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Malawi on a Budget, Without Reducing It to Cheap
Malawi is often introduced to travelers through two shortcuts: the “Warm Heart of Africa” and the promise that it is inexpensive. The…
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The Expensive Parts of Tanzania Are Often the Point
Tanzania can be affordable when the trip is built around towns, local food, buses, and time. It becomes a very different financial…
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Singapore on a Budget Works Better Without a Checklist
Singapore is expensive if every hour needs a ticket. It becomes much more manageable when the city itself is allowed to be…
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A Realistic Budget for Slow Travel in Laos
Laos is affordable until the route gets ambitious. A room and a plate of food may cost relatively little, but remote transport,…
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Belize on a Budget Is Mostly About Boats and Tours
Belize can look inexpensive when a guide adds up a guesthouse, rice and beans, and a bus ticket. Then the trip reaches…
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Vietnam Is Affordable. Moving Too Fast Is Not.
Vietnam has earned a reputation as an inexpensive place to travel, which is true right up until you try to see the…
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Australia on a Budget Starts With the Map
Australia is not expensive because travelers have failed to discover the correct hostel. It is expensive because the country is enormous, distances…
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Si Phan Don: The Mekong at Walking Speed
The name “Four Thousand Islands” suggests a place that requires a spreadsheet. It does not. Si Phan Don is a broad stretch…
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Ten Days in Laos Without Racing the Map
The old version of this itinerary attempted Vientiane, Vang Vieng, Luang Prabang, Nong Khiaw, Muang Ngoi and the Plain of Jars in…
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Vang Vieng at River Speed
An inner tube is a poor vehicle for ambition. This is part of its appeal. The Nam Song River moves through Vang…