What’s the best type of holiday?

blue note

What’s people’s favourite type of holiday to go on? I imagine most people are like me and like to go on a variety, but when it comes to it, which do you look forward to the most?

Ski Holiday
Sun Holiday
Activity holiday (something like a week’s surfing / biking / camino / whatever)
City break
The genuine immersive experience a new culture experience where you get to stay in poor people’s homes and eat crap food (Cuba) or get to go into the slums in India or something
The box-ticking holiday (we all know this is a lot of people’s favourite although I don’t know if anyone will admit it. The holiday where you go to get a picture of yourself at a bunch of famous landmarks or whatever)
Sight-seeing holiday
Cultural Holiday – go somewhere to go to concert’s / plays / museums / etc
Party Holiday

Now obviously everyone likes holidays that incorporate several of these types, but what do people lean towards the most?

I know growing up and in my early 20s a sun holiday sounded like a waste of time and money to me. Sure the sun was nice, but if you’re using your holidays would you not go and see someplace in the world that you’ve always wanted to go to? Now, I really like the idea of hopping on a plane to a beach resort and having an activity or two planned - but leaving myself plenty of free time to eat breakfast over an hour or two, long dinners, plenty of reading, a drink in the afternoon if I feel like it. And a fortnight’s backpacking does not sound like my idea of a holiday any more – trying to “do” a city in 2 days and sleeping on a train to get to the next city in the morning time so you don’t lose any time travelling. It’s a younger travellers game.

I think all of the holidays listed still sound fun to me. Even the box-ticking – I do want to see all of those iconic places and things in real life. I’ve never been to New York, but if I get there some day I’m sure I will try to pop in to see time square. Although it probably won’t be top of my list.

But my favourite holiday now is a skiing one. It’s a fairly exhausting one, but one that’s worth it. Up at half seven and skiing until about 4. Then eating and drinking for the evening and same again the next day. It’s just my perfect week at the moment.

Nettle Soup

Taking a week off in summer and just staying at home can be very very relaxing. Sleeping in your own bed. 9 lie-ins. Slow relaxed meals. Time with the kids. Nice walks. Chatting with the neighbours. Pottering around the house doing odd jobs.

Other than that, a boat trip down the Shannon is as good as it gets for me.
(I detest airports and planes now)

OnDraught

Rent a house down the country for a week. Preferably near some easily caught fish and within walking distance to a nice pub with nice pints of stout.

No airports, no hassle with renting cars, no foreign food... lovely.

jester77

It depends on where you are in life.

When I was younger, I loved doing short city breaks and travelling around exploring different cultures for 3 or 4 weeks.

Now that I have kids, that is not possible. I've done a few cruises with them and they are the best thing ever. Lots of activities for the kids, and once they are in bed you can hit the brewery on board, use their internal system for monitoring the kids and are only 2 mins from the room if they wake up.

I will look forward to going back to exploring once they are older.

My idea of a holiday from hell is going to a beach resort, can't think of any worse way to spend your vacation time.

Tigger

road trip holiday

Burial.

Solo holidays. You can go wherever you want and do whatever you want without anyone holding you back or dragging you to places you can't be arsed to go see. You get to interact with the locals and other random people on holiday as well which is brilliant. I've been on group holidays and so many from our group wouldn't open up to anyone outside us. That's just boring imo.

Tommy Ferguson

One with plenty riding and drink.

Zebra3

Backpacking.

traveller0101

New culture holidays are definitely the best. I don't mean you have to go live somewhere for 3 months and come back all high and mighty... but it is really eye opening to see how people live in other cities, towns and countrysides. I would recommend those types of holidays to everyone.

SEPT 23 1989

All inclusive with no kids ruining it anywhere will do

Hannibal_Smith

I like all of them :eek:

andekwarhola

Just nothing too packed with schedules and activities. Just like ambling around and relaxing.

Giblet

Sleeping past 9am thanks

EPAndlee

Any holiday that involves not dealing with humans sounds good to me

tomwaterford

Activity

Surreptitious

Somewhere sunny that has sight seeing and cultural activities where you can spend time relaxing and then balance it with a few tours or gallery visits plus some essential shopping. Good food, cheap drinks and a bit of dancing when you have energy.

