Eat, sail, explore with summer travel deals

Take cooking and Pilates classes in Italy or rejuvenate in the French Alps.

Oman

Sail along the fjords of Musandam in a traditional dhow, go dolphin spotting and birdwatching, explore pristine beaches, go swimming and meet the locals on a full-day cruise to Oman. Activities include fishing and snorkelling. The offer is valid until July 15 and costs from Dh250 per person, inclusive of all transport from Abu Dhabi or Dubai, lunch, beverages and snacks, snorkelling equipment and fishing gear. Remember to carry your passport. Visit www.x-ventures.ae for more information or call 055 540 4500.

Malaysia

Spend a weekend shopping in Kuala Lumpur with Cox & Kings's four-day shopping-cum-explorer holiday. The trip includes a tour of KL - Petronas towers, the king's palace, the National Museum and National Mosque - and includes a free day for shopping and trying out the local cuisine. From Dh638 per person, land-only, including accommodation, breakfast, airport transfers, all sightseeing mentioned in the itinerary and the services of an English-speaking tour leader. Visit www.coxandkings.ae or call 04 357 2628 to book.

Italy

An old, remodelled farmhouse, complete with an organic vegetable and fruit garden, is the base for this cooking and Pilates holiday in southern Piedmonte, Italy. The flexible itinerary allows guests to choose to take one or both activities on a daily basis or even skip a session: choose classical or mat-based Pilates or take a cooking class, limited to eight students, under an experienced chef and the owner. Visitors who book the holiday and travel before September 1 get a discount of 30 per cent and pay only €700 (Dh3,760) for a four-day trip, land-only, based on two sharing, including accommodation in luxurious rooms, most meals and beverages, two cooking sessions, up to five Pilates sessions and visits to local markets and a cantina in Alba, transfer, a box of recipes to take home and an embroidered apron. Add truffle hunting to your itinerary for an additional €35 (Dh188). Book through www.responsibletravel.com.

France

Enjoy a short break in Sainte Foy in the Tarentaise valley with Première Neige's "summer alpine reviver" package: hike in the hills, enjoy early-morning Pilates sessions, go cycling along wooded mountain trails, shop in the local markets and enjoy a picnic lunch beside a lake on the outskirts of the pretty village of Le Monal. The three-day weekend offer costs £399 (Dh2,143) per person, full board, and includes three nights' luxury accommodation at the Peak, a boutique chalet, one 30-minute massage, airport transfers and local mini-bus transport. International airfare is not included. Departure on June 23. Visit www.premiere-neige.com for more information.

Mexico

Book a two-night stay in a garden pool villa at Banyan Tree Mayakoba on Mexico's Riviera Maya and enjoy breakfast and a 35 per cent discount. Guests staying three nights or more receive one 90-minute spa session (60 minutes body massage and 30 minutes calm time) at Banyan Tree Spa. Prices start from US$505 (Dh1,855) per night, including taxes. The offer is valid until July 31. Call 00 52 984 877 3688 or visit www.banyantree.com.

India

Explore the cities, temples and palaces of Rajasthan in northern India before going off the beaten track to experience rural life in the villages beyond. Village India: Land of the Maharajas is a 15-day tour that takes in all the major destinations around Rajasthan. The tour begins in New Delhi and goes on to Agra, home to the Taj Mahal, with visits to the historic cities of Ramathra and Jaipur, Bundi and Jhalawar. The trip ends in Udaipur. From £1,490 (Dh8,953) per person, including all accommodation, most meals, government passes and permits, entrance fees and all transport and sightseeing as outlined in the itinerary. The trip departs August 7. For more details, visit www.wildfrontiers.co.uk.