Author Topic: affordable international destinations?  (Read 12214 times)

melanie2008

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affordable international destinations?
« on: February 28, 2016, 03:51:19 PM »
Hi, my husband and I are trying to figure out where to go for our next vacation. We just don't know where and are getting a little overwhelmed by the possibilities. We would also like to go to a cheaper location since we are still trying to pay off student loans. Ideally, we want to go somewhere with nice outdoor adventures. We have visited many places in Europe already so while we would love to go back, we feel we should expand our travels. Do you have any countries you would recommend? What was your favorite part about the country? We have thought about Costa Rica (but would like some place more affordable), Thailand and Chile. Thanks!
« Last Edit: March 05, 2016, 05:30:41 PM by melaniesuzanne »

Gimesalot

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Re: affordable international destinations?
« Reply #1 on: February 28, 2016, 04:16:04 PM »
Husband and I went to Puerto Rico last year.  It was great.  You save a lot of money because it is not an international destination, but it doesn't fell like the United States when you are there.  There are a lot of outdoor activities including hiking, diving, surfing, beach lounging, etc. 


Gimesalot

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Re: affordable international destinations?
« Reply #2 on: February 28, 2016, 04:18:17 PM »
I just thought of another place that might be what you are looking for.  Quebec.  We love Montreal and have visited several times.  We are city people, so we haven't done a lot of the outdoor activities but I hear there is a ton to do there.  Also, the city of Montreal feels very European.

melanie2008

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Re: affordable international destinations?
« Reply #3 on: February 28, 2016, 07:21:07 PM »
We are most worried about the costs of hotels, food and activities. I think we are looking for a significantly cheaper place. Canada is too expensive at this time I think. I will look at Puerto Rico. My off site manager is from there!

pbkmaine

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Re: affordable international destinations?
« Reply #4 on: February 28, 2016, 08:00:05 PM »
The Canadian dollar is worth 74 cents US right now. It's a good time to visit!

Gimesalot

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Re: affordable international destinations?
« Reply #5 on: February 28, 2016, 09:51:58 PM »
I just looked at vrbo.com and there are studio apartments in Montreal for less than $40 a night.  There are a load of free festivals and museums all summer long.  Food isn't expensive if you stick to the farmers' markets, ethnic restaurants, and cooking in your apartment.  Also, plane tickets can be cheap too.

TravelJunkyQC

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Re: affordable international destinations?
« Reply #6 on: February 29, 2016, 11:47:01 AM »
As someone who lives in Québec City and has previously lived in Montréal, I highly suggest both! Québec City is my favourite, as there is more of an old European feel, and nature is easier to access than in Montréal. Exchange rate is really an advantage for Americans at the moment. Feel free to PM me if you want more info!

Parizade

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Re: affordable international destinations?
« Reply #7 on: February 29, 2016, 12:00:10 PM »
I haven't been, but a friend has told me Madeira is beautiful and inexpensive. I would love to find out for myself one day.

NearlyThere

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Re: affordable international destinations?
« Reply #8 on: February 29, 2016, 12:54:36 PM »
Bulgaria is extremely cheap and the resort areas are comparable with anywhere in Europe, but outside of these expect eastern bloc chic.

We've an Airbnb in Malaga, Spain thats costing us £800 a month. Not completely inexpensive, but as I'll be working from there, it's needed to be more than a bedroom and bathroom.

Blazin

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Re: affordable international destinations?
« Reply #9 on: February 29, 2016, 01:00:36 PM »
We have been to Nicaragua and loved it!  It is pretty affordable too.

lightmyfire

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Re: affordable international destinations?
« Reply #10 on: February 29, 2016, 01:27:10 PM »
I just got back from an amazing vacation to Tulum Mexico.  I rented a cabana right on the beach (very rustic, but clean and functional) for about $25 a day.  It's near Cancun so easy to access, but still fairly undeveloped and cheap.  No condo development.  Tons of activities in the area, from snorkeling in cenotes and spelunking caves to Mayan ruins to jungle hikes and quaint colonial villages.  And the beach of course...my personal favorite in the world.  The sand there is like walking through a spilled bag of flour and the water is pure turquoise.  The Tulum pyramid is right there too, you can see it while on the beach. 

