For many of us who like to portray ourselves as wanderers, but we earn the minimum, live the minimum, and have the minimum dreams to cherish, we all dream of visiting abroad, and then there comes the dilemma.
Money vs Dream dilemma
When considering travelling internationally, the first thing that often comes to mind is budget. We usually get panicked while planning a trip.
The borders we are restricted to often make us feel less esteemed and suffocate our minds on a borderline; we always tend to go beyond the boundaries to explore, see, eat, and drink.
I am a frequent traveller with some experience of going 'nearby abroad' to Bangladesh, like India and Nepal; although I have visited countries like the UK and Russia, the expenses were covered by my workstation, so I won't count them.
Once, I travelled to one particular region of India with only 8,000 takas in my pocket. How? I will tell this story later. However, I will share five ways to save money while travelling internationally.
Check the lowest flight price
Flight prices often take up most of our travel expenses. After the COVID situation, flight prices are always on the rise, and it is almost beyond the reach of the middle class.
I travelled to Kolkata up and down within 12 thousand rupees; now it is 15 thousand rupees. But when you search for Kathmandu tickets, you will be shocked. The Dhaka to Kathmandu flight price was around 15 to 20 thousand before COVID-19 happened. Now, there are more than 30 thousand takas and the travel tax of two thousand takas on air.
What can we do?
We can check the cheapest airlines. For example, Kathmandu Himalayan Airlines is cheaper than Bangladesh Biman, and Kolkata Novoair is offering the lowest rate as of the last time I checked.
For European or out-of-Asia air tickets, you can endorse your credit card with the necessary dollars and buy tickets from foreign websites. Some of the websites even sell business class tickets at a very reasonable price, as many business class tickets remain unsold because of their extreme price.
For new travellers, I suggest countries like Nepal, Vietnam, and India. These countries are culturally rich and can be covered within a budget of 50 to 60 thousand taka.
Talk with the locals
Be extroverted; this might help you on a foreign trip. Learn some keywords in their local languages before the trip, like-
- Thank you
- What is your name?
- How can I go to this destination?
Many will fear the scammers, but you need to be pragmatic and strategic while mixing up with local people; you cannot go to a random person.
You can talk to a shopkeeper or a taxi driver who already has an address or a car license number to recognise. Even if they try to scam you, you already have primary information to share with authorities.
Second, you must stay positive towards people; the doubt and dilemma might ruin your mood. They can take you to the cheapest hotels, suggest food in a cheap restaurant, and lastly, for shopping, they will be happy to help to show you the most local places to explore.
Try to travel off-peak
This one will help you. When I was in Nepal 2021 December of 2021, I had to pay almost one and a half to two times in hotel bills or cabs. But in 2024, I travelled to Nepal in the March-April season, and the hotel price was much lower.
I was in the same area of Pokhara, the trekkers' heaven in Nepal. We always tend to stay near the Phewa Lakeside hotels. In December 2021, we stayed in a hotel for 2,500 Nepali rupees, and in March-April of this year, we stayed in a nearby hotel for 1,000 to 1,400 rupees. March, April, May, and June are usually off-peak for mountain areas.
In June last year, we went to Manali, Shimla, Kasol, Manikaran, and Tosh. We hired a cab for three days at 8 thousand rupees, which was way cheaper than September, October, November, and December.
It is not only about off-peak times but also about off-peak destinations. For example, in India, if you travel to Himachal state, you can choose Kasol or Tosh. Tosh is a luxurious destination for any traveller within budget, and it is popularly known as a borderline last village of India.
Exchange currency and use credit cards wisely
Exchange the currency at a better rate from the best possible place. There are usually three or four destinations where people exchange Taka for Rupees.
First, the airports are expensive and offer the lowest value for money. Then, the transport agencies vary from shop to shop, and lastly, the local exchange shops.
It will always vary from city to city and country to country. In the last 12 months, the dollar rate has become out of reach for many travellers. If you have a credit card, you can take advantage of many discounts and offers. But you have to use it wisely and precisely and return the bills on time to avoid unnecessary extra interest burdens.
Travel with friends not alone
Travelling with friends is always cheaper, as you can share rooms, cars, and food. You can taste various items from the menu and share them among two or three people.
Travelling on a sharing basis, with the same spirit of enjoyment and fun, will be helpful for all of you.
Meer Raihan Masud is a traveller who loves to explore different cultures, food and ways of recreation around the world
masudraihan60@gmail.com