8 Travel Spots Where The U.S. Dollar Buys A Lot
If you've been looking for an excuse to leave the U.S. for a bit this year, there have been few better opportunities to do so.
A presidential election year tends to make things far more tense stateside than they need to be. A strong dollar, however, is going a lot further than it has in several years, making an escape to a distant coast seem pretty appealing.
Granted, it hasn't exactly been smooth sailing around the globe this year, either. Brexit has thrown both the United Kingdom and the European Union a curve. Political instability and the Zika virus have made the upcoming Summer Olympics in Brazil look light a nightmare in waiting. China may be teetering on the verge of a financial crisis, Canada is still waiting to see how the first days of the Trudeau regime play out; throw in fears of terrorism in countries already targeted in 2016 and outright warfare causing misery and displacement and others, and it's quickly becoming clear that "escape" may not be completely possible on a connected globe.
That said, it stands to be a long period of time between now and Election Day. With the value of the dollar weighing favorably against some of the strongest currencies in the world right now, seeing other countries, meeting new people and enjoying something other than your nations' mutual woes is about as inexpensive as it's going to get. With some help from folks at SmarterTravel VacationRentals, we came up with eight destinations where the U.S. dollar is buying far more than it did even a year before...
This article is commentary by an independent contributor. At the time of publication, the author held no positions in the stocks mentioned.
Exchange rate per dollar this time last year: .89 euro
Exchange rate now: .90 euro
Change: 1%
No, we still aren't making out on the deal, but 0.90 euro per dollar hovers around the best deal U.S. travelers have seen in the eurozone in more than a decade.
Before the economic crisis in 2008, we were only getting about 0.63 euro per dollar. By last year, that value had jumped to almost 0.95 at its height. Unless they hit a non-eurozone country like the Czech Republic, U.S. travelers haven't been used to seeing that kind of value for their dollar on the continent. With global fuel prices making air travel slightly more affordable, a destination like Santorini with its gorgeous sea views and $151-per-night guest houses can put European travel within reach for U.S. travelers who spent much of the economic recovery shut out.
7. Phuket, Thailand
Exchange rate per dollar this time last year: 35.27 baht
Exchange rate now: 33.79 baht
Change: 4%
The airfare has never been especially cheap, but Thailand has long been a fairly inexpensive vacation option for globetrotting U.S. tourists, not to mention a final destination for cost-cutting expats.
However, the seaside resorts, restaurants and views of its Phuket island province have an allure all their own. Whether you're up for exploring the rain forests, hiking the mountains, wandering the beaches or taking in the nightlife in Patong, this spot on the Andaman Sea is fairly easy to love once you arrive. With villas starting at $49 a night -- including private pool and chef -- it's a budget-friendly international beachfront.
Exchange rate per dollar this time last year: 1.30 Australian dollars
Exchange rate now: 1.35 Australian dollars
Change: 4%
No, it isn't the more than 1.60 Australian dollars per American dollar that we were getting before the economic crisis in 2008, but it's better than the 0.90 cents on the dollar that U.S. travelers received if they were unfortunate enough to hit Australia at the dollar's weakest in 2010.
In this gorgeous oceanfront city in Southeast Queensland, that favorable rate can still go a long way on its surfing beaches, at its theme parks, on its golf courses and in its hundreds of restaurants. An oceanview penthouse sleeps eight for $427 a night. If you and seven friends can spend a day flying to Brisbane and catch the train into Gold Coast, then the city's yours for about $53 a night.
Exchange rate per dollar this time last year: 1.24 Canadian dollars
Exchange rate now: 1.31 Canadian dollars
Change: 6%
That span between 2010 and 2013 when the U.S. dollar was actually worth less than the Canadian dollar seems like a bad dream for U.S. border hoppers now.
With U.S. residents getting an additional 30 cents for every dollar they spend up north -- which is still down from 45 cents per dollar earlier this year -- Canada is back in U.S. travelers' good graces. You can pop in on the Canucks for a pre-season game, or you can visit the breweries, distilleries, restaurants, museums, theaters and Stanley Park. You can even go outside the city and explore the gardens in Victoria if you'd like. Frankly, given the city's cosmopolitan makeup and renowned dining options, we prefer to eat our way through town. With a refurbished coach house in Kitsilano going for $134 a night, you'll have a great place to digest it all afterward.
Exchange rate per dollar this time last year: 3.34 real
Exchange rate now: 3.12 real
Change: 7%
We'd be inclined to advise you against staying here during the Olympics even if you had tickets to Olympic events. Sell them to some other sucker and avoid the hassle and possible infection.
However, if Zika isn't of great concern and the Olympics can be easily avoided, by all means head on down. A penthouse in the heart of Ipanema with room for six and a stunning view of the Christ the Redeemer statue and mountains goes for all of $188 a night. With a view of one of the biggest tourist attractions in the world from your balcony's hot tub, it's tough to go wrong.
Exchange rate per dollar this time last year: 31.11 pesos
Exchange rate now: 27.07 pesos
Change: 15%
This coastal city in Southeast Uruguay is known for its sprawling beaches, its colonial-era architecture, artist Carlos Páez Vilaró's Casapueblo museum and hotel and the Punta del Este lighthouse. It's an artist's paradise and a vacationer's dream, but it's also incredibly accessible.
It helps that the dollar goes a long way here, but it's also nice to see that expats have kept accommodations within reach. A guest house with its own pool and both the Cantegrill Country Club golf course and Playa Brava right nearby goes for just $129 a night.
Exchange rate per dollar this time last year: 18.93 pesos
Exchange rate now: 15.66 pesos
Change: 21%
On the Yucatan Peninsula, south of Cancun, there's a stretch of resort towns that just got lumped together as Riviera Maya in 1999. This includes Playa Del Carmen, the walled Mayan city of Tulum, Puerto Aventuras and other destinations fairly well known to U.S. tourists that lie just West of the island of Cozumel.
It's always been fairly inexpensive to come here, so a 21% discount isn't exactly as big a deal as it would be in other locations. However, when you have a four-bedroom, four-bathroom villa that can sleep four couples comfortably, or as many as 12, it starts to look like a steal. Located in Puerto Aventuras, this villa's pool and patio overlook the Caribbean, while its bedroom windows all offer a similar vantage point. No, you won't be the only tourists around, but Puerto Aventuras's exclusive community insures that Cancun-style spring breakers won't be funneling brews around you, either.
Exchange rate per dollar this time last year: 15.17 rand
Exchange rate now: 12.27 rand
Change: 24%
Well, there's good news and bad news here.
Since bottoming out around 6.50 rand in 2010, the dollar's value has more than doubled in South Africa since. That doesn't mean you can pick up everything dirt cheap in Cape Town, mind you -- inflation still takes a bite of our own dollar and Cape Town is still a fairly remote destination for airline travel -- but it does mean that certain items come more cheaply than others. A one-bedroom, one-bathroom condo with views of both the sea and mountains can be had for $120 a night. That includes a pool with views of the Lion's Head, Table Mountain and more.