Why Macao?

We understand. You want to get to somewhere just a little bit different. Have you thought about Macao?

Macao is an autonomous region on the south coast of China, across the Pearl River Delta from Hong Kong. A Portuguese territory until 1999, it reflects a mix of cultural influences. Its giant casinos and malls on the Cotai Strip, which joins the islands of Taipa and Coloane, have earned it the nickname, "Las Vegas of Asia."

Macao is renowned as the original meeting place between Europeans and Chinese. English is widely spoken, but the official languages are Portuguese and Chinese (Cantonese).

It's a destination for leisure, family, small to large groups and of course meetings, incentives and conferences.

You get there by flying directly to Hong Kong International Airport - ex. Auckland you can fly Air New Zealand, Cathay Pacific and Hong Kong Airlines. It is also accessible through most Asian hubs that service Macao International Airport

There is plenty to see and do. Macao offers an array of UNESCO World Heritage Sites with over 450 years of history to discover. On right now until October 15th is the 3rd Macau International Lantern Festival.

Macao's hotels and resorts have something for all tastes and budgets. Almost all the attractions are within 15 minutes from a visitors hotel. Exploring by foot is the best way to see all that Macao has to offer.

Macao is famous for its cuisine and is considered a must-visit for people who love gastronomic travel. Macanese food is a fusion of Portuguese, African, South-East Asian and Chinese cooking.  

Macau is VISA-free for those traveling on New Zealand passports.

If you want to learn more, just contact us. You can also take a look through the Macao Government Tourism Office website here. 

Have you been dreaming of touring Vietnam and Cambodia?

Our friends at Explorer Adventure Tours have a 20-day Escorted Tour departing Auckland on the 22nd of October! There are seats still available.

It's for a group of between 14 and 23 people.

Tour Highlights

Halong Bay  -   World Heritage site with over 3000 limestone islands

Hanoi  -  French colonial heritage, cyclo ride the Old Quarter   

Sapa  -  Visit hill tribe villages in the mountainous north

Hue  -  Former Royal capital of southern Vietnam, citadels & palaces

Hoi An  -  Historical town with 18th Century Vietnamese houses

Ho Chi Minh City  -  Cu Chi tunnels, Reunification Palace & War Museum

Mekong Delta  -  Floating markets, orchards & handicraft industry

Angkor Wat  -  Built by the Khmer Kings, between 9th & 13th Century

The tour includes international & internal flights, hotels, transport, sightseeing, activities, tour guides, all breakfasts, 11 lunches, and 10 dinners.   Price $6980 pp share twin.

Call us on 09 475 0081 for more information and to reserve your place, or call Erick from Explorer Adventure Tours on 09 479 6807  for more detailed information.

Slovenia

One of my favourite things to do is to learn about destinations that I'd never really considered to visit.

Recently the Slovenia Tourism Board visited New Zealand at the end of a promotional tour.

Slovenia is tiny. 2 million people in 20,000 sq kms. Geographically, you can be skiing in the Alps in the morning, and swimming in the Mediterranean Sea in the afternoon.

I was struck by the similarities in approach between their promotion and the promotion that Tourism New Zealand does for this country. Both places focus on green, active and healthy adventures, so it's a natural fit for Kiwi tourists.

Slovenians pride themselves on their environmental efforts, their friendliness and their safety.

Key points of interest include the capital, Ljubljana - the European Green Capital of 2016, with its Castle and other arts and cultural sights, Piran a picturesque Meditterranean walled town, and the Postojna Cave - the most visited tourist cave in Europe.

If you're a foodie (I sure am!), there are many gastronomic regions in Slovenia, influenced by its neighbours. Slovenia is  home to Ana Roš, named World's Best Female Chef in 2017, and who has been featured in the Netflix series Chef's Table.

I'm thinking Slovenia could be a great place to visit for more than the usual couple of days when touring Europe. It depends on how you like to travel, but I know I could happily stay in the Capital and visit the entire country over the course of a week. It's now on my list!

^sd

Flightcheck: Thai Airways to London

In April 2018 I needed to quickly organise flights to get me from Auckland, New Zealand to London, UK.

Many options were considered and I settled on Thai Airways. The idea of flying on a 787-9 Dreamliner to Bangkok, then an A380 to London was appealing. I knew I needed to arrive in as good shape as possible.

A few days before my departure, the Dreamliner was swapped out for a 777-300 owing to the need for Thai to check the engines of their 787-9 fleet. I was a bit disappointed but it really didn't inconvenience me that much.

