With the costs of living rising, you might be yearning to escape reality with a trip overseas and wondering to yourself ‘is it possible to travel on a budget, without comprimising the experience?’ The answer is yes, and in this article, we’re sharing some ways that you can reduce the costs of travel, while still enjoying everything your destination has to offer.
Plan Ahead:
If you want to travel overseas, it’s a good idea to have a plan before you leave. You need to know how much money you will need to spend. You should try to save as much money as possible before you leave.
Do your research and look at what the costs of living are in your destination country, and whether they are higher or lower than your home country. There are a number of things to look into before you land in your holiday destination, so you can plan ahead and save yourself money:
- Public transport – are most areas of the country easily accessible, or will you need to hire a car? What are the costs of public travel versus hiring a car? Are there certain days of the week or times of day that are cheaper to use public transpory?
- Group tours and packages – often, travelling as part of a group can be more affordable then booking tours by yourself.
- Markets and street food – Does your destination have great local produce and market stalls? Plan to visit the markets early on in your trip to stock up on food. Not only will this food be cheaper than what you’ll find in the grocery store, but it will also save you eating out for every meal.
Go Local:
Picking local tour vendors and accommodation options will save you a lot of money compared to many of the big brand names. In addition to being more affordable, you’ll also find the experiences more authentic and less ‘polished’.
Some of the different ways you can choose to go local include:
- Accommodation – use platforms like Air BnB to find rooms or spaces in private residences to stay at. What these options lack in 24/7 room service, they make up for with genuine connections with locals and real insight into their culture.
- Food – pick meals and restaurants that champion local in-season produce and traditional cooking methods. Imported brand-name food like Coke or McDonalds often comes with hefty import taxes, whereas a traditional meal becomes an unforgettable experience.
- Tours – A lot of the local tour guides won’t have their own flashy websites that you can use to pre-book your tours. Rather, wait until you’re on the ground and ask around – we bet you’ll find someone that knows way more than the flashy tour guides, and is willing to take you off the beaten track to experience parts of the country or landscape that most tourists don’t get to see.
Explore Nature:
If you want to escape the daily grind and explore a new country – but need to do it on a budget – then pick somewhere that is known for its natural wonders. Spending your days snorkeling, hiking, birdwatching and swimming is always going to be more budget-friendly than catching a show on Broadway or visiting Disneyland.
Tropical islands like Fiji, Samoa, Cook Islands and Tonga feel like they are a world away, while offering a lot of low-cost activities to fill your days. Full of adventure, new experiences, interesting cultures and welcoming locals, Fiji holidays and Cook Islands holidays are the two great choices for anyone looking to travel on a budget.
Be Flexible:
Keep an eye out for deals. A lot of holiday destinations will have great deals on flights, accommodation, tours and more during their off-season times. Local restaurants likely have weekly or daily deals, and if you’re shopping local and using local service providers like we suggested then you may even have some wiggle room to haggle on prices.
Being flexible when you travel will allow you to shift your plans to jump on these deals without a second thought.
Travelling on a Budget
Travelling on a budget doesn’t mean you have to skimp out on what really matters. In fact, play your cards right and you may find that budget friendly travel allows you access to more authentic experiences that you just won’t get in a 5-star hotel.
Planning ahead, favouring local suppliers, choosing destinations with lots of natural attractions, and being flexible and open to whatever comes your way are all tips to help you keep the costs down on your next big adventure.