Cheap and Easy Travel

If you are thinking about holidaying in the UK, then summer always seems to come first to Cornwall – probably because of its warm, southern position. Not only that, but the Cornish sea is famed for its good surfing. And if you really want a fun holiday, and to save money as well, you could give some thought to camping. A holiday under canvas will save you a phenomenal amount of money, and there is just something about tents and campsites that gets everybody out of themselves, and into the holiday mood.

Giving some great views across Porthmeor Bay, is the Ayr Holiday Park. From here you can see over to the rocky headland, known as the Island. The campsite is renowned not just for its views, but also for fine washrooms, which is a great reassurance for campers who are a little afraid that they might end up roughing it. The site is just a few minutes walk away from St Ives, where you can have a beer or a coffee in the vibrant bars and cafes, and enjoy fine sandy beaches. Also, if you don’t feel like struggling over your camp stove to prepare a meal, St Ives offers a good range of eateries.

Another Cornish campsite with excellent views is the aptly named Bay View Farm situated high up on a hill top, from where you can see over west Looe and over to St George’s Island. The site is not far from the picturesque village of Polperro, which is very popular with the tourists.

Then not far from Newquay is the Trevornick Holiday Park, which is close to the Holywell Bay beach, which great for swimming and surfing. Here there is no shortage of entertainment – there is a funfair and crazy golf nearby, and the site has a large children’s adventure playground, swimming pool, bars and restaurants. You don’t even have to worry about pitching your own tent, as they have luxury Eurotents already standing and available for hire.

Cornwall is one of the UK’s great places for a holiday, and camping allows you to have an inexpensive vacation there, leaving enough money over for ice creams and cream teas.

Bizarrely, the Hostel Celica used to be a prison, but now it is one of the coolest hostels on the planet, in a strategic position near the Slovenian capital’s train station. Celica actually means “cell”, and the rooms are in fact comfortable minimalist cells. But don’t worry, they are not at all like real cells any more, especially as more than eighty Slovenian artists transformed the first floor cells into individual works of art designing each room in its own theme ranging from traditional Slovenian to an all-wood Scandinavian type room, to Hollywood style or meditation room. This was all part of an elaborate municipal scheme – and the efforts have obviously paid off, as now people come to visit even if they are not staying here. Want to see what the rooms are like? Take a look at the great selection of photos and panoramic views.

The exterior, with its barbed wire and graffiti, can appear intimidating, but inside it’s a vibrant, chic hostel, with a bar in the back garden that seems to have become a meeting place for local arty types.

The Celica actually offers a variety of accommodation – cells for two, rooms, apartments and dorms. The price includes breakfast buffet, sheets and towels, and varies a bit according to the season – but at around 25 euros per person per night for a cell, or 18 euros per person per night for a place in a dorm – the Hostel Celica offers a very reasonably priced stay in Ljubljana.

There is nothing like being on the road and living out of your backpack for months on end to give you a pretty clear idea of what makes the ideal hostel. It even inspires some people to open their own hostel, and this is exactly what happened to Atilla and Bori after a mammoth backpacking trip. The result is the strikingly hippy-ish Backpack Guesthouse, in Budapest, which offers dorms and private rooms at reasonable cost.

The Backpack Guesthouse even has a beautiful New Age style garden with a gazebo and hammocks where you can relax after a hard day’s sightseeing. Budapest, the capital of Hungary on the famous Danube River, certainly has some wonderful sights and glorious architecture to delight the senses – take a look at the Parliament Building, the Opera, and the old Castle Quarter, as well as the Hungarian National Museum.

The hostel offers free internet access, so there is plenty of opportunity for posting your travel photos for the friends and family back home. There is a kitchen area, hot showers and lockers. In true laid-back style, there is no curfew, and the check-out time is refreshingly flexible.

There are a variety of tours that are organised by the hostel, which include rather amazing caving expeditions under the city streets. Here you can see the system of caves, which is related to Budapest’s thermal springs.

With prices ranging from 12 to 17 euros depending on the number of people you want to share with, this hostel offers pretty good value for money.

If you feel like escaping the winter cold, and have been inspired by the exhibition of Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs, then now might be the time to go on a cruise down the Nile, and with some of the tempting offers available at the moment, why not?

Discover Egypt are offering one week Nile cruises on the four star Viking II for a bargain £529, and that’s full board! If you feel like going later on in the month, or in March, then prices still remain below £600. The prices are per person and include flights, transfers, in-flight meals, and the complete excursion package with over 10 excursions available, which I think represents excellent value for money.

The cabins of the Viking II all have panoramic views and air conditioning, and on deck there is even a plunge pool where you can cool off. There are even on-board Egyptologists who will be your guides.

The cruise takes you from Luxor to Aswan, and gives you the chance to visit wonderful ancient sites such as the Valley of the Kings, and the famed temples of Karnak and Luxor.

Luxor was the site of the ancient Egyptian city of Thebes, and is like a vast open air museum, attracting many tourists each year. The Valley of the Kings is probably most well-known as being the place where the tomb of Tutankhamun was found. Aswan has a busy market, and is also a popular tourist centre.

