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Top budget destinations and affordable travel hubs

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Sri Lanka
Ancient cities, tea hills and surf beaches
7.3
Trains through the hill country cost only a few dollars for journeys past tea plantations and mountains. Guesthouses near beaches and historic sites often cost under fifteen dollars a night. Rice and curry meals cost well under two dollars at street stalls. Entry fees to ancient cities like Sigiriya stay modest compared to similar sites.
Highlights:
  • 🚂 Take a scenic train ride through the tea plantations to Ella
  • 🐘 Spot elephants on safari in Minneriya National Park
  • 🪨 Climb Sigiriya Rock Fortress and admire its ancient frescoes
Bangladesh
Mangrove tigers, tea hills and a long beach
5.2
Rickshaws and local buses offer cheap ways to get around cities here, often costing a few cents a ride. Street food stalls throughout Dhaka serve full meals for under a dollar. Guesthouses outside the capital can cost only a few dollars a night. Few tourists visit, which keeps prices low compared to established backpacker routes.
Highlights:
  • 🚶🏻 Stroll through Dhaka’s chaotic and colorful Sadarghat river port
  • 🏛️ Visit the ancient terracotta Kantaji Temple in Dinajpur
  • 🚤 Cruise through the serene backwaters of the Sundarbans mangrove forest
Cambodia
Angkor temples, riverside cities and quiet coast
7.1
Guesthouses in cities like Phnom Penh and Siem Reap can cost as little as a few dollars a night. Street food stalls serve full meals for under two dollars in most towns. A multi-day pass to Angkor Archaeological Park costs less than a single day ticket at many Western sites. Tuk-tuks offer cheap rides around.
Highlights:
  • 🚤 Cruise along Tonlé Sap Lake and visit floating villages
  • 🌿 Explore the jungle-covered ruins of Ta Prohm Temple
  • 🌅 Watch sunrise over the ancient temples of Angkor Wat
Georgia
Wine country, mountain villages and old Tbilisi
7.2
Marshrutkas, shared minivans, connect cities and mountain towns for just a few dollars per ride. Guesthouses throughout Tbilisi and the countryside often include breakfast for under fifteen dollars a night. Wine and khachapuri, a cheese-filled bread, cost only a few dollars at local restaurants. Hiking trails through the Caucasus mountains require no entry fee.
Highlights:
  • 🏙️ Walk through the historic Old Town of Tbilisi
  • 🕳️ Explore the ancient Uplistsikhe cave city carved into rock
  • ⛪ Climb Gergeti Trinity Church overlooking Mount Kazbek
India
Palaces, temples, backwaters and Himalayan peaks
7.5
Sleeper trains connect cities across the country for a fraction of flight costs. Street food stalls serve full meals, including thalis and dosas, for under a dollar. Guesthouses outside major tourist hubs often charge just a few dollars a night. Entry fees to most sites stay modest for domestic and foreign visitors alike.
Highlights:
  • 🛶 Sail on the serene backwaters of Kerala
  • 🛺 Take a colorful rickshaw ride through Old Delhi’s lanes
  • 🌅 Watch sunrise over the majestic Taj Mahal
Indonesia
Volcanoes, temples, rice terraces and coral reefs
8.5
Local warungs, small family-run restaurants, serve full meals for well under two dollars across the country. Guesthouses outside Bali's more touristy areas often cost under fifteen dollars a night. Ferries and buses connect the archipelago's many islands at a fraction of flight costs. Scooter rentals remain a cheap way to explore towns and countryside.
Highlights:
  • 🐠 Snorkel with manta rays around Nusa Penida
  • 🏄‍♀️ Relax on Bali’s white-sand beaches and surf perfect waves
  • 🌋 Watch the sunrise over Mount Bromo’s smoking crater
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