By Shelby Cherry
You’re waking up in silk sheets. Excited for today’s adventure, you leap out of bed, anxious to discuss today’s plans with your best friends but everyone is still asleep. Unable to sit still, you walk out onto the beach to watch the waves. With the turquoise water in your direct line of vision and the jungle in your peripheral, you realize that the villa for the week is only $28/day. You have money to BLOW. For the rest of the week in Las Terrenas, Dominican Republic, you and your friends spend the vacation hiking waterfalls, snorkeling, exploring the country, and stargazing around the campfire.Â
THIS IS A REAL THING. AND IT IS AVAILABLE FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS!
   People spend thousands on summer vacations, annually! To rent a house for family/friends in Seaside, FL ranges from $1,200 – $3,500 per night! All this money spent to escape the daily stresses associated with being home like school, work, bills, coworkers, etc… The list could go on forever. Why not save a dime and go international?! Gorgeous locations across the seas have less expensive hotel or house rental prices and extra activities for cheap including scuba diving, snorkeling, horseback riding on the beach, vehicle rentals, surfboard rentals, etc..Â
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   This is a great way to have an adventure with friends! If everyone splits the rent for the week, a house worth $11,000 in the U.S. will be around $200/ person out of the states! That leaves room for whale watching and volcano hikes! This is definitely something worth considering!Â
“I stayed in a pool house on Airbnb for $25 a night, which is my preference over a resort anyway. I ate at local restaurants and went to hole-in-the-wall bars, and spent about $30 to $40 daily. Going to the Caribbean can be very cheap; it’s all about doing your research.” Traveler to Jamaica
“Nicaragua is both the cheapest country I’ve ever been to and my all-time favorite. I went for a few nights when I was living in Costa Rica and had an amazing time. I stayed in a hostel dorm for $5 a night (!) and didn’t need to spend more than $10 a day on food. There are so many options for inexpensive activities — volcano boarding ftw — as well as museums, stunning cathedrals, and generally amazing people.”     -Traveler to Nicaragua               Â