Hen Do Abroad - How To Plan It

Have you always dreamed of having your hen weekend abroad but don’t know where to start with organising it?

Before you start deciding which bikinis to take to your overseas hen do, it’s first of all most important to decide on two things:

Does the bride want a hen weekend abroad?
Can you all afford a hen do abroad?
How far do you want to go?

We’ll start by helping your answer these questions, then we’ll move onto how to plan a hen do abroad.

Pros and Cons of having a hen do abroad

Pros of a hen do abroad

Going away away for your hen do makes it into a real big event which will be sure to make for great memories with your pals.
The weather is likely to be much better if you are considering a hen do in southern Europe.
The cost of food and drink could be cheaper, especially if you are heading to Eastern Europe.
It’s a great excuse to get away from it all with a bunch of your pals and explore somewhere new.
It will be something different to all the UK-based hen dos you’ve been to.

Cons of a hen do abroad

It requires a lot more planning and coordination than your average UK hen party.
It is likely to cost more overall due to the cost of travel.
Due to higher costs and more time away from home, some hens might not be able to join.
You’ll probably be planning activities and outings in another language.
Narrowing down and agreeing a location might be harder when you’re not just limited to the UK.

Take some time to go through the pros and cons of having a hen do abroad with the bride and make sure she is definitely up for it.

Alternatively, if you’re planning a surprise hen weekend abroad then you’re just going to have to make this judgement call yourself.

How much does it cost to have your hen weekend abroad?

The cost of having your hen weekend outside of the UK depends on 3 major factors:

How far you go
How long you stay
Where you stay

Another factor that can influence the cost to a certain extent is how many hens you take with you.

Sometimes, a larger group can work out cheaper overall because you are able to all chip in for a big villa which works out cheaper per person. Also, large groups are always more likely to get good discounts on activities.

If you are planning to spend your hen weekend in Europe you can get an idea of the average prices you can expect to pay per person below:

How much does a Hen Do abroad Cost?

Flights: £60 – £150 return
Accommodation: £150-200 for two nights
Food & drink: £100 for the weekend
Activities: £100 per person
Total cost per hen: £300 – £550

How to get cheaper hen party accommodation in Europe

As you can see, the costs of planning a hen do abroad can quickly add up. Thankfully, there is a way you can get somewhere to stay abroad for less, especially if you are a large group of hens.

One of the best options to all stay away together is to book an AirBnB.

On AirBnB you can find loads of amazing accommodation options for large groups and when you break down the cost per night per person, it works out as really reasonable.

Often these larger AirBnBs have big kitchens that you can all cook together in meaning you can save money by not having to eat out all the time.

On AirBnB you can also use their many filters to search for amenities that you think you hen party would LOVE – think swimming pool, hot tub, outside shower – your instagram feed is going to be epic.

Step-by-step: how to plan a hen weekend abroad

Now we’re going to take you through the steps you need to follow to plan the best ever hen weekend overseas, DIY-style.

Decide on a date/location: Ideally you’ll do this together with the bride, unless it is a big surprise for her. If you are struggling to decide, then you might want to look at the top 10 hen do locations in Europe, or think about the where has good weather. Another way of narrowing down the options is to see where you can get cheap flights to from your local airport.
Look for flights : Check out the flight options for your destination. The best way to have an overview of all the flights is to use a tool like Omio. But it’s good to go onto the airlines own sites too to double check the prices.

NB: If your destination is in mainland Europe then definitely consider taking the train! An overland train journey through Europe with your pals is so much fun and you get to see things you wouldn’t otherwise see while reducing your carbon footprint. You can use Omio to search for trains too!
Search for hen party accommodation abroad: Depending on how many hens you have, you might want to consider different accommodation options. If there are just a few of you, you might be find with booking a few double/triple rooms in a hotel, which Booking.com can help you with.

If you are a big group, your best bet is to follow our advice above and book an AirBnb which often has options for up to 20 guests.
Invite the hens: Once you’ve put your own destination/travel/accommodation package together, it’s time to get the hens involved. Let them know what the plan is, how much it’s going to cost and when they will need to pay you by. Be sure to mention what this amount includes.

It’s SO important to get people to commit at this stage and ideally pay you a deposit already because how many there are of you will greatly impact the costs of what you are booking.
Book the hen weekend: If you’ve got confirmation and deposits from all the hens, it’s time to quickly snap up those flights, book the amazing villa by the beach!
Important extras: If you’re planning a hen party abroad for a large group of hens then you need to take responsibility to think of every little detail to make sure the weekend runs smoothly.

Once you’ve booked your flights and accommodation, be sure to think about the following:

How are you all going to get to the airport? Maybe book a minibus.
Check does everyone have a valid passport? You often need 6 months left on it in order to be able to travel.
What are you going to do about luggage? Can you all manage on hand luggage or would it be a good idea to share one big suitcase and split the cost between you? This works out as a really cheap way of transporting bulky things such as beach towels or hen decor.
What about airport transfers at your destination? Does your hotel offer a shuttle or will you rent a car? Who will be able to drive the rental car?
What will you do about food? If you have booked a self-catering apartment then start to think about how you will all share the cooking and shopping and ask your hens about food preferences.
What will you do when you are there? It’s a good idea to book your activities in advance as your group is likely to be given a better deal.

Should I Book a Package Holiday for my Hen Weekend Abroad?

It might also be worth checking out what foreign package holiday deals are available for your dates.

You might find that providers such as EasyJet Holidays have some really good bargains that you and the girls can snap up.

Another good package holiday company for hen parties is Jet2 Holidays, especially if you are flying from the north of England.

A package deal usually includes flights & hotel as a minimum but you can also book all inclusive or at least half board to make sure some of your meals are sorted.

There are also plenty of companies that specialise in planning hen party packages abroad.

What else do I need?

Don’t forget that there is loads of paraphernalia that lends itself to joining you on your hen do abroad, such as matching swimsuits, beach towels, drinking bottles and much more.

Check out our post to help you find the perfect hen party accessories for your hen weekend abroad.

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