Mallorca’s Mediterranean climate and range of excellent golf courses make it the perfect place to visit on a golfing holiday at any time of year. If you’re a keen golfer and want to plan a holiday to Mallorca, here are details of just a few of the island’s best golf courses.

Golf Park Puntiró (Ctra. de Sineu, km 10., 07198 Palma de Mallorca)

This 18-hole, par 71 golf course is only 9km from the island’s capital, Palma de Mallorca, so it’s a great course to visit if you’re staying in the city.

Designed by Nicklaus Design, the golf course design company founded by Jack Nicklaus, the course preserves and utilises the estate’s natural features, so you can enjoy seeing the natural vegetation such as pine trees, wild olive trees and carob trees as you play on its wide fairways. However, the course is also challenging and there are two large lakes to negotitate your way around.

Golf Park Puntiró has a driving range, complete with greens, bunkers and 42 practice bays, and a coaching studio. It also has a comfortable club house which includes a pro-shop, restaurant and other facilities.

Golf de Son Termens (Crta. de S’Esglaieta a Santa Maria km 10, Bunyola, 07193)

Golf de Son Termens is one of Mallorca’s newest golf courses, having opened in 1998, but it’s become popular with both local golfers and tourists. It’s an 18-hole, par 70 course with small greens and undulating fairways, so will provide golfers with plenty of challenges.

The course is only 10km away from Palma de Mallorca and is situated at the base of a mountain on an old hunting estate, so the setting is beautiful. There is also a club house with a golf-shop, restaurant, terraces and other facilities.

Son Gual Golf Club (Finca Son Gual, Ma 15 – Palma – Manacor, Km 11,5
07199 Palma de Mallorca)

Son Gual Golf Club is situated about 15km from Palma de Mallorca and only opened in 2007. The 18-hole, par 72 course was designed by Thomas Himmel and provides serious golfers with a real challenge, thanks to some low par holes, 66 bunkers and a number of water hazards.

Son Gual’s course is in a beautiful setting, surrounded by vineyards, wild flowers and olive trees. Unfortunately, the club’s practice areas are only open to members but non-members can enjoy a game on the course. There is also a club house with a restaurant, golf shop and changing rooms.

Other Mallorca golf courses include Andratz Golf Course, Vall d’Or Golf Course and Golf Maioris.

Image: Lotus Head

1. Méribel

Méribel is situated in the centre of the Les Trois Vallees (The Three Valleys) ski area, in the Tarentaise Valley, within the French Alpine region. If you buy a Three Valleys piste pass, you can use Méribel as a base and ski in the neighbouring ski areas of Courchevel, and Val Therons & Belleville Valley as well. The Three Valleys ski area contains more than 600km of piste and experienced skiers can also enjoy off-piste skiing.

Méribel also has two snowboarding parks and an ice rink, and you can take part in a range of other winter sports, such as cross-country skiing, snowshoe walking, tobogganing, husky sledding and piste-bashing.

There are also shops, restaurants and bars at Méribel, so you’ll find plenty to keep you entertained when you’re not on the slopes.

Image: Méribel Mottaret, France

2. Val d’Isère

Like Méribel, Val d’Isère is situated in the Tarentaise Valley, close to the French-Italian border. The ski area surrounding both Val d’Isère and the nearby ski resort of Tignes is known as L’Espace Killy, and includes more than 300km of piste. There are more than 150km of piste at Val d’Isère, and there are ski runs for both beginners and more experienced skiers, as well as plenty of areas for off-piste skiing.

Val d’Isère’s ski area is divided into three smaller areas: Bellevarde; Le Fornet; and Le Solaise. The most popular area, and the best for novice skiers, is Le Soliase. Intermediate skiers will find a number of blue runs in Le Fornet, whilst experienced skiers will enjoy the off-piste areas in Le Fornet and challenging runs in Bellevarde. All of the pistes are open to snowboarders and there is also a snow park at the resort.

Other winter sports activities available at Val d’Isère include snowshoe walking, ice driving, cross-country skiing and glacier walking. The resort is also well-known for it’s après ski facilities, and you’ll find a range of restaurants and bars to choose from.

3. Barèges

Barèges is situated about 37km from Lourdes, in the south-west of France. It’s within the Domaine Du Tourmalet, the largest ski area in the French Pyrenees, and is the second oldest ski resort in the country. In the 1970s, it became linked to a neighbouring resort, La Mongie, and the two are now often referred to as either Barèges-La Mongie or Tourmalet.

You can enjoy more than 100km of piste, and there are runs for all levels. Learn to ski from scratch at the resort’s ski school, or, if you are an experienced skier try one of the 5 challenging black runs or ski off-piste. You can also snowboard, take a cross-country ski tour, snow shoe, or simply relax in the thermal spa in Barèges.

