5 tips for booking that dream worthy holiday destination

I've always found that when searching for destination tips or advice on where to go, what to do, how to do it, there is only ever your super-saver, back packer type of blog or your luxurious, 5* only, instragammable blog. I've barely found anything for the no BS travellers who want to 'live their best lives' rather than spend their time counting their pennies (or cents) or queueing up for hours for some mediocre cupcake from a bakery with a flower wall.

Because of this, I've decided to write about my experiences and offer my two cents into the world of a regular 9-5 worker with a good job who has a certain lust for seeing the world. I don't always stay in the best hotels and I certainly don't want to live off of supermarket noodles whilst roughing it in some sex-frenzy hostel (I did that for 3 nights in Sydney once, so I know what I'm talking about).

There are so many beautiful places in the world and you can see them all with just a few tips and none of these tips include taking out a second mortgage:

1. Plan Ahead

I feel as if people have this idea that travel is spontaneous and risque, only for those who sky dive and book flights last minute to foreign lands far, far away. Well, it's not always like that. If you plan ahead, especially for farther destinations outside of your home continent, you will save so much money. I would also say that, if you can, plan to book your holidays during the January/Black Friday/Any type of sales. This can save you money on your hotel stays and flights. I've done this the past 2 years.

2. Deposits!!!

We live in a world where major airlines are a lot more accommodating to our financial situations and even the best saver can benefit from putting down a deposit. I usually do this with my holiday packages because I can integrate transfers or car hire at the time of booking, saving more money later down the line. I usually book with British Airways and sometimes I'll add on excursions or car hire but always transfers (personal preference). You don't need to pay the full price till 5 weeks before travel which is great if you want to lock in those summer/mid year deals. You can pay off the amounts at any time or on the final date of payment. A few providers which I know take deposits are; British Airways, Virgin Holidays, First Choice, TUI, On The Beach, and i'm sure there are many, many more out there. Please bear in mind, deposits are usually only applicable for hotel and flight deals so if you want to just book a flight this won't work.

3. Sky Scanner <3

I'm sure that everybody knows about Skyscanner by now but wow. I want to personally thank the guys over there so if any of you know the people who made skyscanner possible, tell them I'm so grateful! I have alot of friends around Europe and honestly, we've booked flights just because we've had a skyscanner search and have seen them for super cheap. I also love the fact that I can select direct flights when possible because I do not think a 12hr+ flight from London to Marrakech would be worth it when it's 3 hours direct. Why stress about with running from terminal to terminal to save an extra £20? I do want to touch on stop overs though, I spent over 24 hours in Singapore on the way to Sydney once and it was an amazing experience. Certain airlines integrate free, extended stop overs so if you are using skyscanner for a long distance flight and see that there is a stopover included, I would advise checking the airline's site directly or calling them and figuring out if you can layover for a longer time to do touristy stuff and experience a country on the way to your destination country. 2 holidays in 1!

4. Timing & Location

I know that that's 2 points but they do go hand in hand. If you can't compromise on timing because you have a family or your job requires you to stay during the busier periods then fair enough but where you can, try to book your holidays closer to low/mid season. Regarding location, it really does depend on you but I would recommend looking at towns close to your prime location and check how well the public transport is or how easy it is to drive and hire a car. During peak seasons, you will find respite in surrounding areas which are more chilled and generally cheaper. Lots of people are attracted to a main, newer city but I've stayed in 'old towns' and have had real, authentic experiences for a fraction of the cost and have still been 10-30 minutes away from the hustle and bustle, which isn't too bad. You can dip your toes into the "off the beaten path" type of trip whilst still splash out on a beach front dinner every now and then, if that's your thing. Saying this though, watch out for destinations way out from where you want to be. With some destinations you just can't take the risk so do a little research before you click 'pay now'.

5. INCOGNITO

This sounds like some conspiracy theorists' rule of thumb but it's not, I swear. Although I am privy to a good conspiracy theory. Search and book everything in private/incognito mode. I'm surprised I don't see this tip plastered everywhere because I have saved hundreds of pounds booking holidays this way. Use your private browser when booking hotels, flights, full package holidays, when you're using skyscanner... Just use it, ok?

There are so many more tips that I could add but I wanted to keep this as short as possible. The ones I've listed are the ones I feel are most important to booking my dream worthy trip and I hope they help you to see the parts of the world you've always wanted to. Everyone has different preferences and I want to help people enhance their experiences.

This is my first post and maybe I'll look back on this and laugh at how terribly it's written one day. I hope you'll be laughing with me! Please subscribe and share.

Thank you.

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