5 best cheap holiday destinations for 2025

Sign up to Simon Calder’s free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calder’s Travel email Get Simon Calder’s Travel email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Best for beaches: El Gouna, Egypt open image in gallery El Gouna is a cheaper alternative to the popular Canary Islands Far cheaper than the Canary Islands but with even higher temperatures and more hours of sunshine, this purpose-built Red Sea beach destination has undergone a large amount of development since the first marinas and artificial islands were constructed in the early 1990s. Best for adventure: Albania open image in gallery Contiki offers a new escorted tour through Albania Whether strolling through cobbled streets, gazing up at mountain peaks or swimming in sparkly blue waters, it’s easy to mistake Albania for its chic neighbour across the Adriatic Sea. Best for skiing: Voss, Norway open image in gallery Voss is one of the more ‘affordable’ places to ski A few years back, it would have been inconceivable to see Norway feature on a list of ‘affordable’ destinations. Best for nature: Bosnia and Herzegovina open image in gallery Head to the fairytale-like Kravica Waterfall in Bosnia and Herzegovina Born from a history as colourful and complex as its diverse landscapes, this relatively undiscovered Balkan nation only attracts 3.6 million tourists per year – almost six times less than Croatia.