ES 02 20-JAN-09 HO FB (Page 2)

2 TRAVEL
Express & Star, Tuesday, January 20, 2009
TravelWEEK
Get on board for
Euro highlights
A luxury cruise
around the
Mediterrean is just
one of the holidays
featured this
week – as well as
breaks for the
more budget
conscious
holidaymaker
The Lamantin Beach Hotel has a superb swmming pool set amid traditional African gardens
Colourful Senegal a
new paradise found
Travel Editor Jim Walsh
IN this week’s Travel Week we holiday near and far,
in the UK taking a stately home break at Thorsley
Hall, as well as sampling some unusual city breaks.
We also listen in on Berlin’s music culture, skip around
little-known Senegal, as well as taking a “brilliant” cruise on
the majestic Brillliance of the Seas.
And to help you get away this year, we’ve also got a fantastic holiday offer, with Haven family breaks yours for the
taking from just £99.
The move away from UK holidaymakers piecing
together their own package holidays – buying flights,
accommodation and other parts of the break separately –
looks to be under way already following the recent collapse
of travel operators and airlines.
Figures from Hitwise, a division of Experian, suggest that
the beginning of this month saw a 42 per cent plunge in the
number of web searches for flights by UK internet users,
compared with the same week in 2008. The survey also
claims traffic to travel websites also dropped, by 16 per
cent, in the same period.
Robin Goad, of Experian, says: “There’s always a big
spike in traffic after Christmas, and there was a big spike in
the week after Christmas. But year on year there is a significant drop in the number of searches for flights.”
The Hitwise figures suggest the pattern of internet
enquiries is closely affected by currency movements with
searches for flights to places as diverse as Norway and
Brazil – where sterling has remained relatively strong –
rising sharply.
In contrast, searches for Eurozone countries slumped by
more than 40 per cent, because Brits are facing a huge
drop in spending power in places like France, Spain, Portugal and Italy.
But, understandably, travel websites don’t agree, saying
that meaningful comparisons must wait until the end of the
month.
Paradise on earth – Le Royal Lodge sits on the outskirts of the Saloum Delta National Park
Andy
Richardson
takes a walk on the
wildside in Senegal
Le Ponton bar at Hotel Espadon is reached by a jetty
S
ENEGAL – is it in Italy?
One friend asked me
before I headed out to discover the delights of the
West African country.
French speaking Senegal has
remained relatively untouched and
unknown to the British holidaymaker who has travelled to nearby
Gambia over years gone by to
experience the delights of an
African beach holiday.
A beach at the resort of Saly, one of many private stretches
But the status quo is set to change as
travel company Serenity Holidays has
decided to add the destination to its
brochure as part of its Senegal experience.
I was given the opportunity to discover for myself the delights of the
country with a group of journalists and I
wasn’t to be left disappointed during a
breathtaking five-day tour.
Initially flying out to Brussels from
Birmingham International Airport with
Brussels Airlines, we then changed
flights to board our journey to the city of
Dakar.
The journey from Dakar to the holiday
resort of Saly where we were staying for
our first night was quite a surreal and
memorable experience as our coach hit
the rush hour.
I have never enjoyed being stuck in
traffic so much as I watched the multicoloured buses and camper vans with
people hanging off the back and goats
strapped to the top of the vehicles make
their way out of Dakar. Everywhere you
looked there was another surreal
moment from African life.
Colourful
Our first stop was the five star Lamantin Beach Hotel. After a wonderful
welcome by the staff we were shown to
our accommodation which was a traditional African style two-storey bungalow
situated amongst colourful, manicured
gardens.
The rooms are fully air conditioned,
and are large, bright and airy and each
has its own terrace.
There is a superb pool which you can
enjoy during the day or sample the
delights of the hotel’s own private
beach. I thought I had discovered paradise. Little was I to know the best was
yet to come.
