey.com</a>) offers tours including Stories of Istanbul. Turkey tourism: <a href="http://www.goturkey.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">goturkey.com</a></em>

Istanbul's silent retreat that is fit for a king

The Blue Mosque with island backdrop The Princes’ Islands make a peaceful contrast to Turkey’s bustling capital, says LINDA McKAY. Jus...

Koalas, rain forests and golden beaches: Discover Queensland’s Nature Coast

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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">With its balmy climate, long golden beaches it is one of Australia’s favourite holiday destinations</td></tr>
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TINA WALSH explores Queensland’s  Nature Coast.</div>
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The furry brown rump swaying gently at the top of the gum tree is causing quite a stir but no one is sure if it is what they are hoping for. Then the shape slowly turns its head and the gathered crowd lets out a collective “aah”. It’s a koala. </div>
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The cuddly creature was the only one to put in an appearance that day but hang around long enough and you can usually spot more of them at Tea Tree Bay, a picturesque headland in Noosa National Park in south-eastern Queensland. </div>
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The area is part of the wider region known as Australia’s Nature Coast – incorporating Fraser Coast and the Sunshine Coast – which has one of the most diverse ecosystems on the planet. </div>
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About 300km long, one minute you can be in a glitzy hotel, the next, waist deep in pristine rainforest. </div>
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We are staying at Noosa Heads, about 130km north of Brisbane, at the edge of the national park. With its year-round balmy climate, long golden beaches and chic, laid-back ambience, it is one of Australia’s favourite holiday destinations. </div>
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From Noosa we make our way northward in a 4x4, courtesy of Surf and Sand Safaris, one of the oldest four-wheel drive companies in Queensland. Pelicans float serenely on the Noosa River as we board the ferry at Wooroi Creek and our driver Glen tells us there are “plenty of koalas and kangaroos” to be found in the bushland nearby.</div>
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The ferry crossing takes about 30 minutes to get to Noosa North Shore, part of the Great Sandy National Park. We pass through swampy creeks and hundreds of eucalyptus trees, their scent heavy in the air, before hitting the Great Beach Drive.  </div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1_TbT-urOGJstdOs4hvNO9-9FG45JlELlDgFSyFkdtHijPIO7AWRe2cjuHjBxb46j_ffst2Kt-hQFD4poZ1duGckcdAPHdSr83g2Yqq5oPGIWIsUYcI6GzpMBpwjdnIGemY_O80XGZjE/s1600/Koalas%252C+rain+forests+and+golden+beaches-+Discover+Queensland%25E2%2580%2599s+Nature+Coast+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="Koalas, rain forests and golden beaches: Discover Queensland’s Nature Coast" border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1_TbT-urOGJstdOs4hvNO9-9FG45JlELlDgFSyFkdtHijPIO7AWRe2cjuHjBxb46j_ffst2Kt-hQFD4poZ1duGckcdAPHdSr83g2Yqq5oPGIWIsUYcI6GzpMBpwjdnIGemY_O80XGZjE/s640/Koalas%252C+rain+forests+and+golden+beaches-+Discover+Queensland%25E2%2580%2599s+Nature+Coast+2.jpg" title="Koalas, rain forests and golden beaches: Discover Queensland’s Nature Coast" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cuddly Koalas at the Tea Tree Bay</td></tr>
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A gleaming, 200km-long strip of pure white sand, the Great Beach Drive is a more photogenic alternative to the Bruce Highway and connects the Sunshine Coast with Fraser Island. Sand as far as the eye can see stretches in each direction, the aquamarine Pacific shimmering in the piercing sunlight. </div>
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After a two-hour drive, with a stop to take in the spectacular views from the lighthouse at Double Island Point (named by Captain Cook), we reach Rainbow Beach. So called because of its multicoloured sand cliffs, oxidised over hundreds of thousands of years into vibrant golds, coppers and tans, this was originally a sand-mining town.</div>
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Nowadays, it is an easy-going holiday resort in the Cooloola section of the Great Sandy National Park, known for its fishing, ecotourism and as the gateway to Fraser Island.  </div>
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Next morning, after a breakfast of eggs Benedict and freshly squeezed orange juice at the homely Cafe Jilarty, we begin the three-hour journey up to Hervey Bay Airport to catch a light plane to our next stop.</div>
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Lady Elliot Island, the southernmost island of the Great Barrier Reef, is a beautiful coral (rather than sand) cay, with some of the best diving and snorkelling in the whole reef. It has been voted by Padi (Professional Association of Diving Instructors) as one of the world’s top five islands off which to see giant manta rays.</div>
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A week after our visit, naturalist Sir David Attenborough was there filming for his forthcoming series on the Great Barrier Reef. In the shallow waters around the island you can expect to get up close and personal with friendly green turtles, neon parrotfish and reef sharks. During the winter months of June to October you might also catch sight of humpback whales, which come here to mate.   </div>
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It is hard to leave this gorgeous place but the following day, after a 45-minute flight back to Hervey Bay Airport, it is time to push on to our final stop.</div>
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Known to the Aborigines as K’gari – or paradise – Fraser Island is the largest sand island in the world and is home to kookaburras, freshwater lobster, lizards and snakes, as well as the feared huntsman spider and Australia’s purest strain of dingo. It is also a haven for sharks and it would take a brave soul to swim in the sea, but the island’s network of more than 100 freshwater lakes makes an ideal alternative. </div>
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At Eli Creek, a huge freshwater spring that pours four million litres of fresh water into the sea every hour, we follow the boardwalk inland to the spring’s origins, where a few people are splashing around in the cool water. The lush vegetation gives it the feel of a jungle and, even though there aren’t any koalas here, the exotic cries of lorikeets and kookaburras make a fitting end to a magical trip.</div>
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<strong>Way to go</strong></div>
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<em><strong>A two-bedroom self-catering suite that sleeps six at Oceans Mooloolaba, starts from £284 a night (<a href="http://www.oceansmooloolaba.com.au/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">oceansmooloolaba.com.au</a>). A double room at the Sheraton Noosa Resort & Spa starts from £127 (<a href="http://www.sheratonnoosaresort.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">sheratonnoosaresort.com</a>). A beachfront cabin at Lady Elliot Island starts from £80 per person per night, including breakfast, dinner, guided reef walk, glass-bottom boat tour and snorkelling equipment (ladyelliot.com.au). A double room at the Kingfisher Bay Resort Fraser Island starts from £89 a night. Return fares from London to Brisbane with Etihad Airways cost from about £715. Book at etihad.com. For more information, see <a href="http://visitqueensland.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">visitqueensland.com</a>. </strong></em></div>

