Wolgan Valley celebrates with 'A Spring Temptation'

Wolgan Valley celebrates with 'A Spring Temptation'

Special Offer to Mark First Year Anniversary by Leading Hotels of the World Member

In celebration of its first year anniversary and to mark the change of season, Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa will launch a special promotional offer, 'A Spring Temptation'.

The offer, valid from 1st September to 19th December, 2010, invites guests to welcome the renewal and rebirth of spring at Wolgan Valley, and includes two nights at the resort at a special promotional rate, and an exclusive Wolgan Gourmet or Timeless Spa pack to take home.

Opened in October 2009, Wolgan Valley heralded a new era of understated luxury in the country. As Australia's first conservation-based luxury resort, it has since achieved global success and recognition for its commitment to sustainability without compromising on world-class luxury and style.

Joost Heymeijer, General Manager, Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa said: "It is very satisfying to be part a ground-breaking project with such commitment to strong core values of service, luxury, and location. As our first year anniversary milestone approaches, we have certainly solidified our formidable presence as a luxury landmark destination in Australia."

"We are already seeing repeat bookings with guests wishing to experience Wolgan Valley through the different seasons. This spring, guests can expect to experience warm sunsets, sightings of baby wombats and joeys and a cool dip in their own private indoor/outdoor pool," commented Mr Heymeijer.

**A Spring Temptation**

Enjoy two nights in a double Heritage Suite at Wolgan Valley Resort & Spa this spring, including breakfast, lunch and dinner daily, all non-alcoholic and selected alcoholic beverages, two nature-based activities each day, for just $1,470* per person, representing a saving of over $500.

As part of this unique package, guests will also take home a complimentary Taste of Wolgan Gourmet Pack or a Timeless Spa Pamper Pack abundant with the finest luxury products found at the resort.

Valid from 1st September - 19th December 2010, package rates are based on double occupancy with a minimum two nights' stay. Promotional hampers are redeemable per suite booking. Other terms and conditions apply.

To book, please contact the Wolgan Valley Reservations team on 02 9290 9733 or email reservations@wolganvalley.com.

 

Sept school holidays at Eumundi Markets

Kites, candles and more @ Eumundi Markets in upcoming school holidays

Young market visitors to The Original Eumundi Markets in the upcoming September holidays can get creative by taking part in workshops to teach them how to make their own kites, candles and badges.

The kids craft workshops will be run each Wednesday and Saturday morning market over the holiday period, starting Saturday 18 September.

Market Manager Peter Homan says The Original Eumundi Markets craft workshops are a popular activity with market visitors in school holidays.

"We're really excited to introduce the kite making and decorating workshops, a new addition to our program for kids," he said.  "These are being led by local kite makers John and Marie from Sunshine Rainbow Kites, who sell their handmade kites here at Eumundi Markets every Saturday throughout the year".

"After making their kites in the workshop, kids can then take them to one of the many park areas in Eumundi and test their flying skills!"

"The candle workshops involve dipping and then sculpting wax to make funky colourful candles," he says.

"Our badge making workshop is also popular with young artists, who create their own design on a badge they can then wear home as a souvenir of their time at Eumundi Markets".

While they are designed for children, big kids (teenagers and adults) are welcome to take part too – if spaces permit. Children under five must be accompanied by a carer – to help them with the tricky bits!

Spaces are limited, so market visitors are advised to book in at the workshop tent on arrival in at the markets. You can pre-book for a workshop time later in the day.

As the biggest and best market in Australia, Eumundi is renowned for its quality art and craft –  with stalls selling products for visitors of all ages. And when you need a break from the shopping, sit back and be entertained by a stellar line-up of performers guaranteed to get you in the groove.

 www.eumundimarkets.com.au

Find My Fiji Sale with Captain Cook Cruises

Find 'My' Fiji and Sale Away with Massive Savings!

A tiny island, a white sandy beach, or picturesque coral reef - find your very own special place in Fiji  with Captain Cook Cruises 'Find My Fiji' sale on all 3, 4 and 7 night cruises, offering up to 47% off brochure prices.

The sale is valid until 30 November 2010 and valid for travel until 31 March 2012.

With Captain Cook Cruises discovery-style cruises guests will enjoy an intimate and personal experience of the Yasawa Islands aboard small ship, MV Reef Endeavour, where passengers wake up at a new and exciting destination every morning.

