Before I first went traveling in 2006, I had these expectations in my head based on nothing but my imagination and popular culture.
My trip was going to be a nonstop adventure filled with colorful and exciting people. Crazy things were going to happen to me. I’d make friends everywhere. I’d be talking to strangers on buses. Locals would invite me out for drinks. I’d be sipping a latte, strike up a conversation with my beautiful waitress, and then the next thing I’d know, we’d be at a wine bar, staring into each other’s eyes while she taught me French.
It was going to be just like those articles I’d read or travel movies I saw. One adventurous scene after the next.
Then I went overseas.
There I was in the hostel, on the road, seeing amazing attractions in historic cities. I could do whatever I wanted, when I wanted. I was finally marching to the beat of my own drum.
At first, it was exciting, as I set my daily schedule and did things by myself. I was so busy those first couple of days that I had forgotten I was alone. And that was fine — until it wasn’t.
As the days wore on and my tongue forgot what speech sounded like, that excitement dissipated. I began to crave human interaction and companionship.
Suddenly, I was alone — and in the bad way.
Aloneness had turned to loneliness.
Where were the locals who were supposed to show me around? The cool travelers I’d spend nights out with? Once I ran out of things to do, I could no longer hide my aloneness.
Sure, I could move on to another city, hoping that the magic would happen there, that it was the destination’s fault and not me.
But it was me. Life doesn’t just happen to you — you have to make it happen.
As an introvert, it isn’t natural for me to just walk up to strangers and talk to them. That was especially true way back in 2006, when I first started traveling. (Heck, it takes me a lot to overcome that today.)
But that fear was keeping me from living the dreams I had in my head. If I wanted those dreams to happen, I was going to have to make them happen.
A lot of people wonder if traveling alone means they will always be alone. How will they make friends? Is it hard?
It’s a valid concern and, for us to whom socializing doesn’t come naturally, it’s a challenge. But let me tell you: it’s a lot easier than you think.
There are a lot of people traveling solo.
People just like you.
People looking for an adventure.
People who crave interactions with others.
And that other is you.
I overcame being alone when people in my hostel in Prague started talking to me. They were the first ones to reach out, luckily. They broke the barrier I was too afraid to break myself, sitting there, waiting for “something to happen.”
But, after they broke the ice, I realized that it was actually easier and less scary than I thought. Those travelers were like me and looking for a friend.
It took the introvert in me a while to learn that truth, but once I did, I had no trouble meeting people. After those travelers said hello and showed me how easy it was, I realized I was making a mountain out of a molehill. There was nothing to be scared of. I just had to say hi.
Because we all start off in the same boat: in a foreign country without any friends, not speaking the language, and looking for people to spend time with. Once you realize that, you also realize how simple and easy it is to make friends…because everyone is just like you.
That’s the big secret. There’s nothing more to overcome being alone than to get over yourself and say “hi.”
The key is to start small and break out of your shell. Talk to the person in your dorm room. Say hello. Ask them about themselves. Trust me, they will respond. They’ll ask you about you, your home, your travel plans, and more.
From there, just do the same to other travelers you see. Look for a group leaving for the bar and ask, “Can I join you?”
Walk over to that pool table in the hostel and ask, “Who’s next?”
People will say yes. Conversation will begin. Friendships will blossom.
And thanks to the sharing economy, there are lots more ways to meet people beyond meeting them at hostels,
For example, I’m sure you have one thing you are passionate about, right? Well, people around the world have that same passion. Use a website like Meetup.com to find local groups that form around that passion. Maybe it’s swing dancing, maybe it’s pickleball or Dungeons & Dragons. Whatever it is, I’m sure there are locals who do it too. Finding local groups with a shared interest is a great way to break the ice because you already have something to talk about, something that creates an instant connection.
Moreover, you can try the website Couchsurfing. It’s not only a place to find accommodation; it also has tons of meet-ups you can attend to find other travelers and like-minded people.
I’ll be honest, at first, I found it hard to speak to others. Conversations stumbled from time to time. But you either sink or swim on the road. My options were to be alone (and risk potentially going home early) or to get over my fear, take the plunge, and talk to people.
I choose the latter.
And on the occasions I was sinking instead of swimming, other travelers came up to me and said hello. They made the first move so I didn’t have to.
Why? Because they were looking to make friends too. Like me, they understood that if they didn’t do something, they too would have been alone.
Travelers are a friendly bunch. They want to meet new people and make new friends.
And one of those friends is you.
For that reason, you are never alone on the road. There are people everywhere who will be constantly talking to you and inviting you out (especially if you’re staying in hostels).
Take it from this introvert: you’ll meet more people than you’ll know what to do with. (In fact, there will be points when you wished you had some personal “me” time.)
Eventually, you’ll realize there was never a reason to worry in the first place. And you’ll never be alone again.
How to Travel the World on $75 a Day
My New York Times best-selling book to travel will teach you how to master the art of travel so that you’ll get off save money, always find deals, and have a deeper travel experience. It’s your A to Z planning guide that the BBC called the “bible for budget travelers.”
Book Your Flight Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner. It’s my favorite search engine because it searches websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is being left unturned.
Book Your Accommodation You can book your hostel with Hostelworld. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as it consistently returns the cheapest rates for guesthouses and hotels.
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:
Want to Travel for Free? Travel credit cards allow you to earn points that can be redeemed for free flights and accommodation — all without any extra spending. Check out my guide to picking the right card and my current favorites to get started and see the latest best deals.
Need a Rental Car? Discover Cars is a budget-friendly international car rental website. No matter where you’re headed, they’ll be able to find the best — and cheapest — rental for your trip!
Need Help Finding Activities for Your Trip? Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace where you can find cool walking tours, fun excursions, skip-the-line tickets, private guides, and more.
Ready to Book Your Trip? Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel. I list all the ones I use when I travel. They are the best in class and you can’t go wrong using them on your trip.
In fact, eating is one of my favorite activities, and also one of my favorite aspects of traveling.
Food is such an integral part of so many cultures that to skip out on meals when you travel is to miss out on a part of the travel experience.
I’m always disappointed when I meet travelers who cook all their meals in a hostel kitchen or spend so much of their time just getting food at grocery stores.
I mean, don’t get me wrong, grocery stores and markets teach you a lot about a place. And you don’t need to eat out for every meal.
But why come to Italy to cook pasta in your hostel? Or skip a sushi dinner in Japan or paella in Spain?
Of course, eating out all the time is expensive. Imagine if you ate out every day while at home — your food budget would be astronomical! And, when you are traveling long term (or just on a tight budget), you have to think about making your money last.
Additionally, many people have dietary concerns that prevent them from fully embracing new foods. And many travelers are vegan or vegetarian, as well, which might impact their options.
To make sure I can eat out without breaking the bank, I have had to learn how to balance eating 99% of my meals out while still finding a way to save money. Here’s how to eat out on a budget while you travel the world:
1. Follow the Five Block Rule
I live by what I call The Five Block Rule. I don’t eat within five blocks of a major tourist attraction or area. I simply walk in any direction and search for a place to eat when I hit five blocks. There’s an invisible line at this area: tourists don’t go past it. All of a sudden you notice that the crowds are gone, and that’s when you want to start looking.
Sure, you might find a good meal in a tourist area, but you’ll find a better, cheaper meal outside it. Go where the menus aren’t in multiple languages. Go to those little tiny hole in the wall places that you are unsure about. The meal might not knock your socks off each time but it will be a memorable and more local experience.
2. Use Local Knowledge
If you are unsure of where to eat (and don’t like the idea of randomly wandering into restaurants), try apps where locals post reviews. I use them often to find recommendations for food in the cities and towns I visit. You can also ask the tourist office or the staff at your hostel/hotel or taxi drivers, who tend to eat at cheaper food stalls. They will have good recommendations. After all, local workers aren’t going to eat in the tourist area!
My two favorite apps are Yelp and The Fork. For vegan and vegetarian recommendations, check out Happy Cow.
3. Ask The Right Question
Be sure to ask locals the question, “Where do you eat?” not “Where should I eat?” If you ask people the second question, most people will think to send you to the popular restaurants tourists visit because that will be what comes to mind. They’ll think, “Hmmm where do visitors go eat? What’s popular in town?”
However, by asking where they eat, you will get recommendations for more local restaurants because they will tell you all the hole in the wall spots they eat at on a day-to-day basis. Small word change, much better results.
4. Eat Street Food
In most places around the world (and especially in Asia), the streets are lined with little food stalls and areas where food is cooked openly on the street. You grab a plate, sit down in a little plastic chair, and enjoy a delicious meal. Street food is some of the best food in the world. Meals at street stalls and vendors cost just a few dollars (if that) most of the time and are a great way to really experience the local cuisine.