Koalas, rain forests and golden beaches: Discover Queensland’s Nature Coast

With its balmy climate, long golden beaches it is one of Australia’s favourite holiday destinations TINA WALSH explores Queensland’s N...

Great parties, beautiful beaches and amazing food: Welcome to Miami!

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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Judy Garland, Bing Crosby, Beyoncé and Simon Cowell have all been seduced by Miami</td></tr>
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MIAMI BEACH is celebrating its 100th birthday this year. It’s time to join the party.</div>
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I knew it was called happy hour, but this was ridiculous. A frozen margarita in a glass the size of a fish bowl, stuffed with two upside-down bottles of beer, had been placed in front of me. My waiter, Juan, saw my eyes widen in disbelief. “C’mon, we’re celebrating,” he shrugged with a grin.</div>

Great parties, beautiful beaches and amazing food: Welcome to Miami!

Judy Garland, Bing Crosby, Beyoncé and Simon Cowell have all been seduced by Miami MIAMI BEACH is celebrating its 100th birthday this...

Things you must do when you travel to Miami

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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Enjoy the fabulous night life in Miami</td></tr>
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ROMANTIC beaches, amazing party scene and shopping heaven: Miami is the perfect destination for an active summer holiday.</div>
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Things you must do when you travel to Miami

Enjoy the fabulous night life in Miami ROMANTIC beaches, amazing party scene and shopping heaven: Miami is the perfect destination fo...

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