Once in a lifetime holiday?

[cjt110]

Where would you go?

We have the opportunity to have a holiday in Feb just me and DH. We have a shortlist of places but nothing final.

Our short list so far is Thailand, Sri Lanka, Mauritius. This gives an idea of what we are looking for - somewhere exotic, with experiences (Elephant trekking etvc).

We have a budget of around £2k and would preferably like to be all inclusive.

Please share with me your once in a lifetime holidays!

Croatia I have decided would be where I would go with that budget and such limited time. You could stay in a really lovely hotel, eat well and not suffer lost time due to jet lag.

That said, although I loathe jet lag if you are just flopped on a Thai beach it wouldn't be as bad as if you were trying to do loads. It is still a bloody long way to go though just for a week.

Sri Lanka is on my bucket list.
I would go to Sri Lanka

I went on a once in a lifetime holiday.

It was all right but I wouldn't go again.

(sorry!)

If you're only away for a week, I'd avoid long haul / time difference, so you don't spend the first few days recovering from jet lag. How about - Africa / South Africa if you want exotic eg safari, or else live it up in a high class hotel in Europe which would usually be out of your holiday budget?

I thought you'd missed a 0 off your budget, op. If we're talking once in a lifetime hol, that is.

I think the OP made a mistake by calling it a 'once in a lifetime' holiday, but the budget for the desired locations is a little unrealistic though, unless Trailfinders or someone can come up with a bargain package.

The holiday of a lifetime aspect has made people think of long haul and at least 2 weeks away, maybe visiting more than one place. I suppose if you normally go outside Europe and have quite expensive holidays, you need to push the boat out even further to make it extra special.

But if your normal holiday is a week in a caravan on the Yorkshire Coast, anywhere outside the UK might be 'the holiday of a lifetime' and £2k might be a lot more than they are used to spending?

'Holiday of a lifetime' generally means long haul and two weeks, or longer away, whatever you're used to.

I was just thinking that 'once in a lifetime' might not be the best way to think about a week's break. OP, it may not seem like it now, but your DS (and any other children you may have) will grow up far more quickly than you think. There are likely to be other child-free holidays in the future, possibly of more than a week's duration.

If I had a week I'd do short-haul as some pp are saying. My choice would be a city break in southern Europe - loads to choose from, including Barcelona, Lisbon, Florence, Seville... You could stay somewhere really nice in those places for your budget. The weather probably won't be hot, but it'll probably be warmer and drier than the UK.

If you really want sunshine and something a bit different to do, how about snorkelling/diving in Egypt? I just had a quick look on the Thomson site, and it's showing all-inclusive packages between £600 and £100 per person per week, so within your budget. I've no idea what the current travel advice is on Egypt, though, and whether it's considered safe at the moment.

I know it isn't exactly what you are looking for but bearing in mind you only have a week - SE Asia is too far, you would feel tired and rushed.

If the US is deffo out. I would suggest Dubai as flight time isn't that long, jet lag isn't too bad - no connections and lots of options for flight times, loads of super luxe hotels and the weather is fantastic at that time of year. You can also get an all inclusive deal if you want. It is also realistic(ish) for your budget.

I know it isn't quite what you are looking for but I think you'd enjoy a holiday there a bit more as you could relax. Flying to SE Asia takes a long time and a few days to recover from, after a week you would just be getting in the swing and have to come back home.

Glad.
Long haul for a week is a bit nuts, although SA sounds doable.
I'd go somewhere warm like Lanzarote, or just somewhere else beautiful in Europe, and stay somewhere really posh and eat at Michelin starred restaurants, and hire a fabulous jeep, if I was going just for a week.

Charley Lazarote in Feb - Are you nuts?!

We have been long haul a few times and generally only sufer jet lag on return to the UK. Have found several holiday+flight deals with Expdia and Hayes and Jarvis for our budget.

BarbaraofSeville FWIW we have been to the following places:

Mexico twice, Dominican Republic, Maldives, Gran Canaria 6 times, Barcelona, Majorca, Bulgaria, Turkey.... £2k isn't an unrealistic budget based on what I have found.

We have never, nor ever do we want to, holiday in the UK.

Lanzarote in February is between 18-21 degrees, I've done it twice and it's lovely temps.

Up to you if you can cope with the jetlag - I find it worse going west to east than coming home east to west.

Rousette Far too cold for us. We are usually 33+ in Gran Canaria when we go. We were in fleeces in May in Gran Canaria in that temperature. It's strange - we have suffered far worse going to the Caribbean with jetlag than going to the east.

Lol OP, I actually have/had no idea of the temp in Feb.

Too chilly to be considered a hol!

Don't go to phuket. Go to Chiang mai for 3/4nights and go to the elephant nature park. Chiang Mai is an amazing city and the elephant park is just wonderful- you get to feed and bathe them, see them in natural groups and see rescued and injured ones and babies.

If you want beach in Thailand, go to krabi, much more beautiful and less studenty that phuket.

Phuket is overpriced, and full of tourists. 5 star in the south of Thailand can also be very different to western countries. 2k for a week in Thailand would give you an amazing trip but it's not a lot of time. Samui over pukhet, Krabi over pukhet. The best island is lipe (imo)

Elephants are everywhere here had one in my garden, they are used in the rubber plantations. The trekking is very very cruel look at their ears and you will see where they have been -stabbed- trained. The ears are their most sensitive part. Go to the sanctuaries you can get up close with them, walk and bath them in Chiangmai for about £200 per person (10k Thai baht).

But I'd go to Indonesia to swim with turtles :).

Now I see lots recommending Sri Lanka, and thats why we went, as so many had said how wonderful it was, we hated it! It was many years ago, so maybe things have changed, but rife with older men with little boys on the back of their mopeds who they had rented for the week - the boys not mopeds - once you clocked it, it was unmissable and everywhere, totally ruined it for me, we did ask the locals about it, and while they too did not like it one bit, the families were paid a lot of money and sometimes it was their means of survival, but still.
Florida Keys is lovely and should be do able on your budget, maybe not AI, and most American hotels are only B&B anyway.
You may manage to bag a week in the caribbean for that sort of money, and will be lovely in Feb.
Thailand, avoid Phuket, Krabi is much better.
You can eat out quite cheaply in Bali if you hunt out the locals eateries, which we prefer to restaurants anyway.

Cuba? my cousin has just come back and had the most wonderful holiday, not sure where she stayed, but a (very) quick search found Grand Memories Varadero with Thomson in your budget for Feb. AI.

Beg, steal or borrow another grand and do Iceland. You need to do: Superjeep, Thrihnuhagigur, snorkel Silfra, Gulfoss, concert in Hallsgrimskirkja, wild hotpotting, Blue Lagoon and whale spotting. Optional: Penis Museum, Heimæy, Myrdal, Snæfellsnes, and the current GoT set.

I am thinking of Iceland as an Easter mini break with kids. Doable?

I'd go to Abu Dhabi with your budget. I know it well and love it there but I know there's lots of moaning about the UAE on here. You'd get your flights and a week in a four possibly five star hotel, depending on location for less than £1500 it will be an amazing hotel guaranteed, standards are really high there. You could do desert safari, go on a Dhow, day trip to Dubai to see the water dancing and Burj Khalifa, Friday champagne brunch at one of the hotels to get dressed up for.