Which Destinations Win Now That Asia Has Got Expensive?

For years, South-East Asia was a byword for budget exotica – a week in Bali or Thailand fit within a sum for which, in Western Europe, it was barely worth leaving the hotel. That has changed. Prices have gone up, and clever travellers are already looking elsewhere.

Asia has got expensive – what changed, and why it matters

Back in 2019, a week's stay in Bali in a decent guesthouse, with meals at local warungs and a few excursions, came in at around €555–670 per person – not counting the flight. Today the same trip realistically costs €1,000–1,220, and in popular spots like Seminyak or Ubud the line moves higher still. A similar story is playing out in Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia. This is not a subjective impression – it is a systemic shift that has redrawn the whole map of value-for-money destinations.

There are several causes, and they feed off one another. After the lockdowns of 2020–2021, demand for travel exploded, and the local infrastructure did not keep up – the effect was simple: prices rose and never returned to their previous levels. Add to that local inflation, which in Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam steadily pushed up the cost of services, food and rent over several years. The owners of popular guesthouses and restaurants realised that tourists would pay more – and started to enforce it. Throw in a stronger dollar, which translated into pricier flights from Europe, and you have the full set of factors.

For European travellers, the exchange rate complicates things further. With most spending settled in euros, the price rises in Asia bite harder than the headline local figures suggest. A night in Hoi An that in 2018 cost the equivalent of €18–22 in a pleasant hotel with a pool is today priced at €40–53. Koh Samui, for years a cheaper alternative to Phuket, is now barely different in price from Croatian Hvar in peak season. This is not rhetorical exaggeration – it is a concrete change felt at every payment.

The table below shows how approximate daily costs have changed in the three most popular Asian destinations – the figures cover accommodation in a mid-range hotel, food and local transport:

The table does not include the cost of the flight, which has also risen – direct or one-stop connections from Europe to Bali or Bangkok in season now cost €780–1,220 return, and in July and December can exceed €1,330. Just four years ago these thresholds were 30–40% lower.

None of this means Asia has stopped being worth visiting. It does mean it has stopped being a byword for a cheap exotic trip – and that a budget which once stretched to three weeks in South-East Asia now allows you to discover entirely different corners of the world. It is precisely in this price gap that alternatives have appeared which were until recently in the shadow of the more popular destinations. Georgia, Albania, Morocco, Uzbekistan – each of these countries offers something the traveller was looking for in Asia: exotica, landscape variety, local cuisine and low prices on the ground. Except the flight is shorter, no visas are needed (or they are easily available online), and the logistics are far simpler.

It is also worth noting a certain psychological mechanism that works against Asia. When a budget traveller arrives in a place that – according to their expectations – should be cheap, and it turns out to be more expensive than Barcelona or Lisbon, the sense of disappointment is doubled. They pay more than they assumed, and lose the conviction that they have found something special. In the alternative destinations this mechanism works in reverse: prices are lower than you expect, which makes the trip feel better straight away.

That is why this article is not an obituary for Asian tourism – it is a map of possibilities that became attractive at exactly the moment Asia stopped being the obvious choice. Each of the destinations described below has its own character, its own advantages and its own limitations. They share one thing: the ratio of what you get to what you pay is clearly better today than in Bangkok, Ubud or Hoi An. If you are travelling light to keep costs down, our guide on choosing hard or soft luggage is a good starting point.

Georgia – the Caucasus at the price of old South-East Asia

A decade ago, Georgia was a destination for the few – enthusiasts of post-Soviet architecture, wine lovers and those who had already ticked off the obvious destinations. Today it is one of the fastest-growing destinations in Eastern Europe and the Caucasus. The reason is simple: Georgia offers landscape variety, rich culture and a cuisine that comfortably rival South-East Asia – at far lower travel costs from Europe and without spending a full day in a plane.

Tbilisi, Kazbegi, Batumi – three Georgias in one trip

Georgia is a surprisingly varied country for its small size. Tbilisi is a capital with a character that is hard to classify – an old town with little balconies, sulphur baths and narrow streets sits next to the Fabrika district, where a former sewing factory now houses bars, concept stores and restaurants serving both khinkali and Georgian-Asian fusion. Tbilisi does not try to be a European city – and that is its greatest asset. It is authentic to a degree that, in Bangkok or Hoi An, has ceased to be possible.

Two hours' drive north and the landscape changes radically. Kazbegi – or rather Stepantsminda, to give its official name – is the starting point for one of the most spectacular views in the Caucasus: the Gergeti Trinity Church against the backdrop of snow-capped Kazbek makes an impression whatever the season. The road to Kazbegi runs over the Cross Pass, where in summer, in good weather, you can stop at almost every bend and photograph mountains that look AI-generated – but are absolutely real. Trekking around Kazbegi is accessible even to people without much mountain experience, the trails are marked, and lodging in local guesthouses costs €18–33 a night.

