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Dreamt of foreign holidays for years but didn’t know how to make them happen? Looking for a getaway with your significant other? Or perhaps a kid friendly destination which the family can enjoy together – no loans needed?

Holidays shouldn’t have to depend on the size of your bonus, a promotion or India’s annual budget. And today, with the world in flux, you can explore destinations around the world for the price of an Indian holiday.

Holidays without boundaries are the way to go! Pick a theme for your vacation – a quick sub-continental escape, a spa vacation in South-East Asia, cruising down the Nile, an artsy weekend in London or a holiday with a historical tilt in Rome – nothing is beyond your budget; you just need some smart planning and good choices and you’re on your way.

Think Big, Explore the World!

Did you know you could visit Sri Lanka for the same price as a holiday in Kerala? Or that Goa and Singapore might set you back by the exact same amount? A weekend in London can cost you just Rs 40,000 if you plan smart and a short break in Rome could be Rs 50,000 – yes, airfare included. A luxury spa vacation in Thailand can be planned for just Rs 60,000, with some shopping thrown in on the side! That’s as much as you would pay for a similar experience in the ‘been there done that’ locales around India.

Don’t just rely on your travel agent

Whether it comes to the cost of rooms or seeing the best sights for less, a little planning can go a long way. For instance, buying your 'hop-on hop-off' bus tickets in advance may get you discounts of a few hundred rupees, while checking the Eurail and BritRail sites gives you an insight into special half price offers for Indian citizens (ones that even your travel agent may not always be aware of!).

Stay 5-Star on a 3-Star budget

Booking hotel rooms in advance can save you thousands, which can mean money saved for your shopping spree or the chance to upgrade to a 4 or 5 star property. Look out for the best rates or online or Internet specials. The Amari group in Thailand and the Thistle chain in the UK never fail to have great deals running. You can save yourself about 10 to 14 Euro a head on your room tariff by booking a room without breakfast. This will work if you’re confident enough to find breakfast at a cafe outside your hotel (check on Google for the location of the hotel and its closeness to supermarkets and cafes), or you don’t mind breakfasting on some freshly baked bread and preserves or local cheeses and fruit from a supermarket or bakery at a nearby park or even in your room. Unlike in India, European hotels often have a room-only tariff that is cheaper. Also, many serve you a Continental breakfast, which is basically just juice, rolls and coffee anyway, so you may as well find a hot breakfast on your own for less.

Fly like a bird

You’d be surprised at the deals there are tucked away on obscure sites on the Net. For instance, a year ago, I was able to fly to Dubai and back in a very comfortable seat on ‘low cost carrier’ Jazeera for just Rs 5000 (that’s less than a ticket to Mumbai and back from Chennai would have cost me then). And you don’t always have to go with the low cost airlines – sometimes there are great offers on full service carriers. When everyone else was buying flights to France and the UK for Rs 30,000 to Rs 40,000 in the European summer, my husband and I flew to London and Paris for just Rs 22,000 a piece on an Air France-Delta combine with just a 3-hour layover. Keep an eye out for new route launches – Indian carriers Kingfisher and Jet Airways usually have good deals when they start flying a new international sector.

So whatever your dream holiday – a luxury vacations at Indian 5-star rates or modest vacations that take in all the sights in the world’s most expensive cities or pick-up-your-bag-and-head-for-the-airport destinations that you can visit on the spur of the moment (with just a quick stop at your ATM), they are all oh-so-possible.

There are so many simple ways to save money on holidays abroad without appearing like Scrooge on vacation. So arm yourself with some advance bookings, find those cheap flights and get packing – all that’s left to decide is where you’re off to on your next vacation!

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