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Photos of some, low-cost, high-sun beach destinations good-to-go for December - February 2009. The left two images for UK/Europeans, the right two for North Americans. Brits/Europeans: - Canary Islands are a classic, cheap, winter sun destination with no jet lag involved for Brits, but plenty of volcanic life. - Egypt, the Red Sea for good value beach life, with a side trip to Luxor for a touch of culture? - South Africa's rand [their currency] is in even worse shape than the pound at the moment, it's summertime, the landscapes are superb, the walks magnificent, the beaches huge, the wines delicious and the wildlife rampant. And no jet lag. North Americans: - Mexico not only provides magnificent beaches on the 'Maya Riviera' but ancient temples too! - Cuba, huge sandy beaches at Varadero, good resort hotels at good prices and a fizzing culture in Havana. - Belize for sensational scuba or snorkelling, fair beaches and good wildlife at an excellent price.
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A short guide to saving money on foreign holidays:

Times are tough in the UK and USA right now with the British pound at rock bottom, credit crises rampaging through both Britain and North America and fuel and flight costs higher than ever so consider a vacation destination that isn't long-haul and do some thorough research.

1: Research and book online [pay by credit card and if using a tour operator check they have ATOL insurance coverage].
2: Keep check-in baggage to the minimum for no-frills flights and ensure the airline knows how many bags you'll have.
3: Eliminate any 'world care fund' or 'carbon footprint' contributions - they probably go straight into the airline's revenue stream.
4: If you already have travel insurance make sure the airline doesn't add it to your charge by default. If not, check offerings through a price comparison site [see below], and consider multi-trip insurance if you take more than one holiday abroad in a year.
5: If you are planning to drive yourself to the airport, choose your parking area and book it well in advance to get the cheapest rate. Alternatively explore public transport options; buses are often fast and good value for couples, though not perhaps if travelling as a family.
6: Never change money at the departure airport - apart from a little emergency cash if essential. Check around before you leave for the best exchange deals; for example the UK's Post Office offers great value. If you forget and need some cash pronto, exchanges at your vacation destination usually give better rates, assuming you don't arrive in the middle of the night.
7: Car hire costs differ dramatically place to place, so research will be required in this area too. If you're planning to head for a city first, then drive around the country, it will be easier and cheaper to taxi or bus into town from the airport then rent a car after you've finished the city sightseeing.
[popular value comparison websites: www.travelsupermarket.com or www.moneysupermarket.com]

See our low cost flights comparison site listings:
UK Cheap Flight Comparisons | USA Cheap Flight Comparisons

Visit our tours pages and see what's on offer: Tours

Using bank cards abroad efficiently:

Buy goodies or pay bills [checks] with credit cards when on vacation as they provide insurance as well as delayed repayment but don't draw cash out from ATMs with them [unless it's a new-wave no-fee card like UK's Abbey Zero]. Interest starts accruing immediately and bank exchange fees in addition to the ATM fee may be unreasonable. Better to buy foreign cash at home from a commission-free provider [e.g. in the UK, the Post Office, Thomas Cook] though, of course when you travel you'll have to carry a fat wad around, so the best solution depends on the security of your holiday destination. If you travel a lot and want to get cash from an ATM do some research on transaction fees and get the lowest fee debit [not credit card] card you can find. [Nationwide is the UK's cheapest in 2008]
Also, never pay for anything abroad in your home currency [the exchange rate is likely to be absurd], insist on paying in local currency.

Mobile phones when travelling:

Ideally use a wifi internet or Skype phone abroad and you will escape the ridiculous charges incurred if you use your home cell phone for local or international calls when abroad.
Alternatively get a global sim card at home [do some net research on best deals currently] and change the sims over when you arrive at your destination. The number will be new but charges will be way less.

'The world is a book and those who do not travel read only a page' St. Augustine

Bugbog is an independent travel guide that helps plan holidays - whether it's beaches, safari, exotic or European tours - quickly and efficiently. We provide guides to the world's best destinations, with key tourist information, festival dates, travel pictures, travel health and safety advice, maps and thousands of useful exit links.

The travel guide summarises the best times to go, good and bad points of different great holiday destinations, and gives you an idea of what they look like with well over three thousand travel pictures in our many photo galleries.
Bugbog is not attempting to be a detailed reference, but rather a concise and inspirational guide.

Information and pictures on this travel guide are © bugbog.com