A completely different chapter is Batumi on the Black Sea – a city of an almost schizophrenic character, where socialist-realist tenements sit next to futuristic skyscrapers, and casinos operate right beside traditional teahouses. Batumi is not a classic resort in the Western sense – the beaches are pebbly, the city can be loud, and in summer it fills with tourists from Central Asia and Russia. But it is precisely this mix that makes it interesting. The Adjara region around Batumi also offers green hills, tea and tangerine plantations and smaller towns – Kobuleti or Ureki – quieter and cheaper alternatives to central Batumi.

How much does a week in Georgia cost? The real numbers

Georgia is cheap in a way that can surprise even experienced travellers. In Tbilisi, for a good dinner with wine at a restaurant that is not strictly a tourist trap you will pay €9–16 per person. Khinkali – Georgian dumplings with meat or cheese, one of the absolute icons of the cuisine – cost €0.70–1.10 each at local eateries, and a portion is usually 8–10 dumplings. Khachapuri, the flatbread with cheese in various regional variants, costs €3–7 depending on the place. Local Georgian wine in a shop starts from €4.50 a bottle and at that price can be genuinely good – the country has a winemaking tradition several thousand years old, and even the cheapest bottles made by the qvevri method (fermentation in clay amphorae) can surprise you with their quality.

Lodging in Tbilisi in a decent hotel or apartment costs €33–62 a night for a double room, though with a little searching you can find good guesthouses below €33. In Kazbegi and smaller towns the prices are lower still. Internal transport is cheap and relatively efficient – marshrutkas (minibuses running set routes) link the main cities for a euro or two, and taxis via the Bolt app in Tbilisi cost a pittance compared with Western prices.

A week's trip to Georgia – Tbilisi, a jaunt to Kazbegi, a day or two in Kakheti (the wine region) – will realistically come in within a budget of €620–845 per person, including the flight. For comparison: a similar scenario in Bali or Thailand today is a minimum of €1,110–1,445. Georgia thus offers a very similar sense of exotica, authenticity and culinary adventure – at half the price. It is also worth remembering that Georgia is outside the Schengen area, but EU citizens need no visa – entry on a passport or ID card, stay of up to a year with no additional formalities.

In Georgia it is worth visiting regions that differ in character and what they offer:

• Kakheti – eastern Georgia, the land of wine and monasteries; Sighnaghi, called the «city of love», and the Ananuri fortress are must-sees for lovers of calm landscapes and local cuisine.
• Upper Svaneti – one of the more isolated regions of the Caucasus, with its characteristic stone towers; the route to Mestia is an attraction in itself, though the road can be demanding.
• Kazbegi and the Georgian Military Road – the most accessible mountain region, ideal for a short trip from Tbilisi; trekking in summer, skiing at nearby Gudauri in winter.
• Tbilisi and surroundings – the Uplistsikhe cave town, the David Gareja monastery on the border with Azerbaijan, the old town with its sulphur baths and the Mtatsminda district.

One practical detail often omitted from accounts of Georgia: in summer Tbilisi can be very hot – the temperature regularly exceeds 35°C, and the city is not built with heat in mind. July and August are the months when many residents flee to the sea or the mountains. The optimal time to visit is May–June and September–October – then the temperature is pleasant, the vineyards in Kakheti look spectacular, and the crowds are far smaller than in the middle of the holiday season.

Peli cabin cases for short-haul escapes

Peli Air 1535 – Carry-On Case

Peli Air 1535 TRVL – Black Carry-On

Peli Air 1535 TRVL – Blue Cabin Case

Peli Air 1535 TRVL – Burgundy Travel Case

Albania – a Mediterranean climate without Mediterranean prices

For many years Albania was a blank spot on Europe's tourist map – the isolation of the Hoxha era, a difficult history and a lack of infrastructure effectively scared off travellers, who chose safer options on the other side of the Adriatic. Today it is one of the fastest-developing destinations in the entire Mediterranean region, and the pace of change is so fast that guidebooks from three years ago are already out of date. Albania offers what is increasingly hard to find in Croatia or Greece – a Mediterranean climate, crystal-clear sea and authentic local cuisine at prices reminiscent of Europe a decade ago. If you are torn over where to go, it is worth reading why some travellers swap Egypt for this cheaper, safer country.

The Albanian Riviera – Croatia a decade ago

The comparison to Croatia ten years ago is neither accidental nor exaggerated. The Albanian Riviera, stretching from Llogara to Saranda along the Ionian Sea, has everything that draws people to Croatia – rocky coves, clear sea in shades of turquoise and cobalt, intimate towns with stone houses – but without Croatian prices and Croatian crowds. The beaches at Himara, Drymades or Gjipe look like a travel brochure, and reaching some of them requires a short trek through pine forest or a descent down a rocky path – which naturally limits the number of visitors to those who really want to get there.

Saranda is the largest town in the south of the Riviera and effectively the base for most tourists. The town is loud and expanding at a pace that does not always serve it architecturally, but it has one invaluable asset – ferries run from the harbour to the Greek island of Corfu (crossing time about 30 minutes, a return ticket around €25–35), which makes it possible to combine Albania with a Greek island in a single trip. It is also worth stopping at Butrint – the ruins of an ancient city on the UNESCO list, lying just 18 km from Saranda; entry costs around €10.

