· The main airport is St John's (code YYT) and you really don't need more than a bus ticket as there is one road that travels the length of the island. THERE IS NO NEED TO TAKE AN ALL INCLUSIVE TOUR, for in the September/October season most of the tourists have long gone - taking their children to school.

Planning is essential, use the Newfoundland (pronounced Newfnland where the Newfies live) web site, Newfoundland tourism, to pre-plan your tour.

There are wonderful outposts to be seen, which require side trips off the main road.

One tour is Nova Tour.

It is a great province with friendly people - the easternmost part of Canada and North America.

If you travel east to west, there will be a ferry at Port a Basques that will take you to Sydney (NOVA SCOTIA!). Then you can fly down to Halifax and return home. This is generally more exciting than returning back to Gander (half-way across the province) or St John's.

Accomodation will best be with bed and breakfast; car rental is feasible BUT KEEP TO SPEED LIMITS - RCMP operate there.

J Houston

· We travelled independently to Western Newfoundland last year and would recommend you do the same. The coastal road from Port a Basque to L'Anse aux Meadows is spectacular, you travel through the Gros Morne National Park, a UNESCO heritage site. Once at L'Anse aux Meadows, you can choose to go whale watching from St Anthony or take an excursion over to Labrador. If you travel in late Spring or early Summer there are often Icebergs floating off the coast and you can take boat trips to view these. The native Newfoundlanders are very hospitable and proud of their heritage and there is good B&B or motel accommodation en route. The roads are quiet and driving is a pleasure. You have two choices of travel to Newfoundland. By Air Canada, Heathrow to Halifax, Nova Scotia, hire a car, travel through Cape Breton to North Sydney, take the Cabot Trail, Canada's equivalent to the Ring of Kerry. An overnight ferry from North Sydney takes you to Port-aux-Basque, Newfoundland. Alternatively Heathrow to St.John's Newfoundland, hire a car and travel along the Atlantic coast to Deer Lake and Gros Morne National Park. Newfoundland is one of Canada's best kept secrets and to see it at its best you need to travel independently.
Carena Eaton

· I don't know of any companies operating inclusive tours from the UK to that part of Newfoundland but the excellent 200 page Travel Guide produced each year by Tourism Newfoundland and Labrador (e-mail tourisminfo@mail.gov.nf.ca ) lists a number of local companies who provide escorted tours to all parts of the island, tailored to meet individual requirements.
Ian West

· Newfoundland is a wonderful place to visit. There were still icebergs offshore when we visited the Viking site at L'Anse aux Meadows in the last week of June this year. We were more than satisfied with our self-drive tour organised with Maxxim Vacations, whose brochure also includes a coach tour called The Viking Trail Experience.
John & Hillian Durell