Don’t miss…April travel experiences
For Easter sunshine...Seychelles
I say Seychelles..you say honeymoon. Historically, yes. The Seychelles has always had a reputation as a honeymoon destination because you’d have to save for your trip of a lifetime to be able to enjoy its world famous beaches from the comfort of a handful of high end hotels.
But as a nation spread across 115 islands, it's really no surprise that the Seychelles has diversified in recent years. The globally renowned hotels still exist, but alongside them, a whole range of other options have popped up to suit all budgets - from small backpacker style guesthouses, to boutique hotels and family friendly resorts and eco retreats.
Of course you still have to get there...and the flight is quite a slog wherever you’re travelling from. But now you know that if you’re prepared to travel, there’s a tropical paradise to suit all of you in the Seychelles.
One of the things that sets Seychelles from many other tropical island nations is the food scene. Often in paradise you either take the all inclusive and never leave the resort. Or you get a shock when the bill arrives at the end of your stay. But in Seychelles the influence of traders from Africa, China, Europe and India has created a melting pot of exciting food on the islands, with hundreds of locally run restaurants and street hawkers to tickle everyone’s tastes and budgets within an easy walk, cycle or a quick cab from the hotels.
And if you can tear yourself away from the world’s best beaches, there is also a world of adventure with rugged mountains and jungle to explore with hikes for every fitness level.
So why April? It's one of the driest and hottest months of the year, perfect for sunbathing, but also ideal for snorkelling and diving as the water is at its clearest. So if you’re looking for an excuse to escape at Easter, look no further...
Ideal for:
Adventure lovers
Romantic escapes
Nature lovers
Divers
for a easter with a twist...Antigua, guatEmala
You may have been to Antigua before. I have, just last month and it was great. But there’s not just one Antigua. And this time I’m talking about a small colonial city in the heart of gorgeous Guatemala that takes Easter celebrations to another level. Spanish colonial influence and catholicism means that Easter tends to be a pretty major event across the whole Central American region. But Antigua’s festival of Semana Santa (Holy Week) is easily the most vivid take on the celebrations, when the cobbles of this old colonial capital are transformed into exquisite art.
Spend Easter here and you’ll find vast carpet murals of multi-coloured sawdust and flowers, known as alfombras, created by local families as a sign of devotion and laid out on the cobbles. It’s a good idea to get there before the parade on Good Friday, because this is when the crowds turn up in their thousands to celebrate and obliterate the beautiful artwork on the streets!
Easter is a particularly fun time to be here, but whatever time of the year you’re looking for trip inspiration, this UNESCO World Heritage site with its cobbled streets, brightly coloured colonial buildings, jacaranda-wreathed central plaza and all surrounded by volcanoes, should be a strong contender for a cultural adventure. Think about combining a few days in Antigua with a visit to Lake Atitlán, the deepest lake in Central America framed by volcanoes in the Sierra Madre mountain range. Even better, the world renowned gastronomic and heavenly retreat Casa Palopó on Lake Atitlán has just opened a sister property with equally strong creds, Villa Bokeh, in Antigua. It’s as if they knew what a winning combo this is!
Perfect for:
History lover
Culture lovers
Adventure seekers
for a Fairytale family easter break...the loire valley, france
There’s a special word for people who love France - they’re Francophiles. If you love little cobbled streets, gooey cheese...delicious wine and fresh out of the oven croissants (and who doesn’t) you’re probably a Francophile yourself. But the things that make grown ups fall in love with France and go oooo la la aren’t necessarily the things that will get kids excited.
So you might be surprised to hear me extolling the virtues of a family trip to the Loire Valley next Easter. It's all about the castles. Loire Valley is home to some of the most beautiful chateaux in France, aka fairytale castles of childhood dreams, and these places really know how to capture the vivid imagination of your kids. They can run wild in the formal gardens, play petanque in the courtyards or take a bike and explore the grounds. They can take an interactive tour of a chateau and learn about its history with characters bringing the stories to life, or they can float above the landscape in a hot air balloon. Even better, these grand estates are all a short drive or bike ride from each other so the Loire hits the spot as far as hassle free logistics is concerned.
And of course you can stay in one too! Whether you want to gather a group and takeover a chateau, or stay in a huge family suite in a beautiful chateau hotel, there’s a castle in the Loire Valley for everyone.
Perfect for:
Tots, tweens and everyone in between
Romantic escapes
Wine lovers
FOR An easter safari experience...assam, india
It’s a sad fact that aren’t many rhinos left in the wild. In north-east India and Nepal there are just 3,500 of the one-horned species left roaming free in their native grasslands, and that’s a huge improvement on a decade ago when there were just 200.
So if you want to see one of these majestic beasts with your own eyes, grab the short window of opportunity in April to catch a sighting in Assam’s Kaziranga National Park. The park is open from November through to 30 April every year but during the winter the rhinos hide away among the greenery created by the summer monsoon season. By spring this has burnt off, revealing them in all their glory in their natural habitat, so this is your best chance!
Rhinos are just one of the stars here. Hop in a 4WD on a guided tour with a trusted company and you’ll also come across tigers and elephants as you roam across this UNESCO World Heritage Site. Or head into the Burapaha Zone, where on-foot treks in the forest let you stretch your legs without the risk of a tiger jumping out from behind a tree. Whatever you do though, don’t take an elephant safari. You’ll definitely be told that this is the best way to experience this wondrous national park, but while this may be true, what is best for us isn’t best for the elephants.
Speaking of looking after living creatures, no trip to this part of the world is complete without a visit to the famous living root bridges in neighbouring Meghalaya state where you can put your best foot forward on these ancient structures that have been cultivated over centuries...if you dare!
Perfect for:
Adventure seekers
A sense of discovery
Active travellers
for an easter city break...madrid
Weekend city breaks give me massive FOMO. The fear of not being able to cram in a visit to every restaurant on my list in just a few short days is real. Which is why Spain, and specifically the Spanish way of eating out is SO great for a city break, because you can spend your days exploring many many restaurants, grazing on small plates of tapas on every street corner.
Madrid is particularly great for this, and spring is a particularly good time to do it. The weather isn’t blisteringly hot yet but the city has truly emerged from chilly winter nights so alfresco dining is opening up. You can people watch to your heart’s content from the city’s roof terraces, patios and pavements while grazing on tapas or wander around one of the capital’s famous food markets. My favourite pick of these is the Mercado San Miguel, close to Plaza Mayor which bills itself as a monument to Spanish Cuisine and monumentally awesome it is.
If you love a city break but shy away from the hustle and bustle that so often comes from tourist hotspots, this is the time to head to Madrid. The tourists won’t be there yet, so you can enjoy a leisurely lunch without being jostled and admire the art at Museo Nacional Del Prado without being poked in the eye with a selfie stick. What a joy!
Perfect for:
Foodies
Group trips
Romantic escapes
History lovers
