Graduation trip... where to go? what to do?

Question

I would like to go on fun grad trip! To some place beautiful! It needs to be under $2,000 all inclusive (meals, transportation, and activities)

Also, I wold like to do something similar this upcoming summer just for fun ( I like to travel). Is there anything like this but not for graduates?

PLaces I'm looking into are New Zealand, Australia, Cancun, Bahamas, etc.

Answer 1

What are you looking to do? Laze on beaches? Trek mountains? Taste wine? Have adventures? If you're departing from the States and need to stretch out a weak U.S. dollar, I'm not sure whether these are the destinations.

Australia is a wondrous country, but it's HUGE. It takes a lot of time & money to get from Sydney to Queensland...or Sydney to Melbourne...or Sydney to Ayers Rock. To get your bearings and to meet people, try the Oz Experience (ozexperience.com). It's a hop-on, hop-off bus system for all of Australia. (They also have a sister outfit in New Zealand called Kiwi Experience.

Another must is to drive the Great Ocean Road from Sydney through Melbourne through Barossa Valley (wine) through Adelaide. That was a lot of fun, and the Twelve Apostles are awe-inspiring. But with today's dollar value, the food and lodging can get expensive. Oh...and I LOVED Tasmania too. I had never seen anything like it.

Cancun, in my opinion, is a waste. Unless you're a family or a couple that wants to keep to themselves, don't bother with the resorts. I wound up staying in a little boutique hotel on Isla de Mujeres off the coast of Cancun, and that was much nicer...but still VERY touristy and crowded. The only thing I enjoyed about the Cancun/Isla de Mujeres trip was the scuba diving. There were schools of HUGE baracuda, giant purple pufferfish and lots of turtles.

If you are still open for other budget-friendly options, here are my recommendations:

Buenos Aires, Argentina: There's food, wine, fashion, beautiful people, tango and culture. The flight will be expensive, but once you're there...it's CHEAP!!! Plus, the entire country is teeming with young Europeans and Americans so it's easy to find a travel buddy on the go. (Unfortunately, when it's summer in the northern hemisphere, it's winter in Argentina, and Patagonia - south of El Calafate - will most likely be closed.)

Bangkok, Thailand: Another destination where the flight is expensive, but food and accommodation are cheap. If you want to river raft, jungle trek, purchase handmade crafts and pass by isolated villages, go to the north. If you want to experience powdery, soft beaches and scuba dive at world class sites, you have your pick of beaches from the Andaman and Gulf coasts and a gazillion islands. And don't forget Bangkok with its crazy clash of open-air markets, glittering temples, suicidal taxi drivers, flashy restaurants, and fabulous shopping.

Belize: Since its currency is fixed at 50 cents (U.S.), Belize stays affordable. (However, please note it is considered super expensive when compared to its poor relations - Honduras and Guatemala.) Belize may not have super, soft beaches, but it has access to the largest reef system in the Northern Hemisphere (second to the Great Barrier Reef). If you're looking for scuba diving, sailing, sport fishing and water sports, head to the Cayes. If you're looking for some serious jungle treks and safaris, go inland. What I really love about Belize is that Starbucks has yet to make an appearance there. (Goooo Belize!)

Peru: The capital, Lima, is a hole...but the country and people are so beautiful. There is much more to Peru than just Macchu Picchu, and it's cheap! (If you do go, I highly recommend you splurge and ride in a two-bit airplane to see the Nazca lines. It's amazing to see how an ancient civilization could come up with such advanced and baffling forms of engineering.)

And of course, don't forget Canada. Just because it's next door doesn't mean it can't be fun. If you love the outdoors, e.g., camping, trekking, fishing, watching wildlife, then this is the place for you.

Good luck with whatever you decide on!

Answer 2

where are you leaving from? you won't find an all inclusive trip from the US to New Zealand or Australia. the flight alone costs b/w 1600 - 2000 dollars.

I would suggest, since you liek traveling (if you are from the US) that you go to europe becuase you can hit multiple countries at once, its absotley gorgeous, very easy to get around from country to country, and since you have free time its def optimal. you can go to the carribean whenever -- you don't need more than a week on an island. you can spend weeks and weeks seeing europe (my favorite countries: Switzerland, France, Italy, Czech Republic)