When the 4th edition of The World’s Cheapest Destinations book came out in January, I posted some advance review comments from various other writers and bloggers. Now that a few months have gone by, here’s what people have said in the early reviews.

 

“Even as an experienced traveler, with some 60 countries under my belt (many of them cheapies), I still was able to find the book useful and interesting.

The World’s Cheapest Destinations will be helpful for travelers at different stages: newbies who would like to start traveling to other countries for the first time, individuals with some international travel experience who are looking to push their comfort zone a little bit, and folks just looking for a little more luxury without spending more money. This book tells you where and how to look.”

- Stephen Bugno of GoMad Nomad

“If you’re currently considering traveling to destinations where your ‘travel money is worth a fortune,’ I highly recommend you pick up the fourth edition of Tim Leffel’s well-researched, chock-full-of-details book The World’s Cheapest Destinations.”

- Kara Williams, The Vacation Gals

“If you’re up for a wry sense of humor and aren’t put off by the occasional unabashed assessment, The World’s Cheapest Destinations is not only an easy read and a money-saving Bible, but also a veteran traveler’s look at places that many travelers in the U.S. tend to leave off their dream lists.”

- Kristin Mock, freelance travel writer

“The 4th edition of Tim’s book has totally inspired us to travel even more by visiting cheaper places.”

- Ashley Steele, Wandering Educators

“Leffel wastes no time outlining some of the world’s cheapest destinations in a concise and honest fashion. Refreshingly pointed, this compact guide is an ideal handbook for those looking to stretch their money further.”

- Stuart McDonald, editor of Travelfish.org

“His advice ranges from the common sense (albeit often forgotten) to the wise been-there-done-that genre. The most intriguing reason to pick up this book is its nature to inure interest in destinations that may have been left by the wayside on your travel itinerary, but are an absolute must-see for any global traveler worth his weight in passport stamps.”

- Ramsey Qubein, Examiner.com

“With a little ingenuity, a bit of creativity and this book, you’ll be able to travel many places in the world you never thought possible. The World’s Cheapest Destinations is hands down the best guide to traveling the world on a budget.”

- Beth Whitman, editor of Wanderlust And Lipstick

“The very first step to saving money when on the road is to figure out where you can stretch your money the furthest. Due to the ebb and flow of international finance, wars, and natural disasters… the cheapest places are always changing. Tim offers a great way to hit this moving target.”

- Doug Lansky, author of more than 10 travel books including First Time Around the World

“Tim is correct: where you travel has more to do with saving money then how you travel. The cheapest hostel dorm bunk in Zurich will be more expensive than a large, quality hotel room in Bangkok. I’ve been to most of the countries outlined by Tim and can attest that they are great value destinations. This book is a must for affordable travel planning.”

- Gary Arndt, editor of Everything-Everywhere.com

 

Get Your Copy!

So where can you get this book? Pretty much everywhere online:

Direct from the publisher – paperback ($15,95 plus shipping) or PDF ($8.99, no shipping)

Kindle version from Amazon, Nook version from Barnes & Noble, Apple version from iBookstore – all around $8.99.

Paperback from Barnes & Noble, paperback from Amazon.

If you’re in Australia or New Zealand, you can order a copy from Fishpond.

This time I stayed put and my blog went traveling.

After about a decade on the server (and domain) of my book publisher, I finally took the leap and moved this award-winning Cheapest Destinations Blog to its own host and a more logical domain: CheapestDestinationsBlog.com. Yeah, I know, not so creative. But I figure if you’re looking for the cheapest places to travel in the world or how to stretch your budget for a long-term international adventure, calling this thing something cutesy isn’t going to help you find it.

For now, nothing else is changing. Over time I might need or want to make some adjustments, but hopefully the old site will redirect like it’s supposed to and you should be able to see the RSS stream okay in your reader as is.

