Throughout December we're having a look back at some of our favourite trips from 2016 - just last month Darren visited Kenya and was blown away by the wildlife of this magical destination. But he found a lot more besides, with beautiful landscapes, fabulous beaches along the coast, superb places to stay and he even managed a lively night out in vibrant Nairobi!   On Safari in Kenya Over the last few weeks I've been completely enthralled by David Attenborough's 'Planet Earth II' series, and while I wouldn't class myself as a wildlife buff I get very excited on safari. In November I spent four nights on safari and four nights on the beach, which is the ideal mix for part-time Attenborough's like me! On this trip I flew by light aircraft from Nairobi to the Masai Mara - I've been to Kenya a few times before and on my last visit I had a 4x4 vehicle to take in three different areas of the country, starting in Samburu in the north of Kenya before headi...

We're having a look back on some of our favourite trips from 2016 - it's been a busy year at Escape Worldwide and the team have been criss-crossing the globe from Sydney to Havana, Tokyo to Nairobi. Karen visited Malaysia and Bali in September, taking in vibrant Kuala Lumpur, Bali's various beach resorts including Nusa Dua, Seminyak, Legian and Sanur, and the relaxed mountain hideaway of Ubud. Here's a quick look at her highlights . . . Kuala Lumpur ​ Kuala Lumpur is one of my favourite Far East cities - it has such a buzz, there's loads to see and do, great quality hotels and some of the best food in Asia! I stayed at the Hotel Istana which is in a perfect location closed to the lively Bukit Bintang area of the city (think Oxford Street), and with one of my favourite streets a close walk away - Jalan Alor, which is packed with dozens of stalls each selling a local delicacy - delicious! I spent a day exploring the city using the local hop-on hop-o...

Kenya is such an amazing destination and the migration is simply breathe taking! Darren was on safari in Kenya recently and was lucky enough to experience the simply amazing migration crossing the Mara River. We have some great safari options to Kenya -  http://www.escapeworldwide.co.uk/safari/kenya_holidays.html Escape Worldwide - Home of Long Haul Holidays http://www.escapeworldwide.co.uk

View from a houseboat Mark was on on a recent trip to Kerala in India. Mark spent  the night on a stunning houseboat, cruising around the backwaters of Kerala. Escape Worldwide - Home of Long Haul Holidays  http://www.escapeworldwide.co.uk

Mark is a great fan of Mombasa in Kenya and on his recent visit he did a bit of shopping: Whenever I travel overseas I always bring back a few knickknack souvenirs, despite the fact I have a house full of the stuff anyway – wooden carvings, paintings, spice boxes and the like. When I go to Mombasa, though, I buy stuff more for fun of the bartering than the goods themselves. On this trip I’d set myself a mission – I wanted a small plate to use as a spoon tray in the kitchen at home, and under no circumstances was I to buy any form of wooden carving – and definitely not an animal of any nature. Bartering for souvenirs on the beaches of Mombasa can be quite an intimidating process if you’re not expecting it – lots of sellers shouting random prices to you faster than you can work out the Sterling equivalent. On past trips I’d also been asked for pens and socks as these items are harder to get hold of in Kenya, so on this occasion I’d come prepared. Armed with my previous experi...

OK, the Pandas are a must see and there’s no better place than Chengdu, however Darren found Chengdu to have so much more to offer. I loved Chengdu and like most cities in China it’s busy and bustling with so much going on, however I found the place to have a whole charm of it’s own. The people are fun and friends and of a night the place becomes alive. A must visit is the Chinese Opera. The Shu Feng Ya Yun Sichuan Opera is an amazing mix of the old and the new. Wonderful traditional Sichuan Opera costumes, stories, mask changing which was pretty mesmerising, fire breathing and puppetry are mixed with laser and multimedia effects. It’s easy to prebook, or book locally with your tour guide or at the hotel and with tickets starting from around £20 per person its great value for money. After the show head to the beautiful Anshun Lang Bridge (just by the Shangri La Hotel) which is beautifully lit creating a mystical reflection on the river. Just across the Jin River...

