Best value destinations 2009

Helen · Post by **Helen** » 6 Jan 2009, 5:37pm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/m ... 808385.stm

Wondering where my pound would go furthest this year, I came across the above link.

Places mentioned: Croatia, Poland, Iceland, Turkey, Israel, Egypt, Dubai, Cuba, Mexico, Caribbean, Seychelles, Bolivia, Laos.

Oh dear - none of those in my plans...

hamster · Post by **hamster** » 6 Jan 2009, 7:35pm

Could even stay in the Uk - usually saves a couple of hundred quid per head in travel cost

dodger · Post by **dodger** » 6 Jan 2009, 7:36pm

But then you have to add on the very high accommodation costs here!

hamster · Post by **hamster** » 7 Jan 2009, 9:37am

With the fall in value of sterling elsewhere is a lot dearer. What was £30 in Europe last summer is now around £48.

simonhill · Post by **simonhill** » 7 Jan 2009, 10:41am

You mention Lao - the article says that the "Laotian kip has appreciated by around 50%", so it should be worse. The article also quotes Oz as being a goody - however, their currency is much more expensive aginst the pound than it was a year ago, making a fairly expensive place even more expensive.

I get the idea, I just think the facts are a bit off, although Iceland is definitely becoming more affordable.

Nonetheless, some destinations remain very cheap even though their currencies have risen - I'm just back from Thailand where although the currency has risen 30% - its still much cheaper touring there than just turning on my heating, let alone the food - wish I was there!

ersakus · Post by **ersakus** » 7 Jan 2009, 10:53am

Turkish lira has not gained that much value against pound (yet!) as they have nothing to do with Euro or EU. Turkey still is on our holiday list..

pq · Post by pq » 7 Jan 2009, 1:56pm

Iceland is cheap now for the first time ever. Their currency has fallen even more than the £.

tom_u · Post by **tom_u** » 7 Jan 2009, 3:30pm

India is very cheap at the mo, 75 rupees to the pound and return flights in march for £220.00.

james01 · Post by **james01** » 7 Jan 2009, 3:41pm

Perhaps it's a good year for exploring that area of the UK you always meant to visit but never got around to

Helen · Post by **Helen** » 7 Jan 2009, 4:06pm

I've finished my BCQ and have officially visited every county in GB! I find it cheaper and more relaxing (re driver attitudes) to cycle abroad. And I want to visit 2 new countries every year.

I wanted to get the train to London this weekend to use my free tickets for The France Show, but the train fare would have been at least £56.

Yesterday you could get a return flight Liverpool-Gdansk between 20-24 January for £10 with Ryanair, and the Youth Hostel costs £3 for a dorm bed, £6 single, £9 twin.

In the past I have made up my own package for a week in Mallorca for £100 all in (walking/public transport hol).

And my cheapest holiday was a couple of years ago wild camping round Norway for 3 weeks. Cost less than £10 a day.

Here's a pic of a money-saving evening meal last year in Aland (note dry bread, cheap Finnish beans and cup of water):

hamster · Post by **hamster** » 8 Jan 2009, 12:00pm

Ok, you've done plenty in the UK... :shock:

What about Eastern Europe? Poland is a fascinating place, although the main roads are shockingly bad to cycle.

simonhill · Post by **simonhill** » 8 Jan 2009, 2:44pm

I sometimes wonder if 'the detractors' to foriegn travel realise just how cheap it can be. I note that the travel articles in the CTC mag never print the full cost of the long haul tours that they publish. There will usually be a quirky little something like how cheap a cup of coffee is in the beachside bar in darkest wherever, or how much a foot massage is, but never the total cost of the trip. Could it be because their organised trips are so expensive and they don't want to let on how cheap it can be to DiY?

A guide (All costs, including flight, visa, hotels, spending, etc):
3 months S India £1200;
2½ months SE Asia (a variety of Lao, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia) £1400; and
3 months Australia (hostels here) £2500

3 months winter in UK, heating, transport, food, beer, etc - £ I dread to think!

hamster · Post by **hamster** » 8 Jan 2009, 5:36pm

I'm not exactly a detractor, as i lived in SE Asia for nearly 3 years. Clearly the longer you stay then the proportion of the cost that's getting there reduces.
The problem this year is the low value of sterling, necessitating a longer trip to somewhere cheap. That's fine if you are going for three months, but more serious if there's only a fortnight of playtime.

jamesofyorkshire · Post by **jamesofyorkshire** » 27 Mar 2009, 6:59pm

I just got back from a 6 month trip to Bangladesh/Nepal(1 month)/Cambodia(1 month)/Vietnam(2 month)/Burma(Myanmar)(1 month)..............Nepal - Cambodia and Vietnam dirt cheap.
Cambodia and Vietnam have the added advantage of being bike friendly as there are millions of them on the roads!......Both very, very safe places with very friendly people.

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