Traveling in Your 20s on a Budget

Baylee Barckley

Koh Phi Phi, Thailand

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Thailand is a very popular tourist country for young travelers. Koh Phi Phi, specifically, because you can enjoy the Phi Phi Islands with white sandy beaches and clear blue water. The only way to get to these islands is by ferry or boat. This popular destination spot has diving and snorkeling that get great reviews from travelers. Also, the Phi Phi Island have made a few movie appearances, like The Beach, starring Leonardo DiCaprio. An interesting fact about the Phi Phi Islands is that Phi Phi Leh is free of human inhabitants and Phi Phi Don is without roads. This is a destination to relax and enjoy the views for a couple days. While Koh Phi Phi may be the more expensive option in Thailand, it is still inexpensive to visit compared to other countries.

Cost	Avg daily price for traveling in Koh Phi Phi: $66 Avg price of food: $11 (per day) Avg price for a hotel: $73 (per couple)
Meals	Food: $3 to $28 (depending on style of food) Beer: $2.30
Flights	LAX to Phuket City: $582 *depending on departing airport
Transportation	Ferry to island: $12 to $18 (one way)
Attractions	Deep Sea Fishing: $85 Rock Climbing on cliff: $31 (Tonsai Tower) Learn to cook Thai Food: $16 Sunset Kayaking

Arenal Area, Costa Rica

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Being one of Costa Rica’s most popular destination spots, Arenal Area offers a beautiful hiking area, a lake, and the very popular La Fortuna waterfall sitting at the base of a volcano. A few things to see while visiting Arenal is the Arenal National Park where you can see wild life, hike trails, and see a great view of the sunset. The hot springs are also another necessary stop to make in Costa Rica. These natural hot tubs are located at the base of the volcano that you can take a dip in after a long hike. If you want to take a closer look at the crater of the volcano you can take a tour via the hanging bridges. Arenal Area is different than most traveling spots, but it offers attractions that other places can’t.

Flights	LAX to San Jose: $450 *depending on departing airport
Hotel	Hostel: $10 to $15 (shared room) Budget Hotel: $50 to $70 (private bathroom, A/C, hot water) Mid-Range Hotel: $100 to $200 (A/C, hot water, TV, Wi-fi, complimentary breakfast)
Transportation	Public Bus: $4 La Fortuna Bus: $2 Taxi:$5 Bike Rentals: $6 (half day) Easy to get around on foot
Meals	Lunch: $8 to $12 Beer/ Cocktails: $2 to $3
Attractions	Hanging Bridges Tour: $23 National Park: $9 Zip Lining: $50 to $85 Rafting Tour: $70 to $130 Kayak Tour: $50 to $75

Albania

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Traveling to Europe is perceived to be costly, but Albania is an exception to this rule. Albania is a much more affordable place to live than other areas in Europe, which benefits young travelers in there 20’s in getting to experience a little bit of Europe. One of the top attractions in Albania is the castle in the city of Shkoder. An interesting attraction for tourists is a rotating bar in Tirana called The Sky Tower Bar. You can enjoy a nice cold beer while slowly spinning 360 degrees getting to see Tirana at all angles and watching the sunset. If you are interested in learning about the history of Albania, you can visit an abandoned bunker museum in Tirana. Another attraction that other destination spots don’t offer is wild camping on the Albania’s beaches. The Albania Riveria is a major attraction to Europe by young travelers because of the reputation it has with being a music location hosting music festival like Turtle Fest. Also, nightclubs, like Havana Beach Club draw people in their young age across Europe.

Cost	Hotel: $47 Airbnb options
Meals	Food: starting @ $5.50 Beer: $2 Coffee: $1.30
Transportation	Taxi: $2.30
Flights	JFK to Tirana: $500 *depending on departing airport

Havana, Cuba

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Havana being the capital city of Cuba has always been a popular tourist destination with vintage cars and colorful Spanish colonial architecture; however, it wasn’t always that Americans could go visit Cuba. In December 2014, the relationship between the U.S. and Cuba was restored, but not without a few traveling restrictions. In order to book a solo travel experience to Cuba it needs to be for educational purposes. This is where you meet Cuban citizens in normal daily life setting, like school and community centers. One of the adventures you can take part in is riding in a vintage convertible for an hour cruising up and down the avenues of Havana. Something that is a must see in Cuba is the El Malecon, a five-mile-long boulevard that stretches along the water, with Havana Bay on one side and Old Havana, Vedado, and Central Havana on the other. At night, many Cubans come to watch the sunset with their loved ones, drink and laugh.

Cost	Avg daily price for traveling in Havana: $18 Avg food price: $5.39 (per person) Avg price for hotel: $17 (per couple) Avg drink price: $2 (cocktails) $1 (beer)
Transportation	Private Taxi: $2.50 to $7 (within city) Shared Taxi: $0.50 Viazul Bus: $4 to $5 (reliable schedule and A/C) City Bus: $0.04 Scooter: $25 (per day)
Flights	Miami to Cuba: $275 *depending on departing airport
Attractions	Museum of the Revolution: $8 Vintage Car Ride: $15 to $25 (30 min) Horseback Riding: $115 (3 hour trip depending on city) Scuba Diving: $40 (including equipment)

Bali, Indonesia

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Bali is a place that only requires a traveler to walk outside to enjoy themselves. This city, also known as, the Island of the Gods, is meant for exploring. Surrounded by beautiful seas and golden-brown beaches, Bali is a surfer’s dream, which you can do in Kuta Beach, the most famous beach in Bali. Don’t know how to surf? Across the sand bar you can sign up for surf lessons. The Island of Gods also offers other attractions like the Ulun Danu Temple. This building is one of the quietest and most serene places on the island. The Bali Treetop Adventure Park is ready for an afternoon of adrenaline, but also is great for families and children as young as 4 years old. Other attractions tourists can’t miss out on are the caves, museums and parks that Bali offer.

Cost	Avg daily price for traveling in Bali: $63 Avg price for food: $19 (per day) Avg price for a hotel: $74 (per couple)
Flights	LAX to Denpasar: $850 *depending on departing airport
Transportation	Motorbike: $20 to $30 (per week; need international license)
Attraction	Scuba Diving: $100 (per day for 2 dives; includes lunch, transportation, and equipment) Massages: $10 (per hour)