When it comes to the best destinations for student travel, several very important things must be taken into consideration. My blog post was written to help you decide where you should travel as a student... hopefully you'll find helpful, as I was also a student once longing to travel! So here we go:
The Best Destinations for Student Travel: Some Considerations
Firstly, safety: students are very precious and we want to keep them safe and, to put it frankly, as they've been on this planet for a shorter time than the rest of us they can (through no fault of their own) be a little bit naive. Thus it's best to start them off in easy places whilst they are finding their feet. Second: price. The age-old stereotype of students being low on funds is truer now than ever before with university prices at a historical high, thus we're going to want to try looking for cheaper destinations for them. Thirdly: inspiration. We want these students to be inspired and worldly so they can grow into open and non-racist adults and non-xenophobic with friends all over the planet! So without further ado let's look at this list of best student travel destinations.
#1. Germany
When it comes to price, Germany can be expensive but it's easy to hack that because here you can safely couchsurf for free or find cheap (albeit a bit grotty) hostels, which covers accommodation. When it comes to things to do in Germany - especially somewhere like Berlin - there are plenty of free or cheap things to do. For examples please check out lists like my one on the top free things to do in Berlin.
I think Germany is a really important place to visit for students inspirationally, not just because of the history lessons you can learn there, but for the current lifestyle they are encouraging which is green and immigrant friendly. Keeping the former in mind as always, if you are flying into Germany, please opt for carbon compensated flights. Whilst Germany has a meat-centric reputation, they are actually one of the leading countries for meat alternatives, so vegans like myself have always had an easy (ish) time there!
#2. Italy
Italy has a place in my heart that makes me recommend it to students, oaps and everyone in between. It's cheaper than Germany but more expensive than the Balkans. It's one of those places that not only lives up to the hype but goes above and beyond it - a lifetime experience for anyone! I recommend going there as a student so you can spend the rest of your life going back there. I was really inspired by these Italian tours and by the way, don't forget to check out Duolingo or Memrise to get a basic grasp of the language before you get there!
#3. Balkans countries
The Balkans are certainly some of the cheapest places to travel in Europe. They're often overlooked though thanks to a false idea of how 'unsafe' they are (an idea that Balkan people jokingly tend to encourage). But trust me: I lived in the Balkans for two years and found it to be very safe - safer in some ways than western Europe, to be completely honest.
When it comes to inspirational travel the Balkans also has an unfair reputation for not being 'as interesting' or inspiring as the West. I personally find the Balkans a lot freer and funner than 'The West' and really believe that students would love it there - Belgrade for the night life, Montenegro for the beaches, Bosnia for the mountains and Albania for all of these and more! Put simply, the Balkans are cheap and safe and as they are more off the beaten path than western Europe, so the experiences you have there will definitely make for more interesting student tales!
#4. South East Asia
A classic place for students to travel to is South East Asia, and like Italy it exceeds the hype. It certainly ticks the boxes of cheap and inspirational travel and, nowadays at least, safe travel too. I personally think it would be impossible for anyone from the west to go here and not come back with more of an open view of the world - it's just so different over there! Whether its Thailand, Vietnam or Philippines, one is bound to open the heart of even the most sheltered student.
#5. Mexico
Mexico is a cheap place for many students to travel to. Like the Balkans its safer than its reputation will have it know. And whilst it's a world-wide popular destination, it's rich history and vibrant culture will leave anyone inspired, I guarantee it. Oh, and another plus: the food is delicious!
#6. Australia
Last but not least, Australia! This country might not strike you as the most student friendly place because of the prices (and the dangerous animals) but hear me out. Firstly, the animals aren't as dangerous as the media (or the joking Aussies) will have you think. The spiders, for example, haven't killed anyone in decades, the beaches have shark and jellyfish warnings and yeah, with a few simple tips your students will be safe. As for the prices, I went there as a fresh graduate and actually ended up saving money thanks to house sitting which meant that I was looking after people's accommodation for free in return for living in it for free. Furthermore, it's one of the easiest places for people to find student jobs thanks to an abundance of them. From bar work to picking fruit, there's a lot of work in Australia. This was actually the reason I went there in the first place (as there weren't many graduate jobs in the UK), but thanks to the aforementioned house sitting gigs I ended up only having to be employed for a short amount of time. Then I started this blog and the rest, as they say, is history.
Wrap Up: The Top Destinations for Student Travel
So there you have it, some of the places that I've personally been to and would definitely recommend to newbie travellers setting off for perhaps the first time but definitely not the last. As aforementioned, I tried to go for the places that scream inspiration, cheap and safety. Of course, this list will be different if you're from a different section of the globe than I'm from - what's inspiring and safe for some won't be for others. Let me know where you end up and wherever it is, I hope you enjoy it!
What about you, where did you travel as a student? Feel free to share any tips & advice below!
ABOUTME
We overland. We eat plants and fungi. We live outside as much as possible. We are all connected. A female travel blogger overlanding and writing about ecotourism, ethical and sustainable travel, socially conscious travel and housesitting. An online travel magazine since 2015.
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