If you are looking for value for money, and a taste of the history of Egypt, then this makes a great winter holiday.

Singapore is a wonderful place to visit, renowned for its shopping, wonderful food, warm weather and safety, but if you don’t want to pay for a sojourn at the excellent Raffles Hotel, there are some other great places to stay that are a little kinder to your wallet.

Hostel One66 is a cosy hostel that has been described as being more like a homestay, as it is in fact a residential apartment in the suburban area of Woodlands. There are ten dorm beds, and the place is run by Mr Yang, who also offers free guided tours of Singapore’s nature reserves. There is no bar, and no parties, so this hostel is suitable for those who prefer a friendly but booze-free environment. Starting at SGD 18 per bed, per night, this hostel offers excellent value for money.

Located on a hill in a nice area, within walking distance of Orchard Road, the award winning Hangout@Mount Emily offers “No frills, Just fun accommodation”. The rooms are bright and modern with comfortable beds, ensuite, air conditioning, free internet access, and breakfast included. The internet rate for a double room is SGD 100 – booking by internet being cheaper than the walk-in rate. There are also dorm style rooms available at lower prices.

Recommended by Lonely Planet, the family owned guesthouse, The Perak Hotel in Little India has lovely rooms with pretty bedspreads and wallhangings. The price includes a simple complimentary breakfast. Double rooms are from SGD 148.

The Sha Villa on Lloyd Road is in a beautiful old white building building, with wooden floors and teak furniture, and offers double rooms for SGD 180. It is a training centre for students of Singapore’s Hospitality College, so you get very enthusiastic service from young people who are still learning the ropes.

With prices and value such as this, I can’t wait to go back to Singapore.

An all-inclusive holiday sounds expensive at first glance, but when you realise how little else you will be spending, it can turn into a real bargain. The outlay is all up-front, so that when you get there you can spend relatively little, with the minimum being just money on souvenirs, and minor expenses out of the resort.

It could be for these reasons of clear budget that all-inclusive resorts and hotels are proving quite popular with families. The all-inclusive resorts tend to provide plenty of organised activities for children, and the fact that there are so many children means that your offspring are never bored, and have plenty of other kids to play with. Members of the family of all ages can do what they want, and everybody is happy.

On the other hand, not everybody wants to be at a resort that is dominated by hordes of children, so some operators, such as Sandals in particular, have all-inclusive resorts especially for couples. Thomson Gold Holidays are specially for couples too.

A possible disadvantage to an all-inclusive might be that you hardly ever leave the resort, as everything is close to hand, and you don’t feel like paying to go out, making you less likely to explore the local nightlife and restaurants. However, if you just want a chilled out vacation, not constantly having to deal with bills is just great, and you will nevertheless find yourself exploring the local area and going on trips when you feel like venturing out.

An important thing to bear in mind is that, once you have booked your all-inclusive, you are, in effect, stuck with that particular hotel for your meals and refreshments, so it pays to check out the hotel in advance, paying particular attention to what other guests say about the food. In this respect, Trip Advisor and Holidays Uncovered are very useful.

A quick perusal of the bargains shows that Thomson are offering all-inclusive deals in the Dominican Republic for only £581 per person for seven nights in May, and one week’s all-inclusive in Egypt in June for an incredible £371.

So bag yourself a bargain all-inclusive and concentrate on relaxing, not paying bills.

The beautiful sunswept island of Lanzarote is the most easterly of the Canary Isles, and just 79 miles off the coast of Africa. Here you can enjoy year round sunshine, blue seas, and soft golden sands.

Like the other Canary Islands, Lanzarote was formed by volcanic activity, and due to the more recent eruptions of the 18th and 19th Centuries, many parts of the island have a striking appearance, that has often been likened to a lunar landscape.

The buildings of Lanzarote are attractive, low-level whitewashed houses, with pretty blue and green window shutters.

If you love art, then you have an extra special reason to come to Lanzarote – here you will find many wonderful art installations of skilled artist and designer Cesar Manrique, who was a contemporary of Picasso and Dali. These colourful sculptures can be seen all across the island, and some of them are moving works, cleverly powered by the wind. It is partly due to the influence of Manrique, and his belief in the subtle fusion of art and nature, that the island’s hotel and apartment developments did not turn into high rise complexes, but remained in keeping with the traditions and beauty of the island.

You can take off to Lanzarote any time you like – the fine weather all year round means that you don’t have to wait for the holiday season to start – on Lanzarote every month is holiday time.

The lively resort of Puerto Del Carmen has a great range of bars and restaurants, as well as a fine beach. Prefer something quieter? Then how about the more laid back resort of Playa Blanca or Costa Teguise?

At the moment Thomas Cook are doing one week’s self catering in Lanzarote this month for as little as £143 per person. So, go on, grab yourself a bargain in the sun, and enjoy a little art too.

