Long haul holiday ideas for March / April 2026 please!

[Starlight1984]

Hi everyone,

I have just started researching holiday destinations for me and DH for around this time next year (probably end of March / start of April).

So far the list of potentials includes -
Mauritius, Mexico, Colombia (Cartagena), Oman, Morocco and Costa Rica (amongst others!). But would love to find out about / research other places that I hadn't even thought of! Or if anyone has been to any of the above then let me know!

Places we have already been to so are a no this time round -
Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Cuba (loved them all but want to try somewhere different).

We want to do at least 2 weeks (possibly can squeeze in 3 weeks if we can tie in with bank holidays), not too fussed about distance / flight time, we love chilling by the pool / on a beach for a few days but also want to spend time sight-seeing, travelling round and experiencing a different country.

Budget-wise, well, I've given up on budgeting for holidays these days 😂We're not made of money but also, holidays are our biggest luxury so won't be scrimping and saving.

So, it might be a big ask but open to all suggestions! And I will absolutely google the hell out of every single idea that anyone comes up with 😃

Thank you all ❤

Madagascar? March/April is the end of the rainy season so you could have some wet days but it's a good time for seeing the lemurs.

Kerala - you can do a circuit: fly into Kochi, spend a few nights by the beach at Marari, a few nights on a house boat in Alleppey, a few nights at Thekkady, then Munnar, then finally back to Kochi.

We did Brazil last March and it was incredible! We had DC with us so didn’t adventure as much as we could but did Rio, Iguazu and Buzios.

We did Oman in February this year. Had 7 nights in Salalah in the Crowne plaza resort. It was wonderfully quiet and food excellent. We went half board rather than all inclusive as it's too much food also don't drink much.
Temperature was high 20s in February.
Watch for Ramadan timings it's mid February to mid march next year.

We’re planning South Africa - Cape Town and Garden Route - at exactly that time.

We loved Argentina

South Africa.. Safari and wine lands, then a cruise from Cape Town taking in Namibia, Mozambique, Port Elizabeth.. we did it at Xmas, I’m not easy to please but this was the holiday of my life.

Oh my gosh all of these sounds fab 😍We have had a look this weekend and think we have narrowed it down to either Mexico, Brazil or South Africa.

@ParsnipPuree and @SnakesAndArrows - are these 2 week holidays to South Africa you're talking about?? And I take it you're flying in / out of Cape Town?

@Twilightstarbright - Was the weather good in Brazil when you went??

Probably 16 nights. Flying Manchester to Cape Town, not sure whether via Amsterdam, Doha or London just yet. It’s a long journey but I’m hoping the lack of jet-lag will compensate for the tiredness.

Mexico is amazing, we did a self drive around the Yucatan last summer and loved it.
South Africa also amazing and no jet lag! The end of their summer but weather should still be ok, the last trip we did we flew to Durban, went to St Lucia ( hippos and wetlands) plus snorkelling, and did a safari in Manyoni private game reserve which was phenomenal, Hluhhluwe is another reserve up that way. Food is super cheap, safaris quite pricey but out of this world!
Brazil on our list for next summer.

Also throwing in Cambodia, Siem Reap, then the islands and Kampot? Or Panama ( we looked there but ds just realised he has big exams after Easter next year so living my hols vicariously through you 🤣)

I have just returned from Buenos Aires, Iguazu Falls and Rio and would highly recommend. Very contrasting itinerary.

You can plan out a South Africa Garden Route trip quite easily. Start with a couple of days in Cape Town, then take in Hermanus (although out of main whale season), follow the coast via Cape Agulhas to Plettenburg and Tsitsikamma NP, and end up at Addo. You can head back inland through Oudtshoorn and take in Franschoek. The area to the north of Cape Town at Langebaan is lovely too. There are plenty of private game reserves in the Garden Route area.

I pick up holiday brochures from Kuoni and Trailfinders to get ideas of good routes and places to stay / things to see.

Arrrggghhh so many ideas and amazing sounding trips!!!

Although I was aiming for a (semi) relaxing holiday so think some of these might push DH to the brink in terms of activity / travelling 😐

I have a tendency to plan every single second of a holiday and kind of promised that the next one would be more chilled but I get carried away with myself😂

As much as I love the sound of South Africa and the Garden Route, it sounds like there is a lot to take in and we wouldn't really get chance to spend a week relaxing in a nice hotel... The more there is to see, the more itchy my feet get!

This is a different timing, so not for next year if you have decided on dates, but since Mexico is on your list I'm going to throw this in for future planning.... The east coast of Mexico is good and the archaelogy great, but... look at Puerto Vallarta on the west coast, specifically December - March (Jan/ Feb being good months). Glorious weather, lovely hotels, drop dead seaside towns (and still very Mexican despite the tourism), but the crowning glory is the breeding season for Humpback Whales. There are so many of them that you can often see them from the shoreline, but take a trip out into the bay for mating displays to die for, see the mums with their last season young etc. Also dolphins, rays, and orca. Masses of pelicans along beaches. Colourful iguanas the size of dragons lolling in the trees and bushes. Alligators (and the chance to snap the ultimate roadsign - "alligator crossing"). Then take a few road trips out into the Sierra Madre, see tequila being made (and sample it of course) and enjoy the Magic Towns. I went once because I had to change my holiday booking and it looked "interesting" - I was due to fly to southern Cuba with Thomas Cook and they went bust - and I have been back every winter since!

I know I sound a but like an advert for the place - but I have very rarely returned to a place I have been before (too many choices of places I haven't been) but this one is "new" every year...

Yes, or combine Kerala with Goa for the beach bit. But April is pushing it a bit heat-wise — March would be a safer bet.

We did Thailand a couple of years ago just Bangkok, Chang mai and Koh Chang it was lovely We’ve been to Japan this year, lots of travelling around 8 places in 14 nights but it was immense!

All sound lovely OP, just going to flag that Easyer is at the start of April next year so school holidays for many people will be the 1st 2 weeks of April - your budget may go further if you avoid these dates

@Starlight1984 it was lovely but it is tropical so it can rain.

@Starlight1984 You don’t need to do everything in the Garden route the pp mentioned. You can easily relax for a week if you want to! Knysna or Plett would suit you. You don’t have to rush around like mad.

You will find Brazil and Argentina holidays similarly on the go. We stayed at a beach resort in Brazil called Praia Do Forte - very laid back Brazilian! However you would fly around a lot and you could relax in Rio on Ipanema beach. Copacabana is not relaxing. Argentina - April is very late for the glacier area but the best for Mendoza and Salta. I like Buenos Aires. Prefer it to Rio. Again you need to fly around - it’s a big country.

Or - island hop in the BVIs. On a boat!

Easter in early April next year. April in the SW of Western Australia is glorious. A driving holiday would be terrific. Make your bookings, though, as it will be school holidays for the two weeks after.

Oh good point and thank you for that!!! We will probably do the last 2 weeks of March then in that case...