Hmmmmm.....where to go?

[MrMasher]

The Masher clan didn't manage to get away overseas last year. I've been having a nosey around a few websites looking at some October sun for this year. Bugger me! Flight prices have rocketed! Our last holiday was nearly 2 years ago in Benidorm, half board in a 5* hotel for less than a grand between us.

I liked Benidorm, we were in the Spanish half which was nice. Going down the other end was awful though, full of pi55ed up northerners, dripping with gold chains and footie shirts!

The trouble is I'm not sure where to go this year. I've been looking at Tunisia, Turkey, Lanzarote and Mexico.

I have found some good half board and all inclusive deals on offer for all of them. But, does going all inclusive really tie you down to your resort as you've paid for it?
Self catering doesnt really interest us to be honest so we'd look at B&B, HB or AI.

We havent been to any of these locations before and would really appreciate a bit of advice either on these, or other locations, you'd reccomend. Are there any obvious locations I should be considering?

Obviously we'd like the place to be warm and sunny, near the coast would be better.
We like to get out and about and see the locality (not sitting in brit bars all day long!).
We arent after a bustling nightclub/brits abroad type of place, just somewhere friendly and chilled out but with plenty of things to do (me and master masher get bored lazing by a pool all day!)
Somewhere where the locals are friendly is a bonus.

I'm looking at the last 2 weeks of October spending around £2000.


Any advice is appreciated.DT_Xtremez_30:

 

[MontyPlumbs]

MrM, try www.otbeach.com but don't book your transfers with them, use www.skytransfers.com.

1 week AI to Fueterventura in October cost £500 each...not bad I thought. I've used them for years and always got great holidays.

 

[Dave-exfairy]

MM, me and the bird went to Luperon Beach Resort in the Domincan Republic and can't recommend it highly enough, all inclusive and it doesn't tie you down. Got out and about and although we didn't get out into the local town at night, we didn't really need to. Other family members have been to other hotels on the island and recommend it as well.

 

[MrMasher]

Cheers gents.

Ive just spent a few hours browsing onthebeach.

I'll have a look a Dominican Republic. Didn't think of that. Cheers!

 

[grumpyoldb]

Cheers gents.

Ive just spent a few hours browsing onthebeach.

I'll have a look a Dominican Republic. Didn't think of that. Cheers!

Me and the mrs did Dom Rep about six years ago. Had a great time. Brill weather. Two weeks all-in for two. £1400, but I doubt if prices are anything like that now. There was loads to do included, but we also paid extra for excursions and horse riding through the jungle. On the last night, we went on a night time horse ride down the beach for about 4 miles and stopped at a ranch where they lit a huge bonfire on the beach, served free cold beers and chicken and lobster BBQ.
Picked up at midnight by bus.

 

[Tashy_Man]

Picked up at midnight by bus.

Should have made you ride back

Anyways I was in the Travel Agents today (Thomas Cooks) and saw a poster advertising Cuba.....all Inclusive for 14 nights @ £850 each.

We were looking at doing the florida thing this year but that might just get put back .......it looked really nice !

Crack on...................DT_Xtremez_09:

 

[Talk Wrench]

HI mate,

Have you thought about Cyprus? From what I gather, there are some VERY cheap deals to be had. The bottom has fallen out of the tourism market there since they adopted the Euro, ( a salutary lesson for all there!!) and they are desperate to get people into the Hotels.. Hence, much cheapness. Package holidays can be picked up for about 200 quids per person.

I'm hoping to go out there in May for a week or two and there seems to be rich pickings to be had.


TW

 

[busby1971]

Mexico - End of the hurricane season, we went out at this time of the year and it rained every afternoon at the same time for about 2 hours.

Turkey - Might be a bit cold at this time of year, it's on the cusp, when I say cold it's relative.

Lanzarote - Weather should be nice then but there's not a lot to do.

I was looking at Cyprus myself, weather similar to Turkey in October, but I was going to go out in Jun, in then decided to spend cash elsewhere.

Hope you enjoy it wherever you are, Capo Verde is supposed to growing in popularity and Moroco has a lot of culture.

 

[fileeth]

Went to a spot just down from Antayla in Turkey on the Med coast at the end of september in 2009 which was all inclusive and was worth every penny. It was out of season and the weather was still warm with temps 29-31 degrees C - my eight year old daughter loved it.
The flight was not to long and the transfer wasn't so bad which meant my nipper wasn't cheesed off at the end of it.DT_Xtremez_30:

 

[MrMasher]

Cape Verde - definetely somewhere I'd like to go! Unfortunately I think we'll have to wait until we've shipped the teenager of to university! He'd get bored. Its roughly a grand each for AI at the minute in October.

Cyprus - is it warm enough in late October? I'm looking for mid 20's.

Dominican Republic - according to reviews on tripadvisor.co.uk it seems to have gone downhill a bit.

Mexico - I forgot about swine flu!!!

Spain - toyed with it but the temperatures in places we havent been arent really high enough.

USA - looks a bit pricey. Most of the apparent good deals are room only so we'd have to take extra cash for feeding.

Morocco - not sure. Terrorists?

Egypt - some good deals to be had but I've heard that going AI and staying in your resort is best? Locals hassle your wife etc?

