Travel
See The World On A Shoestring: Our Tips For Iconic Trips
Shoestring travelTravel shouldn’t be about frantically ticking items off an imaginary bucket list, but once you start planning a trip, it’s hard to ignore the “must-see” sights. To indulge in the world’s most iconic experiences on a budget (and get the iconic memories that come with them) without falling into overpriced tourists traps, follow our savvy guide.
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See The World On A Shoestring: Our Tips For Iconic Trips.
7th ContinentSee The 7th Continent. Any true globetrotter aspires to visit all seven continents, which seems easy enough to achieve in a lifetime… until you realise that getting to Antarctica can be prohibitively expensive. The season is short, visitor numbers are limited, and even last-minute cruises cost thousands. If all you want is to tick it off your bucket list, you could try catching one of the few scheduled flights that fly close enough to the South Pole for passengers to see the perpetual ice. They can’t claim to have set foot on the seventh continent, but having seen it is impressive enough. wikipedia.org
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Travel
See The World On A Shoestring: Our Tips For Iconic Trips.
northern lightsWatch The Northern Lights. The current cycle of increased solar activity is just coming to an end – and it provided ample proof that spending a fortune on a trip to the remotest regions of the polar circle is not necessarily required. The aurora borealis is a fickle phenomenon, but in recent years, it has been observed across the British Isles, in places that are not only more easily accessible, but deep in the middle of their off season during the winter months, making travel and accommodation cheaper. visitscotland.com [Photo: Andrés Nieto Porras/Flickr]
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See The World On A Shoestring: Our Tips For Iconic Trips.
Bavarian BeerfestVisit A Bavarian Beerfest. For beer lovers, a visit to Munich’s Oktoberfest is a must do experience – or is it? You don’t have to book an expensive flight and hotel at peak season, spending a fortune on overpriced food and drinks, to get the authentic beer fest experience. Instead, plan your trip to Bavaria around one of the lesser-known fêtes that take place at different times of the year in Munich or the surrounding towns and villages. Not only will the beer taste just as good (and cost less), but you’ll meet more locals than tourists, as the majority of these festivals are local affairs. bavaria.by [Photo: Robbert van den Beld/Flickr]
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Travel
See The World On A Shoestring: Our Tips For Iconic Trips.
StonehengeExperience The Summer Solstice At Stonehenge. Midsummer is celebrated by many cultures around the world, but Stonehenge is unique, with global attention focused on the spiritual, archeological and historic site. The mystique surrounding the construction and precise purpose of the neolithic stone circle appeals to everyone from neo-hippies to astronomists, druids and UFO believers and – here’s the amazing part – all are invited to greet the rising sun on (or around) the 21st of June each year, free of charge! Hence, not only is the summer (along with the winter) solstice the most significant time of year to visit Stonehenge, it’s also the cheapest. english-heritage.org.uk [Photo: Stonehenge Stone Circle/Flickr]
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Travel
See The World On A Shoestring: Our Tips For Iconic Trips.
LouvreSee The World’s Most Famous Art For Free. The beauty of a work of art lies in the eye of the beholder, but there’s no denying that certain pieces are more famous, if not necessarily more beautiful, than others. The most recognisable painting in the world, Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa, is permanently under siege at the Louvre in Paris. To see her enigmatic smile – and enjoy the rest of the museum’s collection – for free, visit on the first Sunday of each month from October to March and on Bastille Day (July 14th). louvre.fr
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See The World On A Shoestring: Our Tips For Iconic Trips.
BroadwayCatch A Broadway Show. When in New York, you definitely want to go where the lights are bright. You just know they’re waiting for you tonight… but then you see the price of the tickets! Don’t give up on your Broadway dreams just yet. The sheer number of shows and theatres that want bums on seats inevitably leads to a certain surplus. If you’re flexible, you can pick up half-price tickets to even the biggest hit shows at the TKTS booths (the most famous one is on Times Square). If you have a certain play or musical in mind, queue up at the theatre’s box office early in the day for rush or standing room tickets. tdf.org
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Travel
See The World On A Shoestring: Our Tips For Iconic Trips.