Barèges is a small, traditional village, so it tends to be quieter than some of the Alpine ski resorts. However, there are a number of bars in the village, so you can still enjoy an  après-ski drink or two.

Many international airlines operate flights to France, and there is an excellent rail service within the country.

1. Go Sand Skiing - this sport is becoming increasingly popular in the Middle East, particularly in the Liwa sand dunes, near to the Liwa Oasis, about three hours’ drive from the city of Abu Dhabi. Head to the top of the dunes, strap on your sand-board and make your way down to the bottom! A number of tour operators in Abu Dhabi organise desert safaris which include sand skiing.

2. Watch a Camel Race – if you’re visiting Abu Dhabi during the winter, head off to the Al Wathba Racetrack, about 45km to the east of the city of Abu Dhabi, and watch a camel race. Camel racing takes place from the end of August until April and is one of the most popular sports in Abu Dhabi. Races are usually held at the Al Wathba Racetrack on Thursdays and Fridays.

3. Try Dune Bashing – As with sand skiing, this is an extremely popular activity in the United Arab Emirates, particularly in the dunes near the Liwa Oasis, and a number of tour operators offer dune-bashing experiences. The term “dune bashing” refers to the practice of riding up and down sand dunes at high speed in a 4×4 vehicle, and it’s a truly exhilarating experience.

4. Go Scuba Diving – the waters off the coast of Abu Dhabi are perfect for anyone wanting to go scuba diving. There are a number of diving clubs in the area, so whether you are an expert or a beginner, you should be able to find a scuba diving course or expedition to suit you.

5. Play a Round of Golf – there are a number of golf courses within the city of Abu Dhabi and in other parts of the emirate. Abu Dhabi Golf Club, for example, is about 10 minutes’ drive away from Abu Dhabi International Airport, and its 27-hole championship course plays host to the PGA European Tour Abu Dhabi Golf Championship. Other courses in the emirate include: the Al Ghazal Golf Course, which is a sand golf course near Abu Dhabi International Airport; and the Al Ain Golf Course, in the city of Al Ain. New golf courses are also being constructed on Yas Island.

6. Take a Balloon Trip – Book a hot air balloon trip with Balloon Adventures Emirates and get a bird’s eye view of the desert. The company’s balloon flights operate daily (weather permitting) between mid-September until the end of May. The flights take off early in the morning from the desert, just north of Al Ain, but the company provides free transport from locations in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. The entire trip will take about 5 hours.

7. Try Indoor Skydiving – Abu Dhabi has a vertical wind tunnel facility, SPACEWALK Abu Dhabi, at the Abu Dhabi Health and Fitness Club. Professional instructors will help you to fly on a column of air and you’ll experience what it feels like to skydive. There are a number of different packages available and you don’t need any skydiving experience to take part.

8. Take a Trip on a Speed Boat – See Abu Dhabi from the water on a trip on one of the Yellow Boats. The company offers a range of different tours, including adventure tours around Lulu Island and its 50 minute long Abu Dhabi Ultimate Thrill Ride.

9. Go Jet Skiing – the waters around Abu Dhabi are perfect for jet-skiing and you can hire jet skis from a number of operators.  You may find that you can hire jet skis from your hotel -  at the Hilton International Abu Dhabi Hotel, for example, you can hire jet skis from the Hiltonia Beach Club, and jet ski rental is also available at the Golden Tulip Al Jazira Hotel and Resort, which is situated between Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

10. Take a Kayak Tour – Explore the mangroves near the city of Abu Dhabi on an eco-friendly kayak tour with the Noukhada Adventure Company. The company offers a number of different tours at different times of the day and also offers kayak fishing trips.

Read previous posts in this series by following the links below:

• Exploring Abu Dhabi – Yas Island Hotels: read about some of hotels on the newly developed Yas Island.
• Exploring Abu Dhabi – Yas Island: find out about Abu Dhabi’s new tourist area.
• Exploring Abu Dhabi – Abu Dhabi Shopping: read about some of Abu Dhabi’s malls and souks.
• Exploring Abu Dhabi – Sheikh Zayed Mosque: in this post, we take a look at Abu Dhabi’s largest mosque.
• Exploring Abu Dhabi – Abu Dhabi Corniche Hotels
  - find some great places to stay near the Corniche.
• Exploring Abu Dhabi – The Corniche: find out about Abu Dhabi’s famous seaside promenade.
• Exploring Abu Dhabi – Emirates Heritage Village: find out about this popular tourist attraction.
• Exploring Abu Dhabi – Abu Dhabi Overview: learn about Abu Dhabi and the other United Arab Emirates.
• Airport Guides – Abu Dhabi International Airport: information  for anyone booking flights to Abu Dhabi.

