The World’s Cheapest Destinations
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Laos is one of the best bargains in Southeast Asia—and that’s saying something, since most countries there are relatively cheap for travelers. Because tourism is only beginning to make inroads in Laos, visitors are not seen as mere revenue streams; locals extend a warm and genuine welcome. You can find an inexpensive guesthouse for less than $20 a night; open-air cafes along the Mekong River offer absurdly cheap French and Lao specialties.
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A world apart from the unrest that sometimes grips other parts of Indonesia, Bali seduces visitors with its magnificent beaches, lush volcanic peaks and impossibly green rice paddies. This serene tropical island, dotted with thousands of Hindu shrines and temples, is the stuff of escapist fantasies. Even budget accommodations feature beautifully carved wooden furniture and jewel-toned fabrics. For $10 to $20, you can bunk in a simple guesthouse or rent a beach bungalow.
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After decades of turmoil, Vietnam has finally achieved peace and stability. Today its fledgling market economy is revving up, and the country is welcoming an increasing number of Western visitors. In the colorful and chaotic cities of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, you can rough it for a few dollars a day, or get a comfortable room with air conditioning and hot showers for $30 a night. In any street market, a mere $1 buys a steaming bowl of pho and a cold beer.
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In India, if you have an adventurous spirit, you can get by on less than $20 a day—but even $40 to $50 a day will land you some creature comforts and more elaborate meals. First-time visitors might consider flying into sprawling, bustling Delhi before making a side trip to Agra’s wondrous Taj Mahal. Then go off to tour the vast province of Rajasthan, with its outrageously ornate forts and palaces. Rajasthan is full of adventure, whether you dream of spotting an elusive tiger or taking a camel safari under the stars.
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An African safari doesn’t have to involve forking over thousands of dollars to a U.S.-based tour operator. It’s possible to book your safari after you arrive in Zambia. You can even travel to the game parks independently. Zambia is also home to another of Africa’s most stunning spectacles: Victoria Falls. The Zambian side of the thundering falls offers camping for less than $5, or you can rent a hut for $40 to $50, with meals included.
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Tunisia is a modern and secular society in a land of ornate mosques and Lawrence of Arabia desert landscapes. Bustling markets tout rugs, pottery and colorful crafts—yours for a song. Archaeological wonders await, too, from the ancient city of Carthage to glorious Roman ruins. After you explore the culture, relax on a gorgeous Mediterranean beach where basic rooms and hostel bunks go for less than $15. If you can swing $50 a day, you’ll sleep comfortably and eat well.
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Laid-back Honduras offers a pristine rain forest that’s alive with howler monkeys and multicolor birds. You’ll find hiking, river rafting and impressive Maya ruins (at Copán). The Bay Islands are home to world-class scuba diving and snorkeling along a dazzling coral reef. For now, $8 buys you a hearty dinner; decent budget digs go for less than $25 per night. You can spend even less if you don’t mind sleeping in a hammock.
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Guatemala combines natural splendor with a fascinating glimpse into Mayan culture, history and traditions. The highlight for most travelers is surely Tikal: The ruins of a once-great Mayan city feature spectacular towering pyramids that rise out of the dense jungle. Wherever you go, you’ll find lots of simple bungalows and homey family-run inns that host budget travelers for as little as $20 to $30 per night.
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Peru offers some of the most rugged and diverse scenery in South America. Real shoestring travelers can get by on $25 a day, while $50 a day will put you up in midrange hotels with style and character. Cusco is best known as the jumping-off point for Machu Picchu, but don’t overlook several other excursions that are closer to the city, like the remarkable ruins of Sacsayhuamán. In the Amazon Basin, hostel bunks and jungle lodges are plentiful in gateway towns such as Iquitos, where boat tours reveal the diversity and wonder of the rain forest.
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Buenos Aires, Argentina, is a city of grand boulevards and tango salons. Parrillas (barbecue joints) offer incomparable steak dinners for $10; a bed in a hostel goes for $9, but in this town, $40 or $50 a night buys an extremely comfortable midrange hotel room. The beach resort of Mar del Plata is legendary for its rollicking nightlife, and the garden city of Mendoza makes a great base for touring the wine country or whitewater rafting. Or fly to the ends of the earth to see the towering peaks and glaciers of Patagonia and stroll among the friendly penguin colonies at Punta Tombo.
source travel.msn.com
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