5 Best Value Destinations
Travelling is an expensive affair. But it does not necessarily have to be so. Our research shows top 5 destinations that could be enjoyed staying within a shoestring budget.
Tallinn, Estonia
How to get there: Flights are available from London Gatwick, Birmingham and Manchester.
Budget: £40-50 per day/person (includes everything)
Best Time to visit: Spring/Autumn.
Things to see:
Medieval Old Town, Old town square, Town hall, Muurivahe street, St Olaf's Church with high tower, St Nicholas' Church Toompea castle
Activities to try: Extreme swinging, or kiiking or hiking in the rural areas.
Food you must try: Cafeteria style dumpling restaurants. You can fill your bowl with any number of dumplings and sauce and then pay for your food by the weight. Less common, but also good, are the pancake options. Similar in style, you load your pancakes high with any number of sweet or savory toppings and enjoy a filling and satisfying meal at a low cost.
Wifi available in plenty across the country.
Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
How to get there: Flights available from most of the major airports in the UK
Budget: £25/day/person
Best time to visit: Dec- April
Things to see: Jade Emperor Pagoda, War Remnants Museum, Ben Thanh Market, Saigon Opera
Cu Chi Tunnels, Cao Dai Temple, Khan Van Nam Vien Pagoda, Reunification palace, Mariamman Hindu temple, Ho Chi Minh city zoo, Ho Chi Minh Central Post office, Notre Dame Cathedral
Outskirts: Angkor Wat, Halong Bay
Food to try: Pho (noodle soup), Banh Mi (baguettes), Com Tam (dish made out of broken rice), Bun Thit Nuong (Vietnamese cold rice vermicelli noodle dish), Hu Tieu (Noodle Soup, but the noodle is made from tapioca)
Quebec City, Canada
How to get there: Flights available from most of the UK major airports
Budget: £72/person/day
Best time to visit: June- September, December-February
Things to see: Old Quebec town, Fortification of Quebec, Quartier Petit Champlain & Place Royale
St. Lawrence River & Vieux-Port de Québec, Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré Shrine, Montmorency Falls Park, Plains of Abraham, Wendake, Parliament Hill, Île d’Orléans, Parc national de la Jacques-Cartier, Chemin du Roy, Le Massif de Charlevoix
Food to try: Poutine (Piles of fry, gravy and cheese curd), Bagels (smaller and denser than New York), Tire sur la Neige (maple candy), Cheese in Eastern townships, Shish touk (local version of shawarma), Tourtiere (pie)
Costa Rica, Caribbean
How to get there: Flights available from most of the UK major airports
Budget: £48/day/person
Best time to visit: December- April
Things to see: Monteverde and Santa Elena, Volcán Arenal, Volcan Poas, Parque Nacional Manuel Antonio, Reggae in Puerto Viejo, Parque Nacional Tortuguero, Mal País & Santa Teresa, Central Valley thrills, Playa Sámara, Montezuma, Cerro Chirripó, Bird, Fish and Turtle watching, Reserva Rara Avis, White water rafting, Surfing
Food to try: Gallo Pinto (Rice and beans with scrambled eggs and a sausage), Casado (Rice, beans, fried plantains cabbage and tomato salad), Ceviche (Seafood dish), Tamales (Masa- a starchy corn-based dough, mixed with vegetables, cheese), Tres Leches Cake (Sponge cake/butter cake soaked in 3 types of milk)
Dili, East Timore
How to get there: Flights available from most of the UK major airports
Best time to visit: April-July
Budget: £50/day/person
Things to do: Snorkelling & hiking on Atauro Island, Sunset on Atauro Island, Digging the Beach Road scene, Hiking Mt Rameau, São António de Motel Cristo Rei, Diving with dugongs, Resistance Museum, Rural life at Taibessi Market, Browsing textiles at Tais Market, Hash House Harriers
Food to try: Batar daan (A popular dish of corn, mung beans, and pumpkin), Budu (A sauce of tomato, mint, lime, and Spanish onion), Ikan sabuko (A Spanish dish in tamarind marinade with basil and capsicum), Tapai (A fermented rice dish. It is sweet, sour, and slightly alcoholic), Caril (A mild curry with a roasted capsicum and coconut paste), Feijoada (A common dish of former Portuguese colonies)