Comhrá

When I was younger I was into the big adventure trips and went on storm-chasing tours in the mid-West USA watching tornadoes and big thunderstorms.

Now I'm older, don't really enjoy long-haul flights too much and a week or ten days in Lanzarote is my thing, with a nice hotel, lying by the pool, eating out and a few beers at night then bed by 11.30 or 12mn at latest.

Oldtree

Out past louisburg there are some of the best beaches in the world imo along with some decent waves for bodysurfing and walks and beach combing.

Rent a house for 2 weeks, kids, wife and dogs love it, so do I.

Don't give a feck if it rains as wear wetsuits anyways.

Spectacular 360 views, and sea views too, so refreshing for the head you can't beat it.

I'm going to take Tue-Fri off some time next year when the Monday is a bank holiday here but not in the UK so I'll get 5 full days of awful daytime TV. It's gonna be great.

Vela

I've never been on a package deal "sun holiday". I honestly think I'd be bored out of my tree. I like traveling, as in actually experiencing a different country/culture. You don't get much of that poolside in a resort.

Rubberchikken

I love holidays at home. Get jobs done that might never be done otherwise.
Get to lie on, stay up late. Breakfast on the back step if weather is good. Day trips lunch out and home for dinner.
If I was rich I'd love to do a road trip around USA.
But I'll be sticking with hols at home. No chance of being rich in this lifetime.

DivingDuck

Sun and self-catering.

I just like a bit of heat, peace and quiet to read and watch movies, somewhere pleasant to walk, and the ability to prepare my own food.

Noveight

I was in Paris a week back and it was the ideal holiday for me. It was a mix of all sorts really; a city break, culture experience, sight seeing and box ticking holiday :P

I've done all of those types of holiday, and chose sight-seeing, though my holidays generally involve a few of them. If a motorbike trip can be a part of it, all the better.

I like to land in a country with a place to stay perhaps booked the first night, and then go from there. Like backpacking but comfortable and only a few destinations. I love spending time at home as well so we usually don't book a return flight and decide along the way when to fly back. That's involved buying the cheapest flight out of a country just to get into the place but I like the freedom.


Our last big holiday in Sumatra was our favourite. Did some jungle trekking, saw lots of orangutans, then trekked up a volcano, spent a few days reading on Lake Toba, and then back up to a beautiful island for more reading and some scuba-diving. Really cheap and lovely three weeks.

erica74

You didn't include theme parks! My idea of the best holiday would be to go to Florida to go to all the theme parks, particularly Harry Potter World, with my sister.

suicide_circus

Where ever I am, eating loads of lovely food nom nom nom nom

Vela

Vela wrote: »

I've never been on a package deal "sun holiday". I honestly think I'd be bored out of my tree. I like traveling, as in actually experiencing a different country/culture. You don't get much of that poolside in a resort.

It's not a prison you know.

blue note

Vela wrote: »

I've never been on a package deal "sun holiday". I honestly think I'd be bored out of my tree. I like traveling, as in actually experiencing a different country/culture. You don't get much of that poolside in a resort.

I think you need to broaden your horizons and see what a package deal "sun holiday" is like. It sounds like a different culture to any you've experienced so far and if you're into experiencing new cultures this might be the ideal holiday for you!

But in all seriousness, on a sun holiday the option is there to do nothing all week but the caricature Sun holiday - pool / beach for the day, restaurant in the evening, Irish bar at night. And plenty of people do that (and if that's what they're looking for there's nothing wrong with it!). However, if you take a little care picking your resort there can be loads to do that suits you when you get there. I was in Lanzarote this year for a week this year and drove around to the different villages on the island for a couple of days, did a day's diving and a day's biking. I went to Turkey a couple of times and saw a ballet and an Opera in an amphitheater, went to Ephesus which was one of the most amazing places I've ever seen. If I go on a Sun holiday I'll have some pool / beach time, but possibly a morning and afternoon over the course of the week.

