Everyone loves to travel. But not everyone has the budget to afford it. Luckily, you don’t have to stay in five-star resorts, eat in restaurants and hire expensive tours. All you need to travel is a wish and good will, because traveling for free is possible. Yes, you read that right. There are some places where under certain circumstances you can stay and eat and have fun without paying a single dime.
People and tourists, in general, are accepting the fact that we need traveling in our lives. That is why now it is affordable to everyone. You may still be skeptical about all of this. It’s about traveling for free, right? It’s everybody’s dream. In a nutshell, all you need to visit places without spending money is to be creative, do some seasonal jobs, and mix some useful travel tips.
The experience you’ll get if you’re up for this would be truly one of a kind. First, you save money. Then, you get to escape the mainstream tourist paths and go on your own. That way you’ll see new places, encounter new cultures, and do stuff that is written about in books. And what is best, there are some opportunities where you’re paid to do something. Cool, right?
One of the most common ways to spin the globe for free is volunteering. You get a chance to give back something to the world and humanity. That’s an opportunity where you share your knowledge, findings, and skills with others and that is the most blessed thing. Also, meeting the locals, hearing their stories and language as well as getting to know other fellow travelers is priceless. Numerous charities are looking for people who would gladly give them a hand. So why shouldn’t that be you?
What is more, traveling for free can be done with doing some work. Whether it’s a job on an organic farm, looking after animals, properties, driving yachts, or teaching a sport or English, you can have a blast while in the same time tour the world.
Another question may be where to do it. The answer is quite simple. Almost everywhere. You would be surprised to know that there are huge couchsurfing communities all around the world where you can stay at a host’s house. You can work in amazing European metropolises or exotic islands, stay in quiet places or bustling ones, volunteer in landmark destinations. An opportunity is waiting for you from California to New Zealand and from Sweden to South Africa. The sky is the limit!
It’s finally time to present the unique traveling for free opportunities. Prepare to be utterly stunned by the breath-taking destinations you can visit with your cash untouched.
Move to Antarctica – If you’re an adventurous type of person, then a spot on your bucket list is surely reserved for visiting remote places in some forgotten corners of the world. The time has come for your wish to come true. And it’s completely free and simple. Get a job in Antarctica. Not only that you’ll receive a free roof above your head and a full plate, but you’ll get paid for spending a few months at the end of the world. As you won’t have anything to buy with the money, you’ll return with full pockets. Also, your employers will pay for your transportation, leaving you only with the working duties to care for. It’s a chance you shouldn’t miss if you’re a lover of the cold and harsh weather.
Work on organic farms – In our modern time, organic food is getting more and more popular. That gave birth to a bunch of organic farms around the globe. The only problem is they lack enough workers. Here’s where you step in. Through WWOOF (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms), you’ll receive free lodging and board if you work on the farm 4-6 hours a day. With thousands of hosts in 53 countries, there are more opportunities than you can imagine. They include everything from crushing grapes in New Zealand, taking care of cows and vegetables in Scotland to keeping goats in North Carolina.
Couchsurfing – Another interesting addition in your traveling for free plan is couchsurfing. It’s an interesting experience, which allows you to stay at a local house entirely for free. You get paired with some local hosts that have similar interests as you and you sleep in their house for a night, two or three. While you’re there, you’ll explore the place with the hosts’ help, meeting new people along the way and learning their way of life. You can find a lot of couchsurfing opportunities all over the world, especially in Europe (in cities like Malmo, Hamburg or Barcelona), South America, as well as the islands like Bora Bora or Fiji. Who said you needed money to have the best time?
Teach English – You can embark on a traveling for free adventure if you’re a fluent English speaker. A lot of countries offer possibilities to teach English in elementary schools and high schools. All you need to do is become a TEFL certified instructor after a short course. Then, depending on the countries in need of language instructors you’re sent to one. The program covers some of your living expenses like free housing and offers salaries. The highest paid gigs of this type can be found in the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, China, Japan or South Korea. Prague, Spain, India, Bulgaria and Costa Rica are also very attractive destinations for this.
Work on a cruise ship – Everyone loves to travel the world on a boat. But since not everyone has a yacht, joining a cruise ship and traveling for free is a fair exchange. Despite the public opinion that you’ll have to do acrobatics or otherwise entertain the passengers, there are some other interesting cruise jobs for you. They range from IT professionals, beauty experts, and doctors to watchkeeping engineers, cooks and waiters. The most important part is that you live on the ship for free and get paid for it. What else can you wish for? Not to mention that you get to explore the port towns when the ship stops at some. Greece, the Mediterranean countries, the Caribbean islands or the Bahamas are only a tiny bit of the places you can be visiting.
