In these times of crisis, travel is often the first budget item to be sacrificed. We have unearthed 10 destinations where you will spend little, once the plane ticket has been bought (and again, not always), and where you will nevertheless make great discoveries. I am sure you will do immediate boarding!
1. India
Undoubtedly the most contrasted country in the world, India offers you architectural and cultural wonders, bordering on a very low standard of living. Suddenly, this country (the second most populous on the planet) allows you to live for nothing if you do not demand luxurious conditions. It is possible to find rooms for less than 20 €, with very acceptable comfort. Another solution: rent an apartment in a big city for a hundred euros per month, and radiate from this base camp to discover the rest of the country. You can easily eat a local meal for a low price, between 3 and 5 €. And even if you choose hotels that are a little more comfortable, restaurants that are a little less basic, make a few sightseeing and take a rickshaw or a taxi, you can plan an overall budget of between 15 and 45 € per day. Then it’s up to you to discover the hectic Delhi, the sublime Taj Mahal in Agra, Varanasi on the banks of the Ganges, the magical Udaipur, and Bombay, the Mecca of finance and fashion, not to mention Goa and its sand.
2. Sri Lanka
Ancient Ceylon, located in the south-east of Asia, has something to attract the traveler, with its very pleasant climate, its serene atmosphere, and its regions still little frequented, if not downright unexplored for some. But what might make you decide to choose Sri Lanka as your destination is the cost of daily living: a pleasant double room will cost you less than 10 €, and less than 20 if you opt for a little hostel. You can enjoy a perfectly acceptable meal for 5 or 6 €, and take the bus for less than 3 € for your journeys during the day. This will undoubtedly leave you with a budget comfortable enough to go and explore superb places such as the beaches of Mirissa, Uda Walawe National Park, with its herds of buffaloes, elephants, and crocodiles,
3. Ecuador
It is undoubtedly the cheapest country in South America, especially since its interest for the traveler is very real. Indeed, Ecuador offers a very rich nature, with mountains and superb shores, astonishing biodiversity, and very welcoming inhabitants. If you can stay for € 10 a night in a single room, buy a very decent meal for € 3 from the local shop, eat in a restaurant for € 15, you will have the principle to finance your trips and visits. to explore the country (except for the Galapagos which are quite expensive). Explore Quito and its historic center, Otavalo in the Andes with its huge Indian market where you can find wonders of local crafts, Yasuni National Park and its unique equatorial forest,
4. Vietnam
Tourism is developing there, but prices remain very affordable for European travelers, and Vietnam is one of the cheapest countries in the part of Asia. You can easily find a very comfortable room for 10 € and benefit for this price from comfort services such as air conditioning, sauna, and WiFi access. A meal will cost you most of the time for less than 5 € if you avoid high-end establishments. To rent a bike, it will cost you around € 3 per day. Very accessible sums which will allow you to discover the multiple treasures of this country like the splendid bay of Along, the ruins of the ancient kingdom of Champa, the very beautiful region of Sapa with its green valleys and its rice fields, the delta of the Mekong and its small islands.
5. Cambodia
Here is another very economical Asian country for European tourists. You can easily find a room there for 10 €, and even less if you will do some bargaining. Local restaurants offer meals for around 5 € per day, and by choosing the street stalls you will eat for 1 € which is enough to fill you up. And if you ever feel like having an exceptional gourmet meal, it will be possible for 25 €. It will cost you 2 € to make a 100 km trip by bus. Places to see: Angkor, of course (be careful, tour prices are a little high), Phnom Penh and its teeming life, the beaches of Sihanoukville, the wild region of Mondolkiri with its hills, waterfalls, and elephants, the colonial town of Battambang, Virachey National Park in the beautiful province of Ratanakiri.
6. Bolivia
You can live in Bolivia for less than 15 € a day! For better comfort, count 30 € on average. Be aware that you can find rooms in two-star hotels at 5 € a night, and that you can treat yourself to delicious dishes (Bolivia holds gastronomy records in South America) for the same amount. You will have enough to travel to discover the sublime landscapes of this country like the Salar de Uyuni, the largest salt desert in the world, the trails of the Cordillera Real in the middle of wild expanses, the archaeological site of Tiwanaku, Amboro National Park, Lake Titicaca, and Isla del Sol, the markets of La Paz and the canyons of Tupiza. A series of wonders that you will not forget.
7. Hungary
Closer to home, this country is undoubtedly one of the most economical in Europe. You will live for less than 40 € per day per person, knowing that a double room costs less than 40 € and a hearty meal not more than 10 €. Add to this, the very affordable price for a round trip flight which may not exceed a hundred euros, and you will have the opportunity to discover the natural and cultural riches of this truly attractive country, which also offers very inexpensive transport. You will taste this very particular charm with the taste of the Orient, the walks in Budapest on the banks of the romantic Danube, its magnificent architecture, Lake Balaton, and its charming seaside resorts, as well as the Hortobàgy park and its hundreds of species of birds.
8. Honduras
Even in tourist places, one can live in Honduras on a very economical budget. You will only need 25 € per day to stay and eat, in this country where the beaches are covered with white sand, planted with palm trees, and bordered by transparent water. You can indeed eat for less than 10 € and have a hotel room for ten euros. Some beautiful places to see in this country like the capital, Tegucigalpa. At an altitude of 1000 meters, between its mountains and its pine forests; the archaeological site of Copan Ruinas, the nearby village of the same name, and its hot springs; Tela, a seaside town very popular with travelers with its superb beaches; Trujillo, another seaside town where you will appreciate the very calm sea bordered by coconut palms; and for diving enthusiasts, the Bahia archipelago.
9. Bulgaria
Another European country that allows the traveler not to spend crazy sums while discovering a destination worthy of interest, whatever the season is. You can stay at the hotel for between € 5 and € 30, depending on the location. A meal taken in the cafeteria or bought in the markets will cost you less than 10 €, but you can treat yourself to a restaurant from time to time for around 20 euros. In addition, many museums offer free admission one day a week. You will appreciate in this country the sense of the incredible hospitality of its inhabitants, you will discover magnificent mountainous landscapes, very beautiful monasteries, and Romanesque and Byzantine ruins, as well as very beautiful beaches on the coasts of the Black Sea.
10. Greece
Despite its eminently touristic character, and this for decades, Greece still offers the possibility of not breaking the bank for an almost paradisiacal holiday. There is no denying that prices have increased since the changeover, and Athens in particular offers quite expensive accommodation, unless you opt for a homestay room, and are not traveling from June to the end of August. You can eat a normal meal in Greece for less than 15 €, and even much less outside Athens. It is still possible to find rooms for less than € 20 when the place is out of season. You will then taste the atmosphere more eastern than western of Greece, its islands and its mountains, the varied landscapes of the Peloponnese, the monuments of Athens, the monasteries of Meteora in Thessaly, the Cyclades and their immaculate houses, Crete and its fishing villages.
