Yahoo Finance How Much Does It Cost to Visit Lonely Planet’s Top Travel Destinations of 2016?
As much as I know they’re just clickbait, I’m a sucker for those lists of “Top Travel Destinations” or “X Places You Must Visit Before You Die”… especially those featuring places I can actually afford to visit.
Lonely Planet has announced the best travel destinations for 2016, and while their criteria for determining which were “best” is a little mystifying, it’s gratifying to see that 5 locations on their lists are less than 10 hours’ flight from Singapore—i.e. you don’t have to exhaust all your annual leave on a trip to those places.
Here are the lists:
Top 10 Countries
Botswana
Japan
USA
Palau
Latvia
Australia
Poland
Uruguay
Greenland
Fiji
Top 10 Regions
Transylvania, Romania
West Iceland
Valle de Vinales, Cuba
Friuli’s wine regions, Italy
Waiheke Island, New Zealand
The Auvergne, France
Hawaii
Bavaria, Germany
Costa Verde, Brazil
St. Helena, British Territories
Top 10 Cities
Kotor, Montenegro
Quito, Ecuador
Dublin, Ireland
George Town, Malaysia
Rotterdam, Netherlands
Mumbai, India
Fremantle, Australia
Manchester, UK
Nashville, Tennessee
Rome, Italy
Top 10 Best Value Destinations
Estonia
Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, Vietnam
East Africa
New Mexico
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Galicia, Spain
Quebec City, Canada
Costa Rica’s Caribbean Coast
Timor-Leste
Western Australia
All in the name of escapism, we’ve calculated how much a 3 day 2 night trip to each of the following 5 destinations costs, factoring in the cost of accommodation on Airbnb.
1. Japan
Singaporeans already love Japan, based on the number of teenagers holed up in their rooms for days at a time watching anime and the Japanese-style fake eyelashes that many women seem to think it’s okay to wear to work.
While Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka are firm favourites, lesser-visited places like Fukuoka, Nagasaki and Okinawa are also worth trying for the slower pace of life they offer. Hotels in Japan are notoriously expensive, but there are some incredible deals to be had on Airbnb.
Flight: The cheapest flights to Tokyo can be had for $500-$600.
Accommodation on Airbnb
Girly apartment in Arakawa, Tokyo for $58 a night.
Cosy Kyoto apartment for $66 a night.
Zen-looking Japanese-style room in a house in Osaka for $48 a night.
Other costs: Food in Japan isn’t as expensive as it used to be thanks to the falling Yen, and you can get away with spending less than $50 a day if you eat simply.
Total: $770
2. Fremantle, Australia
The Australian dollar is at an all-time low, and hordes of Singaporeans are flocking Down Under for the holidays. Perth is one of the cheapest destinations to fly to from Singapore, and Fremantle is just a short train ride away.
Fremantle is an idyllic port town with sumptuous Victorian architecture and a lively market. It’s a place where you can bask in the sun by the harbour, listen to hippie-looking buskers and enjoy street art.
Flight: Flights to Perth can be had for $350 to $450 if you book early. Fremantle is just a 4 AUD and 30 minute train ride away.
Accommodation on Airbnb
Room in a quaint beach house for $68 a night.
Room in a 1950s art deco-style house in East Fremantle for $37 a night.
Room in a house with a pool table for $52 a night.
Other costs: Expect to budget at least $10 to $15 for simple meals or $45 a day.
Total: $585
3. George Town, Malaysia
I’ve always thought Penang was a cooler version of Singapore. It’s got colourful shophouses, street art, friendly people and better food than ours.
A trip to George Town in Penang is also one of the most inexpensive trips you can take from Singapore. Flights generally cost less than $100, and the weak Ringgit means food costs even less than half of what it does here.
Flight: Book in advance and you should be able to fly to Penang for about $90 or even less if you catch the budget airlines during a sale.
Accommodation on Airbnb
Cute room in a historical pre-war house for $23 a night.
Santorini-themed room in a charming B&B for $33 a night.
Adorable Japanese-themed room in a B&B for $40 a night.
Other costs: You’ll be eating up a storm in Penang, but even so, you can get away with spending less than $20 a day on food if you stick to inexpensive eateries.
Total: $210
4. Mumbai, India
It’s the most frenetic city in one of the world’s most challenging countries to visit. Even the locals will tell you that Mumbai is mad.
If you’re a Bollywood fan or simply love urban chaos, you’ll have a whale of a time in Mumbai. Watch an Indian music performance, visit one of the many temples or take in a cricket match while you’re there.
Flight: You can almost always find flights to Mumbai for $400+.
Accommodation on Airbnb
Room in an apartment for $29 a night.
Room in a nice serviced apartment for $43 a night.
Apartment with private balcony and great views over the city for $42 a night.
Other costs: Food can be ridiculously cheap here and you can get by spending less than $15 a day. Beware of Delhi Belly, though.
Total: $500
5. Ho Chi Minh City / Hanoi, Vietnam
You’ll have to learn to cross streets buzzing with mopeds without the aid of traffic lights. Master that and you’ll enjoy Vietnam, a great budget destination from Singapore.
If you want to bar hop in a big city, pick Ho Chi Minh City. Hanoi is best if you prefer wandering through tiny backlanes and hanging out by an urban lake.
Flight: Fly to Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City for about $200.
Accommodation on Airbnb
Room in an apartment with a fantastic view of Hanoi for $27 a night.
Gorgeous 60s-style art deco loft apartment in Hanoi for $52 a night.
Room in a delightfully cosy home in Ho Chi Minh City for $14 a night.
Other costs: Street food in Vietnam is cheap and delicious, and incredibly inexpensive. If you eat at small local establishments, you can easily keep your spending to under $15 a day.
Total: $300
Are you planning to visit any of the above destinations? Tell us in the comments!
The post How Much Does It Cost to Visit Lonely Planet's Top Travel Destinations of 2016? appeared first on the MoneySmart blog.
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