Travel in Budget

Stuart S. Travel asked:


 

Well you won’t be traveling to Monaco and staying at a five star resort on a budget, will you? Maybe so!  Mostly, traveling on a budget means finding the cheapest price for the experience you want.

 

When traveling on a budget it’s best to keep in mind the following points:

1. Travel in the off-peak seasons. You can save up to as much as fifty per cent off air flights and accommodation costs if you plan to travel in low season times.

2. Stay away from popular tourist spots (unless they are on your ‘must-see’ list). If you can go off the beaten track with your destinations, things can be cheaper to see and do and your cultural experiences will be richer.

3. Try camping. Not only is it the cheapest form of accommodation it’s a great way to get up close and personal to nature. It’s the best way to see National Parks and Heritage listed areas. 

4. Look for special travel offers (or packages). But make sure you check everything that they include – and don’t include.

5. Invest in a travel pass where you are able. Most developed countries have a rail or bus transport system where you can obtain day, week or monthly passes that will get you around cheaply.

6. Get a work permit if you aim to gain employment while traveling overseas. Working can help subsidize places that aren’t so cheap, such as Europe and Australia.

7. Look for good exchange rates on the dollar. This may help you decide which country to travel to.

8. Think about shortening your visit to destinations that are expensive and increasing your length of stay in cheaper places.

9. Where possible use your credit card. The exchange rate is better.

10. When staying in a hotel, avoid paying for ‘extras’. Don’t touch anything from the honor bar. Don’t watch the in-house movies and don’t use the hotel phone. And try not to use room service too much!

 

On the world scene there are some great places to travel on a budget for under thirty dollars a day. In Asia you can try India, Laos, China, Cambodia, Mongolia, Pakistan, Thailand, Sumatra and Burma. In Central and South America you can visit El Salvador, Bolivia and Ecuador. If you are after a budget experience in the Pacific, try Fiji or New Zealand. Over in Africa there are some great budget destinations such as Kenya, Egypt, Morocco, Malawi, Tanzania, Zimbabwe and Ghana. Don’t forget the Middle East where places like Iran, Syria and Turkey provide excellent value for money and wonderful experiences for the budget traveler.

 

There is no ‘best place’ to travel on a budget. Just be prepared to look around, avoid the pitfalls of unwanted costs in package deals or hotel bookings. If you want to travel and your budget doesn’t meet your expectations, be flexible and see if there is somewhere cheaper you might like to experience. You could be pleasantly surprised with your stay in India or Iran, when you thought you wanted to go to Tahiti.

 

 

This article was provided by:

Stuart S. Travel / Your All World Travel Guru

http://www.stuartstravel.com



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Plr Travel Articles asked:


Visiting London on a budget may seem impossible but it can be done if you choose traveling options off the beaten path. High tourist season is typically early April through late September. If you can opt to vacation there from early October through late March, you are likely to find less expensive airline tickets to and from London.

Once you’re in the Square Mile, you’ll have unlimited options for having fun, sleeping cheap and eating well without spending a wallet full of Euros. Typically, the second most expensive aspect of traveling abroad is the hotel stay, second only to the airfare to get there. Depending on the time of year you travel and your comfort level, your options are wide open.

Consider a home exchange. There are many home exchange facilitators, you can run a web search to find one you like. Members will pay an annual fee, usually $50 to $100. Most house swaps are offered in 1 week increments with a minimum of 2 weeks and you don’t necessarily swap your house with the same family whose house you will stay in. You might stay in a London flat while the family of Londoners stays in a home in Thailand while the Thai family stays in your home. Other than the annual fee and possibly a small swap fee, typically under $100, this is a free stay. Of course, you have to be comfortable with a group of strangers in your home while you’re away.

Summer holidays in London, while airfare will be at its peak, can still be cost efficient if you don’t mind staying in a university dormitory. Many universities throughout Europe, including in London, rent out their empty rooms for about $100 per night during summer and other school breaks. You won’t find perks like room service or even a private bath, but the price is right if you just need a place to lay your head.

Religious or not, you can rent a basic, clean room at one of the many convents and monasteries in the London area. You aren’t required to participate in any religious activities and nearly all convents and monasteries will rent to ye of little faith, no faith or a different faith.

As for fun and sightseeing, avoid the rental car and driving around town; strap on some comfy shoes or rent a bike instead. No need to search for a tiny parking spot or learning to drive on the opposite side of the street and you can stop to smell the roses whenever you like. Start each day in a different direction and go wherever the wind takes you.

Public transportation is an adventure on its own and can take you all over the city and even into the countryside. Take the London Underground rail system or a double decker bus for a few pounds. London is also working on an above ground rail system to help facilitate transportation.me great eating deals include take out (called “takeaway”) meals. The Value Added Tax (VAT) can be 10% or more on dine in meals. VAT isn’t charged on takeaway. The added bonus is you get to choose the view or find a great place to eat and people watch.

Eat un American. Try picking up a late afternoon lunch at an ethnic or vegetarian restaurant. You’ll not only find some great deals but you’ll enjoy a wonderful new dining experience.

Follow or ask the locals. Employees at petrol stations (gas stations), grocery stores and your hotel front desk will likely know some out of the way dining establishments that offer great food for the budget minded.

Understand that budgeted travelers should be flexible and consider their trip an adventure. You might find a hotel, with reliable quality, to be worth the extra money. Dining at a pub might be great for the locals but you may not have the tolerance for fish and chips. Get out there and have fun.



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Paul Hata asked:


When many people picture a budget vacation, they picture an intrepid traveler in a roach infested hotel room eating stale sandwiches and riding around on the city bus.

However, one of the best ways to save money on a vacation is also one of the most luxurious and most exciting the cruise ship.

Cruise ship vacations are actually one of the most affordable ways to travel almost anywhere in the world, from the glaciers of Alaska to the tropical rainforests of Central and South America.

One of the things that make cruise ships so attractive to budget travelers is the fact that the price of the cruise typically includes everything that happens onboard the ship.

This includes, of course, the room, which is often less costly than a typical hotel room in many locations. In many instances, it would be impossible to book a good hotel room for less than the daily cost of the cruise.

In addition to a cheap place to stay, a cruise also offers unlimited food, including many amazing buffets that are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In addition, the food on cruise ships is often superior to those in all but the best land locked restaurants, and once again, the food is included in the price.

After eating all that food, you will probably feel the need to work out, and the cost of the cruise also typically includes unlimited use of the gym, the weight room and the sports locations.

While many hotels tack on a surcharge for the use of the hotel gym, with a cruise it is generally included.

The cost of a cruise also includes all shipboard entertainment and classes. The entertainment options on a cruise are often one of the best parts of the experience, and many cruises offer such things as movie nights, theatres, spas, night clubs, discos, and even casinos.

There are also some great classes offered by cruise lines, in everything from origami to bridge to ballroom dancing. And again, these classes and entertainment options are included in the price you pay for the cruise.

Among the only things that are not included in the typical cruise are alcoholic beverages and shore excursions.Many of the higher priced cruises even include these extras.

If the shore excursions and drinks are not included, be sure to get a price list for shore excursions and drinks.

It is often possible to save money on shore excursions while on a cruise by booking the tours locally at portside instead of going with the cruise line.

Just be sure, however that the book it yourself excursion will get you back to the ship on time.

For all these reasons, cruises can be among the best, and most economical, of all vacation opportunities. The ability to enjoy a week or two week vacation at one low price is one more reason to love cruising.



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