1 I’m after a cool apartment to rent for a long weekend in Paris. Where can I find one? Appartement de Ville (00 33-1 42 45 09 08, www.appartementdeville.com ) has a great selection, with a minimum stay of four nights; prices start at £280 for somewhere central sleeping 2-3 people. Other companies usually require a week’s minimum rental in summer, but offer long weekends at other times. Try A la Carte Paris Apartments (01 42 46 42 57, www.alacarte-paris-apartments.com), Guest Apartment (01 44 07 06 20, www.guestapartment.com) or Bonappart Appartements (01 43 25 72 19, www.bonappart.com).

2 Is there a good boutique hotel in Hong Kong for less than £100? The Minden (00 852 2739 7777, www.theminden.com) has 64 nicely decorated and spotless rooms, with doubles starting at £59. It’s on the small and lively Minden Avenue, a five-minute walk from the shops on Nathan Lane and 10 minutes from the Star Ferry to Hong Kong Island.

Another option – a bit naughty, as it busts the budget – is the new, 54-room, Philippe Starck-designed Jia Boutique Hotel (00 852 3196 9000, www.jiahongkong.com), on Hong Kong Island. The designer rooms are all equipped with kitchenettes and studio-style lounging areas. Doubles start at £130.

3 What’s the best seat on a plane? That depends on what you’re after. For more legroom, bagsy an emergency-exit seat. With a toddler, sit near the toilet and galley, for a close loo and extra attention from the crew. For a stable flight, sit near the centre of gravity – just behind the front of the wing. Don’t want to be disturbed? Sit behind a bulkhead, so you’ll have no seat in front to recline into your lap. (On the downside, baby cots are positioned here too.) Visit www.seatguru.com and www.seatexpert.com for detailed seat plans.

50 best travel websites of 2007

Another year of innovation and refinement as travel websites continue to become more niche, focussed and useful

50 people to know in travel

Cath Urquhart, Travel Editor of The Times, reveals who you need to know in travel to get ahead

Background

• Your Top 10 travel insurance questions

• Your Top 10 baggage questions

• Your Top 10 solo traveller questions

• Your Top 10 complaints about hotels

• Your Top 10 travel health questions

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• 50 people to know in travel

4 Can the queues at the Vatican be avoided? You can queue-jump at the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel with the help of Museum Rome (00 39 06 3972 2474, www.museumrome.com), which charges a flat booking fee of £12 for up to five people and £25 for groups of six or more. You present your booking number at the small prebooked queue and pay the standard entry fee. For fast-track entry to the Uffizi and Accademia galleries in Florence, visit www.weekendafirenze.com.

5 I’ve got two weeks in Argentina and no idea how to fit it all in. Any advice? The country is 11 times bigger than Britain, so planning is vital. Start with three nights in Buenos Aires, then swagger down to gaucho country, a couple of hours’ drive south, for two nights. Next, fly to Patagonia for three nights to see the Perito Moreno, one of only two advancing glaciers in South America. After that, stay overnight at the thrillingly remote Estancia Cristina, which overlooks the snout of the Upsala Glacier, then fly up to Iguaçu Falls for your last three nights. It’s easy to fly back to London from Iguaçu via Sao Paulo or Buenos Aires.

6 How do I know if a country is safe to visit? The most frequently updated and authoritative information is from the Foreign Office (www.fco.gov.uk/travel). Beware: if the advice is not to travel, but you still do, your insurance may be invalid.

7 How do I get a refund on an unused airline ticket? First, look at the booking conditions, as the chances are you can’t. You can, however, reclaim the unused taxes and fuel surcharges – up to £217 on a return to New York – for an administration fee of up to £30 per ticket. Get the refund from whoever sold you the ticket, whether that’s your local travel agent or the airline itself.

