Spring is a time of rebirth and regeneration. After an uncompromising winter, the flowers start popping up again and everyone wakes from their collective slumber. It’s no surprise, then, that cultures all over the world have fashioned festivals celebrating the season.
Spring also happens to be a terrific time to travel. For the same reasons– the returning warmth and nature’s rejuvenation – it’s a perfect time to be bold and see a far-flung part of the world. The tourism industry is also still technically in its “shoulder season,” so flights and accommodation are reasonable, especially if you book one of the last minute vacation deals from Travelzoo – a one-stop shop for the best travel and local experience deals.
If you need an excuse to enjoy what the world has to offer, check out one of the following springtime festivals, in parts of the world routinely included among Travelzoo’s deal packages.
The Songkran Festival, Thailand
You might know it better as “that country-wide water fight” in Thailand. Held each April, The Songkran festival is just that, an inclusive, ridiculously fun celebration centered on that most basic of pleasures: playing with water. If it’s a jubilant, uninhibited sense of play you’re craving come springtime, book a last-minute travel deal to Bangkok or Chiang Mai, buy a water gun and go nuts.
After the festival concludes, the sopping wet masses flock to one of the many roadside restaurants for some post-mortem drinks, food and a lot more laughter. It’s the perfect tonic after a hard-working winter.
Carnival, Trinidad and Tobago
Speaking of unrestrained partying, you can’t get much more joyous than a Caribbean Carnival festival. The pre-Lent celebration can be found throughout the world in varying forms – Venice’s ornately masked celebration or Rio’s bustling parades – but Carnival is perhaps best enjoyed with a helping of Caribbean flair.
With frequent all-inclusive deals through Travelzoo to the Caribbean, the trip doesn’t need to be either expensive or planned in advance. If the mood strikes you for some Caribbean fun, just hop a last-minute flight to Port of Spain, the country’s capital, and follow one of the many loud, feathered processions through the streets.
Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival, Canada
Japan’s cherry blossoms get all the attention. And while they’re undoubtedly gorgeous, there’s a much closer city with the same abundance of pink canopy: Vancouver. British Columbia’s largest city is a treat to visit in any season, with its intoxicating mix of temperate rainforest and Pacific Ocean, but spring is when it really comes alive. \
From April 2-26, , Vancouver hosts live concerts, communal picnics and Japanese cultural events to celebrate these beautiful flowers. You can either book an affordable package to Vancouver, or stay in nearby Victoria, a short ferry ride away on Vancouver Island (itself abundant in cherry blossoms). No one says you have to go far to enjoy a breathtaking spring festival!
If the weather starts warming and you haven’t booked yourself a vacation yet, don’t fret. These three festivals, celebrating the best spring has to offer, are easily accessible via a last-minute package deal. Winter hibernation will soon be over – it’s time to start living again!
