Inspire me for October - adventure and beach without breaking the bank.

[Eightytwenty]

Inspire me!

2 weeks October (10-25th). Adults and teen or teens.

Fly from Scotland.

Ideal destinations - Vietnam, Sri Lanka or Jordan. But budget for above closer to 10k than 5k which is where I’d like to land.

Ideally would have a combo of beach (diving if possible), history, culture or scenery. Would prefer it to feel like an adventure than a package holiday.

Another option though would be go up to the far north of Europe, stay in camping huts which have cooking facilities and are heated, see the reindeer, lemmings (no they weren’t marching in line, a reference for 1990’s computer gamers) go kayaking, hardly a risky adventure but it’s a different sort of holiday, no flights needed (train to Calais or overnight ferry to hook of Holland) fuel is reasonable in Sweden and a bit more variable in Norway, expensive in Netherlands, Denmark and Finland

Slovenia is one to look at - the caves were incredible. It has so much to offer and is close to Italy and other countries for day trips.

I think Scandinavia is really expensive though, isn't it? Particularly Norway

Ohh I'm so tempted by Georgia 🇬🇪! My parents holiday there a lot and love it and everyone I know who has been found it amazing. But I don't think you can swim in October? Definitely my next summer holiday destination though!

If flights to Vietnam are £3k, are you sure can’t find accommodation and activities that fit into the other £2k? I went for 11 nights earlier this year, and my accommodation (in double rooms, at 3-4 star hotels, and two nights in a 5 star), came in at £500 total. I can imagine it becoming £750-800 or so by booking triple rooms or an additional room altogether…

Do you want a fairly luxurious level of comfort? Food is cheap and there are a lot of budget activities too - a lot of bike riding, Sapa and Ninh Bing are not expensive, etc…

@hahabahbag @EstrellaPolar you’ve both given me food for thought. We are very happy not to stay in 5 star accommodation (tbh would prefer not to) and very happy to do public transport or lcc. Train from Columbo to Kandy and trains / buses through SE Asia were how we did it back in the day. Albeit we are quite a lot older now (& with child to keep alive 😂).

Going to go back to drawing board and see if we can make either work. Husband very keen on diving if possible.

Mauritius, but not the package holiday type. We rented a car and did a road trip around the island - car rental was very affordable and it’s an easy drive. There are some spots for hikes in the national park, good diving including wrecks if you’re into that, and of course incredible beaches - genuinely all the beaches were so nice.

What about Mozambique? There are some special fares for direct flights from Lisbon in October: https://www.flynous.com/tap-cheap-flights-portugal-mozambique/.

The snorkelling and diving look amazing and you can also take a safari. Plenty of culture and history as well.

South Africa. Friend got flights from Scotland in October for £600 return via Amsterdam in BA Sale. Accommodation whilst there is dirt cheap, we paid £60 for a place directly on the beach. You could fly into Cape Town, travel down the Garden route and out of Port Elizabeth (via Cape Town). Food is so cheap to eat out - fillet steak £6, bottle of wine £4 etc.

Now that is worth a look. We have been to Zanzibar a few times and loved it.

Jordan shouldn’t be that expensive. Cheap flights via EasyJet and book your own hotels. We stayed in Amman for a couple of nights, Jerash, then on to Petra, Dead Sea, Wadi Rum and finally a few nights at the Kempinski in the Red Sea (£99 a night for a 5 star hotel!). Brilliant trip and dc loved being covered in mud, the history at Petra (rode a donkey as it’s a big site), trying to swim in the Dead Dea, eating Schwarma etc. It’s a wonderful country but you’d need to check the fco advice. Not expensive for eating out or hotels and I’d say easily do-able for under £5K.

No longer - but never from Scotland I don’t think. Agree brilliant country. Damned DT & his war. Impacts lots of the connections from here & bumps up £ for everything that doesn’t go via the ME.

I wouldn't go to Jordan now. How can you feel safe when it's in the middle of various war zones?

I think the country itself will be fine. But real risk of travel disruption. As are all ME hubs.

Had a fab swim holiday in Slovenia. So beautiful and brilliant swims across the lakes and Soca valley. Car train was a highlight. Would like to go back to Ljubljana.

Has the advantage of direct flights. And would like to go. But not sure it ticks the adventure box.

Out of interest did you drive, do a tour or get a private driver? We were quoted £1k pp for a 4 night tour from Amman to Petra, Wadi Rum to Aqaba

Bali? Get some indirect flights and have a few days in another country each way. Bali can be v inexpensive when you get there

@Eightytwenty , re: Jordan, we hired a car and drove. The roads are very good and it’s a well worn tourist trail. There were a couple of armed checkpoints, which was a little unnerving, but we felt safe throughout.
At every site there are people offering to be a guide so, personally, we didn’t feel the need to be in a tour group. At Wadi Rum we went out into the desert with a group. You can stay in a catered tent overnight like the Bedouin. We also took a Lonely Planet guide book.

I’d say it was an adventurous holiday as there’s a bit of everything. However, i‘m not sure what the current foreign office advice is.

You may be able to do Sri Lanka on that budget if you stay at cheaper places. There's some lovely places for about £30 a night for a twin room and food is cheap, a few pounds each for each meal. It's also big on quantities.

Places I would recommend are Mailagama Cinnamon Residence in Yala by Block 5, book room plus food and they did a free tour of Cinnamon and rice fields, a free tuk tuk tour to a park with 130 bird species created by a conservationist who takes you round himself, you can give a donation and a safaris to Yala block 5 for 17,000lkr which is about 50 usd dollars plus 40 usd each for yala entrance, pay in lkr. We did one and saw a leopard, buffalo, crocodile, egret, mongoose, deer, eagle and wasn't busy. We had full board for 2 for 2 nights for £145, half board would have been enough food.

In Ella Tantra Ella is lovely and rooms are about 30 each per night, breakfast which is amazing and massive is 6 dollars each. Only 2 rooms. The other ones we stayed at are more but in almost every location there are cheap lovely places.

It's best to have a private driver, ours cost 650 dollars for 11 nights and we just used a taxi to airport for last day, vehicle could have taken 3.

This is brilliant. Thank you so much. That definitely potentially tips the balance. I didn’t think about private drivers being ok to travel if you’re not staying in swanky places. Could you pls share the details of the driver?

I posted details but Mumsnet deleted it so will pm you the drivers details.

For diving, Egypt (liveaboards are good value), Mexico (also for cenotes, ancient sites, shopping and nightlife), Maldives but may break your budget, the Caribbean - good diving in Turks & Caicos. I love the Dutch Caribbean, especially Bonaire - great diving and snorkelling and you hire out jeeps to explore the island and also dive from a number of sites you drive to.

I just pmd you. Wild Edge Panama would also recommend, was a bit more but may still be doable. On our safari there we heard a Mum leopard and its baby calling each other and saw Mum cross road three times. Train ride from Demodara is great when in Ella, that's only a few pounds each and driver collects you other end, book 30 days in advance on Sri Lanka railways.

Thanks. Back to my point about b….y DT. I naively hoped all would be over.