Prices on the Albanian Riviera are lower than in Croatia or Greece, but rise dynamically each season – the sooner someone decides on this destination, the more they save. Lodging in an apartment or small hotel in Himara costs €33–55 a night in season, while a comparable standard on the Croatian islands of Hvar or Brač is €78–135. Dinner at a local taverna with grilled fish and salad will come in at €13–20 for two – and that is with wine or beer.

Inland Albania – Berat and Gjirokastra

Albania is not only beaches, and it is precisely this part of the country that is most often skipped by tourists who come only for the sea. Berat, called the «town of a thousand windows» for its characteristic Ottoman houses with large white windows climbing the hillside, is one of the better-preserved historic towns in the Balkans. UNESCO-listed together with Gjirokastra, it is especially impressive in the evening, when the castle towering over the town is floodlit and you can see the panorama of the Osum river valley from it. Entry to the castle is free, and inside there is a small museum of iconography – the collection of icons gathered by the local artist Onufri is surprisingly interesting even for those who are not especially fond of sacred art.

Gjirokastra, a town in the south of the country, right by the Greek border, has an even more austere, military character – a mighty Ottoman castle towers over the town of grey stone, and slate-cobbled streets descend steeply downhill. It is the birthplace of Enver Hoxha, which is in itself a historical paradox – the man who isolated the country from the world for decades was born in a town that today lives off tourism. Lodging in Gjirokastra is usually €22–36 a night, food is cheap even by Albanian standards, and tourist traffic is far lower than on the coast.

The table below shows approximate comparative costs for three Mediterranean destinations – the figures relate to mid-season (July–August) and cover accommodation in a mid-range hotel or apartment, food and local beer or wine:

Flights to Albania are operated mainly by Wizz Air and Ryanair – both carriers fly to Tirana (Mother Teresa Airport) from a number of major European airports. Tickets bought in advance cost €67–135 return, and the flight time is about 2 hours. This is one of the arguments that speaks especially strongly for Albania: a short flight, no visa, the euro widely accepted as currency (though the official one is the lek), and prices reminiscent of Asia a few years ago. If you are flying a budget carrier with strict limits, our overview of Ryanair cabin baggage dimensions and tips is worth a read before you pack.

One thing worth knowing before you go: Albania's road infrastructure is uneven. The main routes are decent or even good, but roads inland – especially towards mountain villages or remote beaches – can be narrow, winding and poorly signed. Renting a car gives the most freedom, but the driver must be prepared for different driving standards than at home. The alternatives are furgon minibuses running between towns, and locally organised day trips – cheaper and less stressful for those who prefer not to drive in unfamiliar terrain.

Morocco – exotica without the long flight or the Asian prices

Morocco is one of those destinations that is hard to classify neatly. Geographically it is Africa, culturally it is a blend of Arab, Berber and French tradition, climatically it is Mediterranean in the north and Sahara in the south. For a European traveller looking for exotica without having to spend many hours in a plane and without Asian budgets, Morocco is an answer that comes up more and more often – and not by chance. The flight from central Europe takes about 4–5 hours, no visa is required for EU citizens, and on the ground a world awaits that, in cultural and visual otherness, comfortably rivals South-East Asia.

What draws people to Morocco is hard to describe without slipping into cliché – but let us try to be concrete. The medinas of Moroccan cities are labyrinths of streets where GPS navigation regularly fails, because the algorithms cannot keep up with the chaos of districts that have grown organically over hundreds of years. The Jemaa el-Fnaa market in Marrakech at dusk – with snake charmers, storytellers, stalls of harira and smoke from grills – is a sight no internet account can replace. Fez has a UNESCO-listed medina that is effectively a medieval city still fully functioning: craftsmen, tanneries, bakers, spice sellers – all of it happening at once and with no staging for tourists.

Costs in Morocco vary depending on the city and the style of travel. Lodging in a traditional riad – a house with an inner courtyard, characteristic of Moroccan architecture – costs €44–89 a night for a double room in Marrakech, but in Fez or Meknes a comparable standard is 30–40% cheaper. Food at street stalls and local restaurants is cheap even by Moroccan standards – a bowl of harira (a thick lentil soup) costs a euro or two, a chicken-and-olive tagine is €7–12 at a restaurant aimed at local customers. Internal transport between cities is handled by the comfortable and cheap CTM buses and the fast trains linking Casablanca, Rabat, Fez and Marrakech.

It is best to visit Morocco outside the peak summer heat. March–May and October–November are the optimal time – temperatures are pleasant (20–28°C in the north), crowds are smaller than in summer, and accommodation prices can be 20–30% lower than in July and August. In summer, inland, in Marrakech or Fez, the temperature regularly exceeds 38–42°C, which makes sightseeing in the middle of the day a genuine physical challenge.

