Travelwise Muswell Hill

Fancy getting back in touch with nature? Escaping the hustle and bustle of the big city for the fresh air and tranquil surroundings of the Rocky Mountains and Pacific Ocean? Then check out our Back to Nature in British Columbia itinerary for thew ultimate family nature getaway. Climb through the treetops and swing on the suspension bridge at Capilano. Search for Brown Bears at the "once in a lifetime" Knight Inlet Bear Lodge. Surf on the crashing waves at Tofino. And jet out on a Whale Watching Adventure in Victoria.
Western Canada is currently one of our best selling destinations and one which sells out months in advance. So if the lush green forests and untamed waters of BC speak to you, then speak to us!

Located in the "heart" of Botswana's Okavango Delta, flooded by the rains. Pelo Camp is a haven within the rivers, and the perfect place to safari on the water. Head out in your Mokoro to spot Hippopotamus', fish in the delta or enjoy a romantic brunch in the waters of the channels. For a once in a lifetime safari experience, look no further!

Travel the road less traveled this Autumn with our sojourn into Laos & Cambodia. Sandwiched between frenetic Vietnam to the east and buzzing Thailand to the west. Laos and Cambodia still evoke the relaxed South East Asia of years gone by. Stroll through the French inspired streets of Vientiane with a cafe au lait. Swim in the rock pools of the majestic Khuang Si Waterfall. And marvel at the world wonder of Angkor Wat.

Happy Independence Day India. If the bright lights, colours and sounds of this beautiful and breathtaking subcontinent are high on your travel wish list. Then check out our Luxury Rajasthan Tour to inspire your next trip to #IncredibleIndia
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Once again we are delighted to be nominated for the British Travel Awards in the category “Best Independent Travel Agency 2018”. We need your votes and would really appreciate you pushing the button below to cast your vote.
Thank you from all the Travelwise Team.

Washington is not about Trump. Don’t miss out ! Check out Dallal’s Washington Weekend.......

God Bless America, the Land of the Free and Home of the Brave! From the rugged and rocky shores of Maine in the East and traversing the Swamps of Florida, across the Great Plains and deserts before finishing on the balmy tropical paradise of Hawaii. America offers an endless opportunity for exploration.
And we wish all in the U S of A a Happy Independence Day.
... For your next trip, Hit the Road in where modern America all started, with our Luxury Road Trip through New England Tour.
Start in Boston - The Cradle of Liberty, and make your way through the forest strewn villages of New England before ending on the coast in true Rockefeller style at the Chatham Bars Inn.
Click on the link below to find out more, or call our America Queen, Dallal to book your next trip to the Red, White and Blue.
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Oh Canada! 🇨🇦 From the snow capped mountains to the crystal blue oceans. Vermillion forests and bustling cities. We love every inch of this beautiful and varied land. And as one of the few Canada Elite Agencies in the U.K. Travelwise are the best experts to help you plan your next trip to Canada. Happy Canada Day! 🍁

We really are living in the future! This week's #WanderlustWednesday takes us to Singapore and the Jen Tanglin by Shanrgi-La; home to the worlds first Robot Butlers - Jeno & Jena. Often seen around the lobby in the mornings, Jeno and Jena will greet you at the start of the day. Fancy a midnight snack? Jeno and Jena will be with you in moments and calling your room to let you know of their arrival. Or simply in need of a extra bottle of water. Jeno and Jena always have a spa...re at hand. The Jen Tanglin by Shangri-La is a Travelwise favourite; located in the heart of Singapore's shopping district, Orchard Road. The Jen is a modern chic retreat from the hustle and bustle of Asia's global hub, and a perfect spot whether away for a long stay, or a layover to the South Pacific. We all love Singapore... so call in today for your next Singapore city break. 0208 444 4444
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Travelwise are pleased to announce the launch of the latest edition of our magazine. Flick through to be inspired and contact us on 0208 444 4444 for more information.

