AIBU to ask where you would go for 5 weeks, with £7750.

[Dontforgetyourtowel]

NC as very outing! I will soon finish a 9 year long stint of work and study, and to celebrate my freedom (i.e. not having to study evenings and weekends ever again), my DH and I have decided to go somewhere, anywhere, for a period of 5 weeks, in autumn 2018 (we're in the UK).

We have been thinking Hawaii, 'do' all 4 of the main islands. He's quite set on it but I'm being indecisive..! My main worry (not really an appropriate word but ykwim) is that our budget is 'only' around £7500. This would need to include everything (flights, car hire, food etc.) for the both of us (no DC).

I did the maths and I know that we can go to Hawaii on that but we'd have to be very careful (airbnbs, cook our own food, only pick a couple of big budget adventures, and spend the rest of our time hiking and snorkelling). Imo we might be better off going to Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam. Things are so cheap out there that we'd never really feel we'd have to budget all the time.

Where I really want to go is Galapagos or Bora Bora but I know that the budget most definitely won't stretch to that!

So I wanted to ask, if you had 5 weeks and £7750, where would you go? Inspire me! We love adventure, diving, sun, good food, nature and meeting people!

This isn't a stealth boast, we've pretty much been looking forward to this and saving for it for a good few years, scrimping and saving on everything else

@BonfiresOfInsanity

Me too - I will share the rent with you

New zealand

Se asia may be rainy season depending on exactly when you go.

Id do something bonkers like antarctica or galapagos- a real once in a lifetime special trip then see how much cash i had left

Op over on the long haul section there has been fabulous PH trips taking in vegas etc.

I would love to see Hawaii but for 5 weeks I would do what others have suggested - hire a motor home and travel around as much of the states as you can.

Whatever you do, enjoy!!

What do you want from the holiday? Relaxation, Adventure etc.

(I have travelled a fair bit pre kids - that's what a I spent my money on).

Buy a round the world ticket

This route does SE Asia, Oz, NZ, pacific islands, LA
www.statravel.co.uk/round-the-world-flight-18.htm

Midwest and West coast of the US is more interesting. I did trek America (travelling across the US in a van & camping) and did most of the national parks.
I have also done Australia & NZ; I personally preferred NZ (smaller & more varied landscape) However the Great Barrier reef was awesome.

You will spend about £3k on the flights, and then about £4.5k on accomodation and excursions. Personally I would definitely do Air BnB, and even hostels have private rooms you will meet locals and get so much more out of your travels.

Perhaps splash out for a couple of nights on a 5 star in SE asia - where your money will go further.

Also check out weather forecasts, when to avoid monsoons etc and get a comprehensive round the world travel insurance, especially if you are going to the US.

The OP says they want/love 'adventure, diving, sun, good food, nature and meeting people'.

I'm going to Antarctica, Falklands and South Georgia the year after next but it's way over budget 🙈🙈. Can't bloody wait though.

I’d road trip in the US atop. Maybe NYC then up the east cost.

Awful fat finger typing. Sorry!

• I would add £4.5k on accomodation based on your budget. But when I was travelling around Oz / NZ I budgeted about £50 a day for just me, including accomodation, excursions & excluding flights. It was 15 years ago though...

I think NZ would be relatively easy on that budget. Campervans can be more freeing but are expensive and accommodation isn't that pricey so it can be just as cheap to hire a car and stay at B&Bs. I did both islands in less time than you, but we missed some places (Bay of Plenty, the fjords) that it would have been good to see. If you do do a road trip in any country I'd suggest staying at least a few days in each place and go to fewer places rather than feeling like you have to cram everything in.

Bali is very reasonable and from there you can explore the other islands like Lombok. There is a big expat creative tech community in Ubud who may be able to give you advice on cheap accommodation and trips. You can visit Krakatoa in Lombok!

If I had 5 weeks and £7500....
I'd fly to Hong Kong and stay for a few nights, then head down through Vietnam, up to Vientiane and Luang Prabang in Laos then cruise up the Mekong to Northern Thailand. Then make my way down the peninsula by train, stopping off in Bangkok, Hua Hin, Khao Sok, Ko Samui, Koh Lanta. Over the border to Malaysia, taking in Langkawi, Penang, and KL. then on to Singapore and fly home again.

All places I love and I'd go back in a heartbeat.
Have fun - I love the planning of an epic trip!

Oh, definitely Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam... your money would go so much further.
Explore off the beaten track and go to the more unknown islands of Thailand, it would be amazing!!
Also, though, I love the States so if you could get cheap flights, pick a start and end point, you could hire a big camper van and just drive!
That would also be amazing!

@Aweektilltheseason I'm in! When are you free?

If you like those sort of things I’d probably do Mexico for the diving and history go AI for bit of luxury then backpack round australia

Thanks rhiannon.

OP what about Aruba? Great beaches, diving & weather (outside hurricane belt & more of a desert climate) combined with somewhere in the US.

Hawaii is frankly awful. Superb scenery but blighted by very unhealthy diet and all the worst influences of the USA. That is quite fun in the Midwest: it is far less so in a Pacific Island.

Without doubt, I would fly to La Paz and visit Bolivia (which blows the mind), Peru (for Cuzco and Macchu Picchu natch, though the latter looks just like it does on the telly), Chile (because everyone loves the Chileans with good reason and the food and wine are superb) and (if you have any money left) the Galapagos Islands (well because).

Wherever you go, have fun. But in re Hawaii; there are plenty of Pacific islands with indigenous culture intact.

Just a thought maybe pop into trailfinders they’re great at these sorts of things. Hope you have a great time wherever you go. I would al be looking at a month long cruise. You get to go loads of places, have luxury, nearly always a diving option can meet loads of people. But I love cruises some people hate them

I've never been to Hawaii (come back and tell me if it's worth it) but I'd be bored staying in any one place for 5 weeks so I'd suggest you consider either a long cruise (some repositioning ones work out surprising low cost) or go somewhere you can easily visit more than one place/ could stop en route to Hawaii.

Westjet do cheap flights to Hawaii if you wanted to stop in Canada but beware the taxes in Canada add 20% to meals and possibly accommodation. In autumn the salmon run and bears are easy to see. Dont spend long in Vancouver if on a budget.

Costa Rica neednt be expensive if planned carefully and Nicaragua is increasingly becoming a tourist destination.

The Caribbean is cheap in autumn as it's hurricane season. Not sure I'd travel in hurricane season after what happened this year but it's likely to be low cost next year for that reason. Dominican Republic often said to be best value.

Other places to consider in Africa besides South Africa.

How about Sri Lanka with a few days in the Maldives? Rainy season so the cheapest time of year to visit the Maldives and ideal for divers. Prices for Sri Lanka seem reasonable.

No-one has mentioned Mexico, second largest coral reef on the planet. Probably rainy season so low cost and you want the East Coast, not the West.

We did a Californian road trip for 3 weeks last year and could easily have stayed 5 weeks. It was amazing.

apologies - mexico came up when I was slow typing

Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Malaysia, OR New Zealand and Cook Islands. Either would include a Singapore stopover. How exciting!

Route 66? It might have been suggested already... I'll come back later and read the full thread! Canadian Rockies are amazing. Sounds like a fab opportunity to be able to do something you wouldn't normally be able to do.