Traveling is one of the most exciting and fulfilling things you can do with your life. Getting out into the world to see new landscapes and experience new cultures can have a profound effect on your outlook, and can even change you forever. The catch is that travel expenses can quickly pile up and while seeing the world is an amazing experience, going broke in the process is not ideal. Fortunately, there are quite a few places, near and far, where you can stretch your hard-earned dollars and still have an amazing time.
Vietnam
Vietnam is the classic choice for the traveler on a budget. Beautiful beaches, temples, and lush nature surround you wherever you go to in Vietnam, and you’d be hard-pressed to find food or lodging you’d consider expensive.
The most expensive part about a trip to Vietnam is the flight there and back. The flight, it should be noted, is a particularly long one lasting anywhere from 15 to 17 hours depending on which coast you fly out of. Make sure you’re wearing contacts you can sleep in if you don’t want to fiddle with your glasses because you’ll be on that plane for a while!
Thailand
Even though Thailand has become an incredibly popular tourist destination, it still remains one of the cheapest places to travel to. The beautiful landscapes and warm ocean waters are incredibly inviting, but the fact that you can get by on $30 to $50 a day living comfortably in Thailand might be one of its bigger draws. If you can make it out to the Phi Phi Islands for a bout of snorkeling and lounging on the impossibly white sandy beaches, it is an experience that you won’t regret and will never forget.
Las Vegas
While Las Vegas is renowned for its lavish accommodations and live-to-excess attitude for tourists, it can actually be remarkably easy to experience Sin City on a budget. In the off-season especially, hotel prices dip down to a fraction of their usual cost, drinks are free (provided you’re down with sitting in front of a slot machine), and they actually have a pretty intuitive and inexpensive public transportation system that goes pretty much anywhere you’d like to be. Viva Las Vegas!
Yellowstone
The world is now more interconnected and easier to travel through than ever before thanks to the growth of globalization, but you don’t necessarily have to travel outside of the U.S. to have an inexpensive adventure. Yellowstone National park is one of the most beautiful natural areas in the entire world, and all it costs to access this wild and wonderful area is $35 for a 7-day pass. If you do end up heading to Yellowstone or any of the national parks, make sure to follow all rules and regulations so you don’t hurt yourself or the wildlife!
Mexico
If you’re hankering to leave the country for warmer climates but don’t want to shell out thousands for a flight overseas, Mexico provides a great travel experience not too far from home. Mexico has just about everything you could want, too, from adventures across ancient ruins to beaches to vibrant wildlife and more. Buy your flight on a Tuesday for the best deal, pack your swimsuit, and head down to Playa del Carmen, Xilitla, or Puerto Escondido and soak up the culture and inexpensive drinks.
India
India is a vast and beautiful country with a nearly endless amount of things to see and experience. Whether you’re backpacking solo or flying in with a group, India almost certainly has something to offer you. India is so much more than just New Delhi or Mumbai, too, and since traveling and staying in the country is so inexpensive, you would be doing yourself a disservice if you didn’t go exploring.
The Grand Canyon
If you’ve never seen The Grand Canyon in person, you owe it to yourself to make the trip at least once in your life. Pictures cannot do the massive geological features of The Grand Canyon justice, and it is one of the few places on earth that is quite literally breathtaking when you see its seemingly endless scope. Coupled with the fact that you can camp nearby for as low as $15 a night makes it an inexpensive trip absolutely worth taking.
South Korea
Make no mistake, traveling to South Korea can be incredibly expensive if you want it to be, especially since it is a rising cultural hub of art, fashion, and music. However, if you take the time to look there are a near-infinite number of hostels and inexpensive motels that you can take advantage of in almost every corner of South Korea. The vibrant nightlife, inexpensive soju, and cheap but filling street-eats make South Korea one of the greatest countries to travel to, regardless of budget.
Whether you want to travel abroad or just hop in the car and go, there is no shortage of inexpensive and cost-effective destinations for you to visit. Traveling is all about making memories and experiencing new, exciting things. As it turns out, you don’t have to empty your wallet to get it done.