With buzz and speculation rife about the destination of the Royal Honeymoon we have decided to cast our eyes back to Royal Honeymoon's past for this weeks #WanderlustWednesday. A Private Island Paradise, the most northerly of the Seychelles Islands, and home to Wills and Kate following their 2011 wedding- North Island is the ultimate luxurious getaway. Comprising 11 villas over the 2km wide island, North Island exudes the atmosphere of a private island retreat. Each of the... 10 Presidential Villas (and 1 North Villa) are hidden amongst the natural rainforest vegetation for seclusion and privacy but open out to their own stretch of private white powder sand beach, offering views to the crystal clear Indian Ocean. And whilst the resort offers numerous activities from Scuba Diving, Paddle boarding and Conservation activities. North is a true opportunity to unwind, relax, and connect with your loved one and enjoy the Robinson Crusoe-esque retreat in pure 5 star luxury. Pauline is our resident Seychelles expert having just returned from a trip of a lifetime to those tropical and beautiful islands. Call Pauline today to discuss your "Royal Honeymoon" in the Seychelles.
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In a moderately travel unrelated post, today Travelwise celebrates the big day of our one and own Pauline Duffin. This morning she awoke, the first day of her 50th year, not to the buzz of Muswell Hill but the beauty of Blyde River Canyon at Umvangati House where she was treated to a champagne breakfast and hot air balloon over the canyon. Happy Birthday Pauline! And thank you to Umvangati House for your beautiful hospitality!

Last but by no means least in our Meet the Team series, is the man who knows all the best beaches in the world (and their respective best hotel) - Chris Caffrey.
When Chris joined our team in August 2015 we were all delighted, after working closely with him for the previous 6 years Chris was always our go-to person at our preferred luxury tour operator. His knowledge of all first class hotels worldwide is immense coupled with his professionalism and work ethic we knew that ...he was the perfect fit for our Sales Manager role.
Chris has a wealth of experience and understanding of our industry gathered over the years. His friendly and personable nature ensures that all clients are made to feel extra special and his many industry contacts have enabled us to secure incredible deals both with the world’s major airlines and luxury individual hotels to ensure that we can offer you the best possible deals around.
Chris’s favourite destinations include the Algarve and Dubai (spot the golfer!) but the Maldives come in a close third.
Many trips to luxurious resorts and hotels worldwide including the Canaries, the Caribbean and Mauritius to name a few ensures that Chris is the perfect person to book your dream beach holiday.
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Happy #WanderlustWednesday today takes us to the home of the best street food, the most colourful temples, stunning colonial architecture, and off-the-wall graffiti to boot! The true Melting Pot of Malaysia - Georgetown.
Situated on the North Eastern corner of Penang Island. Georgetown was founded as an outpost of the British East Indian Company in 1786 and became a crown colony in the years to follow. As a vital hub for trading in South East Asia, the city in fluxed a large ...immigrant population of Chinese, Indonesian and Tamil traders establishing its now infamous eclectic architecture and food scene. Queen Elizabeth declared Georgetown a city in 1957 shortly before independence and in the years since Penang has managed to retain its position as a vibrant melting pot of cuisine, culture, religion and architecture.
Wandering through modern Georgetown personifies its diversity with coffee houses tucked in old dock houses, brightly painted hindu gods towering above Hindu Temples, just across from Chinese Shrines. Curry Goat, Wontons and Nasi Lemak all been prepared by hawkers on the street and even the odd Duran to boot. However the most iconic of Georgetown features are down Armenian street where its World Famous Graffiti can be found.
Getting lost in Penang is one of the best experiences in Malaysia and our Malaysian Explorer is a perfect introduction to this unique and often awe inspiring company. Pauline, Kim and Andy have all visited Penang and would love to send you on your next trip. Call today for more info.
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This week on Meet the Team, we say hello to our Third and final Wise Woman of Travel; Director and Co-Owner, Nici Davies.
Nici’s first experience of travelling (outside of family holidays in the Med) was when she went Inter-railing after graduating from Nottingham University with a degree in geography. On this trip she spent her 21st birthday in Prague, a city to which she recently returned, after organising an Opera Tour there for over 40 discerning clients. Her more recent... train travels have been on the Venice Simplon Orient Express and on the Andean Explorer in Peru, so it’s safe to say her standards in transportation have improved quite dramatically since then.
However, that early trip showed her that there was a big wide world to discover, which she has been doing ever since. From canoeing on the Zambezi, skiing in Dubai, running around the F1 race track in Abu Dhabi, snow-mobiling in Iceland, riding elephants in Sri Lanka and taking a campervan around New Zealand (not forgetting the aforementioned trains) she has been working her way around the globe. Her recent favourite destinations have been Japan, Peru, The Maldives & Costa Rica.
Nici is a keen skier & golfer and intends to try her hand at surfing in Hawaii very soon, so if you are after a more active holiday, she is the perfect person to speak to. She has visited more than 25 Club Med resorts throughout Europe, the Indian Ocean, North Africa & the Caribbean, including 7 of their ski resorts in France & Italy, so has a wealth of knowledge about the product and can find the right resort for you, whether travelling with family or friends.
An interesting fact about Nici, is that she has spent her whole working life with Travelwise. She started as a Saturday brochure girl in 1990 and is now a co-owner. For some clients she has booked their honeymoons, their first family holidays, their once-in-a-lifetime trips and now their children’s first forays into the world as adults themselves.
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Our director Kim is currently working her way around the beautiful islands of Antigua and Anguilla. Today she is relaxing at the ever favourite Carlisle Bay.
Wish you were here!