Built on seven islands, Mumbai, known previously as Bombay, is India’s largest city. Mumbai has a cosmopolitan atmosphere, and is home to Bollywood, the centre of the Hindi film and TV industries. Mumbai is thought to be untypical of India, due to its hectic pace of life, its business-like attitudes, and its modern, international outlook. Attitudes here tend to be a little more liberal than in the rest of India. Even so, it is still relatively conservative compared to the West, for example, it is not generally considered acceptable for couples to show affection in public.

With three main seasons - summer, monsoon and “winter” (which is actually like a mild summer), the best time to visit Mumbai is the winter season of November to February, when you will be able to enjoy the city without the heat and humidity that tends to prevail for the rest of the year.

There are some interesting things to see within Mumbai, without even leaving the city area, for example, within the city limits you can find rock cut caves such as the Elephanta, Kanheri and Mahakali caves, which make for a fascinating day out.

Needless to say, there are a number of interesting colonial buildings to see in Mumbai. In South Mumbai you can see some fine examples of Gothic revival, Neo-classical and Indo-Saracenic style architecture, as well as the remains of Fort Saint George.

Also in South Mumbai are some excellent museums and art galleries, such as the Prince of Wales Museum, and the National Gallery of Modern Art.

Mumbai has plenty of accommodation for the budget traveller, from reasonably priced hotels, to backpackers’ hostels.

Malta offers excellent value for money for a winter getaway to the beautiful Mediterranean. This small island nation, located south of Sicily, is currently the smallest country of the European Union, and its official languages are Maltese and English.

Malta’s many days of sunshine make it a popular location for shooting films, and Troy, Gladiator and Alexander were all filmed here.

Malta is also rapidly becoming known for its clubbing, and some world famous DJs are doing gigs here at the latest up-and-coming nightspots, as well as some of Malta’s own DJ’s, such as DJ Ruby, coming to international attention. In this respect, Malta is now becoming a strong rival to Ibiza.

Malta has stunning scenery wherever you go, and it is steeped in history - St Paul reputedly spent some time in the area, and the Knights of St John defended Christendom here.

Malta has a very Mediterranean lifestyle, with plenty of carnivals throughout the year.

Maltese cuisine is very much a mix of different types of Mediterranean cooking, and many popular Maltese dishes are of Italian, Sicilian or Moorish origin.

Sights to see include the Blue Grotto which is a series of seven caves and inlets on the southern side of the island - visitors come here to see the fabulous deep blue waters and spectacular natural rock formations. The Blue Grotto can be reached by means of small traditional boats, with onboard Maltese guides. These boats leave from the pier which is just off the main road along the south coast.

Another sight to see in Malta is what is known as Clapham Junction, which is an area of southern central Malta where deep ruts in the bedrock appear to have been formed in the remote past by wagons or carts.

One of Malta’s most beautiful sandy beaches is Golden Bay, which is on the northwest coast of the island.

If you are feeling tempted to head for Malta and you are UK based, then
Chevron Air Holidays, who operate exclusively in the Maltese Islands, are currently offering seven nights half-board at the three-star Relax Inn Hotel in the north-eastern resort of Bugibba for £192 per person, or, if you prefer four-star, they are offering seven nights half-board at the Topaz Hotel in Bugibba for £201 per person.

With its history, its wonderful views, and its sunshine, Malta is a great place to go for a winter escape.

With its towering skyscrapers and big neon signs, the sunny Mediterranean town of Benidorm has been described as being a smaller version of Manhattan. Benidorm is one of the biggest resorts on the Spanish Costas, and is especially popular with British and Dutch tourists, as shown by the fact that there are pubs and cafes on every street corner offering traditional British fayre. There is also an abundance of the traditional Spanish food too, such as paella.

The town is divided into two halves, Poniente and Levante, each of which takes its name from the beach that it lies behind. These two beaches are divided by a rocky promontory, where the old part of Benidorm lies. The Old Town offers a taste of traditional Spain, with pretty white washed houses, and tapas bars where you can get a wonderful range of traditional Spanish snacks, as well as some excellent Spanish wine.

Benidorm offers a good night life all year round, with plenty of pubs, bars, clubs, karaoke bars and restaurants.

Benidorm itself is overlooked by the 1406m tall mountain Puig Campana, one of the most lovely and impressive mountains of the Costa Blanca.

The beaches of Benidorm are Blue Flag beaches, which means that the sea is exceptionally clean and good for swimming.

Benidorm has a number of family-oriented theme parks, including Terra Mítica and Terra Natura, both of which are just inland from the town, at the foot of the mountain. Other theme parks are Aqualandia and Mundomar, on the outskirts of the city on the Levante side.

Needless to say, at this time of year there are some exceedingly good deals to Benidorm: Thomson are offering seven nights self-catering for a staggeringly cheap £103 per person, Fresh Holidays are offering three-star hotel deals in Benidorm for an amazing £16 a night.

A winter break in Benidorm undoubtedly offers value for money, as well as sunshine, clean beaches and superb nightlife.