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Week of “Fun & Games in Beijing”: Special from $1249 CAD

Posted on September 23, 2008 by Eva-Maria

Forbidden City, Beijing

A week in Beijing including a flight from Canada, 4* hotel, guided tours, some meals included… And all this from $1249 + taxes? Normally it costs more to just fly there! Sounds too good to be true… But this time it isn’t!

After the Big Games are over, the Chinese capital is left with an abundance of top notch hotel rooms – and now they are trying to find ways to fill them… for those who did not make it there for the time of the Olympics – this is your deal of the century!

The “Fun & Games in Beijing” package offer coveres 3 departures:

October 07 – 13, 2008
October 28 – November 03, 2008
November 27 – December 03, 2008

And here’s what you get:

Day 1 Canada – Toronto
Fly to Beijing, the political, economic and cultural center of People’s Republic of China.

Day 2 Arrive Beijing
Arrive in Beijing, where you will be escorted to your selected hotel for a five nights’ stay.

Day 3 Beijing (Breakfast/Lunch)

The Great Wall

This morning visit the Ming Tombs, the beautifully decorated burial place of the emperors of the Ming Dynasty also known as the Underground Palace. After lunch experience the unforgettable! Visit the No. 1 World Wonder – the Great Wall of China (Ju Yong Guan Section), built over 2,000 years ago by Emperor Qin. The Great Wall stretches over 6,000 km across the top of China. Later, drive by the Olympic site and see some of the new structures including the National Aquatic Centre (the Water Cube) and the National Stadium (the Bird’s Nest).

Day 4 Beijing (Breakfast/Lunch)
Visit historic Tiananmen Square where Mao Tse Tung first raised the flag of the People’s Republic. Then tour the Imperial Palace, also called the Forbidden City and its gardens. After lunch, visit the Hutong by pedicab and take a leisurely stroll through the 700-year old narrow, winding streets that surround the Forbidden City. Watch the daily routines of the local people in their courtyard. This evening enjoy a spectacular “Legend of Kung Fu” show.

Day 5 Beijing (Breakfast/Lunch)
Today starts with a visit to the exquisite Summer Palace, a former retreat for the Imperial family. Then marvel at the splendid Temple of Heaven and the Hall of Prayer for Bountiful Harvest.

Day 6 Beijing (Breakfast/Special Dinner)
This morning, visit the 798 factory and shop at the silk market in the afternoon. This evening, enjoy a farewell Peking Duck dinner.

Day 7 Depart Beijing (Breakfast)
Today, head to the airport for your flight home. Bon Voyage!

Air-Inclusive Package Price Includes:

Return economy class airfare;
Return airport transfers by air-conditioned coach;
Hotel accommodations as chosen;
Meals as specified in the itinerary;
Sightseeing with admissions as specified;
Private air-conditioned coach with English-speaking guide;

There is a choice of two different hotels (4* and 5*) for each departure – and the prices vary accordingly. The best deal seems to be $1249 (from Vancouver) and $1399 (from Toronto / Ottawa / Montreal) for leaving on 27 Nov and staying at the Best Western Premier Hotel (4*). Taxes and Chinese visa are additional, coming to approx. $485 CAD. The most expensive option – and not bad at all for all this – is $1999 for a stay at the Ritz-Carlton (5*) on the 7 and 28 Oct Toronto/Ottawa/Montreal departures.

Prices are subject to change due to availability. Contact us for further details!

Sunwing Sale: All-inclusive vacations for $495 CAD + taxes

Posted on September 16, 2008 by Eva-Maria

Toronto-based Sunwing Vacations has launched its biggest sale ever to the sun – offering a choice of 10,000 one-week all-inclusive vacations to Cuba, Mexico and Dominican Republic for as little as $495 p.p. + taxes, double occupancy, with departures from right across Canada. The sale applies to departures from Nov. 1 onwards. Holidays are available from Ontario for $495 (plus taxes); Atlantic and Western Canada from $695 (plus taxes) and from Quebec from $795 (taxes included). All featured hotels are all-inclusive. Taxes depend on the destination but they are generally between $200 and $300 CAD per person. The bookings have to be made by September 26th.

Take a look at the flyer that lists some of the properties – but keep in mind that there are more to choose from – and that for each property there are specific dates when the $495 sales price applies. Also -AVAILABILITY is always a big factor as there might be only a few seats available for each property with such an amazing price… and that of course at the time of printing! So finding the good price on the dates YOU want might not be that easy.

