Mexico City Stopover
Nov 24, 2023
General
Options for including a Mexico City stopover as part of a tailor made holiday to Guatemala, Cuba or the Yucatan Peninsula.
Blog
Posts in General
A Guide To Business Class Flights
Apr 12, 2023
General
A guide to long haul business class flights for leisure travellers looking to treat themselves on holiday. Because you deserve it.
Maya Forest Corridor
Jul 21, 2021
General
The Maya Forest Corridor is a 236,000 acre tract of Belizean rainforest that connects the Maya Mountain Massif to the Belize Maya Forest.
Passenger Locator Form
May 20, 2021
General
Anyone travelling or returning to the UK must now compete an online Passenger Locator Form within 48 hours of arrival.
Virgin Atlantic Covid Tests
May 12, 2021
General
Virgin Atlantic has launched a new micro website allowing passengers to pre-book individual or bundle Covid 19 tests as required under the travel traffic light system.
Travel Traffic Light System
May 04, 2021
General
Effective 17th May, the UK government is withdrawing its ban on non-essential overseas travel and replacing it with a travel traffic light system.
Where to go in March
Mar 17, 2021
General
If you are looking for ideas as to where to go in March, look no further than Cuba, Guatemala and the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico.
Ruta Maya
Feb 22, 2021
General
Ruta Maya is the very broad description given to a holiday itinerary taking in a number of different Mayan sites, generally across more than one country.
Pre Travel Covid Tests
Feb 08, 2021
General
As we hopefully move towards a resumption of international travel, it seems that pre-travel Covid tests will be a near obligatory requirement that we will need to plan for and get used to.
Mundo Maya
Dec 30, 2020
General
Mundo Maya (Mayan World) is the broad, slightly tourist-centric description given to the five Central American countries that were once part of the vast Mayan empire.
Bespoke Holidays
Dec 07, 2020
General
Beyond The Ordinary are specialists in bespoke holidays to Cuba, Guatemala and the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico.
Vaccine Passport
Dec 02, 2020
General
The recent slew of good news regards Covid 19 / Coronavirus vaccines is very welcome, and promises a brighter 2021 for prospective travellers – but dependent on a vaccine passport?
Coronavirus Update
Mar 19, 2020
General
With the situation constantly changing, it has been extraordinarily difficult of late to keep pace with the various implications for travel brought about by the Coronavirus.
What Is ABTOT?
Jan 09, 2020
General
Most prospective travellers in the UK have heard of ATOL & ABTA. We are also a member of ABTOT which provides protection for your non-flight holidays.
British Airways Improvements to World Traveller Plus
Jan 19, 2019
General
British Airways have recently announced further improvements to its World Traveller Plus cabin which will be introduced through 2019.
New Virgin Atlantic Fares
Apr 03, 2018
General
A brief guide to Virgin Atlantic's new fare structure for flights in economy class.
My Top Ten Mayan Sites
Oct 24, 2017
General
Who knows why, but when it comes to travel, I have something of an obsession about making lists. Today's list, my top ten Mayan sites.
Miami vs Houston
Jul 17, 2017
General
With no current, direct flights from the UK to Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador & Panama, indirect flights are a simple necessity, rather than a choice.
Howler Monkeys
Jan 06, 2017
General
If you’d never seen a howler monkey before, but heard them calling out to each other across the jungle canopy, you might easily imagine (with a degree of trepidation if you were nearby) that they were huge, gorilla-like creatures that would make short work of any pesky human that got in their way.
The Gatwick Terminal Shuffle
Nov 15, 2016
General
On 24th January 2017, Gatwick airport will undergo a huge shuffle with 3 major airlines switching between its two terminals.
ABTA and ATOL – What’s The Difference?
Nov 11, 2016
General
Most people view ABTA and ATOL as being a ‘good thing’ but I wonder how many of them can tell you what the difference is?
British Airways To Go 10 Abreast
Nov 05, 2016
General
As first reported by Simon Calder, Travel Editor of The Independent, British Airways have confirmed that their Gatwick fleet of 777s are going 10 abreast.
Split Holiday Bookings
Oct 21, 2016
General
Put simply, a split holiday booking is where the various arrangements are booked through more than one provider
Airline API – What & Why?
Sep 15, 2016
General
API stands for Advanced Passenger Information and, depending on where you are flying to, and the airline you are flying with, is often required before tickets can be issued.
Punta Rock
Sep 04, 2016
General
Little known in the UK, Punta Rock originated in Belize in the 1970s and is popular throughout Central America.
What Is An ATOL – And Why Is It Important
Aug 19, 2016
General
An ATOL is an Air Transport Organisers Licence which allows a tour operator to put together and sell a package holiday, either via a travel agent or direct to the public. It is administered by the CAA (Civil Aviation Authority) in the UK.
Flying Via Houston with United – One Stop
Aug 12, 2016
General
While there are direct, scheduled flights between the UK and Mexico (both Cancun & Mexico City), the same can’t be said for Guatemala; nor is that likely to change any time soon. So, indirect flight it is.
Virgin Atlantic Premium Economy – Up or Down?
Aug 01, 2016
General
For those who can’t stretch to business class – and that will cover the vast majority of travellers – Virgin Atlantic Premium Economy offers a bit more space and comfort at more affordable rates.
Paying For Your Holiday By Credit Card
Jul 26, 2016
General
Section 75 of the UK Consumer Credit Act 1974 stipulates that if you, the consumer, pay for something costing between £100 and £30,000 by credit card, then the provider of that credit (ie the credit card company) is equally liable if anything goes wrong.
ESTA – What You Need To Know
Jul 25, 2016
General
ESTA, which stands for Electronic System for Travel Authorization, is an automated system created by the United States government to determine the eligibility of visitors from countries covered by the Visa Waiver Program to enter America.
The Importance Of Travel Insurance
Jul 13, 2016
General
When planning and arranging a holiday – no matter where to – sorting out travel insurance is often relegated to one of those things that ‘you’ll get round to’. Although fully understandable, this can have very expensive ramifications.
Financial Protection
You’re in safe hands
When making your travel arrangements, we understand just how important peace-of-mind is. Beyond The Ordinary hold both ATOL & ABTOT bonds so whether you book your flights through us, or independently, any money you pay us is 100% protected. More detailed information on Financial Protection can be found by clicking here.
Make your next holiday Beyond The Ordinary
Whichever of our featured countries you wish to visit, we've been there several times. So, if you're after something beyond the ordinary to Cuba, Guatemala or the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico, we'd love to hear from you.
Plan my Extraordinary