Published 19th Jan. 2024
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A New Year means one thing: a fresh bundle of annual leave days to enjoy. And for us globetrotters, the wonderful challenge is how to max out those precious days off. The good news is that if you’re smart about it and plan your trips around UK bank holidays, you can turn 25 days of annual leave into a whopping 55 days off. Read on for our rundown of the bank holidays to use in 2024 and the top trips our travel experts recommend taking...
Plan a trip around the Easter bank holidays (29th March and 2nd April) and you’ll only need to take ten days of annual leave for 16 glorious days off. Colombia is always popular at this time of year, and we can tailor-make an epic tour from the streets of Bogota, Medellin and Cartagena to the winding Camino Real trail, which passes through cobbled towns and tobacco fields. Along the way, you can even marvel at a 700-year-old mummy, which was discovered in one of the many Chicamocha Canyon caves and is now displayed in the Museum of Paleontology & Archaeology.
In May, combine one of the spring bank holidays (6th or 27th May) with four days of annual leave for nine days off – perfect for a Slovenian road trip. Soak in views of the Istrian coastline, sip your way through the Goriška Brda wine region and wander through the cobblestoned capital of Ljubljana. And don’t miss a trip to the enchanting Bled Island. Cruise out on a traditional plenta boat and climb the 99 steps to the church to ring wishing bell which, legend has it, will make your hopes and dreams come true.
Schedule a trip around the summer bank holiday (26th August), when four days of annual leave gives you nine days of holiday heaven. Spend them in Namibia, where you can combine a safari in Etosha (home to the world’s largest population of black rhinos) with time in Kaokoland, meeting the Himba people, and a stay in the starkly beautiful Namib Desert for R&R and landscape safaris from luxurious tented camps.
Looking to migrate somewhere warmer in winter? Enjoy 12 days off by combining the December and January bank holidays with five days of annual leave. We recommend spending them in sunny Southern Australia. Get your fix of the great outdoors with coastal walks, whale watching and a stay on the wildlife haven of Kangaroo Island which, believe it or not, is bigger than Singapore. Round off your Aussie adventure with a spot of surfing at Manly Beach and a walk to one of Sydney’s clifftop vantage points for views over the city’s skyline.
Practical advice and inspiration for your next trip
Deciding where to go gorilla trekking should be easy. There’s a finite number of gorillas left, and they all inhabit a relatively small area. The only problem? This area spans two equally enticing countries. One is Uganda, once dubbed the ‘Pearl of Africa’ by Winston Churchill, a nickname still used today. The other is Rwanda, which bats back with a revered redemption story and a booming tourism industry.
20th April 2026 - Travel Tips
Everybody loves a life hack – those clever little workarounds that make the day-to-day definitively better. The same applies to travel. Whether that’s an unorthodox method of finding the tastiest tapas, experiencing a safari during the green season or in-the-know etiquette when staying in a ryokan, tips from our travel experts can make all the difference to your trip. Eager to find out more? Read on
6th April 2026 - Travel Tips
Last updated: March 2026 by Lucy Bailey, our Saudi Arabia Specialist. Due to the ongoing situation in the Middle East, the FCDO currently advises against travel to certain parts of Saudi Arabia, although travel is still possible to major hubs such as Al-Ula, Jeddah and Tabuk. It’s always important to check the travel advisories issued by your government before travelling to any foreign country. For the latest advice, please visit:
13th March 2026 - Saudi Arabia Travel Tips
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