Chic and cheerful

Sarah Marshall reveals how and where to save a fortune on your next trip

- Sarah Marshall

A new year promises fresh beginnings - and brings inevitable price rises. But while inflation continues to do its worst in some parts of the world, there are still places where the cost of living is refreshingly low or even falling.

So make the most of your money by swapping popular, high-demand holiday spots for up-and-coming regions, or countried where currencies are weak.

Fortunately, there are quite a few options to choose from if you want to save cash without compromising on sunshine or the quality of experiences.

These are some of the best bargain breaks to consider for the year ahead.

Best for beach: El Gouna, Egypt

Far cheaper than the Canary Islands but with even higher temperatures and more hours of sunshine, this purpose-built Red Sea beach destination has undergone a large amount of development since the first marinas and artificial islands were constructed in the early 1990s.

Now there are 18 hotels and resorts and more than 100 restaurants and bars lining the 10km of coastline.

Recently renovated, the five-star Steigenberger Golf Resort has rooms from £60 per person per night with breakfast - a bargain compared to most winter sun resorts.

Due to favourable exchange rates, cocktails cost less than £2 while a meal for two is just over a tenner.