Hot deals: Romantic start to the New Year

Under $2430

Paris

Celebrate the first weeks of 2006 in Paris, right in the middle of the romantic city's annual six-week retail sale season.

Travel packages are available until the end of this month for holidays between January 5 and March 31. The sale season officially begins on January 12. Hold off closer to March and reap the benefits of greater reductions.

Packages from Auckland, Wellington or Christchurch including return flights to Paris, five nights' accommodation and a hop-on hop-off sightseeing tour are priced from $2429 a person, twin-share. Add on taxes and fuel surcharges from $358 return, a person. This may not include some departure fees.

Contact: Flight Centre, phone 0800 354 448.

Under $140

Hong Kong

Hong Kong celebrates next month with Chung Chiu, also known as the Moon Cake Festival or the mid-autumn festival.

This is the third major festival of the Chinese calendar. Public parks are ablaze with thousands of lanterns in all colours, shapes and sizes.

An accommodation package at the three-star City Garden Hotel is timed to coincide with the festival, which begins on September 18. Twin-share rooms are on offer for $137 a night until September 30. Flights to Hong Kong can be arranged separately.

Contact: Octopus Travel, phone 0800 448 846

Under $60

Christchurch

Auckland to Christchurch for $20? It's possible if you are happy to travel by air-conditioned coach. By linking the two InterCity Coachlines' $10 extreme saver fares between Auckland and Wellington, then Picton and Christchurch, your road travel - which totals more than 1000km - will cost $20. This does not include the Cook Strait ferry crossing ($39).

The $10 fares are available until the end of March unless sold out.

Contact: Your local InterCity agent or (09) 913 6100

Under $1500

Asia

Cathay Pacific has special economy-class fares starting from $1449 return to 30 destinations in China, including Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. Special fares to Hong Kong start from $1499 return, and passengers can travel to a number of other Asian destinations for return economy-class fares starting from $1149.

Tickets for these special fares must be bought by September 16 and exclude airport taxes and special surcharges. Passengers can depart from the three main centres.

Contact: Your travel agent for airfare and accommodation packages, or check the Cathay Pacific website.