Travel
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Unless you’ve got the best job in the world chances are you’re probably in need of a bit of R&R?
Taking a holiday has suddenly become a whole lot more affordable.
Sure it will still cost you a lot more than the change you’ve scrounged from under the couch cushions, but there’s really no better time to bag a bargain and get more bang for your holiday buck.
The first thing you need to do is work out what kind of holiday you are hankering for. Perhaps you want to slob out under a thatched roof in Mexico for a month? Maybe taking a bite out of the Big Apple is more up your avenue. From a skiing trip to Sicily to a yoga retreat in Yala the options are endless.
Unless you are into booking a last-minute holiday, talk to a travel agent about which destination will best suit your budget; they will then create an itinerary that is tailor-made to suit your individual needs.
If you’re a backpacker on a shoestring budget you would be hard-pressed to find anywhere more suitable than Cairns. As well as being cheap and cheerful, Cairns is a magnet for international tourists, which means it has a fun carnival atmosphere all-year round. Although you might be staying at a budget hostel the city is set up to accommodate everyone from the glam to the grungy. The city’s world-class infrastructure includes a luxury lagoon that offers free yoga, pilates, petanque, boxercise and boot camp classes at the luxury lagoon built on the Esplanade Foreshore.
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Although it’s as ridiculously hot as Bali over summer, Cairns hasn’t been slapped with a Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Travel Warning. For those keen to venture further afield than Far North Queensland, a Contiki tour might be just the ticket. Although the average age of a Contiki traveller is about 24, the website states that “most tours attract a broad mix of people – singles as well as couples – from different backgrounds and age ranges”.
If Western Europe is your thing, then check out Contiki’s tour from Amsterdam to Barcelona where you will pop into Paris, gaze at the Swiss Alps and rub shoulders with the rich and famous on the French Riviera.
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Although there are some hot deals doing the rounds, you’d best not put off getting your passport up-to-date.
Take advantage of deals on offer to destinations such as Thailand and Vietnam which are in desperate need of visitors. Be sure to check out Asian carriers such as Singapore Airlines that are offering some great deals where you pay for five nights’ accommodation and get five nights free. Malaysian Airlines is also offering some great value fares. Prices on all the four major carriers to the US have also halved so it would be a good opportunity to make a beeline for LA, New Orleans or Mexico.
If you have a few children in tow, Fiji is the place to go. If you are looking at the top end of the market it’s hard to go past resorts such as the lush new refurbished InterContinental Hotel, where you get free airport transfers, Bedarra, which is offering 20 per cent off its very civilized accommodation, and Hamilton, where the deals range from bonus free nights to a daily buffet breakfast and 1 x 18-round of golf and packages where the kids stay and eat free.
But if the strain of booking a holiday at the very best price becomes too much, just go and string up your hammock and become an armchair traveller instead.
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