This is our world-wide travel bargains page. It is here that you will be exposed to travel bargains that the world should know about! They could be flights, accommodation, internal transport, meals, drinks, whatever! Anything that is likely to get a budget traveller excited.
We encourage you to send in your own travel bargains for inclusion on this page, by emailing them to jonandjennystark@hotmail.com If you send in a bargain make sure you include a) location b) date (year) c) item d) cost in US dollars e) a comment if necessary f) photographic evidence, even better!
Bargains will be deleted or updated from time to time.
*** Thailand, Hua Hin to Bangkok train, 2012, 5 hour train trip………… $1.50
*** Thailand, out of Chiang Mai, 2012: 3-day jungle trek including 6 hours of transport, door to door, guide (24-7), 7 meals, 2 nights accommodation (village, jungle hut), 1 hour elephant ride, white water rafting, bamboo rafting, visit to tribal village…… $50
*** Thailand, 2012: overnight sleeper train from Bangkok to Chiang Mai, 15 hours, $20
*** Thailand, Pai, 2012: accommodation: fully plumbed hut with queen bed and single, ensuite bathroom, verandah with hammock, air-conditioning…… $10
*** Cambodia, Siem Reap, 2012: ‘Angkor Famous Restaurant’, pints of draught beer….50 cents, bottles of labelled Australian wine, with meal….$6 and cocktails from $1 – $1.50 (all day Happy Hour price) And for the smokers….. 3 packs of 20 cigarettes for $1
*** Cambodia, Sihanoukville, 2012: Fresh seafood, dining on the beach! $3 for barracouda, squid and prawns with salad and fries. If you are thirsty you can wash it down with 50 cent glass mugs of Angkor draught beer!
**** I had to put 4* for this one. La Ong Dao Hotel, Vientiane, Laos, 2012, 4 star hotel with ensuite, almost new, free Wifi, airconditioning, buffet breakfast, $19 a double. We stayed there for 6 days for $114, about the same as 1 night in Australia.
*** Cruise from Dubai to Singapore, 2012, 5 star, 12 nights for $1000, as an alternative to an airfare home.
**** Cruise from Venice, 2012, around the Mediterranean Sea, with stops in Croatia, Turkey and the Greek Islands… $500 for 11 nights!!
*** Meal for 2 in Chiang Mai, Thailand, 2012: chicken green curry, banana pancake, large bottle of beer and a pineapple smoothie….. total $6
*** Bangkok, Thailand, 2012… water taxis for 50cents, all the way down the river
**** Edinburgh Fringe Festival, 2012… heaps of ‘free’ entertainment in pub venues: pay to get out.
**** Beatles Week, Liverpool England, 2012… 60 Beatles cover bands on 5 stages over 12 hours, with bands changing every hour…. $23
*** Hardy’s ‘Sailing’ range of wines, 2012, selling in Amsterdam supermarket for $4 a bottle
**** 3 course gourmet meal in Mosonmagyarovar, Hungary, with wine, 2012, total bill $16 for 2.
**** Turnbrau 0.5 litre beers in Stuttgart supermarket, summer 2012, for 35 cents each
**** one hour oil massages, Bali Indonesia, 2012, $5
*** eye test, 3 pairs of glasses, including prescription sun glasses and repairs to a 4th pair, 2012, for less than $100, Bali, Indonesia
**** flight from Singapore to Bali, November 2012, $60 return with Airasia
*** Accommodation in casino cities in America, 2013, very cheap or even free, based on play.
*** American casino drinks… 2013, free during play
*** American casino meals… 2013, free following play
*** Taco Bell box… 2013, 3 large items and a 20 ounce drink, $5
*** large punnets of strawberries at Ralph’s supermarket, 2013, 88 cents
*** $4 for 6packs of boutique beers, 2013, various supermarkets in USA
*** free shuttles, free buffet or other offers, 2013, various casinos in the USA
*** USA car leases, as little as $189 a month 2013, for a Dodge Dart over 2 years
**** Groupon Travel deal out of USA… 2013, 9 day escorted tour of China, including return airfare, $999
**** Groupon Travel deal out of USA … 2013, 9 day escorted tour of Tuscany, inc return airfare, for $999
*** Venice Beach cycle hire, 2013, $9.50 for the day (usually $6 an hour)
*** USA Subway, $5 footlongs, 2013, $5 each
**** Cruise, Copenhagen to Miami, 12 days, $249 (October 1, 2013, Norwegian)
**** Cruise, Barcelona to Miami, 12 days, $300 (October 20, 2013)
**** 18 pack of Pabst beer, 2013, $9.99
**** Costco, USA, 35 small bottles of water, 2013, for $2.49
**** Cruise, 9 days, Barcelona to Barcelona via Morocco and Canary Islands, 2014, $299
**** Subway tickets, Barcelona, 2014, 10 for 10 euros
**** Alcohol in Spanish supermarkets, 2014, mid-range red 1.3 euros, 6-pack of reds 5 euros, standard beer cans 25 euro cents, 4 euros for 12-pack!!
,**** litre of sangria, Algeciras, Spain, 2014, 75 euro cents
**** dinner for 2, 3 courses plus (non-alcoholic) drinks, Fez Morocco, 2014, $15.60
**** freshly squeezed orange juice, Fez, Morocco, 2014, 40 cents
**** supermarket purchases, Seville Spain, 2014, 3 French sticks, 9 bananas, 2 large oranges, 4 tomatoes, 1.5 litre water, change from 3 euros!
**** coffee, beer, 2 pastries, Porto, Portugal, 2014, 4 euros
**** deli shopping in Portugal, 2014, 4 rolls and 4 tomatoes, 80 euro cents
**** flight from Madrid to Dublin, 2014, Ryanair, 19 pounds with 10kg baggage
**** flight from London to Oslo, 2014, Ryanair, same
**** unlimited travel on bus, local train, subway, London 2014, $10 on Oyster card.
**** Norway, 2014……. nothing! (1 couple bought 2 small pizzas and 2 glasses of beer for $98 and going to the nearby toilet pushed the cheap night out over $100)
**** Free walking tours for tips, Europe, 2014, various European cities
**** Ferry trip, with cabin, from Stockholm to Mariehamn and return, 2014, 23 hours for $17 per person
**** 0.5 litre beers, Baltics, 2014, 50-60 euro cents, even in singles
**** Budapest travel card, 7-day pass for all public transport including riverboats, 2014, $35
**** 3 course dinner for 2 at sidewalk café, with drinks and coffees, Budapest, 2014, $28
**** beautiful peaches, Croatia, 2014, $1 a kg
**** pasta sauce, Zadar, Croatia, 2014, 60 euro cents
**** dinner for 2 with drinks, Sarajevo, 2014, $15
**** ham and salad roll, Sarajevo, 75 euro cents
**** coffees with milk, 2 glasses of water and table service, Sarajevo, $1
**** taxi fare, Sarajevo, 2014, 50 cents a km
**** 2 rounds of drinks for 4, at downtown bar, Belgrade, 2014: 2 cocktails, 2 schooners, 4 half litre beers, total bill $13
**** set menu, 3 items, plus bread, Istanbul suburbs, 2014, $4 with meat, $3 without
**** chicken kebab, Canakkale Turkey, 2014, $1.50
**** nice big glass of red wine, wine bar, Barcelona, 2014, $1.70