Online Britain
All across the country stately homes and other attractions are peeling back the dust sheets for the start of the tourist season. To help you plan your leisure time, AboutBritain.com provides information covering 500 tourist attractions, including stately homes, castles, zoos and museums. There is also an accommodation directory with an online booking facility.
YHA freebie
The Youth Hostels Association is celebrating its 70th birthday by welcoming visitors to its 230 hostels on May 13 and offering a year's free membership worth £12 for adults and single-parent families, £24 for two adults with children under 18. For details, visit www.yha.org.uk or call 0870 8708808.
Philippines warning
The FO's Travel Advice Bureau urges against travel to the Philippines islands south-west of Mindanao, especially Basilan, Sulu and Tawi Tawi , where 21 people, including foreign tourists, were kidnapped last month from the diving resort of Sipadan, off the coast of Sabah, East Malaysia.
Novel enterprise
Trailfinders, the travel agency and information centre for independent travellers, has opened a new travel centre in Waterstone's bookshop, Cambridge, at 6/7 Bridge Street. For reservations, call: 01223 461600.
Channel addition
Brittany Ferries is to launch a new ship for its Portsmouth-Caen service in early 2002. With a capacity for up to 2,000 passengers, 600 cars and 175 trucks, and representing an investment of £80m, it will be the largest ferry ever planned for Channel crossings. The company is yet to decide whether the ship will be purpose built or adapted from a nearly-new acquisition.
Devils for Tasmania
More Brits go to Tasmania than any other foreign visitors. According to figures from Tourism Tasmania, 20,000 of us payed a visit to the island last year. And the reason? For the wilderness and adventure packages, such as white-water rafting down the Franklin River, hiking in the Cradle Mountain National Park, rock climbing and diving.
Restoring breaks
BCTV, the conservation charity, runs holidays from two days to three weeks, in which you get the chance to improve the world. Projects range from dry stone-walling to restoring paddyfields and protecting rare wildlife habitats. You can choose from locations in the UK, or go as far afield as Japan. UK holidays start from £25 for a weekend; international locations go up to £1,000. For a brochure, call 01491 824602.
