Exotic Islands you can get to on a Budget?

Where the London pace of life can be hectic and the weather can leave a lot to be desired you may have found yourself fantasizing about of faraway desert islands from time to time. Well, the escape you dream of may actually be affordable than you think. Here’s a few of our top picks for exotic islands you can get to without breaking the bank…

Isla Mujeres, Mexico

Literally translating as the ‘Island of Women’, this little Mexican island in the Caribbean Sea is beyond idyllic. The beaches are picture perfect, the tourists pootle around on golf carts, and there’s tranquil beachside bars and low-slung hammocks aplenty. Sound like your cup of Corona? Well, nearby Cancún has been made an affordable destination by the sheer abundance of package deals that head in this direction.

If you want to get here cheaply, try booking flights with ThomsonFly or Thomas Cook (not listed on price comparison websites). You can often bag direct flights from London to Cancún for as little as £400.

Beach lounging is the predominant activity on the island however if you want to venture out you can swim with the magnificent whale sharks, visit the turtle farm or dive the underwater museum.

Poc-Na Hostel with its private rooms, free breakfasts and beach bar is a great budget option for accommodation. Don’t be fooled into scrimping on aircon here though. The nights can be warm and sticky and the small additional cost for aircon is money well spent.

Caye Caulker, Belize

If this little island off the coast of Belize had a slogan it would surely be ‘Go Slow’. The pace of life is refreshingly mellow and is vehemently maintained by the locals who will tell you to ‘go slow’ if you look like you are in too much of a hurry for anything. Even walking too fast here is considered a bad form.

Pronounced ‘Key Caw-ker’, the Caribbean island, surprisingly doesn’t have any swimming beaches however that doesn’t stop it being a sublime place for clear water swimming. Head to ‘The Split’, a narrow channel that splits the island in two, for sunbathing and swimming to a reggae soundtrack from the nearby bars.

When not sunbathing you can head out manatee spotting, dive the infamous ‘blue hole’, swim with sharks or even dance the night away. If you like lobster, this is the place for it. Fresh out sea, straight on the barbeque and for a fraction of the price back home, this is the place to indulge.

If you’re on a budget for accommodation don’t worry, it’s not essential to stay in ‘Dirty McNasty’s’, the aptly named budget hostel, there’s plenty of affordable basic hotels all over the island. Many backpackers head to Caye Caulker from Mexico capitalising on the budget flights to Cancún. You can take a boat from Chetumal in Mexico or bus to Belize City and take a short water taxi from there. It is worth checking out the safety advice before planning an overnight stop in Belize City, especially if travelling solo.

Nusa Lembongan, Indonesia

Perhaps it’s the fact that it’s an island off the coast of another island that gives Nusa Lembongan its charmingly remote feel. A short journey from Bali, the 8 square kilometre island is easily accessible for tourists whilst also retaining the magical feel of an unspoilt haven. As you wade off the boat and through the crystal clear waters (there’s not even a dock) you’ll know you’ve stumbled across a hidden gem.

Don’t be distracted by the swanky resort hotels here. There is budget accommodation you just need to hunt it out. Keep asking around and someone will point you in the right direction. Some of the best options aren’t proper hotels but more rooms to rent in family homes.

The island can be easily explored by motorcycle and there are great surfing beaches. From London, Bangkok is usually the gateway to South East Asia with flight options plentiful. From Bangkok, budget airline AirAsia offer cheap flights to Bali.

The Perhentians, Malaysia

Where Thailand is famous for its party islands, the Malaysian Perhentian Islands, just a short hop over the border, can offer a more subdued vibe. Here you’ll find turquoise waters and white sands. Swim with sharks, take water a taxis to explore the coves and come nightfall eat your dinner on a beach or see the magical phosphorescence illuminating the water.

A few things worth knowing – in this predominantly Muslim area, alcohol is can be hard to come by and is only available at a few bars or restaurants. Also there are no ATMs or banks on the islands so be sure to bring cash.

The smaller island, Perhentian Kecil, tends to have more of a backpacker vibe so is the best one to head to if you’re on a budget for accommodation.

The Perhentians aren’t particularly close to any major city airport so best visited as a larger of a larger tour. Nonetheless South East Asia is a backpacker haven and exploration is both cheap and easy.

The Gili Islands, Indonesia

The Gili Islands are a group of three tiny islands of the coast northwest Lombok. Gili Trawangan offers a good blend of party scene mixed with tranquil beach lounging. Hire bikes and explore the island (you can get from one side to the other in less than an hour), snorkel or learn to dive. If partying is your thing, there’s plenty of that to be done here too.

You can eat well on the cheap on the popular night market and keep costs down by staying in a homestay, hostel or bungalow.

As with Nusa Lembongan, the best route here can be to fly to Bali and travel onward from there. However, it is possible to get a boat over from Lombok too.

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