Craving some sand and sea, but strapped for cash? You can still book the ultimate cheap beach break without splashing out. Here are just a few money-saving tips for booking a beach holiday on a budget.
Consider a staycation
You don’t have to travel abroad to enjoy a beach holiday. The UK may not have the most reliable weather, but it’s got plenty of magnificent beaches nonetheless. If you’re looking for somewhere young and buzzing, Brighton is the obvious choice. For a more peaceful and family-oriented retreat, you could look into holiday parks in Wales. You can even stay in a lighthouse up in Scotland.
Whilst accommodation can be pricey across the country, you’ll make huge savings simply by not having to pay for flights. Even if you don’t drive, you can still take a coach (coaches are much cheaper than trains – you can get a coach from London to Bournemouth for a lot less than the train!)
Try out-of-flavour destinations for a cheap beach break
If you’ve got your heart set on a beach holiday abroad, you can still save money by avoiding popular touristy destinations. Rather than travelling to Spain or Greece, consider lesser travelled countries such as Croatia and Bulgaria – you’ll find incredible beach resorts in these countries for a fraction of the price. Venture outside Europe and flight costs can start to rise dramatically, although there are still some cheap beach destinations just outside of Europe such as Turkey, Tunisia and Egypt.
Alternatively, you could travel to a familiar country but simply avoid the tourist strips. There are plenty of Greek islands that are cheaper due to being less visited – Thassos is one that is only recently growing in popularity and still yet to catch up with the prices of its neighbours, whilst the more secluded Symi is a ferry ride from Rhodes and a darned sight cheaper. As for Spain, there are plenty of cheap places in the Costa Del Sol that aren’t Marbella or Malaga.
Go out of season
Summer is the most popular time to book a beach destination due to the greater chance of good weather, but it’s also the most expensive. Booking a holiday out of seasons could be a lot cheaper – hotels and flight companies tend to offer more competitive deals because of the lower demand.
For the best chance of sun during these months, the best idea is heading as far south in Europe as you can. It’s not uncommon for the weather in the Canary Islands to exceed 20C even in January. Meanwhile, the south of Spain and Cyprus can be fairly sunny from April through to October – by booking a holiday in April or October you could find that the prices are much lower and the temperature is still warm enough for sunbathing!
Book last minute
Everyone knows that last-minute deals for cheap beach breaks can be some of the best around. In an attempt to fill empty aeroplane seats and hotel rooms, airlines and hotels will often slash their prices dramatically a couple of weeks before.
Unfortunately, taking advantage of these deals isn’t easy if you’ve got to take time off work or arrange someone to look after pets. The best way to grab these deals is to book the time off in advance and make preparations – you can then shop around a couple of weeks before and see what deals are available during the time you’ve booked off work. There are many sites dedicated to last minute deals that are worth keeping tabs on.
Plan a weekday short break
If you’re considering a short beach break, it could be worth booking some time off in the week rather than planning a weekend break. Hotel prices for short stays in the week can be dramatically cheaper. This could be ideal for a UK staycation by the beach.
Don’t stay on the beachfront
Hotels with beachfront positions tend to come with premium prices compared to those positioned a couple of streets back. Whilst it can be nice to wake up to the beach, consider whether it’s something you really need – a five-minute walk to the beach and no sea view could save you a lot of money.
This is mostly the case in beach resort towns and you can still find a cheap hotel positioned on the beach simply by staying somewhere off the beaten track.
Go all inclusive
All-inclusive package deals are a popular way of saving costs. Within these packages, you’re likely to get the hotel, flights, transfers and food included. Some all-inclusive hotels may even come with a free bar up until a certain time with could save you huge amounts in drinks.
Going all-inclusive won’t just save you money, but it could save you the hassle of having to book everything individually. The only downside with these packages is that they may be offered by a travel agency for a limited time. If you leave it a couple of days to make a decision and the deal could be gone.
Sometimes you may be able to secure a deal and pay later if you need to gather the funds, however most travel companies will want you to put down a deposit first.
Opt for self-catering
If you’re willing to stay in a chalet or villa and cook your own meals, you could also save money on eating out. Opting for shared catering facilities can bring down the cost even more, but this does mean sharing a kitchen with potential strangers (it depends how social you are on holiday).
Try alternative accommodation
Another option is to try alternative forms of accommodation beyond hotels.
Camping is one of the cheapest options and could be great for saving you money on an escape to the French coast. There are many campsites located near the beach. Even if you’re not prepared to stay in a tent, many campsites have caravans and shacks that you can rent out cheaply – such accommodation still has heating and electricity as well as cosy beds.
Some cities by the coast may also have hostels that could be a cheap form of accommodation. Hostels are effectively hotels with more basic amenities. There are family-friendly hostels and hostels for couples where you’re guaranteed your own room (standard hostels may require you to share a room with strangers, which can put a lot of people off).
Take advantage of free attractions on your cheap beach break
There’s so much free stuff to do at the beach. By taking advantage of these free activities, you can save money spent on attractions. For example, you can go on a walk, build sandcastles, play beach games and go swimming.
So there are lots of ways you can have a holiday on a budget, which can you easily do?
