How to Experience Guernsey on a Budget

If you want to book a summer holiday to Guernsey but don’t want to spend a fortune, here are a few tips to help you save.

Go Online

If you want to get a great deal on your next holiday, go online to find the best deal to fit your budget. Once you have decided on how much you wish to spend, go online to compare holiday prices at speed.

Find Cheap Flights

If you want to experience Guernsey without breaking the bank, it helps if you are flexible on dates. The price of flights to Guernsey will change throughout the year and if you book in advance, you could benefit from a lower price. Avoid school holidays, as this is the peak time for families to take a break and as a result, the prices rise. If you want to cut the costs of your holiday significantly, travelling at unsociable times can also help to keep costs low.

Go Self Catering

Many people choose to self catering options over half board and full board holiday packages. Going self catering can save you money on the cost of your holiday, as you don’t have to pay up front for every meal. When it comes to Guernsey self catering hotels come with the added advantage that visitors can eat what they want at a time to suit their schedule.

Hire a Car

If you plan to do a lot of sightseeing in Guernsey, it is advisable to research transport options before you go. There will be many different options to choose from but if you do your research, there will be no surprise costs to deal with on arrival. If there is a group of you going to Guernsey it would make sense to hire a car. If you are going self catering and would like to sightsee, hiring a car could be very beneficial as you can share the cost between passengers and it will be cheaper than taxis.

Staying in Bournemouth Hotels? Make the Most of the Ocean.

If you are staying in one of Bournemouth’s hotels, than here’s our guide on how to make the most of Bournemouth’s biggest playground – the seaside.

Award Winning Seaside

It’s impossible not to be inspired by mile after mile of clean, soft, golden sand – Bournemouth’s breathtaking beaches are its biggest attraction by far.

Bournemouth beaches won no less than six awards at the 2006 Seaside Awards proving that Bournemouth has some of the cleanest, safest and best beaches in the UK. What better reason to choose Bournemouth hotels for your summer holiday?

Bournemouth Pier beach, Boscombe Pier beach, Fisherman’s Walk, Southbourne, Durley Chine and Alum Chine all received awards, which were judged on water quality, toilet facilities, bathing safety, cleanliness, access, first aid, litter bins and environmental care.

Bournemouth Hotels

If you and your family like to be besides the seaside and you’ve checked in to one of Bournemouth’s hotels, than you’ll probably be spending a significant part of your holiday on the beach. The local beaches are patrolled by RNLI lifeguards but there are always some safety tips you should take into consideration. Last year they saved 27 lives and were called to 7,226 incidents. Here are some RNLI top tips:

• Don’t take inflatables out to sea – although great for the pool, the wind can blow them out to sea swiftly. Surf conditions can be dangerous too. If you do take an inflatable to the beach, make sure the line is connected to the shore, or held by an adult. Avoid altogether in strong weather.
• Rip currents lurk under the surface and can drag swimmers from the shallows to the depths. Always try and remain calm, fighting against a current will exhaust you. Make noise and raise your hand for help.
• If there are red and yellow flags on the beach, swim between them.
• Keep a look out for any safety signs.
• When in doubt, ask a lifeguard for advice.

Underwater Adventure

If you want to avoid the dangers of the real sea than you can certainly get enough thrills and spills visiting Bournemouth’s Oceanarium. One of the advantages of staying in Bournemouth hotels and spending a few days and nights in the town is the vast array of attractions for all the family.

It may seem surprising staying at Bournemouth hotels to find the world at your feet but Bournemouth’s Oceanarium takes you through the marine wonders of the world including the Amazon, Mediterranean, Africa, The Ganges, Great Barrier Reef, Hawaii, Key West and even…..The Abyss!

The Oceanarium is an interactive experience with feeding demonstrations, a walk-through underwater tunnel and exhibits exploring the mysteries of marine life from African land snails to Zebra Cichlids.

The beach and ocean make Bournemouth the biggest and best playground for children of all ages – book your stay in one of Bournemouth’s hotels this summer.
     
Beachlets.com specialise in beach cottages, villas and apartments worldwide and throughout Europe and the UK.

Best Stag and Hen Weekend Destinations in the UK

Let’s face it, stag weekends and hen weekends in are always pretty crazy and usually boozey affairs – and while some people will choose to travel to destinations for Europe for their big night out (often to get as far away from their bride or groom to be as possible), there are still plenty of great locations in the UK in which to have your stag or hen weekend at a fraction of the cost. Here are some of the most popular destinations in the UK:

Blackpool – If ever there was a town designed to welcome gangs of lads or girls for a mad weekend it is Blackpool. Take a trip up to the North West coast for hundreds of bars, pubs and clubs galore. Test your hangover by riding rollercoasters on the pleasure beach, get kitted up in fancy dress on the promenade or take a trip to the beach.

