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At one time, you could book a flight at the last minute and almost fall over from the shock-induced low price. However, this is no longer the case. 

While you can book a last-minute flight at a cheaper rate, it is always not the cheapest price on the planet. 

In fact, it is better to book a flight in advance to get the cheapest rate available. As a rule, the best deals for international fares can be found 2 to 6 months ahead of a scheduled trip. However, you need to start looking even earlier if you plan to travel on a holiday or during the high season.

The window for choosing lower-priced domestic flights spans from 1 to 3 months before a scheduled trip. As you will note, neither of these examples are last minute.

Should you travel during the off-season, you can still find a cheap deal about 6 months before you need to fly. However, the closer the travel date looms, the higher the price of a flight. In fact, prices take a precipitous climb from about 3 weeks out.

Therefore, those last-minute travel deals have gone the way of the dodo. You need to book a flight ahead of schedule to get the best travel deals. You can also reduce the cost of a flight by opting for packaged trips that include the flight price, hotel cost, and rental vehicle.

It helps to use frequent flyer miles, if you have them, as well. If you choose to take a flight at the last minute, the last minute should be defined as “7 days in advance.” That is still cheaper than booking out 1 – 6 days out before a scheduled trip.

If you plan to visit Majorca, your hotel tax will vary depending on the accommodation you choose. This tax is part of the island’s tourism levy, which is meant to go toward the protection of natural resources. 

During the winter (November through April), rates are reduced – all the more reason to visit Spain’s autonomous region and the largest of the Balearic Isles.

If you choose to stay in a luxury hotel, the tax is 4 Euros while it drops to 3 Euros for a mid-range accommodation. A cruise passenger, or anyone staying in a cheaper hotel, pays 2 Euros per day while hostel visitors or campers pay only 1 Euro per day for their stays. Young people 16 and under are exempt from the hotel tax.

This type of Mediterranean holiday supports the environment, thereby making the hotel tax an expense that will be used for a worthwhile cause. Keep the tax rates in mind when booking accommodations and arranging a longer holiday. That way, you will know what to expect with respect to costs when planning your Majorca vacation.

Oudongk is perfect as a day trip from Phnom Penh and definitely possible in a day. The distance between Oufongk and Phnom Penh is just 40km, and the travelling time is around an hour, depending on how you choose to make your journey.

 

Guided Tour

The best option for a day trip is to book a guided tour. This way, you won’t have to worry about getting there and back, and you’ll be able to see all of the major sights with an experienced tour guide. Many tours focus on the temples where you’ll see the largest Buddhist statue in Cambodia and see the traditional life of the monks. You’ll also have the chance to see Mount Udong and its stunning views across Cambodia.

 

Tuk Tuk

A popular way of travelling from Phnom Penh to Oudong is by Tuk Tuk. However, sometimes this can cost nearly as much as a private transfer, and the road between the two locations can be quite dusty.

 

Private Transfer

This is the next best option after a guided tour. You’ll have a comfortable journey, taking in the stunning views along the way. You can arrange a time with the driver to be picked up to see Oudong independently without worrying about transport.

 

Hire Car

If you’re planning on doing lots of exploring on your trip to Cambodia, then hiring a car is a good option. This way, you’ll have the freedom of travelling between destinations wherever you like so you can take time to see the sights and maybe even have some scenic stops along the way. The driving time from Phnom Penh is around 40 minutes. 

The best option to see the best destinations in Mahé in a day is to book a guided bus tour. You’ll get to learn about local life n Seychelles as well as the history from an experienced local guide. Many tours include stops at Victoria – the capital of the island, and the Sir Selwyn Clarke Market, the Mission Lodge lookout, and Le Jardin Du Roi Spice Garden. Other tours include hiking trails or stops at some of the best Mahé beaches.

Another great option is a beach hopping tour. An experienced guide will take you to some of the other stunning beaches where you can snorkel, relax or explore the local area. Or, you’d like to spend more time in the water, why not book a cruising and snorkeling tour. Mahé is a great place to go snorkeling!

 

Summary

There are many tour options to enable you to see more of Mahé during your trip. From seeing the key sights on a bus to beach hopping or discovering the underwater world, you’re guaranteed to have an experience you’ll never forget.

Cochin International Airport is located around 30 minutes drive from the 36 Palms beach resort. There are a number of ways to make this journey. 

 

Pre-Booked Taxi Transfer 

Considering there will be a big group of you, the best way to make this journey would be to pre-book a private transfer. Several companies arrange advanced pickups for a reasonable price. For a big group of you, this should also work out cheaper. Try to find a transfer provider that can provide a large minivan so you can all travel together rather than paying for separate transfers. With a pre-booked transfer, you’ll be greeted at the airport and to your hotel door.

