Christmas 2019
January is generally my busiest month of the year. There are lots of reasons for this, but one of the main ones is people booking for Christmas now that the dates and availability have been released. If you are waiting to get Christmas out the way and then thinking about booking your Summer holiday in January, then the chances are it could be better value in December when it’s traditionally a quieter time for bookings, so the offers and deals are out there. Get in touch. If you’re planning on next Christmas, then January it is.
The Christmas holidays have a few things going against them, and so being prepared is always a good idea. The dates for school holidays are pretty much uniformed throughout the country. Everyone generally wants to leave just before Christmas and come back just after New Year. Given the weather and temperatures throughout Europe it also means a long-haul trip. But through all of this I want to help you make the most of what is one of the best times of the year. Where are the best places to go, what’s are the best things to do and where is great to spend New Year?
My theme for 2019 is going to be for you to Challenge me. Challenge me to come up with amazing experiences and holidays of a life time. Trips that you might not have thought about, or thought were possible. Holidays that you and your family will remember forever and let’s start ticking some bucket lists off!
The first piece of advice I will always offer up with Christmas is to book as early as possible. The dates are always going to be fixed and the cheaper fares are usually gone within a few days of being released to most of the main Christmas destinations. Let me help you plan ahead, and you’ll get the best deals. In all my time in travel I have rarely seen any sale fares over the Christmas period to anywhere anyone would want to go! So, holding out and waiting will only see prices increase and choice disappear!
Where is good? As I’ve mentioned Europe is not great weather wise, so unless a ski trip is high on the agenda then Europe can be tricky. The Canaries and Cyprus will offer some warmth and they are certainly nicer than it will be here. If you don’t want to fly too far both can be good options, with hotels and resorts within both that are great for couples or families.
Christmas is peak time for the Caribbean. Islands like St Lucia and Barbados offer the idyllic paradise setting, with crystal clear blue water, sandy beaches and great hotels. St Lucia is perfect for those wanting a bit more adventure. A lot of the time I recommend just B&B so you have the freedom to head out and explore Rodney bay and the bars and restaurants, the Rum and atmosphere! Mexico can offer great options for families and couples that want an all-inclusive resort-based holiday. Superb hotels like the Dreams and Secrets provide huge ranges of food options, entertainment, kids clubs, water sports and great weather.
For those who want a more varied approach Asia can certainly deliver. The weather is pretty much perfect throughout and if you were wanting to explore and see different places then Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and Malaysia can mix culture, cities, sightseeing and beaches in equal measure. I love putting these itineraries together as there is so much flexibility and you can really tailor it to your needs. Visiting Angkor Wat, The Chi Chu tunnels in Ho Chi Minh or the floating markets of Bangkok before relaxing on the beaches of Langkawi, Khao Lak or Phuket. The cost of living is also so cheap in Asia that I strongly recommend bed and breakfast only and eating out and enjoying the local cuisine. In most Asian cities there is a fantastic company I work with that arrange local food tours that encourage you to eat like a local and will take you to all the back street, hidden away gems.
From the adventure of Asia to the complete relaxation of the Indian Ocean. Mauritius is best at this time of year. It has great hotel options for families, couples and honeymooners and something for everyone. As with the Seychelles and the Maldives although direct flights are available from London you will probably be best flying with Emirates, so this gives you the option of a nice two or three nights stopover in Dubai. The Maldives will offer you total R&R. The best beaches in the world, with house reef’s so you can walk from you beach into the shallows of a reef and snorkel with all the amazing sea life. This must be very high on a lot of people’s wish list!
Australia and New Zealand are often the ultimate Christmas destinations. Shrimps on the BBQ for Christmas dinner and New Year in Sydney are a couple of Bucket list items I’ve previously been able to tick off. Australia is perfect weather wise and as it’s the only school holiday time were the weather is great it is always popular. Many can be put off by the long journey in two weeks, but there are certainly ways of making the most of this trip. Seeing the fireworks over Sydney harbour is one of things I love to watch every New Year’s Eve and remember the time I spent New Year there! But there is so much more to see and do and I can certainly help put your ideas into a wonderful bespoke itinerary.
New Zealand is always popular in our winter. Although the weather isn’t as hot as Australia it is still the perfect time to travel. Fly drive itineraries, coach tour and motorhome trips are all fantastic ways to explore the islands and there is such diversity the you can be whale watching one day, meeting a Maori tribe the next and cruising around the Milford sound.
Spending New Year somewhere different and special is also something worth thinking about. I think the best places, Sydney aside, must be Hong Kong, Dubai and New York. All of them celebrate in style with lots going on and are all possible to do as long weekends over New Year, if you just want to try something different?
With, hopefully, lots of ideas and some inspiration get in touch so we can put together your dream holiday in 2019. Whether it is for next Christmas or any other time. Challenge me to come up with something exciting and different next year. Remember to like my page on Facebook so you don’t miss out on my blogs, offers and ideas.