Last year I decided to do something I have always wanted to do; travel around Canada in my VW Beetle. Let me give you some background – last year was my 29th birthday and I decided to do all the things that I have always wanted to do before I turned 30. Like most of us I live on a very tight budget, so planning a trip of this magnitude wasn’t easy.
But Canada can be very easy to travel around on minimal money. So here is my guide to visiting Canada on a budget.
The practical stuff
Canada is currently the second largest country in the world, encompassing the Rocky Mountains, beautifully quaint fishing villages and vast lakes. It really is a travellers dream. It is so close to America and they share a lot of similarities, but they also have their own traditions and diverse history.
During my trip I was taken ill and I was worried about the medical implications that may impend upon my budget. Much like America, Canada have a health system that requires you to pay for medical bills, but on my budget this just wasn’t an option. After being treated I looked into emergency payment options and found that I could apply for an emergency payday loan online in Canada – in such an emergency this really helped me…THANK YOU CANADA!
Currency in Canada is Canadian Dollars and I got mine before my trip rather than when I was there – this helped me to control my spending and budget on a daily basis. It also meant that I could see exactly what money I had from the get go.
I took my trip in the summer months, which I would advise anyone to do if you want to enjoy the warmth, but if you are a ski bunny and simply love the snow then a winter trip would be perfect for you.
The things I saw
There were certain things that I wanted my trip to include and due to this I had to travel a lot of ground and stay in a variety of establishments, from hostels to Motels. My favourite overall hostel had to be the Hi-Mont Treblant hostel where I stayed for 4 nights. The price was very reasonable at $33 per night (I did pay the extra to have a private room so be aware that it is cheaper for a dorm room.) I chose this hostel as it is in the middle of some of earths most spectacular mountain ranges. In winter this is a thriving ski resort and during the summer months they offer excellent hiking trails and barbeques – this is one place not to be missed. They also boast a fantastic English style pub that served amazing fresh food.
When I moved on from the mountains of Treblant, I had to drag myself away. I took a trip to the coast to watch the whales. This was high on my list of priorities to do as I have always wanted to go whale watching but growing up in the middle of a busy city I never had the chance. There are many areas in Canada that you can go on an organised whale watching tour and they are quite inexpensive. One thing to remember is that the whales migrate at different times of the year, so make sure you don’t waste any money by doing your research first. I chose to do an organised tour, but if your budget wont stretch then there are many beaches along the coast line that offer free glimpses of humpback whales in the morning – what could be better than that?
Other amazing sites included;
- Take a guided bear hike – GUIDED being the most important word here.
- Toronto is an amazingly cosmopolitan city that can’t be missed
- Take a trip to Halifax – a traditional Nova Scotia town where you can watch the fishermen work and wonder the extraordinary markets.
After six weeks on the road I headed home with some fantastic memories that will last a lifetime! As soon as I got through the door, I took my list and ticked another item off!
