I’m considering a trip over the Christmas period this year. Typically I steer away from this time of year to travel – I’ve been a few times but I find it is quite hectic in the airports and an overpriced time to fly. Plus, I don’t want to spend holiday time sitting in an airport when I could be spending it with friends and family.
However there is an obvious reason for why this is such a primo time to travel – many people have to actually travel to see their loved ones. Since our lives have now become a lot less simple than they used to be with people jetting off to different places in the world to work, retire and live we all know that when the holidays come around it’s nice to travel to spend some time together.
Well…the trip I’m thinking about isn’t really about that.
It’s about escaping the cold weather and entering a bit of an oasis. A few years ago I went to Australia over the xmas period (stay tuned for my post tomorrow to find out more) and it was a truly amazing experience. Not only did I go from -30C to +30C in a day I also got to see how XMAS was celebrated in the southern hemisphere. Forget about winter tires and log fires – we were having xmas day lunch over a BBQ (sorry, barbie) in the backyard. And it was a hot one! It honestly felt like a completely different world.
For me, outside of the rise in prices and hectic airports, XMAS is actually a really good time for me to travel. You see, I don’t technically celebrate the holiday so none of my family does anything. So in essence I’m not missing out on anything plus I’m experiencing something different at the ideal time of year to get away.
This year I’m thinking something in the Carribean or even Costa Rica – I haven’t decided yet. I’ll likely be headed over there from Canada so it’s a bit closer than some of my usual sun destinations – like Spain. I know it’s only August but I really love planning holidays (can you tell?) and at this time of year it’s quite important to get a head start early so I’m not paying through the nose.
With my years of experience and the bit of researching I’ve already done, here’s some advice –
4 tips on how to find a decent holiday over the XMAS break:
1) Book early or go last minute - for me I feel that there is really no in-between. I’d say if you haven’t booked anything by end of September, it’s best to wait until a week or two before you want to go – I may go down this route. If you are travelling alone or just with a partner this is quite easy to handle. With kids, I would say it’s really important to plan further in advance to ensure you get what you want.
2) Do your research before you book – there is so much information out there online and offline. Go and seek out as much information as you can on the destination and the hotel. If you are planning on booking online, look at different search engines (like Expedia and Travelmatch) and travel consolidation sites (like HotelsCombined and Travelsupermarket). I find looking at all of these options side by side really helps to ensure you are getting what you want, for the price you want and when you want it.
3) Test the waters – if you are price conscious, I’d also look at pricing holidays separately and as a package. Look at how much a hotel or apartment costs on its own + the flights and then see how much you can get it for a package. To be honest, I used to think it was cheaper to book a package but I’ve been proven wrong on a few occasions. Do some of the math on your own to make sure if you are getting the best deal!
4) Most importantly, be flexible! - understand that there are millions of people travelling at this time of year and you are really fighting for seats on flights and vacant rooms in hotels. The more flexible you are, the more likely you are to get the best price for your holiday. Flexibility can mean anything from being willing to make a connection or two or accepting different types of accomodation than you normally would.
In the end, it’s great to get away during xmas time – it can be tiring and hectic but if it gets you closer to family or closer to a break in the sun it’s always worth it in the end!
I’ll keep you all posted on my plans for the xmas season…like I said, I love planning a holiday so you’ll be sure to hear more from me soon!
