IELTS Speaking - 01 - Travel and Holiday - Speaking Sample

Part 1 - How do you plan and prepare for your holiday?

I always do my research. I thumb through holiday brochures and check travel sites like Airbnb on the Internet. I'm drawn to spectacular beaches and lush forests. I usually make advance reservations for self-catering accommodation.

Is it expensive in your country to visit amusement park?

oh yes I can say to some extent these amusement parks are expensive. At an average you have to pay somewhere around $20 to get into an amusement park and to go along with a family you have to spend a lot of money and the food in these parks is also quite expensive so it costs a lot.

Part 1 - Have you ever been to amusement park?

oh yes I have been to an amusement park many a times during my school days and in the summer vacations. I love to visit there with my family and my friends.

pack light, wash frequently, buy it if you need it

pack light, wash frequently, buy it if you need it

Part 1 - How do you prefer to travel on long journeys?

I would prefer to travel by train on long journeys. I can relax and at the same time look at the nature during the journey. If the destination is near enough to travel by car, I would like to drive by my own.

I'm more of a creature of habit

I'm more of a creature of habit, so I'm usually not keen to change my daily routine. When I change it up, I often feel anxious and disoriented

Part 1 - Do you like amusement parks?

Yes, I do love the amusement park. I enjoy the feeling of being thrilled and it stirs up the excitement in me. Whenever I am in an amusement park, I feel like everyone is connected. We can share the same joy.

Part 1 - What is your favourite type of holiday? / What kind of holiday do you like? I really like going to the countryside, getting away from it all. Nothing relaxes me as much as wilderness... I am tired of tourist traps and usually go off the beaten track...

I really like going to the countryside, getting away from it all. If I travel alone, I usually go off the beaten track. Picturesque villages with serene scenery are my favorite holiday destinations. I try to avoid tourist traps but I want to go somewhere I can have fun with my family and my friends as well like amusement park or white sandy beach with exciting water sports (diving, flyboard, kayaking, boat racing)

Part 1 - Which place would you really like to visit? / Which country would you like to travel to in the future?

Well, of all the places I would like to go to, I would like to visit Iceland. I've always dreamt of traveling to the arctic during the winter and watching the northern lights, toasty and warm with a cup of hot cocoa in hand. The whole country offers plenty of opportunities for glimpsing the aurora (a truly magical experience) with breathtaking landscapes, majestic waterfalls and geothermal hot springs.

Part 3 - What are some of the benefits of going away on holiday?

Firstly, It could give us a wonderful chance to unwind or chill out after tiring days at work. For example, we could go to a far - off destination and stay for a few days, then we can stop thinking about hard work and get some rest. The second benefit is by going on holiday, we can spend our quality time with family, which is really precious in the modern world because almost the time we have to work or study, then we have less time to be with our family.

Part 2 - Describe an amusement park you went to

For a long, I have not been to a park or amusement park but my visit to a renowned amusement park in our city last year was so pleasant that I look forward to revisiting there. The amusement park I am talking about is nearly 40 kilometers away from the city where I live and is a large one. It is beside the City resort and occupies around 12 acres area. I went there with my parents, 4-5 cousins and 2 nephews. This was a family trip and we planned to take the children to a place where they would be able to enjoy. Since the busy school schedules often bore the children, we planned to take them somewhere and let them enjoy their time. As part of the plan we left home early in the morning and spent almost the entire day there. Since there were many teenagers and children with us, we had to look after them. I managed the tickets, purchased lunch and took care of the children. I enjoyed 2-3 rides and mostly took photos of me with the kids. At noon I planned to have a bath in the swimming pool and I really enjoyed that. We also enjoyed a 3D movie in the park and after I won a doll in the balloon game, I shouted like a 10 years old child. That was a refreshing gathering for us and I enjoyed both the company of my family members and the nice environments and amusement facility of this park.

Part 3 - Why do you think tourism is so developed now? Well, because it is a lot easier to travel nowadays... you can choose charter flights and find various youth hostels all around the world, so you don't need to spend much money on the travelling. Moreover, you can book a trip via the Internet, so you don't even have to leave home.

Well, In my opinion it is a lot easier and affordable to travel nowadays... you can choose charter flights and find various youth hostels all around the world, so you don't need to spend much money on the travelling. Indeed, at the present using all - in packages to travel to some famous destination is the common way, which do not cost much money, then it is very easy for everyone to pay for a trip. Moreover, you can book a trip via the Internet, so you don't even have to leave home.

Part 3 - What kind of transport do you prefer on holidays? Why? It depends... I usually reach my holiday destination by plane because it is the fastest and the least dangerous way to travel. However, flying can be a bit uncomfortable... So I also travel by train from time to time... But I never drive car on a vacation, because I do it every day when I work... I would have a busman's holiday otherwise.

