A British mum has revealed how she spent just £120 on a day trip to Morocco with her 12-year-old son.
Melanie Evans, 42, from Chesterfield, Derbyshire, thought a quick getaway to Morocco would be the perfect way to try out the country and see if she liked it.
The mother took a 5.45am flight from Manchester with her son Max and the duo landed in Agadir at 10am local time.
The couple immediately suffered 27-degree heat when they got off the four-hour flight.
Melanie and Max had just seven hours to sightsee, going to the beach, taking a cable car, and enjoying dinner at McDonald’s.
After a busy day, they took a flight from Agadir-Al Massira airport at 9:35 p.m. on November 30.
They landed back at Manchester Airport at 12:30 a.m., marking the end of their quick round trip.
Despite only having a few hours in the country, the couple said it was enough time to visit an impressive number of local attractions.
Melanie Evans, 42, from Chesterfield, Derbyshire, and her 12-year-old son spent just over £115 on a day trip to Africa.
Melanie, who has also taken day trips to Barcelona, Milan, Dublin and Belfast, said the weather was the big draw for Morocco.
However, the holiday ended with a return to reality when the mother and son duo headed straight to Aldi to do some grocery shopping when they got home.
Car saleswoman Melanie said: “It was just wonderful to be with my little one.”
‘We enjoyed the day, but it felt as if, in one minute, we were in Morocco; The next we were at Aldi, shopping for food.
‘As soon as we landed, we jumped in the taxi and headed straight to the beach, where we relaxed for a few hours.
‘Then we took a cable car to the Kasbah and had lunch at McDonald’s.
“He was playing on the beach, which was nice to see, and he loved it.”
And he added: “I would go for longer.” It was nice to get a little taste of what it’s like.”
Melanie thought a quick day in Morocco would be the perfect way to try out the country and see if she liked it.
Travel influencers often share their best tips and tricks for saving big bucks on vacation, with posts about budget travel among their most popular content.
Earlier this year, Natasha Whitley, from Bournemouth, Dorset, told her followers how she planned a six-day beach break in the Maldives for under £450.
The cost included food, activities and a room with an ocean view.
Natasha shared that she had originally planned a trip to Sri Lanka and since the Maldives was only a 90-minute flight away, she decided to make a stop there along the way.
Accommodation in the Maldives, known for its sandy beaches and turquoise waters, can cost up to £1,300 per night.
But rather than stay on the tourist islands, the 28-year-old decided to stay on the local islands and was able to book a room with ocean views for just £25 a night.
The local islands, which only opened to tourists in 2009, are less popular with tourists because alcohol is prohibited and only some beaches allow wearing bikinis.
Natasha and her travel companion split their time between the islands of Thulusdhoo and Dhiffushi and stay in two beautiful beachfront rooms at Beach House by Sii Hotels and Batutu Surf View Hotel.
Natasha said: ‘Rooms on Thulusdhoo and Dhiffushi islands were around £30 per night per room per person.
“The ferries and transport were cheap too, so it was much more affordable than it seemed.”
Melanie and her son Max on their day trip to Morocco, the couple spends the day sightseeing
Melanie and Max had just seven hours to sightsee, going to the beach, taking a cable car, and enjoying dinner at McDonald’s.
Natasha, who is also a content creator, and her friend took advantage of the cheaper prices and did many activities.
They went swimming with sharks for £88 and took a trip to a desert island for £28, which included jet ski rides.
They also paid a modest £12 each to go to a floating bar, common on local islands because they can’t serve alcohol on land.
The food was also very affordable – a meal cost an average of £7 a day per person with breakfast included in the room.
The most expensive part of their trip were the flights, from London to Male and then Male to Colombo, which cost £905.