Penguin-inspired breaks in New Zealand and Australia

Penguins will be making a big impact this Christmas, thanks to a new animated adventure set to grab the nation's attention.

The Warner Bros' film Happy Feet has already beaten the latest Bond adventure Casino Royale to the top of the US box office, and will open across the UK on December 8th 2006.

With this in mind, travel website Isango has come up with its top penguin-inspired breaks in Australia and New Zealand.

Penguin Place on the Otago Peninsula, New Zealand
Unique to New Zealand, yellow-eyed penguins have their own special reservation on the Otago Peninsula on the South Island's south-east coast.

One of the rarest species in the world, seeing the penguins can be combined with a tour of the peninsula's Royal Albatross colony, as well as visits to Larnach Castle or the New Zealand Marine Studies Centre.

Prices for the tour start from around £60 per adult and £20 per child.

Penguins on Parade, Philip Island, Australia
The world's smallest penguins, no larger than seagulls, can be seen on Philip Island in Australia.

Emerging from the sea around sunset, these "fairy penguins" can be seen waddling up Summerland Beach to their burrows. Elevated boardwalks and special viewing areas give holidaymakers a great chance to witness the penguins first-hand.

The trip can be combined with at visit to the Koala Conservation Centre and a tour of the historic farm on Churchill Island, which has animals including Clydesdale horses, Highland cattle, sheep, ducks, chickens and peacocks.

Prices start from around £96 per adult and £48 per child including transport and equipment.

Four-Day Glimpse of Tasmania
For adult penguin fans the fishing village of Bicheno also offers great opportunities to see penguins heading to their burrows after a hard day's fishing.

As well as seeing Tasmania's resident penguins, the tour also includes a visit to Mount Field National Park, where you can trek over to Russell Falls and meet Tasmanian devils, wombats, wallabies, and koalas in the Bonorong Wildlife Park.

Also on the itinerary is a trip up to 1,270 metre-high Mount Wellington, a visit to the exciting Tahune Forest Air Walk and touring the site of the Port Arthur convict settlement.

Prices start from around £645 per adult including all transport and entrance fees, two- nights' accommodation in The Old Woolstore, Hobart and one night at the Diamond Island Resort, Bicheno.

For more information on all these trips see www.isango.com