This popular budget travel guide, now in its updated third edition, offers the lowdown on the best bargain-priced international destinations, with sample prices and key attractions.
The World's Cheapest Destinations
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Book Description
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More About the Author
Tim Leffel is an award-winning travel writer, author, and value travel expert who is frequently quoted in the major media. He has circled the globe three times and dispatched articles from five continents. He is editor of the highly regarded webzine PerceptiveTravel.com and also edits the Practical Travel Gear blog (www.PracticalTravelGear.com). See more at www.TimLeffel.com.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
31 of 33 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This book is as valuable as a passport: - in that it can make the difference between exploring the world and staying at home. It enables the reader to make choices among affordable destinations. Because it focuses on costs, it is highly relevant in today's gloomy economy. But it does more. The countries Tim has included meet two other important criteria. First, each has an infrastructure able to serve travelers. Second, each has attractions and adventures that make it worth visiting. In fact, most of the countries that meet Tim's standards excel in terms of attractions regardless of price. (I've visited all but four of them). This practical, easy-to-read book is the absolute best in its niche.
23 of 24 people found the following review helpful
By Derek C.
Format:Paperback
I recently received my copy of the 3rd edition of Tim Leffel's World's Cheapest Destinations and I must say that I am impressed. This is the only book I have come across that gives you a real global breakdown of the countries to travel to where you will get the best value for your money. By best value for your money, I mean that they are relatively easy to get around and have many attractions or activities while still having rock bottom prices. The book mainly provides suggestions on where you should travel and why, along with the relative prices you will encounter in the various destinations. Having traveled to a number of countries discussed in the book and being in the middle of planning another large trip, I can say from experience that the information provided is highly accurate. This would be an invaluable resource for anyone wanting to travel the world on the cheap or someone who simply wants to find a great place to travel for a little while.
I would highly recommend this book as a starting point for planning any trip if you are interested in getting the most for your money.
I would highly recommend this book as a starting point for planning any trip if you are interested in getting the most for your money.
17 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is one of the best travel books I have found. It is perfect for the person who wants to travel the world using the path less traveled. Though not in depth, it nicely overviews 21 countries where a traveler can expect not to go broke visiting. It provides hints and warnings along the way which provide valuable insite and pleanty of fuel for dreams. Would definately recommend this book!
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I read "The World's Cheapest Destinations" while I was traveling around the world for eight months. In total, I visited over 25 countries, many of which are reviewed by the author in this book. I was able to test whether or not his recommendations were accurate.
This is a great guide to buy before you go on a trip, and you're contemplating where to go on a budget. It's a quick read and as complete as it can be, and only covers destinations that the author has personally visited.
Although the prices may not be 100% accurate, as long as you don't rely on dollar amounts, you will find the recommendations in this book particularly useful on deciding which places to visit.
Funny thing, the author said that there was only one country he would never go back to, and it's the Philippines. I found this tip particularly offensive when I first arrived in the Philippines and had a generally good impression of the country. However, after three weeks visiting the islands, I couldn't agree more! (Although truth be told, I would go back to specific islands for scuba diving only).
It's impossible to keep track of different prices around the world accurately in a book, no matter how many editions are printed. Many countries experience inflation in the teen numbers, therefore most likely prices will be different by the time you get there. However, relative to other countries, you will find that the 25 countries listed in this book are a good starting point for destinations to visit on the cheap.
This is a great guide to buy before you go on a trip, and you're contemplating where to go on a budget. It's a quick read and as complete as it can be, and only covers destinations that the author has personally visited.
Although the prices may not be 100% accurate, as long as you don't rely on dollar amounts, you will find the recommendations in this book particularly useful on deciding which places to visit.
Funny thing, the author said that there was only one country he would never go back to, and it's the Philippines. I found this tip particularly offensive when I first arrived in the Philippines and had a generally good impression of the country. However, after three weeks visiting the islands, I couldn't agree more! (Although truth be told, I would go back to specific islands for scuba diving only).
It's impossible to keep track of different prices around the world accurately in a book, no matter how many editions are printed. Many countries experience inflation in the teen numbers, therefore most likely prices will be different by the time you get there. However, relative to other countries, you will find that the 25 countries listed in this book are a good starting point for destinations to visit on the cheap.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is a nice book for a much-needed niche. As "currency leveraging" becomes more popular, both with businesses and individual travelers, I expect this book to become more popular. I bought it just for the section on India but found myself daydreaming about other areas in the book that I hadn't previously seriously considered. The measly $14 will pay for itself within minutes of arriving at your destination. As others have said, you'll probably want a more detailed guide for the specific areas you'll be visiting, but if you're watching your money this book fills the much-needed niche of quickly narrowing your choices and giving you a nice general orientation to your chosen country.
15 of 20 people found the following review helpful
By Cathy
Format:Paperback
If you're brand new to travel and don't know much about the world, this book will help you create a short list of countries to learn more about. However, the author lost credibility for me as early as the introduction, when he said that Hugo Chavez is the president of Argentina (p. xv). While I didn't notice other glaring errors in my skim through the rest of the book, I'd be hesitant to put a lot of faith in less easily confirmed facts, such as specific costs.
The book is mostly intended for backpackers. If you have a business that you run from the road, you won't get much information from this book about the speed or availability of internet access.
The book is mostly intended for backpackers. If you have a business that you run from the road, you won't get much information from this book about the speed or availability of internet access.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Partially as a result of a book I wrote,"How an Average Man Lived an Adventurous Life," I receive 6-8 inquiries per week from people who are considering getting off the treadmill and living a more international life. I usually recommend that they buy this book. Just by chance, I have visited every single one of the countries that Tim covers, and his comments are spot on. This is the book I wish I'd had thirty-five years ago when I first started traveling.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Some decent internet links
For the experienced traveler, not much new here. However the internet links are useful in running down good travel pricing, and some the anecdotes are fun to read.
Published 2 months ago by Roy Canon
5.0 out of 5 stars
An inspirational and practical read
This book is excellent as an overview to some of the world's less-expensive 3rd world countries. Those who are scared of traveling to 3rd world countries will get little out of... Read more
Published 15 months ago by John G.
4.0 out of 5 stars
Kindle version NOT recommended
The information provided in the book was precisely what I was looking for. I've been thinking about a RTW trip and destinations like these will certainly enable me to travel for... Read more
Published 18 months ago by D. Brown
3.0 out of 5 stars
not accurate
i am familiar with a lot of these destinations and have been to them lately and the pricing here is not accurate on SE Asia. Read more
Published on May 28, 2011 by trvlbum
4.0 out of 5 stars
Cheap travel destination, why wait?
Follow Tim Leffel as he travels and writes about a wide range of topics, from the best places to buy souvenirs to interacting with natives. Read more
Published on April 3, 2011 by kuangsbc
3.0 out of 5 stars
Great for the novice traveler.
This is a good book for the novice traveler. The information is well presented and written. I already knew that Europe is mostly expensive and developed countries will cost more... Read more
Published on November 2, 2010 by J. Townsend
3.0 out of 5 stars
The world's cheapest destinations, 3rd Edition
Written clearly, and to the point. It made some of the countries sound attractive to me, and some like real health menaces. Read more
Published on October 24, 2010 by Raymond Holderman
5.0 out of 5 stars
Priceless
This book is my all-natural insomnia cure. Not because it's boring, but because it allows me to read the information on one country and then go to bed relaxed and dreaming about... Read more
Published on November 1, 2009 by Scott Spitzer
