“You don’ have to be rich to be my…” Ok, let’s alter the lyrics by Prince a bit: you don’ have to be rich to travel to an exotic island! Sounds fine? Some of the islands marketed as luxury destinations can turn out to be quite affordable. If you have ever dreamt of traveling to some of the beautiful places depicted on your desktop, here are top five affordable Island destinations:

The Caribbean

The Caribbean is made up of hundreds of islands. This extremely popular destination offers a range of cheap deals. Totally affordable and breathtaking is the Dominican Republic’s Punta Cana. Whether you’re longing for white sand beaches or would rather play golf this is a place to visit.

Experience local culture by trying out some of typical Dominican dishes such as la bandera, dance along with traditional music or treat yourself with a good cup of locally produced coffee. Abundant with history and traditions Punta Cana also offers outdoor activities such as lagoon explorations, zip lining, snorkeling and many more. The best thing is your accommodation doesn’t have to cost you more than about fifty bucks.

Greek islands

Warm, welcoming and romantic Mediterranean…maybe just its name can put a smile on your face. Can you imagine yourself eating moussaka, tzaziki, choriatiki, gyros, and then dancing sirtaki with bouzouki player in the background, while subtle breeze caresses olive trees around you?

The best thing is you don’t have to imagine. Paying $20 USD  for private accommodation can make the dream come true. Just any travel search engine can help you with this one. Santorini and Rhodes are known as bit expensive islands, but even there you can find quite cheap stays especially if you travel in September. Or why not pack your backpack and let Mediterranean breeze lead your way while island hopping.  

Fiji

Fiji as an affordable destination – definitely an eyebrow-lifting-information. From all-inclusive honeymoon packages to curious travelers picks, Fiji has it all. To make your stay as cheap as possible, live like locals do. Breakout from the boundaries of resorts and taste the local flavors at the markets.

It will definitely help you spare more than a buck. Take a break from diving, snorkeling, lazy sun tanning during the day, and visit Fiji museum for some cultural experience or join Kava ceremony. If you are in the mood for an adventure and ecotourism in the abundant forests of Fiji, take your dear travel backpack and take a leap.

Don’t travel to Fiji unprepared! Suva, Nadi or Viti Levu are islands of Fiji, connected by nice ferry boats and your lust for new experiences.

Bali

Bali is a pearl of Indonesia, a mystical fairytale of archipelago, where your wallet will definitely seem bigger. You would be amazed at how cheap it is! For starters avoid hotels, rent a private villa for $15 USD a day and eat local food.

Spoil yourself with a spa treatment, which you can get for less than $10 USD. Use Uber and cruise around Bali enjoying friendly people. One can never get bored on Bali!

Astounding temples, monkey forest, rice terraces, colorful local markets and safari tours are just an addition to beautiful turquoise water surrounding Bali. But beware! You might want to skip the rainy season, which lasts from January to March. No matter when you choose to come, Bali will welcome you without ripping you off.

Maldives

The Maldives, tropical beauty of the Indian Ocean, is made up of more than a thousand coral islands. Well known as a paradise for the rich, the Maldives is finally spotted on a travel-on-budget-radar.

Besides the luxury resorts, those islands are covered with hundreds of guesthouses ready to welcome not so wealthy tourists. These go from simple ones, B&B style, to three star accommodations.

Staying in any of them will cost you a tiny portion of what you would pay for a hotel. But don’t get scared once you hear the word ‘resort’, as some of them are small family run and not overpriced. If you decide to explore this heaven on earth, put on sarong and hurry up, because Maldives are threatened to get flooded by rising sea levels thanks to the climate change.  

Obviously, some earthly pleasures aren’t reserved for a few. So if you got inspired by these astounding islands choose your favorite one and go!

The post Top 5 Affordable Island Destinations appeared first on Incredible Planet.