Palenque, Chiapas, Mexico

We visited the ruins and were pleasantly surprised at how well preserved and expansive they were. We were also surprised that we were allowed to climb up most of the ruins. 

The cost to get in is nominal but know that outside of the ruins, everything gets pretty expensive compared to the other areas of Chiapas we visited. In the restaurants near the hotel area of town, entrees start at around $100 MXN. We stayed at the Chablis Hotel which was fine but at $60 USD a night, it was standard for the area but still more than I would have liked to spend. We ate in the gringo area a few times but also went into town across the bridge and ate at some of the small restaurants there. They were much less expensive, about $12 MXN per taco.

If I were to retake this trip and were on an even tighter budget, I would have taken one of the tours from San Cristobal to Palenque to see the ruins and visit Miso-Ha and Aqua Azul in one day. We took the bus from San Cristobal to Palenque for $112 MXN, then took a colectivo to and from the ruins for a total of $80 MXN, the two entrance fees for the ruins (one for the park, one for the ruins) for $87 MXN, a tour that took us to Misol-Ha and Aqual Azul for $150 MXN, and finally the bus ticket back to San Cristobal for $176 MXN. So all of this comes out to $605 MXN per person. There were tours from San Cristobal that included Palenque, Miso-Ha, and Aqual Azul for $450-600 MXN. I think by staying in Palenque for three nights (so that we would have two full days to visit the ruins and the waterfalls), we actually spent more money than if we would have just crammed it all into one day. But at least we could take our time at the ruins and have time to relax. I guess that's the trade off.

Misol-Ha waterfall

Agua Azul waterfall

Saving money on accommodations in Europe

All hotels, hostels, and guesthouses in western Europe must post their star rating on the outside of their establishment. The star rating has everything to do with amenities and price and nothing to do with how nice it actually is. Also, at the front desk, a list of room prices must be displayed for all guests to see. This is very helpful when trying to stay on a budget. Also, it is very common to ask to see the room and tell the front desk you are looking at a few hotels and will be back if you choose their hotel or guesthouse. This is a great way to see how far your money can go. Sometimes when I travel and am staying in one town for more than a few nights, I will book a hotel for the first night and then take an hour or so to walk around to other hotels and see if I can find a better deal. This works best in the off season.

Panama City, Panama

We stayed in Panama City for a few days and I think that was enough for us. While the city seemed nicer and safer than other Central American capitals we have been to, it's not a budget friendly city. All the hotels/hostels seemed either cheap and really rough or okay but not worth the money for what you get. We stayed in the Las Vegas hotel and paid about $85 for a double room. And while it was adequate (air conditioning, wifi, fridge & microwave, good location), it seemed expensive compared to the rest of the country.

We went to Casco Viejo which was nice looking but seemed like a false front when you have already seen the real city. I do, however, recommend taking a cab (about $5 per person) out to Panama Viejo to see the ruins. It's free to wander the grounds and look at the beginnings of the city. We did not pay to get into the museum so it was a cheap outing. Also, we went out to the Panama Canal to see ships go through the locks. To save some money, I recommend only paying for the observation deck. Skip the museum and 3-D movie and watch the PBS special before you go.

While in the city we ate some great food but it was harder to find a good, cheap meal. Prepare to spend about $10-$20 per person on lunch or dinner in Panama City. We ate at Beirut and Caffe Pomodoro after having had our fill of Panamanian cuisine. Also, on average the national beers (Atlas, Balboa, and Panama beers) were $2.50 in the capital.

Machu Picchu

If you are going during the off season, do not book a hotel ahead of time in Aguas Calientes, the town at the base of machu Picchu. When you get into town, there will be lots of people offering you rooms. Ignore them. Walk into town and then start going from hotel to hotel asking how much a room is, what is included (bathroom, hot water, breakfast), and always ask to see the room. Within seeing two or three rooms, you will have an idea of what your money will buy you and what you are willing to afford. For example, when we were there in September 2008, we walked around and asked about a few different hotels. The one we chose was a clean, yet sparsely decorated room with a private bath for $15 a night. We would not have found this if we would have taken the first place we found nor if we had booked in advance via the internet (some hotels and guesthouses don’t have websites but that doesn’t mean there is anything wrong with them). This same idea works with restaurants. Look at menus at a few different restaurants before choosing one. You’ll be able to get a feel for how much dishes cost and won’t get trapped in an expensive restaurant.