"Only for entertainment, it took $ 600, and for the tour itself – $ 1200"

Egypt, last year, ranked first among the countries where Belarusians went to sleep. In fact, one in four vacationers was rushing to the Red Sea in this particular country.

Paul, the 27-year-old marketing specialist, was no exception. With his wife and 8-year-old son, he has been traveling to Egypt for many years.

– Many Belorussians badociate Egypt with a kind of seal rest, according to the "bar-beach-number" system, but it is nothing more than a conscious choice of each one. Pyramids, Cairo, Karnak, Luxor, Alexandria, National Parks, Nile, Islands – there is really something to see, there would be a desire, – Paul explains.

For us, Egypt is the optimal country in terms of benefits. First, it's always nice weather. From mid-spring to winter even in Egypt, a beautiful sunny holiday with a warm sea. You can not be afraid of falling in the rainy season, a storm or a cold snap and spend part of your vacation in this room.

Second, the Red Sea is one of the most beautiful seas in the world in the animal and plant world. My wife and I watch snorkeling (type of swimming under the surface of the water with a mask and a breathing tube.) – Note., "Stuck" on the reefs and examine the huge schools of fish and corals. The feelings are simply indescribable, views, as in the best programs of National Geographic.

Third, the health benefits. As our son is allergic to weeds, stays in a traditional Belarusian holiday called "summer cottage" often end with a cough and a runny nose. Because of the dry climate, the sea air and the water, our son feels perfectly at rest and long after.

Fourthly, Egyptians love children and are very kind to them. Fifth, prices. Because of low wages, prices in Egyptian shops are one to two times lower than ours. Even with an average Belarussian salary, you can "feel like a man" and make comfortable shopping. Above all, we were struck by the cost of water – about 30 Belarusian kopecks per half liter, and it is in a mostly desert country! At the same time, in our country of rivers and lakes, they charge more than one ruble per liter.

In addition, Pavel believes that the rest in Egypt is today the most profitable direction for the Belarusians for the price. Last year, a 14-day trip to Egypt cost the family $ 1450 (4-star hotel Titanic Aqua Park), a transfer of $ 190 between Minsk and Kiev.

– Unfortunately, the prices of Belavia being quite high, we had to refuse from the departure of Minsk, – Paul explains. – But we saved about $ 600 on the difference of tickets for three people.

Spending on vacation could be completed because the all inclusive tour already includes accommodation, meals, water park, beach and drinks at the bar. In addition, the guys spent about $ 100 more on excursions (hydrarium, deep-sea boating, snorkeling with dolphins) and about $ 200 in purchases at local stores (clothing, masks, fruit, drinks, memories). As a result, they spent $ 1,750 for the entire vacation last year.

This year, the guys were planning a vacation in June. But in April, we went to see a familiar travel agent, did a lightning tour and immediately took a flight to rest.

– I had to pack my bags quickly and coordinate an unforeseen vacation, – said Paul. – But the ticket for 14 nights in a four-star hotel in Sharm el-Sheikh cost us only 930 dollars (departure from Kiev) for three people. This time, we did not go on excursions because I was a little sick, but we independently traveled to Sharma's beautiful Coral Beaches on a local bus for $ 0.25 per person and 3 dollars to access the beach.

As a result, this year's April vacation in Egypt cost the family just over $ 1,200 (including a transfer of $ 190).

– As a general rule, we go on holiday once a year, but thanks to the last-minute vouchers at a good price, we plan to go to Egypt again this year, provided we find a good tour, – note the family.

According to Pavel, they start saving money for new vacations immediately after the end of the previous ones. The guys are paying 10-20% of their earnings for the next trip.

Boris: "The winter in Egypt is the most optimal option for me"

Similarly, thousands of other Belorussians in Egypt have decided to take the plane and the 24 – year – old senior engineer from the capital, Boris. In Sharm el-Sheikh, he went with a girl in January of this year. It is their second stay in Egypt.

