What Is Kayak Vacations? (And 5 Travel Sites To Get Best Deals)

Fact Checked By James A Rockey | Post Updated On: December 7, 2022
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Kayak Vacations is a term that refers to a type of vacation where the primary mode of transportation is a kayak. This type of vacation typically involves traveling to a location with beautiful waterways and using a kayak to explore the area and experience the natural beauty of the surroundings.

Key Takeaways

  • Some of the best kayak vacation booking websites are Expedia, Travelocity, CheapCaribbean.com, Priceline, Funjet Vacations, etc.
  • Expedia is the best travel package site and it offers flight/hotel/car, flight/hotel, and flight/car, not to mention everyday trips around the world
  • CheapCaribbean.com is known to be the best vacation website thanks to its inclusivity packages
  • Funjet Vacations offers only two vacation package options, Flight/hotel, and hotel/car

What Is The Best Vacation Package Booking Site?

Saving an extra coin is a plus to all of us, but you have to be a smart traveler to save up some amount on your budget. There are several booking sites offering different packages to various destinations. Make a comparison to trips with separate components, too; sometimes, it’s cheaper as you can get a better flight option to choose from. Finding the best travel package site will not only save you money but time as well.

Be on the lookout; we have discovered some great vacation package websites that allow flights, hotels, and rental cars. Other sites are not flexible and quote the prices for flights and hotels only. Luckily, some websites are more charming and can let you add a car to your package, i.e., a flight plus hotel, even though it is not mentioned on the initial booking page. Another thing is the resort fees; many sites don’t include them in their initial per-person total price but collect them separately from the hotel, which can affect your overall final cost on your trip. Similarly, free airline baggage can cause the same mishaps.

Remember, the same parent company owns most of these great vacation booking sites—that way, you will often see a similar price from one to the other. Being aware of such saves you time. But as we all know, researching to determine the outstanding one is important. Though it can be time-consuming for a busy person and that is why we took it upon ourselves to come up with the list below. We have tested several booking sites to come up with those that have a good user experience and the lowest prices.

Here Are The In-depth Best Vacation Package Booking Sites:

· Expedia

Expedia

There is no doubt that Expedia is the best travel package site out there. The site offers flight/hotel/car, flight/hotel, and flight/car, not to mention everyday trips around the globe. On different occasions, the company proves to be a pocket-friendly and trustworthy site you can always rely on.

Lastly, the site has plenty yet active filters to assist you in finding what you need. Hotel price normally depends on the distance from the city, package discount, property class, and guest ratings.

Options are sorted by flight duration, aircraft type, and finally, the qualities of amenities offered by the flight. The map provided allows you to check the location of several hotels.  Consistency of pricing and plenty of options to choose from makes the Expedia site a top vacation package that will not disappoint you.

· Travelocity, Orbits, And Cheap Tickets-Expedia Sister Sites

Yes! These sites are all owned by Expedia Group; so basically, they have similar pricing and inventory. All the features that Expedia has are identical to these three sites. However, you might be lucky sometimes to get slightly cheaper packages than their parent company. Since the pricing of these three sites and Expedia are so similar, you can avoid checking all of them unless you are idle.

· CheapCaribbean.com

Just as the name suggests, CheapCaribbean.com is known to be the best vacation website thanks to its inclusivity packages. Even though the booking site has a more limited scope than others, it’s worthwhile to check, especially if you are planning a trip to the Caribbean Sea. This place is popularly known for honeymoon trips to many newlyweds around the globe.  Filter your information to suit your tips on the portal given.

Many people have termed the website as old school due to its drop-down menu used to enter departure and arrival times. The map normally found on several sites is not available to compare the hotel locations listed down. Its affordability might make you overlook so many of these things, especially if you are on a tight budget. Flight/hotel packages are the common ones here, but adding a car will not work, maybe travel insurance and transfers to certain destinations.

· Priceline

Priceline

You will surely, fall in love with this site, thanks to its multiple options in popular vacation destinations. The combinations of flight/hotel/rental cars are available and a map to view hotel locations. Numerous filters and selections that help you to navigate easily on their pages are some of the best.

Price-wise we can say Priceline is average. They also offer express deals for rental cars though you can’t choose the type of car you would like. But you will know later when you already booked.

· Funjet Vacations

Funjet Vacations

This one offers only two vacation package options, I.e., Flight/hotel, and hotel/car though you can succeed in adding a rental vehicle at the end of the flight/hotel package or booking a specific flight. Numerous options are also available such as hotel name, ratings, price, distance, and locations. The map provided on the site is not one of the best out there.

