The Dalai Lama, when asked what surprised him most about humanity, said:
“Man.
Because he sacrifices his health in order to make money.
Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health.
And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present;
the result being that he does not live in the present or the future;
he lives as if he is never going to die, and then dies having never really lived.”
No truer words have ever been said. The hustle and bustle in Nigeria is so intense that most of us live life without stopping to smell the flowers. A more explicit quote encourages us to travel as one needs to ‘Cover the earth before it covers us’. It is undeniable that the Nigerian economy has been unfriendly, leaving people with very little for travel destinations and other life’s little pleasures.
It is for this reason that we have taken time out to list out the top affordable travel destinations that you should consider as we slowly get into the holiday season. Be sure to get your passport out and start packing as you go through this list as twenty years from now you will regret the things you did not do more than the things you did do.
Kingston Jamaica
Not too many beaches in the world can claim to have beaches as captivating as those in Jamaica both in terms of the animate and inanimate. In the same vein, not too many cities in the world can claim to be as popular, culturally rich and as captivating as Kingston. It is for this reason that Kingston is a go-to travel destination for movies, music videos, and documentaries. It should be the destination for your next vacation too. What’s in store? Beach resorts, Museums such as the Bob Marley Museum, Peter Tosh Museum and reggae music, everybody loves reggae music.
Lisbon, Portugal
Portugal is a lot more than Cristiano Ronaldo and Lisbon is the affordable European city that quite certainly isn’t at the top of your mind but it should. If you like history and architecture then Lisbon will tickle your fancy. The city pass which is a discounted pass which gives you access to all top tourist locations costs less than N8,000 and you will be in for a day admission to the hottest spots from museums, aquariums, monasteries and more. The city’s delicacy, which is custard-filled pastel de nata sells for just about N500 and you can get glasses of wine from the roadside bars for about N1,200. If this doesn’t convince you I don’t know what will!
Valparaiso, Chile
Valparaiso, Chile is known as the “Jewel of the Pacific.” and you don’t need to own jewels to visit this tourist destination. To get a real feel of the city, be sure to visit the parks and plazas such as the De La Victoria, Italia, and Sotomayor. If you are looking to have some fun in the sun then Chile also caters to you as there are beaches available for you to swim, fish or just simply to relax in. You will find hotels and inns to pass the night that go for as low as N13,000. Put Chile at the top of your travel destinations this year.
Turkey
Turkey might have had some political tensions in the recent past but right now you can rest assured that there is nothing to fear. Turkey is rich in history, art and culture and time will literally fly by when you go for a stay in Turkey. Turkey is home to one of the oldest civilizations in the world, if not the oldest and so there is a whole lot for you to digest during your stay. Speaking of digest, you would be wrong not to try the Turkish delicacy, Dolma and sarma which can be cooked either as a vegetable dish or meat dish. If a meat mixture is put in, ask for it to be served hot with yogurt and spices. Indulge yourself. Where to visit? Turkish trifecta: Istanbul, Ephesus and Cappadocia, ancient Roman ruins of Ephesus plus more. Istanbul is the largest city in Europe so there’s a lot of areas to cover and a lot of activities to participate in. Go pottery-making, go horseback riding, go hiking, just keep going.
Cuba
If for you, a prerequisite for a travel destination is the beach side, then Cuba is another country you should consider. Cuba has been visited by all your favorite celebrities and the good news is that you don’t need to have the bank account of a celebrity to visit Cuba. In order to save money, the trick is to stay in a casa particulares (houses where rooms are rented out). With this process, you can budget to spend about N36,500 to cater for accommodation, transportation, and your meals.
Uganda
African countries such as Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, South Africa and of course Uganda are also top vacation destinations. If you love to watch the National Geographic channel, then you certainly would love Uganda as you get to see wildlife in their natural habitats. Uganda is home to over 1,000 mountain gorillas in the world, elephants, kobs, gorillas, lions, chimpanzees, buffaloes, rhinos, leopards, crocodiles, giraffes and more! To enjoy this travel destination, you simply need to get in contact with a tour and safari guide to lead you through the dense forests to find all the animals you only see on TV.
Chiang Mai, Thailand
According to research done by Price Of Travel, Chiang Mai has been singled out as one of the cheapest cities in the world to visit. The report analyzed your daily cost which includes hostel accommodation, three meals, and public transportation, and put this as N7,300 per day. Chiang Mai is a religious city and it is home to more than 300 Buddhist temples and you certainly should consider visiting the pastoral countryside. You can rent a motorcycle for about N2000 a day to visit the length and breadth of the city where you should be sure to include the elephant sanctuaries, hill tribes, national and waterfall parks as places you must stop by.