8 Can I hire a car and driver in India? You don’t have to be posh to be chauffeur-driven on the subcontinent. Avis (0844 581 0147, www.avis.co.uk) has offices in the main tourist towns, with self-drive starting at £132 per week, as against £150 with a driver. Or try Hertz (0870 844 8844, www.hertz.co.uk).

9 How can I find a tour operator that specialises in a particular country? The Association of British Travel Agents offers a useful search tool at www.abta.com, but it’s far from comprehensive. For independent operators, look at the Association of Independent Operators website, www.aito.co.uk. Tourist boards often have details of operators, too – find their official websites through Antor (www.antor.co.uk).

10 Which airline has the best in-flight entertainment system? The most up-to-the-minute ones have about 500 channels of films, television shows, music and games, all on demand. About 1.6m passengers voted in the 2007 Skytrax awards (www.worldairlineawards.com) – Emirates came top for entertainment, followed by Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Korean Air and Virgin Atlantic.

11 If I go to Cuba, will the passport stamp prevent me from travelling to America? No – the Tourist Card, £15 from the Cuban embassy (020 7240 2488, www.cubaldn.com) or your tour operator, is a separate document from your passport. US immigration need never know.

12 When is the monsoon in India? The world’s weather is getting ever more unpredictable, but the monsoon is supposed to start in the far south at the beginning of June, then sweep north, covering most of India by the end of July. The northeast monsoon dumps over the southeastern states from October to December.

13 I’ve got a beard in my passport photo, but I’m now clean-shaven. Is this a problem? According to the Identity & Passport Service (www.ips.gov.uk), a beard, or any other hair, isn’t a problem – unless it falls across your eyes, as this upsets the biometric technology.

14 I’m trying to fly less. How do I get on a cargo ship? Call Strand Travel (020 7010 7990, www.strandtravel.co.uk), which can set you up on a slow boat to almost anywhere, from Samoa to South Africa and Mexico to Malaysia. It’s not cheap, though – Cape Town to Thamesport starts at about £1,800pp.

15 How do I avoid being bitten by mossies? Once you’ve got your malaria pills, your arsenal should also include repellent (at least 50% Deet) and Bugproof, for spraying on your clothes – try Nomad (www.nomadtravel.co.uk) or Cotswold Outdoor (www.cotswoldoutdoor.com).

16 I need to change planes in America. How do I avoid immigration hassles? It might pay to dodge the main airports, such as JFK or LAX,and sneak in through one of the less busy ones: San Diego, for example, or Charlotte. Or just give the States a miss – if you’re flying to New Zealand, change planes in Hong Kong with Air New Zealand (www.airnewzealand.co.uk). Start your Caribbean island cruise from an island, not Florida. And go round the world through Canada or Latin America.

17 When should I visit Bali? Bali is fabulous whenever, but, if you can choose, stick to the dry season (April-September).It’s humid, but not oppressive, and the occasional showers are relatively light. Prices reach their peak in the European, Japanese and American summer holidays (mid-June to mid-September) – so, in April or May, and towards the end of September, you’ll avoid the rains and the crowds.

18 How do I get travel insurance if I already have a medical condition? Most importantly, you have to declare the condition, which often means that your standard travel policy won’t cover you.These insurers will – Free Spirit (0845 230 5000, www.free-spirit.com), Freedom (01223 454290, www.freedominsure.co.uk) and It’s So Easy (0845 222 4205, www. itssoeasytravelinsurance.com).

19 What’s the best way to do Angkor Wat? The most popular option is to whizz in and out on a short flight from Bangkok to Siem Reap, which has established itself as a tourist base for Angkor. You’ll need at least three nights, but four would be better. There are more than100 temple structures over 80 square miles, and even the must-do sites are spread out. The heat and humidity can be exhausting, so make sure your hotel has a pool.

