Whenever I am sitting at my desk in Louisville looking at flight routes and skyrocketing hotel rates, it’s easy to get cynical about the current state of travel. It feels like every popular destination is suddenly charging premium prices for a deeply mediocre experience.
But after spending years exploring different destinations, my wife Liz and I have found that you don’t always have to empty your bank account to have an incredible trip. There are still corners of the globe where your money goes exponentially further, and the experiences absolutely over-deliver on the price tag.
If you are tired of feeling gouged every time you pack a suitcase, here are 12 countries that are still worth absolutely every single penny.
1. Portugal
The Vibe: Sun-drenched coastlines and historic European charm on a budget.
Portugal has definitely seen a massive surge in popularity, but it still heavily outpaces the rest of Western Europe in terms of pure value. You get the staggering coastal cliffs of the Algarve and the vibrant, tiled streets of Lisbon for a fraction of what you would pay in Italy or France.
My insider move: Skip the overpriced rental cars and utilize the incredibly cheap and efficient national train system (Comboios de Portugal). You can ride from Lisbon up to Porto for just a few euros if you book in advance. Also, avoid eating in the main tourist squares. Walk two blocks in any direction and find a local tasca for a five-euro bifana (pork sandwich) and a perfectly pulled espresso.
2. Japan
The Vibe: Hyper-modern efficiency clashing beautifully with ancient tradition.
A lot of people falsely assume Japan is untouchably expensive. While Tokyo luxury hotels will certainly drain your wallet, the day-to-day ground costs are surprisingly affordable right now due to a favorable exchange rate for US travelers.
The pro move: Don’t bother buying physical transit tickets. Load a digital Suica card directly into your Apple or Google Wallet before you even land; you can just tap your phone to get on any subway nationwide. When it comes to the food, I head straight for the yakitori alleys. You can get mind-blowing, charcoal-grilled skewers and a cold Sapporo in places like Omoide Yokocho for under $15.
3. Mexico
The Vibe: Dense jungles, deep cenotes, and the best culinary scene in the Americas.
Mexico gets an unfair reputation as just a place for expensive, walled-off mega-resorts. If you step outside of those highly curated hotel zones, it is an absolute powerhouse of culture, history, and outdoor adventure that costs very little to experience.
How to play it: If you want to log a ton of time in a wetsuit like I do, skip the crowded beaches of Cancun and take the ferry over to Cozumel for world-class, drift scuba diving along the Mesoamerican Reef. If you are staying inland, completely ignore the sit-down tourist restaurants. Find the street food carts with the longest line of locals and order the carne asada tacos—they are cheap, wildly flavorful, and worth the trip alone.
4. Colombia
The Vibe: Electric cities and massive Andean mountain ranges.
Colombia has completely transformed its global reputation and emerged as one of the most dynamic, vibrant, and affordable destinations in South America. The coffee region is intensely lush, and Medellín is a masterclass in urban innovation.
My insider move: As someone who does a lot of lead rock climbing and serious outdoor trekking, I always tell people to head an hour north of Bogotá to Suesca. It is the birthplace of Colombian rock climbing, packed with incredible sandstone cliffs and vertical routes that cost next to nothing to access. If you are in Medellín, do not pay for expensive city tours; just use the MetroCable. It is a public transit gondola that costs pennies and gives you sweeping, panoramic views of the entire city and the surrounding mountains.
5. Morocco
The Vibe: Sensory overload in the best way possible, from the Sahara to the souks.
Morocco is a completely different world sitting just a quick ferry ride across the Strait of Gibraltar from Spain. The colors are vivid, the architecture is insanely intricate, and the Atlas Mountains offer some of the most raw, beautiful landscapes on the continent.
What you should actually do: Do not book a standard Western hotel. You have to stay in a traditional riad inside the old medinas. These are historic guesthouses built around stunning interior courtyards, often featuring rooftop terraces where you can drink fresh mint tea while listening to the call to prayer. Also, download offline maps of the medinas on your phone before you go; the winding alleyways are a literal maze, and GPS signals constantly drop out between the high walls.
6. Vietnam
The Vibe: Chaotic energy, dramatic limestone karsts, and legendary street food.
Vietnam offers some of the highest value-for-money travel on the planet. From the winding waterways of the Mekong Delta to the staggering, mist-covered mountains of Sapa in the north, the visual payout here is massive.
