Travel Help

If you’re looking for information on the benefits of self catering holidays then, hopefully the following details will point you in the right direction.

Unlike all inclusive or half board holiday packages offered by the main tour operators a self catering holiday gives you more freedom and flexibility for you and your family. You don’t have to be tied down to meal time slots or have a limited menu each day and evening to choose from, as you can come and go as you please.

There are usually two ways to go about self catering depending on your budget requirements. You can make a terrific saving for you and your family by bringing or buying your own food and cooking it yourself or you can sample some of the local eateries and restaurants and sample a wide and varied selection of meals on offer unlike all inclusive package holidays.

What are the main benefits with self catering holidays?

• They are much less expensive than all inclusive holidays.
• There are a huge selection of self catering holidays in the UK and across Europe to choose from.
• You can come and go as you please, as you’re in control of the times you want to eat.
• You are not fixed to any schedules and available eating time slots.
• You can choose to buy and cook your own food to suit you and your family’s eating requirements.
• You can decide when and where you want to eat and have access to a better range of meal choices.

We all have different needs and everyone has their own individual preferences especially when it comes to camping holidays and making the necessary savings. In today’s economic climate is important to look at ways in which you can save money, but still have a good time and not compromise on quality or entertainment value and a self catering holiday will certainly offer that for you and your family.

The majority of self catering camping locations have great facilities and nearby supermarkets and restaurants to choose from, so there’s never any shortage of choice on food and drink. It is a great way to give you and the family control and flexibility of what you want to eat and at what time you want to eat, something that you certainly don’t get if you book a half board or an all inclusive package holiday.

Sparkling waters, magnificent glaciers and an abundance of wildlife are just a few of the magical things that await travellers to Alaska. Whilst it can seem fun and exciting to travel to the exotic areas of the Caribbean, Alaska offers majestic scenery and will give you a memorable holiday that the whole family will enjoy. When you step outside your cabin, you may catch a glimpse of a brown bear fishing for salmon or you may marvel at the enormous size of a glacier, which is when you will see that Alaska is truly an outstanding place to find magic and majesty. Here are a few of our recommendations for cruising to Alaska.

What is there to do in Alaska?

On the Ship: There are usually two different itineraries for cruises to Alaska; the Gulf of Alaska and the Inside Passage. Both options will give you the chance to view some of the most picturesque spots of Alaska, whilst cruising past glaciers and visiting exciting ports of call. Although there are things to do on land, a large portion of your time will be spent on-board the ship, which will still leave you with plenty of things to do. Depending on which cruise line you chose, there may be live shows, entertainment, clubs, spas and boutiques for exploring whilst on the ship. If you select a balcony cabin, you can simply sit and view the spectacular scenery, and you may catch a glimpse of seals or whales swimming through the water.

On Land: When you reach a port of call, there are plenty of options for sight-seeing and hiking. In Juneau, you can ride the tramway above the city, which will give you a breath-taking view of the area. In Sitka, you can explore historical sites or visit the Alaska Raptor Centre, which is home to birds of prey that are being nursed back to health. The adventurous can fly over glaciers in Juneau or hike through the wilderness in various areas of the region. There are also opportunities for fishing in Ketchikan or Skagway.

What should you pack?

Although Alaska is known for its icy glaciers and cold temperatures, the weather conditions do fluctuate often. The sun’s UV rays are also intense, so it is important to pack sunscreen. I suggest packing a fair amount of clothing that can be layered, which includes both lightweight clothing and warmer fleece clothing. I also recommend taking a camera to capture the remarkable scenery and binoculars, so you can easily spot wildlife during the cruise.

What type of ship should you choose?

Both large and small ships travel to Alaska, so it may seem difficult selecting the best one. Larger ships usually stick to major cities and ports of call, which include ships from Princess Cruise Line and Holland America. Smaller ships will be able to navigate to the hidden areas of Alaska that will give you a better chance at catching a glimpse of wildlife. Silversea Cruise Line is a perfect choice for those who want to go on a luxury cruise, as they have fewer passengers on-board, which mean more personal service and fewer crowds whilst standing on the deck.

Last year, when planning our annual vacation, my husband suggested a self catering holiday which combined walking and camping in France. I have to admit that initially, I wasn’t overly enthusiastic about the idea having been on several self catering holidays before. The thought of long, hard marches, carrying a heavy rucksack full of kit on my  back, definitely did not appeal. However after giving the idea some more thought, my hubby and I came up with an ideal solution. Instead of walking long distances from one camp-site to the next, we’d choose a single location as our base, and do shorter hikes in the vicinity.

When our holiday finally arrived, we took a flight to Perpignan airport in the Languedoc region of France. We then used a local taxi service to take us to the camping site, where we’d booked a comfortable cabin for the duration of our stay. Normally my husband would drive us over to France from the UK for our holidays or hire a car, but as I don’t have a licence this can be fairly tiring for him, so we decided this time we’d focus on exploring the area we were staying in, on foot.

We’d selected a camping site in Argeles, as this would give us ample opportunities to take interesting walks, in the mountainous countryside and on the attractive coastline, as well as in the historic villages of the area. Our first day was spent settling down and deciding on an itinerary of walks, then on day two, it was time to lace up our hiking boots, pack a picnic, camera and maps and get walking.

Although I am not what you’d describe as a “gym-bunny” I do stay reasonably active in my daily life, as does my husband, who plays football with his mates at weekends. We didn’t want to over-do it by choosing walks beyond our ability so we decided to follow the well marked routes listed on a topographical map of the area. Available at Argeles-sur-mer tourist information office, the map lists 9 walking trails, of varying difficulty and lengths. This allowed us to choose which walk to take depending on how energetic we were feeling and what the weather forecast was showing.

Over the course of our two week walking and camping holiday, we completed all of the walks featured on the map, discovering the local fauna and flora, as well as testing the typical cuisine of the area in restaurants and bars we found along the way. We found that in comparison to our usual holidays, staying in a hotel or bed and breakfast, our camping holiday gave us a greater sensation of freedom, and helped us to see an authentic side to France which we had not seen elsewhere.

For anyone considering a walking and camping holiday in France, we’d highly recommend giving it a try. My best tip is to spend a little extra on your accommodation – there is nothing quite as nice as being able to relax under a hot shower after walking all day, and being able to stretch out on a sofa was a real bonus that you definitely wouldn’t get in a tent.