Kingfisher Airlines, India's only Five Star airline rated by Skytrax, has launched new daily non-stop flights between Mumbai and Singapore and Mumbai and Hong Kong. The flights on both these routes are operated using the new Airbus A330-200s configured with two classes - Kingfisher First and Kingfisher Class.

Kingfisher First passengers can enjoy a bar staffed with a bartender and a break-out seating area; an in-seat massager on every seat; mood lighting with starry sky; and in-seat chargers.

Kingfisher Airlines flight IT 071 takes off from Mumbai at 10:55pm and arrives in Hong Kong at 8:05am. The return flight IT 072 takes off from Hong Kong at 2:05pm and arrives in Mumbai at 5:50 pm.

Kingfisher Airlines flight IT 029 takes off from Mumbai at 11:05pm and arrives at Singapore at 7:05am. The return flight IT 030 takes off from Singapore at 10:15am and arrives in Mumbai at 1:05pm.

Udaipur, the "City of Lakes" in Rajasthan, India, has been crowned "World's Best City" for travellers in a Travel+Leisure travel poll.

Udaipur beat last year's winner Bangkok and last year's number 3 choice, Cape Town, into first place.

The Top 10 Cities of 2009 are:

1. Udaipur, India
2. Cape Town, South Africa
3. Bangkok, Thailand
4. Buenos Aires, Argentina
5. Chiang Mai, Thailand
6. Florence, Italy
7. Luang Prabang, Laos
8. New York, USA
9. Rome, Italy
10. San Francisco, USA

Another Indian travel hot-spot, Jaipur, was voted number 12 on the list.

For a full list of results, click here.

Photo Credit: Udaipur City Palace by guy_incognito via Flickr (Creative Commons).

It's the end of our new travel video function's first week. To show off how great the new content is here are some of the most-viewed videos.

First up, swinging through Costa Rica's jungle canopy (not for the faint-hearted!)

Next up, elephant washing in Kerala, India:

And finally, a snapshot of some of Thailand's best beaches:

There's plenty more online at iloho, so visit www.iloho.com/travel_videos now to check it out!

Travel+Leisure has rounded up India's best wildlife safaris.

This caught my attention as I was lucky enough to visit Rajasthan's Ranthambore National Park last March. In just two days and over two safaris I saw four tigers. One solitary male and three cubs. It was, quite simply, incredible.

The male was walked right in front of our jeep after waking up from his afternoon siesta (see photo above). We spotted him again later in the afternoon with a kill. The three cubs were playing in the afternoon sun as their mother was away hunting.

If you decide that Ranthambore is a must for your India travel itinerary there are several fantastic luxury tented safari options. The Oberoi and the Aman have both set up shop on the outskirts of the park. A cheaper option is Ranthambhore Bagh run by Aditya and Poonam Singh. This is where I stayed and, although not as luxurious as the Aman or Oberoi, it is fun and relaxed with food that's out of this world.

Here are Travel+Leisure's "10 Amazing Indian Safaris":

Hemis National Park, Ladakh

Best for: Snow leopards, Tibetan argali sheep, Ibex, Urial (a wild mountain goat), Blue sheep, chukhar, snow cocks, golden eagles. More...

Sasan-Gir Wildlife Sanctuary, Gujarat Peninsula

Best for: Asiatic Lions, leopards, hyenas, pythons, jackals. More...

Ranthambore National Park, Rajasthan

Best for: Tigers, spotted deer, wild boar, jackals, painted storks (300 bird species overall), plus impressive ruins, forts, and temples. More...

Kaziranga National Park, Assam

Best for: One-horned rhinoceros, tigers, (wild) elephants, wild buffalo, monitor lizards, and water birds like the bar-headed goose, grey-headed lapwing, and spot-billed pelican. More...

Kanha National Park, Madhya Pradesh

Best for: Tigers, swamp deer, mongoose, leopards, wild boar, golden jackals, 300 bird species. More...

Periyar Wildlife Sanctuary, Western Ghats

Best for: Giant Malabar squirrels, (wild) elephants, guar (giant bison), bird life. More...

Keoladeo Ghana National Park, Rajasthan

Best for: Storks, cranes, eagles, and hawks, pythons, porcupines, wild boar, nilgai (literally 'blue cow'), India’s largest native antelope. More...

Bandhavgarh National Park, Madhya Pradesh

Best for: Tigers, leopards, nilgai, hog deer, wild boar. More

Manas Wildlife Sanctuary, boarders Bhutan and Assam

Best for: Tigers, water buffalo, rhinos, (wild) elephants, golden langur (a rare orange-furred monkey), Bengal florican (an endangered two-foot-tall bird). More...

Corbett Tiger Reserve, Uttarakhand

Best for: Tigers, wild elephants (as opposed to the ones you can ride), crocodiles, 600 species of birds. More...

Photos:

*Kaziranga Rhino _IGP4259 by Ken McChesney via Flickr (Creative Commons); Bharatpur by yaatra via Flickr (Creative Commons); Corbett Tiger Reserve signage by Dena v.d.Wal via Flickr (Creative Commons); golden langur by spo0man via Flickr (Creative Commons)*

A friend emailed me asking for advice for an upcoming trip to Kerala. Responding to her brought back so many memories of an amazing month there and it's funny what immediately came back to mind and what I had to battle to remember.

One of the definite highlights was staying at the Villa Jacaranda in Varkala. The villa is just a short walk to dramatic cliffs that overlook the Arabian Sea.

The hotel is undeniably romantic. There are four rooms, one with an incredible roof terrace the others with private verandas, and each boasting the kind of detail that will make you want to return again and again. At sunset garlands of fresh, fragrant jasmine are draped on your private veranda; sheets are hand embroidered with pretty designs; and breakfast is served in privacy either in your room or on your private terrace.

The villa's garden is painstakingly cared for: exotic trees scent the air and their flowers blow across into the small lily pond.

Ayurvedic massage can be arranged by experienced practitioners at a cost of about 500 rupees (US$10/£6) for an hour.

This place is a delight. Don't miss out if you're heading to Kerala on your travels.

Villa Jacaranda

Rooms from 4,000 rupees (US$80/£47) per night + 15% tax.

Temple Road West, Varkala, 695141, Kerala, India; Tel: +91 470 2610296; Email: infojacaranda@gmail.com; Website: www.villa-jacaranda.biz.

Photography © Emma Torry.

You may have seen yesterday's iloho newsletter, which featured the stunning Ranthambore National Park in Rajasthan, India. The park is home to one of the largest populations of India's wild tigers.

Today, we came across this photo of "Scuba Tiger" by digitalART2 on Flickr and thought it fit nicely with the tiger theme in the newsletter.

It's a great shot, it's just a shame the photographer doesn't note where it was taken. If you're reading this, please let us know!