Where can I still get good value for the US dollar?

[buff Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close buff]

angela, There are some fine resorts in the Dominican Republic. I would reccomend the Punta Cana side Nice beaches, beautiful units. Inclusive is very cheap as most require it. Google Samana a remote beach area .

If you are interested I will check my records and provide you with a short list.

There are some properties where the A1 is not mandatory

[ArtsieAng Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close ArtsieAng]

Regarding Brazil, Argentina, Rio. I just remembered....

Seasons in Brazil are the reverse of North hemisphere states:

Spring: 22nd September - 21st December
Summer: 22nd December - 21st March
Autumn: 22nd March - 21st June
Winter: 22nd June - 21st September

[ArtsieAng Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close ArtsieAng]

angela, There are some fine resorts in the Dominican Republic. I would reccomend the Punta Cana side Nice beaches, beautiful units. Inclusive is very cheap as most require it. Google Samana a remote beach area .

If you are interested I will check my records and provide you with a short list.

There are some properties where the A1 is not mandatory

buff,

I know nothing about the DR, so I have never considered it. Yes, I would be interested in finding out any, and all nice locations where we're not getting creamed by the money conversion. Thanks!!!

[bigfrank Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close bigfrank]

angela, There are some fine resorts in the Dominican Republic. I would reccomend the Punta Cana side Nice beaches, beautiful units. Inclusive is very cheap as most require it. Google Samana a remote beach area .

If you are interested I will check my records and provide you with a short list.

There are some properties where the A1 is not mandatory

I will be at the Sol Melia Paridious in Punta Cana in under 2 months. In the DR you want an AI because you will not want to venture out.

In Cancun we just returned from the Sol Gran Melia which is an optional AI and worth trying for 3 days. Loved this trip more than any other I have been to.

[ArtsieAng Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close ArtsieAng]

I will be at the Sol Melia Paridious in Punta Cana in under 2 months. In the DR you want an AI because you will not want to venture out.
In Cancun we just returned from the Sol Gran Melia which is an optional AI and worth trying for 3 days. Loved this trip more than any other I have been to.

Why wouldn't you want to venture out? This may not be a good location for us, then. I can't stay at any resort for a week, and not "venture out." I like to be on the move, and can only take the beach for so long, each day. I have even less tolerance for a pool.

[bigfrank Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close bigfrank]

Why wouldn't you want to venture out? This may not be a good location for us, then. I can't stay at any resort for a week, and not "venture out." I like to be on the move, and can only take the beach for so long, each day. I have even less tolerance for a pool.

much poverity, a lot of begging and robbery

[CarlK Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close CarlK]

Croatia, Greece, DR, etc., are interesting, but you still have the expense to get there. So, come up to Canada where money is about par. If you want to feel like you are in Europe, check out Quebec City. If you want a laid-back experience with red sand beaches and lobster dinners at the local church hall, check out Prince Edward Island (although an island, you can drive from the mainland on a causeway).
Carl

[ArtsieAng Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close ArtsieAng]

Croatia, Greece, DR, etc., are interesting, but you still have the expense to get there. So, come up to Canada where money is about par. If you want to feel like you are in Europe, check out Quebec City. If you want a laid-back experience with red sand beaches and lobster dinners at the local church hall, check out Prince Edward Island (although an island, you can drive from the mainland on a causeway).
Carl

Thanks Carl!

Yes, Canada is a possibility, for sure. Red sand beaches? Where exactly is Prince Edward island? Is is close to Quebec City, Montreal, Toronto?

[ArtsieAng Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close ArtsieAng]

I was just surfing the net trying to find locations with good dollar value, and I found this article on "Dollar Power". Hey, there's still Switzerland, in Europe. Tourist Places in Switzerland,Switzerland Tourist Places,Tourist Place in Geneva,Switzerland Tour, Switzerland Tourism ......


Dollar Power....

Condé Nast Traveler

[ArtsieAng Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close ArtsieAng]

Vacation where the dollar is still strong

By Marshall Loeb, MarketWatch
Last update: 7:31 p.m. EDT April 22, 2008


NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- If there's an economic slowdown in your life, but you're not ready to cut back on vacation time just yet, there are places to go and things to see that give cheer and relaxation without breaking the bank.

