It is healthy to at least travel once in a while, to relax your body and mind and to see the world differently. But it is also healthy and wiser if you enjoy more but spend less. You just need to find cheap flights and places where you can travel without spending too much. Check out these best budget travel destinations that might unleash your inner wanderlust.
1. Portugal – Lisbon
Embrace the Portuguese culture by visiting museums, churches, historical monuments and experiencing nightlife in the city of Lisbon. Most museums visits are free on Sundays and it is a good opportunity to know more about the country. It also close to sandy beaches that you might want to explore. With cheap accommodation and great food, Lisbon is great place to enjoy while on a tight budget. You can find restaurants that are affordable and friendly to tourists that can also help you find the best places to visit.
For estimated budget of 30-50 USD per day (as long as you will not splurge yourself in fancier restaurants) you can enjoy more and spend less.
2. South Africa – Cape Point
Cape point, the capital city of South Africa is located on the southwest coast. With the average daily travel cost of up to 62USD you can explore Cape Point’s beaches, mountains and gardens. Try District Six Museum or Robben Island to know South African history or go hiking at Table Mountain or get up close to the African Penguin colony in Boulder Beach. Summer falls from December to February while Winter is from June to August (mostly rainy days and cold nights) so if you want to start your travel then these are the best months to schedule your vacation.
3. Greece – Crete
This is largest island in Greece and the home of the ancient Minoan civilization, as well as the birthplace of Greek God Zeus, Crete is one of the places you should visit. For 6.45 USD you can visit the Archaeological Museum of Heraklion, Crete’s #1 attraction. If you want sand and sea, Elafonissi Beach is located on the west end of the island and is the best choice. You can also visit the Palace of Knossos if you are interested about the island’s history and the Minoan civilization.
Rent a car to explore more of the island, or choose to use the bus or taxi to save money. They have local markets where you can sample cheeses, olives, baked goodies and buy fresh fruit and vegetables. Eat the local dish of gyros if you want cheaper meals. For an estimated 24 USD as a daily budget, roaming around Crete will be a good choice for a budget traveler like you.
4. Philippines – Palawan
Palawan is one of the top highlights in Philippine tourism for it’s majestic aquatic view. You can go island hopping around the Bacuit archipelago or enjoy scuba diving and snorkeling at the Coron Bay. Visit the underground river in Puerto Princesa , one of the new 7 natural wonders of the world. Food and transportation are fairly cheap and you can find an “all you can eat” buffet and enjoy different kinds of seafood dishes at a very reasonable price. Picture perfect views and adventures close to nature for an average daily budget of 32USD, Palawan will be the perfect place for you to relax and unwind.
5. Hopkins, Belize
“The Jewel” of Central America and known for being an expensive country, it is quite unbelievable the village of Hopkins in Belize is included in this list. But with few adjustments on your budget you can explore the beauty of this country at a very reasonable price. There are many options to spend less in accommodations by booking tours ahead of time. Choose the season where there will be a fewer tourists for the hotel costs would be much cheaper up to 50%. You can enjoy the beautiful beaches like Ambergris Caye, Caye Caulker, and Placencia and try snorkeling or scuba diving.
6. South Korea – Seoul
If you want to travel to Southeast Asia but not for beaches or hiking and want somewhere with rich culture, affordable places to stay and good food then Seoul South Korea is the one for you. There are a lot of options for accommodation that can fit your budget, from luxury hotels to affordable couch-surfing if you like. For transportation it is best to ride the train or bus than taxi. Using T-money (Transportation card) that you can also use to pay in some stores also gives you a discount when you ride a train.
Get to know more about South Korea by visiting palaces like Gyeongbokgung and Changdeokgung. Or visit to National Museum of Korea, wander around Haneul Park or go check the love locks in N Seoul Tower. All these have free entrance! There are also lots of cosmetic shops and flee markets where you can shop.
7. Northern Vietnam
Forbes magazine listed this as the cheapest travel place to visit in 2017. With cascading rice terraces and the country’s natural beauty, it’s not hard to feel relaxed with this kind of scenery. Visit Ho Chi Minh Museum to know more about the history of this country. Discover the beauty in dozens of caves in Ha Long Bay, or visit the small town of Sapa to see the minority villages’ rice terraces, bamboo forest and waterfalls. Use tourist buses when you explore the country and eat local Vietnamese food to spend less. There are a lot of cheap but delicious local foods in the area that will fill your stomach and fit to your budget.
8. Laos – Luang Prabang
For an estimated daily budget of 20-40 USD, travel to Luang Prabang in Laos which is fairly cheap, though much pricier than it’s neighboring countries. You can visit Royal Palace Museum where you can see the treasures of the past and glimpse of how the royal family lives. Travel in Mekong river or try the Pak Ou Caves and Kuang Si Fall tours. With mixed colonial architecture and a quiet relaxing ambiance, it is a good place to visit if you want a peaceful trip.
9. Romania – Bucharest
Bucharest is located at the southeast of the country and it is the capital and the largest city of Romania. A budget friendly city to travel in with lots of historic churches and museums to visit. Parliament Palace, Lipscani, and the Arcul de Triumf are just a few of the landmarks you might want to check out. Museums like The Romanian National Museum of Art, The Peasant Museum and The Village Museum are just a few you can visit for entrance fees ranges from $2 to $3 each. Transportation is fairly cheap and it’s easy to find a cab. For 25-35USD daily budget, it’s worth the price if you want to travel in a country rich in culture and art.
10. Georgia – Tbilisi
If you are interested in exploring a country with rich history and mix of old and new architectural landmarks, then Tbilisi, Georgia is the one for you. You can find accommodation that will fit your budget, the transportation is surprisingly cheap too. There are delicious meals that can fill you up without spending much. Visit the Christian Orthodox churches and wander around the old city to see more of the old architectural structures. National Botanical Garden of Georgia is also a good place to visit if you want to get close to nature. Narikala Fortress is also one of the tourist spots to go to if you want to see the full view of the city. Suggested daily budget for this trip would be 30 USD.
11. Honduras – Copán
One of the cheaper destinations in Central America, Copán, Honduras is a travel destination you shouldn’t miss. Explore Las Copan Ruinas, the popular tourist attraction here for it’s hieroglyphic-lined tunnels. Try relaxing at their natural hot springs spa in Luna Jaguar Aguas Termales or be close to nature at the bird sanctuary in Macaw Mountains. You can enjoy the city and more for an estimated daily budget of 20-35 USD.
