FX.co ★ 8 affordable places for vacation that can beat popular resorts

Swiss Alps - Czech Switzerland

The fresh air of the mountains, forest slopes, small villages, and blue lakes can be found not only in Switzerland but also in the Czech Republic which is much more affordable. Just an hour's drive from Prague there is an amazingly beautiful place called Czech (or Bohemian) Switzerland. The Chronicles of Narnia movie was filmed in this national park.

Rates:

Prices in this Czech version of Switzerland are very affordable. A price for a double room in a 3-star hotel in April will start from 2,000 rubles. On the other hand, in Switzerland, this amount of money will be enough only for dinner with one course and a salad. The room price there will start at 7,000 rubles.

Maldives - Belyaus Spit in Crimea

These famous snow-white beaches have long been the symbol of a “beautiful life.” But few people know that Russia has a similar beauty in Crimea - the Belyaus Spit which separates the Black Sea and Lake Donuzlav on the western coast of Crimea. Already in May, you can swim in these warm turquoise waters with shell sands. Along with relaxation, you can choose such activities as surfing and diving.

Rates:

The price for a three-star hotel in the Maldives with breakfast will start from 3,000 rubles, and the flight from Moscow to Male in June 2020 will cost 32,000 rubles. At the same time, a flight from Moscow to Simferopol starts from 10,000 rubles. Besides, you can rent a room in a hotel on the first line for just 2,000 rubles.

Salar de Uyuni - Lake Baskunchak

Tourists from all over the world come to Bolivia to see the salt lake Uyuni and to make a couple of pictures with Martian landscapes. Luckily, you do not need to fly across the world to another continent to see this beauty. The ancient Baskunchak lake in the Astrakhan region will offer you the same magnificent views.

Rates:

A return flight from Moscow to the capital of Bolivia, Sucre, will cost you 150,000 rubles, while the flight to Astrakhan will be just 7,000 rubles.

Vienna - Budapest

Vienna is considered one of the most expensive European cities. Meanwhile, the same old cobblestone streets, fabulous architecture, magnificent cathedrals, and unique atmosphere of the Middle Ages can be found in Budapest. After all, Vienna and Budapest were the centers of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Rates:

Unlike Vienna, Budapest is one of the cheapest cities in Europe where a three-star hotel in the city center will cost from 1,500 rubles. You can buy a serving of goulash in a local restaurant for just 2 euros and a cup of coffee for 1.5 euros.

Meanwhile, in Vienna, tourists will have to pay 6,000 rubles for a one-night stay in a hotel, 2.8 euros for a coffee, and 15-25 euros for a Wiener schnitzel.

Northern lights in Norway - Northern lights in Murmansk

What do you need to see the northern lights? First of all, certain weather conditions are needed. However, to see the polar lights you do not have to travel to Iceland or Norway. Instead, you can save some money and take a tour to Murmansk. Moreover, no one can guarantee that you will be lucky enough to see this natural wonder. It would be such a failure to spend a fortune on a trip to Norway and to see nothing in the end.

Rates:

A return flight from Moscow to Longyearbyen (Spitsbergen) will cost you around 31,000 rubles with stopovers and 160,000 rubles for a direct flight. The northern lights tour in Spitsbergen will start at 1,400 NOK (around 10,000 rubles). A return flight from Moscow to Murmansk is 4,600 rubles without any stopovers. For the polar lights tour in Murmansk you will need to pay just 4,000 rubles per person.

Grand Canyon in the US - Tara River Canyon in Montenegro

The Tara River Canyon is 1.3 kilometres deep. This is a real natural wonder and is no less impressive than the famous Grand Canyon in the United States. The canyon in Montenegro is a picturesque landscape covered with forests. In particular, Dzhurdzhevicha Tara Bridge offers spectacular views on the canyon.

Rates:

For the Moscow-Las Vegas return flight for April next year you will have to pay 43,000 rubles. There are also additional costs for the US visa. Meanwhile, the flight from Moscow to Podgorica will be just 10,000 rubles.

Mount Fuji - Klyuchevskaya Sopka

It turns out that famous Mount Fuji has a counterpart - Klyuchevskaya Sopka, situated in Kamchatka. Both volcanoes are very similar in shape and snow-capped peaks. Surprisingly, Klyuchevskaya Sopka is one kilometer higher than Fuji. Actually, this is the highest volcano in Eurasia and it is still active, whereas the last time Fuji showed some activity was in the 18th century.

Rates:

A ticket from Moscow to Tokyo for May 2020 will cost 33,000 rubles. To climb Mountain Fuji, you will have to pay around 2,000 dollars.

The price for a return flight from Moscow to Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky in May will start from 25,000 rubles. To climb Klyuchevskaya Sopka with a guide, you will need to pay 13-14,000 rubles per person.

Lake Garda in Italy - Lake Ohrid in Macedonia

Lake Garda, located in the foothills of the Alps, is famous for its turquoise blue waters and picturesque views, with lemon gardens growing on the slopes of the mountains and little houses with terracotta roofs standing by the water. Lake Ohrid in Macedonia is not so famous, still, it is very beautiful. It can boast the same rugged coastline, thick forests, and dozens of ancient charming villages.

Rates:

On Lake Garda, rates on a double room in a four-star hotel on the first line in June start from 10,000 rubles. On Lake Ohrid, the price for a similar room will start from 3,000 rubles.