LEG ONE:

The flight was scheduled to leave Auckland at a very civilised 1:10pm. Check-in was easy, with a 30KG baggage allowance. I have to say that Auckland International Airport is maturing nicely. Passport control was streamlined and the pre-flight experience is really nice.

My first impressions of the 777-300 is that it is really well-appointed. Heading to Economy Class through the more expensive seats does give one a little FOMO and a definite plan to try flying like that in the future. That being said, the seats in Economy Class has ample legroom for me (of course, I'm not that tall) and the seats were quite comfortable width-wise.  I had a window seat on this flight, and thankfully I didn't need to move throughout the flight. The crew were friendly and expert on this flight, but English was a bit lacking. Still, it wasn't hard to be understood. I had two meals on this flight - a Thai fish and rice, and later a Thai beef. Both were very flavourful and a little spicier than is the New Zealand normal. I enjoyed them both. Boarding and disembarking were efficient and quick.

Duration: Approximately 12:30hrs.

TIME TO KILL:

I had a four hour layover at BKK to entertain myself. It's a lovely airport with plenty of people to watch, and the fantastic hum of a small town. Many restaurants and food options, many stores to explore. There is also a multitude of free device charging stations all over the airport to use. This is a very good thing indeed.

LEG TWO:

This was my first time on an A380. These things are massive. So much space. The climate control and lighting is fantastic, and the service on flight was top-notch.

Again, I had a window seat. And a follow passenger who sniffed next to me. And a fellow passenger who sniffed behind me. No matter how great these aircraft are, you just can't control who flies on them eh?

I enjoyed this flight. It was a little cooler and fresher than the first leg, so wrapping myself up in the complimentary blanket was necessary. The crew were attentive and expert, and spoke English better than their counterparts on the 777-300.

Duration: Approximately 12:30hrs.

ARRIVAL:

Diembarking at LHR was quick. Passport control was easy and efficient. It did not take as long as I expected at all. Baggage collection was a breeze and there didn't seem to be any baggage checks on this flight. That struck me as weird.

CONCLUSION:

I enjoyed flying with Thai Airways. It was a good experience and I arrived as fresh as I expected.  I do recommend them as an option for this longhaul destination.

^sd

*originally posted at https://wheresimonwanders.wordpress.com/

Airport Departure Cards to go?

This is interesting. Will certainly streamline things trans-Tasman.

https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/101937176/airport-departure-cards-for-kiwi-travellers-may-go

Qantas 12 Fares of Christmas - Day 5

Qantas is revealing 12 festive fares over 12 days to a wonderful range of destinations around the world.

 
On the fifth day of their Christmas sale, Qantas is pleased to offer special return Economy class fares to London from $1499
 
Five Big Bens chiming
Four koi swimming
Three Empanadas
Two merlions
And a koala in a gum tree

Fares are available from Auckland, Christchurch & Wellington and are valid for sales and ticketing until midnight 09 December 2017

Qantas 12 Fares of Christmas - Day 4

Qantas is evealing 12 festive fares over 12 days to a wonderful range of destinations around the world.
 
On the fourth day of their Christmas sale, Qantas is pleased to offer special return Economy class fares to Osaka or Tokyo from $799
 
Four koi swimming
Three Empanadas
Two merlions
And a koala in a gum tree

Fares are available from Auckland, Christchurch & Wellington and are valid for sales and ticketing until midnight 08 December 2017

Qantas 12 Fares of Christmas - Day 3

Qantas is revealing 12 festive fares over 12 days to a wonderful range of destinations around the world.
 
On the third day of our Christmas sale, Qantas is pleased to offer special return Economy class fares to Santiago from $999
 
Three Empanadas
Two merlions
And a koala in a gum tree

Fares are available from Auckland, Christchurch & Wellington and are valid for sales and ticketing until midnight 07 December 2017

Qantas 12 Fares of Christmas - Day 2

Qantas is revealing 12 festive fares over 12 days to a wonderful range of destinations around the world.
 
On the second day of their Christmas sale, Qantas is pleased to offer special return Economy class fares to Singapore from $699,
 
Two merlions,
And a koala in a gum tree

Fares are available from Auckland, Christchurch & Wellington and are valid for sales and ticketing until midnight 06 December 2017

^sd

Qantas 12 Fares of Christmas - Day 1

Qantas is revealing 12 festive fares over 12 days to a wonderful range of destinations around the world.

On the first day of our Christmas sale, Qantas is pleased to offer special one-way Economy class fares to Brisbane from $149
 
And a koala in a gum tree

Fares are available from Auckland and Christchurch and are valid for sales and ticketing until midnight 05 December 2017

^sd