Wherever you live in the world, there's a destination nearby you which is well known as a locale where an international adventure can be had on a shoestring budget. However, many of these places are looking a little tired and touristed out these days. You may have even seen them all before. Here's a short list of alternatives:
OLD: Backpacking in Western Europe
NEW: Backpacking in Eastern Europe
When you're planning a trip on a budget, it's often not so much about how cheap you can get a holiday for, but how much you can get for your money. If you want to absorb the history and culture of the great continent of Europe, your money will go a lot further in the East than in the West. For example, a cheap hostel bed in London or Paris will cost you at least $10-$15AUD, whereas in Prague you can get a bed for $4AUD a night; this means you can afford to stay longer, or save your money towards fun experiences rather than essentials like accommodation. Another example is beach holiday destinations in summer; if you want to pay for a holiday and actually relax, your best bet is not the crowded beaches in the south of France, it's the undiscovered gems of the Dalmatian Coast. $50 on the Cote d'Azur will get you a sun lounger chair for the day on a crowded beach front. $50 in Split, Croatia will get you a bed in a hostel, a visit to the museum, lunch out at a restaurant, and drinks that night.
OLD: Contiki tour of Thailand
NEW: Gecko's tour of Cambodia
Due to proximity and affordability, many Aussies have travelled to popular destinations in south-east Asia such as Thailand and Bali. Well, if you've been to Kuta or Phuket lately, you'll notice they're stuffed with chubby bogans abusing the local people and refusing to engage with the culture. The beaches, hills and grand archaeological sites of Cambodia are a perfect compromise between over touristed destinations and the totally undiscovered, when keeping budget in mind. There is enough existing infrastructure and tourism business there that you don't have to organise everything yourself and you have a wide range of choices, but you can still get away from the crowds on a budget. For example, Phuket gets in excess of five million tourist visitors a year, while the beautiful Sihanoukville receives only around 100,000 per year.
OLD: Ecotourism in the Amazon
NEW: Voluntourism anywhere in South America
Travellers with a conscience have long had more ethical options available to them in terms of choosing destinations, tour operators, and accommodation with an environmentally sustainable focus. Tourism development has been promoted as a reason and a way to save large swathes of natural environment in South America, particularly in the Amazon basin. These days though, you can go one step further and not only contribute to saving an area's natural history through visiting as a tourist, you can help to rebuild it or its local community. Fully paid volunteer programs are comparable in cost and usually include homestay accommodation, sightseeing, and the opportunity to work on programs such as reforestation or community development.
I hope this has given you the inspiration to check out a better value alternative when planning your next adventure on a shoestring.
Cheers,
Eva.
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