The World Costs Less Than You Think
The most extraordinary places on Earth are often the cheapest to reach. Nobody told you that. The tourist industry has a financial interest in you not knowing it.
Southeast Asia
Vietnam
$25
per day, all in
Bed, three meals, transport, one cold beer at the end of the day.
Eastern Europe
Georgia
$30
per day, all in
Guesthouse, khinkali dumplings, wine that costs almost nothing and tastes extraordinary.
Central America
Nicaragua
$20
per day, all in
The cheapest country in the Americas with some of its best landscapes.
South Asia
Nepal
$35
per day, all in
Trekking the Himalayas costs less per day than a hotel room in most European cities.
Best Value on Earth
Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City. Mountains, coastline, ancient towns, one of the greatest food cultures on Earth. You can do the whole thing — trains, guesthouses, every meal — for under thirty dollars a day. There is nowhere else on Earth that gives you this much for this little.
Read Full GuideSoutheast Asia
Three thousand kilometres of extraordinary country for thirty dollars a day.
Eastern Europe
Ancient cave cities, the Caucasus mountains, and wine that costs almost nothing.
Central America
The cheapest country in the Americas with some of its most dramatic landscapes.
South Asia
The Himalayas cost less per day than a hotel room in Paris.
West Africa
Dakar is one of the most vibrant cities in Africa for the price of a budget hostel.
Southeast Europe
The Mediterranean coast, Ottoman old towns, and almost no other tourists.
South Asia
Ancient temples, tea country, and surf beaches. Thirty dollars takes you far here.
South America
The world's largest salt flat. The world's most dramatic road. Under fifteen dollars a day.
"The world is not expensive. The version of the world they sell you is."
— The Forgotten Atlas
The cheapest flight to a region rarely lands where you want to go. Land somewhere cheaper and take a bus or train. Two hours on a bus costs three dollars. That flight difference funded two days of travel.
The moment a restaurant prints an English menu, the price doubles. Find where locals eat. Point at what the person next to you ordered. This is also how you eat the best food.
Night buses and overnight trains cost less than a hostel bed and move you somewhere new while you sleep. The journey is part of the trip. The most interesting conversations happen on overnight buses.
One month before or after peak season. Half the prices, a fraction of the crowds, often better weather than you expect. The tourist industry does not advertise this. Now you know.