Top value travel destinations

Most people are feeling the squeeze this summer, the economic squeeze, but this doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to choose a staycation; if you plan smart and look at our top value travel destinations you might go on a holiday yet.

Japan

You might not exactly jump to this travel destination as being very budget-friendly, but it depends on where you go, and also on the recent history of the place. After the many problems from the 2011 earthquake and the subsequent tsunami, 2012 wasn’t a great year for tourism, the country on the whole is still recovering. This makes it a good time to visit from the financial stand-point, because prices will be down so that they can attract tourists looking to visit a major destination – which Japan is.

Your budget needs will also depend on where you visit, obviously, but with a bit of research you can have a great holiday while not completely bankrupting yourself.

Porto, Portugal

This is the place that puts the ‘Port’ in Portugal – and we are talking in part about the Port wine here – and is a great value travel destination.

The place is connected to most of Europe via budget airlines, so getting there shouldn’t be neither a problem nor a massive expense, while the town itself is a lovely and atmospheric place featuring narrow lanes, cobblestoned plazas and azuleo tiled buildings.

Exploring this atmosphere is an integral part of a holiday in Porto, you can stay in traditionally decorated inns and spend several hours in the wine district of Alto Douro, and go on a tour of the Port wineries.

Tajikistan

You may not have heard of this Central Asian nation, but rest assured that it is a very safe and stable nation in the region. You can access the place at dirt-cheap prices, even if you’re hiring a car and a driver. You can go on a variety of adventure-like trips around the country, definitely a value travel destination for the more adventurous holidaymaker.