While in Sweden, I lived off these types of vendors. In Amsterdam, FEBO and their croquettes kept my stomach full. In Costa Rica, the empanada seller filled me up for a dollar and I bought local food from vendors at markets for mere pennies in Madagascar.
Many places, like Thailand and Vietnam, for example, wouldn’t be the same if the street food disappeared. (And yes, it’s safe. The locals wouldn’t eat it otherwise.)
5. Eat Fast Food (Sometimes)
Fast food isn’t the best food, but it is another option if you want a cheap meal in inexpensive parts of the world. For as little as $5 USD (more in expensive countries like Norway, home of the $13 Whopper), you can get a filling (and hugely caloric) meal.
Sure, it’s not the greatest food, and I am going to skip the philosophical debate about traveling around the world only to eat McDonald’s to say that it’s cheap and just another way to help you rein in your spending.
6. Stick to Local Ingredients
When you’ve been traveling for a while, it’s only normal to crave a taste of home every now and then. That means that sure, sometimes I get sick of Greek food when I’ve been traveling there for a bit. Other times, I can’t eat any more Thai food and just want a burger. And that’s OK.
However, non-local food is almost always more expensive than local cuisine. For example, in Vietnam, a bowl of pho is less than a dollar, but a burger is about three times as much (or more!). Try to stick to the local cuisine as much as possible and also try to avoid any food that is imported as that will increase the price of your meal too!
7. Find the Lunch Specials
Many restaurants, especially in Europe, offer lunch specials, where items on the dinner menu are offered at a huge discount. You can get an amazing afternoon meal for a fraction of the cost you’d pay for the same meal in the evening.
I usually tend to eat my “nice” meal during lunch, because lunch specials and plates of the day are about 30–40% off what I might pay at dinner. The options will usually be more limited, but the savings more than justify it.
Sadly, there is no one website where you can find all the restaurants in the world that offer lunch specials. They vary from city to city and region to region. What you can do other than wander aimlessly around the city in hopes of finding a place (though I have done that) is to ask the tourist office or the staff at your hostel/hotel if they know where to find lunch specials. They are usually very aware of what places have specials.
8. Bring a Refillable Water Bottle
As you walk around and sightsee, you need to stay hydrated. But buying a bottle of water every day is not only environmentally wasteful, it also makes foolish budget travel sense. Carry a refillable bottle of water (with a filter) with you instead and just use the tap water. I suggest a Lifestraw bottle. It ensures your water is always clean and safe — even if the tap water isn’t.
9. Cook 50% of Your Meals
I don’t cook a lot on the road as I don’t like hostel kitchens. They never have everything I need, and I hate traveling with a portable kitchen so I can have all the ingredients I want. Yet when I am in one place for a while (or if I’m Couchsurfing), I cook a few meals.
Cooking is one of the best ways to keep your travel costs down, and supermarkets are also great places to go see what the local people eat. The only place where cooking your own meals isn’t the most economical option is Asia, where street food is usually cheaper.
As I mentioned, I’ll often go out for a nicer meal at lunch when I can find a good deal. That will usually mean for dinner I’ll be cooking my own food. That way, I’ll still get to try the local cuisine but I’ll also get to keep my budget intact. Double win!
10. Have a Picnic
Another good option is to picnic. This is something I do a lot for lunch if I’m somewhere where the weather is nice. I usually head to a local food market, pick up a bunch of food, and go picnic in the park. Not only am I saving money (sandwiches aren’t expensive), but it affords me a good chance to watch the locals scurry about their daily lives.
If you’re staying at a hostel, this is a great ice-breaker for meeting new people. Just invite everyone along to join you and you’ll be making new friends in no time!
11. Use Tourism Cards
Most people think of tourist cards like the iAmsterdam card or the Oslo Pass as just a way to save money on transportation and attractions. But these cards also offer discounts at many restaurants. Typically, discounts are around 15–25%, but sometimes lunch specials can be up to 50% off.
Visit the local tourism office when you arrive and ask what food discounts are included. Chances are you’ll be able to save even more money if you just take the time to learn about the tourism pass. It’s a worthwhile investment!
12. Get Free Breakfast
If you can find hostels or hotels that include breakfast, you’ve already eliminated the cost of one meal. Plus, if you have a huge breakfast that fills you up for most of the day then you don’t need to eat as many meals out. Moreover, many hostels around the world also offer free dinners, free coffee and tea, and other food-related perks. Search them out to save money and lower your food costs.
13. Eat Where the Students Do
Where there are universities, there are students, and since students are usually broke, that means there are likely cheap places to eat nearby. Check Google Maps for local post-secondary institutions and see what you can find in the nearby area. Many bars in the area will likely have cheap drinks and happy hours too, so you can save even more.
Additionally, use Google to search for places. Type in “Student friendly restaurants in [X]” to get lots of suggestions on where to eat. You can also ask your hotel/hostel for information too.
14. Use Supermarket Deals
In many countries, supermarkets offer lunchtime specials for workers in the surrounding areas. These usually entail fresh sandwiches or some soup or salads. Additionally, many supermarkets also discount food that expires soon, including bread, baked goods, meat, and produce. For example, pre-made meals in Japan are often 50% off right before the grocery store closes because they can’t keep it overnight. Tight food laws in Scandinavia also mean that food that has “expired” is discounted too. (And, since food, especially imported meats, are so expensive in those countries, most locals buy the “expired” food).
Buy groceries in the evening and you can likely find yourself some discounted (but still totally safe and edible) food.
***
I love a nice restaurant. I don’t mind paying money for a good meal with a nice glass of wine. But doing that EVERY meal is simply too expensive.
But, by using the tips above, I can afford to keep my costs down while still being able to afford a quality meal every so often.
And that’s what is really important — finding the right balance.
Because if you can manage to balance eating great food with saving money, both your wallet and your stomach will thank you.
How to Travel the World on $75 a Day
My New York Times best-selling book to travel will teach you how to master the art of travel so that you’ll get off save money, always find deals, and have a deeper travel experience. It’s your A to Z planning guide that the BBC called the “bible for budget travelers.”
Book Your Flight Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner. It’s my favorite search engine because it searches websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is being left unturned.
Book Your Accommodation You can book your hostel with Hostelworld. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as it consistently returns the cheapest rates for guesthouses and hotels.
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:
Want to Travel for Free? Travel credit cards allow you to earn points that can be redeemed for free flights and accommodation — all without any extra spending. Check out my guide to picking the right card and my current favorites to get started and see the latest best deals.
Need a Rental Car? Discover Cars is a budget-friendly international car rental website. No matter where you’re headed, they’ll be able to find the best — and cheapest — rental for your trip!
Need Help Finding Activities for Your Trip? Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace where you can find cool walking tours, fun excursions, skip-the-line tickets, private guides, and more.
Ready to Book Your Trip? Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel. I list all the ones I use when I travel. They are the best in class and you can’t go wrong using them on your trip.
We all want to travel more. Whether a vacation, career break, gap year trip, there’s some trip we are always thinking about. One of the things that keeps a lot of people from achieving that dream is money.
Saving money to travel can be an uphill battle but travel is not as expensive as you think. There are plenty of ways to save money on the road and lower your costs.
And you don’t have to be a backpacker to travel cheap. There are tons of ways to travel on a budget without sacrificing comfort.
One of the easiest ways to travel on a budget is to just go somewhere inexpensive. There are plenty of amazing places to visit that are still quite affordable. In fact, many of them are actually cheaper than day-to-day life back home!
And, while there are dozens upon dozens of inexpensive countries you can visit, in this post, I am going to share my favorite that I think are the best!
1. Thailand
Despite being a hugely popular tourist destination, Thailand has remained relatively cheap.
Outside of the popular island destinations, it’s easy to visit the country for around $50 USD per day if you’re backpacking. Hostel dorms cost $10 USD per night, you can eat on less than $10 USD per day if you stick to delicious street food markets, drinks are just a couple bucks each, and tours and activities don’t cost much more than $20-30 USD.
If you’re not looking to backpack around Thailand, you can still visit the country on a budget if you use points for hotels, stick to budget accommodation, continue to stick to street food vendors and public transportation. If you do that, you’d spend around $100 USD per day.
I’ll be honest: I was late to the game on Mexico. It wasn’t until a few years ago that I finally took the time out to explore the country. The country is just incredible. Mayan ruins, stunning beaches, lush jungles, world-class food, picturesque cenotes, mezcal….I love the country.
