Letter of the week

I am travelling to Australia in November and have a stopover in Shanghai on the return journey from 19.40 to 14.00 the following day. Will we be able to leave the airport and, if so, where would you recommend we go?
Mike Ward, London

You'll need a transit visa to leave the airport - see www.chinese-embassy.org.uk/, or call 020 7631 1430. Head straight for the Bund, the city's highlight. Don't miss the gloriously kitsch Bund Tunnel and a view over the city from the Jinmao Tower. To experience Shanghai's wild side, head to a restaurant like Baolou Jiulou on the Fumin Road in the French Concession, then have a cocktail or two at a bar like New Heights in the upmarket Three on the Bund building. Stay in the 1930s glamour of the Peace Hotel (www.shanghaipeacehotel.com; doubles from £88).

We were thinking of spending Christmas and New Year in Cuba. Do you have any recommendations on events over this period? I realise that 1 January is Liberation Day, and have heard that the city of Santiago holds an impressive carnival on this day. But does everything shut down during this time?
Elin Davies, by email

Havana loves a party, and New Year is arguably the best of the lot. Parties roll over into the Liberation Day celebrations marked by colourful parades, including a major one in Santiago, to remember the revolution of 1959. Every town has a celebration of some kind and heading to a small town could be a great way to see another side of the island. You may find some attractions, such as cigar factories, not open over these few days but buses will be running, museums open and bars hopping. Any disruption will only last a few days and run over New Year rather than Christmas. Christmas isn't marked with great fanfare in Cuba - in fact it wasn't even a public holiday from 1969 to 1997 as it interfered with the sugar harvest.

I'm off to Zanzibar, in mid-June. It's a high-risk malaria area. I've taken prophylactics before, but had some nasty side effects. A healthcare professional who I consulted after my nasty reaction to Malarone advised me to steer clear of the medication and I am now looking at doxycycline. Is it too much of a risk to avoid medication?
David Fryer, Bishop Auckland

You should, without doubt, take preventative medicine when visiting any malarial area. The potential effects of malaria, from fever to jaundice, coma and death are serious enough to make taking the risk extremely hazardous. Go back to your doctor, or travel health clinic, and discuss the most suitable treatment for you. A reaction to Malarone does not mean you'll suffer similar effects with other treatments, and the severity of side effects from each drug can vary hugely from person to person. Looking at ways of avoiding mosquito bites is wise too - if you don't get bitten, you won't get malaria. As well as using Deet (the most effective insect repellent compound), cover up with long-sleeved tops and trousers and go for light-coloured clothing, which is less attractive to mozzies than dark fabrics. Sleep in a screened room or under a permethrin-treated mosquito net like the ones available at Nomad Travel (0845 260 0044; www.nomadtravel.co.uk). The Travel Doctor (www.traveldoctor.co.uk) is a good source of further information.

For the first time, I am thinking of taking a last-minute deal this August. When should I book?
FM, London

The World Cup and hot weather are currently encouraging people to stay at home, so we'd recommend snapping up a deal now. Leaving it to the very last minute may shave a few further pounds off, but will drastically reduce your choice of destinations.