When you sit down and begin to make your wedding plans, you soon begin to realise how the cost of the whole affair is creeping nearer and nearer to your budget limit.   At this point the honeymoon is often one of the aspects of getting married that has to take a back seat, as everything else seems to be so much more important.

But a honeymoon does not have to be an expensive affair especially if you decide to combine it with the holiday you intended to take later on in the year.  There are many places which are considered to be romantic and these are ideal for your honeymoon/holiday destination.

For example, a four night break in New York or an all inclusive package to the Caribbean may be just the ticket.  If you shop around and search on line you will discover that there are many late deals available that won’t cost you a fortune.

Many of the cruise travel companies have fantastic money saving deals with all kinds of free upgrades to make your trip a little more special.

If you consider yourself to be a bit of a wine connoisseur why not take to the vineyards of Spain and sample the many different wines on offer?  You can keep the cost down by using local fincas (similar to small holdings) in the wine producing areas for your accommodation.  Salud!

Located on the southern point of the Sinai Peninsula, Sharm el Sheikh has become a popular destination for holiday-makers wanting to take in a spot of scuba diving whilst they are away from home.

This Red Sea boasts some of the most interesting sites to dive such as Ras Om El Sid and Ras Mohammed as well as the wrecks of the Dunraven and the Thistlegorm.

Accommodation is generally of five star quality and there are plenty of grand hotels to choose from. However, there are also many more basic options if you simply need somewhere to get your head down after a day’s diving.

Of course, you will find that Sharm El Sheikh has a lot more than diving to offer although it is a place more suited to water sports than shopping, for example. Water based activities include snorkelling, para-sailing,  canoeing  or taking a glass bottom boat ride over the complex coral known as “the brain”.

Flights to Sharm El Sheikh are now scheduled regularly and it’s only a fifteen minute drive from the Sharm airport to the resort.  If you wish to visit other places of interest whilst on holiday, there is a regular bus service which runs from Sharm el Sheikh all the way to Cairo, a whole new experience in itself but nonetheless a cheap way of getting out and about.

You don’t have to be an expert to go on a scuba diving holiday.  In fact, all that is needed is an interest in the sea and the amazing world that exists beneath the surface of the water.

It’s not necessary to have any experience as full instruction is given, usually by the head of the dive school by a mixture of training sessions and video presentations.  Safety and security is of the utmost importance so you will be tested on what you have learned prior to taking your first dive.  You can take advantage of the trial dive offered by most dive centres to make sure you feel ok when you are under water.  This usually takes place in a specially designed dive pool.  You don’t even have to splash out on expensive dive equipment as this will be provided as part of your training package.

If you enjoy your diving experience you can complete a course which provides you with a certificate to dive at any of the popular dive resorts.  The world is then your oyster, as far as scuba diving goes but remember to take your camera with you so you can show your friends and family the magnificent examples of sea-life you saw whilst taking your diving holiday.

So the holiday is more or less over and very shortly you and your companions will be collected from your accommodation and taken to the airport ready for your journey back home.   You have to be out of your room for 11.00 am so what are you doing to until you leave?

Don’t make the mistake of wasting the last day of your holiday by sitting around waiting to go home.  Carry on as if it is any other day of your holiday and enjoy it to the full.  Pay a visit to your favourite bar or restaurant and say a final goodbye to the staff who have been so attentive throughout your stay.  Go down to the beach and take in one last spot of sunbathing – let’s face it you don’t know how long it will be before you feel the sun on your skin again!

If you prefer to stay close to your accommodation why not use their facilities until the time comes to go.  The hotels and apartments usually reserve one of their rooms for guests to use for a last minute shower and change, but there are often many people queuing to take advantage of this.  It’s a good idea for coupes or families to double up and ask the reception about taking a shared room for another 24 hour period.  There will probably be a charge for this but shared out between you, it will be minimal.

If you are looking for a holiday in the sun whatever the time of year, you won’t go far wrong by choosing Gran Canaria as your destination.

Known as the miniature continent, Gran Canaria offers all-year-round sunshine to its visitors without the inconvenience of a long haul flight.  The beaches and water sports, sightseeing, night life and shopping provide something for everyone, no matter what their taste in entertainment.

The capital of the island, Las Palmas, is a bustling cosmopolitan city which is home to one of the largest ports in Europe.  Its history and architecture are something to be admired and there are many splendid sights to see and museums to take in on your visit.

The temperature increases the further south you go and as you pass through the busy resorts of Playa del Ingles and Puerto Rico and reach the most south westerly spot of Mogan, you will be ready to stop for a refreshing drink and to sample the local tapas (small plates of various kinds of food).

