Airfare aside what are some places that are not tourist traps (cancun comes to mind as a tourist trap), cheap, and have something special (culturally, natural, etc.). Pretty much open to any place in the world that a major us airline flys to.

Thank you

Malaysia. Beautiful, varied, very cheap for what you get...there are of course tourists, but there's nothing irritating about it, it's not Phuket or The Louvre :)

Airfare aside what are some places that are not tourist traps (cancun comes to mind as a tourist trap), cheap, and have something special (culturally, natural, etc.). Pretty much open to any place in the world that a major us airline flys to.

Thank you

Do you prefer cold or warm weather, sea, mountains, etc. :)

kinda open for anything thats what is making this so hard. I guess I was looking for some cheap hidden gems, that many don't know about or think about. I suppose some of the people that would come would prefer warm, but since I will be paying for it... :D

What about Turkey? It's not too cold there (well if you're not in the mountains anyway), and it's definitely not peak tourist season so you won't have the summer crowds. And DL flies from JFK, so it meets the requirement of being able to get there on a US carrier.

Nicaragua (Granada, San Juan del Sur) and Guatemala. Uruguay. Michoacan state, Mexico. Most places in Central America are probably less touristy. I wouldn't take a vacation there but Bogota is actually a very nice city.

I would second Malaysia. I've had great trips camping in the Australian Outback, but it is good to have a guide. Goa, Gerala (not sure how to spell) in India. I love Peru. Macchu Pichu is touristy but spectacular. But there are lots of great places there (from memory, Arequipa, Ica, Amazon).

We had a wonderful trip in Japan. There will be tourists but they'll largely be Japanese.

I third Malaysia. You could even spend a day in Singapore (might be easier & cheaper to fly to SIN, especially if you're coming from the States).

have you checked out places in the US? how about National Parks, or a city that has your favorite sports team. Im not really sure what you want to do but some unusual choices.

Mt Rushmore (Crazy Horse, Devils Towers, Deadwood), Yellowstone, Everglades, Yosemite, Glacier National Park, Death Valley.

I visited Mt Rushmore and Yellowstone during the winter months, cheap airfare, hotels and a rental car for 9.99 a day.

Just an idea.

Japan is amazing but it is not cheap. It's probably more expensive than major cities in western Europe.

Loreto Mexico is beautiful and cheap (across the peninsula from SJD), still fairly untouristed although now it's starting to be promoted a little more, but the beaches are fairly deserted and there's lots of wildlife and pretty desert-y settings.

I'm interested to hear why Malaysia is so great--any cities/locations in Malaysia in particular?

i ust came back from Tokyo. Tokyo is cheap because I only require a basic hotel and have friends there, but Tokyo can be cheap even if you don't know anyone there(obviously not cheaper than a central america, mexico vaca). I have been feeling the Mexico, Central American, South American thing. No offense, but I don' think Americans are very safe in Columbia so that is gone. I was thining a nice calm time in ZIH. Anyone ever been there or know of a another hidden gem in Mexico. I will look into the Panama thing. Turkey is a no go this time around because one of the people I am taking is young and hasn't traveled much (2nd time out of the country) so I think it may be a little much for them. Great suggestions guys keep them coming. Also if you have a fav spot there do share.

just to update everyone, but I chose Yelapa, Mexico. If you have never heard of it like me, a quick search on google will explain why I picked it. No roads go to it, no cars, no high rises and no telephones. Great, anyway wish me luck! :D

After looking at this website (http://modena.intergate.ca/personal/davidj/) about Yelapa MX, seems like you made a good choice ^

This is easy.. How about Grand Rapids, Michigan? ;)

This is easy.. How about Grand Rapids, Michigan? ;)

me and Michigan are not on good terms. I went there in June packing polo shirts and jeans. I was at the Ford Motors proving grounds for 3 days in Romeo. She served me blustry winds, rain, and very cold temps ( one day I swear there were flurries). Keep in mind I am from Florida. the only escape were the buildings were they had used oil heaters, etc. I ended up having to buy a jacket, hat, and a couple of extra t shirts. Also got delayed at the airport because of a spark plug :confused:. After I told the lady to throw it away because I had forgotten it was there she would not let me go till she showed her supervisor the plug. Sorry for the rant :td:

Anyway back to Yelapa..lol, I think I will be staying at the Yelapaoasis.com. They have differant types and I am staying in the $75 one I think. It basically a Pelapa with an upstairs loft. Looks fun

>and Guatemala

I would second this - Very cheap. Tikal is amazing and Antigua is very pretty... And that's just two.

Cheers,
Geoff Glave
Vancouver, Canada

Since Malaysia came up quite often and I will be in SIN and BKK over xmas it sounds like I should spend some time there. A friend suggested taking a bus to Malacca then on to KL (have been to both already) and then a bus/boat tour through the jungle of Taman Negara before heading to Thailand. Looking for other recommended places in Malaysia to visit. Am up for either nature/culture or beach/diving/snorkeling since I suppose KL is the only city worth visiting and I will be in SIN before that. I suppose Thailand is more touristic, but hoping there are still some not too touristy places to visit. Also any experiences traveling by train/bus in this part of the world? I know there are plenty of LCCs but have 10 days or so to kill before heading to BKK.

Good news first, I recieved a promotion today :D. Bad news is my vaca as I was knew it is gone because I will be in training for approx 3 months from Monday :( Looks like I will be taking many small trips to make up..lol. I appreciate all the suggestions guys. Hopefully someone can pull out a few good ideas from this post.

Thank you again

Japan is amazing but it is not cheap. It's probably more expensive than major cities in western Europe.

Agh! No it isn't, not if you approach the country as a local of moderate means rather than as a tourist demanding convenience.

There aren't many cities in Western Europe that will provide you with a private room for $25 a night as Tokyo does. You can easily find meals for $3 and there are veritable banquets for $13 (Kissho Yokohama does a lovely lunchtime kaiseki menu at this price).

If you go to the country it gets a lot cheaper, and Japan has some wonderful Youth Hostels and International programmes to encourage those who'd like to discover the country on a budget.

The student tickets for rail travel mean you can travel for as far as you want over a 24 hour period for less than $20 a day - but this won't cover bullet train travel.

Please don't continue to bleat out the myth that Japan is incredibly expensive. It can be. But it doesn't have to be. Unfortunately, I also believed Japan was too expensive and didn't go for years as a result of accepting this kind of comment. Sure there are cheaper places to go, but there are few places where a lone female traveller would feel more secure.

I'd recommend Argentina.

I also believed Japan was too expensive and didn't go for years as a result of accepting this kind of comment.I took two family members there (one lives in Toronto and the other in Los Angeles) and both were 100 percent convinced that the trip was going to be one of the most expensive journeys ever. Needless to say, they were pleasantly surprised at how Japan can be explored well on par with Western Europe. Having lived there for about year, they still did not believe me until they saw it with their own eyes. I tirelessly promote vacationing in Japan to my so inclined co-workers whenever the opportunity arises. Hopefully, messages like these also encourage people to at least consider it. It’s not Thailand cheap, of course, but it’s a lot cheaper than the myth of it.

Agree that Japan is a wonderful place to visit and does not have to be nearly as expensive as it is made out to be. This reputation makes it less touristic (if you don't count the Japanese tourists...) but it's not cheap compared to the rest of Asia. A splurge here and there (such as a taxi ride or a night at a nice ryokan) can quickly add up. Have to love shopping for souvenirs at the 100yen shops though :)