At the foot of the Arabian Peninsula, just south of the regions travel-hub Dubai, lies one of Arabia’s best kept secrets. The Sultanate of Oman.

Oman, only recently on the travel map, is a coastal delight. Picturesque, pristine beaches cover the 2,000km of coastline. The crisp blue waters are cool and welcoming with a diverse array of sea-life for both the beginner and experienced diver. Old dhows, traditional Arabic yachts, have been converted for day trips along the coast to take in the breathtaking sunsets over the rugged mountains surrounding the capital, Muscat.

Muscat lies just a few hours drive from Dubai’s main airport or a short 45-minute flight. Even closer is the country’s ecologically diverse northern province of Musandam at the mouth of the Persian Gulf, which boasts some of the best diving in the region. The country is a popular escape for Emirati’s from the hustle and bustle of Dubai and perfect for a weekend getaway for holiday-makers spending a few weeks in the UAE.

In 2009 Oman was awarded one of the Lonely Planets prestigious Top 10 must see countries. With a coastline brightly lit with the traditional white huts, stunning beaches and a desert fitting of Lawrence of Arabia, it is not hard to see why.

Just a few hours drive from the coast, travellers can spend a night gazing at the desert stars with the luxury adventure travel company Desert Nights Camp. The company offers FWD adventure tours, camel rides, and traditional Bedouin music.

Camping and trekking trips to the beautiful Jebel Ali mountain are a must. Stop off and visit one of the 500-odd mudbrick towers and forts, explore the immense wadis and rugged moonscape mountain ranges of inner Oman. While the old capital, Nizwa, maintains a wonderful souk and farmers market where you can buy or trade your family goat.

Relatively untouched by the wave of unrest gripping the region, Sultan Qaboos has led the country to top the UN’s 2010 Human Development Index, almost doubling life expectancy since coming to power and making significant headway in literacy and healthcare.

The country’s southern region of Salalah is a popular summer escape for the entire region. The yearly monsoon turns the southern desert green. Flora and fauna explode over the rolling hills of the southern region and temperatures drop to a beautiful 20 to 30 degrees – unique for a region where summer temperatures can rise to 50 degrees Celsius.

Oman is etched in the history of the region, once a powerful seafaring state that stretched from Baluchistan in modern-day Pakistan to Zanzibar in Tanzania. Their long seafaring history has made local Omani’s warm and welcoming. Climb aboard a local fishing boat for a taste of local life, lose yourself in the maze of the wonderful frankincense-scented souk in downtown Muscat or try your hand at gutting a fish at the local fish market.

From luxury to adventure to the history buff, The Sultanate of Oman offers a fantastic and truly unique travel experience for all.

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To avoid problems you have to play by Tiger’s rules. Here are some top tips on how to do that.

1. If you have no luggage to check in, be careful of the Web Check-in rules to avoid extra fees

If you don’t have any baggage to check in you should use the Web Check-in facility when booking, and don’t forget to actually do it before heading to the airport. If you show up to the airport check-in desk without any luggage to check you will be charged $20.

2. Take their check-in and boarding times seriously

Getting to the airport early may not be in your genetic make up but Tiger are not messing with their check-in and boarding times.

They will not accept you for travel if you show up at the check-in counter less than 45 minutes before the scheduled departure time of your flight.

If you are not at the boarding gate at least 30 minutes before departure, you will not be getting on. Your baggage will be offloaded and you’ll get no money back.

3. They are strict on any excess baggage, be careful

If any of your checked baggage weighs over 30kg it will be subject to Tiger’s Excess Checked Baggage fees. They don’t seem keen on wriggle room here like other airlines.

Watch out for your carry-on luggage too. You are allowed two pieces provided that it does not exceed the dimensions of 54cm X 38cm X 23cm and that no individual bag exceeds 7kgs. The combined weight of these two bags cannot exceed 10kgs. This is strictly for each person (kids included); don’t assume you can pool this allowance.

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On 16 May Qantas starts flying its new route to Dallas. So what does this mean for your US travel?

