Budget-Friendly Destinations

With endless travel options, there are several factors the average person considers when looking into their next vacation; and cost always seems to be at top of that list!

Given the pandemic, many countries now require travelers to be fully vaccinated (and boosted in some instances) 14 days prior to entry; while others do not, a simple negative COVID PCR test is sufficient for entry.

Luckily, there are many domestic destinations that do not require passports, vaccines and/or COVID tests, but they are expensive (e.g. Hawaii and New York); likewise, there are also several international destinations that are vastly inexpensive (e.g. Thailand and Colombia), but you they are long-haul flight away.

If you are feeling zen but also wanna party hardy, don’t mind the distance, and are able to explore for a few weeks, then I recommend a trip to THAILAND!!

In Koh Samui, we stayed at a 5-Star resort for less than $50, a night!! We had an amazing Christmas dinner at the Banyan Tree Bangkok with a perfect view overlooking the entire skyline, and brought in the New Year at the official and world-famous full moon party at Haad Rin Beach in Koh Phangan! And off course, we also visited the Big Buddha Phuket temple and partied on Blanga road until the early morning (MEN: be advised that all the “ladies” are NOT who she/her/they ‘appear’ to be, so take note and BEWARE! LOL)!! It’s also dirty, loud, and full of tourists! But the music was phenomenal!!! We jumped on a couple of tours and island hopped, hung out at the beach, laid-out by our pool, and enjoyed a lovely breakfast in the water—literally!!!

We took a charter domestic flight to get to Chiang Mai to visit an elephant sanctuary where they treat the elephants with love and dignity. There are several tour companies that abuse the elephants, by forcing them to play ball, paint, carry heavy loads, etc, so please be mindful and take this into consideration when booking your tour. We opted for a “free” open tour, where we fed the elephants and got to bathe with them.

We also did some bamboo river rafting, visited several monasteries and sacred temples, rode around in tuk-tuk’s, kayaked inside the James Bond Island caves in Phang Nga Bay, attend an action-packed muay thai fight, and grabbed so many bargains at the open-air boat floating markets!! The food, as you can imagine, was amazing and cheap!!! The mango sticky rice being my fave!! Full meals were about $3, beers were 50 cents, and one-hour full body Thai massages were approx. $7!!!  Do you see why Thailand is at the top of my list???  It’s a MUST!!!

So, my suggestion is, if possible and time permitting, catch a few domestic flights to other locations within Thailand! Make the long flight worth it!!

At the top of the America’s lies Colombia, as the most budget-friendly country that I have visited. It is NOT my favorite, or a destination that I would consider visiting again; for me, it’s one of those been there, done that, type of places! And not because I was offered coke (not to be confused with the drink), everywhere I went, but because it didn’t appeal to me LOL! Granted, I am sure there are several hidden gems that I did not get to see, but I probably still will not make it back to discover them haha!

I visited Medellin, which is a typical urban area, with minor tourist attractions. Naturally, no visit to Medellin is complete without a Pablo Escobar Tour, which I do recommend! Bogota is a sprawling, high-altitude city, so stay hydrated!! I learned the hard way. There was not much to see or do in Barranquilla and Santa Marta, but you can certainly stop by for some cheap meals!

I am not much of back-packer, but I do recommend at least an overnight visit to Taganga Beach! The water is so warm and calm! The sunsets were beautiful, and the nightlife is off the hook!!!

There was one night that we went to a 3-story club on the side of the hill, overlooking the town! It was crowded and just wild!! We met a young guy on the dance floor, who was jamming I may add, and told us that after the club closed, everyone simply walked down the curvy hillside road directly to the beach for a swim and a delicious fish breakfast, but ONLY for a quick intermission before heading to the afterhours that started at 8am haha!! We were confused about everything: fish? walking down? 8am? Huh? Who? How? He just smiled and said “SI” as he joyfully swung over the huge duffel bag he had been carrying!!! I couldn’t believe it!! He literally had a portable grill, cooking supplies, all the ingredients, and vegetables with him!! HAHAHAH!! I LAUGHED OUT LOUD SO MUCH!! WTH!! How was this possible?? But it turned out to be true!! Everything! All of it!! And it happened just like he said!!! What a crazy experience! I will never forget that night!

Now, if wild parties or fish for breakfast isn’t your thing either, then I suggest you visit Cartagena!

Stay inside the walls and explore the Old City by foot and/or on a horse-drawn carriage, visit the Castillo, go shopping, visit some museums, and dance the night away at the many cumbia bars! Please buy some of the fruit on the street! It is so juicy and tasty!!

Lay off the aguardiente, which literally translate to burning water! I believe it is Colombia's national alcoholic beverage! ABV is potent, so be extremely careful! It will hit you!

 Do not skip the coffee! It is $1!! And well-worth it! Local transportation is extremely inexpensive (about 30 cents to get you across town)! Fashion and leather shoes are a fraction of US costs! And my Chicas: apparently, so are cosmetic procedures LOL!

If you’re outdoorsy, adventurous, and love nature, then I suggest you also visit Ecuador! It is full of UNESCO historical sites and Colonial Architecture too. The dollar is the national currency; and you will be amazed at how far it will go! I caught Uber rides for $2 and enjoyed some day tours for under $10!! Killer deals!

