It's fun to compare and describe unexpected travel bargains, and I can't resist sharing one I snagged recently. It provides a lesson about why budget travel is so important.
What is a true travel bargain anyway? For many of us, it's not just about saving money.
For generations, writers such as Arthur Frommer and Rick Steves have been insisting that paying big money for travel can wind up costing you more than mere cash -- it can rob you of moments that can become highlights of your trip. Sometimes money insulates us from authentic destination experiences.
I rediscovered this idea traveling in the Central American nation of Costa Rica.
Each mode of transportation in that relatively small country is carefully scrutinized, because roads tend to be of poor quality in some places. A 100-mile trip that would take about two hours at home can be an all-day venture in Costa Rica.
There are tourists who espouse flying between destinations using relatively cheap local airlines. Others prefer the van services that deliver you door-to-door at what North Americans consider bargain prices. But the cheapest method of traversing the country is by local bus.
As a budget travel writer, I decided it was my duty to experience all of these common methods of transportation. But I'll admit that I was not looking forward to the local bus ride I'd chosen, a 4-5 hour journey from Alajuela in the Central Valley to Arenal, the site of an active volcano and some of the world's most beautiful hot springs.
That lengthy bus ride turned out to be not only one of the highlights of my entire stay, but also one of the best bargains.
I paid the equivalent of $1 USD per hour for an unforgettable tour.
The bus rolled through small towns and regional cities, where people were waking up and starting their work days. It snaked its way through fog-shrouded mountain passes and revealed steep coffee fields. It stopped for 30 minutes at a small city bus station, where a brief walk around revealed far more about daily life than an entire day in a touristy destination.
This was not a so-called chicken bus. It closely resembled an American tour bus except that it had no restroom and leg room was a bit more limited. I joined some French and German tourists aboard, but the vast majority of the riders were locals on their way to school, work or a family visit.
The bus makes many stops. I lost count at about 20 or so. No matter. Each one presented a new picture of life in Costa Rica that I would never have seen on an air conditioned van traveling the Pan American Highway at 100 km/h.
No one led this cultural tour. No guide was necessary. It was a matter of paying my $4 USD to the driver, sitting back in my cushioned seat and watching fascinating new images greet me with every turn of the road.
To be sure, most of the novelty would wear off by the second trip, and maybe comfort would trump discovery after taking a few more of these rides. Veterans of travel in this area might smirk at my enthusiasm for a local bus ride, because this was my first trip to Costa Rica and Central America.
But they also might recall their first experiences and relive a similar pleasure that would not have been possible without the initial desire to save some money and travel as the locals travel.
There are bargains like this all over Costa Rica. Cab drivers wanted $40 to take me from the beach town of Playas Del Coco to Liberia airport. I took another local bus for the equivalent of 80 cents. No doubt there are even better bargains to be discovered in places around the world.
How about you? Have you snagged a rewarding travel bargain? If not, it's time to make the attempt. The benefits can be greater than you imagine.
