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Paula McArthur

Lovely to meet you

I've spent the majority of my working career in some form of the travel industry and have returned to my happy place of working face-to-face with clients. It brings the most joy when I see the excitement on their face and I have the responsibility to live up to and exceed their expectations. But travel is now ever- changing, volatile and can throw up surprises at a moments notice. Having your travel consultant in your back pocket from start to finish, can give you reassurance you will not be left on your own, even if you do get stranded!

Paula


My favourite holiday memories

  • Atacama Desert, Chile
    Atacama Desert Chile Paula McArthur
    Such a destination of opposites, surrounded by the desert but salt lakes filled with flamingos and the Andes mountain range in the distant.  Staying in a luxury resort close to San Pedro, this quaint village and the quietness of the people, made for an experience I would recommend anyone heading past Santiago
  • Vietnam
    Vietnam Paula McArthur

    A destination that envelopes you the moment you arrive, like it did me in Hanoi.  My favourite city with it's French architecture and tree-lined avenues in contrast to the street food stalls sitting on wee plastic chairs.  Always take the food tour on arrival so you can appreciate and enjoy all that is to follow. Especially when you get to cycle among the rice paddies in the high country and savour their unique coffee.

  • Provence
    Provence Paula McArthur

    My favourite destination over all and have visited the most. This time I cruised up the Rhone and every stop set my heart racing! The culture, food, history of this place never ceases to amaze me and staying in one place (my cruise) to explore the surroundings is the way I like to adventure. Come and borrow my extensive 2024 French DK guide any time!

Creating better holidays 

Whatever your travel dreams, I will work with you to create the best holiday possible. The holidays I specialise in include:

  • 18yr-30 Something Travel
  • Cycling
  • Golfing
  • Hiking Walking
  • Skiing
  • Adventure
  • Coach Touring
  • Small Ship Cruising
  • Expedition Cruising
  • Ocean Cruising
  • River Cruising
  • Couples Travel
  • Disney Holidays
  • Family Travel
  • Group Travel
  • Luxury Travel
  • Road Trips
  • Safaris
  • Solo Travel
  • Train Journeys

My travel passions

River Cruising- A boutique hotel on water, unpacking once, fed and watered (very well!) and waking up to a new destination each morning. Take yourselves off the busy roads and let yourself be as busy or as relaxed, as you want to be. The choice is always yours. 

Rail Journeys -Some of the great travel journeys hark back to rail including the Orient Express in Europe, The Ghan in Australia, The Rocky Mountaineer in Canada to name a few. Then there are the ubiquitous journeys that a lot of us have travelled on: Eurail, TGV and Eurostar in France, the Bullet train in Japan plus all those underground subways around the world.

France/Italy- From my very first ferry crossing to France,  and continually learning the language, I have never tired to returning here.  I want every Europe-visiting client to find a village off the beaten track where they can enjoy a cafe' au lait or caffè latte, sit outside and smell the croissants/cornetti baking in the boulangerie/panetteria next door, taking photos of the geraniums in the window boxes,  along with experiencing the history unrivalled. I can get you there by car, canal boat, river cruising, train travel, discovery tours and beyond

First Time Travellers/Solo Travellers -Such a passion to help people crossing seas and/or travelling on their own for the first time. Years of experience has helped my garner a bow full of advice, tips, locations, apps, recommendations with airlines, stopovers, hotels, sightseeing all while listening carefully to what clients expectations are, to making it all happen.


Some of the destinations I have explored

ASIA: Hong Kong | Japan | Malaysia | Macau | Singapore | Vietnam
AUSTRALIA: Brisbane, Queensland | Gold Coast, Queensland | Melbourne, Victoria | Sunshine Coast, Queensland | Sydney, New South Wales
MIDDLE EAST: Dubai, UAE
NORTH AMERICA: Canada | Hawai'i | USA
SOUTH AMERICA: Argentina | Chile | Peru | Uruguay 
SOUTH PACIFIC: Fiji | Rarotonga, Cook Islands | Tahiti | Tonga | Vanuatu
UK/EUROPE: Austria | Belgium | Germany | England | France | Italy  | Netherlands | Scotland | Spain/Portugal | Switzerland | Wales


Awards & qualifications

  • Cruise Line International Association
  • New York Destination Expert Training
  • Rail Expert
  • International Air Transport Association Certificate
  • Cook Island Specialist
  • NZQA Level 4