International travel often seems maddeningly out of reach. Friends seems to be constantly posting on social media about magnificent tropical vacations spent at lush island resorts. If you’ve even wondered (or fumed) how it was possible, there’s a secret you’re probably not aware of just yet. International travel need not be prohibitively expensive. With the right combination of airfare hunting and budget-friendly destinations, you too can have an incredible time abroad. We’ve done some of the heavy lifting for you and profiled these 20 international destinations we think offer great experiences without the corresponding risk you’ll need to refinance your home to afford them. These are our recommendations for the best international travel destinations for those on a budget.

While sitting in a café located in Ipoh’s Old Town sipping a cup of white coffee, and enjoying the city’s slow pace and tranquil environment, it’s hard to imagine that about 70 years ago, this city was actually one of the world’s largest producer of tin.Located 200km north of Kuala Lumpur and 130km south of Penang, this capital of Perak used to have a nickname “Millionaires’ City” in the early 20th Century, as many people made a fortune from tin mining in the district.