Just because your money’s tight doesn’t mean you can’t afford a beach vacation to the far-flung hideaway of your dreams. Make an exotic escape a reality with these seven super-affordable resorts in Africa, Asia, and the Pacific.
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Fiji: Mango Bay Resort
It isn't necessary to shell out hundreds of dollars a night for an upscale South Pacific getaway. Mango Bay Resort in Fiji has a fresh take on resorts: It's the island nation's first "flashpacker," an upmarket backbackers' resort located on an enclosed sandy bay on Fiji's main island. You can choose from accommodations ranging from dorm beds (starting at $21 per night) and private safari-style walk-in tents ($109 per night) to a beachfront bure (a Fijian-style bungalow; from $156 per night) and make use of the resort's pool, restaurant, bar, nightclub, and outdoor cinema. In addition, there are plenty of free activities offered, including snorkeling, kayaking, cooking classes, introductory diving classes, and more.
(Photo: Mango Bay Resort)
Fiji: Mango Bay Resort
It isn't necessary to shell out hundreds of dollars a night for an upscale South Pacific getaway. Mango Bay Resort in Fiji has a fresh take on resorts: It's the island nation's first "flashpacker," an upmarket backbackers' resort located on an enclosed sandy bay on Fiji's main island. You can choose from accommodations ranging from dorm beds (starting at $21 per night) and private safari-style walk-in tents ($109 per night) to a beachfront bure (a Fijian-style bungalow; from $156 per night) and make use of the resort's pool, restaurant, bar, nightclub, and outdoor cinema. In addition, there are plenty of free activities offered, including snorkeling, kayaking, cooking classes, introductory diving classes, and more.
(Photo: Mango Bay Resort)
Zanzibar: Imani Beach Villa
Tanzania's "Spice Island," Zanzibar attracts a diverse array of travelers, some coming specifically to check out the island's unique Afro-Arab culture and history, while others go simply to unwind on a beautiful beach after finishing up a safari or other active pursuit on mainland East Africa. The intimate Imani Beach Villa, an English-owned boutique hotel sits away from other properties on its own private beach but is well situated for trips into Stone Town, Zanzibar's main city, and excursions to some of the small private islands in the Zanzibar archipelago. The hotel features seven rooms, most including four-poster canopy beds, and a restaurant and bar that serves fresh local seafood dishes like barracuda carpaccio and kingfish ravioli. Bed and breakfast room rates start at a mere $40 per person per night.
(Photo: Imani Beach Villa)
Koh Mook, Thailand: Sivalai Beach Resort
For a more affordable, off-the-beaten-path Thai beach destination, skip overdone Phuket and the Phi Phi islands, and head to Koh Mook. This tiny island in the Andaman Sea is only accessible by boat and, as a result, is one of Thailand's best-kept secrets. The Koh Mook Sivalai Beach Resort has the best location on the island, set on a spit of sand on the tip of the island, with ocean views on both sides. Come here to relax on the resort's long stretches of white-sand beach and to go snorkeling in the Emerald Cave, an underwater limestone cave filled with fish. The resort has 31 villas, with bed and breakfast prices starting around $114 per night based on double occupancy.
(Photo: iStockPhoto/laughingmango)
Kangaroo Island, Australia: Kangaroo Island Seafront Resort
Cut off from the rest of the continent by the sea, Australia's Kangaroo Island has managed to maintain healthy populations of some of the country's most iconic wildlife thanks to a lack of invasive species. It's a place where thousands of seals bask on the beach, kangaroos bounce through the dunes, and koalas hang out in eucalyptus trees unmolested. To experience the wildlife, base yourself at the Kangaroo Island Seafront Resort, a 25-room property that's so close to the wildlife, penguins often waddle around the resort. Nightly rates start at about $138 per night for four-star villas and about $101 for three-star rooms.
(Photo: Tourism Australia)
Vava'u, Tonga: Paradise International Hotel
One of the most gorgeous parts of the gorgeous Polynesian kingdom of Tonga, Vava'u attract yachters, wildlife watchers, and beach lovers looking to stay far far away from the stresses of urban life. Sailors appreciate Vava'u's stunning harbor and protected waterways while wildlife watchers coming during the summer get up close to humpback whales that spend the season near Tonga before migrating back to Antarctica. As for beaches, there are countless postcard-perfect strands and uninhabited sand islands to explore. The 48-room Paradise International Hotel overlooks the harbor and the staff can arrange for whale watching, snorkeling, picnics on deserted islands, game fishing, and more. Prices start at $69 per night.
(Photo: Martin Tizek/iStockPhoto)
Lovina, Bali: Zen Resort Bali
Far quieter than some of Bali's other beach destinations, Lovina, on the island's north shore, offers black-volcanic-sand beaches, hot springs, dolphin watching, and spa resorts where you can get away from the crowds. A luxury wellness hotel perched on a hill above the sea, the Zen Resort Bali is the area's top-rated property, but has rates starting at just $128 per night, with breakfast included. Stay in one of 15 oceanview villas and participate in yoga, meditation, and pranayama breathing classes, ayurveda spa treatments, and excursions like dolphin sails, rice-field treks, and Balinese cultural performances.
(Photo: Zen Resort Bali)
Agadir, Morocco: Timoulay Hotel
Famous for its protected golden-sand bay, Agadir is Morocco's top beach destination. Relaxing on Agadir's five-and-a-half-mile long crescent-shaped beach is the most popular activity in town, but you can also tour the ruins of a 16th-century casbah (fortress), which has great views out to the Atlantic Ocean. The number-one rated Agadir hotel on TripAdvisor (our sister site), Timoulay Hotel is elegant, modern, and affordable. Sale rates start around $104 per night.
(Photo: Rafal Belzowski/iStockPhoto)
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