Among the travelers, some of the funniest (and sometimes scariest stories) have to do with the place you slept last night. It is also, one of the main expenses for the traveler’s pocket.
When you start exploring the world, finding the best room deals becomes almost like a natural instinct. I have spent nights sleeping in hammocks on remote islands, on wooden floors in Buddhist monasteries or dormitories shared with 15 other travelers in order to save some money. But I also stayed in upscale accommodations a few meters from exotic beaches, deluxe cabanas in the middle of the jungle or in skyscrapers in modern mega-cities (and many times for free).
Regardless of travel taste, nobody wants to pay a fortune for a room, Good news is you don’t have to go hardcore in order to save few bucks. Trying wide range of lodging, I got equipped with valuable guidelines on how to get the best out of my temporary new home. Follow my advice and avoid the mistakes that I (painfully) made in the beginning and you will be able to spend less on accommodation, and more on fun.
Getting free accommodation
Volunteering
Volunteering is probably my favorite way of traveling, because you can completely immerse in the local culture. You are not just a tourist sightseeing, but a valuable member of the local community. You also get the chance to acquire hands-on experience on a wide range of activities and understand more about your life interests. Accommodation and food is, in most cases, completely covered, making it an excellent way to save some money in every part of the world.
First question that usually arises is what kind of help can I offer? In the last few years I had the privilege to volunteer in various countries helping in diverse projects. In Thailand I got involved with https://openmindprojects.org/ an NGO that changed the lives of thousands of underprivileged students giving them access to technology and English courses.
Another completely different one took place in the exotic island of Bocas del Toro in Panama and Nomad tree Lodge. I would help with the lodge’s website development and get a comfortable room in the jungle surrounded by monkeys and exotic birds! You get the idea, the possibilities are numerous depending on your skillset.
Now the question is how to find these opportunities? I came across some different apps and websites but I ended up trusting and using the most workaway.info. There is both a website and an app that you can download and create a profile with your information, pictures, background and abilities. You have to pay a membership, which comes at the cost of about 50$ per year. After that, you can insert the region you wish to visit, and various hosts will appear with information about each exchange.
You can contact the hosts, discuss your stay and converse about what is being offered and what is expected as a return. The hosts are rated from previous workawayers, so you minimize the risk of a bad experience. It is a wonderful way to get introduced to the world of traveling, and meet like-minded people.
Camping
Probably the best way to embrace nature! Getting a tent means “investing” some money and adding some weight in your backpack. However, you can later save a lot from your budget (especially in high-cost countries), and create more options for your day to day accommodation. It can be just a break from the comfort of your bed!
The idea of staying in a tent off the beaten track is not for everyone, especially if you have no experience on wild camping. However, there are several campgrounds around the world where they offer organized camping, with comfortable amenities and security in a fraction of a hotel’s room cost. In many of those, you don’t even need your own tent, since you can get one on the spot.
In the last few years, there has been a rising trend within travelers swapping tents to a hammock under the stars. National parks around the world allow for hammock camping, turning accommodation to an experience (or maybe back pain).
Whether it’s a hammock or a tent, to avoid danger especially in an unknown environment means careful planning and cautious organizing. Also make sure to check the law about free camping in the country you want to visit!
Catch overnight bus, train or boat
This is a well known trick within travelers. Travel distances, especially in ginormous countries like Colombia or Thailand, can get pretty long. If you want to explore more parts of a nation, you will most likely need to spend a good part of your time in transportation. Airplane is of course the fastest way to get around, but also ,most of the time, the most expensive. If budget is your goal, then bus rides of 8-10 hours will be common for your trip. Why not take advantage of it, and avoid paying for a room?
I won’t lie, there have been times that the bumpy roads, the screaming vendors or an annoying movie on the tv-screen kept me awake all night. However, hotels and hostels are aware of this situation and most of the time offer an early check in and a nap for you.
In some countries like Vietnam (which is a very long country) you get the option of sleeping buses with personal or double beds that make it easier for you to relax during the trip. Another example is the 14-hours overnight boat from Coron to Manila in the Philippines where, as you can see in the video, the whole boat was actually a huge dormitory.
