Cheap seats Until Friday, Singapore Airlines is offering return economy flights to Singapore for $1,390. You must travel between April 19 and 29 and tickets are valid only on SQ859 and SQ862 (tel: 2299 7103). A warm welcome Lotus Tours has a Phuket package from $2,690, staying at the new 20-room boutique Baan Yin Dee ('warm welcome home'), designed and built by four Belgian expats. Boran Thai-style villas surround three tiered pools, and feature rooms with private balconies, flat-screen TVs and views over Patpong Bay ( www.baanyindee.com ). Includes round-trip economy flights on Orient Thai Airlines, three nights' accommodation and daily breakfast. Available until March 30. For later dates, call 2316 1600 for a quote. Playing it cool Heading to Amsterdam, Vienna or Zurich this summer? Check out www.coolcapitals.com , which highlights the latest hip venues in those cities, from exhibitions to eateries, fashion boutiques to bars. You can also sign up to receive regular e-newsletters. Reduced red-tape Dragonair begins services to Tokyo on April 2, the day after visa-free access to Japan is granted to Hongkongers. To celebrate, Dragonair Holidays is offering a three-day/two-night package for $3,888, staying at the Hilton Tokyo in Shinjuku-ku or $4,188 at the Sofitel Tokyo in Taito-ku (twin share). Until May 31, the deal includes round-trip economy tickets, two nights' stay, daily breakfast and travel insurance. Or pay $6,888 to fly business class and stay at the Four Seasons Hotel Tokyo at Chinzan-so, Bunkyo-ku (tel: 2868 6777; www.kaholidays.com ). Spot on Visitors to London's Tate Galleries - Tate Britain at Millbank and Tate Modern at Bankside - can now take a catamaran between the two, with a stop at the London Eye big wheel. The boat, decorated by Damien Hirst in his trademark coloured spots, operates every 40 minutes during gallery opening hours, and passengers are shown videos outlining the galleries' highlights. 'It's not a work of art,' says Hirst, 'It's more a bit of fun. If I'd done sharks, then people might not have wanted to get on.' Three-trip daily tickets are GBP4.50 (HK$64) for adults and GBP2.50 for concessions, and available at both galleries or by calling [44] 20 7887 8888, or through www.tate.org.uk . Dealing direct From July 1, Cathay Pacific will launch direct flights between Hong Kong and New York (JFK). Continental Airlines is the only other carrier operating non-stop flights between the two cities. CX830 will leave Hong Kong at 10.15am, arriving at 2.05pm New York time; CX831 will leave New York at 3.50pm, arriving in Hong Kong the next day at 8.10pm. Send travel news to Tinja Tsang ( tinja.tsang@scmp.com )
