There are many things to look forward to on a luxury vacation. Trying exotic food, meeting new people, and exploring a different place are great ways to enjoy yourself. To get the best overall experience without worrying about money, you need to follow the right tips. Luxury travel on a budget without breaking the bank is possible–and still incredibly fun!

What is considered ‘luxury travel’?

Luxury travel is about valuing fun, convenience, and the quality of your experiences.

When traveling in luxury, each moment is a new experience, and you create a lifetime of happy memories.

Compare this to regular travel, where you’d be more concerned about staying within a tighter budget. You book cheaper flights, rooms, and transportation, which usually lowers your overall enjoyment of your trip. There might be 6 am flights or red-eye flights at inconvenient airports to save you some money. You may need a vacation from your vacation to recover from all the extra logistics. 

When you’re on vacation, you just want to enjoy yourself, whether it’s while parasailing on the beach or hiking a trail. It can be hard to do this if you worry about saving as much as possible during your trip. Thankfully, luxury travel on a budget is feasible if you follow the right tips and go to the right places. You can have a luxury vacation for less than $50 a night! Here’s how:

Eight Must-Know Tips for Luxury Travel on a Budget

Here are a few general tips for luxury travel on a budget. These tips will help you increase your travel budget, cut travel costs, or improve your enjoyment of the trip.

Build your travel budget ASAP 

Let’s say you set a travel budget of about $2000 for your next vacation. If you only start saving up six months before, you’d have to set aside about $334 every month. You may not have the budget for this. If you save up for 18 months instead, you’d only have to allocate $112 every month. I normally do this when I go on vacation, and you can do it, too.

Decide what you’re spending money on

When you’re on vacation, there are expenses you may not have at home. Aside from purchasing food, you’ll need to budget for airport fees, transportation,  accommodation, travel insurance, pocket money, and much more. You can opt to cut out certain things from your budget, like souvenirs, to spend more on experiences.

Deals are your best friend when you want to travel in luxury on a budget

Websites like Travelocity can help you get a discount on flights and accommodations. You may also have travel incentives from your credit card company or job. Let your daily expenses build up credit and points so you can enjoy yourself fully when it’s time to vacation.

In fact, you should always be finding ways to cut your costs down with discounts. Check out my article on the best coupon code sites to learn more!

Airbnbs and hostels over fancy hotels

While hotels are fun to stay in, especially when they have complimentary breakfast, they can be a money sink. If you only need a bed to rest your head while you’re on vacation, hotels may not be worth it. Booking an Airbnb or a simple hostel instead of a fancy hotel room may end up saving you money.

One benefit of Airbnb over hotel rooms is that some of them come with a kitchen. You can save quite a bit of your food budget by cooking some of your own meals instead. This is especially true if you cook some of the meals in my article on the cheapest dishes!

Travel with a buddy/group

It helps to have a friendly face when you’re in a foreign city or country. Having a travel buddy also means someone to help split the costs for accommodation and transportation (Hello taxi and Uber fares). 

Stick to one or two general areas

If you want to travel in luxury on a budget, you won’t get to see or do everything. It’ll cost way too much money (and who wants to spend time rushing around on your vacation?) Instead, focus on exploring one or two areas of the local area. You’ll get to experience everything these parts have to offer without breaking the bank. 

Travel during the offseason

Traveling during the less busy times of the year means fewer tourists and more travel deals. You’re likely to get better deals on accommodation while also being able to take less crowded vacation photos.

Research as much as possible before traveling

Researching before going on a trip always helps. Look up the best places to eat and times of year to visit. Even if you’re a more spontaneous sister who doesn’t like to plan out her trips, doing some research wouldn’t hurt.

Who knows? You might find that after all that research, you’d rather just have a staycation. That’s fine, too! If a staycation sounds good to you, check out my article on the best staycation ideas.

Four Vacation Destinations for Luxury Travel on a Budget

These countries have a lot to offer for someone looking to travel in luxury on a budget. They’re all on different continents, so they’ll each offer unique experiences to travelers.

The Philippines

With over 7,000 islands to visit, The Philippines is a beautiful tropical country with lovely beaches. It’s the perfect place to get your dose of vitamin sea! The cost of living in the country is much lower than in America, so expect everything to be more affordable.

Dominican Republic

This Caribbean nation is a great place to visit if you want a fantastic luxury travel experience on a budget. From lovely beaches to lush jungles, this country has everything an outdoor lover can ask for. Between surfing, golfing, whale watching, and more, there’s no shortage of activities you can do in the Dominican Republic.

The Baltics

The Baltic sister states – Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia – are one of the cheapest travel destinations in Europe. These countries aren’t popular tourist destinations, but you might see this as a plus! These countries are full of historic structures and architecture. If you’re looking to experience Europe on a budget, the Baltics are the place to be.

Colombia

Do you want to see exotic wildlife and fauna? Colombia should be at the top of your list! Trekking, hiking, and mountain climbing are some of the most popular activities this South American country offers. You may even get to see some amazing animals, like the Amazonian Pink River Dolphins!

Traveling is a great way to learn more about yourself and the world. But if you want to learn more about finance and how to save, then join the money squad! As a member, you’ll receive personal finance tips and insider information from me. Signing up takes no time and is 100% free, so what’re you waiting for? Join today!