Leeds – Leeds has arguably the best nightlife in the north of England with fantastic clubs like Space and Gatecrasher. There are also some great outdoor activities you can take part in in the countryside around the city, such as paintball and clay pigeon shooting – or you can take a hike on the moors of nearby Ilkley.

London – Ladies on a hen do can shop til they drop in the heart of England’s capital. Nightlife is more varied and cosmopolitan than in most cities in the world - so both stags and hens are sure to find a pub or club to suit them and their mates. Take a trip on the London eye and see all the sites during the day.

Renting Log Cabins with Hot Tubs – The Best Relaxing Holiday Possible

If your idea of a great holiday is kicking back, relaxing and enjoying time spent together with your best friends in beautiful natural surroundings - then renting out log cabins with hot tubs in fabulous locations right here in the UK may be the perfect break for you. Typically accommodating up to 7 people, renting out a log cabin can be a fantastic way of escaping all the stress of your job and instead having a long weekend off to put your feet up. You may choose to either spend a romantic weekend with your partner or as a group of friends, colleagues or classmates but you are sure to have a memorable and fun holiday right here in the UK.

     As the nights draw in here in the UK and winter is moving in, it may seem very tempting to take a holiday overseas during the winter – but renting a fully centrally heated login cabin featuring a beautiful warm hot tub will ensure you can beat the cold weather and stay snug and warm regardless of the time of year in which you choose to take your holiday. The modern styling of the majority of the UK’s log cabins also adds to your luxury holiday experience to make you feel all the more at ease in your stay.

Best Holiday Destinations in Europe: Edinburgh

Edinburgh is widely regarded as one of the best holiday destinations to visit in the UK and offers a fantastic mix of rich Scottish history, heritage and traditions fused with the latest ground breaking arts, comedy and experiences. Named as a UNESCO world heritage site in the year 1995, the city is famed for its varied architecture and cultural experiences. With attractions and buildings spanning its long and rich history, Edinburgh offers holidaymakers the chance to combine visits to medieval castles, palaces and buildings as well as impressive gothic styled churches which also find spaces standing alongside some truly stunning modern architectural creations.

     Edinburgh is also without a doubt one of the best holiday destinations in the UK to experience some superb and exciting live events that are sure to excite and intrigue the British tourist visiting the city for a weekend, as well as backpackers travelling across Europe and visitors to Scotland taking holidays from overseas. Such is the wide reaching nature of the appeal of events such as Hogmanay (Scottish New Year celebrations) the Edinburgh festival and Fringe, and the pomp and ceremony of its world famous military tattoo that those visiting the city should plan well ahead. Indeed, getting accommodation of any kind in Edinburgh during the festival season around August to September and during the new year is extremely difficult and may need to be booked as long as a year in advance in some circumstances.

     Accessing the city from the UK can be easily achieved by train, with the main station Waverly regularly accepting numerous daily services from across the country. If you are visiting Edinburgh from Europe or further afield it is possible to fly to Edinburgh international airports and then take a Edinburgh airport taxi into the city. The airport is the most popular and frequented in Scotland and takes in flights from around Europe and the rest of the world.

St Ives, Cornwall – One of the Best Holiday Destinations in the UK

When people travel to the UK there is a natural tendency for the majority of visitors from overseas to gravitate towards the city of London. While the country’s capital does of course have a great deal to offer backpackers, families and couples alike including many great visitor attractions, it is completely wrong to assume that this is all the UK has to offer. Above all else, the country has some highly underrated coastal regions that are great ways of seeing a different side to the countries history and heritage rather than just the usual London based tourist traps.

     Amongst my personal favourite places to visit in the UK is Cornwall. The region – based at the countries most south westerly tip – offer beautiful scenery and coastline, great beaches, towns, restaurants and pubs which are ideal for visitors from the UK and abroad. The weather is also generally considered to be amongst the best in the UK, with some very comfortable summer temperatures and high sun levels for the UK making it a great place to stop off at if you are looking for a short summer break.

     

     Younger party seeking visitors and fans of surfing will enjoy the popular destination of Newquay, but there are other great places to visit in Cornwall including Padstow (famous for Chef Rick Stein’s seafood restaurant) and St Ives - which has a thriving artistic community and heritage. If you are a traveler seeking to cut back on costs or enjoy cooking your own food, self catering St Ives can be booked online, but during the peak summer months in the UK can tend to become busy – so book early in order to avoid disappointment. The town also hosts a 15 day arts festival in September that proves very popular and draws a great deal of visitors to the town, so during this period you may also find apartments in St Ives become less readily available. Another option for accommodation could be to stay in a Caravan Park in Cornwall which can offer dog friendly options for people visiting the region.
 

Best Christmas Holiday Destinations

Welcome to travel guide Europe and our guide to the best holiday destinations to visit in Europe during this wonderful Christmas period. If you have been lucky enough to avoid being grounded by the snow at airports such as Gatwick that have ruined so many peoples holidays this winter – why not pack your bags and set off on a holiday to one of the many great European holiday destinations for winter travel.