The limiting factor on this site goes to travelers with numerous gateway airports as they are forced to search each one separately. To tell you the truth, our test found out that the site is not consistent with prices as some occasions seem cheaper while other trips were a bit expensive. If luck is on your side, you will always get promo codes for your search.

· Kayak

Kayak

With a single click on this site, you can be able to search for great travel package sites available. Even though one can’t be able to specify which element to bundle up on your trip, it searches for flight/hotel by default. Fortunately, you can add the rental car to some partner sites. For flight/car vacation package options, you will have to look elsewhere.

Priceline is the kayak parent company, and yes, you can get cheaper packages altogether. Map view is provided while the result pages show hotel and air filters for easy nonstop flights. Severally price listed on the kayak was not similar to the price on the source site, a very common problem on the meta-search site. So it’s wise to test both options, especially if you are using a meta-search site.

How do I get the best deal on vacation packages?

To get the best deals on various vacation offers, you have to be flexible and travel during off-peak seasons. Also, it’s good to compare available offers on numerous site-packages or separately. When you pick the right destination, you will want to spend more time there. Making alternative lodging might be a good idea.

 There are always good hotels if you are keen to look around as you do not have to stay in a five-star hotel if on a budget. Embrace social media handles like Twitter, Facebook, and hotel tonight to get current news on your favorite airlines, hotel chains, and travel companies. By following them, you might get access to promotions and new sales.

Apart from all that you can get vacations deals also by:

·Being flexible On Dates

As we have said earlier, off-peak seasons will be a good deal for you; when people go in a certain direction, make a U-turn, and explore many options people are running from. In the USA, there is what is known as the dead zones period, which is early December and the last three weeks of January or early February. During that period, not many people travel, airplanes are not on-demand and hotels are looking for business everywhere.

The off-season is cheaper and less crowded for you to enjoy the full view of various locations. There is a high possibility that you lack certain amenities in the area due to low business and poor weather. So being flexible on dates allows you to travel when you get the best deals anytime.

· Be Flexible On The Destination

Explore other options available there and avoid top tourist destinations as these might be crowded and costly. If you are more concerned about good deals, then specific locations use a sky scanner; it will give you flight options across various destinations around the globe. Check cheap Caribbean.com and Travelocity sites for deals and discounts that feature on top of their pages.

Visiting underrated and under-travel destinations saves you money on accommodations and other activities. But you need to be aware of the flight price first as others seem expensive with more possible stopovers. According to the Telegraph, some of the country’s capital cities offer less than forty dollars per night in five or four-star hotels, including the Philippines, Bolivia, Sierra Leone, Honduras, and Albania.

·Create fare alerts on various sites

You might not always have time to check flight prices throughout the day, so it can be a good idea to let someone else does the work for you. Sign up for fare alerts on sites like Kayak or Airfarewatchdog for deals emails on the cheapest flights available over the next six months or so. Weak signals might sometimes be disadvantageous as someone can miss great deals before you receive your email.

· Be Loyal

Being loyal to a certain airline, hotel, or rental Car Company, if you are a frequent traveler, might prove worthwhile dealing with them. You can get offers and rewards for great relationships. Though other loyalty programs don’t require long-term relationships, it can be a good deal for the occasional traveler.

· Right Time Booking

Booking your flight at the right time matters when it comes to getting the best deals. Expedia survey shows that Tuesday is the cheapest day to purchase a ticket, but you need to book more than three weeks earlier. For the last-minute trip, the right booking time will be on Sunday, as the study reveals the best deal option. You will be booking your ticket on Sunday but not traveling.

· Always Be A Tease

Do you know the web browser is watching you? Yes, they do, and here is the opportunity you have been waiting for! Take advantage and engage them in a highly underrated activity in their sites for travel, hotel, and car rentals to know your interest. Then sit back, relax and wait for these websites to send you coupons plus other offers from people who changed their minds last minute.

The company will see you as a potential customer, and they will do everything possible not to miss your business. If, by chance, you entered your email, monitor it over a couple of days to see if the company has sent you available deals.

What Is The Cheapest Day To Book A Vacation Package?

Everyone wants the cheapest possible flight s/he can get, and that’s why we have provided this guide for you. You have to know when to buy and good days to fly. Making comparisons between different sites is another way. Other ways to save include:

· Window Shop On Tuesday

Tuesdays are the best days to book flights in the U.S. at around 3 p.m. The weekly sales are released by various airlines on Tuesday morning, prompting airline competition to match prices. Shopping for the best deals can thus be done on Tuesdays. Though, you can as well land on better deals during other days of the week.

