Book your 2018 festive holiday now – especially to the Eastern Cape

QUICK, book for your next holiday now, before this year ends.

It may seem counter-intuitive to think about your 2018 holidays now – before the New Year celebrations have even begun.

But that’s exactly why you should, the travel specialists say.

Once the festive season is over, the rush to book begins. By the end of the second week – or even the first – in January, a lot of the sought-after accommodation will be gone.

This doesn’t only relate to out of province bookings.

This week the Daily Telegraph – one of the UK’s biggest daily papers – listed the Eastern Cape (yes, you’re read that correctly) as the eighth most popular travel destination IN THE WORLD!

It followed immediately after places like the Inca trail in Peru, the Canary Islands and gorilla-trekking in Rwanda and was way ahead of a stellar array of grand adventure attractions, including a meander down the Mekong River in Vietnam.

Said the Telegraph: “Safari camps in South Africa’s Eastern Cape are selling out quickly for the spring season towards the end of 2018. Private reserves in this malaria-free region are popular because they offer a chance to view the Big Five and can be combined with a trip to Cape Town and a drive Route.”

There you have it from the horse’s mouth, so to speak. Local is definitely lekker.

And speaking of Cape Town, the Telegraph rated it highly too. “The perfect city with its coastal vibe and sublime backdrop of Table Mountain” where accommodation ranges from “the lavish to the rudimentary” and activities suit thrill-seekers, east along the Garden beach bums and wine-lovers.

So, if you can possibly force yourself, forget about your New Year’s party for just a few hours and give some time to thinking about next year’s travel plans. It will almost certainly pay dividends. You’ll have the best choice of holidays and dates; you’ll pay the lowest air fares; and agents and operators will have more time to help you. — Dispatch reporter