Yes, there are men at Travelwise. This week on Meet the Team, say hello to our resident airline geek and street food expert - Andy Tait.
Andrew Tait, is full of enthusiasm and has a passion for all things travel, from knowing the dimensions of the latest Dreamliner, to the best winery to visit in New Zealand has been another great addition to our team.
Having gained a BA Hons in International Tourism Management, he cut his teeth in another independent travel agency in London... before travelling to New Zealand and working for three years within the hospitality industry. His firsthand knowledge of the best things to do and see in New Zealand is second to none. Stopping off in various Asian cities to break his journeys to and from “Down Under”, means that he has experienced some of the best sightseeing tours and can suggest the right place to get the most authentic Char Kway Teow at the night markets. He has also travelled extensively throughout Europe and the USA, especially the state of California which he has visited many times and is one of his favourite places.
He has just returned from an amazing trip to China and is about to head off to Japan to further his knowledge of Asia.
Andrew delights in finding the best holiday and experience for our clients and has already gained many loyal customers who return to him again and again.
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#WanderlustWednesday is upon us again. And this week we head to one of the 7 wonders of the modern world. The lost city of Petra. The capital of the Nabataean Empire, Petra was conceived roughly 2,000 BC and in the first century BC grew to prominence as a trading centre for the Arabian empires. Later working under the Roman Empire and Greek Empire the city fell from stature and was “lost” for century; only to be “rediscovered” in 1812 by Explorer Johannes Burckhardt. Today the city is a UNESCO heritage site and listed under the 7 wonders of the world. Our very own Dallal is currently in Jordan and exploring this fascinating city. We can’t wait to hear her thoughts on this beautiful and ancient city

Today on Meet the Team let us introduce the second of our Three Wise Women, Director and Co-Owner - Pauline Duffin.
Pauline joined the travel industry in 1986 by sheer accident having had no other experience of holidays outside of caravanning on a beautiful Donegall beach. She began her career with a small independent travel agency and then with Student travel. In 1991 she grabbed her backpack, passport, a one way ticket to Bangkok and armed with not much more than an inquis...itive mind she let the world open itself up to her. She travelled overland throughout Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Nepal and India and soon realized that her life would change forever.
She joined Travelwise in 1995 and relished the fact that her clients were as enthusiastic and adventurous about travel as she was. Within her time here she managed to take two sabbaticals, one in 1997 she worked in India with a tour company where she gained an unrivalled knowledge of the country. In 2001 she travelled extensively through Indo China, Malaysia, Indonesia and New Zealand before returning in 2002 permanently. The backpack has been exchanged for a suitcase and shorter stays in some of the top hotels and lodges throughout the world.
She has been to some amazing places as diverse as the Galapagos Islands to the wide open spaces of Patagonia. A number of cities within America, the great Canyonlands and the desert of Utah and Arizona plus driving highway one on the Californian Coast. She has enjoyed some unique safaris, searched for tigers in India, the big five in Southern Africa which quite recently included two trips to Botswana, a country which has become one of her personal favourites and offers an incredible safari experience.
She has of course visited a number European countries and cities and is always on the lookout for family hotels and great beaches within a 2-3 hour flight for that easy summer escape.
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Excellent service

Wonderful itinerary for our trip to South Africa

Thank you very much to travel wise and their South African

counterparts for an amazing holiday that we will always remember

Carys Paul and Louis Ruocco