Save the (last) day

An evening flight represents a joyful opportunity. Heading away, departing after dark means you can save a day's holiday. Coming home, having a full day before take-off provides an opportunity to make the most of your location. You can put all your energy into exploration, knowing you have nothing more demanding to do at the end of the day than choose between chicken or beef and water or wine.

Sunday in Jakarta was a perfect example. I was staying in the amazing House of Tugu: a museum with many theatrical touches that also happens to be a well-run and indulgent hotel. At £140 a night, it is at the top end of the room rates in the Indonesian capital. But I would still stay there at twice the price. Artifacts and vegetation from across South East Asia have been assembled within five floors of wonders. A welcome massage, afternoon tea and a tour through the jungle of nature and creativity are among the complimentary extras.

Sunday had begun with a rickshaw ride from the heart of the original Dutch settlement to the harbour – where a cheerful dinghy owner offered an hour's boat trip around the maritime hub. Then I ventured into Jakarta's Chinatown, a cacophony of commerce and cuisine. The Indonesian capital is not immediately beguiling, but after a day of welcome surprises I left vowing to return.

At the airport, I was greeted by two rare sights: a police dog wearing sunglasses –  and a plane shortly to take off to the Middle East. The departure screens showed both Emirates to Dubai and Qatar Airways to Doha as cancelled. But my ticket was on Etihad to Abu Dhabi. Flight EY475 was operating for the first time in days to a location deemed dangerous by the Foreign Office because of the risk of attacks from Iran. As with thousands of other British travellers, the soaring cost of alternative flights persuaded me to take a chance. After a smooth connection in an eerily quiet Zayed International Airport, I arrived back at Heathrow slightly late on Monday morning – and raced through the UK Border, due to the collapse in passenger numbers at Terminal 4. No drama – unlike the wonderful House of Tugu.

Simon's must reads

Get inspired

I retraced my grandma's footsteps hiking Ben Nevis

After discovering photos of her grandmother in Scotland, Rachel Ifans laced up her own hiking boots. Read more.

Is Madeira truly an accessible paradise?

The Levada do Caldeirao is described as the Caminho Para Todos, translated as the 'Way for All'. Read more.

The best hotels in Malta, from Valletta to St Julian's

Malta's best hotels blend style and comfort for the ultimate Mediterranean getaway. Read more.

Take out an Independent Premium subscription and get a travel bonus, joining the elite whose questions go straight to the top of my in-tray and get answered each week in our special Premium Ask Me Anything newsletter.

Join now with our introductory offer: just £1 for 6 months

THE DISPATCH

Don't panic, say airline bosses

In the three weeks since the US-Israeli assault on Iran began, triggering retaliation from Tehran on the Gulf states, investors in airlines have lost a fortune. Ryanair's share price is down by one-seventh, easyJet's by a quarter, while the price of aviation fuel is surging. Yet the message from the aviation leaders I talked to yesterday about the unfolding crisis was: don't panic."People are flying, the planes are full," says Kenton Jarvis, chief executive of easyJet. "We're seeing a drop in demand in the last few weeks. We're now working with the tourism ministries to see what they can do to incentivise the aircraft still coming. We're working with the hoteliers to see what they can do on the holiday side to give better pricing."

His counterpart at Ryanair, Michael O'Leary, says fares are rising – but due to travellers switching to Europe, not because of more expensive oil. "We've hedged our fuel out to March 2027, so Ryanair has fuel cost certainty for the next 12 months. We don't see any reason to impose a fuel levy. But if bookings continue to shift toward European travel, and demand rises through Easter and into the summer, prices in Europe will rise because capacity is constrained."

With Easter fast approaching, some readers have been in touch with concerns about travelling at a time of such high geopolitical tension. Willie Walsh, director general of the International Air Transport Association (Iata) told me: "You'll always have somebody who says, 'Should I be worried about flying?' There's absolutely zero concern about flying. It's no different today than it was a year ago. It remains the safest form of transport. It will continue to be safe. People will make sensible decisions."

TRAVEL BEST BUYS

After some eco-smart tech for your travels? I've rounded up the best refurbished laptop deals to save you money. If you'd prefer a lighter option, these refurbished iPad deals are well worth checking out.

Looking for a tech-friendly travel accessory instead? There are plenty to choose from. Samsonite's worldwide adaptor comes highly recommended, or this Amazon option is a cheaper alternative.

If consciously-sourced fashion is more your style, Asket offers versatile wardrobe staples for packing light, while Peper Harow is the go-to for environmentally-friendly socks to keep your feet happy on the move.

INSIDER TIPS

BA goes back to Melbourne and Colombo

Twenty years ago, British Airways' Australian network shrank to a single daily flight to Sydney as airlines from the Gulf and Southeast Asia took more of the market. But from January 2027, BA will extend its daily London Heathrow-Kuala Lumpur service to Melbourne. The flight to the Victorian capital arrives at dawn, making it ideal for onward connections to Tasmania or New Zealand. The planned London-Melbourne journey time is 15 minutes short of 24 hours. The rival service on Qantas, via Perth, is scheduled for just 22 hours 10 minutes.