A direct link to America’s South. Did you watch too much Dallas in the 80’s and can’t wait to check Texas out for yourself? Qantas’s direct link puts you in the heart of warm southern hospitality to discover a glamorous urban metropolis with a thriving nightlife. As they say, everything is bigger in Texas, with immense landscapes to get out and explore.

Better airline connections. Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DWF) is much better than Qantas’s previous hub, Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), for ongoing connections to other parts of the US. It offers a wider range of connections and more options in terms of frequency.

A more pleasant experience that LAX. If you have been to LAX you’ll agree that finding a way to avoid it worth it. DFW is still a major airport but not as busy and badly designed as LAX. However, Qantas does not have a lounge at DFW so you can weigh that up in your benefit analysis of giving LAX a skip.

A really long flight. Flying from Australia to the US is always going to be an endurance event. This route adds a few more hours in one tin can; you need to consider if you can handle it.

You can’t fly on the A380. If the A380 is your preferred choice for comfort you might have to wait a while before you can experience it on this route – only 747-400s will be flying for now. However, given the engine scares last year this may not bother you.

If Texas is where you want to be this route is perfect for you. For other travel it will come down to weighing up for yourself the time savings possibilities and comfort aspects of Qantas’s Dallas route. Whichever way you look at it, having a new choice is a welcome change.

I mean, yeah it’s cool to be able to connect with any part of the world whenever you wish to, but at the same time it is only ever more reason to justify not traveling and checking it out yourself.

A great way to please both worlds, work and leisure, is via a travel package that offers a snapshot of a certain area.

Travel World are giving us the opportunity to check out Vietnam at a glance, with a 12 day package deal.

The offer will set you back anywhere between $3300 and $3750 depending on where you are plying out of in Australia.

The package includes 10 nights accommodation, all meals paid for, all transport and daily tours and entrance fees paid for, as well as a tour escort and local guide during your stay.

In addition the visa fees will be taken care of for all Aussie passport holders.

The aim of the tour is to give tourists a snapshot of Vietnams major cities, including Saigon, Hoi An, Hue, charming Hanoi and the spectacular Ha Long Bay.

The deal is available now though Flight Centre and is valid for sale until July 15.

AirAsia is the new player in the game, and has this year been welcomed into the market with much delight to customers.

The Asian airline offers routes from Australia to its headquarters in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, then onto Europe and other Asian destinations.

AirAsia has a network of more than 60 destinations and sale fares to popular destinations from Kuala Lumpur can be found for under the ten-dollar mark.

Flights from KL to Penang can be found for only $9, while to Singapore will set you back an even $10.

A flight to China is selling for around $70, while traveling from KL to London will set you back around $250.

But while the prices if AirAsia are more than appealing, the same can not be said for the luxury and travel comfort that come with the airline.

AirAsia operates under the business slogan, you pay for what you want, and it shows.

After finding it hard to find a park, travelers will have to walk that extra distance to reach the departure, or arrival, lounge.

Here, travelers will witness a smaller than normal waiting room, with barely any seating space, forcing people to cram into the tiny room.

But regardless, AirAsia is about satisfying the low budget travelers, and making overseas travel more affordable for everyone.

Visit: http://www.airasia.com

Holiday packages: http://goholiday.airasia.com

In what was an Australian first, The Black Eyed Peas jammed live during the private four hour long flight smashing the current Guinness World Record for ‘highest ever concert performed on an aircraft’ set by British band ‘Jamairoquai’ in 2007.

On their flight to Perth Virgin Blue, The Black Eyed Peas and nearly 140 V.i.P Guests onboard achieved an altitude of 41,000 feet to nab the current Guinness World Record.

will.i.am, Fergie, Taboo and apl.de.ap, collectively known as The Black Eyed Peas, who arrived in Perth to a ‘rock star’ welcome, were ecstatic about the achievement.

Fergie said, “It was exciting to make history while having a silly, crazy time doing it!”. Taboo added, “This was the true meaning of the ultimate natural high in the sky and we all need to experience a mile high karaoke club”.

