Traveling is a way of life. Traveling inspires, changes us, and broadens our horizons. We should all travel at least once in a while.
Unfortunately, often times budget can be a limiting factor to our travels. Sometimes, we may look at the new travel guides from Lonely Planet or Matador Network, and think, how could I possibly afford that?
Still, the world has a lot to offer to the budget traveler. Budget traveling can be quite interesting and entertaining, and if you’re resourceful and savvy, you won’t need a large amount of money.
Preparation and exploring can provide you with tons of ideas, and today we are bringing you 10 Countries That Budget Travelers Can’t Miss.
1.Costa Rica
Lovely beaches, exotic wildlife, and a relaxed way of life. The people are friendly, and there are tons of attractions to visit and explore, such as:
Arenal Volcano National Park– you’ll encounter twenty-foot high grass here, among other natural attractions. Entrance fee is $7.
Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve– a massive forest preservation, splendid to visit and admire the purity of nature, worth the $12 entrance.
How much it will cost me?
To stay in Costa Rica you won’t need a fortune. A typical meal with juice will cost around $4 and a private room in hostel costs ranges from $14 to $50. Taxi fares within the city limits will be around $3 to $12. Look here for more cost information.
2. Greece
Greece is a beautiful Mediterranean country, with a lovely sea, climate, and great history. Many starting destinations won’t empty your pockets and will provide you with plenty of relaxing and quality leisure time.
Here are some of the most affordable destinations:
Meteora– spectacular formation of rock pillars with monasteries on top of them. It’s free to visit them, and €2 ($2.28) to enter the monastery.
Navagio Beach– an isolated sandy cove with a shipwreck on Zakynthos island and one of the most famous and photographed beaches in Greece. It’s reachable only by boat, and it won’t cost you more than $25 to have a full cruise around the island.
How much will it cost me?
You’ll taste spectacular food in Greece for a bargain — lamb specialties cost around $10, drinks are around $3, and hostels will provide fine accommodations starting from $30 per night. Here’s more info on prices for traveling to Greece.
3. Fiji
Magnificent vacations for a bargain — that’s how you can summarize Fiji. The backpacking community in Fiji welcomes new travelers, and diverse island localities will fulfill all your needs. And the best part, it won’t cost you a fortune to do it. While in Fiji, you might consider:
Diving/Snorkeling– an amazing experience, that you shouldn’t miss, starting from $35
Turtle watching – many excursions with prices starting from $20
Drinking Kava, a natural sedative, often free.
How much will it cost me?
Hotels offer rooms from $15 a night, and you can get a fully equipped modern home on a beach for $25 a night. Food prices start from $2 for authentic street food. Look here for more info on Fiji travel prices.
4. Latvia
Among the most-visited countries in Baltic and Northern Europe, Latvia has a lot to offer to tourists. Backpackers who love architecture admire the capital, Riga, for its vibrant and lively atmosphere, along with its interesting culture, heritage, and mixture of styles in buildings.
While in Latvia, you should not miss Old Riga, a historic area of the city where you’ll find dozens of monuments and structures from the old ages. Some of them require an entrance fee, while the others are free to explore.
Turaida Museum Reserve is another place not to miss, as it’s affordable (around $5 for admission), as well as rich in archaeological, architectural, and artsy monuments of Latvia.
How much will it cost me?
The national beer, Aldaris, costs around $2.50. A full lunch of pork with potatoes and sauce is $6, and a night in a hostel or budget hotel will cost from $18 to $45. Here’s more info on Latvia travel costs.
5. Sri Lanka
This is the one of most popular countries for backpackers since it provides a lot on a small budget. Beautiful nature surrounds and awakens your spiritual side, while exploring the pristine temples and sacred relics inside will be your travel memories from Sri Lanka. This affordable country provides hundreds of places to visit, and when you discover Sri Lanka, you simply can’t endure not to return.
Here are some of the mesmerizing and affordable attractions to visit:
Adam’s Peak– a summit of the Buddha’s footprint, where the iconic smiling monks have meditated. The view from Adam’s Peak is unbelievable. Expect some serious climbing though.
Yala National Park– A popular park, home to much of Sri Lanka’s beautiful native flora and fauna. $15 for entrance fee.
