19 Cheap Places to Travel: Where Your Dollar Will Take You the Furthest Right Now

The Sri Lankan rupee has slowly gotten more and more favorable over the past couple of decades, but it completely skyrocketed starting a couple of years ago (a dollar converted to 200 SLR in February 2022, and now look where we are). We’re more excited than ever to explore this incredible island nation, where you can see leafy tea plantations, Buddhist temples, golden beaches, and 200-mile hiking trails in one memorable trip.

Where to stay: Triple Crown winner Cape Weligama is a glossy clifftop resort that’s the triumphant Relais & Châteaux flagship of Resplendent Ceylon’s stunning quintet of properties.

View towards the iconic Bishop’s Hat mountain on the RN7 road in southern MadagascarDave Carr

Madagascar

1 USD = 4,306.66 MGA

For your next tropical island vacation, skip pricey, popular locations like the Maldives and Bora Bora for inexpensive Madagascar—an Indian Ocean treasure filled with breathtaking rainforests and lemur-filled national parks. Swing by the island nation as part of a cruise itinerary: Luxe cruise lines like Silversea, Lindblad, Swan Hellenic, and Seabourne have all added the country as a port of call on new voyages.

Where to stay: Plan your stay at Namoroka Tsingy Exploration Camp, which features seven luxury safari tents inside the essentially unvisited Namoroka National Park.

Malaysia

1 USD = 4.03 MYR

Your cash will stretch far in Malaysia, especially if you fill up on street food and explore cities like Kuala Lumpur on foot. It’s also inexpensive (or in some cases, free) to visit the country’s pristine beaches, limestone caves, and some of the most beautiful tea plantations.

Where to stay: If you’re ready and willing to shell out the big bucks, we highly recommend shacking up at The Datai Langkawi. Set within a dense, beautiful rainforest, this legendary hotel is where modern luxury meets ancient nature in one of the world’s most serene, coveted retreats.

The Taj Mahal at sunset

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