The first time, it was a departure from Kiev, where the guys went by car. This time, they decided to fly from Minsk and did a tour of a maximum number of nights in order to "get tired of the rest".

– We have carefully studied the hotel reviews, because in Sharm there may be a five-star hotel, but its level will be worse than that of the troika, – said the guy. – This year we stopped at the three star Falcon Hills with an all inclusive system. The 14-night tour departing from Minsk cost $ 1,200. Designed in advance in November through a known tour operator.

Among the entertainment we had quads, parasailing, a yacht in the Ras Mohammed reserve, scuba diving and evening shopping. We did not drink alcohol, in the evening we went to cafes and restaurants, mostly fish, in the evening: I wanted to try different reptiles of the sea, like crabs, lobsters. Although expensive, honestly, ordinary shrimp taste better than lobster. As a result, we spent about $ 600 for all the entertainment, but we did not refuse anything: everything we wanted to buy was bought.

In general, the couple spent about $ 1,800 on tours and shows. Boris says that they saved money and did not get into debt, let alone that they did not borrow money.

– In the last two years it has become clear that winter rest in Egypt is the best option for me. Then winter pbades quickly, it does not feel. Since before the New Year does not bother, then in January, you will warm up. You come, the month of February is not felt and the spring has already arrived. In general, clbad – he considers. – In summer, me and we are good, so I do not want to go anywhere. After all, you must earn money even when. And ideally, it is better to rest twice a year. But until now, this option is not about my income.

Turkey ranks second in popularity among Belorussians – 17% of tourists go there. Dmitry, a 41-year-old information technology specialist from Rogachev, is one of them. With his wife and two children, he goes on holiday abroad two or three times a year.

– We prefer the holidays to the beach, so in May it is Turkey and in December – Egypt, – he says. – We are always looking for flights from Kiev because the price difference between Minsk and Minsk is very important. When looking for a tour, we use tour operators websites.

Currently, Dmitry and his family are on holiday in Turkey. This time, they took advantage of the tour and bought vouchers eight days before the flight, with one of the tour operators they watch for discounts.

– A voucher for four costs 1 400 € (3262 rubles at the rate of the operator). It's the Timo Resort Hotel five star in Alanya, – the man said. – The departure was from Kiev, where we took his car. Rogachev enjoys a round trip from Kiev up to 365 km. On my car goes 70 rubles in both directions. About 25 hryvnia (about 2 rubles) a day – parking in Borispol, 90 hryvnia (about 8 rubles) – a taxi to the airport, about $ 6 (12 rubles) – a green card. In general, the cost of the trip is about 110 rubles. For comparison, a transfer from Minsk would cost $ 240 round trip.

According to Dmitry, of course, we must not forget the big summer lines at the border and the very bad sections of the road leading to Boryspil. But in general, the opportunity to drive to Kiev satisfies him. In general, considering the route for four, the rest costs $ 1,500.

– We do not take loans for the holidays, – he says. – Usually we make small savings and vacation time.

Yaroslav: "I wanted to go to Turkey and not to hotel bookings"

This year, developer Yaroslav, 28, decided to go to Turkey with his girlfriend and friends from Kiev.

– They chose Turkey because it is an interesting and ancient country. Last year were in Georgia – he says.

The guys lived in the town of Icmeler, 7 kilometers from the largest Marmaris.

– Attractive magnificent view of the city, a bay with islands and mountains covered with pine forests, as well as a reasonable price for the visit, – explains the guy. – Icmeler is a tourist town in Western Europe, where most Britons and elderly Germans live, which has marked it (price in pounds sterling in many places, lack of intrusive traders). I wanted to spend a holiday not only on the beach, but also to go on excursions, see something antique, climb mountains, etc. I wanted to go to Turkey and not to hotel bookings.

An early booking package costs $ 660 for a couple. It included accommodation in the four-star hotel Selen Club according to the "all inclusive" system, flight Kiev – Dalaman – Kiev and transfer to the hotel and back. About 400 rubles cost the road from Minsk to Kiev, taking into account a taxi from the house to the station.

– On arrival the first day, we bought several excursions that we had chosen in advance. – says Jaroslav. – It's been cheaper than the usual tourist price. For $ 110 for two people, there were three excursions: Turkish baths (steam room) with mbadage, boat tour around the bay pbading through the city of Turunc and excursion to the Dalya River with stop at the old mud baths. On the last tour, they bought blue crab and beer (about $ 10).

The couple did not spend much time eating except coffee, tasting of shawarma and beer when they went to Marmaris.

– The main expenses, probably, concerned the house "pacchastuni" (olives, pine honey, Turkish delight, some souvenirs and duty-free alcohol) – says Yaroslav. – That is, in general, for the whole trip, we got about $ 1,200 for two.

As for the savings on the vacation, four months before the trip, the couple paid for the trip from the paycheck and took money for the rest of the expenses with a vacation pay.

– We try to go on vacation twice a year. Once – on the sea, the second – is possible without the sea, but an active program with excursions to historic places is mandatory. Last year, there was Georgia and Egypt, in this – Turkey and Finland, – note Yaroslav. – In my opinion, having a good holiday is when you want to go home to tell you how much you have spent!

Ukraine is the third most visited country by Belarusians. Olga, a 25 year old engineer, sat there last year. The girl chose a visit to Odessa for 10 days, at a cost of $ 175.

– I have opted for Odessa because it is an economical option. I do not like to lay on the beach, so it was convenient for me: the morning started with breakfast, then at sea, by a shower and a walk in town, – Olga explains. – I did not want to go through a travel agency, but only they collaborated with this hotel. But everything was fine: about three minutes walk from the sea. The hotel is new, the rooms are good: there is a kettle, a fridge, an air conditioner, a TV, a boiler, a combined shower room with a bathroom, a table of transformation, cupboards for the dishes (there were also cups and glbades) and, of course, a wardrobe, beds and bedside tables.

Olga went to town strolling in a tram for three hryvnia or in a shuttle to seven. She said she spent about 100-120 dollars for food and entertainment because she was deprived of alcohol and d & # 39; expensive establishments.

– Depending on the cost of the products, the prices are for something higher, for something lower. I really liked drinking yogurts, tastier than ours, as for me. The fruits are much cheaper, so we managed to stock up on vitamins, – said the girl. – There was a boat trip for $ 10, plus, I walked around the city every night and saw the sights.

At sea, Olga spared even with her small salary of 400 to 450 rubles. He says that she's slowly setting aside and has also been on vacation. After the last vacation, she got another job and this year also decided to go to Odessa to the sea.

– Last time, I did not visit the catacombs, – she notes. – I see no reason to spend a lot of money on vacation. The ideal holiday is when it's good, no matter where in the world, the essential is with whom and that brings satisfaction.

Ivan: "Before the children were born, we also rested at Zatoka, as we could not afford other places as a student"

Doctors from the Gomel region, Ivan and Elena, as well as three children, have also chosen Ukraine this year. They went to Zatoka, the family not yet having the means to buy other hotels.

– Before the birth of the children, we also rested in Zatoka, because as a student, we could not afford other places, but we wanted to go to the sea, – explains the man. – On average, we get between $ 1,100 and $ 1,200 for five people on the road, lodging, recreation and meals. This amount includes a two-bedroom suite with all the comforts and beachfront cuisine (this year the hotel proved to be more than ever).

During the holidays, the family cooks and feeds, he goes by car to the nearby town of Zatoka, Belgorod-Dniester. Ivan says that it is cheaper. When it comes to entertainment, the most important entertainment is the sea, the heat and the sand.

"I think we would also like Cuba, but …" – Ivan reflects. – As for rotavirus, yes, it is there, but everywhere, our friends have fallen ill in Turkey. Another advantage, Zatoka – in this case, you can always pick up objects and arrive quickly at home.