Bangkok, Siem Reap and Hua Hin  A superb three-centre itinerary combining cities, history and relaxation, taking in vibrant Bangkok, the incredible Temples of Angkor in Cambodia, and relaxing Hua Hin to finish. This is one of our favourite holidays at Escape Worldwide. Mark has been to all three destinations to feel free to give him a call! ITINERARY Day 1 - UK to Bangkok Fly from Heathrow to Bangkok, arriving the following day. Departures from other UK airports are also available, please ask for details. Day 2 - Bangkok On arrival, you’ll be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel, the handily located Park Plaza Bangkok Soi 18 for a three night stay. Our holidays to Thailand are extremely flexible so if you’d prefer a shorter or longer stay just ask! Days 3-4 - Bangkok Spend the next few days exploring chaotic Bangkok . Check out the temples, markets, restaurants and nightlife of this wonderful city. Day 5 - Bangkok to Siem Reap Transfer back to ...

Mark, one of our Japan rail fans, gives his suggestions of how to spend his time on a trip to Osaka, Kyoto and Tokyo – feel free to speak to Mark to discuss your own travel plans. “With two nights in Osaka, three nights in Kyoto and three nights in Tokyo and a rail pass included, this is how I’d spend my time in Japan! Day 1 – UK to Osaka Fly from Heathrow to Osaka Kansai Airport, arriving next day. Departures from Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow and other UK airports are also available. Day 2 – Osaka On arrival in to Kansai airport, I would head straight for the Japan Railways (JR) Ticket Office, located just outside the main terminal building, in the station complex. Here, you can collect your JR Pass for your week’s train travel around Japan – don’t actually activate the Pass today, the helpful staff will arrange this to happen on day 4 as you will make the most of the 7 days this way (there’s no need to extend to a 14 day pass!) You’ll also be able to make seat reservation...

It’s been a crazy year of travel already this year for the Escape Worldwide team. The team has been far and wide looking at hotels, resorts, cities, checking out the beaches and of course testing the local beers! So far this year we have been to: ·          Sydney and most of New South Wales ·          Jamaica ·          Japan (Osaka, Tokyo, Hiroshima and Kyoto by bullet train) ·           Cuba (Havana, Vinales Valley, Santa Clara, Trinidad, Ceinfuegos, Remedios and Varadero) ·          Abu Dhabi ·          Ras Al Khaimah ·          Dubai ·          Orlando All this before June, so what’s next for the rest of the year, well th...

South Africa is an amazing destination offering everything from wildlife, stunning scenery and amazing food and fine wines! We can offer plenty of holiday options and one of our favourite is combining vibrant Cape Town with the sheer beauty of the Garden Route and the thrill of safari in the Eastern Cape - one of the most popular South Africa fly-drive itineraries, taking in the best of the Rainbow Nation. SUGGESTED ITINERARY Day 1 - UK to Cape Town Fly from London to Cape Town, arriving next day. Days 2-4 - Cape Town On arrival you'll be transferred to to your chosen hotel, for a three night stay - we have a range to choose from, and your length of stay in Cape Town is flexible. Spend the next few days exploring Cape Town . Perhaps pre-book a Discover Cape Town City Tour (from £23 per person) - a great introduction to this spectacular city, the Cape Town City Tour provides the perfect opportunity to sample some of its attractions and get your bearings. We generally...

Off the radar for a while, the stunning beach destination of Mombasa , Kenya is back. The Kenya Coast has some really fantastic beaches and a good range of hotels. Historic Mombasa city is on an island, with plenty of interest while the beaches extend to the North and South of the city. The North Coast is the more developed of the two, with more facilities outside of the hotels, and more visitors - if you’re looking for activities, it’s ideal. The South Coast is less developed, and is perfect for a more relaxing holiday with Diani Beach regularly being voted the best beach in Africa - beaches here are wider and whiter, and hotels here tend to be a little more spacious. North of Mombasa, the beaches of Watamu and Malindi are an excellent place to unwind, with coral reefs and more of a village feel. It’s easy to do a short safari from Mombasa and popular one is the 2 night ‘Tsavo Explorer’ excursion which includes one night in TsavoEast National Park...

