Top 10 Budget Travel Destinations Around The World

People keep asking me how I afford to travel so much. Well, I mostly go to budget destinations. Travel doesn’t have to be expensive at all. Often countries abroad are even cheaper than staying at home. Do you want to travel as well but don’t want to spend tons of money? Check out my top 10 of budget travel destinations around the world.

Sri Lanka

Even though Sri Lanka is a relatively small country, there is lots to see and do. Go see wild elephants and leopards, visit ruins of ancient cities, hike through tea plantations and to waterfalls, and relax on golden-sand beaches or go surfing. You could stay a month on this island and just about see the highlights. And everything is extremely cheap. Imagine being on a 2^nd class train ride for seven hours and paying less than US$2. Yes, that’s right.

Laos

Laos is one-of-a-kind. The country has the questionable honor of being the most bombed country in the entire world, during the Vietnam war. The scars of the past are still there. But at the same time it’s developing and enjoying an increasing influx of tourists. Local traditions meet tourism. Some small villages in the mountains got electricity in recent years and continue to grow. Others feel like time stands still. Everywhere are monks, beautiful temples, communism and impressive nature. There’s absolutely no place like it. In terms of money it’s very inexpensive. A beer? Less than US$1. A local meal? Less than US$1. A 1.5L bottle of water? Less than US$1. You could get around for US$10 per day here if you want.

Indonesia

Indonesia is huge and there are loads of islands that beg to be explored. It depends on where you are going, but top visits include meeting orangutans in Sumatra, climbing the impressive Bromo volcano in Java, going to Borobodur which is the largest Buddhist monument in the entire world, exploring the rice terraces of Bali or going to one of the many other islands. There’s no doubt that Indonesia has plenty to offer while it’s one of the cheapest countries that I’ve ever been to. I spent approximately US$850 during a month, and that included private rooms with hot showers, eating out three times a day, renting scooters everywhere, excursions, you name it.

Cambodia

I could list all Southeast Asian countries, but then it wouldn’t be the top 10 of budget travel destinations around the world. So last but not least for Asia: Cambodia. Explore the stunning countryside, ancient temples and ruins, beautiful beaches and enjoy true hospitality. Even though the country is becoming more and more established on the backpackers trail, it’s way cheaper than its neighbors. It’s one of the cheapest destinations for backpacking in the entire world!

Colombia

Colombia is incredibly diverse and booming. Tourism has grown over 260% since 2002, due to increased safety in recent years. There are megacities, jungles, glaciers, deserts, coffee plantations and tropical islands. Although it isn’t the cheapest country to visit on this list, it’s still very much possible to get by on less than US$50 per day. However, Colombia also offers high end accommodation, restaurants and activities. So you do have to keep an eye on where you spend your money. If you want to travel cheap try not to indulge in the vibrant gastronomy scene, stay away from the fancy cocktail bars, stay in hostels instead of hotels and avoid Gringoland. Want to know more? Check out my ideal travel itinerary for 3 weeks.

Ecuador

Galapagos is one of the main reasons why people visit Ecuador, but there’s so much more than that. And Galapagos isn’t very cheap, so if you’re traveling on a budget you might want to stick to the mainland. But that’s fine, really. There are incredible beaches, lush Amazonian rainforest and the magnificent mountain range the Andes. A nature lover’s paradise. A dorm in a hostel costs around US$8 per night and a private room around US$12. If you eat local food, it won’t cost more than US$5 per meal. And a beer is only US$1. Ecuador is one of the cheapest countries in South America to travel to.

Georgia

There are still plenty of options to travel on a budget in Europe and you don’t want to miss Georgia. The food and wine are simply incredible, people are too kind even if they don’t speak English (not even a word), the historic sights go back hundreds of years and the Caucasus mountains are the highest in Europe. If you can afford to hire a 4WD car (US$800 for two weeks), you have the ultimate freedom of exploring the country at your own pace and go wherever you want. I spent around US$200 per week, including staying in private double rooms, excursions such as paragliding and eating out at least twice a day. That’s less than US$30 per day. Read more in my post about the most epic road trip itinerary in Georgia!

Romania

Like Georgia, Romania is a somewhat off-the-radar destination in Eastern Europe and a true road tripper’s dream. In particular the Transfagarasan Highway, a winding and paved mountain road that shows you the best landscapes in the country. Historic churches, castles and monasteries are hidden away in medieval towns where the outside world doesn’t seem to exist. Even though it is a bit more expensive, it’s well worth hiring a car here. The prices are comparable to Georgia, as it’s very much possible to get around for less than US$30 per day.

Portugal and the Azores

Mainland Portugal offers stunning coastlines, vibrant Lisbon, cobblestone villages and great gastronomy. The Azores, officially part of Portugal, are Europe’s secret islands. There’s very little tourism, nature is incredible, wildlife (such as whales and dolphins) is abundant, and the seafood is the best in Europe. Portugal is definitely more expensive than the other countries on this list, but for European standards still affordable. You should be able to get around fine for around US$50 per day as a backpacker. The Azores require you to hire a car as the public transportation isn’t very much developed, so expect to pay a few dollars per day more here.

Morocco

Budget travel destinations in Africa are hard to find, but Morocco is your best bet. It’s often called the gateway to Africa and offers epic mountains, ancient cities with mazelike medinas and incredible deserts. You don’t have to worry about spending too much money on alcohol, because that’s not a common thing to do in the country. Assuming you’re staying in hostels, eating local dishes at the market or at cheap restaurants and using local transportation, expect to pay around US$50 per day. In Africa it doesn’t get a whole lot cheaper than that.

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There are many more budget travel destinations around the world, and I’m curious what your best budget destination is? Please tell me in the comments! Would you like to save even more money on your trip? Check out my guide on how to find cheap flights before you go.