Beat the heat with some cool holiday options--Part II

Great deals from Alpha

Alpha Holidays have exciting ideas and offers, whether you just need a couple of nights accommodation, or a full inclusive holiday. Valid for two persons sharing a twin/double room. Packages do not include air fare.

Gateway Hong Kong: Includes three nights accommodation in a four-star hotel, with transfers and city sightseeing tours. Starting from Dh1,890 per person.

China, Yangtze River cruise: Includes four nights accommodation in a five-star cruise boat, all meals, sightseeing and shore excursions. You also have the option to extend your stay or create your own complete China experience. Starting from Dh1,530 per person.

Singapore-Bintan Island combination: Includes three nights in Singapore and three nights in Bintan in four-star hotels, as well as transfers, sightseeing and ferries to/from the island resort. Starting from Dh1,800 per person.

UK and France: Includes two nights in London, three nights in Paris, return Eurostar transportation via the Channel Tunnel, arrival transfer in London, daily breakfast and two sightseeing tours. Easily extendable. Starting from Dh2,920 per person.

Italian Trio by train: Includes two nights in Rome, two nights in Florence and two nights in Venice, daily breakfast, arrival transfer in Rome, half day tour of Rome monuments, rail transportation Rome to Florence to Venice. Plenty of free time to do what you want! Starting from Dh2,665 per person.

Czech Republic: Karlovy Vary Spa Treatments, includes three nights in Prague with daily breakfast, seven nights in Karlovy Vary with all meals, all transfers, full spa and wellness treatment programme for six days upon assessment. Starting from Dh5,960 per person.

Greek Island Hopping: Cycladic Discovery: Includes two nights in Athens, three nights in Mykonos, Paros and Santorini, daily breakfast, all hotel to port and port to hotel transfers. Choose between inter-island flights or Ferry (extra charge). Starting from Dh2,555 per person.

Jordan Explorer: Includes three nights in Amman, two nights in Petra, sightseeing tours, all transportation and site entrance fees, local guides, daily breakfast, private car with English speaking driver. Starting from Dh3,695 per person.

Packages from Al Rostamani
Delhi Agra Jaipur, India:Seven days from Dh1,570. Valid until September 30. Includes transfers and tours, accommodation in standard rooms with daily breakfast, a guide for the sightseeing mentioned in the itinerary (call for details), elephant or jeep ride at Amber fort in Jaipur.

Hong Kong: Five days from Dh1,640. Valid until October 11. Includes transfers, half day Hong Kong island tour, evening Symphony of Lights cruise by luxury Chinese junk Oriental Dragon and Disneyland tour.Cool green Munnar and the serene foothills: Six days from Dh1,620. Valid until September 30. Includes four nights at a resort in Munnar with daily dinner and breakfast, all transfers, sightseeing and boating as mentioned in the itinerary (check for details) with a guide, one night at Birds Lagoon Resort in the foothills with all meals.

Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai, Thailand: Five days from Dh1,220. Valid until October 31. Includes two nights accommodation at Le Meridien Chiang Mai, two nights accommodation at Le Meridien Chiang Rai, daily buffet breakfast airport transfers, one way scenic flight on a 12-seater Cessna aircraft from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai or vice versa. These packages do not include flights. For more info call 04 295 6777. Email address: holidays@alrostamanigroup.ae

Cruise for exciting deals
There has never been a better time to take a cruise, says Ashok Kumar, business development director of Cruise Master Middle East, the GSA for Princess Cruises, P&O Cruises Australia and Cunard Line as well as a host of other cruise lines.

Cruise value begins with inclusive cruise fares that cover accommodation, all meals, onboard entertainment, use of many of the ship's recreational facilities and travel from one place to another, sometimes as many as six cities during a one-week cruise.

Carnival Cruise Lines: Up to $240 cash back which can be spent onboard. Prices for seven-night cruise from Miami to Western Caribbean covering Ocho Rios, Grand Cayman and Cozumel on Carnival Liberty start from $549.

Costa Cruises: Children go free on select sailings of Costa Concordia's seven-night cruise around Barcelona, France, Italy and Tunis.

Cunard Line: Queen Mary II is the only ship offering regular scheduled transatlantic services from Southampton to New York with prices starting from $999.

Princess Cruises: Seven-night Voyage of Glaciers cruises from Vancouver to Anchorage from $599. Also on offer is a 10-night Baltic Cruise from Copenhagen with prices starting from $1,099.

Crystal Cruises: On offer is $1,500 in savings on Mediterranean and Baltic Cruises. In addition on select sailings, there is "As You Wish" offer whereby one receives up to $1,000 in onboard credit.

Regent Seven Seas Cruises: Two for one fares and free shore excursions. All prices are in US dollars per person and available via a cruise specialist or your travel agent.

UAE's favourite weekend getaway

Al Maha Desert Resort & Spa, a luxurious retreat nestled within the 225 square kilometre pristine desert landscape of the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve, has a special promotion: Stay three nights for the cost of two. The offer is valid till September 17.

Plus you get a 15 per discount. Last month the resort was recognised for the second year running as the 'Favourite Weekend Getaway in the UAE' at the What's On Awards gala event. Recently, this romantic 42-suite resort beat off fierce international competition, becoming the only leisure hotel in Dubai to be voted one of the Top 20 of Condé Nast's Readers' Travel Award in the M.E., Africa and Indian Ocean region.

The promotional rates start from Dh3,239 per night per Bedouin Suite and are on a full-board basis with two desert activities. For more information, call Emirates Hotels & Resorts reservations on 04 303 4222, or visit www.emirateshotelsresorts.com.

Sandy beach
Sandy beach Sandy Beach on the east coast of the UAE is a relaxing hideaway. The hotel offers a unique dining experience with delicious cuisine. You can also go scuba diving. Stay in a chalet (from Dh750 for a family of four) or a 'villa' (from Dh1,100 for two families with 8-10 persons. The scuba dive is from Dh350 for two hours. Gear costs extra. Visit www.sandybm.com or call 09 244 5555.