1. Cambodia
With beds for £1 and lip-smacking food for less than that, Cambodia
is so cheap you often feel guilty for paying so little. Where once
travellers justifably feared to tread,
Cambodia
is now very much on the SE Asian itinerary for many a school leaver.
Perhaps the country's biggest draw is Angkor Wat, one of the world's
most amazing historical sites. Spiritual, sublime and yours for £3 a
day…or less!
2. Vietnam
Unspoilt and undeveloped, despite its rise in popularity in the last
few years, Vietnam is still super cheap, as well as being a beautiful
country (although 'beautiful' might be stretching the description of
thrillingly hectic capital
Hanoi).
You can easily get by on £5 a day, which includes a guest house, local
food, transport and a bit of drinking. Just imagine the lifestyle you
could have if you stretched to £10!
3. India
Of course, it is possible to do India on the not-so-cheap. A spending
spree in Mumbai's designer shops and a stay in an Internation hotel in
Delhi
is going to cost you as much as it would in Dubai, but away from these
enclaves the cost of living is ridiculously low. Even if you travel
first class on the trains and take taxis everywhere, you’ll be hard
pressed to spend a lot of money here. For £15 (1,100 Rupees) a day, you
can live like royalty.
4. Bolivia
In the heart of capital
La Paz’s
historic quarter, Calle Jaén, you’ll find one of the best preserved
colonial streets in the whole of Bolivia. It definitely has style, and
it also has four municipal museums. See them all for the grand total of
30p (55 cents). As if that weren’t enough (there's more to life than
museums?!), Bolivia perhaps boasts the best value for food and drink in
all of South America. For example, a bottle of Paceña beer costs less
than £1 ($1) and a bowl of chairo (potato soup) about the same. There:
beer and soup - bases covered.
5. Hungary
Budapest,
the historic Hungarian capital on the Danube, is a definite must-see on
anyone's European tour. While it isn't quite as cheap as before the
budget airlines got there, it still has prices from its days at the
heart of the Ottoman Empire. Indulge in luscious cakes, get refreshed on
strong liquor and sweat it out in the famous thermal spas. With meals
for £2 ($5), train tickets for £1 ($4) and rooms for £10 ($20), Budapest
is a beautiful bargain.
6. Honduras
There's Belize. There's Costa Rica. There's even Guatemala. But for real bargain-basement Central American value, plump for
Honduras.
The country isn't up there on the most-visited lists, but if you do
visit you'll discover white sand-and-palm beaches like the Maldives,
diving to rival the Red Sea, and mega cheap food and drink, while
spending less than £18 ($30) a day. Forget your money worries and have
another cocktail!
7. Bulgaria
Bulgaria's Black Sea resorts have undergone a bit of a boom with
British visitors in recent years, probably because they offer a total
bargain compared with traditional summer sun destinations like the south
of Spain. The further east you go, the cheaper it gets. If you prefer
city breaking to beaches, capital
Sofia offers hearty food, warm company, 'robust' drink and a comfy bed, which can all be yours for just £20 a day.
8. Sri Lanka
'With gossamer-fine sands, cloud-wrapped mountains, waterfalls, tea plantations and palm trees wafting in the breeze,
Sri Lanka
is the picture perfect paradise'...Ok, thanks tourist brochure. We'll
concentrate on feasting on fish curry, trekking in the jungle and
staying in hotels on the beach for tuppence. Well, not quite two pence,
but you can live right royally for under £25 (5,000 LKR) a day.
9. Argentina
Buenos Aires
has earnt a reputation as one of the most exciting cities on the planet
thanks partly to its totally up-for-it nightlife. Stay out of its most
exclusive nightspots and you can experience the colourful, flamboyant
life of the Argentinian capital for less than £25 ($40) a day.
10. Greece
Due to the country's economic crisis, the cost of living in
Greece
is lower than it used to be (at least for visitors). On famous Greek
islands like Paxos, you can bask on the beaches for free, grab a bed for
a tenner and a meal for £5 - a fraction of the price of many other
European countries. Greece is, quite possibly, the most underrated
budget destination in Europe.
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