I took my family to Singapore for 3 nights en-route to Bali, Singapore had been on my bucket list for years and it did not disappoint ! Such a beautiful city, extremely clean and safe. During our jam packed itinerary we visited Raffles Hotel, went up the Marina Bay Hotel, walked some of the Singapore Grand Prix track, visited Gardens by the bay, enjoyed dinner at Boat quay and Clarke quay. I did my own walking tour of Bugis street, Arab street, Haji street and China town with all the fascinating cultures and buildings. I headed over to Sentosa which is the island off the mainland, here there are many attractions to keep the children entertained and a selection of luxury beach hotels. I climbed up to the view point at Mount Faber which offers views all over the city and can be accessed via the cable car or walking from China town or Sentosa area. Plus much, much more ! I have fallen in love with Singapore and can not wait to return ! I flew with Singapore Airlines and they were superb. If you have ever fancied travelling to this region with or without children please give me a call and it would be my pleasure to plan your trip of a life time !

I travelled to Bali this summer with my husband and 2 children aged 12/17 years and we had the most amazing time. I did a 3 centre trip staying for 4 nights in Sanur to begin, 2 nights Ubud then onto 4 nights Legian beach to finish. Each resort offered something different, Sanur felt like I was in Bali with lots of temples, less commercialised than some of the busier resorts, it is in the South of Bali and easy access to neighbouring islands or up to Ubud. Ubud is the cultural centre of the island, located in the jungle / rain forest region, it is a fascinating place and has lots to offer in this region. Legian Beach is a surfers paradise with the most fantastic sunsets, it is very busy over on the west coast and is very much Australia's go to part of Bali. There is no public transport on the island and the travel is either by taxi or mopeds in abundance, quiet crazy at times where short journeys can take along time ! Sometimes it was quicker to walk ! I visited did a e bike tour of Sanur which visited the mangroves, rice Fields, traditional market and finished on the beach where we released a baby turtle back to the ocean. I took the fast ferry across to the beautiful island of Nusa Lembongan which was an experience in itself ! We visited the rice terrace, Ubud palace, Ubud water palace, monkey forest and we took a jeep safari to the volcano at 3 am to watch the most breath taking sunrise ! Bali really has something for everyone from relaxing, golf, to the adventure holiday makers it really caters for all. The people from Bali are the most genuine, kind, happy, smiling people that would go out their way to please you. I can not wait to return and next time I would love to visit Lombok and the Gili Islands.

In July I was fortunate to visit the fabulous Caribbean Island of St Lucia where the powder white sandy beaches meet the fabulous Piton mountains in the South West, the North West has the bustling towns of Castries and Rodney Bay. I stayed at 4 different hotels and visited 11 during my 7 night trip, there really is something for everyone on this island from quirky boutique hotels to family resorts. It is an ideal honeymoon destination with many adult only and romantic hotels available. For the adventure types there are lots of activities including hiking the Pitons, snorkelling, scuba diving, mountain bike trails, quad biking, bird watching etc. Dr Doolittle was filmed in Marigot Bay and can easily be visited by hiring a car or by staying at the Zoetry hotel that is located on the beautiful Marina. visited the most unusual hotel which has been featured on the TV programme ''Life Beyond The Lobby '' you have to see this hotel to believe it and it is such a special place with fantastic views overlooking the sea and pitons - the rooms in this hotel are open plan and only have 3 walls. I would highly recommend travellers to do a 2 centre between the North resorts and South resorts to totally experience everything that St Lucia has to offer.

I love Croatia and it is probably one place I am happy to visit more than once. A short flight and you are in Dubrovnik which is perfect for a city break or longer to visit the Islands that surround it. The city itself is stunning! Surrounded by the beautiful, old walls steeped in history there is a vibrant centre buzzing with amazing restaurants and bars, people watching is a must! There are steps and alleys in abundance to explore like a rabbit warren of sights and smells. You can get ferries from the harbour to the many Islands, a cable car takes you to the top of the mountain where you can enjoy a beautiful meal (book in advance for a sea view /sunset table..it will not disappoint) cocktails, an open air cinema, museums. Transport links with buses, Uber or taxis makes everywhere easy to reach. We stayed in Cavtat which is about 45 minutes away by ferry, a beautiful place with pretty beaches, fancy yachts alongside simple fishing boats and the clearest sea to swim in. It has a laid back, relaxed feel with plenty restaurants and when you want something more there are plenty ferries to take you away for the day but you will want to come back. Croatia is a must, the people are friendly and proud of their history, the food is fabulous accompanied by their home grown wine, service great and it feels like that extra special place.

