GOING on holiday may not seem like the smartest thing to do when you’re strapped for cash.

Times are hard at the moment, and holidays can be an expensive luxury that I, like many people, am thinking of going without this year. But it could do us all some good to get away from the depressing tales of recession and enjoy a well-deserved break.

Unfortunately for us, it isn’t always cheap to get off the rock – we tend to get stung by connecting flights to Gatwick and the like. So when I had a look at getting away from the Island for the princely sum of £200, I had some reservations of where I could end up.

The obvious bets are France, London and the other Channel Islands because of their close proximities. You could hop onto a boat as a foot passenger and get to St Malo for around £22 and then pay about £10 or £15 for a return train ticket to Rennes or £80 for a return ticket to Paris. That means you still have a lot of money to play with when you get to your final destination.

But with the euro being so strong compared to our weedy sterling, I think France should be avoided unless you manage to wangle some deals that include accommodation, meals or entertainment of some kind. And you want to get as far away from St Malo as you can for it to feel like you are actually on holiday.

I did find a nice little package to Dinan that included a return ferry with car, two nights’ bed and breakfast at a three-star hotel along with one dinner at the hotel restaurant for £165 per person. That’s not bad.
Staying at camp-sites can often be a good way to keep prices down. For £185 per person you could take your car on a ferry and drive to Lacanau and stay in a self-catering mobile home at four-star Les Grands Pins camp-site for five nights.

Entertainment at camp-sites is generally good, keeping the kids occupied while the adults enjoy leisurely walks while stopping off for a cheeky glass of wine or a bottle of beer. And for those who are looking to close that all-important business deal, you could woo clients with a spot of golf in Missillac. A return ferry with car, two nights in self-catering cottages along with two rounds of golf can cost £155 per person.

Paris is at the top end when it comes to price, but you can get a return ferry and train into the city along with one night’s bed and breakfast at a three-star hotel for £185 per person. And at least you know there is plenty to do when you get there. You don’t have to pay to go up the Eiffel Tower to feel like you have ‘done’ Paris. To save on eating out once you’re there, why not buy a baguette and some cheese and paté and have a picnic in Les Tuileries and watch the world go by?

The only thing that puts me off going to France is the euro – why pay through the nose when you can stick to sterling? If you can get over the Channel for a reasonable price, London is great fun. Getting there can cost a small fortune, but if you have the luxury of being flexible with your time, you can get some good deals.
I found an offer that included return flights, one night’s bed and breakfast in a three-star hotel and tickets for a West End show for £188 per person.

I love the West End. You are always guaranteed a fantastic time when you see a show, and then you can hit a couple of pubs or bars for a nightcap on the way back to the hotel. But there are little gems even closer to home that many of us wouldn’t at first consider looking into.

Our fellow Channel Islands are perfect for an escape, and return flights to Alderney including two nights at a four-star hotel with breakfast and dinner in the hotel restaurant can cost £199 per person. You could easily spend that on a decent night out in Jersey without even crossing the water.

And cross the water you must do if you want to get that holiday feeling. Although £200 won’t get you too far, it can get you a plane journey to Egypt. I found I could get on a plane from Jersey and hop onto a connecting flight from Gatwick to Sharm El Sheikh for £189. And that’s return flights. Not bad, considering that you could end up with a cultured visit to the pyramids or a jaunt down the River Nile.

And for a bit of sun, you could fly from Jersey to Malaga, via Gatwick, for £179 return. Think of the tapas and sangria waiting for you there …

If Guinness is your tipple, aerlingus starts operating flights to and from Jersey in April. I found a return ticket for £70, which would give me plenty of money left over from my £200 for a bed and breakfast and a spot of shopping in the high-street stores.

It depends on what you are after, but the fact is that there are lots of opportunities out there to get off the Island for £200 per person. When you consider that I could easily spend £100 on a day out in St Helier by going for lunch or dinner and drinks with my friends, the deals out there are not all that bad. They are pretty good, in fact.

Have a look around and make it clear to travel agents that you are on a budget. You could even have a go at haggling for some reductions. You never know, you might surprise yourself and come away with a bargain.