Perhaps it's because I am skeptical because of previous experiences but I have decided that organising my own holiday is the way to go. While the vastness of the interwebs mean there is probably a lot more information out there, I seek to inform and recommend from my own experience. So here's my gift to you: a 'how to' on planning a holiday.
Step 1: Decide on a location.
Once you have found a place to go, have a look on Trip Advisor to see what others have said about the place. Like a wiki, Trip Advisor is compiled by travellers who share their experiences through a public forum offering reviews and photographs of their holidays. I love the fact that you can get a well rounded view of the places as people's opinions differ – which means paradise to one might be hell to another. I always look at more than one review and my advice would be: judge based on what your needs are for your vacation.
Step 2: Accommodation and flight availability.
Flights: I tend to book with the airline of the country I will be going to. On a recent trip to Thailand I flew Thai Airways which was honestly a treat! It was a direct flight with the air hostesses (and hosts) being so wonderfully Thai (i.e. friendly and polite). There was no confusion with my gluten free meals, in fact they even wrote a note for me in Thai stating what I could and could not eat for the local restaurants. I always base my decision on word of mouth recommendations, but there are some websites which include travellers' feedback. I've never used them, so I cannot vouch for these sites in any way.
Accommodation: Once again, Trip Advisor is a good place to learn about hotels. My other favourites include Hotels.com and Agoda. I choose the potential options, and then find a map of the area I will be visiting. It's often a simple thing but so many people forget that location is key, and that a well located hotel might save you a small fortune on transport. With the joys of Google Street View you might even be able to see what the place looks like.
I would personally recommend Agoda as I've safely booked three hotels in different cities, paid half of what the hotel was asking at the front desk, and managed to organise it all myself.
Step 3: Make sure you know the rules and regulations
While it may be considered silly, always look up information about the country you are visiting. Many countries have different cultures, traditions and religious beliefs. Do your research beforehand so you don't end up being sold for 100 camels in Egypt because you have blonde hair! Okay, I may be exaggerating slightly, but knowledge is power. A favourite site for me for Thailand is Sawadee which offers everything you need to know about the country.
Another important consideration is Visas needed to the various countries. Don't forget, if you have a (second) passport that is not South African, you may be able to travel on that. My Greek heritage afford me an EU passport, as well as access into the Schengen countries with no hassles. I do not recommend this, however, unless you have done it before and know what you are doing. Also, please check the expiry date on your passport. Ordering a new one takes a good couple of months.
Step 4: Find out about any necessary innoculations
We South Africans appear to be rather strong, but it is very important that you get inoculated before going to any strange or wonderful lands. Netcare offer Travel Clinics around South Africa, which you need to call beforehand in order to set up an appointment and find out which vaccinations might be needed. I recommend you do this LONG in advance, as yellow fever for example if only effective 10 days after having the vaccine. Trust me, you do not want to be sick in a foreign land, I speak from experience!
