Mexico

The long, cheap trip that needs no long-haul flight. US, UK and EU passport holders need no visa, and a tourist permit allows up to 180 days, though officers decide how many days to grant and often give only the time your itinerary shows, so carry an onward ticket that matches your plans. Mexico's first-class long-distance buses are comfortable enough to make overnight rides a way to save on a bed, and the street food, from tacos al pastor in Mexico City to tlayudas in Oaxaca, is among the best value anywhere. Skip the resort strips and the money goes furthest in Oaxaca, Chiapas, Puebla and the colonial towns of the central highlands.