Travel agenda: From Indonesia in London to National Go Canoeing Week
Where to go and what to know
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Your support makes all the difference.1. Square route
Next Saturday, Trafalgar Square will be transformed into Indonesia. Visitors will be able to experience the sights, sounds and flavours of the archipelago, in a free day-long festival between 10am-6pm. Balinese dancers will perform, alongside Javanese gamelan musicians, with 20 stalls selling batik, jewellery and Indonesian cuisine.
2. Rock star
Travellers to the White Isle this summer will be greeted by The Hard Rock Hotel, which opened this week on Playa d'En Bossa – Ibiza's longest stretch of beach. It features a Sublimotion restaurant by two-Michelin-starred chef, Paco Roncero, as well as 500 rooms, three pools and the Rock Spa, to help shake off the night's excesses.
3. Beach bliss
On 2 June, Wild Thing Publishing releases Hidden Beaches: Explore the Secret Coast of Britain. Written by Daniel Start, the book catalogues some of our most unspolit patches of sand and shingle. Aimed at families, walkers, swimmers, and explorers, it lists 50 beaches, with tips for camping, seafood cafés, and kayaking; £16.99.
4. Capital idea
OZO Colombo has opened in the Sri Lankan capital. Perks include paperless check-in, an all-day EAT restaurant and an EAT2Go outlet for after-hours nibbles. Contemporary interiors run throughout the reception area and bedrooms. Up on the roof, the ON14 cocktail bar is joined by the Splash infinity pool – both of which afford views across the Indian Ocean.
5. Tour tour
Exodus is offering free race entry on its five-day "Etape du Tour Cyclosportive" trip, meaning cycling fans can ride stage 18 of this year's Tour de France for £1,079pp. The tour includes a challenging 145km day from Pau to Hautacam, via the legendary Col du Tourmalet climb. Flights and B&B hotels included for departure on 17 July. Book by 6 June.
6. Party house
Foxhill Manor, little sister to Dormy House, has opened. The eight-room private rental, sits on the 400-acre Farncombe Estate, with views of the Vale of Evesham. Expect open fireplaces, sweeping staircases and free-standing baths. Rental starts from £3,500 per night, including butler service, a private chef, breakfast and access to the House Spa; sleeps 16.
7. Paddle power
National Go Canoeing Week starts this Saturday and runs until 1 June. Part of an Olympic legacy initiative run by Canoe England, it encourages people to get paddling at clubs and sports centres across the country. Starter sessions and guided tours will be on hand, with more competitive 5km routes for experienced canoeists in Windermere, Rutland Water, and Portsmouth.
8. Chic sleeps
The owners of ski chalet company, Alpine Guru, have launched a sister website dedicated to villas. Catering for the high-end summer holiday market, it features luxury properties from the Great Barrier Reef to Bali, with closer-to-home options in Tuscany and Marbella. Prices start from €6,000 (£4,860) per week for a villa sleeping six people on the Côte d'Azur.
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