Image: Stevage

The prize includes 3 nights’ bed and breakfast accommodation in Edinburgh and 6 nights’ accommodation in the restored 19th century Stationmaster’s House on the banks of Loch Carron. Activities include a trip on a fishing boat, hiking in Skye’s mountains and a guided tour of Edinburgh’s farmers’ market.

You can enter the competition by completing and submitting the form on the BBC Good Food Magazine website. Entries must be received by 30 September 2009.

Responsible Travel is currently advertising a self-guided walking tour in Kent, which takes you through the North Downs from Rochester Cathedral to Canterbury Cathedral. Part of the trail was used by pilgrims in the Middle Ages, and you’ll see the village of Harbledown, which Geoffrey Chaucer mentioned in “The Canterbury Tales”. You’ll also see many other historic sites en route, including Bigbury’s Iron-Age hill fort and Leeds Castle.

The holiday lasts for five nights, with six walking days, and you’ll walk about ten miles each day. You’ll be assigned a guide, who will meet you each morning to go through your route with you and who will be a phone call away if you need him or her at any stage of the journey.

The cost of the holiday includes bed and breakfast accommodation each night and a packed lunch each day, and you don’t need to worry about carrying your luggage with you, as this will be transported to each guest house or bed and breakfast for you. Prices start from £438 per person (based on two people sharing accommodation) and you can extend the holiday if you fancy a longer break.

You can book your Pilgrims Way Self-Guided Walking Tour via the Responsible Travel website.

Image: Hans Musil

The prize includes four return economy flights from London to Wyoming, four nights’ accommodation at a working cattle ranch in the stunning Shell Valley and three nights’ accommodation in a remote mountain cabin. The winner and his or friends will receive intensive riding training as well as learning rope-work, cattle-reading, survival skills and fishing, and will take part in a real cattle drive across country.

The holiday dates are set (18th July 2009 – 25th July 2009), and you and the friends that you choose to accompany you must be aged between 18 and 64 and weigh less than 16 stone, due to the nature of the activities included on the trip.

You can enter the competition via the Lucozade Challenge website – you will need to confirm the details of the friends that you want to travel with, and will need their permission before supplying these details. Entries must be received by midnight on 9 July 2009.

Full terms and conditions, together with an itinerary, can be found on the Lucozade Challenge website.

The prize consists of: two nights’ accommodation at Higher Riscombe Farm, a luxury B&B; a carvery dinner for four at The Rest & Be Thankful Inn, a 19th century coaching inn situated in the village of Wheddon Cross; a 2.5 hour Jeep Safari; and a watersports taster session at Wimbleball Lake.

You can enter this prize draw via the Active Exmoor website. Entries must be received before 31 August 2009.

The survey, which was conducted by budget hotel chain Travelodge, revealed that the ten most popular holiday destinations for Brits holidaying at home this year are as follows: Cornwall; The Lake District; the Yorkshire Dales; the Scottish Highlands and Islands; Edinburgh; London; the Isle of Wight; Devon; the Norfolk Broads; and South Wales.

Many of these people are likely to be staying in the UK in order to reduce costs, due to the recession. However, although this isn’t good news for airlines, fewer people flying is good news for environmental campaigners, as carbon emissions from aircraft are believed to contribute to global warming, an effect of which is climate change.

It’s also good news for British holiday operators, such as Velodays Cycling Holidays, which is based in Aberdeen. Velodays offers a wide range of cycling holidays, so a Velodays holiday is a great option for anyone concerned about climate change.

The Velodays Loch Ness and Strathnairn short break, for example, takes you through some of Scotland’s most beautiful countryside, covering 77 miles in three cycling days.

The price of the holiday includes 4 nights’ hotel accommodation, full breakfast each day, bike hire (if needed), cycle computer route navigation and luggage transfer, and at only £274 – £387 per person (based on two people sharing a room), works out as a great low-cost holiday option.

Your first night will be spent in the Trafford Bank Guest House in Inverness, and your bike and equipment will be delivered to the hotel. The following day, you leave Inverness on your first day of cycling and travel to Loch Ness and then on to Strathnairn. You’ll be cycling for 29 miles on your first day, with 10 miles of this route running alongside the banks of Loch Ness. In the evening, you can relax in The Steadings Hotel in Strathnairn.

On your second day, you’ll cycle east for 26 miles, via Cawdor Castle, before arriving in the town of Nairn, where you’ll spend the night in The Newton Hotel. On your final day, you’ll be cycling for twenty miles, passing Fort George and Culloden before arriving back in Inverness, where you’ll spend the final night of your holiday in the Trafford Bank Guest House.

Velodays also offers longer cycling holidays and a number of cycling holidays in other regions of Scotland.