Traveling to great cities in the US and around the world doesn’t have to be a wallet-draining experience. Thanks to favorable exchange rates, low hotel and restaurant prices and other factors, here are 11 exciting destinations that are shockingly affordable…
Bargains in Europe
Česky Krumlov, Czech Republic, is not well-known in the US, but it’s the second-most-popular tourist destination in the Czech Republic. This is a charming little city about three hours from Prague and Vienna with a massive castle that you can tour, a tremendous sense of history and a picturesque river that winds through town—you can take a boat tour and see the city from the water. Historic Svornosti Square is a wonderful place to sit at a café and soak up Old World European ambience without getting soaked by touristy café prices. The city is not large enough to justify a weeklong stay, but it’s an enjoyable—and affordable—two-day side trip. Meals typically cost less than $10, local beer just $1 and two- and three-star hotel rooms $30 to $100.
Kraków, Poland, is a beautifully preserved historic city that’s much less expensive (and less crowded) than most of Europe’s other tourist-worthy historic cities. If you’d like to stroll through medieval town squares, explore centuries-old castles and churches and dine on interesting local food such as wild boar, Kraków is a great place to do all that on a budget. You can eat well for around $5 per meal if you avoid overpriced tourist-oriented restaurants. Expect to pay anywhere from $30 to $90 for a room in a three-star hotel.
Bargain Island Escapes
Tenerife, The Canary Islands, is officially part of Spain, but it’s located off the coast of southern Morocco. Its beaches are beautiful, and temperatures are pleasant year-round. Because it’s outside the hurricane belt, it’s rarely hit by big storms, a major plus when planning an island escape. Tenerife is a top-notch travel destination if you’re looking for sun and sand, but don’t expect to find much excitement there—it’s popular among those who want to stroll along a quiet beach or kick back over drinks. There’s also a national park featuring 12,000-foot-high Mount Teide, a dormant volcano, accessible by cable car. Meals typically cost $5 to $15, and during happy hour, it’s easy to find bars selling beer for between one euro (around $1.13) and 1.5 euros ($1.70). Expect to pay $35 to $100 for a room in a three-star hotel, with the highest prices for hotels right on the beach.
Notable: Low-priced airfare can make other islands affordable. Discount airline JetBlue has direct flights from New York City to the Caribbean island Curaçao, lowering the cost of getting there.Curaçao is known for beautiful beaches tucked into hidden coves, incredible snorkeling on reefs and a somewhat European feel. Discount airline Norwegian Air now flies directly from New York City and Fort Lauderdale to Martinique, a volcanic island that offers French-influenced dining and, of course, beaches, and Guadeloupe, a tropical hideaway known for spectacular beaches and rain forests.
Bargains in the Americas
Mexico City is a big, bustling, historic city—an overlooked gem of a travel destination. It has more museums than any other city in the world, many of them free or inexpensive. The National Museum of Anthropology, perhaps the most fascinating, costs less than $4 at recent exchange rates. The downtown is as clean, safe and pleasant as a typical big US city—Mexico’s well-publicized gang crime problems are concentrated in other parts of this big country. And Mexico City’s high elevation means that it’s not too hot (although June through September can be rainy). Meals typically cost $5 to $10, and for $70 to $100, you can get a very nice room in a three-star or even four-star hotel.
Bargains in Asia
Hanoi, Vietnam, is a lively Asian city with distinctive French influences. You can breakfast in a French café and then enjoy a bowl of authentic Vietnamese pho (pronounced “fuh”) for lunch. It’s even less expensive than Bangkok—a meal might cost $2 or $3, and a local beer $1 or less. Tourist infrastructure is not as well-established here as in Thailand, however, and travelers often have to fend off pushy tour operators. It’s a destination for people who consider travel challenges part of the adventure. Rooms in three-star hotels often cost $20 to $50, and even four-star hotels can be found for $80 or less.
Also notable: Chiang Mai, Thailand, is a city of markets and temples that’s an hour flight from Bangkok. The climate is cooler, the vibe more laid back, and the prices even lower than in Bangkok. Hoi An, Vietnam, is an eclectic port city where Eastern and Western cultures have intermingled for centuries.