Holiday bookings rise with water levels following wettest April in 100 years

Which islands to visit? What kind of ship to choose? Douglas Ward, author of the Insight Guide to Caribbean Cruises, rounds up who goes where and what’s on offer to help you decide what suits you best

CD-Traveller tells you what’s hot and what’s not in the travel world. This month, Spain and skiing holidays both get a big thumbs up, but readers are advised to think twice before booking a bungee jump in Zambia or getting a tattoo in Bali

The signs are unmistakable. It’s wet, windy and dark at four o clock so it must be time to head abroad and bask in some winter sun. If the daily grind is getting you down and you need to recharge your batteries in a tropical paradise, may we suggest Barbados?

More than 371,00 immigrants who were admitted to Britain, claimed state benefits in the UK last year, according to official figures compiled by the government for the very first time.

Unless you have spent the past year living on another planet, you’ll know that times are tough and money is tight. Happily, however, you can still get some winter sun without having to remortage your house.

The Travel Channel’s Sarah Cawood on staycations, the Scottish highlands and why she loves lying on a beach

More and more of us are taking to the water for our holiday: the number of UK passengers cruising this year is expected to rise by another eight per cent to a record, 1.77 million. But cruises aren’t all about the Caribbean, cheesy cabaret, crystal chandeliers and casinos. If you’re after an adventure, why not consider an Arctic cruise?

Its business as usual on Necker Island – Sir Richard Branson’s privately owned island.

CD Traveller speaks to Greg Norman – golf’s most successful off course businessman – about his quintet of quality courses in the Caribbean

CD Traveller speaks to Greg Norman – golf’s most successful off course businessman – about his quintet of quality courses in the Caribbean

CD Traveller speaks to Sean Simms – the man credited with creating some of the Caribbean’s lushest landscapes

Craving surf, sand and sun? The Caribbean has it covered. However consisting as it does of over 7,000 islands and islets, attempting to pick the best beach can present something of a challenge. Fortunately we’ve done the leg work for you and selected 10 top spots; those who get trapped in front of their computers at home only have themselves to blame

Insider tips about the Caribbean’s most exciting island from the people who really know – those that live there

Last November there was a further increase in the Air Passenger Duty (APD) we UK based flyers pay. Next November it will go up yet again. In Ireland a similar tax is blamed by Ryanair for a substantial fall in the number of people visiting there and its decision to maintain quite so many planes at Dublin. It has concerned some countries that their tourism is being affected so the Netherlands has abolished the tax.
The UK is one of the most heavily taxed, if not the most heavily one for airline flights. But it doesn’t only hit people in the UK. Because of the high cost, overseas countries that rely on tourism for substantial national income are worried we won’t travel there.

In the first of a new series, CD-Traveller spoke to Bob Schumacher, Senior Director UK and Ireland at Continental Airlines – who recently unveiled its new fully flat-bed Business First seat – about the three C’s in his life: Canada, cruising and, of course, Continental Airlines

Looking to explore and enjoy the Caribbean away from the cruise crowd and clamouring package tourists? A charter yacht could be the way to go!

When it comes to holidays there are two types of traveller: those who know exactly what they want from their holiday – how to secure their favourite room in their favourite resort and where they’ll be dining on day three. Then there are those who seek excitement and new experiences far away from the madding crowd.