You hear an awful lot about stay-cations these days. And that’s a shame; because there are any number of ways to take a vacation without it costing you an arm and a leg. One way to spend less money on a vacation is to go where American money spends better.
Living in luxury
Since your money is going to stretch to its fullest, go for the luxury prices should you feel so compelled. You can still spend far less on luxury in countries where the dollar is strong than you would on minimal accommodations elsewhere. The flights to and from your chosen destination will undoubtedly be the most expensive part of your vacation. There’s not much we can do about that; the airlines pretty much have us over a barrel. And remember as well that it may not be so much that our American dollar has increased in value in these countries as much as it is that the prices of labor, real estate, food and accommodations are simply low. The prices we’ll be looking at will beat the price of a vacation in Canada, the United States and much of Europe and are applicable to the more luxurious accommodations. Even more money can be saved by staying at the ‘lesser’ hotels which are usually close by.
The Antigua and the Tikal ruins
These are two huge tourist vacation areas but the country itself is extremely inexpensive as a whole. Antigua can be found in the southern regions where as the ruins are in the northern region of Guatemala. Spending time in Guatemala City (the capital) should be limited however; $40.00 or less a night will land you a three star hotel while $5.00 or less will fill you up with the local favorite meals.
Cancun isn’t what it used to be, try Mexico City
Cancun used to fall under the listing of an inexpensive beach resort vacation. That is no longer the case. Instead, try getting away on a vacation that leans more toward cultural awareness. Mexico City has been under rated for years. The climate there is amazing and $40.00 or less gets you a three star hotel for the night. You can ride around on Mexico City’s metro for about 24¢ and go get your nice, sit-down dinner for under $5.00 as well.
Colombia – Leave the bulletproof vest at home
Colombia use to be one of the most dangerous spots to visit. Now it is receiving rave reviews for being the friendliest country around. Cartagena is the most luxurious area with amazing beaches and $60.00 a night three star hotels. A meal can cost you under $4.00. There are less expensive places to stay, this being the costliest.
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka is a great vacation spot these days thanks to its increased push for tourism and its freedom from civil war. The almighty dollar will go very far here, with a nice meal for under a $1. Try the Kottu Roti, a combination of vegetables, rotti and rice. It makes a magnificent and filling meal. Sri Lanka has beautiful unspoiled beaches and is a magnificent place to try a vacation. In fact, Conde Nast magazine has named it one of the top 5 locations to visit around the world.
Forget Costa Rica, think Panama
Apparently, Costa Rica got wise and raised all their prices. There are no longer on this list. Leaving them in the dust however is Panama. The cities are similar in their easy, modern style; but Panama has a capital city worth seeing. Be sure to enjoy all of Panama’s beaches but don’t make the mistake of ignoring Panama City. The nightlife and food alone are worth the trip. A nice meal for under $5.00 and three star hotels for under $40.00 a night are typical.
Don’t cry for me Argentina
Cry for Buenos Aires; because even though half the population lives there, the frugal tourist will march themselves right over to the wide open and scenic land of Patagonia in the southern region; or the toast of Wine County’s Mendoza in the western region. Buenos Aires is still a relatively inexpensive place to stay, with $40.00 a night three star accommodations locatable. You’re more than likely to find a three star accommodation for $50.00 however. And if you’re a steak lover, as am I, $5.00 will buy you an entire steak dinner, with the steak being one of the finest on the planet. Other inexpensive South American destinations include Bolivia’s La Paz;
Santiago in Chile; Quito, Ecuador or Montevideo in Uruguay.
Clearly, these are very decidedly ‘out of the way’ places. I don’t know about you but that’s one of the reasons that I go on vacation. To get the heck away from here and away from everyone else!
Ready to book your vacation, do it with coupon codes.
A big tip for you money hungry individuals is to use an online booking agency such as Orbitz or travelocity. These two are my favorites because they really help you stretch your money. Orbitz also offers some fantastic promotion codes to be entered at checkout. These promo codes for orbitz can be applied and can save travelers hundreds of dollars. Travelocity offers great package vacations and also travelocity promotional codes to be entered at checkout. Try these two and enjoy your vacations.