This year we returned to beautiful Puerto Pollensa, a charming resort with its beautiful horseshoe bay, stunning mountain backdrop, and relaxed atmosphere. We took the vintage wooden train from Palma to Soller which took us on a journey through Mallorca's scenic landscapes. Soller is a picturesque town nestled in a valley of orange groves, a lovely place with narrow streets and traditional Mallorcan townhouses. From there we travelled on the tram to Port de Soller, another picturesque harbour town on Majorca’s northwest coast. This will not be our last trip to Majorca!

Having been on a few ocean cruises in the past, this year we decided to try our first river cruise. We chose a Uniworld sailing from Bordeaux on both the Dordogne and the Garonne with lots of wine chateaux excursion's included, it seemed the perfect choice. Our trip started from Wakefield on the train to London, with a short walk to St Pancras for the Eurostar to Paris with a nights stop an whistle stop tour before heading down to Bordeaux on the TGV - it was a great way to make the journey. Another night pre-cruise in Bordeaux allowed us to explore this really pretty/historic city before we boarded the boat. From the moment we did all I can we say is it didn't fail to impress. The standard of the furnishing/size of cabin, outside deck, restaurant, food and beverage were all top notch. Uniworld is an 'all inclusive' concept, so whether it is the drink of your choice, a coffee and pastry - there were no extra to pay at the end of your cruise. We loved being in the heart of wherever we stopped to allow us to wander off the boat at our leisure, or do one of the many included trips or just hop on a bike if that is your thing. Although it is not an itinerary you do a lot of sailing on, it was a lovely introduction to river cruising and will definitely be on our agenda to do again in another part of the world.

At the beginning of June, we all took a well-earned team trip to Milan an Lake Como for a fun filled, jam packed weekend cramming in as much as we would to explore as much as we could in the short time we were there. With frequent flights from our local airports Milan is a great choice for city break and gives you access to Lake Como which is only 45 minutes by train from the central station in Milan. We used all the transport options the city and the the Lake has to offer, buses, trams, train, taxis & ferries. Whilst on Lake Como we were very lucky to be invited to have a tour and lunch of the Grand Hotel Tremezzo which was a stunning hotel right on the lakeside and was a truly special property which we can definitely see some of our clients enjoying a few nights there - we just know you'd love it. As you can see from the photo above - we even took a cooking class whilst in Milan and made pasta and tiramisu which was great fun. We hope you agree we made a good effort!

A visit to the Scilly Isles has ben on my to do list for around 14 years since I watched a programme on TV 'An Island Parish' which did an incredible job of highlighting what a stunning place the Isles of Scilly are. Luckily for me my sister in law shared the same desire to visit these islands and this May we finally both got to spend a week exploring this special place. We stayed on St Mary's which is the largest of the 5 inhabited islands which are part of over a 120 islands that make of this archipelago. Travelling over on the Scillonian lll ferry from Penzance Harbour (thankfully it was as flat as a mill pond) and then return on the small 15 minute flight back to Lands End Airport we embraced the full travelling experience to the islands. During our stay we hired a golf buggy to explore St Mary's, used the Boatman's Association of Scilly excellent service to visit the other 4 inhabited islands. Having lunch (and a beer or 2) at the UK's most south westerly pub on St Agnes, exploring the gardens on Tresco, BBQ on the beach on St Martins followed by a quick stop at the Fraggle Rock bar where just some of the stand out moments. With white sand beaches all to yourself it truly was a special place to visit. It's not the easiest place to get to get to, but is hands down, worth the effort, and is definitely a place you have to plan in advance to visit which I would obviously love to help any of clients plan a trip there.

I have been to Majorca a few times but a recommendation to Portals Nous swayed my decision of where to go for a long weekend in the sun. Flight is 2.5 hours, transfer from the airport less than half an hour and the hotel Tomir Suites was just perfect. The hotel was fabulous, great rooms, service, food, bars and pool area. Adult only, stylish and accommodating for couples and groups of friends alike. The harbour area is a 15 minute walk away where there are plenty high end restaurants and bars to sit and watch the world go by, shop or take a look at the stunning yachts moored next to the promenade. The beach is nearby, very chilled vibes, nice cafe that serves snacks and more importantly Sangria. There are regular buses and taxis if you want to visit Palma for some sightseeing or Palma Nova/ Magaluf for some nightlife. Portals Nous has everything you need for a perfect trip. I will definitely be going again!