You can contact us for more info on the availability and other details. Please note that a booking fee of 36.75 incl. GST applies for bookings.

Private Island – the Caribbean way

Posted on September 14, 2008 by Eva-Maria

There is only one cottage on Little Thatch Island, a private 54-acre island in the (BVI) British Virgin Islands: a red-roofed, white-walled hideaway with shuttered windows and a dreamy four-poster bed, just steps from turquoise waters, coral reefs and an idyllic strand of sugar-white sand fringed with palms trees and sea grapes. A quick boat ride away from Tortola, Seagrape Cottage is the kind of a tranquil hideaway for which you’ll need nothing but a swimsuit. Or not.

This very secluded and fully-screened waterfront air-conditioned cottage is set behind a stone wall; a stone and shell pathway leads through an ancient wooden door brought from England and through tropical gardens to the Cottage’s entry and to the covered wraparound porch decked with gingerbread trim, perched right over the shoreline. A large hot tub is on a secluded deck on the east side of the Cottage. The interior is comfortably furnished with cool Mexican tile floors overlaid with rugs, bamboo and rattan furniture, and a romantic four-poster king bed. The cottage can accommodate a max. of two guests.

When you arrive on Tortola, you’ll be promptly met and whisked to Little Thatch Island on a private launch. Well before your arrival, your grocery and liquor orders will be taken and your provisions delivered in Seagrape Cottage’s well-equipped kitchen on the day you arrive. Included in Seagrape Cottage’s rental rates is round-trip transportation to and from Soper’s Hole, West End, Tortola (daytimes only) for shopping and adventures on the “mainland,” and 4 evening transfers to Tortola’s West End so you may visit the wide selection of West End restaurants and bars. No rental car is needed on the island, but a car rental or a taxi and driver for touring Tortola can easily be arranged.

Little Thatch is truly one of the destinations of a lifetime, unique and breathtakingly beautiful. The cost is actually not THAT bad: the prices for this private paradise starts from approx. $6500 per week.

Non-stop from Toronto to the Land of Fire & Ice

Posted on September 7, 2008 by Eva-Maria

Fire and Ice…? Where else could that be other than Iceland! Take advantage of the fall fares and take on a very cool adventure to one of the hottest new destinations! It is the country offering the minimum in human activity and the maximum in endless landscapes and natural wonders. But hurry, the direct Toronto-Reykjavik flights operate only until 25 Oct this season. During the rest of the year you can fly there twice a week via Halifax as Icelandair has promised us year-round service from there starting 2009.

When I just checked the fares, I found for example some dates in October that you can fly to from Toronto to Reykjavik for less than $600 CAD including taxes! That is a pretty amazing price, considering that even flights to Washington DC tend to run over $700 CAD these days.

We can also offer packages that include a flight, 2 nights at a hotel in Reykjavik with Scandinavian breakfast, transfers from and to the Keflavik airport and airport taxes. These deals start from $845 CAD per person in double occupancy for the two nights. Of course it depends on the flight and hotel availability on the selected dates. You can add extra nights, tours and activities to your package and make it a very unique holiday. I am not listing ALL the things to do over there – but I just have to mention the unforgettable riding trip and the fabulous Blue Lagoon. For more info on Iceland you can click here

And here is some info about the flights out of Toronto: Icelandair began flight services from Toronto (YYZ) on May 2, 2008. Flights depart from Toronto at 9:15pm – arriving in Keflavik, Iceland the following day at 6:25am, local time. The total flying time is 5 hours, 15 mins.

Flights operate as follows:
May 2 – 24 – Sun, Wed, Fri
May 25 – Jun 1 – Sun Tue, Wed, Fri
Jun 2 – Aug 31 – Sun, Mon, Tue, Wed, Fri
Sep 1 – Oct 25 – Sun, Tue, Wed, Fri

Flights from Toronto will connect in Iceland to other European cities, including Copenhagen, Oslo, Bergen, Stockholm, Gothenburg, Helsinki, Paris, Frankfurt, Munich, Berlin, Amsterdam, London, and Glasgow. Today Icelandair operates 160 flights per week to 25 cities in North America and Europe via its hub in Reykjavik, Iceland. So… don’t forget considering Icelandair when you need a flight to Europe. You might be pleasantly surprised about the rate!