7 holiday flights of the week
1. Dubai from £310
With year-round sunshine, Dubai is as much a beach destination as a ritzy, glitzy place to flaunt your bling. Yes, there are the super-sized shopping malls and stupendous hotels. The famous Burj Al Arab Hotel provides a stunning backdrop for Jumeriah beach - a 3km-long strip of sand with warm, shallow water - which is absolutely ideal for families.
2. Bangkok, Thailand from £447
Beguiling Bangkok is an exciting city of contrast, welcoming you with gleaming skyscrapers and luxury hotels as well as historic temples. Visit the floating markets, ride the famous tuk-tuks, explore the city’s intoxicating nightlife, experience the excitement of a Muay Thai boxing match or go bargain hunting in the big malls.
3. Goa, India from £463
Once the preserve of hippies in search of the good life, the secret is out and the sunshine state of Goa now draws many Brits to its tropical paradise. It is easy to do little but lounge on the beach - two crackers are Cola Beach, near Palolem, and Polem Beach in the far south - or in a beach bar with a cool Kingfisher.
4. Colombo, Sri Lanka from £420
Tropical beaches, indigo-blue sea, cloud-wrapped mountains, waterfalls, tea plantations and palm trees wafting in the breeze… Sounds ok, doesn’t it? Colombo is the exciting hub of the enchanting island of Sri Lanka, where you feast on seafood, visit an elephant orphanage, and live like a king for under £25 a day.
5. Melbourne, Australia from £650
Melbourne is a cosmopolitan city where skyscrapers sit alongside opulent theatres and galleries, infused with green spaces like Royal Park and Fitzroy Gardens. If going out on the town rather than chilling out in the park is your thing, hit up St Kilda for restaurants, bars and nightlife.
6. Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam from £505
‘The new Thailand’ has been one of 2012’s hottest destinations, helped by new direct flights from the UK, and a near 7% rise in the value of the pound against the Vietnamese Dong. Vietnam is a great budget alternative to traditional SE Asian backpacker choice: Thailand. It’s still off the beaten tourist track, so get there before the rush.
7. The Seychelles from £547
The Seychelles is an island paradise comprised of 115 islands scattered over one million square kilometres, offering immaculate white-sand beaches, lush, tropical forests and spectacular diving spots. You don’t have to be on your honeymoon to go here, but it would surely go down well if you were to suggest it!
Get exciting flight deals to these and many more destinations with Qatar Airways. Make last-minute plans for this summer, or plan ahead with special offers available for flights until March 2013.