Babysit spring breakers – Spring break is really fun for youngsters. And it makes traveling for free possible for you. Spend the whole day on the beaches in Mexico, Panama, the Bahamas or Cancun and keep an eye on the spring breakers looking for fun. It’s as easy as that. The only downsides may be the patience that’s required of you and the long working hours. But it’s totally worth it. Companies like Inertia Tours give you all the help you need, making sure things go smoothly.
Save the turtles – Traveling for free and saving turtles can go together. Good news for you; there are volunteering teams doing it. Head to Seaturtles or CCCTurtle and join one. Your work will consist mainly of relocating turtle nests, monitoring and protecting these endangered creatures. Most groups work in coastal towns on 1-2 nesting beaches like Galapagos, so they need all the help they can get. What’s more, depending on the organization, you’ll get free accommodation in exchange for your effort.
Ski – Whether you know how to ski or want to learn to, this opportunity is great for you. Mountain ski resorts give a free stay and even a salary to those willing to do seasonal work there. From staff in hotels and restaurants to ski lift operators, they hire workers from all over the world. The only condition is to get a temporary work visa and apply before the beginning of the season to ensure an awesome spot. Another awesome thing is that you’ll get to live in beautiful places away from the overcrowded cities. Mammoth in California, New Zealand and Vail in Colorado are only a few of the most popular destinations with ski resorts accepting season work. Visit sites like Coolworks or NZSki to find out more about how you can apply.
Stay in a bothy – One of the country with the most opportunities for traveling for free is Scotland. Thanks to its breath-taking mountains and places surrounded by untouched nature, you can stay there entirely for free. How? In a bothy. This is a small shelter with all basic furniture. It’s left unlocked for everyone to use. You can find a bunch of those scattered on Scotland’s mountains or near bays. Some of the most popular bothies are:
Live in a lighthouse – Do you want to escape from everything and stay on an island accessible only by boat? Luckily, you can do that for free. Basically, you’ll be living and working as a docent in a lighthouse. Pottawatomie Lighthouse on Rock Island in Wisconsin offers that. Your job will include giving tours of the lighthouse during the day. Aside from that you’ll learn some cool facts and meet new people. All in all, it’s an experience you shouldn’t miss. Especially if you fend well alone.
Look after alpacas – These creatures are of great help when it comes to traveling for free. You can look after alpacas while house sitting. It’s a fun task that’ll help you experience the life of the locals as well as improve your responsibility. You’ll encounter all types of situations while hanging out with the herds from sick animals to ones in search of partners, but it’s manageable. Head to TrustedHouseSitters and find the best offers. Faraway destinations like Barbados, New Zealand, and St Kitts & Nevis are waiting for you.
Deliver yachts – You don’t have to own a yacht to sail in one. And it’s a part of your traveling for free. There’s always need of someone to deliver yachts from Ecuador to Chile, so offer your skills to businesses like CrewSeekers International. But that’s not everything you can do. A lot more sailing opportunities are lurking in the corner. One of them is a night watch while cruising through Turks and Caicos. Whatever you choose, you’ll have a blast on the water.
Keep an eye on a chateau – The world is full of chateau owners looking for someone to watch their estate. You’ll evade the hotels and stay for free in these beautiful small castles. Usually among the activities required of you are taking care of the house’s security, getting it ready for showing to real estate agencies or even gardening. Sites like Mind My House and Luxury Housesitting connect you and the owner, making sure everything is in order. So, you only need to pack your bags and live in a chateau in the United Kingdom, France or Costa Rica for a while.
Hang out with polar bears – When you’re traveling for free, you shouldn’t overlook the coldest areas on the planet. Especially since they give you a chance to cuddle with cute fluffy polar bears. These animals are unfortunately branded as threatened species mainly because of the climate change. That’s why you’ll be paid to hang out with them. Deadhorse Camp in Alaska gives you a chance to do this during the summer. The benefits are an hourly wage, free stay, three meals a day and a bonus of 1000 dollars at the end of the season.
Volunteer in a hostel – Among the possibilities of traveling for free, you’ll find a bunch as a volunteer in hostels. With numerous hostels around the globe, you can choose a spot that’s the most suitable for you. Use HostelJobs to help you out. Understandably, a lot of these include cleaning and maintaining rooms in exchange for a free stay, but it’s not that hard. Besides, if you’re not that type of person, you can be a receptionist in Budapest or teach yoga and pilates on Venice beach. In any case, you’ll explore the place you’re in and be richer for a new experience.
Teach adventure sports – Let the adrenaline kick in, while you leave your dull routine behind and embark on an adventure. Traveling for free has never been more approachable. You only need your wild spirit and your skills at adventure sports. Go bike riding on mountains in Greece and Turkey or sail and windsurf in France. You can also teach rock climbing, skiing, and surfing. The opportunities are endless. You just have to find the right ones for you. Good luck!
by travelcroc.com
