Our travel expert answers queries on routes and destinations around the world

Our family group of 19 is hoping to gather in Fiji next July. Can you recommend a resort or accommodation which can cater for such a large group? What would be the best way to fly there from SA, including Sydney in the flight plan? What weather can we expect in early July? - Jennifer Kroon

You have a wide choice of great resorts in Fiji, ranging from small family-run beach hotels to the five-star groups like Shangri-La, Westin and InterContinental. Your best bet is to search a few of the discount websites and find the standard of resort you are looking for. I checked www.hotel.comand the resorts that caught my eye included the beach-front Club Fiji resort (R626 for a double room), the Naigani Island Resort (R715) and the Anchorage Beach Resort (R514). Most resorts would have no problem coping with a group your size.

When it comes to flights, you have plenty of options to Sydney from South Africa, with direct flights on Qantas and SAA. Other airlines flying there with a stopover include the Asian carriers (Singapore, Malaysian, Thai, Cathay Pacific) and the Mid-East airlines like Emirates and Qatar. There are regular flights between Sydney and Nadi, Fiji. The main airlines on this route are Qantas and Air Pacific, but you can also find fares on Air New Zealand.

Expect pleasant temperatures and humidity, a low chance of rain and little chance of cyclones. This does mean, though, that prices are higher and there is less chance of finding bargain rates.

What is the cheapest way of getting from Heathrow or Gatwick to Edinburgh? - Ingrid Boag

There are three ways of getting to Edinburgh from the two airports you mention: by plane, bus and train. Plane is by far the most convenient and quickest. You can get to Edinburgh within 90 minutes and the fares are surprisingly affordable if you book early. The two main airlines operating from Heathrow are British Airways and bmi (British Midland International). The best fares I could find were £39 (R457) return on bmi and £54 on BA. From Gatwick the cheapest fares I could find were easyJet (£31) and BA (£38).

The next choice would probably be the train, although it does mean travelling into central London first. From Heathrow you need to catch the underground to King's Cross station, from where there are regular departures to Edinburgh Central station. The cheapest fare for the six-hour journey is roughly £46. From Gatwick you would also catch the train to Kings Cross, but your journey from the airport would involve a train change at Victoria Station.

The bus service is an unlikely choice due to the long travelling time. Travel time is 10-13 hours from both airports and you need to change in Birmingham. The cheapest fare is around £35. If you are really concerned about cutting your costs to the bone, you could consider trying to get a cheap fare on the Megabus service, which operates from central London to Edinburgh. Fares can be as low as £5 if you book far enough in advance.

My husband and I want to visit Bangkok and Phuket in June/July 2012 as this is the only time we can get leave. Is this a good time to visit and how many days would you recommend in each place? - Nalani Madurai

June/July is mid-summer in Thailand, but it is considered low season because of the higher temperatures and the possibility of rain. The upside, though, is tourist spots are not as busy and prices can be as little as half of what they are in the high season (November-April).

Unless you are diving fanatics and want perfect sea conditions and access to some of the spots that are closed during this season, I don't think you should be concerned about travelling to Thailand in June/July. It can rain, but this is usually in the form of a shower or two and then you can go back to the beach. The humidity is high, but most places have air conditioning and you soon adapt anyway.

Most tourists spend three or four days in Bangkok and the rest of their holiday in Phuket, with a trip to the Phi Phi Islands if time permits. There should be some excellent packages to Thailand, so check with your travel agent and book early. If you really don't want to take the chance of rain, you could opt for Bali, which has great weather at that time. of year.

My husband and I will be travelling to Cambodia in November. What is the best way to travel from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap and back - speedboat or bus? Could you also please recommend a good three-star hotel in both places. - Lorna Dodkins

The easiest way to get to Siem Reap is by plane, flying with Bangkok Airways. You appear to have discounted this option, probably because of the price. Taking the bus is the most popular mode of transport. The standard of the road is fairly good and the journey takes 5-6 hours. You can buy tickets from a number of companies or, more conveniently, from travel agents and guesthouses. Two of the best are the Mekong Express and the Sokha Komar Tep Company, which charge around $10 for a one-way ticket. If you don't fancy a bus, a shared taxi will cost you about the same.

You can also take a speedboat or ferry which ply the route on the Tonle Sap river and lake between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. The journey takes 4-6 hours and cost from $22 one way. It is very difficult to book in advance, so the best is to wait until you are there and get advice from fellow travellers. For accommodation, you should consult the discount hotel websites like www.travelfish.org for pricing tips and www.agoda.com for hotels.