12 Magnificent Countries That Offer Rather Cheap Vacation

Each trip abroad offers many emotions and new impressions. But we’re often held back by thoughts of money since traveling is believed to be an expensive luxury.

Bright Side invites you to consider countries that offer incredible leisure and rest without making you empty out your wallet.

Romania

Accommodation: from €6 (hostel); from €11 (hotel)

Food: from €3

Transport: from €0.34

Romania is where reality and fairytales meet. There’s so much to explore: Scarisoara Cave, Astra Park, the Transfagarasan Road, Peles Castle, the Merry Cemetery, mud volcanoes, and more! When you come here by plane or by car from Chisinau, you’ll be amazed at the magnificent views, the picturesque architecture, and the affordable prices.

Accommodation may vary, depending on the city. In hostels, prices start at €6 and from €11 in hotels. You can also live in a mini-bungalow by the sea from €8. Delicious Moussaka, Ciorba, and other food is served in outdoor cafes where you’ll spend no more than €3 or €5 if you want to eat at a regular cafe. Milk, bread, rice, chicken breasts, and cheese will cost you about €9-€11. Public ground transport costs €0.34 and a subway travel pass for one day costs €1.10 in Bucharest.

Laos

Accommodation: from €4 (hostel); from €9 (hotel)

Food: from €2

Transport: from €2

This emerald country is famous for being exotic. It’s a wonderful option for those who dream of affordable eco tours to Bokeo jungle, the Bolaven plateau, and picturesque rivers, mountains, and waterfalls.

For example, you’ll spend €9.50 taking an 8-hour kayaking journey to caves in Vang Vieng. It’s easy to find a hostel, usually starting from €4 or a hotel which starts from €9. The menu is also very different there: potatoes with meat (€2), crepes (from €1), shrimp soups (€3), yogurt (€0.50), bananas (€0.50 for 53 oz or 1.5 kg). A bus between cities costs from €4-€20, bikes are offered for €6 per day, and you can also rent a bicycle for €1.50 per day or reduce the price for a tuk-tuk.

Portugal

Accommodation: from €8 (hostel); from €16 (hotel)

Food: from €4

Transport: from €1.85

Everything is possible in magnificent Portugal: strolls on the beautiful beaches, horseback riding in Madeira, wine tasting in Alto Douro, the gorgeous Pena Palace, meeting whales near the Azores, and much more!

You can rent a room in a hostel (from €8), a hotel (from €16), or a house near the sea. The most popular dishes are cod with vegetables Bacalao (€3-€4), grilled fish (€2), and hot buns with fillings. Eating in a cafe costs around €11 for 2 people. You can also cook a great dinner if you buy beef (€7) or chicken (€6), shrimp (€9-€11), mussels (€2.50), cheese (from €5), and fruit (from €2). And if you want to visit Lisbon’s museums for free, get discounts in shops, and avoid paying for transport, you can buy a Lisboa Card.

Bulgaria

Accommodation: from €7 (hostel); from €15 (hotel)

Food: from €2

Transport: from €0.51

Bulgaria is waiting for you to visit its seaside resorts: Golden Sands, Nesebar, Sozopol, Sunny Beach, and more. You’ll be inspired by the Seven Rila Lakes, the Belogradchik Rocks, the Rose Valley, and the old Melnik.

The hostels are pretty cheap there (from €7). If you want to live in a hotel by the sea, the prices start at €8. In the country’s capital, the prices start at €15, and a bungalow will cost around €12. Dine in a restaurant for €4, eat your breakfast in a cafe for €1.50, and pay €10 for lunch for 2 people in Mehana. You’ll pay €12-€14 for bread, cheese, potatoes, chicken, fruit, and wine if you buy everything in the market. Public transport costs €0.51 and €1-€3.50 between cities.

Peru

Accommodation: from €5 (hostel); from €11 (hotel)

Food: from €2

Transport: from €0.40

The most vivid association with Peru is Machu Picchu. This Inca city is marvelous and you’ll be amazed when you see its legendary lake Titicaca, the giant Gocta waterfall in Chachapoyas, the sights of Arequipa city, the Amazon rainforest, and the Huacachina Oasis.

There are cheap hostels (from €5) and hotels (from €11). Don’t forget to try their traditional cuisine: ceviche, anticuchos, burrito, tacos, and Pisco sour cocktails. In local cafes, you can taste chicken with vegetables (€2), lunches cost €3-€5, and a buffet style lunch will cost €8. If you buy bread, chicken breasts, eggs, fruit, and cheese in a shop, you’ll pay around €10. Public transport costs €0.4. A bus between cities costs €1-€3. You can also order a taxi for €4-€8.

Poland

Accommodation: from €7 (hostel); from €17 (hotel)

Food: from €4

Transport: from €0.80

Poland will offer you the chance to explore its elegant capital, see the Malbork Castle, marvel at the mountain lakes in the High Tatras, and enjoy the gorgeous ski resorts. And Poland always pleasantly surprises with its low prices.

