Champagne taste, beer budget?
Get the same vibe for less with destination dupes.
What’s a destination dupe? It’s an alternative to a place that’s too-. Too-expensive, too-crowded, too-hot or cold, too-far.
Unlike a Chanel knockoff, destination dupes deliver high-quality experiences, if you choose them carefully.
How to find a destination dupe?
It’s personal. What are you looking for?
Pick your dream destination, then think about what makes it special to you. Architecture? Graffiti? Sport? Romance? Wildlife, human or otherwise? Nightlife? Language? Then consider what’s keeping you from going there. Look for places that have similar attributes and/or experiences, without the negatives. If finding an alternate seems complicated, just take a look at these destination dupes.
East meets West: Sarajevo for Istanbul
For Turkish coffee and pastries, open-air markets, and buildings that evoke the Ottoman Empire literally across the street from Austro-Hungarian gems, trade the Bosporous for the Balkans and think Sarajevo. Sarajevo’s population may be tiny (about 350,000 people vs Istanbul’s 15 million+) but the smaller scale makes exploring its cultural diversity and history a snap. And the prices are a fraction of Turkey’s capital.
Central European hipster: Krakow for Prague
Looking for a budget-friendly Old Town with a youthful vibe? Look no further than Krakow for zinging nightlife, vegan-friendly cheap eats, and really nice locals. Don your ironic trucker hat and head to boho basement bars featuring locally-brewed beer and bison vodka. Next day, you’ll have enough cash left over for moustache wax and a restorative trip to a milk bar. Hookah joints. Indie music scene. People on bikes, even in the bloody-freezing-but-beautiful winter.
Cjute canals: Ljubljana for Amsterdam
For scenic canals cutting through ohmagaw architectural specimens, swap the city of bikes for a dragon. Slovenia’s capital has a stonking-good nightlife and arts scene and is LGBTQA+ friendly. The city is known for its cafe culture.
Don’t mistake ‘coffee shop’, for Amsterdam’s ‘coffeeshop’. While – ahem – alternative smoking blends are technically illegal in Ljubljana, the skunky stuff has been decriminalised.
Game of Thrones vibe, plus beach: Palermo for Lisbon
Beach bunnies and history buffs alike will cotton to Palermo’s charm. If you love the limestone look of King’s Landing, this Sicilian city won’t disappoint. Like Lisbon, Palermo is chock-full of historic buildings. Film fans will recognise the Teatro Massimo (minus the blood) from ‘The Godfather: Part III’. If you’re looking for a sun-soaked destination that’s easy on the budget and not crawling with tourists, add Palermo to your list.
Endemic animals: Madagascar for Galapagos Islands
For freaky animals at a fraction of the price, consider Madagascar for a wildlife holiday. It doesn’t get any weirder than aye-ayes and dragon trees!
To protect the delicate ecosystem, visitors to Galapagos must be accompanied by a guide. Tours fill up quickly, especially in high season, and they are pricey.
The land of lemurs doesn’t require visitors to be part of an approved tour, but given the low tour prices (and lack of infrastructure) going with a group could maximise your animal-spotting.
Aloha, Morocco: Taghazout for Oahu
Hawaii may be a dream destination for waves, but consider coastal Morocco for a closer, cheaper holiday. Expert surfers can practise their craft away from the wannabes in the winter months, and the small summer swells make it perfect for newbies.
The village of Taghazout may be tiny, but visitors can pick from 20 surf spots in the area, and sleep as cheap as 20 euros a night.
Destination dupes don’t have to be just cheaper, less crowded substitutes. Instead, they’re a way to do things you’re into in places that weren’t on your radar before. Isn’t that what travelling’s all about?