Four different cities work as bases in Morocco, depending on what you are looking for:

• Marrakech – the best-known city, an ideal centre for those who want medinas, riads, trips into the Atlas and a day trip to the Sahara; it has the best-developed tourist infrastructure and the widest choice of flight connections from Europe.
• Fez – for those interested in history and authentic Moroccan urban culture; the medina in Fez is less touristy than in Marrakech, and craft and daily life are more accessible without the feeling of being in an open-air museum.
• Agadir – an Atlantic resort with a wide sandy beach; more Western in character, less culturally intense, a good choice for those who want to combine the beach with elements of Moroccan culture without diving into the chaos of a large medina.
• Essaouira – an Atlantic town with white walls and blue shutters, known for strong winds (a paradise for windsurfers and kitesurfers), calmer and more artistic than Marrakech; a great option for a few days' rest after intensive sightseeing.

Ryanair and Wizz Air fly to Morocco from several European airports. The most frequently served destinations are Marrakech and Agadir, less often Fez and Casablanca. Tickets bought a few months in advance cost €78–155 return, but in peak season can jump to €220–310. The currency is the Moroccan dirham – card payments are accepted more and more widely, but cash is still essential in the medinas, at markets and in smaller establishments.

It is worth being honest about one aspect of Morocco that can be a source of frustration: pushy sellers and self-appointed guides in the medinas are a real part of the experience, especially in Marrakech. The strategy is simple – a firm «la shukran» (no, thank you) in Arabic and calmly walking on is usually enough. The problem disappears almost entirely away from the main tourist spots, and in Fez and Essaouira it is far less intense than in Marrakech. Morocco is a safe country for tourists, but a certain dose of vigilance in crowded medinas – especially regarding pickpockets – is advisable, as in any popular tourist destination in the world.

Morocco works best for those ready to let themselves be carried by the chaos, to haggle without guilt and to get into the rhythm of places governed by different rules than Europe. For those looking for the predictability and comfort of all-inclusive, Agadir is a better choice than Fez. But for someone who valued, above all, otherness, intensity of stimuli and the sense of being truly far from home in Asia – Morocco will give all of that within a four-hour flight of central Europe.

Bags for medinas, markets and the desert

Peli Aegis PX18 – Protective Backpack

Peli Aegis PX25 – 25 L Protective Backpack

Peli Aegis HY22 – Rolling Travel Duffel

Peli ATX HC22 – Beige Cabin Case

Portugal – the Europe that still (a little) surprises on price

Portugal is no longer a cheap country in the absolute sense of the word – in recent years Lisbon has joined the European capitals with the fastest-rising property prices and cost of living, and Porto is increasingly losing its reputation as the budget alternative to Barcelona. Even so, Portugal still offers value for money that is hard to find in France, Italy or Spain – especially if you know where to look and when to go. It is a destination for the traveller who does not give up European comfort but wants to pay less for it than in Paris or Rome.

Lisbon and Porto – where to find bargains in expensive cities

Lisbon today is a city with two distinct faces. The first is the tourist one, concentrated in the Alfama, Baixa and Bairro Alto districts – here restaurant prices are close to those of a major capital, queues for viewpoints can be long even out of season, and a hostel in the centre at a reasonable price requires booking months ahead. The second face is Lisbon off the beaten track: the Mouraria, Intendente and Penha de França districts, where eateries serve lunch for €10–14 with wine, a coffee at a market cafe costs a fraction more than at home, and tourists are a minority among the guests. This Lisbon still exists and is still cheaper than you might think after reading the headlines about the rising cost of living in Portugal.

A practical rule: the further from Praça do Comércio and the Belém Tower, the cheaper. This applies to both food and accommodation. Apartments in the Arroios or Areeiro districts are 30 to 50% cheaper than a comparable standard in the centre, and tram 28 and the metro get you to the main attractions in a dozen minutes. Lodging in Lisbon outside the strict centre is realistically €44–71 a night for a double room in a decent apartment or boutique hotel – in peak season (July–August) prices rise by 40–70%, so those who can go in May or October.

Porto is a little kinder to the wallet in this respect, though the distance between the centre and «local» prices has also shrunk. The Bonfim and Campanhã districts are areas where the authentic culture of Porto – tascas with francesinha, azulejo shops, wine bars without tourist mark-ups – is still accessible without the feeling of paying for atmosphere. Wine-tasting prices in Vila Nova de Gaia across the Douro start from €15–25 per person and usually include several wines of different vintages – a reasonable outlay for an experience in one of the most important wine regions in Europe.

Alentejo and the Algarve – Portugal without the crowds

The Alentejo is a region Portugal has to itself – there are far fewer tourists here than on the coast or in Lisbon, the landscape is austere and calm, and time clearly flows more slowly. Vast plains with cork-oak groves, vineyards producing some of the most interesting red wines in Europe, and white towns with hilltop castles – Évora, Monsaraz, Marvão – this is the Portugal that does not try to please tourists. Évora has a well-preserved Roman forum and a church decorated with human bones (the Capela dos Ossos), which is both macabre and fascinating – entry costs €4. Lodging in the Alentejo is 30–50% cheaper than in Lisbon, and the pace of life makes a few days spent here act as a reset for anyone tired of the tourist intensity of big cities.

