How can I experience the Northern Lights? Where is the best place to see the Northern lights?
The Northern Lights appear in the Northern Hemisphere – their scientific name is the aurora borealis. These colorful spectral shapes burn the brightest in higher-latitude areas close to the North Pole, such as northern Canada, Alaska, Greenland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. The optimum times are from late afternoon (5 or 6pm) to early morning (6am), December through to February.
They appear at night as green, pink and purple lights that dance across the night sky. For the ideal setting, you should be somewhere that is not obstructed by artificial lights from houses, cars and neon signs. This means that for the best chance of seeing the lights you should either take an excursion to a remote, northerly region or maybe take a cruise.
On a cruise you can visit the remote islands of Norway for your best chance of seeing the lights, in regions like Tromso and Svalbard. You will have a good chance of seeing the lights because there will always be someone on the lookout aboard the ship. Once they are spotted you will be woken up to join everybody on the deck. You will also have a chance of seeing them on an excursion to a prime viewing spot.
For Northern Lights holidays, click here>>
For Hurtigruten Northern Lights cruises around Norway, click here>>
What are the Seven Wonders of the World?
Perhaps you can list one or two, but few people can roll the seven wonders off the tip of their tongue. We have you covered!
The Seven Wonders were:
Great Pyramid at Giza (Cairo, Egypt)
Hanging Gardens of Babylon (Al-Hillah, Iraq)
Temple of Artemis at Ephesus (Selcuk, Turkey)
Statue of Zeus at Olympia (Olympia, Greece)
Tomb of Maussollos at Halicarnassus (Southwestern Turkey)
Colossus at Rhodes (Rhodes, Greece)
Lighthouse of Alexandria (Pharos Island, Alexandria, Egypt)
Historians believe scholars started the list in the Second Century BC and that the final seven wonders were defined in the Middle Ages. But these are the old seven wonders; to read about the new seven wonders and how to see them, read our blog here >>
What Should I Take to the Beach?
The panic comes on your first day on holiday. You have spent 5-6 months being pasty, not seeing the sun peeking out from behind grey skies, and now you have completely forgotten what it will be like to be in the sun. Never fear, our list is here!
Beach towel
Sunscreen
Sunglasses
A book
A change of clothes
Sandals or flip-flops
Aftersun
A little bit of money
A waterproof bag for your phone
If you are lucky enough to be near clear waters where fish and coral reside, take a snorkel to discover the teeming marine life that lives beneath the water.
How many millilitres of liquid can you take on a plane?
Liquids in your carry-on bags cannot exceed 100ml. That is per bottle so as long as you can fit your 100ml liquids into the plastic bags that they give you, then you should be fine to take that on the plane. Each traveller can have only one plastic bag. Of course, if you do have checked baggage, you can store your liquids in there.
What are the best times to travel to Asia?
Asia is a huge continent with varying temperatures, altitudes and weather conditions. Thailand doesn’t vary in temperature very much but the islands differ greatly in their rainy seasons. You can ski in Hokkaido in Japan and then hop on a plane and be sunning yourself in Bali. There are also plenty of celebrations that you may like to include in your itinerary such as the Indian Holi celebration. There are also days of prayer where whole towns will close for reflection so you may want to avoid those. Whenever and wherever you want to take a trip, call us on 0800 707 6229 and we can offer the best advice for the weather conditions. You can enquire here >>
Are all-inclusive holidays worth it?
All-inclusive holidays often come with a higher price tag, but when you delve a little deeper you can often find that the inclusions that you benefit from soon start to add up to exceptional value.
All-Inclusive Ski Holidays
Club Med offer all-inclusive holidays which encompass all you need from a ski holiday, including tuition, non-skiing activities and lift passes. Although a basic ski holiday may appear cheaper at first glance, once you incorporate the cost for lift passes, drinks, meals, ski schools, airfares and transfers, the cost difference may not be significant between an all-inclusive luxury holiday and a ski chalet. Plus, with the all-inclusive package, you can rest assured that all of your money is protected by ATOL.
In the Club Med package:
Full Area Lift Pass
Ski Lessons (Full Day)
Ski Carriage
Lunches, Drinks and a Bottle of Wine Included
Drinks and Snacks
You can find all-inclusive ski holidays here >>
All-Inclusive Beach Holidays
For some, knowing that their holiday is packaged together offers a sense of security. With a full package, you are ATOL-bonded with protection if one part of your holiday falls through. For some people, an all-inclusive holiday package may conjure up an image of vats of food being mass produced, but with Sandals and Club Med you will be served gourmet, luxury food either on demand in the restaurants or you can pick from a varied and changing menu in the buffet.
You will also have free drinks, free evening entertainment and a variety of sports to choose from to occupy your day. The only extras to pay for are activities such as spa treatments and excursions.
What’s included with Sandals?
All meals, anytime snacks and fine dining
Scuba diving (if certified)
Sailing, water skiing, snorkeling & land sports
Accommodation
Basic Wedding Package
Airport transfers
All tips, gratuities and hotel taxes
You can find Sandals resorts here >>
What’s included with Club Med?
Flights & Transfers
Accommodation
Gourmet Full Board Cuisine & Open Bar
Kids Clubs (from 4-17 years)
Over 60 Land & Water Sports
Evening Entertainment
You can find Club Med resorts here >>
For more all-inclusive holidays, click here >>
Travel Club Elite has been advising delighted holidaymakers for 32 years and we are ABTA bonded. We can offer huge discounts and savings on your favourite holiday providers and can offer first-hand advice on destinations all over the world. For more information and advice about your holiday, call us on 0800 707 6229.