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If you're thinking of booking your summer holiday about now, some would say you've left it a little late. After all, as summer gets under way, many folks are already making use of planes, trains and automobiles to wend their merry way to wherever. The masses will follow soon after and before you can say "Viva España", another holiday season will have come and gone.
Others, though, would suggest that this is the perfect time to plan and book a break. After all, there's a reason why holiday firms concentrate their marketing push at the start of the year. Gloomy weather and the seemingly infinite drag between winter and summer can prove persuasive when it comes to getting people to part with stacks of cash in return for the promise of a little luxury later in the year.
People who are prepared to wait until the last minute to plan a break, though, can save a fortune on the same holiday early-bookers would've paid through the nose for. And in these enlightened days of the internet, booking late is easier than ever.
Whether it's chilling out in Iceland, trekking in the Himalayas or two weeks on a beach in Benidorm you're after, thanks to the net you can find out everything you need to know about your trip before you even reach the airport. So, wherever you're looking to get away to this summer, read on to find out how the web can help you out.
Destination decisions
Let's begin with your desired destination. Whether you have a hotspot in mind or not, it's well worth putting your fingers to the keyboard for inspiration on where to go and the low-down on what it'll be like when you get there. If you have no idea where you want to go, then a trip to some of the destination finders available on the web is in order.
Try BBC Holiday's destination finder. You simply choose the month in which you want to travel, the maximum number of hours you're prepared to fly and your budget per person and click on 'Inspire me'. The options are limited to those covered by the BBC's holiday programmes, but the list is quite exhaustive. Clicking on a particular destination provides you with loads of information on the place, plus useful facts like the time difference and currency used.
Another site for the indecisive is the curiously named www.bugbog.com. Here the emphasis is more on the content of the holiday and recommendations are made based on the month you want to travel and what type of holiday you want - for example, European Culture or Best Beaches. Click on the Take me away button and you are instantly shown information on the destinations that best fit your criteria. It even gives the negatives of the place, so you won't be tripped up by glossy brochure-speak here.
Expedia's Inspirator is another place to look for a perfect break. Tap in your budget and how far you want to travel, plus holiday requirements in a chatty fashion, and then it then offers you travel deals based on these particulars.
Behind the brochure
So now you've found your perfect location, how can you find out what it's really like? Well it's always worth taking a look at official tourist board sites and to find these simply put your search engine to work.
That said, the official line isn't always what you want. It's fine for lists of attractions, hotels and restaurants. But how can you find out which sights are worth schlepping to and which are just not worth the effort; which hotels will surround you in luxury, and which will have you ambushed by cockroaches; which eateries will leave you replete and which will have you rushing for the nearest loo?
Fortunately, there are plenty of websites that will give you a real insight into a place. One of the best, if slightly erratic, is Tripadvisor. This allows real people to post their experiences on hotels, resorts and holidays. Of course, you'll read as many bad reviews as good of any given place, but you can get a feel for a location by the number of positive reviews it got and trawling through the posts does give you an idea of what people liked and didn't like. Plus, there can be some gems hidden in among all the whining and banter, such as a tip about a secluded beach or a great sight that's not in official guide books.
Get personal
Of course it's not just websites that can provide information in the virtual world. You can get in touch with real people who live in the place you want to visit by linking up to newsgroups or even searching for likely souls in chatrooms or via instant messenger. But note time differences; if you want to find out about a place on the other side of the world, there may not be so many people willing to chat at five in the morning.
For a good list of travel newsgroups visit www.tourist-offices.org.uk/newsgroups.html, which has links to newsgroups around the world plus a wizard to help you link up to one, although you will need to know the news server that your internet service provider uses, so find that out first.
Newsgroups are a rather antiquated and time-consuming way of communicating via the net. Chat rooms or instant messaging software can provide you with a simpler and swifter way of getting to the locals. AOL subscribers, for example, can find people to talk to about travel by clicking the Chat button and going to the Travel section. ICQ also has a range of travel chatrooms and is free.
A word of warning about chatrooms, though. While they can be useful, you may find that the room you choose is cliquey, unhelpful and dominated by a language all of its own. But it's worth persevering and you can get help in translating common chat abbreviations into English here.
For those who use AOL Instant Messenger or Microsoft Messenger, you can use the search facility to find out if there is anyone who lives in the place you want to visit who would chat with you. While this does mean flinging yourself upon the kindness of strangers, you might strike lucky and get a free local tour guide.
Wherever I lay my hat ...
Once you've learned about the place you wish to go, the next step is to decide on accommodation. Again the internet can be invaluable when it comes to picking a place to stay.
Fodors.com is a great place to research a wide range of hotels, from bargain-basement to blow-the-budget. This site also has user ratings so if a hotel has been rated you can read what real people think of it. However, all the prices are in dollars, so where to book in pounds and pence?
Well, there are hundreds of bookings sites online, and it's well worth visiting a few to compare prices. The better known examples include ebookers, Expedia, and the relatively new Opodo. Though all of these websites will let you book and pay in sterling, if you're prepared to pay in a foreign currency then trawling through discount hotel sites can often throw up much better bargains. To find a discount hotel site it's back to the search engine. Just type in 'discount hotels in New York' (or its equivalent) and again look at a few sites to compare prices.
