What are the most beautiful yet inexpensive places in the world to travel to?

These are the places I’ve found, after years of solo travel around the world, that meet the trifecta of backpacker heaven i.e. cheap, beautiful, and friendly.

Nepal

Nepal is an easy number 1 on this list, after I spent 6 months living, working, and traveling there, as a broke American backpacker. So when someone asks my recommendation on where to go without breaking the bank, I know immediately what my response will be, >“Go to Nepal my friend, it will be good for your soul, your mind, and your wallet! “

Nepal is one of the, if not the cheapest places on this earth to travel to right now however, that is hardly the only reason you should go!

Despite being famous for Mt. Everest and the birthplace of the Buddha, Nepal is still vastly unexplored by backpackers. This is partially because of it’s proximity to the western world geographically, i.e. really far for most westerners to head to for a vacation. It's also not the typical landscape hostel going backpackers are keen on, the so the harsh yet, gorgeous terrain (lack of beaches to party on) keeps people in S.E.A. Additionally, the country opened its doors to tourism in the 1950’s so it’s still relatively new to people, before that it was an isolated country with closed doors to the outside world.

Reason 1: People

"Their smiles will light up your spirit like the sun! "

How many times have you heard “(insert country’s name here) has the nicest people. I’ve been all over the world and I can say without a doubt, the most wonderful people I have ever encountered on this planet were tucked away in little villages well above the clouds deep within the Himalayas.

I trekked, paraglided, searched for tigers and rhinos in Chitwan National Park, lived in a monastery, but without question, it's the people that will capture your heart. The relationships I forged with the Nepalese and the acts of kindness from some of the most kind-hearted individuals I have ever been blessed to come into contact with, and they have forever touched my life and I will cherish my time spent with them. It's these moments that far out weight any of the "touristy" things I crossed off on my bucket list.

Reason 2 : Price

I spent nearly six months living and traveling around this wondrous land and probably paid a total of $1600 USD (excluding my flight and Visa) in 2012. Expenditures are mostly for big ticket tourist items like treks to Everest Base Camp or completing the Annapurna Circuit ($600-$1500usd). Albeit, I spent much of that time volunteering in a village named Tori Pani, thus I was given room and board at little to no cost. If you stay in guest houses ($3-$10 USD/night), and eat off the beaten path ($1-$3 USD) travel locally, volunteer (help https://www.helpx.net/) and http://wwoofinternational.org/ you will undoubtedly save loads of money. Not to mention the longer you stay in one place the more you inevitably save because transportation and board are always your highest expenditures. If you are moving frequently you are spending frequently.

Reason 3: History, Culture, Adventure

Architecture? Head to Durbar Square and check out the ancient wood Newari buildings carved into masterpieces, along with the Kumari (living Goddess), Culture? Smoke a chillum and meditate with some Sadhus in Bhaktapur. History? Live and pray with monks in a monastery located at the foot of the birthplace of The Buddha. Got mountains? Internationally renowned mountain treks are right at your doorstep, but you can also add exploring jungles atop an elephant, tracking rare tigers and rhinos in the depths of a national forest heart pounding rafting, world class paragliding, yoga, and meditation retreats. Fancy a motorcycle ride? Rent a vintage Royal Enfield and cruise the chaotic and winding roads. dodging sacred cows and honking buses. Believe it or not, I’ve actually attended some of the best rock shows to date, Nepali bands know how to put on a good show, and they love their rock music! Head to local venues like Purple Haze in Kathmandu, or Busy Bee in Pokhara to get your concert on. No matter what level of exploration you seek, you'll surely find your place among the Himalayas.

Reason 4: The Food

<”Dahl Bhat Power 24 Hour”

Nepal’s national dish, it’s staple, the food that gives energy all day, and yes it’s cheap, no more than $1.5-$2.5 USD in tourist areas, and it’s delicious!

Dahl = Lentils
Baht = Rice

Spicy Vegetables (pickled), Vegetable Curry (Tarkari), and some greens (sak). It’s served on a large silver metal dish. Traditionally, Nepalese eat with their hand, the right one only. There is a specific technique to scoop, where you use your four main fingers to grab some rice and swirl in the rest of the side dishes, your thumb is tucked into your palm while you gather a sizable portion into your hand, , then you use the thumb to “shovel” the food into your mouth. I can assure you if you do this rather than using western utensils, you will get loads of applause!

Another favorite food is momo’s, also considered a Tibetan dish. Momos are not unlike dumplings. They are veggie or pork, you can get them fried or steamed and they couldn’t be more welcomed sight after a long trek!

Let’s not forget the plethora of curries, biryanis, lentils, masalas all to your hearts content.

On a side note, if you are craving western food, let me tell you, they make excellent wood fire pizza!

Beer is cheap! 1 liter is no more than $1 USD and it’s fantastic. Tuborg, Kingfisher, and Everest are some of the favorites. If you want to get a little more local and (wild) ask for some Raksi, but be warned this is usually home brewed!

Chapati, Roti, and Chai. Oh the chai! I could drink a bathtub full of that heavenly liquid, and survive off the roti alone.

How To Save Even More Money

Learn Some Of The Language

Perhaps my biggest tip on saving money no matter where you travel to is to.. # LEARN A BIT OF THE LOCAL LANGUAGE!!

