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Mexico is cheap and is partially safe. The Yucatan, DF, Oaxaca and Chiapas are safe and make for an interesting trip. Sadly, many of the other states have travel advisories.
You mean Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan?
Afghanistan and Pakistan aren't considered Russian 'Stans.
The actual Russian 'Stans are fascinating and perfectly fine places to travel to. We went to Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan two years ago on a glorious trip. Armenia and Georgia aren't considered part of the 'Stans but they are former Soviet block countries in the same general area and we also had a wonderful trip there.
But they are not as cheap as one might imagine. The high costs include flights into the region and visas (for most of the 'Stans). Once you're inside the country and are willing to take public transit and stay cheaply in B&Bs, then it can be reasonable.
As for other parts of the Middle East, the Gulf States (such as the UAE and Oman), Jordan and Israel are perfectly safe countries.
Quote:
Originally Posted by annerk
I'd say that in addition to the Middle East, a good chunk of Africa and most of the "Russian 'Stans" would be places you wouldn't really want to visit right now.
A friend of mine spent much of his childhood in Lebanon and Syria and spoke very fondly of both countries. This would have been in the 60's and early 70's--a very different time back then. It's unfortunate that many of us will most likely never get to see much of the Middle East in our lifetimes due to politics.
Nowhere in the world is truly 100% safe in the sense that you can do anything you want and always be safe.
Traveling in SE Asia is cheap as chips and generally safe, but there's still the risk of petty crime (thefts from unlocked hostel rooms are not uncommon). If you indulge in drugs, you are at a much higher risk for crime anywhere. If you like sleazy bars in questionable areas, you are at a higher risk for crime. So it's all about travel smarts, as you already indicated. With that in mind almost everywhere in the world is safe enough.
Pricewise, SE Asia gives you the most bang for the buck. You may have already been to Indonesia, but what about Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam? They're quite different from Indonesia, and Thailand is different from Vietnam. That'd make for a great long trip.
India is very cheap and rewarding. There does seem to be a problem with women in certain areas at the moment, but as a male you should be fine. Sri Lanka is another option if you go to India, as is Nepal. I have seen a goodly portion of the world by now and I have to say India was the most "foreign" place I'd ever been to, there were times when I even questioned whether I was still on this planet.
Eastern Europe (Poland, Romania, Hungary, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, the Balkans) can still be traveled cheaply with many rewarding cities and destinations. Romania was probably our favorite country in Eastern Europe, along with the Czech Republic, and Romania felt perfectly safe to us and it was among the cheapest countries in Europe while still providing the level of infrastructure you take for granted in western European countries.
I'm a travel junkie, but I'm also young and not well-established financially. I have plans to travel extensively while I have the time (as in months to years), and I'm putting together a list of places that are cheap, yet safe. I've spent a good amount of time in Ghana, some in Indonesia, so I know how to keep safe as a (pale, red-headed) foreigner, but that only goes so far, especially in places with political instability.
So I guess I want to hear about off-the-beaten-path places that you might recommend. While I will have plenty saved up, I know there are tons of beautiful places outside the American and/or Western travel canon, and I'd love to explore.
If you decide to take a trip to Vietnam, you can find some very cheap hotels/motels...like $17 just like this one...pretty darn nice for 17 bucks.
People have different definitions of cheap. As you can see, many have mentioned Portugal, which is cheap for Europe, but 2-3x the cost of South Asia or SE Asia. There are places where $20-25/day will be easy living, but that will be a tougher budget in Portugal.
SE Europe is the cheap region of Europe, which won't be as much of a nuissance to get to as Asia. Serbia, Bosnia, Montenegro, Romania, Bulgaria, Ukraine, or even Turkey. Eastern Turkey is cheaper and more exotic than the touristic west.
Latin America is between Europe and Asia in expenses, for the most part. But a lot of people avoid it for fear of crime. The chances of being a victim of violence is low, but petty crime seems common enough.
Latin America is between Europe and Asia in expenses, for the most part. But a lot of people avoid it for fear of crime. The chances of being a victim of violence is low, but petty crime seems common enough.
Petty crime is rampant is parts of Europe as well--Rome, Barcelona, and Paris are full of pickpockets and purse snatchers as well as every scam artist under the sun trying to relieve you of your property. Kotor, Amsterdam, and St. Petersburg are safe during the day but not so much after dark when petty and even violent crime rises.
The Czech Republic is pretty fun. There is a lot of history in Prague and lots of good shopping opportunists.
Flying there from INTL may be expensive, but lodging and food are very cheap. When I was there a couple years ago, you could get a large many topping pizza and a pitcher of beer for $1.50.
Latin America is between Europe and Asia in expenses, for the most part. But a lot of people avoid it for fear of crime. The chances of being a victim of violence is low, but petty crime seems common enough.
Depends where in Latin America you're talking..
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