Anyone wanting to try their hand at world travel is eager to know how to travel the world for free. And believe it or not, that is possible. But if you don’t have the resources for expensive travel or free travel (which requires that you be either an extraordinarily resourceful person or a very patient English as second language teacher), perhaps you would be happy to settle for travelling the worrld for cheap. And that is easy.
- Airfare- Plane tickets are expensive. In fact, they are the most expensive aspect of modern travel. There are a few ways to deal with this. Standby tickets are one way to bypass high airfares, but the waiting can be grueling and is not always worth it. If you are a student or still in your early 20’s, some airlines offer special student rates which are a little bit better than full rates. It is also a good idea to plan to use ground transport whenever possible and use air travel only between continents.
- Lodging- Some people swear by couch surfing websites and so on for travelling, not me. Seems too risky. However, guest houses, hostels, and campsites are great alternatives to proper hotels. If you don’t mind a hard mattress or a few cockroaches this can save you a fortune.
- Food- If you are wondering how to travel the world for free, this is a big one. Don’t be afraid of the local cuisine; in fact, it’s part of the reason you’re there in the first place. Get comfortable with the point and grunt system of ordering and watch the savings pile up.
That covers the basics of how to travel the world for cheap if not how to travel the world for free. The only other thing to do is research and talk to other travelers on the road, particularly those who have been living in the region for a while, expats and the like, and any locals you are able to communicate with (carry a small sketchpad if you can’t communicate; it’s amazing what can be expressed with drawings). Make sure you have plenty of blank pages in your passport and good luck!