It’s happened: you’re finally getting hitched. But before it happens you have a lot of organising to do, including planning one of the biggest, most decadent holidays of your life: your stag or hen do.
Where to go, what to do? It’s hard pleasing each and every one of your family members and friends, but one of these ideas will come close.
Sun and spa
If high-adrenalin activity isn’t your cup of tea and you’d far prefer a sunlounger over a pair of skis, the sun and spa option might be for you. Bali and Thailand are the ultimate spa locations if you can afford the time and cost, but closer to home, you’ll find mini spa weekends in cities across Europe. East Europe – Slovakia, for example – is good value for money, along with the Canary Islands, and closer to home you’ll find plenty across the UK.
Road trip
In the world of literature and movies, road trips are a rite of passage, so what better time to take one than on a stag or hen holiday? Choose from the classics – Route 66 in the USA, the Great Ocean Road in Australia, South Africa’s Garden Route, or even the old Silk Road in Asia – or plan your own route. You could plan a road trip that is poignant to you – visit old towns and cities you’ve lived or worked and meet up with friends and family along the way.
Party!
If there’s ever a time to throw a party it’s now, and there are some locations that are legendary party places. Dance to world-class DJs and soak up the sun in Ibiza, enjoy the anything-goes attitude in the cities of Amsterdam, Berlin or Prague, go to Thailand’s full moon parties or party from dawn to dusk in Las Vegas.
Outdoor activities
A stag and hen weekend doesn’t just have to involve copious amounts of alcohol. It’s a good chance to grab a group of mates and learn to do something – or get better at something you already do. Why not learn to surf in Cornwall or Portugal, go on a cycling holiday in the Alps, go on a walking expedition in the Lake District, sign up to a cookery school, or go on a chocolate-making workshop for the day?
A mini expedition
If you feel like having an unplanned adventure, take a leaf out of adventurer Alastair Humphries book and plan a micro adventure. It’s simple: pack camping equipment, food and the bare essentials, head to the nearest train station and catch a train to the countryside. Camp under the night skies and take long walks in the rolling landscapes. An unplanned adventure is often the best – and it can be as low cost as you like.
An amazing adventure
Adventure holidays come in all shapes and sizes – from far-flung expeditions to closer to home trips. Arm yourself with a Swiss army knife and tackle the jungle in an exotic location, live it up in the city of hen and stag holidays, Las Vegas, or take your crew on a ski and spa holiday to Switzerland – making the most of the après ski while you’re there, of course.
The bucket list trip
Everyone has a travel bucket list – a wish list of places to see before they die – and what better time to tick one off. The classics include climbing Kilimanjaro, diving with sharks, swimming with dolphins, trekking to Everest Base Camp, walking the Inca Trail, learning to sail, cycling the Tour de France route, tackling Wainwrights walks in the Lake District and visiting the Pyramids, and there are plenty more. Draw up your own list as a group and whittle down your choices.
