Aghh, thats scared me slightly! Thanks for pointing it out to me tho

Anyone know anything about travelrepublic? Its taken me nearly a year to save up (skint student) ..definately don't want to be wasting it.

that question should be ask in the tour operator and travel agent forum

wizard

Hi Amy.. ..

The other thing to consider is kickout times at most of the hotels and apartments. If you fly out say 11pm from england and land 5am you have just lost a day in your room / apartments as they allocate the room to you from midday the previous day.

When you get to the end of the holiday and if your flight is early morning back home you loose the room 12pm (midday) the day before.... Some hotel / apartments allow you to stay on till the pickup 3/4am at extra cost €30+

For this reason a lot of the deals have these flight times.. ..

paul.. ..

Hiya Wizard, thanks, did a search and it seems like they're a kosher company.

Paul, yeah thats what I've been a little concerned about, especially as most of the flights I've been looking at depart at 1.30am

I don't fancy checking out of a hotel at 11am the previous day...not bothered about the night sat around without a room as I'm sure we could always waste a few hours sat in a bar

Thanks a lot for your help

Hi Amy.. ..

I've done it a couple of times in Laganas and it's not too bad. The only thing i needed was a shower after spending the day on the beach. then it was out for the last night with everyone i had met over the holiday.

Some hotels / apartments you can pre-book the extra night and some others will offer you courtesy rooms if they have them for a shower etc. And i've helped people out by letting them use my room, shower etc and been lucky myself with others helping me. Just depends how well you get on with everyone i suppose.

Because of allocation on arrival and late deals they don't allways know too far in advance what times the next occupants are arriving so the smaller appartments being run cost effective normally have 100% occupancy all the time and as soon as your out someones back in the room..

Don't let this put you off booking if you find a holiday you want..

paul..

hiya amy.... there are no flights entering or leaving zante at 1.30am because of the protection laws of the turtles.... well thats what ive been told, was in zante kalamaki in oct, beautiful island, but after 10pm there was no aircraft noise...... because of the turtles..... although we never got to see any!

Hi

With regards to 10 night holidays we fly out to Zante on the 5th May with Thomson for 10 nights.

Staying in Kalamaki but Laganas was available as well.

Hope this helps, we got it quite cheap as well but it is May, June is bound to be more expensive but not ridiculous.

Enjoy

Julian

Hey Paul, I'm hoping to get on well with everyone when we get there We've let people use our showers and rooms to store stuff in before, suppose its swings and roundabouts and all that.

Managed to build ourselves a 9 nighter, with locostbeds and travelrepublic. Always been on package hols before so this is new territory for us! This also means we can keep the room till way after we land back in the UK, and it only costs an extra £14 for an extra night (flight at 7am so it was worth it)

Michelle, you didn't get to see any turtles?! I thought they'd be everywhere by what I'd been hearing (no watersports, no night flights etc etc because of them) As far as I know there isn't any flights between 1.30 and 7 or 8 am because of them. Definately want to see the turtles

Thanks a lot Julian, I'll check thomson now, though I've always found Thomson to be one of the more expensive travel agents. (I'm usually the one you meet on holiday who makes you feel better about the price you paid as I'll have paid double! )

Hi Amy

The turtles are easy to find.. ..

Midway between Laganas & Kalamaki (where the sunbeds end) you just have to go out in the sea and the best way is with a LiLo and you can normally find them.

One i swam with in 2004..


A great day out if you can get a few people together 6 or 8 is hire a motorboat and go out to Marithionissi island. works out about €10 each and on the way back you can go along the coast turtle spotting on your own boat.

Main beach facing Laganas.. ..



Sun trap beach round the back.. .. just before you get to this beach are caves you can take the boat into..



Nut

well you have obviousley been ther and come back home again... i was there last oct.... and i was amazed of how many people i recognised that waved at our plane as we landed.... they do come in real low.... but its fascinating.... the new airport still hadnt been built, and it was like standing in a bus queeue.... but the island itself is fantastic!

Couldnt believe how close it was to the sea when it turned to come into the runway. Could see the people on the boats. Turned my stomach a bit like a white knuckle ride. We loved Zante. We stayed just outside Lagana (which was awful at night and dead during the day) but it was our first time to Greece some years ago and had a good time anyway. We stayed around the otherside of the bay which was lovely.

Cant believe it! I remember that beach. We didnt take a camera with us when we went. My husband swam with little octopus as well as the turtles and loved it. We were staying in the little bay opposite but cant remember the name of it - anyone know? The little boat (smaller than the one in your photo) that took us out was piloted by Themis, he toook us around the island and dropped us off on the little beach then picked us up about 1.5 hrs later. Scary ride back as the wind got really bad and kept blowing us off course and Themis had a hard time trying to keep us in the boat! I cant swim so I was very scared!!! The wind got going so quickly too, couldnt believe how strong it was in such a short time. Was a lovely place to visit though!

Hi Sue.. ..

You were probably staying in Keri Bay which i think is the nearest resort to Marithionissi Island, and i have been diving around there many times and have experienced the waves getting up a bit a couple of times coming back through that channel between Keri and the island. The hire boats are fairly stable and have life jackets but, you do feel small and vunerable out in the bay.

For all my holidays that little island was one of the best days i have ever spent in Greece. Sitting on that little beach surrounded by the high cliffs looking out to sea you could be anywhere, fantastic little island.

Nut

Oooh those photos are making me all excited. We are off to Zante in August for the third time I love it there. Its strange I feel so at home there but I went to Kefalonia last year and wasn't struck at all.

Sarah

Wow Paul, those pics look amazing! Not been to a place with a nice beach for a bit (went to Kavos last year. the beach is probably worse than Blackpool! )

Definately want to find them turtles though. Silly question probably, but do they bite? Told my friends about them and they've all refused to go anywhere near the water until we know what they're capable of

Getting excited now, can't believe summers nearly here!!

Hi Amy.. ..

I've been keeping up with news from Archelon and the loggerhead turtles for some years now with the MSN group.. .. >>

http://groups.msn.com/ArchelonVolunteers/

The turtles have a huge powerful beak but, they flee from any danger rather than stand their ground and fight. I guess if you grabbed hold of one it could turn and bite. there are no reports of attacks that i have heard of.

I swam with the one i photographed above for a few minutes until it dived down too deep for me to follow, and if you get the chance to do the same you'll see how peaceful they are.

iv just booked a 2 week holiday to the Tassia appt in laganas zante for 15th sept does anybody know what the weather will be like late sept? im hoping it will be REALLY hot ? ? ?

Hi Becky....

You can look over past weather trends on this site see links below.

Last year the 15th september was cooler @ 24' C overcast with rain showers.. ..
http://www.wunderground.com/history/airport/LGZA/2005/9/15/DailyHistory.htm

But.. .... The 16th it all cleared and was back up to 29' C hitting 30'C + over the next 14 days

http://www.wunderground.com/history/airport/LGZA/2005/9/16/DailyHistory.htm

I've stayed at the Tassia in Laganas and it's a nice place. Kostas and his familly are real friendly and if you need help or advice about anything they'll sort you out. Good local shops / restaurants but, not many bars at this end of the Laganas road.

Nut

oh thats great thanks

im really looking forward to it as we are going on my birthday.

as you have stayed there before- i wonder if you will know the answer to this question?

we have really nasty flight times on the way home- 4am i think and we were unable to pre-book a late check out when we booked so we are hoping we will be able to arrange this when we check in- do you know of anybody who did this? i know you can do it at most hotels im hoping we can pay to keep the room until about 6 in the evening

thanks