Jouer

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Re: affordable international destinations?
« Reply #11 on: February 29, 2016, 01:47:23 PM »
The Canadian dollar is worth 74 cents US right now. It's a good time to visit!

Don't discount the effect of this. I usually visit the USA a couple times a summer since it's so close but I've cancelled a couple of trips because of the exchange rate. Think about it - everything in Canada, even regular priced items, is 25% off. And accommodations in both Quebec City and Montreal are already pretty reasonable, considering how great of destinations they are.

arebelspy

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Re: affordable international destinations?
« Reply #12 on: February 29, 2016, 01:52:39 PM »
The world is SO BIG, setting the qualifier of "cheap" still leaves so many places.

Can you add some more criteria?

What do you guys like to do?  Hiking?  Beach?  Jungle?

City?  Small villages?

Outline some of the stuff for us you've enjoyed in the past, and we may be able to recommend something.  :)
I am a former teacher who accumulated a bunch of real estate, retired at 29, spent some time traveling the world full time and am now settled with three kids.
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I'm a red panda

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Re: affordable international destinations?
« Reply #13 on: February 29, 2016, 01:56:21 PM »
We are going to the Canadian Rockies this summer.  I can't wait, though I'm really nervous about the crowds.  We are driving out there and camping, so it is pretty affordable, though camping there still costs a decent amount (but hotel rooms cost a fortune).


The last few years we've gone scuba diving in Cozumel. The hotel we stay at is about $35 a night for a balcony room with a sideways ocean view (costs double that to be ocean view)- comes with breakfast.  We use a dive op that includes transportation to the marina and walk the rest of the time, so it is pretty affordable. We fly on points.

JoJo

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Re: affordable international destinations?
« Reply #14 on: February 29, 2016, 04:40:31 PM »
Where are you flying from?  Sometimes you can get some great deals (like visiting Asia from the west coast, various places if you're flying out of JFK in NYC)?   Is there a time of year you're targeting?
How much time do you have & what's the budget  (I wouldn't go somewhere more than 10 hours away for just a week, but if you have 3 weeks, it adds alot of places in).

If you have the money for flights, some cheaper destinations are:
Asia:  Nepal, Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam
Europe: Eastern Europe, Georgia, Armenia, Turkey
Latin America: Central America, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru
These places are easily to be under $100 a day and probably under $50 a day for some of the places depending on where you stay, eat, do.


melanie2008

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Re: affordable international destinations?
« Reply #15 on: March 01, 2016, 05:23:35 PM »
Thanks all! We have done lots of cities and beaches so are looking for more of an outdoor adventure. We love to hike and camp. I went to Costa Rica in 2001 and loved it so I am picturing something like that, but I think I would like to go some place I haven't been. We will use miles for the flights. Honestly, I probably just need to pick a place because you are all right, the options are just too many!!!

JoJo

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Re: affordable international destinations?
« Reply #16 on: March 01, 2016, 06:20:00 PM »
My main caveat then would be to consider time of year - some places can be miserably hot, cold, or rainy so check the weather averages for the time you want to travel.


Rosy

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Re: affordable international destinations?
« Reply #17 on: March 01, 2016, 06:49:39 PM »
Quote
We have thought about Costa Rica (but would like some place more affordable), Thailand and Chili. Thanks!
Yup, I've always wanted to go to the country of Chili - LOL - sorry, couldn't resist:)

Quote
I just looked at vrbo.com and there are studio apartments in Montreal for less than $40 a night.  There are a load of free festivals and museums all summer long.  Food isn't expensive if you stick to the farmers' markets, ethnic restaurants, and cooking in your apartment.  Also, plane tickets can be cheap too.
Oh man, that sounds so tempting - I wonder if they have reasonably priced trains to Toronto and Quebec from there? Do they have a good train systemin Canada and is there something outdoorsy to do in between at least two of these cities?
Will it be too hot in July or August? Maybe we could go the last week in June?

I just want to go somewhere, I need to get awayyyyyyyyyyyy...

eliza

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Re: affordable international destinations?
« Reply #18 on: March 01, 2016, 06:51:15 PM »
I just got back from an amazing vacation to Tulum Mexico.  I rented a cabana right on the beach (very rustic, but clean and functional) for about $25 a day.  It's near Cancun so easy to access, but still fairly undeveloped and cheap.  No condo development.  Tons of activities in the area, from snorkeling in cenotes and spelunking caves to Mayan ruins to jungle hikes and quaint colonial villages.  And the beach of course...my personal favorite in the world.  The sand there is like walking through a spilled bag of flour and the water is pure turquoise.  The Tulum pyramid is right there too, you can see it while on the beach.