If finding 'My' Fiji involves culture, the MV Reef Endeavour visits unspoiled Fijian villages where passengers can interact with the locals, take part in a traditional village sevusevu ceremony and Meke and Lovo feast and even tour a village school.

If water and relaxation is more your Fiji, there is plenty of time every day to snorkel over amazing coral reefs, swim in crystal clear waters, dive in spectacular blue lagoons or relax on the warm white sand. Passengers can also take a glass bottom boat ride to witness the abundance of marine life that thrives on Fiji's coral reefs.

Stay on-board and find 'My' Fiji by being pampered at the ships Senikai Day Spa, or simply relax on the sun deck by the pool or spa or enjoy a cocktail at the pool bar.

Fares for the 3 night Southern Yasawa cruise start from $639 per person twin share, normally $1199 per person. For the 4 night Northern Yasawa cruise fares start from $855 per person twin share, normally $1499 per person and fares for the 7 night Yasawa Islands and 7 night Northern Fiji Dateline Expedition cruise start from $1389 per person twin share, normally $2499 per person.

Great value family cabins are also available from just $1548 for up to 2 adults and 2 children under 18 years or a separate child's stateroom is available from only $414 per room when parents or guardians travel in stateroom accommodation.

Prices include all meals, daily island and water activities, guided island, village and school tours, snorkelling and glass bottom boat tours, use of snorkelling equipment and mini gym, a Lovo feast and kava ceremony, entertainment, child minding during meal times, 24 hour self-service tea and coffee bar and transfers from Nadi and Denarau hotels.

For further information and bookings, please contact Captain Cook Cruises toll free from Australia on 1800 804 843; Int +61-2-9206 1111, Email: or visit www.captaincook.com.au.

STAY LONGER AND SAVE WITH GRAND MERCURE APARTMENTS ACROSS AUSTRALIA

PLUS, stay for 3 nights or more and receive a FREE De Bortoli Wines Bonus

Grand Mercure Apartments across Australia invite you to make yourself at home by offering better rates the longer you stay. 

Grand Mercure Apartments can be found in 13 locations across Australia with rates starting from $108 per night for three to five night stays with further discounts applied for six night stays or more.  PLUS, book a minimum 3 night stay at any participating Grand Mercure Apartment before 31 October and you will receive a FREE De Bortoli Wines Triple Pack of Rococo Sparkling Blanc De Blancs, Gulf Station Chardonnay and Gulf Station Shiraz Viognier.

The offer is valid for stays until 10 December 2010* and available for booking via www.grandmercureapartments.com.au or 1300 65 65 65.

The choice to extend your stay is made easy with Grand Mercure Apartments offering all the comforts of home whilst allowing you to explore completely new surroundings in relaxing coastal destinations or exciting city locations.  The fully self contained facilities include full kitchens, laundry, ensuites, expansive living areas, all the latest in home entertainment features and the choice of one, two or three bedroom apartment configurations.

Follow the sun to tropical Cairns staying at Grand Mercure Apartments Palm Cove; explore the Whitsundays with Grand Mercure Apartments Azure Sea at Airlie Beach as your base; see the best of regional Victoria with a stay at Grand Mercure Apartments Forest Resort in Creswick, perfectly situated between the Goldfields region and spa country; or savor a Sauvignon Blanc overlooking the Hunter Valley vineyards from your balcony at Grand Mercure Apartments The Vintage and combine a little golf with your grapes on the Greg Norman designed championship golf course.

Grand Mercure Apartment guests can also access great car hire deals with Europcar – stay two or more nights and receive 15% off car hire per day.  Visit www.grandmercureapartments.com.au for details.

*Subject to availability. Black out dates apply. Offer available only at participating Grand Mercure Apartment properties in Australia.
 
  www.accorhotels.com.au

Russian Airliner in 'Miracle' Emergency Landin

Source: AAP

A Russian passenger plane carrying 81 people has made a "miracle" crash landing at a deserted air field in Siberia after a complete mid-flight power failure, officials says.

The Tupolev (TU-154) airliner en route to Moscow on Tuesday was forced to glide down from its cruising altitude with no working navigation gear and at a high speed after its wing flaps failed, the general prosecutor's office said on Wednesday.

