The Hindu Business Line : A budget holiday

Take your pick from what Marco Polo thought was the finest island of its size, to one of the most powerful financial centres of the world that may not be the size of your own Indian hometown. From one of the most ancient and exotic religious kingdoms, to an inspired recreation of the western world in the middle of a desert; from hidden heavens in the mysterious Himalayas, idyllic beach resorts on Indian Ocean islands and holiday magic in the beaches and teeming cities of Thailand.

Sri Lanka, Singapore and Malaysia, Nepal, Dubai, Bhutan, Maldives, Mauritius or Thailand... there are choices galore for the Indian holidayer eager to do the foreign holiday and not have to save up for it for the rest of his life.

Bargains there are aplenty; a spate of discounted airfares and bundled offerings of hotel rooms and sightseeing in almost all South Asian destinations. Add to that weakened currencies and economies in doldrums and you have great value for your money.

Sri Lanka may sound like an unlikely destination for a peaceful holiday, but it could well be the loveliest holiday you ever had! With the political situation there being better than it has been in many years, several parts of this island-nation in the south and the west offer a fantastic holiday. Colombo city, the gentle hills around Kandy, the delightful beaches at Hikkaduwa, not to speak of the archaeological digs at Polonnaruwa, provide a great getaway.

A 3rd century Buddha statue at a temple in Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka

Getting there by India Airlines or Sri Lankan costs only Rs 8,300 plus taxes per head from Chennai and just Rs 5,580 for the Trivandrum-Colombo-Trivandrum flight. With the Sri Lankan, the country's national carrier, and the Taj group coming out with some great packages, this is the time to grab a holiday here. The extremely favourable exchange rate makes the deal that much more exciting.

For the budget tourist, a medium-priced hotel costs between Rs 400 and Rs 800 and if you want to be even more economic, the country's tourism department has a good system of bed and breakfast offered by families that are trained, funded and monitored by the tourism department.

Food is on the costlier side in Sri Lanka compared to India but not drastically so. Vegetarians will have a tough time though. Your food bill could run up to between Rs. 200 to Rs 1,000 per person per day depending on where you decide to eat. It's possible to live on about Rs 500 a day if you are game.

But fuel doesn't come cheap in Sri Lanka so travelling around costs quite a bit so be prepared for that.

For it's the over crowded intercity buses or private cars that are rather expensive and virtually nothing in between with the railway system being quite a puzzle for Indians who take their presence and efficiency so much for granted at home. Shopping could be fascinating in this island state with wares ranging from delightful and intricate local handicraft and batik to all manner of imported goods at the air-conditioned malls of Colombo.

Singapore and Malaysia are traditional shopping holiday destinations for Indians who are crazy about foreign goods. But neither the supply nor demand is anywhere near what they used to be even 10 years ago. Singapore is no more the bargain hunters' paradise though Malaysia still has some attraction. But these days Indians are hardly seduced by the goods on offer, since most of them are available locally. Slim on history Singapore offers attractive theme parks, and Malaysia has a little more to offer in terms of history. But it's the experience that these destinations offer to the traveller — efficient, safe, clean and attractive cities and resorts — that continue to be a big draw for Indian tourists.

You can fly there into the ultramodern Changi airport — one of the busiest in the world — for Rs 17,500 Singapore Airlines per head from Chennai and back. If you are flying into Kuala Lumpur you have Indian Airlines offering Rs 16,000 plus taxes and Air India Rs 17,000 plus taxes. Malaysian Airlines offers you Chennai-KL- Chennai on the Showcase Malaysia special fare of Rs 16,300 plus taxes per head if two or more passengers fly in and throws in 3 days and 4 nights free in KL! The offer is on till March 31. Most of the fares being quoted now are good until the end of March and even through April after which there could be a slight upward revision of fares. The tax component includes airport taxes and range between Rs 1,700 to Rs 2,000.

Food would cost you something like Rs 300 to Rs 500 a day at the least and hotels can range from Rs 750 to Rs 2,000 even if you are looking for minimum comfort. For lower than that, check out the youth hostels and YWCA options. Singapore is a pretty expensive destination and outside the airfare, expenses tend to mount, what with the shopping districts being so so charming and enticing! However, many travel agents offer packages, which are very attractive and can be negotiated further as the travelling group gains in numbers.

Dubai is another favourite Indian holidayer's destination and here the attraction is definitely shopping! With the month long Dubai Shopping festival that is on now, its easier to get pulled in this direction and the country makes it all the more easier with online applications for visas and the like!

What was just about a century ago a sleepy town with Bedouin traders and pearl divers, is today an international industry, trade and commercial centre and not all prosperity is based on oil. Tourism is a major business here and from the looks of it they do know their business! Whether it is the gold souks stocking a vast variety of designs (with a flattering percentage of them being Indian), or shopping for fashion clothes, electronics or a whole range of designer lifestyle statement, or desert excursions and cultural shows, one thing you can be certain of is that you will never believe this is a desert!

But ... summer may not be the best time to be there though you can find refuge in air-conditioned spaces everywhere! Golfing is a big thing in Dubai, but if you are a true budget traveller this may not be a major draw for you.

Other fun holiday activities beckon, including the slides at Wild Wadi Waterpark or one of the city's two indoor ice skating rinks. Many beaches belong to five star hotels but you can still swim and lounge on the sands of the Gulf or go jet-skiing, water skiing, scuba diving, snorkelling and deep sea fishing for a fee. A desert safari is a must — with the requisite camels, barbecue and belly dancers. You can climb dunes too for fun if that is your cup of tea.

You can fly Dubai on a three month excursion fare for just about Rs 17,000 from Chennai on Emirates, Gulf Air or Air India and stay at budget hotels for around Rs 800 to Rs 1,500 a day. The bed and breakfast concept is available too.

Travel offers

Nepal and Bhutan

The Himalayan kingdoms of Nepal and Bhutan are great holiday choices especially in the summer when the rest of the sub-continent boils. Airfare: A return fare from Bangalore to Kathmandu on a Royal Nepal Airlines flight costs just Rs 11,500 plus taxes.

Food: About Rs 250 to Rs 300 a day if you are not into beer and fancy food.

Stay: Budget hotels offer rooms at between Rs 500 and Rs 2000 a night.

Mauritius

Go to this delightful Indian Ocean island, before it becomes too costly. The area is being discovered as a beach paradise and soon the European sun 'n' sand worshippers will be here and it might get too expensive a destination, say seasoned travellers. To stay within your budget its necessary to go shoestring in Mauritius more than any other destination mentioned above we have spoken of. Getting there will cost you Rs 29,000 per head and your food bill is likely to be about Rs 300 to 500 per day, at the lower level.

Accommodation in regular hotels costs around Rs.1,000 and guesthouses and apartments are available too.

Thailand

Another country that is reeling under the adverse impact of the currency downturn, this is, like Indonesia, a prized destination for the tourist interested in history, culture and simple and gracious hospitability of the people.

It costs about Rs 16,500 plus tax to fly Air India into Bangkok from Chennai. While food costs about Rs 300 to Rs 500 a day, accommodation in star hotels can be had for just Rs 1,000 a night.

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