House sitting – Pet sitting – Couchsurfing
There are so many apps nowadays that people offer accommodation in return for some kind of service. Some of the most famous and used ones are:
In these apps, hosts offer free accomodation in their house, in exchange for you taking care of their pets or their residence while they are away. You and the hosts get rated, so there is increased trust between the two parts.
However, one of the most well known apps and strong communities is that of couchsurfing. Hosts, which are usually also travelers, join the network and offer a room, or even a couch, in their house. The whole philosophy behind this is helping fellow travelers share an authentic experience. You can get taken to parties, sights and restaurants that you won’t find in any guide.
Many people could get scared with the idea of spending the night sharing the same roof with a stranger, or cannot even understand why someone would want to share his house at no cost. The traveler’s community though is generous not because they want something in return, but because they understand the importance of sharing their countrie’s beauty with people from other cultures.
However, being careful is absolutely important, and you should always pay attention to the host’s profile, reviews and information.
Getting cheap accommodation
Stay in hostels
Hostels are probably the biggest misconception among people who haven’t really traveled before. I have some of my favorite travel memories in dozens of hostels around the world, and most of the time I book a hostel over a hotel room even if I can afford it.
Imagine landing solo in a foreign country, really far away from home. Would you really want to spend your time isolated in a hotel room?
Hostels are oriented to travelers who want to meet like-minded people and find a home away from home. The amenities in some of those are incredible! Swimming pools, big TV rooms where you can watch movies, free tours for all the guests, great parties, offices to work online and so much more!
In hostels you have to share the room with other people and the bigger the room capacity usually means cheaper prices. You can find dorms shared with as little as four people. The dorms can be mixed between males and females, but almost always there is the option for only female dorms.
One of the biggest misconceptions is that hostels are dirty places that only gross people would stay in. I have met hostel people of all ages and diverse backgrounds that earned my respect and I consider them valuable friends for the rest of my life.
Hostels let you quickly understand that the people out there are just like you and me, with the same concerns, same worries and hopes about life.
Like everywhere, bad experiences can arise. Meeting people you don’t match, getting disappointed by the quality of the amenities or staying awake by the guy snoring on the bed above you. They are all part of the game! But that’s what makes you stronger and more experienced about people and about yourself. And you can always move to another place the next day!
The apps I use for booking hostels, vary depending on which part of the world I am in. The main ones are
- Hostelworld (mainly in Europe)
- Booking.com (mainly is South America)
- Agoda (mainly in Asia)
They all offer a grand variety of hostel options even in places you wouldn’t imagine. Read the reviews and ratings, and it will be quickly clear which ones are the good ones. In regions like South East Asia and South America the average cost would be quite less than 10$ per night. I have stayed in comfortable hostels that I spent for the night less than what I would spend for a cup of coffee.
Longer stays with AIRBNB
Airbnb is a great option when traveling in larger groups, or planning to stay for longer periods. It is a platform where hosts can rent their house daily or monthly. It is a well established choice, with many options around the world. The houses have ratings and comments from previous guests and their price varies dramatically depending on the house/apartment.
As an example, you could rent an apartment for two people in Rio de Janeiro for about 30-40$ per night. However, Airbnb offers the option to select monthly stays and get a serious discount in your total payment. In the same example, a month could cost 400-500$ bringing the cost at only 15$ per night.
Rooms are in most cases comfortable, clean and easy to book and that’s why the app is used so widely today.
Find accommodation on the spot
This is probably the best advice I can give you. There are many accommodations available, which are not listed in any online platform. It could be because they are managed by local people who are not computer-friendly or because they don’t really need online advertisements.
The platforms I referred to before, are imposing fees to the hosts when the booking is coming through their page. As a result, when you go directly to the hostel you can sometimes get a cheaper price than the one online.
For me the best practice when visiting a new area is booking a place in advance just for a couple of nights, and when I am actually there I spend some time looking for a better option on the spot.
Conclusion
After a few years on the road and trying a wide range of accommodation options I strongly believe that enjoyment while traveling doesn’t come from high-end lodging. From the most humble to the most elite residence is you that are going to stay in it.
If you have a complaining and unsatisfied attitude even in the most luxurious residence, you would soon feel miserable and trapped! If you are positive, eager to overcome the difficulties on your way and more adaptive, you will find yourself in a magical journey.
Choose your place always thinking about safety, enjoyment and your ideal balance between comfort and budget.