20 Am I safe booking hotel rooms in Southeast Asia on the internet? It can be risky to book through an overseas company, as it won’t be bonded by Atol, which compensates you if a firm goes bankrupt. Asia Rooms (www.asiarooms.com) has been around since 1994. It promises to answer acustomer-care e-mail form within the hour – and did so easily when I tested it. Other companies worth considering include Asia Hotels (www.asia-hotels.com) and Asia Ways (www.asiaways.com).

21 Is turbulence dangerous? Yes, but not because the plane is going to shake to pieces – it can withstand severe jolts. Turbulence is the plane moving into a patch of choppy air, and it can be quite nasty. If you’re not wearing a seat belt when it hits, you could smack your head on the ceiling orbust your nose on the seat in front when the plane drops. Lightning isn’t a problem, however, as in-built conductors channel the energy. There’s a flash and a bang, but no wallop.

22 How do I choose the right South Sea Island stopover? Samoa is the most unspoilt; Tahiti is pricey, but perfect for honeymooners; if you like America, then go to Hawaii; and Fiji is the best all-rounder. Air New Zealand (0800 028 4149, www.airnewzealand. co.uk) has flights from London to New Zealand from £719, with a stop each way. Or try All Ways Pacific (01494 432747, www.all-ways.co.uk) or Jetset Holidays (0870 055 5747, www.jetset-holidays.co.uk).

23 What are the best search sites for air fares, car hire and hotels? To look at many websites with the one search, head for Travelsupermarket.com, Dohop.com, Kayak.co.uk or Foundem.co.uk.

24 How can I check that an airline is safe? If it’s on the European Union’s banned list (ec.europa.eu/ transport/air-ban/list_en.htm), which means its planes are forbidden from entering EU airspace, steer well clear. To check the age of an airline’s fleet and its safety record, visit www.airfleets.net.

25 Can I get a visa for an independent holiday in Russia? You can, but it’s a fag, as you’ll need an official invitation fromeach hotel you plan to stay at. It’s easier to use a specialist operator, such as Scott’s Tours (020 7383 5353, www. scottstours.co.uk). It charges £58.75 for the invitation and £86 for a tourist visa, but if you book a hotel through it, there’s no invitation fee. Or try Regent Holidays (0845 277 3317, www.regent-holidays.co.uk) or Intourist (0870 112 1232, www.intouristuk.com).

26 Do I have to book the speedboat from Venice airport to St Mark’s Square? Nope. Public boats leave hourly from the boat jetty next to arrivals at Marco Polo airport (£8, one-way; www.alilaguna.it). The 70-minute transfer calls at Murano and the Lido, finishing at St Mark’s Square. For the Talented Mr Ripley touch, a private water taxi to your hotel costs £65, through Motoscafi Venezia (00 39 041 522 2303, www.motoscafivenezia.it).

27 Where in India should I go during our summer? It can top 50C on the northern plains, and the monsoon sweeps across the rest of the country, except for the northwest and the southeast. Head to the Himalayan foothills, for superb scenery, great trekking and the lovely hill stations. Days are clear, with temperatures of about 20C-25C.

28 What’s the strategy for avoiding the queues at Disney World? It’s best to avoid peak season, so go between September and Thanksgiving (the fourth Thursday in November), in the couple of weeks before Christmas or from the week after New Year’s Eve up to the Presidents’ Day public holiday in February. Weekends are busiest – especially Saturdays – so avoid the Magic Kingdom and head for Epcot, which copes better with large crowds. The park is busiest from 11am to 3pm. By 4pm, more people are leaving than entering, so head back in. For park details, visit www.disneyworld.com; for more queue-busting tips, check out www.wdwig.com, www.tourguidemike.com or www.touringplans.com.

29 North or South Island first in New Zealand? Save the best till last – start in the north and go south. Bear in mind, too, that flying into Auckland, then back from Christchurch, usually costs no more than a return to Auckland – which saves doubling back.