Classic USA road-trip country, Death Valley National Park is harsh and barren yet full of natural beauty and stunning vistas, with the lowest point in the US along with the highest temperatures ever recorded. Furnace Creek is at the heart of the park, with points such as Zabriskie Point and Mosaic Canyon offering spectacular scenery. As you head north from Death Valley the altitude increases and the temperatures drop, heading towards the massive Sierra Nevada mountains. To the south, the Mojave National Preserve is the epitome of ‘middle of nowhere’, dotted with Joshua trees, volcanic cones and desert wildlife. This region of the USA offers diverse landscapes and stunning scenery - beware of seriously high temperatures in the summer, but for a few days of open spaces and desert scenery, include Death Valley in to your driving itinerary. Escape Worldwide - Home of Long Haul Holidays  http://www.escapeworldwide.co.uk

Escape Worldwide - Home of Long Haul Holidays http://www.escapeworldwide.co.uk

A holiday to a great way to relax and spend time with the ones you love or great friends, however, it doesn’t always follow that your loved ones and friends are in the UK! Escape Worldwide can offer holiday packages starting from all over the globe, just the other day Christine arranged an amazing holiday to Bangkok and Phuket in Thailand, for two sisters. One sister and her family lived in the UK and the other sister and her family lived in Auckland,  New Zealand, so we arranged a holiday where they all meet up in Bangkok, then onto Phuket before going  home to their respective countries.  All flights, transfers and accommodation arranged for them. The lady was so happy as the sisters and their families hadn’t seen each other for 10 years and Thailand was a perfect location for them to meet up. The world is smaller than ever so feel free to give us a call, 020 8989 0970 or email us at info@escapeworldwide.co.uk if you would like us to help you ...

Escape Worldwide - Home of Long Haul Holidays http://www.escapeworldwide.co.uk

Mark, one of our Japan rail fans, gives his suggestions of how to spend 12 nights in Kyoto, Hiroshima, Osaka and Tokyo – feel free to speak to Mark to discuss your own travel plans. “With three nights in Kyoto, two nights in Hiroshima and three nights in Tokyo with a rail pass included, this is how I’d spend my time in Japan! Day 1 – UK to Kyoto Fly from Heathrow to Osaka Kansai Airport, arriving next day. Departures from Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow and other UK airports are also available. Day 2 – Kyoto On arrival in to Kansai airport, I would head straight for the Japan Railways (JR) Ticket Office, located just outside the main terminal building, in the station complex. Here, you can collect your JR Pass for your week’s train travel around Japan – don’t actually activate the Pass today, the helpful staff will arrange this to happen on day 4 as you will make the most of the 7 days this way (there’s no need to extend to a 14 day pass!) You’ll also be able to make s...

Karen and Christine was in Thailand in 2015 and whilst in Bangkok they went on a tour with a bit of a difference: On my recent visit to Thailand with Karen we sampled the Tuk Tuk Experience excursion in Bangkok . This was a really fun way of travelling around and as our guide was in the Tuk Tuk with us she pointed out different places of interest that we could go back to at a later date if we wanted to. After meeting at the hotel and introducing ourselves to other people doing the excursion as well we headed off to our first destination, Wat Saket (the Golden Mount). You ascend up the outside of this and upon reaching the top the views over Bangkok are amazing. Your guide will inform you of what you are looking out at and also all the history. You then descend and get back in your Tuk Tuk to your next destination. The next place we stopped was Wat Po. Here you will be able to see the reclining Buddha. Your guide will tell you all the history of this temple like this is t...