Mexico
Imbued with a rich cultural heritage inherited from the ancient Aztec and Mayan civilisations and not to mention the long Spanish rule, this jewel of the Central American continent is exotic with a capital ‘E’. The food, the music, the people and the colours of Mexico are simply mesmerising and are sure to leave you spellbound! Sadly, with ‘Big Brother’ [USA] sitting haughtily on top of this vibrant nation, Mexico is often sidelined by travellers who choose to spend their time [and money!] exploring the more well-known locales of the US. But for those willing to scratch the surface of Mexico, they will find a very reasonably-priced holiday destination that offers all the same thrills, if not more, as the US, at almost half the cost. In many colonial cities like Puebla and Chihuahua and small, out-of-the-way beach towns like Troncones and Puerto Escondido, you won’t be far from good bed-and-breakfasts and inns charging as little as INR2,788 a night or less for two people. And the same goes for food, with the ridiculously cheap street side Taquerías that offer superb tacos for a paltry INR27. As for shopping, the street markets that dot most cities in Mexico are great places to scope out those killer bargains.