How much will it cost me?
A typical meal will cost you around $3, and a guesthouse room can be found for $20 a night or even less. Average fees for popular attractions are around $30. Look here for more info.
6. Turkey
A unique mix of eastern and western cultures, and country of many beautiful landmarks, Turkey is a great tourist destination. Among thousands of attractions and experiences to have, you most certainly should not miss:
Topkapi Palace– the ancient home of the sultans from the past ages, now an exquisite museum. You can explore it for around $5.
Hagia Sophia – the biggest church in the city, and for the long time the biggest in the world. The main attraction of Istanbul is accessible for about $10
How much will it cost me?
Traditional fast food like Kebabs and shawarma will cost around $2. A decent hotel will charge you $20 to $30 a night. Famous Turkish coffee is around $1.50. More info on travel prices in Turkey here.
7. Croatia
Picturesque mountainous regions and the beautiful Adriatic sea lure budget travelers to Croatia every year. More than a thousand islands create an extraordinary formation of shore and rocky areas, surrounded by turquoise seas. Visiting Croatia, one should not miss these attractions:
Dubrovnik– “The Pearl of Adriaticâ€: a historic monumental city beneath a mountain on the shores of Adriatic Sea. Surrounded with ancient walls, this fortress is a top attraction. Entrance to the city is free, and several buildings inside charge fees.
Plitvice Lakes National Park– a beautiful lake formation showcasing stunning natural surroundings. Absolutely worth visiting and paying the $27 entrance fee.
How much will it cost me?
A room for two will cost you $15 to $25 per person. A simple meal will be around $5, and bus tours are $2 to $4 per hour. Here is more info on Croatian traveling prices.
8. Ecuador
South America has been known as a destination for budget travelers for decades. The natural beauty attracts tourists to have spectacular vacations for a budget that may not even be enough to cover the costs of transportation to some other destinations. Ecuador possesses a lot of natural and cultural monuments. It has all the characteristic landmarks of South America, like culture and architecture.
You should not miss visiting Laguna Quilotoa, a volcanic crater-turned-lake located at 3900 m above sea. Hiking tours to this attraction last for 3 to 6 hours.
The Galápagos wildlife is another fine reason to visit Ecuador.
How much will it cost me?
You won’t need a big budget for Ecuador. A big lunch will cost you $3 or less, drinks or coffee will cost $0.50 to $1.50, and a taxi ride will range from $1.75 to $6. Hotels and hostel rooms will usually cost $7 to $15 a night per person. Here’s more info on Ecuador travel costs.
9. Dominican Republic
White sandy beaches and lovely sea awaits you in the Dominican Republic. A holiday can be really low-cost here, and the country has a good reputation as a summer holiday destination. Alongside beaches, you’ll find lots of lovely natural surroundings and animal species.
Here are some of the highly recommended places to visit in Dominican Republic:
Playa Rincón– this is a picture-perfect beach. Imagine 3 km of flat and nearly white sand, warm and turquoise sea, and a lovely breeze.
Constanza– a mountainous region which makes for an extraordinary adventure.
How much will it cost me?
A hotel room will usually cost around $20 per night, and bus transportation is around $3. An average lunch meal will cost you $10. Here’s more info on prices in the Dominican Republic.
10. Morocco
Located in North Africa, Morocco is a perfect place to visit for a budget travelers. Cheap prices for everything lure people all year long to have fine holidays for bargain prices. The beauty of the huge Sahara desert is not to be missed, as well as the many attractions of Marrakesh, the capital.
Be sure to check out these destinations:
Majorelle Garden, Marrakech– A beautiful garden which will amaze you. The entrance cost is $4.20.
Climb the Todra Gorge– Impressive nature at its finest, guided walks happen every day for about $10.
How much will it cost me?
Beds in a shared dorm room in hostel can cost $5 per night, and a complete meal in Morocco can be bought for $6. Transport is cheap as well, ranging from $2 to $5. Here is more info on Morocco travel costs.
As you can see, there are many countries around the world that you can visit without breaking the bank, while still enjoying a quality vacation. Which of these countries have you visited before? Do you have plans to visit some of the countries from our list? Let us know in the comments below.