The trick to having an affordable trip to Mexico is to get out of the tourist regions. Leave Tulum (it’s the worst place in the world anyway), Playa del Carmen, Cabo San Lucas, Cancun, and all the other resort towns filled with American hotel brands and tourists.
Hostels cost between $10-15 USD per night, street tacos are $1 USD or less, other meals will set you back $5-10 USD, beer is around $1-2 USD, and even big-ticket sites like Chichen Itza are just $5-15 USD.
If you aren’t looking to backpack, you can still visit affordably. On a midrange budget of about $80, you can stay in a private hostel room or cheap hotel, eat out at restaurants serving cheap traditional cuisine, visit more attractions, enjoy a few drinks, and take the occasional taxi to get around.
For more information on how to plan a trip there, check out my guide to visiting Mexico.
3. Portugal
Portugal is not only one of my favorite countries in Europe but it’s one of the cheapest eurozone countries as well. Offering charming cities, stunning coastlines, and beautiful weather, this country has become much more popular in recent years. There’s a growing expat scene as well as a lively digital nomad community.
You can get by here for around $50 USD per day without missing out on the amazing food, fun activities, and delicious wine. On this budget, you’ll be staying in a hostel dorm room, cooking all of your meals, limiting your drinking, using public transportation to get around, and sticking to free activities like free walking tours and enjoying the beaches.
While prices are a bit higher in popular Lisbon, you can easily offset that by visiting in the shoulder season or in the winter.
Central America is one of the cheapest regions of the world, with pretty much every country here an affordable place to visit. Because of that, I’m including the whole region!
In countries like El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Guatemala you’ll find the best deals, with budget hotels costing around $15 USD, meals for $3-4 USD, bus journeys for the same price, and beer for less than a dollar.
In the “expensive” countries in the region (Belize, Panama, Costa Rica), you’ll be spending closer to $50 USD per day, though you won’t be wanting for anything as street food costs under $5 USD and hostel dorms are $8-12 USD.
Hungary is an amazing, affordable country, the highlight of which is Budapest. I love Budapest. It’s a beautiful, historic city.
Hostels in Budapest start at $10 USD per night. Meals at the markets or at the plethora of kebab and sandwich shops are around $5-10 USD. Trains and buses were just a few dollars while a beer is less than $2 USD.
Unless you are going out for a big night of drinking or paying for lots of attractions and activities, $50 USD will give you plenty of room to enjoy the sites and sounds of the country. And the Budapest is a great alternative to more popular destinations like Prague or Vienna, offering just as much fun for a fraction of the cost.
Home to the epic Wonder of the World, Machu Picchu, Peru is one of the most popular countries in South America. I absolutely loved my trip there. It’s a country I would go back to over and over again.
While hiking the Inca Trail will definitely burst your budget, everyday life in Peru is quite affordable. If you want to backpack Peru, I’d plan for $50–80 USD per day. On this budget, you’d be staying in hostel dorms, eating at typical hole-in-the-wall restaurants and cafés, limiting your drinking, taking public transportation and overnight buses, and doing a few paid activities and tours. If you’re going to party a lot, you’ll be on the higher end of this range.
And, if you do want to do some guided hikes but don’t have the money, try to book last minute. You can usually find amazing deals — including deals for hikes like the Inca Trail. While you might end up spending more than $50 USD per day, those once-in-a-lifetime experiences are worth it.
For more information, check out my guide to visiting Peru.
7. Vietnam
Vietnam is one of the cheapest countries in Southeast Asia. From the stunning views of Sam Mountain and Ha Long Bay to the man-made artistry of the sacred temples and pagodas to the rice terraces and beaches, Vietnam is stunning.
Hostels can be found for as little as $4-5 USD, with many including free breakfast and free beer (during limited hours). Food from street vendors can be found for under $1-2 USD, and buses around the country are incredibly cheap. Even activities here are cheap. The Cu Chi Tunnels (tunnels used by the Viet Cong during the Vietnam war) are just $5 USD to visit while a full day of canyoning is just $20 USD.
No budget travel list would be complete without India. India has always been an inexpensive place to visit, but the steep decline in the Indian rupee in recent years has made the country an even bigger bargain. You can travel well here for very little money, and increasing your budget by just a few dollars can often lead to substantial increases in luxury.
For example, on a budget of $30-45 per day, you can do the typical backpacker thing: guesthouses, cheap food, sleeper trains, and overland buses. In the larger cities of Mumbai, New Delhi, and Bangalore as well as beach destinations like Goa, you can expect to spend around $45-55 per day.
But, if you doubled that, there’s virtually nothing you couldn’t do from private tour guides to three- or four-star hotels to opulent meals to internal flights. The country is generally just really, really cheap.
9. Taiwan
Taiwan is one of the most underrated countries in Asia. It’s super affordable, safe, clean, and has plenty of things to see and do.
You can easily visit Taiwan for $40-50 USD per day as food and accommodation are both super affordable. Hostels start around $10 USD while street food costs just a couple dollars (and is super tasty). There are plenty of markets, lots of hiking, convenient public transportation, and a fun nightlife. No matter what you are interested in, you can find it in Taiwan. You’ll get a lot of value here.
For more information, check out my guide to visiting Taiwan.
***
There are many great destinations in the world that don’t have to cost a fortune. And, if you use points to fly there, you can save even more money. And, even if you aren’t an uber budget traveler and want some more luxury, all the destinations listed here can still provide a lot of luxury on a bargain.
By visiting some of these budget destinations, you’ll be able to stretch your budget and make your trip financially attainable.
How to Travel the World on $75 a Day
My New York Times best-selling book to travel will teach you how to master the art of travel so that you’ll get off save money, always find deals, and have a deeper travel experience. It’s your A to Z planning guide that the BBC called the “bible for budget travelers.”
Book Your Flight Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner. It’s my favorite search engine because it searches websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is being left unturned.
Book Your Accommodation You can book your hostel with Hostelworld. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as it consistently returns the cheapest rates for guesthouses and hotels.
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:
Want to Travel for Free? Travel credit cards allow you to earn points that can be redeemed for free flights and accommodation — all without any extra spending. Check out my guide to picking the right card and my current favorites to get started and see the latest best deals.
Need a Rental Car? Discover Cars is a budget-friendly international car rental website. No matter where you’re headed, they’ll be able to find the best — and cheapest — rental for your trip!
Need Help Finding Activities for Your Trip? Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace where you can find cool walking tours, fun excursions, skip-the-line tickets, private guides, and more.
Ready to Book Your Trip? Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel. I list all the ones I use when I travel. They are the best in class and you can’t go wrong using them on your trip.
I love hostels. Even after over nineteen years traveling the world, I still stay in hostels because they’re the best way to meet people and the cheapest accommodation option in much of the world.
But what makes a good hostel?
And how do you avoid a bad hostel?
After staying in over a thousand hostels since I first started traveling the world, I’ve become adept at figuring out very quickly if the hostel owners know what they are doing or if they just randomly woke up one day and said, “Let’s open a hostel. It sounds like fun.”
While hostels are all about the people, management can do a few things to make their hostel the perfect framework for making your experience better. Certain features make a hostel memorable (common rooms, group activities, kitchens) while others can make them forgettable — or worse (push-button showers, general filth, unknowledgeable staff).
Here’s a breakdown of what I would look for in a hostel to help you pick the best one for your next trip:
1. Is There a Common Room?
I love meeting new people when I travel. Since I usually travel solo, I need to go out of my way to meet people if I want to be social. Common rooms in hostels make that easy. They help me find people to chat with, get tips from, do activities with, or even travel with.
Plus, they’re good for just having fun. They usually have pool tables or video game consoles, TVs/movies (perfect for rainy days), foosball, ping pong, and comfy couches (comfy couches are a must!). If you want to be social, make sure you stay somewhere that has a decent common room (or several). It’s the best place to easily connect with other travelers.
In warmer destinations, a common area outside is also a big plus. Rooftop bars, patios, BBQ areas, a pool — any social outdoor space is a must.
2. Is It Centrally Located?
Location, location, location. Whenever I’m looking for a new hostel I make sure that it’s near the things I want to see. I don’t want to spend all my time commuting when I get somewhere new. For that reason, I always make sure my hostels are in a central location and that they’re close to public transportation. That way, I can get around easily and don’t need to worry about having to waste money on taxis.
This is especially important in large cities where things are spread out and when you’re on a shorter trip and time is of the essence. Yes, they might cost more money, but you’ll save money on transportation. Plus, the more centrally-located hostels are usually the more popular ones, making them better places to meet people.
Don’t waste your vacation in transit; book somewhere central!
