How You Could Afford An Intercontinental Holiday

You could afford an exotic holiday with these tips

Going on holiday is a great luxury and even managing to escape to your nearest beach for a few summer days is a wonderful thing. However, some of us have a burning desire to see the world and in order to do so, it’s usually a good idea to travel outside of your home continent. The big hiccup is that intercontinental holidays tend to be much more expensive than holidaying close to home. Thankfully, if you’ve got incurable wanderlust, then there are some steps that you can take to make that exotic holiday far more affordable. We’ve got some of the best of them right here.

Save On Flights

Long haul flights will almost always be the single most expensive thing in your holiday, so cutting the cost of them dramatically will make the whole experience much more affordable. Whilst sadly it isn’t possible to just wave a magic wand and halve the cost of your flights, there are some steps that you can take to make things a little cheaper. The most successful way of saving money on flights is being totally flexible. Travelling outside of peak times, to countries that are a little more off the beaten track and during times of day that are less sociable are some of the best ways to save money. Try using a flight searching website like Skyscanner to search for flights across a period of a whole month. This particular website also allows you to search for flights going ‘Everywhere’ which might seem a little daunting at first but makes it very clear which destinations will end up being the most cost-effective for you. It might be that you’d wanted to visit Thailand, but that at the time the neighbouring countries of Vietnam or Myanmar work out far cheaper to fly to. Those travelling for a long while could make the journey into Thailand, whilst saving on flight costs and getting to soak up the culture of a whole different country too. This kind of flexibility could make it possible to cut flight costs by half and you might find a surprise destination that you love even more than you thought possible.

Consider Activities Carefully

If you do decide to stay at a resort hotel, then you might find there are plenty of activities to do without leaving the accommodation. Whilst this may seem like a money-saving idea, it can really detract from the enjoyment of your holiday. For example, many hotels geared toward international tourists hold events like ‘pub quizzes’ which might be fun but are exactly the kind of thing you could be doing at home. Instead of splurging on resort entertainment, choose your activities carefully, think of things that you can only do in the country that you’re visiting. Casino resorts tend to be a great place for having fun playing games, but they provide the sort of entertainment that we can get back home in Britain, or online whilst we’re still on holiday. If you want to play a round of poker or enjoy a few minutes on a slot machine, then doing so online will likely offer better value. Remember to check the laws in the country you’re travelling to, as many countries have different laws from the UK. AsiaBet is a great resource for those travelling in Asian countries, where the laws tend to differ the most. This guide to Thailand explains all about land-based casinos and gives alternatives for people who want to play online, including information on the sign-up bonuses. 

Think Outside the Box

It might be that you want to go back to a destination that you previously adored on holiday and there’s nothing wrong with knowing what you like! In fact, there may even be the potential to save money this way. Some people love living their lives in their home town, with friends and family that they know and love. They don’t want to uproot their lives at all, but they have found a special spot somewhere else in the world, that they want to visit time and time again. If this is you, then there’s great potential for saving money in the long term, as we at The Money Shed have written about here. Time shares can be a great way to save money on holidays, but also to feel like a part of the community in your chosen destination. They’re generally far cheaper than hotels, as you’ll not be paying for someone to come and make your bed every day, or for a buffet breakfast. Plus, you’ll be able to make friends with people in the area who can show you what real life is like in your preferred holiday destination. Although the initial outlay might be significant, think of it as an investment in your holidaying happiness.