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St. Helena is probably not on your short list but it should be on your bucket list.
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Set in the Caucasus Mountains, Armenia is a hidden gem that’s still untouched by mass tourism
From the Philippines to Armenia, this year's list of the best budget travel destinations has something for every kind of traveler.
Whether you want to relax in Zanzibar or sample the cuisine of Malaysia, budget travel in 2019 is all about cheap destinations that offer an outsized experience.
I've been doing this list for Forbes for five years now and in the spirit of keeping things fresh, I switched up the format and asked all my travel experts to name two places: a destination with a nostalgic draw and somewhere they visited recently that they are telling all their friends about.
The goal is to highlight budget travel destinations that are a bit off-the-beaten path. They don’t necessarily have to be cheap destinations but they should be places where you can vacation without breaking the bank. That could be a country where Americans have strong purchasing power or a place that is far away but offers a good value in terms of experience.
So, without further ado, here is the official list of best budget travel destinations for 2019 from some of my favorite travel experts. All responses are in their own words.*
1. San Antonio, Texas, the United States of America
2. Puebla, Mexico
3. Hawaii, the USA
4. St. Helena
5. Province of Laguna, the Philippines
6. The Balkan Peninsula
6. The Balkan Peninsula
8. Budapest, Hungary
9. Buenos Aires, Argentina
10. Gobi Desert, Mongolia
11. South Africa
12. Zanzibar
13. Armenia
Set in the Caucasus Mountains, Armenia is a hidden gem that’s still untouched by mass tourism , and yet has so much to offer: rich history, wineries, impressive landscapes, ancient monasteries and breathtaking mountains as far as your eyes can see. The capital, Yerevan, is a lively city with wide avenues, delicious restaurants, museums and street markets selling local handicrafts.
Because of my Armenian heritage, I grew up on delicious Armenian food. Some of my favorite local dishes include dolma, khorovats or barbequed meat, and local cheeses with lavash bread. For wine lovers, Armenia is the perfect place to try wines made from different fruits such as pomegranate (Armenia’s national symbol), blackberries and cherries.
Outside of the capital is picturesque nature. You can pay a visit to the oldest winery in the world in Areni, stop by stunning monasteries, or check out the oldest cathedral in the world in Etchmiadzin.
14. Serbia
15. Transylvania, Romania
16. George Town, Penang, Malaysia
17. Moscow, Russia
18. Taipei, Taiwan
To read the descriptions of each country, please go to https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexandratalty/2018/12/31/the-18-best-budget-travel-destinations-for-2019/#657aab977202