JOAN SCALESanswers your travel questions
Q A week after our own small marriage ceremony we will be travelling to northern Spain to a friend’s wedding. We’re thinking of the trip as a mini honeymoon, as we have a longer trip to Cuba planned. The wedding takes place near Girona, and we are planning on spending several days before and after in the area. We have already been to Barcelona a number of times and would like to visit some other places. We intend to hire a camper van and travel around the region, stopping at campsites as we move. I’m hoping you may be able to advise us on the prices we can expect to pay for the hire of the vehicle and campsite parking charges and on places of interest that we could incorporate into our trip. AK, Dublin
A motorhome tour would be the perfect way to explore northeast Spain. Expect to pay in €90-€140 per day, depending on size of vehicle and the hire company. You could consider booking through www.caravaneuropa.com, www.mcrent.de, www.motorhome-rental-spain. com, www.campervanrent. co.uk. You may have to pick up in Barcelona to get a good rate.
A good website that lists hundreds of campsites in Spain, with details of location and charges, is www.fedcamping. com. It will give you a good idea of what to expect and how much pitches will cost, which varies by location and services.
Around Girona you have the Costa Brava and the Costa Dorada to explore, with their beautiful beaches, or you can drive inland to Tarragona, Lerida or the Pyrenees.
If you are interested in art, the stunning Salvador Dali museum at Figueres is worth a visit.
Q We are thinking of going to Mexico on our honeymoon from mid- September this year for three weeks. We want to combine relaxation with adventure and exploring but not too much travelling. Could you advise on the best options for this, given the time of year? EM, Dublin
Because Mexico is such a large country, you have a multitude of options. You could do something different every day for a month. The Riviera Maya, close to Cancún, is a good base, with fabulous beaches on which to relax and unwind.
There is history and culture in the ancient Mayan city of Chichen Itza, featuring the El Castillo temple, named as one of the new seven wonders of the world in 2007. The Spanish colonial cities of Merida and Campeche can be visited on day trips.
The Riviera Maya, which also has the world’s second-longest barrier reef, is perfect for water sports. When you get fed up lying on the beach, you can also go hiking or horse-riding.
If you are looking for a second country to visit, it is quite easy to combine Mexico with Florida and New York, and Havana, in Cuba, is only an hour’s flight away. Caribbean Collection (021-4635556, www.caribbeancollection.ie) organises holidays to Mexico and is a honeymoon specialist.
Q We are trying to decide on a honeymoon destination. We get married this May and would love to go somewhere for about two weeks, the first week relaxing and winding down and the second doing water activities or sports.
It was suggested that Mauritius would be an ideal spot and that it has great all-inclusive packages. We are getting married in Co Down, so will be flying out of Belfast. With the current financial climate the financial aspect has to be considered: it can’t all be romance! SK, Laois
Mauritius is a fabulous destination for a honeymoon, with both the relaxing atmosphere and adventurous activities you are looking for. I asked Oasis Travel in Lisburn, which specialises in honeymoons, to come up with some suggestions. It says you could travel to Mauritius for 14-nights all-inclusive at the Heritage Golf Spa Resort, which has water sports close by, flying from Belfast via London with British Airways for £2,675pps (about €2,860).
One point to keep in mind is that, although the weather will be warm, there are fewer hours of sunshine in Mauritius in May than at other times of the year.
There is also the option of splitting your holiday in two, to enable you to experience the best of both worlds. A two-centre holiday to Dubai and Mauritius, flying from Belfast via London for three nights’ bed and breakfast at the Hilton Dubai Jumeirah Beach, followed by 10 nights all-inclusive at the Heritage in Mauritius, costs £2,799pps (about €2,990).
Cruising has also become a very popular honeymoon choice; you could combine it with a land-based holiday by flying from Belfast via Newark to Orlando for a seven-night western Caribbean cruise, then flying on to Mexico for seven nights all-inclusive at Dreams Cancún for some great beach and ocean activities, all from £2,459pps (about €2,630). It should tick all the boxes for a perfect honeymoon.
See www.oasis-travel.co.uk or call Yvonne Watson 048-92604455.
E-mail questions, with your name and address, to jscales@irishtimes.com