Travel deals of the week

Take a boat trip from downtown Auckland to Kawau Island and spend three nights in a sea-view room at the four-star Kawau Lodge, with daily breakfasts included, from $175 a night for two people. The boat fares are part of the deal, which usually costs $210 a night for two. Book now and stay before May 12. Contact: Wotif, 0800 441 092. Under $900 Spend seven nights in Auckland city for almost half price, with a week-long package at the eco-friendly Quadrant Hotel, where rooms have been reduced to $121 a night for seven-night bookings. The package is available until the end of this year. Contact: Expedia, 0800 998 799. Under $3400 The tiny nation of Costa Rica attracts more than 1.5 million visitors annually, intent on being a part of its laid-back pace, experiencing its remarkable surf and beautiful beaches, visiting its active volcano and cruising Montverde's cloud forest. Return airfares, nights in San Jose before and after your Costa Rica holiday, five nights in Arenal, Costa Rica plus buffet breakfasts daily are priced from $3399 from Auckland. Transfers between the hotels are included (approximately three hours and 45 minutes' drive apart). Travel from Wellington or Christchurch starts at $3409. Book by February 21. Travel during May. Contact: Flight Centre, 0800 427 555. Under $5000 Travel halfway around the world in three weeks - from the Great Wall of China to the Hermitage in St Petersburg. You will cross Mongolia and the taiga forests of Siberia by train, overnight in tents and Russian homestays, and take a guided tour of Moscow's Kremlin and Armoury. Reduced in price from $5650 to $4802, this 21-day journey is called The Trans-Mongolian Express and begins in Beijing on April 1 with a guided tour of Tiananmen Square and the Forbidden City.