Best places to travel plan: Thailand Central America Cambodia The Balkans

2. Central America
Want to roam ancient ruins, trek through the jungle, surf, and eat delicious food with few tourists around? Visit the smaller countries in Central America — think El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Guatemala. Here you will find most budget hotels for around $15-30 USD per night, meals for under $5 USD, most bus journeys for the same price, and beer for as little as a dollar.
Belize, Panama, Costa Rica — these are expensive destinations by regional standards (yet they are still quite affordable). If you visit these central Central American countries, you can get by on $40-50 USD per day as a backpacker or splash out $100 a day and live large. Your money goes really far in this part of the world. And with no many coun tries to choose from, it’s easy to bounce around and see a lot without going broke.

3. Cambodia

While you could put all of Southeast Asia on this list, Cambodia is one of my favorite countries in the region — it’s affordable and beautiful, and the locals are incredibly hospitable. You can get a private, air-conditioned room for $25 USD, street food for $2-5 USD, and transportation across the entire country for $20-25 USD. If you are spending close to $50 USD per day, you are living large.

Cambodia is cheaper than popular Thailand but just as beautiful and filled with some of the nicest people in the world. Plus, it’s home to the incredible Angkor Wat (which, while expensive to visit, is worth the expense!).
4. The Balkans

Located in southeastern Europe, the Balkans is the cheapest region in Europe. Composed of a handful of countries — most of which see very few tourists — it’s an off-the-radar region that’s super affordable while also offering incredible value. While places like Dubrovnik have seen an influx of tourists (thanks to the cruise ships that dock there), the majority of the region is ripe for adventurous travel. There’s cheap wine, incredible hiking and nature, stunning coasts, hearty food, and wild nightlife. It’s Europe’s best-kept secret.
You can get by for as little as $30 USD per day — a fraction of what you’d pay in Western Europe. A week’s worth of groceries costs as little as $25 USD while beer costs around $2 USD.
And while the region was once known for being unsafe, things have greatly improved over the past decade. There’s a growing backpacking trail here and tourism is on the rise. It’s Europe’s least-explored region — but not for long so visit before you crowds arrive and the price skyrocket.