Seychelles

This grouping of 116 islands, either coral or granite, combine to form what is possibly the most exquisite holiday destination in the world.

We concentrate on the ‘Inner Islands’ of Mahé, Praslin, La Digue and their satellite islets, which are mostly granite and offer stunning vistas of soaring smoothed grey rocks and mountains, their slopes clothed in dense groves of palms and exotic flowering trees surrounded by limpid clear water and sugar-white sand

Bird and Dennis Islands are the true ‘Paradise Islands’ – remote stretches of coral sand surrounded by turquoise and azure lagoons, their interiors densely populated with palm groves. This is the real Seychelles and it really is a must to sample their delights.

All these islands have landing strips and are served by regular, comfortable Air Seychelles connections. We recommend you split your stay between Mahé and Praslin, taking a day trip to La Digue by ferry from Praslin. This gives you amazing variety, for each island has different attractions. Or just go straight to Denis or even Cerf for a week. After all, that’s the real point of the Seychelles – island hopping!

MAHÉ ISLAND
Chief of Mahé's many attractions is the smallest capital city in the world - Victoria. It's cute and picturesque and has a mini Big Ben in the middle of the street! The resort area of Beau Vallon has a stunning beach lined with hotels and some great pubs, restaurants and clubs. The rest of the island is simply beautiful - hire a car and take a leisurely drive!

PRASLIN ISLAND
So beautiful, so full of interesting things to see and do and beaches to simply die for. The exotic ‘Garden of Eden' - The Valéé de Mai - has the most wonderful Coco de Mer palms with startlingly realistic male and female features - legend has it that they make love to each other under the full moon. Ah, Seychelles, the Islands of Love!

Mauritius

The islands and coastlines of the Indian Ocean contain some of the most spectacular natural and man-made wonders that draw travellers and tourists from around the world. Tropical Island Tours is a tour operator which has been involved in the promotion of tourism to this region since 1974. In that time we have come to know this part of the world intimately and we are always amazed and intrigued by the total diversity of the geography, vegetation, peoples, cultures, music, language and food of each of the island nations that seemingly float on the surface of this azure sea.

Mauritius is the most comprehensively developed tourism destination in this region. It is a prosperous country (it has the 2nd. highest per capita income in Africa after Botswana) and although only 65 km long and 45 km wide, with 330 km of coastline, it packs in a modern, high-rise capital city, a cutting edge ‘Cyber City', towns, villages, six 18-hole golf courses and over 65 international standard hotels, all linked by a network of fully lit freeways and excellent (if narrow) tarred roads - and lots of sugar cane!

Mauritius is, in every sense of the phrase, sheer paradise. The lagoons are pristine, the coral on the reef is alive and well and the beaches are all sugar crystal white. The island's top hotels are consistently voted amongst the best in the world (including a ‘Leading Hotel of the World' and a Relais & Chateau member). The less elevated are uniformly excellent. There's super shopping in modern malls and a Port Louis Waterfront that rivals the famous V&A in Cape Town. The roads are good, the streets and pavements of the towns spotlessly clean. The food has evolved into a true fusion cuisine with touches of the Mediterranean and the East. Entertainment is sophisticated and stylish and wellness, beauty and energy spas are in every hotel. There are action sports venues, a genuine undersea reef-viewing submarine, little two-person submarine scooters - in other words there's a host of new, fresh things to do.

There's one thing that, miraculously hasn't changed: the Mauritians are still the most pleasant, smiling, welcoming, service-orientated people on earth. No wonder it is regularly voted "Best Leisure Destination" by countries and glossy travel publications around the world.

Greece

From discovering the remains of celebrated civilizations to letting your hair down in the Greek isles, the history, culture and all-round merriment of Greece guarantee a great escape for the whole family. This country - with one of the longest coastlines in the world - gave us the Olympics and Athenian democracy, Greek tragedy and mythological figures to ignite the imagination. Take a trip back in time with visits to the famous Acropolis and Delphi, soak in the Mediterranean sunshine and sample the mouth-watering cuisine. The wealth of archaeological sites, stunning beaches and varied landscapes found in Greece is complemented by the warmth and hospitality of its people.

ATHENS: The capital city of Greece is one of the oldest cities of the world. Explore this birthplace of Western Civilization, where ancient monuments co-exist alongside modern infrastructure and a vibrant nightlife.

MYKONOS: This cosmopolitan island is known the world over for its pulsating nightlife, stunning beaches and distinctive Cycladic architecture.

SANTORINI: This small archipelago of volcanic islands in the Aegean Sea is the most popular of the Greek islands.

RHODES: Also known as the sun island because of its year-round sunshine, Rhodes offers picturesque beaches, forested hills and an enchanting Old Town.

PAROS: Located in the heart of the Cyclades, the popular island offers fantastic windsurfing and beautiful sights, such as the Byzantine Orthodox monument of Ekatondapiliani.

NAXOS: The greenest of Greek islands, this is where visitors can explore the picturesque Old Town and Market and relax on quieter beaches, away from the crowds of the busier islands.

Maldives

The Maldives are simply unique - a chain of 1,190 tiny islands strung out ‘like pearls' across a milk-green and azure sea with 78 of them have to a resort that covers the whole island. You'll walk on some of the finest, whitest sand; recline under the shade of lime green palm trees that stretch out over the lagoon like giraffes drinking; and you'll swim in water so warm and clear that it feels like you're surrounded by liquid glass.

Some resorts have rooms or thatched chalets shelted beneath the palms; others are far grander with elegantly designed room blocks or - best of all - bungalows built on stilts far out into the lagoon. They all have bars, restaurants, swimming pools and nightlife, of course. But its water sports for which these islands are renowned while the windsurfing and water-skiing are incredible but it is the snorkelling and diving that are really spectacular and have made this destination world famous. It's your wildest fantasy come true - being marooned on a tiny tropical island in the middle of nowhere with the one you love! From thrilling water sports for the active to solitude for stressed-out holiday-maker, the Maldives’s combinations of the two is nothing short of awesome.

Kenya

Kenya is a country rich in wildlife, culture, history, beauty and friendly, welcoming people. Kenya is geographically diverse, from snow-capped mountain peaks to extensive forests to wide-open plains. Key geographical attractions include the Great Rift Valley, which features extinct volcanoes and hot springs, and Kenya's coastline, complete with reefs and magnificent beaches. Combine all this with a well-developed tourist infrastructure of hotels, lodges, campsites and a variety of activities, and its no wonder Kenya is a popular tourist destination attracting millions of visitors each year.

THE CITY OF MOMBASA
Mombasa is Kenya’s second largest city after Nairobi. It is a port and harbour city, and is divided into main land and island Mombasa. The city was founded by the Greeks in the 7th Century AD. It has a long history of wars and conquest and always been a major trading centre. During the British rule in Kenya Mombasa was such an important port that it was made the capital city.

Goods pass through the harbour to and from Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and other African countries. The city is home to many monuments and beaches and Kenya’s national parks are just nearby. This makes it a very popular destination for tourists. There are may different ways to travel between Nairobi and Mombasa, but many people find that the twelve hour overnight train journey is an exciting adventure. Unlike many Kenyan towns, Mombasa does not belong to any particular ethnic group. Its inhabitants are a mixture of many different people from all over Kenya and the world