Great Places To Vacation On A Budget
When most people think of a vacation, they immediately start visualizing lavish hotels and dining on gourmet cuisine. But what if I told you there were alternate ways to vacation on a budget where you can just as easily enjoy breathtaking scenery, incredible food, exciting activities and everything else that comes with a destination adventure. Vacationing on a budget can be tough, but with the right preparation, you can make it happen. There are numerous free and cheap vacationing tools online to help with this.
So you’ve been spending more than you can afford on vacations and wish to stay within your budget. The reason for this lack of control is the rise in prices of hotels and cruise ships that are now out of reach. This leaves alternative vacation options available. Here is my list of 8 affordable places near major cities to spend your next getaway. There are many lovely (and not-so-lovely) places in the world that each have their own unique culture, climate and scenery. Just imagine how much of a better backpacker you could be if you were to experience them all! The unfortunate reality, however, is that traveling can be rather expensive; travel guides with good reviews often cost upwards of $30 dollars a piece! That’s why I’ve decided to make my travelogues available for FREE: for anyone looking to travel to Costa Rica, or anyone who wants to read about what it’s like to live among the lovely people of San Diego — you’re in the right place!
Great Places To Vacation On A Budget
One of the best ways to save money for a vacation is by finding somewhere that is inexpensive. Even a cheap vacation can bring you lots of joy, as can a high-end trip. The location where you go doesn’t count for everything — if it did, would you buy those beach wear in Paris or Morocco?
The world is full of affordable destinations, and it doesn’t require much effort to find them. No matter what continent, there are always places you can visit on a budget — even countries we think of as expensive are quite budget-friendly if you know certain tips and tricks.
No destination is really ever “too expensive.”
After 12 years as a frugal budget traveler and, in light of the release of my new book, today I want to talk about my favorite budget travel destinations.
These destinations are my favorite countries and regions for getting the most value for your money, meeting friendly locals and travelers, eating well, and having fun.
If you’re looking to travel on a low budget and wondering where you should go, here are the 10 best and cheapest places to travel internationally:
1. Fiji
Most of us imagine Pacific Island destinations as expensive destinations filled with high priced resorts, food, and services. However, that’s not always the case. Fiji, unlike its expensive island neighbors and sharp marketing by Fiji water, is actually relatively cheap to visit. While there are many $1,000-a-night resorts in the country, you can manage to enjoy pristine beaches, world-class diving, tasty seafood, and friendly locals without having to mortgage your home.
Since Fiji is a stopover on Fiji Airlines, you’ll find a lot of flight deals to the country. Many backpackers take advantage of that and a small backpacker community has emerged. That means cheap guesthouses, transportation, and activities, especially in the popular Yasawa Islands.
Even if you’re not a backpacker, you can take advantage of all these deals and save money. Fiji is one of the best budget destinations in the region and not to be missed.
For more information, check out this detailed planning guide on Fiji.
2. Central America
Want to roam ancient ruins, trek through the jungle, surf, and eat delicious food with few tourists around? Visit the smaller countries in Central America — think El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Guatemala. Here you will find most budget hotels for around $15 per night, meals for $3, most bus journeys for the same price, and beer for less than a dollar.
Belize, Panama, Costa Rica – these are expensive destinations by regional standards. If you visit the central Central American countries, you can get by on $40 a day as a backpacker or splash up to $60 a day and live large. Your money goes really far in this part of the world.
For more information, check out this detailed planning guide on Central America.
3. Cambodia
While you could put all of Southeast Asia on the list, Cambodia is one of my favorite countries in the region — it’s affordable, beautiful, and the locals are incredibly hospitable. You can get a private, air-conditioned room for $20 USD, street food for $2, and transportation across the country for $20. If you are spending close to $50 a day, you are living large. It’s way cheaper than all its neighbors, just as beautiful, and filled with some of the nicest people in the world. It’s one of the cheapest backpacking destinations in the world!
For more information, check out this detailed planning guide on Cambodia.
4. China
China has fascinated travelers ever since Marco Polo traversed the Silk Road. While the days of China being a super-cheap destination are long gone, the country remains a budget destination – and one of the cheapest in Asia – but with a caveat. You need to get out of the big cities. Sure, the cities are still a bargain. Hostels cost less than $20 a day, food is $2-5 per meal, and local transportation in cities runs less than a dollar. But, the country becomes even cheaper, when you get off the beaten path and the interior. This is where you’ll find the best travel deals and bargains! China still remains one of the best value places in the world.
For more information, check out this detailed planning guide on China.
5. South Korea
South Korea is a country not talked about enough. To me, South Korea is one of the greatest “undiscovered” travel destinations in the world — its prices rival that of Southeast Asia, it’s high tech, the food is mind blowing delicious and eclectic, the countryside is jaw-dropping beautiful, and the nightlife is out of this world. It is one of the most underrated travel destinations out there. With the South Korean currency at 1,100 won per $1 USD and most everything costing only a few thousand won, it’s hard to bust your budget here. My friend and I went out for Korean BBQ complete with drinks, and we each spent $8. You can pick up bottles of beer in 7-Eleven for less than a dollar. Trains are cheap. Everything here is cheap – plus it’s fun and different! If you’re looking for a budget trip to Asia, visit South Korea. There are lots of international flights to here!
6. India
While always a cheap country, the Indian rupee used to ride high at 39 rupees to the US dollar. Now, you get 73 rupees to the dollar — that’s nearly 50 percent more money to travel with. Unless you book five-star resorts and eat only Western meals, you’ll find it hard to spend $50 a day here. You can get by on closer to $30 by staying in cheap guest houses, taking second-class trains, and avoiding Western food. India a cheap backpacking destination – heck, just a cheap travel destination – with a rich cultural history, top class food, helpful and curious locals, incredible regional diversity, great tea, and a lot to do. It’s a gigantic place best either explored in either one large trip or a few smaller chunks. Either way, don’t miss India.