Travelling Over The Christmas Period

PropertyPig on 25/07/2017 - 10:33
Last edited 25/07/2017 - 10:50 by 1 other user

Hey Ozbargain!

My partner and I wanted to go travelling, and the only time off that we have together (with forced leave) is between 23rd of Dec and 1st of January. We live in Sydney. I understand this is super peak time for travel, and its fairly expensive. We don't mind spending a little bit of money to go away, but we'd like to stay under $4000 for both of us (travel and accommodation). We don't mind flying or driving. Where do you recommend?

We have thought about getting a campervan and driving up to Byron, or flying to Bali and staying in a resort. We don't want to go too far as we have a limited time. Where would you go if you had this budget and 10 days? We mainly want to relax, and just read, but I'll be up for some sort of adventure.

We like gardens, and going for some chill walks.

Thank you in advance!

Travel

Comments

  • QW3RTY on 25/07/2017 - 10:41

    Maybe check out the Luxury Escapes offers over this travel period. There's often some value options for South East Asia that pop up, some even have "all expenses included" options (less airfares), so you can include meals and alcohol. Some also offer discounted activities, so I think on your budget, it wouldn't be a bad place to investigate.

    • PropertyPig on 25/07/2017 - 10:49

      Thanks for you reply. I have checked them out before. Some of the deal I have noticed have big seasonal surcharges, but I guess thats just how it is if we want to travel in December. I'll keep an eye out though. Do you think South East Asia will be way better value than staying somewhere within Aust, considering the saving if we drive rather than fly? I've never really done domestic holidays because of how expensive accommodation/food/activities are.

      • [Deactivated] on 25/07/2017 - 14:30

        Meals and alcohol can be bought for under $5 a day in Asia depending on what you eat or how much (even less).

        Bali is terrible and exp.

        Check out some of the less advertised areas. The beaches of cambodia/vietnam/malaysia are all extremely cheap and way less crowded.

        Hotels can start at $30 a night for something nice and barebones; with you paying a gratuitous maximum 100-150$ night for something really upscale.

        Taxis are cheap. No need to be stressed and drive etc. Just explore, swim and get smashed on $1 beers all day.

        • PropertyPig on 25/07/2017 - 16:14

          My partner has been to Vietnam, but I hadn't considered Cambodia or Malaysia. I'll check them out now. Thank you.

        • Spending2Much on 27/07/2017 - 02:00

          $30 for a decently safe and comfortable hotel?

        • [Deactivated] on 27/07/2017 - 08:05

          @albanyson:

          Yep. 100%.

          You can get a bit more sketcher backpacker places for 10-20 dollars a night; though for $30 you can usually find something decent.

        • Spending2Much on 27/07/2017 - 10:24

          @eggmaster:
          Thanks. Any tips/sites for booking Vietnam?

        • [Deactivated] on 27/07/2017 - 10:38

          @albanyson:

          Depends where you want to go, and how much you want to spend.

          Airasia is good for entering/exiting the country (once again, you can usually get flatbeds to KL for cheap).

          Within Vietnam vietjetair is pretty cool, they have an english site.

          Get a citibank debit card. in HCM and Hanoi there are a few citi atms which will allow you to withdraw 8 mil/day ($500) and you will be able to pay your hotels etc without extra fee.

          Expedia/booking.com/agode etc are "ok" to book the mid-> high range hotels, though you may not find the dirt cheap places on there. Though you can usually get the hotels cheaper by going through their direct site or calling them. (if you see something on these sites, try calling the hotel directly or see if they have a localised website. Most hotel reception/staff in major cities can speak limited english)

          All activities, bike hire should always be booked through local sites (check google, or local facebook pages); and never using these hotel booking sites (markups can be extreme).

          I would stay far away from those package sites. Asia really is really wallet friendly to the "build your own adventure" types.

          Uber. Uber is now in vietnam too. Rides are unbelievably cheaper and better than a taxi or xeom.

        • Spending2Much on 27/07/2017 - 10:46

          @eggmaster:
          Awesome tips. Thankyou.
          Jetstar had a recent $240 rtn from Perth deal thdt I wasn't quick enough to book. But will jump in the next deal.

  • spackbace on 25/07/2017 - 11:51
    +2

    NZ, Tasmania, wine regions (WA, SA)

  • [Deactivated] on 25/07/2017 - 12:37

    Last holiday i went to in se asia was around 5k for a month. (Pretty nice) Hotels, flights, food, spending a tonne of cash.

    You would be really trying to spend 4k within a week there.

    Check out airasia. You can get flatbeds for 500/per to kl return sometimes. Stay there for a night and check out the city; use airasiax throughout asia for like 50-70$ a flight.

  • NancyCat on 25/07/2017 - 12:41
    +1

    Given you don't have any kids, and you and your partner just want to relax and read…if I were you I would stay away from Bali. Not only it's expensive during that time, but there will be lots of kids, no chance for you to read/relax by the pool at the resort.

    My first choice would be Tasmania, good weather, certainly lots of beautiful gardens/parks…great 'chill walks'/hiking.

    • PropertyPig on 25/07/2017 - 13:05

      I was worried about this. There would be lots of families, and I wasn't sure what the weather would be like. I was looking into options of resorts that were adult only. We went to Tasmania for a week, 2 Christmases ago, so we were looking for somewhere different. But that was pretty amazing. And we recently went to NZ.

      • spackbace on 25/07/2017 - 13:34
        +1

        I'd definitely recommend somewhere in this country (considering you said you haven't seen it much).

        To add to my previous suggestions maybe Cairns/Port Douglas? But SA & WA wine regions would be nice

        • PropertyPig on 25/07/2017 - 14:09
          +1

          I've never been to Cairns, so I might check that out now. Cheers!

        • altomic on 25/07/2017 - 14:47
          +2

          @PropertyPig: cairns is quite meh -there is only the man made lagoon - no actual beaches (too many crocodiles). I prefer staying further up the coast at Palmcove. more "tourist" centered. but calmer. more relaxed. a bunch of hotels with pools and the beach is relaxing. i've been there twice.

  • Donaldhump on 25/07/2017 - 14:07
    +3

    stay home, watch the ashes, and get blind every day

    • PropertyPig on 26/07/2017 - 13:58

      Hahah replace this with netflix and I might! But with 10 days, i want to make use of the time off and go somewhere.

  • SirFlibbled on 25/07/2017 - 15:30
    +1

    I did Vietnam a couple of years ago over Xmas. Flights + accommodation (nice hotels too) for 21 days came to about $2500 for 2 of us. Obviously it would be cheaper for 10 days.

  • TheBilly on 26/07/2017 - 13:18

    Look into Langkawi or Panang in Malaysia if you insist on going overseas - They're both really good, cheap and relaxing (Panang more developed though so I prefer Langkawi). However to be honest, if your idea of a holiday is to just sit around and laze on the beach, Australia is where it is at. South Asian beaches aren't as good as ours. Hire a caravan, head to north coast of NSW or QLD - book into a nice campsite with some facilities and just laze around for days. Your 10 days will feel like a month or more.

    • PropertyPig on 26/07/2017 - 13:57

      I would rather stay here if i could, but I just assumed that South east asia would be cheaper for things like drinks/massages/food etc. I looked into hiring a caravan but the prices started at about $1600 - $2600 depending on the van we got. Then we would have to add campsite fees and petrol. Any places in the North Coast you'd recommend that would be a bit more secluded and wouldn't have lots of kids/families on the beach? Maybe somewhere I could get some surf lessons?

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