The Algarve, in turn, is a region associated mainly with the crowded beaches of Albufeira and Portimão in July and August – and that reputation is deserved. But the Algarve out of season is a completely different place. In October and November the water temperature is still 19–21°C, the air is pleasant (22–26°C), the beaches are almost empty, and accommodation prices drop by 40–60% from the peak. The western tip of the Algarve, the Sagres and Cabo de São Vicente area – the most south-westerly point of continental Europe – is quieter than the central part of the coast even in summer. Cliffs, wild beaches and a permanent Atlantic wind give the place a character entirely different from a typical Mediterranean resort.

Flights from central Europe to Portugal are frequent and relatively cheap – Ryanair and LOT serve routes to Lisbon and Porto from major European airports. Tickets booked with enough notice cost €67–145 return, and the flight time is about 3.5 hours. This is one of the arguments that makes Portugal win in a direct comparison with Italy or France – a similar flight distance, but clearly lower prices on the ground and smaller crowds away from the main attractions. If you are still deciding between southern European classics, our comparison of Italy or Spain for a first trip abroad is a useful companion read.

Where does Portugal really beat Italy and France clearly? Above all in the category of food for reasonable money. Italian culinary tourism can be beautiful, but a restaurant with a view of the Colosseum or the Grand Canal means a bill that can surprise even an experienced traveller. In Portugal, away from the strict centre, the tourist can still count on the dish of the day (prato do dia) – soup, a main of fish or meat and a dessert for €9–13 – at places that are not a cafe for tour groups but an ordinary restaurant for local residents. Add to that a pastel de nata for €1.20–1.50 at every bakery, a coffee for €0.80–1.20 and a bottle of good regional wine in a shop for €6–12. These are standards that in France or Italy would have been possible maybe twenty years ago.

Light cabin cases for European city breaks

Peli ATX HC22 – Black Cabin Case

Peli ATX HC22 – Carry-On Travel Case

Peli ATX HC22 – Blue Cabin Case

Peli ATX HC25 – Medium Black Case

Uzbekistan – the Silk Road within budget reach

For years Uzbekistan existed in most travellers' minds mainly as an abstraction – a country somewhere in Central Asia, associated with the Soviet Union, desert and difficult logistics. In reality it is one of the most underrated destinations on the entire travel map: a country with three cities on the UNESCO list, with architecture that makes an impression comparable to Angkor or Petra, and with costs on the ground reminiscent of South-East Asia before the era of expensive flights and overtourism. Uzbekistan is the Silk Road within reach of the traveller looking for something genuinely different – and who is not afraid of a few hours in a plane with a connection.

Samarkand, Bukhara, Khiva – what to see and how much time to plan

The three cities of Uzbekistan form a route that is at once a history lesson and one of the most visually spectacular experiences available anywhere in the world. Samarkand is a city whose fame precedes the reality – and that reality lives up to the fame. The Registan, a square surrounded by three madrasas covered in turquoise mosaics, is one of the few places at which even an experienced traveller stops and falls silent. Entry to the Registan costs around 100,000 som (about €8), and the evening light shows an extra few euros. The Shah-i-Zinda necropolis, the Ulugh Beg observatory, the Gur-e-Amir mausoleum – each of these attractions would on its own justify a visit to the city.

It is worth setting aside at least two full days for Samarkand, though three allow for calmer sightseeing and visits to places off the main route. Accommodation prices are surprisingly low: a decent boutique hotel or guesthouse near the centre is €33–55 a night for a double room, and food at local chaikhanas (traditional teahouses with food) is cheap even by Uzbek standards – plov, the Uzbek pilaf that is the national dish, costs €3–6 a portion at a local place.

Bukhara is a city that has kept more authenticity than Samarkand – the old town is less polished for tourists, more organic and therefore more fascinating. The Kalyan minaret, which according to legend was the only structure spared by Genghis Khan during the raid on the city, towers over a labyrinth of streets, caravanserais and mosques. In the evenings, by the Lyab-i-Hauz pool – a historic pond surrounded by mulberry trees and cafes – both tourists and locals gather, creating an atmosphere that cannot be planned or staged. Plan at least two days for Bukhara, though you can easily spend three.

Khiva is the smallest and most «museum-like» of the three cities – the inner city of Itchan Kala is practically an open-air museum, where every street and every mosque look as if lifted straight from a tale of Scheherazade. Khiva is less crowded than Samarkand and less sprawling than Bukhara, which makes it an ideal place to end the route – calmer, more contemplative. One full day in Khiva is enough to see the main attractions, but a night in the old town is an experience in itself – the guesthouses inside the walls of Itchan Kala are intimate, beautifully kept and cost €27–44 a night.