 

Airport Taxi

The next best option is to take a local taxi from the airport. However, this will work out more expensive with the group being in multiple taxis. 

 

Hotel Pickup

I can see that your hotel can also arrange airport pickup. It’s worth talking to them and seeing if they can accommodate your group and compare prices to other transfers. 

Yala National Park is a popular day trip from Unawatuna, although it’s 162km away. Realistically, the journey would take 3-5 hours, depending on traffic. A day trip travelling this far is not possible on public transport, but there are plenty of other options:

 

Private Tour

If you can stretch your budget for the trip of a lifetime, a private tour is an excellent option. You’ll be picked up straight from your hotel and begin the long journey without multiple pickup stops along the way. You’ll also have a private driver or/and guide on hand to answer any questions. 

 

By Guided Group Tour

To visit Yala National Park as a day trip, the best option would be to book a guided tour. This way, you’ve picked up straight from your hotel (or a very nearby collection point), you can see all of the key sights in a day, and your return transfers are sorted.

 

Hire Car

Hiring a car is another good option if you can navigate Sri Lanka’s roads. However, the journey is long, and it would be a very long day! If you choose this option, I would recommend staying overnight in Yala. You could even consider driving up the day before and book a safari trip that picks you up from your accommodation. The best time to do a safari in Yala national park is the early morning, so this would be a great option.

 

Airlines generally offer last minute upgrades to business class when they are overbooked in lower cabins. In all likelihood, your flight is overbooked in both World Traveller (Economy) and World Traveller Plus (Premium Economy) and hence the offer. The airline will have to upgrade passengers on the day, but they would rather earn some extra money out of it if they can.

As a Gold member of the Executive Club programme, you are a priority for upgrade if the airline must upgrade people on the day free of charge (involuntary upgrade). If the flight is overbooked and no one takes up the paid upgrade offer, you will almost certainly be upgraded. However, you may not be upgraded to Club World (business class). Generally, an airline will try and limit upgrades to one cabin and this is certainly the policy at British Airways.

2 class upgrade from World Traveller to Club World on British Airways

If there are OneWorld loyalty club members in the premium economy cabin, they will most likely be upgraded to business class freeing up seats that allow the airline to upgrade you from Economy to Premium Economy. However, this not to say that an upgrade to Club World from World Traveller is not possible. As a Gold member, you are one of the elite loyal customers and highly valued by the airline. If there are no loyalty club members in Premium Economy then you could be upgraded directly to Club World- and this has happened to many of my clients. The chances of this happening are actually quite high- let me explain why:

• Premium Economy is often booked by families and an airline is much more likely to upgrade solo travellers than families
• Premium Economy is more popular with leisure travellers than business travellers and as a result, many of the passengers in the cabin may not have any status with the airline. As a result, you will jump ahead of them in terms of priority
• The airline may prefer to reward your loyalty by upgrading you from World Traveller to Club World rather than offering a silver or bronze member the upgrade to Club World from World Traveller Plus.
• Although technically a OneWorld Emerald status passenger in Premium Economy should be priority for upgrade over you, airlines have been protective of their own members over alliance members with the same status since the Covid pandemic started and as a result, the airline may opt to prefer you over a OneWorld frequent flyer

 

I know of Gold status clients that have been upgraded from World Traveller to First when flights have been overbooked. If I was you, I would wait until the day of departure and take my chances. If however you want the certainty of an upgrade, then £400 is not a bad price to pay for a confirmed seat in Club World.

Private school holiday dates differ from those of state schools. Generally, private schools finish the term earlier and go back to school after the holidays later than state schools during the Christmas, Easter and summer holidays. Private schools generally have 1 week of half term although a fair proportion of private schools have a 2 week half term break in October.

State school holidays in 2022 and 2023

We know people are planning holidays 1-2 years in advance at the moment as a result of Covid so below are a list of all the state school holidays in 2022 & 2023

2022 February Half Term
Saturday 12th February 2022 to Sunday 20th February 2022

2022 Easter holiday
Saturday 2nd April 2022 to Sunday 17th April 2022

2022 May Half Term
Saturday 28th May 2023 – Sunday 5th June 2023

2022 Summer holiday
Saturday 23rd July 2022 – Sunday 4th September 2023

2022 October Half Term
Saturday 22nd October 2022 – Sunday 30th October 2022

2022 Christmas holiday
Saturday 17th December 2022 to Monday 2nd January 2023

2023 February Half Term
Saturday 11th February 2023 to Sunday 19th February 2023

2023 Easter holiday
Saturday 1st April 2023 to Sunday 16th April 2023

2023 May Half Term
Saturday 27th May 2023 – Sunday 4th June 2023

2023 Summer holiday
Saturday 22nd July 2023 – Sunday 3rd September 2023

2023 October Half Term
Saturday 21st October 2023 – Sunday 29th October 2023

2023 Christmas holiday
Saturday 23rd December 2023 – Sunday 7th January 2024

Private school holidays in 2022 and 2023

This is our estimation of private school holidays in 2022 and 2023 but be aware that dates will differ between different schools.