Now that I’ve got this on my own host, I should be able to make some tweaks that people have been requesting for a while, like getting buttons for Facebook and Pinterest on the posts. Meanwhile, if you’ve just landed here for the first time, a few popular and definitive posts you might want to check out:

The Cheapest Places to Live in the World

Out Now – the 4th Edition of The World’s Cheapest Destinations

The Best Backpacks for Long-term Travelers

Travel Prices in Vietnam

No More Excuses – Your Travel Resolution Starts Now

Bargains and Beauty in Bolivia

Meanwhile, if you’re wondering who the heck I am and why you should listen to my advice, see the About Me button at the top of this page. Or look me up on Wikipedia. Or go to the Tim Leffel portfolio site to see articles, awards, books I’ve published, and other websites I run.

 

I published this interview with a tout in Morocco a long time ago in a print-only publication. Recently a Twitter follower saw an old interview I did and asked if this piece could be accessed somewhere. It can’t, so I’m reprinting an abbreviated version of it here. 

We occasionally like dealing with touts, but most of the time view them about as favorably as mosquitoes buzzing around our head. Remember though, they’re real people just trying to make a living. 

The touts of Morocco enjoy a special brand of infamy with seasoned travelers. They speak more languages than you can say “hello” in, they have an answer to every objection, and they’re masters of scams that their brethren in other countries haven’t even thought of yet. Though most of the country is relatively hassle-free, the hustlers in Marrakesh and Tangier do their best to keep the bad reputation alive.

After fighting off touts for two days in Marrakesh, I gave in and turned over some money to one to guide us through the winding medina. On two conditions though: 1) no carpet shops and 2) that he allow me to ask him a bunch of personal questions about his life and job. Here’s what Mohommed had to say.

How long have you been a guide?
Many, many years; since I was a boy.

Why did you start doing this as your job?
It was a way to get money for the family. Many people in my family didn’t have a job, so I found a way to make some money.

What is your family like?
I have one brother and one sister. We all live together with my mother and father.

Are you married?
Yes, but in Morocco we stay together. My brother is married also but we all live in the same house. That is the normal way here.

What languages do you speak?
Arabic and French fluently. German, English, and Spanish enough to get by as a guide.

How much money do you make in a normal day?
On a good day, 150 or 200 dirham (US $18 to $25), but some days I only make 20 ($2.35)

How much of a commission do you get from a carpet shop if you bring in a buyer?
Usually 30 dirham, sometimes a little more. If they buy a very expensive carpet, maybe the man will give me 150. It’s not a percentage.

What do you think about American people?
They are nice people—very friendly.

How about the French?
No, no! (laughing) But there are good people and bad people everywhere.

Why do you think Morocco sometimes has a bad reputation with tourists?
There are way too many guides bothering people because there are not enough jobs. And in Tangier, it is dangerous: a lot of mafia and smugglers.

But the police are continually cracking down on touts and guides aren’t they?
Yes, and it is very bad for us. To be an official guide you must know someone or pay someone, plus you must speak other languages perfectly. But I cannot find another job, so I must try to stay away from the police.

Can you pay the police to leave you alone?
Once we could, but no, not anymore. Too many tourists have complained about the hassles in Marrakesh.

Do you want to be a guide your whole life?
No, but I must do it to support my family for now.

[Flickr Creative Commons photo by Active Steve.]

If you’re a traveler headed to Vietnam, you’re in for a treat. This is not a country of natural superlatives unless you’re really into the food, but when it comes to value for your budget, it’s a dream.

These days Vietnam is on par with Thailand in some respects, cheaper in others. Overall, none of the prices are too outrageous so this one comes in squarely as one of the cheapest places to travel in the world. This is not some sad and downtrodden country anymore where a lot of people are struggling to get by though. It’s a thriving economy where motorbikes seem to sprout from the ground each time it rains. When you say “Everybody and his brother has one,” it’s really true. Nevertheless, you’ll find plenty of screaming bargains here and the budget hotels in Vietnam are some of the best for the price you’ll find anywhere in the world.