Hostels often offer rooms with discounts (from €7), and an average room in a hotel for 2 people may cost €21 in Krakow and €17-€21 in Wroclaw. If you purchase milk, bread, eggs, rice, potatoes, onions, chicken breasts, and wine, this will cost around €11. A cappuccino or a glass of beer will cost €1.60. You can eat in a cafe for €4-€6. It’s worth getting a travel pass valid for 1-2 days using SkyCash or paying via the CallPay website.

Hungary

Accommodation: from €7 (hostel); from €10 (hotel)

Food: from €2.50

Transport: from €1.14

Hungary can compete with many European countries and it has its own bonus: affordable prices.

You can choose a hostel from €7, a hotel between €14 and €21, or you can live with a couch surfer for free. You’ll be able to visit museums in Budapest for free, relax at seaside resorts near Lake Balaton, frolic through the Tihany lavender fields, and see the ancient castles near Danube. In a restaurant, you can spend €2.50-€6, and a shopping cart with bread, cheese, wine, and chicken will cost €11-€12. A public transport ticket costs €1.14. You can buy a travel pass valid for one day which costs €5.30 for one person and €10.60 for a group of people.

RSA

Accommodation: from €3 (house); from €9 (hostel); from €20 (hotel)

Food: from €3

Transport: from €1

RSA offers you one of the most exhilarating travel programs: Capetown near the Cape of Good Hope, the Kalahari Desert, the world’s largest botanical garden of Kirstenbosch, Kruger National Park with lions, giraffes, and other animals, Tsitsikamma National Park with dolphins and whales, the Drakensberg, the Cradle of Humankind, and many other things.

Rooms in hostels cost from €9, and rooms in hotels and houses cost from €3 per person. Dinner in a restaurant costs €6-€7, fast-food costs €3-€4. You can buy milk, bread, rice, eggs, cheese, chicken, oranges, and wine for €15-€20. A public transport ticket costs €1 and a taxi will cost from €2.

Philippines

Accommodation: from €4 (hostel); from €9 (hotel)

Food: from €1.80

Transport: from €0.30

The Philippines are all about primeval nature, a warm climate, white beaches, and ancient Intramuros.

Hostels and hotels will cost €4-€14 on Cebu and Panglao islands. You can also rent a house for €260 per month. A room on Boracay island with Wi-Fi and air conditioning will cost €12. The most affordable hotels and restaurants are located in the Boat Station 3 district. In local cafes, breakfasts and lunches cost €1.80-€3. Tourists usually travel by bike, boat, ferry, and lowkosters of CebuPacific or AirAsia. The cheapest transport is a jeepney, which is a kind of public transport, or you can take the subway for €0.30.

Albania

Accommodation: from €5 (hostel); from €10 (hotel)

Food: from €2

Transport: from €1

Albania is full of magical places: Gjirokaster City, the Blue Eye, Lake Skadar, Ksamil, Butrinti, and more.

It’s easy to find cozy rooms in hostels from €5 and from €10 in hotels and in private houses. Albanian prices on food and alcohol are some of the lowest in Europe. Street food is also very tasty and costs from €1.80. Restaurant prices are rather cheap too, usually from €3.50. The most popular dishes are: Chomlek with meat and vegetables, seafood dishes, oshaf desserts, and tasty coffee from €0.50-€1. You can also count transport expenses: €0.90 for 31 miles (50 km) if you travel by train and €0.90 for 19 miles (30 km) if you travel by bus.

Bali

Accommodation: from €3 (hostel); from €8 (hotel)

Food: from €2

Transport: from €0.36

Bali is a place full of miracles. You can experience unforgettable emotions in Butterfly Park, the Bali water palace gardens of Tirtagangga near Mount Batukaru, Tirta Empul Temple, Sekumpul waterfalls, rice terraces, and breathtaking beaches.

You can rent a hostel from €3, a hotel from €8, or a bungalow from €12. Prices depend on the type of cuisine since you can choose between Chinese, European, or Indonesian. Breakfasts cost €1.50-€3 and lunches for 2 people cost €4-€8 in cafes. Prices on vegetarian dishes start from €1. One of the best dishes of the local kitchen is Bebek Betutu duck, sauteed Lilit kebab on a lemongrass stick. Cheap fruit and produce is sold in the markets that are located farther away from the shore. Prices on transport tickets start from €0.36, and taxis can cost €2.50 and higher.

Nicaragua

Accommodation: from €4 (hostel); from €10 (hotel)

Food: from €2

Transport: from €1

If you visit Central America, you won’t regret buying a ticket to Nicaragua.

You can rent a room in a hostel from €4 or in a hotel from €10. It’s more convenient to eat outside from €2-€8. And there are lunches that cost €2-€3 on a square in Granada. Public transport costs €1 and higher, a taxi to another city will cost at least €25. You can travel and enjoy the views of Granada, Momotombo volcano, parks with orchids and exotic birds, white sand beaches of the Corn Islands, Laguna de Apoyo, dancing at San Juan del Sur, strolls in the Bosavas National Park full of wild monkeys, and many other amazing things.

Have you already visited any of these countries? Share some tips with us in the comments!

Preview photo credit Depositphotos, Depositphotos

SOURCE: BRIGHTSIDE