MSE News: The cheapest time for a summer holiday

Former_MSE_Helen

This is the discussion thread for the following MSE News Story:

"Holidaymakers travelling abroad over the school holidays could save hundreds by going in the last week of August ..."

Read the full story:
The cheapest time for a summer holiday

Martinslovechild

For a long time, I've taken my summer holiday in November. The weather's beautiful in places like Australia and the Far East (Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore etc) that time of year. It's also a lot less busy and much cheaper too.

kelloggs36

I always used to do this as it did indeed save lots of money, but sadly being a teacher, I can no longer do this as it would mean only having half the time on holiday, rather than the full-time as we have to be back before the children.

Mary_Hartnell

Round the Med the weather can be turning stormy by the end of August. Not much point in going to the Northern coast and having worse than the English style of summer weather.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sirocco
http://1yachtua.com/Medit-marinas/Mediterranean_Sailing/mediterranean_winds.shtm

zagfles

Martinslovechild wrote: »

For a long time, I've taken my summer holiday in November. The weather's beautiful in places like Australia and the Far East (Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore etc) that time of year. It's also a lot less busy and much cheaper too.

Or for nearer places eg the Canaries, first half of December can be very cheap, and good weather.

zagfles

Mary_Hartnell wrote: »

Round the Med the weather can be turning stormy by the end of August. Not much point in going to the Northern coast and having worse than the English style of summer weather.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sirocco
http://1yachtua.com/Medit-marinas/Mediterranean_Sailing/mediterranean_winds.shtm

It's possible but we've never had a problem.

We've always tried to go last 2 or 3 weeks of the scholl summer holidays, always cheaper, less crowded, and less intense sun.

Torry_Quine

No thought or mention that the schools in Scotland go back mid August! This is already week four. The schools in England usually are two weeks after us but this year it's been three.

shjo558

Torry_Quine wrote: »

No thought or mention that the schools in Scotland go back mid August! This is already week four. The schools in England usually are two weeks after us but this year it's been three.

Was the same on GMTV last week...........

zagfles

Torry_Quine wrote: »

No thought or mention that the schools in Scotland go back mid August! This is already week four. The schools in England usually are two weeks after us but this year it's been three.

That's part of the reason, plus a lot of other Europeans go back mid/early August, so there's less demand late August.

We've had some cracking Oct half term deals flying from Glasgow too - well worth the 200 mile drive and hotel

Mary_Hartnell

zagfles wrote: »

It's possible but we've never had a problem.

We've always tried to go last 2 or 3 weeks of the school summer holidays, always cheaper, less crowded, and less intense sun.

I have:

Driven back from Italy in early September, lashed by thunderstorms all the way to Calais.

Been stranded on a Med. island because of storm weather.

Been part of a cruise where most people were tossed to vomiting and the ship was coated in thick dust.

Arrived in Northern Yugoslavia, as it then was, and had to drive South to Dubrovnik to get back to summer weather.

Of course you would not want to be in the Gulf of Mexico in September.

[That said I have wonderful memories of drinking the night away in a cliff top bar on the last night of a holiday in Cuba as a thunderstorm lit the surroundings and the wind made the water boil in the cove below. Us four Brits got the bar man (an English teacher in real life but one has to survive somehow) to line up the drinks before he left us and our torches to see out the storm - even the cockroaches scuttled out of their hiding places in a vain attempt to escape]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K09TeyPLpYE

You pays your money you takes your chances.

zagfles

Mary_Hartnell wrote: »

I have:

Driven back from Italy in early September, lashed by thunderstorms all the way to Calais.

Been stranded on a Med. island because of storm weather.

Been part of a cruise where most people were tossed to vomiting and the ship was coated in thick dust.

Arrived in Northern Yugoslavia, as it then was, and had to drive South to Dubrovnik to get back to summer weather.

Of course you would not want to be in the Gulf of Mexico in September.

[That said I have wonderful memories of drinking the night away in a cliff top bar on the last night of a holiday in Cuba as a thunderstorm lit the surroundings and the wind made the water boil in the cove below. Us four Brits got the bar man (an English teacher in real life but one has to survive somehow) to line up the drinks before he left us and our torches to see out the storm - even the cockroaches scuttled out of their hiding places in a vain attempt to escape]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K09TeyPLpYE

You pays your money you takes your chances.

We went to near Royan in France a few years ago - arrived mid August, really heavy rain all the way down and some rain on the first day. After that it was glorious sunshine for the whole holiday.

The reps on the caravan site said that families who left just before us were almost suicidal as it had rained for 2 weeks solid first part of Aug! Few days later I saw the local paper headlines saying "Enfin l'ete arrive!" (or something like that - at last summer is here!)

You can't time seasonal weather patterns to the week. Anywhere.