· It’s Not Advisable To Shop Too Early Or Too Late

Be careful not to shop too earlier as this might cost you an extra coin. Booking too late also might cost you even much higher than you can expect. But there are available sweet spots to shop for the best deals; for example, U.S. tickets are best booked between three months and thirty days before your intended travel.

As for international tickets shop between five-month and a half and one and a half months before your intended travel. Consider the current deals available daily and fly instantly if better deals pop up. During modern times, flying might prove challenging to you, especially during Christmas, New Year, Thanksgiving Day, and peak seasons. Purchasing your tickets two months earlier in advance will save you some money.

· Compare Airfare

Always make a comparison between several flights on their airfare. You might be mistaken to think your plane has the best offer over other flights. Remember, there is no single airline that has the lowest price on every route. It’s a business just like others, and they work for profits, so deals are presented often.

Making a comparison between flights will enable you to pay less. Sign up for alerts on the best online booking sites at your disposal to get one.

· Fly The Cheapest Route Possible

The most important thing is getting to your destination safely; it doesn’t matter whichever route you use. Non-stop flights are more convenient for many users, but connecting flights also present better deals at times. Look for the one that will suit your needs and embark on your vacation plans. Always remember to compare both the nonstop and connecting flights for the cheaper ones.

· For Group Travel Book One Ticket At Different Time

If you are traveling as a group, most likely family, try your luck and book the ticket separately. It can save you save money than you can imagine rather than just booking all of them in a day. So play along for better deals possible.

· Cheapest Days To Fly

This one should always be at your fingertips if you are a frequent or regular traveler who wants to save extra money.  U.S cheaper days apart from Tuesday includes; Wednesday and Saturday. For international flights check weekdays, they are known to be less expensive as compared to weekends.

How Far In Advance Should You Book A Vacation To Get The Best Price?

If you have gone through our article, we have to tackle this question. But above all, your flight should not be too early or too late. The local trip should be within thirty days to three months while international vacations should be between one month and a half to five months and a half. Just remember to look for a better day for cheaper flight booking.

Is It Cheaper To Buy Vacation Packages?

On various occasions booking vacation packages on different sites might be cheaper for some people depending on their dream destination. However, other destinations are better off booked separately as vacation packages might even cost higher. Check for the two possibilities to find out which suits your needs and budget perfectly.

Is It Better To Book Vacations Last Minute?

Contrary to our belief, last-minute trips have, on several occasions, been fun and exciting. It doesn’t always have to be stressful and expensive. Take it positively and crab that opportunity knocking on your door and book your vacation weeks before departure. Mostly it goes smoothly, just like the ones booked months in advance.

You only need to know the best flight to book and hotels to ease your worries. There is an opportunity of getting some deals and coupons so long as you do your research diligently. To make sure you are always taken care of in your sneaky kayak vacation.

Kayak Virtual Tours

Kayak virtual tours have come to our rescue, especially for those who can’t pay for their dream vacation, but are willing to explore the world in any other way possible. Sometimes virtual is better than reality. You get to avoid those lengthy airport lines, cramped seats, and bad airport food, to name a few.

Will, it is not better if we take up the other options and explore the world’s comfort in our cozy seats without worrying about any possible accident out there? This is especially to kayak lovers in new terrain with unforeseen waves.

The truth is the new Kayak virtual vacations have an immense virtual reality trip where you can see and hear the sights and sounds of the best destination in the world. You will surely change your mind from the traditional vocations because the experienced is the other reality!

But How Does Kayak Virtual Work?

With the combined expertise, individual efforts, and technology techniques, plus excellent tools, companies have been able to bring you to virtual kayak tours. What you need to do is download any of the three vacations that you can access through a 360 VR headset, Ultra headphones, and the neural scanner that will be sent straight to your door within five to six weeks upon request.

Final Thought

COVID-19 has turned the world upside down; several booked vacations have been canceled. The world’s best tourists destination have been closed with others having limited access; we are not even talking about the losses that tourist industries have made plus the loss of jobs out there. The painful bit of it is that we might have to learn to live with it for now until the final solution is found.

But, hey, you can plan your little vacation cautiously and enjoy what life has to offer. Better yet enjoy the latest kayak virtual tours available at your disposal in the comfort of your home. Of course, you should plan for your next vacation when all these settle down.

References:

  • https://www.kayak.com/packages
  • https://www.muchbetteradventures.com/magazine/10-epic-kayaking-trips-for-beginners/
  • https://www.rei.com/adventures/a/kayaking

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