May 21, 2004 -- We've been overrun with all sorts of travel deals to Europe in recent weeks as you can see from the length of our European Deals Index at www.frommers.com/book_a_trip/deal_europe. That's all well and good, of course, but we don't want to overlook some outstanding offers currently available for parts of Asia. Let's get down to it.
Singapore and Tokyo
Asian Affair Holidays, affiliated with Singapore Airlines, has some of the best packages around for short trips. A good introduction to Japan could be had with their "Japan Holiday/Tokyo Hilton" deal, starting at just $799 before taxes and security fees. The combo includes roundtrip economy airfare from Los Angeles, roundtrip airport/hotel transfers, and five nights at the Tokyo Hilton, plus a half-day city tour. This is available from now through March 31, 2005, and, of course, departures are available from most major cities in the U.S. at additional cost. This basic price works out to about $160 per night.
Slightly more expensive on a per-day basis is the firm's "Singapore Value" package, costing from $699 for four nights in that tiny city state (about $175 per night). Included are roundtrip airfare on Singapore Airlines, roundtrip airport/hotel transfers, four nights in the South Tower of the five-star Meritus Mandarin Singapore or Marina Mandarin, full American breakfast daily, free admission to the Chinatown Heritage Center and a bumboat trip for the Singapore River Experience. You can add on trips to Bangkok (three nights, $300), Lombok Island (three nights, $300) or Krabi in the remote Andamans (three nights, $380), for instance.
Contact Asian Affair Holidays at www.asianaffairholidays.com or phone 800/742-3133.
Hong Kong & Beijing
Ritz Tours, long an expert on China, will take you to "Hong Kong in a Week" beginning at just $899 per person, valid for travel now through December 2004. Included are roundtrip air from San Francisco or Los Angeles on Cathay Pacific, five nights at the luxurious Hyatt Regency Hotel or Kowloon Hotel, daily American buffet breakfast, roundtrip airport transfers, and a half-day sightseeing tour to Hong Kong Island, featuring Repulse Bay, Aberdeen's Floating Community and Victoria Peak. The same package out of New York starts at $100 more. Add-on fares are available for departures from many cities in North America, starting at $100, depending on gateway chosen. The basic package cost works out to about $180 per night.
You can add on a three-night tour to Beijing at prices beginning at only $220 per person, including domestic air to the Chinese capital, three nights at the five-star New Otani Hotel, daily American buffet breakfast, roundtrip airport transfers, a full-day excursion to the Great Wall and Ming Tombs including lunch, and a full day Beijing tour, including lunch and visits to the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, the Summer Palace and the Temple of Heaven. This is a tremendous bargain by any definition.
Contact Ritz Tours at www.ritztours.com or by phone at 800/900-2446 or 626/289-7777.
Celebratory Packages: Shopping and New Year's
This duty-free port city is a shopper's paradise, and from June 26-August 31, you can join in the Hong Kong Shopping Festival. The tourism board (www.discoverhongkong.com/usa) and travel providers have assembled several air/hotel packages to get you there.
Pacific Delights is selling an eight-day/six-night combo starting from $1,505 that includes roundtrip air on United out of Los Angeles, New York City, San Francisco and Seattle; a room at the Marco Polo Gateway; daily breakfasts; tours of the island, harbor and factory outlets, discount cards, passes and more. For more details and booking, go online to www.pacificdelighttours.com or call 800/221-7179.
We always advise readers to plan well ahead for travel over holiday periods, so don't be surprised that we're telling you now to plan for Chinese New Year's for 2005. The biggest celebration in Hong Kong, the Chinese New Year Festival will take place next February, when Pleasant Holidays has an eight-day/six-night package departing February 4, 5, 6 or 7, with a lot of extras tucked inside. Prices begin at $1,088 per person staying at the Kowloon Hotel, with roundtrip airfare from Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle or New York City aboard United Airlines.
Included in the package are the six nights of lodging, six full buffet breakfasts, roundtrip airport/hotel transfers (with meet & greet service), a half-day island tour (with Peak tram and sampan ride) or half-day Kowloon & New Territories tour, special VIP bleacher seats for the parade, a museum pass, a welcome kit (city map, attraction & shopping information), a "memento" for each female participant, flight insurance, baggage handling, all service charges and hotel taxes, and services of a local host.
If you book your trip before October 31, 2004, you get a free upgrade to harbor view accommodations when you reserve for the Marco Polo, Sheraton, Kowloon Shangri-La, Mandarin Oriental or InterContinental hotels. Prices are based on double occupancy and add-on airfares are available from many other major North American cities.
Contact Pleasant Holidays at www.pleasantholidays.com or by phoning 800/448-3333.
