wintersun  

Pemba, the great escape off Zanzibar

The scent of cloves on the breeze, deserted white sand beaches, snorkelling off the coral reef ...

• Up the volcano, down the beach in Nicaragua

The best of Tunisia in 80 hours

Myth, legend, spas, fresh fish, lager and souks: North Africa's lesser-known winter sun break is a gem, says Mark Barber

• Winter sun and culture in Tenerife

The 10 best winter sun music festivals

We reveal the places to catch some rays this winter while listening to the best in pop, rock and dance

• Ten winter world music escapes

Budget travel  

How to minimise the euro holiday misery

The continent is 35 per cent more expensive than it was 12 months ago. Chris Haslam explains how to make the best of a bad deal

• The best last minute travel deals and bargains

How to get the best deal on low cost flights

Desmond Bowes is having problems finding that elusive cheap deal - what's the knack?

• Your Top 10 questions on low cost airlines

wintersports  

How to book an Olympic bobsleigh ride

Ed Grenby thought the bobsleigh ride in the Italian Alps would be exciting. And it was, until turn three

• Ischgl, an underrated rock star ski resort

The best and worst of ski fashions

Personalised boots, more artistic skis and better kit for women are this year's innovations

• The best and worst ski gadgets

The world's 10 best ski hostels

A Swiss Cube, a Chilean refuge and a Colorado inn - plus seven more bargains for £8-£48 a night

• Posh skiing on the cheap

spas and lifestyle  

Wellness in Austria

Annabelle Thorpe visits the Rogner Bad Blumau thermal spa - the biggest work of art in the world

• Health and travel tips for 2009

A life changing holiday in Thailand

Tania Cagnoni arrived in urgent need of a life change and found therapy - if not fortune and love

• My Thai colonic irrigation

Five affordable detox retreats

The author of Body & Soul Escapes: Britain and Ireland, selects good value retreats close to home

• England's Top 10 budget spas

good spa guide  

Hardeep Singh Kohli at Smarjeske Spa, Slovenia

One way of facing up to the naked truth of being fat and 40 is to check into a detox programme

Ushvani Spa, Chelsea, London

Spa goers splurge for the exclusivity of this Malaysian-themed day spa in SW3

• The Spa at 51, Victoria, London

Royal Yacht Spa, Jersey

A new spa and sail package means getting soaked and slathered in minerals both in the bath and out at sea

• Visit Jersey, give up smoking

business travel  

Profile: Raymond Blanc

The celebrity chef talks of how his forgetfulness has turned business trips into nightmares and his views on the state of airline food

• Profile: Shopaholic Patricia Davidson

• Profile: Dame Mary Perkins, Specsavers

The 2009 business traveller

What does the coming 12 months hold in store for road warriors? Business travel editor Mark Frary makes his predictions

Airlines start January sales

Bmi offering discounts with no blackout dates or minimum stay requirements; one way BA upgrades to business class from £59

• The best last minute travel deals and bargains

your say today  

Skiing in Cyprus

Kenneth Grey wants to know about skiing options on the Mediterranean island

• Peace at last in rural Cyprus

• Cosmetic surgery on Cyprus

Where to go in Cambodia's capital

Richard Green says Phnom Penh is safe and is there is plenty to see other than the Killing Fields

the year ahead

The 10 best festivals for 2009

The author of A Year of Festivals, Lonely Planet's guide to global festivities, picks his top ten

• The best events around the world in 2009

The 36 best travel ideas for 2009

Next year is jam-packed with wild and exotic events, but don’t freak out - we've picked the best

• Lonely Planet's top 20 big trips

• The 10 best destinations for 2009

The hottest hotels for 2009

Norway, Chile, Scotland, Thailand, Lebanon, Dubai and more... Tom Chesshyre reveals the rooms that will dazzle in the coming year

and finally...

Visit Jersey, give up smoking

After a lifetime of smoking, Jim Soar tried a hypnosis course in Jersey to try and end years of quitting

Borneo: how to climb Mt Kinabalu

Forget Kilimanjaro, says Ginny McGrath - Borneo's highest mountain has legend, tribal sacrifice and beer at 3,000m

• Drugs, sweat and tears on Kilimanjaro

• Climbing Mount Fuji: land of the rising sun

The best (and original) bruschetta in Italy

Europe on a plate: Take a little oil, a rub of garlic and some salt and you have bruschetta just like papa used to make