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There’s nothing quite like a family holiday abroad. Depending on your preferences, you might have a couple of weeks of blissful relaxation. Or perhaps you have a more active and adventurous family, which means that you’ll be looking forward to exploring interesting new areas and learning about different cultures.
No matter what kind of family holiday you prefer, you will need to buckle down and get some planning done before you go away. Unfortunately, that part of the process is far less enjoyable than the holiday itself. The good news is that planning a family holiday abroad doesn’t have to be as much of a headache as you might think. It all comes down to being prepared and cutting down on your stress as much as possible, which will allow you to enjoy yourselves so much more. Here are some tips to help you out.
Family Holiday Abroad? Top Tips For Planning
Choose the Destination
The first step to planning any trip abroad is to choose your destination. The destination will inform almost every aspect of your holiday, so this is an important step for you to make. For example, when travelling to long haul destinations like Seychelles, you will need to plan for the journey as well as the holiday itself.
When choosing a destination, you will have to consider your preferences. Do you prefer hot or cold places? Do you prefer exploring cities or going on hikes and exploring nature? Or would you rather travel somewhere where you can just relax on a beach somewhere and enjoy your break? Each of these decisions will rule different destinations in or out.
You should also think about how far away you want to travel. Travelling great distances is exciting and lets you see very different places, but it isn’t always practical. You can fly across the world with a small child or baby, but a shorter journey will undoubtedly be easier on them and on you. It’s also easier to get back home if an emergency happens.
Once you have an idea of what you’re looking for in your family holiday abroad and you’ve created a shortlist of destinations, you should research the areas to make sure that they’re what you’re looking for. This might be a fun time to involve the family, especially if you’re torn between a couple of destinations.
Set A Budget
Money makes the world go round, and it also makes it possible for you to go around the world. When researching your destination, you should also consider the prices of flights, accommodation, and the cost of living over there. Some places, like Norway, are stunning but it’s famously expensive to purchase food or alcohol.
Different kinds of holidays also come with different price tags. For example, a backpacking trip will cost you far less money that staying in a luxury resort or hotel. Self-catering accommodation is generally a middle ground, but it always depends on the quality of the accommodation.
You also need to consider the cost of food, especially restaurants, and the attractions and activities that you plan to do. Research these costs online so that you don’t get any nasty surprises once you arrive at your destination.
When you travel will also impact your budget. If you have children, you’re likely tied to travelling in term-time, which is unfortunately when flights are more expensive. Travelling outside of the peak season will save you money and there will be fewer crowds of tourists. However, some events and activities are only available during these expensive peak seasons, so it’s always worth researching in advance.
Regardless of what your budget ends up being, make sure that you start saving as early as possible. The sooner you plan your budget, the sooner you can start putting money away. This will leave you in a far better position than if you only considered the budget after booking everything. This way, you can enjoy your holiday without the stress of worrying about funds.
Booking Everything
One of the most important parts of preparing for your family holiday abroad is to book your flights and your accommodation. Ideally, you should find the accommodation first to make sure that you have somewhere to stay before booking the flights.
Your accommodation should be something that fits into your budget and that your family will enjoy. If there are a lot of you, then two bathrooms is always a fantastic idea. Consider how close the accommodation is to the airport and other attractions and places. You don’t want to spend more time driving than enjoying your holiday.
When booking your accommodation and your flights, keep an eye out for any deals. This is part of why it’s a good idea to book well in advance, so you can snap up these deals more quickly. You could also look for last-minute deals, but you always risk losing out on the booking.
Ideally, you’ll be able to find a cheap, direct flight, but this isn’t always possible. You can usually save money by going for indirect flights, but it depends on whether you can manage to switch planes. Consider the two airports and the flight time, making sure that you can get to the airport in time.
Paperwork and Documentation
The most stressful part of planning for a holiday is getting the paperwork sorted out. You should find your passports well in advance to make sure they’ll be valid or whether you’ll need a replacement. Nobody wants to discover an invalid passport the morning of the flight.
You should also get your travel insurance sorted out, so that you can have a more stress-free family holiday abroad secure in the knowledge that your money is safe in case something goes wrong. Remember to research your destination and find out what other documentation you need.
For example, if you’re travelling to the USA, then you will need to apply for either a VISA or an ESTA to be let into the country. You should also look up any Covid-19 restrictions and plan accordingly.
