Travel: Distant dreams

Dream destinations in Latin America are becoming more accessible with more charter flights to Costa Rica. From May next year, Airtours (01706 260000) is organising holidays to the country's Pacific coast, flying in to the little-known airport of Liberia. Schedules mean you have to stay for exactly a fortnight, which will cost a minimum of pounds 559 including room-only accommodation at the Hotel Coco Verde.

Hong Kong stops being British nine days from today, and after years of telling us how flights and hotels would be fully booked for the hand- over, the travel industry has suddenly realised there's still spare capacity for the event. Trailfinders (0171-938 3939) has come up with a wacky deal involving flying out this coming Friday on Gulf Air and returning five days later on Alitalia, for pounds 1,034 including hotel accommodation.