Help a Reader: Cheap Vacations

Got this comment recently:

Hello! I have a 1 month of vacations, and I want to visit exotic places. Could somebody advise me beautiful exotic place for vacations?

I'm going to re-word this a bit to, "Anyone have any tips/suggestions on how to get inexpensive trips to nice locales?"

Comments

[Gino]

You can get a pretty good deal on cruises. They usually include the food as well, but you need to factor in how expensive drinks are, travel to and from the port your cruise leaves from, and any extra excursions you may plan to take when on shore.

If you don't mind paying a lot for a flight, the dollar still goes pretty far in Argentina and throughout most of Latin America. Costa Rica is supposed to be amazing, but prices have started going up there as more and more tourists show up. Panama may be an option, as well as Nicarauga and Honduras. Avoid Belize as prices there tend to be high.

My brother got married in Playa del Carmen, near Cancun in Mexico. That was a great time, we stayed at a resort on the beach. It cost about $1100 total for a week, but it was an all inclusive resort (so room, food, and drinks), plus airfare (from St. Louis, probably cheaper from a major hub), and transfers to and from the airport. I ended up spending more money on extras (going to Chichen Itza, snorkelling, deep sea fishing) but it would have still been a blast to just sit at the resort and enjoy the beach.

You can find even cheaper options, but it really depends on how comfortable you are in a foreign situation

[cherryblossom]

They have service learning projects through the college I used to go through. Other than that: $30 for a Walmart tent $10 in baby wipes, money for gas, a good pair of sneakers, and some imagination will take you pretty far.

[Jon]

I have been fortunate enough to travel the world extensively in my 20's and 30's and the most beautiful places I have ever been are both off the cost of East Africa - Zanzibar and Madagascar.

Pricey to get there, but worth every penny.

[Big Cheese]

Hi FMF,

I'd recommend Thailand- you can get a discount ticket to fly out here round trip for about $1100- that'll be your biggest expense. There are exceptional values to be had here regarding accomodation, food and attractions. The beaches are fantastic and it's an 'exotic' destination that's still on the beaten path of the world. Living here I can say there is no problem with the political situation but the tourist season is slow and there are deals to be had.

Email me if you are interested and I can give you more info.

BC

[Success Professor - Danny Gamache]

My number one choice would be Turkey. With Turkey you get a mix of Europe and the Middle East, modern and historical all at great prices. Istanbul will be the most expensive, but you can still find reasonably price "pensions" (small hotels). Once there travel throughout the country by bus and negotiate for your room costs. Generally you should be able to get room costs at about $15 per person per night (other than your time in Istanbul). Top recommendations are Ephesus, the Mediterranean, and the region of Cappadocia. There are many other wonderful ancient ruins and Biblical sites to visit as well.

[Param]

Assuming the person is young & fit, enlisting as a helping hand on a cruise ship would be the best option. It might almost be free (minor expenses can be covered with the pay received) & enjoyable.

[Lady]

This post particularly caught my eye because I'm on the search for Cheap Vacation opportunities. And I'm really glad you posted it out as an entry, and reading everyone's helpful reply has given me an idea or two of where to go and what to do. :)

Many thanks and more power! ^^

[LC]

If you want to go to the caribbean, the Dominican Republic offers the same atmosphere at much less than the other locations (Bahamas, Jamaica, etc). My husband and I went there last year for a week for $2300 total. This included airfare from Pittsburgh for 2, all our meals (at very nice restaraunts), unlimited open bar, all gratuties, free bottled water and soda and room service. It was right on the beach and also had a pool, nightly live entertainment, and many opportunities for other activities (horseback riding, sailing, snorkeling, tourist attractions) for reasonable prices.

[JACK]

Maybe not what your reader is looking for, but I know that Hotwire usually lets you search for their best cruise deals and, if you can go at unusual times, their deals can be quite good. for example they have some 14 day cruises that are 400 bucks total right now.

[Jane]

With cruises. If you don't want to live on a boat, meaning be a regular cruise member and you are an expert in something or have done something unusual, say personal finance or whatever else. You can give a lecture on many of the ships will let you and a guest cruise for free in exchange for said lectures.