3. Is It Clean?
Sure, budget travelers like things cheap — but that doesn’t mean we like things dirty. While hostels have come a long way in recent years, there are still many that are poorly maintained and in need of a thorough scrubbing. Since it’s easy to get sick on the road, avoid dirty hostels. Gross bathrooms and showers (as well as the increased risk of bed bugs) aren’t worth the risk — even if the hostel is cheap. Invest in yourself. You deserve a clean room!
Since the photos hostels post on their website and social media can be misleading, make sure to specifically read reviews on sites like Hostelworld for hints on cleanliness. If just one person complains, maybe it’s not a big deal. But if numerous reviews mention the lack of cleanliness, take that as a cue.
4. Did You Read Reviews?
Always read reviews before you book. Is the hostel quiet or noisy? Is it a party hostel or more laid back? Are the mattresses comfy? Are the bunk beds squeaky? You can usually answer all of these questions (and many more) by reading reviews.
Websites like Hostelworld and Booking.com have tons of reviews to help you find the hostel that best suits your needs and budget.
While you’ll want to take them with a grain of salt (people love to complain), they are definitely helpful when it comes to picking the best hostel. Make sure you leave reviews too — good reviews help hostels grow and bad reviews can warn your fellow travelers so they don’t make the same mistake.
Additionally, make sure you only stay at hotels with lots of reviews. A hostel might have a high rating on Hostelworld but if it only has 10 or 20 reviews then I’ll likely stay away from it (it’s easy to fake ratings like that). However, if a hostel has hundreds (or thousands) of reviews and still has a rating of 8 or 9 out of 10 then that’s a good sign it’s a solid place to stay.
Generally, I try to only book hostels with a rating of 8 or higher on Hostelworld.
5. Do they Organize Group Activities?
If you plan on staying at a social hostel and want to meet people, choose a hostel that offers group activities. These could be walking tours (my personal favorite activity), pub crawls, trivia nights, cooking classes, or BBQs. These events are a great way to meet other travelers and learn about your destination.
My favorite hostels are always social hostels that organize events. It just makes your stay much more fun and lively!
6. Is There Late Checkout?
Never stay at a hostel with a checkout time before 10am. The best hostels have 11am checkout times, and the really good ones let you check out at noon. Sleep is valuable on the road because you’ll rarely get enough of it. Hostels with late checkout times understand this and are often more relaxed environments. There’s just something wrong about a hostel asking you to be packed and out so early in the morning.
7. Is There a Bar?
Bars are not deal breakers and there are a lot of wonderful hostels without them, but they make for a great place to socialize with other hostel guests. Usually if a hostel has a bar, they put a strong emphasis on making sure the people staying there are having fun, interacting, and being festive.
If you’re looking to be social and meet people, you’ll want to stay somewhere with a bar.
8. Do They Have Lockers?
It’s surprising, but I’ve actually been in hostels that don’t provide lockers or will charge you for them. In this day and age, lockers should be standard. You should never pay for security. This is a deal-breaker for me (especially since I travel with electronics). Always bring a lock with you as well, so you can use the lockers when they are provided.
9. Is There a Kitchen?
Try to look for hostels with kitchens since you can then prepare your own food, lower your food budget, and share a meal with your new friends. Nothing binds people closer together than a shared meal (and a few glasses of wine).
10. Do They Offer Breakfast?
Look for a place with a decent breakfast (i.e., more than bread and cheese) or at least one that begins and ends when people are actually awake (breakfasts that start around 8:30am usually go late). Breakfast is also a great way to load up on snacks for the day, cutting down your food budget.
11. Do They Have Pod-style Beds?
Gone are the days of sleeping on creaky, metal bunks. Whenever possible, look for a hostel with pod-style beds. These beds provide much better privacy and dampen the noise around you so you can sleep better. They usually have curtains too, which are always a big plus in my book.
12. Are There Individual Lights & Outlets?
Before you book, find out if the dorm bunks have their own outlet and light. Not only will this ensure you can charge your devices without having to fight for space, but it means your fellow travelers can turn on their own small lamp instead of the room’s main light. (I hate it when people turn the lights on in the middle of the night. Use your bed’s lamp or a flashlight!)
***
I don’t need a hostel to have all these things, but a truly wonderful hostel that understands what travelers are looking for has the majority of the things listed above.
Additionally, as more and more people shift to remote work, hostels have started to accommodate long-term travelers who work on their laptops. If you’re a remote worker, these hostels are great places to stay as they have fast Wi-Fi and make it easy to connect and network with other digital nomads. However, if you’re not working online while traveling, avoid these hostels since most people will just be on their laptops working and that’s kind of boring if you’re not doing it too. Instead, stay at a hostel that caters to backpackers. It will be much more enjoyable and you’ll have an easier time meeting people.
In the end, what really makes a good hostel are the people and even the worst hostels will be great if you meet good people. But removing the people from the equation, I look for hostels that have some of the above qualities in them. Hostels that know what you want as a traveler are there to enhance your travel experience, not simply take money from you in exchange for a bed. I would rather stay at a place that is looking to make sure I have a good time.
How to Travel the World on $75 a Day
My New York Times best-selling book to travel will teach you how to master the art of travel so that you’ll get off save money, always find deals, and have a deeper travel experience. It’s your A to Z planning guide that the BBC called the “bible for budget travelers.”
Book Your Flight Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner. It’s my favorite search engine because it searches websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is being left unturned.
Book Your Accommodation You can book your hostel with Hostelworld. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as it consistently returns the cheapest rates for guesthouses and hotels.
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:
Want to Travel for Free? Travel credit cards allow you to earn points that can be redeemed for free flights and accommodation — all without any extra spending. Check out my guide to picking the right card and my current favorites to get started and see the latest best deals.
Need a Rental Car? Discover Cars is a budget-friendly international car rental website. No matter where you’re headed, they’ll be able to find the best — and cheapest — rental for your trip!
Need Help Finding Activities for Your Trip? Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace where you can find cool walking tours, fun excursions, skip-the-line tickets, private guides, and more.
Ready to Book Your Trip? Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel. I list all the ones I use when I travel. They are the best in class and you can’t go wrong using them on your trip.
Whenever I ask readers what the number one thing holding them back from traveling is, I almost always get the same answer: money.
This problem — and how to overcome it — is my most asked question. “Matt, I don’t know how to afford travel. Help!”
I have answered this question in a plethora of posts, emails, tweets, and Facebook posts. Long-term readers might even be getting sick of me discussing this subject because it is one I talk about so much.
But I know no matter how often I address this question, it will come up again.
Since this question comes up so often, I like to constantly remind people of this fact: You do not need to be rich to travel.
There are plenty of ways to travel on a budget (and for free) — you just need to be willing to get creative.
Traveling the world with little or no money sounds like an impossible dream. But it is possible. It’s not glamorous, but it’s possible.
It should be said that there are some expenses you shouldn’t compromise on (like travel insurance) but there are tons of ways you can travel the world on a budget — including plenty of ways you can actually travel for free.
In this post, I’m going to show you two things:
How to travel cheap
How to travel for free
With the right budget and the right mindset, you can make your travel dreams a reality. Even if you don’t earn a lot or you have debt, there are still plenty of ways to go overseas (I still had debt when I went on my first trip around the world). They may not be fancy or luxurious, but if travel is your priority then you can definitely make it happen!
Ready to kick-start your budget travels and save money? Just click on either of the links below to jump directly to that section!
1. Get a Job Overseas
Not making enough money at your job? Working at a job you hate? Why not get a job overseas? There are plenty of opportunities in the world as long as you aren’t picky. After all, this isn’t a career you are starting — it’s just a way to earn money for travel. Here are some popular (and easy to find) jobs you can get when you travel:
Bartender – It’s always 5 o’clock somewhere, so if you have the skills then this is an easy job to move overseas. It’s also an easy job to get under the table if you decide to go that route. If you don’t have the skills to tend bar, consider being a dishwasher or busser.
Hostel worker – Hostel workers rarely stick around for long, which means there is always a demand for new help. It’s a great way to meet other travelers while adjusting to a new location. Three websites that can help you find hostels to volunteer at are Worldpackers, Workaway, and HelpX.
Waitress/waiter – There are tons of seasonal restaurants around the world (and around the US) that need extra help during the busy tourist months. If you have experience, this is an easy job to find abroad.
Tour guide – If you’ve got a knack for history and don’t mind speaking in front of groups, this is the perfect job for you. It’s also usually a cash job, which means you get your tips directly.
Cruise ship worker – This is a much more formal position than the ones above, but it’s a great way to travel. The hours are long, but there’s something to be said about living at sea!