How to get to Uzbekistan and how much it costs

The logistics of travelling to Uzbekistan are simpler than most travellers assume – though they require one connection. Turkish Airlines via Istanbul is the most popular and usually most convenient option: the flight from central Europe to Istanbul takes about 3.5 hours, and from there to Tashkent (the capital of Uzbekistan) another 4.5 hours. The total journey with a connection is usually 10–14 hours depending on the layover. Ticket prices range from €400–710 return – the earlier you book, the better your chances of the lower end of that bracket. Flynas and FlyDubai offer alternative connections via Dubai and Riyadh, which can be cheaper, but the journey time is then longer.

Within Uzbekistan, transport is efficient and cheap. The Afrosiyob high-speed train links Tashkent with Samarkand in 2 hours 10 minutes, with a second-class ticket costing the equivalent of around €6–8. The Sharq train runs between Samarkand and Bukhara (about 2 hours). The only stretch requiring planning is the route from Bukhara to Khiva – the train is slow (7–8 hours), or you can take a domestic flight (45 minutes, from the equivalent of €11–18) or a bus that runs about 6 hours across the Kyzylkum desert. Each of these options has its own charm.

Visa formalities are wonderfully simple. Since recent reforms, citizens of all EU member states can enter Uzbekistan visa-free for stays of up to 30 days – all you need is a passport with sufficient validity, with no application and no fee. The e-visa requirement now applies only to nationalities not on the visa-free list; for them, the process is straightforward, and it is worth following it precisely:

• Go to e-visa.gov.uz – the official visa portal of the Uzbek government; avoid intermediaries and paid services that charge a commission to fill in the same form.
• Complete the online form – passport details, purpose of travel, planned entry and exit dates, the address of a hotel or guesthouse in Uzbekistan (required when applying).
• Upload a passport photo and a scan of the passport data page in JPG or PDF format.
• Pay for the visa by card – the cost is around 20 USD, paid online through the form on the government site.
• Wait for the decision – usually 2–3 working days; the e-visa is granted for stays of up to 30 days and allows single entry.

The optimal time to visit Uzbekistan is April–May or September–October. In summer the temperature in Bukhara and Khiva regularly exceeds 40°C, which makes midday sightseeing physically exhausting. In spring and autumn the air is dry and pleasant (22–30°C), the bazaars are full of seasonal fruit and vegetables, and the light is ideal for photographing the gold-and-turquoise mosaics. Winter is cold and quiet – Uzbekistan in winter is a destination for very few, but frost and snow against the Samarkand architecture create views you will not see in summer.

Tough check-in cases for the long haul

Peli ATX HC30 – Black Check-In Case

Peli ATX HC30 – Blue Check-In Case

Peli Air 1615 – Checked Baggage Case

Peli Air 1606 – 50 L Checked Suitcase

Ethiopia – for those seeking real exotica

Ethiopia is a destination that requires an honest caveat right away: this is not a trip for everyone. The tourist infrastructure is unevenly developed, the roads away from main routes can be tough, and the comfort that in South-East Asia has become almost standard even in the budget segment must here be worked out for yourself. But it is precisely for this reason that Ethiopia attracts travellers who find Thailand and Bali too tame – it is one of the few countries where the sense of being truly far from familiar patterns is authentic, not staged for tourism. A country with its own calendar, its own alphabet, its own variant of Christianity and a cuisine with no equivalent anywhere else in the world.

Ethiopia is a country of ancient civilisations in the literal sense – not the metaphorical one. Lalibela, the town of churches carved into rock from the 12th and 13th centuries, is one of the most extraordinary places on the entire African continent. Eleven monolithic churches hewn directly out of the red volcanic tuff, connected by tunnels and trenches, function to this day as active places of worship – monks and the faithful hold services here just as they did eight hundred years ago. Entry to the complex costs 50 USD (about €46) and is valid for several days, allowing for calm sightseeing at different times of day – it is worth seeing the churches both at noon, when the turquoise and gold liturgical robes shine in the sun, and at dawn, when the misty mountains give the place an almost mystical character.

The Simien Mountains in the north of the country offer trekking on a level that comfortably rivals the Himalayas in terms of scenery – and costs a fraction of what Nepal does. Simien National Park is on the UNESCO list, and the geladas living here (also called lion baboons for the characteristic red patch on their chest) are an endemic species found only in Ethiopia. A week's trek in the Simien Mountains with a guide, a mandatory park ranger and tent accommodation costs roughly €178–310 per person – a price for which, in Nepal, you would not get a week's trek in the Annapurna region even in the cheapest variant.

Addis Ababa, the capital, is a city that does not pretend to be something it is not. It is a real African metropolis of six million people, with chaotic traffic, the Merkato market (one of the largest bazaars in Africa) and a surprisingly good dining scene. Ethiopian coffee – the country is the homeland of arabica – is served here as part of a brewing ceremony that lasts about an hour and engages all the senses. The price of a coffee at a local cafe is the equivalent of €0.50–1.10, and the experience of the coffee ceremony in a private home or small cafe is one that no starred hotel can replace. Add to that injera – a spongy, slightly sour flatbread made of teff, on which various stews, lentil pastes and vegetables are served. Food in Ethiopia is cheap, healthy and authentic to a degree hard to find in countries with more developed tourism.