Virgin Blue Chief Executive, Brett Godfrey, said, “This is the first Guinness World Record breaking stunt we’ve been involved with and we’re just thrilled to have been a part of it by partnering with The Black Eyed Peas and successfully pulling off an in-flight gig of this magnitude. So I’d like send my congratulations to The Peas and also to the extensive Virgin Blue team who have worked day and night for months to turn a ‘crazy idea’ into a reality.” The Black Eyed Peas performed the final Australian concert of their The E.N.D World Tour at Perth’s Burswood Dome on Saturday night.

The Black Eyed Peas have made history with the longest successive stay at the top of the USA Billboard Hot 100 chart with 26 consecutive weeks at number 1. “I Gotta Feeling” has held the top spot for the past fourteen weeks after replacing their first single “Boom Boom Pow” which then spent 12 weeks at number 1. This is the longest consecutive stay for any artist in the Billboard chart’s 51-year history.

Assistance has also been offered by Qantas to help the ARU freight a supply of rugby related materials to the affected regions. After discussions with the Samoan and Tongan Rugby Unions, ARU announced that it will donate $10,000 – plus Rugby equipment and clothing – to help alleviate the hardship experienced by its Pacific Island neighbours.

“Qantas has been a prized and valued partner of Australian Rugby for more than 10 years, and have been naming rights sponsor of the Qantas Wallabies since 2004,” said ARU Managing Director and CEO John O’Neill.

“Their wonderful support at this time for the Rugby-loving people of Samoa and Tonga comes as no surprise, but it is certainly greatly appreciated by ARU.

“Qantas saw what we wanted to do and were on the telephone almost immediately seeing how they could assist us, including how we could get Rugby supplies to the islands.

“We will be putting together an extensive supply of Rugby clothing and equipment, including t-shirts, singlets, jerseys and balls, so villages where Rugby is played can once again take up the game.”

Almost 30 villages with Rugby teams were affected by the tsunami and Samoan officials have emphasised that a return to playing Rugby will help young men and their communities overcome the tragedy.

Qantas Chief Executive Officer, Alan Joyce said it was important for the Australian public and business communities to assist in the rebuilding of Samoa and Tonga.

“So many people and communities have been affected by the recent tsunami, including many with family and friends in Australia,” Mr Joyce said.

“We’re proud to sponsor the Qantas Wallabies and are committed to working with the ARU on steps to help the recovery process in Samoa and Tonga.”

The Qantas Foundation, established in 2008, supports charitable causes and communities in need.

The flight, organised by Melbourne-based Antarctica Sightseeing Flights, will originate in Sydney and fly via Melbourne to reach Antarctica. Passengers will be over the “ice” at midnight and be the first in the world to see the light of the new year.

The chartered A380 will fly figure-eight patterns above the breathtaking polar terrain for up to four hours before heading back to Melbourne and Sydney.

Two other Antarctic flights are also planned for the southern summer – a second A380 service direct from Sydney on 24 January and a Boeing 747-400 from Melbourne on Valentine’s Day, 14 February. All flights are operated by senior Qantas pilots, with the captain in command having previously operated Antarctica sightseeing flights.

The New Year’s Eve flight to Antarctica will be under the command of Captain John Dennis, who has flown more than 40 of the 85 previous Boeing 747 flights to the ice. He will be accompanied by two other senior pilots for the inaugural A380 journey.

“Antarctica is the world’s coldest, driest and windiest continent, and the fastest, most comfortable way to view it is from the air, which maximises viewing but leaves not a single footprint,” said Antarctica flights founder Phil Asker, whose company has operated 85 Antarctic flights from Australia since 1994, all with Boeing 747 aircraft chartered from Qantas.

“Not only will we offer the unique opportunity for New Year’s Eve travellers to farewell 2009 and welcome 2010 flying low and slow over the breathtaking Antarctic landscape – we will offer the bonus opportunity to make aviation history aboard the first commercial flight by an A380 to the south polar region,” he said.