Seasonal worker at ski resorts – Instructors, restaurant staff, hotel staff, lifeguards — ski resorts need all sorts of staff to keep things moving, making this a goldmine for the overseas traveler (as long as you don’t mind the snow!).
Yacht worker – While the hours can be long, you can make great money working for the rich and famous on their yachts. Best of all, you’re usually in some pretty amazing destinations!
Yoga instructor – If you have the skills (and certification), teaching yoga abroad is an easy way to make some spending money. While you might need to know the language, there are yoga studios in pretty much every city in the world.
Working overseas often gets discounted as an option because it seems hard to do. It’s not. Just be open. These jobs don’t require advanced degrees or a lot of work experience either.
Are you going to get a high-paying office job? No.
Will you get a shitty, low-wage job that will pay all your travel bills? Yep!
I’ve met people from all walks of life, both from Western and non-Western countries, funding their travels this way. It’s an easy, fun way to lengthen your travels, deepen your experience, and make a little money so you can keep on traveling.
One of the best ways to make money for travel is to teach English overseas. You can make a lot of money teaching — I replenished my travel funds while teaching in Thailand, and I have had friends leave South Korea with tens of thousands of dollars in the bank.
All you need is the ability to speak English fluently and a TEFL degree, depending on the country you work in. If you have a college or university degree, you’ll be able to make more money and apply for better positions though it’s not necessary for many countries.
Additionally, there are many websites and services out there that allow you to teach virtually. As long as you have a great Wi-Fi connection, you can help people learn English from anywhere in the world! Italki is one of the most popular online platforms.
READ MORE ABOUT TEACHING OVERSEAS:
3. Go WWOOFing and Work on a Farm
WWOOF stands for World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms. It’s a platform that allows you to work on a farm in exchange for free room and board. It’s a great way to see a destination in-depth while allowing you to commune with the great outdoors. You have to pay to get to the farm, but once you are there, everything else is covered! It definitely will help you travel cheap as well as have a unique experience and meet lots of cool people.
WWOOF has opportunities available in 130 countries around the world, with over 12,000 hosts and 100,000 WWOOFers. Some of the most popular destinations for WWOOFers are Portugal, France, Italy, Costa Rica, Australia, New Zealand, and Hawaii.
Use the sharing economy to find cheaper accommodation, quirky tour guides, rideshare options, and home-cooked meals with local chefs. You can bypass the traditional travel industry with sharing economy websites and gain access to locals using their own assets and skills to become small tourism companies with cheaper prices. Moreover, locals know where to find deals. They know which supermarket is cheapest, which stores offer the best sales, and where to find the hole-in-the-wall restaurants and bars with the tastiest food at the lowest prices. Talking directly to them gives you access to that knowledge.
Here are some of my favorite websites:
BlaBlaCar – A ride-sharing app that connects you with drivers who have extra seats in their car (primarily for medium and long distances, and mainly in Europe).
EatWith – Platform that connects you with local cooks serving private meals.
RVShare – This website lets you rent RVs and camper vans directly from locals.
Turo – A car sharing marketplace that lets you rent vehicles from locals.
Campspace – This platform lets you camp on private property. Properties range from basic tent plots to luxurious glamping and RV stays.
Trusted Housesitters – Connects you with locals with whom you exchange pet and house sitting services for free accommodation.
5. Cook Your Own Meals
The best way to save money on the road is to cook all your own meals. While in Stockholm, I spent $60 USD for a week’s worth of groceries instead of an average of $15 USD per meal eating out! That’s a savings of $150 USD!
I’ve done the same thing in dozens of countries all around the world — especially in expensive destinations like Iceland where eating out can really destroy your budget.
If you are staying in hostels, book accommodation that has a kitchen so you have space to cook. If you’re Couchsurfing or using Airbnb, your host will probably have a kitchen.
No kitchen? Pack your own container and cutlery and make some sandwiches and salads on the go. Not every meal requires a stove, right?
Just because you are traveling doesn’t mean you need to eat out every meal. You won’t ruin your trip to Paris if you decide not to eat out one day! There’s simply no reason to be spending lots of money on food on your trip!
READ MORE ABOUT SAVING MONEY ON FOOD WHEN YOU TRAVEL:
6. Get Rail Passes
Rail passes (like the Eurail Pass in Europe or the JR Pass in Japan) are a great way to save money when it comes to train travel. If you’re traveling around the region for a while, rail passes will likely be much cheaper than just booking individual trips.
If you are booking individual trips, booking ahead of time can usually save you about 50% of the cost of a train ticket. However, that fixes you to a set timeline. If you don’t want to be tied into a fixed schedule, rail passes can save you a lot of money while giving you the flexibility you need. I’ve saved hundreds of dollars in Europe doing this!
READ MORE ABOUT RAIL PASSES:
7. Sleep in Large Dorms
Large hostel dorm rooms are the cheapest paid accommodation out there. The bigger the dorm, the cheaper it will be. While a 4-6 bed dorm might give you more privacy, a 12-18 bed dorm is going to be a bit cheaper. In the long run, this will add up. As long as you’ve got earplugs and a sleeping mask, opt for the bigger dorm to keep your budget intact!
In a large dorm, you’re almost guaranteed to have some snorers. If earplugs don’t quite do the trick, download an app like Rain Rain, which plays rain sounds on a loop. You can set a timer so they stop playing after an hour or two, helping you ignore the noises of the dorm while you try to fall asleep. Spotify also has all kinds of rain and white noise playlists too.
For discounts on hostels in Europe, check out HostelPass. This card gives you up to 20% off hostels throughout Europe. They’re constantly adding new hostels too. I’ve always wanted something like this and am glad it finally exists! (Use code NOMADICMATT for 25% off your membership.)
READ MORE ABOUT HOSTELS:
Want to travel the world for free?
Download my free guide to points and miles and learn how to master the one thing all travel experts do to save money and get free flights and accommodation!
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8. Use Student and Other Discount Cards
Are you a student, teacher, or under 26? Welcome to the world of 50%-off attractions and a plethora of discounts! Get a student/teacher/youth card and save big while you’re abroad. Even if you’ve recently graduated, chances are you can still get by with your expired ID card (as long as it doesn’t have an expiry date). Always ask if there are discounts available for students or youth as this is an easy way to save tons of cash as you travel around!
Museums, galleries, and other major tourist attractions usually have discounts (especially in Europe). It never hurts to ask! (There are also often discounts for senior travelers and veterans as well, so always ask!)
9. Get City Tourist Cards
If you plan on seeing a lot of sights in a city, you should get a city tourism card. These will offer you discounted and/or free access to the major attractions and museums, as well as free public transportation. I saved over $100 USD with the London pass, $80 USD with the Paris Museum card, $50 USD with a Helsinki card, and tons more with other city tourism cards.
They are an amazing way to save money on attractions that not enough people use. Just head to the local tourism office to find out what cards are available. They can help answer all your questions and make sure you save as much money as possible. Not every city has them, but most major destinations do and you’ll save a lot of money if you plan on seeing the major sights.
10. Capitalize on Your Skills
Need some cash? Use Craigslist (operates in 70 countries), TaskRabbit (mainly in the US and Canada, though also in Italy and Spain), or Gumtree (UK-based) to find paid odd jobs, like assisting people who need a few things done around the house. It’s a way to make money when you travel without committing to a long-term job.
Additionally, if you have a skill, sell it. Offer haircuts to other travelers, busk for money, provide online services like editing, graphic design, or consulting. It’s never been easier to work online. As long as you have Wi-Fi you can make money. The sky is the limit here — get creative!
11. Get Free Flights!
Collecting points and miles is the #1 way I’ve been able to afford so many flights and hotels over the years. By using a travel credit card for regular spending on groceries, restaurants, and shopping, I’ve been able to earn free flights and hotel stays — all by spending money I was going to spend anyway!
These days, there are tons of ways to earn free flights. Simply sign up for a few travel credit cards, collect miles, and then fly for free.
Most cards offer sign-up bonuses of 50,000 points (or more) — which is often enough for a free round-trip flight right there. And if you sign up for both an airline card (e.g., a United credit card) and a general rewards card, you can combine the two point balances and get a cheap flight faster. There’s even a card now — The Bilt Mastercard®– that lets you earn points on your rent!
There are many services that connect travelers with locals who are willing to let them stay with them for free. Using these sites, you will never have to pay for accommodation. I’ve used this service dozens of times over the years and always meet amazing people. Sometimes you get a room, sometimes a couch, sometimes an air mattress, but it’s always free. These websites not only save you a TON of money but also get you off the tourist track and into the local life. Win-win! Here is a list of websites to use for free accommodation:
13. Hitchhike
Hitchhiking is a free way to get around that is relatively safe and quite common in many parts of the world, including Central America, Scandinavia, Eastern Europe, Australia, and New Zealand.