Of course, Gran Canaria has much more to offer than sun, sand and sangria. This island of volcanic origin has the most stunning inland scenery, including pine forests, mountains, lakes and all manner of flora and fauna.  The almond blossom is particularly beautiful to see when the hillsides are a mass of pink and white flowers.

Many people who have pets are often restricted about how regularly they can go on holiday due to the fact that their pets need taking care of whilst they are away.

In some cases a friend or a family member will be more than happy look after your animal(s) on a short term basis, but if this is not possible, you will have to find a reliable home for your pet for the duration of your holiday.

There are quite a few animal hotels and centres which will be able to help you, but in order to feel completely confident, you should pay them a visit and check out the facilities for yourself.  You need to know that your animal will be well cared for and you will be able to see at a glance how the personnel working there treat the residents when you visit.  It is important that there is an exercise area as well as a guarantee of regular walks for dogs staying in such places.

The animal hotels usually charge a daily fee and some of them offer price reductions for longer stays.  They will supply food or you can take your pet’s regular food with you when you go.

The pet hotels and centres range from sheer luxury to basic but the most important thing for you is that you can relax knowing your animal is in good hands – you are not the only one on holiday, remember!

This is the question you may find yourself asking the day before you are due to travel away from home for your well earned holiday.

Of course, there are no hard and fast rules about this.  A lot depends on your destination and the reason you are going on holiday.  However, there are a few things we recommended you have in your luggage – just in case.

So when you are jetting away to sunny climes, you will need to take your beach wear and appropriate footwear.   Light clothing such as t. shirts and shorts is ideal for the daytime as are a few outfits to get dressed up in for those balmy nights out.  A pair of good walking shoes is essential if you intend to do a spot of sightseeing as well as a pair of jeans and a jacket or cardigan for if the temperature drops a little at night time.

If your are off skiing for your holidays, as well as your usual skiing equipment you will need to take warm clothing and adequate footwear for when you are away from the slopes.  A hat, scarf and gloves would probably not go amiss too.

Other useful items to have in your case are a small torch, a needle and cotton and a basic first aid kit.

Although many people don’t bother taking out insurance for their holidays, you don’t realise just how valuable it is until you actually need it.  The majority of travel companies require that insurance is held by the traveller as part of the terms and conditions of the holiday package, but the policies they offer are often much more expensive than you can find for yourself and all it takes is a little effort on your part.

It’s simple really.  Carry out an on line search and you will soon discover how many options are open to you.  There are policies for groups, singles, couples, families as well as for particular kinds of sporting or activity holidays.  You can also decide whether or not to go for a single trip or multi trip insurance deal.  If you travel regularly a multi trip policy represents great value for money.    Unless you are an elderly traveller or you suffer with a chronic illness, you are not likely to have to undergo any kind of medical examination to secure holiday insurance.

As well as covering you for health issues, a good insurance policy will also take into account missing or damaged luggage, and expenses incurred due to flight delays and cancellations.  All in all, holiday insurance is a must for most people.

When you go on your holidays, wherever the destination, within a few days, or even hours for some people, you get into holiday mode and relaxation is the only thing on your mind.  Although it’s great to be able to turn off and enjoy yourself and forget about all your day to day stresses at home, this is the time when you can become complacent and allow the usual security measures you take to fall by the wayside.  Here are a few tips to make your holiday run as smoothly as possible.

When you leave your apartment or hotel room, check that your balcony doors and windows are closed and that no expensive items are left on display where they can be seen by passers-by.

Make use of the safe facilities offered by the establishment you are staying in.  Don’t go out wearing expensive looking jewellery and leave that wad of money behind if you are not going to need it.   A stuffed wallet or purse is soon spotted by a pick-pocket and presents the perfect opportunity when it’s poking out of your back pocket or being carried in an open handbag.

Most importantly, make sure you adhere to the dress code of the country you are visiting so no offence is caused to the locals.

For the majority of people the holiday starts the minute they walk out of the door of their homes with their suitcase in hand.  However, when holiday plans are being made and far off shores are the destination, some serious thought should be given to how to get to the airport.  This is particularly the case if the price of the holiday is to be kept as low as possible.

If you are not lucky enough to have someone who can drop you off at the airport and pick you up again when your holiday is over, there are a few other options you may wish to consider.  For example, you could use any of the public transport means such as trains, buses and taxis.   The only problem with these is that unless you live reasonably close to the airport it can work out to be quite expensive.

There are ways of keeping the cost down such as sharing a mini bus with other travellers and the companies operating this kind of business offer a reliable and efficient door to door service.  If you prefer to drive yourself to the airport in your own vehicle, you could use an off airport parking site.   They are safe and secure, much less costly than those within the airport, and they provide a free return to and from the airport terminal.