Is the high cost of travel preventing you from seeing the world? With some
adjustments, the price of traveling abroad can be much cheaper than you can
imagine. One common practice among young
backpackers and more experienced travelers alike is traveling the world on a
small budget. There are so many diverse ways to cut down your spending without
compromising your travel experience.
Many people find budget traveling preferable compared to luxury travel
because of its way of bringing you closer to the local culture. Unlike hopping
on a Mediterranean cruise ship or staying at a fancy resort, traveling cheaply
and independently can put you in contact with the day-to-day activities of
millions of people around the globe.
Below are some of the biggest ways to travel for less than you think and
still having an amazing experience.
Location Matters
The simplest way to travel longer or more comfortably for very little cost,
is to travel some place where your money stretches further. In Western Europe,
Five thousand dollars might allow you to backpack for few weeks but that is not
enough to survive for months in Vietnam or Thailand.
Be aware of the parts of the world that offers the most for your money as
you plan your trip. Think, South East Asia instead of Australia, Central
America instead of South America and Eastern Europe instead of Western Europe.
The pricing in some parts of the world can differ by season, and then traveling
during the off-season period can make an unaffordable site more obtainable.
Overnight Buses, Planes, and Trains
No matter where you are travelling to, one of your biggest costs implications
would be transportation. There are a number of things you can try to do to keep
these costs minimal. The first thing to do is to cut flight costs by booking
when there is low-demand and making use of a search aggregator like Kayak to discover diverse websites that
offer the best airfare. You can also look at overland means of transportation
like buses, boats, and trains, which unlike flying are less costly.
Since transportation costs consumes not just money, but also eats up time,
plan an itinerary where you spend more time in each destination and move less.
If you are always on the move, your costs implication will be higher and your
trip more tedious than if you spend quality time in each places you go. Why not
consider making a major city your focus and taking day trips from there.
Sleeping Cheap
Hostels are not terrifying murder dens forget the scary movies you may have
watched. They’re actually superb, less expensive place to lay your head. Think
of it as not just a place to stay, but as an instant social environment where
you have direct access into new cultures. Other cheap options to expensive
hotels include couch-surfing, renting a short-term apartment and house sitting
or join a membership club.
If you’re traveling a country like Asia or Mexico with great street
food you’re in serious luck, as you can
surely have an amazing food for less than a couple of dollars. If you are the
type that street food is not an option, look for local fast food bakeries,
chains, and small family owned restaurants. Another option is to pay a visit to
the grocery store and select a picnic of local foods for your taste.
Cheap Entertainment
Some major tourist sites can cost a lot to enter (though some are worth
it), there are also free and inexpensive ways to tour a new city. Talk to people,
Wander aimlessly, try new foods and make new friends. Make time to explore
local neighborhoods, relax in public parks, or you can poke around smaller
churches and museum. Who knows what you might discover.