Railway rideRide Iconic Railways. You may dream of chugging across Europe in sumptuous luxury aboard the legendary Orient-Express, but if you aren’t willing to blow thousands on the experience, there are plenty of iconic rail journeys that can be done on a budget. In Australia, the Ghan and Indian Pacific have unlimited travel economy passes that offer excellent value for money; in Russia you can ride the Trans-Siberian Railway or the Red Arrow quite cheaply; in Canada, the Canadian takes you cross-country for a lot less than the better-known Rocky Mountaineer; and in Japan you can catch a glimpse of the future of rail travel aboard the bullet train at a surprisingly low price. greatsouthernrail.com, pass.rzd.ru, viarail.ca, hyperdia.com
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See The World On A Shoestring: Our Tips For Iconic Trips.
AmazonTravel The Amazon. A visit to the Amazon rainforest, our planet’s green lung, is a must for every eco-aware traveller. The most obvious option is Brazil, with 60% of the rainforest located within the country’s borders. It’s also the most expensive option. Other countries in Latin America contain smaller slices of the river, but that hardly matters when you bear in mind that the entire basin spans an area of over 7 million square kilometres. Even the single-digit percentages held by Venezuela, Ecuador or Bolivia are pretty huge, but a trip there is significantly cheaper. worldwildlife.org [Photo: CIFOR/Flickr]
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See The World On A Shoestring: Our Tips For Iconic Trips.
Inca Ruins PeruMarvel At Incan Ruins In Peru. Mystical Machu Picchu is the number one tourist attraction in Peru, one that captures the imaginations of thousands of visitors – per day! Avoid the mass tourism stampede and cut costs by sidestepping to a less famous Incan ruin, like the easily accessible (from Cuzco) Sacsayhuamán or the spectacular Choquequirao. The latter is larger, higher and as impressive as Machu Picchu (some claim more so), but can only be reached by a multi-day trek, which experienced hikers can do without a guide. A cable car is currently in the works, so get there now before the crowds descend (er, ascend?). peru.travel.aspx [Photo: Mark Rowland/Flickr]
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Travel
See The World On A Shoestring: Our Tips For Iconic Trips.
Tango Buenos AiresDo The Tango In Buenos Aires. No visit to Buenos Aires could be complete without the passionate national dance. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean shelling out for a professional tango show. The annual tango festival offers free performances, or visit the regular dance nights at the “milonga” dance halls across town, often preceded by introductory lessons. Cover charges vary, but these events are more authentic and reasonable than the shows put on purely for tourists. festivales.buenosaires.gob.ar, hoy-milonga.com [Photo: Joel Mann/Flickr]
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Travel
See The World On A Shoestring: Our Tips For Iconic Trips.
EgyptSee A Wonder Of The Ancient World. The last of the original seven world wonders that you can still visit is remarkably easy – and cheap – to get to. In pictures, it looks like the Great Pyramid of Giza is located in the middle of a sprawling desert, surely requiring an arduous trip, but in reality, the iconic landmark is situated on the outskirts of Cairo. Egypt is currently cheap to visit. Once there, skip the costly tours and simply catch public transport to the site, pay a small entry fee… then invest all your energy in turning down every offer to buy souvenirs, hire a guide or pay for a camel ride. egypt.travel [Photo: Shawn Clover/Flickr]
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Travel
See The World On A Shoestring: Our Tips For Iconic Trips.
Slide Nr 13Visit Victoria Falls. “The Smoke That Thunders” is generally considered to be the largest, certainly one of the most awe-inspiring waterfalls, on earth. Many visitors stop off at the falls as part of a tour, but the ultimate luxury would be a rail journey from South Africa, at an appropriately luxurious cost. For a more authentic, less pricey experience, book the overnight sleeper train from Bulawayo (Zimbabwe). The trip in vintage (read: dilapidated) Rhodesia Rail cars isn’t smooth, but cheap and scenic. Don’t cross the border to the Zambian side of the falls unless you’re willing to pay extra for a visa. nrz.co.zw [Photo: Julien Lagarde/Flickr]
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Travel
See The World On A Shoestring: Our Tips For Iconic Trips.
swim with NemoSwim With Nemo. Diving the Great Barrier Reef ranks high on many a dream travel agenda… for good reason. After all, it’s the world’s largest coral reef, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the seven natural wonders of the world. However, once you’re there, all those superlatives don’t change the fact that you have to board an expensive boat that takes you to one spot on the reef, where you will tread water with a lot of others. At the Ningaloo Reef, on Australia’s west coast, you can see the same marine wildlife, enjoy similarly pristine coral, but with far less visitors – and without the costly boat transfer. visitningaloo.com.au [Photo: Mattia Valente/Flickr]
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Travel
See The World On A Shoestring: Our Tips For Iconic Trips.
