Sales!

Guess what? We're coming up to the off season! And if you can manage it, this is THE time to travel.

Off season is a fancy way of saying, no one else wants to come here right now, so we've slashed our prices. And there are certain places you really WON'T want to go during off-season. If, for example, your main holiday goal is skiing, you won't want to hit the slopes in the dead of summer. But if you're short on cash and high on enthusiasm and creativity, off-season travel can be the perfect way to go.

First of all, unless you're absolutely determined to spend all your time on the beach, think about hitting a tropical location during rainy season. As long as you don't get actual typhoons or something, everything will be dirt cheap, and you can still do all the indoor type stuff. Not only that, but rainy season doesn't guarantee rain. We went to Thailand during rainy season and spent most of the week lounging on the beach.

Sometimes we're drawn to on-season due to specific events. That's great if you're really determined to see those things, but sometimes they're more trouble than they're worth. The Takayama festival in Japan is a perfect example. Sure, it's neat, and the floats are pretty cool, but is it really worth fighting the crowds? I would say no. Go see the floats at the museum and go during a quieter time when you can actually take a step without tripping over a tourist.

It's up to you when or where you travel. But if you want a deal, and if you haven't set your heart on a specific event, off-season travel can save you a bundle. Besides, there's something charming about exploring any location away from the hordes. Get a group of friends and plan a holiday outside the ordinary.