30 What are the duty-free allowances? The quantity limits are easy enough – 200 cigarettes and a litre of spirits if arriving from outside the EU – but the value rules are tricky. The current limit is £145, but it has to be for personal use (including gifts). This is in addition to the quantity allowances for alcohol and tobacco. There’s no limit if you’re travelling back from an EU country, providing that tax has been paid in the country of purchase, but alcohol or tobacco must be for your own use and transported by you.

31 What’s the best way of seeing New York by helicopter? There are two options. The first is to get your thrill in early andchopper it from JFK to downtown Manhattan. With US Helicopter (00 800 2727 6766, www.flyush.com), transfers start at £82 each way, in eight-seater helicopters. You’ll get fantastic views of the city on approach to the helipad, particularly at night. There are seven departures daily, Monday to Friday, and the journey takes 10 minutes.

Alternatively, get settled in first, then use Liberty Helicopter (00 1-212 967 6464, www.libertyhelicopters.com). A 15-minute flight is the shortest you should consider, and pricesstart at £119pp for a flight over the rivers, Manhattan, Yankee Stadium and Central Park. Or try New York Helicopter (212 361 6060, www.newyorkhelicopter.com).

32 I have to take a flight on an airline I’ve never heard of; is it risky to book through its website? A natty new UK-based company, Alternative Airlines (0871 222 9222, www.alternativeairlines.com), will sort you out. It specialises in booking some very exotic carriers – more than 250of them – and does low-cost airlines, too. Opodo (www.opodo.co.uk) also handles some of the more unusual airlines.

33 How will I know if I have enough time to connect between flights? Every airport has MCTs (minimum connecting times), which specify how long you need to change planes there – for you to walk, and your luggage to be kicked, between aircraft. It varies from airport to airport, with Vienna at just 30 minutes and Heathrow atup to two hours. If you’ve allowed sufficient connecting time but your first flight is late, the airline will help out – by escorting you to the plane, delaying the second flight or, if you miss it, booking you onto the next available option at no extra cost. That only applies if you have a through ticket, so if your flights are on separate bookings, you’re on your own.

34 Where’s the best place to buy a globe? You should start at Just Globes (01536 264611, www.justglobes.co.uk), whichhas hundreds to choose from – ranging from £6 inflatable ones to a mahogany and brass number at £5,600. If you want to give it a spin before you buy, head for Stanfords (020 7836 1321, www.stanfords.co.uk), which has a good range in its London and Bristol shops.

35 Which airlines really have flat beds? Many airlines hype their flat-bed seats in business class, only to leave you scrunched up on the floor after a fitful sleep on theirflat-but-irksomely-at-an-angle bed. Airlines with fully horizontal flat beds include British Airways and Virgin Atlantic. Visit www.flatseats.com to find out the rest.

36 Which is the best place for summer snorkelling? For good weather, great sea conditions, warm clear water and abundant marine life – as well as decent hotels – make for the Maldives, Mauritius or Muscat.

37 New York or Hong Kong? First New York, then Hong Kong.

38 How do I find out which low-cost airlines fly to a particular city? Look at Airlinedestinations. co.uk, Jumblefly.com and Skyscanner.net. You should also check out the website of your destination airport for details of routes and transfers. For low-cost options outside Europe, try Attitude Travel (www.attitudetravel.com).

39 How do I keep the kids entertained on a long car journey without them being glued to their DVD players the whole way? You could try playing Jingo (www.jingo-systems.com), a bingo game based on spotting French number plates, or get the kids to hunt for cars from different countries – the first one to spot 10 wins. If that palls, try one of the AA’s handy downloadable travel games, available at www.theaa.com/arewenearlythereyet/ index.html.

40 How do I get travel insurance when I’m over 65? Many insurers won’t sell cover to people over 65, and many of those that do ramp up the premiums scandalously. Age Concern (0845 600 3348, www.ageconcern.co.uk) offers travel insurance to people of any age, as do Saga (0800 015 8055, www.saga.co.uk) and the Post Office (0800 294 2292, www.postoffice.co.uk).