Did you find this place on the web?  Or do you have some local knowledge?  It's one of the areas I've been considering for a future vacation.  I love Cozumel (in all of its super-touristy wonder) at least for a cruise ship port of call, but think I would want something more low key for a longer visit to the area.

EconDiva

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Re: affordable international destinations?
« Reply #19 on: March 01, 2016, 07:34:54 PM »
Not to throw the thread off track but is anyone concerned about Zika in places like Puerto Rico?  I'm looking to fly there next month but now my 2 friends just dropped out of the trip saying they won't go because of it. :(  :(  I've been planning this for like 2 months :( I thought it was primarily a health risk for pregnant women and not that big of a deal....

Bracken_Joy

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Re: affordable international destinations?
« Reply #20 on: March 01, 2016, 07:52:43 PM »
Following! Scratch my wanderlust itch =)

Dee18

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Re: affordable international destinations?
« Reply #21 on: March 02, 2016, 07:27:18 AM »
Re Zika: according to the National Institutes of Health, zika will be in the US, throughout the Gulf coast, Georgia and Florida by summer, as well as California and other states bordering Mexico.  Mosquito season in the south starts early and the kind of mosquito that carries zika lives in about 16 states.  (I live in one of those states and expect I will get the virus in the coming year. I feel terrible for my young neighbors who are just starting families.)  It is already spreading in Puerto Rico, which has multiple daily flights to many parts of the US, including popular Orlando. 

Easye418

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Re: affordable international destinations?
« Reply #22 on: March 02, 2016, 08:56:37 AM »
Not to throw the thread off track but is anyone concerned about Zika in places like Puerto Rico?  I'm looking to fly there next month but now my 2 friends just dropped out of the trip saying they won't go because of it. :(  :(  I've been planning this for like 2 months :( I thought it was primarily a health risk for pregnant women and not that big of a deal....

Definitely concerned about this.  Pretty much ruined any chances of going on vacation.

Re Zika: according to the National Institutes of Health, zika will be in the US, throughout the Gulf coast, Georgia and Florida by summer, as well as California and other states bordering Mexico.  Mosquito season in the south starts early and the kind of mosquito that carries zika lives in about 16 states.  (I live in one of those states and expect I will get the virus in the coming year. I feel terrible for my young neighbors who are just starting families.)  It is already spreading in Puerto Rico, which has multiple daily flights to many parts of the US, including popular Orlando.

Very doom and gloom outlook.  I do not think it will be this bad in the United States.

Dee18

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Re: affordable international destinations?
« Reply #23 on: March 02, 2016, 10:57:22 AM »
The zika info isn't my personal opinion.  NIH, CDC, and WHO are all in agreement.  If I lived up north I might try to avoid getting it altogether.  But given that I live in one of the key states that will have it, I'm also comfortable taking a trip to another area that has it.

LeRainDrop

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Re: affordable international destinations?
« Reply #24 on: March 02, 2016, 11:16:45 AM »
Not to throw the thread off track but is anyone concerned about Zika in places like Puerto Rico?  I'm looking to fly there next month but now my 2 friends just dropped out of the trip saying they won't go because of it. :(  :(  I've been planning this for like 2 months :( I thought it was primarily a health risk for pregnant women and not that big of a deal....

I just returned from the Dominican Republic last night.  I asked in another thread for tips about that locale, and someone raised Zika, which I hadn't even thought of, just the day before I was leaving.  I did some quick research online about Zika because I hadn't really paid attention to the reports before, and what I came away with is that it's typically not all that big a deal.  In fact, many people who get it don't even realize that's what they have and then they get over it.  If I were pregnant, I probably would have done some more research, but since I'm not, I was satisfied with that.  From the CDC: 

http://www.cdc.gov/zika/symptoms/index.html
http://www.cdc.gov/zika/fs-posters/

So, I bought a 1 oz. (carry-on size) of Off Deep Woods 25% DEET bug spray.  I wanted to find the bug repellent wipes, but wasn't able to do so on such short notice.  If I'd had a couple extra days, I would have order the wipes through Amazon Prime (http://www.amazon.com/Woods-Insect-Repellent-Wipes-Towelettes/dp/B000Q64DI8) so that I would have had more room in my quart-sized bag for carry-on liquids.  Anyhow, I didn't end up having to use the spray at all, but I did like the peace of mind I had from having the spray it in case it got buggy.