2022 February Half Term
Friday 11th February 2022 to Sunday 19th February 2022

2022 Easter holiday
Saturday 2nd April 2022 to Wednesday 20th April 2022

2022 May Half Term
Saturday 28th May 2022 – Sunday 5th June 2022

2022 Summer holiday
Saturday 9th July 2023 – Wednesday 7th September 2023

2022 October Half Term
Saturday 15th October 2022 – Sunday 30th October 2022

2022 Christmas holiday
Saturday 10th December 2022 to Wednesday 4th January 2023

2023 February Half Term
Saturday 11th February 2023 to Sunday 19th February 2023

2023 Easter holiday
Saturday 1st April 2023 to Wednesday 19th April 2023

2023 May Half Term
Saturday 27th May 2023 – Sunday 4th June 2023

2023 Summer holiday
Saturday 8th July 2023 – Tuesday 5th September 2023

2023 October Half Term
Saturday 14th October 2023 – Sunday 29th October 2023

2023 Christmas holiday
Wednesday 13th December 2023 – Sunday 7th January 2024

Check with your local authority or private school

Whilst the state school dates we have provided will apply to the vast majority of state schools, there will be variations and so you should check the term dates that apply to state schools in your area with your local authority. You should also bear in mind that the dates provided here are the holiday dates and do not include inset days. Inset days are generally immediate proceed or follow the school holiday dates and therefore essentially extend the holiday. Inset days are specific to a school and only the school will be able to provide this information.

Private school holidays can vastly differ and there is no uniformity to the dates they operate. Religious private schools may differ even further from non-religious private schools. As such, you must definitely establish the holiday dates operated by a private school directly with the school.

Do not book a holiday or make plans without checking with the school your child goes to what their term dates and holiday dates will be.

Los Angeles is the perfect family destination with plenty of family-friendly areas to choose from. The Holywood area is an excellent choice of location – famous worldwide. Many of the key sights such as the Holywood walk of fame and the Holywood Bowl can be visited on foot. The Rodeway Inn Near Melrose Avenue is an excellent choice of accommodation so you can stay in the perfect location without breaking the bank. Guests are provided with a lovely breakfast each morning, and rooms can accommodate families. A slightly more expensive option is the Kimpton Everly Hotel, located just one block North of Holywood Boulevard! There’s also a rooftop pool to cool off after a day of sightseeing.

Another fantastic destination choice in LA is Beverly Hills, although accommodation here can be expensive. One of the best places to stay is Hotel Sofitel. The hotel features spacious rooms and a fantastic heated outdoor pool. For the adults, there’s a luxury spa and a Gourmet French restaurant! The AC Hotel by Marriot is also an excellent family choice. Families can book a queen room that features an amazing city view. The hotel also has an outdoor pool!

 

Madagascar is an excellent choice of destination. As the 4th biggest island in the world, there’s plenty of places to explore! If you want to base yourself in one place, Toamansina is an excellent choice of destination. The Victoria Beach Hotel is a perfect choice of accommodation here. There is a large outdoor pool, and there are many hiking routes in the nearby area. The hotel is also located right on one of the most stunning beaches in Madagascar. Many of the best beach areas in Madagascar are on the islands. A great choice of destination is Manafiafy Beach. Rainforest Lodge is an excellent accommodation choice here. You’ll be in a secluded forest-fringed cove with tranquil surroundings. From here, you can go on boat trips to other islands.

Madagascar can be quite hard to navigate. I would recommend that you book a tour for a few days so you can see as much of the country as possible. There are many tour options available from a few days to several weeks. You’ll be taken to stunning beaches, attractions, and rainforests depending on which tour you decide to go for.

For a more independent trip, consider hiring a driver with a car. This way, you can craft an itinerary that includes lots of beaches and beach towns and a few attractions. The driver will pick you up each day to explore the surrounding areas. The RN7 route is popular with first-time visitors starting in the North of the country in Antananarivo and ending right in the south at Tulear. The RN7 route takes a minimum of 16 days. You could also consider doing this as a self-drive route. Hire cars are available at airports and in most major towns.