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<\/p>\nWhen times are tight we suggest you travel more, not less, but pick carefully. Here is a list we culled for you; places where your wallet will smile at the memories for years to come.<\/p>\n
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Greece<\/strong>: Greece has had a few tough years, with harsh austerity measures, soaring unemployment and demonstrations hitting the world\u2019s headlines. For a place that thrives on tourists \u2014 whether the kind that parties on sun-burnt islands or guzzles over ancient culture \u2014 this is bad news. But Greece still does what it has done brilliantly for generations. What is missing are visitor numbers from previous years, and prices have come down in an attempt to woo them back. Combined with the chance to explore Greece\u2019s more popular sites with fewer visitors, this means that it offers remarkable value.<\/p>\n Italy\u2019s heel:<\/strong> If you\u2019ve ever rubbed shoulders with billionaires on the Amalfi Coast or spent the weekend in Venice, you\u2019ll know that Italy can drain travel budgets. This year, look south. Italy\u2019s heel has arguably the best beaches in the country, hilltop towns and ancient sights. But what makes Puglia, Basilicata and Calabria such good value is not just the financial side of being in this part of the country. It is the fabulous food \u2014 cucina povera (poor man\u2019s food), simple, tasty and cheap \u2014 and the relaxed pace of life even in peak season, coupled with good-value accommodation for all budgets.<\/p>\n Nicaragua:<\/strong> Nicaragua is fast making its name for more than simply saving a few dollars on the road. The country is an A-grade Central American attraction in itself, from brooding Volc\u00e1n Concepci\u00f3n to the dreamlike experience of floating down the R\u00edo San Juan. True budget travelers trying to make it on US$20 a day (still possible here) may think twice about visiting the Corn Islands due to the cost of flying from the mainland, but Nicaragua does offer some of the cheapest beach living and diving in the Caribbean.<\/p>\n Bulgaria: <\/strong>Especially in famous cities, costs in Eastern Europe have gone up with the crowds. This is one of the reasons to go to Bulgaria, still so puzzlingly underrated that few but travel geeks can name a city beyond the capital, Sofia \u2013 try Plovdiv or Varna. The latter is part of the Black Sea Riviera that brings crowds and high prices in the summer. Elsewhere, including Sofia, transport, museums and the ubiquitous private rooms (look for \u2018Zimmer frei\u2019 signs) are quite reasonably priced. The most famous site, Rila Monastery, is free and offers simple rooms for pilgrims.<\/p>\n Portugal: <\/strong>Each year the British Post Office surveys the prices in European holiday resorts. The most recent edition names Albufeira in the Algarve as the cheapest option for a summer family holiday. The Algarve in high summer may not be to everyone\u2019s taste, but it shows that Portugal is great for the budget-conscious. There are excellent deals elsewhere too. Lisbon has wonderful coffee and sweet treats for a few euros, and you can ride cheap trams around to your heart\u2019s content. Portugal is also, for Europeans, a superb place to surf without having to fork out the airfare to the sport\u2019s traditional heartlands.<\/p>\n Fiji: <\/strong>A South Pacific island destination on a value travel list? Yes, Fiji may just be the most affordable slice of paradise. The Yasawas and the Mamanucas are home to the unusual phenomenon of island resorts aimed at backpackers. While it is not as cheap as Southeast Asia, the value here is in bringing the South Pacific within reach of mid-range travelers. Combine some island-hopping by daily catamaran with public buses around Viti Levu, Fiji\u2019s \u2018mainland\u2019, and get almost as much Polynesia as possible for not all of your money.<\/p>\n Mexico: <\/strong>Ignore the headlines about budget-busting resorts and savor the value of a visit to Mexico. Grab a good-value flight and try to avoid periods such as US school holidays. Travelers who explore off the established trail will find Mexico hugely rewarding. North of Puerto Vallarta, laid-back beach towns such as Chacala offer guesthouse rooms for US$40, and the relaxed ambience is its own reward. Good value can be had even in the tourist heartland of the Yucat\u00e1n Peninsula. Cheap bus trips to M\u00e9rida and Tulum provide all the Mayan wonders you can muster at a fraction of the cost of Canc\u00fan-based tours. Look for caba\u00f1as, huts with a palm-thatched roof, most often found at beach destinations.<\/p>\n Philippines:<\/strong> Jungle rivers, limestone cliffs and awesome beaches \u2014 Palawan is no secret, but it certainly rewards those who visit. This mix, combined with stand-out attractions such as Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park and the Bacuit Archipelago (makes it a great-value pick for old Asia hands and novices alike. A journey on from Palawan leads to the Calamian Islands where apparently Alex Garland saw the strip of sand that inspired The Beach. Watch out for the May to October monsoon: it brings heavy rain, usually in the afternoon.<\/p>\n Ethiopia:<\/strong> While you can\u2019t get everywhere in Ethiopia on US$30 a day, you can see a huge amount of its highlights by taking great-value and time-saving flights along the country\u2019s Historic Route. This astonishing journey includes the Lake Tana monasteries and the Blue Nile Falls, the rock-hewn wonders of Lalibela and much more. True, the budget goes out the window if you hire a vehicle and driver or join an organized tour \u2014 which you need in order to get the most out of the country\u2019s wild west \u2014 but you can always save that for another visit. This is one slice of Africa that rewards the curious as well as the deep-pocketed. Budget hotels abound, but the best are newer properties.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" When times are tight we suggest you travel more, not less, but pick carefully. Here is a list we culled for you; places where your wallet will smile at the memories for years to come. Greece: Greece has had a few tough years, with harsh austerity measures, soaring unemployment and demonstrations hitting the world\u2019s headlines. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":17569,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[779,776,775],"class_list":["post-17559","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-travel","tag-tourism","tag-travel","tag-travel_destination"],"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"http:\/\/192.163.207.100\/~timesku1\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/07\/italy.jpg\")
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