I’ve hitchhiked in more than a handful of countries (and I know solo female travelers who have done the same!). Sure, it has a bad reputation in North America, but with some common sense and a bit of patience, you can hitchhike almost anywhere — saving you tons of money in the process!
Here are a few basic tips to help you get started:
Use a sign – Make a clear sign that lets people know where you’re heading. That will help drivers decide if they can help.
Look presentable – Wear clean clothing, smile, and don’t obscure your face with something like sunglasses. People want to see who they are picking up.
Check the laws – Hitchhiking is illegal in some places. Always check the laws to make sure it’s ok to do where you are.
Take precautions – Note the license plate of anyone who picks you up and text it to a friend. Chances are you won’t need it but it’s better to be safe than sorry!
Keep your valuables on you – Don’t leave any valuables in your bag if it goes in the trunk in case it gets left in the car (or stolen).
Consult Hitchwiki – Hitchwiki is the #1 hitchhiking resource there is. Always consult it before you hitchhike to pick up tips and ensure you’re hitchhiking in a safe place.
READ MORE ABOUT HITCHHIKING:
14. Take Free Walking Tours
Want to learn about the city, get your bearings, and see the major sights? Take a free walking tour. You can find them in most major cities — just ask the local tourist office, your hostel staff, or Google “free walking tour (city name).”
You’ll get a solid introduction to the city while also getting access to a local guide you can ask questions to. I always start my visits to a new city with one. Just be sure to tip your guide at the end (that’s how they get paid).
If you’re on a tight budget, you can pet and house sit for fellow travel lovers when they go on their own vacations! In exchange, you’ll get free accommodation while you’re watching their home and pets (animal care is involved 99% of the time).
You can sign up for one of the sites below to start house sitting, allowing you to stay in one destination for a while without having to pay for accommodation. Everyone’s account is verified and has reviews so you know you won’t get cheated.
This is a great way to travel long-term, with an important added bonus: you get a kitchen to cook your food (which saves you even more money!).
You will also often get access to a vehicle and sometimes will be left a tip or free groceries. It’s generally people who are well enough off that they can afford multi-month vacations, so you’re usually in pretty nice homes and apartments too!
Does your colleague have a relative in Spain? Or maybe you have a distant cousin who lives in New Zealand. Or maybe a childhood friend of yours is working down in Brazil.
These days, we have a vast social network of friends and family that stretches across the globe. Don’t hesitate to use that! Ask your co-workers and friends if they know anyone where you’re going. Get your mom to ask her co-workers and friends, too.
By implementing a variety of these tips, you’ll be able to travel for relatively little money. With a little planning and some creativity, you can travel the world for cheap.
Because if I can do it, you can do it too!
Whether it’s two months, two years, or just a two-week vacation, travel doesn’t need to cost a ton. The key is to get out of the mindset that you must travel in the typical manner of simply booking a flight and a hotel. Using out-of-the-box, nontraditional ways to travel can lead to big savings.
But it all starts with a change in mindset. From there, with some patience and practice, you’ll be able to make your travel dreams a reality — without breaking the bank!
Stop paying full price for travel!
Download my free guide to points and miles and learn how to use points and miles for free travel! It’s how all the pros travel so much! In this guide, I’ll show you:
How to Pick a Credit Card
How to Earn Up to 10x Miles on Your Spending
How to Redeem Your Points
And a Ton of Other Money Saving Tips!
How to Travel the World on $75 a Day
My New York Times best-selling book to travel will teach you how to master the art of travel so that you’ll get off save money, always find deals, and have a deeper travel experience. It’s your A to Z planning guide that the BBC called the “bible for budget travelers.”
Book Your Flight Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner. It’s my favorite search engine because it searches websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is being left unturned.
Book Your Accommodation You can book your hostel with Hostelworld. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as it consistently returns the cheapest rates for guesthouses and hotels.
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:
Want to Travel for Free? Travel credit cards allow you to earn points that can be redeemed for free flights and accommodation — all without any extra spending. Check out my guide to picking the right card and my current favorites to get started and see the latest best deals.
Need a Rental Car? Discover Cars is a budget-friendly international car rental website. No matter where you’re headed, they’ll be able to find the best — and cheapest — rental for your trip!
Need Help Finding Activities for Your Trip? Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace where you can find cool walking tours, fun excursions, skip-the-line tickets, private guides, and more.
Ready to Book Your Trip? Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel. I list all the ones I use when I travel. They are the best in class and you can’t go wrong using them on your trip.
What I carry in my bag has changed a lot over the years. Most of that change has to do with the fact that I now carry a lot of gear related to blogging, but it also reflects that I’ve learned a lot about packing since I first hit the road in 2006.
I’ve learned different packing techniques through the years. I’ve traveled with big duffel bags, 60L packs, 30L packs, carry-ons, and everything in between. I’ve done it all and in all seasons.
And, today, I want to share that knowledge with you so you can be a better packer because a lot of people always want to know what they should pack for their trip.
The answer?
As little as possible.
Packing light is a cliché, yet one that has a lot of truth to it. The more I travel, the more I realize I don’t need a lot of stuff. Everything I need now fits into one backpack (for more recommendations from my years of testing backpacks, click here for my top travel backpacks.
I like to write down everything I think I’ll need before I go — and then cut it in half. I always ask myself, “Will I use this enough to justify the weight?”
Most of the time the answer is no.
I take only the essentials, and if I really need something I didn’t bring, I buy it on the road. It’s not that hard to find medicine, clothes, or an umbrella overseas.
I also try to stick to the same climate during my trips to avoid having to carry lots of different kinds of clothes. I don’t want to be lugging sweaters around Thailand! However, plans can change, and if that happens, I’ll buy a light jacket or a sweater. I’ll keep it until it is a burden and then give it away.
Also, you can do laundry overseas so I like to carry enough clothes for 7-10 days, do laundry, then repeat. There’s no need to bring a lot of stuff when you can just wash what you have.
As for the long answer to what you should pack? Well, below is my suggested packing list — but you should tailor this to your needs.
(Note: This focuses on travel to a non-winter climate. If you’re heading somewhere cold, you’ll need to adjust accordingly.)
Special tip: Buy a small backpack so you won’t be tempted to overpack. We subconsciously like to fill empty space, so if you have a big bag, you’re more likely to overpack just so you don’t waste space. By getting a smaller backpack, you’ll be forced to take only the essentials — a mind trick that works very well!
***
I’ve found that this list leaves me wanting for nothing. I’m sure many of you will read this and say, “But what about X?” or “You really don’t need Y.” Well, that works for you, and this list works for me. Tailor your list to suit your travels.
I write this post not because I think there is one perfect way to pack but to answer the recurring question about what I pack and why. This is my list and suits my “chase the summer, live in hostels” lifestyle.
But the real point I want to emphasize is that you really don’t need a lot when you travel. You never need as much as you think.
Next Steps
How to Travel the World on $75 a Day
My New York Times best-selling book to travel will teach you how to master the art of travel so that you’ll get off save money, always find deals, and have a deeper travel experience. It’s your A to Z planning guide that the BBC called the “bible for budget travelers.”
Book Your Flight Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner. It’s my favorite search engine because it searches websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is being left unturned.
Book Your Accommodation You can book your hostel with Hostelworld. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as it consistently returns the cheapest rates for guesthouses and hotels.
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:
Want to Travel for Free? Travel credit cards allow you to earn points that can be redeemed for free flights and accommodation — all without any extra spending. Check out my guide to picking the right card and my current favorites to get started and see the latest best deals.
Need a Rental Car? Discover Cars is a budget-friendly international car rental website. No matter where you’re headed, they’ll be able to find the best — and cheapest — rental for your trip!
Need Help Finding Activities for Your Trip? Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace where you can find cool walking tours, fun excursions, skip-the-line tickets, private guides, and more.
Ready to Book Your Trip? Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel. I list all the ones I use when I travel. They are the best in class and you can’t go wrong using them on your trip.
When I first started traveling, my dad used to ask what I’m running away from with my travels. Another time, a commenter told me to stop running away from my problems and to start living life. “Grow up,” he said.
And, years ago, there was even a blog called “Mom says I’m running away.”
I’m not sure why, but there is this perception out there that anyone who travels long term and isn’t interested in settling down or getting a conventional job must be running away from something.
