BeTravelSavvy Blog

Travel Challenge: The Budget Solo Escape

August 9, 2010 Travel Challenge

I have about £1000-£1500 (including spending money) to spend on an extended holiday of around three to six weeks. I’d ideally like to get away for as long as possible but would consider the shorter time period if I could find something particularly special. The dates I have in mind are February to March and I will be travelling alone. Places I have visited before and want to avoid are France. Spain, Italy, Germany, Portugal, Greece, Egypt and Hong Kong. The purpose of this holiday is to get away from normal life and see something new. Whether that’s spending some chill-out time in an interesting place with a pretty beach or getting stuck into a new culture, I’d like to go somewhere and use it as a base and be able to access other places around it. As well as Europe, I’ve thought about getting a flight somewhere far flung but I would need to book some accommodation beforehand as it’s my first extended travel trip alone… Can you help?! – Gill

We think we can help, just about! £1500 over six weeks works out at around £36 per day, including food and drink as well as your flights and accommodation. We like to think we’re miracle workers, but there are some things we just can’t manage! You might be able to get cheap flights and hostels in Europe, but it would be almost impossible to stick to this budget including spending money. We think you should spend more money on flights and go further afield, where your money will go a lot further.  Plus, it sounds like you’ve seen a lot of Europe so it’s time to explore somewhere new – and enjoy some sunshine to boot!

We think you should try a package holiday to Goa. This beautiful region of south India is a seasoned favourite with travellers – meaning it offers you a chance to experience the new and the exotic in a place that is really geared up for tourists. By arriving in Goa on a package holiday, you’ll find yourself the perfect base from which to travel around with the added bonus of a holiday rep, who’ll be a great point of contact and be able to answer all your questions. In Goa, you can experience total relaxation beneath swaying palms on poster-perfect beaches, spot wild monkeys swinging from the trees in the jungle, explore serene temples and lotus ponds, shop in bustling markets and enjoy great food. Getting around is cheap and easy, with many taxi drivers willing to be your guide for the entire day for a reasonable price. Your holiday rep will be able to give you information on organised excursions if you’d rather go on an official guided tour. The pace of life in Goa is relaxed and the welcome warm, meaning its been a firm favourite with solo travellers for decades. The deal we’ve found you is half board, meaning your breakfast and your evening meal are included in the cost, but eating out in Goa is so cheap and such a joy that you may choose to have dinner elsewhere on some nights. The Abalone Resort is located in Arpora, a pretty, rural area with its own selection of restaurants and a lively market close to tourist hub Baga Beach. It’s a brilliant base from which to explore the wider area. You do need a tourist Visa to enter India, and it’s essential that you contact your GP before travel for advice on preventing tropical diseases: for more information visit the Foreign and Commonwealth Office’s website.

28 nights Half Board at the Abalone Resort, departing Gatwick on 5^th March is £949, including flights, transfers and single room supplement. For more information, click here or call Hays Travel on 0800 408 4131.

Prices are correct at the time of blogging but subject to availability and change.

Tags: Aabalone resort, Arpora, Baga, extended holidays, Goa, India, long holidays, single travellers, solo travel, Travel Challenge, tropical holidays