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10 Places You Never Thought You Could Afford in 2012

By Caroline Costello | Smarter Travel – Wed, Feb 15, 2012 7:53 PM EST

Booking your own tour can make the Galapagos islands much cheaper. (Photo: Thinkstock/iStockphoto)

What's keeping you from embarking on that big dream vacation kicking around in the back of your imagination? If money is your answer, we have the solution. Big-ticket trips can be had for unexpected cut-rate prices—that is, if you know where to go. We discovered 10 thrilling destinations where fantastic bucket-list getaways can be bought for run-of-the-mill rates, from cruises through the wilds of Alaska to urban explorations of historic European cities.

The Galapagos

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The Galapagos is a land of fearless sea lions, game-changing scientific theories, and expensive vacation packages. The destination is best explored by boat or guided tour, and one of the easiest ways to plan a trip is by booking a one-price-covers-all vacation package—but these aren't cheap. Published prices for Galapagos packages on Intrepid Travel, a small-group adventure-tour operator, start at $2,020 for five nights, no airfare included—and we won't even get into what luxury packages cost.

So consider the alternative: Plan your own journey. SmarterTravel editor Caroline Morse did just that and saved a bundle. Morse details her incredibly affordable Galapagos trip: "We ended up walking into one of the numerous tour operators that line the streets on the main island and booking ourselves onto a four-day, three-island tour with everything (meals, accommodations, tours, snorkeling, boat transfers, etc.) included for just $200 per person." Putting on your travel-agent hat and conducting a bit of research could really pay off when planning a Galapagos getaway.

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303 comments

Anita • Irvine, California • 1 month 10 days ago
im going to greece this summer! i'm so excited!!:) and im moving to new york in a year
FelicianoU • Roseville, California • 28 days ago
I love reading the comments here. Makes my day since most makes me laugh my heart out. thanks, guys. :)
Dichead • 2 months ago
smoke that #$%$ it will take you there.
babydoll105 • Midland, Texas • 2 months ago
For New York, you don't have to stay in the city. We booked a room in Newark for $75 per night. It was a very nice hotel with a shuttle to the train station. Manhattan was an 10 minute ride.
- Diocletian 2 months ago
  Metuchen, NJ is reasonable, too, with clean, quiet rooms available for $59/night plus tax. The NJ Transit train station is just two miles away.
- Anita 1 month 10 days ago
  yeah but its new jersey
citizen • Borehamwood, United Kingdom • 2 months ago
Farside, I turned 50 last year and haven't stopped traveling. I'm currently working in Afghanistan rebuilding my bank account. I am blessed to have the most wonderful friend and companion, my wife of 11 years. I too have lived in Thailand and ironically my wife is from there. We make a point of taking our two girls with us and travel to places where most have not. You're spot on with living life to the fullest. I have made some poor financial choices in my life, but I got over it and continued living. I wish you the best of luck and would love to hear some of your tales!
Joe • Royal Oak, Michigan • 2 months ago
Switzerland is really expensive, high wages and high taxes equals high prices. The nominal exchange rate USD/CFH doesn't matter its the REAL exchange rate that does. The money you save getting the free nights stay and free skiing won't mean anything when you pay $10 for a value meal at McDonald's. I was in Zurich on a layover last year and I payed $17 USD for a sandwich!

And if you're looking to travel abroad and have USD go a long way try eastern Europe. I was in Hungary and it was beautiful. 75 cent beers $15 dollar hostel, amazing food, cheap entertainment and the nicest people. If you're budget is limited stay away from countries that have things like universal health care, high taxes, ect. all that does is increase prices.
asdasdsada • New York, New York • 2 months ago
lol, I can walk out my apartment and be in central park in 10 minutes. Average hotel rates of 200 bucks? LOL, for a complete dive complete with roaches and hos. Good hotels are 400 plus a night. Great hotels ae 800 plus a night
BLANQUITO • 2 months ago
THROW a stingray in your swimming pool and save all that headache!
Henry • West Palm Beach, Florida • 2 months ago
I just want to go someplace where they don't hate Americans.
- Magda Borges 2 months ago
  Then go to the moon, dear Henry.
- Svengali 2 months ago
  You can go to lots of places. Just try to NOT reinforce the Ugly American stereotype.
- Evan 2 months ago
  There are countries that do hate Americans (most of the ones that speak Arabic, for instance) but most countries LOVE Americans (though they may hate America). Unlike many people here in the US, they can make the difference between a country and its politics versus the people from that country.
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display name • Springfield, Illinois • 2 months ago
ive seen bigger crabs on kim kardashian
- Theresa 2 months ago
  thats really scan but funny
- Diocletian 2 months ago
  @Display Name,
  
  If you got that close to her to see the size of her crabs, that is nothing to brag about !
Liv • 2 months ago
What on earth is "shoulder season"???
patriot • 2 months ago
How about Soddy Daisy, Tennessee? A real tourist mecca!
Trollulah • 2 months ago
"For as little as $1000 a week"?? A thousand dollars a week is affordable?
- SFND 2 months ago
  Thats 2 week pay for me lol!
- Diocletian 2 months ago
  @SNFD,
  
  That is quite likely a $1000 loss to your boss !
David • San Diego, California • 2 months ago
Yeah let's all go to Greece now. It's not like there is civil unrest or rioting going on in the streets. I would love to go someday, just not now.
- The Closer 2 months ago
  After Greece we can go to Egypt! But seriously, whoever put Egypt on this list is a total and complete imbecile.
- Zach 2 months ago
  You can go to the Isles of Greece and never know that part of the country is in turmoil.
- omegaman 2 months ago
  Been to Greece as well as most of Europe, Australia and Japan. Greeks are the rudest people I encountered in my travels. Australians the nicest.
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BLANQUITO • 2 months ago
OH GOODIE!!! I can go to the Galapagos Islands and visit the lizards! WOW! $2020, plus air fare! CAN'T WAIT! (That will make one more CRAB on the island!)
George • Tempe, Arizona • 2 months ago
The only "trip" I can afford these days is the one I take every weekend with a bottle of Jack and some Cola...
abc • Chicago, Illinois • 2 months ago
How did Hawaii make the list?
Ryan • 2 months ago
In NY, the prices are even worse at some upscale locations, cheap hotels in other areas can go as low as $60, with the same quality and better treatment; and it's about a 20 minute ride from TImes Square.
tomslick • 2 months ago
So whose economy are they bolstering? Take trips in the USA and see the sights people from other countries come to see. Keep our money here!
Al • Schenectady, New York • 2 months ago
All of these places are extremely expensive to get to. How any of them could be called "affordable" is beyond me.