Aye and there's times the "package" with checked bags and all can be feck all more than just the flights.

andekwarhola

Vela wrote: »

I've never been on a package deal "sun holiday". I honestly think I'd be bored out of my tree. I like traveling, as in actually experiencing a different country/culture. You don't get much of that poolside in a resort.

Most backpackers that place such stock in 'experiencing other cultures' do nothing of the sort except mix with other backpackers, sleep in manky hostels and eat bread rolls outside train stations while spending 7 hours a day posting it on social media.

At least sitting around a pool is being a bit more honest (and relaxing) about the fact that you're a tourist, stand out like a sore thumb and are a economically necessary irritant to the natives.

andekwarhola

DivingDuck wrote: »

Sun and self-catering.

I just like a bit of heat, peace and quiet to read and watch movies, somewhere pleasant to walk, and the ability to prepare my own food.

That'd be me. Somewhere pleasant, quiet and sunny where I can recharge from work. A bonus is being close to a city where you can perambulate; get food, coffee or a drink and people watch.

Billy Mays

Snowboarding holiday for me. Do one every Winter, love it. Up early, hit the mountain all day then good food and beer at night, rinse and repeat. I'd be knackered when I get home and need a couple of days of doing nothing before going back to work.


In the Summer I'd usually visit 3 European cities spending 3 nights in each. Cast the net a bit further this year and went to South Africa spending 5 nights in Cape Town then 4 on safari in Kruger Park. Safari was amazing and was easily the best thing I've ever done on holiday. Not really the sort of thing I can afford to do every year though.


Not a fan of sun holidays. Last one was bout 5 years ago to Mallorca for a mate's wedding. I was bored after 3 days. Don't think I'll ever do one again.

Boom_Bap

The ones where you drank so much that you can only remember the hangover on the flight home.
Good times.

DaeryssaOne

I chose the 'immersive experience a new culture experience' but don't think that describes what I really like to do. It's not as if I believe that my few days here and there in different towns is going to actually show me what it feels to live there but it's nice to experience something new.

I just like to travel to far away places, eat different food, see some amazing sights and do different activities (diving, watersports, trekking etc) that I wouldn't really look to do in Ireland. A few days here and there lying on a beach or by a pool are also welcome so I guess it's more of a short-but-fancier backpackers holiday is my favourite.

blue note

jobr wrote: »

I chose the 'immersive experience a new culture experience' but don't think that describes what I really like to do. It's not as if I believe that my few days here and there in different towns is going to actually show me what it feels to live there but it's nice to experience something new.

I just like to travel to far away places, eat different food, see some amazing sights and do different activities (diving, watersports, trekking etc) that I wouldn't really look to do in Ireland. A few days here and there lying on a beach or by a pool are also welcome so I guess it's more of a short-but-fancier backpackers holiday is my favourite.

Ah, I was slightly condescending about that one, because it's the one that people can get most self righteous about. In the way that the Inbetweeners 2 mocked the backpackers. You know the type - the ones who get sick on a holiday and think it's a badge of honour that shows they were eating the "real" food from the area.

In reality, it's another great holiday, one I'd love to do more of. I'd probably just do it in slightly more luxury than a backpacker.

Vela

andekwarhola wrote: »

Most backpackers that place such stock in 'experiencing other cultures' do nothing of the sort except mix with other backpackers, sleep in manky hostels and eat bread rolls outside train stations while spending 7 hours a day posting it on social media.

At least sitting around a pool is being a bit more honest (and relaxing) about the fact that you're a tourist, stand out like a sore thumb and are a economically necessary irritant to the natives.

I'm not talking about backpacking.

I'm talking about booking an Airbnb and not sitting around on my arse at a pool all day.

Jeez louise.

Vela

Vela wrote: »

I'm not talking about backpacking.

I'm talking about booking an Airbnb and not sitting around on my arse at a pool all day.

Jeez louise.

Then hit up an Irish bar.

andekwarhola

Vela wrote: »

I'm talking about booking an Airbnb and not sitting around on my arse at a pool all day.

When I go on holiday, I want to get away from people, not doss down in their houses to 'have experiences' and save a few quid.