However, when doing things this way, be sure to check for a 24-hour telephone helpline - you'll be glad of this contact in the event of a problem. The net is great for researching and booking at the click of a button but make sure there's a real person to speak to should things go wrong.
Private villas or apartments are also a good option, though last-minute availability may be poor. To find properties for rent, search for "Private apartment rental in ... (your destination)" and make your choice. But remember, if you go through the owner you have little fall back if your holiday let is more cell block than seafront.
Houston, we have a problem
Once you have booked your holiday online, always remember to print-out your booking documents and contact details of the booking agent or owner, so you have proof of your booking and a port of call if necessary. Carry them with you when you travel.
If the worst should occur, then a mobile phone that can pick up a signal can be a lifesaver - literally - if ever you get stuck up a mountain. Before you travel make a point of checking with your service provider if your destination is covered, and that you have roaming enabled. These details are usually available on the websites of the various phone networks (www.vodafone.co.uk, www.orange.co.uk, www.t-mobile.co.uk, www.o2.co.uk, www.virgin-mobile.co.uk and www.three.co.uk). It really could save your life.
Getting there Now you have decided where you are going and you have chosen your hotel, the final step is to book the travel arrangements. If all you need is a flight or ferry and car hire, then the web can help you choose the best bargains. Just like finding a hotel, let your fingers do the hard work searching through discount flight sites like www.airnet.co.uk or the aptly named www.cheapflights.co.uk. For boat travel you can either go direct to the ferry operators or an agent such as www.ferrybooker.com, which offers deals on ferry crossings and Eurotunnel travel.
A word to the wise though: while the internet is fine for simple travel arrangements, if you are planning a complex itinerary it might be worth sticking to the tried and tested specialist travel agent. They have the experience of arranging travel schedules that work and also, if you do encounter problems halfway around Belize then you have someone to contact, possibly even a local rep, who should be able to sort things out for you.
Techno travels
After your computer has done such sterling work helping you to plan and book your perfect holiday, it seems churlish not to bring it along for the ride. However, if you are going to use it on your travels you must add a few extras to your packing list. First, you will need adapters for both mains power and for connecting your modem to the local phone sockets.
While you can pick both of these up at the airport on the way out, if you are going to a relatively developed country it can be worth waiting until you arrive before buying as adapters can be cheaper, and often you'll find it easier to buy just what you need, rather than a pack to fit a whole range of power and phone systems around the world. A firm such as TeleAdapt will be able to kit you out, no matter where you're off to.
Equally, to use your mobile phone abroad you'll need to follow the steps outlined above. You can also use your mobile to help you connect your PC or handheld to the internet, but you will have to make sure that you have the right software installed and that you have your phone set up for data services, which may require a call to your operator.
In the departure lounge
The internet has made travelling the globe easier than it has ever been, allowing you to spread your virtual wings across continents. It lets you do everything from seeing the rooms in your chosen hotel in a virtual tour, to finding out when the local museums are open and what's showing in the theatre down the road.
While the web makes planning and booking easy, it can also give a real insight into what a place is like, putting you in touch with the locals and allowing you to get a feel for a destination without ever leaving your computer.
Tools of the trade
If you're trawling the travel sites you'll often find yourself looking at prices in local currency, but what you really want to know is how far your pounds will go. A simple way to find out is to visit the Universal Currency Converter at www.xe.com/ucc, where you can find out just how much your money is worth anywhere in the world.
Another handy tool is a language translator, so if you are looking at a page in another language you can decipher what it's all about. The translate service www.av.com allows you to translate up to 150 words from another language into English, or entire web pages - but don't expect word-perfect accuracy.
The weather can make or break a holiday, so it's well worth checking out what's in store at www.bbc.co.uk/weather/world, which can give you a five-day forecast for anywhere on earth, apart from the north and south poles (unlikely to be a bother unless you're Michael Palin).
Ensure you're insured
If you're planning on gallivanting round the globe with some hi-tech gear in tow, it's imperative to secure adequate insurance cover. Often a standard household insurance schedule will cover personal belongings used out and about in the UK, which is good news if you're planning a break on the British Riviera.
Be aware, however, that such benefits associated with standard household policies rarely extend overseas. If you are travelling abroad, the chances are that you'll be buying specific insurance cover for the period you'll be away. So, if you're taking expensive equipment along for the ride - for example, digital camera, mobile phone, palmtop computer - be sure to discuss its transport with your insurance company.
Assuming that hi-tech goods are automatically covered along with broken bones and repatriation could be a costly mistake.
See also:
With summer in the air, we find out how to use the web to plan some unforgettable day trips 05 Jul 2004
Increasingly, taking a break from life in the UK doesn't mean wanting to break all contact. We look at the best ways of staying in touch across the miles. 25 Jun 2004
Take the pain out of journey planning with this handy tool. 18 Feb 2004
A valuable piece of software, but little that's new in this upgrade. 21 Nov 2003All Online
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