Turkey - is it warm enough in late October? From what I've read its a bit hit and miss at that time of year.

I also looked at the Maldives, Mauritius, the Seychelles, Goa, Thailand and Malaysia. A bit pricey for me, but definetely somewhere for the future.

So to my most considered choices:
Lanzarote - not much to do? I thought there was a fair bit to do there? Was thinking of hiring a car for a few days and exploring the island. Then looking at ferry rides to the other islands. Its mid 20's as well. If not Lanzarote then one of the Canaries anyway, but which one? The AI deals arent much more than the B&B's/SC options really, so going AI and then skipping the hotel for some of the time wouldnt detract from the cost as much.

Tunisia - looks pretty good to me for an AI deal as well. Temperature is mid 20's with plenty of excursions to be had.



I havent been to the Canaries or Tunisia, which resorts and hotels have people been to and would go back to? No matter how much you scour the net you cant beat personal experience can you?
We're looking for a 4* resort with plenty of activities in the resort as well as in the local area.

 

[Scaley brat]

Lanzarote - not much to do? I thought there was a fair bit to do there? Was thinking of hiring a car for a few days and exploring the island.

Tunisia - looks pretty good to me for an AI deal as well. Temperature is mid 20's with plenty of excursions to be had.

I liked Lanzarote, but I didn't enjoy our hotel. Room next to the bar and uncontrolled children left to themselves while mum and dad got leathered.
Hire car is a good idea, but the volcano field was bus only.

Tunisia was okay "Houda golf and beach resort", very warm but the traditional towels out by sunrise or forget anything near the pool. The place got a slating in a few websites, butI found it okay. It hada bed, foodand a cracking pool. Beer was decent enough to.

The problem is, one mans holiday is anothers nightmare.

 

[Stewie]

Ive been to Gran Canaria, we stayed in puerto rico right at the top of the hill, depends what you want I suppose, we go to the states nowadays, its not that expensive, they speak english and actually like the brits. Good luck with it.
Edit: http://www.firstchoice.co.uk/holidays/gran-canaria-holidays/?ito=PPC-goo&itc=[gran%20canaria]

 

[doc670]

AI in Cyprus

AI in Cyprus

Try http://gonorthcyprus.com and search for the Merit Crystal Cove Hotel. They do AI and have lots of facilities and activities. My place is about a mile away and I've spent the last five years in late Oct/Nov there. Its not cold but not blazing either, temp around 25 - 30 C. The sea is still warm enough for swimming/snorkelling etc. Plenty to do and see in the area. Have a look.

​

 

[MrMasher]

Might end up in Spain at this rate.
The idiots at PPPA are trying to boot the missus out. She was on a temp contract on the understanding she would be made permanent once the temp was done.
Cue drawdown and cutbacks, we won't bother filling that post anymore so you'll be finished 2 weeks before your 1 year point (less than a year = no rights).
Nevermind the fact that her place of work is already 3 short and she was the only one in the other afternoon.

 

[hugo_a_go_go]

If you do look at the Dominican then also look at Cayo Coco DT_Xtremez_14:

We went there for £2500 for three weeks AI and this applied to all the hotels in the area for drinks/meals etc.

Fantastic place

 

[rest have risen above me]

Have you thought about a touring holiday? There's a lot to be said for it although your budget might preclude taking all the family. (You'd probably find the wife may get a little bored but I'm sure MM junior would love it). A suggested Itinery may be.
Bahrain
Australia
Malaysia
China
Spain
Monaco
Turkey
Canada
Spain
Buckinghamshire
Germany
Budapest
Belgium
Italy
Singapore
Japan
Korea
Brazil
Abu Dhabi

Hope this helps...DT_Xtremez_15:

On a serious note I found Tunisia pretty scabby away from the resorts.

 

[185]

have a look at croatia its outside the eurozone so fairly cheap, short flight time, locals are great, coast line is brill.debrovnik is out standing.

 

[Scaley brat]

Might end up in Spain at this rate.

In 2008 we went to Calpe Mash, it's just up the coast from Benny dorm, we rented a THIS VILLA.
Margerita is actually split into two. We were downstairs with the sister in law and her lad, while the parents in law had the tranquility of the upstairs. They have some nice smaller villas in the same area mate. Definately worth a look.

 

[MrMasher]

Have you thought about a touring holiday? There's a lot to be said for it although your budget might preclude taking all the family. (You'd probably find the wife may get a little bored but I'm sure MM junior would love it). A suggested Itinery may be.
Bahrain
Australia
Malaysia
China
Spain
Monaco
Turkey
Canada
Spain
Buckinghamshire
Germany
Budapest
Belgium
Italy
Singapore
Japan
Korea
Brazil
Abu Dhabi

Hope this helps...DT_Xtremez_15:

On a serious note I found Tunisia pretty scabby away from the resorts.

All 3 of us would have to go on that tour. I wouldn't want to lose my gentlemanly gibblets by not taking MrsMasher!

 

[s1mtech]

Have you thought about the Gambia? We had a holiday out there and had a great time. always good deals for holidays out there.

with the price of the Euro, anyehere outside of the euro zone should be looked at.

Also, It is hard to beat the US for value for money, some great deals in Orlando. Hotels in October are dirt cheap!!! Only $30 per room a night on international drive with your ID card.