How to Choose Your Next Holiday Destination

Choosing where to travel isn’t just about ticking another destination off your list. The best holidays are usually the ones that match when you want to travel, how much you want to spend and what you actually want from the experience.

Before booking somewhere simply because you’ve seen a beautiful beach or cheap flight, think about the type of trip you want to have. Weather, budget, flight time, local experiences and even events happening while you’re there can completely change whether a destination is right for you.

Here’s what I consider when choosing my next holiday destination.

When Do You Want to Travel?

Start with when you can actually travel, because the same destination can offer a completely different experience depending on the month.

Weather is an obvious consideration, but seasonality can also affect flight and hotel prices, crowds, tours and even which attractions are available.

I’ve found that travelling during the shoulder season can offer a brilliant balance between good weather and better value. I’ve visited both Turkey and Albania in September and found it an ideal time to travel, with warm temperatures and fewer crowds than during the height of summer.

Morocco is another good example. I’ve visited Marrakech in both March and December and enjoyed warm daytime temperatures that made sightseeing comfortable, with noticeably cooler evenings.

Barbados in November was completely different again. It made a fantastic winter-sun escape, with tropical temperatures just as the weather was starting to turn colder back home in the UK.

Don’t assume, however, that one weather rule applies to an entire country. Larger destinations can have completely different climates depending on the region you’re visiting, so always check the weather for your specific itinerary, not just the country as a whole.

What Type of Holiday Do You Actually Want?

Think about what you want to be doing once you arrive.

Do you want beaches and complete relaxation? Shopping and nightlife? Culture and sightseeing? Adventure? Incredible food? Or a mixture of everything?

This can narrow down your options surprisingly quickly.

Thailand gave me the combination I was looking for when I visited in March: beautiful beaches, incredible food, island hopping and plenty of things to do.

Before booking, I spent months researching when to visit because exploring different islands was an important part of the trip. March worked brilliantly for the places on my itinerary, but Thailand’s weather varies considerably between regions and coasts, so it’s worth researching the specific areas you plan to visit.

I’ve also travelled to Egypt and Dubai in July. The temperatures were extremely high, so that time of year certainly won’t suit everybody. However, if your priority is sunshine, a great hotel and spending plenty of time around the pool, travelling during hotter periods can still work.

The important question isn’t simply “Is this a good destination?”

It’s “Is this a good destination for the holiday I want?”

Set Your Holiday Budget

Your budget can completely change which destinations make sense.

Don’t look at the flight price alone. A cheap flight doesn’t necessarily mean a cheap holiday, and an expensive flight doesn’t always mean the overall trip will cost more.

Think about the complete cost, including:

• Flights
• Accommodation
• Airport transfers and local transport
• Food and drinks
• Tours and activities
• Spending money

Some destinations may cost more to reach but offer excellent-value hotels, food and transport once you’re there. Others may have incredibly cheap flights but much higher accommodation and everyday costs.

I prefer looking at the overall holiday cost before deciding whether a destination represents good value.

How Far Are You Willing to Travel?

Flight time matters more than people sometimes realise, particularly for shorter trips.

If you’ve only got three or four nights away, spending a large part of your holiday travelling long-haul may not be worth it. A European city break or short-haul beach destination could give you considerably more time to actually enjoy your trip.

For a longer holiday, travelling further becomes much easier to justify.

Also consider what happens after you land. A flight might only take a few hours, but if your resort requires another three-hour transfer, that’s worth knowing before you book.

When comparing destinations, look at the door-to-destination journey, rather than flight time alone.

Could an Event Decide Your Destination?

Sometimes I choose the experience first and the destination second.

That’s exactly what happened with Albania.

I originally travelled there because of Afrofete Festival. It introduced me to a country I might not otherwise have chosen at that particular time, while giving me the perfect combination of discovering somewhere new and attending an event I genuinely wanted to experience.

Festivals aren’t the only reason to plan a trip around a particular date.

It could be a concert, Christmas market, carnival, sporting event, local celebration or a seasonal experience such as cherry blossom season.

Checking what’s happening before you book can sometimes turn an ordinary holiday into something much more memorable.

If you enjoy planning trips around music, festivals and unique events, explore my Festivals & Experiences guides for more inspiration.

What Matters Most to You?

Before choosing a destination, decide on your three non-negotiables.

These will be different for everybody.

You might want:

Sunshine + beaches + nightlife

Or:

Culture + great food + affordable prices

Or:

Luxury hotel + spa + complete relaxation

Once you know what matters most, comparing destinations becomes much easier.

If you’re a foodie, research the local food scene and whether it suits your tastes. If relaxation is the priority, look at resorts, beaches and wellness facilities. If you love sightseeing, choose somewhere with enough attractions and experiences to keep you interested.

And if you know you’ll get bored after two days beside a swimming pool, don’t choose a destination purely because the resort looks beautiful.

The destination needs to suit you, not just look good on social media.

Research What You Can Actually Do There

Once you’ve narrowed down your choices, look at the experiences available.

I always check things like tours, day trips, beaches, markets, restaurants, nightlife and nearby places worth visiting before making a final decision.

You don’t necessarily need to book everything in advance. The aim is simply to make sure there’s enough at the destination to create the type of holiday you want.

This is particularly important for longer trips. A destination that sounds perfect for a relaxing four-night break might feel completely different if you’re staying for two weeks.

Don’t Choose Somewhere Just Because Everyone Else Is Going

Travel trends can be great for discovering new places, but a destination being popular doesn’t automatically mean it’s right for you.

Social media can make somewhere look incredible without showing the crowds, journey times, weather, prices or practical realities of actually staying there.

Use TikTok, Instagram and travel blogs for inspiration, but do your own research before spending your money.

Sometimes the destination you hadn’t originally considered ends up being the one you enjoy the most.

So, How Do You Choose the Right Holiday Destination?

Start with the basics:

When can you travel? How much do you want to spend? How far are you prepared to go? And what do you actually want to experience when you get there?

Then choose your three non-negotiables and compare destinations against them.

There isn’t one perfect destination that suits everybody.

The best holidays aren’t necessarily the most expensive, the furthest away or the places currently trending online. They’re the ones that give you the experiences that matter to you at that particular moment.

And sometimes, choosing somewhere you hadn’t originally considered can lead to your favourite trip of all.

Looking for your next adventure?

Explore hand-picked holiday deals, honest hotel reviews, practical travel guides and destination inspiration from around the world. Whether you’re dreaming of Thailand, a European escape or somewhere completely new, discover more ideas to inspire your next trip.Whether you’re dreaming of Thailand, a European escape or somewhere completely new, discover more ideas to inspire your next trip.