Wanderlust for the Penny Pinchers:

The breeze outside is starting to frost over and you know what that means, the long depressing Canberra winter is fast approaching and it’s going stay well past its welcome.

But as the trees shed their leaves and start to die, so too ends the exhausting weeks of semester 1. Which can only mean one thing… Holidays!

With nearly three months off until semester two (don’t worry I’m sure your course wasn’t offered over the winter either) here is the guide to help you pull those pennies together and jet off to recharge your batteries somewhere warmer.

International:

Believe it or not but it’s actually quite realistic for students to travel internationally. While we won’t be staying in lavish hotels and eating out for every single meal. We can reap the benefits of travel and immerse ourselves in a foreign culture without completely breaking the bank.

Now Bali is a common place for youth to travel and you’ve probably heard all about it before but perhaps what may not be as well known are a few countries a bit further north. South East Asia is great for travellers doing things on the cheap; it’s close geographically, the exchange rate is amazing and there always seems to be some great flights deals going!

Vietnam:

Recently Jetstar has announced it will commence direct flights to Vietnam and as a celebration of this, they are offering super cheap return flights out of capital cities such as Sydney straight to Ho Chi Minh city.

Right now you can secure yourself a return trip flight from Sydney to Ho Chi Minh for less than $400. However, to be honest, the real selling point of Vietnam it’s unbelievably cheap cost of living once you arrive. A beer will cost you around $1 AUD, a bowl of Poh around $0.30, scooter hire is about $5 a day and with some accommodation options starting from $7AUD a night, you’d really be losing money if you didn’t come to Vietnam.

Philippines:

Another Asian destination to consider is the Philippines islands. Less popular than its neighbours, Indonesia and Thailand. This holiday destination is a secret little gem. The Philippines is made up of over 7,000 Islands and is one of the most amazing destinations you can visit. The stunning natural landscape of this country is honestly breathtaking, full of secret waterfalls hidden away among kilometres and kilometres of the jungle. Coastlines littered with palm trees and electric blue water. Similar to Vietnam the exchange rate for the Australian dollar to the Philippine Peso is quite generous. Whilst it is more expensive than Vietnam it is definitely an affordable destination for students. Especially if you can avoid the big capital cities and stay a bit more regional (but hey, better beaches that way right).

Domestic:

However cheap though, going overseas is a big commitment and exchange rates can be confusing. We live in such a big and beautiful country that most of us are yet to explore. So why not stay put and explore some beautiful destinations within Australia.

Yes, of course, it’s the Sunshine state. Skyscanner and I want that flight to offer great travel deals for travel within Australia. Currently, over the months of the winter break, students can fly to multiple destinations within Queensland for less than a yellow pineapple! Flights to the Gold Coast from $41, Sunshine Coast $89 and even the Whitsundays $130.

Whitsundays:

Airlie beach in North Queensland is the mainland town for the Whitsunday islands. It is crawling with backpackers and beach goers; which makes it the perfect place for someone like you. If you’ve got a few months to spare between May to August why not head up north for a working holiday. Hostels in Airlie and many resorts on the islands are always in need of young staff to help run their bars, restaurants and hotels. Your employer will often arrange your accommodation and even pay you a bit extra. So you don’t even necessarily need much savings behind you. It’s a great way to meet people from all over the world and learn new things about yourself all in the warmth of a tropical island.

Some quick tips and tricks for the financially challenged:

Cook!

Just because you’re out travelling and exploring and away from home; it doesn’t mean you need to dine out every single meal. Nearly every hostel you will stay at will have a fully functioning kitchen. Take it in turns with your travel buddies buying the supplies and cook for each other. Not only is it a great way to help you stretch out that budget it is also a great way to socialise. I guarantee you’ll meet some other crazy foreign backpacker who will probably end up joining your group for beers later in the night.

Hostels:

Outside of Australia especially hostels are incredibly cheap. Most South Eastern  Asian countries have hostels and homestays that cost less than $10 AUD a night. Hostels are great ways to meet other like-minded young people, they are never as dirty as people think and a lot of the time (like fancy hotels) they even come with free breakfast and wifi. Hostelworld has an extensive list of hostels throughout the world where you can compare prices, location, cleanliness and read thousands of reviews.

Camp:

This is an especially useful tip if you’re travelling up north. The tropics of the Northern Territory and Northern Queensland offer a pleasantly warm climate during the winter time (especially if you’re a native Canberran). The winter time is also the dry season in this region so it becomes the perfect time of year to camp because it’s dry, not too hot and not too cold. So why not pack a tent with you on your travels or road trip.

Fly out of Sydney:

Always keep an eye out for cheap domestic flights travelling out of Sydney. There is almost always some cheap budget flights going and it is a tonne cheaper than even considering to fly out of Canberra. For example, right now you can fly to Brisbane out of Sydney for as cheap as $57. But a similar flight out of Canberra it would cost you anywhere from $140 – $200. Murrays and Greyhound buses have services that depart from Canberra to drop you off right at the doors of Sydney airport. So even when the cost of the bus ticket is considered, this is a way cheaper travel option.

Keep an open mind:

If you are the type of person that can be spontaneous and carefree then cheap travel is perfect for you. Keep an open mind about where it is you can go, try to be flexible with the exact dates you travel and let your trip be decided by relevant deals. It’s  a more fun and more adventurous experience. The less you plan and worry about something quite often the more fun and rewarding it becomes.