From Money magazine, consider these seven destinations where the greenback is worth a lot more than the paper it's printed on.
Argentina. Why spend thousands in France when you can find the same vibe here? Buenos Aires (a.k.a. the Paris of South America) has embarked on a dramatic turnaround since the 2001 collapse of the Argentine peso -- but the place is still amazingly cheap. Chic hotel rooms, nights out dancing and fabulous food and wine cost half what they do across the Atlantic. A huge thick-cut steak dinner is rarely more than $25.

Bali. With the dollar holding steady against the Indonesian rupiah over the past year, Bali has become one of the best island values in Asia. Luxury bungalows nestled in lush hillsides can be had for $100 to $200 a night. Half-hour massages typically cost less than $15.

Costa Rica. Incredibly, Americans now have about a third more buying power in this natural wonderland than they did five years ago -- a dollar equals around 500 Costa Rican colones today vs. 360 then.
Mexico. With the peso/dollar exchange rate steady over the past couple of years, Mexico remains a prime bargain destination. The hottest area now is arguably Mexico City, booming with new museums, a historical architectural revival and a vibrant music and arts scene. Entry to the city's huge Museum of Modern Art, where you can see works by Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera, costs just $2.

Morocco. Though the Moroccan dirham has strengthened a bit against the dollar in the past year, in the ancient cities of Casablanca, Fez and Marrakech many café meals still cost less than $5. Classic budget hotels in atmospheric narrow streets, such as the Hotel El Muniria in Tangier, where Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac stayed, cost around $30 a night. Plenty of luxury hotels are available too.

Panama. This small country boasts mountains, rain forests, 1,500 miles of coast (your pick of the Caribbean or Pacific) and, of course, the magnificent canal, where you can gawk at supertankers being raised and lowered through the locks. Forget exchange rates: Panama's currency, the balboa, is pegged at parity with the U.S. dollar, and the dollar itself is accepted virtually everywhere.

Vietnam. There's never been a better time to visit one of Asia's most fascinating countries, with pristine beaches and unique crafts. The dollar goes further against the Vietnamese dong than it did three years ago. You may have enough left to splurge on a five-star hotel, such as the new Park Hyatt ($290 a night vs. up to $675 for a comparable room in Chicago).

[GrayFal Silver Contributor and supermoderator Find all posts View Profile Close GrayFal]

Regarding Brazil, Argentina, Rio. I just remembered....

Seasons in Brazil are the reverse of North hemisphere states:

Spring: 22nd September - 21st December
Summer: 22nd December - 21st March
Autumn: 22nd March - 21st June

so OUR fall in Brazil is the time to go - Oct/early November...

[ArtsieAng Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close ArtsieAng]

Hey, and what about PRAGUE? They don't use the Euro, not yet, anyway.

Isn't Prague suppose to be breathtakingly beautiful? Anyone been there?

[ArtsieAng Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close ArtsieAng]

so OUR fall in Brazil is the time to go - Oct/early November...

It looks like Spring, and Fall would be good times to visit. Both those seasons seem to have low 80's, as the average temperature.

[Carolinian Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Carolinian]

I would guess to say Turkey even though they use the Euro. But I would not want to go there. Greece was not that bad even though you lose with the Euro. Food is cheap there.

Turkey uses the lira, not the euro, and is not as cheap as it used to be, although it beats western Europe. Istanbul is a great city, and I really like staying on Bukukada in the Princes Islands in the Sea of Marmara. The Princes Islands were where rich foreigners and Ottoman nobles lived during the Ottoman empire, and they are full of pre-1914 mansions. Motor vehicles are not allowed, so the way to get around is by horse-drawn carriages called phaetons, which are reasonably priced. It is like stepping back in time, and it is only a 45 minute steamer ride from Istanbul, with steamers about every hour. I have stayed in central Istanbul twice in the last six months, and since I was on my employers dime had to stay in the city, so I got a room at a 4* hotel in the Sultanahmed area of the city close to Topkapi Palace and most of the tourist sites and it was under $80 thorugh an internet rate.

[Carolinian Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Carolinian]

Hey, and what about PRAGUE? They don't use the Euro, not yet, anyway.

Isn't Prague suppose to be breathtakingly beautiful? Anyone been there?

Prague is a great city, one of my favorite in Europe. It is not as cheap as it used to be, but is still more reasonable than cities in western Europe. There are also lots of things to see all around the Czech Republic, where prices are considerably lower than in Prague. It is a great place to rent a car and drive around the country seeing medieval towns, castles, famous spa resorts, etc. The Czech Republic will continue to use the crown for a while, as its government is not keen on moving to the euro any time soon. Slovakia, on the other hand, will adopt the euro this year.