Caught the travel bug and dreaming of a last-minute trip? We’ve crunched the numbers and have seen that many Australian travellers have their sights set on a trip to Bangkok, Singapore and London this year. If you too are looking for a cheap last-minute holiday to one of these dazzling destinations, we’ve got plenty of tips for you.
Booking cheap last-minute flights
Research shows us that the best way to get cheap international flights is to book well in advance. But if you’re reading this, you probably haven’t done that, right? Finding last-minute flights that don’t break the bank can be difficult, but if there’s a beach on Koh Samui calling your name or a family member you miss in the UK, it’s worth searching for.
There are two key ways (other than pure chance) to get a good deal. The first is to be flexible with your travel dates and the other is to set a price alert.
When you use Skyscanner, you can search by a whole month. This may be over-the-top in some instances, but if you have a week’s window where you could fly, it’s the easiest way to see which day is cheapest. Due to demand, you’ll notice that some days are noticeably cheaper than others. If you can fly on the Tuesday rather than the Friday, you could save yourself hundreds of dollars.
Price Alerts are our way of keeping track of flight fares. You simply set one up for your desired route and travel dates, and we’ll keep an eye on the cost. If the prices start to change, we’ll let you know straight away (by email or push notification) so you can book at the cheapest price.
Find cheap ways to eat
The price of a meal doesn’t always correlate to the flavour. How to use this in your favour depends hugely on where you’re going.
In Bangkok, avoid the fancy restaurants with Australian prices and stick to local fare. Buy cheap pad thai from street vendors, browse the markets for a bit of variety or visit the roadside restaurants for all the classics. With the cost of incredible food, it doesn’t really pay to get accommodation with a kitchen.
The opposite is true in London. It’s unlikely that you’ll find much cheap street food, but there are definitely affordable dining options to look out for. Be sure to check out pubs and restaurants that have deals during the week — often 2-for-1 meals or half-price burgers, pizzas or fish and chips. Booking an apartment or a hostel over a hotel gives you the flexibility to prepare your own food which will help you save money too.
In Singapore, you’ll find a mix of both. Visit the hawker centres for cheap, local meals or find a place with a kitchen so you can cut back on dining expenses. Even a toaster and a mini-fridge for your kaya, a sweet custard spread made from pandanus leaves, will make a big difference.
Look for free/cheap experiences
Wherever you go, you’ll be able to find cheap (or free) activities, as well as ridiculously expensive ones. While you might have your heart set on something a bit pricey — like seeing the final Ashes Test at the Oval — it’s very easy to be frugal and still have a great time.
Although you might need to head away from Bangkok for this, Thailand is full of incredible beaches. A cheap overnight bus will take you to Phuket or a ferry can get you to Koh Phangan. Then it’s just a case of remembering to take your swimmers and towel and you’re all set.
London is full of museums, galleries and other buildings that let you in for free to escape the rain. If you’re lucky enough to visit while the sun’s shining, be sure to check out the incredible parks around the capital. For something a bit different, head to St Dunstan-in-the-East. This public garden is built around the ruins of a church that was a victim of the WWII bombing campaign.
Singapore has lots of free things to do too. Walk around the botanical gardens, head to Marina Bay or just browse Chinatown or Orchard Road (note: depending on your willpower, these shopping havens might not end up being free). For something a bit different on this last-minute trip, head to Haw Par Villa or the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple & Museum.
Getting last-minute accommodation
Hotel prices don’t follow the same pattern as flight prices. In fact, there are some circles that suggest (and some tests that have shown) that hotel prices get lower the later you leave your booking.
However, there’s a risk to this strategy as well — the later you leave it, the fewer rooms there will be available. This is especially true in peak periods. So if you’re going during the summer or during school holidays you definitely want to plan ahead. To really save money, avoid these periods entirely and travel during the shoulder seasons instead.
Read travel hacks more:
- Looking for specific advice about a last-minute trip? Find out how to find cheap last-minute flights.
- Find out more about accommodation deals with these tips to find great last-minute hotel deals.
- If you want to travel for longer, we’ve got a hack for that too. Read budget hacks for long-term travel.
