Every traveler's goal is to find a way to travel extravagantly, and yet at the same time, to stay within the limits of its budget. Perhaps that particular wish was not easily attainable in the past, but today we live in a world where luxury is not ridiculously expensive.
For example, even in Australia, whether you're looking for affordable Sydney accommodation or hotel packages in Melbourne, you can still get amazing deals for less money, and with more value. You can even turn the tables around by traveling to an exotic location, where you can have the luxury for a fraction of the regular price.
Our goal with this article is to share with you a few tips and tricks when it comes to traveling abroad on a budget, without making compromises when it comes to comfort.
1. Cheap 5-star destinations
Before you pack your bags, you need to choose a destination. The smartest way to do this, if you want to travel in luxury without spending all your money on one trip, is to find an exotic destination with a good currency conversion rate.
That means that you need to choose a location, where you can buy a lot when you convert your currency. Euros, dollars, and pounds usually have good conversion rates all over the world, so choosing a place like Bali, Thailand, Eastern Europe or South America is prudent.
2. Lesser known locations next to famous destinations
Choosing to stay in a small city next to Munich during Oktoberfest is the best way to save money, have a fantastic time and avoid the crowds. This method is applicable for any exclusive location around the globe. You can get better accommodation and transportation deals if you're willing to compromise a little to gain a lot of value.
3. Visit during off-season
Another great way to save money by traveling comfortably is to visit the "hot-spots" during their off-season. Furthermore, this can even turn out to be a plus for most places that are crowded with tourists during the season. The best example for this is Venice, which is almost always crowded with people, but between November and March, you can usually expect lower prices and a mild winter. Just don't visit during the in February!
4. Avoid tourist traps
Let us paint you a picture!
You're drinking coffee in a café located in the Old Town Square in Prague, looking at the Astronomical clock. The atmosphere is almost magical, and the small espresso is 10 euros. Now, if you moved just a couple of hundred meters from the square, in a café that offers the same atmosphere, the coffee would be only 3 euros. You saved 7 euros because you avoided a tourist trap!
Tourist traps surround almost every major attraction in the popular locations, and that's something you as a tourist have to be aware of. For example, if you want to enjoy a fancy, delicious dinner in Amsterdam, dining at a restaurant with a view of the channel won't save you any money.
If you're aware of them, you can avoid them!
5. Choose a reasonable transportation method
The other "money pit" when it comes to exotic destinations and luxurious trips is transportation. This might require a bit of planning on your part, but it will be worth it!
There are so many tricks you can implement in this strategy. For example, you can book more than one plane ticket to get to your destination. With a little bit of calculating and researching you can find out which plane tickets can save you money and then arrange them in the proper order.
Additionally, you can book a ticket to the nearest town, and hop on a train (if you're in Europe), or a boat (if you're in Asia) to get where you need to be. The possibilities are endless, and with the low-cost airline companies available today, you might pull it for extremely low prices.
6. Book with hotels, not through platforms and services
This is the most honest advice when it comes to saving money for accommodation - book directly with hotels! Always! Even though you might think that you're saving money because you got a good deal or a smart deal, you're still giving a percent to a platform for arranging the accommodation for you.
Instead, find the hotels you like and go to their website. They might be offering a promotional deal or a sweet package that it is only available to you if you book with them directly. Most hotels even provide huge discounts for the members of their loyalty programs. Check out the competition in the area. Perhaps some other hotel nearby has incentives for direct booking.
If you want to travel luxuriously on a budget, do your due diligence!