Many countries in Asia and various other parts of the world, have a bargaining/haggling system to purchase goods and services, including your accommodation! But that's hardly the only reason to pick up some phrases. When the local people see that you can speak some of their language;

1. They have a higher level of respect for you, and appreciate your attempt to understand the culture.

2. They will be very cautious when negotiating items with you because they will assume you know what they are saying, if only a little, and will be less likely to give you a terrible charge. A good rule of thumb is to start the negotiations at %50 percent of their initial asking price and scale in %5 increments from there. The markup on tourists is about %50 -%100 if not more (depends how easy you look ). Remember to always be respectful, and have the best interest of both you and the merchant in mind. You need to be mindful that you are a tourist not a local, and it's imperative to understand that difference. Regardless of how you look at it it takes money to travel, even if you are on a strict budget, so that does make you wealth in comparison to the majority of individuals in a developing nation. Don't be cheap, don't exploit them for your own gain. Make sure you are trying to get the best deal for both of you! Bartering is tough if you come from a western culture, but once you learn to have fun with it, it becomes an extremely enjoyable and rewarding experience! Hell, it may turn you into a master negotiator!

3. They will have a hilarious look on their face when they see that this tourists dressed in goofy odd's and ends haphazardly thrown together from various countries around the world, is speaking their native tongue! They find so much joy conversing with you that once they figure out that you have a few words under your belt! They will often befriend you, and then chat your ear off!

When negotiating I have had people I spoke Nepali too, instantly drop my price more than half without me ever asking for a discount, in Nepalese they would say "I am giving you Saahti Price!" or "friend price". Before you know it, I have a crowd of locals standing around me asking me to speak more! That's when the phrase "Ma ali ali, Nepali Bolchu" comes in handy!

When you speak the language, if only a few words, you drop barriers and discover more than you could imagine about the people and their way of life. I have countless experiences of being invited into people's homes for lunch, or dinner. I have celebrated traditional festivals and was even blessed as a brother in the Tihar festival. Where the Didis (older sisters) and Bahinis (younger sister) create garlands, and give their brothers Tikas to show love and respect. I was moved by their purity and generosity and to think, none of this may have happened, had I not made the small effort to learn some phrases, and open my heart to their country.

Visit Before This Magical Land Changes Forever!

I do suggest going there SOON before it changes drastically! Right now the ancient culture is still somewhat preserved, but Globalization and outside influence are quickly moving into these once cut-off civilizations. I fear that they will never be what they used to and all that wonder and joy will be lost to the ages.

India

I would like to include India in this list, because you can travel in similar fashion as Nepal, although one should be aware, that Nepal is a good place to start before ever going to India, particularly if you are a less experienced traveler. Places like Varanasi, Agra (Taj Mahal), Rajasthan, Bombay(Mumbai), Goa, and Kerala will change you forever by testing your mind, body and soul, and challenge you in ways that you would have never known had you otherwise gone elsewhere. Bhārata is a place you should ease into like a hot bath, once you are adapted you will find much enjoyment.

Did I mention the food? The food is from the Gods themselves!

Both Nepal and India offer cheap travel along with seemingly unlimited experiences that are nothing short of miraculous! If you want the most beautiful spectacular, breathtaking scenery paired with rich history, culture, palatable cuisine fit for royalty, music that is invites the soul to frolic with bliss then the decision is easy, by a ticket to the Indian sub-continent.

South East Asia

Places like Thailand are also awesome, however, they are extremely congested with tourists. You will often find yourself standing in outside queues for hours just to see a temple or get through a border,(100f temperatures to boot). The influx in tourism mostly due to Asia's growing middle class has brought a rapid increase in modern development, such as super malls, 5 star amenities, infrastructure and technology. I am not saying these are good or bad, though I can say that an unfortunate by-product has been the decimation of native culture, and the destruction of nature.

Pollution and trash now cover the once untouched landscapes (the beaches are destroyed by the millions of party goers coming and going each year), and there are so many foreigners(tourists) at any given time. You'll find yourself asking "did I even leave my country? " With that being said there are still heaps of outstanding places to visit in S.E.A.

Bagan, Angkor Wat, Halong Bay, these are all wonderful places worth seeing regardless of their popularity.

Do Your Own Research

As cliche as it sounds do your own research and venture to the least travelled bits, forge your own unique path, take control of your destiny and unleash the explorer within, it will enrich your experience drastically.

To conclude, every country has something unique to offer so ultimately your choice is dependent on the level of adventure you want, the type of traveling you are comfortable with and your budget of course~ Hope that helps!

Happy Travels!

My morning view from the village house I lived in. Annapurna 8091 M or close to 29,000ft peaks!

​

Another stunning view from the village I lived in.

​
Paragliding in Sarangkot, Nepal. $35 USD.

​

Holding a Cobra: 100 NPR tip!

​

Dubar Square Kathmandu, an infinite sea of beautiful Saris, and ancient wood carved buildings. Home to the Living Goddess. Free if walking * 150-300 NPRfor Taxi

​

Monkey Temple, View Priceless, sometimes you will be stopped to pay, but I got in for free, because they did not ask, and I didn't know. So I made donation at the top. The best views of the Kathmandu Valley, loads of mischievous monkeys to laugh at, and peaceful buddhist monks to meditate with.

​
Priceless experience volunteering with these lads who came off the street as orphans in Chennai! I loved these dudes!

Dahl Baht Power!!

![1280px-Dalbath.jpg] ()

Momos. Wonderful, Momos!