Spending Christmas with friends and family is one of the longstanding traditions. But after being bundled up for decades, many people start wondering if there is any other way to spend the holidays. People who have the budget and resources head to Fiji, London, Paris, Hawaii or Bora Bora for Christmas. And those with a tight budget are forced to sit and explore their native region during the Christmas. But not many people know that there are plenty of places that you can explore during Christmas without burning a hole in the pocket.
So whether you are looking for a tour of seasonal sites or a quiet family getaway, here is a list of ten happening places that you can visit during the holidays. Have a look!
1. Mexico:
Mexico is one of the cheapest, yet thrilling places to enjoy Christmas vacation. Puerto Vallarta is one of the tourism jewels of the country. It is considered as one of the authentic Mexican resort areas. The place has almost no safety problems as compared to the other parts of the country. The weather of Mexico during Christmas is perfect for people who want to escape the cold. It is warm and comforting. The hotels of Mexico are well under $100 per night. But if you are looking for a well-located chain hotel, then you may have to shell out more.
2. Negril:
Jamaica has three busy towns served by the same large airport- Ocho Rios, Negril, and Montego Bay. Nigel, we believe is the most budget friendly of the three. Negril is a beach resort town located in Jamaica. It has a shoreline stretching more than seven Miles. The resort offers some of the most value for money accommodation facilities, shopping, drinks and food. In fact, the beaches of Negril are ranked amongst the ten cheapest beach holiday destinations by numerous travel websites and magazines. You can indulge in swimming, snorkeling and surfing in Negril. Even the hotels in Negril are quite cheap. You can get accommodation for as little as $75 a night. The place also has several holiday homes that are houses rented for tourists. These holiday houses are a lot cheaper than hotels.
3. Costa Rica:
Costa Rica is another affordable place to stay with your family during Christmas. It has a variety of beach towns along its Pacific and Caribbean coasts, all of which sunny and warm during December There are volcanoes and national parks for you to explore. But if you want to sit back and relax for a few days, then Tamarindo in the Guanacaste province should be your stop. Nosara is another town in the area that has a distinct appeal to it. The northwestern region of Costa Rica has many luxurious four-star resorts that are not much cheaper than Hawaii. But you will find a few three-star bargains.There are also a few new international airports from Liberia, so you can easily find cheap, direct flights.
4. Columbia:
Columbia has been rediscovered by the tourism world in the recent years. The place is popular not just with the international tourists, but the locals also love holidaying in its beach towns. Its historic beach of Cartagena is the most popular spot here. The place is an interesting mix of a colonial walled city and beach hotels. You will find plenty to see in this beach town. And the place shines during Christmas. Yes, you will not be able to avoid the crowds here, but at least, you will get to experience a different country during Christmas, and that too at not a very high cost.
5. Egypt:
Egypt is also an affordable place to visit during Christmas. It has plenty of locations to discover, beyond the Pyramids of Giza. Located at the southern tip of the Sinai Peninsula, the Sharm el-Sheikh is one of the most happening places to see in Egypt during Christmas. The resort has been very popular with Europeans for quite some time now. It’ll give you a unique experience of the beauty of the magnificent Red Sea, coral reefs, mountains and aquatic animals. The place is remote and is safe from the turmoil that affects the nearby regions. Egypt offers tempting hotel rates during Christmas. So we think that Egypt should be on your checklist. The only hitch here is security, considering all sorts of revolution going on here. And it’s sad to see such a beautiful place being marred by turmoil. We can only hope that one-day travelers can visit Egypt without checking on the security warnings every few days.
6. Dubai:
Dubai is a booming city with some of the exceptional sites. The place comes alive during the Christmas season. People from every caste, creed and religion partake in the Christmas activities together. Even the malls and general stores are beautifully decorated during this season. You won’t feel out of place here in Dubai. Shopping is the main activity here. There are enormous malls filled with all kinds of goods at reasonable prices. The nicest and well-located hotels can be very expensive here. But the medium class hotels are quite affordable. Remember, it can get quite crowded here during the holidays. So, if you are looking for a serene and secluded place, then you can give Dubai a miss.
7. Goa:
Goa is a small state located in southern India. It has more than a score of beach towns, each having its own group of fans. Goa has been a favorite hippie hangout zone for Europeans for quite some time now. It is also famous as a family destination. The place is one of the most popular places to spend Christmas vacation in India. Most of the Indians flock to this place to spend their Christmas and New Year holidays. The room rates are reasonable, even during the busy times of the year. But unfortunately, the cheapest hotel in Goa can be very disappointing. So shell out a few extra bucks to make your stay worthwhile here. We would advise you to do a small research before selecting the beach hotel in Goa.
8. Penang:
Penang Island may not be as well known as other destinations in this list, but this does not undermine the beauty of the place during the Christmas season. Penang Island is the main city of Georgetown and is very popular with adventurous Westerners and Asian visitors. It is a great alternative to the good old Phuket and other Thailand Islands. Penang is also the culinary capital of Malaysia. It is renowned for its abundance of cheap and delicious food in addition to the notable fine dining. You will find more inexpensive hotels in the historic center of Georgetown. But the beachfront resort will cost you a lot more. So keep your budget in mind before deciding on the resort or hotel.
9. Phuket:
Thailand is one of the most reasonable and affordable tourist destinations in the whole world. It is so cheap that you can spend a day at less than $30. Thailand offers a broad range of holiday experiences. You can go shopping in Bangkok, beach hopping in Pattaya or elephant rides in Surin. But the charm of this country is Phuket. Phuket is Asia’s most popular beach resort. It has more than 1000 resorts and hotels. Phuket is basically a land with 12 different beach areas that are very different from each other. So Selecting a good hotel is critical here. Patong Beach in Phuket is the most popular and most crowded beach here. Kata and Karon are more serene than Patong. These beaches are very popular with the Europeans, primarily because it is affordable even during the peak season. There are also upmarket resorts and hotels here.
10. Bali:
Seminyak, Kuta, and Legian are the most popular beach areas here. The low-key, but quiet beach area here is Ubud in the central hills. You can also consider Nusa Dua in the south. The area is filled with large chain hotels and is always loaded with honeymoon couples. The cheapest hotels in Bali are of low standards and are even without a/c. So go for three-star hotels here. And do not worry; even the three-star hotels are not very expensive here. Bali is located in the southern hemisphere, so you can expect a downpour during the time of Christmas. But fortunately, the rainfall does not last long here. So you can well enjoy your Christmas holidays here.
Note- Trip packages are the ways to go for budget holidays, only if it combines transportation, accommodation, and other necessities.
No matter which place you select from the list, your holiday vacation will certainly hit the mark. So which of these places are you thinking of visiting during Christmas? Tell us by commenting below.
