8 - 14 November 2001
Issue No.559
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Al-Ahram Weekly Online 8 - 14 November 2001 Issue No.559 |
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Three clicks to paradise
If you are planning a honeymoon you can find your Garden of Eden only a pebble's throw from the northern coast of Egypt in the idyllic Greek Islands. No matter what your dream -- an off- the-peg cruise, a custom-made tour through a travel company or an independent odyssey under your own steam -- you can find tours, hotels, ferries, excursions, flights and general information on the Internet. Web sites even come with sound effects, from foghorns to the tinkle of Zorba the Greek.
From the western Ionian Sea to the eastern Aegean, Greece has hundreds of islands. Choosing the one for you is like taking your pick from a giant box of chocolates. You can guess the flavour of the more popular ones -- like Rhodes, Corfu and Kos -- without reading the pamphlet, while others keep their secrets for those with the most discerning palate. Browsing the web is a great way to discover the hidden treasures of Greece.
The first leg of your journey will be a flight to Athens. Check with Olympic Airlines at www.olympic-airways.gr or EgyptAir at www.egyptair.com Having chosen your holiday and found a suitable flight, you may find it more comfortable to book this leg through the airline office or a travel agent. You may find you can book a flight from your home airport all the way to your Greek island destination, with or without an overnight stay in Athens.
Many tours start from Athens airport, but if you need to make your own way to Piraeus to catch your boat, it couldn't be easier: just go through Exit gate number five in the Arrivals Hall and catch an E96 bus straight to the port for a 1,000-drachma fare (LE12). The ride takes about an hour.
As for your holiday, you can go it alone or you may decide to find a travel agent. Either way, this is where the Internet really comes in. The advantage of acting as your own travel agent is the free choice it brings. The disadvantage is that if you can't find or catch a ferry, you will still pay for your hotel booking. Another difficulty with doing it alone is that ferries do not always run on schedule. Also, access from one island to another may be difficult or impossible, and you could find yourself hopping back and forth to Athens to catch a connection.
If you truly want the freedom of staying on one island once you fall in love with it, or moving on with the next boat, then you will have to forego advanced hotel bookings and take pot luck with accommodation. But remember that if you have a deadline to stick to, it is not advisable just to hop on a boat without checking which day of the week you can find a way off your dream island. If you like doing everything by the book, and especially if you are on honeymoon and want everything to go perfectly, all this might seem a bit daunting. But the plus side when travelling independently is that you are not stuck in a disappointing hotel when Shangri-La turns out to be next door.
If you want to do some island hopping but still want to book a hotel in advance you can customise your trip by browsing the net and asking an agent to make the bookings, or compromise by staying with the bigger lines and aiming for the more popular islands. For ferry services go to www.greekhotel.com/boats/home.htm for a list of islands and the lines which serve them. For example, if you want to go to Crete and see that it is served by Anek Line, you can do a search for Anek, which will take you to www.anek.gr. From there you can find your schedule and make an online booking. If you prefer not to book ahead, you can also buy a ticket at the port, although you might like to check ahead for cabin availibility.
www.ferries.gr is a great site giving a list of ferry companies with an online booking service and links to car rental, hotels, cruises, excursions, Greek railways, international and domestic ferry services and schedules, domestic flights and weather.
For a personal and very informative site on Greece and the islands visit Matt Barrett's page at www.greektravel.com. Scroll down the home page and click on Greek Islands Synopsis, or go directly to www.greektravel.com/greekislands to find a list of the islands in alphabetical order with links to hotels and travel agencies. Many of the islands have individual links with illuminating and informative descriptions and excellent photographs.
www.GreekIslands.com is a comprehensive virtual guide to island and mainland Greek hotels, lodgings and tour operators. In three clicks you can be in -- for example -- Naxos, and in one more you can send your information request to one of the listed village resorts. If you balk at this, the site can link you to a local travel agent which also runs tours and short cruises. This site provides links to car rental, entertainment, hotels and historical information, but to find a boat to your chosen island you will need to refer to the list on www.greekhotel.com/boats/ home.htm mentioned above.
Alternatively, you can avoid dry land and go for a cruise all the way. By searching "Greece" on http://away.com/index.adp you can choose a cruise which takes you on an island hop without the hassle. This site brings you the ultimate in virtual vacation planning, a choice of cruises and vacations originating in Athens and including a 12-day tour of the Cyclades. For another Athens-based site visit www.fantasticcruise.com which arranges cruises lasting from three to seven days or longer, with tour and hotel add-ons, and let your fancy fly. Have a wonderful time!
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