Asian destinations offer ‘best bargains’ in long-haul costs survey

Hoi An in Vietnam has regained its place as the best value among 30 long-haul destinations, thanks to a dip in local prices and its weak currency, according to research.

 

The annual Long-haul Holiday Report by Post Office Travel Money found that Asian destinations offer the “best bargains”, taking seven of the top 10 barometer places.

 

Prices have dropped in more than two-thirds of the long-haul hotspots surveyed – with the biggest price falls of almost 19% in Barbados and Malaysia.

 

Mahe in the Seychelles is the most expensive destination, with barometer prices more than twice as much as the leading 10 destinations.

 

Hoi An was previously ranked as the cheapest destination in 2023. 

 

A small drop in local prices and the falling value of its currency, the dong, have combined to bring costs down by 10.9% since last autumn.

 

At £58.81, the barometer basket of 10 tourist staples – including a three-course evening meal for two and a range of drinks – is more than 8% lower than in Cape Town, South Africa (£64.28), which has dropped one place to this year’s runner-up position. 

 

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Post Office research, conducted with the help of national and regional tourist offices, found that sterling’s value is likely to play a big part in keeping down prices. 

 

For example, local prices in third-placed Bali have risen 10.8% since last autumn but an 11.3% fall in the value of the Indonesian rupiah against the UK pound means barometer costs are slightly lower (-0.5%) year-on-year at £67.79. 

 

Bali also boasts the cheapest meal price, with a three-course dinner for two people with wine costing just £35.48.  

 

Mombasa, Kenya, has moved up to fourth place on the back of a 1.7% fall in barometer costs to £68.33, overtaking Japan’s capital, Tokyo, which drops back to fifth place after prices rose by 5.6% to £68.61.

 

There are two new entrants to the top 10: Penang, Malaysia, in seventh place (£83.85) and Phuket, Thailand, in ninth place (£87.82). 

 

Prices in Colombo are down 5.4% to £73.93 taking the Sri Lankan city up to sixth place, while Delhi has dropped to eighth after prices rose 14.6% to £85.89.

 

Laura Plunkett, head of Travel Money at Post Office, said: “Although sterling has fallen from its high point earlier this year and there are concerns about possible volatility this autumn, it’s important to note that it is stronger against most currencies than a year ago. 

 

“Furthermore, local prices are stable in most of the destinations we surveyed, with falls in over 40% of them, so the prospects for winter-sun holidaymakers look bright – especially in many Far Eastern and Caribbean countries where a combination of these factors means reduced prices for British travellers.”

 

The biggest barometer price fall of 18.8% was in Barbados (20th, £116.38) followed by Malaysia (-18.6%) and Thailand (-14.1%).

 

There have also been significant falls of 11.1% in Dubai (22nd, £124.99), 10.9% in St John, Antigua (17th, £112.90), and 10.1% in Darwin, Australia (27th, £141.13). 

 

However, there has been a sharp fall of 18% for sterling against the Egyptian pound and, coupled with a 16% increase in local prices, barometer costs in Sharm el-Sheikh have rocketed by 41.5% year-on-year. 

 

Plunkett said: “Holidaymakers can save themselves a lot of money if they pick a winter sun destinations where the pound is riding high and where tourist costs are low.”