We travelers are running away from responsibility, being a grown-up, heartache, problems, etc, etc. We are all just Peter Pans refusing to be “adults.”
While American society thinks traveling is something everyone should do at one point, it’s only gap years after college or short vacations that seem to be acceptable. Get it out of your system and come back into The Matrix.
Those of us who lead nomadic lifestyles, or who linger just a bit too long somewhere before reaching that final homestretch, are all too often accused of running away.
Yes, go travel — but not for too long, the world says. Responsible people don’t just travel forever.
We nomads must have awful, miserable lives, or are weird, or have had something traumatic happen to us that we are trying to escape. People assume that we are simply running away from our problems, running away from “the real world.”
And to all those people who think I am running away, I say: you are right.
I am running away.
I’m running away from your idea of the “real” world.
I’m avoiding your life.
I’m running towards everything — towards the world, exotic places, new people, different cultures, and my own idea of freedom. I’m building a life that makes me happy.
While there may be exceptions (as there are with everything), most people who become nomads do so because they want to experience the world, not escape their problems. They are running away from office life, commutes, and weekend errands, and the corporate 9 to 5. They are running away from the strict path society has laid out as “normal.” The one that makes us mindless ants marching to and fro.
We (I) want to experience every culture, see every mountain, eat different food, attend crazy festivals, meet new people, and enjoy different holidays around the world. We want to construct a life that makes us happy on our own terms.
Life is short and we only get to live it once. I want to look back and say I did exciting things and lived life on my own terms, not say I spent my life reading blogs like this during my lunch break while wishing I was doing the same thing.
No one dies saying, “If only I had spent more time in the office!”
As an American, my perspective might be different. In my country, the accepted path is long and narrow: you go to college, get a job, get married, buy a house, have 2.5 children, raise them, and then retire. Only then, after you’ve put in your time, can you enjoy the fruits of your labor. Society boxes you in and restricts your movements to their expectations.
And any deviation is considered abnormal and weird.
People may want to travel, tell you they envy what you do, and say they wish they could do the same thing. But they never do. Few people muster the courage to take the leap, no matter how much their heart pulls them. They are simply fascinated by a lifestyle so outside the norm.
While social media, the rise of digital nomading, and websites like this have made quitting your job to travel the world or teach English in Thailand a little more acceptable, the general attitude is still “follow the path if you want to be normal.”
Well, I don’t want to be normal.
I feel like the reason why people tell us we are running away is that they can’t fathom the fact that we broke the mold and are living outside the norm. To want to break all of society’s conventions, there simply must be something wrong with us. (Maybe they are a little jealous too?)
But life is what you make it out to be. Life is yours to create. We are all chained down by the burdens we place upon ourselves, whether they are bills, errands, or, like me, self-imposed blogging deadlines. If you really want something, you have to go after it.
People who travel the world aren’t running away from life. Just the opposite. Those that break the mold, explore the world, and live on their own terms are running toward true living, in my opinion. We have a degree of freedom a lot of people will never experience. We get to be the captains of our ships.
But it is a freedom we chose to have.
We looked around and said, “I want something different.”
And then we went for it.
It was that freedom and attitude I saw in travelers years ago in Thailand that inspired me to do lead the life I am now. I saw them break the mold and I thought to myself, “Why not me?”
I’m not running away.
No.
I am just running towards my own idea of a normal life.
And I never plan to look back.
How to Travel the World on $75 a Day
My New York Times best-selling book to travel will teach you how to master the art of travel so that you’ll get off save money, always find deals, and have a deeper travel experience. It’s your A to Z planning guide that the BBC called the “bible for budget travelers.”
Book Your Flight Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner. It’s my favorite search engine because it searches websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is being left unturned.
Book Your Accommodation You can book your hostel with Hostelworld. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as it consistently returns the cheapest rates for guesthouses and hotels.
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:
Want to Travel for Free? Travel credit cards allow you to earn points that can be redeemed for free flights and accommodation — all without any extra spending. Check out my guide to picking the right card and my current favorites to get started and see the latest best deals.
Need a Rental Car? Discover Cars is a budget-friendly international car rental website. No matter where you’re headed, they’ll be able to find the best — and cheapest — rental for your trip!
Need Help Finding Activities for Your Trip? Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace where you can find cool walking tours, fun excursions, skip-the-line tickets, private guides, and more.
Ready to Book Your Trip? Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel. I list all the ones I use when I travel. They are the best in class and you can’t go wrong using them on your trip.
I’m going on a book tour! My next book, How to Travel the World on $75 a Day, is coming out on March 25th and I’m going on a book tour to talk about it and the current state of travel!
This is my first book tour in six years and I’m very excited to get out there and talk about how travel has changed as well as hang out with readers of this site!
The last edition of my book came out in 2017 and, since then, a lot has changed. COVID forever changed the travel industry. A lot of companies/hotels/hostels closed during the pandemic while old methods of saving money became obsolete and new methods came into being.
And, since 2017, prices have gone up. A lot. Not only because of natural inflation but because of the post-COVID inflation boom. (As you’ve probably noticed, it’s not as cheap to travel as it was back in 2017!)
Since travel has changed so much, I wanted the new book to reflect the current conditions we travelers face when it comes to planning a trip, saving money, and navigating regions around the world. The book is focused on long-term travelers, but it’s also just for anyone who just wants to save money when they travel. The tips and tricks can be applied to any trip of any length.
So, come meet me on book tour and learn how to travel smarter for less this year!
Here are my tour dates and how to sign up:
March 26th: New York City – The Strand, 7pm. Sign up here!
April 1st: Austin – Central Machine Works, 6:30pm. (Note: This will just be a mixer rather than a formal book talk but I’ll have copies of the book!) Sign up here!
April 3rd: San Diego – Warwick’s, 7:30pm. Sign up here!
April 8th: San Francisco – Book Passage, 5:30pm. Sign up here!
April 13th: Los Angeles – The Village Well, 5pm. Sign-up here!
Note: I’m working on adding a few more locations to the tour! I’ll add new destinations as they come. If you’re interested in a Seattle event, RSVP here. I’m trying to have one on April 14th.
You’ll be able to get the book at any tour stop but, if I’m not coming to your city and you still want the book, you can order the books from these fine establishments:
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If you live in any of the cities above, I hope you’ll make out out to an event! And, if you’re not in any of those cities, please consider pre-ordering a copy. Pre-orders determine the print run of the book and how many copies local bookstores buy. The stronger the pre-sale orders, the more likely they are to stock the book so please order the book in advance!
I’m really excited about this new edition of the book and I can’t wait to talk about it with you!
Book Your Trip: Logistical Tips and Tricks
Book Your Flight Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner. It’s my favorite search engine because it searches websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is being left unturned.
Book Your Accommodation You can book your hostel with Hostelworld. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as it consistently returns the cheapest rates for guesthouses and hotels.
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:
Want to Travel for Free? Travel credit cards allow you to earn points that can be redeemed for free flights and accommodation — all without any extra spending. Check out my guide to picking the right card and my current favorites to get started and see the latest best deals.
Need a Rental Car? Discover Cars is a budget-friendly international car rental website. No matter where you’re headed, they’ll be able to find the best — and cheapest — rental for your trip!
Need Help Finding Activities for Your Trip? Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace where you can find cool walking tours, fun excursions, skip-the-line tickets, private guides, and more.
Ready to Book Your Trip? Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel. I list all the ones I use when I travel. They are the best in class and you can’t go wrong using them on your trip.
It is like a time-out from life — like the ones you got in grade school, but this time more fun. It slows us down, makes us stop and smell the roses, and creates a little change in the normal patterns of our lives.
Travel is a tried and true way to reset when you are feeling low or just need a new perspective. It’s an amazing tool for personal development and a wonderful vehicle for self-reflection and growth.
Whether you take a weekend, a week, a month, or a year, just getting out and doing something different can recharge your batteries. The excitement, the fun, and the new places you’ll see can give you more energy and bring you back into focus. You’ll get a chance to meet some great people and even get offline and disconnect if you need to.
Think about it: when you travel, you’re away from all the stress in your life. You are in a new environment. There are a lot of things to see and do, people to meet, places to go, and fun challenges to overcome. You can let go, relax, and embrace new habits or perspectives. In short, you can be a new you.
And you have ultimate freedom when you travel — and freedom is the most liberating, stress-free experience there is.
By focusing on your mental health when you travel you can return to work and your responsibilities with new focus and commitment, because you have cleared your head.
Plus, you may find a new passion or opportunity that would never have presented itself otherwise. There are tons of job opportunities overseas, too, so you can even work while traveling if you want.