In summary, I'd buy some bug repellent wipes and get your friends back on the trip!

FLBiker

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Re: affordable international destinations?
« Reply #25 on: March 02, 2016, 12:53:48 PM »
Thailand is great.  If you like diving, check out Koh Tao.  I was there a couple of times in the early 2000s and it was very nice.  Beautiful coral, whale sharks, etc.

jennymouse

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Re: affordable international destinations?
« Reply #26 on: March 02, 2016, 01:57:01 PM »
Montreal is wonderful!  I live in Toronto (Toronto is great too!) and we take the occasional get away weekend in Montreal.  The trains are great, and Via Rail has good sales.  It's only five hours between Montreal and Toronto.  Quebec City is one of the most beautiful cities on earth. 

Gerard

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Re: affordable international destinations?
« Reply #27 on: March 02, 2016, 02:05:09 PM »
Montreal is wonderful!  I live in Toronto (Toronto is great too!) and we take the occasional get away weekend in Montreal.  The trains are great, and Via Rail has good sales.  It's only five hours between Montreal and Toronto.  Quebec City is one of the most beautiful cities on earth.

Plus, the Megabus between Toronto and Montreal is very frequent and ludicrously cheap, starting at ten bucks a person. About a six hour ride, decent wifi, some nice views if you sit upstairs.

On the other hand, if the OP has frequent flyer miles to burn, why not go somewhere far away but crazy cheap to stay in?

melanie2008

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Re: affordable international destinations?
« Reply #28 on: March 03, 2016, 05:46:29 AM »
Quote
We have thought about Costa Rica (but would like some place more affordable), Thailand and Chili. Thanks!
Yup, I've always wanted to go to the country of Chili - LOL - sorry, couldn't resist:)

LOL! Opps! Let's hope I never do that again.

melanie2008

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Re: affordable international destinations?
« Reply #29 on: March 03, 2016, 05:47:53 AM »
Thailand is great.  If you like diving, check out Koh Tao.  I was there a couple of times in the early 2000s and it was very nice.  Beautiful coral, whale sharks, etc.

Thanks! My husband loves to dive. I will make note.

Tanor85

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Re: affordable international destinations?
« Reply #30 on: March 03, 2016, 07:02:50 AM »
If you want to visit Ottawa, you can stay at my place for up to 5 days. All for free of course. I am on Couchsurfing if you want more information. I would also do a house exchange if you want to stay longer.

As for Costa Rica, it is an awesome destination. I went last winter and it cost us less than $3K each all in for 1 month of frugal adventures. You can consider Panama if you want a similar experience but cheaper and with less tourism. I've never been to Panama but that's what I hear.

GreenQueen

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Re: affordable international destinations?
« Reply #31 on: March 03, 2016, 07:09:51 AM »
+1 to Montreal (where I live!) and Quebec City. Beautiful, affordable (esp with exchange rate), vibrant, and friendly.

Highly recommend Thailand...food, massages, affordable accommodations. We've mostly done Bangkok, which has great Airtrain public transit, but friends have loved Phuket, Pai, and other places.

LovesToTravel

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Re: affordable international destinations?
« Reply #32 on: March 03, 2016, 09:10:49 AM »

Florida already has 44 cases. As of February 24th, the US as a whole had 107 cases. Zika's already here. It's not a very big deal if you aren't pregnant or trying to conceive. We're going to Brazil in June and we're just going to take some bug spray.


No one has acquired Zika in the US.  All cases "in the US" were acquired by people while traveling outside of the US.  Per CDC: http://www.cdc.gov/zika/geo/united-states.html

Jouer

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Re: affordable international destinations?
« Reply #33 on: March 03, 2016, 09:25:53 AM »
If you want to visit Ottawa, you can stay at my place for up to 5 days. All for free of course. I am on Couchsurfing if you want more information. I would also do a house exchange if you want to stay longer.