41 How do I avoid jet lag? The sensible answer is to avoid alcohol, eat lightly and get in sync with your destination’s time zone. On the other hand, I have a friend who swears by drinking as much as he can, passing out when it gets dark and, with any luck, not waking up before it gets light.

42 Can I arrange an independent safari trip? Safari Drive (01488 71140, www.safaridrive.com) has pioneered self-drive exploration throughout southern Africa and Oman. You get a 4WD vehicle and satellite telephone, and there’s a nifty pop-up tent on the roof. All bedding and cooking gear is supplied, as are maps and a starter kit of food. The company can help you to plan a route – 12 nights in Namibia, for example, start at £2,100pp, including flights from Gatwick, with eight nights of roof-tent camping and four nights in lodges.

43 How do I find out about and book European ferries – from Nice to Corsica, say? Use a specialist ferry booker such as Direct Ferries (0871 222 3312, www.directferries.co.uk), Ferry Bookers (0844 576 8835, www.ferrybookers.com) or Aferry (www.aferry.co.uk).

44 How do I get into airport lounges without paying? Unless you are a very frequent flyer, you can’t. Instead, pay as you go with Lounge Pass (www.loungepass.com), which offers 130 lounges in 40 countries. Access in both the UK and overseas costs about £18. Or try Holiday Extras (www.holidayextras.co.uk).

45 Carhire excess baffles me. Can I insure against it? Yes – Insurance4carhire (020 7012 6300, www.insurance4carhire.co.uk) has an annual policy that insures excesses in Europe for £49 and worldwide from £59. Alternatively, try Car Hire Excess (0871 231 3141, www.carhireexcess.com).

46 Where’s the best view over Sydney (seen with cocktail in hand)? It’s hard to beat the harbourside setting of the Opera House’s smallest sail, which is where you’ll find the stylish Bennelong Bar (www.guillaumeatbennelong.com.au). If you’d prefer a view of the Opera House itself, head up to level 47 of Australia Square (www.summitrestaurantcom.au) for spectacular revolving panoramas from the big-windowed Orbit Bar.

47 Where should I stay along California’s Highway 1? Easy: overnight right at Big Sur. It’s smack in the middle of the best scenery, with two stunning hotels – the Post Ranch Inn (www.postranchinn.com) and the Ventana Inn & Spa (www.ventanainn.com) – and the more modest Deetjen’s Big Sur Inn (www.deetjens.com).

48 Is the brace position bunkum? Conspiracy theorists have it that putting your hands onyour head and your head between your knees is designed to expedite death and prevent decapitation – so bodies can be easily identified from dental records. Which is cheery. In truth, it’s imposed on airlines by aviation’s governing bodies.

The CAA (Civil Aviation Authority) says that bracing helps to minimise fatalities and facial injuries caused by flying debris in the cabin.

49 Is being 70 years old and a bit arthritic a problem for going on an Antarctic cruise? Absolutely not – there are many ship-based trips to theregion, and World Expeditions (0800 074 4135, www.worldexpeditions.co.uk) is typical in having had a couple in their late eighties visit. Life aboard the ship is warm and comfortable – in fact, the only difficulty you’ll encounter may be on the many expeditions off the vessel.

These are not compulsory, but they are fun – though getting in and out of the rubber dinghies can be a tricky affair. There’s often a little wading in wellies, too. Other operators to try include Discover the World (01737 218800, www.discover-the-world.co.uk), and Quark Expeditions (00 1 203 656 0499, www. quarkexpeditions.com).

50 We went to San Francisco last year and, while the weather was warm and sunny, the water was freezing. How can I find out in advance what the sea temperature is in different places? Look no further than www.bigblueplanet.com. This is primarily a diving website, but click on “water temperature”, on the left of the screen, and you can find out how warm, or chilly, the sea in your chosen destination will be at any point during the year.

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