It depends... I usually reach my holiday destination by plane because it is the fastest and the least dangerous way to travel. However, flying can be a bit uncomfortable... So I also travel by train from time to time... But I never drive car on a vacation, because I do it every day when I work... I would have a busman's holiday otherwise.

Part 2 - Describe a holiday you recently had? Where you went? How you got there? what you did there? and explain if you enjoyed it?

Last week, I had two days off, so my family decided to go on a picnic in a park, which is not a very popular holiday destination & quite near my house. It took us about 30 minutes to get there. Since we did not prefer package holidays, we chose to explore the place by ourselves, which would be flexible for us to travel. We got up at 6 am and started to go there by car. When we were on the way of traveling there, we saw hordes of tourists along the road, which made me feel excited. After 30 minute drive, eventually, my family and I arrived at 6.30 am. Then my sister and I began to prepare the food and drink while my parents set up the tent. After finishing the preparation stage, my older sister and I went sightseeing around the park, and it is interesting that although the park is not a famous destination, there are breathtaking views that I barely could experience in the city areas. When we got hungry, we ate sandwiches that we prepared at home. On the sun was about to go down, we gathered around the fire and grilled the beef and potatoes for the dinner, then we sang a song. At that moment I did not think of anything and my mind went blank. I felt like I can get away from it all. Then we had the chance to talk with each other, spend our quality time sharing laugh and happiness, and relax in the middle of stunning landscapes. For me, It is a holiday of a lifetime & a once-in-a-lifetime experience which I gave me a lot of precious memories with my family that I will never forget.

Part 1 - Are there many tourists visiting your country? Probably yes... My country has different tourist attractions in many cities, especially the capital... For example, my country has old-time religious traditions... That's why we have a lot of ancient cathedrals and churches that are interesting for both tourists and local citizens...

Probably yes... My country has different tourist attractions in many cities, especially the capital... For example, my country has old-time religious traditions... That's why we have a lot of ancient temples and historical monuments that are interesting for both tourists and local citizens. Natural landscapes In Viet Nam are fascinating too. Ha Long Bay, Da Nang are attractive holiday destinations with foreign tourists.

Part 1 - What is your favorite festival?/ What is the most popular festival in your country?

That's a tough question because I'm definitely a holiday person, but I would have to say Lunar New Years. Tet provides the opportunity for reunions for Vietnamese families, as people tend to return to their hometowns at this time of the year. I think this is the only time of year when people can forget about all the worries of their daily lives, when they can relax, enjoy, indulge themselves, and get ready for another new year. Second to this would be Christmas.

Part 3 - How do people tend to choose a destination?

The Internet is a great source of information and high street travel agents are still very popular ... that's where I like to go to get holiday brochures for the place I'm interested in.

Part 1 - What's the best place you've ever visited?

The best place I have visited so far is Legazpi, Albay, Philippines with a very beautiful view of the majestic Mayon Volcano, the perfect cone-shaped volcano.

Part 3 - How people choose their destination? There are a lot of ways. For instance, you can surf the internet for all the necessary information... Or you can visit different travel agencies for more advice.

There are a lot of ways. For instance, you can surf the internet for all the necessary information... Or you can visit different travel agencies for more advice.

Part 2 - Describe a tourist attraction you once visited. You should say: - When you visited it - Where is it situated - Who you went with and say what about it you like the most

A couple of years ago I went on a holiday to Paris with my parents... it is a very popular tourist destination, since it has various places of interest, such as ancient museums and monuments... That's why there are always hordes of tourists... So we decided to go out of season in the autumn... Fortunately, the weather was great, and we did not waste any days watching TV at the hotel... it was a memorable holiday ... we enjoyed breathtaking views from the top of the Eiffel tower and dined in cozy little restaurants. I would certainly recommend visiting Paris, it is a picturesque city. Last year a friend and I took a long-haul flight to Peru. We were travelling light so we were able to really get around. We stayed in quaint villages and hiked through lush rainforests. We were determined to do as the locals do, so we stayed with local people for part of the trip. We visited colourful craft markets and brought back souvenirs, to remind us of our trip. One of my most memorable experiences was to the Sacred Valley of the Incas. It is a little bit off the beaten track but it is surrounded by great scenic beauty and magnificent landscapes.

Part 2 - Describe a tourist attraction you once visited. You should say: - When you visited it - Where is it situated - Who you went with and say what about it you like the most

A few years ago I went on a long weekend to the Lake District in the UK ... it's a very popular holiday destination in the north of England ... I went on my own and had a wonderful time ... I stayed in a youth hostel and met some really nice people ... but the most memorable thing about the holiday were the breathtaking views ... and lovely picturesque villages ... it can get very busy with hordes of tourists so I decided to go out of season in the autumn ... the weather was fantastic and the shops were full of local crafts ... a really great holiday ... it's certainly not the kind of short break for someone looking for a busy nightlife but if you want to relax in the middle of stunning landscape I would certainly recommend a holiday to the Lake District.