Having secured a good night‚s sleep
in my luxurious bungalow the following
morning we embarked on our first activity of the trip – an adrenalin pumping off
road buggy adventure.
It was a thrilling off-road drive through
the bush where we were greeted by the
friendly villagers along the way.
Our oasis at the end of the tour adventure was a beach bar which served a
delicious chicken, rice and soup dinner.
After a quick game of football on the
beach we were back in our buggies for
another adventure across the bush.
At night we went to one of the Saly
nightspots to enjoy drinks with the
locals and to dance the night away.
When I didn’t think things could get
much better the following day, we were
taken to the Bandia Nature Reserve for
a tour of the wildlife park.
Senegal suffered a huge drought
during the 1970s which drove many of
the animals such as big cats, giraffe and
antelope out of the country.
Now environmentalists are introducing some of the animals back into
Senegal from other African countries.
During our fascinating adventure in
the national park we saw rhinoceros,
zebra, giraffes, ostrich, antelopes and
Get ready to be bombarded by sellers – there are plenty of bargains though
Giraffes in the Bandia Nature Reserve
Women on the beach at Tama Lodge
crocodiles. Then we enjoyed a splendid
On arrival you are whisked away in a
lunch at Tama Lodge hotel, with its buggy to be taken to your room.
superb fish dishes. We then headed off
Now when I say room I should really
to our next hotel – the four-star Espadon say house. This is no ordinary room.
close to the heart of Saly.
Relax in the suite’s jacuzzi before
Hotel Espadon is simply fantastic. enjoying a drink on your own private
The rooms are arranged in a cluster of terrace.
two-storey, traditional style bungalows,
Each suite has a large bedroom with
nestled among the palm trees. Once a bed fit for a king and its own separate
again the hotel has its own sandy beach lounge.
and the eye-catching Le Ponton bar
Your suite is only yards from a gloriwhich is reached to by a jetty.
ous beach. Back in the main hotel you
The hotel even has its own pet pelican can take a dip in the magnificent pool
called Popsi which flew in to the bay 10 and swim up to the Pelican cocktail bar
years ago and liked it so much it stayed for a couple of afternoon beverages.
walking to the poolside bar at night to
With great reluctance we left Le Royal
sleep.
Lodge the following day which was also
The following day we sampled some sadly to be our final day.
of the local culture and headed to Sine
We headed back to Dakar where we
Saloum and to the market Ndiagnio.
sailed over to the historic and infamous
There we bought rice, soap, books Goree Island which is a former slave
and stationery then headed to Gour trading port and is certainly a must visit
Village to distribute them to the vil- for any visitor to Senegal.
lagers. Although I had enjoyed fantastic
On arrival you are bombarded by
activities during my trip, handing gifts to street sellers trying to sell anything from
villagers and seeing the joy on their jewellery to animal carvings.
faces ranked on an equal par.
The sellers can be aggressive at
We enjoyed lunch at Souimanga times but if you are after a souvenir to
Lodge before heading off to our next take home you can certainly get a
destination. All along the journey what bargain if you are prepared to barter.
struck me was the country‚s vast richCatching the ferry back to Dakar, it
ness of scenery from fabulous beaches was with a heavy heart that I said a final
to coastal lagoons and waterways farewell to Senegal.
which provide a rich array of wildlife.
We then drove on to the five-star
Le Royal Lodge for our final night.
Now when I was told they were
saving the best to last they
ExpeAndy travelled with The Senegal sels
wasn‚t joking.
rience which offer flights with Brus
Le Royal Lodge is simply
tact
Airlines from Birmingham. Con
paradise on earth if you want
.co.uk
0845 338 8706 or www.senegal on,
to impress that special
Prices start from £699 per pers d at
someone this is the hotel to visit.
based on seven nights half-boardes
The hotel is nestled on the outHotel Royam in Saly and inclu s.
skirts of the Saloum Delta National
return flights, transfers and taxe
Park.
Fact BOX