Antarctica sightseeing flights do not land in Antarctica. On a typical flight, the first icebergs are seen approximately three hours after passing over Hobart. The most frequently-used route then takes the aircraft over the polar icecap, the South Magnetic Pole, the French scientific base at Dumont d’Urville, rugged coastal cliffs, massive glaciers and finally the spectacular Trans-Antarctic Range before returning to Australia.

On board, experts deliver commentary and stories of their own experiences in Antarctica, and stroll through the cabin throughout the flight to speak to passengers.

Videos are screened about Antarctic life and history and a camera on the flight deck gives passengers a pilot’s eye view, via the cabin entertainment screens, of takeoff and landing in Australia and of the polar landscape ahead. There is even a jazz band moving through the cabin during the New Year’s Eve flight.

The Qantas Airbus A380 fleet is configured to seat up to 450 passengers with eight different seating options available for Antarctic flights.

Pricing from Sydney and Melbourne for the New Year’s Eve flight ranges from $999 for an Economy Class Centre seat to $6,299 in First Class.

For more information on pricing, travel dates or other details, or to book an Antarctica sightseeing flight, visit travel agents in Australia, call 1800 633 449 or visit www.antarcticaflights.com.au. Antarctic images taken from earlier flights can also be viewed at the website, and images or footage are available for media use.

Although the Antarctic sightseeing flights are operated by Qantas, the flights are private charters and not able to be purchased through Qantas reservations.

Samui Airport, the only regional airport on the list, sees over 6 million passengers and more than 15,000 flights per year mainly by Bangkok Airways and other airlines such as Thai Airways International. Samui Airport serves domestic and international direct flights to and from Bangkok, Phuket, Krabi, Chiang Mai, Pattaya (U-Tapao), Krabi, Singapore, Hong Kong, Penang and Kuala Lumpur.

For Bangkok Airways, being included in the top ten in the “Best Cabin Service Worldwide” category is another achievement this year after breaking the record with repeated success in winning the annual assessment of the Skytrax World Airline Award as the “Best Regional Airline” six times in a row since 2004.

The Smart Travel Asia’s travel poll is surveyed annually in different categories such as hotels, resorts, spas, airlines and airports. For more information on Smart Travel Asia, visit www.smarttravelasia.com.

Since then, the airline has carried more than 1.2 billion customers on its extensive network, and has become recognised as one of the world’s elite carriers. Next year, British Airways will celebrate 75 years of flying Down Under. On 20th April, 1935 the first flight took off from London and touched down 12 days later in Brisbane!! Now that was a long flight!

Paying tribute to the airline, Prime Minister Gordon Brown said; “British Airways has never lost the pioneering spirit and vision that saw it take to the skies with the world’s first daily international flight from London to Paris on this day in 1919. Ninety years on, the world’s most iconic airline is still proudly flying the flag and remains a great British brand. Many congratulations to all its staff – past and present, on this special day.”

British Airways chairman Martin Broughton said; “over the past nine decades, British Airways has played its part in many historic episodes. We provided the first air links to far-flung capitals in the days of empire, flew Winston Churchill across the Atlantic during wartime, brought Queen Elizabeth back to Britain after the passing of George VI, repeatedly led the way with aircraft innovation and have often proudly transported home our sports teams from success overseas. We have a rich history supporting Britain and will carry this forward to our centenary and beyond.”

The airline is marking the occasion in various ways. Swarovski, the world’s leading producer of precision-cut crystal, has loaned a giant bejewelled Union Flag to the airline. The stunning 4ft by 2ft artwork is embossed with more than 126,000 crystallised Swarovski Elements ™ and will be in the British Airways arrivals lounge in Terminal 5 until September.

An internal exhibition will showcase memorabilia from nine decades of travel, while customers in Terminal 5 have been treated to cabin crew and TV personality Kirsty Gallacher modelling vintage uniforms in the terminal in the run up to its anniversary week.