Cool Places to Visit Around the World and How to Travel for Free or on a Budget

1. Bali: Explore the Ubud Monkey Forest in Ubud , which shelters long-tailed macaques amid trees, tangles of vines, and sacred temples.

2. England: Tour Bampton, the village from the TV show Downton Abbey, and see the Highclere Castle.

3. Vietnam: Cruise Halong Bay . Skim the waters on a wooden junk boat and see curious rock formations among the bay’s tiny islets.

4. Morocco: See the rolling dunes of the Sahara desert. Explore Rabat and Fez and visit the royal palace and the ruins of Volubilis, an ancient Roman village.

5. Australia: Watch traditional Aboriginal dances performed around a fire at Tjapukai Aboriginal Cultural Park in Queensland. Explore the Great Barrier Reef, an underwater paradise with beautiful tropical fish and colorful coral formations. Cuddle a koala and feed a kangaroo by hand at the Australia Zoo.

6. South Africa: Take a hot-air balloon safari in Pilanesberg National Park. The park is set within the crater of an ancient volcano and offers an amazing diversity of flora and fauna.

7. Nepal: Explore famous temples, such as Swayambhunath (a.k.a. Monkey Temple) in the Kathmandu Valley, where holy monkeys live in protection. Ride an elephant during a guided jungle safari through Chitwan National Park in the Chitwan District.

8. Italy: Enjoy dazzling beaches on the mesmerizing island of Sardinia. Fabrizio De Andrè, an Italian singer-songwriter, once said: “Life in Sardinia is probably the best a man can wish: twenty-four-thousand kilometers of forests, countryside, and shores immersed in a miraculous sea. This corresponds to what I would suggest God to give us as Paradise.”

9. Thailand: Visit Ayutthaya, a UNESCO World Heritage site that was the capital of Thailand for four centuries. Explore beautiful ancient temples.

10. Guatemala: Tour the Guatemalan highlands and Lake Atitlan , a volcano-bordered body of water that is one of the most picturesque lakes in the world.

11. Costa Rica: Try ecotourism, explore the rainforest and experience an incredible adventure.

12. France: Stay at a chateau and step into a fairy tale during a trip to Loire Valley. It is rumored that Chateau d’Usse sparked Charles Perrault to write Sleeping Beauty.

13. Ecuador: Zipline through the Amazon rainforest and catch glimpses of wildlife and tropical flora. Visit the Middle of the World monument in the canton of Quito, atop the equator, where you can stand with one foot in the Northern Hemisphere and one in the Southern.

14. Bulgaria: Visit the picturesque Rila Monastery and see how its graceful arches and five domes reach towards the sky and create a peaceful oasis. Next, explore the stunningly beautiful seven lakes located high in the Rila Mountains.

15. Tahiti: Explore turquoise lagoons, volcanic peaks, lush forests and beautiful beaches.

16. Iceland: Enjoy a breathtaking view of the Northern Lights. Go on an amazing tour to visit Gullfoss waterfall, Thingvellir National Park, and Iceland’s geothermal geysers.