Doc Holiday: These stunning islands are cheaper than Bali

With airfares rising, what are the best island getaways if you can’t afford to do Bali this year?

Escape's Doc Holiday, Dilvin Yasa, answers your travel-related questions.

Winter holidays? Pfft. Give me a destination where days begin with peeling the sheets from your sweaty back and end with a cheeky Negroni in a pool as warm as a bath. This is my way of explaining how much I love responding to reader questions about summer holidays, the act taking me far away (in my head, at least) from my reality of working under a mountain of blankets – to save on electricity.

Judging from my inbox, many of you are dreaming of escaping winter, too. Here’s hoping my responses help you find your patch of frangipani-scented paradise.

Thailand is cheaper than ever for Australians.

Are there any cheap island destinations near Australia (not Fiji or Bali)? With airfares so high, we won’t have much left for a proper holiday.

Flight Centre’s global head of product and pricing, Jason Hartley, says Thailand is cheaper than ever for Australians because the country – and the airlines that service it – is in stiff competition with Bali for Australian visitors. It’s a little further than Fiji but worth putting in eight hours of travel for solid beachfront stays well below $100 a night.

Hartley says lower-than-standard airfares to Manila mean there are plenty of great deals in the Philippines. I searched for stays around Palawan and Boracay and found some pretty sweet resorts where rooms are, again, under $100 a night.

Meanwhile, Vanuatu is under three hours from Australia. A return flight to Port Vila can be found for less than $700. You’ll have to work a little harder to find cheap-but-not-soul-destroying accommodation, but Airbnb rentals are plentiful, while beachside villas under $150 a night can be found on Booking.com. If you have a little more money to play with, check out Breakas, and Nasama Resort in Port Vila, as well as ridiculously well-priced Turtle Bay Lodge on Santo.

Crete has spectacular beaches and all-inclusive resorts.

We’d like to visit the Greek islands but we’re not keen on “party” islands. Which do you recommend for families?

This question comes up a lot. Crete, the largest island, not only has spectacular beaches, plus sailing and watersports, but also amusement parks – many within all-inclusive resorts such as Chrispy Waterpark Resort and Gouves Water Park.

Corfu, too, has a wide range of family-friendly resorts, attractions that run from horse trekking and bike riding to a waterpark and an aquarium. It’s also a handy base for sailing to the nearby islands of Paxos and Antipaxos.

Rhodes and Naxos are worth a look, but don’t discount the likes of Mykonos and Santorini, particularly if you have teenagers. If you make your base Paros, a laid-back island with two towns, you can enjoy the kid-friendly tours and attractions there, and take daytrips over to Mykonos and Santorini.

The Mexican Riviera can be enjoyed year round, but is best between December and April when the region is driest.

When is the best time to take a cruise in the Caribbean or the Mexican Riviera? I’ve seen some great deals.

This is a fantastic question. I once took a European cruise a little too early in the year and could only stare longingly at the empty deck from indoors. Luckily, cruising the Caribbean and the Mexican Riviera can be enjoyed year round, but is best between December and April when the region is driest.

If you’re not big on crowds, December tends to be quieter, but still warm enough to make the most of the itineraries (and the ship’s outdoor facilities). Just remember that hurricane season falls between June and November, so while you can still cruise, changes could be made to the itinerary during the voyage. You may also wish to avoid the local school holidays (late June to August, late December to early January and March through to the middle of April).

Luxury Lodges of Australia include a wealth of luxe stays (including Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley) that are all-inclusive.

Does Australia have an all-inclusive resort like Club Med?

From one Club Med lover to another, let me say I understand the struggle. All-inclusive resorts exist here, but they’re far from the cheap-as-chips, everything-but-the-family-dog types you find in our neighbouring countries. This mainly comes down to staff. The minimum wage in Australia in 2023 is $23.23 an hour, whereas, according to the Economic Research Institute, the average worker in, say, Indonesia earns about $4.40 an hour. When you employ tens – or in some cases hundreds – of hospitality workers, this comes into play.

Luxury Lodges of Australia include a wealth of luxe stays (Emirates One&Only Wolgan Valley, Capella Lodge, The Louise) that are all-inclusive, although what they mean by this varies. You may also wish to have a look at Jamala Wildlife Lodge and Pinetrees Lodge on Lord Howe Island, and don’t forget that you can also search for all-inclusive hotels on wotif.com and expedia.com.au.

Cyprus is another destination that tends to be underrated, but is well worth considering.

We’re dreaming of a northern summer in Europe but we’d rather avoid the crowds of Italy, France and Greece. Any suggestions for a quiet resort getaway destination?

Leave western Europe for off-season shenanigans (and lower airfares) and focus your search on eastern Europe, which not only escapes the bulk of the maddening holiday crowds but lands a little softer on the back pocket.

The Albanian Riviera, along the northwestern Ionian Sea, is increasing in popularity, thanks to its heady mix of pristine beaches, pretty towns and Unesco World Heritage sites. Check out Ksamil, Dhërmi, and, if you want a larger city, look into the unofficial Albanian Riviera capital of Saranda.

To the east, the Black Sea coastline of Bulgaria is a haven for inexpensive beach resorts. Some, such as Sunny Beach, are more in line with what we’d consider a “party town”, but the further north towards the Romanian border you go, the more laid-back the vibe becomes. The towns of Kavarna, Tyulenovo and Balchik are excellent options for the kind of resort holiday you’re looking for.

Cyprus is another destination that tends to be underrated, but is well worth considering. The town of Ayia Napa with its party atmosphere is one of the most popular, but Protaras, Coral Bay (part of Peyia) and Paphos all offer a wealth of excellent beaches, resort-style accommodation and seaside restaurants.

Originally published as Doc Holiday: These stunning islands are cheaper than Bali