How to find 'The One': Step 1

Before you even open a flight search, do this first. Trust me, it’ll save you a fortune (and your sanity) later

Most people start by searching flights. I start with feelings.

Two months before booking is when you should be figuring out what kind of break you actually need. Everyone jumps straight to “where’s hot in May?” and ends up somewhere that doesn’t match their mood.

• If you’re knackered, a city break won’t fix it.

• If you’ve been bored all year, an all-inclusive might send you over the edge.

• If you’re feeling skint, maybe 5 nights somewhere close to the UK would be a better place to start?

Find your feel, then find your holiday. Doing it backwards is a recipe for holiday heartbreak.

Ask yourself these three questions:

Jot the answers down - on paper or on your phone. It might sound tedious, but it’ll really help you picture the right holiday for you.

No rules, no filters, just words that feel right. After a week, you’ll start spotting patterns. That’s your feel.

Here's what my list looked like...

When I planned my last trip, my list started like this:

By the end, it was screaming Greece or Turkey in May. It’s important to be honest and just jot down whatever comes to mind. That honesty makes everything else easier.

Your turn: start your vibe list

Grab your phone, open a new note and start by writing five words or phrases that describe your dream break. Don’t overthink it. Lazy? Lively? Romantic? Cheap? Hot? That’s your starting point. And keep going - maybe over the course of a few days - so you keep building up that picture of what your perfect holiday looks like. If you want inspo, ask other Beachers in our Facebook Community what’s on their list, the comments always deliver.

Got your list sorted?

If you’ve written your list, now you’re ready to channel that into something useful.

Maybe you’ve got somewhere in mind, but if not, you can use my Holiday Feel Map to take your keywords and see where matches your holiday feel.

Here’s where mine landed me, and to be honest, it was bang-on: