Late deals: 12 great trips to book now
A recent report suggests that more than three-quarters of UK travellers are looking to take more holidays this summer than last, while almost half of us are yet to book our main summer trip. If either of these rings true for you, how about walking in Cornwall, cruising the Rhine, taking the family to Corsica or touring Jordan? All those discounted trips are available this summer, while we've also found a winter-sun break to Mauritius for anyone more into forward planning.
May is National Walking Month and to celebrate Inntravel is offering savings of up to £300 on all self-guided hiking holidays booked before May 26. That covers options across Europe, including the UK, where you might build your anticipation of The Salt Path — the forthcoming Gillian Anderson film about a journey along the South West Coast Path, out on May 30 — by trying the Cornwall's Forgotten Corner itinerary. Heading east from Looe, this gentle route combines glorious gardens, quaint villages and stylish hotels. Six nights' B&B now costs from £845pp, including luggage transfers (inntravel.co.uk).
No need to leave your four-legged friend at home with a holiday on the Isle of Wight, now reduced by up to 28 per cent. You'll stay at the Victorian Luccombe Manor Country House Hotel, high above Sandown Bay and within strolling distance of Shanklin Old Village, with its cosy pubs, tearooms and gift shops. Dogs cost an extra £15 per night, with easy walks available on the Sandown Coastal Walk and coastal gorge Shanklin Chine. Five nights' B&B costs from £335pp, including ferry crossing and one dinner (greatlittlebreaks.com).
The kids will have plenty of room to roam at the Wyndham Duchally Country Estate, set in 27 acres of parkland in the Perthshire countryside. It's offering 15 per cent off stays in its two-bedroom lodges between June 21 and September 7. Each one sleeps six and has a fully fitted kitchen, open-plan living area and private terrace for sunny barbecues. The resort also has a heated indoor pool, gym and Monteaths restaurant, where an included breakfast is served each morning. B&B lodges for six start from £232 per night (idiliqhotels.com).
For anyone booking this month, the boutique river cruise line Uniworld is discounting tens of its European voyages by as much as 40 per cent. Reduced by 30 per cent is the August 14 departure of Castles along the Rhine, a sailing from Basel to Amsterdam on the ornate, Versailles-style 'super ship' Antoinette. As well as admiring the impressive Rheinstein and Marksburg fortresses, you'll get to visit historic Cologne and pretty Strasbourg, tour village vineyards and cycle to viewpoints. Seven nights' all-inclusive now starts from £1,999pp, including flights and transfers (uniworld.com).
Also limited to May is a Corsican Places deal in which one child aged 2-16 can fly free of charge with every paying adult. The offer is available on selected villa-based package holidays to the island taken before September 28, including during the school holidays. One standout option is the two-bedroom Casa di Pruno, a rural cottage with a private pool and terrific mountain views near the atmospheric, southern clifftop town of Bonifacio. Seven nights' self-catering for four in August costs from £3,786, including flights and car hire (corsica.co.uk).
Save up to £181 (10 per cent) per person on this escorted group tour of Madeira with Saga, valid until May 18 for specific tours departing up to January 31 if you use the code 'TOP10' at checkout. Based on an August 28 departure, the trip includes seven nights at the five-star Melia Madeira Mare, with its large spa, indoor and outdoor pools and Atlantic Ocean views. The package includes a tour of Funchal by a local guide, entry to the botanical gardens, wine tasting, a full-day island tour and an excursion to Eira do Serrardo and Monte. Seven nights' half-board starts from £1,654pp, including flights, transfers in the UK and in Madeira, five excursions, one lunch, drinks at dinner and travel insurance (holiday.saga.co.uk).
To celebrate the launch of its new Explorer kids' club at Eagles Resort, Halkidiki, in Greece, Scott Dunn is offering 30 per cent off for guests who book by May 31 and travel before October 28. The club provides entertainment, play spaces and evening childcare for children aged between four months and 11 years, giving parents the chance to enjoy the hotel's blue flag-certified beach, water sports, spa and restaurants including a seafront Greek taverna and a shaded bistro. Seven nights' B&B starts from £8,450 for a family of four, including flights, private transfers and two Explorer kids' club places (scottdunn.com).
It's not too late to nab a seafront villa in the Med this summer. Oliver's Travels has just launched its Secret Sale, which runs until May 31, offering discounts across a range of villas for travel until August 31. Villa Timur in Kalkan in Turkey now has a 20 per cent reduction and comes with five modern bedrooms, an outdoor pool with sea views and a large garden with a hammock and alfresco dining area. Kalamar Beach Club is a short stroll away, while Kalkan's cobbled streets, bars and restaurants are a 20-minute walk. Seven nights' self-catering for ten starts from £4,184 (oliverstravels.com).
