The World's Most Affordable Travel Destinations

Wherever you choose to travel, going to popular tourist attractions and major cities tends to add up to higher bills. And as we all know, the most expensive things aren't always the best, and cheaper things are sometimes infinitely more rewarding. Sure, expensive places like Paris and New York are always well worth the visit, but many popular tourists attractions are overcrowded and underwhelming. So why not save your money by going to a less pricy place? You'll probably find it less crowded and more culturally rewarding, which leads to a deeper experience and some great memories to take home with you.

Here are just a few of the best travel destinations that happen to be relatively cheap:

1. South America: There are several countries in South America that now rank among the greatest places in the world to visit, and they're also quite cheap. For example, Venezuela, Peru, and Ecuador all have beautiful coastlines, welcoming people, great food, and attractive natural landscapes for hikers.

2. Egypt: Egypt is a fascinating country with more than just Pyramids. Sure, the Pyramids are great, but there are also some fantastic cities and towns (including modern, cosmopolitan Alexandria and Cairo) in the country, and the majestic Nile River is something that everyone should see at least once.

3. Bulgaria: Bulgaria has become a little more expensive since joining the European Union in 2007, but the country is still relatively affordable. It's home to numerous beautiful small towns as well as an extensive Black Sea coastline that is full of sunny resorts and great beaches.

4. Mexico: Mexico has been plagued by drug-related crime in recent years, but this phenomenon is mainly confined to a few areas of the country, especially around the border regions. We must remember that Mexico is a large country and that the vast majority of its people have nothing to do with the drug trade. Mexican towns have a pleasantly relaxed pace that you just don't find north of the border. The beaches are among the best in the world, and the capital Mexico City is an exciting modern metropolis.

5. Poland: Although its economy has improved, Poland is still one of the cheapest places in Europe to visit. The country is full of picturesque towns and some of the prettiest countryside in the continent. Now is probably the best time to visit, as Poland is expected to adopt the Euro in the near future, which should raise many of its prices.

6. Laos: Laos has some of the most beautiful natural landscapes in southeast Asia, including lush forests dotted with historic temples, as well as some spectacular Mekong River waterfalls. The rest of Southeast Asia is also quite affordable and worth visiting.

7. India: It can cost a chunk of change to get to India, but once you're in the country everything is astoundingly cheap. Best of all, the country is full of cultural riches and an endless variety of incredible scenery and diverse culture. Start in any one of India's major travel hubs, and you can't go wrong.

Top Long Haul Destinations For the Ultimate Holiday

Travellers are increasingly discovering the joys of flying to far away locations and holidaying outside of mainstream Europe. There was once a time when most holiday makers would be perfectly happy in classic European destinations such as France, Spain or even UK resorts such as Blackpool. But recent years have seen a boom in the availability of reasonably priced flights to all kinds of destinations, giving travellers more options when booking their annual break.

Generally better currency exchange rates can found outside of the eurozone and improved access to information about long haul destinations through television, travel books and the internet has meant that holidaymakers now have a thirst for the exotic.

USA & Canada

Of course many holiday makers are likely to settle for where they feel most comfortable. So destinations such as USA, Canada, Australia and the Caribbean are much safer options because they are mostly English-speaking countries and the culture is similar to the United Kingdom. As you would expect, each of these destinations have their own unique features that make them especially exciting, but if you want to jump out of your comfort zone completely it might be better to head to somewhere like the Middle East.

Africa

This region offers lush beaches, ancient landmarks and sites of historical importance as well as plenty of religious and cosmopolitan festivals and events. The biggest draws in the Middle East at the moment are probably the big cities such as Dubai and the resorts of Sharm El Sheikh. However alternative African destinations such as Jordan or Yemen offer a combination of stunning scenery, majestic palaces and age-old temples. Flights to Sharm El Sheikh in particular are very competitive at the moment.

South Africa is also fast becoming a favourite for those looking to travel even further afield. The vibrant atmosphere of Cape Town is infectious and the rest of the country has much to offer animal and nature lovers with national parks, reserves and safari trips. The country is also hosting the 2010 Fifa World Cup which will offer a unique trip of a lifetime for football fans.

Asia

Asia on the other hand offers a truly exotic experience. The food, languages, architecture and people are vastly different to life in the western hemisphere and offers a truly unique long haul holiday. Places you'll want in Asia include the Goa region of India, where the weather is at its best between November and February, Singapore for its complex mixture of the old and the new in its buildings and festivals, Malaysia for its melting pot of Malay, Indian and Chinese elements, and of course the backpackers' favourite, Thailand.

Australia

Australasia is another popular choice for UK holidaymakers, thanks in large part to its amazing sunshine, breathtaking scenery, cosmopolitan cities and vast outback. However New Zealand is experiencing a spike in visits from overseas due to the massive amount of publicity generated by the incredible scenery in the Lord of the Rings film trilogy Cities such as Sydney, Perth and Adelaide are hugely popular but undoubtedly Australia's main draw is its immense natural landscape encompassing rainforests, sandy beaches, deserts and snow-capped mountains.

Cheap Flights

Luckily for travellers, flight costs are coming down all the time and major airlines like British Airways and Virgin Atlantic have announcing the expansion of their long-haul fleets so the choice for travellers is improving all the time. The strength of the pound against currencies such as the Thai baht means that travellers will be able to get by on much. This is backed up by research last year by The Royal Bank of Scotland which that found distant destinations tend to have a much more favourable rate against the British pound than the euro.