Most of us work toward retirement — that time when we can sit back, relax, and do what we want instead of what we have to do. But by the time many of us get there, we might not have the money — or health — to do that. After all, there are no guarantees in life.
We may never even make it to retirement.
That’s why I say: don’t put off your dreams for a future that may never come.
That’s why I say: now is the best time to travel — because you don’t know what the future holds.
I’ve seen friends die, get sick and become bedridden, and businesses collapse. The past is not prologue and if COVID has taught us anything it’s that life and society can change at the drop of a hat.
Don’t be reckless and rack up debt to travel. But if you need a change, look to the open road. The blank slate travel gives you allows you to work on yourself and enjoy life. No one looks back and says, “If only I had worked more.”
We all want to make the most of our time here. Stop delaying all those things you really want to do and just do them. Don’t let your travel dreams remain just dreams — make them your goals.
So, the next time you have visions of white-sand beaches or climbing Mt. Everest, start making them happen.
Don’t let yourself wonder what might have been. Life is too short.
How to Travel the World on $75 a Day
My New York Times best-selling book to travel will teach you how to master the art of travel so that you’ll get off save money, always find deals, and have a deeper travel experience. It’s your A to Z planning guide that the BBC called the “bible for budget travelers.”
Book Your Flight Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner. It’s my favorite search engine because it searches websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is being left unturned.
Book Your Accommodation You can book your hostel with Hostelworld. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as it consistently returns the cheapest rates for guesthouses and hotels.
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:
Want to Travel for Free? Travel credit cards allow you to earn points that can be redeemed for free flights and accommodation — all without any extra spending. Check out my guide to picking the right card and my current favorites to get started and see the latest best deals.
Need a Rental Car? Discover Cars is a budget-friendly international car rental website. No matter where you’re headed, they’ll be able to find the best — and cheapest — rental for your trip!
Need Help Finding Activities for Your Trip? Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace where you can find cool walking tours, fun excursions, skip-the-line tickets, private guides, and more.
Ready to Book Your Trip? Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel. I list all the ones I use when I travel. They are the best in class and you can’t go wrong using them on your trip.
As much as I love hostels, there is something nice about the luxuriousness of a hotel: the clean room, comfy bed, desk, iron, strong shower, and bottled soap for the taking (errr…I mean borrowing). They are a quiet, relaxing respite from the world.
But luxury comes at a price.
Hotels aren’t cheap and I hate spending money on a room I am only going to be in for a few hours. Often, even at my age, I would much rather stay in a hostel (private room though!), which costs less, has more social interaction, and doesn’t make you feel as removed from the destination you’re staying at. I always feel hotels are isolating, like a concrete bubble keeping you out of the place you’re visiting.
That said, the older I get, the more I use hotel points, and the more I travel for work, the more I find myself staying in hotels, especially if it’s a short trip.
I’ve spent years looking at websites trying to find the best ways to get the best rates on hotel rooms because the budget traveler in me hates spending a lot of money. Post-COVID, hotel prices have increased a lot and it seems there are fewer and fewer bargains these days.
But there are a lot of ways to actually get a good deal and stack deals on deals to lower the cost of your room.
Let me show you how.
Want to travel the world for free?
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How to Book Cheap Hotels
Here is how to find the cheapest hotel in one simple step:
First, go to Google and type in where you want to go. For example, “New York City hotels.”
That’s it. Google will pull results from all the major booking websites and tell you what site is the cheapest. You just go there and book your hotel. That’s why it’s the best booking site because, rather than searching every website individually, you can just go to Google, find which website has the cheapest rate, and book there. It saves a lot of time!
Here’s a step-by-step guide:
Click on the “View hotels” button at the bottom of the first result section to go to Google’s hotel searching hub.
Next, put in your dates and filters to narrow your search until you find a hotel you like in your price range. You’ll be able to sort by lowest price and look at the map to book by location. You can even see typical pricing trends for your dates by clicking on “what you’ll pay.”
Click on the “view prices” button for a hotel and you’ll be presented with all your booking options. Find the lowest price and head to that website. Just keep in mind that the top results are usually ads, so scroll down to make sure you aren’t missing out on any deals.
Once you’ve found the lowest price, book at that website!
But, before you actually book the room, there are a couple of other tips you need to know about to ensure you get the best price possible:
1. Contact the hotel directly
Find the hotel, call them up, and ask them to match the offer (they usually will since it saves them on commission). If they are a big global brand, the big benefit to direct bookings is that you only earn loyalty points and status when you book direct, so if you love earning points and miles, don’t book their rooms elsewhere!
2. Use points
The best way to save money on a hotel room is to not have to pay for it. Collect hotel points through branded credit cards or transferring them from a Chase, Capital One, etc., and book a free room. I save thousands upon thousands of dollars a year doing this. Here are my favorite hotel cards to get you started.
3. Use discount rates like AAA or AARP
If you are part of the AARP or AAA you can get special rates that are cheaper. Fun fact: Anyone can join the AARP. I’m a member. They have amazing travel benefits (including deals on hotels and British Airways flights). It’s well worth the membership.
If the lowest rate is through a major booking site like Booking.com, Expedia, or Hotels.com, go through Mr. Rebates or Rakuten. By using their links, you’ll get 1–10% back. It’s a little extra savings that can add up over time. I never do any online shopping without going to these sites (they have deals for everything).
5. Book a mystery deal
Both Priceline and Hotwire offer cheaper rates on hotel bookings where you don’t get the full reservation details up front. On Hotwire’s Hot Rates and Priceline’s Express Deals, you’ll see the general neighborhood as well as star rating of the property and amenities offered, just not the exact hotel itself. With Priceline’s Pricebreakers deals, you’ll be guaranteed one of three hotels that they group together (you just won’t know which one until you book). You can save 30–60% off with these deals if you can tolerate a bit of the unknown!
6. Sign up for Booking.com’s loyalty program
Booking.com offers members 10–20% off bookings. They definitely helped a lot. Before you sign up for their loyalty programs before you book with them!
7. Get discounted gift cards
You can book major hotel chains with hotel gift cards. Check out a website like Giftcardgranny.com for discounted gift cards and use it to book your hotel. (Gift card purchases also count toward point earnings and status.)
8. Buy someone else’s reservation with Roomer
Often people can’t go on a trip and can’t cancel the reservation, so rather than lose the money, hotels put these rooms on Roomer, where they sell it at a discount to earn some money back. I’ve never used this website, but I’ve heard good things about it.
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Hotel pricing is a lot more set than airline pricing and tends to fluctuate less. I wouldn’t spend hours searching hotel websites or days tracking prices like people do with airline prices. I’d spend, at the most, 30 minutes on booking a hotel.
Just follow the steps above to get a cheap hotel by using my favorite (and what have been shown to be the best) hotel booking websites listed here so you get a good deal and enjoy your trip quicker.
And if you find yourself staying in a lot of hotels, it might be worth looking into getting a hotel credit card so that you can start earning points towards free stays (free is always better than cheap)!
Stop paying full price for travel!
Download my free guide to points and miles and learn how to use points and miles for free travel! It’s how all the pros travel so much! In this guide, I’ll show you:
How to Pick a Credit Card
How to Earn Up to 10x Miles on Your Spending
How to Redeem Your Points
And a Ton of Other Money Saving Tips!
Book Your Trip: Logistical Tips and Tricks
Book Your Flight Find a cheap flight by using Skyscanner. It’s my favorite search engine because it searches websites and airlines around the globe so you always know no stone is being left unturned.
Book Your Accommodation You can book your hostel with Hostelworld. If you want to stay somewhere other than a hostel, use Booking.com as it consistently returns the cheapest rates for guesthouses and hotels.
Don’t Forget Travel Insurance Travel insurance will protect you against illness, injury, theft, and cancellations. It’s comprehensive protection in case anything goes wrong. I never go on a trip without it as I’ve had to use it many times in the past. My favorite companies that offer the best service and value are:
Want to Travel for Free? Travel credit cards allow you to earn points that can be redeemed for free flights and accommodation — all without any extra spending. Check out my guide to picking the right card and my current favorites to get started and see the latest best deals.
Need a Rental Car? Discover Cars is a budget-friendly international car rental website. No matter where you’re headed, they’ll be able to find the best — and cheapest — rental for your trip!
Need Help Finding Activities for Your Trip? Get Your Guide is a huge online marketplace where you can find cool walking tours, fun excursions, skip-the-line tickets, private guides, and more.
Ready to Book Your Trip? Check out my resource page for the best companies to use when you travel. I list all the ones I use when I travel. They are the best in class and you can’t go wrong using them on your trip.
