metro extralife OutofOfficeToadvertise call(01)6375979 Great Flight + Hotel Deals to New York, Las Vegas and European Cities visit us at www.travelpaths.ie or call us on 01 514 3070 W e a r e f u l l y b o n d e d a n d l i c e n c e d Check us out now for the cheapest flights to the USA, Thailand, South Africa and more jamesvillas.ie 1890 943 916jamesvillas.ie 1890 943 916 Order your 2010 brochure now *Visit jamesvillas.ie for Terms & Conditions FREE Car hire FREETravel insurance FREEWelcome pack OFFERENDS 31JAN2010* SAVEUPTO 45% OFF brochureprice! Visit topflight.ie or your travel agent 2-Day January Ski Sale Italy:Livigno&PassoTonale SAVEUPTO 45% OFF brochureprice! SAVEUPTO 45% OFF brochureprice! Subject to availability Must end 6pm Friday 8th Jan. STARTS 9AM TODAY! 01 240 1769 Lic.No.TO074 Wake up to a great price Stay over at D4hotels.ie right in the heart of Dublin from just 20.10 per room per night. Visit www.d4hotels.ie for booking & more details *100 rooms a night available in the Ballsbridge Inn, Sun Tues, during Jan & Feb 2010 PERROOMPERNIGHT* DUBLIN FROM ANDORRA SKI/SNOWBOARD HOLIDAYS Prices based on maximum occupancy. Subject to availability. To book pop into your local Travel Agent, call 0818 200 200 or visit www.panoramaholidays.ie/ski 24th Jan from just 345 31st Jan from just 365 7th Feb from just 245 21st Feb from just 319 28th Feb from just 339 Holiday on the cheep Winter sun: Tenerife is not just about trashy bars the islands new nature attraction is making a lot of noise BY VICKI-MARIE COSSAR TRAVEL DEALS OF THE WEEK Las Vegas Details: Four nights in a four-star hotel in January, February and March Price: 580 per person, including flights Contact: www.travelpaths.ie Tel: (01) 514 3070 South Africa Details: Five nights at five-star Views Boutique Hotel & Spa, includes return flights, daily breakfast. Departs April 1 to May 27.Price: 949 per person Dominican Republic Details: Seven nights at the five-star Zoetry Agua Punta Cana, includes flights and transfers, food and drink, plus helicopter transfer from hotel to airport. 30 per cent discount on accommodation. Departs May 1 to July 1. Price: 1,659 per person Maldives Details: Seven nights at four-star Centara Grand Island Resort & Spa, includes return flights and transfers, food and drink and two free nights Price: 2,169 per person Contact: www.trailfinders.ie Tel: (01) 881 4994 Lanzarote Details: Seven nights at the three-star Slub Sirocco Apartments in Costa Teguise, departing January 30. Price: 289 per person Contact: www. directholidays.ie. Tel: 0818 200 110 Details: Seven nights at the four-star Beatriz Playa in Matagorda, departing January 30, departing from Dublin or Cork. Price: 479 per person Contact: www.sunworld.ie Tel: 0818 200 400 I first visited Tenerife when timeshares were rife and karaoke a new experience. So when I was invited to check out a wildlife park in the relatively chilled north, I was more than happy to go back and see if an authentic experience is still possible at what is often deemed just a sun and sand destination. Loro Parque in the popular Puerto de la Cruz opened in 1972 with just a small collection of parrots. Today it is a zoo, aquarium, theme park and education facility. I am here to see their newest addition, a free-flight aviary that is home to an extremely noisy collection of cockatoos, kookaburras, pheasants, thrushes, fruit doves and parrots. The 27m-high structure is set in lush tropical vegetation and the network of treetop walks and hanging bridges allows me to encounter some of the 120 tropical birds in their natural habitat. Although I enjoy hanging out with my new squawking feathered friends, they do hit the same volume levels as the Paris Opera House (the park actually measured it) so it was a relief to spend time with the rare white and reasonably quiet Bengal tiger. The seven male gorillas, living a truly bachelor lifestyle with their heated bedroom floors, are also worth a visit. Loro Parque is one of three natural attractions in Tenerife. Siam Park is one of Europes newest and biggest water parks. Dont be put off by the naff- named rides the Tower of Power isnt as bad as it sounds. You will reach up to 25mph on this 28m freefall kamikaze ride just before you enter a clear flume through a shark pool. Mount Teide stands an impressive 3,718m high (almost as high as Japans Mount Fuji) and is the reason for the islands natural black sand beaches. Listed as a Unesco World Heritage Site, years of volcanic eruptions have left Teide with a mix of beautiful rich colours and textures. Visitors can easily get around the huge base of the volcano and cable cars take the brave up to the summit. Teides terrain and the sheer vastness of the landscape make it feel like youve just arrived on planet Mars a million miles away from the touristy timeshares of the south. Vicki-Marie flew from Gatwick to Tenerife with Monarch (www. monarch.co.uk). Fares start from 155 return. She stayed at the Hotel Botanico (www.hotelbotanico.com) where double deluxe rooms start from 175 including spa access and full buffet breakfast. Loro Parque: www.loroparque.com Siam Park: www.siampark.net www.webtenerifeuk.co.uk index.html2.html3.html4.html5.html6.html7.html8.html9.html10.html11.html12.html13.html14.html15.html16.html17.html18.html19.html20.html21.html22.html23.html24.html25.html26.html27.html28.html29.html30.html31.html