As for Costa Rica, it is an awesome destination. I went last winter and it cost us less than $3K each all in for 1 month of frugal adventures. You can consider Panama if you want a similar experience but cheaper and with less tourism. I've never been to Panama but that's what I hear.

....and Ottawa is only 2 hours from Montreal by train. Aside from the usual National Capital sights like museums, monuments, Parliament, etc., it also has GREAT hiking/mountain biking just outside the city (on the Quebec side).

Bracken_Joy

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Re: affordable international destinations?
« Reply #34 on: March 03, 2016, 09:54:48 AM »
Everyone is making me want to visit Canada. It's funny, I never considered it much since it never seemed "foreign" enough. In retrospect, that's silly.

jrhampt

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Re: affordable international destinations?
« Reply #35 on: March 03, 2016, 10:31:56 AM »
Everyone is making me want to visit Canada. It's funny, I never considered it much since it never seemed "foreign" enough. In retrospect, that's silly.

Canada is awesome.  I prefer Quebec City to Montreal (Quebec has a great old walled town, and if you're into history, you can visit the museum at the plains of Abraham), but both are worth a visit, have great food (ice wine, cheeses, cider, maple sugar pie/maple sugar everything, crepes) and feel foreign because they are French-speaking, and I also love spending time in the maritimes - Nova Scotia, PEI, New Brunswick.  Plenty of great camping in the summer.  I live on the east coast so naturally spend more time in the eastern area of Canada, but we are considering Banff later this year due to the excellent exchange rate right now.

Bracken_Joy

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Re: affordable international destinations?
« Reply #36 on: March 03, 2016, 10:33:48 AM »
Everyone is making me want to visit Canada. It's funny, I never considered it much since it never seemed "foreign" enough. In retrospect, that's silly.

Canada is awesome.  I prefer Quebec City to Montreal (Quebec has a great old walled town, and if you're into history, you can visit the museum at the plains of Abraham), but both are worth a visit, have great food (ice wine, cheeses, cider, maple sugar pie/maple sugar everything, crepes) and feel foreign because they are French-speaking, and I also love spending time in the maritimes - Nova Scotia, PEI, New Brunswick.  Plenty of great camping in the summer.  I live on the east coast so naturally spend more time in the eastern area of Canada, but we are considering Banff later this year due to the excellent exchange rate right now.

You certainly know how to sell me on a trip! =)

I'm a red panda

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Re: affordable international destinations?
« Reply #37 on: March 03, 2016, 10:37:12 AM »

 It's not a very big deal if you aren't pregnant or trying to conceive.

I don't know. With the possible Guillain-Barre link it might be bad even for those who aren't.

The US traditionally has stronger mosquito control than most of the Central american countries, so I don't expect it to be doom and gloom here, I expect it to be somewhat like West Nile. Not really -that- many infections in the grand scheme, but scary for those who get it.

Jeremy E.

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Re: affordable international destinations?
« Reply #38 on: March 03, 2016, 10:44:49 AM »
I've heard really great things about,
Chapala Mexico
Chiang Mai Thailand (although the air pollution is bad around february-march)
Panajachel and Antigua Guatemala
You can get away with just english in all 3 of them, but some spanish/thai/northern thai could be helpful
I've been learning about these destinations from the blog retireearlylifestyle.com

LeRainDrop

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Re: affordable international destinations?
« Reply #39 on: March 03, 2016, 10:46:01 AM »
It's not a very big deal if you aren't pregnant or trying to conceive.

I don't know. With the possible Guillain-Barre link it might be bad even for those who aren't.

Re-posting the link to CDC's symptoms list:  http://www.cdc.gov/zika/symptoms/index.html

Quote from: CDC
-  The illness is usually mild with symptoms lasting for several days to a week after being bitten by an infected mosquito.
-  People usually don’t get sick enough to go to the hospital, and they very rarely die of Zika. For this reason, many people might not realize they have been infected.

LeRainDrop

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Re: affordable international destinations?
« Reply #40 on: March 03, 2016, 10:49:53 AM »
Everyone is making me want to visit Canada. It's funny, I never considered it much since it never seemed "foreign" enough. In retrospect, that's silly.

