2019 Holiday Hack: Maximise Your Leave By Travelling Over These 5 Dates

Did you know that you could save up to 31 per cent by planning for your trip in advance?¹ With 2018 coming to an end and 2019 fast approaching, it is time to start planning for next year's holidays.

While 2016 and 2017 had 6 to 7 long weekends with public holidays falling mostly on a Monday or Friday, 2019 disappoints with just 4 long weekends. By taking leave on New Year's Eve and Chinese New Year Eve, you could increase this to a total of 6 long weekends in 2019. However, with these 2 public holidays happening soon, such last minute holiday bookings are likely to either be expensive or unideal. To avoid spending a year's worth of holiday budget on just one trip, we suggest travelling over 5 other holidays instead. In this article, we highlight the 5 dates to take note of and suggest 3 destinations that are affordable and suitable to travel to over the public holidays.

(See "Best Travel Insurance Singapore")

#1 To travel without using any annual leave

If you don't have any annual leave to spare or are saving them for a longer holiday, consider travelling during the extra-long weekend in August next year. With National Day and Hari Raya Haji coinciding over the same weekend, Singaporeans will be able to enjoy a 4 day long weekend. This will allow you to travel without using any annual leave.

_{Note: Prices shown are accurate as of 3 December 2018.}

Travelling during the public holidays does not necessarily have to be expensive. To debunk this myth, we found 3 pocket friendly destinations for you to travel to over this 4 day weekend.

A mere 3 to 5 hours flight away, Hanoi, Perth and Maldives are the perfect destination for a short 4 day holiday. Moreover, air tickets are priced reasonably with a flight to Hanoi starting from $280 and flights to Perth and Maldives from just over $400. With the landscapes and activities of these 3 destinations varying drastically, they would also appeal to the different kind of travellers. Take for example Hanoi, a culture capital, you could go cafe hopping, cruise down Halong Bay or even take a day trip to Sa Pa to hike up the rice terraces. If you are looking for an action packed holiday, then Hanoi may be suitable for you. Alternatively, families with young children can consider heading to Perth for their adventure and wildlife parks or even hop over to Rottnest Island to fish, snorkel or go in search of quokkas. Lastly, if you are looking for a relaxing and laidback holiday then Maldives is your answer. Laze in your sea villa, go for daily spas and massages or enjoy a quiet stroll along the beach.

(See "8 Countries Singaporeans Can't Travel To Without A Visa")

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#2 For a longer holiday

If you are looking to take a longer holiday, now is your chance with there being 3 public holidays over the span of a month next April to May.

_{Note: Prices shown are accurate as of 3 December 2018.}

Use the Good Friday and Labour Day public holidays to enjoy a 13 or 17 days holiday with just 7 or 9 days of annual leave respectively. Alternatively, travel over Labour Day and Vesak Day should you wish to enjoy a longer holiday.

These longer holidays would allow you to embark on a holiday to a further destination such as to Europe or America with flight tickets starting from $721 to Berlin and $847 to San Francisco. Alternatively, consider heading to Seoul where you may be able to see the cherry blossoms that are set to bloom in spring.

(See "The Best Places To Retire For Singaporeans")

Protect your holiday

While the majority of Singaporeans are avid travellers, only 45 per cent of Singaporeans actually purchase travel insurance.² With more than half of Singaporeans failing to buy travel insurance, a travel crisis could leave them stranded without assistance. To avoid your holiday(s) from being ruined by unpredictable events, don't forget to protect your next holiday(s). This will also offer a peace of mind, allowing you to travel worry-free knowing that you would receive adequate assistance in the event of any emergencies.

(See "Travel Crisis And How To Handle Them")

_{Note: Prices shown are before discounts and are accurate as of 30 December 2019.}

_{*Promotions shown are accurate as of 30 December 2019 with changes subjected to the insurer's discretion.}

**Do note that FWD travel insurance can be purchased on FWD's website or FSMOne.com. Use promo code "IFAST" to enjoy preferrential rates.

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For specific insurance enquiries, you can contact us here.

^{1Source: https://www.skyscanner.com.sg/press-releases/bttb-2018}

^{2Source: https://sg.finance.yahoo.com/news/more-half-singaporean-travellers-don-050500220.html}

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