TRAVEL
Home & Away with Robert Walshe Ireland enjoyed a bumper year for tourism with 6.6 million visitors to the country in 2012. A report on the sector showed the number of visitors jumped by more than half a million in the year. The Central Statistics Office said visitors from overseas increased by 7.9pc between 2010 and 2011. And providing a much-needed boost for the economy, the CSO estimated that overseas visitors spent almost €3.6 billion during their trips. The knock-on effect of struggling economies was highlighted with the poor tourism performance from the US market. The CSO report found that visitor numbers from America were down 1.5pc last year, with 10,000 fewer people travelling across the Atlantic to Ireland.
Holiday Hotspot – Raffles Praslin – Seychelles www.raffles.com Named after Sir Stamford Raffles, founder of Singapore, Raffles Hotels & Resorts celebrated its 125th anniversary last month. This award-winning, luxury hotel company has now travelled across the continents offering a mix of cultures and styles with each property telling its own story. Leading the way is Raffles Praslin Seychelles overlooking the sparkling waters of the Curieuse Island National Marine Park on the Indian Ocean. This luxurious all-villa resort with private plunge pools exudes an oasis of sophistication, calm and comfort with outstanding personal service. Each villa comes with 24-hour signature Raffles butler service, outdoor showers and a large terrace for guests
to make the most of the views all within close proximity to the UNESCO World Heritage Site, Vallée de Mai and the beautiful beach of Anse Lazio. Guests are also treated to a spa turndown in their villa with a drawn bath specially prepared by their Raffles butler and an eye care amenity. Facilities at the resort include the first signature Raffles’ branded spa which is inspired from mother-of pearl shell décor reflecting a sense of location as well as a philosophy of transformation. he spa features 13 treatment pavilions, 2 spa suites and relaxing steam showers all with hypnotic views of the Indian Ocean. Guests can choose any of the signature treatments on offer including the “Pure Pearl “option which calms the spirit, opens the heart chakra, stabilises emotions and rejuvenates the skin. For those of you who want more than a lazy day by your villa plunge pool there are many other enriching experiences ranging from wind surfing to snorkeling and deep sea fishing to more relaxed activities such as reading in the library, a quiet game of golf or by taking a trip around the island on a Catamaran. Children, teenagers and toddlers are also well catered for at the Sugar Palm Kids Club with fun and educational activities to engage in. Dining at the Raffles is a memorable affair particularly if you are eager to learn the secrets of Creole cooking with the Head Chef Laurent by joining his private class followed by dinner. You can also taste and enjoy the wonderful flavours at Losean restaurant. Meaning ‘ocean’ in Creole, this open kitchen style space is used for breakfast and dinner featuring contemporary Mediterranean cuisine influenced by the
Pet’s Corner...
n
the beach. Romance on Raffles Praslin
ocean. Afterwards indulge yourself at the Takamaka Rooftop Lounge where you can sample the famous” Raffles Sling “under the stars. Most people who visit come to see Valle- de-Mai a preserved area where coco de mer palms are abundant. UNESCO declared it a World Heritage Site as a result of its importance to nature and holidaymakers journey to this remote part of the Indian Ocean to explore a vast collection of flora and fauna. The one thing that they all wish to catch sight of is the coco de mer – the largest seed on the planet which bears a striking resemblance to parts of the human anatomy. Many of Seychelles’ most renowned beaches are found on Praslin with Anse Lazio the most famous stretch of surf enjoying a prime position in the top 10 list of the world’s most famous tourist beaches. The local people are relaxed and friendly and many people speak the native language as well as English, French, and also Italian and German. The Raffles Hotels & Resorts portfolio offers eight luxurious properties, from secluded resorts to city hotels in key locations around the world: in Singapore, Cambodia, China, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles
and Paris with openings in Istanbul, the Maldives, Indonesia, the Philippines and China scheduled over the next two years. Raffles Resorts on the island of Praslin in the Seychelles has made it into Forbes Travel Guide’s ultimate list of “10 Top Beach Resorts Around the World” – for its exceptional location, unique beachfront and unparalleled service and facilities and having stayed there I can understand why ! www.raffles.com/praslin Emirates Airline operates a Dublin to Dubai daily service departing at lunchtime. Dubai to Seychelles is a double daily service departing at 2.05hrs or 8.25hrs.and was the 52nd route launched by Emirates. Current prices start from €765 (Economy