The 72 passengers, including three children, and nine crew members were in shock but unhurt after the pilot guided his plane down onto the defunct runway, overgrown with weeds, television images showed.

"After its electrical equipment failed, the crew was forced to land the plane. The landing was manual, without radio contact," the prosecutors' office said in a statement.

Forced down at the tiny air strip built for helicopter use, the passenger liner overshot the tarmac, tearing through 200 metres of forest brush before coming to rest, it said.

The plane, operated by Alrosa Mirny Air Enterprise, which belongs to diamond monopoly Alrosa, now lies sunk in a bog beyond the disused air field, near the village of Izhma in Russia's far northern Komi region, 1,500 kilometres from Moscow.

Local blogs and twitter pages buzzed with calls for Russia to award the airliner's pilot a medal for his "miraculous" and "heroic" landing.

Meanwhile, the ITAR-TASS news agency said all of the stranded passengers had Wednesday safely made it to Moscow on another flight except for one couple who preferred to travel by train after their ordeal.

Green Initiatives at Galapagos' Lodges

In the Galapagos Islands Red Means Green: Red Mangrove Galapagos Lodges Promotes Sustainable Stewardship by Example

How does red turn green? Think Red Mangrove Galapagos Lodges (http://www.redmangrove.com/). This environmentally and socially responsible company is pioneering multi-island, land-based touring while guiding a fragile ecosystem to a sustainable future. In so doing guests experience green, solution-oriented experiences surrounding natural and social environments.

"Galapagos is one of the few destinations on earth where enlightened guests do not have to give up amenities or adventure in order to be in harmony with our responsible tourism philosophies," said Hernan Rodas, visionary owner and founder of Red Mangrove Galapagos Lodges. He noted that his company also focuses on local communities when it comes to hiring, purchasing, educating and sponsoring.

As a result, he said, visitors relax into an intact, solution-oriented, sustainable vacation while discovering the intra-island beauty of five distinct islands: Santa Cruz, Santa Fe, Floreana, Tortuga Island and Isabela.

The company's three lodges on Santa Cruz, Isabela and Floreana were constructed with a sustainable philosophy from the ground up. Red Mangrove's Aventura Lodge on Santa Cruz became the first hotel in Galapagos to have an onsite filtration system for drinking water to eliminate the need for imported bottled water; the lodges are among the only island accommodations to utilize black water treatment plants to recycle water; low-water, energy-saving washers and dryers assist the sustainable process, as do efficient 50KVA automatic generators and low environmental impact four-stroke motors on an inter-island transport vessel. (Note: inter-island, land-based touring consumes less fuel than cruise programs do.) One lodge (Floreana) operates entirely off the grid. Cleaning products and supplies are all bio-degradable and the company has achieved an almost-paperless status. Organic bulk shampoo and repellents are sourced from the Ecuador Amazon.

Locally hired employees are supported with business and language skills training and are offered sponsorship opportunities for further education to become, for example, naturalist certified guides. Staff and guides lead by example promoting environmental stewardship by policing visited areas daily, picking up any trash or litter they may find.

Red Mangrove walks the talk of habitat preservation and community involvement. Accommodations and operations adhere to and often exceed the most stringent environmental standards. Out of respect for the local community, Red Mangrove has helped native fishermen find alternative livelihoods through tourism by utilizing a fleet of former fishing boats for transportation and sightseeing. Other outreach projects include support of a Family Health Program initially serving families of Red Mangrove employees on the Island of Isabela, a care program for at-risk horses associated with local tourism in Puerto Villamil and in partnership with the University of Cuenca, assisting a dental care program for employees, tourism providers and islanders on Santa Cruz, Isabela and Floreana. See: http://www.redmangrove.com/our-involment/.

About Red Mangrove Galapagos Lodges

Red Mangrove Galapagos Lodges in 2007 introduced a land-based alternative to exploring the Galapagos that heretofore was a cruise-only destination. With upscale waterfront lodges strategically situated on Santa Cruz, Isabela and Floreana, it is the only company offering high quality, branded accommodations and services on multiple islands in the Galapagos. Because it is land-based, Red Mangrove can offer a more extensive roster of activities and more flexibility than traditional cruise options.