The table below sets out the main attractions of Ethiopia with an approximate cost of visiting and a short description:

Flights from central Europe to Ethiopia are available with Ethiopian Airlines – the airline has its hub in Addis Ababa and a network of connections, though the most convenient option is usually a flight via Dubai (Emirates) or Doha (Qatar Airways). The total journey time is 10–14 hours with one connection, and ticket prices range from €490 to €845 return – clearly more than a flight to Georgia or Albania, but comparable with tickets to South-East Asia. The Ethiopian visa is available online via the evisa.gov.et portal, costs around 82 USD and is granted for stays of up to 30 days.

An honest assessment requires flagging a few regions that, at the current stage, are best avoided. The Tigray region in the north, although it includes Aksum and part of the historic attractions, is still recovering from the armed conflict of 2020–2022 – the security situation has improved, but before travelling you should absolutely check current government advisories. The Omo Valley in the south requires an organised tour with an experienced guide and is logistically demanding. The central regions and the area around Addis Ababa, Bahir Dar, Lalibela and the Simien Mountains are safe and well prepared to receive foreign tourists. Ethiopia rewards travellers with an open mind and a flexible approach to plans – and is absolutely incomparable with any other destination described in this article.

Kyrgyzstan – mountains instead of beaches, silence instead of crowds

Kyrgyzstan is a destination that is only just appearing in the European traveller's awareness – and doing so slowly, because the country does not invest in tourist marketing on the scale of Dubai or Thailand, and information is still scarce. This, however, works in its favour: Kyrgyzstan remains one of the few countries in the world where you can hit absolutely wild, mountainous terrain with no crowds, no queues for attractions and no sense of being part of mass tourism. For someone who looked for silence in Nepal and found a queue for Everest base camp, Kyrgyzstan is the answer to the question of what trekking should look like.

What specifically to see and do in Kyrgyzstan

The heart of the Kyrgyz experience is the Tien Shan mountains – one of the largest mountain systems in Central Asia, with dozens of peaks exceeding 5,000 m and passes through which the Silk Road routes have run for millennia. Trekking in the Kyrgyz mountains is available at various difficulty levels: from day trips from the base by Lake Ala-Kul, through multi-day routes over passes, to multi-week expeditions requiring experience and full mountaineering equipment. The Ala Archa valley, just 40 kilometres from Bishkek, offers glaciers and mountain trails accessible even to travellers without specialist preparation – and makes an impression hard to describe to someone who has so far seen only modest local hills.

Lake Issyk-Kul is the second pillar of Kyrgyz tourism and one of the largest high-mountain lakes in the world – it lies at over 1,600 m, is more than 180 km long and never freezes in winter, even though the surrounding peaks are snow-covered for most of the year. The southern shore is calmer and less developed for tourism than the northern one, where holiday resorts built back in Soviet times are concentrated. The water in the lake is clean, clear and surprisingly warm in summer – the surface temperature in July and August is 20–24°C – which makes swimming amid snow-capped peaks an experience hard to compare with any seaside resort.

A separate chapter is nomadic culture, which in Kyrgyzstan is not a folkloric spectacle for tourists but a living tradition. Yurts – round felt tents that are the traditional home of Kyrgyz nomads – still stand on the summer pastures, and their owners welcome travellers with a hospitality that, in more touristy countries, would be unthinkable. A night at a yurt camp (a so-called yurt stay) is one of the most authentic experiences available in all of Central Asia – a night with breakfast and dinner usually costs €18–33 per person, and the food served by the host – fermented mare's milk, lagman, manty – is part of the experience, not just a necessity.

It is also worth mentioning Karakol, a town on the eastern end of Issyk-Kul that is the base for some of the most beautiful mountain valleys in the country: the Karakol Valley, the Altyn Arashan Valley with its hot springs and glacier, and treks to the foot of Pik Palatka. Karakol also has a charming wooden mosque built by Chinese craftsmen without the use of nails, and an Orthodox church from the turn of the 20th century – both buildings stand a few hundred metres apart and symbolise the region's multicultural history.

Logistics: how to get there, how much to spend, where to sleep

Getting to Kyrgyzstan from central Europe requires one connection – the most convenient option is a flight via Istanbul with Turkish Airlines to Bishkek, the capital. The journey with a connection is usually 9–12 hours in total, depending on the length of the Istanbul layover. Tickets cost €445–710 return – the earlier you book, the better, because the flight is popular with travellers from Western Europe and Japan, who discovered Kyrgyzstan earlier than most. An alternative is a flight via Dubai with FlyDubai or Emirates, which can be comparable in price, though the journey time is then a little longer.

