Many people love to travel but unfortunately with the recent economic woos that have affected so many these last couple of years, many of the people who once traveled are not doing as much anymore. Travel close to home is becoming the new trend and there is nothing wrong with vacationing at home, it’s just that a lot of these people who once traveled far and wide dream of taking an exotic vacation somewhere away from home like they always did in the past. It is automatically assumed that doing this is too expensive so they resort to what they know they can afford.
Well, we all know what they say about assumptions! Even in these bad economic times and even if you have less disposable income at your fingertips than you did before, it is still possible to score a cheap vacation, even one on another continent! First, here is a list of some of the world’s cheapest places to travel:
- Asia
- Vietnam
- China
- India
- Laos
- Cambodia
- Thailand
- Malaysia
- Africa
o Morocco
o Egypt
o Tunisia
- Europe
o Bulgaria (one of Europe’s cheapest destinations)
o Poland
o Hungary
o Romania
o Turkey
o Netherlands
o Czech Republic
o Croatia
- North America
o Las Vegas
o North Dakota
o Eastern Canada
- South America
o Argentina
o Bolivia
o Ecuador
o Chile
Now that you know where your buck will go the furthest, you have to consider getting there. Although these places and many other places that are not on this list may be cheap, if you do not plan accordingly when it comes to your plane tickets, travel insurance and accommodations, you may still end up paying more than you budgeted for. Here are some tips to help you make your hard-earned money go as far as possible:
1) Before you start looking for a vacation, make sure you are aware of what you will need to spend money on. Common items include flights, ground transportation to and from airports, travel insurance, meals, souvenirs, accommodations, entertainment and admission fees to museums and tours.
2) Decide whether you want to travel independently or as part of a vacation package that includes various items for a fixed price. The latter is usually the cheapest way to travel if you are able to find such a package for the location you plan to travel to but if you must travel independently, this will require more planning and will still end up costing a little more.
3) Once you have your destination picked out and know the type of trip you want to take, start doing your research. Learn as much as you can about the place and what things will cost while you are there.
4) Some say that booking a flight or vacation very early is the best way to save on flights while others say it is best to book at the last minute. Both are true, it depends on who you book with. The best way to get deals is to be constantly watching for them. Visit travel websites and sign up for their newsletters that are sent to your inbox when new deals are available. Always be on the lookout!
5) Travel in the off-season if at all possible.
6) Pack as lightly as possible to avoid extra baggage fees.
7) Look for money-saving coupons. I have done this before and have found coupons for museums, amusement parks, restaurants and even bars.
8) If at all possible, try to use traveler’s checks or debit instead of your credit card to make purchases while you are traveling to avoid those pesky interest charges you will have to pay back once you are home.
9) When shopping for insurance, get many quotes before settling on one.
10) Traveling on a budget does not mean you have to sacrifice luxury but it helps if you sacrifice some! Camping or staying in hostels instead of staying in hotels and resorts will save you tons of money and so will buying groceries locally and cooking meals yourself.
Although many travel companies such as Contiki and Travel Cuts specialize in discount travel, all travel companies offer deals and sales from time to time. The key is knowing where to look and when!
Photo via Patrick Ng
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