Despite price rising, the desire for a relaxing vacation away from home is still in high demand with an over 130% search increase for ‘cheap September holidays’ over the past month*.
Forbes Advisor looked into the world’s most popular summer destinations and discovered the cheapest hidden gem alternatives, offering amazing experiences without paying a hefty price tag.
The study looked at the cost of the most popular bucket list destinations, and compared these to visually similar locations in order to determine the total price differences; providing a list of alternatives for travellers.
Eight cheapest ‘underrated’ holiday alternatives:
|
Locations |
Total Savings |
|||
|
Rank |
Luxury Holiday |
Budget Alternative |
€ (USD) saved |
% saved |
|
1 |
Bora Bora, French Polynesia |
Panama |
€5,803 |
75.68% |
|
2 |
The Bahamas |
Curaçao |
€2,049 |
44.95% |
|
3 |
Hawaii, U.S. |
Florida, U.S. |
€1,772 |
41.43% |
|
4 |
Maldives |
Fiji |
€759 |
28.90% |
|
5 |
Lisbon, Portugal |
Mexico City, Mexico |
€556 |
31.80% |
|
6 |
Athens, Greece |
Istanbul, Turkey |
€385 |
25.11% |
|
7 |
Paris, France |
Marseille, France |
€186 |
7.59% |
|
8 |
Rome, Italy |
Cairo, Egypt |
€151 |
8.18% |
Bora Bora vs Panama
Bora Bora is undoubtedly one of the most popular luxury travel destinations, with approximately 1.1 million global searches within the past month**. However, did you know you can get a similar experience for a quarter of the price?
Switching your destination to Panama can save you a whopping €5,803! From learning more about indigenous communities, checking the traditional cigar factories to enjoying a day at the beach; Panama offers an all-around unforgettable experience – on a budget.
The Bahamas vs Curaçao
The second biggest saving you can make is by switching your summer travel spot from The Bahamas to the beautiful island country of Curaçao, and save you approximately €2,049. Although you probably won’t see any swimming pigs or pink beaches – still, there are plenty of other reasons to visit without spending a fortune on it, like swimming with the sea turtles!
Hawaii vs Florida
Although Hawaii is a gorgeous destination to visit, if you are on a budget you might want to book a plane to Florida instead, saving approximately €1,772. Whilst you can still enjoy some time on the beach, a trip to Florida can bring a multitude of other attractions to enjoy, including a trip to Walt Disney World, Universal Studios or even The Kennedy Space Center.
Maldives vs Fiji
Fiji is a great alternative for those wanting to go somewhere like the Maldives, but on a budget. This switch would save you approximately €759. With so many attractions to enjoy in Fiji, such as the Garden of the Sleeping Giant, hot spring and mud pools, you will have a luxurious experience without paying an exorbitant price.
Lisbon vs Mexico City
Lisbon, Portugal could be switched up for Mexico City, Mexico – which saves you approximately €556. Whilst in Mexico City, you can visit the Frida Kahlo Museum, the Palacio de Bellas Artes and the Mexico City Metropolitan Cathedral.
*Based on Google Trends data filtered for the last 90 days for the search term ‘cheap September holidays’ on July 19th 2022.
**According to Ahrefs.com, which reveals the global monthly search volume, on average, people have searched for ‘Bora Bora’ across all countries within July 18th 2022.