Holiday Destinations
Photos and Compact Guides

Spectacles, Arches National Park, Utah, USA.

Best value vacation destinations in 2014

According to a recent British Post Office report on Worldwide Holiday Costs the cheapest vacation destination is currently Bali, Indonesia.

The lowest cost countries in Europe are Portugal, Czech Republic and Spain.

Also worth a budget visit are Turkey, South Africa, Vietnam and Mexico.

The cheapest island in the Caribbean is Jamaica (though still not very competitive compared to the previous countries listed), followed by Dominican Republic and Tobago.

The priciest countries are, in Europe, Italy and worldwide New Zealand, followed by Australia, Singapore, China and Canada.

Culebra Island, off Puerto Rico, the Caribbean

The Americas, May - June

Beaches in southern California such as Los Angeles should be reaching perfect highs of around 77F (25C) and lows around 60F (15C) while on the other side of the country in Miami, Florida, temperatures could be heading towards toasty highs of 90F (32C), with lows of 74F (23C), the last months before the weather starts to get really muggy and oppressive. Still, two great months for southern USA beaches.

For those who yearn for a Caribbean experience on the cheap then May is recognised as being the most cost-effective month as the region is theoretically entering the rainy season (May-December) but generally the sunshine lasts well in May and the prices are waaaay down. Puerto Rico is the easy choice for Americans as US citizens don't need passports or visas to travel there.
If you're determined to avoid any chance of precipitation then take a look at ABC and T, Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao and Tobago, islands that are below the rain belt and usually good in June too.

This is a great season to be travelling around the USA as school is not yet out so competition for rooms/views/restaurants/parking spaces is negligible but the weather - at least in central/southerly regions - should be brilliant. We are especially fond of the canyon country east of Las Vegas, aka The Grand Circle, a perfect destination for an American road trip in a rental camper (RV).

If you're looking for 'exotic' travel then Mexico is, like the Caribbean, heading towards the rainy season so May should be a good value month for seeing the Yucatan sights with a small risk of clouds/rain. June will be even cheaper but risks of unpleasant weather are ramping up.

Further south in Latin American then May should be fine but not June in Argentina, the Galapagos Islands, Guatemala, Peru and of course Mexico. The weather in the remainder of the South American continent is at its worst.

Lake Geneva, Switzerland.

Europe, May - June

Gather ye rosebuds! No guarantees of course but May is the start of European season and these months are generally fine, with warm weather, occasional showers, lower prices, cheerful staff and fewer travellers competing for services, so if you don't have children at school make hay while the sun shines.
However, the Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea will still be very cold - actually the Atlantic waters are always cold! - so beware if you fancy a beach holiday. In addition some summer services may not go into action until June, such as beach cafés, ferries and marine activities in places like the Greek Islands.

Côte d'Azur beaches will definitely be starting to hum in May, even if it does always seem to rain during the Cannes Film Festival. Perhaps some greater power than Hollywood disapproves?
The south of Spain is another beach area that will be fully ready for action in May and definitely warm veering to hot.

Otherwise most European cities are a delight May - June (even if some are suffering a bit of a pollution problem at present, specifically France and especially Paris). Walking between museums, art galleries, palaces, parks and shows are a grand way to spend time in this ancient part of the world. Some of our favourite cities - that will be packed and hot in the summer months but not so much during May/June - are Florence, Rome (already hot!), Prague, Paris, London, Vienna, Berne, Lucerne, Barcelona and Cadiz (both with nice beaches too), Lisbon (beaches nearby), and Amsterdam.

An Etosha National Park waterhole, Namibia

Africa, May - June

North Africa will be getting decidedly hot in June and impossibly hot later so this is the last chance for reasonably comfortable travel in this colourful region, unless you want to hang out on a beach or head for the mountains. Morocco and Egypt's Sharm el Sheikh offer incredible value and should present blue skies. Morocco will be primarily for desert, wacky cities and exotic exploration while Sharm or Dahab are about beaches and snorkeling/scuba/boarding in the Red Sea.
Petra/Wadi Rum in Jordan and Israel generally are also fine in May but getting OTT in June.

Central Africa is not so good but South Africa's varied attractions, from beaches to wildlife to wines are at their best in Autumn, as is Namibia's incredible mix of massed animals and massive dunes.

A Hair School in Papua New Guinea.

Asia, May - June

These months are probably the best to view tricky China, too cold in winter, too polluted in spring, too hot in summer, but no guarantees, it's a moveable feast. Tibet is ready for action if you're ready for the altitude and Japan is also warming up rapidly; May is a fine month there and in Laos too. The East Coast of Malaysia is hot to trot, including Borneo and lovely Tioman Island but not Kuala Lumpur, the capital. The final great possibility is wild and wacky Papua New Guinea, though best with a competent tour operator, it's not a place for individual travelers. More PNG

Australasia, May - June

Northern Australia is terrific from May to October, meaning mainly the activities resort of Cairns, the Great Barrier Reef zone and Darwin, but Sydney's weather will be cool and probably damp. New Zealand is also heading into winter so less than perfect at this time.

Whatever, wherever, happy holidays!

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