Cheapest winter sun hols revealed – no.1 has no jet lag & pound is strong

WITH its sun-drenched beaches, world-class wine-ries and majestic Table Mountain as a backdrop, Cape Town has long been a dream destination.

Now there’s even more reason to visit South Africa’s Mother City as it has been named the best value long-haul holiday destination in Post Office Travel Money’s latest Long Haul Holiday Report.

6

6

The city has reclaimed the top spot after a six-year hiatus thanks to a perfect storm of favourable conditions.

Local price drops combined with a weaker South African rand have led to a 12 per cent decrease in costs for British visitors since last autumn.

At £55.59 for a basket of ten tourist staples — including meals and drinks — it offers unbeatable value.

To put into perspective just how cheap holidays here have become, they are over 14 per cent cheaper than last year’s best value destination, Hoi An in Vietnam.

While Cape Town takes the spotlight, the report reveals interesting trends across other long-haul destinations.

The Far East continues to be a wallet-friendly option, with three destinations in the top five.

Tokyo, Japan, has jumped into second place, with its basket of staples price falling by 13.5 per cent to £64.07.

Despite a 21 per cent increase, Hoi An still manages to secure third place at £64.80.

Bali, Indonesia, comes in fourth with a basket cost of £67.70, down eight per cent from last year.

For those eyeing the Caribbean, there’s a mix of good and bad news.

While most Caribbean destinations did not make it into the top ten, Montego Bay, Jamaica, sneaked in at tenth place with a total of £93.74, down 9.4 per cent from last year.

However, Barbados saw the biggest price drop of all destinations surveyed, with costs in St James falling by 18.5 per cent to £141.29.

The report is great news for British travellers in general.

Thanks to the strength of sterling against most long-haul currencies, prices have fallen in over half of the destinations surveyed compared to last year.

This means your pounds will stretch further in many popular winter sun spots.

However, not all destinations offer equal value.

Priciest place to dine

The report reveals significant price variations across the 32 surveyed locations.

Australia, for instance, features four cities in the bottom ten, with Sydney emerging as the most expensive destination overall.­

A three-course meal with a bottle of wine in Sydney will set you back nearly £117, making it the priciest place to dine out.

Other expensive destinations include Costa Rica and New York, both coming in at over £160 for the basket of goods. Orlando, Florida, offers far better value than New York, with prices 57 per cent lower for the same items.

For budget-conscious travellers, it’s worth noting that prices have increased in some traditionally affordable destinations.

Hoi An saw the biggest price hike, while Mombasa, Kenya, experienced a near 14 per cent increase.

6

6

6

The report also covers the way many of us instinctively measure our holiday exchange rates — the cost of a beer.

If you’re looking to enjoy a lager without breaking the bank, head to St George’s, Grenada, where a bottle of local beer will cost you £1.50.

Other cheap beer destinations include Hoi An (£1.53), Cape Town (£1.81) and Scarborough, Tobago (£1.83).

On the flip side, if you are not watching your wallet, Downtown Dubai tops the list of most expensive beer destinations at £7.55 per bottle, followed by Darwin, Australia, at £6.40.