Too bad most of us can’t treat our spouses the same way. When you come home after a long day at work, your pet will probably meet you at the door, all excited to see you. You’ll have cheery words for him no matter how you feel, and you’ll pat his head and tickle him under the chin before plopping down in your favourite chair. If he decides to sit on your lap, you’ll be happy to let him stay. Now think about it. Did you give your spouse an equally-effusive greeting, or did you grumble about your day and pretty much ignore them? Was your spouse glad you were home, or did they basically ignore your
Takamaka Te
rrace Lounge
Class) inclusive of taxes or €2586 Business Class Fare. Passenger flying First Class can enjoy a very generous baggage allowance of 50kg, In Business Class, its 40kg and in Economy, a healthy 30 kg. The airline’s chauffeurdrive service is available to both First and Business Class passengers across the island of Ireland. All of Emirates’ customers can enjoy in-flight telephones, SMS and email and children’s activity packs. Highly trained cabin crews from across the globe, including Irish nationals are on hand to serve gourmet chef prepared meals. www. emirates.com For all travel related information to the
truly wonderful Seychelles visit www.seychelles.travel
Weekly Best Buy Book now for a Dublin Theatre Festival special treat to see one of three plays by Tom Murphy in the Gate between October 2nd and 13th, with an overnight at the Westbury Hotel, dinner, tickets and breakfast from €299 for two. www.doylecollection.com Robert Walshe is a freelance contributor / broadcaster and Travel Editor for River Media newspaper titles across the island of Ireland. www.robertwalshe. com
Home and Away Extra Istanbul is now regarded as one of Europe’s top city-break destinations with more than 8 million visitors annually, taking its spot among the world’s 10 most-visited cities. The beautiful Turkish city, the only city in the world to straddle two continents and this year’s European Capital for Sports, beat out New York, Paris and Hong Kong, amongst others, to claim the top spot. Istanbul recently ranked 4th best destination in Europe and 7th best destination in the world, in the Trip Advisor 2012 Choice
with Kathleen Murray
Pet versus Partner
Pet owners operate on the misconception that their animals are undemanding creatures that always love them no matter what they do. They tell themselves this myth, because they love their pets. In reality, though, pets are extremely demanding of time, attention, and regular mealtimes. Not only do they require a lot of care, but they also pull tricks like peeing on your carpet, grabbing food from your kitchen counters, and puking on the couch. No matter, however. You still love them and find plenty of redeeming qualities that overshadow their bad traits.
n Raffles Praslin
Living
arrival? Isn’t it too bad that your marriage doesn’t require the efforts your pet does? At times your pet may do something that makes you hopping mad. However, you never carry a grudge, and even if you curse at him, your pet doesn’t know what you’re saying. In fact, a minute later the two of you will probably be great friends again. Yet if it were your spouse who did something to make you so angry, you’d possibly become verbally abusive, storm out of the house, sleep in a different bedroom, and generally be unresponsive even to apologetic overtures. It’s no wonder that so many
marriages fall apart when we don’t even treat them as well as we do our animals. Now is the time to take a few lessons from your relationship with your pet and apply them to your marriage. Accept the fact that your spouse is going to do something to annoy you every so often, just like your pet does, and try not to issue the abusive words that are going to put a deeper chasm between the two of you. Words, once spoken, can be forgiven but seldom forgotten. Overall, you want to treat your spouse, and your pet, the way you would like to have them treat you.
Destination Awards. also won the top spot at the Food and Travel Reader Awards. Its easy to experience the wonder of Turkey’s largest city for yourself - Turkish Airlines have just released great new offers from Dublin to Istanbul from only €179pp. Price includes: Return flights ex. Dublin to Istanbul, all taxes and charges. Offer valid until 30th November 2012. Travel between 1st November 2012 - 30th April 2013. Minimum stay 3 nights, maximum stay 1 month. www. turkishairlines.com.