The charm of expensive places is alluring, but let us face it: the more expensive a destination is, the more you will have to cut back on the duration of your vacation and the things you participate in to stay within your budget.
Many countries worldwide reopen their borders and encourage domestic and foreign travel as we try to get back to normal after the COVID-19 pandemic. To ensure the safety of travelers, countries, towns, and attractions are implementing new health guidelines.
One thing is evident: thanks to vaccination, travel in 2021 will be significantly more accessible than it was in 2020. In addition, online flight booking for your desired place has become highly convenient. Not only can this, but you also have an inner view of the hotels that you want to pick for your vacation.
However, when and where will we go? As border closures, quarantines, and other steps are likely to stay in place for some time, that remains to be seen.
Top 6 Affordable places to visit in 2021
If you are on a specific budget and want to see more places for less money, the best way is to choose your destinations carefully. We have selected a few locations for your convenience. Let us see if that works for you!
1- Thailand
Thailand remains one of the World’s most affordable vacation destinations. While the southern beaches have several luxurious resorts with higher prices, they are a great place to go if you are looking for luxury on a budget. If you prefer to fly on a budget, you should know that the cost of travel in Thailand decreases as you travel inland.
If you fly north of Chiang Mai, you will find yourself in budget travel heaven. You can easily find some of the best-value accommodation anywhere among the rice fields, Buddhist temples, and hill tribes. If you are searching for a cheap backpacker dorm bed (from $5) or a luxurious hotel with a pool (from $30), you will find it here.
2- Vietnam
In an area renowned for being budget-friendly, Vietnam is undoubtedly one of the best value-for-money destinations in Southeast Asia. A backpacker can get by on as little as $25 per day while still seeing the best attractions.
To enter Vietnam, most nationalities need a tourist visa. Do not get disheartened over the initial cost; once you are in, all is cheap. For as little as $10 per night, you can find a bed in a good hostel in the larger cities or a homestay in rural Vietnam.
While the famous Ha Long Bay is spectacular, Vietnam is truly at its best when you venture off the beaten path. Away from the crowded tourist traps, Vietnam has some of Southeast Asia’s most enjoyable destinations.
3- Philippines
The Philippines has some of Southeast Asia’s most beautiful beaches. The Philippines, with over 7000 islands, is the place to go if you want to relax on a picture-perfect beach!
With its mix of Asian and Spanish/US colonial influences, incredible ancient rice terraces in the north, and fantastic nature, it’s not only a beautiful place to visit, but it’s also a culturally fascinating place.
In recent times, the island of Palawan has become well known, but I also suggest the less-hyped and more varied central Visayas. Briefly, you would not be disappointed. A typical Philippine mid-range budget is
$60 per day.
4- Egypt
Egypt is a budget-friendly destination. Egypt is less expensive to visit than Europe, North America, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand.
Traveling through Egypt is comparable to traveling through Southeast Asia in terms of cost. You can do a lot in Egypt without investing a lot of money if you are a budget traveler. If you want to add upscale hotels and a Nile River cruise to your itinerary, you can do so without breaking the bank.
You can quickly get a Visa on Arrival at the airport if you are a resident of the U.S, Canada, the European Union, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Norway, Russia, or a few other nations.
There is a bank window in the Cairo International Airport, just before passport control, where you can buy your visa. It will set you back $25, and you will have to pay in cash.
5- Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka is a low-cost destination. In addition, if you splurge, it is not prohibitively costly. Overall, I believe you will not need much more than $30 to cover the costs of your day.
The country is very inexpensive, mainly if you stick to delicious local or Indian cuisine, avoid overpriced Western-style restaurants, fly in second class and on buses, and do not overstay your welcome. Breakfast usually is less expensive than lunch or dinner. Food in sit-down restaurants in Sri Lanka is often more expensive than fast food or street food.
Long-distance buses are pricier but still affordable by Western standards; they plan to pay about US$0.55 for a one-hour journey. The most expensive ride cost $1.05 for a four-hour trip from Kandy to Polonnaruwa.
6- India
The Indian rupee used to trade at 39 rupees to the US dollar, even though India has always been a cheap nation. You can now exchange 73 rupees for one dollar, giving you nearly 50% more money to fly with.
You will struggle to spend $50 a day here unless you stay in five-star resorts and eat only Western cuisine. By living in inexpensive guesthouses, taking second-class trains, and avoiding Western cuisine, you can get by on less than $30.
India is a cheap backpacking destination with a rich cultural past, top-notch cuisine, friendly and curious locals, incredible regional diversity, great tea, and plenty to see and do.
The bottom line
Now, concluding where to go. Since you now have many options, you should first make a budget for everything and then decide.
All these places have several attractions and will certainly not disappoint you in that way. A list of ours shows the average daily budget for each individual. If you fly in a group and get group discounts on attraction tickets, this number will drop if you stay in a luxurious hotel.