The Best Way to Travel on a Budget
Well you won’t be traveling to Monaco and staying at a five star resort on a budget, will you? Maybe so! Mostly, traveling on a budget means finding the cheapest price for the experience you want.
When traveling on a budget it’s best to keep in mind the following points:
1. Travel in the off-peak seasons. You can save up to as much as fifty per cent off air flights and accommodation costs if you plan to travel in low season times.
2. Stay away from popular tourist spots (unless they are on your ‘must-see’ list). If you can go off the beaten track with your destinations, things can be cheaper to see and do and your cultural experiences will be richer.
3. Try camping. Not only is it the cheapest form of accommodation it’s a great way to get up close and personal to nature. It’s the best way to see National Parks and Heritage listed areas.
4. Look for special travel offers (or packages). But make sure you check everything that they include – and don’t include.
5. Invest in a travel pass where you are able. Most developed countries have a rail or bus transport system where you can obtain day, week or monthly passes that will get you around cheaply.
6. Get a work permit if you aim to gain employment while traveling overseas. Working can help subsidize places that aren’t so cheap, such as Europe and Australia.
7. Look for good exchange rates on the dollar. This may help you decide which country to travel to.
8. Think about shortening your visit to destinations that are expensive and increasing your length of stay in cheaper places.
9. Where possible use your credit card. The exchange rate is better.
10. When staying in a hotel, avoid paying for ‘extras’. Don’t touch anything from the honor bar. Don’t watch the in-house movies and don’t use the hotel phone. And try not to use room service too much!
On the world scene there are some great places to travel on a budget for under thirty dollars a day. In Asia you can try India, Laos, China, Cambodia, Mongolia, Pakistan, Thailand, Sumatra and Burma. In Central and South America you can visit El Salvador, Bolivia and Ecuador. If you are after a budget experience in the Pacific, try Fiji or New Zealand. Over in Africa there are some great budget destinations such as Kenya, Egypt, Morocco, Malawi, Tanzania, Zimbabwe and Ghana. Don’t forget the Middle East where places like Iran, Syria and Turkey provide excellent value for money and wonderful experiences for the budget traveler.
There is no ‘best place’ to travel on a budget. Just be prepared to look around, avoid the pitfalls of unwanted costs in package deals or hotel bookings. If you want to travel and your budget doesn’t meet your expectations, be flexible and see if there is somewhere cheaper you might like to experience. You could be pleasantly surprised with your stay in India or Iran, when you thought you wanted to go to Tahiti.
This article was provided by:
Stuart S. Travel / Your All World Travel Guru
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December 9th, 2009 at 11:04 am
Go ?zmir and see Ephesus, where Mother Mary lived. Go ?stanbul, see Ayasofya, Topkap? Palace etc.
December 9th, 2009 at 11:12 am
I recommend Ecuador and Peru. They are both affordable and almost every place has a spectacular view of something and so much to do. I left the countries having seen a lot and feeling like I missed everything. Travel by bus and stay in hostels.
December 10th, 2009 at 3:48 am
If you want to use the trains in this part of the world you better speak the languages. I live in Ukraine and would be VERY hard pressed to buy a ticket, read it, board, etc. without my girlfriend (who speaks Ukrainian). I can do well in Hungary because I speak Hungarian, but unlike airports, where all announcements are in the local language and English, all announcements in train stations are only in the local language. There is also a problem with crime on trains in Eastern Europe, especially since you're wanting to go to the "less-visited" parts of the country alone. In Ukraine, for example, you should buy a compartment with a door that locks, but that means purchasing tickets for at least one other bed (for which you will need another passport). You are safer to go with a tour group in this part of the world. Crime is not everywhere, but you need to be careful and not get yourself in a situation where you cannot deal with the language barrier. You can travel quite nicely for $500 for a week, but you have planned a little much I think for that week. Pick either Poland or Odessa and focus on that area. Find a reputable travel agency to advise you on tickets and purchase them for you. And make sure you don't get yourself in a place you can't get out of, just in case the worst happens.
