long haul holidays to cheap destinations-compared to expensive european holidays

[cloughie100]

I am would like to go long haul with kids to somewhere is Asia or South America and trying to persuade DH that although flights are expensive, when you get there the cost of accomodation and food is relatively inexpensive so when compared to a European holiday, a long haul trip is not as expensive as it first looks ? For example, we go ski-ing once a year and that must be approx £5k for a week easily - any thoughts or experience?

Thailand is pretty cheap once you get there and the food is fab. Also think about Cape Town, Very cheap to eat out and you can get a nice airb&b but bare in mind that our summer is their winter

Vietnam and Cambodia. A week in a 5 star hotel in Hoi An is around 1k. Cambodia 4 star hotels about £50 a night. I'm doing a big European jaunt through 4 countries and that's costing about 5 grand this year. The following year it's going to be Vietnam for about the same price

I think long haul is far better value for money than short haul, even as a package let alone diy. Cape Town as a pp said is amazing and very cheap, I went for 4 weeks a few years ago and spent about 2k for 2 adults on good B&B type accommodation and eating out at every meal.

agree with Englishgirl...anywhere in the Far East is pretty cheap once you get there. Don't be put off taking young kids. we use to live in the FE and travelled with our two throughout the area...but do be prepared for them to be constantly fussed over...in a good way

I'm having a similar dilemma, we could go to Bali for 2 weeks with flights and accommodation for the same price as a week in a caravan in a European holiday park. DH a bit reluctant.

South American destinations apart from Mexico and a few others, often require a change of planes. Buenos Aires and Rio are also direct I think, and possibly Lima now.

Never found South America cheap becuase the flights are expensive. However, the culture is wonderful. In fact, unforgettable.

Thailand is easy to get to and fairly inexpensive. Cape Town is great but I am not sure you would want to be there for a week and the beaches will be deserted in the winter (August). Prices would be low though. There are lots of beach suburbs around Cape Town. However, doing a safari would be worthwhile addition.

Holiday companies such as Families Worldwide are full of long haul family holidays. We did Peru when ours were 14 and 11. Excellent, but it won't be £5,000. However, I would give up the ski holiday for one year and have a decent one to South Amercica or South Africa. Far more memorable than a beach in Europe.