Hotel and Hostel Prices in Vietnam

Ask people who have traveled for years where the best lodging values are and they’ll likely say Vietnam. Yes, there are plenty of countries with cheaper places to flop for the night, but what you get for your money here is impressive. Things a budget backpacker doesn’t usually get—like towels and a maid who will change the sheets—are common even at the bottom level. Note that the prices below nearly always include internet access and often a good breakfast.

Hostel bed: $6 – $10 (there aren’t many of these, especially outside big cities)
Cheap shared bath double room: $10 – $18
Basic double with private bath, A/C: $14 – $25
Mid-range 3* or 4* equivalent: $20 – $60
Best hotels in town: $75 – $200
Triples are often just a few dollars more than a double and lots of places have family-friendly rooms or suites.

Food & Drink Prices in Vietnam

Bia hoi! No that’s not a battle rallying cry. It’s the name of the cheap draft beer sold by the plastic pitcher on the street. Sometimes it comes out to as little as 30 cents a liter if you get the local price. But the bottled stuff is a bargain too.

There are supposedly 500 traditional Vietnamese dishes, generally variations of rice or noodles with vegetables, seafood, or meat, and a wide variety of soups. You usually use chopsticks and a spoon, often sitting on a small stool on a sidewalk. Vegetarian food is plentiful and cheaper, though it will usually have fish sauce used as a seasoning.

Ice cream cone: 30 – 75¢
Street stall dishes: 40¢ – $1.50
Cheap restaurant meals: 75¢ – $4
Nice restaurant meals in tourist places: $1 to $6, set menus with several courses $5 – $12.
You’d have to hit an international hotel or a restaurant catering to foreign business travelers to spend much more than $30 for two.

Sodas and coffee: 30 – 50¢
Fruit juice/shake: 40 – 80¢
Mineral water: 50¢ – $1 per liter-and-a-half
Two-liter pitcher of draft beer: 60¢ – $1
Large bottled beer in a restaurant: 50¢ – $1.25.
Name brand liquor cocktails: $2 (happy hour) – $5 (nice club)

Transportation Prices

Getting around in Vietnam can be a big chunk of your budget since this is such a long and skinny country. Go slowly and you’ll spend a lot less than someone trying to cover it top to bottom in two weeks.

Long bus trip (Hanoi to Hue): $8 – $15
Sleeper train same distance: $18 – $65
3-hour train trip (Danang to Hue): $3 – $5
Hop on/off bus Saigon to Hanoi or opposite: $50
Flight Saigon to Hanoi or opposite: $100 on Jetstar
Flight Saigon to Danang: $55 – $75
City taxi rides: 50¢ – $4
Airport taxi rides: $5 – $20
City bus rides: 15¢

Other Vietnam Traveler Prices

3-day tour of Halong Bay or Sapa: $60 – $90
Day tour of group sightseeing, A/C van: $8 – $10
Admission charges: 15¢ to $1.50 most, occasionally $4 (rare, like Hue royal tombs)
Cultural performances: $1.50 – $5
Manicure or pedicure: $1
Hour of internet access: $1 or less
SIM card for your mobile phone: $5

So much information spins past us every day that it’s hard to take a break and process it, much less record it for later. So here are a few travel articles I wrote or I’m in that have appeared recently. Lots more to come as the year goes on, but I’ll continue to try to keep the broadcasting to a minimum.

Some of my recent travel writing

The Viator Blog published a piece I wrote on the Buda side of Budapest.

Global Traveler magazine published an article on my time in Hanoi this past summer with my family – Hanoi: Up to Speed

I also had one in there on Mexico City at Night and did a short web piece on the new Microsoft Windows tablets.

Over at Practical Travel Gear, where I’m editor, we all rounded up our picks for the best travel gear of the year in 2012.

 

Some shout-outs from others on The World’s Cheapest Destinations

Kara from The Vacation Gals was the first to put up a review of the new edition.

EuroCheapo asked me 4 Cheapo Travel Questions

This time last month I did an interview with Gadling on cheap travel destinations.

I had fun participating in this Round-the-world chat with Adam and Sean from BootnAll via Google+ and Twitter.

You can always keep up with me via the RSS feed here or by following me on Twitter – @TimLeffel.