December 10th, 2009 at 11:34 am
Im not sure how much that is in euro lol….but if yooure on a budget, theres lots of ways to save money
*Avoid dining out or buying drinks in the centre….very costly
*Hotels are expensive so id recommend B&Bs….youd probably prefer the atmosphere anyway
*Rent a car or take the public transport….buses/trains are reasonably reliable and much more commonly used here than in the states
I think the guided tours are your best bet if you want to see the "sights"….it might seem a little commercial…but if you go out on your own, you will probably miss out on some good attractions and you can get some kind of "tourist pass" once you arrive in Dublin Airport
Dublin (and the east coast) is a very different "world" to the west….so
Dublin is the place to go for the art galleries, city tours and of course the nightlife!maybe spend some time in both?
For a great night out, you wont get better than Temple Bar ((its where all the best bars are,,,,very expensive though)
Id Recommend
Dorans (GREAT live music and food)
21's
Reds
The Viperoom
Whelans
Theres alway great music in Tripod….it a lovely place too
Bars aside,
You can visit Dublin Castle
the Dublin Spire is on O'Connells Street (extremely overated but very tall lol)
Depending what youre into, theres lot of museums and art galleries such as the National Gallery and the Irish Museum Of Modern Art, most of which are free or just a small fee.
Phoenix Park…..with the zoo!
Grafton Street/Henry Street (for shopping!)
ALSO ON THE EAST COAST
its not all urban!
Im from Wicklow (which is just south of Dublin
its really nice there also, and i recommend it if you want "scenic" stuff….its known as the "garden of Ireland" here…
You should defo visit "Glendalough"….its a national Park and the views are breathtaking (as well as the monuments ect)
Also, in Wicklow, you could visit Powerscourt Gardens or Powerscourt Waterfall. These are in Enniskerry, Co. Wicklow and VERY worth a visit on a nice day
…………………………………..
If you plan more time and really want to experience "old" ireland, i think you should go to the West (fly to Shannon Airport)
in fact, if youre looking for a "green" holiday on limited time, id recommend you JUST stay West….you wont be bored!
….Try County Clare
i have family who live in a town there called Ballyvaughan….and its absolutely beautiful
There, i think your best bet is to stay in a thatched cottage and visit the little pubs and restaraunts by the sea – theres often live music.
Theres also lots of cool scenic things there too.
The burren (take a look at the Dolmens, theyre incredible!), the Ailwee caves, The cliffs of Moher.
Theres also a "birds of Prey" sanctuary near the Burren – worth a visit.
.The people are SO friendly there and so proud of the County- the accents are crazy too lol.
Theyre very welcoming to tourists so you'd fit right in!
Have a great trip when ya get around to gettin here!
http://www.discoverireland.ie/
I reckon youll find this site quite useful
December 10th, 2009 at 3:35 pm
For how much you need, get a good guidebook.
I think the Lonely Planet series are the best.
Expect to spend about 25% more than the books suggest, as the prices go up and the cheaper rooms are always taken when you ask for them.
Look into the prices of the buslines, cheaper if you book early, less cheap if you book on the day before, agains a train pass, agains the train tickets if you buy just what you need.
A lot depends on how many long hauls you do, and how many days you will actually be traveling.
Often the month or two month passes work out more expensive, because you will not travel that much.
You mention just towns in your destinations, think about going to smaller places too, often less expensive to stay, more fun, and less expensive in spending money too, as in towns almost everything is more expensive.
December 11th, 2009 at 9:19 am
Try this site for some general information and ideas
http://europe4vacations.com
December 11th, 2009 at 1:50 pm
Travelling by train is cheap and relatively safe.
December 11th, 2009 at 8:32 pm
South Africa has relatively resonable bus companys.
This one will take you from the south Cape Town to johannesburg and then some,
Baz Bus Tel: +27 21 439 2323, Fax: +27 21 439 2343, E-mail: info@bazbus.com
P Level , Centurion Building , Cnr 275 Main Road & Frere Road,
Sea Point , Cape Town, South Africa, 8005
In Tanzania you use the services of..
eastafricashuttles.com Shuttle bus services between Kenya – Nairobi, Tanzania- Arusha, Moshi, Jomo Kenyatta Airport and Kilimanjaro International Airport. Dar es Salaam. Also Book hotels in Nairobi City , Excursions and arrange for Airport Transfers.
December 12th, 2009 at 9:09 pm
Check out
http://www.lufthansa.com they have sometimes really great air fairs
If not then go by train.