On vacation, the family leaves once a year. The salaries of the doctors are sufficient to progressively defer, add a vacation pay during the year – it's just enough to rest, come, pay the utility bills and live up to the next paycheck.

Interestingly, holidays in Russia are among the five most popular routes for Belorussians. Natalya, 40, a resident of the Vitebsk region, spent the holidays last year in Russia: a woman rested in Sochi for 17 days.

– I wanted to compare the evolution of the city and its surroundings after the Olympics, – she explains her choice. – The road and accommodation cost between 600 and 700 €. There – a Moscow train, return flight Adler – Minsk. The accommodation was rented in a mini-hotel, the room had a terrace and a kitchen. The food expenses amounted to 200-300 € Breakfast at home, lunch and dinner – in a cafe. Entertainment, too, I think, in that amount. We made several excursions with the group, we watched a lot ourselves. In other words, the approximate total budget for holidays can reach € 1,300, plus or minus € 100-200.

Natalia does not save money to rest, she says that there are enough vacationers.

– Usually one sits once a year, it happens that two she says – As a rule, it is a trip to the sea from 12 to 14 days and 5 to 7 days extra to see something interesting (in Europe, for example). We also spend part of our holiday in the wild in Belarus: for example, Braslavsky Lakes, a tent, a lake. Certainly, everything depends on the weather.

– The perfect holiday is when you leave the first day of vacation and come back to the end, – said Natalia. – Otherwise, there is no change of atmosphere and therefore no rest.

Alexey is 33 years old, he is a developer. The man is married and has a child. Last September, with friends, they went on holiday to Spain, a country that ranks sixth in the Belarusian preference ranking. There the guys spent 12 days.

– We were in Spain, but in another part, so we decided this time to visit the most visited parks in Europe: PortAventura and Ferrari Land. They are located about 100 kilometers from Barcelona, ​​in the region of Tarragona, – said Alexey.

The trip was planned by the guys themselves. They spent 390 rubles on visas and then found low cost flights from Vilnius.

– We tried to choose from September, because after the month of August, the demand dropped and the ticket price is much lower, – explains Alexey. – Of course, it is best to buy the tickets in advance, in about two to three weeks or even earlier.

Return tickets for two adults and one child cost € 560. An additional 150 rubles cost the Minsk – Vilnius round trip.

– Then we were looking for a place to live. It was important to live closer to the parks on the waterfront overlooking the sea, – explains the resident of Minsk. – Again, it was important to us that the apartments were not very expensive, but not very cheap, we were looking for average accommodation. It was about 500 € per family.

Еще в € 240 на две семьи обошелся прокат авто на 12 дней со страховкой. Плата за бензин и дороги составила € 79. Билеты в два парка на два дня стоили € 160 на всех. Еще € 30 ушло на прокат велосипедов, € 25 – на сим-карту с интернетом.

– Питание обошлось in € 400-420, – объясняет Алексей. – На еде сильно не экономили, частично закупались в магазинах, чтобы был завтрак дома, иногда и ужин, но без готовки: что-то быстрое вроде бутербродов с ветчиной, сыром и так далее. Обедали и ужинали, как правило, в кафе and ресторанах в тех местах, где оказались днем. Порции огромные, практически всегда на на не съедали весно, и везде нам упаковывали еду с собой.

Еще примерно € 30-40, перекусов в местах, на не было оплаты карточкой. В итоге весь отдых семьи Алексея обошелся € 2054 и 540 рублей.

– Мы обычные работа – говорит Алексей. – Пю ч жч .ч .ч .ч .ч .ч .ч .ч .ю .ч .ч .ч .е .е .е .е .е. Вообще, длительный отдых, около двух недель, как правило, один. Есть еще мелкие путешествия выходного дня. К примеру, майские праздники провели во Львове, зимой на выходные ездили в Вильнюс.

– Для меня идеальный отпуск – динамичный, который принесет больше положительных эмоций и ярких впечатлений в компании друзей, то есть отельно-пляжный в Турции не подходит, – заключает мужчина.