Don’t miss… October travel experiences
Spring time in Mauritius
For long haul sun...MAURITIUS
We’d advise that you never turn down a trip to Mauritius, but in October it’s a particularly good idea! As the leaves turn in the northern hemisphere, spring erupts on this amazing Indian Ocean island providing a flower filled, colourful backdrop to a beach holiday tinged with adventure.
Sure, you can lie on the white powder sandy beaches all day reading a book, cocktail in hand, which is highly recommended. But if you’ve got itchy feet, there’s more to Mauritius than a fly and flop – from whale watching, kayaking and deep sea diving in its clear waters to exploring the criss-cross of hiking trails and waterfalls across the interior of the island’s national parks. Whether you’re travelling with a partner, kids, wider family, or friends in tow, Mauritius should be high on your list for a good dose of Vitamin D before the winter kicks in.
Mauritius is expecting to reopen to international tourism from the end of September and with that in mind, most hotels are offering flexible cancellation policies on bookings for the remainder of 2021.
Perfect for:
Adventure
Romantic escapes
Family holidays
Celebrations
www.mymauritius.travel
for the love of wine...sonoma, cALIFORNIA
Golden vines and rolling hills in Sonoma County, California
Move over Napa. It’s now all about Sonoma in Northern California, a million acres of rolling hills stretching from the Mayacamas Mountains range to the Pacific Ocean coast. In October Sonoma Valley is bathed in a golden glow with the last of the summer sun and with its grapevines slowly turning from green to bright shades of yellow, gold, red and deep burgundy, its truly a spectacular time to experience a wine region like none other.
Sonoma has roughly the same number of wineries as Napa Valley (around 400 at last count) but they’re more spread out and dotted throughout the valley. This means there’s something for everyone and plenty to choose from, but you’ll enjoy more space to stretch out and enjoy your wine with fewer people in your view. If that’s not enough to tempt you, Sonoma County is also the first wine region in the world to be 99% sustainable, so you can sip away with a clean conscience.
We’ve focused on the wine here but there’s also more to Sonoma than that; the area is so expansive that it’s a glorious playground for outdoor activities that can be enjoyed in the warm October sun, from horseback riding or hikes across the coastal bluffs or Bodega Bay, kayaking the Russian river or taking a hot air balloon flight over vineyards, lakes and valleys. And that’s before we talk about the world-renowned food scene…
As at the end of April 2021, the US and UK government’s are in discussions about the creation of an ‘air bridge’ allowing quarantine free travel between the two countries. This is expected to be in place by early summer 2021.
Perfect for:
Food and wine lovers
Romantic escapes
Holidaying with friends
Outdoor adventure
www.sonomawine.com
Stretching out the summer on the warmest Greek island
for families...crete
If the thought of the darkening nights and cooler air that arrives in the autumn fills you with dread, head to Crete in October. Even in the last week of the month, when half term normally falls, you’re almost guaranteed blue skies on what’s renowned as the warmest of the Greek islands.
Crete hits the sweet spot for a family holiday at this time of year; its cooler than the summer months in Greece when heat exhaustion can produce tired and grumpy kids, but unlike a holiday in the UK in October, there’s minimal risk of (persistent) rain stopping play.
And to really swing it for you - Crete, its attractions, restaurants, and family-friendly amenities such as kids clubs stay open right up to the end of the month, unlike many of its other island counterparts in the Med. What are you waiting for?!
Greece plans to reopen for all tourists by June 2021, and some tourists from 14th May (including travellers from Britain and the USA). All international travelers aged two years and older are required to provide a negative PCR COVID-19 test taken within 3 days before departure. Additionally, passengers will be subjected to take a rapid test upon arrival. If the test returns positive, they will have to quarantine for 14 days.
Perfect for:
Family holidays
A long weekend
Outdoor adventures
www.discovergreece.com/crete
The ancient port of Valletta, Malta
TAKE A CITY BREAK IN valletta, malta
For some reason, Malta is often overlooked as a Med destination but we’re not sure why, as it enjoys an outrageous amount of sun right into the late autumn.
Its also expected to be one of the first countries to be added to the much sought after ‘green list’ for British travellers as it is nailing its vaccination programme and has done a good job of keeping Covid nicely at bay.
Valletta, the capital is a showstopper, with its honey-coloured forts, cobbled streets, back alley wine bars and churches where you might stumble across a Caravaggio at any moment. You could go to Valletta for a long weekend at the start of October and experience the Notte Bianca festival, or you could go to Malta for a fortnight and head beyond the city walls for sandy beaches, sleepy little fishing villages and dazzling blue lagoons to splash around in. However long you go for though, take your time, Malta is not a place to rush about.
The Maltese islands are reopening for tourism, to both vaccinated and unvaccinated tourists from June 1st 2021. Vaccinated tourists will be able to visit Malta free of restrictions, while non-vaccinated tourists will need to submit a negative PCR COVID-19 test, taken a few hours before their arrival.
Perfect for:
A city break
Romantic escapes
A weekend with friends
Keep cool in Botswana’s Okavango Delta
TO SEE WILDLIFE UP CLOSE...BOTSWANA
The case for Botswana being the world’s greatest safari destination is pretty convincing. The country’s mandate for its tourism is ‘low impact, high experience’ which means intimate camps and the sense of deeply personal discovery out in the bush, where it’s easy to forget about anything else.
Botswana never feels crowded, but it feels least crowded of all in October when the tourist numbers drop off (and with it, prices fall) as the temperatures rise. The good news is that while October sees the weather warming up, the flooded Okavango Delta keeps things cool, and because all the vegetation has been munched away over the dry winter, game viewing at this time is at its peak. What are you waiting for?
Botswana’s borders are currently open to international travellers. Travellers must present a printed original test certificate of a negative COVID-19 PCR test result, conducted within 72 hours of departure for Botswana. If arriving at Maun Airport, a Rapid Antigen Test (free of charge) is required. Results are available after about 15 minutes.
Perfect for:
Long-haul adventure
Safari lovers
Romantic escapes
Holidays with older kids
Celebrations