The customary way to experience Red Mangrove's hospitality is to spend a number of nights on each island accessed by small boat and/or aircraft. With 14 guest rooms, Aventura Lodge on Santa Cruz is distinguished by its unique architectural design which blends its mangrove forest and seafront environments tastefully and responsibly. Its location boasts generous views of Puerto Ayora Bay. Separated from the ocean by a white sand, palm-lined beach, Isabela Lodge offers eight rooms outside the sleepy fisherman's village of Puerto Villamil on one of the most volcanically active islands on Earth. Red Mangrove Floreana Lodge is a romantic gathering of 10 private pine cottages just a five minute walk from the village of Puerto Velasco Ibarra (population 150).

Zuji's September Spring Sale

Embrace Spring Fever with ZUJI's September Spring Sale

Australia: The guru says: "Don't pack for a long time. Pack for a good time."

Spring clean your mind and put a spring back in your step – with online travel agent ZUJI's Spring Sale; holidays selected to help you experience the essence of the season around Australia; or the world. Live the fun and fashion of spring carnival racing in Melbourne.   Escape to the gleaming beaches of Fiji or Queensland. Indulge in the fine food and wine during what is arguably Adelaide & Auckland's best season. Admire the effect the blooming gardens have on the breathtaking city of Hobart.  Or succumb to lengthening sun-soaked days along Sydney's harbour side.

See samples below for some of the hottest Spring destinations and savings for flights and hotels stays; for bookings by 30 September 2010. Save even more when you book flights, hotels and cars together as Travel Combos on www.ZUJI.com.au

Melbourne Travel Combo Flight + Hotel: Stay 2 nights at Cube Serviced Apartments with return economy flights from Sydney from $309 p.p. twin/double share.

 Just minutes from the Paris end of Collins Street, the CBD and the Regent, Princess and Her Majesty's theatres, Cube offers affordable accommodation and features 115 brand new and beautifully appointed studio apartments, with kitchenettes and ensuites. In-room features include a 32 inch LCD TV, some rooms include a DVD player, movies, cable and Ipod dock clock. Valid for travel until 20 December 2010.

Wrest Point Hobart, from $105 per night twin/double share.  With absolute water frontage overlooking the sparkling Derwent River, Wrest Point provides first class accommodation with spectacular views, and a wide range of dining and entertainment options. Valid for travel until 20 December 2010.

 BreakFree Alexandra Beach on the Sunshine Coast, stay 3 nights, pay for 2. From $155 p.p. twin/double share.  Located directly opposite the patrolled surf beach, BreakFree Alexandra Beach offers a range of studio, one, two and three bedroom self-contained apartments wrapped around a tropical lagoon pool. Facilities include two heated pools and spas, waterslide, gymnasium, children's playground and BBQ. Valid for travel until 20th December 2010.

Auckland City Hotel, stay 2 nights save 20%, from $78 per night twin/double share.  Auckland City Hotel retains the character and charm of its past, enhanced with contemporary decor. With 138 spacious guest rooms and suites, Auckland City Hotel suits both leisure and business travellers.  Rooms offer eco-friendly products, LCD TV with satellite channels, high speed Internet access, and some have kitchenettes.

Valid for travel until 31 October 2010.

To get you to Auckland in Spring, Zuji's sale fares from Australia to Auckland start from as little as $199.00 per person, each way. Valid for travel until 30 September 2010.

Spring  is in the air- and online- at ZUJI.com.au !

*Advertised prices are correct at the time of publication and include taxes and surcharges. ZUJI charges no booking fees and credit card fees.

All prices shown, including hotel, holiday and flight prices may vary and subject to availability based on the fare types and room types available on your preferred travel dates. Prices based on Economy class only. Hotel prices are lead-in prices and based on per room per night. Holiday prices and savings are per person based on twin share.


About ZUJI

In 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and again in 2009, ZUJI® was recognised as Asia Pacific's 'Best Online Travel Agent', as awarded by TTG travel magazines in Asia Pacific. ZUJI was also awarded as the 'Best Online Travel Agency' in 2007 by the TravelWeekly (Asia) Industry Awards.  'Condé Nast Traveler' magazine (March 08, US-edition) announced ZUJI as the 'best travel web site for flights in Asia'.

ZUJI gives travellers in Asia Pacific online access to real-time travel bookings for thousands of hotels and hundreds of airlines, as well as bringing cruises, car hire, attraction bookings, package tours and other inspirational travel offers, products and tools online.