Super Excited about holiday booked!

[WhistlingBrooks]

Every December I feel like going away for a holiday to somewhere warm to escape my freezing cold house. I used to look for these holidays sometime in the Summer months but they always looked really expensive for the December holidays. This year I happened to look in and put in my dates and guess what, the price that I saw looked unbelievable. Anyway, I bit the bullet and now we have our dream holiday to the Far East booked 340 days in advance, lol. I really dont know if it has been a prudent decision or not.

I will be buying travel insurance for this one soon.
What other things I might need to take care for a holiday so early in advance - maybe keep an eye on political situations in the country, airline schedule changes, anything else that I might have to?
I haven't booked any accommodation yet. Any idea when the best deals appear for accommodation please?

Also - if anyone else wants to visit the far east during December school hols, pm me and I can give more details. The price is still the same. Although we are flying on the 19th Dec so will miss 2 days of school.

Book hotel with the flight? Just keep an eye of trip advisor and buy a Lonely Planet guide for hotel advice. Usually pretty good. It helps plan your time too!

vaccinations required?
I have also booked holidays a year in advance. Went to NZ in December 2011 and had such a fab time, booked the flights for December 2012 when we came home.

Where in the Far East? December is feeezing in Beijing!

We did it this year (no school aged kids). Left on 10th December and returned on Xmas Day. Missed all that awful mad build up to Xmas and panic buying that the UK does. Didn't bother putting decorations up or getting a tree. Roads were empty on 25th when we got back, so mega easy drive home. I'd do it again in a heartbeat, but family were a bit miffed and sulky about us buggering off instead of hosting them.

Not ME, but Caribbean.

Thank you all. Yes, will keep an eye out on vaccination requirements. We have booked for Vietnam.

Vietnam isn't that hot in December. Definitely pack a jumper or four and trousers/ skirt tights for evening. That said I was in Hanoi for three days in December years ago so perhaps not the best guide.

Vietnam - great choice - fab food, lots to see and all pretty reasonable.
Hanoi will be cool in the evening, but we were in Ho Chi Minh City last month and weather was lovely and warm - around 34 degrees. Have been to Hanoi in December and it was around 18 to 20 during the day - all the locals were wrapped up in coats and hats complaining how cold it was! Mekong delta, Phu Quoc will also have great weather in December.

Phu Quoc is definitely on the agenda for us. We might have to give Halong Bay and Hanoi a miss this time as the total nights there is only 11 and my husband and kids would really love to laze on a sandy beach, so earmarking 6 nights atleast for Phu Quoc. I had a look at the accommodation prices and they seem very good value for money for 4 star and 3 star places.

Probably wise to give Halong bay a miss as weather is unreliable at the best of times!
HCMC is great for a few days - interesting museums, cu chi tunnels is good day trip, cathedral (if they have finished renovating it by then!), post office etc all worth a visit. You can easily combine HCMC with a few days in the Mekong Delta -about 2 hours or so drive from the city. If you need a hotel near the airport the Ibis Saigon airport is good - across the road from the airport and has starbucks in the foyer and decent pool and bar on the roof.

Definitely check flights. I was given two weeks notice that my flight from Bangkok to Hanoi was cancelled. Enjoy Vietnam it's amazing.

Op I’m considering a similar holiday next year with DH and 2DDs. How did you get on? Where did you stay?
Thanks

I'd just say don't book travel insurance 'soon' book it today (seriously). It wont cost you any extra and is not expensive anyway.
When the terrorist attacks occurred in sri Lanka leading to the foreign office changing it's travel advisory, I had my insurance already and was covered. Many people weren't covered as they had (presumably) left it to nearer the departure date. As long as the insurance had been purchased prior to the change from FCO cover was in place.
On a Vietnam note, we loved it! Have a fabulous time.