Destination ideas

[Hotplaces]

I'm a single Mum with a 14 and 17 year old. Last few years, we've just been in all inclusives in Europe. Really want to do something different this year. A mixture of culture/asventure/beaches/wildlife. Sri Lanka ticking the boxes but even though one of the cheaper destinations, it's still working out way too expensive. I've really only got a budget of £6k including flights and that would have to include most meals and activities. The long haul flights are coming to half my budget. ☹️ I might need to something in Europe but a bit different. Adventure tour in Albania, Slovakia or Romania.

Would prefer long haul really though. India coming up cheaper but I worry about getting ill there one by one and holiday being spoilt.

I'm not comfortable driving on the other side of the road. Quite like to do a tour if varied enough. There are companies where you go with other families. There are also holidays for single parents but you pay way above the odds when I've looked.

We have to go in July/August still so prices sky high. Trying to think out of the box but not getting very far.

Have a look at Vietnam - super friendly and very reasonable cost-wise. I would feel confident travelling there as a single parent. Hanoi/Halong Bay/Hoi An - all fab

Btw - ask ChatGPT to plan you an itinerary - give it number of nights, who is going and your interests - it will give you a great place to start

Look at muchbetteradventures.com or something like https://www.exodus.co.uk/destinations/europe-holidays/romania-holidays for really different stuff. Group holidays help contain the cost.

if you have cheap accommodation or even join a group tour I would think you could go long haul - I 💯 agree with the poster above re vietnam

Type in your travel dates and different destinations into Google flights and then click the option to monitor those. You'll get a daily email with the cheapest prices that day. It monitors many different airlines and you can filter etc etc. We did this last year and got very cheap flights to Kenya with Air France and did a budget safari that was such a great experience, with beaches and mountains too. The works! Long haul can be done on your budget. The flights might be expensive but accommodation and food is so much cheaper in many parts of SE Asia and parts of Africa of your not fussy and want simple clean options.

I really like Thailand, partly because I fly longer haul and its a mid way for many of my trips. Friendly, easy to get around and options of Bangkok, the hills and the many islands.

TBH, I've travelled a great deal. I have driven on the L hand side a few times, but in places like Sri Lanka/India or almost anywhere similar, it would never occur to me to hire a car and drive around! 😕
Normally train/bus etc are fine to get to all the sites I want to.