Slide Nr 15Climb (A Little Bit Of) Sydney Harbour Bridge. The Harbour Bridge climb regularly tops lists of Australia’s top tourist attractions, but the vertigo-inducing ascent isn’t for the faint-hearted or those without deep pockets. If it’s only the view you’re after, you can do a mini-climb at a fraction of the cost. Simply go to the viewing platform in the South East Pylon of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, which gives you almost the same views (from a slightly lower vantage point). Bonus: you don’t have to wear those unflattering boiler suits. pylonlookout.com.au
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Travel
See The World On A Shoestring: Our Tips For Iconic Trips.
See a GlacierSee A Glacier – Before They’re All Gone. Depending on which doomsday scenario you believe, climate change will do away with glaciers soon, very soon, or extremely soon. There are many amazing – and costly – ways to explore the world’s most famous glaciers of Alaska, Greenland, Iceland or New Zealand, but if heli-hiking, summer skiing, or glacier cruising would strain your budget, simply visit a more easily accessible glacier. Camp and hike in Glacier National Park, Montana; drive across the alpine pass roads between Germany, Austria and Switzerland with occasional glacier views; or catch a bus to Perito Moreno in the Patagonian ice fields. nps.gov, grossglockner.at, myswitzerland.com, argentina.travel
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Travel
See The World On A Shoestring: Our Tips For Iconic Trips.
VolunteerLend A Helping Hand. Many travellers want to swim with dolphins, ride an elephant or cuddle a koala on their holidays, but this misguided animal love often does more harm than good – and can cost a pretty penny. Wildlife volunteers, on the other hand, get up close and personal with exotic creatures while helping them. Volunteering holidays aren’t always cheap, but at least your money is going to a good cause. Elephant Nature Park in Thailand, Dolphin Discovery Centre in Western Australia and the Sea Turtle Conservancy in locations across the Caribbean offer so much more than just a holiday. elephantnaturepark.org, dolphindiscovery.com.au, conserveturtles.org [Photo: Christian Haugen/Flickr]
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Travel
See The World On A Shoestring: Our Tips For Iconic Trips.
FranceTaste The Terroir In France. Oenophiles flock to Bordeaux, Burgundy and Champagne, eager to taste as much French wine as possible. Obviously, drinking and driving is out of the question, so mini-bus tours are the easiest solution. Alternatively, take the road less travelled and saddle up for a winery bike tour, stopping off for free tastings along the way, for example in the picturesque Loire Valley. A car-free greenway traverses the valley known for its Sauvignon Blanc. cycling-loire.com [Photo: urban_lenny/Flickr]
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Travel
See The World On A Shoestring: Our Tips For Iconic Trips.
European castlesLive Like European Royalty. Nothing says “I’m on a European vay-cay, dahling!” than spending a night in a real-life castle or palace. Sounds expensive? Not necessarily. Sure, there are plenty of posh castle hotels, but also castles that have been turned into guest houses, B+Bs and hostels. Guests can feel like lords and ladies at Burg Stahleck on the Rhine, a youth hostel housed behind medieval fairytale turrets; play out their Outlander fantasies at Culcreuch Castle in Scotland; or pitch a tent in the grounds of Château de Boisson in the South of France. culcreuch.com, jugendherberge.de, chateaudeboisson.co.uk [Photo: chrisgj6/Flickr]
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Travel
See The World On A Shoestring: Our Tips For Iconic Trips.
luxury road tripTake A Luxury Road Trip. For budget travellers, road trips usually mean uncomfortable travel in a rickety banger, searching for cheap accommodation at every stop and counting pennies for meals along the way. Doing a road trip in the comfort of a luxury camper van is simply too expensive… unless you get lucky with rental relocation. In the USA, Australia and New Zealand, car rental companies use relocation websites to find drivers who will move their vehicles for free. The driver gets a free car or camper, so everyone wins. Flexibility is key and there are no guarantees, but getting a good relocation deal is like winning the travel lottery. jucy.co.nz, drivenow.com.au, imoova.com, transfercarus.com
19/20
Travel
See The World On A Shoestring: Our Tips For Iconic Trips.
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