Canada is awesome.  I prefer Quebec City to Montreal (Quebec has a great old walled town, and if you're into history, you can visit the museum at the plains of Abraham), but both are worth a visit, have great food (ice wine, cheeses, cider, maple sugar pie/maple sugar everything, crepes) and feel foreign because they are French-speaking, and I also love spending time in the maritimes - Nova Scotia, PEI, New Brunswick.  Plenty of great camping in the summer.  I live on the east coast so naturally spend more time in the eastern area of Canada, but we are considering Banff later this year due to the excellent exchange rate right now.

You certainly know how to sell me on a trip! =)

Add me to the bandwagon of folks who highly recommend visits to Quebec City and Montreal!  I grew up in Massachusetts, but my mom's side had older relatives we visited in Montreal, and we also visited Ottawa because that's where my dad's employer was headquartered.  I visited both cities somewhere between the ages of 8 and 15, and I just loved them.  My absolute favorite, though, was Quebec City, where my seventh grade class traveled for a one-week stay.  It was just so beautiful and full of interesting history.  I wish I had visited the maritime portions of Canada that jrhampt mentioned, but I still have not -- perhaps something to plan for in the future :-)

jrhampt

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Re: affordable international destinations?
« Reply #41 on: March 03, 2016, 10:50:09 AM »
Everyone is making me want to visit Canada. It's funny, I never considered it much since it never seemed "foreign" enough. In retrospect, that's silly.

Canada is awesome.  I prefer Quebec City to Montreal (Quebec has a great old walled town, and if you're into history, you can visit the museum at the plains of Abraham), but both are worth a visit, have great food (ice wine, cheeses, cider, maple sugar pie/maple sugar everything, crepes) and feel foreign because they are French-speaking, and I also love spending time in the maritimes - Nova Scotia, PEI, New Brunswick.  Plenty of great camping in the summer.  I live on the east coast so naturally spend more time in the eastern area of Canada, but we are considering Banff later this year due to the excellent exchange rate right now.

You certainly know how to sell me on a trip! =)

If you're a maple sugar nut, like I am, the maple sugar pie with cream poured over the top is orgasmic.

charis

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Re: affordable international destinations?
« Reply #42 on: March 03, 2016, 11:43:19 AM »
It's not a very big deal if you aren't pregnant or trying to conceive.

I don't know. With the possible Guillain-Barre link it might be bad even for those who aren't.

Re-posting the link to CDC's symptoms list:  http://www.cdc.gov/zika/symptoms/index.html

Quote from: CDC
-  The illness is usually mild with symptoms lasting for several days to a week after being bitten by an infected mosquito.
-  People usually don’t get sick enough to go to the hospital, and they very rarely die of Zika. For this reason, many people might not realize they have been infected.

I read this too.  I don't know if non-pregnant/conceiving adults need to be canceling trips.  The GBS connection is scarier, obviously, though unlikely to develop.

melanie2008

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Re: affordable international destinations?
« Reply #43 on: March 05, 2016, 05:21:19 PM »
I haven't been, but a friend has told me Madeira is beautiful and inexpensive. I would love to find out for myself one day.

Former Portugese coworker LOVES Madeira! It is one of her dream places. Continental Portugal is really nice and very inexpensive. We were lucky to visit for 2 weeks in September. I would highly recommend Portugal.

melanie2008

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Re: affordable international destinations?
« Reply #44 on: March 05, 2016, 05:29:39 PM »
Where are you flying from?  Sometimes you can get some great deals (like visiting Asia from the west coast, various places if you're flying out of JFK in NYC)?   Is there a time of year you're targeting?
How much time do you have & what's the budget  (I wouldn't go somewhere more than 10 hours away for just a week, but if you have 3 weeks, it adds alot of places in).

If you have the money for flights, some cheaper destinations are:
Asia:  Nepal, Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam
Europe: Eastern Europe, Georgia, Armenia, Turkey
Latin America: Central America, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru
These places are easily to be under $100 a day and probably under $50 a day for some of the places depending on where you stay, eat, do.

This is a great list. We are in NC and would like to fly out of NC.

pjancha

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Re: affordable international destinations?
« Reply #45 on: March 06, 2016, 04:50:04 AM »
My wife and I went to Dublin a few years ago. Aer Lingus had deals for lodgings included with plane tickets. I can't remember what it cost but it was quite a bit less than other options. We loved our vacation there. We got to see a lot of Dublin itself but there were many, affordable, options to see the country as well. The Irish people are incredibly polite and welcoming!