Sometimes I think that the best way to see a new place is to do it all on your own.  Forget the tour guides, the crowded buses, and the rush to get from one site to the next.  So many times you find yourself seeing only two or three things that you really want to visit and the rest of the trip is delegated to the “tourist traps.”

Forget the tour guides - go deep

Why not take a leap and plan out your own holiday, at your own pace?  After all you are a far better judge of what you like to do on your holiday than some travel agent who plans out an entire itinerary of places you have absolutely no desire to see.  And on top of that, you may pay more for the privilege.

Do you want to go with the rest of the crowd?

A great way to holiday, for those of us who like to go it on our own, is to take a self-catering holiday.  Now you might be asking yourself exactly what is a self-catering holiday?  With a self-catering holiday you not only get to choose exactly what you want to do and when, but also where you want to stay.  Typically one stays at a hotel when holidaying.  This is often an expensive proposition and it is even more costly for those who have large families or are travelling in a large group.

The first thing you need to decide is where you want to go.  If you are travelling to Canada, take some time to look over travel guides.  There is a great deal that you can do in Canada.  From Nova Scotia in the east to British Columbia in the west, there is something for everyone to do and see.

Canada is a beautiful place alright

British Columbia offers some of the best skiing available in the Rocky Mountains; there is great sailing along the coast, and fishing and hunting in its central and northern areas.  Alberta is home to some incredible prehistoric sites, while the cities of Edmonton and Calgary offer the best a cosmopolitan area has to offer.

To this day, Quebec still has some close ties to France and the French culture with both French and English spoken.  The city of Quebec, the capital of Canada, still has its original fortification walls.  Montreal is also located in Quebec and offers culture and a great nightlife.

Ever thought of Quebec?

Between its cultural, historical, and natural beauty, there are plenty of places to visit and explore.  The most difficult decision is to narrow your choice down to one area.  Once you decide where you are going to go, your next step is to decide what type of place you want to stay.

Are you looking for a rustic chalet in the mountains, a modern condominium or a house close to the city?  How much do you want to spend on the rental?  If you are renting a home away from home, will you be cooking or will you be eating out?  Is it important to be close to shopping areas or do you prefer to do all your shopping at once and then just relax?

Not all the hotels and chalets look like they’re from the Shining

These are just some of the questions you will need to ask yourself before you begin looking for a place to rent.  With so many places to rent it is important that you have a good idea of what you want to do and the type of place you want to rent.  Doing all of your research first will make finding the perfect home away from home much easier.

Once you start looking for a place to stay, keep a few things in mind; if you are renting from an individual it is important to know how payment will be made.  Individuals, unlike companies, will usually require that a deposit and/or payment be made and cleared prior to arrival.  If you live overseas, sending payments directly to another person’s account can be quite costly.  If you have a friend or contact in Canada they can work out the transaction for you.  This ensures that the transaction is legitimate and that it goes through without a hitch.  There is nothing more disturbing the arriving at your destination to find your payment was never received.

Check how payment is made

The best bet is to find your rental home through a company that specialises in self-catered holiday rentals.  These companies or websites are experienced with dealing in overseas payments and can facilitate an easy transaction.  In addition, they work as brokers on your behalf to ensure that you find exactly what you want.  If you do an Internet search for self-catering holidays in Canada you can find several sites that list a variety of properties available for your dream holiday.

When you are setting up your self-catering holiday be sure to look over exactly what is being offered with your rental.  It is important to note that most self-catering holiday homes are essentially homes away from home.  That is to say, that unlike hotels, you will be responsible to keep the place clean, do your own laundry and cook your own food.  Of course, this is why you want to do it on your own.  These types of holidays offer you total flexibility.

You may have to indulge in a spot of cleaning

With a self-catering holiday, you and your family have total freedom.  If you chose to, you can go down to the local market and purchase fresh produce and other food items to cook in the privacy of your temporary home.  Doing this allows you to cater for your family and your own particular eating habits.  The nice thing is if you want to eat at restaurants you have the choice to do so.

When you are travelling with children, a self-catering holiday offers freedom for your kids to explore.  Depending on the home that you rent you might be located next to a body of water (beach, river, lake).  Or you might have a villa that has its own pool or access to a pool.  In addition, many homes have gardens or play areas where they can play.  If you were staying at a hotel you would have only three options: let the kids watch TV, leave the hotel until night time, or go to the hotel pool, if there is one.

Explore with the kids. Or bury them.

The best part of a self-catering holiday is the ability to plan your day the way you like.  If you choose to stay at home, you can do so without worrying about your kids running around the hotel room and/or ordering room-service.  You can come and go as you please, going on day trips and seeing what you want to see, when you want.  If you have picky eaters, you have the choice to prepare home cooked meals at the fraction of the price of restaurants.  All of this combines into a more cost effective and family friendly holiday.

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This entry was posted on Thursday, June 4th, 2009 at 10:11 am and is filed under Blog. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.