Sometimes we have to opt for budget travel. That's not to say it can't be fun, enjoyable, cultured or exotic. In fact, budgeting means you'll think more carefully about where you go and what you do once you're there. Although the price of accommodation is significant, think of the little costs too -- such as a bottle of wine, a pint of beer and a 10-minute taxi journey. These are the true costs that can make or break your budget trip -- and, incidentally, your bank.

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Up Next: Thailand

Location: Thailand
What to See: Travel first to Bangkok, a smoky metropolis with a jam-packed cultural scene and a buzzing nightlife. Make sure you check out a couple of Buddhist temples (less than 87 cents admission), followed by the Damnoen Saduak floating market (real silver jewelry sells for around $7 and T-shirts sell for $1.50). Then fly to the idyllic island of Phuket. A main course in a fairly nice restaurant costs as little as $15 per head.

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Up Next: Budapest

Location: Budapest
What to See: Budapest offers a great cultural scene -- most of it cheap or free, such as the Danube River, Buda Castle and Fishermen's Bastion. A two hour visit to the Szechenyi Turkish Baths is only $4. Stay at the Best Western Grand Hungaria for $87 a night, at the Buda Castle Apartment for $48 a night, or at the Marco Polo Youth Hostel for only $33 a night. Expect to pay around $13 for a meal out with drinks and $3.50 or so for a pint of beer.

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Up Next: Albania

Location: Albania
What to See: In the southern city of Gjirokaster you can stay under a 200-year-old carved-wood ceiling for just $40 in the Hotel Kalemi. Journey to the 2,500-year-old must-see city of Butrint, where you'll be able to tread cobbled streets and explore a Venetian fort-turned-museum by day, and party the night away with cheap beer by night. Enjoy a three-course meal in one of the finest restaurants in the capital, Tirana, for under $15.

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Up Next: Morocco

Location: Morocco
What to See: In Marrakech, visit the city's souks and treat yourself to high-quality leather goods, ceramics, rugs and paintings, with $60 being the biggest spend. Moroccan fare is more than affordable -- a traditional meal of beef bib with shallots and mashed potato costs under $20 at Grand Caf? de la Poste. Rent an entire guesthouse, such as Essaouira, for as little as $100 per night for two people.

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Up Next: Croatia

Location: Croatia
What to See: Visit the region of Istria first, as this is the most accommodating for tourists. Here, you can visit historic Roman towns such as Porec and Pula, as well as medieval castles and national parks. Hostels in most Croatian locations start around $10; if you can afford a little more than that, travel to the island of Brac where you can stay at the charming Villa Adriatica Hotel for around $65 a night. It's worth every cent for those who like their creature comforts.

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Up Next: Turkey

Location: Turkey
What to See: Head to Ephesus, one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Also check out the calcified waters of Pamukkale, the Lycian rock tombs, the Temple of Athena and Apollo close to Side, and the Archaeology Museum of Istanbul in the capital. You can get meals for $20 per head. Yesil Ev (a converted Ottoman mansion in the Sultanahmet part of town) is $100 a night and bed and breakfasts cost $15 a night.

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Up Next: Argentina

Location: Argentina
What to See: A trip to the capital Buenos Aires can be enjoyed by even the most frugal traveler. Argentinean steak dinners cost as little as $5 in the city center, while the best seats at the theater are a little over $15. Most nightclub entrance fees are only $2. Art Hotel in Recoleta (a 10-minute walk from where Evita is buried)is $65 a night.

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Up Next: Venezuela

Location: Venezuela
What to See: Head to Margarita Island off the north coast. Stay in a hostel for as little as $15 a night, enjoy a delicious fresh seafood meal for $8 or less, and wash it down with a $1.20 beer. Enjoy the palm-fringed sands of Playa de Agua, indulge in practically free watersports, or browse the markets and snap up some cheap souvenirs and bottles of rum.


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Up Next: Egypt

Location: Egypt
What to See: Go to Luxor -- known as the world's largest open-air museum. Stay in a hostel for $45 a night, or upgrade to a five-star hotel such as the Sonesta St. George for only $58 a night. Sail on the River Nile in a felucca for $5 an hour and visit as many free attractions as you can. Restaurants offer traditional Egyptian food mezzes for $2 and main courses for $3.50.

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Up Next: Dominican Republic

Location: Dominican Republic
What to See: Many of the hotels and resorts are all-inclusive. However, Natura Park Beach Eco Resort & Spa offers five-star quality for $40 a night. Mouthwatering Spanish-inspired dishes can cost between $2 and $10. In fact, meals in even the most expensive restaurant on the island cost little more than $50. Try the national dish of La Bandera -- a mixture of stewed meat, rice, red beans, fried plantains and salad.

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