This small-group tour covers Jordan's headline attractions in the space of a week. That encompasses two full days at the astonishing, rock-carved city of Petra; a guided tour of the superbly preserved Roman city of Jerash; an effortless float in the Dead Sea; time by the Red Sea; and an overnight camp stay in the lunar-like Wadi Rum desert. The June 14 departure costs from £1,195pp, or you could wait for 2026, when savings mean year-round departures cost from £1,085pp. Prices include eight nights' B&B, activities and transport (exodus.co.uk). Fly to Amman.
Far from Koh Lanta's busier beaches, the large Pimalai Resort & Spa is this Thai island's most exclusive base. Set in rainforest above Kantiang Bay's honey-coloured beach, it has excellent restaurants, a cliffside infinity pool and airy villas affording spectacular sea views, while the range of (mostly free) sporting activities spans Muay Thai classes, pickleball and mountain biking. Book by May 31 to save up to £1,900pp for travel before June 30 or in September. Seven nights' B&B begins from £1,299pp, including flights and transfers (tropicalsky.co.uk).
Winter-sun stays at Coin De Mire Attitude on Mauritius's northern tip are part of British Airways and British Airways Holidays' Original Sale, which runs until May 20. Across the road from a white-sand shore, this garden-set resort has a pair of freeform, palm-surrounded pools — one offering aqua polo games, the other more relaxed — alongside two restaurants and a spa. Close by are Grand Baie's bars and the pretty red-roofed chapel in Cap Malheureux. In January, seven nights' B&B costs from £879pp, including flights (britishairways.com).
The extras can add up on a holiday to the Maldives but Seaside Finolhu Baa Atoll Maldives is sweetening the deal for travel until September 30. Guests will receive 20 per cent off all bookings and a complimentary meal upgrade from B&B to half-board, with one child staying and eating for free. One of the Indian Ocean's liveliest resorts, it has a new teen club, an inflatable water adventure park, a VR golf studio, tennis court and arts centre as well as the usual white sand beach. Based on a June 16 departure, seven nights' half-board costs from £9,140 for a family of four, including flights and seaplane transfers (bestattravel.co.uk).
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I've a soft spot for bats and used to love watch them flying around the oak tree in the evening, they've gone."The road crosses the south Wales coalfields, a national park and twists mightily close to people's homes, especially in Merthyr where the final section of roadworks were grows his own fruit and vegetables but after three years of construction work next to his house he said he has had to "restart the garden from scratch" due to the dirt and dust."I'm left picking up the pieces," said the former microbiologist. "It has been extremely stressful for a lot of years." 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"I've lived here for almost 45 years and never had any problems until construction started on the Heads of the Valleys," said the 79-year-old former fish and chip van owner."I had a survey on the house before work started and there were no cracks. Now my house has cracks on outside and inside walls and that's because of vibrations from piling going on outside my house."Daryl said contractors replaced nine window panes as a "goodwill gesture" after they were damaged, but claims he had pay more than £1000 on window frames."The piling lasted for at least six months," said Daryl. "The house used to shake, it was terrible."My great-granddaughter loved going on our trampoline but she wouldn't come here because of the noise from the piling."Now I've got damage throughout the house, it will take a thousands of pounds to repair. I don't want compensation, I just want my house repaired."Compensation payments are currently subject to ongoing discussions between the Welsh government, Future Valleys consortium behind the final £1bn stretch of the road, and individuals affected by the scheme. Almost 70 structures - including more than 40 new bridges and a dozen new junctions - have been built across the upgraded route between Abergavenny in Monmouthshire and Hirwaun in Rhondda Cynon planted 285,000 trees to mitigate its significant environmental impact and creatures including bats, dormice and great crested newts have also been moved."They've rightly considered the effects on the environment and local wildlife and spent money putting that right but not done the same with affected people," said Daryl's daughter Julie."They've spent billions on a road which was much-needed, but not put right the damage they've caused this house - and you're talking thousands of pounds."Mum and dad aren't in great health and this stress doesn't help. I just wonder what those dignitaries opening this road would feel if this happened to their parents." Merthyr councillor Lisa Mytton's ward was split in two when a road bridge over the Heads of the Valleys was knocked down for the road below to be said her phone had been "red hot morning, noon and night" for best part of five years."It has been headache the last few years supporting residents with their concerns," said Mytton."Residents found the disruption really heavy at some points when they were drilling into the rock face and some felt movement in their house so they felt weary and scared."It's a huge relief and boost that it's all done but authorities now need to work together to capitalise on this new road." John and Daryl said they accepted the Heads of the Valleys was to be upgraded and both admit the road will have a positive impact on the south Wales valleys, but want those in power to hear their stories."What I'd say to them is what we have to do is to make sure that valleys communities have the same opportunities as other areas to get quality and skilled jobs locally," said First Minister Eluned Morgan."That's what this road does for us. This is the biggest project in the history of devolution and it's going to open up the valleys communities to new jobs."Now Welsh government will help to develop a vision for valleys communities built around economic development and this road is central to that."Transport secretary Ken Skates said he thanked residents "for their patience during the construction period" and that the Welsh government continued to "work with them to resolve any issues".
