Whether you’re planning a family trip or your next backpacking destination, it will come in handy to correctly identify which countries are currently the cheapest ones to visit, the average budget you will need for each of those destinations, and the most popular sights and tours available.
So let’s take a look at our top six countries to visit in 2016.
- Argentina.
You will have plenty to choose from at the eighth-largest country in the world. Central plains in La Pampa, the Andes along a delightful wine culture in Mendoza, or even the bright city lights in Buenos Aires. You simply cannot go wrong with this South American treasure. If you’re feeling a little adventurous, you can also take the train towards the end of the world, literally. El Expreso del Fin del Mundo will take you all the way to the Patagonian city of Ushuaia, the last possible piece of land in the entire continent.
- Vietnam.
It remains largely underappreciated and underdeveloped, despite its rising popularity over the last few years. You can easily get by with under US$ 10 per day. Practice Tai Chi at the Hanoi’s Old Quarter or enjoy the beat at one of Saigon’s many nightclubs. Vietnam has everything from the calmness of rice terraces to the chaotic rhythm of cosmopolitan cities.
- Hungary.
Not as cheap as it was a decade ago but still quite the bargain all things considered. The daily budget comes around US$ 15 and maybe even less. You can get a meal at Budapest for approximately US$ 3, or visit one of the many bathhouses for roughly US$ 10. And of course, no visit to Hungary would be complete without going to the largest lake in Central Europe, lake Balaton in the Transdanubian region, about an hour and a half away from Budapest going by train.
- Honduras.
Who needs the Maldives when you’ve got Honduras? With white, sandy beaches and fresh turquoise waters, Honduras is not exactly the most popular destination in Central America but it’s definitely worth the trouble. You won’t spend more than US$ 25 daily, and you could enjoy tropical paradises along with beautiful colonial fortresses all just a few kilometers away. Puerto Cortes and Tegucigalpa are amongst the most visited destinations.
- Sri Lanka.
You can literally live like royalty for under US$ 50 a day when visiting this underdog Southeast Asian destination. Stay at the five-star Cinnamon Lodge in Habarana and enjoy your own private jacuzzi, an on-call butler, and full access to the spa and swimming pools. Sri Lanka is a largely Buddhist country, so you can also indulge in a little bit of history and culture over the cultural triangle region of Anuradhapura, Polonnaruwa, and Kandy.
- The Dominican Republic.
Not everything has to be skyrocketing expensive in the Caribbean. For about US$ 40 per day, you can rent a hostel room at Bavaro, just three minutes away from the beach. And for less than US$ 100 per day, you can get all-inclusive deals at Playa Dorada. A variety of restaurants, several swimming pools, and a myriad of watersports. It doesn’t get much better.
This list is quite remarkable by itself, but the key to knowing which countries will be the cheapest to visit at any given moment in time lies in one little secret. Understanding how the local currency stands when compared against the market tycoons, like the U.S. dollar, the British pound, and the Euro. All these countries have that in common, and so do several others who didn’t make the list, like Greece, Turkey, Brazil, Cambodia, Angola, Montenegro, Yemen, and countless others.
A comprehensive understanding of this economic reality is key to making the most out of your travel budgets, and there is even more. With proper training and enough discipline, you can even take advantage of this and partly subsidize – if not completely – all your trips. Foreign exchange trading has become so much easier over the past few years due to the rising popularity of online trading companies like CMC Markets, that many travelers are seriously considering adding this venture into their existing investment portfolios.