I got to spend a few days in the Amazon and explore several waterfalls; in addition, we visited a Biosphere Reserve, which houses thousands of species. That was pretty cool!!

My entire trip to Ecuador was perfectly and shockingly flawless!! I did get some altitude and motion sickness at the Tree House viewpoint in Baños after I was spun around on a swing!!! But other than that, I had such a great time!!  I also got to spend Thanksgiving with 40 strangers at a hostel in downtown Quito! And I coincidently ran into a Marine that I knew from my time in the NAVY!! What a Small World!!!

I also got stuck in a cable car 3k MASL for some time!! It was pouring so for safety reasons, they shut them down, which I deeply appreciated! I wasn’t too concerned! I had enough time to plan my jump-off and “escape” route LOL!  

All-in-all, Ecuador was well worth the visit!! It was the most covid-abiding country that I’ve visited…yet!!

Another destination that I recommend that is extremely budget and family friendly is Costa Rica!!

Most outdoor activities are free and real estate is low and affordable! You can rent a mini 4x4 for a week for a few hundreds and explore at your leisure!! During our trip, we did a circle around the country! We landed in San Jose and immediately descended on our voyage! We traveled through the rainforest and along the Caribbean and Pacific coastlines. Costa Rica is full of beaches, volcanoes, and wildlife! They are BIG on sustainability and biodiversity! Everyone literally cleans up the streets, locals will hand you water for the road, and will gladly assist you along the way!

You do not have to pay for hikes, natural hot spring pools, to swim in waterfalls, or to explore the sierras! Now, if you wanna go ziplining, canoeing, rappelling, enter some reserves, or visit some sanctuaries, you’ll have to pay, but it can be negotiated on-site! Trust me! They will NOT pass up on an opportunity to make money!

We only pre-booked one hotel room for the night prior to our departure! The rest was booked as we went! Gas [then] was so cheap, and accommodations were available at every spot that we picked!!  

So, pack your bags, bring a rain poncho, hiking shoes, and head to Costa Rica!! PURA VIDA!!

Now, if you SERIOUSLY and completely wanna go off the grid, then Cuba is for you!!

Cuba, led by its leader, Fidel Castro, of the ruling Communist Party, for many decades has a lot to offer but given its political stance, “tourism,” per se, remains prohibited for US Citizens; but the Department of Treasury has created and authorized 12 travel exemptions, so check them out and see if you qualify!

There are also financial restrictions, and the US may not be able to assist you, while in Cuba, so keep that in mind, and travel at your own risk!! There are certainly ways you can enter Cuba, BUT I am not here to share what I have heard!! I am a dual citizen, so thankfully, I was able to visit freely without any restrictions or issues!

More than likely, you will NOT be able to book a hotel or “Airbnb” type of rental, BKA as a Casa Particular while in the US and with your US credit or debit card*. You will have to book upon arrival or have a “special” travel agent assist you!! A double room will run about $20-$30 with breakfast included. It will really depend on how fancy you wanna be! This is IMPORTANT and this may come as a shock, but your cell phone may NOT work in Cuba!! Check with your service provider.

**NOTE THAT YOU MAY NOT BE ABLE TO CONVERT US DOLLARS TO CUBAN CURRENCY! You may have to convert USD into Mexican Pesos (MXN), Pound sterling (GBP) or Euros (EUR) FIRST, and then convert to Cuban currency. US Bank Credit cards are also not accepted, due to Government restrictions, so bring enough cash with you!!

While in Cuba, you must visit Varadero! It has some of the most, beautiful waters I have ever seen!! It is electrifying, clear, and so warm!

Rum and cigars can be purchased in bundles at a bargain but note that they may get confiscated upon arrival in the US because of the strict trade embargo banning all importation of products and goods from Cuba!  WiFi cards are free, so you may be able to text or send an iMessage, but internet is limited!

Traveling to Cuba is like going back in time: you will see centuries-old, neglected structures that are literally crumbling down, and being held up by wooden beams! And given such infrastructure, do NOT expect many high-end hotels in Old Havana! Al though, I have heard they have built some new hotels, please bear that in mind! I encourage you walk around and explore but be mindful of your personal belongings. Chicas: the men WILL whistle. ALL DAY!! Just ignore them!

Go to a salsa club and try a Mojito!! We had a bland meal at a local restaurant (which was their actual home’s kitchen), but the Mojito was the best we had ever had!! We couldn’t resist, so I asked the Mom if she would make some to go!! LOL!! She was initially astonished and laughed!!! We had them use our bottled waters, make the cocktail concoction, and pour it back into our bottles!! We paid them extra for their generosity, and they were so touched!!! I can’t imagine living with such limited resources!

I once read an article stating that high-paid Doctors in Cuba made about $70 a month!!!! Yes, you read that right!! A MONTH!!! So, if you wanna help and change a family’s life, go to Cuba and tip them dollar percentages—it will certainly go a long way.

So, with all this being said, you don’t need to break your piggy bank to visit any of these lovely destinations!!