EU citizens enter Kyrgyzstan visa-free for stays of up to 60 days – one of the most liberal visa policies in all of Central Asia and an argument that significantly simplifies trip planning. On the ground the currency is the Kyrgyz som, and cash is essential outside Bishkek – there are ATMs in smaller towns and around Issyk-Kul, but their availability and reliability can be limited. It is worth withdrawing a larger sum in Bishkek before heading into the interior.

The cost of living in Kyrgyzstan is low even compared with the other cheap destinations described in this article. Lunch at a local stolovaya (a kind of Soviet-style canteen) costs €2–4, a taxi across central Bishkek is €1–2, and a night in a decent guesthouse in the city is €18–36 for a double room. A week's trip taking in Bishkek, Issyk-Kul and Karakol with a few nights in yurts will realistically come in within a budget of €555–780 per person including the flight – which, given the scale of experiences on offer, is value hard to beat by any other exotic destination.

One element of the logistics that requires separate preparation: transport between attractions in Kyrgyzstan is less standardised than in Georgia or Uzbekistan. Marshrutkas run between the main cities, but timetables can be fluid, and reaching more remote valleys requires hiring a car with a driver or arranging transport through a guesthouse. This is not an insurmountable obstacle – Kyrgyz guesthouses are usually excellently versed in logistics and help arrange transport, treks and yurt stays – but a traveller set on door-to-door public connections may feel less comfortable than in a country with better-developed tourist infrastructure. Kyrgyzstan rewards flexibility and planning ahead – and punishes the expectation that everything will fall into place on its own.

How to choose your destination – a practical decision guide

The six destinations described in this article are six completely different answers to the same question: where to go, now that South-East Asia has stopped being what it was. Each has its own logic, its own advantages and its own limitations – and none is universally the best. The choice depends on a few parameters worth thinking through before you open the flight-booking page: how much time you have for the trip, what budget is comfortable for you, whether you are looking for cultural exotica, mountain trekking, beach or city, and finally – how much logistical uncertainty you are ready to accept.

Georgia and Albania are the closest in every respect – geographically, logistically and culturally. The flights take two to three hours, no visas are needed, and the tourist infrastructure is developed enough that you do not have to plan every step a week ahead. These are destinations for someone who wants to go away for a week or ten days, does not want to overpay and is not ready for many-hour flights or «anything can happen» exotica. Portugal lies at a similar flight distance, but offers European comfort at slightly lower costs than Western Europe – a choice for those who value, in their exotica, above all good food, architecture and climate, and care less about cultural otherness.

Morocco, Uzbekistan, Ethiopia and Kyrgyzstan are another league when it comes to the intensity of the experience. Morocco is the most accessible of the four – a short flight, easy logistics, well-developed hotel infrastructure – but culturally it gives a sense of distance from Europe disproportionately greater than the map would suggest. Uzbekistan requires a connection and a little more planning, but in return offers world-class architecture and costs on the ground reminiscent of South-East Asia a decade ago. Kyrgyzstan is the choice for lovers of mountains and authenticity, ready to accept a certain level of logistical unpredictability. Ethiopia is the hardest of all the destinations described – but also the most unique, and the one that gives a sense of discovery increasingly hard to achieve in touristically tamed places. Before you book, our breakdown of cabin luggage dimensions, weight and five traps can help you pack light for any of them.

The table is a simplification – travel reality is always more complex than any scheme. The daily budget depends on the style of travel: in Uzbekistan you can spend €27 a day staying in basic guesthouses, but you can also approach €90 choosing boutique hotels in Samarkand. In Georgia a trekker sleeping in yurts and eating khinkali at the market will spend far less than someone choosing restaurants in central Tbilisi with a view of Narikala. The numbers in the table are a starting point for planning, not a ready-made budget.

A few practical tips about the booking process itself. First – flights to all the destinations listed are worth booking at least three months in advance, and to Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Ethiopia even four to six. Ticket prices on these routes are more volatile than on popular European destinations, and the pools of cheap seats run out faster than you might think. Second – flexibility on dates can lower the flight cost by 30–50%: flying on a Wednesday instead of a Friday, leaving a week earlier or a week later. Search engines such as Google Flights with the price-calendar view are an invaluable tool here. Third – accommodation in smaller towns and outside peak season is worth booking through local platforms or directly with the guesthouse: Booking.com and Airbnb work in most of the countries listed, but local sites and direct contact can be cheaper and offer better cancellation terms.

Built for rough roads and long treks

Peli Aegis HY32 – Large Rolling Bag

Peli Air 1646 – Large Wheeled Case

Peli ATX HC25 – Medium Grey Case

Peli ATX HC25 – Blue Check-In Case

The rise in prices in South-East Asia was a disappointment for many travellers. But every disappointment has another side – and this time that other side is a map of possibilities that has widened over the last few years more than in the whole previous decade. Georgia, Albania, Morocco, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Ethiopia – these are not compromises or inferior substitutes for Asia. They are destinations with their own identity, their own cuisine, their own history and their own argument for buying a ticket and seeing them with your own eyes. Asia has not vanished from the map – but it has stopped being the only answer to the question of where to look for a real journey.