Of course, when it comes to choosing the best Christmas holiday destinations in Europe opinion will be divided and there is always going to be differences in choice depending on your interests, age and disposable income.. For example, if your personal cup of tea tends towards a fantastic Christmas party inspired by twinkling Christmas lights, superb local cuisine and part filled music – then the best countries to visit in Europe for a Christmas holiday must surely be found in the UK and France. London and Paris are famous for their seasonal festivities, whist you can also travel to Germany for an authentic outdoor market experience with beers a plenty!

If you can afford to travel to destinations outside Europe, cities such as New York and Florida are brilliant places to visit at Christmas – and of course New York will provide you with all the Christmas shopping opportunities you will ever need! Florida will of course also have some good weather for this time of year if you fancy something a bit different to snow and freezing temperatures!

Stag Weekends In Leeds: Rock Harder Than Any Other European City

Hello once again people of the world - hope you are all ok! It certainly feels like a long, long time since I last updated my travel blog and indeed, the main reason for this is that for the time being at least, my backpacking days are numbered. Yes, suffice to say I'm back in good old Blighty (if you don't know this is the slang term for Britain), back at work as an office boy and basically trying to save up my pennies once again for another exciting trip around the great cities that Europe and indeed the rest of the world may have to offer.

Of course, having said this I've realised having returned from my numerous excursions in far away lands that it's all too easy to forget how many fantastic cities that the UK has to offer in terms of nightlife and hot women and none more so than Leeds - the city some say (mostly people from Leeds admittedly!) is "the pride of Yorkshire". I've been lucky enough (or possibly unlucky enough going on the state of my health after previous such occasions) to recently be invited onto the stag do of a very good friend of mine - and as you may have guessed this is set to take place "oop north" as it were in the great city of Leeds. Many people seem to go abroad for stag nights these days, but call me old fashioned - I personally don't think it’s fair to inflict a bunch of drunken English lads onto the most beautiful, historic, and cultured cities in Europe.

For those of you who aren't from England, I feel I should point out that Leeds has quickly become THE place to go out and party in the north of England over the last few years and has arguably some of the best selection of clubs to make any stag do go off with a bang. Whether your tastes are for Dance music and the famous Gatecrasher club, funk and soul at the Hi Fi club or indie and rock nights at the famous Cockpit club then there are undoubtedly very few cities in the country better to take out your mates on a stag do. The locals seem to head down to the many bars on call lane but be wary of this as they only tend to take mixed sex groups. Don't let this put you off a stag party in Leeds though. Indeed, in my experience (and having enjoyed several English stag nights of other friends in the cities of Newcastle and Nottingham), Leeds stag parties simply rock like no other.

Don't forget too that before the hardcore drinking commences you are in a perfect location to enjoy some good team outdoor activities in the Yorkshire Dales - from paintballing to clay pigeons you are sure to find something to get the testosterone flowing. So if one of your mates is thinking of having his big night out in the UK - why not take my advice and get involved with a massive stag party in Leeds.

The Lake District: The Best Scenic Holiday Destination In England

Wherever I have been on my travels the first thing someone says to me when i tell them I am from is England is "Are you from London?". The answer to this I have to say is a resounding "no" - and let me tell you there is far more to the UK that is worth visiting than it's illustrious and internationally renowned capital city. Indeed, if you are a traveler young or old or are even planning a family holiday or vacation and are thinking of visiting England for the first time but are is looking for an alternative to the usual site seeing trips to the city of London, why not instead look for a more serene and scenic alternative than the hustle and bussel of the capital and instead please give some special consideration to the incredible natural beauty of the Lake District - my favorite area of the British Isles. Situated in the North West of England in the county of Cumbria, the Lake District offers unique scenery quite unique to anywhere else in Europe and is an ideal location for any traveler who loves walking, hiking, cycling, camping or any other outdoor activity as the natural landscape offers the perfect backdrop for any such pursuit.


The Lake District's main claim to fame and also a key attraction for English people and tourists alike is that it has the highest point of altitude in all of England - Scafell Pike - and offers fantastic views of the surrounding area on a clear day. Although modest in its height by even European standards (standing at 978 meters tall) Scafell is an excellent place to take a walk if you ever get the chance to visit the North of England and forms one part of the famous national 3 peaks challenge. In spite of the fact that you may find the idea of climbing a mountain a rather daunting prospect, let me tell you that the beauty of the place is that it is very accessible to anyone who is reasonably fit and mobile and requires no specialist equipment to traverse other than a decent pair of hiking boots and a rain coat if you plan to visit in the summer months. although rain is to be expected and snow is likely near the summit, the paths to the top are very clearly laid out and frequented by many people of all ages every year.