The stock market crash and haze over Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore caused by forest fires have spawned a wide range of very cheap packages in Southeast Asia, most available through agents who cater mainly for Chinese customers. The packages are for tour groups, but some are so cheap the air ticket and hotel alone are good value for people who do not speak Cantonese and wish to give sightseeing tours a miss. Hong Thai Travel still has specials to Tokyo, Osaka, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Taipei, Jakarta, Seoul and Beijing, though its biggest discount deal - four days and three nights in Bangkok and Pattaya for only $1,488 - is fully booked to the end of this month. Most deals are available until mid-December, and Hong Thai says, as we go to press, that some places may still be available at $1,488 for December. Examples of other specials they offer are flights to Taipei with two nights' accommodation for $1,488, and trips to Singapore with three nights for $2,990. The latter offer ends in a few days. Until December 19, Hong Thai is also offering two nights in Guam with daily breakfast for $2,999, and three nights in Hawaii with breakfasts for $3,999. Another well-known agent, Wincastle, is offering three nights in Osaka with breakfast and transfers until mid-December for $3,999. Three nights in Singapore are $2,699. Wincastle also has special deals to ski resorts in Sendai in Japan and Sorak in Korea, but be warned, there may not be enough snow at this time for anything other than the artificial slopes there. It may be worth checking out a special with British Airways to London with your local agent. Return economy-class ticket plus two nights in a central London hotel, including airport transfer, or alternatively two days' car hire, is around $7,000. Outbound flights must be taken by December 10, but the ticket is valid for three months. Virgin Atlantic offers return economy-class tickets to London for $5,800. Outward journey must be made by December 31. There is a travel black-out period from December 16 to 23.