How to play it: The absolute most important skill you can learn here is how to cross the street in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City. Do not wait for the chaotic sea of motorbikes to stop—they won’t. You just step off the curb and walk at a slow, completely predictable, steady pace. The drivers will naturally flow around you like water. For food, always look for the tiny plastic stools on the sidewalk; that is where you will find the best, most authentic bowls of pho for under two dollars.
7. Albania
The Vibe: The untouched, rugged beauty of the Mediterranean before the crowds found it.
While everyone else is fighting for expensive umbrella space in Greece or Croatia, Albania is sitting right next door offering the exact same electric blue Ionian Sea for a fraction of the cost. It is Eastern Europe’s best-kept open secret.
The pro move: Rent a car and drive the Llogara Pass down the Albanian Riviera. It is a wildly dramatic, winding coastal road that drops you into stunning, completely uncrowded beach towns like Himarë. If you are chasing elevation, head north to the Accursed Mountains. You can hike the spectacular trail from Theth to Valbona, staying in cheap, family-run guesthouses along the way that serve massive, farm-to-table meals.
8. Guatemala
The Vibe: Dense jungles, towering ancient pyramids, and active volcanoes.
Guatemala is the beating heart of the Mayan world. It is incredibly affordable, visually staggering, and offers a level of raw, unfiltered adventure that is hard to find anywhere else in Central America.
My insider move: If you are physically up for it, you absolutely have to hike the Acatenango Volcano. It is a grueling, heavy vertical gain that will make your legs burn, but you camp overnight near the summit. Sitting outside your tent in the freezing dark, drinking hot chocolate, and watching the neighboring Fuego volcano violently erupt glowing red lava into the night sky is a core travel memory you cannot buy anywhere else.
9. Argentina
The Vibe: European architecture, massive steaks, and the edge of the world.
From the cosmopolitan streets of Buenos Aires to the jagged, freezing peaks of Patagonia, Argentina is massive and incredibly diverse. Because of the country’s complex economic situation, foreign currency goes incredibly far here, making luxury experiences highly accessible.
The pro move: Bring crisp, brand-new US hundred-dollar bills. While credit cards are widely accepted, having physical US cash to exchange at the “Blue Dollar” rate (the unofficial but widely used exchange rate) often literally doubles your purchasing power. Once you have your pesos, head straight to a local parrilla (steakhouse) for the best carne asada and Malbec of your life.
10. Poland
The Vibe: Deep history, towering castles, and the most affordable cities in Europe.
Poland gets entirely overlooked by travelers rushing to Paris or Rome, which is a massive mistake. Cities like Kraków and Gdańsk feature incredibly preserved, walkable medieval centers, fascinating history, and a culinary scene that is heavy, comforting, and incredibly cheap.
What you should actually do: If you want to eat well on a budget, you have to find a Bar Mleczny (Milk Bar). These are historic, cafeteria-style canteens left over from the communist era that were historically subsidized by the state. You can walk in and get massive, handmade plates of pierogi, rich soups, and incredibly hearty local food for just three or four dollars.
11. Sri Lanka
The Vibe: Rolling tea plantations, wild elephants, and endless Indian Ocean surf.
Sri Lanka packs an unbelievable amount of diversity into a very small island. You can be shivering in the misty, high-altitude tea country in the morning and sweating on a blazing, palm-fringed tropical beach by the afternoon.
My insider move: You absolutely must take the train from Kandy to Ella. It costs just a few dollars and is widely considered one of the most beautiful train rides on earth. Instead of sitting in your assigned seat, head to the open doorways between the train cars. Sitting in the doorway with your legs dangling out while the train slowly winds through the massive, bright green tea plantations is the ultimate way to experience the landscape.
12. Laos
The Vibe: Slow-paced, deeply spiritual, and completely blanketed in jungle.
Laos operates on a completely different frequency than the rest of Southeast Asia. It is landlocked, heavily forested, and moves at an incredibly slow, peaceful pace. It is the perfect place to completely unplug and drop your heart rate.
How to play it: Skip the expensive, fast internal flights and take the two-day slow boat down the Mekong River from the Thai border into Luang Prabang. It is incredibly cheap, deeply relaxing, and gives you a front-row seat to rural life along the river. Once you are in Luang Prabang, rent a scooter and head out early to the Kuang Si Falls to swim in the massive, cascading, bright turquoise pools before any of the tour buses arrive.
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