British Airways says it will operate nine per cent more long-haul flights next winter compared with now. The airline plans a return to Colombo in Sri Lanka from October 2026. The link will operate three times a week through the winter. Many existing routes get increased frequency, including Delhi and Tokyo Haneda. The expansion was planned before the Middle East conflict began, but preference for nonstop flights to Asian destinations is likely to grow.

Natural History Museum sets visitor record

London's Natural History Museum saw visitor numbers soar by 13 per cent in 2025 to 7.1 million – an all-time record for any UK museum or gallery. In second place was the British Museum with 6.4 million visitors. The most visited outdoor attraction was Windsor Great Park, with 5 million. In Scotland, the most-visited free attraction is the National Museum of Scotland, which saw 2.3 million. In Northern Ireland, Titanic Belfast welcomed almost a million visitors. The most popular attraction in Wales was St Fagan's National Museum of History, with 570,000 visitors.

The figures were revealed by Bernard Donoghue, director of the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions, who told me about the most exciting openings during the rest of this year: "Crossing the Line at the People's History Museum in Manchester, all about strikes and democracy; the Bayeux Tapestry at the British Museum later this year; the opening of V&A East, part of the V&A family, in Stratford. And possibly the biggest of them all: the new London Museum at the old Smithfield Meat Market. I've done a couple of hard hat tours – it has a Tube train running through it behind a glass screen."

TRAVEL INSIDER DEALS

Up to 35% off a 4* Buckinghamshire break

Treat yourself to a relaxing escape with up to 35% off a four-star stay in Buckinghamshire for two, including breakfast, leisure access and late checkout.

Stay at the highly rated Crowne Plaza Gerrards Cross and explore the charming town of Beaconsfield, home to the world's oldest model village. Learn more. 

SAVE 1/3 ON RAIL TRAVEL WITH RAILCARD THIS EASTER

From family days out to countryside rambles or chocolate-filled city breaks, enjoy bigger adventures and sweeter savings. 

Are you booking holidays early to avoid price hikes or waiting for last-minute bargains?

In last week's poll, two-thirds of readers said ongoing conflict in the Middle East has deterred them from travelling to the eastern Mediterranean this year, with plans for destinations like Turkey and Cyprus now in doubt.

Simon says

Have we left it too late to buy Christmas flights from Manchester to Brisbane? Cathay Pacific wants around £2,500 return, Singapore Airlines over £3,000 on the days we need to travel.

Those fares do not surprise me. They are on two of the world's best airlines, and furthermore do not require a change of planes in the Gulf – something many people are trying to avoid. If you are keen to lock in to flights now, then travel to London and fly on one of the Chinese carriers – probably China Eastern from Gatwick or Heathrow to Brisbane via Shanghai. Right now, you can get a fare of around £1,500 return. Some of those journey times are long due to the length of connection in Shanghai. But that can be an advantage. For example, the flight from Gatwick gets into Shanghai at around 6am, leaving at 9pm. That gives you time for a full day in China's most exciting city. Your baggage will be checked straight through leaving you unencumbered; getting into China is easy with no visa required; and a day in the city will help you adjust to a new time zone.

Your other option is to wait for a bargain with one of the Middle East giants: Emirates or Qatar Airways. I predict that in a few weeks or months, flights on these airlines via Dubai or Doha respectively will be restored at roughly the levels prevailing in February before the attack on Iran and subsequent reprisals.
As soon as they feel able, both airlines will put lots of capacity on sale at well below the usual fares as they seek to restore confidence and fill their aircraft. If I am wrong and the Gulf conflict continues, the Chinese options will still be available – even if a little more expensive.

TravelSmart guide to Queensland

Want to ask Simon a question?

To ask your own question, get Simon's Ask Me Anything newsletter by subscribing to Independent Premium.

British travellers at Abu Dhabi airport

My main impression of transiting through Zayed International Airport this week: where is everyone? The Abu Dhabi hub of Etihad is handling far fewer passengers than normal, as the airline contends with flight restrictions and a collapse in new customers. It is on the Foreign Office no-go list. But talking to other British travellers flying back after being stranded in Asia, the main emotion was relief at heading home.

Join the conversation and follow us

Download our apps:

Please do not reply directly to this email

You are currently registered to receive The Independent's Travel newsletter.

To unsubscribe from The Independent's Travel newsletter, or to manage your email preferences please click here.

This e-mail was sent by Independent Digital News and Media Ltd, 14-18 Finsbury Square, London EC2A 1AH. Registered in England and Wales with company number 07320345

Read our privacy policy and cookie policy