The pound may struggle against the euro and the dollar, but it offers great value when converted into many other currencies.
Here are five vacation destinations where the pound will buy you more.
Sri Lanka
£1 = 450 Sri Lankan rupees
Beer: Average £0.90
Coffee: Average £1.10
Starter-dish-dessert meal: Average £4.50
While the standalone costs of a trip to Sri Lanka – flights and hotels – are no cheaper than before, those on the ground are decidedly so. This is because the country’s rupee has halved in value following its recent economic turmoil.
With the protests over and the streets safer, the smart tactic is to find value-for-money digs and then capitalize on that accessibility by dining out and hiring driver-guides from £30 per day to visit great historical sites (see Blue Lanka Tours).
Where to stay: To Refuge, a 14-room boutique with swimming pool, cocktail bar and yoga classes, in Arugam Bay. From £61.
Turkey
£1 = 23.30 Turkish liras
Beer: Average £1.60
Coffee: Average £1.30
Starter-dish-dessert meal: Average £7.50
Fifteen months ago, a pound was worth 12.50 lire to you; at the beginning of 2023, this figure almost doubled due to the Turkish debt crisis. Despite rising Turkish inflation rates, this still represents the best Ottoman holiday prices in decades, especially if you head to the beaches of the Turquoise Coast – named for its blue waters – and seaside resorts such as Fethiye , Marmaris or Bodrum.
Where to stay: Chez Fethiye You Blue Sensatori, seven nights in June costs from £899 pp, all inclusive.
Hungary
£1 = 440 Hungarian Forints
Beer: Average £1.30
Coffee: Average £1.40
Starter-dish-dessert meal: Average £16.
While Hungary’s crippled economy has sadly forced some restaurants and hotels to close in stylish Budapest, visitors can get more for their money. This includes the city’s thermal baths, as well as the sandy shores of Lake Balaton further west. Hotels are the exception, but you’ll avoid that by staying at an Airbnb.
Where to stay: A stylish two-bedroom loft in Budapest’s central Belvaros district, Karoly Korut 9 costs from £52, the Airbnb.
Albania
£1 = 132 Albanian lek
Beer: Average £1.10
Coffee: Average £1.10
Starter-dish-dessert meal: Average £12
With Croatia joining the Eurozone this year, other Balkan destinations are attracting bargain hunters. Albania, where hilltop medieval castles and glorious ruins give way to long sandy beaches, is trending. Consider these prices at the end of April: return flights London-Tirana from £110 including luggage (EasyJet), and beachside stays cost just £57 per night. Bright.
Where to stay: Durres Cosmo Hotelwhose garden restaurant serves fresh seafood.
Argentina
£1 = 229 Argentinian pesos
Beer: Average £1.50
Coffee: Average £1.40
Starter-dish-dessert meal: average £11
Ten of your hard-earned pounds were worth 230 Argentine pesos in 2017; Fast forward to today and it’s now 2,285. Although inflation has also skyrocketed, hotel prices remain in US dollars and flights are expensive, it still means you can taste world class wines and steaks for very little.
Where to stay: Hotel Costa Rica has 20 high-ceilinged rooms and a leafy terrace in the trendy neighborhood of Palermo in Buenos Aires. From £63.
FOLLOWING : The best travel deals, from cheap luxury spa to skiing with Olympians
FOLLOWING : How to pack light for your next vacation – from travel pillows to packing cubes
Comments are closed.