Part 1 - Are they popular in your country?

Actually, it's not really popular. The only amusement park in Ha Noi I familiar with is West Lake water park. Most amusement parks in Viet Nam are located famous tourist destinations such as Đa Nang, Nha Trang. So I would like to see more amusement parks being built for everyone can visit not only on vacation but also on weekends to relax and have fun with their family and their friends.

Part 2 - Describe an important holiday (or festival) that is celebrated in your country

I am going to talk about an important holiday (or festival) that is celebrated in my country called Lunar New Year. Besides the Western calendar's New Year , the Vietnamese people also celebrate Lunar New Year according to the lunar calendar. The Lunar New Year, or Tet usually takes place around the end of January or the beginning of February, depending on when the lunar calendar ends. Tet provides the opportunity for reunions for Vietnamese families, as people tend to return to their hometowns at this time of the year. Like the Christmas tree in Western countries, in Vietnam, we buy a kumquat tree, an apricot blossom tree or some branches to decorate our houses. People also buy new clothes and clean their houses to welcome in the New Year. Some families make "Chung cake", a traditional cake for this special occasion. Chung cake is made of rice, mung beans and fat pork, wrapped in a banana leaf in the shape of a square. It is then boiled overnight until it is cooked. In my culture, it's more very family-oriented holiday. We usually have a special family dinner at home in Lunar New Year's Eve followed by the countdown to midnight. During the Tet holiday, Vietnamese visit their relatives to wish them all a happy new year. They also go to the pagodas frequently to wish for a better year to come for their families. Adults give lucky money to children. I think this is the only time of year when people can forget about all the worries of their daily lives, when they can relax, enjoy, indulge themselves, and get ready for another new year.

Part 1 - What kind of places have you visited in your life? Actually, I have never been out of my country. But I have visited a lot of beautiful places and tourist spots in different regions in my country.

I have visited a lot of beautiful places and tourist spots in different regions in my country but my abroad trips are wonderful too. I think seeing the world, learn about new cultures and explore new places, is what life is all about.

Part 1 - What do you do on holidays? I prefer visiting various museums and places of interest. For instance, on my last vacation I was to Rome and I visited 12 museums. It was fantastic! Of course, sometimes I go shopping with my friends or relatives too... But I don't find it near as exciting...

I live far from home, so holidays are the only occasions I'm home with my family. I usually go back to my hometown to visit my parents on holiday. Then we prefer visiting our relatives or traveling by car. For instance, on my last vacation my family was to Sapa for 4 days and I visited picturesque villages with majestic waterfalls. It was fantastic! We reached Fansipan mountain top by cable car and when I looked down on the vast plain, I feel totally at one with nature.

Part 1 - What do you like to do when you're on holidays?

I prefer going sightseeing with my family around the place where I travel to, then I could take some photographs, which allow me to keep memorable memories. Not to mention that one of my favorite activities is going around and trying some local food.

Part 3 - Do you prefer travelling alone or in tour groups? Why? I definitely prefer travelling alone because I like to plan the trip by myself... When choosing a guided tour, you should always conform to a set schedule... So if you are in India and, say, you want to spend an extra hour at Taj Mahal, you simply cannot do that with a group tour... I like independent travel. That way I get to see and do exactly what I want and spend as much time as I want at various stops.

I prefer traveling alone because I like to plan the trip by myself... When choosing a guided tour, you should always conform to a set schedule... So if you are in India and, say, you want to spend an extra hour at the Taj Mahal, you simply cannot do that with a group tour... I like independent travel. That way I get to see and do exactly what I want and spend as much time as I want at various stops.

Part 3 - People sometimes say flying is the most glamorous form of travel. Do you agree?

I'm not so sure really ... flying can be quite boring ... queuing up at the check-in desk ... going through passport control ... sitting for ages in the departure lounge ... then the flight itself can be quite uncomfortable ... no ... I'm not sure I agree.

Part 1 - Do you like traveling? Yes, definitely! I think seeing the world, from great historical monuments to white sandy beaches, is what life is all about. It's a very interesting way to learn about new cultures and explore new places.

Yes, definitely! Nothing relaxes me as much as traveling. I think seeing the world, from great historical monuments to white sandy beaches, is what life is all about. It's a very interesting way to learn about new cultures, explore new places and try different food and dishes. Traveling can also create wonderful memories and strengthen relationships. I usually travel inside my country two to three times a year and love to explore different places worth visiting

Part 1 - What do you usually do in an amusement park?

well amusement parks have so much to offer. There are so many rides and slides and I enjoy almost everything. But the thing that I enjoy most is the roller coaster. I'm not kind of the brave one. I feel nervous every time I'm on the waiting line for the roller coaster. But the thrilling feeling it brings always makes me enjoy the most.