Vela

andekwarhola wrote: »

When I go on holiday, I want to get away from people, not doss down in their houses to 'have experiences' and save a few quid.

Airbnb is usually more expensive than the hotels you'd get on a package holiday. You can also book a place for just yourself.

c68zapdsm5i1ru

andekwarhola wrote: »

When I go on holiday, I want to get away from people, not doss down in their houses to 'have experiences' and save a few quid.

So do I, but that doesn't mean I go around sneering at people who have different ideas.

Jeeze Louise is right!

BraveDonut

SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »

All inclusive with no kids ruining it anywhere will do

This ^^^^^^

Next Saturday, Canaries....... Can't wait

andekwarhola

Blakely Old Sellout wrote: »

So do I, but that doesn't mean I go around sneering at people who have different ideas.

I'm merely entering the fray on behalf of the beleaguered sun holiday people.

Je suis pool holiday.

branie2

A mixture of sun and culture

CelticRambler

jester77 wrote: »

When I was younger, I loved doing short city breaks and travelling around exploring different cultures for 3 or 4 weeks.

Now that I have kids, that is not possible.

Why not?

Fortunately, my children had parents who didn't see any impossibility in taking them on holidays of any duration, and never needed a childminding service to lay on activities for them - they enjoyed the exploration alongside us. :cool:

juneg

CelticRambler wrote: »

Why not?

Fortunately, my children had parents who didn't see any impossibility in taking them on holidays of any duration, and never needed a childminding service to lay on activities for them - they enjoyed the exploration alongside us. :cool:

It was actually easier when they were smaller and no matter what you suggested they'd jump in the car. Moany teens would take the good out of any holiday

DivingDuck

andekwarhola wrote: »

When I go on holiday, I want to get away from people, not doss down in their houses to 'have experiences' and save a few quid.

There's a huge amount of AirBnB rentals where you have the entire place to yourself, from studio flats in big high-rises or tourist blocks to entire villas in the middle of nowhere. Prices vary from €50 a night to €5000 and up.

AirBnB is really just shorthand for "owner-rented self-catering" these days. It's like "hotel"— it can mean anything from something you wouldn't put your dog in to something the Queen would be lucky to visit.

traveller0101

andekwarhola wrote: »

Most backpackers that place such stock in 'experiencing other cultures' do nothing of the sort except mix with other backpackers, sleep in manky hostels and eat bread rolls outside train stations while spending 7 hours a day posting it on social media.

At least sitting around a pool is being a bit more honest (and relaxing) about the fact that you're a tourist, stand out like a sore thumb and are a economically necessary irritant to the natives.

You're wrong. I wonder how you know what "most backpackers" do. Sounds like you're thinking of a cheap party/inter-railing holiday :rolleyes:

CelticRambler

traveller0101 wrote: »

Sounds like you're thinking of a cheap party/inter-railing holiday :rolleyes:

Ah here: I went inter-railing with my GF of the time and never slept in a manky hostel. We might have eaten bread-rolls, but probably only because we were on our way to the Opera in Vienna, and we stayed in people's homes before AirBnB was a thing. Good times.

metaoblivia

I have two types of holidays I really like:

1. Getting a cabin in the mountains, and doing some fun activities like horseback riding, white water rafting. But also taking it easy and relaxing.

2. Traveling to new places and exploring. Sometimes I see the box ticking stuff if it's interesting to me, but not always.

My next holiday is a combination of both. I'm going to Hawaii's Big Island and plan on snorkeling, ziplining, visiting the volcano fields and going to a seahorse farm. We'll also go hiking, look for waterfalls, attend a luau, visit farmers markets and do some genealogy research as my grandfather was from the Big Island.

irishman86

Im a bit surprised its so close, gotta say im impressed

Dr Crayfish

I spent years "travelling" and living in various countries but the older I get the less desire I have to go anywhere really. I'd love a week off work to just hang around the house and go for walks in the park etc.
In saying that I'm spending a month in the tropics in Feb/March, I'm not even sure why, hostels, mosquitoes, dengue fever, leeches, ticks, dangerous locals, moquitoes... I just can't think of anything else to do with my time or money!