7 Countries Every Budget Traveller Must Visit

First up, if you’re from Central Asia, North America, European Union, Oceania, South America (with the exception of Chile and Uruguay) and Southern Africa, you can enter Georgia one year visa-free.

With that out of the way, what can one do in Georgia you ask? The capital Tbilisi has many charming delights:

• Poke around in the Dry Bridge Market for old soviet treasures and colourful paintings. 

• Try a relaxing, hot bath at the Sulphur Baths.

• Take the cable car (or hike!) to Narikala Fortress for a stunning panorama of the city.

From Tbilisi, you can discover the spectacular Caucasian Mountain range, dip your feet in the Black Sea, and visit ancient hilltop monasteries all over the country. It is literally a backpacker’s paradise and hitchhiking is generally safe. It basically has all the charms of a European country but on a budget. 

Accommodation for 10 days can be as cheap as $130 if you stay in hostels and daily rentals in Tbilisi, Batumi, and Kutaisi. Food and drinks for 10 days will cost you a minimum of $80. Avoid eating out in tourist areas to save more!

Vietnam has been the setting for many high-octane Hollywood action movies but there’s more to this country than just being a war-ravaged location where white men fight.  

Here are 3 must-do activities:

• Crawl through the Chu Chi Tunnels that the Vietnamese soldiers used in 1984 to escape carpet-bombing. The site has over 120 kilometres of underground tunnels with storage facilities, living areas, armoury, kitchens, trapdoors, command centres and even hospitals!

• Head to Da Lat if you want both adventure and relaxation.  This hill town has been popular for getaways since French Colonial times. Multiple adventure sports are also available here. 

• Explore Ho Chi Minh City which was previously known as Saigon. Chinatown, Notre Dame Cathedral, Emperor Jade Pagoda, Ben Than Market, Opera House are all worth a visit. 

Vietnam has a lot to offer to every traveller - From the beaches and rice terraces to the man-made artistry of the sacred temples and pagodas to the natural beauty of Halong Bay and Sam Mountain, there is a reason why the country always features on the list of budget travel destinations. 

Generally, you should able to travel around Vietnam as a backpacker on a budget of $40-50 per day. Make sure you have travel insurance to be covered for every eventuality. 

If the Laos in your mind is still the country that was known for being a crazy party scene (mostly due to Vang Vieng) then you couldn’t be farther from the truth. Today, Laos is all about authentic travel.

3 things you HAVE to do in Laos are:

• Sleep in tree huts and take part in zip-lining at Gibbon Experience 

• Head to the Bolaven Plateau to experience the most amazing waterfall

• Visit a gold-covered Buddhist stupa - Pha That Luang

This tiny Asian country is mountainous, sparsely populated, and has approximately 70% forest coverage, making it a paradise for outdoor activities like climbing, trekking, zip-lining, kayaking,  and hot air ballooning — all at exciting budget prices. It’s like Thailand but not as crowded!

As for the budget part, you can tour Laos at as little as $20 per day if you eat locally and travel cheaply, with hostel rooms starting from $3.

This goes without saying but if mountain-trekking is your thing, Nepal is the place to book your tickets to. Nepal is the cheapest place for mountain-trekking, whether independent or guided. 

So the 3 things you can’t miss doing in Nepal? Here they are: 

• Take a panoramic flight over the Himalayas 

• Go on a mountain bike tour in Kathmandu 

• Take a 7-day trek to Annapurna base camp 

With tourism being the largest industry in Nepal, you can rest assured that a trip there is easy and will be worth every penny you spend. 

As for the budget part – just allocate $20 a day and book your ticket to Nepal, now. 

Whatever your preconceived notion about Romania, be it as a dangerous place or a post-soviet dystopia, forget it! It is one of the cheap places to travel internationally that is worth every buck. 

What can you do in Europe’s hidden gem? Take a look:

• Spend a day in lively Bucharest

• Visit Dracula’s Castle in Bran 

• Go bird watching and on boat trips in Danube Delta

With its ancient fortified churches, pretty medieval towns, and the remarkable Carpathian mountain range, Romania will quickly become one of your favourite destinations in Europe.

As for how you’ll be spending each day there, $40 will give you the budge experience and at $60 you can stay in mid-range hotels and eat at a few amazing restaurants. 

Yes, we’ve all watched Narcos but don’t let that colour your image of Colombia. The country is a much safer, welcoming and positive place, as swelling numbers of tourists are finding out for themselves. 

These are 3 things you must not miss out on in Colombia:

• Take a journey to Isla Gorgona which was once a prison Island! 

• Visit the Amazon basin and its indigenous tribes

• Taste some of the best coffee in the world in Salento 

Colombia will give you the perfect flavour of the South American continent, as you have the Amazon rainforest, both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts and the beginning of the Andes—all within moderately easy reach. 

Budget $35 for each day in Colombia and you’re good to go!

Located between the East and the West, Turkey is at the centre of having the best of both the cultures. The capital – Istanbul is a phenomenal city, with mosques sprinkled throughout the horizon, an unbelievable food scene, and so much history to dig into.

Check these 3 things off in Turkey:

• Take a Turkish bath and come out as pure as a baby

• Watch a belly dancing show 

• Buy tickets to visit the Hagia Sofia 

Once, the home of the Byzantines and Ottomans, you will find Roman ruins, buzzing bazaars, cave cities, and of course an abundance of Mediterranean beaches!

With $30 dollars a day, Turkey can be a budget visit that feels like a luxury one! 

And that was our list of 7 budget countries around the world. Save (a little), plan your time off and head off to any of these dream destinations that come cheap.