One of the perks of the international teaching profession is undoubtedly the ability to travel to great places and the time granted to do so. However, there is a flip side. Appealing destinations become popular in the holidays, and you will most likely be surrounded by those you are trying to have a break from- school children! The following tips from our Teacher Horizons team will help you…
There is plenty to be positive about though. Teaching overseas grants you ultimate travel opportunities for many reasons. It can help you reduce travel costs as you can stay local. The longer holidays may also fall outside of peak times and prices. International teaching often supports a greater disposable income and you can also pull from the local knowledge of your colleagues. But instead of just listing the perks, we have you covered with practical advice from our team.
Emily says:
I use Jack’s Flight Club to get good flight prices!
I also shop around a lot of accommodation as you can get some lovely places for not too much. I search for hotels, b&bs, AirBnBs- everything!
I love going to Asia and to places where I know that the cost of living is less so that I can do it on the cheap side once I am there.
Caroline says:
Travel locally and close by (go by car instead of flying and you can get to smaller, more unique places)
Have ‘micro’ trips – mini holidays away – 2 nights here, another night there…
Or, longer haul, book holidays that go against the holidays of where you are visiting – e.g. Australia’s main break is the Christmas holidays so things may be a little busier there at that time?
Ask for recommendations from locals – get out of guide books and find some little gems out and about.
Book more ’boutique’/independent places to stay, and keep away from package holidays.
Chloe says:
When I take a holiday, I tend to travel within the vicinity of Hong Kong where I live, unless I’m traveling back home to France.
I’d say the best tip for avoiding high costs is to book as early as possible and to have a bit of flexibility in your dates. I use Skyscanner a lot to figure out what the best price will be. I think you can set it up to alert you about price changes, too.
For avoiding the crowds, we tend to pick destinations that are a little harder to get to (e.g. no direct flights etc.) We’ve done a couple of destinations with an overnight stop-over during which time we stay at an airport hotel before getting the next flight. Ultimately, Google is your best friend for finding out whether your destination is super-touristy or if it’s not yet on the tourist trail.