10 DESTINATIONS WHERE YOUR DOLLAR GOES FAR!
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04 May 2008
Lisbon, Portugal
What $20 Will Buy: A Lisboa card provides use of nearly all public transportation and discounts on some tours and admission to museums and monuments.
Why It's Hot: It's affordable, charming, sophisticated and near the beach.
When To Find Deals: September and October, when four-star hotel in central Lisbon generally go for $100 per night and round-trip airfare from Chicago starts at $800.00.
Top Bargains: At the Instituto do Vinho do Porto (Port Wine Institute), you can try more than 300 vintages of the country's signature liquor. Tasting prices start at 1 euro.
When To Find Deals: September and October, when four-star hotel in central Lisbon generally go for $100 per night and round-trip airfare from Chicago starts at $800.00.
Top Bargains: At the Instituto do Vinho do Porto (Port Wine Institute), you can try more than 300 vintages of the country's signature liquor. Tasting prices start at 1 euro.
Santiago, ChileWhat $20 Will Buy: Carmenere, made from a grape originally from the Bordeaux region of France, costs less than $10 a bottle.
Why It's Hot: You can take a day trip to surf the Pacific, tour wineries, hit the slopes or explore the Victorian elegance of nearby Valparaiso.
When To Find Deals: The springlike shoulder-season of October and November, when round-trip flights from Chicago to Santiago start at $1,000 per person.
Top Bargains: Luxury hotels. Under Chilean law, foreign tourists do not pay the 19 percent value-added tax for hoptel stays.
Dubrovnik, CroatiaWhat $20 Will Buy: A three-course dinner of homemade sausage, roasted lamb or fish and fritule (doughnuts flavored with brandy and lemon zest) in restaurants along the Stradun in Dubrovnik.
Why It's Hot: The islands of the Dalmatian Coast look like Greece and feel and taste like Italy. The walled city of Dubrovnik features distinctive 12th century grey-stone buildings with orange-tile roofs.
Months For The Best Deals: Airfare and hotel accommodations will cost less in September and October, but the weather will still be warm.
Wellington, New ZealandWhat $20 Will Buy: Fine vintages of New Zealand's famous Sauvignon Blanc cost less than $20 a bottle.
Why It's Hot: On the water and ringed by green hills, the artsy city is a half-day's travel to two major wine regions -- Hawke's Bay and Marlborough.
Months For The Best Deals: In the fall. The weather will be nice, and you'll save on airfare and lodgings. For example, a round-trip flight from Chicago starts from $2,200 in June, but only $1,500 in September.
Top Bargains: Wine vacations. Bed-and breakfasts in Hastings cost less than $75 per night.
Ho Chi Minh City, VietnamWhat $20 Will Buy: A meal fit for an emperor at the Phu Xuan restaurant.
Why It's Hot: It's less touristy than Hanoi, and has a thriving dining and entertainment scene. Take a short day trip to Mui Ne, a resort city near the beach, or to the white sand dunes of Binh Thuan desert.
Months For The Best Deals: November or December. You'll save on flights and hotels and miss most of the wet season.
Top Bargains: Hotel rooms are a notable value. In Mui Ne, a room with an ocean view ranges from $20 to $100 per night depending on lavishness.
Budapest, HungaryWhat $20 Will Buy: A boat tour of the city along the Danube river.
Why It's Hot: You can enjoy Old Europe charm without paying for it in euros.
Months For The Best Deals: August and September. You'll save on hotel rooms because it's less busy, but the weather is still nice.
Top Bargains: Classic culture comes cheap in Budapest. With a Budapest card, you get discounts on museums and restaurants plus unlimited use of public transportation. A two-day card costs $35 and is available at the city's tourism office.
BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINAWhy it's hot: The dollar still packs a wallop in this elegant capital city. Buenos Aires offers colonial architecture and eclectic culture at cut-rate price
Months for the best deals: The Argentine spring of October and November will have good deals on airfare and hotels.
Top bargains: Custom-made clothing costs three-fourths less than in major U.S. cities. Tango dance parties also offer free or cheap entertainment. Many are held in the colorful La Boca district, shown here.What $20 will buy: A steak dinner with Argentine wine at a fine restaurant.
EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND
Why it's hot: The city is a mash-up of medieval and modern. Check out the castles and enjoy a full roster of summer festivals, including the Edinburgh Military Tattoo, an August music festival featuring military bands from around the world
Months for the best deals: The weather is most pleasant from June to September. Prices for hotels and airfare fall later in the season.
Top bargains: Many museums are free to the public, most notably the expansive Museum of Scotland.
What $20 will buy: A ghost tour of the spooky spots in Old Town Edinburgh, often called the most haunted place on Earth.
Top bargains: Many museums are free to the public, most notably the expansive Museum of Scotland.
What $20 will buy: A ghost tour of the spooky spots in Old Town Edinburgh, often called the most haunted place on Earth.
CABO SAN LUCAS, MEXICO
Why it's hot: This getaway attracts everything from sport fisherman to Spring Break partiers. One look at the blue ocean and miles of beach and you'll understand why. The dollar's strength against the Mexican peso makes it more affordable than other foreign beach spots.
Months for the best deals: Visit during November and December, when the temperature is still 60 degrees and you'll find values on accommodations and dining.
Top bargains: Tourist traps proliferate in downtown Cabo San Lucas. Head east to San Jose del Cabo for deals on dining and Mexico crafts.
What $20 will buy: Paddle kayaks and canoes for two hours to explore the coast.
BANGKOK, THAILAND
Why it's hot: The bustling city is the perfect starting point to a Thai vacation. Plus, the greenback still buys a lot. Live in the lap of luxury for less than $120 a day
Top bargains: Tourist traps proliferate in downtown Cabo San Lucas. Head east to San Jose del Cabo for deals on dining and Mexico crafts.
What $20 will buy: Paddle kayaks and canoes for two hours to explore the coast.
BANGKOK, THAILANDWhy it's hot: The bustling city is the perfect starting point to a Thai vacation. Plus, the greenback still buys a lot. Live in the lap of luxury for less than $120 a day
Months for the best deals: June or September. Though Bangkok is always crowded, you'll miss some of the rush. Flights are about $400 cheaper than they are the rest of the year.
Top bargains: Haggle your way to a good deal at the city's Chatuchak Weekend Market. It covers 35 acres and has more than 15,000 shops hawking everything from pythons to garden furniture.
What $20 will buy: A night in a bungalow right on the beach that's a 2-hour trip from Bangkok.
Top bargains: Haggle your way to a good deal at the city's Chatuchak Weekend Market. It covers 35 acres and has more than 15,000 shops hawking everything from pythons to garden furniture.
What $20 will buy: A night in a bungalow right on the beach that's a 2-hour trip from Bangkok.
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